Sacrifices

Before Henki called them, earlier on that day, Adiffs' group had arrived at the University of Emote and had enrolled in different studies as soon as they arrived. Adiffs had taken up Medicine, Mago took up Philosophy, Pro chose Computer Science, Omega chose Mathematics, and Gabby chose Art & Design. Both assimilating fairly well into their roles throughout the morning, the assumption that they had to go into it that all were going to be uptight pricks was actually quickly quelled by the regular occurrences of a normal school you'd find inhabiting in their faction a few centuries ago. Although to Adiffs' notice, technologically they weren't too far behind their faction, at least the stuff he noticed. Each lecture would've probably been a chore if any of them were truly paying any attention to what the Professors had been talking about, but instead, they listened to who they were talking to, in the tone of voice, examining appearance, eavesdropping in on different students conversations. Omega had struck gold in the lecture before the lunch break, as he was able to overhear a conversation between 4 students, the shortest one with an afro seemed to be the most comfortable and confident talking to the others, causing Omega to assume he was the ring leader of the group of sorts or at least the one that drives the conversation. "My Dad's getting promoted to the royal guard tonight, just in time for the ritual as well, so that's always great. Perhaps this is a bigger chance for him to be picked for it." The other three near him showed signs of astonishment and praise for this boy, as Omega quickly put in the back of his mind that this boy's name was Louk. Once the lecture was over, Omega used his MEE6 bot to scan all the details on Louk's card, and Zill's hacking software to attain even more information about him. All 5 of them met up in the library by a table during the design, once again checking if the area was bugged before discussing in hushed voices.

Adiffs: Did anyone actually discover anything? All I know is there's this ritual of praise coming soon or some shit...doubt you lazy fucks will have anything either but I might as well as ask.

Pro: Well first off, fuck you. Forgot to get in my daily quota of that today. Second off, yes I do because I actually ask when something interests me you moron-

Adiffs: Looks like I'm going to have to lose my job at a school huh, sad I had to put a man down in this place, but too bad it's a man I don't give a fuck about-

Mago: God just let Pro talk! All you ever seem to do is just threaten him, and Pro you do the damn same, the other three of us are tired of your bitching!

Pro: Okay, mother. Anywho, I actually bothered to ask a question and I found out that this ritual is where Subaru selects the holy ones to go meet the shrine of Kappa, taking them on a self-driving ship into another faction, which is invisible to our eye. Letters apparently get sent back to the families of the people living in the shrine and everything. Now, I know that sounds like a load of bullshit, but everyone seemed so excited and energetic for it, it looks like it's just part of their culture it seems.

Adiffs: Damn right that's a load of bullshit. How the fuck would anyone believe that? Hasn't life moved on intellectually from things like this? or is just one of your ', haha let's get Adiffs to believe it' pranks?

Pro: I mean...this faction has been around since the 2700s. So it's just stapled into the culture here. Perhaps the reason why King Subaru opened it up for free travel is that he knew nobody would want to leave because of something like this, and if you come back you end up in the poorer area. hat his goal or what he's really doing, I'm dreading to think of the possible options. So no, cranky old man, this is not one a joke.

Gabby: It sounds like an actual solid theory to me. However, we need some way of eavesdropping in on the royalty, or some sort of vague connection to them. As this is the University of the capital, and a private one at that, there must be children who have parents who work at the palace.

Omega: You're in luck because I have a new royal guard's details all on my MEE6. AWe should probably investigate it tomorrow night, today we can just adjust to things.

Mago: Good that we've already got a plan of sorts. Well, anyone hungry?

Gabby: I could die for some food right now...

Omega: Well, it is lunch, Gabby...

Later on, deep into the night, Henki had just cut off the phone from Adiffs, leaving him with the rest of his group, looking tired, fed up, and downright annoyed at him. "Uh...so, why are you all just giving me the evil eyes? If I recall correctly, you're the people that put me on blast, not vice versa." Adiffs stated, but their looks didn't change in the slightest, in fact, Pro's (As you may realise now has a love/hate relationship with the leader of his group) look seemed to increase in anger, as he snapped, "We're mad because our leader is such a lazy shit who criticises us of doing so, we could be exploring tonight!" "Uhh, I never said that?" Adiffs questioned him, as Pro in his tired state seemed to have forgotten that Omega was the one to propose the idea for the next night. As Henki's call was ended, Gabby snuck off to their combined dorms' bathroom that they all asked to share it together (Don't make that weird), which wasn't usual for the dorm staff at the university. Anyway, Gabby reappeared in front of all them with a bucket of water, pouring some all over the other four. "If you want to compete with them so bad, let's go out and investigate that Louk guys dad? Right, Omega?" She smiled, as the others were full to the brim with absolute rage, but quickly a surge of amusement and then laughter was let out from the 4 of them. "You heard her, let's go then," Adiffs said. As TFS Task Force had their technology masterminds in a way, FM and Zillatain. They designed the clothes/suits the agents use, which also install camouflage with the addition of manipulating atoms so you can permeate through walls and other objects with at will. As the group sneakily got out of their dorm room, they used MEE6, which had yet again another creation by FM and Zill, software that was able to infect security cameras in range of the users choosing to play the last 10 seconds to an hour of footage caught on camera. Also, they can temporarily silence any audio mics hidden around to the same amount of time.

Investigating in the pouring rain as they saw the quiet, yet oddly entrancing Emote City, some ships in the sky, the streets being pretty much empty, shops being closed, everything. It felt like they were the only people awake in the whole faction. "Thank God they put built AC into these things..." Mago mumbled as they continued to walk through roads and pathways, buildings, and monuments until they got to Louk's house. It was a nice dinky place, similar to the houses made in the 2220s, they all looked into the window to find Louk using the Groovy bot lenses to be simulated into a virtual learning world to learn more Mathematics. Next to him though, was a woman that MEE6 informed the group it was his mother, and the man sitting next to her, his father. Omega made the MEE6 zoom onto his details, revealing where he last was, which was at the royal palace. "I've got the info," Omega whispered, leaping off the ledge of the window he was snooping in on, and towards the group again. "The royal palace was the last place he was at. I doubt we'd be able to get in...They'll have ridiculous amounts of security for King Subaru, and not every part of these suits can outmatch stuff like that." Everyone else seemed to agree, so Adiffs came to a resolution, or really just a compromise. "Let's analyse the area from a distance, so if we have to potentially storm the place, we can gladly do so." Nobody, even Pro, didn't think it was a bad idea, so they set off towards the palace, although having to stop talking as they closer and closer to it, due to more amounts of people being around it. Soon they were in the perfect distance for the MEE6 to take in every entrance, exits, vents, blindspots, possible places where guards were less likely to be stationed at- anything. Once they had done, Adiffs signaled them all in, heading back towards campus. As they got into talking distance, Pro took one of his regular jabs at Adiffs. "So, we only did this because the youngest here motivated us to do it, even the leader, who's named 'Cranky Boomer' by the way, didn't spar up this energy sooner." Instead of the predictable burst of anger, Adiffs let out a small smile, as the sun started to rise, he answered. "I used to want to be a doctor. I don't really know how I ended up here. Do you ever think about your justification for getting to where you are? Hmm, maybe that's just me."

Meanwhile, after the embarrassing moment for Henki's group, Henki was stood in absolute embarrassment as the others started to giggle at his misfortune. Still laughing though, Roshi was able to step in for Henki.

Roshi: Ignore all that, we're legitimate. Now, what's your whole situation in this? And what do you want to tell us?

Steven: Well, it's a long story-

Katsu: Don't make this cliche, just say what you gotta say.

Steven: Okay then...well, around 300 years ago this faction was formed. King Subaru is not the first King Subaru though. Of course, there have been many over the years, but the same idea of the ritual had taken place again and again.

Rum: The ritual? You guys have fucking rituals now?

Steven: Yes, if you let me continue, these rituals are ones where you go to the Shrine of Kappa, as King Subaru picks 12 people to go up into space to the shrine, which is supposed to be a planet off in space somewhere. No one here tries to leave the faction. Even if they do, they're directed here by the traffic ships, and if they have the balls to even retaliate and go for the mainland, the walls (brrr copying AOT go brr STFU) take out their cannons to fire at the ship, it pretty much stands no chance. Not all of us are exiled here because of that, a lot of us are here for being non-believers in the Kappa. 

Jonas: Non-believers getting exiled? What kind of cult shit is this-

Henki: L-let him finish, Jonas. 

Steven: Instead of just ending our lives, he puts us here because we don't believe in the ritual of praise. After my wife and kid were selected, in my work area where I worked in IT for Emote City as a whole, breaches into the audio bugs made me understand that Subaru doesn't take these people off to a heavenly shrine, he kills them. Just a brief conversation between two guards told us all that. So obviously, my self and everyone there was exiled, and so was anyone who believed in us. The evil son of a bitch couldn't even bother to kill us...just leave us there to be ignored or mocked at. Criminals are here too, but most of them realised there's no point in causing crime in an area where there's nothing valuable. Well, until you guys came of course, but I've got that under control. Maybe, with all this tech and the power of this entire island, we can force a breach in the walls and go against the king.

Henki: Maybe? You doubt us. We've got a stack of future tech & weapons on our ship, this will probably be a walk in the park. 

Rum: Why are you so confident? A couple of minutes ago you looked like you were gonna curl up in a ball due to shame of a phone call...

Henki: Because we're a task force! We can take on this King! In addition to that, we can give this island freedom, peace, and prosperity for them and the rest of the faction. 

Roshi: All of you really ignored that this guy's family died, huh? Insensitive. Sorry, Steven for your loss. We'll take revenge- I mean justice against the king. 

Steven: That's all I ask for. Anyway, would you like a place to rest? 

The task group: YES I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ALL DAY-oh. 

Whilst those groups were having a relatively positive time outside their faction, the trio of Felicia, Shelly, and Tony were all lined up next to each other tied to chairs by metal chains. Shelly's TFS suit having no weapons and his MEE6 bot being completely unable to function, the same went for all the weapons for Felicia and Tony. They were on top of a huge mountain, with a large building on top of it. Due to the breeze, they could feel that they were close to the edge of the building, which wasn't a good thing to know when you realise who's in front of them. Ringo's smug face from earlier still was present, which instantly infuriated all 3 of them, Slant was next to him, pacing around as his teeth annoyingly kept chattering, and in front of them, staring into their faces was a skinny man, a tattoo with 'WWE' across his arm, a cigar encased at the side of his mouth, and a protruding pink horn coming out of his pink-haired head. All three were awake, but couldn't talk due to the duct tape across their mouths. "Heeello there you lovely butts! The names Hyliad! You are? Jokes! Ahaha, I know who you guys are! Buddy Ringo and Slant told me." "Anyday, sir. These guys wanted to apply so bad they practically hunted us down, didn't they, Slant?" Slant nodded crazily, before returning to pacing up and down the room, and even started to mutter stuff now. "I work in the pony business of course! Well, trafficking unicorns and trapping them here, but that's not my point! You guys can join me in this! You get cash, new buddies in Ringo and Slant, with a load of fun too! So what do you say? Join up?" Hyliad said, taking off the tape of all three of them. Shelly and Tony knew it would be wise not say anything, but once Hyliad got to Felicia, who was completely pissed off to be in this situation, to even fucking go far to taking this job in the first place, hurled a ball of spit right into his face (Istg if you make this weird) shocking him, Ringo, Slant and the other two. "Usually, the big crime boss gets pissed whe you do something like that, Felicia was it?" Hyliad remarked, wiping off the spit. "Well, I'm not mad, I'm just dissapointed." Hyliad calmly stated, before firing a kick right at Felicia's gut, sending her flying off the mountain, moving onto Tony who got kicked off too, this time with the back of his foot, and lastly got to Shelly, who was too engulfed in fear to speak. "I don't like that look...I'll punch you instead!" Hyliad exclaimed, his fist crashing into Shelly's face, as he joined Feliciam and Tony as they plummented to the ocean. But, was it it to their death?