XBLAZE - Concurrent:Butterfly [IC]

[Airen]

Tsugumi Uro
Location: Northern Cross Academy (Eclipse)
Morning, April 12th, 2056
Event Stock: 2
Seither Rating: 80
Union Phase: 3

Chiasa is still alive, and that at least was good news.

Breathing, acting all for the world as if she was simply asleep, a quick once-over doesn't reveal the location of her Drive Crystal, and even though you feel strange there's still enough of a sense about you to know that peeking under someone's clothes to try to find something was wrong in a definite sort of way.

She's not heavy though, so picking her up and running off if you have too should be perfectly possible...

On the other hand...

Vaguely hostile, but only in the sense that the threads were glittering and waving like some sort of heat-seeking monster; the ghost girl listens to your words without doing anything at first, and loyal to a fault, the doll simply maintains a protective stance in front of her, as if it expected you to come charging in and would attempt to remove your head the exact instant you came into range.

But when you stop talking, hand still outstretched, inquiring as to her name and who exactly she was, an odd expression crosses that normally expressionless face.

"Who am I...? My name...?"

Confusion.

Suddenly clear eyes and a mouth twisting into a grimace as hands slowly jerk their way towards her chest as if clutching at her heart.

"My name? My name? Mynamemynamemynamemynamemynamemynamemynamemynamemy namemynamenamesnamesnamesnamesnamesnamesnamesnames namesnamesnamesnamesnamesnames-"

It's like watching someone's mind just snap in half.

Sinking to her knees, hands first clutching at her chest and than at her head as she starts screaming questions at the floor; the doll shows what could only be a form of alarm as it turns it's head more towards it's owner than you and starts tugging on her hem of her shirt as it to snap her out of it.

The movement of the wires starts to not only speed up, but whip erratically around the room; jerking along with each and every rapid fire word that shot out of her mouth, a storm of crimson that lacked the accuracy that it had possessed before, and would have been exceedingly dangerous if not for the fact that she didn't actually seem to be aiming at the two of you in particular.

"MynamemynamemynamemynamemyNAMENAME!!!!!!"

Windows reappear.

Outside them it's no longer night, the fog is white instead of black and the light of an invisible sun peers in through the windows.

A blue door emerges on the far side of the room, it's glowing unlike the others, and clearly of a more supernatural nature... It's quite the run, but...

If that was 'the door' Zero had talked about...

Now might be your chance-!

[Bird of Hermes]

Tsugumi Uro
Location: Northern Cross Academy (Eclipse)
Morning, April 12th, 2056
Event Stock: 2
Seither Rating: 80
Union Phase: 3

"So, this is the madness of Phase 6 huh?"

The single question had clearly caused a string to snap in the girl's head, the complete loss of identity had clearly broken her far worse than anything else here. How convenient for me.

With the shade lost in pandemonium and the lack of control of her powers currently, I can see something in the distance. Light flutters through the windows, the 'Day Section' clearly but through the crimson storm I can see an azure doorway.

"But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?"

My aunt would probably enjoy references to The Bard and frankly if there was a time for dramatics, it was now. Also because I can't think of any one liners to give to 'Sixes' over here. Scooping up Chiasa best I can, I sprint best I can, tapping into my drive with a minimum just to give me the extra boost I need to keep us safe and away from any traps.

All I want is to get back, I have my chance to save us and I won't waste it.

[Airen]

Lucas Guerrin
Lucas's Room, Boy's Dormitory
Phase: Evening
Date: April 12th, 2056
Event Stock: 1

"...I see."

It was surprisingly heavy.

While he wasn't sure exactly what he had been expecting as an answer to that sort of question, the sheer sincerity with which he has been presented is something that makes it seem all the heavier to the young man.

To be honest, he's not sure how to respond to it.

Previous interactions had him expecting some sort of answer with sarcastic undertones to it, but...

"Sounds like you were lucky to meet her... Those kind of people are rarer in the world than they should be, helping other people out should be second nature, people need people you know? Of course... I'm not sure who you're talking about when you say you came to observe... Is this about all the new students?"

Putting the vague pieces together slowly, while once again reinforcing a subtle heart of gold, the same heart that had been unable to say 'no' when a stranger had asked him hang out with them, it seems that he's trying to find some sort of way to reinforce the beliefs of the fallen without coming across as offense but...

"Ahahaha~! Finally, it's finished-! Dinner is ready, don't worry, I'll bring it out to you-!"

A master of ruining moods of all sorts, the heavy air is brushed aside by the sudden advance of death in the form of food, and with a sigh...

"Well, I'm sure you'll find your own answer. If nothing else, Tomobiki is a good place to think."

Offers that as his final words on it -at least for now- well aware that speaking any more without giving it due thought may prove more detrimental than anything else...

"Course. I'd think fast. Looks like this is it."

[Airen]

Watanabe Yuuki
"Abandoned" Amanohokosaka Shrine, Tomobiki
Day, April 11th, 2056
Event Stock: 2

Raven hair disappears around the wooden corner of the shrine.

Having caught the briefest of glimpses of it herself, Evelyn is already moving to chase before you can ask her to go along with you, her own innate curiosity driving her forward as the now unlocked door slides open without even the hint of a key. It's strange, how a doll was able to easily open what you had been unable to, stranger still how it's footsteps didn't seem to make any noise at all, but all the same you pursue on but the briefest of glimpses.

A flash of hair.

A twirl of a crimson kimono.

Seemingly moving down the stairs under the cover of the borderline between day and night, the road to dusk, the pace of the doll is something superhuman, something that you can only keep up with at a full-out sprint of your own, and for that very reason...

Perhaps what happened next was simply destined to be.

Flying down the stairs, led on by curiosity...

"...Ow."

Evelyn's comment is appropriately stoic.

The two of you slam into something soft and warm, like someone's body, but also firm enough that rather than your unfortunate target falling down at the impact of two bodies on her stomach, the ones who rebound from it are the two of you.

"...Huh? Didn't expect to find anyone out here, let alone some kids... Well, explorer's spirit I guess."

It's a woman.

One who's pretty strong, judging by how she didn't budge even when two people had crashed into her chest on the stairs.

"You two alright? Running around by stairs is pretty dangerous."

[palad1n]

Watanabe Yuuki
"Abandoned" Amanohokosaka Shrine, Tomobiki
Day, April 11th, 2056
Event Stock: 2

Running alongside Evelyn, for the first time in his life Yuuki ran a full sprint down the stairs.

What he was seeing was practically impossible; being much smaller than they are, catching up to the doll should be surprisingly easy - normal physical laws dictates that something smaller have smaller steps thanks to their shorter legs - and yet the doll ran at such a speed that it practically outpaces them both.

Even as they're practically flying down the stairs, he could only caught the briefest glimpses of said doll.

It only serves to heighten his curiosity.

Perhaps that's why both he and Evelyn, being so focused on looking for the doll as they blazed down the long set of stairs, managed to miss spotting someone in front of them.

By the time he realized it, it was already too late.

Both he and Evelyn rammed into the person at practically superhuman speed, and with growing horror Yuuki realized that if all of them fell down the stairs, the unfortunate person might not even survive it...

"Oof-!"

Only to realize a second later that he wasn't tumbling down, but rather rebounded from colliding with said person.

"...Huh? Didn't expect to find anyone out here, let alone some kids... Well, explorer's spirit I guess."

It was a kind-looking woman.

One who is pretty strong, if she didn't even budge when two drive-unions crashed into her without braking at all.

"You two alright? Running around by stairs is pretty dangerous."

"Ah, sorry..." He immediately bowed in apology. "We weren't looking where we are going, so we didn't see you until it was too late... We're also fine, but thank you for worrying about us."

Even if the woman is unfazed, crashing into someone like that is still wrong, so it is only natural to apologize.

But as he finished saying that, catching his breath from running full-speed down the stairs, he realized that the doll had likely vanished from their sight if it keeps on running like it did.

"Um, this might sounds weird and awkward miss, but..." He catches himself from speaking too fast, adrenaline still coursing through his veins that he shifted his weight from one foot to another. "Did you see a doll running down here? It was small, has black hair and wore a kimono..."

[Daiki]

Lucas Guerrin
Lucas's Room, Boy's Dormitory
Phase: Evening
Date: April 12th, 2056
Event Stock: 1

Lucas accepted Daisuke's words with a nod, not quite sure what to make of them. It was a bit awkward to reveal that much. There wasn't much to say about how he personally felt over the loss of his former instructor and comrade in arms, however so he simply kept quiet.

But, when the Japanese formulated his next question;

Of course... I'm not sure who you're talking about when you say you came to observe... Is this about all the new students?

Lucas found himself cornered.

"That's no-..."

Ahahaha~! Finally, it's finished-! Dinner is ready, don't worry, I'll bring it out to you-!

It was difficult to accept Hailey's intervention as a form of salvation in such circumstances but Lucas was thankful for the timing, if anything. Discussing Unions with people outside the Agency wasn't exactly encouraged. Although the patients themselves might be an exception, it was best to avoid the topic entirely, whenever possible.

Well, I'm sure you'll find your own answer. If nothing else, Tomobiki is a good place to think. Course. I'd think fast. Looks like this is it.

"Yes, the end has come."

Following that, Lucas and Daisuke took seats in silence, waiting for the dishes Hailey slaved over. Neither dared to speak as the girl happily introduced the meal, or rather the lethal armament specially designed to off them.

Seriously though, why is it moving?

To his horror, she had memorized each step that would lead to such disasters and decided to give them a rundown of the heavily customized recipes. It allowed the mind to grow accustomed to the sight, which, in Lucas' case, conveniently imposed a blur censorship to spare him the pain of becoming blind at such a young age, it did nothing but grant time for the traitorous emissions to spread around the table. The feeling of revulsion was intense and, instinctively, his body trembled at the prospect of swallowing this food.

An iron maiden would be more human than this.

Years of mental conditioning were easily forgotten in front of genuine fear. No amount of training could help even the most stoic of veteran here. What Lucas faced was worst than the simple idea that his life was coming to an end. What awaited was pure, unadulterated agony.

Sweating profusely, he gathered the courage to pick up his spoon. His gaze met Daisuke's.

It was no longer about settling things between two teenagers. It was a fight against themselves. Against their limits. Against fate itself. Men were about willpower. They just were not allowed to fall here. Thus, 't was time to show their guts.

Like hell I'm ending up killed by some wobbling, purple curry!

Even as tears started prickling at the corners of his eyes from the exposition of vapors that shouldn't be allowed to exist...

"Bon appétit."

Two words were released to announce that Lucas accepted the challenge.

"See you on the other side," he declared theatrically to his companion in suffering, no, battle-brother would be more accurate at this point, before digging up.

There was no room for proper etiquette. Only the most efficient method Lucas could think of in order to get over the impossible hurdle swiftly. Eating as much, and as fast, as possible until he would reach his limit and fall over. The less time he spent chewing and examining taste and texture, the easier it should be.

The theory seemed sound, at least...

[Airen]

Tsugumi Uro
Location: Northern Cross Academy (Eclipse)
Morning, April 12th, 2056
Event Stock: 2
Seither Rating: 80
Union Phase: 3

The only response the girl gives you are screams and fists slamming into the concrete with a beast-like ferocity, over and over again, as if the answers she sought were hidden somewhere below them, and she simply had to dig them out with her bare fists in spite of the doll's attempts at assuaging this sudden burst of ferocity.

Running away, having spotted your moment and choosing to take it, you still can't help but be vaguely horrified by exactly how hard that girl was slamming her fists into the earth. While she had seemed relatively frail and pale at a glance, and had seemed to be relying on Alice to do the heavy lifting for her; the reality of the situation is that her rapid fire shots into the ground have left a massive crater in what was already a completely ruined cafeteria, and the more she goes at it, the more power her crystal seems to pump into her as a result.

As a Phase 6, she should have absolutely disappeared by now.

The Crystal of a Drive Union is considered to have matured completely by the time they reach Phase 6, and the inability of their body to handle that power dwelling within them is what caused them to 'disintegrate' in both body and soul, and turn completely into Seithr themselves.

However, she did not seem to possess this problem.

Her Crystal having reached full maturity, no... Having gone beyond the point of normal maturity, her powers as a Union seem to be quickly spiraling past the point of normalcy now that the limitation of mortality no longer seems to apply; the wires start to visibly glow as you sprint for the door, and rather than coming from ghost girl or the doll, they start to split off from each other, becoming a horrifically fast web of string that -given it's time to spread throughout the room- becomes a sort of absolute prison that blocks both the path forward and back moments before you reach the glowing blue door.

"NO ONE LEAVES! WE CAN'T!"

It seems like she's snapped out of it.

Prior experimentation had revealed both fire or cutting force would enable one to get through this Drive, however, at the rate at which it is improving and multiplying itself, as well as the fact that you lack the proper tools for really cutting through all of this before it can regenerate itself, leaves your prospects as somewhat more grim than you would like-!

Fire would probably be the fastest way.

Cutting it wasn't what the gloves were designed to do, and having accidentally bashed it's twin to pieces in an earlier fit of violence, you can recognize even in your current state that cutting at it with what you had now would simply end with it ensnaring you, even if you sped up your own time in an attempt to compensate.

Not good...

Even going for the maximum you could manage likely wouldn't be enough... You simply couldn't hold it long enough.

With only two targets to trap, the seemingly out of control Drive is focusing it's efforts solely on making sure that you can't get out, and the screaming flailing girl on the other end of it all is slowly seeming like more and more of a monster, an out of control Union who had slammed her foot down on the accelerator now that her brakes were gone.

...No.

It was only a few feet away, you had to make it work-!

You didn't know how exactly, there were so many wires now that your vision of the door itself was almost half-blocked by the crisscrossed web but-!

A line of flame burns it all away.

"Sorry I'm late!"

Smiling cheerfully, body a blur of motion that spins past you just as it sets fire to everything that had once been before you, a happy go lucky Zero smiles at the two of you in spite of obvious injuries on her shoulder, torn-apart clothing and glimpses of blood revealing two bite marks near her shoulder, as if something had gone and actually sank it's teeth into her body.

"Huh... The source showed itself? That's a new one... Well, I'll try to deal with it."

Commenting on it all in the same motion, putting herself between the two of you and the approaching girl and massive doll, Zero looks back and...

"Seeya! Try not to come back, okay!"

Punts you through the door with a well placed kick in the back.

And your world becomes a deep endless azure.

---

Escape Successful!

Labyrinth Log

+Tsugumi Uro enters Eclipse (Northern Cross Academy)
+Motou Chiasa enters Eclipse (Northern Cross Academy)
+Encountered Zero
+Found the first floor exit gate
+Encountered Source of Labyrinth
+Repelled "Alice" (Guardian FOE)
+Escaped Successfully through first floor exit gate
+All Party Members escaped


-Core was not discovered
-Eclipse was not dissolved
-Phenomena Intervention Triggered, in order to protect time (?) memories of the incident have been sealed away/the timeline has been altered to fit someone's narrative and remove evidence of their tampering, however:

-Thanks to slivers of the Power of Order, some loot was maintained

Memories of the incident will be regained -at least momentarily- if one reenters the Eclipse. It may become possible to regain them through other means as well...

Status Changes

Tsugumi Uro -> Tired
Maximum Stamina + 10
Phenomena Intervention: Union Phase returned to 1

Motou Chiasa -> Tired
Maximum Stamina + 10
Phenomena Intervention: Union Phase returned to 1

Acquired Items

-Hekatonkheires Threads-
Supernatural threads crafted by a Phase Six Union at the peak of their power, a pinnacle they never should have been able to reach. Able to bear incredible weight without snapping, as well as channel a seemingly infinite amount of Seithr through itself without suffering damage to it's composition, it is a one-of-a-kind material that may prove incredibly useful for an alchemist or weapon-smith as a core of sorts. Found inside of your pockets, when exactly did you pick these up...? They seem familiar, but...

Seems you can't remember.

-Strange Crystal-
A strange crystal found on your person. Azure in color, it feels very familiar, and a sensation of lingering attachment is felt when gazed upon by Tsugumi Uro. It's composition is unknown, but it feels wrong to give it to anyone else.

Like you'd be throwing away a memento of sorts, or perhaps a memory?


-Tarot Card: Swords-
A card acquired from Motou Chiasa. Seems like she forced it on you at lunch as a 'sign of friendship' or something, at least that's how you remember it, even if it doesn't feel quite right...

Wasn't this ripped in half? Nah...

---

It was a flash of memory from a long time ago.

Three kids, two boys and a girl, sitting in a sterile white room together.

Well, it wasn't always together, sometimes they were split apart, put in other rooms, more painful rooms, filled with lights and pain and men and women in lab coats.

Bindings.

Floating in tanks, notes being jotted down.

But it was calm right now.

When they got put in this room together, that was a safe time.

One of the boys didn't talk much, the other didn't talk at all but made himself known with his actions.

So the girl talked the most, even though she was the one that had been born here...

The others had come from outside, even so, she was the one telling the stories.

Asking the questions.

Prodding for answers.

"Hey, what's it like in the outside world?"

"..."

"Come on, tell me-!"

"Well..."

Not sure how to answer, you...

What had you done...?

Tsugumi Uro
Location: Unnamed Cafe, Tomobiki
Evening, April 12th, 2056
Event Stock: 2
Union Phase: 1

"Day one at the new job and I'm... Designing a website... Can't say I expected this..."

The sound of Mizuki's voice, tapping away at a laptop, is what jars you from your rather bizarre dream of bleached out lights and kids talking amongst each other like lab rats in a shady scientific complex.

It seemed you had fallen asleep at some point.

Not a surprise, since you had been exhausted all day long.

Chased by Chiasa to the doorways of the school building, unable to shake her off even by going near Mizuki and her projected delinquent aura, you had wound up humoring her around lunch time for some reason -a whim perhaps- and now she seemed to think that you were friends.

Well, she was the clingy type, but the feeling that she 'wasn't that bad' was strong in you, so maybe you were?

Of course, your memory of the day is pretty foggy...

Traveler's fatigue most likely, hit you hard about halfway through the school day, and now everything felt like a blur, like what you had experienced today wasn't quite real, like what you remembered of today was just some sort of dream, even though it had been one of the most normal school days of your life...

Barring the harassment from a certain fortune teller.

Eating lunch with her and Mizuki on the roof, you had wound up walking back towards the dorms together, been called here by your aunt to help with setting up shop and...

"zzzZ..."

Now Chiasa was asleep on the table, head resting on the polished wood, and Mizuki had been tasked with creating a website for the place in spite of her protests, once your aunt had discovered she had a talent for technology.

Although it seemed she had also taken a hit to the shoulder at some point, judging by the bandage.

"..."

That was what had happened today, all that had happened today, there was nothing strange about it, even so...

It kinda felt like you were forgetting something, but really, there was no way.

You weren't that level of tired.

--}i{--

TOi update!

[Kuroyuki]

Yoko Aoyama
Ice Cream Shop, "32 Below"
Day
Date: April 11th, 2056
Weather: Clear Skies, Chilly

I saw Kasumi get angry at Irmina-oneesan enough to send herself flying at her. Irmina-oneesan for her part was opening her arms in happiness for some reason. I just tilted my head in confusion at that sight before ultimately deciding that I should open the mysterious present.

The opening distracted them from their wrestling (?) for the time being. Their curiosity outweighing whatever emotions they had before. So I started slowly opening the box. My anticipation rising with each ripping of wrapping until I lifted the lid to...

Find another box? A box within a box? But why would you do that? I started wondering what the purpose of it was until I heard Kasumi and Irmina-oneesan stop a sigh.

This time I opened the box to find a key with a note in it? The key looked old but recently cleaned. On the note, it said "Amanohokosaka Shrine," on the front and on the back it said "Having the Shrine's Shed repaired this evening, but anything and everything else is up to you-!"

H-how did she know that I was going to visit the local shrine and take care of it?!? I only decided on doing that after I got access to my phone. But with this, I was just given the stamp of approval to not only take care of it, but for it be mine!

"I have my very own Shrine like Onee-sama!"

Never did I imagine that I would get my own shrine so soon. But I was going to need some help if I wanted to run it properly... So I looked at my best and only friend with most pleading look, I could.

"Kasumi could you run this shrine with me? Please I'm begging you."

[Bird of Hermes]

Tsugumi Uro
Location: Unnamed Cafe, Tomobiki
Evening, April 12th, 2056
Event Stock: 2
Union Phase: 1

Tsugumi's day had gone reasonably well.

Aside from meeting the fortune teller Chiasa, today had been a perfectly mundane day just as planned. That combined with all the built up fatigue the past few days was probably why his memories of the day were so vague despite the events having only transpired but a few hours ago. That was the only justifiable reason.

Chiasa was certainly a character but aside from their initial misunderstanding, she wasn't all that bad. Mizuki on the other hand wasn't someone he'd expect to be a computer buff, though Tsugumi had the feeling he was on thin ice if he made a comment regarding it.

Tsugumu didn't know how Chiasa would be when she'd wake up but he could always get something for her later. Watching Mizuki tap away at the computer made it clear she might need a perk up or at least something to cheer her mood. Fighting through the torpor, he forced himself to his feet and did his duty as the closest thing to a host present. To do a run for drinks.

"I'm going to make myself some tea Mizuki, would you like anything to drink?"

>>>

April 12th
Evening/Night
With friends at the Cafe “A different sort of daily life?”

>>>

[Airen]

Lucas Guerrin
Lucas's Room, Boy's Dormitory
Phase: Evening
Date: April 12th, 2056
Event Stock: 1

Having forced your way past the screaming protest that four of your senses were putting up in front of this abomination, it seems that your mouth has taken it upon itself to try one last time to stop you, sensory information loading into your thoughts in spite of your best attempts at ignoring what would only serve as critical damage to your spirit.

It's not edible.

The moment it touches your tongue every part of you knows that this is just fundamentally wrong; curry is supposed to be really spicy or kinda mild, but the taste reminds you of bile -at least initially- and the gritty slimy mess is only made worse when you discover squishier bits mixed in with the rice, so squishy in fact that it resists your teeth's attempts at cutting it up into something that you are capable of actually swallowing...

It's not edible.

Your body screams this in every possible way but-!

Lucas Stat Challenge: Fortitude!
Required to Pass (Prior Experience): E
Success!
It feels like your Fortitude increased a little-!

This wasn't your first rodeo-!

Swallowing poison as if it was water, you start off strong due to experience with the horrors of a culinary hell-! Funneling it down even as tears stream down your face, you know that this challenge can only end in a trip to the hospital but that didn't matter-!

You had your pride-!

"Hah... Horrifying..."

Watching it, the ever serene Daisuke does not allow his hands to shake in spite of his fear, his screaming self-preservation instinct attacking his willpower just as yours was attacking your own.

"So this is the power of experience..."

Looking up at the roof, a longing wish to see the sky one last time runs through his body.

Hahaha...

Too late for that-!

"I don't have that learned strength... But even so-! I won't lose in willpower!!!!!!"

Gripping the bowl in one hand, spoon held in a death-grip in the other, he raises it to his face in the fatal pose of a starving man-!

Daisuke Stat Challenge: Fortitude!
Required to Pass (A Fresh Hell): C
Success!
It feels like your Fortitude increased a little-!

Immediately the body heaves in an attempt to expel poison before it can be ingested, but he disguises it as a simple tremor; tears streaming down that normally stoic face even as the rest of his body goes forcibly still, hiding the pained expression behind the glass plate with which he had chosen to challenge fate.

You had expected his consciousness to explode immediately, that was the normal reaction; a forced shutdown of the body in it's attempts to preserve it's own functionality in the face of suicide on the part of it's owner.

But there's no real time to observe his suffering, you're only halfway there-!

Darkness is closing in on you both, experience, pure-willpower, all things that only staved off the end, things that were unable to halt it in it's entirety.

It felt like you were being held down while sand was being poured down your throat.

"Ah yeah, eating it fast is probably for the best. After all, if it cools down it'll probably run away-!"

Blessed with ignorance to your reactions, as all who possessed this skill generally did, there is something truly horrific in that statement that neither of you can ignore.

Run away?!

The hell does that even mean?!

...It feels like something is moving around in your stomach.

Lucas & Daisuke Stat Challenge: Fortitude!
Required to Pass (A Creeping Horror): B
Fail.
Not feeling so great.

Choking.

Darkness at the edges of your vision, the newfound feeling of something actually squirming inside if your stomachs seems to defeat the both of you at the same time as sounds like choking and gagging erupt amidst the clapping of a cheerful girl whose mind simply refused to process the truth that was presented to her.

Daisuke's body collapses against the far wall as a spoon rolls across the floor.

You yourself... Fall to the side...

Halfway...

Only halfway...

Landing on something warm...

"Haha, so good they passed out-! I manage it every time-! But oho... What's this...?"

The sound of a camera shutter clicking...

Accompanies your descent into darkness.

And when you awaken -alive somehow- hours later...

You don't feel any better...

Not really...

Something is still crawling around in your stomach and...

Your head is in a -still unconscious- Daisuke's lap for some reason...

Memories of a shutter click... May just mean someone else has a bit of blackmail material too...

Karma?

Who knows...

--}i{--

Status Changes

Lucas
Good -> Sick
Condition Persists Until April 17th, Events with the nurse (Ariel) may cure it earlier

Daisuke
Good -> Sick
Condition Persists Until April 17th

Hailey
Good -> Great!

[Airen]

Yoko Aoyama
Ice Cream Shop, "32 Below"
Day
Date: April 11th, 2056
Weather: Clear Skies, Chilly
Event Stock: 2

"...Huh?"

Having satisfied her curiosity about the key, and thus gone back to attempting to throttle a certain silver-haired adult -who continues to invincibly hold back her arms with an absurd amount of physical strength- the question you fire at her catches her slightly off guard.

"...Run the shrine with me?"

...Is something like that alright?

She knew a bit about shrine-keeping sure, but she thought of herself as more of a knight than any sort of shrine-maiden; that was definitely more your family's thing than hers, but...

"W-Well if you really need my help, I guess I can help clean it up at the very least... I mean, I have to watch over you anyway, so I guess it's fine-!"

Irmina staying quiet for once, amused enough by the sight going on before her that she doesn't feel the need to 'stir the pot' so to speak, it seems that your best friend has quickly and easily talked herself into helping you out once more.

Although, to be fair...

Asking was really just a formality of sorts.

She had a hard time saying 'no' to you for some reason.

"Just don't let it interfere with your school work, okay? Or there will be consequences~"

And standing up, willing to show mercy for now.

"I'll see you bright and early at school tomorrow."

Irmina says something strange as she exits the ice cream shop.

--}i{--

[Airen]

Watanabe Yuuki
"Abandoned" Amanohokosaka Shrine, Tomobiki
Day, April 11th, 2056
Event Stock: 2

"Sorry, can't say I have..."

Having laughed off your verbal apology and Evelyn's attempt at a bow with a 'don't worry about it' sort of air to her, the woman had listened with an amused eye to your question, but had ultimately answered in the contrary, head tilted slightly to the side in thought, a diamond ring glinting ever so slightly in the slowly fading light of the setting sun.

"Course, I wouldn't have been too surprised if I had seen something like that, down in town they say this place might be haunted, so maybe you saw a ghost~" Her tone of voice in that ambiguous area between joking and serious, the blonde woman nevertheless keeps up a warm smile, "If that's the case though, it's probably for the best not to chase it. Dealing with ghosts is always messy business, best to leave it to those who were trained for that sort of thing... If you came up here in spite of those rumors, you must be some of the new kids."

Leaning forward ever so slightly, she winks once:

"Name's Adelina. Adelina Duskin. And you two are?"

She doesn't comment on the trespassing suspicions just yet, but...

[Airen]

Tsugumi Uro
Location: Unnamed Cafe, Tomobiki
Evening, April 12th, 2056
Event Stock: 1
Union Phase: 1

(BGM On)

"Huh? Drink? Oh, if you guys have any coffee that'd be pretty good. Kinda feels like I'm gonna crash..."

Keeping her eyes on the screen even as she raises a hand to acknowledge that you were speaking to her, and with that, you're off to the kitchen to brew caffeine in not just one form but two.

It was a pretty nice building, if a little empty.

While you had half-expected it to be in bad condition due to the fact your aunt had been given it for free, the reality of the matter was that the walls had no scratches or holes in the walls, no malfunctioning heating or air-conditioning, no damaged piping or anything else really...

It was a perfectly serviceable, almost cookie-cutter building, designed to be customized as the owner saw fit... Which meant sooner of later this place would probably be dyed crimson in old antique cloths, paintings or shoes...

So far however, she hadn't quite managed to customize things to any grand extent; while she meant for the walls to be a darker sort of maroon color, the kitchen in which you've stepped into is still a pale, unlived in white; same as half of the building to be honest. You had helped a little the night before, but with school looming on the horizon she had deemed it more fit to ensure the kitchen was working so she could make you lunch for school, and thus, it seemed like it would be a few days before this place was 'open' in any real capacity.

Past the kitchen there was a set of stairs that led up to a rather sizable attic, and the place that was serving as your aunt's sleeping area for now. Mizuki had apparently lugged the bed-frame upstairs for her before school (another action that you were sure would not be too wise to bring up) and from what you had seen, she had managed to more or less recreate her room from back home here as well, television, desk and an (kinda old) computer all in places that brought about a wave of light nostalgia.

All in all... So far...

Tomobiki didn't seem too bad...

You didn't know where your aunt was right now, to be frank it could be anywhere but...

You were used to doing this sort of work on your own anyway. Cleaning, making tea or coffee, all the same really...

Getting into a rhythm, the sound of tapping keys from the dining area a rhythmic constant until you hear Chiasa wake up and the faint sounds of struggling in the distance (likely Chiasa trying to latch on to her for some reason), and while it certainly seems worth investigating, even if only for your own curiosity...

"Suddenly popular?"

A certain someone pops up behind you without making a single solitary sound; a habit she had picked up after coming back from the Agency for 'training,' the ability to just kind of sort of disappear in spite of the fact that she was -more often than not- the same color and vibrancy as a fire truck.

...You jump a little in spite of yourself.

[palad1n]

Watanabe Yuuki
"Abandoned" Amanohokosaka Shrine, Tomobiki
Day, April 11th, 2056
Event Stock: 2

"Sorry, can't say I have..."

It's the expected response; No normal person would be on the lookout for a small doll that is running on its own.

That doesn't stop him from feeling just a tad disappointed; he was incredibly curious on why that doll ran, how it could move and unlocked a door on its own, and whether it has an owner or not...

But dwelling on spilled milk won't solve anything.

"Course, I wouldn't have been too surprised if I had seen something like that, down in town they say this place might be haunted, so maybe you saw a ghost~" Her tone of voice in that ambiguous area between joking and serious, the blonde woman nevertheless keeps up a warm smile, "If that's the case though, it's probably for the best not to chase it. Dealing with ghosts is always messy business, best to leave it to those who were trained for that sort of thing... If you came up here in spite of those rumors, you must be some of the new kids."

So ghosts are real...

It doesn't really surprise him at this point, except for the fact that dealing with them is a rather messy business; he suppose there is some truth to all those ghost and horror films then.

But more importantly, she said 'new kids,' and from the earlier collision it's pretty safe to say that she's definitely not a normal person by any stretch of imagination.

Is she a part of the faculty then? Of Mitsurugi Agency?

'It would be the safe bet.' Yuuki thought to himself.

"Name's Adelina. Adelina Duskin. And you two are?"

"Ah, I am Yuuki, Watanabe Yuuki. This girl is Evelyn." He helpfully introduced themselves while his mind is weighing the options; it's clear that while she hasn't asked about them trespassing the shrine yet, that would soon change. "As you said earlier, we are part of the new students that came here."

So then, how should he approach this problem?

He could lie of course, and said that they were just looking around the shrine when they saw the doll and began chasing it down the stairs; it's something that would save them a possible reprimand, if not worse.

However, Yuuki doesn't like to lie.

There are certainly logical explanations why lying in this situation would be a bad idea, such as the fact that Adelina walking towards the shrine despite said shrine being haunted means she must have access and reason to do so, or that the door being unlocked might makes her assume they had forced their way into the shrine...

But more than anything else, Yuuki valued honesty; He'd never lie if it's only to save himself.

That's why he felt that being honest right now is much better than lying and getting into trouble later.

"Adelina-san, we've got a confession to make." He began as he took a glance at Evelyn - preemptively telling her that he would spill the beans - before looking back at the blonde woman. "We entered the shrine a while ago by using my drive, curious on why it's abandoned and locked; there was also the fact that I personally felt cheated to find nothing after a fifteen-minute trek of stairs, and she only followed along because I egged her to. The fault lies entirely on me if you wanted to give out punishment."

Alright. Admitting so that Evelyn won't get into trouble, check.

"Inside, we find that someone had actually been living there; A futon, numerous snacks, a telescope, and a rather dust-free shrine... Naturally, we got even more curious and started to search the whole place up until sunset." He paused, unconsciously putting his hands to his pocket out of habit. "That was when we noticed that a doll was there, and the fact that it somehow managed to unlock the door; it ran after we made eye contact, and we immediately gave chase until we bumped into you."

And the summary until they met, check.

He would have ended the story there, but...

His left hand touched the newly acquired ring in his left pocket, and Watanabe Yuuki wavered.

Should he tell her about this ring too?

It's tempting to just hide it - Adelina most likely wouldn't know or notice if the ring had only appeared to him alone - but didn't he made a promise to himself that he only took the ring so that he could ask someone more knowledgeable about it?

Besides...

He just realized that he had yet to told Evelyn about this ring.

What good is there in keeping secret when it could potentially affect him and her negatively? What if the ring was dangerous, and it ended up making him and Evelyn being punished severely for it? His mother used to read him The Hobbit, and he had read all three volumes of The Lord of the Rings years later, so he should have immediately realized what a bad idea it is to keep an unknown magical ring to himself.

Thankfully, he wasn't too late to undo his mistake.

"Ah, and one more thing." He began before taking his left hand out of his pocket, smiling apologetically to Evelyn before opening his hand, revealing the silver ring with gradient blue gemstone on top of his palm.

Even now, it took all his willpower to not immediately close it.

"I found an old photograph of a woman with an eye-patch inside the shrine, and when I picked it up, this ring appeared." He began to explain as he looked intently at the ring, as if to make sure that it won't suddenly disappear, before looking at the blonde in the eyes with a questioning look. "Adelina-san, do you know what this ring is...?"

If she is truly connected with Mitsurugi Agency like he thought she did, then hopefully she can shed some light on this enigmatic ring.

If not...

At least he could take solace in the fact that he no longer hides anything from Evelyn.

[Bird of Hermes]

Tsugumi Uro
Location: Unnamed Cafe, Tomobiki
Evening, April 12th, 2056
Event Stock: 2
Union Phase: 1

Tsugumi couldn't help but jump when his aunt popped in out of the blue. Though given her clothing it was likely she could have also just been there the entire time he was and she just blended into the background- somehow. Once the initial jolt to his system left as quick as it came, all Tsugumi felt was reassurance, it was good to see her again.

"Suddenly popular?"

Cornered, yet Tsugumi smiled and gave something of a half laugh.

"Despite my best efforts, yes. Something I've clearly picked up from you."

He gave off an unexpected response, but honestly? Naoko brought out something more cheerful in him.

"Mizuki's still working on the website and I'm doing drinks, would you like anything?"

Mizuki hadn't actually mentioned how she liked her coffee so he just got some plain beans out and made a simple brew with milk. He could always grab some sugar if she needed any. As for himself, Tsugumi stirred up an Earl Grey but a little stronger than usual given that he was feeling more tired than usual for this time of night. He played the mugs on a tray but remained on standby in case more orders came in.

However, there was something he was missing-

"Nothing much happened with us today, just a simple 'First Day' as it goes, bumping into each other and having lunch. How has your day been?"

-Basic manners, how could he forget.

[Airen]

Watanabe Yuuki
"Abandoned" Amanohokosaka Shrine Stairs, Tomobiki
Day, April 11th, 2056
Event Stock: 2

Crossing her arms, but maintaining a quiet smile all the while, the woman has to struggle not to laugh to herself as your 'guilt' spills out from you without her having to do much to encourage it.

She had mastered that parental gaze a long time ago, but even now, seeing it work on others so easily.

She finds it pretty funny in a number of ways.

"That's quite the story."

She doesn't accuse you of lying; naturally good at reading people, she has no real reason to do so; not only that, when Evelyn moves to speak up to deny that it had all been your fault, the woman just laughs it off again with a smile.

"But it's not like I'm the police either; this place has been empty for ages... Breaking in isn't a great thing to do, but there are worse kinds of trouble you could be getting in; just promise you won't do it again and we're square. Wife won't be as lenient as me if she catches you. She actually is with the police, I'm a bit more... Loosely associated with the Agency... Pretty much obligated to check the shrine myself now, but I was going to do that anyway..."

Offering to 'make a deal' of sorts with you, no reprimands in exchange for simply promising not to do it again, the woman winks at the two of you, leaving you to think it over as she slowly plucks the ring from your palm to examine it.

"As for this thing..."

Turing it over in her hands a few times -a strange sense of loss coming over you and leaving again as it leaves your palm- the taller blonde makes a few light thinking sounds to herself as her eyes examine it with a remarkable clarity in the dying light of the horizon.

"Far as I can tell... Looks like it's made of "Memories," or I guess you can say someone's "Feelings" were condensed to make the base of this stone... Pretty lonely ones, if I'm reading this aura right... Can't blame you for grabbing it, feels like it wants people to grab it, might have rolled itself out into the open so you could see it... But that's about as much as I can tell with just my eyes."

Rolling it around on the knuckles of her fingers, she stops just short from slipping it on herself.

"Mind if I confiscate it for a bit?"

Was it really a question?

[Daiki]

Lucas Guerrin
Lucas's Room, Boy's Dormitory
Phase: Evening
Date: April 12th, 2056
Event Stock: 1
Sick

Lucas had been defeated by a revulsing experience, briefly fell prey to a dream about his abdomen being pierced by a xenormorph, only to wake up to a situation that only served to add insult to the injury.

It took him an instant to piece back things together as he raised his head from Daisuke's lap pillow. Hailey's triumphant smile, as she pointed to her cellphone screen, gave him a threatening vibe. Finally understanding what had just happened, the weakened Union attempted to grab onto the piece of technology but the sharpshooter's reflexes were too much for his groggy and clumsy state.

Then she left the room with a victory song, as if she had gained enough xp to level up, all the while obtaining some decent loot.

Lucas, rolled to the side, cursing the name of the pseudo cook, source of his current predicament.

He would have his revenge soon enough but, right now, he needed medical attention. And Daisuke did, since the human would likely face an even harder time than himself. Lucas knew that he was trading agony for just another flavor of torment but, critical circumstances called for drastic methods.

Gathering the little strength he had left, the Sleipnir crawled feebly accross the room, combating the urge to vomit, until his uniform's jacket was within reach. Grabbing his own CROSS-Variant, he sent a mail to a most dreadful party, and only then, having reached the limit of his current stamina, passed out once more.

Lucas to 'She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named'

Avert your eyes from your data screening and get your lazy ass over here. Or would you rather have the deaths of two students added to your profile as professional blunder for the first school day?

Not the best way to formulate a request for help. Even overlooking the fact that the nurse had purposely not been warned about the meeting itself. Lucas spared no thoughts for the head researcher. In fact, his own dying will was filled with nothing but accusations about Ariel putting him in danger for the sake of 'experimentation.' The meal being only the last of a long series of shady practices meant to compare the degree of resilience to various hazards between human and union.

It was a habit to place as much blame as possible on her and to threaten her position whenever possible. After all, if she were fired, no further interaction with his nemesis would be necessary. Not that the Agency would actually do it, but that never stopped Lucas from trying.

Event

>>>

Date: Wednesday, April 13th
Phase: Morning
[Ariel: Have A Care]

>>>

[Kuroyuki]

Yoko Aoyama
Ice Cream Shop, "32 Below"
Day
Date: April 11th, 2056
Weather: Clear Skies, Chilly
Event Stock: 2

As soon as I was done opening the gift, Kasumi went back to wrestling with Irmina-oneesan (how she was holding off Kasumi is still a mystery). When I asked her my question, she temporarily stopped again out of surprise.

"...Run the shrine with me?"

I nodded my head happily towards her in order to show that I wanted to do it with her. I know that I was asking her to do something very difficult and time-consuming. She did help me every now and then back at home, but the scale of this and that are really different. While the Principal was kind enough to fix the shed, fixing everything else was left up to me. Cleaning the grounds, fixing anything potentially in disrepair, and then cleaning the shrine proper. Then finally offering the neglected god, a kagura to ease its loneliness and to make it happy again.

Even with all of that hard work in front of me, I thought it would be fun if Kasumi was there with me. So I asked hoping that she'll come with me.

"W-Well if you really need my help, I guess I can help clean it up at the very least... I mean, I have to watch over you anyway, so I guess it's fine-!"

I got up from chair, moved her away from Irmina-oneesan, and then finally gave her a hug.

"Thanks Kasumi!"

I didn't know how to thank her much more because if I did I would've been here for awhile. For once, Irmina-oneesan didn't say a word or do a single thing that alarmed a certain corner of my mind. I stayed there for a little bit before letting go and after the moment was over, Irmina-oneesan decided to say something.

"Just don't let it interfere with your school work, okay? Or there will be consequences~"

"It won't."

She gets up and that weirdly alert part of my mind relaxes.

"I'll see you bright and early at school tomorrow."

And that part goes back onto alert for some reason. Tomorrow? What does she mean Tomorrow? By the time I went to ask what she meant, she already paid for the bill and left. Leaving Kasumi and I completely clueless on what her mysterious words meant...

>>>

Tuesday,
April 12th
Day/School
[Tomobiki’s Sorcery Teachers]

>>>

[Airen]

Lucas Guerrin
Northern Cross Academy
Morning
April 13th, 2056
Event Stock: 0

(BGM On)

"...You know I'd feel a whole lot sorrier for you if the two of you hadn't done absolutely all of this to yourselves."

Looked like she was in fine spirits today.

Having awakened in what could only be called the nurse's office, a particularly resilient nemesis finally has you at her mercy; and thanks to the fact that you no longer feel like emptying the contents of your stomach repeatedly onto the floor, but gained a temporary total-body numbness as a consequence of the medicines that they had to use, that your methods of retaliating at her are quite limited both physically and verbally.

Because you owed her now.

It was a horrifying thought, but not nearly so bad as the realization that she now had you at the mercy of her lectures, and all you could do in return would be -as she put it- bark at her. And really, even justifying that was hard, while there was a certain level of smugness in her tone of voice, the reality was that the woman was almost unrivaled in the field of medicine, and her waiting rooms, this one in particular, just felt like an 'absolute safe zone' through which no harm could come to it's occupants.

It was warm, cozy, and didn't even smell that much of medicine.

You had even been given the bed closest to the window -although Daisuke was unconscious so it wouldn't have done him much good to have it- so you could look outside if you wanted, and yet all of this somehow made it worse for you.

"I mean, this isn't even the first time you've done this to yourself. Why do you keep giving that girl access to cooking equipment? I've seen your grades, don't act like you can't learn lessons."

[Airen]

Tsugumi Uro
Location: Unnamed Cafe, Tomobiki
Evening, April 12th, 2056
Event Stock: 1
Union Phase: 1

There was always a sort of innate fatigue to Naoko.

It was something she did her best to hide in front of others, but if one paid enough attention to her it was easy to see that she was going at 'half-power' most of the time for lack of better terms. Even now the sense that she's run herself ragged exists beneath the observant smile and attentive eyes, but it also doesn't seem to be quite as bad as usual, fatigue yes, but of a more...

Normal, manageable sort.

"It was agreeable enough, I spent most of it simply moving things around, nothing ever quite fits where you first think it will, but decoration is all about perseverance; and there are few hours more agreeable than that of daily evening tea."

One arm folded over another, the fatigued smile is also a satisfied one; although taking note of your own fatigue...

"Although the stresses of moving are much the same as decoration, I suppose. Are you sleeping poorly?"