Anima Kiseki // Gate: Future (IC thread)

[Tobias]

Jade Sapphy
Starlight Academy - Location Unknown
Thursday - After-Class

The usage of miracles and other forms of magecraft was somewhat like using a muscle. Generally, it got easier the more used. That being said, there were practical limits to that kind of thing. The last several hours Jade had been pushing her spellcraft extremely hard, and her last burst shortly before losing consciousness had been on the level of a panic reaction. she had thrown herself into collapsing the ceiling and arranging an escape without a thought for how such exertions would effect her later.

She was definitely paying for such exuberance now. Her head felt like it was splitting open. Not just from getting smacked (though that certainly wasn't helping matters) but from having pushed her magic to the breaking point. Considering her youth then, the combination of exhaustion on top of a sore body naturally led to one reaction.

"Heyaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaa!" Jade said, stretching as she rose. She could have done with more sleep but her nose catching a whiff of delicious food and a growling stomach telling her in no uncertain terms it was dinner time roused her quicker, faster, and with more effectiveness then any ten alarm clocks. It didn't take her long to ensconce herself at the small table, her small hands almost to fast to follow as she loaded up on the traditional Japanese fair. Within moments 2 bowls of rice, a small plate of natto, and even the vast majority of a grilled fish had been sucked down her gullet without even the appearance of chewing.

It might have seemed at first glance that she was paying absolutely no attention to her surroundings or monitor, but that wasn't...quite true. There was a naked feeling without her petroglyph and her related stone sense. It was concerning where Ino was.

But all that could wait until after supper. breakfast. Whatever this was. Even when old hag lady started issuing threats, Jade could be observed trying to carefully pour some sweetened ginger sauce on top of some fried tofu. SHortly after, the small red haired girl collapsed back into her chair with a satisfied sigh, her small belly visibly distended. It was only then you looked up from her meal. Which is not to say she was quite done either, as her casually scooping up a small container of honey proved. Eschewing a spoon, she sat about adding an absolutely garish amount of the thick liquid into a cup of green tea she had acquired.

"Well uh, what's your name, sounds like we aren't expelled then right? what, y'all believers in detention or community service? Hey! if you have any large, creepy underground caverns, I could help you fix it up!"

Jade scooped a few sugar cubes into her cup, which was already so viscous that said cubes failed to completely submerge, sending heavily honeyed tea splashing down the side of the cup. This she then raised to her mouth, the brim of which couldn't quite cover a cheeky grin.

"I am good with stonework you know, and uh...I hear you might have some place like that in need of some repair work!"

[hero]

Noah Habiki
Russian Institute - Blue Settlement's Hospital
Thursday - After Class


"..."

Courage, dominance, independence and charisma are all values that the Russian Institute not just accepts, but also encourages. In that sense, your response to a clear loss-loss situation is admirable. Face to face with possibly one of the strongest faculty members amongst the Big Four, you swallow fear and hesitation and calmly analyze the situation. Surprisingly, you manage to fight back using the same information the teacher has relayed to you in attempt to blackmail you, securing a position of power where there previously seemed to be none. Yes, you've taken the decision to never sell out your friend, but there is no reason surrender your dignity and let others walk over you in exchange. You are the one who has been chosen as a 'temporary administrator' and so, you'll be the one making the calls here-! Even if you might become no more than a puppet in the end, you'll get to keep Tetsuo close, and that will allow to have a better grasp of the situation and who knows, maybe even be able to eventually reverse it. Certainly, be this development a conscious or subconscious response, it is something that would make any Russian Institute teacher proud...

---That is, had it come from a student wielding a Blue designation.

As a member of the Red Settlement, the only thing you get is an immediate, heavy and merciless slap. While it is true that the purpose behind it is to 'bring you back to your senses', all evidence points at it being a clear act of abuse that does not befit any teacher. And, though you normally perceive yourself as a submissive fellow, the sudden smack involuntarily makes your blood boil, making it hard to resist the urge to replicate such unfair act of violence. However, whether you intended to do so or not, by the time you recover, the azure haired woman has already left your side, standing up and moving towards the door.

Then, with her back turned to you...

"Someone of your stature, a lowly piece of trash, has no right to demand anything from us." From one moment to the next, Anastasya's demeanor has shifted drastically, exposing what you deduce is her true nature. "Stop thinking highly of yourself, and more importantly, do not underestimate what this school is capable of ever again."

It is understandable if her words make absolutely no sense. You are as average as one can get and not once do you think you've made a serious attempt to make yourself look arrogant during this conversation. If someone has a superiority complex here, it is definitely not you. But still, you can't help but allow her words to linger in your mind for longer than they should.

"We've got reliable scientists and talented hackers on the job. We'll get what we need sooner or later. Your title as a 'temporary administrator' is merely another obstacle to be trampled."

And with those words, the ice-cold teacher leaves you there alone with wounds on both body and pride and the uncertainty of what would be of you in the future. Should you use this time of solitude to meditate, lament or manifest your impotence, it hardly matters. Because as you remain on this bed watching the minutes go by...

---The deadline for joining the World Wide Magic Tournament is met, as notified by your Miracle.

------And while you did never feel particularly drawn to it, now that said chance is gone, a part of you can't ignore said loss.

Almost as if... It meant a lot more to you than it should have.

[Ayakashi]

--- Kurokami Nayuta Location: ----- Unknown Location ----- Day: Monday Time: After-Class

There were a lot of things that happened, first she was led into some animated, stone-vehicle that was no doubt a concoction of Jade Sapphy's Miracle, and then she was asked if there was a way she could find to collapse the tunnel or slow down any pursuer -- while the idea of collapsing the tunnel sounded extremely unsafe and dangerous, considering the circumstances they were in, Nayuta did have a proposal to actually make them go faster, though if they really wanted to do that with such dangerous driving from Jade was another question.

Of course, all this posturing and planning was all for nothing when the 'warden' revealed the reason why they were called so and promptly put an end to this escapade.

-----

Nayuta and Jade now found themselves at a scene that could be considered a direct rip off from a police commissariat scene. The environment wasn't the one of a police station, but the setup with the small table, the appetizing food in front of them, and the 'cop' sitting across to interrogate.... maybe that she had watched a bit too many of those detective flicks with her brother...

"As of today, you can consider yourselves expelled from your respective Miracle Wielder Schools."

But it was no time to wonder about such details, when words with such gravity had been uttered. Nayuta was left speechless as she heard them, mouth agape, as if her soul had just left through there. The implications of this revelation wre so great that even though she had logically understood what this all meant, her spirit refused to acknowledge the repercussions of what had been said...

... but then it looked like the current setup was just to play with her feelings. A roller-coaster of emotions, certainly.

"... Is what I'd like to say but, admittedly, it is not my call to make. Still, I hope you realize the gravity of the situation and how much it is going to cost to repair it. Do not expect to get out of this one scott free, girls."

"Well uh, what's your name, sounds like we aren't expelled then right? what, y'all believers in detention or community service? Hey! if you have any large, creepy underground caverns, I could help you fix it up!"

Nayuta let out a deep sigh of relief as the 'warden' defused the situation, and perhaps that Jade's rather nonchalant behavior about it all helped with easing in the conversation:

"You had me frightened there for a moment..."

Though why she was being held responsible for the mess that wasn't even made by her was another question that Nayuta had in mind, Nayuta most likely reasoned that it would be very rude to raise that point in front of Jade, who had for some inexplicable reason went out of her way to mount a rescue operation against all odds... and all for a random stranger. But then Was all of this incident this really on Jade's initiative, or perhaps on Ino's? Maybe they had a shared decision in undertaking the attempted breakout, but Nayuta had no way to know, she was mostly left in the dark.

Musing on such matters for now would bring her nowhere, that at least Nayuta knew.

"... what kind of compensation is required of us then? Miss...?"

[hero]

Starlight Academy - Ladder Room
Thursday - After Class


The Ladder Room is not just a place reserved for fighters to test their might. Those who do not want to get involved in fights themselves can opt to spice up their free time by dedicating a live commentary to one of the matches hosted there, just like its done in big events. This provides entertainment for on-lookers and makes the chore of studying your opponent's prior matches much less tedious. Granted, not every streamer, as they're called, can offer his an objectively good analysis of what is going on in the battlefield, so those who are interested in learning often prioritize insight over charm when picking a stream to watch if given the chance.

One of the most prominent rising stars in the last season has been Ginko's sister, Chikako, who mixes a little bit of both and does not leave her love for cats aside:

"The stage for today's match will be 'Capital of the Sleeping Dragon, Gapthl'-! Under the protection of its guardian dragon, this prosperous city was erected across the entirety of a huge mountain. Ranging from small settlements to fortresses as big as a castle, the higher one goes the more strategic advantages one seems to get. Is that why Amai Team has picked it for this special occasion-?!"

In the world of streamers, she's fairly average when it comes to personality and looks, but it seems this is exactly what has allowed her to gather a big audience. She has a little bit of everything, but does not overdo it. This lessens the number of viewers who can potentially find something she says annoying and overall maintains a firm quantity of spectators. With that said, this hobby is one she does for fun and because she likes it, her enthusiasm would most likely be the same no matter how many people watch her from the other side of the screen. One of the things she particularly fond of is inviting other streamers or figures of interest to her broadcast. Seeing as her influence is not sky-high yet, one should expect popular students and willing faculty members showing up there.

"Well, it makes sense if you think about it. With a balanced, yet tricky environment like that, it gives their operator a chance to really shine, and it's got quite a few advantages over a cityscape, too."

---And it would appear that today's guest comes as a 'complete surprise':

"Eeeeh-?! F-Foster-san?! What are you doing here? What happened to Ace-san? I heard he beat a bunch of blue students a few days ago and I wanted him to talk about it."

Meet Kyle Foster, a dropout at Tir Na Nog Academy, a pawn that only wants to slack off in the school that is all about hard work. Someone who does everything in his power to skip class, yet always seems to be there when you need someone to hear you out. A man of many friends, but not a name of great renown. A few people -Chikako included- know very well that he is Ace's greatest rival (or so the blue penguin claims), so it's natural to feel worried that something might have happened to the one whose new nickname seems to be 'Pengy'.

"Ah, the little one? Well..." In response, Kyle gives an apologetic shrug, but makes sure to convey that everything is okay, albeit resisting the urge to let out a small laugh. "He actually begged me to be part of his team the other day. I agreed but, in exchange, I told him to attend to one of Major Springfield's classes in my place. He's... Resting now."

Major Springfield classes are like hell for those who hate P.E., as it is designed to emulate army training exercises of the past. One can only imagine how someone with such tiny arms and legs would fare in a seemingly unending series of pull-ups, push-ups and whatnot. Is duck-walking even possible...? Definitely a cruel joke on Foster's part, seeing as sending a replacement does not really save you from getting an absence in Tir Na Nog.

"Ouch... No other way to this, then. Foster-san, I'll be relying on you for this match. With the battlers spawning in random locations across this treacherous mountain landscape, whose team will the goddess of fortune smile upon? I guess we are about to find out-!"

---FIGHT START---

[Typhous]

Noah Habiki
Russian Institute - Blue Settlement's Hospital
Thursday - After Class


"..."

As the door slammed shut and minutes passed, I felt the numbness truly come to settle as I contemplate what just occurred. Both what little pride and god-will I had in me took a massive bow that the tears in my eyes began flowing. It wasn't a lot but the sudden tightness in my chest bothered me as the words lingers and bounced in my head. Failure? Lowly piece of trash? I know words can only do so much but those words cut me deeper than getting blasted or beaten down.

How many times was there a moment were I didn't felt like that? No matter how hard things get or effort I put in... it was never good enough. Thinking highly of one selves is only allowed to those with the power to back it up? Denial immediately came to mind but the bitterness didn't leave me at all. The situation was a lose-lose scenario from the beginning but the plan seemed simple, right? However, whatever cards I laid out was blown away by her fierce prejudice and cruelty. She is a person who only values ones usefulness or strength in an environment that's meant to promote it. No signs of weakness is tolerated and if you happen to be put in a lower class than that's it.

Tetsuo is gone. There's nothing to be done at the moment. My chance for the tournament is gone as well, too late with the current situation to take time and contemplate on joining. My mouth remained closed with that realization. It wasn't really a big deal to me but the choice of going was there... and now that's gone as well.

"I guess that means I give up."

...

Is that what you really want?/ No

There's still options. You just need to keep going/ Easy for you to say. There's nothing left to do.

There's still time. His creator is still out there and we're the only ones that know about this. The Russian institute is using their best hackers to get in so that means they haven't reach the finish line yet/ I've barely crossed the starting line and they are leagues ahead of me. I could gather information but what would I do with it? Tell a teacher that my school kidnapped my robotic friend and held me underground!

Then get stronger first before finalizing anything. As of now you are weak, the weakest student here but that means you aren't on anyone's radar. You aren't specially nor talented like others and in a school focus solely on that, you are a shadow... a background character in someone else's stage. Use it to your advantage and move while eyes aren't looking. Observe and analyze. Break it all down and build it back up to suit the need.

I wiped my eyes and got up from the bed. The headache was gone and though my cheeks still sting from the slap, I brushed it aside. The school values the strength just like life does. Those who are strong devours the weak. In order to move carefully I must always appear weak to others but that does not mean that gathering strength is forbidden. I just have to only show what other's want to see and that's it.

My hand reaches the door handle and the knob is turned. I know what needs to be done now. I looked at the red ribbon around my arm and began thinking that the color red isn't really my favorite. He would have liked it but now it seems a bit off.

"I wonder if someone can paint it black..."

[hero]

Nakamura Amaya
Starlight Academy - Ladder Room (A.I. Field)
Thursday - After Class

You materialize in the heart of a city of forgotten ages.

It's understandable to be taken aback by the sheer magnitude and grandeur of your surroundings. For one, the map did not feel this big during the stage selection phase back at the team's booth. Now, standing there, you can safely say that the area where you spawned must be as big as your own personal Robotic;Notes... This must be how a team battlefield looks like. Out of all the members of your team, Amai Yuuki who has the most experience with this sort of setup. At least, that's what she claimed as you prepared for the match. Scanning your surroundings, it's safe to bet your location is somewhere along the middle section of the mountain. There are some solid structures around this level that would serve as a good 'base', but you can see higher levels from your position, leaving it clear that you're not yet at the top. Still, the distance is not one that a properly-equipped Miracle Wielder cannot cover in a few minutes, being there before the other teams can organize themselves is certainly not an impossible goal. At the same time, it conveys the importance of clever movement across the map. Should you need to assist a somewhat distant teammate, you'll need to ask yourself if you can make it in time or if it would be best to cut your loses.

It's only been a few seconds since you arrived, but you can already hear the voice of your teammates, who're mostly sharing their locations. Then, there is your operator, who does her best to relay as much information as possible in the short time she is allowed. From what you can gather, Nanami has been lucky enough to spawn at the very top, while Tenshin was sent to the bottom level. Of all twelve players, three of them immediately equipped Bagworm upon entry, immediately hiding their location on the radar. One of them was your swordswoman teammate.

---However, more importantly...

"This is bad. Nakamura, watch out-! I am getting two signatures closing in on your position-!"

It should come as no surprise that the middle area is the one a fighter has the higher chance of spawning into. Still, to be close this close to you, thus preventing any chances of escaping unnoticed, it has to be a cruel joke. You could say this is also a chance to score points, but you have to be careful here, the opponents you are up against aren't exactly pushovers. While this might be a friendly match, you get the feeling that there is a lot to prove in it. You doubt others will hold back, and neither should you.

"There she is."

Turning the corner to meet your gaze, you spot two familiar figures, running side by side: Kimura Yukio and Kato Kagari. Amai wasn't wrong when she said the situation was bad. While it's not a problem you can't find your way out of, bumping into two members of the same team this early in the game is extremely unfortunate. They'll use this opportunity to apply pressure on you and -by extension- on your teammates. If you allow them to eliminate or even deal crippling damage to you at this stage, your team will surely suffer. You are one fighter short in comparison to the other teams, plus you are pretty much the pillar of your team's presence on the battlefield. If you were to fall...

"Amazing boss! Just like you said." Looks like they knew you would be here. Did Yukio bring Radar with him to make up for the lack of an operator? "Yo, sempai-! Let's have a good fight-!"

As it is to be expected, Kato uses whatever little time he has to greet you instead of using it to gain the upper-hand in combat. However, Fire wraps up around his gauntlets, indicating that he's ready to get things heated up. A few step behind him, stands Yukio, equipped with a run-of-the-mill sword formula. He's observing you, carefully. He's likely aware of how big of a threat you are to their team success in the long run as much of how this 2v1 situation is not something beyond your skills.

They should be the ones making the first move.

And yet...

They stand there, waiting you to take the initiative.


-------

Ryuzaki Nanami
Starlight Academy - Ladder Room (A.I. Field)
Thursday - After Class

Well, that's a curious location to spawn in.

You find yourself looking at the thermal waters of an enormous palace's inner gardens. Though you didn't get the time to explore its blueprint in detail, you recall that said structure is said to be located near the top of the mountain, pretty much giving you an idea of where you are right away. Ah, the sight is honestly marvelous and the atmosphere itself makes it quite tempting to simply abandon your duties as a fighter and take a dip in the waters and relax. However, that train of thought is cut short when you hear the string of messages coming through the comms. Apparently, Tenshin spawned near the bottom of the mountain -which admittedly isn't a bad thing for your plan-, and intends to stay low until the opportunity to snatch a few points presents itself. Meanwhile, Yuuki intends to give Amaya her full support as she has been unlucky enough to bump into two fighters who bear the same flag.

As for you, it appears you are completely alone on the top. According to Amai, there is no one remotely close to you who can prove to be a threat. Even before two unknown fighters decided to conceal their presence from your operator's radar, neither of them were close to the palace. While it's not impossible to go down a few levels to help out your friend, it will take some time and it would kind of defeat the purpose of the immense advantage you have been given.

It all depends on how you can support your teammates from this height...

[hero]

Ryouji Kurosawa
Starlight Academy - The Sleeping Bishop
Thursday - After Class

A strange sense of dread washes over you as you set foot on the popular gathering spot known as 'The Sleeping Bishop'.

The music is still playing in the background, but there appears to be no one inside but you. Since your meeting was arranged, you expected some privacy, but not to the point where you would not even have someone to talk to. Veronica Belmont's 'sister', the bartender, is nowhere to be found either. It doesn't take a genius to reach the conclusion that something is not right and, following your instinct, you venture further inside. Without losing your composure, you calmly examine your surroundings and go as far as looking for your target inside the bathroom -naturally making sure you wouldn't walk into an uncomfortable situation first-. However, a couple of minutes later, the results of your search reveals that you might be indeed alone. You certainly don't like being played for a fool, so you hope that this isn't supposed to be an elaborate prank on your former partner's part. While you doubt she would possess enough sense of humor to do something like that to you, you wouldn't put it past her to slow you down now that the two of you will be pit against each other in the long run. You are already pretty damn close to the deadline, so any time wasted will surely hurt your future...

"..."

As you head back for the entrance, something on the door catches your interest. The small Open/Close sign has been turned around, and you can read the word 'Open' from where you are standing. Was it that way when you came in...? To confirm, you reach the door and find out it's been locked. Now you won't be able to escape without knocking the god damn thing off its hinges. While it's not something outside the realm of what you can do, doing so is sure to bring you problems with the school's faculty eventually. Vandalism isn't exactly encouraged by Starlight.

Tch, so this really was a trap, huh...?

Your first thought is to find an alternate means of escape. It would not be unthinkable for the Sleeping Bishop to have another exit in case of an emergency. Following this train of thought, you turn your back to the entrance and move in the direction that's opposite to it. However, as you pass by the counter, something on the other side catches your eye. Normally, one's attention would be drawn to the outstanding trophy placed on the counter, next to a few bottles of non-alcoholic beverage, but you are able to see past that. It might be just your nerves playing tricks on your mind, but one of the walls behind it seems to have a vertical crack on it. This being your only clue, you get to the other side and find out that what you thought was a wall is in fact a hidden door left slightly ajar. Mustering strength, you force it open, and find a set of a stairs; a passage going down.

---What the hell...?

"..."

With other options being less appealing, you once more venture into the unknown. Soon, you arrive at what appears to be a tiny library on an underground level. There are bookcases everywhere. Out of curiosity, you decide to grab one of the books at random. There is a label on it that reads '01-06-2017', that's three years ago. The book's cover seems unnaturally sturdy and when you examine it in detail and apply some force, you soon find why: The book is actually a VHS case in disguise. That's even more strange... In an era dominated by technology, VHS is pretty much extinct. This must be actually the first time you hold one in your hands.

So this woman, Kathleen Caravan, has a collection of videotapes labeled by date. Not only that, but she keeps them away from the public eye, where few would ever find them. Just what could be in them...?

"I'd appreciate if you left that where it belongs."

Suddenly, a voice kicks your body into high alert. The surprise is enough to nearly make you jump.

Where there was no one moments ago, now stands a proud woman, her expression the definition of an absolute poker face.

---What on Earth-?!

All this time, you've been making a serious effort to keep your senses sharp, and yet...

This woman, who appears to have been following you from behind for a few minutes now, managed to slip past your radar.

Her presence... Could not be felt at all...

"The item you are holding, Mister Kurosawa, is very precious, after all."

[hero]

​Kurokami Nayuta (& Jade Sapphy)
Starlight Academy - Location Unknown
Thursday - After-Class

"..."

The woman lets out another sigh of defeat, acknowledging the fact that she is dealing with a force out of her league. Maybe it's the years slowly piling up on her, as she cannot help but perceive today's youth as being way too carefree. While your responses weren't exactly the same, both of you were already turning the page and setting your eyes on the future, as if this conversation was a procedure, a form to fill in order to go back to your usual business. Far were either of you from spelling the magic words 'I am sorry' or 'It won't happen again'. This left the guardian unsure of what to think of you, doubt that can be seen in the troubled expression she manifests for a few moments, before taking a deep breath, gathering strength of mind and restoring the mask of 'responsible adult' she has been entrusted to wear.

"First of all... I didn't say you were safe from exile. I just mentioned I wouldn't be the one passing down judgment... The trouble you have caused and the timing at which the damage has been done are reason enough to kick you out. God knows what would have happened if you tried this kind of prank on a different school's grounds. I know a couple of headmasters who would downright order your execution..."

Naturally, there is no such thing as a real execution. You live in a world that's doing its best to be at peace and move away from actual violence, so what the woman is trying to say here is that you probably wouldn't be sharing a meal like this anywhere else.

"But if there is something Nanako has is mercy. Sometimes, that girl sees second chances where there is none. It wouldn't surprise me if one day she forgives the devil itself. So, unless you catch her on a bad day, you might actually have a chance to continue your lives as Miracle Wielders."

It's not hard to tell that the blue haired Jail Keeper is doing an honest effort to keep you on your toes. Unfortunately, it appears she is not aware that the two of you are already acquaintances of Starlight's headmaster and her kindness. Yes, there is no way Hishikawa would get you expelled, nor that she would spill the beans to the Russian Institute and get Jade in more trouble.

"As for setting things straight, helping with the repairs is a given, but you can start by sticking to the tournament's regulations." The guardian put special emphasis on the last part of the sentence. To an ignorant onlooker, it probably looks like a mother scolding her children. "It's possible to set a trapped participant free by undergoing a 'special challenge' against one of the Jail Keepers, you know? That way you can aim to do what you came here for without setting the place on fire or burying expensive equipment under giant chunks of stone..."

She lets another sigh, as if the word expensive has just reminded her of an unrelated dilemma. It takes a moment for her to regain her composure.

"My identity should not be of importance, but I guess it would be rude of me not to introduce myself this late into the lecture."

Then, unexpectedly and for the first time ever since you crossed paths, the woman's face adopts a gentle expression, as she draws a warm smile.

"My name is Hitomi. Nakamura Hitomi. Hopefully we can get along better from now on."

-------

Nakamura Hitomi

The Archangel
A True Magus and a survivor of the Ragnarok War. During the events of Fortissimo EXS // Trigger: Verzweiflung, Hitomi passed down her 'immortality' to her younger brother in order to save his life, which has resulted in her body aging at a normal pace from that point onwards. Severe and disciplined, yet kind at heart, she has amassed an outstanding number of titles through her career as a Mahoutsukai. She's known as 'the world's fastest Magus', wields the codename 'The Archangel' and is even worshipped as a 'superhero' by quite a few eastern communities. Her Magical Weapon takes the form of a pair of white pistols which fire rounds born of her own Magical Energy. But even without them, Hitomi is an expert martial artist who combines quick, devastating strikes with the foreseeing ability of her 'Heaven's Eye' rune, making her a fearsome foe at all ranges.

[Sei]

Takumi Hokuto
Starlight Academy - Sleeping Bishop (Outside)
Thursday - After Class

Hmm... I have no idea how I got here. I don't know why I'm in this situation and I'm not sure where it's going. But if there's one thing I can say, it's that I feel like I'm committing some sort of crime. Spying on people and taking photos of them without there permission sounds like an easy way to get myself in trouble. And I probably want to avoid that, given my record...

With there being no point in hiding, I step out of the bushes and sheepishly wave. I even take the moment to pull my hoodie off of this Natsumi's head. I imagine she looks silly going about this with it just tossed over her head.

"Um. I'm not sure what's going on here. I was kind of just passing by."

I'm not sure what's going on here, but it feels like it could lead to trouble. For me and Natsumi-san.

"I don't wanna bother you guys or anything, so I'll just be leaving-! I've kinda gotta find some people or I won't be able to participate in the tournament."

Before I can step off, I scoop up Natsumi in my arms. This is probably a bad idea. In fact, it's most definitely a bad idea. But there's a part of me that can't very well leave her here. Deep down, I feel compelled to get the fuel away from the fire as quickly as possible.

"You guys have a great day!"

[RacingeR]

Ryuzaki Nanami
Starlight Academy - Ladder Room (A.I. Field)
Thursday - After Class

The moment Nanami appears in the field, she disappears.

No, it’s not a contradiction. There simply isn’t a better way to explain it. The instant she materialized upon the field, before she could even get the information from her Operator, Nanami becomes transparent, and then completely disappears from view.

Well, she isn’t at immediate risk, that much is obvious at a glance, but she does this just in case. Having the chance to veil herself from view before anyone without a Radar could notice her presence was good.

So was the location she had spawned in. Quite near the very top, with nobody near her, and in a rather pretty palace too. It was a shame she hadn’t at least brought her swimsuit here; she’d rather enjoy a dip in those waters-

No, wait. No getting distracted. Bad Nanami. Plus, the situation didn’t really allow her to enjoy herself. It was rather urgent and a bit annoying.

Amaya and Nanami were the twin pillars of the team, and if one went down, their whole strategy would topple down like a house of cards. Sure, Nanami was strong and she possessed a lot of scary tricks she could use, but she lacked the sheer offensive power her teammate could bring to the fight, apart from her own brand of trickery. It didn’t matter how much she muddled the adversaries if the team lacked a hammer to pound them against the anvil. Or however that metaphor went.

The outside world had way too many weird sayings.

Of course, if Nanami went down, their team would be rather crippled by the lack of overt support, but, she was still a big enough unknown, and so was Tenshin, that it’d make sense they’d go for Nakamura first. The known evil, something like that.

Point was, she had entered this fight fully intending to use her trump, but she’d expected to have some time to setup before using it. As it was now, the situation was a bit urgent.

“I’m going to set my trump up. Nakamura, try and bait them towards the top of the mountain, into the rain. Tenshin, get ready to take down… what was it, ah right, targets of opportunity that retreat into the middle zone. Should take a bit for them to react, so you have time!” She said in her cheery voice, as if they weren’t in middle of a tense battle and instead were having a picnic or playing some tabletop game.

Having said her piece, she pointed her hand at the sky, and felt the heat course through her necklace, as the ancient spell converted into code was reconverted into phenomena, and output towards the skies. The rapidly darkening skies, as they were suddenly overtaken by deep black clouds.

Then, it started raining. Black, muddy, slimy and unpleasant rain, steeped in curses, that bathed the top of the mountain, covering it in its entirety. Nobody that was at the top or near the top area would be able to escape it.

Sure, it was painting a target on herself, but first they’d need to find her, and even with a Radar, the lack of visual clues would make it hard to pull off without a lot of corrections. Or using alternate means of detection, but she couldn’t account for everything. Either way, it’d be a while until they were able to figure out what the rain did.

Having cast her spell, Nanami started moving, her tails tying themselves in a single knot resembling a single, big tail, to not get in her way. She ran surprisingly fast as she sent a request to her friend.

“Hey, Yuki, if you get a moment, could you help me find a few sniping perches from where I could see Nakamura’s position? Need more than one, but if this goes well I should be able to help her.”

[Tobias]

Jade Sapphy
Starlight Academy - Location Unknown
Thursday - After-Class

Jade Sapphy was in the middle of the greatest fight of her life. Despite her legendary indifference to the world around her, it had occurred to her that she probably owed at least some sort of thank you to the monologuing hostess for the delicious meal that had been served. For Miracle warriors, it was not at all unheard of to fight some great battle in service to another to settle a debt. And right now, Jade had tightened her tiny body, sweat beginning to bead at her brow as she fought against the most implacable foe she ever had to combat. But it was one her honor told her must be defeated if she was going to give thanks for the excellent hospitality.

Don't yawn. DON'T Yawn. OMG she is so boring please god make it stop but I cant yawn....!

There were a few factors working in the Archangel's favor, though she probably did not know it. For starters. Jade and politics mixed about as well as oil and water. In other words, she hadn't quite grasped that Hitomi had likely separated her from Ino to prevent a significantly more important persongae in the form of the speed princess from claiming responsibility. And for better or worse, there was absolutely no chance on the wide world that Jade would shift blame away to Ino or anyone else. Jade wasn't a knight by just name. When it came to getting punished...

...which uh...happened alot, come to think about it

Her strategy had always been to take her lumps then come back twice as hard. Hell, that wasn't the only thing her knightly instincts were telling her either.

I wanna fight her again...

Jade wasn't a total idiot. Probably wasn't anyway. The power difference between the two had quite literally been ground into her forehead. That just made Jade want to train harder then ever then come back for round 2. So while Jade was barely listening with half an ear to the lecture, she was paying enough attention to catch onto something that sent a jolt of electricity down her spine.

"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey!" Jade said excitedly, her own surprised response coming right around the same time as 'get along better'.

You're the girl who did the thing!" Jade said, smacking the bottom of her closed fist into her palm.

"Your spell work saved your brother!" Jade went on, excitedly. "I read about it!"

...That...was likely surprising, for anyone who didn't know Jade very well. It was unlikely Hitomi would have thought anything for the small, flighty mage's studious abilities, let alone figured Jade as being able to place at an instant esoteric points from recent history. However, despite Jade silly, exuberant nature, when it came to the correlation between magic and biological premises, Jade's studies had taken her farther then those who had spent decades studying the craft. This was epitomized by her most iconic spell, Wildshape. Though Jade could form stone down to the most precise detail, as could many earth mages, on its own this would have little use.

The reason the Petroglyph worked is that Jade studies of anatomy were so precise that she could at a very single moment remember an exact image of every single part of a living being, which meant understanding and being able to image and process everything from the uncountable veins that carried blood, to every single muscle's placement and purpose to even the impossibly complex organ structures such as the eyeball. A single mistake in her mental design would lead to a steed that was either lamed, useless, and/or dead.

As a result, there was absolutely no way she wouldn't be familiar with the legend of the Archangel. Her reaction at this point, was entirely predictable.

"There is a magical theory which states most Miracles might have developed in response to previous great works of magic, when you took the Petroglyph where is that by the way did you feel a response most standardized magical theories hold that foreign magics are rejected by the natural body in a manner not dissimilar to organ rejection which is why most reinforcement spells and alteration abilities either require upkeep or have a fixed duration, how did you overcome that and is it like a one time deal or does he need regular upkeep hey is that something you do is that something I could do do you think you could use the Petroglyph do you think I could use that kind of spell work with the Petroglyph when you utilized the thatamurgy was it more important to keep the image of the spell in mind or picture your brother's life force and when you were..."

Not only did the series of questions spilling from Jade's body that was rapidly processing a sugar high from the meal swiftly increase in both volume and speed, but as she rambled her eyes may actually have been changing to a pair of bright yellow enthralled stars...or at least, that's what it might of appeared to the observer.

Nevertheless, as she pushed herself forward on the table, leaning on both hands towards the weary supervisor, continuing to belt out questions in a nigh incomprehensible manner...well...

for Hitomi, who had hoped for a better relationship, maybe this was what was called progress?

[Airen]

Nakamura Amaya
Starlight Academy - Ladder Room (A.I. Field)
Thursday - After Class

"Yeah, give it your all Kato."

Where many people would be cursing their luck -or rather their misfortune- at running into two members of an opposing team a few seconds into a match, the crimson-haired Nakamura just chuckles lightly to herself as she speaks, brushing hair from her eyes in a manner that seemed to indicate a complete and total ease -or perhaps simple acceptance- with her circumstances...

Of course, while being this sort of calm is certainly in her nature, she would be lying if she said she wasn't slightly annoyed by it, but at the same time... There were a lot of things that could be learned even from this first handful of seconds, namely, the plan that one of the enemy teams was frantically attempting to employ from the very start of the match, namely:

They wanted her elimination.

---All things considered it made sense, in many ways she was the 'pillar' of her current group, and with all the rumors running around lately, it was likely they saw her as the most obviously threatening of the bunch... Of course this was debatable, but in this instance the reality didn't matter, what mattered was that they believed it to be true and were acting on the information they possessed, thus...

In some ways, this simplified things immensely.

If their plan revolved around taking her out, then she would put a stopper to their momentum early on by turning the tables and ensuring the complete failure of that particular assassination mission, ideally taking out her would be assassins instead... Of course such things are easier said than done, but seeing as how they are being polite enough to wait to see what she will do, she-

"Although coming after me first... It's pretty bold..."

-simply draws her blade beneath darkening skies, eyes shining a brilliant silver as the translucent aura that marked Crest Arts simultaneously runs down the length of her blade.

Of course charging head on is foolish and goes against their plans, that is why she has no intention of doing so; having made their way to her as fast as they did it was unlikely that they had managed to accomplish anything else since the start of the match... They had traded away those preparatory moments in an effort to catch her off guard early on, and while they were seemingly baiting her to attack them first now...

They have given her no real reason to do so, they are the ones on a timer. The passage of time will steadily chip away at the advantage they have gained here; her allies will have more time to move, to prepare the plan they had agreed upon earlier, and third parties might appear to throw everything into chaos as well, yes...

There is no need for her to attack first now, to do so would open her up to needless counters.

Just as Nanami asked, she intended to simply fight a defensive battle while approaching the top of the mountain; the combination of Heaven's Eye and Crest Arts should be enough for her to not only fend off her opponents advances for a time, but ensure that all of their attention was focused on fighting her rather than roaming elsewhere... Just in case an opportunity appeared for her allies to support her from the back or up above... Of course, keeping her own eyes on her opponents meant her own back would be somewhat more open, but being apart of these sorts of teams meant trusting your back to your allies, and she did have an operator on her side...

Still...

Even if she cannot eliminate them before they reach the summit, so long as she does not fall, and is able to successfully draw them towards the top -or even simply reach the top herself- well...

That's an endgame in it's own way.

"But it's bad form to try to take out a boss character first... You might regret it after this, you know?"