Subject Zero: CONFIDENTIAL (Short Stories)

Don't Look Away (8)

Part Eight: A Small Promise

October 31, 1982
9:43p.m.
Somewhere in the woods...

"Arachnid...! We've been looking for you for a long time," said the woman, Nao.

Mizuki didn't appear fazed. "I know."

"Is that why you keep running?" Nao asked in a judgmental tone, but the orange haired man next to her nudged her, telling her to quiet down.

He, Drocell, then informs, "Arachnid, you have broken multiple rules and violated multiple guidelines of the 'Mirror World,' as some call it. For one, you've killed and slaughtered one of the First Class Araneidans, Orochi. We have been having trouble without her assistance."

Mizuki stayed close to Joker, who was standing still and seemed unbothered.

"Not only have you committed manslaughter, you've also stolen special artifacts that are not to be messed with, such as the Unbreakable Promise rings, that I see are being put into use right now by you two. The amount of suffering you've inflicted onto others is frightening. Though, I must say, you didn't hurt anyone on your own; you had the assistance of someone who you should not be around."

Mizuki hesitated before she spoke up, "I did not steal the rings. The daughter of Azrael Sapphirus gave them to me. If I am being honest, I did not intend to use the rings, for I did not believe they had any good use. My beliefs were changed a few nights after Orochi died."

Nao giggled in mockery, nudging Rui. He just looked down at her then looked back at Joker and Mizuki. Eiji looked up at the Araneidans next to him. Mizuki was glaring at Eiji.

Drocell was about to walk over to the two for them, but when he took just one step forward, he stopped when Joker moved his right arm in front of Mizuki.

Drocell shook his head and massaged his right temple. "We don't have time for this. Nao, can you please just-"

Nao smirked. "On it, sir."

She began running towards Joker and Mizuki, but then Joker pinched the flame on the candle he was holding, making the flame go out, and then it was dark. Nao instantly stopped running. Everyone could only make out minor details of their surroundings. Mizuki didn't say anything and kept quiet, silently stepping back a few feet.

"Did someone push my mask down or did it all just get dark?" asked Eiji, perplexed.

Rui flipped the switch on a lantern he was holding, allowing everyone to see, but they didn't see the jester anymore. When Nao saw Mizuki, she darted over to her, but then Joker hopped down from the tree branch above Nao and stomped on her head, forcing her to the ground and completely shattering her skull, killing her. Blood splattered, and his shoes were now coated with blood. His sudden appearance made Mizuki and Eiji flinch. Nao's body then faded into ashes.

Joker looked at Drocell with his head tilted downward a little bit, making him look almost sinister.

Drocell wasn't fazed, and he calmly remarks, "So, you noticed your little insects aren't available to use. Must say, I am impressed you still managed to find a way to protect your own pawn, although you will have to put more effort into doing so."

Eiji then shot a large string of webs at Mizuki again, but Joker moved in front of her in the blink of an eye and the webs clutched onto his left shoulder.

     "Jester, you don't seem to understand, that you have something I want," Drocell said while watching Joker stand in front of the person he came all this way for. "You may have some idea of what you're in possession of, but you do not. It means more to me than you will ever know."