Erotomanic

Kibe would wake up. His eyes slowly opening. Kibe tried to reach for his face which still felt rough, when he realized he couldn't. He then noticed that he was above the ground. He looked around to see he was close to the backdoor of his home.

"Finally awake huh? Good I was getting tired of carrying you." Sajd Junna. Kibe then immediately attempted to get free only for Junna to toss Kibe hard and far through his back sliding doors. He crashed through the glass and then landed in the ground. His body facing towards Junna who walked out of the broken door. "I see you still have some fight left in you. Good. Now that they're gone. I have a score to settle with you." Junna said. Kibe got himself ready to fight. His stance perfect and ready for any style of combat. Only for Junna not to put her hands up. Kibe still kept his guard up.

"Sorry Nori, but I don't care for fighting. Not now anyway." Junna said as she put her hands in her pockets.

"Won't do what Bato hasn't green lit i suppose." Kibe said as he put down his defense and spit out another wad of blood.

"I do the grunt work. Along with Piko. Though if its something usless, I only put in the standard amount of effort." Junna said. Kibe nodded as he fixed his shirt and wiped his lip.

"She isn't bothered by my presence not like Bato or Piko. She has no reason to come for me unless either given an order by a higher up or even Bato. Though the extent of that is unknown." Kibe thought.

"See you around Nori." Junna said as she left. Kibe rubbed his mouth before sniffing. He waited a few more minutes before he got out his phone, his phone was recording everything that they had said.

"Most would call it paranoia, I call it planning ahead." Kibe said.

Elsewhere in Ushin. Himmy was cleaning up her apartment. Vacuuming, a few rolls of paper and some lemon spray was sitting on the table. The place was completely squeaky clean. She had earpods in, she was listening to heavy metal. She then took then out as she stopped cleaning. Sat down on her couch. The place was kinda blank, but she felt she could put it together on the end. Decorate it somehow. Thats when she got a knock on the door.

She got up and walked over, she opened it only to see Kibe. He had a bandage on his nose.

"What the fuck happened to you?!" Himmy asked shocked. Kibe sighed as he sniffed again. Himmy looked at him and chuckled a bit.

"Oh you think this is funny?" Kibe asked while pointing at his face.

"Well you're usually the one doing th ass kicking, so seeing you get your ass kicked is a little funny." Himmy chuckled.

"Hm, let me think on that...no. No its not, and by the way. I let this happen." Kibe said "Thats funny you said that, cause the guy down the street from me. I think his name is 'I got my ass kicked' said the same thing. Getting a little deja vu." Himmy snickered as Kibe rolled his eyes and looked away.

"Can I come in? Or do you have any more witty comments you wish to inact upon?" Kibe asked. Himmy laughed a little.

"Is that your blessing to keep making fun of you?" Himmy smiled

"Alright, I'm coming in." Kibe said as he walked past her. She scratched the back of her head and closed the door. Kibe looked around the place. It was a complete 180 from when he first came here. No trash, no stench and no remote sign of dirt.

"She cleared it out. All traces of her past have been washed clean. Like a dam breaking and clearing its way through land.

The Himmy I see now, isn't the same as when I first met her. She's free." Kibe thought as he turned to her. Saw her wearing her casual clothes. Torn jeans, a black shirt with a skull on it. She had a nose ring. Kibe smirked sunconsciously at her apperance.appearance.

"So, what brings you by?" She asked. Kibe then turned to her and pointed around.

"Nice work. I'm impressed." Kibe said

"Really?" Himmy smiled. "No." Kibe said. Himmy then frowned, giving Kibe another one of her natural scowles.

"I shouldn't have to compliment you on something that you always had in you." Kibe said as he walked over to the table and sat down crossing his legs.

"I can never tell if your being nice or being a dick." Himmy said folding her arms.

"Then I've done my job." Kibe said

"Come on Kibe, whats going on?" Himmy asked. Kibe looked to her and rested his head on his palm. He looked over and then back to her.

"I've lost." Kibe said

"What?" Himmy asked, thats when Kibe would retell recent events to Himmy. Explaining what had happened recently along with showing her the recording of what Mizuki had told him.

"Wow...thats intense. So all of that, tells you that you've lost?" Himmy asked. Kibe was leaning back a bit. Tapping his knee. He nodded. Himmy sighed.

"...Ok, tell me. In your little scientific and smart guy way." Himmy said as she sat across from him. Kibe was quiet for a moment before he began.

"Bato very much wants to be like me. So that he can impress the higher ups and show them they don't truly need the machine, me. Bato has clear intent to see my end come, rather it be through him directly or not.

His arrival here was his first move. Not only was it his first, but also his last. He pinned me from the start. Truly a great move I'm stumped to be brutally honest." Kibe said

"How can you know that?" Himmy asked, Kibe looked at her.

"I calculate and visualize every move and outcome when it comes to my plans. Every move, object and conversation is a variable in my mind. I can see a multitude of events and outcomes play out all within in my mind.

I can manipulate and control these said events. Which allow me to assess the most objective and right moves to make. Things as little as a spoon being in the right place can jeopardize one whole outcome." Kibe said

"Theres no way you're that percise." Himmy said, Kibe tilted his head at here. Thats when she remembered who she was talking to.

"Right, so. Those fashion twins from before. The ones who you worked with that Rin bitch to get. You telling me. That whole elaborate show you did there, that was truly the only way it could go down?" Himmy asked

"Mhmm, to be honest when I first thought of it. I didn't realize just how well Kenji's antics and need for victory would help out, but he did much better than I had expected.

My chat and tea talk next to the two of them also had its nice effect." Kibe said

"You drank tea and talked with them, as means to guarantee your victory? Are they all that detailed?" Himmy asked

"Yes. Like I said, even a single spoon out of place can jeopardize an entire plan.

Plans must be precise, they must have multiple methods of execution and of course contingency plans just incase of fallout." Kibe said

"So you do have multiple ways to win." Himmy said. Kibe shook his head.

"I didn't say that. My plans are perfect, I plan through all flaws, misteps, plausible failures and even the actions of others.

All within my mind. Playing out like a storybook with multiple endings, but only one ending is the canonical one.

That is the one I strive for. The one I get to." Kibe said

"Wow, thats a lot of work for just one night." Himmy said "Not really." Kibe said.

"Yet you have no plan aginst Bato or the others? You're just going to quit?" Himmy said

"Let me paint you the picture. Bato desires to end me. To take my place, prove a point to the ones in charge that hes capable of being what they desire.

He can't fathom they're fascination with me. He detests it really.

His plan orbits around my many angles. He has Mi, she was the only other ones along with Akia who knew of my connection with Tatsuo.

They also plan to use them to sway me. To either destory me or kill. Mi...he hopes to use her aginst me. No he will.

...he knows that my connection with her is too deep. I can't cut it like I did my mother. They got me transfixed, they have me wrapped around my past, wondering and thinking. They know what I want and they're using it aginst me.

I need to gain control of my life again, to have it just be mind. If I don't...then I'll always have my past dangled in front of me. The pale palace has all the answers I need. I can feel my connections growing less and less, I'm becoming more effective at what I do and can do, but so long as I'm still connected with others. I'll never be able to operate at full capacity." Kibe said

"So thats just it then. You're gonna quit? Let them kill you?" Himmy asked, her face was painted with disbelief. Kibe shrugged.

"I can't think of any way around them. Bato has all fields covered.

...death doesn't terrify me if thats what you're wondering." Kibe said "Its not that! Its the fact that after everything, after getting so close to the truth. You'd just give up so...so...easily." Himmy said, Kibe looked at her.

"...I've always wanted to live it casually. Before any of this I didn't desire nothing. All my knowledge and cunning just sat at the back of my mind." Kibe said

"Yes, but now you're using it! You're finally doing something with all those smarts right? Why would you just roll over and quit when you're so close to the truth now?

Doesn't that matter to you? Knowing. I know you'd rather die than fail yourself. " Himmy asked as she leaned in. Kibe looked at her. He leaned back in his chair. His hand massaging his mouth.

"The truth....truth." Kibe muttered. His eyes wondered around Himmy's home before he looked down at his hands.

In his mind he knew that he would never be complete without knowing. They poked him, teased knowledge of himself infront of them and he still was hungry for it. He wanted to know so badly that it broke him. Tore at his mind and caused him to behave differently than before. He wanted so badly to know the truth, to understand just what it was that made him who he was. Yet somehow, Himmy's words rang in his mind. Kept his mind pondering what it was he could do to prevent the coming threat.

Thats when an idea suddenly struck his mind. "Himmy, your a genius." Kibe said

"I know." She replied in a cocky tone. Kibe rolled his eyes again as he stood up. A new determination within himself found. A new flame burning in his eyes.

"Bato wants me dead. I think its only fair I beat him to the punch." Kibe said. Thats when Himmy looked at him confused.

"Excuse me what?" She asked

"Have you ever heard of The Count of Monte Cristo?" Kibe asked. "What the hell is that some sort of play?" Himmy asked.

"No, well yes. It was made into one during 08. But thats not the point. Bato wants me dead, seems only fair I give him what he ask for." Kibe said. Himmy stood up and looked at him.

"Are you insane?" She asked

"No. Not at all. Here's the plan Himmy. You need to follow this plan with 100% confidence. I need you to act like you've never acted before." Kibe said

"Ok, but are you going to tell me what it is?" She asked. To which Kibe then looked to her and began to walk away. "Will it work?" Himmy asked. Kibe stopped at her door before turning to her.

"My plans never fail. Trust me. When this is over. Bato will be finished." Kibe said as he left with Himmy unsure on Kibe's next move. Then again, when wasn't she.