Taichou The Director of MERCS—a man who only addressed himself as Taichou—sat patiently as Sayonada Kogure, his long-time friend, father figure, and benefactor, peered over the week's statistics. They had been meeting regularly for over a year now, discussing plans and the development of their secret pet project, which only they and Dr. Kamaguchi knew about. Taichou was a very skinny, black-haired man, his body developed fanatically into one of wiry strength. He was the kind to sit quietly at a desk and direct things from afar, a subtle yet strong force in MERCS, one which the organization could not live without—and Sayonada was in a way the power behind the throne. "I see that tournament did wonders to boost the progress of Yohko's crusade," murmured Kogure as he scanned the status sheets. "Pandora did an excellent job, but I think the true hero was this Ferret person. Tell me, is Ferret still around? I would like to speak with him or her, and congratulate them. This is outstanding work." "Unfortunately, the Ferret's contract expired," answered Taichou. "But while she was still with us, she was one of our most valuable employees. Naturally, I...took those liberties during that time." "Oh, so this Ferret had those types of skills, huh? No wonder you hired them—or should I say, her? Two birds with one stone." "More like a whole flock, but that's beside the point. To be honest, I didn't just call this meeting to have you check up on me. Dr. Kamaguchi's arsenal has just achieved idealism." "What do you mean?" "You recall her talking about the three whom she wanted to employ more than anybody else, right? Well von Zomren was easy—she jumped at the chance of working with Yohko. Apparently they hit it off really well. And you know we have one of the other two right here at base; well, we've finally managed to track down the last one." "Who might that be?" he asked. Taichou gestured to his speakerphone. "Why don't you ask them to come inside and see for yourself?" Kogure did so, paging Yui Miyamoto who escorted two young girls into an anteroom (mysteriously, Taichou's reclusive behavior limited only Sayonada and Dr. Kamaguchi to see his face, but apparently he trusted the girls). Sayonada stood up politely, even though the girls, fourteen and twelve respectively, were young enough to be his granddaughters. He knew better than to second-guess his old friend. "Sit," bade Taichou; the girls found chairs next to the older man as they were announced. "My friend, permit me to introduce you to a great potential employee, Aura Valeria, and our current ward, Kamaguchi's supposed favorite, Joyce Jameson." "Hi!" chirped Aura, taking Sayonada's hand. Joyce declined to speak. "And what exactly do they do?" "Well, it's been reported that Aura, who calls herself Lady Luck, affects that very vitality when she is around; she literally makes people lucky, merely with her presence or concentration. Naturally, this had made her something of an unwilling celebrity." "Unwilling indeed," said the girl, rubbing a short shuck of jetty hair to her left. "I don't think I'll end up working here. I really only came to help somebody." "I'll see what I can do to convince you otherwise," said Taichou mysteriously. He then resumed, gravely: "Joyce, on the other hand, has a power too terrible to describe or demonstrate. It would be better for you to observe the man she unleashed the full brunt of her abilities on, or what's left of him." "Do you mean that one case in Trent Asylum?" "So you have seen it." Sayonada shuddered. "Seen, but not believed. That man... Just looking at him made me weep. Are you saying that this girl..." "Yes," murmured Taichou darkly. "Don't worry, she usually has fair control over her powers. Apparently she does not like using them, not that I can blame her. A kid her age shouldn't be...oh, forgive me!" he exclaimed suddenly, laughing. "I'm getting off on another tangent, aren't I? Well, the point is that they're here, and if I can just make my sales pitch to Lady Luck here—" "I'm sorry," said Aura, rising from her seat. "I don't work that way. I'm a living person, not a tool to be used as you see fit. I give my skills to those who need it." "But Aura, surely you must know the corrupted state the world is in." "Of course, I see it every day. That's why I do what I do, to the people who need it." "But with MERCS, you could do so much more." "I have no desire for more power. I'm quite content with what I have. Nobody should do more than what they were created for." Taichou's lips pressed together in thought, in disappointment. Aura wasn't being stubborn, but he knew she could do more good for him than for anybody else. Again he tried. "With our resources, we can send you where you're needed. Plenty of our employees desperately need luck on their side." "Your employees are largely endowed with supernatural gifts," said Aura deadpan. "The people I help are no more special than anyone else not born with such 'talents'. Therefore, they need it more than your people do." "But I'm sure we could help you find—" "I don't need help. I'm quite fine on my own. I apologize if I sound rude, but this sort of talk really ruffles my feathers." "Is that your final answer?" "I doubt you could get me to reconsider." Taichou frowned again, leaned back in his chair, and sucked on a pencil, contemplative. Sayonada had merely watched; Joyce appeared invisible, which, from the look of her withdrawn face, was just the way she liked it. Finally the dark-haired man leaned forward again, a smile on his face. "Aura, could I ask you for one simple favor?" "What?" "Even if you don't work for us, Joyce is still under our care. She hasn't even spoken since that incident, not even to those kind to her, and there's nobody even remotely close to her age that stays here long-term. Maybe you could take care of her." Aura crossed her arms, and looked to the younger girl. Joyce was pathetic, even for a pre-teenager: she had very messy hair splotched in dark colors, and the faded pink shirt she wore was a few sizes too big. A single, flimsy braid held most of her hair in an unattractive tail; the rest shuffled as she shied further away. Her hands clutched a teddy bear protectively, and aside from a few quiet squeaks, she had not said a word. "I don't know," murmured Aura. "I wouldn't mind looking after her for today, but wouldn't something long-term be up to her?" "At the moment, Miss Jameson is incapable of making those kinds of decisions. She does not respond to anything." Aura thought about this and looked at Joyce again. She tried staring into her face, but Joyce just looked away. "Joyce? What do you think?" Silence. "Joyce? Would it be okay?" "Try it out just for today," said Taichou. "I understand if you don't want to help us, but please, at least help Joyce." "What about her parents? Does she have any family?" "No. Her mother died in childbirth and her father was killed several weeks earlier. She doesn't have anybody else. Miss Miyamoto is her legal guardian, though they've drifted apart since that incident." "What incident?" Taichou took a deep breath. "About two months ago, one of our crew was with Joyce on a walk outside. She's quite frail, as you can see, and we figured she could use the exercise. They were attacked, though, by robbers. The crewmember was killed, and for that...one of the robbers was permanently disabled by Miss Jameson's incredible powers. She couldn't control herself. The others got away; we presume they're still out there, but too frightened to reveal themselves. Joyce hasn't spoken since. Even if the person she harms is evil, she is still sensitive about it, and hates using her power even for the shortest time, even on the worst person imaginable." "That's awful..." Aura sucked in air as she gasped quietly. Looking at Joyce for a third time—seeing how terrified she now looked, how withdrawn and bashful—Aura couldn't help but feel for the kid, and wanted to help. She didn't like being taken advantage of, but this poor, unfortunate girl needed her, even if just as a friend. Aura took a breath and agreed: she would be Joyce's caretaker and would try and befriend her. Lady Luck had no idea what she was getting into... ......... "Taichou, are you sure it's wise to let them go like that? If that girl is half as bad as you say she is—" "She's not bad, Sayonada," replied the younger man coolly. The only window in his room offered little peace as he stared out of it; it merely looked at another section of the building, and hardly let in any sunlight. "Her power is just..." "Dangerous?" he suggested. "I was about to say 'wild'...but there's really no difference. You can relax, though. I don't think you have anything to worry about. She probably will never do that again, unless something awful happens to her. But she has luck on her side, does she not?" The older man snort-laughed. "If I see a whole list of vegetated people in the papers tomorrow, I'll know where to point the finger." "Come on, you know this is all for a good cause. The specimens I've already collected should make you pleased. These next two will just make it all the better. With every person bearing special powers that passes through my door, or comes into contact with our dear Dr. Kamaguchi, the Militaristic Enterprise for the Reformation of Civilization and Society grows stronger. We'll have achieved our goal before long." "And what is that exactly? Come on, both you and the, uh, doctor keep me in the dark about this. You shouldn't give me, of all people, vague answers." "It's simply what our organization stands for, Kogure," said Taichou airily. "Shouldn't the 'R' stand for Revenge?" Taichou smirked knowingly. "Ssh. That's supposed to be a secret between the three of us." "You are canny, Director. Oh, I almost forgot. We have two representatives from the, uh, organizations I mentioned earlier here with us. Something about how all of you conspired in secret to further your plans." "There was no conspiracy; I merely had my agents overhear a few things, and planned accordingly." "Well, they both want to talk with you, for different reasons. Should I let them in?" "But of course. I'd be happy to see them both—but one at a time." Taichou sat back down and waited for Yui to guide the visitors into the anteroom. One stepped inside, nodding slightly. Taichou beamed and smiled, spreading his arms as if welcoming back a brother. "Lord Avarice! What a pleasant surprise to see you! How can my humble actions help you today?" ......... The day was beautiful, but only Aura was enjoying it. She was skipping and smiling, glad to be in such good weather, but Joyce hung back, barely even trudging as she cast her face down and followed her new caretaker. It had been the first time since the incident she was allowed to go outside, and normally that would've cheered her. Aura paid her little mind until later, when the two came to a stop. They had taken a loop around the building and were in the garage, where Aura had a Vespa parked. She climbed on and offered Joyce a helmet, but the girl declined with a firm shake of her head. "I was thinking maybe we could go somewhere," Valeria said. "I heard you were cooped up in this building for a long time. I would hate that. Hey, I know! How bout' we get some ice cream, huh? Would you like that?" Joyce made no movement, except to squeeze her bear tighter, so Aura just assumed that not saying No meant Yes. "Well, climb on, and hold tight. I don't go very fast, but you never know. I know a great place." Joyce still refused, but Aura was persistent. She touched the younger girl and offered her best smile; Joyce slipped away. "It's my treat, Aura. I promise I won't go fast. Are you scared? Look, you can trust me. I want to look out for you. Let's do something fun together so that we can be friends. Would you like that? I know I would. Come on." Joyce peered up briefly, and noticed that aside from the friendly, pretty face, Aura had eyes colored differently: one solid gold, the other a firm, bright blue. Her hair, though mostly black, also had pretty white streaks in it, probably a dye, and her skin, if Joyce looked carefully (which she didn't), had miniscule runes etched on it. They were too fine to be tattoos, too broad and complex to be birthmarks. Aura noticed Joyce staring and blushed. "Oh. Uh...it's just something I got when I, uh, found out about my powers. Listen, if you really don't want to ride with me, I won't force you." Joyce looked a little less apprehensive, and climbed on behind Aura, silently fitting her helmet. Valeria smiled. "All right, awesome! Well then, let's get going! Hold on tight!" Joyce had to admit, she enjoyed the ride over. For a girl only two years older than her, Aura really knew how to drive, and seemed to have amazingly good fortune with traffic lights (granted, she loved using her powers in situations such as those). The ice cream store was a smaller chain than normal, but they offered quality treats at good prices, and had a small but excellent choice of flavors. The workers knew Aura well and welcomed her; she introduced Joyce and took a moment to decide what she wanted. "You can have anything you want!" she exclaimed happily. "Really, sky's the limit." Joyce was still tongue-tied, but she looked a little more relaxed in the small, foreign setting. "Take your time," Aura said softly, sensing her new friend's discomfort. "There's no rush. We have all day. Do you mind if I order first? I'm sort of craving some butter pecan." Joyce shook her head, and Aura got her treat in five minutes. She even offered a small spoonful to Joyce, who finally broke out a timid smile as she swallowed the treat. "Good?" The girl nodded. "See, I told you. Let's find a seat somewhere; you can decide from there." Joyce nodded and followed Aura to the table, where the older girl, after taking a few hasty bites and nearly getting a headache, promptly interrogated her about her life. "So what do you like to do for fun? ...Uh, you like music, books? ...Any movies you like? ...Or should I shut up? ...I wanna get to know you, but if you'd rather not talk, that's fine." Joyce sighed and stared at the table. She traced imaginary lines on it with her finger. "I've made up my mind," she whispered at long last. Her voice came so suddenly and so weakly that Aura almost didn't hear it: "I'd like some strawberry, please." "Oh. Okay. Uh...in a cone or a cup?" "It doesn't matter." "I'll get a cone. Anything else?" Joyce smiled very weakly. "Sprinkles." "Got it. Be right back." Joyce smiled to herself and hugged her bear close while waiting. Aura came back soon, the treat in hand, and gave it and a napkin to her new friend. Joyce whispered a thanks and slurped it quietly. Aura was left to eat in silence, at least until Joyce had devoured enough to start chewing on the cone. "I was named after my mother," she said quietly. Aura stopped eating, wanting to savor the conversation more than the ice cream. "My mother—who died while giving birth to me—her name was Joyce as well. I was an orphan the moment I came out—they had to do a C-section to save me—and since I didn't have any relatives to give me a name, the doctors just decided to name me after my mother. That's where it comes from." "Oh. My name comes from the shining resilience and determination I had when I was born. I wasn't even supposed to survive, but...miracles were with me that day, and every day since. Actually, if you want my full name, it's Aura Miracle Valeria, though I think it's a little silly." "It's pretty," said Joyce, her smile now in full. She lifted her bear, tilting it gently for her new friend to see. "He doesn't have a name. I just call him Bear. Miss Miyamoto gave it to me when I moved in with her. I didn't have anybody to take care of me, so I was an orphan until Miss Miyamoto came by and adopted me. But I don't call her mom or anything, and she doesn't mind." "Oh. I don't really have any stuffed animals; I gave them all away. Normally, girls your age don't carry them around, but I guess you could if you wanted to." Joyce nodded. "I don't think it's strange. He's the only one I can talk to about anything I want, and he won't give me strange looks or call me names. Everyone else does that, even Miss Miyamoto. But at least she tries to be nice." "What about Dr. Kamaguchi, or Director Taichou?" "I don't like anybody else there," whispered Joyce. "I think they're awful. They treat me so horribly." "Hmm, I can imagine. Why don't you...oh, I guess you couldn't leave. It's really the only home you have, isn't it?" "I would leave if I could, but where would I go? I tried running away several times..." She trailed off and reverted back to her withdrawn self, shunning Aura as her face lowered. She took a few licks of her ice cream and numbly chewed on the cone. Aura finished hers and excused herself to get a drink. She didn't want to push her friend into saying anything that made her even more uncomfortable. "Joyce," she spoke upon returning, "you know I'm your friend, right? You know I'd like to help you. I personally hate it when people take advantage of my powers, so I think we can relate to each other." "So will...you not use them on me?" Aura smiled. "I think I can make an exception. I feel sympathy for you. I think a turn of good fortune is something you need. But I'm your friend first and foremost, Joyce—don't forget that." Joyce nodded, and finally finished her treat. Before Aura could stand to throw them away, Joyce beat her to it. "You've been so kind to me," she whispered. "The least I could do is throw this stuff away. Take care of him for me while I'm gone." Aura didn't have long to wait, and since Joyce asked her, they left the store once she returned. Aura took Joyce to the park and wondered if she wanted to play, but the young preteen seemed happier just sitting by herself, away from everyone else. At least she did not shy away from Aura, who ran out to play with a few kids (all of them benefiting from her radiance of good fortune). Joyce just watched, holding her bear and keeping to herself. Aura joined her once she was done, not wanting the young girl to be lonely. She asked again if her friend wanted to do anything, but got a solid no. Eventually they wound up taking another walk, which Miss Jameson was at least agreeable to. Aura tried opening more conversations, but Joyce's lips were sealed. She did say more words, and sometimes talked in long strings of sentences, but was taciturn for the most part. Aura was more used to talking with chatty people; being with Joyce was a new experience. She at least tried to be open-minded about it, and continually told her new friend that whatever made her comfortable was okay. Joyce smiled a little easier after that, which was progress enough. "Hey!" An irritating voice called out to the girls; they turned to see a man, far older than both of them, approach them with a dangerous smile. Joyce whimpered and took a step back, while Aura prepared herself for the worst. She had no fighting experience and didn't want to start learning the hard way. "Can we help you?" she asked. The man ignored her and approached Joyce. "What do we have here? A little girl, holding a cute little toy bear? Lemme see that!" "No!" she shouted, squeezing the toy for dear life. He pushed her to the ground and snatched the poor thing up; Aura let out a shout and was right there to help Joyce up. "Hey, give that back, you jerk, and apologize!" "I think not!" he sang, surly and leery. "I think I'll keep this. What're you gonna do, call the cops?" "Give it back!" shouted Joyce, her eyes becoming angry. "Give it back now!" "Or else what? Huh? You gonna cry? Hey! I wonder what would happen if I...!" He pulled on the poor toy's head, stretching it and nearly ripping it off. Aura shouted, but Joyce screamed, as if it was her own head being mistreated. "Stop it now!!" she demanded, eyes welling with tears. "Put him down!!" "Aww, little girl gonna cry?!" "Give that back NOW!!!" A wave of unimaginable power seemed to shoot out directly from Joyce's forehead, hitting the cruel man full force. Aura didn't notice it at first—she was too enraged and yet too helpless—and neither did the man. However, what happened next was brutal. He dropped the bear, clutched his head, and started to moan in a low, agonized voice. Joyce was livid with rage, staring and frothing madly. Aura's eyes flew wide open as she was forced to watch the man scream in absolute horror. Never before had she seen such torture! The man was on the floor, writhing and bawling viciously. He clawed at his face, the ground, anything—screaming, howling, nearly on the verge of insanity—and Joyce stood still as stone, and just as firm, her face contorted in violent hatred. Aura finally snapped out of her shock and ran to her friend, screaming—"STOP!!!" Joyce was shaken, and stopped. The overwhelming feeling that had circled the air and focused on the man was gone. He laid there, muttering and babbling helplessly; Joyce suddenly realized what she had done, and wept in sorrow. "Oh no, not again! I did it again! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! Please, please forgive me!" She approached the man, who was gradually recovering from his unspeakable ordeal, but as soon as he got sight of her, he shrieked and stumbled away. "Stay back! Keep away from me, you monster! Ah...HELP!!!!" The poor creature ran off wildly, leaving Joyce to sob uncontrollably. She sank to her knees, grubby hands covering her wet face, and moaned her apologies again and again. Aura Valeria was stunned, and sat there catatonic as the full scope of what had just happened sunk into her mind. The question was, what would she do now? ---------- To be continued... What indeed? What exactly is Joyce's radical power, and how deeply can it affect the human psyche? For the moment, other questions need resolutions and other problems need addressing. In the land of the dead, Rin and Kailin try to come to terms with their situation, and seek help from two unusual strangers who may have a way of bringing them back—but at what horrible cost? Meanwhile, Lady Snowblood learns of their death, and swears to avenge their falling no matter what. But can the Iron Arena Games champion stand a chance against the malicious Kali, or will she too be obliterated? Many questions will remain unanswered in the next chapter, "Kissa and Kali". Stay tuned!
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