Spirit Pulse : Mugen No Sekai [IC]

[palad1n]

Cosmos Fairchild
LOVELESS - Interior (??? Fountain)
??? - Afternoon

...

...

...

"...Guessing that didn't go quite as planned?"

The moment Cosmos realized that nothing is happening...

"Hauuu~"

She could only let out what could be described as a whimper, her cheeks burning with shame and embarrassment.

She was so embarrassed! Caught in the middle of the moment, she said those things and leaped out in a desperate bid to gleam more of her past memories, even when she could no longer felt the alluring tug from the water! She's so embarrassed she couldn't even look at Kagura in the eyes!

How she wished she could just sink into the water and disappear from watching eyes...

'Not every decision we make ends up being correct. We should be thankful that the mistake is something as mundane as this.' Illia consoled from within her mind, her tone and demeanor back to her usual gentle one. 'Besides, nobody saw this but Miyu and Kagura, so this is a good learning experience, isn't it?'

Cosmos nodded and decided to gratefully receives Illia's consolation; She couldn't imagine what she would have felt if others, especially other tamers who recognize her, saw what she just did... What kind of rumor and headlines would spread from such an act. She might actually die from sheer embarrassment, especially if Alyx knew about this...

Thankfully, that's not the case, and at least the fact that Miyu followed and jumped in too managed to reduce the embarrassment. Truly, God is all-loving and generous.

"Come on, the whole walking on water thing is impressive, but it's probably violating some rules of the establishment too. Kinda like walking on the grass?"

"R-right... I'm so sorry you have to see this, Miss Kagura..." She whimpered an apology, her cheeks still somewhat flushed from shame and embarrassment as she gratefully took her hand and hopped out of the fountain. Still, she noticed after regaining enough of her composure that the woman's eyes seems to linger on her and Miyu's hands for an instant...

And of course, she noticed the seemingly glowing tatoo on the back of Kagura's hand.

"Um... Forgive me for asking, but... is that a tattoo on the back of your hand, Miss Kagura? It's glowing..." Cosmos voiced her concern. Tattoo, as far as she knows, doesn't normally glow, so it might actually be something dangerous if Kagura doesn't know. "If it is not, then perhaps it would be good to have it checked after we find the exit. It might be dangerous."

And she took a quick glance at the back of her hands too, if only to see why kagura stared at it.

[Airen]

Mokujima Chris / Daisuke
SDCD Headquarters ~ Kenji's Office
??? - Evening

---Ultimately, Shuichi agreed it was for the best to report the existence of the bizarre stone fragment; of course while such reports can be done wirelessly, there is a certain importance to the scenario that has led Shuichi towards reporting it to his father in person as well, and thus...

"...Yes. The both of you are quite right in this being a concerning development."

...Here you are.

Sitting across from the leader of the SDCD in his office. In terms of content it is similar to Shuichi's club room back at the academy, albeit, with a much more clear and professional feel to everything, as well as being bigger in an obvious way... Of course, coming to directly speak with the Faction Head in the late hours of the day would ordinarily be a difficult -if not outright impossible- task, even for a place as open as SDCD, but...

Naturally, as his son, it seems Shuichi has certain benefits...

...Not that he is likely particularly fond of being given even the slightest in special treatments, still...

"I was just given reports and samples of a similar substance found in England a few hours ago... I'm a bit shocked it's seemingly spread this far already, but you guys don't have to worry too much about it... We're already working on countermeasures for it."

...For you, it's a good opportunity.

While Namasaki Kenji does come around Aoyama Gakuen from time to time to observe the classes there he never teaches any himself... It's likely that he simply does not have the time to do so, considering his position and all the responsibility it likely entails, thus...

It's a good opportunity to talk to the man in person, and so far...

"As I'm sure you're curious, I will share some of my own observations with you. As far as I can tell, these are not formed from what we would call traditional plumes; the outer physical structure is identical, but their soul patterns are close to non-existent... In more blunt terms, they're like hollow plumes. Of course there is something inside of them, but they are more akin to transceivers receiving and amplifying a signal from some outside source or will... In other words, they themselves are hollow. Not only that, all of the samples I've seen appear to have been cut from the same stone... It's a bit concerning, but at the very least, we can say that their source is different, still..."

Leaning forward in his seat, the older man adjusts his glasses slightly...

"It's parasitic nature is troubling... There's a chance it's shape was made to lure others close to it... There's a possibility that they could infect actual plumes or even humans and demons, thus, we're taking steps to shut them down now. It'll take most of tonight, but adding some additional programs to the Global Harmonizer Field should do it. Make the right program, and it should suppress all of the false plumes indefinitely... Or at least long enough for us to figure out where they're coming from..."

...In some ways he's like Shuichi, going out of his way to solve problems as soon as he becomes aware of their existence, and...

"So it'll be alright. No need for serious worry, although we'll certainly have to look into it."

A comforting fatherly existence, something that would have been far removed from the minds of those who had seen his bratty teenage self, but...

A constant in the lives of SDCD Tamers today, as well as COMPs from all around the world, but...

Was that enough? Or?

Was this an opportunity to find out more...?

[Rafflesiac]

Logan Starbright
Aoyama, Tokyo (F-Zero Course)
??? - Morning

Slight that it was, Logan had gotten his wish; they’d managed to find a park in the middle of Aoyama’s labyrinthine sprawl, and without even realizing it his breaths had grown deeper and slower, shoulders rolling off an invisible weight as he took in the peaceful green. The way the sunlight dappled through waving boughs, the quiet solemnity of the area the vines winding around aged metal fences having long outlived the gardens they protected, the mossy stones quietly receding into the nature they were crafted from, the calm smile of-

Logan shook his head and eyed the statues. Humanity’s guardian goddess - according to Japan at least - and two samurai representing its ability to unite against strife. So these are the Persona Entities that the people of Aoyama created - their own determination, their own strength. That’s something amazing. It’s most definitely true power.

But it’s useless if you’re alone.

Something like that wouldn’t have helped back then.

That’s not a power suited for you.

"Paging Planet Logan, this is Universe Amelia, the perfect and wonderful representative of the 7.8/10 Too Much Magic Planet Earth, your date is leaving you~"

“That’s not really the right choice of words-” Logan blinked to see Astra beelining for a building labeled ‘Formula Zero’. Of all things, it was a simulated extreme racing course, with an emphasis on extreme. That drop alone put most rollercoasters to shame, let alone the soporific referred to as NASCAR racing. Logan shifted his attention to the other racers; in terms of standouts, there was a young woman obviously used to this and a young man climbing into… a minivan? Well, this was a simulation; form and function had no need to coincide.

"You want to drive? Or do you think you'd be better on attack duty?"

This wasn’t the sort of venue that Logan had ever been to before, and he’d never been much of a thrill seeker. But Astra was practically glowing with excitement - and Logan had no desire to lose. He vaulted over the side of the craft into the driver’s seat and clipped on his seatbelt.

“I’ll drive.”

[Airen]

Cosmos Fairchild
LOVELESS - Exterior (??? Fountain)
??? - Afternoon

"It's just a minor charm, I thought it might be neat to have a glow-in-the-dark tattoo, but it turned out to be a bit more gaudy than I would have liked originally... Don't worry, there's nothing dangerous about it."

A completely calm answer, one that holds absolutely no hesitation in it's emergence.

---Ultimately, that is what this girl seems to be, an unshakeable wall that remains composed regardless of any bizarre events that happen to unfold in front of her eyes... Even the sigh from earlier had seemed to be more going through the motions of disappointment rather than disappointment itself, and as you reach out and grasp her hand when she offers it to you...

...There is another flash of something, a feeling of familiarity...

It is not the feeling that you have met her before somewhere, but rather... It's a feeling that you've met someone similar before, of course, being in the current mood that you're in it's a bit difficult to recall exactly where you've felt this before, but-

"Anyway, let's get out of here for now."

-interrupting your thoughts for the moment, Kagura takes the lead on the expedition to escape the mall this time, and obediently -perhaps because of the embarrassment that had befallen you the last time you resisted- you follow along behind her...

---

Ultimately...

It's at least another hour before you emerge from LOVELESS once more, the golden light of the setting sun illuminating a world that was slowly slipping behind the curtain called 'night.'

In that time, you never quite manage to find Kagura's friends.

LOVELESS is being a bit less cooperative than normal -to the point where the moment you leave the fountain room you are unable to find it again- but the girl ultimately doesn't seem to see this as a problem, claiming that she and her friends had decided on a 'backup plan' in case they ever lost each other, which was to simply wait outside the building for the others to emerge in the lot... Of course, it is a bit strange that she doesn't even have a civilian-tier COMP or phone to contact them with, but even in the modern age there were some people that were behind on the times...

Considering her clothing, it wouldn't be hard to make the connection that she might be one of them, still...

"Lady Kagura! Lady Kagura over here!"

Once the three of you finally make it out into the -massive- parking lot, a cascade of voices -both male and female- appear to bombard you from the other end of it... Of course, the people that they belong to are far enough away that you can't quite make out their faces -at least, not without the use of magic- but their silhouettes are...

Interesting...

While they're definitely humanoid in shape, they all seem to have really long...

Rabbit ears on their heads?

Was this some sort of cosplay group...?

Still, group of apparent weirdos or not (and what was with the 'lady' thing) the white-haired woman certainly waves to them as they call out to her, and...

"There they are, looks like I'll be getting out of your guy's hair soon."

Says this with a smile as she turns back towards you.

"I appreciate your assistance today. We were lost for quite awhile, but it was a fun little diversion."

"No problem!"

Miyu's response is energetic as always, and after waiting to hear whatever you had to say, she-

"Still, try not to leap towards things without really examining them first... Emotions can lead you astray quite easily, mkay?"

-finishes with that, before turning away to run into the distance, figure eventually disappearing amongst those of many others, and...

It's then, as she leaves you and Miyu behind, that you really connect the dots inside of your head...

Yes.

There is no doubt about it.

That girl, Kagura, when you get close enough to her to feel it...

---Has the same sort of aura as that 'man' from your dream, your old Master, the Mess-

"...Hmmm, strange group. Think that was all cosplay? Or do you think some of it was real?"

Ultimately...

Miyu doesn't seem quite as bothered by it all...

Kagura (Revealed by Intuition from ???

Name: Kagura
Gender: Female
Race: Human (Spiritually Aware)
Class: Messiah

[Airen]

Logan Starbright
Aoyama, Tokyo (F-Zero Course)
??? - Morning

"Alright, I'll be the main offense then, shouldn't be too hard-!"

---Yes.

While you were pretty sure Astra wasn't particularly interested in racing specifically, the glowing energy that the girl seemed to radiate the moment anything became a 'competition' was an aura of palpable excitement without equal-!

Of course it could be the adrenaline...

Now that the engines were all firing to life, and the distant blue waters of the simulated ocean all around this track, the insane plunge that awaited everyone the moment they put their foot to the pedal and rocketed forward... It's certainly enough to get the heart racing -even for a Tamer- after all, the sport itself is so obviously dangerous that it has to be done inside of a data world rather than the real world, inviting an atmosphere of vehicular combat and destruction that would certainly have much more negative effects involved for everyone in reality...

Even as a 'fake world,' you would still have to feel it if you crashed, thus...

The sense of danger is very much present, an adrenaline shot not unlike those a more normal person would experience on a roller-coaster-!

Of course, you can't see the entirety of the course from here; it seems that adaption is one of the major skills tested in this sort of sport, with various paths that all have their own hazards existing on the way, not to mention the attacks of fellow competitors, but...

Regardless of how difficult it may be, losing is not your style, nor is it Astra's, thus-!

As proud Tamers of the Rothschild, you'll see this through to the best of your ability-!

"Mines seem like a good choice right?"

Even though Astra seems to be getting a little too into it, seat-belt loose so that she could lean out the window to aim as required, and...

Red light...

Red light...

Red light...

Green-!

You slam on the accelerator without hesitation.

Horrific drops from insane heights were part of the daily reality for any Rothschild Tamer, there was always a chance of falling off the SLEIPNIR if one wasn't particularly careful on deck, and one of the most side effects of a spell going wrong is "plummeting from the sky," in other words...

As horrific as going over that edge might sound to most, you had probably fallen farther than that already-!

And it's good, an excellent response, because...

Overcoming that initial sense of fear is the first thing one must do in this sort of race, to those that cannot-

-only an immediate loss awaits them, as the starting area itself detonates from an errant spell two seconds after the light flickers from red to green, becoming a cloud of smoke and concrete shrapnel as six vehicles are tossed boldly into the sea, becoming a blur of data almost immediately as they are booted back to the 'real world' as a consequence of losing to their own fear-!

"Wooooh-! Hahaha, that's vicious! They really don't mess around in here-!"

Words that are spoken quite comfortably, considering the fact that the vehicle was essentially accelerating straight down on this 'road'-! The dust cloud from the explosion behind you was such that for a few moments you can't see anything through the windows, but-!

Three emerge from the dust cloud first, you and the two you had noticed at the start of the race; the red-haired woman was clinging to her bike in a familiar, almost casual manner, as if rocketing down this hill on a motorcycle didn't bother her at all... The bike's wheels seemed like pretty big targets, but her Jack Frost was cackling to itself -so loudly that you could hear it even at these speeds- and firing icicles at those who were trailing behind, it seemed that any assault on his Summoner would divert his attention to your vehicle instead, which was much closer, neck and neck, and not just her...

---The van is somehow going at speeds far beyond what God would have ever intended pulling up just behind your left side, of course it's a simulation, so everyone's top speed can be adjusted to be more or less equal at base but...

It still looks bizarre, but...

As the driver, attacking the others should be your secondary focus, for now-

The first of many decisions was coming up...

Shortly after the curve of the hill, the track splits three ways:

1.) The straightforward path leads to a tunnel that doesn't seem to be very brightly lit... Considering it's size, it's the sort of space that only one car could pass through comfortably... It's probably the shortest path overall, but getting inside first leaves you somewhat open to attacks from behind considering the lack of space to dodge, while getting in last makes it impossible to pass the people in front of you unless you can eliminate them from the game... The girl and her Jack Frost seem to be heading this way...

2.) A leftmost fork that looked like it ran across a more open bridge... There was a bit more sway to the road than with the tunnel, so it wasn't a complete straight shot, but it wasn't as confined... By that same token, it looked pretty easy to just force people off of it with a strong enough spell.... The van and a few others were going this way, and...

3.) A much wider path to the right, plenty of space, although it looked a bit longer than the others, and was definitely going to be the most popular choice, meaning it was probably also going to be the most chaotic...

Neck and neck with the motorcycle and the van in these first few moments, where to go, whether or not to activate your 'eyes,' now, and how much to directly interfere yourself, is...

Ultimately up to you...

[palad1n]

Cosmos Fairchild
LOVELESS - Exterior (??? Fountain)
??? - Afternoon

Strange things have been happening too much for her lately.

Even as she gave a smile to the parting Kagura, Cosmos couldn't help but think that something is definitely brewing up... if her intuition is correct and Kagura gave the same vibe as her master... If she is also a 'Messiah...'

Then what does this all mean?

"...Hmmm, strange group. Think that was all cosplay? Or do you think some of it was real?"

Hearing an unknown term that made her frown in confusion, once again she turned to her COMP for answers. 'Illia, what is a cosplay?'

'It is a shorthand for costume play, I believe; when people dressed up for an event as someone else, such as a movie character, though it is also popular for seasonal events like halloween.' Illia helpfully answered. 'It seems to be especially popular in Japan, and wearing animal-themed ear band such as foxes or rabbits is one of the easiest form of cosplay one can get.'

'Hmm.' Cosmos hummed in understanding as she eyed the distant silhouettes of people with the rabbit ears. There has never been seasonal events in Vatican - at least nothing extravagant or festive - so she really doesn't know why people would want to do this 'cosplay' for such occasions. If she has to guess it's for setting the mood and atmosphere, but then why wear them outside of such events?

"I think they're real." She honestly answered. "I don't really see the point of tourists doing cosplay in Vatican, really, so that must be how they are."

And besides, if Kagura is a messiah, it would make sense for them to call her their 'lady.' Just like how she herself in the dream and memory refers to him as her master. And if she is a messiah to people with rabbit ears...

Theories starts to form in her mind, but it's not like there is anything conclusive, nor does she have any proof. This matter requires further research.

'We'll go to the library after this to do some research about people with bunny ears.' Cosmos stated resolutely to Illia. 'Mythologies, demons, and legends about them... and also about messiahs. And that strange glowing tattoo on the back of Miss Kagura's hand.'

'Certainly a lot of potentially obscure things to be researched... but I agree. Just remember this might take several days.' Illia nodded in her head before- did she just hear her giggling? 'Oh yes Cosmos, do you also want to buy some bunny cosplay by any chance? Might be nice to surprise Mary with one!'

'Huh...' She pondered. Wearing a pair of bunny ears doesn't seem so bad, and maybe... maybe she'd look cute? Can she actually make her mother squeal? The only problem is that she can't wear her hat while doing so, but she'll only wear it in Mary's presence anyway...

Thus she answered with an uncertain 'Maybe...?' Which seems to amuse Illia as she lets out another giggle. Deciding to leave her COMP alone for now, she looked at the setting sun and then to her purple-haired friend. It seems the time to say farewell is rapidly approaching, and just returning to the hospital after wandering around LOVELESS doesn't seem right, so...

"Well Miyu, how about we get dinner before returning to the hospital?" She offered. "We should also exchange contact numbers. And I would love to spar with you sometime in the future."

Even though this has been quite the day, Cosmos could say it has been worth it.

[Spinach]

Hyakka Onjouji
Aoyama Gakuen, Tokyo
??? ~ Night

Training. Advanced, extracurricular training. That is what this ‘mission’ is. Yes, this is to grow. It is certainly not being treated as a game, an idea spawned by the youthful mischief making minds of young ladies. That is exactly why, upon being tossed over the school gate, Hyakka only permits a quiet giggle of glee at the excitement.

Landing in the school, shrouded in fog, she begins the mission. First order of business, Innervate. Her senses magically enhance to a league far beyond her normal state. Even if the Headmaster is, as his name implies, a master-class Tamer who can completely erase his presence, Hyakka cannot resist trying to challenge that.

Should he spot them, at the very least, she will detect him.

Landing with one knee down, both hands planted on the ground, she nods in silent determination.

She will ABSOLUTELY detect him!

…

Yet, after sneaking through the halls and foggy grounds, there is no such opportunity. Perhaps the two were just lucky, by sheer coincidence they had the good fortune of never being detected by the Headmaster. Thus, unfortunately, the girl never had the chance to push her sensory talents to the limit.

Head hanging slightly lower than normal, she entered the garden. Lush with greenery, which she could not see in quite the same way as she would have during the daytime.

“Hana.”

“Yes.”

Hyakka cast her arm out, making a barrier between Nanaya-senpai and…

"Huh...? More students?"

Something. With a voice that echoed in a way that didn’t line up with its nonchalant attitude. The small girl’s eyes narrow, trying to make it out, only to bulge open as her older classmate casually sidesteps the heroic barrier that Hyakka had made for her protection.

"Oh, that was quick."

“Awawa! N-Nanaya-senpai!” From battle ready to pout in one second flat, the small girl frowned at the back of the older girl. Her fists rocked up and down in a frustrated tantrum, and with a hasty leap she jumped up to stand beside the older girl. “I was trying to be cool!”

"Aw man... They look pretty weak too... That's no fun."

“H-hey! We are not weak. Nanaya-senpai is super strong, and super talented! And I might be small, and I might be a new student, and I might not always know what to do when it comes down to it, but I’m no pushover either!” That frown found a more fitting target as the girl protested into the fog. “And by the way, my name is Hyakka!”

Still wearing a pouting face, she crossed her arms.

“What’s yours?”

[Verg Avesta]

Blaise Pendragon
Aoyama - Woods
??? - Morning

"..........."

Blaise's eyes scanned the battlefield as he rose to his full height, taking in what had happened.

Considering the creature before him was a repetition, a reflection of Tsukiko, he had expected them to be a formidable and tough opponent in melee - not someone that would get their body mangled by just one hit. But here they were, with the blood of the fake having rained all over the forest thanks to her arm having exploded. For the instant that had happened, the fire in Blaise's eyes had sputtered, a worry about the well-being of his opponent momentarily overriding his thirst for combat. As much of a thug and a delinquent-hunter as he was, he had never wanted to maim others, especially in such an extreme and graphic fashion.

... But the fake-Tsukiko did not seem to care.

In fact, she seemed to enjoy it. She made a show of having the fountain of blood spray everywhere from the stump of her arm, laughing and taunting him all the while. And now she was approaching him with a steady gaze, shouting this and that about showing him pain... and managing to sound like quite the stereotypical serial killer from a late-night anime, at the same time.

A sigh escaped from Blaise's lips.

"... No, you dumbass. I dunno who you are, but you apparently fought that old bastard. So if you try to fight me the same way... you're making a grave mistake," Blaise returned the taunts calmly. "For example, the fact that you ain't the least bit worried about losing so much blood... means it's on purpose."

Without a second's forethought, Blaise slammed his arm against the nearest tree, destroying a part of its trunk... but that was not the true aim. Instead, the blood that had covered his sleeve when he covered his hand was wiped on the tree with that same strike. At the same time Blaise's feet kicked the ground, sending the boy backwards a good amount, gaining distance between him and the approaching danger. But as if that wasn't enough, something strange was happening with the boy. His face, that had been occasionally wreathed with odd, blue-and-white flames, suddenly grew even sterner than before. His mouth opened and he sucked in those flames that had been coming from somewhere. And then, out of nowhere...

---------- He lunged his head forward, opening his mouth and letting forth a column of snow-like flames that covered the forest before and around him.

Fire ran.

Flames roared.

And suddenly everywhere around Blaise was covered in white-and-blue inferno that threatened to consume the forest itself.

The blonde youngster's mouth was open and more and more flames spewed forth from there, becoming billowing and roiling clouds that ushered themselves past the trees and set everything ablaze with their brilliant glow. But just by one look it was easy to tell that he wasn't simply spewing the columns at random, but the gouts of fire actually followed very specific patterns. They snaked around like large warms wherever blood had been spilled, setting the ground and the forest aflame at those parts specifically. Blaise kept his aim steady and true, wreathing the area in controlled inferno that started and ended with him creating a barrier of flames that he was protected by.

And finally... Blaise's jaws snapped shut, and he wiped his mouth.

"If you're trying to get a sneak attack in, try not to make it so obvious. And try not to give away your intents with that try-hard horror-cliche talk. Honestly..." Blaise growled, taking a battle stance once more, knowing next attack could come at any second. "Just listening to you is embarrassing. At least the real Tsukiko is just a hidden granny who dresses like a bum. You, though...?"

Blaise's eyes narrowed as he relayed Kaguya's his next plan of actions, the COMP AI preparing herself to cast spells independently from her owner.

"You're simply a moron with an eight-grader syndrome."

Wise-Up!

Dragon's Breath -Lunar Snow-
The ability to breath dragon-fire, possible only for those who bear the blood of dragons. Deals Moderate (D-Rank) Spirit-Type Damage to opponents, although the damage dealt can be reduced by holding back. While Blaise's own affinity with darkness should have resulted in a black flame, it seems spiritual influence of the father has turned it into a rare 'blue and white' flame that sometimes resembles snowflakes in it's last moments.

[Airen]

Amamiya Sho
Aoyama Gakuen - Front Hall
??? - Noon

---The moment the majority of the people in this game are eliminated, is the same moment where everyone's hopes for victory crumble to dust. Right now, the teachers are seemingly being kept separate from each other by sheer necessity, each of them guarding different parts of the school as something like "gatekeepers," barring each and every possible entrance...

In essence, it didn't matter which way you went; it would just be a "boss rush" with different people getting in your way...

When the majority of the students are gone, this need to 'separate' themselves will no longer be necessary, and they will likely converge on whoever remains, citing the inability for anyone to grasp victory before the majority of their fellows were defeated as a different sort of "automatic failure." In other words...

Even if everyone is apart, they still have to fight together in a sense, to that end...

"...Looks like Class 2-2 is trying to hold back Ryuumonbuchi Sensei and Belial at the east entrance, Class 3-1 is doing the same with the Headmaster in the back."

Shuichi had taken advantage of the brief break to check on the others through the RAILS network, the messaging server casually used by most Tamers... Of course, being everyone's "favorite senpai," he's naturally kept in the loop even as everyone is fighting their way to the heart of the school, and from his descriptions of the event...

The rest of the school was going at this in quite the dramatic way. Having split up near the start out of necessity, a number of them had regrouped themselves into their classes, their groups of 'friends,' and had fought their way past trial after trial... Some stayed behind to ensure others could go on like this was the penultimate episode of some sort of battle anime... Hell, knowing this school, they were probably throwing out some overly dramatic one-liners like "we'll catch up later, no worries," or "it's fine if we beat them right?"

---It was admirable in a sense, also foolish in a sense, but...

Like this, it seems that more people than you had expected were making it to the school grounds... Of course, your group was amongst the first to arrive due to Shuichi's rather insane method of tackling the game, as well as running into a teacher that you had been able to trick into submission rather than outright beating her, and thus...

There was an interesting rule Irmina had revealed, namely...

She had confirmed Shuichi's theory.

In essence, to compensate for how overwhelmingly powerful they were in this sort of challenge, the faculty had been given a much smaller "life bar" than the students. In other words...

A single hit might be enough to take them out of the game... It seemed it scaled somewhat with power...

Regardless...

Your group was the only one to go in through the front, so you haven't directly run into anyone else yet, even so...

Even so...

Even so...

When you finally do see someone, when the cafeteria finally comes into view, the sight that awaits you...

---Are the avatars of a handful of students melting away into dust and data, as their consciousness is sent back to the real world.

"Oh hey, figured you two would show up together eventually, but..."

...There are only two people fitting for the role of "Final Boss" of this simulation, and if the Headmaster is out crushing students at the back, then the one that they must have left on the 'throne' so to speak is-

"...Irmina-san... What exactly are you doing...?"

-vice director of the SDCD, Liane Cross, also known as the "Golden Witch" and the "Magic Gunner."

---It's unfair.

Her placement on this 'map' is unfair.

Standing directly at the entrance to the cafeteria, at the one point in the school where she can clearly see every entrance by glancing through the hallways, they seem to have put the sniper right in front of the goal, in a place where she can gun down anyone that appears from any possible direction long before they reach her, and...

Even if they do reach her...

As an ESPer, and a heroine of both Kyuubi Incidents...

This person being where she is...

Is a nightmare that dooms this assignment to failure, yet-

"Lost a bet. Flipped sides! Figured it might be more fun over here anyway! Underdogs and all that~"

-Irmina sensei faces it unflinchingly, as does Shuichi, who...

'The others will arrive soon, we should hold her attention on us.'

...Sends a brief message over through Kyoka, one that both...

Makes it more difficult for you to win, while simultaneously...

Maybe making it possible...

The survivors making a last, unified rush on the goal post, but...

Aggressively serving as a distraction... Might just get all three of you eliminated before they can arrive...

Even so...

"Oh? Is that so...? Alright!"



---A barrier pops up at your back, making it impossible to retreat the way you all came, and-



"This is the home stretch! Give it everything you've got kids-!"

A barrage of magical bullets literally fills the hallway.


Surviving students will arrive at the battlefield in two turns.
Due to a break in combat, spell list and auto-skills can be re-chosen if you'd like, but any penalties to maximum heat remain.

Liane Cross (Revealed by Reknown)

Name: Liane Cross
Gender: Female
Age: Not telling, looks in her twenties
Class: ESPer (Eclipse Diver)/ Spirit Tamer
COMP Type: Multiform Weapon (Gun) (Sword) (Shield)
Elemental Weaknesses: Ice, Curse

COMP A.I

-Hakkero-

A COMP made out of Liane's Empathic Spiritual Weapon "Hakkero." Base form is that of a Revolver that can fire spiritual power, special attribute of this form is also called "Hakkero," enabling spells to be 'loaded' like a bullet into the gun, and passively charge it over time to increase it's potency, before releasing it in an "overcharged" manner similar to the "Cartridge System."

Attributes of the other forms are unknown.

Stats

STR: ???
VIT: ???
AGI: ???
SEN: ???
RES: ???
Renown: 200

Eclipse Ability

-Will's Cage-

An Eclipse Power that manifests as golden barriers of light that Liane can manifest in her general area. Due to its power lying in concepts, can apparently defend against any sort of assault -including Almighty Magic- so long as the User's will to do so holds true, the ability itself is apparently quite taxing however...

Normally requires one to enter the "Eclipse State" to use, but it seems she's trained enough that a 'weaker' version is possible regardless of her current status.

[hero]

Amamiya Sho
Aoyama Gakuen - Front Hall
??? - Noon


Standing in our way is the ultimate enemy, Lianne Cross. She's a world class hero and the survivor of two great incidents that decided the fate of mankind. If this were a manga or novel of some sort, she's be the prequel protagonist who joins forces with the protagonists at some point and later shows up in the sequel. In other words, both a ridiculously overpowered enemy and a fan favorite. It doesn't need to be said that even with Irmina's help, there is not a shadow of a doubt that reaching her even once is nothing short of a miracle. In a sense, bumping into the headmaster would have been more fortunate, as he is not just a warrior but also a smith. This woman, however, I've heard stories of the level of destruction she can bring about. Honestly, at this point it would be dumb not to admit that we are doomed.

"..."

Kyoka relies a message to me. It's about the rest of the students. If we can keep Lianne's attention focused on us for a while, then there is a chance the scattered groups can meet in our location for one last push. As if it'd be so simple. We won't last a minute against this demon.

As if to enforce the meaning behind my words, the Golden Witch removes her leash and a surge of Spiritual Pressure invades the entire area. Without pause, she fires a barrage of projectiles in our direction, a true bullet hell inside a hallway that offers no way out. Before we can even think of a spot to take cover, she seals our only exit through the use of a special barrier. So this is what it feels when it is used against you, huh...?

Interesting, now my blood is boiling.

"Get behind me-!"

Taking a step forward, I put myself between the storm and my allies. Even an attack so simple can look overwhelming when it comes from Lianne's weapon, that's true, but... At the end of the day, it's just pure, raw, spiritual power being shot at us. In that case, my shield isn't necessary, I've got a friend who would gladly take care of our problem-!

"Kyp, use Spirit Drain, now-!"

The effect is immediate, the slime turns into a vacuum cleaner for Spiritual Energy, and absorbs the projectiles that would have put our existence within this simulation in danger. Against your average spell, there is simply no chance such an unorthodox method would have worked, but because her bullets were Spiritual Power in its purest forms, the gamble appears to have paid off.

A small opening is granted to us as a reward. In that small window of time, we need to get close. Lianne Cross is someone who can fight proficiently at any and all ranges, that I know already. Not because I've fought her in the past, but because I have done my fair bit of research. By that logic, our efforts will not reduce the difficulty of this battle or even momentarily place her in a pinch. It's just that, at this range, we stand absolutely no chance. The trick I used will not work more than once, she'll adapt accordingly and then shoot us down. Even if our task should only be to stall her until the others arrive, pressing forward is the only way we have of doing so. In that case...

"Irmina-san-!"

As I break into a sprint, I run a formula through my COMP and I make the school nurse the recipient. Heat Riser will increase all her physical parameters temporarily, giving us something to keep Lianne entertained with, if only for a moment, at least until Namasaki and I reach her. Our chances at close range are pretty abysmal, that hasn't changed, but we may slow her down if we time our spells and attacks well, take advantage of the environment like Cross herself jus did, and don't forget the roles we have in this battle.

"Haaaaaaah-!"​

Putting as much energy as I can muster into my legs, I increase my speed and allow adrenaline to take over.

[Airen]

Eva Ellet
Velvet Room
??? ~ ???

Certainly, while Agatha had always seemed slightly shy -or perhaps just socially conscious- she had still done her best to give off a much more composed image once a conversation actually started, but...

In this instance...

Seemingly catching her entirely off guard, in that dazed state after awakening where the world isn't quite 'real' to you just yet, the woman makes a motion and sound that are far, far removed from her normal demeanor, namely...

A yelp and a jump.

A jump and a yelp.

Like someone popping out of a trash can to say 'boo' on Halloween Night, the sheer shock Agatha shows at the jump-scare is remarkably innocent, a pure moment of unbridled 'panic' that can't be denied no matter what face she happens to try and put on after this, and indeed...

"S-So it was you, Eva."

Well aware of how potentially embarrassing that particular reaction was, the stuttering voice that appears for an instant as the crimson-tinted woman turns to face you (seemingly doing her best to twist an alert face into a stoic one) is one that more or less reveals the truth in an instant...

"I wasn't sleeping!"

A pause, as an instinctual lie is thrown out.

Then...

After just a bit...

"...No. That is a falsehood, I was certainly sleeping."

She admits to it in a remarkably serious way, as if having come to the eventual conclusion that a lie in this instance was just...

A little sad...

"I can't say it was a good dream, but it wasn't a bad dream either... It was... Much like watching the news I suppose, I am able to see what people do when I dream, so I log it into journals. Nothing in this room happens meaninglessly after all, so if I am shown something, I make a point to ensure I can remember it. By that same logic... While I am not sure why you are here, or how you caught me sleeping... I suppose it was your destiny to do so today, yes..."

While the words themselves go back towards being those of a wise mentor or a talented secretary, she also seems a bit too eager to push her own 'mistake' off onto the shoulders of 'fate.'

"...How long have you been in here, by the way? Did you see anything interesting?"

Yep.

Both curious and embarrassed, even if she's trying to play it off.

[Airen]

Hyakka Onjouji
Aoyama Gakuen, Tokyo
??? ~ Night

“I was trying to be cool!”

"Slow on the draw kouhai, slow on the draw-!" Flashing a smile at you even as you leap up to her side, the girl's mischievous grin simply gets wider at your reaction, "I don't get many chances to be treated like a proper senpai, so you bet I'm going to try to steal the cool scenes-! You're still the new kid, let me pamper you a bit~!"

Even though she says something slightly unreasonable here, it's said in such a joking manner that it's hard to be offended; indeed, rather than implying you couldn't protect yourself, it instead seems that this person wants to be relied upon, in essence, she's just being a bit selfish-!

Still, the squabble is something that the shadow regards without comment. Indeed, watching the two of you silently, as if it was trying to decide in what way it's opinion should really fall, it's not until a few moments after you question it, ask for it's name that it finally says anything in response, although...

"You guys sure you're strong...?"

When she does talk, she talks in a manner that seems designed to 'rattle' you, even if only a little bit, although...

"Well actually... You sounded pretty confident when you said it, so I guess I should believe you right? I mean the students here aren't bad really... Well, I guess it's a different kind of strong? Yeah, I think I'd call it more potential than anything else... Yeah, don't let me bother you too much... I just say things sometimes. You'll be strong as long you never accept being weak... Yeah. I guess that means you're strong, right?"

Appraising you in a somewhat confusing way, and both complimenting and criticizing you at the same time, this person, the ghost...

"..."

Goes silent for a bit after this, until-

"So... your name Ms. Ghost? As a member of the Occult Club, I would love to know what one of the ghosts haunting the school is-! I'm pretty sure the one in the English Classroom is Nakahara Sensei, but you... You I don't know-!"

-Nanaya reminds her of your request, and in response to that...

"Oh? That's right. My name... See, there's a bit of a problem with giving it to you, namely..."

"I'm not really sure what it is myself. Sorta forgot, so I guess I'm just "Anonymous." Or maybe "Mary Jane?" No name? I really don't care what you call me, to be honest."

[Bloble]

Mokujima Chris / Daisuke
SDCD Headquarters ~ Kenji's Office
??? - Evening

The office of the head of the SDCD. The place one might consider the center of power of one of the greatest Tamer organizations. And, Shuichi's dad's room.

It's... almost scarily similar to Shuichi's club room. Cozy, without much pretension to it, a place where it's safe to tinker with things and also invite over friends for tea or coffee. Was it because Shuichi had taken after his father's example, or were they just that similar?

Mokujima Chris does not wonder such things, though in another situation she might have. Instead, she devotes all of her energy towards a singular, divine purpose: trying to completely erase her existence from the world. Failing that, she will settle for simply disappearing from Namasaki Kenji's office.

"..."

It's impossible. There's no way on Earth she can exchange words with her boss.

"I was just given reports and samples of a similar substance found in England a few hours ago... I'm a bit shocked it's seemingly spread this far already, but you guys don't have to worry too much about it... We're already working on countermeasures for it."

Even though he's... actually a really good boss. The kind that probably remembers his employees' birthdays and donates most of his salary to charitable organizations. He's probably the kind of reliable boss that would make the old corporations of Japan grumble about upstarts disregarding tradition, even as investors and eager young people and rave reviews pour in.

Even if he's a good guy, it's impossible.

"As I'm sure you're curious, I will share some of my own observations with you. As far as I can tell, these are not formed from what we would call traditional plumes; the outer physical structure is identical, but their soul patterns are close to non-existent... In more blunt terms, they're like hollow plumes. Of course there is something inside of them, but they are more akin to transceivers receiving and amplifying a signal from some outside source or will... In other words, they themselves are hollow. Not only that, all of the samples I've seen appear to have been cut from the same stone... It's a bit concerning, but at the very least, we can say that their source is different, still..."

"It's parasitic nature is troubling... There's a chance it's shape was made to lure others close to it... There's a possibility that they could infect actual plumes or even humans and demons, thus, we're taking steps to shut them down now. It'll take most of tonight, but adding some additional programs to the Global Harmonizer Field should do it. Make the right program, and it should suppress all of the false plumes indefinitely... Or at least long enough for us to figure out where they're coming from..."

"Phew..."

Daisuke breathes a sigh of relief. Not because he needs to, but because it's the first step of the 'oh, things aren't as bad as I thought' physical behavior program he is testing out. His shell was quick to arrive on autopilot after the decision to see Kenji, having already dropped off Saya's request. He stands now, somewhat in front of Chris, eagerly hanging onto Kenji's every word. It's only the man's assurances that manage to finally calm the young COMP's worry, and he visibly deflates (step two) as the worst case scenario forming in his head is forced to dissolve away.

"So it'll be alright. No need for serious worry, although we'll certainly have to look into it."

"Ah, thanks, Mr. Namasaki! Actually, I really was worried..."

Because Chris may as well be a stone statue, it falls to Daisuke to converse in her stead. He is more than happy to do so. Namasaki Kenji may be important, and a bit scary to approach given his position, but he can't be a bigger deal than a COMP's Tamer. For the sake that Tamer - who is hiding behind him and Shuichi at the moment - he has to stand tall!

"Um..." The boyish COMP ponders with his fingers on his chin. "Sir, this is just my hunch, but... I don't think whoever is making these would mind too much if we tried to shut them down."

He isn't sure whether he should be quiet or give his thoughts, so Daisuke decides to go with his gut (not that he has a functioning one).

"If they appeared on the opposite sides of the world at nearly the same time, then this operation has to be global. There are probably more of these crystals around that we never ran into. So either they're using the fake Plumes to do something quickly before they get shut down, or they have a countermeasure ready for the most obvious course of action we'd take after getting our hands on a sample. It just... feels too much like the tip of an iceberg."

There are too many unknowns in the equation. Not that Namasaki Kenji had said anything otherwise. In fact, Daisuke is certain that the head of the SDCD had already considered that angle and come to a similar or superior conclusion.

"So, uh, basically... we'd like to help with the program, sir!" Voicing the words his Tamer couldn't speak herself, Daisuke straightens his back and does his best. "Even... even if it's just fetching coffee for people coding it!"

[Airen]

Raz Stone
Serena's Office - Avalon

"..."

Serena was someone that strove for perfection in everything she did, consequently, there was nothing that seemed to bother her more than mistakes, or not having an answer to a question...

Yes.

Being the sort who would happily extend practice for several hours to ensure choreography was correct, who would toss out song-lyrics and start all over again even if she was already twelve hours in, who would stay up for days to ensure her medical knowledge was up to date...

Simply put.

...She's someone that hates failure, or rather, she dislikes personal failures.

In other words, once she sets her mind to something, she won't rest until she accomplishes whatever it is, and here and now, in this moment, there's something bothering her about all of this...

More then when she had first walked in, a buzzing annoyance that both you and Sara had brought to life.

"...There's the usual ideas, kill and replace, coincidental testing, maybe the assumption that your form was necessary for use of your magic...All possible, but..."

Yes.

Now that she thinks about it, it's sort of annoying, like she was missing something, and...

"There was one person whose opinion I didn't ask... She's been avoiding me for awhile, but I guess I'll hunt her down this once. Don't know if she'll know anything, but I might as well cover all the bases."

...Standing up, the KoTR Producer...

Slams her right fist into her left palm, and-

"I'm off to smack some theories out of our useless wizard."

-makes a rather dangerous statement.

---The sort one can only make about someone they see as their "natural enemy."

Or rather...

The sort of line one spouts before going off to challenge their rival...

...A storm is brewing on the horizon.

[Airen]

Ludwig Karlfeldt
SLEIPNIR - Hallways
??? - Night

Even the SLEIPNIR had a certain cycle of activity to it.

Much like any settlement, it is a place that is most active during the daytime; even the most reclusive members of the organization emerge from their rooms to participate in meals and the like, and the non-tamer personnel can be more readily found out in the open, be they members of the technician or research teams, or those shop and restaurant owners that had begun showing up recently, renting out space in the center of the ship for the purposes of making it a bit more "homely."

But at night...

At night, this place seems to shut down like most others.

The off-duty Tamers tend to retreat to their rooms, while those on call move closer to the Command Deck; of course the ship rarely ever stops moving completely, there's always a pilot on duty, but...

All in all, it's calmer at night.

And being unable to sleep, you had found yourself wandering this nighttime atmosphere, even if only to convince your body it's time to sleep through a classical walk in the night. The air inside the ship isn't quite as refreshing as what you might find in a walk in the park under the stars, but if you head up onto the top of the ship, the sight of the massive OOPart cutting through a sea of clouds, along with the roaring wind that comes with it's passing...

Is a different sort of calming experience, one that is a bit more fantastical in nature; not only that, the stars are pretty easy to see from this high up, and at times, the childish delusion that you could reach out and grab the moon with your bare hands arises..

Yes.

Before you know that, you find yourself heading in that direction; no one is around to stop you, not that they would probably ever want to... After all, so long as one accomplishes the missions they are assigned by the organization, they are able to use the ship's facilities as they like, taking walks through the halls, using the simulators or the libraries...

Minding their own business, everyone just keeps to themselves; not only that, you're pretty doubtful that the other members have any appreciation for more 'sentimental' sights, and thus you don't expect to find anyone up on the deck in the dead of night, and yet...

The moment before you step out onto the deck, out of the shelter of the ship and into exposure of the elements, you...

---Can feel the tension of a battle.

Of course, it is not the tension of a death match. It is not something that feels like blood or desperation, it's simply the quiet clash of two wills, two souls, crashing against each other until one manages to knock the other down...

In other words, it feels like a spar, and one of the 'energies' participating in it feels familiar, like a certain aunt of yours, but...

Stepping closer as one defeats the other, but not so close that you would immediately give yourself away, the person that you had expected to be absolutely victorious, is instead...

"..."

...The one that has been knocked back onto the ground, a decisive, open palmed blow on her solar plexus marking her as the clear loser of whatever 'round' of a duel she had just been participating in...

Is Adala.

---It's an impossible sight in many ways.

For one thing, if there was a person on the ship who could be called the "strongest," it would be Adala herself... Being stronger than everyone else was sort of a necessity for the role she played in this organization, considering the egos the SLEIPNIR tended to draw to itself, the person calling the shots had to be strong enough to keep the others in line... Not only that, every story you had ever been told about "Aunt Adala" was that she was close to invincible, the "strongest of the Lagerkvists," someone who commands the respect -even if not the affection- of the Karlfeldts, but...

Right now, that 'invincible' person has just been knocked down with a single blow, and the deliverer of that strike...

"Hmmm... It's been awhile since I won so easily... Your fists were all over the place... Something bothering you, my little uchenik?"

Is a strange woman.

Someone you can't recognize immediately... Naturally, her appearance as a 'stranger' threatens to trigger your instincts to intervene in whatever is going on out here, but...

Her tone of voice (and choice of words) implies a familiarity with your aunt, and...

"...Don't call me that. I graduated from your class a long time ago, Wright."

...your aunt's response, while outwardly cold as she rises to her feet...

Does have a hint of a smile that comes along with it, as if she had a hard time showing her 'stone cold' face to this person...

Consequently, you immediately become aware of the fact that you've stumbled across something she probably wouldn't have let others see, a meeting with someone she clearly 'trusted,' some form of teacher, judging by the words of the stranger, but...

Before you can decide if you should keep watching to see if you could see something else 'rare,' or retreat while you have the chance...

"..."

The strange woman's eyes lock with your own.

The immediate assumption is that you have been caught, and that she will announce your presence immediately, but...

Instead of that...

She simply winks at you, seemingly keeping the secret, before returning her attention to her silver-haired student.

"Aw, you're still so mean to me... What's up with that? Come on, tell teacher what's wrong~"

"What's wrong is that you're completely unreliable... So quit talking cute and put your fists back up, I can't let this end on a loss."

...Yes.

This is a bizarre scene indeed...

[Zurvan]

Ludwig Karlfeldt
SLEIPNIR - Hallways
??? - Night

Nighttime, when even the ever-active SLEIPNIR base quiets down. It's only natural that as night approaches most of the crew turn to their needed rest and recuperation, aside from a certain 'extreme coffee enthusiast'. She most likely is incapable of the magical feat that is a full 8 hours of sleep. However these nights it's become challenging for Ludwig as well.

While he might play it off coolly, the fact remains that the reemergence of his sister had an effect on his mental state. Not only that, but her alliance with a force that opposes Rothschild is troubling as well, to speak nothing of how their clash ended. Perhaps most stomach-turning of that battle was that it needed to be reported to the Karlfeldts at some point, the orders of whom most likely would be a point of friction.

All of it combined had left Ludwig worried and restless. It wouldn't be an understatement to say that his sister is the reason he's managed to get this far, in more ways than one. His dearest desire was to go out and look for Lara, reuniting and reconciling with her, consequences be damned. Losing her again wasn't an option.

But, reality is rarely so kind. Orders were orders and abandoning Rothschild for selfish reasons was a surefire way to lose everything he gained thus far.

That mental struggle keeps him up on this night. Unsure of what the future holds, the ESPer decides he should clear his mind. It's a practice he's done time after time, as someone that can peer into the minds of others he knows all too well of the issues that a troubled mind can bring. From a young age he had to perfect a state that hides his own thoughts while remaining open to those of others.

Rather than a mind like a fortress that Adala and other legendary figures surely employ, Ludwig's mental landscape is that of a vast ocean. Stretching onward undisturbed and calm, Ludwig's thoughts are hidden away in the deep murky depths where they can't break the water's surface. This ocean's state reflects his own state of mind, storming when in turmoil or plagued with turbulent waves when troubled. To calm himself, he need to visualize calming that ocean. However this sort of mental cleansing is somewhat taxing, and is easiest done surrounded by other peaceful scenery.

Normally the serene tranquility of the starlit sky eases his mind into a different state. But the feel of battle isn't one easily ignored.

Checking out the disturbance on the Flight Deck Ludwig finds one peculiarity after another.

A new person standing victoriously over the legendary Commander, claiming to be her teacher of sorts. The Commander losing is a visage strange enough to boggle the mind, especially in a single punch, but even more mind boggling than that is that -even if it was only for a moment- a smile cracked on that stoic face she always carries.

It's surprisingly heartwarming considering the circumstances.

"...Don't call me that. I graduated from your class a long time ago, Wright."

Interesting. Could this 'Wright' be the one that lectured her before on family?

In a heartbeat the stranger locks eyes with Ludwig, yet all she does is wink. Almost as if telling him to keep this exchange and his presence a secret for now.

And while the idea of revealing himself does occur, under these circumstances he chooses to stay hidden for a little bit longer.

It's a good opportunity to see Adala in action, as well as to hear what troubles his legendary aunt.

Or maybe, Ludwig believes that his elder getting this time to be herself with a friend, is a good thing for the ever stoic Commander.

...

......

And yet, he can't help but be a bit curious. This Wright woman shows up-- unannounced in the dead of night-- and now she stands victorious over this legendary figure, someone Ludwig believed to be among the highest and competent worldleaders.

Just who could she possibly be...

...it's enough of a mystery for Ludwig to pry with his telepathic abilities, however when doing so he learns of a most curious thing.

Unlike the Commander whose mind is simply walled off from any interaction or his own ocean that hides his thoughts, there's simply nothing occupying this woman's mind.

There's no emotion, nothing to detect. Not even a peep. Even though she cheerfully addressed her former student, Ludwig is incapable of registering anything from this stranger.

It's simply too enigmatic for the inquisitive ESPer to ignore.

You seem to enjoy tussling with the Commander. And she seems to enjoy you as well. That alone is interesting, but you. Your mind is unlike anyone I've ever met before.

...Just who are you, Miss Wright?

[Airen]

Blaise Pendragon
Aoyama - Woods
??? - Morning

---An existence that flickers like a distortion in reality.

It's the final nail in the coffin of this thing's unnatural nature, the disturbing way it's existence 'wavers' in the face of your internal flames, making a sound almost like a cat's hiss as the flames usurp her place in your vision... While the forest is soaked through by the relentless storm, their ability to resist the call of these particular flames is nonexistent...

After all, it is no mortal flame, it is nothing less than dragon fire, the soul of a creature that had once belonged only within the confines of mythology-!

---Like the rest of your moves, it is one designed to shut down the oppressive atmosphere this thing is trying to create; whatever her plan with the blood had been, whatever words or actions she sought to take to unnerve you...

You reject them, mock them, turn something that had been a taunt towards you into what must be a spit in the face towards it... After all, you're not like your old man... Where he might have just gone on swinging at the first provocation from something he recognized as an enemy, you took the time to actually think about how you should act in a battle...

Yeah.

Just like you had said, trying to fight you like she had apparently fought him was an absolute mistake-!

Still...

When all is said and done, when the forest has been set aflame, and when you encase yourself inside of that wall of your own spirit...

Your opponent is nowhere to be found...

---This too, is somewhat bizarre.

While she had acted in a very odd fashion to your flames, you were not so naive as to think she would have slipped into an attack that hadn't really been meant for her; no, she had probably avoided all of it, but...

Rather than close in on you... She had definitely retreated instead...

Was it a bizarre weakness to the flames? Or had she simply taken your words to heart and decided to rethink her approach...?

It's difficult for you to say, but...

Either way, while you're sure she's still around -you can feel her eyes on you- her actual position...

Was a bit more difficult to find...

She was still fast, and while you had been able to hear her over the sound of the rain and the thunder earlier, now...

Her movements have become completely silent.

It's the capacity of an assassin, the ability to completely remove one's presence from the world... Of course, if she is weak to your flames, then any approach she might make at you through them would likely be hampered so long as you stayed in the center of it, thus...

You simply had to counter her when she appeared...

Yes.

That's likely one of the first thoughts that comes to mind, but shortly after that...

There's a sound like rapid-fire thunder-cracks, like a dozen bolts of lightning had just shattered the peace of the forest but...

It's no such thing, no...

Rather than lightning, what suddenly appears from your side, forcing it's way through a wall of flames from sheer brute force and catching on fire because of it...

---Is the rather absurd figure of an oak tree, launched straight at your heart -or rather your chest- like some sort of massive, burning stake-!

...Trying a more long-ranged approach now, huh?

[Airen]

Cosmos Fairchild
Cosmos's Room ~ Rose Cross Headquarters
??? - Before Dawn

---It seems quite the violent storm had rolled into the city over night.

With clouds to thick they blocked out the stars and moon, the only light that seems to pierce the dark veil that has fallen over the Holy City is that provided by flashes of natural lightning; while powerful Tamers and Demons were said to be able to manipulate the weather, such things are considered to be too 'energy intensive' for their own good, not to mention needlessly extravagant, thus, unless it was for the purposes of avoiding some sort of natural disaster, the general weather of areas was mostly left up to the whims of the planet...

Still...

It was this same whim of the planet, the whim of this particularly violent storm, that has shattered whatever hopes you had possessed for getting a full eight hours of sleep tonight... The thunder cracks sounded so close that it was like things were exploding just outside of the Rose Cross headquarters, so much so that you even take a brief glance outside to ensure that this is not the case, and indeed...

It is not the case.

While lighting streaks across the sky, and thunderclaps seem to shake the earth, there is no assault on the base to be found, no powerful enemy approaching, the sheer strength of their existence warping the world around them...

It is but a storm, even so...

---It's loud.

Annoyingly loud, and annoyingly inconsistent too.

Combine that with the general anxiety you had nowadays from your recurring nightmares, and the result is a Cosmos Fairchild that had rolled herself out of bed at around four in the morning, turning your back on sleep much as it had turned it's back on you, going instead for the comfort of the book or the television set, mind wandering in a half-asleep haze as the idea of going for an early morning walk also slowly comes to mind, but...

Amidst the crackle of lightning, comes the somewhat more subtle sound of a hand knocking on the door.

It's a sound that's hard to recognize at first, a different sort of obnoxious banging, something that was both similar and foreign too the crash of lightning outside, something that a part of you may be tempted to ignore -considering the current time- but...

If there is one thing you are, it is responsible...

At least, you're responsible most of the time.

If someone is knocking at your door, then they must need your help with something... Thus, while a part of you is loathe to depart from your bed even though the world of dreams and nightmares has rejected you tonight, you go to answer the door after a moment's hesitation, only to find-

"Finally. Geez, you took frickin forever to answer..."

-Alyx.

Standing outside your room for some reason, dressed in warm clothing, with a look of -slight- irritation and resignation on her face, and before you can ask what she wants, she-

"Get your shoes on Momma's girl, you're stuck with me today. Might as well start early so we can get it over with faster."

-makes another unreasonable demand of you almost immediately, as if she wasn't already in the wrong for trying to drag you out of your room at four in the morning-!

[palad1n]

Cosmos Fairchild
Cosmos's Room ~ Rose Cross Headquarters
??? - Before Dawn

Being responsible and dutiful is all a part of being a spirit tamer.

To put the needs of others, the needs of many before yourself; to put yourself in line of danger to protect those who can't protect themselves, no matter how hard or unreasonable it seems. Cosmos knew that such dedication is needed for the job, and even as someone relatively sheltered, she is still a girl who had been a spirit tamer for nearly ten years.

That's why...

Even in a half-dazed and half-asleep state where her head hurts from the lack of sleep and her eyes tried its hardest to close themselves, the moment Cosmos recognize the sound of knocking on her door, she stared at it for a minute before letting out a long, tired sigh and dragged herself to the door. Even though she has yet to wash her face and the knock ruins her plan of having some hot tea with her stash of cookies while checking the news on TV to start her day off, Cosmos put all of that aside to answer it.

After all, this is what she had signed for.

Even moments of personal reprieve and relaxation came second under the possibility of an emergency, of which this knock surely is; why else would someone knock at her door so early in the morning?

So she opened her door, and-

"Finally. Geez, you took frickin forever to answer... Get your shoes on Momma's girl, you're stuck with me today. Might as well start early so we can get it over with faster."

Came face to face with her "sister."

In other words, the last person in Vatican that she wanted to see at 4 in the morning when she's half-asleep.

"Excuse me Miss Rebel," Cosmos began slowly, irritation creeping on her face. "But in case you forgot to check the clock, it's 4 in the morning. And in case you missed the obvious storm that is going on outside, your knock is barely audible thanks to the weather. So the least that you could do is to explain why you are dragging me off before dawn, and be thankful that I am awake to answer instead of leaving you outside!" She finished with a jab of her index finger as she glared at the taller girl.

The temptation on closing the door on the white-haired girl is certainly present, but the rational part of her mind knew that there is a good reason her sister is here, so she doesn't. She merely crossed her arms with a huff while waiting for Alyx answer, absentmindedly noting that Illia stayed silent like she usually does in the morning or when she met with her sister.

This is the worst start to a day ever...

[Satehi]

Eva Ellet
Velvet Room
??? ~ ???

My destiny, is it…

Normally I would wish that destiny would be a little less obtuse about what it had in store for me, but today, I guess it’s not such a big deal. My objective was accomplished, and although I feel reluctant to put into words exactly what I was hoping to accomplish, the result is nevertheless one that I am… not dissatisfied with. Her reaction was cute. If this was destiny, then I suppose it was generous to me today, and I should be thankful.

…saying that makes me wonder if I’m a bad person.

I might not have liked it if I had that done to myself, so maybe I should apologize to Agatha- I’ll file it away as something to do for the future, perhaps.

As for now…

"...How long have you been in here, by the way? Did you see anything interesting?"

“I haven’t been here that long.” Not that I’m sure how time works in here, but at least it hasn’t felt that long. I had plenty of things to do. “I was just looking around the room- my apologies if I happened to disturb your rest.”

It’s good to hear that her dreams aren’t bad dreams. In fact, they sound like they might be a little fun, to be honest- it’s not so fun when it’s how fate is toying with your own life, but watching how someone else goes about their day and what fate has in store for them seems nice.

But the existence of these records and those books I saw earlier… something about it bothers me a little.

“Interesting things… Well, your reaction just now is one, but I guess that’s not what you were asking.”

Considering she seems to be trying to change the topic, it’s definitely not the response she was looking for, but I think it’s worth mentioning anyways.

Even excluding that, there’s been a number of memorable things that have occurred while she was asleep. The bulletin board from earlier is one of them, but I’d rather keep that as a surprise… and those books definitely take priority, given her words just now.

“… There were a couple books. I apologize for looking through them without asking you first, but…”

I didn’t really want to mention it since I sort of rummaged through them at my own leisure, but I guess my… curiosity, wins over.

“What’s Xanadu?”