Fuka: the Final Chapter (Nao)

[Corwin]

<--->

[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.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[15:24] The figures at the edge of Nao's perception are moving unmistakably in the direction of her dorm.
[15:26] Nao quickly sends of a message to Mai's phone, warning her of incoming trouble. Does Mikoto even know how to use the thing? But it's all she can do. She starts tailing the figures before her, edging slightly closer to get a better idea of their numbers.
[15:29] One, two, three... half a dozen in this group. From the way they're moving steadily ahead without bothering to spread out, Nao is almost certain there are others if the idea is to encircle the building entirely, cutting off all escape.
[15:35] Six of them. Too many to take down hand-to-hand, even with her strength. But there are alternatives to that approach, which until quite recently, Nao was loathe to consider. How times change, and how quickly.
[15:36] Red strings flicker out from her hands and whip towards the necks of five of the soldiers. Nao herself dashes towards the last. This should be over quickly.
[15:39] Nao's victims don't even cry out, their lives snuffed in an instant. Judging the sturdiness of the strings and the strength with which to wield them all simultaneously merely to incapacitate is well outside Nao's capabilities. Perhaps, with practice-- but that's neither here nor there. The remaining figure turns, an automatic weapon raising--
[15:40] Nao ducks to the left, while the strings all whisk to the right, obscuring her as well as the trees. They converge on the unfortunate soldier's weapon to tear it to shreds, and Nao follows the rest of the way, lunging to grip the man by his neck and pull him from the ground.
[15:42] The figure is a woman, which Nao discovers when the soldier screams as her weapon comes apart, a scream that Nao chokes out of her as she hauls her up.
[15:43] Nao holds the woman's throat tight enough to make speaking painful, but not so tight that it's impossible. "Scum. What are your intentions here?" she growls, glancing over the woman's uniform.
[15:45] Nondescript black clothes. A ski mask. She almost looks like a robber, but the automatic weapon and the way she moved along with the rest speaks of training and funding. She tries to spit at Nao, but only manages to let drool escape past her lips and down her chin.
[15:46] Nao rips off the mask and presses the woman heavily against the ground. "You're not the only soldier out here I can question," she promises, claws raised back to strike.
[15:48] "You'll kill me anyway," she gasps in response defiantly.
[15:48] The woman is reasonably attractive. Her hair is a bit on the long side, collected together in a bun. It is hardly a military haircut.
[15:51] "Perhaps I will. Will all your friends say the same thing when I get to them?" replies Nao, licking the edge of her claws.
[15:53] She closes her eyes. "We are securing the dorm. To protect it from those like you!" she hisses, desperation coming across clearly. There is also fear, and anger, and much loathing.
[15:55] "Silly First District Woman. I don't hate my classmates. Just you people." Nao muses over this for a moment. "No, not even you. You're just pawns. Where's your CO."
[15:55] She doesn't respond, but her head jerks slightly, as if of its own accord, in the direction of the dorm.
[15:58] "Would you believe that all of our sins are a result of your foolish meddling?" asks Nao, raising an eyebrow. "No? Well, don't blame me. Blame your leaders." She raises the claw back to strike, but it vanishes at the last second and instead connects with a hard- but not lethal- blow to the woman's temple.
[15:58] The woman goes slack in Nao's grip.
[15:59] Dropping her, Nao searches her comatose body. It's surprisingly easy to repress the bile that builds up in her throat at her recent actions, and a voice in her head keeps telling her how *easy* all of that was.
[16:00] There is a radio, as well as ammunition for the weapon she was carrying. No forms of identification are on her person.
[16:01] Nao picks up the radio briefly, putting in an earpiece if she finds one. The weapons of the other soldiers... are pathetic, really. Nao is more a weapon than any of those metal contraptions. And she doesn't have a speck of blood on her. She starts heading to the dorm herself, intent on approaching it stealthily.
[16:05] The other forces, if they are in the area, seem to be observing radio silence. As Nao approaches the edge of the tree line, just short of the dorm itself, she spots a familiar face. Wataru Ishigami is standing near the building, talking to several students. Men and women in an olive-green uniform are spread out, weapons held in the open.
[16:06] Well, well, well. Not that much a surprise, truly. She strains her ears to try and determine what he is saying, crouching behind some thick trees to keep out of sight.
[16:08] Nao can't hear it all too well with all the distractions and the other conversations, but the gist seems to be that Ishigami is trying to calm the students down. The story he gives is that the soldiers found someone suspicious had snuck into the grounds to set off a gas explosion, and might still be lurking. The students are being evacuated by the soldiers for their own safety.
[16:14] Nao feels another presence behind her suddenly!
[16:14] Nao whips around, claws soundlessly springing into being! Dammit, the worst possible time!-
[16:16] It is a crouching figure dressed all in black, and as it looks at Nao through its mask, she is certain it must be another of the masked soldiers--
[16:17] But then it stands up, drawing a short sword, of all things. As Nao looks on, she feels a tinge of disbelief. A ninja, a real, honest to goodness ninja!
[16:18] Nao flinches, looks over her shoulder, looks back at the ninja, and holds her claws before her defensively. "Who are you?" she mouths, unwilling to make a sound right now.
[16:18] The futility of the question is an interesting topic, one she will think about at a later time.
[16:20] The sword's tip lowers in acknowledgement of Nao's gesture. The ninja brings a strange whistle to his lips, blowing it. A bird's call, one Nao can't immediately place, sounds through the forest. It is answered a few moments later.
[16:23] Nao looses her posture, and she points an accusing finger at Ishigami. "He's the one really in charge," she whispers, very softly.
[16:24] He nods curtly, and gestures below, holding up three fingers. They slowly come down, as if in some kind of countdown.
[16:24] Thick smoke surrounds the grounds, as far as Nao can see. Shocked cries sound from the smoke-shrouded dorm. Weapons discharge, and more cries sound, urgent and panicking.
[16:25] Nao nods, and bounds into the smoke where she last saw Ishigami, intending to grab him admist the confusion and leap back to the forest, whether he likes it or not!
[16:27] The smoke makes her eyes sting, and her respiratory system certainly protests, but it is hardly on the level of tear gas. Nao finds Ishigami disoriented, trying to grope his way around.
[16:28] Her unnatural constitution should see her through (although it's a pity her skin isn't as tough as her claws are sharp.) She grips Ishigami by the neck and covers his mouth with her other hand, and drags him back to the forest at- well, not quite breakneck pace. After all, sometimes she misjudges her own strength. But she's certainly not hanging around.
[16:31] It doesn't go as smoothly as punching him in the gut and hauling the man over her shoulder would do, but Nao finds her physical attributes sufficient. She gets out of the protective smokescreen to find the same ninja -- no, a different, shorter one, with a fancy emblem over his heart. He gestures silently for Nao to follow, not batting an eye at her hostage, and moves swiftly deeper into the forest.
[16:32] In the smoke, Nao could miss, and punch his ribs and actually destroy the man's heart. This way was... well, maybe she just likes the feeling of helpless prey struggling. It certainly gives her a wonderfully heady feeling, especially now that this time, it's a man. Nao is willing to trust the ninja for now, and drags Ishigami after him.
[16:35] He leads Nao and her quarry to a bike, a net draped over it and concealing the vehicle from a distance. There should be enough space for two and, perhaps, some wrapped up baggage.
[16:38] "Arach, tie him up. Quietly," defers Nao, finally getting around to slugging Ishigami in the gut and dropping him on the ground.
[16:40] The ninja doesn't react as a spider-shaped monstrosity emerges from the shadows, wrapping the teacher up for her and retreating just as silently as it came.
[16:41] It should be short work to bind the hapless spy to the bike with leftover threads, and Nao doesn't waste time... until he's secure. "Ninjas, huh. What's the pay like? Any positions open?"
[16:44] Nao gets no answers. The ninja hops on the bike, starting it. There is none of the familiar rumbling of the engine Nao had always noticed in such vehicles. He glances back, as if waiting for Nao to join him.
[16:45] Nao does so, rolling her eyes. The silent treatment, is it? Well, either way, answers loom ahead. She gets on the back of the bike, glancing over it curiously, as it's evidently not a normal vehicle.
[16:47] Once she's on, the bike takes off. The terrain is rough, but the ninja handles it well. At first, Nao thinks they are headed to the city, but a sudden turn challenges that assumption. Ten minutes later, she is reasonably certain they are moving towards the coast, while trying to avoid any of the Academy's building.
[16:47] Nao's phone vibrates silently in her pocket.
[16:47] Nao picks it up, expecting the one and only...

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[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*

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

The bike continues on its way. The coast is visible, now, and they only need to descend the hill they are on to reach it.

"Where are we going?" calls Nao, not really expecting a reply. Away was a start, but now the destination is important.

The ninja points ahead. Nao can't discern anything at the coastline, but then again, she hadn't seen him either before he revealed his presence.

There's the water!

That is not reassuring.

Nao just gives up attempting to figure out his motivations for now, and simply holds on tight.

The bike tears down the slope, showing no signs of stopping. The water approaches at an alarming pace, but the driver shows no sign of discomfort.

Hah! Nao won't scream. If she starts to drown, she can always swim out! If she can swim. She can leap over the eiffel tower, she should be able to handle swimming.

Probably.

She sucks in her breath.

The bike plunges into water! Instead of receiving a cold shower, however, Nao's vision goes double for the briefest of moments. When her eyes readjust, she can see several other similar bikes parked in a semi-circle a hundred feet away. The one she is on breaks, stopping well clear of them.

Looking up, Nao is treated to the sight of an aurora hanging over them in the sky. The vision fills her with dread.

"We have to move fast," the ninja who drove her over speaks at last. His voice sounds familiar.

The real coastline is a few feet away.

Nao shudders, before glancing behind her as well. Concealment? She was attacked earlier!

"Deal, but you have to explain fast," she returns, unable to determine where she has to go.

He nods, and Nao thinks it's directed to her before one of the others tosses something over to her. It looks like a wetsuit. "Put that on," the ninja commands. His gaze lingers on the tied-up Ishigami.

Nao catches the wetsuit and looks at it dubiously, before glancing at Ishigami. "He's an important prisoner, but if he behaves badly, I'll deal with him myself."

Oxygen tanks are being distributed, and one is laid out by the bike, clearly for Nao's use. The ninja by her side gestures, and a second tank is brought over. The ninja all shed their outfits, revealing that they have been prepared in advance.

Nao grabs the wetsuit and starts getting changed; there's no time for false modesty (and she is not a modest person by nature, is she?) Attaching the oxygen tank properly shouldn't be too hard, and she ensures the corresponding tank is attached to Ishigami's unconscious form.

Dragging a regular person along like this underwater would be hard on the muscles, but Nao should be fine.

"How long?" the ninja next to her asks. Although small, he seems to be the leader. His wetsuit seems off on him, Nao finds, but it could be that he has that same mark his previous outfit bore.

"Two minutes. Do we wait on her?"

He glances up at the sky, upon receiving the answer. "There's no other choice."

Nao gestures to her back, slightly, and her only truly important possession- her phone- is sprayed by a looming presence, encasing it in a protective wrap.

Bereft of answers, Nao stares plaintively at the sky. Could it be that the deadline for the festival is sooner than her other timer?

An unearthly glow fills the skies, as the aurora asserts its prominence, overwhelming all other light. A sickly green beam lashes out through it, as if from the heavens themselves. It impacts against the bridge connecting Fuka with the mainland, and several seconds later, Nao feels the shockwave all the way from where she's at.

The air above her flickers in the shape of a dome.

"One indirect hit is the limit," the lead ninja is told.

He nods curtly. "Head out. Take her with you." He gestures at Nao, in case there was doubt. "I'll catch up."

It seems as though history is repeating itself. It makes Nao feel sick inside. Is there really nothing she can do?

"Who was responsible for that?"

The ninja glares at her. "Every second you waste my men are placed in danger!" he hisses.

"You can spare me minutes of silence, but not seconds of explanation. How fucking typical," growls Nao, reaching to pick up Ishigami. "Whatever. You all know what I can do. Don't fuck with me."

She glances at the sea, and starts dragging Ishigami towards it. So. More puppetry. Who will they ask Nao to kill, this time?

The water is cold when Nao enters it. The ninja surrounding her, five in number, are hard to spot; the wetsuits seemed to have been chosen for specifically this reason. That Nao can see them anyway likely means they want her to follow them.

Nao does so. Her concern isn't falling behind, but outpacing them and losing track (although she would be much easier to spot, given her load.)

And dragging Ishigami through the water is taxing even for her, as Nao is unused to diving. She can't have been in the water longer than a minute, before the ninja to her left suddenly gestures down. He dives deeper shortly after, and the rest follow suit.

Nao dives along with the ninja. The world above dissolves into green.

Maintaining their present depth, the ninja team takes Nao towards a fishing vessel. The waters glow green thrice more during the journey, but not at all during the second half of the trip.

As Nao climbs aboard, she sees a familiar face. Tokiha Takumi is seated on the deck, looking worriedly at the horizon. Following his gaze, Nao easily sees what trouble him. Fuka is burning.

"Takumi..." murmurs Nao, flinging Ishigami roughly onto the boat and pulling herself over.

It must be Searrs. They threatened to destroy the entire island, and then.. then they actually did. Damn Smith for not telling her. And it was pointless, anyway, because there was Takumi, who'd still need to die.

"So. Are you going to tell me what your angle is, yet?" asks Nao, glaring bitterly at the nearest ninja.

Takumi notices Nao, looking at her in surprise. "What are you doing here?" he asks, before flushing, as if only just realizing how rude he sounded. The surrounding ninja take this chance to disappear.

"I wish I knew. I really did."

"About Oneechan," he asks, biting on his lower lip. "Was she with you?"

"Earlier today. But we got seperated," replies Nao, staring woodenly at Takumi. "She's ok, though. I know that much. Why are you here?"

"Akira-kun suddenly said we had to leave," Takumi responds, sounding sad. He returns his eyes to the distant Fuka. "I guess this is why."

"Ah. Lucky us," replies Nao, before her face pales. "I never even found out," she mutters. "Oh god."

"Found out what?" Takumi asks worriedly.

"My mother- she's comatose, she- I don't even know her name," replies Nao, quietly. "Or where she was kept... Or anything. I never even saw her."

She drops down and leans against the side of the ship, face in her palm.

"I'm sorry," he says honestly. "I was selfish. I wouldn't go without Oneechan, but I didn't even think about anyone else."

"She's very lucky to have a brother like you," replies Nao, listlessly. "There's nothing selfish about that."

Takumi doesn't have a response to that. Minutes pass.

The boat's engine starts.

Nao gets up, and shakes her head. "I may just be worrying needlessly," she murmurs. "I've still got my strength. Don't touch my package."

She stalks towards the ship's bridge, intending to find out their destination. And plans. And everything.

There was none of the backlash she had been half-expecting through the link the Hime were claimed to have to the people important to them, although would a woman she doesn't even remember hold that place in Nao's heart?

As she wrestles with that dilemma, Nao arrives at what passes for a bridge on the fishing vessel. The person manning that post looks quite the authentic fisherman, although Nao thinks his posture is too rigid.

But someone has to.

"Where're we going?" she asks, walking to his side.

"To the alpha site," he responds, keeping his eyes to the front. "It should be safe, but we can't confirm the situation by remaining here."

"The what?"

"We have several temporary bases in case there is a need to evacuate in a hurry. This would be the first option on the list."

"And who is 'we'?"

"The Okuzaki clan and its allies."

"What are the goals of the Okuzaki clan?"

"To follow the orders of the head of the clan," the man returns, adding, "which are to assist Akira-sama in every way."

Nao shifts on her feet, and glances out the window. "What do you know about those explosions?"

"The First District invaded Fuka in force to take hold of the Hime. We believe that Searrs retaliated."

So it wasn't even to save the world, but to prevent their enemies from controlling it. Unbelievable.

"Do you have any idea how the First District would have cornered the Hime with ordinary soldiers?"

"Akira-sama ordered us to move as soon as the preliminary information came in. There was no time to study it indepth." While still largely bland to the point of being mechanical, the man's tone begins to tilt towards annoyance.

At least they're not holding students hostage, but this isn't helping much. It's clear what needs to be done in the future, however.

Nao heads backs out to the deck, briefly checking her phone to see if it's even still connected. The infrastructure must have been taken out.

Yet another phone has become a casualty of this conflict. The one she took from John Smith doesn't have that problem, although it curiously shows no reception.

"When did Akira tell you he was a ninja?" asks Nao of Takumi, leaning over the railing, hand on her chin.

"He didn't," Takumi responds, mirroring Nao's posture. "But when a monster attacked me, I discovered that the campus had a secret ninja protecting it. Akira-kun would deny it when I asked, and he seemed very embarrassed, so I kept his secret."

"A monster? An orphan," murmurs Nao, dismally. "How did he manage to overcome it?"

"He made some seals with his hands, you know, like ninja do on tv and in anime? And then he summoned a large frog that destroyed the monster!" Takumi's demeanor changes as he recalls what must be a fond memory. "Akira-kun was very flustered when I thanked him for saving my life."

"He summoned a creature of his own, did he..." remarks Nao. An unbelievable grimace takes hold of her lips. "If he is indeed a he. Oh, that's just priceless."

"Akira-kun is not like the monsters!" Takumi insists. "He fights them to protect the peace!"

"Peace... is impossible. I feel sorry for you," replies Nao, hopelessly wandering over to her kidnapped teacher. Has he yet regained consciousness?

Takumi has no response for that. The art teacher also lacks a witty remark; he is still out cold.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[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.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[16:59] The art teacher is still out when Nao checks up on him again, although he gives a moan when she pokes him with her toe.
[16:59] Nao strips off enough of the binding to free the teacher's head, and dumps a bucket of water over it.
[17:00] Wataru Ishigami sputters, gasping. His eyes blinks rapidly, before trying to focus on her.
[17:01] "You've finally come to. I was wondering if you ever would," remarks Nao, standing over the man. "Wataru Ishigami. You're in a pickle, indeed. Happily, however, I, your guardian angel, am here to save you!"
[17:02] He just stares at her.
[17:05] "I don't think you deserve it, honestly," she adds, kneeling down next to the man. "Being part of the District and all. What exactly was your goal, anyway? Don't give me that 'protect the school' rot."
[17:07] "The Hime, captured," Ishigami responds, trying to shrug. His bindings don't allow for that, and he hisses in pain. "I don't think my superiors quite had this in mind, though."
[17:10] "And after you capture them?" asks Nao, pursing her lips. "I won't even get started on how you intended for normal soldiers to accomplish that."
[17:11] "I'm just a pawn in all this," the teacher says. He looks composed, but only to someone who hadn't spent the time Nao had studying people. To her eyes, Ishigami is scared out of his wits. "I was only following orders."
[17:15] "You give as many as you take, don't you? I suppose it doesn't matter now, though," replies Nao, frowning. "The attack failed. Searrs retaliated by levelling Fuka. From orbit. Destroying both your people and the Hime seemed preferably to letting them fall into your hands."
[17:16] "Then I have to thank you for saving my life," Ishigami says smoothly. "Please allow me to repay the favor by allying myself with you."
[17:18] "Certainly! Oh, I know you're lying, but you actually don't have a choice. You, in particular, have been targeted by Searrs, and they have dispatched an assassin to end your life. It isn't because of any ideological or material concern, really. They simply believe that if you aren't dead, the world will end."
[17:19] He pales, gulping audibly. "M-Me?" Ishigami asks, sounding honest in his confusion. "But why?!"
[17:19] "Do you believe in souls?"
[17:21] His mouth opens, closing a moment later without a sound. "What I believe is immaterial," the teacher says, regaining a bit of his composure. "What is your point?"
[17:23] "You're dead, Ishigami. You're supposed to be dead. You're a vessel without a soul, a walking paradox. Left unchecked, you'd cause reality to fall apart by your mere existence."
[17:24] He lacks a response for that statement.
[17:28] Nao continues, her voice a monotone. "Agencies within Searrs will take any measures to ensure you die. I believe, however, that it may be possible to reunite your soul with your body. I can't be certain, but I think that would stabilize the situation." Nao purses her lips, and begins pacing. "I know there are people in your group who have made studies into these things."
[17:32] "Since your own group didn't kill you, I can only presume they haven't discovered what Searrs has. They are likely the only ones who can save you. If you want to live, you must tell me how to get into contact with them. If you know anything about these matters yourself, of course, it's to your benefit to tell me."
[17:33] "You want to find the headquarters of the First District?" Ishigami asks, and after receiving his clarification wiggles enough to be able to nod at Nao. "I can help you with that. You will find me very useful."
[17:34] "I'll bet," she replies, dryly. "Alright. What can you tell me?"
[17:36] "I could give you directions, but unless you intend to just storm the front gates, you would want to bring me along," Ishigami informs Nao, getting more comfortable despite his bindings as tension begins to leave him. "I could help you bypass the onsite security systems and get you inside."
[17:38] "What sort of security are we talking about?"
[17:39] "Fingerprints, retina scans, randomly-generated passwords -- the works. Anything you can think of and many others afterwards. It is the most secure facility in Japan, after all."
[17:40] "No, no, not that. If I decided to just break in, what could they honestly do to stop me?"
[17:41] Ishigami is debating his answer. He is taking a long time.
[17:43] Nao snorts. "Think about that for a while. In any case, try to remember that if I can't find any way around this, your life is forfeit. I do have another question, however. Do you have any idea as to the whereabouts of Senoh Aoi, or Harada Chie?"
[17:46] "...the Hime Containment System," Ishigami says quietly, laying back. It seems a decision of some sort had been reached. "It hadn't been tested in field conditions, so I honestly don't know if it would work on you."
[17:47] Nao pauses. "I assume it strips us of our powers, or the like?"
[17:48] "I don't know all the details. No, that's not quite right. I doubt anyone does. The technology was reverse-engineered, rather than invented, after all."
[17:49] "If it were to be used, it would be in desperation," adds Nao. She slices off a few more layers of the bindings, giving Ishigami a little more freedom around his shoulders. "How did you come across it?"
[17:50] "I made some unofficial inquiries into the Obsidian Lord."
[17:50] Nao raises an eyebrow.
[17:52] "The system was created from studies and observations made of the Crystal Star. It is his most prized possession," Ishigami explains.
[17:54] "The Crystal Star? As opposed to the Hime Star? Or are they one and the same?"
[17:55] He shakes his head. "First District believes that the Hime Star is the ultimate source of the Obsidian Lord's powers. The Crystal Star, in turn, allows for him to control that power. Fine-tune it, perhaps."
[17:57] "Like a lens, perhaps. Does he need the festival to take place to access that power at all?"
[17:59] "Perhaps he needs to focus it once in a while, or the power becomes too wild or unusable?" Ishigami suggests.
[17:59] A man dressed as a fisherman enters the room Nao appropriated for her interrogation. "'Haruka' is calling you."
[18:00] "That would make sense, with the natural dis- ah. We'll have to continue later," says Nao, glancing at the fisherman. "I don't think he's going anywhere, but mind keeping an eye on him?" she asks, before heading for the comm room.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[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.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[17:10] After she's finished with Ishigami and Haruka for the time being, Nao seeks out Takumi once again, her face a mask concealing indecision.
[17:11] Nao finds the boy in a room clearly set aside for him. There is a television present, although it remains turned off. Takumi is leafing through a notebook of some kind.
[17:12] "Takumi-kun," greets Nao, unable to keep at least some apprehension out of her tone as she enters the room. "There's something important I have to tell you."
[17:13] "What is it?" he asks, placing aside what Nao sees from up close is a sketchbook.
[17:14] "Mai will probably hate me for telling you," remarks Nao, quietly. "But I think you have a right to know a little of what's going on."
[17:15] At the mention of his sister, Takumi looks closer at Nao.
[17:17] "A number of girls at Fuka Academy made a contract," she explains, sitting against the wall and leaning back, looking at her hand. "For power, I guess. An awesome power, to protect someone they cherish, in most cases. But they put that person at stake when they accept."
[17:20] "I don't understand what you're saying," Takumi tells Nao, looking confused. "Do you mean training in martial arts or something like that?"
[17:22] "No. You might as well call it magic," replies Nao, shaking her head. Inky black claws spring out from her upraised hand, and she flexes the fingers therein a little before she allows the weapon to vanish. "With my hands, there's nothing I can't tear down. Other Hime- that's what we're called- have different weapons. Mai, for example, has control over fire."
[17:24] Takumi scrambles out of the sofa he was occupying, keeping his eyes squarely on Nao's hands, devoid as they are once again of claws.
[17:26] "I won't hurt you," Nao promises, though there's a bitter edge to her voice. "I just.. feel you should know. If a Hime loses, one way or the other- the person closest to them, they... disappear, I guess."
[17:27] Takumi looks panicked, and Nao's words don't seem to be helping much with that.
[17:29] "But I guess that's reassuring, in a way," she reflects, turning for the door. "As long as you're alright, you'll know Mai's alright. It might've been easier for you if you didn't know, but..." She shakes her head. "No. Secrets aren't.. good for people."
[17:30] "Why would you lose?" Takumi asks. "What do you need to fight?"
[17:31] "Fate," replies Nao, unable to answer that question and leaving the room, cursing herself with every step.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[14:20] Nao boots the door back open and wanders back into Ishigami's room, scowling. "Let's pick up from where we left off," she states, sitting on the edge of the bed. "We're talking about the Obsidian Lord's power, here. What exactly can he do?"
[14:23] He shifts. "I won't make things up to appear more valuable to you. Any information I have there has almost certainly been invalidated by the festival being so near, and his previous reign ending. If you mean merely his personal abilities, then I would expect his vessel to be the epitome of human perfection."
[14:24] "His vessel? Possession, again?"
[14:27] "We simply don't know, and no one alive remains from the time of the Obsidian Lord's previous reign. No pictures exist, either, or physical descriptions sufficient to identify a person." Ishigami attempts to shrug despite his confinement. "It could be possession, reincarnation or rejuvenation, any of those easily tied into the ritual the festival culminates in."
[14:30] "Assuming the festival and ritual proceeded as planned, what result does the First District expect? I know that none of the Hime escape unscathed."
[14:31] "That's not true," Ishigami says, his tone a mix between surprise and caution. "No Hime actually needs to die, and certainly not the victor."
[14:32] "It's not their lives I'm talking about. But what's in it for the victor? Save the world, become a battery-bride- it's not an appealing choice." Nao narrows her eyes, and studies Ishigami carefully for his next words.
[14:36] "I think I understand what you mean," the art teacher admits. "However, it seems to me that you're confusing cause and effect. From my admittedly only partial understanding, it's not that doing one leads to the other, but that one is required to make the other happen. If you think about it, how would one save the world with waning powers without a, well, 'battery' available to do so?"
[14:37] "And after that business is done, the surviving Hime... picks up her life, or what's left of it, from where she left off?"
[14:38] "Now, that would depend on the one she pledged her loyalty to, wouldn't it?"
[14:39] "What do you mean?"
[14:41] "Since the dawn of time, we are lead to believe that only the Obsidian Lord can draw this power through the winner, saving the world. And I am certain you can understand and see the appeal of keeping her bound to him afterwards, all that power at his disposal. But can it be that only the Obsidian Lord can save us all?"
[14:42] "It's possible someone else could accomplish this?" Nao pauses, and snorts. "Is this why you were investigating his tools?"
[14:43] "You won't be able to do it on your own," Ishigami says instead of answering. "The system simply doesn't work that way. But maybe, you have another option instead of turning to the Obsidian Lord. Someone knowledgeable enough to pull it off, together with you."
[14:45] "That might be so," Nao readily agrees. "More to the point, what implications does this have for the festival? Need it be carried out as Nagi dictates?"
[14:47] "If you mean that only one must remain to call upon all the power that is currently being divided between you, yes."
[14:51] "Then the core issue I have with this remains the same," replies Nao, standing up and shaking her head. "The power we have can't be combined any other way? It isn't as though we can't cooperate. I know the means to manipulate the... source of this power is out there."
[14:53] Ishigami looks upset, but shrugs again. "I won't say it's impossible. But there's not much I can do about it here." He looks pointedly at his bindings.
[14:58] "True," admits Nao, cocking a claw to slash apart the man's bindings. "You're still my prisoner, but consider this your reward. We'll be raiding the First District HQ in good time." She glances firmly at Ishigami. "The problem we discussed earlier still remains. Help me solve both these issues, and it'll be worth your while. I'm sure you can imagine more ominous threats that I can say, but be assured that I'll make them all come true if you get second thoughts."
[14:59] "There's no need to threaten me. I've gone over to your side of my own free will," he promises, rubbing at his wrists briefly before trying to get some feeling back in his legs.
[15:00] "Hmph. Somehow, I doubt this is the first time you've said something like that," snorts Nao, briefly patting down the man for personal belongings before leaving the room and locking the door.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[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.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

[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.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

Nao makes it to shore. Far in the distance, she can barely make out the light being given but what must be her erstwhile boat. It still burns, despite the time it took Nao to swim over to Fuka.

No one emerges from the water behind her, and Nao is alone. Or is she? Something moves within the trees ahead.

"Who's there?" growls Nao, running low to the ground and zigzagging towards the trees at breakneck pace!

Someone scrambles back -- definitely human. The startled gasp allows Nao to pinpoint their location.

There are flashes ahead, just barely visible beyond the horizon. The First District diversion must have started.

Whoever they are will surely be just a hop, skip and a jump away, allowing Nao to close in and get a good look. If they're not a student or someone Nao already knows, they'll find themselves on the ground and a hand on their neck in short order.

Nao leaps, ending right next to one startled Yuki Karas. She looks different from the last time Nao had seen her -- is that a beret?

"What--"

"Don't even think of screaming," growls Nao, grabbing the girl by the back of the neck. "I never thought you'd be first district, Karas. But I guess we all get to be surprised tonight."

"Wait, what?" Yuki exclaims. "First Distr-- Nao?!"

"In the flesh. But that's enough about me. Let's talk about you."

"You're alright!" Yuki sounds relieved. "But what were you doing in the water?"

Nao surveys the rest of Yuki's outfit, in particular checking it for armaments or communicators. "Swimming. What are you doing watching the water?"

Yuki is dressed in the same paramilitary uniform Nao had seen on First District soldiers. It doesn't look like a particularly good fit on her.

"We saw the explosion and wanted to see what happened," she responds, at last showing signs of discomfort at Nao's treatment of her.

"Did you steal this uniform?" Nao questions, not ready to release her just yet. "Tell me that, and what's happened over the past day."

"Duh," Yuki responds. "And what's with the manhandling? I thought you were a loyal student of Fuka and all that Suzushiro spiel."

"I thought you were one of them," admits Nao. "I still sort of do. Who's 'we'?"

"The Committee. What's left of it." Bitterness seeps into Yuki's voice. "After what those bastards did to us? Some of us had to escape at all cost."

Nao is silent for a couple of seconds, and then she lets Yuki go.

"Sorry," she mutters, glancing over her shoulder. "Tell me the situation. I really am here to help, but I can't take chances right now."

Yuki brushes her hand over the collar of her shirt, trying to make it fit. She doesn't quite succeed in that.

"We managed to piece together what's happened. Most of it, anyway. Soldiers invaded the dorm you were staying at, but then it dissolved into a firefight. All hell broke loose, then. There were all those--" She looks likes she can't believe what she's saying, although Yuki doesn't let it stop her. "--orbital strikes or something, like right out of a computer game, you know? And one hit the southern dormitory, while another took out a-- a temple or shrine or something, we all saw the plume of smoke. And there were riots in the city but then soldiers were all over it as well."

The dormitory in question does not ring a bell to Nao. She believes it might have been used by junior high students.

"A firefight? Between two military groups, or couldn't you tell who their opponents were?" Nao frowns. "Don't presume on this count. It's important."

"We don't have any first-hand reports from your dorm," Yuki says, the bitterness far more pronounced, now. She gestures further inland. "We should get back, unless you didn't go swimming alone. And maybe even then."

"I.." Nao glances back at the water, but Suzushiro should've gotten here by now.

"Right. I'll stay close to you. You've got a safe place, right? We need to move fast and quiet."

"Just one thing, Yuki. If you've seen Arika Searrs around, at all, tell me now."

"Nowhere is safe, but we have a place we can defend," Yuki says, leading Nao into the forest. "After they secured the school, as they called it, we were just kept in the auditorium under armed guard while the goons kept on going around with pictures and looking at us. I snuck a peek at one; it was the the Kazahana schollarship students." She frowns. "Most of them, anyway. And Searrs? No, can't say that I have. Why?"

"There isn't just one group interested in Fuka," explains Nao. "The soldiers who invaded the school and those who fired the beam from orbit are opposed to one another. Arika is part of the latter. She's a psychotic freak who thinks mass-destruction is a good idea. But don't take my word for it! Ask Shizuru- oh, wait, you can't, Arika killed her."

Yuki's expression grows angry. "Bastards," she spits out. "We thought it was some kind of bizarre hostage-taking situation and it would get resolved in time, but something must have happened. We don't know what or why, but they-- they took away our clothing, and--" She takes a deep breath.

"We escaped, some of us. Some chemistry students had some sort of colored smoke and we used the diversion to jump our guards. Right now, we're using the private residence of one of our members as base. It's so conspicious we don't think they'll look there any time soon."

Nao snorts. At least that didn't go to waste. Yuki seems quite capable of believing this on the spot, but... it's not like Nao had much trouble believing Shizuru, before. When you're in a situation like this, even an outlandish explanation can ring true. She knows that well.

"You got a look at the scholarship students, you say?" asks Nao, suddenly. "Well, who are they? I thought you didn't have access to that listing."

"I didn't," Yuki agrees. "But these soldiers, whoever they were, didn't have the same problem. Shizuru Fujino, Yukino Kikukawa, Mai Tokiha, Mikoto Minagi, Natsuki Kuga, Nao Yuuki, Akira Okuzaki. These are all the recipients."

"I'm guessing you can't tell me where any of them are," replies Nao. "'side from me, of course. Did you see anyone who might be the CO of this outfit?"

And why haven't the ships fired on the island, Nao asks herself. What is Searrs waiting for?

"Among the second-hand reports is one that Minagi and Tokiha were seen escaping the dorm. They had help, but we're unclear on whose." She considers. "No one like a CO, no. There are uncomfirmed reports -- rumors, really -- that he was at that unfortunate dorm when it was struck."

"Ah. Then the soldiers at the moment would be... disorganized. We can hope," decides Nao. "Yuki, I'm going to need to find a way to get in contact with Tokiha. I'm not joking when I say that all our lives could rest in her hands."

Yuki does not answer immediately. Nao thinks she can see their destination up ahead; the first signs of dawn make it easier to make out, while still not being sharp enough to hurt her eyes, although that is likely to change soon. It is a Japanese-style estate, located rather prominently in a large forest clearing.

"That might be possible," she admits. "The school's PA system was still working even when all our electronics went dead with the attacks. Not many would know this outside the Committee, but its range can be extended to cover most of the island." A smirk makes its way onto her face. "If you don't mind it being a one-time thing, of course. The system won't hold out for long in that state."

Nao winces. "Mai would probably hear it. But so would people I'd rather not. And Arika would be able to determine where I'm sending the signal from. There are warships stationed around the island, so I'd have something like ten seconds to say what I need to say and then run away before missiles or whatever hit me."

Yuki snorts. "Not a good idea, no. Normally, I would suggest doing it remotely; I have the authority, naturally. But with everything pretty much, you know, not working and all? Don't think that'd be a winning suggestion."

"The PA system is in the school, right? Where, exactly?"

"The main controls are at the student council chambers," Yuki tells her. "But we know there's an override in the library, for some reason. It was never really made clear. There was also a secondary control we temporarily installed at the church; we never got around to dismantling it, with all that's been going on."

"Even if they blow up the church, I don't think there'll be anyone around," admits Nao. "It should do. The other thing is that.. well. What I'm trying to do is find a way to stop that orbital laser from firing again. Next time it shoots.. they'll try to wipe out the entire island.

"I don't think the soldiers here would be too thrilled about that. They might cooperate with me."

"Well, why didn't it just do that from the start?" Yuki asks in confusion, before she scowls as Nao talks about her options. "They're all scum, to the last."

"I don't know," admits Nao. "I've thought about it, and... well. Either they couldn't the first time, for some reason, or they're waiting for something. My knowledge of their intentions is second-hand, I admit. Even so, if that thing is taken out, I can start acting freely. Then the soldiers- even the boats- shouldn't be too much of a problem."

Nao cautiously heads towards the villa as she talks, intent on securing whatever help or equipment she can from here as quickly as she can.

"What does acting freely really mean?" Yuki asks her. "And Tokiha, is her father the prime minister? The chief of general staff? How is she crucial, exactly?"

"Well... Tokiha has a pet dragon, which can hopefully fly into space and destroy the offending deathray. I have my own destructive talents, too. Yuki, you really don't want to know the details."

"So what, because you happened to escape the psychos in time and happen to know something about what's going on you can go on belittling me?" she asks, giving Nao a look of scorn. "Spacefaring dragons. Whatever. If that's how it's going to be, I don't know why I bothered taking you here."

Nao sighs. "It's true. All the soldiers are interested in the power those scholarship students have. I could demonstrate- I'd rather not show you the really harsh stuff since I think there's a chance of detection-, but I could crush a girder or jump six times my own height, if you want."

Yuki is mollified by the suggestion. It seems she was expecting an apology instead, and the offer took her off guard. "Alright. Once we're indoors."

They enter the mansion shortly afterwards. About a dozen students are there, all from the high school section, judging by Nao's estimates, and all dressed in ill-fitting fatigues. There is a couple of boys, their heads shaved, while the rest are girls. All heads turn to Yuki as she enters, and it is a credit to the pair of males that their eyes don't linger on Nao's wetsuit-clad, dripping form.

"Since we're all still here, I take it we weren't discovered," Yuki comments sardonically. "Any luck, Michi?"

The girl she addresses shakes her head, her beret coming dangerously close to being dislodged before she reigns it in. "Even this far out from those attacks, everything remotely technological simply gave out. It's not even an EMP like we first thought, but-- hell, I don't know what it is, Yuki."

"Arika," replies Nao, succinctly. "I can explain a little. I need some clothes, first. And shoes."

"We're a bit low on our selection of clothing, but we'll see what we can do." Yuki gestures, and the boys leave the room. "While we wait on that, how about your demonstration? Whatever story you have would be more than a bit hard to swallow without proof, I think."

Nao shrugs. "Got something sturdy?"

Yuki seems pensive, before she walks over to the traditional table set near the inner wall of the room. It looks like it had been moved recently. She raises her foot and then stomps on it with what appears to be all her strength. The table barely groans.

"Break that and make it look easy," she says. "Then I'll buy the super-strength. And maybe the rest, too."

Once Yuki moves out the way, Nao mirrors her movement, backing her stomp with the unnatural strength gifted to the Hime.

Nao's foot goes through the table, continuing to bury itself deep into the floor. She can acutely feel the splinters, even as her point had been made rather eloquently.

Nao pulls her foot free, absently picking it up from the ground and picking bits of wood out of it.

"So, about those shoes."

"We're working on it." Yuki seems the only one who hasn't been made speechless by Nao's actions. "And I don't think you need shoes to tell us what the hell's been going on."

"There's too much to explain, I'm not sure about the details, I don't have much time, and frankly I don't want you to know all of it," replies Nao, firmly.

"What you need to understand is that there are two groups; First District, and Searrs. Both are competing over the power I and others hold, and they're willing to go to any lengths to exploit it- or at least be the only ones who possess it. First District is responsible for the soldiers. Searrs is responsible for both Arika- who has abilities similar to my own- and the orbital laser. It was the attack by First District that prompted them to use it."

"Searrs? Like Alyssa and Arika?" Yuki asks to confirm.

"Yes. They're not just a family, actually, but part of an international corporation. Arika and Alyssa.. I'm not sure they're even real sisters. I don't really know about Alyssa, but... Arika is evil to the core."

"Superstrength is pretty damn neat, but using orbital lasers to gain it? Just doesn't jive," Yuki mentions. "Or is this the part where space dragons come in?"

"Something like that," replies Nao. "Look, superstrength isn't all I've got, alright? I've got other powers. So do the others like me. All these powers stem from a single source, and they want control over that source. We're good to those groups in two states; dead, or as slaves or test subjects. Alive and free? That's undesirable for them. It's that simple.

"I don't want to talk about how our powers came to be or the limitations they have."

"Unless there's a way to give us any to even out the stakes, that doesn't really matter," Yuki agrees. "There isn't, is there?"

"Don't even joke about that!"

Nao stares at Yuki, aghast.

"So there's a catch, I'm thinking," Yuki mutters. "Alright. We've made it this far on our own merit, anyhow. So, what's the plan now? We can't let Fuka fall to either of those groups."

"Our biggest obstacle is the satellite. I can take care of the soldiers. It'd be a trick, but I could probably do something about the boats, too. But it's all for naught if they can shoot us from orbit at will. There are two ways to deal with the satellite. Tokiha is one of them. Miyu is another."

"Something about this doesn't sound right," the girl Yuki had addressed when they made it to the mansion says. "You're telling us they have an sattelite in orbit that can kill everything on the island, and there's also a fleet surrounding it, which you're implying belongs to the same side. Is that correct?"

"Yes, that's my belief. Why haven't they destroyed the island in a conventional manner, or even earlier today? I don't know. I believe there's something here they want, or may be waiting for. But I couldn't tell you what."

"Waiting for," the girl repeats. "Yes. Perhaps. Where were you during this hostile takeover, if I might ask?" She looks pointedly at the wetsuit.

"Michiko, if there's any reason--"

"Yes," she interrupts Yuki. "Just trust me on this one." Looking back at Nao, Michiko waits for an answer.

"I wasn't on the island," admits Nao. "You're saying they were waiting for me to come back?"

"You said they wanted you lot captured or dead, with no real preference?" Michiko asks. "And yet, you weren't on the island when they struck and cut it off from the world rather visibly, for those who would be in the know. The smoking remains of the bridge alone would be a pretty good clue of the apparent intentions of-- Searrs, you called them?" Upon getting the confirmation, she frowns. "So they're waiting before they use the sattelite, according to you. If it were in geosynchronous or even semisynchronous orbit, that would make sense. It couldn't have remained within range, if it were also responsible for the earlier attack that day. But would anyone design an orbital weapon that way?"

"I'm not sure they had a choice in how the weapon was designed," admits Nao. "Let's say you're right, though, and they can fire at any time. They can't keep the island cut off forever, probably not more than a couple of days at best before someone wakes up and does something about it. So the question remains.. what do they want?

"I know they wanted at least one thing- to disrupt the operations of the First District, which I think they've managed."

"In the immortal words of the great Admiral Ackbar, 'It's a trap!'," Michiko deadpans. Yuki snorts, but the technically-inclined girl continues, "The only question is when it is supposed to be sprung. As we're still alive--" She makes a show of looking outside through the window, "--it couldn't have been intended solely for you. Unless... they don't know you've returned? Do your powers include stealth?"

"They know I've returned," replies Nao, shaking her head. "Suzushiro and Kikukawa returned at the same time I did, but we got seperated. I think they know about them, too. And yes, they're both like me."

"They don't know exactly where I am, though," she clarifies.

The boys return with some fatigues and military-style boots, leaving them by Nao's side before leaving the room once more.

"Figures," Yuki mutters. "Anyone else like you that's supposed to be coming and is merely late for the party?"

"I can't say. There may be others I don't know about, and even the ones I do know could be anywhere," replies Nao, stripping out the wetsuit and starting to get changed. "Small comfort that Searrs clearly doesn't know where we all are, either."

One of the girls tosses a towel over to Nao as she strips.

"Small comfort," Yuki echoes. The door opens, three new girls entering. "Ah, it's about time," she tells them as they make their way inside, closing the door behind them. "How does the town look?"

"The hospital and shrine are in ruins, from what we could see. It's pretty dead; no one's out on the streets but the armored vehicles with more of those bastards in them. Someone's shelling that outpost they've set up near the bridge, though. With luck, whoever they may be are here to rescue us!"

"How many soldiers are occupying the island, if you don't mind hazarding a guess?" asks Nao, drying herself off quickly.

Nao's presence only warrants a raised eyebrow on the part of the new arrivals. After catching Yuki nod, their leader responds, "Thousands, but no more than four, we believe. The forces in town are those they originally had at the school."

"Scum," Yuki says angrily. "If they didn't come at us in such strength--"

"We would've flashed them to death?" the other girl responds with a roll of her eyes. "Naked teens won't be able to do much against trained, armed soldiers even if the numbers are in their favor."

The others look worriedly at the arguing girls, Yuki getting most of the discreet glances.

"Have the left the school mostly unguarded, then?"

Nao's question breaks the deadlock. "An estimated ten percent of their total force is there," the new girl speaks, while Yuki simmers quietly.

"Yuki, if the students at school were able to escape the soldiers, do you know of anywhere where they could subsequently hide en-masse? Caves or something?"

"There is a network of caves below campus," Yuki answers, pulling herself together. Her eyes still show her anger, however. "We've carefully warded off any collapsed sections to prevent harm from coming to the students, so we know of ways to get there."

"The shelling you spoke of before comes from a fleet stationed around the island," states Nao, glancing at the new entries. "They're hostile to the soldiers. That doesn't mean they're friendly to us. As far as I'm concerned, nobody in uniform has our best interests at heart."

"Present company excluded, of course," Yuki deadpans. She signals to one of the girls, who leaves, only to return shortly after with the exiled boys.

"Of course. Anyway, we have two big problems in the form of the army and the fleet. Now... the army itself may not actually know all about the fleet. It may be possible to let them know, and then, just maybe, have our problems solve each other."

"By having them swim over?" Yuki asks.

"Logistics might be a problem," admits Nao. "I don't know, I figured they might have weapons and stuff that could target the ships."

Yuki glances at the others. "We only saw armored vehicles. Nothing obviously long ranged," is the answer from the scouting party.

"There were five blasts," states Nao, frowning. "The bridge, the shrine, and the school were three of them. One of the others hit a construction site, if I remember right. Where was the last?"

"Somewhere in the mountains," one of the girls says, but Yuki shakes her head. "No, can't be. The forest fire would spread and consume half the island, then. It had to have been somewhere in the open, probably near the coastline."

"And the hospital? Do we know how it got destroyed?"

"There was some kind of fight. These First District goons were definitely involved."

Takumi, Akira... and possibly Yukariko.

"Alright. If the First District people can't help us, then I'll have to get the others together. I'll go to the PA system and use it to contact the other Hime- that's what we're called, if you care - as well as the soldiers. They should realise they're as trapped as we are, and their only real option is to stay out our way.

"If all the Hime can coordinate, then we should certainly be able to defeat the ships. If I can get the First District people out the school, then the students will be able to take cover in the caves, where they'll be safe from any fighting that does occur.

"It's risky; Searrs could retaliate at any time if they catch wind of this. But the same could be said for any action we take. They pretty much have us at their mercy."

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

"You mean destroy the ships," Yuki states. She doesn't sound particularly objected to said plan. "Could you do this while protecting the residents, though? What's to stop them from seeing they've lost and shelling the town?"

"There are a few ways, but I don't have a surefire plan for this," admits Nao. "If Kikukawa Yukino gets on board one ship, she can disable the rest. If we destroy one or two ships, we may be able to threaten the rest into submission. There are First District forces on the mainland engaging the ships, and- this PA system, do you have any idea why it still works?"

Nao pauses. "The other thing is that if Arika Searrs is defeated, let us say, oh, that the Searrs leadership will undergo a rapid shakeup, and they may not proceed with their original plans."

"Until everything shut down, we had no idea it was any different," Michiko responds.

Yuki frowns. "It makes sense. So she leads from the front lines?" With a roll of her eyes, she adds, "I won't question how someone that young could do that if her classmate is the superheroine fighting her."

"She's not a leader herself, I think, but she's the source of their leader's influence. If she goes down, well, he won't last very long."

"That makes even more sense," Yuki agrees, an expression of distaste crossing her face. "In any case, we can move out now, or wait for our scouts to the Academy to return. Meeting up with them along the way would be nigh-impossible."

"How soon do you think they'll arrive? I'm interested to know the situation there," replies Nao. "This'll require some negotiation, and probably some bluffing, so..."

"Half an hour, perhaps more if they need to avoid patrols on the way back," Yuki tells her. "Less, if something extraordinary happened."

"And about the same on foot to the academy from here?"

"Longer, actually, unless we don't care about stealth," Yuki elaborates. "That's the other reason we can't just regroup with the others near campus; they already should've left."

Nao frowns for a long moment. "They're driving around in armoured vehicles, right?" she asks, suddenly. "Do you know if any of their routes are near here?"

"Most of those, we've spotted in or near the town. The campus has two. They're parked in the courtyard."

"I don't have time to wait. Suzushiro and Kikukawa are probably already on their way to the school, and if I can meet up with them, that'll be good." replies Nao. "The scouts can't have seen anything the soldiers haven't, so I'll just have to interrogate someone when I get there. You guys... you guys should probably wait for them, though."

"We couldn't coordinate, then," Yuki points out, "and you need us to get the students to safety within a short timeframe for your plan to work. You could try announcing the specifics to that as well using code we'll decide on now, but it would be pretty inflexible in case the situation on the ground is different than what we expect."

"Have you got a flaregun or something like that?"

"We've managed to get away with a few, yes."

"We'll have someone stay here, then. If the scouts have dire news of some kind to import, then have them sneak back out and fire a flare. We should see it just before we reach the campus," decides Nao. "They'll have to abandon this position afterwards, but if all goes well, we won't need it. And if all doesn't go well, chances are we won't care."

"We won't get the news, but at least we'll know something unusual is happening. And that'll tip me off to make sure I find out."

"It's a good plan," Yuki agrees. "Alright, let's go with that. Everyone, grab what gear you can take. Akane, Sachiko, stay here and wait for the news. We'll regroup at the site of the first attack at 10am."

She walks up to the door leading outside, sliding it open. "We'll be ready in just a few minutes."

"I need.. some sunglasses. And one last thing- did any of you see Sakomizu-sensei before you left the school?"

Heads shake at Nao's question.

"He's your homeroom teacher, right?" Yuki asks, seeming to remember something. "Sorry. The teachers were segregated early on." As if remembering Nao's other question, she adds, "No sunglasses, sorry."

"He's a First District agent. I only found that out recently, though," replies Nao, sticking her hands in her pockets. "Without sunglasses.. well, I'll move better while it's still dark. Since I'm here, we can go through patrols instead of around, if we need to, so... I'll just keep an eye out until you guys are ready."

Sticking her hands in her pockets, Nao heads outside the house, intent on watching for anyone coming around who shouldn't.

Nao catches movement out of the corner of her eye.

Nao sees movement; Nao thus leaps in a high arc towards the movement. "Freeze!" she shouts, telling her target what it must do if it wishes to avoid rough treatment.

Nao's jump clears her all the way to the mansion's corner. As she looks for her target, she spots someone rounding the next corner. There's something familiar about that figure, but Nao had only managed to caught the barest of glimpses, and the sunlight is still dim enough to not hurt her eyes.

Nao approachs quickly, peering around the corner for a brief instant to detect danger before rounding it and catching up.

Natsuki, clad in a white kimono, is seated on the veranda, looking out at the back yard. Her hair is gathered into a braid, which goes over her right shoulder. A small dog approaches her, and she reaches out to pet its head. As the puppy leans into her touch, Natsuki's eyes catch Nao's, and she smiles lightly at the redhead.

"Natsuki?!"

Nao skids to a halt. Natsuki? Here? No, it must be another delusion, another- was it real? Or just her mind? Or is it the mind of another?

"Nao," the bluette responds, patting the space next to her invitingly. The puppy barks, and runs off into the shruberry. "Don't go too far, Duran!" Natsuki calls after it. Returning her eyes to Nao, she asks, "It's alright if I call you by your first name, isn't it? I think we can dispense with the formalities by this point."

"What- what are you talking about? We... know each other, Natsuki." At least, we did, thinks Nao, unable to do anything but sit next to the girl. Natsuki? Formal? To her? That.. that's just stupid. "We're really past formality."

"That's what I said," Natsuki agrees. She pats the wooden floor by her side once more, before leaning back to gaze at the brightening sky. "She told me once -- I asked, because it bothered me, why would she want to assosiate with someone like me -- that it was simple. That she loved me. I just stalked off at the time, but deep down, I was happy. That someone out there existed that could-- you know."

And Nao does, she remembers the conversation with Shizuru vividly, as if she had been the one to have it. The student council president looked younger in her memories, and somehow more carefree.

"N.. Natsuki, is this really you? Here and now? Or is this another dream? Of the past, or another present, or..." asks Nao, unable to mirror her partner's calmness. Her hands are shaking.

"I'm no more here than you were there," Natsuki responds calmly. She gestures at herself. "And yet, here I am." Her eyes lower, scanning the surrounding bushes. "I wonder if Duran is alright."

"And.. there I was? Why? Why can I remember your past, and not- not mine? I can't even say who I am for certain anymore."

Nao buries her face in her palms. "With this on top of the festival, I'm really lost."

"I'm sorry about your family," Natsuki says, sounding regretful. "For me, it was my mother and Duran."

But her mother loved her, while Natsuki's tried to sell her off to Searrs, a thought comes to Nao's mind. It carries many conflicting emotions with it, gloating and sympathy at chief amongst them.

Her hands move up, squeezing her temples. They're alien! They're more natural than how she's used to thinking...

"That- my family... and your loss.. what sort of people did we become?" asks Nao, pulling up her knees. "Angry, bitter, jealous, spiteful..."

"I think she wanted to change that," Natsuki muses, returning her gaze to the skies. "It's... it's just a feeling I get, at least. But some things are beyond a person's control, beyond their ability to affect."

She sighs, exhaling. "I really wish I had seen Shizuru's letter to me earlier. But I don't know how to respond. What is love, really?"

To this, Nao has no response, no answer, no idea apart from half-forgotten glimpses and a depserate, fruitless search to fill a void. But is Natsuki hearing what Nao is saying? Or is she speaking with someone else entirely?

An images pushes to the fore, brushing others aside. Of Shizuru's horrified face, as she shrinks away from her.

"Is that also love?" Natsuki muses sadly. "I never wanted her to kill for me. Would anyone? With every life she took, something grew inside me. Something heavy, something empty. It doesn't make much sense, I suppose."

What would Nao think if someone killed for her, and her alone? Like Arach? A pet monster, to be kept away until necessary? That's right, Nao would treat such a person as a tool. A favoured pet, perhaps. She knows that much about herself.

She wouldn't want to think a monster could truly get close to her, after all. What this says about Nao herself, though- it's not something she can address. She's killed, too. Relief, followed by numbness, every time.

"Who did she have to kill?" Nao asks, already knowing at least part of the answer.

"The command structure of the First District." Natsuki scowls. "They didn't go quietly, so everything that stood in her way. Kikukawa. Suzushiro, those two are a pair. Almost, very nearly, you." She pauses. "I think that's where the connection was made. Being so much around you, even if I were tied up at the time. Seeing the differences, but also the similarities. We're a lot alike, and the difference traces down to a single factor."

She sighs quietly. "A single irreplacable person."

"She was sorry. For everything," replies Nao, sadly. "I wondered for a long time. What it was she did. Why she did it. That.. a single person. For all of us, it's the same thing."

"Do you think that family has to be bound by blood?" Natsuki asks suddenly, looking at Nao intently.

"People.. marry, don't they? Because they love one another, there's trust. A group of people, really caring for one another, willing to do whatever it takes to help... that's as much a family as anything."

Nao laughs, suddenly. "Oh, Natsuki, what am I saying? These things are too difficult for me, called up only by memories I'm never sure of. Why do people find each other important? People are.. weak. Ideals, relationships, promises- to keep one, sometimes another must be broken. Some of them.. some of them must be lies."

"To keep one, another must be broken," Natsuki repeats melancholically. "Yes, I suppose this is true. But I'm afraid." She stands up, walking towards Nao. "It's terrifying. I never felt like this before, and you're the only thing I have to keep me grounded."

Natsuki stops an arm's length from Nao, her posture awkward. If it weren't such a ridiculous idea, Nao would think that Natsuki wants to hug her but isn't sure how to ask.

Nao's laugh rises to hysterical proportions. "Natsuki, where are you? And where am I?" she chokes, raising her arms halfway. "I can't be a rock for you. I'm a wreck!"

"Somewhere Duran can't reach, even if I call for him," Natsuki says sadly. She shifts, and the decisive Natsuki is back. A hand is thrust forward, firmly grasping Nao's. "If we could do it all over again, I think I would've wanted a little sister like you. But even now, you don't have to shoulder everything by yourself. No matter what happens, you're not alone."

Nao's hand feels very warm, almost uncomfortably so.

Nao can't do anything but grab it back, but then she reaches forward and hugs Natsuki, surprising herself.

"You're with me, all the way?" she croaks, trying to find the words. "I'll find you. I promise I'll find you. Wait for me, okay?"

"Always."

A warm golden light envelops Nao. She can't see Natsuki's face, buried as it is in her shoulder, but the older girl trembles.

"Nao?!" Yuki calls, and Nao hears approaching footsteps as her hands go through Natsuki, who dissolves into motes of light.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

Nao stumbles. Who is she, she had been asking mere moments previously.

She is Nao Yuuki, fifteen years old. Her family was slaughtered one day by robbers, the lowliest of scum, who decided to brutalize her mother after looting what they could from Nao's home. Her mind broke, and a week later, her body followed suit, Nao's only remaining family falling into a coma.

Orphanage. Foster care. Neither were a picnic. And throughout it all, Nao's rage grew.

Nao's powers activated at fourteen, while she was cornered in a dark alley she was cutting through to get to her job at AM-PM. Working the night shift was the only way for her to earn enough to pay for her mother's long-term care; no one else cared about the woman.

The men who so hurt her mother, those scum. They had to pay. Nao turned her newfound powers on them, seeking them out. They had to feel what her mother had.

All such men had, and Nao would use them, and they were never left the same way again. It was a dark existence, but Mikoto brightened it. So did Mai, whose presence Nao reluctantly tolerated, and Natsuki, with whom she had constantly argued. They made her feel like she belonged.

"Are you alright?" Yuki asks, running up to her. "You yelled something-- was there an intruder?"

She's crying, Nao realises too late as she turns to look at Yuki. She jerks her head away feebly, and drags her fist across her bloodshot eyes.

"No," she manages, swallowing. "It was nothing." It wasn't nothing. There was an intrusion, of a sort. But her face begs Yuki not to ask.

Yuki's face tightens in return, and she manages a curt, almost robotic nod. "I'll be by the entrance," she says, walking away stiffly.

The memories proceed, as Nao remembers Mai asking her help, pleading for her to help rescue Natsuki, but she can't be bothered. In truth, her powers exist only to punish the wicked, those who would prey on innocent women like her mother. Or is that just a lie she tells herself to feel better about what she does? A reason for her to keep on pushing everyone away?

There is an attack. A bridge is destroyed. It's Searrs, and she refused to get involved before, but can she resist it now? A sudden pain overtakes her mind, and the memories pause abruptly at that point.

Nao leans against one of the support pillars for the veranda's overhanging roof.

Punishment. Vengeance. An eye for an eye. Even without these memories, it was these ideas that stuck in her head, ever since she gained her powers for the second time. "I'll kill anyone who attacks me", or something like that; she'd told Mai, Haruka, Yukino, Mikoto, and herself, over and over again. It was extended to those who attacked her friends, those who attacked her home, and even those who merely might attack...

Revenge lies in her heart, but she has to fight past that and remind herself what's she taking it for in the first place. For someone she cares about, like Natsuki said; she clings to that. It might've been that losing her memory was a good thing. If she hadn't met Shizuru- if she hadn't decided to try and save others in the first place, what would she be like now? Absorbed in her hate and losing sight of what really matters?

As she starts heading back around to the front, Nao tries to discard her tumbling emotions. What matters now is saving the island-

-it's both revenge against Searrs, and a chance to preserve the bright spots in her life.

"I'm ready," she announces, once she reaches Yuki, having resumed her former demeanour.

"So are we," Yuki responds, and it seems that they are. The pair Yuki had singled out remain off to the side; they look like they can take care of themselves, which could be why they were chosen to separate from the main group.

A puppy emerges from the trees, barking once. It makes its way towards Nao, giving the others a wide berth.

Nao kneels in front of the puppy, raising a hand to pat it gently.

"Are you coming, Duran?" she whispers.

The puppy licks Nao's hand.

Yuki takes point, and the group proceeds towards the academy grounds. It appears that luck is with them; no First District patrols cross their way. The speed they're moving at allows Nao and the free Executive Committee members to reach their destination in just thirty minutes.

"Straight to the church, right?" Yuki asks.

"I want to scout out the school itself a bit myself, but the church is out destination," agrees Nao. "Where are all the students being held?"

"Should still be the auditorium," Yuki responds. "You know the one I mean. It's practically all-purpose, isn't it?" She sounds quite abrasive.

A bell-shaped flower is hovering just behind her ear.

Nao seems briefly shocked, but narrows her eyes. "Yukino. You can see and hear me, right? Can you reply?" She holds up a warding hand at the scout party members, hoping they'll remain silent.

"If you're near the school, meet us at the church. If you're not, I'm going to try and force the soldiers here out of the grounds, get the students to safety, and use an island-wide PA system to get in contact with the others. I should be able to get Mai to help us deal with our orbital problem."

"How?" Yukino's voice asks. "How will you ask Mai-san?"

The Executive Committee students jump, looking around. They don't seem to see where Yukino's voice is coming from.

"I'll get her to meet me somewhere. I've got an idea, the soldiers or Searrs or anyone won't know what I mean when I say it, but Mai will. Then I'll tell her the situation. She should help, if she's here. If she's not here, well... there's still Miyu. Have you had any luck finding either of them?"

Nao pauses. "Of course, if you could find her, you could do it without even needing to meet."

There is a pregnant silence. Yukino laughs, then. "Luck? No, I don't believe we've had much of that." Another pause follows, before she asks, "You want me to find Mai-san? I thought you were going to page for her."

"I am, but that was only because I didn't know where you were! I don't know, how much ground can you cover at once? What's happened on your end, anyway?"

Another silence bordering on the uncomfortable. "I want to talk to you. In private."

"In private, or in person?" asks Nao, sounding unusually uncomfortable herself; something strange for when she's addressing Yukino.

"The former," Yukino responds, swiftly this time. Nao's companions shift uncomfortably.

Nao pauses. "You guys go on ahead," she says. "I'll catch up. If I don't for some reason... Yuki, it's in your hands."

Yuki looks betrayed, though whether by Nao or her erstwhile superior is hard to tell. "Let's go," she tells the Committee remnants, and they move off through the forest, flanking Fuka's campus to the left of Nao.

"I would like to hear your intentions," Yukino says as soon as they're gone, "and I want you to know of mine."

"Believe it or not, Yukino," replies Nao, through gritted teeth, "My intentions are exactly what I've said. I'll free this island of these groups and find a way to kill Arika or die trying."

"That's not what I meant," Yukino says calmly. "I'm asking what you're going to do after that. We only have eight days... no, it's seven now, isn't it?"

"You mean the festival," replies Nao, with a sudden, sinking feeling. "I know these groups have the technology to create a way out of that bullshit, and they're just too damn selfish to use it. I'll get an answer out of them. Somehow."

"Or we could partner up," Yukino offers. "We wouldn't be the first to, you know." She sounds casual as she speaks.

"Partners?" asks Nao, sounding almost incredulous. "Partners. Yukino, do you even realise what you're saying? You can't fight in the festival. If you do, you and Suzushiro are fucked sideways."

"I know exactly what you're implying, crass as it is," Yukino responds, not rising up to the bait. "I am telling you that I believe I have found a way around that. And I somehow doubt you would care if I were proven wrong and left you as the sole winner in the end, so why don't we cut to the chase where you answer me?"

"For just you two? Or for the rest of us?" asks Nao, dangerously.

"People would have to die," Yukino states bluntly. "However, they won't have to remain that way."

"I'll need to hear the details," replies Nao, folding her arms across her chest. "But I want to ask you something, Yukino. Have you had any memories that you can't explain?"

A snort is heard. "It's because I can explain them that I've found a way out. I am extending it to you as well despite my better judgement." She pauses. "You'll get the details, if you're in, really and truly in, but I need an intermediary answer now. There's little time and we have to kill the Searrs Hime. Do we have a deal?"

"I was doing that anyway. Then I guess we're partners for now. Where's Suzushiro?"

"Dying." Yukino's voice is tight. "I know where Mai-san was a few hours ago. I'll start the search from there. Give me a place to reach you in case we have to regroup, somewhere only you and I would know of."

"Go to the forest across from Mashiro's garden if we must meet up. I know it well," replies Nao. "Where are you right now?"

"No, that's a bad idea. It's swarming with First District forces," Yukino says. "Nagi himself is there. It's the last place I'd want to meet."

"Should we avoid the school entirely?"

Yukino mulls this over. "No. This might work in our favor." She still ignores Nao's question about her present location.

"You're too cryptic."

"I'm sorry. Let me get some tea and biscuits so we could discuss the situation at length, calmly and rationally."

"That's two sentences you could've used to tell me what you mean. The school is swarming with soldiers, too. If there's a free spot, we could try the executive office. Or the place where I killed Arika the first time."

"A return to the scene of the crime?" Yukino asks, sounding melancholic. "Why not. Two hours from now, or as soon as possible if something go wrong and I can't keep up with you."

The flower fades away.

What crime, is all Nao can think, before she shakes her head and decides to proceed into the school.

<--->

[Corwin]

<--->

The church is silent, and no First District troops can be seen around it. The only signs of life Nao does spot are the fatigues-clad forms of the Executive Committee members on her side. While they might be able to fool any soldiers by hiding the way they do, for a Hime they are easy prey.

"Yukino, are you still there?" mutters Nao, starting to approach the church herself.  "How bad is Haruka?"

There is no response.

One of the girls spots Nao, alerting the others to her presence.

Nao grits her teeth and slips towards the girls, waving at them before heading into the church proper.

The door is closed, but not locked, Nao finds out upon reaching the building. It opens at her touch without so much as a creak.

Bodies litter the floor. Men in fatigues, those clad in black suits, all lie on the ground next to their discarded weapons and Nao can tell they won't be getting up again.

Sister Yukariko is praying at the podium. She raises her head as Nao glances inside, turning around to face the redhead, her hands clasped in front of her. "Have you decided to embrace God, or will you try to defile His home as these ones tried?" she asks, her voice carrying over, the acoustics of the church causing echoes to form.

Ah, how could she forget? This is where the nutcase lurks. And Nao doesn't have time for a fight.

"God? Is faith in him the only way to create a worthwhile future? I want to believe in something like that."

"Yes!" the nun announces, spreading her arms. "God and His angels would lead all those who would accept them in their hearts towards salvation!"

The Committee members catch up to Nao, and not all of them are able to conceal their gasps at the scene. Yuki brushes past them, coming to kneel next to a soldier and claims his automatic weapon for herself.

"If salvation gives us guns to fight back with, I'm all for it, Sister," she says, busying herself with looking for spare clips.

"Yuki, you realise that to pick up a gun is, in itself, an invitation to get shot?" asks Nao, dubiously, putting the god issue aside for now. "More to the point, do you even know how to use that thing?"

The way she handles the weapon, hitting the safety and ensuring no round is chambered answers Nao better than any words would. "I'm a fast learner," Yuki says, standing up and glancing at her followers. "But Nao's right. There's no going back if you guys do this, too."

Sister Yukariko smiles, an expression that seems vacant, but that could be a trick of the light. Her eyes remain on Nao.

"Sister, tell me about God's angels, and the salvation that will come," queries Nao, slightly unnerved by the nun's expression. Was she unhinged to begin with? Or did being a HIME make her that way? How can anyone smile in the presence of a corpse-

Ah, well, Nao can answer that, at least.

"And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground," Yukariko intones. "And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night."

Her voice picking up, Sister Yukariko continues, "And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat."

She scowls. "But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter. And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them."

Nao doesn't understand.

Nao is too busy to try and understand. "You, go and find the PA equipment," she mutters to the nearest girl. "Sister, do you understand what's going on within the school? Across the island?" she adds, completely unsure of how to deal with the woman.

Hesitantly, the Committee members move inside the church. Three more, two of them being the boys, pick up weapons; only handguns, Nao notes, and Yuki gathers them into a huddle to explain the weapon's operation.

Michiko proceeds towards a side room, waving a couple along to help her.

"And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? Son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place." The more she speaks, the more fervent the nun's voice becomes. "For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it."

Nao doesn't like the woman's tone. "If you guys see anything scary, run first, shoot later, alright?" she adds, straining her senses; could it be that there's someone here other than Yukariko? The woman's story is too threatening.

Yuki gives Nao a sloppy salute, resuming her whispered instructions. She glances at Yukariko once she thinks no one is looking, however.

"And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city," Sister Yukariko continues.

A beam of sunlight, weak as it is, lands on the spot she is occupying, coming through the high-placed murals.

Nao recoils from the light, and can't look directly at Yukariko while the sun is upon her. She briefly inspects the wounds on the soldiers in front of her, and starts pacing around the church, glancing through the locations that aren't so easily seen from the centre.

There are very small holes in their bodies, Nao realizes after a brief inspection, not inconsistent with arrow wounds.

"And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar," Yukariko continues, empowered by the emergence of the sun as more light continues to pour into the church. "The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar."

Nao... remembers this, sort of! Isn't this the one with the pillar of salt? Did these men really attack Sister? No... because if they'd known there was a Hime here, they would've either brought many more, or stayed away entirely.

It strikes Nao that, eventually, someone is going to notice they went missing. The church won't be safe for long.

"What exactly did these men do?" she asks Yukariko, interrupting her sermon.

"They sinned the sin of Sodom, the sin of the arrogant, overfed and unconcerned. They were haughty and did detestable things before me." Yukariko stands straighter. "Therefore I did away with them as you have seen."

"And? What are you going to do next?" asks Nao, frowning. "There are men like them across the entire island, and they're probably the least of our worries at the moment, compared to the warships and the satellite."

One of the girls that went into the side room emerges long enough to give Nao and Yuki a thumbs up, disappearing inside once more.

"The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar," Yukariko repeats, stretching her hands heavenwards in euphoria. "Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven! And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground!"

"Are you saying the same thing will happen here?" asks Nao, struggling to understand what langauge the woman is speaking. Is it purely metaphorical? Did she see the blasts yesterday and decide they were divine in nature?

It isn't exactly an impossible conclusion, Nao would grant.

Or is she simply quoting whatever fearsome gospel springs to mind?

"I thought that was supposed to be sulfur," Yuki mentions, standing up. The weapon in her hands is pointed down quite inoffensively, but the way she's gripping it makes Nao feel that appearances might be deceiving. "The whole raining down from the skies thing," she elaborates, as the nun stares at her, uncomprehending. "Genesis, right? I'm thinking, fourteen?"

"Nineteen," Yukariko corrects her instantly, and Yuki nods. "Right. Well, I was close. Say, are you Lot?"

"What--"

Yuki ends up interrupting the nun. "The part about the righteous being saved. If this is Sodom, to survive, you have to either be Lot's flock or one of the angels. So which are you?"

"Like me," mouths Nao, gesturing towards herself for Yuki's benefit. Of course. She didn't know. But she could probably guess (and just why is she so comfortable with military gear?)

It's an interesting question from the girl, though, and Nao wants to hear it answered.

"You-- you dare mock God's faithful servants?!" Yukariko sputters, looking shocked at the very concept.

"Given that the only angels we've seen so far have been scum striking at Fuka? Pretty much."

"Blasphemy!" the nun screams, an expression of utter rage consuming her. "How dare you talk that way about her divine magnificence, Arika the Neverending, the messenger of light and wisdom?!"

A bow appears in the woman's hands, and she aims it at Yuki, who responds in kind. A demonic -- for that word comes first to Nao's mind -- horse appears out of the shadows behind Sister Yukariko.

What was it Shizuru said? The right, or wrong words at the right time could make all the difference. It seems that the wrong ones were already said to Yukariko... and with an expression like that, reason couldn't get through to her. It doesn't seem as though it ever could.

Nao's strings flash towards the bow, moving faster than the girl herself could dream to drag it off-centre. "An angel, Yukariko? Or a demon in disguise?" she growls. "Arika is no servant of god. She's merely a murderer. For a nun to be taken in by mere form is a sign that the end is upon us, surely."

Arach looms behind her; there may be no hiding it now.

Light. It's the first thing you're aware of as you-- wake up? You are lying on a single bed, which feels reasonably comfortable to your back. A glance around the room reveals another bed much like yours at the opposite end of the room, a desk separating the two. The room is not particularly large. Sunshine illuminates it to your eyes, coming through a single window located above the desk.

Nao bolts to a sitting position, as if rising from some distant nightmare, and grips the sheets over her mattress tightly.

The feeling that she was supposed to be doing something is quite strong, but it fades as soon as Nao becomes aware of it.

"You might hurt your back if you rise this suddenly," a woman with a Kyoto accent teases her. Shizuru, her roommate, the woman who took interest in Nao as she transferred into Fuka at the start of her last year of junior high, taking her under her wing. How she managed to arrange to stay with her when they are in different sections is puzzling, although Shizuru was voted in as the student council president for Fuka Academy's high school section nigh-unanimously. That might have had something to do with their arrangement.

A pang of deep sadness resonates in Nao as she lays eyes upon her roommate.

"I.. was having a bad dream," admits Nao, twisting to look at her companion. "You know, those things you just can't remember, but you know they're awful? It can really wake you right up."

"Don't let Natsuki hear you say that, or she might think I'm doing something unspeakable to you at night," Shizuru tells her, sounding amused. "She can be quite scary and I am oh so fragile." She smiles.

"But you would protect me, wouldn't you, Nao?"

Natsuki. Natsuki. There were good times with Natsuki. Weren't there?

"The great Fujino Shizuru, protected by a junior high student? Your reputation would plummet within an hour. For the sake of Fuka, you must fight your own battles."

Nao's relationship with her sister is a troubled one, indeed, although good memories are easy to recall. Natsuki could be quite overzealous when it comes to protecting her for the slightest offense imaginable. Nao doubts that she would do anything to Shizuru, however. The older girl had teased Natsuki relentlessly in the year they had known each other, more so than she did anyone else, including Nao, and the bluette is yet to do anything about it. Their confrontations usually end with a red-faced Natsuki fleeing the scene, while glaring over her shoulder.

"Am I to be foresaken by my staunchest ally as well?" Shizuru laments. "Fighting my own battles. How ridiculous! Have you seen Suzushiro-san? If I fought her like she wants me to, I would surely die!"

"Now that I won't believe. How much bite does Suzushiro have without her bark? If it wasn't for Kikukawa, she really would be a paper tiger," snorts Nao, pulling herself out of bed. Teasing the executive council is a hobby of hers, after all.

"Ah, but she has a great deal of energy!" Shizuru says with a smile. "That is quite admirable, especially when channeled into the right direction." Something beeps from the direction of the kitchenette; the microwave, if Nao's ears don't deceive her.

"Are you hungry?" Shizuru asks her. "We have toast."

"I feel like I haven't eaten for days," replies Nao. "Toast is very agreeable." Pulling on a dressing gown, she putters towards the kitchen herself, shaking off that last bit of morning blues.

"Are you going to be busy with meetings today?"

"This is good, for toast is all we have," Shizuru states matter-of-factly. "Being busy with meetings reflects a failure to properly delegate. I don't believe I will have my afternoon eaten up by meetings, no. Why?"

"Karaoke. Today is the day," affirms Nao. "You never did say if you were going to come or not, but I don't intend to leave you with a choice, this time."

"Mmm. What should I do?" Shizuru taps her lips, pretending to think. "I think we'll need to compromise to achieve our goals. Your compromise would be to get your sister to cosplay Hatsune Miku as you drag her along." Snickering quietly to herself, Shizuru adds, "Don't forget the leek. The leek is key."

"This tells me nothing. Which outfit had a leek?" replies Nao, allowing the conversation to turn to pop-culture banter as she butters her toast.

"As long as she holds an extra large one, it's enough," Shizuru says happily.

Nao realizes her task is not an easy one; Natsuki despises cosplaying, and has utter hatred for leeks which seems to increase according to their size. The source of this strange phobia was never made apparent to her.

Then again, Natsuki doesn't particularly like karaoke, either. Getting her to come at all would be a chore in itself.

Her sister has her buttons, which Nao only knows too well. Will they be enough? There's always lying... does Natsuki even know what Hatsune Miku is, come to think of it?

"You put excessive value on your time, I have to say," replies Nao as she munches away.

Natsuki hardly follows the latest trends and fashions the way Nao does. The chances that she would know of the vocaloid sensation are pretty slim.

"That might be so," Shizuru says regretfully. "But if my time feels overpriced, I fear I might just slip up and fail to properly manage it."

"Overpriced? Don't you mean underpriced?" replies Nao, finishing off her toast and heading to get changed for the day.

Shizuru responds, but Nao doesn't quite catch it over the running water. She quickly washes up and dresses for a brand new schoolday. Shizuru is holding her bag out for her, smiling, when Nao finally puts her shoes on.

The doorbell rings.

Nao takes it with her own smile and heads to answer the door, unusually cheerful at the prospect of school.

The bell rings at least five more times before Nao opens the door, only to be bowled over by Mikoto. "Nao! Let's go together!" the athletic girl cries out.

Shizuru giggles, concealing her mouth with her hand.

"You see, Shizuru? You see the real danger to my back?" complains Nao from her undignified position on the ground. "Anyway, looks like I'm going on ahead~"

"Have a safe trip!" Shizuru calls after the two, waving, as Mikoto all but drags Nao to Fuka Academy. They make it on campus in record time, even for one of Mikoto's dashes, which means that Nao is thoroughly out of breath when she plops down in her seat. Mikoto climbs the desk next to her, crouching upon it like some savage animal. She doesn't look the least bit winded.

"I'm gonna die. Mikoto, I'm gonna die, and it's all your fault," Nao whines, flopping over on her desk and breathing hard.

One day, Nao will thank Mikoto for keeping her fit throughout high school. She never expected it, but making friends with the girl has resulted in her getting picked (second) for all teams during PE.

A strange pang of guilt hits Nao as she talks to her friend, but she can't remember doing anything bad to the girl. Can she?

Mikoto was very cross when Nao fed her some spicy curry back when they had just became friends. But even the scolding she received from Shizuru and the angry tirade Natsuki went on were worth it, because it was the day Nao became a hero in the eyes of the school. So did Mikoto, albeit in a slightly different fashion.

Nao has reliable information that some students still chuckle as they reminisce about the Spicy Curry Ban, penned by Suzushiro Haruka.

It was kind of annoying for a while, Nao reflects. How do you tell if someone is teasing you, or genuinely praising you? But then she just learned to roll with it and laugh, no matter what. And it gives her something to talk about whenever she meets someone new, too, which is a great perk.

"Tables are for working, Mikoto. Chairs are for sitting. Today is the day we behave like people, instead of cats who look like people."

Mikoto responds by brushing her hair behind her ear with her bare foot.

"Human legs can't work that way," mumbles Nao, giving up. As she does, every single day.

There are people in this world who are experts in making others concede. Is it Nao's misfortune to live with one and be best friends with another? At least she'll always have Natsuki to fight on even terms with.

A shiver goes down Nao's spine. Always in the past, it has served as a prelude to a fight with Natsuki, and in all cases Nao was in the wrong.

To be fair, fights with Natsuki were frequently only funny after the fact. Nao raises her fist to her lip rather nervously, leaning on the table and glancing worriedly at the door to her class.

The only ones to come are Nao's fellow students, who smile and wave at her or call out a greeting. The last to enter is 'Afro-sensei', a kind-looking teacher with an afro who happens to be Nao's homeroom teacher.

Nao's anxiety only mounts during the day, but as the bell for lunch break rings, the door to the classroom slams open, almost sliding off its edges. "Nao," a very familiar voice growls loudly. "Talk."

"Talk about what? I wonder what it could be..." replies Nao, indeed wondering with all her strength.

"Shizuru was smiling!" Natsuki exclaims, throwing her hands in the air as she stalks over. "While looking at me! And that laugh! 'Fufufu.' Unnatural!" Finally within reach, she slams her palms against Nao's desk. "What. Did. You. Do."

"But but but Fujino does that all the time!" complains Nao, staring up at her sister. "When she sleeps, too."

Ah, nuts, she called her Fujino instead of Shizuru. Now Natsuki will know something's up for sure.

Natsuki shivers, head to toe. "That's beside the point!" she protests, refusing to surrender to logic. "I know you and I know-- wait." Her eyes narrow.

Nao's classmates eagerly observe the drama, even Mikoto, who gravitated towards her seat sometime around second period.

"Do you? Do you really? We've gotten so distant, lately. I mean, when was the last time we did anything together?" replies Nao, swiftly changing the topic.

"What do you want?" Natsuki asks flatly.

"What do I want? You're the one who comes barging in here, you know!" replies Nao, crossly folding her arms.

Natsuki's head drops. "Alright. Alright, Nao. But I'll be watching you! It better not be one of Shizuru's hairbrained schemes!"

A fond memory comes to mind at those words, of Shizuru taking Natsuki and Nao to shop for lingerie. It was probably the most embarrassed Nao had ever seen her sister, although for all her protests she left a veritable treasure at that store, returning with quite the collection.

"Even if it was, they always, strangely, end well for you, don't they? Nee-chan, you need to loosen up~"

Natsuki looks sour, but Nao knows it's an act. She's getting embarrassed, again, and hides it. A stranger would even be convinced, but not she!

Mikoto ruins the moment by latching onto Natsuki from behind, reaching around the bluette to fondle her chest. "Let's loosen Natsuki up!" she cries out, ignorant of the way Natsuki's face is now matching her hair in tone.

"To tell the truth, we were going out this afternoon, but if Shizuru is up to something, she didn't tell me. Again. She always leaves me out," mutters Nao, oblivious to Mikoto's routine groping.

Natsuki screams in rage, trying to throw the smaller girl off, a task easier said than done.

"Did you want to come, too? It'll be fun, and it'll pay the fee for saving you from Mikoto~"

"Get it off! Get it off!"

Nao reaches into Mikoto's bag and opens the lunchbox within, setting it on the table. Mai's cooking is, without a doubt, a 100% effective lure for the girl.

Nao's hand pauses all of a sudden, as she is about to lay the lunch out on the table. Mai? Who was that, again, another friend Mikoto has?

The ploy succeeds. Breathing heavily, Natsuki presses her back against the wall, making warding signs against Mikoto. The latter, for her part, forgot anything in the world exists besides the food that is her before her.

It was Mikoto's roommate who makes the lunch, no? Did Nao get the name mixed up?

She doesn't have her catty smile as she chews this sudden thought over, leaning back in her chair rather pensively.

Mikoto always comes over. Who does Mikoto live with, again?

Natsuki grunts something that might be acknowledgement of her debt to Nao if one is charitable, and escapes from the classroom.

Stage one, complete. Getting Natsuki into the outfit... shall be accomplished en-route, Nao decides.

"Who made you lunch this time, Mikoto?" asks Nao, glancing at the bento. It certainly looks tasty- Nao always eats at the cafeteria (as she cannot cook worth a damn, and bugging Shizuru has resulted in... interesting menus, to say the least.)

Although it inadvertantly lead to discovering Shizuru's one and only weakness, Nao reminisces. One day, Shizuru suddenly expressed a strange desire to try Natsuki's homemade cooking, and wouldn't take no for an answer. After Nao had managed to swindle her sister into making it, however, the student council president ended up being on a mysterious three-day business trip and never asked for an encore.

"Tamaki! You want some, Nao?" Mikoto's voice sounds pitiful, as if she believes Nao might take her up on her offer.

That's right, Nao realizes. However could she have forgotten Mikoto's roommate? Tamaki is in the class next door, and is in fact its class representative.

It was clear from the start than neither Yuuki was going to be a terribly good housewife. A dynamic career was in store for both of them.

"Ah, no, it's fine, enjoy it. I'll bug Tamaki to make me something some other time," decides Nao. Unfortunately, opportunities to use that weakness never happened.

Maybe if she could get Natsuki to offer to cook... no, Shizuru was deft enough to avoid that trap.

And Nao felt a pang of guilt at how torn the older woman appeared at the time. However, common sense seemed to have won in the end.

The day ends far too quickly. Although Nao doesn't feel like she learned anything in particular that day, the classes weren't too boring. Plus there is something about getting better grades than your older sister, if only by a little. And with Shizuru's help.

Nao should have what's necessary to produce a reasonable Miku costume at home, and she must swiftly go to prepare it for Natsuki's eventual usage. The only real problem should be the leek... ngh. Maybe she could cheat Shizuru?

Disappointing Shizuru has proved dangerous in the past, although hardly fatally so. Still, Nao wasn't kidding about Shizuru laughing to herself while asleep. More than one sleepless night was spent looking at the older woman's bed warily. All of those were after Nao had tried to pull a fast one on Shizuru.

There's no choice. She'll just have to wing it. Appealing to Natsuki to do it for her sake is useless in this instance, her sister would be downright euphoric for Shizuru to focus on another target, if only for a short time.

That would be a false hope, as Shizuru is quite adept at multitasking. Outside the student council, Nao would know that best.

The plan is as simple as it is transparent; create a situation in which Natsuki can no longer wear her current clothes. Then, provide a replacement outfit. As Natsuki won't even know she's cosplaying, it's a guaranteed win on that front.

But how can Nao guilt her into holding the damn leek? Short of gluing it to her hand, she just can't come up with a surefire method.

Maybe a microphone disguised as a leek? Once she shoves Natsuki into the karaoke, she'll definately participating (even if begrudgingly). It's a pity Natsuki doesn't have a boyfriend, because that would make this so much easier with his help...

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