Spirit Pulse : Mugen No Sekai [IC]

[palad1n]

Cosmos "Fairchild"
???
???

Cosmos could feel her body relaxing as the man excused her earlier actions; perhaps because the body knew that she would be forgiven, the shame left much more quickly compared to her mind, which slowly realize that the man is really similar to Mary. Even as she quietly and obediently listened to the man, numerous thoughts and questions ran through her mind.

The man referred to her and the others as his disciple, so it might be safe to assume that he is her master or teacher.

Was she and the other disciples a part of making this land an utopia?

By 'old land,' does he mean Earth?

But perhaps the most perplexing of all is the fact that she apparently came to see him. Which doesn't really make sense, because this is a dream, and that means she visited him by mere coincidence... But if this is a dream, then why does it feel so real? And if visiting him in a dream counts as 'coming to see him,' then what is really going on? Does this land exist in a dream, or does dreaming somehow send a projection of herself to this place?

There are so many questions, theories, and thoughts running through her head that Cosmos felt quite dizzy from thinking it all, and yet when the man has finished speaking and her turn to speak came again...

"... Will we meet again soon?"

She said that without thinking, as if the body that does not belong to 'Cosmos Fairchild' managed to speak her mind. She's not even sure whether this dream will continue on for a while or if it's nearing its end, and yet she said it anyway, her tone sounding hopeful that the answer is a yes, even if the man himself has confirmed that he'll eventually be able to leave this place.

Of course, 'eventually' is a vague term, so Cosmos realized that her body wanted to confirm that it's sooner rather than later...

"And is there anything you want me to do?"

And just like that, offered to do something for the man while he's still stuck here.

Strangely, Cosmos felt calm and didn't panic at what 'she' had said. It's true that she still has some reservation about the man, but the brief time she spent with him had painted him as nothing but a kind, wise and gentle man... Coupled with the similarities with Mary and the feeling of longing in her body, this is a way for Cosmos to further confirm the man's nature.

If she felt that his request shouldn't be answered or fulfilled like when he asked her where she was, then Cosmos Fairchild will be able to stay vigilant and wary, no matter how much she felt otherwise. If not, then she'd be able to trust him more.

Of course, the option to refuse her offer also exist, and if the man is truly similar to Mary...

Then she got a feeling that this is the answer that he'd take.

[Airen]

Blaise Pendragon
???, Headquarters
Monday - Morning

---There was a barrier on the other side of the door.

While it had been something you were capable of sensing to a degree from the other side of it, the sheer strength of the magical field that comes sliding along the wall to bar it from entry is on a level entirely different than what your average civilian would be able to create on their own, even with the help of already existing spell formulas... It was a barrier whose spell composition lies far beyond the youth that activates it with but the flick of a switch, hopefully barring a certain doctor from being able to do the obvious and force her way through the wall, and...

While there is a brief moment of 'horror' as a hand raps lightly against the metallic frame, it seems to lose interest soon after, vanishing into the crowds outside again as a silver-haired nurse continues her somewhat insane quest through the city, and it is then, and only then...

"Hah... Yeah, I guess you did."

That the dark-haired youth acknowledges your words, color flooding back to his face as he escapes from what must be a particularly demented nurse, one whose legend was slowly building up in your mind as someone to be avoided at all costs if you could possibly help it.

"Well, she might be trying to fake you out, so you can hide in here for a bit."

Of course, taking the soda from you in as cool a manner as he could manage, the youth gestures towards the rest of the interior as what exactly 'here' is becomes clear, namely...

It looks like a sort of hide-out, or rather, an abandoned factory turned into a delinquent hide-out.

There are a dozen couches scattered throughout the area, each a different make and year -making it seem likely that they were just picked up off the street after others threw them out- and while the lack of dirt and dust on the floors implied some level of upkeep was taking place, the sight of scattered papers and other belongings laying around a clearly newly cleared out desk made it seem like someone had been moving out of here recently, or at least...

Was being forced out of here...

Still, like the main door, the rest of the walls were also cloaked in that same colorless force. It was a Spirit Tamer's doing no doubt -and a horrendously powerful one at that- but the youth pays it no mind as he collapses into one of the many chairs -his nail bat at it's side- and moves to pop open the soda with his fingers.

"Don't have much food at the moment -our former leader ran off with it- but there are cup noodles and a microwave in the back."

Remarkably casual, for someone who had swung a bat into your back earlier in the day, but even more casually herself...

"...Cup noodles you say?"

Is Tsukiko, who takes everything in stride to such a degree, that she's already moving in search of said cup noodles entirely of her own volition.

[Airen]

Hyakka Onjouji
Neo Aoyama, City Center
Monday ~ Morning

The rain of data eventually gives way to a particularly pure darkness.

To those who have not experienced it before, the sight of darkness on the other end of the 'stage select' is one that might have introduced the idea that the digital space had actually failed to be constructed, yes, the first sensation one might experience upon being plunged into the depths of the Dark Cocoon is that the world around them has ceased to exist, but...

That is a theory that is quickly dis proven the moment one stops relying solely on their sense of sight. There is a light sense of wind on one's skin, a gentle caress that comes along with the clouds that were approaching Aoyama even now, and clouds that had been recreated inside the heart of this simulation, a perfect copy of the Magic City that simply seems to have lost all traces of light. There is no sun, and while streetlamps and billboards are certainly present inside the darkness, Dark Cocoon does not allow such things to shine brightly, no...

This is a dark that surpasses the night, one without a moon or stars, where the eyes of the body fail, and where the eyes of the soul must take a far greater precedence.

Yes...

Simple but effective, an auto-skill that denies the world of light.

---With there only being four people inside of this space, your ability to feel them out with your sixth sense is excellent. Mere moments after your arrival, you can already tell that a certain class president had spawned a block or so behind you and was staying both motionless and silent as if in contemplation, while Nakahara's presence had vanished entirely the moment after he had arrived inside of the simulation, likely due to the use of some sort of stealth formula... Of course, his presence had still shown itself to you for a moment, he had seemingly landed on the roof of one of the nearby buildings before hiding himself again, and as for Nanaya...

---She was the only one whose presence could really be felt on the physical plane, while you can feel her soul, you can also hear her casual footsteps echoing through the alleyways that worked their way through the entirety of the ward as shortcuts...

Yes...

With her partner having hid himself purposefully...

You can't help but feel that the 'obviousness' of her existence is suspicious, on the other hand...

It's only been a handful of seconds since the match started, she could be a bit off her game, trying to adjust to both an environment and auto-skill that she hadn't expected to face, thus-

[Airen]

Mokujima Chris
Aoyama, Starlight Aquarium
Monday - Afternoon

It takes a bit of courage, but the hall of jellyfish becomes more and more welcoming over time.

It's a similar feeling to a dark room being lit by a Christmas tree, a series of colored lights that break apart the darkness in a warm and gentle way... Although the squirming interiors of the large glass tubes aren't quite as comforting as the pure simplicity of the lights themselves. It's a bit quieter here than in the main rooms, a consequence perhaps of jellyfish not being amongst the most exciting of sea-life to observe -especially in the modern day- but it becomes an atmosphere that you can overcome over time, something that will eventually stop sending chills down your spine...

Especially with the way Lexie has set herself up in the previous room, sitting on a black bench while playing with a stuffed shark plush she had seemingly gotten from the gift store, her real gaze lingering far more often on you than on her toy.

Still...

No matter what happens here... The initiative really isn't yours.

It had been a long time since you had interacted, and even in the best case, it's still a bit hard to recognize someone from photographs alone, especially when those photographs are years out of date, but.... You're already here, and since the two of you had been friends, it wasn't like she would do something strange like lure you into a dark area and attack you right?

...Right?

---It's a question that's difficult to answer, like many other questions that come to mind when one encounters an old friend again for the first time in years, but...

As that question comes to mind, and begins to fade from the mind...

A hand reaches out from behind the glass as you pass, it's pale, almost like the hand of a corpse or a vampire, but it grabs ahold of your wrist with some obvious muscle strength in it, with the way the body it's connected to is crouching in all black clothes it almost seems like she's emerging from the floor itself like some sort of wraith and yet-

"...Boo."

When a certain Sakurako finally says something, there's no killing or hostile intent, no sense of distrust or ill-will, no...

More than anything else...

"Did I scare you?"

She seems about as awkward in person as she had been online...

[Bloble]

Daisuke
Aoyama, Starlight Aquarium
Monday - Afternoon

"Oh, that's cute!"

As if they aren't in the middle of a serious situation, Daisuke plops down on the bench next to Lexie. His attention was stolen by the plush shark in the girl's hands, and the real fish float forgotten for the moment.

"Do you like plushes, Lexie?" he asks, swinging his short legs back and forth as he examines the soft, fluffy carnivore. "We only have figures from anime and video games. They look pretty, but playing dress-up gets boring fast. And you can't hold onto them when you're having trouble sleeping." Is he talking about when he goes into sleep mode, or is he referring to Chris? There's no way the tall girl would need some kind of stress toy to hold onto while sleeping, right?

Daisuke has a phone in his hand, borrowed from Chris. He maneuvers past pages of mobile games, organized by kinds of predatory monetization, and flips open a note-taking app. As he speaks, he taps on the screen, writing a message that can't be overheard:

"She's made contact. But I can't see anything," the boy types, erases the sentence to begin another. Of course, it is a message that can reach everyone it needs to.

"Chris didn't say it, but I know she's really glad to have you here. So am I. But if she's not showing us anything... she's probably worried."

The boy hesitates, furrowing his brow, digging through what he knows as his glasses glint. It's not as if he's capable of reading his Master's mind, so he can't know what she's thinking exactly. But those who are close, especially if they are linked like COMP and Tamer, have a bond that lets them understand each other to an extent.

"If you have to get involved, then this becomes official Tamer business... and a line will be crossed. So if at all possible, she's probably hoping this will just be a happy reunion with an old friend. Then she'll be able to say sorry for wasting your afternoons by treating everybody to lunch."

Of course, that means Chris herself will be stepping into the unknown situation and discovering the truth alone. With someone as stoic as her, though, it shouldn't be an issue. No trained SDCD Tamer would hesitate or fear a mission like that!

And yet...



Mokujima Chris
Aoyama, Starlight Aquarium
Monday - Afternoon

There is no visible reaction when the girl rises from the darkness and grabs her arm. Mokujima Chris does not move, even to flinch or run away. Her eyes do not widen, not even in recognition of the face she knows without a doubt belongs to the person she has been worrying about for ages.

She is simply still and silent, for long enough that the atmosphere of tension and uncertainty fades into one of awkwardness.

"Did I scare you?"

Finally her brain catches up, and Mokujima Chris manages to say something.

"...too spooky. I almost fainted... "

In an instant her natural poker face is revealed to be a lie. Who wouldn't be nervous to meet someone IRL for the first time, especially after several months of no contact!? Not to mention, rising from the shadows like that is really scary, no matter who you are!

Exhaling as she holds a hand to her heart and exhales, Chris blinks as she beholds the form of her friend for the first time. It's strange. The person before her feels simultaneously more and less real than the one she spoke to through a screen. Little things like the shape of her eyes or the sound of her voice are different from how Chris had imagined him, but it's unmistakably Sakurako herself.

In an instant, all thoughts of demons and danger vanish. There's only one thing Mokujima Chris wants right now...

She raises her hand, revealing the bag of sweets taken from the bakery.

"...want one, Ms. Uboa?"

...to have lunch together with her spooky friend, while watching the jellyfish.

[Verg Avesta]

Blaise Pendragon
???, Headquarters
Monday - Morning

"Wait a minute. Here. Catch."

After thinking for a moment, Blaise took the second can he had hidden in his pockets and threw it over to Tsukiko. BOSS coffee might not have been the best drink to go with cup noodles (was she really that hungry?), but right now that was the only other thing that Blaise had. Indeed, while he might have bought it for his sister, she wasn't here right now. Worst case scenario, the blonde youth could always buy a new one. After all, the two of them had been running for a while now... the pale girl could use some pick-me-up, especially if she was as sickly as her color suggested.

Having done that, Blaise took the time to relax himself. He sat on one of the sofas near the baseball-bat-boy (BBB?) and sighed heavily, letting out a long exhale of tired energy as he did. As tough as he was, he didn't like dealing with stress, and running away from that demented school nurse definitely counted as a source of stress. While he let his eyes roam on the interior of this hidden base, one that reminded him of your typical delinquent hideout (sans the motorcycles that some of them collected), his fingers twisted open the can of horribly bitter green tea that the boy then took a sip of. Another sigh, this time a satisfied one, followed.

At the same time, the air next to Blaise warbled as Kaguya, once again, appeared for everyone to see. She was now holding a cellphone of some sort, one that held no other purpose than for the COMP AI to busy her hands with, and the bunny-eared girl tapped away at the the thing while absent-mindedly checking her nails. At times like these she was more like a gyaru than a delinquent... though whichever she appeared as, the AI was nothing more than a overly-loud thug at the end of the day.

"Cool digs, mophead~" Kaguya commented, cocking an eyebrow at the hidden base. "Stinks like dudes and ya got no fashion sense whatsoevah for decoration, but hey, A for effort. Goes double for the barrier, y'know. That thing's totes outta the league of ya guys though, so I dunno... gets a gal wonderin' if she's aboutta get roofies on her drinks, ya dig?"

Blaise shot an annoyed glare towards his COMP AI, who feigned surprise and shock.

"Shut up, Kaguya," Blaise grumbled. "... He helped us out. That's enough. Plus... he's got a name."

Throwing the cellphone into the air where it vanished, Kaguya responded with a half-hearted shrug and by sticking her tongue out.

"Sorzzz~! Said too much 'gain~!"

... the bunny-eared AI was not the least bit sorry. This became blatantly obvious as when Blaise's attention was away from her, Kaguya feigned to inspect her nails but instead sneaked grumpy glares towards the batter-boy, like telling him to stay away. It was a bit hard to read the AI, but when she acted this obnoxious... it was almost like she felt threatened by the overwhelming underling-like aura that the mop-headed boy emanated around him.

--- What was that about?

"Well, snide as she was, she's right... this place's not half bad," Blaise took over the conversation, shooting a quiet smile at the boy while taking a sip of his tea. "Every man's gotta have a base for themselves. Whether it's at home or in a place like this that don't change a thing. As long as it's a place where you can relax, and be alone with your thoughts... right?"

While he would have never admitted it, Blaise couldn't help but to feel slightly excited to see a place like that. After all, it was almost literally a hidden base. And every single boy in the whole wide world could not resist a hidden base, no matter how old they got.

And the blonde youth was no exception.

"Still, former leader, huh?" Blaise continued. "That the guy I beat up earlier tonight?"

If that was the case, he was pretty much responsible for the food shortage that now troubled the batter-boy and his friends.

Blaise frowned a bit, and to an outsider it might have looked like he was glaring a hole through the other youth.

But the next words that came out of his mouth were in total contrast to that.

"... Want me to cook something for you guys later? You can put it in the fridge," Blaise asked out of nowhere. "With a place this big, I'd wager you have lots of people staying here... Hmm... might set aside some leftovers from the restaurant too..."

Suddenly he his speech had taken a very mother-like turn!

[Airen]

Eva Ellet
Rose Cross ~ Command Chambers
Monday – Morning

Ultimately, it seemed Catherine had been content to stay behind to question the Vice Director.

Such a thing was more her style, while you were the sort that was more willing to simply roll with the punches so long as they didn't cross your values, Catherine was the sort that liked to have everything plotted out well in advance of her participation... Knowing her, she'd be up there with the Vice Director for a good while yet, trying to figure out exactly what sort of atmosphere she should expect, as well as exactly what sort of behavior she was expected to present in this sort of "cross-faction" assignment, the path of the honors student in some ways...

Still, that was her path, as for you...

You can accept thing as they are, and are already heading to do what was asked of you; the journey to the medical ward isn't a particularly lengthy or interesting one, it's a path that every Rose Cross Tamer is gonna cross countless times, and one that you in particular are a bit more familiar with due to your own nature, but...

Today...

Today, there is a bit more going on in the hallways than the usual; or rather, the scene you find yourself stumbling across is one that your eyes automatically recognize as "out of place" or "bizarre."

Namely...

Someone has collapsed along the length of the hallway. The clean ceramic tiles haven't been stained with anything -blood or otherwise- and yet there is certainly someone lying there unconscious, of course you can't make out their facial features, not just because they're wearing a hat that's obscuring their face, but also because there's someone kneeling right over them, a much more familiar figure, or rather, one that everyone inside the organization can recognize at a glance, namely...

It's Issac.

The Rose Cross's Golden Child, and someone who was often hailed as an "Ace of Aces." If there was a descriptor one could use for him as an individual, it would be that he was "perfect." He had perfect manners when speaking to others, was graced with perfect looks and combat abilities, and was generally multi-talented to the point of being a supernatural polymath, a man who was able to handle any and every sort of situation that could possibly appear within the confines of the world...

In some ways, he was probably the strongest Rose Cross Tamer, although he was also humble enough that he would never actually admit to that sort of thing either.

Either way...

---He was someone that had always come across to you as "trustworthy."

A man who wasn't blinded by ideals, but wasn't bound by cynicism either, someone who could certainly change the world in their own way...

That's why this scenario doesn't come across as immediately suspicious, but...

"Ah, is that you Eva?"

Voice smooth and cool as always, the blonde Tamer raises his head to regard you with a warm and sincere smile.

"I found Ms. Fairchild here unconscious a moment ago. You wouldn't happen to have heard any sort of struggle happening around here, would you? I can't see any obvious wounds, but it never hurts to be careful."

[Airen]

Ayra Lilygrove
Akarana Estate ~ Laboratory
Monday - Afternoon/Evening

"Understood. I'm on my way."

Professional words, ones that declare her lack of hesitation in a way that goes beyond the concept of words themselves.

White light heralds her entrance into the area; rather than navigate it with her body alone, the light that emerges from her COMP is the guided light of a different sort of teleportation spell, one that transforms the user into light before depositing them 'whole' back at the targeted area... Great for both navigation and defense, it was a speed-type spell that literally allowed one to move at the speed of light in bursts, but also one that was hard to control because of it, requiring a designated destination before one uses it, but...

One that she treats casually, appearing as a small explosion of light that emerges seamlessly into the dark-haired knight...

Someone who shared her face with your A.I, and someone that was hard for you to look directly at, yes...

Was it because she was shining? A tortured past? Or something else?

Questions that have answers.

Answers that reside only within your self...

"Joker again huh...?"

Still...

When she sees your current condition, the face that was usually smiling and cheerful slowly twists itself into a more determined line... It's not a form of anger that would be obvious to most, Knights are, after all, often good at hiding what they are really thinking and feeling from others, but you...

You can tell with just a glance...

That seeing that you had been damaged had definitely "angered" her in some way...

"Did he escape towards the lab? Do you want to retreat here? I can handle him. Alexia is on the way as well, Joker won't get away today."

Yep...

There was definitely some sort of righteous anger present in that voice...

[Airen]

Daisuke
Aoyama, Starlight Aquarium
Monday - Afternoon

"Of course I like em!"

Just like always, if there was a person that wasn't afraid of looking like a child in spite of being what was supposed to be an adult, it would be a certain Lexie... It's not at all surprising that she would be interested in things like dolls or plushies, anyone that has a taste for anime-style MMOs was probably also the sort that devoured "Moe Culture" in it's entirety, and hell...

Looking at her now, lightly bouncing the children's toy up and down in her hands while clearly declaring her fondness for them...

Yeah...

Nothing seems out of place with that...

Still, she remains a good listener even in her most childish moments.

"I see... Well, even if it becomes official Tamer business, that doesn't mean we can't all go laugh about it later right? If they fight, all we have to do is make sure they make up! No problem! Getting everyone to work together is the Tamer ideal, even if a few friendship punches have to get thrown around every once in awhile!"

Somehow, she is able to be amazingly quiet and expressive at the same time...

"So all she has to do is hold it together! She's got this! I believe in her!"

---

Mokujima Chris
Aoyama, Starlight Aquarium
Monday - Afternoon

"Almost fainted huh? Fufufufu..."

Where one's poker face falls away, the other seems to fall deeper into a chunni delusion...

Yes...

Looking much like a walking shadow, an incredibly pale girl that wouldn't look out of place as the ghost in a supernatural thriller, Sakurako lightly chuckles into her own wrist as she eyes you with amused eyes...

Her clothes aren't anything noteworthy, they seem to blend with the darkness in such a way that they almost seem to melt away into the corners of the room, but that's all that can really be gleaned from glancing at them...

They're just dark. Greys and blacks, with black and red butterflies sewn expertly into the sleeves, along with a clear crystal bracelet.

Something more aligned with those of a goth persuasion than that of a shut-in one, but one that did seem to fit the more darkness obsessed girl in her own way... Of course, she was also obviously skinny enough that...

"...Yes."

She is forced to awkwardly break her own chunni demeanor in order to express her interest in the food she hadn't expected you to carry along with her-!

"I'll take one!"

And that's how this had started, sitting inside of a very dark room, with someone you had never met IRL before now, watching jellyfish that were kinda spooky in their own way, all while waiting for the other girl to make the first move in conversation, but-!

"So, a Tamer huh?"

You don't have to wait long for her to speak.

"...Surprised you went for something like that... They're pretty demon-like themselves, right?"

[Airen]

Blaise Pendragon
???, Headquarters
Monday - Morning

"..."

It is, perhaps, only natural that the youth is confused by the sudden shift in what he had perceived to be your natural demeanor. Having opened up his headquarters on a whim -or rather, out of a lingering sense of obligation- there have certainly been a number of atmospheric twists and turns over the past few minutes... There was a pale girl cooking cup noodles in the back -sipping at a can of coffee with mild curiosity- and what was blatantly an artificial intelligence making jabs at his character, more specifically, implying that he would go out of his way to drug others, and then...

He is defended by, and then offered food by, someone he had hit with a baseball bat earlier in the day.

"..."

Yes.

For this boy... It is certainly a bizarre day.

Where should he even begin with all of it...?

...Probably the worst of it, so it doesn't look like he's evading the accusation.

"...My sister made the barrier. Did it for me back in the day. Overprotective type. Said she didn't want me out here in town unprotected if she wasn't around, so she put it up for me... It's a little overkill I know, but I'm not the roofie type. It's a repurposed emergency shelter... Yeah, I guess that's the best word for it..."

Words that he feels awkward even saying, so awkward in fact that a hand is already slowly drifting to his head to nurse a growing headache...

"...Really, it's just a cool base. He gets it."

Even so, he nods at you, because you, at least, seemed to understand the appeal to all of it.

"But yeah, Fedora head was our boss. Kinda told him to get lost after he ditched us earlier, and he stole our good food while I wasn't paying attention... Might have stole the others too really, no one else has come back yet. Frickin cowards. Following after someone who already left you behind once? Not me."

Balling one hand up into a fist and punching it into the other, as if the mere thought of the betrayal had banished the approaching migraine, the dark-haired youth sits up a bit higher in his chair, even as the microwave goes off in the background... Followed by the almost gross sound of rapidly slurping noodles from what should have been a very sick girl...

"Name's Matsumoto Isamu by the way... Figure there's no point in hiding it any longer... Although, if you wanna cook something... I'll have to insist on paying for it. I can't take anymore freebies, hurts the pride, you know?"

[Katie]

Ayra Lilygrove
Akarana Estate ~ Laboratory
Monday - Afternoon/Evening

It’s hard to look at her directly.

Is it because of her flashy entrance? The battered state I’m in? The fact that spell makes me puts an annoyed pout on my face? It is those things, yet it isn’t.

The truth of the matter is that I’m a coward. For everything else, I can put on a brave face and grit my teeth and bear it, but this...

Whether it was Merlin or Mikazuki that reunited us, I’ll give them an earful whenever the opportunity presents itself. Gabriel can read the mood of a room, I’d hope.

Still, I force myself to make eye contact and pretend everything is alright—well, as alright as someone like myself can be, anyway. I try to put the thoughts of that garish spell out of my mind. Really, a trick like that would never be enough to catch up to me consistently… I’d be gravely insulted if she thought that was the case.

"Joker again huh...?"

Tsukiko says it with the slightest undercurrent of a growl. It may not look like it, but she’s furious. Controlled, but angry nonetheless. She still clenches her left hand when she’s trying to hide her irritation.

I’m starting to get the impression that telling her Joker has beaten me before has given her the wrong idea… Or, at least, an idea I’m not fond of.

"Did he escape towards the lab? Do you want to retreat here? I can handle him. Alexia is on the way as well, Joker won't get away today."

—!

I think my heart skipped a beat for way too many reasons just now.

But dear God I need to fix this before it gets out of hand. You can feel flattered later, even though none of this makes any sense. She’s probably just angry someone can best a Knight in the first place. That’s it.

Anyway, fixing the problem. We have Akarana to deal with, or the mission is a failure. No need to send able hands on a wild goose chase over someone who’s actually right here.

“If you haven’t seen Joker leaving that way, then he’s already gone,” I say, leaning into Tsukiko’s assumption. If Joker’s a man in her mind, then it’ll be difficult for her to put two and two together, even when it’s staring her in the face. Confirmation bias. “Besides… it seemed like they were running from something…”

I point down the hallway, where Akarana’s light still glows in its ominous manner. At this point, I’m extremely worried. Just what the hell is going on?

“If Alexia’s coming,” I say, the memories of the NWAB member clear in my mind, “it might be better if we move in now, before the situation can possibly get worse. I’m not so… I’m not going to let you go there alone.”

Ah, slip of the tongue. The right thing to say is “I can’t let you take all the glory” or something like that, isn’t it? I’m too exhausted to think about the particulars right now…

Aster: Ayra, if your heart rate climbs any higher you might have a heart attack within the first twenty years of your life.

Thanks for the warning.

[Verg Avesta]

Blaise Pendragon
???, Headquarters
Monday - Morning

"Name's Matsumoto Isamu by the way... Figure there's no point in hiding it any longer... Although, if you wanna cook something... I'll have to insist on paying for it. I can't take anymore freebies, hurts the pride, you know?"

Hearing that, the stoic smile on Blaise's face widened, just a bit. After all, despite what had happened with the gang earlier today... it was good to see that not all of them had been just a collection of thugs without principles. It might have been a small thing in the grand scheme of things, but to hear someone speak their mind clearly, and not make concessions on their pride... well, it certainly improved the blonde youth's opinion of the boy in front of him.

"Then you'll pay for the ingredients and I cook. Simple as that. I don't regret what I did... but it also caused your food shortage. This way we'll both be satisfied, right?" Blaise asked, raising his eyebrow a little at the youth. "And we'll both keep our pride intact. That's good. A man who is willing to set his pride aside even if his heart tells him not to... well, he's not a proper man in the first place."

Having said that with conviction, Blaise suddenly stood up from his seat where he had sat down just moments before. The bat-boy -no, Matsumoto Isamu- had introduced himself without any prodding or poking from Blaise which meant he would have to return the gesture in kind. Though, unlike most others locals, Blaise had a habit of going for a handshake instead of just a bow. It wasn't just because of his bloodline, but because you could tell much from how someone shook your hand... and thus, Blaise wanted to get a better understanding of just what sort of guy Matsumoto Isamu was.

"Might be a bit late, especially considering I decked you earlier... but better late than never," Blaise continued, raising his hand and taking a step forward. "The name's Blai---"

"AHEM!"

A sudden, loud voice cut the blonde youth's words right out of his mouth. With a sort of surprised look Blaise looked behind, only to see the projected image of a school-uniform-and-jersey-wearing girl waltz right past him with a stern look on her face. Kaguya, who had been so far sitting on the sofa, glaring daggers at Matsumoto, had suddenly decided to move. Her shout had echoed strong and true in the secret base, catching all eyes (three pairs, to be exact) onto her. Now the COMP AI made her way between the two boys, hands on her hips and staring straight down at the mop-headed youth.

The stand-offish, prickly gang girl was gone.

Instead now her demeanor was closer to that of a sukeban as her attire suggested - a female leader of a delinquent gang with authority to match.

"Banchou... If yer gonna do it, ya gotta do it right, y'hear?" Kaguya said, glancing at Blaise and clicking her tongue. "Otherwise the mooks'll never learn."

Realizing what was coming, Blaise grimaced. At the same time, from somewhere, holographic rain of cherry petals seemed to pick up around the two.

"... You know, I'd be really glad if you didn't do the whole thing right now. Please."

Showing defiance for the first time, Kaguya simply answered with a smirk, her bunny ears flicking towards the boy with a slightly smug air about them.

But then that stare hardened into almost a glare.

"Ain't no way in hell I'mma let them disrespect my owner. If they's gonna get talk with ya, get chummy with ya, eat yer cookin'... they's gonna learn exactly who they're dealin' with!"

The flurry of sakura petals picked up.

Before the eyes of Matsumoto Isamu and Tsukiko Aido, Kaguya spun around on her heels and faced them both with eyes of pure determination shining in the dimly lit room.

She slammed her foot down to the floor and bent her knees, adopting almost a hunched-over stance.

Left leg in 90-degree angle to the side, right light straight ahead, while her right hand went to her hip and her left hand was thrust forward, palm up.

A perfect, well-rehearsed and flawlessly executed jingi-greeting.

A stance practically oozing of chivalry.

The lights felt dimmer and it was as if spotlight was shined upont he two - Kaguya in front and Blaise behind her, arms folded across his chest.

Then.

Suddenly.

A voice - clear as rain and powerful as thunder - resonated form Kaguya.

"Ohikae nasutte, ohikae nasutte!"

It was a voice with enough force behind it to make any slack-jawed delinquent straighten their backs.

"Before you, I announce his hometown, Aoyama, Omotesandou, Tokyo! Baptized in a well of Shiba Kouen, raised in the soil of Minato!"

Spoken by a COMP AI that had cast aside her catty personality to reveal something wholly different behind it.

"He has kept alive the memory of the technique forged by the fires of Red Pendragon, the wife of the progenitor of the Pendragon Clan, Medrod Pendragon!"

Like a town-crier announcing the arrival of a knight... nay, like a second-in-command announcing the arrival of a man amongst men, in style of Japanese chivalry that had almost died out.

"Family name Pendragon, first name Blaise! Still a novice under the teachings of his parents and of the Clan Ryuumonbuchi, he greets you nonetheless!"

The sword-like eyes of Kaguya were trained straight at Isamu and Aido, refusing to back down and almost demanding them to acknowledge this archaic, traditional style of greeting from decades ago that still commanded a surprising amount of presence.

As did the words Kaguya ended it with, in the midst of a flurry of holographic sakura petals that surrounded now both her and her liege.

"'Tis an honor!"

...

Meanwhile, Blaise Pendragon looked like he was trying to hide just how embarrassing he had felt the whole deal was.

[Bloble]

Mokujima Chris
Aoyama, Starlight Aquarium
Monday - Afternoon

"Demon-like, huh?"

It's a strange observation to make. To understand it, one must first understand what the word 'demon' means in this context.

Chris doesn't. Not fully, at any rate. Sakurako always had her own definition for the word 'demon', separate from the most common use, referring solely to the beings inhabiting the Demonic Server and now walking among humans in the aquarium. When Sakurako spoke of demons, it brought to mind old stories, born of superstition and fear. Stories of Faustian bargains, of beings that would creep out of the darkness of the human heart and lay bare the weakness of Man... stories like that. But of course, Chris is fairly sure that definition doesn't exactly fit either. Perhaps a demon is simply the opposite of a human... the opposite of the word 'human' as perceived by the only girl Mokujima Chris knows that is gloomier than herself.

"Yeah," is Chris' eventual response, between bites of a maple-flavoured doughnut. "Tamers are terrifying beings... that don't follow common sense. Even the nice ones." Lexie, Shuichi, and the countless others... all of them are larger-than-life figures that stand out from the rest of humanity. Except when they don't. Sometimes even heroes need to play a video game or binge-watch an anime or have breakfast at a nice bakery with some friends. "But... they're still human."

Human, in this context, being closer to Sakurako's definition than Chris'.

She steals curious glances at Sakurako as they eat. The girl's clothes, the butterflies sewn into the fabric, the bracelet on her too-skinny arm, the way she eats a pastry... Chris can't help but notice every little detail. She can't shake the feeling that if she looks away for too long, her friend will disappear again.

No. That won't happen. Not if she has anything to say about it.

"Still, there are perks." Chris' voice changes as the conversation continues. She is hesitating less, speaking longer sentences and taking less time between them. Her words, usually triple-checked before they are said, have veered towards unfiltered. This is a side of Mokujima Chris that does not usually come out offline, even among friends. In fact, the number of people that have seen her like this in person used to number only three... with Sakurako now being the fourth.

"Fufufu..." A glowing jellyfish floats past, and the light causes a devious glint to appear in Chris' glasses. "Only a Spirit Tamer... could get this..."

She whips forth her remaining phone and opens up a folder hidden behind several passwords. Within are several dozen image files, the first of which Chris opens. Sakurako is the first and only person to lay eyes on Mokujima Chris' most precious treasure, found during her time training and working at the SDCD. If anyone else were to see this most scandalous of pictures, her career would be in jeopardy---!

A room away, Daisuke pauses in his chatter with Lexie. It shouldn't be possible, but a chill nonetheless runs up his electric spine. It couldn't be...? She wouldn't, would she? She'd promised!

"Fufufufu..."

Between the two girls watching the jellyfish exhibit, it would be a mistake to think that one is significantly stranger than the other. In the first place, they could only have become close friends through shared acceptance of each other's strangeness. Sure, Chris is more likely to conceal her power level, but she too has her quirks, chief among them being...

"Cute, right?"

Daisuke wearing an elementary school uniform. Daisuke proudly donning his navy blue suit. Daisuke, his upper body bare and opened up for maintenance. Daisuke struggling across a series of monkey bars during training. Daisuke at the beach wearing only swim shorts. Daisuke, embarrassed, in a frilly pink dress. And finally, Daisuke in his pajamas in sleep mode, hogging the whole bed to himself as he dreams of electric sheep.

Yes, of all the people in the world, only a certain spooky girl knows just how much of an absolute brocon Mokujima Chris truly is!

"A military grade COMP... is really cool. Having a cute little brother is even cooler."

Almost completely relaxed now, she can smile almost fondly. But that's not what Chris came here to say. She flips the phone closed, leaving only the memory of her treasure.

"Spirit Tamers are demon-like, but they aren't demons."

Yes, in a roundabout way, this was all a part of her answer to that first question.

"But they're the only humans out there that can get so close to demons. That's why... that's why they're terrifying." To a girl nervous enough to get spooked by a jellyfish exhibit or a public space, doubly so. Even now, Demons make her nervous, despite her having conversed with them plenty of times. "And that's why I joined. Because not being able to reach you would have been even scarier."

She looks back to her friend, brows furrowed, and takes the offensive for the first time.

"I won't ask what you've been up to. I won't ask if you managed to abandon your humanity or not. Just tell me... are you doing well now, Sakurako?"

[Airen]

Logan Starbright & Ludwig
SLEIPNIR ~ Flight Deck (South)
Monday ~ Morning

---Even if she refuses to acknowledge her brother, the fact that this is a battle of three against one will not change, if anything, it seems like it would become even greater of a burden to her than normal...

Because even for a Spirit Tamer, the idea of taking on three Tamer-Class opponents by oneself is far from a simple matter. Spirit Tamers themselves are those that exist to challenge fate, they are those that are thought to be capable of fighting back the Gods, and keeping the world of "balance" one where both humanity and demon-kind are able to exist without one wielding undue control over the other... The power necessary to exist as a Tamer is immense, and to have three with that power standing against you, especially when those Tamers are Rothschild Tamers...

It is a task that most would regard with some hesitation and doubt, indeed, to those that watch the battle, it feels like the woman is fighting a losing battle, something that she might as well run away from, but...

She cannot.

She is a Karlfeldt, and more than that, she has a duty to protect her comrades. She won't run away, even if the battle feels stacked against her, she will stand tall against all opponents, refusing to admit defeat until she has actually decisively lost, and even more than that...

She has a trump card.

Much like her ally that was fighting the Admiral, this woman has a 'power' that can tip even impossible odds in her favor.

Yes...

If it's three on one, all that means is that she has to go full force right from the start.

---Bracing yourself to halt any attempt she might make at reaching her disabled opponent, the first sign of true aggression that the woman shows after taking her stance is a spiritual one, her muscles do not tremble, nor do her eyes make any sudden movements, but...

It's a feeling of growing spiritual power, a trembling of the ship beneath one's feet, and even the sudden appearance of a heavy wind blowing out from a body that has suddenly been set aflame with it's own spiritual power.

---Of course, it is not uncommon for a Tamer's power to be so intense that it is visible, but in this case...

It feels different.

Different in a way that immediately sets your minds on high alert-!

Spiritual Power is similar in nature to fingerprints in a lot of ways, while humans all generate the same sort of supernatural force within themselves, everyone has their own form of it that differs in a manner similar to fingerprints; in other words, it is possible to tell who is generating this sort of force simply by the feel of the power itself in most cases, but this...

This bears the signature of countless humans. It is not an exaggeration either, the many 'powers' that can be felt inside this sudden explosion of force number in the hundreds if not higher, and while they might not feel overwhelming individually, the effect that manifests when they add themselves on 'top' of Lara's own power renders the amount of power in the air 'disgusting.'

It almost feels wasteful, in some ways... You might call it infinite...

---The cause is clear.

For ESPers, there is a form they can take that goes far beyond their normal selves; it is a power commonly referred to as the "Eclipse," a forbidden power that draws on the strength of a portion of humanity's 'collective unconscious' to bolster one's own power. At least, that is how it is described in the files the Tamer Organizations possess on the subject... Naturally, it is a power that is only completely understood by those who are capable of using it themselves, and according to the few testimonies that exist about it, even those users don't really "get it" completely, but...

If there was one thing that was clear to all, it was that such a power...

Was not to be underestimated, years and years ago, during the second Kyuubi Incident, it was the power of an entire team of Eclipse Users that had managed to defeat a certain "God of Darkness" that represented humanity's negative thoughts and desires. Eclipse Users were often monsters both physically and spiritually, often times able to dip into the power of conceptual magics, yes...

To see an Eclipse User here...

Was unfortunate, but...

None of you back down.

That is, after all, what a Tamer is; someone who faces who they must, regardless of the difference in strength-!

Still...

While her aura has become overwhelming, she makes no obvious motions to attack any further than this, even in the predicted future, but...

That is only because she does not need to attack to defeat you, at least not quite yet.

---Logan notices it first.

Perhaps because of his nature as a superhuman rather than Ludwig's nature as an ESPer, or perhaps because of the weaker nature of his Harmonizer in comparison to that of his ally, but...

He can see an encroaching darkness on his skin. It is not a normal darkness, if it was something as simple as dark magic his Harmonizer wouldn't allow it to so easily seep into his body, but all the same...

The tips of his fingers have gone pitch black, and slowly seem to be growing down towards the rest of his hand...

Shortly afterwards, it begins for Astra and Ludwig as well, a growing darkness that was like one's body turning into shadows in the purest sense. It does not hurt at all, it is gentle, a numbing progression that does it's best to exist painlessly, as if to catch an opponent off guard, it is...

An "Eclipse Ability," or more specifically, it is a manifestation of Lara's Eclipse Ability...

A particularly powerful one, one that in some ways, could be called "unfair," and that hadn't been born naturally inside of her. It is a power that one of the "heroes" all those years ago had used, and it was not the only one of theirs she had, no...

Her ability, was to be able to shift between all of theirs... At least to a lesser extent, of course while you can't quite tell that yourself-

"Agent Starbright, Karlfeldt. This is Star II. A hostile Eclipse User has been detected, as such, you have become my primary support target."

---This person is a bit more familiar with these sorts of powers, considering the Rothschild had taken records of them all those years ago.

"Analysis indicates she is using a known Eclipse Ability. Technique Name is not in our databases, but the Original User is a man by the name of Jacques Dussault. Effect on the body is transformation into spiritual matter over time, this transformed matter resembles tangible shadows, and the transformation itself exists as an area of effect around the user. It is unlikely you can escape it's range without retreating from the battlefield completely."

Yes.

It seems that Anna Ashford has thrown her own metaphorical hat into the ring, deciding that this area was the "priority" and required her full support as a Mission Operator.

"Eclipse Users have traditionally poor stamina, they are burst fighters, although they are often impossible to critically damage in that state. If you can get her to burn enough energy, she should revert to her previous state, in the best case she might even revert to a weakened state. Would you like me to continue deep dive analysis of the target? Or would you prefer supporting fire? I will leave it to your discretion."

Of course, with Astra already moving to attack, hands balled into fists the moment Anna mentions you need to get your opponent to 'burn through' her energy...

It seems Anna's question is more directed at the two of you.

Lara

Name: Lara Karlfeldt
Gender: Female
Class: Spirit Tamer/ESPer (Eclipse Diver)
Weapon: Fists, Mind, ???

Stats

STR: A
VIT: A
AGI: A
SEN: A
RES: A

Special Traits

-Battle Beat-
-Second Generation ESPer-

Eclipse Ability

-Old Gates-

Able to use the "Eclipse Abilities" of previous Eclipse Divers. Power is significantly reduced however, due to this ability being forced into her through outside means rather than her developing it naturally on her own.

Other Actions

Eclipse: Activate the Eclipse Diver State, can only be done under certain conditions; typically, when one is in some form of "Critical Condition." Increase physical abilities by a certain amount, and enable the use of Eclipse Ability and Spirit Commands. Considered to be an enhanced form of "Awakening."

[Airen]

Raz Stone
Forest, Treetops
Monday - Morning

"If it's alright with you, I'd like to fight for all three of us."

Ultimately, the first of the squires that speaks is the one that had been the most useless in the day's battles so far; for Ryan Winters, there was no real reason to get all passionate and worked up for fights that didn't matter... There hadn't been much of a reason for him to fight the Matador when it had appeared, he had a good sense for hostile intentions, and while the skeletal fiend had done it's best to act as an antagonizing force, he had been able to spot it's more 'mentor-ish' qualities right from the start.

It had no intention of killing anyone, it was essentially just coaching others in an attempt to accomplish some other sort of goal... Considering the conclusion both Raz and the DTG had reached, it was possible that the Matador was doing all of this simply to regain power it had once held in the past through conflict or something of that nature, after all, it had been oddly comfortable fighting at enhanced levels, but...

Either way, the Matador hadn't been a 'real' threat.

Even if they lost, the worst it would do is beat them up a bit. It hadn't harmed anyone enough for them to be in fatal condition, and even if it had, it likely would have gone out of it's way to heal them itself, in comparison to that...

This chuckling cloaked man...

---Yeah, that was a much more lethal intent.

Carefree and dangerous, firing right into the heart of a battle with the intention of more or less killing both the fighters that had been present inside of it, with a few stray shots even coming down to the squires below...

That was the sort of hostile intent... That was the sort of 'necessary' enemy...

That could really get the fighting spirit of Ryan Winters going...

He was lazy at heart sure, but if there was one thing he possessed, it was a heart that couldn't deny the idea of 'justice.'

Someone had not only tried to kill those partaking in a non-fatal duel, but hadn't cared that non-combatants had been in the way of their attacks. As a Spirit Tamer he had to intervene, and as the older brother of Erika Winters...

He felt the need to do so alone, or rather...

He wanted to take the most dangerous position here from himself; it's not just his instincts as the older sibling -although that certainly plays a part- it's also that, of the three squires, he had taken the least amount of damage due to more or less throwing in the towel at the start. The other two had fought valiantly until the end, straining their bodies and COMP systems to the point where they likely couldn't generate anything higher than a few D-Rank formulas, and...

"This guy kinda gives me a bad feeling, so let's not play all our cards together just yet. Besides, I apparently need the extra credit."

...It's a strange feeling, but with his supernaturally enhanced sense of empathy...

It just felt like this person 'wanted' to see what everyone here could do, and naturally...

He felt inclined to deny them that, even if he couldn't exactly place why.

"Oh, don't try to act all cool and heroic now you punk-"

Of course, Erika yells at him, but he's already leaped up towards the stage by himself.

At the same time...

"I can accept most of those charges I guess."

The man in the cliche black robes and hood always seems to speak in a manner that resembles laughter...

It's somewhat disconcerting, that someone would brazenly try to assassinate a knight -hinting at a lack of direct power- and then just kinda laugh in the face of said knight when the assassination goes wrong, even more so when the Matador finally and silently releases you from it's anti-regeneration aura with a grunt now that it looks like everyone is gonna pile on the interloper, but...

"But what do you mean by terrible and cliche fashion sense? This sort of thing is all the rage! Veil of mystery and all that! The lades love a good old fashioned mysterious stranger right? Are you just mad that you can't see my face? Do you wanna see my face?"

This person really doesn't take any of this seriously, or at least, he seems to be trying to destabilize you by acting flippant...

"Here then, just for you Mr. Idol, I think you'll get a kick out of it!"

And with a flip of his coat as he tosses it aside...

"Imitation is the highest form of flattery after all!"

He just might get that destabilizing reaction.

- - - Updated - - -

Cosmos "Fairchild"
???
???

"Soon? That is difficult to say... But we will certainly meet again eventually, even if that day is far off from today."

Coming to a conscious realization that dreams often end at the best parts, your consciousness that has begun to question how much time you really have left alongside this man decides to question him not just on future meetings, but on something that you could do for him if possible, a request that might not come from "Cosmos Fairchild" exactly, but the person that "Cosmos Fairchild" was before she lost her memory...

It's both a sincere offer and a test, something that both parts of 'yourself' have a hand in creating, and in response to that question, that offer, that man...

"You want to do something for me? I see... If I may be so bold, I would like to ask you to observe the world. Look at it with your own eyes, and do your best to understand it's nature... Live life to the best of your ability I suppose, do not be afraid to do things that might seem risky, but don't be careless with yourself either... Just experience the world... Is that a suitable request?"

Asks for something unexpected, yes...

Rather than doing anything specifically for his sake...

This request...

Seems like it's designed to get you to go out and enjoy your own life more...

But why would he ask for something like that?

[Airen]

Ayra Lilygrove
Akarana Estate ~ Laboratory
Monday - Afternoon/Evening

"...I see."

Thankfully, she isn't able to read the chaotic storm that was your thoughts.

In some ways it's her fault, the righteous anger and heroic stance she has taken towards your condition has sparked memories of earlier, simpler times in your lives... But she is ultimately a Knight herself, if her first reaction wasn't to be a chivalrous hero for the people around her she wouldn't be very worthy of that particular status...

Yes.

The Knights are all 'similar' in that way.

When push comes to shove, they all seem to have that "Knight in Shining Armor" side to their personality; it's one of those personality types that never gets old, as cynical as some writers might get when it comes to writing spotless heroes, there is a certain appeal to that archetype that has always seemed to click in the minds of the general populace.

People always tend to like a noble Knight, it's just one of those facts of life.

Still...

"Still, stay behind me. You seem to have taken a few good hits, so I'll take point for now."

Going out of her way to shield you as you approach that ominous light...

It's as comforting as it is disconcerting, something that did little to quell the storm that has erupted inside of your thoughts.

"...Well, pulsating lights are never a good sign."

Of course, she says what you had already been thinking as she slowly advances into the laboratory. The ominous white light had cloaked the once sterile dark-steeled room, illuminating it much more effectively than the dozens of monitors had before, but otherwise, there are no obvious changes to the room itself, at least not at a glance. The pulled up files from before have Tsukiko grumbling at the implications to herself, but she keeps most of her attention on the world in front of her, or rather, the source of the light that seemed to grow and lessen in intensity with the rhythm of a heartbeat.

---And she finds it.

Indeed, she finds it rather quickly, as do you...

Considering the one it is coming from is standing where Lloyd himself had once been standing, but it is an entity that takes you a second to recognize as him, or rather, his form has changed so much that it has you questioning whether or not it is him at all...

Yes...

"...Are you... Lloyd?"

"..."

The Knight that has taken his place does not seem to deem it fit to answer.

Cloaked in armor that was clearly not present before and seemed made of tangible white and red light, and wielding a blade that seemed to be made of the same crystalline substance as what he had placed inside of his COMP -which lay destroyed on the ground nearby- the knight-like entity is kneeling near the center of the room, not looking at anyone or anything, and not responding to anyone or anything either...

It's...

Definitely Akarana... But...

Something about it feels...

Wrong...

[palad1n]

Cosmos "Fairchild"
??????

"O-of course it's a suitable request. Very much so."

How long has it been since she met someone that so easily surpassed her expectations?

Even as she scrambled to make a response, Cosmos couldn't stop the smile that crept upon her face or the faint tint of red on her cheeks; a part of her was happy it seems, happy on a subconscious level that this man is still "the same" after all, while another part of her felt guilty for doubting the man in the first place. Illia did say that sometimes she's too paranoid for her own good, but how could she not? People who are genuinely selfless and kind are rare, and not even she herself is exempt from that fact, no matter how much she tried to emulate her mother.

That's why...

For the man to remind her so much of Mary, to make a request that is not to his benefit but rather her own...

It made her so happy.

Truly, if he were someone from her past then God is indeed kind to her; bestowing not one, but two figures with such a character made Cosmos felt truly blessed. Indeed, even now she thanked the Lord again and again for this kind blessing upon her when she's not even sure if she deserved it, for what else could this be but fate that God has spun for her?

Still...

"Oh, forgive my impudence and rudeness, but... could I ask why this request specifically?" She braved herself to ask, even as her cheeks is still tinted red. "It is a perfect request for myself, but why something for me instead for yourself?"

There is a part of her that is curious on his answer, even if she knew that the answer is likely something simple.

[Rafflesiac]

Logan Starbright
SLEIPNIR ~ Flight Deck (South)
Monday ~ Morning

She’s not moving.

There’d been many courses of action Logan had anticipated: a frontal assault utilizing her martial skills, an area-of-effect attack meant to scatter them, a magic assault on the icy cage jailing her compatriot, even a strategic retreat. But complete inaction? Continued readiness aside, that was odd. Second passed, winding from the future to the present as the tension of the situation continued to build. Logan swallowed, the air thick and muddy in his mouth-

Her spiritual power’s rising! Something’s coming!

A foul wind rippled past him, forcing the stench of countless people into his nostrils and along his skin. It’s as if an oil rig has exploded, venting an endless fathomless stream of filth into the sky, eclipsing the stars fighting among it.

An Eclipse User and a Suppression Weapon? They’re really showing off for us, huh Logan? Amelia laughs. But no one’s eclipsing you, right Starbright?

Logan couldn’t help but smile at the wordplay. Right! He stood prepared, ready to weather the inevitable onslaught from countless enemies in one, but yet again no attack came; prolonging this stalemate surely didn’t provide a benefit now that she’d boosted her power, but still there was no sign of hostile action besides that disgusting energy that sent tingles running along his skin, so he clenched his fingers on Amelia in preparation to attack-

His fingers were disappearing. Without pain, without pleasure, his flesh was evaporating into inky pitch.

“Spiritual necrosis!?”

It’s stronger than your Auto Skill!

In that case, there was no more reason to maintain the stalemate. Anna’s following statement thoroughly eliminated the ludicrous notion of retreat, leaving the sole option that Astra quickly took.

"Eclipse Users have traditionally poor stamina, they are burst fighters, although they are often impossible to critically damage in that state. If you can get her to burn enough energy, she should revert to her previous state, in the best case she might even revert to a weakened state. Would you like me to continue deep dive analysis of the target? Or would you prefer supporting fire? I will leave it to your discretion."

The latter was a tempting option; few things could withstand the SLEIPNIR’s weapons. But given the overwhelming likelihood that Lara Karlfeldt was not in fact Jacques Dussault, she near certainly had another ace up her sleeve - and Logan had no desire to be caught off guard again.

“Continue analysis please, Anna.”

Logan ran forward to support Astra, lunging in and out of range as he alternated spear jabs and shots of Zio.

---

Heat: 8/10
Spells Used: Eye of the Fates, Zio (x2)

[Katie]

Ayra Lilygrove
Akarana Estate ~ Laboratory
Monday - Afternoon/Evening

"...I see."

Is she unable to let the matter go? Or is it merely her chivalry as a Knight? The sense of noblesse oblige that we all share—that it’s the duty of the strong to protect the weak. It’s hard to tell. After all, at one point I thought I knew everything there was to know about her…

But now I’m so uncertain I have to second-guess everything she and I say.

Still… Regardless of the motivations behind her behavior, it’s nothing less than expected for a Knight. And I, being one of them… it’d be quite the lie to say I disliked these sorts of things. Those gallant tales were the very things I strove to become…

"Still, stay behind me. You seem to have taken a few good hits, so I'll take point for now."

Yet at this moment, I find it perfectly okay to be coddled. The princess to someone else’s knight. Normally I’d refute the matter, but it’s not as if I’m in any sort of condition to contest. There’s a practical element to her words and it was the plan to lean on the support the Knights gave. I just wish…

Actually, never mind that. It is what it is, like this trek through the laboratory.

Every step towards the light is like the build-up to a horror scene. Akarana surely should have moved. It’s so wrong for him to talk so much, give up so much, and yet do nothing about it. For him to not act… I just don’t understand.

I really, really don’t.

Tsukiko’s startled gasp breaks my train of thought, as—

"...Are you... Lloyd?"

Aster: That’s not Akarana.

That, I know isn’t the truth, but it might as well be. Aster is merely voicing her similar sentiment. The broken COMP beside him, the uncharacteristic behavior… I have a hunch that what he tried to control proved to be much more than he could handle, leading to this.

I pity him a bit, sacrificing this much to be robbed of any agency, but he dug his own grave.

Still, it’s the duty of a Knight to rescue others… even if it’s from their own mistakes.

Yet… I can’t act. Because naturally, Ayra Lilygrove should be clueless as to what would have happened, clueless about the relationship he and the girl outside, barely breathing, share.

So I pry with a question, hoping for the best.

“Mr. Akarana… if that is you, there’s no need to be so guarded. We’re here to help.”

My hand doesn’t leave Aster’s hilt.

[Airen]

Ayra Lilygrove
Akarana Estate ~ Laboratory
Monday - Afternoon/Evening

"..."

At first, the Knight's sheer lack of response makes it impossible to determine if it even knows there are people in the room besides itself. It's a quiet stoicism that is much unlike the somewhat more loud and confident Lloyd, lacking any real emotion or sense of superiority... In the most extreme case, it felt a bit like staring at an empty suit of armor, although the rhythmic rise and fall of it's chest helps to dash such thoughts from your mind, still...

A story of sorts can be pieced together here, and piece it together you do, still...

"That's right, so let's put the sword down, okay? No reason to make this any worse for anyone."

Not wanting to draw undue attention to yourself by revealing information "Ayra Lilygrove" should not know, the person who speaks up next, who makes yet another effort to get some sort of response from what she is not sure is a hostile figure or not, is your dark-haired friend... There is no hostility in her voice, rather, there is an attempt at a Knightly sympathy, a voice that recognizes that there is something 'wrong' with the person before them, and is hoping to find some sort of solution to that wrongness, but...

But...

Her words get no reaction from it, what does get a reaction however...

Is the single step towards him she takes, a step that finally infringes on the ten or so feet of space it had been granted from the two of you up till now out of a deep sense of unease, and...

"...Tamers."

That's the first thing it says.

Along with those words comes a slow rise to it's feet, and the light movement of a crystal blade as it is withdrawn from it's place inside of the earth, as if it too was a sacred sword from the time of Arthurian Legend, rather than a simple magical stone that seems to have mutated far beyond the point that Akarana had likely wished for it to stop...

Still, even though it stands, there is no obvious motion to attack.

It simply stands there, gazing at you through it's visor without motion, until...

"...Levy. My goal... Wish..."

It says something else, something that has it's aura flip from 'stoic' to 'impassioned in a heartbeat, as if the Knight -or rather it's host- had suddenly remembered what it needed to do-!

"...Rescue."

That suddenly recollection leads it to detonate the ground beneath it's feet as it charges towards you, spiritual energy pouring out of it's armor as if it had turned itself into a walking jet engine.

Contrary to the Lloyd of before, who had freely admitted that he had no sort of talent when it came to these sorts of battles, the armored warrior crosses the remaining distance between itself and Tsukiko in a single step, it's blade already crashing down like a meteor in the same motion, a brute force strike that didn't carry about cutting or piercing, but simply smashing it's opponent beneath it's weight as if it was wielding some sort of crystalline club-!

"Tch-!"

However, even though it's speed is immense, years of experience have Tsukiko's body automatically reacting to the strike of it's own accord; recognizing subconsciously that she can't hope to simply block something so heavy, the rapid draw of a katana from it's sheath reveals a full-powered sword strike that has only a single purpose, namely-

-the continued destruction of the laboratory floor, as she deflects a monstrously powerful blow to the side sending it crashing down into the metallic floors, your hand automatically swinging Aster in reflexive motions as you cut apart all the debris that comes your way out of instinct, leaping back along with Tsukiko as a blade strikes the ground with so much force that the entire underground complex starts shaking as if the titanic gouge it had just made in the floor and earth had triggered some sort of earthquake-!

The lights flicker, and most of the televisions go from crisp picture to roaring static as the armored warrior gives no time for anyone to truly recover from it's first blow; yes, by the time your feet touch the ground again it is already in the process of attacking, it's one-armed sword swing followed by a berserker scream as it seemingly claws at the air with the back of one gauntled arm, and-

-lets loose a wave of spiritual power in your general direction.

As far as spells go, it seems to resemble your typical Aura Blast, an explosion of spiritual force being directed through an area as heat and light, but in this instance... The spell almost feels sloppy, while the power behind it is real, it feels almost like it had simply poured a disgusting amount of power into it's fist and let it loose at you without any regard for it's reserves, or hell, even the fact that that body clearly hadn't been able to handle this sort of power properly the last time you were here, either way...

Rather than run from it, Tsukiko automatically positions herself in front of you as if unsure whether or not you could handle it by yourself, a thick blue shield already gathering at her fingertips as she prepares to weather a storm with her usual calmer confidence, but you...