Shattering Humanity

{Flashback to within the restaurant during Squad 40’s first dinner together.}

Katsu stands up to declare his purpose.The young man, with two green eyes, puts his finger up to the sky.

Katsu: "My purpose is to not leave anyone alone and vulnerable to be adopted by evil. In doing so, I won’t harm anything even trying to harm me, but help them find happiness so we can all be happy someday. I understand the problems outside these mountains this could cause you all, especially you Shelly, and until I find a way to help in MY way, I won’t try to stop others from fighting and I won’t get in the way during excursions. I’ll be the one who focuses on finding supplies and keeping people safe, so they don’t feel scared and alone anymore while living in ’Hell’."

{Present Day. 7:30 P.M. Outside Roronora City’s North Fencing Border.}

Katsu, with a raging white Yang SeiõrShield, leaps easily over the 10 foot(3+m) chain link fence. His Anjell Eye in 2nd Stage with a Yang aura.

Katsu: "Katsu. Out."

The Yang Vessel smiles, thinking back on his words, before being blessed with the Communication Eye of Wisdom.

Katsu(thinking): *Well, I guess Big Bro did say a purpose can change at any moment. Since I acquired this Universal Eye, I no longer have a time limit to control this damn consciousness and announce a dumb pipe dream like that out loud.*

Katsu chuckles to himself while making his way through the dark forest.

While running, he passes by two smaller Icemen. The ice aliens act as if the Yang Vessel isn’t even there and continue in the direction Katsu just left from.

Katsu(thinking): *Laban can know all she wants about the concealed hatred I’ve had for Saku. Whenever the two of them try to call me out, the rest of Takamagahara already knows their established reputations. While my pre-Anjell Eye self, has already built an unbreakable trust between everyone else.*

As Katsu continues running he splits a group of 20 smaller Icemen congested in a pack. They are also going in the opposite direction as the Seiõr glowing young man.

Katsu (thinking): *Everyone believes the Icemen were eradicated from Sanpaku controlled areas, but after Shelly and I had to save Itsuka, I had every Iceman, small and large within this time zone, travel to these specific woods.

Right between Saku’s Demon District and Laban’s Roronora City. They’ve been dormant and in the ground ever since they arrived. Keeping my armory in enemy territory, but you want your best weapons in the enemy RedZone, right dad?*

The smaller Icemen sightings become more and more frequent within the highway side forest. They can be seen around Katsu in the short distance between trees, emerging from the dirt and leaves, or they are shuffling past Katsu without touching him.

However, one Iceman accidentally bumps Katsu’s shoulder and Katsu’s expression turns to a pissed off grimace. Every smaller Iceman within 15 yards begins attacking their unfortunate ally as Katsu continues on his own without looking back.

Katsu (thinking): *This is why I can’t fucking stand him. If Drakaina of Rebekah dies in front of him, Saku won’t be able to handle losing a life he feels didn’t need to be involved. Then he’ll proceed to carelessly involve everyone else. He’ll be the reason over half that group dies if I don’t do something drastic and Shelly isn’t completely ready to fight that DæMon just yet, I can’t risk it. This is the only plan I can go with now to make sure those who are useful to Takamagahara for now, survive.

What doesn’t Saku get?

Everyone should see Shelly as the key to humanity not going extinct and focused on helping her. Even if that’s not what I have planned for her.

Why does that bastard always have to jeopardize her progression and cause me to do this shit so early?!

Every.

Single.

God.

Damn.

Time.

...Saku, you aren’t the hero who ends people’s suffering. In fact, you are the reason an entire city suffers tonight.*

He takes a quick right turn back out to the open sky with SeiõrSnow falling on the highway and grass.

About half a mile from Roronora and a quarter mile from Katsu, Shelly’s gold and pink SeiõrShield clashes with another bubbling, blood red SeiõrShield user.

Shelly does a double back hand spring to distance herself from her new enemy. She lands on both her dusty beat up high top sneakers she stole from Laban, and her katana still in her toothed grip. She is breathing slightly heavily through her nose and open corners of her mouth. A string a drool hangs from her lip as she focuses on Laban’s "Homie" Hathor.

Shelly takes one long deep breath and exhales.

The one eyed Eyelien user is struggling a bit more to catch her breath. She has removed her left eyepatch revealing a fake left eye with the design of Horus’ eye in her left socket (an eye inside an eye) and her Instant Transmission Eye in 2nd Stage with a grey aura in her right eye.

There are two of Roronora City’s most advanced SunSword & HeatHolsters strapped to her hips. One of the orange glowing swords is in her right hand.

Laban’s supposed assistant, Hathor, also has a prototype backpack version of the HeatHolsters with a long handle sticking out of the top.

Shelly removes the katana from her mouth and a string of spit stretches from her bottom lip and breaks.

Considering her condescending question, her beautiful blue eyes and tone mean all business.

Shelly: "Let me guess, Laban did something so terrible to you, it most definitely justifies why you and that other guy were so persistent to get close enough to her and now you’ll have your chance to get your revenge, am I somewhere in the ball park here?"

The gorgeous Egyptian woman has her orange blade held out and in a defensive position while she responds.

Isfet: "My real name is Isfet. Hathor was my pet name after I arrived with two others, my sister and her husband. None of us had one of those alien eyes at the time of our arrival, but we all had been mutually accepted by Seiõr before this apocalypse. All three of us knew of it’s existence and could only heal small flesh wounds, nothing internal. We weren’t determined to learn past the basic healing techniques because we weren’t fighters.

When we arrived, my sister’s husband was using a 2x4 as a splint for his fractured femur and my sister was 3 months pregnant.

So I was given a choice to fight in the Initiation Arena or all three of us would go to the pet shelter and possibly bought as slaves while we had to wait it out until Esau’s leg was fully healed. Unfortunately that wouldn’t be for at the least 2 more months until he could limp into the arena."

Shelly(thinking) : *I feel bad she was a victim of Laban’s tyranny and all, but I really don’t have time for this.*

Isfet: "Within those two months, a sick pervert came in and attempted to buy my pregnant sister. I’m ashamed to admit that I used tempting language and told him I would do things for him if he bought me instead, which he excitingly agreed. The last things I audibly said in front of my own sister, were disgusting words that I am mortified to even repeat.

That night, after enduring all his gross fantasies, I killed my new owner in his sleep, his Eyelien transferred to me and I officially became a citizen.

The next morning I went to the pet shelter to purchase my sister and her husband but I found out they had secretly joined a resistance group.

My brother in law had a medical alibi so he didn’t get caught at their secret meeting. My sister, Edom, however wasn’t so lucky. While Esau watched, Laban gave my pregnant sister two choices. Since she was already pregnant and there was no risk, it was either my sister let all of Laban’s Homies run a gangbang on her, or receive the death penalty for conspiracy. From what I heard, my brave sister didn’t answer, she just fell to her knees. No noise, just wide, defeated eyes fixated at the floor.

After Laban had enough of being ignored she put a gun to my sister’s head and demanded her to answer. My brother in law tried to defend her while being held back by her goons, but Laban had enough of being disrespected in front of her committee. While Esau was being dragged out of the court, Laban unforgivingly pulled the trigger right there."

The straining of Shelly’s jaw muscles can be heard from her aggravated 1,000 mile Below Sanpaku stare.

Shelly: "Listen, I understand you’re mad at that rejected old Scandinavia DaeMon. I’m not particularly fond of her myself, so why are we fighting? I just don’t want anything unreasonable to happen to my friends, please understand."

Isfet puts the cold SunSword back in the empty hip holster. Shelly takes a deep breath but...

Isfet: "I’m sorry, after hearing about you from Laban’s intrusive ability, I know you also have someone who you truly can’t live happily in this world without. That resolve to give your entire existence to someone who deserves it, someone who made your life bright, ever since you could remember."

Shelly obviously thinks of child Katsu’s bright smiling face, actually being her first memory and all her happy memories with him that made the darkness from the horrid incident of her mother’s murder fade away. She blushes and smiles while letting a soft laugh out her nose.

Isfet: "That being said, the resolve you have is the mirrored version of mine. I continue to live, for those I’ve lost, to make sure these happy memories...To make sure these memories, become ’happy memories’ again.

Until Laban feels the same way as Esau and I feel.

Until she feels the emptiness that comes with realizing she has missed opportunities for future happy memories.

Until she tastes how bitter those once sweet memories taste afterwards."

Isfet takes off her HeatHolster backpack with the slightly wider, longer handle compared to the usual SunSwords.

She grabs the soft grip and Shelly lets out a disappointed sigh. The one eyed woman pulls the handle and reveals a long katana-like blade but unlike Shelly’s, it is bright red and hot like a SunSword. Also, as if mechanically designed to be folded inward like a Swiss army knife to retain heat, a matching length bright red and orange hot solid metal bar.

Isfet: "There are now an unknown amount of missed out memories that would’ve made all my existence worth living, but all because of Laban, I don’t get to create new memories with the one person I always relied on to help create those happy memories.

My only sister.

Nor do I get to experience the joys of being an auntie who could’ve given a baby additional love that is needed for them to grow up."

Isfet holds the weird weapon out with an outstretched arm and grips the handle tightly. As if ’mechanically designed’ the hot red/orange metal bar spring swings out and creates a dual sided staff, one side a molten katana blade and the other side allowing Shelly’s new opponent to use more ranged fighting techniques and effective counter damage.

Shelly: "So if you are all trained, why did he fire his gun at Laban as a decoy and attack Katsu when he tried to save Rebekah? We have nothing to do with this, but your partner seems to be going so AWOL not even Seiõr users with foresight can predict his next move.

I’ve beaten Laban already. That guy’s fighting skill, along with his Seiõr control, is nothing compared to when I fought against Laban’s basic SeiõrShield. If he wanted to, your partner could easily beat her. I think, after hearing the way you described wanting Laban to suffer like you, if your plan is what I think it is, it is nothing compared to my resolve if Katsu dies. You two killing Rebekah to make Laban feel the same pain you’ve been living with is.. it’s..."

Isfet chuckles.

Shelly: "What’s so funny?!"

Isfet: "You were going to say ’it’s the exact opposite of your own commitment in choosing to prematurely end your life’, which is technically what a reflection is, Sweety.

The ending of any acknowledged life in this reality usually effects someone still living in it. Ending your own life, because your own selfishness to not want to endure an existence without one specific outlier, you destroy the hopes of creating new possible memories with others you’ve left behind, just like Laban. How I see it, the approach you take, makes your friends and loved ones suffer twice as much. Not to mention, the confusion and grief they’d feel knowing you didn’t consider them a reason to keep on living.

While in my case, two separate parties split the suffering and innocent individuals die. Esau however, believes it’s not equal terms, even after Rebekah’s death."

Shelly thinks about Itsuka, Sol, and Drakaina. As well as the rest of Takamagahara.

Shelly: "But it never ends there, does it? Killing the innocent for revenge...Like you said, ’The ending of any acknowledged life in this reality usually effects someone still living in it’. We have as a collective group, acknowledged and grown attached to Rebekah DaeMon throughout today. Most of us can do without her mother and I’m totally willing to help you fight that DaeMon if you’re willing to think it over.

However, there is one person whose acknowledgement of Princess Rebekah means more than all of ours combined. If Rebekah gets killed, it will mentally hurt our little Princess of Sanpaku. A wholesome little girl who has only had a consciousness of this Hell of a world and has never gotten the opportunity to experience those happy memories you are trying to revive for yourself. My purpose has always been to protect Katsu’s happiness in return for him restoring mine. Now, not only is his happiness my treasure, but so is Princess Kawaii’s."

Shelly puts the cold steel katana handle back in her toothed grip and finishes her statement with it there.

Shelly: "Brincessh Rebekah ash become Brincess Kawaii’s firssh chwuu fwend and an arry to Tagamagaahra. I gan’t ret my shweet brincess go through a losshh rike dat sho shoon.

She doeshn’t desherve to hab the hope of thoshh foochure memories with Rebekah, be taken away becaushh ov our petty adult burrshit."