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Thread: Spirit Pulse : Mugen No Sekai [IC]

  1. #2441
    Chasing Daybreak palad1n's Avatar
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    Cosmos Fairchild
    LOVELESS, Moon Under Water
    Monday - Noon
    11/16/2026


    Quote Originally Posted by Ciel
    [...What the heck is therapy?]
    Cosmos blinks, opening and closing her mouth even as she leads her aunt into her shared table with Daniel and Sofia--

    'I'll... tell you about it later...'

    --Before she decides that explaining that to her past self would take too much time and mental power right now, especially when Alisa is finally meeting and talking with Daniel and Sofia, so she'd let future Cosmos handle the possible headache of explaining that concept to Ciel.

    She also wonders where did they actually get the cards to play (the thought of either Daniel or Sofia just bringing a deck everywhere they go is oddly amusing), but she supposes stranger things had happened...

    Quote Originally Posted by Aunt Alisa
    "I've heard quite a bit of talk about our visiting secret agent man, but didn't get the time to interview you myself. I've heard you're taking my niece on some sort of assignment today?"
    'Oh no. What do I do?!'

    Catching a glance from Daniel, Cosmos racks her brain to come up with a believable excuse. Unfortunately for her, she's not a really good liar - her only saving grace is that she's not making a fool of herself by immediately trying to answer and inevitably stutter in the process - so hopefully her aunt focusing her attention on Sofia right now will buy some time until she could think of what to say.

    Thankfully like a well-oiled machine, Illia comes to her rescue just like she always did.

    'Daniel was supposed to be investigating major leylines due to a widespread errors in the Pulse Network before.'

    'You're a lifesaver as always Illia, thank you!'

    'Don't mention it. It's what I do.'

    "Mister Daniel was investigating this area's major leylines due to widespread errors in the Pulse Network when I met him." Cosmos explained, careful to omit the 'supposed' part from Illia's recount. "He asked for my assistance, and I agreed; the lady with us is Miss Sofia..." She paused, unsure on how to pronounce her surname before deciding that it's probably better to skip it rather than butchering the pronounciation. "... the owner of LOVELESS."

    The fact that she's not telling a complete lie made it easier for her to remain composed and calm.
    Regalia Hijinks


    <Erlkonig|Phone> Why get a gf, when Airen is your waifu?

    <Airen|Phone> I'll save everyone, it's fine

    <Snaxies> Airen is totally Jesus again

    <frantic> I actually hate reading your post because you're so fucking anime

    <Reiu> Regalia is a scary place desu...

    <Mellon> He who lives by the oneshot, dies by the oneshot


    Personal Compliments

    <@RacingeR> Pally would be a perfect shoujo lead

    <Erlkonig> I would fall for Pally if he was a qt shoujo manga lead girl

    Quote Originally Posted by Airen
    Only pala is pure, the rest of ya are twisted

    Quote Originally Posted by Cheetose
    I'm not sure if it's like this generally, but Pala seems to be very good at making naive and innocent, but also strangely bulliable characters.

  2. #2442
    Ludwig Karlfeldt
    ???
    11/16/2026
    Monday ~ Evening


    Even with Catherine's loss in fighting spirit and change in emotions, the cracks and lines remain everywhere she looks. Given the nature of this mental world and her attitude towards this Eva, it appears to be a characteristic she can't turn off. A glimpse into how this shadow sees the world perhaps, but if so... someone messed her up quite thoroughly.

    Though that is hardly surprising, with a Shadow this powerful manifested.

    "...You think knocking someone's head through a wall is considered child correction? Sounds like you got what you deserved if that's truly your way of thinking."

    Stating such, Ludwig glances back at Lara as he telepathically asks her whether she can also see the static foe. A nod is all the confirmation he needs, so at the very least three of the four people here can see something approaching.

    Though, it is somewhat puzzling why the Shadow cannot. She certainly seems to know more about what it is supposed to be, yet she cannot perceive it? Then why was Ludwig able to, static or no? Did the enemy employ some kind of magic for this, or was its nature closer to an information hazard in the first place?

    One mind present here will certainly provide more than a fair share of answers...

    "Linking thoughts together... ah, I see. Must be Binit's work."

    That must be the answer to this mental world. An underlying dream connecting everyone within the simulation, so as to fool even the collective unconscious.

    Fortunately, the Fourth Administrator isn't the only capable of performing such an act.

    Still retaining the ice wall behind him and his sister, as to give Saria as much time as possible to escape, Ludwig focuses his mind towards the girl in front of him.

    Lara, I'll connect with this Eva. See if anything can be gleaned from her about this entity. If you can, try to keep it at bay for now without rushing in.

    And so, one mind tries to connect with another. Brute forcing a bond where there is none for the sake of gaining more information. His own thoughts are locked away under a calm sea, hidden within deep waters.

    The query regarding Leah will have to come later, whatever this malicious enemy is just feels wrong.

    ...Besides, all these strangers in the Karlfeldt manor was beginning to become an annoyance.

    "Eva was it, what exactly is this doll? You're free to run from your problems as you please though, you won't gain anything that way."

    So says the ESPer, and while there's a truth to that, currently he says that much for the joint purpose of keeping the girl within his view, and to glean as much information as possible.

    Reiki builds up within the Inheritor, as if to immediately show his intentions. His fist charges with magical energy, and before long---


    His aura comes blasting out in a maelstrom of power.

    Shot upwards slightly as to hit neither Eva nor Catherine, the beam adjusts its trajectory in the air, arcing downwards as it heads for the malicious foe.

    Wise Up!
    A Sea of Secrecy
    As a mind reader, it is important to separate the thoughts and feelings of others and those of the self. Some close themselves off completely, others hide their thoughts through layers upon layers. Ludwig’s mind is akin to that of an ocean, at the surface a calm, empty nothingness that stretches on indefinitely, but deep down there’s a plethora of activity happening all the time. This mental defense stops enemies from reading his mind, and allows the Tamer to retain his serene sense of calm as well as keeping his ‘cold’ tactics hidden.

    Blue of Soul Trait
    Ludwig's attacks automatically hone in on his intended target, as long as he retains line of sight.
    Last edited by Zurvan; December 19th, 2022 at 06:53 PM.

  3. #2443
    Imperial Princess Satehi's Avatar
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    Eva Ellet
    Outside the Karlfeldt Estate
    11/16/2026
    Monday ~ Evening


    "Eva was it, what exactly is this doll? You're free to run from your problems as you please though, you won't gain anything that way."
    “…I don’t know. It showed up earlier and started attacking.”

    The only one who might know the answer to that question was Catherine… who apparently couldn’t se the doll. That was something Eva had never considered before- After all, when it had first appeared, Catherine was the one who had told her all that she currently knew about it… but thinking back on it, there was indication that she had ever seen what it looked like even then.

    Considering Eva was counting on Catherine’s help, it was not a good surprise.

    Apparently, these other people here could see it just fine- which meant that at least, it wasn’t something that only she could see. However, although she didn’t know what exactly it was, she did know one thing-

    “Fighting back earlier didn’t go so well for me, and I don’t intend to repeat that mistake. If you want to try, then feel free, but fighting it off isn’t necessary for achieving my objectives, so I won’t bother.”

    It was an unusually cold response for Eva, who normally tried to be polite- but the latter half of this person’s statement bothered her. It sounded like he was implying that Eva usually tended to run away from her problems- an unpleasant accusation, especially from a stranger. She simply had nothing to gain here from fighting this thing- especially not when the chance of success seemed rather low.

    That, and if Catherine thought there was something unpleasant about this person, then she wasn’t going to challenge her judgement.

    And besides…

    … Eva had a small suspicion that this doll was probably only interested in her anyways, rather than the others.

    Rather than watch how their encounter went, it was much more important to hurry up with their own objectives. Turning towards Catherine, she continued.

    “Let’s go. Anywhere away from here is good, since the doll is close- but I heard that a girl who came by earlier has the key to open the door. Does that ring any bells…?”

  4. #2444
    The Time-Governing Twelve Covenants Airen's Avatar
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    Ludwig Karlfeldt
    ???
    11/16/2026
    Monday ~ Evening




    Azure light approaches the static entity.

    No matter how much Ludwig observes it, it's features and form refuse to elaborate themselves to his eyes. It should be something easy to see, it's standing right in the center of the walkway, moving through the lobby towards the door to the outside and yet that figure clad in the candlelight of the mansion's interior remains a static aberration, like a walking glitch in the reality, a humanoid figure that is merely the 'idea' of some sort of feminine entity, an indistinct shape that nevertheless moves inside of his view, always approaching, a static, murderous entity that wants to slay the girl calling herself Eva...

    Yes.

    It wants to kill her specifically, that much is clear, easy to understand even when it's existence is not, but...

    There is a moment when the situation changes, when the humanoid, static figure becomes even more indistinct to Ludwig's eyes; the moment in which Eva disregards her pursuer entirely to focus on Catherine, the entity seems to pause in place, form flickering even more aggressively, and then...

    It is struck head on, reiki blasting it backwards, deep into the candle-lit darkness of the Gothic-era Karlfeldt estate, of that castle that was only whispered of in the neighboring towns as a den for vampires and witches.

    Monsters.

    Undead of all sorts. Not as fearsome in the modern day as it had been in the past, when it's presence had been a black-hole in a society that had rejected the supernatural, an unnatural darkness tainting the woods, a reminder of long-lost fantasies, of creatures and beings that had lived for far too long, that existed in the cracks in the world, the dark-spaces that most people don't think about, yes...

    The Karlfeldt Estate is that sort of place.

    A den of darkness.

    A place where the old magics run deep, a small, self-contained world that has been scarcely illuminated by the lights of the modern day.

    Modern understandings.

    ---And out of this house, this vampire den, comes a different sort of figure now. Your attack had certainly hit the static being head-on -of that there is no doubt- and your battle instincts are such that you instinctively trace it's position with both eye and mind, understanding that it still yet lives, but...

    It has shifted.

    The moment you struck it, it shifted, became something else, static falling back in on itself to form a more concrete image, like the signal that was giving it form had strengthened, finally giving concrete shape to the being in your own eyes, and...

    "Young Master."

    A familiar voice, deep and cold like the moonlight.

    "Milady."

    Pale, graceful hands that end in razor-sharp points.

    More like claws than fingers, possessing a lethal grace that should not fit them but does.



    "Welcome back."

    Her shadow covers you and Lara both, and her existence, that soul-searing smile...

    "I must ask though... Why does no one ever call ahead when coming home?"

    Demands your absolute attention, even as the other two people here...

    Disappear into the ground...?

    ---------}i{---------

    Eva Ellet
    Outside the Karlfeldt Estate
    11/16/2026
    Monday ~ Evening


    "Ah."

    A simple sound.

    It's the noise made by a young woman that has realized she has gotten a bit too carried away in her current endeavors; a weakness of sorts for shadows, who represent the unchained id, her impulses have led her onto a path of possibly needless confrontation, mere moments away of picking a fight she doesn't need to fight, that is, in fact, antithetical to the entire reason she is here, yes...

    That simple sound carries that simple meaning, and...

    "Yes. That does ring a bell, I saw her a bit ago, she's one of our classmates."

    ...Catherine grabs your hand, smooth fingers grasping your wrist in a gentle way, like how an older human might lead one smaller than themselves. Of course the movement is rather brazen too, Catherine is not the sort that seems like she might want to hold hands, she was always stern and professional, a stickler for the rules that always wanted to do things the 'proper' way, but this shadow, well...

    It doesn't seem to care if something could be construed as rude or forward, and...

    "We can still catch up to her if we hurry. She's the type to hesitate when doing things she thinks are wrong, she won't have gotten very far yet-!"

    You feel yourself fall after she speaks.

    The ground opens up, and for a time all is darkness. It's a fleeting moment, one that spans no longer than a heartbeat or two, but when the darkness falls away, when color returns to the frigid world of ice and snow, you are a ways away from where you were before, just inside the shadow of the woods, behind the strange ice wall that had been present in the front yard of the manor before...

    "The psychic is not the only one with some mind tricks~"

    Giggles Catherine's shadow, a thin, black miasma swirling off of her body like an unnatural fog... It's a strange sort of reiki, distorted, filled with the same manic energy that seems to drive all of this woman's actions, as if the use of this strange, teleportation magic of hers had brought more of the instability to the surface, but...

    "This way."

    She starts heading deeper into the woods.

    ...Even if her own inhuman nature is coming to the forefront in this moment, she seems to have refocused her energy on the mission proper now that you reminded her of it.

    Indeed, even as the familiar voice of the maid you had met before drifts out from the other side of the wall, addressing the two people that had just been left behind with a barely hidden hostility...

    She doesn't seem particularly bothered about the idea of leaving them behind to face it alone.

    ---It almost feels a bit ruthless -no it definitely is- but...

    The mission is the priority right?

    Those two will probably be fine.

    ---------}i{---------

    Logan Starbright
    SLEIPNIR - Flight Deck
    11/16/2026
    Monday ~ Evening


    "No? Bah, you're no fun~"

    ---That's right.

    It's face under that mask doesn't matter. Whether it's someone you know or not, the important thing here is that this clown is an enemy, someone that puts its fingers into the mental traumas of others and pries them open with brute force... It only hurts others, it has no capacity for creation, for building things inside of the world, it...

    Just hurts.

    Just destroys.

    It's a thought that feels very natural, a memory, like you had already met this clown a long time ago and had decided you hated it back then too, so it was only natural that you would still hate it now.

    Yes.

    It's a natural feeling, one that drives strength into muscles, makes it easy to drive a body into the alien alloys of the SLEIPNIR, force enough to break and shatter bone, force enough that the clown shouldn't be able to laugh, shouldn't be able to breathe enough to laugh, and yet it keeps on going on...

    ---It's maddening.

    ---Just shut up already, monster.


    A strange thought, one that almost feels like it shouldn't be coming from you, but no...

    This clown is a problem, it's the problem, you're certain of that now.

    Certain.

    Certain.

    Certain.

    It's the clown's fault.

    Burn it into your mind.

    Never forget it.

    Remember that masked face, that's the one that matters.

    ---The ground starts to tremble.

    Shake.

    An intense feeling of reiki fills the air -not from the clown- but from the area in general...

    Ah.

    That's right...

    Hadn't it said something about... Summoning that thing earlier...? Had it not been a joke after all...?

    Well...

    You still have it pinned, so...

    Might as well finish it off, right?

    Just seal it in your COMP.

    Doesn't look like it can stop you.


    ---------}i{---------

    Ayra Lilygrove
    Saint Vivienne ~ Clock Tower
    11/16/2026
    Monday - Night


    "..."

    If Asuka had one flaw, it was that she was a bit too honest with her feelings. While it was a trait that made her an excellent squire, an ideal sort of KoTR Tamer, it was moments like this, where her face flushes at your unexpected words and she freezes in place as if struck by a well-timed Bufu spell, that it becomes apparent how much of a weakness this actually is...

    "Ah..."

    Then again...

    Perhaps it's a weakness that only you can exploit?

    "N-No, nothing's on your face..."

    Straight back to the mannerisms of a certain sort of teenage girl.

    "I don't think I'm that great either, and it's uh... Uhm... I wasn't trying to stare really..."

    A little anxious, thrown off her game-face by a few-too-many well placed words from someone she admires...

    "It's just... I mean I believe you when you say you're fine, but..."

    But?

    "...I ran into Tsukiko earlier."

    Instinctively, these words have you checking your junior for bruises, but no, seems like it didn't turn into a fist fight this time, which was rare, considering they had the worst possible knight-squire compatibility in the organization...

    "...She asked me to look out for you."

    A strange admittance.

    One she doesn't seem particularly fond of saying out loud either... Like she lost something, somewhere from saying it...

    "I think she needs to mind her own business of course, but..."

    This situation must have brought the request to mind.

    Maybe some stressers were getting to her too?


    ---------}i{---------

    Rossweisse & Hiyori
    ???
    11/16/2026
    Afternoon


    ---The armor breathes out when it rises from the floor.

    It breathes out crimson, a cloud of something... Not blood but mist, a red fog that dense with reiki, a miasma that takes the room by storm, a violent scarlet wind that rips through the room, casting tables and desks to the floor, beginning to displace the air itself as a sort of toxin enters the atmosphere.

    Your armor notes it instantly, isolating you from it without input from you being necessary.

    There's no need for you to move, no reason, you'll counterattack your opponent the instant it enters your space proper.

    It's a good strategy, after all, this other 'you' seems to lack a blade, and is being aggressive in it's actions due to it's nature, and yet...

    "...Hah..."

    It just keeps breathing out poison, a knight coated in blood-red mist, a common spell for a ghost drowning in it's own negativity, but one that nevertheless...

    Seems to understand it should not approach you right now.

    That it's dangerous to do so.

    "..."

    Is it because it's you? If so, it should realize that this tactic is pointless right? You aren't affected by these sorts of things in this form, so-

    "...Hah..."

    -behind you, Charlotte starts coughing from the mist, visibly reloading her -apparently one-shot- revolver, and...

    "..."

    And that's when you realize...

    It's willing to play dirty over this grudge.

    Standing right in the path of the only way out of here...

    Forcing you two to come to it, rather than the other way around...

    ---------}i{---------

    Daisuke
    Rooftops, Aoyama
    11/16/2026
    Monday - Dark Hour


    ---A weakness to strong willed women.

    A realization that makes a lot of the experiences you've had with Shuichi up until now make a lot more sense... And quite the unfortunate weakness too for someone in his position...

    "...Yeah."

    In response to your advice, Shuichi simply grunts this before following you down to the streets below, where-

    "Heya kiddo, long time no see~"

    ---No.

    Robin greets you with all the spirit of an amiable older sister type, in spite of that being more or less the complete opposite of it's nature as you knew it.

    "And hello to you, handsome~ The name's Robin~"

    "...Nice to meet you."

    Flirting with Shuichi too, with absolutely no sense of shame.

    It's current form is... Like that of an idealized Chris? A bit taller, with a perfectly sculpted figure, one that had obviously been made through magical means to be charming, alluring, with the most striking difference between her and Chris being the striking green hair that this person had, hair that evoked the unconscious memories of enchanted forests in a land far from here...

    ---It's gotta be a joke right.

    This can't seriously be Robin's current idea of a disguise, right?


    It's a reality that threatens to deal damage to your psyche, so you glance at the cop, who...



    "..."

    Seems a little intense.

    Bright yellow eyes -often a mark of supernatural power of one sort or another- and the sort of expression that made it clear she was sizing the two of you up, trying to decide if you were a threat to her or not, without actually saying anything to either of you and...

    Moving her body in front of the police car windows, as if blocking the interior from sight, and...

    Yeah.

    That's a gun at her waist.

    Definitely not a normal civilian...

    ---------}i{---------

    Cosmos Fairchild
    LOVELESS, Moon Under Water
    Monday - Noon
    11/16/2026


    "Oh yes, that's right, the leylines are down right now aren't they?"

    Alisa smiles, seeming to accept this as the truth, albeit in a way that almost makes it seem like she had forgotten about that particular aspect of the world before now.

    "Quite the strange phenomena."

    She grins at you.

    "Should be a good experience."

    And with that, she turns her attention to Sofia, unseeing eyes still seeming to scan the noble girl (who still seemed intent on puffing herself up) and...

    "Sofia...Weinbergstr, right?"

    "Correct."

    Her smile brightens.

    "Are you a part of the investigation as well? A civilian consultant of sorts?"

    Sofia nods, then blinks in embarrassment, catching herself in the sort of unconscious act that Alisa can't actually see and...

    "Yes. Or rather... I'm like... Daniel's babysitter, I suppose."

    Daniel frowns, clearly not agreeing with this viewpoint, but manages to resist the urge to object.

    Alisa just laughs.

    "I see, I see." She nods. "That makes sense. I suppose even secret-agent men need caretakers from time to time, now..."

    Conspiracy enters her voice.

    "Anyone up for a game of UNO?" She glances at you, her ever-present smile still shining on her face. "Cosmos?"

    A weird swerve...!
    Last edited by Airen; January 1st, 2023 at 07:55 AM.
    Exodus (Complete)

    Even if the author is silenced, the performance is stilled and the actors leave the stage, the story will never truly end.

    Regardless of the form it takes, as long as there are memories of it's existence, the story will continue on.

    In a small ward in the heart of a once devastated town, life carries on as it always has...

    Because of you.

    Please, remember it warmly.

    We'll continue to walk down this path for eternity.




    Mugen No Sekai

    "The Illusion Incomplete Memories Produce Are,

    Fleeting, Disappearing into the Future,

    Until the Ruins of Yesterday Overflow,

    For That Which Falls Only to Rise is Simply a--"

  5. #2445
    Chasing Daybreak palad1n's Avatar
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    Cosmos Fairchild
    LOVELESS, Moon Under Water
    Monday - Noon
    11/16/2026


    Quote Originally Posted by Aunt Alisa
    "Oh yes, that's right, the leylines are down right now aren't they? Quite the strange phenomena. Should be a good experience."
    Why does it feels like her aunt knows more than she lets on...? Or is it just her imagination?

    But as she watches her aunt somehow making Sofia blushes, Cosmos supposes that the answer to that question might not be so important. At least, not when Aunt Alisa managed to make her see some sides of Daniel and Sofia that she didn't previously know...

    Quote Originally Posted by Aunt Alisa
    "Anyone up for a game of UNO? Cosmos?"
    And of course, she made another unexpected offer-!

    She remembers of her promise to that Aunt Alisa of course - of how once this is all over she'd want to play UNO with Alyx, her mother and her aunt again - but to have her suddenly asking for a game here and now...

    Is it a coincidence?

    And yet as she looked at her aunt's smile, she supposes that doesn't matter either. Whether this is a coincidence or fate, the fact of the matter is that there is an offer to play UNO; all that's left is whether she'd take it or not.

    Considering Daniel and Sofia were playing cards earlier without her...

    Cosmos Fairchild smiles.

    "I'd love to! You should join us, Mister Daniel and Miss Sofia!"

    There is an eagerness in both her gaze and tone, one born from the fact that this is one of the few games that she had plenty of experience in.

    It should be fine to enjoy this moment as they wait for their food.

    After all, she doesn't know whether she'd ever get the time to play around and relax like this in the future.
    Regalia Hijinks


    <Erlkonig|Phone> Why get a gf, when Airen is your waifu?

    <Airen|Phone> I'll save everyone, it's fine

    <Snaxies> Airen is totally Jesus again

    <frantic> I actually hate reading your post because you're so fucking anime

    <Reiu> Regalia is a scary place desu...

    <Mellon> He who lives by the oneshot, dies by the oneshot


    Personal Compliments

    <@RacingeR> Pally would be a perfect shoujo lead

    <Erlkonig> I would fall for Pally if he was a qt shoujo manga lead girl

    Quote Originally Posted by Airen
    Only pala is pure, the rest of ya are twisted

    Quote Originally Posted by Cheetose
    I'm not sure if it's like this generally, but Pala seems to be very good at making naive and innocent, but also strangely bulliable characters.

  6. #2446
    Ludwig Karlfeldt
    ???
    11/16/2026
    Monday ~ Evening

    ---Astonishment.

    Why were these two girls so interested in getting to LUCID, even if it would harm whatever bond this Catherine and Saria held? It makes some sense for the Shadow, as that course of action will end up hurting the precious connections the main body has created, but why the other girl too? Did the Alchera do something far worse, or was there more than petty revenge that they were after?

    Seeing the Aura Blast land with its intended effect on the mysterious foe, Ludwig tries to speak to the Church duo once more.

    Quote Originally Posted by Eva
    “Let’s go. Anywhere away from here is good, since the doll is close- but I heard that a girl who came by earlier has the key to open the door. Does that ring any bells…?”
    "Girl, what lies beyond that door is a thing far more wicked than this doll can ever hope to muster. All that awaits beyond it is misery and death... I'd know."

    The previous emotionless tone of voice receives a mixture of pity and nostalgia. That room more than any other had shaped much of Ludwig's life. It's where he had lost the others to that damnable pit, and most recently where he faced the Single Will.

    "Refusing to face your problems will only increase their severity. But sure, keep them alive and well, see how far you can run in this dream before it becomes a nightmare. However, if like your Shadow companion your objective is to open that door to hurt LUCID, then I too shall---"

    Words of warning abruptly cease.

    Frigid winds carry a voice of icy moonlight.

    The Inheritor's eyes instinctively meet those of a monster.

    Chills run up his spine, despite seeing the familiar face. Or rather, it is precisely because of the familiar face that fear manifests itself so quickly. The head maid of the estate, and his old mentor.

    Ida Voight.

    Still, even Ludwig is aware that this isn't actually her, only the static-hidden enemy donning her face. Yet so powerful is the effect on her visage on Ludwig Karlfeldt.

    "I see, it adopts its form to a person's fears. Interesting."

    Lydia in turn manifests herself to her User's side, eyes filled with an almost manic glee, chuckling somewhat darkly.



    "Hohoo pretending to be dutiful Voight, I've been waiting for a chance like this~"

    The ESPer looks to Lara, hoping to see her being remarkably less shaken, as he prepares himself to follow through on the words he spat out to Eva.

    Fear and anticipation are cleansed away, this is no time for such emotions to rule his mind.

    Even if running was an option for Eva... it wasn't for Ludwig.

    Not from this person.
    Last edited by Zurvan; February 26th, 2023 at 02:17 PM.

  7. #2447
    Imperial Princess Satehi's Avatar
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    Eva Ellet
    Outside the Karlfeldt Estate
    11/16/2026
    Monday ~ Evening


    Shadows were, to Eva’s knowledge, partially the result of suppressed psyche, and befittingly the entities were rather uninhibited and freely acted out on their desires without letting higher order reasoning get in the way. That was what Eva had learned about the subject before. From the description, it sounded rather disastrous.

    In practice, Eva found out, it wasn't nearly as bad as it sounded.

    While Shadow Catherine was certainly much more excitable than the regular Catherine, quicker to spring into action, and perhaps a little too brazen in her actions- all features that the normal Catherine, who Eva had always thought was a very rational and careful individual, lacked, it wasn’t as if Eva particularly disliked Shadow Catherine. If the regular Catherine wanted to act more like this, then Eva thought there was little harm in it.

    It was, for example, a bit rude to take her hand unprompted and lead her- but Eva didn’t mind. If anything, she was more surprised that Catherine would have felt like doing that at all.

    Overall, the Shadow was rather easy to get along with. She didn’t expect Catherine to so readily agree to her proposal…

    … but that wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

    In the end, this was Catherine’s shadow. Id did not exist without ego for a reason. Eva normally trusted Catherine’s decisions, but this time… she couldn’t help but have her doubts.

    Eva turned her head back to look at the wall of ice, where the sounds of fighting continued.

    …It seemed like, contrary to her expectations, the doll had stopped focusing on her and begun targeting the new arrivals to the castle.

    "Refusing to face your problems will only increase their severity. But sure, keep them alive and well, see how far you can run in this dream before it becomes a nightmare. However, if like your Shadow companion your objective is to open that door to hurt LUCID, then I too shall---"
    And while the last words the man had said before they had split weren’t exactly encouraging, he had a point. It would be better to defeat the doll here and now as a group, if that was possible.

    But she didn’t know how realistic that was.


    Or if it was even worth it. Those people just now seemed to be familiar with this castle, and by extension Liesl- that could either be a good thing, in helping talk to her and find her, or a bad thing, if that meant they were on her side. Perhaps it was better to just let them and the doll fight it out, if it was the latter.

    In the end, the one who knew better, as was usually the case, was Catherine.

    She knew about the doll, talked to the individuals in question. Under normal circumstances, Eva would have trusted Catherine to have thought about all of this and come to the optimal decision
    … but she wasn’t sure that was the case here.

    Rather than follow Catherine deeper into the forest after their lead, Eva held her ground.

    “… Is it really okay to just leave them there?”

    Voicing her doubts hesitantly- she certainly didn’t want to make the Shadow mad by openly fighting her decision, as Eva had no idea how she would calm Catherine down if that ever happened- she continued.

    “… Maybe that man had a point. Would it be better if we joined forces and fought it off together…?”

  8. #2448
    Vlovle Bloble's Avatar
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    Daisuke
    Streets, Aoyama
    11/16/2026
    Monday - Dark Hour


    The humanoid COMP lands gracefully on the wet pavement, stands, clicks his heels together, and stands with his back straight.

    He meets Robin's gaze, and to the fairy wearing the form of the buddy he misses, he... spares no more than a nod of acknowledgement.

    Daisuke turns to face the policewoman and presumably whoever is hidden in her car, and offers a sharp salute at an even sharper angle. Her COMP is offered a similar salute in electronic form.

    "SCDCD COMP Daisuke. Greetings, officer."

    As a COMP, he knows he must naturally let the humans take point in the conversation. Shuichi is in charge here, and Daisuke is prepared to fade into the background until called upon, much like Saya has. However...

    He can't resist acknowledging a fellow adjudicator of justice. Cops are cool after all, or at least the ones in Aoyama are.

  9. #2449
    The Long-Forgotten Sight Rafflesiac's Avatar
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    Logan Starbright
    SLEIPNIR - Flight Deck
    11/16/2026
    Monday ~ Evening


    It won’t stop laughing. He’s sliced its back into a mass of oozing red that spills and spills onto the deck and his clothes and his weapon and it won’t stop laughing so he slams his staff down again and again, the bangs of his strikes against the adamant deck drowning out the booming thunder but it won’t stop laughing. It’s not even retaliating, just laughing and laughing, so he brings down his weapon again and again until it stops mocking others, hurting others, delighting in suffering, but SLAM it CRACK won’t SQUELCH stop SQUISH laughing.

    It’s never going to stop.

    It will laugh and hurt and laugh and hurt and laugh and hurt and laugh and hurt forever, no matter what you do to it. Rice, Yamuna, countless people before them, countless people after them; this nightmare will never end. Just like yours. That’s why you have to kill it. Every single time. No matter what. No matter when. No matter how long it takes. There’s no rest for the wicked. You won’t allow it. That sneering mask. That disgusting laughter. You need to silence it. You need to swear on it.

    You need to raise that bloody weapon of yours high and slam it down until it FINALLY SHUTS U-


    The soaked staff pauses in midair.

    “What do you mean, stop!? I’m about to finish this!”

    “Then why do you look so upset?”

    Logan blinks. Since when has his jaw been as clenched as his bloodied hands? Another bolt of lightning glistens against the dull red of the stained deck, and he screams anew.

    “Why wouldn’t I be upset! This thing’s an enemy! It’s the one who hurt Rice! Hurt Yamuna! Hurt everyone else! That’s why I have to stop it! No matter what it takes!”

    “That was someone else, though.” Amelia projects an image in front of him: a mysterious figure with a plague doctor’s mask. “This isn’t your nightmare.”

    “That’s…” Logan stares at the image. It swims and shifts between a beckoning crow and a sneering jester. He can see that mask in his mind’s eye. Even if it’s not the truth.

    “It’s not like you to get so worked up. You’re not the sort of person who shuts everything out. That’s not what being a Spirit Tamer means to you.”

    “Even… Even so!” Logan can feel his breaths suddenly coming ragged as the heat of anger yields to the chill of the night. “It’s just evil! That’s how it lives!” His hands are shaking.

    “That’s true.” The gusts of wind are heavier than ever, rattling against the two on the deck as if to demand action. “But that’s not all, is it?”

    Logan sighs, deeply. He stares at the back of the mask; something faceless and normally unseen. “The splintered spirit power. We’re dealing with a Demon, so it could be a sign of Demon Possession.”

    “Exactly! I only thought of that a bit ago myself.” Amelia’s voice grows softer. “You’re a Spirit Tamer who won’t miss when there’s someone who needs help, right?”

    Logan closes his eyes. “Yeah, you’re right. Thanks, Amelia.”

    “Hey, that's why I’m here!”

    The world begins to rattle, with spirit power in the air so thick it’s almost suffocating. Had the clown actually summoned something? Or was the dream collapsing? Whatever the situation, he needs to face it with a clear mind and a cool head. He needs to get that mask out of his head. Logan opens his eyes. Masks simply obscure what’s important. The
    possessed
    wearer
    is who he ought to focus on.

    So he pulls off the mask and shatters it.




    Wise Up!
    Spells Selected: Garu line, Phantasm Step, Tarukaja, Eye of the Fates, ???, ???
    Auto Skill: Revitalize
    Heat: 8/10

    Mundane Trait: Ameliorate - Amelia’s special trait. Her ability to soothe and cheer up others. An extremely useful, valuable, and admirable skill that stems from her own perceptiveness and research into things that bring joy, such as recreational activities. Amelia could even become a completely different person for the sake of someone else if that would make them happy. However, she’d never do such a thing, nor would she want to.

    Incidentally, the word ameliorate - to make things better - is her namesake.
    Last edited by Rafflesiac; January 8th, 2023 at 11:35 PM.
    Quote Originally Posted by Arashi_Leonhart View Post
    canon finish apo vol 3

  10. #2450
    Are you for real? Katie's Avatar
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    Ayra Lilygrove
    Saint Vivienne ~ Clock Tower
    11/16/2026
    Monday - Night


    It’s a flurry of mixed emotions. Pity for Asuka’s plight, hope that Tsukiko does care, and annoyance that Tsukiko can’t be bothered to tell her in person. Ayra, to her credit, merely shows an exasperated face, like dealing with that one friend who only has bad takes. This game of hot-and-cold was exhausting, and coupled with all the other information Aster has given her, makes her rather annoyed. But maybe this is progress for Tsukiko. Asking someone for help was not one of her strong suits, as evidenced by their current split…

    “If she’s that worried, the least she can do is tell me herself,” Ayra grumbles. “Sorry she had to go bother you about that.”

    Even now it’s somehow still natural to apologize on the other girl’s behalf. Old habits die hard, Ayra supposes.

    “At the very least, Asuka, doesn’t this mean you have the approval of two knights? If anything, all this talk about watching out for me makes me feel like I’m not reliable all of a sudden…”

  11. #2451
    The Time-Governing Twelve Covenants Airen's Avatar
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    Logan Starbright
    SLEIPNIR - Flight Deck
    11/16/2026
    Monday ~ Evening


    ---One swift movement.

    Grab the mask and shatter it.

    It makes sense after all, right? A mask is used to hide one's identity from the world, in other words, a mask is a separate face, something someone can put on in order to become something or someone else. The nature of the opponent is one that screams of possession, the strangely insidious feelings and voices swirling through your thoughts hint of being influenced by something on the outside, so...

    Grab the mask and shatter it.

    Grab the mask and shatter it.

    ---You grab the mask, it feels cold to the touch, an ice-cold ceramic that shows no signs of body heat from the wearer, a simple, clean mask that doesn't look like anyone else has worn it a day in their life. Really, the thing is spotless, a one-eyed face wearing a teasing, knowing grin, like the artist that had made it had captured a moment a pure...

    Confidence?

    Yes...

    The mask's eye is that of an all-knowing person, someone that could look right through you and see all the dirty-little secrets running around in your brain and heart. Of course, the wearer of such a mask would probably laugh at those little things, those tiny darknesses, or perhaps...

    Perhaps they'd be disgusted by it.

    Seeing all the ugliness people hide away, or maybe...

    Maybe both?

    It's pretty funny either way right? As funny as it is gross? Humans are fake, those things they call faces are also just masks really, so...

    Hey.

    Hey Logan.

    Put me on. I'll help you out.

    You want the plague-doctor girl, right? I can help with that, I know exactly where she is! Do me a solid and I'll do you one right back!

    You just gotta put me on.

    RES Check: Pass


    ---You get the sudden urge to do it.

    There's no rhyme or reason for it... Those strange thoughts were just saying to put the mask on, so much like before, you almost go for it, but...

    No...

    That's a stupid idea, right? Why would you even consider doing that?

    Is this thing talking to you? Is that what the voice is? What those weird thoughts were?

    And...

    ...Why can't you break it?

    You're squeezing and squeezing but nothing happens...

    Rice is staring at you in concern, slowly approaching in an uneasy sort of way, and the body at your feet has become that of an unmoving woman with blonde hair, but...

    This dumb mask.

    It's...

    Why doesn't it break...?
    Exodus (Complete)

    Even if the author is silenced, the performance is stilled and the actors leave the stage, the story will never truly end.

    Regardless of the form it takes, as long as there are memories of it's existence, the story will continue on.

    In a small ward in the heart of a once devastated town, life carries on as it always has...

    Because of you.

    Please, remember it warmly.

    We'll continue to walk down this path for eternity.




    Mugen No Sekai

    "The Illusion Incomplete Memories Produce Are,

    Fleeting, Disappearing into the Future,

    Until the Ruins of Yesterday Overflow,

    For That Which Falls Only to Rise is Simply a--"

  12. #2452
    The Long-Forgotten Sight Rafflesiac's Avatar
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    Logan Starbright
    SLEIPNIR - Flight Deck
    11/16/2026
    Monday ~ Evening


    Why can’t I break it? It shouldn’t be that sturdy. I should be able to crack this thing in half without even breaking a sweat, but it refuses to budge. That’s because you want to see what everyone’s hiding. All of their filthy silly little reasons for betraying everyone. You want to see the real truth. You want to see where all of the evil people who hurt other people are. That’s why you’re gonna put on the mask.

    Logan vigorously shakes his head. “So that’s what’s going on.” He holds the arm latched to the mask and tries once more to shatter it into shards. To no avail. The muscles in his arm aren’t even twitching. “It won’t let me crush it.” He furrows his brow, and then looks up to see an unsettled Rice.

    “Sorry, Rice. I showed you something unsightly again.” He’s suddenly aware of his sodden and stained clothes and prior hysteria. How long are you going to burden her with your own problems? Get it together, idiot.

    : “Hurry up and let go of that thing already, would you? It gives me the creeps.”

    “You don’t have to tell me twice.” Logan focuses again on his arm, and finds it unwilling to relinquish its grip. Still trying to have your fun? Don’t waste your time; I’m done playing with you. He marshalls his will and lightly tosses the alabaster mask upward, sending it tumbling through the air.

    “Rice,” he addresses the girl without looking back. “I should show you something nice, to make up for everything else. Dreams aren’t all nightmares after all. So I’ll start with a bit of trivia.” He adjusts Amelia in his hands and shifts into a proper stance. The mask plummets down, falling in front of him directly into range.

    “Do you know what America’s national sport is?”

    Mystic strength courses through Logan’s body as wind and lightning shroud his makeshift bat. He smiles.

    “Baseball.”

    And in a beautiful home run, the mask sails off into the night. Logan lets out a satisfied sigh before looking down at the unconscious woman strewn on the deck. Someone who’d met with a terrible fate. He kneels down, checking her for signs of life, and carefully shifts her onto her side. He bends her top leg, tilts back her head - and examines her face.




    Spoiler:
    Spells Selected: Garu line, Phantasm Step, Tarukaja, Eye of the Fates, ???, Vajra
    Spells Used: Eye of the Fates, Tarukaja, Vajra, Garula
    Auto Skill: Revitalize
    Heat: 10/10
    Quote Originally Posted by Arashi_Leonhart View Post
    canon finish apo vol 3

  13. #2453
    Taiga's knight Tobias's Avatar
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    Raz Stone
    ???
    ??/??/????

    SITREP.

    Already running. Scenario built. Previous plan of supporting Erika and Matador likely untenable. Assume enemy immune to all dark magic. Potential light weakness possible with that in mind.

    Stay on that. But I am not using the sword. Not unless there aren’t any other options.

    Instead, Raz brandished an ice clad fist out in a simple front guard, with the DTG clasped in his off hand.

    You are learning kid.


    The magic of the Mage of Flowers was nearly incomprehensible, and this coming from someone who could utilize the Wishing Star. Merlin’s magic wasn’t just “that which created miracles”, it was “that which created miracles casually”.

    In other words, it had a force of existence that was plausibly stronger than most Tamers. The idea that it could be unmade was absurd.

    … In their own reality. If there was ever a time it might be vulnerable it was now.

    The reverse of that was Merlin had actually gifted it to him to fight a shadow creature, and “Cain” seemed quite related to such. He might well be vulnerable. Still. With Cain’s attention on the dark-haired knight, he could afford to buy time and let the battle turn in his favor.

    That was the power of a Support Comp user. He didn’t have unbreakable armor, nor a weapon of the gods. He only had information. And his partner was the Detective COMP.

    The only thing left to do was to buy time and build his power up for when the time was right. Fortunately…Cain himself had given Raz an idea.

    “I’ll make this quick…what, was that something I said and hurt your feelings? Don’t worry, I get it. ...I totally get it…”

    Raz’s grin was openly mocking. It actually was a slightly odd sight on his face. Normally in a fight Raz wore a cold and threatening grin. Sometimes a look of pure exhilaration when things got heated. This was a bit different, if no less forceful for it.

    ”…We dated, right? I mean, you aren't my usual type, but hey, I have always had the “Cain do” spirit. Or maybe that would be the “Do Cain” spirit instead? Well, a certain flat chest is always telling me I need to stop raising Cain, and it’s clear I have your attention. Standing at attention, that is!”

    As the bard spoke, he was slowly giving ground, baiting his opponent to follow. Erika seemed on her last legs. Matador was functionally out. That meant the two were little more than potential hostages.

    ...Erika would steam like a tea kettle if she knew Raz had thought that!

    Well, they actually had one more potential chance to offer support, but it wasn’t time for that. It was also possible that one or both might put themselves back together, with time. Raz wasn’t betting on that though. The black-haired knight himself was probably a better healer then Erika and even he didn’t think he could get them back in the fight.

    Raz wondered about his opponent’s strategy. It was pretty clear Cain actually knew him. That wasn’t unusual. Hell even in other worlds people heard his music! But it was something of an open secret that the best strategy to beat the Knight of Song was a quick overwhelming assault before he could abuse his encore spell to cover himself in supportive magics.

    Civilians usually didn’t process that the Bard's most powerful skill wasn’t some super buff, or even his Wishing Star. It was actually his simple, unassuming little magic that let him continue buffs indefinitely almost without any real cost. Tactical opponents worked quickly to neutralize it before Raz put the equivalent of two full heat risers on himself.

    Cain’s malice filled stalk seemed to invite attack, but it wasted time. It was either the case that he didn’t know as much as he pretended, which Raz thought unlikely, that Cain was so arrogant he eschewed a winning strategy, a premise Raz was willing to consider except Cain himself, apparently honestly, had verbalized a desire for a quick end to the fight. The last possibility wasÂ…

    You really are learning kid.

    I know Erika, and Matador. Matador tends to charge in, and Erika can be baited. I suspect his ability either requires or benefits from a counterattack possibility.

    Altering scenario creation. I’ll get you an opening.

    Preferably right after our next vent.

    No promises.



    Tarukaja's red light added itself to the swirl of magic's coating the Knight of Song. Unfortunately, at the same time, the defensive magics protecting his allies began to falter.

    Cain had said it himself. He didn’t want to listen to Raz. In other words, it was the same as begging Raz to never shut up. Without the stage, continual usage of the Song of Battle wasnÂ’t possible. But it’s not like it cost heat to say a few cutting words!

    ”Come and play with me baby! Where I come from, we call this “foreplay!”

    Current status

    Beginning Heat: 10
    Beginning spells active: Song of Battle, Sukukaja. Rakukaja

    Spells used this turn: Encore, Tarukaja

    Ending spells active: Tarukaja, Sukukaja, Rakukaja

    Current heat 6:10

    DTG action: Analyze
    Quote Originally Posted by Bird of Hermes View Post
    The moment the opportunity arises for a pun, the one known as 'Taiga's Knight' will be there to deliver whether you like it or not.

  14. #2454
    The Time-Governing Twelve Covenants Airen's Avatar
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    Ayra Lilygrove
    Saint Vivienne ~ Clock Tower
    11/16/2026
    Monday - Night


    "Ah-"

    For a moment, obvious regret, as you take her words in a direction she hadn't expected you too, then-

    "No, no... It's not that you're not reliable-!"

    -she waves her hands at you energetically, denying your words and their insinuations.

    "If anything... I think the problem might be you're too reliable, you know?" She pauses, then continues with an unshakable gaze, as if deciding this is something she actually has to talk about now that the opportunity has arisen. "When you decide to do something, or are assigned to do something, you get it done no matter what, that's the epitome of reliability, isn't it? But like..."

    She frowns.

    Annoyed, but not at you, no...

    It's definitely aimed at a certain other woman, absent, the master of mixed signals, queen hot-and-cold herself...

    "You don't take breaks. It's the sort of thing people worry about, right? Like..."

    She re-locks eyes with you.

    "When was the last time you had a proper vacation?" She sighs. "And I don't mean a forced one after going to a hospital, those don't count..."



    ------}i{------


    Daisuke
    Streets, Aoyama
    11/16/2026
    Monday - Dark Hour


    "...Hah..."

    The police officer ultimately cracks a smile at your formal greeting, the hints of a good-natured chuckle falling from her lips. It's a bit of a self-deprecating sound, like the woman was admonishing herself inside a little bit for something, for some sort of unfounded conclusion that had her staring at all aspects of the world around her with those primal, intense eyes, and...

    "Hello Daisuke. You can call me Noriko."

    Much like Robin, the voice that emerges from her is warm and friendly, softening along with the intensity of the golden light in her eyes, but unlike Robin, well...

    It's easier for you to believe this one might actually just be genuinely pleasant.

    "Haven't seen you out at this time before... First night of this... Nightmare nonsense?"

    Not only that...

    Seems like she's more open than a lot of the people you had met so far, meanwhile with Robin (who had frowned at you ignoring them) and Shuichi...

    "Grrrr..."

    Where you had chosen to lean back somewhat, to let the humans take charge of the conversation, Saya has actually done the opposite this time around, namely...

    "rrrr..."

    Her hologram has gotten between Shuichi and the Fae, and is... Well...

    Acting a bit like a pissed off house-cat... Or perhaps an overprotective dog...?

    The noise she's making is very clearly an animistic "back off" type of noise after all...

    "Oh my..." Robin's smile remains like a Cheshire cat however, a little too big, a little obviously inhuman even if still objectively pretty. "You're quite a protective data soul~ Is that the memory of his mother in you? I'm harmless, promise~"

    "Fae are masters at breaking promises-!"


    And Shuichi himself?

    ...Just has a hand on his head, like he was trying to massage away a headache.

    Truly an unfortunate weakness for an Ace to have...
    Last edited by Airen; January 18th, 2023 at 08:45 PM.
    Exodus (Complete)

    Even if the author is silenced, the performance is stilled and the actors leave the stage, the story will never truly end.

    Regardless of the form it takes, as long as there are memories of it's existence, the story will continue on.

    In a small ward in the heart of a once devastated town, life carries on as it always has...

    Because of you.

    Please, remember it warmly.

    We'll continue to walk down this path for eternity.




    Mugen No Sekai

    "The Illusion Incomplete Memories Produce Are,

    Fleeting, Disappearing into the Future,

    Until the Ruins of Yesterday Overflow,

    For That Which Falls Only to Rise is Simply a--"

  15. #2455
    The Time-Governing Twelve Covenants Airen's Avatar
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    Logan Starbright
    SLEIPNIR - Flight Deck
    11/16/2026
    Monday ~ Evening


    A victim of possession, with the Pierrot's mask apparently being used as the medium for that possession.

    It's an easy enough diagnosis to make now that you're out of it's zone of influence, the malicious haze that had fallen over your thoughts lost with the disappearance of the mask over the horizon, echoes of it's hollow laughter slowly fading from the surface of your thoughts.

    It had been a particularly powerful cursed item, something that affected not only the person wearing it, but those that perceive it as well, inciting negative emotions of all sorts in those that beheld it, trying it's absolute hardest to get people to pay attention to it.

    To hate it.

    Keep it in their thoughts.

    What was the purpose of such a thing? Was it attempting to reinforce it's own existence by becoming a target of your hatred? Would something have happened if you hadn't noticed what was going on in time and tried to destroy the person wearing the mask?

    It's difficult to say.

    But entities do not do such things for no reason, of that you are certain, still...

    "Yeah I know about baseball."

    Rice -who had turned her head to watch the mask disappear over the horizon- spins back to face you with a small smile, her voice strong, as if realizing she had slipped up a bit earlier by showing her unease to you, or...

    "I think the Americans go a bit overboard nowadays though, throwing a baseball to the batter from orbit just doesn't seem... Necessary. Lose too many satellites that way when they hit it back at you..."

    ...In an attempt to put you at ease with more casual talk, something far removed from the insanity of what had been going on around you up until now.

    A more normal sort of insanity anyway.

    Of course, learning she watched magic-enhanced sports... Well, she doesn't seem like the type, but...

    Then again...

    Most sports are more interesting when pretty much everyone playing is a mage of some sort.

    Innocent thoughts.

    Ones that accompany your slow, practiced movements towards the woman below you.

    Her breathing and pulse are strong, unsurprising, considering she had been fighting on the level of a Tamer and people like that tend to be really, really hard to kill... Heck, from the looks of things, the wounds she did have seemed like they were already closing up, she was more bumps and bruises than anything truly substantial (although the lack of consciousness was worrying, but perhaps could be blamed on the mask) and her face...

    Her... Face... Was...

    Hadn't you seen someone like this earlier? After talking with Eliza?

    What had it been...

    Jessica?

    It certainly looked like the girl in the photo Amelia had shown you...
    Exodus (Complete)

    Even if the author is silenced, the performance is stilled and the actors leave the stage, the story will never truly end.

    Regardless of the form it takes, as long as there are memories of it's existence, the story will continue on.

    In a small ward in the heart of a once devastated town, life carries on as it always has...

    Because of you.

    Please, remember it warmly.

    We'll continue to walk down this path for eternity.




    Mugen No Sekai

    "The Illusion Incomplete Memories Produce Are,

    Fleeting, Disappearing into the Future,

    Until the Ruins of Yesterday Overflow,

    For That Which Falls Only to Rise is Simply a--"

  16. #2456
    Vlovle Bloble's Avatar
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    Daisuke
    Streets, Aoyama
    11/16/2026
    Monday - Dark Hour

    "No, Ma'am, I've been on night patrols before!"
    Daisuke replies with gusto. "We have had incidents then as well! Though, uh, none like this one... I hope you haven't run into any trouble."

    Being thrown to what he can only assume to be another layer of reality (judging by the largely depopulated state of the town) is certainly a first. Daisuke's only experience with other realities is occasional trips to the Demonic Server for material hunts that often end up as brawls with the locals, or "grinding" as Chris likes to call it. This version of Aoyama is even more inhospitable, not because there are nakedly hostile enemies around every corner, but because at least Demons are always up for a talk.

    Speaking of Demons.

    "If that one was troubling you, Ms. Noriko..." Would that fairy be trolling someone in this situation? Even Daisuke's biased internal logic can't quite jump to that conclusion now that the real thing is standing in front of him. Better not to actively antagonize Robin on a day when he's acting nice for once, or he might not feel like it again. Yes, that's right, Justice must be discerning.

    "...well, if he was pointing you towards Brewed Awakenings, we just came from that direction. I can confirm it seems safe. You should be able to rest there," he concludes, using the plural form of "you". "Um, one second, please."

    Daisuke straightens his back, does a small salute, and then turns about face towards where Robin stands, teasing Saya. The humanoid COMP crosses his arms with determination!

    "Excuse me!" he says firmly, finally addressing the Fae that has stolen his Buddy's appearance. "You!"

    A moment passes, followed by another. It had been one of the ruder forms of "you" after all.

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

    Daisuke ventilates his suddenly dusty voice box, producing a sound much like clearing a throat.

    "Thank you! For the instructions! To Ms. Akiko as well! Please continue to cooperate further and answer our questions!"

  17. #2457
    The Long-Forgotten Sight Rafflesiac's Avatar
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    Logan Starbright
    SLEIPNIR - Flight Deck
    11/16/2026
    Monday ~ Evening


    "I think the Americans go a bit overboard nowadays though, throwing a baseball to the batter from orbit just doesn't seem... Necessary. Lose too many satellites that way when they hit it back at you..."
    Logan sighs exhaustedly and suppresses the urge to rub away an all-too-recent headache. “If I never have to deal with another war between Marvel and sports fans it’ll be too soon. It had to be the Astros. It’s always the Astros. They just had to swing a pop fly into the satellite streaming Squirrel Girl 7: Wrath of Gaia for the world premiere. California’s still rebuilding parts of Los Angeles…”

    His rant does nothing to detract from his status check of the downed survivor. Vitals look normal. Her wounds are healing too; she’s probably a Tamer-level combatant on her own. Logan spares a glance at Amelia’s end, once stained to dripping with the woman’s flesh and blood. That all went flying away with his home run. It’s almost like nothing went wrong for her at all. Aside from the fact that she’s not waking up.

    He brushes her hair aside - and sees a familiar face.

    Sar- No, too young. Logan frowns. Jessica. Jessica Tsukino. A clone? Or implanted genetic material? Isn’t that illegal? He sighs again. Since when has that ever stopped anyone?

    : So much for tabling this.

    Logan stares at the girl’s face. A face he never thought he’d see again. A face he’s never seen before. This wasn’t supposed to happen. This dream isn’t mine to have. He bites his lip. I haven’t earned it. Even if he blinks, the girl is still there. So? Are you just gonna leave her there? What, that’s-!? You were going to leave her before you met her, weren’t you? The dream’s not real. Neither are the side characters. That’s… That’s n- But it is. Say you restore the Administrators and they fix the Reverie Complex and set it back to its normal settings. All of these people you’ve never heard of before because they didn’t exist will cease to exist. No, die. Even Sarah. No. I’ll figure something out. I have a plan. Only if you meet her, though. I could call. You would’ve already if that was true. Whatever; it’ll work. So what about the others? You can’t possibly be arrogant enough to assume that you’re the only person who got someone back here. Are you going to save every single one of them? Can you? Logan starts drumming his fingers on Amelia’s surface. I still haven’t established the limits of the Reverie Complex or the full extent of the situation. But before that: I’m not giving up. Not on Sarah. Not on Rice. Not on her sisters. And not on anyone else in front of me who needs my help. Never again.

    He reaches out and taps the girl’s cheek. “Hello. Please wake up.”
    Last edited by Rafflesiac; November 15th, 2023 at 09:51 PM.
    Quote Originally Posted by Arashi_Leonhart View Post
    canon finish apo vol 3

  18. #2458
    Konkon Kitsune~ Kuroyuki's Avatar
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    Rossweisse & Hiyori
    ???
    11/16/2026
    Afternoon


    As “I” try to get off the floor, they started breathing out a blood red mist just filled with reiki that started rapidly expanding throughout the hallway and room that we were standing in. It didn’t even bother scanning as it immediately sealed off my oxygen supply and started using the internal supply and recycler.

    ‘Poison? Man this fake Ross fights super dirty! Really proving your fakeness with these kinds of lame tactics.’

    In the background, I heard the sound of metallic clangs as Ms. Charlotte presumably reloaded her single shot pistol. All I had to do was defend her since if ‘I’ couldn’t casually approach me while I had Hiyori. It was just a simple case of both of us being similar in capabilities and even the slightest advantage tipped the balance. I could afford to whittle it down as long as I had the patience to wait and if ‘I’ kept being impatient… Then I was going to get all of the opportunities I wanted.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ms. Charlotte
    "...Hah..."
    I heard a cough from behind and not the 'I've got something in my throat' kind of cough but the more worrying type. While I wanted to check to see if Ms. Charlotte was okay. I couldn’t take my eyes off of ‘me’. I could tell that it would take advantage of any distraction from me. If 'I' was spiteful enough to resort to poisoning someone, then I knew that 'I' wouldn't hesitate to throw the sucker punch. Hiyori on the other hand could look away and check on Ms. Charlotte...

    ‘Wait Ms. Smug?! Don’t tell me you don’t have an anti-poison gasmask?! Ross! We have to finish this quickly!’

    I know… We can’t cure Ms. Charlotte’s poisoning from ‘me’. Every second, I delayed, the more Ms. Charlotte was going to be affected by the poison as 'I' made the mist thicker and thicker. With that in mind, I decided to end this fight as fast as possible. If I was closer to ‘me’, then I could’ve used a finisher variant. However, 3 meters was just a little too far away… In that case… I disappeared from in front of ‘me’.

    The only hint that ‘I’ got was the brief moment when reiki started radiating from right in front of ‘me’. The next second, I appeared right in front with Hiyori in a sword drawing stance. Despite the sheer amount of reiki emanating from me, I didn’t focus the reiki into a coherent spell with Hiyori’s help. Instead, I just let my body’s muscle memory takeover as my armor COMP ran the calculations. However, despite this shaky process, Hiyori and I both felt confident in the upcoming technique.



    ‘Shiden Issen!’

    Because this single slash was our trump card. The only technique that I could still remember from before my amnesia.


    Actions

    Phantasm Step
    Surge
    ‘Shiden Issen’


    Wise-Up!

    HP: 420 / 500
    SP: 270 / 500

    Minor Talents
    Swordsmanship
    Rossweisse, despite being an amnesiac, seems to instinctively use a predominately Sword-based martial art. While it’s more than good enough to fight non-specialists in a fight, actual martial arts practitioners can see how the movements aren’t planned nor controlled thus easy to take advantage of.

    [Martial Arts Perk. Character suffers no speed penalties when facing another martial artist. In addition, Character is able to utilize “physical skills,” special techniques that focus on pushing the body past it’s limit to perform superhuman feats through direct use of "Reiki," which is otherwise known in the supernatural world as "Spirit Power." These techniques drain one's stamina like spells and are considered to do spirit type damage, but are not limited by the COMP system (instead using up attack actions) and are comparable to C-Rank Spells in effect.

    You get two of these skills.]


    Auto Skills

    Strength's Obstacle
    Rank: D
    Harmony Cost: 2

    Rossweisse may not be the strongest of people… for now. When this auto skill has been activated, Rossweisse will slowly start to accumulate more STR as more turns pass by until it matches the strongest enemy’s strength. Rossweisse must be aware of them for it to take effect.

    [Slowly increase STR Score to match the strongest person within thirty meters of Ross, increase is at a rate of 10 points a turn. If the opponent goes beyond this point, reduce strength to match the next strongest individual. If Ross herself is the strongest person on the battlefield, this skill has no effect.]


    Actions
    Spirit Armor
    Activate Spirit Armor Form, encasing oneself in their battle-suit, completely closed off from any insidious effects that might seek to harm them. Drains 30 SP a turn while active, however, in exchange, the user takes no damage from environmental threats (magical or otherwise) and ignores the non-damage aspects of spells that strike them, even if that spell would target a weakness. Physical restraints may still work however.

    Surge
    In Spirit Armor form, pay an additional 20 SP to increase Strength and Agility by one rank during the course of this round. Does not add additional heat to the system.

    Phantasm Step
    Rank: D
    SP Cost: 30

    Gather Spiritual Power beneath the feet, allowing temporary movement that is close to instant. When combined with high natural speed, it becomes possible to dodge even supersonic strikes. A common spell amongst Spirit Tamers and Demons alike, it is the main reason why higher ranking phenomena are so hard to connect with, as an unhindered opponent will use this spell to ‘easily disrespect’ spells of a much higher ranking…

    [Use 3: Make a high-speed dash to an area, or to close distance with an opponent. Length of dash is thirty meters. This spell can only be cast once a turn, regardless of the chosen use.]


    ‘Shiden Issen’
    Rank: B
    SP Cost: 100

    An original technique that Rossweisse remembers only due to sheer muscle memory. It holds the property of only dealing damage against the user’s selected target making it perfect for when a villain holds an innocent hostage. Hiyori also has the tendency to name it differently each time…

    [Attack Type. Merciful. Godspeed. When used, executes a single attack against an opponent within fifty meters of you that you can see, cutting through space itself to reach your target, while ignoring any allies in the way, even if magic would ordinarily redirect the damage to them. Deals 195 Spirit-Type Damage to the target. Due to Godspeed, ignores reaction abilities that it's use would ordinarily trigger.]
    Last edited by Kuroyuki; January 29th, 2023 at 12:34 AM.

  19. #2459
    The Time-Governing Twelve Covenants Airen's Avatar
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    Logan Starbright
    SLEIPNIR - Flight Deck
    11/16/2026
    Monday ~ Evening


    ---Tap.

    No response.

    The young woman's skin is warm to the touch and her pulse was strong, although her clothes and hair were still soaked with lake-water. Of course that problem isn't one you could so readily solve yourself without resorting to damaging your reputation or coming up with some very unorthodox uses of your spells, so you push it from your thoughts from now.

    If nothing else, you could probably get Rice to handle that after all, girls got more leeway with those sorts of things.

    More importantly than that, the touch of your finger to her body does confirm a more negative aspect of her status to you after a moment, namely...

    Her reiki is low.

    It makes sense considering the reckless way the clown had been tossing around so many reiki-intensive abilities, but it also made the plan to wake her up rather problematic; reiki exhaustion is different from physical damage, even if her body is fine, if her soul has decided to 'shut down' for awhile to restore her own reiki reserves enough to even wake up, then she was basically in a...

    Short term coma?

    Tamers typically recover within a few hours, more normal humans a few days, still...

    Considering the situation, it's a bit troubling... You don't seem to be in any danger of course, the World around you seems to have calmed with the disappearance of the strange mask -it seemed it could only blatantly tear reality apart when it has a host- but the World around you still didn't feel quite right, after all...

    You still can't sense any of your coworkers.

    It still feels like all of them have just vanished, which gives the World around you a bit of an empty, dangerous feeling... Retreating back inside the SLEIPNIR was an obvious option of course, if this was some weird dream inside of a dream thing it might be possible to just wait it out, see if things go back to normal on their own, or perhaps just wait for this Jessica to wake up? Your own room should be an easily defensible location after all, not to mention that if everyone really is missing this might be a good time to explore the ship proper, but...

    When it comes to possible other options, or rather, other things going on in the world around you...

    "..."

    You can see the ferry from earlier in the day, that old relic of a restaurant boat, slowly making it's way over the horizon and towards the shore, looking for all the world unbothered by the insanity that had been tearing apart this lake mere minutes before... Most boats would have probably been crushed with the whole 'reversal of gravity' thing, but this one keeps chugging along like a steamboat, it's figure dark in the night, the clouds that had covered the stars and moon giving it an almost ethereal sort of visual quality...

    Like a ghost ship of some sort, sailing out of the fog of the afterlife to approach the living world, but...

    "...Hmm."

    Voice losing a bit of it's color now that Rice has set herself back down in a constructed human body, the young woman just tilts her head at the approaching vessel, eyes squinting as if trying to pick up the words emblazoned on the side of it, and...

    "Moon Under Water..."

    ...Accomplishes that task after a single heartbeat.

    "Sounds a little familiar..."
    Last edited by Airen; February 5th, 2023 at 05:52 PM.
    Exodus (Complete)

    Even if the author is silenced, the performance is stilled and the actors leave the stage, the story will never truly end.

    Regardless of the form it takes, as long as there are memories of it's existence, the story will continue on.

    In a small ward in the heart of a once devastated town, life carries on as it always has...

    Because of you.

    Please, remember it warmly.

    We'll continue to walk down this path for eternity.




    Mugen No Sekai

    "The Illusion Incomplete Memories Produce Are,

    Fleeting, Disappearing into the Future,

    Until the Ruins of Yesterday Overflow,

    For That Which Falls Only to Rise is Simply a--"

  20. #2460
    The Time-Governing Twelve Covenants Airen's Avatar
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    Cosmos Fairchild
    LOVELESS, Moon Under Water
    Monday - Noon
    11/16/2026


    "I don't see why not. But what is... UNO...?"

    Perhaps the most shocking part of this turn of events is that Sofia apparently had no idea how to play this particular card game. It's a revelation that had seemed to catch even Alisa off guard, your aunt letting out a quiet chuckle, a gently amused smile crossing her face.

    "I can explain it dear, you see, the game works like this-"

    And so she explains it, the group as a whole forming a small circle around the table: Daniel to your left, Sofia to his left and Alisa to her left, meaning that she was still on your right side. It's the same number of players as your usual games with your family, a familiar, nostalgic sort of number that brings to mind warm memories of simpler times...

    But even card games like UNO can have a purpose beyond simple fun; many Tamers enjoy card games because it stimulates their sixth sense, especially when playing with others with similarly refined senses... A simple card game becomes a contest of precognitive instincts, a struggle where everyone is trying to sense what the others will do, while either hiding their own intentions or finding ways to lie about them that others will believe...

    Such things are most pronounced in Poker of course, but even in games like UNO...

    Such things are inevitable.

    Intention is an important aspect of the game after all, still-

    "I see, I see, seems simple enough..."

    Sofia nods.

    You look around at your three 'opponents.'

    Daniel is as Daniel always is, looking around at everyone else in a similar way to you, an amused, almost childlike light in his intelligent eyes. Sofia is glancing at the rules on the table -rules she had written down herself as they were explained to her- obviously intending on using the structure of the game to her advantage, no matter how simple it might be, and Alisa, who had won the initial draw with a red 9 and was thus dealing...

    "Here we go~"

    ...Is as carefree as she always is in games like this, radiating no obvious plan, no secret tactic, simply a firm and absolute belief in her own luck.

    Luck that had always been excellent.

    Luck that doesn't even have her looking at her cards immediately (at least, not in a way that normal people could constitute as normal) instead just letting her cards lay face down on the table, before flipping over the first card to begin play, meaning that you would be the first to go afterwards, and it's a...

    Blue 8.

    You look down at your hand:

    -Wild Card
    -Wild Card + 4
    -Blue +2
    -Blue Reverse
    -Red 2
    -Yellow 3
    -Blue Skip


    ...It's not bad.

    Quite good, to be honest. A lot of action cards here and a decent color spread...

    Meanwhile...

    "So, Mr. Secret Agent Man." Speaking cheerfully, and still not bothering to look at her cards (even as everyone else does so) Alisa smiles at Daniel. "Card game time is bonding time. Why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?"

    ...If it's a strategy to disrupt his focus it's pretty early to do it, but knowing Alisa...

    She was probably just genuinely curious.

    Daniel lets a quirky smile out in response, before:

    "Well, I suppose I could... But I'm not sure what would be interesting to share about myself."

    Was he leaving it open to group suggestion...?
    Exodus (Complete)

    Even if the author is silenced, the performance is stilled and the actors leave the stage, the story will never truly end.

    Regardless of the form it takes, as long as there are memories of it's existence, the story will continue on.

    In a small ward in the heart of a once devastated town, life carries on as it always has...

    Because of you.

    Please, remember it warmly.

    We'll continue to walk down this path for eternity.




    Mugen No Sekai

    "The Illusion Incomplete Memories Produce Are,

    Fleeting, Disappearing into the Future,

    Until the Ruins of Yesterday Overflow,

    For That Which Falls Only to Rise is Simply a--"

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