Infiltration

A woman, luggage in hand, stood atop an observation deck in Narita Airport. Her dark brown hair tied in a ponytail blew in the daytime breeze, along with her long, black cape and the lanyard around her neck with an ID card attached. On the card was the Cover Corp. logo with the name "J" on it. The sunlight reflected off of the woman's sleek, dark shades. Spotting the black dome of tentacles in the distance, she knew this was the real deal. She pulled out her phone from her burgundy pants and dialed the number of her employers.

"It's me. I just arrived at Tokyo. If there's any way you could reach Jenna or Emma, tell them J-chad's coming."

-

Green light illuminated Kaworu's hospital room. Looking out the window, Mori stared up at the moon, which seemed to get closer and closer everyday. Harder to ignore, the reaper watched as the surface of massive object convulse ever so slightly. Mori felt her breath catch in her throat, the same feeling of dread creeping up her back. She looked away, back to the boy, sleeping peacefully in bed.

"You alright, Calli?" Kiara sat next to her, noticing the change in the reaper's expression.

"It's nothing," Mori shook her head. "It's just...the moon."

The phoenix peered up at the floating mass. "You too, huh?"

"What?"

"It's been moving, right?"

"So I'm not crazy," the reaper chuckled. "That's a relief."

"I didn't want to tell anyone about it. I'm glad I'm not the only one."

"It's been getting closer."

"Right?" Kiara nodded.

"Not only that, I get a bad feeling whenever I look at it."

The phoenix gripped her knees. "Ever since that thing's been up there, I've noticed that something is wrong. I don't know how to describe it, like there's something out of place everywhere we go."

"The same feeling you get from that girl you're looking for?"

Kiara shook her head.

"No. It's something completely different."

Mori watched as the phoenix placed a hand against her forehead, unmistakeable discomfort in her face.

"Are you alright, Takanashi-san?" the two heard Kaworu say.

Kiara snapped up, dismissing the feeling as if she never experienced it. A soft smile spread across her face as she assured Kaworu nothing was out of the ordinary. Concern was painted on the boy's face. He looked up at the moon outside the window, attracted by its luminescence. Fixed on it, Mori could see the boy shiver. Having enough of it, she reached over and jerked the curtains shut.

Realizing what happened, the boy shook his head, coming back to his senses. "Sorry, I don't know what just came over me."

The reaper waved her hand dismissively. "It's alright, Kaworu-kun."

"What are you two doing here so early?" the boy asked, yawning.

"To visit, of course."

He smiled. "Well, it's nice to see you two again. It's still dark out, huh?"

Mori nodded, with grim expression.

The boy looked worried. "When will it be day again? It feels like it's been nighttime forever."

"Don't worry," Kiara assured, "once we defeat the bad guys, everything will go back to normal."

"Right," the reaper agreed, her lips spreading into a soft smile. "We'll save the city in no time."

Kaworu nodded. "That's great. I just hope it gets sunny soon, before-"

A violent cough interrupted the young boy and he shot up from bed, covering his mouth. For a few seconds he stayed in that state, to both Mori and Kiara's concern. He reached for a water bottle on top of a bedside table with a shaky hand. His coughs ceased after a few sips and he collapsed back into bed. The reaper looked especially troubled, noticing the boy was weak.

"Are you alright, kid?"

"Yeah...I'm fine, just a little cough, that's all."

Kiara shook her head. "That didn't sound like a little cough to me. Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine, I promise. The doctors said I was just a little sick, probably because of what happened."

"Those monsters..." Mori clenched her fists, unable to imagine the torment the young boy was in while he was held hostage by the cult.

She felt the young boy's hand on top of hers, snapping her out of her anger. Kaworu looked up at her with a weak smile. "It's alright, Mori-san. I'm safe here now."

The reaper nodded, holding on to his hand. "I'll stop the bad guys, Kaworu-kun. I promise."

"Same here, we won't give up," Kiara grinned.

"Thanks, you two."

The three heard a knock at the door. Standing in the white light pouring from outside was Jenna.

"It's time to head out," the manager announced.

"I think I'm gonna get some rest now."

Mori nodded. "See you later, kid."

"Sweet dreams," Kiara waved.

-

Coco stared up at the dilapidated warehouse she and her men arrived at. Closing the door behind her, she stepped up onto the curb to get a closer look. Some windows overhead were smashed, shards of glass scattered on the concrete. The chairman knew that the city made it a rule to always keep their streets clean and seeing the mess of trash and broken glass all over the floor suggested to her that the damage was done recently. She could only assume it was caused during the pandemonium that ensued during the first day the dome appeared. The abandoned appearance of the area had the side effect of also creating an uneasy atmosphere. The night chill and the darkness did little to mitigate that feeling. Jenna and the other two approached, standing right beside Coco.

"So this is the place, huh?"

"Yup. All the rumors about the cult have pointed towards this place. Though I have to say, did they really think it was a good idea to set up base in a place as shady as this?"

Jenna chuckled. "Well, it makes our job easier."

Kiara shivered behind them. "It's freezing out here. This place gives me the creeps."

Mori shrugged. "Eh, I've been to scarier. D'you know how fucked up it is down in the underworld? Trust me, compared to there, this place is heaven."

"Oi," Coco raised her voice, grabbing the attention of her men. "I want a guarded perimeter around this place. Make sure nothing comes in and nothing comes out. Understood?"

"Yes, Kaichou!" the yakuza members replied.

"Shall we, ladies?" Jenna gestured towards the door.

Kiara tried to turn the handle, but it would not budge. The phoenix turned to Mori and she understood what needed to be done. Side-by-side, the two raised their legs and jabbed at the door in unison. The pair's sheer, combined power sent the door flying from its hinges, letting light into the darkness inside. The four walked inside, seeing the warehouse was dimly lit by the moon's light seeping in from the windows. The place had been abandoned for what looked to be years, Mori seeing dust shining as it floated in front of the windows overhead. The four split up, Coco and Jenna looking elsewhere. Kiara stuck close to Mori as they searched around for anything that could give them a hint as to where they could find anything. While the two poked around a spot with rows of steel racks, Kiara heard a shrill squeak. Looking down, she spotted a rodent near her feet. She let out a suppressed scream, jumping and wrapping around the reaper's arm. Startled by the sudden warmth, Mori also yelped as the rat scurried elsewhere.

"Anything wrong over there?" Mori heard Jenna call, assuming that she heard the commotion.

"N-nothing!" Mori replied.

The reaper looked down at Kiara, who was still holding on the her arm. "Get a hold of yourself," Mori whispered.

"I-I'm sorry. D'you mind if I hold on a little longer, I'm not the biggest fan of rats."

The reaper sighed, blushing. "Fine."

"Hey, I think I found something!" Coco announced.

The four reconvened next to an entrance to an underground basement. The chairman and the manager pulled the doors open to see a staircase leading into a dark abyss. A metallic, ozone-like smell hit the four, knocking them back. Kiara covered both her face and nose, but the scent was overwhelming, as if it was trapped in there for years and escaped its pitch-black tomb.

Coco waved away the air in front of her. "Damn, that smells horrible..."

"Don't tell me that's..." Mori began, but could not bring herself to finish.

"Only one way to find out..." Jenna stepped onto the stairs.

"Wait, let me take the lead," the reaper produced a pink flame from her fingertips. "I'll light the way."

"In that case, I'll be right behind you," a fireball rested on Kiara's palm, partially illuminating the area around them.

The three made their way down the staircase, which stretched down for a distance that surprised the four. Mori was instantly reminded of the path to Cthulhu's throne room. The recollection of the memory succeeded in keeping the reaper on her toes. They reached the bottom, finding themselves in a hallway. Jail cells lined both sides of the hall. The metallic stench permeated the room, palpable to the point it could be tasted. The four tried to maintain their composure, continuing onward. Going deeper into the hall, Mori's ears caught a sound. She stopped, the others following her.

"What's up?" Jenna asked.

Mori shushed her. "D'you hear that?"

Kiara paused, looking around. She could faintly hear the sound the reaper mentioned. It sounded like it was in pain. A guttural moan made the phoenix's blood run cold.

"Did I just hear a moan?"

"I heard it too," Coco concurred. "What the fuck is it?"

"Well, only one way to find out..." Mori gestured ahead.

The four continued to walk forward. The smell was getting to be unbearable for Kiara, but she knew she had to keep going. Covering her mouth with one hand and keeping the flame ignited with the other, she glanced around, hoping to find the source of the noise. The moans grew louder, convincing her that they were getting close. Passing by another cell, Kiara heard the moan right beside her before it stopped. The phoenix turned to her right, stopping while the others continued ahead.

Peering into the black cell, Kiara stepped in closer to get a better look. Out of the darkness, something shot out of the darkness, wrapping around the phoenix's neck. She gasped for air as she was raised from the ground. She tried to pry herself free, feeling the slimy texture of a tentacle against her fingers. She attempted to claw it and she succeeded in scratching some flesh off with her nails, but the wounds grew back as fast as she inflicted them. She screamed for help, tried to, at least. The lack of oxygen reduced her screams to dry heaves.

Mori turned around, checking on the others. She noticed Kiara missing and told the two. From the silence the reaper heard a strained cry. Her eyes widening, she bolted for it, running back the other way. The flame intensifying in her hand, Mori saw Kiara being strangled by a tentacle. She shouted her name, the phoenix turning to her with relief on her face. Before the reaper could summon her scythe, Jenna shot forward with one of her golden knives. She jumped forward, slicing the blade down on the appendage that held Kiara. Mori caught the phoenix, unwrapping the tentacle from her neck. She coughed for a moment, the cut limb writhing on the floor.

"Kiara, are you alright?" Mori asked, the phoenix still coughing in her arms.

Kiara nodded. "I...I'm ok. Thanks for saving me."

The reaper sighed in relief. "Tell us when you think you found something. Don't scare me like that again, please."

The phoenix saw the worry plastered on Mori's face. "Sorry, I'll make sure to look out next time."

"What the hell is that?" the two saw Coco backing away from the cell.

Jenna gasped, grabbing Mori and Kiara's attention. They looked up at the cell where the tentacle came out. Something lunged out from the dark with such ferocious speed, slamming against the bars of the cell. The two jumped back, hitting the cell on the other side. Slowly getting to her feet, Mori saw what had attacked Kiara.

The creature that had made itself known to the four was hideous. The reaper could only describe it as a ball of flesh and exposed muscle supported by four goat legs. More legs hung from the monster's bottom, albeit smaller than the main ones. Mouths of various sizes covered the entirety of the creature, all sharp-toothed. One of the mouths drooled on the bars that confined it. Tentacles of different lengths sprouted from the top of the monster. Most of them clung to the bars, like it was attempting to break out. It roared with a wet gurgle, snarling at the two in front of it. Mori looked behind her, seeing another one of the monsters asleep, the commotion making it stir awake.

"Look out!" Kiara shouted, pushing the reaper out of another tentacle's grasp.

The two rolled away, getting to their feet. Looking all around them, the roars of the creatures echoed across the hallway.

"Looks like nap time's over, huh?" Coco remarked.

"Let's get the hell out of here," Mori suggested.

Jenna nodded. "Agreed. Take out your weapons everyone, it's gonna be rough from here on out."

"You gonna be ok, Kiara?" the reaper asked

The phoenix summoned her sword. "Let's do this."

As they began to run to the other side of the hallway, tentacles started to appear on their left and right. Coco sliced many of them with her zatoichi before they could get close enough to grab. Jenna's speed allowed her to cut them before they could even expect it. Mori served as their guide, lighting the way while the others protected her. Her scythe was too long and needed precision that could not be achieved by running. Kiara pointed her blade forward, telling the others to move away before sending an orange beam through the sword, blasting the tentacles emerging from one side of the cells and reducing them to ash. Using the light from the phoenix's fire, Jenna positioned her knives into a cross and shot a golden laser, burning the tentacles on the other side.

"Damn, how long is this fucking hallway?" Mori shouted.

"Keep going, it's gotta end soon!" Coco replied, slicing another tentacle.

They reached a set of double doors, a sight the reaper was glad to see. She kicked the doors open and ran inside, the three following behind her. Mori stopped in her tracks, realizing they were somewhere else. The glow of green fire in lantern hanging from the walls was the only thing brightening the room. Black pews were on both side of a middle path leading to an altar. Mori concluded this place was most likely a church where the cult worshipped. Complete silence flooded the room as the double doors closed behind them. The reaper spotted a peculiar statue sitting atop the altar, one resembling the monsters they escaped. However, this creature lacked any legs and had more tentacles covering its body.

"This place was one of the many churches my ancestors worshipped, long ago," the four heard a woman speak.

There was a woman standing at the front of the table, wearing a long, black dress. Her face was obscured by a hood, though the group could see her emerald eyes from the shadow cast on her face.

"Who are you?" Jenna asked.

"The leader of this fine church."

"So you're the head honcho of the Church of the Dark Mother, huh? What was your name...Sister Havoc?" Coco held her blade at her side.

"Correct. I believe you're here to stop me? I heard about what you four did in Asakusa."

"That's right," Mori confirmed, "We're here to stop your little dome project."

Havoc sighed. "I will never understand the ignorance of the masses. All you see is fear from change when in fact only peace and happiness is coming."

Kiara raised a brow. "Peace and happiness? Trapping people and separating them from their families is happiness to you?"

"Once our mother comes, they will have no need for family. We are all the children of the Dark Mother, after all."

"Then if everyone is that thing's mother, then why would you sacrifice her children?" Mori questioned.

"I assume you're talking about that young boy."

The reaper's grip on her scythe tightened. "I'll never forgive you bastards for what you did to him."

"That young boy was allied with those heathens in the Order of the Crawling Chaos."

The group's eyes widened. "Huh?" Kiara asked.

"That's right. His father was a high ranking member. He would've been a good offering to our mother."

"So Kaworu-kun's dad was part of the Order..." Jenna muttered.

"I don't give a shit where he comes from," Mori growled, "you monsters still tried to kill a kid."

"If you're worried that we're coming for him, then don't. Our final plan is coming to fruition, we don't need anymore sacrifices. Soon, the Black Mother of a Thousand Young will descend upon the Earth and rain judgement on all nonbelievers, including you four."

"So that's your plan, to summon your goddess?" Jenna asked.

"Precisely. The first rites of her descent began a week ago."

"When the dome covered Tokyo..." Coco muttered.

"In the coming weeks she will arrive on this plane of existence. She will wipe out this world and create a new one where her subjects can live in peace and harmony."

Mori shook her head. "You're crazy."

Havoc glared at the reaper. "I don't take lectures from filthy nonbelievers. The Dark Mother will make short work of this planet and there's nothing you and the Order can do about it."

"We'll see about that," Kiara lunged for the cultist but her blade went through her body like she was cutting a cloud.

The woman chuckled. "I'd love to stay, but the next sequence of the ritual is beginning shortly. Hope you enjoy. Oh, be sure to watch out for the Dark Young while you go out. They're our mother's children, more deadly and ferocious than us. You know what else? They can regrow themselves and multiply with even the smallest tentacle cut off from their bodies. Our mother truly has the gift of creating magnificent, beautiful life."

Havoc disappeared. A loud ramming sound from behind them interrupted the silence. A myriad of roars could be heard from behind the double doors, which were beginning to dent. Mori knew they would not hold for long.

"How many tentacles did we cut?" Kiara asked, frantically looking at each of them.

"How the hell should I know?" Mori shot back, looking as nervous as the phoenix.

"Shit, we need to get out of here, and fast!" Coco shouted.

"I have a feeling we won't be leaving the same way we came in," Jenna watched as the door began to break from its hinges.

The chairman looked around and her eyes were drawn to a door next to the altar. "There! Let's go through there and find an exit."

Kiara grabbed Coco's shoulder. "We can't just leave this place, those monsters might get out!"

"And how are you going to do that?"

"I have an idea. You go ahead and find a way back up. Tell your men to find something to torch the place as fast as you can. Calli, Jenna, we're going to hold them off here. Once they get through those doors, we're gonna give them hell."

Mori nodded. "I like the way you think."

"Alright, so that's the plan. I'll be going now. Good luck, hero."

"Thanks."

"Guys!" Jenna shouted as Coco left, "They're getting through!"

"Got it!" Kiara and Mori readied their weapons.

Jenna backed up, preparing her knives. The doors finally had enough and toppled to the side, allowing the monsters to come in. The three charged up their beams and fired onto the droves of creatures. Their combined power sliced through them, decimating their numbers. More and more came through, but were immediately obliterated by the beams. Jenna and Mori's lasers stopped and they turned to Kiara with worried looks as more monsters were coming through. The phoenix dropped her blade, running towards the doorway.

"Kiara!" Mori shouted.

"Don't worry, I've got this!"

As the monsters neared, the phoenix took in a large breath. When she breathed out an inferno erupted from her mouth, incinerating the incoming creatures. The dancing flames reduced them to nothing. Kiara kept breathing fire for fifteen seconds before the fire died down. What was left in the room were the charred remains of the monsters and seeing this, Kiara collapsed, falling to her knees. Mori and Jenna helped her up.

"What's wrong?" Jenna asked.

"T-that attack is draining. I only ever use it if I need to."

"Well, it sure as hell worked," Mori chuckled.

"C'mon, let's go," the manager supported Kiara on her shoulder.

Entering the door, the three found an escape ladder. The hatch was open at the top, Coco peaking down it.

"You three alright?" the chairman called out.

"We're fine!" Jenna confirmed. "We could use some help down here!"

After successfully bringing Kiara back to the surface, the other two climbed out. Mori was never as glad to breath fresh air as she was the moment she sat on the curb. Kiara sat next to her, leaning her head against her shoulder. Normally, the reaper would brush her away but this time she appreciated the warmth. Jenna approached the two, sitting on the curb beside them.

"I need to talk to Kaworu-kun," Mori started.

The manager nodded. "Yeah, we need to find out what he knows about the Order. Emma could use the info."

Kiara sighed. "To think that he was involved with the cults."

"I don't think for a second he was working with them. He told us his father was away most of the time, remember?"

"He could've been lying," Jenna suggested.

"He's not the type of kid who'd do that," Mori shot down the proposition immediately.

"Well, let's deal with all that later. We're gonna need to find out about this summoning the Church is planning."

"Didn't the leader say something was going to happen soo-"

The ground rumbled beneath their feet. The entire world around them shook with great force and magnitude. Mori stood up, looking around her. Her stomach dropped when she saw what was going on in the distance. Four massive pillars rose from the ground, rising high into the air, higher than most of the skyscrapers in Tokyo. The reaper saw buildings near the pillars collapse, toppling over to the side. She could only imagine the damage and the terror people felt as the world fell down around them. Kiara covered her mouth.

When the shaking stopped, all that remained were the four pillars and the destruction left in their wake. Other than the unforgiving howling of the wind, the world went silent. Up in the sky, the moon was larger than Mori had ever seen before. Everyone could now see the white surface of the moon with clarity. The reaper could hear screams coming from some of Coco's men. The entire group was floored, shocked to silence. Mori felt an overwhelming dread.

The moon had a mouth.

And it was smiling at them.