Fortissimo EXS // Trigger: Verzweiflung (IC thread)

**hero** · August 15th, 2012, 04:46 PM

Nakamura Shinji
Starlight Academy - Rooftop - Evening

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Yoshiota Chisato was mad.

But she wasn't as mad as she was confused. Who the flying fuck was The Raven? Why had he or she had done this to her? How did that person know everything that had happened? Did he or she use cameras? If so, where were they? Was she being watched? And right now, she was supposed to go to the rooftop to settle a score?

What kind of cruel joke was this? This was the worst humiliation ever-!

"Ah... Ah..." She breathed heavily. "I have to calm down... Think... Think..."

Chisato was very impulsive, but she was also quite smart. Nobody could get to where she was without a handful of brain cells. There was the possibility that The Raven had another trap ready waiting for her at the rooftop. So she had to think of a way to fool this person. Show why she was called a queen. But the more she tried to concentrate... The more she realized that she couldn't.

She was too angry.

Yoshiota Chisato looked back at what she had done, and regretted doing so. Not because she had choked someone to death, but because she had been foolish and had done so in front of everyone. Even if she could hide the body and convince everyone to shut up about it... It would simply not be the same. They would stare at her with the same eyes as today. She didn't want to admit it, but she knew that at this rate her kingdom wouldn't last for much longer.

---It was over.

All that effort for nothing.

"I am going to kill you..."

Walking up the stairs. Running up the stairs.

"I AM GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU-!"

*Swoosh*

And, as an answer to those intense feelings, the world around her changed completely

-------

... Everything was absurdly quiet.

What had happened? Out of nowhere the rooftop had gone completely silent. Even the wind made no sound as it pushed against your back. And the orange gleam of the sun in the evening had been painted blue in color. Whatever it had been, it did not matter, because you were not allowed to even think about it.

Because, before you could even move a finger, something flew through the rooftop at the speed of light. No, because of how fast it moved the only thought that crossed your head was that you were dealing with a projectile. You couldn't be any further from the truth.

"Nakamura?!"

A normal human would have died instantly, victim to that merciless sneak attack. But Nakamura Shinji was a Magus, and a Magus that, just like Yoshiota Chisato, specialized in Speed. That's why you had managed to dodge to the side just in time to save your life. You had not been fast enough to avoid the attack completely, but at least the damage was not as severe as it could have been. Holding your bloody shoulder with one hand, you stared back at your attacker, who was just at surprised to see you up here as you were about her being a Magus.

Nakamura Shinji has taken 60 HP damage.

"SHINJI 'FOUR EYES' NAKAMURA?!"

The queen of Tsukuyomi-jima let out a crazy laugh -one filled with frustration-, as more and more killing intent flowed out of her...

And out of her jet-black spear.

****

Spoiler:

**hero** · August 15th, 2012, 09:04 PM

Reynard Everheart
Milky Way - Eyespace

"Tempest of Tir Na Nog."

Just an instant before the attack hit its target, everything in Sawai Mihou's immediate range was instantly cut in half, and your magical bullet was no exception. However, as 'Aura Bullet' was not just an ordinary shot, it had at least managed to last a split of a second longer than anything else that had been hit. You had no doubts, the girl had used no magic, it had been nothing more than a superb demonstration of her physical abilities. If you had to guess, you would say that she had slashed the air around her many times in rapid succession, creating a good defense and a perfect counter-attack. Had you been a melee fighter... Well, you didn't really know how you would have ended, but 'dead' was one of the most likely candidates. Now, you had to face the reality before you. Your attack had been blocked and the girl stood there without a scratch.

Sawai Mihou has taken 0 HP damage.
Fragarach has taken 80 WHP damage.

---But that was not important.

Because blocking a rune like 'Aura Bullet' accomplished nothing. Indeed, because a Magical Weapon was essentially part a Magus and was fueled by their own Mana, the target did not matter in the slightest. Any penalty enforced on the Magical Weapon would be passed on to its owner-!

"... I see." The girl nodded as if to acknowledge that she had been 'hit' by said attack. "So that is Aura Bullet..." Something in the way she said it told you that there would be no need for to explain its effects in detail. Somehow, this girl already knew. "A rune that interferes with the flow of Mana of the target, increasing their costs by approximately 20%. If I am within the range of you 'Mana Interference Aura', any magical ability that I activate will consume 30% more Mana." She said, as if spoken from memory. "... I'd like you to show me more. Show me something new."

Now that you thought about it, she was a lot less scary when she didn't talk...

---Mana Inefficiency Aura---

An aura that makes anybody in the immediate area (fighting range) be less able to control their Mana, requiring them to use more MP for Runes and Abilities, as well as Last Resorts. Rei can fold his aura into a bullet which causes a target hit by it to experience a more focused version of its effects - decreasing their ability to use Mana even further.

"... I will show you one of mine first. Fragarach..." She pointed her sword at you. "Retaliate."

---The effect was instantaneous.

You felt no pain at all. But that was only because your body was not what had been hit.

Acala has taken 80 WHP damage.

"... You barely know this man. Why do you put your life at risk for him?"

Returning to a more relaxed stance, the girl asked a single question.

And you felt obligued to answer.

--------

Spoiler:

**hero** · August 16th, 2012, 10:41 AM

Lucille Fairiday (KT)
Port - Evening

Well, you should have seen this coming.

With your clothes so wet that anyone could see right through, it was only natural for the people at the port to stare. It was disappointing that there was not a single gentleman among them, as no one even bothered to help you out. Was this the same Tsukuyomi-jima you used to know? Where everyone knew and helped each other? Something had changed within the island...

On the bright side, no pervert had dared to make a move.

You couldn't help but to think back to what the voice had said. The ritual, the hunt, the prize. You had thought of the voice as annoying, but you had believed its every word. Maybe because hope and love were stronger than anything else; or maybe just because there had been no reason for it to laugh. Out of all the participants, no matter how many, you were sure that the one with most chances to win was you. After all, you already knew what was going to happen. Only three people including you had been summoned to Wonderland, and the voice had said that you had been selected because of 'Your willingness to kill anybody for your wish'. In other words, those who had not been summoned were not, and it was possible that confusion would spread when the whole thing started.

---Right now, Ragnarok had three potential candidates for the ultimate wish: Kubo Naoya, Katsurimi Haseno and Lucille Fairiday.

If you managed to kill the other two, then your victory would be assured. And for that, you had been granted two major advantages: First, you had seen their faces. Second, there was someone out there willing to do the dirty work for you. Granted, you were supposed to be on the hunting list too, but unlike them, you would survive. Because you were naturally superior.

That was just how big your ego was.

...
......
.........?

It happened so suddenly, and so unexpectedly, that it took you a couple of seconds to realize that you were flying through the air. As you did, the world around you was engulfed in blue... But it didn't really matter, because the place where you were going was even bluer:

*Splash*

---You had been dragged back into the ocean.

Deeper.

Deeper.

Deeper.

This time it wouldn't be as easy to reach the surface.

And when you saw two red orbs light up in the bluish darkness, you realized...

That you would be the first of the three to be hunted.

**hero** · August 16th, 2012, 02:39 PM

Fukami Mikoto
Outside the Nakamura Residence - Eyespace

"No." Nakamura Hitomi shook her head. "Please don't think so lowly of me, Mikoto. I have something I want to protect, yes, but you are part of it. You are not a bad person so...

Don't worry. I won't ever raise my guns against you."

Standing next to you, the blue haired girl gave you a smile, as her eyes fixed on the only Magus there that she considered an enemy. Yes, if you were going to fight, you would fight together, as allies. Right now, however, you wanted to avoid a direct confrontation. If the problem could be solved with words alone, then there was no need to get agressive.

"You talk too much, brat, ya know that?" The man in black armor let out a half-annoyed sigh. "But it's fine. I can take a couple of minutes to give you my version of the story." He shrugged. "In a nutshell, we have been selected to participate in this shitty ritual. It's all against our will... I assure you. I don't want to have anything to do with this crap. But, as you can see, it's not like we can escape it. I've only been told a couple of rules, but basically, we are supposed to kill the designated target in order to return to the real world. And if we don't make it in time... We all die. You, me, the entire island, maybe? I am not sure." The man let out an ironic laugh. "... To be honest, I am not sure if it's all a sick joke or not, but as things are going, I am not taking any risks here, ladies. In a game of cooperation or betrayal, you always pick betrayal. It's always the most advantageous."

Everyone on the island would die. You could see those words had hit your partner hard, as she now bit her lip. And to be honest, they had affected you too. Wasn't there another way to prevent this tragedy than to fight?

The air was once again filled with killing intent, as you realized it wouldn't be possible to talk this person out of the decision he had made. No, even if you had met this man under different circumstances, you wouldn't have been able to cooperate either. He's the spirit that governs deception and brings only death and suffering. If you had to name him after a known figure, you would say that he is Cain, the first murderer-!

It was not just you, Hitomi had the same thoughts. But this time it was not exactly because you thought alike. It was different. It was as if just eyeing this person was enough to determine who he represented and why he should not be associated with. Yes, it was more than just a Magical Weapon. Murder Mark was a curse.

"As for your other question..." The man smiled wickedly. "It's all because of my ability, Black Bible. If I concentrate, I can 'read its records' and acquire information of anyone in the area. It isn't anything great, but with your codenames, it was enough. Izanami... The Fallen Mother... Makes some sense, no?" The man shrugged once more. "Granted, I could be totally wrong about it, but there is a big chance that you are the target, so there is no way I am going to let you walk out of this one alive."

"Those guns? Can't hurt me. That sword? Can't hurt me." The man cracked his neck. "Hell, I don't even know anything that can hurt me!"

Those words signaled the start of the battle. Cain punched the ground below his feet, causing a huge chunk of earth to rise. He quickly grabbed a hold of it and, without hesitation, threw it in your direction. Instead of blasting it down with her Magical Weapon, Hitomi moved to avoid the giant rock, aware that it was only supposed to work a decoy. She trusted you would reach the same conclusion and do the same.

You...

**MssrNeko** · August 16th, 2012, 03:25 PM

Nakamura Shinji
Starlight Academy - Rooftop
Evening

Events were transpiring quite differently then Raven had thought. Moments earlier, the world shifted into the "other world", the plane of existence where only he could roam. But to his surprise, Chisato arrived onto the rooftop and unleashed a ferocious attack. Thanks to his speed, Raven only sustained a minor wound. A few minutes and his body would close the hole in his shoulder. His full attention was on the girl ahead of him.

Yoshiota Chisato is a Magus.

There was no doubt about it; she had attacked him in a way only he or someone like them could survive. An unexpected variable...and if she was a Magus, then that would mean that their were others as well.

------A jet-black spear appears in the Queen's hand.

------Her face is contorted in rage and madness as a thick aura of death permeates from her.

Now was not the time for others, Raven had to concentrate on the threat ahead of him. If he didn't, he would die there and now.

"Nice to meet you too, Chisato-san." Despite all that happened, Raven greets her like a guest. "How wonderful of you to accept my invite. Although the surprise attack was quite unnecessary." Raven feels his body repair the damage caused by Chisato's attack. "I was hoping we could settle this with diplomacy, but alas..." The lean bespectacled youth reaches his hand forward. "It seems that negotiations have broken down."

"---GATE OPEN---"

"Return to me, Huginn and Muginn."

A cluster of magical energy swirls in his palm as it slowly forms into a weapon. From the void of existence, a firearm appears in the Raven's grasp. A firearm that had long been rendered obsolete, a long musket of antiquity. To Raven's distaste, his weapon was jet black as Chisato's spear. But the darkness was offset by several white parts and decorations. A striking contrast of blacks and white, with a simple motto on the barrel of the weapon: Knowledge is power. This is his symbol, his dreams and ambitions made reality. This Magical Weapon is what made him a Magus.

A small smile appears on his face but no emotion can be seen.

He knows what to do. Chisato's spear looked deadly but all he had to do was stay out its range and intercept her with shots. A game of keep away. Although, her speed was equal to his and she no doubt had several tricks hidden. Raven would deal with those as they came. If it came to it, he would just overwhelm her with his trump card.

"Think fast, Chisato."

The infomation of handling firearms and markmanship fills Raven's mind as he puts the stock of his weapon to his shoulder. With the pull of the trigger, Raven fires a burst of unstable black magical energy at Chisato's feet. As the bullet leaves the barrel, Raven takes off like lightning, jumping over the ledge onto the rooftop of the adjecant building. He had to keep as far he could to avoid her spear and for him to land his attacks.

--------
Regeneration
HP healed: 20

Raven Shot - Special AoE Effect
MP used: 5

Rune Revealed
Agilaz

Spoiler:

**Mereo Flere** · August 16th, 2012, 04:02 PM

Reynard Everheart
Milky Way - Eyespace

"... You barely know this man. Why do you put your life at risk for him?"

It was a simple question - yet at the same time Rei felt as though it was impossible to keep silent or outright lie. It wasn't something he really had a problem with answering, the thought that he was being forced to tell the truth, that there was no other option at all, was completely unnerving. But, he kept his cool, knowing that his composure might very well be the only thing standing between life or death.

"Why?" Rei replied, though even that little delay put pressure on him. "Because I can't just stand aside and watch a man die, when I don't even understand his crime. Because I haven't finished showing him around town, and I'd hate to break a promise. And because... maybe your heart isn't in it.

"If you had wanted to kill him, all you would have had to do was cut him down while you were still by our side," Rei explained, even as he kept his gun trained on the girl. "There was no reason for you to jump away, not with that sort of weapon. Oh, I think you'll still try to finish him off, and with your skills you'll certainly succeed... but if your heart isn't completely into it - if you don't have that sort of conviction, then there's no way I can let you kill. Nobody deserves to die such a casual death."

It was just a guess of course. There was no way to know for sure if he was correct. Maybe she had simply wanted to give them a chance to fight back - a honorable fight, or as close as you could get with such a large gap between them. Rei knew he was at a disadvantage, after all; no matter how you looked at it, the odds were simply against him right now. He had no idea who or what Mihou really was, while she seemed to be familiar with his runes. It was possible, of course, that she had an ability that could discern the skills of the opponent... but she seemed too familiar with it, and she had requested from him something she hadn't seen before. Of course, Rei wasn't sure if he had anything new to show her; for all he knew, she could be aware of all of his abilities already.

Mihou's stance hadn't just been for show, either. Though Rei could scarcely believe his eyes, the simple truth was that she had blocked his bullet - cutting his attack down as though it were nothing more than a paper plane. The one advantage he had, range, could be negated by that "Retaliate" ability - striking him regardless of distance. If he attacked recklessly, both of them would suffer the same damage.

He considered the possibility of running away - but there was no guarantee that would work. There were too many strange things about this world; for all he knew, she had created it, and would know where everything was. If that was the case, then they wouldn't be able to run or hide, and as for help Rei didn't know if there was anyone else in this world besides the three of them.

No. For now, it appeared that his best chance was to stand and fight her.

So what if she knew his abilities? So what if she could stop his attacks? So what if she returned all of his damage?

"My will to protect him, your will to attack," Rei said, as he shifted his aim a little. "Shall we see which one will falter first?"

He pulled the trigger. This time, his target was her weapon, Fragarach. From this moment on, he would gamble on the hope that he could destroy her weapon first, before she could destroy his.

XXX

Acala Barrage: 10 MP Spent, 100 Damage

Spoiler:

**Sei** · August 16th, 2012, 05:23 PM

Fukami Mikoto
Outside the Nakamura Residence- Eyespace

(BGM on)

I see. So someone is behind all of this after all. If I can really trust what this man has said, then this is all part of some wicked ritual designed to pit mages against each other. I can only imagine the amount of power a person like that would hold... Normally I would deny any part in something like this, but it really seems as if we have no choice. Outside of this 'arena', magical weapons can't be used. And once we are in this space, it's either the life of one or the lives of many. Truly a cruel game... Had this have been under different circumstances, I would gladly give my life if it would ensure the safety of the people on this island. But I can't... No... I mustn't give in to anyone's twisted whim. Furthermore, it's still unclear as to whether or not I truly am this 'fallen mother'. Though what the enemy has said is somewhat convincing, it's still only an assumption...

I've once again been ensnared by the claws of conflict. Though it's something I've always hoped to avoid, I have no choice but to fight. What's more, the weight of hundreds of lives have been placed on my back. Morally, I'm torn. If I fight, I could be denying everyone's right to live. If I don't, then I've forsaken all of the promises I've made over the years. Either I'm torn apart by my enemy, or I'm torn apart by myself. Truly, it's the worst kind of struggle.

At the very least, I can count on Hitomi as an ally. Even if I have doubt in myself, she seems to have enough faith in me, for the moment. But if we do make it out of these, I fear to think what will happen to this new friendship should this 'game' be allowed to continue.

(BGM off)

"Those guns? Can't hurt me. That sword? Can't hurt me. Hell, I don't even know anything that can hurt me!"

The enemy boasts his own power signaling that he's about to attack. Pushing all unneccesary thoughts from my head, I brace myself. And as soon as I do, the opponent strikes the ground below him. By some form of magic or amazing strength, a column of earth rises to answer and is soon sent flying our way.

(BGM on)

The speed of the long-distance attack is impressive, but it's nothing that can't be dealt with. Hitomi seems to pick up on this as well and immediately moves to dodge. It's the best option. Despite having the tools to intercept such an attack, it's far too strong to destroy. So, following the lead of my comrade, I too move to the side, using my skates to glide across the ground. But I can't just stop here. I have to match my opponent's momentum with my own. Even if my weapon was said to be useless, I won't truly know until I try.

"Hitomi-san, cover me!"

Asking politely for assistance in the heat of combat, I call out to Hitomi as I run forward. Grasping the handle of my sword with both hands, I run the tip of the blade parallel to the ground as I close in. Unlike Hitomi who can effectively attack from a distance, I have to enter close quarters. So, knowing that Hitomi will support me in my action, I enter my opponent's territory and bring my sword up at a sharp angle towards his shoulder, accompanied by a mighty cry.

However, my fear is realized when my blade simply scrapes across his armor with nothing more than a few sparks. This is bad. This is really bad. I keep telling myself that as my brain scrambles to come up with an appropriate plan of action. But as my opponent turns to me with a deadly smile, all of those thoughts come to a screeching halt. All processes are converted into signals telling my body to dodge as a thunderous black hook comes screamig towards my head. I'm not sure if I can avoid it; however, at the exact moment, one of Hitomi's bullets nails the armored magus square in the face. True to his claim, it deals no damage, but it does allow for me to duck under his fist and slip behind him.

Figuring there has to be some kind of weakness in his armor, I continue to strike at different points on his body, but it's all pointless. As if I'm nothing more than a buzzing fly, the enemy continues to swat away at me with deadly force. And each time, Hitomi distracts him just long enough for me to slip by unscathed. Having clearly antagonized my opponent by this point, I retreat towards the empty street. At the very least, I can draw his attacks away from Hitomi's home. As I do, another large boulder is sent flying my way which I narrowly manage to avoid by slipping under the arc of its attack.

Once I'm at a good enough distance, I pause to catch my breath. Scuffing at my efforts, the enemy simply turns to me and beams with pride. All the while, I get to work trying to break down the nature of his defense. Vectors, carbon, illusion, or legend. There are many possibilities to explore but only one answer. It could very well be that his armor is hi magical weapon, or it could also be that it's simply a boon similar to the invincible body of Siegfried. All the same, if I can't figure it out, then Hitomi and I are fighting a losing battle.

"Heh... I guess you weren't lying about that armor of yours."

Despite the situation, I complement my opponent's strength with a joke. After all, he's not doing this because he wants to. He's doing this simply because it's all he can do. He's placing his hopes in the chance that I'm the switch to end this madness. For that, I can't blame him. But even still...

(BGM off)

"Even still... I won't back down..." I made a promise that I won't give up on. Until I fullfill it, I simply cannot die. Reminding myself of that, I smile and point my sword at the adamant obstacle. "I'll get through to you one way or another. And I'll start by busting right through that armor of yours. Then... when I'm done here, I'm going to track down whoever is behind this mess and give 'em a piece of my mind." Assuming a stance, I prepare for another assault. "And sorry for talking so much. But I'd just like you to know that I don't blame you for this. If anything, I'd like for us to get along."

With that said, the air between us becomes clear. He scuffs once again and I focus by expelling a calm breath. With my objective at the forefront of my mind, I can already see my victory. Now, all I have to do is make it real.

"You said that this sword can't hurt you, but I'll have you know that I'm a person that doesn't just accept things as they are. Therefore, if this blade can't hurt you, then I'll simply continue to change things until I find something that will!"

(BGM on)

Those words act as the signal for my attack. Pushing down on my skates with as much strength as my legs allow, I rush forward with my blade in hand. The wind breaks away in front of me and transformed the world of blue into a blur. At the end is my target whom I will without a doubt overcome.

"Kamui!"

I once again announce the existence of my power. It responds to me and sends my presence by in time to the point of this blade's birth. From there, I alter history, turning what was a mundane blade into something more unique. Not a mere sword, but a sword with a revolving blade. Not something that you'd come across everyday, but that's the beauty of my spell. So long as it can be conceived by human hands, I can make it so.

"Go!"

With my new weapon in hand, I clutch the grip which starts the miniture engine and makes my blade roar. Even if my opponent has such a powerful defense, then I will find away to breakthrough. And I'll start with this. For not only does my blade possess the cutting power of a chainsaw, it also holds the cutting power of this world's hardest substance. Along all the teeth of my weapon are diamonds, making this weapon similar to the tools used to carve away at precious gems. So if my opponent's army is based off of the elements, this will reveal that to me.

But there's more...

As I come into range with my foe and swing my blade, I initate another spell.

"Kamui!"

That's right, it's the same spell as before, but with a different purpose. You see, Kamui is a skill that not only allows for me to insert myself into the past of objects, but people as well. And while the effect is not as potent as with something like a jacket or a pair of shoes, it does not change the fact that 'I was always there'. It allows for me to watch a person's life from the background and gain insight on there accomplishments. For magi, these means that I can learn about the nature of their abilities as well. This is Kamui's second usage. Seeing how as our opponent has already done his research on us, I see no reason not to return the favor.

With my life on the line and Hitomi and all of my friends backing me up, I have no reason to fear what's before me. I will rise above this, and put an end to this game.

---KAMUI---
Authority of the Gods
In addition to changing the history of an object, Mikoto can also use Kamui on a person. When used on a living target, Mikoto is limited to simply inserting herself into that person’s life. Following the rule of “it was always so”, Mikoto simply stands within the memories of the person’s life and nothing more. This allows for her to obtain information on the afflicted person’s experiences.

**Katie** · August 18th, 2012, 05:46 PM

Lucille Fairiday
Port - Evening

Embarrassment.

She hated that feeling, that situation, the very word itself. All she wanted to do was kill. Kill those who had mocked her, kill those who had neglected to help her, kill those who wanted her dead. They had to die because they had wronged her. And they all would in the end. She'd rip them to pieces, tear them to shreds, thrash them until they were scraps on the ground.

She would kill them for the sake of wrath, for the sake of killing.

Why did the world allow for the weak and spineless to prosper? The law was an invention made by the idiotic merciful to protect the worthless trash! In a just world, the strong would prosper and the weak would grovel like the maggots they are.

If she were to choose a world between law and chaos, she'd always choose the latter, for her strength would prove her way was right.

Lucille bitterly sat at the edge of the port, huddling close to herself. If she could kill the ocean, she'd gladly murder it any day. But for now, she'd curse God and think about the fact that except for the two she saw at Wonderland, the rest were weak. If they lacked killing intent, then they were weak. And she could crush weaklings any day.

She closed her eyes, still imagining the sunset she had been staring at—

The sea. She was underwater, again.

She'd fucking kill the bastard who made this twisted game.

She opened her eyes, the sting of saltwater all too apparent, and looked down. A pair of red orbs caught her attention, and she knew what she had to do.

She would kill it because it deserved to die. The battle would have only one victor, she had already decided, and it would be her.

"---GATE OPEN---"

Hiss, Snake of Eden.

The sword wasn't even a sword, but more like a whip. A weapon that suited her — range and lacerations, all in one. It almost contrasted with her nun like outfit, which, to her fury, was white. She removed the thought from her head, focusing on what was really important.

It would die.

As she tried to swim towards the surface, towards land, she fired a twirling blast of light from her fingertips, as if it had descended from the very heavens. It was simply a warning shot; she needed to see what those two eyes would do before she would go in for the kill.

Above all, she wanted it to die, and she could take her sweet time doing so.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Runes used:
Ira - ??? MP

**hero** · August 18th, 2012, 08:06 PM

Nakamura Akio
Road to Residential District II - Eyespace

"..."

Katsurimi Haseno did not say a word. Her head simply turned slightly in your direction, as if to acknowledge your presence. A couple of seconds later, however, her full attention diverted back to the palm of her hand. For her, you were there, but you were not worth her time. While you had a sword in your hand, with just one glance she had seen through your stance, and determined that you were preparing to defend, not to attack. If anything, that weapon was there for self-defense. Then, it was safe for her to assume that if she didn't do anything that threatened your life or that of your friend, you wouldn't use your Magical Weapon against her.

---So she had decided to completely ignore you.

Her target was 'The Fallen Mother'. Haseno was not sure of who or what it was, but she suspected that it was the codename of a female Magus. Nakamura Akio did not fit the description and she doubted the girl behind his back was the one she was looking for, either. Not that she was going to let herself be manipulated by the rules of a sick game, but finding the one being hunted would bring her one step closer to figuring out the whole truth behind the ritual.

The moment she let her guard down...

"...?!"

A storm of cards sliced through her body without mercy-!

Katsurimi Haseno has taken 100 HP damage.

And you could do nothing but watch.

With a big thud, the girl fell to the ground. As a result of the attack, her purple cape had been practically destroyed. You could see cuts and blood everywhere. Even a part of her formerly pure hair had been stained in red. The first thing that crossed your mind was that she wouldn't die. This was nothing for a Magus, and she would surely be back on her feet in a matter of seconds.

You didn't do it.

Yes, you had never meant to attack her, even if she had completely ignored you. But the deck that had done this to Katsurimi Haseno did resemble Aesop's. No, to say 'resemble' would be an understatement. That deck and Aesop's deck were 'identical'-!

Even so.

The cards you owned were still under your control and had not moved since you had ordered to protect Mana and you... Yes, two seconds after the attack had been executed, you realize who the culprit was.

"Answer us-!" A teary-eyed Aomory Mana confronted the fallen princess, her body still shaking out of fear. "You know what this is, so don't be as cruel as to ignore us...!" This had quickly gone out of control. At this rate, a battle between the two would be unavoidable. "Hah... Ahh...Ahhhhh!"

Possibly out of fear, Mana decided to attack again, even if she it seemed as if she didn't really know what she was doing. Your Magical Weapon moved to intercept her own, but that would never happen. The distance between the two was far to great for that to be possible. Like this, you would never make it in time. So, in order to diffuse the situation, you had to...

---Crash.

It was the sound of crystal shattering into a thousand pieces.

"Troll Mirror."

The fragments that once made the whole of her Magical Weapon sliced through the air like bullets. In an instant, all of the cards that had flown her way had been stopped, and thirty of them had been completely destroyed.

Cards (Copy?) has taken 60 HP damage.

This time, Katsurimi Haseno's killing intent was focused on two people. And for the very first time that evening, she had something she wanted to say to the two of them.

"... I don't..." The girl stood up, holding his head with one hand. "...I don't have time for ugly people like you.

Spejl af Fornuft-!"

Before you could even react, the ground below your feet turned into ice. Ice that was like a mirror, because you could see your reflection perfectly. You didn't know what was its purpose, but you knew it meant that the girl was now your opponent. Now the only thing you had to determine was whether you would keep Mana on your side or not...

...

You had made a promise to protect her no matter what.

**hero** · August 19th, 2012, 12:12 PM

Hisamatsu Kanko
Road to Residential District – Evening [Eye Space]

"I don't know." The boy said with a concerned look on his face. While his answer had been quite blunt, you did not detect any trace of hostility from him. If he was a Magus, he had either not made his decision yet, or he had no will to fight other Magi at all. "... Just what is this?"

As you walked towards the Residential District to find more answers, you shared the information you had gathered so far. In the end, Hayate's version of the story turned out to be pretty similar to yours. He had been at the gym working out, when everyone there but him had suddenly disappeared. Worried about the people important to him, he had set off to find them. On the way there, Yamada and you had met. Despite his intimidating appearance, the boy seemed to be a good and reliable person. Experience and gut feeling told you that you could trust Hayate to be your ally in this mess. It didn't take long for the two of you to reveal your nature as Magi, and engage on a more serious conversation.

"It might be too early to jump into conclusions but, to me, the Tsukuyomi-jima we find ourselves in is just another space that replicates the real Tsukuyomi-jima that we know." Like you, Yamada seemed to be quite intelligent and had noticed a couple of things that others would have missed. "It's just a theory, but I think something akin to a bounded field separates the two worlds. If we are both Magi and we are here while normal people are back there in the real island, then it might be safe to assume that this is 'a space which accepts only Magi'. I am guessing that's the condition to cross from the real Tsukuyomi-jima to the fake Tsukuyomi-jima. Since we can't seem to go back, I say that the condition to return to the real Tsukuyomi-jima is different. If we find what it is, then we may be able to return to the island."

Everything he had said made sense. The only problem with that was that, no matter how you looked at it, the obvious answer was that 'The condition to go back is to kill the Fallen Mother'. He had also forgotten to address the issue with the time limit, which was really frightening and it didn't really fit. If the Mastermind wanted this to be a 'hunt until only one hunter is left' kind of game, then there was no reason for the countdown. Granted, a space like this must be expensive in terms of Mana to maintain, and it surely added a lot of pressure, but something told you that there was something that you were missing. And what would happen if it reached zero? Two possibilities came to mind: First that it would be the most tragic end for everyone inside. And Second, that the passageway to the real Tsukuyomi-jima would open. If you thought about it, it made sense: If the one who had organized this had the mentality of a hunter, then there had to be a possibility for the prey to survive. Plus, if that person killed all Magi inside, the whole thing would surely lose its purpose. Unlike normal humans, Magi were not expendable. It would take that person a lot of time to re-enact this thing if everyone ended up dead. Still, you couldn't simply wait for the time to run out and see what happened. It was too risky.

"So what do you think about this 'Fallen Mother'" Yamada interrupted your train of thought. "Maybe some kind of monster?"

**hero** · August 19th, 2012, 05:09 PM

Nakamura Shinji
Starlight Academy Rooftop - Eyespace

"NA-?!"

For a Magus that focused on speed, Yoshiota Chisato's reflexes weren't as good as they should have been. One could say this was because of her unstable state of mind; but there was more to it. While the girl was more than capable of handling her weapon efficiently, it was not hard to spot the holes in her stance and with the surprise attack she had executed before, it was clear to you that she still had much to learn. You concluded that Chisato either lacked battle experience or had awakened as a Magus only recently. Maybe both.

As you jumped away from the main building, you saw the blast of Magical Energy detonate as it touched the floor, creating an explosion that caused the rooftop to be covered in a curtain of smoke and dust. Nevertheless, you were sure that your attack had connected.

Yoshiota Chisato has taken 70 HP damage.
Eris has taken 70 WHP damage.

And that's the only thing that mattered. Yes, because whenever your Magical Weapon successfully hit a target, it would steal its knowledge. That's how Nakamura Shinji fought, grabbing all knowledge and taking it for his own-!

---HrafnsmáI---

With each successful shot, H&M steals the knowledge and memory of an enemy’s techniques and skills. Not so much as sealing away abilities but merely taking away the know-how and how-to. Also, miscellaneous knowledge and memories will often be stolen as well such as: names, years, family and friends, etc.

A torrent of information had been downloaded into your brain in a split of a second. And today luck was on your side, because you had just acquired the required knowledge to use one of Yoshiota Chisato's runes: Vanity Step. It was a fairly basic magical ability that only those who had focused on movement could master. By gathering Mana under your feet and releasing the energy in a burst, it was possible to move at several times the speed of light for an instant. It was simple but effective, and that's why it was compatible with you. It was an advantage that came with no drawbacks. Not only were you more versatile now, Yoshiota Chisato had lost the ability to use that skill for the rest of the match-!

"Aaaaaaaaah... Hah... Fuck... Fuuuck... Fuck! You are dead Nakamura... Ahhhh Hahh!" Barely able to keep herself standing, Chisato panted heavily as she cursed the one responsible for all the pain. She had burning wounds all over her body, and the upper left part of her uniform was no longer there, exposing her shoulder, part of her chest and her entire arm.

Nakamura Shinji had signed his death sentence.

"I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY-! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHH-!" Black energy started gathering around her spear at alarming rates. Just by seeing this, you realized Chisato was planning to use her Last Resort to put an end to this fight. "MORE... MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE-!"

---It sounded like a thousand birds chirping.

The black surge of electricity that would be fired from the tip of her spear would not be 'strong', let alone 'unstoppable'. Out of all the participants that had been dragged into this ritual, it could be said that Chisato was the weakest there was. Because her Mana aptitude had never been high, the true power of the ability remained sealed. But it didn't matter. This was a skill that did not naturally belong to her. None of her abilities were related to electricity or lightning in any way. This was a technique that represented Chisato's existence as a human being. She was not one to build her own future... With hard work and dirty tactics... She took the future from someone else's and made it her own-!

"It's over, Nakamura. This is... "MY STRONGEST SHOT... ZEUS LIGHTNING-!"

---Zeus Lightning---

A powerful lightning based Last Resort black in color, imbued with the concept of "Dirty Play", that is fired from the tip of the weapon. It targets the least prepared and deals critical damage that will surely incapacitate that person. It can also be locked on a target, and should it be faced with a Last Resort of greater power, it will avoid it, and attack the Caster instead.

The embodiment of darkness flew through the air, seeking its target.

**Airen** · August 19th, 2012, 06:21 PM

Nakamura Akio
Road to Residential District II - Eyespace

Originally Posted by ???

"...I don't have time for ugly people like you.

Spejl af Fornuft-!"

The ground beneath my feet had transformed, the clean, reflective surface seeming almost like ice, or perhaps the surface of some sort of massive mirror. Gritting my teeth in response, I took a step to the side, once again placing myself between Mana and the woman she had seemingly assaulted out of fear. The woman's response was understandable, Mana had attacked her, and now she was planning on striking back to avenge that blow.

Yes.

Mana had attacked her...

With what seemed to be a copy of my Magical Weapon...

The weapons of magi were an intricate part of their being, a piece of their soul one could say, which was why the Magical Weapons of magi all had such varied functions. Just like how no two people were ever exactly the same, the weapons of magi would always be different from each other in some way, even if the difference is a small one. But, looking at the 'Aesop' that Mana had conjured, it would have probably been difficult for anyone but myself to tell the difference between her cards, and the original cards that I possessed.

If I was correct in my assumption that she had just awakened as a magus recently, at this very moment perhaps, it would seem that Mana had been granted a powerful ability...

Still-

"Mana," still facing the other woman, I quietly spoke to the girl behind me, "It's okay to be scared, but please don't lash out at people like that." My eyes locking with the enigmatic woman in front of me, I continued, "I said I'd protect you, right? So you don't have to fight. Just put your weapon away and let me handle it."

Handle it...

This situation had gotten out of my control the instant Mana had revealed herself to be a magus. Her movements with her weapon were a bit clumsy, and to be honest, I got the feeling that her attacks had been driven more by a subconscious impulse than anything else, but even if it had been an accident, it had given the woman sufficient reason to justify striking back at her.

Not good.

"Hey! Stop, listen to me," Calling out to the woman, I took a tentative step forward, trying to judge how well my footing would hold on whatever material the ground had been transformed into, feeling no real issues, I continued, "Look, I know this situation seems bad, but my friend's just a bit scared right now. I don't think she's used to being a magus, and getting dragged into an alternate space like this would easily be enough to scare someone. Please, don't hold that against her."

Holding out the palm of my hand, a single one of my cards flew to hover over the space above the palm, wreathed in azure flames.

"I can even heal that wound of yours if you want me too. It's the least I could do to make it up to you."

"But again, I don't think Mana really meant to hurt you. She just didn't want to be ignored, and lashed out on impulse... So please, leave her alone." Gritting my teeth again, I glanced down at the mirror-like surface beneath my feet.

"If you insist on trying to hurt her though..."

I paused for a moment.

"I'll have to get in your way. Even if you're somewhat justified, she's still my friend, and I can't let you hurt her."

**Suncofold** · August 20th, 2012, 03:57 PM

Hisamatsu Kanko
Road to Residential District – Evening [Eye Space]

It made sense that this world was some sort of <<other space>>, instead of Tsukuyomi-jima being completely altered. Though it was still a staggering concept, it was something that could be more easily believed than an alteration of an already existing island. It also confirmed Kanko’s suspicions that it was a Magi-only arena; it wouldn’t make sense to mix Magi and non-Magi in a…battle area.

But that didn’t truly address the time limit given. Even if the most clear theory was that it was the amount of time this alternate space could be held, Kanko felt he was missing something. But based on the gathered information…

"So what do you think about this 'Fallen Mother'" Yamada interrupted Kanko’s train of thought. "Maybe some kind of monster?"

“…I don’t think so. My guess is that it is some sort of…codename, I guess, for another Magus,” Kanko answered slowly, as he pieced together a theory. “Here’s what I think.

“The condition for returning to Tsukuyomi-jima is not specifically to kill ‘The Fallen Mother’. Rather, it is necessary to kill at least one participant within the time limit. This space, with participants that surely are battle-ready, feels like it could only be some kind of contest – a tournament of sorts. The idea that everyone contained within the space is a Magus – or at least has the potential to be – supports this. In addition, nothing of this size and scope would be attempted without some sort of significant gain, though it would depend on if there is a central leader or manipulator to this plot.

“There is also no guarantee that this is a singular, unique appearance. In fact, it is probable that this <<other space>> will continue to occur until there is only one standing – why else would one set up such a large ‘tournament’ and only set it up to occur once? This leads me to the next conclusion.

“This space must be expensive to maintain, I think we can both agree on that. If this is some kind of tournament, with at least one person as the victor, where this space must be realized as the battlegrounds, then it stands to reason that someone must die. After all, why make this space, and gain nothing if the participants happen to come to an agreement to not fight? Therefore, it would be useless to create.

“Therefore, this ‘Fallen Mother’ is not a specific condition that we must clear. The leader of this tournament must be providing a target, a way to further his goals. Our first thought was ‘We must kill this person to clear the conditions to return’, wasn’t it? However, it wouldn’t make sense to set a specific person as the condition, because this is a tournament. If it was a specific target each time, then the winner is already decided. There is no point.

“And so the logical condition to end this particular instance of the <<other space>> is to kill at least one participant within it. And then, because of the time limit, if no person is killed within the time limit, then it will be the ‘Fallen Mother’ who will die to clear the conditions. No matter what we do, someone will die at the conclusion of the time limit.

“There is one last concern – what happens to the winner of the tournament? Do they receive some sort of prize? Or does the overseer of this tournament do something to them? That is something I can’t answer, because there isn’t enough information. But it is something at least worth dying for; that’s my hope.

Kanko turned to look at Hayate. “This kind of thing doesn’t sit right with me. If I can find the ‘Fallen Mother’, I’m gonna protect her and kill whoever is trying to kill her.” He smiled grimly. “I guess I’m a moronic idiot, for wanting to do this, but I think she’s just as much a victim to this as we are. Are you with me, Hayate-san? If we find the ‘Fallen Mother’, will you help me?”

**hero** · August 21st, 2012, 01:37 PM

Reynard Everheart
Milky Way - Eyespace

"..."

Sawai Mihou did not move. Instead, she stood there and accepted the attack of her opponent, thinking of it as a rightful punishment.

Fragarach has taken 100 WHP damage.

"... You are right." The girl slowly nodded in agreement, her eyes closed. "If I don't put all my spirit into it, my blade will become dull, and it won't be able to hurt someone as brave as you, Everheart." Opening her eyes once again, she returned to her earlier battle stance. "That's why... Even if it ends up killing you... I will fight at full strength."

With that declaration, all the shop windows inside the mall shattered one by one in rapid succession. The earth trembled and the entire building shook in response.

---An immense pressure.

It spelled doom; death. You had already expected the swordsman to surpass you in battle ability and overall power. But you had never thought the difference between the two of you to be this big. You swallowed, aware that a single cut from that sword might as well be lethal. The damage you had inflicted upon her Magical Weapon had already been mirrored into yours, but you didn't really have the time to check. If you took your eyes away from her -even for a split of a second-, everything would be over.

Acala has taken 100 WHP damage.

Johnie Gamble couldn't believe what was happening before his very eyes. Action, risk and adventure, he loved them all. But this time, as a sole witness of a battle that did not follow the laws of common sense, 'fear' was the predominant emotion in his heart. The two people that he had met for the very first time today were fighting each other, one to take his life and one to protect it. And he couldn't do anything to change that. He was so scared that he couldn't even run away like the coward he was.

---He hated it.

This would probably be the only time in the battle that you would have enough time to defend yourself. Because of the vast difference in speed, there was literally no way for you to keep up with your opponent; not without some kind of external aid, at least. So you had to make this chance count. Use your abilities in a way Sawai Mihou had never thought they could be used, surprise her and initiate your counter-attack from there.

... In a flash, her figure disappeared.

0.8 seconds, that was all you had before her slashing attack connected.

**Mereo Flere** · August 21st, 2012, 06:17 PM

Reynard Everheart
Milky Way - Eyespace

"That's why... Even if it ends up killing you... I will fight at full strength."

These were words that shouldn't have made Rei smile. Knowing that, from that moment on, she would do her best to kill him... it was a thought that shouldn't have made anyone smile at all. And yet, the corner's of Rei's mouth couldn't help but turn upwards as the world shook with Mihou's power. That feeling - the sense of overflowing power that rippled out from her - was simply too familiar to Rei. There was no way he couldn't smile in its presence.

Red hair instead of gold. A crimson blade, instead of silvered steel. For a single moment, another person's image overlapped with Mihou's.

It passed, of course. Rei had to remind himself that he was dealing with someone else - and if he didn't prepare himself, that person would probably scold him anyway for meeting her again so soon. Knowing the price of being distracted was death, Rei focused entirely on Mihou, paying attention to her every action.

A change of stance, to gather power in her leg. The angle she held her blade, ready to cut down him down from the shoulder. Even though there was about fifty meters between them, Rei understood her speed well enough to know that it would be crossed in an instant. He couldn't dodge her attack... but then again, he wouldn't even try.

From the beginning, he had intended to protect Johnie. To dodge, to step aside - that might as well have been an invitation to let her pass and cut his friend down. No, as a man, he could only do one thing: Endure.

0.8 seconds.

For Rei, it might as well have been an eternity. Unable and unwilling to move from his position, he had to wait for her figure to reappear before his eyes - and, when she finally did, all he saw was the flash of steel, cutting through his chest.

For a normal human, it would have been a fatal wound. For many magi, it would have incapacitated them, rendering themselves helpless to whatever strikes would follow through. Rei, on the other hand, didn't even flinch. It was a clean hit, there was no doubt about that. However, no sign of injury appeared on his body, no proof that he had ever been cut at all.

Reality Forgery. It was Rei's ultimate trump card - a defense that prevented his true body from ever coming to harm. In another reality that existed beyond even this strange world, Rei had constructed a copy of himself, and offered that as a sacrifice instead.
Whether or not Mihou had realized what exactly had happened, however, one thing would be clear to her: Rei was alive and unhurt - and now, he was raising a hand up to cup her face.

"It was a beautiful strike," Rei said, sincere admiration in his voice. "In fact, you could say I'm falling for you."

Then, before Mihou could respond, the ground beneath them disappeared. Falling through the portal that had appeared beneath them, the two students would find themselves high in the skies above the mall.

It was the strategy that Rei had been gunning for, ever since he had seen Mihou's skills, and all it had taken was convincing the girl to kill him. As long as she had no wings, she would not be able to maneuver in the sky - nor would she be able to use that defensive stance she had used earlier to stop his attacks, or dash in to close in if he somehow managed to get away. As long as she had no other ranged attacks beyond "Retaliate" he would be able to freely attack her without her attacking in return with just a little bit of distance. Had they remained on the ground, her damage output would invariably outpace his - but at least up here, they would be equal.

"I wouldn't mind if I'm killed by someone as cute as you," Rei admitted with a shaky grin, as he prepared another Aura bullet in his gun. "But I won't disgrace you by holding back." With that, he fired the next shot, unloading it on Mihou's weapon for the third time.

There was a time limit to this gambit, though. At this height, he only had a about minute to finish this battle before they reached the ground.

60 seconds.

When that was over, the nature of the battle would change once again.

---

Spoiler:

**MssrNeko** · August 21st, 2012, 07:42 PM

Nakamura Shinji
Starlight Academy Rooftops - Eyespace

----Time slows to a crawl.

The Raven stares as the ominous lightning flies at him.

But there is no fear in the young man’s eyes. His grey eyes analyze the situation before him with a cold, detached glare. There was no doubt that the black lightning would completely destroy him if it made contact. Amusingly enough, it was lacking in overall power as a result of Chisato’s inexperience. If she were given more experience, the latent potential of this attack would be unlocked and it would be a fearsome ability to behold.

But that was only if she lived...which she will not.

Quickly channeling Mana, the gunman activates one of his Runes: Hamingja, and prepares another. Hamingja is a wild card ability, but he couldn’t be too careful. If he was unprepared, he would die right there and now. The Raven raises his Magical Weapon and aims at the approaching attack. The barrel of the gun starts to shine as black energy gathers and is sucked into the opening. Unlike Chisato’s spectacular display, Shinji’s is more subdued, but the amount of Mana being used is unmistakable.

If Yoshiota wanted to use her Last Resort then he would be more than happy to return with the same.

In a cold voice that could be heard even over the lighting, Shinji says,

“Death flies on dark wings......Valravn.”

------A shot is fired.

From the barrel of Huginn and Muninn erupts a beam of focused black energy. The dark laser flies towards Chisato’s own Last Resort. If all went as expected, Shinji's victory was assured.

---Valravn---
A single blast of black energy with homing capabilities. Encompassing the concept of "immenient death" it seeks out its target and effectively kills them. Bypassing all forms of life-prolonging skills and Runes, it simply annihilates the enemy on contact. A "one-hit-kill" technique in its simplest form.

----------------

Regeneration
HP Healed: 20

Rune Prepared:
Vanity Step

Rune Used:
Hamingja

Last Resort Revealed:
Valravn

---------------

Spoiler:

**hero** · August 23rd, 2012, 10:25 AM

Lucille Fairiday
Underwater (?) - Eyespace

A warning shot.

That's what you had called it. And yes, for an egocentric Magus like Lucille Fairiday it might have been just that. But the truth was that Ira was a fearsome rune. Because the blast would not only home on its target, it would hit them until the end of time. It was an attack imbued with a never ending rage, that would not stop until there was nothing left-!

---Ira - Satan's Sin---

The Sin of Wrath. A Rune that manifests as massive destructive power in the form spiraling blasts of light that eradicate everything. Considered Demonic and carries the Concept of Wrath; when it hits, it will keep on dealing additional damage until it is blocked or retaliated against. A spell that simply does not give two fucks about the opponent; it will keep on thrashing the enemy until it is stopped.

??? has taken 150 HP damage.
Lucille has recovered 75 MP

You smiled. Your attack had just created a ten second window that would allow you to take this battle to a more favorable terrain. For someone who had transcended human limitations, ten seconds was more than enough. However, as you made your way back to the surface, you realized that no matter how much you swam, you could never reach it. The space between you and your goal extended infinitely and it truly felt like there was someone out there mocking you.

That was when your smile disappeared.

If the Mastermind was indeed a Magus with a Magical Weapon that specialized in Space Manipulation, there existed the possibility that you would never get out of there. With any luck, that person would also be crazy as fuck, and would let you escape once you had provided enough entertainment. In any case, time was running out and you estimated that you had about a minute left before you ran out of oxygen. Granted, with Snake of Eden being there, the situation wasn't as bad as it would be to a normal human, but your pride would take a big hit if you showed weakness here and drowning was just that, an act of weakness. If anything, you should be the one making your opponent drown.

Something wrapped around your left leg. In an instant, you were dragged back to the depths and slammed onto the sea floor with fury. It seemed your ten seconds were over.

Lucille has taken 60 HP damage.

"Why? Why do you attack me, my loved one. Don't you recognize me?" A voice commented, quite sad. "Please don't try to escape anymore... It often ends badly for those who try. I just want everyone to stay with me... The Dodo, the Lory, the eaglet... And you... My Alice."

**hero** · August 23rd, 2012, 07:57 PM

Fukami Mikoto
Outside the Nakamura Residence- Eyespace

It was a memory from a not so distant past.

"Tomorrow is the day, huh?"

"Yeah. Come on, I want to show you something."

Tsukade Motoshige was just another student of economics. Kutsuna Yoko was the same. They had been friends since they had started college and everyone thought that there was nothing that could separate them. And, even though there was something going on between them, they had never dated or done anything romantic of the sort, something which troubled the boy to no end, for he had truly fallen for the girl. He had decided that tomorrow, after making the results of his research public, he would tell her what he felt no matter what.

"Oh, this is neat~"

Motoshige's investigation was nothing fancy, but it was interesting nonetheless. It was about the prisoner's dilemma, a topic that had always managed to catch his attention. The original theory claimed that, in a situation where cooperation was possible between two or more parts, the fear of getting betrayed would be enough to cause them to betray each other. The final conclusion reached was that in this kind of situation, betrayal was supposed to be the most popular option, because it was also the one which brought more benefits. Tsukade, who had always believed in love and trust, had carefully analyzed this theory and tested it out with humans. The result was that many people thought like him, and in many scenarios in which picking betrayal would be best, they picked cooperation instead because they trusted their partner would do the same. In other word, the prisoner's dilemma did not necessarily apply to humans.

"Hehehe. And you are showing this to me? Do you trust me, Motoshige?"

"O-Of course. If I didn't, I would be proving my own theory wrong."

"Hah~ I wish I had worked on my project as much as you did."

"You haven't even started have you? You are still the same as always, Yoko. If you want, you come over to my house and we will figure something out. It's not going to be a masterpiece, but I am sure that if we work together we can have something done by tomorrow."

"Ah, that's the first time you called me by my first name!"

"W-What's wrong with that? You always call me by my first name, idiot."

"True that. Anyhow, nah, I think I'll pass. It's no big deal and you have worked enough already. No worries~"

-------

"... Oh wow."

Tsukade Motoshige simply couldn't believe it. To think that the person he had loved and trusted the most would backstab him this way. He had never really cared about the investigation. Hell, had she asked, he would have probably let her get all the credit for it. That's how much he had cared for Kutsuna Yoko. But no. Not this way... To steal his project, claiming it had been her own, humiliating him in front of his classmates... Why had she done such a horrible thing? All the times they had spent together... For nothing. That day Motoshige had seen her true face and realized it was not the same face that would make him feel as if he could do anything.

"Fuck...!" He slammed his fists on the table, now consumed by anger. "Fuck this...! Screw it. Damn it all to hell. I've had enough!" Anger that quickly led to suffering. "Why...? Why did she do it? Did I even mean anything to her?"

...
.....
........

"I've cried the whole day..." The boy wiped off his tears and stood up from his bed. "But I've finally reached a decision." He said it out loud; to himself. "I was wrong. The prisoner's dilemma does apply to humans... You can't trust anybody... I'll just quit college, I can't go back after this... Ah whatever, I just..." He swallowed saliva. "I just don't want to live in this world anymore."

...
.....
........

"Ahahaha... To think I can't even gather the courage to kill myself... I am so pathetic..."

He had decided that he would die in the less painful way he knew, but twenty minutes had passed and it was starting to seem evident that he was too scared to even try. Motoshige placed the knife over his wrist and carefully applied pressure, but...

*Clang*

"Huh?"

Before he even knew it, his body had been covered in a layer of what resembled iron. He tried everything, but nothing could even come close to harm him. That day, he awakened as a Magus, and with a renewed will to live, Kubo Naoya -Cain- was born.

-------

This man had been a good person for the most part of his life. And while there were many criminal records which you couldn't simple ignore -Murder, rape, abduction, among others-, you had the firm belief that he could still be saved. Cain had turned into the very definition of evil, but if there had been love in his heart once, that meant that the possibility to change him back was existed.

Cain has taken 0 HP damage.

The sound of your new sword shattering into a thousand pieces brought you back to reality. Before you could even think of distancing yourself from your opponent, he threw an uppercut which connected with a resounding smash, sending you sky high. Willing to make full use of this opportunity, he jumped to meet you in the air, ready to deliver another punch before you could recover-!

Mikoto has taken 50 HP damage.

However, before he can execute his combo, a barrage of bullets shot from Hitomi's guns interrupted him. He instead caught you by the leg and, with mighty strength, threw you at the blue haired girl. With a gasp, Nakamura Hitomi stopped shooting just in time. A second later, she caught you in her arms, barely.

"Phew... Sorry, I am used to be the one being caught, really." Blushing slightly in embarrassment, she let you down. "It's been long enough. Stand back, Mikoto. I'll finish this with one shot."

---She was going to use her Last Resort.

But for some reason, something told you that you should stop Hitomi from firing it. Even after seeing Cain's past, you didn't know how exactly his weapon worked, because not even he himself knew. If one thing was for sure, it was that nothing had managed to pierce through its defense before. Against such a powerful conceptual ability... Could her Last Resort really make the difference?

Mana began to gather around her guns, as her opponent simply watched without making a move. The battle would probably reach its climax in a matter of seconds. Aware of this, you focus on all the information you had collected.

Cain

DECIDE

**Sei** · August 24th, 2012, 10:46 AM

Fukami Mikoto
Outside the Nakamura Residence- Eyespace

(BGM on)
As expected, I lost the clash, but I've gained something more. A better understanding of the person standing before me... Because I can't seem to communicate with him the way I would like, I had no choice but to reach a 'forceful' understanding. Not only are the natures of his powers broken down in my head, but a portion of his memory, a portion of 'my memory', slowly plays back in my head. Seeing what happened to this man, Tsukabe Motoshige, almost makes me sorrow for invading upon something so personal. However, now I know for certain that I can't leave this person alone.

"It's been long enough. Stand back, Mikoto. I'll finish this with one shot."

It doesn't take much for me to realize what my partner means by those words. She aims to end this match with a single attack. Under normal circumstances, I'm sure that she'd be able to do it. But, our opponent's ability would make her efforts useless. Even if she did attack, it would solve nothing. No, I'm positive it would make things worse.

"That's enough, Hitomi-san." Calmly stepping forward, I place my hand on Hitomi's guns and ease her into lowering them. "Thank you, but it's me he wants. I've seen his ability with my power and I'm almost certain even your strongest attack is useless." Pausing for a moment, I realize that I have no idea how Hitomi's power works. Embarassed by the assumption, I can't help but laugh a little. "Well... I suppose that may not be true. I guess I just really want to talk this out, if I can." Sheepishly rubbing the back of my head, I feel a bit of uneasy creeping up my spine. "Hitomi-san... if I really am the Fallen Mother, then there is no need for you to fall with me. Be content with living and protect your family."

Playing sticking out my tongue, I say all that I want to say and turn once again to face Cain. Taking a deep breath and settling on my own thoughts, I take a couple of steps forward and reduce the distance between us by half. After walking so far, I look up to stare him right in the eyes and raise both of my hands up into the air.

"The prisoner's dilemma," with a submissive tone, I let my thoughts fly out into the air, "That's what your power is based on. At least, that's what I think." Giving him a nervous smile, I confirm that I'm not sure myself. "I looked at your past and who you are as a person using my power. And for that, I'm sorry." I communicate with my 'foe' with a calm and sincere voice. I'm not sure if my words will make a difference to him or not, but they make me feel a little better. "From the fear of having others betray you, you betray them first... Isn't that how it works? It really does sound like a lonely power, but I suppose if it works for you..." Pushing out a small laugh, I can't help but feel sad for this man. To keep others from hurting him, he's wrapped himself in his pain and has blocked out all that's good in the world in the process. "So I guess you were right. As I am now, I truly can't hurt you. So long as you see the person before you as someon who will betray you, your power makes you completely invulnerable."

Standing before the very person who is threatening to kill me, I explain to him what I think of his ability. I'm not sure why, nor am I really aware that I've done it. It's just a part of me wanted him to know.

After I say that much, I fall into silence. After all, it's not like I'm really sure what I should say.

"You know..." coming up with something else to say, I start up again, "believe it or not, I used to be like you. I didn't grow up in a happy home or anything, and I even ran away when I was pretty young. But even though all I knew was violence, I still strived to be a good person. I fought hard and struggled and even met some nice people along the way. Even still... I was always faced with how ugly this world is, and just how cruel the people in can be to one another..." Taking a moment to sigh in realization of what I'm doing, I can't help but smile at how cliche this feels. It's so embarassing that I can feel myself blushing. "After a couple of years, I met my sensei and he rekindled the light of my dream. At the time, I had no idea what magic was, so to me he was like a superhero or something. So when he told me that I had the same kind of power, I was pretty happy." Recalling those days, my smile slowly fades and I break eye contact for just a moment. "But in the end, he turned out to be the same..."

Lowering my arms, I move to place them in my pockets only to realize that my jacket is now gone. Putting on a nervous look, I settle for placing my hands on my hips and smile to hide the embarassment. It's only now that I realize how far I've come in such a short amont of time. Regardless of my progress though, to be faced with such an opponent out of the blue is really humbling.

Running my hand through my hair I sigh again, "I really do talk a lot..."

Reluctantly accept that as truth, I reach up to my face and move my goggles away from my eyes. Thinking of what to say next, that ever so persistent smile pops up on my face.

"Eventually, I left my master and decided to continue on my own. I made a promise to him that I'd change this world and its people for the better, but I had my doubts. ... As you can probably imagine, my experiences don't exactly support my idealism." I say this with a joking tone, but the fact of the matter is that it's painfully true. The bright feeling I've been holding on to for the length of this conversation begins to fade way and I fnd myself looking at the sky. "To be honest, just until recently, I'd actually given up... Around the time I came to this island, I'd reached the conclusion that this world can't be changed... Because no matter how hard I try to help people, more people show up to hurt others. I'd grown to hate this world... and I despised the people in it."

Looking back at Tsukabe, I reach up to the top of my head and hold the lens of my goggles. With this little action, the shroud of doubt which was beginning to fall over me is lifted and I can force a small grin.

"Then I met a magus by the name of Ryo. He gave me these and reminded me of why I chose this path. No... I guess he just found me after I lost myself." Thinking back to that day, I remember how we argued and fought to the point of using magic. "Ironically, I can't bring myself to get along with the guy, but I am thankful to him. He made me promise never to give up on the promises I've made, after all."

Dropping my hand back to my side, my grin turns into a full smile and I begin to advance towards Cain. I don't even bother to create another weapon to defend myself with. I simply choose to remain defenseless in my approach. As the distance between us becomes less and less, I hold out my arms and cautiously close the rest of the gap between us. Before I even know it, I'm hugging the man before me as hard as I can.

"I've made a promise not to die until the world has become a good place. I've also made a promise to fight if I need to. But I've also made a promise not to turn my back on the people I can help, Tsukabe-san." Calling the man by his real name, I begin my final push to reach out to this person. "The world is a cruel place right now and I'd be lying if I said that people aren't going to hurt you. But just because a few are doesn't mean that everyone will. It's okay that you want to protect yourself from the pain of betrayal, but you shouldn't shield yourself from people all together. If you do, then you won't even be able to feel when the good people reach out to you. You have far too much potential to continue on such a lonely path."

Finally running out of things to say, I drift off into silence and await Tsukabe's response. I've seen that he really is a good person inside, he's just shut himself off from the world. If at all possible, I would like to be that person's friend. I can't allow myself to die, but I can't defend myself if the bloodshed can be avoided.

**hero** · August 24th, 2012, 02:12 PM

Nakamura Akio
Road to Residential District II - Eyespace

"..."

Katsurimi Haseno had a lot of combat experience. It was only natural for her to be wary of whatever her opponent might try. She knew it all to well, she had seen many runes that healed their owners but caused the opposite effect on another target. Now that you were cornered, this might just be another attempt to catch her off guard.

But she was not stupid either.

From the very beginning she had wanted to avoid unnecessary conflict. If she wanted to confront the 'Fallen Mother', she had to save as much Magical Energy as she possibly could, because there was a big chance that it would end in bloodshed. After all, if someone was being hunted, it was justified for them to defend themselves. So, fighting Nakamura Akio and Aomory Mana here would put her at a disadvantage. Even if she managed to defeat the two of them in a battle, it would cost her most of her mana reserves.

You could say that, at that moment, she was torn.

"I am sorry..." After taking a deep breath, it seemed that Mana had listened to your words and calmed down a little. "I'll put these away now."

With a sigh of a relief, you watched as the situation made a turn for the better. You could see that neither Mana nor Haseno wanted to take this any further. One more push and you were sure that the 'bad ending' you had foresaw would be avoided. You couldn't believe it, but you had managed to effectively defuse this crisis-!

"Ah? Gaaaaahh-!"

Or that was what you had initially thought.

Mana has taken 60 HP damage.

It shocked the three of you. Because what you had witnessed simply made no sense at all. Katsurimi Haseno had not attacked. In the same way, you had not made any kind of reckless move. Yes, once more, the cards that did not belong to you had been the ones to deliver a merciless attack. Just now, their target had been Aomory Mana... Their owner.

Seeing this, the white haired girl and you mobilized your Magical Weapons. Even if you couldn't afford to have it completely destroyed, it was okay if you could at least stop it from attacking. Only when you gave the order did you realize that something was wrong with Aesop. Or more like, there was something... Missing. To be precise, thirty of your cards were no longer there.

Cards have taken 60 HP damage.

Alarmed by this sudden realization, you froze for an instant. This allowed Haseno to shoot down the cards without holding back. However, her attack was not completely effective, as it was only enough to destroy another set of thirty cards. With a single glance you confirmed that the only the fool and seventeen other cards remained. But...

Cards(Copy?) have taken 60 HP damage.
Cards have taken 60 HP damage.

All the cards that had been destroyed had vanished from your deck, too. At this point, if you and Haseno kept attacking, it would only end with your own weapon being damaged because...

---This 'Autonomous' Magical Weapon known as 'Aesop Grimm' could regenerate on its own-!

Aesop Grimm's cards have been restored to full HP.

This was bad.

At this rate, death would be unavoidable. You knew that, since it was a replica of your magical weapon what you were fighting against, it wouldn't be easy to defeat it, and that if you did not fight seriously you would surely die. The mysterious girl was cooperating for now, but it was just a matter of time until she decided to unleash everything she had. If she did, Mana could die... And if her weapon was destroyed, not only would you break the promise to protect her, you would also fail to be there for Raku... Because if all the damage taken was reflected to the original, then there was no guarantee that the two weapons would not follow the same fate. If you tried to stop Haseno, however, she might start seeing you as an enemy and you would go back to square one.

Was there a way to solve this conflict without spilling any more blood?

(BGM off)

Before you could answer that question, 'Aesop Grimm' made its move. Separating itself into three sets of twenty six cards, it quickly moved to the sides, away from Mana and then high into the air. Each was now aiming at a different opponent. You knew how to use your weapon more than anybody else, and that's why you realized what was going to happen a second before it happened.

---Minor Arcana: Swords---

"Tch...!"

"Akio...!"

Your body moved.

Thread: Fortissimo EXS // Trigger: Verzweiflung (IC thread)

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