Arc Two: Revelous Sin

Song One: City Life

(Open on Byleth and Star grabbing hot coco outside a coffee shop as snow falls over the city. Star appears to have grown slightly older as Byleth toys with fire magic, a small spark he tosses from the tips of his fingers like juggling a ball. Star sips her coco and begins to sing.)

Star: Things are escalating quickly,

That's something we can't deny.

I really miss Adora.

We were always side by side.

(Byleth nods in agreement.)

Byleth: Yeah the situation ain't great.

Author Slayers are going insane.

They're probably, 

Planning something. 

Star: I don't know what.

Only that they hate human kind.

I don't know, 

What goes on in Reaper's mind.

Byleth: Hey not our problem I guess. 

I only,

Desire,

To survive. 

(The two begin to walk through the city, which is shown to be growing, more users and character walk down the street as the duo pass by a Roy and Lucina.)

Star: We still gotta help Boaz,

You're off to help Robun right?

Byleth: I help him because he's our friend,

Not because I have a stake in what happens.

You and I gotta get by,

Because we don't know enough to pick a side.

And you are like,

A little sister to me.

You are my family,

Is what I am trying to say.

I'll always love you as such,

And have your back.

Star: I see you as family as well.

And I'll always love you as well.

Both: And that's currently, 

The situation at hand.

(The song ends the two continue to walk and discuss.)

Byleth: So what was the plot of the story you were gonna be in?

Star: It was a continuation from the ending of my show. Hence me not having magic, but it never went everywhere so…

Byleth: Well if it makes you fell any better I'm out of a job with Leo gone. My story kinda isn't going anywhere either.

Star: I guess but…

(Star sighs.)

It's not really the same. I was made for one specific story and wasn't good enough and you found a gig like that as soon as you were abandoned. You weren't made for one specific purpose. 

(Star's eyes go wide with a realization.)

Wait. Why WERE you made? Who made you?

Byleth: Well I-

(Byleth stops, and scratches his head as if thinking.)

Huh. I… don't know. I just woke up in a dumpster one day. I remember having a very important purpose but not the foggiest idea what it could be.

Star: Yeah. It's weird. You were in the packaging of a Gen brand husk too. Packaged like a giant action figure.

Byleth: Are all husks sold like toys?

Star: Mostly…

(Stars points across the street, the camera following her finger to show a massive store where husks are sold in large plastic packaging, which users lift as if they were made of air, examining them, some purchasing and others putting them back to hang from the asiels as they look at other husks. The camera pans back to Star and Byleth. The two stop outside the store, looking inside as they discuss.)

Yeah pretty much. 

Byleth: Is it just me or they look a little to human? To alive?

Star: It's creepy isn't it?

(Byleth stares into the lifeless eyes of a Byleth husk which hangs in the store window. He looks away, almost as if disturbed in a way.)

Byleth: Yeah…

(Star looks concerned, noticing Byleth's unease.)

Star: Don't worry. They're not like, alive. They don't have souls or blood or organs. Hell, they bleed ink. If you have a heart beat you're not a husk.

Byleth: Still uneasy…

Star: I know but don't worry about it. They're basically robots.

Byleth: Yeah…

(The two begin to walk away. Byleth looks back, falling behind.)

Star: Byleth! You coming? We gotta go!

(Byleth turns to face Star.)

Byleth: Yeah!

(Byleth gives one last look at the husk and runs to catch up with Star.)

See you when all is said and done at the factory?

Star: Totally. Cya later.

Byleth: Cya.

(The two part ways. Camera pans to the sky and the Sun moves slightly as it pans back down to Boaz outside the factory. Sitting in a large field of tall yellow grass. Star approaches as Boaz examines his bow.)

Star: Hey Boaz.

(Boaz jumps, startled, [Fear The Deer] appears behind him as him and his avatar point their bows at Star.)

Boaz: Oh shit sorry.

(The avatar disappears as Boaz lowers his bow.)

You scared me. How you been?

Star: I've been well. College going well for you irl?

Boaz: Sure is thanks for asking. Anyways, this is the factory.

Star: Are all factories this far outside the cities?

Boaz: No. The space between cities is often being developed rapidly as the cities expand, so this location makes very little sense. It's like Leo was trying to hide something here.

Star: We're here to find what aren't we?

(Boaz nods.)

Boaz: That's the plan. 

(Boaz and Star enter the factory, which is pitch black. For a moment. Star whispers.)

Star: I guess it's shut down.

Boaz: You got a light?

Star: No magic. 

Boaz: OK maybe I can…

(Boaz cracks his knuckles like cracking a glow stick which causes an orb of pale blue light to appear in his hand.)

Star: Ah basic light magic?

Boaz: I dabble in light magic yeah. It's not showing much though.

(The two look at what little they can see and Star spots a light switch.)

Star: Here we go.

(Star flips the switch, causing the entire factory to activate. A large screen above flickers to life to show Leo sitting at his desk. He sighs, looking into the camera.)

Recording of Leo: Hello visitor.

(The two turn to watch the recording.)

If you're seeing this the the factory shut down for a time meaning I am either banned or they finally put me in the nuthouse.

(The recording gestures wide with his arms.)

This is my factory…

Song Two: Factory of My Pain

Recording of Leo: I have come to this place,

Built it to bring an end of my pain.

I created more husks and characters,

Than you could know.

But it's all useless.

No matter how much I write nothing will change,

And I cannot escape the Hell,

I've always known.

I man these machines,

That you see.

Manufacturing countless stories.

The material my insanity. 

If you've come here to ban me,

Then sorry but you've probably been beaten to the punch. 

If you've come to assist me,

Then forgive me for leaving.

If you're an ally, 

Then my desk contains the truth.

That you may seek to know.

That you may have come here for.

And if you came to destroy me,

You know already who I am anyways.

For you are my enemy.

One of the Children of the Beast.

(The song ends.)

Boaz: Children of the Beast?

Star: Yeah I've never heard of such a group.

(The two walk to the second floor where they find Leo's desk.)

Boaz: What are you hiding friend?

(Boaz begins to open drawers as Star looks at the photo of Leo and The Demon in Purple.)

Star: Hey Boaz do you know this person?

(Boaz stops right before the drawer that holds Leo's mask to look at the photo.)

Boaz: Yeah! I've heard he's been spotted around the city! Leo mentioned him in the notebook he gave me!

(Boaz takes out the list and reveals an entire 

page on The Demon in Purple.)

Page: The Demon in Purple. High level user. Level 17. Avatar [Blood Wine Red] has no weakness. Do not engage. A Goddamn HICK!

(The writing seems to become angry, going outside the lines and scratchy.)

THEY TOOK HIM AWAY FROM ME! FUCKING HICKS! GIVE HIM BACK! GIVE ME MY BROTHER BACK!

(There is also a photo of The Demon in Purple.)

Star: So these two were very close at one point and something happened that rendered him a threat. 

Boaz: Yeah…

(Boaz sighs.)

If we just knew how he chose his threats we could do something about it. Determine if they're actually dangerous. 

Offscreen Voice: So that's what you need to know?

(Camera spins to reveal Jackal behind the duo.)

Jackal: I can answer that.

Boaz: Hey it's you! The woman who gave me the bow! Saved Robun! Thanks for all that. I owe you a fair bit.

(Jackal sighs.)

Jackal: Yeah…

(She collects herself from her brief depressed expression.)

Look Leo targets child abusers and child abuse apologists.

Or he… did.

Boaz: Did? Is Leo OK? I'm worried about him. Sure him and I were never to to close but…

(Jackal turns away.)

Jackal: Leo… he had these thoughts often. Dangerous thoughts. 

Star: Do you mean he…

(Star makes a finger gun and points it at her own head, imitating a gunshot.)

Jackal: I mean it's not likely but it's possible. I pray not though. I haven't seen him in three weeks.

Boaz: Weeks? He's been missing a fair bit longer. About two months.

Jackal: Really? Huh. He showed up to the nursery a few times.

Boaz: Did he say anything that could explain what's going on?

(Jackal shakes her head.)

Jackal: No he was pretty much mute. Rarely spoke. He's usually really talkative but he just… stayed in his room on his Gamecube. He just had a total lack of motivation.

Star: Nothing at all? 

Boaz: Yeah anything. 

(Jackal shakes her head.)

Jackal: He only told me to protect a certain Byleth. Unsure why. Whatever the reason that Byleth must be important.

(Jackal sighs.)

I hate how things have played out for the poor kid. I've had kids hyper attach like him though so wouldn't be the first time a human I loved as my own kin killed themself. 

(Jackal walks over to the door to the office and performs the secret knock.)

Jackal: Call my name should you need assistance. Farewell.

(Boaz and Star are shocked as the door open to the Nursery. Jackal goes through and closes the door. Star rushes over and slams the door open and shut.)

Star: What kinda reality warping bullshit was that!?!

Boaz: I… don't know. Something tells me there's more to her than meets the eye. For now though we should go assist Robun. Come on.

(Camera pans, spinning around the corner into darkness which fades into Jackal sitting in Leo's room. She begins to cry, before wiping her tears away.)

Song Three: Motherhood

Jackal: I know this place,

Where he grew up.

With that precious smile,

How he loved mankind.

(Cut to a flashback of a toddler Leo talking to Jackal.)

Jackal: So tell me child, 

What is your goal?

Young Leo: I want a world,

Where no one cries.

(Jackal smiles and hugs the younger Leo. There is a flash of light which transitions to a slightly older Leo barging in as Jackal sits reading a book. A five year old Leo tackle-hugs Jackal.)

Jackal: He was such a loving and kind hearted kid.

That I watched grow up through the years.

(Jackal hugs Leo, a smile on her face as the scene transitions to show Leo getting older and as he grows older, year by year, the smile on his face transitions into a bitter scowl.)

His mind slowly broke.

And now the son I loved is gone.

(The scene returns with a cut sweeping left through darkness to show the Jackal finding one of Leo's hairs on the floor. She clenches her fist and picks it up.)

No!

I'm not certain if Leo has died,

But in case he has,

I'll use my magic to make a new son!

(Jackal leaves Leo's room. She begins to use a spell similar to the one Leo used to create a beating heart in her hands.)

But making a human can't be done.

Not fully as their avatars,

Make their souls impossible to replicate,

So what I'm making is something else.

(Jackal walks down the hall to a room where a sword is held in a sheath. She unsheaths it, revealing it to be the 5th weapon.)

From the power that thing held.

I will create Leo once more,

And this time,

I'll raise him right.

(With some dark energy. Jackal causes the blade to extend into a spinal cord, the body forming around it and the heart as the two float in the air. The body forms, but this is different from Leo in a few key ways. His face is more well shaven. He appears less underweight, and his eyes are red rather than Leo's brown. The clone falls to the ground, fully formed as a young adult the same age as Leo as the song ends.)

Leo Clone: Hi mom!

(The clone hugs Jackal.)

Good to see you!

(Jackal mutters under her breath.)

Jackal: Let's see if I did this right…

(Jackal hugs the clone back.)

So what do you recall of your childhood?

Clone: Is that a joke?

(The clone chuckles.)

I was raised her at the nursery with you mom! I've left since the other humans came a few times. I've been here my whole life! Living in Amino!

(Jackal thinks, the camera zooms in on her face to indicate internal monologue.)

Jackal: So I did modify this thing's memories successfully. It's not stable though. If he tries to remember why he was raised here or if he has biological parents he will realize he's a clone. He thinks he's been raised by me and only me so that's good. I wonder if he has an avatar.

(The camera pans out.)

So your avatar doing OK? Has it evolved?

Clone: Nope. 

(The Clone summons an avatar which, much like Leo's, is a figure with a black cloak. Unlike [Martyr Complex] however, this one's face is not hidden, and it takes the appearance of Yu from Persona 4.)

Clone: [Family Man] is same as always. It's ability Brotherhood still lets me know if anyone I love is in danger and can teleport me to them if need be. 

(The Clone activates his avatar's ability, the avatar glowing with a dark magical energy before turning to look at the Jackal, concerned.)

Hey mom you OK?

Jackal: Oh yeah I'm…

(The Jackal coughs, once more coughing up blood. The clone rushes to her side.)

Clone: Jesus Christ! Did you use your avatar again? Didn't we talk about this?

(The Jackal reveals her avatar, whom takes the form of a demon from the Bible known as Lilith, with long claws black as night, and scaly flesh covering the avatar's body. A demon who, in some versions of the Bible, was Adam's wife before Eve. The Jackal collects herself and wipes the blood off on her jeans.)

Jackal: Look, a human got hurt, I used the ability of [Matriarch], Mother's Love, to take his wounds onto myself. I can recover just fine I just need rest.

Clone: Yes! You need rest! So go rest! I got this.

Jackal: You sure?

Clone: Of course! I've got this under control. I can handle the nursery while you at least get some shut eye.

Jackal: I'm not human I don't need sleep.

Clone: But you'll recover tons faster, at a super natural rate, if you sleep right? That's an ability your kind has isn't it?

Jackal: Yeah but I really don't-

(The Clone shakes his head.)

Clone: Nope. Nope. You rest now. I have this under control.

(The Jackal begins to protest but then sighs and concedes.)

Jackal: Fine. But I can't sleep for to long. Something big is gonna happen soon I can feel it.

(Jackal walks off. The Clone goes to wander the halls of the nursery, checking on children to make sure all of them are safe in their rooms.)

Clone: Man…

(The clone scratches at his spine. Which fades into an X-Ray that reveals the sword has extended into a fill spinal cord, the blade itself splitting into the vertebrae and the handle now stretched to form the shoulders of the clone.)

My back feels stiff…

(The camera zooms into the clone's eye and out of Byleth's eye, then panning around to show what he is looking at. The Demon in Purple sipping tea at a diner.)

Robun: There he is. The Demon in Purple.

Byleth: So that's our guy?

Robun: Yeah he's our guy. Was in the notebook and… Leo made it very clear that this man is dangerous.

Byleth: So what do we do?

Robun: I mean, as much as I trust Leo is a good person I don't know if we can attack someone on sight just because Leo says they're bad. What do you think?

(Byleth stops to think. He has a VERY IMPORTANT choice to make…)