Spirit Pulse : Mugen No Sekai [IC]

[Zurvan]

Ludwig Karlfeldt
SLEIPNIR - Brewed Awakenings (Rothschild Branch)
11/16/2026
Monday - Early Morning

---Running out of time.

It should be strange to even consider such a reality. A world in which the youngsters with their youths still before them needed to do anything and everything they could manage to grow stronger. To stand a chance at what is to come in their future, or perhaps to catch up on someone that has already went ahead of the them.

An older sibling perhaps, or a rival. Maybe a mentor that's lost their way, or a personal savior that has hit an obstacle he couldn't defeat.

No one knows what the future holds.

It is entirely possible that the Karlfeldt Inheritor is indeed already running out of time.

His sister, lost.

His power, insufficient.

Those stoic eyes simply watch the bartender as he replies. He's right, discarding sleep to grow stronger is the height of foolishness. It's a necessity for any human to stay in their top form, so to even consider it a way to grow in strength is paradoxical.

...Even so.

...Ludwig Karlfeldt, is a fool.

"..."

Without a word, the boy accepts the terms and signs the contract.

How could he not?

[Airen]

Daisuke
Aoyama, LOVELESS
11/16/2026
Monday - Morning

"Is that so? Very well, lead me to this coffee shop of yours."

---And thus, everything goes exactly as that girl had planned it out, indeed, rather than let go of your hand after the handshake, the young woman seems to keep a grip of sorts on your wrist...

It's not painful, it's warm and confident, but it also doesn't seem to want to let go, indeed, rather than that, the princess takes on the airs of an empress, one who has claimed the one person around that could truly resist, and has once again had her power restored after figuring out the intricacies of the new mind that had been placed in front of her...

Yes.

She turns to Shuichi, and:

"We will go in the classic formation of course," she nods at the invincible senpai, before tilting her head slightly to the side, as if pointing out your other, unoccupied hand, "Take the other hand Namasaki-kun, we'll all walk together, okay~? It'll be photo perfect!"

Before clarifying with that, her voice becoming less like that of a spider in human form, and more like a squeeing teenager that has suddenly gotten an idea she thinks is amazing...

What... Was she trying to do here...?

A small child, hand in hand with two older people...?

"Uh... Well..."

And shockingly, Shuichi doesn't manage to put up a very good defense-! Is it because this is a weakness of sorts for him? As an only child in a family that was mostly filled with women of absurd strength and skill, was it possible that he was simply weak to this sort of assertive behavior?!

Was there a crack in the invincible senpai after all?

"We don't have too much time to play Sofia, we have to be back at base in an hour."

But he tries.

Not used to being the one that has been socially staggered by the actions of his opponent, that boy certainly tries to regain his usual cool, the cool that makes others follow him without question, to go back to something closer to his 'normal,' but...

"I'm aware. You have two hours left until you need to leave though, you have plenty of time. Now come, don't waste our precious datelight~"

...She makes it hard to say no.

Even with the 'cuter' voice, it's still the air of a princess that expects to get what she wants, and against the two of you...

It was shockingly effective?!

Shuichi looks at you at those words, and...

The silent question is asked, yes...

Once she gets his hand too... That's it...

[Kuroyuki]

Rossweisse
SLEIPNIR - Resource Wing
11/16/2026
Monday - Early Morning

"Lover? I wouldn't say so, however, Sara likes these sorts of things."

Sara? I wonder who Sara is… In response to my thought, my COMP sends me first a simple family tree of the Cross Family. While that answered the question of how Lucia knows Sara, they were sisters if I took this image literally. That only made me more interested and brought up several more questions such as how come she was Tsukino Lucia. I was almost tempted to look into it more, but that would be needlessly prying.

While I thought briefly on that, Lucia decided to launch her COMP’s entertainment upgrades. It was a simple projector screen so that everyone could see compared to just Hiyori and Lucia. Or at the very least, it would be awkward to try and watch them over Lucia’s shoulder or doing a virtual dive. The thing that was surprising was that Lucia’s screen looked like an actual arcade cabinet screen. The only reason I could recognize it was because Hiyori insisted on seeing a real one in America about a year ago.

‘Oh? Methinks the lady isn’t being entirely honest.’

I decided to keep my thoughts on the customized nature of the screen. If she doesn’t love games like Hiyori does, she’s at least serious about them. In fact, she was gripping a customized Reiki controller with almost a deathgrip. Wait why do I have a bad feeling about this...

"She's right, holding back against an opponent is a mark of disrespect. Attack like you mean to kill me."

'Hehe you heard Rossweisse. I can go ALL out on her if I feel like it.'

This is going to be bad I can already tell! Granted Lucia might have a chance to beat Hiyori because Pavise was slower. It didn’t matter if you couldn’t get Pavise’s snowball started. However, that would assume Lucia could get within range to poke Hiyori properly to prevent the snowball… I’m sure it’ll be fine as long as it isn’t one-sided.

After Round 1

‘Hmmm I might actually have to give you a handicap to ensure the game isn’t a sweep.’

Reality was not that kind. The first round was... underwhelming to put it lightly. Despite everything, Hiyori was actually good at video games and it seems like Lucia was being sincere about not really playing games. On the otherhand, Hiyori was letting it get to her head since she crushed Lucia that hard… Hopefully, Lucia isn’t too angry right now…

"...I see. This is the same company that made Blazred right? ...That means there are instant-kill supers in this game, correct? Overkill is the only way in these sorts of games."

I let out a quick sight of relief. Lucia didn’t seem to be taking it too badly… For now, Hiyori’s smugness would get worse if she keeps on a one-sided win streak.

“Uh yes, they’re both made by Crescent System Works so they have similar mechanics. However, while Hiyori is on Pavise, you should aim to ensure she doesn’t start snowballing because while the Instant Kill mechanic is useful… They’re hard to land and Hiyori might finish you off before you can guarantee one that’ll land.”

‘Wait Rossweisse shouldn’t you be on my side?! Not that the advice alone can help with how she’s currently playing. Oh that does give me an idea though...’

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what her plan was. She was going to aim for an instant kill explicitly because I said it was hard to do. In fact, I could already see the cogs in her brain spinning and how she was going to probably use THOSE spells to make it easier for her. Because after all she’s “technically not cheating” because she’s only boosting her personal capabilities. My only solace was that she didn’t do this against anyone who couldn’t use spells...

"One more thing Lucia... It's technically not cheating if suddenly you got physically or mentally faster."

That should make things fair especially since the odds of Hiyori using spells is drastically higher even if it's to secure something meaningless like showing her gaming superiority or bragging rights.

[Bloble]

Daisuke
Aoyama, LOVELESS
11/16/2026
Monday - Morning

"Hm, what's wrong, Nii-san?"

Daisuke happily holds onto Sofia's hand. If she doesn't want to let go, then there's no reason for him to let go either, right?

"Hand-holding is fun! You should try it!"

Thus, already caught in the spider's web, the small COMP is now nothing more than a tool for her to use, with which to drag Shuichi into her grasp as well.

Yes, Daisuke happily steps forward, still holding onto Sofia's hand, and...

"I mean, it's not like she's going inside, right?"

Says something outrageous without missing a beat.

What was that? That sentence that made very little sense? Surely he had misheard it, right?

"Ah, right, Ms. Sofia..."

The young COMP turns, still smiling innocently, and addresses his new friend.

"I know what comes after hand-holding is

field stripping

undressing

and

analysis

probing

, but my Tamer will get jealous if someone else puts their tools in me, so we'll have to ask her permission first, okay? It'll have to be just coffee for now. You're fine with taking it slow, right? She's not usually the type to share, but if someone else is interested I'm sure she'll be fine with all three of us at once!"

It continues. The onslaught of words shows no signs of stopping. In fact...

Daisuke stands on his tip-toes and whispers into the princess' ear.

"And Shuichi-nii-san is still a bit sore from earlier, after Chris had to examine him, so please be easy on him, okay? He's the type who keeps going, over and over, until there's nothing left, so... that's why I think he needs the coffee more than either of us. If he can't take a break now, he won't be able to take it later, y'know? He's always being worked to the bone..."

All this, without the innocent smile dropping for a moment.

Daisuke truly does not know better; he only knows what his unorthodox Tamer has taught him, and her strange terminology and vernacular.

Yes, he is still caught in the spider's web. But this prey... might not be as nutritious as expected. In fact, he may be a bit difficult to swallow.

He blinks, doe-eyed.

"I know, since you're a Spirit Smith and all, that it might be disappointing to not be able to examine me more closely... but we can still hang out for now, right? And you can look as much as you want!"

[palad1n]

Cosmos Fairchild
Sheol ~ Thrones
??/??/????

"Same time, same place, but always along a different chain.

Lights will gather as they fall, the loss of each speeding the others on to their closing act.

Near the end of the journey of the Three Kings, the Savior will return to the Earth.

And those who hold the Tomes of the World shall stride forth..."

Normally, Cosmos Fairchild is a girl who loves to think. Naturally curious and inquisitive, her normal reaction to a curious or mysterious situation is that of interest; her mind would go abuzz with questions and speculations of her own, driving her to try and solve what it could mean. The static that she experienced when meeting Miyu, Kagura's tattoo and identity as a "Messiah" and her first meeting with the Man of Light were but a few examples on how Cosmos Fairchild's mind normally worked when faced with a cryptic happenings.

Indeed, in such cases she doesn't feel annoyed or frustrated. A hint is still a hint, no matter how vague or cryptic, and there is a sense of excitement in trying to discover what they mean; perhaps a natural reaction for someone so sheltered, as trying to find the answer might be a substitute for an adventure or desire to explore the world.

However...

"I don't get it."

The key word here is normally.

Right now, Cosmos Fairchild is still reeling from the loss of her mother. She just regained a spark - an ember - of life after a few days of being so close to death, her shattered mind was just starting to reform itself a few minutes ago, and her emotion was going haywire, her normal self-control absent in the face of such personal tragedy and nightmare.

In other words, her mind simply couldn't comprehend such a cryptic "Truth."

Unlike the Man of Light, who while being somewhat cryptic is trying his best - evident in how even in her state of mind she could at least understood what he was saying - the Silhouette is the opposite. Cryptic just for the sake of being cryptic. Being vague and mysterious just to see her reaction.

So she bluntly told him what she thought.

She doesn't get it.

He might as well speak in an alien language, as nothing that he said managed to register in her mind.

And she has no interest in trying to decipher what it could have meant. Partly because her mind hasn't recovered enough to engage in such a difficult task, but mainly because the situation is so dire that Cosmos simply doesn't have the time to play around.

After all, this concerns her mother.

She has no time to waste on an entity who have no interest in helping her.

"If you don't want to explain what you just said, then we're done here." She bluntly said as she stood up. "I'd better search for the truth myself rather than trying to make sense of what you just said."

[Airen]

Cosmos Fairchild
Sheol ~ Thrones
??/??/????

---It doesn't say anything in response, at least not at first.

Seemingly content with simply watching your answer, it's interest in it does not go beyond simple curiosity at all; it is not offended by the bluntness of your words, nor does it find it amusing, it seems to simply accept things for what they are, or rather...

---This is not an entity that allows outside things to effect it.

In it's gaze every response you could have made was unimportant, sarcasm, blunt honesty, or even reverence or impression; it doesn't actually seem to care about any of it, or rather, it saw all of those different outcomes as ultimately meaningless to it.

That's why, when you make your statement and move to stand up, it-

"Very well, feel free to leave whenever you like, child."

-simply says that in response.

It doesn't seem to have emotions to rise up with, nor does it care enough to stop you.

"You'll come to understand even if you don't understand, that is the reality."

In the distance, a 'door' of sorts appears.

The key to waking up?

Likely.

It doesn't seem to be locked.

[palad1n]

Cosmos Fairchild
Sheol ~ Thrones
??/??/????

"Very well, feel free to leave whenever you like, child."

Cosmos silently gritted her teeth at the Light's response.

"You'll come to understand even if you don't understand, that is the reality."

Was it the lack of emotion, the stark contrast between the "Light" and the "Man," or something else?

Whatever the case, Cosmos found the Light to be infuriating.

That's why the moment a door appeared - most likely the way for her to wake up - she immediately turned her back on the Silhouette and walked to the door, grasping the handle before opening it.

For a moment, she paused.

To take in the scenery of the dream one last time before leaving? To prepare herself on what must be done when she return? Silently thanking the man who's no longer here?

In any case, it only last a moment.

Wordlessly, Cosmos Fairchild took a step through the door.

[Tobias]

Raz Stone
Avalon ~ Camelot, Tintagel
11/16/2026
Monday - Early

Fuck. Me.

So...so very...

Moe...!

Raz felt the slight wetness of his own tongue sliding across his lip involuntarily as Zerah effected his usual refrain of disregard. The bard of song was just about certain it was an act of course. It made sense. Trained fencers and swordsman like the white haired knight tended to deflect and parry vs block outright. Well, that was likely how Zerah saw things.

To Raz however, it was more like the wave of the deer’s tail in front of the wolf.

Delicious...

He was about to continue the game when Dejah intruded her pert little nose into the conversation. Perhaps surprisingly, she didn’t immediately say anything but her sheer presence was enough that both knights drew up short. Zerah for more pragmatic reasons, but Raz...?

“Oh. Ohhhhh...” Raz said, looking back and forward between Zerah and Dejah, grinning brightly. “See this guy is one of my fellow knights. I have been trying to seduce him, you see. Now I thought the reason he didn’t want to play was he was nervous about guys. But look at that expression on his face! Now I think I just started a little late! I can fix that though.”

With that, Raz raises a hand over his head and started drawing it down. As he did so, a bright circle began manifesting around his upraised hand and then began to settle around his body, briefly enveloping him in blinding white light. A few flowers and stars could be seen bursting into sight and then faded into nothingness. There was a dramatic heart shape that holographically appeared when he raised his hand to his lips and blew a kiss as soft gold bracelets appeared out of thin air. Through the shifting patterns of light, his thick black hair could be seen brightening, until it to become a soft and sporty gold color. His dark eyes floated into a brighter color as well.

A body hidden in light beams, clothes disappearing and changing. There was only one description that was appropriate.

Yes it was...

A transformation sequence!

Even more dramatically, it was clear that during such Raz’s height was visibly reducing, even his large muscles were fading into tiny, light thews, that might be seen on the arms of a charmingly athletic boy. When finally the rainbows of light faded, what could be seen...!



“Hiya!” Raz? Said brightly. “I’m a knight! Smile with me nee-chan! Introduce yourself to big brother Zerah! We are here to see the king, isn’t that neat?!

Wise up!

mundane skill revealed!
make up artist:
Not a skill that allows you to worm your way back into someone’s good graces after having been caught with a different partner, though Raz was certainly good at that too! No, this skill represents the ability to change appearances. For others, this usually requires the use of make up. Spending time in Raz’s chair could result in temporary or even permanent changes to appearances. In the RP this could include changes to the face claim if desired. When used on Raz this is usually effected by use of holograms from the Hermès shades, similar to the method that the DTG usages to project images of himself.

...Incidentally, while in theory this skill could be used to create disguises, the effectiveness of such is highly questionable considering Raz’s predilection for wild, eye catching appearances.

[hero]

Amamiya Sho
Aoyama, Sho's Residence
11/16/2026
Monday - Early Morning, Just After Midnight


"W-What?!"
Sensing 'danger' close by, my body instinctively retreats in order to create some distance between me and the door. Normally, I would retreat as much as possible -something like 50 meters away-, given that I know virtually nothing about the trespasser in question but, seeing as this is my house, my feet barely leave the floor for a moment. Yes, instead of an astounding leap backwards, I've merely jumped a few inches back in surprise. Whether this outcome was brought by the resolve to protect my place from a stranger or a natural delayed reaction on my part, the world will never know.

But Amamiya Sho is quick to recover.

I might not be the faster post racer, but every single part of me automatically goes into overdrive whenever one of my belongings is at risk. Imagine what happens when pretty much all of my possessions become endangered species, as a daring thief breaks into my home during a stormy night. Well, you've guessed right: My legs make a quick bee-line towards the strongest weapon in my disposal against this sort of enemy. You see, demon, spirit, even human beings nowadays have weaknesses. The strong rule over the weak using this barbaric system of rock-paper-scissors. So, if you can exploit an enemy weakness... Getting along gets much more simple.

Unfortunately, the Tamer called Amamiya Sho has no offensive elemental spells at his disposal.

In hindsight, this is a good thing, as it saves him the trouble of having to order his COMP to scan the enemy, an action which may use up an amount of time that simply cannot be afforded in this sort of situations. Besides, he doesn't need that sort of thing to defeat the enemy ahead. He has the next best thing.

"Tch! Don't say I didn't warn you-!"

The spirit made a mistake.

And that is, revealing its nature as a spirit or a ghost.

At first glance, I couldn't tell what sort of individual I was dealing with. I couldn't tell if it was a human in disguise, a demon or a spirit, or even a combination of them all. But the moment it phased through the door, that single action crossed out so many enemy types that it made my counter-strategy several times easier. You see, this is not the first threat I have to defend my home against. I've seen everything, from little pranksters on Halloween to your traditional opportunistic thief. Now, let me proudly announce that, in my home turf, I remain undefeated, and here is why...!

Whenever the ultimate shield does not work, you just have to unsheathe the ultimate spear-!

"Dieeeee....!!!"

The vacuum cleaner!

[Airen]

Amamiya Sho
Aoyama, Sho's Residence
11/16/2026
Monday - Early Morning, Just After Midnight

---If intimidation does not work, then you will be forced to draw your sword.

In the face of a ghost that apparently does not know the meaning of property lines or supernatural hounds, you set aside your sense of mercy, knowing that there are times when violence is necessary to protect things that are precious to you, and thus strike true-!

---The weapon is that of your average vacuum cleaner, well-kept, but also well-used, a device that is certainly long past it's heyday, but one that shows the strength of magi-technology in even the most mundane of equipment nowadays-! A single pass from this device is enough to defeat any sort of soiled floor (mostly) and with the common human belief of vacuum cleaners having some effect on spirits (that was a worldwide belief right?) there is no hesitation in the jab of the holy spear-!

"Dieeeee....!!!"

This is the end.

"...!"

In response to your attack, the figure stiffens in place-! Judging from how it probably can't see you from beneath that red cloak it's wearing it must have a good sixth sense... Or perhaps the act of someone screaming and brandishing a cleaning device like a spear is a rather blatant one?

No one will ever know.

The point of the matter is that the ghost raises it's arms to defend itself, and-!

"...!"

A horrible sound, a horrific sound, a sound that in the pre-magic era meant absolute doom-! It's the sound of the red cloth getting stuck inside of the hose, the -seemingly heavy- cloak stopping the spear in it's place, no, the spear grabbing that cloak and refusing to let go, as a struggle that can only be called 'bizarre' begins, cleaner versus spirit, cloth versus a flow of condensed air, and in that struggle-!

The entity loses it's cloak, more specifically, it's pulled off of it's body, and-!

"..."

Encountered: Mysterious Girl

-reveals itself as a young woman?

One wearing some sort of dark uniform that you can't identify...

---It's a bit surprising, as a part of you had perhaps already assigned these sorts of actions to a small child -or rather, a group of small children riding atop of each other's shoulders, but this is clearly an older girl, someone around your age...

No...

A second glance at the eyes of the girl -as she finally knocks the cleaner aside- reveals a gaze that can only be called childish...

Yes.

There's only a vague understanding of her surroundings in them, the naive eyes of someone who does not seem to fit the body they are in, or at least, the eyes of someone who seem... Childishly interested... In the things around them?

Indeed, the woman pokes the now prone vacuum cleaner with her foot a few times, as if checking to see if it was actually some sort of monster (taking a good five seconds or so in this scan) before looking up at you, and...

"________?"

...Says something to you, after tilting her head to the side to regard you with those strangely childish eyes and a firm frown...

She says something, in some sort of language, although for some reason...

You can't quite understand what it was, like your brain couldn't process it correctly and so just didn't bother to let you hear it...

Although...

Some sort of complaint?

Thinking on it... It felt like some sort of complaint.

Then again, seeing as how she was successfully breaking into your home...

Did it really matter what it was about?!

[Rafflesiac]

Logan Starbright
Aoyama, Beneath the Starlit Lake (SDCD Base)
11/16/2026
Monday - Morning

Her hand is warm and soft. Even as he forces himself to straighten his back, meet her gaze, and squeeze firmly, but not forcefully, he can’t help but notice her accepting hand. It feels wrong. It feels wonderful. It feels like he’s standing on the edge of a cauldron, where one careless step will unmake him in an instant. He’s not trying to assert dominance or remain aware of Yamuna’s position, so he ought to let go of her hand around now.

"But I like polite kids, so you don't need to be so nervous~!"

And just like that, he gets tugged into the abyss. Kind arms hold him for the first time in years, and he’s powerless to resist. His left arm hangs limp at his side, as unresponsive and defenseless as he is. Logan feels a brief spike of shock, yet it evaporates with his self-hatred in the face of Yamuna’s light. Is he still falling? It’s impossible to tell whether he landed on her chest, supported by an endlessly accepting pillar, or if he’s still tumbling into the endless heat. Either way, there are no thoughts or regrets. Only warmth.

"I'll be going along on the trip anyway, so let's be friends!"

“Yes.” It’s a quiet, childlike, and immediate response.

...Amelia smiles when Logan steps forward to accept kindness. Even one step is better than none, and even if he deserves it, it's his right to feel reticent about the intimacy of a hug. That smile shifts to surprise and then a grin as that goddess, Yanma - Yamuna? Probably Yamuna. - gives Logan a slight tug and hugs him. She can do many things for Logan, but that isn't one of them. She's only one person, and Logan needs as many as possible if there was ever a chance of him realizing his own self-worth. As seconds roll by, Logan shows no sign of reciprocating, but also no signs of resistance. Or signs of cognizance for that matter. It takes at least 20 seconds for a hug to yield physical and emotional boons, and it's been at least 37 by now. Amelia frowns.

On one hand, Logan’s finally getting a hug, and from a reasonably cute girl. On the other, he might turn into a zealot at this rate. If he wastes digits on overpriced merch or worse, the ‘privilege’ of having Yamuna respond to his messages, I’m gonna zap some sense into his synapses, then get his cash back from that idol even if I have to go all Liam Neeson to do it. No way in hell I’m letting Logan turn into a degenerate.

Logan speaks, further adding to Amelia's inner conflict. Is he going to melt like this whenever a cute girl embraces him? He didn't get flustered when he tangled with Astra on the deck, but that was in combat. Maybe it's because of that shivering from before. Has she been smothering him with her aura this whole time!? Wearing away his defenses and tempting him in? Surely not, but she is an idol - those manipulated Dorian Gray paintings of perfection are as devious as they claim not to be. If it's just her that's one thing, but if he acts like this for any girl he's going to be in for a lot of pain. Should I do something? But he looks so happy right now...

Amelia groans. I'll leave them alone for now, I guess. But I've got my eyes on you, goddess.

[Airen]

Cosmos Fairchild
Cosmos's Room ~ Rose Cross Base
12/22/2026
Late Morning, Rainy

---This time, there's nothing particularly strange about the transition from dream to reality.

It's just like waking up, the sudden jerk of a body coming too back in your room, joined only by the continuous, dim sounds of the rain pelting the roof and windows. In comparison to all the 'jumps' you had been making just a few days before it's gentle, a gentle awakening that offers no new surprises, no new worlds to explore, no new enemies, no changed reality, simply...

The same thing as before...

The world you had been living in since that incident, a tragic world, but also one that you had been encouraged to explore, even if only a little bit more...

Yes.

The Man of Light had told you many things, the choice of whether or not to believe him, whether or not to do as he asked, was entirely up to you.

He had said a lot of things that didn't quite make sense, and his 'form' had seemingly been possessed by something there at the end, so...

---It's your own decision, one you should make now, and not later.

It's simply a feeling you get...

Like an ominous drop in your stomach, there's no more time for indecision, so...

To stay here, as you had been, and silently wait for an unknown future?

To investigate the mystery the Man seemed to think had existed?

And if you do choose to do that...

Investigate where?

Who do you turn to?

Do you turn to anybody?

Your knowledge of where people are is... Somewhat limited...

Alyx is likely out of town, Saria is probably drinking herself into a stupor somewhere, and Ariel was probably in the Nurse's Office...

Then again... Perhaps...

Going to the crime scene straight away was the best option?

There was no way to tell anymore, nonetheless...

Whatever you decide to do now...

Feels like it'll carry heavy consequences alongside it... In one way or another...

[Airen]

Logan Starbright
Aoyama, Beneath the Starlit Lake (SDCD Base)
11/16/2026
Monday - Morning

---In the face of that unflinching kindness, it seems there is little resistance you can actually manage to manifest. It was perhaps a bit beyond what she had expected to happen, but the manner in which you melt into that embrace is almost like falling asleep with your eyes open, a shut-down of the mind and senses that is just as much a consequence of your upbringing as it is being so close to a literal fountain of positive emotions in the form of her Reiki, but...

It's a difficult experience for you.

At the same time, you can't say you regret it.

---Contradictions, just like any other human, nevertheless...

It's warm.

It remains unfailingly warm on both a physical and spiritual level... If it wasn't for the fact that the very act of being in this base had healed your wounds already, it feels like being this close to the Goddess would have produced a similar sort of healing effect, relatively unsurprising, considering her nature as a "Goddess of Life," but wounds can extend beyond the physical, and in that, your mind is at peace...

A temporary peace perhaps, but a peace, a lingering zone of contentment, where everything is okay.

Even if only for a moment, everything is fine.

---Your head is certainly laying on something soft. Of course, being relatively weak to this sort of thing, you are not sure at what point you moved, but it seems that your head is lying in her lap for some reason?

Had you collapsed on her, and she had gone to sit down on the floor as a result?

...Perhaps it doesn't matter.

One hand is lightly stroking your hair, and she seems to be humming to herself, as if the action was natural to her... Is it a result of an automatic, nurturing stance that she takes towards humanity as their guardian?

Or something else...

For some reason... This feels familiar after all...

Like a lingering sense of deja vu...

"Ah, sorry, did I wake you up?"

She smiles at you.

"You were really tensed up, like, way too stressed," a light admonishment, done with a teasing wink, "You Roth kids are always so bad about your sleep, but it's good to be devoted to your work I suppose~"

You really had... Fallen asleep...?

"So, are you enjoying it here in Japan? Other than the incident yesterday I mean," remarkably casual as always (seems like she doesn't take her divine status that seriously herself) the woman closes both eyes as she speaks, "It's normally really safe here in Tokyo, so I hope it hasn't made you dislike the area..."

A pause, then:

"But you guys were at a racing simulator right? Did you try any of the arcades? They've got one down here in the base on the second floor, and there are a couple good ones in the entertainment district too!"

She's quite chatty, doesn't seem embarrassed at all at the physical intimacy, and...

You can't shake it...

That strange feeling of deja vu...

[palad1n]

Cosmos Fairchild
Cosmos's Room ~ Rose Cross Base
12/22/2026
Late Morning, Rainy

There's no grand fanfare in returning to reality.

She simply opened her eyes, and the reality of the world once again came crashing down on Cosmos Fairchild.

She's still laying down on her bed, facing the wall. The light is off. The only sound that break the silence was the downpour of the world's tears outside, as it had been for the past few days.

Her mother, alongside Aunt Alisa, is dead.

That fact immediately assaulted her mind and spirit.

An invisible pressure that prevented her from getting up, prevented her from thinking, prevented her from truly living; a pressure that made her body as heavy as lead, snuffed the light out of her eyes, and made her apathetic to the world around her. It poisons the mind, the spirit, and eventually the body until one becomes closer to death rather than life.

This is despair.

Something that had overwhelmed her so much that the thought of rising up - to do something - never even once crossed her mind. Trapping her in her own body, while her mind was spiraling deeper and deeper into darkness.

Even now, that hasn't changed.

Even after the dream, the despair has yet to left her.

However--

Now, someone had given her an ember of hope.

It's tiny, a pale thing in comparison to the all-enveloping despair. An ember filled with doubt and uncertainty, nowhere near enough to truly dispel the darkness that had firmly clung to her heart.

But it is fire nonetheless.

And it cast a light, however small, to the darkness around her.

--So rise.

For the sake of someone most precious to Cosmos Fairchild, for the sake of someone most precious to Cosmos Semesta Preciel...

She must rise.

So she took a deep breath, and pushed herself up--

Only to find the weight of the world fell crashing down on her shoulders.

--It's heavy.

Unbearably heavy.

Why do you want to get up?

This happened because of your fault in the first place.

What have you ever done and accomplish all this time?

There's nothing that someone like you can do.

--Ah.

These are her own thoughts.

The very same thoughts that prevented her from getting up before.

Even now, they still plagued her mind, threatening to snuff out the little ember that she had acquired. Even as she desperately tried to keep the ember alive, she knew that it was a losing battle.

Because it's true.

Because even now, Cosmos Fairchild still believes in these dark thoughts.

But before the darkness could overwhelm her completely and snuff the ember out--

"-s! ---mos! Cosmos!"

A voice suddenly rang in her head.

No.

"Please, Cosmos, get up!"

It has always been there, all this time. Drowned by the dark thoughts and despair in her heart.

"There's nothing that can be done by wallowing in despair and self-hatred!"

Illia's voice.

Her only friend who stays with her, all this time.

The ember that the Man of Light had given her has illuminated just enough for her to finally hear Illia's voice.

And sometimes, that's all it took.

Sometimes, having someone by your side is all it took to shoulder the weight of the world.

So rise.

Even if despair is clinging to you like a cloak...

Even if you are threatened to drown in the sea of sadness and grief...

Even if you felt that you are a failure, unworthy and weak...

Rise.

Because someone is standing by your side, believing in you.

Because there is something that you must do.

Thus, against the darkness of despair that had threatened to swallow her whole, against the weight as heavy as the world itself, Cosmos Fairchild rose from her bed on her own volition.

And the first thing that she saw aside from her walls upon waking up...

"Oh, Cosmos-!"

Was a teary-eyed Illia, her hologram sitting next to her bed.

Has she... been trying to wake her up all this time?

With a body that could never touch her, and a voice that never reached her?

Cosmos could feel her eyes tearing up.

She doesn't deserve Illia.

But it makes her so happy just to have someone by her side.

"Good morning, Illia." She said with a hoarse and quiet voice, giving a teary smile to her treasured COMP. "I'm home."

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Illia
Cosmos's Room ~ Rose Cross Base
12/22/2026
Late Morning, Rainy

Cosmos' room is once again filled with activity after days of silence.

The sound of boiling kettle filled the room as Cosmos put her stash of cookies on the small table, and Illia couldn't help but to feel overjoyed at seeing Cosmos moving on and about once again. Cosmos had said that she's feeling light-headed and somewhat weak - understandable considering the girl had not eaten properly for the past few days and had yet to have breakfast - so she had suggested to at least have some cookies with tea to get some energy.

In the meantime, Cosmos told her of what had happened in her dreams.

"This world is strange?"

"That's what the Man of Light told me." Cosmos replied as she pour boiling water on her personal tea pot. Earl Grey, Illia knew. "That the world is strange, and that I must find the 'truth.' It's vague, and I don't really understand it, but it's all the lead that we have at the moment."

While Cosmos brought the pot alongside a single cup to the table, Illia pondered on this information. Cosmos had yet to fully recover - usually her recount of events are much more detailed and vivid, down to the exact sentences and phrases, but this time it's more of a summary than anything else. Even now she could feel the tiredness in her gait and eyes, even if there is now a small fire burning in those formerly dead and empty eyes.

--It was torture, watching her beloved Cosmos wallowing in despair and self-hatred.

It was even worse knowing that she might be the one to cause it in the first place.

After all, in the past few days she was haunted by the memory of her mysterious "meeting" with the so-called Burroughs. How she was offered help to get home, and how she firmly refused it out of a sense of caution and wariness for Cosmos, deeming Burroughs less trustworthy than the people who saved them from the hell known as Magatsu.

The end result is coming back to a world where Mary Fairchild had died.

Even as she tried to rouse her master back while searching for more and more information on what had happened, the same thought keep on haunting her.

What if she had accepted Burrough's offer?

Could this situation have been avoided entirely?

"Right, he also said another thing that I almost forgot."

Cosmos' voice, still so quiet and weak, brought her back from her musings as the girl pour her tea onto the cup while adding a small spoon of sugar into it.

"It's... something about my ties to the world." A pause, maybe to remember what exactly the man had said. Illia patiently waited until Cosmos continues. "How I... apparently slipped away from it, and must reconnect with it before something bad happen."

Curious. She had never heard of people's ties to the world, but considering that they now know that many worlds exist alongside this one, then perhaps it means something that marked someone as a resident of a world? If Cosmos lost it, then perhaps it happened when she jumped onto the fountain and came to Magatsu, or when she came back to this world one month later...

"With these information in mind," Cosmos said as she took a bite of a chocolate cookie - her favorite. "Where should we start, Illia?"

"That is indeed the question, isn't it."

The world is strange... The truth... Cosmos' ties to the world...

After a few minutes, Illia was ready to present her thoughts.

"Let's start with the scene of the crime." She suggested. "The crux of the Man of Light's argument is that there's something strange with this world... And aside from the failure of the joint mission, the one that we can investigate more easily is of course the death of Mary and Alisa."

Seeing Cosmos listening intently while eating through her stash of cookies at a respectable speed, Illia continues.

"We can assume that finding the truth to their murder is crucial, and what the Man of Light means. Aside from that, while we don't exactly know what your ties is into this world, there is a good chance that it is your bond with Mary." A pause to let that fact sink in. "With her suddenly gone, there's nothing more that ties you into this world... at least, that's my assumption."

"... Make sense." Cosmos nodded after finishing her last cookie. "Then we shall investigate the scene of the crime."

"Ah, please wait." She intoned after seeing the petite girl standing up. "We... this would be difficult, and without a doubt dangerous. We should ask Alyx to join us. She's in the same boat as you after all."

For a few moments, there were silence.

And then--

"No."

Somehow, her answer surprised Illia.

"... Why not? I understand not trusting anyone else, but Alyx-"

"It's not about trust. I trust her." She cut her off. "But... This is something that I must do alone. Something only I can do. I don't want to drag her around my problem anymore."

But it is Alyx's problem too, Illia silently thought to herself. Having someone more experienced like Alyx would be a great boon and greatly increases the chances of success and Cosmos' safety.

But as she looked at the girl's tiny back, putting on her tamer attire and hat, Illia realized just how broken Cosmos still is. How Mary's death had brought out the repressed and carefully-controlled problems bubbling beneath the surface out in the open.

She wondered if she'll ever see the Cosmos from before all this ordeal happen ever again.

Probably not.

She so badly wanted to console the tiny girl who just wanted to spend days in peace with her mother. To hug her, caress her hair, pat her back, and tell her to let it all out. To cry until she fell asleep from exhaustion.

But of course, she couldn't do even that.

That was a privilege reserved only for Mary Fairchild, not a cheap knockoff like herself.

Still...

"Illia." Cosmos spoke after pocketing the card from another world. "You'll always stay by my side, right?"

"Always."

At the very least she could stay by her side, no matter what happens.

Cosmos gave a faint smile at her answer, and Illia smiled back.

Thus, picking up the rosary from the table and praying for strength and a light at the end of the dark tunnel, the two departed on a lonely journey.

[Satehi]

Eva Ellet
Rome Cross Base ~ Front Gate
11/16/2026
Morning, Sunny

This is a chance.

An opportunity.

Even though the commander has not said anything, Eva Ellet is capable of understanding that much without needing any words. This is a golden opportunity to try and practice for what will be happening on the mission proper. And given that the purpose of said mission is to try and strengthen connections with other organizations… it seems natural to try practicing making connections with other people.

The only question was which group to approach.

David White was… not someone she could say she knew particularly well. They were coworkers. That was it, essentially. She didn’t have any negative impressions about him, but he didn’t seem to be the talkative sort, and neither was Eva. That was a combination that seemed more likely to result in awkward silence rather than any proper conversation, and so that option was out.

Leaving only the two other choices.

Eva knew Catherine. They were, friends, or at least the closest that Eva had to one.

Under normal circumstances, if Eva had to choose someone to hang out with, it would be her. They got along well, she thought. There were no conflicts between them. Some people might have regarded her as a little overbearing from her tendency to involve herself in the business of others, but Eva didn’t mind- she was only looking out for others. On the contrary, Eva appreciated it.

Indeed, under normal circumstances, if Eva had to choose someone to hang out with, it would be her…

… and that was why she decided not to.

She was certain that things would go well if she decided to go and join the duo over there- if nothing else, Catherine already seemed to have made decent acquaintances with the man over there, and as long as she didn’t mess up too much, she could probably make sure Eva didn’t start off on the wrong foot with him either. It was the familiar choice, the safe choice, the one with the lowest risk.

And that’s why it was no good.

If Eva could only make connections with other people because of Catherine, then there was no point in even sending her on the mission in the first place. She was just wasting space that someone else could have taken.

With that in mind, Eva decided to approach Cosmos and Alyx. For better or worse, she didn’t know them very well, and thus had little confidence that any of this would turn out well at all- but she had to try, at least.

“Excuse me, miss… you may not remember, but we met sometime last week when you collapsed.”

“I was wondering if you’ve been feeling better since…?”

[Verg Avesta]

Blaise Pendragon
Aoyama, Entertainment District
11/16/2026
Afternoon

"That's because you just slack around like a NEET. Meanwhile we do something useful with our time."

Blaise's response was a half-hearted one, more so said to make Tsukiko realize the difference between their definitions of "slacking off". In the first place, what Blaise and Isamu did wasn't even slacking off! They were patrolling the streets in case of unruly delinquent gangs, troublesome demons or other assorted trouble that popped up in Aoyama each and every day. That was much, much different than just lounging on a sofa and playing archaic games with yesteryear's brick-sized machines. The fact that these patrols also helped them avoid the utter boredom that came with homework as just a coincidence, of course.

Yes.

Just a coincidence.

"... B-Banchou? What're ya lookin' at?" Kaguya asked, tilting her head at her owner. "Sumthin' up?"

The reason why Blaise's response had been so half-hearted one was, however, not because he wasn't wiling to argue with Tsukiko - it was because his attention had been caught by something else. That mysterious building and the bright neon sign on top that announced that it was, unlike in all his memories, open today. Then there was that name: 'Devil May Cry'. Something about it made Blaise remember vaguely something. Something that his old man had once said. And while Blaise didn't like to be reminded too much what his father had yammered about, this one thing had stuck with him.

Something said when his father was out there on the rooftop, nursing a beer and being on one of his rare good moods, almost as if he had spent a wild day like in his youth.

Something that was:

"You know... Blaise, if you're ever trying to procrastinate and need an expert to help you do it, go find Tony. He'll make sure you waste your day in the best kind of way, while forgetting what you're trying to avoid completely."

Of course, that was when Blaise's mother had found her husband, and that happy moment had come to a brutal end.

But that was another memory.

For now, back in the present day, Blaise took one last look at the neon sign and...

"--- Come on. Since they're open, we might as well visit."

With that, the blonde youth took off towards the doors, determination now shining in his eyes.

"If I remember correctly, they might have exactly what we need right now," he said to the trio behind him, as if that was an explanation. "In other words - a sure-fire way to take our minds off of homework."

And with that, he marched up to the doors and threw them open, stepping into the building like a man on a mission.

[Rafflesiac]

Logan Starbright
Aoyama, Beneath the Starlit Lake (SDCD Base)
11/16/2026
Monday - Morning

Logan Starbright wakes instantly. Grogginess and casual mornings aren’t luxuries he can afford; neither as a Spirit Tamer nor as a weakling. Danger doesn’t wait for people to be cognizant and ready, and thus neither does Logan. Logan Starbright wakes instantly - normally.

The warmth is the same as before, but there’s a softness more distinct than prior. He’s being cushioned - that hadn’t been the case before, right? Or had it? It’s quite pleasant, but it’s different, like eating a lime instead of a lemon. That difference forms the first step. The second comes from his ears. There’s a mellifluous voice humming a vaguely familiar tune; had it been a song Amelia had played for him at some point? He finds himself focusing on it, each note a rock in the sea of warmth he floats in that he finds himself clinging to. Ah. Just now, there was another sensation, wasn’t there? It might’ve been there earlier too. Maybe that’s why he noticed the softness? There it is again. It’s a soft brush against his head, smoothing unruly hair into place. It feels nice. Kinda familiar, somehow. There it is again. Is that why? Maybe, maybe not. Logan squeezes his eyes a bit and then opens them to see Yamuna above him and remarkably close.

"Ah, sorry, did I wake you up?"

“I guess so.” He blinks a bit of lethargy away, his ruby eyes meeting her own. “Thank you; it wouldn’t do to oversleep for this important mission.” It wouldn’t do to lie on Yamuna’s lap either, but try as he might, he can’t muster up the will to move. It’ll come with time… probably.

"You were really tensed up, like, way too stressed. You Roth kids are always so bad about your sleep, but it's good to be devoted to your work I suppose~"

“I think it’s just because we need to be more energetic than useful. Every minute you sleep, your goal gets farther away. And I’m used to it by now, so it’s not a problem.” Another blink, faster this time. His right arm tingles as it regains functionality; had he been lying on it?

"So, are you enjoying it here in Japan? Other than the incident yesterday I mean. It's normally really safe here in Tokyo, so I hope it hasn't made you dislike the area..."

“Yes, this is a nice place. It’s different from what I’m used to nowadays, but it’s nice. It’s busy, but it’s more like a spiderweb than a subway system… Ah, that’s not really a good way to put it. I mean, normally a city is busy, but the people are fairly isolated and concerned with their own business. But with Aoyama everyone feels connected. It’s an interesting thing.” He tries moving his leg into a sitting position and fails. Troublesome. He’s on business, so he ought to be in a business mode. “If I had to dislike every place I’ve been, I’d run out of places to go.”

"But you guys were at a racing simulator right? Did you try any of the arcades? They've got one down here in the base on the second floor, and there are a couple good ones in the entertainment district too!"

“No, we went straight to the race track. Perhaps next time; I’ll have to keep an eye out.” Okay Logan, up you go. If you don’t stand up now, you never will. He looks down at his right hand, which bears a mysterious sigil, and uses it for balance as he rises from Yamuna’s lap. “Yamuna, have you ever seen something like this before?” He holds out his hand.

[Airen]

Cosmos Fairchild
St. Peter's Basilica
12/22/2026
Noon, Thunder Storm

---As could perhaps be expected, the mood outside of your room was just as damaged as the inside of it.

With a constant storm that seems to be getting worse instead of better, as well as the events of the past few days, there is none of the usual cheer that normally exists in the halls of the Vatican... Certainly the Rose Cross held it's fair share of inner darkness, but that was a darkness that had existed on the inside of it, hidden from view, but now...

The sheer sense of dread hanging over the place is literally palpable...

It's an aura that certainly didn't do you any favors, the swirling Reiki of your fellow Tamers was alight with their emotions, and that tangible grief is something that you can feel even in this place of once brazen light and hidden darkness.

Everyone was grieving it seemed, even those that hadn't agreed with her ideals in life.

...Or at least, that is how it feels to you.

Nevertheless, you must push forth through that dread, on a lonely journey you had chosen for yourself...

---As far as you knew, the incident had taken place inside of the St. Peter's Basilica, a horrific blasphemous stain on a building that was once known as the "greatest of all churches in Christendom." The once fantastical building is now draped in digital tape, deterring the normal civilians from entering inside, and marking the place as a beacon of activity for the police response... Of course it's been awhile since the incident itself, enough that the amount of detectives swirling around the area has lessened somewhat, but they are still very present, even so...

None of them stop you.

None of them ask what you're doing, and so...

You're simply able to pass them by, walking directly into the heart of a building you knew so well, but that now had a distinct... otherworldiness... To it...

It's nothing physical, there's no scent of iron or signs of violent crime, the area simply... Feels different... In a way that you can't quite place?

A spiritual 'mark' on the world from the death of someone so important perhaps?

It's impossible for you to say, as much as you knew about magic...

Those sorts of thing tended to evade you...

Nevertheless, you find yourself in the heart of the Basilica soon enough... No light shines down through the ancient tiles above, although the occasional flash and roar of lightning does illuminate the more dim interiors of the place, giving it a haunted sort of look that just makes the oppressive feeling even more oppressive to you...

Still, here at the heart...

---It certainly bore signs of some sort of battle. The remnants of stone pews lie scattered across the stone tiles, bullet holes (from a magitech weapon) and craters (as if someone had been launched up and into the roof at some point) adorn the ceiling, and thick gouges in the stone floor seem to have been made by some sort of bladed weapon...

Alisa's cane perhaps?

These are the sorts of things you manage to see at a glance, but, interrupting this...

Is your eyes landing on another person, one standing directly in the center of the room, looking at the world around him with an air you can really only call...

Frustrated?

"...No one saw them leave, there's no records of spiritual matter moving in or out of the building, and yet there's no one in here..."

While he's talking aloud to himself, there's a high possibility he's actually talking to his COMP, after all...

This person feels like a Tamer.

...At the very least, his Reiki is high enough to be one, high enough to be a top class one at that...

"Strange woman with a book my ass..."

Nevertheless...

He doesn't seem to have noticed you've entered the room...

[Airen]

Logan Starbright
Aoyama, Beneath the Starlit Lake (SDCD Base)
11/16/2026
Monday - Morning

“Yamuna, have you ever seen something like this before?”

The Goddess tilts her head slightly at your extended hand, before grabbing it at the wrist -gently- in order to examine it closer. Like most of her motions, it's one that seems to be made without a real regard for how close it brings her to you, an invasion of personal space that a part of you really doesn't seem to mind, but that you are slowly detaching yourself from through sheer force of will...

"This? It looks a bit like a 'Mark of Contract."

Of course, it becomes easier once her expression becomes slightly more serious; cheerful eyes had turned searching, and now those searching, examining eyes had found some sort of answer, and now...

"When it came to human and demon partnerships in the older days, the contract would leave a mark upon the body of the Summoner, representing their direct spiritual connection to the Demon... It's not something you see very often nowadays since contracts are done through COMPs instead, fits the more touch-and-go nature of the modern world a bit better..."

---Which was true enough, the Demon Summoning Program allowed one to call demons to their side, but it's not like said demon was directly affiliated with you most of the time, it was more like summoning a coworker, a more temporary contract, so this was...

"This is evocative of those old-style contracts, the design is from... A long, long time ago, it looks familiar, but it's a bit hard for me to place it. I've been around for a long time myself!"

She smiles in an apologetic way.

"But its not dangerous, from the way the circles are designed, it seems the power flows only 'one way,' that is, it's designed to flow into you and not out of you. But it's also not active... And these sorts of things normally take an agreement from the human too, they can't put it on you unless you agree... Do you not know how you got it?"

She tilts her head again questioningly...

"Because I think even I'd have a hard time taking it off, so whoever your 'benefactor' here is... They're quite strong."

[Airen]

Blaise Pendragon
Aoyama, Devil May Cry
11/16/2026
Afternoon

"Sunlight is bad for my skin! That's not my fault! And you just admitted you're doing this to skip having to do homework, you're way worse than me-!"

A complaint that fades into the background, as you head straight into the building with no hesitation or fear, a man on a mission to conquer boredom in such a fashion that you forget that was your goal in the first place, and-!

---While the lights on the outside had been on, your first impression of the interior of the building is that it's dark; some light is streaming in from the windows behind you, but for the most part, the world around you is dark and somewhat disheveled... There are a number of crates strewn around the walls almost randomly, along with used pizza boxes, and scattered papers (mostly bills and other invoices) atop an old-carpet near the center of the room...

There's an obvious second floor, with a staircase on the left-hand side of the place leading to it, but...

In the center of the room itself, with his legs propped up on the desk in front of him...

Is a man, an older man, judging by his apparent height. He's laid back in an old computer chair, the back of it clearly broken due to how easily it's bending back; he's got some sort of book draped over his face (can't tell the title) and the rhythmic rise and fall of a chest indicated that he had been asleep before you had walked in, but had also woken up the moment the door opened...

He was simply pretending to still be asleep for some reason, but...

After a few moments, or rather, before you can open your mouth and say something, anything, to begin the process of 'socialization,' he...

"Hah, so the time has come, huh?"

Legs withdraw from a desk.

The lights flicker on, and the book is removed from the man's face and tossed to the side in an obviously uncaring way...

He's got white-hair, and a face that is both youthful and strangely old... Obviously not a normal human -you could tell that simply from his presence- but the most alarming thing about the man...

"Mr. Pendragon... No, Blaise, was it?"

Was his sudden burst of energy? It was like he had been more or less dead before you had arrived, drowning in his own sort of boredom, but had taken a look at three kids coming to see him, and well...

Came back to life.

"I knew this day would come, when you would seek me out."

...He's also got an obvious flair for the dramatic; he's speaking in a theater-esque overdramatic way as he stands, and:

"It's been a number of years since we've last met. You were a baby then, I had to change your diapers a few times, but here you now stand before me, with purpose, a mission, I can see it in your eyes."

A pause, as he nods at you in spite of what comes across as a naturally rambling nature, flips boldly over the front of his desk, riding a pizza box over to where the three of you stand at the door like a skateboard, and-

"So what's up? Got a job? Bored? Here to figure out how to spite your old man? Invade hell? I'm all ears."

-ah.

Here it is.

A manifestation of a special sort of adult...

The 'bad influence' as it were...

While your crew, seemingly thinking as one in the face of this strange, strange person, yes...

"...Changed his diapers?"

...Obviously comment on that part.

Together.

With raised eyebrows from Tsukiko, and a questioning gaze from Isamu, but...

It's not like...

You knew that much about it yourself!

Encountered: Tony Redgrave