Chaos...

No other term could describe the thrashing will to survive that filled the tightened stairwell. A puppet's body falls backward over a rail and down the middle of the spiraling steps, crashing against railings with sick meaty thuds as more human-turned puppets clamor up the metallic stairs with a single goal in mind. Kill. More specifically... kill you. The sharpened point of one of the puppet's limbs slashed forward and caught your left shoulder, ripping into your upper arm and tearing your sling free. Your left arm fumbled out in its incomplete state as your right hand retaliated with a punch to the puppet's face, though this served little more than a slight roadblock to the stampede on the stairs as you tried your best not to trip running up the steep stairs. 

Thud... Thud... Thud. Thud. Thud.

The door on the roof finally burst open, your bloodied body stumbling through it before you turned and kicked the door shut. Your (E/c) eyes frantically searched for anything to block the door before a bit of stray piping in the wall next to the door caught your attention. Enough attention to warrant you ripping it out of the wall to slide through the handle of the door and into the floor to buy you some time as the first of the puppets arrived to thrash against the metal door. Adrenaline coursed through your body but for the first moment, you allowed your mind to relax for even just a moment though this basically was just an invitation for the various injuries you had accumulated from all of the slashing and poking to well up as a deep grunt of pain.

(Y/n): What kind of power even is this... this seems unfair...

You let out as you walked toward the edge of the roof, looking down to see more puppets walking into the building. You could guess why they would want to kill you but it seemed strange the sheer amount of these puppets. 

(Y/n): Could somebody really turn this many people so fast...?

You asked this question to the air not really expecting an answer until you heard the sound of glass shattering. Your gaze lowered down once more to see the puppets had punched through a window some stories down and was now crawling through it along with a few stragglers... climbing up the side of the building?! 

(Y/n): Oh you have got to be kidding me?!

You found your legs running before your mind had even caught up, your body running on instinct at this point as you settled on the side of the roof overlooking a lower roof. Whether you were ready or not, survival took over and within a mere moment, you were not sailing through the air toward the next building over. Somewhere behind you, the pipe holding the door must have finally snapped as the clang of the metal door practically ripped off its hinges from the sheer amount of puppets filled your ears. However, you were more concerned with whether you were even going to bridge the gap as your right arm extended out. There... you are almost there. That is until your body collides with the side of the building, the side of the roof ramming against your chest as your right arm hooked over the lip of the concrete roof and clung to the roof. Your teeth grit as you use your upper body strength to try and pull yourself over the side, though your unhealed arm could hook over the side to assist, and with your body already injured it was going to be a bit before you could pull-

Your grip on the roof turned deadly as something smacked into the wall next to you, wrapping a familiar sharpened appendage around your legs to weigh you down further. Glaring downwards,

You could see the blank expression of a puppet staring up at you, its arms wrapped around your legs in an attempt to weigh you down. Though that wasn't the one that worried you the most. In the blink of an eye, another puppet had tossed itself from the roof, this time landing on your back. Gravity proved your worst enemy as you desperately tried to cling to the roof, but the newly arrived puppet had other plans, wrapping its pointed arm around your neck in a choke hold while its fingers clawed at your eyes, pulling back sharply to the point it was inevitable what would occur. Your nails gripped don't the roof nearly to the point of breaking but the sheer weight of the two puppets and your sapping strength meant your fingers finally gave way and you fell...

Silence. A deafening silence filled the alley next to the building. At least until there were three resounding thuds, against the pavement. Three figures spasming from the fall though for different reasons. Thankfully thanks to being at the top of the pile, you managed to get up first. The puppet that had clung to your legs had its neck completely snapped from the void, it tried to pick itself up but found a swift end up your shoe as you stomped down on its face, caving it in in a swift motion. The other puppet meantime was dragging itself down the alleyway, likely to warn whatever sick hivemind these puppets were about. But as your shoes lacked against the pavement each step sounded the ticking of a tock until your final stomp down on the abomination's head signaled midnight.

(Y/n): Hah... hah... I don't get paid enough for this...

Gripping your side, you couldn't help but note that your fall was not without consequence. Your ribs were already more than likely bruised from the initial jump to the other building but falling several stories down against the pavement with only those two for support likely equaled something being fractured or broken at the very least. Your foot lifted from the puppet's devastated head to wipe off whatever may have smeared against the pavement. And now you needed to try to regroup with the others first. Your mind drifted to Power and Denji as well as the others. They could certainly handle things on their own but if this is the group that came to take you out, you could only imagine the numbers chasing after them. But...

(Y/n): Where are they?

You noticed the total lack of these abominations. They were in the building just next door and given how many there were you knew you didn't lose their scent just by taking out two of them. The hair on the back of your neck stood up as you slowly sauntered down the alleyway, nursing your injured ribs and body. If you weren't already on edge, what you heard next only further heightened your growing paranoia. Gently crying... Around the corner from where you stood, there was crying. Not sobbing persay but far too quiet to be from anything other than a child. Your footsteps slowed to a crawl but staying rooted in that dark alleyway was out of the question with the question of the puppet's location still up in the air. After reaching the edge of the darkness, you peeked out of the alleyway to your right to see a young girl crying. She couldn't have been older than five just crying her little eyes out. Another one of those accursed instincts in your mind carried you from the alleyway. This wasn't survival or adrenaline-based but one of those human ones you were still getting used to. 

(Y/n): What's wrong, little one?

You asked in a gentle tone as you crouched down in front of the girl. Her eyes opened for a moment revealing tear-soaked blue orbs before she returned to crying. A soft smile spread across your face as you lifted your hand and rested it on the top of the girl's head. 

(Y/n): Aw please don't cry. I didn't mean to scare you! 

Your attempts to reassure the girl fell on deaf ears as you tried to wrap your mind around something you could do to calm her down.

???: Mom...

(Y/n): Hmm?

???: I want my... m-mom...

Her sorrow-filled voice gripped at your heart as you could only idly glance back over your shoulder in the direction of where the puppets had been. You didn't even want to imagine...

(Y/n): Hmm... Well, why don't I stay with you until your mom comes back?

???: R-Really?

(Y/n): Of course! Maybe we can go get some ice cream and I will find out where your mom is.

The mention of the frozen treat seemed to lift the young girl's mood in an instant as you wiped the blood from your hand on your pant leg before offering your hand to the girl. You weren't surprised when she hesitated for a moment, Her eyes searching for her mom but the only help she received was from a bloody and battered stranger. Nonetheless, she placed her small hand in your palm and the two of you began to walk down the quiet street. Entirely too quiet for Tokyo in the middle of the day. 

???: Why are you like this?

A quiet whisper sent you over the edge, widened and alert eyes scanning around you as the girl led you forward in an attempt to get ice cream. She looked back over her shoulder and offered you a smile. Something clutched in your chest as you offered her a grin back, a little more relaxed but still you picked up your pace to get away from this dangerous area. 

???: She is a stranger. A human. Why do you care?

Shaking your head to rid yourself of the whispers, you knew that bastard from before was somewhere nearby. You needed to follow after him but with this girl so close to danger you couldn't just leave her there.

??: Why? 

(Y/n): She reminds me of Maya.

???: Hmm? What was that, mister?

(Y/n): Ah nothing, little one.

The answer surprised you since you hadn't even thought of it. It was just... instinct... human instinct. Why wouldn't you answer with your daughter? But was she your daughter? No that wasn't... you... Your brain began to hurt just trying to follow two trains of thoughts. Your logic diverging along morals and bloodlines. Human and Devil. 

???: You're falling apart at the seams. For nothing.

You weren't sure what would drive you mad first. The constant whispers from the creep, the paranoia of where those puppets might be or your brain itself trying to have a philosophical debate in the middle of a battle. 

???: There she is!

All of a sudden, the girl yanked her hand from yours and charged forth down the sidewalk toward nothing. Did she see her mom turning the corner? Or was it one of those puppets?

(Y/n): Hey wait! Slow down!

The girl didn't heed your advice and simply ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. You meanwhile jogged along wincing in pain as you tried to catch up with the little girl before she turned the corner. As she slipped from view you strode forward a few more steps and turned to look around the corner of the building to see... nothing N-No wait... where was she?

(Y/n): Hey... little one?

You called out but were met with that defeating silence once more. You slipped into the doorway of the building and opened the glass door to some kind of shop but she wasn't there. 

(Y/n): Where did you go? Did you find your mom?

No amount of calling out seemed to reach the girl. She had just vanished-

A sharp pain filled the back of your left thigh. It was quite sharp but not like the sharpened needles equipped for the puppets. Turning to look over your left shoulder, you spied who else but the little girl, holding a knife now deeply planted into the back of your left thigh. The knife was extremely worrying of course but the girl's face was just... blank. Terrifyingly so. Her eyes were devoid of life as she twisted the blade. Your fist clenched on instinct to punch the girl but you managed to wrangle in those thoughts as you kicked your leg forward out of the girl's grip.

(Y/n): W-What... what is wrong with you?!

???: Is it really that simple?

In the blink of an eye, the girl was gone but a gloved hand was resting on your right shoulder. A familiar unplaceable tone also filled your right ear.

???: Look at you.

A sudden shove sent you spiraling forward onto the concrete, the knife embedded in your thigh scraping against bone caused you to cry out in pain.

???: We didn't even know what pain was. We created it. Invented it. but you have allowed yourself to wallow in its cold grasp over and over... and for what? An experiment? 

(Y/n): What the fuck are you talking about?!

The figure let out the closest thing you could guess to a sigh as it stepped forward looking down at you, the gaze behind his mask nothing short of pitiful.

???: Was it her? Did she pull us apart to see who would falter? She's more of a fool than she realizes-

(Y/n): Look shut up! Why are you fucking with my head?! What's with the little girl?! Where is she?!

???: Do I really need to explain such an obvious answer?

(Y/n): Talk as-

???: Dead. Gone. Deceased. That child was killed. By who I don't know. She is simply another part of our machination now.

Your eyes widened as something deep inside of you shattered. A strong sense of guilt wells up inside of you. 

(Y/n): D-Dead...

???: That face of yours... I wonder what those creatures call this emotion.

(Y/n): O-Oi don't change the subject!

You called out trying to rise to your feet but as soon as you stood on the leg not currently stabbed, the figure swept it out from under you to return you to the concrete this time sitting on your rear to look up at him. 

???: Why can't you accept the truth?

(Y/n): Because you're an asshole!

???: Vulgarity... It was like poison to us before... to have fallen so low-

(Y/n): Stop with the us! There was no us! I don't fucking know you!

That jumbled voice of static let out a chuckle.

???: I hate human cliches but... we know each other a lot more than you think.

The figure's gloved hand lifted to its mask and slowly peeled it away but the sound of flesh peeling from bone filled the air as the creature seemingly roughly tore off its own face before casting it aside to let you stare into the abyss...

The creature sported a face of similar structure to you, unkempt (H/c) hair sitting upon the head but where the creature's face should be was just a cash infinitely into the skull. It felt empty and cold but it wasn't empty. Inside that abyss floated things off in the distance. But... how could there be distance inside a skull? Things brushed past the entrance to the chasm like fish attempting to break through the waves of a dark ocean. First, it was an amalgamation of things but a shiver coursed down your spine as a bright blue eye broke through to the surface... followed by another... the sound of bones cracking and features shifting until the face of the young girl from before appeared before you though significantly tagged and... wrong... Her eyes were the same as before, void of life or expression. No emotion coming through at all. Even the voice that followed sounded like her but just... not right.

???: This is her right? Well if she would have continued her growth anyway.

(Y/n): What...

???: She was a bit of a fixer-upper with all of the gore but it's rather uncanny if I do say so myself.

(Y/n): What are you?! A devil?!

???: Curiosity. Human but familiar. That I remember. Clawing your way to an answer. But I won't give you the answer now. I want you to feel the consequences of your actions. One final test-

(Y/n): No! I'm not doing any tests! Give back Kobeni and the others!

Telling what the creature was feeling before was already hard enough but with the girl's face devoid of emotion it was even harder. The figure's shoulders drooped before his gloved fingers casually reached up to the girl's face. Your stomach churned and rage filled you as his fingers dug under the skin until he peeled the face free from his skull with a sickening rip, before casually discarding the girl's face onto the street, blood still clinging to what features he still had. It spoke in its familiar broken radio-like voice as the girl's voice disappeared from its tone.

???: I wonder what this Maya looks like.

That anger suddenly bloomed into fear. 

(Y/n): Don't you-

???: Do you even have any idea where we are? We are a breath away from their house. I know. Do you think I came here without knowing you? Remembering you? Forgiving you?

(Y/n): You're not making any sense!

???: Another choice. Another pull. Another rip at the seams. Can your fragile body take it? Will you run to your left and help your allies? they are being picked off one by one. Power... Kobeni... Aki and the others... they are slowly dying like a choked breath from a forgotten corpse. The hordes of those filthy puppets closing in along with a dangerous human approach... or do you turn to the right and save Yukari and Maya?

Their names felt wrong coming out of those creatures' voices but you could do little but listen as there were no signs or inflections to gauge about what this creature was saying. Whether they were true or not. 

???: You have only met them once... a one-time encounter filled with useless emotions. But your other half has years of love stored away. A future promised and snatched away by fate. Poor Yukari... and dear sweet Maya... cherry blossoms flowing in the wind heading for a bloody end. Will he sit idly by while you let his family die or will you allow yourself to be trumped by human emotion and allow your allies to die... even though you know who will best serve in the fight against... Ah... I'm ranting... Make a choice.

The figure turned on a dime before simply walking off.

(Y/n): Hey! Don't leave! You bastard I swear I will...!

You trailed off as the figure simply turned the corner and vanished once more. Your eyes trail over to the girl's face simply lying bloody in the street. Your hand reached out to it but held back at the sheer disgust and cruelty of it all. But you didn't have the time to figure this out. You apparently needed to make a choice. To your left was nothing but empty streets but you were sure you could just follow the flow of bodies to find the others fighting. But on the right in the far distance was a sign that vaguely looked familiar from your shopping trip with Yukari. The puppets... had they led you here? Was it intentional on this freak's part or a coincidence of fate? Who could tell... but as you stood up again, wrenching the knife from your thigh and tossing it to the side... you knew the choice you had to make. 

(Y/n): My family... it has to be my family...

(Y/n): But they aren't yours. Your allies need you. Power, Kobeni, Aki, Denji... who will kill the devils if they are gone?

(Y/n): Maya is a child! My child!

(Y/n): We aren't anything. A puppet of flesh. Think logically.

(Y/n): Shut up! I... I want to save the others but...

(Y/n): We are stampeding toward a cataclysm and it will only take the others to save us. To save your family.

(Y/n): There wouldn't be a reason to fight if not for them!

(Y/n): Shut up! Please... both of you!

You blinked in surprise as you settled back into reality. You had just been arguing... with yourself? Your mind's argument seemingly spilled out into reality as the migraine splitting your head open only seemed to worsen. One thing was for certain... whatever this is... whatever you are... you would need to figure it out before you found yourself ripped apart though whether a devil would do it or something internal was something to be seen. But for now, you let out a breath and turned in the only direction you knew to be correct.

But would this choice be for everyone's sake... or yours?