Prologue: Resolve

[Kaiketsu Tada]

There was no way to describe what Kaiketsu was experiencing right now. He didn’t know how it had happened, or even why it had happened at all... He had somehow found himself waking up on top of the Umeda Sky Building. If he remembered correctly, this rooftop level had been under repair and was closed off to the outside civilians. What that didn’t explain why he was up on top of it now. He looked up only to see the dark cloudy sky above him and soon enough to start feeling rain drops pour heavily down on him.

Kaiketsu stood himself up and managed to balance, unused to the feeling of height that he was at as he gazed down from where he stood. He still had no idea what had ended up bringing him here, or what possessed him to come here. There was no explanation that he could come up with. Surprisingly he got a sudden chill, almost as if some sort of figure was watching him. Kaiketsu slowly turned himself to see the silhouette of a figure. He wasn’t sure who this figure was, but he felt that it is what brought him onto this tower.

“...Who are you?” Kaiketsu wondered if his voice could be heard over the loud sound of the rain, even the bit of thunder that had started sounding. He slowly took a single step closer to the other figure. He felt this man had the answers.

[Accelerator]

The cloaked figure standing on practically the edge of the rooftop turned to look at the boy who had called out to him. Even though he was only wearing a simple hood, his facial appearance was somehow completely concealed by the darkness of the night and the torrential downpour of the storm. A cruel smirk slowly spread across the face as the figure seemed to be analyzing the person across from his position.

“I’m the man who is going to change this tainted world. Anyone who contentedly lives in this society and does nothing is part of the disease. Humanity will either be reformed or be purged.” After the shadowy figure had finished speaking, he took one slow step in Kaiketsu’s direction. It was a small and simple movement, but to any outside observer it would feel like a wave of power and darkness was moving with intensity towards its defenseless prey. The poor teenager probably didn’t even realize the danger and menace that was being directed at him.

In less than a split second, the single step had been completed, but the figure on the roof had completely vanished. Before Kaiketsu would even be able to process this sudden disappearance, the silhouette reappeared a few inches in front of him. With one smooth motion, a palm was raised and slammed into the boy’s chest with an audible cracking sound, sending his body flying through the air and sailing away from the safety of the rooftop. The mysterious assailant stepped to the edge and looked down at his victim’s falling form, leaving him with him with one final word of parting. “Later…”

[Kaiketsu Tada]

Kaiketsu heard the explanation of the figure, of course not one giving a name... He looked on in silence, not sure what this faceless man was talking about. Reforming the world, or purging it? That was nonsense, wasn’t it? He wanted to argue, but he felt that he could not even find the words or even speak anything. He raised his hand only to lower it as the figure moved closer to him. He soon realized the form had vanished, the dark sense that he had given off already had unsteadied Kaiketsu. Before it was possible to notice it, the figure had appeared in front of him, and the palm he felt rip his chest in sudden pain sent him tumbling right off the side of the building. He felt himself fall down further as the figured gave him the simple farewell. And at that moment...

“Gah!” Kaiketsu sat up breathing heavily. He could feel a cold sweat on his body and his hand was gripping his chest where the palm had touched. He let out a large breath, thinking that life in his apartment had returned to the normal state it should be. It was upon that moment that he heard the doorbell begin to ring. He quickly scrambled out of bed in his sleeveless shirt and shorts. He made it to the door just in time to watch the delivery guy walking down the hall and leaving him with his package. He shut the door as he quickly went back to the center of his room and sat the package down, opening it up and he found his H.D.P.C.. He looked on it in awe as he slowly slipped it on, surprised to see it activate immediately and have him sign the waver, he did so and began to get ready for the rest of his day. After getting his clothes assorted and in place he headed out into the sunlight.

He didn’t know why he felt different, but something about that dream led him to go check out the Umeda sky building. He wasn’t however interested in going in... he had still been working on the functions of his Holo-comp and setting his weapons and ability program into affect. He slowly looked up at the rather large building. After arriving at it, it looked almost identical to the way that he saw it in his dream... However, he still was hesitant on even considering entering. “Humanity will either be reformed... or purged...”

Weapon Program(s)
-Middle-sized Katana
-Twin metal tonfas

Ability Program(s)
-Weight (of user)

[Accelerator]

Dark morning clouds were still intact. The sun had not yet broken through their black barricade. Light raindrops fell upon the waking city. As Kaiketsu approached the building, the front doors slowly swung open, and a single light flickered in the main lobby, lighting the path to another door that had been left half-open, either by a careless employee the night before or perhaps someone else entirely...

[Kaiketsu Tada]

Kaiketsu had felt the rain suddenly begin to fall. He hadn't dressed fully appropriate for such a thing and because the force this weather had made, he moved himself into the lobby. He felt it strange... wasn't the building still busy, or shouldn't it be? He was confused even more now as he felt almost alone... had it not technically opened yet? Nobody else seemed to notice the entrance in. And the door left half open... a strange opportunity... Kaiketsu slowly moved through the door, looking around once again.

[Accelerator]

After Kaiketsu had entered through the second door, he was greeted by a staircase, one leading down to the basement level and the other leading upward to the higher levels. The lower stairs were shrouded in pitch blackness, while the light fixtures above were slowly flickering on one by one, as if they were lighting the trail towards the sky...

[Kaiketsu Tada]

Though Kaiketsu found this occurrence even more perplexing, he still let himself wander on forward. He followed the lights, letting them light the way forwards, noticing that if he had even stayed back where he was, he would be back in darkness. He didn't like that idea, darkness left one vulnerable to whoever put them in it... He still was feeling strange... why exactly was a path being opened for him, especially one granting him to a higher elevation?

[Accelerator]

As Kaiketsu ascended along with the lights, the bulbs behind him began shutting off, as if letting him know that turning back was no longer a plausible option for him. Finally, the staircase ended, finishing off with one last door at the top of the long journey upwards. Though Kaiketsu had not been walking for very long, it seemed he had forgotten his sense of time and had already arrived at the roof level. However, this final door did not open involuntarily. If Kaiketsu wished to finish the last stage of this journey, he would have to make that choice himself...

[Kaiketsu Tada]

Kaiketsu almost felt astonished at this. How long had he been wandering up that place with only the lights guiding him? He felt that the lights shutting off behind him was rather haunting for the fact that a busy place like this was somehow unoccupied by a single soul, but yet leading him to it's top? He began to think again though, realizing the similarities that this held to his dream, he had no idea how he had gotten here so quickly. Turning back now as not really an option, the lights didn't flicker to let him know it was allowed and he let out a sigh, slowly opening the door as he stepped onto the roof, immediately the rain battering him as he slowly walked further out.

[Accelerator]

Immediately after exiting the confines of the stairwell and stepping out onto the roof, Kaiketsu would be able to see the figure of a tall young man clothed in all black with a white and blue trimmed vest jacket hanging from both his arms. His light brown hair was tied into a small braid at the back of his head, and another think strand separated from one side of his head and dangled down to his eye level. As the figure turned to face the new arrival, a white mask with cryptic red markings was completely concealing his face, hiding his appearance and expressions.

“I figured you would choose to come. Things would have become quite unpleasant if you had turned back and stumbled into the darkness. Before I say anything further, do you know who I am?” The sound that emerged from behind the mask was low and slightly raspy, obviously a method of concealing the true tone of his voice. Though the Coordinators and their fierce leader Accelerator had certainly been made public by the media, there had only been one or two pictures and recordings that had ever captured any of their real identities. And as a brand-new Programmer, it was unlikely that Kaiketsu would realize the significance or the danger emanating from the being who was facing him.

[Kaiketsu Tada]

Kaiketsu had finally noticed a figure in front of him. He felt rather bewildered now... This was almost identical to his dream. The figure that he saw looked identical, and just like the dream, he was unable to see the man’s face. He quickly moved forward, making sure that his footing this time was stable. Kaiketsu continued to watch the figure, but ironically had no trouble hearing him speak over the rain and thunder. He felt the water drench his clothes.

”No, I have no idea who you are...” Kaiketsu was just as lost as in his dream, but even the man stated some interesting stuff, like how going back on the way up would have been unpleasant. However, this time Kaiketsu had something he didn’t have in his dream. He quickly activated his Holo-comp, and by doing so, he brought the middle-sized Katana to his side as he drew it from the sheath, watching the man.

“Why have you led me here...?”

[Accelerator]

The figure raised a hand to his chin and rubbed it contemplatively, as if he were somehow disappointed by Kaiketsu’s answers. It was impossible to read the young man’s concealed face behind the mask, but his posture and other forms of body language still slightly revealed what he was thinking.

“Why have I led you here? I did no such thing. Was it not you who first entered an abandoned building simply to avoid a few harmless water drops? Was it not you who continued to follow such eerie events happening before your eyes? If you had not wished to be here at this very moment, you would not be here right now.”

After pressing a small button on a device protruding from his wrist, the figure raised his hands in a defensive empty-handed stance and smirked beneath his mask. “What do you plan to do now?”

[Kaiketsu Tada]

Kaiketsu could feel his annoyance beginning to build at the words of this man. “Shut up! Like you have room to say anything, why the heck are you stalking me?” He felt annoyed, the dream already making him hate this man before he even wanted to hear any more words... but the first words that he spoke of his dream reoccurred to him.

Humanity will either be reformed or be purged.

Kaiketsu lowered his head for a moment... His eyes stared down at the floor below him as he slowly whispered those words.

”Humanity... will either... be reformed or be... purged...

His head raised up as he looked to the masked figure ahead. “Are those your thoughts?” Kaiketsu held the sword at his side, his eyes set on the target in front of him as he began to move across the wet surface of the roof. When he came within range he swung his sword in a horizontal slash, tilting the sheath with his left hand as a possible guard against a counterattack.

[Accelerator]

“Oh? Someone is already losing their temper already. Anger is the first step down the slippery slope of utter defeat.” The figure remained completely motionless in his prepared stance, waiting to see what Kaiketsu would do. His muscles tensed in anticipation for the inevitable clash that would begin.

“My thoughts? Why would you ask something so randomly like that?” As Kaiketsu’s sword came raining down towards his body, the weapon was suddenly frozen in midair a few inches away from the figure’s torso. Then, as if it had collided with a plate of pure metal, the blade bounced back with a force that would most likely cause the attacker to stumble backwards in recoil.

As soon as this impact occurred, the dark figure rushed forward in a blur of movement, his shoes gripping the wet rooftop as best as they could and propelling him towards his staggering opponent. Without missing a beat, he brought his right fist forward in a hooking punch towards Kaiketsu’s face, while his left hand subtly headed towards the poor boy’s stomach region. “Are you sure those thoughts did not originate in your own mind?!”

[Kaiketsu Tada]

Kaiketsu looked in surprise as his blade almost appeared to collide with nothing. He tumbled back, slapping his hand against the floor as to not slide too far away from the point of where he had first struck. He looked up towards where the man was. “You’re lecturing me already?” It took even less than a blink for Kaiketsu to suddenly see the figure in front of him. He managed to lower his head in time to dodge the first punch, he felt rather happy that this character wasn’t as fast as he thou-

The sudden other punch in Kaiketsu’s chest caught him by surprise. He tumbled backwards this time, hardly able to control his body as he began to slide towards the edge.... However he did not want to have a repeat of what had happened in his dream. He stuck his blade into the rooftop floor, skidding to a stop as he coughed once or twice. He felt the taste of blood in his mouth... even punches with these items still hurt...

He slowly threw some of his hair back as he stood up straight. He watched the the figure as he slowly walked closer once more. He wiped the blood from his chin and then went back into a stance ready to attack. “I don’t care who you are, or what advice you have... if they are my thoughts, then at least explain what yours are.”