Execution Of A Doubtful Plan

Mitsuya has been telling Himura his story for the past 30 minutes or so. Not once has he gotten off topic , or even smiled like he usually does. This is a serious matter , and to him it demands serious attention. Himura himself has been listening attentively , never once stopping to interrupt Mitsuya. When Mitsuya is done , he begins to ask his questions. Himura falls to the floor where Mitsuya is still sitting and crosses his legs. He lights another cigarette and blew out a big cloud of smoke. For a few moments there is silence while Mitsuya eagerly awaits his response.

" So the dark magic that was supposed to amplify your magic involved a sacrifice , unknown to you ?" He stares questioningly at Misuya , who nods his head.

" You somehow got the incantation wrong , and that's how Kaoru lost her eyesight , and your magic weakened instead of getting stronger ?" Mitsuya nods his head again. He opens his mouth and says something.

" Ever since that day I haven't used my magic. It can't really do much anyways ," he lets out a deep breath. " I've been relying on the martial arts skills that I learned at the Academy to survive in case there was any danger." Himura looks as if he understands now , but continues to ask questions.

" For the past two years , have you ever tried to search for the people who burned down the Orphanage , or tried to find out if that girl , or any of the other children had escaped ?"

" No sir , but I did go back to the Orphanage once. All that was there was ash and rubble. No signs of life, only burnt fragments of what once stood there. The dust had not yet cleared. I searched the scene for hours , only to find nothing. It indeed was a lost cause." He lowers his head in disappointment , and sniffles.

" Okay , I have one final question. How did you meet Mr. Akazi ? And does he know anything about your magic ?" Himura looks at him seriously.

Mitsuya takes a deep breath , then explains the situation "When I came to Tokyo, I needed to find a job. I've been gambling at his bar for about 2 years now because it was an easy way to make money. Somehow he deduced that I was a mage , but instead of exposing me , he offered that Kaoru and I stay at his old family home instead of moving from place to place.I told him everything , but he and his wife continued to support us. He never introduced us to his kids , though."

Himura sighs and stands up. " Well , this sure makes our plan harder. We can't hope to infiltrate the Organization unless your powers are at peak condition."

Mitsuya looks up at him - " So what are we going to do about it ?"

Himura stands there as if a stream of thoughts just flowed in his mind. " Well first, we have to try to get your powers back. The plan can't succeed unless you have them." He stands in silence for several more moments before saying " After we find a way to get them back , you will infiltrate the Mage's Academy. Are you up to it ?"

Mitsuya looks at him absurdly- " I'm sure that you've thought this through and all , but why do I have to go back to school."

" All mages must attend the Mage's Academy to hone their skills and abilities for the coming future. It is a very efficient way to prepare one for any coming obstacles involving magic. But most importantly of all , it helps to guarantee that they've had a permanent position within the Mage's Society. Plus , you only have formal education up until 6th grade, if you remember , because you skipped once." He observes Mitsuya's face. " I know what you're thinking. You won't be infiltrating the Japanese Academy. Even though your records were probably erased from the Organization here , there may still be higher ups who know of your existence. They might still be searching for you to this day."

Mitsuya folds his arms as if he is in deep thought - " So where am I going then ?"

" It's simple , I've already planned everything out. You will attend the Mage's Academy located in

The West. The chances that you either get America , Germany , Italy or the United Kingdom are high. It should work out for you because all mages should be fluent in English from a young age. Plus , your mixed heritage should help you pass as a commoner."

Mitsuya's face changes again , as if he is questioning something. " What do you mean by mixed heritage ? I'm only Japanese."

Himura sighs , and slaps his hand on his forehead. " Has it not occurred to you yet how you look. You're telling me that you really don't know that your mom is half European. French , specifically." Mitsuya had forgotten how his mom looked. More than that , it had been ages since he had seen a mirror. His brown hair and brown eyes and fluid complexion should have been an instant reminder of his heritage. He looks down at his hands and says in a shocked voice - " IM WHAT !!! HAS MY ENTIRE LIFE BEEN ONE BIG LIE ???!!!" Himura sighs loudly - " Kids these days." He continues with the plan .

" Anyways , while you and I are away in America , Mayuri will stay here with your sister. They'll have even more company when the baby arrives." He smiles slightly , but then returns to his serious tone , " Are still following ?"

" Wait , so our plan is to infiltrate the Organization alone ? We'll need a lot more help to do that. And there's only two of us."

" Mitsuya , I don't think you comprehend. This plan has been in place ever since your mother was killed. Mages within the Organization have always felt conflicted with some of its practices , but many never had the courage to leave until I did it. Some of my close colleagues are still in the Organization to this day. Due to tireless planning , we have agents at all 6 mage schools located in the West. So there is a high chance that you will be accepted into one of those , where we can keep a watchful eye. If we manage to take one school , then the Organization branch of that nation , then all of our chess pieces will fall into play. When we finally take over all of the Organizations , we'll try our best to reform them for more democratic and moralistic practices. And if we fail , then we'll regroup and try again. It isn't in the nature of the mage to give up when things prove difficult."

Mitsuya is amazed by Himura in this moment but doesn't choose to show it. The situation is important now , so he chooses to act more mature. But deep down , he is is awe of the man standing in front of him.

" Why exactly are you specifically trying to change the Organization. It seems as if you were fine already there ?"

Himura sighs and turns his back to Mitsuya. " That's a good question , kid. My great grandfather was orphaned during WWII. He was adopted by the Tsubasa Family after the bombing of Hiroshima , and since then had been a part of the Mage's Society. He got his education there , and met his future wife there. When my grandfather died , he passed his position onto my father , but he became consumed by greed and power. Needless to say , I didn't have a very good childhood. My mom died when I was young. When my father died , I took his place in the Organization. My great grandfather had groomed me since a young age to be a person with morals , an upstanding character. He knew that the Organization was wrong in its ways , and tried his best to reform it. In the end he could not , and died thinking of himself as a failure. On his deathbed , he encouraged me to try my best to change the world for the better , and find a way for mages to live peacefully with humans. Since then , I've made it my life goal. I couldn't accomplish that without leaving first. When I heard about your mother , I decided that I had to put the plan in motion. For her two children , and for myself. And I'll have to do it soon. My daughter shouldn't grow up in a world like this , nor should you and Kaoru." He turns back to Mitsuya - " Do you understand ?"

Mitsuya stares at him for a few seconds before answering. He stands up and pats the dust from his pants. " Yes , I understand. I've come to the decision. I will help you achieve your goal."

" I mean , you didn't really have an option. But thank you." Himura smiles at him.

Mitsuya walks up to him until they are face to face. But Himura is still looking down at him. " If we're going to do this , we have to get my magic back first. How are we going to do that ?"

Himura puts his hand to his chin , as if he is thinking of something very important. " Well , because we don't yet know the nature of the dark magic that you used , I guess the best option would be to give you artificial powers using a sacred incantation. But because we don't know the nature of the spell that your dad put on you , or how to counteract the dark magic , there is a high probability that you'll become weak again in less than a year. And Kaoru's sight won't return."

Mitsuya clenches his fists and gives Himura a determined look. " Then let's do it. Right now." Himura glances off to the side. " Wwweeellllll , about that. I can't perform the incantation on my own." Mitsuya ' are you serious' face comes into play. " WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T DO IT !!!???"

Himura sighs and stretches his arms " You see , I'm not very skilled in incantations. And even with the knowledge of them that I have right now , certain incantations that are supposed to give magic could be considered either forbidden magic or creational magic. IF it were to push you far enough , I'd say I would be on the verge of using dark magic. And we can't let that happen , because a sacrifice might be needed , such as in your case." He puts his index finger in the air , as if he has had an idea. " There is one person who can do it though."

Mitsuya's face lights up - " Who is it ? We have to find them."

" That's gonna be kind of hard. There's a student who I went to the Mage's Academy in Paris with. Mayomi Irisuki was a smart girl , and always carried me on group assignments. Like me , she shared interest in reforming the Organization. She was supposed to be apart of our plan , and had been stationed at the district in Osaka under my orders. However , she somehow got kidnapped by the government , and is currently being held in a secret base here in Tokyo. She may be getting tortured as we speak."

" How do you know that she's still alive ?" Mitsuya asks.

" Since she was captured she's been keeping secret communication , waiting for me to rescue her. The point is , if we can help her escape from where she's being held , she could use her skills to perfect the incantation and give you artificial powers in preparation for the infiltration." He takes the cigarette out of his hand and crushes it. " If we hope to succeed , we should probably leave tonight. That's why we could get her out without causing any trouble."

" But where is she being held ?"

" In one of her communications she mentioned that she was near an abandoned train station. The only government facility that I can think of that area is the Sanitation Factory , but that hasn't been used for years. Worst case scenario is that they're hiding her underground. So frankly , I don't know."

Mitsuya thinks for a moment , then puts his head up enthusiastically. " I have an idea. Let's us Kaoru." Himura stares at him confusingly. " Here , I'll explain it to you in simple terms. Kaoru's craft deals with the senses. Even though she no longer is able to see , her heightened senses make up for it. Her soul magic allows her to sense the life energy of people , even when she isn't physically in contact with them. If you were somehow able to get her into contact with that woman , then she could probably track her life source." Himura still has a confused look on his face before saying " You know , that might actually work. But then again , we'll have to wait until tonight."

" It IS nighttime you idiot." Mitsuya exclaims.

" Idiot , have you not realized that it's only 7 o'clock in the morning and the sun isn't out yet." Mitsuya is dumbfounded , only to walk past Himura and say " I'm going to sleep. Wake me up in 7 hours."

" Breakfast will already be eaten by then. You sho-"

" Save my breakfast. If Mrs. Mayuri makes eggs , scramble them with American cheese. And green tea."

" I'd hate to tell you , but I'm the one who makes breakfast around here." Mitsuya stops in his tracks and turns around to face Himura. " If you burn my eggs , I'm gonna kill you." he smiles maliciously and walks to the door. As he prepares to open it Himura stops him. " Hey Mitsuya , you'll have to do one more thing before we leave." Mitsuya turns around in dramatic fashion. " Make it quick , I'm sleepy."

" I want you to go visit Mr. Akazi today and thank him for his hospitality. Tell him that your mom's friend found you , and you're going to live with him for the time being." Mitsuya nods his head and leaves the room. Himura watches him as he leaves. " Has it ever occurred to that kid that he's been wearing a fake smile this entire time. He acts enthusiastic to hide the pain of his memories. Well , I guess he'll figure it out someday." He looks at the plants , all sorrow in their natural habitat.He says to himself , " I should make him water these." and leaves to the library.

Mitsuya went straight to his bed and fell asleep. Meanwhile Ceasar was sleeping on Kaoru's bed , who's fever was getting a little bit better. Himura went to the library to something surprising. Mayuri was still at the table , but this time with Kaoru. " Did you bring her here ?"

Mayuri smiles at him and shakes her head. " Nope , she found her way here herself."

Kaoru looks from the table to where she thinks Himura would be. " I heard everything while we were in the car. If we're gonna live her from now on, then I'll try my best to be a good guest , Mr. Himura. " Mayuri and Himura both laugh. " Geez , kid , that's really nice of you. But , I still don't understand how you got here by yourself."

" Oh , I'll explain in simple people terms. Though I can't see , my senses were amplified beyond repair. Therefore , I really don't need eyes to observe and interact with things. So basically , I'm a blind girl who can see." She grins widely- " Now , would anyone care to join me in a game of chess ? I haven't played in a while." Himura's mouth drops open. Mayuri smiles lightheartedly and says " Sure , I haven't played in a while either." She turns to Himura , who is all but flabbergasted. " Honey , I already made breakfast. I knew you would be tired , so I did it for you. Steamed Rice , Miso Soup and Grilled Fish. Get it while it's hot." Himura looks as if he has been blessed by an angel. " This is the reason I married you." He prepares to leave , but turns around. " If you lose to a blind girl in chess, then we might have to talk." All three of them laugh and he leaves. As he walks to his room , he says to himself " I'll get her ACTUAL SIGHT back. No matter what. But first , I gotta eat." After 15 or so minutes of furiously devouring his meal ,he also falls into a deep slumber.

At about 2 o'clock P.M. , Mitsuya begins his journey to Mr. Akazi's bar. He knows the layout of this part of the city , so he didn't need Himura to take him. When he left , Kaoru was taste testing Himura's lunch. He walked by foot , enthusiastically observing the people of the city. The crying babies , the men that look like shut in hikikomoris , the businessmen in tight suits. It all felt so familiar to him , but yet so far away. It might have been the fact that he never left the house if it weren't to go to the bar or if he had a job to do. Mitsuya had become distant from society. So , he made the most of his time outside. Himura had given him a few thousand yen as a weekly allowance. Using this money , he would buy a book , attend a cultural festival for about 30 minutes , buy a hat and donate to a homeless man out of convenience. By the time he arrived at Akazi's , it was almost 4 o'clock. He entered the bar to find a few men gambling , and Mr. Akazi serving drinks at the counter. He walks up to him and takes a seat.

" Evening , Akemi. How are you ?"

" Good , sir. How about you ?"

" No complaints. Thanks for asking. What brings you in so early."

" Well , I don't know how to put this." He sits the house key on the table. " Kaoru and I have found a new home. I came to return your keys."

He stops pouring the liquor into the glass and stares Mitsuya directly in the eye. " Are you two going to live alone , or with someone else ?"

" With someone else. An old friend of my mom's. He's been searching for us for a while. He said to thank you for the hospitality."

After a few long seconds of Mr. Akazi looking at him indiscreetly , he says " Are you sure that this man is trustworthy, Akemi ?"

" Yeah , I can trust him. He doesn't seem to have any ill intentions."

Mr. Akazi sighs. " Well , if something happens , you and Kaoru can always come back here. My home is always open to you.

" Thanks , sir. You're one of the only ones who has ever helped us. I appreciate your generosity over the past two years."

" That's just the type of person that I am. I guess you could say that it's a force of habit to be nice , but I try my best." They both laugh. Just then a child of about 4 years old with black hair and dark eyes runs out of the backroom. He runs right into Mr. Akazi and grabs his leg. " Oh , I guess I need to formally introduce you. Akemi , this is my son Kazuma. I had to babysit him today because his mommy had a job interview." Mitsuya bows down to the height of the boy and extends his hand. " Nice to meet you. I hope your dad has been teaching you a lot of good things about the world." The young boy smiles at him , but does not extend his hand back. " Come on , don't be shy." Mr. Akazi coaxes him out. The boy takes Mitsuya's hand , and he laughs. Mitsuya observes the men gambling , and has a bright idea.

" You wanna gamble one more time before you go ?" Mr. Akazi says.

" You know what , I am a little low on cash at the moment. It wouldn't hurt." He approaches the men , and in the next 10 minutes is able to achieve a royal flush. He takes his prize and walks out of the building confidently.

At 4:45 , he made it back to Tsubasa Manor. Kaoru , Ceasar , Mayuri and Himura were already gathered in the dining room. " Okay , now it's time for Kaoru to do her part." , Himura says. He leans over to Kaoru. " Do you think you'll be able to tell us where this person is if you can get a clear listen of her voice."

Kaoru smiles with a determined look- " As long as I can sense their life energy , no one can hide from me." Himura plays an audio recording of one of Mayomi's messages. Kaoru opens her eyes , which instead of their normal grey color has now become a dark purple. Something is going on inside her mind. As if she is obtaining information so fast that she can barely process it all. She closes her eyes again , and after a few moments says " I know where she is. She's being kept in the old abandoned laboratory.Shimokitazawa , 413 Takashi Drive. There's a good chance she might be underground."

Mitsuya and Himura both smile enthusiastically. " That won't be a problem." Mitsuya runs to the door , with Himura walking behind him. Mayuri stops him. " Make it back safely. We'll be here , waiting for you."

" The chances are that we won't be back for about a day or so. If we're not back by then , then you can contact the other members. But , that's a very slim chance. I'll beat all of those bad guys in under a minute."

" The baby can already see through your lies and foolery." They both start laughing as Himura runs out after Mitsuya. Mitsuya is waiting at the door. His white collar blows in the wind , and he stands confidently. His hair is ruffled beyond recognition , and his brown eyes are filled with determination. Himura hands him a box. " In case we get separated , keep this on you.I believe that that would be your first." Mitsuya opens the box to reveal a brand new phone. It has a crisp silver lining , and a screen cover already in place. It is so shiny that the porchlight reflects finely off of it. He would be in awe , if it weren't for his astute dissatisfaction. " Did you really just give me an Android ?" Himura punches him , exclaiming " That's the only one that they had !" Mitsuya accepts it and says thank you. They both proceed to the car. In 30 minutes they are at the laboratory in Shimokitazawa. The old laboratory turned into a government facility and prison is desolate beyond repair. It looks like a grim reminder of society's mischievous crimes against humanity. " So are we going through the front door or the back ? It doesn't matter , as long as I get some action."

" The plan is to get in and out with as little confrontation as possible. We aren't going through either of them." Himura stands about 20 feet away from the entrance , and draws a circle on the ground. " It's been a while since I did one of these." He chants a spell , and a dark abyss fills the circle. " This should take us right down to the basement. After we get Mayomi , we work our way up."

Mitsuya smiles maliciously. " Sounds like a plan. You first ?"

" I think you should go to see how deep it is. If I hear you fall on your feet , then I'll know that you didn't somehow end up in a space vacuum." Mitsuya assumes his ' are you serious' face, and quietly says "Whatever". He jumps in and falls on his feet. The room he is in is dark , with one broken lamp , a table of medical instruments and a few restraining tables. Mitsuya smells blood from somewhere. He calls out to Himura - " Yeah , this is the place."