Everyday Stresses of Kazuki - Sci-Fi Action/Intrigue Webserial

Within the darkness, two golden bulbs flashed forward at the figure approaching. Beside the bulbs were scars, slashes, wounds. They made their mark on him.

It was a finely dressed and slim woman, dressed in an extravagantly designed green trumpet dress. A large and thick coat and cloak wrapped around her. The room was damp and dark, a place in the abandoned sections of the Palace.

No cameras were in sight. No security as well.

Three additional figures emerged from the darkness, two flanking Kazuki, the other walking straight to his side.

The woman smirked. "And what is this?" Delia inquired. "Some kind of... prank?" She gestured to the empty plaza surrounding them.

Kazuki placed his hands in his pockets. Archius lit a cigarette, illuminating their faces better with a slight spark. Nihara and Václavos smoked too.

"No," Kazuki started, "You came with no security. Are you trying to fucking kill yourself?"

"She must have faith in her negotiation abilities, then," Archius sneered. Nihara and Václavos both unholstered muzzles, their glint shining for Delia to see.

"We know what you did," Kazuki stated. "It's about time that you start to explain yourself. This place can easily be your grave."

Kazuki took out his pistol and aimed at Delia's head. Delia simply stood still. It wasn't shock that held her to do that. Archius glanced at Kazuki, before stepping forward.

"Do you think this is going to end well for you?" asked Archius. "The CRIS has had its grimey hands on this for a while, so... your name came up. Of course, none of this is on record, you'll simply have disappeared. Do you want that?"

Delia shrugged and walked directly towards Kazuki. Kazuki maintained a steady hand. "If you're going to kill me, at least let us take a tour of this place... Despite its rustic nature, there is a level of cleanliness still present, do you agree?"

Kazuki kept his eyes planted on Delia.

Archius placed his hands in his pockets, giving a nod to Kazuki. "Are you going to fucking zero her or what?" He was chewing on some gum as well. "It's fucking freezing down here and I want to get back to bed, bet you want to return to the nice, comfy bed of yours."

Kazuki gave Archius a glare, at which Archius returned with a wide smirk. Delia slowly extended her hand out to Kazuki. Nihara and Václavos raised their muzzles to her. "Don't try and act tough here, alright?" Václavos snidely commented.

Delia kept her face with an air of neutrality, not giving away a thought. Slowly, she placed her index finger on the length of Kazuki's gun. She pushed the barrel down. Kazuki did not resist. She smirked and said, "Look, Kazuki, I know you love having that persona up and about, but you need to know who will call your bluff and who will not."

Archius rolled his eyes. "His bluffs are like speculation, self-fulfilling. You're one lucky senator."

Kazuki holstered his pistol. "Fine." He gave Nihara and Václavos a nod. They slid their pistols into their holsters. Václavos walked off into the darkness. A moment passed before all the lights flicked on. Václavos had turned on a power switch and walked back to them.

"So then, let's speak like sensible people, shall we?" asked Delia, taking control of the conversation. Archius took a long breath. He was pissed. Kazuki took a step to the side. "And where do you think you are going?"

"Touring this damn place," Kazuki snorted. "I won't kill you. For now. You have bought yourself time. But do not think that will stop them from cracking your knees."

He nodded to his two guards, both with their glares planted directly on Delia. Archius patted Delia on the back. "Best to just start walking," he advised her.

Delia let off a small chuckle and followed on after Kazuki. Archius kept himself close beside Delia, from what Kazuki could feel with the vibrations across the ground. Kazuki had given Archius orders to... ensure Delia wouldn't leave. And behind the two of them were Václavos and Nihara. Nihara was a step closer.

Venturing across the station, the group went from the plaza to many of the abandoned observatories. "You forced Obadiah's hand," Kazuki stated. "That, in turn, forced Obadiah to act."

"Yes... that typically is what forcing a hand does," Delia commented.

'Let me handle this fucking debacle,' Archius told Kazuki over Uplink.

Kazuki shook his head. He wanted Delia to admit to what she had done herself. No more intermediaries. Face to face. He will force her to recognise her actions. If she does not... Well, Kazuki was sure that their actions against the Loyalists and Gunrunners had secured their position. Archius wouldn't like that, though, removing Delia... Kazuki knew that Archius had his coat over many plots and networks, with Delia being one of his key points.

For that, Archius came along. If they were going to kill her, Kazuki knew he needed Archius' approval. Kazuki doesn't want another Oria-Tessie Incident.

He's added enough fuel to the flame. Best not to ignite the pyre with even more.

Kazuki continued, "Obadiah manipulated Noah into bringing Elizabeth to him. Were you aware of that?"

Delia shook her head. She turned to the stained and dust-covered windows. Some cracks were visible throughout the abandoned section, some half-destroyed and rancid seats, flickering lights and the noise of echoing air. "What you are truly asking me is if I would harm Eliza, are you not?"

Kazuki turned his head. Archius gave him a 'told you so' face.

"Yes," Kazuki stated. "Your actions led to the death of one of my guards. And placed Eliza's life at risk."

Kazuki and the group ventured further through the abandoned parts of the Palace, eventually climbing up onto a stage. It was a run-down opera house. Hovering pods and booths are latched to the walls and ceilings. There were holographic projectors attached to the roof. Kazuki could tell by the small cuts in the stage that it was made to spin on its centre.

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The curtains were all but gone, revealing half-broken props and assorted paperweights.

"What do you want me to say?" asked Delia. "To explain myself?" She gestured towards the non-existent audience. It was a jest, but Kazuki took it badly.

He grunted. "Exactly. Explain yourself. You are no fool, unless I sought you wrongly. Everything was going just fine. Then, you had to act."

Václavos and Nihara stood by the edge of the stage, whilst Archius had his hands in his pockets, much closer to Delia. Kazuki knew, or at least would assume, that Archius had some kind of device in his pockets. Probably a makeshift taser. Or a tranquiliser. Maybe even something more exotic. Kazuki didn't know.

"When you say... that everything was going fine, are you referring to before or after Eliza was nearly killed by drones?" Delia asked, turning her attention back to Kazuki, but still pretending as if she were at an operatic musical. Her voice and words were dressed up. Pretty. Kazuki hated it. "Let me tell you, everything changed once that Jara-Jins fell, once Obadiah revealed the lengths of his depravity..."

Archius glanced at Delia, taking a good look at her. Kazuki's eyes skimmed to Archius. He gave a... confirmatory nod, but it wasn't confident. Kazuki will take it and stride.

"And you thought to pressure him. When the wolves are cornering him?" Kazuki demanded an answer.

Delia confidently nodded. "Actions must have consequences, without them, words have no meaning," she softly spoke, holding an invisible microphone to her lips.

"Enough with the acting."

Chuckling, Delia digressed, pretending to throw the microphone into the crowd. A last jab. Archius gave it a small nod. He seemed to have liked her small bout of wit. Archius walked over to Kazuki, whispering, "Stop letting her outwit you, I thought you were the king of slamming people into the stage."

"That's... you..." Kazuki murmured back.

"No, LITERALLY!" Archius continued, turning back to Delia.

"Oh."

Archius silently groaned.

"You must have calculated the risk," Kazuki stated.

"Of course I have, never thought he'd be so dumb enough to start a hostage crisis, especially with two members of the Seven - though either side of the coin - so close with their blades to his neck," Delia said. She shook her head in disbelief. "Once again, I am shocked by natural stupidity."

"And you did not see the possibility of Obadiah taking Eliza hostage? You were aware of Noah's existence. My associate informed me. A clever woman like yourself would not have been moved to pressure him by reason alone."

Placing his hands together, Kazuki took out his pistol. He was playing around with it, cleaning some grime and dust off its barrel and mechanisms, before slowly screwing on a suppressor. It'll still make a loud noise, but it'll muffle it enough. Delia turned to Kazuki's guards, who were copying their boss' lead. Even at that sight, she remained undaunted.

Delia smiled instead. "It was on the table, a... nought point a dozen nought per cent chance, but never something I truly considered, I pressured him, made sure he knew his place, and he reacted foolishly... But it did provide you with the perfect opportunity to capitalise on your situation... You are infamous, yes, but a mix of infamy and fame is best for your kind. Don't you agree?"

Kazuki stopped mid-way screwing the suppressor on. "Careful now. Do not try and change their perception of me. They fear me. Despise me."

"Why not add admiration? You're already a controversial figure, best to add some credibility to you, make those wonder why they hail you Contract-Breaker?" Delia suggested.

"CAREFUL." A booming voice shattered across the room. Its echo lingered for several seconds. Archius chuckled at its volume. Delia paused.

"That's what I'm talking about, you finally got your spleen back from Eliza, it seems," Archius murmured to Kazuki.

"I understand not what you speak of," Kazuki snidely remarked.

Archius wiped the grin from his face, falling into a dead facade. "And I do not understand that you do not understand pertaining to what I am speaking of, I believe the opposite."

Kazuki ignored Archius' mind-twisting ramblings for now. "I have tolerated you and your advances to manipulate Eliza. I tolerated that because you are the type who will open her eyes. You have done that. In the worst. Way. Possible. You must answer."

"But I already have," Delia said, glaring at Kazuki. "You think you are the only one distraught over the twins' deaths? They were good people, Kazuki, you must know that as well. After all... You're holding onto their brooches, are you not?"

She gestured to his pocket. Kazuki did not move. It was at that moment that Kazuki felt the added weight of the brooches. The mental toll of carrying them hit him instantly. He almost collapsed, his leg braces activated with energy, with Archius raising a pistol to Delia whilst holding onto Kazuki's arm.

Václavos and Nihara both primed their receivers onto Delia's head.

Kazuki aimed at Delia as well. "How did you know?" he bit off each word with concentrated malice.

Delia shrugged. "You were leaning slightly to one side. And the Marquis said that neither of the twins had their brooches on them when cleanup came. It was you. Wasn't it? You liked them, you saw them as friends as I would have as well, and you wish to bring them home."

Kazuki lowered his pistol. Václavos and Nihara followed suit. Archius, however, did not relent. Kazuki gave Archius a small nod, enough to make him stand down. Kazuki slowly got back together. He steadied himself and weathered the psychic weight of the Hazard Shard brooches.

"We're not talking about the twins here."

"No, but here we are," Delia said, sighing afterwards. "I don't think you're thinking as clearly as you think you are, Kazuki. Sure, Eliza was in harm's way. Sure, you lost a good man. But we lost many things, all of us, and I think you are missing that point. We all lost something, Kazuki. Not just you. Grow up..."

She turned away from him and took a step towards the edge of the stage. Grow up? Kazuki's been forced to grow up since the age of ten, tenfold compared to all. Even so, this hit him hard. It was said plainly to him... Of course, he knew others lost things.

"You say that as if I am unaware," Kazuki stated. "I am aware of the dead, Iana. It is my curse."

Delia lit a cigarette and started to smoke. She heaved out a small puff of smoke. "Yeah... Maybe I was a bit harsh, but it's all in the past, and we must look to the future."

"Those blinded by the past are doomed to repeat it," Archius muttered to Kazuki. "I know you love the past and you love thinking about it, but keep in mind that all our skins are at risk here. Even yours and Her's."

Kazuki took that into account.

"I see no fault in that logic," Kazuki remarked. He stepped forward, standing an arm's length away from the Senator. "Keep me in the know of your schemes."

Delia smiled. "Please, my plots are very clear in daylight," she commented, extending a hand.

Kazuki paused, staring directly into her peridot eyes. Grumbling, Kazuki shook her head and shook.

It must be proven that Delia can be trusted. That is something Kazuki was unsure of. She is an avid political player. Kazuki turned back to Archius. Archius maintained his dead facade, but beneath it, Kazuki knew that Archius was uneasy. Delia wasn't just a player in this Shadow War. She's one of THE players. Kazuki is one as well...

For now, it seems that they're in concordance with each other. Kazuki let go. Their agreement was witnessed by no one in the audience. These seats must have been filled once before... Now all of them who came here are dead. Death awaits them all, and Kazuki knows if he missteps, he will join them.

"I'll see how it goes," Kazuki snorted.

Delia's eyes stared at Kazuki's golden abyss.

Death may await him, but that hard truth cuts both ways.

Always.

Always.