Spirit Pulse : Mugen No Sekai [IC]

[Verg Avesta]

Blaise Pendragon
Demonic Server, Hali Bay
11/16/2026
Afternoon, Heavy Winds

"Hmph!"

A straight-forward charge, as expected. A massive body like that had its advantages, but there were also several disadvantages when it came to movement. Especially in water, where the world all around them was much more solid, full of amorphous liquid, and resisted one's movement harsher than the air up above. In other words, a charge once started would not stop or turn so easily, especially when such a massive body demanded it. It was why whales weren't known to be the fastest or nimblest of swimmers. Sheer explosive didn't always being good at turns, after all.

And that was Blaise was banking on.

[Heat Riser!]

Kaguya's prepared spell was ejected in one fluid move, light rapidly striking arcs of moonlightning all across the blonde youth's body. His physical prowess now accelerated, Blaise took one more look at the blind charge of the bluefin giant heading straight for him, and made his move. His body spun around in the water and his legs kicked the water, sending him shooting straight down, just as the beast's charge was about to crash into him. He timed his dodge so that he could take advantage of the water displament of the giant fish, slipping underneath it before it even noticed what was going on.

Then.

From there.

His plan was simple.

Dodge below, right under the mouth, so that he ends up right below the belly of the beast. Roll in place, using his momentum, and end up right side up once more in the water... right below the beast's massive form, still as it passes over him.

Then.

Let those rocket engines soar.

Let the dragon once again roar.

Boil the water below him by crashing all of his magic power into it like an afterburner and make him shoot upwards with tremendous physical form.

And as he did...

As he did---!

Crash his shoulders and back against the tuna's stomach and take it all along with him, rocketing it towards the surface where Tsukiko was waiting!

Again and again, blow of energy after blow of energy just to take them both to the top, stunning the beast with shock and acting almost like a shuttle about to reach the escape velocity.

Yes, if Blaise would give this maneuver of looping rocket thrusts a name, it would be...

[Dragon Flash Repeater!]

[Airen]

Blaise Pendragon
Demonic Server, Hali Bay
11/16/2026
Afternoon, Heavy Winds

---For those on the surface, it manifests as a deep boom, a repeated rumble, ripples tearing through the otherwise rhythmic waves, a sign of a great battle surging down in it's depths.

Yes.

There are a few warning signs before the explosion, before the geyser, when a truly massive tuna is propelled into the air by the repeated efforts of a dragon-borne youth-!

Yes!

The on-the-spot strategy had been entirely successful, throwing the force of your magically propelled body up into the mass of the creature, the beast is left little time to actually understand what it happening to it, before repeated shocks are driving both you and it up towards the surface of the lake, outside of the depths of the abyss.

It's a reverse journey through darkness.

Black to dark blue, dark blue to light blue, and from there-!

The surface!

An explosion!

A literal pillar of water shooting up into the sky, the sole companion of the two that had perhaps been launched a bit further than expected; indeed, now that the fish has been revealed to the world as something closer in size to a whale, the sight of it blasting out of the depths and into the sky is one that elicits a cheer from Isamu down below, for her too understands the gravity of what this fish really means, but for Tsukiko-!

It's the gunshot.

The trigger to go-!

She had moved from the water to the pier shortly after your dive, and had been kneeling along the edge of the makeshift dock in preparation, crimson eyes focused, searching the dark waters down below, and-!

-a leap that carries her up into the sky, where a massive, massive tuna is being forced to praise the moonlight-!

"Caught you~"

That silky voice, the dangerous one that exudes the 'charm' of a vampire.

Yes.

Her grasp at it's backfin, and the inhuman crawl up its back in midair, claw-like hands digging into the scales even as she goes towards the eyes...

Is a move that foretells the end, yes...

It should be simple to finish off a fish from there, in spite of it's size and apparent supernatural power, but-!

That's when it happens.

Suddenly, and without real warning, yes-!

---Water comes crashing in on you from all sides, not just from the geyser that had been created in your wake, but water from the lake itself, shooting upwards to encase all three entities in what seems like a massive sphere of water, what feels like a crushing hydraulic press, like the lake itself had come to life and simply chosen now to attempt to throttle those within it's grasp, and-!

Before you can break free, that same 'force' pulls you down with force not unlike that of a meteor impact, yes...

Back down...

Down into the heart of the bay...

[Blaise: Can't breathe! Caught off guard! 5 rounds of air remain!]
[Tsukiko: Can't breathe! Caught off guard! 4 rounds of air remain!]

[Blaise - Dragon Repeater: Used Magic until the Heat Limit was reached! Currently Maxed Out! Heat Returns to Zero at the End of Next Turn! Heat Riser Fades!]

[???: Hydro Coffin Activation! Near a body of water! Bonus Conditions met!]
[Blaise: STR Check Success! Can break free of the sphere as a free action at the start of their next turn!]
[Tsukiko: STR Check Success! Can break free of the sphere as a free action at the start of their next turn!]
[Bluefin: STR Check Success! Can break free of the sphere as a free action at the start of their next turn!]

---It's a spell alright, and you're pretty damn sure it wasn't cast by the tuna.

It's a magical force that's pulling the three of you greedily down into the abyss, back down to where you had been mere moments before, and...

Awaiting you down there...

---It's a giant crab.

A massive crab.

Bigger than the tuna crab-!

But this one... Wasn't supernaturally enhanced wildlife, no...

Looking at it...

This one is an actual demon, the eyes are a bit too aware, laughing a bit too obviously, and...

Was this...

Was this Karkinos?

It's the only crab demon that comes to mind!

And what was it so mad about?!

Had it...

Been trying to catch the tuna too, perhaps...?

Regardless...

It seems to be the caster, and locking eyes with Tsukiko, well...

Was letting the tuna go really an option?

Initiative Re-Check! Battle has been reset!

Blaise: (A) Vs Bluefin: (Stunned) Vs Tsukiko: (B) Vs Karkinos: (B)
Coinflip!
Tsukiko wins!

Turn Order

1.) Blaise
2.) Tsukiko
3.) Karkinos
4.) Bluefin

Karkinos

Spells

-Hydro Coffin-
Rank: C
Element: Ice/Water
Conjures up a sphere of water to encase a target(s) that can be distantly controlled by the caster through a concentrated effort. If caught, the target(s) are subjected to a STR check (C) which determines if they are able to escape at the first possible opportunity or not, if so, they are capable of escaping at the start of their next turn, if not, they are unable to perform physical actions until they free themselves in some way, and will be treated as if they are drowning while encased in the sphere.

When close to water, the STR Check is (B) instead...

If the target is weak to Ice/Water the check increases by an additional rank (for them), if they are then unable to free themselves...

Further information unknown.

[Airen]

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

---You see the three of them off with a wave.

Ultimately, it should be relatively harmless to let Hiyori go along with them, of all the members you could think of off the top of your head, those two are amongst the least inoffensive of the Rothschild, or at least...

They were two of the harder ones to piss off...

Regardless, their departure leaves you sitting alone just outside of the designated meeting area, the steel halls that surrounded the dome in the center of this level of the ship; the center of the Resource Level of the vessel was the closest the SLEIPNIR came to appearing as a small town, there were parks and actual plantlife, shops that actually resembled shops (being located in buildings and everything) adorning the massive expanse that was this particular area of the ship, a simulated blue sky calmly watching over everything from above, a tiny world inside of a world, or something like that anyway...

In comparison to the other, more blatantly technological areas of the ship, it was purposefully designed to be more organic in appearance, probably for the sake of the mental health of those that lived inside of it...

One can only stare at endless walls of metal and digital screens before they start to feel uncomfortable, you know?

So it was probably a good place for the guests to start off, a bit less of a culture shock that way...

Or at least, that be the thought process behind it, regardless...

Deciding to do something productive with yourself, you stand up, deciding to head on out of the outskirts of the floor and out into the park, away from the grey and out towards the green, digging in your pack all the while for your protein bars, and-

"Hmm? Rossweisse?"

-run into Anna, briskly walking through the steel halls with her usual sense of purpose.

Yes.

The ship's overworked coffee-addicted pilot seems to be behaving in about the usual way, flipping through holograms of checklists with one arm, clutching a -massive- mug of coffee in the other, and generally looking like an office worker that is attempting to do fifteen things at once...

"Are you the only one here?"

She always sounds tired, but this particular line...

Sounds almost exasperated...

[Airen]

Eva Ellet
Vatican City ~ Obelisk Square
11/16/2026
Morning, Sunny

“Let’s try our best, miss Cosmos.”

For a moment, the girl seems surprised by the extended hand, but...

"Y-Yes, of course."

...Ultimately, she does her best to respond to your sentiment; indeed, this is the sort of situation that the girl finds uncomfortable, but all the same, there's also a sort of eagerness in her eyes, it's a shy eagerness, but...

She's not here against her will, no...

She certainly seems to be here of her volition, thus...

A part of her must find all of this exciting, even if it's difficult-!

As for Alyx...

"Heh..."

She can only chuckle at the result, her sister's annoyance towards her cleanly deflected by her apparent anxiety. Still, one could say it's a successful moment, a positive interaction, a good sign of things to come, but-!

"Alright everyone, line up! We're doing one last head-count and taking the terminal!"

Catherine's voice calls out to you, or more specifically, it calls out to everyone...

Seems that the wandering time is over, and that she's trying to reign things in, with the NWAB Agent from before going over to talk to the Vice Commander for one reason or another...

You don't have any reason to rebel of course, neither do the others seemingly, so the scattered groups finally come together in an obedient fashion... It's a bit too by-the-book perhaps, after all, there aren't enough Tamers here that a head-count for them should be necessary, but Catherine was always the by the book type, so it was probably best to just let her silence the mental checklist that was probably screaming in her brain for her to complete it, but...

"Seems we're missing two... Alan Shepard! Myra Davis!"

...Somewhat unexpectedly, it seems that there were two people missing... Alisa hadn't picked them up earlier, so it seems like they might have been two of the ones that got here early, but in that case, where are they now?

You recognize Alan, he was an "Operator," a radio contact out on more serious assignments (not that you had worked with him too much) but Myra?

Myra was a new one-

"Ah wait! I'm here! I'm here! I just went to buy snacks!"

-although this thought is also interrupted, shattered, by the appearance of a voice coming up from behind you-! It's the voice of a girl, one who sounds like she's on the younger side of things, and-

"Ah, oh no..."

-someone who goes crashing into your back with surprising strength, strength enough to knock you down, and send the two of you into a sprawl, a tangled mess of limbs and hair...

"I'm sorry! Super sorry! Turbo sorry! Are you okay?!"

And frantic apologies...

This must be...

Encountered: Myra Davis

"Why do I always trip in front of everyone?! Clumsy, clumsy-!"

...The silence from the others at this impact...

Is slightly painful...

[Verg Avesta]

Blaise Pendragon
Demonic Server, Hali Bay
11/16/2026
Afternoon, Heavy Winds

Blaise's eyes widened.

For a moment, he couldn't believe what was happening.

Only few seconds ago, he had been bringing the bluefin tuna to the surface, rocketing through the waters with his magical energy used as afterburners to breach the surface in record time while carrying his massive load. Yet now, in a twist of fate, he found himself imprisoned by water, staring down at a gigantic crab, no, a demon-crab, who had apparently been hunting the same prey as they had. Not only that, but the monster had decided to take revenge, and was preparing to make them his lunch as well - a little side dish to go along with the crab.

Blaise couldn't believe it.

He simply couldn't believe it.

His mind refused to believe it.

Indeed...

How could he have such an amazing luck on his very first trip to the beach!?

"-----------!"

First, the aquatic coffin had to go. With a whirlwind of movement, Blaise set out to work. He spun around, delivering a swift roundhouse kick in the water to break through the watery sphere around him and release for further movement. The amount of air his lungs wouldn't last forever, but he didn't need it to. Indeed, he only needed enough air to do what was important. And the most important thing was to secure these both bounties of the sea for them.

He could feed the people at the hideout for four, no, six months with these two!

The balance would no longer be showing red!

The food budget would be saved from Tsukiko's ravenous hunger!

It was like an answer to all his prayers.

"-------------"

A single look, a glance, thrown in the vampire's way told her all she needed to know. Blaise was sure the bespectacled girl (though she wasn't wearing glasses now) would easily make it out of the shell. That was her opportunity. She'd recover faster than the tuna, and that would allow her to grabble the fish and drag it back towards the surface, away from the hungry crab and any chance of escape for the fish. She was strong enough to haul it to the shore, where Isamu and Tony would be waiting.

And while Tsukiko would deal with the fish...

Blaise would deal with this crab!

"---------!"

Not missing a beat, the boy surged forward, kicking at the water with all the natural power in his body. He headed straight for the demonic crab, taking the form of a human torpedo that zoomed ever deeper, eyes focused onto Karkinos. In mere seconds, he closed in the distance between himself and the demon, and as he did, Blaise spread his hands and prepared his fingers to a bout of wrestling. As the crab would defend itself, as those massive pincers would come for him, he would grab them and grapple the creature, forcing it into a momentary stalemate. Lock it in place, in other words. Hold it down so it would not be able to escape.

Because once it realized what was about to happen, it would most likely try.

After all, now.

Up this close.

The Karkinos could see Blaise's eyes.

And the message in those eyes.

The hungry, hungry message.

The words that rang through the boy's mind.

--- Sashimi, nigiri, tempura, kani nabe, shabu shabu, boiled, steamed, crab sushi, crab salad, grated as kanimeshi, kani-jiru, crab fried rice, crab omelette on rice, made into a miso soup, dashi with crab and tofu, hell, he could try even kani cream korokke!

And so much more!

With this much crab, he could try it all!

So that's why...!

"HRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"

As Blaise surged forward to grapple the crab, he opened his mouth and let loose an inferno of blue and white flames, intending on boiling and steaming the Karkinos right then and there while holding onto it with all his might!

[Airen]

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

"..."

Silence.

For a time that seems to stretch out into a painful eternity, silence descends on the rapidly growing crowd in the Tintagel Gardens... It's the silence of an unexpected result, the silence that is typically only borne when squires find themselves on Raz duty, and thus have to navigate a particular brand of random insanity that the other Knights do not quite share, yes...

It's the silence of the left field, the silence of a sucker punch, but...

"..."

While Ryan is easily the laziest of the squires, that doesn't mean he's incompetent, indeed, while most things are far too much of a hassle for him to willingly deal with, it's that sort of dedication to laziness that also lets him shake off things that might stun others, indeed, it's a really strange 'power' to have, but-!

It was almost like-!

Being stunned was too much of a hassle for him to bother with it?!

That's why-!

"...Think I didn't come out here with a plan? The squires always win Raz, you should know this."

"...Ryan, what fresh hell are you trying to drag me into?"

Ada Stone's figure is cross armed, and the hologram looks like she's still lying in bed, and is thus about as annoyed as one could expect her to be, but-

"Ada, you know those puddings you like? The ones from that shop down in Japan?"

"Yeah?"

"I've got fifty. I'll give you half if you come down here and help me take care of Raz."

"I want all of them."

"Tch... Shit... I'll give you forty."

"All of em."

"You're really strangling me here, Stone..."

"I'll even throw in the date for free."

"That sounds like more trouble than it's worth..."

He was... Negotiating this right in front of you...

Although, were the two of them friends?

This sounded vaguely friendly... Although...

Squires tended to stick together, meanwhile...

Zerah...

"Dejah...?"

Was staring at the blonde girl, clearly thinking, eyes narrowing as he's finally allowed to focus on something besides the mental terrorism that kept being directed his way, but also clearly...

Not reaching any sort of real conclusion...

[Tobias]

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

Pudding?

...Raz didn’t know Ada liked pudding. Well, more precisely, he didn’t know she had any particular love for it beyond what might be expected of anyone with working taste buds. Pudding was awesome, after all.

Raz remembered when she was younger, Ada had always bugged him for chocolate bars, especially ones stuffed with caramel and nougat. As a result he had a regular habit of sending her such whenever he had some spare cash to have the DTG order some. Obviously he tried to mix up the brand, but he still mostly kept to soft chocolate believing it to be Ada’s favorite.

...Well, he however did occasionally not order the chocolate.

See, once in a blue moon, usually with time managed days in advance, mostly related to Valentine’s or Christmas, Raz would put away a few hours dedicated to Ada.

There was nothing wrong with sending store bought chocolates. They often had great wrapping paper and presentation. But, and Raz had specifically written a song about such, they lacked the secret ingredient of LOVE baby! Cooking something yourself was a gift of time and attention that you couldn’t recreate with pre-manufactured sweets, no matter how expensive.

Therefor, though it was something he rarely was able to do, on rare occasion it was always his pleasure to make something right from the heart.

”Big sister! Little brother didn’t know you liked pudding! This is surely my own mistake and I am very sorry. To make it up to you, if you come down for a visit, I promise I will personally make a nice big batch of pudding that I will give you on top of however much you manage to bilk out of Ryan here!”

...
.......
............Somehow, even the warm ongoing smile of Raz Stone couldn’t push back the sudden chill that seemed to coat the area. Raz was a man who enjoyed playing pranks, but it was well known he absolutely put his heart into cooking. Stories of such were common on both his fan-site and Avalon as a whole.

Yes... stories like...

The great pancake fire...

the bankrupting bake sale, Avalon’s lament...

The barbecue of doom that broke steel and S-ranked resolve...

The forbidden stew that even Merlin couldn’t fix...

And finally... hushed whispers even spoke of a creation so bizarre, so incomprehensible, that Avalon kept it locked away in a vault as a last ditch doomsday weapon. Legends knew it as...

Mystery Food X!

Mundane skill revealed!

Mystery Food X
the legend of Raz’s inability to prepare anything that wouldn’t be best described as a weapon or act of hatred is well known among his fan base. A negative skill which ensures that any attempt to prepare even the most basic of field rations will result in abject failure.


It’s only benefit might be characters associated with cooking occasionally feel inclined to cook for him so as to spare the world the eldritch horrors of his kitchen.

“I promise big sister, come for a visit and little brother will make you all the pudding you could possibly want! Enough to take home for your friends!”

[Airen]

Cosmos Fairchild
LOVELESS, Vatican City
12/22/2026
Evening, Thunder Storm

"..."

It takes awhile for the man to answer.

This isn't something shocking of course, from the moment you had first met him a few hours ago, Daniel Proctor had proven himself to be someone that likes to think things over before taking a potentially damaging action, and indeed, even as a COMP begins to fall apart from a self-assigned guilt, telling stories of an artificial intelligence that was seemingly capable of overlooking the entirety of the Planet Earth, Daniel certainly takes his time to think, body going through the motions of cooking with practiced, muscle memory...

And...

"Burroughs, huh...? An Observer System...?"

A mutter, a few brief noises of acknowledgement, and then...

"Ilia was it?"

...He can only do his best.

Comforting an A.I is little different than comforting a person, but the lack of strength in his connection with her may have his words coming across as weak, they are, after all, effectively the words of a stranger, nevertheless...

"...With the information you had at the time, I cannot say that the conclusion you came too was wrong; it may have turned out to have negative effects beyond what you had intended -and we have not confirmed that this is the case- but your actions in the moment were understandable, your intentions were good, this Burroughs is an unknown factor. Her existence itself is a naturally questionable one."

Of course, good intentions can backfire at times...

There's a sort of irony that can perhaps be found in that, but...

"The past is the past, if there was ever a time in which to make mistakes, it would be one's youth, recovering from a misstep is so much easier when you are young."

A light smirk...

As if the man himself realized he sounded old saying this, even though he couldn't have been much older than twenty-four himself...

"It is not like it is the end of the world anyway. Assuming this Burroughs was a major observer for you, it is doubtful that her removal alone is the only factor that has led to your... Current predicament. It doesn't quite explain everything, but now that we have an idea of what it is, I can tell you this..."

He shakes his head slightly, hands dancing, flipping a ham and cheese omelet onto a dark green plate...

"It is possible to recover, I won't allow you to disappear."

He turns, and:

"Everything will be fine. If you lack other connections, I will become one myself until you can forge more, it's a simple solution... In time, with some effort, it should be a reversible affliction."

He sets it before Cosmos, and does his best smile at an A.I that he cannot see...

"So take deep breaths and calm yourself, when you can; this situation is not an impossible one. We will simply take things a step at a time."

[palad1n]

Cosmos Fairchild
LOVELESS, Vatican City
12/22/2026
Evening, Thunder Storm

Both Tamer and COMP listened intently to what the NWAB agent had to say.

For Illia, the man's words seems to have brought her some comfort; even though Daniel Proctor is practically a stranger to her, the fact remains that this is the first time anyone has actually tried to comfort her. In fact, being somewhat of a neutral third party, his observation and words seems to hold that much more weight than someone more emotionally inclined.

After all, she did try her best out of the limited information that she had.

It doesn't change the fact that she's responsible for the mess Cosmos found herself in, but as the man said himself, it's not an impossible situation, and it seems possible to recover from this predicament.

"...You're a deceptively good man, Mister Daniel, despite your appearance." The COMP finally said after taking some moments to collect herself. "Forgive me for losing control. It seems the past week had been more stressful than I thought."

There's no longer any trace of sorrow or guilt in her voice.

"Still, I will hold on to your words that you won't let Cosmos disappears, and I won't let you retract that statement either."

It was, in some ways, a surprising statement to be made.

After all, for the past ten years Illia had never urged Cosmos to socialize more, nor had she asked anyone outside of Cosmos' small world to take care of her. She was selfish, and deep down had always wanted the girl for herself; thus, it is only natural to let her master be a recluse. Even if she'd always be number two compared to Mary, at the very least she's really the closest one to the girl's heart, whether she realized it or not.

But Cosmos' small world is now broken, shattered to pieces, and her very existence is disappearing. It is no longer a time to be selfish; Cosmos needs every help and connection that she could get her hands on in order not to disappear, and it's not exactly easy for the girl - especially in her current state of mind - to forge bonds that easily. Meeting Daniel and having him to act like a mother hen was nothing short of a miracle, and thus Illia made a silent vow to herself to make sure he keeps his word.

--But that was for Illia.

Unlike her COMP, who found some comfort and even agreeing with what the man said, Cosmos Fairchild doesn't.

The past is the past?

Recovering from misstep is easier when you are young?

Of course those words are directed at Illia, but for Cosmos, it rang hollow.

After all, recovering from a mistake like what she did is definitely not easy. Even if she forced herself to believe that the truth will lead to hope - that she could indeed undo her mistake - bringing her mother back to life, from an objective standpoint, is a ridiculously hard endeavor with such a little chance of success that it might as well be impossible. She doesn't even have any idea on how it could be done, merely believing in it because that's the only thing that she could cling to in order to move forward.

In other words, this journey was never about herself.

It's a journey for her mother.

Whether she dies or disappears doesn't really matter to Cosmos, as long as she could undo the tragedy, and if she couldn't, then she'd likely try to die or disappear anyway. Daniel's words that he'd never let her disappear, and to become a part of her world in order to do so, was thus brushed aside by the girl.

After all, there's nothing to be gained for him by forging a bond with someone who had done nothing but destroying the lives of everyone in her world.

"... Thank you for the food. Should I eat here, or should we move elsewhere first? Either way is fine for me."

That's why there's no change in her tone as she thanked Daniel.

A small part of her was glad to have found a man so willing to do so much for her, but it was buried deep under layers upon layers of self-hatred. He's a kind man who managed to comfort Illia and willfully help her, and for that she was grateful, but that's all there is to it; letting him into her world is out of the question.

Once this is all over - whether on a good or bad note - then it would be time to part ways.

She doesn't want to destroy yet another person's life.

[Airen]

Daisuke
Aoyama, LOVELESS, Moon Under Water
11/16/2026
Monday - Morning

"C'mon, nii-san. It's okay not to worry about work for a bit, y'know. You can just forward that schematic you're working on to Chris and she'll help you out with it, no questions asked. But you can't replace these fifteen minutes, right here. And you can't un-melt that coffee. And you can only tell a story about how you climbed a demon tree for the first time to a captive audience once."

Shuichi chuckles at this, setting down his pencil and leaning forward slightly, body supported by his elbows in the pose of a thinker, fingers intertwined in front of his face...

"I suppose you're right."

He chuckles again, then:

"But I really don't believe it to be that grand of a story, it is not as if I defeated the tree in the end; I retrieved the toy not through outsmarting it, but simply by being stubborn..."

He frowns at this, leaning back slightly and looking down at a hand, as if envisioning something in it's grasp...

Something from a long time ago.

"It was a Jubokko I believe, a blood-sucking tree. Vampire tree. While Aoyama is mostly peaceful nowadays, this ward has been a site for a number of tragedies over the years... From time to time something darker slips through, this was one of those times."

He samples his coffee... Seems to decide he likes it, samples it again, and then continues on...

"The toy in question that she's speaking of is actually a tiara, as could be expected by her looks, this one has basically always been a princess from the moment she was born, that's why she's so demanding, see?"

...With a smirk, something that seems... A little strange coming from him...

But not bad, merely unexpected...

A hint of teasing, perhaps?

Whatever it is, she rolls her eyes at it, and he chuckles again...

"Anyway, I happened to be walking past this very mall and heard her crying, it had taken the crown to the top of itself, and was trying to get her to come over to it, as vampiric trees are known to do, and well... I went in her place."

He winces, but otherwise doesn't make a big deal out of it.

"It stabbed me quite a few times to be honest, my dad was quite upset when he found out about it, but I did manage to get it out of the tree. Sofia was crying the whole time."

"Cuz you're stupid."

"Yes, yes, stupid. Although Daisuke, she showed up a few hours later with a magitech flamethrower she made herself, and torched the whole thing to the ground... Haven't seen her cry since, in other words... Sofia is a scary person."

"It's actually kind of funny, though, Miss Sofia... that's sorta similar to how Chris met him, too. She was falling out of the sky after a spell accident and nii-san just showed up out of nowhere and caught her all heroically... and then they went to Brewed Awakenings... and right after that the aquarium..."

As for this, well...

"Yes. That sounds exactly like him."

Sofia takes it... Remarkably well...?

Probably because, if one is able to piece together the form of their relationship...

She's unsurprised by these sorts of things?

"Namasaki Shuichi is a fool who doesn't think about himself at all, he spends his every waking moment trying to dig other people out of their own messes and barely sleeps, and he's so damn charming about it too! Of courseeeee he'd catch her heroically, princess style right? I don't think he knows how to do anything else."

Then again...

That also meant those complains sounded really sincere...

And finally, with another part of your processor...

"This is very sudden, but could you help me with something? It's probably nothing, but it might turn out to be super important."

---A vague figures appears.

It is not one that you can truly get details of, it is more the outline of a person in the data world than anything else, the outline of a man wearing what seems like an expensive suit, the sort you might see a butler wearing in a noble's manor, and that's when you know...

Yes.

Of course LOVELESS... Would appear as something like that...

A retainer for the princess...

"...You require assistance?"

It's voice is smooth, deep, and...

Straight to the point.

[Airen]

Cosmos Fairchild
LOVELESS, Vatican City
12/22/2026
Evening, Thunder Storm

"You can eat it wherever you'd like, we'll likely be working through the night, and there's someone I'd like to get on our side if at all possible. We'll be going to see them next."

---Yes.

Daniel certainly seems content to lead the pace of the investigation; when you're finished with your meal (which, even in your current state, was so pleasing on a purely physical level that you had to begrudgingly acknowledge it) the man once again leads the way through the brightly lit corridors of a mall that is slowly losing more and more of it's evening customers...

In other words, evening is rapidly becoming night, and soon enough, this place will probably be empty again, of course Daniel says not to worry about it when you point this out, that he has connections to this place and that he'll take care of this part of the investigation, and thus...

You find yourself following him up three flights of stairs, and towards the roof... The mall tries to play it's usual tricks too, slowly shifting things around in a manner that only your subconscious can really notice, but he seems able to brute force his way past this maze too (although he does have to stop at one point to talk to some sort of butler you can't get a good look at) another sign that he's oddly connected to the establishment in a way that most people are not, and...

"Okay, she should be just through here..."

Eventually, you arrive at your destination, an enclosed room at the back of the mall, what was likely a security office of sorts...

"It's the owner of this company. She's a bit bossy, and she's going through her own losses right now, but... She's a nice enough girl, she should help if we're polite... She's got quite a bit invested in solving this mess herself..."

With that warning, he pushes his way through the door, and-

-find yourself in something that more resembles a laboratory than a security room.

It's a place that would ordinarily be almost inhumanly clean, you could tell that much at a glance, but right now those pristine floors, the walls, all of it...

Was covered in photos, newspaper clippings, and maps... At a glance it's possible to recognize quite a few of the things you're seeing, the maps are all of the North Pole, some of the images are of some strange city you can't recognize, as well as the SLEIPNIR, but...

Most of the photos... Were of people...

A couple of dozen people... Under a wall labeled "Missing" (one of whom "Namasaki Shuichi" was prominently displayed more than the others) and...

In the center of this mess, pacing back and forth with bloodshot eyes (from a clear lack of sleep) and muttering things that you can't quite make out yourself...

Is a tall, blonde girl...

She's dressed rather richly, expensive brands that you could never really touch, the general vibe of a princess if one were to simply look at her attire, but her face, her expressions...

---They reminded you vaguely of what you saw in your own mirror.

Nevertheless...

"...What do you want, Daniel?"

The girl speaks without really looking up at him, or at you really, at least not at first, no...

"Easier passage through the facility for one, although there are a few things I'd like to ask you as well-"

"Hold."

...it takes her a second to realize you are there, but when she does...

Her voice has a sort of... Royal command to it...

"Who are... You...?"

One that becomes questioning...

As her gaze lands right on you and stays there, as if, like Daniel...

She could see you with some effort...

Encountered: Sofia Weinbergstr

[palad1n]

Cosmos Fairchild
LOVELESS, Vatican City
12/22/2026
Evening, Thunder Storm

Entering the security room that resembles a lab more than anything else, Cosmos' eyes immediately captured everything in the room: the photos, maps, and newspaper clippings scattered all over the floors and walls, and in the center of it all, a tall blonde girl who could only be the princess that Daniel referred to, pacing back and forth while muttering things that only she herself knows with blood-shot eyes.

Cosmos doesn't know what to expect, but...

She never thought that the owner of LOVELESS, a girl so young, could be this strong.

After all, despite the princess' expression mirroring her own - that of despair - it's clear that she has not succumbed to it. Instead of shutting herself off and doing nothing, drowning in the hopelessness of it all, she instead shut herself off to investigate what had happened, alone, in this room, gathering as many clues as possible; and from the clear signs of the lack of sleep, it's clear that she has not given up yet.

It's impressive.

After all, she knew that the willpower and determination needed to accomplish such a thing is tremendous, and Cosmos found herself respecting the girl in front of her before she even said a single word.

Of course, the girl eventually notice their presence, and...

"Hold. Who are... You...?"

Finally addressed her presence in a regal tone befitting that of a princess.

The fact that she managed to notice her at all is yet another point that marked her as someone exceptional.

"I am Cosmos Fairchild." She answered evenly. "Just like you, I am someone in search of the truth. I am hoping that if nothing else, we could help one another in figuring out what exactly had happened."

For a moment, her eyes drifted into the photo of one Namasaki Shuichi - someone clearly important to the girl in front of her due to his prominence compared to the other photos - before locking her eyes with the princess once again as Illia helpfully told her the name of the blonde girl.

"I know the feeling of wanting to bring someone dear back no matter the cost, Miss Sofia, and I am willing to help you if you pledge to do the same." Cosmos offered with an even gaze. "And I would like to start by asking whether you know of a fountain that can transport people into another world in this mall."

[Kuroyuki]

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

Watching all three of them go off together made me feel a bit lonely especially since I could see them getting along despite Hiyori’s personality. However, I knew that one day… I would do something that would cause them to hate me. So it was better this way. Right?

My mood got progressively better as I walked away from the normal interior of the ship and into the recreation section of the ship. I understood that I’m undergoing a progressive form of synesthesia and color psychology. The sound of a random wind chime ringing, the random music playing as you walk around, and the differing color schemes in different areas to fit a person’s mood. Despite knowing all of that, it felt nice even if it was watching Rossweisse digging through the sales and game piles to buy at the little Loveless on the ship. It almost felt nostalgic, except… something felt off.

Today… I felt like I should go into the park. It’s probably the best place to set up everything. It was big enough to fit any number of guests. Vibrant enough to suit extroverts yet not too vibrant to intimidate introverts with its mixture of bright and subdued greens. Also the artificial light and plenty of shade made it more comfortable than even a real park.

I started digging into my inventory to see what flavors I had left of my meal/protein bars… Most of it were standard flavors such as chocolate, cookies and cream, and fruit flavors. I did have some other novelty items like Phoenix Ranger cookies, but it felt kind of embarrassing to still own things like this at this age... Emptying my backpack revealed that I had probably enough to give to our guests... But I can’t help but think maybe I should have cooked something for them like sweet bread or something. It was a little late so this will have to do. As for drinks… Maybe I can buy some coffee from the Brewed Awaken-

"Hmm? Rossweisse? Are you the only one here?"

As if my thoughts about coffee summoned her, the pilot of SLEPNIR appeared in the park. If the virtual checklist was any indicator, then she was probably setting up the preparations for our upcoming guests… Actually it was kind of scary considering that I rarely if ever see Anna not piloting the ship or a tangentially related administrative SLEPNIR task. I almost thought she was actually the Demon or Deity of Coffee seeing as how she always had coffee in her hand and never seemingly slept. It took my COMP searching for the actual demons and deities of coffee to disprove that thought.

“...Yes.” I paused and tried to think of a way to make everyone else sound better in front of Anna, “Actually earlier, I was with Lucia and Dr. Xavier except they came across a… weird program installed on all of our COMPs so everyone went to visit Genesis.”

I tried looking around to see if around Anna there was anything I could help with.

“I figured there should at least be someone here to greet the faction representatives before our reputation becomes worse… Um… Is there anything I can help out with? I was thinking about giving out these bars I had and maybe buying some coffee from Brewed Awakening for them to drink, but I’m not sure that’ll be enough.”

I showed Anna the various bars I had. I'm sure it would be an acceptable choice for Rothschild tamers since we mostly prioritized the seeking of power over actual enjoyable meals. For the other factions, I wasn't too sure.

[Bloble]

Daisuke
Aoyama, LOVELESS, Moon Under Water
11/16/2026
Monday - Morning

"Wahaha! That's so cool!"

The sounds of innocent laughter and small hands clapping together excitedly serve as percussion to the relaxed atmosphere of the Moon Under Water, while a voice box-turned-speaker provides a suitably dramatic orchestral score.

Is it because Namasaki Shuichi is a great storyteller? Or because Sofia Weinbergstr is the perfect audience? Perhaps it is neither; maybe seeing those two finally interacting with each other amicably is what finally brings a genuine smile to Daisuke's face. Chris had always told him that bright people are difficult to look at, but he couldn't disagree more; it is in moments like these that humans are at their most charming.

"Fighting a demon tree as a child... that's amazing. You didn't even have training or a military-grade COMP or anything..."

Without any weapons except his own body, Shuichi had done all that? It's no wonder he keeps attracting people to him.

"Although... it was still a tree, right? Couldn't you have just left it alone and gone for help? Not like it was gonna go anywhere."

Daisuke quickly brushes off the strange thoughts. After all, it would be silly if the whole thing turned out to be unnecessary. Besides, it's a cool story, not an essay! Nobody likes a critic, not even the critic himself!

"Namasaki Shuichi is a fool who doesn't think about himself at all, he spends his every waking moment trying to dig other people out of their own messes and barely sleeps, and he's so damn charming about it too! Of courseeeee he'd catch her heroically, princess style right? I don't think he knows how to do anything else."

"Mmhm, mmhm!"

Daisuke nods and leans in, whispering conspiratorially to the princess:

"Chris told me 'This doofus hits so many character design buttons it's unfair. He's like the lovechild of Otome Fantasia 2's Julian Coustwell and Duke Astram from Oasis Memories. It's asking every girl and guy in a ten mile radius to try and fix him. The only hope now is to burst that bubble of heroism he's living in before he makes more girls cry.' I don't really get it though..."

Daisuke doesn't understand the nuance, or the games she'd mentioned, or that those words had been said in confidence. Sure, Shuichi wants to be a perfect sempai to stay close to others... but even rotten people can find connection in this world, can't they? There's got to be a better way... Maybe he feels like if he can't be himself, he won't know what to do? There are those who are just as afraid of failure as they are success, and can't bear to disappoint anyone. Either way, there's one obvious conclusion to draw here.

The young COMP pulls back and...

"But Miss Sofia, you're just as prince-like! Rather than being swept off your feet, you nearly swept me off my feet back at the store. My processor nearly skipped a cycle... though that might've been the panic..."

Once more says something ridiculous.

"Did you get inspired back then? To be the one that rescues, instead of being rescued?"

The boy's stare is hopeful.

"I think that's amazing. To be inspired by something awesome instead of something awful."

Shuichi and Sofia are so different from Chris. Surely, with their amazing attitudes, neither of these two will ever fall into despair.

<--->

Meanwhile, within Daisuke's processor, a different sort of conversation is taking place. The COMP is thankful for parallel processing; without it there would be no way to handle the tonal whiplash.

"Good morning, Mr. LOVELESS!" His digital avatar straightens and adjusts its posture as it stands before the silhouette of the butler-like figure. Some part of Daisuke recognizes that here is his superior in the art of supporting a lady, one who should be afforded the same respect as a 'sempai'. Or perhaps a 'sensei'? "It's nice to meet you! My name is Daisuke, I'm, uh..."

Right, to the point. No dallying about. Daisuke swallows the flood of friendly questions he usually asks when getting to know a new face and gets right to business wit his request.

I'd like your help in retrieving a possibly dangerous magical item from a suspicious and wary individual. Because she's observing us, I can't act directly or through a Tamer.

"Some of my friends are lost in the mall. I'd like to buy them all a goodbye present and keep them out of trouble for a bit. Could you arrange for us to meet?"

Let's see... who likes to hang around LOVELESS the most? While humans might have trouble telling them apart, Daisuke doesn't forget a single culprit. Sometimes he likes to think they don't forget him either.

"Kee should be at the arcade; she really likes invading simulators. Poko will be swiping milkshakes in the food court. Tuturu is usually making noise in the kids' section of the book store..."

Daisuke continues rattling off names, places, and tidbits of trivia he has personally gathered until there are enough for a party.

"Could you please send them all to Moon Under Water? They'll be able to order from the nice lady with the book."

Fairies are known to like LOVELESS; its befuddling properties serve to both deter pursuers and provide an endless number of cool new places. They are the type of Demon who, upon diving into an ever-shifting maze, are reminded of home. LOVELESS himself must also be aware of the shenanigans, and Daisuke would wager he isn't too fond of them. While the young COMP would never call fairies 'reliable' even at the best of times... they do have a talent. One sport they're unmatched in, even against multiple trained Tamers or advanced AI constructs: snatching away important objects from unsuspecting victims. Why? Because it's fun.

That, he can count on.

"...did you get that?"

Of course, there's one thing stopping Daisuke from going ahead with this: he isn't sure. This sort of proactive move is new to him. Worse than that...

The girl with the book was nice to him. She hasn't done anything yet. She might be a victim of possession from a magical book, but she could also just be shy, like Sakurako. This method of approach is one that sacrifices many dazzling 'ifs'. That's why...

"Is it okay, Saya-san?"

The inexperienced junior COMP includes a trusted 'sempai' in the conversation, asking her for insight before pulling the trigger. He can't tell the humans, because even the greatest poker face might exhibit a tell upon learning information, which could reveal things. But it's a different story with another COMP. Their conversation is encrypted, and shouldn't be easily monitored even be someone with a magical book. Besides, one observation that Daisuke has consistently made is... humans tend to notice other humans moreso than they do COMPs.

"It's unsanctioned, I know, but... I've got a hunch that we shouldn't leave this alone. She might need our help."

[Airen]

Daisuke
Aoyama, LOVELESS, Moon Under Water
11/16/2026
Monday - Morning

---For now, a pause of sorts with the humans.

Indeed, it is a parallel conversation happening in a world of data, a request for assistance, not just from the figure of a butler whose face you can't quite make out, but of the many fairy 'friends' that exist scattered throughout this mall, causing trouble here or there, as fairies are known to do...

Yes.

It's a small moment in time, but perhaps an important moment in time?

While it is likely that LOVELESS is simply acting as he should for the sake of a friend of his mistress, the one whose opinion you truly seek is Saya, the A.I that goes quiet when others talk, that has always taken a motherly stance over her partner, and seems content to just live life as that quiet, governing force, her best friend the dark-haired youth that is chuckling to himself, lost for a time in nostalgia, and...

"...If that's what your gut is saying, I won't get in your way."

Ultimately, that is what she says of the matter.

"It is your decision after all, do what you think is best."

And own that decision for yourself, decide for yourself if it is okay or not, and then pull that trigger.

Yes.

That's what she says.

The trigger to a plan to take a book that you can't quite understand, but that your eyes are drawn to anyway for some reason, just as they are drawn to the woman herself, the waitress, who seems to have stopped near the entrance, book open on the stand, and pencil making smooth, graceful lines across a surface that you cannot read, yes...

She's certainly suspicious.

That book might be something worth looking at, therefore, it is rather unfortunate, but...

I am here, you see, at least right now.

If you think I'm ever going to let someone take this from me again, then I am afraid you are very mistaken, but...

Well.

It's not like you can hear me.

Go ahead, do as you like.

Decide if it's okay or not.

I eagerly await your decision, watching has always been so interesting to me.

[Bloble]

Daisuke
Aoyama, LOVELESS, Moon Under Water
11/16/2026
Monday - Morning

His decision.

In the end, it is left up to Daisuke. Saya won't interfere to tip the scales in either direction. In a way that's comforting; his idea isn't something so outrageous that she would instantly veto it. He is being trusted to make his own choices and live with them.

However, the weight of that choice... is heavy indeed. This is a weight Daisuke has never had to bear. He was not taught it, not prepared for it. And this time, Chris isn't there for him to turn to.

"..."

His processor spins for a few cycles longer than usual. It's even visible in the physical world as Daisuke staring off into the distance for a brief moment, lost in thoughts. He runs through all the scenarios of course, makes the needed risk analyses, but more than that, he considers what is right. And he returns, time and time again, to his Tamer, his buddy. To her disappointed face. To those words that had struck him so hard that to recall them still pains his core.

Disappointing, she'd said. And foolish. But also... to something she had said even before that.

Once, for the better part of a decade, his Tamer had been paralyzed by the weight of choice. She could not move forward, could not leave her room, and so was unable to do anything.

The last thing she would want is for her COMP to suffer that same fate.

"Alright. Let's do this."

The decision is made.

It doesn't matter whether you enjoy watching or not.

It doesn't matter whether he chooses to move ahead or stay his hand.

What matters is that he makes that choice - and accepts it - for himself.

Daisuke stands.

"Sorry, just a sec."

He excuses himself from the table and walks over to the waitress.

"Um, excuse me, miss. I'd like to order some more coffee. This is the first time I've ever tried it - it's better than I expected."

He places an order for himself and his friends. But also...

"...is there anything I can do for you?"

Asks a strange question.

[Airen]

Daisuke
Aoyama, LOVELESS, Moon Under Water
11/16/2026
Monday - Morning

"Sorry, just a sec."

---It seems Shuichi and Sofia don't mind the interruption very much, indeed, it is just fine for you to stand and walk over to the waitress whose existence shouldn't really mean anything, another pause to a conversation, something that can perhaps be returned to at any time, and...

"Um, excuse me, miss. I'd like to order some more coffee. This is the first time I've ever tried it - it's better than I expected."

---Well, well.

What is this? What is this?

Peering over the edge of the restaurant stand, violet hair falling into her eyes for a moment before being lightly brushed aside with one hand, the woman whose behavior you can't help but mark as slightly off takes a moment to respond to your simple presence, indeed, she almost seems to tilt her head slightly to the side, resting it on an enclosed fist, before closing her eyes entirely, smiling at you in a practiced, waitress-esque way, and-

"That's good to hear, I'll have the kitchen start on another round for you and your table."

-closes a certain book in an audible fashion.

Something feels like it goes back to normal afterwards, although you're not quite sure what was off in the first place...

Perhaps it was simply her demeanor?

There was something intimidating about that open book stance, like looking at a strict librarian or something, but now...

Now...

She's just leaning slightly over the now closed book, looking down at you with an enigmatic smile, one that is certainly kind, but also does not entirely reach the eyes.

Or perhaps it is your own paranoia that makes you think so?

It is difficult to tell, after all...

She makes you feel uneasy, and you can't quite place why...

"...is there anything I can do for you?"

A pause.

Yes, this particular interaction is filled with a number of pauses, but...

"...Leave me a big tip for the service, I suppose?"

The woman jokingly (?) offers that as a response.

Encountered: Enigmatic Woman

[Katie]

Aster
The Boundary ~ Azure Horizon

So even this girl is not infallible with proper precaution, Aster thinks, as she mulls over this newfound information. It’s not exactly a point of trust in her favor—this entire conversation existed under the presumption that it would remain a secret—but from the sounds of it, this is preventable and unlikely to occur again. Perhaps she’s being too lenient, but it’s hard for her to go back on her word and ask for a wipe or anything. No, it’ll just have to be one of many secrets to stash away, to ignore until Ayra specifically requests.

Perhaps it is wrong of her as Ayra’s partner to deliberately withhold information from her—but to ensure that she succeeds, a certain level of misdirection is needed to guide her owner on the right path. Ayra needed to figure certain things out on her own, or the lessons would never stick. At least, that was what Aster would like to convince herself.

As for the actual matter of this additional squire, well, they’d have to investigate the old-fashioned way. Even if the world retroactively supported their existence, there had to be some level of discrepancy.

“Well, even if she is retroactively put into place, you wouldn’t tell me this if there wasn’t a way to identify her, right? There has to be some way to sniff her out…” At least, she hopes so. Living with the paranoia that someone had infiltrated their ranks without ever being capable of being caught was not a comfortable thought.

“Well, whatever. I’ll figure out something. Thanks for the help.” No point in crying over spilt milk. As a former squire herself, Ayra was most likely on decent terms with the others, so snooping around wouldn’t be too hard. And there was always Asuka… Aster really doubted that Asuka would refuse a request from her one and only idol. And since this Xanadu also existed on Avalon, there was another thing they could look for at the same time.

[Airen]

Aster
The Boundary ~ Azure Horizon

“Well, even if she is retroactively put into place, you wouldn’t tell me this if there wasn’t a way to identify her, right? There has to be some way to sniff her out…”

She puts on her thinking face again...

She is very obvious in her gestures, closed eyes and a finger raised up to her head, like she was trying to imitate the detectives she would have seen on some sort of old television show, yes...

This girl, Burroughs, is quite honest in gesture, even if she's not quite as naive as you had initially been led to believe...

She's somewhat... Like a puppy...

Yes.

The feeling you get is that she doesn't want to 'disappoint' you, thus, she's doing her absolute best to come up with an answer that you may be able to employ, and...

"Well... If I had to take a guess... I don't think this squire would be willing to leave the isle."

Ultimately, that is the answer she comes up with...

"The World is a collective concept yes, but it has it's weak points and its strong points... I guess you could say there are many small 'Sub-Worlds' within the big collective one, things like... A city for instance... Avalon is certainly more 'separate' from the rest of the World than most other places, I doubt the culprit was able to brainwash the whole planet, so it's likely they only 'exist' in the minds of the people of Avalon... If they leave the isle, it's possible the conflict of information would tear their disguise apart."

Her shoulders drop slightly...

"If my memory banks were intact, I might be able to just recognize them for you... But that's impossible at this point..."

She seems almost disappointed in herself for not coming up with a super solution on the fly, but-

“Well, whatever. I’ll figure out something. Thanks for the help.”

-cheers up quickly enough at this, looking back up at you with a smile...

"I'm happy to help!"

It's rather sad really...

It seems this child isn't praised that often by anyone, so the experience...

Is quite pleasant for her...

Still...

She takes a few steps away, walking across the reflected surface of the night sky like some fairy tale princess...

"I think... Helping people out is my purpose anyway... The more I interact with others, the more clear that becomes..."

She spins around again, smiling...

"I can't remember my user's face, but I can sorta... Picture them sometimes, standing right here with me. Saying something like..."

She fake coughs into a hand, as if in preparation for an impression, then-

"The mission will be a success, please watch over us until then, okay?"

-a bizarre voice that could be many voices, an impersonation impossible for a human to make, something that perhaps only an A.I could even understand, yes...

It sounds like the quiet voice of a crowd, an ambiguous voice, like you were hearing everyone on the planet...

Somehow.

It could be a reflection of the fact that she is seemingly unaware of who her user is, and has thus projected those feelings onto 'humanity' as a whole of course, but...

Had you... Heard Ayra in there with all of those others?

Some other familiar voices?

...No.

You were just thinking about it a bit too hard...

"...Of course, that might just be my fantasy, it's not something I can really grasp after all... But I like to think people would like me... But I want to help them, even if they wouldn't..."

She looks at you for a moment, a moment of introspection, of thought, and then...

"Oh, sorry! I started acting weird there for a second! My systems must be more damaged than I thought!"

...Goes back to the smiling, cheerful girl, the one unbothered by too many strange philosophies...

"Is there anything you would like me to look into? I may not be able to contact you safely for awhile after this, but I'm trying to figure something out!"

A pause, then:

"That is... Um... If you're okay with seeing me again?"

And now...

Now she's a little meek...

[Airen]

Ludwig Karlfeldt
Rothschild - Halls
11/16/2026
Monday - Early Morning

---A hand grasps your wrist.

It's an automatic defensive response, something that happens in spite of the fact that you take your time in your approach, of the slow lingering poke at the girl's forehead, and...

The strength behind the grip is quite real, not enough to hurt, but enough that...

"No. I'd rather you not."

...The sudden, cold way in which she speaks is not that surprising to you...

"It's just fatigue, no reason to go poking around inside of my head, why is that always the first thing you try to do?"

...Indeed, she doesn't seem to appreciate the sentiment at all, as if she actually found the idea of invading someone else's head, their mental space, their last sanctuary if you will...

Quite offensive...

...Yes.

This isn't too unexpected, after all, this is the Rothschild, the people here are closed off most of the time typically because they want to be closed off, they like their secrets, they value the concept of privacy, and Astra is not one to hold her tongue if she is offended, no...

The girl is quite straightforward, therefore...

"Logan doesn't need me to watch over him, he'll be fine by himself, he's not weak," she lets you go, arm returning to her side, although her eyes are keenly, keenly annoyed with you now, "Is us being apart suspicious now? Or were you just looking for a reason to invade me? I can never tell with you, what are you thinking? Hmm?"

...Yes.

She certainly finds offense at the idea her thoughts being read, even more so when the one doing it is someone who hides themselves constantly, purposefully, always facing everything with the same stoic expression...

It's a bit too one-sided for her tastes, perhaps from a distance, from the perspective of a coworker...

It even reeks of someone simply gathering information on others?

A lack of trust?

Whatever it is...

It seems you've made a misstep here...

Probably doesn't help that she seems to be in a weird mood...

---

Lydia
SLEIPNIR - Bridge
11/16/2026
Monday - Early Morning

"...Although, I will say it's a little strange Commander."

"Hmm?"

"Not a single Tamer has caught it, at least none on record. The other outbreaks, well, it was more or less random chance if it got you or not, didn't really matter how 'strong' you were, this time around? It's just hitting civilians. See, if you look at the data here..."

Their voices get quieter at this, and you miss some things... Going any closer would be a surefire way to get caught (even now, you're sort of staggered that they haven't caught you yet) but before you can decide what to do...

"Namasaki thinks it might have something to do with those synthetics, and I'm somewhat inclined to agree..."

Their voices get louder again, and Adala sighs aloud, before continuing on as always...

"Well, continue to monitor the situation, can't do much else right now. If he's right, the situation should improve on it's own now that countermeasures are in place... Did you manage to check on Y6 and Y7 while you were out?"

"The Yamuna Project kids? They're both fine. You worry a bit too much about em, you know? Didn't Y7 just leave here a few weeks ago?"

"...It's something of a family duty to worry."

"Fair enough, I suppose."

"How's Chronos?"

"Bored out of his mind... Or so he tells me."

...Seems like it's starting to devolve back towards more personal talk again...