Fuka: the Final Chapter (Nao)

[Corwin]

<--->

[18:12] "I still say it's worth trying!" Midori insists. "She woke up while we were driving over here! She can do it again, if we take the scientific route and attempt to reproduce the exact conditions of the experiment!"
[18:14] "Any experiment that involves putting you behind the wheel of a car again is doomed to failure, unless the point is to find out what it's like to die in a car crash!"
[18:14] "How can you say that after I took you driving? Twice!"
[18:15] "Shut up, this is giving me a headache," Yukino's voice grouchily demands, laden with static.
[18:15] "That'd be a way to go, wouldn't it? Sleeping Hime, adding to the road toll," remarks Nao, stepping into the library and surveying the occupants. "Maybe get a bucket of water?"
[18:15] "Okay, you're right, I'm sorry. Maybe the outcome will just be you driving over a student instead."
[18:17] "And where's the octopus?" Yukino asks, shifting her attention towards Nao. "Did she add to the road toll, already?"
[18:19] "Don't know. I'm worried. She was apparently meant to meet Tate at the dojo, and.. didn't show," replies Nao, folding her arms. "I think he's gonna look for her. God knows where to start, though."
[18:23] Sister Yukariko sputters, hacking and coughing loudly. Shizuru is kneeling next to her, an opened mineral water bottle in her arms. Only a third of the water remains within. "Water was a good suggestion," Shizuru says softly, offering the nun a hand after standing up gracefully.
[18:25] "Maybe we should send out my troops to look for Shiho. I do have coordinates in this reality, right?" She turns around to look at the sputtering noises. ...Oh, Yukariko's awake again. This should be fun.
[18:26] "Excuse me. This reality?" Akira asks, stepping forward.
[18:27] "We were talking about Shiho. Try to keep up."
[18:28] "Uh-huh. Yeah, get on that, it can't hurt," remarks Nao, before turning to Akira. "Yes. This reality. As distinct to 'the one Yuuki, Suzushiro, and Kikukawa' just came from. Which isn't... quite all of it. Yukino, are you gonna explain? You're the one who pulled it off."
[18:30] Haruka sets about looking for a phone--anyone's would do, she just has to use it for a few minutes to call up the usual goon squad and get them searching for Shiho. Surely at least some of the people who worked for her before will do so in this world as well.
[18:31] "We might as well," Yukino grumbles. "This is the most we'll gather, and we can't waste any more time. The octopus will get placed in a special class to catch her up, if your goons can find her in time, Haruka-chan." Her voice drips with contempt as she supplies the endearment, much to the shock of many present, Nao can tell.
[18:31] Haruka spots a landline in the librarian's office, right after discovering said office. It is unoccupied, but the phone works when she tries it.
[18:33] "First, the situation," Yukino announces. "We are all going to die if you don't follow my lead. If you can't accept that, go away and get hit by a bus, because you would be useless to me. Next, your loved ones will die, so there's your incentive to stick around. The best part? We're going to die within the next twenty four hours, if my calculations are correct.
[18:33] And of course they are, so don't bother bugging me about them. Any questions so far?"
[18:36] Haruka goes to work mobilizing the goon squad, whoever she can reach, and getting them to go look for Shiho. She listens to Yukino's explanation as closely as she can while doing this, but it's hard to follow two discussions at once, right? And if Yukino sounds a little touchy right now, well, she's obviously just stressed out.
[18:36] Nao's face makes it clear to anyone who's looking that she's had it up to here with Yukino, but is restraining herself from some snide comment or annoyed question.
[18:45] Nao, herself, is hardly welcome in this group, judging by Mai and Natsuki. Akira glaring at her in between her scowls at Mai feels different, somehow, but the other Hime present don't show her any animosity.
[18:45] "Excuse me, Kikukawa-san," Shizuru speaks up. "I have a question, if I may."
[18:45] There is a long-suffering sigh. "Yes, Miss President?"
[18:45] "Wouldn't things go quicker if you shared the plan you said you had for dealing with our mutual problem?"
[18:45] Yukino is silent for a while. "But someone has to impress upon the idiots the urgency of the si--"
[18:45] "Now, Kikukawa-san."
[18:48] Natsuki is interested in the proceedings, and tries to cover it up with indifference rather badly. She is either a terrible actress or too unbalanced at the moment to pull it off.
[18:48] Haruka receives agreements so crisp she can practically see her subordinates from the Executive Committee salute her over the phone. If Shiho Munakata is on campus, she would be found within half an hour at the most.
[18:49] Nao has dealt with worse than mean looks thrown her way before! Being disliked on sight isn't the most fun thing in the world, but it's a sight better than being attacked.
[18:52] "You know that disaster movie," Yukino says after another pause, "where a large meteorite slams into the Earth? Extinction Level Event? What we're expecting is kind of like that, except this time there would be no nukes or manly drilling because no one but those gathered in this room can even see it. That makes it our problem, and we need to deal with it."
[18:52] Haruka hangs up the phone and returns her attention to the discussion at hand, seemingly oblivious to the unsettling undertone of the speakers.
[18:55] Yukino certainly has everyone's attention as she proceeds. "It's out in space. We can't go there or we'll die. I don't care if you die, but if you die too soon to make a difference, then I die, so we're not going with a plan that pointlessly throws your lives away.
[18:55] We could destroy it if it were somewhere on the ground, like a kind of overgrown Orphan, but even if we survive the impact, the planet won't. So that's a bad plan, too."
[18:56] "Appeasing it the way Nagi wanted us to probably won't work either," chimes in Nao. "It's too close and too powerful already."
[18:58] "And we're missing an Obsidian Lord," Yukino agrees. "Something went wrong with what we did. It didn't screw things up entirely, but since I don't know why I became the way I am, it stands to reason we don't understand the system enough to attempt something on this scale, even if it were a good idea in the long run."
[18:58] "What happened to you?" Mai voices.
[18:58] "Don't ask," Yukino returns curtly.
[19:01] "Nor what made people vanish. In any case, we can't kill it, and we can't put it to sleep. That leaves either running away, or making it go away...?"
[19:03] "Run away where?" Yukino asks in frustration. "Or do you mean 'when'? Well, I've got news for you, then. Your soul won't survive another trip. No one's will. The more time passes, the more I understand. Some things, I wish I didn't."
[19:04] "If we're talking about what to do about enroaching celestial bodies, even something as crazy as 'move the earth out it's flight path' isn't too much of a stretch. But no, tell us what you've come up with."
[19:05] "Yeah. If this is the last chance we'll have, we need to know everything, no matter how unpleasant it is."
[19:08] "Interesting." Those gathered can almost see Yukino tilt her head in consideration. "I'll try that if you all fail. Here's the plan. We do, after all, have a short window of opportunity. Normally, it wouldn't be possible. Tidal waves alone would wreak havoc on everything, and Earth would crumble even before an actual impact... but the Hime Star isn't like that.
[19:08] It hasn't manifested fully in the same world we exist in. When it falls, it would be like an obscenely huge rock crashing down on Earth, right until the impact where the rules change. We can't let it hit, and we can't go out in space to greet it, but we can intercept it in the atmosphere."
[19:10] "That's ridiculous!" Natsuki exclaims. "You might as well be talking about going out in space! We can't fly!"
[19:10] "Some of us can," Yukino interjects, and all eyes swerve towards Mai.
[19:11] "Let's table that for now," remarks Nao, after a moment of silence. "We can get up there and do things. What do we do, just open fire? It's a moon-sized rock that's plummeting towards the earth. We can't exactly blow it out the sky."
[19:12] "Why not?"
[19:12] Silence once again greets Yukino's words.
[19:12] Midori chuckles, then. "Yes, why not?"
[19:13] "Even on my best day, how much stuff do you think I can actually physically wreck?" asks Nao, after a moment. "Even if you multiply that by 8; hell, let's say 20, for all that Kagutsuchi is so hideously powerful... well, any odds are better than none. Better than dying in a car."
[19:15] "Well, I can go along for the ride. I'm sure I could help somehow. And it's like I have to worry about breathing up there, right?" If there's anything strange about this last sentence, Haruka seems unconcernced.
[19:17] "Is there more to this plan than to just hacking at a moon-sized rock, Kikukawa-san?" Shizuru questions.
[19:17] "I figure that there is a core holding things together, so eroding the main body should make the remnants disintegrate," Yukino responds. "Even if not, a meteorite shower is better than what's coming."
[19:20] "It's not just a rock, after all. It can be communicated to from the earth, albeit in a very bloody and pointless way," murmurs Nao. "If we can't act until it actually enters the atmosphere, we should go interrogate those who do know a bit more about the whole thing."
[19:21] "Who said you can't act?" Yukino grumbles. "Use the time we have to learn how to fly."
[19:22] "This is stupid," Natsuki states with a roll of her eyes.
[19:22] "Now, Natsuki--" Shizuru says, coming closer, but the bluette glares at her.
[19:26] "...so, Tokiha, mind if I take the dragon out for a spin? I'll let you drive my insect."
[19:28] "You're welcome to suggest another plan, Kuga. Sheer nativity doesn't help us out at all, you know?"
[19:29] As both Tokiha siblings glare at Nao, joined by Akira, Natsuki runs a hand through her hair. "I can't believe it, but I'm with Yuuki on this. Information gathering's better than this." She stalks out of the library, and when Shizuru moves to follow, she adds, "And I don't want to be in the same room as you right now." That stops Shizuru cold in her tracks.
[19:34] "Well, if we to wait for a little while before acting on Yukino's plan anyway, then it couldn't hurt to see what else we could find out in the meantime. It's always better to keep busy than to remain idle."
[19:35] "Why do I even bother...." Yukino's voice trails off.
[19:35] Nao briefly glances around the room, and bites her lip. It wasn't as bad as it could be, but it still felt worse than it needed to. "Nobody go anywhere by themselves," she cautions, after a moment. "There's got to be at least one First District contact left here. I'm gonna go find him. An hour, tops. If you have some... learn-to-fly training program, that'd be brilliant, please--teach it to the rest of us." She grimaces for a moment, and then turns around and walks out after Natsuki.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[16:46] Merely walking doesn't help close the distance towards the bluette, but light jogging works just fine. For her part, Natsuki continues stubbornly heading away, refusing to acknowledge Nao's presence.
[16:52] Nao remains silent for a moment as well, but- well, silence hasn't helped her much in the past, and after a few moments of walking in step, she deigns to open her mouth- "Going to see the agents in the school?"
[16:54] Natsuki misses a step, but catches herself before falling into an undignified heap on the ground. She stops, turning back towards Nao. "Agents? Plural?"
[16:55] "At least two, probably more. I guess Searrs is out, good riddance, but that leaves... Ishigami, that coward, and Sakomizu." clarifies Nao. "Dunno about afro sensei, but Ishigami's a pushover."
[16:57] "He's just a big softie," Natsuki says, sighing. She shuffles uncomfortably, before asking, "So you're really from the future? You're not the same Nao?"
[17:03] "No, I'm the same Nao. Or rather, I think I'm made of the same stuff as the Nao who was here yesterday," replies Nao, uncertainly. "See, the future doesn't exist anymore. I think the world lurched back a few steps, and while everyone is the same *person*, the details are.. different. Augh, I don't understand the whole of it."
[17:05] "Whatever. So who was Ishigami again? We can go push him for answers."
[17:07] "Art teacher. I don't really care about him, he's just how to get online with the people behind it," replies Nao, relieved at not needing to grapple with metaphysical madness just yet. "I wanna talk to their techies and scientists about this. They've gotta know more about the specifics than us."
[17:10] Natsuki doesn't look ecstatic, but ends up nodding unhappily. "If they help us stop the end of the world, we can have us a truce."
[17:11] "Yeah, actually, if we stop the end of the world, then that's it, isn't it?" replies Nao, rolling her eyes. "Back to a normal life, whatever that is."
[17:13] "Graduation, huh?" Natsuki mutters, looking up. She swears and quickly averts her eyes, starting to walk towards the highschool complex once more. "Hmph. That's for other people."
[17:16] "What else is there?" remarks Nao. "If we win, we probably don't keep the claws. Guns. Whatever." Nao nuzzles the back of her own palm, tracing the edge with a slight lick; her unadorned fingers flex back and forth, as if looking for something to grasp. "Think you can handle being on the same level as mere mortals, Kuga?"
[17:17] A pistol materializes in a blue flash in Natsuki's right hand, and she points it at Nao's head without looking at the redhead. "Don't place me on the same level as you."
[17:23] "Our long-awaited reunion, and it comes down to this," mutters Nao, rolling her eyes. "It was an honest question!"
[17:25] With another derisive snort, Natsuki sends the gun back where it came from, continuing her trek.
[17:27] "I can see it's going to take more glorious deeds of heroism to recoup my good name. Again. If I'd known this would happen, I wouldn't have bothered with them to start," rants Nao, shoving her hands in her pockets and marching towards the school building.
[17:28] Nao sees Natsuki roll her eyes as she lines up with her. "Oh, please, like you care," Natsuki tells her.
[17:30] "Of course I do. Two weeks of hell puts things into perspective. Now, I know what's really important," replies Nao, nodding.
[17:31] Natsuki glances at her out of the corner of her eye. "You almost sound like you mean it."
[17:36] Nao giggles to herself for a moment. "That was a lie, though. I don't have a clue." She frowns. "Couldn't find out unless I came back."
[17:39] Natsuki grimaces in disgust. "I can't believe I almost bought it again. Do I have gullible stamped on my forehead?"
[17:42] "I haven't even gotten started with you," replies Nao. "Come on, I'm from the future. It's getting me excited just thinking about how I can mess around! You think I should save it until people lose the lethal weaponary? It's not as fun teasing someone if you aren't risking your life."
[17:45] Natsuki's right cheek develops a twitch. "So that's why you're here? To laugh at what a blind idiot I am?" she asks dangerously.
[17:48] "You've got to understand. There's a real chance we're all going to be dead tomorrow. I'm gonna enjoy what's left of it however I can," affirms Nao, with a nod. "Besides, if I acted any different, you'd all think it was suspicious, wouldn't you? Fuck it, you can't get rivals to like you in just one day."
[17:49] "Rivals?" Natsuki asks, ignoring the rest.
[17:52] "All the other Hime," corrects Nao. "Can't win 'em all over. Not gonna suck up and play all nice when nobody'd believe it anyway."
[17:58] Natsuki mulls this over, before a smirk comes over her face. "Truce," she says, stopping once more and holding out her hand to Nao. "The honesty's refreshing. But if I find out you're keeping something from me, I'll beat you to death with a shovel. Deal?"
[17:59] "You don't wanna know half the stuff I'm keeping from you," remarks Nao, shoving out her hand and shaking it. "Let's play it this way. If you want me to tell you something disturbing and uncomfortable, say aye. If you don't, you ain't got nobody to blame."
[18:01] "I don't care about the kinky shit you're into," Natsuki says with a grimace, shaking Nao's hand nonetheless. "Don't hold out on anything I'll actually care about knowing." It deepens as she mutters, "It's bad enough to be protected from the truth for my own good."
[18:05] "'kay. I doubt it's important, since Arika's missing and everything, but Searrs was trying to murder us all through her before," replies Nao, stretching out her hands. "Actually succeeded on a couple of us, but Sugiura and Fujino are in fine health, now. You're welcome."
[18:06] Whatever reply Natsuki was about to make is cut off as Nao continues talking, and the bluette is reduced to gaping at Nao.
[18:12] "Say aye when you want the next one," remarks Nao, continuing into the building.
[18:13] Nao moving startles Natsuki out of her daze. "Shizuru was killed?" she asks, catching up easily.
[18:17] "Yes. I'll spare you the details," replies Nao, grimacing. "But she's alive now. And it's because of that that nobody can ruin my good mood."
[18:19] "It's all because she wanted to do something this dangerous!" Natsuki looks surprised at her outburst, but then sets her jaw, looking down at her clenched fists. "She should just leave it to me and stay back."
[18:23] "Oh, that's so cliche! That's seriously why you're mad at her right now?" asks Nao, faintly incredulous. "Fate of the world, Kuga!"
[18:24] "I trusted her and she'd been lying to me all along!" Natsuki exclaims, glaring at Nao.
[18:25] "So?"
[18:27] Natsuki stumbles, her glare turning incredulous. "I can't be angry because she pretended to be my friend from the start?!"
[18:31] "Oh, I don't think she was pretending," replies Nao, shrugging. "Kuga, some people tell lies to take advantage of others. Some people do it to make other people feel good. And some are just scared to admit the truth. Trust me here, I'm good at lies. So which one do you think Fujino was?"
[18:33] "So it's riddles, now?" Natsuki asks angrily. "Since you know her so well, you tell me!"
[18:37] "I dunno if I should, at that. Some stuff shouldn't be told second-hand," remarks Nao. "But I'll give you a clue. In the distant past, there was this girl- let's call her, oh, 'Girl A', who did some very bad things to you. Now, I'm not a master of psychology here, but since Fujino kicked that bitch off a cliff, I'd say she's got at least some genuine feeling there."
[18:41] "That doesn't tell me anything!" Natsuki protests, though her words lack heat or anger, now. "What, she wanted me to feel good about having my powers?"
[18:45] "Sure it does. It tells you she's really, truly on your side, and ain't that enough for the time being?" Nao snorts. "All kinds of dumb reasons could be why she thinks she shouldn't have told you, anyway. People do dumb things all the time, and Fujino just saved hers up for you. When we're done here, go talk to her."
[18:47] "Not like I have a choice," Natsuki mutters, and blatantly changes the subject. "So where would Ishigami be right now?"
[18:48] "Uh, I dunno, the last time we met, ninjas helped me kidnap him off the lawn or something," mumbles Nao. "I guess... the art room?"
[18:48] "There was such a place, right?"
[18:49] Natsuki shrugs. "Probably. It's a school, right?"
[18:49] "Hell if I know, I cut all my classes," replies Nao, looking for some helpful student to accost for directions.
[18:51] There are none, though whether it's due to curfew or being afraid to get caught around two dangerous-looking girls is anyone's guess. "Let's try the teacher's lounge and go from there," Natsuki suggests, leading the way.
[18:53] The art room turns out to be considerably far from the lounge in question, but distance remains no obstacle for two Hime. Luck is with Natsuki and Nao, it seems, as the latter spots their quarry through the window of the art room. He is alone, standing with his arms crossed as he observes a canvas Nao can't see from that angle.
[18:59] Nao nods at Natsuki, and heads around to the door; without knocking, she pushes it open and gives a jaunty wave. "Hey there, agent Ishigami!" she remarks, brightly. "Of the first district, correct? We need to have us a chat."
[19:03] Ishigami begins to protest, although those protests are cut short when Natsuki materializes one of her pistols, following Nao into the room. "Let's cut through the pointless denials and get to the chase," she demands, closing the door behind her.
[19:03] Wearing a shocked expression, Ishigami glances at the window longingly, but Natsuki training her gun on his head puts a stop to such flights of fancy. "Let's chat," he agrees, his voice only slightly shaky, to his credit.
[19:05] "Ok. So, you muggles can't see it, but the Hime Star's pretty huge. Breaching-the-atmosphere huge. We're going to find a way to go up there and kill it, and we're not too keen about alternative methods of apocalpyse prevention. The First District can choose to help us out, or, well, sit on their hands and hope the world doesn't die within a day."
[19:12] "That's impossible," Ishigami says, pushing his glasses up. His hand shakes slightly. "The Carnival hasn't even truly started, yet!"
[19:15] "Uh-huh, normally, that would be true, but all the vanishing kids should be tipping you off about something unusual going on, shouldn't it, sensei?" asks Nao, sweetly. "The Obsidian Lord is probably not going to show up, owing to being reduced to a sparkly green mist the last time I saw him. I'll bet Mashiro and Nagi are nowhere to be found. So you've got to ask--are you going to listen to me, who has eyes that can see the star and how dangerously close it is to fucking up weather balloons the world over, or are you going to... paint your last picture?"
[19:18] Natsuki glances at the canvas at Nao's words, only to turn away in disgust.
[19:18] "I'll listen," Ishigami promises, edging away from Natsuki.
[19:20] Nao sneaks a curious peak as well, before shifting back. "Alright. I want to talk to whoever in your organisation has the most information about the Star, the carnival, the rules and physics of it all."
[19:23] It features a surprisingly tasteful nude drawing of Sister Yukariko, of all things.
[19:23] "I may-- no, I should be able to arrange it," Ishigami promises. "Time is of the essense, isn't it? We only have a day to work with?"
[19:24] "Yes. So, what, five minutes should be enough? Maybe ten?"
[19:31] "I'll get right on that," Ishigami responds, sounding more reassured this time. He withdraws a cellphone, and with a brief glance at Natsuki begins dialing.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[16:55] After a hushed conversation that doesn't include such key phrases as 'I've been taken prisoner' or 'Martyr me along with the violent Hime!', Ishigami hands his cell over to Nao, still eyeing Natsuki warily and keeping his distance from her.
[16:56] "To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?" asks the redhead, flopping into a chair and putting her legs up on Ishigami's desk.
[16:58] "That's not really important," a voice on the other hand says, sounding vaguely familiar. A snort is heard. "I've always wanted to say that." There is a brief pause, before Nao can practically feel a shift in gears. "You want information I can provide. You intend to use it to stop the end of the world. What comes next?"
[17:02] "Mmm. Theme parks. And ice cream. And being left the fuck alone."
[17:06] "How about ruling the world?" the woman on the phone offers casually. "It might not be a bad partnership."
[17:09] "What, overtly? That sounds like a pain."
[17:10] "Overtly," she confirms, "but not as you might think. There is going to be a massive power vacuum whether you succeed or not, but if you do succeed, someone is going to have to fill it. The future belongs to corporations, don't you know?"
[17:15] "Does it? No, I didn't, but I do think saving the world earns someone the right to never work again for the rest of their life. I could be tempted."
[17:17] "Good enough for me. What I know will both take too long to relate and might go over your head if it's too technical, so tell me what you need right now and I'll provide the data. Call me if you end up in a situation where you need to know more. How does that sound?"
[17:18] "It works. We need to know about the structure of the star itself. What's it made of? It's a day away from being in the atmosphere. Can we go there? What stuff on the ground can get through to it, somehow?"
[17:22] "We believe the star you can see is made of crystal. It is based from observation of what we call the Crystal Star, which we believe to either be a part of the Hime Star or similar to it in make.
[17:24] Limited testing also suggests there is an energy surrounding it that interacts with our plane of existence, but we can't confirm whether it is a property of the Star or merely something that coexists with it." The voice pauses again. "It should be possible to get to the Hime Star, as it can be perceived under certain conditions and is, as such, at least partially manifesting in our world.
[17:24] We don't have anything capable of flying out into space and ready to be launched within a day, unfortunately."
[17:26] Nao kicks off the desk and heads out the door, leaving a no-doubt stunned Ishigami behind. "We can likely cover that part, although if you can think of a way to make Children fly, I'm all ears."
[17:30] Natsuki gives Ishigami a look filled with disgust and tells him something that leaves him terrified, before following Nao while trying to listen with feigned casualness and failing.
[17:30] "There have been recorded cases of flight in a Hime's Child," Nao is told, the voice sounding slightly hesitant. "I wouldn't recommend it, however. It either becomes possible with augmentations, for which we have no time, or by mentally unbalancing yourself and drawing too strongly on a dominant emotion. If you don't keep your wits, what is the point?"
[17:34] "I can't see that ending in anything but an earthside brawl, followed by annihilation, so I'm with you on this one. Then let's hit on the next big thing. If the star's a giant hunk of rock, there's not much to do but try and punch it away. And since we can only get there once it's in the atmopshere, that sounds like it'd lead to meteor showers or something. So- this is big- what's there--to do once we get there? Theories are welcome."
[17:39] "Diverting it would be possible, if it behaves like we've come to expect meteorites to. It is a matter of applying the right amount of force at the right angle. Think of billiards...."
[17:39] As the woman explains the possible approaches to Nao, the redhead comes closer back to the library, until the structure is visible. Shizuru is leaning against the wall by the entrance, her element summoned and slung over her shoulder.
[17:39] She approaches, Natsuki growing subdued with every step the older girl takes. "Would you mind if we talked, Natsuki?" Shizuru requests, after greeting Nao with a smile.
[17:43] "No, I'm horrible at physics. I need to ask someone else about playing billards with planets- uh, the spear, why- would the sun count as a corner pocket, or is it okay if we wipe out Mars instead?" asks Nao, giving Shizuru a brief but searching glance before sighing and stepping forward into the building.
[17:45] Natsuki gives Nao's back a betrayed look. The redhead sees Shizuru delicately place a hand on Natsuki's shoulder before she enters the library and loses sight of the other two Hime.
[17:45] "The spear?" the woman over the line asks. "What spear?"
[17:48] "Never mind the spear, it belongs to a friend of mine. Let's get back to where you want us to punch the star."

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[17:50] There is some sort of puddle on the ground Nao can't immediately identify. Mai and Takumi seem frazzled, keeping to one side. Midori is doing Sister Yukariko's hair at the other, despite the latter's feeble protests. Haruka is standing next to the office she used to call the Executive Committee members, looking either determined or bored.
[17:50] "You can also make the star explode or melt down. In fact, punching the star, as you've said, could be used to either divert it from its set course or to strike a weaker segment that would cause it to break up and burn on reentry."
[17:52] Haruka looks up at Nao's arrival and walks over to her, apparently eager for news or any kind of distraction. She's not so rude as to interrupt a phone conversation, though.
[17:55] "Uh..huh. Is there any way to figure out which part of the bloody thing we should hit? Maybe from lots of different angles if we want it to break up... uh, hold on for a sec, I gotta do something." Nao drops the phone from her head and covers the receiver with her palm before addressing Haruka. "Where'd the ninja go?" she asks. "I'm getting paranoid. Shizuru toting her spear'll do that--leaves a real bad feeling."
[17:56] "She went for a walk. Eventually."
[18:00] "Uh.. huh. I'm gonna have to go keep an eye on them. I've got a tech on the phone, though, you know. Looks like this might not be totally impossible after all. Seems like our best shot is going to be either punching the star off-course, or shattering it so it all burns up."
[18:03] "Yeah, it'd be best if someone...not me talked to her."
[18:04] Nao blinks for a moment, at glances at Haruka a bit oddly. "Are you feeling okay, Suzushiro?" she asks, with a touch of concern. "It's not like you to turn something down."
[18:06] "Hm? Oh, I thought you were still talking about Okuzaki. Sorry. Shizuru's causing trouble, then?"
[18:10] "Ah, yeah, I'm gonna go keep an eye out." Nao flips the phone to speaker mode, and sets it down on a nearby shelf. "I gotta go for a sec, lady. If we're really going for beating the star out the way, tell the others how it's done, would you?" For her part, Nao leaves almost as swiftly as she came.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[18:14] Nao can't see Shizuru and Natsuki as she exits the library. They couldn't have gotten far in the time that passed, however, especially given Natsuki's apparent reluctance.
[18:17] And if there's one place she can easily spot them from, it's a high one. The library is pretty big, and the roof isn't so flat that she can't find a place on it where she won't stick out like a sore thumb. High jumps are, by now, as easy as walking, and Nao swiftly bounds to the top. If she had to guess, though-
[18:17] -Shizuru and Natsuki would likely hold their chat in a certain flower field, which, in this world, would still exist.
[18:19] Nao's guess seems to bear fruit. While they aren't at the field in question, the two are obviously headed there and would arrive shortly. She spots them instantly.
[18:24] It's a place that one can't hide in, but Nao likely won't need to. She can spend a minute or two keeping an eye on them from here, and if Shizuru doesn't feel compelled to wave around the spear overmuch, it'd satisfy her.
[18:28] But if they vanish behind the building, it would be impossible to keep track of the duo. Still, it'd only take her about a minute to get to the other school building, where she can hopefully eavesdrop without tipping either girl off (although when one considers the natural senses being a Hime bestows, it may well be a forlorn hope.)
[18:31] "Alright, we're here," she can hear Natsuki grumble. Someone sighs, a foot is stomped and Natsuki raises her voice, sounding frustrated. "Just what else did you have to say?"
[18:31] "I--"
[18:31] "What?" Natsuki interrupts her. "Is there more you've been hiding from me all along?"
[18:35] Nao slides just under the windowline, sitting with her back to the conversation and closing her eyes.
[18:37] "Haven't you done the same?"
[18:37] "That's different!" Natsuki exclaims angrily. "That was to protect you!"
[18:42] It does make sense. Fog of war can be a terrible thing, which is why Nao made such a point of forcing every Hime into the same room to start with. On the other hand, it looks like that hit it's own problems.
[18:45] "You're right," Shizuru admits quietly. "Your motives, at least, were pure." Natsuki can't seem to formulate a response to this, so Shizuru continues. "I love you, Natsuki. I've said that every chance I got, and sometimes, you said it back instead of getting flustered or angry. But you never meant it the same way I had. And if I'm going to be dead by tomorrow, I don't want to die without making it clear."
[18:47] Nao's eyes open to thin lines. Well, this was what she'd been aiming to have made clear, after all. It was better for all concerned to get this out in the open sooner rather than later, wasn't it? It's funny, though, because a spasm of jealousy wasn't supposed to be part of the deal.
[18:50] "I don't even know if I like you right now!" Natsuki exclaims. "How can you still keep on joking--"
[18:50] "This," Shizuru says quietly, in a voice that manages to cut Natsuki off entirely, "is the physical manifestation of my love for you. Kiyohime." There is a hiss from the outside, and Nao feels a sudden chill in her bones. "Even though it's wrong, even though I don't deserve it, can't you accept me as I am?"
[18:53] It's difficult for Nao to remain clinical in the face of an onslaught of bad and painful memories, and she certainly can think of one or two choice words to say to Shizuru on the spot. Recollecting them earlier didn't trigger the same sheer terror that she finds easy to recall.
[18:55] The Child's very presence disturbs Nao, eating away at her psyche. It is so easy to imagine it being just outside, with only a flimsy concrete wall between them that won't hold it for even a moment.
[18:56] "So you brought me here to kill me?" Natsuki manages to say, and the wall several feet away from Nao shatters violently!
[18:59] It's a reasonable conclusion, and Nao doesn't manage a graceful roll away from the debris, but rather a panicked leap towards the corner of the room, where she can peak just outside take stock of the scene of carnage.
[19:02] Shizuru had smashes her naginata through the wall, and the normally collected young woman looks upset. Kiyohime is situated behind her, the snake heads hissing menacingly and towering over the student council president. Natsuki stands a few feet away, appearing locked in a fight or flight decision and unable to make one at the moment.
[19:05] "You're always like that!" Shizuru complains, retrieving the naginata and slamming it against an undamaged section of the building, resulting in another breach. "Do you think it was easy for me to watch you run off and fight, place yourself in danger when I could only watch from a distance? Do you think I intended for this to happen?
[19:06] I just wanted the power to protect you! I wanted to be your strength! But at every step, when I try to come closer, you keep on drawing back. You pretend like you don't understand what I tell you. When it's research, you come to me, but when you need a real friend, you run to Tokiha-san instead!"
[19:11] That was new. Up until just then, Nao had always been under the impression that Shizuru and Natsuki had been the best of friends. But she felt she was competing with Mai?.. no, Shizuru was wrong, although she couldn't know it, because when she died--well, Nao saw a side of Natsuki the older girl wasn't likely to reveal under any but similar conditions. But knowing Kuga, she'd probably deny it when put on the spot, and... that only left one option, didn't it? Besides, with a thin layer of dust settling on her head, Nao's sudden coughing fit was likely inevitable.
[19:23] The ceiling collapses, but Nao is enveloped head to toe before she could even react, and is pulled outside. When she regains her bearing, she finds herself wrapped in Shizuru's element, now in its chain form, and widened red eyes are staring at her from less than a foot away.
[19:23] "Nao...?" Shizuru asks, appearing as lost for words as Natsuki had been since her confession.
[19:29] "Fujino," replies Nao, hoping that the chain manages to prevent her knees from shaking a little. "What are you doing?" Alright, perhaps not the best opening, but she left her courage in the classroom and it's taking a moment to catch up.
[19:35] The question cracks Shizuru up. She laughs, covering her mouth with her left hand, the right remaining on the handle of her transformed naginata. "Try as I might, Yuuki-san, I don't believe I could explain this away," she admits, and only Nao's prolongued exposure to the real girl behind the mask allows her to spot a trace of histeria.
[19:35] The chains binding Nao disappear as the naginata reforms itself, and Shizuru steps back to lean her cheek on Kiyohime.
[19:44] Nao stumbles back to her feet, and starts to dust herself off. With the immediate danger having passed, she's already starting to feel awkward, but Kiyohime's looming presence quickly gives lie to that. "Send it away, Fujino. It's just- if that's love, what's hate?" she asks, after a moment.
[19:47] "If you want to see it, ask Natsuki to summon Duran," Shizuru tells her evenly.
[19:47] "Hey, don't decide that all on your own!" Natsuki exclaims, but she quietens down as Shizuru turns to look at her instead.
[19:47] "I'll listen, then," the chestnut-haired girl says softly, but Natsuki doesn't say anything. "I see."
[19:58] Nao puts her hand over her forehead, perhaps to conceal a grimace, or maybe faintly watered eyes; other people can only tell that she's becoming faintly distraught. "I don't get you two," she replies, after a moment. "Not one bit. How can either of you want to point Childs at one another? I just don't get it."
[20:02] "Don't group me with her!" Natsuki protests at that. "I'm not doing it! She is!"
[20:02] As she points at Shizuru accusingly, the latter laughs again. "Damned if I do, damned if I don't. You accused me of holding back, of lying to you. And when I finally show you everything, I'm in the wrong, again! You refused to understand until I called for her, so what else could I do?!"
[20:14] "It all needed to be said, and understood, and breaking secrets isn't easy," replies Nao, uncomfortably stepping back. "But now that it's done, the hardest part is over." That was a lie; the hardest part was happening, as Nao well knew. "It takes more than a day to come to terms with things."
[20:15] "But it's all I have!" Shizuru protests suddenly. "I didn't want to die with so much left unsaid. I didn't want to die with Natsuki hating me! Was that so much to ask?"
[20:17] "And if I said it was, and one day wasn't enough?" challenges Nao. "Maybe it's impossible. What would you say to that, Fujino? Would you just give up?"
[20:17] "Or would you fight for another day?"
[20:21] Shizuru sighs, deflating. "I tried. I failed. I've always expected this would be my punishment, for feeling the way I do." She lightly shrugs her shoulders. "Even though I knew what I felt was wrong, I still couldn't stop."
[20:21] "Shizuru..." Natsuki whispers, looking down. Nao isn't certain the older girl heard it, judging by the distant look in her eyes.
[20:24] "I didn't mean to abuse Natsuki's trust in me, but I suppose that somewhere down the line, I crossed it, and then there was no going back. How do you hold back when you find someone you like and become friends with them?" The naginata drops to the ground. "It was just a selfish wish."
[20:30] "I understand!" Natsuki exclaims suddenly. "I understand, alright! So you don't need your Child here anymore."
[20:31] "But I can't send her back," Shizuru responds, nuzzling one of the snake heads as it comes down to her level. "Not now. She won't listen to me if I tell her to return just yet."
[20:38] "But I bet you don't really want her to go," murmurs Nao. "Because this way, there's no chance anyone could somehow forget this conversation."
[20:41] "Maybe that's why," Shizuru muses, patting one of Kiyohime's necks reassuringly. "Being from the future and knowing me from that time, you might also know that Kiyohime is difficult to handle at times. Perhaps if I had someone I could confide in from the start, I could have learned to control her better.
[20:41] Perhaps I'm just weak where it counts. But when I wished for a Child with overwhelming strength that won't lose to anyone, I got just that."
[20:50] Difficult to handle, she says. Yes, that's one way of putting it, and Nao's expression sours for a moment. "Yeah, don't worry, it didn't," she mutters. "And luckily, that's just what we need, so personally, I'm calling this good fortune to the end."

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[20:54] Haruka and Midori round a corner to arrive at a flower garden. The building next to it has partially collapsed, but that isn't what draws their attention. That part is reserved for Shizuru facing off Natsuki and Nao, her naginata on the ground, while a monstrous many-headed beast towers above the student council president, its necks and heads resembling gigantic snakes to an uncanny degree.
[20:54] "I'm sorry," Shizuru tells Nao, looking sad.
[20:56] Nao can't shake an impending feeling of dread at those words. "For what?"
[20:59] Flabbergasted is probably the best word to describe Haruka's reaction, though no doubt she would have difficulty pronouncing it herself. "WHAT THE HELL is going on here? We cannot afford to draw weapons against each other right now!"
[21:00] "I get flashes," Shizuru responds. "Horrible things. I don't know-- if I didn't meet you, didn't believe your explanation, I'd think I'm going insane. But there is just so much... I thought if I tried something different and new...."
[21:00] Natsuki whirls around at Haruka's proclamation, looking like a deer caught in the headlights, while Midori looks up and whistles in apparent admiration.
[21:02] "FUJINO! Slow down, doing something horrible won't make earlier horrible things not have happened." She'd love to march up, take shizuru by the shoulders and just shake her until she comes to her senses, but that beast behind the girl makes it a poor option.
[21:05] "Suzushiro's right, you know. The flashbacks, I've been there," murmurs Nao. "You see yourself at your very worst. But if you overcome that, then you've already won. Because they haven't actually happened," she adds, flexing her fingers behind her back. "I saw to that. I'm like a modern-day Jesus."
[21:06] "I haven't had any flashbacks and I don't know what you're talking about. But I know stupid when I see it!"
[21:10] Kiyohime hisses menacingly at Haruka, but Shizuru merely smiles politely, as she often does. "That's nice, Suzushiro-san." She looks towards Nao, and adds, "I won't lose to my Child. I just need some time. There is no need to stay around me when I disturb you so much." Her words don't seem to be solely for Nao's ears, however, as Natsuki stiffens at the redhead's side.
[21:11] "Hmph. I've seen worse," replies Nao, dismissively. "You don't scare me, Fujino. Suzushiro! Do we have a plan yet?"
[21:13] Haruka keeps a close eye on Shizuru, just in case the crazy overtakes her after all. "I've been trying to figure out who the Obsidian Prince was this time so we could find his lair. We've been looking at the teachers--and you would not BELIEVE the vileness we found in Ishigami's room!"
[21:14] Natsuki twitches.
[21:15] "I'm not sure he even exists this time," replies Nao, chewing her lip. "And how do you tell- hey, do you still have those amulets?"
[21:18] "It's easy, you just go lean on people until you find someone who reacts like a guilty person. Oh, the amulet...I think it sort of got digested or something."
[21:22] "Maybe try vomiting it up or something? It might be the key to figuring it out," replies Nao, fidgeting. "I need to think. I'd hoped he'd just died."
[21:24] "I don't think it works that way, unfortunately. I could probably turn myself into money if I wanted to, but that doesn't mean you could spend me. What I mean is, it's sort of gone."

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[15:08] "Well, let's think about this a moment," replies Nao, turning to face Haruka and adopting a contemplative pose, complete with hand on chin and furrowed brow. "If the Obsidian Lord is around, then either he remembers the other world, or he doesn't. And if he doesn't, then... my guess would be he's Reito. But it doesn't look like that on the surface, does it?"
[15:09] "Not so far. But I could find out for sure if I took five minutes to interrogate him!"
[15:10] "Let's take him for all he's worth," Midori suggests, giddiness evident.
[15:15] "It can't hurt, but I'm just thinking of what he might try and do, if he exists and remembers," replies Nao, with a shrug. "Find a new host, definately. Who... who..."
[15:16] "'Who...'? Finish that thought, I'm not telegraphic."
[15:17] "Why does it matter?" Natsuki asks, losing some of her jumpiness.
[15:18] "That person Nao was talking to on the phone said that if we found the Prince's hideout, we could turn off the power to the Hime Star or something like that." Haruka seems to remember something. "Who was that person anyway, Nao?"
[15:19] "The First District scientist you punched out in the last world, I think. Remember the installation?"
[15:20] "Unfortunately."
[15:21] "Y'huh. I guess the bad came back with the good, but it helps in this case. Anyway, the other chief worry is that the Obsidian Lord is powerful, he could be possessing someone we know, and he's also the chief orchestrator of the festival, nigh-invinicible in combat, and probable would very much like us to fail."
[15:21] "He's the bad guy," Haruka clarifies for Natsuki.
[15:23] Natsuki scoffs at Haruka. "You don't say."
[15:23] "Beating up the invicible combat monster possessing one of our friends saves the world?" Shizuru asks.
[15:26] "It's not really him we need, if I'm understanding things. We need something he *has*. We fought him last time and it was an empirical victory at best."
[15:26] "What does the Obsidian Lord have, then, Suzushiro-san?"
[15:28] "He has... the Crystal Star!" Haruka says dramatically.
[15:29] Nao's teeth grind, and she shoves her hands back in the pockets of her skirt. "Think of it like a control panel for the Hime Star," she offers.
[15:29] "Maybe, if we find it and can make it work, we can just tell it to go away."
[15:32] "It sounds better than following Kikukawa-san's plan," Shizuru agrees, inclining her head ever so slightly.
[15:32] Midori looks disappointed, however.
[15:33] "It's worth trying. We have time still before the Hime Star hits."
[15:35] "Yeah, if we find him. Reito's a possibilty. But if he got to choose, then he wouldn't pick Reito again, so..." Nao's lips turn sour. "If I was him, I'd use Tokiha Takumi."
[15:38] "Want me to pry the truth out of him? I think he's still back at the library."
[15:38] "Yeah, good luck with that, unless you want Mai to incinerate you."
[15:38] "Are you an idiot?" Natsuki snaps at Haruka at the same time.
[15:39] "And that's exactly why. Argh, I could be wrong! But if I'm not, that's the worst scenario."
[15:39] "How can you ask that, Kuga? How long have we gone to school together?"
[15:40] Natsuki shudders.
[15:46] "If he's someone else it could be anyone, too," continues Nao, frowning. "I know. We do the TV thing again, or something like it. If we send a message to everyone on Fuka and he's here, it's sure to reach him, and then it might be possible to goad him into... negotiation."
[15:49] "I don't know if we have time to arrange that, but it would reach more people than going door-to-door if we can do it. You can go on TV this time, though."
[15:49] "No, no, we can use the loudspeakers or something, wouldn't they still exist?"
[15:51] "I don't see why they wouldn't. Want to head to the PA room and find out? Unless we're doing something important here." She looks around.
[15:51] "Don't mind me," Shizuru says pleasantly, Kiyohime behind her.
[15:52] "Alright. Kuga, coming with us?" Haruka adds pointedly, obviously not comfortable leaving anyone alone in the company of an unstable Shizuru.
[15:53] Nao suddenly finds the sky very interesting to look at. Not that it wasn't interesting before, but sometimes, it takes reminding.
[15:55] It's just as overwhelming to see the Hime Star so ominously close as she looks up as the first time she had after returning to the past.
[15:55] Natsuki shuffles her feet. "Pass," she says at last. Shizuru looks surprised, before she schools her features once more into a pleasant smile.
[15:57] "Alright." Haruka shrugs and walks off, assuming Nao will be right behind her.
[15:57] Looking at Haruka's shiny head is only slightly harder on the eyes than the obscene red wart in the sky.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[16:24] With Haruka leading the way, she, Nao and Midori swiftly make their way to the student council room. While several spots could be used to activate the school-wide public announcement system, for Haruka it feels natural to pick this destination.
[16:24] Upon arrival, the three see that the room is far from empty. Reito sits behind Shizuru's desk, while several members of the Executive Committee stand before it, not quite at attention but certainly resembling that. Haruka certainly recognizes them all, while Nao can only match one face to a name. Yuki stands in the center of the small group, radiating authority and confidence.
[16:25] Haruka looks around the room. "I wasn't aware we were having a meeting today."
[16:26] "I'm keeping peace and order at the Academy while you handle saving the world," Reito smoothly answers, even as the gathered Executive Committee members gape at Haruka. "Wasn't that how we all decided to be useful?"
[16:29] Haruka nods. "Of course, good job. We're just here to use the PA system."
[16:29] "It's a potentially vital component to saving the world," chimes in Nao, with a nod.
[16:29] "How so?" he inquires.
[16:30] "We need to use it to negotiate with world-ending elements, and perhaps convince them that it's all in our best interests to leave the Earth in one piece."
[16:30] "Yes. We're looking for someone, but we don't know precariously who he is. We're hoping to make him come to us."
[16:31] "By putting it that way," Reito says, seeming to accept their words at face value, "wouldn't you be informing these hostile elements just how little you know about them and their plans?"
[16:36] Midori waves to the shell-shocked students cheerfully.
[16:37] "Mmm, maybe, but our position is strong!" replies Nao, firmly. "This can make things easier, but it's not essential, strictly speaking."
[16:38] "It might also save time, which we don't have a lot of as is."
[16:40] "And that is a disadvantage you find yourself in, which you would be broadcasting to everyone with your actions," Reito argues. Some of the Executive Committee members wave dumbly back at Midori. "If you're pressed for time, you would make the deadline for negotiations so close it would show."
[16:52] "Maybe so. It would be interesting if our opponent decided to use this as an indication that he's free to act," replies Nao, with a faint nod. "Our victory doesn't rely on just one thing, and I'm not going to cast just one stone. May I?"
[16:54] "Of course," Reito agrees, pushing a microphone stand towards Nao, as the other students move out of the way, parting before her. "Just press the button at the base to activate the system, and later to turn it off," he instructs.
[16:59] Nao shrugs, and reaches out to push the button. "Hear me, Obsidian Lord!" she states, dispensing entirely with subtlety and doublespeak and moving on to the main event. "This is your one and only chance to have your say in the affairs of the star. Declare yourself to the Hime, or your silence will last forever, and your name will be forgotten by all in the wake of our victory."
[17:00] She pushes the button again and glances at Haruka. "How was that? I figure, 90% of the school will think I'm pranking them."
[17:00] "Clear, straightforward, and right to the point. Good!"
[17:01] "I doubt that," Yuki speaks up at last. "With all the disappearances and the curfew imposed, quite a few might take it seriously."
[17:02] "If they're NOT actually the Obsidian Lord and trying to claim that they are, then they've got other problems."
[17:04] "Well, if anyone is gutsy enough to find me and ask what the hell is going on, they're a stud and I'll give them an explanation," replies Nao, after a moment.
[17:04] "Some are already on the verge of panic and a strange and ominous announcement like that might push them over," Yuki points out, looking at Haruka sternly. "We have to do something to calm everyone down."
[17:05] "I agree, but I'm also concerned with keeping everyone alive. It's a risk we have to take."
[17:06] "If you'd mentioned this before, you could've had Haruka cut me off halfway through. I would've laughed and said 'gotcha' and stuff, it would've been fine," mumbles Nao.
[17:07] "We can do both!" she exclaims. "This must be important or Suzushiro-san wouldn't go through with it, so I couldn't interfere. But to just shrug off the consequences without even trying?" Yuki shakes her head. "I'm disappointed in our leader."
[17:08] "She can't help it, she's not actually a human anymore," replies Nao. "You can be the new boss."
[17:09] "I'm disappointed in a LOT of things, but--HEY."
[17:12] "What else is new," Yuki mutters, marching out of the room. The others file out after her swiftly.
[17:14] "Forget 'em. We can't be distracted," continues Nao. "Even at worst, nobody will die because of this, so what else matters?" Nao herself turns around and starts heading back to the library.
[17:15] "Oi, Reito, come along, will you? I think Mai needs someone to help cheer her up."
[17:15] "Exactly! It's a matter of priorities. Leaders have to make tough decisions at times like this. I'm glad that we understand each other, Nao."
[17:16] Reito looks like he's about to say something, but he stands up swiftly at the mention of Mai's name. "She needs cheering up? Why?"
[17:17] "Are you kidding? I'm only 'leading' anyone because *nobody else can*," replies Nao, fuming. "It's... not just one thing, Reito. The stress of everything is starting to get to her. Tempers have been high. There was a misunderstanding with Akira and Takumi, and..." She throws up her hands. "I think she could use a few friendly faces."
[17:19] "I'm there," he says instantly, following Nao and Haruka outside.
[17:19] "And I'm...." Midori trails off, pursing her lips. "Actually, I think I'll go for a flight to see if I've still got it. Back later."
[17:19] "You can fly?!"
[17:20] "Of course!"
[17:20] "Wait, what? Why does everyone but me get a way to move around faster?"
[17:21] "You still have a long way to go before you can match the leader, Ranger Bronze," Midori responds sagely.
[17:21] "Sure, we get ways to move faster, but none of us can ooze through sewer grates."
[17:21] Midori blinks at Nao's words. "Yes, even I can't do that."

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[17:26] Reito heads straight towards Mai as they make it back to the library, and the orange-haired girl picks up almost instantly upon seeing him. Mikoto is still nowhere to be seen, and neither is Akira. Natsuki and Shizuru have not returned as well, but that, at least, might be expected.
[17:27] "If I remember right, we started digging around about here," notes Nao, walking over to that segment of the library. "KIKUKAWA!"
[17:30] "What?" an annoyed voice unmistakenly belonging to Yukino responds.
[17:31] "We're looking for that magical computer room and we're gonna dig up the library again. That's not going to, like, mess you up, right?"
[17:31] "If I said it might, would that deter you?"
[17:31] "Dunno. I do like the simple pleasures."
[17:32] "Of course it would!" Haruka states simultaneously.
[17:33] Yukino sounds amused as she says, "Yes."
[17:33] "How? What would happen?"
[17:34] "She wouldn't be able to hide in the floor anymore."
[17:35] "Yes, I would no longer have an obscene amount of rock to protect me from whatever attacks us, and you could accidentally dig through me. But I don't know if that's reason enough for you to not do it."
[17:37] Haruka makes an exeuctive decision, and nods! "Alright, that's just a risk we'll have to take. I'll do my best to avoid hacking through any vital systems."
[17:38] "I hate you so much."
[17:39] "I liked you more when you were terrified of me, you know that, Kikukawa? Can't we go back to the good old days?"
[17:40] "I mean, at the time, it was really annoying, but in retrospect it's just so funny."
[17:40] "But...you made it sound like it wasn't a big deal!" Haruka isn't really up to dealing with the sentiment just expressed. It's easier to think about technicalities!
[17:40] "I hate you, too."
[17:41] "We're gonna make some noise, guys! Stand back a bit," calls out Nao, ready to start tearing chunks of rock out the ground!
[17:43] It's time for HARUKA SHOVELHANDS to get to work! Hopefully mindless digging will make it easier to shut out everything she doesn't want to think about right now. She *will* be careful to watch what she's cutting through, though, true to her word.
[17:48] Sometime through the digging Midori returns with Shizuru in tow, both as content to watch the digging as the library's other occupants. A considerable while later, Haruka and Nao finally reach the caverns they had rescued the grade school children from. This time around, the chamber looks pristine, almost majestic in appearance.
[17:48] They almost expect someone to be sitting on the throne, awaiting their arrival, but it remains empty as is the rest of the cave.
[17:52] "Here we go," notes Nao, walking over to the nearest console on the hive of monitors, computers, blinking lights and god-knows-what.
[17:53] Haruka drops down into the chamber, then wanders around taking a look at the assorted doohickeys.
[17:55] The equipment here, the Hime discover, can track the Hime Star's location and course. There is more, far more, and of particular interest is the system professing to syphon and focus all that power; regrettably, it appears inoperable.
[17:56] "Dammit. It's broken," mutters Nao, pulling out the phone and dialing the first-district representative on the other end.
[17:56] Haruka is inclined to give the device a hearty whack and see if this improves its disposition, but for once manages to restrain herself. "We need to get this working..."
[17:57] There is no way a cellphone would get reception from so far underground, and yet it connects after but two rings. "Yes?" the voice on the other side of the line asks.
[17:59] "We've reached the Obsidian Lord's lair, but the system to actually use the Star's power is inoperable. We've got.. monitoring things instead," she notes, trying to set up some kind of timer so they know exactly how long they have before impact.
[18:04] Searching for the program governing that while talking on the phone proves somewhat tricky, but Nao finds the right one after several false leads. There are two hours and seventeen minutes before the Hime Star is ready for atmospheric entry, if she reads the data right. The projected landing point is in the mountains; Nao vaguely recognizes the spot.
[18:04] "Do you have the Crystal Star?" Nao is asked immediately, the voice eager.
[18:08] "No, just the systems. Unless it's around here somewhere," replies Nao, grimacing. "I can see where the star's going to impact, now. You said it's a fragment, right? Does it have magnetic properties?"
[18:12] "I said we believe it to be crystal, but in all honesty we have no real way of knowing. It's never been this close to Earth before, and we've had to rely on the Obsidian Lord for most of our data and access to Hime Star-related knowledge. If you have the time and point of impact, along with its present course, I could make the best approach vector for you." She clicks her tongue. "Unless it really is there, somewhere. It would be a superior option, because we could snipe the Hime Star several times instead of placing our trust into a single gambit."
[18:15] "No idea at all what it might look like?" Haruka wonders aloud as she strolls around the chamber, kicking the throne absentmindedly in passing.
[18:16] It makes a dull clang.
[18:21] "I'll send you the information, but we have two hours before any options other than 'attack' become moot," replies Nao, grimacing. "We can use it to search for the crystal star. The point of impact is a good place to start. I take you can't give me any other clues beyond finding the obisidian lord?"
[18:22] "Like I said, it would have to be somewhere he feels is defensible, his base of power. If he lost that, he would lose everything, so it would have the best protections he could come up with."
[18:24] "What do I you have in mind, Nao? I can't think of any place in the school itself that would make an obvious fortress."
[18:27] "I can think of two places. The point of impact, and... remember the feeling of dread, in the forest?" asks Nao, starting to pace. "What about Searrs? Do they have any agents around here? Maybe they have an idea. After all, they were probably looking for some time already."
[18:28] "I wouldn't be worried about Searrs," the woman says, sounding quite amused.
[18:28] "Either's worth checking. Unless our announcement pays off, this sounds like our only option."
[18:41] "Yeah. The star is likely somewhere in the catacombs, you remember them," replies Nao, starting to head outside the tunnels. "We're going to have to split up and search as much of them as we can. Do they extend under the mountains?"
[18:43] "I don't know about extending, but there should be a network of them in that area as well."
[18:43] "I hope not. We only have so much time."
[18:48] "I'm sure it's underground, and it's probably not in the town," murmurs Nao. "We'll need to coast as much of them as we can. Maybe even do it solo, and if one person doesn't come back, then we know where to look... no, we can't do that."
[18:51] "Underground works," their First District contact agrees readily enough. "It makes sense, and natural defenses shouldn't be underestimated."
[18:55] "The first thing he needed to do was hide it," agrees Nao. "I'll contact you after the search is over. Get our strategy together by then, in case it's fruitless."
[18:56] "Best of luck," she says, before the line is disconnected.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[17:22] The Hime divide into pairs without much in the way of objection, setting out to search through the network of catacombs running underneath Fuka. The knowledge that the gathered Hime are capable of such cooperation is the only useful tidbit of informaiton that Haruka and Nao derive from this exercize.
[17:22] Natsuki and Mikoto aren't around when their time runs out, which Yukino's disembodied voice is only too ready to point out snidely.
[17:22] The phone Nao took from Ishigami rings.
[17:24] Nao answers it, struggling to maintain a brave front before the rest of the group.
[17:26] "I'll follow through on the assumption that we are no closer to discovering the location of the Crystal Star than we were before," her contact tells her matter-of-factly. "Are you all still on academy grounds?"
[17:30] "Yes, it's our natural spot," replies Nao. "The sky's the limit on where we can be in the next few minutes."
[17:36] "It's good that you mentioned that, since that's exactly where I would like your girls to position yourselves. To repeat, the Hime Star is going to crash into the mountain, and what we're going to do is alter its trajectory by having you strike at the coordinates I will provide you with. With a bit of luck, you'll cause the star to break apart, and send its largest mass careening down the mountain's slope. Rather than have a direct impact, it would glide or bounce down and we'll use friction and your powers, again, to reduce its speed further. A shame we can't do that before it enters the atmosphere, but the principle would be roughly the same."
[17:40] "Are we striking a single point with everything we've got? We only have two Childs that can fly," replies Nao. "You'll have to coordinate us so we're on-target. If you can do it by tracking the phone's position, that'd be best."
[17:41] "...and if it'd help for one to go out into space, that might be possible, if only for a short way," adds Nao, eyeing Mai speculatively. "But it'd make hitting with the rest of us harder."
[17:47] "If one of you can do that, this plan might actually work," the scientist tells Nao, sounding eager. "The early American space missions used something like this to reduce re-entry velocity--" She coughs. "In any case, adding even a single speedbump to our messenger of global doom increases our chances exponentially. If she can do it two to four times, the odds are actually in our favor."
[17:48] "I think Kagutsuchi can handle it. Hey, Mai!" calls Nao, glancing over at the older girl. "Can you hold other people in your shield?"
[17:48] "My shield?" Mai asks back.
[17:49] "Isn't that what you call it?" asks Nao, a little confused. "You know, the thing your bracelets do."
[17:51] "I... don't really have a name for it," Mai responds, looking down at her wrists, as ghostly tomoe appear over them, circling. "The fire protects me from attack."
[17:54] "Right.." Nao returns to the phone, jabbering away at a fast pace. "Alright. We can have Kagutsuchi blast away in orbit. Once it hits atmosphere, we can get.. Midori to take up Kuga and Yukariko and put a bit more pressure on it. The rest of us will get ready to.. juggle it, I guess?"
[17:55] "I'll be more than glad to punch it in the face as soon as it's in range," Haruka adds.
[17:55] "Actually, yeah, you don't need to breathe, you can do the space thing too."
[17:55] "That too. I should definitely be on the front line either way!"
[17:56] "If anyone can survive getting hit by a falling planet, it's you, Suzushiro."
[17:56] "It is impossible for any of you to stop that thing, to even trying is pointless," the First District scientist states. "However, it should be both possible and even relatively easy to nudge it along, eroding its velocity along the way. You should probably evacuates those near the coast, if you care about that sort of thing."
[17:56] "We're looking to have it roll into the sea?"
[17:56] "I could," Midori tells Nao, looking around. "If Kuga were here, that is."
[17:57] "Why wouldn't we care about civilians?" Haruka breaks in. "How heartless are you, Telephone Person?"
[17:57] "That's where the mountain slope eventually heads, right into the bay."
[17:57] "Can someone please call Kuga and tell her that saving the world has an unbreakable deadline?"
[18:02] Haruka grabs the nearest phone and makes an attempt, at least!
[18:03] "Anyway, if we group ourselves around the mountain, we should be able to prod it along. Right. That's if we even survive the impact, right?"
[18:03] "Ahem. Are we done being childish?" the scientist asks over the phone. "Whoever is going into space needs to leave now, and they'll need to memorize a set of coordinates... hmm, better just go with general guidelines if they lack the knowledge to properly apply those."
[18:03] At Nao's question, she continues, "A Hime calling upon her full power should survive a glancing blow, yes."
[18:04] "Yes, it would be impossible to coordinate otherwise. Oi, Mai! Haruka!" Nao waves over the other two girls and turning up the phone's volume. "The nice scientist lady is going to tell you where to go. Ready to be the first teenager in space, for the third time?"
[18:05] "Worrying about other people's lives is NOT childish!" Haruka yells back as her phone rings and rings.
[18:05] Natsuki isn't answering her phone. Haruka reaches her voicemail.
[18:06] Haruka pauses to leave a message on Natsuki's voicemail, for what that's worth. "KUGA. The world is about to end and and we're about to begin the operation. We need you here with the rest of us right now! Oh, and this is Suzushiro."
[18:07] Haruka then hangs up and rejoins Nao to listen to the plan!
[18:09] "Ever seen Superman? The original one, not the crappy sequels," the woman asks, proceeding without waiting for an answer. "If you can operate in space, what we need you to do is get out there and circle the world on a vector I'll provide for you. If we time it right, you'll rendezvous with the Star just as it is ready to enter the atmosphere, and collide with it. It's actually not as terrible as it sounds; your goal is to nudge it just enough that it would bounce off the atmosphere, which should reduce its speed and erode some of its mass. Its general course will remain the same, however, so you'll keep on doing that for as long as you can. If I've greatly underestimated you, then you might save the world single-handedly. If not, then we go ahead with the next part of our plan. Clear?"
[18:11] Mai is many things, terrified chief amongst them, but clarity is not on the list. She nods, however.
[18:12] "Understood!" Haruka looks forward to proving that she has, in fact, been underestimated.
[18:14] "It's simple. Go where she tells you. Blast away. You might as well hang onto the phone, if that'll help with targeting," adds Nao.
[18:14] "Yes whatever," the scientist mutters. "I doubt you'll have reception in space, so kindly leave the phone behind for the main strike force."
[18:16] "Right. Provide us with the trajectory."
[18:19] The description following that feels as if it explains things to a small child. It is easy to grasp, early on, that Mai is expected to follow the same trajectory as the mountain's slope. The rest are the angle of takeoff, the speed bracket to try and maintain, and the various conditions upon which the mission's continued success depends on, such as how to orient in space and rendezvous with the Star more than once.
[18:21] Haruka wonders how easy or difficult it will be keeping Kagutsuchi moving at the appropriate speed. Does the Child have a speedometer?
[18:22] Mai looks at Haruka for a long while, before shaking her head.
[18:24] "Look, you guys need to go now," interjects Nao. "You can't fuck it up, it's a giant sun-blotting pimple on the sky! If you can take out an itty-bitty sattelite- I've seen you do it- then you can handle hitting the star, okay?"
[18:25] "A sattelite?" Mai asks uncertainly. "I'm not sure--" Her protests stop abruptly, as she presses the heel of her right palm to her forehead, closing her eyes.
[18:26] "Oi, you can't faint now, Tokiha!"
[18:27] "Oneechan?" Takumi asks, coming closer and placing a hand on her back. Mai breathes in shakily, then out, then repeats it a few times.
[18:28] "Hey! Just slow down and take it easy, Mai. Kagutsuchi can do this!"
[18:33] As Mai nods haltingly, Shizuru touches Haruka's arm lightly to gain her attention. "If you are leaving now, Suzushiro-san," she says quietly, "perhaps you should use all the resources at your disposal to protect the civilians. Many wealthy people attend Fuka, but I don't believe any could mobilize as quickly or efficiently as the Suzushiro Group."
[18:35] Whilst Haruka and Shizuru deal with the matters of ordinary people, Nao approachs Mai uncertainly. "Did you... remember something?" she asks, curiously.
[18:36] Haruka nods in agreement. "Of course! We should announce that a meteor's about to hit the coast." She starts dialing her father's number.
[18:38] Takumi throws Nao a wary look, even as Mai raises her head to look at the redhead. "This time... this time, Kagutsuchi will succeed, won't he?"
[18:38] Haruka's call is answered, this time, after only two rings. "Yes?" her father's voice asks, unmistakable.
[18:41] "Hello, father? We have an emergency here at Fuka, and we'll need to evacuate a large amount of people as soon as possible. Could you help to arrange that?" Even though Haruka's about to go face down the inevitable, her tone is all business. Hey, lots of lives are at stake here, not just her own! Can't afford to get sentimental, even if it might be the last time she talks to her dad.
[18:43] "What sort of emergency?" Hiro asks. "And just what sort of scale are we talking about for this evacuation?"
[18:44] "You have to believe in him, Mai, like I do," replies Nao, reaching out for her shoulder. "But if you can't, then give in to despair. Be miserable. Think the worst of it all. And go down swinging. That might be all we can do, but it's better than not even trying."
[18:46] Mai tries to form a response of some sort, but finds herself unable to. She looks down at Takumi's worried face, and nods curtly.
[18:46] "An unnatural disaster's about to strike the island. I'll do whatever I can to stop it, but in case things don't go as planned, the island's civilians should be moved to safety ahead of time. Those on the coast, at least, because a meteor might strike there."
[18:50] "A meteor? Why would you think that?"
[18:50] "Doesn't that phone have video conferencing? Show him, Haruka!"
[18:52] "Because there's on heading straight for Fuka--oh yeah, good idea." Haruka endeavors to find the best angle/location to get a good shot of the Star and send it over the phone to her father.
[18:53] There is a pause, before Hiro slowly says, "That is... the sun, Haruka. It is not falling down."
[18:58] "It was just a demonstration--that's where meteors come from, right? Up! Look...you trust me, right? If I tell you something strange and terrible is happening, it's not without reason. I wish I had time to explain in detail, but I don't. We need to get people safe from the impact and from the waves."
[19:00] There is another period of silence, before Hiro asks, "What is the time frame, here?"
[19:03] "Not long. An hour, maybe two at best. I'm sorry I couldn't give you more time, but things are crazy here right now."
[19:07] "Haruka," he says heavily, "you've never lied to your mother or I before, so I realize you are sincere. The issue is how well-informed you are. Are you certain you are not being tricked? To do what you ask on such short notice will have consequences. You will put the entire Group's future on the line."
[19:09] "I'd rather risk that than have people get killed."
[19:12] "Well, then. Haruka, can you find shelter for yourself somewhere on the island? I can't retrieve you to a safe location in the time you gave me."
[19:14] "...I'll be safe," Haruka lies. "Someone thought it would be a good idea to build Fuka with bomb shelters. It looks like they were right."
[19:17] "I'll trust the evacuation of Fuka's residents and students to you, then," he says. "Good luck, Haruka."
[19:18] Haruka nods. "Thanks. I love you, father. I'll talk to you again when this is all over." She hangs up.
[19:21] "All the teary goodbyes are over? The poor, innocent civillians protected?" the scientist asks over the still-connected phone. "When I said 'leave now' I meant now, not the now five minutes after."
[19:22] "Stow it, Yukino," replies Nao. "You two, get going!"
[19:22] "There's always time for cheery goodbyes," Haruka says. "That's just how these things work. Alright, NOW let's get going!"
[19:25] "Idiots," the scientist mutters, overheard due to Nao dialing the volume to max earlier. "Right," she says in a normal tone of voice. "Tell me once the main force is ready, and I can give them their assignments instead of idling on the line and making my poor overlords pay for the long-distance call."
[19:27] "If they whine, we'll help you oust them and take our rightful place as Rulers of Everything," replies Nao, glancing aroudn the room. "Does anyone know where Kuga and Mikoto vanished to?" she asks, closing her eyes.
[19:27] "I called Kuga, but only got her voicemail."
[19:29] "You're still here, why are you still here?"
[19:30] "If I succeed, there is no need for anything else," Mai states suddenly, standing up straighter. "Then I'll just have to succeed." She looks down at Takumi once more, brushing his hair lovingly, and then smiles at Reito. The latter nods, and Mai walks out of the library.
[19:31] Haruka follows Mai, of course. She's honestly a little wary of getting close to Kagutsuchi, not to mention riding on it, given the destruction she's seen it cause, but dammit, she has a job to do here!
[19:33] Mai keeps on walking, putting some distance between herself and the building, and fiery tomoe surround her wrists and ankles. She's gliding across the grounds, now, finally coming to a stop several dozen meters away. Reaching out to the heavens, she calls out, "Kagutsuchi!"
[19:34] A pillar of fire surrounds Mai instantly, obscuring her from view as it stretches out from the ground up, beyond where a naked eye could see.
[19:34] "Kagutsuchi doesn't abject to passengers, does he?" Haruka wonders idly.
[19:35] Winds buffet Haruka, spreading out from the pillar. They exercise considerable pressure upon her, but it is nothing a young woman made of bronze can't handle.
[19:38] Haruka almost moves to shield her eyes and keep her hair from blowing in her face, just out of reflex, but this would be silly given her current state.
[19:40] The fire disperses, violently, as Mai's Child is revealed, descending slowly towards her outstretched hands. Haruka is vaguely aware of people exiting the library behind her.
[19:41] Haruka approaches, but only so far as Mai herself. Let the Child's master approach the creature first--no need to risk antagonizing Kagutsuchi, right?
[19:44] Making a keening noise, Kagutsuchi touches down, lowering its head towards Mai. She smiles, patting its neck, and then moves back towards Haruka. "Here we go," she tells the older girl, and takes hold of her. With a flare of light, Mai leaps impossibly high with her passanger, coming to land on Kagutsuchi's back, quite close to its neck.
[19:48] It's a good thing Haruka is now immune to such prosaic inconveniences as nausea, or there might be a lot of that in the near future. This also seems like an appropriate moment for some sort of dramatic remark. "Alright, let's go make this star regret messing with our alma water!"
[19:50] Mai giggles, letting go of Haruka and holding onto Kagutsuchi with one hand, even as she gestures towards the mountain dividing the academy from the town. "We need to get there first, Kagutsuchi," she tells her Child. A flap of its wings, sending traces of fire through the air, is Kagutsuchi's response as it follows its orders.
[19:52] Haruka hangs on tight and avoids looking at the ground far below. She's not as used to this flying business as Mai presumably is, and certainly not accustomed to flying in something other than an airplane.
[19:59] The speed is incredible, and the air itself is distorted when Haruka looks ahead. On top of the usual bronze shade her eyesight had acquired recently, the flashes of orange make for a unique experience. Their destination is within sight in minutes, and they reach it swiftly. Kagutsuchi circles the mountaintop, and finally comes to hover over it. Something shifts below, where Haruka dares not look, sending vibrations through her frame. Mai looks determined, far more so than she had ever seen the girl before, and as she cries out her Child's name once more, it blasts straight up!

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[14:33] Just as Reito and Takumi observe Mai's departure from the entrance, Nao secretly watches the pair, stepping out of the library after they do to get a better look. Her eyes trace after a climbing star, which leaves a smoke trail in its wake.
[14:33] As it is about to cross past the clouds, however, an emerald beam stabs out at it, coming from above! It proceeds unobstructed as the star darts out of the way, and impacts against the mountains, kicking up clouds of dust and debries!
[14:39] Nao pales, and stares worriedly into the sky for a moment longer. If the Searrs siblings were out of action, then she couldn't guess at what was floating around in orbit, waiting to strike Mai down. But as long as Kagutsuchi lived up to his reputation...
[14:44] The second beam comes down in a flash, and then another. The fourth misses the erratically moving Child, but not the two preceding it; the fifth causes a violent, blinding explosion.
[14:51] Nao's own tired eyes react poorly to the spectacle, and while she rubs them with the one hand, she pulls out her mobile with the other and resumes the connection with the woman on the other end. "Assuming fire from the sky doesn't wipe us all out, where shall we position ourselves?" she asks, putting a hand against the wall.
[14:58] "Fire from the sky won't be a problem for you," the scientist assures Nao. "We'll proceed as we expected to. Have someone in the air, another on the highest point they can reach, and the rest spread out on the mountain's slope. Rather than hitting it head on, lower your aim."
[14:58] As Nao's eyes readjust, she can see Kagutsuchi's continued climb, the Child trailing debries.
[14:59] "Who's most likely to die in this setup?" asks Nao, rather quietly.
[15:00] "The one at the bottom," she is instantly answered. "But if it's someone weak and expendable, then the rest die anyway soon after."
[15:04] "...right. I understand. So if I put the strongest there, it's best, right? If it's the most important spot."
[15:05] "The last chance to stop the Star? Yes, that would be a key role."
[15:09] "Right. Well, then."
[15:14] Clicking off the phone, Nao stalks towards Takumi, soon looming behind the boy and carrying herself as though she's much older than him (which is uncertain in itself, now that she thinks about it.) "Tokiha, I really, really want your girlfriend to help us, and if you could do the begging for me, that'd save me a lot of trouble, you know?"
[15:15] "What?" Takumi sputters. "She's not my girlfriend!"
[15:17] "Yeah, but, look, you want a girlfriend, right? And Akira could help us not all die, right? So if you can get Akira to help, that'll definately increase your odds of getting hitched in the future, owing to there being a future." Nao rubs her head for a moment, and glances at the sky. "Seriously, though. It's kinda important."
[15:20] Takumi squirms. "I could try talking to her," he admits quietly. "But how exactly could Akira help?"
[15:24] "In a short amount of time, a star is going to crash through orbit and land on the mountain range," replies Nao, bluntly. "Akira's one of the only people in the world who has the power to stop it wrecking the world. I need her to get over there, summon her Child, and get ready to try and knock it off-course."
[15:32] "I'll try to call her," Takumi promises, looking like he had just swallowed something particularly sour.
[15:32] Reito lowers his eyes from where they were following the smoke trail. "I'd best help with the evacuation," he voices. "Unless there's something else I could be of more use at?"
[15:34] "You don't have some kind of internal Mikoto-radar, do you?"
[15:35] "She always seems to be around when I need her, but no, I'm afraid not."
[15:38] "Well, there is one other thing you could do," remarks Nao, after a moment. "You could go down the hole we dug and keep an eye on the instrumentation, see if some shocking development occurs on-screen."
[15:40] "I can do that," Reito agrees, seeming a bit happy at the prospect.
[15:42] "If it gives you the option of firing some impressive artillery at the sky, you can take that, too," adds Nao, starting to head back inside the library.
[15:44] "But before all that, can you go use the PA to get Kuga and Mikoto to meet us..." Her eyes trail off. "At the base of the mountain over there."
[15:47] "I'll see what I can do," Reito dutifully promises, proceeding past her. As he descends into the tunnel dug into the floor, the remainder of the Hime couped up in the library approach Nao. "Is it finally time?" Midori asks eagerly. Sister Yukariko is not as excitable, but seems ready all the same, while Shizuru smiles at Nao.
[15:50] "Just about," replies Nao, with an affirmative bob of her head. "We're gonna line ourselves up across the slope of the mountain, and between our Childs, our elements, and our god-given natural beauty and mystique, we'll shred as much of the star as we can and send it into the ocean to boot! Sensei, you're gonna fly above the mountain. Take the sister with you and let her off at the top of the mountain. I figure, it's the best place to shoot from."
[15:55] The nun nods after a brief moment of contemplation. "This is why the Lord placed me on this Earth," she speaks, holding out a hand as an elaborate bow materializes in it.
[15:59] Nao gives her a nod. "I hope he's on our side, this time," she remarks, turning to Shizuru. "I don't know where the hell Minagi and Kuga went, but with any luck, Reito'll get hold of them and they'll meet us over there."
[16:00] "Then we are to take the final point?" Shizuru asks calmly.
[16:01] "Our Childs are the biggest and the baddest," confirms Nao. "And that's where they need to be."
[16:02] "No time like the present to go!" Midori announces, grabbing Sister Yukariko by her free arm. "Come on, Sister, let's get you all set up."
[16:06] "No time to waste, either!" Nao steps outside the borders of the library, and snaps her fingers. "Arach!"
[16:09] Nao's summoning coincides with Midori calling for her own Child, Gakutenoh. It appears in a whirlwind, setting down just long enough for Midori and Sister Yukariko to leap on its back before taking off for the mountain.
[16:09] Arach shimmers into view a moment afterwards, shadows coming to life and gaining form until the mechanical spider is standing at the ready before Nao.
[16:12] With a coiled spring, Nao leaps atop Arach's back herself. "Come on, Fujino! I'll race you!" she calls, and the child takes off towards the mountain, winding between structures more deftly than any creature it's size has a right to do.
[16:15] The scenery races past Nao; the redhead doesn't even try to steer Arach. A mere idea of their destination is enough, and the Child picks the best route on its own. She is the first to arrive at the base of the mountain, just able to make out a blur circling the mountain top like a fly. That must be Gakutenoh, but she can't tell for certain.
[16:15] Shizuru arrives almost seven minutes later, still on foot. She looks as elegant as ever, despite apparently running through the foliage in her school uniform.
[16:17] Nao puts her hands on her hips. "No Child? That was hardly fair," she notes, absently brushing off her skirt.
[16:18] "I don't want to confuse Kiyohime," Shizuru responds, looking up at Nao. "May I?"
[16:21] "Go ahead," replies Nao, keeping any unease to herself. At least they're not on a cliff.
[16:25] Instead of summoning her Child, Shizuru leaps up, landing gracefully on Arach's back a foot away from Nao. Up on the mountain top, a flash of white heralds the appearance of a Child. Shielding her eyes from the sun, Shizuru looks up, murmuring, "Seems like the Sister is ready as well."
[16:27] "That just leaves three unaccounted for," replies Nao, gazing towards the oncoming star. "I thought I'd have more than a day," she adds.
[16:33] "So did I," Shizuru agrees quietly. "In a lot of ways." She continues observing the star.
[16:40] "It just wasn't enough time to sort everyone out," continues Nao, leaning back, and squinting, to see if she can get a glimpse of Mai, even from here. "It's funny. Akira was probably our best ally before, too."
[16:41] "It does sound somewhat farfetched," Shizuru admits. "I would have expected that to be Natsuki or Tokiha-san."
[16:45] "We got seperated," replies Nao, with a grimace. "It's not that we weren't trying to work together, but it's more like.. we didn't know where to direct our effort."
[16:47] "In a way, then, it's good that such a deadline was forced upon us."
[16:51] "Yeah, I guess. Just, I... I guess it's pointless to think about all the things that could've been done," she continues. "Not that I plan on letting it end here, though. If the world's destroyed, we can't exactly rule it."
[16:56] Shizuru giggles, covering her mouth with her hand. "My, that's quite a plan. Then we simply cannot fail in this, can we?"
[16:56] Before Nao can answer, the skies light up! "It's here," Shizuru says tersely, her recent mirth forgotten, but Nao doesn't need to rely on the student council president. Even though it's far and her eyes are weak, she has no problem seeing the Hime Star breech the atmosphere, burning with a fiery orange glow that battles with its inner red glare.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

The mountaintop glows a blinding white, as if to counter the terrible glare of the Hime Star burning up as it enters the atmosphere. Unnaturally strong winds pick up, forming into a cyclone that rises into the heaven like an engraged dragon, where it grapples with the descending star. View becomes distorted, only the glow persisting through the veil of wind, and then it suddenly shoots off unerringly towards the star as well, splitting in to, then four, then sixteen... to Nao, the sight is surreal as the ascending points of light keep on multiplying. It is as if snow were falling, except in reverse.

It is tempting, on witnessing the spectacle, to wonder what could possibly stop the Star, if the display of awesome might that Nao witnesses will fail. But if the star was here, that meant Kagutsuchi wasn't enough- and that this wouldn't be, either.

Nao stands atop Arach, and her weapons flicker to life; a thin jet of green flame on her left, and a glistening, steely claw on her right. They weren't weapons of blunt force, and when called upon, they couldn't push back the star- but they could shred it, burn it, tear apart what's left.

"Together, then?" she remarks, glancing at Shizuru.

Shizuru looks tense, not acknowledging Nao's words. Perhaps she hadn't even heard the redhead.

The Hime Star pushes through the combined assault, even as pieces of it break off. Looking up past it, Nao can just make out a corona of debries trailing the Star. Those, at least, should burn to a crisp during atmospheric entry.

But she cannot avert her eyes from the true threat for long, as Star shards begin falling. One crashes in the direction of campus, while another, headed towards the dorms should lie, is sniped by a bright beam from ground level. Several others careen into Nao and Shizuru's general direction, even as a blood-red naginata snakes out to meet them!

Blasts of thick and sticky webbing lash out from Arach beneath her, push and entrapping some shreds of the Hime Star! As the rocks fly towards her, Nao lashes out with crimson strings; they cover vast swathes of the air, inevitably shredding chunks of debris as they draw near! Accuracy isn't enough to stop the onslaught; only a reckless defence could hope to protect her!

Her green flame enshrouds her arm up to her elbow, and she holds it to her front as though it were a shield to protect her from the remaining particles.

Falling rocks are stopped by Arach's webbing, and the swarm of orphans it was concealing is summarily executed by flashes of red, Shizuru and Nao working in tandem. The older girl synchronizes her efforts with Nao's, striking with precision while Nao's wild attack decimate the majority of the force. Bluish beams continue to snipe the debries, and Shizuru seems relaxed once more, as she were before, except there is a sense of focus to her that was lacking previously.

The cyclone shatters violently, and a speck speed off from it at a sharp angle -- Gakutenoh, no doubt. Yet the glow atop the mountain does not waver, even as the Star rams into it, the shockwave of the impact felt all the way to the mountain's base!

Nao reaches out to grab the shoulder of Arach's humanoid segment; the Child should have enough legs to keep stable even against the force of the tremor.

The sight before her was barely comprehensible- Nao knew that if she hadn't gone through what she'd been through, the enormity of the situation might have caused her to fold up on the spot. Even given her so-called courage, it's impossible to not waver a little bit.

With an angry shout, she sends a stream of sickly fire towards the distant orb; even impossible odds look better if you're doing something more than waiting for the end to come!

The mountain collapses upon itself several times over, as it an apartment building that had taken too much abuse and decided to go out in a blaze of fire, one floor at a time. Nao has enough time to feel, more than see, an entire side of the Hime Star cease from existing as her attack strafes it, before her senses are hopelessly distorted by the massive cloud of dust rapidly spreading in all directions.

"Protect us, Kiyohime!" Shizuru commands, stepping ahead of Nao protectively, and the monstrous snakes summoned by her urging rise from ground in a protective semi-circle ahead of the Hime. The student council president holds onto her naginata with both hands, embedding it into the ground just as a tremor hits them, stealing the ground from beneath Nao's feet! It is only Arach's superior balance and holding onto him that allows the redhead to remain upright, and then another tremor arrives, and another.

Getting out of the way was going to be impossible, and the star was going to roll right over them! The only way to survive- her or Shizuru, really- was to blast it apart as it came on and create a valley or a tunnel, as though there were a knife going through butter.

The flames are restrained for a moment; and a ball of fire begins to build up within Nao's hand; the strings from her claw recind, but the talons extend to their full length.

"Get ready to kill a star, Arach," she growls, still holding on for dear life until the moment comes.

"I will create a path," Shizuru's voice carries back to the redhead, soft and barely audible. "Follow up on it and make it count, Nao."

Time feels distorted. The tremors still come, but Kiyohime manifests fully in the world, its very presence seeming to negate them. The dust and dirt kicked up by the impact remain in freefall, as if no other force were exerted upon them; the effect is akin to the blooming of a rose, bound to be breathtaking if observed from orbit. Looking up, Nao sees the skies come alight as debries continue to drop and burn up in the air in a surreal meteor shower that only a select few are priveleged to see.

"Now," Shizuru whispers, and Kiyohime lunges forward!

A path through what, or to what- Nao isn't quite certain- but like hell if Nao would wait, not now! "Arach, charge!" she yells, only a second or two behind Shizuru! The ball of flame in her palm simmers and pulses, demanding to be set free- but not yet, the moment isn't right, and she puts her faith in her Shizuru and her Child to see her through!

Orphans, waves upon waves of them. Her Child's charge takes Nao past the outer blast envelop, and from her vantage point near its head, she can see those hordes pour out of the cracked planetoid laying in the basin of a newly-formed crater. The remains of the mountain and chunks of the Hime Star are brushed aside almost negligently by Kiyohime, but the orphans charge blindly back, exploding upon contact. Another crack appears in the Star, and a fresh venue of assault is opened, but the orphans escaping from it are slammed with high-pressured air, keeping them at bay. That opening, however, pales in size compared to the one Kiyohime and Arach charge at. It doesn't matter if the Star, still casting off that angry, hateful glare, has other designs for the world. It hardly matters whether it is safe for anyone, even if they are Hime, to approach it. If the tide is not pushed back, the world's only line of defense will be overrun.

They're from another world. Getting all of them might be impossible, Nao realises, even as she's half-blinded by the light. She can see her target well enough, and it's large enough that aiming won't be a problem.

Whereas her previous discharges were similar to streams of flame, the ball of green flame that Nao launches is more like a vast fireball, one that leaves her hand- if just for a moment- numb, and sparking with only faint wisps. Arach picks up speed, following the trail of the blast- if Nao has to, she'll wade straight into the star and tear it apart from within!

Kiyohime stumbles mere moments after that blinding flash of all-consuming fire, veering off course and slamming into the side of the Star with its bulk, while its snake head hiss in pain, the necks perforated from the self-immolating orphan attacks. Arach is but half a step behind Shizuru's Child thanks to its burst of speed during the final stretch, burrowing through those of the horde that survived Nao's attack to crash head-on against the other side of the opening. The cracks running down the Hime Star's surface increase, as a groan comes from deep within it, perhaps from structural damage, perhaps its inhabitants. Fresh blasts of pressurized air slam against its top, denting the surface; Out of the corner of her eye, once her vision returns to her, Nao spots an icy blue beam joining the assault, spearing the Star.

Through it all, a fresh wave of orphans pours outside, and they dismiss Arach and Kiyohime, heading straight towards their masters!

Closing with Nao means closing with Arach, and as long as her Child isn't completely overwhelmed, she's sure they can take care of the suicidal horde, who have only strength in numbers. Besides, it doesn't seem she has a choice- she can't abandon her Child, and she can't escape now!

With sprays of web, Arach deals with the front, and with two hands, Nao lashes out to the flanks simultaneously, with sputtering fire and imperceptable strings- the glare of the star is so great that it's all she can do to avoid striking near Kiyohime.

Orphans explode left and right, cut apart by her strings, immolated by fire, to clear the way through Arach's web, hitting one another-- and still they come after Nao and Shizuru. Even with an attrition rate of over ninety percent, more than a dozen reach Nao, who finds herself closer to the Hime Star due to her proximity to Arach.

But Shizuru is not far behind, supplying that finesse Nao's large-scale annihilation of their enemies simply can't provide due to its very nature. Her naginata lashes out, diverting one orphan into another, turning to slice into a third and then she is forced to block. The fourth makes her stagger as it zeroes in on her as its new target, the fifth warps the weapon, and the next two destroy it as they tag-team her naginata before it could regenerate. Weaponless, Shizuru guards her face with her hands in what would be a futile defense for anyone but a Hime!

The tide is turned as gunfire destroys the remainder before they could reach any of the embattled Hime.


The Star shudders again. Another Child had joined the assault; though invisible from her location, its contribution is impossible to misplace.

With the onrushing tide of Orphans disposed of, Nao takes a moment to catch her breath. It was one thing, she noted, to use her elements in short bursts. So very little was needed to fight against ordinary humans, and the more intense duels rarely lasted long.

Going full-bore against an army of darkness was something else entirely, and obligingly, Arach stabilized itself on the ground again. "We're doin' it," she murmurs. "It's almost fun!"

Shizuru seems to mirror the sentiment, going by the way her face lights up. Kiyohime, getting a second wind, bites deeply into the Hime Star, tearing out chunks of it. The Star shudders again and again from, a flash of verdant barely visible from its other side, as air now assaults the planetoid from two different directions. A silver missile impacts against it, before revealing itself to be the first of a barrage.

Orphans attempt to pour outside from every pore, every exposed entrance, yet the few that manage to escape the kill zone are easily dispatched with the individual efforts of the Hime nearby.

Nao picks a corner of the star- everyone else seems to be doing it- and starts assaulting it; strings peel away strip after strip of star's surface, in an attempt to burrow towards the centre. She remains perched on Arach's back, slowly advancing towards the centre of the evil thing.

With a mighty push, Arach breaks off a part of the outer shell, stumbling inside. It gets assaulted by orphans from all sides, but retaliates with its breath, searing a path for itself to proceed. To the right, however, the Child shields itself and its passanger with layer upon layer of webbing, placing in such a way that the attacking orphans have to go through each separately. The left flank is seemingly left unguarded, but the orphans that attempt to take advantage of that are consumed in droves by Kiyohime, bringing to mind the mythical Scylla in its unstoppable ruthlessness, even as its mouths trail smoke.

Natsuki appears at the opening, guns akimbo, and doesn't pause before proceeding to snipe at the rare orphan to escape the grinder.

The ceiling sends dirt falling on Nao's head, as the structure shakes from repeated impact. The dull red ambience she finds within is almost comforting after the bright glow of the sun and the angry glare of the Star upon breaching the atmosphere; even this does not hold, however, as light begins to seep in through the cracks in the outer shell.

Her goal is nothing less than the centre! If it requires her to break through more layers of the star, then so be it- a desire to see the very heart of this monstrosity seizes Nao, and she heedlessly charges through orphan and red crust alike to see what lies within before the other Hime shatter the shell completely.

The inner core is a carefully-laid labyrinth one could wander through for hours without finding a way out, but a determined Child makes such protections moot, ripping through layer after layer, suicidal orphan wave after orphan wave. Arach does not escape unscatched; even with Nao and Natsuki backing the Child up, it still has to engage the remnants of the assault waves in melee, and that ineviably damages the Child more than Nao can regenerate. It feels like ants gnawing at her insides, tearing at her muscles, keeping Nao in an endlessly painful state.

Losing now wouldn't be right, after coming so far!

Instead of attacking the orphans themselves, Nao lashes out at the ceiling surrounding the onrushing hordes, sending layer upon layer of red rock tumbling upon them!

Ruby string cuts through burgundy rock, more orphans dying in their ceaseless drive to destroy the invaders at all cost, regardless of their own safety. Natsuki is left behind, switching to guarding the entrance, and Shizuru appears besides the bluette.

Pressing ahead, Nao and Arach arrive at a large chamber, easily capable of housing Arach. Perched on her Child's head, Nao has an excellent vantage point over the entire space. The vast cavern has several exits, all spread evenly out and designed to disperse the orphans in a spiral pattern. They pause and rush Arach and Nao in a great wave, seeking to swarm the two from all sides, but even in such a situation, deep within enemy territory and cut off from reinforcements, what draws Nao's eyes is a large prism set on a pedestal at the geometric center of the chamber. She isn't certain what first drew her attention towards it, but it pays off, as she sees a ring of orphans phase out of it, and then more and more, fueling the horde rushing towards her!

It would be an endless fight to go through the orphans, and without her backup, not one Nao is sure she could win- an orphan would surely get a blow in on her, even before Arach is overwhelmed. But she may not have to- if she can stomach the painful seconds it would take to reach the prism and shred it, beyond the wall of orphans.

Her Child lurches forward a step, and then Nao herself vaults off it's back, aiming to soar across the swarms and land close to the prism!

Nao's leap is perfect, taking her through an opening in the horde. She lands near the prism... and discovers, to her sudden horror, that she is incapable of proceeding further towards it.

"What- no!" shrieks Nao, attempting to discharge a blast of sickly fire towards the thing- she can only have seconds before she- or Arach- is destroyed!

The energy doesn't come. Nao wants it to appear, and the green fire only exists to destroy, yet it does not take place.

Something else breaks instead, and the orphans all pause. So does Arach, in the middle of striking back against impossible odds.

And then, belatedly, Nao's hand is wreathed in deadly flames!

Nao can't afford to hesitate, and it's with a sense of vast relief a stream of fire envelopes the prism in front of her; the act of arson taking up the whole of her vision for a moment.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

Nao claws her way through the blinding light. Eventually, it shatters, leaving abstract shapes in its place. She feels numb.

Her eyes refocus eventually to a point where Nao can see her immediate surroundings. She is lying on her back, staring straight up at the sky. The meteor shower continues, but no longer does Nao feel a sense of dread while watching it; that sensation had left, leaving only amazement and wonder in its wake.

Akira is by her side, working on binding her arm. "Try not to move," she ninja says brusquely. "You'll aggravate your wounds. There's only so much I can do."

"This again, huh?" mutters Nao, choosing to continuing glancing at the dancing in the sky. "How bad is it?" she adds, although even she isn't sure if she's talking about herself, or about the devastation surely left behind in the star's wake.

"You'll probably live," Akira states dispassionately, as if she couldn't care less. She looks away from Nao for good measure, ignoring her.

"Any fight you walk away from is a victory," Shizuru's voice says, as the student council president draws into Nao's still-shaky vision. The older girl's right arm is in a sling, and her uniform has seen better days, as had her wavy hair. Miraculously, however, that seems to be the extent of her injuries. She looks down at Nao's form with genuine concern. "How are you feeling, Nao?"

"That's Nao-sama. You're looking on the new queen of the world, you know. Pay your respects," replies Nao, drowsily.

"Hey, watch all that weed you're giving the witch, she's crazy enough as is!" Natsuki's voice exclaims, preceding the bluette. She had managed to escape the battle entirely unharmed, perhaps due to missing its first part.

"How dare you call my secret medicinal herbs that?!" Akira snaps back, whirling on her.

Shizuru covers her mouth with her good hand. "Ah, such beautiful friendships have been forged here," she drawls, smiling.

"You made me eat your crazy medicine?" asks Nao, slowly picking her head up and glancing at Akira. "The kind that guarantees I'll be a cripple for life?"

Akira freezes, and looks away again. Nao can feel Shizuru kneel beside her. "I'm sorry," she says quietly. "We can heal, but the damage to your arm is beyond the normal ability of a Hime. Perhaps it was the closet to the epicenter, or there was some sort of factor...." she trails off helplessly.

"You can't give up hope!" Natsuki pipes up, shuffling from one foot to the other nervously. "That's just common sense talking. And what would common sense say about aliens and robots?"

Nao stares back at the other girls with a blank expression, and starts to gently squeeze her left arm with her right. "Crippled. That's what I get," she mutters, trying to pull herself up into a sitting position. "Are we even Hime anymore?"

At Nao's question, Natsuki flicks her wrists, handguns phasing into existence. She gives them a flashy twirl, and despite her weariness, Nao feels the fingers of her good arm tingle with power in response. Sitting up is a different matter. She finds that she simply cannot muster enough energy for that, but Shizuru helps guide her to a sitting position. Her vision wobbles, and when it steadies once more, Gakutenoh appears at its edge, rapidly approaching.

"So that's everyone accounted for?" Midori calls out from its back, leaping gracefully back to terra firma.

"Haruka? Did Haruka get back yet?" asks Nao, steadying herself with her good arm- maybe she overused her left, or- more likely- the old injuries finally caught up with her. These thoughts inevitably lead to Yukariko; it might be unfair, but an urge to punch the nun in the face again rises up within her.

"Can't say," Midori responds, even as Shizuru asks her, "Did you find that girl?"

To that, Midori smirks. "Even better. You'll never guess who I ran into!"

Shocked expressions appear on the faces of the gathered Hime, sans Midori. A tiger touches down light next to the young teacher, and Nao can understand why. Higurashi Akane is riding it, clad in a black, form-fitting uniform. Her face is as eerily blank as the last time she had seen her, a world away.

Nao can't quite look at Akane without imagining her getting eviscerated by Orihime; it was, after all, the only real memory she had of the girl.

"Still brainwashed, I see," she mutters. "The First District must have sent her here after we called." A bit late, though, by the looks of it.

"Not quite," the scientist's voice sounds, coming through slightly tinny but otherwise very audible. "It would have been churlish of my to deny you girls the help you needed to save the world, so I didn't. This was it. Do you like?"

Natsuki bristles, the guns in her hands twitching, but Shizuru places her good hand on the bluette's shoulder, saying calmly, "For your contribution, we can only thank you. But Higurashi-san--"

"She's long gone. Couldn't handle losing the pearly whites kid. Mind just broke. What can you do?"

"Ah, can the bullshit," mutters Nao. "I know you people didn't try too hard to put it back together. But, as it happens, we now have time, and with the star gone-" Nao's voice turns dry- "I can't imagine what need you'd have for her."

"She's still got her internal batteries," the woman states bluntly, talking to them through a headset Akane wears. "These silly accusations inside, I wanted to share a juicy tidbit. Something entered the atmosphere over the northern hemisphere, and I'm the only one to detect it thus far. Something's gliding down to Earth, and I can only think of one thing that could survive reentry. I'm sure you would like to get your teary reunions under way, so naturally I'm here to provide coordinates for the projected landing point."

Nao isn't quite sure if she should hate the woman or admire her for her manner, and ends up settling on both- she can always draw the memory of the burning facility if she ever feels slighted.

"You're unbelievably kind. We're still on for ruling the world, I hope."

An amused snort is her only answer.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[16:23] Expressionless, Akane mounts her Child, which leaps away without further prompting. Akira looks cross, but she has finished working on Nao's arm by then, and stands off to the side, making no indication of following.
[16:23] Midori, on the other hand, gestures after Harry. "Let's go before we lose sight of her!" the teacher announces, speeding off after Akane's Child on Gakutenoh.
[16:25] Nao struggles to put a hand onto Natsuki's shoulder, and tries to pull herself to her feet. "C'mon, Kuga," she mutters, leaning heavily into the older girl. "You promised me a ride once, you know."
[16:30] Natsuki rolls her eyes, yet Duran appears at her beck and call just the same. Rather than his normal, wolf-like form, Natsuki's Child is summoned as a hoverbike, which she promptly mounts. Shizuru looks in Midori's direction, before sighing quietly. "I will check on the students, then," she voices. Natsuki nods, and looks away, offering Nao a hand.
[16:35]  Nao grabs it, and manages to clamber onto the back of Duran, whereupon she puts her good arm around Natsuki's waist. "Yeah, great. See you in a few, Fujino," she replies, a little uneasily. "Don't let your guard down."
[16:38] Duran swiftly leaves Akira and Shizuru behind, as the latter waves after them with her own good arm. Natsuki's Child could easily catch up to and overtake Gakutenoh, but the need to weave around the various obstacles left in the wake of a mystical planetoid crashing upon Earth kills most of its ability to speed up.
[16:38] Thus, Natsuki struggles to keep up the entire trip; all things come to an end, however, and so does their journey as the Hime reach the island's opposite coast. In the distance, a fiery speck resolves into a dragon of flame, dropping at an angle far too steep to realistically pull out of.
[16:44] Nao's grip on Natsuki unconsciously tightens, and she grits her teeth. Even if they crash-landed, she didn't think Mai or Haruka getting too badly hurt as a result- but her own injuries have put her in a foul mood, and imagining the worst comes easily.
[16:47] The dragon hits the ocean, sending massive waves in every direction from the point of impact!
[16:51] Out in the water, what's left of Haruka reforms and immediately searches for Mai's body. Hopefully she can keep the other girl from drowning if Mai's still unconscious.
[16:51] Of course, life never fails to provide an alternative calamity as far as the Hime are concerned, as Nao should know by now. She squints into the sky, seeking out a speck that could indicat Gakutenoh; whether or not a whirlwind would counteract a miniature tsunami or just make things worse, she's not sure.
[16:56] There is no sign of Mai or Kagutsuchi, as far as Haruka's remnants can determine in the chaotic environment they find themselves in.
[16:56] Midori seems to have the same idea as Nao, already en route to counter the effects of the wave.
[16:56] Natsuki takes a few moments longer, before she calls out, "Duran, shooting mode!" and reconfigures her Child yet again, carelessly depositing Nao on the ground as the wolf becomes a massive tripod-equipped sniping rifle. Natsuki takes position by it, and adjusts the barrel's direction before taking a shot. The silver projectile speeds off, and Nao feels a chill from its passing!
[17:00] If it was a wall that was needed, Arach could become one. But even his tremendous bulk couldn't protect more than a relatively small segment of land from the effects of the wave- although it may well be that only Nao and Natsuki need protection along this line of coast.
[17:00] What, did she crash into the ocean all by herself? They have to be somewhere. Maybe they've already sunk out of sight? Haruka didn't go to all that trouble slowing re-entry just to let Mai sink to the bottom of the ocean! She dives deep under the water, in the same direction as Kagutsuchi's impact, to search further.
[17:03] Haruka changes her composition, sinking faster than a rock, while Natsuki's projectile makes contact with the waves... and the waves freeze. The ice spreads faster than Nao would have thought possible, eagerly consuming the water near it. Midori times her own wind perfectly, shattering the frozen wave with a tornado! The results are a series of smaller waves, further disrupting the original one.
[17:05] No trace at all? This doesn't make any sense, but what has, recently? Haruka heads back to the surface to investigate the totally unseasonal layer of ice crystals floating on the surface.
[17:09] Shaped as a jellyfish, Haruka breaks through the surface. The ice is fading quickly, as if by magic.
[17:09] "Can you see anyone?" asks Nao, squinting towards the water herself, and cursing her ruined vision once again. "The fall shouldn't have killed anyone, that's just..."
[17:10] Strange. Haruka morphs into something more streamlined and hydrodynamic, then races towards the shore. She has to find the others and see what else has been happening since she went into orbit.
[17:12] "I think there's something movin--" Natsuki sucks in air. "Wait, it's coming over!" There is the unmistakable hum of Duran loading a cartridge.
[17:14] "It's got to be Mai or Haruka, though," replies Nao, a little uncertainly. "That was definately Kagutsuchi that fell, and no orphan could've come down with it," she adds, firmly. "It'd be roasted!"
[17:15] Natsuki seems uncertain, but she holds her position, even as a bronze dolphin washes ashore, where she just proceeds to stare.
[17:17] "Definately Suzushiro. Haruka! Grow some legs!"
[17:18] The bronze creature soon reforms into something more recognizable, ableit probably a bit shorter than anyone's used to. Haruka spots her fellow Hime and staggers up the shore towards them, feeling tired from everything despite no longer having a body that could actually suffer such a sensation.
[17:19] Natsuki curses much like Nao would expect of a sailor as Haruka reforms, demonstrating a firm grasp of at least two foreign languages. That might be because she had just seen Haruka reform from a sea creature, or because Haruka is a dwarf.
[17:20]  Haruka looks up at Natsuki and scowls. "You can't talk to me that way! It doesn't matter how short I am, I'm still a member of the Executive Committe."
[17:21] "Yeah, but you look like shit," surmises Nao, fully aware that with her arm in a sling, baggy eyes, and a shirt and skirt ripped in multiple places, she ain't a prize catch herself. "Mai?"
[17:22] "Of which circus?" Natsuki snaps at her. "Shut up about the damn rules, I never listened to you when you were your normal obnoxious self, anyway."
[17:25]  Haruka slaps Natsuki. Admittedly this now requires some effort. "This isn't the time for us to stand around insulting each other. What's happening down here? I lost track of Mai when we were falling. I thought I was right with Kagutsuchi...Actually, I didn't expect to make it back with them...But when I hit the water, I was alone."
[17:28] Handguns appears in Natsuki's hands in a flash, and she points them at Haruka's forehead point blank.
[17:29]  Haruka just ignores Natsuki. Maybe Nao will answer her question.
[17:29]  Nao has her face in her palm, which is twitching, and she seems to be ignoring the outside world.
[17:31] "Well? Is anyone going to fill me in here?" Haruka asks impatiently, still pointedly not acknowledging the guns in her face. "Look, I did my part and helped divert the star. What's been going on down here?"
[17:32] Natsuki twitches, perhaps in annoyance, and then suddenly calls out Duran's name. The wolf reforms, overshadowing the three Hime, and then bites down to clamp its jaws around Haruka's right shoulder. "Acknowledge your position some more before demanding things," Natsuki says through gritted teeth.
[17:33] "We destroyed the star. No casualties amongst us," replies Nao, blearily. "Akane showed up, all brainwashed. You won't make the same mistake again, right? We're not going to start killing each other after the hard part is over, right? I might actually cry."
[17:34] Natsuki starts. "No casualties?" she asks carefully.
[17:34] "Oh, there's me," mumbles Nao, glancing dismally at her arm.
[17:35] Natsuki looks uncomfortable. "Then no one told you...."
[17:36] "No, Kuga, nobody told me," replies Nao, as icy as Duran.
[17:36] "And no one's told ME anything," Haruka complains. "Please make your dog behave, Natsuki. I've had enough trouble for one day and I'd rather get into fights with other Hime."
[17:37] "That's not get into fights, Haruka-chan."
[17:38] "Duran is a wolf!" Natsuki exclaims, before taking several deep breaths. "This is such a bad time. And I'm just, I'm bad at this. Listen, Sister Yukariko, she stood her ground to try and stop the Hime Star. It could even be why we managed to stop it at the mountain. Midori said that she refused to abandon her post...."
[17:42] "Oh...I'm surprised she coagulated. She always acted like a lunatic when I tried to talk her into helping us. That was good of her."
[17:43] Natsuki looks quite cross at that, and Duran's jaws close in tighter around Haruka's metallic shell.
[17:44]  Haruka frowns. "What?"
[17:45] Silent for a long moment, Nao speaks up, sharply. "We'll remember her as a hero, Haruka." She twists back, to look at the wreckage of the mountain range. "I couldn't have done something like that, after all."
[17:48] "Isn't that what I said, Nao?"
[17:49] "We should be looking for Mai," replies Nao, abruptly turning back to the sea. "I mean. You two should be. I can't really swim that well... and what about Mikoto? I haven't seen her around..."
[17:51] "I'm not sure," Natsuki says, taking her eyes off glaring at Haruka for a moment. "Kanzaki assured me that he would keep her safe. If anyone would know about Mikoto, it would be him."
[17:51] "I DID look. I didn't find her. I don't understand what could've happened to her. I was with Kagutsuchi when it hit the atmosphere."
[17:52] "Forget the atmosphere, it was Kagutsuchi that hit the water!" Natsuki exclaims. "I'd recognize it anywhere! It couldn't just vaporize on impact!"
[17:54] "I know! Which is why I'm confused!"
[17:54] "Where was Mai? Was she with you during the crash?" asks Nao, once again finding herself setting aside the issue of Mikoto and Kanzaki.
[17:55] "I dove underwater to search but didn't find it anywhere!" Haruka adds to her last statement. "The last thing I remember, Mai was riding Kagutsuchi."
[17:56] Natsuki lowers her hands all of a sudden, guns disappearing. "Maybe she could," she mutters to herself, before raising her eyes to look at Haruka and Nao, her previous ire seemingly forgotten. "I think she did it, once. Become entirely vaporized. Except she got better."
[17:57] "She couldn't get vaporized. Kagutsuchi is huge. If I survived reentry, he should've too."
[17:58] "But would Mai?" asks Nao, suddenly. "Hitting the water at that speed would kill an ordinary person, and I can't be sure even a Hime would survive. Maybe using that power was the only way out."
[18:00] "I...suppose she could have."
[18:00] "Then it really happened?" Natsuki wonders, pressing the heel of her left hand to her forehead. "That's impossible...."
[18:03] "You suggested it," points out Nao. "I'm pretty damn accepting when it comes to weird shit... well. The harsh reality is that if Mai is down there, she'd have drowned by now or found her own way out."
[18:04] "She is NOT down there, or I would've found her."
[18:05] "Not that, I mean--" Natsuki abruptly cuts off, shaking her head. "Never mind. Back to the school, then? There's nothing more we can do here."
[18:07] "Hey, you called Reito 'Kanzaki', just now," notes Nao, suddenly. "Wasn't he a Minagi?"
[18:07] Haruka casts one last glance at the sea. "Yeah, let's go."
[18:08] Natsuki doesn't respond, dispelling Duran and striding back towards the Fuka Academy without a backwards glance.
[18:14] <--->
[18:14] Midori opts for conducting an aerial survey of the island, while Akane wordlessly disappears, her handler promising the Hime to stay in touch. Returning to the Academy, the three remaining Hime discover that it has not escaped unscathed;
[18:14] there are craters, likely from debries, and even scorch marks from what quite likely were suicidal orphans, barring any metallic remains to indicate a more technological source.
[18:17]  Nao heads towards the remains of the library, intent on checking to see if the control room remained intact.
[18:18]  Haruka eyes the destruction as they walk through the school grounds. "It makes me sad to see Fuka in such a state again. But at least this time we can rebuild."
[18:19] "As long as less people died this time, it's a win for us," replies Nao. "But I want to know why we still have our powers. I was under the impression we got them from the star."
[18:21] At first glance, there are a few onlookers on the scene, but as the Hime come closer they realize it's members of the Executive Committee. The library itself is gone, as is everything surrounding it for over two dozen yards. A gaping hole is opened in the Earth, and neither Nao nor Haruka can see the bottom.
[18:21] "Get away from the edge!" a familiar voice commands, as Yuki approaches, her hands loaded with what looks like police tape. "It's dangerous, you know that!"
[18:22]  Haruka rushes right up to the edge and looks down. "What...what happened here? The library...Yukino was in there!"
[18:23]  Nao kicks a nearby bit of debris into the hole, and listens to see if she can hear it hit the ground.
[18:24] Yuki's eyebrows climb impossibly high. "Well, Kikukawa-san sure isn't there anymore..." she manages to say. The small rock Nao had kicked over disappears into the yawning chasm.
[18:24] "I can see that!" Haruka barks. "Did anyone get out of the building before...whatever happened?"
[18:26] "When rocks fell from the sky, I'm afraid making sure the library did not suddenly attack us with its dangerous collection of books was not a priority, and we lacked the manpower to properly observe it, lest it made a hostile move," Yuki responds.
[18:28] Haruka once again proves that she is immune to sarcasm, among other things. "What?"
[18:29] Yuki begins to distribute the tape, which gets the stupefied Committee members to tear their gazes away from Haruka and to refocus on their task. "Move it, Shorty, you're in the way," Yuki tells the bronze Hime.
[18:29] Nao thinks she hears a slight tink from the chasm.
[18:29] "We'll be sure to let you know about the peril next time around," replies Nao, squinting at the edges of the hole. "Ah, there is actually a bottom. I was wondering."
[18:30] "'Shorty?'" Haruka reforms into a taller--albeit nightmarishly emaciated--version of herself that's approximately her normal height. "Fine, is THIS better?"
[18:31] Yuki sighs. "We were evacuated into the the catacombs. Until the President came back and told us it was safe, we didn't even know what was going on, just that there were these earthquakes." After witnessing Haruka's change, she appears ill and looks away.
[18:32] "Looking good there, slim. I kinda want to check out what's down there. You guys got a torch?"
[18:33]  Haruka just scowls and reforms to her previous height. It's easier to move around when her body's properly proportioned, after all.
[18:35] "I don't know," one of the other Executive Committee members admits, sneaking glances at Nao's torn shirt while studiously ignoring Haruka. "Fujino-san said to let no one near it. She said that it was dangerous, so it's really for your own good. If you want to ask her for permission, she is at the student council room."
[18:35] At those words, Natsuki heads for the building housing the council.
[18:36]  Haruka doesn't want to ask Fujino's permission for anything! But she might know something useful, so Haruka accompanies Nao.
[18:37]  Nao would just love to show off to the crowd that seems to think anyone has authority over her, or that mere tape could stop her, but she's feeling so tired that wandering after Natsuki is all she can do.
[18:39] "Haruka," states Nao. "What exactly happened? In space, I mean."
[18:41] As the two Hime walk, they see their target come up ahead. The building is not damaged, though there are several impacts just near it. In fact, so many of them that it would be statistically improbable it escaped without a mark on it.
[18:42] "Orphans happened. Lots of them. It was pretty much my job to fight them off while Mai focused on alerting the asteroid's course, and I mostly did, but even I can't fight off an army and a few got through. Also, some of them liked to explode when they died. Everyone was hurt bad by the time we were done; I don't think Mai was even conscious when we started falling, and Kagutsuchi had a big hole in his wing."
[18:46] "There wasn't anything else up there, right? No Searrs sattelites or anything like that?" asks Nao, unable to dismiss a feeling of unease. "We had to fight armies of orphans down here, too. The star created the things infinitely, until I broke the core. The fallout cost me my arm- I haven't tried calling up the fire yet, but I don't think it'll work."
[18:52] "Well, something was shooting giant laser beams at us."
[18:53] "And I think there may not be all that much of America left."
[18:53] "This is the part where I ask you to explain in detail."
[18:56] "Something was going on in California when we passed over it. Something that involved giant fireballs or possibly nuclear weapons being delineated. It was hard to tell from miles in space."
[18:59] Nao seems to stiffen. "I think this happened before, too. But I thought it was because of the star falling, or something like that," she mutters. "You know, acts of god. But Searrs was based in America, and the FD woman told me they weren't a problem anymore. If they'd taken drastic measures..."
[19:00] "That might be what happened," Haruka admits.
[19:02] "I have to believe this is still better. It has to be," murmurs Nao. "What about the laser beams? Were they from space, or maybe from the ground?"
[19:04] "Not from the ground. They came from above."
[19:05] "But they weren't from orphans or the star?"
[19:07]  Haruka shakes her head. "Orphans don't have that much power. The star maybe, but I wouldn't count on that being the only thing up there."
[19:11] "We need to plan our next moves," murmurs Nao. "It's clear there's still some hostile supernatural force out there, if you're right. I don't know if it's the obsidian lord or something else. And we need to suborn the First District as quickly as possible."
[19:13]  Haruka sighs, sounding uncharacteristically fatigued. "Our work is never done, is it?"

<--->