Onigokko (IC Thread)

[Airen]

Kurogane Akira
Park, Outside the Office Building
HP: 80/ MP: 85/ Will: 15/ San: 16

"I prefer not to leave unknowns at my back."

The words of the blue haired detective come out without a single moment of hesitation, and lacking the warmth of her words until now, are much colder than everything that has come before. Perhaps its the stress of the situation finally catching up to her, but her hand still outstretched towards Haruka, her eyes dart towards Rolanda at her words, acknowledging her in a matter of fact sort of way.

"Blood stains, and an obvious change in outward personality, signs of shock, perhaps, but the Haruka I knew would be happy to see us here," talking to Rolanda, the young woman's eyes move calmly back to Haruka, "Running off without dealing with this is inconvenient. If she's been up to something, it's in our best interests to know where she is rather than just letting her wander, and if she's not, well, we're all classmates right? This little field trip is a collective problem of ours, and since this world seems to be full of unstable people, we should stick with people we actually know whenever possible."

Another pause, then...

"Of course, you're correct in saying we should hurry. So come along quickly president. It's dangerous to be alone here, and while I preferred her cute personality, I'd rather my violent but precious kouhai not strain herself trying to slap me in the head. Rather unpleasant affair for all involved, so let's just move along together, alright?"

A shot at humor that honestly wasn't very funny.

[Optimus]

Mark Walker
School Building- Entrance
Time Unknown (Morning)

-"Hell if I know man. Maybe someone lit up a blunt and we're tripping balls or something. I could sure go for one right now, if there's any weed in this shithole. Or maybe these little guys are like ghost ants, and there's some giant ghost queen. I don't know any of this shit. I just joined the damn club so I could learn a trick or two, and maybe hit on that redhead who hung out with us. She was pretty hot, wasn't she?"

It was funny how once a certain threshold of fatigue was reached, the mind would try it's best to ignore the situation at hand and go back to a more pleasant topic. In a corner of his mind, all the alarms were going off. Those creatures that moved around and the ghastly flowers that came with them, why were they there? If such things were happening at the entrance... Who knew what'd happen if they went in? But he was too exhausted to pay any mind to the creatures, other than trying his best not to accidentally step on one or interrupt their important work. If they'd noticed them and not attacked yet, that meant they were mostly harmless unless provoked, right? He didn't want to fight anymore. Not until he was rested. He would have killed for a nap at that point. Not even a nap, just a few seconds to relax his muscles and tend to his wounds.

Looking towards the little, ephemeral creatures, he couldn't happen but see a parallel between them, Masahiro and him. And, before they ventured any further, there was one thing he needed an answer for.

-"Why do you guys bother anymore? If it's useless, why do you keep trying?"

[Sei]

Tsukino Yuuta
The Dead Fields- Park
Time Unknown (Morning)

You've somehow managed to keep yourself alive, but the second onslaught is quickly drawing in. Two ferocious scythes- teeming with malice- arc towards your body without hesitation. If each is a symbol of death, then this next attack is surely enough to kill you two times over. You've already faced such an attack once, but it's doubtful that you can manage it again. To begin with, you barely managed to defend yourself the first time. Just one of these attacks was enough to throw your shoulder out of place and, with your current injury, the result of this clash is likely to be several times worse.

Regardless, none of that matters now.

Whether you die here and now was determined a long time ago. If fate has deemed that you are to die, then so be it. There is not much you can do to sway the hands of fate. You're only mortal, after all. However, if there's one thing you can do, it's to suspend the illusion known as free-will. Armed with the idea that you can take life into your own hands and influence events by your own volition, you face what's ahead. No running. No clever ploys. You simply stand strong and challenge death head-on. With nothing more than a sword and a bit of determination, you deny the forces that be.

You raise your sword at the last second.

The two strikes are virtually in synch; however, one is slightly ahead of the other.

With your arm threatening to fall at any moment, there is no way you can defend against both at once. Truth be told, there's no way you can defend against even one. However, if you're to have any chance- no matter how small- you know you'll have to result to a simple tactic. You'll have to defend against two separate attacks... in rapid succession.

There is no thought to it. No sound...

Before your mind even registers the proper course of action to take, your hand has already begun to move.

The enemy is considerably faster than you, so you've already lost sight of its movements. All you're able to pick up on is the flash of your sword and the sound of the subsequent clash.

Branch (2) has been staggered.
Branch (2) suffers 28 damage.
Branch (2) is injured. STR -5, DEF -3.
Branch (2) is bleeding (tier 3).

The air quakes. An unsettling tearing quickly drowns out the sound of rain... followed by a monstrous cry. A disorienting shock can be felt coursing through your body and, for a moment, your head goes completely blank. Everything from the neck down goes numb and, at the same time, you can hear a loud pop coming from your right side. It's all part of a message being relayed to you by your senses alone; however, as you are, your mind can't make any sense of it. All that remains is the thought that there is another attack that must be dealt with. An attack that awaits you in the following instant.

Yuuta suffers 8 damage.
Yuuta is wounded (tier 2). STR and DEF -2.

There is no way for you to tell if you still have a body below your neck, but you will it to move any way. The world quickly spins with you at its center and the edge of the second blade immediately fills your vision. You try your best to generate some space between you and the scythe, but there simply isn't enough time. You'll have to block it... No. A light parry would be the best you can hope for now. You understand this much, but, you also understand that there is no way you can grip a sword with your right hand. So, in that very instant, you do the only thing that you can... You switch your sword to your left hand and meet the creature's attack.

The clang of steel is the next to fill the air.

You quickly pick up on a heavy force pushing against your blade and you try desperately to hold it back. However, without proper balance, your effort is wasted entirely. Your sword is easily pushed back and you soon find yourself being lifted off your feet and launched back into the air. At last, several feet are created between you and the enemy, but at a painful cost. Your body hits the ground after a five meter flight and continues to tumble afterwards. The grass softens your landing a bit... and your kendo armor does well to reduce the impact even more; however, at the end of it all, you're left with several scars and broken pieces of armor ahead of you.

Yuuta suffers 5 damage.
Yuuta's Kendo Armor has broken.

"H-Hey! Are you okay!?"

The world is still spinning, despite you being so close to the ground. Between the nauseating dizziness and the confusion of combat, your sense of perception has practically been flooded with nonsense and-only now- is it catching up. And in the midst of all this, a familiar yet unfamiliar voice calls out to you in concern. Aren't sure what to make of it at first, but just as you begin to remember, the sound of footsteps rushes right next to your ear before your body is turned over to face the sky.

"Hey! Talk to me! You're still alive, right!?"

Encountered ????

You can't help but wonder this yourself.

You aren't able to answer her immediately; however, after looking at you catch your breath, a gentle smile can be seen. It's a nice sight to be had. Certainly a nice change of pace consider what you have experienced in your short time here. But you can't let yourself get distracted by it now... The fight isn't over.

Hearing something like a cross between a growl and a hiss, the two of you immediately turn your attention back to the three monsters. Like you, they've already begun to recover; however, it's clear to see who is in better condition. The two that you managed to injure don't even seem to be deterred in the slightest. In fact, if you had to guess, you'd actually say that they look rather mad... Like the moss-colored blood oozing from their wounds, you can feel their rage seeping out and washing over you. And, as if that weren't enough, you hadn't even managed to land a blow on the last one...

The situation... is understandably grim. The threat of death is so prevalent that it's practically palpable and there's no hope of escape in sight. Your body suddenly feels very heavy and the overwhelming pain is grinding the vast majority of your senses to dust. You try to pick yourself up off your back, but your body is still shaken after that last attack. The second you try to move, the world sets into motion around you and your sense of equilibrium is completely thrown off. Your sword is still within reach, but there's nothing you can do if you can't even stand up.

"....!"

And... above you... You can see the girl you recklessly saved slowly grasping the magnitude of the situation. Though you're not entirely sure if you comprehends more than you or not, the sheer amount of fear portrayed in her eyes does well to communicate one thing: hopelessness. As she hangs on to you and stares down the three giant monsters, tears well up in her eyes and roll down the sides of her face. The hand on your shoulder is shaking uncontrollably and, if her teeth weren't so firmly clenched, you're sure her mouth would be trembling in terror as well.

The girl tries to tug on your body a few times... Trying to move or lift you in some way. But it soon becomes apparent that she's nowhere near as fit as you. Unable to even get your body to budge, you're forced to watch as all life slowly drains from the girl's face. She turns away from the monsters and looks down towards you; however, judging by the lost look in her eyes, you know that she's not actually seeing you.

"This can't be happening..."

These are the only words you hear her say after. Spoken softly, you know that they aren't meant for you, but rather they are a representation of the thoughts going through her head.

The monsters resume their approach. Steadily drawing closer like predators gearing to pounce.

Your sense of balance is slowly coming back to you, but you know you won't be able to stand up in time to do anything about the situation.

By the looks of it, you're doomed to die here. Just another body that will litter this field... If these creatures are gracious enough to leave anything...

"I told you we should have run..."

But then you remember that there is another person here. Someone who has waited only until now to step up beside you and stare down the enemy.

"If you're done here, we should leave..."

When Adelle looks down at your pathetic state, there is very little emotion or bedside manner in her speech. It's just very simple, very direct, and very blunt. But, nevertheless, her eyes linger a bit at your dumbfounded expression before directing her attention to the monsters ahead.

"...Has anyone ever told you that you're an idiot, Yuuta?"

[Sei]

Masahiro and Mark
School Building- Entrance
Time Unknown (Morning)

It's a sad truth, really. When it comes down to it, everything you've done up to this point has resulted in pointlessness. Searching for clues, looking for materials, trying to bring back a friend... Even when it comes down to idle discussion between each other, no progress seems to be made. Though the two of you have come this far... Though the two of you have pushed back against the oppressive tide together, any sort of forward motion you can muster has progressively grown slower. And thus you find yourselves here: cold, hungry, and miserable with nothing guiding you but base impulses. You've come to a standstill and, in a way, it can be said that you're just waiting to die.

Nevertheless, despite the depression and the weariness, your body still desires motion. Though your mind may have already determined that any further search will only end poorly, there's a part of you that says "this is the best option." In the end, there never really was any other choice... The minute you decided to distance yourselves from the veterans of this world, you were doomed to experience the full brunt of this world's harsh reality.

The little apparitions continue to toil with the wreckage. Their efforts don't seem to lose steam, but the result is always the same. Nothing changes, no matter how hard they try. Even though they appear to dedicate their entire existence to the cause, it's almost as if the world itself conspires against them. It is a law that their will cannot bear results and that's what makes their entire existence pointless. Undoubtedly, it's a sad scene to watch- albeit a bit unnatural... However, the more you watch the creatures, the more you find yourself drawing parallels between you and them. And that's what frustrates you more than anything...

You venture further into the building, writing it off as a search for anything useful. But, in actuality, you find that you're more concerned with averting your gaze from the tiny creatures. The mere sight of them becomes upsetting- for one reason or another- so the best thing is naturally for you to just walk away from them. However, as you begin to wander the halls of the school building, you find that such a task is simpler in thought than in practice. Because... no matter where you go or which corner you turn... there are always more of the little creatures scattered about, trying to fix the world.

Much like the ones before, the ones you encounter in passing are all completely absorbed in their work. Each one of them begins a miniscule task... only to fail once its existence wanes. And, for the most part, they remain completely oblivious to your presence, even when you run the risk of accidentally crushing one beneath your feet. However, every now and then, when you take a moment to glance at a group, one will interrupt its task to look back up at you. Their faces never change... And the best they can do to relay their thoughts seems to be a slight tilting of the head. This small gesture- coupled with the complete lack of expression on their faces- portrays a strange sense of curiosity... And at the same time sadness. At first, you don't really understand why you get this feeling; however, as time goes by, you start to formulate your own theories.

Time marches on and silence dutifully follows behind.

The two of you wander deeper and deeper into the school, but nothing really seems to change. That is to say, you don't feel as though any progress is being made...

You turn corner after corner in order to get a good feel for the building's layout, but every time you do this, what awaits is just another hallway. The wear and tear of the building remains a constant, but there's nothing of note that would lead you to think that you're stuck in any sort of loop. Even the individual classrooms all seem to be unique to themselves... There are no stairwells, no offices, and no signs to give you any idea of where you are. The building is just... vast- practically endless with no solution in sight. There's only hallways, the flowers, and the little creatures holding it all together...

You can feel your mind slipping... You drive to press on simply starts to fade. It's just impossible for you to make sense of the world around you and, to be honest, you can feel the stress of it all pushing you to your breaking point. You're lost. You have no goal. You're just walking around in circles because you have nothing better to do. In short, you're stuck in a limbo...

" "

But, even still... When all is said and done, there's never a lack of surprises waiting around the corner in this world. At least... that's the impression you've gotten so far.

" "

You aren't sure where it's coming from... Or even what it's saying, for that matter. However, you just know that something called out to you just now. A voice... A person... Or some thing... There was no words and no sound, but that's the only way you know how to summarize it. It's calling out to you from somewhere within this building, but what it wants... Your gut tells you to stay away.

" "

Even still, it calls out to you... And you get the feeling it's crying for help...

[Mellon]

Troph
Park, Outside the Office Building
Time Unknown (Morning)

The Russian woman jumped into the monster pit, in what seemed to be a last ditch effort to save Liam below. Well, the white hair girl had guts, no question about that. No doubt that they would show up later at some point, of course. It was demanded by proper story conventions, so Troph was quite sure that this would be the case. Although… one could make the argument that if that was truly the case, then there would be no reason to run away from the tremors in the first place.

Of course that was a silly argument to make, as the chances of Alina and Liam surviving would obviously be diluted due to literary conservation of power! The fewer they were, the greater chances of survival!

So really, he was doing the pair a service by madly running away from the giant sandworm.

“...Oh... It’s you guys...”

“Ohayooo~, Kaichou-chan!”

Now there was a face he hadn’t seen for some time. Haruka? Technically, one could say, the very cause that they were here in the first place. Not that Troph really held it against the girl. Magical mishaps such as this were far too common, that they were. Every budding magus had at least one such nonsensical mistake under their belt, or they were no magus at all! In fact, Kaichou-chan’s little escapade may be considered quite a minor one! At best it only ended up killing 15 or so people! Getting such low body counts was a great achievement in fact! And she didn’t even kill them directly!

And besides, the whole dead fish eyes thing was so dull. It just seemed to indicate a standard mental breakdown. At the very least they should be bulging and she should be shouting about how “COOOOL!” things were. Wait. Were there tentacle monstrosities around? Could this be a thing? Better make sure just in case.

"Of course, you're correct in saying we should hurry. So come along quickly president. It's dangerous to be alone here, and while I preferred her cute personality, I'd rather my violent but precious kouhai not strain herself trying to slap me in the head. Rather unpleasant affair for all involved, so let's just move along together, alright?"

As Troph's darting eyes made sure that, indeed, there were no slimy monsters around, he inserted himself in the ongoing conversation with the all the finesse of a blunt axe.

“Psst. I don’t think Haruka-chan really has the motivation to do a proper jog at the moment. She has the whole “I am in despaiiiir~!” look going on, you know?"

“And I know that talking is a free action and all that, but Naruhodo-kun over there can just grab her and you can do the whole inspiring ‘“no man left behind” speech thing when we are not being chased by the copyright infringing superworm?”

Troph gave Rolanda a look of filled petty, almost comical, dissatisfaction.

“Cause she sure as heck doesn’t seem to mind randomly grabbing people and lugging them around around like sacks of potatoes!”

Another tremor ran through the vicinity of the office building, this one far larger then the last ones. Time was running out. If they stuck around any longer, they would be forced to fight the massive earthworm. Or be swallowed by the massive hole that was now starting to envelop the office building.

[Vritra]

Tsukino Yuuta
The Dead Fields- Park
Time Unknown (Morning)

HP: 44 MP: 0 Will: 10 Sanity: 13
Status: Right arm Dislocated, Left Arm Fractured (-5 STR, -5 DEF)


Only as I lay face down after being knocked away like a ball does my mind finally begin to catch up with what happened. The clash against monsters that far exceed my capabilities, my body giving out as I foolishly try to pit flesh and blood against inhuman strength, my rather strange flight and subsequent painful landing, the scraping as my armor is peeled and smashed off my body by the ground. It all begins to register like a slow motion movie accompanied by nauseating disconnect and agonizing pain.

As I lay there I can only think of how unfair the whole thing is. I can’t even match one of those stupid tree bugs so how, just how am I supposed to beat three of them? Its not like I have any magical power or can pull off magical transformations, I can’t just say some magic words and completely reverse the situation.

Transformation and magic chants huh…

Evil shall fall before my blade! Magical powered Kensei, Shining Blademaster Yuuta-chan has arrived to save the day ~★

“ehehahahahaha” a gentle unquenchable laughter bubbles up inside me at the thought, wow I can even picture the pose and wink I think the pains starting to make me lose it.

Thankfully I’m interrupted by a jerk as I’m turned over to face the sky. It’s a welcome change but sadly the dreary weather hasn't changed but what has changed is I’m finally able to get a good luck at the person I jumped in head first to save. A young girl who look to be about my age, small but with long hair, a wonderful warm smile and a voice...

...a voice that eats at me, a voice I feel I should know but I don't, how... strange.

Really jumping in to save the princess aren't I just an amazing knight in shining armor but despite everything I can only feel sadness and frustration at this scene because no matter how gentle her smile might be, how wonderful it feels to help and protect someone it’s all pointless in the end. The matter of the fact is that I faced something and lost I lie here broken and helpless, I've failed the monsters I tried to vanquish sit not far annoyingly healthy, they don’t even look that hurt just angry. Impossible and hopeless, the smile is erased in a heartbeat as fear and despair take hold and I can’t even do anything about it. My body is to disorientated to move, my arms to damaged to use, all I can do is struggle futilely as I wait for the end to come utterly pathetic, GODDAMN IT the fact that my sword lies within reach only adds to the humiliation. …some knight in shining armor I turned out to be.

"I told you we should have run..."

…

…

…

Huh? It takes me a full moment before my brain fully works out what happening.

“You came after me? I thought you would have left,

...thank you so much Adelle”

I can only stare dumbfounded at the person who now stands over me. Blunt, cold, deadpan yet her presence makes me want to laugh and cry tears of joy.

"...Has anyone ever told you that you're an idiot, Yuuta?"

Her words only make that feeling stronger, words that I’m way too familiar with. It’s amazing how something so small can be wonderful, the uplifting feeling of those words that anyone would find insulting yet, those words here and now do not hurt instead they bring me joy and comfort. I’m and idiot, but by the gods I’m a stubborn one

"Yes, YES I get told that a lot infact! I had managed to get it down to only twice a week but it seems that I’m slipping, but if it means I can save other then I’m perfectly fine being called that in fact I shall take pride in that title! I’M YUUTA THE IDIOT AND I’M NOT DEAD YET”.

Taking a deep breath I renew my will once more and summon my fighting spirit, I’m not dead, I’m down but I’m not out, a person has called out for help and needs saving. So I shall respond and I shall answer, I shall take up my blade, I shall follow my dream I STAKE MY FAMILY NAME ON IT. I don’t care if others call me idiotic or delusional. I want to help others, I want to bring them happiness so I shall take up my blade and not falter.

“I agree this whole situation sucks so I’m up for leaving but I need a moment, my body is still reeling SO PLEASE HELP ME, HELP ME WITH ALL YOUR POWER I DREAM OF ALL OF US GETTING OUT OF THIS FINE SO PLEASE HELP ME MAKE THIS DREAM A REALITY I ASK THIS OF YOU ADELLE!” (Offer one will to Adelle)

Staring into her eyes with my spirit burning in mine I hope that she will help even if it is an impossible hope I will hope and believe that we can all get out of this.

Finally turning to the girl beside me, the girl who has been consumed by despair I summon all my will to command and to inspire I catch her eye and meet her gaze with every ounce of my spirit. “Hey new girl I realize that this whole thing seems hopeless and that it would be easier to just give up and accept it but please don’t give up, please stand up and strive to overturn the impossible, defy the predestined outcome you see I want all of us to make it through this so please help.” Another foolish request but I won’t give up I will believe. (Offer one will to ???)

“I apologize in advance for what I’m about to ask you to do but my left arm feels broken and my right shoulder was dislocated under the impact but I need an arm even if it hurts so I ask you to help me fix it, pull back my uwagi I need an arm so we’re going to fix it I’ll tell you what to do and talk you through it so just trust me but before we start put the sword in my hand”.

Seeing the look on her face I give my selfish and silly answer “…a good luck charm”.

[Sei]

Ishimaru Sakuya
The Floodflow- Gong's Wake
Time Unknown (Morning)

Your journey through the flooded city continues without any hint of letting up... Though the trek thus far pales in comparison to all of the walking you've done so far, the ever-present feeling of death has a way of slowing time. There a buildings towering overhead on all sides and nothing but silence to fill the space in between. It's maddening. Torturous even... Understanding that an attack can happen at any moment... Knowing that just one- like before- would be enough to kill you... As the minutes drag on by, you eventually start hoping someone would go ahead and get it over with. If only to validate the tension inside of you.

Your companions on the other hand, naturally, don't seem the least bit fazed. Yuma calmly takes in her surroundings, just as any good survivor would, and Keigo heads up the front- filling his role as the powerhouse. Neither of them say a word... And though you try to break up the silence with an idle thought here and there, the best you can get out of the two of them is an exaggerated sigh from the white demon. Eventually, you would have to just give up- doomed to the role of the unheard voice.

"Lets stop here for now," Fortunately, Yuma finally offers up her voice, "This should be far enough. We should start seeing signs of Slayne's results any moment now. With any luck, that'll be a good thing..."

Yuma thinks out loud while making her way over to a nearby rock. In her own way, she clues you in on her grand plan, but that doesn't really say much. All you can really tell is that it would explain why Manny disappeared some time back and that it might explain why Yuma has been so intent on moving all this time. You can draw a few conclusions from this; however, the ones that seem the most probable don't exactly sit well with you. Nevertheless, she's gotten you this far and- from the sound of things- she's assuming Manny is still alive too. At least, that sounds like the ideal situation...

"Once we start seeing the enemies' movements better, we should be able to break through their formation and-"

"What's Plan B, Captain?"

But before Yuma can finish discussing her plan, Keigo speaks up, sounding less than pleased...

At first, you figure he might not agree how Yuma is going about things. Keigo seems like a rather defensive guy, after all. However, once you turn to face him, your heart sinks a bit...

Keigo addresses Yuma, without a doubt... But his attention isn't turned towards the group. Instead, it's extended outward, across the watery clearing, towards the top of a building all the way on the other side. It's hard for you to see at such a distance, especially with the sun's glare interfering... But eventually you're able to make it out. The thing that Keigo is looking at so fiercely isn't a monster or some kind of creature... But a person. A young man...

"Is that... Nagato?"

Stepping up for a closer look, you can hear Yuma utter a name.

Encountered Haji Nagato

[Sei]

Manny Slayne
The Floodflow- Basin Square
Time Unknown (Morning)

Quietly... Carefully... You ease your head over the windowsill to get a good look inside. Even though you've already checked the immediate area, there's still the matter of what's beyond this opening that makes you wary. That little outburst not too long ago could very well be a sham to lure you in. Give away your position... The second you peek your head out, something woefully unfortunate could befall you. Like having your head blown off. Or being dragged inside and being greeted to an ambush. Call it crazy... Call it overly cautious... But after the series of events you've had to deal with, you can only say you're not being wary enough.

"You're wasting your time. Just go ahead and go already."

"Shut up..."

"Dammit! I'm telling you if you don't get out of here now, we're both going to be in deep shit!"

"...Just shut up."

Fortunately, nothing so ridiculous happens to you.

Your eyes are able to clear the ledge without a problem, allowing you for a safe look inside. Of course, the interior of the building amounts to about all you'd expect. Empty rooms, dusty floors, paint that's peeling off the walls, and the smell of mold you find surprisingly at home in such a place. As far as you can tell, there isn't much of immediate use to be had here; however, that's only a secondary concern. What catches your eye immediately isn't a brick or a pipe, but the two people sitting in the room across the hall. Not one... but two...

Encountered ???? and ????

"...Hey, we really messed up this time. Don'tcha think?"

Trying his best to calm down, the young man rests his head up against the wall and takes a deep breath. Without a doubt, his is the voice that you heard before and, by the looks of it, he's the one that Keigo hit that hardest. You can only guess based off of what you're seeing, but... If you didn't know any better, you'd have to say everything from his chest to his diaphragm has been completely blown to hell. And that's not even accounting for all the scars and shrapnel you can see even from here... It's a wonder the poor bastard didn't die instantly. Saying he's wounded is an understatement. If you left him be, you doubt he'd last another five minutes. If that...

"Just shut up already... It's hard for me to focus with you talking in my ear like this-! ...Besides, you need to save your strength."

Next to him is a young woman. Seemingly a little bit older than him and probably two or three years his senior. At first, you question exactly what it is she's even doing here. She has both of her hands pressed firmly against the guy's stomach, but... Judging by the size of that wound, you figure it's safe to say she's not stopping any blood... But, upon closer inspection, you're able to make out a faint light enveloping her hands- barely even noticeable in this light. Even still, you can't make heads of tails of what she's doing until you remember what Keigo and Yuma were talking about before. About how this place is supposed to be filled with mages that use some kind of magic.

"Just sit tight," You can hear the knot in her throat from here, "I'll have you fixed up in no time..."

There's a dead silence after she utters these words. A single tear can be seen running down the side of her face. But, unlike his companion, the young man seems to have already resolved himself to his fate. In that respect, he strikes you as less of a fool than the woman.

He doesn't fight her efforts, but after taking a deep breath, he closes his eyes and laughs softly.

"I hate to break this to you... But your healing magic? It needs work."

[Sei]

Kisaragi Maiko
Tortuga- Seeker Base
Time Unknown (Morning)

The twin-tailed girl stares at you intently, but it doesn't go beyond the feeling of "passing curiosity". That is to say, it doesn't extend beyond that until you open your mouth...

When the elegant visitor is promptly introduced to you and her name is revealed, you can't help but show your surprise. You blurt out, having a momentary lapse in manner, as you try to come to terms with what you just heard. Tohsaka: the same name as the renowned "heart-crusher queen", as you put it.

When you question Ayame as to whether or not you heard correctly, her expression quickly shifts from one of indifference to annoyance. Seeing this makes you catch your breath before anything else unintelligent slips out. But once you're able to step back and think about it, you can't figure out what exactly you did wrong. In fact, you can't really say you've done anything offensive. Except maybe being loud...

"That's right," Still, despite her apparent aggravation, Ayame responds calmly, "My name's Tohsaka. ...The 'heart-crusher queen' is my mother."

Your mind shuts down in order to process that...

She answers you kindly and, when she does, you can see her eyes picking you apart. Swiftly and skillfully, they examine you from head to toe without missing a beat. By the time you even notice she's doing it, her eyes have already come to a stop.

"Judging by your uniform, I'm guessing you're from Homurahara in Fuyuki. Dressed in that get-up, seeing how as you know Rin... It's probably about the year 2000 where you come from."

Ayame begins to examine the situation. Taking only what she can see and figure out from what little you've said, she starts to piece together a puzzle with a frightening level of accuracy. And she does it without so much as batting an eye. And though a great deal of the information she comes up with pertains to you, not once do you get the feeling she's talking to you. Rather, it's obvious that she's merely thinking out loud.

"Well... I guess that simplifies things a bit."

And just like that, Tohsaka Ayame averts her gaze and drops you as a subject matter. Likely recalling the reason she's here to begin with, she turns to face Suzume with a deceivingly blank expression. Seeing this look, Suzume's own smile dulls as something grim begins to fill her eyes.

"Ah. Right..."

Suzume's charisma seems to waver a bit. Uncertainty mixes into her voice and that familiar air a fear can be felt closing in on her. It's a bit of a stretch on your part, but if you had to guess, you'd have to say that Suzume has a 'bad feeling', putting it simply.

"Please, have a seat, Tohsaka-san. It's not very often that you come to visit us all the way out here..." For a moment, you can sense hostility, "I'm curious... What brings one of the Great Five to our humble little base?"

As per Suzume's suggestion, Ayame steps over to a nearby chair and glides down into her seat. She carefully listens to Suzume's words and she obviously picks up on the things that you have no context for. But, just as you would expect of a Tohsaka, she remains cool and unfazed by all of it. She gathers her own thoughts and pours herself a cup of tea while at it.

"Well... I suppose there's no real need in beating around the bush," Ayame crosses her legs and takes a quick sip from her cup- smiling at the taste of the brew, "Suzume, I think it's time we form a truce."

The words sound simple enough to you; however, when Suzume hears them, her face lights up instantly. From where you stand, you can't really understand what this proposed truce implies. But, when you take the time to look at Suzume's reaction, you get the feeling it's a bit more complicated than it seems. Her eyes communicate shock, her body communicates hesitation, her clenched teeth speak of anger... But her silences says that it's not so clear cut that she can act on it. She hears Tohsaka, but she has to think about the words she said. And because of this, there is a silence in the room.

"You," But the silence does not last long before Ayame speaks up. Bringing her cup up to her lips once more, she returns her attention to you while reengaging you in the conversation, "Kisaragi, wasn't it? What can you tell me about you came to be in this world? Any minute detail you can spare will help. And you better not give details..."

Ayame takes a moment to sip her tea- taking a longer sip than before...

"Like do you remember the incantation that was used? How you got caught up in the ritual in the first place? How many of you were involved and," Ayame pauses for a second, thinking to herself. Seemingly recalling something important, her eyes drift over to meet yours, "Who exactly was it that performed the ritual?"

[Frantic Author]

Ishimaru Sakuya
The Floodflow- Gong's Wake
Time Unknown (Morning)

"Is that... Nagato?"

Ishimaru Sakuya had no idea who the person Katsumata Keigo was referring to was. He was an anomaly; much like the first time the girl met Katsumata Keigo. It was a bit worrying, but she steeled her own heart and thought for a moment. A bit hesitantly, but that's simply what it means to be this person who is so weak and useless, surrounded by those who are so much stronger then her.

"U-um..." She said, quietly, as if she was lost within her own thoughts. "Wh-who's that? Is he an... an..."

There was no way for her to say the word 'enemy' without sounding cruel, callous. She paused for a moment, thinking over her own words, and how everyone else would react to them. The world was, as it is, not fair. It was not fair that she couldn't help, not fair that nobody would let her try - and more importantly...

It was 'not fair' that Ishimaru Sakuya was alive when so many others were dead. Someone as useless as her had no right to be alive.

"Is he dangerous?" She asked, thinking back to earlier today. "O-or could he be your friend?"

[Tobias]

Manny Slayne
The Floodflow- Basin Square
Time Unknown (Morning)

...Two of them.

Can smell his blood

one injured

These have to be the

prey

people

who attacked his group.

???

Manny

was pretty sure the male was near death. Actually, he would be sure of it, except that here in Wonderland things didn't always make sense. Manny wasn't sure what a healing spell was supposed to look like, but thats how he would have pictured it when he got a quick glimpse over the window.

Now, the problem here was that he had a moral dilemma to face. On one hand, as an

Not an idol

Idol

Manny had an obligation to save anyone who could. What caused a problem was that these

Prey

People

were the ones that had attacked his group. So...should he

kill

save

these people?

Then Manny blinked.

Wait...where was he?

Manny's back was against the wall of the door frame leading out into the hall. And...his improvised blackjack was in his hand. No, it wasn't just in his freehand, he had wrapped it around his hand so that the solid brick portion was firmly grasped in his dominant right hand. Manny's legs burned, like he had just run a decent sized set of sprints. Trying to peer back through his own memory, Manny finally saw it.


"I hate to break this to you... But your healing magic? It needs work."

It was here. The

injured prey

male

Had closed his eyes as the pain took hold. the female was looking away, the

injured prey

male

was the one who could have caught him coming in.

Something inside him had realized that had occurred. Something inside him had reacted with blinding speed at the very moment of weakness. No, not something. Manny knew

The Beast

Manny

. But Manny still had control of it...didn't he?

So why Was Manny standing next to this door. Why was his penis so hard in his pants it seemed ready to explode without stimuli.

The man's blood smells good...

A chill went down Manny's spine.

That thought had not been his.

Wait...none of manny's thoughts...wait...what was...

And Just like a that, with the finality of a TV being turned off, Manny's vision went dark.

Because he wasn't there anymore.

...The Beast was.

Manny slayne...pitiful mewling ideal. You can come back when I let you come back.

For now, there was two prey, nobody could misunderstand or blame him for their deaths. They had tried to kill him, tried to kill his friends. You can not seek to kill without being prepared to die yourself. That was the way of the jungle.

So these two belonged to him. His kills.

Kill the uninjured prey quick...kill the injured one slow? No, unfamiliar prey should always be taken with the appropriate caution. Kill them both quickly...but savor each moment.

The hunger, never once fulfilled even once in The Beast's life was at hand. Instead of a claw, Manny held clutched in his right hand a pitiful little makeshift claw. The Beasts lips curled over his canines in a feral grin.

Pathetic...but it will serve.

Now there was nothing left to do but begin the hunt. With a speed that rivaled a pouncing panther, The Beast darted around the door, slung low, weight pitched forward. it's free hand caught the door as he went by, leaving claw like fingerprints in the moldy drywall as he hurtled off the frame seeking ever more speed.

Controlling such momentum...for Manny, that was impossible. But for The Beast...

This was just the power needed to kill. That was all.

With the scent of blood to stimulate his senses, and nobody around to protect...

Foolish boy. You practically gave them to me. And for that, I thank you.

The first sound The Beast made....was a short laugh he couldn't quite contained...all but consumed by the sound of the bludgeon whistling through the air towards the poor girl's head, who was trying to save a life.




Manny Slayne has gone insane.

The Beast Stirs has been activated. There has been a change in Manny Slayne's personality.

The Beast Stirs has been activated in combat. Perk: The Beast Wakes may now activate.

wise up!

Manny Slayne's stats (temporary)
STR 23 + 12 ---> 35
AGI 14 +19 ---> 33 (accel, vault)
Def 6 +10 ---> 16
EVA 9 + 10 --->19
Willpower 14 - 1 --->13
The Beast Stirs.
Harness the dark side of Manny Slayne to draw forward a being of unbridled killing intent that seeks only to kill. Activating this skill will, for at least one round, generate a massive increase in Manny's stats. During this time, He is counted as both evil and insane. However, Manny's idol skill is sealed for the duration, and because the Beast cares only for death, their is frighteningly high chance of friendly fire. The Beast is controlled by Manny's willpower. Generally, the higher it is, the more he can use it without risking The Beast Waking. If that should occur, there may be no going back. Each round The Beast Stirs is active, Manny's willpower reduces by one.

[hero]

Fukuda Masahiro​
School Building- Entrance
Time Unknown (Morning)


"..."

Hungry, tired... Lost with a voice there to torment me. Though a part of me knows I am unable to hear exactly what its saying, my mind gladly fills in the blanks: 'Is somebody there...!?', 'Somebody help...!!', 'Help us, PLEASE...!!!'. It might just be my mind playing tricks on me, but the voice I hear is identical from the one back then, at the tunnels. It belongs to the girl I chose not to save... And I can hear the man begging her to run as well. All resonates in the back of my head, as if to remind me of the sin I buried there in order to keep going.

"..."

It's both painful and terrifying... So much that I am out of words to ask Mark if he's hearing the same things I am. Much like the little ghost that surround us, I try to ignore it at first. Far from luring me in, I feel the need to distance myself from those voices. I do it out of cowardice and guilt, because I honestly don't know how to handle the situation at hand. However, each call after that hits me harder and I quickly reach a point where I can't just stand there and pretend those voices do not exist. Frustrated and more than tired of playing the role of a pathetic kid, I arm myself with courage and decide to find out how real these voices are. Through my gut feeling tells me it's not a good idea to look for a trouble in a world like this one, I convince myself I hardly have a choice given that I am completely lost inside this maze.

"..."

I remain silent as I venture deeper into the school. Being the vanguard of this little and fragile group, I decide to focus all my senses on the task at hand. Experience has proven that small talk isn't going to do us any favors... It's then that I notice I've become somewhat agitated. I am nervous, scared and somewhat skeptical. Our last meeting with human beings didn't turn out to be quite as I would expect it... And though I understand the desperation of that thief a little bit better now that it's me the one working on an empty stomach, I feel I am more ready to meet an antagonistic person than a friendly one.

Just the sheer belief that something out there is asking for help feels like torture... And yet the thought that we could be walking straight into a trap also crosses my mind.

Deep down, I think nothing would make me feel more happy than saving another person.

But right now...

All I can do is wake up and face whatever lies ahead.

[Sei]

Aki Fumi & Merry
Purgatory- Makoto's Safehouse
Time Unknown (Morning)

The room falls silent as the tension steadily mounts. Setting aside the search once again, Adam's group wanders back towards the center of the room and gathers- clearly awaiting orders. Naturally, the faces among the group vary just as much as their personalities. Adam, as expected, maintains a calm demeanor, but there's an undeniable ferocity in his eyes. The same can be said of Tsubaki; however, unlike her companion, the intensity reflected by her expression is much akin to a hired sword quietly awaiting command. Kenchi, Amy, and Miyu all seem particularly out of the loop... And Ryoko simply stands there unfazed by this development. And last but not least, Sou just smiles to himself- grinning from ear to ear- while lazily standing guard at the door.

After a brief pause, Adam takes a deep breath before turning back towards the two of you.

"Right... I suppose you can say that we're familiar with our guests, but I wouldn't say it's on a personal basis," Taking a moment to answer the question posed, his eyes shift over to the side- his attention clearly directed outside, "It's more like we have a general idea of who they're affiliated with. And we aren't exactly on friendly terms... Whether or not we know anyone in the approaching group, we won't know until we make contact..."

"...If we do, things are going to get bad fast," Tsubaki adds while stepping forward, "Lets hope it doesn't come to that..."

To this, the demon in the doorway can't help but laugh.His attitude towards the situation immediately draws the attention of the crimson swordsman, but he avoids her eyes. Taking interest in nothing other than the trouble that is heading your way, Sou ignores Tsubaki's eyes and immerses himself in his own anticipation.

"Come on... We're going to fight them, right?" He does nothing to mask the joy in his words, "There's some strong ones mixed up in there..."

You get that Sou is arguably the aggressive one of the group, but there seems to be a bit more behind his words. Though he's clearly just looking for a fight, like before, you get the sense that there's some unspoken communication going on here. An idea that is likely common knowledge to denizens of this world.

Adam's eyes drift back into the immediate room before glancing over at Sou. Then, quietly, he takes a look over at the rest of his group before stopping at the two of you. Obviously, as the leader of the group, he's taking careful consideration of the scenario at hand and reviewing several options. However, at the same time...

"Ryoko?"

He jumps right into the thick of it.

"Yes, sir," Promptly responding to Adam's words, Ryoko nods her head before raising her hand up and adjusting her glasses. She makes no movements beyond this, thus her field of view remains the same. And yet... "There are six of them, total. I count three mages, one human, and two demon-hybrids. ...By the looks of it, their group seems to be comprised of three Ds, one C, a B, and an A... Judging by how they're currently maintaining their distance, we should assume they're aware of our location."

The Japanese girl provides you all with rather detailed information about the approaching group without so much as batting an eye. At the same time, Tsubaki's expression grows more grim. Clearly concerned about what she just heard, she turns to Adam to comment.

"That B and that A are going to be troublesome..."

Adam however does not comment on the matter.

"Kenchi..."

"Yes, sir-!" The young man comically straightens up and salutes his leader.

"Take Amy and Miyu somewhere safe. You're going to be on assist duty. Ryoko, Tsubaki, and Sou... You're with me."

Having heard the Irishman's words loud and clear, everyone nods. Everyone except for a confused looking Miyu..."

"Wait... So I don't get to see the fight?"

The immediate business out of the way, the black-haired man turns to face the two of you once again.

"And what are you two planning on doing?" Somewhat surprisingly, it doesn't seem like Adam has involved you in his plans, "You're not members of my group, so it's not my place to tell you what to do. ...However, if I were to make a suggestion, I'd personally advise you to go along with Kenchi and the others."

[Optimus]

Mark Walker
School Building- Entrance
Time Unknown (Morning)

He could feel how Mashairo's sanity, and his own were slowly slipping away. It wasn't a good idea. It hadn't been a good idea at all. If they'd only been intelligent enough to set up some kind of mark as they walked endlessly, finding nothing. And now, voices...

-"Hey. Stop it, let's think about this rationally."

For a second, he was about to just follow him, but that had to stop. It was clear Masahiro wasn't in a condition to do anything, so it was his turn to push his mind a little further and figure something out.

-"I say we go and see what's the fuss. First, because if there's someone else trapped in here, they might know more than we do about this hellhole. Second, because if it's an enemy... I'm gonna be honest. I'm tired and sick of this shit, and right now I want to punch something, and I bet you're feeling the same way. I'd rather we don't go insane to the point where we start beating the shit out of each other, we both know it'd be stupid no matter who comes out alive so let's drop that shit.

But first, we need to figure out a way to know which direction we're going. I'd say we could mark it with a pencil on the walls or something but... Those little fuckers are likely to erase anything we do so... But we don't have anything we can use to mark the walls... Can you make something for that purpose?"

[hero]

Fukuda Masahiro​
School Building- Entrance
Time Unknown (Morning)


"... Wake the hell up."

Fed up with Mark's attitude, I speak those words clearly without even bothering to slow down my march. I didn't mean to say anything, but I can't help it when my patience is constantly being pushed to the limit. More than once has the thought that I'd do better off alone crossed my mind... That if he had not been there I'd saved those people at the tunnels, that if he had not been there Tooru and Kinue would still be with us... It isn't hard for me to think of Mark Walker as a burden I must carry over my shoulders on top of all the problems I already have. When I need him, he only makes things worse. Even now, he continues to get in my way.

"There is no time to think about it."

I am not going to waste my time here when there is someone out there who might need my help. If there is something we should think about is how we're going to tackle this matter, rather than how we're going to find our way back when we are already lost. To do that we need to focus... If distractions like these grab our time, we're bound to stumble upon another wall again. That is why my pace is rushed but I am not running like I might have done sometime in the past. I am trying to find the balance with what my mind thinks and what my heart says.

I don't want to mess up again.

"If it's a friend, saving them takes priority over a stupid mark."

The method he proposed is not bad, it might have done us some good if we had started using it before venturing in too deep, but now that we have no idea where we are or where to go, I have to question its purpose. If someone is in danger, we're already pressed for time... If I can find or save one of my friends at the expense of not being able to find my way back, I'll gladly take such generous deal. However, if we are late... Everything will be pointless. That's why we have to hurry without letting our guard down...!

"If it's an enemy, we don't want to leave any clues that we are or have been here at all."

I am sick and tired of this hell too. I would be lying if I said that violence wouldn't be a good way to release some of the pent up stress I've been holding since yesterday. But I can't afford to let my emotions get the best of me, not now that the last of our sanity hangs on a thin thread. If we have the chance to investigate while avoiding a confrontation, we should take it, no matter how small it is. That's why we should save our magecraft for the right moment. Even if the enemy happens to already know we are here, I am sure that in this 'big house', not everyone is aware of our presence. Let's keep it that way.

"If you don't want me to beat the hell out of you, open your eyes, be useful and watch my back."

[I3uster]

Kisaragi Maiko
Tortuga- Seeker Base
Time Unknown (Morning)

"My name's Tohsaka. ...The 'heart-crusher queen' is my mother."

What?

"B-but...s-she's...h-how?"

Under different circumstances she might have thought the girl to be crazy, but after being transported in a rather close approximation of hell and waking up with her arm missing she was not really in any condition to doubt somebodies words. At this point she would probably believe her if she said she was the emperor's wife as long as the delivery looked the slightest bit convincing.

"Judging by your uniform, I'm guessing you're from Homurahara in Fuyuki. Dressed in that get-up, seeing how as you know Rin... It's probably about the year 2000 where you come from."

"Y-year? Of c-course it i-is. A-are you not k-keeping track of..." Right, daughter. It reminded her of a few science fiction stories she read back at school. Of people meeting their own descendants due to time dilation.

But why was it happening here?

She didn't even notice the girls judging eyes flying over her body, lost in thoughts. If she would ever return home, would it even be a home she knew?

Not like I should.

"Please, have a seat, Tohsaka-san. It's not very often that you come to visit us all the way out here...I'm curious... What brings one of the Great Five to our humble little base?"

Apparently she was not a part of this group? She would probably have to ask a bit more about the politics at play here later. Right now it would probably be too rude to interrupt the talk of the two.

"Well... I suppose there's no real need in beating around the bush," Ayame crosses her legs and takes a quick sip from her cup- smiling at the taste of the brew, "Suzume, I think it's time we form a truce."

It seemed like these words were unexpected, and not received with great enthusiasm.

"You," But the silence does not last long before Ayame speaks up. Bringing her cup up to her lips once more, she returns her attention to you while reengaging you in the conversation, "Kisaragi, wasn't it? What can you tell me about you came to be in this world? Any minute detail you can spare will help. And you better not give details..."

"Hmmmm..."

"Like do you remember the incantation that was used? How you got caught up in the ritual in the first place? How many of you were involved and," Ayame pauses for a second, thinking to herself. Seemingly recalling something important, her eyes drift over to meet yours, "Who exactly was it that performed the ritual?"

"T-the number is e-easy...t-the entire c-club, so 20 p-people?" The problem came with the next question. The horrors upon arriving were still like a fresh memory in her mind, but the incantation? "T-the incantation...I d-don't remember...a l-lot of blood...and i-iron...and..."

She tried her hardest. Was there something that stood out to her back then? Something recongizable in the incantation she might have missed? A few seconds she stared in silence at the floor, murmuring to herself. There was something in there she found strange. Something that the other, less well-read club members probably didn't know about...

The artifact of western legends.

"Holy Grail."

She looked at Ayame. "I-I'm sorry, t-that's all I r-remember...i-it was like a p-poem...k-kind of short. B-but the r-ritual was made by our pres of c-course." She smiled, knowing that she could at least provide detailed info here. "Kuromusi Haruka"

[Sei]

Solomon West
Hospital Building- First Floor
Time Unknown (Night)

The air is terribly still between the two of you.

After showing Souhei the horror that lies on the other side of the door, the man's eyes expand with fear beyond words and a dead silence is born. His shoulders slump, but his body visibly tenses, and his gaze drifts closer to the floor. He becomes lost for a moment... His eyes venture to and from reality- each time wavering as he reaffirms cold truth. His mouth opens, but no words come out... Likely due to the fact that he can't even comprehend what's happening, much less respond. However, in the end, his own body betrays him as his hands and knees begin to shake and a broken smile forms on his lips.

"A distraction, huh..." Because he can't respond outright, he just repeats your words, "...Yeah. I think I understand what you're getting at..."

Souhei is beginning to crack...

Souhei loses 2 Will

Up until this point, it's likely that he was just fooling himself by suspending his own disbelief. After all, while neither of you could really explain where you are or how you got here, all in all, there wasn't too many elements present that seemed out of the ordinary. However, this... coupled with the thing you encountered upstairs, there was no way someone could just turn a blind eye. These things are monsters. Real monsters... And it's not just a hunch that they're of the less-than-friendly sort... Reika is obviously far from normal, so this sort of thing is probably less shocking for her... And you... While you haven't exactly been unfazed by all this, you'd like to say you're holding up pretty well... Souhei on the other hand... He's just a normal guy, with normal expectations, and a normal level of tolerance. Tossed into a situation he can't understand and a world he understands even less, it's probably not long before he loses it...

"Sorry, Monty-san... I honestly have no clue what we should do... Sorry..."

Nevertheless, he's here now- struggling to hold it together- and seemingly acknowledging his own helplessness. When he does, a bit of anger and frustration can be seen bleeding into his own fear... and that frustration steadily brings a grown man to tears.

".....I'm not really sure how useful I'd be, but if you think you can get that door open... If you think something good will come out of it..." The young teacher fights back the knot in his throat and forces ample air into his lungs. Though his hands and feet won't stop shaking, he picks his head up and looks through the door window into the lobby, "...I'll try to distract those things as best I can..."

In the end, your options were limited. You understand this all too well and, regrettably, so does Souhei.

Souhei loses 2 Sanity.
Souhei gains 2 Will.

[Mormarth]

Solomon West
Hospital Building- First Floor
Time Unknown (Night)

Silence hangs in the air for a moment as Souhei looks through the door at the waiting whatever-the-fucks.

I nodded as his eyes bulged, this was a bit of a situation, and, to be honest, none of the options presented to us looked very good.

We could go back, unlikely to work, try and break through them, and considering more are pouring in, that also probably won't work.

So the only option is-

"A distraction, huh... Yeah. I think I understand what you're getting at..."

I frown, he's smiling brokenly, I mean, it's understandable, not many people'd be able to deal with this kinda situation, roll with the punches like I've been doing, or just dull acceptance like the squirt.

You have to be, ah, different, so to speak.

"Sorry, Monty-san... I honestly have no clue what we should do... Sorry..."

I feel a bit of sympathy for the guy, thrown into a situation completely out of his depth, when it could've just been another ordinary day in the life.

Shit's not fair. But that's life.

I turn back to the door, frowning, and I spot Souhei take a shaking breath and try and pull himself together, with some amount of success, he leans up next to me, looking through the crack in the door.

".....I'm not really sure how useful I'd be, but if you think you can get that door open... If you think something good will come out of it..." The schoolteacher pauses, takes a gulp of air, "...I'll try to distract those things as best I can..."

"Well, not much in the way of other options, aye? Gotta take a gamble," I mumbled to myself for a moment, looking through the door, "Right, this is probably pretty obvious, but just try and keep them off me, see if there's anything you can use as a weapon or something, I'll be working as fast as possible."

I look him in the eye, "Don't go and do anything stupid, alright? That's my job."

Right, count to 3, inhale, count to 5, exhale.

I flick the knife open, lowering my center of gravity, this'd have to be quick and quiet.

"Alright, get ready..."

I hold up 3 fingers and count down slowly.

3.

2.

1.

I nudge the door open wide enough to squeeze through and move towards the door as fast as I can.

[Mereo Flere]

Merry
Purgatory - Makoto's Safehouse
Morning

It wasn't my fight. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to help these people. Though we had exchanged words, the rough start meant that at best I was neutral to the group overall. It was entirely possible that the people approaching would be much more amiable than the ones in front of him - then again, it wasn't something I was willing to gamble on.

Besides, if even Adam suggested avoiding a fight there was no reason for me to disagree. Ryoko had mentioned mages and demon hybrids - and though I didn't know if Makoto had been either, it wouldn't be surprising if the group had powers comparable to her strength. At the very least, they posed enough of a threat that Adam thought to send the precious princess away. And those ratings...

At least a single mage was ranked D. Though it sounded like a borderline failure, it was difficult to imagine anyone with something as mysterious as magic posing any less of a threat than myself - meaning that there was a decent chance that I was a D myself.

If that was the case... was there anything I could do? Since my powers relied on touch, there was no such thing as fighting safely on my end - and since there were probably at least three people stronger than me, there was a good chance that anybody I threw myself at would eat me like a snack.

It was just too much danger, with nothing to gain.

"That seems like sound advice," I decided, stepping towards Kenchi and the others. "Honestly, I'd prefer to hide, but I suppose they'd probably be able to find us as well as you guys did."

[RacingeR]

Aki Fumi & Merry
Purgatory- Makoto's Safehouse
Time Unknown (Morning)

Three persons in this group have sensing abilities. Aki vaguely notes it as her eyes crawl their way past Barky and towards the door. She pays attention as Adam speaks, but it is just as a matter of course, and she holds little interest in their words, merely processing the information as she had been conditioned to do by her training.

The details didn’t matter much to her, not right now. She considered them just enough for her own survival, and then archived them. She did not ask about the ratings, or the details about the group they were about to face, because it didn’t matter to her right now. Nor did it matter whether they were going to battle (something she considered the biggest possibility at the moment) or there was going to be a diplomatic solution to this.

To tell Aki to not make the choice she was about to make was like telling a mountain not to move or telling a river not to flow. It simply had been too long. She had been in this basement for way too long. Had it been otherwise, maybe her survival instincts and her training would’ve allowed her to make a more safe and rational choice like Merry’s. But she needed entertainment. She craved it. Sure, what had happened earlier in the morning had been entertaining too, but it was not the same. It was not enough.

There was a pale red glow in her eyes as she turned her head towards Adam. “Nah, I’m going with you.” The words were pronounced in a casual tone, and then Aki’s hand rose, as she made a lazy military salute towards the man.

“I’m at your service, sir.”

This, too, could be rather interesting.