Soulriders 5.0: Legend of the Unending Games

[18:45] <--->
[18:48] "Haruka-chan!" Yukino's voice calls from behind her. "The command post has been set up at the church, and all the squads are in place. What are we going to do, now?" It is
  friday, near the end of classes, though the Executive Committee was allowed to cut them to set up their equipment.
[18:48] The search for Harada and Senoh proved fruitless, and while not giving up on their efforts, there is the safety of all students to consider. That called for renewed patrols,
  among other things, and the inevitable diversion of resources towards that end.
[18:54] Haruka spins on her heel to meet her loyal secretary. "We go to the church! We wait, and we watch!" She clenches a fist and smacks it against the opposing palm. "Whoever this creep
  is, he'll try again, and for the sake of our lost comrades, we will catch him in the act. I don't care if it takes us all weekend. We -will- brave insomnia for the sake of Fuka Academy."
[18:54] Haruka heads for the church with all due haste, assuming that Yukino will follow her as usual.
[18:56] She does, meekly, trailing half a step behind Haruka. "Are we declaring a curfew again?" she asks, glancing at a notepad in her arms.
[18:59] Haruka nods! "Oh yes. And if anyone complains, they can try and take it up with me. This is for the good of the Academy..." She rambles on as she marches towards her impromptu
  headquarters. Hah, at least -some- members of the student council are watching out for the students' safety.
[19:05] "I'll make it six in the afternoon, then," Yukino reports, making a notch in the pad with a pen. "At least the athletical clubs would be able to exercize, but all the people
  with part-time jobs or social club activities will be protesting again."
[19:09] "Some sacrifices are necessary at a time like this. I'm sure they'll understand it was all for the better once we've nabbed the pulpit and everything's over. I say, if they
  miss their club activies, they can use the time to form a neighborhood watch and keep an eye out from their dorms."
[19:11] "I'm sure they will understand, even if they grumble," Yukino agrees, muttering quietly, "And it's culprit, Haruka-chan."
[19:14] Haruka ignores the correction, as always. "That's good." She stops in her tracks and whirls around. "Now, this is important: is the command post fully stocked up on snacks? And
  drinks? We'll be watching the screens all weekend if we have to, and there won't be time to leave for meals. The moment we break our vigil is the moment some pervert could slip over the
  walls, after all."
[19:17] Yukino checks something amongst her notes. "We should have enough for the weekend, given our number of volunteers and our stores," she reports.
[19:21] Haruka nods decisively. "Excellent," she says, resuming her march to the church. "Then as of this moment, Operation Fuka Full-Alert Safety Watch is in effect!"
[19:23] Getting settled into their base of operations goes smoothly, and by the time Haruka had familiarized herself with everything, Yukino approaches her with a hot coffee can in
  hand. "Nothing to report, so far," she says, just as Haruka's radio crackles with static.
[19:25] Haruka nods, not expecting to crack the case in an hour but eager for results nonetheless. Her hand practically leaps for the radio as a call comes through.
[19:26] "This is squad three," a male voice comes through. "We've spotted a suspicious older male walking with a girl! Orders?" Squad three is stationed near the third dorm, mostly
  populated by junior high students. Of note is that Harada Chie lived there.
[19:28] Haruka's eyes go wide. "That's Harada's dorm! Squad three, move to intervene! TAKE THEM DOWN."
[19:31] Sounds of a scuffle come through the radio, mingled with static. Yukino looks worried, but doesn't speak.
[19:33] "Target is secured," the report comes after several tense moments. Female screams are heard over the radio.
[19:33] Haruka remains intently focused on the radio, one hand holding a mug of coffee in a clawlike grip. "Excellent!" she cries into the receiver. "Identify the intruder!"
[19:48] "I'm not an intruder!" she hears someone yell, before sounds of violence filter in through the connection. "It's Tate from 1-A," the squad leader reports. "Should we take him to
  headquarters so he could reflect on his crimes?" In the background, someone is calling for her brother.
[19:49] "See that he gets the chance!" Haruka instructs her underlings. "He should know there's a curfew in effect."
[19:51] More violence comes through before the radio at the other end stops transmitting. Time passes, as Yukino wrings out her hands, and eventually Tate Yuichi is frogmarched into the
  church. A girl with pigtails follows him, occasionally hitting the Exacutive Committee members with her little fists. "Let him go!" she demands loudly.
[19:58] Haruka bolts up out of her chair and marches over to Tate. "Not until I'm through with him," she announces to the girl. "We're in a state of emergency here. There's a curfew on, and
  when you break it, you not only underscore the authority of the Executive Committee, but you endanger yourself as well! Not only that, but you endanger your fellow students."
[19:58] "My men should be out there looking for intruders, not disciplining laggardly students! If some horrible happened right now, it would be on your head, Tate. Two students are
  missing, and I'm not going to let anyone else join them."
[20:00] "It was all my fault!" the girl protests piteously. "I was the one who forgot something in school and wanted Oniichan to escort me! If you want to punish someone, punish me!"
  She stretches out her hands towards Haruka, a tear appering in the corner of her eye. Yukino seems aghast. Tate, for his part, just looks tired.
[20:02] Haruka rolls her eyes. "Enough! Men, escort them to their rooms immediately. We have a job to do and we can't be wasting time on these two. Return to your stations as soon as you've
  got them back to their dorms."
[20:07] "Yeah, won't happen again," Tate says in a defeated tone of voice. Freed from his bindings, he doesn't resist as the squad leads him back.
[20:09] Haruka just shakes her head once the two are escorted out. "Honestly, you think they'd value their safety over everything else," she says to no one in particular (I.E., Yukino).
[20:10] "You're right, Haruka-chan," Yukino quietly agrees.
[20:10] The wait is tiring. Yukino keeps on supplying Haruka with coke, coffee and other sources of caffeine, but the monotonous routine is difficult to fight off. Two more people are
  caught breaking the curfew, one of them brought to tears by Haruka's lecture. But as night creeps on--
[20:14] The sky is lighted, everything becoming bright. The windows of the church reflect the light, breaking it, and the results are surreal. The glow disappears as quickly as it
  occured, and as Haruka's vision adjusts, reports begin filtering in from all squads. Even students stationed as far as the other side of the campus have witnessed it.
[20:14] "Squad three hasn't checked in," Yukino reports, then. Given the direction of the flash as witnessed by Haruka and seconded by the other teams, it should have been right next to
  them.
[20:26] Haruka lunges for the radio, incandescant afterimages swimming in front of her. "Squad three! Squad three, do you read me? Argh!" Tossing down the receiver, she bolts from the church
  and heads right for the mysterious flash, asssuming, as always, that Yukino will be right on her heels.
[20:27] Yukino runs at her side for a change, effortlessly keeping up. "Are you sure it's a wise idea, Haruka-chan?" she asks, looking ahead. Haruka can see fire in the direction of the
  third dorm, but there are no lights in the windows. "Maybe we really should call the police this time?"
[20:31] "The police aren't here -right now-," she huffs as she runs. "I am! Call them if you have your phone, but this is my school-" She pauses for breath. "--and it's my job to take
  care of it!"
[20:36] Flashes of light illuminate the night sky as Haruka and Yukino rush ahead, but if the previous light was that of a sun, these are nothing but blinking stars. Arriving on the
  scene, Haruka is able to see that the dorm building is entirely dark, with a single, notable exception. A fire burns inside a room. "It's Harada-san's apartment!" Yukino calls out from her
  side.
[20:36] The ground and the building's side alike have deep gouges in it. There is no sign of the Executive Committee members.
[20:39] Haruka glances around for Squad Three and wrinkles her nose in disgust. "Cowards!" she shouts with her fist in the air. "Get back here and do your duty!" She turns to her secretary.
  "Yukino! Call the fire department, I'm going in!" This said, she barrels into the dorm before Yukino can utter any misgivings (not that they would be heeded anyway).
[20:44] Yukino's protests are quick enough that Haruka hears them as she rushes in, but they don't deter her from her goal. What does, however, is the stream of frightened students
  rushing down the stairs and towards the outside.
[20:48] Well, better they be out there than inside a burning building! Yukino can deal with them...right? Still, this doesn't stop Haruka from trying to impose some sort of order on
  the masses as she struggles through them. "Single file, no shoving! Older students, watch your underclassmen!"
[20:51] To her credit, the students do attempt to follow her orders, but the chaos is simply too great to contain. A small enough path opens for Haruka to get through, and she rushes up
  the stairs to Harada Chie's room. Kicking the door open, she is greeted with... underwear. Lots and lots of underwear. Most of it is sizzling, though some is covered with ice or torn to
  pieces.
[20:54] "What the...?" Okay, so either Harada or her roommate had some -very- odd habits. Who needs this much underwear? Definitely a sign of someone with a few disturbing fixations.
  Well, she can ponder introducing the Lingerie Limitations Act into the student council later. For now? Is there anyone lying inured in the room, buried under debris perhaps?
[20:55] She doesn't even bother thinking about why bits of the wreckage are iced over right now.
[21:02] The room doesn't look structurably stable, but that doesn't even pause Haruka in her tracks. The room is unoccupied, and a good thing, at that -- it looks as if a fireball
  exploded within, before things really got serious. Haruka notices that both beds look slept in, that coming clear despite battle damage.
[21:02] Approaching the window, which is gone along with its frame, she is able to spot Yukino right away. Her assistant is waving a flashlight around, and seems to be calling out
  something. The noise of the students, now having vacated the building for the most part, drowns out the words.
[21:08] Haruka grabs a piece of debris, a bit of broken board or something, and uses the jagged end to pick up a piece of frozen underwear. Hey, it's important forensic evidence! Nothing
  should be iced over at this time of year! She exits the room and bangs on the nearby doors as she heads back to the stairs, making sure no one's still hiding in their room.
[21:11] Haruka discovers a pair of students holding each other as they huddle. At the sight of a dark figure holding a sharp stick and a pair of panties, they scream their hearts out,
  pressing their eyes firmly shut.
[21:14] Okay, so that backfired spectacularly! She drops it and does her best to shout over the screams. "Students of Fuka Academy! On your feet, stand to attention, lest you disgrace
  the fine name of this school! We're evacuating, so march down those stairs before I write you both up for a week of detention!"
[21:15] "Y-Yes, Suzushiro-san!" the two squeak, her commanding voice easily-recognizable, while her healthy lungs don't have much trouble overriding their cries.
[21:17] Haruka herds the students down the hall to the stairs, checking for any other stragglers along the way.
[21:19] There are some, as expected, but her authoritative approach easily lets Haruka order their evacuation.
[21:22] Haruka brings the lot of them down the stairs and out of the building, barking orders all the way. She dragoons a few older students into sorting the younger ones into groups and
  watching over them once they're all outside, then returns to Yukino.
[21:24] Yukino is not where she left her, but Haruka sees a flashlight off to the side, in a copse of trees. Others can be seen in the distance, likely the other squads converging on
  their location.
[21:25] Haruka makes a beeline for that light.
[21:27] The flashlight is propped against a low bush, and the scene it shows stops Haruka in her tracks. Members of the third squad are lying on the ground, unmoving. Yukino is pressing
  a handkerchief to the leader's forehead, and Haruka notices in alarm that it is growing wet. A radio lies on the ground nearby.
[21:30] Haruka immediately exclaims "What happened?" in spite of the fact that Squad Three is clearly down for the count. Without waiting for an answer, she grabs the radio. "This is Haruka,
  with Squad Three. All units, report your status!"
[21:31] "It doesn't work," Yukino says tersely, looking towards her. Haruka notices that Yukino's eyes are tearing. "Why is this happening, Haruka-chan?"
[21:34] "I don't know," Haruka says in a low voice, fists clenched at her sides. "But I'm going to find out. And when I find out who's responsible, I'm going to throw them out a
  window. And if we're on the ground floor, I'll drag them upstairs and -then- throw them out a window!" She looks at the fallen students. "Can they talk? Is anyone awake?"
[21:36] "I-I found a pulse," Yukino says, her voice shaky, as she returns her attention to the downed leader. "But they won't wake up. And Minoru-san took a nasty hit from that tree
  trunk when he fell." It's not difficult to see what Yukino is talking about; one of the trees in the grove carries a trail of blood.
[21:38] Haruka frowns. "Go get the nurse. I'll take care of them for now."
[21:39] Yukino seems frightened, but nods at Haruka and rushes off, leaving the flashlight in the copse. The nearer squads are finally reaching them, and Haruka can faintly hear their
  confused chatter.
[21:40] Haruka picks up the flashlight and waves it in the air. "All squads, to me!"
[21:41] The beacon serves her well. The first two teams reach Haruka almost simultaneously, and she hears that their radios work just fine, even though discipline collapsed at the
  unexplained phenomenon, combined with their leader losing touch with them.
[21:43] "Report in!" she says to the squad leaders, motioning for the others to look after the injured students. "Did anyone see or hear anything strange before that flash of light?"
[21:48] With Haruka behind the helm once more, reports begin filing in in an orderly fashion. Haruka finds out that most squads didn't really see anything beyond what she herself had
  experienced. Special squad thirteen, however, which had been in rotation at the top of the church's bell tower with orders not to leave their post for anything swears their observer saw an
  angel descend from the heavens.
[21:53] An angel? The observer was probably hallucinating from being on duty too long. Not everyone has Haruka's stamina, after all! Still: "Send him to me," she instructs squad
  thirteen. "I want to hear this in person." In the meantime, the mass of students needs to get away from the burning building, somewhere safe and indoors...doesn't the school have an
  auditorium? That would do.
[21:56] With Haruka's swift commands, the bulk of her forces begin guiding the students towards the school complex, plenty of space being available to house them safely and with
  reasonable comfort. The rest remain to tend to their comrades. As this progresses, Yukino returns with Miss Sagisawa, the latter looking like she was woken up in the middle of the night and
  carrying a first aid kit.
[21:58] Haruka directs the nurse to the injured students. "We don't know what happened," she explains to the nurse. "There was a flash of light, and some kind of explosion. We'll know more
  once squad three wakes up."
[21:59] "Kikukawa-san filled me in along the way," the nurse returns, kneeling next to the students. "Some more light here, please," she requests, looking at Minoru with a frown.
[22:01] "Haruka-chan, I ran into Chitose-san along the way," Yukino tells her quietly, letting the woman work. A shy-looking girl Haruka thinks might be from class 1-B approaches, her
  eyes downcast. "She was the watcher of squad thirteen," Yukino adds.
[22:03] Haruka nods. "Chitose-san, report!" she says to the girl. "We need to know what happened here. Anything you could tell us would be helpful."
[22:04] At the nurse's glare in their direction, Yukino steers them away from the bushes. The night is dark without flashlights around, but the fire in Harada Chie's room provides some
  measure of illumination, at least.
[22:07] "It was an angel, Ma'am!" Chitose blurts out suddenly, looking Haruka straight in the eyes. "I swear it! The sky just shuddered and... and tore, like tissue, and they just came
  through. They flew down on glowing wings, and then the sky came back together and there was that flash and I couldn't see anymore." The words come out fast, as if she is afraid to stop and
  take a breath.
[22:07] "You told us to take breaks and switch frequently, and we did, Suzushiro-san! I wasn't tired or sleepy or anything!"
[22:13] Haruka considers this for a moment. "An angel?" she wonders. Then: "An angel." Some internal train of thought seems to have derailed. "Thank you, Chitose-san. You can go back to your
  post for now."
[22:16] The girl salutes Haruka sloppily and runs off, back in the direction of the church.
[22:17] "What do you think it means, Haruka-chan?" Yukino asks her.
[22:19] Haruka takes a moment to mull things over. "Angels...impossible underwear collections...people sleeping in other students' beds...there's clearly something -very- wrong with the
  student body here! We should look at the water supply first. Call the police, tell them to run a check for hallucinogenics in our water!"
[22:21] "Umm, perhaps we should talk to the evacuated students, first?" Yukino proposes meekly. "They must be getting restless in the auditorium by now."
[22:22] Haruka nods in an authoritative manner. "We'll do that first!" she proclaims, as though it were her own idea, heading for the auditorium thereafter.
[22:26] The students are indeed restless, but quiet down as Haruka appears. The leader of squad two, Hayate, approaches her with a clipboard. "Everyone is accounted for, except for
  Ayanokoji Maya and Kuga Natsuki," he reports, handing his report to Haruka. "No one's seen them since curfew hit, either, but by all accounts they were in that room." Ayanokoji Maya is Harada
  Chie's roommate, Haruka recalls.
[22:31] Haruka idly wonders what kind of wild party the two girls must've been throwing that would lead to them blowing up the wall, and muses out loud to this extent. "Destruction of school
  property, unhealthy fixation on underwear...those two are in very big trouble once we find them," she says, clearly discounting the angel story. "Tell all units to watch for them," she
  says.
[22:32] Haruka also wonders what Shizuru is up to right now. Shouldn't the president be, you know, visible at a time like this, helping to calm people down? Typical, Haruka does all the work
  and Shizuru drinks tea.
[22:34] It is twenty past one o'clock, so the president is likely tucked in somewhere while leaving all the hard work to Haruka, as always. "Yes, Ma'am!" Hayate responds, moving to
  execute her orders. The gathered students look at Haruka expectantly, a voice asking, "What happened there?" which is immediately followed by, "When can we get back?" "I'm not returning!"
  "What about sleep?" and other questions.
[22:39] Haruka ascends the podium and motions for silence. "The investigation is ongoing. We've called the police, and--" Then, sotto voce to Yukino: "We called the police, right?" Back to
  the crowd: "--and you will remain here until they have examined the dorm and pronounced it safe to return."
[22:40] "We have no reason, I repeat, no reason to believe that angel distended from the heavens and attacked the dorm. I will now see to it that you all have blankets and remain
  comfortable until you can return to your rooms."
[22:42] "Not yet, Haruka-chan," Yukino whispers back to her. "I'll handle it. And it's descended." She leaves the auditorium afterwards.
[22:48] The Executive Committee swiftly arranges for mattresses from gym to be distributed to make the students' stay more comfortable. Once things calm down some, however, Haruka is
  forced to rotate her members, as the residents of the female dorm remember that they are in their night clothes and boys are around. Thankfully, the Executive Committee boasts of enough girls
  to accomodate Haruka's plans.
[22:49] Yukino seems to have disappeared, but Haruka doesn't have time to notice until the students in the auditorium have been adequately taken care of. She does hear more than a few
  complain over how their cells have stopped working.
[22:51] Haruka decides to check her own. Well, if she brought it with her.
[22:53] She did, and it seems to work just fine. One of the boys she left with the wounded members of squad three reports to Haruka, informing her that an ambulance came for them. As if
  anticipating her question, he tells her that none regained consciousness so far. Miss Sagisawa is said to have gone along with the ambulance.
[22:56] Haruka mutters under her breath. Well, so much for interrogating them tonight. In the meantime, she'll wait for the police to arrive, periodically checking in with her flunkies and
  reassuring the displaced students (in her own peculiar fashion, at least). You know, keeping busy. At a time like this, sitting still is excruciating!
[22:58] A police car finally drives down the access road to the dorm in question. It can't get all the way to it, so Haruka is there to guide them, of course. A pair of cops are within,
  looking young.
[23:00] "Finally," Haruka announces. "It's this way," she says, starting off towards the damaged dorm (and instantly absorbing the officers into the ranks of her subordinates whether
  they realize it or not).
[23:02] It seems to work; the cops don't object visibly, at least. The fire is still going strong in the room in question, and Haruka can't help but wonder whether it's the
  unmentionables keeping it fueled.
[23:06] Haruka points to the damaged room. "There it is. Two students were in the room, but there's no sign that they were hurt. Probably they were playing with matches or something else they
  shouldn't have been. That Kuga was always kind of a rebel," she says. Then she adds, "One girl says she saw an angel come down. I think someone spiked our water. You need to look into that."
[23:09] That certainly gets looks from the officers. "Spiked water," one repeats. "Have you drunk any, by chance?"
[23:11] Haruka manages to look offended. "Of course not! I've only drunk coffee for hours. I've got a job to do here and I have to stay alert."
[23:12] "Alright," the officer agrees, taking out a notepad and pen while his partner heads into the building. "You mentioned a Kuga?"
[23:16] Haruka nods. "This was the room of Harada Chie and Ayanokoji Maya. Harada was already missing, and reports indicate that Ayanokoji was in the room with Kuga Natsuki at the time of the
  incident. Now neither of them can be found anywhere on campus. I'm sure those girls were playing with something they shouldn't have been, then got scared and ran off when they made a mess."
[23:18] "I'll need their descriptions," the officer tells her. Sounds of compressed gas being released draw Haruka's attention to the burning room, where an extinguisher appears to be
  at work.
[23:22] Haruka describes Natsuki first: blue hair, green eyes, tendency to wander around in a biker's suit, tall, dark and brooding more often than not. She's less sure about Maya's details
  but offers whatever she can remember.
[23:25] He frowns at Natsuki's description, but doesn't mention anything. The fire seems to be under control, and only the lights the officers and she herself carry provide the
  necessary illumination. "We'll probably have to return in the morning to take a better look," the other officer suggests upon rejoining them.
[23:25] "None of the lights work. The electrical system is probably fried. Did you call the fire department?"
[23:26] "I was just about to," Haruka says. And, well, she -is- just about to, now.
[23:29] "Could be best to wait for morning, too," the first cop mentions. "Might as well let someone sleep through the night."
[23:33] "Hey, it's their job! They're supposed to be on call! -My- job is watching out for that terrified group of kids in the arboretum, and they'll sleep a lot better in their own
  rooms. Thank you for your help, but I'll take things from here."
[23:35] "Right, then. We'll be back with forensics at first light, Ma'am," the first officer says, his companion heading back for the squad car, to return with yellow tape briefly
  afterwards. "Don't let anyone inside in the meanwhile," he adds, before taking her contact details.
[23:37] Haruka nods, and heads back to the auditorium once she's done with the police officers. If those kids are going to be there all night, someone needs to be watching over them!
[23:39] <--->

(14:36:11): <--->
(14:37:27): The sun rises, Haruka's bloodshot eyes squinting at it. There are limits to what even caffeine can do to maintain a person's alertness. Sometime during the night, Yukino returned to her side, bringing a pair of blankets with her. One of them has served Haruka well.
(14:40:04): Sleep? Sleep is for the weak! And...*yawn*...the overworked. Rought night. Someone had to be on point to take care of things, though, and it's not like the president or Kanzaki were about to step up to the task! Anyway, the police'll likely be checking in again, if she recalls correctly, and there's the fire department to deal with as well. The sooner these kids can get back in their rooms, the better.
(14:41:50): As if reading her thoughts, Yukino is talking to the fire department from her cell, as far as Haruka can tell from Yukino's side of the conversation.
(14:43:09): Haruka blinks wearily. Coffee...coffee is needed, posthaste. The fire department people can be properly harangued when they arrive.
(14:45:08): Yukino seems to have transfered a portion of their supplies from the base and to the auditorium during the night. A warm can of coffee is handed over to her, with a soft, "Here you go, Haruka-chan."
(14:48:45): Haruka takes it and drains half the contents in one swallow, only then managing a mumbled "Thank you" for her tireless aide. Ah, that's better. What would life be without stimulants? Less productive, that's what! "Fire department's on their way?" she asks Yukino.
(14:57:25): "In twenty minutes," Yukino responds, suggesting, "We could wait for them by the dorms?"
(14:58:32): Haruka nods. "Yeah, let's go," she says, inquiring along the way whether the surveillance teams picked up anything else overnight.
(15:01:34): Just shadows, it seems. After the angel report has made the rounds, people started seeing flying figures left and right. One such report even took place near Senoh Aoi's dorm.
(15:01:51): Needless to say, none such sighting had been verified.
(15:03:21): Haruka just shakes her head. There's something in the water for sure! Either that, or everyone just needs a big vacation. But then they'd get behind in their studies, so that won't do.
(15:09:06): And the teachers might have a problem with that solution. Mulling over the unbelievable reports, the slow walk to the dorm with Yukino passes in no time, and soon Haruka is ready to direct the arriving policemen and firemen alike. The fire department's examination doesn't find any problems with the fuse box, although every light refuses to work in the dorm. Police officers, for their part, definitely find signs of struggle in the room at the heart of the case. It looks suspiciously like gunfire was used, as well as a massive explosion occuring in the room itself that blew out the windows. Said explosion is said to be resembling a shaped charge, so the damage to the room itself likely had yet another source, the best guess being spontaneous combustion.
(15:18:14): Spontaneous combustion? That's absurd. More pressing, however: "Gunfire?! No one on this campus should be walking around with firearms, much less using them! It was probably Kuga. She was always a loner. I think it's pretty clear what happened here. Kuga was known to be in this room last night, and now Ayanokoji is missing, so clearly Ayanokoji knew something she shouldn't have, Kuga came here to threaten her, and...something terrible happened! She's probably behind the other disappearances too."
(15:19:44): "Haruka-chan!" Yukino admonishes her. "You can't know that!"
(15:21:41): "What? It's a perfectly logistical theory! Tell me why it couldn't have happened."
(15:22:42): "B-Because...." Yukino turns bright red, whispering in Haruka's ear, "Would Kuga-san destroy her own underwear collection?"
(15:23:02): "And it's logical, Haruka-chan," she adds with a resigned sigh.
(15:23:40): Haruka blinks, nonplussed for a moment. Then: "WHAT WAS HER UNDERWEAR DOING IN HARADA'S ROOM?"
(15:24:36): Yukino shrinks back at the outburst, while heads turn towards Haruka. "She brought it when she moved in with Ayanokoji-san, maybe?" Yukino asks, cringing.
(15:26:10): "Well, I'm working with limited information here and it was the only theory that fit the available evidence. When did Kuga move in? I should be informed of all student movements on this campus!"
(15:27:36): "The president might have mentioned it," Yukino says quietly. "Weren't you listening, Haruka-chan?" Looking back, Fujino really did say something the other day with that infuriating smile of hers and the same carefree attitude; Haruka just tuned the tea-sipping woman out.
(15:31:11): "The president says a lot of things," Haruka says dismissively. "This puts the case in a new light. I'll need time to revise my theory. Right now, we need to get the power back on." And if the fire department doesn't havy any clue...time to get an electrician out from the city, probably.
(15:51:37): The fire department theorizes it might have been ball lightning. This theory meets many skeptical faces, but no better emerges as Haruka observes them.
(15:53:37): Haruka doesn't have any idea what ball lightning is, and makes a note to have Yukino fill her in on this later (whether she will remember to ask is another matter altogether). The important thing to sort out right now is whether it's safe for the students to return to their rooms, and she asks as much.
(15:55:21): "There isn't any hazard," a representative from the fire department informs her, "and the investigation should be finished within a few hours. The room where the event took place should be kept off limits, however."
(15:59:39): Well, that about wraps it up, then. Well, no, four students are still missing, but it doesn't seem like there's any more information to be gleaned from the police and fire department reps. Probably time to make an announcement about the event to the student body, and tell those still waiting in the auditorium that they can go back to their dorm around noon.
(16:12:14): There aren't likely to be many students in school on a saturday, except for those with club activities taking place over the morning. The girls in the auditorium take the news with joy intermingled with a deep tiredness, although organizing their return is a logistical matter involving getting them covered up enough to step outside in daylight. Yukino disappears again in the midst of this.
(16:15:56): There are plenty of blankets there, right? If there aren't enough to cover all the girls in one trip, Haruka will have to organize them into shifts and bring one group back at a time. Distracting as this is, she doesn't really notice Yukino's absence after a couple minutes.
(16:19:42): Using the blankets draws grumbles from the crowd, but it's nothing Haruka can't handle on her own. Yukino does rejoin her later, asking, "Are we going to keep up with our patrols, Haruka-chan?"
(16:25:34): "Absolutely! -Four- students have disappeared now, and neither I nor anyone else will rest until this menace is overcome!" Yes, the work of a public servant is tireless and thankless, but someone has to do the job! Suddenly, she remembers something. "Yukino, do we have any word on squad three? Can anyone talk yet?" It's pretty clear from her attitude that she'll go to the hospital and interrogate them right now if it's an option.
(16:26:45): "They are still unconscious," Yukino informs her. "I've checked with the hospital just now, and Miss Sagisawa should be getting back soon. There's nothing more she can do. The doctors at the hospital are puzzled, too."
(16:31:07): Haruka frowns. "Patients that won't wake up, power that won't turn back on...I don't like this, Yukino. I'm not sure the water supply being tainted explains this anymore. It feels like there's something...sinister going on here. ...Of course, if those guys are faking it to get out of work, I'll overhaul each and every one of them. Even if I have to buy a boat to do it!"
(16:36:59): "I don't think they're faking it, Haruka-chan," Yukino says quietly, not correcting her friend this time. "It might be really dangerous here, right now." She bites on her lower lip. "What if we just go on vacation? You could let the president take care of things like she's supposed to for a change!"
(16:40:08): Haruka looks at Yukino likes she's gone mad, or suddenly sprouted antennae or something. "I can't leave at a time like this! I have a duty to the students of this school! And if past experience has taught me anything, it's that we can't rely on Fujino to do things for us." She sighs, in a bit of a huff. Then: "...Where would we go, anyway? Out of curiosity."
(16:40:53): "...somewhere far away," Yukino replies meekly. "Anywhere but here."
(16:45:12): "I'm sorry, Yukino, but that is just unacceptable. There's never been a time that this school needs us more, and I'm surprised to hear such a deflatist attitude coming from you. Where would we be today if Caesar hadn't crossed the Rubicon? Where would we be if the British had said 'Oh, this blitz is just too tough, let's surrender?' We'd be living in a different world, that's where! And we live in this world, so that's not what we're going to do. Never surrender! You can't back down whenever things get tough, Yukino, or people will walk all over you."
(16:54:22): "That's defeatist, Haruka-chan." Yukino does sound defeated as she says it, however. Declining to correct Haruka's impromptu history lesson, she asks, "Then, shouldn't we take that angel story seriously? It's the only lead we have right now."
(16:57:39): "For the sake of argument, how do you arrest an angel? Do you go to the church and say--hey, the church! We could ask sister Yukariko!" With that, she sets out for the church immediately, all enthused over their new lead (such as it is.)
(17:00:39): "Wait for me, Haruka-chan!" Yukino calls after her.

Sister Yukariko is found praying at the church, apparently not bothered by the mounds of electronic surveillance equipment mounted all around her. It must have been difficult on her, Haruka reflects, when Father Greer just up and left, forcing her to run the church single-handedly.
(17:02:26): Haruka marches down the aisle, relentless as always, but -does- actually manage something approaching respect as she interrupts the nun's prayers. "Sister Yukariko? I'm sorry to distract you, but we need to ask a few questions."
(17:04:13): "Amen," the nun says, trying to keep her composure in the face of the Suzushiro Inquisition. "Yes?" she asks, standing up from her kneeling position. "How may I help?"
(17:04:58): "Sister, can you think of any reason an angel would've attacked this school last night?" Haruka asks in all earnestness.
(17:06:06): Yukariko does not immediately answer. "Then, the rumors were true?" she asks Haruka in turn.
(17:10:56): "It's a possibility. We're still investigating in lieu of stronger leads. Do you know anything that would help us? How or why would an angel be at Fuka Academy?" Again, totally straight-faced. If it's the only avenue of inquiry, she has no choice but to take it seriously. It's elemental, dear Watson.
(17:13:37): "Perhaps my prayers for deliverance have been answered?" Yukariko mumbles, not really talking to Haruka. "The forces of light, sent by the Lord, to fight against the vampires and the demons!"
(17:14:28): "demons? What demons?" Haruka asks, still vainly trying to engage the nun in an actual conversation.
(17:16:20): "Oh, glorious day!" Yukariko exclaims, grasping Haruka's hands suddenly. "Let us offer a prayer of thanks to the Lord!"
(17:17:39): Haruka is actually taken aback by this, a rare sight indeed! "Uh, yes, let's...now, about those demons..."
(17:18:06): What Haruka can only hear as ominous latin chanting picks up around her, courtesy of Sister Yukariko.
(17:20:21): "Yukino? Do you speak latin?" she asks her aide, apparently still taking this whole display seriously (for the moment).
(17:21:09): A sideways glance at Yukino reveals that she, too, has joined in on the prayer, hands pressed together and eyes closed.
(17:22:33): "Um..." Sometimes there's nothing for it but to go with the flow. Haruka does the best she can to keep up with Yukariko, not that she really knows what the prayer's all about. But hey, whatever makes the nun more likely to cooperate. It seems she's not going to stop until she's run through it all, anyway.
(17:23:59): Haruka is right on the money, there. Sister Yukariko finally lets go of Haruka once her prayer ends. She looks refreshed, too, and Haruka notices with a start that it has been a while since the nun looked like that.
(17:25:35): "Well...feeling better now, Sister?" It does seem that way. Odd. Maybe there really is something reassuring about prayer. Haruka always found it easier and more effective to bully people until the problem got solved, really.
(17:27:21): "Much better," the nun agrees. "Our savior has appeared. No longer with the monster prey on the children of Fuka."
(17:29:21): "...Oh. Has he? Or she. Could you tell me who it is, Sister?" Haruka asks, somewhat bewildered now.
(17:30:27): "Oh, they have not shown themselves to me, yet," Yukariko responds, "but, perhaps, I must first make myself worthy of this honor. Rest assured, however, that I will be there on the side of angels!"

Yukino looks quite disturbed to hear this.
(17:31:44): "Well, the thing is, we're getting reports that an angel attacked the school last night, so I wouldn't so sure about whose side they're on."
(17:32:16): "The side of good, of course," Yukariko states matter of factly. Her voice holds no hesitation.
(17:33:51): "Really? What does that make Fuka Academy?" Haruka asks, sounding a tad agitated (if not offended).
(17:35:10): "I'm certain that once the forces of darkness hiding amongst the normal students, the devils in sheep's clothing, are routed, we all will have a pleasant life filled with overflowing youth!" the nun declares.
(17:39:20): A sigh. Why can't people just talk normal? "Forces of darkness. Oookay. Do you have any idea who these 'devils' might be?" Not that Haruka approves of any theory suggesting a conspiracy amongst the student body, but you never know. There might be a lead in there somewhere. Or Yukariko might be slightly bonkers, which does seem more likely the more one talks to her.
(17:40:15): "I already told you all those things," Yukariko says, sounding surprised.
(17:46:21): "Did you? Refresh my memory, I've had a lot on my mind this morning."
(17:47:30): "I'm sorry," Sister Yukariko looks contrite, now. "Fujino-san asked me to keep this between us. If she didn't tell you anything...."
(17:49:24): Haruka scowls. "No. No, she didn't tell me anything. I'll be sure to take it up with her next time I see her. Thank you, Sister."
(17:50:19): "May the Lord go with you, Suzushiro-san," the nun tells her warmly.
(17:50:22): <--->

[16:24] <--->
[16:25] Haruka storms outside the church, Yukino hot on her trail. Inside, Sister Yukariko resumes her fervent prayers.
[16:27] "That Shizuru! Who does she think she's dealing with? I should be notified of any and all important developments, doubly so since I'm the only one who does anything about them!
  I'm going to find her and, and...discombobulate her!" The ranting continues pretty much nonstop as she heads back to the school proper, not really sure of a specific destination right now.
[16:28] "No, Haruka-chan, that's...." Yukino pauses. "Maybe it actually fits," she muses to herself quietly, following the blonde.
[16:29] Haruka stops. "Where would Shizuru be at this time of day?"
[16:31] "It's the weekend." Yukino considers. "Asleep, maybe?"
[16:32] Haruka clenches a fist and holds it before her in resolution. "Then we'll wake her up!" she says, continuing her march with a definite direction this time: Shizuru's quarters!
[16:32] "Ah, Haruka-chan, wait!" Yukino calls after her.
[16:33] "There's not time to waste, Yukino," Haruka shouts back. "This is a matter of life and death! ...Probably!"
[16:35] "But-- but the President wouldn't be there!" Yukino protests, struggling to catch up. "She moved in with Yuuki-san the other day!"
[16:37] Haruka sighs in exasperation. "Then we'll pay Yuuki-san a visit and just coincidentally have a talk with her new roommate? Honestly, why doesn't anyone tell me these things when they happen?"
[16:37] "You should listen to her more, Haruka-chan," Yukino whispers, looking defeated.
[16:39] "If she said more worth saying, I'd listen! Now come on, we're wasting time." Haruka sets off for Yuuki's place, at her usual brisk marching pace.
[16:41] The pair arrive at the dorm, and it doesn't take them much time to locate the right room. It is locked.
[16:42] Haruka knocks. Loudly, so that anyone inside can't pretend they don't hear her.
[16:42] If someone is pretending they're not home, they are doing a very good job.
[16:44] Haruka scowls. "She's stonewalling us, Yukino. Stand back, I'm going to break the door down. As much as I hate to damage school property, it's for the greater good!"
[16:44] "Why don't we just call Fujino-san, Haruka-chan?" Yukino asks, raising her hands placatingly.
[16:45] Haruka sighs. "Alright, we'll try it your way first," she concedes, getting out her phone and dialing up Shizuru.
[16:47] It rings once, twice-- as Haruka is rapidly losing her patience, the student council president's unmistakable voice answers with a "Yes?"
[16:50] "Fujino! Where have you been? I'm calling for an emergency council meeting -immediately-. Something major is transcending on this campus and I have reason to believe you know details you haven't told us."
[16:52] "Ah, is that so?" Shizuru asks. She sounds a bit distracted to Haruka, who can hear quite a bit of background noise. People, lots and lots of people, all talking as their words merge together. Wherever Shizuru is, it is quite loud. "Can it possibly wait, Suzushiro-san? I'm trying to buy icecream."
[16:56] "Ice cre--ICE CREAM?!" Haruka probably has a number of conspicuous veins bulging on her forehead right now. "Fujino, four students are missing, the school was set on fire last night, and *someone* on the grounds has a disturbing obsession with underwear--and you're buying ice cream! That's it. I'm calling for a vote of No Confidence the next time the council meets--but right now we have something more important to deal with than regime change.
[16:56] "Fuka Academy is in trouble and this is no time to think about dairy products. WHERE ARE YOU?"
[16:59] "Where? At the line for the icecream stall, of course," Shizuru responds pleasantly. "I was thinking of getting something strawberry-flavored, just this once. Which one do you think Yuuki-san would like?""
[17:03] "I think Yuuki-san would like a president who puts the best interest of the school first!" Haruka yells into the phone before hanging up in disgust (practically slamming it against the wall as she does so--hopefully it isn't broken). She takes a moment to seethe, inhaling and exhaling deeply, then turns to Yukino:
[17:04] "That's it, Yukino. We're taking over. A president who puts her own personal interests in front of the safety of the student body is no president at all! And I'm going to find Shizuru and tell her just so I can see the look on her face. TO THE ICE CREAM STALL."
[17:06] Yukino gapes, trying to speak a few times before actual words come out. "What icecream stall?"
[17:08] Haruka gestures vaguely in the air for a moment, not having thought this far ahead. "The one that sells ice cream." She thinks for a moment. "There was a crowd there..."
[17:09] Yukino winces.
[17:11] "What? There can't be that many. We have to get looking!"
[17:11] "Alright, Haruka-chan," Yukino agrees. "Let's take the bus into town, then?"
[17:13] Haruka nods and exits the dorm, making her way to the nearest bus station and continuing her litany of complaints all the way.
[17:16] Yukino tries to placate her. As they wait, Haruka sees her friend send off a text message. The bus comes, then, taking the two of them into town. There are no other students riding along from that station, though others get picked up from the other dorms.
[17:16] The bus suddenly stops, the driver having hit on the brakes hard. The cause for that is not difficult to make out -- an enormous fireball can be seen in the distance, right in
  the middle of the city.
[17:20] Haruka stands up and marches down the aisle to the front of the bus. "What--" She turns and looks again at the other passengers on the bus, then at the driver. As usual, she assumes the nearest adult into her sphere of influence: "Driver! Turn this bus around and take these students back to the dorm immediately! I'm going on ahead to check things out."
[17:21] Haruka identifies one of the older students and singles him or her out: "You! Call me when you're all safely back at the dorms."
[17:22] "Uhh, alright?" the girl asks, glancing at Yukino. She nods afterwards. "Umm, I'll do that." The driver, for his part, doesn't really feel like heading in the direction of the mysterious explosion.
[17:24] Haruka nods decisively and then, once again proving her top-notch credentials as a lead candidate for the Darwin awards, hops out onto the street and sets out in the direction of the fireball.
[17:26] Yukino dismounts after her, and runs to catch up as the bus makes a U-turn and leaves. "Are we going to walk all the way, Haruka-chan?" she asks the blonde, looking ahead. It might take the better part of an hour, Haruka notices, even if the push it.
[17:30] "No...we're going to run!" she says, and immediately does so! Good thing those phys ed classes keep the students in shape! Of course, any cabbies unfortunate enough to be on the street right now -will- be commandeered whether they like it or not, even if Haruka has to stand in the street to make them stop!
[17:32] It takes until they have both reached the main street before any cab is seen. The fireball has disappeared some time during their run. The streets are empty, Haruka discovers. Yukino is wheezing next to her, somehow having managed to keep up with her pace.
[17:34] "HEY!" Haruka shouts to the cab, despite being winded from that little jaunt.
[17:34] The cab stops, yet another achievement to Haruka's superior charisma.
[17:36] Haruka hops in and points in the direction of the fireball. "Take me that way. NOW. Don't argue, I'm on the executive council at Fuka Academy." She puases to look for Yukino. "Yukino, come on already!"
[17:38] Yukino's cooperation is easy to secure. The cab takes off! In a matter of minutes Haruka and Yukino arrive at what must be the scene of the explosion. Everything is charred for as far as she can see; it must have been a beautiful park at one time. Police and firemen are restricting access to the scene.
[17:42] Haruka searches out some police officer who looks high-ranking enough to be knowledgeable about the situation and attempts to browbeat them into cooperation! "What happened here? I'm a member of the executive committe at Fuka Academy and I have reason to believe some of our students were in the city at the time of the disaster. Was anyone injured?"
[17:43] (And wouldn't it be just terrible if Shizuru was unable to serve as president for a while?~)
[17:46] Something twitches in approval at that thought, in the back of Haruka's mind.
[17:46] "The school?" the officer Haruka had approached asks her, before telling her, "Come with me." He leads the blonde over to an emergency vehicle, where a girl is sitting, wrapped in a blanket. "Ayanokoji-san!" Yukino gasps from behind her.
[17:48] Haruka wastes no time in peppering the poor girl with questions. "Ayanokoji! What happened? Are you okay?"
[17:49] Maya looks at Haruka. Her eyes seem a bit glassy. "Suzushiro-san?" she asks slowly. "What are you doing here?"
[17:53] "I'm looking out for the safety of Fuka Academy's students," she says, with total self-confidence that this is, in fact, her primary concern. "Ayanokoji, what happened after you disappeared? Three other students have gone missing, and it is vital that you tell me anything you might know that would explain what's happening at Fuka."
[17:54] "I... disappeared?" Maya speaks, blinking in confusion. "I guess I... sleep-walked? I don't remember."
[17:59] "Try to remember," Haruka insists. Some might think it callous to press the recently injured for such details, but this is for the greater good! "Something happened in your room last night. Kuga was there. There was a bright light and we found the room on fire, with both of you gone." She searches her memory for a moment. "Someone said she saw an angel."
[18:02] "I don't know," Maya protests, shaking her head. "I went to sleep. That's it. Then these people found me, and told me I was walking here. I don't remember any of that."
[18:04] Haruka frowns, but relents for once. "Alright. But I want you to call me the moment you remember anything. Three students are still missing."
[18:06] Maya nods. She looks a bit groggy.
[18:08] Haruka makes a note to drop by the hospital and check on her later...-and- prod for information on her condition, maybe sneak a peek at her chart. If Maya was drugged, well, who knows where this mystery could lead! Actually, dropping by the hospital is a good idea anyway, since squad three is there. For now, though, she may as well try calling Shizuru again, see where she is.
[18:13] The EMT personnel provide Yukino with all the relevant information. They couldn't even get Maya's name from her previously, and exchanging contact information works out best for both sides. As Haruka dials Shizuru's cell, she reaches her voicemail.
[18:13] Shizuru's voice promising to call back right away, while asking that urgent cases dealing with the school be directed to Suzushiro Haruka along with the blonde's number sounds quite teasing to Haruka.
[18:15] Haruka grinds her teeth. Figures, of course, that Shizuru would be unavailable at a time like this. Well, that's it, Haruka's done looking for her. She certainly made more of an effort to deal with her than she had to, and there are more deserving students to worry about right now! So she may as well go to the hospital, since she's already in the city.
[18:21] Arriving at the hospital after commandeering another cab, Haruka finds that it, too, has officers crawling through the grounds. Far too many than she would expect to see, even on this day.
[18:21] "Can you believe it?" she overhears a cop tell his partner. "Just a high school girl." "Yeah," the answer comes. "Saw her face. A real cutie, you wouldn't suspect--" Their car radio blares on suddenly, complete with police codes Haruka has no idea about.
[18:25] Well, that's not any way Haruka cares to hear someone talking about her peers! She stops in her tracks to put them in their place. "Hey! Would you two show some respect? Ayanokoji's hospitalized and doesn't remember anything! Find something better to gossip about than a defenseless girl!"
[18:27] "Ayanokoji?" the cops ask, glancing at each other, before the one in the driver's seat bluntly asks Haruka, "What do you want?"
[18:29] "What were you two talking about?" she demands, answering a question with a question and an expression that makes it clear insubordination will not be tolerated!
[18:32] The are uncomfortable, now. "Run along," the driver shoos her away.
[18:33] Haruka blinks for a moment, presented with the baffling concept of someone not doing as she instructed. She stomps away with a scowl, though. If she made them squirm, well, that's something at least. Time to check up on squad three.
[18:44] Squad Three. The hospital staff does not actually have the boys listed under Haruka's classification, but with Yukino's help, they are easily located. They have been given double rooms, except for the leader who remains in intensive care. None have regained consciousness, yet; the boys also don't have any family waiting, although they might be living too far to be able to make it so soon.
[18:46] No one's woken up after all this time, huh? Well, that's what she'd been told earlier, yes, but maybe someone on the staff here has some clue of what's going on with the boys. In her usual fashion, Haruka seeks out a hospital employee and attempts to bludgeon them into cooperation.
[18:47] Once they found out where she's from, the staff begins to do a wonderful job of stonewalling Haruka.
[18:48] Well, how totally unprofessional! Don't they know it's her job to look out for her fellow students! If all else fails, maybe there's some paperwork she can look at when no one's watching her.
[18:50] Yukino provides a distraction! In that time, Haruka manages to slip into the nurse's station, while the nurse on duty tries to help with Yukino's sudden abdominal pain. Her friend's cries sound all too authentic to Haruka, but for the moment, she has herself a working computer with access to all the hospital's patient records.
[18:53] Haruka tries to make the most of the limited time she has! So...she decides to check up on anything relating to squad three first--they've been here longer than Maya, after all, so maybe the staff have some idea of why they won't wake up.
[18:55] The notes on their charts pretty much indicate a coma. The staff knows surprisingly little: the why and how are a complete mystery. The timing isn't, as the doctors have
  apparently managed to deduce that whatever happened, happened to all of them at once. There are some kind of notes about neural pathways and all sorts of terms Haruka can't make heads or
  tails of.
[18:56] Haruka makes a mental note to talk about it with Yukino later. Hopefully knows more about science? Anyway, time to see if there's anything about Maya in the system.
[18:57] Short term memory loss due to a traumatic event. They doubt that she had sleep-walked all the way due to the state her feet were in, but she was certainly clad in her night clothes when the emergency personnel had found her.
[19:00] Well, that's something. And you know...if Ayanokoji was too dazed to give her name to the EMTs, maybe the other students are actually here too and the staff just don't know who they are? If there's any way to search for other recent arrivals in the same age bracket as the missing students, Haruka will take whatever time she has left to do so.
[19:03] The search gains results. Two students fitting the criteria, outside of those she had already looked up, are listed in the system. Tokiha Takumi, hospitalized after a complication earlier that day. The time roughly coincides with the fireball Haruka had witnessed. The other is Fujino Shizuru, age 18, admitted to the hospital's morgue an hour prior.
[19:04] ...
[19:04] ......
[19:06] This is that horrible moment when someone has to decide between the socially-approved grief and the long-awaited schadenfreude. And the truth is, much as Haruka couldn't stand Shizuru, she didn't exactly want her -dead-. So...there's a long moment of dumb silence as the floor seems to drop out beneath her. Her fingers are motionless on the computer.
[19:08] 'And wouldn't it be just terrible if Shizuru was unable to serve as president for a while?' the cheerful thought returns.
[19:09] Haruka isn't to be deterred for long, of course. She didn't get this far by dwelling in melancholy. She's always been about looking out for her fellow students! This is the time to push aside any trace of weakness and marshall her resolve! If Tokiha was brought in at the same time, maybe he knows something, so Haruka will find out his room number and maybe pay him a visit. Yes, keep busy. That's the idea.
[19:11] Yukino is being collected by a pair of male nurses and placed on a gurney, despite her protests. Haruka manages to escape the nurse's station in the nick of time, before getting caught, but saving her friend might be a difficult task.
[19:13] Well, Yukino knew what she was getting into, right? If she gets in trouble for faking illness, it's just taking one for the team, right? Somehow it's hard for Haruka to convince herself of that right now, and she feels a strange urge to not let any of her friends out of sight. She rushes to the side of the gurney and grabs Yukino's hand. "Yukino! Are you alright?"
[19:15] "H-Haruka-chan!" Yukino calls out, her voice pained. "Not the needles, please, not the needles!"
[19:17] Haruka hangs onto her friend and won't let go! "I'm sure it's just indignation or something," she says to the nurses. "That and the stress. It's been a hard day. Students disappearing, explosion in the park. She just needs to go back to her room at the dorm. Don't worry, I'll take care of her," she says, with something of a warning glance to each of the men should they dispute her claim.
[19:18] "Indigestion, Haruka-chan," Yukino says, her voice weak.
[19:20] "Yeah, that," Haruka concedes, for possibly the first time ever.
[19:21] The nurses look quite sour. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that they don't like to have their time wasted.
[19:22] They can as irritated as they like as long as they don't try and stop her from taking Yukino away. "Come on, Yukino. You're okay to walk out and go take a ride back to school, aren't you?"
[19:24] Yukino nods, leaning on Haruka as she walks. Their progress is unobstructed, as the two make their way out of the hospital. "What now?" Yukino asks. "Are we going to try and call Fujino-san again?"
[19:28] Pins and needles at the back of Haruka's neck. She shakes her head. "I don't think that would do any good...look, the Tokiha boy's here too. He might know something-he came in along with Ayanokoji, so that might not be confidential. If you're feeling okay, we can talk to him."
[19:30] "I don't think it's a good idea to try it now, Haruka-chan," Yukino cautions. Haruka can see that one of the nurses has come up to the security personnel by the entrance. After a brief chat between the two Haruka has no way of overhearing, they turn to look at she and Yukino.
[19:31] Haruka nods. "Alright, let's go home." So saying, she escorts Yukino outside and looks for another cab.
[19:32] One is easily found outside the hospital, and Haruka could easily buy the vehicle if she so chose. The drive back to the academy grounds is swift, not much traffic taking up the road.
[19:34] Haruka is unusually quiet most of the ride back, alone with her thoughts (such as they are). Once they're alone, she'll tell Yukino about the whole thing.
[19:35] The base would likely be occupied, but over the weekend, no one is likely to be found at the student council room.
[19:35] That'll do for now.
[19:36] "What's wrong, Haruka-chan?" Yukino asks her. "It's not like you to give up so easily and go back."
[19:37] Haruka sits down, and looks pensive for a moment. "Fujino's dead," she states flatly.
[19:38] "What?" Yukino asks, trying to smile. "That's a really bad joke, Haruka-chan."
[19:39] "It's not a joke. The hospital computer said she was in the morgue." She's staring off at nothing in particular.
[19:40] Yukino tries to speak. The phone in the room chooses that moment to ring, and she moves to answer it mechanically. "Yes. Yes." The answers are listless. "She does."
[19:41] Her eyes widen, as she looks at Haruka with a horrified expression. "Kuga-san has been arrested for the president's murder!"
[19:42] <--->

<--->
(12:21:12): Would it be much of stretch to assume that Natsuki was responsible for all the recent catastrophes? Students disappearing, fire in Ayanokji's room, the blast in the park, and now Fujino's death? Haruka always knew the girl was a rebel! Still, at a time like this is make sure all the students are present and accounted for--and make sure they can't wander off and get into more trouble. (Keep busy, that's the idea).
(12:22:51): Yukino regains enough of her composure to say something Haruka's mind can't quite process, hanging up.
(12:25:14): "Yukino," Haruka says, surprisingly calmly given the circumstances, "we need to make an announcement to the students."
(12:27:27): "I'm... not sure it's possible right now," Yukino admits, looking quite pale. "The majority of the students will only be back on Monday, and we can't let this become a rumor if we only announce to those in the cafeteria, or even present in the dorms. It's the weekend, after all, so many would not be there."
(12:32:58): Haruka considers this. "Fine. But I don't want anyone leaving the school grounds. It will definitely become a rumor if people go into the city and hear about what happened there. We'll just tell everyone it's not safe to leave because of the disappearances. Mobilize all the squads and post them at the exits. If anyone wants to leave, they can come to me. So I can tell them no."
(12:34:59): Yukino seems dubious, but nods. "Alright, Haruka-chan. I'll take care of this. Do you... need anything?"
(12:38:48): Haruka's stomach is nagging at her, what with running around the city all morning, but oddly she can't really think about eating something. In fact, it's hard to think of anything she really wants right now. "I don't know...Kuga doesn't have any relatives, does she? Is anyone going to be coming for her?"
(12:40:51): "A father is listed on file, but he never visited the school," Yukino reports, wringing out her hands. "I don't think anyone will come, no."
(12:45:26): Haruka stands up. "She may be a criminal, but she's still a student of Fuka Academy. Someone will need to talk to her..."
(12:47:16): "We're going, then?"
(12:48:22): "Yes. We're the executive committee. It's our duty. See that the squads are posted first. Then we'll go."
(12:51:53): "I will," Yukino promises, and begins dialing from her cell. She hands out orders, the gentle but firm way she usually uses.
(12:53:12): Haruka waits, doing her best not to think too in-depth about recent developments. Normally this is quite easy for her, but these are unusual circumstances.
(12:56:49): Yukino reports that the squads have been deployed, and then it's back to town for both of them. This time around, her friend had called for a cab in advance, to avoid relying on buses. Haruka doesn't question the effectiveness of the move, lost in her thoughts.

The drive is reasonably brief, and then, Haruka and Yukino find themselves at the entrance to a police station. Haruka had never been there before, but Yukino claims it is the right one. There, behind those doors, Natsuki Kuga should be in lock-up.
(13:01:54): Haruka doesn't really have anything to say here, actually, standing outside the police station. No "Well, let's go," or "Let's get this over with," or any other pat phrase. That would be tacit acknowledgement that she has some doubts about herself, which of course cannot possibly be true. With some approaching her usual decisiveness, she simply nods and heads inside.
(13:03:54): Yukino follows silently. The station is busier than Haruka had expected it to be, but whether that is due to the day's events or a normal state of affairs, she cannot really tell. A receptionist in uniform is talking to an elderly pair, and as Haruka watches, they thank her and move away from the desk.
(13:06:35): Haruka steps up to the desk. She doesn't bother wasting time on pleasantries: "I am Haruka Suzushiro, of the executive committee at Fuka Academy. You have one of my students in custody. I need to speak with her immediately."
(13:08:02): The woman blinks. "Whom do you need to speak to, again?"
(13:09:05): "Natsuki Kuga."
(13:12:51): "Please wait here for a few moments," the receptionist requests, heading further into the station. She converses with an older officer, eventually returning with him. "Detective Oiishi will show you the way," she tells Haruka.

The officer comes up to meet the blonde. He is a bit on the heavy side, but looks quite sharp. "Suzushiro Haruka, was it? A pleasure. I'm Oiishi."
(13:14:04): Haruka nods. "Thank you, Detective Oiishi. Please lead the way." No need for her usual bluster when everyone's cooperating, right?
(13:17:13): "I must admit," the detective says, leading the way further in, clearly past the public area open for visitors, "that I hope to get something out of this as well. The girl, Kuga, hasn't said anything since her arrest. If her friends were to convince her to cooperate, I'm certain the judge would show leniency."
(13:21:50): "I'll do my best to persuade her," Haruka says, following along."Could you tell me the circumstances of her arrest? She was one of four students that went missing recently, and I have to take advantage of any possibility that this disaster might lead us to the others."
(13:23:55): "From eyewitness accounts, we've managed to establish that Kuga Natsuki was in the company of Tokiha Mai, Minagi Mikoto and Yuuki Nao, all apparently students of the prestigious Fuka Academy--" Oiishi smiles apologetically at Haruka. "Oh, right, you would know all about that, won't you, Suzushiro?"
(13:25:35): Haruka simply nods. "I would, yes. Please go on."
(13:29:39): "It seems that Kuga got in an argument with the others, and set off some kind of explosive device. A bomb, I might say, that didn't harm anyone, while blowing out the window of the second story waiting hall she was in. In the commotion, she managed to escape. After that, several gunshots were heard from behind the hospital, and once the hospital security moved in, they found her crouching over the body of Fujino Shizuru." The detective eyes Haruka. "The murder weapon was not found, but with the two gunshot wounds found on the body, it seems like very strong circumstantial evidence. Perhaps, Fujino got in the way of Kuga's escape, and had to be silenced? What do you think about that theory?"
(13:36:27): "Kuga was always a rebel, so it doesn't surprise me to see her in trouble. There was an explosion at Fuka recently as well, in a room Kuga was known to be staying, which makes that part of the story easy to believe. But her and Fujino were friends, and it's not like Kuga had many others."
(13:38:14): "I see, I see," the officer repeats, stroking his chin. "It did sound more like a crime of passion. Fujino was found badly beaten, you see. It must have angered Kuga to have a friend stand between her and freedom."
(13:43:01): Haruka just nods, doing her best to skirt around notions that make her think of Fujino as more than a hated rival and quite uncharacteristically failing. "Do the other girls all agree on what happened? What was the group doing together in the first place?" Particularly Yuuki Nao, who's never been one to associate with her fellow students more than necessary, though Haruka leaves this part unspoken.
(13:49:05): "They all came with the younger Tokiha, along with one Okuzaki Akira, who was by the other boy's bedside at the time of the incident, it seems," Oiishi informs Haruka. "Sadly, Yuuki had already left when our men arrived on the scene; quite understandable, I'll say, as even the staff fled in the wake of the explosion. Tokiha Mai was deep in shock, and was allocated a room by her brother. It was decided not to hospitalize her, from what I could understand. And for some reason, Minagi is keeping silent. Would you have any idea why? If she is trying to protect Kuga, she is committing an obstruction of justice."
(13:56:53): "Minagi feels like she should protect her friend, I'd guess. Or she's in shock," Haruka says. "I don't know if she'd be a reliable witness anyway," she adds dismissively. "She's young and absent-minded,"
(13:58:57): Oiishi nods as he walks. The interrogation room is just ahead, now. "Good luck, then, Suzushiro," he tells Haruka. "She's restrained, and I will be watching, but if you feel in danger, please call for me right away."
(14:00:20): Haruka nods, though hoping that's not necessary. Natsuki's more likely to talk without anyone else there, also. Without another word, she enters the interrogation room.
(14:03:04): Yukino watches Haruka head inside, remaining in the corridor with the detective. And then, the door closes behind her, and Haruka is left alone with Natsuki. The bluette is seated by a table. A can of what seems to be hot coffee stands atop it, unopened. A large mirror which Haruka knows to be one way covers most of the wall facing Natsuki.

Natsuki herself is dressed in an overall of some kind, hardly something Haruka would expect to see her in.
(14:05:47): Haruka crosses her arms in front of her, striking an authoritarian pose. "Well," she says with a sigh, "do you want to start?"
(14:06:13): Natsuki does not react to Haruka's presence.
(14:07:04): Haruka steps over to the table, plants one palm down on it and leans forward, waving her free hand in front of Natsuki. "Hello, Kuga? Is there anyone home?"
(14:07:42): Natsuki looks up. Her eyes are dead.
(14:12:39): Haruka actually pulls back, in surprise and bewilderment. That's not a normal expression for Natsuki. Well, not for anyone, but definitely not for Natsuki. She sits down across from the girl (assuming there's a spare chair) and tries another approach. "...Natsuki. I know we're not friends, but I have a duty to stand up for all students of Fuka Academy, no matter what." Even when they kill each other, apparently. "I need to know what happened. You're not the only one in trouble. Two other girls are still missing, and anything you could say to help me would me involatile."
(14:15:30): Natsuki stares at Haruka, who doubts the bluette even sees her, before leaning back. A metal rattling sound alerts Haruka to the handcuffs holding Natsuki's left hand secured to the desk.
(14:21:31): A grimace. This isn't getting anywhere. Is the other girl totally cataclysmic? "Look, did Fujino do or say something to provoke you? I know you two were good friends, and it would've taken a lot for her to make you angry...but I know Fujino was keeping something from the rest of the executive committee, too. Yukariko told me about it, so I know." She doesn't know, of course, but maybe she'll learn if she acts like it?
(14:30:12): This gets a reaction. Natsuki looks at Haruka, again, and this time Haruka sees a sign of life in Natsuki's eyes. Unfortunately, the emotion she spots is anger.

"Where do you get off talking about Shizuru that way?!" Natsuki explodes, jumping to her feet. The table groans in protest. Haruka can see the handcuffs clearly, now, fully taut. "You've always been jealous of her, so now you make up all that shit about her? Does that make you feel better?"
(14:37:30): Well, that's better than no reaction. Sort of. "You're right, I never liked her," Haruka admits, her voice rising to meet Natsuki's. "But I know she was involved in -something- that she wasn't telling the rest of us about. This isn't about making her look bad. This is about protecting everyone else at Fuka. That's my -job-." She pauses a moment to breathe, runs her hand through her hair. "So you tell me what I need to know and I won't have to make assumptions."
(14:39:19): "She wasn't involved in anything," Natsuki says, sitting down in disgust. "Go away and leave me alone, Suzushiro."
(14:44:40): Haruka stands up and slams her fists on the table. "No, I won't! Senoh and Harada are still missing, Ayanokoji's totally cataclysmic, and the boys from squad three are in -comas-. I'm not going anywhere until I know why and how to make whatever's happening stop. Someone said they saw an -angel- attack your dorm last night. Do you have anything to say about that?"
(14:46:08): Natsuki shrugs. "An angel attacked us, someone said. It must be true."
(14:48:52): Haruka just fumes for a moment. She starts pacing to work off her irritation. It doesn't work very well. "And you're not going to do anything about it, I guess? You don't care about anyone but yourself. Poor Natsuki's got the whole world on her shoulders, she can't be bothered to think about someone else."
(14:51:11): Natsuki laughs suddenly. It is unnerving, hearing such a normally cheerful sound distorted with hysteria. "Not going to do anything about it? After what happened?"
(14:56:59): Haruka isn't deterred by an apparent descent into mania! "You don't have to do much! Stop being a martyr for five minutes and HELP ME. Fujino watched out for you all the time." Probably more than was deserved, in Haruka's opinion. "Do you really want to repay her by sitting in a cell and stewing in your own self-pity?"
(14:59:31): "No. You know what, Suzushiro, you're right." Natsuki straightens up her back, and suddenly, the chain no longer connects her to the desk. A snapping sound, a horrible sound of twisting metal, grates upon Haruka's ears. "I can't really repay anyone while sitting in a cell somewhere."
(15:02:17): "I AM right, and--" Then the proper synapses connect and she notices that Natsuki is, in fact, no longer restrained. Well, she wouldn't attack Haruka in a building full of cops, right? Right? That isn't her most pressing concern, of course. Instead, its--"Hey, how'd you do that?"
(15:06:14): Natsuki snorts. "That really shouldn't be your first concern." The bluette picks up the chair she had been sitting on, and props it against the door. "Strange. Just hearing you prattle about things you don't begin to understand shot that whole self-pity thing straight to hell. I suppose I should thank you for that."

There are muffled sounds coming through the other side of the door. Natsuki places a foot against the propped-up chair. "Decent soundproofing," she muses.
(15:09:32): Suddenly it seems like a good idea to loiter around Haruka's own chair, in case she needs to hurl a heavy object in the general direction of Natsuki's head in the near future. She takes up a position next to it, on hand resting on its back. "This is the part where you tell me everything you wouldn't tell the cops, right?" she asks, apparently in all seriousness. As long as you ACT like you're still in charge everyone else will fall in line, right? Right. It's always worked before.
(15:16:45): "You really are something else, Suzushiro," Natsuki says with a crooked smile, before her face darkens. "Don't get in my way."

She suddenly removes the chair, and the door flies open. The first cop rushing inside runs straight into the backswing of Natsuki's chair. Even as he drops, she lunges forward, kneeing a young officer in the gut and disappearing into the corridor.
(15:18:51): "HEY!" Ignoring the warning, Haruka darts into the corridor after her, pretty much ignoring the fallen cops (hey, getting hit once in a while is part of the job description!) She's not about to stop until she catches up to the other girl.
(15:22:42): The officer is still conscious, and protests as Haruka steps on him on her way out. However, this places her in a position to see Natsuki facing off Detective Oiishi. He has a gun drawn at the rampaging girl, but she ducks behind his arm, striking at his joint, and spin-kicks him in the head. As the cop sags to the floor, dazed, Haruka sees Yukino leave the observation room.

Her friend looks terrified, taking a step back when her eyes meet with Natsuki's. The latter bends down to pick up Oiishi's gun.
(15:25:43): Haruka should've brought that chair with her! It'd be easy enough to bring it down on Natsuki's head as she picks up the gun. Oh well, too late now. Good old-fashioned catfight looks like her only option. She lunges forward at full speed, trying to tackle Natsuki and take her to the ground.
(15:29:38): Stars. An explosion of stars.

Haruka comes to at the sound of hurried footsteps, instantly realizing she lost consciousness. Recent events are a jumbled blur.

Yukino's worried face comes into focus, occupying much of her sight.
(15:32:05): "...Yukino?" Haruka manages after a moment. "Natsuki spontaneously comploded, I think..." she mumbles, still in a daze.
(15:33:21): "Oh, Haruka-chan," Yukino mumbles. She reaches for Haruka, helping her settle into a sitting position. "Are you alright? You hit your head really hard against the wall."
(15:34:27): "Oh, is that what happened?" Haruka murmurs. She reaches up to make sure her head is, in fact, actually still there. It's hard to tell at the moment; it could just be a throbbing lump of pain convinced it was still her head.
(15:36:18): There is a nasty bump to corroborate Yukino's story.

"I'm terribly sorry about that," a familiar male voice says. Detective Oiishi is crouching by Haruka's side. His expression is pained, and he's holding a wet handkerchief to the side of his face. "Ah, that would leave a bruise," he adds, removing the cloth. Haruka can concur that it does seem quite likely.
(15:38:25): A glance around the room. "Where's Natsuki?" The obvious answer being that she got away, Haruka turns to her friend. "Yukino, didn't you try to stop her?" Yep, never mind the fact that Natsuki took out three cops on her own.
(15:39:32): "I--I tried, Haruka-chan," Yukino says hesitantly. "But I'm sorry! I let her get away in the end!"
(15:41:57): Haruks struggles to her feet, wincing as her head spins. Or maybe the room itself is wobbling. It's hard to say. "You--ugh--you have to be stronger, Yukino, or people will walk all over you." It has to be said, even at a time like this. "Detective Oshii, she's not about to escape from a building full of police officers, right?"
(15:44:26): "I'm afraid she already has," Oiishi says, steadying Haruka as she stands up. "The Kuga girl was trained well. Tell me, Suzushiro, is that normal for your school?"
(15:46:07): "Well, they definitely make us run a lot of laps in gym," she mutters, rubbing her head. "I don't remember combat training being part of the curlicue. I should look into that."
(15:48:06): "Curriculum," Yukino murmurs quietly by her side. At least she seems to have recovered, if she's correcting Haruka again.

"Gym, you say," Oiishi repeats dubiously. "Do you know where Kuga is headed?"
(15:52:03): Haruka shakes her head, which proves inadvisable. "No...but I'd keep those guards posted at the hospital, just in case," she says, picking up her usual trait of ordering people who aren't actually subordinates. "Of course, I'll go back to Fuka and alert my men to be on thye lookout for her," General Suzushiro adds.
(15:54:09): "You believe that now that she's been caught, Kuga would try to eliminate any witnesses?" the detective asks in surprise. "It doesn't make much sense, not with the evidence against her, but she doesn't seem to be acting entirely sane...."
(15:55:40): She shrugs. "She might want to see her friends for other reasons. Tokiha, for one. I don't know, it's just an idea."
(15:58:14): Oiishi nods, appearing to think about it. "Yes, it does make sense. You certainly have a way with words, Suzushiro. I'll dispatch a patrol to the academy in case she goes back there as well, hmm?"
(16:01:23): "Sure," she agrees, still a little wobbly on her feet (she's been running around all morning with very little to eat) but not about to show any sign of weakness. "Yukino? It's time to get back to Fuka. We're in a state of emergence here: no one leaves, and anyone coming back in doesn't go out again."
(16:02:36): "Emergency, Haruka-chan!" Yukino exclaims. "And you shouldn't be going back! You should be resting, or you'll collapse again! Have someone at the hospital take a look at you!"
(16:03:59): Haruka thinks a moment, remembering the last visit to the hospital. "I'm not sure we want to go back there, Yukino. They didn't want us to leave last time. Needles, remember?"
(16:04:46): "I'll take the needles if you'll just get some rest!"
(16:06:49): "There's no time to rest!" she intones. "Leadership does not afford such luxuries. I--whoa--" Taking a step forward, she falters and catches herself against a wall.
(16:09:18): Yukino looks very sad. Haruka is momentarily taken aback; her friend hadn't seemed that way ever since she had saved her from bullies for the first time. Was that in kindergarten?

"Maybe you should listen to your friend, here," Oiishi says, stuffing his handkerchief into a pocket after wringing it out over the floor. "My men are professionals. They won't let Kuga back into the school."
(16:10:59): "Fine, fine," Haruka concedes, relenting for once. Unwilling as she is to ever sit idle, what else can she get done right now? Granted, she intends to corner Yukariko as soon as she gets back to Fuka...
(16:20:13): Detective Oiishi arranges for an escort to the hospital, which manages to resolve any problems Haruka and Yukino might have had with the staff. Haruka is admitted for observation, kept overnight despite her protests, while Yukino takes the empty bed in Haruka's room.

It is late morning on Sunday when Haruka is finally discharged. Her bump remains, hidden as it is by her hair, but other than that and the dressed bruise she had discovered on her solar plexus -- where Natsuki had elbowed her, according to Yukino -- she is fit to go on.
(16:34:44): First priority: get back to Fuka and impose some sense of order on the place (no doubt it's totally slipped into anarchy with the executive committee away for so long). Once she's checked in with her subordinates, found out whether any other strange events had happened and so on, it'll be time to interrogate Yukariko. And no amount of creepy latin chanting will get her out of an explanation this time! Of course, if any of the other students involved in the incident in town are back at school, she'll also want to talk to them.
(16:36:30): As their cab takes them to Fuka Academy, the first thing Haruka notices is the students coming and going, laughing and generally enjoying their weekend. Squad Eight stands a bit off to the side, observing the proceedings but otherwise not interfering in any way.
(16:38:48): What the--? "Yukino, I thought I said to keep everyone within the school grounds. It's for their own safety! We can't let people wander to and fro like this."
(16:39:20): Yukino shrugs, looking confused. "That's what I told all the squads, Haruka-chan...."
(16:41:35): Well, there's nothing for it but to march up to squad eight and -demand- an explanation. "Hey, you guys!" she shouts. "What do you think you're doing? My orders stand even when I'm not standing, you know!"
(16:45:51): "Yes, Ma'am!" the all bark as one. "But Vice-President Kanzaki wanted to know what was going on when he returned and, well...."
(16:47:45): Haruka scowls. "I see. And where has he been this whole time?" she wonders aloud. Clearly everything falls apart without her around. Kanzaki is far too lenient!
(16:49:39): "Uhh, Ma'am, we... didn't ask?" The bespectacled leader cringes, but holds his ground bravely, even as the other four members move half a step back.
(16:50:45): "Alright, well, where is he -now-?" she barks, meaning to take up the whole matter with the vice president (well, president now--clearly word about Fujino hasn't got around) as soon as she can find him.
(16:51:34): They look at one another. "The student council room?" one of the boys ventures.
(16:53:05): Well, that's a decent place to start. Off she goes to the student council room, with Yukino (presumably) in tow.
(16:54:04): Yukino is never too far behind.

Vice-President Kanzaki Reito is indeed in the student council room. He sits behind Shizuru's desk, looking up something at her laptop. A steaming cup of tea is set out on the table by his side.
(16:55:39): "Kanzaki!" Haruta says upon entering, practically spitting the name as though it was an accusation in itself. "Why have you countermanded my orders and allowed the students to leave campus? Do you have -any- idea what's happened the past couple days?"
(16:57:51): "Now, now," Reito says softly, turning to face Haruka and Yukino. He raises his tea cup, offering it in Haruka's direction. "Why don't you pour yourself some tea?"
(17:04:04): This prompts something akin to an explosion from Haruka. "Tea? What is it with you people? Always calm, always sitting around drinking. This is not how to responsibly address the duties of elected office. If I was the president--argh!" She fumes for a moment, then forces herself to calm down. If he was away from the school for days, this is kind of understandable. Kind of. "Okay. Here's the situation: president Fujino is dead, the police had Kuga in custody for the killing until Kuga beat them up and broke out, Senoh and Harada are still missing, and squad three are in comas at the hospital. This is not the time for tea. Do you undertsand?"
(17:05:16): Reito's tea cup drops to the floor. It breaks, hot liquid splashing all over his shoes. "What?" he asks, without his usual aplomb.
(17:10:17): That's better! Kind of. "It happened yesterday, in town," Haruka says seriously. "I don't know all the details yet. I was in the hospital myself until this morning because Kuga went berserk when I tried to ask her about it. I haven't made an announcement abouit it yet, but you see why I wanted to keep all the students here?"
(17:12:04): Reito regains his composure, as something... authoritative, for lack of better word, seems to come over him. "And needlessly fuel everyone's paranoia?" he asks Haruka, leaning back in his chair. "But moving on, was there some reason why I wasn't informed of any of this?"
(17:15:22): "Reason? You mean, aside from you not being here when it happened and me being in the hospital until this morning? I'm sorry I'm not telepathetic." Setting her belligerence aside for a moment: "Look, something strange is going on in this town, and the students should be kept here, safe, where we can keep an eye on them. I don't understand how this is hard to understand."
(17:17:23): "You do have my number," Reito points out. "You insisted upon having it, in fact, denying that it was in fact for personal reasons." A slight smirk appears on his face. "Perhaps, however, you are right. The students should be here so that they could be protected from Kuga-san by you...." Reito trails off, frowning. Haruka has a strong feeling he's acting. "Didn't she put you in the hospital during her escape, you said?"
(17:23:06): "Not just from Kuga, from..." She gestures vaguely in the air for a moment. "Look, don't play around. Kuga's not the only problem. Two students up and disappeared and they still haven't been found. Someone said they saw an angel attack a dorm! If the students aren't moving around, it's easier for us to spot anything out of the ordinary. It's that simple."
(17:23:51): "I would think spotting an honest to goodness angel would be easy regardless of student movement," Reito counters. Yukino shuffles her feet by Haruka's side.
(17:26:05): This provokes a scowl. "Alright," she says, with a suggestion of finality in her tone. "Alright, sit here and drink your tea. I'll sort everything out myself, as usual."
(17:28:50): "We won't be interrupting the students' regular lives with nonsense about angels," Reito says firmly, the tone of his voice giving Haruka pause. "I will contact the police and private firms for the extra security we need as long as Kuga-san is at large, but there will be no ridiculous blockades, certainly not self-imposed." His lips twitch in what might be amusement. "Feel free to impose a curfew if you wish, however."
(17:31:04): "I will," Haruka says, almost grinding her teeth as she speaks. "Thank you for your help, -president-," she adds, storming out of the room before he can get in another word. She stops some way down the hall, fists clenched. She desperately wants to kick the wall right about now, but that would be damaging school property.
(17:32:23): Yukino is suddenly there, waving her hands placatingly. "I'm sure it was just the shock, Haruka-chan," she tries to console her friend.
(17:35:36): "He was smirking at me," Haruka growls. "Smirking! Of all the the--ergh!" She smacks her fist into the opposing palm with this incoherent outburst, hard enough to actually hurt her hand, but she barely notices. "Okay," she starts, after calming down a little. "If he's not going to lift a hand to sort things out, we'll do our own instigating. And I know just where to start."
<--->

<--->
[21:02] The church, a last refuge for those overwhelmed by their impassioned youth. Sister Yukariko is not praying when Haruka and Yukino turn up for a visit, instead mopping up the aisles.
[21:04] "Sister Yukariko?" Haruka says, striding down the aisle. "Can we speak with you?" She peers around the church, hoping to find it empty of listeners. "In private if possible?"
[21:08] "Oh, of course," the nun says with a smile, gesturing off to the side. As she walks across the church, Haruka notices that she is being lead to the confessional.
[21:10] Well, that's not exactly what Haruka meant, but...you know, it might work. Though she can't help but feel that maybe Yukariko should be the one confessing here.
[21:12] "Have you decided to accept Jesus as your savior?" Sister Yukariko asks, once they are inside. Her hands are clasped in elation. "To embrace Him to your bosom? To love and cherish God?"
[21:13] "Sure thing," Haruka agrees.
[21:16] "Oh, how glorious!" Sister Yukariko exclaims. "Let us sing a song to the Lord!" Without waiting on Haruka, she begins a religious hymn of some sort. Haruka doesn't really understand Latin, but she assumes it is one. Probably. It is also being sung really off key.
[21:17] Dammit all, not again. "Sister--SISTER YUKARIKO!" She practically has to shout to be sure she's reaching the woman. "I have a sin that I must confess!"
[21:18] The hymn pauses. "I will listen to your sins and accept them, as Jesus teaches us!" the nun responds perkily.
[21:20] "I am guilty of...jealousy!" Haruka admits. Her attempts at instilling the proper drama in this phrase are pretty damn bad, but it probably won't take much to convince Yukariko.
[21:20] Sister Yukariko nods gravely. "Go on," she invites Haruka.
[21:22] "Someone I knew and worked with held a higher rank than me and I felt it undeserved. Her name was Shizuru..."
[21:23] There is a pause. "Was?" the nun asks carefully.
[21:24] Oops! Well, sometimes even a total lack of tact can nudge someone in the right direction. Haruka looks up at the grate between the two of them. "She was killed yesterday, Sister."
[21:25] The nun gasps, making a cross in the air. "Oh, how drea-- oh, just--"
[21:27] "Sister?" Haruka sidles right up to the thin wall between them. "Are you alright?"
[21:28] Sobs are Haruka's answer. "Oh, Lord, how you test us!"
[21:29] "Sister, please listen to me. The Lord helps those who help themselves, right? I don't know what happened, but I'm trying to find out. I think you can help me. Are you listening?"
[21:30] The nun doesn't answer, but Haruka sees her nod behind the screen.
[21:33] "You told me that you and her talked about something, about the 'dark ones' or whatever threatening the school. Whatever Fujino knew, she can't tell us anymore. I'm responsible for the students now, so I need to know. I need to know everything you can tell me that would help keep them safe."
[21:37] "After... after the attack on Mimi--" Haruka vaguely recalls that to be a choir girl attacked by a 'vampire'. "--I kept on blaming myself, because I should have been there for her, walking her back to the dorms," Sister Yukariko begins recounting. "I prayed to God for an answer, and when another girl almost became this monster's victim, God answered!
[21:39] He granted me the powers to face the creatures of the night, a divine weapon to use against them!" She shudders. "But I was afraid, too afraid of the responsibility that came with that gift. It took Fujino-san explaining what it meant to me, and got me to embrace it. I could not well deny my nature, the one God gave me."
[21:40] "What is it, Sister?" Haruka presses, not having the slightest clue what the nun's talking about, but not about to stop her when she's spilling the beans. "What is this power? Fujino knew about it already? How?"
[21:43] Sister Yukariko raises her head to look straight at Haruka. The determination in her eyes isn't different from normal, but it seems that this time, there's something else mixed with it. She steps back in the small space, and stretches out her hand towards Haruka's face, almost touching the divide.
[21:43] In the darkened confessional, Haruka sees it instantly. Fireflies band together, appearing all over until they have formed an intricate, white bow. Sister Yukariko's other hand is holding a notched arrow. It is pointed straight between Haruka's eyes.
[21:45] Well, that's a little unnerving. Or it would be to most people. Haruka, of course, is -totally- secure in the knowledge that the nun has no reason to shoot her and therefore will not. More pressing is the question of "How the hell did she do that?" which she promptly asks the nun (though without the profanity, of course).
[21:47] Before the nun can answer, Yukino runs into the confessional! She shoves by Haruka, pushing her back with her right arm, and glares at Sister Yukariko, who seems taken aback by the bespectacled girl's fury. "Leave Haruka-chan alone!" Yukino demands.
[21:49] Haruka does her best to hold the (surprisingly determined) Yukino back. "Yukino, wait, we were just talking!"
[21:51] Yukino is immovable. Sister Yukariko takes another step back, taking her out of the booth, the bow faltering and finally fading away. She then turns and runs away into the depths of the church.
[21:53] "Sister Yukariko, wait!" Haruka does her best to struggle away from Yukino and out of booth; the bookworm can't be as strong as Haruka, can she?
[21:56] It's strange, but when she was trying to move ahead, Haruka simply found that she couldn't. Leaving the confessional, however, meets her with no resistance. The nun had run away, although Haruka can hear her receding footsteps echoing within the building.
[21:58] Haruka bolts after her, following the sound of the footsteps. This is the only real lead she has right now, and she's not gonna let it get away!
[21:58] Haruka catches Sister Yukariko's trail as the woman slips into her room, bolting the door afterwards audibly.
[22:01] Haruka hammers her fist against the door until it goes numb. "Sister Yukariko! Come out of that room right now! Or let me in! One or the other!"
[22:02] "What more do you want?" Sister Yukariko's voice comes through the heavy wooden door, slightly distorted.
[22:06] "I need to understand what killed Shizuru!" Haruka yells through the door. "The police arrested Kuga; Shizuru was shot but Natsuki didn't have a gun. I--" She recalls the mysterious bow she just saw in the booth, and two trains of thought collide. "Oh."
[22:10] "Fujino-san warned me of the anti-Christ," Sister Yukariko whispers, Haruka having to strain to hear her. "The devil in a young boy's body, the evil puppeteer behind the scenes. She told me to close myself to his lies and believe in the Lord's salvation. For her sake, I will! I will redeem the strayed sinner Kuga Natsuki!"
[22:13] Haruka presses her ear to the door, increasingly confused by every word Yukariko says but intending to push for as much information as possible. She can sort it out later, if need be. Maybe Yukino could make some sense of things. "Okay, that's good, only Kuga wasn't reasonable last time I saw her..."
[22:14] Latin chanting is Haruka's only answer. Sister Yukariko is praying, and quite fervently at that.
[22:17] Haruka leans against the door and sighs. Well...that was *kind of* helpful. "Devil in a young boy's body?" That's probably just religious babbling, even if it did come from Fujino. Trying to get anything else from the nun is probably a lost cause, so she turns back down the hall to find Yukino, mentally banging into a wall all the way:
[22:18] Natsuki shot Shizuru, but she didn't have a gun on her. Natsuki shot Shizuru but she didn't have a gun on her. ...There's probably something there.
[22:19] Yukino waits for her in the main hall of the church, looking worried. "You should be more careful, Haruka-chan!" she admonishes. "When someone pulls a weapon on you, you can't just stand there and wait to be attacked!"
[22:21] "Yukino, she's a nun, she can't attack anyone." Satisfied with this unassailable logic, she continues unabated: "How'd she do that, anyway?"
[22:22] "I didn't see how she did it," Yukino responds, ducking her head.
[22:23] "You didn't," Haruka repeats blankly. Well, Yukino couldn't have seen it, she was outside the booth. Wait a minute. "Hey, how'd you see her do it in the first place?"
[22:24] "There was a flash of light from inside," is the mumbled answer.
[22:27] Haruka nods. "Okay, I guess that makes sense." And that must be true. Yukino wouldn't lie to her, would she? "This doesn't make any sense. Yukariko said that Fujino said that the antichrist was coming as a devil in a young boy's body. But that's just crazy." Of course, trying to reconcile this flat dismissal with a bow magically appearing in the air is difficult.
[22:28] "Was that what... Fujino-san said?" Yukino asks, stumbling over the president's name but continuing bravely nonetheless. "Maybe what Sister told you was what she wanted to hear."
[22:30] "Maybe. So what did Fujino actually say?" Haruka wonders aloud, turning to Yukino and clearly hoping she can make some sense of all this psychobabble.
[22:33] "A warning about a young boy?" Yukino ventures.
[22:37] "There are a lot of those here. Can we really check every one of them?" Then she gets that glint in her that suggests an Idea has afflicted her senses. "Maybe we should! We could interview every boy on campus until we find the culprit. It would take a while to interogative everyone, but anyone innocent would have nothing to be afraid of, right?"
[22:41] "It would start a lot of rumors, Haruka-chan," Yukino says, blanching. "Really, really bad ones."
[22:44] Haruka frowns. "Alright, but we have to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Watch for troublemakers and have the squads report any unusual behavior to me. Kanzaki might not let me lock this place down, but the curfew remains in effect."
[22:44] "Of course!" Yukino readily agrees. She also seems quite relieved.
[22:46] Haruka nods decisively. "Alright, let all our men know. And I need to know if Tokiha and Nao have returned to school. Them and...who was the other one? Akira?"
[22:50] "Okazuki Akira," Yukino dutifully fills in. "He and Minagi Mikoto were with the Tokiha siblings and Yuuki-san."
[22:51] Another nod. "Right. I need to know which of them have returned to school. I want to see any of them we can find in medias res."
[22:53] Yukino looks surprised to hear the expression, but merely ducks her head again. "I will instruct the squads to be on the lookout."
[22:55] "Alright then. Now we watch...and wait." She glances around the "command center." "How are we on snacks, Yukino?"
[22:56] "Full stocked up, Haruka-chan!" Yukino reports, seemingly her old self again.
[23:05] So, Monday morning. Fujino's death would have to be mentioned sooner or later, and Haruka doesn't see much need to put it off any longer. Would it be better to make the announcement in the morning and have everyone bummed out during classes, or in the afternoon, thus sending everyone to their dorms depressed? Maybe it would be best to cancel classes for the day. That might not be within Haruka's authority, but when has that stopped her?
[23:10] Haruka calls for the student body to gather in the auditorium late in the day. It should be the last thing the students do before being dismissed for the day. Ostensibly the meeting is about "the events of the weekend." And, well, that's pretty much true.
[23:14] If she expected Reito to oppose her on this, it doesn't happen. The announcements go through the system, and entire classes are taken by their homeroom teachers, grumbling copiously along the way but following the student council's dictacte nonetheless. Haruka can overhear quite a few complaints that President Fujino wasn't the one who called the assembly, or that she isn't seen on the stage.
[23:18] No, that would make for quite the unpleasant atmosphere indeed. Haruka waits for the auditorium to fill, waiting to one side of the stage in the meantime. For once, she's a little apprehensive about speaking in public--just a little, but she's never had to announce someone's death before. The whole experience is rather new and strange, really.
[23:19] The new president, although only he, Yukino and Haruka know of that, is standing in the first row, a bit to the side. He nods slightly at Haruka.
[23:23] Well, showtime. Such as it is. Haruka ascends the stage, walks to the podium, and adjusts the microphone (whether it needs it or not). "Good afternoon," she starts, more serious (and probably much less belligerent) than the students are probably used to hearing her. "I'm sure those of you who weren't here during the weekend have been hearing rumors. I'm here to put a stop to them."
[23:26] "You might've heard that there was a fire at the school on Friday. This is true. It was consigned to one dorm room and we're treating it as an accident until we know anything concrete. The students inside were not harmed. That isn't why I brought you here, though."
[23:29] "You may also have heard that there was an incident in town. -This- is why I've brought you here. An unexplained explosion struck the city park on Saturday. Several students were present and some remain hospitalized. Noe one was killed by the blast, but..."
[23:33] "Some of you are wondering why President Fujino did not call this meeting herself. It is with great sorrow that I tell you that President Fujino was involved in an alteration at the hospital afterwards and killed. Police are investigating and suspect another student was responsible."
[23:33] "This is all I can tell you as of this moment, but I know we can all agree that this is a terrible tragedy for Fuka Academy."
[23:34] The murmurs spreading through the auditorium erupt into yells! The cacophony is instant and total. Cries of disbelief and actual crying mix with angry shouts and people gossip at the top of their lungs, shouting over their neighbors to share some all-important tidbit they and only they know, which is somehow relevant. Through it all, Yukino is trying to reign in the crowd, not having much success.
[23:38] Haruka, on the other hand, has a microphone. "Quiet!" she announces, stern but with just that suggestion of force which implies she can be a whole lot more unpleasant if she needs to. "This is not the time for discord and disorder. We should mark Fujino's passing with respect and peace, not murmured rumors in the hallways."
[23:41] Haruka has to work for her money, microphone or not, though it does help even things out. The crowd's noise level become just barely manageable, again.
[23:47] "I asked for SILENCE." Haruka belts into the microphone, loud enough for screeching feedback to ring around the auditorium. "Enough idle chatter. The person next to you doesn't know any more than you do," she says to the crowd in general. "No one knows the full story. As soon as I do, I'll tell all of you. I won't see Fuka Academy disintegrate into a handful of gossips. We should be united right no, even if only in grief.
[23:51] "Suzushiro is right," Reito announces, coming onto the stage with a wireless microphone of his own. "We should unite in these difficult times, and have a moment of silence for our dear, beloved president."
[23:53] Haruka narrows her eyes a tad at seeing Kanzaki break in, but...he is the new president. They should hear *something* from him. Haruka nods in agreement and lowers her head to set a good example for the audience.
<--->

(15:09:18): <--->
(15:12:12): A moment of silence. Haruka lowers her head, and she doesn't need her eyes to know that many if not all students follow her lead. The sounds of sobbing fill the auditorium, lending it a somber air. An air that is shattered when someone shouts, "There was a gunshot!"
(15:21:49): Haruka looks up, tries to home in on the disruptive student. "Excuse me? I think I asked for a moment of silence."
(15:23:28): A redhead in a junior high uniform is high-tailing it towards the exit, causing disruption where she goes. Even as Haruka spots her, the girl escapes the auditorium.
(15:25:53): "Hey!" Haruka barks. "This is a time for us to stand together, not run away!" She turns to Yukino:" Did you see who that was?" she mutters, intending it to be sotto voce, but inevitably getting picked up by the mike.
(15:27:15): Yukino climbs up on the stage, somewhat clumsily, and approaches Haruka to whisper in her ear, "Yuuki Nao, of the junior high section."
(15:28:29): Haruka's eyes widen, and there's barely a moment of hesitation before she leaps off the stage and bolts from the auditorium in hot pursuit!
(15:29:52): The microphone lets an ungodly screech as it is dropped on the ground in Haruka's flight. There is no sign of Nao when she gets outside. The church bell is ringing loudly, incessantly.
(15:30:49): Well, that's as good a start as any! Off to the church again.
(15:33:39): It takes a while, the church being some distance from the auditorium. When Haruka gets there, an officer is on the scene, talking on his radio. The bell is still ringing, and looking up, Haruka spots a suspicious red splatter near the top of the bell tower.
(15:35:30): Oh boy. That's not encouraging. She staggers to a halt next to the police officer. "What happened here?" she demands, hands on her hips. "I'm on the executive committee of Fuka Academy and I need to know NOW."
(15:36:23): He holds up a hand to forestall Haruka's protests, listening to the radio. "Found it," a voice comes from the device. "There's a pulse, but she's hurt badly. Call an ambulance."
(15:37:13): Haruka just growls and darts inside the church. She doesn't have time for public servants who don't acknowledge her authority!
(15:38:49): Haruka scales several steps at a time. Upon reaching the topmost room, she finds another cop crouched over a nun's body. The back of her head is bloody.

"What are you doing here?" the officer asks, finally spotting Haruka. "Go back, kids shouldn't be here."
(15:42:24): "Yukariko!" Haruka exclaims. Then, to the officer: "It's my -job- to know what's going on at this school. How -dare- you tell me I don't belong here! Someone will have to decide what to tell the student body about this and that person's me, so don't talk to me like a civilian! How is she?"
(15:45:10): "Doesn't look too good," he says with a frown. "At least I don't think her life's in any danger, but I'm not a doctor." Truly looking at Haruka at last, he asks, "So who are you again? The president?"
(15:47:10): "I am Haruka Suzushiro of the executive committee," she intones, as if anyone worth talking to would recognize the name. Then, softer: "The president was actually killed on Saturday, so I'm basically the authorities right now."
(15:48:36): He winces. "When it rains, it pours. Who would want to attack a nun?"
(15:50:38): Haruka just shakes her head. "I don't know," she says. Well, the antichrist might, possibly, but it hardly seems right to mention that. "You didn't find anyone else here?"
(15:52:36): "Nothing I'd like to put in a report," he says dejectedly, seeming to forget who he is talking with. "That wound of hers? There's no way she could have gotten it and ended up here. So... what? Someone grabs a nun, flies up with her all the way to the top of the tower, smashes her head against the wall and then flies her even further up to deposit her safely inside?"
(15:54:33): Haruka happens to note that there's also a purpling bruise on Sister Yukariko's forehead.
(15:55:25): Haruka just shrugs. She doesn't have any idea either. "I don't know," she says, opting to climb all the way up the bell tower and take a look around in lieu of any better ideas.
(15:57:03): Haruka climbs atop the bell tower. It looks quite dangerous and slippery there. A strong wind might be enough to displace her, and the ground is far below.

There are deep puncture marks going from the top of the tower all the way down.
(16:01:27): Well, that's not encouraging at all. Someone or something on campus can claw through stone? How the hell do you put out an APB on that? All units keep an eye out for Freddy? Shaking her head, she goes back down to Yukariko.
(16:06:09): Something tells Haruka that warning the campus to be on the lookout for Freddy would not go well, indeed.

"Hey, get down from there!" the cop on the ground calls, causing his partner to look outside and offer his hand to Haruka, urging her to take it.
(16:07:38): Haruka takes it. It's not like she wants to be out there; she just had to investigate. It's for the good of the school!
(16:09:08): "Don't do nothing dangerous, Miss Executive Committee," the officer scolds her. "We've had enough trouble for the day already."
(16:11:37): At the rate things are going, Haruka would be surprised if that's all the trouble there is on any given day. "Something cut into the stone," she says. "All the way down the building. Some of your bellicose people should look at it."
(16:22:43): This gets Haruka a dubious look.
(16:24:35): "I'm not kidding!" she says, sounding affronted. "Take a look"
(16:26:34): He does, although without leaving the safety of the room, showing a modicum of common sense. "Maybe," the cop says slowly afterwards. "There's definitely cuts. So what's your hypothesis? A mountaineer did it?"
(16:28:23): Haruka shrugs. "I don't have any idea. But they weren't there before today," she says, confident in the truth of this statement even if she's never taken the time to parse over every inch of the church before (as she most likely has not).
(16:29:49): The dubious look returns, but the cop doesn't comment. His radio crackles; an ambulance is on the way.
(16:33:05): Haruka has half a mind to accompany the nun there--if the Tokihas are still at the hospital, almost everyone able to give her answers is there. She decides to check in with Yukino first and see if any of the students involved in Saturday's events have been seen on campus (well, apart from Nao--where the hell did she run off to, anywa?)
(16:34:03): And where is Yukino?

From atop the tower, the sudden glow that illuminates the skies is unmistakable. It is bright enough to temporarily blind Haruka.
(16:35:15): Haruka covers her eyes, though too late. "Not again!" she gripes. Did she get a chance to see where it came from?
(16:37:06): It is quite unmistakable. An out of the way building-- does it belong to the junior high or the high school? Haruka never had classes there. There is nothing past it but a flower field Mister Sakomizu is maintaining, and then, the forest.
(16:39:59): Immediately, she's running again. Down the stairs, out of the church, leaving the cops behind, and bolting towards the...incident, whatever it turns out to be. Hopefully she won't be just-a-bit-late for this one, as she always is, and she'll actually get some idea of what's going on for once!
(16:41:03): As Haruka runs, she hears gunshots. They are coming from the dorm Tokiha Mai and Yuuki Nao reside. Two... make that three shots.
(16:43:31): Haruka speeds towards the dorm, then. At least that particular disruption is clearly still in progress. The fact that this puts her in clear danger isn't really a consideration, of course. NO one should be involved in a gunfight at her school and she's going to stop it! ...Somehow.
(16:47:53): Groans. The sound Haruka hears is encouraging, for it doesn't carry the finality of death with it.

Clearing the building's corner, Haruka spots a pair of cops spread out on the ground. One is clutching his knee, while the other doesn't move. While it is getting darker, Haruka can see blood on the first one.
(16:50:21): "Hey, what happened? Which one of you was -shooting- on my campus?" Of course, she then notices that one of the cops isn't in any condition to answer, which is worrisome in its own right. "Who was it?" she asks the conscious one. "Kuga?"
(16:52:32): Through gritted teeth, he nods. "Ken, how's Ken?" the cop asks, gesturing at his immobile partner.
(16:53:04): Haruka kneels down, checks for a pulse. She's hardly a nurse, but surely anyone can tell this much.
(16:53:55): To her relief, this officer merely seems knocked out.
(16:55:13): "He's okay," she says. "Just unconscionable. Now, what happened here?"
(16:59:22): "Wh-- whatever." His breath comes in sharp gasps. "We were stationed in case Kuga tried to get here. And she did, just after that flash. Wouldn't stop, just hit Ken like a freight train. I had to-- had to--"
(17:01:03): "Had to what?" Haruka presses. "What happened? Where'd she go?"
(17:02:28): "Shot her," he responds. "She was armed and dangerous. Oh, so dangerous-- smashed our radious and took our weapons afterwards. You have to get inside, call someone!"
(17:04:59): "Wait, you shot her--and she still got away?"
(17:07:11): The cop's wound looks like it's taking an ever-increasing toll on the man. While anyone should be honored to converse with the leader of Fuka Academy's Executive Committee, his bleeding isn't stopping. In fact, there's quite a bit of blood in the area, Haruka realizes, along with a trail leading off.

"Call dispatch... or Oiishi-san..." the cop requests.
(17:09:35): Haruka rips off her armband and kneels down by the cop to tie it around his leg just above the wound. Hey, that's what people do in movies, right? It should help. "Stay here," she says. "I'll take care of everything." After that, it's time to follow the trail.
(17:13:26): The tourniquette stops the blood, though Haruka dimly recalls that blocking the arteries for too long would lead to amputation of the limb in question. She follows the trail. It unmistakably leads to her original destination.

Haruka is blinded. She dimly realizes that she had been tossed to the ground. The world flashes in a mosaic of green and black.
(17:15:54): Well, hopefully help will arrive before amputation is necessary. Anyway, she has other concernes right now...argh, not *again*! That's her first thought once she's capable of forming them again.

Whoever's running around with the flashbulb really, really needs to stop. Haruka rubs her eyes.
(17:18:19): Haruka had once looked directly at the sun, right after Yukino had told her that it would make her go blind. It didn't, but her vision took time to fully return. Haruka remembers that experience well, now.
(17:21:07): Haruka climbs to her feet, at least, holding her arms out before her and looking for something to steady herself against. No doubt this looks quite silly, but dignity isn't the main concern right now. "Kuga!" she shouts. "I know you're out here."
(17:23:01): She is too far away for her shout to carry all the way to the building, Haruka thinks. But something else does. Gunshots, several of them, two at first and then more. It sounds like an entire clip being emptied, all from her destination.
(17:24:02): Haruka blunders towards the sound as best she can, trying not to stumble headlong into trees.
(17:28:39): "Haruka-chan, over here!" a voice whispers harshly. Hands take her own, pulling her aside.
(17:29:27): Haruka doesn't fight this, just stumbles along with a muffled "Wha--?"
(17:30:55): Something wet is placed across her eyes; a towel, she thinks. "Are you alright? Did someone attack you?" Yukino asks her quietly, making Haruka crouch.
(17:33:50): "Something did...there was a flash of light and now I can't see. Did Kuga come this way?" Something else occurs to her: "Yukino, do you have your phone? There are two wounded officers back there." It doesn't occur to her to ask how Yukino knew what was going on in the first place and got there before her.
(17:34:57): "It's not working, Haruka-chan," Yukino says, sounding desperate even as she tries to keep her voice low. "Nothing is. We have to hide here. I'll keep you safe, I swear."
(17:36:41): Fire alarms are going off in several buildings, Haruka realizes, unseeing.
(17:37:02): Yukino, keep Haruka safe? Didn't it usually work the other way around in the past? Anyway, Haruka tries her own phone, not expecting much. "Kuga's out here, and she's been shot, and--what the hell is going on now?!"
(17:39:34): The familiar signal of her phone turning own doesn't sound. The same holds for when Haruka tries pressing various buttons blindly.

"It's not working, Haruka-chan!" Yukino says in desperation. "You were too close, dangerously close!"
(17:41:01): "Close to what? I didn't see it? Well, I did see it, but then I couldn't see what it was. ...Look, just tell me what the hell is going on here, alright? You've got eyes right now, I haven't."
(17:41:52): "Green sparkles," Yukino says quietly. She shivers, holding onto Haruka.
(17:43:03): A shiver passes through Haruka as well, unbidden.
(17:43:21): "Green sparkles? Yukino, talk sense." What was the girl's problem? Going on about protecting Haruka and then going all weak and clingy?
(17:46:40): <--->

[19:18] <--->
[19:24] The end of everything. Why does she desire an answer from Yukino? When people become fireflies, a pact shatters. Or is it the other way around? Haruka's mind tries to wrap around that concept, but finds itself unable, shutting down slowly. Haruka's consciousness is drowning in a swamp of foreign thoughts, and she knows she can't hold out for long.
[19:28] Apparently she'd known that all along. Then why'd she ask? Too many questions. Usually the right thing to do in situations like that is bully someone into giving her the answers...that or take a nap. Yes. Naptime sounds good...
[19:31] "Wake up!" Haruka is slapped none too gently.
[19:32] "Mmf. Ow, Yukino!"
[19:33] "Are you still dreaming?" The voice sounds halfways between exasperated and amused. And very, very familiar. "Open your eyes."
[19:34] Haruka does so, though all the while blurting out nonsense before taking in her surroundings. "What happened? Where's Kuga?"
[19:35] Haruka is facing her. "Does it matter?" she asks with a snort. "Forget about Kuga. This is more important."
[19:37] A blink. "What? DO you know how little sense that makes? What the hell have you been doing to our school?"
[19:39] Haruka looks annoyed at the question. "I'll have you know that I haven't done anything but defend it! Where do you come off accusing yourself of such villainy?!"
[19:40] "WHERE DO YOU COME OFF LOOKING LIKE ME IN THE FIRST PLACE?!" Haruka shouts, clearly having more pressing concerns. Where the hell is she, anyway?
[19:42] Haruka is in an underground cave of some sort, along with Haruka. Pillars rise towards the ceiling, twelve in number. "Are you retarded?" the other Haruka asks her. "Did you really forget everything?"
[19:45] "If I'm a retread then SO ARE YOU. I obviously haven't forgotten everything--I know who -I- am, which is why I'm TOTALLY confused that I'm talking to myself. Whatever you think I should know, I think I never knew in the first place. So quit with the insults and explain yourself, me-who's-not-me!"
[19:49] "Are you sure?" the other Haruka asks her. One of the pillars feels familiar, even though Haruka is certain she had never laid eyes upon it before.
[19:50] Haruka gets up, wanders over to the offending pillar, and raps on it experimentally with her knuckle. Mystical explanations for all this aren't at the forefront of her mind.
[19:52] There is a very strong sense of belonging, a connection formed between them. Now, she can feel herself relating to most of the other pillars in the room, especially the one directly opposed the one she touched. "It's alright if you don't understand everything," her double speaks. "You just need to trust me, because hey, who can you trust if not yourself?"
[19:54] Well, that's a pretty reasonable statement, honestly. She walks over to the opposing pillar and presses her palm against it. "Okay, you make a good case..."
[19:56] Shizuru. The thought comes to her mind, unbidden. "Alright," Haruka's double tells her. "Here's the deal. Lots of things happened, and then they unhappened. And they are happening again. Only I don't like it. With me so far?"
[19:57] "Halfway there," Haruka admits. "Keep going."
[19:59] "Better than I expected," the other Haruka admits herself. "They're gonna be dropping like flies, so I figured, why not cheat? Everyone is. So this is me, cheating." Her outline shimmers. "I can't be here. But you are here. So all's not lost, because in the end, you are me."
[20:00] "Right. So, got any pointers as to what I need to do? Because if anyone should know, it'd be me, right?"
[20:03] "Crush all enemies to the school, of course! Lead Orihime in my stead!" Haruka's double poses righteously. She is translucent now, made of green fireflies.
[20:04] Fireflies, huh? Seems familiar. "What's Orihime?" she shouts, as though speaking louder will make the vanishing Haruka more likely to hear and answer her. The Crush All Enemies part she gets, obviously.
[20:06] Haruka smirks at Haruka, and then, only one of them remains. The other is replaced by a heavy, monstrous mace, floating in the air where she had been previously.
[20:08] Well...that's certainly a crushing implement. It looks too heavy to carry, but maybe appearances are deceptive given that the mace is also floating in the air. Presuming the weapon's intended for her-since, y'know, it -was- her a minute ago--she walks over and tries to pick it up.
[20:09] It is her weapon, Haruka knows instantly. And then she knows no more.
[20:09] "Haruka-chan. Haruka-chan!" This time the voice calling out to her is Yukino's.
[20:10] "Whuzzuh--Yukino! How long was I gone?" she asks, instantly sitting up to attention.
[20:12] Everything is blurry. "Several hours. It's night-time, now." Yukino sounds very worried.
[20:13] "HOURS? That was a long conversation. Or...I guess it would be a monorail, since it was just me talking." She peers around. Has she not been moved during all that time?
[20:15] Everything is still blurry. Haruka doesn't think she sees any bushes, however. "Do you want a doctor to look at you?" Yukino asks. A humanoid outline is facing the seated Haruka. "I woke you up because it seemed like you were having a nightmare, but maybe I should've let you sleep it off...."
[20:17] "This isn't the time for sleep, Yukino!" she says, standing up. "This is the time to CRUSH OUR ENEMIES!" she adds, smacking a fist into her palm. "What happened with Kuga? Where are we now?"
[20:21] "We're at the hospital, Haruka-chan," Yukino fills her in. "When you, erm, fainted, I got some help and we brought you here. And it really is night, so please don't disturb the other patients or the nurses might try to kick me out again."
[20:23] "Alright, but I need to know everything that heppened, Yukino. Did Kuga get away? How is Yukariko? Did the doctors pick up those wounded cops? I have to know what forces are available before I can start making battle plans."
[20:29] "W-Well... no one found Natsuki-san," Yukino responds, her voice hesitant. "But... but one of the officers died tonight...."
[20:32] Haruka makes a fist and pounds it on the hospital bed. "That's it, Yukino, I've had enough. As of this moment, Fuka Academy is officially at war with...whoever it is we're at war with." She gets a faraway look in her eyes, which may or may not be noticeable in the gloom. "I had a vision while I was gone, Yukino--"
[20:34] "I was in a cavern with twelve pillars, and I came to myself and told myself that it was up to -me- to fix things. I need to lead something called Orihime to defeat our enemies. Do you have any idea what that is, Yukino? It was me telling myself, so I'm sure we can trust in it, whatever it is."
[20:37] Yukino's breathing has picked up, Haruka can tell from knowing her friend all these years. "Ori... hime?" she asks, shaking her head. "No, Haruka-chan. And twelve pillars? Talking to yourself in a cavern? Did you hit your head? Oh, I just knew I should've called the doctor as soon as you woke up!" Yukino sounds very distressed.
[20:40] "No, Yukino. This is all true. I've never been more sure of anything in my life," she says. "I am not a mystical person, but this feels right. And there was this huge mace there..." She looks around, as if surprised to not see it there. "It was huge," she repeats, gesturing. "And it would make the whole crushing-our-enemies part a lot easier."
[20:42] "A... mace?"
[20:43] A nod. She waves her hand, as if expecting to make its appearance. "Yeah. It felt like it was mine, somehow."
[20:45] With a flash of light, it does, displacing the air. The mace feels right in Haruka's right hand. Something crashes to the ground.
[20:46] Another nod, this one demonstrating clear satisfaction with this turn of events and barely an iota of surprise. "See? This is it."
[20:48] Yukino is crying, the sound unmistakable. "No... not Haruka-chan..." she repeats quietly in between sobs.
[20:49] "What?" Haruka says, banishing the weapon for the moment (assuming she can). "Yukino, what's the problem? This isn't the time for crying. This is great! The next time someone tries to mess with Fuka, I'll knock them out a window. Assuming I find them," she adds, not having a great track in that regard.
[20:52] The weapon obeys Haruka's every command. Yukino isn't consoled by Haruka's words, however. Narrowing her eyes, the blonde can just barely see the outline of a fallen chair by her hospital bed, Yukino kneeling on the floor next to it. Her hands are covering her face, her small frame shaking.
[20:54] "Yu-Yukino?" The urge to roll her eyes is strong--shouldn't Yukino have grown up a -little- after all these years? But instead she kneels down by her friend and puts an arm around her shoulder. "Look, everything's going to get better from here on out, I'm sure of it. And I'd never lie to you, would I?"
[20:55] This just gets Yukino to cry harder.
[20:56] Hugs work, maybe? There might not be any option but to wait it out and let Yukino get in her share of crying now. It's not like she can do anything else without running around waking up the whole town, and maybe Yukino will feel better afterwards.
[21:00] Hugs work with Yukino, when Haruka is handing them out. It takes several minutes, but the bespectacled girl finally calms down.
[21:00] "Better now?" Haruka asks, without most of her usual bluster.
[21:01] Yukino nods. Haruka's eyesight is getting better, to a point she could probably get by fine with a pair of glasses of her own.
[21:04] It'd better return fully in time, or...she's going to be really upset with whoever's responsible! "Okay, it's time to get some rest, Yukino. We've got a lot to do tomorrow and there won't be time for naps."
[21:05] "Alright," Yukino agrees. She hiccups, and her voice is pitiful.
[21:13] Haruka doesn't think she can fall asleep again that night, but exhaustion takes its toll. Her dreams are filled with images of her classmates dressed as harem girls, while she lords over all of them as the supreme ruler and president of Fuka Academy, a naked Shizuru serving as her throne.
[21:16] Well, after receiving a prophetic vision from herself earlier in the day, how weird can this really be. It's a good thing guilt tends to be suspended during her dreams, so she can at least relish Fujino being put in her place until consciousness returns.
[21:17] But it is not her rightful place, her mind reminds her. Fujino belongs in that cavern.
[21:17] Having a conscience is such a bitch. Oh well.
[21:19] Yukino is sleeping next to Haruka in the bed, just as they used to do as kids. Haruka's vision had stabilized enough that she's merely nearsighted, now.
[21:22] Hopefully she won't have to read anything or drive in the near future. Not that either of these activities are of significance to her in the first place. She sits up and looks for a clock (or a watch, if her or Yukino have one on).
[21:22] Haruka didn't have one, but Yukino was carrying a digital watch. Its screen is blank.
[21:24] Figures. Well, she can at least estimate what time it is by looking outside. She swings her legs out from under the sheet, stands up, and walks to the window (assuming there is one).
[21:25] It's early by the looks of it, but noticeably morning and not one of those ungodly hours of the night. She had spent enough time awake pulling all-nighters to tell the difference.
[21:27] Okay. This is no time to waste time! Enough of that's happened already, so Haruka has every intention of tracking down whatever Fuka students still reside in the hospital and interrogat--er, interviewing them about the weekend's events. She stops and looks at Yukino, still sleeping. The girl would probably worry if she woke up and Haruka was just gone. And she's worried enough already. Haruka decides to wake her before going.
[21:29] Yukino wakes up, rubbing at her eyes with her palms.
[21:30] "Yukino? I'm going to make the rounds and talk to any other students that are still here. Are you feeling up to it? This is the day we turn things around!"
[21:31] "Alright, Haruka-chan." Yukino does not sound particularly excited at the prospect. The right term would be defeated. However, she reaches for her glasses bravely, before putting her shoes on.
[21:33] Good enough for now. Haruka would prefer a lot more enthusiasm from her assistant, but it's a start. It -is- early in the morning, after all. If she remembers correctly, the Tokihas, Ayanokoji, and that Akira kid were here over the weekend. If Ayanokoji's anything like she was on Saturday, she won't be of much help here, so she decides to track down Mai first.
[21:35] Tokiha Mai was not actually admitted to the hospital, but it makes sense that she would be next to her brother, and his room number Haruka certainly remembers.
[21:36] That's where Haruka's going, then!
[21:38] The name on the door informs Haruka that Takumi had not been released from the hospital, yet.
[21:39] Excellent! Well, sort of. Anyway, she'll check the rooms on either side before pestering the boy (wasn't he pretty sickly to begin with? Surely his sister will be more able to give a good account of things).
[21:40] One of them is unoccupied, while the other has an old man that Haruka catches changing. Yukino eeps, covering her eyes.
[21:42] Gah. That's not how you want to start off a day. Well, maybe Mai's in the room with her brother? Could be. Yukino stayed by Haruka's side all night, after all, and they're not even family. She raps lightly on Tokiha's door--a formality, since she opens it at the same time.
[21:46] A green-haired boy is holding a cut apple in one hand, feeding a bedridden boy his own age a piece. The two freeze as the door opens, only their eyes moving to take in Haruka and the blushing Yukino. The first boy flushes bright red.
[21:47] "Excuse me," Haruka starts, with more politeness than she usually bothers extending to others. "I was looking for Mai. Has she left the hospital?"
[21:49] "My sister?" the orange-haired boy half-seated on the bed asks confusedly. "You're... Suzushiro-san, aren't you? Why do you need to see her?"
[21:52] "I need to talk to everyone who was in town on Saturday," she states, matter-of-factly. "As a representative of the executive committee, it's my duty to find out anything that will help us find our missing students. Since Mai was there, I wished to hear her virgin of events."
[21:53] Everyone but Haruka goes into a coughing fit at her declaration. "It's-- it's none of your business!" Takumi exclaims, flushing to match Akira. "You can't just go and ask that-- that stuff, even if you are from the Executive Committee!"
[21:55] "I have a right to know!" Haruka proclaims, unaware of any Freudian slips as always. "With Fujino gone it's my job to keep Fuka safe, and I can't do that as long as I'm kept in the dark."
[21:57] Thunk. An apple slice slides down Haruka's forehead. Takumi looks surprised, as he glances at his empty, outstretched hand. Akira stands up, covering the hospital bed protectively. "You should go away now," he warns.
[22:01] Haruka splutters and wipes her face clean. "Of all the--" She forces herself to be calm (or as close as she can manage). These kids are her charges, after all!  "I don't think you two understand how serious this situation is. The school itself has been attacked twice now. A police officer was killed, as was president Fujino."
[22:03] "Kanzaki's made it clear we can't depend on him to take action, so it's up to me to figure everything out. You don't have to tell me where Mai is if you don't know, but anything you know about what happened Saturday would help everyone back at the school, not just you. I know you're hurt, but this isn't the time to worry about ourselves. We have to work together."
[22:04] "We were too far away," Akira says guardedly. "We only saw the first explosion. That's all we know." Behind him, Takumi gasps.
[22:08] Haruka nods. That's much better! "Alright. Did you notice any strange behavior from Kuga? The police think she was responsible--" for what, she'll just leave vague for now, "--and I'm not sure I can disagree given what I saw at the school yesterday."
[22:10] "For the attack in the city?" Akira asks. "No. It is impossible." He crosses his arms in front of his chest. "Hmph. Can't you even tell that much?"
[22:11] "As I've said, I wasn't there. I can only deduct the facts from what people tell me. So what makes you so sure?"
[22:13] He rolls his eyes. "If you don't know even that, you're wasting our time. Go bother some old folks next door."
[22:18] "We already did. Look, I'm sick of everyone dancing around this big secret and not actually telling me what's going on. You, Yukariko, the other me...Well, that stops today! I know enough already that I'm not going to quit until everything's clear and the problem's solved. So you may as well give up and come out with whatever it is you're hiding, because I can tell you're hiding something."
[22:18] She glances at Takumi. "We can go outside if you don't want to upset your sick friend."
[22:21] "I think you're the upset one," Akira says arrogantly. "The 'other you'? What, do you have a twin?"
[22:25] "...Look, we're not talking about me here! This isn't complicated. I'm going to find out what I want to know. If you don't tell me, I'll hear it from someone else, but it'd be better if I didn't have to. The more stalling you do, the more I think you've got some dirty secret here. There's an empty room next door and we can talk it over alone if you want. So, what's it going to be?"
[22:28] "You've met Kuga, haven't you?" Akira asks dourly. "More than in passing?"
[22:29] "A few times, but I wouldn't say we were friends. She was a loner and seemed to like it. The last time I talked to her was at the police station on Saturday."
[22:32] "Does she look like a person who would set off explosives in the middle of town?" Akira's voice is filled with scorn. "The Executive Committee must have information on the other students. So what do you think?"
[22:38] Haruka doesn't care for the boy's tone at all, but at least he's cooperating now. "The police think Kuga killed Fujino. They also said that Fujino was shot and that Kuga didn't have a gun when she was caught, so you're right about things not adding up. So tell me what I should believe, if you know everything. The last time I saw Kuga, she wanted to take on the world. Maybe she means well, I don't know!
[22:39] "But whatever she's trying to do, she's obviously in over her head, because people keep dying."
[22:41] "Are you retarded?" Akira asks incredulously. "Kuga killing Fujino? What is she, suicidal?!" He snorts. "Cops will be cops, I guess. If they're wrong about this, why believe anything else they claim?"
[22:45] Suicidal? Well, Fujino probably wasn't very dangerous...why would killing her be suicide. She doesn't voice that, though. "Right, well, setting aside all logical explanations, we have an angel attacking the school and -something- gouging chunks out of the church's stone walls. Have you got an exclamation for any of that?"
[22:47] Akira sighs theatrically. "No. Go try your local church. Idiot."
[22:47] "Explanation, Haruka-chan," Yukino murmurs dutifully from behind her friend.
[22:47] "I would, but someone tried to kill the nun!" Haruka shouts, clearly losing her patience.
[22:48] "Wasn't me," Akira says curtly. He looks at Yukino. "How about you?"
[22:50] Bafflement and incomprehension turn Haruka's face into a scowl. then she turns to her friend: "Yukino?"
[22:52] Yukino shakes her head frantically. "Of course not, Haruka-chan! I was with you, remember?"
[22:58] A nod. "That's right," she agrees. Then she turns back to Akira. "Well, look at it this way: Natsuki was shot by the police before escaping last night. I don't know where she is now, but if you *are* her friend, then you should be doing everything you can to help her." She turns to leave the room. "Think about that. You can find me at the school if you remember anything else."
[23:00] "I'll be sure to do that," Akira sneers, but Haruka thinks his voice shakes slightly. Takumi has remained silent throughout this exchange, but a parting glance at him reveals the reason. It might be the first time Haruka had seen someone shocked into speechlessness.
[23:04] Haruka leaves the hospital room, wasting little time before complaining once she's out in the hall. "Oooh, that little brat!" she gripes, hands balled into fists at her sides. "Who's he to insult me like that? I'm only looking out for his best interests!" A sigh. "We'll check in on Yukariko now," she says, setting out for the front desk.
[23:06] The nurse manning the front desk is somewhat hostile to Haruka; the blonde can't remember if she were one of the nurses involved in the debacle that got them nearly-thrown out of the hospital before, but if not, her fame preceeds her in this place. Despite such harsh conditions, Haruka is able to learn that Sister Yukariko is indeed not in any mortal danger, but is resting under police guard and is not allowed any visitors whatsoever. Her doctors had even refused one Detective Oiishi access for the time being.
[23:08] Well, so much for that idea. She may as well visit Ayanokoji while she's there. Not that Haruka expects the girl to know anything useful, but it might not be a bad idea for -someone- to drop in and say Hello.
[23:11] Maya has been discharged that morning, as it so happens. Aside from her temporary amnesia and a few abrasions on her feet which were treated at the hospital, there was no need to keep her as an inpatient. Haruka is told -- by a different nurse that doesn't seem to recognize her, this time -- that as long as her friend comes for her check-ups twice a week, there should be no problems with carrying out a fully-productive, happy daily life.
[23:13] Well, that's one bit of good news, at least. It's probably time to head back to Fuka, then. Isn't she missing classes by now?
[23:18] <--->

<--->

[16:38] Nao finds it difficult to sleep during the night, but she manages to catch some rest before being woken unceremoniously by the invading sunlight. It makes her eyes water.
[16:40] Nao slowly sits up, trying to rub the water out of her eyes. There weren't any dreams or nightmares tonight, just a very empty, and somewhat uncomfortable sleep.
[16:41] It doesn't really help, although covering her eyes with her hands alleviates the pain until she removes them and tries to look around again.
[16:42] Great. Wearing glasses doesn't compliment her features (and worse yet, they'll probably fall off at an inopportune time.) If they're a little better than yesterday, it'll be enough, but otherwise, maybe she really does need to see an optometrist.
[16:46] As Nao considers her options, she hears more than spots someone arrive at the auditorium. The concept of stealth seems anathema to this person, she feels instinctively.
[16:46] Yuki comes to attention. "Welcome back, Suzushiro-san!" she says brightly, smiling at Haruka.
[16:47] "Too loud..." complains Nao, finding her covers and hiding back underneath them to block away the sun.
[16:50] Haruka strides in and surveys her troops--er, fellow students. "What's the situation?" she demands of her aide.
[16:51] "Everyone staying at... that dorm... has been made comfortable here instead," Yukino reports to her, having recovered from whatever seemed to be ailing her back in the hospital. Yuki nods at that assessment. "We're pretty confident we got the lot of them here, Suzushiro-san, and the rest have been confirmed as staying over with their classmates."
[16:52] At the sound of Yukino's voice, Nao turns over under her covers so she's facing the other way.
[16:53] Haruka isn't quite up to harassing blatantly lazy students just yet, but it'll be on the agenda once she's talked through the situation! "Good," she says. "No one other than Sister Yukariko injured? Did we hear anything from the police?"
[16:54] "They've been awfully tight-lipped," Yuki responds. "That alone should tell us something."
[16:57] Haruka frowns, but the usual Why Am I Not Told Everything rant doesn't quite happen. "Alright. Has Tokiha returned to the campus? Has anyone spotted Nao since she ran out on my speech?"
[16:58] Nao is invisible as long as nobody looks at her.
[17:01] "Nao? Yuuki Nao?" Yuki asks, blinking. "She's right here. Came in last night." Thinking about it, she adds, "Haven't heard anything about Tokiha. Were we supposed to be on the lookout for her, Suzushiro-san?"
[17:02] "I'd like to talk to her," Haruka says. "She was there in town when everything went hardwired. And she just disappeared from the hospital last night, right? What's up with that?" She glances around the auditorium. "But right now I need to see Nao!"
[17:03] "Alliterations," Yukino sighs softly. "She's right there, Haruka-chan," she says, pointing at a blanket-covered form.
[17:04] "it'stooearlygoaway" mumbles Nao, pulling her pillow over her head and apparently trying to strangle herself.
[17:06] Haruka marches right over to the blanket-shrouded form and attempts to yank it off. "This is no time for lollygagging! Fuka Academy is in *trouble* and I have reason to believe you hold vital information!"
[17:06] A fuzzy red-tipped form is lying there. If she squints, Haruka can see that it is indeed Nao, hugging a pillow to her face.
[17:07] Nao rolls over and peers up at Haruka through heavily lidded, extremely bloodshot eyes. "If it happened before last Thursday, I don't know about it," she grumbles, squinting up towards Haruka with a horrific bedhead.
[17:08] The light, it stabs its lances into Nao's eyes and through them!
[17:08] The eyes promptly shut, and with them, Haruka is saved from a vision into something truly hellish.
[17:08] "It happened last night," Haruka says. "Some of it. Other things happened on Saturday." The two of them squinting at each other must look truly undignified.
[17:09] If it does, no one is commenting.
[17:10] "Oh. Well. Someone fired a gun? Yesterday?" she insists, drawing herself to the knees and holding a hand in front of her eyes. "Then there was that weird green light. Uh. I think that's it? Seems like you saw it better than me."
[17:13] Haruka suddenly seems to remember that she and Nao are in a room full of other students. "Look, let's talk about this in private. Hey, Yukino? We've going to the student council room."
[17:15] Nao looks like she wants to complain, but staggers to her feet regardless. She apparently slept in her uniform last night, and it looks pretty rumbled. "Nngh. Sure. Whatever," she manages. "You got a shower in there?"
[17:15] "Are you sure you want to do that, Haruka-chan?" Yukino asks quietly, suddenly by the blonde's side.
[17:17] Bafflement. "What? No? This isn't time to worry about your appearance. The fate of Fuka itself might hang in the balance!" She takes Nao's hand and practically drags her away; she seems to just assume that Nao will follow her automatically. "Yes, Yukino. Now, come on."
[17:18] "'sjust a school," mutters Nao, letting Haruka drag her away.
[17:18] Yukino is following a few steps behind them. Behind Nao, the red-head realizes after a short while. Directly behind her, in fact.
[17:19] "Just a schoo--JUST A SCHOOL?! I've never heard such utter nonsense in my entire life! You should be proud to count yourself a student of Fuka Academy!" Haruka proclaims, pumping her fist in the air.
[17:20] There is a quiet sigh behind the two.
[17:21] Yukino has nothing to fear from Nao, so it's difficult for the redhead not to just laugh. "Do you have to scream? I'm right here, you know," she drawls, unable to summon up anything resembling enthusiasm.
[17:23] "I'm not screaming. I'm enthusistatic," Haruka corrects. "You could stand to learn a thing or two about enthusistatim. Ah, here we are." Well, hopefully. True, Haruka can't see well right now, but she should know how to get to this particular room with her eyes closed.
[17:24] And she's hardly to nearsighted that she would walk into walls. As she opens the door, Haruka finds the room empty, though realistically, she wouldn't expect to see Reito there at such an early hour.
[17:24] Nao doesn't, and wouldn't know where she was if she did. "I'll be as enthusiastic as you want at lunchtime," she yawns, stumbling after the girl and holding her spare hand to her eyes. What cruel genius included all these goddamned windows, anyway?
[17:25] Haruka assumes Yukino will close the door behind them all and just starts with the interrogation immediately. "Right, let's start with Saturday. You were in town with Fujino and the others, right?"
[17:26] "Right," replies Nao, sitting up straight. "It was my idea. I wanted to see what it was like."
[17:27] The windows have curtains Nao can draw over them, at least. Yukino indeed closes the door, coming to stand right in front of it, her hands gathered in her lap.
[17:27] Nao walks over and manages that, finding the dimmer surroundings far preferable.
[17:28] "What what was like?" Haruka wonders, confused. Eh, it doesn't matter. Understanding the inner workings of Yuuki Nao isn't really her goal here! "Okay. So where were you when the explosion happened?"
[17:28] "Uh, which one?"
[17:29] "Either one! Start at the beginning."
[17:30] "Ok. So I woke up on thursday with no memory," replies Nao, musing. "I sort of wandered out the dorm and got lost, but eventually found my way to the school. I beat up Natsuki because she slapped me, and then Shizuru dragged me off into some office and told me who I was. After that..."
[17:30] Nao's eyes only prickle, now. "After that?" Yukino asks.
[17:31] "Whoa whoa whoa. You're amniotic? How'd that happen?"
[17:31] Haruka seems totally unaware of the futility of asking this question.
[17:31] "...after that, I went to class. It was pretty boring," continues Nao. "I mean, it's really easy stuff, but apparently my grades were bad before? Anyway, then we had PE class, and Mikoto and I sort of trashed the other team, and then I fainted and woke up back in the dorm."
[17:31] "Er, I mean, the infirmary. And that's a REALLY GOOD QUESTION."
[17:32] Yukino makes her way to Haruka, and leans over, whispering something into her ear.
[17:32] Haruka waves this away. "Alright, well, go on, we can come back to that one when you remember."
[17:32] Yukino ducks her head.
[17:33] "Right. Anyway, after that, I got my stuff and went back to my dorm. Hung out with Mai and Mikoto a bit. Uh... Friday was pretty boring, can't think of anything there. Oh, yeah! Shizuru moved into my dorm for some reason. I think she felt sorry for me because this Senoh chick vanished."
[17:34] Haruka nods. "We're still looking for Senoh."
[17:35] "Yeah. Anyway, we didn't really talk too much. To be honest, talking to her is pretty hard," mumbles Nao, shaking her head. "Sorry, I don't mean to- anyway. I decided to go to town the next day, because, you know, I'd never been. So I grabbed Mikoto, Mai, and they grabbed a couple of guys, and we went to the park."
[17:35] "We were just messing around for a while; Shizuru went to get ice-cream, and we were playing tag, but then there was some huge explosion! I kinda panicked and ran off with the guys; we got seperated from the others. Had to feed Takumi some medicine, poor guy was having a fit."
[17:36] "We ended up waiting at the bus shelter, but Shizuru came by and picked us up in a taxi. Had to take Takumi to the hospital. We met up with the others there.. oh, right, Natsuki was there, too. She didn't come with us, so it seemed pretty weird."
[17:37] Haruka nods. "I know what you mean, I could never talk to Shizuru either. And Takumi is still in the hospital. He seems to be better now, though that friend of his was a hassle."
[17:38] "So Natsuki didn't leave with you all in the first place? You just met her by accident at the hospital?"
[17:38] "Yeah, that's how it happened. I felt pretty uncomfortable around her... I mean, she showed me around the school and stuff, but I had this impression that we didn't really get on very well. And, well, I did sort of wrestle her in front of everyone..."
[17:39] This bit stops Haruka cold. "Huh?"
[17:40] "Well, you know. Back on Thursday? I was pretty confused, and just wandering around being an idiot. I run into Natsuki, and she thinks I'm just pulling some trick, right? So she slaps me, and I sorta, uh, take her down."
[17:41] "...Oh. Well. Okay. Go on, then. You'd just got to the hospital?"
[17:42] "Yeah. We dropped Takumi off and waited a while, and then Shizuru showed up. We went around the back to chat, because it was kinda noisy. She had some stuff to give me, a debit card, and I had a couple questions about Natsuki and the others for her that.. well, you know. I didn't want to ask in front of them. I go back up without her, she wanted to stay outside for some reason."
[17:43] "I get to the top of the stairs, and go back to sit down. Then... there's this flash, and another explosion. I sorta panicked and ran off with the crowd again, I  mean, I was terrified! Well, no, I'm getting pretty used to it by now..."
[17:45] Haruka shakes her head. "These are sad times, when we get used to spontaneous combustion as part of everyday life. So, what did you do after that?"
[17:47] "I had trouble getting money out with my card after that," replies Nao. "I think it broke, along with my phone, still don't know why. After I got away, I sorta just.. tried to get away from people, you know? I thought there were terrorists around or something like that." She clasps her hands, and her eyes fall to the floor.
[17:48] "I found out later that the buses were taking people on even if they couldn't pay, so I got on one and went back home. It was pretty late. Shizuru wasn't there, but I figured she was still in the city or just went back to her place. I should've guessed something was wrong on Sunday, but... it's still coming back to me. What's weird and what's not."
[17:49] A nod. "I know what you mean. I know exactly what you mean! Every day lately, something terrible happens. I want you to know that I'm working to stop it, and I will not rest until Fuka is safe again! ...And my phone is dead, too. I think everyone's is. Maybe that's part of the conspiracy?"
[17:52] "Ah... really? Yeah, this is... pretty bad. Do you know what's going on? Can you tell me?" asks Nao, blinking up at Haruka with wide eyes. "I'm.. sorry, it just seems like half the people I know keep vanishing on me! That Senoh girl, Shizuru, and I haven't seen Natsuki, Mai, or Mikoto since I got back to school on Saturday..."
[17:54] "I'm...working on it," Haruka concedes, a little taken aback by hearing this kind of outburst from Nao. "And I think you can help. I'm sure Shizuru knew something about what's going on. I want you to think over your conversations with her and try to remember anything, *anything* that might seem odd."
[17:56] "It was mostly just about classes, who I was... there was something about vampire attacks? She doesn't like getting the police involved here when things go wrong?"
[17:58] "Tch. She takes after Natsuki that way, then. Has to do everything on her own. What did she say about vampires?"
[17:58] "Considering what happened to those that did, was she really wrong?" Yukino asks suddenly. "Two-- two are still in the hospital! And they're looking for the third! And it was just one night!"
[17:59] "Not much. There were some attacks, like, I think people were drained of blood or had bite marks or something. And then they stopped. It was a pretty abrupt story.. uh, what?"
[18:02] "Okay, look, calm down! Geez, you don't see me calling the cops right now, do you? Anyway, yeah, the attacks stopped, and Shizuru just said it was dealt with and I didn't have to worry about it. But obviously something's still going on. I think Sister Yukariko was involved too, somehow. Have you talked to her at all lately?"
[18:02] "Talked to who?"
[18:03] "Yukariko. I'm sure she knows something important, but she's in the hospital now and I can't reach her."
[18:04] "Sorry. I don't know that person," replies Nao, shakily. "What happened to her?"
[18:04] "Someone hit her very hard. Officers are now watching over her," Yukino says, her voice a bit harsher than before. "It happened last night, Yuuki-san."
[18:05] "I don't know!" Haruka says, exasperated. "She was attacked, *in her own church*," she adds for emphasis, clearly a great respecter of the sanctity of holy places.
[18:06] "It was a very vicious attack," Yukino adds, glaring at Nao.
[18:06] "How dreadful! I wish I could help you find the culprit... It's ridiculous. A nun would never attack anyone. Especially not in her own church. There would just be no reason for such a henious act! Why, it's a wonder someone so unscrupulous didn't finish the job!" replies Nao, thickly.
[18:07] "Maybe they had to flee before help arrived," Yukino notes coldly.
[18:08] Haruka quirks an eyebrow, not sure what to make of this whole act. "Uh, right. Okay, let's skip to last night. What happened after you left the auditorium? Did you see Kuga anywhere? I know she was here."
[18:09] "Not much. I didn't really see anything. There was that big green flash, but I had got lost around one side of the school by then. More gunshots, too. I ran off and hid in the forest," replies Nao, shakily. "I still don't know what possessed me to run out back then."
[18:12] "Well, I know I ran out because if there's a gunfight on the school grounds, the authorities *have* to put a stop to it." She nods. That's totally straightforward, right? Though, the redhead's motivation probably wasn't the same. Yuuki Nao, concerned citizen--that doesn't match up to prior experience. "Okay, so you saw the light. Did you have any weird dreams afterwards?"
[18:13] "No, no dreams last night," replies Nao, shaking her head, but she seems curious. "Did you?"
[18:14] Yukino looks troubled by the direction the conversation seems to be taking.
[18:14] Yeah, well, Yukino looks troubled by everything! That girl.
[18:14] "Well, yes!" Haruka confirms without elaborating. "Oh, right: did shizuru ever mention something called Orihime?"
[18:15] "Nope."
[18:15] "-wait, what?"
[18:16] "What do you mean 'what?' It's a straightforward question," Haruka says.
[18:16] "Can you repeat the question? I'm not sure I heard it right," replies Nao.
[18:16] Yukino makes a strangled sound, shaking her head furiously as she looks at Haruka.
[18:17] "Did Shizuru ever mention something called Orihime?" Haruka repeats, speaking slowly as though Nao had suddenly become a total retread. Yukino is ignored in Haruka's eagerness to get answers.
[18:18] "You can't tell those things to HER!" Yukino protests, whispering urgently in Haruka's ear. Nao has no difficulty hearing her.
[18:18] "Do you not like me or something?" asks Nao, standing up. "Got something to say?"
[18:19] Yukino's gaze drops down to Nao's hands -- her fingers, the red-head thinks -- before she raises it to glare at her defiantly.
[18:20] "Why not?" Haruka says to Yukino. "I don't even know what it means! What's the harm in asking?" Suddenly, it seems like a good idea to keep Yukino calmed down. "Look, no fightingm you two! There's been enough violet already!"
[18:21] "You're right. There's been enough violence already," echoes Nao, nodding in agreement. "There's only one reason to cause violence, and that's to stop more of it. Don't you agree? That's why I beat up Natsuki, and why I'll do the same to anyone who lays a hand on me!"
[18:21] Those words only serve to place the mousy girl further on edge.
[18:22] "Right, now we're getting somewhere! Yukino, calm down, alrigh--" She turns back to Nao. "Wait, what?"
[18:25] "Orihime. Where'd you hear that? A dream, right?" asks Nao, turning to face the older girl. "What happened in it?"
[18:26] Haruka doesn't see any reason not to go on about it. "I was in a cave with these pillars? And another me came and told me that everything was up to me now, and that I had to lead Orihime. I figure that if I said it, it has to mean something."
[18:27] "Pillars? Like, with markings on them?"
[18:30] As the cave with the pillars is mentioned, two things happen. The immense pain of losing her mother hits Nao all over again, and Yukino becomes pale, taking half a step back. The world suddenly takes a backstage, as Nao experiences a waking dream. The lavender-haired girl is there, reaching out for her. She's asking something, and if Nao focuses, she thinks she can almost hear the words.
[18:31] Haruka, for her part, does not experience anything strange, though her friend's paleness and the glassy look coming over Nao's eyes are difficult to miss even with her gutted sight.
[18:32] Nao stretches towards the girl all over again, her eyes starting to brim with unwanted tears. She stretches a hand towards the ceiling, and her breathing is very short and sharp. "Ka-san," she lilts, her voice cracking.
[18:34] "--live? You-- help-- Accept--" It is no more than a few words, not making much sense together. The girl desperately wants an answer, however, Nao realizes.
[18:36] "I.. I don't know..." moans Nao, stretching for the girl in any case. "What? What do I have to do?!"
[18:41] "Uh, hey, guys? You okay?" Haruka stammers, baffled by the two other girls apparently entering a trance state. Yukino's staring off into space, and Nao's...reaching for something nonexistant. Haruka waves a hand in front of Nao's eyes. "Hey, what's up?"
[18:42] Getting further drawn into the waking dream, Nao finds her senses getting warped. In particular, her depth perception is shot, bringing on a nasty bout of vertigo. The world seems bleaker, while the naked girl burns with color, her hair seemingly alive.
[18:42] "Another chance," Nao hears, pressure mounting on her very mind, assaulting it. "Another chance?" The words are repeated, and she thinks they form a question, now.
[18:43] "Chance for what? Hey, don't leave me out of the loop here!" She turns to Yukino. "What's wrong with you two? ...There *was* something in the water, I knew it!"
[18:44] "C'mon, you two. Hey, don't leave me out of the loop here!" She turns to Yukino. "What's wrong with you two? ...There *was* something in the water, I knew it!"
[18:44] Thud. Yukino drops to the floor unceremoniously, although Nao can barely notice it at the edge of her vision.
[18:45] Nao is hyperventilating by now, but Haruka, at least, can hear her whimper - "I'll take it, just give it all back to me, I - I - I can't stand between two lives!"
[18:46] "Yukino!" Haruka drops down next to her friend--sure, Nao's clearly got her own problems too, but Nao's generally been able to take care of herself. Yukino? No, she needs someone to watch out for her.
[18:47] Images assault Nao's mind, of a cave, of a laboratory above it, of a short-haired woman submerged in liquid in some kind of futuristic tank. The reset button, her mind labels it, and waiting to be pushed. The decision is hers. And then the pressure becomes unbearable.
[18:47] Yukino is unconscious. Haruka is certain she's breathing, however.
[18:49] Haruka pats Yukino on the cheek, that sort of mock-slap thing people do in the movies when they're trying to rouse someone from a stupor. "Hey, Yukino? C'mon!" She turns to Nao, and puts on her best Voice of Authority. That never fails! "Nao! Go back and get the nurse, at once!"
[18:50] Nao leans towards this girl. Is she trapped? Do things need to begin again? Is this the choice Shizuru spoke of? She wants to push it, to accept, to turn the next page.
[18:51] Nao leans... and keeps on leaning, until she tumbles over. Her vision goes grey, spots appearing everywhere across it, and when unconsciousness comes, it is a blessing.
[18:52] "Nao? Nao, hey! Oh, crap."
[18:56] Haruka puts Yukino down--gently!--and storms out into the hall, hollering at the top of her lungs for any student within hearing range to get to the nurse at the auditorium and bring her back here!
[18:57] The nurse doesn't happen to be in the auditorium, Haruka finds out, but the next attempt to locate her at the infirmary works quite well.
[18:58] Good enough! Haruka spits out something resembling a coherent explanation and then brings the nurse back to the student council room. If necessary, she'll flag down a group of her lackeys and have them carry the two unconscious girls back to the infirmary.
[19:01] Miss Sagisawa decides that yes, treating two students that collapsed after having fits all of a sudden would be better at the infirmary, and has them moved with the help of the Executive Committee.
[19:02] Haruka is right beside the two prone girls all the way. She doesn't intend to go anywhere until she's convinced they're okay.
[19:03] They don't seem to be waking up, but the nurse doesn't believe they are in any further danger. What bumps they suffered as a result of falling are expertly treated in that time.
[19:06] Haruka isn't going anywhere! She's had it with people brushing her off and then vanishing just when she's about to get an answer out of them. She's sticking right by her friend (and Nao) until they're up and moving again, and the authorities won't stop her (in part because Haruka doesn't acknowledge any authority above the Executive Committee).
[19:07] No authority figure seems to bother Haruka as she waits, as Yukino and Nao are given empty infirmary beds to rest on. The nurse remarks that she would have sent them to the hospital if it weren't for the recent events, which resulted in overwhelming its capacity.
[19:08] Nao is the first to wake up. It is near the afternoon, when she does. If there had been any classes, they are surely coming to a close, now.
[19:09] Nao sits bolt-upright, lunging for something. Her breathing is suddenly rapid, but it starts slowing down almost immediately, and she flops back into her bed, eyes staring at the ceiling.
[19:09] Haruka is more than glad to not send anyone else to the hospital. It's easier to interrogate folks here. "Nao?" she says, at the other girl's side quickly. "What happened? You went all googly and started talking to yourself."
[19:11] Nao's eyes hurt, despite the modest amount of light in the room.
[19:11] "I saw things," mumbles Nao. "Suzushiro... I did it. I really did it, I'll tell you everything."
[19:12] "It's about time someone said that!"
[19:12] "Wait, what did you do?"
[19:12] "But even that's not much," laments Nao, twisting her head from side to side and seeing who else is around.
[19:13] Yukino is lying on a bed next to her own. She seems to be asleep. Haruka is standing near. They seem to be the only ones in the infirmary at the moment, though the door is opened.
[19:13] "Close the door," she whispers.
[19:14] Haruka does as requested, then returns to Nao's side.
[19:15] "Shizuru was murdered that day," replies Nao, softly. "I saw her killer. Searrs Arika. I'll never forget her face. She was smiling, like it was.. all a game, all make-believe."
[19:16] "Arika?" Haruka stops to consider this. "Arika Searrs...do we have a student by that name? I only know of Alyssa."
[19:16] "Not anymore," replies Nao, with grim satisfaction. "I killed her."
[19:17] Haruka usually leaves such administrative matters to Yukino, anyway.
[19:18] "You--hold on, that's a joke, right? Fuka students shouldn't be killing each other!"
[19:19] "But I'll get to that," continues Nao, ignoring Haruka. "She attacks Shizuru from behind. I couldn't do a thing back then... but I knew. I knew that the others could fight with her, save Shizuru, so I ran up. I ran up the stairs, and told them, and Natsuki destroyed the wall and went to fight..."
[19:19] "...but it wasn't enough. Was it? I saw her get taken away by police.. but she wasn't the murderer! It was Arika!"
[19:21] Haruka has to wonder how Natsuki could just blow down a wall...but stops wondering when she remembers Kuga breaking out of the police station. "...Right. What happened to Arika, then?"
[19:23] "She threatened to kill me," replies Nao, thickly. "Because she thought I was a.. a 'Hime'. I wasn't, not then, but she would have." Was it really such a short time ago all this happened? "Shizuru had told me about a shrine. A place where once, before I lost my memory, I made some kind of contract..." [19:24] "A most cruel contract. I gained power there. More power than anyone should have," she muses, holding up a hand. There's a dull glow, and solid black claws form over her fingertips. Long and cruel, Nao flexes her newfound weapon, eventually curling it into a fist.
[19:26] Haruka shakes her head, thinking to herself: 'Shizuru...why didn't she tell the rest of us? I could've helped. She wouldn't be dead right now!' She steps back in surprise on seeing those claws, but soon realization dawns. "You too? The dream with the pillars, right? I told you!"
[19:27] In case this babbling is unclear in its meaning, time for a demonstration: Haruka reaches out her hand and calls force her spiked mace--which falls to ground with a *thunk* and the crack of broken floor tiles. Oops.
[19:28] "You did it, too? Then you know that price?" asks Nao, raising an eyebrow. "It must've been harder for you than me."
[19:30] "Price? Huh? I just gave it to myself." She shrugs. There are more important things to worry about right now! "This is important. I know it means something. I'm not sure what yet, but I'm going to figure it out!"
[19:32] Nao looks confused, a wonder, given her composure during the rest of the day. "Anyway. That's how it was. On Sunday, I met up with Natsuki. We were going to find Searrs and kill her. On Monday, Searrs joined my class. Imagine my surprise. She even spoke to me. Like she wanted to be my friend. She didn't know the meaning of the word!"
[19:34] "So what happened last night?" Haruka demands. She's having trouble getting past the Killing Fuka Students Is Wrong bit, but Nao having the same dream/ability is a compelling counter. "I mean, what really happened, this time?"
[19:35] "Yeah. I ran out the auditorium, you saw me," replies Nao, thinking back. "I found Yukariko and Natsuki squaring off at the church. Crazy nun was trying to redeem Kuga- get this- by shooting her full of arrows or something. I mean, what the hell? Yeah, I knocked her out. I could've killed her, but I don't do that to people. Not unless they try to off me first."
[19:36] "We ran off, right? Behind one of the school buildings- there was this field of flowers, there. We were going to ambush Searrs later- we figured she'd be coming after me sometime. Of course, she finds me before I find her, again..." Nao sighs, and props herself slightly higher on the bed.
[19:37] "Uh...huh..." Haruka says slowly. This is a lot to process for her! "Wait, was that flash of light you? Is it your fault I can't see right?"
[19:38] "Actually, I'm not sure," admits Nao, thinking back to how the fight played out. "We fought, and she had wings- this angel floating around school? There you go. I can't see straight, either- I saw the flash from point-blank range."
[19:40] The angel! About time that mystery's sorted out. Nao's turning out to be amazingly informative, if all this is true. "Do you have any idea where Natsuki is right now? Oh, and do you know who the Anticrisp is?"
[19:41] "Natsuki showed up at the end of the fight. I gutted Searrs pretty good, but to be honest, Natsuki finished her off," replies Nao. The claws vanish, leaving only her trembling hands. "She'd been shot. I couldn't call for help, though, I was covered in blood! How do I explain that? How do you explain any of this? I think it was the cops who shot her, too!"
[19:42] "My phone was pretty much dead- I think something Searrs did knocked it out. But I ran across Yukino when I was trying to get back to my dorm. What a sight I was. I figured something was up with her when the cops didn't come after me later."
[19:43] Haruka nods. That actually makes sense--the wounded cops she met said they'd encountered Natsuki. She says as much to Nao. "Wait, Yukino? What happened?"
[19:44] "She was hiding, but I called her out. She.. I asked her to call for help. Then I ran," replies Nao, lamely. "She probably thinks I'm too dangerous to be around."
[19:46] Haruka nods again. "I can understand that, you killed someone! I mean..." Haruka's still having some trouble processing the whole story. The Yuuki Nao she knows wouldn't fight to help someone else! ...Of course, the old Nao *also* wouldn't voluntarily admit to killing someone. Dilemma! Finding Natsuki would help to corroborate all of this--unless Nao and Natsuki are lying together! Bah, confusion.
[19:48] Still, Nao's story explains a lot. Not everything! But a lot. It makes more sense to believe her...but she can ask Yukino about that last part when she wakes up. "Alright. Okay. So, Arika was responsible for the explosions in the city too, you think?"
[19:50] "I think so. I didn't see her do them. She said she wanted to kill off us 'Hime', and that might've been a way of calling us out." Haruka can practically hear Nao's teeth grinding. "She would've killed me, Suzushiro. It was me or her."
[19:53] "Well, that's everything wrapped up in a nice little package. Except for the pieces that aren't. Like the whole Anticross thing. And what are Hime? Why would an angel want to destroy them? Setting aside that she clearly wasn't an angel because she was a JERK. I don't believe in angels anyway. Alright, the first thing we need to do is find Natsuki."
[19:55] Nao shakes her head. "There are other things I want to tell you. If you're getting involved, I need to tell you everything. It's the only way to avoid... accidents. There's one thing Shizuru told me about this power."
[19:56] "I took it to defend myself, right? But there was a price. If I fall, or if my Child falls, then the one I care about the most goes down with me. I think it's the same for you." Nao's face becomes determined, and she grips the side of the bed. "So just remember. You're not just fighting for yourself."
[20:00] Haruka looks aghast. "'Child?' You're PREGNANT?" Then the rest of it hits her. The one she cares about the most? Well, if Haruka falls, so does Fuka Academy! But she's always known that. ...Yukino? Haruka shakes her head. "I've always watched out for her before and I'm not about to stop now, so I don't think that changes anything," she says confidently. "All we have to do is not lose."

<--->

<--->
<Nao> "I'm not- no, don't even joke about that!" grouses Nao, pulling herself out of the blankets and sitting on the edge of the bed. "Anyway, yeah. I think so, I mean, it's pretty complicated and I can't really see the big picture. Sure, Searrs isn't around, but I don't think that's the end of it."
<Haruka> "I never joke about anything important!" Haruka insists. "But you're right. Yukariko said something about...'the Antichrist appearing in the form of a young boy.' And supposedly that came straight from Shizuru, so there might be something to it. I wanted to interrogate every boy on campus when I heard that, but Yukino thought it would be a bad idea." Haruka still sounds doubtful of that assessment.
<Nao> "She probably meant Nagi," clarifies Nao, snorting at the description. "He's this blue-haired kid. Shizuru didn't have nice things to say about him, oh no."
<Haruka> "Nagi?" Haruka wonders. "I don't know him. But that's a place to start. If Fujino said so, there's probably something to it." This last is a grudging admission, but it's pretty much apparent that her late rival knew what was going on.
<Nao> "I doubt we'll find him on campus," complains Nao, shaking her head. "Shizuru said that he played us- I mean, Hime, that's what I think we're called- off against each other. There were fights, people died. Were there ever weird incidents around the school before recently?"
* Haruka shrugs. "The vampire stuff, but then that stopped...I can't think of much else. Someone must've been good at keeping it all secret. I mean, look how long it took *me* to find out all this was going on!"
<Nao> "Right. As far as I know, Shizuru and the others wanted to keep a low profile. I don't really blame them... but maybe that was a mistake? Look where keeping secrets has got us so far."
* Haruka nods. "Yeah. The Hime have to stick together!" Not that Haruka is 100% sure on what a Hime actually is, but it seems the thing to say. "We need to find Natsuki if she's one. And I'd like to talk to Sister Yukariko again. Shizuru obviously told her something. Maybe she'll be a little more open when I show her this," she says, hefting that monstrous mace.
<Nao> "Natsuki was one. I don't even know if she's alive! The cops probably know where she is, right? They must have found her, alongside what was left of Arika. I just hope she ended up in a bed- even a prison bed- and not the morgue." Nao can't help but look at the mace with a shred of jealousy. It's not fair!
<Nao> If she's just got claws, and everyone else has big weapons like that, how can she even get clo- oh, well, she still has her Child.
<Haruka> "Well, I can call the police and see if they brought her in last night. Last time they caught her, they called us, but everyone's phone is dead now. They might've tried to call already, actually."
<Nao> "I can show you the place where it happened later, if you want," muses Nao. "Yukino, too. You believe me, right? I couldn't tell you both before, but it's different now."
<--->

(14:46:35): <--->
(14:47:19): Yukino raises a hand to her forehead slowly, groaning.
(14:47:39): "Yukino!" Haruka exclaims, quick to rush to her friend's side.
(14:49:17): Nao stretches her arms while Yukino wakes up, working out a couple of kinks. Lying down all the time is going to be bad for her, she just knows it.
(14:50:30): Yukino winces at the sound of Haruka's voice. "My head," she complains piteously.
(14:51:31): "Yukino, what happened? Did you have that dream too?" Haruka presses, the very soul of courtesy.
(14:51:53): "Dream?" she asks, confused.
(14:52:39): "The cave and the pillars and the other you? That one."
(14:54:32): "No," Yukino responds, looking at Haruka strangely. "I didn't dream about another me." She's shielding her eyes with a hand, searching for something on a nearby table. Finally locating her glasses, the girl hurries to put them on.
(14:55:18): "I'm pretty sure that was just you, Suzushiro," reflects Nao. "It seems the experience is different for everyone."
(14:56:39): "Oh," she says, sounding a little disappointed. "Well, Yukino, I think we're on our way to cracking the case. Nao knows a lot about what's been happening the past few days."
(14:57:21): "I bet she does," Yukino says nastily. "Haruka-chan, you can't trust anything she says! She's dangerous!"
(14:57:37): "Oh, for the love of..."
(14:58:54): "Yukino, come on! This isn't the time for distression, we have to work together!"
(15:00:31): "I... don't even know what distression means," Yukino says dejectedly, hanging her head. "I-- alright, Haruka-chan. What do you need me to do?"
(15:01:27): "I think she meant 'dissent' or something like that," replies Nao, making an effort to control herself and mostly succeeding. "Look, maybe I'm dangerous, but only to people who attack me, alright?"
(15:02:05): "First, we need to find out what happened to Kuga. Nao thinks the cops might've picked her up again, so we should call them first." She looks around. Is there a phone in the infirmary?
(15:05:20): There was one all those times she visited before, and it hasn't been taken away. The phone sits on the nurse's desk, taunting Haruka with its presence.
(15:05:52): Yukino wilts as Haruka mentions Nao and Natsuki, but doesn't comment.
(15:06:30): Hey, it's normally Yukino's job to remember details like that, right? Anyway, Haruka dials up the police to inquire about their wayward peer.
(15:07:18): When Yukino doesn't reply to her, Nao just rolls her eyes back and flops back on the bed. If the girl doesn't want to listen, fine- she just better not do anything stupid.
(15:09:27): After three rings, the phone is picked up on the other end. "Detective Oiishi here," a familiar voice speaks, static distorting it slightly. "Hello?"
(15:11:11): "Detective Oiishi? This is Suzushiro, at Fuka Academy. Do you have any news on our missing students? Kuga?"
(15:13:02): "Ah, Suzushiro," he says, his voice oily. "I'm afraid I have bad news."
(15:13:37): "Go ahead," Haruka says, voice betraying nothing.
(15:18:22): "From questioning our officers at the scene, we managed to establish that Kuga did show up at the school. The dorm where one of your missing students was staying, in fact." He clears his throat.
(15:18:28): "We found a blood trail leading away from that dorm, and then... it was a mess. It's hard to believe that someone could survive losing so much blood, so we're treating the matter as a homicide.
(15:18:29): A very disturbing homicide, where the killer took the body with them for some reason."
(15:19:48): "...Right. Thank you for the update, Detective."
(15:21:15): "That dorm..." Oishi says, his tone thoughtful. "And the room, in particular. The other occupant is Yuuki Nao-san, isn't it?
(15:21:15): How curious it is, that one of her roommates disappears, the next is found dead, and the person responsible later shows up there...."
(15:22:54): "Yeah, that's interesting," Haruka says blandly. Given how pointless the cops were in dealing with Natsuki, she's got no use for them right now if they have no useful information.
(15:24:28): "You wouldn't happen to know how to contact Yuuki, would you?" the detective asks over the phone. "I believe it would be... very informative, yes."
(15:26:00): "You can always try her cel phone. I'm afraid I don't know the number, though." Not that it would be in working order anyway, of course.
(15:27:29): "Ah, of course, of course," he agrees with Haruka. "Still, for someone heading... what did you call it? The Executive Committee of Fuka Academy?
(15:27:29): It is quite regrettable that you don't have such information on hand. Unless Yuuki had not been coming to school recently, of course."
(15:28:16): "She was never one of our better students," Haruka says, quite honestly.
(15:29:16): "How unfortunate for us both," Oiishi laments. "Still, putting Yuuki aside, there is something else we should discuss, Suzushiro. One of the students in the high school section, in the first year, in fac--"
(15:29:36): Static. The noise is overwhelming, swallowing the detective's words.
(15:30:40): "Hello? Detective." She shrugs and hangs up the phone. "Well, that was useless," she says to the other girls. "They didn't find Kuga."
(15:31:22): Yukino nods at Haruka's words.
(15:33:17): "She must have got away, somehow," replies Nao, seeming somewhat relieved. "That means she might still be alive. Good. Did he say anything about Searrs?"
(15:34:58): "No, he didn't know much of anything. Looks like everything's up to us." Oddly, she doesn't sound upset about this last detail. After all, who's more reliable than Fuka students?
(15:37:33): "There's one place Natsuki might be. If she's not there, well.. she'll probably find me, if she's so inclined." replies Nao, wincing at the memory of how Natsuki was after the fight. "Can you tell me what you guys saw yesterday?"
(15:38:53): Yukino doesn't seem inclined to talk to Nao, even when the latter is apparently addressing her.
(15:39:11): "You saw more than I did, Nao. I keep showing up after the action's over with. Yukino? What happened after that flash of light?"
(15:43:43): Reluctantly, Yukino makes brief eye contact with Nao, before her hands form into fists. "She came and there was blood all over her-- her shirt and hands and everything, and she was crazy!"
(15:45:47): "Oh, yeah, you were asleep when I explained it to Haruka," reflects Nao. "Yeah. Sorry. I killed Searrs Arika. But it's like I said at the time. She killed Shizuru, and she would've killed me! I didn't have a choice!"
(15:45:56): "So what if I was a little crazy?" she continues, looking away. "Anyone would be..."
(15:46:29): Yukino looks at Haruka for guidance.
(15:49:58): "I know it sounds nuts, Yukino, but she's the only one we have right now who saw anything that happened in town."
(15:50:20): She hefts the mace again. "...and we're both Hime, apparently. It has to mean something."
(15:50:58): Yukino turns away. She seems depressed all of a sudden, but at least she's not glaring at Nao anymore.
(15:52:19): Haruka goes to sit down by her friend. "Yukino? You're with me on this, right? We have to look out for each other at a time like this."
(15:53:11): Yukino nods. "Yes, Haruka-chan. I'll look after you," she tells her quietly.
(15:54:06): Nao just shrugs helplessly. "I'm going to go look for Natsuki. Come if you want, stay if you don't."
(15:55:09): As seems to be her custom, Yukino leaves this decision to Haruka.
(15:56:27): She pats Yukino on the shoulder. "Good! Too many students have been hurt already and we stand a better chance of figuring things out if we stay together. So, the first thing we do is head for the last place Kuga was seen."
(15:57:20): "And besides," she says quietly (unusually so for Haruka!), "if you're worried about Nao, you can keep an eye on her this way."
(15:59:30): "I'm not too enthused about going back to the scene of the crime, as it were," replies Nao, uneasily. "I wanted to check out a place in the woods. We could split up for this, actually, and meet back here later?"
(16:00:19): "Or in the executive office. Or wherever."
(16:00:44): Haruka frowns. "We shouldn't split up. Something bad always seems to happen when we do that. Where is this place that you have in mind?"
(16:01:18): "There's a place in the woods where normal people would have trouble going," explains Nao. "There's some kind of magic ward there. If she was hiding, that's where she'd go."
(16:01:36): "We planned to ambush Arika there, away from everyone," continues Nao. "But you know what they say about plans."
(16:04:12): "Alright. *This* plan just means walking there, and simple plans are hard to mess up. So let's go." Yukino, being Haruka's shadow, will presumably be able to follow!
(16:04:47): "Yeah. It's a pretty long way," replies Nao, heading for the door. "It might be fruitless, and you'll be alone with me in the woods after dark. But if you're set, yeah, let's go!"
(16:08:45): Yukino indeed follows meekly a few steps behind, as Nao leads the way outside. The trio don't encounter any other students, though it took a while for Yukino to wake up, and the evening is rapidly approaching.
(16:08:46): The hill is steep.
(16:08:58): Haruka remembers she forgot something in the student council room.
(16:09:20): Unfortunately, she doesn't remember what she forgot!
(16:10:04): It seems to evade her, yes. Whatever it was certainly had to be very important.
(16:11:36): If it was *that* important, she'd remember it.
(16:14:12): The climb is difficult, or should be, but Haruka and Nao don't seem to be having any trouble going through the forest, almost competing with one another.
(16:14:13): A nagging doubt awakens in Haruka. What if Fuka will be in danger without her protection?
(16:15:45): Nao soldiers on, feeling a slight tingle in the back of her mind. "That's it," she remarks. "The fear gets to you around here. Just ignore it and move on."
(16:15:52): Well, that's a risk she'll have to take! Besides, she's out here to help Fuka in the first place.
(16:16:41): Haruka nods. "Okay." She turns back to look at her aide. "Yukino? Are you well enough to go on? You know I can't leave you behind."
(16:18:39): Yukino has managed to keep up, somehow. Haruka's cell phone rings.
(16:19:30): Whoa, what? Wasn't it totally fried? Oh well, no complaints about it mysteriously deciding to work again. She answers it: "Suzushiro here."
(16:21:12): "Ah, Suzushiro." It is detective Oiishi, although he sounds tinny. "We have to meet right away. Where are you?"
(16:21:12): Nao, for her part, sees Haruka hold her phone to her ear and speak.
(16:22:10): "At school," she says vaguely, intent on the hike. "What's new?"
(16:23:21): Nao stares curiously at Haruka, before flipping out her own phone. Come to think of it, she did just assume it had stopped working. And, well, everyone elses had...
(16:23:28): His words are starting to break up, but Haruka can still hear the note of warning in them. "I'll be there in five minutes. Are you in the high school section?"
(16:23:49): Nao finds that her phone doesn't have reception here, if its display is to be trusted.
(16:24:59): "No," she says into the phone. "I'm patrolling the grounds. Can you tell me what's going on?"
(16:25:44): Nao looks weirdly at it, and then puts it away.
(16:27:13): "It is very important that you--" The detective's words become unintelligible briefly. "I repeat, do not leave the campus. Stay constalt--" static "--ounded"
(16:27:14): The content becomes garbled, and the last word Haruka catches before the call ends is, appropriately for the situation, danger.
(16:28:26): Haruka frowns. "We've been in danger for the last week now. What is it this time? Hello?" She shakes the phone around, as if that would help.
(16:28:44): "Nao, how close are we? Something might be up back at school."
(16:28:47): Shaking the phone seems to cause it to go out.
(16:29:06): Worthless piece of crap!
(16:30:28): "We're pretty close," replies Nao. "Who was that?"
(16:31:41): "Detective Oiishi again. Telling us not to leave campus." She snorts. "You don't need to tell *me* we're in danger by this point.
(16:32:14): She does sound worried, but: "We stick together for now, though. Especially since we're close."
(16:33:16): "Yeah. There's probably not even anything here. Wasn't last time," replies Nao, shoving aside her fears and plunging onwards. "We'll hurry back afterwards, ok? We can run pretty fast. Being a Hime has some perks."
(16:33:40): Haruka nods and continues the hike.
(16:33:42): Yukino picks that moment to stumble behind the two, falling to her knees.
(16:34:14): *That* stops her, though. "Yukino?!" She rushes back to kneel by her friend. "What happened?"
(16:35:32): "Oh, I just tripped, Haruka-chan," Yukino responds, smiling at her. The smile looks a bit strained.
(16:36:37): A nod. "Alright, but let me know if you can't go on. I'll carry you if I have to!"
(16:37:15): Yukino ducks her head. Nao thinks she caught a hint of red on her cheeks.
(16:37:30): "It's a pretty tough climb," replies Nao. "Hey, you're not hurt, are you?"
(16:38:16): "I don't think she is. Just a little tired. It takes a lot of work to keep up with me!"
(16:38:21): "I'm fine," Yukino states firmly, getting back up.
(16:40:01): The cave is before them, at last. Nao's senses, already on edge the closer she got to it, go haywire as she takes a step into the clearing around it. Danger, and death, they haunt this place.
(16:40:02): There is a persistent smell of blood.
(16:40:48): "What is this place, exactly?" Haruka asks, a little wary.
(16:41:24): "I've done this before," mumbles Nao, swallowing. Climbed up here, danger, death, she's seen it all! "I don't know exactly," replies Nao. "I should ask Tokiha sometime. I think there was a fight, and.. well, you'll see."
(16:42:17): "Alright, well...let's go."
(16:42:47): "Please, Haruka-chan... don't go in there," Yukino says in a small voice, standing in the clearing. She is shaking.
(16:44:08): "Yukino? C'mon, you've got to toughen up! A Fuka student could be lying wounded inside. It's our responsibility to help her if we can."
(16:44:40): "Besides," she says, putting her hands on the younger girl's shoulders, "nothing can stop us as long as we stick together!"
(16:46:52): Nao moves into the cave, Haruka following, her arm around Yukino's shoulders.
(16:46:54): Blood. The ground is covered by it, and the smell-- the smell of death comes from the torn-up body offered to the visitors like a sacrificial lamb. Could that ever have been a real person?
(16:48:57): Haruka is more infuriated at this scene than horrified. "What the--what the hell? Nao, is that her?" Yukino would probably bolt if Haruka let her go, so she stays put by the entrance.
(16:49:40): Nao stares at what's going on here, wide-eyed, and clearly as shocked as Yukino and Haruka. She staggers against the wall, slowly backing away from the spectacle before her.
(16:49:48): "I.. I don't know," she replies, looking as likely to bolt as Yukino.
(16:51:11): Well, if no one else is up to the task..."Yukino? Don't move, alright?" She leaves her friend by the door, where she can at least stare outside instead of at the body.
(16:51:36): Haruka moves forward to examine the body. Not that she wants to, but *someone* has to.
(16:54:12): Haruka had never seen something like it. This person was beaten all over their body, and then torn apart, literally ripped into little pieces.
(16:54:12): She can only surmise it was once human by a few remaining shreds of clothing, all heavily matted with blood.
(16:56:12): "Let's go," replies Nao, her throat dry. She thinks she knows what happened, and finding Natsuki suddenly doesn't seem like a terribly good idea.
(16:56:28): She can't even teel who it might've been, then? "Ugh. This is terrible," Haruka mutters, backing away. "Nao...this wasn't here before? What do you think happened?"
(16:57:33): Female? Maybe?
(16:58:35): "I'll tell you later," replies Nao, her voice picking up slightly in speed.
(16:58:49): She starts backing away from the clearing and back towards the forest.
(16:59:15): Well, Haruka's not going to object to leaving, that's for sure. She collects Yukino and leaves.
(16:59:36): Yukino is as putty in Haruka's hands.
(17:00:16): Nao doesn't want to talk until they're well away from the clearing and back into the forest, a place that has felt safe to her since the first day she stumbled into it, half-dressed.
(17:01:34): Haruka, on the other hand, practically never stops talking. "When I catch whoever did that, I'm going to clobber them until they can't be clobbered any more. I swear on the name of Suzushiro!"
(17:02:14): "Don't you know fear, Suzushiro?" asks Nao, shuddering. "I'm jealous, can you teach me?"
(17:03:34): Yukino stands obediently by Haruka's side, her gaze vacant.
(17:03:49): "I don't have time to be afraid," Haruka declares, leading Yukino away from the cave. Though she *is* a fair bit nauseous, really.
(17:05:50): "You're an inspiration," mumbles Nao. "You said that cop called you, right? Yeah. Let's get back."
(17:07:06): "Come on, Yukino," Haruka says, noticing her friend's vacant state. "Things'll be better back at school."
(17:11:08): The stench of blood clings to the three as they return to campus. The sun is setting, and Nao spots flashlights in the distance; by the front gate, she estimates. Her eyes also begin to relax.
(17:12:09): "Actually," murmurs Nao. "This is... are those cops up there?" She squints, trying to see.
(17:12:44): Nao has yet to acquire the ability to discern between police-issue flashlights and regular ones, if indeed there is a difference.
(17:13:54): "Probably. Oiishi did call me earlier. Though they could be one of my security teams enforcing the curfew."
(17:14:22): "You know, maybe we should go get freshened up," murmurs Nao. "The... smell. It's pretty strong."
(17:15:18): "Where? Do you have a room off the school grounds or something?"
(17:15:41): "The dorms aren't on campus, right?"
(17:16:40): Haruka apparently forgets that not everyone lives at the executive committee's office. "Right," she says. "Let's go."
(17:19:19): Nao's dorm seems to have yellow police tape around it. It doesn't look as if the students have been allowed to return to it yet. No guards are visible, however.
(17:19:42): "Still blocked off," murmurs Nao. "Where do you stay?"
(17:20:09): Pfah, police tape. There's no reason that should stop the Executive Committe, right?
(17:21:51): "We'll try my place," Haruka says. It seems safer to try the dorm that hasn't been attacked repeatedly.
(17:22:40): "Yeah..." replies Nao, glancing at Yukino again. What's she got to be upset about? She was never drenched in the stuff! Some people are.. are... completely normal, and Nao just isn't one of them.
(17:24:54): Onward to Haruka's dorm, then!
(17:31:45): Haruka's dorm, which also happens to be Yukino's residence, are a bit of a walk from here. It takes them the better part of twenty minutes to close the distance,
(17:31:46): particularly because Haruka and Nao don't want to just cut through campus proper. Haruka's room is solitary, and Nao spots Yukino's name right next door, along with one Agata Shion.
(17:32:38): "We'll use my place," Haruka says, opening her door. Yukino's roommate doesn't need to know about all of this.
(17:33:33): "Sounds good. I need to wash my stuff," replies Nao, dully. "They'll probably be expecting me back in the auditorium, I think that's where my dorm is staying."
(17:34:29): "We can stop by there afterwards," she says, leading Nao and Yukino inside.
(17:34:43): Nao thinks she spots Shizuru's name on the door all the way down the corridor, but then she's inside Haruka's room.
(17:34:43): Headbands with invigorating slogans are lying all over the floor, and even crowding every piece of furniture within.
(17:36:50): Nao gazes after it for a moment, before trailing after Haruka into her place. "Got any spare clothes?" she asks, wanting to get out this well-overused uniform and into something a bit more comfortable... if ill-fitting.
(17:37:52): Ill-fitting it likely would be, for while Haruka's uniform does a good job of hiding it, Nao can't mistake the difference in size between Haruka's generous assets and her own. Or is that sizes?
(17:38:22): Haruka probably has spare clothes around somewhere and is quite ready to share them with her comrades. Hopefully Nao likes pea green.
(17:40:49): Nao can't restrain a brief look of disgust, but she quickly has a shower and gets changed. "I want to check something out," she says. "Back in a moment."
(17:41:10): She heads up a few doors to Shizuru's room- not too far, and tries the door. Maybe it's unlocked? If not there, there might be an open window, or a window that can be opened.
(17:42:19): Haruka waits for Nao to return and tries to coax Yukino into some semblance of coherence in the meantime. "Yukino? It's okay, we're back home now."
(17:42:45): The door is locked, but it is only made of wood. The only material able to stop Nao's claws to date had been Arika's strange weapon, and even the girl herself was no match for Nao, when she tore into her with ease.
(17:43:30): Yukino may not be catatonic as she walked all the way to Haruka's room with the latter's guidance, but she certainly doesn't respond to attempts to talk to her.
(17:45:14): Nao jams one of her needlelike claws into the lock, and does a pretty good job of mangling it apart before she gives the door a shove. Ideally, someone will actually have to try and open it before they realise it's been broken into.
(17:46:29): Maybe Yukino just needs to sleep it off? Haruka does her best to get the girl settled on the bed, at least. She'll probably have to wash the sheets later, of course.
(17:47:07): <--->

<--->

About fifteen minutes after she leaves, Nao returns. Her somewhat frazzled look remains much as it has since she woke up in the infirmary, though she makes an effort to smooth over her features as she enters.

"There's something you should see," she says, glancing back outside for a moment.

"Yeah?" Haruka asks, glancing over at Yukino. She'll probably hold for the moment, right?

Yukino is in no hurry to rush anywhere.

Haruka nods, and opts to follow Nao.

Nao glances at Yukino like she wants her to come along as well, but apparently thinks better of it. She leads Haruka to Shizuru's room, opening the door easily (though a slight pair of holes in the lock give lie to just how she got inside.)

"There's a mirror in the bathroom," she explains, pointing the way. "Can you go there and tell me what you see in it?"

Haruka peers at Nao, one eyebrow quirked in curiosity. Defacing school property obviously isn't something she approves of, but these are desperate times! Anyway: "Sure thing," she says, entering the dread kingdom of Fujino.

A bed, quite above Fuka standards. A barren desk with a chair placed next to it. An open door leading to a small bathroom.

Fujino was leading quite the spartan life.

Except for the bed. But somehow, Haruka has trouble seeing Fujino sleep any other way.

Well, Haruka has to admit that her rival's restraint was actually rather admirable. She enters the bathroom to see what the deal is with this mystery mirror, expecting to see herself and not much more.

The bathroom is spotless. Every spot is cleaned to perfection, although it seems like it hasn't been used in days.

Haruka nods in approval at that, at least! So, the mirror then. ...Although, she can't help but be curious enough to poke around in Shizuru's medicine cabinet and the like.

The medicine cabinet is barren like the rest of the room. Haruka can't find any signs of it having been used before. The mirror reflects Haruka's face fairly truthfully.

Haruka shrugs and walks out to see Nao. "It's just a mirror. You feeling okay?"

"Just a mirror?" replies Nao, slightly unbelieving, as she walks past Haruka to make certain of this apparently incredible fact.

The mirror is capable of showing Nao's reflection, and if they huddle, that of Haruka and Nao together.

"Well, obviously I saw myself in it too," Haruka adds, tossing her hair. "Was something else supposed to be there?"

It is not a particularly large mirror.

Nao is clearly disconcerted by this development. "Yeah, when I looked in it the first time, it showed me Natsuki's reflection," she replies. "Then when I came out, there was a laptop on the desk, and.. now it's gone."

Normal behaviour is clearly too much for the redhead.

Haruka spares Nao another strange look. "I think maybe you need a good long nap, Nao."

"I've been sleeping all day! I.. I need to eat something, I haven't had anything since... yesterday morning," she reflects.

Haruka shakes her head. "That won't do at all! You need to stay fit in body and mind if you want to combat the forces of...whoever our enemy is." If there are any snacks in Haruka's room, Nao's welcome to them.

"Yeah, you're right," agrees Nao, heading out of Shizuru's room. 釘ut there was definately a laptop. I opened it, and there were some files, and... well, I'm not exactly sure who our enemy is. But I figured out who some of our friends might be."

Haruka is eager to learn this vital information! "Oh yeah? What'd you see? Tell me!"

"Well, from what I gathered, Shizuru knows that someone or something is out there, setting some events in motion. They've got something to do with Senoh and Harada's disappearance," muses Nao. "It seems that every three centuries, there's some kind of festival or fight or something called the 詮irst District" - don't ask, I don't know what it entails. We Hime clearly have something to do with it, though I still don't know what.

"There was a list of names, too. There were a couple I didn't know on it... Sugiura Midori and Higurashi Akane, do they ring any bells?"

"Sugiura is a teacher at Fuka. Higurashi was a student here, but she disappeared a while back. Not one of these mysterious disappearances, though," she corrects. "She eloped with some guy." She adds a *tsk* to emphasize how little she approves of setting aside one's studies in such a manner.

"We need to speak with her," replies Nao. "There were others. Mai, Mikoto, Yukariko, Yukino... and two more, but I really don't want to meet them again soon."

"So, this list. Was it like..." She gestures vaguely in the air for a moment. "...an *enemies* list? Was there anything saying what it was for, or--wait, Yukino?"

"It was a list of Hime, I think. We should all be friends! We should definately not be enemies. There were two names not on it, by the by- ours. It was dated before either of us changed, though."

"Well. Before I changed," she reflects, after a moment. "I don't really know your story."

And it'll have to wait, as Haruka suddenly has something much more pressing to worry about. She darts back into her room. "Hey, Yuikno?!"

Yukino stirs at the urgent call. She looks up at Haruka, eyes dull.

Haruka plants herself on the bed next to her friend, one hand on the other gir's shoulder. "Yukino! Hey, are you one too? Why didn't you tell me about this?"

Yukino trembles. "One? What do you mean, Haruka-chan?"

While Yukino and Haruka have their no-doubt sickly heart-to-heart, Nao attempts to solve her hunger problems by putting Haruka's kitchen to use.

"Hime! There was a list on Shizuru's computer."

Yukino looks aghast, shaking her head. "Fujino-san kept a list?" she asks in disbelief.

Haruka nods. "Nao found it on her computer. What's wrong? This is great! We can get everyone together now and really figure out who our enemy is."

"You don't understand!" Yukino exclaims. "It's-- it's not great! It's horrible, really horrible!" She sends a glare in Nao's direction. "She put you up to all this, didn't she? She forced you into everything, made you become a Hime. Didn't she, Haruka-chan?!"

"Because I really know what's going on, here," replies Nao, bitterly.

"You be quiet!" Yukino snaps at Nao, standing up abruptly. She shivers, and genuine hate shows in her eyes.

"Yukino, I didn't know anything about it before I had the dream last night! This isn't the time for bickering. This is the time for Fuka students to STAND TOGETHER. ...But Yukino, why didn't you ever tell me about this? I've been running around like crazy trying to figure things out the past few days."

Nao is taken aback, and can only stare back at Yukino with uncomprehending eyes.

"There is no standing together, Haruka-chan," Yukino responds, not taking her eyes off Nao. Purple lightning flashes in them briefly, gone so swiftly Nao is left wondering whether she imagined the entire thing. "Only one Hime can survive the Festival. I didn't want you to know, because I didn't want to--" Yukino's voice breaks, "--fight you. But... but if she's gone, it will be alright, won't it? You can go back to being the normal Haruka-chan...."

Nao's eyes begin to narrow, and she starts quivering, herself.

"What? No! No one has to fight anyone! And *you're* not fighting *anyone* will I'm around!" Haruka insists, wrapping her arms around her friend in an embrace that's both a hug and an attempt to keep her under control.

Whether it is the hug or something else entirely, Yukino's eyes suddenly droop, and she staggers. Struggling to keep upright, she leans on Haruka, finally breaking eye contact with Nao.

"That's not true," growls Nao. "It's a lie, a trick. It's that Nagi brat, isn't it?"

"That's better. When we fight each other, Fuka loses no matter who wins! Now, slow down. What's with this Festival?"

"You can see it too, can't you? That ominous red star?" Yukino murmurs. Haruka feels, as her friend's weight shifts, that without her support she would sag to the floor. "If we lose, our most important person dies. If we don't fight, if there is no victor by the time of the Festival... they also die. Everyone dies." She laughs, a short, sad laugh that sounds too tired to convey the hysteria Yukino must feel. "There is no escape."

Haruka scowls. "What kind of festival is that? That's insane! And moreover, I don't remember it EVER coming before the Executive Committee! We are *not* fighting each other. You understand me, Yukino?"

Yukino shows no sign of hearing Haruka. "I don't want a world without Haruka-chan," she adds quietly.

"Is there such a star? I never saw it," replies Nao, trying to regain her composure. "I remember it, but I haven't seen it with my own eyes."

She shifts on her feet. "Maybe it's because I was defeated already..."

Haruka nods. "Me neither, Yukino," she responds, equally subdued.

Yukino merely leans further into Haruka, no longer speaking.

"Alright, so...red star..." Haruka muses aloud. "It should be easy to see that outside, right? So that part's a cinch to confirm."

"There's some way around this. I think Shizuru knew what it was," murmurs Nao. "Yeah, let's have a look." She heads to the door, intending to confirm this part, at least.

"On second thought, maybe later," she says, glancing at the remnants of the accursed daystar.

"What happened in your dream, Haruka? You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine. Shizuru's notes said something about some "Kiyohime" chick who apparently must not be unsealed, does that ring any bells?"

Haruka shakes her head, still holding Yukino. "No. I think I've mentioned most of it by now. I was in this cave, and another me came and said that it was up to me to lead Orihime now. I still don't know what that is, though. And I got my mace." Something else occurs to her, like a minor detail: "Oh, and there were these twelve pillars in the cave?

"And I walked over to one of them and it reminded me of Fujino somehow."

<--->

<--->

"Did it have stuff written on it?" asks Nao, thinking back to the tattoo she saw on Shizuru.

Come to think of it, maybe she should have something like that, too. But now is not the time to look for it!

Haruka shrugs. "Not that I remember. I just knew that's who it resented, you know?"

"Wait, it what?"

"What do you mean, 'What?' I said just what I meant!"

"But that- I'm pretty sure our own powers don't hate us- that makes a lot of sense, though, if this really is supposed to be a fight to the death."

Nao rubs her head. "I dreamed of some girl in some kind of tube, filled with liquid. It was like some kind of science lab. I'm not sure what it was all about, but it was definately important. Finding her is some kind of... reset switch."

Haruka frowns. "I don't think we have anything like that in the lab here. Who was in the tube?"

"I didn't recognize her. And I really, really, really doubt it's anywhere obvious. I think it was some kind of cave." Sighing, she curls her hand into a claw, though not quite summoning the actual weapon.

"This festival thing is ancient. It's been happening every three hundred years, I think to the day. Why does it continue to this day?"

"Probably because there wasn't a Suzushiro around to stop it until now. I am -not- going to let it continue, that's for sure! Someone must be good at making sure word doesn't get out, because I know I've never heard of it before. I propose that we find this person and...throw them out a window!"

"How well do you know the chairman? What's her name, Mashiro or something?"

"I don't know her well. Fujino might have, but it's too late to ask her."

"Yeah. I heard from Mai that she knows more than she's letting on. But when I went to talk to her, it didn't go very well. She just.. refused to tell me anything!" Nao's eyes narrow, and a spot on her face twitches. "I don't know if she deserves it or not, but I definately want to defenestrate her. 'side from that, I was going to go check out the history books, see if there's anything there that might shed light on Fuuka itself.

"And there's the other people in that list, too. But they may not share our optimistic outlook. You got any ideas?"

"We talk to Sugiura," Haruka says decisively, clearly quite comfortable making decisions for the group. "She's a teacher here. If she doesn't know more than we do, she's still in a position to make someone else listen."

"I'm pretty sure we can make people listen to us," replies Nao, arching an eyebrow. "But do we really want this whole thing to become general knowledge?"

"Even if we don't, it would help to have someone on the staff along when we talk to the other students," Haruka says. She seems uncomfortable grappling with the notion that the voice of someone on the Executive Committee wouldn't be enough.

"Ugh. I dunno. What kind of person is she?" asks Nao, changing the topic from "should we" to "who is she"

"I don't know her very well personally, but she's definitely...enthusiastic."

Nao looks at Haruka rather skeptically, and eventually shrugs. "Good enough, I guess. I'm just worried that she can probably make life difficult for us if she's not, uh, friendly. I suppose it'll depend. Let's head off."

She pauses, as if forgetting something, and then glances at Yukino. "She coming?" she asks Haruka, sounding rather dour.

Haruka sets Yukino down on the bed for now. "Yukino? I'm going to see Sugiura. You need to get some rest, so just relax for now, okay?" She's not sure her friend is in a mood to talk right now, but it needed to be said anyway.

Yukino nods slightly, perhaps in answer.

Nao shrugs, and heads outside, managing about five steps before she realises she has no idea where to go.

"Alright. I'll be back. We'll talk then." She follows Nao outside. Probably Sugiura's classroom is the place to start? Maybe she's still on the grounds.

Nao trudges after Haruka, but apparently isn't done talking yet. "Your friend seems to hate me," she remarks. "You better not let her do anything stupid."

"Hey! 'Stupid' and 'Yukino' shouldn't be used in the same sentence. And the Nao she's used to isn't a very nice person, so it doesn't surprise me at all."

"Well, I'm working on fixing that," replies Nao, with a touch of hurt in her voice. "But this is actually for your sake. If she comes after me, I'm not gonna be held responsible for what comes next."

"Then I'll make sure she doesn't!" Haruka insists, because controlling people is just that simple.

"Good! I like you," agrees Nao. "You remind me of Natsuki. None of this screwing around, just straight to the point. That's *just what this situation needs.*"

"Except I attend classes," Haruka points out, not seeming entirely comfortable with the parallel here.

"I predict that the future holds much skipping of classes. Are classes even on? With all the explosions and injured people and whatnot, it'd actually surprise me if they continued."

"Classes are always on at Fuka! But I admit it will be hard to focus on that while we're trying to stop this Festival nonsense. It's just a sacrifice we'll have to make!"

"Sacrifice" is a word in pretty bad taste right now, you know."

Haruka just waves this away, like she would anytime Yukino corrected her.

It is evening as the unlikely pair reach what Haruka is fairly certain serves as Midori Sugiura's homeroom. The classroom is empty.

"It's empty," deadpans Nao.

"Shoot. I was hoping she might be working late or something." If there's a faculty directory available, they can always look up her phone number?

"We could catch her tomorrow when she comes in for work, though with all the students around it might be a hassle," muses Nao.

"Let's try the nurse for now. I think the two of them are friends, so maybe she'll know how to reach Sugiura. To the infirmary!"

Nao checks the clocks and shrugs. "I've seen way to much of that place lately," she mutters as she follows.

Yohko Sagisawa sighs as she lays eyes upon her two visitors, seeming to share Nao's earlier thoughts. "Again?" she asks tiredly. "What is it this time?"

"I just need to find Sugiura," Haruka says. "Do you know where to find her right now?"

"That's Miss Sugiura," the nurse says reproachfully. "What do you need with her at this hour?"

"It's a private matter, but it's urgent."

Yohko's eyelids droop. "Of course it is." She turns away to glance at a few papers on her desk, and Nao thinks she hears her mutter 'teenagers'.

All this serves to do is send Nao on an exceptionally morbid inner monologue about how she's physically fifteen, mentally about 25, and chronologically six days.

"Hey!" Haruka starts, slapping her hand down on the desk. "This is serious. She could be in danger!"

Nao chokes, and starts to cough.

"It's a matter of life and death, I take it?" Yohko drawls out, returning her gaze to Haruka.

"It could be!" Haruka replies, all seriousness.

The nurse looks past Haruka at Nao. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," replies Nao, shaking her head. Wait, that's not right.

"Did she go home? I knew it'd be too late."

Yohko smiles at Nao. "That was very clever of you, Yuuki."

"Don't tell me she gets this often," mutters Nao, sighing. "Come on, let's go. If she winds up in a ditch before tomorrow, I'll chalk it up to bad luck."

"I'm sure Midori-chan can take care of herself, but thank you for your concern," the nurse tells them.

"Hey! You can't just throw us out like that!"

"You are welcome to stay the night," Yohko tells Haruka with a smile, gesturing at the spare beds. "Please feel free to take whichever one you like."

Haruka just scowls and stalks out, fist clenched at her sides.

"Oh, really? Cool, I'll be back later," replies Nao, turning back to the nurse. "You'll be here all evening?"

"Plenty of work."

Nao seems quite cheerful at this development, and heads on out.

"'Matter of life and death' yeah, that's a good one, Suzushiro. Can't you lie about homework or something next time?"

Depending on Haruka for subtlety is generally a losing gamble. "I'm not good at being dishonest," she says. It sounds like she thinks it's an accomplishment. "Okay, who else was on the list?"

"Higurashi Akane. Tokiha Mai and Minagi Mikoto- I've already talked to them. Haven't seen them around lately, though, so I'm wondering if they got back today or not. Since my dorm is closed, if they're at school, they'll be in the auditorium, I guess.

"That crazy nun chick, too. If she sees me, she'll probably start shooting arrows at me, and I think I put her in hospital. Maybe she'll be stuck there until this is over, that'd suit me pretty well, but if not, itmightbebetterifyougoseeherwithoutme. Uh. Yukino, for all the frigging help she was. I killed Alyssa's sister, so that might not go so well, either. I'm pretty sure Fumi will follow Mashrio's lead, so she's probably useless. And Akane Higurashi. Is she even on Fuuka?"

Haruka shakes her head. "She eloped," she says, rolling her eyes. "I don't know where she is now. And I have no idea where Tokiha and Miangi have gone. Tokiha wasn't at the hospital anymore last time I was there. I can talk to Sister Yukariko, at least."

"Well, do that. Try and convince her that shooting people is bad and that if she doesn't do it, she won't get her head beat in. Yukino might be more talkative when I'm not around, too."

Nao frowns. "I'll try and do some research of my own tomorrow. There's a couple things I want to check out myself, so how about we meet up again after school or something and discuss what we learn? And, hey, you don't have a car or anything, do you?"

Haruka shakes her head. "No. I just take cabs everywhere. Alright, as much as I hate to split up again, that sounds like a plan."

"It'll be fine," replies Nao, waving her off. "You and Yukino can probably handle anything that comes up, and I can take care of myself. Probably. As long as I don't run into Yukariko before you talk to her, it should be ok.

"Ah, yeah, and we've gotta catch Sugiura when she comes into school, too."

Haruka shrugs. "Just stay away from the church. And she is still in the hospital, after all."

"Our bodies are pretty tough. I might hope, but I doubt she'll be there long. You might wanna call ahead."

"I guess that's not a bad idea. Alright, I'm going back to Yukino. Keep yourself alive, okay?"

"You know me, always looking out for number one," replies Nao, without much humour.

"Meet up outside the gates tomorrow morning, ok? If I'm not there, something's gone wrong."

Haruka nods. "I'll be there."

Nao waves at Haruka as she departs, heading off towards the library to indulge in yet more self-study (the only kind worth anything, in her limited experience.)

Haruka, of course, returns to her room.

<--->

<--->

Haruka returns to her room, finding it empty.

Well, great. Yukino's room is nearby, though. Maybe she went there? Let's check!

It is next door. Haruka finds the door locked.

Haruka knocks on the door. "Yukino? It's me, are you home?"

The girl that opens the door after the third knock isn't Yukino. "Suzushiro?" she asks, blinking. "Kikukawa isn't here. Wasn't she with you the entire day?"

"Well, she was, but she left without telling me. If she comes back, can you let me know?"

"Sure thing."

Haruka nods and returns to her own room. Let's see...If she were a distraught Yukino, where would she be right now?

Something tells Haruka that Yukino, whatever the state, would prefer her company.

Well, the phones are still dead, so there's nothing for it but to check every conceivable location: the Executive Committee's room, the auditorium (if there are still students there), their base at the church...so, Haruka will hit each of those locations, in that order. Well, and Shizuru's room first. It's right next door, so why not?

The lock clinks menacingly as Haruka steps into Shizuru's room. While Nao's work on it left it in reasonably working order, the more it is used, the more it breaks, Haruka thinks. Shizuru's room is unchanged from the last time she visited it.

The Executive Committee doesn't have a room for itself, per se, but the Student Council chambers double as it often enough. At this hour, Haruka finds the room empty.

The auditorium still has students staying in it, Haruka's troops organizing them and catering to their every need.

Well, Haruka needed to check up on things there anyway, so she corners whoever likes like they're in charge to get a status update. She also wants to know whether or not Yukino's been around, of course.

Without someone to relieve her, Yuki is still around. She dutifully reports that the last time she had seen Yukino had been when she was accompanying Haruka.

Wow, hasn't she been there all day? Haruka takes the time to see about getting someone else to take over so Yuki can get some rest, then sets out for the church.

Rather than gratitude, Yuki seems strangely disappointed.

The church. Yellow 'do not cross' police tape is surrounding the area. The building is dark.

The warning obviously applies only to people who are not on the Executive Committee. Haruka ducks under it and heads inside.

Her equipment is gone.

What?! That's school property! How dare someone remove equipment vital to the security of Fuka Academy! If it was the police taking it as evidence or something then, well, Oshii's going to get a talking to next time Haruka meets him! She has Yukino to worry about right now, though. Time to make a thorough check of the grounds (and maybe Yukariko's room. Maybe she kept a journal or something?)

Haruka has a pretty good idea of where Sister Yukariko's room would be, having cornered her there before. The door is unlocked, and stepping inside, Haruka finds it to be filled with crosses and vials of some sort of clear liquid. Other than that, and a nun's outfit hanging on the wall by the entrance, the room has all the usual necessities.

Unless the liquid looks like something other than water, Haruka doesn't care.

Haruka is reasonably sure it is water-like.

Well, Haruka's pretty much out of ideas by now. She can't just go back home while her friend's missing though, right?

Well, Yukino knows where she lives. When she wants to come back, hopefully she will. Haruka decides to go home and sleep for now.

<--->

<--->

Morning arrives. There are no signs of Yukino ever returning, Haruka discovers.

Well, that's disturbing. May as well check in with Yukino's roommate and see if she came back there.

It is still fairly early.

Haruka knocks anyway! Hey, it's not like it's Saturday. People should be waking up for school soon anyway.

"What is it?" an edgy voice asks. Yukino's roommate opens the door in pajamas; she has an impressive case of bed hair.

"Did Yukino ever come back last night?" Haruka asks, skipping the pleasantries.

"Of course it's all about her. No. Goodbye." The door is slammed promptly in Haruka's face.

Well, that was rude. Aside from checking in at the auditorium, though, Haruka can't think of much she can do to find her friend right now. So aside from that, meeting Nao and going into town to see Yukariko (not necessarily in that order!) looks like the plan.

Haruka runs into Nao as she approaches the auditorium. The red-head seems rested compared to the previous day.

But no less dour.

Until she sees Haruka, and cocky smirk arises (is that a fang?) "Mornin', Miss Bigshot Executive Suzushiro! What commands shall I relay to your minions?"

This gets Nao dark glares from a pair of said minions minding the entrance.

Haruka ignores any aspersions on her good name. "Do you have any news? For my part, I can't find Yukino."

"I have no news that good," replies Nao, cheerily, approaching Haruka at a brisk pace. "But Nagi found me last night," she adds, in a lower voice. "Seems that it's not just us who wind up in the ground if we don't go through with this festival."

"Hey! I won't have you talking about Yukino like that. This is serious. If we're going to work together, you will two will have to get along. Now...what did Nagi say?"

"He thinks I'm going to win!" replies Nao with a tinge of incredulity.

"Aside from that? Apparently whoever wins gets the power to save the world from that," she continues, jerking a finger towards the sky. "The Hime Star, that is. I don't know exactly what it's going to do, but it's pretty bad, I'm sure.

"There was some technical stuff, too. Seems our power comes from light. We're... what's the word? Photosynthetic soldiers? Don't see how that matters much, though.

"Only other thing is that I'm pretty sure he's baiting me into going after Mashiro. Said I should ask her if I had questions. Seeing as I've already gone after her once, with pretty terrible results... urgh. Maybe you'd have better luck, I dunno."

Rather absently, she digs around in her skirt and flips a newspaper clipping to Haruka. "Check this out."

Haruka nods. "I'll try. Maybe she'll llisten to someone on the executive committee." She takes the clipping and reads it.

It is an obituary from what looks like a local paper, for one Mashiro Kazahana. The paper looks dated.

Haruka's eyes widen. "She's dead?! And she's still running the school? There has to be a law against that. I don't think dead people are allowed to be in charge of anything."

"That isn't what's important here, Haruka-chan," replies Nao, doing a pretty fair imitation of Yukino's voice.

Which earns Nao a glare, but Haruka stays on-topic. "Well, I'm definitely going to mention it when we talk to her."

"Mmhmm. My first guess would've been a relative. Someone by her name apparently founded the school, don't you know? I figured her mother wasn't very creative."

Nao shrugs. "But you know what? Not much is gonna be a surprise to me, lately."

"Well, meeting with her is on my agenda now one way or another. She can't hide the truth from me!"

"Yeah. But first... Sugiura, right? Actually, maybe Yukariko," mutters Nao, losing some of her cheer. "Yeah, if I was Yukino, I might go see the nun..."

Haruka nods. "We have some time before school starts, so let's head to the hospital and check on her."

"Wait wait wait you want me to come with you?" asks Nao, blanching. "I did, you know, *bash her skull in*, she is not going to be happy to see me. I don't even want to be in the same room as her!"

Haruka rolls her eyes. "Fine, if you two can't sort out your differences, I'll talk to her."

"Hey, I can sort out our differences just fine! She didn't like the way I sorted them out. She might like your way better. It's less percussive."

Only figuratively. Haruka does kind of try to bludgeon people into submission--just with words! "Alright, well, I'll let you know how it went when I get back."

"Actually, I'll come after you," replies Nao, shaking her head. "I want to try and catch up with Sugiura, and there's a couple things here I want to look up, but I've gotta see some stuff in town, too. I'll meet you at the mall at, say, noon?"

"Sure thing."

"'kay. The town is pretty scary, Suzushiro, so stay out of dark alleys and don't accept any candy from blue-haired kids. Hey, see if you can track down Mai while you're there."

"Yeah. We should both keep an eye out for her and Mikoto."

"Right. Oh, and, uh, you know which entrance Sugiura might come through? Actually, what does she even look like..." mutters Nao, scrunching up her hair.

"Tall, red hair, boundless energy. We stopped by her classroom yesterday, so check there if all else fails."

"I like her already! Ok, see you later."

Nao skips off somewhere, most likely the cafeteria.

<--->

<--->

Haruka takes a cab into town, having had one called for her. Someone of lesser means would be feeling the costs, but Haruka merely brushes it off.

Arriving at the hospital, she discovers that the Sister is still being treated there, and has regained her consciousness. Receiving her room number is easy enough.

And this time, she'll bully her way into the room if people try to stop her!

A uniformed officer is sitting by the door outside the room, reading a newspaper. A coffee cup is placed on the ground next to his chair.

Haruka strides forward as though she owned the place and had every right to go wherever she wanted. "Good morning, officer," she says casually as she makes for the door.

He begins to answer, but jumps to his feet as Haruka doesn't stop before him. "Hey, where do you think you're going!" he calls to her, stepping between the blonde and the door to Sister Yukariko's room.

"I'm here to see Sister Yukariko. I'm a friend from school, I was *at* the scene when you boys hauled her away, and if you have problems with me being here, you can take it up with Detective Oshii."

The man is about to respond, before Haruka brings the detective's name into it. He shifts, almost imperceptively. "You know Detective Oiishi?"

"Yes, he's spoken to me several times about the recent strange developments. I was there when Kuga escaped from the police station over the weekend. If someone from Fuka Academy is involved, I need to know about it, understand? Now if you'll excuse me, I have a responsibility to check on the Sister."

"When was the last time you spoke to him, Miss...?"

"Suzushiro. Haruka Suzushiro, of the executive committee at Fuka Academy! If you call him, he'll tell you all about how I was there to help interrogate Kuga when she was brought in."

"So you haven't spoken to him ever since that incident?" the officer asks, seeming to ignore her suggestion.

Haruka crosses her arms and strikes an authoritarian pose. "I spoke to him on the phone last night, but got cut off before we could finish the conversation. If you'd call him, we could sort this out quickly. Because I'll tell you right now that I'm not going anywhere until I've seen for myself that Yukariko is alright, so it's that or we stand here glaring at each other all day."

"Yes, I really do think I need to call this in." The officer gets on the radio, the noise jarring to Haruka's ears. Due to using equipment much like his before, however, she is able to understand the gist of it. He is calling the station and asking for backup; apparently, a material witness had been found. Haruka's full name is being provided, along with her general description.

"Something wrong officer? It doesn't *sound* like you're talking to Detective Oiishi," she says sternly. You know, if he's not actively paying attention to her, it might be time to introduce his head to Mr. Chair.

"Miss," he says, turning away from the radio briefly, "if you would please stop telling me how to do my job? We can do this nicely, or I could bring you in for obstruction of justice. Does that sound better?"

Haruka rolls her eyes, but ignores him for now. Let him go back to his radio and get distracted.

"A pair of detectives from the station will be here shortly," the officer finally tells Haruka, once the conversation over the radio ends. "If you would just have a seat over there and wait patiently...?" He indicates an empty chair opposite him.

Well, this has gone from inconvenient to...more inconvenient. Given how little help the police have been thus far, she'd love to just clock this guy and go inside, but that would be a bad move when other officers are known to be on the way. She may as well wait and see what happens.

It takes twenty minutes. A pair of men who are unmistakably cops finally make their way down the corridor. One of them is old, with stubble and wearing a dirty coat. The other is far younger, perhaps in his late thirties or early forties. The two make eye contact with the officer by Sister Yukariko's room, who nods at them. At that, they make their way to Haruka.

"Suzushiro?" the younger of the two asks her.

"Yes, that's me. What's the situation, officer?"

"The way I understand it, you've spoken to Detective Oiishi last night?" he asks. "When was that, specifically?"

"He called me sometime in the evening. I don't remember the exact time. It sounded like he had something important to tell me, but I lost the connection before he could finish talking."

"Please try to remember," the officer speaking to Haruka insists. "Can you narrow it down somewhat?"

"I really don't know the exact time," Haruka insists. "I had a lot going on yesterday. I know I called him sometime in the afternoon, and received a call sometime later."

The older cop looks irritated to get that answer, but the other one seems to accept it. "Did you receive that call on your cell phone?" he asks instead. "There would be a record of it, then."

"Sure," she says, taking out her phone. "It's been buggy lately, though. It's a school-wide problem. Wish I knew what was causing it."

It's pretty dead. That might or might not be related to the crack running through it.

Haruka scowls. "It's broken now," she says, handing it over the more amiable of the two officers. "Why is this so urgent? Are there new envelopments in the case?"

"Just a few more questions first, if you will," he tells her, preempting the older officer. "You mentioned that the detective had 'something important' to tell you? Would you have any idea what that might be? Was it, by chance, related to the call you claimed making to him earlier that day?"

"No. He said he had some bad news, and talked about investigating the crime scene on campus. Something about a murder site where the killer took the body with them." She shrugs, not having any insight into the minds of such deviants. "And he started to say something about a first-year student before he got cut off."

The two cops exchange looks. The both look grim. "And Detective Oiishi was cut off as you were talking?" the younger presses on. "Interrupted in mid-sentence, you would say?"

"There was a lot of static, and then the connection just died. Look, are my phone problems really that important, guys?"

"What is important," the older cop speaks at last, "is that you're the last one who spoke to Oiishi before he disappeared!"

"Disappeared?" Haruka repeats.

"He left the station in a hurry last night, and no one's seen him since. He doesn't answer over the radio or to his phone, either. From what you've told us, it seems like he was headed to the Academy," the younger officer tells Haruka. "We'll comb the road and the campus; it would be best if you were to smooth things over with the school's administration."

"Of course. I'll be seeing Miss Mashiro as soon as I return to the grounds," she says, quite honestly (if for different reasons!) "Let me know if there's anything else the executive committee can do to help. Now, if there's nothing else you need me for, can you speak to the guard here? Sister Yukariko is a resident at Fuka and I would like to make sure she's alright. And I'm sure she could use some company."

"How long would it take us to assemble the men?"

"Ten minutes, no more. We just need to recall a few who are searchin--"

Nodding, the younger officer tells Haruka, "You have five minutes. She's still supposed to be resting, so don't excite her much. After that, we need to leave."

Five minutes? What a gyp. Well, she'd best take advantage of the time she has! Haruka goes inside.

A silver cross rests on the bedside table. Sister Yukariko's head is bandaged, and her nose seems broken. Her left eye appears swallen. She is awake, however, and turns to look at Haruka as the blonde enters.

"Good morning, Sister," Haruka starts, calmly enough despite being pressed for time. Yukariko looks worse than expected. "How are you feeling?"

The nun's good eye stares at Haruka incredulously.

"...Yukariko?" Why is she so surprised? Did she think Haruka was dead or something? She pulls up a chair and sits down next to the bed. "Look, I don't have much time here. I needed to tell you that I know about the Hime--I'm one of them now, so there's no reason to hide anything from me--and that we have to work together to...stop the antichrist. Do you understand?"

<--->

<--->

[15:56] The nun is silent. "You know... about Hime?" she asks Haruka at last. "How?"
[15:59] "I just said, I am one." She raises her hand, then thinks twice. "This is just for demonstration, okay? Don't be alarmed." The ball and chain materialize and Haruka hefts it into the air a couple times, then makes it vanish again.
[16:01] Yukariko trembles, asking, "What do you want from me?"
[16:04] Haruka notes the nun's demeanor and sighs. "Well, first I just need you to relapse. I'm not here to drag you out of that bed and make you fight. But I need to know everything Fujino told you, because with her gone *someone* will have to hold the Hime together." It goes without saying that that someone is Haruka, of course.
[16:07] "That someone exists," Yukariko says, clasping her hands. "The angel! All we have to do is follow his words!"
[16:09] "The...angel? Look, Sister, I only have a couple minutes here. I need you to be serious."
[16:10] Yukariko struggles to rise from her bed. "He came to see me, in a dream. He was majestic and pure! He loves us all, and only wants us to help him for a better tomorrow!"
[16:14] Haruka puts a hand on Yukariko's shoulder, meaning to suggest (gently!) that the nun is in no condition to get worked up into a religious fervor. She leans in close, her tone deathly serious. "That's great, Sister, but I don't know any angels. I DO know that there are a bunch of frightened girls at Fuka and that they'll only get through this if they work together. I NEED to know everything Fujino knew. Help me help Fuka."
[16:17] Yukariko shies away from Haruka's touch, giving her a strange look. "You were the one who came to me with tales of angels," she says, her voice growing hostile. "Were you deceiving me all this time? Are you in league with the sinners?"
[16:19] Haruka sighs. Could this woman be any more useless? "I said people reported seeing an angel, Sister. I didn't say I knew one personally. The only side I'm on is Fuka's. If that's not getting through, I don't know what to say."
[16:21] "I think we've said enough," the nun agrees coldly. "I've misjudged you."
[16:22] "The feeling's mutated," Haruka huffs, stalking towards the door.
[16:24] The cops wait for her in the corridor. "Good, you're right on time," the younger officer says as the door closes behind Haruka. "Ready to leave now?"
[16:24] "Absolutely," she says. "Let's hit it."
[16:28] Haruka is taken to an unmarked car, and shown to the back. "So how is the nun?" the officer asks her, getting behind the wheel. His older partner is a ways off, flagging down a squad car.
[16:30] Haruka searches for the proper word. Flummoxed? Flabbergasted? "Pretty out of it. I don't think my stopping by did her any good."
[16:33] He starts the engine, nodding. As they drive off, Haruka slowly determines that they are headed for campus. "When you talked with Detective Oiishi that time, where were you?" he asks conversationally, glancing at Haruka in the rearview mirror.
[16:35] "I was in the infirmary at Fuka when I called him."
[16:37] "Were you injured?"
[16:38] Haruka shrugs. "Nothing serious. Just some fainting spells going around. My staff and I have been working around the clock lately."
[16:38] He nods once more. "And the call you mentioned receiving from him? Were you still in the infirmary at that time?"
[16:39] "No, I was out on the grounds at the time. Taking a walk to clear my head." Well, part of that statement is completely true!
[16:41] The conversation devolves into small talk. The car arrives at the gates of the Fuka Academy, where a police presence is already felt. Executive Committee members are being questioned, and several patrol cars are parked nearby.
[16:42] Haruka has to check in with her underlings immediately to make sure they're not being excessively badgered by the police!
[16:46] Time passes. The interrogation seems over, and Haruka's underlings are released for their duties. Haruka herself, however, is asked to stay for the time being. She's also requested to make a full statement, herself.
[16:47] Haruka cooperates all the while, giving any and all information pertinent to finding Oiishi and mentioning nothing at all about Hime or the cave in the woods.
[16:50] Excitement -- or anxiety -- seems to come over the cops as they receive a report over the radio. "We've found something," the officer who drove Haruka to school tells her. From what she'd observed so far, he seems to be in charge. "Just a mile away. Are you coming?"
[16:51] Haruka shakes her head. "No, I have to meet someone in town. She'll worry if I don't show up, what with all the crazy stuff that's happened lately."
[16:53] Haruka does have a chance of making her appointment, if she takes another cab into town. But she would indeed have to leave right now.
[16:53] "I understand," the officer tells her. "Where in town are you meeting?"
[16:54] "At the mall."
[16:55] He doesn't seem to have a response for that.

<--->

<--->

[16:56] Haruka does indeed run to grab a cab immediately! Can't have Nao assuming the worst and wandering off. She'll head to the mall with all due haste. Speed limits be damned!
[16:58] Nao is loitering around the main entrance, not looking inconspicuous at all in Haruka's ill-fitting clothes. Definately not amongst the shopping housewives. Ugh.
[16:58] Haruka runs over to her, eager for any news. "Hey! Find anything out?"
[17:00] "Yeah. Sugiura's been missing since last Tuesday. I tried her cell, and she's... not around. Maybe she'll call back, I don't know. N'much else, though. That is, that we didn't already know. Oh, yeah, I got you a present."
[17:02] "Is it a phone that works? And that's just...*urgh*. Everyone's disappearing on us. Yukariko was totally useless and doesn't trust me now because I don't believe her when she babbles about angels, and I haven't been able to find Yukino since last night."
[17:04] It turns out to be just that, though the cell is cheap and obviously snatched from some bargain bin, but at least it can send messages. "She doesn't trust you? You should've hit her again,
" mutters Nao. "I swear, the next person to give me shit for no reason is going to find out what happens when I really try to earn it. Also, you owe me 8000 yen, cash only, please."
[17:06] Haruka nods. "The Suzushiros wouldn't be where they are now if they didn't pay their debts." Presumably Haruka has the cash on her. If she doesn't, there's always an ATM somewhere, right? "Alright, so if Sugiura's out...who's left?"
[17:07] "Fumi, though she's Mashiro's pet. Searrs and Higurashi are kinda... out of reach right now. And I don't have a clue where M&M are."
[17:10] Haruka suddenly remembers that she was supposed to talk to Mashiro anyway--about the cops that are now swarming the school grounds. Oh well. "I can tell my staff to keep an eye out for them and call me if they show up. Right now, I think I'm due to have a good long chat with Miss Mashiro myself. Unless you know how to find Nagi, that is."
[17:11] Nao snorts. "The last time we spoke, I turned my back on him for a second, and he was gone. We're not gonna find him. But I'd love to know how he stays informed."
[17:12] "It is a gift," Nagi's voice sounds behind Nao.
[17:12] "Yeah. No one at this school should know more than I do--" She whirls around suddenly.
[17:13] Nagi gives Haruka a friendly wave. "Hello, fake Hime!"
[17:13] Nao steps aside, looking rather pained, all told.
[17:14] Haruka scowls. "What the hell does that mean? I've got a ball and chain which is completely real when it comes to hitting people in the face, so do you want to tell me what you're talking about?"
[17:15] "Your ball and chain?" Nagi looks confused. "Yukino-chan? Why would she make me talk?"
[17:15] Nao can't stop herself from snorting.
[17:17] Haruka glares at Nao. "Do you want to help me out here, or not?" Back to Nagi: "In all seriousness, I have good reason to believe you know a lot about what's going on at Fuka, and as a member of the Executive Committee I require you to diverge this information. Right now would be good."
[17:18] "No."
[17:20] Haruka practically chokes on her rage. "No? NO?! People are dying here, and if you know anything about why or how to stop it, you ARE going to tell me. This isn't a request, this is a statement of your social obligation as a student at Fuka, and you will be SEVERELY reprimanded if you don't compile."
[17:22] Nagi shrugs, spreading his arms for good measure. Ignoring Haruka, he turns towards Nao entirely. "Isn't it annoying to hang out around someone like her, Nao
Hime? Just take care of that fake Hime and go on to seize the win!"
[17:22] Nao looks around. They're in a mall, quite possibly the worst place ever to force a physical confrontation (never mind the inherent risk involved in starting a fight.)
"Why bother? I've heard the victorious hime dies anyway," she replies, shrugging. "Hardly seems worth the effort."
[17:24] "That's not true!" Nagi insists. "Who told you such a dirty lie?"
[17:29] "Dunno, my memory is hazy, lately," replies Nao, glancing at Haruka. "Hey, what's the difference between a real Hime and a fake one? She's still got a dirty big
mace, it's a compelling argument to take her seriously."
[17:30] "My memory is also hazy all of a sudden," Nagi says sullenly, turning around and starting to walk away.
[17:30] "HEY!" Haruka steps forward, reaching for Nagi's shoulder to turn him around. She's not about to let this creep walk away just like that!
[17:32] "Know your place, you fake Hime!" Nagi says angrily as Haruka whirls him around, brushing her hand off with his own. The decorative lights overhead shatter.
[17:34] "I know my place just fine!" she insists. "No one knows my place better than I do. And that place is SOMEONE WHO HAS DAMNED CONSCIENCE, UNLIKE YOU. ...Wait, are
YOU the anticross?"
[17:37] As glass rains below from the ceiling, people hurriedly get away. No one seems hurt, but those nearby are giving Haruka, and Nagi and Nao, by assosiation,
worried glances. Nao thinks that one man in particular is very focused on them.
[17:38] Nagi, for his part, looks confused. "The what? Did you have a troubled childhood?" He no longer seems angry, at least.
[17:41] "No, but you're about to if you don't coagulate! I know some boy at Fuka is the cause of all these problems. I'm thinking MAYBE it's you."
[17:41] "And see, when I find this person, I'll have to make them stop...whether they want to or ont."
[17:43] "I'm thinking, maybe this person, this source is closer to you than you think," Nagi says with a smirk, jumping back lightly. His agility is inhuman, as is the
distance he clears in a single bound. "Until next time, my Hime~!" He moves back, getting lost in the gathered crowd.
[17:44] "What the--hey, come back here! I'm not done interrogating you yet!"
[17:45] Nagi does not return, though Haruka's outburst refocuses people's attention on her.
[17:47] Cop? Spy? Friend of another Hime? Interested journalist? The possibilities are endless. "Let's go," she mutters, grabbing Haruka's hand and quickly taking off from
the mall. "He's got nothing for us. All he's interested in is having us fight, you see? I can't see much point bothering with him."
[17:48] Haruka practically seethes in place, but complies (*not* compiles) eventually. "Grrr...alright. I need to talk to Miss Mashiro after all this. I'm out of other leads."
[17:49] "There was a guy watching us back there," replies Nao, using nearby windowpanes to see if he's tailing them. "It just had to be in the middle of a damn mall,
didn't it?"
[17:49] Someone is, wearing similar clothes. Nao can't determine better than that, her eyesight being what it is.
[17:50] She pauses just long enough to buy a pair of sunglasses from a nearby vendor. "Yeah, he's following us. Think we should grab him?"
[17:52] "Well, Nagi had to show up in public, otherwise I would've clobbered him. And yeah...let's see what the mystery man has to say for himself."
[17:55] Spiders weave a beautiful web, a thought crosses Nao's mind. A web of lovely, sturdy silk.
[17:56] Nao winds around a corner, twisting back and forth between different stalls and shops and intending to eventually stride up behind the man and put a hand on his
shoulder.
[17:58] The man passes by Nao's hiding spot; the red-head can see him look around once he notices that Haruka is alone. He reacts as soon as he's grabbed, trying to twist
out of Nao's grasp, as one hand goes into the folds of his jacket!
[18:03] "Calm down," whispers Nao, sliding her arm down to link with the guy's arm, like she's his daughter or girlfriend (whilst keeping it from getting out, say, a gun.)
"Let's just... find somewhere and talk, hmm? Ah, the cafe will do nicely."
[18:56] He stiffens, caught off guard by the schoolgirl's speed. Nao feels him test her hold on him, and once he realizes his efforts don't bear fruit, the man's
efforts cease.
[18:59] Haruka casually makes her way over to Nao and her quarry. Nothing strange going on here, nope!
[19:00] Nao saunters over to a nearby cafe, gesturing for Haruka to join her. "I'm feeling chatty, so this could be your chance to learn something. But only if you're on your
best behaviour," instructs Nao. "We'll start with you." She tightens her grip slightly, emphasing how very strong she is to the man, before slowly, slowly releasing his arm
and allowing him to sit down, flanked by herself and Haruka.
[19:05] The man follows Nao's orders, keeping his hands in plain sight on the table. "What am I going to be learning about myself?" he asks, his voice sounding bland.
[19:06] "Just spill it, G-man! Why were you watching us?"
[19:06] "That you need to work on your technique, for one," replies Nao. "I'd like to know who you are to be so interested in us."
[19:07] "After that little show back there? Why wouldn't I be curious?" he returns.
[19:09] "Sure, but everyone else scattered when the windows broke. You had a *reason* to be watching us, didn't you?"
[19:09] "You've caught me," he deadpans. "I like watching high school girls."
[19:12] "Most people wouldn't go for their inside pocket when someone taps their shoulder," replies Nao, dryly. "Mister, we can trade barbs all day, but that won't get you
or me what we want."
[19:13] "And what is that you want from me, besides my company?" Nao's unnamed friend asks.
[19:14] "Who are you working for? You're not a cop, or we would've seen a badge by now."
[19:15] "All this time you've wanted to see a badge?" He snorts. "Badges, I've got plenty of them. Which would make you happiest?"
[19:17] Nao slips a hand into the man's pocket, intending to pull out a wallet or similar article. "Oooh! Can I pick from a list?" she responds, rolling her eyes.
[19:17] Haruka rolls her eyes. "Enough wisecracks, alright? You know what kind of people you're dealing with here, don't you?"
[19:19] Nao's hand closes around a somewhat familiar object. She thinks it is a cell phone, and her guess is confirmed once she retrieves it from his pocket. "People?"
he asks, the only sign that he noticed Nao's actions a slight twitch of his eyelids that the red-head spots. "Yes, I suppose you are."
[19:19] "Ah, you must be with Searrs, then," replies Nao, opening the phone and going through the messages and contacts within it.
[19:21] "As good a guess as any," he says with a shrug. The phone is perfectly clean of anything, as if freshly purchased.
[19:21] "Nao, this guy's pissing me off. Maybe we need to rough him up a little, then he'll take his situation more seriously?"
[19:23] "Yes, by all means, do 'rought me up'," he says, raising his voice. A few people nearby give the booth the trio has claimed for themselves strange looks.
[19:27] "I'd rather not, but, you know, I'm pretty desperate, lately. The thing is, you can either tell us who sent you, what you're doing, and do so quickly, or I'll just
kill you. Right here." Nao leans closer to the man, putting a hand on his knee. Mostly covered by the sleeve of her jacket, tiny points exude from it, only slightly piercing
the man's skin.
[19:32] "Like I said. It's better if you talk, for everyone involved, but if you don't, I'll assume you're my enemy. Are you? Or aren't you? The choice is, of course,
yours." The black marks across her fingers should be plainly visible to him at this point, though not so much to passerbys.
[19:32] He winces. "I'm Smith. John Smith." Trying to smile, the man places a hand over Nao's, pressing it against his leg. Despite his words, he doesn't look
particularly foreign. "If you're desperate, there's really no need to threaten me into helping you with all that tension. All you need to do is ask."
[19:33] "And what can you do for me, Agent Smith?"
[19:34] "That is SUCH a made up name," Haruka huffs.
[19:35] Rolling his eyes at Haruka's outburst, John leans ever-closer to Nao. "Quite a lot. Why don't we discuss this in private, without your loud... friend?"
[19:37] Haruka could not possibly be more affronted. "Hey! Don't go anywhere with this creep, Nao. He hasn't given us any reason to trust him."
[19:37] Wouldn't be the first time, a stray thought crosses Nao's mind. And none of the others had been a match for her, thus far.
[19:40] "I'm willing to entertain privacy, but my friend will hear what I do regardless," replies Nao, glancing briefly at Haruka, before releasing her pinch on the man's
knee and standing up to take his arm again. "I'm not into wasting time, Agent Smith. Do you have... a car?"
[19:42] "A car could be easily procured," he agrees smoothly, standing up after Nao. He towers over her slightly. "And it might not be as much a waste of time as you
think. What I have to offer is for you and you alone; of course, what you do with that information afterwards is of no concern to me."
[19:44] Haruka frowns, hands on her hips. "I don't like this, Nao...at best, this guy's full of crap. At worst, he's a megaperv. You have to keep me updated on a regular basis
if you go anywhere with him, okay?"
[19:46] Nao twists her head back to Haruka. "What could he possibly do to me?" she asks, smiling dreamily at Haruka. "The parking lots are pretty deserted. We'll speak there.
If you want her not to hear, my friend can wait nearby, but we're not splitting far."
[19:47] "Fine, fine. A parked car, a teenaged girl...." John nods. "I can work with that. Let's go?"
[19:48] "Mmhmm." Nao tosses Haruka the man's phone. "Wait near the exit for me. I'll be back in a couple. If I scream, kill him."
[19:50] Haruka does so. "Don't worry, Nao. If anything happens, I'll avenge you!"

<--->

<--->

It's hard to tell, but Nao seems to move around a lot in the car, and at least once she seems to go for the man's throat.

Eventually she emerges unharmed and mostly unruffled, though, trudging back towards Haruka with an unreadable expression.

Haruka has to restrain herself from rushing in and putting a stop to any possible impropriety on Smith's part, but does so with great effort! "What happened?" she asks, rushing towards Nao and grabbing her by the shoulders. "What'd he do?"

"We talked, that's all," she responds, putting her hands back on Haruka's shoulders to steady herself. "He said some pretty crazy stuff that I can't really believe, but for now, we're working in the same direction."

Haruka looks confused. "Okay...so that means we don't beat him up?"

"Not yet. Let's go back inside, first," she replies, heading back into the mall. "Ah, you still got his phone?"

"Mmhm," she says simply.

"Gimme. You know how Higurashi was supposed to be a HiME? He said she's been taken prisoner by the First District somewhere. He'll be sending me the address. I think I can trust that much, at least. Looks like she wasn't eloping, after all."

Haruka hands over the phone. "What's the First District? And h ow do we know this isn't a trap?"

"Some kind of organisation that has something to do with us HiME. I don't know what exactly, but I do remember hating them. And.. well, I don't think so. Suzushiro..."

Nao sighs. "You're not a ghost, right?"

Haruka punches Nao in the shoulder. *Playfully*, but that word probably doesn't mean the same thing to Haruka as it does to other people. "You tell me. If I'm a ghost, it was rude of someone not to tell me before now."

"Seems like you might be. I don't get it myself, but he basically told me that you died. Except you're still here. And you're not the only one."

"I am *totally* still alive, Nao." Haruka thumps one fist into the opposing palm for emphasis, with a meaty *smack*. "I think he was playing a joke on you. *I* know I'm still alive, so I'm not going to worry about it. If Higurashi is someone's prisoner, though, then *that's* our main concern. I will NOT allow a Fuka student to be incalculated without good cause."

"It's incarcerate- no, this actually happened! I remember losing my child, you know? My mother... she died when I lost. But she's still alive, and... so's Takumi Tokiha, isn't he. I knew he died, I remembered he was dead, but he's still alive, in that hospital."

Nao's mouth stops moving for a moment, and she slumps on a bench, looking at Haruka with pity, of all things.

"The festival happened. But then it somehow unhappened. And now it's happening again. Definately not a joke. If I can remember bits of it, can't you? How do you forget dying? Was it because Yukino lost, or something else?"

Haruka radiates confusion. "Huh? I don't have to forget dying, because it didn't happen. Look, Nao, I don't know what that guy told you, but I don't remember any of that stuff happening. And I'm not going to waste time thinking about it, either. If what he told you about Higurashi is true, then we'll go find her. That's something we can *do*."

"He'll give us the details when he gets them," replies Nao, dispiritedly. "He did say that given the circumstances, fighting out the festival might be a bad idea due to some metaphysical crap. I guess that's a bright spot."

"I knew that much already, metababble or not. So, if we can't do that right now, I'd say we owe Miss Mashiro a visit."

"Yeah, I've got to ask her about a robot."

"Robot? Whatever, we'll add that to the list of questions. Let's go. Oh, and there are cops all over the school. They were real excited when I left, so I think they might've found the cave. If they ask, we didn't know anything about it. So, ready?"

"Oh, great, cops! They weren't interested in me, were they?"

"No. A detective of theirs vanished. Oiishi. They were looking for him. ...They don't have reason to be interested in you, do they?"

"Well, I killed someone, and then didn't attend class for the next few days," mutters Nao.

"Yeah, but I don't think they know about Arika. And skipping class is something for the Executive Committee to worry about, so we should be okay."

"No, I don't care about getting caught for skipping class, but if they put two and- I mean, yeah, you're right. Let's head back. I'm curious to know what happened to the detective, too. There's a lot of people around who wouldn't appreciate a nosy cop."

Haruka thinks she'd already met the cabbie taking them back to campus. It feels quite possible, with the way she keeps on shuttling to and from town that the day she is on a first name basis with all of them in Fuka isn't far.

The police presence at the Academy seems lessened, at least judging from the gates. Executive Committee members have been dismissed from their posts, and a pair of cops in uniform are standing guard in their stead. Neither Nao nor Haruka are accosted as they approach, seeking to enter the complex.

If the cops aren't interested in her, she doesn't care about them. Haruka means to head straight to Mashiro without wasting any time.

Nao could stand to be interested in cops, but she doesn't want them to be interested back, so she toddles after Haruka. If she put on some glasses- wait, she already has.

It's a sad day.

There is no answer at Mashiro's office, Haruka discovers.

Haruka looks around. "I wonder if we could break the door down..."

"Huh? Why go to that much trouble? I hate to ruin a perfectly good door."
Nao walks forward and proceeds to give the lock the same treatment she gave Shizuru's. "Besides, that's noisy."

"Well...I guess. It *does* get around damaging Fuka property."

Nao is yet to meet a lock that stands firm against her wiles. The door opens at her prodding.

No maids assault her at the insolence.

"So this is where another dead person lives," muses Nao, heading inside and closing the door behind. "You think she might've left something interesting here, though?"

"Let's find out!" Haruka's likely to scan for any conveniently incriminating documents, first.=, if there's a desk around.

"Even if there's nothing, it's fun to snoop around~"

"Yeah, well, don't make it a habit, Nao. Under *normal* circumstances, no student should ever be poking around in the headmistress's office."

"Aww, Haruka-chaaan, I'm the very soul of common decency! You don't need to tell me!"

There is one in Mashiro's room, down the corridor. Easily locating it, Haruka and Nao toss the place around! Mashiro's calendar reveals the first useful bit of information -- the Chairwoman is apparently away on business. She is expected to return somewhere within the week; if she is to return earlier, there are no appointment scheduled for her eariler.

Haruka expresses her skepticism of Nao with a simple "Huh, sure," then continues the search. the calendar suggests that they don't have to worry about anyone barging in on them, at least. "Though, isn't it strange for her to leave when there's this 'Festival' going on?"

"No, it makes a lot of sense. Her maid, Fumi, is a HiME. Why not spirt her away and let the others kill each other while you're gone, then come back and clean up the rest?"
Nao suddenly coughs. "Not that I thought of doing that."

Haruka considers this. "Huh. You're right. That's just...devious! I really didn't know her at all."

"You've got to think one step ahead of the enemy! And people who think they're your enemy. And people who think you're their enemy. Even if you don't want to be. Yep, that's the ticket. Come on, let's check out the rest of the place."

Searching further, Nao and Haruka discover that the Chairwoman keeps a lot of cash in a locked drawer of her desk.

Haruka doesn't care about the cash. The lack of a computer is frustrating--though Haruka wouldn't know what to do with it if she found one, she could probably coerce someone into hacking it for her!

Nao does care about the cash, but, you know, cops (and Haruka can pay for everything important, anyway.)

"I don't think we'll be finding anything helpful around here, though. I mean, would you leave 'secret master plan to have a dozen students kill each other' papers lying around where anyone could find them?" asks Nao, forgetting who she's talking to.

"No, I'd just ask Yukino if I forgot anything," Haruka admits, in a rare moment of self-deprecation. "Got any other ideas? Maybe she has a secret room hidden here somewhere?"

"What, you want to go around pulling on books and all of that to see if something opens? We'll be here all night, it'd be quicker just to knock the house down and see what's left."

Haruka shrugs. "Well, it's that or we go see what's up with the cops. I mean, come on, she's the headmistress. She has to know *something*!"

"She has a brain, even if it is tiny. She's probably keeping it all in there," replies Nao, snorting. "Cops, sure. You do the talking?"

"Yeah, yeah. They know me already anyway."

Heading towards the front door, Nao and Haruka both hear someone approaching it from the other side.
Nao blanches, and darts into a nearby room, deciding that discretion is the better part of valor. There are.. windows and backdoors and things! Common sense.

Haruka is totally entitled to go wherever she wants. She's on the Executive Committee, right? So really, there's no reason for them to look guilty about being here! ...Though, she kind of has to follow Nao's lead, now. She's not very happy about that, but she runs after the redhead.

It doesn't even require a Hime's speed and agility to make a clean getaway. Either their presence has gone undetected for the time being, or whomever it was lacked the desire to go in pursuit.

"I'm gonna stay hidden around here for a while and see if they come out again," mutters Nao. "You wanna go talk to the cops?"

"Yeah, you can find me later. Just use my new number."

Nao mutters something about 'voice' and 'loud' and 'other side of mountain'.

"Got it. I put mine on there already, too."

<--->

<--->

Haruka looks around for a good place to exit Mashiro's residence undetected. She's not used to sneaking around!

The two are in Mashiro's garden. It shouldn't be too difficult to get anywhere Haruka would like, if she's brave enough to travel through the hedge maze.

She'll probably get lost once or twice, but it's not like she's in a rush. I mean, who goes to class anymore these days?

Though time has passed while Haruka went through Mashiro's private things, the two cops she had seen at the gates upon returning to campus are still there. Their shift must be a lengthy one.

Haruka assumes her usual authoritarian manner instantly. "Hey, you two! Did you turn up any sign of Oiishi while I was in town?"

Haruka had never experienced two adults going on guard so swiftly before, at the expense of a few words from her, even including her previous experience with cops. "What about Detective Oiishi?"

"What do you mean 'What about Detective Oiishi?' I asked you a simple question. You guys came here looking for him. I know, because the officer in charge brought me along. So if you two don't know anything, point me in the right direction."

"You want information? Go ask at the station," Haruka is told rather rudely.

Haruka scowls. They can't take that tone with her. This is *Haruka's* turf! "I've been in town already today. Look, I was the last one to talk to Oiishi. Your superiors thought I was impotent enough to bring me along when they came to look for him. I might just turn out to know something useful, so you can send me to 'em now or face the consequences for obstructing justice later."

They exchange looks. "Do you know anything useful?" she is asked, far more nicely this time.

"I just said I was the last one to talk to him, didn't I?"

<--->

<--->

[18:13] "Anything useful that you haven't told Detective Ootori already," one of them clarifies.
[18:14] "New information," the other helpfully supplies.
[18:14] Haruka doesn't, actually. So: "Well, sure," is all she says.
[18:15] "Looks like you'll need to go to the station after all, then," Haruka is told, and it doesn't sound like a request.
[18:17] Well hey, she didn't have any other immediate plans, right? Maybe the cops will actually tell her something useful this time! But probably not.
[18:19] It isn't necessary to use a cab this time around. Haruka gets taken to the police station in a squad car, and then lead in the direction of the interview rooms; not to the one Natsuki had made her escape from previously, however.
[18:19] Oh, nice. Who did they capture this time?
[18:20] No one seems to be in the room when Haruka is shown inside, and left there for the time being.
[18:23] Well, surely they'll bring whoever it is in soon enough.
[18:24] The detective she had spoken to earlier that day finally makes an appearance, claiming one of the seats in the sparsely-decorated room for himself. "Hello again, Suzushiro," he greets her. "I was told you had some new information to help in our investigation?"
[18:28] Oh right, Haruka doesn't actually have anything new to say. Time to improvise! "Oh, well, I dropped by headmistress Mashiro's place to tell her you'd be investigating around the school grounds, but I couldn't find her. Everything was locked up and it didn't seem like she was there. Don't you think it's strange for the headmistress to be gone at a time like this?"
[18:30] Ootori blinks. Placing the pen he had taken out back on the table, he says. "You are suggesting that Miss Mashiro knew in advance of these events and left in advance?"
[18:33] "I'm not sure what it means. She could be missing for other reasons. I mean, she wouldn't be the first important person to vanish in the last week. But either way, this is exactly the kind of saturation she should be here for and there's no trace of her."
[18:36] He sighs, and flips through his notepad. "The chairwoman left on business. We've managed to confirm that, and her trip was planned in advance. I can understand how it would be easy to jump to hasty conclusions without having all the facts, but at the same time, I would appreciate it if you didn't go around spreading rumors which lack any proof."
[18:38] "Alright, so did you find out anything important after I left this morning?"
[18:44] "Here's the thing," Ootori says, gesturing at the other folding chair. "We've discovered Detective Oiishi's car. It was some distance off the road to Fuka Academy; it does not seem likely that it could've merely strayed from the road on its own. Despite our search teams, we couldn't locate the detective himself. There are no tracks -- nothing, as if he disappeared. Judging by the way his car was smashed and the blood we found within, however... it doesn't look good."
[18:50] Haruka nods respectfully. "Well...I guess I do have one more thing to add today. There's a boy at Fuka named Nagi, and he's implied that he knows all sorts of things about the strange events going on lately. He could just be looking for attention, but he's kind of a bad seed, so I think it's possible he could be involved in something criminal here. I haven't been able to corner him and get answers. Maybe you guys would have better luck?"
[18:51] "Nagi?" The detective writes the name down. "Is that his first name? Last? Can you describe him?"
[18:54] "First name. I'm afraid I don't know his full name. I'll ask around when I get back to school. He's a short kid, kind of sinister-looking, red eyes, pale blue hair. And he might look like a harmless kid, but he's not. I saw him at the mall and tried to get some answers out of him but, well...I didn't think a kid his age could jump like that."
[18:56] "I see," Ootori comments, flipping through his notepad again. "Very interesting. Alright, we'll look into it. In the meantime, would you be able to help me get in contact with Kikukawa Yukino? I have a few questions for her as well, I'm afraid."
[18:58] "I wish I could," Haruka says in all honesty. "I haven't seen her all day. She's usually right behind me. I can give you her number but that phone's probably dead, like a lot of them these days." She gives the detective her own new number, at least.
[19:00] "Yes, that's what we heard from the other students," he says, writing it down. "The two of you were apparently quite inseparable, and then, you were no longer seen with her. I believe it was about that same day that you last talked to Detective Oiishi?"
[19:02] "That's right. She was in my room the last time I saw her. I went out to go on patrol around the school, and when I got back she was gone. She must have left on her own, because it didn't look like anyone broke in or anything."
[19:04] Ootori nods once again. "It is most troubling. Kikukawa was from class 1-A of the highschool section, I believe?"
[19:04] "Yes, that's right."
[19:06] "We've found out that Detective Oiishi was investigating the girls in that class just before his disappearance," Ootori tells Haruka, observing her as his notepad lies on the table, forgotten. "And now five girls from it have gone missing, two of them connected to you in some way."
[19:07] Haruka simply nods. "And believe me, I'm just as determined to find out where they went as you are."
[19:10] "It is quite admirable," he agrees. "Was that why you sought out Yuuki Nao, who happened to be Senoh Aoi's roommate?"
[19:13] "We kind of found ourselves in the same place at the same time." The infirmary, actually! "And I'd heard she was in town with the other girls when Fujino was killed, so I thought she might know something. We've kind of just been working together since then."
[19:15] "Oh? We didn't know that part," Ootori muses. "You mean to say that Yuuki had been on the outing with Fujino, or just coincidentally in town at the same time?"
[19:17] "They went into town with a group, I think."
[19:18] The detective writes something down on the pad, again. "Any reason why?" he asks, not raising his eyes. "From what we've been able to ascertain, Yuuki is a loner, not to mention several years younger than Fujino. They seem like they would move in different crowds."
[19:19] Haruka just nods. "It surprised me too."
[19:19] "You don't know," he agrees, nodding himself. "Quite understandable. You're not there to police the social lives of students, after all."
[19:20] Haruka nods again. They'd better not take it into their heads to do that!
[19:21] "And has your joint investigation with Yuuki turned up anything, besides this Nagi character?"
[19:22] "Not much," Haruka admits, the disappointment here honest and quite obvious from her tone. "It's very flustrating."
[19:23] "You are not alone in this," Ootori says, standing up. "Thank you for coming in. You can be assured that we'll catch whomever's responsible for all these abductions."
[19:24] Haruka also stands up. "I hope so."
[19:25] "I know it's hard," he tells her sympathetically. "Knowing that your friend might have been abducted, and helpless to do anything about it."
[19:27] "Oh, I'm not helpless. I'll keep looking until I find her. No one can stop the Suzushiros when they put their minds to doing something!"
[19:28] "So will we," Ootori promises.
[19:28] Haruka nods, though she remains far more confident in her own methods!

<--->

<--->

Nao's phone dials Haruka's... and dials... and keeps dialling...

Haruka answers, of course. "What's new?"

"Precious little. Where are you?"

"Police station. Well, leaving it. I'm coming back to Fuka now. Guess I'll meet you there?"

"Mmmhmmmm they know anything, or are we all still in the dark?"

"They found Detective Oiishi's car outside the school, and there was blood inside it. No idea who or what got to him. Other than that, they don't know anything that we don't. I told them to keep an eye out for Nagi, at least."

"Oh, great. Worse luck, they'll find him, and he'll tell them about us. Did they tow his car away already?"

"What could he tell them that they'd actually believe? Anyway, I didn't ask about the car, but I think it's a safe ascension that they took it."

"Uh-huh. Find out where it happened or something? Still got time to kill until we learn where Higurashi is."

"They didn't tell me. But they did say that there wasn't a trail leading away from the car or anything. Like he just vanished? ...Or like something flew away with him."

"...then it could be anywhere. Better have your goons keep an eye on the sky from here on out, eh? Anyway, I'll meet you in the library."

"Sure thing." Haruka hangs up and hails a cab to ride back to school. She wonders if the cabbies know her by name yet.

The one who takes her back to campus doesn't, but the belief that it's only a matter of time gets stronger.

In any event, arrival at the library and looking for Nao proceeds, posthaste!

Nao seems to be at one of the computers, using it to try and look up architectural plots of the school.

"Hey," she grunts, glancing over at Haruka. "The guy snooping around the mansion was a cop or a detective or something, I think. He just looked around and left."

Haruka nods. "I asked about Mashiro while I was there. They know she planned to be out of town in advance. Also, I might have said something that leads to them being interested in you but they don't think you did anything so don't worry. Anyway, what are you looking at?"

"Maps," replies Nao, turning back to the computer. "Rather, I'm looking *for* maps, of the school. I keep thinking about that cave I saw, and it's got to be on Fuka, somewhere. Since all the weirdness seems focused around here, I thought there might be a clue."

She rocks back in the chair with a sigh. "God, I'm sick of this, though. I don't even know exactly what sort of stuff I'm looking for on these. It looks like so much scribble."

"-and wait, what? Well... whatever," she adds, before her voice grows suddenly soft and pleasant. "I lost my memory, detective, so I might not be very helpful to you," she mews, overwhelming Haruka with false sweetness.

"Exactly. It's nothing to worry about. Anyway, I guess there are no blueprints that say Hidden Secret Cave or anything?" It's hard to tell, but she actually sounds serious.

Nao gestures at the computer. "Check it out yourself, my eyes are getting sore."

Haruka doesn't really know anything about computers. That kind of thing is Yukino's job, you know? "I'll take your word for it. Anyway, I'm pretty much out of leads until we know more about where Higurashi is."

"Probably in for a wait. Why don't you go get some food or something?" replies Nao, standing up. "I've gotta go check if Sugiura called me back, too. I'll let you know when I know more."

"Sure thing." Haruka may as well check in with the goon squad and see if anything new's happened, or if Yukino's been around.

Nao intends to go back to Shizuru's room and check if Sugiura called back, as well as find out if her own dorm has, in fact, been opened up again or not.

<--->

Yukino hasn't been seen, and not just by Haruka. The blonde's inquiries only serve to increase the worries of fellow Executive Committee members, while not providing her with any fresh information.

Nao is no more successful than her partner, as Shizuru's room looks exactly the same as the last time she'd been there. Midori hadn't called back, which could mean a dozen different things. Her new, blank phone does get a call, however. It is still on silent mode, and Nao doesn't realize it at first, but she had been sent mail.

Nao reads the message (was it from a private number?)

Nao can't tell where it came from. On opening the message, she sees that it is very concise, containing only a set of numbers. Fiddling with the phone further reveals that amongst its installed programs is a GPS tracker.

Using phones comes naturally to Nao, so she inputs the directions on the one hand whilst calling Haruka on the other.

It turns out to be a good call, as the phone she had been given cannot handle both actions at once. While calling Haruka on her private cellphone, Nao sees the numbers resolve into coordinates. The location is not in Fuka, but still in Japan. She thinks it would be about half a day's drive from the Academy.

"I've got the place, but it's half a day's drive away. You don't have an easily-bullied friend with a car, do you? Or can your wallet handle the taxi?"

It is getting late. Nao knows they won't make it to their destination, whatever it might be, while there's daylight left. Any attempts at diplomacy might be harmed by that, though a nightly infiltration is another thing entirely.

"I'm sure it's getting used to the strain," Haruka says. "Besides, this mission is more important than money! This is about FUKA."

"Alright. Call a taxi, and I'll meet you at the roadside, just down from the gates."

Haruka does so, heading out from the gates to meet Nao.

The driver is one who recognizes Haruka, though she can't actually recall his name. "Where to?" he asks, rolling down the window.

"You up for a long drive?" asks Nao. "We're talking most of the night, here."

"It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make," Haruka says nobly.

"Not *you*."

The cabbie snorts. "It's a special rate at night, but your friend here knows all about it. Seems like she could afford it, too."

"You're loaded, aren't you, Suzushiro? We should just buy a frigging car or something," replies Nao, before giving some general directions to their destination.

Given that the cab lacks a GPS tracker of its own, Nao would have to provide directions as they go. Other than an inconvenience to her, however, it shouldn't be too difficult to get to their destination with the tools at their disposal.

Haruka just shrugs. It's not like her family didn't earn it all.

The drive takes them to the mainland through the bridge connecting the island to it, and Nao is once again melancholic as she passes it. There is a sense of wrongness in the bridge existing, she feels, but it soon disappears as they leave it behind. Darkness falls, the cab taking what feels like the scenic route at times, following the shore.

Eventually, the road takes Nao and Haruka further inland, beginning to rise soon afterwards. They pass through several tunnels, and Nao and Haruka can both see their phones' reception go inside, the cab's radio playing static for the duration. The GPS tracker never stops displaying information, however, its connectivity bar unchanged whenever Nao looks at it.

Hours after departing, around two o'clock, Nao can see them begin to reach their final destination. The maps displayed on her borrowed phone get smaller and smaller in scale. There is nothing on the map -- no cities, towns, villages or settlements of any kind. No gas stations. No industrial compounds. Yet the coordinates lead her ahead.

"I knew we should've stopped for food an hour ago," mutters Nao. "We're almost there, though."

Haruka is quite prepared to solider on without dinner! ...But a meal would've been nice, yeah.

As Nao stops the cab roughly a mile away from the coordinates, the driver looks at her. "Is this some kind of prank? Or a satanic ritual you kids are into these days?" he asks, seeming quite tired after the long drive.

"Sanatic ritual. We're off to meet with the coven. You get paid, so it's all the same, right?"

Haruks scowls. At the cabbie or Nao, it's hard to say. "Let's go already," she says, stalking off.

"Yes, about payment. If you want me to wait here, I'll need the fare back as well."

Haruka can cover that, so they may as well have him wait. They don't have any other way back to Fuka, do they?

It might be interesting to steal a vehicle from the place they're going, but there's no counting on that! Nao slips out and trails after Haruka.

"Ok, Suzushiro, I know this isn't your style, but we're *sneaking* in, not *breaking* in, right? I mean, there'll be breaking, but it should be quiet breaking."

Nao won't approach directly from the road, but will use the GPS to go around the.. whatever it is and come in from the side!

Haruka looks skeptical. "I'll do my best."

As Nao and Haruka travel on foot, the former discerns a building of some kind ahead. It appears blocky and unimaginative in design, perhaps two stories at most.

Haruka sees blurry darkness.

Nao squints to see if there's a wall surrounding it (for all the good that might do). Once they start getting close, she'll proceed more carefully until she's got a better picture of what needs to be done to get inside.

No walls, but there is a chainlink fence, as well as at least one guard post off to the side. The compound is dark.

"Are they even using this place?" murmurs Nao, glancing at the guard post- can she tell if any actual guards are there?

Given that it is more like a shack where guards would presumably be, she can't tell without actually coming far closer to it than she currently is. Nao can tell that if she'd continued on the original approach, she would have arrived at it, so the front gate is apparently located there.

Nao creeps up to the back of the guard post and listens for signs of inhabitance!

Haruka can barely see anything here, so she's mostly following Nao at the moment.

As Nao and Haruka make their way to the post, they are able to confirm that there is someone within. They also appear to have just heard something, debating their next move in hushed voices.

"So much for subtlety. Ready?" mutters Nao, creeping around to the entrance as a prelude to rushing inside and punching out all three.

"They're onto us!" Haruka whispers. "We'd better jump 'em!"

Nao rushes inside, having no difficulty seeing in the darkness. The guard post is manned, indeed -- there are three men in a uniform of some kind which she had not seen before, one sitting by a console which could be anything from a radar to a high-tech microwave. He has some kind of headphones on, which don't connect into anything, appearing wireless. Two others are holding automatic weapons, one in the center of the room and the other by a wall.

Like some kind of demented monster, Nao leaps through the door with blinding speed, almost bouncing off the walls. With a kick, she aims to send the central guard flying into his similarly armed friend, and intends to send his nerdy companion flying after them shortly thereafter.

The two guards go down, even as their seated companion whirls around at Nao's entrance! Nao is certain she heard a thump as her leg met the guard's chest, an uncomfortable feeling of ribs breaking under her foot, but then she has other issues more pressing to worry about, as the light switch it flipped. The guard post is illuminated in a flash, and Nao feels herself go blind!

<--->

<--->

Looks like it's finally time for Haruka to put her alternate self's gift to work! She materializes her mace and darts in after Nao, meaning to knock down whichever of the guards is left before than can move against the redhead.

Nao heart leaps into her throat, even as she throws herself into a clumsy roll away from where she was. "The light, fuck!"

That which takes Nao out of the fight allows Haruka to see the situation clearly. Only one of the guards is still in any shape to resist; it is the one manning the technical station. Haruka has no better luck identifying it than Nao on such a short notice, and then it largely becomes moot as the mace makes contact with the man's face, brutally sending him careening to the ground, and continuing to embed itself in the equipment. Sparks fly into the air.

Nao manages to duck behind a group of chairs, crashing against them with her back.

A guard tries to get up, pushing his downed comrade off himself.

Tangled up in the chairs and mostly unaware of what's going on, Nao isn't in much shape to react to that.

...Well. Probably best she avoids using that thing on regular people very often. The man trying to get up earns himself a good kick in the face instead.

Haruka crosses the guard post to deliver the kick before the man can even get back to his feet. His head snaps back, meeting the wall, and he sags back to the floor slowly.

A glance around to make sure all three of them are down for the count, then she checks on Nao.

Nao fishes around in her pockets for her sunglasses, and slowly puts them on.

Haruka doesn't think they're all unconscious, but it is quite doubtful any of them would be getting up any time soon. Or at all, in the case of two of them, if they don't receive medical attention soon.

And if they don't do any good, she struggles out of the chairs anyway. "We'd better hurry," she mutters, stumbling the door. "They got anything interesting in here?"

Haruka glances around. "Well, whatever that thingy was, it's wrecked now," she says, pointing to the ruined equipment.

Nao struggles to an upright position, although attempts to open her eyes and test the sunglasses are greeted with residual flashes. Perhaps, after a minute or two of giving her eyes time to adjust, the results would be different.

And sound beyond Nao and Haruka's returns, sudden. There are no screams from the guards, either in panic or pain. Only groans.

Haruka sees the outside illuminate, as if it were daylight.

Haruka squints and shields her eyes. That can't be a good sign.

"We've got to move," mutters Nao. "I can't see shit, but we should try and get inside before someone comes out here."

"I see no faults with this plan," Haruka announces, full of bravado as always. "Forward!" If there's anyone waiting for them outside the shack, they're getting a face full of mace.

"-the roof. We can jump to the top and go in that way!" grunts Nao, squinting as she gingerly heads through the door, hoping she can see better outside than she can in.

"*Jump* to the roof. Nao, I think I'm in pretty good shape, but not THAT good."

"'snot that hard," mutters Nao, opting to rush outside and make good on that once her vision has cleared up just enough to see dimly by.

Nao's vision clears up, and with the help of her shades, she can see that spotlights cover the entire compound. The majority of them seem to be coming from the main building's roof. Haruka's sight tells her much the same picture, albeit blurrier.

An alarm sound, jarring to their ears.

At that, Nao bolts, heading straight for the building and putting all her strength into a single leap to the heavens!

...Well, if Nao can do it, *Haruka* has to be able to!

Nao's practices come in handy as her legs catapult her at just the right height to land comfortably on the roof. She floats down through a column of light, hair trailing behind her, and other projectors try to focus on her, but they are slow, oh so slow to her tearing eyes.

Haruka follows, and her inexperience shows. Her jump is wasteful, taking her to easily two or even three times the necessary height, and then, she has to deal with the descent. A small mercy is that the operators of the projectors don't appear to anticipate an assault from such a height and angle, and Haruka enjoys what relative shadow there remains in the area.

Haruka crashes to the roof, stumbling to keep her footing. "I really shouldn't be able to do that," she announces...but hey, this isn't the time for questions. If she *can* somehow leap tall buildings in a single bound, she's going to put that ability to good use. For JUSTICE.

Haruka's legs hurt from foot to thigh. It's not the familiar pain of a broken bone or a twisted ankle, or even of overworked muscles. They merely protest, for lack of a better word. The roof where she landed groans, cratering, a spider web of cracks spreading from the point of impact.

Nao doesn't have time to catch Haruka; she's stuck running to punch out as many of the people here as she can- all but one. Half-blind as she is, it's difficult for her to pull her blows, but she does try to go for the torso and avoid the face.

"Ow ow ow." Prooobably not a good idea to stay there. She bounces away, hopping lightly across the roof towards Nao.

The roof doesn't collapse, and as Haruka hops after the blur that is Nao -- due to her speed, the blonde thinks, rather than a defect of her eyes -- she realizes with dismay that the pain in her legs does not go away.

Meanwhile, Nao has taken out three of the four people manning the rooftop projectors. As she punches the last one square in the face, the access door to the roof is thrown open. Something is thrown through it, bouncing a few times. It probably makes a sound of some sort, but the alarm makes that impossible to make out.

Nao grabs Haruka and pounces to the side of the access door, shielding her eyes.

"Is that a grenade? Oh shi-" That's all Haruka can say before Nao tackles her.

Even through her impromptu shield, Nao feels the flash go off, leaving her dazed. Haruka tastes dirt, tackled out of the blast area, and as she raises her eyes she sees two red-heads with their right hands over their faces.

There is the sound of boots stomping, louder and louder as people rush onto the roof.

"Play with them, Arach," spits out Nao, putting one hand against the wall and catching her breath for a moment.

There is gunfire. Nao can smell the gunpowder, but she and Haruka remain protected as Nao's Child materializes betwen them and the soldiers. With a metallic clicking sound, Arach's limbs split at the joints, blurring in the air in front of it. There is a drilling sound, unpleasant, bringing with it worse assosiations than sliding one's fingernails across a blackboard.

It's music to Nao's ears. She drags her claws across the back of the shack, opening a new door to drop through whilst Arach handles anyone stuck on the roof.

To Haruka, it contributes mightily to her budding headache.

"What the hell is that?" Haruka babbles, pointing to the spidermech. "Nao? Hey!" ...Well, at least it's shredding the Bad Guys. Haruka can't help but feel a little left out, though.

Nao cuts with her claws twice, and a doorway is made. Two surprised soldiers are behind it, and the one further back starts to aim his weapon towards the red-head.

"My beautiful Child."

Claws still out, Nao lunges at the man through the dust and haze created by her impromptu excavation, ready to do anything to remove the threat of the rifle. Ten scarlet strings spit forth before she realises it, dancing towards the armaments of the men and tearing them away.

Haruka was about to send a mace flying towards one of the men, but this is hard to do with Nao jumping in front. Oh well, she'll have to clean up the leftovers.

<--->

<--->

The wires tie themselves around the weapon of the soldier at the front. Rather than tugging it loose, however, they slice cleanly through the metal. The other soldier's weapon is trickier -- to get to it, Nao would need to send her wires through its comrade.

...Or, they could just knock #2's comrade into him! Haruka dips to one side of Nao to aboid hitting her, and then sends her mace flying towards the disarmed man's midsection, intending to knock him back more than actually injure him (though the latter is probably inevitable too).

The burst of gunfire from him merges with the other sounds of automatic weapons discharges to their side. Something grazes Nao's right arm, several inches above the elbow. Both soldiers topple over, and fall down the stairs.

Nao yelps in sudden shock, clutching her arm and exaggerating the pain that surely exists.

Putting it aside is difficult, but she tries to peer through the gap she's opened before jumping down- diving in front of more guns is the last thing she wants to do.

No soldiers remain on the stairwell that Nao can see; those two must've been the stragglers of the group.

Onwards, then! Haruka glances at Nao first. "Are you okay? Also, how do I get one of those crazy spider droids?"

Haruka's own voice sounds strange to her.

Haruka can only peer around the stairwell in confusion. Is there an echo in here?

With that, Nao drops through and dashes down a couple of flights, before she pauses for a moment to take a five-second breather.

"You don't have one?" asks Nao, raggedly. "And I'm fine. I think." Mild concern gnaws at her, but Arach shouldn't take long to deal with the other soldiers. "Are you coping, Suzushiro?" she adds, giving the blonde a weird look.

"Coping with what?" she asks, honestly oblivious to whatever it is that should be bothering her. Hey, she's on a MISSION here. There's no time for self-doubt.

The stairways are illuminated with a harsh red light. Nao and Haruka don't hear gunfire anymore.

Nao stares at her companion for a second, before sighing. "I guess I thought you might get scared. But you're the actual scary one," she opines, before dashing down the stairs to the floor below, ready to kick anyone in her way.

"Arach, begone," she mutters to herself, suddenly paranoid about leaving her Child alone. She has to take care of it, after all.

"I'm just determined, that's all!" Haruka shouts, chasing after her companion. Man, she really has to get one of those awesome robots.

There is no answer, audible or otherwise.

The door exiting to the first floor is before the two Hime. Haruka's finding it difficult to keep up with Nao's pace.

"Nao, slow down a little! I'm not used to this whole filtration thing."

"We're right past infiltarting and into invading," replies Nao, pausing at the door to both give Haruka a couple of seconds and to listen- and then bursting through, blurring through the flashing lights and searching for someone to punch or grab.

Nao shoulder rams the door off its hinges, arriving at the inner corridor. The area is well-illuminated, the red ceiling lights flashing in tune to the alarm's wail. No one is in the immediate vicinity.

Well, that's convenientL it means Haruka can actually catch up. "Do we have any idea where in this faculty Higurashi is being held?" she asks, glancing around.

The corridor goes to a T-shaped intersection at one end, and to a set of double doors on the other. Nao and Haruka are roughly in its middle.

"Double doors always lead somewhere important. I say we go there next."

Nao bolts for the doors and goes straight through them, letting them swing in her wake. Even as she goes through them she anticipates trouble, rolling to the left (on her good shoulder.)

Haruka chases after her (again), stumbling a little as the doors swing back and hit her. That's it, she needs to take the lead next time.

Nao's hunch is on the money. As she rolls to the side, completing a turn, she spots five soldiers taking aim at the doors, which haven't even finished closing back. This appears to be a reception hall of some sort. Two of the soldiers are using the reception desk as cover, while the other three have overturned a sofa to use as a makeshift barricade.

Focused bursts of gunfire from two different spots greet Haruka in a crossfire, as she rushes into the room after Nao. The stumble she took after hitting her head on the swinging doors saved her brains from getting pasted all over the wall behind her, but she is hit all the same -- twice in her right leg, above the knee and higher up the thigh, and a lucky bullet in her side.

<--->

<--->

Haruka falls backwards, back into the hallway, hitting the wall and sliding to the floor. The legendary Suzushiro determination doesn't have a lot of experience dealing with gunshot wounds. She also has to wonder what exactly Nao has been up to lately if she's totally at ease running into a room full of armed soldiers.

Dammit, this whole thing would be easier if she had her own awesome spiderbot to send after her enemies. Then again, maybe she does? The other Haruka mentioned something about Orihime...well, it's worth a shot. She reaches her hand towards the door, gesturing dramatically! "Orihime...Go crush my enemies! Everybody who's not Nao!"

Already concussed, yet another blow to the head doesn't help Haruka's condition. As she floates in and out of consciousness, her injuries almost decide the battle before her reaching hand is firmly grasped.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Haruka angrily asks herself.

"Well, I was trying to make a heroic stand...seemed like the right time and everything...But in the long run, we're rescuing Higurashi."

"By getting your full head shot fool of holes?!" Haruka asks incredulously. She pulls Haruka back up, slapping her upside the head. "You need to take this seriously! Do you know what kind of responsibility you have? What if you'd already signed the contract? What then? Will you die and take someone else along with you, just because they happened to be close to you?"

"Hey, my head is completely intact. There's nothing wrong with me at all, except that I'm bleeding heavily. I thought, hey, maybe I could summon something to help too!"

Haruka looks frustrated with herself. "It's not a thing! Your Child is your most important person's soul!" Letting go of Haruka, Haruka crosses her hands in front of her chest. "You can't have it until you have the determination to die before allowing anyone to destroy your Child."

"You're me, right? You KNOW I'm determined. You know I'd rather die than let anything bad happen to Fuka. That's why I'm lying in a pool of my own blood right now! So you should know damn well that I'm qualified and I'm not sure what else there is to discuss."

"It's not a pool just yet," Haruka notes with a snort, her eyes dipping briefly to glance at the floor. "And maybe I'm not you."

Yukino is standing there now, peering at Haruka from behind her glasses. "Are you going to sacrifice me for Fuka, Haruka-chan?" she asks, keeping her voice neutral.

Haruka seems to miss the point of this whole display. "What, Yukino?" She climbs to her feet and grabs her friend by the shoulders. "Where have you been? No one's seen you all day and I've been worried to death!"

Yukino slaps her calmly across the face. "Focus, Haruka-chan. I can't be yours if I don't know your true feelings."

"My feelings are that it's not a victory for Fuka if we have to sacrifice any of the students to save it. You should know that much."

The first emotion Yukino shows Haruka is disappointment. "You're avoiding an answer. Unless this is it. Don't you have anyone more important than anyone else in the world? Is every Fuka student exactly the same to you? That would make me very sad, Haruka-chan. I don't think I could help you then."

"Yukino, you know I've watched out for you in particular, and I always will. And I don't know who else I could rely to point out whenever I mess something up." The admission of Haruka Suzushiro actually being incorrect about something sounds like a fast she wouldn't acknowledge to someone else. "You should know that."

Yukino's expression mellows. "Let's form a contract, then." She offers Haruka her right hand. "As long as you don't sacrifice me--" Yukino's left arm reaches for her glasses, and when she takes them off, Shizuru is staring back at Haruka, an amused smile on her lips. "--it doesn't matter who I am. But you always have to treasure me, and place my life above even yours. That is what our contract is. You can't live without me."

Haruka is silent for a moment, and then nods. "Let's do it," she says seriously. The words may be simple but, well, so is Haruka. Her tone should get across everything that needs to be said here. She takes the other's hand, whoever's it may be.

<--->

<--->

The instant their hands touch, Haruka feels a discharge of energy course through the point of contact. Unable to stop her muscles from twitching, she falls back, impacting against the wall once again.

Nao emerges through the doors, illuminated by the corridor lights. The gunfire seems to have tapered off.

A bronze statue is standing over the fallen Haruka. She turns towards Nao, and her hair lashes out at the red-head, stopping a foot away from her for some reason as she looks at Nao curiously. Framed by the unnatural hair is Shizuru's face, or pretty close to it. The statue lacks a mouth.

Nao darts backwards, out of reach of the hair. "Haruka! Shizuru?" she gapes, momentarily stunned. Her claws elongate, ready to deflect any blow, but she hesitates for a moment, allowing the statue time to make another move.

The bronze Shizuru is holding perfectly still.

Haruka waves both parties to a halt. "It's okay, I found some help. ...Um, Mecha-Fujino? Nao's our friend."

For once, Nao looks completely at a loss.

Haruka glances at Nao. "Look, I'm as surprised as you are. I'm also *bleeding*. So, I don't know if you know anything first aid, but, uh..."

Haruka also discovers that her headache and disorientation return with a vengeance.

"I.. how bad is it?" winces Nao, gingerly walking past the... Fujino thing... and closer to Haruka. "There's probably something around here.. somewhere. Bandages. I don't know."

"I, uh...it's the first time I've been shot, so I don't exactly have a frame of inference. 'Not good' is a place to start, though. Bandages would be a help. And we've got to keep moving, before more of them find us." She looks up at the...statue. "So, Mecha-Fujino...can you carry me for now and still be able to protect us?"

Silence is Haruka's only response. Orihime doesn't move one bit to acknowledge her.

"Um...let's try it this way: Orihime, pick me up before I bleed to death!"

Nao glances at the soldier she dragged in. If he doesn't have a medkit on him, his clothes will become improptu bandages, at least until they find something better around here.

Regardless of the circumstances, Haruka will probably need a doctor after this.

Orihime complies with Haruka's orders orders. The Child flows rather than moves across the short distance. Its arms elongate, wrapping around Haruka, and raise her, pressing the blonde against her Child's chest.

This seems to have no effect on the bleeding.

After searching the soldier, Nao discovers that he seems to have some emergency supplies, handily marked off with a red cross. There is a sterile packaged bandage and a syringe with liquid of some sort.

The syringe is probably anaesthetic, but Nao doesn't know how to properly apply it.

She can handle the bandaids, though, and ties them to Haruka's wounds as quickly as she can- speed is more important than efficiency.

With that done, she nods. "That way," she indicates, heading back down to the T-intersection. This time, however, she intends to let her Child take the lead, with Orihime bringing up the rear.

Haruka nods. "Orihime, follow Nao."

The instant Arach steps into the intersection, it is sprayed with gunfire from both directions. Bullets bounce off its form, some ricocheting on dangerous vectors, but Arach's limbs prevent them from reaching Nao.

Orihime's hair is spread around the Child in a golden halo, forming a protective circle around Haruka, who is cradled in its arms.

Haruka can't do much on her own to help with this fight. Unless there's somewhere safe Orihime can set her for the duration, that is.

Orihime provides no fresh insight on the situation.

"Get back to the stairwell," mutters Nao, backing away there herself, away from any guards. "Arach, deal with them," she adds, letting the monstrosity deal with the mundane for the time being.

Haruka can't disagree. "Orihime, follow Nao...again!"

Orihime executes Haruka's orders, retreating after Nao even as screams sound from across the bend.

Through the opened door, Nao can't see any fresh guards charge at them from the stairway.

Eventually, the screams should stop, and once the sound dies away, Nao will determine it to be safe to emerge once more.

It takes the better part of two minutes.

"They'll run out of these guys eventually, I hope."

For that two minutes, Nao squats back against the wall, cupping her face with her hands and constantly massaging her temple.

"If they're smart, they'll all have run off by now," replies Nao. Her voice is flat.

"Smart? They're guards. Intelligence is not in the job deposition." She nods. "Anyway, let's move on. Arach takes the lead still, I guess."

"If they're stupid, and you got shot by them, what does that make you?"

Nao peers out either side of the corridor before emerging, and goes back to the T-junction.

Haruka thinks that Orihime is leering at her.

It makes her very lucky to have Mecha-Fujino, basically, but that's not much of a comeback. She scowls at her Child and turns her head away. "And no sass out of you, just follow Nao."

Bodies litter both ends, Nao sees. None move, though they're all still in one piece, if bloodied. She can't tell more without stopping by each one to check for vitals.

As Orihime follows Nao, Haruka can distinctly feel someone tracing their fingers lightly down her spine, agonizingly slowly.

Each new corridor before Nao ends in a reinforced door.

Haruka shudders. "Hey Nao, out of curiosity, does your Child ever behave...inappropriately?" Presumably the bodies lining the hall have nothing to do with Haruka's query.

Nao slowly trudges towards the door, briefly stopping to check the pulse of one of the soldiers.

"Haruka... it's the second time, today, that I've used him to fight," whispers Nao, peering through the window in the doorframe.

"That's not really what I meant," Haruka replies, quietly now that they're entering a new area.

There is a faint pulse on the soldier Nao stops by. Beyond the window, there is a row of similar doors, their distance from each other suggesting they lead into rooms. The corridor ends after seven such dorways.

No living soul can be seen beyond the door.

Something is nibbling on Haruka's left ear.

Hey! Mecha-Fujino didn't even have a mouth! How's that possible? "Stop messing with me," Haruka commands. "That's an *order*. We have an important job to do here."

It doesn't seem like there will be much reason to fear here, so Nao slits the door open with her claws and pushes it open.

"In the end, the Child does what I tell it to," she responds, heading through the door to peer at these other rooms. "Can you identify Higurashi?"

"Yes, it won't be a problem," Haruka says, still monitoring Orihime for any signs of insolence.

The first two rooms are empty, looking like they would fit in a psychiatric ward. The insides are sterile white, and appear padded. The third is similar, but Nao notices pictures hanging on the walls. It's difficult to discern then from the corridor.

Haruka confirms that Orihime still lacks a mouth. Its hands continue to hold her closely to its chest, and the Child follows Nao around as ordered. If only the damned nibbling would stop, too.

Arach stands guard at the intersection. It seems alert to Nao, but does not react to her advancing past the now-ruined door.

"Found anything, Nao?" Haruka asks, doing her best to ignore Orihime's rank insubordination.

Nao knocks briefly on the door. If no reaction is forthcoming, she slits this one open and heads inside. "Maybe."

The room is empty, no response forthcoming. Taking hold of the door's handle, Nao notices that this door is open, and there is no need to ruin the lock.

Nao bursts inside, rolling into the centre of the room and looking for inhabitants.

Nao is met with no resistance as she executes her plan.

The only things of note inside the room are the drawings taped to the walls. They all seem to be of a smiling boy with shaggy brown hair. The drawings feel like they've been made by a child.

Haruka motions Orihime to walk over to the door so that she can look inside and see what Nao's found.

Nao stares at them uselessly and then heads back outside, intending to check out the rest of the rooms.

Haruka is carried into the padded room at her request. It feels very comfortable, and she gets a strange urge to spend the rest of her life there.

The remaining four doors lead to rooms just like the first two, all barren.

There's the other side of the corridor to check out, then. Nao uses Arach to open the first door, though, and checks out the rest in succession. "There's still the second floor," she reminds Haruka, but her heart isn't in it.

Five more rooms are behind this door, equally empty. Unlike the other corridor, however, this one leads into a set of double doors much like the ones in the reception room.

Upon checking, only the third door at the other corridor was open. The rest of the rooms are locked away.

Haruka orders Orihime to take her back out of the room. "Nao...I think this was Higurashi's room. The drawings are blurry, but I remember her boyfriend had brown hair."

Haruka's sides are being tickled mercilessly. Unfortunately, she's feeling too nauseous to enjoy the ministrations.

"They must have taken her away when the alarm sounded," replies Nao, ordering Arach through these doors and trailing after him, picking up the pace.

"Yeah," Haruka says, squirming in her Child's grasp. "Unless we can find someone who knows where she went, and fast, we should retreat. I don't know much longer I'll be conscienscious."

"-oi, don't fall asleep! I can't just have your Child carry you into the ER, you know!"

"Right. I hate to say it, but we might need to leave now, then."

Nao moves past Arach, no bullets greeting them as they cross the threshold. The chamber is large, and resembles an operating room. A hospital bed dominates its center, a variety of instruments which see entirely high-tech even for surgeons surrounding it.

A girl in a blue hospital gown is seated on the bed. She has short brown hair and reddish eyes that seem a bit dull to Nao as she turns its head to stare in the red-head's direction -- but that could be the fault of the emergency lighting meddling with the regular illumination.

Haruka steals a glance down the hall, at the room Arach's entering. "Wait a mi--I think that's her!"

Beyond the bed, there is another exit from the room. It resembles the locked door at the T-shaped intersection.

Nao rushes over to the girl, crouching next to her. "Akane? Higurashi Akane?" she asks, trying to force some cheer into her voice. No matter what, this trip hasn't been a total waste, then.

Arach blurs, reappearing before Nao halfway towards the girl. It feels more alert to Nao than at any other point during her assault on the base.

The girl on the bed tilts her head slightly, not reacting to Nao's words. "What was that, Kazu-kun?" she asks softly. "You want me to defeat her?" She jumps off the bed, reaching down, and a pair of large tonfa appear in her hands. "Alright, Kazu-kun. If it's for you."

<--->

<--->

Haruka is speechless for a moment. Then: "Whoa, Higurashi? We're here to *help* you, so it would be best for you to not attack us."

"He's not here, Akane. It's just us," replies Nao, in a low voice. "Fighting isn't... good."

"I was afraid of fighting, too," Akane says, looking at Nao and Haruka. Her eyes seem dull, lifeless. "But then, one day, Mai-chan gave me courage. Kazu-kun accepted me for what I am."

"Akane, did Mai also tell you that it would be a bad idea to fight your classmates? Because it totally is."

Mai? Nao is going to have to have words with Mai about this, later.

"Right. Mai is your friend, right? She wouldn't want this," adds Nao, doing her very best to be soothing. "Let's... go back to Fuuka, okay?"

"Go back to Fuka..." Akane says quietly, before her head tilts once again. "I'm sorry, Kazu-kun. I won't leave you!" she promises, showing emotion for the first time.

Arach presses against Nao, pushing her back.

"We'll just bring him with us!" Haruka says hurriedly. "Right?"

Nao doesn't resist her Child's urges, backing away from the unpredictable girl. She nods at Haruka's words, but dread wells up in her regardless.

"No! I won't let you take him!" Akane yells. "HARRY!"

A beast materializes before her, twin turbines welded horrifically to its back. They begin to whirl ominously.

Haruka thinks the Child has a disctinctive green tint.

That's it. If she's gonna live in a dreamworld, Haruka will have to push her into a different hallucination! "Akane Higurashi! In the name of the Executive Committee, I demand that you stand down this instant! Students fighting is strictly against the rules of conduct of Fuka Academy and you WILL be held accountable for breaking if you precede with violence here. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"

"You're... what happened to you?" blurts out Nao, even has her claws spike from her fingers and she makes ready to attack herself, ignoring Haruka's tirade.

"I'm talking SERIOUS detention here, Higurashi!" Granted, this whole tirade would likely be more impressive if Haruka could walk on her own.

"Harry... eat them."

The whispered command might be lost in the torrent of Haruka's yells, although a Hime's ears pick it up easily enough. It helps that the alarm is no longer blaring; when did it stop?

Akane's Child, a fierce feline the size of bison, leaps at the closest being it recognizes as an enemy -- Arach!

"ARACH!" screams Nao, and her strings fly forth to wrap around the unnatural tiger's leg, dragging it away as to ironically protect her guardian.

Nao herself runs to the right with terrible reflexes, every hurried step leaving a dent in the floor.

"Great, just great," Haruka bitches. "Orihime? I need Higurashi immobilized as quickly as possible. Not hurt, just make sure she can't do anything to us. Set me down in a corner somewhere if you have to." She summons her mace--she can at least fend off anyone moving towards her, if not really FIGHT.

Nao weaves a web of red from her claws to Harry's legs, using all her strength to redirect it to the right. In that, she fails, just as she finds herself unable to cut through the beast's appendages. An unexpected result of her actions, however, is tying both of the massive tiger's front paws together just as Arach slams a limb into the beast's head. The limb breaks with a metallic tearing sound, but Harry topples on its side as a result.

There is a rustling; it is Arach, Nao realizes. Her Child is the source of the noise, and it doesn't make a follow-up attack.

Orihime flows around Haruka's body, the crossed arms it cradles Haruka in becoming liquid and covering the blonde in a sheaf of bronze-tinted see-through metal. Her vision is distorted, but still serviceable enough in close quarters. There is a leap -- Haruka flies through the air. Over Harry, a bit off to the tiger's side, and she can see the twin whirlwinds sucking in the very light near them like miniature black holes. Orihime's outline distorts as it passes near Harry, some of the same liquid bronze making up its body being sucked into the nearest turbine.

But then Orihime has made its way through, and reforms into a humanoid form again. Its hair lashes out, clashing with Akane's tonfa in showers of sparks. The other Hime manages to defend against the attack, but she only has two arms while Orihime's attacking hairs split and flow and split again, ever-increasing the pressure on the brown-haired girl. Now at close quarters with her, Haruka realizes to her shock that Akane's eyes truly are dead, unseeing.

Haruka might have her hangups. But Nao doesn't. "We can't fight like that, Haruka! With Hime, it's kill or be killed!" she shouts, lunging towards Harry's exposed stomach while the whirlwinds are directed elsewhere, and shoving her ten-inch claws into any gaps she can find!

Haruka isn't going to kill anyone if she doesn't have to. ...Although from the looks of things, Akane's already gone. "Akane isn't the only one that dies if you do that, Nao! Remember?" Maybe the Child can be...bargained with, even if its master cannot? "Child of Akane Higurashi, 'Harry!' Stand down or Orihime WILL strangle your master to death!"

"Better him than me!" snarls Nao.

Nao's claws bounce off the tiger Child's stomach with a dull clang. The worst part about the attack, however, is the pain. Nao once had a nail torn off, in an accident, but this feels like all ten of them on her hands had suffered the same fate.

Arach sends a torrent of some foul-smelling web at the topmost turbine on the downed tiger's back. Nao is close enough to see it slow down, turning erratically now as it tries to cut through the webs clogging it up.

Orihime keeps on scaling up its attack, and Akane is now pushed back, the hospital bed's metal supports groaning and then snapping free of the ground, the contraption crashing backwards. Akane's forehead creases with the efforts, but her eyes never show any intelligence within them.

At Haruka's words, Harry struggles anew, and the wire holding his front legs togehter snaps, Nao no longer holding it tight together.

"Dammit. Orihime. I need her down for the count, NOW. If she's still alive afterwards, that's a bonus, but I need her to stop fighting immediately."

The claws had to have trouble with what most needed breaking. But there's more than one way to skin a cat, and Nao pounces back, intent on tying up all of it's legs, this time.

Rather than bashing against Akane's tonfa and keeping her occupied and on the defensive, Orihime's hair ties itself against the weapons, and pulls away sharply. Akane is strung in the air like a doll, crucified, wet pops sounding from her joints. She doesn't remains hanging long, however, as Orihime follows up by cleanly slicing through the exposed flesh of her arms, just above the palms.

The girl crashes back down, hospital gown splattered with her own blood, only to be impaled by Orihime shoving one of its reformed hands through her chest.

The blow avoids the heart, Haruka can tell that much, as well as any other vital organ, since Akane still draws breath.

Harry pounces at Orihime's back, shredding it mercilessly with its claws. Nao and Arach, working together, make use of its distraction. The beast's turbines have trouble working, one due to blunt damage to it and another from Arach's attack, and nothing is there to prevent Hime and Child from tying it up in a web so strong it cannot rip itself free from.

Nao's hands can't stop jittering. She clenches her fists to try and stop them, and to hold the web in place, and stares at Haruka's Child with what could be any of fear, respect, relief or awe.

Swallowing, she tries to speak. "Yeah. That's real better," she affects, determined to sound callous.

Haruka can only hope that Orihime wasn't severely damaged by that last-ditch attack. It's not like she can ask her Child and get a response, after all.

"That's it, we're getting out of this nuthouse. It looks like Orihime can walk me out and carry Higurashi...but I don't know what we could do with her once we get back to civilization anyway."

"Are you nuts? I can't hold her Child forever, and you cut off her fucking hands, Suzushiro! She'll come after you!"

Harry continues struggling, though the rate at which Arach can supply fresh adhesive exceeds the tiger Child's ability to cut through it. In such a state, Nao finds herself just able to hold it in place, but even she is human and would need to rest eventually.

"I know," Haruka says solemly. "And I'm not sure there's anything left of Higurashi in there anyway. ...Orihime? Finish her. Make it quick and as painless as possible."

Orihime's hand withdraws from Akane's chest, before sinking anew into the wounded girl's body before she had a chance to fall down. Akane is dead before Orihime's limb even exited from the back of the girl's head.

Harry lets out a keening wail.

Nao stares at Haruka for a long moment, and then at Harry's entangled form.

The weight of everything suddenly catches up to her, and she leans a hand against Arach, starting to breath heavily. "You know the deal," she manages. "We didn't have another choice, right?"

"That's what I'm telling myself, yeah." Haruka will worry about the ramifications of this later. Right now, it would only complicate the business of getting out safely. "You think that John Smith knew this would happen when he sent us here?"

The web holding Harry burns, as it ignites with bright green flames. It never stops its animalistic cries, not even when most of its body is gone.

At least, that's what Nao sees. Haruka can only watch in confusion as the web holding Harry down disintegrates slowly, freeing the beastly Child!

"I don't know," replies Nao, after the fact, wandering over to the sides of the room and looking over the equipment for anything... recognizable. "Maybe.

He's the only source of leads we had..."

She kicks a nearby wall. "You're gonna need to get to a hospital. I don't know what's going to happen then. The cops will ask about the bullet. They'll ask why you came way out here. Fuck, we won't have time to waste with all that shit."

"Well, the four of us are going to have a good, long chat with him when we get back to town. ...And if the cops find out about just this much, we'll have to tell them everything. I'd almost rather see the nurse at Fuka--I know she's not as qualified to treat bullet wounds, and it is my health we're talking about here, but at least I'm sure we can trust her."

The hospital bed and the immediate equipment near it are irrevokably damaged, as far as Nao can tell. On closer inspection, it had restraints on it -- in just the right places for a girl of Akane's size, she realizes. Nao feels quite certain in this knowledge, in fact.

Harry shakes off the rest of the burning web, and turns towards Haruka. Its jaws open, letting loose a mighty roar of anger and loss, and it leaps at the blonde!

"Oh sh--" Wasn't it supposed to die along with its Hime? Nothing here makes any sense. "Orihime, dodge!"

Nao pulls a sheet from the bed, and drapes it over Akane's body, kneeling down next to it.

"Was she like this when she came here? Or did they twist her mind, somehow-"

At Haruka's voice, Nao's head snaps up, and she darts aside herself, looking for an opponent.

Orihime flows across the floor, moving away from the attacking beast. The liquid Child's speed is less than before, but still enough to safely take Haruka away from the tiger, and from Arach and Nao.

Nao briefly asesses the situation, and stares at Haruka. "What the hell are you doing, Suzushiro? There's nothing here but us."

Nao speaks, but the tiger roars again, louder than before, drowning out her words. It prepares to strike again, and its left turbine seems to be returning to a semblance of working order.

"The tiger, it's up again!" She readies Orihime to make a flying leap whenever the beast jumps at her, hoping her Child can jab at something vital in Harry's head as it passes beneath her.

Watching Orihime and Haruka prance about the room is disturbing to Nao, to say the least. Does everyone brought here go mad?

"Stop it, Suzushiro! We don't have time to play around! You're injured! We need to finish searching this place and get out!" she yells, directing Arach to start leaving the room through the other side, intending to follow after he clears anyone behind the door.

At Arach's movements, Harry switches targets, and leaps at the monstrous spider's unprotected back! Orihime remains unmoving.

"Nao, what the--?" How can she just walk away like that? There's a killer monster in the room! ...Right? Haruka shakes her head. Is the creature still there?

Maybe it's the massive blood loss at work here. "I'm not going crazy here. I'm NOT." Maybe Orihime can be relied upon more than Haruka's own senses? It's worth finding out. "Orihime, if Nao's in danger, protect her!"

"You ARE going crazy, and I am NOT in danger already!" replies Nao, turning to scream directly at Haruka. "Get a grip, Executive Officer Suzushiro Haruka! Or do you want to wind up in the asylum?"

Orihime's hair shoots off in Nao's direction!

"Call her off, for god's sake, Haruka! I don't know what'll happen if you don't, but it won't be pretty!" yells Nao, diving to the side, away from the awful, arm-severing hair.

Orihime's hair tendrils impact against the ground all around the spot Nao had just been occupying, gouging deep marks in it. Harry backs off at the last moment with a whine, looking at them warily.

Haruka grits her teeth--how can she not trust her own eyes? But wouldn't Nao KNOW if something was attacking her? ...Alright. Haruka closes her eyes and calls back Orihime. "Stop! Just...follow Nao, okay? Don't harm her or Arach under any circumstances. ...And Nao, we need to leave this place, imminently."

Rather than retrieving the hair, the rest of Orihime's body flows towards it.

"That thing does exactly what you say, Haruka, don't be so flippant. And... augh, I know!" she adds, stalking after Arach towards what lies beyond the door.

"I just want to see if there's anything more."

The door's lock is nothing against Arach's might. The room has no other exits.

A woman and a man, both in their thirties and wearing white lab coats, are crouching behind a large desk. Atop said desk, there are several computers, each with a pair of monitors or more. A metal cabinet in a room's corner completes the room's decor.

"Come out. Hands on head," orders Nao, flatly. "I'm in charge. Do as I say and I won't kill you both for what just happened in the room behind me."

They follow Nao's orders to the letter, remaining silent.

Haruka decides to let Nao take the lead here, as she's starting to conclude that, for whatever reason, she can't trust her own senses right now.

Now that she has them, Nao isn't exactly sure what to do with them.

"You two are doctors, correct? What were you trying to do here?" she demands, narrowing her eyes. "I require a good explanation from you."

"If anything happens to us, the Elders would never forget it," the man speaks up. His bravery feels faked to Nao, who is able to taste his fear as a tangible thing. "We're here on... on direct orders from them. The research being done here falls under their jurisdiction!"

"WE don't fall under their jurisdiction, and we're PISSED," Haruka scoffs. "Try harder."

Nao raises her claws to her lips, licking the edge of them slightly. Audiable clicking sounds can be heard as she flexes her knuckles.

"Consider this a hostile takeover."

The gestures reminds Nao of the pain at her fingertips.

"You could never go against the Obsidian Lord!" the researcher cries out. "He will destroy you all, and recreate Japan in its image! We'll be the chosen few at his side!"

"Arach, he's annoying. Tie him up."

The man startles, but he doesn't get a chance to do much more. Arach envelopes him in web strands from head to toe. A small space is left for the mouth, and Arach pauses, turning its head to look at Nao.

Nao smiles, and then glances at the woman instead. "Perhaps you would care to speak more plainly?" she asks, hopefully.

Perhaps she is. The male researcher's screams put that on hold, however, making her pale and clam up.

Nao wanders over and rolls him over. "Shut up, ingrate. Now, I'll ask again- what were you trying to accomplish here?"

"A controllable Hime. A weapon," the woman says curtly, visibly composing herself. She pushes her glasses slightly up the bridge of her nose, straightening up. "It was going quite well, too, until you two showed up."

"How did you capture a Hime without her will?"

"I don't look a gift horse in the mouth. That's how she got here, and I don't know more than that."

"Controllable? You turned her into a lunatic?" Haruka exclaims.

"She was quite lucid, thank you," the woman reacts icily to Haruka's outburst.

"Emphasis on was."

"What about her most important person? Did you capture him, too?"

"So, we just...killed...oh, that is it. That is IT. Give me one good reason I shouldn't have Orihime disassemble both of you right this second?"

She smirks. "Our best achievement, the one leading to the big breakthrough. Yes, we captured it."

The smirk disappears at Haruka's words, replaced by a terrible scowl. "I don't see a reason to dance to your tune, you freak. Both of you! What can a normal human do against the likes of you? How can we defend ourselves? I've seen just now how you treat your own kind." Her face twists in disgust. "Dismembering a regular person me probably comes even easier to Hime! There are no qualms, are there? Just the clear certainty of righteousness?" She crosses her arms in front of her chest, tapping her foot rapidly against the ground. "Hmph. Unlike that fool I know we're dead already. But there's something you should know. We can fight back, even if it costs us a lot in manpower. This facility might fall, but it's not the only one that would make a difference in this war. In the end, I'll be the one with the last laugh!"

"You... I spared them all. I spared every single soldier here. Haruka got SHOT because I wanted to SPARE your WORTHLESS FUCKING LIVES!"

The woman doesn't look especially convinced by Nao's words, staring at her with derision. The fear is there as well, quite present, but she almost seems past it.

"I've tried to avoid hurting people every step of the way! I've done everything possible to avoid killing ANYONE, but somehow people keep interfering, and nudging every saturation towards violence. What I WANT is to protect Fuka and all the students there. It's people like YOU that won't let me do my job. You have no one but yourselves to blame for us being here."

"Yes. Because we've invaded Fuka and hamstrung a bunch of your staff and then threatened to kill the rest at gunpoint. Slipped my mind, that."

"Oh, I don't have a gun," Haruka says, ominously.

"Oh, good for you," the scientist says flatly.

She makes a motion to look at her hand, where a watch would normally be. "Are you going to be killing or otherwise horribly torturing me, now, or can I go?"

Haruka grinds her teeth. "I'm still thinking. Tell us about this Obsidian Prince first."

"Every second you waste with us is one you could be using to prevent people out there becoming cripples for life, doctor. If you're going to pretend you care, answer our questions."

<--->

<--->

[16:43] "Hmph. What about the Obsidian Lord?"
[16:44] "Where is he?"
[16:44] Haruka rolls her eyes. "You could tell us who he is, also."
[16:46] The woman mirrors Haruka's expression, looking angry with herself afterwards. "In Fuka. He leads our country to glory and riches, not that you two would care about any of that patriotism crap."
[16:47] "Yeah, yeah, yeah. When you're the pawns being sanctified, patriotism looks a whole lot different. So, what does this Prince look like?"
[16:48] "Sacrificed," mutters Nao, wandering around the room and inspecting the contents, idly tossing aside stuff that doesn't seem relevant.
[16:49] "I can't talk to this one," the scientist addresses Nao, shifting so that she is facing her directly while snubbing the blonde. "She's mangling my intellect by breathing. And is bleeding all over my clean floor."
[16:49] The latter part is an exaggeration; while Haruka's clothes and bandages are soaked with blood, she's not leaving puddles of it over the floor as she travels.
[16:50] "Who. Is. The. Obsidian. Lord."
[16:50] "Yeah, well I'm sorry your soldiers SHOT me for trying to find out who kidnapped one of my classmates. Next time I'll just roll over and DIE, okay?"
[16:51] "Don't tell me that's his whole name."
[16:52] The woman appears to struggle with her temper, before her eyes brighten at Nao's follow up. "Why, yes. That is the name I know him by. We don't exactly hang out after work. Or even met each other. I'm sure his closest friends call him Jiro or Sanada or Bob, but I'm not one of them."
[16:54] Haruka wanders over to the computers. Not that she's any good with them, but she may as well see what she can find while Nao's talking with the woman.
[16:54] "How are you intending to control us HiME?" Nao glances back into the room outside. "Where are the others?"
[16:57] Upon touching the nearest mouse, the screensaver on a pair of the closest monitors -- floating fish, of all things -- turns off, replaced by a password prompt.
[16:57] "Controlling you is easy enough," the scientist tells Nao with a shrug of her shoulders. "Ironically, it happens through the unnatural link you have to another. It goes both ways, although I bet neither of you expected that."
[16:59] "Hey, Miss Scientist, what's the password here?"
[17:00] "Hime must die. In one word."
[17:00] Haruka scowls, but types it in.
[17:01] That doesn't appear to be the right password. The woman laughs.
[17:01] Nao sits on the table and crosses her legs across the bench. "Just what do you think we are, anyway? A HiME kill your goldfish or something?"
[17:02] "Is that case sensitive?" Haruka asks, oblivious to any mockery.
[17:04] "I think you're a bunch of freaks with no inhibitions running around and doing as you please, not thinking about us real people one bit. And the one who happens to be the most ruthless of the bunch ends up being the Obsidian Lord's bride and dictates our lives for a few centuries until the circle repeats."
[17:04] Chuckling at Haruka's question, she says, "It just might be. Why don't you try all the permutations?"
[17:07] Haruka whips around to glare at the woman. "Wow, teenagers behaving unpredictably? Who would have imagined something like that could EVER happen? Listen, try to magine a REAL PERSON like yourself, in high school, being told you have to kill your friends and marry someone you've never met. I'm sure you'd handle it REAL well." Haruka crashes her mace into the monitor out of sheer frustration.
[17:08] The woman doesn't react to the destruction of her property. "Ah, yes, the good old way to hack into a computer."
[17:09] "Is that was this is about, then? You're going to have your mind-controlled HiME win, thus allowing you to dictate the course of the world?"
[17:10] "Why, yes!" she says, showing surprise. "That is exactly my plan. The Obsidian Lord's on our side and all, but it's a marriage of convenience. Why should we remain eternal second strings to him?"
[17:10] Haruka stalks over to the woman (or, rather, has Orihime do it). "Look, none of us CHOSE to take part in this stupid 'festival!' You guys DID choose to play with the lives of schoolgirls like it was your god-given right. If anyone here is accountable for being out of control, it's you people."
[17:10] "Haruka, shut up."
[17:11] "Nao, how can you put up with this creep?"
[17:11] The scientist looks amused by the apparent discord.
[17:11] Nao receives mail.
[17:15] Nao starts checking her phone. "Look, it's the same for us. Playing this sick game to marry some freak. All I want is to find a way to end this stupid festival once and for all. You get me? If that's done, then I won't need this power anymore." She glances at the scientist before reading the message. "You understand me?"
[17:19] She shrugs. "I almost had the means to do that within my grasp, and now they're splattered all over the floor next door. You'll understand why I'm not terribly sympathetic." A level look is directed at Haruka, next. "Every kid has their future planned out for them by something -- their parents, the world, you name it. Not all get the nice, cushy life. Cry me a river."
[17:19] The message is brief, and reads, 'Get out of there.'
[17:33] "Haruka, we're leaving," announces Nao, after a short pause, and she jumps on Arach's back, and briefly glances back at the scientist. "As promised, I won't kill you. But I find it hard to be sympathetic, too. Your way would still have me six feet under- or at least a dozen others."
[17:34] "If you're serious, find another way, and tell me." She snorts. "But I'm not expecting much. Arach, get me out of here."
[17:35] The scientist snorts, herself, as the spider Child picks up Nao and scampers out through the door.
[17:36] Haruka can only assume something important was in that message. She's not going to take chances, given the tone in Nao's voice. "Alright." She turns to the scientist before leaving, unable to restrain her vindictiveness any longer. "Orihime? Knock this bitch out. Then follow Nao."
[17:37] A hateful glare is Haruka's reward, but that's all the woman can manage before a tendril shoots out of Orihime's body, slamming into the side of her head and sends the scientist flying into a cluster of monitors. She doesn't move after crashing through them on the table.
[17:37] Orihime travels after Nao obediently.
[17:45] Once outside of the facility, Arach proceeds to retreat on a straight course towards where their cab once parked. Orihime follows, and the difference in their relative velocities becomes apparent; At full speed, even without making any great leaps Nao had seen Arach execute, he travels so fast that Orihime is unable to keep up.
[17:45] The cab that took Nao and Haruka from Fuka isn't there, they discover upon getting close enough.
[17:45] Haruka hears a great roar coming from the sky, getting louder and louder in its anger.
[17:47] "Arach, pull up a moment! Haruka, get on!" calls Nao, reaching out to the blonde.
[17:48] Haruka was about to ask for that, and isn't about to utter a word of complaint. "Orihime: uh, demat..erialize? Yeah, that," she says, once she's safle aboard Arach.
[17:48] "Hold on," mutters Nao. "Arach, go, get us away from here."
[17:49] She dimly remembers those glittering green wings. "Fly, if you can."
[17:50] A mighty oriental dragon swoops down from the skies! Orihime flees before its presence, becoming a puddle and flowing to the ground, where the Child is absorbed. Arach proceeds to leap; the Child cannot remain flying, but its speed increases further, at the expense of banging its passengers against its body in a way that is sure to leave bruises.
[17:52] As long as it's faster than that dragon, Haruka is fine with a bumpy ride. Bruises are the least of her worries right now. "What the--who is that?" she says, glancing back.
[17:52] Nao grunts. "Just running's fine," she mutters, before staring back at the sky. "What the..."
[17:52] The dragon chooses that moment to breathe fire! The entire compound Nao and Haruka have just escaped is engulfed in its cleansing flames!
[17:53] "Holy--is that thing another Child?"
[17:54] Nao stares at the dragon, with no small degree of awe. "Must be." Suddenly, she starts to laugh. "God, what a waste of time."
[17:56] Arach continues to distance itself and its passengers from the area. Nao's phone rings again.
[17:56] Nao checks it. Good that even the middle of nowhere has coverage.
[18:02] The phone she had liberated from John Smith has yet to run into an area where it lacks coverage. The message this time is similar to the first one, with what must be coordinates. It is followed by another set of numbers, however, separated by dashes. The first four correspond to the present year, the next two to the month. 15T13:00 concludes the message.
[18:02] Meanwhile, Haruka sees the dragon soar away, before coming for another pass, fires blooming anew over what used to be the First District laboratory.
[18:04] Nao uses the GPS to figure out where this place is, because that's where she'll have to go.
[18:05] It is in Fuka, somewhere. She recognizes the geography. The location is somewhere in town near the mall, Nao believes.
[18:05] The dragon flies off, and does not return again.
[18:06] Haruka can only mutter "Wow," as she watches this mystery Child torch the lab. And Haruka was stressing out over killing ONE person. Whoever's behind that one is bad news for sure.
[18:07] "They really weren't that different from us. Scared to death of things they don't really understand."
[18:10] "Sure," Haruka says, not sounding very sympathetic towards the staff at that facility. "Nao, where are we going right now? Other than Away?"
[18:11] Arach is traveling down the road Haruka and Nao came through on their way to the facility. For now, the surroundings are barren, but they're bound to run into other people eventually.
[18:13] "We need to get you to a hospital. I need to get back to Fuka," replies Nao, using the GPS to check out possible travel options.
[18:14] Haruka grumbles a little--she's not too eager to go to an actual hospital. The doctors will undoubtedly contact the police once they notice the bullet wounds.
[18:15] "Look, we still get hurt and die like anyone else. Our freakiness is in all the wrong places."
[18:16] The area is mountainous, and the closest spot to rest and recover would be at a gas station twenty miles away. Arach could likely make its way there in under an hour, but the ride would be bumpy and clearly felt for days to come. Beyond that point, it would be possible to travel either towards the coast and find a settlement there, or proceed further inland.
[18:17] Haruka relents. "Alright, alright." At least if it's the hospital near Fuka, she's not likely to run into the local cops. She can probably talk her way out of whatever happens, then.
[18:25] They need to go to the coastal area- that's closer to Fuuka. Nao takes Arach in that direction. "Look, once we're close to this city, we'll call an ambulance and get them to pick you up. We can't just go in there on my Child's back, so that's how it's got to be. Unless there's a private surgeon around or something. Your family know anyone?"
[18:29] "Maybe." Haruka sighs. She probably can't afford to wait around for the best option, here. "The hospital's probably closer, though...let's just go."
[18:34] "Yeah. Look, get back to Fuuka and contact me when you're taken care of, alright? I'll see what else I can dig up." Nao pauses. "I don't know what you're going to have to tell the cops. Keep it quiet if you can. At the least, don't let them spread it all over the news."
[18:35] Nao plans to reach the outskirts of a settlement and use Haruka's phone to call emergency services, pulling in an ambulance. She'll loiter around to make sure it arrives, but vanish as it does and start making her own way after that (helping herself to any cash in Haruka's wallet, first, since she clearly needs it more.)
[18:41] Haruka's phone works in what is almost a refreshing change of pace from all the battles Nao had been part of. The contents of Haruka's wallet should let Nao travel wherever she wants twice over and have cash enough to spare to get through high school in a private high school of her choice.
[18:41] After calling emergecy services and hanging up on the operator, the relevant details delivered, Nao hides herself and sees an ambulance pull up by Haruka's side.
[18:43] Haruka glances up at the ambulance, doing her bes tto look like someone in dire need of first aid. Fortunately, this takes little effort on her part.
[18:44] The paramedics look shocked at the extent of her wounds; more than a few times their eyes are drawn towards the bloody bandages clumsily applied to Haruka's wounds.
[18:47] Less looking at the wounds, more treating them, thanks. Not that Haruka can really say that. She's playing the Shocked Speechless angle here; it'll make it easier to be vague when people ask questions later.
[18:48] Nao lurks, waits, and watches until the ambulance pulls away.
[18:49] They get to work with professionalism, placing Haruka on a gurney and into the back of the ambulance. An oxigen mask is placed over her nose and mouth, fastened behind Haruka's head. The ambulance begins driving off, siren blaring. One of the medics remains with Haruka in the back, slowly peeling away the bandages from her legs. Haruka starts to feel drowsy.
[18:50] It's all too easy to drift away in the back of the ambulance--and frankly, Haruka isn't inclined to resist anymore. It's been a long night, she's lost a lot of blood, and it's all starting to catch up with her. Surely a good nap would aid her recovery!
[18:53] Those are Haruka's last conscious thoughts.
[18:53] Once the ambulance had left, Nao stealthily heads into the town, liberating a coat and then using her newfound disguise to purchase some clean clothes for herself. No one impedes her during her impromptu shopping trip, or when she takes a train to a station near Fuka, close to the bridge connecting the island to the mainland.
[18:54] It is late in the morning when Nao finally returns to Fuka.

<--->

<--->

Haruka wakes up, exceptionally groggy. Everything seems quite blurry.

She should be getting used to that, not that it makes it any better. Presumably she's in the hospital.

She is aware of sounds filtering in. There are at least a pair of voices. A blurry face appears in Haruka's sight.

Haruka blinks, rubs her eyes. Does that help any? She should be able to tell if the voices are familiar, at least. Man, if she has to start wearing glasses...

It does seem prudent, although blinking helps. A nurse is leaning over her. Haruka's throat is parched.

"Water. Like, right now," Haruka demands, grasping as always to the assumption that she's an authority figure in all public spheres.

Haruka isn't particularly articulate, but she gets the intent across, at least. The nurse disappears, and the background noise settles somewhat. A short time later, the woman returns, and helps raise Haruka's head, bringing a drink to her lips.

Haruka drinks it down. Hopefully she can speak more clearly when she's less parched?

"Does anything hurt?" an unfamiliar voice asks outside of Haruka's field of vision.

Everything hurts. Haruka's muscles tingle, and not in a bad way. She can't really feel her feet, which likely means they've fallen asleep and she's in for some pain from there as well once she tries to get up. And, of course, her actual wounds take the center stage.

"Only where the bullets went in," Haruka croaks optimistically. "Who are you?" she asks in the general direction of the voice.

"I work here," she responds, returning. It is a nurse; the same one as before, perhaps, and Haruka's vision recovers enough to see her features. She is a redhead in her late twenties. 'Misora' is written on her nametag. "Ah, yes. The bullets. We recovered a hollow-point slug from your thigh. It was wedged in pretty snugly. Would you be able to tell me how it got there?"

"Someone fired it. From a gun," Haruka supplies helpfully. "It had friends. Did you get them, too?"

The nurse sighs, perhaps in frustration.

"Is that any way for a Suzushiro to talk to a person who saved their life?" a fresh voice asks sharply. Hiro Suzushiro, Haruka's father, comes up to Haruka's hospital bed from the other side.

Haruka sits up (or at least struggles to do so, depending on her condition). "My apologies, father. Last night's ordure took a toll on my composure."

Haruka's father and the nurse exchange looks.

"What date do you think it is right now?" Hiro asks carefully.

Haruka can't be certain, but the joint assault with Nao on the First District research facility took place over the night from the 13th to the 14th.

Haruka also notices that she can't get up. Her forearms are secured to the bed by leather strips, preventing the movement.

Oh boy. That's not encouraging. "It should be the fourteenth," she says.

The look Hiro and the nurse exchange this time is longer.

"What happened?" Hiro asks before the silence stretches uncomfortably. "Who shot you?"

"Villains," Haruka spits. "Father, I would prefer to discuss this with you alone." She nods to the nurse. "I mean no disrespect for you taking care of me, but this is a private affair."

He nods curtly. 'Misora' smiles down at Haruka, and moves back. There is the unmistakable sound of a door opening quietly, then closing.

"Talk," Hiro tells Haruka, drawing a chair up to her bed.

Haruka draws a breath. "There is something wrong with Fuka Academy...well, there's something vile going on AT Fuka Academy," she corrects, never willing to defame her alma mater. "Some of it will be hard to believe, so...I think a defenestration will make it easier to believe the rest of the story. Don't be alarmed, father."

She summons her mace, not doing anything with it beyond letting it sit in her hand for a moment before dismissing it again.

Summoning the mace sends fresh waves of pain down Haruka's hand. The restraint around it snaps; luckily for the blonde, the IV is attached to her other arm.

Hiro appears speechless, though knowing her father, he wouldn't remain such for long.

Haruka grits her teeth. "Ow." Hopefully that's all the demonstration he needs. "There's something called the Festival going on at Fuka. I'm only just learning about it myself, but I'm told it happens once every few centuries. Hime--girls with strange powers, like me--are made to fight each for the sake of some outside party I FULLY intend to throttle personally when I find them."

"How long have you had this... strange power?" he asks with a tight voice.

"Only a few days," she says, quick to make it known she hasn't been hiding things from her father. "If I had it before then, I nevew knew. When I found out, I decided I wasn't going to play by their rules. another girl and I have been trying to find out who's running this 'Festival' and shut them down. We were trying to rescue another student from these people last night when I was shot."

"Another girl? Do you mean Kikukawa?"

Haruka sighs. "Yukino's disappeared. When she found out I was a Hime, she didn't take it well. I haven't seen her at school for at least twenty-four hours and I'm afraid of what might have happened to her."

Hiro doesn't look happy to hear that. "Was she involved with the mess you were dragged into? Were the other girls from your school? I've looked at the numbers. Too many have gone missing over the recent period."

"She is a Hime, but no, she wasn't with me there. I lost track of her the night before that--we were in my room, talking, I stepped out for a moment and she just left while I was gone--and I would NOT have put her in that kind of danger anyway. Another girl, Yuuki Nao, was with me. We'd tracked one of the missing girls to a...research facility."

"Someone was brainwashing her to fight the rest of the girls! She attacked us and I...I didn't have any choice, father. I killed her. She was out of her mind, I tried just stopping her, but she was just..." Haruka shakes her head. "...gone."

His face turns stony at the news. "So the police had cause, after all," Hiro says quietly, perhaps to himself.

"Cause for what?" Haruka asks, thinking. Great, there are officers outside the door, aren't there?

This refocuses Hiro on his daughter. "Who was the girl you killed?" he asks directly. "Was she the only one, or are you related to other disappearances as well?"

"Akane Higurashi, and of COURSE she's the only one. I've spent every moment of the last few days trying to figure out the disappearances. When I found Higurashi, I thought it was going to be a breakthrough. Instead, someone had turned her into a tool. Someone was using her to win the Festival by epoxy. They talked about her like she wasn't even human."

"Was that where you also got shot?"

"Yes. Some goons attacked us when we broke into the building."

Hiro gives Haruka a long-suffering look. "The security forces of a shadow group which managed to escape my notice and had the resources to kidnap someone with 'strange powers' to experiment on, you mean?"

Hiro's skepticism earns a glare from Haruka. "Yes! Do you think I'm making this up? This is serious, father! These people think they can control the world by influencing the outcome of the Festival, and they're not going to stop. I need you to believe me about this."

Hiro reaches into his pocket, retrieving a squished bullet. "This hollow point shows how serious things are. What I don't understand is why you just rushed into it on your own, without any backup. Without even talking to me. If there's any family who can field a private army at a moment's notice to fight with your shadow syndicate enemy, it would be us."

Haruka sighs. "All I can say is that I didn't expect it to be this bad. I apologize for not confiding in you sooner. When I found out where Higurashi was, I just had to go before anything bad happened to her. Watching out for the students of Fuka is MY responsibility."

"Not when it escalates to killing them," Hiro chides.

Haruka can only nod at this. It's true, after all, and she's not going to make excuses.

<--->

<--->

(14:57) Haruka sighs, looking downcast. "I have to admit I haven't done a very good job of protecting anyone...Harada and Senoh are still missing. The Hime are scattered--I don't know where Mai or Mikoto went, I can't track down Miss Sugiura, I can't even find Yukino any more!"
(15:06) There is the unmistakable shuffling of paper as Hiro produces a small notebook. Holding a pen, he says, "Being scattered is the problem, then, and by bringing you all together you feel you could unite and resolve the matter?"
(15:10) "Well, that's what I've been planning. Nao and I at least have managed to work together. I'm sure if we had everyone, we could find whoever's behind this Festival and beat them into succession...well, Yukariko might not be dependable. She's kind of crazy aaand last time we talked she decided I was working for the antichrist or something. But everyone else should see reason."
(15:12) Hiro frowns, asking, "Do you know all the others?"
(15:15) Haruka counts them off on her fingers. "Mai Tokiha, Mikoto Minagi, Midori Sugiura, Nao and Yukino, Sister Yukariko...and Natsuki Kuga, if she's still alive. Those are the ones I know of."
(15:18) Her father writes them all down diligently. "Alright. I'll start working on this at once. Do you think they would still be in Fuka?"
(15:21) "I think so. That's the place to start, at least."
(15:25) He nods. "There is more we need to talk about, but you should rest, first, and recovery your strength more. I understand the desire to run out and just do something, be active-- but this sounds like a case where planning ahead would be welcomed. I might be able to gather your Hime... but it would be up to you to keep them together. If every one comes with a handy mace, there won't be much we could do to force our decisions on them, would it?"
(15:28) "Not really, no," Haruka says with a touch of pride. "We need to be careful approaching them. Some of these girls are paranoid. And weapons aren't all we have. Each of us is assigned a 'Child.' I'm not sure what they are. Part machine, part monster. They can be more dangerous than the Hime herself." She remembers the dragon torching the research facility, and shudders.
(15:30) Hiro looks concerned, but quickly smoothes out his expression. "We'll be careful," he promises. "Just work on what you can accomplish right now."
(15:32) "Right," she responds, sourly. "Sitting in bed."
(15:33) "Lying might be even better, but I'll leave that for you and your nurse to sort out," Hiro says with a small smile, heading towards the door. "I'll start working on your list straight away," he promises again, his hand on the handle. He turns it, then, and walks outside with a parting nod at Haruka.

The door remains slightly ajar.
(15:35) If one of the two people she actually listens to is telling Haruka to stay in bed, she's going to (not that she has to like it, though). There's got to be something she can do from here, though. Is her phone around?
(15:37) Haruka can't find it, and her nurse doesn't enter to help with any more thorough searches. Now that her father isn't there to talk to, Haruka finds it harder to stay awake.
(15:38) After being asleep for god knows how long? They probably gave her something to make her sleep. She shouldn't be resting at a time like this! Haruka can only grumble to no one in particular as she drifts off again.
(15:40) "Haruka-chan."

Someone is shaking Haruka awake. And she had only closed her eyes for a moment to rest, too. How can she be so sleepy?

"Haruka-chan, Haruka-chan...."
(15:43) Haruka's first instinct is to brush aside whoever's denying her her well-earned rest...but wait a minute, only Yukino calls her "Haruka-chan." "Mrfluh?" she mumbles as she rouses.
(15:46) Hands are on her shoulders, whether pushing her down or shaking her awake, her sleep-addled mind cannot determine.

"Haruka-chan!" a voice exclaims, albeit hushed. Yukino's voice.
(15:51) "Yukino?!" Haruka says, considerably less hushed. "Where have you been? I was worried to death!"
(15:58) "Busy," Yukino responds, shifting so that she's pushing Haruka up. "Working. Trying to help you, Haruka-chan!"
(16:01) "Telling me where you went would've helped. Telling me you were leaving in the first place would've helped! You just disappeared, Yukino."
(16:05) "I couldn't stay," Yukino says, and Haruka's eyes fully adjust -- it is night out, and the only light is coming from below the closed door outside the room -- just in time to see Yukino let go of her, once she finally gets Haruka into a seated position, and bring her hands together, as if in prayer. A mirror appears, ornamental, floating in midair leisurely, and Yukino spreads her arms out, causing doubles of it to surround her. "I always keep watch on things, Haruka-chan, and I saw something that couldn't wait. I had to go and take care of it before it was too late."
(16:07) Haruka can only blink and nod at this display, but after a moment just takes it in stride. She's seen weirder things lately, right? "Oh. Okay." she doesn't waste any time in returning to her normal, businesslike demeanor. "What's the situation, then?" 
(16:07) "We have to get you out of here. There isn't much time!"
(16:08) "What do you mean? What's happening?"
(16:13) An expression of annoyance crosses Yukino's face, but instead of speaking, she gestures. The mirrors dance around her, until the one that was previously at Yukino's left is now facing her. It flips obediently of its own accord, and Haruka finds herself staring at her image in the low lighting.

And then the image ripples and Haruka sees herself being transfered by an ambulance. She is sedated in the image. Another ambulances passes them, visible through the tinted windows, going the opposite direction. Another ripple, and her arms are being tied to the bed. A pair of doctors in lab coats discuss something, and then leave her room, which bears a striking resemblance to the same room Haruka is now in, and head outside. In the corridor, a pair of security guards stand, one on either side of the door. Each is carrying an automatic weapon.

"Do you understand now, Haruka-chan?" Yukino asks at last. "You can't stay here! It's all a trick!"
(16:13) "What? Where's my dad?"
(16:16) Haruka hears something coming from the corridor, a faint sound. Someone shuffling their feet before her door. Yukino must have heard it, too, because her expression turns frantic. "We have to go, now!" she whispers hoarsely.
(16:18) Haruka considers this for approximately two seconds before swinging her feet off the bed and trying to stand. Yukino would never lie to her, right?
(16:22) Haruka's legs feel sleepy, and not the good kind. Her stomach feels like it was shot recently, an entirely alien and unpleasant feeling her life hadn't prepared Haruka for.

Yukino supports her friend, taking the initiative by slinging one of Haruka's arms over her shoulders and slipping one of her own hands across Haruka's back to support her. She leads the two of them to the window; it's open, and on the third floor, Haruka notices. Then, she feels the need to shield her eyes from the light as the door to her room opens.

Tentacles shoot all the way up from the ground, wrapping around Yukino and Haruka!
(16:23) "What the--" Haruka instinctively struggles at this. Nothing good can come from tentacles, right?
(16:25) "Diana, take us away!" Yukino commands, and the two are whisked out of the room, Haruka's struggles being futile. A scream is heard from Haruka's room.
(16:26) "Ungh. Um, Yukino, is this thing yours?" There doesn't seem a lot else to say.
(16:30) "Diana would never hurt you, Haruka-chan," Yukino says. She sounds calm even as she plummets to the ground at what is surely neck-breaking speed. "Don't worry."

As far as the fall is concerned, Yukino is proven right. Just before touching down, the tentacles disperse, seeping into the ground. Having to stand on her own again is a bit much for Haruka, but Yukino is already there to help her friend keep her balance. She doesn't waste much time in directing them away from the building. Other voices shout from what was Haruka's room, but she can't discern what is being said.
(16:32) Haruka follows Yukino's lead as best she can in her present state. If it seems like she can't keep up a decent pace, though, then she'll have to have Orihime carry her rather than slow them both down.
(16:35) Haruka certainly feels stronger than how she in the final stages of her joint assault of the First District laboratory with Nao. With Yukino to help, they reach the wall fencing off the hospital she had been staying at in no time. There is already a hole in it, large enough for them to pass through.

"I prepared for it in advance," Yukino says without prompting. "I just knew you would believe me and come with me, Haruka-chan!"
(16:38) Haruka crawls through the hole. "Good work, Yukino. Where are we going? Back to Fuka?"
(16:39) "No, Fuka isn't safe. I have a place. You'll see when we get there." Yukino gestures, and plantlife around the wall moves, shifting to cover the hole they had crawled through.
(16:42) "...Alright," Haruka concedes, having difficulty with the basic concept of a Fuka she can't rely on.
(16:52) The two make their way to a parking lot, and Yukino continues leading the way, headed towards a black Toyota. "It's not far, Haruka-chan," she says. "We'll be there before you know it!"

<--->

<--->

Does Yukino own a car? Whatever. "Right. Okay. Um, Yukino? If you can see things elsewhere, do you know where the other Hime are?"

"That vile Yuuki girl is off plotting with Mai-san," Yukino responds, a scowl crossing her features briefly. She helps Haruka into the front seat before closing the door behind her, and getting around the car to fit herself behind the wheel. Mikoto-chan isn't far behind. She's being tricked, the poor thing."

"I've been working with Nao, Yukino, and I think we can trust her. All of us HAVE to work together to stop this. We can't turn her away because she used to be a delinquent." Haruka glances behind her, making sure the car isn't being followed. "What about Minagi? Who's manicuring her?"

"Mai-san... Mai-san said she would kill people!" Yukino turns the key in the ignition. "She told Yuuki not to stand in her way. But Yuuki was sly and... and she...." Yukino squirms. "I think she's trying to seduce her!" Yukino says harshly, her voice dropping to a whisper, barely audible over the revving the engine.

Haruka looks skeptical about this. "Well, that's...that's better than having Mai kill people," Haruka admits, somewhat surprised to herself say this. "We can't have the Hime fighting. I won't allow Fuka students to kill each other."

"No!" Yukino shouts suddenly, slamming her foot on the gas pedal. The acceleration presses Haruka into her seat, the car tearing out of the parking lot. "She's only seducing Mai-san so that Mai-san would kill all the competition like you! We can't let her get away with it!"

"YUKINO," Haruka returns, taking her friend by the shoulder and squeezing. "Get ahold of yourself! You're being irrational. I trust Nao. Did you hear her SAY that she was going to kill the rest of us? Trust ME, okay? I wlll not let the Fuka students get killed. I'm on the executive committee. This is my JOB. So just calm down and give me the facts."

Haruka's touch causes Yukino to swerve dangerously into the other lane. Due to the late hour, there is no incoming traffic, and she gets the vehicle back on course.

"Well, no," Yukino admits. "But who would say that while being sneaky? I know how she thinks! And Mai-san... she said that she sent a dragon to attack you! I'm sure she said that!"

"A...dragon. You're sure she said that? That she specifically sent it to attack ME?"

"N-Not specifically," Yukino stutters. "It sounded like she wanted to kill everyone inside...."

"Okay," Haruka says, oddly relieved that Mai's goal was mass murder instead of a single homicide. "I can understand that! The scientists there, they had Higurashi and were doing experiments on her. I don't know how Mai found out about them, but...I guess she was mad."

Yukino doesn't seem satisfied with the explanation, but doesn't argue the point, gripping the wheel tighter.

Haruka sighs. "I said to trust me. You do, don't you, Yukino?"

"How could you ask me that, Haruka-chan?!" Yukino exclaims, looking at the blonde. Her eyes are pleading with Haruka to take her words back. "After everything I've done for you, you still doubt me?"

"I don't, Yukino. But I don't want to hear you talking about Hime killing each other. That is NOT going to happen any more."

"Anymore?" Yukino asks. There is a trace of fear in her voice, hidden so well only Haruka would be able to spot it.

Oops. Well, there's no way around it now. "...Akane's dead. The people at that facility, they brainwashed her to make her fight for them. She attacked us. Nothing I did would make her stop. I didn't have a choice," Haruka insists, sounding like she's trying to convince herself as much as anyone else.

The car swerves again, and this time, Yukino doesn't seem to be in any hurry to adjust its path, staring silently at Haruka instead.

"Yukino, the car!" Haruka shouts, ready to grab the wheel if Yukino's gone totally catatonic on her. There'll be more dead Hime real soon if someone doesn't change their course.

The loud blaring of a car horn reinforces the urgency of the situation.

<--->

<--->

[20:27] Haruka grabs the wheel, at least long enough to steer the car back into the correct lane.
[20:34] Yukino doesn't fight Haruka who, not restricted by things such as seatbelts, manages to avoid a head on collision just in time, if the car rushing past theirs a second later is any indication. Only then does Yukino show any reaction; a sad smile comes up on her face.
[20:35] That's not exactly an encouraging reaction, given the circumstances. "Yukino...are you okay?"
[20:38] Yukino shakes herself visibly, turning her attention back to the road. It is a good thing she does, too, as Haruka can't see ahead clearly, even with the headlights on.
[20:40] Well, that's not a yes, but not being in mortal danger is definitely an improvement.
[20:43] The Toyota drives on. Haruka thinks that at the speed they're going, pushing the speed limit, they've put considerable distance between the hospital and them by now.
[20:43] "Haruka-chan," Yukino asks, sounding hesitant. "Taking a life... how did that make you feel?" She laughs afterwards, a quiet, hysterical laugh. "Oh, what am I saying?"
[20:46] "It made me feel...well, like the enemy. I don't know how else to put it." She looks down at her hands. "It'd be different if it had been someone who deserved it. Akane was just...not herself. She couldn't help it."
[20:48] "Do you think you could do it again?" Yukino asks. "If there's someone who did deserve it? Or another person who just can't help herself?"
[20:50] Haruka slowly, slowly turns to look at Yukino. "Why do you ask? Yukino, the only reason for it I could see is to save someone else's life."
[20:51] "Yuuki's life?" Yukino asks, sounding a cross between angry and frustrated. "That's why you killed Akane-san, Haruka-chan?"
[20:52] "Well, and mine," Haruka adds, albeit, a little sheepishly.
[20:53] Yukino drives in silence for a long stretch. "Would you kill for me, Haruka-chan?" she asks out of the blue.
[20:55] Haruka shifts in her seat. The conversation is growing awkward. "...I would if I had to, Yukino. But it shouldn't ever happen unless there's no alternate."
[20:57] Yukino doesn't respond, but Haruka can see the younger girl relax slightly in her seat. It extends from Yukino's posture, previously rigid, all the way to her grip on the steering wheel. "I think we're safe for now, Haruka-chan," Yukino announces. "What is our plan for now?"
[20:59] "We need to find the other Hime, starting with Miss Sugiura. She's a teacher; the others should listen to her. And--crap, I told my dad who everyone was." She turns to Yukino. "That WAS really my dad, right?"
[21:01] "I think so," Yukino responds. "I'm not sure. There's a limit to the ground Diana can cover. I had to focus on you once I found you, so I wouldn't lose you again. I didn't have Diana follow that man's actions outside the hospital."
[21:03] "Alright. It's probably okay, then. Do you know anything about Natsuki's whereabouts? Also...you said someone was fooling Minagi. Who is it?"
[21:07] Yukino looks tired, now. "Mikoto-chan?" she says at length. "Even if I told you, you wouldn't believe me now, Haruka-chan. I'll-- there must be a time when they all show their true colors. I'll find it and show it to you then."
[21:09] "I don't know about that, Yukino. The last few days have been pretty strange. I might believe a lot of strange things."
[21:09] "No. You won't." The words sound harsh, and regret flashes across Yukino's face.
[21:10] "...Alright. But you know you can trust me when the right time comes."
[21:13] Yukino relaxes again, when Haruka relents and doesn't take offense. A mirror appears in the air between them, facing Yukino. Haruka sees her glance at it briefly, before nodding and returning her attention to the road.
[21:13] "We're an hour's drive from where I've been staying lately," Yukino reports, the mirror dissolving into green mist once her attention is no longer on it. "It's safe. I'll be warned if anything happens there."
[21:14] Haruka nods. "Alright. How far is it from Fuka? And...where was I just now, exactly?"
[21:20] "A mental health hospital. It's a front for First District; looks legitimate even at a close inspection," Yukino tells her. "Don't dwell on it. You're not crazy. You had no business being held there."
[21:24] "First District...wait, I think those were the creeps that had Akane!" She exhales heavily, sounding exhausted. "Thanks again, Yukino. I really am grateful."
[21:25] Yukino smiles, genuinely this time. "You know I would do anything for you, Haruka-chan. You don't have to thank me."
[21:26] Haruka just nods. She doesn't have a lot else to say right now, at least until they get to safety and start planning their next move.
[21:30] It is still dark when they arrive. Their destination is some kind of fenced-off compound; several one-story buildings are grouped towards one side, and a taller one going at least a dozen meters up reaches up into the sky, needle-like. The road seems to proceed throughout the grounds, but Yukino claims that its continuation is actually a small airstrip.
[21:33] Haruka gets out of the car and looks around. "What is this place, Yukino? How'd you find it?"
[21:36] "An abandoned airfield. It's privately-owned; or was. Now I'm staying here and it's not abandoned anymore." Yukino giggles a little.
[21:36] "There's really nothing of note aside from some old crop-dusting planes, and I can't really pilot them. I don't even know how to refuel them, really. But what we do have is very good electronic equipment and an excellent defensive position, Haruka-chan! The control tower is fully operational!"
[21:39] "We'll know if someone else comes flying in? That's good," Haruka says, again thinking back to that dragon.
[21:41] "Diana is keeping a lookout," Yukino confirms. "Now that you're here, I can divert most of her proxies towards a new layer of defense around our base, and send the rest to spy on Fuka."
[21:42] Haruka nods. "Good. I'd like to know what's happening right now." She could always call one of her flunkies, of course, if she hadn't lost another phone.
[21:45] Yukino throws her arm in front of her in a wide arc, and octagonal mirrors appear in its wake. Observing the semi-circle, Yukino asks, "What would you like to see, Haruka-chan?"
[21:47] "Well, let's see...How does this work? Can you home in on people and things, or just places?"
[21:49] Yukino narrows her eyes, concentrating, and a bell-shaped flower appears in midair before Haruka's face, orbiting itself leisurely. "This is a proxy of Diana," Yukino explains. "I can send swarms of them, and see the images they transmit on my mirrors. Sometimes, it's a lot like zapping through the channels on the TV until you find something you like."
[21:55] "Alright, I've got a couple ideas. Let's check...the church at Fuka to see if Yukariko is back on the grounds, the infirmary just in case anyone's there and hey, Midori's the nurse's friend, so we might get lucky there. We'll want to look around the dorms of anyone who's gone missing, to see if they're back or if anyone new has vanished, and...oh, the auditorium and the executive committee room, for a start."
[21:55] Haruka appears totally untroubled by any breach of privacy this might entail.
[22:01] So does Yukino. "I've been keeping an eye on the church," she says, and one of the mirrors flips to show the building to Haruka. The police tape around it is gone.
[22:02] "It hasn't been used since Sister was taken to the hospital," Yukino continues. The mirror returns to its previous state, another taking its place. Several mirrors repeat the process, each showing a different dorm to Haruka.
[22:02] "It's night-time, so there wouldn't be anything interesting even if we go inside," Yukino explains, banishing them. One of the mirrors seems broken. "The infirmary, though, I can send a few proxies that way...."
[22:04] Haruka points to the offending mirror. "What was with that broken one?"
[22:05] Yukino winces. "They're not very good for defense."
[22:05] "...Oh. What happened to it? Did you see?"
[22:06] "I don't want to talk about it, Haruka-chan," Yukino insists.
[22:07] "Alright." Pressing Yukino on issues like this hasn't worked out very well lately, so Haruka just lets it drop. "Is Yukariko still *at* the hospital? Can we check that out?"
[22:10] Yukino seems troubled. "It's tiring keeping an eye on so many distant places, more so when they're distant from each other as well," she admits. "I didn't have enough there to ensure a perfect coverage, so I followed Mai-san. But Sister was still there when I last checked... it was fourteen hours ago, give or take."
[22:13] "Don't strain yourself, Yukino. It's been a long day. Anyway, I want to know about the infirmary first. Maybe follow the nurse if she's around? She might know where Midori is."
[22:13] Yukino nods, and this time, the mirror turns halfway, showing its contents to both of them. It is unmistakably the infirmary of Fuka Academy. It is dark, and empty.
[22:15] Haruka frowns. "Well, maybe we'll have better luck in the morning."
[22:17] "Maybe," Yukino says. "We should go to bed."
[22:19] Haruka glances around. "There are bedrooms here?"
[22:20] "There is a shed where the pilots used to stay at, and a room at the tower. That one's nicer; it's where I've been sleeping."
[22:22] Haruka nods. "Tower it is. It's better that we stay together, and it'd be tougher for any intruders to get at us there."
[22:24] Yukino is happy at Haruka's decision. "The room is kinda small, but we'll manage, right, Haruka-chan?" she asks enthusiastically, banishing her mirrors.
[22:27] "Sure. It'll be nice staying in a room without armed guards lurking outside. I hate hospitals; being there just makes you feel helpless." Speaking of hospitals, Haruka is probably still wearing a hospital gown of some kind? Getting actual clothes would be great.

<--->

<--->

[19:36] The pleasant smell of hot chocolate disturbs Haruka's rest, waking the blonde up in no time. Yukino is not to the be seen in the small room where they spent the night, but the door leading to the corridor is left ajar.
[19:38] Haruka gets up, rubs her eyes, and stumbles into the corridor in search of her aide.
[19:40] Yukino is in what must be the control room, observing several screens that flash and bleep ominously. She consults a floating mirror every once in a while -- that same damaged mirror Haruka had seen the previous night. A tray with a steaming container and a pair of glasses are laid out across a nearby stand.
[19:42] Haruka wanders in the general direction of hot chocolate, and yawns. "What's new?" she asks succinctly.
[19:42] Yukino doesn't seem startled by Haruka's presence. "We seem to be alright," she reports. "I don't think anyone followed us here, Haruka-chan."
[19:43] "Well, that's good. Any new envelopments with the Hime, or at Fuka?"
[19:52] "Some," Yukino says, finally turning to look at Haruka. "There's nothing new I learnt through my observations, but digging a bit at the information available netted something interesting." Yukino makes a gesture, and the room dims a bit, as voices sound in it. Haruka recognizes one of them as belonging to the spunky substitute teacher, Midori Sugiura.
[19:52] "I still can't believe it," Midori is saying.
[19:52] "It is a lot to take in," a male voice agrees; it doesn't sound much older than her own.
[19:53] "I suppose," Midori agrees, sighing. "Will you be able to help, Mamoru?" She laughs, then. So does he.
[19:53] "You're not the first to think it funny," Mamoru says. "But we really shouldn't discuss the plan on an open line like that. Where can we meet?"
[19:54] The conversation details an address in Fuka that Haruka is familiar with, as well as a set time. "That would be in three hours from now," Yukino reports.
[19:55] "Then we're going to be there," Haruka says. "Do we have any idea what they were talking about? And who's this Mamoru?"
[19:57] "He is a special investigator," Yukino informs her, the room becoming bright once more. "Until a week ago, he was involved in a top secret governmental task force battling corruption. Then, the task force was suddenly scrubbed. I'm not sure what Sugiura-sensei's relationship with him is, but this man is the only person she had been talking to, from what I can discover."
[20:01] "Huh. Maybe Midori's going to the government about the Festival?" She shrugs. "We'll find out. We can watch and listen through one of your mirrors until their plan becomes clear, then talk to her if everything seems safe. As a teacher at Fuka, I think it's important that we work with her if we can."
[20:07] "We could do that," Yukino agrees. Does she sound relieved? Even knowing her as long as Haruka had, it is difficult to tell. "I don't have anything in the area, but with the time I have, I could set up several proxies of Diana to relay everything to us."
[20:07] The meeting place is where the Suzushiro corporation is about to built a massive new dorm for the students. The location might be a bit remote, even considering the current dorms, but Haruka knows that a system of shuttle busses is planned to cater to the students.
[20:07] Besides, it would be better to have everyone together and with all the modern luxuries. But it would not be ready for another year, sadly.
[20:10] "Do it, then. This is our best lead right now." She looks speculative for a moment, then: "You know, Yukino, this Child of yours is really useful. Think of what the Executive Committee could do if it had eyes everywhere in the school. Think of what we could do to improve discipline! No one could get away with anything."
[20:11] Yukino seems taken aback, briefly. "Y-Yes, Haruka-chan," she says, stuttering. "But the price is a bit high, isn't it?"
[20:12] "Well, yes," she concedes. "We have to focus on stopping the Festival, first and foremost. We can think about other uses later."
[20:12] Flushing, Yukino ducks her head.
[20:15] Aside from the refreshments, Yukino has an actual breakfast prepared, which is laid out in an adjoining room. She joins Haruka for it, and it seems just like old times for a while. Noon comes far too soon, and about fifty minutes later, Yukino calls for Haruka.
[20:15] "Something's happening!" Yukino announces.
[20:15] Haruka rushes over to see!
[20:18] As before, Yukino dims the lightning -- a mysterious occurance, since the windows in the tower's control room lack shades that Haruka can see. However, things don't stop there. Mirrors appear in midair in the center of the room, glowing, and each begins projecting an image.
[20:18] It is a construction site, abandoned despite the time. Has her father called off the workers? Haruka doesn't know. A car drives up to it, coming into view. A young man in hi mid-twenties steps out of it, brushing a hand through his hair. He looks around, black sunglasses concealing his eyes, before leaning against the car.
[20:20] "Mamoru, I assume," Haruka says, watching.
[20:20] "It's not Sugiura-sensei," Yukino agrees.
[20:21] They wait for almost fifteen minutes, the man looking at his watch a few times in the interval.
[20:22] Haruka frowns. "She's late. Teachers shouldn't be late. If he looks like he's going to leave, is there any chance we could get out there in time to meet him ourselves?"
[20:23] Yukino looks at Haruka incredulously. "This is in Fuka. We are not. Even if we didn't need roads, it would take the better part of two hours."
[20:23] Haruka frowns. The laws of physics are so very inconvenient. "We'll just have to watch and wait, then."
[20:25] Half an hour later, Midori makes an appearance. Haruka and Yukino spot her before Mamoru, for Midori is traveling atop what can only be a Child. She approaches from the opposite direction, leaping past the construction equipment and into the yard, before her Child slows down, padding over to the gate.
[20:25] "Sorry I'm late," she calls over to Mamoru, who startles upon seeing her, but to his credit, holds his place.
[20:27] "What is that thing, a rhinocerotops?" Haruka wonders. "He doesn't seem too surprised about it. Or not afraid, at least. Wonder how much she's told him already."
[20:28] Yukino shrugs. "You're being awfully bold," Mamoru speaks, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
[20:28] Midori rolls her eyes, hopping off the Child. "What, with Gakutenoh? Like it matters anymore. Like much matters. Do you really think you can protect us, Mamoru?"
[20:32] "I'm not alone," he says. "Oiishi-san. He wanted to help so much, but they silenced him. There are others, though. Together, we'll expose their wrongdoings and bring them to justice! You hold the key piece of evidence yourself."
[20:32] "Heh. Evidence that the chairwoman is dead," Midori says with a snort. "They've been careful about erasing the proof, but not careful enough. So that girl-- she's not who she says she is. And it would be fine, except... except I think I know who she really might be, and that's impossible. It's impossible, isn't it? People can't live for centuries, unchanging."
[20:34] Yukino looks surprised at the turn the conversation has taken. Her surprise is wiped off when the image flickers, however, quickly turning to panic. "Haruka-chan!" she whispers harshly, and the image ripples again. "She's there. She's there!"
[20:35] "Miss Mashiro's dead?" Haruka blurts. "What?"
[20:36] "You don't mean--" Mamoru says, but the rest of the sentence comes out garbled. The image is not the only thing suffering from interruptions. "--must be. Previous Carnival--" Midori responds. The interferences increase.
[20:41] Haruka frowns. "Hey, what's the deal here? Yukino, do your mirrors need tuning?"
[20:42] "It's Searrs," Yukino whispers, aghast. "But she's dead, she's dead...."
[20:42] "How can they do that? Does that mean they know where we are?"
[20:43] Yukino's head snaps in Haruka's direction. "No, they can't, it's impossible," she says frantically. "But what if I recall them-- no, but abandoning them is also bad, the proxies are limited. Haruka-chan, what should I do?!"
[20:45] "Will we lose them if they stay there?" Haruka asks, calmly. "If not, we'll hear as much as we can before losing the transmission."
[20:47] Yukino nods erratically. "But if we recall the proxies, Searrs might be able to follow them!"
[20:47] "Then-- --Kagutsuchi, could-- --nly hope-- --sealed--" Nothing but fragments is coming through anymore, and the voices are distorted, making it difficult to determine the speaker.
[20:50] Haruka scowls. "I guess that's all we're getting for now. It sounds like she's trying to find out who's behind the Festival instead of 'winning' it, at least. There's not any way you can follow the two of them with the signal lost, I guess, so just try to get the...mirrors or whatever back safely."
[20:53] Yukino looks dubious but, beyond all, scared. The images comes out of focus, but not before Haruka can see a brilliant green beam slam into the ground dangerously close to Midori.
[20:53] The mirrors go blank at once. There is a pained gasp. Yukino collapses to the floor.
[20:55] "Yukino? Yukino!" Haruka kneels down by her friend, taking her by the shoulders. "What happened?"
[20:56] Yukino is insensate. Her pulse feels off to Haruka.
[21:00] "Yukino! This isn't funny, wake up!" Haruka slaps her lightly on the cheek. Just to rouse her, really! Glancing around the room...well, is any of the control center's communications gear operational in case she has to call for medical help? Not that she wants to, after her last trip to the hospital, but it might be necessary.
[21:01] Yukino groans, though whether from the slap or her condition, Haruka can't tell. Haruka thinks the gear is operational enough; the problem being that she doesn't know where exactly she is.
[21:03] Haruka follows up her previous attempt by...shaking Yukino lightly! "Snap out of it, Yukino. I need your help here."
[21:04] The back of Yukino's head lightly smacks against the floor as she is shaken.
[21:06] Oops. Okay, bad idea. If the girl insists on being unconscious, then Haruka will just have to carry her to the bed for now. Always the best place to recuperate.
[21:10] In a manner of minutes, Yukino recovers. "Oww," she whimpers, reaching feebly to hold the back of her head.
[21:11] "Finaly!" Haruka suddenly feels like she should've brought her friend some hot chocolate or something. "Are you alright? What happened?"
[21:12] "I'm linked to Diana," Yukino says, her voice weak. "I couldn't retreat every proxy of her in time."
[21:13] "That means...more broken mirrors?" Haruka speculates.
[21:14] "Not the mirrors," Yukino responds, shaking her head. The motion doesn't sit well with her. "It's too late to worry about that, now," she continues, fighting nausea. "We have to get away for now, Haruka-chan, until we know whether she managed to pin us down."
[21:16] "She?" Haruka asks, supporting Yukino as she tries to rise.
[21:17] "Arika Searrs," Yukino spits, with uncharacteristic spite. "We can't go against that thing. All we can do is run away."
[21:19] "What a minute, I thought she was dead?"
[21:21] "So did I," Yukino says, and as her anger fades, Haruka becomes aware of just how terrified her childhood friend is. "She was dead. Dead. Very dead. People don't come back from that state. So she's not a person. She's a thing. I can't fight that thing. Even killing it wouldn't work. Nothing would work."
[21:24] "We'll find a way," Haruka says, attempting to be reassuring. "We'll get all the Hime together and figure something out. But right now we need to move, don't we? One step at a time, Yukino. How do you feel? Can you get up?"
[21:24] "I can walk," Yukino says, frowning afterwards. "But I don't know about driving."
[21:27] "Well...if we have to, I can have Orihime carry you. She does that sort of thing a lot."
[21:29] Yukino doesn't seem pleased at the suggestion. "We could just give it a few minutes and see how I'm doing then. Where should we retreat?"
[21:31] Haruka considers this. "We could always go home. Maybe father could help us get in touch with this investigator friend of Midori."
[21:32] Another incredulous stare is directed at Haruka. "You think a cop could survive a meeting with Searrs?"
[21:34] "Maybe if he had a Hime to pull him out of the fire." she shrugs. "We're running out of leads, Yukino, we have to try everything."
[21:35] "Alright," Yukino says dubiously. "Help me to the car, Haruka-chan?"
[21:37] Haruka nods and lifts her friend to her feet, supporting her with one arm around her back.
[21:40] Yukino leans heavily on Haruka the entire trip, although she looks well enough to drive once she gets behind the wheel. "To your father, then?" Yukino repeats. "It might work, for now."
[21:42] Haruka nods. "I'm not sure where else safe right now."
[21:44] Yukino nods curtly, starting the engine. There is no key in the ignition. "He should have a company office within an hour's drive of Fuka, coordinating the island's development. We should have a better chance of finding him there, under the circumstances, then in Tokyo." She glances at Haruka for confirmation.
[21:46] Haruka nods again. "Hey, Yukino," she says, glancing pointedly at the ignition. "Is this one of those new mind-controlled cars?"
[21:47] "Mind-controlled cars?" Yukino asks in surprise. "Those exist?"
[22:22] Shifting gears, Yukino sets off to their destination. She's driving far slowly, but Haruka is unable to concentrate too much on the scenery. Her wounds begin to hurt, again, forcing her to wonder whether supporting Yukino in that state was a good idea.
[22:22] But even with the pain she is in, Haruka is able to find certain clarity by the time they arrive. Yukino parks the car, gesturing discreetly to a large building across the street. It belongs to the Suzushiro corporation.
[22:23] Finally! If they're not safe with her father's people, they're not safe anywhere.
[22:24] Unless he thinks she's a mental hospital escapee, a nasty thought intrudes on Haruka's conscious mind. Which he has every reason to.
[22:24] Bah. She can show him Orihime if she really needs something to convince him. Or she can just ask him to look into who actually runs that hospital.
[22:27] "Should we both go in?" Yukino asks. She sounds uncertain. "I could keep an eye on you from here, if we need to get away in a hurry."
[22:28] Haruka shakes her head. "Let's both go. We have to be safe here."
[22:29] "Alright, Haruka-chan." The car stills, and Yukino exits it. She looks much more steady, now, Haruka notices as the younger girl makes her way over.
[22:30] That's good to see, at least. Yukino worries too much. Having unwavering confidence in your abilities is half the recipe for VICTORY, after all. Anyway, time to head inside.
[22:32] With Yukino hovering nearby, Haruka makes her way across the street, nimbly avoiding traffic. A receptionist is there, as well as several guests going in and out. No one is paying much attention to the two.
[22:34] Haruka approaches the receptionist, striding through the front office like she owned the place because, well, she kind of does. "I am Haruka Suzushiro," she announces to the receptionist. "I need to contact my father immediately."
[22:39] That certainly gets a reaction. The woman looks Haruka over, before typing a few things on her computer. "Of course," she tells Haruka, looking back at her. "If you would go to the meeting room on the twelfth, you would find Mr. Suzushiro there. He left specific instructions that he be notified if you happened to show up."
[22:40] Haruka nods. Of course father would be prepared! "Thank you," she says to the receptionist before proceeding to the elevator and then the twelfth floor, Yukino in tow.
[22:43] The elevator is empty, and after a similar routine is repeated at the reception desk on the twelfth floor, Yukino and Haruka are shown to the meeting room in question. Several people in dark suits exit it just as the pair approaches. The only occupant remaining is a man Haruka knows well; her father. He looks worried, but she can spot the telltale signs of anger in his rigid posture as well.
[22:46] Haruka bows respectfully. "Father," she starts, "I regret worrying you with my actions, but it was not safe to stay at the hospital. I did not know this when I spoke to you previously and did not have the chance to call when I became aware that the hospital was a front for a malodorant organization."
[22:48] "Malevolent, Haruka-chan," Yukino whispers from her side, fidgeting.
[22:48] "What do you mean?" he asks, not betraying his thoughts.
[22:53] "The ambulance that was sent to retrieve me after I called for one did not reach me; instead, a group working for the First District--and organization devoted to exploring the Hime--found me first. We have Yukino to thank for discovering this and notifying me of the danger. I am sure this will become apparent once you apply your resources towards investigating the hospital."
[22:54] "I apologize again for not confiding in you earlier and causing you undue concern. I realize this is a problem I may not be able to overcome on my own."
[22:57] "Why didn't either of you come to me with this right away?" Haruka's father asks, tapping his fingers against the meeting room's oval table. He glances down, showing mild irritation, and stands up, crossing his hands behind his back. "We might have been able to catch them in the act. Instead, they have the initiative. It would not be easy to fight them in court now that they've made the first move."
[23:01] Haruka recalls that it was Yukino who broke into the hospital and took Haruka out, but she's not about to throw her friend under the bus. "They took my phone, and I'm sure they would have monitored the call if I'd told you how things were over one of their phones. Given the saturation, I had no choice but to simply leave as soon as possible."
[23:01] "And these people don't care about the courts," she adds darkly, remembering the facility she raided with Nao.
[23:04] "Situation, Haruka-chan," Yukino corrects her quietly, back into their little routine.
[23:04] "This is where you're wrong," he tells her. "Considering the nature of the place you escaped from, as well as the method, they are trying to declare you incompetent. In effect, a person who cannot make decisions for themselves under the law, and is a menace to themselves and others. I've been trying to block that, but it's not easy and has been tying up my time and effort in courts."
[23:08] Now *that* stops Haruka in her tracks for a moment. "What? They're trying to say that I'm crazy? That's...that's crazy! They just want me back in their custody for their experiments." She frowns. "I didn't expect them to be *this* bold. If we have the men to spare, we need to research who runs the hospital. Find proof to subliminate its connection to the First District. That's what they don't want anyone to know about!"
[23:13] "We can't do it covertly," he responds with a heavy sigh, even as Yukino whispers, "Subliminate, subliminate, what's that?" Gesturing for Haruka and Yukino to take seats by the table, he reclaims his.
[23:13] "For obvious reasons. Any direct attacks on it would be futile as well; while successful in the longer run, it might be just the ammunition they need. For now, their moves have been restricted, but even a flimsy excuse we provide for them might be exploited. They are bound to have judges in their pocket."
[23:17] Haruka glances at Yukino. "You know, to...prove something, back it up, show it has substance...subliminate!" she mutters to her friend. She sits down at the table and turns back to her father. "We might be able to do it covertly," she says. "I don't want to just volunteer Yukino for anything, but she has ways of finding things out. Yukino...what do you think?"
[23:18] Yukino follows suit. "Well," she says, biting on her lower lip. "We could try infiltrating a First District facility. Without being noticed. Ten minutes there and I will have all we need and more." She looks expectantly at Haruka afterwards.
[23:20] That's what Haruka wanted to hear. Yukino taking decisive action! ...Or, contemplating taking decisive action. Hey, it's a start. "If you can do it without attracting attention, that's our best option."
[23:29] Yukino nods. She doesn't seem particularly confident, but doesn't withdraw her suggestion. "There is another angle," she voices, looking at Haruka's father. "There was a committee... a task force occupied with certain dealings in high levels of government. It might have had something to do with First District.
[23:29] All the electronic information has either been destroyed or locked away securely, but maybe...."
[23:30] Haruka nods. "I'm sure anything we could find out about that would be useful."
[23:39] Her father agrees. "We'll look into that. I haven't heard of this task force, but I trust your information is reliable?"
[23:39] Yukino nods.
[23:39] "Well, then. That's all I needed to know."
[23:41] "I should probably keep a low profile in the meantime," Haruka admits. "With them trying to have me committed and all."
[23:43] "You would be safest here," he says. "Even more so at our company headquarters in Tokyo."
[23:44] Haruka nods in agreement, accepting her father's judgement for now.
[23:45] "I'll make the arrangements, then," he says. Standing up once more, he walks across to the large double doors and opens them, pausing at the entryway. "Wait here. It won't take long."

<--->

<--->

[14:06] "What now, Haruka-chan?" Yukino asks. Now that they are alone, in what should be a safe place in the depth of a Suzushiro-owned building, the fight seems to have left her, leaving Yukino that same meek follower Haruka had grown accustomed to.
[14:10] Aww. Haruka was starting to appreciate the assertive Yukino. The other girl *does* need to stand up for herself more. Oh well, home wasn't built overnight. "I guess we should get some rest. Are you tired?"
[14:12] Yukino makes a groan that would sound positively adorable under different circumstances. "Don't worry about me, Haruka-chan," she says quietly. "You're the one who needs to get better and regain her strength."
[14:15] Haruka shrugs. A couple bullet wounds aren't going to phase Haruka Suzushiro! ...For very long, at least. "You fainted this morning when we were listening in on Midori. Are you sure you're okay?"
[14:20] "It was not as bad as the other times," Yukino mutters quietly, before shaking her head. "I'm fine, Haruka-chan. Really!"
[14:20] Hiro Suzushiro returns at that time, his posture rigid. "There's been an incident at Fuka," he says, closing the door behind him. A remote is in his hands, and he activates a projector with it. What seems to be a pillar of fire is seen on the still frame presented; the location clearly somewhere near the Academy. Haruka can see the church's unmistakable bell tower in the background.
[14:21] "What the--when did this happen?" Haruka demands.
[14:25] "A few hours. This information is being ruthlessly suppressed. This picture alone cost... much." Hiro doesn't elaborate on that. "I can only conclude that the First District had moved in soon after the incident resolved. Even our holdings in Fuka had been seized; we have no one on the ground to appraise us of the situation."
[14:25] "But we might, and that's why you came to us," Yukino says quietly.
[14:25] Hiro remains silent.
[14:27] Haruka looks at the picture. Does it look like the work of that dragon that torched the First District facility, or...something else?
[14:29] It shows an enormous pillar of swirling fire, parting the very clouds.
[14:31] "Yukino, do you know who this is?" Haruka asks her friend, remembering something Yukino had said about Searrs.
[14:31] Yukino gives her a strange look. "It's... fire, Haruka-chan. There's no one here."
[14:32] "I know. That wasn't my question. Do you think any of the Hime could've done this?"
[14:34] "Oh!" Yukino considers the question. "Well... I know Mai-san's element is fire, but I've never seen her do something like that," she says hesitantly.
[14:36] "What about Searrs?"
[14:38] Yukino looks upset. "I wish I knew more," she says self-deprecatingly.
[14:40] Haruka frowns, and turns to her father. "Then we don't know anything more than you do," she says to him. "You'll need someone on the ground there to find out. Someone who fits in at Fuka and won't look auspicious. Someone who *should* be there to keep the students in order at a time like this anyway," she adds decisively.
[14:42] But first: "Give me a phone," she says to the room in general. Surely someone will oblige!
[14:44] Yukino provides one. "I think it should work," she tells Haruka, flipping it open. She emits a small sigh of relief when the screen clears, the phone connecting to the network.

<--->

<--->

[14:45] Haruka takes the phone and dials a number. Time to check in with Nao!
[14:47] "This is Nao," comes an unusually subdued voice, lacking either arrogance or a sultry tone. "What."
[14:47] "It's Haruka. Are you at Fuka right now?"
[14:48] "If you mean the island, yes. If you mean the school, soon enough," replies Nao. "A lot happened. Again. I was wondering when you were gonna call."
[14:49] "What's going on there?" Haruka demands. "I've got a picture of this pillar of fire, but that's all."
[14:50] "There was a fight. Someone attacked Sugiura Midori. The fire was Mai, trying to fly over and save her. She didn't make it."
[14:52] "That was MAI? Okay, who started the fight? Was anyone else hurt? ...Is Midori dead?"
[14:53] Yukino shifts uncomfortably as she listens in. "Sugiura-sensei is dead?" she asks, audible over the phone.
[14:54] "Some strange girl with magical fucking wings and a laser rifle. My policy from now on is to kill anything with wings, by the by. Don't surprise me." Nao pauses. "And yeah. She's dead. I couldn't get there in time, either. Something attacked me, as well- have you been alright? Did your wounds heal? Where are you?"
[14:57] Haruka nods silently to Yukino before resuming the conversation. "Wings and a laser rifle, right. Don't worry, I haven't got either of those. Unless our R&D people have been working overtime. I'm at one of the Suzushiro corporate buildings with father and Yukino. I'm not in any state to fight someone, but that doesn't mean I can't tell Orihime to do it for me. Who attacked you?"
[14:59] "I don't know. It was..." replies Nao, struggling to describe what attacked her. "There was this.. flower, just floating in midair. The next time I looked it was gone. I thought I was being followed, so I went to the park- I could easily pick out anyone weird there. Then.. things got weird."
[15:00] "Weirder. Something tried to grab me from the earth. I didn't get a good look. The funny thing was that nobody seemed to notice when I broke out the claws and swiped back. Like they couldn't see anything weird happening."
[15:02] "...Right," Haruka says slowly, none of this making a whole lot of sense to her. "What about the fire. Did they not even notice that?"
[15:02] "I'm pretty sure everyone noticed the fire. And the tornado."
[15:03] "Tornado?" Haruka repeats, looking at the others with her. "We didn't hear about that."
[15:03] "Uh. What?"
[15:04] "It was like right on fucking top of one of your construction sites."
[15:04] Hiro shakes his head silently in response.
[15:08] "That...must be where Midori was meeting her friend from the police. I know they were attacked, but we couldn't see what actually happened. Midori had found something about Miss Mashiro being dead, but we didn't hear the details."
[15:09] "Well, yeah, we knew something was up with that already. I showed you that obituary, didn't I?" asks Nao, frowning. "Anyway, I met that guy. He was... he said he'd make sure he got her last message to me. I wanted to stay with him, just in case- you know. But he insisted."
[15:10] "You lost him? Did he explain anything first, at least?"
[15:12] "Only that Midori had been doing research into this, and that she was going to return my call," replies Nao. "What was his name, Mamoru or something? He was pretty upset by Midori's death... well. Who wouldn't be..."
[15:12] "He took Midori's body away, anyhow. I had to carry Mai back to the dorms."
[15:14] "Mamoru, yes." Haruka presses on. There'll be a chance to mourn later. This is a time for *action*. "How's Mai?"
[15:17] "Mai's going nuts," replies Nao, succinctly. "She couldn't take Midori's death. When I showed up at the scene, she didn't seem to recognize me- she attacked me! Me! If it wasn't for Mikoto..." Nao breaths in, slowly. "Anyway, she's asleep in her dorm. Mikoto is with her, so she should be fine. I've got things to do though. One of the teachers at school is a First District agent-"
[15:17] "-and I'd like to have a few words with him. Privately. In a place where he can't get away. You guys don't have any of those black limos lying around I can borrow, do you?"
[15:18] As Nao speaks with Haruka over the phone, her augmented senses pick something. She's not alone in the woods.
[15:18] Haruka appears to take this request at face value. "Father? Do we have a limo to spare for Nao?"
[15:19] "We have plenty, but there is a blockade over Fuka that is as real as it is illegal," Hiro reminds his daughter. "I presume this is where your friend is right now?"
[15:19] Haruka nods.
[15:19] Yukino snorts in disgust when Nao is called Haruka's friend.
[15:20] "Even if we could get a car past the First District goons, would it not just paint a target over your friend, who is currently free and running about?"
[15:20] "Hey. Haruka. You said you could send Orihime out, right? She'd be real handy around about now," remarks Nao, clicking her tounge and starting to pick up her pace, looking for her company.
[15:22] Dark human-sized shapes are moving through the forest. They don't blend in too well considering there's still plenty of light out, but then again, Nao isn't certain a regular schoolgirl would've noticed them.
[15:23] Haruka glances at Hiro and Yukino, and considers for a moment. How far away is she from Fuka? How long would it take help to reach Nao?
[15:23] "Call me again in twenty minutes," whispers Nao, clicking off the phone and setting it to silent.

<--->

<--->

[15:24] Click. The line is cut.
[15:25] Haruka frowns. "How far are we from Fuka right now?" she asks her father.
[15:27] Hiro is poised to respond, but it is Yukino who speaks, cutting in before he could manage to say a word. "What is wrong with you, Haruka-chan?!" the mousy girl practically yells. "Sugiura-sensei is dead! It's probably Searrs! And now First District is there too, and you're wounded and can barely walk and you want to GO THERE?!
[15:27] Why? What did that vile Yuuki girl cast on you to make you go to such lengths for her?!"
[15:28] Yukino's eyes are wide. She breathes heavily. Even Hiro seems taken aback by the outburst.
[15:33] Haruka stays calm. "Yukino, this isn't about Nao. This is about FUKA. Someone wants us to fight, and we can't afford to do that. We have to work *together*. All of us. Do you understand?" She takes Yukino by the shoulders, and squeezes lightly.
[15:35] Yukino assertively throws Haruka's hands off. "What I understand is that if you go there, you will die!" She gestures at the pillar of fire, still featured prominently over the white screen. "Can you stop that? I can't! And the Searrs demon is lethal to me simply by breathing! And-- and First District-- if they get their claws-- in you again--" Yukino seems to be having trouble breathing.
[15:38] Haruka blinks, then finally relents and drops into a chair. "It's alright, see? I'm not going anywhere." Wow. For all that she'd always thought Yukino should be more assertive, this is a little disturbing.
[15:40] Yukino is still hyperventilating, but she's not yelling anymore.
[15:41] Haruka reaches out to take Yukino by the hand, more gently this time. "Yukino," she says in a worried tone, "are you okay?"
[15:43] Yukino's eyes are stormy. "Do I look okay, Haruka-chan?" she quietly asks, sitting down heavily. She grasps her head in her hands. "We're going to die. We're all going to die."
[15:46] Haruka kneels down in fron of Yukino, peering up at her. "That's not going to happen, Yukino. Not on my watch. Have some faith in me. You do trust me, don't you?"
[15:47] Yukino keeps on repeating the same line. Hiro looks disturbed. "Are all the other Hime... like that?" he asks.
[15:50] Haruka shakes her head. "Most people don't deal with pressure like I do, but no, there are all sorts. Look, is there a bed here? Yukino needs somewhere quiet to calm down."
[15:51] "I have a sofa in my office here," Hiro tells her, coming closer to them. "Yukino is welcome to use it."
[15:52] "That'll do." She pats her friend on the shoulder, hoping to not be thrown off this time. "Come on, Yukino. Let's lie down for a bit. You'll feel better later."
[15:54] Yukino does not resist at this time, having reverted to her meek persona once more.
[15:56] Haruka escorts Yukino to the sofa and lays her prone on it, then sits down next to her (this is probably necessary to facilitate the other girl's recovery) and waits for Nao to call back.
[16:28] Ten terse minutes pass, before Hiro returns -- when had he left the room to give Yukino and Haruka privacy? His face is even more grim than when Haruka saw him last.
[16:33] "What's wrong?" Haruka asks flatly.
[16:33] "I've tried to get one of our commercial sattelites over Fuka as soon as I got the news," Hiro tells Haruka. "It finally reached the target area a minute and change ago. We won't have much time to observe, but that is all we can do right now."
[16:34] Haruka nods. "Alright. Let's see what we can while we have the chance."
[16:37] Hiro takes her back to the meeting room. Haruka doesn't see anyone as she makes the brief journey there; the employees have either been dismissed outright or told to leave the floor at the very least. The live feed is already on, showing Fuka on a macro scale, albeit the resolution is excellent. Smoke is trailing from two areas; the Academy and a part of the city.
[16:41] "Two fires now? What happened in the city?"
[16:43] Hiro commandeers the wireless mouse and keyboard the room holds, adjusting the video feed. It zooms on the city, towards an area Haruka recognizes as the city hospital. It is on fire.
[16:44] "...Oh. Sister Yukariko was still there the last I heard of her. I wonder if she was involved in this. Do we know when the fire started?"
[16:45] "I know as much as you do," Hiro says, and only knowing him all her life allows Haruka to spot the frustration hidden well behind his mask.
[16:45] The fire does not look to have started within the last two minutes, to Haruka.
[16:46] Haruka nods, sharing the frustration. "Yukino has ways of seeing and hearing things far away, but I don't want to push her in her present state. I'm going to try calling Nao again," she says, and promptly does so.

<--->

<--->

[16:48] "Is that you, Haruka?" comes Nao's voice, difficult to hear over some roaring wind.
[16:49] "Yeah. So, the hospital's on fire, huh?"
[16:49] The ninja throws Nao a dark look, but this doesn't get him to speak, either.
[16:49] "What."
[16:50] "Okay, never mind. I guess you're not there. What's your situation?"
[16:51] "Well, maybe I should be there! I've secured Ishigami, and am going... someplace. Give me a number to call you back on, now isn't such a good time. Oh, yeah, there are soldiers crawling over the school looking for people like me. I don't think they're doing anything to the regular students."
[16:52] Haruka grinds her teeth. Soldiers? At Fuka? Sacrilege! Anyway, she looks to her father for a number for Nao to call back and then relays it to the other girl.
[16:53] "Yeah. Alright. I should be able to talk in a little while. 'till then." *click*

<--->

<--->

[16:54] Hiro purses his lips. The number he had given Haruka is one she knows well. It is his direct, private line. Aside from her immediate family, she doesn't believe anyone knows it. This is the first time she had seen her father share it with a stranger.
[17:02] Haruka takes a moment to sit and think about her next move. She's not in any fit state to go out and dispense JUSTICE in person, however much that fact may gall her, so she'll have to content herself with gathering info for now. "Our enemies--that we know of--are the First District and Searrs." She turns to her father. "What do we know about Searrs?"
[17:02] Haruka makes the assumption that info on the First District is nil, of course.
[17:04] "A wealthy American conglomerate. They have their hands in pretty much everything," Hiro states, focusing on the projection. Firefighters are trying to battle with the flames. The resolution becomes finer as he zooms in; there are casualties on the ground.
[17:06] "Including the Festival, apparently," Haruka adds, also focusing on the projection. Is the resolution good enough for her to recognize anyone there?
[17:07] It could be, though one would need to zoom in further. Hiro knows this as well, which could be why he kept it at that level.
[17:08] Haruka isn't having any of that restraint. "Father? There was a Hime at the hospital. I need to see if she's among the wounded."
[17:10] The sattelite zooms in further. Men and women, children and elderly -- the fire had spared none. Some, however, are bloody--
[17:10] The feed terminates with an infernal screech. Hiro presses several keys, wincing, and the sound is cut off.
[17:11] Haruka can't suppress a wince herself. "What was that?"
[17:14] Hiro is studying data that doesn't make much sense to Haruka. "Our sattellite suddenly went offline. It stopped transmitting all telemetry. I--" He pauses. Haruka hasn't seen her father quite so lost for words before in her entire life.
[17:14] "No, that must be the only reason. Our sattellites are heavily shielded from radiation, on par with the latest military hardware. The only way for it to not broadcast is if the sattelite is no longer there."
[17:19] "Searrs," Haruka concludes. "When Yukino's listening devices all went on the spritz, she said it was them. They must be responsible for this too."
[17:22] "For the first time, I'm not sure we're ready to stand against both of these organizations," Hiro says heavily.
[17:25] Haruka considers this. "If we can find out who's behind the Festival and stop *them*, we won't have to. That's what everyone's after--winning the Festival. If we ruin the Festival itself, there's nothing to fight over."
[17:27] "Neither would forget or forgive all their plans being ruined in that way," Hiro says doubtfully. "Perhaps, however, we could find a way to turn them against each other in earnest. Searrs and First District are competing, are they not?"
[17:28] "Nao and I went into that First District research futility with information from a Searrs informant. They're not the best of friends, that's for sure."
[17:30] Hiro perks up. "You have an in with Searrs?"
[17:32] Haruka grimaces. "Sort of. Nao and I caught him following us and confronted him. He gave us some information because doing so was useful to him, I think. I don't know how to reach him, myself."
[17:33] "It all comes back to Nao, again," Hiro muses, contemplative. "Alright. What about contacts with the First District?"
[17:35] "Nao said she'd caught a teacher who was working for them. So we're waiting for her again. I wish I'd thought to drag someone with me when I left the research faculty," Haruka adds, apparently forgetting that she was critically injured and being carried herself at the time.
[17:37] "Right now, I think we should follow up on Midori's investiture of the Fuka headmaster. I overheard a conversation this morning where Midori mentioned something about Miss Mashiro being dead...'for centuries,' which doesn't make any sense to me, but looking into Mashiro is better than sitting and waiting."
[17:42] Hiro nods in agreement. "I'll try to look into First District's dealings from my own angle. Splitting our attention between them and Searrs at this juncture would leave us with spread out too thin, having learnt nothing. Once your friend makes contact again, bring her in. Though it is a risk to hold all eggs in the same basket, that seems like our best bet at this point."

<--->

<--->

[16:16] The ship Nao is on docks at its destination, not looking out of place with the other fishing vessels. Both she and her luggage are shown to one of the nearby houses, fitting it quite nicely with others like it in the village. Inside, though, state of the art communications equipment greets Nao, as well as more men carrying themselves like those who took her to this hideout.
[16:20] Luggage? What's that? Nao only has what she's wearing. She stares rather skeptically at the outfits of the men running around, but ultimately shrugs her shoulders. "May I?" she asks, glancing at the communications gear.
[16:21] Silent communication of some sort goes between the men present, but Nao is granted access to the system afterwards without a complaint.
[16:23] It takes her a moment to figure out exactly what buttons to push, but when you really get down to it, it's just an oversized phone, and Nao *knows* phones. Eventually she manages to input Suzushiro's contact number, and sits back to let it dial.
[16:24] Haruka picks up, apparently not having wandered far from her father's office during her stay at the corporate building. "Nao? What's happening?" she asks, straight to business.
[16:25] "Fuka blew up."
[16:26] Haruka sighs, an odd sound since it's mixed with obvious frustration. "So did the hospital. Who did it this time?"
[16:27] Nao is clad in a wetsuit that is still dripping, slightly. Her hair is soaked, and her skin is pale. Her eyes, however, are empty. "Searrs. The First District dispatched soldiers to the school to capture us. Searrs decided that blowing everything to smithereens was preferable."
[16:31] "They took down our communications satellite, too. I am totally convinced of the need to dispatch justice by means of a mace to the head once we actually find these people. Nao...is there anything left of Fuka? Was there time for any organized innoculation before the explosion happened?"
[16:33] "I don't know. I wasn't on the island when it happened," she replies, grimacing. "I captured Wataru Ishigami, one of the District's men. I'll be interrogating him later. We were rescued by ninjas. Would you believe it? It seems that Okuzaki Akira leads a fucking honest-to-god ninja clan. Tokiha Takumi is here, too."
[16:36] Haruka grinds her teeth, mentally tallying up the number of people who could now be dead as a result of the explosion at Fuka and quickly running out of numbers. And think of the *property* damage! Someone is going to PAY. "I need to be there for the interrogation." It's not a request. "Also, any sign of Mai?"
[16:37] "I put her to bed in her room. Mikoto was with her. I don't know where they are now, and my phone got busted again." Nao looks exceptionally pained. "She's alive, at least. Takumi's still here, after all. But what's happened to you since I left you?"
[16:40] "We've got time to talk now, so let's trade the last couple days."
[16:41] "Not much. As I said, something happened at the hospital in the city, but we lost contact with our satellite when we tried to get a closer look at it. Right now I'm at one of the Suzushiro corporate buildings with Yukino. I suggested to father that he have our men dig up what they can on Miss Mashiro, since Midori was working on that before she died."
[16:42] "I believe the event at the hospital was Akira's men recovering Takumi. Though I'm not sure that required a fire."
[16:42] "There definitely was one. Maybe it happened after they left. I think Sister Yukariko was still there, after all."
[16:45] Nao's face twists in frustration. "Great. Anyway, things were a bit more crazy on my end. After I left you, I met up with Mai in the hospital, and we talked for a bit. Mai was the one who blew up that facility, you know? It seems she was tipped off by some 'Diana' woman. According to her, Kuga Natsuki was being held there."
[16:46] "Diana seems to have strange and mysterious powers of telecommunication, enabling her to activate otherwise-broken mobile phones at long range."
[16:47] "Di...ana...Huh. Okay, so why did Mai torch the place if she thought Natsuki was there?"
[16:47] "Because Mikoto got shot," replies Nao, clenching her jaw. "It made her very, very angry."
[16:51] "Oh. Let's try to not let that happened again. Or at least make sure Mai's pointed at someone else when it does. Alright, we need to get together, all of us who are left, and make a plan. No more Hime getting picked off one by one, whoever wants us will have to face all of us at once. Can you tell me where you are right now?"
[16:58] "I'm at some secret ninja base. I'll see if they're willing to give you directions later," replies Nao, shrugging. "What kind of plan? I'm all out of plans. I need to interrogate Ishigami and see if these ninjas are actually going to tell me anything."
[16:58] Nao starts massaging her forehead. "And I still don't have a clue how to deal with the Hime Star. You've seen the news, right?"
[16:59] "No-oo," Haruka says slowly. "I've spent a lot of time unconscionable lately. What did I miss?"
[17:00] "Natural disasters are on the rise. There was a blizzard in the Sahara. Volcanic eruptions everywhere. The world is getting fucked up."
[17:01] "Fuka's gone. How much worse can things get? Alright, interrogate Ishigami and tell me whatever you learn as soon as possible. Do not hold back, Nao! He's a traitor to Fuka and he deserves whatever it takes to make him talk!"
[17:03] "I won't hold back," Nao assured her student representative. "I'll make him squeal." Nao plainly agrees with Haruka's assessment of Ishigami's morality; the thought of interrogating him brings a feral glint to her eye. "Have you got anything else? Had any more weird dreams?"
[17:05] "Nothing worth mentioning," Haruka says, deciding that a dream of her keeping a harem that included the late Shizuru Fujino isn't worth sharing for quite a wide variety of reasons.
[17:08] "Uh-huh. Alright. Anyway. As I said, after I spoke to Mai, I talked to Smith. You know that Arika girl? Shizuru's murderer? She doesn't stay dead. She's got.. cloned bodies in some lab, somewhere, and every time she dies, she gets a new one. If you run into her, don't kill her. Just make it impossible for her to do anything, even commit suicide."
[17:11] Haruka would like to kill her once just for the satisfaction of doing it, but nods anyway. "Yukino said something like that, but I thought she was just delicious and not thinking straight. Why did Smith tell you this? Isn't Arika with Searrs too?"
[17:13] "Smith claims not to agree with the methods used by the current leadership." Nao frowns, and seems to glance at the ground. "He's been feeding me some information because of that. But I can't trust him. He never tipped me off about what was going to happen on the island. He had to at least know about the First District incursion."
[17:14] Nao frowns, suddenly. "Speaking of Yukino. What's she been up to?"
[17:15] "Watching over me, mostly. Why do you ask?"
[17:15] "I'm trying to keep tabs on the other Hime when I can. If she's got information I don't, I want to know it."
[17:16] "I'll talk to her," Haruka says simply, intending to do that anyway for several reasons.
[17:23] "Alright." Nao is silent for a few seconds, and when she speaks, there's a hard edge to her voice. "Haruka, I don't know if we can stop the festival. I do know that we can tear apart the First District and Searrs, if we work together. If there's any way, they know it. If there isn't, then they all deserve to die."
[17:26] "I absolutely agree," Haruka says with equal resolve. "Call me as soon as you know anything. I'll see if Father and Yukino have anything new, in the meantime."
[17:28] "I'll give you the details of this place. When Ishigami wakes up, I'll get to work on him." Nao smiles, after that, without any malice or sarcasm in her face. "I'm glad I got a chance to see you again, though. Don't do anything crazy without letting me in on it, alright?"
[17:29] "Crazy? I don't know what you mean, Nao. No one's more sane than I am." As far as one can tell, Haruka is being totally serious.
[17:32] "Well. Try to spread that around a bit. We could all use a bit more sanity, I think. Let's speak again in an hour."
[17:32] "Sure." Haruka hangs up.

<--->

<--->

[16:59] Yukino is lying down when Haruka tracks her down. It's not too difficult; this time, Yukino hadn't fled the place Haruka left her at.
[17:00] Always a plus. "Hey, Yukino," Haruka says casually, "how are you feeling?"
[17:02] Yukino blinks her bleary eyes at the blonde. "Better, Haruka-chan," she says quietly. "I think I needed to rest a bit."
[17:05] Haruka sits down on the sofa next to Yukino. "That's good. Say, Yukino...your Child is named Diana, right?" Haruka asks. Skilled segue, go!
[17:06] "Yes, Haruka-chan," Yukino responds, sitting up. She looks confused by the topic her friend had brought up. "I told you that, remember?"
[17:08] "Yeah. Listen, I heard from Mai, and she said she got some info from someone named Diana a while back. Was that you?"
[17:10] Yukino looks away. "I was afraid, but Miss Kazahana... asked me to help. I couldn't refuse."
[17:11] "Who's Miss Kazahana?"
[17:14] Yukino blinks slowly at Haruka. "You've... forgotten who the chairwoman of Fuka is?" She grasps the sides of Haruka's head, turning her this way and that. "Strange, there are no bumps...."
[17:19] "Alright, but...do you know how she found out about it in the first place?"
[17:20] "I don't think you understand, Haruka-chan," Yukino says slowly, letting go of the blonde. "She asked me to find Kuga-san and let Tokiha-san know, and I did, with Diana's help."
[17:22] "Alright, and Kuga was at that facility when you found her?"
[17:23] Yukino shakes her head. "No, Kuga-san was being held hostage by Alyssa-chan and Greer-san. It was at some abandoned factory near the shore."
[17:26] Haruka chews on this for a moment. "Alright. According to Mai, 'Diana' told her that Kuga was at the research facility Nao and I broke into a couple nights ago."
[17:26] "You talked to Tokiha-san?" Yukino asks.
[17:27] "Nao's with her and Mikoto. And a clan of ninjas, I'm told."
[17:29] Yukino mood turns to the worse. "No doubt she's been feeding you lies, that vile scarlet woman."
[17:33] Haruka frowns. "Judge people by their actions, Yukino. Since all this started, I've only seen her trying to figure out who's behind the Festival and stop it. The Hime have to stand together, or we will most assuredly...um, fall apart."
[17:34] "But she's lying!" Yukino blurts out. "She's turning you against me!"
[17:37] "Yukino, think about this! When we broke into that research facility, I got *shot* and couldn't fight at all. Orihime had to carry me around. If Nao was trying to get rid of the other Hime, she had a great perpetuity to kill me right there, but she didn't."
[17:38] Yukino goes silent, not correcting Haruka. "What if she's just using you?" she asks suddenly. "You got shot. You! But she escaped without a scratch! Don't you see? She's just using you as a shield for her own goals, Haruka-chan!"
[17:39] "Then tell me what they are, Yukino. Because they look like the same as mine from everything I've seen so far."
[17:40] "She's having you take all the hits from her enemies while gathering the opposition together, sowing discord between you and your friends subtly. And then, when it's time to strike, she will!"
[17:41] Haruka shakes her head. "Yukino...is there any way you can prove this?"
[17:42] "All I have is my word that she's lying to you and trying to turn you against me," Yukino says piteously, looking away. "Once, that would have been enough...."
[17:45] Haruka considers this. Yukino's never been one to make stuff up...but then, she's never been this emotionally unstable, either. "Yukino, this is about more than you and me. This is about saving Fuka--or what's left of it--and I'm not going to exclude any student unless I can see for sure that they're a threat. Do you understand?"
[17:47] Yukino nods dejectedly.
[17:50] "Alright. If you're worried, you can keep an eye on her, but I'd rather watch out for the people we know are our enemies, okay? We're going to meet up with the other Hime soon, and together we can take on the First District or Searrs."
[17:50] Yukino nods again, this time with more spirit. "I will always watch over you, Haruka-chan," she says quietly. "I would do anything for you. You know that."
[17:52] Haruka nods, her expression serious. "Yes. I do." She stands up, and takes Yukino by the hand. "Let's go back to the phone in the office and set up a meeting place."
[17:53] Yukino doesn't resist, standing up when Haruka pulls lightly on her arm.

<--->

<--->

[18:56] Haruka picks up the office phone again and dials Nao.
[18:56] "Yes?" an unfamiliar male voice asks.
[18:57] Haruka frowns. "I'm looking for Yuuki Nao. She called me from this number not long ago. Tell her it's Haruka."
[18:58] "Alright." The line goes quiet, though Haruka is certain it hadn't been disconnected. The mute button must have been hit from the other end.
[18:59] Haruka waits impatiently, tapping her foot.
[19:01] Nao is on the line soon enough. "It's me. I'm in the middle of an interrogation, but what's up?"
[19:01] "I'm ready to meet up. Can you tell me where you are?"
[19:02] "Yeah." Nao gives Haruka the necessary directions to the fishing village. "I'll let them know you're coming."
[19:03] Nao pauses a moment. "What's your mode of transportation? Helicopter? Private jet? Catapult?"
[19:04] Haruka glances around to see if her father's in the vicinity. "I'm hoping for a helicopter, but I wouldn't rule out driving there in a car."
[19:05] He's not, but finding the man wouldn't be too hard for Haruka.
[19:05] "Who's coming, altogether?"
[19:06] "Yukino, myself...maybe a couple security guys if father insists on protecting me."
[19:07] Nao snorts. "You'll be the one doing the protecting, I'm sure. Alright. See you whenever."
[19:08] Haruka nods and hangs up, now needing to track down her father.

<--->

<--->

[18:11] Haruka's father is talking on the phone in his office. Finding him isn't too difficult.
[18:12] Haruka waits. Patiently, this time! There aren't many people she feels obliged to be deferential towards, but her father's one of them.
[18:15] She doesn't get the gist of the conversation merely from listening to his side of it, but Haruka's father mentions for her to take a seat. The phonecall ends with him giving a number she doesn't immediately recognize. "Your timing is impeccable," Hiro says.
[18:16] "Do we have new information?"
[18:21] "Yes. Well, maybe," he amends. "A contact of ours is going to fax us those committee files. Apparently, the original were all destroyed, but he has access to faithful copies."
[18:23] Haruka nods. "Excellent. Nao has gathered some of the other Hime and is waiting at a safe location. Yukino and I are going to meet her as soon as possible. What's the fastest mode of transposition that we have available?"
[18:25] "Depends on where you're traveling," Hiro responds. "A jet for an intercontinental flight. A helicopter for most places in Japan. A combination of the latter and a boat or car if there is no suitable landing pad at the destination." He steeples his hands. "However, what you need to be asking is which method of transportation is the stealthiest one."
[18:26] Haruka nods. "Of course. So...car, I take it."
[18:28] "It seems reasonable," Hiro agrees. "And after things turned the way they did, I don't suppose there would be talking you out of going. But you won't have to handle everything on your own."
[18:29] "You're right. The Fuka Alumni Association together couldn't talk me out of it. So, what do you have in mind?"
[18:30] "First District has a weakness. That is the most reasonable explanation for why they had the investigation shut down. If it is in the files my contact managed to scavenge, I will find it, and use it against them."
[18:32] Haruka nods. "Of course. Call me as soon as you know anything helpful?"
[18:35] "I'll do better." Hiro tosses a wallet over to Haruka. "This contains all the various contact numbers for me, as well as the locations of the forces available to the Suzushiro family. I'm afraid we don't keep a standing army unlike these enemies of ours, but our support structure would not lose to theirs!"
[18:37] Haruka catches the wallet, and gives another respectful nod. "Thank you, father. I am grateful for your assistance. I'll call and let you know when the Hime and I have decided on our next move."
[18:40] "I will hold the fort for as long as I can," he promises. "Haruka. For both groups to move so audaciously in the open, they must be hoping to achieve a swift, overwhelming victory. A prolongued conflict in the public's eye benefits neither Searrs or the First District."
[18:41] "Then I'll have to make sure that's what happens," Haruka says, with total self-assurance, ready to grab Yukino and head for the car unless her father has more to say.

<--->

<--->

[17:33] It is dark when Nao is alerted to a black car arriving in the fishing village she is staying at with men of the Okuzaki clan. As they aren't expecting any visitors and it doesn't look like a full-scale assault, they believe it must be Haruka Suzushiro; she is the only one who knows the location.
[17:34] Nao is there to greet the car. Having gotten changed into ill-fitting jeans and a shirt, she doesn't look anything like her usual fashion-savvy self.
[17:35] It stops just short of Nao, pulling over. Yukino is the first to exit it, and her eyes lock onto Nao's form instantly, glaring.
[17:36] Which doesn't bother Haruka at all. Results, that's all that matters! Action, not fashion! She gets out of the car to greet her ally, hoping Yukino doesn't go straight for the throat.
[17:36] Nao looks back at Yukino. And smiles.
[17:37] Yukino gestures and the air around her shimmers, mirrors springing into being, surrounding her. "This was a trap, Haruka-chan!" she insists.
[17:37] "There's no way Haruka is dumb enough to fall for that," insists Nao, with a rude snort.
[17:38] "Yukino?!" Haruka barks, quickly stepping to the younger girl and grabbing her by the shoulders. "Get a hold of yourself!"
[17:38] Yukino scowls. The mirrors remain, though she doesn't make any further hostile moves. "She's smiling and it's creepy," she insists, glaring still.
[17:39] "Kikukawa, you would make an excellent policewoman."
[17:39] "Okay, but that's not enough reasons to attack someone in their own home. I mean, did I ever hit Fujino? No, never. So just follow my example."
[17:40] Haruka's words seem to have quite an effect on Yukino, who pales instantly upon hearing them. The mirrors shimmer and fall, dissipating before they hit the ground.
[17:41] "That's better," Haruka says, throwing an arm around Yukino's shoulder to guide her forward. "Now we're all going to talk this out together and really make a plan. And then we'll hit the people we're SUPPOSED to hit."
[17:42] Yukino's expression becomes meek the instant Haruka embraces her, the girl's resistance evaporating.
[17:43] "First District. Searrs," replies Nao, nodding. "They have to go down. I don't think there's any disagreement on this front."
[17:44] Haruka nods. "Exactly. So, everyone we could find is here, right? Mai, Mikoto?"
[17:45] "They're not here. I haven't seen them since I put Mai to bed." Nao faces creases with concern. "I'm fairly sure they escaped the blasts on Fuka. But I don't know where they are, and I don't know if they can find this place."
[17:46] Haruka nods again. "Well, maybe Yukino can find them for us," she says to her friend, encouragingly. "In the meantime, what did you find out from that teacher?"
[17:47] "He knows where the First District headquarters is. And he can get us inside, or so he claims."
[17:47] "Well, we'll just have to make it clear what happens to him if he *can't*," Haruka says with a decisive nod.
[17:48] "I've already done that. He's very docile," replies Nao, shrugging. "But when you get down to it, he's a pawn. He doesn't know much about the inner workings."
[17:49] "Well, as long as he can get us there, we can find someone who does know something."
[17:50] "Quite. We can question him further, later. At the moment, though, I'm waiting for Akira to show up. These ninjas seemed to have advance warning of the strikes, and I want to know what they know about the situation."
[17:52] "Ninjas..." Haruka shakes her head, skeptical. "How are there ninja clans in this day and age. It's like right out of an anime."
[17:54] <--->
[17:54] John Smith's phone wakes Nao up in the middle of the night. It is the first time she can recall receiving an actual call on it.
[17:54] "Talk to me," she demands, upon picking it up.
[17:58] "The timeline has changed," Jonn's voice tells her, cutting straight to the chase. "I don't know how it happened, but things are spiraling out of control. There's nothing I can do. Nothing. Searrs reacted to the massive mobilization of the First District in Fuka, and it went downhill from there."
[18:00] "Has First District retaliated?"
[18:03] "I don't know about their movements," John speaks. He's breathing heavier than usually. "I don't even know what got them to move. But the president must, and it has to be bad, because he ordered to use Apollo to level the island. It didn't have time to finish the job before moving out of alignment, but it's only a matter of--
[18:03] I don't know, less than a day for sure. And next time, they won't keep it in standby. As soon as it is in position, it would keep on firing until nothing is left."
[18:03] "Can it be stopped? I will take on any measure."
[18:06] "Yes. That's why I'm breaking--" He laughs, sounding amused. "I suppose it's not really radio silence. Listen carefully. You told me that you might know where Miyu is. I'm about to give you her control codes. With those, we can still turn this around. Write this down."
[18:08] Nao scrambles for a pen and paper, but her own voice sounds doubtful. "Go on."
[18:09] A series of nonsensical English words follow, no seeming link between them. "'Fairytale' is the final command," John continues. "It will allow you to activate Miyu's Platinum Mode, with the only weapon capable of facing Apollo."
[18:09] "Alright. But I- I can't promise I can find her. I only had the barest of glimpses. What exactly is Apollo?"
[18:11] Jonn laughs again. It cuts off when Nao hears gunfire in the background. "There is a way to stop Arika, after all. They made many bodies for her, but even Searrs couldn't afford to tie a separate Child to each. Arika is replaceable. Apollo is not. And they are ultimately one."
[18:13] "Apollo is her Child? The flying girl in armour?"
[18:15] "It's the weak point, if you could call a heavily-defended state of the art sattelite that." John sounds somber, then, as he says, "Please, Nao, save the world. I can only count on you, now." The next burst of gunfire sounds much closer, and the line goes dead.
[18:16] "Wait, I-" calls Nao, before her voice drops. "-don't have a clue..." she mutters, before shaking her head, and pulling herself out of bed. "GET UP! EVERYONE, UP, NOW!"
[18:17] Half a dozen men rush into Nao's room mere moments afterwards, armed with semi-automatic weapons.
[18:18] "We need to get moving immediately," she declares, starting to exit the room. "Haruka! Yukino! You don't need your beauty sleep, get up! Up! We're leaving!"
[18:19] Haruka is quick to get up, though not too happy about it. Sure, she's used to being up late at night, but usually she has plenty of junk food to sustain through those hours! Duty calls, though, and she's not about to complain. "Leaving for where?"
[18:21] "To find Miyu. My informant just called," declares Nao, once everyone seems to be getting ready to leave. "The source of the attacks on Fuka is by the Child of Arika Searrs. It's named Apollo, an orbital satellite that can fire beams of destruction. We can't kill Arika, and we can't fight the Child. Miyu is the only one who can help us."
[18:22] "Satellite..." Haruka trails off. "Well, that explains a couple things. What can Miyu do? Is she another Hime?"
[18:23] "No. I don't know exactly what she can do," admits Nao. "He was pretty convined that only she can help us, however. I don't think he was lying." She curses, spitting at the ground. "The satellite is in orbit at the moment, but it'll have lined up to fire again within the day."
[18:23] "You can't," Yukino says in disbelief, shaking her head. "Miyu, I mean, it's madness to use her!"
[18:24] "I know. She's dangerous, isn't she? I've been given her control codes," replies Nao, shaking her head. "If you have another idea for stopping Arika and her Child, I'm all ears."
[18:24] Haruka considers this for a minute. "Some of this might be on the level. *Something* destroyed the Suzushiro satellite; another one would make sense. But--hey, Yukino? What is it? What do you know that we don't?"
[18:26] Yukino's lips become a thin line. "Tokiha-san. She can do it."
[18:26] "Oneechan?" Takumi asks, standing at the doorway to Nao's room. "Do what?"
[18:27] "With Kagutsuchi? Kagutsuchi can fly into space?" asks Nao, disbelieving.
[18:28] "It's overwhelming," Yukino spits out. "That monster. None can match it!"
[18:28] "Fine. Either way, we have to go to Fuka. Miyu, Mai, whichever we find first."
[18:29] "Well, then whoever set up the Festival is also guilty of stacking the deck! Yukino, can you keep an eye out for Mai along the way? You've got more eyes than the rest of us."
[18:29] "Huh?"
[18:29] Takumi mirrors Nao's confusion.
[18:30] Haruka waves this away. "This isn't the time for silly questions. We need to move out!"
[18:31] "Right," responds Nao, turning to find one of the Okuzaki men. "You heard me. We need to go to Fuka and search. How fast can we get there? Can you help?"
[18:33] Only one of them remains in the room, the others having left. "It shouldn't be difficult, but our orders were to leave Fuka and protect... our allies." His eyes move towards Takumi ever so slightly as he speaks, however.
[18:34] "If Mai is on Fuka, and Arika incinerates the island, then- that speaks for itself," replies Nao, coldly. "In any case, we need to go there right now."
[18:36] "We have to help Oneechan and Akira-kun," Takumi adds.
[18:36] It seems to be enough, and the ninja nods. "I'll make the arrangements. We'll leave in twenty minutes."
[18:36] "I'll check with Ishigami to see if he knows anything about Miyu's location," adds Nao, storming towards his improptu cell. "Thanks."
[18:36] Haruka follows along, wanting to get a look at the traitor herself. If only to glare righteously at him!
[18:37] Ishigami is sleeping, although he can't be too comfortable.
[18:37] Nao wakes him up.
[18:37] "This is cruel and unusual punishment," he mutters, looking blearily at her.
[18:37] Courtesy of another bucket of water, of which she keeps several. "Ishigami. Times change quickly. Do you know anything about Miyu?"
[18:38] "This punishment is *totally* aggregate for a traitor to Fuka. Now spill it!"
[18:39] He looks alarmed at seeing Haruka there. Certainly more awake, now, Ishigami looks strangely at Nao.
[18:39] "It's a yes-no question, Ishigami."
[18:40] "Miyu Greer, a Searrs agent. Caretaker and bodyguard of Alyssa Searrs herself."
[18:40] "Do you have any idea where she is?"
[18:40] "With the young miss, presumably."
[18:41] "Who is..."
[18:41] "Where?"
[18:41] Ishigami frowns. "I don't have that kind of information. My superiors might, though."
[18:42] Haruka leans forward with her hands on her hips. "What's the problem, you surprised that we're smart enough to work together on this?"
[18:42] "Who's your immediate superior, and how can I contact them? It is very, very urgent and they will want to hear this."
[18:43] "You would know him quite well," Ishigami tells Nao, choosing to respond to her rather than Haruka. "He is your homeroom teacher."
[18:44] Haruka rolls her eyes. "We don't have time to waste. Tell us how to find the closest one of them."
[18:44] "We're going to Fuka anyway. If he wasn't at ground zero of the blast, he may still be there," replies Nao, shaking her head. "If you know of anyone else..."
[18:44] "Since I don't know where we are, that would be somewhat difficult," he deadpans.
[18:47] "Well, we won't have time to look anywhere but the island. Let's get going," mutters Nao, stalking out of the cell.
[18:47] Haruka takes just a moment to send a withering glare Ishigami's way and then marches out with her own distinctive stalk! She goes to collect Yukino in preparation for leaving.
[18:54] <--->
[18:54] The boat is utilized again. Takumi joins the passengers, as does Ishigami, who is being closely watched by two armed men.
[18:54] "We've just received word from our scouts," one of the ninja says quietly, approaching the Hime. "It seems that we can't get there all the way by boat."
[18:55] "We'll have to swim."
[18:55] "How far?" Haruka asks, skeptically.
[18:55] "It's not that simple," he says, shaking his head. "Someone has naval vessels deployed around the island. We'll need a distraction."
[18:56] "You mean.. battleships?"
[18:56] "Someone called in the NAVY? What are supposed to--wait...Yukino, can you scramble their radio?"
[18:58] The man nods grimly. "It's an entire fleet. We don't have information on any further First District mobilization, and regular armed forces wouldn't be able to keep it quiet for this long. It must be Searrs."
[18:58] Yukino looks pensive. "If it is Searrs, they have technology that shuts me down, Haruka-chan," she says quietly. "It's a really large risk for us."
[18:59] "I have a phone from Searrs. It survived everything the regular ones haven't," replies Nao, pulling out Smith's gadget. "If it's about their communications stuff, can you make use of this?"
[19:00] "Do they know you have it?" the ninja asks levelly. "If it has been compromised, they might track us down through it."
[19:01] "I don't think they do," replies Nao, doubtfully. "The man who gave it to me hasn't been working towards the company's overall interests."
[19:01] "In fact, he's the one who told me about Apollo. I think I can trust him for now."
[19:02] Haruka looks to her bespectacled friend hopefully. "Can you do anything with this, Yukino?"
[19:02] "They certainly would when we make use of it that way," he muses. "This will be a one-way mission, then. We won't be able to retreat this time around."
[19:03] "I might," Yukino says, though she still looks worried.
[19:03] "If we can neutralize Arika? The ships won't matter to us."
[19:04] He nods tersely. "So how are we doing this?"
[19:04] "I want you to try, Yukino. This might be our safest way of getting back into Fuka."
[19:05] The ninja takes that as his dismissal, melting away into the darkness.
[19:06] "Are you really sure, Haruka-chan?" Yukino asks again. "I won't be able to focus on anything else at the same time." She looks like she wants to say more, but then gives Nao a nasty glare.
[19:07] "I'll protect you, Yukino. Don't worry. I said we were going to work together on this, didn't I?"
[19:08] She sighs in defeat. "Alright, Haruka-chan." Yukino stretches her hand out for the phone.
[19:10] Nao hands it over. "If we jam their communications, we should be able to get past the blockade, right? Should I sink a ship along the way?"
[19:10] Haruka blinks at Nao. "You could do that?"
[19:10] Nao looks surprised. "You couldn't?"
[19:12] "Well..." Haruka considers this. "We'll find out if I have to."
[19:13] "I'm... ready when you are, Haruka-chan," Yukino says, clutching her hand around the phone.

<--->

<--->

[15:09] Haruka glances at Nao, requesting the phone in order to call her father.
[15:10] "I don't mind," replies Nao, glancing at Yukino in turn.
[15:10] Yukino stops examining it. "Is this really the time, Haruka-chan?" she asks diplomatically.
[15:11] "Hey, this is work-related," Haruka says, dialing the office.
[15:12] The line connects, Hiro's voice on the other side. "Yes?"
[15:14] "We're moving on to Fuka," she says. "There are ships waiting around the island. We can jam their radar, but if there's anything you can set up as a division, now's the time."
[15:14] "What."
[15:16] "I just thought I'd ask! We have information suggesting there's a weapon there that we can use. It's important that we get there to actually use it."
[15:18] He sighs. "Any other time I'd ask if this were a prank call. Haruka, you already have a weapon, from what you've shown me. What is so important that you're going back to Fuka for it? I thought we agreed that you would wait and regroup with your friends, first."
[15:18] "Let me tell him!" Nao seems almost giddy at the prospect.
[15:19] "I am with them. We're going together."
[15:19] "Oh, wonderful."
[15:21] "Two weapons," corrects Nao. "There's also a third option, now that I think about it."
[15:21] "It is!" Haruka grees, missing the sarcasm.
[15:26] "Haruka," Hiro speaks, sighing. She hears the telltale sounds of him leaning back in his leather chair. "Whatever possessed you to go into enemy territory and risk losing the only hope our world has, from all that you've told me?"
[15:28] "It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Also, there are ninjas with me."
[15:28] She hears coughing from the other end of the line.
[15:29] Nao blanches, and snatches the phone away from Haruka at that comment. "Could you be any more imprecise?" she grouses, before holding it up. "Hello? Is this the Suzushiro bigshot?"
[15:29] "Who is this?" a male voice asks. "One of the ninja, I presume?"
[15:31] "No, just an innocent little schoolgirl. Yuuki Nao, at your service. We're going to Fuka to stop it getting blown up. To do this, we need to first actually get there, and then find one of two weapons that are capable of stopping the aforementioned destruction. It's dangerous and risky and there is only one other option, one which we are not poised to exploit."
[15:33] "Why do you believe Fuka will be attacked again?"
[15:38] "A Searrs informant told me so." Nao frowns. "I believe he can be trusted on this, if little else. The means of destruction is a Hime's Child, which has taken the form of a satellite in orbit. It's capable of firing blasts that cause ridiculous damage. We don't have a day before it's ready to fire again."
[15:38] "Since it's a Hime's weapon, though, there's more than one way to stop it. We can either outright destroy it, or we can simply kill the most important person to that Hime."
[15:39] "And the reason behind the attack? Do you know it as well?"
[15:41] "Retaliation against the First District for storming the island, and the tidying up of loose ends. I believe Searrs wishes to eliminate any Hime it can't control, but they don't care who else dies in their efforts."
[15:44] "By going there, you'll be placing everyone around you at even greater risk," Hiro cautions. "Still. The ships around the island, the ones you need to distract, do they also belong to First District?"
[15:45] "It's because everyone is at risk that I'm going in the first place," replies Nao. "I... assumed they were tied with Searrs. I suppose that raises the question of why they would use a satellite instead of shelling the island from the coast."
[15:46] "It does," Hiro agrees, and Nao hears him sigh. "It is not a situation I would rush into headfirst, but I suppose if Kikukawa is along-- she is, isn't she? Perhaps it's not as foolish as it sounds."
[15:48] "Have you tried to contact First District forces you said were stationed on the island?" Hiro asks. "They might provide just the distraction you want, whether they do so knowingly or not."
[15:50] "It doesn't seem that we have time. The president of Searrs is in America, I think, which is well out of my reach, so I can't get at him to stop any attack. I don't know what other options we've got apart from going in," admits Nao. "I haven't tried to contact them, but I'll give it a shot."
[15:53] "There's nothing I could do on such a short notice," Hiro admits. "Nothing that wouldn't get a lot of good men and women killed with little to say for it, at least. Maybe, if there were more time, we could crash a sattelite into theirs. But as things stand... it's not something we can handle with only hours to spare."
[15:57] "I'm not sure that would do anything more than knock it off course," admits Nao. "In any case, see if you can find the Searrs headquarters. If we succeed here, getting at them will be just one more thing we'll still have to do."
[15:58] "I'll do what I can. And tell Haruka that if it comes to that, leaving to fight another day is better than the alternative."
[16:00] "A few days on and I'm not sure what will be left to fight for," replies Nao. "Later." Hanging up, she glances at Ishigami. "Can you get us in contact with any men still on the ground out there?"
[16:00] "I can try," he says, stretching his hand out for the phone.
[16:01] Nao begrudgingly hands it over. "We want a distraction to get in. Anything will do. Phrase it as... reinforcements, or the like. I think it's best for all concerned that they don't know you're working with us."
[16:03] He nods, dialing a number. Half a minute passes, and he hangs up, frowning, and tries again. Several attempts later, Ishigami shakes his head. "I can't get through to anyone I know was at Fuka, but I could try contacting the headquarters, or one of the local cells."
[16:04] "Can you get them to assassinate the President of Searrs?" asks Nao, hopefully.
[16:05] "I can certainly try."
[16:06] "It's best for us if both groups are at each other's throats." Nao pauses. "Call one of the local cells, maybe, and get them to try and break the blockade at some point. Then call the HQ and try and get them to kill the guy. Think that'll work?"
[16:09] "I'll tell them we captured a Searrs agent and got him to talk," Ishigami muses. "That just might do the trick. We lack any naval forces in the area, though, so any distraction would have to come from the direction of the bridge. It is the closest point to Fuka from the mainland, and in turn, to any blockading ships."
[16:12] "Make it happen, then."
[16:15] "I will require silence," Ishigami says, casting a glance towards Haruka, "for obvious reasons." He dials a number, and the call is answered this time around. The story he gives fits with what he suggested to Nao and Haruka; a Searrs agent had revealed that the defenses would be weak near the bridge section,
[16:15] and striking at them would allow the First District to breach the blockade and escape with the captured Hime. A second call later, to what he claims is the First District headquarters, relays the information that striking down the president of Searrs would defang them in more ways than one.
[16:16] Captured Hime, huh? Interesting.
[16:16] "How long do you think it'll take them to act?" asks Nao, once he's finished.
[16:18] "An hour for our distraction. Impossible to tell in the other case, since I don't make decisions for my superiors," Ishigami says, obediently returning the phone. "I suppose we are to wait, now?"
[16:21] "We'll have to," replies Nao, tossing the phone at Yukino. "In an hour, we'll jam their communications. We can take the boat part of the way in, and swim the rest of it, if necessary." She glances at Yukino and Haruka, shrugging. "At least, that's what I plan to do. I think you guys should do the same, but I'm not the one fucking with their equipment."
[16:23] Yukino seems to consider it. "It really does sound like a good plan," she says. "Haruka-chan, let's keep to the boat, alright?"
[16:24] Haruka nods. "Sure thing."
[16:24] Yukino gives Nao a triumphant smirk, before quickly schooling her expression and going back to examine the phone.
[16:26] "Sure. Just be careful," adds Nao, heading off to get changed into a wetsuit. "If they spot the boat despite all that, they'll probably blow it apart."
[16:29] Orders are dispatched, and the ship carefully maneuvers into position to exploit the First District attack. Forty minutes is more than enough to finish with the preparations. Aside from Nao and a several of the ninja, Takumi is likewise in a wetsuit of his own.
[16:29] Yukino likewise seems prepared, three of her mirrors out in the open and floating around the John Smith's phone. Static suddenly comes out of it, as the device seems to activate on its own.
[16:32] "Are you sure you're up for this, Takumi?" asks Nao, pensively. "More to the point, you'd better keep up."
[16:36] "I can't let Oneechan and Akira-kun face everything on their own," Takumi responds. He is about to say more, when-- "Nao? It's Nao, isn't it?" Arika's voice emanates from the phone, sounding slightly tinny.
[16:40] "That bitch, I should've guessed!" shrieks Nao, her cool evaporating on the spot.
[16:41] "Nao, hey Nao, don't you like me anymore? I thought we were friends," Arika says, sounding genuinely confused.
[16:41] Haruka leaps to attention. "Huh? Who is it?"
[16:41] Yukino's face is white, and the mirrors have stopped spinning in midair, trembling in tune with her instead.
[16:43] Haruka glances at her friend. "Yukino? Hey, Yukino! Stay with us, here! This is important."
[16:43] "Arika," growls Nao, clenching her fists. "Yukino, cut the damn connection! We can't let her find us!"
[16:45] "I can't, short of destroying it!" Yukino hisses, panicked, as she gestures at the phone.
[16:45] "Tell me, Nao," Arika says in the meantime. "When you don't see someone for a few days, do they stop being your friend? That would make me sad."
[16:46] "Do it, Yukino!" Haruka agrees, taking her stunned friend by the shoulders. "We can jam the ships without the phone, right?"
[16:47] "You aren't my friend! You were never my friend! You killed Shizuru, you filthy bitch, and you killed Sugiura, too! I'd never be friends with a murderer like you, never! Sad? You don't know what that means! You know, I was glad when I found out you couldn't die. It means I can rip out your heart and show it to you!"
[16:47] Yukino shakes her head wildly at Haruka's question, otherwise locked in indecision.
[16:48] Haruka grimaces. "Is there a real chance that they could track us through Arika's call?"
[16:48] "Oh, you silly girl." Arika laughs brightly. "You're finally ready to play with me! It's alright, you don't have to be shy. Daddy says no one likes a shy girl. I'll be coming to befriend you all over again!"
[16:50] Yukino whimpers at Haruka's question.
[16:50] Nao's eyes bulge out, and she lunges for the phone, intent on shattering it within her palm.
[16:52] "I'm so happy, Nao-chi--" Nao smashes the phone, then, her hand destroying it unopposed by Yukino's floating mirrors.
[16:53] Haruka sighs. "Right. Now we move on to plan B. Did we have a plan B?"
[16:53] "There's something fucking wrong with her!" declares Nao, putting a hand on the railing and shivering. "Plan B. Yes. Haruka, go out with Orihime and sink any boats between us and the shore. We'll swim in. You can probably slice their hull up from underneath."
[16:54] "I think you forgot the part where I learn to breathe underwater."
[16:54] "You could wear... a wetsuit?"
[16:54] "There are oxygen tanks, as well!"
[16:56] "Um, sure, I'll get right on that." She turns to Yukino. "Yukino, are you okay? Can you tell me how things look between us and the shore?"
[16:57] "Of course I'll help you with your wetsuit, Haruka-chan!" Yukino exclaims, before blinking. "What?"
[16:57] "Can your, uh, mirrors see anything? Knowing where the ships are would be better than just blindly looking."
[16:59] "It's not the mirrors," Yukino says, and she concentrates. Bell-shaped flowers come into being around her. "I'll do what I can, Haruka-chan, but if Searrs uses their weapon again near them, it would neutralize Diana. Please understand this. I won't be able to protect you, then."
[17:01] "Diana?" asks Nao, narrowing her eyes.
[17:01] Haruka frowns. "It's okay, don't risk it for now. I'm sure I'll be able to spot them easily enough once I get close. I mean, they're boats. They're big."
[17:03] Yukino gains a matching frown. "I'll come along with you, then. You can't see too well at range, can you?"
[17:04] "Seeing? At distance, remotely?" mutters Nao, darkly. "That's a nice trick you have there."
[17:05] "I don't know if Orihime can carry two of us and wreck the ships at the same time. But I guess we'll find out. Orihime?" Haruka calls out. Then, to Yukino: "This might be a little surprising."
[17:07] Yukino takes a moment to glare at Nao just as darkly. "I can swim, real--"
[17:07] She never gets to finish her sentence, because Shizuru appears before her in striking likeness, and at the same time distinctinctly unnatural. Her form flows at the edges. Yukino gives off a piercing shriek.
[17:09] Haruka grabs Yukino to calm her down. This usually works! "Yukino, it's alright. It just *looks* like her. Um, I don't really get why it looks like Shizuru either. None of us choose our Child, right? It's probably chromic payback or something."
[17:11] Haruka sees a glint of something in Yukino's eyes she can't quite put her finger on. And terror, a whole lot of terror. She continues screaming at the top of the her lungs, too, not giving any indication that she heard Haruka.
[17:12] "I am this close to punching you out, Kikukawa!"
[17:14] Haruka pulls Yukino close to her, so that the other girl can't see anything else, and practically shouts. "Yukino, snap out of it! I need your help now, do you understand? I can't go anywhere if you're all hystemical."
[17:15] Yukino is indeed hysterical, as demonstrated by her laughter.
[17:17] "Uh...oh...Orihime, I think you should go away for a minute." She rears back and slaps Yukino across the face, out of other options at this point. "Yukino! Get ahold of yourself! What have I always told you? You need to be strong!"
[17:18] Orihime abides by Haruka's orders soundlessly, as always.
[17:18] "You're consorting with the dead president's spirit!" Yukino exclaims incredulously after the slap brings her to her senses. "How can I possibly be strong in the face of that?!"
[17:20] "How do you think I felt when my dead rival came back as some kind of mechanical zombie and started killing people? It scares the hell out of me too, but it's not going to stop me."
[17:23] "You make a contract, it's the other part of your soul," Yukino rants, shaking her head in denial. "How can it be Fujino-san? How?"
[17:25] "I DON'T KNOW," Haruka yells. "Why is yours a some crazy plant thing? Why is Nao's a giant spider? Yukino, if this Festival thing started making sense now, it would be for the first time ever!"
[17:25] "...I might know."
[17:26] That, more than anything, startles Yukino enough to regain a semblence of composure. She looks at Nao with a mix of distrust and expectation.
[17:26] Haruka whips her head round to face Nao. "I didn't ask--wait, what?"
[17:28] "When Shizuru died, she hadn't made that contract," explains Nao, leaning heavily on the railing. "Nagi did say Haruka was a fake Hime. It might be that... she's borrowing whatever spark Shizuru had."
[17:29] Haruka considers this. "Nagi did say something like that...and I thought it was just him being a jerk."
[17:30] Yukino considers that as well, an expression of extreme distaste on her face. "Alright. Alright. Just... just keep it away from me, Haruka-chan," she says. "I'll help you swim. You don't need a thing like that for it."
[17:30] Haruka sighs. "Alright. But we'll need it to cut the ships' hulls."
[17:34] "And we need to move fast," continues Nao, far more comfortable with action than screaming. "They may be onto us any second." There should be some binoculars around, and Nao will use them to survey the sea ahead.
[17:34] Haruka nods. "Let's change and get going, then."
[17:35] There are no ships that Nao can spot with her borrowed binoculars, as the reverse would surely be true. Yukino allows herself to be led below deck by Haruka, and only then does Takumi hesitantly approach Nao. "That girl," he says. "Did she really kill Sugiura-sensei and Fujino-san?"
[17:37] "She definately killed Fujino," replies Nao, quietly. "I saw it happen. She tried to kill me, and... I believe she killed Sugiura."
[17:38] "Then, she's trying to kill everyone? Oneechan, too?" Takumi insists, his voice catching as he talks about Mai.
[17:40] "Her targets are the Hime. Mai has fought her, as well. Arika.. doesn't die when she is killed."
[17:44] Takumi nods curtly, and moves over to watch the dark waters below. As Haruka and Yukino emerge, both dressed in wetsuits, the latter stops in her tracks suddenly. Mere moments later, Nao and Haruka realize that it's getting brighter.
[17:45] Haruka peers up at the sky and squints. "We didn't order an airstrike, did we?"
[17:46] There is an unusually bright spec of light up in the skies.
[17:47] Haruka can only hope that it's Mai and not a beam of plasma aimed at them.
[17:47] Nao's eyes widen. "It's her! Get the hell out of here!" shrieks Nao, diving off the boat herself and plunging into the depths below.
[17:48] Yukino tackles Haruka off the boat a split-second later!
[17:49] "Oh, hell," Haruka blurts out, just before being tackled. And she was just about to turn and make sure Yukino and Takumi got off the boat first!
[17:50] Takumi is also in the water when Nao and Haruka's eyes readjust, moving awkwardly. One of the ninja is with him, aiding the boy. There is no sign of Ishigami.
[17:50] Haruka wastes no time in setting out for the shore, keeping an eye out for any ships along the way (at least, as much as she can do so).
[17:52] Nao swims underwater a short distance before starting a routine of popping up near the waterline to check for any boats, leading the way, as befits her speed.
[17:54] Nao swims ahead. Haruka flails ineffectually in the water before Yukino grabs hold of her, guiding the blonde below. There are bright flashes of light from above, and Yukino seizes before proceeding to aid Haruka swim away.
[17:55] Haruka was totally just about to go the right direction, really!
[17:59] As she comes up for a brief look some distance away, Nao glimpses their fishing vessel in pieces, what's left of it a burning wreck. The flames don't seem right to her. A few of the objects littering what used to be their ship are just the right size for a human, unmoving.
[18:01] Akira is going to kill her, thinks Nao, as she dives back under the water and continues on her path.
[18:02] Haruka the master swimmer keeps pace with Yukino as best she can, hoping to avoid any attention from the enemy at this point.
[18:04] Yukino does more than stay at Haruka's side, helping her friend put distance between them and their erstwhile boat.

<--->

<--->

[14:14] The entire underwater trip is one big blur to Haruka. She is exhausted by the time her feet meet solid ground. Visibility is still an issue, but at least tree-shaped objects can be spotted up ahead, instead of the nothingness that so identified her underwater journey. There are flashes of light somewhere in the distance. Yukino is besides Haruka, already helping the blonde take off her oxygen tank.
[14:16] Haruka is glad to be rid of the weight. She points to the flashes, hoping Yukino can get a better glimpse of what they are. "Yukino, what's that?"
[14:17] Yukino concentrates. "It's coming from the direction of the destroyed bridge, Haruka-chan," she reports a few moments later. "I don't have any proxies nearby, though, and I can't afford to move any at this time. We have to move towards the treeline."
[14:18] Haruka nods. "That's probably our division starting, then. Don't worry about it. Let's get to Fuka."
[14:21] "Diversion?" Yukino asks quietly to herself, before shaking her head. "Right. First, let's get to safety. There's something important I have to tell you, Haruka-chan."
[14:23] Haruka heads toward the vague blur that she can only hope is the treeline, waiting until she's reached cover to stop and ask, "What is it?"
[14:27] Yukino is looking around, and then a mirror appears in her hands. "I can't do more than this under the circumstances, Haruka-chan," she tells the blonde quietly. "We might be spotted if I do. But you have to see this." She thrusts the mirror into Haruka's hands, as an image appears in it. It is of Tokiha Mai and Okuzaki Akira, the latter dressed in some kind of ninja outfit that leaves his face uncovered.
[14:29] Haruka watches. "Is this happening right now? Where are they?"
[14:30] "Shh!" Yukino instructs, placing her index finger to Haruka's lips.
[14:31] "I know, I don't like it either," Akira says, sounding frustrated. The sound is quiet enough Haruka has to strain her ears to hear it. "But it's the only way! I can't let Takumi die -- can you?!"
[14:31] Mai turns away, an expression of shame on her face. "But I can't fight you," she protests, the words sounding half-hearted to Haruka. "Even if I accepted what you're saying, Takumi would be damned either way."
[14:33] "We know that's not true," Akira responds, scowling. "You've read Sugiura's thesis as well. You know there's a way out, a loophole. The fake Searrs Hime counts! The doorway would open for the two of us! But I can't do this with you, Mai. Now tell me -- are you going to do everything in your power to save Takumi's life?"
[14:33] The image freezes then, and Yukino looks apologetic. "That's all I could record before I had to redirect Diana's resources, Haruka-chan. I'm sorry."
[14:36] "It's okay...how long ago was that?" Haruka asks, trying to stave off the unpleasant realization working its way up through her subconscious. "Do we have any idea where they are right now?"
[14:39] "Just before I had to direct everything towards preparations for the disruption of Searrs systems," Yukino tells her. "It would be very dangerous for me to have Diana look through the island right now, with Arika on her way, if not already here." She seems quite worried. "Haruka-chan, this time... this close to it... I might die."
[14:43] "I'm not going to ask you to do that, Yukino. Don't worry." She glances around, looking to see if anyone else from the boat has struggled ashore nearby. "Those two sounded like they were trying to make some sort of deal. I don't know why Akira would need to, though. He's not a Hime."
[14:48] "I--" Yukino pauses. "Haruka-chan," she says quietly. "I think what they were talking about is true. It's possible to partner up, only as a last option, and try to survive that way."
[14:53] Haruka stares at Yukino for a moment. "But we're not going to do that. We're here to *save* Fuka, not to play along with...whoever's-running-the-Festival's sick plan. If we see any other Hime, we're going to talk things out first, okay? ...And besides that, I don't understand how Akira could make such a deal in the first place."
[14:57] "And if talking it out fails?" Yukino asks. "What are we going to do then, Haruka-chan? You already killed a Hime. Things can never go back to what they used to. If faced with that choice again, what would you do? What would you have me do?"
[15:01] Haruka is silent for a long time, before admitting grudgingly, "We'll do what we have to do. But we make every possible effort to avoid fighting other Hime. Whatever happens, follow my lead, okay?"
[15:04] Yukino nods in agreement. "We went a bit off course," she says, changing the topic. "I think we're not too far from the factory where Miyu Greer fought with Mai-san and Mikoto-chan. We could make it over to the academy within the hour without really pushing ourselves, if we wanted to."
[15:05] Haruka nods as well. "Let's move, then."
[15:26] Yukino leads the way to the chairwoman's home, agreeing with Haruka after a brief consultation that if anything helpful could be found on campus, it would be there. It is getting brighter again as the two reach the garden maze adjacent to Mashiro Kazahana's abode, although this time it signals the imminent arrival of dawn.
[15:28] Now's not the time to be getting lost in the maze (such diversions were never Haruka's style anyway--it's so much more effective to just bash through any walls that get in your way!) If Mashiro's place is locked up, Haruka will have no choice but to break down the door and agonize over damaging Fuka property later.
[15:33] Luckily for Haruka, Yukino has no visible problem guiding them through the maze. As they pass the gazebo at its center, however, she stops abruptly. Raising a mirror so that Haruka could look into it along with her, Yukino brushes her hand over it. The image shows men in dark suits, complete with sunglasses, standing guard before Mashiro's residence. They are carrying handguns.
[15:36] Haruka frowns. "Orihime could take them, but we can't afford the noise it would make. Is there any other way inside the building? Could we sneak around back and get in through a window, maybe?"
[15:39] Yukino is thinking hard about it. The image in the mirror wavers several time during that, showing both the front and back doors, both guarded, the patrols around the building and eventually what looks like a sniper on the roof with a pair of projectors that are inactive.
[15:39] "Maybe from below..." Yukino muses quietly at last, perhaps to herself. Turning towards Haruka, she says, "There are many tunnels below Fuka. I think I heard Sugiura-sensei talk about that once, and many of them are inter-connected."
[15:42] "Alright. Where's the closest entrance?"
[15:48] Yukino purses her lips. "There's no entrance, per se. I think there was a collapse near our warehouse some time back. The one we store all extra academy equipment." Haruka can't remember any such event, but it is usually Yukino's job to keep track of them.
[15:49] "Good enough," Haruka says. "Let's move."
[15:53] With Yukino leading the way, the two Hime are once again able to avoid any patrols and make it to the warehouse in question. The door is locked, though Yukino thoughtfully brought a key along with her, letting them inside. There are no guards placed in the area.
[15:53] Once indoors, however, Yukino frowns. "Where was it? I know we warded the area off with yellow tape since it was dangerous." No such tape is apparent to Haruka's eyes.
[15:54] "Well, you said it was around the warehouse...is it outside somewhere, maybe?"
[16:03] "No, I'm pretty sure it was here." Yukino sighs. "Alright. How about a direct approach, Haruka-chan? I can conceal our presence to the outside world briefly, and you could smash through the floor with your mace in that time."
[16:09] Haruka nods. "It'll have to do," she says, materializing her mace.
[16:11] Haruka feels strange for a moment, almost surreal if she had to put it into words, but then Yukino nods at her. "It is done," she says, and points at the dusty floor occupied by several equally dusty desks and chairs.
[16:13] Haruka goes to work on the area pointed out by Yukino. Though, if any part of the floor looks noticeably less dusty and, perhaps, recently repaired, she'll move to that.
[16:14] Nothing does, unless one counts the path she herself is making. Haruka would need to move the desks out of the way, first, but it doesn't seem like a particularly daunting task even for a wounded Hime, unless she decided to bench-press them.
[16:16] Haruka just tosses the desks to one side. Hey, she can afford to make noise at this moment, right? With that done, she swings her mace around and brings down on the floor.
[16:17] Her side hurts at the exertion. The mace comes down on the floor, creating a web of cracks through it. Another blow hammers clean through. A tremor goes through Haruka's legs.
[16:18] Haruka pants and peers down at her handiwork. Does it look like they can access the tunnels from here?
[16:19] The hole goes a long way, beyond what Haruka can see. The floor at the very edge of the hole where Haruka is currently standing groans, collapsing.
[16:20] Haruka hops back! Or at least tries to scramble away from the hole, if she can.
[16:24] The jump is ill-timed, and Haruka tumbles down the hole, which becomes even larger. Yukino squawks as the floor beneath her gives way as well, calling out for Diana. Large vines rush to meet Haruka and Yukino from below, halting their fall.
[16:24] "Umm. I can't maintain our cover and get us back," Yukino admits. "Let's get all the way down and hope no one looks in the warehouse?"
[16:25] Haruka nods. "Yeah. And thanks for the save."
[16:29] Yukino smiles, and Diana takes them down, all the way to a large cavern. "I guess Sugiura-sensei really knew her stuff," Yukino comments quietly, looking around. It is dark, but not so much Haruka can't see.
[16:31] Haruka nods. "It sounds like she knew a lot of things we don't. I wish we could've got to her before Arika did." She glances around the cavern. Visible exits?
[16:33] Yukino doesn't respond to that. There are two exits, one of which looks artificial, as if something crashed through the cavern wall. There are bits of stone lying around in a pattern supporting that theory.
[16:34] Haruka wanders over to examine the breach. "Hey, Yukino. What do you think caused this?"
[16:36] "Something crashing into the cavern wall from the other side, maybe?" Yukino responds, her lips pursed. "Something rather large."
[16:38] Haruka peers into the hole. What's on the other side of the broken wall? "Something that's not here any more, I hope."
[16:42] "Seems that way," Yukino agrees. There is another cave past the hole, extending beyond Haruka's sight. "This place is a true maze."
[16:45] Haruka frowns. "I've never been good at those. Is there any way Diana can find the way through for us?"
[16:46] "I could use her to scout ahead of us, we could pick a path and have her check another, or we could just wait here while her proxies explore every possible avenue," Yukino muses, thinking over their options.
[16:49] "The second option," Haruka decides. "We don't have time to stand around and wait. Have the praxis check the caverns on the other side of this hole. We'll head the opposite direction and see if whatever broke that wall was headed somewhere important."
[16:50] "Proxies, Haruka-chan," Yukino murmurs with the ghost of a smile on her lips.

<--->

<--->

Haruka follows Yukino through the catacombs. They seem to go on and on, with no end in sight-- but that is an illusion, as she discovers when the path ends twenty minutes later.

"Diana can't find anything down the other path, either," Yukino informs her friend. "I can't tell how anything could have existed in an entirely closed off space, and something certainly did, since we saw evidence of it breaking out."

Haruka kicks the closest wall out of frustration. "Well, whatever-it-was got out of here somehow, right? There has to be an exit somewhere." She summons her mace again and starts tapping on the walls. "Maybe somewhere the rock's thin enough to break through."

It is, at least for someone like Haruka. She believes she can easily make holes in the walls of the tunnel.

"We could make our own path," Yukino agrees, and after a brief moment of concentration points to her left. "That way should lead to Miss Kazahana's house."

"Alright. Stand back, Yukino." Haruka waits a moment for her friend to get out of the way, then swings her mace around at the designated spot.

The wall crumbles. Another cavern is beyond. It contains a monster, a beast unlike no animal Haruka had ever seen. Beside her, Yukino draws a sharp breath. "Orphan!"

Whatever it is, they'll probably have to go through it to get where they need to be. "What is this thing, Yukino?" she asks, standing at the breach with her mace ready in case it attacks.

Yukino's mirrors surround her like a shield, and Haruka feels a strange sensation of being observed. Looking below, she sees an unnatural, inhuman eye stare back at her.

"An Orphan, Haruka-chan," Yukino tells her. "We have to destroy it!"

Haruka charges forward towards the orphan, dodging around that creepy eye for now.

The Orphan doesn't even attempt to evade. As Haruka's mace slams down on its head, the monster dissolves into a puddle, splashing all over the cavern's walls and ground. Some of it gets on Haruka's clothes as well, though a brief glance back at Yukino reveals that vines spared her a similar indignity.

Haruka frowns, but this isn't time to worry about her wardrobe. "What -exactly- was that, Yukino? It didn't even try to fight back. And what's with that eye?" she adds, looking around for it.

It's gone, now. "You must be too strong for an Orphan, Haruka-chan," Yukino suggests. "And maybe they live here. Maybe one lived in that other cavern we found."

"Maybe," Haruka says skeptically. "Watch out for eyes in the walls, will you? I don't like how that one was looking at me." She takes a look around the new cavern. Any exits?

Yet another closed space greets Haruka, but before she can get discouraged, Yukino informs her that they're closer to their goal. Another wall is indicated and broken through, and Yukino has enough information to deduce that the caverns are roughly similar in size. It would take four more repeats to get to their destination.

The Orphan's residue clings to Haruka like a second wetsuit.

Haruka ignores it as best she can, maybe trying to scrape some off on a wall whenever she slips through another breach, but otherwise not wasting time on getting rid of it. She proceeds with bashing through walls, checking the new caverns for other icky inhabitants as she goes.

The last wall is giving her trouble. Even after several attacks with the mace, Haruka just can't smash through it.

"Yukino? I can't bust through this one. I'm going to have to ask Orihime to cut through it, if she can. You might want to wait in the next room if you're still unaffordable about her."

"And leave you alone with her?" Yukino asks, almost spitting the last word.

Haruka sighs, the sound laden with exasperation. "Yukino, what's wrong with you? Orihime's my Child, so she's not going to harm me. And she's not even human, so what else do you think is going to happen? I asked because I know she bothers you. Do you want me to stop worrying about your feelings, Yukino?"

Yukino's expression wavers. "I'm sorry," she says, sounding contrite. Her head lowers, bangs dropping over her eyes. "It's just... losing someone, it's not easy... I...." She searches for words. "I don't want to feel something like that ever again."

"It's alright. That's what we're here for. To make sure it never happens again. Okay...here I go. Orihime?" She summons her Child and then points to the offending obstacle. "Cut a path through that wall."

The Child takes form and its arms elongate, slamming against the wall like bronze whips. A flash blinds Haruka, while a tremor going through the cavern makes it hard for her to retain her footing. Orihime strikes again, then a third time, and this time Haruka can handle the results, better prepared for them.

Not succeeding in her first attempt, Orihime's limbs retreat, becoming long, sharp blades, and the Child stabs deeply into the wall. With the piercing wail of metal on stone, the blade-arms sink, finding purchase.

Yukino watches, holding her hands over her ears.

Haruka doesn't appreciate the noise much herself, but it's a necessary evil. She watches with her arms fold across her midsection.

The right limb goes up while the left cuts down, and then they spread outwards, carving out a doorway. With an almost-human groan, what Haruka now realizes must have been a barrier placed by the wall crumbles altogether. The stone follows suit shortly, no match for Orihime's blind persistence.

Orihime withdraws its limbs, the ends smoking slightly and appearing dulled, but Haruka can hardly focus on them. The chamber beyond is none like the caverns she had been traveling through; it resembles a high-tech laboratory. Equipment she cannot even begin to understand is arrayed in its center, around a large sealed container.

Haruka enters the lab, beckoning for Yukino to follow her. She's ready to have Orihime vanish again if it looks like she'll need to for Yukino to focus, but otherwise she'll have the Child stand guard.

Yukino manages to hold her composure, following Haruka into the chamber. There is a proper door, bolted shut, set to their left. A monitor is set by the container.

Haruka's happy to leave that door bolted for now, just in case someone from outside tries to interrupt their search. She heads to the container in the center of the room, leaving the monitor for Yukino to check out.

It looks like a fridge to Haruka. Yukino studies the console. Her tongue is peeking past her lips ever so slightly as she focuses her attention on decyphering the information presented.

Well, this is a weird place for Mashiro to store her ice cream, that's for sure. Haruka attempts to pry the lid open.

The crate groans as Haruka puts her back into it. The lid distorts, not opening fully, but just enough to send a cloud of noxious gas into Haruka's face!

Haruka lets it drop and backs off. "What the--" she gasps, coughing. She's quick to put some distance between her and the container, trying to wave away the fumes.

The lid remains distorted, gas continuing to flee at an alarming pace. Yukino looks up from the console, startled. "What did you--"

Alarms blare suddenly, the lights turning off to menacing, blinking red. Why do emergency lights come on so often when the regular ones work just fine, Haruka strangely wonders, feeling faint.

Haruka uses what strength she has to try and hammer the lid closed again. If that doesn't work: "Orihime, get this damn closed--" She breaks off in a fit of coughing.

Orihime adds its own quiet strength. The container's frame groans in protest, bending back enough to stop the gas's escape for the most part. A perfect solution would take much more time and effort.

Yukino looks horrified. She is like that a lot, Haruka idly muses. Her brows feel funny.

Haruka rubs at her forehead, stumbling over to the monitor. "Yukino, what the hell is this thing? Did you find anything on the computer or whatever?"

Her hand comes back sticky and wet. Something drips down her face, getting in her right eye, smearing all over her cheek.

Yukino. Is she talking too quietly? Merely mouthing the words? Haruka briefly entertains the idea that she had gone deaf, but the sound of steel tearing apart convinces her of her mistake.

A gloved hand punches through the container's top.

Haruka makes her way over to Yukino, at least. She rubs her sleeve across her face, hoping to get the...whatever-it-is off her. She has just enough presence of mind to shout "Orihime, to me!" before the Child or the thing in the fridge can start a fight.

Her sleeve comes back drenched with blood.

Well. That's not encouraging. She glances around the room quickly. Is there anything like a towel/blanket or bandage around?

The room looks a lot like a medical facility, if it were run by Doctor Frankenstein. There's plenty to bind whatever wound Haruka might have with.

The hand withdraws with the scraping sound of metal against metal, before punching through again.

Haruka grabs something to wipe off the blood and whatever else happens to on her at this point, taking another strip to tie 'round her head as an impromptu bandage/headband. "So, um, Yukino. Ideas?"

Yukino snaps out of her stupor. "Run!"

The lid is torn in two. A figure sits up, wrapped in bandages. It turns its head towards Haruka, a red eye looking straight at her. Haruka sees no signs of humanity in that alien gaze.

Haruka doesn't run first and ask questions later! She asks questions first and just possibly lives to run later! "So. Miyu Greer, I presume?" she says, with as much self-assurance as she can muster will dazed from toxic gasses and mysterious bleeding.

The mummified woman, the latter becoming evident due to her curves as she stands to her full height, slowly turning around, continues to observe Haruka. Her gaze falls on Haruka's mace, and then glides over Orihime.

"Valkyrie discovered. Proceeding with existing orders." She points her right hand at Haruka, and it reconfigures into a machinegun before Haruka's eyes. "Search and destroy."

Miyu fires.

Okay. THIS is the part where Haruka runs away. "Yukino, Orihime? Back to the caves for now!"

"Orihime? Stopping the bullets would be great right about now!" Haruka ducks behind her Child, assuming there's a moment to do so. "Yukino! Miyu's a machine or something, right? See if the monitor shows any way to control her! I'll hold her off as long as I can!"

Orihime moves before Haruka even finished speaking, at the exact moment Haruka's mind formed the request, she notes with a strange detachment. Bullets hit the Child, ricochetting wildly. None hit Haruka.

"It controls the statis tank, Haruka-chan!" Yukino exclaims, wringing out her hands. Her outburst succeeds in drawing Miyu's attention.

Crap crap crap! Orihime, protect Yukino! Haruka herself seeks some piece of machinery to dodge behind. "Any ideas on how to get her -back into the tank-? This is supposed to be ourtramp card, there's got to be something we can do!"

Yukino doesn't have time to answer. It is doubtful she even heard the question in full, considering Miyu fired at her as soon as she switched targets. Orihime's flowing form manages to protect Haruka's friend, although the equipment she was next to is ruined. One rebounding shot comes dangerously close to Haruka's head, the blonde ducking just in time behind a small metal cabinet on wheels.

The large eye Haruka had seen previously appears below Miyu, tentacles shooting out of it. The bandaged woman leaps clear, the jump taking her almost to the ceiling, and shoots down at her attacker from the apex.

Haruka takes advantage of Miyu's distraction to regroup with Yukino and Orihime. "I guess the eye's on our side. For now." She repeats her previous question for Yukino, assuming Miyu remains preoccupied for a few seconds.

Haruka makes a break for the door as soon as there's a moment to move. Hopefully the eye will provide a distraction? Otherwise, she'll have to dart into a new hiding place. She can at least command Orihime to take Yukino back out into the cave, for now. The other girl's just a liability right now./

Haruka's chest pulses, making her stumble as soon as she gets to the doorway. A glance behind reveals Yukino cowering behind Orihime, the latter defending Yukino from a hail of bullets once more.

Haruka pauses, while remaining ready to duck and roll if Miyu turns her way again. "Orihime! Carry Yukino here while protecting her from the bullets if you can! We can't fight in this little space!"

<--->

<--->

[19:02] It's hard to get the words out, but Orihime seems to understand anyway. Haruka retreats further, while her Child wraps Yukino in its arms and follows Haruka to the caverns.
[19:02] Miyu's gunarm whirrs, bullets no longer coming out of it. She glances down at it with what might have been irritation in a person, and the hand flows into a deadly sword.
[19:06] Haruka pauses at the entrance to the cavern, letting Yukino get past her to safety. If Miyu can be held off at all, the impromptu doorway might be the place to do it. "Miyu! If your mission is to destroy Hime, you should know that one's getting ready to destroy this entire island. How can you finish your mission when you're scrap metal?"
[19:09] Haruka's heart pinches again, and so does her throat. The latter feels raw as she tries to speak, not to mention raise her voice.
[19:09] "Eliminating with extreme prejudice," Miyu whispers, the sound carrying in the sudden silence of the underground chambers. Haruka dimly realizes someone must have stopped the blaring alarm.
[19:15] Haruka could use Orihime's help here if Yukino's safe. The way things are going, she's not sure how long she'll be able to hold Miyu off on her own. She readies her mace, but still tries talking the enemy down (as best she can in her present condition, at least). "Miyu," she croaks, "you were a student here for how long? Don't tell me nothing got through those tangled wires in your head."
[19:19] Miyu answers by rushing Haruka, her feet tapping a staccato against the rocky ground. Orihime flows across the cavern to meet her halfway, though Haruka can see that her Child hadn't reacted to her wishes instantly this time. Orihime's left blade-arm defends against Miyu's attack, its upper third getting sliced off.
[19:19] Showing no signs of discomfort, Orihime sends its hair to stab into Miyu, and the Searrs robot is forced to leap back, but not before its front is riddled with half a dozen tiny holes.
[19:24] Haruka follows along behind Orihime. She's got the Child in between herself and Miyu for protection, but she's ready to bat away any attempts the android makes to attack Orihime from the side. "Miyu, stand down. We WILL disinter you if we have to, and that doesn't help anyone."
[19:29] Haruka's vision goes grey, and her lungs burn as if on fire. Orihime holds its position, only shifting to present its right side to Miyu, instead. When Haruka's sight returns, she sees that Orihime's left arm isn't regenerating.
[19:29] Vines shoot out of the ground at Miyu, who dodges sideways. They are chopped up, but Haruka sees that it was a diversion, as Miyu had moved away from their makeshift doorway, where a mass of vines strikes straight up at the ceiling. The cavern shakes.
[19:31] Cave-in, huh? Good idea. Now if Orihime can just get her back to Yukino and (hopefully) safety before the ceiling collapses...
[19:39] As Orihime moves closer to Haruka, the blonde can see the deadbolt on the door to the laboratory unlock. Black-clad men rush inside, and pause upon seeing the bandage-clad Miyu. A familiar spiky-haired boy steps into the chamber after them, gesturing at Miyu. "Take her down!" That is all the men need to open fire at the Searrs robot, which dodges expertly.
[19:39] The last thing Haruka sees before Orihime had taken her out of the laboratory is Miyu's sword lodged in the throat of one of the gunmen.
[19:42] Well. As dangerous as Miyu is, she's more important than Nagi and his goons. Haruka can only hope the robot can take them (granted, it seems unlikely that she wouldn't be able to). First things first: get away from the lab and make sure Yukino's not totally catatonic.
[19:44] Yukino seems exhausted, but coherent. In fact, her focus scares Haruka; she has never seen Yukino this way before. "Diana!" her friend calls out, and vines slam into the ceiling once more. It is enough to seal the hole they made into Mashiro Kazahana's underground complex, though Haruka realizes that it wouldn't serve as a serious obstacle for a Hime.
[19:48] Haruka leans against a nearby wall to catch her breath. "Right, mission failure, proboscis negative. Nagi and some goons in black were attacking Miyu, last thing I saw. Yukino, if she really is our only way to stop the satellite, we've got problems. We have to get through to her somehow."
[19:51] Yukino marches over to Haruka, and slaps her. The blonde's cheek stings, but she has more pressing concerns as her worldview tilts suddenly.
[19:51] She must have blacked out, because the next thing Haruka is aware of, she is cradled in Yukino's arms. "We talked about this, remember?" Yukino asks, and her voice is strangely gentle. "We'll try dialogue, but only while we have that option. If you face Miyu without deadly force, you will die."
[19:52] "I didn't say we weren't going to kick her ass first," Haruka manages. "But we came here for nothing if we have to destroy her."
[19:54] Yukino scowls. "I hoped that slap knocked some sense into you. Haruka, how exactly are you going to get a Searrs robot attack a Searrs Hime by talking or by attacking it?"
[19:55] Haruka climbs to her feet. "Well, if there's a plan C, let me know already!"
[19:56] "Let's win the festival together! The winner get the power to remake the world. Nagi told me that, and I don't think he was lying. I think... Haruka-chan, I think we could do it, together. Give birth to a new world without conflict or pain. Even if Fuka is destroyed, even if we have to retreat here, it wouldn't matter because we'll undo all that!"
[19:59] "We're not doing that, Yukino. And Nagi can't be trusted. Even if what he told you was true, he did it for his own reasons. There's a catch somewhere. I haven't talked to him much, but it was enough to be sure that Nagi getting what he wants isn't good for anyone but Nagi. We're not going to play by the rules, and we're not killing Mai, Mikoto and the others. Understand?"
[20:01] Yukino laughs bitterly. "What I understand is that Yuuki poisoned your mind against me, that Mai-san and Mikoto-chan are each monsters, and that's without the support each has. All we need is seven more, and we could claim the prize. Even if they die, they can still return. Fujino-san can return, not as that fake thing, but the real her!"
[20:05] "Yukino, this is getting out of control. I'm with you here now, aren't I? What needs to happen to remind you that you're my friend?" Then, more sternly: "And you don't know what you're asking for. 'All we need is seven more.' Yukino, have you ever killed *one* person?"
[20:07] Yukino's face grows cold. "You can't judge me. Not after Higurashi-san."
[20:10] "I think I can. It's an easy thing to talk about, but do you think you're really ready to kill people, Yukino? Do you think you could live with it afterwards?"
[20:15] Yukino trembles. "You... you never understand me, Haruka-chan! No matter what, I--" She clenches her fist. "It's okay," Yukino speaks again, and her voice is dead. "Even though my feelings can't get through, I still can't live in a world that doesn't have you. I've kept on saying this, I know, but this would be the last time. If nothing else, please understand just that. Only that, Haruka-chan. I have the courage to make a difference, now." Yukino's mirrors surround her, and they begin to swirl, faster and faster, until she disappears from view along with them, leaving Haruka alone in the underground cavern.
[20:33] Haruka glances around the cavern, not a little bit confused about Yukino's actions. It's good to finally see her being self-assertive, but if only her actions made *sense*. In any event, it looks like her only option is to leave the caverns by the way she came in, assuming Orihime can climb up and carry her at the same time. And hopefully the school nurse is still on the grounds...

<--->

<--->

[20:34] "This looks pretty bad," a familiar voice -- her own -- tells Haruka.
[20:36] "It does," Haruka agrees, making her way back to the cavern entrance. She doesn't seem too disturbed about hearing her own voice. Hey, it wouldn't be the first time.
[20:37] Her likeness is walking by her side, like a twisted reflection of Haruka on the cavern walls. "I'm dying. I hate it when that happens."
[20:40] Haruka just nods at this. Really, who wouldn't hate dying? "It's not over yet," she syas, marching along with grim determination despite her injuries. "I'm more worried about Yukino making it her own than myself."
[20:41] It doesn't hurt to breathe anymore, and the mirror image seems to have picked up on that. "Yep, sure sign of imminent death!" it says cheerfully. "Yukino? Well, normally I'd say that as long as I'm alive she must be doing well enough for herself, but... you know. The imminent death thing."
[20:43] Haruka turns to her other self. "Do you know this for sure? Do you know where she went?"
[20:44] "That I'm her whole world? Duh! You had doubt?"
[20:47] Haruka brushes this off. "It was more the eminent death thing I was getting at. I've seen some of the other Hime at work, and if Yukino tries to fight them..."
[20:47] "Hey, give her some credit! She's not stupid. If she didn't think she could hack it, would she have run off on her little crusade?"
[20:49] "I'm not sure. Have you been watching her lately? She yells at anyone who just looks at me."
[20:50] "She was under a lot of pressure. Being in a game of life and death does that to a person." The reflection sounds chiding. "I don't think being ignorant of what she was trying to tell me helped, all things considered."
[20:52] Haruka stops. "What do you mean, 'trying to tell me'? Did see tell you something without telling me, or--" Haruka just falters there, unsure of how to articulate the idea of her friend talking to another version of Haruka without Haruka herself knowing.
[20:54] "I think I have other concerns, since I'm dying and all," the other Haruka says with a roll of her eyes. "So. Here's the big question. Since dying is inevitable, what comes after?"
[20:56] "I haven't really thought about it," Haruka says, resuming her walk. "I thought you said we died once already, though. Shouldn't you know?
[20:59] "Well, every death is different," the reflection muses thoughtfully. "Sometimes there's life after death. Until I run out of steam, anyway." She turns to face Haruka, stopping fully. "Here's the deal, Blondie. The previous revival? A freebie, and not really on my account. Thank or curse someone for it, but it ain't me. This one, though? It'll cost me. Cost us."
[21:03] "Well, do you have any suggestions for making sure that doesn't happen? Because I'm out of other allies right now, unless I can find Nao."
[21:04] "That what doesn't happen?"
[21:06] "The whole dying thing."
[21:07] "That's just a silly question from a dead person."
[21:08] Haruka shrugs. "Say what you like, but it sure feels like I'm still alive. Being dead should hurt less."
[21:09] "So there'a any pain?" the other Haruka asks curiously.
[21:10] "Well. There *was*. Unless I died in the last few minutes and didn't notice somehow, I'm pretty confident that it didn't happen."
[21:12] "Maybe I'm in the inbetween?" the other Haruka muses curiously. "I think I heard something like that. But where's my white light, my pearly gates?"
[21:15] Haruka shrugs again. "I don't know. But the last angel I heard about turned out to be a monster, so right now I'm not going to worry much about what convertible wisdom says."
[21:16] "I suppose," the reflection agrees, rather readily. "Now, I don't want to rush anything, but I'm pretty sure I don't have much time no matter how much I cheat this time."
[21:20] Haruka nods. "It doesn't sound like there's much time left for anyone. And right now I don't have much of a plan beyond finding that First District man and beating him into submission, so if you've got any words of wisdom to impart then I'd say now's the time."
[21:23] "It's hard to do that while being dead, and it's harder still to live past that," Haruka's likeness says, shrugging. "The contract is a devil's bargain, but this is really the time it
becomes apparent. Sometimes, it's just easier to let go."
[21:24] "Well, I'll do my best to wrap this up before you have to go, then. It would be a shame if you didn't get to see how everything turned out. I know I'd hate that, and you're me, so there you go."
[21:29] The other Haruka blinks. She laughs then, full of equal parts mirth and hysteria. "Yeah, sure. Let's do that." She wavers, and the laughter stops. "A hint for the road. Embrace Orihime if you're ready for that next big step, my other me."
[21:29] Haruka feels a gust of wind, and she finds herself alone in the cave with Orihime. The pain does not return, but her body feels suddenly sluggish, prohibitively so.
[21:30] Haruka glances around the empty cavern for a moment, then does as instructed (hoping that Orihime doesn't take the opportunity to nibble on her this time). "Okay, Orihime. Climb back out the way we came in. We've got a job to do."
[21:34] It isn't a particularly easy task for a Child such as Orihime, especially carrying Haruka along, but it slowly climbs back up, burying sharpened extensions of its body into the cliffside to rise until Haruka is deposited on the undamaged floor of the warehouse.
[21:35] Haruka takes a moment to step away from her Child once they're back at the surface, to examine Orihime for damage. It looked like she was getting cut up pretty bad while fighting Miyu.
[21:37] Orihime seems noticeably shorter than before, although its body no longer shows the signs of damage that it did before in the caverns.
[21:41] Well, it'll have to do. There'll be trouble if Orihime keeps shrinking, though. Haruka tries to come up with an inspiring speech before setting out but doesn't seem to have it in her after recent events. Without any clearer options, she decides to head for Sakomizu's classroom, assuming Orihime will follow as always.
[21:43] When it takes Haruka the better part of five minutes to reach the warehouse's exit, she realizes that heading for the eccentric teacher's classroom would take a considerable amount of time.
[21:46] Haruka pauses to lean against the wall and catch her breath for a moment. Why is she so tired all of a sudden? Argh. Orihime will just have to carry Haruka while she recovers (again).
[21:56] "Alright, Orihime. You're going to have to carry me around again...and no harassment this time! Just take me where I need to go, understand? Alright...let's try the auditorium first."
[21:58] Orihime envelops Haruka at the blonde's command, further dulling her senses. The Child leaves the warehouse, and heads straight for the Fuka Academy auditorium. The light of dawn falls upon Orihime, giving it a truly majestic visage.
[21:59] Haruka isn't really in the frame of mind to appreciate aesthetics at a time like this. She'll be sure to comment on it later, if she's still alive, and if there's anyone around to listen. She's not sure Orihime would notice compliments anyway.
[22:01] As Orihime flows across the courtyard, it invites first surprised -- terrified? -- shouts, before they are replaced with gunfire. Bullets bounce off bronze outer shell, the sound muffled when it reaches Haruka.
[22:02] Haruka glances around to see who's shooting at her *this* time.
[22:04] It is difficult to do so while enveloped in Orihime's protective bubble, but Haruka catches a man in fatigues doing the shooting, then another. By the impacts against Orihime, looking much like circles spreading through still water once a stone was cast inside, there are at least five gunmen. Orihime is unimpeded by the conventional assault.
[22:07] It's a testament to the strangeness of the past few days that Haruka herself is unperturbed by cruising around inside a liquid metal Shizuru. "Orihime," she growls, "get rid of them. I don't care how. We don't have time to worry about being nice to the people shooting at us."
[22:11] There is a pause, as Haruka's command achieves something the soldiers couldn't. Orihime's hands extend suddenly sideways, and gurgled screams sound. The gunfire becomes more frantic, while Orihime proceeds along its predetermined course. There is something different about the Child, Haruka knows instinctively, but at the same time finds herself unable to put her finger on it.
[22:11] More screams greet her, and then the gunfire stops abruptly. Orihime is almost by the auditorium.
[22:13] Are there any windows in the auditorium? Haruka wants to know if anyone's inside--and, if so, who--before barging in.
[22:15] There is no possible way she would enjoy any element of surprise, but there are windows into the auditorium. They are placed on what would normally amount to the second floor, so Orihime would be in for a climb.
[22:19] Climbing even more doesn't sound like a good use of time just to see who's home. If there's an entrance directly to the backstage area, that's probably the best option right now.
[22:24] There wasn't one, but Orihime interprets Haruka's desires for an entrance by creating one, cutting it out of the wall separating Orihime and its passanger from the backstage area. Fuka students, from junior high level to college, seem to be gathered inside.
[22:24] They're naked, and shiver as they cling to one another, whether for warmth or reassurance. Their heads are shaved clean, from the closer ones Haruka can see. The elementary grade Fuka students are conspiciously absent, but in their place are several dozen men in fatigues, holding automatic weapons.
[22:24] Two of them were on the backstage, and the one farther back grabs a hostage from the crowd, a young girl who couldn't possibly be older than thirteen.
[22:29] Well. So much for the element of surprise, indeed. Not that Haruka would be in any mood to be sneaky after seeing this disgusting display. "What's going on here?" she demands of the soldiers, using her most authoritarian voice.
[22:32] It comes off as distorted, but the intimidation part certainly works. The soldier closest to her opens fire, and others soon join him -- those who haven't gone for insurance policies of their own. The air is filled with the terrified screams of Haruka's classmates.
[22:32] An unlucky bullet ricochets off Orihime, lodging itself in a junior high aged boy's shoulder. He goes down gasping. The girl beside him doesn't get the luxury, dead before she even hits the floor with another bullet through her forehead.
[22:36] "Oh hell. I was going to try to talk you out of killing yourselves," Haruka barks at the soldiers. "Orihime: kill the soldiers as quickly as possible without hitting the students. Target the ones with hostages first, before they can shoot if possible. Spear them through the head. Spare any man that drops his weapon but show no mercy to anyone still attacking."
[22:38] At another time, she might have had second thoughts about commanding a mass slaughter. But there isn't any time for contemplation right now. And besides, these creeps deserve it.
[22:42] Bullets continue to fly as Haruka commands her Child. Orihime responds, and the nearest soldier is silenced forever. His finger twitches on the trigger of his weapon, and several of the shots go into the crowd. Orihime advances on the next one, but its speed is slower than Haruka remembers.
[22:42] Once the soldier realizes this, he tosses the girl hostage at Orihime, opening fire. Haruka's vision is sprayed with red, but then Orihime is upon the man, and his head parts from his shoulders.
[22:43] The soldiers, and there are female ones amongst them, Haruka belatedly notices, concentrate their fire on Orihime as they retreat. It is anything but precise, and as Orihime steps into the mass of teens occupying the building to get to the soldiers, some of the students begin to get hit.
[22:46] Haruka swears. "Orihime, stay away from the kids. Collateral damage is *not* acceptable! Leap behind the line of soldiers if you can."
[22:48] Orihime holds still, neither retreating nor launching into the air. All those who could get out of the way on their own, even if it meant pushing others, have done so. The hail of bullets continues to assault Orihime, as the Child is apparently locked in an impasse.
[22:51] Haruka grits her teeth. "Okay, you could've just told me that wouldn't work. We'll have to wade through the crowd. Try to sweep them to the ground in passing--they're less likely to get hit there. Try not to injure them."
[22:55] There is... not indecision or hesitation, but a pause nonetheless, and then Orihime proceeds on its course. Its lower body becomes more fluid, almost as if the Child were wearing a flowing gown, and tendrils shoot out of it, tripping teens left and right. A few that fall on their hands and knees or try to get up are picked up and tossed aside, instead, and the path is cleared once more.
[22:55] At this veritable force of nature, inevitability given form, the ranks of the soldiers crumble, as more than half deserts their posts and flees, some dragging crying and resisting girls along.
[22:59] "Orihime, kill anyone trying to take the children away. Just lance them through the head." She raises her voice to try and make herself heard to the remaining soldiers: "If you haven't noticed yet, I'm BULLETPROOF. I don't want to kill anyone needlessly, but this will be your only chance to surrender. Drop your weapons and let the kids go now, or you WILL die."
[23:03] "Slight change of plans: Orihime, we can't let anyone get out of the auditorium. If any soldier's running for the door, get after them as quickly as possible. Single someone out and make an example of him."
[23:05] Orihime is finally within range of the front line of those either brave or foolish enough to remain.
[23:05] Even though the trio of soldiers have their shivering human shields, long since having soiled themselves, Orihime's arms become watery tendrils that snake around the hostages, a pair of boys this time, and emerge from the other side of each soldier's head, proceeding to meet in the head of the remaining man. His expression is one of shock and terror.
[23:09] With a tearing sound, Orihime breaks the guns in the vanguard's hands, and proceeds to throw the shards at the escaping soldiers. Most of the jagged metal fragments seem to be directed at a woman dragging a hostage she couldn't have been more than a decade older than. Both go down under the onslaught, neither rising again.
[23:09] The act only increases the desertion, as some abandon the attempt to take Haruka and Orihime down, instead firing into the crowd far away from the bronze Child indiscriminately.
[23:13] "Are you all suicidal?!" Haruka hollers at the remaining soldiers. What drives someone to be this bent on carrying out their orders in the face of certain annihilation? "Orihime, kill
anyone still shooting at the children. Find something sharp and throw it at them. Tear up the floor for stakes if you have to. Aim for the head."
[23:19] Crying mixes with screams, with curses, with gunfire, with the gasps of the dying. Orihime's tendrils smash against the floor, fragmenting it, then again to smash it into its components.
[23:19] A third slam against the ground gets the small stones briefly airborne, while a sweep of the Child's extensions sends the vertical wall of jagged death in the direction of the remaining soldiers. Anything in its path is obliterated, and the auditorium is finally under Haruka's control.
[23:21] Suzushiro will pay for the damages later, assuredly. If there is a later. Not that that'll bring back any of the kids. God, what a mess. How many of the children are actually still alive? And it's a safe bet that no one'll be coherent enough to tell Haruka what's been happening, much as she needs an update.
[23:25] There is little chance of that, as chaos reigns supreme in the auditorium. Bodies are everywhere, some surely belonging to those who got trampled rather than shot. Haruka is certain things look worse than they are, but the downside is that they look pretty glum.
[23:33] Right. This is probably time for the Executive Committee to step in and give people something to look at other than the murderous Hime...but where do you even start. An auditorium full of naked, terrified kids, corpses everywhere...could *anything* actually bring order to this situation? Well, trying is better than contemplating the fact that Haruka just ordered the deaths of more people than she could probably count.
[23:38] Haruka banishes Orihime, first. Having a metal Shizuru around isn't going to help matters at all.
[23:39] Without Orihime to support her, Haruka finds it difficult to keep upright.
[23:42] Haruka does her best to struggle on anyway. If she can make it to the podium, she can lean on that!
[23:44] Haruka falls on her face after a few sluggish steps. The pain still doesn't come, but her sluggishness becomes practically lethargic.
[23:47] Hell. Well, if leaning on Orihime the whole time is the only way she's going to get through this crisis, then that's all there is to it. She summons the Child again--to carry her in its arms this time instead of as armor, as the latter option wouldn't ease anyone's mind in the slightest--then does her best to get the students' attention.
[23:49] And hey, mecha-Shizuru will help draw attention, at least. "Students of Fuka!" Haruka announces when she's upright again. "Uh..." Okay, so she has no idea where to go with a situation like this. But hopefully at least one person will look coherent?
[23:53] Orihime's resurgence sends a fresh wave of fear through the crowd, Haruka able to almost taste the emotion.

<--->

<--->

[17:09] Gunfire coming from outside the auditorium interrupts Haruka's speech, although it may account for the gathered students not leaving the premises, terrified though they might be.
[17:12] Hell. Time for the Shizuru-suit to haul Haruka around again. To the students, if they're up to listening: "Stay here. Take care of the wounded as best as you can. I'll stop the soldiers." She can only hope *someone* in here is capable of taking charge as she marches out the back way (where she came in). She'll circle around the building hopefully without alerting whoever's shooting now.
[17:14] Orihime's movements are slow, degraded from the Child's previous performance. Exiting the building through the hole she had made in its wall, Haruka has her Child circle over to the main entrance. Someone in fatigues with an automatic weapon is running towards the auditorium. Others are following behind.
[17:15] How many others? Haruka isn't about to let these kids fall into the hands of soldiers *again*.
[17:17] It's hard to see even without the distorting effect of Orihime's protective envelop. She estimates perhaps half a dozen.
[17:18] She's already killed anywhere from twenty to thirty. Surely she can take a few more. "Orihime? Stop them. Any means necessary."
[17:21] The only way Orihime had been able to do that is by using its tendrils to toss fragments of metal, wood and stone at opponents beyond its reach. The frontliner expires without even knowing what killed her, but the others are too far, and scatter. The trees in the distance lining the path to the auditorium might not serve as a suitable shield from Orihime's attacks, but Haruka loses sight of them.
[17:24] Argh. Decisions, decisions. Might they come after her if she just leaves? Maybe, but she doesn't want to risk them heading into the auditorium and doing...more of whatever the hell it was that they were doing. Time to wade into the treeline and see if they're still there. Worst case scenario, she can herd them away.
[17:26] As Orihime follows, Haruka can see the fatigue-clad troops fall back, trying to stay out of range, but not outright fleeing.
[17:28] Well, that's a start. "Orihime, kill anyone who gets within throwing range. Otherwise, we'll try and push them away from the auditorium."
[17:31] There is another fatality before Haruka's opponents learn of Orihime's maximum effective range. They don't try to charge her, and if she didn't know any better, seem to actually be drawing her away from the auditorium.
[17:32] May as well follow them for now. It keeps the other kids safe and it's not like Haruka has any other ideas about where to go. Let's see what kind of trap this is!
[17:34] Nao awakens to find someone shaking her shoulder roughly. It's not the damaged one, her mind notes with relief.
[17:35] Nao gurgles a little and opens her eyes, twisting her head to see her attacker!
[17:38] It's one of the Executive Committee girls, she can tell that much. She never really bothered to learn their names. "We need your help," she whispers upon noticing that she has Nao's attention. "There's a monster that we can't stop. If it gets in, everyone will die!"
[17:38] As her senses slowly return, Nao realizes that she is in some kind of cave. Many students, male and female alike, are huddling there under blankets.
[17:39] "I can't use my Child," grimaces Nao, dazedly pushing herself to her feet and glancing at her shoulder.
[17:40] "We'll help!" the girl promises, looking distraught. "And you still have your... your wires, right? This is our last stand! We have nowhere to retreat! Please!"
[17:41] "I- I'll go. I'll go. I promised, after all," replies Nao, putting her good hand on the girl's shoulder. "I need.. morphine. Or PCP."
[17:42] "I-- we don't--" Shaking her head, the girl produces a syringe. "It's a painkiller. We don't know which kind. The soldiers had it."
[17:43] "Do it," insists Nao, staggering to her feet and preparing for the injection.
[17:46] "It's past the last defensive perimeter, Sayuri!" someone yells. The girl by Nao's side shivers, and uncaps the syringe, plunging it into Nao's healthy arm. There is pain, but then a sense of detachment comes over Nao. Thinking becomes easier, as if her pain were wrapped up in cotton. Sayuri supports her, helping Nao to the exit from the cave.
[17:47] "I'm fine. I can move, now," replies Nao, shrugging off the girl after a moment and allowing her ebony claws to materialize on her good arm and approaching the exit. "Back off. Guns won't help against this thing, whatever it is," she adds.
[17:50] "We know!" she cries in frustration. "But what else can we do? We have a responsibility to protect everyone! It's what Suzushiro-san would do if she were here! We can't disappoint her expectations!"
[17:50] As Nao makes her way to the opening outside, she spots a pair of Executive Committee members with handguns, a boy and a girl. She hadn't bothered learning their names, either. They nod at her grimly, and gesture ahead. Light shines on a glorious bronze statue gliding slowly towards them, as if it were death itself. Nao's eyes water.
[17:53] Nao does well to stand upright at the sight, barely able to hold her lone claw up in the defence. "You're kidding. Right?" she asks, in a pained voice. "That isn't really you, is it?"
[17:54] Haruka stops in her tracks. "...Nao? Is that you?"
[17:55] "I can't believe it," replies Nao, taking a step forward, her arms still raised. "You were lying all this time?"
[17:57] Haruka banishes enough of Orihime so that her she can see a little better and her voice doesn't come out muffled. "Huh? What are you talking about? I've been wondering where the hell you were, Nao! Miyu broke loose and Yukino left and--argh, what the hell are you talking about?"
[17:59] The boy to Nao's left takes aim at Haruka's exposed head, gritting his teeth. He seems to be struggling not to cry, and losing the battle.
[17:59] "Don't fuck with me, Suzushiro!" snarls Nao, crouching. "You think you can just kill everyone, waltz in here and pretend to be a clueless idiot? Huh?"
[17:59] "I thought Kikukawa might do something like this, but never you!"
[18:00] "I've been killing soldiers! They had a group of students in the auditorium! They were all naked for some reason! I don't know *what* they were doing, but tell me why I'm the bad guy for trying to stop them."
[18:01] "Killing soldiers? Take a look at the soldiers you've been killing!" shrieks Nao. "Then tell me who has been saved and who has died, Haruka! Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now!"
[18:01] There is a gunshot. The bullet glances off Orihime's chest.
[18:02] "Dammit!" the boy curses, wiping at his eyes with the sleeve of his ill-fitting fatigues.
[18:04] "Put that gun down! This is the executive committee talking!" Haruka insists. She silently tells Orihime to be ready to block bullets if the boy moves again. "Look, I came here to help! I don't have ANY idea what you're talking about, Nao, so slow down and tell me what's going on!"
[18:05] "The execution committee, is it? Mispronouncing words again?"
[18:06] More guns fire at Haruka's words, but Orihime's tendrils slice through them effortlessly.
[18:06] "You've been killing students from Fuka! I won't let you touch another one. Take one step closer and we'll see if your Child is stronger than my claws."
[18:07] Haruka manages to not flinch at the bullets. "Nao, this is crazy! Go to the auditorium and see! There are dead soldiers everywhere. They shot Orihime so much that she has trouble moving now, see?"
[18:08] Orihime's shape looks different to Nao, somehow, though she can't see the specifics due to the glare of the sun.
[18:09] "Did you see their faces?" Strings coil from Nao's hand, wisping around the younger girl. "Well, did you?"
[18:11] "I was too busy trying not to get killed! Nao, I'm not the villain here. We've worked together before, right? Would me killing students make any sense at all?"
[18:12] "Nothing makes sense anymore, Suzushiro," replies Nao, curling her fist. "I'm going to count to five. Then I'm coming for you. One."
[18:12] The guns held by the students finally run out of ammo, one after the other, and a hush settles over the area as smoke trails from their barrels. They're horrified, frozen in their places. No one changes clips; perhaps they have run out.
[18:13] "Two."
[18:14] "Nao! This is STUPID. We came here for Miyu and we're wasting time." She turns back to look at the way she came from.
[18:14] Nothing of note is within Haruka's field of vision.
[18:14] "Three."
[18:16] Silently, to Orihime: hit her if she comes close, but don't kill her. Watch out for the claws. To Nao: "I'm not going anywhere, and we're not going to fight! The Hime should be working together! Are you okay with killing someone who refuses to fight back?""
[18:17] That seems to get through to Nao. A little. "True. It isn't me you've attacked," she rasps. "There should be no reason for me to care. Don't you understand, yet? Fuka students stole uniforms from the soldiers. You never even checked your targets. You didn't wait to be attacked before attacking. *So why should I?*"
[18:19] "Whoa, wait, slow down! Students? So...why were students guarding other students in the auditorium? And *those* people shot at me first!"
[18:21] Every word out of Haruka's mouth seems to inspire Nao to greater levels of barely-contained fury. "Kikukawa, are you watching?" she asks, dazedly. "This is your most important person. A murderer who doesn't even know what she's done. You said people didn't need to stay dead. Is that the excuse?"
[18:23] A flower blooms in the air between Haruka and Nao. Unlike those Nao had seen Yukino use before, this one ends with a mirror. Its surface glows, and an image of Yukino is projected above it as a three-dimensional hologram. "The dead people can come back to life, if that is your question, Nao," the image says.
[18:24] "Like Haruka."
[18:24] "Dammit, Nao, this is easy to sort out! We go back to the auditorium. There are a lot of kids inside it still that need help. They're naked and scared and the soldiers shot some of before I could stop them. Let's go, alright? Bring your guns if you need to, I know what happ--Yukino?!"
[18:24] "Like Haruka-chan," Yukino confirms.
[18:24] She seems to be ignoring Haruka.
[18:24] "Yukino, where are you?!" Haruka demands.
[18:24] "So you know someone has tried this before."
[18:25] "That is correct. My hypothesis has been largely proven right."
[18:25] "But do you realise that the process may have been flawed?"
[18:25] "HEY. Stop ignoring me, you two. I'm still here!"
[18:26] "That sounds likely. However, our second chance is unique. With the power of two rather than one, it would be possible to overcome Fate." The last word is capitalized, Nao can tell. Yukino deigns to glance at Haruka, then. "In a matter of fashion, Haruka-chan."
[18:27] "What exactly has to happen?"
[18:28] "We have to win together, and take hold of the system of reincarnation. By creating our ideal world, everything unsatisfactory will be undone by our collective will."
[18:28] "So we have to defeat the Obisidan Lord as well as the other Hime."
[18:29] Yukino is silent as she contemplates her answer. "That is not strictly correct. Eleven Hime must be defeated for the doorway to open. Defeating the Obsidian Lord is not strictly mandated if we manage to take him by surprise."
[18:33] "I understand. This will work. But I predict one of us is going to have to trust the other more than anyone should need to ask." Nao narrows her eyes. "With the way things are set up, I think that's the case. For now we need to defeat Arika. Any luck finding Mai?"
[18:35] "I care not for Kuga or Fujino. You feel the same for Haruka-chan. As long as we don't interfere in those areas, and cooperate on our common goals, I see no conflict," Yukino states. "I did discover Tokiha-san's location. She is together with Minagi Mikoto, Okuzaki Akira and Kanzaki Reito."
[18:36] "Tell me where to go."
[18:36] "US," Haruka corrects.
[18:37] "You're leaving?" Sayuri asks, speaking for the first time. Her voice trembles.
[18:41] "I have no choice," replies Nao, shaking her head. "What is happening on this island has put the entire world at stake. I can't stay here and protect you. But at this point, I doubt anyone is going to come after you." She glances at Haruka and snorts. "Friend or foe alike."
[18:42] Her voice picks up. "Give me more of those painkillers. I'll need them."
[18:44] "We can't come along," the boy speaks, sounding ashamed. He clenches his fist. "Someone has to help the others. Many of the students are wounded--" His face distorts with rage. Sayuri collects five more syringes, boundling them for Nao with a torn piece of a blanket.
[18:44] "I can do better than tell you," Yukino tells Nao. "I can show you."
[18:46] "Show US," Haruka corrects. Her management instincts kick in and she attempts to order the other students: "Check the auditorium. There ar emore there."
[18:46] Nao ties them to her belt. "Do the best you can," she says to the boy. "It'll all be over within twenty-four hours. One way or the other- Haruka, do you not understand? You aren't giving orders anymore! You have no right to say anything! Just shut up, for once in your life, and do as I say!"
[18:47] "There's no one left back but the dead and dying!" the unnamed girl next to Nao yells angrily.
[18:48] Haruka scowls, still not acknowledging that she did anything wrong. "Let's just get going, Nao. We've wasted enough time bickering."
[18:50] "Lead the way, Kikukawa. The First District woman was right after all," she says, shuddering. "Convinced of our own righteousness, we cut a bloody swathe through all we see. I can see why I lost my memories this time around."
[18:51] An image of a clearing replaces Yukino's image. Her voice still emanates from the mirror. "They're hiding out in the forests two kilometers to the east. It's not a straight line, but you'll find it." Other images replace the first one, going through a sequence. Each contains a recognizable landmark. "Don't forget our regroup condition. I'll assist however I can."
[18:51] The flower becomes motes of light, fading away.
[18:52] Nao wordlessly stalks off the follow the path, not even looking at Haruka as she passes by.
[18:53] Orihime's tendrils react as Nao's claws are within striking distance, moving restlessly, but don't attack.
[18:54] Haruka follows along as best she can--or, rather, Orihime drags her along. Haruka silently tells her Child to just ignore now, coming to realize on some level that whatever punishment the other girl might choose to hand out is probably deserved.
[18:59] From a hill overlooking the Academy campus, Nao can see smoke trailing from where the church used to be. The absense of the bell tower feels strange to her. Curiously, Mashiro's mansion also seems to be going up in flames.
[19:03] "The fires won't go out until all the Hime are done..." murmurs Nao, striding ahead.
[19:04] "Do we have a plan here?" Haruka asks as she starts down the hill.
[19:06] "We're meeting the others. Mai will kill Arika's child. Then the real contest begins."
[19:06] Nao and Haruka are almost all the way to their destination, as indicated by Yukino, when a bright beam of sunlight impacts somewhere on campus. The beam begins to move, fire and smoke rising into the air.
[19:09] Nao can't stare at it without going blind. She only remains aware of it at the edges of her senses. One step, two steps, eventually she'll reach the others. Did Yukino tell them the plan as well? If Nao was Yukino, she'd make sure everyone knew- it's easy when you can do it remotely.
[19:10] "That looks like our cue to hurry," Haruka says. "Or would be, if we could. Orihime can't get around very well now."
[19:12] Instead of picking up the pace, this declaration seems to cause Nao to slow down. Her left arm dangles uselessly by her side, and the shoulder is bandaged heavily; she seems badly wounded and exceptionally tired, but still inexorably presses on. "I need to save my strength," she mutters.
[19:12] The first thing Nao becomes aware of when she reaches the clearing is that Mai is indeed there, as Yukino told her. The second thing is a curved dagger pressed to her throat. "How did you find us?" Akira hisses, holding it close enough to draw blood if Nao were to move.
[19:12] Mikoto growls at Haruka, gripping her sword tightly.
[19:13] "Spider sense. Let's wait on killing each other until Arika is dealt with," replies Nao, closing her eyes. "Or just do it now and finish it. I'm tired, so it's win-win."
[19:15] Haruka sighs. "Look, we're not much of a threat to you two by this point. Save us for distractions. That's best for everybody. I think."
[19:15] Mai places a hand on Mikoto's shoulder. "Nao's right. We shouldn't fight," she says quietly.
[19:16] The dagger leaves Nao's throat, and Akira's presence fades away a moment later.
[19:18] "Mai, you're the only one who can save us. That is what I believe," states Nao, collapsing to her knees. "Kagutsuchi might be the only thing that can blow up Apollo. Please, please, please do it."
[19:20] "Apollo?" Mai asks cautiously. "What's that?"
[19:20] Akira reappears by Mai's other side, dagger in hand. Nao and Haruka are not intimately familiar with such weapons, but it looks like one used by a Hime. Reito is standing off behind the three silently.
[19:21] "Arika's child. A satellite. In space. It blasted the island-" Nao coughs, placing one hand on the ground. "Arika- can come back to life when killed. She has- spare bodies. But they only work as long as she's a Hime. If you kill her Child, she can't threaten the island. She can't threaten us. We win."
[19:21] "The thing that's about to destroy Fuka," Haruka states flatly. "It's like a satellite. None of us can reach it."
[19:23] "But if I move, if I call for Kagutsuchi--" Mai's voice breaks, and she glances back at Reito helplessly. "Searrs will destroy Fuka! I-- and space? I can't go there! I don't-- it's ridiculous, isn't it?" She looks at Akira for support; the ninja averts her eyes.
[19:25] "Searrs will destroy Fuka anyway. They just need time for that monster to get into position, and then they'll blast the whole island."
[19:25] "Did they tell you that? Or is that conjecture?" asks Nao, helplessly. "They'll destroy Fuka anyway. Or at least us."
[19:27] "It is quite true, I'm afraid," Reito speaks, approaching Mai and patting her shoulder. "I managed to escape as First District troops were seizing control of the Academy, and I heard that boy commanding them. Nagi, I think his name was. Blue hair, kind of spiky? If Kagutsuchi were to appear, the Searrs orders are to eliminate all of Fuka systematically."
[19:27] Mai looks despondent, wringing her hands.
[19:28] "Searrs is already doing that! And I've met Nagi--nothing he says can be trusted to be completely true."
[19:29] "Then why wasn't the island levelled already?" Reito asks calmly, looking down at Haruka.
[19:29] "We must think of the bigger picture, here."
[19:30] Akira's fist tightens around her dagger.
[19:30] "As I said, their satellite isn't in position yet. It will fire as soon as they can actually hit Fuka. And the longer we stand here arguing, the more likely that is to happen!"
[19:31] "I'm not sure it's the satellite that isn't ready," replies Nao, frowning. "What if it's the one who fires it who isn't here yet?"
[19:31] "Either way, I don't know what else to do. Did Nagi say anything else?"
[19:33] "I'm afraid not," Reito responds, although his apologetic tone rings false to Nao and Haruka's ears. "I'm not privy to their decision-making, after all."
[19:33] "Then do you have *anything* helpful to say, or should we just all curl up and die? Because I'm not hearing anything helpful from you at all."
[19:35] "I'll do it," Mai states, her chin raising. Akira grabs at her wrist, and a meaningful look passes between the two. "I'll return. Don't worry," Mai promises, her voice gentle. She looks like she's about to cry.
[19:36] "The rest of us can't do a thing," mutters Nao, pulling herself up against a tree and staring at her hands. "This festival is so rigged."
[19:37] "Thanks, Mai," Haruka says with relief. "You're doing the right thing."
[19:37] Akira makes her way to Nao's side, examining her shoulder. She winces.
[19:37] Rings of fire surround Mai's limbs, as she floats a foot above ground.
[19:37] "How bad is it? My arm won't move. I think it's poison."
[19:38] "Poison?" Haruka repeats unhelpfully. "What happened?"
[19:38] "Yukariko shot me."
[19:39] Haruka frowns. "I was afraid she'd be a problem. What happened to her?"
[19:39] "She's dead."
[19:40] Haruka just nods at this. There probably wasn't any way around it. "Okay."
[19:40] "It's really not."
[19:41] "Was there anything else you could've done to prevent it?"
[19:41] "KAGUTSUCHI!"
[19:41] A ring of hot air rushes outwards from Mai's body, as a larger image of it overlays it. A dragon emerges, a sword stuck through its jaws. Once again, Nao stares into the face of death. With a leap, Mai moves to stand on its head.
[19:42] "I could've killed her last week and spared myself some pain?" Nao laughs, bitterly. "Good luck, Mai! If I could, I'd go with you. I always wanted to go into space."
[19:43] Haruka just stares at the dragon, not reacting otherwise. Hey, she's seen it before, and there it is again. Her capacity to be inspired with awe is presently quite low, given the circumstances.
[19:43] The dragon blasts off horizontally, Nao and Haruka soon losing sight of it. Whatever response Mai might have had is lost in the noise.
[19:43] "It looks bad, but not fatal," Akira says in a businesslike tone, examining the wound. "I don't have an antidote, but I think you'll be fine within a day."
[19:45] "A day. Right now, that's a long time," replies Nao, staring at Kagutsuchi. "Maybe we should move. I don't think anywhere is safe right now."
[19:45] "Move where, Nao?I don't knwo if we can do anything but wait and see."
[19:46] "I could do something about the arm's functionality," Akira states bluntly. "You'll be able to move it. And feel it, which is the drawback. Another is a high chance of permanent damage to the limb once the technique wears off."
[19:46] "Ah, so it holds off fucking me up just long enough to be of use to you?" asks Nao, tiredly. "I'm a Hime. Would that help at all?"
[19:49] "That's why it's a chance and not a certainty."
[19:49] "How long does it last?"
[19:51] "Two days, perhaps. No more." Akira shrugs. "It may not even work. Up to you."
[19:53] "Can you apply it in an instant, or does it take time?"
[19:54] "I have all the ingredients with me. They just need to be mixed together and applied. Five minutes, give or take." Akira glances at Haruka. "Are you wounded as well? You don't look too well."
[19:56] "Not that I know of. But I don't think I've ever been more tired in my life," she admits. "I can't really move right now without Orihime."
[19:56] Akira looks dubious, but returns her attention to Nao, whose shoulder is now being professionally bandaged.

<--->

<--->

The constant bursts of light from the direction of campus don't let Haruka and Nao forget that a battle of some sort is in progress. Mikoto seems to pay attention to it, her head moving back and forth, as if she were able to see it.

Akira checks over her field dressing, nodding to herself in satisfaction. "This will hold," she tells Nao. "Try not to move the limb much when you get the feeling back, though, or you might damage it when the bone doesn't heal properly."

There is a sound much like an explosion, and a column of fire begins rising to the sky on an almost vertical approach, trailing massive columns of smoke. It is coming from the direction Kagutsuchi flew off to.

Haruka peers at the explosion off in the distance. "Let's hope that wasn't Mai spontaneously combursting."

"If it's in a sling, that'd be best," replies Nao, staying propped up against a tree for the moment. "If we stick together, then I won't need my full strength, so I'll pass on your special treatment for now. I can still fight, just..."

She shakes her head. "Speaking of. Who's killing each other at the campus?"

"Don't worry about that," Yukino's voice says, making Akira jump and look around. Wherever it is emanating, the ninja girl can't seem to spot it. Mikoto tenses up, but doesn't react beyond that.

The column of fire has almost penetrated the clouds. It looks much like a rocket taking off, Haruka thinks, though details of any kind are impossible to make out.

"Don't worry about people killing each other?" Haruka says incredulously, in response to Yukino.

"I'm worried. I'm worried one of them will live and decide to come after us next. What's the deal, Kikukawa?"

Nao's arm is in a sling, the shoulder bandaged. It looks like it would hold through a fight. Haruka, on the other hand, seems worse. Her skin is pale beyond the point of unhealthy, and something just feels alien about her to Nao, the more she spends in close quarters with her.

"The First District were brutal as they sought out results, but they miscalculated." Off to the side, Reito seems to perk up at that. "They had an ace after all, bu-- It comes!" Yukino's voice raises suddenly near the end, and there's an audible click, much like with a hastily-disconnected phone line.

A sickly green lance strikes out from beyond the sky. It lashes at the fire, and then repeats the process again and again. The beam disperses the clouds-- no, it does more than that. The sky itself tears. Something emerges from that rift, held aloft on iridescent wings.

Haruka shades her eyes against the sun and the glare from this far-off battle in the sky. "GOOO MAI!" she shouts on recognizing that dragon, though even this kind of exertion takes a fair bit of effort at this point.

"And here it is. Either it kills Mai, or she beats through it." Nao slams a fist into the ground, and then stares up at the sky. "Haruka, calm down. You look like you're dead for real, not just in theory."

"How can I be calm at a time like this? This is a life or death struggle between good and evil! You know, Fuka and everybody else. And Mai's about to smash that thing that shot down our satellite. GO MAI!"

Nao doesn't have any words for that.

A fourth blast. A fifth. The column of fire stalls, before something drops out of it back down, trailing smoke. Its trail is slightly different, which saves it from being lanced by the sixth blast, which only grazes it.

Akira gasps.

The glowing figure begins its descent, the skies righting themselves in its passing.

"Was it Kagutsuchi they were waiting for, then? Our best weapon, huh." She pulls up her knees. "I wonder if things would've been different if I'd got to Miyu..."

Haruka can only strain her eyes watching and hope that someone with less compromised vision fills in the blanks for her.

The figure descends, its wings beautiful to behold. They seem to shine with an inner light, inviting and warm.

Akira shakes her head. "It wasn't supposed to be like this," she says.

"Don't worry. We were outmatched from the start," comments Nao, suddenly seeming to regain her usual tone. She withdraws another painkiller and stabs it into her bicep, before shakily standing up. "We're up against god and fate. I don't care if we lose, as long as we make that bitch feel worse than I am now. I guess it's too late for that medicine, huh?"

"You're right," Haruka says. "None of this should've happened. Kids shouldn't have to live in fear with soldiers watching over them. But it did happen and we can only try to make the best of it." She watches the figure descend, deciding with a surge of optimism that this is a good start.

Nao's question snaps Akira out of her state. She eyes the skies, before shaking her head briefly. "Not unless Mikoto can buy us time, and that time will be better-spent fighting together. We can't afford to take a chance and end up being defeated in detail."

The figure floats down, seeming to have no trouble finding the clearing occupied by the group. It is feminine, the body incased fully in armor. The face plates retreat soundlessly, and Arika's face stares down at the group of Hime and Reito from a height of twenty feet.

"You didn't run," Arika speaks, sounding surprised. Her voice is as tinny as Nao and Haruka had heard it back on the boat they used to approach Fuka. "You must have been anticipating this as much as I was!"

Haruka's heart drops. That's not who she was expecting to see come down from that firefight.

"Oh, I would never run from a chance to play with you," replies Nao. "Besides, I'm confident that this time, you won't be getting back up again." She licks the edge of her claw, slightly. "Does it hurt? Coming back to life?"

Arika's face clouds. "I endured it so that we could meet again."

Mikoto growls, tensing up, but before she could lunge at Arika, Reito places a hand on her shoulder, stilling the girl. "You don't really think you killed Mai, do you?" he asks calmly.

"Oh, hello there!" Arika greets Reito, as if only seeing him just then. "I'm supposed to kill you next. Can you please wait your turn?"

"What makes you think we're going to take turns?" Haruka growls. To the others: "If we kill her, she might come back. Just lop off all her limbs and she'll be harmless."

Akira throws Haruka a wary look.

"An excellent plan, Suzushiro. I'm afraid it will be superseded by practicality, however," replies Nao, glancing at Reito for a moment before twisting back to Arika.

"You just don't get it, do you? You're just being used, and sooner or later, you'll be thrown away. Aren't you here to purge away what shouldn't be in this world? Someone who died and came back to life is probably the most unnatural thing there is."

That seems to give Arika pause. "I'm different," she states, shaking her head emphatically. "Daddy said so!"

Haruka rolls her eyes. "Everyone's daddy says that. You're not special. All I see is an omnicidal maniac."

"Different? From who? Alyssa-chan?" asks Nao, raising an eyebrow. "You're someone who'll be thrown away when a better model comes along. Just like an old doll nobody wants anymore."

"I'm not like that failed Valkyrie!" Arika protests. Her wings flutter, and a sword hilt pops out of a previously-hidden section of her thigh armor. "Daddy made sure I could adapt!"

"Can you adapt to being a quadrophenic?" Haruka asks. To everyone else: "If we have to fight her, we work together. Killing her just makes more work in the end."

"Which number are you? A hundred and something? Over a hundred other Valkyries have been praised by your father. And then tossed out."

Nao narrows her eyes. "To a man like that, feelings are nothing but toys to be played with. How can you be comfortable serving someone like that?"

"Two hundred and forty-nine," Arika responds, as if reciting a fact. "Even though we haven't met since I was two hundred and forty three, let's keep on being great friends, Nao!"

She grasps the hilt of the weapon, pulling it entirely out of its sheath. The compartment retreats seemlessly, while Arika observes the short sword.

And then, she moves. It's only a flick of her wrist, but that causes the sword to separate with an odd clanking sound, becoming a metal whip which she sends at Haruka's head!

Haruka commands Orihime to dodge and protect herself as best as she's able. She knows she's not in good fighting form at the moment. At the very least, she can keep Arika busy while someone else takes her down.

Orihime flows across the clearing to cleanly avoid the strike with several feet to spare. It also doges the follow up, as Arika causes the serrated metal whip to change directions mid-attack. Haruka experiences a mildly uncomfortable burning sensations in her arms, the first sensation she's had after the pain went away, taking with it all feeling.

Nao's strings lash out towards- the whip, tearings it further down to earth! "So you've died five more times since I killed you? I haven't even died once, so I guess you can't really be too good at this Hime thing, can you? Should I ask your dad for a job?"

"So much for #two-forty-nine," Haruka taunts. "Maybe the next Arika will be able to catch me!" She might be burning out here, but damned if she isn't going to do her best to give her friends a fighting chance.

It becomes a test of strength, and one Arika is slowly but surely winning. While Nao was able to use the armored girl's surprise to pull her ten more feet towards the ground, the distance is being increased once more.

"I'm coming closer to perfection every time, while you're stale and old!" Arika protests, scowling at Nao.

"Gennai!" Akira yells from behind Nao, forming a seal with her hands as her dagger floats before her. An massive Child with a frog motif materializes in the forest just past the clearing, tearing apart trees, and she backflips to land on its head.

"I'm fifteen. You're two hundred and fourty nine. Who is old, again?" snarls Nao, snaking one of her strings further up the sword, towards Arika's wrist.

"Orihime," Haruka commands her Child while watching Nao tangle with Arika, "shred one of the trees for spears if you have a chance. Otherwise, keep dodging."

"Just throw an entire tree!" snarls Nao. "Knock her out the sky!"

"Or do that," Haruka adds, though she doubts Orihime can manage that by this point.

Orihime executes Haruka's commands, moving towards the edge of the clearing. Its speed slows yet more, and Haruka's legs begin to feel the same tolerable but unpleasant heat. Its tendrils ensnare a young tree, and the Child strips it of the branches before tossing it at the floating Searrs girl.

Arika aims her free hand at the tree, not even looking in its direction, and her hand disappears, replaced by a large barrel that fires a beam of emerald light. The tree is decimated, and Orihime is forced to dodge again.

A cloud of grey gas is released from behind Nao, and Arika dives below it, ending up a mere three feet above the forest floor.

"Hell," Haruka grunts. "Use smaller objects. Things she can't shoot down. Tear something up for stakes, or use rocks."

Can't summon Arach. Can't use her other hand. As long as Nao keeps disrupting the movement of that Shizuru-like sword, Mikoto might get a chance to strike! Now is the time!

Orihime leaps clear of a second laser beam, Haruka's legs tingling from the strain of the jump. The Child dances out of the way of another attack, and ensnares a pair of larger trees. It turns in a circle, building up centrifugal force, and then tosses the objects at Arika. One falls to the beam, but another impacts against Arika's left knee with a crunching sound.

A side glance at Mikoto reveals that the girl's eyes are blank. Something is glowing beneath her shirt, and Nao gets a bad feeling about that ominous purple light.

"Alright, Orihime! Keep going while she's wounded! Bring her down!" She doesn't seem to notice Mikoto at this moment.

"Mikoto!" screams Nao, uncertain if her voice alone can snap the girl out of it. Dammit, there's no time! Abandoning her control over the sword, most of the strings leap towards Arika's leg in an attempt to yank it out from under her!

"Nao!" Mikoto exclaims, but Reito's hand on her shoulder keeps her rooted to her spot.

"Now, now," Reito speaks. "The Hime are dancing so beautifully before us, Mikoto. We shouldn't intervene." A similar purple glow is coming from him as well.

Nao's strings wrap around Arika's ankle. There is a terrible rending sound as the armor gives ground to them, but in the end, it holds, even if the leg beneath it must be crushed beyond recovery. Arika's eyes mist up, a teary smile coming on her lips. "You're fighting seriously again, Nao...."

The chainlink sword lashes out at Nao's throat, but an enormous mace impacts against it with a metallic clang, forcing the weapon off course. On a second look, it is a spiked ball, a wire connecting it to Gennai, Akira's Child. The wire begins retracting, the process painfully slow.

Alright, two out of four limbs pinned! "Orihime, go for Arika's free arm! Trap it, cut it off, I don't care, just make sure she can't use it to fight back any more!"

"You bastard!" snarls Nao, unable to look away from Arika. "Mikoto, we promised!" The strings dance away from Arika's ruined leg, this time yanking her gunarm out of place! Nao starts to run- it doesn't matter where, it's harder to hit a moving target, even with that kind of ridiculous weapon-!

Fire! It becomes Haruka's world, searing her consciousness. She is Orihime, and Orihime is Haruka. That is the way it is, and the way it had always been. The bronze Child seems to embrace the blonde, burning away her imperfections as it merges with its master at the most basic level.

Transformed, Haruka finds herself in control over her body as it is mid-leap towards Arika. Her arm twitches, and information comes unbidden to Haruka. It seems to sing out to her, requesting, begging, demanding to become a blade to smite their enemy!

"Brother!" Mikoto protests, turning to look at Reito as her eyes clear. "I made a promise with Nao!"

"Is it stronger than your promise to Mai?" Reito asks. "Stronger than your devotion to me?"

Mikoto lowers her eyes.

The beam of green energy fires wildly, jolted by Nao's strings. Nao dodges the attacks easily, noting that none target Gennai as Arika seems focused on her.

Haruka is quick to agree with her new form's desires. Arm-sword, go! Cut down Arika! Haruka (if she still is Haruka) isn't asking questions right now. She has what she needs to strike down the enemies of Fuka and that's all that matters as long as her comrades are in danger.

"Who's side are you on, Kanzaki? You want us all to get killed?" growls Nao, breaking eye contact with Arika to stare at the man.

Arika moves in time. Just before Haruka's transformed arm would have separated her hand from her body, she positions it impossibly fast, and fires. Haruka's arm is destroyed beyond any recovery, and the pain is flavored with fire. Her leap takes her past Arika, and as she lands, Haruka already finds her arm regenerating. It is a matter of moments before she'll have functionality in the limb again.

The look in Reito's eyes is menacing. "Me? Killed?" He manages to exude a sense of casual arrogance, and his words drip with disbelief. "By a fake Searrs Hime?"

Haruka stumbles to the ground, barely on her feet, prepared to scream in pain at the loss of her arm, but--it's back suddenly. What. Well, never one to second-guess anything that helps her out, she quickly decides to worry about that later. If she has armor much like Arika's maybe she can have a gun-arm too? She focuses on her good arm and tries to will some manner of firearm into existence.

Her lone claw wrenched out of place by the sudden firing, Nao grits her teeth and forces herself to concentrate. Her most trusted ally is of no help- typical, she thinks with some detachment- and instead of attempting to tie Arika down in a single limb, she instead attempts to restrict movement across her entire body, cords whipping around both arms and her torso!

Haruka's arm bubbles like hot chocolate, sending hungry tendrils to a distance of several meters. No sophisticated weapons form, however.

As Nao's wires wrap all around Arika's body, her wings begin to glow. "Why won't you bring out your Child to play, Nao?" she calls out to her, sounding disappointed. "I don't want this to end so soon."

"I got a better toy," replies Nao, suddenly smirking and glancing behind Arika. "She's just arrived. Miyu! Fairytale!"

Well, that's a start. She circles around Arika and leaps at her from behind. Let's clip those wings! Or at least tangle them up to stop whatever Arika has planned.

Arika whirls around, the sudden force sending Nao tumbling as she can't possibly match it.

She ends up facing Haruka as the bronze-covered blonde leaps at her, and the wings now emit such glow that Nao's eyes hurt beyond what she had ever experienced, nearing their limit.

Haruka suddenly remembers her mace and decides that it would be really convenient for it to materialize right now and smack Arika for a home run. Given Haruka's forward momentum, all she really needs is to have the weapon in front of her as she barrels into Arika.

Nao stumbles back, shielding her eyes from the blow. Her strings wisp into the sections of armour ruined by her earlier attacks, attempting to shred anything left of Arika from the inside out!

Nao's strings attempt to gouge out what they can through the tears in Arika's leg armor.

Haruka's mace caves in Arika's chest just as the wings release a bright wave of energy several meters in width. Haruka feels herself erode, bit by bit, layer by layer.

Arika screams in agony.

"Jigoku Gama!"

Gennai's spiked ball smashes into Arika's unguarded back.

Nao actually closes her eyes for a few seconds, hoping not to become even more blind this time around.

This seems like a really good time to roll AWAY from Arika. Assuming Haruka presently has enough control over her momentum to do that. Assuming she's not about to be totally disintegrated. If Arika's not dead after a collision like that, she'll be close to it when she lands.

What is left of Haruka crashes heavily on the ground in two parts. Unlike the previous time, the recovery process doesn't seem to be kicking in overtly, although the fact that Haruka is still alive and self-aware surely means something.

The light is gone, and in its absence, the sun feels dimmer than ever.

Arika glides down on wings that no longer glow. As soon as her feet make contact with the ground, there is a grinding sound, and one of them collapses under her weight, leaving the Searrs Valkyrie unsteady on her remaining foot.

What it means is that Haruka is presently in horrible pain. Hopefully she's coherent enough to recognize which bits of herself are no longer attached to her body. In any event, it looks like it's someone else's turn to take on Arika right now.

"Akira, now!" When she sees this, Nao's strings aim to put Arika off her feet, and the girl herself pounces from side to side to draw level with her fake friend, intent on putting her claw to work finishing the job on the rest of her limbs.

<--->

<--->

Arika's gun arm levels on Nao, energy gathering at the tip.

Nao doesn't stop. She's fast and unpredictable in her hops, and her strings are close enough to switch limbs, it's nothing to disrupt and evade the oncoming blast!

The red strings connect Arika and Nao, and a tug on them diverts the greenish beam into the sky.

Arika's sword comes to meet Nao's claws, blocking the strike on her.

Haruka focuses her efforts on reassembling herself. Hey, it's not like she can get much else done when she's in two pieces. Frankly, it's pretty amazing to her that she's not dead right now, but she can puzzle that mystery out later.

Nao's claws grasp the sword and start to try and tug it out her hand. The redhead isn't as well-armed as her foe, but she does have another pair of weapons- when she unbalances the smaller girl, her foot whips out to kick her over!

Nao's kick lands in Arika's knee, and the Searrs girl crumbles to the ground, taking Nao down with her, the redhead landing on top.

A spotlight shines on the clearing, its brightness enough to make Nao's life agonizing. She hears a whistling sound, while Haruka can see its source -- a kunai thrown at Arika's shadow.

"Now, Nao!" Akira calls out. "Take her out!"

Nao's claws curl into a blunt fist, and smash into Arika's face with all the strength the girl can muster.

Nao is rewarded with something wet splattering against her fist.

She can't see, she can't see and brightness equates to fear. Grabbing the body by the neck, she leaps away, seeking out cover, any kind of cover.

The body refuses to yield, Nao's arms tingling as she strains them to the limit--

The bright light disappears, replaced by the soft glow of green fireflies. An entire column of them rises up.

Haruka begins regenerating slowly.

A burst of noise catches the Hime off guard. Yukino's voice follows it loudly. "If she's dead, send out a flare." It sounds as if she's using the PA system.

If she's talking about Arika, Nao can tell that soon enough once her eyes start working again.

It takes some time. Nao can see well enough. Haruka has regained the use of her arms, and is no longer a misshapen lump, although the lower extremities of her body still don't listen to her.

Reito is clapping. "Bravo!"

Well, Haruka's not going anywhere or fighting anyone until her whole body is in working order again. It would just be futile. She's well enough to glare at Reito, though.

Once her eyes clear, Nao starts trying to take stock of her current situation. After surveying the scene, however, her eyes settle on Reito with unmistakable hostility.

Arika's face is a mess, and her neck is turned at a bad angle. Her current incarnation is a mere transparent, green outline right now, as more and more motes of green light leave her body and rise up to the sky.

Reito looks amused.

"Oh crap," Haruka croaks. "We weren't supposed to kill her, Nao. We don't have much time to do what we need to do before she comes back."

"You're right. I hit her too hard," replies Nao, not sounding terribly sorry. "Well, Kanzaki. Which side are you on?"

"On my own, of course," he responds. "Was there ever any doubt?"

"I don't like the way you speak. Mikoto, this guy is sick. You can tell, because he's enjoying this." Rising to her feet, she stares past him at the younger girl. "You'd really break a promise for him?"

Mikoto can't meet Nao's eyes.

Haruka props herself up on her elbows. "Mikoto! He's laughing while other people die! This isn't someone who cares about you. What's going on?"

"Just because he's your brother? Can't you see he's using you?" shouts Nao, her voice rising. "How long have you two been at this school together? He must've known much earlier!"

"Nao, I--"

The purple glow centered on Mikoto's chest intensifies, and she clams up.

Akira remains silent, Nao and Haruka can see, but while she makes no threatening moves, neither has Gennai been banished.

"What the hell are you doing to her, you bastard?!" growls Nao, wanting to surge forward and kill the boy with every fibre of her body. But Mikoto's right there, and- even if she had the will to fight, could she hope to win? She knows nothing about the girl's ability, and what's more, her body isn't up to scratch.

Nao's not the only one with physical impediments to fighting by this point. Can Haruka even stand up yet?

"Isn't it a sister's job to serve her loving brother?" Reito asks with a smirk, as Mikoto remains silent.

Haruka has the distinct feeling that her spine had yet to heal.

"'Loving brother?' Maybe when she gets one, sure! Mikoto, HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOU. And what else is family really about?"

"Shouldn't you focus on not dying?" Reito asks Haruka, looking down at her as if she were a bug.

"I get it. I see. Sometimes, people make contradictory promises," agrees Nao, sounding concilatory. "So, Mikoto. If you promised Mai not to fight, that's fine. You keep that promise. Or you fight together with me. You can pick that one, too." She narrows her eyes. "With me or not at all. Don't you dare break both for this guy."

Haruka can only scowl back at Reito. It's not like there's a good comeback for an accurate observation, and she's obviously not up to kicking his ass yet.

If it were possible for Mikoto to look more shamed, she would be.

"My, my," a very familiar voice says. Mashiro Kazahana makes an entrance, her ever-present maid pushing her wheelchair. The terrain is rough, but it doesn't seem to be an issue for Fumi, who makes the job seem effortless. "Fighting amongst ourselves is bad, isn't it?"

Finally, someone who agrees with Haruka! But wait a minute: "Aren't you dead?"

"No more than you, Suzushiro-san," Mashiro responds patiently.

Haruka's not sure that this is reassuring.

"Wonderful. Another person with no sense of setting."

Nao glances back at Akira. "Yukino wanted a flare. Arika's dead for the time being. If you've got one, use it."

Guardedly, she creeps back towards Haruka so that the two of them might present a united front. "I don't have anything to say to anyone else. If you want something, spit it out. If you don't, we're busy."

A flare is sent into the sky moments later, as Akira apparently decides to continue cooperating with Nao.

"I wish I didn't have to come out in person, but Searrs didn't really leave me much choice, did they?" Mashiro asks Nao. "And we have the Obsidian Prince misbehaving, on top of everything. Someone is clearly needed to mediate."

"So what's in it for me?"

"Obsidian Prince? That's HIM?"

Mashiro loses a tiny bit of her composure as she gives Haruka an incredulous look, but she quickly schools her features into a pleasant smile. "Well, it certainly is not Minagi-san."

Haruka is flabbergasted. "He was in the student council the whole time. I can't believe--Reito, you traitor! I am going to rip you to pieces as soon as I can get up and walk!"

"Good luck with that," Reito says with fake sincerity, sounding bored.

"Don't do it, Haruka," warns Nao, glancing past him. "We don't know what Mikoto will do, and I can't back you up." She snorts. "As far as I'm concerned, none of you are trustworthy in the slightest. Give me one reason to listen to you."

Given that Haruka presently lacks the ability to move her legs, she's not likely to actually follow through. But she'd dearly like to.

"I helped you," Mashiro points out. "With what little I could. I pulled you out of that flytrap you walked into."

Fumi continues to push Mashiro's wheelchair into the clearing, the battle damage in her path not impeding the maid in the slightest.

"I was wondering if you were the same one," murmurs Nao. "Fine."

She looks expectant.

Haruka doesn't have the slightest clue what Nao and Mashiro are talking about and can only look from one to the other in confusion. She doesn't look terribly patient about this whole standoff thing.

Reito and Akira seem content to let things play out, while Mikoto twitches every once in a while, as the purple glow pulsates, originating from below her shirt.

"So you survived," Yukino's voice comments, this time from her preferred method of communication. "And Arika Searrs didn't."

"She's dead. For now. Disappointed?"

"Hardly," Yukino responds, as Mashiro looks on with interest. "Fill me in. Who around you is an enemy?"

"Reito," Haruka says. "And only Reito, as far as I can tell."

"I have a strong dislike for Kanzaki," Nao agrees. "He's controlling Minagi. It is a problem. Luckily, however, you're just in time for negotiations. Sooner or later, someone will put something on the table." She frowns. "It isn't going to be me, I think."

"Hmph. Can you handle Mikoto? Even true talent can be overwhelmed with numbers."

"We can't wait forever. Arika will come back evidently. And we're not in shape to start another battle. At least, I'M not. If anyone has a way to reach Mikoto without a fight, I want to hear it."

"I can make sure she won't return," Yukino states. "But it's either that or assist you now. Killing Searrs is not worth it for me if I lose my partner," Yukino states matter-of-factly, as if she were discussing the student council itinerary and not plans for murder.

"Deal with Arika," replies Nao, instantly.

"Keep Arika out of here," Haruka decides quickly. "Stopping her last time was hard enough."

"You wish is my command," Yukiko says sardonically.

"And how do you intend to do that?" Reito asks, appearing mildly curious.

"You have a very nice lair," Yukino responds, sounding smug. "Would be a shame if someone squatted there, wouldn't it? Hypothetically speaking."

Reito's face distorts in anger.

Haruka shivers a little at Yukino's tone. That's NOT the girl she used to know. She always thought Yukino needed to get some backbone, but this is a little creepy. Still, at least she's cooperating. "What's up, Reito?" she chimes in. "Something not going as planned?"

Nao clenches her fist. With a face like that, this could turn bad at any time... and it'd come down to who Mashiro decides to help. That should settle it, but there is still some unease.

"The problem with taking hostages," Yukino continues, gloating, "is that emotional little octopus heads would still execute orders perfectly even if, say, the one issuing them happened to change."

Reito clenches his fists.

"Isn't that right?" Yukino asks, and it doesn't sound like she's talking to anyone in the clearing. "Now go and destroy the Searrs sattelite for me, or else it's all over for your dear Oniichan, you whiny brat!"

Akira looks unsettled.

Fumi stops pushing Mashiro's wheelchair; they now form an almost perfect triangle with Haruka and Nao, and Reito and Mikoto.

Haruka has absolutely no idea what Yukino's talking about, but breaking the stalemate isn't her move to make while she's still recouperating.

Something rises into the air, back from the direction of campus. It leaves behind a column of smoke as it climbs higher and higher.

"I don't know what she's doing," Haruka mutters to Nao, "but let's just be glad she's on our side."

"Indeed. Give up Mikoto, Reito," states Nao, crossing her arms. "On your life."

Reito laughs incredulously. "My life?" he repeats, disbelieving. "You're going to take it, then? You and what army?"

"An army? Since when did they do anyone any good around here?" queries Nao, raising an eyebrow.

"True enough," Reito agrees. He stretches out exaggeratedly. "So that's how it's going to be?"

"On the contrary," Mashiro interjects. "It doesn't have to be that way."

The column of smoke is now going all the way to the clouds and beyond, already beginning to disperse near the ground.

"So you say," replies Nao. "And yet, I find myself struggling to imagine an alternative that has this man alive and me satisfied."

Haruka shades her eyes against the sun, watching the column of smoke. Does everyone but us have rocket Children? she wonders.

There is no outwards sign of it, but Haruka realizes that her spine has finally regenerated. She can't move at top efficiency just yet, but she is back in the game.

Maybe she doesn't need to let everyone else know that just yet. She'll focus on rebuilding herself for as long as she can before circumstances force her into action again.

Mashiro gestures at Reito, and Fumi nods. The pink-haired woman steps past Mashiro's wheelchair, and reaches forward, a scytche coming into being.

"Even you are betraying me?" Reito asks, his voice suddenly ugly with hate.

Mashiro inclines her head. "So it seems."

"You speak as though people wouldn't want to."

Mashiro covers her mouth with her hand, giggling.

"Mikoto," Reito speaks, gritting his teeth. "Cut off her tongue." He points at Nao.

Crap. Well, time to stand up and put on as good a show as she can in her present state. Haruka climbs to her feet, making it look as natural and casual as she possibly can. Sure, she's totally ready to fight if she has to! She'd rather not, of course, but she can, really! "Mikoto, it sounds like your brother only came to you when he needed you. Do you want to become a murderer for a man like that?

"Mikoto, I-" Nao's cocky demeanour vanishes in an instant. "I don't want to fight you. Do you really want to fight me?"

Mikoto shakes her head, looking sad.

"Useless!" Reito spits, backhanding the small girl. She flies several feet, crashing on the ground heavily. "No matter," he mutters. "There is still Mai."

"You think I'll let you get to her?" demands Nao, stepping forward. "Pathetic. You really are powerless on your own, aren't you?"

"What the hell kind of brother are you?" Haruka bellows at Reito. "And you're supposed to be a 'Prince?' Don't make me laugh! Mikoto, if you can get up, we're with you."

"I'm tired of this farce!" yells Nao, flicking her wrist and sending five red lines coiling towards the arrogant 'prince'!

<--->

<--->

The strings impact against a barrier that appears before Reito. Fumi takes this as her sign to strike, and Reito materializes am ornamental black sword, blocking her scythe with it.

"Pathetic," he says, as Fumi leaps back. Gesturing at the gathered Hime, Reito invites them to attack him in earnest!

Haruka decides to hang back and observe for the moment, taking as much time as possible to regenerate before dedicating herself to combat. "Yukino," she mutters, "if you can hear me, anything you might observe about what he can do would be helpful."

Is it a shield that can be beaten down? If so, Nao will discover this eventually, and her strings rear up to descend upon his protective field from all points, as if it were a sphere she can constrict.

No response comes from Yukino, though that in itself may not mean much. Devoting herself fully to regeneration, Haruka feels her recovery process speed up. Luckily for her, Reito seems content to defend himself rather than come after the Hime himself.

Reito's shield protects him from the strings coming from the front, while his sword deflects the others with a prowess that transcends human ability. He steps back, as Fumi's scythe embeds itself in the ground where he had just been standing, and kicks at the pink-haired Hime. She flies through the clearing, turning in mid-air so that she would impact against a tree with her feet and not her back, leaping back into the action.

A hail of ninja stars announces Akira's entry, but Reito deals with them all with his shield alone, looking at the girl mockingly. "Did you really think you would be allowed to win? Someone like you, stand besides my Mai? I think not!"

Nao stands side-on to Reito, obscuring her broken hand from view. She lashes out again and and again until her strings seem to form a red wave that bashes continuously against his defences.

Gritting her teeth, she tries to summon her claws on her other hand.

Uneven green claws of energy appear on that hand, as Nao's poisoned arm awakens! Even a momentary loss of her focus, Nao realizes, would make her lose what control she has over the limb!

Rather than defend against Nao's strings, Reito redirects them towards Fumi, forcing her to abort her attack.

Haruka tests her legs, stomping the ground to make sure everything's back in working order. It looks like this is going to take everyone's efforts to bring Reito down, so she doesn't have much more time to waste on healing.

Nao winces, struggling to concentrate on her own. She leaps back a few paces, putting slightly more distance between her and Reito. "Haruka, I'm relying on you," she mutters, before all ten strings whisk out, some plunging under the ground, only to re-emerge directly below Reito! Red and green mingle in a sickening array of tiny, scything lights.

Haruka's legs hold her weight. She feels reasonably confident about engaging in battle, but she hasn't recovered fully yet. Losing even a limb, like she had in an earlier attack on Arika, might well be fatal in this state as it would tax her regenerative abilities past their limits.

The red splashes harmlessly against Reito's shield, while the green tendrils controlled by Nao's awakened arm punch through it almost casually. Reito's eyes widen for a brief instant, and he leaps back, impossibly fast. Even a Hime's eyes find it difficult to follow his motions.

The green strings rampage in Reito's wake, shredding Akira's thrown daggers.

Nao clutches her shoulder with her good arm, her solid claws vanishing as she winces in pain- breathing heavily, and feigning more discomfort than she feels (which is saying something), she lets up on her attack for the moment, assuming others will pick up her slack. Fumi's weapon seems strong enough to punch through the shield- not to mention the sheer weight of Haruka's awful weapon.

Well, it's good to know that the shield isn't impenetrable, at least. Haruka considers engaging Reito directly, but it seems unwise when her allies are busy pelting him with projectiles. Plus, there's that sword he's got zipping around. With Nao falling back, though...Haruka summons her mace and steps forward to test Reito's defenses. She goes for an exploratory attack more than an all-out assault.

Reito sees it fit to block the mace on his sword, allowing the weapon to slide down to the guard, before twisting his sword aside and punching at Haruka.

More thrown weapons, kunai this time, impact harmlessly against his shield, and Akira curses.

Haruka's covered in malleable armor, right? She shifts to one side to avoid Reito's fist directly impacting her and commands the bronze field surrounding her to reach out and grab him by the arm!

Reito's strike creates a hole in Haruka's body, one that it quickly becomes apparent was caused by her as she flows and reforms around it, securing the arm with one of her own. He gives her a look of annoyance, and pushes back at the mace with overwhelming strength, before bringing his sword to bear on Haruka's bronze limb!

Fumi speeds up, to a point where she seems to be flashing from spot to spot. She is circling around Reito.

Nao plunges her green hand into the earth, and sends all five strings- can they be called strings, with this one?- snaking through the ground, leaving rumbling dirt in their passing. There's no pretense of using them to grapple- instead spears of verdant energy shoot forth to impale the dark swordsman, one at a time so not to overwhelm her arm or accidentally stab her allies.

Haruka releases Reito in order to dart back and evade the sword's strike! She readies herself for another attack, making a show of gripping her mace with both hands, while commanding one of her morphable legs to snake out and trip Reito up while he's focused on defending himself from the more obvious attack./

Reito does not intend to pursue Haruka, apparently more concerned with the green spears striking at him. His sword knocks the first four, but Haruka's malleable leg snakes out to entrap his, and the last spear pierces through both.

The agony is similar to what Haruka experienced with Arika's final attack, as cells cease to be upon coming in contact with the sickly green energy.

Haruka convulses in pain, but does everything she can to keep ahold of Reito (assuming Nao's attack didn't completely vaporize the pseudopod, that is), as he's more vulnerable to her allies' attacks if he can't move freely. If Haruka has to take a hit in order to bring him down, so be it. Reito must fall!

"Fumi, attack!" calls Nao, withdrawing the spike that's hitting Haruka, apparently not quite so confident in the bronze woman's ability to withstand the damage. He could deflect the red strings- but in pain as he is, perhaps a single, awesome attack might break him!

Even without those words, Fumi has already committed herself to the attack! Her scythe slices through spear and flesh alike, sinking deep within Reito's side! He grabs onto it, and lashes out with his sword, causing the maid to somersault to safety, leaving her weapon behind.

"Nuisances, all of you," Reito calls, tearing the scythe out of his body and turning on Haruka, both weapons in hand. "Are you that eager to die at my hand?"

Through the tear in his clothing, a purple gem could be seen, pulsing with a purple light, much like a heartbeat.

Mikoto, where's Mikoto?!

Mikoto hasn't risen from the spot Reito had backhanded her to. That same purple light is coming from her as well. She looks pale.

"Akira, smoke!" yells Nao, crouching and ready to rush to the girl's side.

Haruka disengages, sensing that Nao has something in mind. She'd love to nab that gem and destroy it, but dual-wielding Reito is a little too intimidating for her to just dive in headlong. "I'm willing to pay whatever cost is necessary to keep Fuka safe!" she announces to Reito, gripping her mace and adopting a defensive posture to buy time for whatever Nao has in mind.

Smoke bombs impact against Reito's shield, except this time, it works against him. A nearly-perfect sphere appears where Reito was, vision of what is inside entirely obscured!

Fumi retreats to Mashiro's side.

Haruka backs up by several steps, allowing herself space to react in case Reito should burst out of the cloud at her.

Nao dances to Mikoto's prone body. Her green claws are ready to deflect any blow, though perhaps at the cost of her plan. Her red claws soon stop being claws at all, as she attempts to reach through the girl's shirt and yank off the amulet she wears.

Haruka retreats, able to see the cloud of smoke around Reito collapse on itself suddenly, as Reito emerges from it, lunging for Mikoto and Nao.

The amulet, for that is what Nao's hand closes around, feels uncomfortable in her hand, as if it were a living, alien thing. She finds herself unable to merely yank it off Mikoto.

If she can't pick up the amulet, then- she can attack Reito and retreat with Mikoto in tow! Her arm throbs, and she struggles to maintain control of the five lashes that put themselves between her and him. They extend strangely, growing longer as Nao retreats, but not accelerating forward at great pace.

Maybe if she just has time to slice it open without harming the girl-!

Crap! Haruka darts after Reito with her mace held ready. Maybe she can strike him in the back as he's distracted, but her intention is mostly to force him to redirect his attention so that Nao can do whatever it is she's trying to do.

Reito bats away the red strings contemptuosly with the borrowed scythe, before interposing his sword between his back and Haruka's mace. He pivots on his good leg, and launches a solid kick into Haruka's ribs that lifts her off the ground, while Nao gets away from his immediate attack range.

"Mashiro! Can I destroy this thing?" she yells, wondering if she could even if she wanted to. Her green claws definately could manage it, she suspects, but... could she avoid hurting Mikoto? She doesn't know.

Ow, ow, OW. Haruka staggers back wheezing, hopefully buying a little time should Reito follow up on that kick. She definitely needs to get that scythe away from Reito if possible--they're effectively down one Hime while Fumi doesn't have her own weapon.

If Haruka's composition were any different, her insides would be powder now.

"I can do it," Mashiro's reply carries over, as Reito looks panicked for the first time. "No, that's--"

His eyes widen in shock. "Was that your plan?!" Reito exclaims, and as both pendants glow brighter still, calls out, "Appear, Miroku!"

Haruka has a bad feeling about this.

An earthquake is the advent of what is to come, as the ground splits in two. An enormous mace rises from the deep chasm.

Haruka suddenly feels terribly inadequate.

Nao has a worse feeling about this. There's a distance between her and Mashiro. She has to make it, and take Mikoto with her.

Her problem suddenly seems insurmountable. Not for the first time over the past couple of days, she thinks about how much easier this would be if she was the one with Kagutsuchi.

A hand reaches after the mace, something pulling itself with visible effort, as if clawing out of the depth of hell itself!

Whatever Nao's planning to do, now's the time to do it, before this monstrosity makes it completely out of the ground. Haruka staggers over to Mashiro--if it's important to get her and Mikoto in the same place, she can carry Mashiro to Nao if necessary.

If she's going to act, she realises, she has to act now. In all the movies, the big things are slow, right? Nao is fast! Was fast.

Subtle tricks fly from her mind, and she attempts to turn this into a contest of speed by rushing almost directly towards the wheelchair-bound girl, leaping over any obstacles along the way!

A monster climbs up, easily dwarfing Reito with its bulk. It floats, its body covered with nasty spikes. Two massive hands extend from the deformed body to grip a mace as large as Haruka herself, and Miroku doesn't waste time slamming it against the bronze-covered blonde. Through it all, the Child glows an eerie dark red.

Despite losing her balance at Miroku's appearance, Nao continues on her path towards Mashiro, whose wheelchair is guarded zealously by a weaponless Fumi.

"Crush them all, Miroku!" Reito commands, a sense of urgency in his voice. "Stop the witch at once!"

Haruka focuses all of her effort on raw agility now--she even banishes her mace to keep it from slowing her down, as there's no way she can fight this monster head-on anyhow. Assuming she's not instantly crushed by Miroku's opening assault, maybe she can dodge long enough for Mashiro to do whatever it is she needs to do.

Why call it a festival when it's so plainly a war, Nao wonders. Where are the stalls? The games? The free food?

She doesn't have time to think about that. Instead she concentrates on not tripping over as she practically flies towards Mashiro.

Bright light from Jennai's direction seems to stop the monster in its tracks, even as a lone curved dagger follows its path, embedding itself in Miroku's shadow. "All I can get is a few seconds!" Akira calls over from atop the enormous frog Child, holding her arms together as she forms a seal.

"You fools!" Reito cries out, even as Miroku struggles to complete its strike. Cursing, he begins to run towards Mashiro himself. "Do you know what you're doing?!"

Nao reaches the wheelchair-bound girl. Fumi moves ahead past the redhead to block Reito, quite likely with her own body.

"You can take your platitudes to the grave!" snarls Nao, dropping to her knees and holding Mikoto up for Mashiro, as if in offering.

"No," Haruka shouts, "but feel free to explain why anything that upsets you isn't in our best interest!" With Miroku pinned, she takes the opportunity to try and intercept Reito. With her and Fumi in the way, maybe they can hold him off long enough. She summons her mace again, intending to take the brunt of the attack--she's armed, after, all, and Fumi isn't.

Mashiro leans over to embrace the unresisting Mikoto almost gently, wrapping her arms around the girl.

Haruka's mace blocks the scythe, while Reito's sword plunges into her stomach. Yet, despite what should be an agonizing wound, there is no pain.

Akira cries out, "Jigoku Gama!" just as Miroku breaks through its entrapment, Gennai's attack sending its mace off course, as a new crater is born.

"You'll doom us all!" Reito rages.

"You're going to kill us all anyway. Taking you with us is a bargain!" Haruka growls right into Reito's face. She wraps Reito's sword arm in the bronze material at her midsection to keep it immobilized, pulling him in close so that he can't maneuver or even have the space to swing that scythe effectively.

Unease settles in Nao's mind, but she can't back out now, or she'll be crushed. She banishes her worried thoughts. She wouldn't be here at all if it weren't for Mashiro.

But she wishes she could ask Shizuru, just to make sure she isn't wrong.

"You imbecile! I should have crushed you from the start!" Reito hisses at Haruka, beyond angry.

"Brother," Mikoto whispers quietly, barely audible to Nao.

Mashiro rubs Mikoto's back soothingly, before moving to meet her hands behind Mikoto's head as she holds the other girl close. "Brother," she repeats after her, looking past Nao and Fumi at the deadlocked Reito. "It has been a while since I called you that, hasn't it?"

Mashiro's grip tightens suddenly, blades springing out of her hands and sinking into Mikoto's unguarded neck. Mikoto gasps.

Haruka isn't in a position to see what's happening with Mashiro. She's more than glad to see Reito flipping out, though. "This is what you get for understimulating the Suzushiros!"

With a feat of strength surpassing even his previous efforts, Reito tears himself out of Haruka's grasp, shoving her aside roughly and moving towards Mashiro again. He only makes it several steps, however, stopping as he catches sight of Mikoto.

Reito is treated to watching one of his prior enemies coming to agree with him, as Nao's face twists in shock and hurt.

Mashiro isn't the only one with blades for hands, and Nao demonstrates that nor is she the only one who can sink them into the necks of others.

Nao's claws tear the wheelchair to ribbons, but the lavender-haired girl is no longer occupying it when she strikes. A glance finds her several feet away, casually leaning against a tree.

"My, my," she tells Nao. "What a thank you, and after I brought down the Obsidian Lord. Truly, no good deed goes unpunished."

Blood pools around Mikoto.

Haruka takes a moment to regain her footing, and the next thing she knows, Mikoto lies bleeding and Mashiro is...standing up on her own? "What the--you little faker!"

Mashiro giggles at Haruka's outburst. "Please call it a strategic deception if you must."

Nao clutches her arm, and it seems to pulse. The green claws expand and contract in a strange rhythm, and she utters a wordless scream, shoving past Reito and striking at Mashiro with power beyond anything she's used before.

Mashiro's smile is wiped out by Nao's attacks, and a shield of fire interposes itself before them. In its center, a very familiar sign is swirling furiously, the same one Nao had always assosiated with Mai.

"Now, this wasn't called for," Mashiro says, gritting her teeth. The shield begins to give way to Nao's unrelenting onslaught.

Haruka is still trying to process what the hell just happened. She wanders over to Mikoto. Is the girl dead? Is this having any noticeable effect on Reito?

"ARACH!" screeches Nao, beyond anything resembling rational thought and having only one desire- to obliterate the enemy in front of her. More power surges through her arm- she barely notices the presence of the shield, only that Mashiro remains standing.

Mikoto seems to still cling to life, though she isn't breathing, and her time must be limited barring a miracle.

Arach is summoned, and some part of Nao notices that it is easily Gennai's size, now. Its front legs reform before Nao's eyes, and it slams them at and through the shield.

Bracelets of fire appear on Mashiro's hands and feet, and she tumbles through the air to escape Arach and Nao's attacks. "We're leaving, Fumi!" she calls over to her maid while suspended upside-down at the apex of her leap.

It's hard to even distinguish the green light emitting from Nao's hand as a claw, now. For all the world, it is as if she's firing a continuous, powerful beam at her opponent, as opposed to the nails of the past minute.

What's Reito doing through all this? Haruka's still rather dumbfounded by Mashiro and Nao's actions, but the Prince should still bear watching. Especially with that monster at his beck and call.

Mashiro scowls, and avoids the beam, swooping down suddenly. Fumi gives a forlorn look at her scythe, still held by Reito, but catches Mashiro's hand when the fire-user passes next to her. Mashiro changes directions rapidly at that, flying straight up towards the sun, continuing her evasive maneuvers.

Reito seems to be in shock. His hands are lowered, still clutching to his weapons, and he is shaking his head slowly. Miroku stands still by his side.

Akira appears next to Haruka, looking down at Mikoto gravely.

Mikoto's body shudders, going still.

Nao can't fly. But with Arach's help, she can manage the next best thing.

Mashiro's actions and Reito's clear emotional disarray don't make the Prince suddenly not be an enemy. Haruka remains wary of the man, but she's not about to attack him with Nao and Fumi heading elsewhere. She kneels down next to Mikoto, checking on her (and checking for that gem, because even at a time like this she has practical concerns).

Nao meets Arach in mid-air, as the Child lunges after Mashiro. Her hand blasts crackling green lightning everywhere, but even though she forces her eyes past what they can safely handle, she can't see a sign of Mashiro and Fumi, or tell if any of her strikes were accurate.

Reito drops to his knees, his weapons cluttering to the ground as he clutches at his chest. Miroku is outlined in green.

The purple gems on both Reito and Mikoto still glow ominously, even though the latter is now dead.

Nao eventually drops back to the ground, clutching her wrist as if in sudden pain. The green lightning sparkles and flickers; with Mashiro out of sight, some rational part still left within her takes over, and she squeezes her arm as if to stem the flow.

Haruka reaches for Mikoto's gem. Can it be removed easily now?

Nao's arm twists wildly. The green energy is reduced to four inch-long claws, but those refuse to disappear, twitching of their own accord.

"Destroy it!" Reito gasps, noticing Haruka's actions. "Save me!"

Haruka had every intention of destroying it, but she changes her mind after this outburst. "Why would I want to do anything that helps you?" she sneers.

Reito pitches forward, clawing at the ground ineffectually. He seems to be in a great deal of pain, but when he opens his mouth to scream, no sound comes out.

"Do it, Haruka!" snarls Nao. "He'll help us kill that bitch!"

Haruka doesn't move. "And then who'll kill him? He's still our enemy, Nao, and we could barely stop him with all of us together." She takes Mikoto's gem, if it's possible to remove it now.

Miroku becomes green sparkles, fading away. Reito soon follows, leaving his amulet behind.

Both of them grow cold, no longer filled with light.

Nao freezes, locked in sudden indecision. It's all she can do to watch as the man and his monster vanish from sight.

She drops to her knees, placing her hands on the ground. Her still-fiery claw slips through the earth, causing her to drop the rest of the way. She starts to shudder, whimpering.

Akira kneels by Mikoto, and gently closes the girl's eyes.

Haruka watches Nao for a moment, letting the other girl cry herself out. She's kind of at a loss as to what to do right now. She'd pretty much assumed doing away with the Prince would shut down the Festival altogether, but she doesn't have any way of verifying that this is true right now. She peers at the sky. Any sign that Apollo was shut down?

Nao can't see straight. She pounds her fist against the ground, choking back stuttering wails only for a few moments.

Haruka's content to wait and let Nao work out her rage right now (at a safe distance, just in case). Truth be told, she has her own internal crises to work through in light of all the people she's helped kill recently, but that's not the kind of thing she expresses out in the open.

It takes quite some time for Nao's wails to stop, and it doesn't seem as though the girl is quite done yet. After a few minutes, she huddles in a crouch next to Mikoto, staring at the dead girl, with eyes that seem to be looking somewhere far different.

"Nao?" Haruka asks carefully (unusually so, for her). If the redhead's going to be catatonic for a while, she'll turn to Akira instead.

"Suzushiro..." murmurs Nao. "What do we do now?"

"Well," she starts tonelessly, "if the satellite doesn't kill us today, we find Mashiro, ask her what the hell just happened, and...I guess after that it depends on her response." She glances at the late Minagi. "Burying Mikoto might be what we do right now," she adds, this seeming like a reassuringly -human- activity.

"She's... why did I trust her?" murmurs Nao, staring at her glowing fist. "Ah. I forgot. I can't trust anyone unless I know why..."

Her gaze rotates, and squints at Akira, as if seeing her for the first time.

Haruka checks herself for permanent injuries (remembering for the first time that she had a sword plunge right through her) and pauses a moment to regenerate the wound in her foot. Then she makes a more utilitarian use of her malleable form and goes to work on the ground with a shovel arm.

"And you? When did you plan to betray us?" asks Nao, coldly.

"Well, it occludes to me that I didn't really make any plans," Haruka says, still digging.

"Not you."

Akira startles. "What do you mean?"

"You know as much about the festival as much as we do. You even hid your gender! You must've seen all this coming from the very beginning," growls Nao. "Is it coincidence that you happen to be bestest friends with the most important person of the most powerful Hime? Really?"

Haruka pauses in her digging. "Slow down, Nao. We've lost enough people already. This isn't the time to turn against the few of us that are left. And--" Something seems to occur to her for the first time. "Wait a minute, Akira's a girl?"

"That was my father's call!" Akira protests. "See this coming?!" She laughs hysterically. "I don't even know what's going on anymore. Mai-- Takumi--"

Nao stares blanky at Akira for a moment, before shaking her head. "Maybe I should've just played to win from the start," she mutters. Her claws elongate and carve out a suitable section of dirt for a grave in a flash. "Mikoto..."

Haruka leaves things to Nao, if she can do it that much faster. She seems to have known Mikoto better anyway. "I thought getting rid of the Prince would stop the Festival. If it didn't...well, the only person we can reach who might have an answer is Mashiro. She did run the school, after all. I say we go after her when we're done here."

Nao can't seem to bring herself to put Mikoto in the grave, which might have something to do with the way anything her left hand touches will be vaporised instantly.

"The Prince? No, he's not necessary for the festival, but he drives it onwards," she replies, staring at the sky, herself.

Haruka nods. "Someone, somewhere, must have an answer. We'll find them and beat it out of them. We didn't start this disaster and we shouldn't have to pay for it." She kneels down by Mikoto, picking her up and preparing to place her in the grave. She looks around. "Does anyone want to say something?"

"I had a lot of things I wanted to say to her," replies Nao, quietly. "They'll have to wait."

Another nod, and Haruka sets the girl in the grave, stepping back to let Nao finish up. She doesn't have anything more to say herself.

"Did you take the amulet?" murmurs Nao. "I'd like to keep it."

Haruka hands it over, not having any real use for it or knowledge of what it does. "Reito's is still on the ground somewhere."

"He vanished," replies Nao, pushing in dirt from the edges of the grave onto Mikoto's still form. "That's the fate of people whom the Hime associate with. Death." Once she's done, she stands up.

"I've mourned enough. Kikukawa, are you there?"

<--->

<--->

No answer comes as Nao waits.

A scythe and an obsidian sword lay on the ground, forgotten, next to a dull amulet like the one Nao is holding.

Nao picks up the opposing amulet, as well, before reaching down to grasp the sword. "They didn't vanish," she comments, rather needlessly. "What do you make of this, Akira-kun?" The honorific sounds sarcastic when she says it.

Haruka walks over to the scythe and prods it with her foot, experimentally. Well hey, if they have to fight Fumi, at least the maid won't have her weapon.

The scythe is easily pushed back; though its weight is considerable, Haruka finds, it is nothing before her strength.

"Reito-san did something," Akira responds, rather than snap back at Nao. "That must be it." Her dagger disappears with a sparkle. "I never had my weapon taken from me. I didn't even think it could be."

Haruka picks up the scythe and takes a couple swings through the air (away from the other two Hime, of course!)

It weighs more than her mace. The wind sings as Haruka puts the scythe to work.

"Reito doesn't matter now," Haruka cuts in. "I thought it'd all be over when we killed the big bad Prince, but it looks like we're not done yet. If anyone knows what'll happen now, it's Mashiro."

"Ditto, obviously," replies Nao, wishing she had somewhere to put the sword. "We're probably better off with our natural weapons, so to speak." She squints on the horizon. "I'm surprised. It doesn't seem as though the ships have fired on us yet..."

At that, Nao snorts. "Mashiro. What do you think she's going to try and do now? Kill us all! I think she's the winner of the last festival... no, I'm sure of it."

"That would mean she's immortal," Akira says quietly. "And the most ruthless of all Hime."

"Maybe so," Haruka says in response to the first statement, "but there's something to making sure Fumi doesn't get THIS weapon back." A nod, to both girls. "I'd be glad to test HOW immortal she is. But we need to find her first."

"Yeah, it may surprise you, but I'm not keen to do that right this instant. She uses the same weapons as Mai. I'm not fighting that. No way." Nao shudders, before her face pales. "Mai..."

"Do you... think she's alive?" Akira asks hesitantly. "Reito-san seemed very certain...."

"Wouldn't you be able to tell instantly if something happened?"

"If she is, I have to wonder what happened to her. ...Yukino sent someone else after that satellite, which she wouldn't need to do if Mai had done the job."

"After all, you and Mai ostensibly have something in common," she adds. "Let's go and check it out. I don't mind saying that an alliance is in all our best interests for now."

Haruka just nods. That's always been her opinion anyways.

Akira appears very guarded at Nao's words. To the side of the clearing, Gennai shifts.

"Are you implying anything?" the ninja asks, eyes narrowing.

Haruka rolls her eyes. "Enough with implications and hints and aberrations. If anyone knows anything, they should put all their cards on the table. This isn't time to play games."

"So you were just playing before?"

Akira looks like she wants to take those words back.

"That was to you two," Haruka corrects. "I've SAID everything I know."

Nao grits her teeth, and turns to stare at Akira. "Yeah. This festival? You and I both know the deal there. I don't plan on attacking anyone before they make the first move, but don't expect me not to watch my back. Especially around a ninja. You'd be stupid not to think the same thing about me."

She frowns. "I'm not trusting just anyone anymore. But no matter what your goal is, you're better served working with me for now. It's that simple."

"I don't trust you either," Akira responds, though she's looking at both Haruka and Nao as she says that. "But you're not my enemy."

Gennai disappears.

A sigh. "That'll have to be good enough for now, I guess. And we seem to agree on the need to find Mashiro, so that's our next move. If Yukino won't respond...any ideas on where our steamed headmistress wnet?"

Akira frowns. "I don't recall agreeing to that."

"No, and I'd rather find Mai first. Fight fire with fire. That's the proper way to do things." Nao shrugs, and points the way with her sword. "And if we run into any soldiers along the way, I have a few words I'd like to have with them, too. Any better ideas?"

"Then suggest something other than standing here and staring at us suspiciously!" Haruka responds to Akira. She doesn't seem to object to Nao's plan, though.

Akira merely nods. "Yes. That's what we have to do. If Mai is alright-- she might be hurt. We have to find and help her!"

"Alright. Arach!" Nao leaps to the head of her monstrosity and points the way. "Let's go!"

Akira's presence disappears from Haruka and Nao's senses, as she melts away into the shadows.

Haruka will have to hitch a ride on Arach if she can't keep up, but for now...let's see what kind of speed her new body can put out!

Arach travels towards the coast, trampling over trees. Compared to its bulk, Haruka is tiny, but she is barely able to keep up, following along the cleared path. Her limbs don't get tired even as she pushes them past their previous limits.

Along the way, Nao strains her ears for any loud noises coming from elsewhere on the island.

The crackling of large-scale fires. Distant screams. Sporadic gunfire. Fuka Academy campus seems the most afflicted, though there's gunfire audible from the direction of town as well.

Arach's course takes Nao and Haruka away from either.

Haruka hates to leave all these (potential) innocents behind and in danger, but Mashiro needs to be stopped, and if finding Mai will help accomplish that then that's top priority. (Couldn't Mai have crashlanded somewhere more convenient, though? Really.)

Nao curses silently. "Akira! You keep looking for Mai. I'm going to deal with the forces at the school. Rendezvous there," she shouts, wheeling her monstrosity around and stampeding back towards the campus.

"One hour," drifts back to Nao.

Haruka decides to accompany Akira for now. Her last attempt at helping people didn't work out too well, and she doesn't look any more normal now than she did then.

"Wait, where're you going?" complains Nao, pausing. "Can you, um, change your apperance? Look less like Suzushiro Haruka, more like someone else? At least ditch the bronze?"

"Um, I'm not sure I can. It's kind of...me, at this point." Haruka concentrates, trying to experiment with her form and she if she can shape it to look like someone else (or at least not be a walking eyesore).

Doing so would require for the liquid metal to cover Haruka's face, she instinctively realizes, the only part of her original self still remaining unaltered.

Ew. Well...it's all for the greater good, right? Trying to suppress the notion that she's being suffocated, Haruka wills the metal to cover her totally and reshape her into someone anonymous (though charismatic and attractive, of course!)

<--->

<--->

Haruka sheds the last remnants of her humanity! Her mind fractures, recomibining almost immediately afterwards, and she finds herself cured of the desire to breathe or eat. Even her gender remains but a sentimental throwback to Haruka's old self.

An attractive, generously endowed female with a pigtail appears before Nao's eyes. She's made of shining bronze which hurts Nao's eyes when she looks at it directly.

Nao can't look directly at Haruka, recoiling from the woman. "The coat of paint remains a problem," she mutters, deciding to focus on where she's going instead.

"Yeah, well, the next time you die and get rebuilt, let's see what color you turn out." Haruka marches after Nao. "Weird" wouldn't be quite enough to describe how she presently feels.

"At least you won't have trouble getting dressed in the morning," mutters Nao, shaking her still-glowing hand.

"Well, you know what? We'll count how many people run in terror from each one of us when we get to town. If you scare off more of them, you win!"

"You really like the sucker bets, don't you?"

The edge of the forest lies ahead! Smoke rises towards the skies. From atop Arach, Nao can see it coming from where the church used to be, as well as Mashiro's mansion, which is hardly new. What is recent is the collapsed building of the library.

"The library's been destroyed," mutters Nao. "Why would someone destroy the library?"

"Well. I think we know what happened at Mashiro's. Let's head for the library and find out."

"You never told me what happened there, you know," mutters Nao, nonetheless agreeing with Haruka's plan and directing Arach to charge in that direction.

Nao spots people run away from Arach. No one shoots at it.

What sort of people?

Nao can't tell from the distance. Adult-sized, perhaps.

Haruka follows along. "There was a box. I opened it. Then Nagi showed up and things got messy." Okay, so that's the abridged version.

"Nagi. Nagi. I wonder if he's out of a job, now that Reito is dead?" Nao is happy to have Arach continue to close the distance to the school as-is, keeping an eye out in the courtyard for either of those armoured cars she was told were around.

No armored cars in sight-- wait. There are two smoldering wrecks. They look as if something impossibly sharp and hot cut through them angrily.

"I hope so," Haruka replies, savoring the image of Nagi waiting in line for unemployment checks.

Arika's work? Someone elses? Whoever they are, they might still be around. "Keep an eye out! If you see any soldiers, give me a yell. I'll tie them up," she promises, continuing to her destination.

What used to be a two-story building housing the Fuka Academy library has been reduced to rubble. It looks as if someone collapsed the foundation of the building.

Nao and Haruka can't find any obvious signs as to how this might have happened.

"No scorch marks... no fires..." mutters Nao, hopping off Arach and staring at the wreckage. "Someone bashed it down from the inside, perhaps?"

"Looks like a demobilization team tore the place down," Haruka says, picking through the wreckage. "Maybe," she replies, "but who?"

The wreckage doesn't feel warm to the touch for Haruka.

"Who'd destroy it?" asks Nao. "There must have been something here, but..." She shakes her head.

"Let's check out the main building," decides Nao, heading over to the doors. "The PA system in the executive office was still working, and with Arika gone, we might be able to use something else.. unless it's all fried completely, like the phones."

Haruka accompanies Nao to the main building, looking mournfully at the ruins of HER POOR FUKA ACADEMY as she walks through the mess that used to be the campus.

The halls are silent as Haruka and Nao steps inside the main building. The floor is littered with shell casings; someone certainly discharged a lot of weaponry indoors. From appearances, it was a running battle.

As the two Hime come towards the staircase, they spot blood on the steps. Another stain is further up.

"Well, something happened here, that's for sure," Haruka says, automatically taking the stairs to find out just what it was with no thought for any potential danger!

Nao doesn't need to worry about danger, as long as Haruka is there to take the bullets for her! She says as much as she follows the blonde, giggling to herself.

"I'm glad to know you depreciate my help," she responds, with a touch of sarcasm.

"Appreciate, Haruka-chan~"

"Thanks, Yukino," she says in the same tone.

The trail leads two flights of stairs up. If Haruka and Nao didn't know any better, they would think that someone were scaling the stairs at a run, jumping across several at once. The amount of blood pooling at each stop, however, is considerable.

Finally getting to the third floor, the two continue to follow the trail. Haruka realizes that it leads to the student council room.

Indignation! Someone's bleeding all over the floor in HER Executive Committee's headquarters? Unthinkable! Haruka charges ahead to find out who this inconsiderate wounded person is!

Nao can't seem to stop her inexplicable good mood fading away despite the scene, but it's unclear exactly why she's in it. Nonetheless, she trails after Haruka, glancing down the corridors in either direction before following.

The corridors are empty. It doesn't look like a gun battle took place on this floor.

Haruka flings the door open! A spiky-haired boy is sitting in the president's chair, currently turned away from the door.

Nagi doesn't react to Haruka's presence.

"Nagi!" Haruka crows. "What do you have to say for yourself now that all your plans have been abolished, huh?" She marches around to face the boy.

Nao leans against the doorframe, unwilling to take part in mocking Nagi just yet. It's not that she doesn't want to, though.

Haruka faces Nagi. His left side is torn up, as if a chainsaw cut through his body. His arm on that side is missing entirely.

His eyes open tiredly, and focus on Haruka. "Well, that's a new look on you," he rasps.

"Ditto."

"Bite me."

"Who did you piss off badly enough for that?" questions Nao, holding the katana over her shoulder.

"Miyu, right?"

"Ah." He groans, swiveling in his chair to face Nao, while ignoring Haruka rather blatantly. "Nao Hime. A sight for sore eyes."

"I know I missed you," deadpans Nao, grimacing at his injury despite herself. "What happened to the robot?"

"It was going well-enough, but then the little girl just up and left." Nagi looks upset. "I think it's not right to just run off in the middle of a fight. There is a code and everything."

"Sure, the same code that lets you stand by and laugh while schoolgirls fight each other to the death. I have to say, Nagi, it's nice to see you finally getting your own hands dirty."

Nagi lurches in his chair, bleeding over Haruka in the process.

Fortunately (?), Haruka no longer has to worry about actually washing her clothes clean!

"Keh. Searrs must have recalled her," mutters Nao, glancing at Haruka. "The moralizing is nice, Haruka, but let's save it for the afterparty. Nagi, I need information. What do you need?"

Aside from her field of vision tinted red, there is hardly a problem.

"You're... going to help me?" He cracks a pained smile.

Haruka wipes it off. Actually, given the malleability of her new body, couldn't she just...expel it, or something?

Haruka's form shimmers, and what used to be the head melts down to the floor, as a new head grows out of the center mass. When Haruka had reformed, the bloody parts of her body have become her feet.

"If you want medical attention, I don't know how," replies Nao, dryly. "Unless a mercy shot would make you stronger, like Haruka here. Every time she dies, she powers up."

"...Whoa. That was weird."

"If you're serious--" Nagi grimaces. "--just protecting me for a while should do, until the boss shows up."

"The boss?"

"Yeah. Lord, Obsidian, The."

Nao promptly flings a deadly gaze at Haruka, before returning her look to Nagi. "Uh-huh. How long do you think he'll be?"

"Hey--what?!" Haruka is obviously annoyed, but stops talking.

"No idea." Nagi attempts to shrug and grits his teeth as his face twists in an expression of pain. Some more of his blood splatters around. "He likes Mai for some reason. Told him you would be the one, but he didn't listen. But I like you."

"Uh-huh. Well, let's start at the top. You know the obituary you gave me for Mashiro? She wasn't around when I went to follow it up. What was up with her?"

Haruka remains silent, but it's really, really hard to not go "Lucky you, Nao, Nagi likes you!" She has to settle for thinking it and maybe saying it later.

"First District meeting," Nagi responds. "Mashiro-chan isn't back yet? Are you sure?"

"I've been away, too," replies Nao. "Why did you tip me off on her?"

The answer that comes is simple. "I like you. Don't like her."

"Do you know what Searrs are trying to accomplish here?" comes the second question, as Nao lets the earlier topic drop.

"Searrs...." Nagi seems to struggle, looking angry. "Impudent fools!"

He slumps back in the chair.

"Impudent or not, as far as I know, they still have destroyers surrounding the island," replies

Nao, clenching her fist.

"Fools," Nagi repeats weakly. "The Obsidian Lord will strike them down."

"Why do you serve the Obsidian Lord?"

"Can't help it."

"Why's that?"

"That's how the festival works." This time, Nagi stops himself well before he tries to shrug. "Do you have someone important, Nao Hime?" he asks suddenly. "Someone you would cry over?"

"Yeah, but she died."

The statement is short and casual, as if Nao isn't bothered in the slightest.

"Shame, that."

"I was pretty upset," agrees Nao. "I still have things to do, though, so I'll be using Arach a bit longer."

"Those tears... he would accept them. I know he would."

"After I win the festival, what do I do?"

Haruka rolls her eyes. When can they stop coddling this brat and and tell him how his master is dead and is life is a total failure?

"Rule with the Obsidian Lord, by his side. I think I'll... like you more...."

Nagi's speech is becoming slurred. He looks worse than he did when Haruka and Nao reached the student council chambers, if at all possible.

A distant roaring is coming from outside, barely perceptible.

"He's dead."

Nao doesn't get an answer.

Nao is silent for a moment.

"Mashiro killed him, and my person. I'm off to get revenge. Goodbye, Nagi," she replies, almost needlessly, before turning to the window and sticking out her head, staring at the sky.

The sky is burning. Angry trails of burgundy criss-cross it, trailing copious amounts of smoke.

Nao squints after the trailing smoke, trying to identify a source.

Merely looking at the display fills Nao and Haruka with a sense of urgency!

Does Nagi have anything important with him? Phone, access card or something? It's worth looking.

Then she stops looking! "Oi, Haruka, we're leaving!" she yells. "The caves aren't far, get ready to run!"

Haruka runs!

Nao and Haruka leap out of the window! A three-story drop is nothing for a Hime, and Nao summons Arach to cushion the fall. The spider-Child leaps away as soon as its passengers are on its back, Nao directing it to the cave she had awakened in.

The sky is an unnatural black, red lines crossing it like pulsating veins. The roaring is joined with a sharp, piercing sound that hurts Nao and Haruka's ears.

That is when the first strike takes place. The area just before the main building is entirely annihilated, as something rockets from the sky to detonate agains the ground! The building shakes, but remains standing. It takes a second strike, this time directly at its roof, to tax its structural integrity past the limits.

All around them, it is as if burning pieces of the sky are crashing.

"Run, Arach!" cries Nao, staring at the sky, staring at what lies beyond the parts that crack and fall. Is this the work of the star? Or was Smith's warning meant to prevent this? There's no time for regrets, though...

Haruka can only hang onto Arach for dear life right now. What good are her crazy morphing powers when the sky is falling?

Arach reaches the cave entrance amid the chaos. There are no students on the lookout, this time around.

Not surprising. They've probably all gone below. And that sounds like a good idea to Nao, as well. If Arach is too big to fit, she dismisses him, and begins to run on foot!

Arach is thus dismissed, as Nao dives inside the cave!

Haruka follows...though if anyone's still in here, they probably won't be glad to see her again.

As Nao and Haruka make their way inside, the cave shakes around them. That one certainly felt like a direct hit above.

Aside from what amounts to pebbles raining down on their heads, the two Hime are alright. They can also hear the panicked cries of what have to be the hiding students further in.

With the light Haruka sheds, Nao should have no problem navigating the darkened cave to wear the students are. Indeed, though, she does wonder if she needs even that.

Haruka doesn't have low-light vision! Again, she'll have to trail after Nao in the assumption that the redhead knows where she's going. And, of course, she'll be glad that she thought to change her appearance beforehand (though the bronze is still a dead giveaway).

Using the light from her hand, Nao guides the duo onwards!

Students. Lots and lots of students. They huddle in groups, sharing blankets between them.

Nao's appearance, heralded by her glowing claw, causes much startlement.

Haruka, illuminated by that flickering light, turns it into panic!

Haruka decides (much to her dismay) that she should probably wait in the passageway to forestall mass hysteria amongst her fellow students.

Nao puts her hand up in what must be a futile attempt to quell the panic, but she shortly accompanies it with her voice. "Everyone, listen to me! You're all going to be fine," she shouts, not used to speaking to large groups at once.

This really should be Haruka's job. Sigh. Things'll never be the same again.

Whether it is Nao's attempts at diplomacy, the immediate cause for the panic leaving, or no one willing to argue with a girl whose hand is for all intents and purposes on fire, the crowd quietens.

Haruka waits just out of sight while Nao calms everyone down, reflecting sullenly that, even if she is somehow able to return to her normal body, there likely won't be any place for her at Fuka when all of this is over.

Nao lowers her hand, but when her immediate goal is achieved, she's not too certain of how to proceed (not to mention what to do with Haruka.)

"Orihime is under my control," she states, firmly. "She won't be hurting anyone anymore, and I need her strength in the future. Who's in charge?"

"I... I think it would be me," a familiar voice says, as a boy rises to his feet, stepping towards Nao.

"Everyone kind of listens to me because the ninja do, Nao-san," Takumi says, smiling hesitantly.

<--->

<--->

Haruka can't help but die a little inside at this announcement, but realizes it's necessary for people to not run away from her screaming.

"Ah. You made it alright. I was worried," replies Nao, unable to smile back. "For many reasons... um. What's the situation?"

"We're just... waiting. For Oneechan." Takumi sounds uncertain. "For you. For someone to help us all get away."

"We need to wait for the.. that.. that rain to stop," replies Nao, dismally. "Akira was looking for Mai the last time I saw her, and I'm sure they're both alright. Until then, I don't think there's much I can do. This is probably the safest place for the time being..."

"Her," Takumi repeats pensively, so quietly only someone with particularly sharp ears might pick up on it.

"Yes, it should be very safe. There is... something almost conforting about these catacombs, don't you think?"

If anything, being in the underground cave network makes Nao's skin itch.

Haruka doesn't find anything comforting about being underground given how her last spelunking expedition turned out, but hey, this isn't about her comfort.

"I prefer the forest," mutters Nao, guessing that it's probably going to be gone if she ever gets to go to land again.

"Anyway. Hopefully we won't be stuck here so long that we need to worry about food or anything. Um. Apart from the obvious, has anything weird happened?"

The look Takumi gives Nao tells her what he thinks about such a question, but he shakes his head. "Weird, was it? Nothing weirder than glowing claws, walking statues and death from the skies."

Nao nods slightly to Takumi's words. "Well. When it stops, I'll go outside and make sure it's safe to come out. Then we'll see about getting you all off this bloody island and making sure nobody comes back. Maybe we can kill some time exploring these caves or something."

Or not, she thinks immediately afterwards, uncomfortable at the notion. She starts heading back to Haruka at that.

Takumi accompanies her, she notices, and she spots movement out of the corner of her eye.

"To explore them we would need to cut through the walls, and while it seems like either of you could do that, we might destabilize the cave we're in too much. This sounds like a bad time for attempts like these."

Nao squints at the moment, assuming it's one of the ninja wandering after the boy.

"Then I guess we just sit around for a while," she responds. "I'm not that worried about missing out on getting stones stuck in my shoes."

"Brilliant plan," Haruka mumbles to herself.

Nao can't see anything when she tries to follow the movements directly, which only confirms her suspicions.

Nao drops on her behind and lies on her back, twisting her head to stare at Haruka.

"Sorry," she states, and it doesn't sound sarcastic, but who knows, with Nao?

Haruka sits down as well. Not that she really has to to be comfortable because, hey, she's liquid metal, but doing something human is comforting right now. "Normally I'd get everyone together and make a pep talk at a time like this," she says, sounds more wistful about the notion than anything else.

"Normally I'd sit in a corner and get guys to give me drinks," remarks Nao. "I think. I got some of my memories back... so I almost can say I know myself again."

She snorts. "You know, I've been wondering. Why did you care about Fuka so much, anyway? Shizuru mentioned you, you know."

Haruka looks at Nao. "What'd she say?" This seems to take precedence over answering Nao's question.

"It was when she was telling me about being a Hime," replies Nao, sighing. "She was wondering what you would've done, given the choice."

"Well...mess everything up, transparently."

"I think that trait in particular is ingrained within all Hime," mutters Nao, pulling up her knees.

"I really wish she hadn't died. She.. knew what was going on to start, but I could only trust her posthumously. I keep thinking, you know, that maybe if I'd become a Hime sooner, I could've stopped Arika, but I was scared."

"Well, she should've told more people what was going on," Haruka says, automatically taking the opportunity to question Shizuru's judgement as always, though her spirit's not really in it by this point.

"Yeah. I think she regretted not doing that," murmurs Nao.

"Hey, Haruka, who's important to you?"

"Huh? Well, I guess it'd be my dad. He built the family company and still runs it himself, so I like to think I've learned a lot about leadership from him. Right now, I'm not so sure."

"Ah, I see. That's good," replies Nao, unable to keep herself from smirking. "You're not allowed to like me. I forbid it."

Haruka turns and fashions a curious gaze on Nao. "What, are you worried that I'll get myself killed and take you with me?"

"It's been gnawing at me. I kind of want to be hated right now, so please let me know if you think I'm a nice person."

"I've seen worse," Haruka says. "A lot worse. Like Nagi, that slimy little--" She seems to remember that Nagi's actually dead now, and moves on. "Well, I can't really help you on that whole hating thing. You've been perfectly nice and conscious since I've been working with you."

"I don't think I hate you," Takumi interjects, himself having chosen to stand off to the side thus far.

"It's fine if you're not a Hime," replies Nao. "That's just how it is." She frowns. "Doesn't matter. I can make you hate me for real anytime, so save us both some grief and think really hard about someone else for an hour or so. If I have to die, I want it to be fucking impressive, not this fading away."

"You think so?" Haruka says, curious now. "How would you do it? Make me hate you, I mean."

"If I told you, you'd hate me on the spot, and that would be so very inconvenient."

This at least provokes a smirk, which is more humor than Haruka's shown in a while. "Well, you don't need to worry about me getting too attached anyway. Friends are one thing, family's another."

"I'm not the only one who would be relieved to hear that, I think," muses Nao, trying to shake the fire off her hand for the umpteenth time, leaving ethereal sparkles in her wake.

"Hm?" Haruka mumbles obliviously.

"Oh, nothing. Takumi, do we have any water?"

"We have a bit," the boy responds. "Would you like some?"

Haruka, no doubt, isn't thirsty at all. Hey, does liquid metal need to drink?

"Yeah, thanks. Oh, do those ninja have any of those smoke bombs? You know the ones, like in anime and movies and stuff. I could really use them."

Nao seems to be half-joking, rolling her eyes. "Ninja. That's still the weirdest thing, believe me."

"THAT'S the weirdest thing? Are you sure about that?" Haruka raises one hand and morphs into a variety of blunt and stabby implements by way of demonstration.

"Well, yeah," replies Nao, flippantly. "Magical powers and shadowy corporations are one thing, but ninja? Black masks, shuriken? Doesn't it just seem so delightfully surreal?"

Takumi glares. "What she said. It?" He shakes his head. "I'll see if I can find some for you." He retreats further into the cave.

Haruka doesn't really know what that word means, and just shrugs.

The water Nao gets is a bit stale and warm, but certainly drinkable. She also becomes the proud owner of a genuine ninja smoke bomb.

Takumi doesn't linger around the Hime much after delivering those to her, citing the need to help the other students.

The impacts outside cease.

Nao gives it a minute. Then another. Then another five, before standing up. "Let's go."

"Yeah," Haruka says, following suit, "maybe the people outside have all killed each other."

The ground outside is cratered. Smoke rises from the rubble, obscuring view. The campus looks much differently to Haruka and Nao, what little of it remains standing.

Nao is, strangely, more interested in the sky than in the school itself.

The sky is black. Thick clouds of smoke blanket it.

"The ships probably got destroyed," murmurs Nao. "Along with the town."

"Well," Haruka says tonelessly, "so much for Fuka."

"We still have some things we can do," replies Nao, after a long moment. "I was planning to meet with the others at the school. I guess they might not come..."

Peering about, she tries to gauge how widespread the destruction is.

"No," Haruka agrees, "it's hard to meet at the school when it's not there anymore. But we may as well see if anyone's still alive out here."

The flickering of Nao's fiery claw causes shadows to dance all around the two Hime. As they explore their surroundings, Nao and Haruka discover that no building was left untouched on campus. The library in particular was hardest hit; they can spot no less than a dozen impact craters, most of them rather direct hits. The way they burn reminds Nao of the fires consuming their vessel after it was attacked en route to Fuka.

"I might have been mistaken. These look like missile strikes," mutters Nao. "Damn, the ships must still be out there!"

"Well, don't ask me to look for them," Haruka says, master of the obvious as always. "If they used the ships to bomb the island, maybe that means they lost that satellite."

"Maybe. It looks like they focused their attention on the library," replies Nao, still working on it but getting closer to Haruka's level. "Even after it was already knocked down. Either they didn't know, or they really, really hated books."

"Or there was something important there," Haruka says, picking her way over to where the library used to be.

"Yeah, well, it's a smoking crater now," mutters Nao, using her claw to clear away some debris. "You can't, like, ooze down there and see if there's something underneath?"

"Um." On reflection, Haruka probably can. But it's going to feel really, really weird. "I can, as long as you don't defer to me as ooze ever again."

"It sounded nicer than 'slime'..."

"Keep working on that, okay? I'll go see what I can find." If possible, Haruka will now exploit her malleable body to slip down through the piles of debris and see what, if anything, may have been hidden beneath the library.

It is quite disconcerting, even for Nao, to see Haruka's features suddenly lose their definition and melt away, as the bronze-colored woman becomes a puddle that sinks through the cracks in the burning rubble.

Perception in her liquid state is unlike anything Haruka had experienced before, but her mind has no trouble cataloguing the information. What used to be a fairly solid collapsed building before had been shaken up by the Searrs weapons, and she can, with some difficulty, get past the obstacles.

The floor of the library is cracked, and nothing makes it more obvious than the large clock, proudly remaining in what used to be the center of the library.

Alright then, back up to Nao!

<--->

<--->

Haruka returns, reforming into a faceless, vaguely humanoid form before Nao's eyes.

"Anything down there?" questions Nao, still unsettled by Haruka's bland features.

"Something's down there, below the floor. We'll have to dig to it."

"Alright. This claw disintegrates stuff, I think. We'll see if it makes a decent shovel," decides Nao, heading over to the rubble to start clearing a path underneath it.

Haruka obligingly gets out of the way and watches Nao go to work.

The rubble parts before Nao's fiery claw, as the redhead carves deep into it again and again. Even as she succeeds in clearing it up, Nao realizes that this would be quite a chore. It might take half an hour at present speed just to get to the ground floor.

Nao decides to speed it up! "Arach, clear some of this away," she orders, taking bigger and bigger sweeps to open up the ground!

The spider Child is not as enormous when Nao summons it this time, but it brushes the debries aside in record time!

Upon reaching the surface, Arach tries to dig further, its front limbs slamming against the clock--

And the clock does not yield. Instead, Arach makes a keening whine, retracting its legs.

Nao glances at the clock. "Alright, I'll make the hole big enough to fit, and we'll go down and check it out. Good job, Arach," she adds, patting the monster on the leg, before she frowns. "I liked it when you were bigger, though," she murmurs. "I guess digging isn't very exciting."

"Hey, at least you didn't morph with your Child," Haruka says. "That would look even scarier than I do right now."

Nao shudders. "I do prefer two legs to eight," she admits, dismissing Arach and crouching near the crack, intent on pulling the floor of the library apart.

"Look, uh, maybe I could...be a drill, or something?"

"Yeah, that might be nice. What about a spaceship? Can you be that?"

"...Probably. As long as you don't want me to fly anywhere."

Nao and Haruka dig their way down! The ground soon changes from cracked cinder to the same type of stone that makes the cave network underneath the school.

A little bit more effort, and they are finally through. Nao is the first to descend into what seems to be a tunnel. As she makes way for Haruka, she notices that faint, flickering light is coming from further down it. Straining her ears, she also hears... crying? That's certainly what it sounds like, many voices mixing into each other.

Nao heads towards the light, but for her own part, she stays in the shadows until she can see what's behind. Perhaps the rest of the students managed to hide themselves here- she'll soon find out.

"Lead the way," Haruka says tiredly. "Everyone's scared of me."

"I'm not."

"Well, maybe a little," mumbles Nao, at that.

The light is coming from a set of large flatscreen monitors mounted on the walls near the center of the cave the tunnel leads to. As Nao's eyes adjust to the lighting, she realizes that this must be where the grade schoolers were being kept.

Yukino is seated on a rather comfortable-looking chair below the monitors, observing them.

"I never did thank you, so I'm glad I can do so in person," remarks Nao, revealing herself and walking towards Yukino. She glances from side to side, wondering if there's an immediate reason the children are crying.

"Yukino? Yukino!" Haruka runs over to her friend's side. "We've been wondering what happened to you since you went silent during the fight. Is everything okay?" Okay being a rather relative term in present circumstances, of course.

Nao snorts.

Yukino recoils at the sight of a faceless, bronze Haruka and Nao with her eerily-glowing claw!

"Watcha watching?" enquires Nao, enjoying Yukino's reaction and turning her attention to the screens across the cave.

Oops! "No, Yukino, it's me! Haruka!" She turns away for a moment to spare Yukino the sight of her freakish shapeshifting and goes back to her real face. "It's alright, see?"

The gathered kids cry ever harder as Nao and Haruka appear, which might explain the reason for their terror.

Yukino looks faint, and Haruka's words don't seem to be helping.

Haruka grimaces and retreats back to the tunnel. It pains her to hide every time they have to talk to other students, but if that's what it takes for Yukino and the others to calm down...

Haruka notices that as she retreats from sight, the crying does not seem to lessen. As she listens, a reoccuring theme of being killed by demons seems to be the source of the children's worries.

Most of the screens ahead show static. A few still work, and present images of Fuka. The Academy is ruined, the forest is burning, the city is--

What used to be the mall collapses before Nao's eyes, no doubt due to direct hit from a shell.

Reminders of what's going on do wonders to kill Nao's jaunty demeanour, but she knows she'll rebound soon enough.

The children will be reassured if Nao arranges for the remaining members of the executive committee to show up, so she filters out their crying for now. "Let me know when you've got it together. Anytime is good," she mutters, for Kikukawa's benefit, and spends a moment glancing aroudn the caves to see if there's anything apart from the kids and the screens.

"Are you here to betray me?" Yukino asks. Her skin is unnaturally white, but her voice is surprisingly steady.

Haruka listens from the tunnel, since by this point she's skeptical of her presence accomplishing anything at all. Yukino doesn't sound like she's in good headspace anyway, though.

"You're far too useful to throw away," responds Nao. "And that would upset Haruka-chan ever so much. I'm here to keep our agreement. Two can win, at least. Maybe even three. Who knows?"

"It's impossible with three," Yukino responds, shaking her head. "Maintaining the balance would prove too difficult."

"Details. Now."

"Or what?"

That's it, Haruka's just going to join in whether she freaks people out or not. "Come on, Yukino, we don't have time to mess around. Hime need to work together. Share whatever you know, alright?"

Yukino sighs, rubbing her forehead. "Work together. Alright, Haruka-chan. Let's work together." She sounds defeated.

"Okay. Thanks, Yukino. Now, the Prince is dead. We need to find Mashiro to find out if they's any way to stop this without all of us killing each other. Because I'm NOT going to let that happen. Anything you could tell us that we don't already know, or if you know where Mashiro is--just anything would be very much depreciated right now."

"Never mind that," interjects Nao. "Tell me how your plan works. Believe you me, I want it to work."

"The Prince... is dead?" Yukino does not seem to comprehend.

"Are you sure?"

Nao narrows her eyes. "He was Kanzaki Reito. Or, more appropriate, Minagi Reito. Mikoto's brother. She died. And then he died. And I was very sad."

Nao taps the katana she carries against the ground. "This was his. Now it's mine."

Yukino chokes.

Haruka kneels by her friend's side, resting a hand on her shoulder. Hopefully this does more to calm her down than it does frighten her. "Mashiro did it. She killed Mikoto to get at Reito."

"But... we can't remake the world without the Obsidian Lord," Yukino says haltingly. "How would it work without someone to focus the power?"

"The Obsidian Lord may not be necessary. I learned this from Ishigami before we left," clarifies Nao. "It's possible for someone to substitute in his place, or so he thought."

Yukino leans back in her chair, appearing deep in thought. "We would need a symbol of his power." She eyes the katana speculatively. "That was his sword, you said? Perhaps it would hold just enough to fool the star."

"The katana. I have some bangles, as well," remarks Nao. "It's necessary for us to focus the power, correct? So the other Hime must be defeated for this to work. Of course, Mashiro and those battleships remain our obvious obstacles. That rain just now, is the sattelite out of commission?"

Yukino smirks as the subject switches to the sattelite. "You bet it is. Munakata was good for something, at least. But I'd say Searrs weren't expecting for a few little surprises in between the fragments."

"About that...what was it that you sent after the satellite, Yukino?"

"Shiho Munakata. Red-haired octopus girl. Part-time shrine maiden or something. Had a crush on some guy." Nao frowns. "She hated me for some reason. I got tired of that."

"Wasn't she just so whiny and annoying?" Yukino agrees, smiling. It is a touch eerie. "But even nasty girls like her have their use in the end."

Haruka processes this silently, then: "Okay." Everyone on the island would be dead if the satellite hadn't been stopped, so she can't really questioning the methods used to stop it.

"I think I took out half the fleet before those idiots realized, but I was already prepared," Yukino brags. "It shouldn't be too hard to dispose of them now. The question is, really, what you two are doing here instead of fighting Searrs like good little girl scouts."

Wow. When Yukino turn into such a pompous windbag? "Point us in the right direction, Yukino," Haruka says sternly, not liking Yukino's attitude at all, "and we will. You're the one with eyes everywhere, remember?"

"Not anymore. Sorry. Someone kept on destroying them so I'm pretty much out."

"Then I guess you'd better come with us," remarks Nao. "Half the fleet, right? Take one boat. Use it to fire at the others. You can do that."

"...Oh. Sorry." There's not much else she can say to that!

"Half the fleet before they noticed something was up." Yukino looks incredibly smug. "But noticing the problem doesn't really take care of it, does it?"

"The blockade's gone entirely?" questions Nao, snorting. "Then what's left to fight?"

"A few stragglers. Those idiots tried to take me with them, but all they took out was some of the monitors." Yukino shrugs. "I think the First District forces -- those that survived, anyway -- felt emboldened and struck back. I've been wondering who would win for the past twenty minutes or so."

"We want the First Distrct to win. And then we want to subordinate the First District," remarks Nao. "Their local forces, anyway. They have some rather troublesome devices, or so I've been told, and they've studied the obsidian lord- and his mechanics."

"Sounds agreeable," Yukino muses. "I suppose you'd want me to come along in person?"

"You'd be safer here if you can do everything without going outside and putting yourself in danger."

"But I'd be safer if you were next to me at all times."

"Well, if that's how you want it," Yukino says to Haruka, ignoring Nao. "I wouldn't dream of disobeying you, Haruka-chan."

Nao looks pointedly disgusted. "Haven't you ever heard of keeping your friends close, Suzushiro?"

"I will be sure to protect the children from harm while I'm here," Yukino adds, smiling at Nao.

Haruka doesn't seem to know what Nao's getting at. "What's the problem? She can do the job without getting shot at here, right? How is this not better?"

"She can do the job without getting shot if you hug her whilst we go out," simpers Nao. "Then everyone is happy, no?"

"Except for the gang of grade-schoolers here, sure."

Yukino looks smug again at Haruka's response.

"How did you put up with this?" asks Nao, glaring at Yukino.

Yukino shrugs. "We're childhood friends. In any case, I simply must insist on you making it back for the meeting time we'll establish now. I can't keep on tracking you with that abominable arm." She glances at Nao's burning claw. "That leaves us in the hands of punctuality."

"Put up with what?" Haruka says obliviously.

"This arm, for your information, is quite possibly the only thing in this room that can stand up to Kagutsuchi," retorts Nao. "Call it nicer things."

Yukino looks surprised. "So you've chosen tha-- never mind." She smiles. "In light of that, I think I will. Still, back to our business, should three hours be sufficient time for you to handle your loose ends and return here?"

Haruka shrugs. "That depends on how close they are."

"On where they are," corrects Nao. "We can't just swim around and hope to run into a ship. Where are the respective forces positioned?"

Yukino gestures, before pausing herself midway. "Can you turn it off?"

"I can go away. Tell Haruka."

"I see."

"Oh, one thing," adds Nao, glancing at Yukino before she departs. "What's the favourable end result, when it's all said?"

Yukino considers her answer. "We'll have to make fresh plans. But if what you said is true, then... then three people might be able to win after all, and make the new world."

"I don't have any big dreams for some new world, just some little things. What about you?"

"Just what we previously discussed." Yukino glances at Haruka, before returning her eyes to Nao. "I could've had the rest even without super powers."

"I couldn't. I guess you could call me lucky, then."

Nao shrugs, and heads out. "Haruka, I'll be up top."

Haruka nods and awaits Yukino's briefing, wondering to herself when her awkward little friend became such a schemer.

<--->

<--->

While Nao moves out of sight, retreating far enough that her claw doesn't bother Diana, Yukino projects a map of the island and its surroundings for Haruka's benefit. A legend next to it shows the disposition of First District and Searrs forces.

There appear to be five Searrs cruisers which survived. Four of them are concentrated together on the far side of the island, a close distance to the city. The remaining vessel appears trapped before the island and the mainland, and a heavy contingent of First District forces is concentrated from both sides. As Haruka watches, the icon representing the ship blinks and fades away piteously.

Yukino snorts. She gestures, and the First District troops are illuminated briefly to point out their locations. None are near the school, though the town has several groups. There also appear to be areas of the map which are tattered, for lack of a better description. Nothing is shown on those parts.

Haruka frowns. "What's up with the blank areas, Yukino?"

"No reception from those, too much interference," Yukino says, not looking too bothered by that fact.

"Alright. I'll take it under consideration when formaldehyding a battle plan." She dutifully memorizes the location of the various enemy forces shown, at least.

"It is unfortunate," Yukino says, her sincerity cast in doubt, "but I would not be able to remain in contact with you after you leave. Try not to die to these weaklings, Haruka-chan."

Haruka snorts. "It'll take more than a few battleships to stop me. Alright, thanks Yukino." She prepares to leave, unless Yukino has more to say.

Yukino takes out a handkerchief and waves to Haruka with it, smiling.

Haruka nods and exits, reuniting with Nao and sharing with her the location of the various hostile forces on the island.

"So what do you think we should do?" muses Nao, upon receiving the information. "Crush the boats first, or the troops on the ground, as it were?"

"The troops are small fry. If we try to take them on first, the boats can still bombard us from out on the water. And enough of the town's been wrecked already. I'd love to shut them down if we have any way of doing it."

"We do, in the form of you."

"Well. I can do a lot now, but I'm not sure I can turn into a guided missile, Nao."

"No, but you can swim, and by the looks of things-" Nao raps her fingers against Haruka's forehead- "You don't have much to fear from conventional armaments, unlike me."

Haruka shrugs. "I guess you're right. What will you be doing this whole time? Cheering me on?"

"Dealing with the First District troops. I can drop you off at the ocean, at least." Nao pauses, and frowns as she starts heading for the surface again. "It's most convenient for us if they wipe each other out, really. I figure that you can commandeer any of those ships once you're on board with some simple threats. 'specially if you make an example of one first."

Haruka nods and follows along. She's well past the point of being able to say things like "I want to avoid killing people if possible," after all.

"Arach," calls Nao, once the top is reached, before she turns to Haruka again. "Look, I suspect Mashrio could be working with the First District guys. I'm going to try and pump them for as much information as possible, since they're still in the game.

"But with Arika's satellite down, I don't think the same can be said for Searrs. Since we can't be sure, make sure to interrogate them first. I think I've got things mostly sorted out, but, well, unexpected variables- shit, and watch out for Miyu."

Another nod. "Sure," Haruka says, "I'll try and get as much information out of them as I can before they open fire on me."

"You could... you know. Tell them to surrender," offers Nao, dubiously. "Even I'd consider doing that if you asked."

"I'll TRY, yes. I just don't expect it to work any better than it did with the last batch."

"Live in hope?" offers Nao, jumping to Arach's head.

"Oh, and when you're there, use their comms stuff to get in touch with your dad. The people on the island need to... not be on the island. See if he can arrange that," calls Nao from her perch. "Let's give Akira ten minutes to show up, and take off after that if she doesn't. Wouldn't surprise me, really."

Another nod. Haruka seems quite resigned to the ensuing violence.

"This is horrible," Akira's voice drifts to Nao and Haruka, moments before the ninja appears standing on Arach's body, far enough from either Hime so as to not invade their personal space. "You survived, at least."

"We're hard to kill," replies Nao. "No luck with Mai?"

"There was no body."

"And we couldn't see the sky," admits Nao, shrugging. "Anyway. What do you say to cleaning up the remnants of both Searrs and the First District?"

"The sooner they're gone," Akira responds, clenching her fists, "the quicker I can get back to my search."

"Suits me. I'm dropping Haruka off at the ocean, and she should handle the boats themselves. We'll go to the town and coerce the rest off the island."

She pauses. "While you're at it, teach me your vanishing trick," she adds, sounding rather jealous.

"Family secret," Akira responds curtly. She pretends to think briefly. "I do have a cousin...."

"Nice family," complains Nao, before shrugging. "Anyway. Haruka, we're heading to town! You can run to shore on your own, right? You WILL be alright by yourself? Kill them or force them to switch sides or do whatever you want, as long as they're no longer a threat."

Haruka nods, mumbles, "Infirmative," and sets off on her own at the fastest pace she can manage. The sooner she gets this whole ordeal done with, the better for everyone involved.

<--->

<--->

Haruka submerges in the water, headed towards the nearest Searrs vessel! Water parts before her, and the bronze-skinned girl has the distinct feeling that some of it is passing through her to reduce resistance.

She is halfway to her target when she detects a splash of some sort from it. It takes merely a split second to realize they have launched a torpedo at her!

Exactly how agile is this body in water? Let's find out! If this sucker's a homing torpedo, then simply moving out of its path won't be good enough. Haruka will have to wait 'til it's nearby, zip to one side at the last moment, and try to reach out and slash off the end with the propeller as it passes by!

The torpedo explodes before Haruka could even complete her plan! The upper half of her left arm is blown off entirely, and her face and chest begins to melt. The shockwave sends her tumbling towards the bottom of the sea, burying her feet in the sand.

As Haruka's hand struggles to reform, she recognizes a second torpedo headed her way, while the ship is reversing course, attempting to open up the distance between them.

Haruka is suddenly very thankful that she doesn't feel pain in this body! Still, this is a bad situation. First priority is getting away from those damned torpedoes. How well can they home in something that's at the bottom of the sea? It's time to find out. She'll bound along through the sand towards the ship, trying to veer away from the torpedo's course if possible.

Maybe they won't be able to detect her as well down here?

This torpedo explodes a good ten feet away from Haruka, sending her careening even deeper into the sands covering the surface. Her face, recently restored, melts once more, but that is the extent of her damages.

Well, that's something resembling progress. If they can't hit her as effectively down there, maybe she can sort of flow across the sand as a flat sheet of Harukaness to minimize her profile? Setting aside how intrinsically horrifying this concept is, she decides to try it!

Assuming a shape vaguely reminiscent of a manta ray, Haruka flows along the surface. The next four torpedos don't manage to deal the same amount of damage to her body, but Haruka notices that their shockwaves hinder her more considerably in her new state. That is enough to make the difference, allowing the fleeing Searrs ship to keep its distance from Haruka, nullifying the bronze girl's progress.

Grrr! They're not getting away from her that easily! Seabed sand should be pretty easy to move through...maybe she turn into something good for rapidly burrowing through it and move towards her target that way? They'd have to be damn good shots to impede her progress that way.

The sheet composing Haruka's body rolls itself into a cigar shape, burrowing into the sands! Nothing impedes Haruka as she burrows blindly in the last direction the Searrs ship was fleeing!

Success! She zips through the seabed long enough to be in the vicinity of the ship's last known position before poking her head up again (or whatever passes for her sensory apparatus right now). Hopefully they didn't catch on to what she was doing and she'll be close enough to swim up to it now.

There is no head to speak of in this form, but a pair of tentacles grow out of the front of Haruka's new body, becoming eyestalks once they pierce through the surface. The ship has changed course, but the distance has closed considerably. Another short burst of burrowing, Haruka thinks, and she can be close enough to launch a surprise attack!

Haruka makes it so, heading under the sand for a moment to get closer before shooting straight up for the ship's hull. They won't be able to shoot at her once she's right up close, and piercing the metal with spear-hands should keep them from shaking her off. With these, she'll climb to the upper decks. Nothing can stop the implacable Haruka!

Haruka latches onto the ship, climbing its side! Water rushes through the holes her spear-hands make as she climbs up, but hardly enough to do more than make the vessel list slightly.

Once she's gotten to the deck, a grenade explodes in Haruka's face before she can even fully get onboard!

Good thing Haruka's not concerned about appearances anymore! How did they even know which side of the deck she'd be coming from? Do they have Hime radar or something? ...Well, the punctured hull may have tipped them off. Does she have a chance to see how many men are waiting for her before she gets blown off the side of the ship?

Only half a dozen men that Haruka could see, and only two had anything remotely resembling a grenade launcher.

Face? Who needs a face when you've got sword-arms and there's clobberin' to do? Haruka plows ahead in spite of being maimed by the explosion. Whichever of the men is armed with the heavy artillery has to go first. The Haruka-1000 is a blinding whir of blades and blunt instruments as she barrels into the melee!

Whether it is the sight of Haruka mauling two of their comrades while lacking a head, or said mauling of two unlucky grenade-wielding soldiers, the rest of the Searrs men flee!

Haruka secures the deck before her head had even finished reforming.

Not so long ago, lacking facial features would probably be horribly traumatic! Truly these are interesting times. Anyway, she could batter goons all day and accomplish little; she needs to take the command crew. To the bridge! Or whatever direction seems likely to have the bridge! Probably it's on one of the upper decks.

The crew is bolting for the lifeboats as Haruka moves about the ship. The bridge is soon discovered; only the captain and a few others occupy it.

Well, this is easier than it could've been (past the whole face-getting-blown-off thing). Hopefully the captain is sufficiently demoralized by the desertion of his crew to submit to some basic intimidation. Haruka menaces the officers with a frightful array of blade-arms and announces: "Sunder or die!"

The captain gapes at Haruka. "What?" he asks uncertainly.

"You heard me! Your ship is mine now. Nobody has any problems with that, right? And if anyone DOES, let me just point out that the last person tried to stop me with a grenade and it didn't go over so well. Now, first, I need to use your communications gear."

"We are prepared to go down with the ship," the Searrs captain states as bravely as a man can when faced with an unstoppable, walking bronze statue. "Leave at once!"

"You can do that later," Haruka says dismissively. "Look, I'll have to start hitting people soon if you don't cooperate, and that won't be very fun for anyone. I'm sure your bosses will be very immersed to know how brave you were in the face of a liquid metal menace, but there's only one way this can turn out." She presents the captain with his own face in bronze, and repeats: "SURRENDER."

His bravado reveals itself for what it is, as the man stumbles back against what looks like the radar station.

There is a strange whistling sound coming from the outside.

Haruka has a bad feeling about this! Of course, if the ships start firing on each other whenever she gets on board, they're kind of doing her work for her, right? Nevertheless, backing away from any windows suddenly seems like a very good idea. She'll be ready to bolt back the way she came from if the ship is under attack from outside.

The ship rocks at an impact at the stern, and a flash so bright it would have burnt away Haruka's retinas if she had any swiftly follows!

Haruka turns and runs! SHE'S not going down with the ship, that's for sure. If she can get a glimpse of what direction the nearest ship is in, that'd be great, but she's not going to waste much time before diving back into the water.

The vessel lists ever-so-dangerously as another explosion impacts its bow. Haruka's feet grow claws to keep her steady, but she loses precious seconds to regain her balance. Blinding light blossoms from the point of impact, rendering Haruka temporarily blind. She stumbles onwards, and has barely managed to cross the deck when the third explosion tosses her overboard, her back on fire!

Fortunately, that fire will be doused shortly by her falling into the sea! She can't afford to tangle with torpedoes while she's blinded, so she'll sink to the bottom and lay low for a bit while she recovers.

Sight returns quickly enough as Haruka sinks to the surface, and disappears just as quickly as missiles hit the damaged ship she had fled. After half a dozen more hit, Haruka finds herself able to see without further interruptions.

Her back is on fire, however, a strange acid green fire which water isn't putting out. It's not at the point where the damage is more than her regenerative system can handle, but Haruka can tell that she is unable to completely control it, either. It is as if her abilities are needlessly taxed by what should by all rights be a minor wound to her.

Maybe what can't be doused can be smothered? Haruka adopts a burrowing form again and slips beneath the sands, fully immersing herself belowground. Can that fire still burn when she's completely entombed?

Even smothering the flames doesn't put them out, Haruka discovers.

Well, if there's no other way to get rid of the fire...much as being a flaming bronze statue would not doubt strike fear in the hearts of the enemy, walking around like that can't be good for her. If possible, Haruka will have to contort her body such that the burning portion is at the end of a thin appendage--and then disconnect it.

Haruka's form ripples, as the girl becomes a human-sized snake, which then proceeds to shed its skin. Haruka emerges from the cloud of burning metal, lessened somehow but unharmed!

Ugh. Now there is less Haruka in the world, and that is truly a crime! Alright, no more Ms. Nice Goo-girl, these ships are going down and to hell with the people manning them. From where she is in the water, can Haruka she the hulls of any ships?

It is dark. What illumination penetrates the waters all the way to Haruka's depth comes from the burning wreck of the sunk Searrs ship, which does more to cause blind spots to appear in Haruka's field of vision than help her see into the distance.

Alright. She adopts the most efficient swimming body she can manage and zips away from the sinking ship, meaning to be well clear of it before poking her head up above the surface to scan for the others.

Haruka spots what looks like a ship in the distance. It's doing its best to retreat from the island.

Well, she's not going to let it! Haruka barrels full speed ahead towards the ship. When she gets close enough for torpedoes to be a worry again, she'll do what she did last time: go into burrowing mode to approach safely.

The ship begins to lower lifeboats as soon as Haruka gets close.

Wow. She can't be that terrifying all on her own, can she? Is there something else going on? Haruka decides to poke her head up above the surface to find out. Granted, she's likely to sink the ship anyway, just to make sure no one climbs back aboard and causes more trouble.

No one is there to fight Haruka off when she boards the vessel.

Actually, she doesn't plan to board this one, given how that worked out last time! Swimming under it and slashing a long groove through the hull should insure that Searrs gets no further use from it.

The Searrs ship groans as Haruka slices through its hull! Her arms tear through the metal, regardless of the resistance it puts up! The vessel begins taking in water, and Haruka only has to wait before it sinks to the bottom of the ocean.

No need to wait, as she knows it's going down. There were two more of these, right? Time to look for them, then.

<--->

<--->

[19:24] A small whirlpool is created by the sinking of the ship, but Haruka fights against its pull, emerging from the waters to take a look. The two remaining Searrs ships Yukino was talking about are fleeing, just as this one had been. The problem is that it was the middlemost ship of the three, and the other two vessels are breaking left and right, respectively.
[19:24] Haruka could reasonably expect to catch up to one of them, but the other might make good on its escape in that time.
[19:26] Well, three out of four does a lot to neutralize the threat, at least, but it'd be better to hit both ships. Haruka makes for the one on the right at top speed, zipping through the water as if born to it! If they fire any more torpedoes at her, she'll try something new: leaping over the explosion like a dolphin when the missile gets close!
[19:28] The inevitable explosion kicks Haruka up, boosting her already-impressive leap. Out of the water, she finds herself pelted by heavy ship-based weaponry!
[19:30] Ooookay, so that was a bad idea. She adopts a dense and compact form while in midair (the better to repel bullets) and decides to finish her approach with the tried and true safe method of burrowing through the seabed. It might not give her the time to tackle both ships, but she's no good to anyone if she gets shot to bits.
[19:32] Some things work so well they don't need to be fixed. Such is the case for Haruka's tried and true approach. By altering its course seemingly at random as soon as Haruka submerges, the beseiged ship managed to delay the inetivable, but the distance between it and Haruka keeps on shortening. Soon, Haruka is within striking range!
[19:33] The same strategy continues, then: approach the hull from below, tear a horrible gash across the bottom of the ship, then get the hell away from it.
[19:36] And a third ship joins its comrades at the bottom of the ocean. Of the fourth, there is no sign, although Haruka could always try to pursue its last known course.
[19:40] Haruka lets the fourth ship go on its way. Letting it come back and cause more destruction might be a risk, but it's probably unlikely to do so without the rest of the fleet for support. Haruka heads for land once again to meet up with her friends.
[19:43] Haruka adopts the best form for swimming back, making good time on her journey. Lifeboats litter the waters some distance off to her right, easily within reach should she wish to go that way.
[19:46] They'd probably just shoot at her if she tried to do pass by them...but she can't very well let another group of heavily armed goons land, can she? Actually, how prepared for combat are these men? Did they leave their ships with weapons, or did they just panic and run?
[19:48] Haruka can't catch a glimpse of the heavier weaponry she had been shot at in any of the closer lifeboats. Discerning whether any of the men have handguns would require coming much closer. At present, they seem to be rowing away from her, neither in the direction of the island or the last known location of the remaining ship.
[19:49] Small arms fire isn't much threat to her by this point. She decides to pass by one of the rafts to try and gauge the attitude of the remaining soldiers: still committed to their mission or fleeing for their lives? We'll find out!
[19:50] The men aboard it abandon their lifeboat as Haruka comes dangerously close to it!
[19:51] Haruka takes this to mean that their spirit is thoroughly broken, and decides to leave them alone for now. Landward ho!

<--->

<--->

[17:34] Haruka makes landfall, regaining her true form. She proceeds to the prearranged meeting spot unopposed. The island is quiet, now, the only sounds being that of crackling fire. She is the first to arrive, having to wait a bit until Akira and Nao join her there, the latter being helped along.
[17:34] Nao's eyes, while better after having been given the time to rest, are still agitated enough that she can't discern much detail in the blurry shapes she perceives.
[17:36] Haruka's eyes widen in surprise (an archaicly human reaction, considering her present state). "Nao? What happened?"
[17:38] "Bright lights don't agree with me."
[17:39] "Well, maybe it'll be some consultation that the enemy's down three out of four battleships. The fourth one chickened out and I didn't have time to chase it before meeting you.
[17:41] "Yeah. The First District guys ran off after we went through enough of them," murmurs Nao. "It didn't look like there were many survivors from the town itself. We looked around a bit..." Nao looks rather pained, and she glances briefly at Akira. "Akira thinks she has a method to set things right."
[17:43] "If you think about it, there is no reason it won't work," Akira speaks, as the spotlight is turned to her. "Knowing something can be done gets you most of the way towards accomplishing it, and we have very good reason to believe that a reset was already applied. Therefore, we just have to do it to get it right."
[17:43] Haruka nods. "Okay, I'm listening." Hearing of the wholesale slaughter in town makes her want to head back out to the sea and trash that last ship, even if they weren't directly responsible for the carnage.
[17:45] "There... really isn't much to add," Akira says, frowning. "We clearly can't do it on our own, right now. Therefore, we need allies or information, preferably both."
[17:46] "Allies? Who else is left by this point?"
[17:47] "I can think of at least three," replies Nao, curtly. "Go see if Yukino can put you in contact with your dad, for one."
[17:48] "Right. What'll you guys be doing in the meantime?"
[17:53] "Akira probably wants to go see her boyfriend," replies Nao, flippantly. "I'll go and check on them, and then come back and check on you. See if your dad can get people off this island, and then see what he's found out or what he can find out about the First District." Nao shrugs. "Research centers of theirs, their HQ, those kind of places need investigation. Hell, what the rest of the world looks like in general would be nice. I have no idea how this will be covered up."
[17:54] "It won't be, if I have anything to say about it. Alright, I'll check in with Yukino. Where do I find you two afterwards?"
[17:55] "In the other cave. But, Suzushiro, I will surely be the one doing the finding."
[17:55] "What makes you say that?"
[17:55] "Intuition."
[17:56] Akira reddens. "It's not that!" she protests. "Takumi just happens to be where one of our safehouses is, and they would have all the means of communications and accessing information we could possibly want."
[17:57] "Noooo, he, uh, came with us."
[17:58] "He what?"
[17:58] "He can tell you all about why he decided he wanted to when you go see him."
[17:59] "We're going now!" Akira declares, grabbing Nao by the non-glowing arm. "Where to?"
[17:59] Haruka just shrugs, the romantic affairs of others generally being something beyond her ken (though, as Executive Committee representative, she'll surely have to see that Akira and Takumi get separated once this is all over. Boys and girls cohabiting on campus? Unthinkable!)
[18:01] "Oh, sure, not your boyfriend. Look, you can tell me. I'm *very* familiar with this sort of thing," replies Nao, starting to lug Akira towards the hiding spot. "You know, is it an acknowledgment thing? Because I bet you clean up pretty good- hey, have you ever actually worn a skirt?"
[18:02] Haruka heads for Yukino's cave, leaving the other two for now.
[18:02] The way she person-shaped blur is twitching she must be terribly embarrassed. "Not everything is about skirts!"
[18:03] "I, Yuuki Nao, will *help you shop*, you poor deluded fool."

<--->

<--->

[18:07] Haruka finds that not much had changed since her visit -- but as it's only been a matter of hours, there were hardly any expectations to.
[18:07] "You were very inspirational, Haruka-chan," Yukino says, her voice sounding strangely mocking to Haruka briefly. "I enjoyed watching your battles."
[18:09] "Thanks," Haruka says, either not noticing or not acknowledging Yukino's tone. "Yukino, can you get me in touch with anyone off the island? Like my dad?"
[18:11] "This system is incredible," Yukino says, admiration coming off clear. "Even in such a state-- why yes, that means I can. Whatever shall we chat about?"
[18:13] "All sorts of things. Get him on the horn and you'll hear."
[18:14] "Mmm, I suppose. Is your beloved Yuuki-san in on this part of the plan?"
[18:17] Haruka looks irritated. "She's not my 'beloved,' we're just working together. And everyone's in on the plan, okay?"
[18:19] "If you say so," Yukino tells her with an insufferable smile, and gestures. There are more blind spots in her coverage, now, Haruka notes, but Yukino herself does not comment on those. "We have to use a landline. Cells and sattelite phones are right out."
[18:21] "Whatever you can get me, Yukino, it's fine just as long as there's a connection."
[18:24] Another gesture, and then a brief wait.
[18:24] "Yes," Haruka's father speaks, his voice echoing in the cavern. "Who is this?"
[18:28] "It's me, dad. I'm pretty much still alive here. A lot of other people aren't. Searrs had battleships shelling the island. Now they don't." She sighs. "What's the situation outside the island? Has anyone caught on to what's happening here?"
[18:37] "There is something going on in America," Hiro says, taking the news in stride. "But before that... it's really good to hear from you, Haruka. Are you sure you're alright? You sound.... Well, as long as you're alright." It is his turn to sigh. "There is panic on the streets. The sky... I look at it, and I still can't believe it."
[18:42] "I'm...well, different. I'm not sure 'alright' is the best word. It's good to talk to you too, father. Things have been crazy out here. I'm alive and uninjured, but you're in for a shock next time you see me. Anyway...what's the noise in America about? Something to do with Searrs? And, uh, I have to conflate that I haven't looked up at the sky recently..."
[18:46] "There is a media blackout, and not just because many of the sattelites stopped broadcasting earlier. With the holes in the coverage, we've been set back years--" Hiro cuts himself off. "There are veins in the sky, Haruka. I've never seen anything like it. They spread, like cracks, almost seeming to pulse when you stare at them for too long. I fear it might be the end of the world."
[18:52] "Is there any way you can find out what might be going on with Searrs? They took some pretty heavy losses here; they might be out of the picture for a while if their satellite is down. First District, too--at least, the man they were working for here is dead. Who knows what they're up to at this point."
[18:54] "And, uh...I'll do what I can to stop that whole end-of-the-world thing. We've got a plan...sort of...and there's still someone on the island who should know exactly what's going on. And we have to find her anyway..."
[18:58] "I'm sure they'll die with the rest of us when the world ends," Yukino comments sarcastically.
[18:58] "Is that Yukino?" Hiro asks. "Good, you're still together. I should have known. What must we do to stop this catastrophy, Haruka? Our resources, such as they are right now, are at your disposal."
[19:05] "I'd like confirmation on what's happening with Searrs, if possible. Whatever the fuss is in America is probably them. Now, there are still some civilian survivors here on Fuka. Getting them off the island would be great, if that's possible, because I don't think we're done putting this place through the wringer just yet."
[19:06] "Now, we tore up all the military forces we could find, but it might not be all of them, so sending men here might not be a reasonable risk if we don't have the resources to spare on scouting things out first. Recognizance is our friend here."
[19:10] "If you girls handle security on your end, I'll send a relief force," Hiro agrees readily. "It will take some time. How many people will we be evacuating?"
[19:11] Haruka turns to Yukino. "Yukino, give me an estimate?"
[19:14] "Several hundred," Yukino voices. "Under a thousand, however you look at it."
[19:14] "I see," Hiro responds gravely. "I will arrange for supplies as well. As for Searrs, Haruka... without means of communication there's nothing I can do."
[19:17] Haruka nods. "Alright. Do what you can for the survivors, then. I'll call you if I leanr anything else on my end. Yukino, anything I'm forgetting here?"

<--->

<--->

[19:19] "So all the communication channels to the United States have been cut off, I take it?" Nao and Akira hear Yukino say as they approach the cavern where Nao and Haruka had previously found her.
[19:20] "Sounds like it," Haruka says.
[19:21] "Not the United States," Hiro responds, his voice echoing. "You misunderstood me, Haruka. The entire continent."
[19:22] "But the rest of the world is fine?" calls Nao, as she approaches.
[19:23] "As far as we can te--"
[19:23] White noise replaces Hiro's voice abruptly, and Yukino looks cross.
[19:23] Haruka frowns. "Hrm. Lost the connection, Yukino?"
[19:24] "Yes. How mysterious."
[19:24] Haruka frowns more! "I dislike mysterious things. I don't understand them."
[19:25] Nao stops at that point. "Hmm. Shorter range than I thought. I can hear from back here, do carry on," notes Nao, stepping back a few meters."
[19:25] The connection doesn't resume. "We were done, anyway," Yukino admits with a small sigh.
[19:26] "Any revelations afoot?"
[19:28] "Probably nothing you couldn't guess. Mass hysteria, world ending, all that stuff. Suzushiro people are on the way to get the civilians off the island, but that's about it."
[19:29] "The sky of the mainland has veins going through it," Yukino adds helpfully.
[19:31] "For all the good that'll do if the world grinds itself to pieces," murmurs Nao, her moodiness tilting back towards depression. "Kinda makes our little foibles seem small, huh..."
[19:32] "I wouldn't stop even if I could," Akira says simply to that. "The world has to be set right. This changes nothing."
[19:32] Yukino suddenly looks alert.
[19:32] "Akira's right. What we have to do is still the same."
[19:33] "Naturally. So. How to do that. Who knows? Mashiro. First District. Locked away within our own faulty minds."
[19:35] "The big question," Yukino states, settling back comfortably onto her makeshift throne, "is whether Mashiro is yet another face of the First District. If they are not on the same side, then tackling either of them is quite possible."
[19:36] "We need to confront Mashiro anyway. I'd assume she's still on the island--why run if she wants to win the contest?--so finding her is our best option. Unless any of you know where to find a First District informant we can lean on."
[19:37] "Do we?" Akira asks suddenly. "Is going through Mashiro even necessary?"
[19:38] "I don't know where anyone useful is, myself."
[19:39] "This world appears to be a good result for her," notes Nao. "I don't think she'd sit idly by and let us try something like this. Killing her, though... I'd enjoy it." Nao pauses. "If we can find any of their facilities, finding someone to talk wouldn't be an issue."
[19:40] "Like I said before, if we get to one of our safe houses, we'll have access to all the information we might need." Akira looks at Nao beyond what might be otherwise polite, before continuing, "I'm certain of it. This is my suggestion."
[19:41] "How close is the nearest one of these hideouts?"
[19:41] "Except one thing, I'll bet," notes Nao. "I don't know what you've got there, but do you have anything that'll locate Mai?"
[19:43] Rather than respond, Akira raises her eyes towards Yukino.
[19:43] "The same one we visited briefly, Haruka-chan," Yukino comments. "I doubt they would have gone farther than absolutely necessary while fleeing Fuka with faulty equipment."
[19:44] "Hmm?"
[19:44] "You were there, too."
[19:47] "Oh. Right. So. Fastest way there? Giant frog?"
[19:49] "Quite possibly," Yukino agrees.
[19:49] "What about Mai?" Akira interrupts. "You know well what I meant! You have all those mirrors to search the island with, so--"
[19:49] "Ah, that's right," Yukino says. "I had them. But your information is outdated. They were too fragile to survive this series of battles."
[19:52] "What about the PA system?"
[19:52] Nao pauses. "It's probably not intact anymore, is it..."
[19:53] "No, that's actually a good idea," Yukino says, pursing her lips. Akira seems hopeful. "Yes, it might take a bit of work, but I could manage that."
[19:53] "It can work even when the buildings are all flattened?"
[19:54] "The infrastructure probably wasn't completely wiped out, and the PA things work off a different system to the rest of the island." Nao shrugs. "With the military and ships gone, it's fine to coordinate a meeting publically."
[19:54] "Obviously, the controls for it that existed in those buildings are no longer there. But this is where the core of the system is, after all," Yukino responds evenly, patting the arm of her chair.
[19:55] "Give it a try. We need to get everyone together for evacuation anyway."
[19:55] She nods at Nao's words. "Yes, that was my concern as well with using an active system. But all the players who matter would know about Mai's situation, already, and that I have taken control of the system."
[19:55] "What else can this place do?" asks Nao, gazing at all the monitors.
[19:55] Nao notices that more of the monitors have gone out, but not enough to truly impede coverage of the island.
[19:56] "I can't activate it the way it is," Yukino tells Haruka, ignoring Nao's question.
[19:57] Haruka looks frustrated. "Then why mention it? Okay, what can we do from here?"
[19:58] "All good things are worth waiting for."
[19:58] "Just as long as we don't have to wait 'til after the apocrypha."
[19:59] "I don't know. Do we have a schedule on it?"
[20:02] "I have had it with this," snaps Nao, her temper flaring. "The straight answers, Kikukawa. We need them, if for no other reason that you might accidentally die stupidly, leaving us without that information and possibly crippling efforts that would, by the by, bring you back to life."
[20:03] Yukino laughs at the outburst. "I'll repeat myself, then. The PA system cannot work right now. It can be made to work, because it's core is here by all indications. I don't know how long it would take me to fix it. I don't know how long we really have, either. But I'm reasonably confident I'll manage in time. Was that all, or did I say more that needs repeating?"
[20:06] "Alright, you two, that's enough! Look, Yukino? Do whatever you can to get the PA up and running as quickly as possible. I don't care if it's a hack job, it doesn't need to be in use for long."
[20:08] "That would be a mistake," Yukino states. "It's in a delicate enough state right now. I don't want to risk ruining it in case this single use wouldn't be enough."
[20:08] Haruka sighs. "Alright, alright, you're the expert, not me."
[20:10] Yukino sighs herself. "Look. I fried enough of it using it before, all because we thought using it just the once would be enough. If I force it now on the same assumption, even I won't be able to recover it afterwards."
[20:11] "How long would it take you to fix?"
[20:11] "Hours, and it would go faster if someone was around to help. But it can't be you, and you know why."
[20:13] Haruka looks at the other two. "That's probably me."
[20:15] Yukino wilts ever so slightly. "As long as you follow orders it should be fine," she mutters. "Alright. The Suzushiro Group should bring emergency supplies, and I should be able to get in touch with you if you go for that hideout of yours." She glances at Akira and Nao. "Best of luck, then, to us all?"
[20:15] "Fine, just... Is there anywhere worth investigating left on Fuka Island itself? I think there are.. relics or systems of some kind, connected to the Hime and the Hime Star. Like that place in the mountain. I can't exactly help Akira use communications gear, either..."
[20:17] "Maybe," Yukino says thoughtfully, standing up. "Come with me. Since I can't just display things for you, I'll have to show it to you the old-fashioned way." She begins heading out of the cavern. "Watch the kids until I get back, won't you, Haruka-chan?"

<--->

<--->

[19:50] Akira shuffles uncomfortably as she eyes the scared children. Her eyes dart towards the entrance to the cave that Nao and Yukino had left through ever so often, but she seems content to wait for the time being.
[19:54] "So," Haruka starts awkwardly, not sure what to do with the time herself and making an attempt at conversation, "you and Tokiha, uh, living together...I'm pretty sure that violates several school guidelines." Her heart doesn't really seem to be into the whole enforcer role by this point, though.
[19:56] "Kazahana handled the room assignments," Akira mutters, her mood dropping visibly. "Take it up with her."
[19:57] "I guess it doesn't matter by this point," Haruka concedes.
[20:02] "So what are you fighting for?" Akira asks suddenly, turning to examine Haruka more closely.
[20:07] "I'm not really sure anymore," Haruka admits. She flexes an arm, morphing into a variety of lethal implements before speaking again. "But if there's one thing I'm suited for now, it's making sure that the people responsible for perpetrating this nightmare pay for it."
[20:08] "With their lives?"
[20:10] Haruka shrugs. "If that's the only way to fix things. And by this point, adding a few more to my name hardly matters."
[20:13] "Right." Akira seems to want to say more, but Yukino enters the cave at that time. The two exchange a brief nod, and Akira returns her eyes to Haruka. "I hope we'll get to do that. Fix thing, that is."
[20:18] "Well, hope's one thing. Determination's another."
[20:21] Haruka gets a nod of acknowledgement from Akira, before the ninja leaves.
[20:21] "I suppose we should start," Yukino muses, coming closer. She struts on approach, in a way Haruka would never have believed Yukino capable of mere days previously. She admires Haruka's bronze form. "So that claw truly doesn't affect you?" Yukino asks casually.
[20:24] "Claw? What do you mean?" Haruka asks.
[20:25] "Green energy, kills... just about everything?" Yukino's eyes draw to the monitors hanging overhead. "Except the Obsidian Lord's own technology, of course."
[20:26] "I don't know. Nao hasn't had a reason to use it on me yet. I don't plan to give her one."
[20:30] "That's not what I meant," Yukino says, holding her hand out, palm up. A vine grows out of the ground, pushing stone aside, and deposits several tools there. "Your body isn't disrupted by its very presence?"
[20:30] "Not so far."
[20:32] "How strange," Yukino notes. "I recall how Miyu had the ability to dissolve Hime attacks. It's strange that you wouldn't be affected in the slightest." The vine retracts, no tools offered to Haruka, though Yukino comments, "You've got this part handled, right?"
[20:33] "Well, a lot of things about me are strange these days," Haruka notes. "Remind me again: which part?"
[20:35] "Tools," Yukino speaks, looking pointedly at Haruka's arm, still morphed into a very lethal-looking scythe.
[20:37] Haruka blinks. "Oh, sure. Just tell me what you need." She wanders over to Yukino, glad to be of use for something that doesn't involve mass death.
[20:42] "What you have right now would do for this task," Yukino tells Haruka, leading her towards an empty corner of the cavern. "I got the kids to stay away from here because I think some of the infrastructure goes down there and I didn't want the hassle of having to move them later if I needed something done in a hurry. First, we'll need to get rid of the stone here and expose what's beneath it."
[20:43] "Right." Haruka nods and goes to work, knowing from experience that mere stone can't stand up to her assault.
[20:47] She works patiently-- "No, Haruka-chan, watch the cables!" --and has the area excavated in a short amount of time.
[20:47] "Now, someone will need to touch the cables and see if the isolation survived the stress of being abused just hours previously," Yukino states with authority. "Nothing seems outright melted down here, which is a good sign, but it never hurts to be cautious."
[20:51] "Don't you mean insulation, Yukino?" Haruka corrects. "And you might want to stand back. I doubt electricity will hurt me anymore, but I probably conduct it really well."
[20:53] Yukino giggles, for a moment looking just like Haruka's old childhood friend. "I never thought I would see the day, Haruka-chan," she says. Moving away as requested, she adds, "I doubt you could hurt me, but if it makes you feel better...."
[20:54] Haruka nods and does as requested. "Alright, here goes nothing."
[20:56] Nothing, Yukino must have been right on the money--
[20:57] Power. It is but a lazy pulse, but Haruka feels it. The part of her body making contact with the outer layer of the excavated cables tingles slightly, as Haruka is drawn to partake in that power, and make it her own.
[20:57] "Anything?"
[20:58] "There's something there," Haruka says. "It feels...good, for some reason. Maybe I run on electricity now?"
[20:59] "How strange," Yukino comments. "Does it mean the protective layer is damaged?"
[21:00] "I'd guess so."
[21:05] Yukino frowns. "I hope it doesn't hurt our estimate." She brings up a floating, translucent image of the chamber. "This is our lifeline, so to speak, at least as far as the Obsidian Lord'
s systems go," she elaborates, as the cables appear on the map. They seem to go deeper, leaving the three-dimensional model behind altogether. (more)
[21:07] "Aside from that, we appear to have a sort of barrier generated by a quintet of independant power-storing modules -- batteries to you, I suppose. I can redirect their output towards other uses with your help." Another line runs through the map, and noticing Haruka glance at it, Yukino waves in dismissal. "That's the regular power he was getting from the school. It's gone now along with some key controls."
[21:08] "Alright. What does fixing this do for us?"
[21:15] "If the main power supply is unreliable? Plenty. We'll have to sacrifice our defenses, however, and in a way that they couldn't be fixed. The defensive barrier wasn't really designed to be used this way, so I'll need to pretty much break it to get it to power anything else."
[21:17] "Right. Is there anything you need me to do?"
[21:20] With another grand gesture -- she's certainly making plenty of those lately -- five stone pillars rise up on on the outskirts of the cavern, forming a five-pointed star. They give Haruka a momentary feeling of dread, which quickly passes when she realizes they are not the same as in her vision.
[21:20] "I need to you to strip all that stone," Yukino says. "It'll just get in the way."
[21:22] "Right, I can do that," Haruka says, going about her business, and quite glad to apply her abilities to something that will neither shoot at her or scream in horror in response.
[21:26] The stone doesn't fight back. Haruka breaks through it on the first monolith, stopping herself just in time before hitting the machinery beneath. It is as if she can tell where power rests; not the same kind as what she had brushed against while touching the cables, but something noticeable in its own right still.
[21:26] That thought brings Haruka back to her excavation project, and a glance there reveals Yukino crouching by the disturbed ground. The younger girl seems to be maintaining a high level of concentration.
[21:28] "So far so good, Yukino?" Haruka asks, moving on to the other monoliths to give them the same treatment./
[21:30] Yukino doesn't respond, though it is in doubt she even heard the question. Haruka is done with two more of the pillars before Yukino finally steps back. "This should do it," she says in satisfaction.
[21:31] Haruka nods and stops.
[21:33] "Oh, I meant myself," Yukino tells her, approaching one of the pillars herself. "Together, we really should be done faster." Vines grow around her target, reaching out to lash
at it, chipping away the surface bit by bit. "It is such a shame that we couldn't work together like this from the start, Haruka-chan."
[21:38] "Yeah, well...maybe the next time a global crisis hits us, I'll be less confused about it all."
[21:39] "So what's Akira's role in all this?"
[21:42] Haruka glances over at the exit. "I guess she's fighting for Takumi," she says. "Other than that, you probably know at least as much as I do."
[21:45] Yukino shakes her head in irritation. "No. I meant in all this, the part where we win and seize the prize. We could still manage it with three, thanks to you two killing our
best chance at setting things right, so where does our fifth ninja wheel come into the equation?"
[21:51] Haruka looks pretty irritated herself. "Yukino, I can't look at people like they're just obstacles or inconveniences. There has to be another way to end all this," she insists, "and
we'll beat it out of Mashiro once we find her. If she really doesn't have anything, well...we can worry about contingent plans then."
[21:55] "I suppose we don't really need a sky," Yukino muses.
[21:56] "Well how many lives ARE you willing to sacrifice, Yukino? It has to stop somewhere."
[21:57] "I don't bother counting," she says, sounding frank. "Who cares? We'll just raise them back, like in a game."
[21:58] Haruka sees the gathered children tremble in the background.
[22:02] "THIS ISN'T A GAME. When did you get so cynical, Yukino? What happened? We're NOT going to go through this looking at everyone like they're pieces on a board. That's what Searrs
and the First District did, and I REFUSE to be like them. Someone in this mess has to have a conscious. You wouldn't talk about throwing lives away so casually if you'd been out there fighting
insted of just watching and letting other people do it for you."
[22:05] "They did it badly," Yukino says, a smile playing across her lips. "And I choose when and where to fight my battles, Haruka-chan." She laughs. "I can't help it, I'm sorry,"
Yukino confesses, shaking her head. "It's not the killing people part you have a problem with, not as long as it's covered up by nice ephitets and paying homage to your sensibilities.
[22:05] It's being callous about it that's the true, unforgivable crime! My, I never knew this about you."
[22:12] "Yukino, dammit--I HAVE killed people, yes, some of them by accident and some who didn't deserve it, and I don't want to see that happen again if there's any way we can avoid
it. Stop playing games with words."
[22:14] "Here that is again. If there is any way we can avoid it," Yukino quotes scornfully, mirth draining away. "Tell me, Haruka-chan, would you still try to do things that way,
despite knowing that things would go much easier and have a far higher chance of success if you just fell in line earlier without going through those motions?"
[22:18] "You know what I think? The easiest route isn't always the best! I think that if being an amoral schemer is the only way to win then winning isn't worth it. And I think maybe I
don't know who this person I'm talking to really is anymore."
[22:22] "I had much the same revelation earlier," Yukino agrees, sounding disappointed. "I think I'll be fine after all on my own, trying to win the game that isn't really worth it by
amoral, scheming means. The world would be saved, but that's hardly important because I'll have had my hands dirty in the process."
[22:22] She shrugs, indicating the monitor displaying a patch of shore. Haruka thinks it is near where the Academy's harbor used to be. Several ships are approaching it, civillian
vessels by the looks of it. "Daddy came riding to the rescue? Someone would need to go meet our saviors."
[22:23] "Right," Haruka says brusquely, glad for an excuse to be out of the room, "I'm on it."

<--->

<--->

[19:48] Making her way out of Yukino's hideout is an easy task for someone of her capabilities. As she stands there, treading that mockery of Fuka Academy's campus, Haruka is faced with a choice -- going towards the ships straight away, or trying to lead the survivors towards them.
[19:50] Haruka opts to go to the ships alone first. If there is anyone left out there who could be a threat, Haruka doesn't need a gang of kids to defend during the encounter.
[19:55] Haruka can see them from a distance, a forest no longer concealing the view, and the smoke from the fires having lessened a great deal due to burning through what flammable still remained. Four boats in number, looking much like she would expect to see in a private yacht or on a tourist cruise. Three have docked, while the last one is keeping some distance from shore.
[19:55] People have disembarked in the time it took Haruka to get there; they don't seem to be wearing any particular uniform or carrying weapons.
[19:56] Haruka approaches them, waving when she's still some distance away. The sooner these people get used to the strange sight of MetalliHaruka, the better.
[20:01] She gets some startled looks, but no one appears to be panicking.
[20:04] "Hi," she starts lamely when she's close enough for conversation. "It's me, Haruka. I know I warned father that I'd look different, but I don't imagine any of you were prepared for this. My apologies for the disturbing nature of my appearance at this time. Now, if you'll follow me, there are many frightened children who need to get off this island."
[20:07] "Just the children?" a man asks, coming closer. "Yamane Seiji. Your father placed me in charge of this expedition."
[20:10] "I haven't canvassed the town looking for survivors yet. There probably are some and they should also be evacuated, but we take the children first because I at least know where they are. I can lead you to a group of them. Please follow me." She heads back to Yukino's cave.
[20:15] Haruka spots Seiji gesture to the others as she turns around, and he soon falls into step with her. At least a dozen more are following nearby. The man by her side resembles a carreer soldier with his short-cropped hair and that somewhat stiff posture. His clothes are practical, at least, which applies to the entire relief force, from what Haruka had seen thus far.
[20:15] "I was under the impression you had allies on the island," Seiji says, his voice kept low.
[20:17] "Yes. Not so many as I would've hoped, and I can't vouch for the whereabouts of all of them. Yukino is in the cave, looking after the children--" probably an exaggeration, but whatever, "--but I imagine she'll be staying with me. Why do you ask?"
[20:22] Seiji taps his earpiece, nodding in satisfaction afterwards. "Good, our electronics work. We have short-range communication." Turning towards Haruka as they walk, he says, "Your father wanted you, Yuuki Nao, Kikukawa Yukino and any other unique individuals you have managed to get on your side to have some information that fell into his hands. It's not about Searrs, but he believed it to be important."
[20:25] "Alright. We'll be with Yukino soon enough; Yuuki Nao and Akira are still working with me, to the best of my knowledge, though they're elsewhere right now. What is it that we need to know?"
[20:30] "There is a certain thesis that was sent to individuals your father referred to as 'Hime'," Seiji says, sounding as if he is testing the term. "It is my understanding that your father was observing the individuals you named as belonging to that group. He received this information too late to deliver it to you before all this--" Seiji glances up at the blackened skies, "--broke loose, and it is extensive enough he didn't get a chance to tell it to you over the phone under that short notice, before the call got disconnected."
[20:32] "Alright. Is this 'thesis' something you can subsidize for me, or do you have a report to hand over?"
[20:34] "We brought a hardcopy along, though it seems this would work just as well." Seiji hands Haruka a small handheld device. "The entire thing was scanned into this."
[20:36] "Excellent, thank you." She takes the device and starts to glance through the files contained at is as they approach the cave.
[20:37] It would certainly take some time to peruse in full, and there is no convenient summary. A name on the front page catches Haruka's eye right away, however. The thesis is written by Midori Sugiura.
[20:39] "Sugiura!" she says aloud, surprised to be encountering that name again. "This comes from a reliable source, at least," she says. Does the title of the report give her any helpful hints on its contents?
[20:40] The work seems to be done on the Carnival and its history.
[20:40] "This should be useful. I'll read through it as soon as we're done evacuating the civilians."
[20:42] "Will we be abandoning the island altogether, or making a stand here?"
[20:44] "I'll be staying. All due respect to you and your men, but I'm better equipped to deal with the other Hime. Your job is to get anyone not involved in the Festival away from this island before violence breaks out again. Because I feel like it's only a matter of time before that happens."
[20:50] "We can handle that part," he agrees. The rest of the trip is made in silence, although once at their destination, Haruka has to help the men sent by her father navigate the caverns.
[20:50] Yukino is tinkering with one of the stripped pillars. She doesn't give any indication that she had seen them, but Haruka doesn't find it likely something like that could slip by her old friend.
[20:53] "Yukino?" Haruka says for the sake of appearances. "We've come to evacuate the children. If you know of any survivors in what's left of the town, my father's men will need to know their locations." She walks over with the report in hand. "And I think you'll want to read this."
[20:56] "Mmm?" Yukino looks up from her work. The moment her eyes land on the device's monitor, she nods. "Yes, I should take a break." The screens above flash, beginning to display a seemingly random montage of images. Only after a few moments does Haruka realize that Yukino had done as she'd asked, as survivors can be seen on them.
[21:01] "Great, thanks Yukino." To Seiji: "There we go. Take down the coordinates of the people shown on the screens. Those are our survivors." Haruka tries to remember...was there anyone left in Nao's cave? Not that they'd be glad to see Haruka, but they should be evacuated too.
[21:04] Haruka doesn't recall Nao or Akira ever mentioning evacuating the older students. Yukino waves back at the gratitude without looking away from the handheld; Seiji nods curtly. "It would take us a bit of time to get through the island, but as long as the path is clear, we should have that time."
[21:13] Haruka nods. "See to it." She cups her hands over her mouth and addresses the assembled children: "Okay, boys and girls. As a duly designated representative of the Executive Committee, I am announcing the evacuation of Fuka Academy. These men work for the Suzushiro Corporation, which we all know and love. They will take you to their boats and escort you to the mainland to be reunited with your families."
[21:17] There is a murmur at her words, the children sounding uncertain. Once adults normal in appearance and displaying no special powers approach them with blankets and water, however, their relief is palpable.
[21:24] More Suzushiro employees keep on coming, and the following groups bring more equipment with them, after the reports go out through the wireless for what is needed the most. Haruka is introduced to Shino Renji, the leader of one such groups charged with evacuating the other cavern.
[21:24] It is a relatively short trip there from her present location. Tokiha Takumi is standing by the entrance, looking up at the sky.
[21:26] "Tokiha? Hate to break your little reverence, but we're evacuating the students. Could you...speak to the people in the cave for me? The last time I spoke to them, we parted on bad terms."
[21:29] "I heard about that, Suzushiro-san," Takumi says neutrally, though he doesn't flinch away from Haruka or show any anger. Looking past her at the Suzushiro men and women, the boy asks, "Any chance of you having some clothing? Even overalls or coats would be fine."
[21:31] Haruka doesn't see any reason to deny that request, strange as it is. "Well? Anyone got anything to spare?"
[21:34] "An unusual request," Renji admits, tapping his earpiece and having a hushed coversation through it. "We have winter gear, essentially, which translates to coats, Suzushiro-san. It would take half an hour to get unpacked and delivered, since it wasn't a priority upon arrival. Should we wait?"
[21:35] To Takumi: "How many people do we need this for?"
[21:37] "Several hundred. It's better to have some remaining than to go without, isn't it?"
[21:40] Haruka blinks, glances from Takumi to the Suzushiro men, then back again. "Should I ask what happened here--wait, never mind." Light dawns in her memory! It's been a long, long day. To Renji: "Yeah, I'm afraid this'll be a priority."
[21:42] "Anything to put those inside at ease," Takumi agrees, and Renji nods, retreating to give them some privacy while he arranges for this.
[21:44] Haruka waits with Takumi. Though..."I guess it'd best if the kids inside didn't see me again, wouldn't it?"
[21:47] "At this point, would it really matter?" he asks her.
[21:48] "It might for them. Last time they saw me, I was killing people. I had to talk Nao out of going bulemic on me."
[21:50] "I heard that too," Takumi repeats. "Do you think that Oneechan was...." He seems to realize how tactless it would be to ask, and trails off lamely.
[21:52] Haruka just shrugs. "I don't know what I think about a lot of things at this point."
[21:57] He nods, remaining silent. The wait is not a long one; it has barely been twenty five minutes when the first shipment has arrived, and the group carrying it is comprised of women, Haruka notices. Takumi leads them inside, and a trickle of students begins to leave soon afterwards, starting with the junior high's lower grades.

<--->

<--->

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"In other words, fat."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"No."

"Can you expectorate?"

"I can do that," replies Nao.

"Rocks fall, everyone dies."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yukino pauses herself, looking at Nao curiously.

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

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

"Shizuru killed both of you."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nao shrugs. "Let's hear it."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"That's the idea, yes."

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Power and the freedom to use that power."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Win by normal means?" guesses Nao.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nao's claw pulsates rather noticably.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"You mean beat her into being sensible."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Green beats red."

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

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

Haruka looks at Yukino expectantly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<--->

<--->

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"You disagree?"

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

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

"Isn't Takumi still on the island?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Go for it."

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

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

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

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

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

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

There is a loud beep.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nao looks at Yukino.

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

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

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

Yukino, meanwhile, shakes her head silently to Haruka.

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

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

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

There is no immediate response.

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

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

Hiro coughs.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Right," Yukino agrees with a crooked smile.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<--->

<--->

[20:59] Seiji is easily spotted supervising what seems like the evacuation's final stage as Haruka makes it towards the Suzushiro group's temporary base.
[21:01] "Seiji!" Haruka calls out, marching towards the man. "I need some information. My father said you could point me in the right direction."
[21:02] "I'll try to live up to his expectations," the man returns. Another takes over smoothly for him, as Seiji devotes his attention to Haruka.
[21:03] "I need to reach a television station on the mainland. One we have some influence over, whichever's closest."
[21:08] Seiji consults his palm-sized computer. "Your best option would be getting in contact with Sakurada Minami from NHK. She's worked with us before, and if you catch a ride with us, you'll be able to reach her swiftly. Unless you have other, faster means of leaving the island?"
[21:10] "Well, I doubt I could swim faster than your boats. How soon are you leaving? I don't have a lot of time to spare."
[21:11] "Two of the ships will be leaving as soon as the rest of the students and those we've managed to discover so far will board them." Haruka can tell that it wouldn't take long, twenty more minutes at most given their present progress. "We'll be diverting from the plan afterwards, and keep on looking for other survivors. Don't worry, those staying are all volunteers."
[21:12] Haruka nods. "Alright, that'll do. Point me in the direction of whichever ship's leaving first."
[21:13] "These two vessels would be departing together," Seiji says, sweeping his arm towards the shore. Another ship is docked by the one currently taking on refugees.
[21:14] Haruka thanks Seiji and boards one of the ships. Preferably one where she recognizes few of the students, as taking a boat ride with the older students would be awkward.
[21:19] There aren't any students on the deck that Haruka recognizes. Time passes, going impossibly slowly, but then comes the moment she had been waiting for. The ship leaves Fuka, laborously at first and then picking up more speed.
[21:20] Apart from sitting by the prow and keeping a watchful eye for any other ships loitering around the island, Haruka has no particular plans for the boat trip.
[21:28] As the mainland comes into view, Haruka can at last see what her father was talking about. Unlike the black skies above Fuka itself, the first thought that jumps into her mind is that the view is unnatural. It is as if the sky was made of an endless plane of glass, and someone threw a large rock at it.
[21:28] She can understand why someone would call the cracks overhead living veins, but to her, it seems more like something behind that broken sky, impossibly large and menacing, is trying to break through.
[21:30] And Haruka doesn't need to be told what it is! Seeing it only fuels her desire to rid the world of this unnatural menace.
[21:34] Haruka's ship is the first to make landfall. "Miss Suzushiro," a woman approaches her, offering a handheld device much like the one she was given earlier. "I was told to provide you with the directions and a bit of background information on your contact. Unfortunately, we couldn't supply you with a vehicle at this time."
[21:35] "I'll run," she says without complaint. "What have you got for me?"
[21:40] "Sakurada Minami-sama, age thirty two. Blonde, owning to a foreign grandfather of european ancestry. Your father sponsored her through college via a Suzushiro group scholarship. She has a good working relationship with the Suzushiro group, owning to striking friendships during that time and bolstering those ties afterwards."
[21:41] Haruka accepts the handheld device, peering at it quizzically. "And she works for NHK?"
[21:43] "That is correct, Miss Suzushiro," the brunette, appearing to be in her mid-twenties, responds. "We believe that she is presently in their branch here. It is unlikely that she would have been able to return with recent happenings."
[21:45] "Alright, thanks for your assistance. I'll contact her immediately. There isn't any time to lose."
[21:46] "Best of luck," Haruka is wished. The handheld details the course she would need to take. An hour by car, although she's certain she could do better.
[21:48] Haruka sets off on foot at top speed! If she finds someone with a vehicle, she'll flag them down and commandeer it, but she's not wandering around town looking for one right now. Not when she's a tireless machine herself!
[21:52] As soon as Haruka hits the streets, she can see for herself that it wouldn't be an option. Young people, mostly those in their early-to-mid twenties and teens, are out on the streets en masse, and many store fronts had been smashed. A pair of burning cars add to the image of bedlam.
[21:55] What's wrong with people? The end of the world might be coming and everyone's out looting TVs? Fools! Criminals! DELINQUENTS! Sadly Haruka doesn't have time to discipline this rabble, though. She does her best to ignore it all as she races through town to the station.
[21:57] Haruka is hardly ignored in turn, her ears catching up startled expletives as surely as her eyes spot the looks thrown her way. No one wants to step in her way, however, or give chase.
[21:59] Those lawbreakers had better stay out of her way, or she'd bowl them down! It'll have to do for now. Priorities, Haruka, priorities! We're trying to save the world here, there's no time to worry about the local Megamart!
[22:00] Her destination is an NHK branch office, immediately recognizable as soon as Haruka is near it. The office building appears intact, guards seen in the lobby through the reinforced glass doors. They don't open as Haruka comes closer.
[22:02] No time for subtlety! Haruka barrels right through the glass and screeches to a halt in the lobby. "On behalf of the Suzusiro Corporation, I need to speak with Sakurada Minami IMMEDIATELY."
[22:04] The guards gape, though whether at her appearance or the way she crashed into the lobby. They recover in record time, however, rushing Haruka with their nightsticks!
[22:06] Haruka sighs. Let them try to beat her down and see how useless it is. "Guys, I don't have time for this."
[22:08] A particularly hard slam against the side of her face moves Haruka's head sideways. None of the blows harm her, however, and the guards seem to realize that as well, backing away. Fear is clear on their faces.
[22:11] "Are we done being heroic?" Irritation is clear in Haruka's voice. "You've earned your salad for the day, alright? Notify Sakurada that I'm here and let me through. I don't mean anyone harm but I don't have time to waste."
[22:12] "Sakurada who?"
[22:14] "Sakurada Minami. I was told that she works here." She rolls her eyes. Is there a receptionist around, at least?
[22:14] There was one, though the time the guards had bought allowed her to flee inside. "Must be a mistake, then."
[22:17] Haruka strides around the desk to take the receptionist's place. "Okay, fine, I'll just look her up on your computer system. I'm going to find what I need, it's just a matter of time. Problem IS, we don't have time to waste. You guys looked
at the sky recently? Quit playing dumb and help me out here before it comes crashing down on us."
[22:20] No one by the name of Sakurada Minami is listed as employed at the branch office. The guards exchange looks, standing warily before the lift.
[22:22] Haruka thumps a fist on the desk, leaving a sizable dent in its surface. "This IS the NHK building, right?" she says, looking from one guard to another.
[22:25] The lift's doors open as Haruka speaks, revealing a blonde behind them. "Yes, it is," she says, stepping past the guards. "Suzushiro Haruka?"
[22:26] "That's me," Haruka says. About time SOMEONE knew who she was!
[22:28] "And living up to your reckless reputation, it seems," the woman comments. The guards look between her and Haruka's form warily. "Did they never teach you to knock?"
[22:28] "I was in a rush."
[22:30] "I'm tempted to ask how that worked out for you, in the way of saving time, but let's cut straight to the chase," the blonde says. "I'm Sakurada, and I just got a call from your father. It sounded like you had something important to say, so let's hear it."
[22:33] "Yes. It's about...the strangeness going on. I'm sure you've heard about the chaos in Fuka? It involves that as well as that mess up in the sky. We need to make an announcement to get the attention of the people behind it all. Something they can't miss."
[22:34] "Chaos in Fuka? You mean that supposed convergence of natural phenomena?"
[22:36] "Is that what people are calling it?" Haruka snorts. "It's a disaster, that's what it is. Anyway, time's running out. If this announcement's to have any effect, it needs to happen right now. Take me to your studio. I can promise that at the very least..."
[22:37] "...I'll make for interesting viewing." Haruka extends an arm and morphs it through a variety of shapes by way of demonstration: hammer, yo-yo, umbrella...
[22:38] "That's not how it works," Minami says flatly, attempting to push her glasses back up her nose. As Haruka's arm transforms unnaturally, she uses too much force, sending them tumbling off the bridge of her nose and on the floor as she gapes at her openly.
[22:42] "Actually, that is how it works. I don't care about your bronzecasting schedule, and I don't care about your sponsors. And right now, neither should you. You see this?" Haruka morphs into Minami! "This is nothing." She turns back. "We're talking about the end of the world here, and you can help me stop it or get knocked out of my way. And I'd rather not do that. Besides, you? You have OBLIGATIONS."
[22:43] "What the fuck?!" Minami exclaims. She looks at Haruka with some sort of sick fascination. "What the hell are you?"
[22:45] Haruka smiles. "Put me on TV and I'll explain everything."
[22:45] "The hell I will!" Minami snaps. "How do I even know you're the real Haruka and not-- not-- a goddamn bodysnatcher or something?!"
[22:50] "Call my father if you have to. He sent me here, he can pouch for me. If you want, you can have him ask me some questions only the REAL HARUKA would know. But you know what? Neither of us have time for that." She's starting to get irritated with this woman. Must resist the urge to slap her! "And you know, I WILL go to another network if I have to. But that's in neither of our best interests, right?"
[22:50] "Hmph. Go, then."
[22:52] "You're sure? You and your station won't regret later that you turned down THE most important story of your careers? Alright. But let me do one thing before I go." She heads back to the desk to pick up the phone and dials her father's number. "Let me just report to my father how you repaid our generous Suzushiro scholarship by turning away his daughter in the midst of a world crisis."
[22:54] "That wasn't a bribe, dammit!" Minami snaps, her features growing cold. "If you're really her, if you're really Suzushiro Haruka-- you don't own me!"
[22:57] "Oh, I must have touched a nerd with that one. Feeling guilty, Sakuraba?" Haruka listens to the phone ring, hoping her father will pick up soon so this whole farce can be put to an end.
[22:57] "Hello?" Haruka hears after three rings. It is her father's voice.
[22:57] Minami gives Haruka a truly withering glare and steps back into the lift; its doors close.
[22:59] Is it a portable phone? If so, Haruka will run with it to the lift and stop that bitch from just slinking away--by jamming her arm straight through the door and holding the lift back if necessary. "It's Haruka," she says on her way. "Our contact at the NHK isn't cooperating."
[23:01] It is a regular phone, to Haruka's disappointment. "What do you mean?" Hiro asks. "I've always known to Sakurada to be reasonable and professional in her dealings with us."
[23:02] "Well, apparently that courtesy doesn't extend to me. Unless you can do something to get these people to cooperate, I'll have to run to another station."
[23:03] Hiro is silent. "Haruka," he finally asks, "just what do you mean by cooperate?"
[23:04] "Well, for starters, it would help if she didn't call me a freak and run away in a snit."
[23:06] "I find that... hard to believe," Hiro says, sounding pained. "It also presents a problem. Our nearest other contact would be at least three hours away."
[23:09] "Alright, well...I'll follow her upstairs. If there's anything you could do to help on a, uh, professional level, it would be great."
[23:10] "Haruka," Hiro says, and he is sounding stern, now. "Do you mean that Sakurada literally fled from your presence?"
[23:11] "Well. Yes. But she was more annoyed than afraid."
[23:12] He sighs. "You are an important mission, Haruka. You said so yourself. Even if you did not have your position as a Suzushiro to think of, you must do everything to succeed in the mission you took on yourself! That is our way. Tell me, now, did you truly do everything you could?"
[23:15] "I'd say so! Maybe I was in a bit of rush because of the whole end of the world thing and I didn't waste any time on the pleasant trees, but come on! She was acting like it was just business as usual while the sky's falling outside!"
[23:19] "Not where the rest of us were," Hiro reminds her. "Yes, it looks horrible, especially with the loss in communications, but people who were neither in Fuka nor exposed to the supernatural until now are often eager to cling to what official story exists! Do you realize how much more comforting it is to cling to a scientific explanation over accepting an impossible truth?"
[23:20] Haruka sighs. "Okay, so. The Haruka way didn't work. I'd be grateful for your advice in moving forward."
[23:22] "Many people were brought to the brink with recent events," Hiro says gravely. "None is truly unaffected. Everyone is dealing in their own way. You must take that under consideration in your dealings with people." He pauses. "I will try to get in touch with Sakurada. My advice is to just wait where you are-- are you safe? I don't know if this advice would be plausible."
[23:24] "I'm safer than anyone else," Haruka admits. "I'm in the lobby. It should be alright."
[23:31] "Just give me some time, then," her father says. "Call me back in half an hour, whatever the outcome, alright?"
[23:32] "Of course. Thank you, father." She can't help but feel (and sound!) a little downcast.

<--->

<--->

[19:14] Time seems to crawl to a stop. Haruka spends the wait glancing from the wall-mounted clock and the wary-seeming guards. Their interest in Haruka doesn't seem to wane the more they all spend in each other's presence.
[19:18] When one of them presses a hand to his ear, tilting his head just so, the action is almost too sudden in the permeating lull. "Please take the elevator to the third floor," the man tells Haruka, his tone changing -- if not to welcoming, then at least less confrontational.
[19:19] Haruka manages to be gracious! "Thank you," she says, taking the elevator as directed.
[19:22] A woman meets her there; more a clerk than a proper receptionist. She can't disguise her reflexive flinch, even as she leads Haruka to a roon three doors down. Minami is seated there, along with a man in his fifties, dressed sharply in a suit.
[19:23] Haruka takes a seat across from them (assuming there's a chair for her. And why wouldn't there be?) "I apologize for my conduct before," she says to Minami (albeit grudgingly). "This has been a difficult time."
[19:29] "It has been," she agrees with a curt nod. "This is Takano Seishiro, and the one you'll really need to convince if you want to go on air." The man nods at Haruka as he is introduced.
[19:31] "What we have right now is fairly conclusive proof that you are... special." Minami frowns. "Your father has insisted that you would explain what you can. In any case, we cannot give you a stage without knowing what you are going to do with the opportunity. You might say it's akin to an attorney never asking someone a question they don't already know the answer to."
[19:32] "These are troubling times," Seishiro takes over for her. "We have a duty, an obligation to prevent mass hysteria. That goes even beyond the normal protections from libel and other legal aspects."
[19:35] "I understand. I need to ensure that a message reaches a certain group of people. People I don't otherwise know how to contact. You can package things however you feel is necessary to avoid causing a panic as long as I'm able to get their attention."
[19:38] He frowns. "We are not a telecommunication monolith. If anything, that would be your father's group."
[19:41] "If we knew how to reach these people, we would've done it already. We need something they can't ignore. A televised expose is just that."
[19:43] "The same people you're claiming are responsible for the current state of affairs?" Minami asks.
[19:45] "That's correct. I assume that I myself am enough proof that this is more than just some crazy conspiratorial theory?" She waves an arm--which briefly becomes a giant toothbrush--by way of demonstration.
[19:48] Minami flinches; Seishiro's reaction is more pronounced if one looks at his eyes, but otherwise he manages to maintain the illusion of staying calm and collected.
[19:48] "Again," Minami says, with more strength than previously, "just because you're--" She shakes her head. "I don't really know what, why and how. But how do we get from that to proof of you knowing anything? And what do you claim to know, anyway?"
[19:54] "That a secret organization has been forcing girls with unusual abilities, like me, to fight each other for the sake of some demonic entry," Haruka says without blinking. "It's a long story. And you know what? It doesn't really matter whether you believe that much or not, because I don't need to say everything on the air to get my point across. You can just present me as an eyewitness to the devastation on Fuka if you want."
[19:54] "The island was bombed by battleships. If that's not a story, I don't know what is."
[19:57] "Battleships belonging to a secret organization?" Minami asks in surprise. "I'm sorry, it's hard for me to get past that part, nevermind the magical girls fights."
[19:58] "Several of them were sunk just offshore, within the past twenty-four hours. I can show you where they are. Besides, the island WAS attacked. There's barely a building standing. A quick flyover would show you that much."
[20:04] "All flights have been grounded," Seishiro informs Haruka. "If you're right, then you would be the first one to make it off Fuka. Is there a second source who could corroborate your story?"
[20:04] Minami gives him a strange look, one she almost immediately covers up. "Also, if I may," she adds, "are you the one who sunk those ships? Who do they belong, anyway? Does this secret organization have a name?"
[20:06] "I left the island with a shipload of refugess," she says to Seishiro. "And more are on the way. Any of them could back me up. As for the organization, two were involved in a fight for the island: the First District, a local group and the people I need to reach; and the Searrs Foundation, from America. I'm told we can't reach America right now, though."
[20:06] "And I sunk several of the ships myself, yes."
[20:11] "There are two secret organizations, now?" Minami's voice has transcended mere disbelief. "And they both used their secret battleships to wage war at a small, remote island off the coast of Japan? A war we haven't heard about until now, but which utterly decimated the island, you're saying?"
[20:14] "That's correct," Haruka says, all seriousness. "All you need to do is look at the island. I defy you to find a better explanation once you've done that. It's still covered in dead soldiers." Haruka tries another appeal to her business sense! "If you don't cover the story now, someone else will later. Unless you think there's something more important going on?"
[20:20] "I don't know about this First District," Seishiro says, steepling his hands, elbows resting on the desk between Haruka and the two journalists. "But Searrs is a well-known name. Do you have any idea what will happen if we publically accuse them of this?
[20:20] And with communications out with the States and us lacking any certain means of witnessing the island for ourselves or getting a camera crew there, we can't corroborate it or even get a reaction from Searrs."
[20:27] "Personally, I don't care if you mention Searrs at all. As you say, we can't reach the States. Even if they saw the broadcast, they might not be able to respond, and they're not the ones I need to reach anyway. As far as I'm concerned, you can just present as an 'Early report of disaster on Fuka,' if you want. Just put my VOICE in as a witness, if that's what you want."
[20:28] "All I need to do is drop the right clues. First District WILL be listening for any indication that the media's caught onto the disaster, and they'll know what I mean. Suzushiro Corp. Boats can shuttle your people out to the island if need be. I need to go back there anyway."
[20:31] The two journalists exchange looks. "We can't broadcast from that far under present conditions," Seishiro says, frowning.
[20:31] Minami's eyes narrow. "What troubles me more is that the explicit intention of Suzushiro is to bring a shadowy group capable of such destruction into direct odds with us."
[20:42] "What materials would you need in order to broadcast?" Haruka asks Seishiro. "Worst case scenario, you broadcast from here and I join in by phone. As for the wrath of the First District...my remaining friends back on Fuka have something the First District needs. Something they can't complete their plans without. It'll be clear that any violence on their part will only make things worse."
[20:43] "For them, not us," Haruka adds with a grim smile.
[20:48] "What, with mutually assured destruction?" Minami asks, shaking her head. "Doesn't sound like it helped Fuka." She winces instantly. "I'm sorry. Whatever happened there, I was out of line just now." She raises her eyes to look at Haruka. "If all you've said is true... can you guarantee the safety of all those here?"
[20:51] Haruka ignores the faux pas graciously. With some effort, true. "I'll do everything I can. Get me a cel phone the First District can use to contact me--I lost my last one--and they should have no reason to even come here. But if it's necessary, I can ask for some Suzushiro people to be stationed here to beef up your security."
[20:54] "The Suzushiro group is another side to this?"
[20:56] "Not really. Only by virtue of me being dragged into the First District's sick little game. And MY only interest lies in stopping it all."
[21:02] Minami nods curtly as her question is answered. Another glance is exchanged, with Seishiro nodding as well.
[21:02] "I think we could do something about the second source," Minami announces as Seishiro leans back, clearly giving her the reigns. "You mentioned the Suzushiro group bringing people from the island? If we could get a few of them on the line, it should help us cover out bases." To Haruka's eyes, she doesn't seem particularly worried about that, but Seishiro nods in approval.
[21:04] "Alright. I left the rest of them with the boats as soon as we got ashore, and ran all the way here. Hopefully they're still in the vicinity, but it should take just a couple calls to track them down if they've been moved."
[21:08] "We can arrange that," Minami agrees. "Alright. So, again, what's the story? First District and another, unnamed American group used Fuka as a battleground, demolishing it in the process?"
[21:10] "If that's what you're comfortable with. You can be as vague as you feel necessary when it comes to placing responsibility for the disaster. Again, the First District knows who I am and they'll know I'm talking to them."
[21:17] Haruka lays out the story she intends to communicate over the airwaves (and she'll be plainly stating who she is, of course, to get the FD's attention): an armed group bombarded the island of Fuka and sent soldiers ashore to take the population hostage! The students of Fuka Academy were terrified, etcetera, much confused pleading as one would expect from kids.
[21:20] Some tried to fight back! Some fled! Some hid in the island's caves. It was there that the soldiers found the school's poor, crippled headmistress, miss Mashiro! Haruka got away at this point, but she can only assume that Mashiro's body is still there, in the caves...
[21:23] Oh how ashamed it makes one feel to have left behind an invalid, but otherwise Haruka wouldn't be here to share the story! She joined up with some other students and fled for the shore, one of the braver refugees actually fighting off a group of scouts with a mysterious black sword! Somewhere along the line another armed group showed up to oppose the first--Haruka's not sure about the chronology--as she was traumatized and everything was oh so confusing. The next thing she knew she was on a rescue ship with a group of other students. If any of her friends survived, please, PLEASE call her on her cel phone [the one she just asked for] to let Haruka know they're alright! She's worried to death and so on!
[21:48] As the story comes to a close, Haruka is alone with Minami in the room, Seishiro -- the head of the news desk, Haruka learns -- having left the room at the start of her explanation. "You're bronze," Minami states bluntly. "Don't take it the wrong way, but you as an innocent schoolgirl would be a hard sell. Think you're up to it?"
[21:50] "Well, yeah, that is a problem. It's why I thought you might want to run this as a phone interview instead."
[21:53] "It might hurt our credibility," Minami admits, biting down on her thumb's fingernail. "It's easily-confirmed that there are no lines to Fuka and the sattelite coverage is out throughout. There've been disruptions even in the regular service, though that's mostly the result of the systems being overwhelmed with the demand."
[21:53] She shakes her head. "So you have to be off the island to talk to us, and if so, why not come in?"
[21:55] "Alright, well...unless you think your makeup people can do a really good job of making me look normal, I guess it's up to my innate charisma to make things work."
[21:58] "We could place a curtain," Minami suggests. "Even disguise your voice. But that would have to cover your identity, then, which is something you wish to avoid."
[22:00] "Yes...maybe I have a ghastly wound from the violence on the island and everyone decided it was just best that I not be *shown*?"
[22:01] "And you're not in a hospital?"
[22:01] "...It was worth a shot."
[22:04] "If you want to alert First District--" Minami pauses abruptly. "It's just them, right? If you were to communicate with allies, you would use a code. So why not apply the same principle to your enemies? Our viewers would be kept in the dark about your identity, which works well enough for us. But if you say something First District would understand...."
[22:04] As time passes in conversation, Haruka can't help noticing that Minami opens up more and more to the idea of supernatural battles being fought by clandestine organizations.
[22:07] "Hm," Haruka muses. "That's not a bad idea. Something I can use for a fake name...Orihime, maybe..." Haruka tries to remember if she'd used the name in the presence of FD operatives (ones that lived through the encounter).
[22:08] It is incredibly hard for Haruka to think of anyone belonging to First District who got away from her with his or her life.
[22:10] Hm. Maybe Akane. They should know that Akane's dead. Maybe that would be enough of a clue.
[22:10] "Anything?"
[22:11] "Akane might do. She was another girl in their 'contest.' Someone they know is dead. That might get their attention."
[22:12] "Does anyone else?"
[22:14] "Just the rest of us Hime, I think. And it's a fairly common name, right? If someone didn't know what the story was with this peculiar Akane, they might not think twice about hearing the name."
[22:16] Minami nods. "I have enough, right now. I'll get your story out." She shakes her head. "I certainly did not believe that would happen when we first met. Still, this is only the first hurdle. You will make or break it, Suzushiro. And once it's all over, I'll expect to hear the entire thing."
[22:18] Haruka nods as well. "Sure, and...sorry about earlier." Ugh, apologies! It's like pulling teeth, acknowledging that Haruka of all people could be wrong about something, but it seems necessary.
[22:22] "Just don't... do that stuff while we're live," Minami warns her. "Take my word for it. Whatever results you want? You won't be getting them."
[22:22] "Don't worry. It's not like it worked out very well here."
[22:22] Minami shudders.
[22:24] "Anyway...I'm ready when you are."
[22:26] There is a knock at the door, and a male voice sounds through it, slightly muffled. "The studio is ready, Miss Sakurada."
[22:26] Minami smiles crookedly at Haruka. "So are we, it sounds."

<--->

<--->

[19:29] The preparations are a blur, much like the cliche goes. No one bothers with make up around Haruka; she receives a wireless microphone after several attempts to pin a standard one to her body fail.
[19:29] "In five, four, three," someone off the set is saying, gesturing the rest with his fingers. Haruka can't see him too clearly, being behind an opaque privacy screen.
[19:34] "We interrupt your normal broadcasting schedule," Minami is saying, Haruka attaching her voice to the indistinct blur located off to her right. "Good afternoon. I am Minami Sakurada, and welcome to this NHK special report.
[19:34] The island of Fuka had been at the heart of several heated debates, but all those have circled around a natural phenomenon of some sort. The truth, NHK has discovered, may well be far more sinister. Joining us today is Akane, an eyewitness to the events which had transpired earlier at Fuka."
[19:35] "H-hi," Haruka starts, trepidation clear in her unsteady teenage voice!
[19:41] "I know this is difficult, Akane," Minami says, seeming to turn towards Haruka, as far as the bronze girl can tell through the screen. "But this is a story that must be heard. Do you think you could tell us what happened there?"
[19:44] Haruka pauses to audibly draw a breath. "Yes, I'm ready. It was horrible, these people just came to the island, and I'm still not sure what they wanted...okay, I'll start at the beginning." Another pause.
[19:46] "Troops came to the school. They must have landed on the island in boats, since the bridge was out. Meanwhile, boats were bombing the the town from offshore. I didn't know all that at first, we students were just worried about what the soldiers wnated with us. They were rounding up all the kids they could find, young and old."
[19:51] "It must have been quite an ordeal," Minami says sympathetically.
[19:55] "Yeah, a lot of the younger kids couldn't stop crying," Haruka continues. "Some of the students actually tried to fight back, but can kids do against an army? So most of us tried to run or hide. There are lots of caves on Fuka, so some of us fled there."
[19:58] "I was in one with the school's headmistress, Miss Mashiro? Her and some other kids. The soldiers found us. Things got violent again...I don't think Miss Mashiro made it out. She was an invalid, she couldn't have got far on her own. Her body's probably still there, in the caves..."
[20:01] "I shouldn't have left her behind, but I was afraid! And some of the other kids seemed like they knew where they were going, so I just followed them. The caves are deep; there was another way out. A few of us managed to get away and tried to make it into town, but there was no town left."
[20:03] "Just rubble everywhere. The houses were all flattened. I don't know, maybe the soldiers, whoever they were, didn't want anyone interfering with their raid on the school. Anyway, we hid out in the woods for a while, met some other kids. A couple scouts found us, but one girl actually fought them off with this crazy black sword, of all things."
[20:05] "After a while there was more gunfire, but it was like two groups of soldiers fighting each other. Things were quiet for a long time after that. We were afraid to go out, but when we finally did we saw rescue ships evacuating people."
[20:10] "You were very fortunate to have escaped with your life, Akane," Minami says. "Can you tell us more about these soldiers that you saw assaulting Fuka and burnt it to the ground?"
[20:13] "I'm not sure who they worked for. I mean, they had uniforms and all, but not flags or insignia or anything. Like they weren't some real country's army, but some private group..."
[20:15] "And they never told you their goals as they seized the Fuka Academy?"
[20:19] "They wanted the kids, I don't know why. I'm not sure I want to know why. They weren't really big on explaining things to us. It was mostly 'Come with us or get shot.' But sometimes we'd hear them talking while we were hiding. A couple times someone mentioned something like 'The First Division.' Maybe that was their group? Actually, I think it was 'District.'"
[20:41] "We have another student joining us over the phone," Minami introduces. "Go ahead, Kana, you're on the air."
[20:41] "T-Thank you," a distorted voice, though unmistakably belonging to a girl, responds. "It was terrible." She is sniffling. "There was no warning. One night, they just came, the soldiers. They said there was gas, I think. Something that was dangerous and we had to get a checkup. But they... they just took our clothes, and they shaved off our hair, and...."
[20:43] "It's alright, Kana," Minami says gently. "You don't have to go on. Everyone here at NHK is glad that you made it back from tha--"
[20:43] "But that's the thing!" Kana exclaims, cutting Minami off. "I got to return, but... but what about everyone else? I've only seen three people from my class." She sniffles again. "What about Mikoto-chan? Where is she? Why couldn't she come back with us, too?"
[20:44] Haruka makes a concerted effort to stay silent here and, somehow, accomplishes this!
[20:54] Kana is taken off the air, and Minami clears her throat, perhaps to regain her composure. "I apologize," she speaks, turning towards the camera. "Clearly, the clash between these paramilitary groups at Fuka has taken quite a toll from their victims. Joining us now is Sachiko from the Fuka Academy Executive Committee, one of those who have chosen to fight against the invaders despite impossible odds."
[20:54] "Fight?" a girl asks, her voice not being disguised like Kana and Haruka's. It sounds bitter. "There wasn't much we could do in that situation."
[20:55] Executive Committee? Well now...Haruka keeps her mouth shut, but it's getting harder.
[20:57] Minami seems taken aback. "Surely, there wasn't much you could do against armed men--"
[20:57] "That wasn't the problem!" Sachiko exclaims. "Them, we could oppose. It wasn't all that effective, but we managed to spring some of the others out, and we were going to save the rest. But then we were betrayed!"
[20:58] Oh crap. Ohhhh crap.
[21:02] "Betrayed?" Minami asks.
[21:02] "We had a plan! Together with Nao, we were going to evacuate everyone while a few of the Committee members drew the guards away. It wasn't a perfect or foolproof plan, but it was the only one we had. Yuki... Yuki was leading us, and it would have worked, because she was leading us in Haruka Suzushiro's name! She kept us going, she rallied us by invoking her!"
[21:02] Minami throws a quick glance at the curtain separating Haruka from the rest of the studio.
[21:04] Haruka can only glance back and mime the international gesture for "Cut this off now!", wishing she could melt into the floor all the while.
[21:09] As Minami's confusion deepens, her indecision showing through her posture, Sachiko continues, "Some of us thought that she abandoned us, but that wasn't it at all! She appeared, and she was against those soldiers... because she was on the other side!" A sob is heard. "Yuki... she died without even knowing, but how... how can I just go on after that?!"
[21:09] The call disconnects, and the discordant sounds echo through the studio before someone cuts them off. Minami's mouth is open; her lips move, but no sound comes out for precious seconds.
[21:11] Haruka is pretty much lost for words herself after that outburst.
[21:18] "We seem to be getting another call from a survivor of the Fuka invasion," Minami speaks, her voice shaky. "The Superintendent of Fuka Academy?"
[21:18] "I prefer Chairwoman, Miss Sakurada," Mashiro's voice, slightly tinny, sounds. "As you can hear, reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."
[21:18] "Thank you for calling us, Mashiro Kazahana, Chairwoman of Fuka Academy," Minami says, introducing her to the audience as she speaks to the camera. "It is a great relief to hear that you made it off the island in peace. What can you tell us about the events that transpired?"
[21:19] LIES, that's what she can tell you! Haruka rages internally. None of this is turning out as planned, but her blowing up on the air isn't going to help get answers...
[21:25] "Thank you," Mashiro returns. "It seems that there was a clash between two rival groups, each with its own private army. I've heard second-hand reports of foreigners, though the fog of war is yet to clear on the matter. I managed to get a closer look than most at the ships surrounding Fuka, however, and the following might come as a shock.
[21:25] They clearly belonged to the Suzushiro group, who fielded trained men and women to gather up the students in a single encampment."
[21:26] That's as much as Haruka can take. "That's a lie! The Suzushiro Corp piloted the boats that SAFELY REMOVED the survivors from the island. Ask anyone who came back if the same people were among the soldiers!"
[21:29] "Ah, I see," Mashiro says in that insufferably smug voice of her that seems to come to her naturally. "And I suppose you will next claim that I was the one who sent those soldiers against my own students?"
[21:32] "It doesn't matter what I claim to you," Haruka replies, anger simmering below her words. "You and I both know what happened. So what's going to happen next? Ready to meet up with us and end this, or will we have to repair things our own way?"
[21:34] "My dear Akane, you've lost me, I'm afraid," Mashiro responds.
[21:35] "Then come back to Fuka and we'll explain everything. Only there's not much time left, as I'm sure you know."
[21:37] "I'm afraid you are being too cryptic, Akane," Mashiro says. "That aside, there is something I would like to say to all those watching. May I?"
[21:37] Minami nods ever so slightly, managing to force out, "Go ahead, Miss Kazahana."
[21:43] "Things look dire," Mashiro says, her voice getting slightly dreamy as she goes along. "Anyone with eyes to raise them skywards can sense this. However, there is no need to panic. The clouds will recede, and our normal, clear blue skies will be waiting for us. That is the way it has always been, and these troubling times are no exception.
[21:43] A lasting sky; it is a legacy any person would wish to leave behind, is it not?"
[21:44] Minami looks confused by Mashiro's declaration.
[21:46] "Sure, we'll just start the cycle over again, because that fixed all of our problems last time," Haruka mutters, deliberately loud enough to be heard by the others involved in the conversation.
[21:48] "I believe," Mashiro says, "that the endless circle of suffering will be broken, just as the skies, and as they heal in time, so would what used to be an inescapable destiny remain a mere forgotten memory."
[21:51] "Then our goals aren't so far off. Only, I know you can't fix things by yourself. Come to Fuka and we can do it together. Otherwise, those of us that are left will have to improvise. And there might not be any room for you in the next cycle."
[21:52] "Al... right," Minami speaks. "Thank you for your time, Miss Kazahana, Akane. We'll be back after these messages."
[21:52] Even through the screen, it is easy to tell that Minami drops her face in her hands as soon as she's signaled that she's off the air.
[21:53] "I'm...sorry," Haruka says. "That didn't exactly go as planned."
[21:55] Minami laughs quietly to herself. "Never give someone a stage if you're not certain about the story. Never ask someone a question if you don't know the answer to it. And after I said all that, too...."
[21:58] "I wasn't expecting Mashiro to call. Not during the show, I mean. She was the one I was trying to reach, but I'd assumed she'd try to contact me after the broadcast...and I couldn't just sit there while she started lying." Haruka stands and offers Minami an apologetic bow.
[21:59] "Was any of that true?" she asks tiredly.
[22:02] "Judge for yourself based on the other students' testimonies. Everything they said about what happened there was true. As for my story, a lot of us did hide in the caves. And there was a young student fighting with a sword. But I had to make up the part about Mashiro to get her attention."
[22:05] Minami seems to want to say something, but just pushes her head even deeper into her hands.
[22:08] There doesn't seem to be a lot Haruka can say to that. "I'll leave now, if you like. I'm sure Mashiro understood my offer even if she was playing dumb, so I guess my job here's done."

<--->

<--->

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

Haruka grabs the phone and calls the familiar number!

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

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

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

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

"It sounds ominous," Hiro notes.

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

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

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

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

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

"Really? What is it?"

"You could always call him Suzushiro-sama!"

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

Yukino snickers in the background.

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

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

"Where is it?"

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

"What about me?"

"Can you match Haruka's speed?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Do correct me if I'm wrong."

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

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

Yukino laughs.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<--->

<--->

[19:38] It's getting dark by the time Haruka has made it to the coordinates given to her by her father. Following them was easy enough even without staying in touch with a liberated cell phone, which proved to be a good thing as service was a touch and go thing with it. The Windbloom Inn looks more like an estate at first glance.
[19:38] Surrounded by a low perimeter wall and lush gardens, it certainly doesn't seem to be the humble, traditional establishment it purports to be on paper. There are no guards present that Haruka can see.
[19:41] Nevertheless, Haruka knows better ny now than to go in alone. She'll circle the perimeter at a good distance, taking advantage of any cover from trees and bushes. She'll want to see how many entrances the estate has.
[19:44] There is just the one -- the main road, wide enough for two cars to pass through side-by-side. There is a double gate, but it's been left open. After the arduous task of circling the perimeter, Haruka learns that while there is but a single building, it is made of three interconnected pavilions. The wall is low enough that one could easily climb over it.
[19:47] Haruka's not climbing over the wall. Just waiting for the others might be dull, but if there was ever a time to stick to the plan, it's now! Still, if there are no guards patrolling the perimeter, it wouldn't hurt to creep up to the wall and get a closer look, right? Haruka approaches it, keeping low to the ground and ready to bolt at the slightest noise.
[19:48] The perimeter is silent. Haruka's can't see through the windows of the estate, and the front door as well as what seems to be a service entrance are closed.
[19:51] Well, that was useless. Again, though, she's not approaching the inn alone. They might be expecting the Hime to come, so if there's any kind of trap set, Haruka's not going to spring it without backup. She retreats to the woods. Hmm...it might be a good idea to poke around the neighborhood (such as it is) and see if there are any obvious guard stations in the woods that could interfere in case of an attac on the inn.
[19:53] There is nothing whatsoever to dispel the illusion that this is a resort, albeit a very strangely-built one for a purported traditional inn.
[19:55] Well, boring as it is, she'll find a spot in the woods where she has a good view of the road leading to the inn and keep an eye out for anyone coming or going, then wait for Nao to show up. It might be dull, but the last time she took matters into her own hands, it resulted in a berserk Miyu. Haruka's not making that mistake again!

<--->

<--->

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Haruka catches up to Nao in no time!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Arach!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"COME DOWN HERE AND SAY THAT!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<--->

<--->

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So she lunges for it with her right hand.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"I'm sure he was."

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Who?"

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

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

"What?!"

Shizuru takes a step back.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nao looks up.

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

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

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

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

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

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

<--->

<--->

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"You wearing a necklace?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Haruka sighs. "Alright, alright."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"In part?" Shizuru asks Nao.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What about the ninja? Love is over?"

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

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

"Not if I scare off the WRONG people!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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