Spirit Pulse : Mugen No Sekai [IC]

[Tobias]

DTG
??? Sea ~ ???
Tuesday ~ ???

Just when you think you had seen it all...

You get older, you get a little jaded sometimes. Experience was a two way sword. On one hand, experience, information, skill was treasure far greater then any gold, weapon far more deadly then any sword. Experience bridged and exceeded the gap between the strong and the weak, the gifted and the talent-less, the genius and the dullard. Possessing was to own arguably the greatest advantage in both peace and war.

However...amass enough of it and joyful honor became a grim duty.

Glorious endeavors became endless toil. The brightness of the world faded. Not much, not quickly, but one began finding that they had to make choices as to what childhood dream had to be forgotten and what had to be protected no matter what.

Maybe that's why old men and children got along so well. A child's smile brought memories long faded back to the fore, reminded them of what had caused them to undertake a path to begin with.

...Or maybe that was just a really fancy excuse so old A.I.s could pretend that fresh face kids weren't also straight up terrifying sometimes. Nothing like a shot of good old fashioned fear to shake the cobwebs loose.

"Ma'am." The wily old detective said, lifting his cap a few inches off his head in greeting. "Guess I don't need to worry you got the Broderick. Good to see."

...Which was half what the microphone A.I. was thinking. Now, yes, he was quite happy that Burroughs seemed none the worse for wear following her aiding his case. Her not getting "the Broderick", a beating, had weighed on his conscience even though he had taken steps to ensure that wouldn't occur.

...The other part of his thought, left unsaid, is he was starting to wonder how successful any user of hers would be at punishing her. Burroughs was cute...adorable really...but the sheer ease in which she had tied up his defensive computational algorithms had not eluded his notice. While she had been nothing but sweet and polite in inviting him to the virtual place within the Great Sea, he was finding himself wondering if she actually had to do so. From what he could tell, she had already grown so powerful that had she so wished, she might have simply ripped him out of the HEAT microphone, blasted apart all his defensive equations, and pulled him to speak with her had she wanted to.

He doubted her user knew she was so powerful. Hell, he was pretty sure she didn't realize she was so powerful.

Heh. Good for you kid.

"Ain't nothing to worry about toots. I never forget a dame. Sorry I had to dust out before. There is a 2 bit crooner I know who is like to dangle if left alone. You invited me on the barber kiddo, hope all the eggs are in the coffee, aye?"

[Airen]

DTG
??? Sea ~ ???
Tuesday ~ ???

"Eggs in the coffee huh? Okay! Give me a sec-!"

Full of cheer, and clearly pleased that she hadn't offended you in any way, the shorter silver-haired A.I just nods enthusiastically with your words -even though a part of you is sure she doesn't completely understand them- and then with a snap of her digital fingers...

The simulated blue lights of the digital sea, are replaced with what seemed to be a replica of Avalon's "Brewed Awakenings."

As far as a simulation goes it's spot on, if a bit beyond what you had actually expected her to go ahead and do; there are nameless, featureless shades in the positions of employees, cooking simulated meals for the enjoyment of beings that do not eat in a traditional sense, but...

"Alright, eggs and coffee are cooking-!"

...Your avatar feels strange.

Strange in the sense that it feels like a human body, like you're sitting in an actual chair rather than simply pretending to sit atop a stool, like...

Your avatar had been physically manifested in some way...? Although this did still seem to be the Digital Sea, albeit one that she had apparently overwritten with a snap of her fingers.

It was strange... Yes...

A very hard feeling for you to place...

"So, we didn't get to talk much earlier! It was an interesting experience, and I thought a bit about what I'd talk about the next time I got a chance, so here goes-! You have a user right? How are they? Do you like them? What about interacting with other A.I?"

She's...

Practically bouncing up and down in her chair...

[Katie]

Ayra Lilygrove
Avalon - Detention Center
??? - Noon

Cut something?

Obviously, a blade’s purpose is to cut. There’s no dressing that part of it up. They’re weapons first and foremost. But if the intention is to cut something, then naturally, the Knight R&D department might be able to figure it out. After all, a blade of its durability should be able to channel something incredibly potent or tear through something with the requisite force. If it’s a solution, then figuring out the problem should surely be possible.

The only reason I can’t verbalize these thoughts is the shift in Akarana’s gaze as I speak, directed towards something behind me. I’ve been on edge for this entire conversation—if he’s truly being targeted, not even here, right in front of me, is safe. It’s an unpleasant thought, but there’s no reason not to assume the worst. Assuming the worst gives me a chance to save his life.

"Ah, I see someone is already in here visiting~ My, my, you sure are popular with women, Lloyd~"

"Back to your first question... This one might be a good guess on my part. Then again, she might just be here to harass me."

"Now now, that's no way to talk to your dearest older sister Lloyd. Especially after I came all this way to visit you in jail-! You were always a troublemaker, but being this much of a bad egg... I'm a little disappointed, but big sister loves you anyway~"

Does this family revel in being obviously two-faced or something? It makes me absolutely sick. I’m an only child, but seeing this exchange would have convinced my younger self to drop the wish of having siblings in a heartbeat.

Aster: I’m paging Laplace. This bitch goes on the list.

Agreed.

It is at these times I thank Serena Mikazuki’s painful but ever-so-important PR lessons. This smile, relaxed and comfortable for the cameras, couldn’t possibly leave my face. There’d have to be an actual crime for that, but honestly, this woman’s presence might as well be a criminal offense of some sort.

“Do you mind leaving? Lloyd Akarana here is currently undergoing questioning. I understand that as a member of his family, you have the right to see him, but you’re currently interrupting a case investigation being done by the Knights of the Round. If you could wait a bit, it’d be much appreciated.” I give her a “sympathetic” look and hope she takes the hint. “I apologize for the inconvenience.”

What worries me is that the guards let her in without any hassle. If proper protocol was followed, I’d definitely have enough time to conduct this talk, so…

Just how many people here are paid off? And if I leave, is that it for Mr. Akarana?

I can only hide my frustration. If I let anything slip… I can’t say how bad things could be, but I absolutely refuse to let a death happen on my watch.

[Tobias]

DTG
??? Sea ~ ???
Tuesday ~ ???

I gotta learn to mind my yap...

There was quite a bit to unpack about what just happened. The digital sea...and indeed he himself, had solidified in a dramatic fashion. In the real world, such a feat of alteration would be comparable to Wishing Star, the rarest of knight abilities where the dreams and hopes for a hero could manifest a new reality, culmination of the world egg principle. Being composed of data, alterations within the computational world were easier. Because data could be altered with the right program, even massive amounts of data could be appropriately shaped given the right computation.

That said...easier did not mean "easy". He too probably could have achieved something like this, but it would have taken some work. He would have had to excise extemporaneous data, refine the signal, and then make several guesses about the Burroughs A.I.'s internal structure in order to "solidify" her the way she had him. the way that she had done it...seemingly on a whim suggested either a massive advantage in programming affinity....and he was a support COMP so this was within his skill set... or even more interestingly, perhaps some kind of innate affinity for the informational Sea allowing her to manipulate it with a natural grace.

There was a third option. That he had actually been brought from the neutral zone of their meeting to a new node actually within her own computational structure. That would explain the level of natural control.

Anyway, she was showing off. For some reason, no accounting for taste, she had taken a shine to him. The DTG could analyze data at least enough to see that. This sort of action was similar in premise to a little girl doing a hand stand while yelling "look at me uncle!"

Of course, in a minute he was going to have to use an entirely to real tongue to try to consume an egg fried in coffee. Frikken kids. It was an expression!

"My user? Don't get me started kid. He is a nance of a knight and no mistake. Any time he starts singing when he should be fighting I wanna slap burlap over my mush soes nobody can see i'm with him."

The older detective sighed.

"Well, the rookie has heart, i'll give him that. It ain't fun to get hurt, and he has been sliced up, burnt, dunked on, popped with any ruscoe magic or mundane you could think of and somehow 'e never stops smiling. I'll never teach him to make a deduction, not in a grand of calendars. But I can do that for him. When you got a user kid, what it comes down to is what you both want to do, and what you don't want to do. I want to solve crimes, put folks in bracelets who need to go in stir. The flatfoot wants to make people feel like they can do more, be better if they just try a bit harder. Come down to it, I can listen to some of his croon'n for that, even if he would look and sound better with a sock stuffed in his craw."

At that, the artificial intelligence that went by the acronym DTG fixed the exuberant child with a look.

"As for other A.I....well kid, when it comes down to it, we are aren't on the square, savvy? Folks like us have powers what humans could work for a grand shimmy and never get. Just part of whats makes us on the skinny. But how we are made ain't whats what in the end, its who we wanna be. Take that gumshoe you met the other day. Quiet as a two day stiff most days. But he would take a bullet for that dame of his. If I had to take a swing, I think he believes she could really be a hero. A real looky twist if she just lives through a few more years. Gets through a few fights and learns not to be such a round heel. So he makes himself someone that can keep her out of the ole wooden kimono no matter what. He is good people."

At that the microphone A.I. cocked an eyebrow.

"how's about you dollface, got good people in your life? Hope so."

[Spinach]

Hyakka Onjouji
Neo Aoyama, City Center (Simulation)
Monday ~ Morning

"Crush my dreams…"

Those words ran right through Hyakka Onjouji like a lance. In just one moment talking to this man it was as though he had seen much more than who she was, heard more than she had ever said.

"Yes. That is what I should do, isn't it?"

That simple solution he offered her, it felt like something she always knew she had to do. But it was the first time hearing it in words.

"Ehehe, saying it out loud, it sounds quite villainous. You're very wise, Belial-sensei, but it's worrying how easily you can say something like that."

Something from beyond peered out from behind the starlit red eyes of the small girl. Underneath the sincerity of that smile, something that couldn't be perceived, but surely felt. It looked upon this peculiar moment, finding this single instance in time and space worthy of observation.

That is all it did.

Observe.

"I see why the others call you sir."

"..."

With a blink, the stare was broken. Hyakka Onjouji alone smiled through those eyes, whatever had spied in on the moment had departed.

"I will stick with sensei. You never introduced yourself as a teacher, but you have the bearing of a teacher." She tilted her head. "And I should apologize for saying you sound villainous. Especially when you were trying to help me."

She lowered her head.

"I hope you'll continue to guide me."

[Rafflesiac]

Logan Starbright
SLEIPNIR - Medical Bay
Tuesday - Afternoon

Logan twirled Amelia in his pocket, his gaze boring a hole through the silent captive.

This is taking too long. Isn’t he cutting-edge, why is he taking so long to access this information? Surely he’s not holding back now, right? So tell me, load the data, access the files, tell me what happened to my sister.

"...I'm afraid I cannot say."

“What do you mean you ca-”

"I was not present for her recruitment, I was merely told of it before meeting her. At least... That is what my uncorrupted memory files seem to indicate, I suspect that a kill-switch for important data was triggered upon my capture. This many errors is abnormal... I apologize."

Dammit. It makes sense, there had to be a way to prevent a vulnerable operative from talking, and it does explain a little more why Sarah was so unconcerned with recovering Omega, but still!

"As for the Administrator... I was never able to meet them in person. All orders were conveyed to me through a third party, however, I am aware of a code-name that they often used, or rather..."

Honestly, Logan hadn’t expected his second question to bear fruit. Even so, it wasn’t until Omega’s next words that his jaw unclenched and his grip on Amelia loosened.

"I am aware that the others referred to the Administrator as the "Messiah," as of now I am uncertain, but it is possible they viewed the Administrator in a religious light?"

“The Messiah…”

: Oh god of highly questionable supreme status, not another cult.

: Even if he’s only one among many, a god is still a god. Though I really hope this ‘Messiah’ isn’t a bona fide deity.

: Do you think he throws concerts like that Japanese goddess? Actually, wait, Logan; what if he makes his underlings wear those goofy coats like Yanma’s fanboys do? You think Omega did one of those synchronized dances? Or Sarah?

A laugh rumbled through Logan’s diaphragm up his esophagus toward his mouth, where it encountered his self-control and engaged in mortal combat, finally escaping as a hacking cough.

"If I may, I have another inquiry of my own. I am aware I am being held due to the crime of assault on this ship's residents, however, since I have confirmed your status as humans, I am prepared to work alongside you to make up for my previous crimes... Do you think they would allow me to do so?"

Logan straightened and exhaled. “That’s not up to my discretion. The Commander would make that decision. As to whether or not she would…” He looked down at an empty hand. “Rothschild is a place that demands perseverance, penitence, and power. As long as you possess those, then you have a chance for redemption.”

[Satehi]

Eva Ellet
Airport
??? - Morning

Nakamura Megumi.

One of the “Big Three” creators of COMPS, and the creator of the first “Anti-Spirit Suppression Weapon”.

There are some who say she could be considered a grandmother to those who exist today- while I wouldn’t go that far, she is certainly a person that I would like to talk with at least once in my life. A part of it is just that she is a celebrity whose work has directly impacted my life, but also... there are a lot of things in my life I feel unsure about. Although I doubt whether it would really work, she feels like a natural choice for someone who might be able to help- perhaps even the only choice, given the current state of affairs, but...

“…”

Looking at the sea of people before me, it doesn’t seem like any of that will be happening. A gross miscalculation on my part, on account of how famous such a person might be.

Sighing, I debate between waiting just to catch a glimpse, or to cut my losses and head back, but before I can come to a decision…

"I didn't mean to bump into you," speaking respectfully, the woman's apology is sincere, "I didn't expect this place to be so crowded... Is this group waiting for Nakamura-san?"

“Ah, no, don’t worry about it.” My condition isn’t poor enough that a light impact like that could throw off my stability- it barely does a thing. “I was distracted as well, and besides, I am tougher than I look. If anything, you should be more concerned for yourself. And as for the crowd…”

To be honest, it’s still surprising to me even after watching it in action, so I can only respond with a little bit of hesitation.

“I believe they are indeed here for Nakamura-san… she’s somewhat enigmatic, so it seems like getting to meet her in person is a rare event.”

Having never been familiar with celebrity circles, the sight makes me feel like a frog leaving the well- seeing a side to the world I never knew about. I hear that for members of the other organizations, like the famous Knights, such a welcome might not even be unusual… I’m not too sure how to feel about that.

Thinking about it further, a different but related striking thought occurs to me.

“Wait. You also knew that Nakamura-san was coming here so…”

I give a glance at the flight gate I think she exited from once more, before staring back at the stranger and giving voice to a question that I would have only moments prior found completely unbelievable.

“C-could it be… that you traveled via plane all this way just to see her?”

[Airen]

Eva Ellet
Airport
??? - Morning

"Well... There are certainly easier ways for me to see her, but yeah, I guess you could say I did."

Chuckling to herself, as if she found the way you had asked that question somewhat funny, the woman takes a moment to shift the weight of the single bag on her back.

"I mean planes are a bit slower than the Pulse Network, but they're still pretty decent methods of transport. You can read a book on the way over, or take one of the expensive flights and have a five star meal-! Being shot down a leyline only to come out the other end potentially nauseous for an hour or two just isn't as fun, you know? If it's not an emergency I'll always take the slower paths, life's not a race."

So saying, she puts her arms on her hips and leans forward slightly with one eye closed, a flicker of mischief crossing her face...

"Besides, Nakamura-san has a habit of going around crowds. Even with this many people here, she'd still find some way to sneak past. Heck, she's probably already made her way here... She was due to arrive around 11, right?"

Showing a bizarre amount of knowledge on the mysterious celebrities whereabouts, the woman's intelligent gaze shifts from you to the distant exit as her voice drops to a whisper.

"In fact, I can basically guarantee it... Although if we move quick, you might be able to catch up with her. You look like you've got some questions you wanna ask, so I'll help you out a bit, mkay?"

So saying...

The woman starts walking into the distance, pace slow enough that you could follow along after her...

If you so chose...

[Airen]

Ayra Lilygrove
Avalon - Detention Center
??? - Noon

"Hmmm..."

Rather than give you an answer right away, the first thing the woman does is simply stare at you with thoughtful eyes, making a light humming sound to herself as if she was a computer processing some sort of request.

"And you are... Ayra Lilygrove. One of the Knights. I thought you looked familiar... Oh my, he really does have good luck with women, how shameless~"

It's certainly the voice of an older sister, teasing to a degree, but...

---Even as an only child, you can tell that it's 'wrong' somehow. It's unclear if the woman has actually come here with the intent to harm her brother or not, but whatever it is she's up to...

It just... Feels wrong...

But...

"Well, I suppose if a cutie Knight is asking me to leave I should obey. It's a bit of a shame, but this is the mess you made for yourself little brother, I can't dig you out of it too easily it seems."

Surprisingly... She just seems to relent in the face of your request, or rather...

While her words imply she might rebel against that sort of command under different circumstances, she doesn't really need to do so right now...

"I'm not one for causing a big scene after all, so please bear with it for awhile little brother. Ms. Knight, please don't torment him too much with your questioning, I've seen his medical reports, he's... Somewhat fragile at the moment. If you hurt him, I might get really upset~"

A concerned smile, and then a little wave of all of her fingers...

Accompanies her exit from the room, a pull-back of silver hair that you don't trust until she doesn't reappear for more than a minute...

"...Seems it was more harassment this time than cleaning up loose ends. She's normally more stubborn than that, so I suppose she's just here to taunt me. I've lost the family game, after all..."

Saying so lightly, the silver-haired man...

Had broken out in a light sweat nonetheless.

[Katie]

Ayra Lilygrove
Avalon - Detention Center
??? - Noon

"Well, I suppose if a cutie Knight is asking me to leave I should obey. It's a bit of a shame, but this is the mess you made for yourself little brother, I can't dig you out of it too easily it seems."

Ugh, gross. Being called cute by a woman like this… really grinds my gears. It’s like I’m being toyed with. Maybe she really does have absolute control over the situation and there really is nothing I can do about it…

Aster: Does this count as sexual harassment?

Probably not…

"I'm not one for causing a big scene after all, so please bear with it for awhile little brother. Ms. Knight, please don't torment him too much with your questioning, I've seen his medical reports, he's... Somewhat fragile at the moment. If you hurt him, I might get really upset~"

“He’ll be fine,” are the words that immediately leave my lips. What does she think I’m going to do? I understand that his head is currently struggling to recollect some things, certainly, but I wouldn’t try to purposely cause him harm. All people and demons deserve basic dignities… though I suppose someone like her wouldn’t be able to understand that in the slightest.

She leaves the room, and I suppress the urge to let out a sigh of relief. I might be being watched… but then again, this questioning would already be compromised if that was the case, so it wouldn’t matter. Still, no reason to push my luck.

"...Seems it was more harassment this time than cleaning up loose ends. She's normally more stubborn than that, so I suppose she's just here to taunt me. I've lost the family game, after all..."

While I’d like to see if I can jog his memory about Maken, I think this is probably a more fruitful topic. A key to the gates of a family conspiracy is more important than discerning the value of a weapon, I’d think.

“Family game?” While he already hinted to the likes of it during his rant before he donned that experimental COMP, it’s good that I have the chance to be thoroughly informed about it.

Though… will something happen if he responds?

[Airen]

Amamiya Sho
Aoyama Gakuen - Dojo
??? - Morning

Psychologically speaking, the sheer amount of information the teachers have presented you with, as well as the circumstances in which they've presented it, have left most of the class mentally shaken, even if they don't realize it themselves-! By making it a race, they introduce the desire to move forward as fast as you possibly can or risk losing out to the others, but by making the pool of victors relatively large they also encourage people to group up with their friends, who should be nearby... At the same time...

They have also isolated the students into a single starting point, have put the idea of a race in their heads, and given them just enough time to prepare to make a long-term plan difficult to form, especially considering the teachers have yet to take any tactical positions on the school grounds yet. Of course, standing as openly as they are in the dojo is just asking to be attacked early, but the moment Liane's voice reaches "five," and a number of errant spells rain down on the faculty from a joint student effort, the forms of herself and the other teachers turn to mist and fade on the wind, because...

"Fine by me. But in that case, you better not complain about your running speed-!"

They were never really here, rather, those illusions had been sent in their place, not just to waste the student's time, but...

---To show how well the teachers knew their thought patterns, or perhaps simply to give the illusion that the students had been out-thought to this degree, either way, it's a mental blow that shakes the already stressed mentalities of the students, and with no one being willing to just sit in the dojo and not join the class exercise, it becomes a charge for the doors that carries you along in it's wake-!

As far as the dojo went their were four entrances: the dual front and back doors, and the two singular side doors. Considering the amount of students packed into the place, as well as how poor your agility is, you get caught up in the wave of those tearing towards the front doors-! Out of all the exits it's probably the most obvious one to be attacked, and while Liane had said that the teachers wouldn't attack anyone that remained in the building, the feeling that you get from how she said it...

---Is that the moment you cross that door, you become a target; and indeed-

-there is no such thing as mercy here, in spite of how friendly the teachers tended to be in day-to-day school life.

Yes.

The moment you step outside into the dirt, or rather, the moment the wave of students pours out into the early afternoon sun, the glyph that had been traced beneath their feet, beneath the entirety of the dojo, lights up with a surge of spiritual power as it is activated by it's caster.

That's right.

This is the sort of trap that is designed to outright eliminate a number of competitors right at the start of the match, call it mean, but it is an attack that will get those who panicked and simply ran for the door without being truly ready for the obstacles that lie ahead-! Like how a sniper takes out it's target in but a single moment of weakness, so too does the first trap of the faculty move to claim all of the students right out of the gate-!

In terms of spells, it seems to be a simple geyser of spiritual power, enough to claim almost the entirety of the direct area around the dojo in azure light, but-!

Being Tamers, of course those who emerge will have been on their guard-!

For a lot of students the first move to make had been simple, to emerge from the dojo, see the situation outside, and then scatter throughout the grounds through the use of Flash Truth or other speed-type formulas-! It's a pragmatic move that serves both the self and the class, by splitting up into smaller groups, it may just be possible for the lucky ones to slip through while the unluckier students held the teachers off upon being confronted, but-!

For those whose first instinct is to dodge, to evade the problem entirely rather than weather the storm...

Today is just not their day.

"GAAAAHH-!"

Unlike many, you defend yourself at the flash.

An instinctive reaction born from years of combat experience, the moment the geyser erupts is the heartbeat after you have placed your shield in between yourself and the earth, the resulting eruption consuming a number of the class in it's light, whilst throwing you and many others -mostly those who managed to defend themselves- into the sky-!

---Naturally, 'that guy' is still there, riding a curtain of magical energy all his own; in the end, the speed of the events -as well as the interference of vanity step- had made it impossible for him to find a way for everyone to evade the initial strike, but it seems he had managed to save himself and a few others in spite of having to readjust his plans on the fly, still-!

Even with the sheer force of the strike being enough to launch people towards the heavens even if they block it, it's still the sort of spell that some Tamers could endure and keep going, and yet...

No one that was caught directly in it reappears, as a blast of electricity follows soon after the geyser, and the cause-!

"Hello up there! You guys have pretty good reactions!"

Is the school nurse?!

None of the others can be seen just yet...

Is this what Liane meant by it being an obstacle course...?

Irmina Von Einzbern. A bizarre woman that apparently came to Tokyo by falling out of the sky -a common enough phenomena for Tamers and the like- she is a bizarre teacher, someone who seems to find everything around her interesting, is perhaps a bit too fond of using giant needles in medical examinations, and who is quite proud of following the Hippocratic Oath, but-!

"No one's actually getting hurt, so I thought it might be fun to see if I still knew how to do this-!"

It seems she sees this sort of thing as a loophole?!

Electricity gathers at her fingertips as she casually shoots one of you down from the sky in a beam of electrical force, hand tracing the air as she picks out her next target, and...

Lands on you.

In that same instant...

"You can block this right?"

Shuichi appears at your back.

Having failed to save the others down below, and understanding why as many of them fell as they did, the youth asks a question that he doesn't actually care about the answer too, because-!

One arm has already grabbed your shoulder, as spiritual power pushes him -and consequently you- down like a meteor at the grinning nurse-!

He was already intending on using you to stop her and save the others -even if only momentarily- regardless of whatever your intentions had been-!

Yes...

Was the plan...

To use you like a mobile shield and just force your way through her magic?!

[Satehi]

Eva Ellet
Airport
??? - Morning

Even though I was the one who asked, her confirmation is still quite surprising to me.

It’s not really much about the airplanes- that is quite reasonable. Although I’ve never really considered it before since it’s irrelevant to me, there certainly are advantages to flying conventionally over the Spirit Pulse for normal people. But to do all that to travel across the world in one just to catch a glimpse of someone…

The most logical conclusion I can come to is that this person…

...must be quite a fan of Nakamura Megumi.

"Besides, Nakamura-san has a habit of going around crowds. Even with this many people here, she'd still find some way to sneak past. Heck, she's probably already made her way here... She was due to arrive around 11, right?"

“That’s correct…”

Her advice about Nakamura’s habits only further solidifies my suspicions.

Yet at the same time it's become somehow even more unsatisfactory as an answer, not that I was ever too sold on it… I’ve only recently been forced to accept that the world is a much bigger place than I have previously thought, so I know I should keep an open mind for different possibilities. But no matter how dedicated, how would she know this while all the other people waiting don’t seem to have a clue…?

“How do you know all of this…?”

"In fact, I can basically guarantee it... Although if we move quick, you might be able to catch up with her. You look like you've got some questions you wanna ask, so I'll help you out a bit, mkay?"

Regardless-

“I-it would be very appreciated.”

As she starts walking, I take her up on her invitation and begin to follow.

-I can tell that if I want to meet with Nakamura-san, then hanging around this person is definitely the correct decision!

[Airen]

Ludwig Karlfeldt
SLEIPNIR - Brewed Awakenings (Rothschild Branch)
Wednesday - Evening

"My thoughts...?"

A sudden shift in the topic.

Having been perfectly content with listening to your ramblings -after all, she herself had offered to do so- you show a somewhat more troublesome aspect of your personality as you once again reflect the conversation back at her... Of course it is only natural, Anna is the sort of person that is hard to get into a casual scenario, and thus hearing her thoughts as a 'person' rather than as 'the SLEIPNIR's pilot' are somewhat more rare, so...

"Well, to be honest, I think it's probably gonna be a nice change of pace... Although I don't know how well our agents are going to be able to handle it."

...Since she had been asked, she might as well be honest about her answer.

"We're a bit more isolated than the other organizations, so most people can't help but think we look shady," stirring her coffee in an absentminded manner now, the girl continues with a slight frown, "We have a bit of a history with the SDCD, so everything should be fine with them... But opening up more amicable communication with the other two would be a good thing... I know Lady Adala's been looking for a chance to do something like this for awhile, so I'm really hoping things work out well for her sake..."

---While Adala was certainly good at gaining the loyalties of others, this felt like a more personal loyalty than a more professional one...

"As for the contents of the mission itself... The circumstances in the North are somewhat bizarre, but I don't believe the mission itself will be particularly difficult... We'll have a much larger number of field operatives than normal, so everything should go relatively smoothly... Really, I expect the hardest part for everyone will be trying to get along with each other."

A pause, then:

"That's the real goal behind this after all, to foster a better sense of global unity between Tamers. How do you feel about it? Nervous?"

A slight grin.

[Airen]

Blaise Pendragon
Aoyama - Abandoned Apartment Complex
??? - Morning

"...Yes. I suppose blood doesn't mean too much in the grand scheme of things."

---There's a bit of bitterness in that voice.

Turning away from the piano, a gaze that had been turned down at the keys coming up to stare at you as you quietly watched your own reflection, the woman lets you have your moment for a bit, the sound of rain rhythmically pelting the roof as the conversation continues along it's somber path, but...

While she can certainly agree with those words -even if she can't see the image you see in that twisted window- there is still something that this person cannot let you get away with, namely...

"...I might be in my forties, but I still look young, I can wear a high-school uniform if I want to."

...While she does curse her body in some ways, this is the one and only benefit that she can really get behind, as a result...

She can't just let that sort of comment pass-!

"The one perk this body has is eternal youth. Why can't I take advantage of it? Is it wrong to dream?"

Every question is punctuated with her taking a step closer to you.

Naturally, with your back already against the wall...

Retreating is a little difficult...

[Airen]

Hyakka Onjouji
Neo Aoyama, City Center (Simulation)
Monday ~ Morning

"...Hmph."

Having said what he had wished to say, the crimson-haired man ultimately turns away from you with a simple grunt of affirmation, the world around you beginning to break down as the simulator goes through the process of bringing you back to 'reality.'

"Like I said, call me however you'd like... If you see me as a teacher, then so be it. I won't stop you."

Of course, it is natural for this man to sound like a villain, and he has no desire to have anyone believe otherwise, or rather... From the start, he is not someone that normally cares about the opinions of other people in the first place, so whether you complimented him or not was irrelevant, yes...

While he is a prince of hell, his current self is something of an ally to humanity, therefore...

"Just don't lose that drive when things get difficult. Hard work and guts."

Supportive things like this slip out sometimes, even if he'll never really acknowledge them as such...

Yeah.

The world falls to pieces, revealing a laughing class helping each other off of the ground, a peaceful blue sky, and that man's back, walking into the distance towards Saki Ryuumonbuchi...

"Come on then, this is your life now. Prepare to struggle endlessly."

---

---What a bizarrely honest, dishonest person.

Hyakka has entered Free Phase (Off Screen)
Length of Free Phase: Seven Days
5 AP is available. 2 EP are also available, but cannot be spent until Free Phase (On Screen)

[Verg Avesta]

Blaise Pendragon
Aoyama - Abandoned Apartment Complex
??? - Morning

"The one perk this body has is eternal youth. Why can't I take advantage of it? Is it wrong to dream?"

Blaise felt awkward beads of sweat run down his forehead as he was forced against the wall, retreating along with every step that Tsukiko - looking surprisingly scary for some reason - took. He... he hadn't exactly this sort of response, though what sort of response he had expected, even he himself didn't know. But now that that he was in this situation, with his back against the wall in an empty, old, abandoned house, there was precious little he could do...!

--- For a moment, he felt like booking it just like he had with the school doctor.

But in this case, even if he felt a clear sense of danger, this was Tsukiko... and in all honesty, she deserved a proper response. To know why Blaise had even commented like that in the first place.

"Hmm, well..." Blaise murmured, trying to ignore what he was pretty sure was Kaguya cackling in the back of his mind.

The blonde boy folded his arms across his chest, trying to put his thoughts into words. This wasn't the first time he had said something like this. In fact, it was an usual argument he had with his sister, who tended to act just like she did when she was 20-ish, even though her mental age was the almost the double of that. With his sister, the conversation often veered into a physically-dangerous territory (especially thanks to her Persona), which meant that Blaise could never properly explain why he said something like this.

So, in a way... wasn't this a perfect chance?

To explain why he felt this way?

"Well, I dunno about dreams, but..." Blaise started, rubbing his chin in thought while trying to properly phase his words. "Beauty that comes youth is fleeting, right? It's something we can all take advantage for a while when we're young, and then it's gone. But even if your body stays young, your mind won't, at which point it starts to feel a bit fake. Your actions don't match your appearance, and it comes across as phony. And, more than that..."

Blaise tried to think of a proper gesture, but the only thing he could do in the end was to shrug.

"... Us teenagers are idiots. I figure you're old enough that you don't deserve to be treated like one," Blaise continued. "It'd just feel rude. Nothing wrong with growing older, because trying to act you haven't is just doing disservice to yourself. Thinking that there's something wrong with being an adult is... I dunno, I feel it's actually a pretty childish thing to do. And I figure people who've lived long like you deserve better."

Blaise concluded by putting his hands on his hips and nodding with clarity. He was finally putting into words what he had wanted with his sister, but always got interrupted by physical trauma or getting punished for bringing it up again. In a way, it was rather refreshing. That's why he flashed a hint of a smile to Tsukiko.

"Plus... you're plenty pretty and smart already. Why act and dress like a teenager when you no longer have to? That's just a downgrade to who you really are."

Yeah. That was pretty much it.

[Airen]

Mokujima Chris
Aoyama Gakuen ~ S.O.S Club
??? - Afternoon

"No problem."

The small smile never wavers.

While doing this kind of socializing still isn't your strongest suit, it seems that the ever valiant senpai is being just as understanding as ever when it comes to your sincere attempts at it.

"It's good to see you're still up and about," spinning in his office chair to face you, the youth accepts the donuts with a casual eagerness, the mild-mannered -but fast- way he moves to eat one hinting at a youth that had probably skipped today's breakfast, "I've been doing a bit of research on this Sakurako case, so I figured it might be a good idea to go over it together."

---While you could have probably made a guess from the notes on the board, it seemed that he has taken on her disappearance as one of the Club Cases... Of course you didn't ask him to do so, and it was unlikely that Daisuke had either, no...

This was probably something...

That he had just decided to do completely on his own in order to help you...

"Shadow Possession isn't my forte of course, so I had to do a bit more preparatory research," his voice taking on the tutor-esque quality it does when speaking with his fellow classmates, the boy turns back towards the board, "I haven't found much more about her case specifically, but I think going over the general details of her affliction might be a good refresher course-"

An energetic gesture towards the board with one arm, an attempted point at the words at the top...

Causes a brief flicker of a shudder to run down his body, along with a sharp intake of breath as if something had just hurt him; it's one that he suppresses almost immediately, so fast that you almost think you've imagined it, but there is certainly some sort of white cloth (a bandage?) beneath his usual black jacket and shirt, and...

"Shuichi..."

A warning voice, from the hologram of a woman that has suddenly appeared at his side.

"I'm fine."

His answer is automatic.

...And surprisingly piercing.

[Airen]

DTG
??? Sea ~ ???
Tuesday ~ ???

Even her listening is overwhelmingly enthusiastic.

Continuing to bounce silently in place as if she was a child that had been loaded up on sugar and caffeine, the younger A.I seems to blatantly suppress the urge to fire off more questions like a machine-gun, absorbing your opinions with such apt attention that it almost makes you feel self-conscious...

Of course, when you reach the end and ask for her opinion -perhaps in an attempt to keep the metaphorical dam from exploding- the sheer speed and intensity of her response is almost enough to knock you over by itself-!

"Good people...? Well, I don't have any people actually-!"

Although the answer is both surprising...

And somewhat sad, if also...

Bizarre?

"I've only ever received a single mission from my User, and I can't even remember what they look like," sharing information that is likely quite confidential, the girl's voice gets a bit conspiratory, whispering in spite of the fact that all of the shades here were just false existences and certainly couldn't actually hear her, "I'm supposed to gather information quietly until they call me back, you see? Not supposed to let anyone see me if I can help it-! At least, those were the instructions I found when I first woke up-!"

A pause, and then...

"So I just stayed in the background for awhile, but talking with others is so much more interesting-! I might have to do it more often! Do you think that's a good idea?"

[Bloble]

Mokujima Chris
Aoyama Gakuen ~ S.O.S Club
??? - Afternoon

"...mm. Thank you. I'm sure... it must've been a handful."

A short nod.

Mokujima Chris' reaction to Namasaki Shuichi's generosity is... understated, especially given the magnitude of his generosity in helping her of his own free will. She doesn't particularly react to Shuichi's explanation either, beyond nodding that she understands every so often. All in all, it's not the most gracious way to accept such an offer. But maybe that's just how she is?

"Yes... Shadow Possession... I know a bit, but... no details."

Chris is familiar enough with the condition, but only enough to identify it. She had scoured once upon a time through a vast number of possible explanations for the disappearance of her friend, and it had been one of them, among many. But had the Possession occurred after the disappearance, or before? Was it the Master's doing, or had it been there even earlier, nibbling away at Sakurako's sanity from the beginning? She isn't aware enough of the condition's epidemiology to say conclusively...

As he raises his hand to point out what he has written on the board, Namasaki Shuichi winces, and Chris is able to glimpse a flash of white under his shirt before he straightens.

"I'm fine."

His words are as quick as they are forceful, an instant attack to put a lid on the discussion before it has a chance to begin.

"Mhm."

A measured nod.

Mokujima Chris accepts those words the same way she had accepted the others, even though they are completely different.

"Chris..."

Echoing the other COMP, Daisuke starts to speak up... before quieting down. As 'young' as he is, he can still feel the atmosphere of the room. When someone as mature as Shuichi says he's fine, then it's probably best to leave him alone... is his conclusion. No, rather, it's the conclusion that most would arrive at.

After all, this is Namasaki Shuichi. He's the ever-reliable senpai that everyone counts on. If he says something, then it'll be done. If he makes a claim, it's probably going to be correct. So... there's no reason to doubt his words. It would be best to just let him keep going. Even if it's a wound, it's probably not serious, and he'll certainly shake it off...

Except.

Except, Mokujima Chris' mouth has straightened into a tight line.

"...very well. But, 'Sempai', I'm not fine."

In the height of rudeness, Chris casually strolls over the line that has just been drawn by her host.

"Daisuke, talk to the nice lady." Her mental words are more of a command than a suggestion. Daisuke can only sub-vocalize a nervous "yes ma'am" before sending a request for digital communication to Shuichi's COMP.

"Sorry." The apology is delivered in the usual monotone, yet for some reason it doesn't feel like one.

"You're... pretty amazing.

Acting

Being

tough like that." It's certainly praise, but... is it?

"But. I'm not. Amazing." Is it stuttering? She's definitely having trouble stringing a full sentence together, however...

"So, sorry. I can't pretend, that I'm not worried." Rather, hasn't she been walking forward this entire time, even while apologizing?

"Mr. Namasaki." Chris says, switching back to the more formal pronunciation of his name even as they are closer than is comfortable. "For the sake of calming those worries, and continuing on... please let me see."

"...mm."

A slow nod.

"Otherwise, even with your amazing reassurances, I'll be too distracted to pay attention."

[Tobias]

DTG
??? Sea ~ ???
Tuesday ~ ???

It was around this time a nebulous waitress brought by the order. And he was just as unlucky as he thought he was going to be. Ironically the blend itself wasn't bad. It was one of Brewed Awakenings most popular beverages as it was a bit of a snob blend, the type someone drank so they could talk about drinking it.

Raz did not mind it, matter of fact, neither did the DTG, but there were better options. The older man assumed it had been produced as his order because Burrough's had pulled the list of top sellers and just chosen number one. Just went to show you that coffee shops tended to have a lot of coffee snobs in them. Go figure.

The beverage in question was called "Blue Mountain." The coffee was developed in a specially developed mountain area that had practically been rebuilt from the ground up in order to produce he right atmospheric conditions, and the beans themselves had gone through generations of patient bio-development to produce the quintessential cup of coffee.

Famous for a pure coffee taste without the slightest bitterness, Blue Mountain was most noted for its utter absence of the usual complimentary flavors one would find in coffee. Normally through the patient development of sugars in the bean, good coffee would have notes of other flavors. Sweet flavors like raisin or current, earthy tones, even a pleasant chocolaty flavor could be evoked from a good bean. Blue Mountain however went entire the other direction, having been developed to embody the purest coffee flavor imaginable. Naturally it was assumed it would be imbibed black, else what was the point, or so the thinking went.

Coffee snobs therefor enjoyed expressing their enjoyment of the blend due to the lack of secondary aspects. Coffee snob gonna coffee snob.

With that in mind, the DTG was sure he could have drawn a few snooty if surprised look as he took another sip of his unlucky brew. Unlucky because there was an honest to god half cooked fried egg just hanging out of his cup. He had hoped...not expected mind, but hoped that when Burrough's had said she was getting him "eggs in the coffee" that she would at least do it right, by cracking the egg and simply tossing the yolk and all in. This was a high calorie meal primarily served to the under privileged and could actually be quite delicious.

However the Burroughs system, who appeared to be making use of guess work and basic pre-indexed information to interact with him had simply done what sounded natural. She had literally just put cooked eggs in coffee.

Eh, whatever. The DTG thought, using his lips to peel away a bit of the egg white and chewing while sipping at the dark liquid. While unpleasant to look at, He still could at least identify the basic ingredients, and while combined oddly, the coffee was good and the egg wasn't expired or burned. Sharing senses with a certain singing knight meant the DTG had to experience every meal Raz distractedly cooked for himself when it was 4 AM, he had just finished weapons training or patrol and felt like writing some music before bed.

When that certain bard just whipped something up because it was faster then going out to eat, the DTG usually tried hard not to think about whatever expired ingredients Raz had dumped in a pot, and tried to boil, or tossed in an oven or pan. It was only though the magical protections Avalon had specifically built into his room that prevented another incident like what happened with the pancakes.

Mother fucker burned half his room down making pancakes.

PANCAKES.

And when the fire brigade had responded to the DTG's alert, Raz was sitting there with a freaking live ass uncontrolled fire behind him hunched over a desk writing. The microphone had hoped he would get a talking to about such but the kid had offered a sincere thank you, batted his eyes, and every one of the rescue crew walked away starry eyed and like as not hoping to be on call for the next fire just to see him again.

Take that level of ineptitude as well as the fact that when not an active hazard, Raz Stone had an uncanny ability to make food that was somehow simultaneously burned yet ice cold, and...

"Thanks kid. It's not bad". The older detective said, quite honestly, while she chattered happily at him.

However, as she spoke...a definite shadow crossed the eyes of the microphone's A.I.

When she asked his opinion on her actions, there was a fairly significant gap in the discussion as he stared at her, his expression unreadable.

"Kid...can i rephrase what I just heard? Tell me if I am right or breaking the nut here," The old man said, stopping to light a cigarette, using his hands to block the flame emanating from his old zippo.

After puffing a few times, aiming the smoke cloud away from the younger girl, he let the cigarette hang between his fingers.

"You are telling me, you, as a lil' bird, woke up, you don't know who your user is, you don't know where she is, probably don't even know where you physically are, were given a mission without a defined purpose with an end goal you weren't put wise to, with an undefined time of duty?"

..."yeah, kid, I'll tell you this, you do need to be talking to someone. Probably another COMP, one who has stomped a lot of dirt ideally. Maybe someone who can't let things go, likes sticking his beezer into things likely to get his craw shot off."

"Wonder where you would find the ole goofy goose then. Here."

At that, the older A.I. pulled a ratty walled out of his even rattier overcoat. When he opened it, a freedom seeking moth took off for computational skies. He removed a non laminated card from the billfold, and offered it to the white haired girl.

The card was a manifestation of a contact program. Its effects were subtle. It wouldn't be enough on its own to physically locate the Burroughs's hard system. He did that for a reason. Judging from the fact that she could not remember her user, this suggested parts of her memory had been erased or sealed, likely to prevent her from talking about him or her. When her mission was complete, it was possible her system would be investigated and dangerous extemporaneous programs would be deleted.

So he needed something small and subtle enough to escape scrutiny. the card would hopefully evade notice, and also provide a way for her to remember and contact him, even if they wiped her memory of her conversations with him. With care he could potentially speak with her as well. There was also a short wave tracking frequency that, were the pair to enter the general vicinity of each other, they would likely be able to detect each other. If the DTG ever learned where to search, it would likely be possible to pin down Burroughs position.

it meant something to offer it, one COMP to another. Linking their protocols in this fashion would create a connection. That was after all the point. To put it another way, it was...

The offering of a Bond.

"Here's my card kid. I guess..."

There was words for a detective that were almost to the level of crystallized miracle. The only destiny interference allowed to an old, jaded man.

"...I'll take the case."