Fuka: the Final Chapter (Nao)

[Corwin]

<--->

"Can you even see?" Yukino asks, and her image is suddenly larger and less blurry as she leans closer to Nao.

"I'd steal your glasses if you didn't need them to fix things," replies Nao, irritably. "It's been bad ever since the first time I fought that bitch, and now..."

"My prescription won't do you much good, anyway," Yukino says dryly. "I'll just describe you what I know, then. Do you have a decent mental grasp of the island as it was before this? If the answer is yes, then you should be able to deduce where everything would be once your sight returns to normal. If it doesn't, I suppose I'll have wasted a few minutes of my time, and I can live with that."

"I've wandered around the town and the school. Woods, too. I think I know it well enough. I'll stop you if I'm missing something."

"Works for me." Yukino retreats, seeming to lean against the cavern's side. "We both know that temple to Kagutsuchi, I believe, so I'll skip that altogether. There's nothing of interest in the place where I made contact with Diana, and you would have to know about your own Child. That leaves Munakata, the only Hime I can share some information about. She was a weird one, that girl. She claimed that her Child came to her in dreams, forming a contract."

The Yukino-shaped blur shrugs. "Well, she called them horrible nightmares and cried a lot, but you get the idea. That wouldn't normally help us, except she mentioned the hospital and some sort of park in her insessant babblings. Both locations are of particular interest; the hospital was one of the original attack targets, and the park in question still remains, being one of the few places in Fuka who were spared. Not immediately suspicious, of course, because it is reasonably remote and it's a playground for kids more than a proper park -- not much to burn, in other words. But both locations might provide a clue, if one looked through them."

She gives Nao directions, using the hospital as a starting point. "With me so far?"

"Mmhmm. The hopsital was totally levelled, and plenty of Hime wound up there. It'd take a crew to sort through the wreckage, surely. I could check out the park, though."

"Might work," Yukino agrees. "There is more. A cave containing a laboratory where Miyu was being kept... getting there might be a bit of a hassle, since we went underground and the access shaft we used probably collapsed, but some creative problem-solving might lead you there. A small lake, more like an overgrown pond than anything, which was a black spot on my monitors even before the real attack started. And there is the cave we're in as well; the power cables keeping the systems running go somewhere, but I haven't been able to determine where exactly beyond the direction, down. And we can hardly dig there since the entire thing might collapse. I suspect that it would run counter to our desire to fix the system."

"If there's something there, there must be a way down," decides Nao. "It might be pretty bad if I run into it as I am, but.. hmm, it's probably all connected up somehow. Miyu's cave is the first place I want to look.  I don't know how much stock to put into Munakata's ravings anyway."

"That makes both of us, though there is certain circumstantial evidence supporting the case for checking either spot."

"How far out is the place you found Miyu at? In the school?"

"Yes. We used a chasm in a warehouse," Yukino responds, detailing her movements. "If the cavern network below is intact, you should be able to follow this path without deviation."

Nao nods, and leans back on her sword. "Alright. I'll go to the park first. The trip'll give my eyes some time to clear up. Then I'll come back and check out the caverns. How long do you figure for the relief people to arrive?"

"A couple hours, give or take?" Yukino doesn't sound particularly certain of the time. "I can't have an estimate without knowing their capabilities at the moment, or their readiness levels. That's how long it would take me with the Suzushiro group's resources."

"Fancy yourself a CEO?"

"There are the more pressing matter of the world ending. But maybe later?"

"There are apparently worse things, or so I'm told," mutters Nao.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[12:10] The lack of remaining landmarks and her situation force Nao to take the safe route of heading to the area the hospital once was, rather than trying to go to the park straight from Yukino's hideout. Nao's eyesight doesn't really return, though the time spent walking about helps the redhead adjust.
[12:10] It's much like forcing her mind to interpret the information her eyes receive, and squinting them to see just a tad clearer -- certainly taxing for a regular person, but a trivial chore for a Hime's endurance.
[12:13] The hospital feels impossible to approach directly. It has been wiped out so thoroughly there's not even much in the way of rubble. The entire surrounding area looks dead, and ghastly people-shaped stains have been seared into the ground. There are no survivors Nao can hear moving through the area, not that one would expect to find any here.
[12:17] All she can hear is the wind. It's hard to think that there's a world beyond Fuka that isn't a scene of destruction. Nao gingerly steps around the hospital, resolving to search it later, if at all- it certainly doesn't seem like anything could possibly have been left behind.
[12:22] A pang of pain grips Nao's heart at that thought, as something she had long felt she left behind awakens briefly deep within her psyche.
[12:22] The park is Nao's next stop and her true destination, the chore of tracking it down becoming easier the more distance Nao makes from the site of the annihilated hospital. Buildings who have yet to collapse happen along the way, though if any survivors are amongst them, none try to come out to greet a girl wielding an ebony sword and a glowing claw.
[12:23] Nao will let them hide. The real relief crew will be along later to search the island, and there's nothing she can do for them on her own. Not really knowing what she's looking for, she surveys the park as best as she can.
[12:30] The park is located on a lower level than the road leading past it, a stairway present to allow people easy access. The sloped access route used by those with disabilities and parents with baby carriages is also present, marking it a family-friendly park.
[12:33] It hasn't been harmed by either the attacks on Fuka or the cataclysm following it. The sandbox is the very image of innocence, a bucket lying forgotten in it. When Nao turns to look at the swings, she feels that her vision has taken a turn for the worse. She's seeing double.
[12:37] Nao winces, and starts rubbing her eyes with her arm (her hands are too damn full.) Just how is her body going to hold up when all this is over? If she were to suddenly lose her powers as a Hime, Nao isn't sure her body would stay in one piece.
[12:44] If what Akira told her earlier was any indication, that might well be true. Nao's eyes clear slightly, and as she squints at the swings, then elsewhere to confirm, she's certain that only the swings don't conform to the shape they should have. It looks much like some child tried to color a sketch and went past its borders in his excitement.
[12:47] Nao approaches the swings, gingerly setting her sword aside a moment as she reaches out to try and touch them, get a feel for them. If her eyes can't be trusted, perhaps her hand can.
[12:50] Nao's hand pauses just short of the swings. The blurry images resolves into two, almost overlapping each other. Each casts a series of shadowy images, as if two mirrors had been placed facing each other to infinitely reflect the images.
[12:50] But the two images being reflected so are not quite alike, Nao notices after further study. A scarf is draped across one of the swings, while the other is bare.
[12:54] Two sets of swings. Nao knows she can't be seeing double, but there's something unusual- it's as if there are two worlds. Perhaps the world she's been living in for the past weeks, and the other... figments from her mind? She reaches out to take the scarf, feeling faintly sick.
[13:03] Nao's hand encounters resistance.
[13:04] Nao pushes against this force, irrationally annoyed at the prospect of not being able to take what she wants.
[13:09] A girl sniffles, as if trying to desperately hold back her tears. The barrier shatters under Nao's assault, and her hand closes around the scarf.
[13:10] "Who's there?" asks Nao of nothing, clutching the scarf as she tries to focus on that sound.
[13:15] Nao gets no response. Instead, she senses danger, the feeling centered on the swings.
[13:16] Releasing the scarf, Nao backs away from the swings, squinting towards them as best as she can. Picking up the sword again, she clears the edge of the park with a single leap.
[13:23] Entropy at work. That is the expression that surfaces in Nao's mind before conscious thought kicks in. Her physics teacher once spent an entire class on the subject, demonstrating the increase of entropy with ice melting in a glass of tea. But the scale upon which she witnesses this event is impossible to compare, as the entire park collapses in on itself before Nao's eyes, leaving nothing behind.
[13:27] "It just vanished," murmurs Nao, suddenly needing to hear a sound of life, even if it's just her own voice. "What was here shouldn't have been here. Is that it? Is that it, Smith?" she mutters, staring at what's left for a long moment.
[13:28] No answer is forthcoming, and after speaking Nao realizes just how unnaturally quiet this area has become. There is no sound but that which she makes.
[13:30] Unnerved by the whole experience, Nao retreats to the hospital again, continuing to mutter to herself. "Will it happen again? Just how many places... people..."
[13:32] This time, Nao encounters people along the way. They don't seem armed.
[13:34] She must be the very image of a demon, compared to the no-doubt bedraggled survivors. She trudges on, taking a brief interest in what the people are doing.
[13:37] Whoever these people are, they are organized. Nao gets more than her fair share of looks, though no one approaches her.
[13:40] "Hey," calls Nao, sounding as weary as her mind is. "Are there many survivors?"
[13:43] "No, but we're still looking," a female voice responds. "Are you Yuuki Nao? We're from the Suzushiro rescue mission."
[13:45] "Ah. You guys work fast. I'm Nao," replies Nao. "Did you find all the students alright?"
[13:47] "We have enough staff on hand to take care of that," the woman tells her. "Although it seems there were complications with one of the caves the students took refuge in. That caused a delay."
[13:48] "What do you mean?" replies Nao, sitting on a nearby bit of smooth-seeming rubble. "Nothing violent, I hope?"
[13:50] "No, nothing like that." The woman shakes her head, and then offers Nao a hand, halting as she eyes the sword and glowing claw. "Watanabe Ami. Do you know of any other places of refuge we could check? Yukino-chan directed us, but then again, she didn't have the other cavern with the rest of the students under observation, either."
[13:54] "Sorry. I only knew about the two places in the school. The cave network there was the only place I figured things could be safe from the barrage," responds Nao. For an instant, her lips flicker in a smirk at the offered hand, but then a look of sadness comes across her. "There might be people hiding in the buildings that are still standing, but I can't think of anywhere safe."
[13:55] "Do you know if what happened here is news on the mainland?"
[13:58] "There is no official version, but a lot is being said about a natural disaster. Meteorites, volcanic eruptions--" Ami snorts. "Meteorites and volcanic eruptions, in some cases. With what's been happening around the globe lately, it's getting lots of credence, and who hasn't seen a disaster movie where an asteroid hitting Earth triggers the so-called nuclear winter?
[13:58] Throw in a healthy dose of fear and panic, and people aren't looking beyond the wild theories, if they even have the presence of mind not to riot."
[14:02] "No battleships or weaponized satellites in the papers, then. Pity. Where's Yukino?"
[14:05] "Who knows what tomorrow's paper will have? Or even if we'll get to see it, if you girls fail?" Ami sounds too casual for her professed lack of concern to be real.  "Yukino-chan was studying something Suzushiro-san gave her, last I heard. We have short-range radio to our temporary base, so--"
[14:05] She taps her earpiece, and then taps it twice more, frowning. "Well, we had radio, more like. Damn, this would make looking for survivors more difficult if we can't coordinate."
[14:08] "Oh, sorry. Communications gear breaks within about ten metres of me," replies Nao, flexing her arm. "My mistake. Mind taking me to the base? I won't head in because of, well, that, but I'll loiter nearby. Unless you need some heavy lifting done around here..."
[14:11] "During a proper rescue, we would. But it doesn't look like we have the time for that, so we'll have to prioritize. Get all we can find within a reasonable timeframe off the island, and then return for the rest." Ami considers. "I can't take you to base personally, but I could send someone to show you the way.
[14:11] Though Suzushiro-san was at the cavern complex last I heard, so if you want to see her, that's where you'll need to go."
[14:12] "Which is closer?"
[14:13] "We made landfall on the other side of the island, so our temporary base would be farther from here. Not all that significantly so, considering the distance from town to what used to be the Fuka Academy campus."
[14:16] "Alright. I'll head back and check in. Were you people briefed on Childs?"
[14:20] "Childs?" Ami repeats the foreign word. "Oh! You mean--" She shakes her head. "Those of us in charge know what you mean by that, but if you're planning on summoning something like that... hearing is one thing, but seeing it in person? How the hell can someone prepare mentally for it? So keep it in mind."
[14:23] "It's my ride, and I'm sick of walking," insists Nao. "Is the road between here and the academy empty?"
[14:26] "The road itself? Yes, for now. We'll be sending survivors that way soon enough. But both locations would have a lot of kids, your age and younger, and if you cause a panic amongst to make an orderly evacuation impossible them I will need to wonder why you girls even asked for our help."
[14:27] "I'll get off and walk once I'm almost there, such as to not offend anyone's delicate sensibilities. Besides, they're cute. You're missing out."
[14:29] "I'd like to see, once we're done here," Ami tells her with a crooked smile. "The terrified kids who spent hours huddling as the world came close to an end? Not so much. But who am I to prevent someone fighting on the front lines from dealing with it by employing sarcasm?"
[14:30] "It's about time I got some recognition. D'ya think they'll make a movie of me?"
[14:33] "How about getting that Kotonami girl to portray you? A bit of dye and she's all set."
[14:36] "Maybe I could play myself..." muses Nao, starting to head back to the hospital. "I'll be a minute over here, and then I'll take off."
[14:36] "Still need someone to show you the way?" Ami calls after her.
[14:37] "Yeah, just tell them to drop their phone here if they want it operational tomorrow!"
[14:38] "I'll just switch my gear with someone and send them along. The hospital, was it? We have the rough location on our maps."
[14:39] "Just look out for the green glow. Can't miss it!" returns Nao, waving her hand.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

The detour to the hospital succeeds in derailing Nao's brief elation, as the area seems to exude a solemn air. She makes the way back to Yukino's cavern in silence, Arach covering the ground effectively.

Nao dismisses Arach just short of the erstwhile campus to avoid harming the rescue efforts, and just in time, it seems. She can see a stream of what looks like the older students being lead off; they've only just started to evacuate, she believes.

"This is quite the document, Haruka-chan," Nao hears Yukino say as she makes her way into the cave proper. "Well worth the delay in fixing the Obsidian Lord's systems, I think."

"For the comfort of other viewers, please turn off your mobile phones while the movie is in progress," intones Nao, giving Yukino five seconds before striding further into the cave.

"Welcome back, Nao," Haruka says brusquely. "What are we looking at here, Yukino?"

"No! Stop!" Yukino exclaims in panic as Haruka sees Nao just emerge from the entrance. She's holding a palm-sized device. "We don't know the exact range, and this is more delicate than present equipment!"

Nao backs away a couple of steps. "Aha. Alright, I'll stay back here. Give me the lowdown," she states, sitting down a good distance away, gingerly pushing her hand against the dirt to see if it burns.

The dirt crystalizes. Haruka notices that the evacuation of the cave has been completed in her absense, the three Hime the only people present.

"Apparently, Miss Sugiura sent something quite incredible to all of us she could find. It's understandable the mail couldn't reach us here, but someone on the outside succeeded in intercepting one of those packages and had it scanned to be delivered in comfortable, palm-sized form," Yukino says. She's trying to keep her cool, but even Nao can tell that it's an act, below which excitement bubbles.

"I heard she'd found something, but with what happened to the island... anyway, what does it say? She'd been researching the festival, did she find an acceptable way to resolve it?"

Haruka listens, idly musing on what "acceptable" is to everyone by this point.

"It depends on what you would consider acceptable, I suppose," Yukino muses. "What do you?"

"I don't want to kill other Hime. If I could, I'd bring everyone back," replies Nao. "We already know that's possible, to a point, and just about any alternative is better than playing it through as normal. So. Out with it."

"It's not like I'm holding things back," Yukino complains. She seems to want to add more, but shakes her head in the end. "It wouldn't really be productive for us to argue, not over something like that. To fully understand everything said here would take more time than what we likely have left altogether, and Miss Sugiura didn't really leave a convenient summary. That part, at least, is understandable because she tried to document everything she could. Without knowing what situation we'll find ourselves in, her focus in said summary might have been tilted towards information we neither need nor want."

She smiles. "And that would be a shame, because she managed to uncover much about the previous Carnival."

"The one our poor, crippled chariman reigned victorious over?" Nao snorts. "Kagutsuchi isn't fucking fair."

Haruka ignores Nao's complaining, instead pressing Yukino for details. "Alright, so tell us the useful stuff?"

"It's true that she won," Yukino agrees. "And it's also a nice catch that she had Kagutsuchi back then, although I suppose the use of fire powers is a dead giveaway. However, you might be surprised to learn that it was an upset victory rather than a steamrolling. Kagutsuchi started out as quite the underdog, yet our beloved chairwoman raised it so well that it needed to be bound by the Obsidian Lord once the Carnival was concluded."

"How is a dragon that can melt buildings ever the underdog?"

"You remember when I fought her," interjects Nao. "Arach was bigger."

She looks away. "I was just so mad. If you have enough feeling behind it, any Child could be that monstrous."

"That, and the way we perceive as a dragon what other cultures would call a seahorse," Yukino adds. "I presume that it didn't start out quite so overwhelming when she contracted with it."

"So, if I got really angry, I could be gigantic AND metallic?"

"In other words, fat."

"In any case, Nao is correct," Yukino proceeds, ignoring the banter. "The feelings drive the Child, the same way they power the Hime Star. In fact, Miss Sugiura was able to point at a complicated link between all those, in addition to the bond between the Hime and her most important person. Her evidence is circumstantial at best, but for what is actually the weakest point of her thesis I have independantly been able to verify much of it."

Haruka narrows her eyes and just glares at Nao for a few seconds.

"I'm interested in what happens when a Hime loses," interjects Nao. "The bigger they come, the harder the fall, I'm guessing. And that could have implications for where all that power goes."

"Kazahana did everything she could for her brother, the Obsidian Lord. Not enough information exists to conclusively decide whether the Obsidian Lord chose to possess that man, if it were a trick of fate, or if he posed as that person all along," Yukino continues elaborating. At Nao's point, she nods. "This had not been verified, independantly or otherwise, but Miss Sugiura's theory is as good as any for a take on the matter. First and foremost, the link between the Hime and her most important person is adversely effected. Then, what we would see as that person disappearing from the world is actually the result of their very soul being channeled through that link, relayed through the Hime towards the Hime Star. Have you seen Highlander, Nao? Haruka-chan hadn't, unless she watched it without me. It was a movie which, ironically, fits our situation rather well."

"So, the Hime Star is SOUL-powered?"

"There can only be one! But that's not true in our case. At the least, there can be two," replies Nao. "But this makes me wonder. Isn't the Hime Star itself supposed to be the source of the world's ills? If so, why is pumping more power towards it supposed to help us, well, stop the end of the Earth?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that," Yukino says. "I don't think we really need to go into the metaphysics of how it all works -- or worked, since we're changing the rules as we go, now. A simple way to put it would be that the Hime Star provides us with our power, but in return we form the aforementioned link with it. The Obsidian Lord is said to smile as the Hime dance and weep, and that implies that through our battles, our determination and our agony, that investment is returned in spades, and the Obsidian Lord is right there, ready to seize it all in the end. If all Hime just gave up as soon as they gained power, the Hime Star and its influence over the world would likely disappear, if not right away than after several generations of this. However, the power doesn't seek out the suicidal, instead finding a girl who has an incredible potential for sorrow and something she must fight to protect at all costs."

She pauses. "Though Miss Sugiura theorized that happy emotions could power a Child just as well, the truly monstrous ones in recorded history have all been driven by grief, loss and sorrow. Mai... must be a really sad person."

"Okay, so the Obsidian Lord's a leech. Does the report theorize about what happens to the Festival if he gets killed?"

"No."

"Can you expectorate?"

"I can do that," replies Nao.

"Rocks fall, everyone dies."

"No, that's not true. The Obsidian Lord isn't integral to the festival. He's an outside actor, someone who reaps the benefits *because* he controls part of the mechanism. In short, he can be replaced."

Haruka looks irritated. "How could you, Nao? You haven't read the report."

"I've talked to first district personel and Nagi and others, same as you," shoots back Nao. "It's not like everything in the report is a total surprise."

"Okay, so him being dead doesn't shut everything down. How do we take his place and what can we do in that situation?"

"There is a slight problem with dismissing the Obsidian Lord like that," Yukino says, trying to catch Haruka and Nao's interest. "One of the things the thesis goes into is quite intriguing. Miss Sugiura speculates that the Hime Star might be alive or, at the very least, self-aware. The suggestion thus seems to be of an elaborate symbiotic relationship. The Obsidian Lord is granted the power, thus sparing the world from destruction for a time, until the process repeats, but every cycle the Hime Star grows in power still."

Nao bites her lip and looks away, with a disgruntled noise. "He's also immortal, correct? So he's the agent on the earth who ensures more power goes to the star, and he's goaded on by the prospect of oblivion? Not that different to us, really."

"Yes. Though I see several possible ways towards replacing him, I am no longer certain we should do it at this point. Not without finding out more."

Haruka visibly tries to sort all this out in her head. "So, the Obsidian Lord's kind of a middleman, arranging the sacrifice of people for the Hime Star's benefit? And it's happy enough about this that it doesn't kill EVERYONE on the planet."

"What are a few centuries, even several millennia, to a being lacking the very concept of time as we perceive it?"

"I think it's being pragmatic," notes Nao. "Why destroy a good source of fuel? Keep it around until it's rebellious, and then... find a new one, I guess."

"And therein lies the problem. I doubt the Hime Star was truly capable of laying waste to the Earth originally, but right now? That's all true and more."

"It's grotesque, is what it is. Look, could the Festival empower a few Hime enough to...kill the Hime Star itself?"

"Never mind that it's *in space*, our powers come from it. I can't see it just taking that lying down, even if we could get to it."

"Another thing to consider is... where would all that energy, tied to the Earth and in such close proximity to it right now, go?"

"I didn't think of that. I don't want to think of that."

"So we return to our options. I'll start with the worst one that doesn't lead to a bad end, as they say. We wait until everything starts dying and then we attempt the ritual. If it works, and we'll prepare ourselves adequately ahead of time, then we would be armed with enough information to possibly tip the scale next time."

"The last time we tried that, I lost all my memories. I still haven't rememebered exactly what happened at the end, either," notes Nao. "It'd be pot luck."

"Some of us were luckier, and it would only take one."

Nao pauses. "And there's the matter of entropy."

Yukino pauses herself, looking at Nao curiously.

"You know, starting all this over again doesn't sound like the best plan. We did it last time, right? And look where we are now. Talking about doing it again. Other options, Yukino?"

"Did we, Haruka-chan? We believe it was done, but I don't think I was a part of it. Were you?"

"Shizuru killed both of you."

"How would I know? I don't remember--what?!"

"That would account for it," Yukino says sourly.

"Look, put that aside. Everyone was killing everyone else back then. She almost killed me, I killed Gennai and Takumi, who knows who you two killed? It's irrelevant. God, I shouldn't have even said it," mutters Nao.

"How could she--I felt bad about her dying this whole time and she KILLED me? That insufferable--" Haruka is clearly headed for embolism territory.

"I remember fighting Mai," Yukino says quietly. "If anyone, I thought she would have been the death of me."

"Me too. But, no- actually, I'm not sure you died at all." Nao struggles with this for a moment. "Look, you remember Smith? Back when he first met, he told me that some people who were alive now shouldn't be. They lacked souls, the way he put it. I didn't want to believe him, but... well, you were one of them. He thought that if these people stayed alive, they'd cause the universe to spontaneously stop existing. So they had to die."

"--going to IMPEACH her when we fix all this--" Haruka stops mid-rant. "Huh? It's a good thing you didn't tell me this while he was around, then."

"Who would those people be, Nao?" Yukino asks. "And does that have to do with the entropy you mentioned?"

"It's just the word I thought fit. I saw something like it earlier in the playground," replies Nao. "It was like... I don't know how to quite describe it. Convergence between two worlds, it seemed. They didn't quite match up. It was like matter and antimatter; the whole place just vanished."

Clutching the wrist of her flaming claw, she starts trying to shake it out. "Anyway, what I think is that if we do this ritual and set the clock back, it's possible we'll do it imperfectly. Those people... well. Suzushiro Haruka. Ishigami Wataru. Yuuichi Tate. Tokiha Takumi. Kurauchi Kazuya. And... my mother." Nao sighs. "If she wasn't on the list, you might be a stain by now, Haruka. But I couldn't go through with this plan because of that. Say thanks to her later."

"From what I can gather, each and everyone one was a most important person to some Hime. I probably turned everything back the first time because I couldn't stand losing her."

Haruka would like to contest Nao's assumption that it would be an easy victory but, as Nao is clearly distraught, her discretion wins out just this once.

"It might becase the souls of everyone involved wound up in the Hime Star," continues Nao, pounding the dirt. "That'd explain why other people who were dead came back without repercussions, too..."

"Two of those are dead for good, or as close as one could make it," Yukino muses thoughtfully. "There might be some merit in ironing out the issues in this world before making a new one, but I don't think we have the time for it."

The fire on Nao's claw starts to go out, but swings back as she hits the dirt emotionally.

"Dead for good? Why do you say it like that?"

"Poor Yuuichi is all sparkles, now, and if Kazuya is more than a smear in the rubble of some First District lab, I would be very surprised. Whatever happens in this world, they are not coming back."

"Right, so restarting everything again? Sounds like a bad idea if some people won't be coming back no matter what. And it means Hime Star would be even stronger by the time we figured things out next cycle, since it's already taken a few people, right? There has to be something we can do NOW."

"Oh, right. I see the misunderstanding, now. No, it is quite possible that if the world is remade at a point before their death, that said deaths would be averted. Though Nao's words about two worlds colliding trouble me."

"It's all moot if we don't know what to do about the festival in the first place. So what are our other options?" interjects Nao. "I'm willing to risk resetting it again if there's a reasonable chance of success."

"Right," Yukino agrees. "We spent too much time on the least palatable option, after all."

"If THAT'S possible, why don't we reset things all the way back to before the Star showed up? I mean, setting aside that we might not have been alive then."

"We can't really set that aside, because the only advantage we have, the only reason for doing this, is that we'll be getting a second chance armed with our hard-won information. With no way to send it back, what's the use of a redo?"

"We don't even know exactly how this works. We might not be able to be precise with the time," says Nao, scrunching up her face and trying to remember how this worked. Dammit, it must be somewhere! There were pillars, she knows that!

"Moving on," Yukino announces. "There is the obvious option of abandoning all else and trying the ritual now. At the very least, if one of us makes it back with enough of her mind intact, she would know enough to get the others to cooperate. Then, we could devise a plan against Kazahana, the Crystal Princess. And against the Obsidian Lord and the Hime Star as well, perhaps."

She shrugs. "We've spent enough time debating the merits of such plans. Other options still are available."

"Go on," Haruka says. "I'd like a plan that involves beating someone into paste right now rather than something that's been tried before without total success."

Nao shrugs. "Let's hear it."

Yukino taps against the handheld's monitor a few times, nodding in satisfaction at what it displays her. "When Miss Sugiura said that Kazahana was dead -- do you remember that, Haruka-chan? Well, it seems she wasn't being any way but literal. The Kazahana Mashiro that you two have faced earlier today was not the real Chairwoman. By this, I mean to say that it was not her real body."

"Oh? I figured the winner might get perks, like immortality. So it's possession?"

"It's a deduction," Yukino responds with a snort. "Sorry. Miss Sugiura believes that the winner of the Carnival is encased in crystal to stay by the Obsidian Lord's side. Perhaps that crystal is the only reason the world is still in one place after the Obsidian Lord's untimely demise. I do not believe that Kazahana could have left what is effectively her prison as well as her seat of power on her own two feet."

"She has her loyal maid," replies Nao. "Still got the scythe?"

"Wait, so the WINNER gets frozen in crystal? This is the worst contest ever."

"And, uh...I know we kept the scythe around here somewhere. Didn't want Fumi getting it back, that's for sure."

"Would you do it if it meant your most important person lived?" questions Nao, glancing at the dynamic duo. "I'll bet there's no shortage of martyrs amongst Hime."

"The maid is an interesting point," Yukino agrees. "Did Kazahana offer her power, in essentially to sponsor her through the contest? Or did she carefully mold that woman into catering to her every whim? We must keep in mind that while she looks the younger and more frail of the two, the relationship between them is reversed in truth."

"How long has she been at the school? I assume longer than we've been Hime," notes Nao. "They presumably need each other. We've no idea how Kazahana's situation restricts her..."

Sitting up, her voice raises a little. "But I wonder what her goals are? One thing is clear- she doesn't want the Obsidian Lord controlling things, no doubt in favour of herself. Of course, that would be hard if she's stuck in a crystal all the time, so... I suspect the latter, frankly. She needs Fumi to be loyal enough to accept that fate in her stead."

"Haruka snorts. "Yeah, great deal there."

Nao shrugs. "I think she's willing to die for Mashiro, judging by the fight from earlier. It's strange, though. Hime just can't really think that way."

"Do we know anything about Fumi at all, outside of her being Mashiro's maid? I never really thought about her before."

"Only that she's a Hime." Nao frowns. "And last time around, I don't think anyone became aware of treachery... either that, or Shizuru didn't remember."

"Our resources are stretched pretty thin by this point, but maybe Fumi could be useful in some way if we knew enough about her."

"Maybe if we kill her, Mashiro dies. Which, by what Yukino just said, would be pretty bad." Nao's face turns ugly. "God, that sucks. It means that if we run into her again, we probably have to hold back."

"Hime can't think that way?" Yukino muses to herself. "How often have we seen a Hime try to sacrifice herself?" She shakes her head. "I think that rather than hoping to run into Kazahana by accident, we should arrange such a meeting. At a place and time of our choosing, of course."

"Sure, but how to arrange it? I mean, can we contact her? Maybe just set up some kind of signal she can't ignore."

"Shouldn't, then. Being selfish is good for you." Nao frowns. "Difficult to confirm that when she can fly. Even if we do, I have no idea what to say to her, or what incentive she has to spill."

"I don't know, splitting up her and Fumi somehow? It would put her off-balance, at least."

"Maybe. I could handle abduction. She must have knowledge about the inner workings of things. We could at least put her out of the game, restrain them somehow."

"That's the idea, yes."

"Could Mashiro do anything dangerous by herself? I don't know, but she wouldn't expect to be alone, and that could only help us."

"She can fly around and set things on fire? If it comes to affecting people who aren't Hime, I'd say she can do anything, and that could be a lot."

"Yes, the dreaded power of flying around and setting people on fire," Yukino notes dryly. "To get conversation back on track, please recall that I alluded to the Crystal Star being the source of Kazahana's powers. At the very least, she should be most powerful near it. Perhaps we could devise a plan that involved drawing her... apparition, for lack of better term, as far away from it as possible, while simultaneously taking measures to contain the Star somehow, if not get it under our control. There might have been a way for the Obsidian Lord to do so, and if it should be possible to step into his shoes using the artifacts he left behind and our own special link to the entire system, why not try to achieve the same here?"

"It sounds almost unworkable," admits Nao. "What could pull her away from the source of her strength? She knows we have these-" the sword is waved around for emphasis. "I don't know if she'd be that careless, even if we could force her to act somehow."

"And this is a point where we must make assumptions. I don't believe I exaggerate when I say that guessing wrong at this stage gives us the dreaded bad end."

Before anyone can comment, Yukino states, "I'll start. Kazahana Mashiro has something she wants."

"Power and the freedom to use that power."

Haruka isn't sure how to get that from her without equal or greater power, and lets Nao speculate first.

"We have to try and get inside her head to understand her goal. I feel it is of the utmost importance."

"Alright. So you've just won the festival for your beloved," states Nao. "Then he betrays you and locks you in a crystal prison for three odd centuries. You manage to get out. What do you want?"

"And what do you want to avoid?" Yukino adds. "Luring the chairwoman somewhere seems like an insurmountable task, until we make an assumption that a world reset is a situation she would do anything to prevent. Then, it would be a simple matter of setting things up for a trap."

"Of course. If that went through successfully, and we retained our memories, what's the first thing we'd be sure to do on arrival?" remarks Nao, humming to herself.

"But... I'm not entirely sure she was unaware of what happened," she adds.

"So, how to make it look like we're about to hit the reset button?"

"Go someplace else to perform the ritual while someone stays back here. Leak that information... to the First District."

"And that brings us to another assumption. Miss Sugiura thought that our chairwoman was integrated into their structure, though she lacked in specifics, owning perhaps to the secretive nature of that organization and the jealous way it is guarded. Perhaps that is why she was meeting with a government agent who conducted an investigation into First District proxies, although this is mere conjecture on my part."

"It's not an assumption. We know she's affiliated with them. Nagi said so," replies Nao. "The assumption is that she's maintained contact to this point, but I don't believe she'd lack in contacts."

Yukino nods at that. "Interesting. There is also our last possibility, though I doubt it is one either of you would adopt."

"Win by normal means?" guesses Nao.

"That's not my favorite option," Haruka confirms.

"I doubt it would do much but empower the Hime Star at this point," Yukino responds. "I suppose if someone were to try and seize the Obsidian Lord's place... I don't know. Originally, I wanted to win to align the conditions for a reset, rather than winning for its own sake. I do admit it might well be possible to succeed and rule over what is left of the world. Perhaps we could even arrive at an agreeable arrangement with First District and the remnants of Searrs."

"If we could even talk to them. America's a mess right now, remember? Can't reach them."

"And, incidentally, this brings me up to the real last option I thought to mention. We could simply... do nothing." Yukino spreads her arms wide. "The Obsidian Lord was not a very nice person. Kazahana was one of us, and she would be the closest person out of all those involved to really understand what we're going through. It could well be that she has a plan which is beneficient to the rest of the world. In fact, did she not avoid killing you when she had the chance?"

"Then there's no problem in dealing with them," replies Nao, acidly.

"And that is why I don't believe any of you would jump at the chance."

Yukino shrugs. "Still, it had to be voiced."

"If she were on our side, couldn't she have just explained it earlier? ...Granted, everyone was a little mad about her killing Mikoto."

"I think we have to do something, if only because of the problem I mentioned earlier," replies Nao. "And that will inevitably put us at odds with Kazahana."

Nao's claw pulsates rather noticably.

Yukino rolls her eyes at Haruka. "Please let me kill the little catgirl, it is for the sake of world peace. Yeah, that would've gone over well."

Haruka scowls for a moment. "Hey, I'm just thinking out loud here, okay? Anyway, making assumptions about Mashiro having our best interests in mind doesn't sti well with me either."

"You misunderstand. I'm not claiming she's acting out of our best interests in mind. No, what I'm saying is that it's quite possible that whatever we do will end badly, while not doing anything would... well, it would allow us to escape with our lives, our most important person and maybe even with the world itself intact."

"What about the souls in the Hime Star? If we can gain control of it, we may be able to excise them, return them to some form. Searrs did it with clones, and Mashiro has a secondary body- the same thing could apply."

Nao stands up. "I have to take that opportunity if it's there."

"The only known way to truly take control of the Hime Star in any way is to kill the other Hime. But the only one who gets that control is the Obsidian Lord, who happens to be dead. If one of the Hime serves as an arbiter in his stead, there is a certain risk that the control won't be perfect, even if it takes hold," Yukino cautions.

"You mentioned faking Mashiro out earlier as an alternative, and getting to the Crystal Star. But what exactly would we do from there? That route didn't involve taking out the other Hime."

"The Crystal Star is tuned to a Hime, the way the Hime Star is connected to the Obsidian Lord. Badly-chosen naming conventions aside, that is at the basis of my belief that doing something about the Crystal Star might be easier."

"Even if we wrest control of it from her, wouldn't that imply that one of us would have to step up to get locked inside?"

"It might, although we have a perfectly capable Hime already inside. She just needs to get over her rebelliousness, that's all."

"So hey, let's just go talk Mashiro into being sensible?" Haruka says skeptically.

"You mean beat her into being sensible."

Yukino looks like she wants to comment, but keeps her peace at Nao's words. "Wasn't it what you intended on doing all along? Consider the beating as having an added benefit, here."

"Then why are we still here talking? I thought I suggested brute force a while ago?"

"It's.. just cutting our losses, in a sense. That or doing nothing doesn't do anything for the people who died already," murmurs Nao, strangely uncomfortable. "How does the ritual to reset things work?"

"We'll need the sword, I think. I'm not sure it could work away from Fuka, but then again, I don't think the chairwoman would know that for certain. Anything to connect the Hime and the Obsidian Lord substitute or to forge a stronger bond between them would be most welcome."

"He bound himself with Mikoto with a pair of amulets. I still have them."

"That would do it, yes, or should if we get them to work with us. So what's it going to be? To use the brute force option Haruka-chan is quite partial to, we must go through the First District barring a cunning plan to draw Kazahana out or track her down."

"Well, again, if she wouldn't want us to reset things, is there anyway to make it look like that's what we're about to do?"

"Which is to know how it's actually done. Can you theorize on ways to retain our memories?"

"We already know emotions are key. Emotions translate to power, whether it is the Hime Star or the Child. Emotions also form the bond between a Hime and her most important person. It is my belief that a strong desire would prevail, especially if tied in some manner to a person dear to us." Yukino considers Haruka's question. "As for a bluff, I suppose I could get back to working on fixing the PA system for good. Aside from, again, going through the First District."

Nao twists the amulets around in her hand like marbles, staring into the dead orbs as if looking for answers.

"Well. I'm partial to turning back time. Forcing Mashiro to submit, or letting her do what she wants- it still leaves behind a ruined world that might not last anyway. Sue me for wanting a more optimistic ending."

Haruka shakes her head. "I'm not eager to try resetting things again. I don't want to keep this cycle going on any longer than we have to. Take Mashiro's place and maybe there's a way to use that power against the Hime Star. This has to end with it being killed, one way or another."

"But then Mikoto and Shizuru will still be dead!"

"So how many tries will it take to get everything right, Nao? Do we have any clue at all? We have to stop it now. We have some ideas and the means to put a plan into action. Who's to say things'll work out that way next time?"

"It'll work for the next time," replies Nao. "I'll make it work. I won't let myself forget this time. These other plans result in a world that's unacceptable. Besides- besides, what about all the people you killed? You're just going to forget about them?"

Yukino also waits for the answer to that, observing her two fellow Hime casually.

Haruka is silent for a moment. "...No. No, I'm not going to just forget. Yukino, might we still have time for the reset if facing down Mashiro doesn't solve everything?"

"Assuming she doesn't fly and set us on fire? Sure, I guess."

"Green beats red."

"Nao's optimistic, as you can see, Haruka-chan."

"Did you want to put in a vote, Kikukawa?"

Haruka looks at Yukino expectantly.

Yukino nods curtly. "Yes. Paradoxically, perhaps, I want to delay as much as possible. To me, information and power are interchangeable, as you might get from seeing Diana. I've already given up on this world, and anything I could do to have a better start the next time, I'll take. So ideally, I would like to try for the worst of the options I presented, by my own admission."

"We need to ensure the conditions for a reset are at their best. Which means we need a suitable pair to go through with it," notes Nao.

"As long as that's ensured, I don't mind if we wait."

"Alright, so..." Haruka starts, preparing for the question that has to be asked. "Who?"

"You two are right here... you tell me if that would work."

Haruka nods. "If I'm suggesting this plan, I can't really say no to that."

"I'll need the amulets and the sword, then."

Nao sticks the sword into the ground, and takes a step back. "Akira and Mai could've also worked- or even Takumi and Mai, if the stand-in need not be a Hime. All the people I care about vanished or died, though. If it was me, Natsuki would probably have been the best..."

She sighs. "I don't even know if she's alive anymore. I wonder, what happens if the Hime dies when their most important person, the one they're fighting for- is also dead? Can it even work that way?"

"I'm not sure what you mean by that," Yukino says cautiously. She's not approaching the sword, although that is easy to understand given the unmeasured range of Nao's green claw on her equipment.

"If I killed Takumi, do you think Mai would get weaker or stronger?" queries Nao, shrugging. "And if she got stronger, what would happen if she was defeated anyway? Her important person would've already been killed."

"Since negative emotions have been noted to increase a Hime's power, I would go with the latter," Yukino says thoughtfully. "Of course, her psychological state is another thing entirely. Will she overcome her little brother's death and channel the loss and rage into power? I cannot answer that. As for being defeated afterwards... I honestly don't know. Wouldn't you, by that very act, consume Mai's entire world and become her new most important person, featuring, perhaps, even more prominently in her thoughts?"

"Enough talk about killing people," Haruka says. "Let's get ready to beat the crap out of Mashiro."

"I guess it might work that way," murmurs Nao. "What a scary thought. Anyway, our plan is to do nothing, isn't it, since we're resetting things anyway. Information is power, I agree."

"Our plan... might need some work to gain cohesion," Yukino summarizes with a wince.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

"Lacking a concrete plan," Yukino is saying, "continuing my work on understanding the systems powering the Obsidian Lord's complex seems like my best move. Even if I fail to fix what we need in time, the knowledge gained would be invaluable. It is also something only I can do, while others could conceivably get in touch with First District, make contact with that ninja clan, or execute any number of other possible moves."

"We can approach this from multiple fronts," notes Nao. "If we can find their headquarters, Akira and his people may be able to infiltrate it. And if we can get in contact with them... well, it doesn't seem as though they want rid of us, so I believe they might be willing to discuss the future. At the least, they'll entertain diplomacy by this point."

"Do we know of any First District contacts? That are still alive, I mean. Otherwise, I can ask my father to look into it."

"Akira was working on it. But we could get their attention the same way we got people's attention on Fuka," replies Nao.

"How's that? ...It's been a long day, alright?"

"Television. Just walk into a station and demand them to put you on air. I doubt they'll refuse the amazing transforming girl... man, I just wish I could do it."

"Hah. Well, you COULD do it. I doubt they'd refuse someone with a scary neon claw either. But sure."

"No, but they can tell me their equipment is nonfunctional just fine," mutters Nao, glaring balefully at her hand.

"Anyway, you could demand that *they* meet *us*, and surely start up some nationwide efforts to uncover them. Or threaten them with the reset ritual. Or any number of things. Without some other means of communication, it's our best shot at getting this intelligence leaked.

"It's all part of getting Mashiro out in the open. We don't know exactly where the Crystal Star is, right?"

"No, I don't think so." To Yukino: "We don't, do we? If not, I suppose I need to talk to my father again to get things rolling."

"We don't, not really," Yukino affirms. "As for your father, Haruka-chan, I think you are overestimating whatever investigations he could perform in the time we have."

"Akira would be a better shot. We might as well contact her now and see if she can tell us anything about their installations."

She pauses, for a moment. "Time. Speaking of time, how much do you estimate we have?"

Yukino frowns. "Worst case scenario? Something is slowly eroding our world, starting with the western hemisphere. Unfortunately, this places us close enough to be threatened by the phenomenon. Even if we evacuated, we might not even need to have the Hime Star crash into Earth, since there would be no one left by that time. Speaking more optimistically, however, a couple of days sounds more reasonable; we've used up a considerable amount of one of them."

She looks at Nao questioningly. "Unless you know something I don't, the absolute deadline seems to be the date the Carnival was supposed to conclude, and even by that estimate, our window of opportunity to make a change is brief."

"What are the conditions necessary to complete this ritual?" asks Nao, biting her lip.

"Trust, cooperation, determination. The proper tools. Holding enough power over the Hime Star so that another won't try to contest the outcome." Yukino shrugs helplessly. "Since doing anything about the latter has been vetoed, and I don't believe there's anything more that could be done about the former, we could probably try it at any time. Location might be important, which is what I would try to work on once we're all set. Nothing else comes to mind."

"If nobody contests changing things, it's fine, isn't it? Then, either way, all we need to do is rub out Mashiro." Nao shrugs, and draws a few characters in the air. "I don't see why anyone would be against it."

"Neither do I." Yukino's frown deepens. "Strange. What made me say that?"

"You disagree?"

"No, I--" Yukino shakes her head. "I suppose it doesn't matter. Moving on to next on our list. Contacting the ninja, wasn't it?"

"Yes, did they leave a contact number or do I have to swim?"

"Isn't Takumi still on the island?"

"He's probably being evacuated with the rest."

"That does sound likely," Yukino agrees. "For what it matters, the ships haven't left yet."

"I'd be surprised if he left. Hist sister and Akira are still involved, right? But we can run down to the coast and find him first if we need to reach the ninjas."

"I mean, unless Yukino already has a number for them."

"Speaking of that, we have no idea where Mai is. Frankly, I'm assuming the worst."

"I sincerely doubt that, since you have been contemplating strategies for fighting her," Yukino states bluntly.

"That would be the worst," replies Nao. "I know she's not dead. But it wouldn't surprised me if she was kidnapped."

"Kidnapped? How do you kidnap someone who can do what we've seen Mai do? Unless she's totally given up hope, I guess."

"They managed it with Akane, didn't they?"

Nao frowns. "Although they probably got to Kazuya first. I don't know, it's just that there's been no sign of her. There's no telling what she's doing."

"Great," Yukino mutters. "Well, back to the ninja. I can try that hideout of theirs. Whether they answer or not is up to them."

"Go for it."

Haruka nods as well, waiting to see the results of Yukino's request before doing anything else.

In the interim, Nao grips her flaming hand with the other, and tries very hard to see if it can be stifled.

After nearly a dozen rings, there is the click of an answering machine. It is the basic one, a woman's prerecorded voice spelling out the number they have reached and the keys they would need to press to leave a message in the system.

As the explanation sounds, Yukino rolls her eyes. "I'll handle that part. Who wants to talk?"

"I've barely talked to them before. This part's probably you, Nao."

"I'll need to shout," mutters Nao, dryly. "Alright, though."

There is a loud beep.

"Akira! If you have any idea where the important facilities of the first district are, please let us know. We've barely got over 24 hours to make something happen, according to Yukino- don't delay. I'll discuss things further when we can actually talk."

Without further delay, the message is stored. Yukino cuts the transmission as the recording thanks them for taking the time to do so.

"I left a caller ID, in case we didn't put one in the message," she says. "Once they decide to answer, I'll know."

"Ninjas with answering machines," Haruka muses. "This is a strange world."

"Good. Here's the plan. We'll make a broadcast to the first district indicating that we want to discuss how to save the world, and that if they don't talk it over with us we'll have to resort to our own measures. Which we will, if they disagree. If not, Suzushiro and I will enter... discussion." states Nao.

"Get Akira and his people to try and infiltrate their headquarters, if possible. They've been studying the crystal star; they must have people there who know where it is and how it works. You might even get to go with them, Kikukawa- if it's stored digitally, that's your province, right?"

Yukino doesn't seem excited at the prospect, but nods. "I'll need to be onsite, due to the cumulative losses Diana incurred."

"Will you be fine on a battlefield?" queries Nao, unable to avoid smirking for a moment. "There might be blood."

"Don't worry about it, Nao," Haruka speaks up for her friend. "Yukino's turning out to be a lot of things I hadn't expected before."

"I'll bet she is. Anyway, we'll try that. We might be able to drag Mashiro out by threatening to use our own methods, like you said. I don't know the details- give me a good lie to spin to them."

"The best bluff would be to claim we hold her body hostage, though it is one she would easily call...." Yukino trails off. "Unless we already expected that and were in a position to track her down as she goes to check."

"To do that, we need to know roughly where she is or where she'll go."

"Exactly. I'd guess we don't have time to find her actual body?"

"If we could do that, we wouldn't need to bother with deception," admits Nao.

"There might be a way, if we do it gradually," Yukino muses. "Lure her into communicating with us by-- yes, using something she wants as leverage. We certainly have the Obsidian Lord's sword, don't we? And once we get her talking, it should be possible to trace her, stall her enough to get someone capable of tracking her into position and drop the other shoe on her. Our bluff would look more credible since the first part is actually true."

"Hey, Haruka, grow wings and see if you can fly for a sec," asks Nao, beeming at the blonde.

"Metal's not known for being aerodiabolic, Nao," Haruka replies. Still, having wings could be a good look!

The angelic wings are sharp, making Yukino edge away with a hiss. Haruka looks quite glorious with them, although a few inches shorter.

"I don't think this will actually work, Nao," Haruka says, hopping in the air experimentally.

Yukino looks at Haruka and Nao strangely, backing away further. "It's the stress, isn't it?" she asks quietly. "We all go through that."

"Don't hurt anyone with those things," mutters Nao. "Tracking her. If I could put this freaking claw out, I could probably keep up. Haruka stands out too much... and Akira's people would probably be the best at it."

At Yukino's comment, Nao giggles. "I already went through stress. Right now? I figure that if I have to do this stupid fight, I may as well enjoy it where I can. Didn't you find your powers fun now and then?"

Haruka absorbs the wings back into her body, then turns to Yukino. "Hey, if looking silly is necessary in order to esave the world, then that's a sacrifice I'm prepared to make!"

Yukino rolls her eyes. "Try going for something practical, Haruka-chan. If you shape them more like a glider, you could conceivably... glide. From a high spot. Without the sun to illuminate you for those below, it would probably even work."

"Seriously? Where should I start?" If it was anyone else, Haruka might be suspicious about someone trying to make her jump off a cliff, but not Yukino.

"She might well end up coming back to Fuka," opines Nao. "That's where everything important is, no? The mountains could be a good shot."

"A cliff or a skyscraper would be my first bet." At Nao's suggestion, she nods. "Also an option."

"Yukino, can you get me in touch with my father again? If we're going to get something out on television, we'll need a little help."

"It's doable," she agrees, and soon Hiro's voice fills the cavern again.

"Haruka?" he is asking. "Is that you? We got cut off the last time, and I've been unable to reach you since."

"Yeah, it's me. Everything's okay here, the evacuation's gone pretty smoothly. Look, we're going to need to make some kind of announcement to get the attention of our foes, something they can't miss. Do you know anyone in the press who can arrange this? I figure someone with a Hime's powers showing up on Tv and claiming to know what's going on with the world...that's hard to ignore."

"We have contacts in the press," Hiro says. "Setting up an exclusive is possible, and the other stations should pick it up if it's interesting enough, which I have no doubt this would be."

"How fast can you make this happen?" calls Nao.

"I could have a meeting set up within the hour, although making it to one of the TV stations would be the real issue."

"Couldn't they come here? They have helicopters and things."

"Why's that? Are things that much of a mess outside the island?"

"People are confused," Hiro tells Haruka, his voice tight. "And it's one thing to broadcast live to the entire nation after you demonstrate your special abilities to them. It is quite another to get them to fly over on faith to a remote, out of the way little island while there is already plenty to cover on the mainland. Lastly, I would suspect technical difficulties, unless there is a broadcasting tower in Fuka."

Nao looks at Yukino.

"I doubt it. There's been a lot of destruction here. Yukino?"

Speculatively. "No, ours is probably going to be busy. We could try working through one of the First District's fronts, or Haruka could go on a trip. How long do you think it would take?"

"For someone with your powers, considerably less than anyone else," Hiro responds. "How fast would it take you to get to the mainland from Fuka?"

Yukino, meanwhile, shakes her head silently to Haruka.

"For me, I think it'd take around half an hour. Even less for Haruka, who could have flippers and fins and stuff."

"And who doesn't have the same breathing problem I do," Nao adds, darkly.

"Well, I--what Nao said," Haruka admits hesitantly. Lord, what's her father going to make of those statements?

There is no immediate response.

"Don't worry about it. I'm still your daughter, even if I look a little different."

"Annnnyway, where do we go when we get there? I'll be honest, I have no idea where Fuka is."

Hiro coughs.

"Haruka, do you still have the contacts I gave you?"

"I'm afraid not. Things have been hectic here," Haruka admits.

"Unfortunate," Hiro says. "Ask the rescue force for help, then. They should have all the maps you might want, too. It would only be a matter of choosing whom to approach; get in touch with me if there is any trouble."

"Alright, I'll head to them straight away. Thank you."

"Hold on a sec," chimes in Nao. "We're going to try and ask them to contact us, and when they do, we're hoping to be able to trace their communications. Think you can do that?"

"That would be possible if they use our systems," Hiro responds after a brief period of thought. "The odds of that are high."

"Good enough. Yukino, presuming the crystal star is on Fuka, it shouldn't be hard to track her if we can goad her here. I don't know how powerful she is, but we'd outnumber her at the very least, and her maid no longer has a weapon. In short, our chances of, ah, 'negotiating from a strong position' are pretty high."

"Right," Yukino agrees with a crooked smile.

Haruka nods in agreement. "If we're all set on this plan, then I should probably set out soon. I need to catch the evacuation team before they leave."

"Ok. It only takes one of us to give an address," notes Nao. "And I probably can't. Still, I don't really want to be idle. What sort of location do we need to conduct the ritual, Yukino?"

There is a distinct click, before Yukino shrugs. "Here might be a good spot."

Haruka turns to exit the cave. "Keep an eye on the channels, Yukino. Next time you see me, I should be on TV! You know, that always sounded fun. Shame about the circumcisions, is all. Good luck in the meantime, you two."

"You know what you have to say, right?" asks Nao, slightly dubious.

"Yeah, of course. We're going to hit the reset button, cooperate or, uh, get reset?"

"I don't think there's a need to give away exactly what we plan," notes Nao. "Make sure they know we'll take our own measures if they don't try to cooperate, and make doubly sure they know that we have Mashiro's real body, and the sword. Be all concilatory-like, give them a line of communication to use." She frowns. "I don't think I missed anything. Stay in touch."

"Okay." You can almost SEE Haruka inscribing these statements into her brain to avoid forgetting them. Then she leaves.

Nao buries her face in her hands- well, her good hand. "This claw has doomed us all," she moans.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

In less than half an hour, Nao and Yukino are informed that two of the ships are sailing back, loaded with all the refugees the Suzushiro delegation managed to locate and get onboard. Some of them are remaining behind, strictly as volunteers, it turns out. They would be combing Yukino's blind spots on the island in hope of finding more alive and in need of rescue.

Yukino takes the reports in stride, having returned to working on the five pillars. They draw her attention, while Nao focuses on her burning claw.

There is a definite link between Nao's reigning emotions and the fire dancing over her fingertips, she determines. By remaining calm, Nao can put out the worst of it. Perhaps, if she focused for several hours, she might be able to chase away the flames altogether.

"D'you think I'd be able to get it back if I put it out?" asks Nao, shaking her hand back and forth. "Phone might be handy, but I'd take this over that if I had to choose."

"How are you putting it out?" Yukino asks, sounding somewhat absent-minded.

"If my heart is dead, so is the fire. If I'm ice cold, then it goes away."

"Poetic," she mutters. "So if I, say, use Mashiro's name--"

The fire surrounding Nao's claw twitches in response.

"Yeah. Don't say it too much. Probably increases the range," mutters Nao. "Seems that I can't let it go away. Not without giving up altogether."

"And here I was about to give my congratulations for finding the trigger," Yukino says without looking up at Nao. "Aha! Very nice...."

"Hmph. I can't cut myself off that easy." Nao snorts. "Feel free to try and make me mad before it's time to fight."

Yukino leans back, drawing an arm against her forehead. Nao can't tell whether she'd worked up a sweat or if the gesture is merely a symbolic one.

"First stage, complete," Yukino says. "I am amazed despite myself. There is no other way to describe this but magic, and it had been available for who knows how long. How would history have gone, if the right people had access to it all along?"

"Aren't we past believing in magic?" asks Nao, peering over beyond the girl. "Anyway, how did you know how to, you know, fix it? And what does it do, anyway?"

"Are we?" Yukino challenges. "It's a philosophical debate, I suppose. I'm not so much fixing as taking it apart and altering a function here and there after observing how it acts. With the proper mindset, even you might be able to do that much. Say that pushing this button here sends a current through these three conduits, and in the end, the process generates a shield around the cavern. If you measure everything you can see and document the process, you might be able to see what happens if you tinker with the current that goes through said conduits, or experimentally disconnect one. It hardly means I would be able to build such a device from scratch."

"I'm so sorry I can't help," mutters Nao, sardonically. "Anyway, you know what they say about sufficiently advanced science and all that. The way you put it, this is physics, and there's probably some explanation. Searrs had similar tech, at the least."

Nao muses over this for a moment. "It's easy for me to think an explanation exists for this device. But magic is the only thing I can call the Hime's bargain, or all this trust and emotion stuff that powers things."

"Logically, wouldn't magic have rules of its own as well?" Yukino asks. "We usually assosiate magic with the irrational, but there's really no reason that must be so. And calling this technology?" She laughs. "These devices have existed for millennia. Have we humans been living for countless generations under this global masquerade? I don't know if I could handle knowing that every piece of technology which now exists was derived from here. That every major scientific breakthru through the ages... wasn't."

"Blame First District, I suppose. Or the Obsidian Lord, take your pick." Nao shrugs. "Maybe uncovering all this would've been the start of the Golden Millenium Searrs hoped for. Who knows, now?"

Picking up the sword, she executes a couple of empty slashes in the air, grasping it with both hands. "All we have to do is win, and we can take the fruits of this across the world. Ancient history doesn't matter much to me. Anyway, if you uncover a lie, you don't just freeze up."

"Who's freezing up?" Yukino challenges, rolling her eyes. Nao's eyesight recovers enough to catch the motion.

"Searrs sure had an interesting way of ushering in a new era of peace and prosperity," Yukino says sarcastically.

"I'm not trying to justify their actions," replies Nao, spitting. "A hundred breakthroughs and more could lie here, waiting to be found. Why would they care who they step over to get to it? The world would march to their beat afterwards in any case."

"That's probably how it is," Yukino agrees. "You know... it is a tempting thought. Seizing it all once we get back, not just to save the world but to move it forward, too."

"I guess," replies Nao, unenthusiastically. "The Suzushiro people will probably be all over it. You think we'll retain our might?"

"You mean our bond with the Child? Our potential?"

Yukino is shying away from discussing the Suzushiro group's involvement.

"That. Our strength. Our weapons. Any of it," replies Nao, not caring very much. "God. I'm half-blind, I'm pretty sure the only thing keeping my arm together is some bit of Arika's soul that I stole- if I lose it, I'll probably just drop dead on the spot."

"You'll lose your arm, more like," Yukino muses. "Going back might reset it. Might not. Might reset it until the time you first call on your power, or reestablish your contract with your Child."

"I was in shape this time around. My body would probably be alright. Don't know about the soul or spirit or whatever you call it. It was the day Aoi and Chie vanished. You know, I'm still curious about that."

Yukino frowns. "In a way, so am I. That shouldn't have happened."

"The question is... why? Shizuru had some idea, I think. You don't know if Chie had a roommate, do you?"

"Normally, I would be mortified to admit to that," Yukino confides in Nao. "End of the world. It's so liberating."

"Doesn't beat having no memories whatsoever," replies Nao, with a wry grin. "I really should be more embarrased about that."

"So what else can you do with this supercomputer? Can y'show me something?"

"It's not actually a supercomputer," Yukino responds, gesturing at the nearest pillar. "More like... home entertainment system, say? The real core is probably somewhere deep down, but it's all inter-connected, so we have access to a lot of options. We're a bit low on defense due to me stripping that part down to enhance our information-gathering network and communications gear. If there's anything to be used for offense, it's clearly locked out from this level of access." She shrugs. "I suppose I could get it to play some suitable background music."

"Figures. Don't worry. I'll protect you, Yukino-chan~"

Yukino gives Nao a look, and silently returns to work, her break done with for the time being. She works effectively, though it's obvious the process of getting things to work as she wishes is a painstakingly slow one.

Nao's eyesight recovers further as the hours are spent in waiting. She finds that she no longer needs to squint to be able to tell Yukino's expression, when the latter turns towards her with a frown. "I've been having Diana follow the news," she informs Nao. "There is some sort of buzz on the message boards, that NHK is about to come out with something big."

"Just as planned, I guess. Can you put it up somewhere we can watch?" She also looks rather curious. "Say, does your Child speak to you?"

Yukino is plainly considering whether to answer that. "Not in words," she finally says. "Yeah, we're going to see a live feed, but Diana is overly extended as is. I can't stream anything approaching good quality."

"Anything's better than nothing. Audio's what's gonna be important."

"It's time," Yukino says ten minutes later with barely-restrained excitement. She graciously assigns four adjacent monitors to the task, displaying the video for Nao to see reasonably clearly.

A blonde woman introduces herself and the topic, before the camera pans out. The darkened image of a girl is shown sitting behind a privacy screen. Minami Sakurada, the reporter present, introduces her as Akane, a witness to the events that had transpired at Fuka.

"Should've got some popcorn," mumbles Nao, squinting curiously at the screens.

The story is as incoherent as one might expect from a teenage refugee unable to make heads or tails of the disaster that had befallen her. The mentions of a crippled headmistress abandoned during the escape and a violent girl fighting with an ominous black sword are the most memorable parts of the tale.

Minami Sakurada next begins to put students on the air, having managed to somehow reach several of them over the phone.

"Think that one's you?" Yukino asks curiously.

"I used it only that one time!" mutters Nao. "Oh, I'll show them violent."

Nao frowns for a moment. "It could be Mikoto, if it's really a student," she adds.

Yukino snickers, though her mirth abruptly peters out when a distraught girl asks why her friends couldn't come back with her. Mikoto's name is mentioned, and Yukino closes her eyes. "Prophetic," she mutters, not saying much else.

"Wonder what they'll say about Haruka. Or the soldiers," mutters Nao.

The next caller answers that question, earning Nao a strange look from Yukino. Unlike the others interviewed, this girl's voice isn't being disguised. She is introduced as Sachiko, and that name along with the voice nudges something in Nao's memory. She had met her, albeit briefly.

The girl behind the privacy sheet looks very uncomfortable as Sachiko accuses Haruka Suzushiro of betraying them all.

"I knew it," mutters Nao. "Dammit! But it doesn't matter if she acts the demon on television, as long as it drags Mashiro out."

The reporter looks increasingly uncomfortable, and it is almost with trepidation that she seems to accept the next call.

"We seem to be getting another call from a survivor of the Fuka invasion," Nao and Yukino hear. "The Superintendent of Fuka Academy?"

"I prefer Chairwoman, Miss Sakurada," Mashiro's voice, slightly tinny, sounds. "As you can hear, reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."

Nao slams her fist through the ground, and reflexively grasps her wrist. "That bitch!" she growls.

Minami Sakurada and Mashiro continue to talk, while Yukino calls up a translucent screen before her eyes, giving Nao a warning glance as it wavers, albeit holding and not winking out.

"Thank you for calling us, Mashiro Kazahana, Chairwoman of Fuka Academy. It is a great relief to hear that you made it off the island in peace. What can you tell us about the events that transpired?"

"Thank you. It seems that there was a clash between two rival groups, each with its own private army. I've heard second-hand reports of foreigners, though the fog of war is yet to clear on the matter. I managed to get a closer look than most at the ships surrounding Fuka, however, and the following might come as a shock. They clearly belonged to the Suzushiro group, who fielded trained men and women to gather up the students in a single encampment."

At that point, Akane exclaims, "That's a lie! The Suzushiro Corp piloted the boats that SAFELY REMOVED the survivors from the island. Ask anyone who came back if the same people were among the soldiers!"

"Ten bucks says she says it was a setup," grunts Nao.

"Who?" Yukino asks. She sounds distracted.

"Mashiro. She'll say Suzushiro's people fucked everything up, then pretended to rescue the survivors to make good."

Yukino snorts, while the argument between Akane and Mashiro gets heated to the bewilderment of their host.

"Ah, I see. And I suppose you will next claim that I was the one who sent those soldiers against my own students?"

"It doesn't matter what I claim to you. You and I both know what happened. So what's going to happen next? Ready to meet up with us and end this, or will we have to repair things our own way?"

"My dear Akane, you've lost me, I'm afraid."

"Then come back to Fuka and we'll explain everything. Only there's not much time left, as I'm sure you know."

Nao gives a low whistle. "I've got to admit, I was fooled for a second," she notes.

After dismissing Akane's words as too cryptic, Mashiro requests the host's permission to say a few words. It's not a difficult task to manage with Minami Sakurada's state, which closely resembles shell shock at this point.

"Things look dire," Mashiro says, her voice getting slightly dreamy as she goes along. "Anyone with eyes to raise them skywards can sense this. However, there is no need to panic. The clouds will recede, and our normal, clear blue skies will be waiting for us. That is the way it has always been, and these troubling times are no exception. A lasting sky; it is a legacy any person would wish to leave behind, is it not?"

"Sure, we'll just start the cycle over again, because that fixed all of our problems last time," Akane mutters, and one can almost hear Mashiro smile in response.

"I believe," Mashiro states, "that the endless circle of suffering will be broken, just as the skies, and as they heal in time, so would what used to be an inescapable destiny remain a mere forgotten memory."

Nao is silent, and her eyes remain glued to the screen.

"Then our goals aren't so far off," Akane is saying. "Only, I know you can't fix things by yourself. Come to Fuka and we can do it together. Otherwise, those of us that are left will have to improvise. And there might not be any room for you in the next cycle."

At that point, Minami Sakurada calls the special report to a halt, and NHK cuts to commercials.

"Huh," Yukino says, not looking up from her screen. "Think the Suzushiro group managed to get a trace on that call?"

"Only one way to find out," mutters Nao, gritting her teeth.

"Contact the Suzushiro's and see if they got it. Are there many people left in the camp?"

"It's useless to raise the camp, we can just place a call to the headquarters," Yukino suggests.

"Do it. Try Akira again, too. Haruka, if she's smart- she'll go to one of her dad's offices and work out of there."

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

Haruka takes the stairs down; less people to run to seems like a smart move, and she could use to spend a bit of time on her own. As she reaches the lobby, however, her gaze falls upon the receptionist's phone, and along with it, a promise to call her father resurfaces. It's not exactly the specified half an hour, but somehow, Haruka doubts he would mind the lack of punctuality.

Haruka grabs the phone and calls the familiar number!

"Haruka?" her father asks, picking up after the first ring.

"The broadcast's done," Haruka says. "You probably saw it. It's not exactly what I was hoping for, but we clearly got the First District's attention."

"So it seems," Hiro agrees. Haruka hears him press a few keys in the background. "I worry about you. They might use this chance to attack you through the media and get the public's opinion turned against you."

"They won't have much time for that. One way or another, we'll be ending things soon."

"It sounds ominous," Hiro notes.

"I suppose it does," Yukino says, as the somewhat familiar click of another line being added to a conference call sounds. "We've watched you on TV, Haruka-chan."

"Did you really have to use the name of a dead girl?" comes the somewhat distant voice of Nao.

"Oh? What do you guys think? Opportunity or disaster--oh, Nao? The staff decided I shouldn't be shown, for obvious reasons, and 'protecting my identity' was a good excuse for that. I chose a name that I knew would get the First District's attention."

"Ah. I see. Well. It doesn't seem disastrous. Old man, could your people trace that call?"

"'Old man?' Hey, my father has a name, Nao."

"Really? What is it?"

"You could always call him Suzushiro-sama!"

"I hate honorifics. Except when I'm talking to Yukino-chan and Haruka-chan, my bestest friends."

Yukino snickers in the background.

Haruka rolls her eyes. "Alright, alright. Dad, what do you think? Anything we could do?"

"We believe that we know where the call came from," Hiro says slowly. "After correlating that information with what we have gathered on the First District, I believe that it would be one of their holdings. There is, of course, the option of taking the fight to them."

"Where is it?"

"It is the site of a traditional inn. It lacks a hot spring, I'm afraid. The setting is in a rather remote area, which seemed a bit quaint until you theorize that it's not really an inn at all. Haruka, given the time you made from the ships to the studio, four hours might be all you need to reach it."

"What about me?"

"Can you match Haruka's speed?"

"What, are you kidding? Of course I can."

"Five hours, give or take, once you've left Fuka," Hiro responds. "You don't need to effectively make Haruka's detour."

"From the telecast, I doubt Mashiro will actually come to Fuka just because you asked, not since she ran away in the first place," notes Nao. "This seems like our best shot and getting at her. Like Haruka said, public opinion probably won't matter by the end."

"Alright...is Akira coming too, Nao? We'll need all the help we can get."

"She's not picking up when we try to call. I don't know her status."

"Alright. I guess it's just us, but...you know I like this plan, at least."

"I'll know if she calls back," Yukino comments. "She should already be somewhere in the same general area, so it might work out if she contacts us soon."

"Alright. Tell me how to get there from here, and where we should meet up. And Haruka? Steal a cellphone from someone to keep in touch, in case something comes up."

"That would be difficult," Yukino notes, "unless you meant for her to keep in touch with me. You would be, for all intents and purposes, unplottable."

"That's what I meant. I can either stay on Fuka and stay in contact, or I can head over there and double our force. You think I've got any reason to stick around here? Now's the time."

Yukino seems to think about it. "It should be fine if you grabbed one of the amulets along and left the other behind next to the sword. As long as someone I have a strong connection to wears it, I should be able to execute our backup plan. Or try to, anyway."

"So, it sounds like we've got a plan? If so, I'll meet you there, Nao."

"Alright," replies Nao, dropping one of the amulets around the sword. "There isn't anyone other than Haruka who fits that."

"Do correct me if I'm wrong."

"Oh, don't sell yourself short," Yukino says sultrily. "Am I not your bestest friend?"

"You're funny, Kikukawa. I'll remember that next time I take a walk in the park."

Yukino laughs.

Hiro clears his throat. "I'm afraid there's not much I can do at this stage, but I will continue working towards our original goals in case this does not solve our problems. Haruka, Yukino, I'll be here when you need me."

"Can you keep an eye on the sky? If Mashiro leaves the residence, she'll probably be airborne."

"As much as I can," Yukino and Hiro say together, the former giggling afterwards.

"Alright. If you two are done playing around, let's get going? I'd say Good Luck, but...you should never rely on luck alone! Willpower! Determination! Condiment! These are the things we need to achieve victory! Let's go!"

Yukino mutters something about the spice of victory, before saying, "Good luck. No sense in not wishing it."

"Words do not describe how much I hate you," mutters Nao, starting to leave. "Yukino. Remember what I said about entropy. I don't know if the world can hold as it is. Getting access to one of the stars might be our only shot at doing something about it. If not.. well. We'll just have to see," she mutters, starting to run out the cave.

Haruka canvasses the office building looking for a cel phone (assuming the staff didn't get her one before--she did ask for one, after all) before leaving, setting out for the specified coordinates at a full run.

Haruka will take any extra time she has to make a circuit of the building's vicinity to see what kind of security it might have, but will otherwise do nothing. She'll take extra care not to be spotted, as they can't afford to start a fight too early.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

Nao's approach is hard to miss; her claw glows eerily enough to point her out to Haruka in the twilight.

Whereas Nao can't see Haruka at all, only the resort that stands before her. She skids to a halt near the perimetre, but makes no attempt to hide herself from view. How can she?

"I've looked around the place," Haruka says, "didn't see anyone obviously on guard outside, no one's left or arrived while I've been here."

"What there- where'd you come from?!" snaps Nao, looking only very slightly out of breath from having run hundreds of kilometres. "Anyway. Nobody around? Hmph. Pity. I could use another army for a warm-up," she mutters. "Let's go. No need to take it slow- oh."

She pulls out Mikoto's amulet and tosses it at Haruka. "Put this on."

"Hm?" Haruka catches it, then casually absorbs it just like she did Fumi's scythe. Hey, it's tougher for someone to take it from her that way, right? "What does this do again?"

"It'll bind you to Yukino," replies Nao, crossing her arms. "It's necessary for the ritual to take place, or so she tells me."

As she absorbs the amulet Mikoto wore to her death, Haruka feels an echo in her mind, and a foreign presence that is nonetheless nostalgic in the background.

"...Huh." That aptly sums up Haruka's reaction. Anyway, this isn't time for a reverie. There is Justice to be done! "Ready to end this when you are. Front or back entrance seem better?"

"Who cares? They'll both be locked," replies Nao, tearing off towards the entrance to the inn at breakneck speed. A zigzagging trail of green embers trails in her wake.

"Hey! We should be coagulated here, wait for me!" Haruka darts after Nao, ready to barrel through any guards or walls that try to stand in her way!

The two take off through the driveway, and no guards or walls impede them on their way! The door remains closed, but Nao barrels into and through it, coming into the foyer. The interior is dark, but Nao's eyes can tell that it is kept spotlessly clean.

Coming on her heels, Haruka is just able to tell that a light comes on in one of the rooms on the second floor as she makes it inside.

There are arching staircases on either side of the pair of Hime, leading to the floor above.

"Someone's upstairs," Haruka communicates while dashing straight for the staircase on her left.

Stairs are for people who can't vault over skyscrapers. Nao is at the top in a flash, skittering into the corridor beyond and glancing in every direction.

The light is coming from the fifth room to Nao's right; the door is left ajar, as if in an unspoken invitation.

Haruka catches up to Nao in no time!

Haruka can't help but frown a little and mutter. "...Too easy..."

"There's only one person who could stop us anyway!" insists Nao, marching to the door and flinging it open. "Come out, Mashiro!"

The room revealing itself before their eyes is a replica of Mashiro's office at Fuka Academy, down to the large mahogany desk situated by the window. Mashiro can be found seated behind it, the very image of calm. She is alone.

"Isn't it pointless to call me out when you come in yourself?" she asks curiously, looking up at Nao.

Haruka follows Nao in. There doesn't seem to be any reason not to, since the enemy's right inside. Still, Haruka makes sure to glance around the room for any places goons could be waiting to shoot at them or something.

"There is no need for concern," Mashiro tells Haruka, noticing her wandering eyes. "We are quite alone, here."

"You've always been cowardly," sneers Nao, striding towards Mashiro. The claw jettisons a burst of fire towards the ground, as if warming up, and Nao raises it towards the other woman. "Run out of fodder? That makes this easy."

"And what would you possibly base that assessment on, Yuuki-san?" Mashiro asks the redhead in her childlike voice. "All I did was make a tactical retreat to allow you to return to your senses. Since you've gone through all that trouble to talk to me, I decided to oblige you... and all you have to say to my face are empty insults and boasts?"

"Talk? Fine, I'll stop," replies Nao, before dashing towards Mashiro and lunging for her throat!

"If you want to wait a minute I can think of some better insults--oh."

There is a sudden flare of light that wrecks havoc on Nao's sight, followed by the sound of breaking glass!

Nao plunges through the light blindly, lashing out with embers in a wide arc!

Haruka's eyesight returns. The desk has been cleaved in half, its surface scorched heavily. The chair Mashiro had been using is melting before her eyes, and the window had exploded outwards along with a segment of the adjacent wall.

Nao is lashing out wildly with her sickly-green claw at the center, her bangs singed.

Haruka runs to the edge of the broken wall, assuming Mashiro flew out threw it and is trying to get away already.

Mashiro is easy to spot, being a corona of light and energy floating several dozen feet above. Rather than get away, however, she seems to be getting brighter and brighter, the red energies swirling around her in chaotic patterns!

"Every time," hisses Nao, the claw retracting. "I don't have anything to talk to you about! For Mikoto, I'll kill you! For the sake of the world, I'll kill you! For me, I'll kill you!"

"That doesn't look good," Haruka observes for the sake of anyone completely ignorant of the situation. "How do you plan on getting to her, Nao? She's airborne. Uh, maybe I could throw you at her...?"

"Arach!"

"...Oh right, there's also that."

Mashiro throws her hands forward just as Arach appears on the ground, its head reaching the window! Twin dragons of flame launch at the mansion, making the air around them burn an angry red!

Nao was already running out, somehow intuitively knowing where Arach is and launching herself onto his back.

Haruka thinks this is a really good time to jump out of the window!

The room is vacated, just moments before the dragons tear through it!

Nao feels the heat on her back, before she's tossed off course as the dragons detonate indoors. She's sent flying down, bouncing a few times against the ground. A sharp pang of pain emanates from her right shoulder; it must be dislocated, or worse. Haruka weathers the explosion better, landing heavily on her feet by Arach's side. The massive Child, for its part, manages to retain its balance.

"Cowardly, was I?" Mashiro calls down, starting to glow once more to Haruka's eyes. "Very well! Let's fight this out, then. It would be a good warmup for what lies ahead."

"Alright. Motion to fight it out down here where we can actually hit you?" Haruka says, figuring she's down to her standard Throwing Things strategy otherwise.

It is impossible to see Mashiro blink from that distance. Certainly not with the reddish halo surrounding her. But Haruka could swear the Chairwoman did just that. "Are you mentally deficient?" she calls back down, sounding uncertain.

"Arach, pull her to the surface!" snarls Nao, biting her lip and reaching to snap her shoulder back into place. It'll hurt. So what? She's a Hime!

"COME DOWN HERE AND SAY THAT!"

The arm snaps into place with a gruesome sound that makes Nao want to retch, but the pain recedes as a result from her actions. Arach spews a cloud of semi-liquid silk at Mashiro, as ordered by Nao, but it melts away within a few feet of her.

The glow surrounding Mashiro reaches an apex, making it difficult for Haruka to look at her directly even though her vision is being filtered through the bronze serving as her outer shell. No response comes to her this time.

Haruka produces Fumi's stolen scythe from... wherever it is that she was keeping it, and hopes that it proves harder to melt than your average mansion. She winds up and flings it right at Mashiro, sending the blade spinning swiftly through the air!

Nao splits from where Haruka was, not sure where she's running, but relying on her senses to tell her when she needs to dodge. If they're too far apart, then Mashiro can't hurt both of them!

A semblance of Nao's eyesight returns in synch with an urgent warning from Arach!

Having launched her weapon, Haruka stumbles, as if she'd left a part of herself behind. She needs a moment to adjust to her new center of mass, and as her insides shift accordingly, she sees the glowing Mashiro raise her hands to the heavens, as if in prayer! And that plea is answered a moment later, as a pillar of fire without an end pierces the clouds above, enveloping Arach in its center!

Nao doesn't use words to will Arach away, but he won't be any help against a foe like this. She isn't sure even she can win. She can't allow herself to die, but she doesn't want to admit defeat!-

Squinting at the stars, she grabs her left wrist to steady it, and tries to blast Mashiro from afar!

Haruka can only hope Nao banishes Arach in time. Of course, if the flying scythe would be so considerate as to lop off Mashiro's head now, things would be even better!

Pain permeates Nao's entire being as Arach burns, the relief from its dismissal like a salve to those wounds. The anger and pain are channeled alongside Nao's strong desire to survive, as she sends a quintet of thin green beams at Mashiro's distant, glowing form!

They miss, Nao's vision struggling to make out Mashiro's small form accurately, but that leaves her open to the whirling scythe Haruka sent through the air! The fire-wielding Chairwoman only notices it at the last moment, and there is no time to dodge. She brings her left arm up, and succeeds in blocking it.

The scythe pierces it at the elbow with a sickening crack that is audible all the way below. Mashiro screams in outrage, and her form flares up again, annihilating the weapon entirely. Her arm hangs by her side, twitching unnaturally to Haruka's eyes.

As the bronze Hime feels more than sees the loss of the scythe, she finally comes to a realization. While appearing much like Fumi's weapon, it was in actuality a part of her, copying the design; that fact is hard to miss, given the way a part of her is undeniably destroyed by Mashiro with that explosion of flames.

Huh. Experimentally, Haruka tries forming another copy of the scythe. Not that she wants to be flinging them around until there's no Haruka left, but it's good to know one's options.

Her vision's not yet good enough to hit. It's not. It's quantity over quality, Nao realises, as she sends stream after stream of flame towards Mashiro. It's not about hitting her, it's about stopping her from hitting Nao! And Haruka.

Haruka summons a replica of the weapon; the adjustment of her form comes easier, now that she expects it. Meanwhile, Nao's barrage forces Mashiro to dance in midair, the brightness around her dimming as a result. She is taking great care to avoid touching any of the sickly green beams.

One beam doesn't strike Mashiro, instead dancing across the sides of the mansion in an attempt to split the whole building in two! Nao starts moving towards the rubble afterwards, intent on collapsing the ground beneath, as well!

Haruka circles around Mashiro for now, stationing herself on the opposite side from Nao and watching for an opportunity to strike again. If producing new ones uses up the finite amount of Haruka present, she's not going to strike until it's clear that Mashiro would be in a poor position to evade.

Nao reaches out for Arach again, in no mood to let him rest! He appears within the closest structure, and starts to charge through the remaining building, whilst Nao continues to fire away towards Mashiro!

The beams seek to keep her from having a clear view of Arach, who will only vanish once again once his demolitions are completed!

Circling the battlefield ultimately proves to be pointless; Mashiro is certainly doing her best to avoid Nao's attacks, and she attempts to achieve it by dancing all over the place in midair.

Nao's accuracy suffers once a more direct link to her suffering Child is again established. It manages to destroy the nearest pavillion before a particularly bad stab of pain causes Nao to momentarily lose her concentration. That is all the opening Mashiro needs, as she begins glowing once more!

"Again, Haruka!" screams Nao, wishing away her Child in a fashion that leaves a strange, bitter taste. It doesn't feel like a proper fight when she commands him like that. It just- doesn't matter, because winning is what matters.

When Mashiro's concentrating on offense is the best time to hit her! Haruka winds up for another careful shot and launches the scythe about her with all her strength!

The glow disappears into Mashiro's remaining useful hand, and she uses it to draw a pentagram in the air. A more intricate design appears behind it, runes glowing on the edges of a perfect circle framed by a trio of fiery magatama constantly running down its circumference chasing one another. The scythe impacts against the translucent shield with a shower of sparks, before it is violently repelled, sent flying all the way into the burning rubble of the inn!

Running to the side, Nao attempts to fire a blast into Mashiro from another angle to blindside her shield!

"...I didn't know she could do that," Haruka says, surprised and disappointed.

A scream of outrage sounds across the courtyard as Nao fires at Mashiro too quickly for the fire-wielding girl to bring her intricate shield to bear. Her mangled hand moves, eerily, unnaturally, and interposes itself in the path of the attack. There is a hiss, and the limb erodes halfway towards the shoulder before the attack runs out.

Maybe Haruka can produce weapons that are less resource-intensive than the scythe? Easier to throw, too? Like a small dart that can be flung with greater speed and accuracy? She does her best to form one and hurls it at Mashiro while she's busy getting burned by Nao!

A dart-like bit of Haruka is formed, and she flings it into the air. It fails to get the necessary altitude, not being particularly aerodynamic, missing horribly.

Nao presses her attack! Every second brings a little more vision back, and soon she'll have fully recovered- and then there's no getting away!

The shield is there, as Mashiro had bought herself enough time to interpose it. It shimmers with Nao's attack, but holds steady, unlike the basic version she had used in their previous battle.

"Haruka, repair thyself!" insists Nao, determined to keep Mashiro on the defensive until Haruka can strike again!

Haruka produces another scythe and makes every outward sign of being ready to throw it in order to draw Mashiro's attention. Hopefully Nao can blindside her when she falls for the feint, and then Haruka can really attack!

Mashiro is busy defending herself from Nao's incessant attack. Her gaze drifts towards Haruka and her brand new scythe and she curses.

"Are you really that eager to die?!" Mashiro calls down in a manner eerily reminiscent of Reito in his last moments. "You-- you misguided, childish fools! You persist in completing the Festival, even as the need for it has all but disappeared!"

"No! I will turn back the clock!" cries Nao. "I won't play this damn game or any other! I'll control the Star without slaying the other Hime, and everyone will live!"

"WHAT NAO SAID!" With this rousing battle cry, Haruka launches her scythe at the enraged Mashiro. At the worst, Nao can get some shots in while Mashiro tries to deflect this.

"I won't let that happen!" Mashiro cries out, panic creeping into her voice. She chants, her shield pulsing visibly with her words, meanignless to the two Hime on the ground. The scythe comes flying through the air as her voice reaches a crescendo, and she does not avoid it. The strike is clean, the weapon's blade sinking deep between her shoulder blades.

"I beseech thee," Mashiro intones loudly, her voice pained. "Accept this offering. Accept it and illuminate the heavens, oh Amaterasu!"

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

It is a wildfire. Mashiro's plea is heard, and the answer is spelled in blue flames burning brightly all around Nao and Haruka. They consume everything hungrily, as far as the eye can see.

Recoiling from the fires, Nao realises there's nowhere to run, nowhere to go. Continuing to attack might be the only thing she can do- and she does, in an attempt to flay the woman above with whips of ember.

"Are you so spiteful?!" she yells, utterly unable to comprehend the floating woman.

Haruka produces another scythe, mildly astonished that Mashiro is even alive while impaled with the last one, much less still talking and fighting back. Maybe cutting her head off would work? But these things aren't that easy to aim.

Nao's beams impact against Mashiro's shield, she thinks. It's hard to see; her lungs are filled with smoke, and it is even a chore to breathe. She's burning alive, and the pain threatens to overwhelm her, before it is relieved, just barely, by the appearance of a crystal before her. The Ice Silver Crystal, she knows instinctively.

Most things die when their head is cut off. It would need to be done soon, however. The scythe replica in Haruka's hand is melting. Haruka is melting. An agonized scream echoes in the back of her mind.

Haruka doesn't waste any more time, then! Let's fling that sucker at Mashiro while there's still an edge to it! This is the heroic final strike of a hero who's heroically burning to death! How can it fail?!!

She has to live, she didn't come here to die for a cause! Nao's not that kind of a martyr. If she's burning, then you reach for water and ice without thinking of where it comes from. Magic's too inscrutable to question when you see it.

So she lunges for it with her right hand.

The scythe is launched! Haruka can't follow it with her eyes. Her senses slowly shut down, one by one, and as they do, the feeling of urgency eating at her from within reaches a crescendo. She can taste panic, desperation, and a strong, inviolable will to live that is not her own.

Nao's hand makes contact with the crystal, and in that instant, it becomes a shield surrounding her and keeping the flames at bay! Through it, she can see Mashiro's startled twitch in mid-air, her form illuminated by the flames. She can see a badly-melted staff that might have been a scythe, once, strike Mashiro on the neck....

And then the flames are gone, and so is Mashiro. Night becomes day. Nao and Haruka stand in the front yard of a mansion, rather than its ruins.

The transition was just too fast to instantly take in. Nao breathes in, and out, and looks herself and Haruka over, somewhere between astonishment, relief, and simple emptiness.

Haruka's still cringing from the burning for a long moment before she really notices anything's happened. Hopefully she's not just a melty bronze blob right now and can look around?

Haruka's form is hideous to Nao's eyes. It illustrates far too closely what would happen to a person tossed into a furnace, while retaining that same bronze tint she had.

The Hime are not the only ones looking around in wonder. There are people at the inn's doors staring at them wide-eyed. A pair of men dressed in black suits, surely security personnel, are doing the same from their position by the main gate.

"What?" Haruka asks Nao, noticing her expression. She glances at one of her own arms, mutters a simple "Oh" and proceeds to concentrate for a moment to smooth herself back into a more normal look. As normal as a liquid bronze shapeshifter can look, at least.

Haruka seems shorter to Nao's eyes, and a bit thinner.

"What the hell?" one of the guards exclaims.

"That's exactly what we should be saying!" Haruka shoots back, regaining her composure quickly on being challenged by some, some...GUARD. "We just tore this building down! How did you fix it already?"

Nao gives Haruka a black look, before stepping forward. "We're Hime. Surrender, or die," she proclaims, an ominous shadow of a spider looming behind her.

Summoning even a shadow of Arach links now more directly to its raw pain, but Nao's goal is achieved. All those present become rooted to their spots. Haruka's question gets no answers.

Nao walks closer to the guards, no-doubt shorting out any communications devices they may hold. "Who is in this building right now?" she demands, scant inches away.

"Only Sumeragi Kippei and his family," the guard responds. He adds in disbelief, "You're a Hime?"

"Do we look like normal people to you?" Haruka snarks.

"What did you think we were, aliens?" asks Nao, with a snort, before frowning. "Get rid of your weapons," she adds, before leaning to whisper to Haruka. "You need to go inside and find a phone. See if you can contact Yukino. Get the date, too," she murmurs. "Don't let anyone hear what you're talking about. Push anyone inside out there where I can keep an eye on 'em."

Haruka receives no response this time, either. As her senses settle, however, she begins to realize that she feels a strong pull towards Fuka.

"Do you work for First District?" the guard asks, hesitating. The only weapon he and his companion have are pistols, visible in holsters on their hips.

Haruka nods and makes her way to the front door. Hopefully a glare will suffice for convincing anyone to let Totally Metal Haruka go where she wants.

"Don't you?" asks Nao, slightly surprised.

The guards clam up. They slowly reach for their weapons and crouch, laying them on the ground before straightening back up.

The onlookers flee from Haruka's approach, letting her reach the entrance to the inn unmolested. The interior is just as she remembered it, accounting for the light.

Haruka doesn't remember where the phones are (since, hey, she wasn't exactly looking for them before) but it shouldn't be hard to find one with a moment's glancing around. Once found, she will indeed call Yukino first.

"Are you First District or aren't you?"  demands Nao, putting her hands together.

There is one in the foyer, resting just by the door. It takes Haruka a few moments to realize that it requires pressing nine to get an outside line. Once that hurdle had been overcome, she dials Yukino's cellphone. After almost a dozen rings, the call goes to her voicemail.

"We're just security, here. We don't work for it directly," the other guard admits.

"What's the purpose of this building? Getaway for the higher-ups?"

Haruka forwns and hangs up without leaving a message. What can she really say, "Yukino, if you remember all that future stuff, call me back at this number even though I don't plan to setay here?" No, she'll try calling Fuka instead, see who answers.

"Pretty much. There are rooms for you two, if you'd like," the first guard offers hesitantly.

Much like when she called Yukino, Haruka eventually reaches the Chairwoman's voicemail.

She hangs up again! Isn't anyone answering their phones? What, are they in CLASS or something? She'll try...you know what? She'll try Shizuru.

"I might take you up on that," decides Nao, after a moment. "Not the rooms, but we'll be spending some time here getting our ground. What's this Sumeragi's position?"

This time, the call is answered. Shizuru's voice is unmistakable as she says, "Hello, this is Fujino."

"I honestly don't know," the guard responds, glancing at his companion, who shrugs. "Somewhere in finance? Middle management?"

"It's Haruka," she starts, balancing between her usual disdain and an odd feeling of relief at Fujino actually being alive, and winding up with a flat, businesslike tone. "Is everything okay at Fuka right now? Also, crazy question: what day is it?"

"Suzushiro-san?" Shizuru asks, and her voice sounds strange to Haruka. "Where are you right now?"

"Somewhere else. Can you answer me first? It's important."

There is a pause. When she answers, Haruka recognizes the date. According to Shizuru, she is two weeks in the past.

"Alright. Can you find Sugiura for me and tell her I need to speak to her. It might be a couple hours before I can get back to school, but it's important."

"I've answered your question, Suzushiro-san," Shizuru says in response. "What about my own? It's not really fair if you treat me like a gopher like that without telling me anything, now is it?"

"Did you miss the 'It's important' part? ...Okay, look. I'm with Nao at this country inn, a few hours from the school I think. Don't ask what we're doing here because it's too long a story and I'm sure you'd rather hear it in person anyway, right?"

"Nao... Yuuki Nao?" Shizuru asks. There is another pause, before she adds, "Who else is there with you?"

"It's just us two." She makes sure to keep the next part hushed. "And some goons working security for First District. I'd rather not stay here longer than I have to."

"Then don't," Shizuru tells her. "I could arrange for someone to pick the two of you up."

"Sure. Maybe have them meet us on the road? I'd rather not litter here longer than I have to."

"I will give the matter my utmost focus," Shizuru promises, words that make Haruka shiver. Far too often, she recalls, they meant that Haruka would be the one doing all the work and stuck with the bill in the end.

Haruka's already stuck with the bill. She's LIQUID METAL. If Fujino can do worse than this...

Haruka hangs up without further pleasantries. She's not entirely looking forward to dealing with Fujino again, much as it IS better for her to be alive than dead.

Meanwhile, Nao shrugs at the guards. "Take me to this guy," she instructs, heading into the building once it seems that Haruka's done.

It's hard to argue with someone whose hand is on fire, and Nao is taken to see Kippei. He turns out to be a man in his late forties, dressed in a robe. His hair is still wet; he must be fresh out of a bath.

"Sumeragi, right? What's your position?" asks Nao, without preamble.

"Legal counsel," he responds, trying to be firm and not succeeding all too well, judging by the way his voice trembles as he speaks. "And you would be...?"

"Good question. Do you know what I am?"

His eyes drift to the green flame in Nao's hand. "Searrs?" he ventures.

"Nope," replies Nao, shaking her head. "Dead opposite. I hate those guys. Have they started to move?"

"It is believed that they wouldn't dare," Kippei responds. He glances at Nao's claw once more. "Of course, it wasn't expected for Hime to turn on us, either."

"Turn on you? Oh, outside? Call it healthy paranoia," replies Nao. "It doesn't matter now. What I can tell you is that Searrs is more of a threat than any of you know." She puts a finger to her lips. "Or maybe I should say that they're more willing than any of you guessed."

The look he gives Nao is of mixed disbelief, driven from arrogance, and consideration. "And you would know this how?"

Back in the foyer, the pull Haruka feels towards Fuka intensifies. Merely standing still instead of going back is taking a physical toll on her body.

Haruka wanders outside the building, at least, though not before calling to her partner in a wavering voice. "Hey, Nao? I think leaving soon would be a great idea..."

"Because I've seen it first-hand. They've made a powerful weapon, but they've also managed to find a way to cheat death itself," replies Nao, pursing her lips. "Do you know much about cloning- I'll be right there, dammit!-, Sumeragi-san? Because it's no good just killing a Hime if you can keep a hold on her soul."

The man sounds genuinely disturbed at what Nao is telling him. "I am aware of the basics," he says, without elaborating. "Did Searrs capture and experiment on you?"

"No," replies Nao, shaking her head. "Not quite. I had to fight the same person many times, though. Every time, different, but the same... no, I can't stay long. I need to go back. But I know their plans."

She sighs. "They plan to unleash this weapon on the Hime on Fuka and take control of it for themselves. There's no way to beat it, and she's too powerful to be incapacitated. An army can't beat it, and even people like us can't stop her forever. But there are ways we can still win! This abomination still has a person who's important to them, who fuels everything! The president of Searrs! An ordinary man, who can die by ordinary means!"

Kippei's eyes narrow. "I see. I would be happy to pass that along for you, in that case."

"You'll see how they act soon enough. Remember what I've told you when they do," replies Nao, starting to leave. "But so much can be prevented if you begin preparing now."

He nods, following Nao with his eyes as she departs.

Haruka finds herself starting to meander down the road without her feet telling her to. Curious, that.

Nao grabs a coat from a rack in the lobby, and starts jogging after Haruka. "Oi, wait a sec!" she calls, swiftly catching up. "What's the hurry?"

"I don't know," Haruka says in all honesty. She points towards the general direction of Fuka. "It's just like there's a magnet this way or something."

"You can't stop yourself?" asks Nao, after a moment. "Oh, put this on," she adds, tossing the coat at Haruka. "You stand out too much. I mean, the world's... back in time. Right? It worked, right? Who did you talk to?"

"I called Shizuru. It was weird." She puts the coat on, not that anything short of a trenchcoat and a veil will do the trick for camouflaging Haruka. "I told her to get in touch with Sugiura."

"So she really is alive," replies Nao, a slow grin forming on her face. "It really did work! So that means... Natsuki, Mikoto, they'll be around as well! The other students, too, the people on Fuka, it's... amazing. I can't wait to get back, either."

"Oh yeah, we're two weeks ago," Haruka adds as an afterthought.

"But it's different, too," she adds. "Last time, I woke up at home with no memory. I figured we'd be ourselves, back in time. It's.. out of place, somehow. If we just popped into existance now, then what happened to the old us?"

"The old us? Uh." Haruka looks as though she is just considering this sort of complication.

"Ah, I'm..." Nao quiets down for a moment. "I'm sorry. I figured we'd... I'm sure we'll figure out something. Searrs and First District have the technology to.. work with bodies and stuff. We'll just take it for ourselves and make them help us."

"Right. Maybe they can transfer me into a body that isn't a blob of liquid metal." It's hard to tell how serious this comment is. Haruka isn't known for having a firm grasp of irony, though.

"Right," replies Nao. "Shouldn't we, y'know, hurry? We could go back and get a car, or just run home."

As she walks alongside Haruka, Nao starts trying to focus on her palm. She's too happy right now, all things aside, to keep letting that thing flicker forever- with her rage mostly spent, surely she should be able to control it.

"Oh, you mean go back and threaten those people into giving us a car? Can you actually drive? Anyway, Shizuru sent one here."

"If Kuga can ride a bike, I can drive a car," insists Nao.

"What? How does that make any sense? Why couldn't she drive a bi--oh, the motorcycle. Right."

The road the two find themselves on is desolate. The flames surrounding Nao's claw falter and, as time passes, go out.

Several hours spent walking aren't much of a challenge for either Hime. A car approaching is thus definitely a change in the same old scenery. It pulls over on the other side of the country road, several meters ahead and Shizuru Fujino steps out, brushing her hair aside as she looks at Nao and Haruka.

"Hi." Really, Haruka shouldn't need to say anything to make it clear what an odd situation this is.

The look Nao is giving Shizuru would seem, to any onlookers, to have a remarkable similarity to that of a girl with a crush staring at her object of affection.

Shizuru smiles at the two, her gaze lingering on Nao just a moment longer. If she is bothered by having adoring fangirls, she doesn't show it. "Ah, so it was true," she says, coming closer. "Yuuki-san and Suzushiro-san really were returned in the middle of nowhere after being abducted by aliens."

"That is- I- what happened at Fuka?" asks Nao, blinking. "Aliens?"

"Uh-uh. I'm future Haruka," Haruka corrects. Then, to further clarify things. "From the future."

Shizuru nods. "Just two minutes before Suzushiro-san's call, several people disappeared from campus in flashes of light. I, myself, witnessed it happen to Suzushiro-san." She comes closer as she speaks. At Haruka's words, she lays her eyes on Haruka and freezes in the spot.

"It's... complicated. We can explain on the way back. Well, maybe we can," murmurs Nao. "Who's with you?"

"Kanzaki-san drove us over," Shizuru responds, tearing her gaze away from Haruka with visible effort. Her face shows a bit of strain as she refocuses on Nao. "The Academy is in disarray, and this was our only clue as to the disappearances. While the Executive Council was left to maintain the peace, we've decided to investigate on our own." She hesitates briefly. "It is true, then? You two were the only ones to appear here?"

"Rei...to...? Ah. Um." She glances at Nao.

"He was quite worried," Shizuru responds to Haruka, without truly looking at her.

"Here, yes," responds Nao, after a moment of gritting her teeth. "Kanzaki, you say. Do you think he would mind if we waited on the explanations for a while?"

"I'm sure he was."

"If he must wait, then so be it," Shizuru responds. "But I really must insist on hearing what you two have to say. The situation is quite dire, and I've already spent hours driving here." She glances worriedly at the sky, before seeming to realize what she is doing and returns her eyes towards Nao. "Every minute might count."

"We're from the future, and everything went wrong. I didn't like it, so we came back to take another shot," replies Nao. "The other people who disappeared.. can I guess at some? Tokiha Mai, Okuzaki Akira, Kikukawa Yukino..."

"That's one out of three," Shizuru says thoughtfully. "I'm afraid only Kikukawa-san from that list has disappeared. The other instances we have managed to verify were of Higurash Akane, Kurauchi Kazuya, Greer Miyu, Harada Chie, Senoh Aoi and the two Searrs girls, Arika and Alyssa. On top of you two, of course." She seems a touch frustrated. "You can imagine the chaos this lead to. It might be impossible to truly estimate the correct toll of those who disappeared."

"The two Searrs girls existed at the same time? But that's- what's the date, exactly?"

"Why wouldn't they?" Shizuru asks in surprise, nevertheless answering the question with, "September 6th." As Haruka had said, it seems to be two weeks into the past, a time before Nao first woke up with no memory and sense of self.

Haruka frowns, trying to see a reason why some of the Hime would disappear and not others. "Hey, what about Makoto?"

"Who?"

"It's different. Things are different," replies Nao. "We didn't just go back in time, this is.. what they'd call an alternate dimension, or something... Mikoto, Minagi Mikoto."

Shizuru looks worried. "I don't know of a Minagi Mikoto, I'm afraid. Did she exist... in the future?" She seems hesitant as she adds the last part.

"What?!"

Shizuru takes a step back.

"Uh, yes. Mai's roommate. Black hair, climbed trees like a cat?"

Shizuru's eyes narrow in thought, before they clear. "Oh! You mean Kanzaki Mikoto from class 3-B? Reito-san's little sister?"

"Kanzaki... Mikoto? Yeah. That's it. I... don't know what to say. Is she alright? What about Natsuki?"

Shizuru becomes guarded. "Oh my, just where is this line of questioning leading to?" she asks, and her smile turns fake to Nao's eyes, who had seen both variants on the older girl.

"Because in the future, everyone you mentioned just now was either missing or dead," hisses Nao. "And I have no idea what happened to her back then. I mean, what will happened to her. What will have been going to happe- you know what I mean."

Haruka feels obligated to make a slight correction. "Don't forget Fujino in that list, Nao."

Shizuru's smile freezes in place. "It might be a time to get things in the open," she states, an edge of steel in her voice. "You are referring to the Carnival that Nagi is constantly speaking of? And the two of you are involved?"

"That's right!" Haruka says brightly. "Now we're on the same page."

Shizuru takes another step back. Her hand twitches, and she looks at it, before deliberately unclenching her fist and letting the hand rest at her side. "Judging by what you have said so far, you don't intend to harm Natsuki?"

"Oh, no, not at all. There are only a couple specific people we need to beat up and she's not one of them."

This only serves to make Shizuru more agitated. The car's door opens, and Reito steps outside. "Is everything alright, President?" he calls over.

Haruka frowns. "I'm not sure I'm getting through here. Um, Nao?"

"You really have changed. No, this is how you were to start..." mutters Nao. "I don't plan on it, no. I'd die first."

Shizuru holds Nao's eyes for an endless moment. "I'll hold you to that," she says quietly, before breaking off eye contact and turning to smile towards Reito. "Nothing is the matter," she tells him. "We'll be there in a moment."

Having said that, she approaches the two Hime, no longer averting her eyes from the bronze, emaciated form of Haruka. "Since that makes two of us, and I believe you, Nao, what are we going to do?" She points skywards. "That happened about the same time as the disappearances. Do you know who is behind this?"

Nao looks up.

At first, all she can see is the bright glare of the sun, just past noon, and the Hime Star visible past it. But as she ignores the pain to her eyes and continues to focus on the sky, suddenly, the image shifts! The Hime Star takes center stage, and it has grown enough to overshadow the sun itself! The sky becomes tinged with red, but Nao's main concern is that she had never seen the Hime Star so large.

Haruka also looks up, expecting to see the Hime Star, but...not anything like that prominent.

For Haruka, that red is the first true color she can see without a shade of bronze.

Haruka suppresses the urge to stab the big red spot until there is nothing left to stab! Because she can't reach it anyway.

"Who's responsible? It's not something you can lay at the feet of one person," replies Nao, shaking her head. "The star grows bigger every iteration, every carnival. We need to go back to Fuka, I need to catch up with Kikukawa, and then we need to have some words with the Chairwoman."

"Then we should be getting back. Let's go, Suzushiro-san, Yuuki-san," Shizuru says pleasantly, gesturing at the car waiting nearby.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

The door opens as they approach, Shizuru leading the way. She makes her way inside first, and as Nao and Haruka move to follow, they see that there is another passenger in the car. "Come on, get in, there's no time to waste and wait are you BRONZE?!" Midori exclaims upon glancing at Haruka.

Nao's face meets Nao's palm in a display of tired futility.

"Yes," Haruka states simply. She's used to this condition, no one else should have any problem with it!

"Literally, I mean. You reflect the sunlight," Midori says in horrified fascination.

"Is there a word for that feeling you get when something you think is old hat is all new to other people?" asks Nao, sliding into the car.

"Like it? I can turn my arms into weapons too!"

Nao feels Shizuru tense beside her, before she forms a smile. "Ah, that's too bad, Suzushiro-san. And here I was going to offer you to sit in my lap. But now I'm afraid you will need to sit by Kanzaki-san."

"I'm not sitting on anyone's lap! We've got work to do."

"So sit in the chair already and let's go? Oh, right. Kanzaki? Look this way for a second?"

Haruka sits down, then! Not without looking a little petulant, of course.

Reito gives Haruka a sideways glance, the only sign of his surprise a raised eyebrow, and then turns back to look at Nao. "Yes?"

"You wearing a necklace?"

"A necklace?" Reito glances at Shizuru, who shrugs at him. "No. Why do you ask?"

"Had to be sure. Thought it might be this way," replies Nao, sagging. "Alright, let's go. These windows are tinted, right?"

"Don't worry about being seen," Shizuru says, nodding at Reito. The vice president takes that as his sign to start driving back the way they came from. Midori looks like there is much she wants to ask, but she looks at Shizuru strangely when the latter turns towards Nao, asking, "Why is it so important to talk to Kikukawa-san and the Chairwoman?"

Haruka watches the road (and, occasionally, Reito, just to make sure he doesn't do anything sneaky!) while letting Nao do the talking.

"The first, because Kikukawa is why we're here in the first place," replies Nao, quietly. "She was working with us the whole time, and had a better handle on the situation than either of us. Of course, we have Midori-chan here to thank for that."

Haruka feels relaxed all of a sudden, as if an ache she had been suffering from all along has finally been soothed. Midori perks up. "Oh, really? What brilliant thing have I done now?"

"Your research came in handy... you'll have to show me the part about time travel." replies Nao.

"Time travel?" Midori asks. "Are you from the future? Do I invent a time machine? No, do I discover one among the alien relics of an ancient civilization?!" She gets more excited the more she talks.

"It's more like the latter?" asks Nao, frowning. "I thought something to do with it was in your.. thesis, right? Along with other things about a certain carnival."

The drive takes hours, and Midori spends most of it trying to weasel details out of Nao and Haruka. Not getting much out of either only drives her to ask again and again, much like an excited child. Shizuru remains silent through this all, smiling politely and responding with adddressed, but otherwise staying out of the conversation. Reito gets progressively more nervous as time passes, but that might be attributed due to the way Haruka keeps on watching him like a hawk for hours on end. Finally, their car crosses the bridge from the mainland leading to Fuka, and turns towards the Academy. Students with Executive Committee armbands are patrolling next to the gate, but Reito takes the car in, stopping by the Chairwoman's building. "Kazahana-san was the person we wanted to see first, is that right?" he asks, turning in the driver's seat to see the car's occupants more clearly.

"I wouldn't mind having Yukino with us when we go to see the Chairwoman," Haruka says, glancing at Nao.

"We're going to the library first," replies Nao, glancing edgily at Haruka. "D'ya want to stay unseen? I dunno, it's gonna be pretty hard to escape notice like this."

Haruka sighs. "Alright, alright."

"It's more... maybe we just can't avoid it," admits Nao. "Let's check things out first. I promise I'll explain things better," she adds, for Midori and Shizuru's benefit.

"The library it is," Shizuru affirms, and Reito maneuvers the car without questioning her. It is impossible to drive all the way, but he manages to get close, and the nearby area is devoid of students. "This is as good as it gets," Reito says, putting the car into parking. "So Kikukawa has been hiding in the library all this time, then?" he asks dubiously.

Haruka doesn't feel it necessary to explain anything to Reito! Nao can do it if she feels like it.

"Nope. Under it," replies Nao, starting to get out the car. "Although I'm rather hoping she comes out to meet us when we head in."

The library is deserted when Nao and Haruka enter it along with Shizuru and Midori. Reito stays by the car, perhaps sensing he is not welcome and keeping his distance. Without a doubt, this is where Haruka was being pulled towards all along.

Haruka is thankful for once that Fuka's students show little interest in reading in their free time. She glances at Nao, signalling with a nod her relief at being where she apparently needed to be.

"The short story, Midori, is yes, we're time travellers, yes, we're from.. two weeks into the future, and we're here because that future wasn't pretty! But this isn't the same world we left, and I'm trying to figure out what's changed so I can stop it getting as messed up as ours." Nao gives Haruka a nod, and gives a brief glance around the library. "Underneath this library is a control room, of sorts. It's where we left Yukino when we went to that resort. Since our physical location didn't change, I don't think hers would have, either."

Midori raptly takes this in, as Shizuru stands impassively, staring down at the clock taking up most of the ground floor. The minutes hand moves, and reality shifts. An image of Yukino appears, but such an indecent Yukino Haruka had never laid eyes on! Nevertheless, a naked Yukino floats above the clock face dejectedly.

Haruka is flabbergasted! "Yu-Yukino?! What are you doing? That's not appropriate for a public gathering!"

"Things didn't go quite right. What happened on your end?" asks Nao, witholding a barbed thrust at Yukino for the time being. Something about who the slut is now...

"I'm not like this because I want to be!" Yukino hisses, her words barely understandable due to burst of static that garble them. "You! How did you fuck up?" Her image wavers, and it is not clear who she is addressing.

"It was a fight! It was close, but we didn't die, so where's the fuckup?!"

"I was dying. It had to be done." There is more Yukino tries to say, but her image becomes distorted and she shows pain for the first time. "Are you alright, Kikukawa-san?" Shizuru asks, stepping up, and Yukino focuses on her, as if seeing the president for the first time. "Didn't you die?"

"She got better. It worked. In part. But nothing is quite the same," replies Nao, with a wince. "Do you even physically exist?"

"Yukino, everyone un-died when we went back in time. And um...Nao asks a good question."

"I think, therefore, I am," Yukino says, seeming contemplative. "Alright, let's go with that."

"In part?" Shizuru asks Nao.

"You were nicer to me before," replies Nao, frowning. "This is the second time someone's tried this time travel stunt. Even if most people forget everything, it seems like sometimes a few stray memories... anyway." Nao briefly takes the time to fill Yukino in on what she's learned about the present; where they appeared, the other disappearances around the school, and the obvious retention of their abilities.

"That last part, at least, is consistent with my observations," Yukino agrees, sighing. "But I'm puzzled about both of you making the trip back. Did you share the amulet somehow?"

"No- you *what?!* What was gonna happen to me?!" snaps Nao, her good mood evaporating. "Suzushiro had the thing the whole time, anyway."

Haruka is puzzled and worried by this entire conversation. "Yukino, what are you talking about? Wasn't both of us making it part of the plan?" Well, it was Haruka's plan at least!

Yukino snorts and points at Shizuru. "She's made it, and despite being dead, too. What's the big deal?"

"Losing my memory again has absolutely no appeal," mutters Nao. "Whatever. The thing is, we three vanished, but why would all those other people? I thought, at first, it could be because they died, but that doesn't hold much weight on it's own..."

"No, that is actually pretty close to my own theory," Yukino says, shaking her head. "And what would it be?" Midori asks, joining the conversation. She pointedly keeps her eyes on Yukino's face. "Would you say that a soul can be divided into parts?" Yukino asks, turning towards the teacher in response.

"Alyssa and Arika.. Kazuya and Akane.. Harada.. and.. Senoh wait a minute. Can Miyu even have a soul?" mutters Nao, turning over the permutations in her head.

Haruka is frankly bewildered by this entire metaphyiscal turn in the conversation, and looks it!

For her part, Nao doesn't exactly look like she's entirely on the ball.

"Why wouldn't she?" Midori asks, while Shizuru looks contemplative. "In any case," Yukino continues, "this isn't really the right question. The one we should be asking is whether a soul can undergo such strain that it would snap under the pressure. A traumatic event, perhaps repeated, that goes beyond its natural ability or tolerance. Do you see where I'm getting to, here?"

"Well, she was a robot," Haruka responds to Midori, quite casually. To Yukino: "I guess that makes some sense. If someone's mind can break after a traumatic event, then why not the rest of them?"

"If you're calling ressurection an unnatural strain..." Nao's face twists in disgust. "Then it's a wonder we did any good at all like this. Could it be that we've done damage ourselves?"

"The only reason you can still care about things like that is because we went ahead with the reset," Yukino points out in irritation. "If you prefer to be emo about it for all of eternity inside a pillar, go ahead and commit messy suicide. I'll wait. Just take off my pendant, first."

"I'm *so* sorry for caring! But if you think back, you'll realise that there was at least one person who was able to just keep coming back. What was once broken might be fixed." Glancing briefly at Haruka, Nao can't help but shrug. "The problem of souls and bodies was always going to be an issue, on top of the Hime Star and the Crystal Star. I'm hoping one can solve the others."

"Nao's right, Yukino. Bickering doesn't help any of us. And it's not like I enjoy being an amoeba statue, either. Well, most of the time I don't."

"Yes, yes, it might be fixed!" Yukino snaps. "But let's focus on the important things first. Like me being a ghost."

"Searrs is the only group I know of that manipulates life and death. And they're only going to help as at clawpoint. And even then, they'll probably fuck it up for us. So. What's your idea?"

"These are your allies now, right?" Yukino asks, glancing at Shizuru and Midori. "Are there more?"

"Anyone who's alive and willing to listen to reason, I'd hope. We want to stop the festival before it starts this time. This is just kind of...who we had available. We just got back, after all."

"We went looking for you first. The others should be around the school." Nao shrugs. "I can't predict how they'll react to us in this world. At least Natsuki will probably help us," she adds, glancing briefly at Shizuru. "Kanzaki is around, but I think he may be uninvolved, this time... I just don't know enough yet."

"The festival has already started," Shizuru voices, frowning. "But maybe it could be stopped just the same." At Nao's words, she adopts a curious expression. "Probably?" "Girls driven to the edge. Listen to reason. Sure." Yukino's image rolls its eyes. "Get those you can find over here, then. I have a plan and repeating myself is tiresome."

"Yes, Lady Kikukawa. Right away. Shall I bring bedsheets to complete the look?" asks Nao, sarcastically. "Tokhia Mai, Minag- no, Kanzaki Mikoto, Kuga Natsuki, that.. nun.. woman, Yukasomething... oh. Munakata Shiho. You know, maybe we can skip her."

"No, do bring her. Maybe I could blackmail her into killing you off," Yukino mutters.

"Yukariko," Haruka corrects. "And stop bickering, BOTH of you. We have work to do and we need to focus on that."

"Fine, we'll bring the octopus, too, and you'd better hope she didn't pick up old memories," notes Nao, flatly. "I don't think I missed anyone. Let's go see who we can find."

"What about the ninja? Love is over?"

Haruka feels it necessary to raise one important point: "Look, um...I don't know how useful I'd be for this part. I have to assume I'll just scare some people off, the way I am."

"That's very useful, Haruka-chan," Yukino instantly assures her.

"Not if I scare off the WRONG people!"

"Yeah, you know, if she was really was a guy, I'd probably be all over that. Yes, and Akira." Nao pauses, at that. "You could call your dad. He's influential enough that it's worth filling him in. Again."

Haruka sighs and can't help but take on a touch of Yukino's sarcasm. "That was so much fun the first time that I can't wait to do it again with time travel added into the explanation." 

"Yes, do have fun with-- hey!" There is a flash. A quick look reveals Midori holding up her cell at Yukino, cheeks red. "I couldn't resist myself!" she defends herself, clutching the phone to her chest.

"Aren't you a teacher?" asks Nao, the barest flickers of a grin appear on her face.

"Hey! You're a teacher, what are you going to do with that? You should be setting a good example for the irrepressible students of Fuka!"

"It's a ghost! A ghost!" She gestures wildly with the phone. "A real one!" Shizuru covers her mouth with her hand, while Yukino steams.

Haruka marches over to Midori and gets right up in her face. "It's also YUKINO. You don't show that to ANYONE, understand?"

"Anyone else, right?" mutters Nao, for Shizuru's benefit.

Shizuru pretends to think about it, tilting her head as a smile appears on her lips. "Perhaps we should get that sheet after all," she suggests softly.

"Yes, let's," Haruka announces to the room in general.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

Yukino winks away, muttering under her breath amidst the static. Midori has the grace to appear embarrassed over the entire affair, even as she surreptitiously slips her phone into a pocket.

"So it appears that we will be gathering those involved," Shizuru speaks. She seems apprehensive. "If only we had more time...."

"More time, huh? What we have will have to be enoguh," replies Nao. "Time's already been well spent, though... hey, Shizuru. Do you still help Natsuki with her research?"

Shizuru wilts ever so slightly. "If this must come out, let me be the one to tell her. I don't want Natsuki to have to find out from someone else."

Midori looks at the student council president curiously.

"Well, it would save time if you'd talk to Natsuki while we were dealing with the others."

Shizuru sighs theatrically. "Well, if I absolutely must talk to my Natsuki to save the world, I shall carry that burden."

"It must be pretty rough having us show up here and start ordering you about like this. Sorry 'bout that." Nao shrugs, and starts heading for the door. "Anyway, that research'll come in handy. Haruka, you know what you've gotta do."

"Ah, but you manage it so well, Yuuki-san," Shizuru says with a smile, following her towards the exit to the library. "Kanzaki-san will help you gather everyone you need."

"Guess I'll tag along," Midori offers, catching up herself. "We'll reform the Hime Rangers, stronger than ever before!"

"We don't need another childish name," replies Nao, before her voice lowers. "I mean, HiME was bad enough..."

"Right," Haruka says. "I guess I can get in touch with my father and see if we can check out what the First District is up to."

Midori acts as if she hadn't heard Nao. She looks at Haruka thoughtfully. "Ranger Bronze, that would be your assignment, then!"

She leads the way to the car, where Reito waits.

Shizuru has disappeared.

"Who ever heard of a metallic-colored ranger? Green suits me much better!"

"I can get a bucket of paint, I suppose," Midori muses.

"Would that work? Maybe you'd stop blinding me every time I look your way."

"I'm not above trying," Midori swears solemnly.

"No way! The paint would just flake off the moment I tried to move or change shape. Maybe if I concentrate really hard, I can change color..."

"Well, have fun playing with yourself. Hey, Reito, we're going to the dorms!" calls Nao, heading over to the car after Midori.

"Is there a purpose to this?" he asks, directing the question to Midori, who shrugs in response.

"I need to find some people. Isn't that where all the students would be at this time?"

Nao pauses for a moment. "Actually, what time is it, anyway..."

It is the afternoon.

Reito nods slowly. "That's a good guess. The Executive Committee imposed a curfew, so only the really determined would sneak outside at this time."

He seems to be looking at Nao as he speaks.

"What're you looking at?" mutters Nao, dourly.

"Being on the council, I am privy to the attendance records of the students," Reito responds evenly. He seems to deflate slightly afterwards, as his eyes land on Haruka. "In any case, who are we visiting?"

"Tokiha Mai and your sister, first," replies Nao.

Reito doesn't utter another word as he drives the car to the familiar dorm. He is focused and intent during the drive, not looking away from the road. Midori continues to pester Haruka about imaginative uses of paint along the way, doing much to dispel the oppressive atmosphere.

No one is around when Reito finally parks the car, getting out. Coming closer to the dorm's entrance, however, the group discovers that several students lounge by the entrance. Nao can't put names to the faces, but she'd seen them before, she thinks. Some end of the world party she got invited to, if she's not mistaken. Haruka likewise recognizes them as fellow students of Fuka, but without Yukino by her side such trivialties as personal details elude her.

Haruka eyes the lounging students and frowns. Look at them, just...sitting around! They should be studying! Or engaging in extracurricular activities!

"Dammit, everyone'll see you if you come along, Haruka- wait, I know."

Nao steps out the car and skips over to Reito, slipping an arm around his waist. "Play along a sec," she mutters, before putting on a bright, cheery face and strolling into the lounge.

"What are you doing?!" Reito exclaims, his voice an octave higher than normally. That certainly gets the attention of the lounging students, who stare and stare. One of them belatedly snaps off a shot with her cellphone.

Haruka waits in the car, slouching down and doing her best to be inconspicuous while Nao goes to work. Or whatever it is tht she's doing.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

"Aww, don't back out now!" complains Nao, sauntering over to the elevator.

Reito's face is pale.

As the two reach the stairs, a blur rushes down, circling them twice before Nao recognizes it as Mikoto. "Where did you take off to, Mikoto?" Mai's voice calls down.

If possible, Reito becomes even more terrified.

"Tch," mutters Nao, letting go of Reito and folding her arms.

Her eyes attempt to track Mikoto as the younger girl stampedes about them. Oddly, she doesn't feel like laughing or crying.

Reito tries to regain his dignity even as Mikoto sits on her haunches and eyes him critically.

Mai appears at the top of the stairs, clad in a fluffy bathrobe. A towel covers her hair; a few orange strands escape, still wet. "Oh, Reito-san!" she exclaims, bringing a hand to her mouth. "What a surprise!"

"You think *that's* a surprise? You ain't seen nothing yet, princess," remarks Nao, giving Mai a critical eye.

Mai seems confused. She starts to descend and slips on the second step down!

Reito dashes forward, but Mikoto blurs past him and catches Mai as she tumbles down unceremoniously. Their combined weight slams into Reito, and off balance as he is, the three go down in a tangle of limbs.

Nao reaches into her pocket for her phone... and doesn't find it.

"Ooh, what a scandal!" a voice exclaims in excitement behind her, and flashes of light go off.

In a few seconds, Nao predicts, Mai will extricate herself. This should be followed by a loud scream, and she'll dash up the stairs back to her dorm, leaving Reito to fend for himself against the gaggle of schoolgirls outside.

"Can you hurry it up? We have things to talk about, so please get up and get dressed, Mai-san," remarks Nao.

"And the mistress came to pick a fight with the wife!" that same girl continues from behind Nao. "What an amazing event!"

Mai extricates herself as Nao predicted. She's very flushed, but instead of dashing back up the stairs, she stares Nao down. "What was that?" Mai asks her.

"You shut up," snaps Nao, glancing at the girl, before turning back to Mai and heading down the stairs. "I need to speak to you about the Hime Carnival," she says, in a whisper. "Now are you going to get dressed, or aren't you?"

Nao's reputation must still precede her, because she manages to clear the area of onlookers with just a sentence accentuated by a glare.

Mai is apprehensive, looking at Nao warily, but retreats to her room. Reito follows, whispering too quietly for Nao to overhear.

Mikoto stays behind, on her haunches once more and eyeing Nao this time around.

Nao glances back at Mikoto for a long moment.

Then she puts her hand to her head. "I'm bad at this. Heya, Mikoto. It's about all us Hime, so you get to come, too~" she remarks, starting to head up herself- but not before making a quick detour into her own dorm.

The two travel up, where Mikoto returns to her own room. Nao's dorm is locked, although she could easily force the door open.

Knock knock. Nobody? Then in she goes.

The dorm is much as Nao remembers it.

She's only there for a moment to check that photo one more time. "Everyone's new again, so I dunno who I'm tied to this time," she remarks.

"It's just too weird. You don't have to worry, though, I ain't going down, no matter what. So I'll see you in a week or two."

Shoving her hands in her pockets, she heads back out and into Mai's room.

The door has been left ajar. Nao can see Mai through it, arguing with Reito over something. She's still in her bathrobe, though the towel, already dislodged during her fall earlier, has dropped to the floor.

"Just drop it already. Can't you tell by now that it's nothing?" remarks Nao, strolling inside. "It was a joke, a joke! You know, if you like, you can slap me."

Mai glares at Nao as the latter invades the apartment. Mikoto looks up curiously from where she's draped over a chair, and Mai moves to stand before the catlike girl protectively. "I know where your jokes lead!" she exclaims.

Reito grimaces. "I told you, Fujino trusts her," he protests.

"So damn what?!" Mai snaps at him.

Nao flinches for a moment, and nudges the door shut behind her.

She glances around the room for a moment, and eventually slouches against the door, her eyes eventually gravitating towards the window.

"I understand that you probably think, quite justifiably, that I am a horrible person and you don't want a thing to do with me. That, in itself, is fine. What I need you to realise is that such things, right now, are trivial in the face of the danger we're all presented with."

Mai crosses her arms in front of her, but it feels more like an attempt to appear angry rather than a manifestation of said anger. Nao can tell that the older girl is confused, and a touch apprehensive.

Off to the side, Reito is content to let the redhead handle the conversation.

"You've seen the sky, lately, right? I'm gathering everyone in the library right now to discuss what to do about it. We may have found a way to get through this without any further tragedy, and that's why I'm here."

"Further tragedy?" Mai asks, biting on her lower lip absent-mindedly. She glances towards the window, even though she can't possibly see the sky from her position.

"Yes, further tragedy," replies Nao. "It's difficult to explain. I want to talk to everyone at once, but, basically, this isn't the first time the Carnival has happened." She frowns. "You do know what I mean when I say 'carnival', right?"

Mai shakes her head. "When you say everyone, do you mean Midori-chan and Natsuki?" she asks.

"Nope. There's a few more Hime than that," replies Nao, with a slight snort. "I guess Nagi didn't tell you what he wants us all to do yet?"

Mai doesn't respond, but the anger in her eyes at that name speaks for her.

"Anyhow, our goal, to put it lightly, is, hmm, to stop the end of the world and not need to beat each other up to do it." Nodding, Nao flexes her fingers. "Hey, Kanzaki, how much of this is news to you, anyway?"

"Mai told me about the Hime," Reito responds, looking back at Nao. "There is not much I can do on my own, but I'll help however I can."

"If you can keep the school under control- or underground, if we need it- that'd be more than enough," explains Nao. "We can't leave that to Suzushiro as she is, unfortunately.. anyway. Mai, Nagi would drive us all against each other if he could. He'd be pretty damn blunt about it, too, but that way leads to darkness and death- so- let's *not* kill Nao for pranking your boyfriend, and instead, let's work together.

Sugiura's already with us, if you want better collateral."

'Underground?' Reito seems to mouth, puzzled, but he nods nonetheless.

"That has nothing to do with it," Mai mutters, and her eyes are drawn to Mikoto as she appears at her side. "If Midori-chan is in, then so am I. If only to keep her out of trouble."

"Let's not kill Nao for other reasons, either," the redhead replies, turning back to the door. "There's a car downstairs, though not everyone's gonna fit, probably. I.. don't think there's anyone else in here to pick up," murmurs Nao, running through her list of people to find.

"Okuzaki, Yukariko, Shiho... yeah, Okuzaki's next. Boy's dorm, right?"

"What?"

"Okuzaki? Okuzaki Akira? About my height, long hair, throaty voice, tsundere?"

Mai looks disturbed at the description. "My brother's roommate is a Hime?"

"Yes." Nao frowns. "Ah, yep, I can see the dots being joined already," she adds, heading out the door.

Mai reddens.

Leaving the others to sort out this conundrum on their own, Nao slides down the bannister back down to the car.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

The car is gone. There are tire tracks left on the ground, as if it had left in a hurry.

"It was here when we got here, I swear! I'm no liar!" exclaims Nao, gazing along the tracks. "Goddamit, Suzushiro!"

The tracks wiggle, as if the driver had great difficulty to drive in a straight line or a strong aversion to that.

"At least tell me when you're going someplace next time!" Nao screams into the empty air, before storming off on foot towards the other set of dorms.

As she sets off, Mai catches up, huffing and gulping in air. She dressed up in a hurry and it shows, but she merely stalks past Nao, headed towards Takumi's dorm. Mikoto is trailing her without a glance at Nao.

She can cheerfully link arms with the most attractive guy on campus in full view of a crowd, she can take on a small army by herself, she can face down a world that's on fire, but the one thing Nao can't do is strike up a friendly conversation with a girl who looks and acts about three years her junior.

The old questions of 'what did I do?' and 'how bad was it?' come crashing down once again, and Nao puts her attention on Mai. "Hey, we're not going there to start a fight, y'know," she remarks, swiftly catching up. "You're not thinking of going in there and demanding answers from Okuzaki, are you?"

"That's exactly what I'm doing," Mai says through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, you know what, feel free to do that, but wait until I've spoken to her," replies Nao, flatly. "Okuzaki can get jumpy. You'll get your answers, don't worry."

Mai does not acknowledge Nao's request. Just as with her dorm, there are students hanging near the entrance chatting, but they part before Mai's approach.

"Calm down, dammit! Geez, if I fail because of something stupid like this..." mutters Nao, storming after Mai.

Mai stops before Takumi's dorm room. An underwear-clad boy steps out from an adjacent room, and squeaks as Mai glares at him, retreating inside.

She takes a deep breath, and then kicks the door down. Takumi is on the floor, Akira stradling him, her upper body covered only in chest bindings. A dagger is in the ninja's hand, Nao can see past Mai.

"What the FUCK-"

Takumi and Akira stare at their uninvited visitors. Mai stares back. Mikoto peeks inside.

"...this is just some kinky sex game, and you're not actually trying to do Takumi in, right?"

Those words seem to spur Mai into action, and she steps inside. With an utterly miserable look on her face as she glances at Takumi, she stretches out her arms and they become awash with flame, her Elements appearing as they circle her limbs.

Akira jumps off Takumi, holding her dagger before her with a curse.

"Oneechan!" Takumi exclaims, his eyes on Mai.

"You morons! If you two fight in here, what's gonna happen to him?" snarls Nao, pointing at Takumi. "You think he'll survive if you set the walls on fire, or if you fill it with sharpened steel?" She strides into the centre of the room. "I won't let anyone here fight. You guys wouldn't do this so lightly if you knew what happens if you lose."

Akira looks frightened. Mikoto follows Nao into the room, and her eyes focus on a notebook dropped carelessly on the floor. "It's Takumi!" she exclaims, briefing through it. "Lots of Takumi!"

She skips over to show it to Mai. Akira blushes at that, making a motion as if to go after it but giving up on that idea at the last moment.

"Put your weapons away. You'll regret it if you don't," continues Nao, urgently. "When a Hime falls, so does the thing most important to them.

If you fight here, you both lose."

"It's true," Akira affirms, speaking at last. "You were a Hime?" she asks Mai.

"You were a girl?" Mai shoots back in equal parts spite and disbelief.

"Also, the door's open, and anyone walking past will see you."

Akira instinctively covers her chest with her arms, dagger fading away into smoke.

"Look, I'm really sorry blowing all these secrets like this, but we don't have time to fuck around. Akira, I need you to put your freaking clothes back on - why is everyone undressed at this time of day - and get ready to go... to the library. As far as this festival goes, the means to get around it may be within our grasp!"

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[17:53] "You're the last one to talk!" Akira snaps, even redder now, though it's easy to tell her anger is overtaking her embarrassment.
[18:00] "Hmph, the past is the past! Lead, follow, or get out the way- that's how things are being run," replies Nao, crossing her arms. "What do you say? Are you going to join, or go solo?"
[18:06] Akira's eyes dart between Mai, Nao and Mikoto, and she takes a step back. Then another, and another. Before long, she's retreated into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her. From his supine position on the floor, Takumi blushes, avoiding his sister's eyes when Mai storms up to him.
[18:06] Mikoto, for her part, skips over to Nao next, shoving the notebook she had picked up to the younger redhead. As she'd announced to the room, it is filled with drawings of Takumi. The artist isn't bad, Nao sees, although Takumi appears just a tad idealised in his representations.
[18:09] "Hey, looking good, Tokiha," remarks Nao, after a moment of flipping through the pictures. "It's a shame you're not a few years older..." she adds, handing the sketches over to Mai. "Ain't he just adorable?"
[18:11] There is a palpable heat coming her way, and not just courtesy of Mai's glare. Her elements glow brighter at Nao's words; the notebook might actually burn if she passed it over.
[18:11] "Give me a break!" Takumi complains, covering his eyes with an arm. He raises his head slightly, and then hits it against the floor with a thump, before doing it once more.
[18:16] "Alright, alright. It's too damn hot in here to keep this up," remarks Nao, sidling around the wall to the front door. "Try to save it for things that actually deserve incineration." she adds in a lower voice.
[18:19] "You should've told me!" Mai exclaims, and Takumi hits his head against the floor again. "Does it look like I knew!?" he counters, and Mai pauses. Before she can gather her wits, Takumi rises to his feet, making her retreat awkwardly.
[18:19] "How about you? You're one to talk about us keeping secrets from each other, Oneechan!" He looks pointedly at the elements adorning Mai's hands, and they spin erratically before winking out in green sparkles.
[18:21] It's not gonna be good for Nao to get too involved in this. As long as they're not actually about to strangle one another, she's content to let this demented dramedy play itself out.
[18:24] She quietly slips out the door on the assumption that nobody is about to kill anyone else, and then runs off in search of the final Hime she was sent to collect... and wishes she'd given this job to Haruka when she had the chance.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[18:54] Neither Shiho nor her roommate are in, but Nao's incessant pounding on the door to get the other girl to come out ends up summoning her neighbors. Shiho's roommate has a family emergency of some kind and isn't there; her target's whereabouts remain unknown, but the girls share an eyeroll. Where else could she be but stalking Tate?
[18:55] Where else, indeed. Which means Nao will have to search for the orange-haired.. guy, who, if she recalls correctly, she's met exactly once in this life. Ah, he must have a room at the boy's dorm.
[18:59] Nao's search turns up fruitless this time as well, although she gets a fresh lead. Yuichi might be at the kendo club, Nao is told inbetween getting leered at.
[19:01] As long as they look, but don't touch... in any case: boys beating each other with sticks; how delightful. It might be fun to have a try at that later, if only to get a good look at their crumpled faces after their inevitable defeat. For now, though, it'll just have to be a visit.
[19:09] "Go, Takeda! Take him down!" are the first words Nao hears on approaching the club's grounds. The reason becomes apparent once she steps through the opened doors. A pair of boys are indeed beating on each other with sticks, while the rest cheer them on.
[19:09] "Don't lose, Captain!" a kendoist so young he must be a new recruit calls out, after a particularly vicious swing that leaves one of the boys rattled, despite him blocking it in the nick of time.
[19:11] Sticks, beating, boys; Nao tries to filter out the unimportant details, instead focusing for the other redhead who might be lurking about.
[19:14] There are no girls other than Nao in presence, either because of the curfew imposed or because the kendo club isn't really that popular with them. Regardless of the reason, all Nao can see is the boys.
[19:14] The match ends with a narrow win for the captain, and as he takes his protective gear off, Nao recognizes him as her quarry, one Tate Yuichi.
[19:16] As he heads back to the benches (or to kneel, whatever floats his boat), Nao walks forward, making virtually no secret of her presence and accosting him just before he settles down. "Tate, right? You know where Munakata is? I've got to talk to her about something."
[19:18] "She's not here?" he asks, taking a look around. A frown appears on his face. "We promised to meet here--" His eyes widen, and he proceeds, stumbling over words, "Ah, I mean, we would have if she was allowed to visit the club during curfew."
[19:19] "Well, she's not in her dorm, and she's not at *your* dorm, and she's not here, so where is she?" responds Nao, tapping her foot.
[19:20] Rather than answer, Tate looks worried. "Maybe Kanzaki caught her?" he thinks out loud. "Ah, man, I'll never live that down."
[19:23] "Ugh. When you see her, tell her I'm looking for her," replies Nao, creasing her brow. "It's kind of important."
[19:34] Tate nods absent-mindedly, heading towards his things and fishing for a cellphone. He dials, and the phone rings a few times before he looks at it in dismay and hangs up.
[19:37] No luck with the cell, either? It doesn't bode well, and after a moment, Nao comes to a short resolution. "Hey, go and look for her," she says, after a moment. "We'll be in the library. If you can't find her, it's kinda bad, so tell us," she remarks, turning about and swiftly departing.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[17:47] As Nao approaches the library, she spots a swiftly-moving shadow out of the corner of her eye. It seems to be stalking her, and never there when she turns to look back fully.
[17:48] Nao cracks her knuckles and suddenly dashes back at a near-sonic speed, twisting her head in order to get a view of her would-be tail!
[17:49] "Nya?"
[17:49] Nao comes face-to-face with Mikoto, who stares at her curiously, her head tilted.
[17:50] "Mikoto?" asks Nao, dropping her guard and tilting her head to match. "Where's Mai?"
[17:51] "Mai's angry," Mikoto states, a shiver passing through her entire body. "Let's hide together, Nao!"
[17:52] "I can't. It's my job to deal with angry Mais, and ensure they're angry at the right people instead of her friends," replies Nao, after a moment. "Nothing to worry about!"
[17:53] "Mai will be angry at you," Mikoto points out, uncharacteristically insightful. "Why do you want that?"
[17:56] "Better now than later, while I can still explain," replies Nao, after a moment. "Do you think she's going to be angry enough to want to fight?"
[17:57] Mikoto shrugs, but she doesn't look that worried, not that Nao thinks about it. "Mai is Mai." She points in the direction of the library. "She's there."
[17:59] "It'll be fine. I guess we might not've gotten on in the past," muses Nao, starting to head towards the library. "Has Mai been mad at me before?"
[18:01] Mikoto looks sad. "It was my fault. I'm sorry, Nao."
[18:02] "Eh? What happened?" asks Nao, briefly trying to grapple with the implications of taking responsibility for something an alternate self did, and coming to the conclusion that it's probably not different to what pre-amnesia Nao actually did, which itself isn't really *her* fault... is it?
[18:06] "Mai looks at me, but she doesn't see me," Mikoto explains, not questioning Nao's apparent lapse of memory. "Like Takumi. It has its good points, but it can be hard, too. You helped me, but she just got angry and sad, and said I can't talk about it again."
[18:09] "I can't remember," explains Nao, after a moment. "I can't remember things like that. Whatever it was, I'm sure you didn't need to apologize over it," she adds, straightening up and heading inside. "Let's go see the others and hope they're not dumb enough to be mad at each other."
[18:12] Mikoto instantly cheers up at those words, and skips the rest of the way. As Nao approaches the entrance to the library, she hears several familiar voices discuss ways to wake Sister Yukariko up.

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