Fuka: the Final Chapter (Haruka)

[Corwin]

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[17:46] "Where to next?" Midori, the eternally seventeen year old teacher, asks Haruka as the latter leaves the church with Sister Yukariko in her arms, wings half-folded behind her. Father Greer doesn't appear to be following them, despite his earlier protests.
[17:46] Glancing at the appendages, Midori adds, "Don't think those would fit in the car."
[17:49] Haruka reabsorbs the wings. "I guess we head back to join the others," she says.
[17:52] Midori is happy to hear that, it seems, and makes it to the car ahead of Haruka, sliding into the driver's seat with practiced ease.

<--->

[Corwin]

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[18:28] The drive back is a blur to Haruka. It defies all logic and reason, as the car squeezes through spaces it should have no business passing, and takes sharp turns in blatant defiance of conventional physics. It is all she can do to hang on and wait for the ride to end, so Midori suddenly hitting the breaks accompanied with the everpresent squeal of tires is almost welcome.
[18:29] "Huh," Midori says intelligently, peering at something ahead. Once her eyes readjust, now that the car is no longer in motion, Haruka can see they are not at their destination. There is, however, a very frightened girl frozen in place less than five feet from the front bumper.
[18:31] "Midori, you...uh..." Haruka can't seem to find the right words here. Well, she can, but there are so many unflattering adjectives jostling for attention that it's hard to choose one. Instead, she gets out to make sure the girl is okay (is it anyone Haruka recognizes?)
[18:33] She'd lectured this girl before for being out during curfew, but Yukino is the one who deals with administrative matters.
[18:38] Well, if she's uninjured, what is there to do but shoo her out of the way and carry on? "It's okay, the car just...had a malfunction, we'll have to get a mechanic to look at it later." Climbing back in the car, she turns to Midori: "Please tell me we're almost there. The point of this gathering is to PREVENT people from being needlessly killed."
[18:41] The girl in question nods jerkily, sending her pigtails flying all over the place, and then scrambles out of the way, seeking out the safety of the nearby bushes.
[18:41] "I braked in time, didn't I?" Midori complains. "Come on, don't be so stiff!"
[18:45] "THIS time, sure. Who knows what'll happen next time? As a member of the Executive Committe, it's my responsibility to ensure the safety of the student body, and if that means I have to pass a resolution barring certain teachers from driving, so be it!"
[18:46] "It might be impossible, now," Midori muses, ignoring Haruka's words. She raps her knuckles against Haruka's metallic forehead, nodding to herself at the dull clang they make. "Yep, too stiff."
[18:49] "HEY! I am not a percussion instrument, keep your hands off me and on the wheel!"
[18:50] Sister Yukariko begins to stir, secured with a seatbelt in the back seat. "Where--"
[18:50] The rest of her question and the resulting scream of terror are muffled by Midori gunning the engine and taking off once more.

<--->

[Corwin]

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[17:15] Haruka and Midori appear to be the first to arrive at the library which is to be their gathering point. Sister Yukariko had fainted once again, mere moments after regaining consciousness in the car, this time for reasons neither Midori nor Haruka could divine.
[17:15] Nothing seemed to stir her, and since Midori trying to slap the nun awake while driving the car almost got them to hit a tree, such attempts were put off for later. It is only when the two drag the insensate Hime inside that they notice that Shizuru and Natsuki had beaten them to it.
[17:15] The two are standing farther in, arguing. Natsuki is, at least, while Shizuru merely stands there and nods quietly at her words.
[17:18] That's just like Shizuru. Arguments with her always turn out the same: she'll listen to someone else lay out their brilliant plans and then just shut it all down with one calm remark. It's so infuriating when she does that!
[17:21] Natsuki seems to think that as well, as she stalks away in a huff. Was that a foot stomp? Shizuru looks like she wants to follow, but merely sighs and moves out of the way, heading in the other direction instead.
[17:21] "That's one messed up car," someone mutters from behind Haruka.
[17:23] Haruka turns around. "It's only half as warped as the driver."
[17:26] "I'll take that as a compliment!" Midori calls back loudly, proceeding to drag Sister Yukariko inside. Haruka is left facing a younger boy. He's pretty enough to look at, aside from the red imprint on his left cheek. An older girl with messy orange hair is behind him, her hands crossed before her chest in a huff. She loses some of her apparent ire as she first takes Haruka's new appearance in.
[17:29] "Ah, Tokiha." Concerned, she leans forward to speak to Takumi. "Are you alright? Who hit you?"
[17:33] "What do you care?" another boy asks. No, it's Akira, Haruka realizes a moment later as she places the voice. The ninja stalks out into the open, clad in a pair of jeans and a faded out t-shirt. A near-identical slap mark on her cheek, she glares at Mai, who returns the look with spiteful interest.
[17:35] "It's my JOB to care about the student body," Haruka replies, clearly affronted.
[17:36] "Don't dawdle, Ranger Bronze!" Midori's voice drifts out of the library.
[17:38] Haruka forwns, but stalks into the library to see what happens next. "I'm coming, Ranger...Reckless Entanglement!"
[17:45] "No, I'm Ranger Red! It's only obvious that I be the main character!" Midori announces. Natsuki rolls her eyes before meeting Shizuru's accidentally and looking away in a huff. The student council president goes from hopeful to dejected, before her ever-present smile makes its appearance once more.
[17:45] "Where's Mikoto?" Mai asks, getting everyone's attention with those words.
[17:46] "Uh. I don't know. I just back from getting Sister Yukariko."
[17:47] That gets the focus shifted back to the bronze Haruka and unconscious nun.

<--->

[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]

<--->

[19:37] Haruka glances around the room. Who's actually left at this point? Who *hasn't* stalked off in a huff? "She's right, none of us should be going anywhere alone at this point. We still don't know what happened to Shiho."
[19:38] Shizuru seems in no hurry to go out and explore, while Mai and Akira return to their glaring match. Midori entertains herself by prodding the shell-shocked Sister Yukariko, but gives Haruka a thumbs up. "That's the spirit, Ranger Bronze!"
[19:42] Haruka thinks that the best thing to do with Midori right now is just ignore her. Obviously, it would be more productive to insert herself into whatever dispute Mai and Akira have going on!
"You two! What's going on here, anyway? We'll need to work together as a team to stop this thing, so whatever your personal problems are, they'll just have to wait."

<--->

[Corwin]

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[18:23] "What do you want?!" Mai snaps as Haruka, and as she glares at the solid bronze girl, Haruka could swear three are glowing embers where Mai's pupils should be.
[18:29] Haruka is not remotely phased! "I want whatever the problem between you two is to wait until we're finished with this operation. The enemy's up there somewhere--" she points vaguely at the ceiling, "--not in here. It's liberally the end of the world if we don't pull this off. Everything you care about will be gone soon if we can't focus on the task at hand, and everything you wanted to do will remain unfinished. Including this argument! You can pick it up tomorrow. Consider it something to look forward to! What we need now is perspective about what's really important."
[18:32] "What's this we stuff?" Akira demands, stepping forward to push Haruka back with a finger. Her body doesn't bulge, and the ninja girl flushes lightly. "Don't just go and push your nose into our business!"
[18:32] "The same goes for you!" Mai exclaims, glaring back at Akira. "You're not part of this family!"
[18:33] "Neesan--"
[18:33] "You just shut up!"
[18:33] Akira snorts. "Doesn't sound like Takumi counts for much, either," she mutters, eliciting protests from both Tokiha siblings, heated from the older sister and dejected from the younger brother.
[18:42] Haruka isn't about to be pushed out of this that easily! She inserts herself between the two girls. "Shut up, both of you! I wish you could both hear how stupid you're being. If you can't work together NOW, he--" she points to Takumi, "--will be dead tomorrow. So if you care about him at all, stop acting like children." She shakes her head. "You two...this is like waking up in the middle of the night when your house is on fire, and then sitting in the burning building just to spite each other."
[18:48] "I'm really, really angry right now," Mai says quietly, clenching her fists tightly by her sides. Little tongues of flame escape them to lick at her wrists, before retreating just as swiftly, even as a tremor goes through her body. "I'm really angry, but I can't even take it out on the people responsible. It's frustrating. It's very frustrating. And the world is ending. You don't want to push me."
[18:48] "Don't make me angry," Akira says in disdain, badly copying Mai's voice. "You won't like me when I'm angry. I'm so scary I just terrified myself."
[18:48] Takumi looks worriedly between the two, but stays out of it for now.
[18:59] An eyeroll seems like the appropriate expression right now. Yeah. Since Akira is both actively needling the other girl and probably easier to herd out of the room..."Okay," Haruka says to the girl in her most (vice) presidential voice. "You two clearly aren't going to cool off as long as you can see each other, so you and I are going somewhere else now." She takes one of Akira's hands in her own and envelops it in a liquid metal pseudopod so that the girl can't squirm away. "I'll drag you two apart if I have to, but that would be pretty embarassing for you." She turns to exit the library.
[19:02] "Akira-kun!" Takumi exclaims in shock, even as Mai cries out, "What the hell?!"
[19:02] But Haruka's attention is surely on the nasty, curved dagger that appears in Akira's free hand, before she tries to detach Haruka's hand from the rest of her!
[19:06] Let her try. Haruka can just reabsorb the hand later, if Akira's knife can actually cut through it. Hell, maybe that sight will shock the girl enough to give her a moment's pause. If she's bound and determined to be an idiot, let her get it out of her system (as long as Mai doesn't look ready to start fighting as well. That'd be TOO dangerous.)
[19:12] Trailing green sparkles, the dagger separates the limb, and Akira jumps back, landing in a defensive crouch. Rather than join the fight, Mai looks shocked as the stares at Haruka's stump.
[19:16] Haruka reforms the missing hand for all to see, and wills the glob binding Akira to detach and return to her (if she can do that from afar). "So, I guess maybe you two thought you were the only people with problems?" She's quite calm.
[19:19] "Get it off, get it off!" Akira cries out, shaking her encapsulated hand, and as if acceding to her command, the metal melts down and oozes down to the ground where it tries to flow back to Haruka. Akira viciously stabs the mass with the dagger again and again, however, until it finally stops moving.
[19:25] "All done, Okuzaki? We can keep this up all day if it would make you feel better--" (Well, no, she can't, but there's no need for anyone else to know that), "--but I think there are better ways to spend our time. Now, I'll say it again: you and I are going to take a walk somewhere out of this room, alright?"
[19:28] Akira curses, quickly shoving a hand down her shirt and pulling out a smoke bomb, of all things, which she detonates against the ground.
[19:30] Well, that could've gone better. Hopefully they'll be able to find Akira again later when they need her. In the meantime...Haruka nudges the "dead" mass of protoplasm with her foot. Hopefully it can still be reabsorbed with direct contact.
[19:31] It feels wrong, and dead would be a good way to describe it. Haruka feels something approaching indigestion as she does that. In the meantime, the smoke clears, and no signs of Akira remain in the library.
[19:35] Great. She can only hope she isn't noticeably shorter once again. Haruka glances at Mai and Takumi. Do they have anything in particular to say about this whole display? Is anyone else obviously around still?
[19:46] Mai is certainly shocked into stillness. Takumi looks towards the exit forlornly, but Mai has an iron grip on his sleeve, which is darkened around her fingers. Haruka can only hope Takumi's skin isn't burnt beneath that spot. Midori and Sister Yukariko are just where she saw them last, and Mikoto... she can't actually remember where the tiny, catlike girl was even before she had approached Mai. Shizuru had disappeared, however. How typical of the student council president to run away and stick her with the bill yet again.
[19:53] Did everyone miss that "Don't split up" announcement? Well, at least Mai and Takumi are pretty much guaranteed to stay together. "Right, you two should find some place to sit down and talk through whatever your problems are. We've got a big operation in front of us and we can't afford to be preoccluded when we go into battle." Hopefully Takumi at least has some presence of mind left. Haruka may as well leave them alone and take a walk to see who else is still around the library.
[19:54] "That's preoccupied, Haruka-chan," Yukino's mocking voice drifts through the library, startling Mai.
[19:56] "Isn't that what I said?" Haruka makes her way outside, to see if anyone's loitering near the entrance.
[19:58] Shizuru is found leaning against the wall to the left of the exit. A purple naginata that fills Haruka with a sense of dread so strong she can't force herself to ignore it entirely is in her arms, as the student council president idly twirls it, staring off into the distance.
[20:01] "Keeping yourself busy?" Haruka says evenly. As much as she'd like to take Shizuru to task for her apparent idleness, her heart isn't really into criticism at the moment. Hey, someone dying changes your whole relationship with them, you know?
[20:03] "Just thinking," Shizuru responds in her soft voice. The naginata pauses, its tip aimed at Haruka. "Just thinking, that's all. Our chances don't look so good."
[20:05] "Not thinking of backing out, are you?"
[20:06] "Out of what?" Shizuru asks. "What we currently have cannot even be called a plan."
[20:08] "Then suggest a better one. We can't just do *nothing*. What kind of student council president backs down without a fight?"
[20:09] "I said I was thinking, didn't I?" Shizuru states, the hints of hard tones in her voice. "I couldn't concentrate inside with all that ruckus."
[20:13] "I know what you mean." Haruka can't help but suspect that her standard "yell at people until they cooperate" routine wouldn't work very well here. Sometimes, maybe, it might possibly be better to prod people just enough to get them thinking aloud. (This is a startling new idea!)
[20:14] "Kikukawa-san is holding something back," Shizuru announces definitively. "I cannot in good conscience allow Natsuki to sign on any plan that has a hidden element."
[20:17] Haruka isn't sure why Shizuru is only worried about Natsuki--hey, *everyone's* life is at stake here!--but that's not really important right now. "What makes you think she's not telling us everything?" Haruka asks simply, continuing this strange and experimental method of inquiry.
[20:19] "She was unduly confrontational, but then backed down too easily. It must largely be for show, to get us affronted and then focused, and avoid asking some difficult questions."
[20:24] "She might just be adjusting badly to not having a body any more." Haruka obviously has some experience with this sort of confusion, being presently a walking statue.
[20:24] "Or she is avoiding stating some uncomfortable truths not everyone would be able to live with, such as Tokiha-san or Sugiura-san, to name a few."
[20:29] "Maybe they're not truths people need to know. Everyone has enough on their minds already. I think everyone here's done something regrettable; would it really help to have that to think about on top of what we have to do?"
[20:33] "And that is why I didn't raise the point back in the library." Shizuru turns her head towards Haruka, giving her a smile that seems sad, for some reason. "Be that as it may, however, you are asking me to trust a person I can't."
[20:35] "What do you need to hear, then? Because we're going to need as much help as we can get to do this right, and I don't want to see everyone fall apart again."
[20:38] "The part about learning to fly sounded like a red herring, and a way to occupy everyone and keep them busy until Kikukawa-san sends us out to our deaths. Can we even trust her words about wanting to live? I don't understand the situation much, but she is trapped in some form, and you two have done something to return to the past?
[20:38] If so, maybe she wants us all to perish, and use that as a catalyst to repeat the procedure."
[20:43] "She said repeating it wouldn't work again, remember? The way you're talking makes her sound like a manga villain. Yukino wouldn't do anything sinister!"
[20:45] "Kikukawa-san did state this, just before claiming questioning her on the matter was pointless," Shizuru calmly points out.
[20:47] "I'll talk to her privately, if that would put you at ease. Yukino wouldn't hide anything from me."
[20:48] Shizuru looks at Haruka with pity. "We are more similar than you realize, Suzushiro-san, aren't we? I wish I could have some of that obliviousness right now."
[20:49] Haruka can only blink at this. "What are you talking about?"
[20:51] Shizuru's expression doesn't change. "It would be cruel to explain, so I will refrain from that. I somehow doubt your success, however, Suzushiro-san."
[20:55] "It sounds like what you really need is not obliviousness, but *determination*. If you don't believe you can do something, then you are warranteed to fail!" She turns to head back inside the library. "I'm going to talk to Yukino. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about."
[20:57] Shizuru lets Haruka leave without another words, raising her eyes skywards once more.
[20:57] The library is just as she had left it, Haruka sees, except Mai has regained some of her mobility.
[20:58] As long as she's not using it to start fights or flee off into the woods, Haruka's not concerned right now. Surely there's an isolated room somewhere in the library where she can talk to Yukino without involving anyone else.
[21:01] The office she had found a phone in would be a good choice, and Yukino managed to manifest herself previously, albeit in an indecent state. That might prevent her voice from carrying too far.
[21:03] It'll do. After all, this is going to a businesslike conversation between two perfectly reasonable individuals. It's not like anyone will need to yell or anything! "Yukino, are you listening?"
[21:04] There is a long-suffering sigh that Yukino is quickly becoming known for. It seems centered around the room Haruka is in, at least.
[21:09] Haruka nods. "Good. This is really simple: our steamed president is worried you're hiding something important from us. I know that's complete nonsense, but just to make her feel better I said I'd talk to you personally. So, here I am, and here you are, and now you can say everything's alright just for the look of things and I can go back and tell her not to worry.
[21:10] "It's really just a formality." Talking to Invisible Yukino is very strange. She's usually behind Haruka and sort of out of sight anyway, yes, but, well, this is different!
[21:14] "That bitch," Yukino's voice seethes. "It's fine," she tells Haruka through what seems to be gritted teeth, the static surrounding her voice getting stronger. "Just fine."
[21:17] "Thank yo--wait, what?" Sometimes, someone saying what you've always thought has the effect of making you feel like a jackass rather than reassured. This is one of those times! "Yukino, are you alright? We're all stressed out, but name-calling won't help us."
[21:20] Silence greets Haruka's rebuke.
[21:21] "Yukino? You're just as important as anyone else here, you know. If something's wrong, you can tell me!"
[21:22] "Just as important," Yukino repeats derisively. "Sure, whatever."
[21:26] "Hey! How long have we known each other? You can't just brush me off. If there's a problem, I'm going to find about it!" She's trying to slip into her usual, authoritative, Executive Committee voice, but it's hard to lord it over a disembodied personality.
[21:28] "You will never find out about it," Yukino says with another sigh, as if hearing Haruka's inner thoughts because she manifests herself at last. Floating there naked, with her hands on her hips, she gives her childhood friend a pointed glare. "Being direct about it didn't help. Almost dying didn't change a single thing. You just keep on plowing on through everything in your typical Haruka way.
[21:28] Just what do you want from me, at this point?"
[21:31] "I want you to be honest with me! If you'd told me about whatever it is before, I would've done something about it!" She's trying really hard not to be bothered by Naked Yukino, which is somehow more unnerving than talking to Invisible Yukino. This obviously isn't the time to scold her for indecency, though.
[21:40] "You were my--" Yukino's voice becomes too garbled to understand, but she stubbornly tries again. "Important person. My most important person. You powered Diana. Don't pretend like this is news to you. You want honesty? There's honesty--" Yukino's words are impossible to decypher once more.
[21:43] "Of course it's not news to me! We've been friends for years! Yukino, I missed that last part--you're breaking up some. What's causing that?"
[21:44] Yukino's glare intensifies. "My intense anger," she manages to get out carefully.
[21:46] Haruka finds herself a chair and sits down. "Then I'm going to wait here until you're ready." Whatever's bothering the other girl must be big--Yukino *never* gets angry under normal circumstances.
[21:48] Yukino flushes all over her body before her image is disrupted. Haruka finds herself alone in the small office space.
[21:50] "I mean it, you know. Don't think anyone's better at being stubborn than I am." So, Haruka waits. Until either Yukino talks again or until it's time for everyone to assemble and put the plan into action. Whichever comes first.

<--->

[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]

<--->

[18:11] "Lady makes me fell old," she grumbles. "How about Miss Scientist?"
[18:15] Haruka may as well humor whoever's on the phone, even though she has no clue what's going on! "Hello? Who am I talking to?"
[18:16] "Didn't you just hear me introduce myself?" The woman's voice sounds slightly tinny, indignant and familiar to Haruka on some level. It also instantly grates on her.
[18:17] "No, I don't think I did."
[18:17] "You must be the special Hime, right?"
[18:20] "You could say that. My situation's pretty unique."
[18:22] "Right," she drawls out. "So where was I? Ah, yes. Saving the world. I'm not certain where we should focus our efforts, and I don't have enough data to create a model and run tests on it. Our best bet might be guesstimating."
[18:23] "Well, give me your best shot and you'll get mine. Anything's better than going in without a plan."
[18:28] "We've always projected the Hime Star's course would take it straight to Fuka, and so based on those projections, if I could be provided with your transport capabilities it should be possible to calculate the best angle."
[18:28] Midori is showing interest in the conversation, Haruka can note, but she is the only one for now.
[18:33] The team's transport capabilities consist solely of Mai, to the best of Haruka's knowledge, so she's not sure how to answer that question. And trying to talk to Mai might not be very successful right now (though she'll have to cooperate sooner or later...). Instead, she turns to Midori: "Anything to add?"
[18:35] "If it's intercepting it in the atmosphere somewhere near Fuka, we can place ourselves as needed," Midori offers, and there is a grunt from the phone.
[18:35] "Good. I'll run some numbers, then. This is option one, and the only one that exists at the moment, albeit allowing for variations. Is it possible for you to reach the Crystal Star within the timeframe we are operating on?"
[18:38] Haruka doesn't know anything about the timeframe, but little details like that have never stopped her before. "Well, it's coming right toward us, so that'll make it easier for us to get there when the time comes. We should be able to fly to it before it reaches the ground."
[18:40] There is an audible sigh. "I forgot this was the special Hime," the woman on the other side mutters. "The Crystal Star. The controls for the Hime Star's energy? The Obsidian Lord's most prized possession? Ring any bells?"
[18:40] Not to Midori, Haruka can immediately tell.
[18:41] "Right, that," Haruka says, plowing ahead. They'll just smash up anything that doesn't belong on planet Earth, right?
[18:42] The woman she's talking to seems to wait for something, but in the end asks in a long-suffering voice, "Well, can you get to it in time or not?"
[18:43] "Just tell me where to be and when, we'll make it happen. Failure is not an option, so we just won't fail."
[18:45] "If I knew where it was, would I need to rely on you?" Haruka can almost see her frown. "Well, that's not quite true. It must be somewhere in Fuka."
[18:47] "Fuka's a big place. Can you be more sadistic? I can get people to help look for something if I need to, but we don't have a lot of time.
[18:51] "For you, I can always try."
[18:52] "Why do you want this Crystal Star, anyway?" Midori asks curiously, coming closer.
[18:53] "It controls the energies by focusing them. Acting like a lense, you might say. But your powers use the same energy as the Hime Star, so who's to say you couldn't use it, too?"
[18:54] Haruka isn't entirely up to speed here. "So what do we need to do, turn off the power switch?"
[18:56] "...no. Call me if you find it, I'll walk you through it. Anything else about the mysteries of life you need to be enlightened on?"
[18:58] "Having some idea of where it is would help," Haruka says, sounding a little irritated. "Is there anything special we should look for? What kind of place would it likely be in?"
[19:00] "Since I said it was the Obsidian Lord's most prized possession, his base of power would be the logical choice, wouldn't it?" the woman responds, matching her irritation. "I don't know where that would be."
[19:01] "Fine. We'll call you back once we've done all the hard work." Haruka hangs up. It occurs to her a moment later that she was never really clear who she was talking to.
[19:07] "Such is the burden of the true hero," Midori says sagely.
[19:09] Haruka nods. "Sometimes you just have to put up with fools and soldier on to get the job done."
[19:10] "So who was the Obsidian Lord, again?"
[19:13] "I'm not sure. This time, at least. Someone who's good at manipulating people. And he probably knows some of the Hime personally, if it's anything like last time."
[19:16] Midori nods gravely. "Could it be Sakomizu?" she wonders out loud, scratching her chin. "Afro-sensei always seemed shady to me."
[19:18] "But he's one of the teachers. It was a student last time." She shakes her head. Bad Haruka, stop assuming everything will work the same way. "It's possible. A teacher would be in a good position to watch over all the Hime. He'd have an excuse."
[19:20] "His eyes are shifty!" Midori readily agrees.
[19:22] "Shifty eyes are always suspicious! It couldn't hurt to check, if we don't have other ideas. Maybe we can see if anyone else on the staff is up to something at the same time."
[19:25] "Want to go check it out?" Midori suggests. "Beats learning to fly."
[19:25] Haruka stops to consider how far away the bulk of the school is from the library. Will they have to DRIVE there?
[19:27] Judging by Midori's badly-concealed eagerness, she expects that course of action, but even a regular student checks out books on occasion. As long as it's not one of the dorms, the other school buildings are within a short walking distance.
[19:29] Haruka gives Midori a pointed stare before starting out of the library. "Let's take a walk and shake down some teachers."
[19:29] "Present company excluded, right?"
[19:30] "Of course. The Obsidian Prince is a man."

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[19:37] The so-called 'afro-sensei' can be found in his room, reading an English book that Haruka doubts has anything to do with his classes. He looks up as Midori and Haruka barge in, eyes widening at the latter's appearance.
[19:40] Haruka doesn't have time to waste, so she launches right into the interrogation. "We're onto you, Afro-sensei! Tell us where your secret hideout is and spill everything you know about the Crystal Star, now!"
[19:40] The book drops out of his hands, just missing his desk and tumbling down to the floor.
[19:41] Haruka marches forward, plants her palms on the desk and leans in. "Did you miss the part where I said 'now'?"
[19:45] He opens the desk's drawer, rooting in it mechanically before retrieving a small box, placing it on the desk. "That's all I have!" Sakomizu manages to say. "Take it!"
[19:46] Haruka grins in triumph, cracking open the box to take a look at what will undoubtedly be a batch of documents detailing his fiendish plans!
[19:48] It contains candy, mostly of the chocolate variety. Some of it appears confiscated from students, and when she looks at Sakomizu, he appears shamed.
[19:49] Haruka pauses a moment, then turns to Midori. "Who's next?"
[19:51] Midori pauses from pocketing the confectionaries. "Yohko owes me some cash from way back in college."
[19:53] "This isn't a raid! Who else is suspicious?"
[19:53] "She always looked suspicious to me, changing the subject when I mentioned the cash she owed me."
[19:56] "We're looking for a suspicious MAN. Stay focused! You can get your money later if the world still exists then."
[19:57] Midori thinks it over, as Sakomizu wipes the sweat off his forehead with a shaking hand. "How about Father Greer? He seemed plenty suspicious when we visited before."
[19:59] "He's out in the woods, though. We'd have to...drive...there...Don't think I can't see what you're trying to do here! We'll check out anyone in this building before running off to the church." she turns back to Sakomizu. "Hey, what other teachers are around right now?"
[20:04] "I saw Wataru in the art room when I passed it by a short while ago!" Sakomizu volunteers eagerly.
[20:06] "Right, he's next!" Haruka decides, marching out of the room. She turns back just before leaving. "And you, stay in here. It's for your own good!" time to head to the art room.
[20:08] He nods quickly, his hair bobbing with the motion. Midori takes charge, leading the two to the art room, but the door is left ajar. As Haruka examins it, she can't escape the notion that its occupant left in a hurry. She also can't miss a naked representation of Sister Yukariko on a large canvas.
[20:12] Two rival indignities fight for Haruka's attention: one, that their quarry seems to have escaped, two...well, THAT. She splutters for a couple seconds before sorting out her priorities. "WHAT IS THAT? This is indecent! To think that we had a teacher engaging in...pranography, on the school grounds! Ishigami will get sacked for this, I swear!" She looks for a sheet, or something to cover it up.
[20:13] Quite a few canvases are lined up against the walls, covered properly.
[20:14] Haruka picks one at random and pulls the drape from it to use in covering up the abomination.
[20:14] It reveals another naked drawing of the nun.
[20:16] "I--what--" There are no appropriate words. She checks the next painting, and another, and...
[20:17] Haruka finds four more like it, in various poses and states of indecency, before finally coming across a painting of Mai Tokiha, fully clothed this time.
[20:19] Finally! That's more like it. ...Wait. Why would he have a picture of Mai, too? That doesn't really fit his apparent obsession with the nun. Whatever, there isn't time to think--*something* is very clearly wrong with this man and that's as good a lead as anything.
[20:22] "SUGIURA! We need to find Ishigami immediately. Sakomizu said he was just here, so we may be able to catch up with him if we hurry." She heads into the hall, trying to guess at the most likely escape route. "Speaking hypodermically, if you were a raving pervert and you know the hammer of justice was about to fall on you, where would you run?"
[20:25] "The female dormitories?" Midori suggests, pausing from her examination of the Sister's portrait.
[20:26] "Then let's go! Stop looking at that, we'll burn it once this is over with." She drags Midori into the hall and out of the building.
[20:38] As the two Hime head outside, they hear a crash in the distance. Several building are in the way, eliminating the possibility of seeing the cause for the disturbance.
[20:40] Whatever it is, it's a good bet that it requires their attention. Does it sound like it's in the same direction they were about to go, or somewhere different?
[20:41] The back of the school, most likely, as far as Haruka can tell. Nowhere near as distant as any of the dorms, however.
[20:43] If it's closer, then that makes it a higher priority. It would waste more time to go somewhere else and then come back. She runs on, dragging Midori by the wrist once again.

<--->

[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]

<--->

[21:03] As Kagutsuchi soars up, the heavens are illuminated with an eerie emerald light! The clouds above part, giving way to a massive beam pressing relentlessly down towards Mai's Child!
[21:05] Not being in control of the beast, there's not a lot that Haruka can do aside from yell, "DODGE DODGE DODGE!" and try to get a good look at what's attacking them.
[21:11] Pulling on a fin, Mai maneuvers her massive Child out of the way, the beam traveling all the way down to gouge a deep wound at the mountain's side. Losing its momentum at this frantic dodging, Kagutsuchi's speed drops. It's not much, but the circumstances make the second beam impossible to dodge. Mai throws her free hand towards it;
[21:11] the tomoe circling her limbs are iridescent as they distort the air around them from the heat, refracting light. The act seems to stop the beam, but only for a second, and then it continues through the orange-haired girl, striking at Kagutsuchi's back. The Child cries out, flapping its wings to retain its altitude. It sounds lost to Haruka, who can barely hang on.
[21:16] They're not going to make it to the star if this assault keeps up--and they might not make it more than a few seconds if Mai's no longer capable of guiding Kagutsuchi. How badly was the other girl shaken by the attack?
[21:17] Judging by the way a beam of energy went right through Mai, leaving everything in the orange-haired girl's hands might be the last thing Haruka ever does.
[21:20] Haruka will have to do the best she can to take her place, then! She's not at all sure how to guide Kagutsuchi, but gripping the same fins Mai was holding onto to steer seems a good start. She'll have to hold Mai in place with a spare pseudopod while she does so, presumably.
[21:21] The third beam is no longer a surprise, and looking up as she had been doing, Haruka notices it a split-second before it would hit!
[21:22] Haruka tugs at Kagutsuchi to make it swerve to the side. She'll have to keep evading as best she can while trying to continue vertical movement.
[21:26] Kagutsuchi diverts from its course, and the beam avoids its passengers. It strikes the Child's right wing instead, and its already-reduced vertical speed is negated altogether. It hangs precariously in the air, as if unable to decide whether to stall or keep hovering in place.
[21:26] Mai gasps, and fire consumes her flesh, consumes everything until there is nothing left by a living, dancing flame.
[21:33] The phrase "Uh-oh," most aptly sums up the current situation (surely there are others, but Haruka has neither the time nor inclination for profanity). Nevertheless, she's here on a mission--she doesn't have time to worry or to be disturbed by the loss of a teammate. All she can do is urge Kagutsuchi upward. Any wounds they take in the process are irrelevant as long as they reach their goal!
[21:35] It doesn't appear that Kagutsuchi can climb any farther. Not without a breather, at least, and it is not getting one, as the heavens strike at them once more!
[21:39] Grrr. Then they'll have to keep their distance--for now. Keep altitude as level as possible while veering far enough away that the star will have more trouble hitting them, and then continue to rise once they're at a safe distance. This might not let them reproduce perfectly the angle of ascent specified by Telephone Lady, but the whole trip is worthless if they get shot down!
[21:43] Trailing smoke, Kagutsuchi veers off unsteadily. It is this shakiness that allows it to avoid the fourth beam, which ends up clipping the Child's tail. Debries fall down, and another hole is punctured in the mountain's surface.
[21:43] Kagutsuchi lets out a pained cry, and another joins it, echoing the Child.
[21:45] Haruka looks around--up, down, sideways, wherever the cry came from, whatever seems the most likely angle for someone to approach Kagutsuchi--while doing her best to guide the monster away from any more beams. Be it friend or foe, she has to know about whatever new element has entered the equation.
[21:51] The fifth beam strikes down, and Kagutsuchi is no longer able to dodge it. There is no need for that, however, as the flame writhing by Haruka's side retakes human form! The fire-wrought girl lashes out with its hands, which elongate into whips, coiling around each other until it is impossible to tell where one ends and another begins.
[21:51] Her accuracy is spot on; the incoming beam's vector is returned perfectly. The two attacks clash violently, and Kagutsuchi is thrown below by the force of the blast, but it and its passengers noticeably escape unharmed.
[21:53] Haruka can only stare at the fiery shape next to her. "M...Mai?"
[21:55] Red embers return the gaze, drawing Haruka in. She tries to speak, but after a failed attempt smiles and nods lightly.
[21:57] Being liquid metal herself, this development doesn't leave Haruka phased for long. "Welcome back!" she yells over the roar of battle and rushing air.
[22:00] Mai frowns as her hands trace lines on Kagutsuchi's back lazily before returning to their normal length, and then gestures up.
[22:01] Haruka can only interpret this as a request to keep Kagutsuchi moving upwards (maybe Mai can't guide the Child herself in her current state), and endeavors to do so.
[22:04] Kagutsuchi can't climb straight up, she discovers. The Child tilts heavily to the right as it slopes upwards on a semblance of a parabolic course. Mai's frown remains in place, only deepening as she observes the damage Kagutsuchi had taken.
[22:04] No further attacks follow.
[22:06] They can't just turn back now, though. It might be time for drastic measures! If Kagutsuchi has gaping holes in its wings that are hindering its movement, maybe Haruka can patch those up. With herself.
[22:07] It might be possible, Haruka discovers, although the loss of one of Kagutsuchi's engines remains a problem without an immediate solution in sight.
[22:08] Well, it's worth a shot for now. Haruka probably can't turn herself into a replacement engine, but maybe just having the gap in that wing covered will be enough to let them continue their ascent, even if only slowly.
[22:12] Mai's hands elongate once more, the fiery girl grasping hold of Kagutsuchi's wings. With Haruka opting to patch the Child's tail section and Mai at the helm once more, Kagutsuchi climb improves noticeably. It even remains on a semblance of their original course, Haruka wagers, although only time will tell if they'd managed to guess it right.
[22:14] That's good. Any delays are unfortune, but at least they're on course once again. She doesn't know why the attacks suddenly stopped and will keep an eye out for more (wherever her eyes are, at the moment.)
[22:19] Kagutsuchi continues to climb, regaining a semblance of its previous speed! It pushes through the clouds, even as the air around it burns from friction!
[22:19] An ache develops in Haruka's heart, even though she logically reasons that her current form lacks one. The higher Kagutsuchi climbs, the more it hurts.
[22:24] It doesn't matter because there's nothing she can do about it. Her presence is needed here, and it's not like she can just jump off to get away from whatever's hurting her. She'll just have to put up with it and accept the consequences of whatever happens. There's more than her life at stake her, after all!
[22:28] They are in space. The dark takes Haruka's breath away, and she feels herself drowning. But her senses adjust, and the light of distant stars beckons to her, lighting up the way. The sun's glare, even filtered and tinted with bronze, is difficult to perceive. The Hime Star vies with it for attention, burning an angry red.
[22:28] And below them floats Earth, beautiful and serene, like a precious sapphire.
[22:32] Were it possible for Haruka to speak in the airless void, she would probably say something about it being time to show this wannabe sun who's boss. But she can't talk, so she doesn't. Anyway, this is the time for kicking ass, not talking!

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