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It is only when he’s alone with his dreams that Ryoken’s mind wanders. He dreams of vague, faceless figures, short and thin in stature, like children. He dreams of the victims, to be specific-- the victims of his father’s research. He knows each of their names, their ages and blood types, their heights and weights from when they were young. He doesn’t know, however, their personalities; Ryoken only ever saw them suffer. He only knows how they looked while crying.
His father had only ever kidnapped one girl for the experiment, a child named Miyu. Dr. Taki had brought her in, with promises to help her find her mother-- a lie, as obvious as could be. Though Ryoken’s attention was often drawn to the last child, one that he’d captured himself, he had found something strange about Miyu, about this lonely little girl. Perhaps it was her tendency to pull her hair into pigtails when she found herself struggling, perhaps her murmuring under her breath as she dueled their bots. Perhaps it was the name she cried, every time she fell.
Ryoken opens his eyes to the ceiling of his bedroom. Aoi, she’d screamed. I’m sorry, Aoi , she’d yelled.
He knows who this “Aoi” is, of course. Zaizen Aoi, known previously as Blue Angel in Link Vrains, younger sister of Zaizen Akira, SOL Technologies’ security chief, and classmate of Fujiki Yusaku and Homura Takeru, the identities of Playmaker and Soulburner respectively. Her most recent avatar was new as well, a mature change from Blue Girl; her battle mode, Blue Maiden. Partner and/or possessor of the water ignis, the one they called Aqua.
For someone who’s never met her you’re awful knowledgeable, says a voice in his head that sounds suspiciously girlish. Ryoken knows this, of course-- it’s not the same as Playmaker, it’s not the same as him-- but he doesn’t acknowledge it. There’s a nagging in the back of his head that tells him of course it’s not the same, dummy, but he chooses to ignore that too.
She goes to Den City High, just the same as Fujiki and Homura. That’s the reasoning as to why he’s donned their uniform, as to why he’s currently packing a schoolbag with everything a schoolbag might ask for. Surprisingly, Ryoken hasn’t exactly told Spectre or any of the Knights about his upcoming escapade today-- just that he would be out all day. He knows they wouldn’t think he was doing something this outrageous, either, if only because of his what happens in the network stays in the network policy. He would usually be a bit nervous without someone watching his back as he always has, but lucky for him; Fujiki, the only person there who knows his true appearance and could possibly recognize him, is in Class 3-B. Aoi is in 3-A, while Homura is in 3-C.
The guards seem lenient as he walks through the front gate without a care in the world, swarms of students piling in on either side. Ryoken doesn’t intend to walk into a class and sit through it until lunchtime, though; by the time the bell rings, he’s dodged all the hall monitors and leftover security guards to sit in what looks to be a hallway full of classrooms that used to have been in circulation, but not anymore. There’s a staircase nearby, one that he hasn’t heard nor seen anyone on for a solid ten minutes, so after pacing it he decides it’s safe for a stakeout.
If you can call Ryoken sitting on his duel disk, sifting through cards and code a stakeout.
When it comes down to it, he doesn’t know why he’s here. Maybe it’s for a similar reason as to why Playmaker broke into his home that fateful evening. Maybe it’s nothing like that at all, actually-- maybe he’s just curious, curious enough to want to know more about the girl who pushed Miyu on throughout the incident. Maybe you have a crush, says the voice that Ryoken has narrowed down to belong to Miyu, if anyone. He doesn’t listen to it this time, either.
The lunch bell ringing is Ryoken’s cue to seek her out. It takes some time after checking the cafeteria, the courtyard, and peeking in various club room doors until he locates her, on the roof.
She doesn’t even bother to look at him until he’s walked up to her and sat down. She pauses eating her lunch, looking at him with a confused expression. “Who are you?” She asks, slightly on guard. Ryoken smiles, not welcomingly, but more like a predator baring its teeth to prey. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Blue Maiden.” He says, and immediately she freezes up. Her honey-brown eyes go cold, and her tone has turned harsh in seconds. “Who are you. What do you want.” She asks again, this time phrasing both questions like demands rather than the former. Ryoken perches his chin in his hand, watching her expression go stony. “My name is Ryoken.” He says, finally. “And I’m your ally.”
"How do I know that.” She spits, her voice drained of any polite undertones. Ryoken smiles again, but this time it’s warmer, more intimate. “Because I know your true identity, yet I haven’t leaked it to the outside world?” His smile drops into a neutral expression. “You may have seen me around Link Vrains-- I go by Revolver.”
At that she visibly flinches and instinctively presses her back to the fence she’d been leaning against. Ryoken doesn’t reassure her with a grin this time. Instead, he stands and holds out a hamd for her to take. “I want you to join me, Zaizen Aoi.” He says, his voice suddenly taking on the same tenor of such in Link Vrains. The sound sends a shiver down her spine. “To fight against this new enemy, I want you to be the bridge-- the bridge between Playmaker and the Knights of Hanoi.”
You sound like you’re making a political alliance, the Miyu in his head giggles. Going to ask for her hand in marriage next?
He ignores her, again.
Aoi just looks stunned, rather than pleased or outraged. Surely, Ryoken thinks, this wasn’t a scenario she imagined ever occurring.
Still, she seems to steel herself as she looks up at Ryoken with uncertainty still hiding in her irises. “How do I know you aren’t just going to use me again?” She says, curt yet questioning. Ryoken makes himself look as if he’s considering this, though he already knows his answer. “Because,” he begins, “your ignis is the deciding factor. With the earth ignis gone, the side yours chooses makes all the difference.”
“What does Aqua have to do with anything?” She murmurs, looking upset at his dodge. Ryoken raises an eyebrow. “Everything.” He says, leaning down to take her hand again, should she offer it up. “You are now more than just a pawn. You are the catalyst.”
As if those words were the nail in the coffin, Aoi looks up at him with her vulnerable, chamomile eyes. “If you turn on me,” she warns, “I can guarantee you will suffer far more than ever before.” She stands on her own accord, in her attempt to look threatening. Ryoken smiles inwardly-- she’s not joking, you know, says head-Miyu. Maybe so, he thinks back.
“From now on, then,” he looks her in the eye, and smiles toothily again. “you may affectionately refer to me as your ally.” Not Playmaker’s, and not Soulburner’s, he thinks to no one in particular. “So?” He holds out his hand for a shake.
With contempt and clear unease in her gaze, Aoi takes it, squeezing hard. Kiss her! Head-Miyu shouts, and Ryoken thinks back, don’t be stupid.
Not yet.