https://youtu.be/ub5q-UDQhhM

Blank. Like the void that had once been his mind. That was the only way to describe the look on Makoto's face, as he gazed upon the destruction in his wake, on Inigo and Scarlett as they put their weapons away and stared back. For a while, there was silence, as though no one really knew what to say or do.

For the first time since he'd laid eyes on Inigo, all was clear, thought Makoto. The fog had cleared away, and with it, his uncertainties. Once looking Inigo in the eyes, he now bowed his head, closing his own. "...I did this, didn't I?"

"Guess so." Inigo replied, stepping closer and almost extending a hand towards him before stopping himself. He waited for Makoto to react on his own, but Scarlett, who was considerably less patient, crouched down and placed a hand on his shoulder, which he neither rejected nor looked up for.

"Makoto, are you okay? How are you feeling?" she asked, trying to get a good look at his face. Makoto remained silent for a little while before looking up with a frown.

"I've been better." he admitted, glancing to his right to look at Scarlett before looking up at Inigo. "Well, Inigo...I guess you win. Let's...put an end to this, once and for all."

Scarlett raised an eyebrow at that, once again remembering that she'd been left out of the loop here, and Inigo took a deep breath, his hands in his pockets. "And by that, you mean...?" he asked cautiously.

He couldn't help feeling concerned, as when Makoto spoke those words, he noticed the unmistakable shine of despair in those eyes. And as Makoto looked up at him, he seemed positively resigned, which didn't paint a pretty picture of his future. And then, he opened his mouth. "Well, I've been running around trying to kill you all this time. Only now have I realised that you didn't deserve to die." he said. "Even back then, you were just following orders."

"Don't get too sympathetic here. I still accepted those orders."

"But you've never denied responsibility for it, have you? Even now, you're trying to atone!" Makoto exclaimed. "And I've just ignored that and put my own, misguided revenge first. I didn't want to see any good in you...even though I was the real monster all along. And for that, you have the right to kill me."

"I'm sorry, the fuck?"

The list of things that could catch Inigo off-guard was short, but this would be so high on top of it that he didn't even know it was on there until this very moment. Scarlett was similarly taken aback, her grip on the boy's shoulder tightening. "What are you talking about?"

"It's only fair, isn't it? I've been trying to kill him all this time." he continued. "I called him a monster, but the true villain of this story was me. In my father's name, I did things that he would never approve of. I helped Apex, all because I thought it was what he wanted, and now I know...he's watching me in shame."

"It can't be all black and white, right? You've done good, too." Scarlett pointed out. "Remember Caerulus? It's thanks to you that we were able to end the crisis!"

"I've seen you fighting Libera, too. Not to mention, all this time, you had good intentions. You were just misguided." Inigo added. "And for what it's worth, I have never wanted you dead, even for a second."

Makoto looked up, the despair on his face mixed with confusion. "...why?"

"Because you're the victim here. It's your father who died, isn't it?"

https://youtu.be/yP7vtuqGkao

Makoto looked down, clearly unsure what to think of this, when Scarlett spoke up. "And, say you are the villain you think you are. So what?" she smiled at him. "You clearly feel bad about that. If you want to change, then that's all you need to take the first step."

"And what if the Doctor sends people after me?" Makoto frowned. "Like...he did to my father?"

"Well, I don't know if he's got any more assassins. But if he does..." Inigo began. "...well, you'll have me on your side. And, if she's willing, you'll have a member of Libera there, too."

"Soon-to-be ex-member of Libera." Scarlett corrected. Inigo raised an eyebrow at that, but he nodded nonetheless, smiling a little. Makoto nodded slowly, brushing aside that particular worry as he considered everything they were saying. Inigo could see he was beginning to be swayed, and prepared to deal the killing blow, the memories of that fateful day flashing through his mind as he continued.

"And I'm sure your father wouldn't want you to give up, either. He certainly didn't." he said, the mention of his father instantly shaking Makoto as he listened intently. "He fought to the very end, until he couldn't fight any longer, because he wanted to do what was right. I'm sure nothing would make him prouder than to see you turn from the darkness and walk the path of light."

"...father." Makoto muttered, his words almost inaudible as he sniffed, trying to remain strong. "Do you...really think that?"

"I'm pretty sure of it." Inigo nodded, extending a hand towards him at last. "Why not give it a try? We can all free ourselves from our pasts together."

Makoto waited for him to finish before taking his hand, standing up as he slowly shook it. Both men looked at one another, knowing good and well that this marked the end of their feud. "Alright. I'll do it."

"Glad to hear it." Inigo said, giving Makoto a gentle, sincere smile as he slowly retracted his hand. Shifting his gaze between Makoto and Scarlett, he placed his hands in his pockets. "If you guys really want to walk down this path, then...meet me at Blackstar in Furvus. Tomorrow, at 8pm."

Makoto nodded, already knowing that was when the Spectrums were meant to meet. "Alright, then. I'll see you then." he said, stepping away from the other two. "For now, though, I think I ought to find somewhere safer to rest and recover tonight. I'll be off."

"Later, Makoto!" Scarlett smiled, waving at him as he walked off, leaving her alone with Inigo. The two looked at each other, evidently pleased with his turn of events, though Scarlett's eyebrow slowly raised as she considered everything that had happened. "So...you killed Makoto's father?"

Inigo nodded slowly, his expression becoming more serious. He figured she was going to find out one way or another, so... "I'm not proud of it."

"Uh...how come?"

"Just as you're an ex-member of Libera, it would appear that I'm an ex-member of Apex." Inigo scowled. "I'm still trying to recover the specifics, though. A big chunk of my memories are...well, gone. But I assure you, I'm trying to be different."

"Well, I hope it goes well." Scarlett nodded, giving him a supportive smile. She'd wondered just what it was Inigo was atoning for, so it was good to have the answer, even if it had surprised her. Plus, if he was being honest, he had avoided killing her father when he had the chance, so she felt inclined to put faith in him.

"Thanks." Inigo replied, before clearing his throat and shaking his head slowly. "But I can't spend too much time dawdling about. I need to go to the marketplace. Makoto was enough of a detour."

"Right, you need to find Iago, don't you?"

"Yeah. The Mikado put Makoto here to waste my time, no doubt. To be honest, if she already has him, I wouldn't be surprised." Inigo shook his head. "But I've gotta check, anyway."

"In that case, I think we'll have to part ways here." Scarlett admitted. "The Mikado isn't even supposed to know I'm here."

"Must've been dangerous, then." Inigo agreed. "Go, then. I'll do this alone."

"Roger!" Scarlett grinned, flashing Inigo a peace sign as she slowly began to walk away. "And, uh, stay safe!"

At that, Inigo gave his signature half-assed wave as he watched her pick up her pace and turn around a corner. So now he was alone in this ruined street, and, knowing where to go next, he made himself scarce before anyone could falsely accuse him of this mass destruction.

.........

https://youtu.be/533XqERJUwY

Having sent her men away to bask in their victory against this long-time menace, the Mikado stood alone in the middle of the marketplace, watching every corner like a hawk. Valerie had been sent to deal with the prisoner, and she had a hunch that the girl would obey. Despite her satisfaction with the current circumstances, she remained cool and calm, thinking about what was to happen next.

The Red Joker was taking a fair bit longer than she'd expected, and she wondered if Makoto had successfully managed to kill him. She didn't think it too likely, but the possibility was there, regardless. Maybe something else had held him up. She didn't quite know what it could be, though she damn well hoped Galileo hadn't bared his fangs once again.

That was why she had decided to set a timer for it. If Inigo didn't show up in the next half hour, then she would leave entirely and move on with her life. So she waited patiently, crossing her arms, and just as she hit thirteen remaining minutes on the timer, she heard footsteps heading her way, and looked up to see Inigo himself, running into the marketplace and stopping at the stalls as all he saw was her.

No henchmen, no Iago, no bombs. It was honestly like there hadn't even been a battle here. He looked up, feeling a sense of deja vu as orange eyes met blue once again. She was a fair bit taller than him, and looked like an older, more handsome version of the Kozuki he'd fought just now. At once, he understood just why Libera wanted him dead so badly. Kotoba raised an eyebrow. He didn't look the least bit scared, or even all that surprised. He was certainly going to be an interesting one.

"I've been waiting for you, Red Joker." she said, examining him closely to try and glean what he might be thinking at this moment. She stared long enough to make note of his thoughts - he was surprised, slightly angered, but mostly composed as his eyes darted around the place. "Unfortunately, you won't find what you're looking for here."

"Then I was late, right?" Inigo replied, looking up at the woman. He was frustrated, she could tell, but he wasn't at all surprised. "Right, Mikado?"

"Right, you are." she nodded slowly, extending a hand in his direction even though he was nowhere near close enough to be able to take it. "If you'd like, I can take you to him."

"Thanks, but I'll pass." Inigo kept his hands in his pockets, raising an eyebrow. She didn't seem like she was even slightly threatened by his presence right now; her every word and movement exuded confidence. She had the right to feel that way - even if he fought her here and, by some miracle, won, he wouldn't be much closer to getting Iago back. "So, what happens now? You've captured him. I take it I'm next."

"You are, yes." Kotoba confirmed. "But I cannot destroy you just yet."

Inigo raised an eyebrow at that, and Kotoba continued. "We've been doing this for how long, now? A couple of weeks?" she mused. "In that time, you disabled Galileo's base of operations, and catching you has been quite the vain struggle. His assessment of you as a 'rat' may hold some credence."

"All that sounds like you should be trying even harder to destroy me."

"It does, doesn't it? And yet, I find it rather curious. Our relationship, up to this point, has been strictly parasocial, and despite being such a threat to our operations, you mostly seem to act in response to what we do." Kotoba continued. "You haven't even killed anyone yet. It's rather strange - I do wish to kill you, but I also find you oddly fascinating."

"I'll take that over whatever the fuck was going on with Galileo." Inigo sighed. "So, what, you're just going to have a little fun with this? Is that what I'm hearing?"

"Not entirely. I am, unfortunately, a little restricted." Kotoba shook her head. "Do you know what a Han'eian Concept is, Red Joker?"

"I don't."

"In a manner of speaking, it's a word that families in Han'ei will devote themselves to. It is a sacred order, if you will. After all, Han'ei's people are the closest to the divine domain of Order, so we're told. This is our way of honouring that." Kotoba explained calmly. "I know you're acquainted with my brother. Can you guess what our Concept is?"

"...honour?" Inigo guessed, looking back on all of his conversations with Makoto. Every one of their interactions, their duels. Makoto's overly-honest way of fighting, his insistence on Inigo's cowardice. He didn't know if they were quirks of the man himself or something imposed on him, but now was the time to find out.

https://youtu.be/Q5GHpnQVkDc

Kotoba clapped slowly in response, giving him a slight smile. "Correct. And it's the very reason I hunt you down. Surely, you haven't forgotten what you did."

"'Fraid not."

"But it's also why I can't kill you where you stand. I've seen what you've done, and I'm actually rather impressed. To deny that would be dishonourable." she continued. "You are a worthy opponent. It wouldn't be fair if I didn't at least give you a chance."

"Careful. That could ruin you." Inigo warned, earning a light chuckle from the Mikado.

"It could, yes. But think about it from your perspective." she countered. "A fight right here and right now could ruin you, and you'd have died without accomplishing a thing. Am I wrong?"

Her code of honour was important, she thought. If she was going to kill Inigo because of it, then she needed to go about it properly, otherwise, what was the point? Inigo observed her, shaking his head. She was only right in the sense that he hadn't accomplished the specific task he'd come to do, but the last thing he needed was for her to become convinced that killing him right now was a good idea.

"You're not wrong." he said, closing his eyes. "You've taken Iago away. Our fights will be much harder now. But I intend to keep fighting, anyway."

Kotoba watched him, nodding slowly. "You're brave. It seems like I'm making the right call here." she smiled somewhat less ambiguously at him. "I'll enjoy duelling with you."

"I'm honoured." Inigo deadpanned. "What are you gonna do with Iago now that you have him?"

"A good question. I could kill him right away, or I could draw out everything I can from him. If he cooperates, he could certainly prove useful." Kotoba mused openly. "Whatever I choose to do with him in the end is for me to know."

Inigo raised an eyebrow. He could see what she was doing here; testing him to see if he was up to the task. He was the rat, and Iago was the cheese set to trap him. So what could he say except "Game on"?

"And for me to find out." he countered, crossing his arms. "See you at your base, Mikado."

"I'm glad we're on the same page." Kotoba nodded. "Feel free to bring your fellow 'heroes'. I have no doubt you'll need them."

She took a short while to observe her enemy's response. He seemed determined, as though he knew he might not win this fight, but definitely not for lack of trying. His expression was as still as water, but in his eyes there laid an unmistakable fire. "Just as much as you'll need your entire rogue's gallery, no doubt." he said. "I accept your challenge, Mikado."

"Well said." Kotoba nodded slowly, turning away from him and beginning to walk away. Inigo, watching her, cleared his throat, causing her to turn her head towards him.

"If I may, I have a question." he said, and she nodded, staying in place as a nonverbal sign of approval. "Why do you call me 'Red Joker'? I've never been too fond of the colour, and I can't imagine the 'Joker' part is meant to reference my personality..."

"...you'll have to ask the Doctor that. For once, that codename isn't one I came up with." Kotoba admitted, shaking her head and continuing her exit. "If that is all, I'll be taking my leave now."

"Right. Then I'll be there in a bit." Inigo nodded, cautiously turning around and continuously looking over his shoulder as he left the marketplace, just as empty-handed as he'd entered it. At least today hadn't been a complete failure. He sighed in resignation as he thought about what had been taken, and what might happen now, and as he did, he took out his phone and opened his group chat, typing up a message while reading what had transpired.

"So, any updates, guys?"

"i think Libera's left!"

"i saw some of them packing up and going, and i haven't seen any members in ages!"

"Great! Everything's okay on my end, too."

"Civilians are safe, and I haven't seen anyone lately, either."

"They took Iago."

"We lost."

As he sent that, he felt sorry to rain on their parade, but it had to be said, and in that moment, he couldn't think of any other way to break the news. They needed to know. They needed to do something about this. They needed Iago back. He needed Iago back. There were reasons why, of course - even now, he wasn't entirely sure if he'd really liked Iago, but even he wouldn't want to subject him to imprisonment, death, or whatever the Mikado had planned for him. And Iago was also the best lead he had for his past right now. He was hiding something from him, and he needed to find out. But even disregarding both of those, he felt unbelievably dispirited by this turn of events.

He wondered why that was, but before he could really think about that, he saw the other two begin to reply.

"WHAT?"

"Say sike right now."

"What are they gonna do with him now?"

"Will they torture him? Kill him? I don't want him to die!"

"Me neither. Inigo, you're not just pranking us, are you?"

"I'm telling the truth. He's gone."

"I even spoke with the Mikado herself."

"We need to get him back."

"Are we all set to meet up at the same time tomorrow?"

"We need to strategize."

"Yeah. Don't be late."

"Should be. This is pretty serious."

Inigo nodded at that, putting his phone back in his pocket and walking away, hoping to gather his things before finding another inn to sleep in that night. Today, a new game was afoot, and he was in it to win.