Six Paths of Infatuation: Yanderes X Reader

End of Night Four: Stryker

My eyes shot open and I lurched forward, trying to grasp at my surroundings. I was breathing heavily, freaking out. I wanted to run, I wanted to hide, I...

Wait.

My vision began to clear, and my hearing picked up sounds from a...

Carnival?!

"Would you sit down? You're gonna ruin the balance."

I snapped my head around, seeing Mika with her feet kicked up and enjoying the ride. We were riding on a giant Ferris Wheel, overlooking what appeared to be trees that went on for miles. They were snowtopped, and I could see people walking around below and children playing. The sounds of carnival games filled the air, including a carnie who was doing the typical "Step right up!" schtick. I stopped panicking and sat back down.

"You're insane." I said, covering my eyes.

"Criminally. Looks like Hideki sent you to my location. That would've been a pain in the ass had I not nearly concluded my investigation." Mika said. "I like to come her to clear my mind every once in a while. Reminds me of the childhood I never had. None of my squad really had one. Trafficking, abuse, torture, sacrifice...we're all just a bunch of puzzle pieces that don't fit anywhere else, but we've somehow forced ourselves aatogether." She summoned up some kettle corn and opened the bag and munching on it.

"Today's special, so they're holding this festival. It's in honor of my father." She said. "I've heard he wasn't the mourning type, so they have a day of fun over a day of misery. Even so, they have festivals like this all the time."

"Mourning?" I asked. "Did he..." She shook her head immediately.

"That would be easier, actually. He's alive. He's just sleeping for the rest of eternity, that's all. Can't wake him up until I kill who took his place." Mika explained. She sighed, closing her eyes peacefully.

"So. Why'd he send you here?" She asked. "It better be good." I twiddled my thumbs, trying to remember what Katsu told me to say.

"Um...he had a message for you. It was something myth-related, it sounded Greek. Premonition? No...promise? No...prospect? No, none of those are Greek." I guessed, thinking out loud. "Ah, can't you just look into my eyes and know?"

"It doesn't work like that. I can see future, not past, and barely at that. Think harder. Was it a god? Goddess? Warlord?" She asked. "Come on (Name), give me something."

"Pro...Prom...Prometheus?" I guessed. Her eyes widened and she stood up, looking at me. She looked surprised.

"I don't know what it means though. Who's Prometheus?" I asked.

"Are you sure that's what he said?" She asked, a rushed tone in her voice. Prometheus must have been serious. Had they dealt with this kind of situation.

"Uh-huh. That's the most Greek sounding." I told her. "But what does it mean?" She combed her fingers through her hair, slumping back down onto the chair as the ride began to descend.

"Prometheus, in Greek mythology, is a Titan that supposedly created mankind from clay. He stole fire from the Gods and gave humans the tool for civilization they needed most. He was punished by being bound to a rock and have birds peck out his liver every day. It would regrow and it would happen all over again." She explained. "If you are correct about what Katsu said...then I have a situation to handle."

"So...why the code name?" I asked.

"It means that a human is in possession of a Holy Weapon." Mika said. "It's the only weapon mortals are capable of wielding that can kill any being, whether they're HolyWorld, Overworld, or Underworld. That means it can kill a human, a demon, or an angel."

"But...can't your weapons do that?" I curiously. We arrived at the bottom of the ride and Mika whipped out her gun, pointing it at the ride's operator. His whole body convulsed with fear, his hands immediately shooting up.

"Go again." She said calmly.

"Y-Yes Miss Mika..." He stammered, moving the mechanism to go around again. She stopped pointing it at him, handing it to me. I tried to reach out and hold it, but my hand phased right through.

"Humans can't hold demon weapons. Demon weapons are held in a soul form. You have a physical form that won't allow you to pick it up." She told me. It disappeared in a blur of flames.

"I can still kill all three, so don't think you're entirely off the hook." Mika said. "Mortal weapons can only harm the physical form. The best you have are exorcisms, and that doesn't kill us. It only banishes us from the body temporarily. The problem is Holy Weapons. Can kill all three. Can be held by angels and humans. Technically by a demon, but a demon with a pretty submissive human vessel and damn good connections. By ourselves, it would kill us."

"Where could he have gotten one?" I asked. "Holy Weapons should be with angels, right?"

"That's where you're right, but now that I look at it, the pieces were just falling into place for him." Mika said. "Chaos naturally attracts demons. We've been in (hometown) for a while now because it's kind of going to shit. Angels come in trying to fix up the place, no doubt armed and searching for us if we cause any trouble. All he had to do is either hire a demon to raise hell. In walks the angel, and the snare tangles him. No demon wastes a chance to waste an angel, and Stryker takes the weapon, offs his demon, and walks away scot-free. Crafty bastard. I always knew his soul had occult abilities, and that's the main reason I hung around him and Wade. Some unsuspecting demon must have known it too." She groaned loudly, pulling out her phone and going into her contacts. Most of it was written in Latin, so I couldn't read it. She dialed the number and put it away. I guess the headphones she always wore had a mic in it.

"Mika? Where are you right now?" That was Eyo's voice. Although faded, I could recognize his voice. He sounded worried.

"Carnival." She said calmly. "What's up with you?"

"Uhh...I know you've done a lot of crimes, and I have a general reason to believe you, but where have you been all day?"

"The Snow Festival. You can ask the traumatized carnies if you don't believe me." Mika said.

"You've got something on your long list of crimes. And it's a big one. If what you're saying is true...I think this is the first time you've been accused of an assassination you actually didn't do."

"Oh yeah? Who?"

"Meeks...it's Arran. One of his lackeys found him in Overworld today. Everyone's out looking for you. It's a witch hunt."

Mika's eyes shut tight. Her nails dug into the seat next to her, and the symbol on her arm seemed to glow. She opened her eyes again, and this time they were a blazing red.

"(Name). Who did Manson kill with the weapon?"

"It was an old classmate of mine. He's a photographer, but I-" She held up her hand.

"Johnny..." She whispered. "Eyo. Ragnarok. Confirm."

"...What the hell do we need that much carnage for? I mean, I'll wake him up, but..."

"We're operating under Prometheus now. I don't have time for your inhibitions Kuroki, just do it."

"You should have just started with that. Right. Jormungand. I'll get to it. Should I give Quinn any messages?"

"Hecate."

"Got it. We'll bail out of here ASAP. Be careful Hawthorne."

She hung up and summoned up a portal, throwing it to the ground.

"Let's go. Now." She said. "I can enjoy the Festival later." Without thinking twice, I followed her in, closing my eyes in the darkness. In the abyss, I heard her voice echo in my head:

"Eternal Peace, or Eternal Conquest?"