Fanfiction Intertwined Lies

[Gummi Bunnies]

-Prelude Movement-
"Loneliness"

"Blast! He's gone off to the right! He knew that we were after him!"

"Then enough talk, we go after his trail. Like we were ordered to do so."

Upon hearing this exchange from afar, the man on the run proceeded to rush through the busy streets, pushing aside nameless civilians that bore no importance to the pursuing assailants. With the growing confusion of those that were just those nameless bystanding civilians, the two assailants took upon traveling from the rooftops of the accompanying buildings, tracing his path. A hawk eye's view of the prey, it almost... made me feel pitiful

No matter the circumstances I reluctantly follow, I remain as William Owen Herondale, a Nephilim, a former Shadowhunter-in-training. Former, oh how much I wish this word did not exist. Such a word reminds me that I once was something people hoped to be, and now, I lurk in the opposite of my ambitions, a fraud to everyone's hopes. Cruel, cruel irony to fall upon me. Though I could've been content with living a nameless life, now I live a life upon which both Tessas would frown upon.

Theresa Gray. A girl who did not want such a path of being a half-Downworlder, but even so, I coaxed her with uplifting literary pieces and she returned the favor back. But she has her own "Will" to look upon now, not me. Teresa Agnes. A girl I met first under illusions, and soon after, uncovered as a Reaper to me, the Nephilim. I worried for her, and she worried for me. Even so with many others that we acquianted, I failed to be honest with her. I failed to both Tessas. Death waiting at my doorstep, I didn't want to leave so soon. I didn't want to leave her in loneliness, Tessa didn't deserve such a fate without that special someone. Even as I found out that my curse was never to be, another curse harbored me once more, under the guise of a second chance.

A false angel and savior, now my unjust partner-in-crime, Yukari Yakumo, offered me a deal that I desperately desired upon the supposed last flames of life. Another chance to live was what I wanted, but at the cost of working under a new institute, the Blood Institute. At the time, my desires to keep Tessa happy overpowered my conscious warning of Yukari's wrongdoings. I knew very well that she was nothing but trouble, but almost out of selfish desire, I accepted the now-realized, one-sided deal. I can only see myself as traitorous scum to those I acquainted and loved, betraying their trust, and the regrets grows evermore from the bodies piling and blood spilling from my forced misdeeds.

This, this was another misdeed to be added to the list. How come this list of misdeeds... never deals out the respective punishments that I rightfully deserve.

"Oh how wonderful for us, Will. Our mouse had gone with the wrong turn."

"Then we pounce at our prey, Yukari."

And so we did.

Such an approach would've started the man away, but like a hawk swooping down, I draw out my stained seraph blades, stabbing through the flesh of the man's legs. He was pinned down with no escape, so I left the blades there. From above, Yukari drifted downwards, using her parasol as a parachute. The man knew every well about us, his eyes told it all. Again, I felt pity and regret. I contributed to this misdeed, and by the sheer number of misdeeds to my name, the pity and regret dared to numb my own emotions.

"Well well well. Thought you could run off without saying a proper hello~!"

"F... fuck off... you both work... for that goddamn Blood Institute! Goddamn pigs for money! Killing people just for the money!"

Truth in his words, the Blood Institute conducts these operations for the sake of a profit. Many come to request the deaths of select individuals, and for the right price, that misdeed is done.

"Isn't that right? It just so happens that someone wanted you dead... for a nifty high price."

Usually I was the support for Yukari, for she was the one that dealt the killing blow to our targets. Well... for the operations that I am partnered up with her, which in this case, had been every operation I've been a part of for the Blood Institute. I... I have no idea how many deaths I've contributed towards, for there are many, and because of that, I felt like my sympathy was being forcefully numbed...

With a blank face, I could only watch as Yukari opened up a dimensional gap, and like a cannon going off, a single magical blast of energy was pelted at the man's head. Dead. The man fell dead, a heavy thud as smoke steamed off of his burnt off face. Unlike how I would be mentally broken at the thought of killing another person that possibly did no wrong, now I only stare at the remains with a blank face, this became a routine of mine soon after the first five deaths...

"And another job well done~"

Yukari cheerfully smiled, taking out a phone and snapping a photo of the dead body. Members of the Blood Institute were required to bring back some sort of evidence that the target is dead, and in example, I heard that a former member had brought in the tongues of their targets as proof. Yukari did so with her phone and photos... and for me, I did so by never cleaning my seraph blades. I felt no need to purify and cleanse my own weapons, my sins wouldn't be cleaned off that easily with soap and water.

"That was the last target that Exe gave for us... so are we to report back to her in the headquarters?"

I turn away from the body after yanking my seraph blades free from the man, wanting to ask this question so we could leave. I wasn't sure how long I were to hold back the emotions of doing such acts any further.

"Well of course, Will. I'll be sure to report that you did most of the work so Exe could give you a good payment."

"Uh huh."

"I mean... you want to keep that girl of yours happy, right?"

I freeze. Yukari knew what pulled my strings, allowing me to be her own little puppet once I became a part of the Blood Institute. Of course I wished to keep Tessa happy... for her sake and mine, but... I am no longer sure if I can say that this is all for her... all of my misdeeds.

"Right. I... I remember the offer you gave me a while back."

"Goodie! Then let's travel back to report our work to Exe. We don't want people knowing we were behind this, and you still want to keep up good appearances for her. After all, it would break her heart to see you like this~"

As Yukari prepared a boundary to lead us back to the Blood Institute headquarters, I grit my teeth in restrained anger. This demon knew how to mess with me and receive no consequences for it. The truth... in her bitter and taunting words was there, however. Tessa would feel betrayed once she figured out what I had become a part of... killing people for what might as well be a multiversal mafia... and the more I think about it, the more I felt like I should've left myself to die...

For now, I live a life that continues to stain me with misdeeds, all the while I surround myself in a web of lies... to keep Tessa unaware of it and happy for all I know.​

 

[Gummi Bunnies]

-1st Movement-
"Liberation"

Dreadful sins again... that is all that I can make out of this.

Just like it was meant to be, from what our plans foretold, I awaited the moment I would be the sinner again. I kept a watchful eye as Yukari took the reigns of our operation. It was dark night, a fitting setting for what is to happen soon, and a setting that I did not want to become oh so associated with such darkness. Being the one to clean up the mess that Yukari were soon to make, I stand watch, bystanding the illusion work that the demon had inflicted into our latest target.

This night could've been an uneventful one, where I remember only the pleasant time I've spent with Tessa. Earlier today, it did occur to me that I didn't receive any targets at the time, and that Tessa did not have much duties to fulfill with the Reapers. From there, I arranged a subtle time with her, located at a local cafe in this area. We had our stories to share, ever since we split ways from that illusioned school and the Serenity, but of course, I kept my tongue from spewing out the activity that I did for the Blood Institute. An hour or so after, we split our ways again, for we had duties to fulfill. Her own and my own.

Which brings my attention to this next target. A tinge of pity grew in my chest... This girl... I could not tell if this were the side effects of Yukari's boundary manipulation, but it appeared that this girl happened to be a part of the Illusion Games that I've heard briefly about while my time has been with the Institute. Similar to the Illusions that I was dragged into beforehand... If this were a correct conclusion, I were to slay someone that shared a similar experience to me, having another distinct identity that overshadowed your original one at some point in time. The poor girl was overwhelmed by the fact that her illusion persona was being brought about once more, contradicting what she knew as her own original self. It was truly pitiful... and it disgusted me that I were to end her life as I was ordered to do.

"Hm? Nothing? Well... I suppose that it's only fair that if you refuse to put your Illusion to asleep... I'll help you sleep."

The words rattled in my head, those were the signal words. Numbing myself to the dreadful deed once more, I bolted my way towards the girl, keeping my best to keep my steps at an undetected pace. As planned, Yukari stood before the girl, keeping the young one attentive to what the demon could do. Yet, she would never get a chance to use her weapons. My eyes were forced open by my own willpower to do this deed, preparing my seraph blades to execute her.

"Wha-"

The metal clanking of my blades being pulled out alarmed her... she must have some sort of good hearing, but alas, she did not have the ability to avoid my blades then. Making this quick and near painless for her, I impale the first seraph blade into her back and through her chest, possibly rupturing her heart from within. Before she could register the pain she'll be in, I raise my second seraph blade, the blade marked with the strength rune... Moments before I would slice this runed blade through her neck... I whispered in a restrained voice, so Yukari would never know...

"... I'm... sorry."

And then... her head would become separate from her body, now lifeless and falling to the ground. While I simply stored my blood-stained seraph blades into their sheaths, Yukari catches a hold of the girl's severed head before it would fall to the ground alongside the headless body.

"Ah, a precise and clean cut. It makes the presentation much much better~ Such a poor fate for a girl like Blake Belladonna, hm?"

"By presentation, you mean the fact that we're sending this girl's severed head to the UN headquarters?"

I narrow my eyes at the demon, seeing that this was our plan all along. I had a feeling that Yukari had some ties with this plan, making it and all. While Exe wasn't the type from what I see to be fond of presentations, Yukari was all in arms for such presentations. Such presentations that I seek not to see...

"Correct yet again! You're quite talented with the observations, Nephilim. While I go do the business of sending this wonderful package to the UN headquarters, we can leave the headless body here to spook the locals, and you may as well head back to the Institute grounds. I'll leave you a boundary to travel back there, alrighty?"

I said not a word to her, giving her the look that meant to speed up the process. I rather not be here any longer, not after what I had done to the potential person that I can also relate to when it came to the Illusions... So, I watch as she goes to do what she wanted to do, leaving me with my own boundary to travel back. I could do so... but I hesitate.

With Yukari gone, I was still accompanied by someone else. If I wanted to, I would retreat into the boundary right now, and not make more bloodshed than needed on this night. However, my curiosity overrode my own well-being and safety... I wanted to see who was here first, and then I would proceed with my departure from this area.

My heart beat raced.

My face slowly became full of sweat.

My breath became unsteady.

All signs of suspense I felt, it came in absurd abruptness... it rattled me to no end. And from there, everything seemed to freeze over at that one little moment. I wasn't sure why, but one sign brought me to the upmost suspense and tension I've felt in the longest, more so than my time within this Blood Institute.

A single blue butterfly fluttered in the cold chilling air, paying no mind to the headless corpse and my obvious discontent and uncomfortable stance. A small winged insect it seemed, but in this world that I put myself into, everything seems to be something and sometimes that seems doesn't prove everything into concrete stone. This butterfly was no normal butterfly, it was something else that I could not comprehend at this very moment. Wanting answers despite the threat that it may be, I rush towards the butterfly, reaching my hand out to take hold of it.

It happened again... time froze over, and I soon heard words echoing in my head. As echoes were to bring alarming behavior soon after, I did not feel that. It was an empty sound, but I could understand it clearly...

Never forget to keep an eye out towards your back...

Like an instinct, I turn around on a dime, seeing that all that was to be behind me until now was the corpse and the boundary that Yukari had made for my dismissal from this place. Nothing else... No one out for my skin. No one out to witness the murder that I have committed. Nothing. If I were to keep an eye out towards my back, then what is there to come from here? Was this a justified warning of the future? Why must I be the one to hear this now?

I couldn't wrap my head around it... and for this, I proceed through the boundary to depart this world.

I did so with one last check over my shoulder, to view my back... and then I went along with my sinful life.​

 

[Gummi Bunnies]

-2nd Movement-
"Leverage"

To be, or not to be? That is the question—
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And, by opposing, end them? To die, to sleep—
No more—and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to—’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished! To die, to sleep.
To sleep, perchance to dream—ay, there’s the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.

That makes... calamity of so long life...

Calamity... of so long... life...

"Nephilim boy, sorry to bother with your reading time. I only came to tell you that Exe wishes to see you for another assignment."

Before I could echo out that specific line of this soliloquy, I look up from the pages of this playwright, staring straight at Yukari. How long has it been since I've came down to my private quarters, sat down on my bed, and pulled out my copy of Hamlet for myself to read peacefully? Several hours, to say the least. That much time that is given to me free, and it's quite the miracle when the Institute gives me free reign for a whole day. That whole day going towards my time spent with Tessa, of course.

If I were being assigned to these favors ever so often, I suppose that people tend to issue out death requests to the Blood Institute at the same rate. You could only imagine on how much this unjust organization has spread. Such a calamity of so long life, such as that line from Hamlet retells, I mentally urk at the thought of this organization spreading the filth through the multiverse. Dreadful...

Placing my book aside, I walk out of my quarters alongside Yukari, who seemed to be a bit on the quieter side as to compared to other times I had around her. I found that to be peculiar of the beaming ball of sunshine that this Institute has to offer, which meant that something must've gone wrong. However, I must not let my curiosity take advantage of me. If I ask her, surely I'll be dragged into something that I didn't wish to partake in. So, I'll leave it be, and let the problem arise on it's own.

However, now that I thought of what I were to do once I meet with Exe, I was curious on the target I'll be assigned to... Surely that wouldn't be that bad to ask about...

"Say, Yukari, would you know any word of the target I'll probably be assigned to eliminate today?"

Observing the demon closely as we walked down a hallway or two towards Exe's office, I caught a hint of her chuckling... a pained chuckle to be precise. That... was not Yukari's usual style.

"Not that I know of. You'll have to figure that one out once you meet with Exe. I wouldn't know... because I won't be your partner for this target. Someone else will fill in for me... Exe's orders."

Is this why she was acting strange? Yukari must've some sort of attachment to me, seeing that she might be quite out of it from not being my partner for this next task. Before I could put my say into this brief realization, we now stood in front of Exe's office, and from there, I went inside by myself and Yukari left me be.

Inside, the office room appeared to be poorly lit, I was able to see the golden eyes that came from my employer, Exe. The young woman with the silver hair sat at her desk with her hands folded, waiting for me to take my seat in front of her. Like an obedient servant, I do so, even without asking for her confirmation.

"... so, I see that you are prepared for your next assignment. Am I right, Herondale?"

"Correct, Exe. I am all ears to your assignment that you will give me."

A silent moment passes, but I could see that she was trying to assess my mental state as of now. As if she had any idea what I was going through in my own mental cycles. I may seem to be in mental denial, which in turn, would cause her to back out of her own thoughts on my being instead.

"Splendid. In that case, before you hear of it, I'll like you to get to know your partner for the next few assignments. Add, care to introduce yourself?"

Almost right at the moment that she stopped her sentence, an ominous time rift with a hue of the color purple appeared right next to me. Good heavens, I've never seen anything like that... making me jump out of my seat and back away from the sight. How embarrassing to do such a thing in front of my employer, but in this case, I couldn't help it, it was pure instinct and reflex.

"Awwww... what's wrong? Scared of new things and people, Will~"

Emerging from the mysterious time rift, a man with pure white hair and luminous purple eyes... donning a black and purple body suit... came to be face to face with me... Something about this man seemed off... completely off... just like everybody in this accursed Institute.

"Not at all. You've only... surprised me with that entrance. That's all."

Composing myself almost immediately, I give one last look to this new partner, Add, before staring straight back at Exe for the information of this next assignment.

"Now that you two are acquainted, I'll like to comment on how I've noticed certain behavior from you, Herondale. You've been on several assignments now, and I can see that you are quite uncomfortable with this many targets to kill in such a short span of time. With this... I suppose a single assignment with a different objective would suffice in bringing back comfort to you."

I resist the urge to roll my eyes, as I didn't want to give away my disposition to Exe. Not at all...

"Capture the girl, Nemesis Sudou, and bring her to me. She holds the key to our goals."

For once, the assignment's objective seemed unclear, but for some reason, Add happened to catch onto this right away. Did Exe speak with him first?

"Don't worry, Exe~ We'll go and do this assignment right away!"

Before I could do anything about it, I was dragged into another time rift along with Add, and with that moment... I felt like this assignment wasn't by chance... Only a calamity of this so long life.​

 

[Gummi Bunnies]

-3rd Movement-
"Latent"

In our new location for this... different mission of ours, I couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity from it. I knew it wasn't a place from my past or anything like that, but in truth... it felt like my old home. Those cherished memories that I wished I could live in forever... they flooded into my head like a mad sea of regrets and could-do's. So much... so much... Then it comes to mind on why exactly I put up with such things on a daily basis? Oh... oh it hurts so much now. I wish I wish it didn't have to be this way.

Just as I felt like the world around me was about to cave in on me... crush all of my strongholds to my feelings and mentality over... I felt a single tap to my shoulder snap me back into reality...

"Now now, Nephilim boy, I don't think standing around like a dazed kitty is going to get us to our target. So let's go on with our mission, and get that done with as soon as possible, hm?"

With that said, Add would walk ahead of me, assuming the lead. It confused me greatly... because how can someone like him so excited for something as dreadful as this occupation? Not to mention with the fact that he looked quite out of place for a setting like this, as opposed to how I appear in a place like this. At the very least I fit in...

Many people happen to be around as we traveled into the town grounds, some gave us strange eyes... but yet, they didn't fully mind us at all. It was like we're the strange ones but that didn't show any signs of possible threats. This was perfect. Or so it seemed. All we needed to do was to find our target... and to bring said girl back to the Blood Institute grounds unharmed and alive. If it wasn't for the fact that I was working for an infamous organization, I would actually feel comfortable with this job...

Speaking of comfort, maybe I should try and speak with the new partner I was assigned today. While I give no notion of liking Yukari's company, at the very least, she made her attempts at conversation. Add, on the other hand, he gave no attempts at normal conversation... and more so that he appeared to be more of a mad man than a civil man...

Even then, it wouldn't hurt to try and ask for a couple of words from him as we traveled to our desired destination.

"Sooo... do you have any hobbies... or interests? If we're going to work with each other, we might as well become acquainted in some way or the other."

However, from that question, Add stopped in his tracks, his eyes darting to me with a mischievous grin on his face.

"Cats~..."

"Wait... what? I... I don't understand."

He didn't explain this sudden interest he had in such felines, only name-dropping them as he seek fit. As if he knew of my inability to fully understand his answers, Add snickered at my plight, letting these thoughts sink in before he would go on with his say with this.

"Cats are quite interesting specimen. Makes a great hobby to observe them... and to have interests in them... isn't that something swell? Does it, hm?"

My confusion only gotten worse. How in the blazing hells am I supposed to respond to that? I don't even know if this was a serious answer in terms of what I expect from this man. Seeing my confusion more, Add decides to rub it in at my face, peering uncomfortably close to my face.

"... you're awfully quiet. Is it because you don't... like cats?"

Now this was an abrupt question, as if Add was accusing me of something. How that was the case... I don't know, but he popped this question, and I might as well answer it before he would seem to lose his case. Add did appear to be the type that would lose his patience with me if he really didn't want to work with a person that didn't like cats.

"Of course not. I just... didn't know how to respond to your sudden interest. Maybe... once we're done with this, we can look for a cat for you to take your time with?"

Well, it was only a suggestion that I had brought up. In the case that Add already had a cat in where he dwells, then he would probably not respond to my suggestion... which he was currently doing as of now. And yet, it seemed like he wanted to say something almost after this brief conversation.

"Hm... I don't think Exe lets you know of her detailed plans that I get to know about, sounds about right... right?"

While I was expecting something related to our "cat" conversation, this was somewhat a thing I have no idea how to respond to. It was true that Exe never let me hear any word of her personal plans, supposedly suggesting that Add had her upmost trust and was one of her right-hand men or something of that criteria.

"Actually, she doesn't for you, because I don't see you at all in her more important meetings! But you don't seem to be that bad to whisper a thing or two for you, hmmmm~?"

Again, this was quite all abrupt, Add's train of thought and his sayings weren't making much sense as it seemed to race through these topics so fast before I could even comprehend them. If this was all done on purpose, that his own plan was to confuse me and make me more vulnerable to what he would have me do for him in this mission... then in my own view of this, I wasn't sure what I can do of it...

"Oh... never mind. We have important things to do, like that task that we were sent for. I can mention all about Exe's plans much much later. How's that?"

Add gave me one of those "never mind" gestures while keeping that eerie smile on his face, turning around on a dime and leaving me clueless on how to interpret his whole behavior. From talking about cats in great detail to talking about what Exe plans alongside people that she could trust, apparently Add to include him in that list, and then dropping all of those conversations together... Truthfully, he was quite the mystery, and it made you wonder if Exe actually trusted him with some sort of responsibility. I wouldn't do the same, given with how mentally unstable he appeared to be. Key words being "appeared." If this was just a facade, then again, I have no idea on how to interpret such reasons for that...

"Hm... now that I think about it, I remember dropping by this place during one of my travels through time... Levianta... interesting, I never thought that a place that was renounced as the Magic Kingdom would become so... mundane in a couple hundred years..."

I didn't bother to say anything, but more interest was thrown towards Add's direction. So he was somehow able to control time... A power like that, surely could make someone mad. While that power may prove to be useful for certain things, such as the case of my fractured past, I rather not tread such tainted ways for I would become someone like Add. Not at all... However, aside from that, it appeared that Add had been here before, knowing of this location before I could even hear the name of it. Levianta... the Magic Kingdom. That was quite a name for itself, this place... but who to expect of our target. All that I know is that the target is a girl by the name Nemesis Sudou. Not even a description of the girl was known to me, but if what Add said about his private meetings with Exe were true... then it was possible that Add had more information about this target we're supposed to capture than me...

Almost abruptly, I felt Add grab a hold of my arm, immediately dragging me around as if he had an idea on where we were supposed to go. Possibly avoiding a weird situation if he suddenly warped to where our target was, I could see why we were traveling to our destination on foot...

However, as we were traveling this way instead, I managed to get a glimpse a strange sight as we were moving. Add couldn't see this, but I could. Turning my head to my back, I saw another blue butterfly... a beautiful yet strange blue butterfly fluttering through the air. It fluttered over to a strange individual, one that stood out from the crowd here. A young girl by the looks of it who donned all sorts of blue. A blue dress. Blue ribbons. Blue eyes. Blue hair. It was all there, and in that enclosed second, I could've sworn that she made eye contact with me.

I blink once.

She was gone.

So too... was the butterfly.

Along with this, Add had forced a door open, leading me into a courtroom building. A strange sight was it all, that this courtroom was set ablaze the time we got here. Furthermore as we stepped into the courtroom itself, a peculiar masked individual held a revolver right at the forehead of a judge official by the looks of it.

If we captured the girl, we could've avoided something, but we remain the bystanders for these seconds... these seconds that the masked woman would pull the trigger... and the judge official would fall.​

 

[Gummi Bunnies]

-4th Movement-
"Lapse"

Stunning silence flooded the blazing courtroom, my eyes staring down at the corpse of this judge official. What am I supposed to make out of this? And is this where we are supposed to be to capture the target we've been assigned to? I ask myself these things in my head, see if I can think straight after all... but the sound of slow claps caught my attention. The attention of the masked individual was also caught by this. Turning to look at Add, he was clapping, a sinister grin on his face as he took a few steps towards the masked woman.

"Marvelous... I can see why our boss has interests in you, Nemesis Sudou."

Upon identifying this woman as Nemesis, she immediately aimed her revolver at us, I could see those fierce eyes from under her mask... I can tell that she was startled to see that we could figure out who she was, despite her not knowing who we were...

"If you speak of your boss, then look for yourself. He's as good as dead."

Hearing that, I look over to see that she was referring to the dead body that was on the floor, but even I knew that this was only her conclusion to the situation...

"Oh, I believe you're really really mistaken, Ms. Sudou. This man, the leader of Pere Noel, isn't our boss... but since you're so curious, we'll take you to see our boss anyways~"

Add would say this, and the very next moment, a bullet is shot towards our way. If it wasn't for the fact that Add's Dynamos were prepared for this, either one of us would've been shot, but instead, the Dynamos blocked the shot almost immediately.

"You think that I would go with you people so easily? How stupid do you think I am to do that! Huh?!"

For some reason, I feel as if I could relate to Nemesis... that she was confused about the situation that she was surrounded by... and otherwise forced to come with us. Almost like how I was brought up into the Blood Institute shortly after my "death." Relating to what was happening right now, however, I was able to see that Add wasn't particularly helping in keeping our target calm... and I suppose that I have to do that part that Add lacks the effort to.

"Now now, let's all... settle down. We don't ask so much of you, we just need you to come with us... and I promise it won't be anything too dire. I can promise you that."

As I stand around for her response, I manage to cut a bit of my finger tip off with a lone piece of metal on my belt... and with the blood, I began to sketch a drawing onto my wrist... hoping that Nemesis wouldn't catch me in my act.

"Just like my dear partner said, we can avoid any unnecessary violence if you were so kind to come with us... Resisting and retaliating wouldn't be helpful in both your case and ours..."

Add seemed to work off with what I had started to say, but I could tell that his tone of voice was still the jeering type, which stirred up a bit of annoyance in the masked girl's eyes.

"If that's the case, I'll come with you both..."

For a moment, we both thought that she would come with us peacefully, but the next second after she spoke, another gunshot was sent, aimed towards Add. His Dynamos weren't ready for the block this time, but I drew out my seraph blades and deflected the shot away. Because of this, I had to stop drawing the rune symbol on my wrist, that'll come up later...

"... all of us will be going to hell, right?"

An emotionless look on the girl's face, Nemesis kneeled on the ground, holding her revolver up at us as she reached for something that was beside the judge's corpse. What did she exactly need from this corpse? A bounty of some sort possibly? All that we had to remember was that myself and Add are supposed to take her to Exe alive, not dead.

More gunshots came our way, and from what I knew about revolvers, that should be her last bullets... However, I saw that Add wasn't entirely cocky at the moment, narrowing his eyes over at her. Something was off about this, as if he knew what was going to happen next, and that was a given considering that he happened to know how to manipulate time and space to an extent.

Whether it came to deflecting or evading the shots, Add got close to me, trying to make a plan with me.

"We can't kill her, she is supposed to be brought to Exe alive, but... I remember hearing about your runes. Use something that will keep her in place... enough for me to knock her out... how does that sound?"

For once, it appeared that Add had a reasonable plan that I could work off with, seeing that we aren't supposed to kill Nemesis. I give him a nod, keeping a good attentive eye on the woman.

"If I'm going to pull this off, I'll need of you to go and distract her... buy me the time I need to make this work..."

I say this to Add, preparing to mark myself with my own blood again, and hopefully do it completely this time. The time traveler gives me a nod, and goes off to be all up in Nemesis's face. At the very least Add was useful for one thing in particular in the short time I've been partnered up with him: distracting people as a nuisance. Focusing my efforts on drawing his rune with my blood on my wrist, I observe what was going with Nemesis and Add.

Of course, Add was quick to avoid her next shots with her gun, which puzzles me on how she was able to reload her revolver when it was clear that she ran out of bullets and didn't reload in the first place. However, I manage to get a glimpse of a peculiar key in her hands, and the next second after identifying the key, I saw that it became a knife in which she attempted using the weapon against Add. While someone could see that as a normal knife, I felt a... demonic presence within the knife... as if it were a demonic presence filled with all sorts of wrath.

Almost rushing with the finishing touches of this rune, I begin to slowly step forwards towards the commotion between Add and Nemesis. Neither of them were starting to notice my approach, and I didn't have to worry, this rune was going to keep her from attacking me. All I had to do from here... was to persuade her.

Once I was in their view, Nemesis saw me, eyeing my bloody rune and sheathed seraph blades. Ignoring Add, who had done nothing to her other than annoy her, she went after me, readying the knife to impale me through the heart, I spoke with a gentle voice.

"Ms. Sudou, I don't believe retaliating and attacking us like you are now... will get you anywhere. Please, calm down and think about this wisely. You've already killed one man, so will two more quench your pent-up anger and frustrations?"

If I was not equipped with this certain rune, I would be as good as dead... just like this judge she had killed not too long ago. However, due to my persuasion rune, she immediately stopped, having her knife form back into a key. Even in a form of a key, I felt such powerful demonic essence coming from it, I was wondering if she was sane enough to control such a thing...

"I understand. I'll stand down. More bloodshed would not solve our current situation."

Due to be charmed by my persuasion rune, she sounded much calmer than before, her fierce and angered eyes being absent from her form. I prepare to say something else to her, but before I could, a single Dynamo zaps her from behind, effectively knocking her unconscious.

"Anddddd a job well done~"

Add cheered as Nemesis's unconscious body fell to the ground, her key being let loose from her hands. The time traveler got a good hold of the key, and didn't comment much about it other than holding it.

"Well, I'm not one for physical work, so I'll leave it to you to carry the poor girl on the way back. Exe will quite overjoyed to see this target around. Kekekekeke..."

I roll my eyes at Add's apparent enthusiasm, waiting for him to open up a time rift back to the headquarters of the Institute. Lifting Nemesis's body up with my arms, I see that she didn't seem to be that vengeful when unconscious... almost like she was having a peaceful nap.

If only I knew what Exe had in mind for the woman... I wouldn't had come back with Add to complete the mission we were given.​

 

[Gummi Bunnies]

-5th Movement-
"Lunatic"

It had been several days after the successful capture of Nemesis Sudou... a success that I rather avoid than succeed with... I remember it all, how the debriefing went... It was something that I wished I should've failed than succeeded with.

"Now that we've captured her, what will happen to her next?"

I asked with great intent on finding out the result of this, because we were to bring her here unharmed and alive... which was what Add and I had done successfully. Silence filled the office as Exe signaled for Add to go off somewhere, which was my thought confirmed as I watched Add disappear into another of his time rifts... leaving me alone with Exe.

"Nemesis Sudou carries something of my interest, so Add and possibly Yukari will go to assist me in... extracting whatever Nemesis carries on her that I would like to have... Then she'll be free to leave, unharmed and well."

For some reason, as much as Exe is quite the convincing speaker, I could tell that there was something else from this that she wasn't willing to tell me. If Add and Yukari are involved... then they possibly know the truth to this.

"I hope you're being truthful with your words, Exe."

That was all I had to say to her when it came to this matter, and for some reason, I felt the regret settle in, from not truly pursuing the case of Nemesis Sudou and the true means of her being needed by Exe.

Now I was in some other dimension, sent off here through another time rift made by Add, but doing this mission alone. Remembering the instructions I was given for this task, I head for the closest abandoned structure I could find, that being an abandoned factory in the middle of a volcanic atmosphere. Out and doing another misdeed, I felt the guilt grow inside of me, but alas, I couldn't do anything about it.

"It had been some time that we had Nemesis Sudou under our care, and with what we got from her, I would like you to place this in a disclosed location... all to test out this catalyst's properties and uses."

That was the order that I was given for this task, I remember it so accurately, and I found it quite odd that I wasn't assigned a partner for this task. Either that it was a mundane task or that Exe wanted to test me and my worth to the Institute... to see if I was going to be a trustworthy individual in her organization. I grew used to the system, but not to where I would devote my whole well-being to it... a part of me still resented the fact that I am now a part of a sinful league...

Walking up to the second floor of the building, I place the catalyst down on the floor, seeing that it was like a crystal ball with a strange green texture and radiance to it... However, I couldn't help but feel the same demonic presence that came to my senses... just like the encounter I had with Nemesis during the capture mission... The demonic presence of Wrath... it was truly something that I, a person with the blood of the holy angels, felt anxious and nervous to be around.

Realizing that this was containing some sort of demonic presence that Exe wanted to have released into this world... I was now realizing that there was a reason why I was sent alone...

I was going to be tested...

... and I get a glimpse of a girl that I remember being informed about.

A former member of the Blood Institute.

Lapis Lazuli.

Pulling out my seraph blades just in time, I managed to block her opening attack, and I get a good look at what seems to be an enhanced mechanical sword from what I was seeing. The reason she could be here for, I didn't know, but knowing that she had defected from the Institute, I had a feeling that she wasn't just here to explore... I could see it from her eyes, she wanted me dead. A smirk coming from her, I saw that she used the force of our initially clashing blades to send herself up in the air above me. I wasn't going to allow myself to go down so easily, so I manage to move myself out of the way before she would get that easy hit.

"Now now, there is no need to get so eager on such things..."

Again, I try to go for the peaceful way out of things, but knowing on who this was, this Lapis Lazuli wasn't going to accept my terms. She already rolled her eyes at my comment, as if she wouldn't take me seriously. There was going to be no work-around from an upcoming fight between us, I saw this clearly. Why I even bothered trying with a way to deter the violence was unknown to me... for I had always been pushed towards the wrong paths of the worlds...

"And there isn't a need for you to be here with the demon shit, that's for sure."

I grit my teeth, so she was up to date on what I was supposed to do here, that she might be able to feel the demonic presences coming from this catalyst. I recall what I was told about Lapis Lazuli, that she apparently can't die on normal terms... that she had access to crystal-related powers... that she had more than enough training that landed her to be one of Exe's go-to killers when she was still in the Institute... Why she would leave... I could imagine the many reasons, and if I had the willpower, I would do the same... Not letting her out of my sights, I begin to prepare another rune, having cut my finger once more and tracing the lines of this rune with my blood. Alas, she saw what I was preparing, and possibly didn't want me to take this moment as an advantage for myself.

A pistol aimed towards my general direction, I'm instantly reminded of how the mission relating on capturing Nemesis... how she aimed her revolver at me in the same fashion. Knowing that a gunshot was going to hurt, I stop the process of putting a rune on myself, getting myself out of the bullet's path, however, I wasn't fast enough and felt the bullet graze at my arm. Gritting my teeth in pain, I see that Lapis Lazuli was going to take this chance to end me now, seeing that she was rushing at me with downwards slash meant to cut me down.

Toughing out the pain, I use one of my seraph blades to block her incoming slash, attempting to psych her out of fighting against me with what I had to say next.

"You know, I never expected the feared Lapis Lazuli to be so aggressive... It really makes it easy to read your intentions."

Knowing on how she knew me as a Blood Institute member, I didn't see any reason to give it away that I know who she is. What she didn't know was that the rune that I managed to make despite the time constraints I had, the rune I made was an agility rune, and thus, I was able to maneuver myself to where I would behind her, slashing my two blades at her back. To my brief surprise, I saw that a good amount of crystal shards came from her back as I did this... as if she were made up of these beautiful minerals...

"You're lucky that I had no intention of a killing blow, Miss Lapis."

I could feel the uncertainty growing in her, which I could understand since she must assume that all Blood Institute members were bloodthirsty killers. However, I am nothing like the rest, only dragged into their ranks in order to live for those that I care for... If she were to leave the Institute like she did, I can only assume that she had similar reasons for doing that as much as I feel like I should...

"For me..."

I hear her say almost in a deathly whisper, and almost caught offguard, I feel myself lose my balance as she goes to swipe her leg at me...

"... I always go for the killing blow."

So even she was willing to kill despite not being in their ranks anymore, which surprised me to a certain extent, her pistol is aimed for my head. She wasn't lying, she always went for the killing blow from what I was seeing before me. Before she could try to blow my brains out, I use the ability I've gained from my agility rune to throw myself out of her aim, making it seem to her that I was teleporting... or that she could tell that I had amplified my speed in some way or the other.

"That's why I was considered the best of the Institute's killers, but now that I'm not theirs, I'm just a dangerous killer. You?"

That was quite out of nowhere, that during our fight, Lapis Lazuli was requesting for me to answer her curiosities. Did she realize something about me that's different from the rest of the Institute? Either way, I answer as I kept my guard up, knowing that she would take any moment of weakness to take me down...

"Me? ... I'm just a damned soul tied to the Institute, and while I remain to do these deeds... I don't think I should let you scrummage around and continue your killings. Miss Lapis, I believe a... tradeoff is needed, a sacrifice on your side..."

The more and more this went on, I was starting to feel that she was realizing my difference to the Institute. From how I haven't outright tried to kill her, trying to stop the fight when possible, not saying anything that would aggravate her. However, I thought that to be too good to be true, she went after me again with the intent of killing me. I prepare my seraph blades to deflect and evade her every move, but I notice that her eyes went from a caramel brown to a vibrant blue...

Her crystal powers that I was also warned about... it began to take effect against me, crystallizing the ground and leaving me little room to make use of my increased agility. Unwilling to kill her but also unwilling to die now, I kept my defenses up, hoping that she would tire out before I would be unable to keep blocking... because we both knew it wouldn't last forever.

I needed to disarm her or knock her out at this rate, or else this was going to be it for me. We couldn't be equally footed in this conflict any longer... Changing from a defensive stance to an offensive stance, I swing my seraph blade at her arm, hoping to actually disarm her of her weapon instead. However, she took this action of mine as an attempt to decapitate her of her arm instead, and tried to move herself out of the way. She didn't get away in time, I could see that, but instead of disarming her or decapitating her, her long ponytail of hair was chopped up by my blade.

"You little shit..."

Oh god... I didn't mean to, and now she really wanted me dead. I didn't even get the chance to utter out an apology to her, seeing that she was more than angry against me now... Blinded by her own rage and hatred for my existence and the Institute that I am affiliated with, I notice that a small time rift was opening up behind her...

"If anything were to go wrong, Nephilim boy, sayyyy... an unexpected fight that you can't handle... I'll open up a rift, release some sort of time-space energy at you guys... and see if that calms the situation down. If it doesn't work... well, sucks to be you, huh?"

I remember what Add had told me, even though he wasn't supposed to be present... he could lend his support in some way, and I knew what was going to happen. However, now that I know a little bit more of this Lapis Lazuli character from her own words regarding her stance towards the Institute... as opposed to what I've been told by the Institute themselves, I grab her sword arm and pull her close to me, away from the time rift.

"Wait... look out!"

I managed to yell out this before the inevitable would happen. I could see the built-up rage in her eyes, but it was soon followed with the upmost confusion.

And just like that... we were both consumed by the very light that came from the lone time rift.​

 

[Gummi Bunnies]

-6th Movement-
"Legion"

This was it. I couldn't deter this former member of the Institute away from resorting to violence. Just as my runes would give out, I watch like a sitting duck as Lapis Lazuli would conjure up a crystal lance into her hands. Despite the many things I could do to avoid this death, I didn't do anything. I felt the strange sensation to let this happen, as if this would wash away the sins that I have done while in the presence of the Blood Institute.

And yet, I was denied the comfort of death once more. Lapis Lazuli. Her crystal lance. All gone due to a sudden flash of purple light engulfing her whole. There was no trace of her left. I recognized the purple flash, prompting me to look around in this strange void. It didn't take me long to gain sight of a familiar figure...

"Heyo! You thought I was gonna let you die there!"

Floating upside down and staring me with those strange eyes of his, Add snickered at me, possibly having been around to see how my fight against Lapis Lazuli would go. He was a mischievous fellow, but he did find his way of following orders. He must've been assigned to watch over me for that operation I was sent for, that he would to ensure my safety throughout...

"Add, you're the last person I'd expect to prevent my very death."

My response only received more laughter to come from the time-traveling esper. I couldn't exactly tell if his laughter was a sign of amusement or something else, he was always a tricky one to try and read off his true motives. In an instant, he opened up another time rift, which I assume would lead back to the Institute headquarters.

"Well, I certainly proved you wrong, hm? We don't have much time to waste, we gotta report back to Exe~!"

Getting himself right side up, he went on ahead into the rift, which I soon followed after through the time rift. I wasn't exactly sure on what to report of this operation. I did implant one of the Wrath catalysts before Lapis had got to me and started a fight. However, I was unsure on how exactly the whole situation was wrapped up, so I hoped Add had a good way of explaining this to our boss and employer.

A few steps more, and the surroundings around us changed, transitioning from the violet-colored void to the bland office room belonging to Exe. Upon entering, I take notice almost immediately that she was busy reading what seems to be an old journal, but she goes to put the journal away as soon as she takes notice of our arrival.

"So... how did it go?"

Her golden eyes fell upon us, awaiting our answer. It was easy to tell that she wasn't the type that tolerated failures, and to know on my part that this was a partial failure. I didn't finish my part of implanting the catalysts. I almost perished in combat against Lapis Lazuli. I could not carry out what I could've done throughout that entire operation. And furthermore... I failed to embrace death once more, as every day spent in this facility made me want to rest upon death's door more and more.

"Poor Will, I bet being in a near-death scenario against that Lapis girl really got to him. I don't blame him though, since that girl is a top-notch killer."

Nudging me a bit, Add snickered as he made this comment, and I couldn't tell if he was giving me pity and helping me out of this tough spot... or that he felt like taking all of the glory that could be taken out of this operation.

"Well, he got one of those catalysts down before Lapis would appear out of nowhere and wished to kill him. Knowing that it would draw so much attention to the inhabitants of that world, I decided to send both of them to my time void so they can continue the fight. However, we all know that a one-on-one fight against Lapis means certain death, and before she could kill our precious Nephilim, I managed to attach a time bomb on her. You can say that she's now present in a Murder Game, and whether or not she dies in it, it's a huge detour on her part."

So Add did have a whole plan regarding his involvement in my operation, and hearing that he had put the former killer of the Institute on a massive detour into a Murder Game... I could see the satisfied smile on our employer's face.

"Good... that's very good. As much as I'd like to kill her with my own two hands, she'll be out of our way for a fair amount of time. Wonderful thinking on your part, Add. And Will, be grateful that you're one of the few to combat Lapis Lazuli and live..."

A hint of condescending praise came from Exe, I could tell from her tone of voice very well enough. With nothing else to say, she dismissed us from her office, and with nothing else to do, I could finally walk up to my own dormitory in the Institute headquarters and rest. Rest within my world full of words, words, and words. Even given comfort by my book-infested world, I couldn't help but think of what Lapis had said to me during our confrontation...

"That's why I was considered the best of the Institute's killers, but now that I'm not theirs, I'm just a dangerous killer."

She managed to swear her own independence from the Institute, doing what she liked. She still stained her hands with the blood of those she's killed, but she appeared to be well with doing such things as long as she wasn't controlled by another to do so. If that was the case, was she aiming to kill those that were parts of a bigger evil? Is that why she still killed others to this day? I wasn't sure, and thinking about it only made my own confusion within this bloody mess worse. All I could do for now was to be moved around like a chess piece, moved around by the greater evil... and I couldn't easily move myself out of this scenario.

Before I could drift myself away into my book, forgetting about the terrible world around me, I flinched a bit from the sudden knock on my dormitory door. I need not to open the door for whoever that was, but I see an envelope slipped from under the door, an envelope with Exe's seal on it. Another order from her? Already? If she wanted to tell me, she could've just summoned me into her quarters again. Groaning, I place my book back onto the nightstand, walking over to take the envelope into my hands so I could uncover its contents.

I read the contents one too many times. I forget the existence of time for how many times I've read this over and over. I don't hear the wind from outside banging at my window. I don't see anything else within my own room, not even the candlelight that was supposed to make sight available to me. I only saw what the words printed onto the paper before my very eyes. I thought I misread the contents, but the longer I stared at it, the more I see that this was the order issued to me. I could not deny what I saw.

[ Mission Appointed (issued to William Herondale) - Eliminate Teresa Agnes ]​