Futuristic An Agent of Maniacles

[Darkling0096]

The twins meanwhile couldn't help but snicker at Kotsu. They put their hands on their hips as they turned to Kotsu. "You get invited into a closet with a girl and you choose to notice her haircut right then and there?" 01 asked.

"Man, you reeeaaally blew that one." 02 teased.

"Yeah, that's not what girls want you to focus on, I may or may not have been rejected for the same reason," Sam chuckled, "Don't worry, Kotsu, we know from Red that Owl loves you. You're a bit off at at times, but we all are

"How about the closet?", Sam asked, opening the closet door and rummaging around the contents.

 

[KotaKotsu]

Kotsu sat there blushing still when the twins began to take playful jabs at him.

"You get invited into a closet with a girl and you choose to notice her haircut right then and there?"

"Man, you reeeaaally blew that one."

Kotsu began rubbing the back of his head. "I didn't know she wanted to kiss me..." Kotsu said while smiling a little bit, he was flattered quite frankly that she took an interest in him.

"Give the poor man a break and help me search. It's a ring we're looking for, yes?"

"Thanks, Mr. Rose Peta- I mean, uh, Joseph." Kotsu said giving him a soft smile back. "I dunno if we're looking for the ring now. I thought it would be in here, but it's not. Just this license to practice medicine." He began helping the others look around the room. He was helping Sam when she said,

"Yeah, that's not what girls want you to focus on, I may or may not have been rejected for the same reason,"

Kotsu puffed out his cheeks. "Well how am I supposed to know how people work? You all need instruction manuals!" Kotsu huffed out. Sam followed up with something a bit more comforting that made Kotsu smile.

"Don't worry, Kotsu, we know from Red that Owl loves you. You're a bit off at at times, but we all are"

"Thanks Sam." He helped Sam rummage through the closet as they came up empty. "Huh, well. Let's go see my grandpa."

Kotsu made his way back out of his room and ended up outside of the house he purchased in the remote village in the countryside of Japan. The open night sky was erupting with stars and with barely any artificial lighting as an indication they were not where they once were. Kotsu's eyes went wide.

"Oh... Fuck..." He said as he realized he was going to have to live the night of when he was transformed as a vampire. "I... I think we're gonna have to witness me becoming... Well... Me." He mentions to the rest of the group before remembering what happened to Quentin and his village.

"Or, maybe I can finally get some answers about tonight. And what happened to this village."

 

[mmarage]

The twins had begun searching the room, working opposite of Joseph. Mainly it was 02 searching more thoroughly, while 01 gave more cursory and rudimentary checks of the area.

When they had finally came up empty, the three joined back in the center of the room. "Unless you have a safe or something that's exceptionally well hidden, I've checked for every type of hiding place I can think of." Joseph said.

When Kotsu had thanked him, his cheeks had turned a slight shade of red, he rubbed the back of his head. "Um... no worries. I know how it can be when people make fun of your love life." He said, his smile strained at that sentence, before he shook his head. "So, a medical license, huh? Is that the item we're looking for?" He asked. He supposed that would make sense, after all, it would have been one of Kotsu's greatest achievements, attaining the ability to help those that could not help themselves, heal the sick. He knew much the same joy when he learned of his light magic's healing properties and the medicines and remedies he could create through synthesis. He knew that his container still contained the very first alchemy book he had ever read, it was something that he always had kept close due to the sentimental value of it. Well... at least if the enchantment on it didn't break and the Maniacles didn't end up confiscating it.

The three would follow after Kotsu as he made his way out of the house. The three looked around at the countryside. "Ah... this is in Japan, is it not? I always promised mom that I'd get us a trip to come out here one day, visit some of the more friendly relatives." Joseph said as a wistful expression crossed his face. That... was a promise he would sadly be unable to fulfill now. Maybe she used the money he had made through his alchemy work to go. He hoped so, at least.

He eventually shook his head as he turned to Kotsu. "...Even if this is painful, remember, we're all here for you, alright?" He asked.

01 and 02 nodded in unison. "Yeah! Whatever you'll be going through, we're both gonna be here for ya." 01 said, grinning. Going through their world had been painful... but having Kotsu there with them made it a little less horrible.

 

[Darkling0096]

"Oh, shit," Sam muttered, "If Kotsu's worried, we're fucked." The shoulders of her armor popped up for the dart pads before Sam realized where she was. "Oh, shit, I've been here before."

 

[KotaKotsu]

"Ah... this is in Japan, is it not? I always promised mom that I'd get us a trip to come out here one day, visit some of the more friendly relatives."

"Yeah. Huh. Figured you were Japanese based of Nobunaga. Don't think I'm related to any of them though." Kotsu smiled back at Joseph. "I'm sorry for your mom, but one day, I'm sure you'll see her on the other side of this struggle."

"...Even if this is painful, remember, we're all here for you, alright?"

"Yeah! Whatever you'll be going through, we're both gonna be here for ya."

Kotsu smiled a wide and genuine smile. "Man, you guys are the best friends a guy could ask for." Kotsu stares at Sam who had begun speaking.

"Oh, shit, I've been here before."

Kotsu nodded. "I'm aware, Sam. Why do you think I told you if you're genuinely remorseful, try to keep making up for your mistakes." Kotsu said in a calm voice.

"You're one of the reasons why my true home was destroyed. But I don't blame you for that. I've been putting money into the repairations needed to make these towns and cities livable again." Kotsu smiles softly at Sam before walking to the adjacent building from their house. The group became incorporeal as they followed. A memory began to play that wasn't Kotsu's.

A young man who looked disheveled and in a drunken stupor was talking to a clean cut man in a suit. Kotsu seemed to recognize the young man and began hissing. "Victor..."

Victor spoke and the smell of alcohol was strong and nauseating, he looked like he hadn't showered in three days as well with his greasy matted hair and beard. He wore a white labcoat beneath that was a stained yellow white dress shirt along with torn slacks and falling apart dress shoes. He was hiccuping as he spoke to the man in the suit.

"So... If I-" hic "If I take this and inject it into anyone, you guys will take care of the body and will pay me $70k?" Victor asked, and Kotsu began to grind his teeth before speaking in rapid fire Japanese and cursing Victor.

"I had money! I could have paid your debts, you ignorant child of a man! You didn't need to kill me to take over the business, you greedy, insignificant pimple on an Amoeba's ass!" Kotsu lamented as some tears flowed from his face.

The man in the suit spoke. "That's the deal. Do it and we'll take care of the mess and you'll get paid. Now hop to it. The Maniacles don't have all day for you."

Kotsu's eyes shot wide open as the memory ended, unable to process what exactly he had just heard.

 

[mmarage]

Joseph looked between Sam and Kotsu, confused. "Destroyed? This... place was destroyed...?" He asked, feeling completely confused. How did Sam play a role in that...? Worse, how did the Maniacles play a role in its destruction? What had happened while he'd been dead for the past ten years? How much had the world change since his passing...?

Before he could get any of his answers however, he watched the drunken man... and the man in the suit talk. He felt his blood run cold... or at least a close approximation to that feeling, as he realized exactly what this must have meant. What was in that needle, why the Maniacles would be paying someone that much to just inject someone. "They... they had you turned into a vampire...?" Joseph asked apprehensively. Had the Maniacles have no shame...?!

He knew what Kotsu had said... but he wasn't going to be translating that for the rest of the group. "...Kotsu... did... did anything else happen this night, after this Victor man injected you?" Joseph asked slowly. He hoped that only one tragedy befell this place tonight... however... he couldn't be sure about that.

The twins were silent as they glared hatefully at the man in the suit. How could they...? How could they do that to their friend...? The Maniacles... they truly deserved to burn. For all the suffering that they had to go through, for all the suffering that the clones before them went through, for the suffering that they cause everyone else...! They wanted nothing more than to lash out and destroy the man in the suit, and this Victor man. If this hadn't been a memory, they knew that they could do so easily. 01's scythe would be able to slice through them like butter, he could slice and dice them up into tiny cubes!

02 could just pin them to the spot with an arrow in each foot... in each knee to make certain they wouldn't be walking away. In each hand if they try to crawl... in each elbow to make sure they would writhe on the floor like a bug that had its legs ripped off. Maybe he'd just sever their vertebrae with a well placed shot, but of course, then, they wouldn't feel any pain...! Any of the pain that they had put their friend through! Any of the pain that they'd put countless other innocents through!

 

[Darkling0096]

"Destroyed? This... place was destroyed...?"

"It was destroyed, because I failed," Sam muttered. "Alright, spread out, look for clues. Either this is a suppressed memory, a loose train of thought, or a fantasy, not the fun kind, either. Usually there's a clue or a question that makes the fantasy fall apart."

Sam scanned the environment with Halo.

 

[KotaKotsu]

Kotsu was sitting there, still dumbfounded at the situation. For the first time in years, he found it hard to even breathe properly before he started to see stars dance in his vision. Taking a deep breath in, Kotsu heard Joseph speak.

"They... they had you turned into a vampire...?"

Kotsu shrugged. Truthfully, he didn't know, but now, it would make sense. And in some cruel twist of fate, he knew that needle would be the next momento.

"...Kotsu... did... did anything else happen this night, after this Victor man injected you?"

Kotsu stared at Joseph. "Yeah. Everyone in this section of the village was murdered and torn to bits. Guess we'll all see that now, won't we?" Kotsu said coldly, but didn't look at Joseph with any anger, just sadness and pain.

"Alright, spread out, look for clues. Either this is a suppressed memory, a loose train of thought, or a fantasy, not the fun kind, either. Usually there's a clue or a question that makes the fantasy fall apart."

"Won't do you any good, Sam." Kotsu said, before he took in a shakey breath and sighed deeply to compose himself. He stared at a cellar door attached to the building across from them with intention as he walked toward it. The doors flew open as crows cawed somewhere in the forest that surrounded this section of buildings on the outskirts of the village.

"Let's... Let's just get this over with..." Kotsu said as he made his way down into the dark basement.
_________________________________________________

The Voice of Reason Goes Silent
​

Human Kotsu felt the spear lodged deep into his chest, and coughed out more blood than he thought would be enough to render a man unconscious. He stared groggily at the doorway as the dark figure who was undoubtedly the scene kid himself, Dark Kotsu.

"Heh..." He coughed out more blood. "Fucking Sunshine paying me a visit... This is one way to bone me, but you're not my type."

He began laughing as his adrenaline kicked in. The spear was barbed, so the only way it would come out is if it tore, or he broke the shaft and pulled from the other side. He could feel the spikes on each side holding onto his spinal column. The pain was excruciating, but he crawled away from the door. He threw himself against his desk and felt his body shake in pain, but the bottle of healing pills fell over. Human Kotsu popped the cap and downed three at once as he slammed his back against his desk and screamed out in pain.

The feeling of the long bone barbs scraping his spinal cord was one that he'd never want to remember again. The wound he received had begun to slowly heal on his back as he began pulling the spear out of his chest. He cried out in agony as he did this, both to fuel his adrenaline, rage, and his desire for revenge.

Dark Kotsu threw another bone spear into Valerie's skull, silencing the crying girl forever.

 

[Exzalia]

A new Un-life​

A bright yellow spark lights up the gloom. Yellow owl tries to breath but find her self unable to, she gags trying to force air into non existent lungs. After a while she gives up and notes to some confusion that she seemed to have lost her need for air. She flips upright and looks about, nothing but darkness. She floats in an endless void of black a dim fire fly amidst an inky night sky.

She was torn apart, she remembered that, it had hurt like nothing else. But here she was alive...alive? She looks at her hands, they are almost see through pale like chalk. Was she alive?

She tries to reach out with her mental magic, but find the threads of eather ignoring her. Why? why was her magic not working? Why could she not breath? why was she pale?

"I'm dead."

The realization hits her like a ton of bricks. "I"M DEAD! Oh no! Kotsu! Sam! Quentin! Joes! Anybody! Where are you guys!"

It's only now she realizes she can't talk, her mouth opens she thinks the words but nothing comes out, she is mute.

Could ghosts cry? It was a question she had wondered when she was younger and now it would appear she would find out. She feels the welling of sorrow break through her, but though she heaves in fears and loneliness no physical tears fall.

Alone, powerless, terrified there was nothing she wanted more than to be safe by Kotsu's side, yes, he would look after her, were was he?

She tries to fly somewhere but the further she goes the weaker she feels as if the effort was draining her of everything. She begins to fade, her vision blurs, she coughs weakly before finally stopping. She is not but a flicker on the verge of being blown out. Some how she knows that to go an inch further would mean oblivion, true oblivion.

She back tracks and with every inch she feels her self become more real. Something in that direction gave her weight, power even. She follows the sensation like a blind man trying to find a fire by feeling it's warmth. Slowly she makes her way to that source and in the middle of the gloom she finds it.

Denton.

Eather thick and glowing connects her to him, it was like an umbilical cord. It fed her eather, gave her power. "Denton? Denton thank goodness!" She flies up to him and pauses.

"Denton?"

He doesn't respond, he floats there still as a corpse though she can still feel the spirit of his life. She turns him over and the gasps.

He wasn't alive, breathing yes but not alive. His mind had been so badly torn asunder that only the very basic functions continued. He breathed, his heat beat and that was it, slowly yellow put the pieces together.

Before Blue shattered his mind he had caught her soul with his magic, a magic that allowed her to be autonomous as long as she was near him, normally his ghosts could do nothing with out his command but for her he seemed to have made a special weave one that allowed her to act even with out his will



She was his now, or was he hers? She wants to be mad at him for technically enslaving her, but then wasn't this better than death? It didn't matter she knows what she must do if she had any hope of finding her friends. She looks about him searching for a shard even the tiniest thing.

Yellow owl chuckles. "Is this a part of your plan Denton? Sacrifice your self knowing I would put you back together? Bet ya you claim that when you wake up?"

Blue had shattered his mind it was surely lost, but they were in the land of the lost and somewhere in these sand lands his mind remained. Blue owl had been ruthless and just as reckless, she hadn't bothered with the shards of his mind after she was done and...yes! One glowing shard shimmers a few feat away from them. Yellow owl flies over to it picks it up gently and puts that piece of Denton back in his mind.

Denton blinks.

"Denton! Hello? Do you under stand me?"

Denton blinks again. "Ribbit."

"What?"

Denton grabs her ghost hand and starts to chew on it, of course it doesn't hurt as her arm is made of eather, and he gets nothing out of it biting into nothing and chewing anyway, but the glazed eyed Denton doesn't seem to know that. No, not Denton, this thing before her now was a very small part of his most primitive mind. In essence, he was little more than a lizard from the Triassic

"Well you're smart enough to know you need food." Yellow sigh pulling away her hand.

"Hiss!"

"I need to find more of your mind, the human part should be here somewhere. But you have to come with me."

Denton blinks at her as she takes his hand at first he resists. hissing like a lizard.

"Denton." yellow owl begins. "You came here to help me fix my mind, now it is my turn to fix yours. We must hurry the others will need us. But for this to work you have to trust me."

Something of the old Denton remained in the creature because he stops hissing and sits on his haunches like an obedient puppy albeit a drooling one.

"Good boy, come on, lets make you human again." she picks him up and flies off with him oblivious to the peril her friends were about to find them selves.

 

[mmarage]

Joseph looked at Kotsu, an expression of pity clear on his face. "...I'm... I'm very sorry." He said quietly, wishing for nothing more than to jump in and stop what would happen next. Joseph... well... he had a hunch about the who, the why, and the how. There were two possibilities. The clearest one, and the one that would tear Kotsu's heart apart... was that indeed there was a vampire that night, him. Being transformed by the Maniacle's injection... he went mad with his very first feeding and killed many before he was able to gain control over it. Though, it would at least be argued that Kotsu didn't have the 'criminal intent' necessary to place blame on him. If he was not in his right state of mind, then he couldn't be blamed for his actions afterward.

The second, was that perhaps Kotsu did some damage, but ended up hurting very few people. Either way, the supernatural feats that he showed would have been enough to tip everyone in the village off that something was off. It would risk alerting the entire world to the supernatural. It would put a risk on the Maniacle's sense of control over the world and the supernatural. Perhaps they were planning on killing anyone anyway if they succeeded, to prevent the surviving vampire just who they could unleash their ire upon. No one to question, no one to notice that something had happened to one of their own. They... would have killed any and all witnesses. Which was why... no... he couldn't think of that right now. He needed to stay present. Dark Kotsu could strike at any moment.

In either scenario... even if Kotsu was the killer... he was not the one responsible for his actions. He was not the one that had set off the events that would lead to this tragedy. It was the Maniacles, and them alone. "...Kotsu... whatever happens... whatever we see... know that we won't think any less of you... know that we will not blame you. We all know who is to blame in this situation." Joseph said calmly, his voice gaining an icy edge near the end. It almost sounded like he wanted to say more, but held back.

 

[Darkling0096]

"Owl was right," Sam muttered, taking pictures with Halo. "We've sold our souls to the devil already."

 

[TheAdept]

Clayton said nothing. As he sipped from his bottle of whiskey and watched Kotsu being forcefully turned into a vampire, his mind traced back to...that night.

In the late 19th century, in the middle of nowhere, there was a town. A lot of town randomly sprouted up all over places like Navada during and immediately following the gold rush. Few were as corrupt and vile as the wretched hive in which Clayton lived all those years ago as a sheriff. No matter what fucked up things happened, nothing could prepare him for what happened. Fire burst forth from a vindictive man's hand, incinerating a woman and a girl who were Clayton's wife and child, but Clayton had survived, yelling in agony as half is body has been cooked medium well.

And that bastard fire mage had intended for Clayton to survive it. That sadistic fuck had plans, and the execution of those plans had just begun.

Clayton still kicked at this mage and another, even as they dragged his charred and peeling skin across the wood floor. He screamed and kicked...until the ritual took place. Then...that town's population was reduced to just himself only a day after. Clayton didn't even get to remember killing that flame slinging bastard; gnawing off his head. Only finding himself standing blood soaked among many corpses, and finding many more, and nothing but, in the town.

"I need to type up my resignation." He simply said out loud, in response to seeing Kotsu be forcefully turned by Maniacles.

 

[KotaKotsu]

The group comes to an open area filled with tile and posters along smooth stone walls with tacky motivational tag lines. The lights were small rectangular lights that were bright enough to not be harsh. They eventually end up coming to a door and opening it to seeing a large furnished room full of chemistry sets, pressurization equipment for compounding dangerous components was in a far corner. Otherwise this room was decorated with computers and different medicines and chemical formulas written on a few white boards.

"...Kotsu... whatever happens... whatever we see... know that we won't think any less of you... know that we will not blame you. We'll know who is to blame in this situation."

Kotsu frowned at this statement. "I appreciate the sentiment behind your words, but I can pick up on the underlaying tone. They were dead when I found them. But... Thanks." Kotsu said, a little disheartened from Joseph's lack of faith in him.

A scene begins to play out for the group to see of Kotsu picking up the phone to Valerie. "Hey Val, I-"

Valerie is groaning on the other side as Kotsu pulls his head away from the speaker.

"When are you coming home? I'm bored. And our brothers in sisters are bored too. Why do you always have to woooork? Why can't you ever just take a day off?" She whined on the other side of the phone.

Kotsu smiled. "I promise I'll come back. Victor was telling me about some new partners that the company might be able to work."

Victor crept up behind Kotsu and stabbed him in the neck with the syringe full of an unknown substance. Kotsu drops to the floor as he begins to go numb. The clean cut man in a suit appears and presents Victor with his money.

"So this guy was your friend and you killed him? That's cold. I'm not sure if we can trust someone like you, ya know?" The man in the suit said, shooting Victor three times in the skull with a magnum in one quick motion. "People like you make me sick."

Kotsu flinched in front of the others visibly with every gun shot. The memory version of Kotsu had begun to hear the voice asking if he wanted revenge. The only thing Kotsu could hear as the men tore apart their secluded section of his village.

Valerie fought the hardest against the onslaught as she fights two of the men and incapacitates them. The remaining two overwhelm her and begin tearing her apart with supernatural strength. They didn't have red eyes, so Kotsu was unsure if they were vampires. They also didn't seem feed on anyone.

Eventually the group left. As the memory version of Kotsu eventually wakes up and sees the destruction of his village. Once he walks into his house, he collapses. The needle remained glowing as the memory ended, and Kotsu picks it up.

"This began my life as you all know it... But... The Maniacles..." Kotsu made a fist that dug into the palm of his hand. "Once we get out of this, I'll make them pay!"

 

[mmarage]

Joseph looked at him quietly as he heard the disheartened tone in his voice. "...It is not the fact that I do not trust you, or think little of you. I've met other vampires in my lifetime. Some of them told me horror stories about their transformation. What they did afterward, that they couldn't control themselves, some couldn't even remember what had happened, that they harmed people that they cared for deeply. I did not know if it was possible that you may not have remembered what you might have done under the thrall of your initial thirst. It would not make you a monster if it had played out that way. I did not put it past the Maniacles to do something that atrocious and saw it as a likely scenario as well. There were two possibilities, and just wished to let you know that if that was indeed the cruel truth behind it, that none of us would have judged you for it. You were not the one to put into motion the events that would lead to this tragedy. If you were in your right mind, you would never harm an innocent. At least, that is the feeling that I got from the brief look that I have had into your memories, and the short time that I have gotten to know you." He explained calmly as the scene began to unfold before them.

Joseph watched it all with pure disgust on his face, refusing to turn away until it had finally ended. "...This... is the true face of the Maniacles. They're nothing but a bunch of murderers. The moment that they see you as a threat, or an inconvenience, they will kill you and anyone that is unfortunate enough to be close by. They... they killed me. I do not know why, but they killed me. They did it in public, proclaiming I was a threat. Telling everyone I was a terrorist. I... couldn't use any of my magic. If I did, then it would create witnesses to the magical world. They would have razed that town until only ash remained. They knew... that I wouldn't do it. They essentially took that entire town hostage. If I escaped with the aid of magic, they killed everyone. If I had fought back and defeated them, they would find out and immediately destroy the city. Allowing the supernatural to be public knowledge... that would destroy the control they have over everyone. I tried to run, without using magic... but they gunned me down...!" He said, his voice quavering with anger.

"I... I have no idea what I did... but... they threatened an entire town, just to kill me...! They tore me from my friends. My family...! They threaten and hurt innocent people just to keep pushing their own agenda. Whatever Denton has told you is a lie. They're not working towards the greater good, they're working only for themselves. They'll target your friends, your family, anyone who has ever interacted with you to keep you under their thumb. I... I won't forgive them." Joseph finished as he looked at the others in the group. He was shaking with anger, tears were forming in his eyes. He looked ready to break down.

The twins watched the scene with shock... and hearing their original selves talk about what had truly happened made them feel sick. They... had killed him. For no apparent reason, they had killed him, desecrated his body, and then continued to torture him after death through his clones. From the impression that they got from their original selves... he didn't seem like the type to be a terrorist, to be out and about killing people for some grand cause. Seeing what they had done to Kotsu and his village, hearing about what they had done to those innocent people in the chapel... they didn't have much doubt in their mind that he was telling the truth.

The twins turned to Kotsu. They didn't care if they were pronouncing their willingness to go against the Maniacles in front of everyone. "...We've got your back. We might not be able to do a lot... but... we won't let them get away with this anymore. How many people have suffered because of them? How many more will have to suffer? How many more will have to die before they're finally satisfied?" 01 asked.

02 nodded. "We can't let them keep doing this. I mean, who knows what they'll do with that demon, what they'll do to the Sandlands. This is the world's consciousness, isn't it? If... if they learn how to control it, they'll practically enslave everyone! They don't want to help, they just want to control everyone! They're disgusting! They're worse than monsters!" 02 said, the two getting fired up.

 

[Darkling0096]

"No, no, no," Sam sank down against a wall with her head in her hands. She didn't know what she was supposed to do or what to think. It was because of the Maniacles Corporation that she even had legs to stand on. Her limbs, her face, her connections, inventions, AIs and her relationship with Fizzy would have never existed if not for the company. She knew there had to be something going on behind the scenes, especially when Denton had ordered the murder of the civilians back in the church, but now even he was gone.

Maybe she had been supressing the thought. With Owl, the Twins, and Fizzy's memory, she had been able to tell herself that to some unknown degree it was an embellished memory, but even Kotsu didn't know what just happened, and this was supposed to be his memories! Sam wasn't good with real-world complexities. She was an inventor, yes, but to her it was like a puzzle, technology was. Real issues like what was in front of her was out of her depth. She was a soldier, not a politician. She couldn't bullshit herself into reconciling this one.

"I think... I think we're fucked...", she said hopelessly, "We don't have a leader, our job security is based on the hold they have on us, we can't escape, even if we wanted to. My limbs, Kotsu's life, Fizzy's legs, the Twins, Owl's literally owned by the company... God, why didn't I just cut the silver wire?"

 

[Exzalia]

Red owl floats up to kotsu and puts a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Kotsu, for everything and especially for the memory we are most likely going to see next." She nods knowingly at him remembering the first memory she had stolen from him. She looks up at the others and nods.

"We must press on I can feel another memory shard of mine, it is close just a few more of Ktsu's memories to get through. As for the Maniacles, well, now you understand Sam why Original owl was so distrustful."

 

[KotaKotsu]

"...We've got your back. We might not be able to do a lot... but... we won't let them get away with this anymore. How many people have suffered because of them? How many more will have to suffer? How many more will have to die before they're finally satisfied?"

"It won't work..." Kotsu said, as he heard another voice enter the fray of his jumbled thoughts.

"We can't let them keep doing this. I mean, who knows what they'll do with that demon, what they'll do to the Sandlands. This is the world's consciousness, isn't it? If... if they learn how to control it, they'll practically enslave everyone! They don't want to help, they just want to control everyone! They're disgusting! They're worse than monsters!"

"It won't work if we're too direct..." Kotsu said again while he began to grind his teeth.

Creek, click. Creek, click. Creek, click.

"I think... I think we're fucked..."

Kotsu turns to Sam as she continued.

"We don't have a leader, our job security is based on the hold they have on us, we can't escape, even if we wanted to. My limbs, Kotsu's life, Fizzy's legs, the Twins, Owl's literally owned by the company... God, why didn't I just cut the silver wire?"

Kotsu felt at a loss for words. He was betrayed by the group he had put all of his faith into. Denton told him that the Maniacles had always done questionable things. Truth be told, Kotsu had always wondered about some of the missions he took. If the assassinations he had been taking on were rogue vampire Maniacles agents. Some of them could have even had families. Owl spoke next.

"I'm sorry Kotsu, for everything and especially for the memory we are most likely going to see next..."

He felt his gauntlets and swords weight grow heavier. This next battle was going to be the deciding factor.

"We must press on I can feel another memory shard of mine, it is close just a few more of Ktsu's memories to get through. As for the Maniacles, well, now you understand Sam why Original owl was so distrustful."

Kotsu sighed. "You're right. If you can bring us back to the office, I'd be more than okay with that. After this, it's just drinking at dive bars and trying to locate that voice that you guys heard."

Kotsu pulled out the key that Human Kotsu gave him. There was a door that was enshrouded in darkness bound in chains and a lock. Kotsu knew that's where they'd find Dark Kotsu. He had his katana in it's sheathe and had his left hand holding it. He seemed always ready to use it. He was surprised at the little resistance the group had been met with going through these memories.

"We gotta get ready to go up against Blue and Dark. If Dark's any stronger, I'm gonna have to try and figure out how to use this armor." Kotsu said looking down at his hands, wondering if he should kill or incapacitate Dark.

Thinking about Dark Kotsu, Kotsu knew that he was still a part of him. Denton had told Kotsu to accept him as that, and realize that he was still a part of Kotsu. Kotsu didn't agree with that, but seeing Khepri made Kotsu think maybe allies would be possible. That would have to wait.

The Maniacles were the biggest problem.

"No... I won't let them control us any longer, but we can't be so direct about it... We'll need to become double agents. Work with them openly, secretly oppose them. But we gotta figure out how. We've got enough time while we're in here to figure out a plan. Especially now that Denton isn't here for now." Kotsu said while pulling his nails out of his hand from forming such a tight fist.

"None of us will let this go, if you wish to stand by my side. I understand if you don't, but I wish for you all to allow me this without informing the Maniacles. Please." Kotsu begged the group present.

Kotsu smiled at Red Owl. "Maybe there's a way to make this work, but I don't know if we can without shit hitting the fan."

Kotsu turns to Clayton offering to resign.

"And Clayton. I recommend you become a double agent as well. You'd be the least suspected to become a traitor, but one of the ones they'd still watch simply because you're a vampire." Kotsu addressed Clayton specifically due to his violent streak and old age. "And the ones they watch usually have a cleaner for them, like Fizzy." Kotsu said with a grimace.
_________________________________________________

Human Kotsu's Final Stand​

Human Kotsu watches the bone spear pierce through Valerie's forehead as he cries out a shrill shriek. "NOOOOOOOOO!" He immediately gets up and throws the throwing spear head at Dark Kotsu in the doorway. It sticks into his arm as he lets out a deep laugh that brought terror into Human Kotsu's heart.

Dark Kotsu whips another spear into the room, piercing Human Kotsu's chest again, but this spear has something attached to it. As Human Kotsu grabs something on the counter, he is yanked toward Dark Kotsu in the hallway.

Dark Kotsu had used the intestines of the fallen vampires in the barn to fashion a harpoon out of the initial bone spears he created. Human Kotsu realized this only as Dark Kotsu pulled him toward him, catching Human Kotsu by his neck.

"You, I was told that you were the most fun. This doesn't seem to be fun. You are weak." A voice echoed in both of their minds as if they were both linked to it.

"I meant to torture him, you mindless brute! You're not supposed to just kill them both!"

Human Kotsu was in pain, but confused. "Sounds like you got an identity crisis going on, Sunshine." He said, spitting blood on the ethereal armor and on Dark Kotsu's deformed face. "You look like somethin' out of a Lovecraft story too, you ugly sum bitch." Human Kotsu said with a smile as he stuck an IED to Dark Kotsu, slamming it onto him with a pulled belt full of grenades he had prepared to head out.

"I'll see you in hell, bitch. We'll go out together in a blaze of-" Dark Kotsu tears his head off, impaling it to the wall of the room with one of his bone spears. Human Kotsu's head stuck to the projector wall before consuming the body and the grenades. His four flaps opened widely as the teeth shredded the flesh with little to no effort in a pulsating and wretching fashion. His mouth was like a giant meat grinder as it tore apart the flesh into a paste for him to swallow. Dark Kotsu's torso exploded with shrapnel that tore apart his body. The armor contained most of the shrapnel with some exploding out of the weak spots in it.

The metal from the shrapnel began to reform around his body. The fleshy pile began to heal as the armor began to don itself with a metal and ether infused appearance. Dark Kotsu now had more of his dark flesh back and was smiling madly. The new flesh slapped along his torn body, molding into a more human looking form.

"I suppose that was interesting. But, now where did the others go?" The dark side of the new Dark Kotsu pulsed and writhed as the voice spoke.

"We wait for them now. Tell them we'll be at the barn. They'll come. Trust me."

***​

 

[Darkling0096]

"None of us will let this go, if you wish to stand by my side. I understand if you don't, but I wish for you all to allow me this without informing the Maniacles. Please." Kotsu begged the group present.

Sam shook her head. No, she had agreed to store evidence in her spine a while back, but that had been a passive role. She had still had the freedom to do whatever she wanted.

"There's something you need to know," she said, "I... don't technically work for Maniacles anymore. I haven't since the Queen, I'm a private contractor on specifically Denton's payroll, not the corporation's. I think this is gonna be my last job." She shook her head and fished a piece of metal out of her workshop and reworked it into a coin shape.

"I can't help you take down the corporation directly, I don't even have access to any files. But if you need a quick getaway, set this on fire," she held the token out to Kotsu. 'Think of it like a key to my workshop. One time use only, it'll liquify and stop working after one use. My workshop exists in a separate reality, so they can't track you. It's why I was able to fight Blue earlier."

KotaKotsu

 

[KotaKotsu]

Kotsu took the coin and smiled. "Thanks, Sam. I may have to ask for more of these in the future or something. Or just get one everytime I pop in." A mischievous smirk came across his face.

 

[Darkling0096]

"One at a time. If too many are in circulation there's a chance they'll be reverse-engineered and I'm not having Maniacles in my workshop while I'm trying to work.

 

[KotaKotsu]

Kotsu smiles at Sam and nods. "Yeah. I understand. You're a really good friend, Sam. I really appreciate this." Kotsu looked like an idea had struck him out of nowhere. "Oh yeah, Sam! Now that you got a godly workshop," Kotsu pulls off The Whip It.

"Is there a way we could upgrade my gear, or any other members gear between you and Joseph? He can help with magecraft and you could make the initial gear if need be?" Kotsu put his finger to his chin before thinking of a way he could assist too. "We should work on pulling out all the stops to fight our foes in here if this is what we're up against."

 

[Darkling0096]

Sam shook her head, "I only got the workshop during the Theater. All I've got in there is scrap iron from the Nightmare. All my tools so far are rudimentary and soft at best. I'd need at least a day to pull my stuff out of the Sandlands and put it together."

 

[mmarage]

The twins looked at Kotsu... and nodded. "We won't say anything. We won't have any real opportunity to do much anyway. As it stands, our bodies are degrading faster and faster by the week. If... if we want to do something, we'll have to do it quickly. While... while we can still move." 01 said.

02 shook his head quietly. "...Sam... when we have a chance... could you show us how to properly do things like... hacking into a complex computer system?" 02 asked hesitantly. 01 had looked at him a bit nervously, but nodded. "It would be appreciated." He said.

Joseph had managed to compose himself. He wiped the corner of his eyes before taking a deep breath. He looked at his clones for a moment, trying to think of some way he might be of help, before turning to Kotsu. "I do not believe that I would be able to enter her workshop. Even if I did, I am but a spirit now. If it is a physical plane, then I will be unable to do much other than just... float there." He said, giving a little shrug. "As for my atelier... I'm not sure if I'll be able to access it. Anything that I create in here won't be able to be taken out from here, since you are all here only mentally, not physically." He explained.

 

[TheAdept]

All this talk about taking down Maniacles, if that could even be done, gave Clayton an idea. A sort of edge they needed to have any sort of chance against their tyrannical employer.

"Joe." He said, not to Joe 1 or 2, but the original Joe. Joseph. "I know you are a manifestation of the Sandlands, but you seem to have a mind of your own and know the most about the Joe I fought that moon devil with. These replicas of you were Maniacles' attempt at creating another you who would be nothing but loyal to them. Maniacles has all this tech at their disposal but they clearly valued your ability to make...potions. Joe, you gotta tell me, because they saw you as a threat and that is why they killed you. Tell us how to revive you."

He knew this was unlikely. He had only ever seen someone revived as a zombie, a vampire, or an eldritch thing (he wasn't at Moonlight Falls but had fought such things elsewhere.) But he was learning knew, impossible things were possible all the time. Never in his 26 years before he turned had he imagined blood sucking monsters could exist, let alone some ritual to turn someone into one. Surely, there must be some way in this wild, wicked world to revive a person, as that person.

 

[mmarage]

Joseph looked at Clayton as he was spoken to. He said nothing for a good while. He shut his eyes and then took a deep breath. "...I am no mere manifestation. I am the true Joseph Hikari Nobunaga." He said simply as he crossed his arms. The area... was dyed red. The words that Joseph had spoken... swirled around his body, before settling in place between himself and Clayton. Normally... that should not have been possible. Only in the logic battles did Clayton ever see those red words appear... before they manifested into a weapon to strike down an opponent. The red that prevented those that used it from lying, in other words, the absolute truth. The words hung there for a few moments... before breaking apart into red motes of light and fading away.

"...I truly am back, Clayton. I may not be alive... but I am here." He said quietly, a sad smile settling on his lips. "I know what you're thinking... and... I wish that there was a way. I... I want to come back to you all. I... can't even wander the world as a spirit... it... it hurts... so much... Clayton... it's so dark... so lonely... I can't even see you all, I can't watch over you all..." He said, his voice cracking as he spoke, tears beginning to form in his eyes once more. He tried to hide the pain in his expression, even if he couldn't hide it in his voice.

"I've... I've been fighting for years to come back to you all. To try and break free...! Someone... I don't know who... captured my soul. I don't know why either. I don't know if the Maniacles did it to try and engineer clones of myself with my magic, or if it was someone... something else. Either way... I've been granted this miracle. I was able to come here. I was able to come and help you and your friends. Even if you found a means of reviving me... my soul is trapped. You'd create nothing more than a soulless husk that would surely crumble away into nothingness." He said quietly, the tears beginning to slide down his cheeks as he forced himself to keep smiling.

"...If... I might have just one request... please... when we've dealt with Blue Owl and Dark Kotsu... come to my world. That red pyramid. Please... help me struggle... just one last time. If... there is the chance of being free, if this world will allow me to be free... then please, free me." He said, he clasped his hands together and then bowed deeply to the entire group, not standing straight... not until he had heard their answers, silently begging for them to help.

KotaKotsu
TheAdept
Darkling0096
Exzalia