Chapter Text
[ Hello, Mr Tenma. ]
Tsukasa kept his head low as he moved through the crowded streets of the city.
[ Your job is to take out a criminal. It’s an easy job, compared to your past ones. ]
The bright neon lights kept the city lit up as if they replaced the stars.
[ Though, it pains me to say this, that’s not all your mission entails. We need information from this guy. ]
The cacophony of noises was starting to hurt Tsukasa’s ears. He should’ve come prepared for something like this.
[ Extract this by any means necessary. It doesn’t matter if you torture him or fake a friendship, just make sure we get it. We need to know how he does it. ]
The train station has to be nearby… he’s been walking for hours. If not, maybe there’s a place where he can sit down. He’s starting to feel tired.
[ His name is Kamishiro Rui. Remember, find this guy, get the information, and then kill him. It’s as easy as that. ]
Tsukasa felt a wave of relief wash over him as he found a bench on the side of the road. Sweet release from his walking hell that he was currently living…
[ That’s it. Operation: Cyberpunk Dead Boy has begun. Good luck Tenma. ]
Tsukasa sat on the bench, trying to replenish his energy. He knew he was about to board a train, but he could never guarantee he’d get a seat. He might have to stand… so this is just a precaution.
He watched the crowd pass. Mothers and their children, businessmen, couples, and friends… they were all mixed together like a melting pot. It was pretty inspiring to see everyone come together like this. Tsukasa always loved the city for this.
This wasn’t even the largest part of the city, too… he was about to board a train to go there, as his mission took place there. Kamishiro must operate in the biggest part for… a reason Tsukasa couldn’t understand.
He checked the time on his phone.
21:37 PM
Since when did it become so late…? How long was he walking around?
Well… that shouldn’t be his first priority. His train left at 22:00 PM, so he had some time to burn. As to why a train left so late at night, he had no idea, but he wasn’t going to question it.
Just to be sure, he searched for the station to ensure he had a ticket.
He felt like an idiot when he realized it was only five minutes away. It was a straight shot from where he was… he groaned in defeat, walking towards the ticket terminals with shame.
The train station was overrun with businessmen. Hardly anyone else went there… but that wasn’t Tsukasa’s job to ask useless questions.
He approached the ticket terminal, signing in with his account to make sure he had a ticket.
“Greetings, TENMA TSUKASA, how may I help you today?” The robotic voice from the terminal was the most annoying thing in the entire world. Tsukasa aggressively pressed the ticket option, wanting to get this terminal to shut up as soon as he could.
“Would you like a ticket to GRAND CENTRAL CITY?” The voice asked him, only for Tsukasa to curse under his breath and bang on the machine. It was working, he was just impatient.
“Transaction complete! Goodbye human.” That specific message was like an angel from heaven sweetly whispered it into his ear… he didn’t have to deal with the terminal any more.
He checked his phone for the time once more.
21:53
That took up a decent amount of time. He could find a bench to pass the time on.
Grand Central City… the city was divided into sections, and Grand Central City was in the middle. It was the biggest, and with size came population. Nobody even bothered to count how many people lived there, since there were so many. People always just answered “A lot” whenever someone asked them.
Kamishiro must be there. Tsukasa had also never seen Grand Central City… it would be a decent time to sightsee. He didn’t know how he’d get the information from Kamishiro, but he would just improvise. He wasn’t going to torture him, that’s for sure.
The sound of a train whistle echoed through the station. It was time. Tsukasa rushed down the stairs, joining in with the crowd of businessmen as they all piled into the train. There were too many people in here…
He fought for a seat and won. This ride was supposed to last fifteen minutes. There’s no way he’d stand on a train for fifteen minutes. He was tired, too… all it took was for his eyes to close and Tenma Tsukasa found himself asleep.
And he dreamed of Grand Central City. Ever since he was a kid, those neon lights were his favorite. Seeing all the dancing graphics in the air brought him more joy than he could ever describe. He wanted to go there at night to visit all the restaurants, stores, attractions… maybe this would be his chance to see it.
After he killed Kamishiro, his boss might let him stay in the city for a little while. He thought he deserved a break.
In his dream… Tsukasa felt alone. He was suffocating in a crowd… but he was alone. Everyone around him had someone else, a second half. But Tsukasa didn’t have that. He didn’t have his second half.
But he didn’t need one. It wasn’t part of his job, anyway. Hitmen don’t need lovers.
He was awoken from his dream by the sound of loafers hitting the stone floor of the station. This must be his stop. He got up with a yawn, threw his bag over his shoulder, and followed the crowd out into the streets.
Tsukasa couldn’t help but gasp when he saw the magnificent sights… buildings taller than he could ever dream, so many new smells and sounds… and the lights. They were just as pretty as he thought they were. He laughed to himself, taking in this moment. It was beautiful. He wanted to savor it.
Though appreciating lights wasn’t his job… he constantly had to remind himself of that. His boss had booked him a hotel room to stay at until he got the job done. It seemed like it would be a nice one. Sightseeing can be for later.
The crowds in this new place were unlike anything else Tsukasa had ever seen. He didn’t know that this many people even existed in this world. Unlike everywhere else he’d gone, he kept his head up and took in everything around him.
A small purple drone then caught his eye. It was zipping back and forth… he hasn’t seen something like that before. Curious, he decided to chase after it. Even though he knew it couldn’t see him, it looked like it was taunting him from above. Tsukasa cut through the crowds to avoid losing sight of this thing.
Eventually… it landed. He didn’t see where it landed, though. That is, until he got a quick glimpse.
It was a young man, about his age, who had the drone. He had a pretty nice jacket on with a mask covering the lower half of his face. His expression was cold and his eyes seemed dim.
Tsukasa realized that was him. That was Kamishiro Rui… that was his target. He made a mental note of what he looked like. It seemed he had this drones that followed him around… maybe those would help Tsukasa identify him.
With that, Tsukasa made his way to his hotel, feeling overjoyed. Not only did he get to take in one of the most beautiful sights ever, he already located his target. Tsukasa was impressed at how perfectly Kamishiro blended in with the stunning surroundings. Tsukasa almost missed him.
This mission seemed like it would be a fun one.
♪♪♪
Tsukasa woke up bright and early the next morning. He’d search for Kamishiro… somehow, and then try and go see some of the places he’d always wanted to go to avoid suspicion. It was helpful to know he only had to search for the drones. He kept that in his mind… funky little purple drones = Kamishiro.
So, he set out on his mission. The crowded streets weren’t helping his case… last time, the drones were above him, but what if the drones don’t come out today? How can he find Kamishiro that way? Ugh… maybe he shouldn’t have accepted this mission. This one would be a pain in the ass to complete.
During the day, the lights still looked beautiful… though they didn’t have the same shine like they did at night. They seemed so… dull. Some people hated the night, but Tsukasa loved it. It was the prettiest time of day if you were to ask him. He set out into the streets, keeping his eyes to the sky. Of course, this caused him to bump into several people, though finding those drones were the most important thing to him right now. He looked out as far as he could see… no sign of them. At this rate, he’d never find him. The drones yesterday were probably a coincidence… damn! He should’ve gone up to Kamishiro last night before he lost him! Tsk… Tenma Tsukasa, you should’ve known better than that!
His hunt continued for hours… and hours. He tired out easily, so he took a stop at a nearby arcade. It was… the closest place. He wasn’t a big fan of them, but he could sit down and catch his breath. He took out a pen and starting doodling on a napkin, trying to draw the drone he saw to see if anyone else knew about it. It was… decent! He thought it looked pretty accurate. He looked up at the various people going on about their day. One of them had to have something on the drones, right…?
One girl with a stoic look and a gaming console in her hand sat in the corner. She wasn’t paying any attention to the others around her, and nobody payed attention to her. She was almost like a ghost. Tsukasa couldn’t explain it, but he felt like she knew something. She just… looked like it.
The closer he got to her, the more unsettled he felt. This girl radiated hostility, and she wasn’t even the one tasked with killing a man. Every time her eyes looked up at him, chills ran down Tsukasa’s spine. His heart told him to get out and leave her be, but he just… needed to talk to her.
“…What? You’ve been eyeing me for the past two minutes.” She hissed, giving him the most terrifying stare he’d ever seen.
“Oh, uh… uh… uh… yeah… I… have you ever seen this thing? It… flies… it’s purple…” Tsukasa couldn’t stop stuttering, and he broke out in a nervous sweat. Just because of this girl! He’d been up against some terrifying foes, but she…
She scared him.
“Yeah. I do. What’s it to you?” She finally answered.
“I’d like to meet the man who made them… I saw the drone flying last night, and I got a quick glimpse of the guy they went to, but I didn’t get a chance to say hi to him.”
“…Why should I tell you?”
Tsukasa was staring to feel somewhat-annoyed with her. She scared him, she barely showed any emotion, and she was difficult. He just… needed to keep his cool. She was probably just… he couldn’t come up with an excuse for her behavior. He had no idea why she acted that way, and he didn’t care. He just needed to know where he was.
“As I said, the drones fascinated me. I’d like a chance to meet him and talk about them with him.” Tsukasa explained, emphasizing the desperation in his voice, trying to guilt-trip the girl into telling her what he wanted.
“…Fine. He hangs out in the market district. Don’t tell him that I told you.” She sighed, putting her console down and giving him another hostile stare. This time, he didn’t care, because he got what he needed. He thanked her, grabbed his bag, and walked off… only to realize where the market district was. He didn’t want to ask the girl, because she seemed like she was tired of him… he looked around for a map or someone who knew where they were going. He was close to finding his guy… he couldn’t get lazy now.
♪♪♪
The market district was packed shoulder to shoulder. It was almost impossible for Tsukasa to breathe. People actually came here on a daily basis?! Strange shops surrounded him, selling objects he’d never heard of. Some of them had reasonable prices, whereas the others cost an arm and a leg. He kept his eyes peeled for Kamishiro and the drones, or anyone who was probably talking about them, or him in general.
He was surprised at the fact he didn’t hear many people talking about him, considering the fact he was a well-known criminal with several bounties on his head. He’d suspect that he’d have heard a few people discussing him and his whereabouts. Maybe the others just… gave up. But Tsukasa wasn’t like the others. He stood up straight and looked on with determination. He’d find Kamishiro before the day ended, he just knew he would!
The market district had multiple levels. Some of which were stores, others were houses that overlooked the market. He couldn’t imagine the hell that was living close to a place like this… it was almost impossible for him to even hear his own thoughts. And his thoughts were loud. He didn’t know which level Kamishiro would be on… would he blend in with the crowds, or be high above where he could overlook everyone? Let’s see… if Tsukasa just so happened to be one of the most-wanted criminals in the city, where would he be…
Well, he’d probab- DRONE!! Another drove flew above his head, completely interrupting his thoughts. He ran through the crowds, ignoring everyone angrily shouting at him. This thing was moving fast, and he couldn’t let it get away. This crowd was too thick… he climbed the staircase to the second level, allowing him to have a clearer path to catch this thing. The whirring of its mechanical workings was driving him insane. It was just out of his reach! He was close to Kamishiro… this close!
He was starting to get tired. He had no idea how a robot could go this fast. He was starting to get light-headed… that is, until he saw him. There he was, sitting on top of a roof. The drone went next to him and turned off, pathetically rolling around like a ball. He checked a tablet he was holding, the same blank expression that the girl before had.
One problem - Tsukasa would have to jump across a gap between the buildings. It was a decently large gap, too… the height was laughing at him, knowing how it would go for him if he missed. But Kamishiro was RIGHT THERE! He could see him!
Well. Tsukasa never expected he’d be jumping across 12 foot high gaps for a guy. Seriously, why did it have to be him? Whatever… he doesn’t really have a choice. He threw his bag over his shoulders, stepped back a few paces, jumped the fence… and flung himself over the gap. He barely made it to the other side. He was holding onto the fence by his right hand. Which was a slight problem… because Tsukasa was a leftie. He was having a hard time bringing his hand up to his right hand to pull himself up and his feet were dangling over a 12 foot drop.
Tsukasa closed his eyes and said his silent prayers. He was happy for how far he’d come in life, he wished nothing but a bright future for Saki, he loved his parents, he really, really, really, really hated that one guy who cut in front of him in the bathroom, and-
Oh. Someone helped him up.
“Give me your other hand.” The person’s voice was blank and lacked any emotions. He saw a gloved hand reach out for his left one, and he managed to get it high up enough for the person to help pull him up. After the person got him up high enough, he had enough room to push himself over the side of the fence with his feet. He fell face-first onto the patio, not giving two shits about shame.
“What the hell were you doing jumping between buildings?” The voice asked with a slight hint of… disapproval. Well, that was fair. This person did just witness him make a stupid decision. He was even trained for this kind of stuff!
“It’s a very long story… thanks, by the way. My name is Tsuka-“
Before Tsukasa could finish his introduction, he noticed that the person who helped him up was none other than Kamishiro Rui himself. He looked exactly like Tsukasa remembered… white jacket, scruffy purple hair with two teal streaks, mask covering the lower half of his face, and eyes that lacked any light… they were utterly empty.
“Your name is… Tsuka?” He raised an eyebrow at Tsukasa’s failed introduction, still sounding disappointed.
“No… my name is Tsukasa… sorry about that.” He nervously laughed, finally standing up. His mission target was standing right there. Tsukasa had a silencer in his bag, he could shoot him right here and now and be done. But he did need information on how he did what he did… so he had to refrain from violence for the time being.
“It’s fine. No need to apologize. Just don’t make any more decisions like that in the future. I might not always be there to help you.” Rui turned around with a blank expression, climbing back on top of the roof he was sitting on before. Tsukasa blushed a little… s-someone to save him… someone like Rui… he was saved… by Rui…
But that doesn’t matter! Tsukasa climbed after Rui on impulse, standing on the roof. Of course, he slipped a little, though Rui helped stabilize him. He raised an eyebrow, still unsure as to why Tsukasa was there.
“So… I just wanted to say… nice drone.” Tsukasa smiled, sitting down next to Rui. He wasn’t sure what to say next, so he just looked out onto the neon lights in the horizon.
Not even those lights reflected in Rui’s eyes… Tsukasa couldn’t help but feel bad for him. He lacked emotions… and he saved his life.
Maybe this was going to be harder than he thought.