AGG: NSS: Akeno 3

AGG: NSS: Akeno 3

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Commissioned by Wirdo

Word Count: 1500

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From a young age, my curiosity was extensively cultivated. Being raised by Azazel of the Grigori would naturally entail such a thing, given the Fallen’s faction’s focus on gathering information. Heaven and Hell’s armies could hardly overcome the Grigori if we hid amongst humanity’s civilizations, of which both once had plans during the Great War. Espionage, clandestine operations, and other acts of information gathering was the key to ensuring the Grigori’s parity amongst all opponents.

Victory was impossible, but so was defeat with the proper preparation.

Thus, it’s only natural that I would begin to gather information once a powerful, new force arose to bar my way.

The Preservers provided me with my own lodgings and they were conducive to my own efforts. Making sure that my room could withstand the efforts of CORE, maids, and others seeking information on myself was a relatively easy affair. There were only basic surveillance devices embedded within and they were to protect against assassination attempts and the like. CORE was intent on ensuring the Preserver’s trust, so it was only natural that they not do anything untoward. Still, I dispatched with that particular protection and replaced it with my own, before modifying my room for my own needs.

While I had various amenities I wanted delivered and supplemented from my own home, a spy makes do with what they have on hand, so that their capabilities cannot be discerned.

A computer on a closed circuit, several film-based cameras, and other such things were easy enough to acquire. However, my target was a renowned assassin with inclinations towards certain Oriental Martial Arts that explosively compounded upon her innate talent and experience, making the cameras worthless and the computer nothing more than a glorified data collector. Magical sensors and the like were difficult to gain, besides the basic ones I could assemble myself, and only the advanced would be able to catch wind of her, so I didn’t bother with them.

So, while I certainly had a workshop that would allow me to gather information on most of the Preservers without being noticed, I had nothing that could passively gain information on the Dhamphir that now lay as a challenge before my goal. As proud as I was of my tidy assembly of clandestine tools and equipment, scrounged from the surrounding Arcology and within my room, it was worthless for my goals of finding out more about Shizi than what CORE has on her. 

Therefore, I had to utilize a direct approach.

…

From my observations of the Dhamphir, I’ve found her to be somewhat of a recluse. Bordering on antisocial, she makes little to no effort in regards to communicating with others, and simply assists on missions where she is most likely needed, if Song doesn’t ask for her aid. Miyakuro and Creighton are the only individuals she speaks to in regards to missions, but there’s no doubt in my mind that she’d follow Li Song’s orders without hesitation. Couple that with her upbringing in the Jade Empire as a Royal Guard, which is practically the same as nobility, and some choice tidbits passed along by the maids…

“So, how was he? Domineering? Pliant? Caring?” I took a seat beside Shizi as she tended to her drink. The Dhamphir froze mid sip as joined her. The bartender gave me a wary eye before I granted him a peek of my ID. His gaze turned the other way quite quickly after that. An appreciable quality of a professional bartender and one that I intended to exploit. “I can’t help but wonder about how Li Song is when he’s unrestrained and rampant. It’s so terrible that you can say that he keeps me up at night.”

The best course of action was to catch her utterly flatfooted and incapable. Fighting her where she’s strong, where she must withhold information and deal with idle curiosity, was not acceptable. Brute force, overtness, and complete lack of the customs and traditions she adhered to was my best bet at extracting the information I wanted. Not a very difficult mission, given that I am a Nephilim, but it’s always nice to have mission parameters in mind.

“W-what!?” The reaction I get is as I’d expected. There is outrage at my scandalous words, but there is also a healthy dose of both remembrance and utter embarrassment. The night had been memorable, perhaps extraordinarily so, and that intrigued me immensely. However, I couldn’t simply press onward. I needed to grant her room to breathe, to catch her breath, and comport herself. The farther she falls upon her ingrained responses the better my tactics would work. “E-excuse me, Lady Himejima!?”

“My, my there’s no need to pretend. I just want to know how you feel, Shizi-chan. Do you need help? Did it hurt? That limp you sported made me worried, you know?” There’s a certain pressure that needs to be met when extracting information from individuals who found no worth in speaking. Their own inexperience is their downfall, despite their incredible defense. Overcoming the metaphorical wall it the difficult part, but storming the inner keep is quite easy. As I imagine Li Song realized himself~. “Can’t I be worried about you, Shizi-chan? After all, you took Li Song all by yourself.”

“C-cease speaking about such things here! No! Cease speaking about such things entirely in my presence!” Shizi recoiled at my words, but she did not flee, nor did she simply decide to ignore my existence. Whispering teasingly, instead of speaking aloud and for all to hear, had worked in my favor. The Dhamphir was as scarlet as her hair. She was quite the sight. “Take your hedonistic concerns elsewhere, Nephilim!”

“Now, now, I’m not being hedonistic, Dhamphir-chan. I’m just a concerned and curious ally. What if there’s something wrong with you? Would Li Song forgive himself if he hurt you because he was too… excited?” Ah, I almost wished to abandon my information gathering and leave everything for my mind to piece together. Simply seeing a Dhamphir trained all her life to fight against immensely powerful beings limp after a single night with Li Song was already an incredible fantasy. Coupled with the knowledge that was the same night he’d been deflowered made the notion more exquisite. His talents were well rounded and long in… reach. I almost wished to be left in the dark to make the experience all the more anticipatory and exciting. “We’re allies aren’t we? And, I am a Nephilim. Wouldn’t you benefit from my knowledge in regards to carnal matters? Can you not entrust such information to me, especially for the sake of keeping everyone happy?”

“That’s… that’s still inappropriate to speak about in public.” The Dhamphir’s posture told me all that I wished to know, even as she batters down her embarrassment and reestablishes her composure. Though she attempts to stay still, her shoulders are arched back just-so, and there remains the slightest hint of apprehension on her pale cheeks. They nearly fade away, but I lean forward upon the counter, toward her, and that allows make to continue my assault on the flagging keep. It matters not if the walls have risen higher and men now man the walls, if I’m already within the innermost sanctum and doing as a wont. “You might have expertise in these matters, Nephilim. However, this is neither the time nor place to speak about such things.”

Ah, she speaks with an older, more refined tongue now. She falls upon training and habit to defeat me, but she’s already lost utterly. Truly, her only out now is to retreat and flee from my presence, but she isn’t the sort to that. I bet she’d sooner die than flee due to mere words and insinuations alone.

Still, continuing my aggression would only weaken my position.

Now was the time to placate her pride and give ground, so that I might take everything magnanimously.

“Hmmm, I suppose you’re right. Even venues such as this have prying ears.” I took a moment to order my own drink. I had a preference for sake, but I decided upon appearing weak. She had liquor and I had my cocktail. She sat straighter as I ordered the fluorescent, sweet drink. Yes. I’d caught you offguard. That is all. I’m simply a silly Nephilim who doesn’t know any better. “So, Shizi-chan, would you like to talk about something else before we go somewhere private? I’d cleared my whole afternoon to make sure you were well after such an… extravagant night.”

Of course, of course, I only received silence at my prodding. However, the scene was set and my machinations were in place. I’d conceded ground and given her space, but she remained here and a remained past the largest obstacle to getting her to speak.

The time will eventually come when I can get her to speak and I needn’t worry about not being in her good graces, either.

A little patience never hurts, especially when one knows when to strike.