Deep within the catacombs of the Normals headquarters, the Boss now stormed towards the lab he had recently financed. Angry he found himself cursing under his breath after the failure of his acquisition team.
The operation to capture the ghost fox had gone horribly. The Boss's only consolation now was watching his subordinates dart into side rooms as he made his way down the hall. As he now kicked in the door of the lab, he glared at the shadowy figure working towards the back. "Well that was a complete waste of resources."
"My apologies," the figure said, his voice coarse. "However, I did warn you about the possibility that the kitsune could become involved."
The Boss's eyes narrowed, the faint red light barely visible under his hood. "I invested quite a bit of resources in bringing you back," he growled. "Our records show you were one of the greatest tactical minds of your time. I expect better results, Casseus."
Casseus now turned, the formerly handsome, silver haired wizards face now visible in the dim light of the lab. Casseus resurrection had come at a cost. His face was sallow, grey, and cracked. One of his eyes was now missing, replaced with a pinpoint of red light that burned in the dark socket. "I do have some good news," Casseus stated. "However, I am having a bit of difficulty reviewing the ocular video from the raid."
"Not surprising," the Boss stated. "This type of technology is a bit advanced for you old timer." Casseus seethed, while thankful to be once more in the land of the living, he still had his pride. The Boss, as he insisted on being called, was arrogant and quite different from his former master. Nodding his head, he now stepped aside as the Boss now punched up the recorded feed from the Normals strike team.
"Some of my better soldiers," the Boss grumbled. "Not my best, but these guys had promise. Waste of resources and training. Cut down by a pair of robots and a fox man."
Casseus nodded, watching the ocular video from the raid to capture the ghost fox. It amazed him that the Normal had equipped all of their field agents with ocular implants. While the raid was a failure, they had not come away empty handed.
"So," the Boss stated. "That's him, that fox warrior that protects the un normal. What's his name? Akira?"
Casseus now rubbed the large scar along his neck, cracking it uncomfortably as he stared at the kitsune who ended his life. "Yes that's him," he growled, his voice rough. "I'll never forget his face."
The Boss nodded, watching the kitsune warrior quickly dispatch his troops. "Hes good," the Boss said in awe. "What did you say he was? A kitsune?"
"Yes," Casseus said. "Ancient Japanese creatures of myth. Their magic and combat prowess had few equals. Perhaps only the werewolves were their equals in combat."
"Til we exterminated them," the Boss laughed.
Casseus said nothing, watching as the second video now played. This one now showed the ghost fox saved by what appeared to be a robot and a green anthro monkey. "Now what the hell is this," the Boss exclaimed.
Casseus eye now went wide as he studied the footage. He wasnt so much interested in the forms of those he saw, so much as the two rings on the anthro monkeys hand. Casseus now watched as the robot fell, the anthro monkey growing angry before the video cut to black. "A ring bearer," Casseus exclaimed.
"Ring bearer," The Boss exclaimed. "You mean a Catalyst!"
Casseus nodded, in his time Catalysts were referred to as ring bearers. The Boss sighed heavily, leaning against the table. "Are you sure about this?"
"I recognize the magic," Casseus said. "While this one seems to be raw and inexperienced their is no mistaking it. Whoever this is is in possession of rings."
"Catalysts," the Boss growled. Taking a deep breath he now rewound the footage, watching as the Catalyst destroyed his troops on one fell swoop. "Remaking the world as they see fit and having the audacity to say it is for the greater good. What gives them the right? What makes them right and us so wrong?"
Casseus gave the Boss a curious look. The Boss now looked at Casseus indignantly. "Dont give me that look," he stated. "What is good? What is evil? Our organization provides competitive pay, full medical benefits, hell even a pension for retirement. Sure, sometimes we have to kill, even commit genocide but it's for the betterment of everyone. As the saying goes, you cant make an omelette without breaking some eggs."
"I would never question our motives sir," Casseus stated.
"Of course not," The Boss said. "I mean why would you? In your time you wanted order, normalcy, you stopped those that would change the world based on their vision. What makes their vision so great? What's wrong with our vision?No, the Catalyst and their allies. They are the ones in the wrong."
Casseus said nothing, he had simply tried to conquer the world with his master. Still, why argue when the Boss appeared to want the same thing. "Have you dealt with Catalysts before Boss?"
"I've dealt with their allies," the Boss said. "Or my predecessor did. Its how we discovered the existence of seperate timelines. Sure the Normals original timeline may now be polluted with monsters, magic, and things un normal but this timeline has functioned quite perfectly for quite sometime."
The Boss now straightened himself, patting Casseus on the back. "Excellent work," he said. "Couldnt of identified this Catalyst without you. I trust you have come up with contingency plans to deal with this?"
"Of course," Casseus stated. "The Catalyst is still only human. Finding a Catalyst killer shouldn't take long."
"Great job Casseus," the Boss said happily. "Keep up the great work. Oh, by the way, when you get the chance stop by H.R. You need to fill out some tax paperwork."
Casseus now gave the Boss an odd look as the hooded figure exited the lab. While he shared the goals of the Normal, they certainly operated quite differently from the usual villains he allied himself with.