The Franchise

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Name- Scion
Sex- Male
Age- 21
Build- Lean, athletic, agility over strength
Height- 5'8"
Hair- Short, black
Eyes- Gray
Clothing- Cloak, black leather armor, undergarments
Weapon(s)- Kunais, two wakizashis, one unfolding katana, unknown blade type (?)

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Series 1, Episode 1: Scion & The Unconscious Priestess

He sat cross-legged outside her shoji screen as he always did, his senses diligent in keeping her safe. He heard the familiar sound of her garments dropping to the floor as she prepared for bed, but that information to him was irrelevant so long as she was alone. Scion had been her guardian for many years since the current Raj assigned him to the task and the fact that she was the Raj' daughter made protecting her that much more vital. She held within her the future of the clan and Scion would not allow anyone to interfere with that responsibility.

Suddenly a demonic presence.

Why had he not felt it before? Quickly he rose and lunged into her chambers to see her naked body dangling from the grasp of a demon overlord. The room had a gaping hole in the wall that connected to the outside mountain range, but Scion had not heard anything. The overlord smiled at him and then beat his massive wings to send a gust of wind and energy pounding into the guardian. Scion had just enough time to block the energy with his wakizashis in a cross formation, but the wind blinded him and the two were gone when he could see again. He straightened up and walked over to the hole while sheathing his wakizashis. Narrowing his eyes in determination, the guardian leapt through the hole and blurred out of sight as he sped through the vast terrain before him.

He would rescue her even if it meant sacrificing his life.

Name: Asuka
Sex: Female
Age: 16
Build: Lean, athletic
Height: 5'6"
Hair: Long, auburn
Eyes: Amber
Clothing: One-piece white outfit like the types worn by asylumees
Weapon(s): Her body

Series 2, Episode 1: Asuka & The Runaway Psyche

If the door that read "WARNING: DO NOT COME IN ANY CONTACT WITH SUBJECT UNLESS GIVEN DIRECT AUTHORIZATION BY SUPERIOR" was not clear enough, then surely the woman within whose reputation preceded her could steer off even the most disgusting wardsman. That was the assumption, anyway. The reality was that one man by the name of Michael Keen who just started working in Thunderball wanted to expand his list of conquered women. You see, Keen was the type of wardsman who took advantage of every girl he could in every asylum he worked for, but his reign of terror was about to end with Asuka "Red" Descarte.

"Hello there," Michael Keen sneered as he opened the door to Asuka's padded room and looked down at the girl who was huddled in the corner. He was holding a tray of food for the unresponsive girl, but of course that was just a cover. He started loosening his pants as he approached the unmoving Asuka, but suddenly a low and raspy voice stopped him.

"So you value that thing you call a dick," the girl stood as she spoke and turned to face him. They locked eyes and for a split second he could see emotion in those normally dead amber eyes that blazed through anyone that came in contact with them. He laughed it off while still walking towards her and eventually he pushed her against the wall, "Think you're hot shit, d'ya? Well, look at this uniform here. You know what this means? I'm a wardsman and you're just a lowly prisoner who's about to-" His voice trailed off when she spat in his face. He looked stunned for a moment before rearing his fist back in anger and letting it fly towards her face.

It connected with her cheek. The blow turned her face and blood dribbled out of the corner of her mouth, but to his horror she merely licked it up. She slanted an eye towards him that narrowed menacingly, "Is that all, little boy?" His mouth opened to scream but all that came out was a gargle of blood as Asuka's hands wrapped around his throat with his fist still pressed against her cheek. Her long nails that went uncut sliced into his skin and her inhuman strength was crushing the pipe in his throat that provided precious oxygen.

"What's the matter, boy? Cat got your tongue?" Asuka lifted him off the floor while stepping towards the still open door, drops of blood falling on her bare feet and painting the white pad covering the room. "Do you know why the people of this asylum call me Red, boy? It's because I thirst for blood... for the blood of fucking pricks like you who would try to subjugate women," her voice raised as did her hold on his throat. His eyes were starting to pop out of his head as his throat was erupting in blood. "YES, PRICKS LIKE YOU WHO HAVE NO RESPECT FOR WOMEN AND WOULD RATHER SHOVE YOUR PEA-SIZED COCKS INTO THEIR UNWILLING BODIES THAN COMMIT TO SOMETHING MEANINGFULAND..." Her voice started to blend the words when his head suddenly fell back in a sickening crack. Blood gushed out of his lifeless mouth as if pooled in his throat and splattered onto Asuka. She ran a blood-drenched hand through her hair before combing him for weapons and leaving the room quickly.

The sun was high and the city was bustling, but then again Tokyo was always like that no matter the time of day. Talk of the world's first advanced robot circulated as the Japanese made their way to and from social gatherings. Cafe Borocho was particularly busy as the students of Thunderball High met after class.

"Saki? Are you listening?!" Konichi sighed while crossing her legs much to the dismay of some boys from across the way who were leering beneath the table. Her skirt left nothing to the imagination.

"Uhm...I'm sorry," Saki turned to her best friend with a gentle smile. "I've just been so tired lately..." She touched her forehead and continued the motion to run her fingers through her jet black hair. Konichi almost immediately dropped her angry act and frowned with concern, "You know, Mr. Hagi never use to call on you in class. Are you sure it's just tiredness...?"

"W-what are you saying?" Saki tilted her head curiously and stared at Konichi who just shrugged, "Well... I mean, is there something going on? You know you can tell me anything, right?"

As the two schoolgirls conversed, a television ad on Tokyo's city-wide promotional screen was running a commercial that featured a business executive talking about some important changes to a popular Japanese corporation. A few people turned their heads to the screen and watched it out of curiosity, but it went largely unnoticed.

The gathering of male Thunderball students let out a collective sigh as Konichi closed her legs and then dispersed. "So dude," the red-haired Uemari turned to his friend, Takeshi. "You hear about that new game?"

Takeshi briefly glanced up from his iPhone, "You have to be a bit more specific."

"Man, why are you always so serious? Anyway, they say you can do anything you want. Apparently it's a sleeper hit by some underground company, but it's sure taking our school by storm," he spoke in a hushed voice as if it was some kind of conspiracy. Takeshi narrowed his eyes at the phone's screen, "And what's it called?"

"Uhm...ah shit, I forget. I think it's Avatar or Alias...somethin' like that-" Takeshi looked up from typing on his phone, "No results." Uemari facepalmed, "Man, you're hopeless."

Series 1, Episode 2: Through the Brush

Scion cleaved through a sixty-fifth demon as he made his way through the harsh forest that separated his clan from the Nite Lands. His blood-drenched wakizashis screamed through the air as he took the head off an armored beast lurking in the shadows. He vanished as the neck shot a fountain of blood and reappeared in a swarm of enemies with his cloak settling around him. There was a sound akin to metals scraping together just before thousands of daggers flew from his cloak and into the hearts of every foe surrounding him. A stream of sunlight revealed that each blade was tied uniquely to his cloak and when he spun, they systematically returned to their places in his cloak. The holes they left pumped blood before the bodies fell simultaneously in disintegrating matter.

Scion pressed on.

Resistance grew as he approached the Nite Lands, but so too did his resolve. He utilized his speed to outrun the swarm and incapacitate obstacles quickly. He rolled out of the forest into a crouch just short of a cliff's edge and looked back to see demons in the form of praying mantis' leaping after him. He jumped... but they jumped after him.

He dodged one's blade in air and threw a kunai into its chest to knock it away. He was grappled from behind but stabbed his wakizashi into the unfortunate mantis' eye. Screaming in pain, the mantis released its hold on the ninja long enough for him to swing around to its backside and fight the descending opponents. Parrying each slash with his own, he ultimately slid under their blades and off the mantis to fall through the air. They killed their comrade and were temporarily confused as the ninja crashed through a blanket of trees. He engaged the blades on his cloak to impale into the nearby trees to avoid smashing into the ground and then maneuvered onto a nearby branch.

He was just about to jump to another one when a mantis came screeching downwards and gashed a long, deep cut through his back. Scion grunted in pain but focused on retracting the blades to his cloak. The mantis crashed lifelessly to the ground and Scion fell to his feet albeit shakily. He closed and then opened his eyes a few times to focus his vision and then staggered forward. There was no time to rest even as his blood marked the trail and lured the demons.

Series 2, Finale: Freedom

Asuka dropped the guns she liberated from the wardsmen and looked up at the bright sun shining down on her bloody face. "It's been so long," she muttered, "so long since I've seen you..." Her eyes welled with tears and she wiped them with one arm while the other hand began unstrapping the belts securing her suit. Joyous tears streamed down her face as she quickly rid herself of the clothing that marked her as a Thunderball asylumee. She finally stepped out of the fallen garment and stretched out her arms, "I did it, Konichi. I did it!" She laughed brightly until a gunshot rang out. A bullet flew through her gut taking chunks of skin and gore with it. Blood pooled quickly at her feet as she just looked down in shock. She tried in vain to push her intestine back inside of her stomach but it was too late. A second shot tore her face in half and she fell on her open stomach, dead.

Her death report stated that a fatal accident involving another asylumee was involved, but Thunderball clearly left out the part about authorizing a sniper to take her out because they wouldn't have to deal with Asuka "Red" Descarte anymore.

Name: Konichi Shihoin
Sex: Female
Age: 18
Build: Tight, athletic, slightly muscular in places and especially in her legs
Height: 5'6"
Hair: Shoulder-length, white (bleached)
Eyes: Black, mascara
Clothing: Thunderball uniform for girls; black blouse, yellow tie, short black skirt (cut extra short in Shihoin's case), black stockings, black shoes with yellow accents
Weapon(s): Legs

The First Day

Konichi Shihoin was infamous in Thunderball for several dozen reasons. First, she was the star player for the volleyball team. Second, she was voted by the male population as the hottest girl in school (and subsequently despised by her female compatriots). One of the less flattering things about her was the fact that she did anything to get ahead in school. This often meant sliding her hand down a male professor's pants or becoming acquainted with a female teacher's lesbian fantasies. The rumor was that Shihoin had no limitations for the right price, but this was actually false for the girl herself was amazingly intelligent and held herself to extremely high standards. The talk of her sexual willingness only started when one Armada Felx harassed her for sex. She refused him outright, kicked him in the nads, and incurred his wrath until some other girl shot him in the face for the same deal.

"Hey Konichi, have you seen Saki today?" The high-pitched brunette ran a hand through her hair as another dark-haired girl stepped forward, "We had some huge meet at the archery club and usually Saki's pretty stoked, but we haven't seen her for a few days. Do you have any idea where she's been?"

Konichi looked down while rubbing the back of her neck, "To be honest, I was going to visit her after school today. I haven't seen her either and I'm actually kinda worried because you know Saki! She wouldn't miss a day of school unless..." Her voice trailed off and the two girls standing over her desk looked at each other in knowing silence.

"Well," the brunette finally began. "If you see her, tell her the club isn't the same without her!" The two walked off with a wave and Konichi was left in thought. She looked out the window to clear her head and when she did, her eyes fell on a familiar face staring up at the window. It was Saki...but not the girl Konichi knew. The girl she saw was naked and drenched in blood with a gaping hole in her stomach. Konichi leapt out of her seat and pressed her palms against the window, breathing heavily as Saki's face portrayed absolute terror. "Saki!" She screamed and when every eye in the classroom went to her, the girl vanished and the grotesque image was gone. There was no blood on the ground and when Konichi made it down there later to check out the area, there was no trace of anything.

Since the day Saki was declared missing, Konichi couldn't breathe without thinking about the best friend she knew so intimately. She couldn't shake the feeling that something bad had happened to Saki, but nobody would believe her. The police chalked it up to an abused girl running away from home, but Konichi knew better than to ignore the signs. She dropped everything and devoted all of her time and energy to finding Saki. She skipped all of her classes to ask students at Thunderball if they had seen or heard anything, but no one was any wiser than her.

Konichi suspected that she would find a clue in Saki's room, but her family had locked themselves inside the house and wouldn't see anyone. She finally laid down on a park bench to look up at the sky and take a moment to think about why this was happening. "Saki... why? Did you really run away, or were you kidnapped? Are you..." She covered her eyes with an arm to hide impending tears, but was caught off-guard when someone lifted one of her legs. She jerked away quickly to sit up on one end of the bench and blinked her eyes at the man standing there. "You're..." She pointed slowly.

"Takeshi," he pocketed his hands and tilted his head. "Why are you crying?"

"I...I wasn't crying! Anyways, are you stalking me? Aren't you suppose to be at school? You're some brainiac who never goes anywhere without looking at that-"

"I know where Saki is," he watched her react slowly and suspiciously to the statement. "What'd you just say...?"

"This is not a game, Shihoin. I only tell you this so you stay out of my way. I understand Saki Yoruichi means a lot to you, but she is one life compared to thousands," he turned his back on her and she blinked in confusion. "Takeshi...I don't understand! What are you talking about?"

"You do not have to understand," he pulled up the hood on his jacket and glanced over his shoulder. "Just stop looking for your friend, okay? I will do everything in my power to fix this." He regarded her with one eye for a moment before walking away quickly and leaving her stunned on the bench.

The Past

"It's unethical, Kaneshiro! You're talking about playing with people's lives here!"

She was screaming but he was perfectly calm, his face a reflection of his emotionless father. She knew what she was getting into of course, but she never thought it would come to this. Was Kaneshiro sane? Was his family sane? Was this all some kind of psychotic dream or was she in the game already?

"You act as if I care," he glanced at her briefly. "If you're not going to help, then leave. I don't have time for your sudden moral concerns."

"Kaneshiro..." She choked back a sob while shaking her head in disbelief. "I always believed you would turn out different than your father and when they said you wouldn't, I defended you. I... I always loved you and that's the only reason I wanted to help you! But if you're going down this road, then..." She drew a silenced colt from her coat pocket and levelled it with his forehead. He looked up at the gun with a curious cock of his head, "You would shoot me?"

She nodded and he stood up slowly. She proceeded to back away as he walked around the desk all while his eyes locked with hers. Standing face to face with her, he pocketed his hands as she pressed the gun against his forehead. "Your hands are trembling," he spoke softly and it unnerved her. "Just tell me why, Kaneshiro... why you have to do this? For money? Is it for power? Why?!"

He answered, "It's for all those things and more. Self-amusement plays a big role."

She looked at him in shock and even though every fiber of her being told her that he needed to die, her emotions said otherwise. She lowered the gun hesitantly as tears fell from her eyes and she would regret the motion. He reached for her neck quickly and snapped it in a single motion that he too would regret in the future, but for now he sat down. He was sitting and typing away even as a cleaning crew went by to pick up the body.

Series 1, Episode 3: Into the Shadow

The Nite Lands housed countless demons that hated humans, but they couldn't pass through the barrier protecting man. For generations the Magi kept the darkness at bay, but now one ninja navigated the Nite Lands to save a girl whose life was precious to him. Scion pressed on with little concern for his injuries. He had taken time to bandage the gash down his back with his shirt, but he was walking on land ruled by every enemy of mankind. Some would have claimed he was already dead.

"You shouldn't be here," a disembodied voice spoke suddenly and Scion threw a dagger immediately to his right, but it flew through empty air. He narrowed his eyes and pressed on with no more voice, but he could sense the demons now. They were coming.

He met the first winged creature directly, parrying its claws with his unfolding katana and then brutally slicing its head off. He kept moving and eventually found himself in a swarm of flying demons, smack dab in the center. He grunted and held his ground against various attacks, each skirmish ending in a dead demon that disintegrated around him. He would parry and then slice off their head, nice and neat. As the light show of death continued, Scion's breathing became laboured. He wasn't cutting their numbers at all and had to make a run for it before he was overwhelmed. He sucked in a breath and rolled out of a spear's destructive path. Jumping up to his feet, he ran as fast as he could towards the castle and somehow made it inside. The doors slammed shut behind him as a hundred spears stabbed into it.

Staggering to his feet, he clutched his katana while within total darkness. It was so pitch black that not even his eyes could make out any trace of a shape, but he couldn't sense anything either. It wasn't until flames flickered that he knew something was watching him. They systematically came into existence as if lighting his way to a destination... or a grave.

Series 1, Episode 4: Final Darkness

"Woh yllis fo uoy ot etamitserednu em os ylivaeh, ajnin."

Scion's eyes widened at the demonic voice echoing from every inch of the castle, and he barely brought his sword to bear as a massive claw smashed into his side. He flew off the staircase he was climbing, smashed through a wall, and landed in the center of a ritualistic ring.

"Tub neht niaga, uoy erew syawla ym laog. Evig flesruoy ot em, Scion! Ruoy rehtaf sdnamed ruoy luos!"

The circle seemed to heed the words of the Devil King and as Scion laid in pain on his back, the circle's glyphs glowed red. He suddenly howled in pain and convulsed violently as one stream of energy shot from the circle and into his body. The untold volts of energy swam throughout his being as another stream lashed out and then a third torrent of energy. He screamed and grunted, groaned and bellowed as the intense anguish was more than he could bare until the red light consumed everything. When the nova settled, Scion was standing upright and pulsing waves of energy from his glowing blue body. He was holding his katana in both hands and looking up into the darkness, his eyes narrowing in determination.

"Father, I have come to save her no matter the cost," the words came from his mouth as if he never spoke before and that could have been true. Scion was an individual rooted in discipline and training. He left his emotions at the door. All he had was his duty to the priestess. Or at least, that's what he believed before. Now he knew that he harbored very important feelings for the girl that could no longer be ignored by his tortured spirit.

"Siht si hcir," the Devil King laughed a horrible sound as the darkness around Scion slowly dispersed to reveal the most colossal creature the ninja had ever seen and it was staring right down at him. The creature looked as if it was attached to the floor by its waist but it was easily half the size of the entire chamber. Its arms were thick in exposed veins that dripped blood and they were poised on either side of Scion. The bare arteries spun into huge claws with nails that appeared to flex with individual wills. The torso of the creature resembled layers of muscle tissue with a few bleeding holes and random sparks of flame. The neck was just a bundle of nerves that awkwardly formed a twisted head that looked like some kind of mutated anteater. It could only fit one huge eye on its head, but two giant horns protruded out of its skull to make up for it. The horns were made out of an unknown bone that spiralled into extremely sharp points.

"Kniht uoy evah tahw ti sekat ot ekat no raed dlo dad, od uoy? Uoy'er gnihton tub na tsactuo nworht yawa ekil tsal thgin's egabrag. Fi uoy tnaw ot eid os yldab, neht emoc no!" The Devil King opened its mouth to charge a rapidly expanding ball of energy that crackled violently.

Scion dug his boots into the floor and raised his katana in a defensive stance. He braced the back of the blade with one hand and shouted. As if on cue, a small orb of swirling energy came into existence in front of his blade and as he focused, it grew larger very quickly. The two gathered energy until their spells were at maximum output potential and then they attacked. Red and blue collided in a soundless explosion that swept through the Nite Lands and crashed into the Magi's barrier on the border of man.

Series 1, Finale

Scion held her gently while walking over the scorched earth that was once demonic territory. Now purely desecrated by the energy wave released from Scion's final battle with the Devil King, the Nite Lands were no more. Now all that remained within the Magi's barrier was a ninja and his priestess. She looked up at him with her naked body covered in his cloak, and tears fell from her eyes.

"You saved me," she whispered weakly, slender arms tightening the hold around his neck. "I don't know who you are... or why I'm here, but... I do know that you rescued me... from nothingness." She smiled gently while nuzzling her face against his chest.

Scion glanced down at her while still moving forward, "Do you remember your name?"

She blinked as if surprised by the ease of the question. She opened her mouth to speak it but found that when she did, it wasn't there. She looked up at him in shock and fear, but he pulled down his mask to give her a reassuring smile. "Yoruichi," he began with a nod. "Your name is... Saki Yoruichi."

Her eyes widened as the memories came back in a flood of pain and relief. And then everything went black as the two bodies left in the Nite Lands disintegrated. The world shattered soon afterwards as if a mirror split into a thousand pieces. And then there was white. There was nothing left but light.

Reunion

Konichi was walking home from school when suddenly her eyes fell on a familiar face. She dropped her bag in shock and stared at the dark-haired girl who slowly (and very gingerly) stepped out of the shadows.

Name: Saki Yoruichi
Sex: Female
Age: 17
Build: Slender, lean, slightly muscular because of volleyball
Height: 5'4"
Hair: Long, black, some bangs that tend to sweep over one eye
Eyes: Light hazel
Clothing: Thunderball uniform for females (see Konichi)
Weapon(s): Konichi

"Saki..." Konichi choked back a sob.

Saki's gentle smile fell into a frown when she realized how shaken her best friend was. "Koni-chan..." She looked down at her feet while crossing her arms behind her back, "I'm so sorry..."

"I was... so afraid," Konichi spoke as if she didn't hear the girl and started walking towards her. "You disappeared and nobody knew where you were. Saki, I feared the worst... that you were kidnapped... and that you were..." She bit her lip as Saki, still looking down, could see Konichi's feet inches away from hers. Konichi cupped her chin and gently lifted her face upwards to look her in the eye. "Saki... I'm so glad you're safe," she cried freely now and Saki's eyes shimmered in response, but she could think of no greater action than to lean up on her tiptoes and kiss her loved one on the lips. Konichi closed her eyes and instantly kissed her back, the two embracing in relief and love.

Takeshi watched the scene unfold from an alley perpendicular to the duo, but neither girl would notice him. He took one last look at the happy couple before pocketing his hands and walking deeper into the alley where the darkness resided.

Saki draped her leg over Konichi's, cuddling against her side as the older girl ran a hand gently through the silky dark hair of her lover. The two were naked and bathed in sweat but happier than ever after their reunion and subsequent explosion of pent-up sexual aggression. "You've always been a freak in bed," Konichi glanced down and Saki looked up, eyes bright and smile coy as she traced a finger down the edge of Konichi's breast. A shiver ran down her spine.

"Koni-chan, I missed you..." Saki closed her eyes and nuzzled her face against her lover's side, but suddenly Konichi narrowed her eyes in seriousness.

"I missed you too... more than you realize. But Saki, what the hell happened to you? It was like you vanished..." She lifted up Saki's face gently by caresing her chin, but the dark-haired girl shook her head.

"Even if I told you, Koni-chan, you would never believe-" Saki blinked as a thumb covered her lips. The two locked eyes for a moment before Saki took a deep breath and started telling her the truth, "It was a ninja, Koni-chan. He saved me from... a demon. It was this huge... scary beast that looked like a king or something. And next thing I knew, I was being carried by this savior, this... ninja," she bit her lip while slowly looking back at Konichi who tilted her head curiously. "And then?"

Saki looked up at the ceiling as if to gather her thoughts and then spoke very slowly, "Well, uhm... that's just it. I don't remember much after the ninja was carrying me. I... I'm sorry, Koni-chan. I know how ridiculous this must sound," she blushed a deep shade of crimson but was surprised when Konichi caressed her cheeks. The older girl lifted her face up to hers and kissed her on the nose, "You're my girlfriend, Saki, my lover. I believe what you believe. I trust you. We'll make sense of it together... and I think I know just who to turn to."

Saki grinned widely, relieved that the person she valued the most invested such faith in her.

The Past

"It's time for you to wake up," he stabbed the syringe deep within her chest and injected liquid that very rapidly encased her heart in a protective shell. Her heart then spasmed violently and her body followed, but that meant the heart was already pumping blood throughout her body once more. Her fingers twitched and then her toes, but the most important sign was the jolting of her upper body. She caressed her neck while breathing heavily, her naked body covered in a cold sweat that expunged the chemical leftovers of her miraculous recovery. She slowly looked up at the man who saved her with murderous eyes, hair matted to her forehead.

"What the hell... do you want?" Her voice was dry and barely audible, but the rage inside of her soul propelled the sentence as if she hated the man standing above her with every fiber of her being. He grabbed her throat and lifted her slightly off the cold metal slab, but she merely growled. "You killed me... once, you bastard. Just... get it over with..." Her eyes started to roll up into the back of her head as she began losing consciousness, but suddenly he released his hold and pulled out a phone with a picture.

"What, you thought death would save you from me? I revived you so that you wouldn't forget the terms of our contract. Do what I say," he grabbed her hair and forced her to look at the picture of a little girl riding a bike. "Do what I say... or she dies. You may not give a shit about your life and I certainly don't, but you care about this brat." He pushed the phone against her chest and stepped away as she gazed solemnly at the picture.

"What do you want..." She cradled the phone to her breasts with a defeated sigh.

"Nothing... for now," he smiled. "You are insurance, my dear."

"Takeshi, what the hell is going on?"

The boy looked up from his iPhone at an enraged Konichi and nervous Saki (who really didn't know why they were demanding answers from Takeshi).

The boy shrugged and resumed looking at his iPhone, "Class is about to start."

Konichi stared at the boy with a psychotic twitch in her eye. She knew in her gut that Takeshi was related to Saki's disappearance somehow and nothing would stop her from uncovering the truth. She grabbed his phone in an impulsive move and squeezed it slightly while narrowing her eyes menacingly. "Talk or I break this damn thing you're so-" Takeshi glanced at her in brief surprise before sliding out a second iPhone from his pocket.

"My life demands technology and in the event that one piece is stolen or destroyed, insurmountable backups exist to preserve my work. You can't blackmail me and you certainly won't extract any information from me. Now sit down and heed the lecture," he tilted his head to look at her. "Do I make myself clear, Konichi Shihoin?"

Konichi lunged over the desk and slammed Takeshi to the ground in a fit of rage. His chair fell back with him. Rearing her arm back, she let a punch fly towards his face but her closed hand was immediately intercepted by his open palm. He kneed her in the gut and pushed her off of him before flipping to his feet. He turned back just in time to see Saki in the middle of a kick aimed at his head and ducked. Grabbing her leg with one hand (his right still clutched his iPhone), he pushed her off balance and tapped her knee with his leg to floor her. Students in the classroom watched in awe and then fear as the two girls laid in pain.

"You're willing to risk everything for this," Takeshi grumbled under his breath. "You're just like I was when my mind was made up. I can see it in your eyes that you are scared and confused, but you also want answers and will stop at nothing to solve the mystery that is hanging over Tokyo... and perhaps all of Japan." For the first time in a long time, Takeshi offered the room a genuine smile and pressed a few buttons on his iPhone. "I uploaded data to your computers. Everything you want and need to know is in that data. I'll be in touch." He stepped over Saki and left the room as the teacher was walking in. He nodded to the older man, "Dr. Kagisaka."

Kagisaka glanced inside the room where Konichi and Saki were recovering before looking back at Takeshi with no expression, "Getting them involved, are you? I hope you are prepared."

Takeshi kept walking and his only recognition of the statement was a wave over his shoulder.

"Konichi, what do you think we're getting ourselves into...?"

"No idea, Saki," Konichi glanced at the nervous looking girl sitting in the passenger's seat and smiled gently. "Hey, it's going to be okay no matter what it is. I'm here for you... always."

Saki blushed at being read so easily and Konichi snickered at her reaction while rounding a corner. She stopped just in front of a familiar man who seemed to appear out of the darkness. It was Takeshi.

"Are you trying to get run over," she called out the window but he ignored her and simply pointed behind him at a run-down warehouse. Pocketing his hands, he disappeared inside while the two girls stepped hesitantly out of the car and proceeded after him. As soon as they were inside, the lights flashed on and they found themselves surrounded by some of the world's most complex technology. Takeshi turned to face them and nodded definitively, "Welcome to the Venu, our codename for this building."

"Codename," Saki tilted her head questionably.

"What the hell's going on, Takeshi? What is all of this? Why do you need a codename? Just tell us already!"

"Hey there, Konichi," a familiar voice called out from above them and the three looked up to see Uemari waving from a railing. "Good to see you safe and sound, Saki," he grinned at their shocked expressions but then his face grew serious. He looked at Takeshi and spoke carefully, "The drop was successful. The threat took the bait and presumably provided them with our false information."

"Good, good," Takeshi glanced at the two confused looking girls. "And approximately how long do we have?"

"I'm already detecting some attempt at infiltration, so probably 2-3 hours before they crack the location," Uemari too glanced at the girls, but his gaze settled more prominently. "You really think they can handle this?"

Konichi clenched her fist and wildly gazed upon both of their faces with murderous rage, "Stop this shit right now! You are going to tell us what the hell is going on or we're both out of here."

"Okay then," Takeshi turned to face them completely and crossed his arms. His sudden interest in divulging information shocked Konichi who just started tapping her foot impatiently. Saki sweatdropped from behind the raging young woman. "Me and Uemari are part of a secret task force assigned to eliminating a corporation known as WHYD. WHYD is responsible for creating and releasing an extremely dangerous and unpredictable technology to the public that if left unchecked, will have devastating effects on the world." He stepped forward to place a hand on Saki's shoulder and spoke more seriously, "You have encountered this technology when you assumed the role of Asuka "Red" Descarte. WHYD exposes the unknowing public to this technology through video games that manipulate the player's neural pathways," he smiled slightly at her confused expression. "In other words, the game downloads your subconscious and creates a character based on... you. Saki, your character known as Asuka was placed inside an asylum because you feel imprisoned by your lack of confidence. Somewhere inside of you lurks a personality resembling Asuka that the game tapped into and manipulated."

Saki and Konichi looked at each other as Takeshi was talking and just stared at the young man in bewildered shock. Suddenly a bright red light flashed inside the warehouse and pulsed in one second intervals. "Heads up," Uemari shouted from upstairs. "We got company."

Unveiling: Just Who is Kaneshiro?

The soldiers marched on void of identity and a reason of their own. Empty shells, they dutifully carried out the will of their master. High atop one of the buildings that overlooked their forces, a solitary woman stepped onto the railing and extended her magnificent staff towards the brooding sky above. A runic circle opened in the clouds and lightning shot from the glyphs as the woman chanted ominously. For the soldiers without fear, it would be the last thing they heard with clarity as the lightning crashed into their forces and tore them asunder. For the survivors, a woman decked in heavy plate armor wore it as if light as a feather and wielded a massive sword that could cleave through any known substance. The woman danced through the soldiers who tried in vain to counter her attacks with their own pitiful weapons and they who were many fell to but two.

The last soldier remaining was given a message by the warrior, "Tell your master that Takeshi Kaneshiro is coming for him and nothing will be able to save him. Tell him that worthless grunts like you are no match for Kaneshiro's might. And lastly," the woman crouched down to the fallen soldier's level and whispered in his ear with the edge of her sword pressed gently against his bare throat. "Tremble when I am speaking to you." She smiled a smile that was nothing like the Konichi she was in the real world, but maybe the warrior she became in the game reflected her true identity. A single rivlet of blood slid from the man's throat as she turned and vanished along with the manipulator of lightning who watched solemnly from the rooftop.

"Incredible..."

"Indeed. Their power is unlike any new player we have ever seen. What is the reading on their synchronization values?"

"Let's see..." Uemari's eyes opened wide as he gauged the fluctuating statistics. "Takeshi... both of their values are through the roof. Doesn't synchronization depend on the person's will? For their readings to be this powerful, they must possess character and resolve. However, I find it strange that the higher reading is emanating from..." His eyes drifted to the woman on screen who summoned the lightning and Takeshi smiled.

"When Saki first played the game as Red Asuka, she overcame the doubt that held her back. Perhaps saving her was one of Scion's wisest decisions." Crossing his arms, Takeshi nodded in satisfaction. "In any event, it appears they secured the area and the enemy has fallen for our bait. Get them out."

"Gotcha," Uemari went to work but couldn't ignore the shifting graph on his right that reported Konichi's status. Konichi... why? Why are you so conflicted? Could all of that fluctuation really be coming from you...?

Saki knocked gently on the door that separated Takeshi's quarters from the rest of the warehouse. "Come in," he said in a faint voice that carried through the door effortlessly and she walked in gracefully. He regarded her with a brief glance up as she looked down and fumbled with her hands. "What is it-" "Thank you," she cut him off with a quick two words and a slight blush. Tilting his head in a show of curiosity, he crossed his legs and kept his gaze on her despite the important document in his hands. "And what exactly are you thanking me for?"

She ran a hand through her hair while struggling to find the words she wanted to convey, "When I became trapped in the game, I assumed the character of Red Asuka... a personality that I thought had been absolved. I remember... dying in the game and when I woke up, I was another person entirely. It was as if a stream carried me away for some greater purpose. I don't remember exactly who I was or what happened, but I do remember the man who saved me and how he felt..." She looked at him with a crimson blush and fell silent.

Takeshi smiled while folding his hands over his mouth, "Alternativity is an imperfect science. While souls or players are engaged with its reality, they lose autonomy and become one sentient being whose reasons depend entirely upon its master. In a sense, he who governs the game wields the ability to change reality," As he spoke, he stood and walked in front of her, and then pocketed his hands. "You may well have become another person and you may well have been saved by me, but that is not our will to say. Once alternativity was perfected, conscientious behavior became a thing of the past. Now...until the technology is destroyed, human will is in jeopardy..." He paused while leaning down to whisper in her ear, his gaze staring ahead at a shadowy figure in the hall through the still open door. "So until you are sure, reserve your feelings for Konichi. Cling to them desperately."

The shadowy figure disappeared as footsteps grew further away and Saki's eyes widened at the realization that she may have just lost the one person she could rely on. Takeshi watched her run out and give chase to the figure, but it was too late. Alternativity would lay siege to another soul.

Kicking the door open, he flung into the room with his assault rifle and lit the interior ablaze. Once the smoke settled, he realized it was empty and breathed a sigh of relief... before the side of a gauntlet slammed against the back of his neck and threw him unconscious.

He awoke yielding a scream of pain to lightning that swam through his entire being. Convulsing in the chair he was tied to, his spastic eyes caught glimpses of two stoic females watching him carefully. One of them - the one in black plate armor - held out a hand as a motion for the other to stop her attack. The agony ceased abruptly and as his head began to fall in a relaxed state, the black armored woman grabbed him by the hair and forced him to look her in the eye.

"You know as well as we do that time is infinite here and pain can last as long as you require. Tell us where the dimensional coordinates are and you can leave. I feel I don't need to tell you what will happen if you resist," she forced him to look at the woman towards the back of the room who channeled the electricity into his body and if circumstances had been better, he would not mind the long look he got of her. Instead of armor, the blue-haired woman wore translucent material that fell akin to robes but left very little to the imagination. Her voluptuous body and seductive curves almost possessed a life of its own as his eyes were drawn long after the armored woman's hand released his hair. His eyes drifted upwards from the breasts that threatened to spill to the beautiful face that silently gazed back at him with the brightest blue eyes he had ever seen. She smiled gently and as if on cue, he spoke words that turned into sentences that flowed into paragraphs of useful information.

Trials

"Saki."

The blue-haired alter-ego turned slowly to face the armored woman who uttered her true name in all seriousness. Saki was smiling until she saw Konichi's face and the grave expression her sharp features possessed. "Koni-chan?" She held a hand over her heart as if sensing the aura of misery that hung over the dark warrioress.

"Saki," Konichi's tone was unwavering and her stare pierced into Saki's very soul. "Do you love me?"

Saki's eyes widened and she dug her fingers into the fabric that covered her breast as if to squeeze the answer from her beating heart.

"Takeshi... this isn't good. Their synchronization values are fluctuating rapidly! This is too intimate of an encounter for the stream! It may overflow!" Uemari put his hand on the lever that would throw Saki and Konichi out of Alternativity, but Takeshi stopped him by caressing his hand gently. Uemari looked back with a bead of sweat rolling from his brow, but all Takeshi could offer was a shake of his head.

"Koni-chan, I..." Saki looked down and started to tremble as the reality around them shifted uncontrollably to consume both of them in unstable space.

"You little bitch," Jamal slammed his fist into a young Konichi's cheek and watched in sick satisfaction as she flew to the pavement beside the fallen Saki. "You wanna die for this whore? I heard she ain't got much longer anyways. Might as well get some pleasure from her while we can," he laughed and his friends joined in, but Konichi was not amused. She threw a nearby rock with such force that it collided against Jamal's forehead and drew blood that dripped off his nose. Shocked, the young black leader of the Blood Brothers stepped back as Konichi rose slowly. "You can hit me all you like and you can even talk all the shit you want, but you stay the fuck away from Saki!" Her voice jumped into a roar as she launched herself through the air and into a roundhouse kick that connected with Jamal's bleeding skull and sent him tumbling instantly.

Breathing heavily, she was not prepared for the immediate swing from the left by one of his friends that slung into her right cheek and the punch from another that drilled into her gut. Her screams of pain woke Saki from her unconscious state who could only look on in horror as the Blood Brothers pummelled Konichi into the ground. "Koni...chan," tears streamed down her bruised cheeks as the sadistic young men began ripping off pieces of Konichi's clothing. Saki began screaming with all her might in the hopes that it would attract attention from someone, but her throat grew hoarse and soon she was coughing blood into her hands.

Konichi was lifted off the pavement and hoisted against a wall, but she kept a defiant look even as darkness threatened to overtake her bloody form. "Tell ya what, bitch. If you apologize nice and sincere-like, we'll make it quick," he grinned wolfishly while loosening his pants and was surprised when Konichi's legs wrapped around him to pull him closer. "Knew you were a slut-" He started to smile and giggle, but Konichi bit into his nose like a vicious dog and held him close with her legs. She mauled him as blood splattered and the boys began beating her to release him, but she would not relent. She fought through the tears of pain and the agony in her body until she released him of her own accord with his nose nearly disconnected from his face.

"Go to fucking hell, you sick pigs..." She spat the blood in her mouth onto the nearest face she saw and was then overpowered. Her position of grinding painfully up and down the wall gave her a perfect view of Saki and the two locked eyes. Even as she fell up and down, her expression conveyed confidence to Saki and the younger frail girl drew great strength from that. It was then, as both of their gazes succumbed to peaceful blackness, that the siren of a police car and the sound of multiple gunshots rang throughout tranquility.

The room was so white and clean unlike the horrific scene before it. It was pure, void of any and all personality. There were no pictures. There were no flowers. There were no balloons or "get well soon" cards. There was only Saki. The frail young girl limped to the hospital bed where her only friend laid comatose, and she caressed her cheek as if in a trance.

"Koni-chan..." She smiled and simultaneously tears began welling in her eyes. "It's time to wake up, silly. Sheesh... you really should learn how to operate an alarm one of these days! I won't always be around to wake you up, you know, or to make sure you're eating properly..." Tears openly fell from her still smiling face as she laid her head down gently on Konichi's chest. "And about your tantrums at school, who'll keep the other students safe?! B-but... most importantly, who will make you laugh? Koni-chan... you hate to laugh but you always smile at my stupid jokes and we can... talk for hours..." She looked up at Konichi's face and grabbed one of the girl's unresponsive hands in her own, sobbing uncontrollably now. "Y-you look so peaceful, but you have to wake up now, Koni-chan! Please! Please wake up! Please don't die, Koni-chan..." Saki leaned her face in close and whispered hoarsely, "I know it's selfish... but please don't leave..." She choked out "Me" with a coughing fit that colored the palm of her hand red.

"Sheesh, why do they keep it so dark and dreary in here?!"

Saki flung open the blinds with a bounce in her step and squealed at the beautiful rays of sun that permeated the room almost immediately. She looked back at Konichi with a big smile and nodded in satisfaction at the way her features lit up under the sun. "Koni-channn, how are you today?" Taking off her shoes, she sat by the sleeping girl's side and gently ran a hand through her hair. "You wouldn't believe what happened today in chemistry..."

"Doctor, is it really okay to lift Saki's spirits like this? She's been visiting that girl everyday for the past 6 months, but..." The nurse hung her head as both she and the doctor watched Saki through a window. "It can't be helped," the doctor crossed his arms with a sigh. "To take away Saki's hope now would be too cruel a joke... and not one that she could recover from given how she cares about Shihoin. No, it's better if..."

"...and then Margaret totally rejected him. Most popular boy in school my butt!" Saki puffed up her cheeks, "He's just a big jerk." She giggled even as the only response she received was the consistent beep of life support. Her smile slowly fell as she wrapped both arms gently around Konichi's head and nuzzled the sleeping girl's hair affectionately.

"Wake up soon, Koni-chan..."

Trials, continued...

Konichi watched as Saki rolled over on her back, her arms and legs stretched out over the full length of the bed. She glanced on the floor beside the bed and saw that Maximilian, Saki's handsome brown daschound, was in the same position as his master. They were both snoring as if competing for the loudest sound in the room, and that made Konichi laugh. When they slept together, Saki always beat the crap out of her in their sleep because she would move around like a bull in a rodeo. She would also snore louder than anything Konichi had ever heard before. She slowly floated down to the bed so that if she were a physical being, their bodies would be touching, and she reached out with both hands to caress Saki's face. She wished she could touch Saki, feel the girl's warmth in her arms, and press her lips to hers, but she could never do it in this form granted by her unfortunate state. She was comatose and that was her reality.

That was their reality.

"Koni-chan...mmm..." Saki mumbled in her sleep and her lips rose slightly to meet the lips of her ethereal friend. Koni's eyes widened as if she could feel the interaction and if she could blush, she would have. She closed her eyes and soaked in the moment until the day's first rays beamed through the curtains of the luxurious chamber.

Saki was born with a rare medical condition that the doctors claimed would take her life before she was 10, but her parents dedicated the fruits of their success to improving her health. They spent millions on their little girl and made sure she got everything she wanted, but their efforts kept them busy. Saki had turned to Konichi's warmth when they were very little and together they grew up, practically inseparable.

"Mmm..." Saki groaned and slowly her eyes fluttered open. If she could see Konichi, they would be looking directly at each other with their noses touching and their lips still conformed. She sat up with a stretch and Konichi freaked out for a moment when her body passed through her. Saki yawned and looked down at Max who was just starting to wake up, still on his back. Saki slid one of her legs off the bed and gently stroked his soft belly with her slender bare foot. "Good morning, Maxi," she giggled as he stretched and rolled over on his stomach, groggily licking her toes as a way to say good morning.

He also looked directly at where Konichi was floating and she smiled at him. She figured out early that he could actually see her because a dog's senses could apparently do that. She floated down and caressed his cheek as he whined slightly. He couldn't feel her, but he was reactive to the gesture.

Saki swung her other leg off the bed and planted her feet on the lush carpet. She used the momentum to push herself off the bed and into a stand that she instantly regretted because she wanted to sleep more. She staggered over to the curtains and threw them open as Konichi watched with a smile. She loved just sitting cross-legged in the air and watching Saki go about her business.

Suddenly, Saki felt a twinge inside her body. Her eyes widened as she touched the glass in front of her with her palms. Her fingers shook and it felt as if her blood was pounding against her arteries. Her legs started shaking and one knee gave way. "Ah...w-what..." She struggled to straighten it, but she didn't have the power to stand anymore. She fell to her knees as her hands slid down the glass, and her head started pounding. "K-Koni-chan...help me..." Her vision whirled as Max ran to her and started barking to alert other people in the house. He barked and licked and whined as Konichi too floated to the other girl's side.

"Saki! Saki, I'm here..." She tried in vain to hold her but her arms passed through. She clutched her teeth in annoyance and looked to the door, shouting for the maids or Saki's parents, but her voice wouldn't impact the physical world. She looked at Max, "Maxi boy, go! Find someone! Saki needs help right now! Don't worry, I'll stay with her..."

Max looked up at her and nodded, his tail dropping as he ran off in a hurry, barking as loudly as he could. Saki's breathing became more labored and her vision more dark as one arm hung limp. "K-Ko...ni..." She fell on her side and the last thing she heard was a maid running into the room as her eyes slowly closed and she submitted to darkness.

Konichi flew through the walls and sped off towards the hospital, but a figure suspended in the air stood in her way. "What the hell are you? Get out of my way!"

The figure was shrouded in black robes and she could not tell its sex, but she could feel its presence. And it was definitely something more sinister than she had ever felt before. It did not belong in this world, but it was here and blocked her path as if God himself was interfering.

"Perhaps god," it said with a chuckle, a genderless voice that seemed to emanate from her mind and shake her bones.

"You... replied to my thoughts..." She floated backwards and growled, "Just what the hell are you? If you're really God, then why the fuck did you put Saki through hell?!"

"Humans all alike. Feel entitled. Imperfect beings only useful for amusement," the figure held up a sleeve because its hand could not be seen and from the opening to the sleeve, a black ball of malignant energy formed. Konichi's eyes widened and the figure tilted its hooded head. "Fear? Emotions invalidate existence further," it lowered its sleeve and the ball dissipated. "Cannot avoid absolution that is death. All will end when death comes. Will grant chance for organism Shihoin to save organism Yoruichi. Organism Shihoin will serve greater purpose."

Konichi clenched a fist and shouted, "Stop playing games with me, you asshole! Stay out of my way!" She flew past the figure and it tilted its head, "Inferior language."

Konichi looked through the glass from outside and lowered her head. Inside the room, Saki laid surrounded by doctors and nurses, her body twitching violently. "Organism Yoruichi not long for vessel," the figure's voice rang through her head and she didn't need to look back to feel it behind her. "I don't want that. She can't die... she just can't! But what can I do...?"

"Accept terms. Wait for usefulness. Organism Yoruichi keeps vessel."

"But... how? You can really do that?"

"Organism Shihoin misunderstands. Will possess slim chance to keep organism Yoruichi's vessel. Failure possible."

Konichi looked back at the figure and then once more at the struggling Saki. She was convulsing in pain and the screams she produced were anguished beyond compare. "I'll do it," she suddenly turned and faced the hooded figure. "Whatever you have to do, do it now. Make her pain stop!"

The figure lifted its sleeve and tilted its head, "Will restore organism Shihoin. Use vessel to save organism Yoruichi. If successful, organism Yoruichi will be utilized. Will wait indefinitely."

"So I'll be on call to do whatever the hell you want? I don't like it, but Saki's life means more to me than dealing with your shit. I accept..." She closed her eyes not knowing what to expect, and the figure did not say anything to help that. It instead raised a sleeve and shot a beam of energy that wrapped around the girl's projected self. It covered every inch of her and squeezed until she was gone in a small burst of light. The figure then looked towards the glass and peered into the room where the nurse shouted, "Doctor, we're losing her!" With its sleeve still raised, it drew a rune in the air that, once activated, summoned a web of energy over the girl's body. When the girl's life force began leaking out of her body, it stagnated in the web and then shot back into her. Satisfied, the figure lowered its sleeve and caught a glimpse of Konichi stumbling into the room before fading into shadows.

"I have... what she... needs..." Konichi had been in a coma the past eight months and so her words were barely audible to the room full of panicking medical personnel. It also hurt more than a little to speak. She was still wearing her hospital gown and was clinging to a portable IV pole. The fact that she was awake was shocking enough, but she shouldn't have been out of bed and certainly not ready to do anything for another living being.

One nurse ran over to the girl and attempted to check her over. "Miss Yoruichi, you shouldn't be here! You have to-"

"No... forget about... me..." She pushed the nurse away with what little strength had and pointed to Saki, "She... needs a... transplant... and I... I..."

Dr. Harrison wiped his brow with his forearm as Saki settled down. He glanced at Konichi and shook his head, "You're in no condition for that."

"Test me... please," she pushed the portable IV forward and took a few steps toward the bed where Saki now resided in peaceful unconsciousness.

"Please!" She shouted this time while stepping away from the pole, but she just tripped and fell to her knees. "I have... to save... Saki! Please... test me..." She started crying and was sobbing uncontrollably while choking out the words she needed to say. "Test me... use me... do whatever you... have to do... to save Saki! She can't die! I won't... let her die!" She looked up at Dr. Harrison and the gray-haired surgeon exhaled a deep breath. "Alright," he nodded and motioned for one of the nurses. "See that she is tested immediately. Time is short. If she is a match, we'll go straight into surgery."