Awkward silence as the party follows Akashi Alter down an underground tunnel.
Roiker: Is this...a subway tunnel?
Seiichirou: Yes, it was made 200 years ago during the subway construction boom. It ends at Osaka, and 300 km north is Kyoto. Not a bad escape route.
Santetsu: Maybe, but is it really okay for him to come along? He did help us, but he was fighting against us before that too...
Seiichirou: ...I sent Danzo ahead just in case. He'll call if anything's up.
Akashi Alter: ...relax, I broke off with the terrorists. There's no point in giving MC to them anymore. I'll help you guys until we get out of the city as my way of making up for things.
Akashi Alter doesn't bother to look back at MC at all.
Roiker: ...why the sudden breakup? Weren't you sorta up there with them?
Akashi Alter: ...not really. I was just better at fighting than most other trash mobs, so they just let some stuff slide. I used them like they used me. But now that they're terrorists, I bailed on them.
MC: ...um.
Akashi Alter: ...what? Stop staring and make it snappy if you got something to say.
MC: So are you really...a parallel world Akashi?
The party stares.
Akashi Alter: ...
Akashi Alter: Yeah.
Akashi: !!
Akashi jolts back. Akashi Alter snorts at this.
Akashi Alter: How does a difference in my life make me so different from an idiot asshole like you?
Akashi: THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW
MC: Akashi!?
Akashi attempts to grab Akashi Alter's collar, but Akashi Alter swats his hands away.
Akashi Alter: What? You get pissed on reflex at being called an idiot?
Akashi: NO! You know what I wanna say if you're really me! Why would you ever attack MC!?
Akashi Alter: Did you not listen to me? We were using each other for our own goals.
Akashi: "Just following orders" is no excuse! MC's a childhood friend that means everything to me, so there's no way I would ever attack MC!
Akashi Alter looks Highly Displeased.
Akashi Alter: ...that's YOUR childhood friend over there. The one I know is totally different...and they disappeared one day. I'm out looking for them.
MC: wait WHAT
Akashi: WHAT? What happened!?
Akashi Alter: Try thinking, peabrain. I said my MC and yours are different. I checked. The beginning was the same, as was their being a childhood friend. But everything else was different. Name, voice, appearance...things look similar but don't.
Akashi Alter looks coldly and contemptuously at MC.
Akashi Alter: MC's a total stranger to me. But I don't sense any urgency from you or my other self. It's like you don't know you're on thin ice. I always thought you survived out of sheer dumb luck ever since I investigated you. And seeing you guys this way pisses me off.
Akashi Alter: You're totally different, MC. Yet you haven't tried to figure out how much danger you're really in. Seeing you like this makes it hard to keep down my emotions.
MC: I-I do have a sense of urgency! / That's unfair. / ...
Akashi: ...! (unable to bring himself to say something)
Seiichirou: ...I understand you're a parallel world Tamamura Akashi and that you detest these two. But then...why did you save them? If you're just rebelling against that villain organization, you could've just abandoned us.
Akashi Alter: ...I just don't like their current policies. I wanna destroy Monsters, from all possible parallel worlds. The final goal of the Shin Ashihara from what I heard was to make a Japan where no Monsters can appear. It's a secondary goal for them, but it's close to what I want. If they can get a theory and plan for that together, works for me. It's why I worked with them, but...
Akashi Alter's brows wrinkle a little.
Akashi Alter: ...their goal wasn't just eliminating Monsters. They want to bring Japan back to its days before it started fighting Monsters and get rid of all aliens that have peacefully settled here.
Roiker: ...wait, that sounds like they're saying aliens brought Monsters here.
Akashi Alter: ...that's just what they said. I have my doubts on that idea.
Akashi Alter: The Shin Ashihara's a huge group, so of course there's differences in beliefs and goals from the leaders. I was fine with things if we kept a delicate balance and they helped with my own goal. But things changed once they heard about MC.
Akashi Alter: The city-based leaders, especially the warlike ones, wanted MC. I wasn't in a position to hear what their plans was, but I know it wasn't any good. The leaders wanted to box off MC and snatch them up with guerilla tactics. The details are crazy. No concern for collateral, and they assumed they could use MC later to make things even. They started talking about capturing MC, where the only part that mattered was their ability to use their powers. MC's ability to move was acceptable losses to them.
Santetsu: ...they really do see MC as just a tool.
Seiichirou: I know people don't understand much about Observers, but I can't believe they'd go that far...
MC: Damn...
Akashi Alter: ...I've said you guys piss me off. I'll do anything for my goals, but their goals started turning into messes that weren't helping or usable for me. I'm not gonna smash the ice you're on for them, even if it's gonna break eventually.
Akashi Alter looks down with a sad expression and mutters like he's talking to himself.
Akashi Alter: ...that's the only reason I'm helping you guys. Things will blow up one day, but it doesn't have to be now.
Akashi: ...you...
Plot twist!
Danzo: You guys, I know you're busy but listen!
Seiichirou: Danzo? It's unlike you to come back without calling.
Danzo: Terrible news! Turn to the right this instant! The villains are coming up ahead from East Umeda Station! There's not that many of them now, but they could call for reinforcements!
Santetsu: But...do we go up or turn back...?
???: There they are!
Whoops, here comes the Evil Ninjas!
MC: OH NO
The Evil Ninjas come with weapons drawn and all of them focus on Akashi Alter.
Evil Red: Traitor!
Akashi Alter: ...
Evil Blue: Get out or get MC for us!
Akashi Alter: (stares in edgelord)
Akashi Alter: ...you people are BEYOND stupid. Haven't you guys realized you've been cut off from the group too?
Evil Green: WHAT
Danzo: Milord! We have to transform now! Breaking through is our only option!
Akashi: I agree! MC!
Seiichirou: ...I guess we have to! MC, ready!?
MC: Okay...! / Guess it comes to this again...!
Seiichirou and MC transform the party!
MC: ...oh right.
MC looks at Akashi Alter.
Akashi Alter: ...!?
MC transforms Akashi Alter!
MC: You're helping us, right? Will you fight with us?
Akashi Alter: (stares in shock)
Santetsu: ...wow. Well he did say he was helping out.
Roiker: I know he's really Akashi, but I'm impresses you still connected a Path for him...
Seiichirou: ...heh. I suppose it's true it's fine to count him as an ally for now. In that case, Danzo! You defend MC! Everyone else, cut us a way through! Akashi Alter, you follow our commands if you're allying with us!
Akashi Alter: ...hmph. Don't waste me then. (smiles a little)
Evil Red: You uppity bitch, getting carried away because the bosses like you!
Akashi Alter: And you're a dumbass who never thought about why they liked me. I can't see you winning against me.
Evil Red: HRRRRNNNGH! Smash the traitor and capture MC!
BATTLE START
No comments:
Post a Comment