View source for Shatter Me (Ikuto Tsukiyomi)

{{Cutscene Header
|Date of Scene=2016/02/16
|Location=Mitakihara - Easter Corp. Skyscraper
|Synopsis='''CONTENT WARNING: MENTAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE''' - Following "Catch a Kitty By the Tail", Ikuto tries to convince Director-san that he's lost Yoru for good.  It doesn't go as he expects...
|Thanks=Amu, Tadase
|Cast of Characters=77
|Tinyplot=Forgotten Places
}}
<br><center>'''''EASTER CORP. SKYSCRAPER — MITAKIHARA, 10:00 PM'''''</center><br>
----
<center>'''(BGM:  [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49tpIMDy9BE Shatter Me - Lindsey Stirling (ft. Lzzy Hale)])'''</center>
----

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The carpet muffles the sound of Ikuto's footsteps as he heads down the hall to the Director of Easter's office.  Outside, a pair of enforcers stand, and one moves to bar his path.  "The Director hasn't called you here.  You don't have any business here."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ikuto glares at the enforcer.  "Do you want to tell him later that he doesn't know about a major change that will impact productivity because ''you'' didn't let me through to tell him?  It's not something I can just call him about."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The enforcer pauses a moment.  "...Wait here.  I'll let him know you're coming in."  It takes a few moments for the enforcer to return, and then the door is opened for him.  Ikuto strides in without looking back, and doesn't speak, not even after the doors close behind him.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kazuomi sits at his desk, chair turned to face the window behind the desk.  "This is certainly a surprise, Ikuto," the Director says quietly.  "Why did you come here?  Do you have something to report?"

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ikuto's head was partly down, just enough to hide his eyes.  "You won."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This draws Kazuomi to turn his chair around and look at Ikuto.  He props his hands on the desk, lacing his fingers together "What do you mean?"

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You won.  I'll stop fighting."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kazuomi smirks.  "Well.  That's good to hear," he comments, with surprising lightness.  He wonders what brought this change of heart, but really... he doesn't care.  "So now that you've come around, I'll put you to even better use, with your abilities..."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"No."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"No?  I thought you weren't fighting."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ikuto is the one to smirk then.  But the expression is brittle.  "I wanted to be free," he points out.  "That was my dream.  It'll never happen.  I may as well be wearing a collar with 'Easter' written on it.  But Yoru was my dream.  If I've given up on my dream..."  He trails off, figuring it's not necessary to continue.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It isn't.  Kazuomi scowls deeply, exhaling a breath in a frustrated growl.  "...I see."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"...It's what you wanted, wasn't it?" Ikuto half-taunts, his voice dull, dead.  "You won.  This is the price of victory.  You ought to be careful what you wish for."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I did not ask your opinion," the Director snarls.  A moment later though, he calms.  Folding his hands before him, his elbows on the desk, he speaks again, calmly.  "This was unexpected.  It seems you will not be able to continue your duties with the X-Eggs.  But there's still one service you can perform."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ikuto suppresses the urge to growl himself.   He'd hoped Kazuomi would just fire him.  "What?"

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kazuomi looks up, past Ikuto, and nods.  The boy looks up as well, prepares to turn and see what the Director is looking at... and then emits a sudden grunt as something impacts with the back of his neck hard.  He thumps to the floor and is still.  The Director looks at the sunglasses-wearing, suit-clad agent.  "Take him down to the laboratory sector.  Tell them to proceed with Operation Death Rebel."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Sir," the agent confirms.  He gathers the unconscious boy from the ground, tossing him over a shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and then exits the office.


<center>*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;*</center>


&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ikuto wakes with a splitting headache, in a dark room.  From what little he can see, it's a holding cell.  The walls are metal and there's only a cot and a single table in the room.  He isn't even put '''on''' the cot-- he'd been carelessly dropped on the floor next to the wall.  So he is currently slumped against the far wall, next to the bed.  There's no windows; the only light is coming in through the slit-shaped rectangle in the top of the door.  Even that is cut off, though; bars block anything larger than a finger from getting through.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He doesn't bother getting up.  He just shifts his legs, to pull them against his chest, to curl as tightly as he can in the bottom of that room.  Wanting to just forget he's alive.  Wanting everyone '''else''' to forget he's alive.  He knows his gamble's failed.  He just hopes he won't actually die for it.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For the first time, Ikuto's honestly... scared.  He doesn't know what's going to happen to him.  And he's never liked small rooms.  Oh, as for cells it's actually pretty big.  But that's not the point.  He's '''trapped'''.  Ikuto hates being trapped.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How long passes before the door opens, he doesn't know.  But he hears the heavy clunk of the door opening, and tilts his head up to look.  It's two of the technicians from the lab area, as well as two suited, sunglasses-wearing enforcers.  The enforcers stand between Ikuto and the technicians while they install something on the ceiling of the cell.  Ikuto gets a glimpse of it as they're closing it-- it's a glass case, hanging too far above him to reach.  And what's in it?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;His violin.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He starts to stand, but one of the enforcers pushes him back down.  "You stay there," the enforcer says gruffly.  Ikuto growls quietly, but he doesn't try to stand again.  He just waits, until they leave.  Only once the door's closed again does he stand.  He takes a few steps over to the violin, tilting his head back to look at it.  It's too high up for him to reach.  But it's only '''just barely''' out of his reach.  Ikuto can't help but think that was done on purpose.  The instrument in the class cylinder is surrounded by a haze of purple energy that just feels... wrong, even from here.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ikuto pauses.  The door's locked.  There's no windows.  Yoru's nowhere to be found, and there's no way of knowing if the little Chara even knows where to find him.  Even Ikuto doesn't know where he is right now.  Is he even still in Easter's HQ?  Hard to tell.  So not only is he trapped, but trapped with no real hope of rescue.  Outside of a miracle of course.  And he doesn't get those.  Miracles are reserved for people who deserve them.  Not people like Ikuto.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Suddenly the energy around the violin sparks.  Ikuto emits a choked grunt and grips the sides of his head as pain, sharp and buzzing, flares to life in his head.  It almost sounds like a high-pitched whine from somewhere he can't see.  The pain gets worse, the whine grows louder, and Ikuto crumples.  First to his knees, then to his side.  He curls up on the floor of the cell, fighting the urge to scream.  With what strength he has left, Ikuto looks up, at the violin.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Suddenly his vision goes white...

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;...Then the white shatters to black...

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;...And his world goes dark.