Continued from here.
Chapter Five
"Divided We Stand"
Blood flowed freely as Miko's powerful and desperate attack ripped through SPECTRE's armor. So focused he had been on Weiss that Miko's attack could not be blocked. He faltered and stumbled, dropping his knife and allowing Weiss the final blow as her blade pierced his heart. With a gurgle, the man went down.
All of Umbrella was defeated.
Makoto began issuing orders for the explosives on the exit to be carefully deactivated to allow the group to move the injured back to the Medical Bay.
With the matter of the portal still at hand, Lalonde nodded at Ilona, finding herself at a sense of unease. It was easy to see that Ilona was distressed by how cautious Makoto was with her, but she did see the point to his and everyone else's caution.
"As a matter of fairness, it was theorized by Umbrella that many of your powers were born of the same malevolence. Your experience with matters of teleportation, or shifting, is wonderful, though who knows how these destructive talents will manifest..."
Junko had managed to calm down slightly, though her face had reddened in embarrassment over the situation. She was a total mess, not unlike usual, and this guy was being pretty nice about it...
"No, it's okay..." With a sigh, the girl handed back the jacket and instead wiped at her eyes with her arm. She didn't need to hold on to it now that the mist was going away.
"I'm so tired of saying everything sucks... I just want to sit down and relax, okay...?" She grumbled softly, looking down at her feet until Ilona had approached her. She looked up at the girl, peering suspiciously at the woman wearing the pink scarf behind her.
"I don't know how similar... Do you have a scar that glows green?"
"Junko Enoshima... I saw you during the Gravity Falls Incident. You show up at the most curious of moments... something Umbrella was desperate to make use of." She stared at Junko, who couldn't read the expression on her face. The woman's eyes were obscured behind her bangs, though she had a certain vibe about her that felt trustworthy to some degree. No, maybe that wasn't the right feeling... it felt more like warmth.
"The both of you, and one other girl, were all targeted for these unique abilities. If there's any connection between you three, it may be best for you all to spend some time together."
"Sure, whatever... I can never stick around for long." She crossed her arms, looking almost childish as she pouted.
"It's like you... Ilona, right? I get carried around against my will, like I'm some fucking... puppet... the Ultimate Puppet, that's what I am! Umbrella saw that and wanted to use me as well. They knew I had no power over my own life..."
"Listen up!"
With blood staining the right side of his body, Kieran looked like a bloodthirsty warrior with an axe in hand.
"I've got men and women working clean-up now that Umbrella's been routed! You guys can worry about that portal-- our real issue now is to evacuate Ilona. I'll be taking her to a secure Coalition location without United Nations influence."
Makoto let out a heavy sigh.
"Kieran, really...? We've only just finished the battle... we're still in the process of moving our wounded!" Makoto gestured to Jude and Leia, who were just leaving now with both Jon and Iroh on stretchers.
"Then there's no time to waste. Not risking Ilona's life here, she needs security now."
"And she will have security with us," Ritsuko argued, stepping into the fray once the fighting had ended, the woman crossing her arms as she'd stand behind the shorter Makoto,
"The Coalition is in no state to secure the safety of a little girl, especially not after a large-scale attack like the one these headquarters have just suffered. She'll be safer in the hands of the United Nations, and if I were you, Captain-Commander, I'd stop where I was."
"Well, maybe Naegi's right. We should at least recover first if we're going to get into this debate again," Uhura commented,
"We need to rest and gather our bearings again."
Others in the area, such as Ocelot and Doppo, remained somewhat silent, refraining from saying their piece for the moment, though it wasn't long until Gwen would clear her throat to say something.
"Well, just sitting around isn't going to help solve the problem for us. Almost feels like you just don't want us to speak up against you, but I'm not letting you run off until we at least talk about all this."
"And who is this "us" that you're referring to, Stacy? Certainly not I. Don't be so eager to start something you'll regret," Ocelot said, a warning tone in his voice as he'd raise a finger,
"The fact remains that this is simply the best course of action, and we should respect it. Ilona certainly seems to agree, so what is the argument?"
Kyoko, stepping beside Kieran, would speak up when heated conversation would begin to arise again. It seemed that the Coalition could never catch a break.
"Makoto... Please listen to me. At least let us consider every factor and fact before making a judgment like this. This... This is someone's life that's in our hands. She may be prepared for what's to come for her, but... Is everyone else going to be satisfied with it all?"
"It's not just one life, it's multiple," Ritsuko would correct,
"The undeniable fact that is that, unchecked and unregulated, Ilona's power is dangerous. Or have you already forgotten what she did to the base and your own members? Three dead, I feel the need to remind again. I don't know about you, but I think I can live with saving lives, and evidently, so is Ilona."
Makoto held up his hands defensively toward Kyoko.
"Hold on! I'm not the one advocating we get into this right now! In fact... Kieran was the one who started the debate back in the illusion as well. I'm not..."
"And...?" Kieran stared at him, leaving Makoto feeling a bit awkward. He wasn't sure what to say, really.
"I'm not going to leave it so Ritsuko and the UN have time to come up with some manner of whisking Ilona away. We got our medical seeing to the wounded, and anyone who needs a check-up can go."
It was then that Morrigan and Carissa arrived. They took a measured look at the destruction in the Command Center and the lone portal sitting nearby.
"'Tis done," said Morrigan dryly.
"The Umbrella scientists have been apprehended."
"Good. Now..." Kieran pointed a finger at Makoto.
"Makoto, I'm not leaving this room until the matter is settled. Either I convince you, here and now, to see things our way, or I will convince everyone else here to defy you and Ritsuko. Either way, in the end, Ilona is going to be very far away from Ritsuko when this is over."
"..." Makoto looked away, shaking his head.
"I just wish you understood..."
"May I have a word?" Lalonde said, stepping forward. She turned to give Ilona a sympathetic look before turning back to speak to Makoto and Kieran.
"I think an important matter to consider for Ilona is stability, something the young woman has not been offered for much of her life. While she has come to master her travelling abilities, what can be said for the other abilities she has begun to exhibit? Past evidence is clear: such powerful abilities defy her will, at least until she can gain control... and perhaps a stable environment dedicated to such a task is what is best for Ilona at this time."
Lalonde looked to Ritsuko.
"So, I suppose I agree with you, though I personally have a condition... I can only advocate this path if I am given a role in it. I am a scientist, you see. Allow me to assist you in training the dear girl, and I will give you my full support."
"..." Ritsuko seemed to take a moment to consider it, thinking through what the woman said. She had no idea who this woman was, but... The fact that she'd arrived with Ilona meant that she was likely the one who'd rescued her to begin with, and if the girl herself were to wish this, then Ritsuko didn't see a reason why not.
"Well, I suppose--"
"No," Kieran said gruffly, looking angry for just a few moments. He stared at the woman, perhaps upset she didn't readily agree with him, but managed to hold his anger in check.
"... I appreciate everything you've done, Lalonde, but even with your support, their path is not something I can agree with. You call it training, and yet..."
The woman shrugged casually in response.
"It is just my sole opinion. Ilona herself is free to disagree and give her own. That is the nature of a debate... that is what you want, yes? A debate? You'll have to be willing to hear arguments that don't agree with you, Mr. Kieran.
"So we're back to this again, then?" Ritsuko sighed, rubbing the back of her neck somewhat tiredly,
"Out of the frying pan and into the fire indeed. So tell me then, everyone who isn't in favor of what I and your very own Commander Naegi have decided to do about Ilona. Give me a good reason why someone with power as great and unstable as hers shouldn't be put into check and regulated. I'll be waiting," she spoke, as though challenging anyone who was against her train of thought.
Now that Umbrella had been defeated, there was only one enemy left to fight, it seemed.
Each other.
Which side will you choose? Pick your arguments wisely.
Cast List
@Gummi Bunnies as
Add and Elesis (Elsword)
@DBZ7 as
Anna (Fire Emblem)
@Nater Taters as
Artyom Chyornyj (Metro)
@Jeremi as
Bekka and Red Tornado (DC Comics)
@Crimson Spartan as
Erron Black (Mortal Kombat)
@Ringmaster as
Lucifer Anghelscu and Saber Alter (Murder Series / Type-Moon AU)
@Crow as
Maki Kido and Madoka Karasuma (Idolmaster OC)
@Atomyk as
Makoto Naegi (Danganronpa)
@Mason Moretti as
Mason Moretti (OC)
@darnerdemons as
Miko Wanijima (Air Gear OC)
@Klutzy Ninja Kitty as
Princess Ilona of Arendelle (Murder Series) and
Train Heatnet (Black Cat)
@Minerva as
Robin Aquilus and Corrin (Fire Emblem)
@york as
Ruby Rose and Zwei (RWBY)
@Kaykay as
Sakuya Izayoi and
Remilia Scarlet (Touhou Project)
@LuckycoolHawk9 as
Scott McCall and Stiles Stilinski (Teen Wolf)
@Yun Lee as
Shi-Long Lang (Ace Attorney)
@Verite as
Shiki Tohno and
Len (Type-Moon)
@The Tactician as
Shizuo Heiwajima (Durarara!!)
@Takumi as
Toboe and Cheza (Wolf's Rain)
@Hospes as
Weiss Schnee and
Winter Schnee (RWBY)
@Josh M as
Wynne (Dragon Age)
@Sen as
Zen (Mystic Messenger)
@Bomb as
Zidane Tribal and Bibi Ornitier (Final Fantasy IX)