XBLAZE - Concurrent:Butterfly [IC]

[palad1n]

Watanabe Yuuki
Tomobiki, Train Station
Morning
April 11th, 2056
Clear Skies, Chilly

"Nagatani Aoi. Principal's sister. Gave me this scarf when she saw me waiting."

The principal's sister...

That explains why she reminded him of said principal when he saw her a minute ago. Not only that, but Evelyn's account made him 100% sure that Nagatani Aoi is a special kind of nice person if she gave a stranger her scarf, even if she saw her waiting; most people, including himself, won't really do what the woman did to a random stranger.

He's thankful that Evelyn managed to meet such a nice person here, even if it was by coincidence.

... Though come to think of it, he met Evelyn coincidentally at night too.

However...

"I heard the train would leave at midnight. Wanted to make sure you made it. It wasn't too cold, and I enjoyed the fresh air."

Those thoughts come to a halt after Evelyn answered his soundless question.

It's not like he didn't expect it; knowing the girl, it is actually very likely that Evelyn would have done so. However, hearing the confirmation that she had indeed been waiting for him since midnight...

Made his chest felt very warm, a pleasant feeling that he had missed for the past couple of days.

Even as he felt his cheeks warming up as he rubbed the back of his head out of habit, uttering a "Thanks" in English as he did so, Watanabe Yuuki knew that he was smiling out of joy and happiness.

It seems he had missed her more than he thought...

"I told her not to worry, but I think she's making me something to eat."

And as if waiting for him to process all that information and utter a thanks before continuing, Evelyn finished her recount.

Something to eat...

That line reminds Yuuki that he had declined to follow the principal, and the need to have a breakfast.

"In that case, we might as well have breakfast before exploring the town." He suggested as he stood up. "I'll be right back." He finished with a small smile before going into the shop.

Truth be told he's much more comfortable eating alone or with Evelyn, but having a single addition won't hurt, especially if it's someone nice like Nagatani Aoi.

There's a chance that she'll refuse, but...

Watanabe Yuuki is willing to risk that if he could get to know such a special kind of nice person more, especially in a new place like Tomobiki.

[Ayakashi]

		Alicia Val Florence
Location: Phase: Date: Weather: Crystal: Seithr Lvl:	Northern Cross Academy Grounds, Archery Dojo Morning April 11th, 2056 Clear Skies, Chilly Phase 1 40 (Safe)

'It is quite something to watch her in the middle of her craft -- it has always been. From the very first time she showed her gifted nature with the bow and arrow, it's been hard for me to not be captivated whenever I see Haruka at the shooting range.

Her posture is upright, but there is no excess in rigidity, nothing which leaves an overbearing impression of stiffness. Her body moves as a wholesome ensemble, arms, head, feet and shoulders all sliding into place perfectly. With all of this, she places her shots with utmost precision, shooting true without fail, hitting the bulls-eye time and time again... and yet, every single one of these shots feels so different. There is no mindless repetition, no glanced-over, automatic self-adjustments from muscle memory -- the simplest way to describe it would be that nothing in there is mechanical.

But the centrepiece of it all is her gaze. Yes, topping this graceful, ceremonial-like shooting, are Haruka's eyes : crystal-clear eyes that peer into a world I could never fathom. Eyes that have a clear vision, eyes that see a goal, that discourse continuously with the horizon of dreams and ideals.

Something that I could never have.'


------

She had come here to meet an old friend, barely able to contain her excitement and desire to once more catch up with the person closest to being a 'sister' of hers... and yet, here she stood instead, content with not making her presence known, not breaking the serene atmosphere. Perhaps that being a simple witness was as much of a treat to Alicia as giving Haruka a good surprise hug from the back.

The latter would be a rather un-knightly thing to do at any rate, wouldn't it be? Indeed, a Knight had to be patient and wait for their liege, rather than impose upon them.

... yet there are times when human instincts are stronger than reason.

Alicia had watched for few minutes, before beginning to instinctively take silent steps forwards. A lack of affection, the longing for something familiar to embrace, something she has been deprived of for the longest of times... the reason was most likely something alongside those lines -- a desire to be comforted, after enduring so much in the last years.

"Hello, hime-sama. How are you doing?"

She whispers to the raven-haired archer's ear, hands gently put to rest on the latter's supple, yet strong shoulders.

The voice is playful, there is only one emotion written all over Alicia's face as she asks that question: happines.

[RacingeR]

Loraine Irwin
Tomobiki, Nagatani Estate
Morning
April 11th, 2056
Weather: Clear Skies, Warm.
Seithr Rating: 100 (Safe)

Lori’s eyes twitched.

Once.

Twice.

HOW??!?

This girl… Lori couldn’t help but sigh as she stared at the hedge maze. How did she get these ideas? It wasn’t like her absolute lack of a sense of direction was anything new, but then again, Janine Watt’s absolute lack of common sense rivaled the former, or perhaps even surpassed it.

She wouldn’t be surprised if the main reason she went to take a look at the ‘nobility’ of the place was to see if they were cool with her plopping down a mansion the size of the town on the side. Lori couldn’t help but to shudder at the thought.

Either way…

She needed to solve the issue in front of her.

“SIS!” She shouted out loud so that Nina would be able to hear her clearly. “I’m here! I’m coming inside in a sec so please stay there and stop moving, okay?! Geez! Do you know how worried you made me, you dummy? I’m so gonna scold you once I get there…”

If these were normal circumstances she’d probably cut her way through the maze and probably burn down the whole garden in the process, but this was the principal’s house. She may be accustomed to wreak havoc everywhere, but it wouldn’t do to actually trash the place in her first day. Maybe later. Overprotective nature settled down now that she knew there was no immediate danger. Hopefully.

Plus, she needed to come back to plunder that mansion for delicious secrets.

Later.

“Anyway! Don’t move! I’m coming in!” With these words, Lori ran inside the hedge maze.

[Airen]

Watanabe Yuuki
Brewed Awakenings, Tomobiki Branch
Day, April 11th, 2056


It was a tiny little store that smelled faintly of coffee, hotcakes, and syrup.

Stepping out of the chill morning air and into the warmth of the tiny indoors, you're greeted with the sight of a room that could hold three or four people at best, separated in two by a lightly polished wooden counter. On the other side, standing in a tiled kitchen, a white chef hat adorning her head, the woman who you had briefly glimpsed before, or rather this Nagatani Aoi, is humming lightly to herself even as she moves, almost dances, through the kitchen like a graceful princess.

There's eggs lined up on a white counter, and a stack of hotcakes sitting parallel from it. In the back with her there was a simple flat-top stove and a refrigerator, one whose stock you hadn't gotten a chance to see, and as a shop it's so tiny that it'd be difficult to think of it as having a sustainable existence, even the food items on a sign hanging from the roof lacked prices, implying that everything that existed beyond didn't actually cost anything...

Really, rather than a shop...

It just seemed like a sort of mom's kitchen by another name...

"Oh? Are you her friend~?"

When she notices you, her voice has such a melodic tone to it that you can practically see the music notes floating through the kitchen air.

"Are you a fan of English cuisine? I've got a little bit of everything stashed away in here for special occasions, so don't be shy!"

You didn't even have to ask her for anything...

Automatically offering to make you something, as if this was just something she did all the time, the woman doesn't flinch even as Evelyn, vaguely curious, sneaks in from behind you, the cold wind blowing momentarily against your back.

[palad1n]

Watanabe Yuuki
Brewed Awakenings, Tomobiki Branch
Day, April 11th, 2056

It seems the place is actually not a shop.

That was Yuuki's first thought as he entered the warm, homey place.

Having too small of a space to be a shop - only capable of having three to four people at best - and with no price attached to the food list on the sign, Yuuki couldn't help but wonder if Nagatani Aoi truly set this up just in case someone like Evelyn is around, alone and in need of a warm meal. A business certainly couldn't survive like this, so that is the only logical explanation left.

Truly, the woman's kindness is on another level.

Oh? Are you her friend~? Are you a fan of English cuisine? I've got a little bit of everything stashed away in here for special occasions, so don't be shy!"

Aoi's melodic voice snapped him back from his thoughts and musings, though inwardly the blue-haired youth felt a wave of nostalgia.

"Ah, yeah, I am her friend." Yuuki hastily said, his usual composure breaking a little. "And... I suppose I am a fan of English cuisine; No, more than a fan, maybe a lover. Evelyn too, definitely."

He barely noticed Evelyn sneaking in, only registering her presence thanks to the cold wind blowing momentarily against his back. Realizing that he might have sounded weird or panicked to Evelyn (or perhaps even to Aoi, as she seemed like a good judge of character), Yuuki silently took a few deep breath as he placed his hand on his chest to calm himself down.

The reason for this is simple.

The warmth of the small "mom's kitchen," the rather homey feeling to it, the unparalleled kindness shown by the principal's sister, and her offer to make him an English cuisine in that melodious tone...

For just a second...

"Yuu, today's meal is English. Your favorite!"

He saw his mother in Nagatani Aoi.

It might seems weird, seeing as Aoi is not that much older than him, but it was the first time in years that someone had offered him a meal with the kindness of a mother.

That's why, even though Yuuki would normally offer to help or assist her in cooking...

"Aoi-san." He bowed. "Thank you."

Just this once, he decided to gratefully take the offer and let the principal's sister do the deed.

After he finished bowing, his eyes then met Evelyn's, and seeing her curious gaze, he gave a small smile before he wiped his eyes. He thought they were getting watery for a second.

"Just getting a bit nostalgic." Yuuki answered the girl's silent inquiry.

It's still morning, and Watanabe Yuuki already felt happy and grateful to move to Tomobiki.

[Airen]

Lucas Guerrin
Northern Cross Academy, Sublevel 13
Phase: Day
Date: April 11th, 2056

"Decrepit hag is it?"

How did you get yourself into these sorts of situations?

With your mouth having divorced itself from that thing called common sense -an occurrence that was getting more and more common over time passes- the sheer chill that settles over the room as the woman responds to your words with a smile, is one that served as the only true warning sign against this woman who had otherwise failed to even flinch at the insult.

It was times like these where Hailey was useful, even in the worst case, she was normally capable of diverting negative attention by becoming the source of that negative attention herself, and indeed, having gone through this multiple times before, you can practically hear the gears in her head spinning as she tries to figure out the best way to remove the foot you had so brazenly put in your own mouth.

"Ah, always a joker, Lucas!"

Elbowing you a couple of times in a friendly (it vaguely hurt) way, the young woman decides on what her approach will be over the span of a single second:

"You're nothing close to a hag my dear lieutenant; you don't look a day over twenty!"

The woman raises an eyebrow as Hailey clasps her hands, although she otherwise doesn't comment on the space between them rapidly approaching something close to zero.

"Your figure is actually... Almost perfect."

While part of this was almost certainly an act, that part, that flick of her eyes looking the woman over from top to bottom - and the twitch of a hand that followed- was so brazen but sincere that you know that she did it instinctively.

"Actually, maybe you and I could go out for some lunch after this? A little bonding time between officer and subordinate?"

Was she forgetting what her original intention was? Or was this all part of the plan?

It's impossible to tell, but normally it wouldn't matter, after all you could always retreat, but-

"Hmm, sorry, happily married. But nice try."

-She had kept you in her field of vision the entire time, shifting her body ever so slightly to keep you just behind Hailey at all times; even as she raises a single hand, revealing the brilliantly clear diamond that had been bonded to it.

"He's right anyway, I'm a bit too old for a teenager, but-"

Leaning forward, the woman whispers something into Hailey's ear.

...You can't hear what it is, but the girl practically shivers at it before-

"..."

Shutting her mouth for once and stepping aside.

A moment later.

Iris is standing before you.

She's tall actually, taller than you.

"..."

The air gets colder.

"Now then, I heard you mention my darling Rhea before?"

It's not really a question.

"You didn't do anything particularly mean-spirited to her on that train, did you?"

She sounds cheerful, completely and totally benevolent...

Nevertheless...

[Daiki]

Lucas Guerrin
Northern Cross Academy, Sublevel 13
Phase: Day
Date: April 11th, 2056

Lucas observed silently Hailey engaging the intimidating enemy with eagerness. It was always a bit difficult to distinguish where her act started and where it ended. She was skilled at redirecting attention to herself (with a bonus when attractive females were involved), usually long enough for him to exploit an opening. However, much to his regret, Iris Duskin was not so easily fooled. (Probably her ring granted Seduction Resistance)

Having expertly deflected the teenager's offensive, she countered with a whisper to Hailey's ear. While Lucas couldn't tell what had been the message, it was enough to put him on guard when he saw the young Sleipnir make way for the adult, allowing the latter to face him. Actually dominating him by using her superior height and, now, cold demeanor.

Lucas stood his ground. Not as an act of defiance but, simply because he was well aware that he could not escape. She wouldn't allow him to. Besides, avoiding this confrontation could only deserve him in the long run.

Lucas had originally intended to start anew once in Japan. After all, his image was far from stellar, having caused quite a generous amount of anxiety for the staff back at the Third Laboratory Branch. He only owed his actual status as an agent to his former and current partner's own reputations and efforts. Lucas was efficient but, nowhere enough to justify overlooking some of his worst behavior.

Without surprise, the fact that he had contracted the Union Virus only worsened the way people perceived the adolescent. And in spite of his best efforts to hide the fact that it bothered him, to witness how former working acquaintances suspiciously eyed him was rather taxing.

Being sent to Japan should have been the perfect occasion to distinguish himself in a positive manner.

At least, that was the plan. One which was already done and buried before even reaching Tomobiki. And now, he was facing his first superior in a official manner, to whom he should have offered apologies for jumping off the train. Instead, he had opted for insulting her. And worst than that, she was among the few people he would not have crossed if he could help it.

Plans are bullshit, I guess.

Now then, I heard you mention my darling Rhea before?

You didn't do anything particularly mean-spirited to her on that train, did you?

I took a picture of her and set it as my phone background. Does it count?

Instead of poking the bear however, Lucas chose to shrug.

"As you just noted, it's sort of a second nature to push the wrong buttons. So, I most likely have but, you would have to ask Rhea for confirmation."

He didn't offer excuses, because he thought it was simply something inevitable. Claiming his previous mistake as a common occurrence wasn't far from the truth.

As for explaining how he came in contact with Rhea herself...

"I was a bit anxious about meeting other Unions," he confided with a bitter face.

At the time, he was more intimidated at the idea of engaging fellow teenagers rather than caring about the awkwardness of having become a patient and interacting with people he used to confront in the past. The Lieutenant could make her own deduction from that. If she had studied his profile, like he half-expected her to, she would have ample room for that.

"I suppose your partner felt something amiss with me. She offered to share her breakfast and knowledge about the town."

It was the truth. Not the entirety of it but, if Rhea hadn't deigned to notify her own partner about their arrangement, he had little reason to mention it.

Thinking it was a decent opportunity to redirect the discussion towards neutral ground, Lucas offered an inquisitive look to Iris.

"I must say, I'm surprised you haven't managed to capture Zero yet."

[Airen]

Yoko Aoyama
Location: Train Station, Tomobiki Outskirts
Phase: Morning
Date: April 11th, 2056
Weather: Clear Skies, Chilly
Seithr Rating: 40, (Safe)

He was starting to sweat and didn't quite understand why.

Having done everything up till now with the purest of intentions, the young man that has yet to introduce himself faces his end without recognizing it for what it is; indeed, not catching on to the warning signs, the way the two girls had simply stopped to stare at him with narrowed eyes, the young man realizes that he has failed to introduce himself long before he realizes any of the other potential misunderstandings his actions have helped to formulate:

"Ah, forgive me. My name is Thomas Clover," taking a light bow at this, a surprisingly aristocratic air for someone who dressed so casually, you flinch as the action reveals his neck for the grabbing, but Irmina doesn't act upon her mother-cat-like instincts just yet, "As for my actions, there is-"

And then he gets it.

Color draining slowly from his face, the senses that would have perhaps caught onto this sort of thing sooner if he had gotten actual sleep last night finally put two and two together and come out with an answer that turns out to be four.

"...Absolutely nothing suspicious about them whatsoever."

Panic.

Understanding how bad this looks, especially now that the kind of personality you had was quite clear, the air of calm confidence quickly becomes one of a man who had realized he is moments away from a horrible fate.

"In retrospect I am aware that this looks shady, but I can assure you I was not luring anyone away for anything nefarious!"

He's talking fast.

A bit too fast unfortunately.

Irmina had always assumed that that sort of thing implied some sort of guilty conscience.

You would have warned him of this perhaps, but it was far too late.

The wheel of fate had rolled for his ability to escape this, and had then landed on a one.

"My my, caught in the act, yet the wolf continues to claim it is a sheep~?"

Danger.

Danger. DANGER. DANGER.

Even Kusumi, just as angry and suspicious, starts to sidle out of the way.

"I guess I'll have to punish you a little for being so manipulative towards my dear junior assistant #1, surely it was your negative influence on her, the influence of the wolf in the sheep pen, that had her ignoring my texts."

She nods, as if this makes sense.

And in this...

You see a way out-!

"Is that what happened Yoko?"

A cruel way out.

[Kuroyuki]

Yoko Aoyama
Location: Train Station, Tomobiki Outskirts
Phase: Morning
Date: April 11th, 2056
Weather: Clear Skies, Chilly
Seithr Rating: 40, (Safe)

I don’t know why but the atmosphere felt heavy… I would blame HER but it was different from her usual presence. It was sharper… More focused… But it felt protective? Protective… A word I would never associate with our personal family bane… Also it wasn’t just coming from Irmina...nee-san, it was also coming from Kasumi. Hers surprisingly in tune with Irmina...nee-san’s and causing it to exponentially grow in potency… The only reason why I haven’t run yet was because it wasn’t focused on me and Kasumi was still here. However, Kind Person wasn’t used to this judging from his sweating in this cool weather.

Ah, forgive me. My name is Thomas Clover,

He did a knightly… No, an aristocratic bow. Could he be one of those English Aristocrats that I’ve heard about? But if that’s the case, then why is he using the power of science instead of using the powerful familial weapon and sorcery like my family? Oddly enough after his bow, I felt Irmina...nee-san’s presence jump briefly but she didn’t do anything.

As for my actions, there is-

He pauses as if he sensed the sudden jump in Irmina...nee-san’s presence. His confident mannerisms melting in the face of the flood. His next words were rushed as if

In retrospect I am aware that this looks shady, but I can assure you I was not luring anyone away for anything nefarious!

Luring someone away? What does he mean by that? As I ponder that thought, Irmina...nee-san finally chose to act.

My my, caught in the act, yet the wolf continues to claim it is a sheep~?

I guess I'll have to punish you a little for being so manipulative towards my dear junior assistant #1, surely it was your negative influence on her, the influence of the wolf in the sheep pen, that had her ignoring my texts.

The atmosphere turning into outright horror as she begins her slow descent on Clover-san. But with this, Kasumi and I were free of Irmina...nee-san. Free from her presence and her grabbing. There was someone to distract her from us…

But just like with Kasumi… I wasn’t happy with just leaving Clover-san to Irmina...nee-san’s judgement when he was willing to help me with my selfish wish. Even if I don’t know him well… I need to help him.

Is that what happened Yoko?

I shake my head to Kasumi’s question. I sadly frowned because to be honest… This was all my fault. Kasumi being held captive. Mine. Clover-san about to judged by Irmina...nee-san. Mine… All I had to do prevent this was to answer the phone.

“I… Ignored Irmina...nee-san’s text. I’m sorry… It’s my fault. He just saw that I was down and I asked him to help me because… I’m… bad with Irmina...nee-san. He just wanted to help… He doesn’t deserve this...”

I gave her a deep bow to show that I was sorry for subjecting my best and only friend to HER and pleading with her to help me save Clover-san.

[Mooncake]

Kotetsu Shima
Location: Moon Under Water, Tomobiki
Phase: Morning
Date: April 11th, 2056
Weather: Clear Skies

Shima took a breath.

That was the thing, wasn't it? Clean air was good for plant life, and good plant life meant rich soil and well-fed wildlife... which usually, at least, meant more fish.

Good enough for me.

He took a look around the cafe from the entrance, having paused there to take another breath of fresh air. It didn't look like much, managing to have the feeling of an old man's pub without looking like one in the slightest. The chairs, Shima noticed, were generally three to a table at best.

He threw a considering glance at the principle; he was starting to realize just how crafty she was, having come to this place in order to, Shima presumed, get the students to knowing each other. Thankfully, Naoto monopolized almost all of the social interaction he could ever want.

The seat across from the principle was open, and she had challenged him to chess, so he figured he might as well take it. No one else had noticed it, at least. It seemed she'd given her sister (or so Shima figured) the boot, which was fine. He might as well take the opportunity to ask about the game in question.

But, then again...

Shima had locked on to the mountain of fishing equipment the moment he'd stepped in to the restaurant. It was, plainly, impossible for him not to. Every cell in his body prioritized fish over near anything else, but...

He'd worked with fisherman all of his life. He'd grown up with them, laughed with them, partied with them, resisted with them, and occasionally drank with them. The man in front of the poles, wires, nets, and bait seemed to resemble them - at least, that was the feeling Shima got. And he knew that disturbing the breakfast of such a man before a morning fishing run was nothing that he'd wish on the worst of them.

Shima gave the man a respectful nod, and moved to take the chair across from the principle.

"Good morning, ma'am."

[Airen]

Tsugumi Uro
Moon Under Water, Tomobiki
Phase: Morning
Date: April 11th, 2056
Weather: Clear Skies

"Heh... Well, don't say I didn't warn you, Mr. Quiet Nobody."

Having failed to scare you off with a casual mention of delinquency, the young woman just laughs to herself and doesn't try to do it again in spite of clearly thinking it was something notable enough to mention to you right off of the bat.

Even so, she doesn't seem displeased by the choice.

"But anyways, menu's get passed around when one of the waitress's shows up," readjusting her position on the seat, so as to not so obviously repel people with her body language, the girl regards you with a light laugh, "Auntie is paying for it, so you can probably just ignore the price, but this place doesn't really have a specialty, it kinda exists more off of sheer variety than any sort of store specialty thing; probably why she brought us to this one."

A contemplative tilt of the head.

"Tomobiki doesn't get many people moving in to stay, but when we do, it's pretty much always foreigners. Wide variety of food works wonders on the homesick... Least that's what they say, and the foreigners are the ones that have the real money too."

Just like that, a youthful blonde waitress by the name of Liane had shown up to introduce herself with a smile, taking a note of both your request for tea as well as Mizuki's request for coffee (Black, with no additives) before leaving a well-kept menu in your hands.

To say that it specialized in variety was putting it lightly.

A monster of a menu that had over eight pages, from traditional Japanese Salmon or Curry to Western hotcakes, bacon and eggs and much much more -German cuisine to Italian pastas had their own pages-, it's a menu of seemingly limitless possibility that, in some ways, makes it harder to actually order something than if the shop had held an actual specialty of it's own, because it seemed like literally anything you could think of was just hanging around on one of the pages somewhere. Looking it over with a casual eye, as if it was something she had done countless times before now, before flipping back to the first page and drawing her index finger down the center as if affirming some sort of secret item to herself, Mizuki-!

"...Think I'll go with french toast."

Seems to have surprisingly simple tastes.

Of course, having made this decision for herself, she glances back up at you; and noticing your posture for the first time...

"You nervous about somethin? It's not the train, there's actual leg room here, so you can relax you know? Even accidental kicks are alright."

[Airen]

Kotetsu Shima
Location: Moon Under Water, Tomobiki
Phase: Morning
Date: April 11th, 2056
Weather: Clear Skies

"Good morning."

If you had been anyone else, you would have perhaps noticed the flickering look of envy that crossed the faces of some of your fellow students as you nonchalantly sat across from the one person that was both scarier and more enticing than any of the other people in the room. But being as you were, such looks were passed off as more or less unimportant, and while one young man clenches his fist in light annoyance, cursing the heavens for his inability to work up the nerve to sit with the 'hot teacher,' your more innocent approach to it all was probably also the most fitting one.

Indeed.

She doesn't even treat it as anything particularly special, simply noting that you had decided to sit here with a small nod and a light smile.

"Forgive me for failing to respond to your texts. I was a bit overwhelmed near the end of the trip."

Fingers folded together, she closes her eyes in what seems to be thought, but-

"Seeing as how you are here now though, I suppose the offer is still in play."

So saying, the woman that only really seemed older in a big-sister kind of way snapped her fingers, and-!

Seemingly caused a chessboard to appear on the table as if from nothing.

Yes.

As if from nothing; a useless spell whose only purpose in the world was to supply an eccentric woman with a particularly enduring game from humanity's past.

Or at least that seemed to be it's purpose.

The jealousy wave puttering out to mostly nothing as the cafe reasserts itself as a general social area, the woman that hadn't even given you the option of refusing...

"So, white or black?"

Already seems to assume you'll be playing with her.

[Airen]

Loraine Irwin
Tomobiki, Nagatani Estate
Morning
April 11th, 2056
Weather: Clear Skies, Warm.

"I-I can't really go any further anyway! So okay!"

While she didn't seem particularly excited about the fact that she was going to get scolded, the moment the girl heard your voice echo out from outside of the hedge maze, is also the same moment that she realizes there's no longer anything she can do about it...

Other than stay in here and act as a living deterrent for the flame 'method' of puzzle solution that was quite common back in Ishana, and had already crossed the surface of your thoughts more than once, but had been suppressed by an innate desire to at least make it through the first day without causing a scene of unnecessary destruction.

So you took the plunge in the normal way, a part of you expecting that it was going to be mildly enchanted at the very least.

"..."

And it is, but not in a dangerous way.

While the principal was showing all of the notable signs of a theoretical high class vampire, her use of sorcery back on the train had hinted that she was more of a magus by nature than anything else; and the feeling you get upon crossing the entrance of the hedge maze only serves to further hammer that particular point into your brain when you realize that it's yet another bounded field.

One designed to activate only when another (unknown) magus enters the area of the compound leading towards the house.

In short, it is a spell designed to keep foreign sorcerers from just strolling into one's home; the same sort of magic that hermits of old had used to hide their homes from the common man. There were spells just like it on Ishana, taking a wrong turn in the forbidden section of the library more often than not meant somehow winding up back at the entrance in the span of a single step, and while it's not as extreme here...

It does seem to have a layout that requires a 'certain path' in order to navigate successfully. It's not cruel by any means, when it spits you out back at the entrance it does so with no strings attached; particularly devious sorcerers often had the 'wrong path' lead to something like a pool full of carnivorous fish, or even spikes or magma if they were feeling particularly protective of their affairs and knowledge.

This one just kicked you out with a 'try again' kind of feel to it, a network of archways that didn't quite sync up right with how they appeared visually due to someone messing around with the 'space' inside of them, and turning around automatically let you leave so it wasn't like anyone was actually trapped, so...

Seeing as how the options were a simple left or right most of the time, it doesn't take you long at all to stumble into the center of the maze, where a very embarrassed Janine...

"...I wanted to see if they would rent out a room."

Offers up a weak excuse for her actions the moment she sees you step, frantically, into the center of the garden after around five or six returns to the start.

"If not... I-I think I might need to acquire a building permit."

...Had she already decided the dorms were unusable?!

[Bird of Hermes]

Tsugumi Uro
Location: Moon Under Water, Tomobiki
Phase: Morning
Date: April 11th, 2056
Weather: Clear Skies
Seithr Rating: 40, (Safe)
Crystal: Phase 1 (Clear)

Tsugumi gave a nod in agreement. He and Mizuki seemed like a poor fit she seemed to laugh off their differences. Even though she thought it big enough to mention it was now evident she wasn't trying to scare him off which was quite pleasing since she was a self-confessed unpopular delinquent.

Giving the waitress a gentle smile as she passed him the menu and she was wasn't wrong, there certainly wasn't a lack of choice. If anything there was too much choice, not knowing what was best and with seemingly infinite choice as page after page offered more and more options it was hard to actually come to a selection. But as Mizuki flicked through straight to her choice of -!

"...Think I'll go with french toast."

Well that was simple enough, maybe that was the best option. Something simple that he wouldn't usually have but a bit more sophisticated than something that was basically just butter and eggs on toast.

"I'll have pancakes with Maple Syrup please."

However her eyes seemed to light up as she gazed up and down and examined his figured, it wasn't quite with the form and finesse of a medical practitioner but more of a concerned friend, though it seemed a bit much to call her a friend considering they had only know each other for a few hours but again it was appreciated.

"You nervous about somethin? It's not the train, there's actual leg room here, so you can relax you know? Even accidental kicks are alright."

I'm afraid if I relax then I'll fall asleep again and get murdered by a weird purple lady monster in my dreams.

If he were to voice his true thoughts then he'd get branded as 'Crazy' by the other students and considering he wasn't told they were a side effect these may have been unique to him and in a worst case scenario he'd be carted of somewhere to be examined. But then again a negative thought spiral never helped anyone.

Glancing over he had seen the principal talking with another student, the one she had apparently 'chosen'. It was a reasonable assumption considering a chessboard seemed to appear out of thin air and the slight nudge he had felt earlier. Ignoring the other students woes of not working up the courage of of not 'asking out the hot teacher' a part of him wondered if she had any knowledge of these symptoms. But that was another question for another time and certainly in private.

Realising she had asked him a perfectly straightforward question and he had just outright blanked her, he turned his attention back to the fellow student.

"I didn't sleep, if I relax to much I'll fall asleep in front of everyone and I've done that in front of everyone once today."

It wasn't a lie, just a half truth so it should be passable. However it was certain that he had no intention of returning to that waking nightmare, that tall white scarfed figure, that otherworldly female form, that large female form wreathed in tendrils and violet shadows and that...

chair.

reflection of himself

He made a mental list calling them Adam, Eve, Lilith and... The Chair respectively.

"Sorry about causing that scene earlier by the way."

But anyways, back on topic.

[Mooncake]

Kotetsu Shima
Location: Moon Under Water, Tomobiki
Phase: Morning
Date: April 11th, 2056
Weather: Clear Skies

"Good morning. Forgive me for failing to respond to your texts. I was a bit overwhelmed near the end of the trip."

Shima shrugged in response to the principle's faint smile.

"How can I fault you for something I struggle with myself?"

"Seeing as how you are here now though, I suppose the offer is still in play."

He nodded, only slightly taken aback when the teacher opposite him created a chessboard by snapping her fingers. To his credit, Shima didn't check to see if it was the real deal, but it was a little surprising. He supposed it could only be expected from someone as crafty as she was turning out to be (and really, the principle of a basically-supernatural-school did, upon reflection, seem like such a person).

"So, white or black?"

Shima considered, before holding out his fists.

"Right or left?"

[Airen]

Lucas Guerrin
Northern Cross Academy, Sublevel 13
Phase: Day
Date: April 11th, 2056

"She's a good girl, tries to make friends where she can, but not too social unfortunately."

While the air had gone frigid with mock aggression, in the end, it was getting harder and harder to tell whether or not this woman was actually offended by anything you had done, or if she was just messing around with you for the fun of it.

"Must have sensed a kindred spirit in you. I was surprised when she mentioned you earlier, doesn't usually talk to people while on patrol and was kind of evasive when I asked for details... But I'll trust you're not a bad kid, reports aren't perfect, but hey, they never really are... But if you make her cry you and I might have a problem brewing in the future."

So you had been mentioned.

She didn't elaborate further on it, so you can't gain much from it, but...

When you mention Zero...

Her expression twists slightly...

"So you heard about that huh? The Zero Case is... Rather complex; there are sometimes months or years in between bouts of her vigilante activity. So it's hard to keep track of her movements, especially when she seems to make use of a cloaking grimoire to escape."

A sigh.

"It's the one mark of consistent failure we have here in Tomobiki... But at least our vigilante is relatively harmless... Not like that incident with Ripper years back at the Seventh branch..."

[Daiki]

Lucas Guerrin
Northern Cross Academy, Sublevel 13
Phase: Day
Date: April 11th, 2056

Lucas was feeling uncomfortable, not because of the Lieutenant's proximity, but because he was not sure in which direction her mood would swing. He listened to what she had to say about Rhea, and how they had more in common that he might have suspected. He hadn't had time to process through the events of the day to look back on it yet, but she might have had a point about that. Rhea didn't look like the party type.

A positive outcome was that, apparently, Iris was not about to chew him out right now. Getting off with a mere warning was better than what he had anticipated.

But I'll trust you're not a bad kid, reports aren't perfect, but hey, they never really are...

His eyebrows raised with curiosity with the sentence. It was pretty much unheard of that a superior would take a chance with him, especially after he had directly insulted them. Maybe, the situation was not so dire for him after all.

But if you make her cry you and I might have a problem brewing in the future.

He was not sure how to answer to this. It was not as if he planned to have the girl in tears at some point. He only reveled in these moments when Ariel Lynx was the other party. And only because it meant escaping her grasp.

Maybe the best approach would be to say nothing here. It was already unhoped for that he wouldn't get in trouble for what he did, pushing his luck could backfire.

Lucas thus opted for a simple nod, acknowledging silently words and promise that pain would come to him were he to betray her trust.

He had questions about the vigilante but, as Lieutenant Duskin mentioned Ripper, his concern spiked up because of something he had witnessed earlier on.

"Yes, let's hope we do not reiterate past events in Tomobiki," he voiced carefully.

Lucas hadn't initially intended to bring up the case of the boy he had met on the train earlier. Still, part of him was curious as to why the Agency thought it would be a great idea to bring a Strange Red to an isolated location, full of Unions (who can't escape) to feed upon.

The odds of that to happen didn't seem high, as the Japanese boy appeared quite harmless. Yet, there would be no telling what could happen if he were to be cornered.

Lucas eyed the older woman with a look that implied; You guys know what you're doing, right?

[Airen]

Lucas Guerrin
Northern Cross Academy, Sublevel 13
Phase: Day
Date: April 11th, 2056

"The boy has a stable mind, has never consumed another Union's Crystal and doesn't suffer any notable soul degradation even when under stress; he's a unique case amongst unique cases."

The Union Virus was difficult to treat because it effected the patient on both a physical and spiritual level; attaching itself to both the nervous system and soul of the host, it polluted both systems with Seithr, leaving to erratic behavior and violent impulses within the host. Strange Reds, as Sleipnir files indicated, were somehow able to stop the degradation of their own soul by consuming the crystals of other Unions, an action that would kill one of their normal brethren immediately if they were to try the same; it was an ability with an unknown origin, but the effects of it couldn't be denied by the Agency.

The only thing tying those who had it together, was an imbalance in their mental state. Theories indicated that the lack of soul degradation may have to do with the fact that the patients had already been inclined towards violence from the start both mentally and spiritually, however, if what she was saying was true...

That might not be the case...

"He's basically got his Crystal completely under his control, at least according to Ariel; it's basically the ideal state of being for a Union. The chance of death disappears, the mental degradation is non-existent... Only the positives remain."

She crosses her arms, stance shifting slightly as she takes a step back.

"Basically, they're trying to figure out how to replicate his special condition in others. It might be a path towards a permanent cure, one that doesn't require constant maintenance and upkeep. The risks for such an undertaking were taken into account, and there are some contingencies, but all the data points towards it not being a problem in the future."

Her eyes lower slightly in thought.

"If that kid was gonna snap, he would have done it by now."

[Daiki]

Lucas Guerrin
Northern Cross Academy, Sublevel 13
Phase: Day
Date: April 11th, 2056

The implications were astounding indeed. But much more than that, Iris Duskin had just revealed intel that had shaken the teenager to his very core. If the Agency truly managed to replicate what the boy could do and engineer a definitive cure, what about Lucas' goal?

If he couldn't repeat the process of corruption and purification anymore, then...

I would be stuck forever like this.

Thrown in a pit of bottomless despair until he could no longer take it. Far cry from the ideal outcome, unless...

I take matters into my own hands.

"..."

But, could he really do something like that?

While he could mutter the will to take another's life in his this very instant, it was much more difficult to expect how he would feel later. Lucas feared that the guilt might come to haunt him, ending up damaging himself in the process. Then, it would all have been for naught.

What was he supposed to do? Sabotage the labs? Steal the data? What exactly would prevent the Agency to try again?

He only had few options; either speed up the corruption process in order to get there first or, something more drastic...

If that kid was gonna snap, he would have done it by now.

Or he hasn't met the proper trigger for that, yet.

Inherently, there wasn't anything wrong about giving the teenager a chance to prove himself but, you should be careful when dealing with the unknown.The last lesson received from a selfish fool who thought she could reach out to everyone. Ironically, she had granted him the most valuable teaching with her own demise. A grim reminder that persisting in willing to see the good in another can deserve you.

Sometimes, broken goods were just that.

"Crossing fingers that you are correct, First Lieutenant."

Because...

Spoiler:

"What's up with the gloomy face, kiddo? I'm only out for a little chat and back."

"...one Amon was enough."

[Airen]

Alicia Val Florence
Northern Cross Academy Grounds, Archery Dojo
Early Morning, Sunrise
April 11th, 2056
Weather: Clear Skies, Chilly

She wasn't the type to jump at surprises.

While there would have been a certain joy in such a thing coming to pass, ultimately, that almost unnatural grace that Tsukishima Haruka possessed is what keeps the young woman from jumping in surprise when a playful voice appears in her ear.

"Alicia?"

Instead, the voice that says your name, a happy but smooth voice that floats to meet you along with the girl's graceful spin and turn, hands naturally grasping your own and holding them between her palms, is one of a princess that had instinctively recognized her old knight, and had moved to greet her in a manner that could be called "affectionate," as if she had been waiting for it as well, but hadn't quite expected it to happen so soon, or at least so suddenly.

Even so...

"I'm doing just fine," smiling gently, eyes locking unashamedly on your face, the sensation of being studied is one that pierces you to the core without being particularly unpleasant, "I'm sorry; I meant to meet you at the station, but it seems that things happened a bit off the posted schedule."

Eyes to eyes, the radiating happiness was infectious, and it's clear she has no intention of looking away from you at all, as if she wished to re-memorize every aspect of your face after the long separation, or...

"But how are you? Was the journey unpleasant? Do you require assistance with sorting your things? Assistance with anything at all?"