Episode 9 - Say, Say, Say...

VoidCm: So, what is so important that you are calling me this late at night?

Envy: Sorry, sir, but you do know that the east has a different time zone...

The supreme leader was in Envy's big monitor in a video chat, clearly annoyed as it was 2am in his location.

VoidCm: What do you want?

Envy: It's about your wife's transfer to the capital.

VoidCm: So?

Envy: Is it really necessary?

VoidCm: It was not my idea, she personally said that she would go to Dennis' territory.

Envy: But why?

VoidCm: I don't know, ask her. Why are you concerned in the first place?

Envy: I just worry about my comrade.

Void: If he does his job and doesn't fail, he will have nothing to worry about.

The monitor turned off, leaving Envy in a dark and silent room.

It was a beautiful day outside, all members of Luminary were peacefully sleeping, Luiz opened both his room and living room's doors and sounded a loud air horn, waking up everyone in the process.

Paris: Luiz, what the fuck?!

Luiz: Breakfast is ready, get up and come eat.

He went back to the kitchen as all other agents got up.

Lara: Geez, I feel like I slept for ages...

Sora: Me too, I feel like I needed that...

Lara: Did Dennis abuse you that hard?

Sora: I barely had proper sleep when I was with him.

Lara and Sora looked at the bed and noticed a small mound rummaging under the blankets.

Sora: Come on, Nana, let's go.

Nana: I don't want to.

Lara: You can't sleep all day.

Nana: Yes, I can.

Sora: Come on, Nana, get out from the bed.

Nana: Make me.

The girls took off the blankets, revealing Nana in a fetal position.

Nana: That was a low blow...

Sora: If you don't get up, we will eat your part.

Nana: Fine, you got me on that one.

At the living room.

Leo: What time is it?

Delph: 1pm.

Luiz: You guys are coming or not?

Delph: Hum, shouldn't we change first?

Luiz: No need to change clothes, do it later.

Delph: But...

Luiz: The girls are already there.

The boys went to the kitchen and joined the girls on the table. It was a very big meal there, and Paris immediately sat down with eyes shining.

Leo: We should thank your father for this.

Luiz: It wasn't Dad who made this.

Nana: Wait, so you made breakfast for us?

Luiz blushed and turned around.

Luiz: O-Of course! You are my guests! So, it's my responsibility to treat you all well!

Paris: Well, you have Paris' seal of approval, this is fucking delicious!

Delph: Hum, it's way better than IBI's food, that's for sure.

Luiz: T-Thanks...

Leo: Won't you sit with us?

Luiz took a sit.

Nana: So, Sora and Delph, have you guys made any progress yesterday?

Delph: Yes, we didn't identify 100% of the moles yet, but we made a list of the first batch.

Sora: Ready, to you guys go ahead and kill.

Luiz: Sora, have you installed OSU on my PC?

Sora got stunned for a second and remembered how she spent one hour playing OSU as the other girls were preparing to sleep.

Sora: M-Me? Oh, you are being silly...

Luiz: I'm not mad at you.

Sora: Well, if I say yes, is this a bad thing?

Luiz: Gosh, no.

Lara: And how you boys spent the night.

Paris: We immediately fell asleep at the moment Luiz turned off the lights.

Nana: These airheads began to talk about Saisem and bad mouth Dennis.

Lara: Oh, but it was all true, he treated us like slaves!

Luiz: You two are in the IBI now.

Leo: Yeah, forget about them.

Delph: So, you two met before?

Lara: Sora was always called as "Dennis' bitch", always on his side, and I stopped to chat with Sora here and there. But I never expected her to be a double agent.

Sora: My cover was perfect, until you guys made me blow it.

Delph: Are you saying it was our fault?

Sora: And who else would it be?

The group started to laugh.

Leo: It's good to have the team reunited together like this, having a new member it's also great.

Sora: Yeah, feel honored to have me in your guild.

Paris: Well, another loser joins this sorry bunch.

Sora: Luiz, we don't work together since Team Balance disbanded, right?

Lara: You were on Team Balance?

Sora: Yeah, it was before I became Dennis' lap dog, me and Luiz met in a race to find an IBI agent that was taken prisoner in Italy.

Luiz: Sora...

Sora: What? If we are going to be a team, they must know about us, right?

Paris: Wait, isn't Italy a destroyed wasteland?

Sora: Well, not on the day we arrived there. I heard there was a reward for the agent that managed to rescue the captured girl, so I went there and I found this nut head.

Luiz: She saved my life.

Sora: You do remember that!

Luiz: How could I forget.

Delph: Continue the story.

Luiz: Are you guys really interested?

Nana: Can't say that I'm not.

Leo: Yeah, go on! After, we can start haunting the moles.

The streets of Rome, a once beautiful city that was now under control of Saisem, the guards were on the ground, motionless, as Luiz backed out a little bit, stunned with what just happened.

Sora: Boy, am I glad to see a friendly face!

Luiz: Oh... Hi...

Sora: Hey, I know you! You are the Commander's apprentice!

Luiz completely ignored her and moved on, much to Sora's dismay, but she quickly caught up to him.

Sora: Sooooo, did you come for the reward too?

Luiz: No.

Sora: Don't bullshit me, for what else reason would you be here in Italy?

Luiz: I am trying to rescue the captured agent, but not for the reward.

Sora: So why?

Luiz was clearly annoyed by her questions.

Luiz: If I answer your questions, will you scram?

Sora: No promises.

Sora made a smug smile and Luiz sighed.

Luiz: I know the captured agent.

Sora: Like, you two are friends?

Luiz: Coworkers.

Sora: Well, you won't get any friends with that attitude.

Luiz: We were investigating a Saisem super terrorist that plans to overthrow VoidCm, but his plan might be worse than that.

Sora: By our tone, I guess that his plan might put the whole world in danger.

Luiz: You could be right and that's what I fear...

Sora: So, let's do it this way, I'll help you rescue your friend and I get the reward for finding her.

Luiz: And why do you think I need your help?

Sora: Well, you clearly had a blade by your neck back there.

Luiz: That's because I got my powers recently, I'm still getting used to them.

Sora: That's one more reason to have me around!

Luiz stopped for a second and she looked at him with a silly, yet determinate, face.

Luiz: Fine.

Sora: So where are you going?

Luiz: I got her location, she is locked in the poor part of the city.

Sora: So, let's race?

Sora went on ahead running, leaving Luiz behind. He looked at her disappearing for a second, smiled and started to run.

Sora: And that's how we met, the rest it's just a long story.

Sora looked at the group that were basically looking at her like kids waiting for the rest of a bedtime story.

Paris: It's over already?

Luiz: You won't want to know the rest.

Sora: After we saved the world and the team disbanded, I was signed to be an undercover secretary of the White King Dennis and Luiz continued with his...

Before she finished her sentence, Sora noticed Luiz looking at her, clearly concerned with her next words.

Sora: ...with his other solo missions.

She winked at him and he sighed in relief, Nana looked at both, it was clear that she was about to say something else but preferred to stop.

Luiz' cell phone started to ring and he left the table.

Lara: Moving on, who is going to kill the moles. I volunteer for that.

Delph: Yeah, me too.

Leo: Delph, you should stay here with Sora, as much as your powers are useful in combat, you are better in the tech area.

Delph: You aren't wrong... I just don't like to be on the bench.

Leo: You are not on the bench, finding the rest of the moles is important.

Delph: Well, Leo, if you think that, I have no issues with it.

Sora and Delph left the table and went to the bedroom.

Nana: What about me?

Leo: You will take some double agents yourself.

Lara: We should go on teams, just to be careful.

Leo: Good, so I'll go with you, Lara, and Nana will team up with Paris and Luiz.

Luiz: I have to be absent from the double agent's killing, the commander called from the HQ.

Leo: What did he want?

Luiz: Master and apprentice stuff, too much to explain, but Paris is coming with me.

Lara: Why Paris? Isn't there a risk of a trap?

Luiz: Me and Paris make a good attack team, besides, the commander also wishes to speak to him.

Paris' ears perked up.

Luiz: So, go take a shower and get ready.

Paris: All right.

Paris was concerned on why the commander wanted to talk to him, what could he possibly want? They never even exchanged more than a few words.

Nana: You are leaving me alone on this one?

Luiz: You're a big girl, you can take care of yourself.

He left and Paris went after him.

Leo: Well, he is right on this one, as a Dragon you are naturally stronger than everyone else.

Lara: Also, aren't you happy that you won't have to stick with Luiz.

Nana: Of course I am, but going alone on this one annoys me as traps could happen.

Leo: You can do it.

Nana: If you say so...

Somewhere in the corners of Europe, Dennis was standing in a ghost and destroyed village, the gray cloudy sky above him and the dreadful silence giving spooky vibes as the wind was howling and the crows were doing bird noises.

Dennis: So, this is the place... Are you sure you can pull this off?

A boy dressed in black approached Dennis, slowly and looking around.

I2une: Are you really going to pay me for this, I could be delivering pizzas right now.

Dennis: You will be well paid for this service.

I2une: If you say so...

The pizza boy remained silent for some minutes, checking the place, looking at the sky.

Dennis: So?

I2une: It will take some time, but it's possible.

He grabbed his hood tightly and took a sit on the ground, starting some kind of ritual. Some dark purple energy began to roll around the pizza boy as Dennis left out a sinister smile.

In the commander's room, in the IBI HQ, Luiz and Paris entered and quickly locked the door.

Commander: My, you two look horrible.

Luiz: We stumbled upon some double agents on the way.

Commander: Oh yes, you told me about this mole situation. Paris, isn't it?

Paris: Yeah.

Luiz bumped his elbow on Paris.

Paris: Oh, sorry, I mean Yes, sir!

Commander: I called you here because our enemy finally made a move, a move that has some personal relation to you, Paris.

Paris: Wait, haven't you and Luiz got stuff to discuss?

Luiz: No, for some reason this has to do with your backstory, something that you chose not to share with the Team, so I tried some discretion.

Paris: Wait, how did you...

Luiz: You can't fool me, Paris, I know about your... "Internal Corruption". Besides, the commander figured out your deal way before me.

Paris: You know about...

Luiz: I only know about the characteristics of your powers, your backstory; it's only a secret between you and the commander.

Paris: But I didn't tell him anything!

Commander: Kid, I'm one of the commanders of the International Bureau of Investigation, I know everything about my agents. But rest assured, if you chose not to reveal anything about you, I won't do it either.

Paris felt angry and confronted at the same time, he tried his best to keep everything about him under the radar, yet these two guys knew exactly what he was trying to hide. He looked down and then looked at Luiz that was at the commander's side, both of them with cold looks at Paris.

Luiz: You must understand that we are not judging you, but Dennis read our minds, he knows all our weak points.

Commander: And now he magically appears at your home village.

Paris: My what?!

It's like they were dealing with an entire different person. Paris, that was always calm, cool and happy, with his easy-going demeanor, was now angry, desperate and serious, with a voice tone so full of rage that it seemed like he was about to snap.

Commander: Calm down, agent.

Paris lets out a sigh of frustration and runs his hand through his hair. He points his sword at the commander glaring coldly at him with red and gold eyes. Feeling betrayed.

Luiz steps in front of the commander, his hands on giant mode, glowing with blue energy.

Commander: Apprentice, I can take care of myself.

Luiz: I'm aware of that, master.

The commander sighs and looks at Paris.

Commander: Paris, I'm sorry that I've kept this from you. But this is how we handle potential moles, and you've just now seen what that leads to.

Paris: Even so, you should've known my character by the time I finished the trials. You could've asked me about my past, no matter the potential threat I could become. Now you've lost a bit of my trust.

Paris glares at Luiz.

Paris: You too friend.

Luiz sighs and puts his hands back to normal.

Luiz: You don't have to trust us. You don't have to stay here in IBI. But we need to know all we can about everything in order to win this war. But, I'm sorry too, Paris.

Paris puts down his blade and sheathes it.

Paris: Alright.

Commander: Nevertheless, are you feeling better now?

Paris: Yes... Sorry... It was disrespectful of me...

Commander: As you are Luiz' friend, I'll let this incident slide.

Paris: Did he really, discovered...

Commander: Your old village in the middle of nowhere? Yes, he is there right now. As it is part of Saisem's territory, I couldn't care less, but since it's related to one of the agents of the very team that is directly attacking the White King, I couldn't just ignore it.

Luiz: He is also there with a necromancer wizard.

Paris: ...

Commander: Your next mission it's to fly there and discover what Dennis is plotting.

Luiz: Master, with all respect, I don't think we are ready to face Dennis.

Commander: Now, that's new, you faced countless enemies in the past, even when you didn't have powers, why would Dennis be different?

Luiz: He is a telepath, in the moment he grabs us with his mind, it's over. There's also his diamond wall powers.

Commander: I am sure you and your team will find a way to overcome that. Now, you two are dismissed.

Paris and Luiz were walking on the hallways, going to the exit to return to the safe house.

Paris: Luiz, I'm...

Luiz: It's cool.

Paris: But I...

Luiz: I said it's cool.

Paris: Well, are we going to take the big ship?

Luiz: Yes, I asked Phill to find a new energy source to avoid the stealth mode cooldown.

Paris: And he did it?

Luiz: Yeah.

Paris: When are we leaving?

Luiz: Tomorrow, the team it's still not in it's full force, so we all need another good proper night of resting.

Back at Paris' village, it was already dark when Dennis and his troops prepared their camp, he took another look at the window of his deluxe tent, just to see I2une still making the ritual.

Dennis: What is taking him so long...?

A little boy using witch clothing approached Dennis, he was drinking Milkshake while holding a broom on his left hand.

Rin: Be patient, dude.

Dennis: It's not "dude", it's "your majesty".

Rin: Yea, yeah, whatever. The process you asked the pizza boy it's too big, considering he is not working with human energy, but dragon's, he is going very well.

Dennis: Are you absolutely sure this will work?

Rin: Do you think that I got my magical degree in some puny weak magical school in England? I'm the best there is when it comes to Dark magic.

Dennis: So why don't you do this yourself, girl.

Rin: First, I'm a boy. Second, necromancy it's not part of my stuff, but I know that it will help your master plan, "oh, great, handsome and powerful, white king Dennis".

Later that night, back in the safe house, Luiz and Paris arrived and noticed everyone playing video-game in the living room.

Leo: You two took a while to arrive.

Paris: We were ambushed by double agents. Again.

Luiz: How did your hunt go?

Leo: Me and Lara cleaned our list, she killed 90% of them.

Lara: I didn't have fun like that in ages.

Nana: I also cleaned my list, not thanks to you.

Paris: Sorry, Nana...

Lara: Don't worry about that, the commander's orders are always a priority. At least there are less moles to kill tomorrow.

Luiz: Well, about that... Dad, can you give us some privacy?

Luiz' dad, who was watching TV with the rest of the group, understood what his son meant and quickly left, closing the living room's door.

Luiz: Tomorrow we are leaving on a mission.

Nana: To where exactly?

Paris: ...

Leo: Paris, are you all right?

Luiz: Paris, for the sake of tomorrow's mission, we all need to know about your unknown backstory.

Paris: I know that.

Lara: But you don't have to tell us if you don't want to.

Paris: No... It's necessary...

The painful image of a whole village on fire pierced through Paris' mind.

Leo: Since you are sure of it, go ahead.

The last memory about the one he loved, dying in front of him...

Paris: All right, I'll tell you... Tell you about the day... I lost everything.