V.I.R.A.L - Chapter 266

“Are you there, monster?”

“Scarlett Syndicate? Now, this is a surprise. I take it you dealt with my officers? You’re the real monster here; they all had families.”

“Worry not; your men will live to see another day. For sparing their pitiful meaningless lives, I want you to relay a message to Mortem. Tell her death is coming for her.”

Charmeine stared at her radio, putting it back on her desk, sighing. “Damn it… Why is nothing ever going right for us?”

“That would be the results of Team Rhapsody.” Charmeine spun in her seat, dazed to see Vanguard sitting on the sofa in her office relaxing. “I know the feeling all too well.”

“You, you’re Marcus Culling… The former number one streamer Vanguard.”

“Correct, and you are Charmeine, the police commissioner and good friend to the CEOs.”

Charmeine corrected herself standing up pouring herself a drink. “I take it Alton sent you, yes? Does he know then?”

“Know what?”

Charmeine scoffed at this pouring herself and Vanguard a drink. “He doesn’t. Well, that changes everything; he must have thought I was potentially one of Mortem’s vessels. Am I hitting any right notes here?”

Vanguard didn’t respond back, kicking his feet up taking the drink handed to him. “I haven’t got to relax like this for quite a while. I can thank Team Rhapsody for that; they foiled my plan countless times and even somehow convinced me to become an ally now. How did that happen? You’re playing all the same cards I and many other runs of the week villains did. You are destined to fall.”

“Is that so. Well, I’m sorry to inform you, Marcus, but we cannot afford to lose.”

“Neither could I. Take this all in, Charmeine. I, too, once had everything and then.” Moving his hand mimicking a plane, he crashed to the ground making a bang. “I lost it all because of them.”

“We can change that; there’s still time, Marcus. You were our shining beacon throughout all of Victoria. You paved the way to the future, and they stole that from you. You can have that all back. The fame, the fortune. You can be number one once again.”

Vanguard put his glass down in shock. “You’d give me back everything? You could do that?”

“That and so much more. You could be greater than before. We can give you a purpose. What do you say?”

Vanguard stood up, smirking to himself, turning away. “Finally, after all this time…” Turning around, he built up all his power, throwing a punch sending Charmeine through serval offices, crashing into the wall at the end of the hallway. “I always hated the idea of streaming. What in the fuck do you think I’d come slivering back like a pathetic rat?”

Charmeine lay back, staring blankly, grumbling. “No, no, no, no, no… No, this won’t do.” Standing up unharmed, she began her slow trek backhands in her pockets. “This is all my fault Vitae, I misread the situation again. Only we can stop the Garden; anyone else would stand in our way.” Heavy light began flooding from her body as two wings ripped out on full display. Vanguard stepped back slightly by this as Charmeine’s whole appearance changed with purple flowers all over her body. Her eyes began glowing a dark yellow. Holding her arms out, the sheer force was enough to push Vanguard back further, slamming against the desk. “It seems I will have to act out my master’s will once more. As a sworn agent to our mothers and fathers, I, four to the Ten’s Judgement, will personally crush you beneath my boot human. Prepare yourself.”

Vanguard stood up, moving his shoulder around, loosening up. “Just typical of you, Brantley, always giving me the fucking dirty work. Bring it, you bitch!”

****

“I can confirm everyone is safe and sound, Alton. We don’t have to worry about any casualties.”

“Excellent, Goro, we’re moving onto the Headquarters to keep anyone from reaching your position.”

Goro hung up, turning to blossom. “Alright, Blossom, we need to move onto the next location. Iris and Monty have begun their plan. We should loop around and see if they need our help.”

Blossom stepped forward, frozen on the spot as she began trembling. “No…”

“Blossom, what’s wrong?”

Blossom spun around, holding her hand out. “No, stop, stay there!”

Goro took a step forward before stopping as a voice taunted him. “You should really listen to your friend’s warning. It might kill you otherwise.” Goro turned slowly as he stared at a man dressed in a neatly made black suit and perfectly trimmed hair. He stared at Goro with his yellow eyes fixated on him. “Hello, Goro Nakamura.”

Stepping back, Blossom ran over to him, protecting Goro as best she could. “Who, who are you?!”

“Well, isn’t this one big surprise. Gemini Fujisaki alive? I’m sure our gift should have killed you by now. It seems Mortem sealed your memories away. How noble of them. I am one of the Five Stages of Grief, representing Acceptance a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“The Five Stages of Grief… That’s impossible. You have sealed away.”

“We still are, or at least we were. We are on the tipping point now, and soon we will arrive. I have heard your cries for help. You wish for Salvation, and we will answer with our own. I can already sense the Ten’s Judgement lurking about. It’s worse than I imagined; no matter we will soon be here, the Hawthorne girl will soon help with that.”

“Iris… What have you done with her?!”

“All in good time. But I think it’s time we take back what’s ours, no?” Acceptance taunted as Blossom felt a pull, moving her closer to him. “Don’t bother fighting the urge. You’re just delaying the enviable.”

“What’s happening to me?!”

“Can’t you tell? You’re the property of the Garden. The Gardeners want you back.”

Goro held her back, yelling. “You can’t take her! Blossom is mine!”

“Yours? Now, who gave you the right to claim a life like that? Even after all this time, you shield her from her true self. Paradox! Warrior and chosen, that is a worthy contestant, not this pathetic excuse. You’ve been lying to her not to protect her but to feel a sense of joy. You feel responsible for Aoi and Gemini’s fate, so what better way than to throw it all away and pretend it never happened. Blossom isn’t them, not really, not if she doesn’t remember.”

“Shut up, you’re lying!”

Goro stopped as Acceptance began to chuckle; this chuckle turned into a howling cackle as he mocked the boy. “You, my boy, cannot accept the truth. So, die by your lies.”

Goro went to speak only to fall to his knees, unable to breathe. Lying on the floor, Goro held his throat, losing all the will to live. Blossom couldn’t even help her only friend as she was still forced on a march towards Acceptance. “Stop it! Please, I beg of you. Stop this!”

“I cannot. Once someone has refused the truth in their heart, the darkness within swallows them whole. Only your friend can stop it.”

Goro lay on his back, gasping for air, whimpering softly. “You’re right…” He stopped catching his breath, still lying down. “I use the excuse that Gemini lost her memories as a catalyst to start again and forget my past mistakes. That is who I am.”

Standing up, Acceptance smirked. “Very good.” Thrusting his hand forward, a sharp vine pierced his chest as Goro flinched, not saying a word as he limped over dead. “But I don’t have time for pretentious heroes.”

Blossom’s eyes widened as she screamed in pain. “Goro No!”

“Cry not my child. He has lived his purpose. He has kept you alive so you can come home.” Blossom turned to Acceptance, full of rage as she stopped in her tracks. “What’s this?”

Fog flooded the area, drowning out Blossom’s sorrow as Acceptance stood still, taking insight. “This cannot continue… This cannot continue. You are not worthy. You are not worthy! You are not worthy!” Electrical wiring wrapped around Acceptance’s leg. He glanced down, smirking before he was torn from his spot tossed around the streets like a ragdoll putting up no fight. Crashing into the shops, he sat up, patting himself down. TVs all around him shot to live with a distorted Blossom appearing from each one. “You are not worthy!” An arm came out of the TV, pulling him in as Acceptance allowed it.

Thrown into a static void of fog and noise, Blossom flooded around sharp electricity running around her hands. Jolting past serval copies of her struck at Acceptance over again as wiring stabbed into him over and over. Acceptance looked around, following her movements. “You are just in a state of denial. The Five Stages of Grief will set you free. First, there is denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression.” Blossom slammed down, finishing her onslaught of attacks as her hair hung over her face. In that short moment, Acceptance stared up at as all her attacks faded, catching her by the neck strangling her. “And finally, Acceptance. I have granted you Salvation Gemini; you are free.”

The fog began to fade as Blossom was thrown to the side. The mist around her began to thicken as she felt something lurking watching her. Standing up, she looked around, feeling her heart race. Memories of before flooded back as she thought Aoi’s pure fear taking over. Running for her life, she didn’t look back, taken by the fear of the past. Footsteps were close behind her as Blossom kept running until her legs gave way. Falling to the floor, she began crawling back as the thing was stalking her in the shadow. The same thing that drove Aoi to her death. The figure reached out as Blossom stared into its lifeless eyes, screaming out.

Acceptance stood back in the street, watching Blossom losing her mind lost to her dreams as she smiled, adjusting his tie. “That is your truth Gemini Fujisaki. Now relish and drown in it forever. Lucky for you, though, you won’t be needed for the master plan. Our volunteer has proudly given herself up for the cause.” Looking up to the V.I.R.A.L, HQ Acceptance smiled, placing his hands into his pockets. “I’m looking forward to meeting you once again, Alton.”