The Red Hand Interlude 3 – The Returnee Forums

Interlude 3 – The Returnee Forums.

One day while Hishya was visiting, she brought up an interesting idea that she and so of the other FWO survivors had.

"You guys made a private forum?" Akagi asked while drinking her coffee. Kana was still at school, and Hishya decided to pop by to say hello; she had been coming regularly, and her and Kana seed to be getting along quite well.

"Yeah, I thought it would be nice if we could all stay connected." She smiled. "It's really hard for anyone who wasn't in FWO to understand just how it was, so it's kind of like a help group. Adjusting back to regular life has been rough, especially for the people who didn't keep their abilities." Yumi poured her so tea. "Oh, thank you." She gave an awkward smile to the priestess. The two still didn't get along, but things were a little bit better than before.

"Is it like 90% people complaining about those who kept their abilities?" Akagi asked with a chuckle.

"Eh, he he." Hishya nervously laughed. "That's part of it, but you also have a lot of people who talk about you as well." Akagi's recent actions only further incited a fla war between the survivors.

"Oh?" Akagi sat forward. "Hearing that makes want to pop in myself. Send a link." she gave quite a terrible grin.

"Please don't go overbored." Hishya shook her head. "I would prefer not to have to get in the middle of an all-out battle between you." Akagi had a habit of getting under other people's skin, and Hishya knew she would absolutely enjoy getting a rise out of the other players.

Hishya used her AR screen to send Akagi an invite to the private group. Once she was in, Akagi decided to drop straight into the general discussion.

BlueDog.

Man, I can't believe it's been almost three months since we got out, gonna be weird celebrating Halloween and not seeing the pumpkin monsters.

Excelsior

Yeah, but I'm ok with that. Those fucking things always gave the creeps.

Akagi

So of my subordinates have so neat summons; maybe we've got a pumpkin or two sowhere. At the very least, we can have a truly spooky Halloween.

BlueDog

YO! If soone is fucking with us and used the na Akagi, it's not funny man.

Hishya

That's the real Akagi; I'm sitting with her having lunch, so I can confirm that she's very real. XD

Blackbox

You let her in here? WHY!

Hishya

Because she has just as much of a right as any of us. She is an FWO survivor, and that's what this group is all about...

Excelsior

Is it just , or does it feel like Akagi has sothing on Hishya that's making her act funny? Like what kind of blackmail could she possibly have on you Hishya?

Akagi

No blackmail was needed! She just needs to suck up to so she can spend ti with my sister. ;)

Hishya

Not funny.

Blackbox

Yo, wait WHAT.

Excelsior

Since when is this a thing?????

BlueDog

Hishya sold out humanity for a girlfriend?????

Akagi

Oh man, you guys should see her face right now; it's a combination of dying from embarrassnt and pure rage.

Superbia (Replying to BlueDog) (Hishya sold out humanity for a girlfriend?????)

Don't act like you wouldn't.

BlueDog

No comnt.

Excelsior

So Akagi, when do you plan on taking over the world? I for one welco our new Demon Empress.

Blackbox

Dude be out here ready to sell out humanity at the drop of a hat..... But seriously, when you take over, where do I apply to join the demon army? XD

Akagi

God running an entire planet sounds like hell, pass. Emperor Gustaf was miserable just dealing with one nation's administration. I don't want to even imagine running like 200.

Purple Rose

Oh great, Akagi's in here now.

Akagi

Don't act like you're not happy to see . :)

Purple Rose

Listen, just because I don't hold you responsible for Kyojaro's death anymore doesn't an I like you or what you do.

BlueDog

Wait, so was that whole thing with the NPCs true??? I an I saw that priestess girl with Akagi in the ga, and now she's in our world but...

Purple Rose

Yeah, that was a big fuck up on our part. The NPCs were very much real and had feelings and thoughts of their own...... Yumi showed that herself........

BlueDog

Oh fuck.....

Superbia

I always thought they seed too smart... Akagi, how long did it take you to figure it out?

Akagi

Took a minute, but by the end of year one, I was convinced. Once I t Yumi in Karkul, that was the end of any doubts. There was just no way an AI program could act that genuine.

Blackbox

Oh, man..... I was so an to that girl; I thought she was just so annoying quest-giver.

Superbia

And just how many tis did we make fun of those who thought they were real? I even called Mixu so choice words.

Akagi

Nothing you can do about it now, and honestly, the ones that ca with don't really care; besides Yumi. Not gonna sugarcoat it; she hates you all.

BlueDog

She's not gonna like teleport behind us and kill us out of revenge right?

Akagi

No, she won't. At most, she'll be rude to you or yell at you. But killing like that isn't gonna happen; she's not that kind of person.

BlueDog

Phew.

Blackbox

Phew.

Superbia

Akagi, might seem like a weird question, but what are you going to do now? Taking over the world might have been a joke, but you have the power to basically do whatever you want. I can't imagine your going to sit around quietly and watch the years go by.

Purple Rose

That's what I would like to know.

Excelsior

Yeah, for real.

Akagi

First, I will formally establish a clan with all my followers. I've been excised from my birth family, so I will take my own family na and induct them into it.

Second, I will continue my work from FWO. I'm still an assassin, and that's what I want to do even in this world, but I will likely have my clan branch out into more activities.

Third, I will travel the world. I want to see it all; it's not like I have anything holding back. Ti is no longer a factor for , so I can enjoy myself.

Fourth, I will help my sister. Joking about Hishya's relationship with her aside, I want to make sure she lives a happy life. She's the only family I ever had and the only person who stuck by through the worst ti in my life.

Fifth...... There is sothing I might want, and I'm going to see if I can get it. It's more of a vanity project than anything else, and I'll leave it as a surprise.

Hishya

I didn't expect you to have such concrete answers.

Excelsior

A clan? Like a yakuza clan?

Superbia

I'm pretty sure that many of those who survived will take issue with you killing as you did in FWO. They can't just ignore you now; since this is the real world.

Akagi

Not a yakuza clan, more like a proper feudal clan. I never bothered to formalize things in the ga, and I want to rectify that mistake. As for other players... Bring it. If you want to fight, I'll fight. I don't run from challenges; just know I won't show rcy. If you point your blade at with the intent to kill, know that I will do the sa. And I'll remind all of you, don't bring outsiders into our conflict. Because you'll regret it.

Superbia

.......

BlueDog

Yeah, no, I'm good.

Excelsior

Sa.

Blackbox

Nope, not interested in dying.

Akagi continued her conversation with so of the other survivors for a while longer before logging out.

"Well, that didn't go as bad as I expected." Hishya slid down in her seat. "I was worried things would escalate into all-out war."

"There are only 99 of us that have our abilities; no matter how much the rest dislike , I doubt they will communicate that directly to ." Now that they were in the real world, the players without their abilities were helpless if Akagi wanted to do anything to them.

"That's true, but.... can you please keep this a secret?" Hishya looked at her, and Akagi nodded.

"I have a feeling you'll be getting another client in the not-to-distant future." Hishya's voice got serious.

"Oh?" Akagi was interested. "Can you tell more?"

"I've only got second-hand info, but I'm pretty sure one of the players who didn't keep their powers wants you to kill one that did. Sothing about a family dispute." Hishya sighed. Even after all this ti, bad blood between players still existed, she had managed to quash such issues during their drive to escape FWO, but now that was no longer possible. "I don't know anything more specific than that, and I would rather things get resolved without bloodshed if possible."

"Well, if they co to for help, I won't turn them away outright. But, I hope they understand just what kind of price they'll have to pay for my services." Akagi grinned.

"What will you even ask for? They can't possibly pay you, and I doubt they would have anything valuable enough to work as a substitute." Hishya shook her head. Akagi's prices were high; but reasonable for the ga. But, in the real world, the cost was not sothing an ordinary person could ever afford.

"Hishya," Akagi leaned forward. "What do Demons usually request as paynt?"

It took Hishya a mont to understand what she ant. "Don't even joke about that." Hishya sighed. "Even you can't do sothing like that, and what do you even do with a soul anyway? Eat it? That thought is quite unpleasant." Hishya thought such a joke was in poor taste. And the idea of a soul-eating Demon running around the world was also not very fun.

"At the mont, you are correct. I haven't the foggiest idea how to interact with, let alone take soone's soul." Akagi chuckled. "But I am a Demon; there will always be a price to pay for my help, and I'm quite flexible on what that paynt will be." Akagi had a history of taking in-kind paynts as well as money. If they truly wanted her help and couldn't pay, Akagi would likely require their servitude as paynt.

"Yeah, remind never to ask you for a favor. I would prefer not to owe one to a Demon." Hishya pinched the bridge her nose, which caused Akagi to let out a loud laugh.

"I don't bla you. I don't bla you at all." Akagi's laughter continued.