Chapter Text
Clicks and creaks could be heard, the noise of the shifting of gears and the splutter of the engine bounced off the walls of the chamber. Keiji bit his lower lip and glanced at the entrance. It was still sealed shut and there was no warning signal from Kai and Inuoka yet. But he could still feel the hairs on his neck and arm rise as the prospect of being found seemed to near. He was still not finished with the machinery before him. The hinges groaned and Keiji shielded himself from the steam escaping from one of the exhaust pipes. The machinery seemed to tower him like a monster, its groans and whines sounded like that of an impatient monster demanding its next meal.
Keiji shuddered at the possibility of a ‘next meal’. He had seen enough.
Time was running out and Keiji knew he had under ten minutes to dismantle the machinery before him and mess up its configuration. He had to make sure it could not be used again. Three years of hard work and elbow grease led to him destroying it in the end.
The task was more complex than he had made it out to be. He was afraid that it would take too much time. Once a guard noticed any strange noises, they would make it here and the higher ups would know of his traitorous deed. Keiji clenched his wrench and tapped his foot as he studied the motherboard.
He decided to pull at the wires and he twisted free the different cogs located near the motherboard. The machinery groaned once more and something fell. Alarmed by the part falling with a loud clank, Keiji decided to pull out the motherboard altogether. He grabbed at the intricate piece, pulling it out- the wires and parts falling out with it. As soon as the motherboard was detached from the machinery, its upper left side exploded. Keiji flinched and stumbled, falling back. Oil leaked out from the monster- the black liquid looking eerily like blood.
His work was done. This was enough.
The shrill sound of a siren echoed and Keiji felt as if his legs were frozen in place. He cursed and pushed himself up. He gave the machine one last look. It had smoke escaping from where it had exploded. If it still had a bit of firepower- the chamber contained a powerful bomb. He dashed to the entrance and pushed the door open. He heard footsteps making way to the chamber from his left. Keiji ran to the right and found himself bumping into a servant. The boy yelped but Keiji didn’t stop to help him.
A witness existed and now there was no turning back. Keiji could hear the shouts and commands now and expected the soldiers to rush into the chamber. He entered a small room and shut the door behind him. The room only consisted of an intricately carved wooden table and a cupboard. The table was littered with papers and books along with a rolled-up map. He grabbed the map and pushed the cupboard away from the wall to reveal a small opening.
He slipped into a dark corridor and pulled the cupboard to cover the entrance. He held his free hand out and walked on. He stopped only when his fingers met a wall. He knocked at it and soon the wall creaked. Keiji winced as bright light flooded into the dark corridor. A person poked his head out and Keiji sighed in relief. The person had dark messy hair and his right eye shone red. The lantern’s light made him seem more eerie and inhuman.
“Took you long enough.” The man commented and he stepped aside for Keiji to enter. “That explosion didn’t sound like ours. Did you do that intentionally? Go out with a bang?”
Keiji huffed. “Now isn’t the time for jokes Kuroo-san.” And then he added quietly, clutching the motherboard tightly, “I wasn’t expecting it to explode.”
Kuroo shrugged. “It’s a killing machine. I’d be surprised if it didn’t explode.” He motioned at Keiji to move. Before Keiji could take in the area they were in the walls rattled and the ground shook.
Kuroo blinked at Keiji with an alarmed expression.
“Please tell me that was intentional.” Keiji found himself pleading.
“Not our explosion.” Kuroo muttered. He then grinned. “Did anyone see you?”
“A servant boy.”
“The Emperor is going to flip.”
“Don’t remind me.”
Kuroo clicked his tongue before turning around and walked briskly through the corridor. “Well we can’t waste any more time.”
Keiji followed him. The area was damp- a strange wetness filled the air and the walls of the corridor were a mesh of pipes and moss. It took him a few more seconds to realize that they were in some sort of winding maze. There were sharp turns and every single one of them looked similar.
“Don’t get lost.” Kuroo looked over his shoulder with a Cheshire cat smile.
“I’m hoping you won’t either.”
“You wound me Akaashi. I know this place like the back of my hand.” Kuroo teased.
Keiji rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Again, it’s not the time to be joking Kuroo-san.”
“I’m serious!”
Keiji let out a low chuckle. The maze seemed endless and Kuroo had stopped talking. The pathway seemed to close in on them- the ceiling was lower and Keiji scraped his arm against a broken pipe jutting out. He held the motherboard and map tighter.
Soon he’d be out of this corridor.
He wouldn’t be an asset of the Empire anymore- he would be a threat. Royal tinkerers don’t dismantle three years’ worth of work and funds to become fugitives. He threw a dirty look at Kuroo’s back. His job had simply been to help tinker the different containments of their future energy source. The energy source which Kuroo’s team was assigned to create- a source more powerful than their steam powered engines and machinery. This was the core and pivotal source of raw and intense power- all funded by the Emperor.
At first, nothing seemed wrong with the prospect of finding a new energy source. Keiji enjoyed working with Nekoma- he felt they were making progress. But Kuroo changed his colors when the prototype was tested.
“Oi, eyes on the prize.” Kuroo halted and peered into another dark corridor. “Your prize is freedom.”
“And what of you Kuroo-san?” Keiji asked, eyeing the other carefully. Kuroo seemed to be fully aware of his concerns. It somewhat annoyed Keiji.
“Nekoma can handle itself. We’ve been planning this for over a year Akaashi.” Kuroo sighed. “I would have wanted to stop it as soon as possible…” he ran his fingers through his already wild hair and lowered his voice to a hushed whisper, “Is it that you do not trust us?”
“I just find it strange that a supposedly seer’s prediction is being taken so seriously.” Keiji traced the map with his fingers and sighed. If Kuroo hadn’t gotten into the mess with Oikawa- would things have been different?
He imagined the dimly lit chambers underneath the castle, a raven-haired woman seated in a billowy white dress, her eyes glowing as she recited something in a hushed tone. A tall man with a stern expression looked over her, a blonde girl waited on the side with an eccentric red haired man who claimed to be an automaton- and among the odd group was Kuroo standing next to Oikawa, a tall man with a proud stride and a determined face. Would the circumstances and their fate- or whatever it is change?
“I understand that the Empire’s way of dealing with the rebels is extreme,” He shuddered at the recollection of what the prototype- what their creation had caused, “which is why I agreed to this. But to trust an old invention?”
“Her kind was erased because of their predictions.” Kuroo replied, his smile replaced with a grim expression now. “I trust Kiyoko. I trust them.”
“We’re being used as pawns Kuroo-san.” Keiji argued. “What is their actual goal? Think sensibly for once.”
“I know what mine is.” Kuroo snarled.
Keiji looked away and decided to not push the matter further. It was easy for Kuroo- he wasn’t under the Empire’s radar. He was convinced too easily.
Keiji was not.
They found themselves in a well-lit hallway. The air seemed lighter here. A large door with an embellishment of a hand stood in front of them. A figure with slightly long and bleached hair was seated at the foot of the door, exploring a round mechanical object, a rucksack at his side.
“Kenma.”
The figure looked up and got up to his feet. He treaded to Keiji and handed him a cloak. “Put this on.”
Keiji accepted it and thrust the motherboard in Kuroo’s hands. “Destroy this.”
Kuroo nodded as he tucked it under his arm. Keiji wore the cloak and watched Kenma roll up his right sleeve, revealing an autonomic hand. The copper of the machinery caught the light from the lanterns, making it seem gold. Kenma placed his hand over the embellishment and a few clicks could be heard before the door creaked and whined, opening for them.
“Go.” Kenma looked over his shoulder, his hand still on the embellishment. “We’ll take care of things here.”
Keiji nodded at Kenma and pulled the hood to cover his face. He held the map in one hand and slung the rucksack over his shoulder. The cool breeze greeted him and he stepped out through the door only to find himself in a grubby and dirty alleyway. The door creaked and he heard Kuroo speak.
“Fukurodani! Ask for Bokuto!”
Keiji took in a deep breath. He didn’t look behind. This was going to be his life.
He took a step forward.