Chapter 4-17 - But People Always Do
17 - But People Always Do
[OCTOBER 3RD, 2024; 12:00AM]
“I saw that dream again.”
“It was the same as before...everything felt gray, and everything I desired felt vibrant.”
“Until I saw a pair of emerald eyes that blinded me.”
Sakuto opened his eyes.
“I don’t recognize this ceiling...”
He turned his head around. The sunlight shone through the crystal clear windows, a pair of nice flowers was planted in a shy vase by the windowsill. The bedsheets felt dry, but they did their duty to keep him warm superbly. Sakuto sat up. He looked down, seeing most of his body bandaged up. Although, there were things he couldn’t even see in the first place...
He quickly reached for his left eye, feeling a piece of clothing instead.
“Fucking damn it...I’ll need to work my ass off to get this fixed, even with someone like Rin around...”
“I guess I’m some knock-off pirate boy now, and my field of vision is more limited...”
“Hm...can I adapt to this and regain my vision? It would be pretty funny.”
Oskar walked into the room with a few bags in his hands. He seemed calm and careless, but seeing his friend awake caused him to recoil from the surprise.
“You’re up!” He yelled, excited.
“All I need now is to get a parrot.” Sakuto sighed.
“Congrats on making it back, Sakuto.” Oskar said, sitting by the chair. “You were a real mess when we found you.”
“I guess...that unhinged guy pulled an acclamation on me out of nowhere...” Sakuto said. “All's well that ends well, I guess...wait...what time is it now?”
“Right now?” Oskar was confused. “It’s 12 sharp.”
“But I met Jackal at 3PM...” Sakuto quickly sat up. “Wait, how long was I out for?”
“It’s the day of the election results now.” Oskar said. “You woke up just in time. The ceremony is going to start now..”
“Was I in a coma?”
“From what I was told, they used a pretty unique way of healing you back up.” Oskar explained. “They fixed the dangerous internal injuries, and they artificially put you to sleep, so that your passive soul regeneration would slowly mend everything back. Except your eye, I guess...they said you’d wake up in a few days at most, once your body was fully rejuvenated.”
“Then why do I feel tired? And there’s all these wires attached to me...”
“Well, you did sleep for a few days after major injuries and a surgical process.” Oskar said. “It’s fine, you’ll be back up shortly.”
“Awesome. Hey, I’ll think of what the hell to do with my eye in my free time.” Sakuto said. Oskar reached for the TV remote. The screen, attached to the wall directly in front of the hospital bed, flashed black and white for a few moments before finally showing the news channel.
“Somebody else wants to visit you too.” Oskar said, texting someone on his phone in the meantime. “They got here yesterday.”
“Ichika?”
“Yeah.” Oskar smiled. “Don’t be mad if she wants to beat the crap out of you for getting hospitalized.”
The door was almost broken open. Ausra rushed into the room, and Ichika followed her.
“Sakuto, you did it.” Ausra said. “Both the raid and Jackal...good job. Thank you.”
“Hey, thanks.” Sakuto said. Ausra moved aside, and Ichika seemed like the least optimistic person in the room. A silence devoured the place.
“You almost got yourself killed...”
“Did I end up dying though?” Sakuto asked back. “It all went as I expected.”
“You don’t get it, do you?” Ichika said.
“Well, what else was I supposed to do?” Sakuto said. “It was either fighting that psycho or everything going to shit.”
“I hoped you’d come back to Tokyo...” Ichika said, instead of sounding frustrated, now she was just sad.
“I want to trust you, Sakuto, but I’m scared.”
“You’ll end up like everyone else that has to deal with me.”
“If I did that, we’d both be goners.” Sakuto said. “All four of us would be.”
“I trust you, Ichika...”
“Do you not trust me? It’s making me doubt things...”
“I’m sorry for interrupting.” Ausra said. “But please don't forget that this is our life. This is what we have to do if we want to live. Let’s just enjoy the peace now.”
“You’re right.” Ichika said. “I’m happy you’re alright, Sakuto.”
“Thanks...”
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“The blinding colors of that dream...looks like this is what they meant.”
“Hearing these words is like hearing that color.”
“Hey...the ceremony is starting.” Oskar said, pointing at the screen.
It was taking place inside. The conference room was medium-size, filled with rows of seats for the audience of all sorts of important faces. There were a lot of soulfuls there too - they weren’t fighters, most of them were political activists, influencers and businessmen.
The speaking podium belonged to the current president, who was chosen as an emergency replacement for president Cohen, the victim of Jackal’s murder sprees. Leaning his hands on the wooden lectern, he began his speech.
“Dear citizens, and dear comrades across the world.” Abrams spoke, his face not looking any better in the slightest. “These times have been perilous for us indeed. But there has not been a challenge that we could not overcome yet.”
“The terror caused by the rogue and rabid soulfuls, from Tokyo to D.C. and every city between them, the upset caused by the Global Soulful Coalition and their conflicts with rivaling factions, and most importantly, the terrorist that rampaged through America as if he was a child destroying an ant colony in a playground.”
“Through cooperation, through the will of all of our citizens, and the calculated moves of the late president Cohen, we were able to resolve those conflicts. The threat known as Jackal Kagerr has been slain. The agreements made with important figures in the soulful realm will assure the safety of people across the world. These elections, despite being held in times of complete turmoil, have shone the light of democracy, and have proven it to be much brighter and warmer than that of the evil that attempts to overthrow it. We salute democracy, and we salute our people. Amen.”
The soulfuls in the hospital room had their eyes glued to the screen. Kaito Kamiki himself, accompanied by his soulful acquaintances within the coalition, was also excited.
“As the vote has concluded, we may now welcome the new president. A man chosen by the light of democracy itself.” Abrams continued.
“Congratulations...”
“Mr. Dyeman!”
“Yes!” Oskar exclaimed, clenching his fist. “It’s over!”
“Hah...it wasn’t for nothing, ey! I didn’t kill that freak for nothing!” Sakuto exclaimed, laughing his heart out. The girls smiled too. The happiest was Ichika, as she would finally have some safe time with the squad. She needed it to figure out her feelings.
“Very well done.” Kaito said, leaning back in his chair. The men around him celebrated, some of them even started popping champagne bottles. “You didn’t disappoint, Dyeman.”
“Thank you, Mr. Abrams.” Dyeman said, approaching the podium. The room was filled with applause from one side, and discontent from the other. Some of the soulfuls were even in tears. They’d get to live in a peaceful world.
“I would like to thank every single one of you for making my dream come true.” Dyeman began his speech. “My initiative for establishing peace would remain a daydream had it not been for the overwhelming support I have received. We managed to put conflict aside, and strive together for a peaceful solution to a seemingly unsolvable problem.”
“Numerous terrorist attacks, raids of large corporate buildings, and worst of all, the murder of the president himself. Those sins are unforgivable. We must work together to ensure a world where those calamities never occur again. All of the pain and death caused by those people would be returned to them tenfold.”
“That is why, as the President, I shall spend no time protecting peace. Every second from now on will be an effort to reach it, every minute will be a leap towards it, and every hour will be a goal achieved. I promise you, that I, Richard Dyeman, will dedicate my heart and body to that effort.”
“That being said, the very first second is now.”
“From this point onwards, the Global Soulful Coalition is considered a terrorist organization that threatens the integrity of mankind as a whole. Every single one of its members and associates is to be treated as a criminal of the highest decree, and executed on the spot.”
“WHAT?!” Sakuto yelled, trying to leap forwards, dragging the wires and the IV bags down. He almost collapsed from the sudden movements. “What does that mean!?”
“No...” Ichika said, stepping back. “No...way...”
“We have reached a conclusion that us, normal people, and soulfuls cannot coexist. In order to preserve peace, we will ensure that their threat is completely wiped off of the face of this planet.” Dyeman continued. “I will not back down until their threat is completely terminated, and by using a group of soulfuls that have at least the common sense to acknowledge the situation, we will hunt them down. One by one.”
The soulfuls in the crowd were overrun with emotions. Some of them even tried to rush the newly elected president. They were upset, infuriated and betrayed. At that moment, however, a group of soldiers entered the building, quickly storming it and subjugating the soulfuls. The folk that tried to fight back were shot on the spot.
“No, no, no...this is what they’re gonna do. They’re gonna fucking kill every single soulful there is?!” Sakuto yelled. “Who the hell is helping them?!”
“This doesn’t make sense. They have a different target. Surely.” Oskar said. “They’re going for Mr. Kamiki himself...”
“You...” Kaito said, clenching his fists in rage in his office, even drawing blood out of his palm. “You fucking...traitor...”
Further away from the conference room, Otto and Sheller shared a table. The men and their allies were seated by a large wooden table that stared at a screen broadcasting the election.
“Hah!” Sheller exclaimed. “Otto, is this what you meant by your insurance?”
“It was.” Otto said. “Dyeman was set to make this decision. You can thank his resolve for being brave enough to lie right under Kaito Kamiki’s watch.”
“That means the fun starts now.” Sheller said. He pressed the small black button on his suit. “Permission granted, supreme general. Cull them like the abnormal swine they are.”
Otto felt insulted and even infuriated from that statement. But there was nothing he could do at this point.
“Men, it is time.” Otto said, raising the Replicator.
“Excuse me, there is an incoming request to connect to us.” One of the workers said. “It is from the GSC. Should we accept?”
“Accept it.”
On the giant screen, the awful sight of the shootings and arrests was replaced by Kaito’s furious face.
“To think you’d stoop so low, Otto Richter...”
“Kaito Kamiki.” Otto said. “You know exactly what the reason behind my actions is.”
“It is a ploy to kill you for good.”
“All the soulfuls that will be killed in this process are a way to lure you out. They are all a part of a sacrifice.”
“I’m sacrificing everything just to stop you.”
“Your delusions will only cause masses of soulfuls and soulless alike to be destroyed in the crossfire.” Kaito said. “Your behaviour...is akin to that of a ruthless soulless scumbag.”
“I lament your inability to calculate this predicament.” Otto replied.
“I have a proposal for you.” Kaito said. “Instead of allowing all those innocent and defenseless soulfuls to perish at the hands of a barbaric soulless maniac, why don’t we limit this conflict to those who are capable of swaying it in either direction?”
“Hm?”
“We both have brilliant combatants in our hands, so why not avoid the pointless deaths?” Kaito suggested. “My very best...against your very best.”
“You are misunderstanding this, Kaito Kamiki.” Otto said. “This isn’t a tournament or a friendly competition. This is war.”
“Then so be it.” Kaito said, disconnecting.
“Klaus, contact Mukawa and tell him to engage.” Otto said. Even he felt disgusted by Sheller’s despicable actions, but there was no other way, right?
It was all for the greater good...
The end of Part 4