Ga Rei: Exodus Nine (IC)

[Frantic Author]

Hitoshira Nagi
Battleship S.L.E.I.P.N.I.R ~ Star's Cradle
Command Bridge

Civilians have been removed, of course, and the bridge is near empty.

"...I'm not paid enough to deal with her."

Ah. I should have guessed she was invincible.



"Heya Nagi, Kid-that-seems-to-have-gotten-a-well-deserved-smacking, nice to see you're awake."

I blink, owlishly, tilting my head at Elizabeth. "Hello, Elizabeth. Don't mock Yagami too much, he's bruised enough as it is." My lips twitch, a smile hiding underneath them as I peer at my teacher. "Kae's returned as well. It appears that being a terrible vessel is meaningless when you can grab the collective ether of dreams. Perhaps ghosts are just as lazy as we are?"

I offer this to her, hearing a snicker in my sea of souls, as imaginary lips brush past my ear and I stare at the woman before me. "Honestly, I think Yagami's a perfectly nice person, Elizabeth. It just..."

I pause.

How do I say this delicately, or at least without offending anyone?

"...Took a while for me to beat it into him?"

[Katie]

Mikagura Mika
Aoyama Ruins

“Don’t worry about it,” I say, brushing it all off. “Showering the young me with gifts would have lead to an even more spoiled brat.”

That’s most likely true. Only children tend to be both spoiled and stubborn, two qualities I possess in large quantities. The expectation everything will go as I want it and the will to make it so—commendable traits perhaps, but absolutely horrible for obedience.

“Still, if you insist. I’m sure we’ll need everything we can get.” While the statement is true, it doesn’t really resolve anyone’s feelings about the situation. None of this particularly changes how ultimately, all these family friends left me in the care of my aunt and uncle, without me knowing any better. Without knowing they existed at all.

So, I suppose it is within my right to pry. If nothing else, I obtain more insight than I would otherwise. I prefer if people told me things about themselves than needing to investigate for myself. Much more veritable.

“Was it… Was it that difficult to face me after they passed away?” There’s no hint of anger, just a resigned sadness. Living my life with false memories, unable to know the truth…

I wonder whether or not the veil was worth it, considering I tore it down myself.

[Airen]

Mikagura Mika
Aoyama Ruins

"...To be honest, it was hard for me to face anyone."

Ultimately it is just an excuse, but it is an excuse that she feels you have the right to know; while she had not been as close to your parents as Sora had been, exorcists still had a tendency to 'adopt' each other as family, and in that sense...

In that sense she certainly should have done something about it.

Even more so if Sora hadn't, but that war eight years ago...

It had certainly done just as much damage to the survivors as those who had died, perhaps even more so to those that had stayed alive...

"Woke up in the hospital with half a soul, bizarre loss of memories and almost all of my friends dead... I talked big a lot back then, thought I could protect everyone... Those days proved me wrong in a lot of ways..."

She shakes her head sadly.

"Wound up isolating myself at the coffee shop. Work all day, protect the town at night... That's all I did, all I thought I had the right to do, there was no time for anything else... I'm sure my sisters appreciated me acting that way..."

...In the end it doesn't excuse anything, and she knows it.

She had made a bad habit of leaving people behind when she thought she couldn't protect them, of being unable to trust herself with others, of running away from connections in order to avoid the pain of loss, but...

"...I'd like to blame the 'other me,' say she had half of my memories so maybe I forgot, but really, she probably did more for everyone in the end... But I don't plan on getting lost inside of the past anymore. Doesn't fix anything I know, but I promised someone I would do whatever I could do in the present... So no more obsession with the past... I'm moving towards the future."

A pause, then...

"So when this is all over... If Sora winds up being too strict from time to time, you can come crash at the coffee place if you want, from time to time anyway... Although, she seems pretty excited to have you back now though, actually came to talk to me after eight years so... Well... Try to be good to each other?"

[Airen]

Hitoshira Nagi
Battleship S.L.E.I.P.N.I.R ~ Star's Cradle
Command Bridge

"I see. Well so long as it worked!"

It was half an hour in the future, and you still weren't sure if that was a positive response to what you had said or not; ultimately, the Admiral had landed the airship directly in the center of Tokyo shortly after calling for you and the others to join her on the bridge, and as a result, you once again find yourself free to wander the area, unbound by the Admiral's orders, who had taken charge of many of your fellow ESPers the moment she had landed inside of the now darkness-and-mud free interior of the city.

Many of them were from that ghost-city, and you were able to recognize them on sight; some that should be here are missing, possible fatalities of the war against the darkness.

Others were not, new faces, ones who had come out and made themselves known purely because of the circumstances that had effected the city.

And more than that...

It seemed that the Devourer had personally challenged them, each and every one of them, to a "final battle" of sorts come sunrise. The location of the battle was unknown, according to what everyone else was saying, the Nameless God had simply told them it would let them know when the time came, so for now...

It seemed it was the night before the final battle.

Everyone's last night on earth, if the battle in the morning went poorly for humanity...

Inside of the ship, the soldiers were running about recklessly, and it seemed that some sort of technology was being prepared for the advent of tomorrow's battle, something called "COMPs," but...

You didn't know much about that, indeed...

The Admiral had simply encouraged you to spend these final hours as you would like, while her aura was similar to that of Elizabeth, neither of the two were giving off that supreme aura of absolute confidence that marked them as "Special," no...

They were concerned, only slightly, but enough so that you can tell they are acknowledging the possibility of loss... But are determined to face that possibility and deny it in spite of it being the much more likely option...

Still...

Both Auron and Yagami were conscious now, bound with cuffs, but certainly conscious and...

Well...

...How does one spend what could be their final hours?

Yagami: !

Elizabeth: !

Auron: !

Yamuna: !

Lilith: !

Joanna: Status Currently Unknown

Mark: Status Currently Unknown

[Snax]

Jonathan R. Black
Shadow Vortex

Jonathan scratched his head. They were in the normal world all of a sudden, and no sign of Akane or the demons could be found.

To add to that, the Devourer's gaze is unnerving - its almost like a program that is merely doing its dues.

"This humanity is already dead, it's only future lies in destruction. I am here to fix the error of it's existence."

The words are heavy in his mind, almost as heavy as the monstrosity's gaze.

Jonathan shuddered a bit. However, he does not back down.

"So, tomorrow it ends? Just like that huh? No final chance, no way for humanity to prove itself?"

He spreads his arms, as if trying to signify all that is human.

"Let me just ask you one thing. Why?"

[Frantic Author]

Hitoshira Nagi
Battleship S.L.E.I.P.N.I.R ~ Star's Cradle
Command Bridge

...

Tiresome.

It's tiresome, waiting. I'm restless, I'm restless, trying to figure out what went wrong and what to do. But I suppose, that in the end, all I can do is what I've done, right?

I'll definitely succeed. I can see the confidence in Elizabeth and... while it doesn't fill me with confidence, it reminds me.

Gathered Starlight. Something that can 'increase the strength' of others, but only a select few can wield it as a weapon. A group of which I'm now a part of.

I suppose there's not much for me to do here, as I wait patiently for the end. I'm not particularly tired, but I'm not particularly awake either. Perhaps... It'll end how it began.

I'll speak with him, one last time before the end.

>>Yagami>>

[Vritra]

Makoto Fujioka
Aoyama Ruins

…

Silence stretching out as I listen to her words, Sensei’s chance, his plans, his desire it was…

“Liar.”

Chomping back down with all my strength I throw out my disagreeance with a glare before letting go and burying my head into her stomach.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid super super stupid Sensei I wouldn’t have lost.”

Trembling in frustration and as the muted metallic cacophony seethes I try to hold back the violent coughing that follows.

I refuse to accept that it was necessary it was a stupid outcome for his stupid plan. Dying like that and on top of it he even isn’t being like other stupid dead things that ignore what the word is supposed to mean. Not able to do anything, not being able to be with everyone else that is like losing. No point to anything like that…

“I’m keeping you and Chiaoko-nee, I’m going to stab him a lot when he gets back and I’m not inviting him to any parties.”

Shivering I spit out the curses against the stupid no good unreliable lying teach, I just feel so…

So cold.

[Airen]

Jonathan R. Black
New Aoyama ~ Ruins

"Why?"

The feeling you get is that the entity is akin to a machine, and this is not an entirely incorrect assumption; indeed, while it feels far more dangerous than Amatsu or the Reporter themselves had ever felt, it is not a truly malicious danger, death surrounds this entity not because it hates others, but rather because it is the entity that appears when a world has lost the right to a future.

In essence, rather than malice...

This entity destroys purely because that is it's duty, it's purpose as an existence.

"You are all already dead, walking corpses that continue to breathe, errors that must be corrected for the sake of the system."

Yes.

Everyone in this world had died once, it's duty is simply to return everything to that same end, to keep the record pure and untainted by these sorts of paradoxes and errors.

"No, even beyond that, this world completely lacks a future. It's demise at the hands of the Crawling Chaos was the first sign of it's inevitable destruction, and I have observed that inevitability first hand. Time flows backwards and yet the darkness continues to thrive, wars are fought anew over petty things, the dead continue to drown the living while lost in their own despair, people kill each other pointlessly, many also justify it by saying it is necessary for their dreams, trampling others for their own sake. Humanity's Darkness thrives in this world, and thus a God of Darkness comes to destroy everything, even when it is repelled, it is never destroyed, it is impossible for it to be destroyed and for humans to remain as they currently are. Even now, they have repelled the Dark God and yet it's return is impossible to avoid, the darkness that burns within you all assures that, it has destroyed you before and will do so again because you all wish for it, thus... Your demise is inevitable. The data has served it's purpose."

It closes it's eyes.

...There are no weaknesses in it's stance.

"There is no need for a "World of Death." There is no conclusion for this world other than destruction, thus, even if your existence wasn't an error, it is still my duty to painlessly bring everything to it's end. This is divine mercy."

The eyes open again:

"Tomorrow morning I will face whoever wishes to oppose me before everything comes to an end. That is the agreement I made with the other humans. That is your 'final chance' so to speak; defeat me and the future is yours, however... No matter what power you bring to bear, I cannot be defeated by the people of this world."

It's confidence in this is absolute.

So absolute in fact, that it has chosen to make the entire world it's enemy, to let them know of it's existence, purely because it knows that there's absolutely nothing that anyone can do to stop it, even if the world itself attacks it, it is confident in it's ability to crush the world beneath it's will.

"Therefore, it is wisest to simply submit. This outcome is for your own good."

[Snax]

Jonathan R. Black
New Aoyama ~ Ruins

"So, Amatsu is sealed, huh.""

Jonathan took thiss information with little shock. His 'Reason' and his powers as Amatsu's chosen, as wielder of the Darkness of Humanity's powers - he did not know what would happen to his own abilities now that this had happened. However, the loss of the God didn't weigh heavy on Jonathan's mind. He had little love for 'Gods' or other supernatural beings - he only used their power if it suited him, for the greater good of humanity. Amatsu was just another being he used.

"A world of Death, you say. This world is full of darkness, destruction, death. It has been like that since the past, it continues to be so even now. However, you talk of a system - and do you think a system can exist without Darkness?"

Jonathan points out the logical error of this issue.

"Light cannot exist without Darkness, and it is the same otherwise. Darkness only returns each time the Light pushes it back. Light also returns when the Dark floods the world. It may seem weird, but there is an interesting balance between the two, and I of all people acknowledge that."

He, who had taken in the Power of the Darkness -

"I was Amatsu's Chosen. My Reason is to bring this world into a new Era, one where Humanity is strong enough to overcome their weaknesses and continue to prosper. I may be borrowing the Power of Humanity's Darkness, but all I have to do is make my way the 'right way'. History was always so - the winner takes all, and the ends justify the means. All I have to do is make my 'Darkness' into 'Light.'"

He points at the otherworldly existence, defiance burning in his eyes.

"To hell with the creeping chaos, or whatever other 'inevitability' you speak of. If you say the world is doomed, I'll merely change that outcome with the power of the strongest members of humanity. Chiyoko may have given up, but I do not know what happened in the past, and I'll be damned if I let it shackle my goal."

Jonathan snickers, not afraid even in the face of the greatest Destroyer he knew of.

"I won't submit. Neither will humanity, as a whole. Take your divine mercy and shove it up your ass, because we're coming for you."

[Airen]

Jonathan R. Black
New Aoyama ~ Ruins

"Hubris. The System needs neither you or your kind."

The mistake the young doctor makes is one that humanity as a whole often makes; the assumption that the universe revolves solely around them, there is no need for either Light or Darkness inside of the System, those are things that humanity made for themselves and the Gods, and both of them are capable of driving humanity to it's extinction, even if in entirely different ways.

There are no errors in it's logic.

Those emotions are what have crippled humanity from the very start, it is what has led them to this path where only their own destruction is a possible outcome. The hole they have dug for themselves is too deep, even if they fight it off for ten years, twenty, how long until they destroy themselves again?

That ending is inevitable, thus there is no reason to continue observing them, there is nothing here worth preserving; the data has already shown the only possible ending for this simulation is annihilation, there is no way for them to deviate from that course, thus...

Divine Mercy.

Even if they were not errors, it would still act for the sake of Divine Mercy.

Still...

It is not insulted at your words; most of it's emotions have already crawled away and become a separate entity altogether, therefore it's response to your bravado is emotionless and simple, so much so that it comes across as chilling:

"But you will come yes, humanity will come to me-"

It turns away-

"-But they come to die. Feel free to make that decision for yourselves. Those the Morning Star had rescued have been found by the other humans, they have gathered at the town's center, join them there if you believe it will make a difference."

-And vanishes, seemingly into nothing, with divine grace...

...In spite of informing you of Amatsu's defeat...

You still feel a connection to the darkness.

[Verg Avesta]

Medrod Pendragon
Aoyama Ruins

For a moment, Medrod stared at the demon hunter with his eye wide.

That was a... very good point he brought up. Why had he been talking about this with him? It did not have taken a lot of prodding from the man in red, if any, to get him going about it. Medrod had been so caught up in his own troubles that he hadn't even questioned it, just went off the moment he got a chance even though he had been trying to find a place where no one would bother him. Wasn't that illogical in the first place? If he had truly wanted to just mull it over by himself, he would have left the area altogether. Yet here he was, talking about it with a man whose name he didn't even know.

It was... a surprising realization.

But not an unwelcome one.

Like a pinprick of light that rapidly grew into a spotlight within the murky darkness, lighting it up. It might have not made everything clear, but it was definitely a step in the right direction.

And it had all came from the unlikeliest of sources.

"... You got me there," Medrod finally spoke, sounding somewhat surprised. "The fact that I needed to take action already shows he wasn't here. He wasn't where someone like him would've been needed. Instead it fell onto all of us. I was here. He wasn't. I guess... that's one difference between us."

Medrod took a drag off his cigarette.

"I... guess I was too caught up in what I couldn't do that I forgot what I did," he then continued. "It's not about getting the best cards in our hand, but doing the best with the cards we've been dealt with... right?"

For a moment, Medrod stared at his empty hand, clenching his hand into a fist and opening it, again and again. Then, with one final push, almost like making a decision, he squeezed it together.

"Still can't say I like the guy. If anything, I think I hate him, if nothing but for another difference between us I just realized. He betrayed her trust. While I..." Medrod tried to find the right words, but came up short. He shook his head. "He also, apparently, left those he fought with behind with nary a word. I won't be like that."

With a newfound, vague ghost of a smile on his face, Medrod turned to look at the man in red.

"Thanks for the help. You know, a couple weeks back," he said to the older man. "I know I was a right asshole back then, so... sorry about that time, too. I wasn't exactly thinking straight. In any case... the name's Medrod. Medrod Pendragon. I wasn't the type to introduce myself back then, so, better rectify that."

After the introductions, Medrod looked around them, almost to see if anyone else was eavesdropping. Then, coughing a little in his balled-up hand, he started speaking again, sounding somewhat... awkwardly.

"Anyway... since you're doling out advice, there's something I wanna ask..." Medrod started, searching for words again. "... Any way to not be jealous? Or at least find out why you're jealous of something, or someone, in the first place?"

A surprisingly frank question. Perhaps the white-haired man's implication that they were something that could be considered friends had been surprisingly effective.

[Snax]

Jonathan R. Black
New Aoyama - Ruins

"Hubris, bah."

Snorting, Jonathan turns his back and walks the way to the Town Center.

He was a rational one. There was no beating that enemy alone, it was a even worse case compared to dealing with Chiyoko one on one.

No doubt there were going to be a ton of goodie two shoes and annoyances in the town square but...for now, he'd play nice.

All...for his dream.

All...for Akane.

[Katie]

Mikagura Mika
Aoyama Ruins

“I’ll try my best.”

Someone would most definitely call it heartwarming. I suppose this is the power of reconciliation and the strength of an unburdened heart. For Sora, her mental state is probably the best it ever has been since the major incident so many years ago. As for me…

They’re a strange set of expectations I’m unsure of how to deal with. Even if all she wants to do is reconnect with me… I’m afraid that I don’t think I can always react in a way that’s accommodating. Everything I’ve done until recently has been solely for my own gain. Having others in my life is simply something I’m unused to. Even when I lived with my aunt and uncle, you could call it a relatively distanced relationship.

In other words, that kind of intimacy is scary.

“I’ll definitely take that offer. No offense to Sora, but I like having my distance…” I say, stating my honest opinion. Still, though, Liane was definitely doing some sort of work before this, so…

“Is there anything you need help with?”

Payment for the bullets, I suppose.

[Airen]

Jonathan R. Black
Aoyama Ruins - Meeting Ground
Final Rest

You had met Michio on the way.

A long walk through a torn-apart town, while some of this damage had been caused by your own battle with Izanami, as well as the black sea of life you had unleashed, a lot of what you see here is from battles that you were never around to personally witness...

There are scorch marks everywhere, as if a great blaze had taken light over the whole city, and emergency personnel and civilians alike are moving with the speed of hope, everyone pitching in to help their neighbors, to get their city even a little closer to how it had been earlier in the day... There's a strange change in their demeanor, in spite of the extent of the damages they are fighting off the despair rather well, focusing only on what must be done to help out their neighbors, and really...

They almost feel temporarily invincible, emotionally, if not physically.

Like nothing that could appear before their eyes would be enough to rattle them, and in comparison to the fleeing people and screaming souls of the prior hours...

It is strange.

Still... The goal lies ahead, and the one that awaits you at the ruins of the park is an Akane that has forced herself out of what must have been an infirmary. There is a ship, what almost seems like an airship, sitting in the center of the park, and all throughout it's ruins are members of the supernatural community, some of them are ESPers, others are simply soldiers with guns, strange computers strapped to their wrists, and even bizarre suits that remind you of mecha from an anime...

...This isn't a place that would take kindly to causing trouble, indeed, playing nice is the only option you have while here, while some of Amatsu's power seems to be continuing to flow within you, you are not so blind as to assume that you could fight off the collective forces of what must have been the city's "heroes."

Indeed...

Playing nice...

If you did so, it was likely they would do so as well, every bit of power that could be mustered would be necessary to oppose the Devourer, and in that sense, even though you get the idea that some of the people here know who you are, they have yet to attempt to arrest you out of what must have been sheer pragmatism once you make your intentions of helping known, of course...

The foreign soldiers (German most likely) seemed to know who Akane was -another of her personas you suppose- and so it could be her quick thinking and influence that has kept things peaceful up until now, but...

The woman in charge of the soldiers, a German Admiral of some sort, seems to be putting together a plan of opposition mostly in the background from the ESPers; and as a result, most of them are spending what could be their final hours in their own way...

Indeed, come morning, one way or another...

Humanity's fate would be decided...

You didn't know many of the people here outside of your own group, but...

...In the end, only a few people really mattered to you anyway.

---

As those players that have arrived at the last "peaceful" section of the roleplay before the final battle, you are able to spend a bit of time interacting with the other characters, both NPC and player, before everything comes to an end. Because you are relatively early to this section, there is no 'hard limit' to the amount of scenes you can have, although they will all happen before 'sunrise,' and the section itself will end when the GM decides it is time for it to end.

Characters that wish to speak with you specifically. or otherwise have an event you can participate in will have a !next to their name, it's okay to skip these if you wish, and even go for NPCs that you don't have a strong connection with, but for NPCs with a notable connection to you, it is recommended that you at least give them an ear, as their scenes may have a significant impact on their ending as well as your own...

Scene transition will be handled with the following format at the bottom of the post:

>> *intended character* >>

Akane: !

Michio: !

The Rider: !

Auron: !

[Airen]

Hitoshira Nagi
Battleship S.L.E.I.P.N.I.R ~ Star's Cradle
Top of the Ship

He wasn't the type that would go out and socialize with the other ESPers.

Having been their enemy up to a point of a few hours ago, someone who had planned to sacrifice all of them in exchange for the power to control the Kyuubi and a chance to change fate, a change of heart does not change the crimes he had directly committed against them, and as a result, it seems he is staying away from them not just for his sake, but also for their own...

So he just watches from up here.

Feeling him out was simple enough in spite of that, and moving through the basically science-fiction tier airship, the sheer height of the ship even in it's landed state is made clear as a sudden wind picks up.

...There are still things resembling cracks in the sky. While they are harder to see now, it is clear to anyone that looks closely at it that something is wrong with the world, of course, there are plenty of things wrong with it, but...

"...Everyone working together huh...? Brings back memories."

Leaning over the handrail, the young man gives no mind to the sky, indeed, he doesn't even turn to face you, rather...

He just automatically seems to know you're here, long before you announce yourself.

[Airen]

Makoto Fujioka
Aoyama Ruins

"No. You would have lost. We did lose. There are some battles that will alone simply cannot win."

Normally perhaps, she would have humored you more; but the death of her Summoner was weighing on her mind, and while that did nothing to keep her from caring for the students as her 'kids' as Nakahara had, there are ways for even her infinite patience to be tested, no, more than that...

It was very important that you understood this, if you did not...

Then it was very likely that you just might get yourself killed.

"I do not like the outcome any more than you do, but experiencing it once is enough... That power cannot be opposed without something similar, if we don't have something like it, then we will lose no matter what; it will not underestimate you in the same way the next time."

In other words, the fluke of jamming time's gears will likely not happen again...

No, even more than that, only the final blow had done anything even vaguely resembling damage to the entity, and it had survived even that, as the reactions and whispers of the people around you were showing...

"...Katsuro did not do meaningless things. If he chose this path, then it is the one he thought would work out the best for everyone."

The stern anger once again gives way to sadness.

"...So when he gets back... Try not to stab him, everything he did was for the purpose of protecting you kids."

[Airen]

Mikagura Mika
Aoyama Ruins

"No worries, she just needs someone around to poke her every now and then... She turns into a shut-in otherwise, we're kinda similar in that regard..."

Understanding what you mean even though you are somewhat unable to explain it completely -at least not in a way you are comfortable with- she waves off both worries and the request for a help with a single hand and a gentle smile.

"No... Was doing a bit of memory reconnaissance. Not just my own memory, some of the spirits too. Wanted to know exactly what it is we're up against, and... It's a hell of an entity... Not sure of all the details yet, but it's uh... Definitely stronger than your average God."

In spite of this, she smiles tiredly:

"But I think with the tech that ship has, and all the spirit smiths around... We might be able to work something out, find a way to steal some of it's power and use it against it... But the plan is a bit rough at the moment, very theoretical... So I'll leave it at that for now. Thanks for the offer though, but I'll shoulder the stress for now. I am the "Golden Witch," after all, sometimes I gotta step up."

A pause, then:

"But on second thought... If you see that Goddess of ours, could you tell her to come over to me? Think I'm gonna need her to see if this particular plan is viable or not... Although I do appreciate her walking around cheering people up, it's good for morale."

So saying, that woman...

Closes her eyes, going back to that meditative state from before.

--}i{--

[Snax]

Jonathan R. Black
Aoyama Ruins - Meeting Ground
Final Rest

Jonathan acknowledges Michio with a nod. The man in black returns a silent greeting of his own, and then starts leading the way.

No doubt he was leading the way to Akane - and there she was, free from her crystal prison.

The Rider was also hovering around, as Jonathan felt the connection with the White King surge in power.

Still, first things first. He had to talk to the girl.

----------

>> Akane >>

[Airen]

Medrod Pendragon
Aoyama Ruins

"Tony. Tony Redgrave."

His own introduction is natural, an immediate response to you finally handing over your own name in this second encounter, and a sign of acceptance, in it's own way, of the apology for your previous behavior, however...

"Well, some people also call me Dante. Either or, whichever you want, not that big a deal."

It seems a second name comes out after a moments thought, something that he would have perhaps hidden away, but chose to reveal for reasons all his own; of course, it is a strange name for a stranger man, fitting for his aura that only bore tinges of inhumanity, but as he listens to your words with a vague interest, surprisingly willing to simply be a quiet senior in this scenario...

"Oh?"

...Somehow this response is alarming, absolutely alarming, setting off warning bells in your head alarming; he had been given a number of clues up till now, half cut off words, names, someone in particular he couldn't help but hate, yes...

At your side now -also on your level- an arm wraps around your shoulder as he scans the world with the pointer finger of said arm, moving your head slightly in the process so you're looking where he's pointing.

"It really is a girl problem huh? Alright, let's see, who is it? Instincts say-"

The arm shifts to point at Red, who sees you, tilts her head to the side slightly -you could practically see the question mark from here- before waving back at you in a way that kinda seals your fate-!

"Am I right? I'm right, right? Right."

...He's having a bit too much fun with this.

[Frantic Author]

Hitoshira Nagi
Battleship S.L.E.I.P.N.I.R ~ Star's Cradle
Top of the Ship

It was easy for me to track him down, really.

I don't think he was 'hiding', exactly, but he wasn't trying to socialize. It's... understandable, really. Outside of me and Elizabeth I...

I don't think anyone would try to understand him.

I don't think anyone would forgive him.

So it's selfish of me, to seek him out, to drag him into this world he tried so desperately to save - even if it was in his own way, but I can't help it. He's... important to me, in a way that I can't possibly describe.

"...Everyone working together huh...? Brings back memories."

I laugh, quietly as I hop onto the handrail and dangle my legs over the edge. "Maybe for you. I'm not as lucky as you, you know." I turn to him, my red eyes crossing his own. "I didn't get to bring my memories back with me. All I have are... fragments. But the way you and Mark speak to me, sometimes I... I feel like I was far more involved then I was this time. And those fragments don't tell me any differently."

Fragments of a past that I don't know.

"Man, you're an idiot."

Mark's words to me in front of Yagami's castle echo through my mind. It's a reflection, in a way, of the words Yagami threw at me --

"Geez, what are you, twelve?"

They're also scarily alike, aren't they? It's true. But so are Yagami and I. I tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear, and glance at him out of the corner of my eye, as we stare at a sky with red carving it in two.

"...You don't have to bet your life in every exchange, you know? Take care of yourself more."

It's his words I'm throwing back at him, but they apply to both of us equally. The way we fight is selflessly selfish, hurling far too much into exchanges that can only end with our own demise. The only reason we come out ahead is because we're both ridiculously, ludicrously strong. I don't know how it happened to me, but as I stretch a hand out and stare at it, flickers of silver fire dance between my fingers.

"How is it, Ryota, that of every single Esper on this ship, I'm one of the only ones who can turn this gathered starlight into a weapon? Could... could other versions of me do it to? The ones where I stood by you, even as reality fell apart? Or is this something that only the me of this time can manage?" A laugh bursts from my lips as I twist my hand, and a small dragon of silver flame wraps around my arm like a snake. "Auron did say I could never figure it out. Does that mean I'm different, or that I was simply drifting in a sea of seeming samelessness before?"

It's quiet here. The world is nothing but the sounds of the sky as I speak.

"...I want to win. I want to go on, to be stronger, to see that tomorrow is better then today. But... it's odd, being thrust into the position of so few. I don't consider myself better then other Espers; the ghosts in my soul and Lilith have always mentioned how utterly terrible I am at being a vessel. 'You're the worst of the vessels, but we'll take you'. How am I supposed to the take that, and twist into the passion that leads everyone to victory?"

It's a bizarre conversation, between two people who once worked to destroy all of existence.

"I'm not you. I'm not Mark. I'm not even Elizabeth. I'm just... a person, who was caught up accidentally in everything. Sometimes I was late, and was trapped in a conflict I couldn't possibly understand. Sometimes I wasn't, and Chronos' words seduced me. Is it... Is it truly the only difference for me, that this time I arrived early?"