Obviously, Nothing is Ever Simple. (6.2)

…

Typically, after a little 'I'm putting my life in your hands scene,' there were at least a few episodes or chapters between the two that were involved in it. I'd always thought that it was a cop-out, a clear sign of an author not wanting to deal with the whole 'talking' part. Of course, I never thought it was a bad thing, mostly because a cop-out is simply another phrase for a 'shortcut,' and generally people liked pointing those out unless they were the ones that used them. Typically, in a Shounen Harem Comedy anime, something like this would happen but then it would cut to a Beach or Onsen scene with the girls talking about it while the guys are conspicuously not present. Fanservice, vague words, and faraway gazes are what most fanatics feed off of, after all.

So… knowing all of that…. why in fuck's sake is this scene still going on?

"Hikigaya." Lyon's voice made me twitch. I could hear the smirk she's been touting. It made my teeth grit. Was this what murderous rage felt like? If so, I just might understand why Lyon was incapable of holding back the urge to do so. Faintly, I was tempted to insult her, but I had the strangest feeling that whatever insult I made would just make the insufferable smirk larger. It's like this entire episode somehow made her happier. "Come this way, we'll reach the inn quicker through here."

"…I don't feel like going through alleys in the dead of night." If there was a correct way to approach the effects of the stupid, idiotic misunderstanding that I still couldn't make any sense of it wasn't coming to mind. Zaimokuza, you're seriously overestimating your writing ability. Actually trying to do something original? Are you an idiot? Everyone knows that you have to feed the masses with the differently-colored slop that they're used to. So, for the sake of your popularity, stop this. Maybe I can get a timeskip? Everyone loves timeskips. They're the best cop-outs. "But you can go ahead and-."

"So you're afraid of dark places, Hikigaya?" No, just afraid of heading into them with you! Who knows what sort of a situation your dimwittedness could generate if I head into there with you!? I don't want to be anywhere near you right now, can't you catch a hint!? I thought girls are supposed to be able to be less dense than boys?! Did I make a mistake in thinking Cranel is the Harem Protagonist in this scenario? "Or could it merely be that there's a part of you that actually knows better than to go into such shady areas alone?"

"Just… stop, alright? I'm not up for… it, right now." Even as I tried to 'catch the mood,' I couldn't manage it. Too much of my mind was still off-balance by just about everything that happened. Being given the choice to end someone' life, thinking I was betrayed, and being chased by a Level 4 frayed my nerves. Though it seemed that everything was 'fine,' I still had doubts about Lyon. Even if I had chosen to not kill her, that doesn't mean I trusted her. "You mind just… walking, Lyon?"

"…You still have doubts, about me, don't you, Hikigaya?" Lyon's voice seemed more careful this time around. The light tapping of her boots across the cobblestone faded away into simple steps. Only the wind resounded against the stone walls, cobble floors, and glass windows. Immediately, I regretted speaking my actual thoughts. I should've really just gone along with the atmosphere Lyon had tried to set up. It's really annoying how I can't just ignore things like this like a regular person. "If there's any question you'd like to ask about me to put you at ease then… please, ask."

"It's not a matter of knowing, really. I can guess at what you tried to do." Knocking out someone to protect them, in hindsight, is a classic Shounen theme that I had reacted adversely to. In normal circumstances, I'd be inclined to accuse Lyon of being in the wrong since she lashed out first, but leaping off into Orario without a plan in mind just caused things to escalate out of either of our control. Getting knocked out, confronting her the following day, would've been a smarter course of action. "You're not that hard to figure out, it was just… I was on edge since you were acting suspicious every night since I returned."

"You haven't been sleeping?" Hah, I knew Lyon would pick out that piece of information. The soles of boots clattered against cobble, then she was simply before me and leveling me a glare. Nice to know that there were things about Ryuu Lyon that I actually knew and didn't just assume. Granted, I didn't make much of an effort to not be an ass, but what just happened was nothing short of embarrassing. "Hikigaya, you should know better than to lose sleep over problems-."

"Don't try to avoid the topic, Lyon." I interrupted Lyon's words with a sigh and a shake of my head. Really, I just needed to clarify what there was… between the two of us. I didn't know her, because I'd treated her like someone else. Because of that, I wasn't able to properly analyze the situation. By all means, it was my fault that this got out of hand so quickly. I shouldn't have tried to replace Yukinoshita. This would've all never happened if I'd simply treated Lyon just like I did everyone else. "Cornering me with 'kill me if you don't believe me' isn't actually a good way of gaining trust. Hell, if you're a spy like I thought, you'd know I'd never kill anyone. You could just be using what you know about me against me."

"…I don't know whether to be concerned or happy that you've put so much thought into the matter, Hikigaya." Lyon's features softened and she shook her head in turn. Then, the elf turned her gaze away, walking with her hands held at her back. I didn't feel at all safe, even with my eyes on her. The 'fight' I had with her was downright appalling. I had half a mind to just head to the dungeon and start killing monsters to prove to myself that I wasn't weak. "Hikigaya, what exactly do you know about the Astraea Familia?"

I told her what I knew. They were an exploration and policing Familia. That they were ambushed. She survived and killed the perpetrators. Overall, it was easy to slot her as a 'bad person' with her past. Look where those assumptions got me. I'm not making the same mistake again.

"It's mostly correct, lacking a few secrets I'm glad aren't well-known, but mostly correct." Lyon gave a short nod, brushing her hair behind her ear. The elf turned her gaze on me. I stood straighter. I can't let her fool me. Suddenly, she just shook her head. "You can guess that I can see if someone doesn't trust me. Plenty of victims feel like you do. Second-guessing everything that happens to them." A light sigh came from her. I didn't know whether or not she was taking this seriously or just having a laugh. "I suppose that all you can really do is have some faith in me, Hikigaya. Until I prove that I'm really on your side."

"Oh, and how are you going to do that, Lyon?" I gave my own sigh. Seriously, I didn't know how to make heads or tails of Ryuu Lyon. She's either a hard-bitten cop, an arrogant waitress, or this person before me who's irritating at best. "How exactly will you get me to trust you?"

"Track down those who kidnapped you and kill them, of course." The words that came from her were innocuous, but they sent a chill up my spine. The look in her eyes, as the elf declared it, was nothing short of malicious. By all means, this being before me had a very, very large chip on her shoulder against criminals. Less eye for an eye and more you're losing your hands for stealing a hunk of bread. "You can't deny that I'm against you if I do so-."

"I would deny to hell and back that you're associated with me in any way if you do, Lyon." Again, I cut Lyon's stupid declaration off. Really, I should've learned my lesson regarding this sort of thing. I should just keep my nose out of the elf's business and let the cards fall where they might. However, I had rules. Tenants. Things that kept me apart and above the idiotic masses that dwelled in Orario. "I told you that I don't kill people. That also means I don't associate with people who kill for me."

"…Then what are you going to do to the people who kidnapped you, Hikigaya?" Lyon, to my surprise, didn't seem affronted by my words. If anything the elf seemed prepared for them. Turning to face me completely, the Level 4 simply opened her arms, seemingly ready to receive what answers I could come up with. What game are you playing at? "You've seen what they're capable of firsthand. How are you going to destroy their ability to hurt you without killing them?"

"Like what you did? Kill a god, hunt people down, and salt the earth where they lived? I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in falling to that level. I like where I am." I leveled a glare at Lyon. Kill people and all the problems end? Only idiots think that things could ever be that simple. "You didn't fix the problem, Lyon. You ended it. The result? Nothing changed. Orario's still a shitty place to live."

"You still haven't answered the question, Hikigaya." Lyon crossed her arms. The elf's steely eyes didn't seem perturbed by the points I made in the least. "In fact, you've just made the problem larger: how are you going to 'fix' Orario? Stop every crime that my entire Familia couldn't?"

"The same way every civilization has of course." I didn't falter from her gaze, in fact I met it with another glare. "I'm going to make myself untouchable. I'll become integral to this fucked up city." I gestured to the city behind me. "You see this place? It's filled with organizations filled with selfish, egomaniacal idiots who'd sell out their own mothers for more power. Guess what I can give them?" The smile I felt crawling onto my lips was not a nice one. "No. That's wrong, it's better for you to guess what they'll give me."

"You're just going to… leverage every Familia you can and use them against who oppose you? Like some sort of personal army?" If Lyon seemed composed a moment ago, she wasn't now. I'm sure that she expected quite a few things. Maybe some sort of dastardly plan involving threats and intimidation. But why mess with something that history has proven correct time and time again? If you have something people want above everything else, you lord it over them for everything you can want. "…You're going to make yourself some sort of king?"

"They're either going to fall in line, or they're going to get eaten out of those who did. The Loki Familia? They're the first step." I shoved my hands into my pockets. Fuck being dramatic. "They'll all come, one after another, Ganesha, Ouranos, whomever has two brain cells will come before long. Then? It'll be my word that sets the pace in this entire city."

I didn't falter beneath her reproachful glare. If she didn't think I could do it, well I'll just rub it in her face when I did.

I'd thought long and hard about how to get this hellhole working the way I wanted it to. Now? I had all the right levers. A figurehead the masses could respect, a Skill that those in power needed, and enough money to convince the remaining idiots to just follow along.

"I'll drag Orario kicking and screaming into becoming a civilized society, Lyon. That's how I'm going to completely and utterly beat the idiots who kidnapped me."

I needed this city in working order to get back to my home, and if I managed to take care of a few irritating problems along the way?

Well, that's just a bonus.