"A talk?"
Her voice swims out, drifting out as it usually does. The scent of chocolate is still prominent in the air, but for me, nothing matters except for what this woman just said.
A talk.
With her.
The Control Devil, a master manipulator, a ruthless being, a psychopath, whichever you call her.
Wait, psychopath is the wrong word, right? She did it consciously, treating the people around her as disposable pawns and tools, despite them trusting her.
One could argue that she well and truly believes that her totalitarianism based policies could help save the world, but...
Bitch, go get a reality check. The Prophecy of Nostradamus ain't going to get reversed by insta death.
This is straight up evil Dumb Door shit.
Still, I had to give her an answer. I couldn't just ignore everything and run away. The situation was already escalating and I knew that she was wondering whether she just struck gold for a puppy.
I had to go with the flow.
[Relax,] The system told me. Pretty weak coming from a guy whose focus was still on her chest. [ Just chill, and lie.]
'I think she has a surefire way of telling when someone's lying, ya know? So pretty sure that's not gonna work.'
[ Maybe.] He contemplated the situation for a second. [ But, that doesn't mean you can't tell half truths.]
I smiled. What he was saying was statiscally true. I knew my bro wouldn't fail me, and there was no way he was going to let this minster's abilities work on me, no matter how much he appreciated the view.
So I did what I had to.
"Ehh, whatever." I jumped onto the chair in front of her without any invitation.
Behind me, I could hear Takahashi gritting his teeth, but Makima didn't say anything. In fact, her smile widened, and she looked as if she was trying not to laugh.
Looked.
I know you, Control Devil. I know everything you're capable of doing, and how far you're willing to go to acheive your goals.
And so, I looked at her, I can read you like the devil you truly are.
" Soooo," I stretched the word, trying to get her attention. As if that wasn't enough, I rubbed my belly, too.
She took the hint. " Chocolate?" She asked me holding up a blue bar of a brand I didn't know.
I snatched it out of the air with a speed that made Takahashi flinch, and the driver gasped two seconds later. Probably just realised that the bar vanished.
Makima's reaction was the most subtle. She didn't drop her smile, acting as if what just happened had been expected, but something changed her eyes. Confirmation? Joy?
I don't know. I was too busy ripping the packet.
[Hey, check what brand it is.] The system urged me.
I ignored him, and bit into the white bar. Hmm. Good enough, but as I said since the beginning of the First Nightmare, could be better.
The system screamed in horror. [ How could you?! Did you even check whether it was worthy? Whether the brand was large enough, famous enough? Did you check if the name had enough potential to increase your hunger? Your thirst for the bar? Whether the adequacy was high or low?]
I took another bite, inviting another gasp. 'Chill bro. Chocolate is chocolate.'
He started again, but I interrupted him.'Besides, she wouldn't want to posion me, would she?'
"My,my," she laughed. 'Looks like you're hungry.'
Her laugh was exactly as I expected. Perfect, fake but extremely well disguised, and...
Flutter inducing.
"Hmm,yeah." I rolled the wrapper into a ball and took aim, my hand behind my head. I closed one eye, stuck out my tongue, screwing my face in focus, and aimed for the window.
Makima was already looking at the side. Her eyes glowed, and the unraveling wrapper sailing through air changed course, rotating by 100° to embed itself in the tiny wastepaer bin in the corner.
The glow was subtle, but I noticed. The people behind me didn't spot it, and Takahashi slammed his hand on my chair.
"What kind of behaviour is this,kid?! Why did you throw the wrapper?"
"Are you suggesting I should have aimed for your open mouth instead?" I turned around to look at his face, which was in utter disbelief of what I just said. " Besides, I didn't litter, did I? It landed in the bin anyway."
"Now,now, both of you," Makima spoke behind us." Behave yourself."
I huffed, as did the Vice Captain, returning to his place by the wall. Makima addressed him, smiling. "Takahashi-san, why don't you go and submit the report to Damage Control? They'll take care of all the property damage. Take driver-kun with you."
"Demo, the kid..." Takahashi hesitated, while the driver didn't hesitate. In fact, he looked he was so ready to get out of there.
"Oh, don't sorry about him." She giggled. " You don't think I'd do anything to him, do you?"
He looked conflicted. " It's not him I'm worried about, it's..."
Ouch.
He sighed, resigned to his fate. " As you say, Miss Makima." He bowed politely. "Thank you for your time."
He gave me one last dirty look, recieved a raspberry, and strode off, muttering incoherently under his breath. The driver gave us a doubtful look too, before following the guy down the corridor.
"Good riddance," I muttered, aggressively chewing up the remains of my chocolate. I turned around to find the Devil watching me. It seemed like pure interest, and it was supposed to make me uncomfortable.
I also took the hint. " Uhhh, why are you staring at me?"
She smiled wider. "I'm just looking at the future hero of Tokyo. Shouldn't I remember someone who did so much so much although he had no obligation to do so?"
"Hmph. I only fight Devils because I enjoy watching them suffer. I don't care about your puny organisation or anything."
She smiled, but a little different this time, putting on a bit of a pout. " You know, it's not nice to call us puny. We're much bigger than most of the corporate chains out there."
"Didn't I already make it clear that I don't care? I'm not interested in working for any organisation, if that's what you're suggesting." I put my hands on the table, leaning forward, looking her straight in the eye.
The mechanical smile returned, this time feigning suprise. " Oh? Then why are you here?"
"To get money." I said bluntly. " I have talent, and the only way to use it is to kill Devils. However, I know it's a violation to kill Devils without a permit. And permits are granted only to official, registered Devil Hunters. "
She was about to interrupt, but I kept ranting. "If I want to get a permit, I'll have to become a Devil Hunter. Till this point, I have no problem,but the next step's where things get ugly. And that is...working for the association."
She looked at me, confused. " How does working for the association get ugly?"
"Control." I responded quietly, looking up at the ceiling. " Larger groups control their employees, forcing them to take permits only for certain Devils. The lives of all these people, their desires, their careers, all are being controlled by a person chilling on a cushioned, wheeled chair."
This time, the reaction was visible. Her muscles tightened, the smile faded away, and only a look of concentration was left. Like an adult hyeana looking at a baby lion cub which could threaten it alter.
Heh, thanks for that shit. At least I'm making an effect.
"And I don't like to be controlled." I finished. " If I'm gonna fight, I'm gonna be picking my own battles, my own prey. I'm going to tell you little to nothing about myself. So just give me my money, and let me fuck out of here."
The look didn't disappear. " Aren't you worried that Public Safety is gonna push charges against you? You have multiple cases, like property damage-"
"And?"
"And we can always push cases onto you. Falsify situations, play dirty, you know, the works."
So much for not doing anything to me.
"Oh? You'd do that to me?" I put on my puppy eyes, that everyone I've tried on except Mom has worked.
[Correction, he's only ever tried it on me and his mother. And I only fell for it because I wanted to.]
'Tch,shut up.'
Makima looked at me seriously, unaware of my internal conversation. " I could, and I would. Unless..."
" Unless what?" What was she going to offer. A personal slave? A bodyguard? An adopted son?
[Oh, she'd be your stepmom then. That's cool.]
*The Rock stare*
[What?] He yelled defensively. [ What's the problem of being able to call Makima mommy?]
*More intense Rock stare*
" Unless you become a vigilante."
Wait,what?
Seeing my confusion, Makima explained, "As per your explanation, the only problem you have is working for Public Safety. But what if instead of that, you worked as an unknown figure who I know?"
Getting I still didn't get the shit, she continued, " See. You're basically a masked or unmasked, that's not important, vigilante who's a contact of mine. No one knows where you came from, but you are a highly skilled prodigy mercenary willing to kill Devils as long as you get paid for it. Now do you get me?"
"Hmm.Smart. But are you sure you can get me the permits?" I crossed my legs looking at her sceptically.
Her smile finally returned. "Kid, I'm the Head of an entire Division. Not to mention, I was recommended specially by the higher ups. The rest know that, and believe me, no one's kicking up any trouble. Any more questions?"
"One last one," I clarified. She learnt forward to listen.
"You introducing me as a skilled mercenary and all is good. But what about the guys who found me next to the Devil, and I told them I killed it?"
"Oh, don't worry about that," she replied, waving her hand dismissively." I'm the Head of the Fourth Division. In their organisation, I rank higher than most other people. I can make them keep their mouth shut."
"But Takahashi's the Vice Captain of the First Division." I said worriedly. " Are you sure-"
"Aww, you worry too much," she giggled. " I'll make sure Takahashi-san'll keep his mouth shut. Now what's your name?"
My entire body tensed, and I put on a cold expression. "I told you, I'm not interested in revealing my personal information to any organisation. And no matter how helpful you are, a corporate slave is still a corporate slave."
Her lip curled at being called a slave,but she didn't let it affect her face, instead deciding to put on puppy eyes. " Aww, please?"
[Lookat those eyes!] The system screamed hysterically. [ You can tell her, you know.nothing'll happe-]
"No." I said, getting up and walking
She looked at me in disappointment. " Tch."
"But," I interrupted her incoming rant, stopping as I opened the door. " for starters, I'm Aizen. Sosuke Aizen. It'll be a pleasure working with you, Makima san."
She smiled, the same smile she wore when I first walked in here, but for some reason, it looked changed.
Heh. Watch out for what else I'm going to change, bitch.
"It'll be a pleasure working with you too, Aizen kun. I'll be expecting a ready, cold, ruthless mercenary for tomorrow's job."
"Bye to you too," I smiled as I closed the door.
Out in the corridor, I sighed. I stepped out of the building, ignoring the System's attempts to pepper me with questions. I didn't talk at all until I was a couple of kilometres away from the building.
I let out a breath I hadn't realised I was holding." Whew, that was close."
[ Now will you stop pretending that I don't exist and answer my fucking questions?]
'Hmm? Oh yeah sure.'
[Great. So what-]
'She's smart,' I noted, looking up, and walking more freely, letting my arms swing.
[Yes but-]
'And secretive as well.'
[That's wonderful, however-]
'Of course, that's what I expected of her. Wouldn't be the Control Devil or do so much if she didn't pass the basic standards of a manipulator.'
[ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME, YOU SHITTY ASSHOLE?!!]
The scream jerked me off. I lost my balance and tripped, almost falling over while I was trying to cross the road. A car honked angrily, and I picked myself up, jumping into the sidewalk swiftly.
'The heck are you trying to do, you half assed pedophile?' I growled. 'I could have died from that!'
[Oh, please,] he scoffed. [The mighty potential man, the wonderful prince of darkness, surely nothing as regular as a mortal car could injure him, could it?]
[ Oh yeah, I forgot. You could die any second, couldn't you?]
I grinded my teeth, but remembering his attempts to talk to me, and me brushing him off because I had more important stuff to worry about, so I let him talk.
That doesn't mean I regret leaving him hanging. I don't. In fact, if I had the chance, I'd do it again.
[ Tchh, forget that. What were you talking about?]
'Huh?' I was genuinely confused. 'What do you mean what I was talking about, what were you talking about?'
[ What do you mean, what do I mean?]
'What do you mean what do I mean what you mean? What the fuck is happening here?'
[What the- OK, you go first.] He told me, apparently fumed. Though I have no clue why.
' I was talking about when she was studying me like I was some sort of book. And when she dropped that wrapper, I really thought she caught me peeking.'
[ Peeking? What were you- forget that, but seriously, what the hell are you talking about?]
'Heh? Wait...' It dawned on me what his problem was.
'Did you read between the lines?'
[Read between the lines? What, there were lines?!]
'Bro... 🙄' I sighed, tired at his thick skull.
[What?!] He was going hysterical now. [ You were able to see lines?! In midair?!]
'Dude,'
[Are you some weirdass fucking Dokja Kim variant?!]
'System!' I cut through his anxiety attack. 'I'll explain the silent psychological warfare that happened in that room.'
AN-
I was planning to write the rest in this chapter, but I realised it'd be 500+ words. So sorry, but not sorry.
Anyway, chapter tomorrow. Now shoo, go read something else.
Otherwise...