Flip The Script

"DRIVE FASTER!"

 

 

 

Sebas found himself pinning his master to the floor of a limo. A limo flying through the streets of Tokyo at breakneck speeds. This has happened before, but this time felt different to Sebas. Something had happened to Ichiro when he listened to Toshi perform. Sebas had always known his master was different. His talent was on a whole different level from that of other artists.

 

It had something to do with the Oh Family's bloodline. It was both a blessing and a curse. Unlike most performers, Ichiro's artistic sense wasn't pretentiousness made manifest. He was an honest-to-goodness savant. He always reacted strangely to art in all its forms. This was different. Toshi's performance had awakened something inside Ichiro that Sebas didn't think existed. Toshi had managed to stir emotions inside Ichiro that Sebas had thought were long since dead.

 

Feelings of guilt.

 

Sebas tapped the button on his earpiece as he coordinated with the rest of the security force, "I don't CARE if you have to drag the doctor to the penthouse in CHAINS you get him there, you get him there NOW, and you make sure he brings his medications!" He paused to listen then replied, "Which Ones? YES!"

 

Ichiro was thrashing about. It was taking everything Sebas and two other security guards had just to hold Ichiro down. Even before Toshi was halfway through his performance, Ichiro had been moved to tears. That was how Sebas knew he was in trouble. He had ordered his men to get the limo ready out back, had a security team standing by right outside the manager's door, and had a path to the rear exit cleared.

 

Sebas wouldn't think of interrupting Ichiro when he was listening to music, but as soon as Toshi ended, he knew he had to act. Ichiro was on his feet, one hand lightly pressed against the window, staring down at his nephew when Toshi collapsed. Sebas knew his master well enough to know when he was about to have an 'episode'. Sebas didn't hesitate to plunge the syringe of sedatives into Ichiro's thigh.

 

It didn't do a damn thing.

 

Sebas barely restrained Ichiro from throwing open the window, clearly intending to throw himself out it in a bid to reach the stage by the most direct means possible. Sebas knew there was nothing they could do at this point for Toshi. NO, given his master's... eccentricities... Sebas knew he needed to prioritize his master's health and well-being first, and that meant he had to get Ichiro away from Toshi.

 

FAR from Toshi.

 

The security team had rushed in, dragged Oh Ichiro to the limo, and now they were rushing across Tokyo, trying to get back to the penthouse where trained physicians could administrate the GOOD medications to get Ichiro's psychotic break under control.

 

"Do You Have Any Idea What I Have DONE???"

 

Sebas had managed to calm down his master for a few minutes by taking a recording of Toshi's performance and putting it on a loop for Ichiro to hear. However, every time it reset, it only sent him deeper into a tailspin of self-loathing and depression.

 

Ichiro's emotions swung from darkest sadness to impudent rage, "Can't you HEAR?" He struggled against the three men holding him down, "SEBAS! PUT IT ON THE LIMO'S SPEAKERS!"

 

Sebas pressed down on Ichiro's shoulders, "SIR! I do not think that is a-"

 

Ichiro was an artist's artist. He saw many things as art. Music was his passion, singing being the pinnacle of expression, in his opinion, but there was no form of art he did not excel at. Managing the finances of the Oh family was a form of art. One's appearance was a form of art. Your overall health was a form of art.

 

And unfortunately...

Oh Ichiro was quite skilled at the martial arts.

 

Ichiro moved like a worm, sending a ripple down his body from his shoulders to his feet. As both lifted off the floor to stomp back down, this somehow sent enough of a shockwave to dislodge everyone holding him down. Ichiro drove the side of his hand into one guard's throat, causing him to collapse with a gurgle.

 

It took but one thrown elbow followed by a palm strike to incapacitate the second. Once freed, Ichiro rolled to a crouch and grabbed Sebas by the throat. Possessed with the strength only true madmen can wield, he pinned Sebas up against one of the windows. Behind him, the city shot past as nothing more than streaks of light. Ichiro's lips were pulled back to display a hideous grin. He spoke through gritted teeth that were as perfect as a military cemetery.

 

"Put. The Music. On The Limo's. Speakers."

 

It wouldn't be the first time Sebas had to perform his duties with a hand crushing his windpipe, but this is why he was Ichiro's number one servant. His ability to perform under pressure. Without so much as a glance, he reached out to grab the control pad he was using to play the music to Ichiro's earbuds and deftly redirected the signal. It took several, painfully long seconds before the Bluetooth connected to the limo's speakers and Toshi's performance started to play.

 

Ichiro abandoned Sebas and snatched the control pad, hunching over it as he stabbed at the reset icon. The music started over from the beginning. Ichiro's face was strangely calm. His eyes were wide with his pupils mere pinpricks as he stared off into nothing as he mumbled.

 

"Listen..."

 

Sebas rubbed his throat before he moved to check on the two guards. One would recover, the other was out cold. The one still conscious made a hand gesture as if to ask, 'Should We Jump Him?' Sebas just shook his head and motioned for him to back off to the other end of the limo. Sebas approached his master cautiously, "I am listening..." He spoke, in the same manner, as one might speak to a tiger one was using in a circus act, a tiger that might happen to be on the verge of completely losing it and rampage through the crowd.

 

Ichiro held up a flat hand toward Sebas indicating for him to wait. The song played on as the limo swerved to move through traffic. As the song reached the halfway point, Ichiro switched to holding up a single finger. A finger that he slowly rose into the air as Toshi's performance played on. Suddenly, he dropped that finger straight down as he snapped his eyes to stare at Sebas, "THERE! RIGHT THERE! CAN'T YOU HEAR IT?"

 

Sebas contemplated pretending he could but realized that chances were that lying would just make things worse. He regrettably shook his head, "No sir. I am afraid I cannot hear it."

 

Ichiro dropped the control pad on a seat as he lept for Sebas. Grasping him by the shoulder, Ichiro spoke to Sebas with passion, "It's faint, but it's THERE! LISTEN!" Ichiro paused and put his free hand to his ear as he cocked his head to the side, his wide eyes staring up at nothing as he froze in rapturous attention.

 

Sebas strained to listen. Yes, it was a great performance. He could feel the weight of Toshi's words, the passion in his voice. Sebas could even tell that there were multiple layers of meaning to the performance, even if he couldn't understand what those layers meant, but he knew that wasn't what Ichiro was talking about, "I... am not sure."

 

Ichiro turned his head to lock eyes with his servant, "He's singing a duet."

 

Sebas blinked in confusion, "A duet?" He narrowed his eyes, "With who?"

 

Ichiro looked at Sebas like he was a complete moron, "With who? By himself!" He squeezed Sebas's shoulder, "He is singing a Duet... solo." He shook Sebas violently, "HOW??? HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?" He shoved Sebas away to pick up the touchpad and started to fiddle with the controls. He put one section of the song on repeat, "There! How? How can you do that? What insane talent do you have to have to be able to modulate your voice in such a manner as to be able to be your own backup chorus?"

 

Ichrio's fingers lost all strength.

The control pad clattered to the floor of the speeding limo.

"And I ended his career."

 

Sebas was about to speak when Ichiro spun to face him, "What was I thinking? Why did I feel the need to hire Gen? I should have been more specific. I shouldn't have said, 'I don't care how you get him to stop'." He covered his face with both hands, "Why did I have to take it personally when he started using the family name?"

 

Sebas frowned, "Sir..."

 

Abruptly Ichiro rushed to the sunroof and pushed it open. He stood up and reached through it, throwing his arms towards the dull red, overcast sky above as the limo took a corner at speed. Ichiro's long silvery-white hair rippled behind him as he howled into the air rushing past.

 

"WHAT HAVE I DONE???"

 

Sebas grabbed Ichiro by the legs to prevent him from climbing out. He seemed determined to throw himself out of the limo as he screamed out a confession, "I have committed an unforgivable Blasphemy! I Am A MONSTER! A foolish monster blinded by his own HUBRIS!"

 

The remaining security guard joined Sebas in yanking Ichiro back inside. They pinned Ichiro to the floor again, but this time Sebas had a plan. He got face to face with his master, "SIR! Why DID you originally want to end Toshi's career?" He grabbed Ichiro by the sides of his head, "It was because his music was abominable, yes?"

 

Ichiro gazed up at Sebas, "Yes, But-"

 

"And true art is not possible without sacrifice and suffering, correct?" Sebas hastened to add, "You told me that, yes?"

 

Ichiro peered at Sebas, confused, "Well... yes?"

 

"And you have caused your nephew a great deal of suffering." Sebas held up a finger, "Could it not be possible that if you had not done what you had done, he would never have reached his true potential?"

 

Ichiro finally stopped struggling, "Well... yes. I... suppose that's possible."

 

Sebas slowly relaxed his hold, "Yes... Toshi gave up singing because of the brain damage caused by the sexual assault, but clearly, his talent has not been destroyed. Far from it, it seems to have improved. He has proved to be a talented songwriter and now..." He gestured to the speakers looping music, "With time, couldn't his reputation be repaired? Couldn't his career be restored? Couldn't you now take him under your wing and encourage that talent that has flourished under adversity?"

 

Ichiro remained still, his eyebrows furrowed in contemplation.

 

Slowly he pushed himself up to a sitting position, "You... are right." He paused to nod slowly as if confirming something to himself, "Perhaps this twisted and thorny path was exactly what my nephew needed." He moved to lift himself into a seat, seemingly much calmer.

 

Sebas helped his master off the floor, sitting next to him, just in case, "The mistake was using that jackal Gen. She was the one who took things too far. A broken rib would have been just as effective at ending the tour as what she did. She twisted your request up with her family's foolish contest and tried to kill two birds with one stone."

 

Ichiro held his face in his hands, "That foolish girl. As if I would allow the investigation to go any further and harm my brother's family. If they had traced the drugs back to Naora, it would have been another war." He looked up at Sebas, "I may hate my brother for his foolish choices, but I would never allow..." His voice trailed off as regret choked off the rest of his words.

 

Sebas nodded slowly and put a reassuring hand on Ichiro's shoulder, "Sir, you made the best possible choice at the time."

 

"Dammit it all to Hell." Ichiro took a deep breath through his nose as he sat up, then let it out slowly as a long, hissing sigh, "Ah well. One cannot change the past. I suppose the best I can do is look toward the future." He leaned over to pick up the control pad, "At least we have an opportunity to correct this egregious oversight. A chance to make Kimoto Toshi into the Oh Toshi he was always meant to be."

 

 

Ichiro paused as he held a single finger poised over the glowing touchpad, "And who knows? If his artistic talent thrives through suffering..."

 

 

 

He brought his finger down to pause the song.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Perhaps I can help him improve yet further."