40 Aficionado of Agony

"Mood normal. Ducky is happy." Zihark says, turning his attention to scan the location. As he scans, he spots Figra in his sight, looking directly at him.

"Hey there, I couldn't help to notice you looking my direction, hot stuff." She says, approaching him.

"...Does not compute." Zihark states, crossing his arms.

"Compute? Ha ha ha! I must be frying your sensors, am I really that attractive?" Figra inquires, getting closer to Zihark's face.

"Only Ducky is attractive." Zihark says, turning his attention back to Asuna.

"Ducky? Who pray tell, is that?" She huffed, looking to Zihark.

"Ducky is everything." Zihark states keeping his sight on Asuna.

"Hm? Who are you looking at?" Figra says, turning to where Zihark stared.

She spots Asuna and Yuji cuddling together, she then turns her attention back to Zihark.

"Sorry to the barer of bad news, but I think she's taken." Figra scoffed.

"Please remove yourself. I must restrict access to Ducky." Zihark says, turning to Figra.

"What? Restrict access? Are you telling me to shove off?" Figra inquired, sounding offended.

"Affirmative." Zihark states robotically.

"NO! YOU CAN'T BE SAYING, YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED IN ME?" Figra shouted.

"Please remove yourself from this sector." Zihark instructed.

"NEVER! I WON'T BE LEAVING UNTIL I SET YOUR HEART A BLAZE!" Figra screamed.

"Threat detected." Zihark says, forming his swords.

Figra's eye widen, "Huh? What is this magic? Do I really come off as a threat to you?" Figra asked seriously.

"Affirmative." Zihark states, not taking his gaze off of Figra.

Figra growls, "I'm just expressing myself! I don't want to scare you." She says, trying to calm herself down.

"...Go." Zihark says, forming away his weapon. "I only have the functions to address Ducky. "

Figra tilts her head slightly, "Wait, instruction? Are you a robot, or something?"

"Affirmative." Zihark says, shutting his eyes.

"WHAT!? I CAN'T BELIEVE I WAS WASTING MY TIME WITH A MACHINE!" Figra says, yelling to the top of her lungs.

Thundora pops out of a bush next to her, holding Bit. "This was good! Thanks to my boyfriend we recorded the entire thing! You're so lonely, even robots see you're not worth it."

Bit nods, "Cut scene!"

Figra turns to Thundora, "YOU FOLLOWED ME!?"

Zihark merely turns his attention back to Asuna. "...."

Thundora steps out, with Bit in her arms. "Of course. You didn't really think I'd miss an opportunity to see you get dumped by a robot."

Figra growls flaming up.

"Umm, Wow her difficulty is really spiking. Are we tempting fate?" Bit sweat dropped.

"Give her time, it's night, twenty four seven here. She should be back to normal temperature soon." Thundora joked.

Figra shoots a fire ball in Thundora's direction. "YOU WON'T BE COOLING DOWN! I'M GOING TO FRY BOTH OF YOU!...Well urm, YOU!" Figra says rushing at them.

Bit smirks, grabbing Thundora, "She's going crater! Time to port!" Bit stated mischievously, warping him and Thundora out of the area before the attacks could connect.

Figra falls flat on her face. "Urgh..." She sits up, and starts to cry. Zihark looks back to Figra.

He walks over to her, and kneels down. "You have sustained injuries." He says looking to her.

Figra looks to Zihark, tears escaping her eyes, "H-Huh? N-no! I'm fine, leave me alone you bucket of bolts." She says, standing to her feet wiping her face.

Zihark stands to his feet. "You are expressing tears from your eyes."

"NO, I AM NOT! I AM NOT CRYING!" Figra yells, her voice cracking.

She soon feels a bandage placed on her shoulder. Figra turns her attention to him quickly. "You..."

Zihark nods, "I administered aid to your wound. I shall now return to my duties."

Figra gasps, "Wait! Is that it!?"

"Affirmative. My priority is Ducky." Zihark states, looking back to Asuna.

Figra growls, "ARE YOU DAFT!? I'VE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH YOU!" She says, kicking Zihark in the back.

A painful surge flies through her body, as she holds her foot. "AAAAHHHHH!!!!!" Figra falls to the ground as Zihark glances to her.

"I am out of aid material...Ducky must replenish my supplies." He states, turning back to Asuna.

Figra grips herself up, with tears of anger in her eyes, "Some good you are...." She mutters running off crying.

Elsewhere, Kirb was playing one of the gun prize games. He was rounding up quite the collection of prizes. "(Don't know what I'm gonna do with all these... I just want to shoot stuff.)" He thought, winning another prize.

Denki was by himself on a bridge, staring off to the night sky. "(Last time I was here was with her... Kathrine...)" He sighed, tossing a Zio penny to the water below.

Cravic and Myde were walking through a path of cherry blossom trees, snacking on some shish kabob, they picked up from a booth. They were still holding hands, as they walked without speaking to the other.

A man in his late thirties ,walks up behind them. His hair sways in the wind as he crosses his arms. "Cravic? So, it is you." The man states, keeping his gaze on them.

Cravic glances back to the man, with a bored expression. Cravic swallowed his food. "..." Myde also glanced to see.

"I've been looking all over for you. The base was in shambles when I returned, everyone was gone." The man states, still keeping his eye on Cravic.

"Relocated." Cravic muttered, "Aren't you supposed to be dead, Drone?"

"Wait, so everyone's alive? The base relocated? Also no, I didn't die, I was out on a mission to find you." Drone states, looking to Myde. "Who might she be?"

"Not everyone." Cravic replied, keeping his eye on Drone.

Myde decided to speak up, seeing Cravic was being as evasive as ever. "You must be one of AM's agents." She notes, clearing her throat. "I am one of the Ferline allied forces, Mydeline Gambit. Since we have never met, I can safely assume you are not yet aware of whom we are all working with."

"...A Ferline? In AM? This is something." Drone says, placing a hand to his forehead. "Well, if you're in the team, I suppose I should introduce myself as well. Sergeant Marshall Drone, lead pilot division." He says, and turns his attention to Cravic, "What happened to your eye? Beside the base going to Stykx, it would seem things got sticky while I was away."

Cravic looked off with a huff, "Don't worry about it."

Drone nods, "You have your reasons, so what brings you to this festive land?"

"Forced vacation." Cravic muttered.

"It was Xiao and Medatros' idea, I assume. Perhaps to help everyone breath a bit easier, after all the trouble we've had to endure." Myde explained, since Cravic was being stand offish.

"Medatros? The director called in the Elementar? I suppose things are far more dire than I thought. Honestly, seeing you here, I thought you might have been on track of a Kaos worker I spotted not far from this location." Drone states, looking around.

Cravic tensed up a bit, "Kaos worker?"

"Yeah, the guy was in a kabuki mask. He could be anywhere. I was going to hit up the PR system here, but with so much going on. It would cause complete panic." Drone says, looking back to Cravic and Myde.

Cravic grabbed to Drone's scarf, looking to him seriously. "Are you sure it's Kaos?"

"I'm very sure, I saw the guy picking off people here, but I wasn't able to get close. Why though? Is there some other threat to be worried about?" Drone inquired.

"There is a group called espionage, that are the ones responsible for the kidnappings. They work along side Kaos, but function independently. Their generals go by 'the Zodiac'." Myde explained.

"Urgh shit...That's quite a lot of material to take in. I missed a lot...Listen. I don't want you guys to have your vacation ruined with business. Let me take care of this. After, I'll travel back with everyone, to report to the director." Drone states, turning his back to Cravic and Myde.

Cravic looked seriously to Drone. "Always solo."

"If I let you accompany me, the director would have my neck." Drone joked.

"Har." Cravic rolled his eyes.

"Besides, you have a pretty girl there who needs attention. Keep her safe." Drone states walking off.

Cravic got red in the face, with slight irritation. "Hey!"

Drone holds up one hand, waving to them, as he kept walking.

Shockz was now walking around a secluded part of the festival. He holds his head up to the dark sky, thinking about Katinka. "Just friends huh?...Man, I thought I really had something there." He says, as he let's out a sigh. "I'm sure Bit is laughing somewhere. Some friend."

Shockz looks off ahead, noticing people heading to a show that was starting soon. He decides instead to sit down on a bench nearby.

"When I get back, I might ask Dad if I can just return to Vec, there's honestly nothing down here. My only real reason of being here in the first place was to be around Tink..." Shockz says, leaning back on the bench.

"Love is a maze, life is a riddle, you're just a little bit caught in the middle." Spoke an unknown voice with no source.

Shockz jumps from his seat, looking to where the voice sounded. "Huh? W-who's there?"

A man wearing a kabuki mask, was was standing not far off, looking to Shockz "You got pretty ballsy out there, kid. So Why give up so soon?"

"Do I know you? You seem pretty aware of my situation." Shockz says, not taking his eye off the man.

"You just haven't seen me until now. Not too many people can say they have." The masked man stated.

"Well, I don't trust you, being like a creep prying on others personal issues. You must have some problems, and I want no part in it." Shockz says, stepping backward to run.

"You jump too soon, before you know how to swim. Flee if you like, but I will always find you." The man stated.

Shockz decides to turn and run, but before he moves he notices from the corner of his eye that the masked man had moved to where he was to go. "H-Huh!? Wait how did you?" Shockz says, falling back to his bottom.

The man in the kabuki mask slowly walked up to Shockz, crouching down to his level. "I am nowhere, yet I am everywhere. I am a shadow in the night, that you will never hear, nor see. Careful now."

Shockz scoots back quickly, shocking up. "You get any closer to me, and I'll give you a shock you won't forget! You may be fast, but my electricity travels faster!"

"An annalist, and a gloater. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're a cocky kid, Who thinks he knows everything." The man teased.

"And you're some low life thug who thinks he's the shit!" Shockz spat back at the man. "I'm warning you though, don't you come any closer!"

As Shockz blinked the man was gone, but he felt a presence behind him. "You're a little snot, aren't you? You clearly have never encountered a ninja before, but why would you have? All who have, are bound to perish." The man had crouched down, with a serrated knife to Shockz's neck. "Think before you act, and you might live."

"Urgh...What the hell do you want from me?" Shockz asked, trying to keep his composure.

"What does one who possesses anonymity, need from a pretentious kid, who can't win the heart of his true love?" The man asked to him.

"You're not making any sense!" Shockz says, becoming frustrated.

"Does your rudimentary mind, lack the capacity to comprehend a simple riddle?" The masked man teased.

Shockz sighs, "Well, it's not a high point. I hate riddles."

"You need my help, and I need yours. To put it lightly." A chuckle came from behind the mask.

Shockz's ears perked at the sound of the word help. "Help? As in, what? Katinka?" Shockz then shakes his head, " I shouldn't even be telling you her name!" He quickly caught himself.

"Have you forgotten that I have been watching? I already know every detail that you know. Then, you have already answered your own question." The man replied.

"But we just met. How can I really trust you?" Shockz asked, shaking a little.

"We share many friends, how else would I have known to watch you?" The man explained.

Shockz shakes his head, "Thanks for the concern but, I still find it creepy you were just watching me. I mean jeez. Makes me feel special, but uhhh, yeah."

"You aren't the only one I have been observing tonight. I see everything, and go unseen. I am a master of stealth." The masked man remarked, his knife still in place.

"Got it...Uhh so umm what's this plan you have?" Shockz was becoming unsure of the situation.

"Patience is a virtue. The plan is in my hands, all you need to do, is but follow." The man in the mask forced Shockz to his feet.

"Urgh, o-okay." Shockz says, looking back to the man. "Well, I guess I'll follow your lead...."

"There is a temple not far from here." The man retracts his knife. "Go there, and leave the rest to me."

Shockz nods, and looks off down the trail. "Alright. "

"No one can know you've seen me, otherwise you have failed." The man said, but as Shockz glanced back he was gone.

"(Man what a freak, to the temple though...But...Man if I can get to Katinka....I guess it's worth a shot...)" Shockz says, as he heads to the temple.

He travels through the events, as all the people around him, seemed distracted by the attraction of the parade taking place. He managed to get to the temple, the highest point of the festival, that sat on the hill above the main square. He happened to notice Katinka and Barret looking over the parade, from up there. They were standing fairly close to each other as well.

Shockz sighs, "(I honestly doubt this will work but...Urgh...She looks happy. Should I really try and do this?...Well then. One last shot wouldn't hurt. I just hope this guy has a good plan." He says, as he walks, hiding behind a wall peeking to them.

"Ready kid?" Spoke the man in the mask's voice, from behind him.

Shockz jumps, turning to the Man. "I told you to stop that! But yeah..." Shockz states, muttering to himself.

"Then we shall commence." The masked man said, grabbing to Shockz.

Katinka and Barret were standing, looking over the parade. They stood under the gates of the Shrine, when some blood dripped down to Barret's arm.

Barret turns his attention to the drip. "Hm? Is it raining?" He then inspects it more closely. His eyes widen in surprise. "Blood?"

"What?" Katinka looked to it, as both turned to face the top of the Gates. Shockz was tied to it with metal barbed wiring in a brutal manner. He was bleeding, but he seemed to be alive.

"SHOCKZ?!" Katinka gasped in panic.

Barret's mouth drops, "HANG ON! WE'LL GET YOU DOWN FROM THERE!"

Shockz was squinting, the pain rushing through him was intense. "O...kay...urgh...." Shockz was unable to speak, being in so much pain.

Barret and Katinka were panicking, trying to get up there, when a shadow appeared on top of the gate. Shrouded by the darkness of the night, was the man in the kabuki mask. He chuckled eerily as he looked down to them. "Kehehehe..."

"Huh? Who are you!?" Barret yelled to the man.

"You cannot see me, hear me, or touch me. I lie behind the stars, and alter what is real, I am what you really fear. Close your eyes, and I come near." Spoke the man in the Kabuki mask.

"(I can't place where I heard that voice before...He seems into riddles.) What did you do to Shockz!? I get your saying you're the dark, but nothing is adding up!" Barret demanded.

Katinka was sparking up, angrily. "Shockz.... Dammit! We need to do something!"

The man in the mask chuckled again, sitting down to grab Shockz's face, squishing in his cheeks. Green eyes slightly peered through the holes of the mask, looking at Barret. "You're the annalist, I think you should be able to figure this out. As you can see, I have tied up your friend, but that is not all. A useful tool for who in darkness dwell. Within you, corrupting like a deadly spell."

Barret squints his eyes sharply to the Man. "Wait..." Barret was still thinking.

"I don't understand these riddles... Just, Just let him go!!" Katinka demanded.

"Poison, he poisoned Shockz!" Barret states snarling, looking to the Man. "Just who, or what are you!?"

"What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?" The man in the mask replied, in amusement.

"A human...So that's established. You do come off familiar in areas but..It could be the amount of deranged psychopaths we've delt with." Barret answers, keeping his eye sharp on the man.

"Still as cocky as ever I see." The masked man chuckled, "If you truly wish to know who it is behind the mask, then answer me this. What can run but never walks, Has a mouth, but never talks, Has a bed but never sleeps, Has a head but never weeps?" The man in the mask inquired. "But you should keep in mind, that this whole time we have been conversing, you have forgotten to why you are speaking to me. Your friend has been infected with my poison, and if you don't find the cure, there's so telling how this will end. No sooner spoken, than broken."

"Huh? Urgh, (He's right. We've been wasting time with all these questions.) KATINKA! Try to get Shockz loose, I'll deal with this guy. As for your answer though...I have to figure that out." Barret states, becoming frustrated.

Katinka looked concerned, "I-I Don't know if I can get up there... I can't gale jump yet.."

"Gah, that's right. Listen, go find Denki, or Cravic, maybe they'll be able to get up there." Barret says, walking forward.

"What about you?! What if he poisons you too!?" Katinka was on edge.

Barret turns back to Katinka, "Just go find them! We have to hurry!"

Katinka was holding back tears, but runs off as directed. She rushed for the festival grounds.

Shockz coughs a little, squinting from pain still. "(I must have really been stupid...Urgh, she even listens to him...Now look, I'm putting them in danger...This is all my fault....)"

"And thus the newbie has chosen to take a stand, but if he dies then his love will have no one left in hand." The masked man seemed amused.

Shockz turns his attention to the man in the mask. "At least I...Don't hide behind a mask..." Shockz says, as he begins to cough.

"If you wish to see who I am, then you must answer the riddle I have already placed out. I am a ninja, and stealth is part of my weapon. You're the fool who followed me, even with my venom to your neck." The man stood up.

Shockz growls, as he looks to Barret who was still thinking over the answer. As Barret thinks to himself, Drone walks up beside him. "So, I finally found you. You choose to appear while everyone is distracted by the parade.." He says, arming himself with two laser swords.

Barret gasps, "Huh? Who are you? We can't just strike this guy, he's poisoned my friend, and we need the cure." He says seriously to Drone.

Drone nods, looking back to Shockz. "I remember seeing you back in the base, with the boy with the blue hair. We'll have to catch up later, but you can be sure, I am your ally." Drone states, preparing to climb up, after the man in the mask.

"Oh, isn't this such a touching reunion? I doubt you'll be able to get up here so easily, Drone." The masked man provoked.

Drone smiles meekly, as he continue his way to the gate. "You are slippery, but we'll see how long it takes me to reach you." Drone says, preparing to slash the gate with one of his blades.

Barret reaches his hand out quickly, "NO! WAIT! YOU DON'T WANT TO DISRESPECT JOAN! There has to be another way!"

Drone forms derpy eyes looking to Barret, "Are you being serious now? Surely she wouldn't mind this due to a LIFE being at stake."

"I want no part in this!" Barret says, folding his arms.

"Oh, give me a break! You're a solider, so start acting like one!" Drone snapped back.

"Are the two of you quite done? Yeesh, and I thought I'd have more of an audience my now. Perhaps I should make this more interesting." The masked man was sitting, boredly.

Elsewhere, Katinka was rushing passed swarms of people. There were so many crowds, and Katinka was struggling. "(I need to find Sensei... that guy planned for this didn't he?... The parades, the people... Just who is he?)" Katinka thought, rushing further.

She passed several allies, but she was focused on finding either of the two Barret had instructed her to locate. She continued to struggle, but broke from the horde, and soon made it to a clear area. She spotted Denki, leaning to the bridge.

"Sensei!!" She shouted, rushing to him.

Denki turned his attention to her. "Tink? What's going on?"

She stopped, struggling to catch her breath. "Shockz is..."

Denki went to her, looking seriously.

"Shockz is in trouble... Poison..." She wheezed a bit. "We need to get to the Shrine, on the hill...." She was very out of breath.

"Stay here!" Denki instructed, rushing off quickly. He gale jumped over the crowds to the roof top, and made his way fast. Katinka stood there, unable to do anything.

Back at the shrine, the man in the kabuki mask peered to the two still.

Drone was struggling to catch hold of the gate correctly. It was apparent he wouldn't be able to get up, without destroying it. "This isn't working...YOU! Stop standing there, get over here and help me!"

Barret was still thinking over the riddle. It finally comes to his mind and he snaps his finger. "That's it. A river!" He states looking to the man with the mask. Drone by this time was becoming frustrated.

The man in the mask smiles from within. "Clever as always, I knew you could do it. Now, this is where things get more interesting." The man places his hand over the mask. "Not too many people can say they have seen me, the ones who have should consider themselves lucky. I am the the patient assassin, Scorpio. However, you know me by another name, rather than my Zodiac Alias." The man removed the mask, pushing it up to his head, finally showing his face. Barret had seen him before, it was so long ago that he had forgot. A brown haired man with green bangs, grinning down to them. "Mantis Iro, former espionage expert of AM."

Barret's mouth drops, "No! I knew it was something but, this!? We thought you died back when the HQ was attacked! Unless...." Barret was shaking.

"That it was I who started the attack? Lining up the pieces quick, aren't you kid." Mantis, pulled to a poison tipped blade. "You want to cure this pathetic excuse for a Lighton? You'll need to beat me, to get the cure. Keep it close to survive. In the fields of death, few keep alive. Like a taller knife, yet deadly enough to end a life."

Drone looks back to Barret, "Let me handle this, you have no weapons, however as for his riddle...I think he's referring to his weapon."

Barret's quirks a brow, "His weapon? Hmm, like a taller knife, you could be right."

Shockz was starting to pulsate, his skin began rashing with hives of different colors. He squints shutting his eyes, as they were becoming blurry.

"Clock is ticking. Oh how will you best me, having such a small window of opportunity, without aid from the others? This is far too easy. Life should have given me a bigger challenge! Kehehe!" Mantis cackled, lunging downward, striking sword to Drone, and Knife to Barret with great speed.

Mantis slashes the both of them backward, causing Barret and Drone to fall to their backs hard. Their cuts were sizzling of poison. "Grah...." Barret gasps, feeling the burn of the venom.

Mantis shifts his blades around playfully in his hands. "Now, come on. You can do better than that." He watched them for a second, "This isn't as engaging as I was hoping. Typical, I'm already bored. Oh well." He stabbed his blade through Drone's arm.

Drone's eyes widen, as the pain surged through him. The combined toxins numb his arm making him drop his weapons instantly. "(Oh...No...grr..)"

Mantis stuck his foot to Drone, and pried the blade from his arm without hesitation.

"Gah....You...Won't get far...You...." Drone, though in pain, was more focused on taking down Mantis.

"You're still going?" Mantis peered down, "That mix of toxins has rendered you paralyzed already, and soon my special blend will end your life." Mantis chuckled, looking to Barret next.

Barret could feel the effects of the poison hitting his nervous system. "C-Crap...I'm feeling so dizzy..." He says, his vision beginning to blur.

"Death is iminate, you little snots. Get ballsy all you like, but I'm not going to fall." Mantis scoffed.