Chaos Sonic

"Why, of course, but this is part of the schedule. After all..." “Miss, Fen and I made some stir fry if you want breakfast. You know, since you came all this way…” "I have heard that this squad has an expert cook and I would like to test her mettle for myself. So I shall be staying for breakfast, rejoice! Did you know, commanders who dine with their soldiers have a 30% higher life expectancy? Though the soldiers have 30% lower, oddly. Well, anyway, let us eat." Trevor wanted it to show on his face, the fact that this woman was being invited by Melissa... Oh how he wanted to lament this insane notion to have her join, but alas, that would draw too much attention to himself and therefore give him more reason to be scrutinized by Penelope. For now, he would simply sigh to himself and shut the front door. Nevertheless, it was obvious that this woman led a squad: Unfailing Strategy. That was one he hadn't heard of, but then again, he didn't hear much about Squad Grand either, so it was probably for the best. He simply moved over, pouring himself a cup of coffee and took a moment to sit down at the table, sipping on it. "So an Elite Squad? I suppose there's a tier system we're still not aware of yet...if this is the case, then we're most likely still at the bottom echelon of squad tiers..." he took a long sip of his coffee, before turning to his grimoire. "Please make a note or two about this." It was already being planned on. the book retorted, it's pages flipping back as a pen manifested itself and began to write on it's own. "If that's the case, if Unfailing Strategy is an elite, then by process of elimination...Squad Grand is most likely of an echelon higher than elite." he said, sighing. "But then again, I'm unsure so this may just be conjecture. Though I must ask, how many are usually in a squad? Because if it's more than three, we may be in a predicament ourselves due to our numbers."

"Excellent work Exalted! Your problem solving skills proved to be sufficient to pass and thus you are now eligible to take on the combat trial!" Sufficient? It was just enough? Gene had to admit, that didn't seem too reassuring if he was honest. They couldn't just be 'good enough', they needed to be more than that. A sigh escaped his lips as he was prepping to go into the room they were in prior, but stopped at hearing Sabrina's query. "I never was good at puzzles but that wasn't so bad! Do you think....coming here made us smarter too?" "M-Maybe..." he instinctively answered, only immediately shutting his mouth. He didn't want to keep saying anything in regards to these three and make it look like he was the one that was insane, so to speak. ...though it's more likely that this still tutorial mode...it had to have been...still think they should've done this tutorial mode at the beginning, might've helped out a lot more and make us not look like dolts... Gene thought with another sigh. Once they returned into the main room, the door was now unlocked thanks to their efforts. Then another hallway that sloped downward for them to go down. Gene was alright with this for the most part, but what caught his eyes were the cravings along the hallway walls, this continuation of the second scene. The animal and humanoid figures...together...moving forward towards some strange alien figures...strange, they were running in the last room. Gene thought, still watching the walls as he kept moving. Cloud shapes carved here too...oh wait what's this? Mankind and animals now...fighting the alien creatures? Huh... Alien's side having more clouds...arcs and zigzags...lightning? And it's all coming from these alien creatures? Gene rubbed his chin slightly, before finally just asking outright. "Hey River...question...what do these inscribed images mean??" “Though I am not well versed in the history of this world before the calamity, I believe they depict the story of how the people of Aerstroff came to be.” "So it's a creation myth/story? They fought against these...alien like creatures?" Gene asked, now beginning to get intrigued more. “That appears to be the case. I am not entirely sure what they are, but from what we have seen it would appear that these invaders had arrived and engaged in hostilities with the locals. They also appeared to have been close to ruin before Storm had lent his divine blessing and assistance.” The young man nodded. "I see..." It wasn't much, but this was definitely the starts of a bigger narrative, least in his eyes. Knowing the history of this place would definitely come in handy, least in his mind it would.

Ziun hated this...he hated it with every fiber of his being. He was struck by one of the eyes, and slowly but surely he was feeling weaker and weaker. His strength, being sapped and siphoned away by that damn beam. He kept trying to pull Robin along, but it was getting harder and harder to do. If he kept this up, he'd be overtaken...unfortunately that's what happened. The zombie at his leg began to pull itself further up his leg, in turn made the bard falter and he was pulled to the ground. Both he and Robin now were on the ground, a zombie still crawling up the bard's side. He cursed under his breath at this display, his teeth gritting. This wasn't how his song and tale was supposed to end, it was unheard of! Regrettably, he let go of Robin's hand, in order to shift around to grab his rapier out. "G-Get...OFF!!!" he cursed, stabbing the zombie. Once he knew it was dead (again), the bard slowly got up, his legs still wobbling under the lack of strength he had. But he was still determined to leave with Robin. "C-Come now, Dread Pirate...we're falling behind..." he moved slightly to reach down to help Robin up...but he saw something out of the corner of his eye that made him turn as white as the spirits in the previous rooms. The eye had a small glint in it's...well, eye...and Ziun knew what this meant: another beam. Instinctively, he stumbled back away from the trajectory of the beam, only to see that Robin got hit with it rather than he. Another curse was had under his breath, as his shaky grip on his rapier continued. "R-Robin...I'll keep going...follow after me, please!" he said, his voice having a bit of shakiness to it. But nevertheless, he turned and started to move forward. Robin was a tough fighter, she wouldn't be left behind like this...would she? Regardless, Ziun noticed the eye now positioning itself in front of the stairs from the exit...but this did not deter him. Perhaps it should've, but he was determined to leave still...so much so that he attempted to run past the eye, though his weak, strength stripped body betrayed him. Halfway through this, he was struck again by the eye's beam. Ziun figured he knew what this was...another strength sapping spell...unfortunately it wasn't. Slowly but surely, his vision went darker and darker...until he could see nothing. "N-No...NO NO!!!" he shouted, flailing slightly in panic. He kept going though, he was scared and frightened at this, but he knew the direction he was facing was the way of the exit...so he was close...VERY close. However, he felt something looming near him...it had to have been the eye. The next thing he felt was his body shiver and shudder, feeling the tendril of the eye make contact with him. Instinctively, Ziun took the rapier and began to flail his arm slightly, trying to strike at the tendril. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he was so close to the eye, or vice versa, but he landed a hit...blindly. Once he felt the looming sensation back away from him, still feeling the uneasy feeling of the eye's contact, he did his best to run blindly forward...until finally...finally he hit the threshold. He fell on the floor, tripping on his own feet passing through the threshold and began to breathe heavily. "A-Am I alive? I-I still can't see... R-Robin?? R-Robin...did she make it?!?" he shouted, his hands feeling around the ground to attempt to feel anyone's feet.

Back to the Lab Again Once the day ended, for most of the time, Victor and P.I.X.E.L. remained recluse in the workshop below his day job. Things still didn't add up for the intellectual, but perhaps that was the intrigue about it. There was, for the first time in a long while, something that Victor couldn't explain nor replicate in anything...it was thrilling, sure, but if this wasn't the end of the world type of stuff, perhaps he could enjoy it a bit more? "In six months, the world will end." He found himself listening to Cassandra's final words again, trying to once again glean anything from this. Aside from this, he replayed and replayed the footage from this moment, trying his best to see if anything was seen...anything out of the ordinary...but no avail. He rubbed the bridge between his eyes, letting out a deep sigh. "We're missing something...we have to be." he muttered to no one. "...he wouldn't have had any issue finding the problem and would've isolated it immediately. What would I do if I were him? ...damnit..." Victor bit his thumb slightly, in the process of hyper-fixing his attention to this, his mind racing quite a bit as he began to think about... "If I may, sir." the Scottish voice of P.I.X.E.L. broke through the silence. "Please try not to continue with this tonight. You'll only torment yourself further... Instead, set this on the back-burner for now." Victor sighed again, before minimizing the footage. "Have it run in the background...I need to have every inch of the footage analyzed." he said, before opening another screen. "In the mean time...let's see what we can do about miss Penelope's machine, shall we? Seems like it might be a fried motherboard...heh, child's play if I'm honest. Alright, let's get to work then." It would cause him to be distracted, the good kind, for a while. Talking to machinery, rearranging their inner workings...it was what Victor lived for...it's what his heart and mind excelled in. There would be more time for him to become engrossed with this apocalypse...but for now...he needed focus...and that's what he did. November 7th - Monday “Because you two were the ones who volunteered to relay as much information as you could find regarding the end of- regarding Cassandra’s prophecy, you’re being assigned to formally pay that debt. We’ve been running our end-of-the-world simulations this past week, but we need to explore every option available to us. If it’s an end of the world somebody has thought of, it’s one we can try to prepare for. We’ve arranged a meeting with the Archangel, the spiritual leader of Scarlet City’s largest religion, and you two lucky ducks get to go talk to her.” "Makes sense...start with the religious aspect of this and see if anything cross references what we're seeing..." Victor nodded. Now whether this was a religious prophecy or just something else, he didn't know, but it was best to cover all bases and go with what they could. A...type of troubleshooting in his eyes. There was a reason that Roy was the director's right-hand man. "Oh, and Aeon? Don’t disappear to go get food this time, hm?" Oh but what if I suddenly crave something? I gotta go get it then, you wouldn't not let me do that would you Roy boy?" "Don't ask me to repeat myself, especially if it makes the situation worse." This elicited a sigh that escaped Victor's lips, rubbing the bridge of his nose slightly. Once again, he found himself in a situation where Aeon was getting under someone's skin...but unfortunately, it was Roy. There was another reason why he was the director's right-hand man...he took no shit from anyone, period. "Director Sekelsky is a lot more tolerant of chicanery. Which is good. It's why he's going to a meeting with three erratic gang leaders. But while I'm in his place, G3 operates under my rules. I don't have consequences in mind for if you break them yet, but I will find them, you can be assured of that." "Yeah Victor is a lot better at this, that's for sure. Well all I gotta do is figure out what they know about the end of the world, make sure they aren't involved, and keep em from making things worse right? I'm sure I'll figure it out and if anything goes wrong I'll just fix it up. And hey maybe we'll find out they're behind it and I can bust it up right off the bat, that'd make ya happy wouldn't it Roy? oh and some advice, consequences can go both ways so best to keep that in mind yeah?" "Glad we understand each other, then." "In any case..." Victor spoke up, clearing his throat. "We'll make sure that we get the appropriate information from the Archangel and relay them back to you as instructed. Is there anything else we need to know before hand on meeting this individual? Dos or don'ts, for the long and short of it."

"Yes, you would say that wouldn't you. You probably don't think your harassment was anything short of natural. After all, such a pretty girl alone in the library, surely she would be interested right?" The moment the young girl said this, his eyes widened, everything around him started to grow distant...so much so that he really didn't pay too much attention to what she was saying afterwards. He blinked a few times, before his hand met his face, sliding off it slowly. "I have come here to see that you understand that whatever the world you came from was like you shall not be able to continue your philandering ways here." "...you can't be serious..." Trevor muttered, only to see the grimoire starting to slowly float up next to him. He glared at it for a moment. "...unless you want to be used as fuel for the fire, I suggest you don't say a word." he threatened the book, which began to slowly float back down towards his side. He exhaled slowly, taking his hat off, letting it float in the air above him as he ran his hands through his hair and then having his hat land back on top of his head. "Alright, this is one huge misunderstanding, miss...?" "Oh I see, a misunderstanding huh?" She then raises an arm and fiddles with her watch while muttering, "Doesn't take responsibility..." Trevor just stared in the young girl's direction. ...oh this is going swimmingly... the thought ran through his mind. "...will you even give me a moment to explain myself?" he asked, sighing as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "It's only fair, am I wrong?" She continued to mess with the watch, "Claims to want to explain self, proceeds to not do so, seems unwilling to follow through..." She looked up at Trevor, "No, no, carry on, I'm learning all sorts of things about you this way." ...seriously?? Another sigh escaped his lips. "Your friend, miss Keres, I met her at the library...this much is true." he began. "She spoke to me in regards to the books speaking about the Great Dragon, or more accurately, the lack of anything before the Great Dragon. She mentioned that it was generally just the religion that would be found, which alas, wasn't what I was searching for." he paused, watching the young girl messing with her watch still. It was slightly annoying, but he couldn't do much about it, since he was obviously being interrogated for something he didn't even do. "She and I ended up having a slight conversation about how her magic and my magic being different and even so far as to say it was different than Mauvache's. After this, I began to explain something with her in regards to how my magic differs from her...with it taking more of a scientific aspect...using the electromagnetic energy from the nervous system and giving it physical form when these rings are used as a catalyst." Trevor paused again, showing his three rings. "After this, I simply asked to know about her magic...as a fellow user of the arcane, I wish to know how other magic works. You could easily ask my fellow squad-mate Fen...I'm enthralled about this. I also was curious about the book she carried, it was a pretty heavy looking book. Then, that's when she said that 'she had a boyfriend', to which I was simply dumbstruck. I wasn't meaning for this to sound like some courtship...it was a misunderstanding. I implore you to believe me." She said one more thing as she tapped at her watch "Too many unnecessary details..." The girl looked up at Trevor and smiled. "You aren't very good at this. Thankfully for you I already know what happened, I just wanted to see how you'd respond. Otherwise you'd very much still be in hot water." She nodded her head. "Yes I've learnt a great deal about you through this, Trevor." "I'm not very good at...telling the truth?" Trevor gave her a inquisitive look, before shaking his head a bit. "You know what, perhaps it's better for me not to know what you referred to there..." he breathed a sigh of relief, trying to compose himself. "In any case, I hope that I was able to provide you with...whatever data you were looking for...?" She smiled wider. "Oh, you were. I can safely say that I, Penelope Nabudis, safely remain the sharpest mind among the Guardians here. I wondered when I learned that another magic user had been brought here but it seems my position was not threatened." "Penelope Nabudis..." Trevor nodded, before looking down at the grimoire, who was already making a note of the name. "Well then, miss Penelope, I shant keep you any longer...as I am certain one such as yourself has a busy schedule."

His simple thought out plan was somewhat integrated into another one...though it immediately failed. Gene couldn't help but wonder how any of them could possibly survive without any sort of problem solving skills. He would've assumed some, considering the Pokémon talk, had some puzzle solving skills in mind but every plan they had sort of...fell flat, which wasn't a jab at Sabrina literally landing back on the bridge from her latest attempt. ...then...what in the world are we supposed to d-... "your plans have almost succeeded but I believe they are falling short as a result of a lack of power. Your arts are a powerful thing and while it heartens me that you have all taken to using them quite quickly and effectively it would appear you have yet to unleash their full power. Perhaps it is yet another lack of clarity on my part. So I shall rectify that now." Gene was silent for a good while, hearing River speak up on this. Mild irritation arose, as he ran a hand through his hair with a sigh escaping his lips. "...so without that information upfront, we were doomed to fail..." he muttered, shaking his head. As far as 'tutorials', in the case of things, Gene was a bit miffed that this information was sort of glanced over at the present moment. Regardless, he had to remember...this wasn't a game, despite how heavy the general mechanics of this world seemed to dictate. "...so now wha-...?" "From within thine soul, a mighty roar leads to a great wind! With the wings of dragons I shall now soar through the sky and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat!" He whipped his head around to see Sabrina rushing off again and leaping towards the ledge. He immediately put his hands over his eyes, not wanting to see the same outcome as before...but surprisingly, he didn't hear the thud of them returning to the bridge. In actuality, he simply heard Sabrina cheering the words that she "did it". Glancing from behind his hands, Gene did see in fact...Sabrina being triumphant and at the highest platform. "Well...guess that's...o-one way of doing it." he muttered before looking at the other. Gene glanced at the other set of platforms and shrugged. "...guess we're still going by the usual plan then. Lemme...see what I can do." He closed his eyes and did his best to [Focus] and when he did...oh, he FELT it. It was uncomfortable, he could feel his blood...almost could feel where it would go if he told it to...it wasn't the best feeling. But hey, if Sabrina could do it...so could he. "...alright...here comes Water Wall..." As he had done before, the Water Wall was made...but this time, it was bigger than usual. It had obviously worked...it had to have. "Alright...maybe try it now, Marshall."

Not a teacher, not a sorcerer, not anything more than a soldier…my hope for Grigoriy to train me turned in a direction in which I somewhat anticipated. What drives this man, I know not. A simple request from Mauvache was the driving factor for his action in today’s training matches. If it weren’t for her, he most likely would’ve abstained indefinitely. Nothing more than soldiers, his exact words to me…it pains me to think that most have this mindset…but alas, this is nothing I can do. If he believes himself as nothing more than a soldier in a battlefield, then so be it. As always on this journey of mine, I’ll find my own way and path here on this world. It’s all I can do…it’s all I’ve ever done. Entry 4 - Complete The Next Day This message is to inform you of some changes to your squad. After Morgan's unfortunate incident involving the simulator I have decided to keep her under observation for some time to determine if something went wrong in her summoning. You may also notice that another of your members,Aduain, is gone as well. While this is the only major city on this planet there are a few other populated regions. One of which is near the ocean. Most attacks only occur within the city however lately this town has been threatened by creatures from the water and thus I have sent Aduain to help them out. I apologize for any issues this may cause and have a nice day. Trevor simply watched the sunrise from his bedroom window, contemplating and ruminating over the information that was presented to him. As of this current moment, Aduain and Morgan were no longer a part of the team...they were basically out doing another thing by Mauvache or being kept under observation. He still cursed under his breath for the latter half of this, still believing that was his fault. He simply let out a small sigh, before hearing his watch give off another notification...someone was at the door. Someone was apparently always at the door. With another sigh, he grabbed his hat and immediately walked out after straightening his clothes up, to open the door. When he opened it, he was surprised to see...a young woman with a sword at her side. "...um, may I help y-..." "Blackguard, I know of your ways, and I seek an apology for your mistreatment of my dear friend." "...blackguard?" Trevor repeated, blinking a few times as the Cabanomicon lifted and opened it's pages, seeming to pull a definition out. "...a man who behaves in a dishonorable or contemptible way." He blinked a few more times before clearing his throat. "I believe I need a bit more information on this...I haven't mistreated anyone here so far."

Never had Ziun decided to ever make a repeat performance, especially in one day, but when Lana suggested it be a way to work with it to buy them some more time, who was the bard to argue it. He did exactly the same as the last time, though he was still trying to focus whilst also attempting his best to focus on his surroundings as well. He noticed most of the group beginning to move forward and towards the now visible exit...that was, all but Robin. For whatever reasoning, she was lagging behind. The bard simply sighed and grabbed a hold of Robin's wrist and gave a quick wink with a smile. "I believe it's time for us to get a move on, dread pirate." Ziun chuckled lightly, beginning to drag her with him. "No party member left behind, no?" That was the last thing he needed on his conscience right now, as Robin was the closest thing he had to a true friend since he got in this gods forsaken city. Right now, he intended to catch up to the others, make it off this floor and just continue. He did truly hope that there might've been a moment for them to breathe and get a bit of rest...and for someone like him, he definitely needed the break to catch and collect himself. With all the illusions he had conjured up to this point, it was starting to wear him.

"I should have warned you Caesar does stuff like that. It’s my fault. I was focused on other stuff, getting all three gangs collated together. Sorry. It’s not an excuse, but I’ve been dealing with a large influx of information, so I’ve also been dealing with some migraines. Nothing out of the ordinary, but still…” Override held a hand up. "No need to worry about it, Bard. I anticipated some things like that type of information would be lost in the whole process." Once he entered the meeting room, his suit of armor began to slowly retract and the nanomachines returned into his watch, as he sat down. "Also, ibuprofen should clear that up if anything." “I’m glad we agree about the necessity of this truce. Six months is one of those gaps of time that’s long enough to be meaningful, but still short enough that it will creep up quicker than you think. Scarlet City needs all its resources at its disposal, even the… less savory ones, so petty squabbles would just get in the way of the greater good.” "The city is a giant machine so to speak…it needs every piece in play in order to function and work properly. So it's basically not rocket science to know that we need them all." Victor shrugged slightly. “I won’t keep you too long. We’ll have to get in touch with Aeon at some point for her debriefing, and someone will get in contact to get P.I.X.E.L.’s recording of the day, but you can go get food as well if you like. You’re dismissed.” "There's more. More you should probably ask him now before he leaves.” “Come again?” “All the wheeling and dealing done to get those signatures. That’s something you should talk about now.” “Fucking… you’re right. Okay. Override, what have you promised them? What are they going to be dangling over my head when I meet them next week?” Victor held up a finger towards the two. "First…I need a Cheeseburger…I'm starving. Cheeseburger first, then the rest of the debriefing." he glanced at his watch. "P.I.X.E.L., two things: get an order for me some lunch done real quick and also send a full copy of the video and a transcript of the day's events to the director's email." "Aye sir!" One Cheeseburger Order Later Victor was in mid-chew, having his glasses on as he accessed a holo-pad from his watch, picking it up and enlarging it to where he could show both Bard and the director. "Now, P.I.X.E.L. will have everything sent to you in an encoded email, as we do still need to take precautions...but rest assured, it won't take long for you to decode the email in order to open it. It's a simple cipher, nothing more." He took another bite of the burger, before continuing. "We'll work ourselves backwards on this...starting with Caesar." He proceeded to pull up the recording and played it for the both of them. Once it finished, Victor continued again. "As you can surmise, he basically wanted to simply spy on us with Legion. That was his caveat to playing ball with us. Needless to say, we're pretty good on this front then. P.I.X.E.L., let's get to the Zodiac side of things." Director Sekelsky looked at Bard, who nodded. "He's not doing anything he hasn't done before," Bard said. The information on the holo-pad began to change, showing the information and recordings from his meeting with Ophiuchus. "For Ophiuchus, he simply wished for information...or rather, an explanation. The reason last night happened, why then, why both Cassandra and those helping them were allowed/able to break one of the big truces to do so." he took the last bite of his burger, before crumpling up the wrapper and placing it beside him on the table. "I granted him this, as it's honestly one of the easiest things we can work with dealing with. When we know, he'll know." "'We,' meaning you," the director said. "You're the one who promised to do this. I'm not going to give you special access to G3's resources for something so trivial in the scope of the time we have left. It's useful to know he's interested in it for next week's meeting, but still, this is on you." "I was referring to the general 'We' there director, but I digress. Annnnnnnd that brings us to the triplets..." Victor sighed, pulling up the recording and information regarding that meeting...only to have it all cut off after the initial meeting. "...after the initial meeting, the three of us were split up and talked to...with this being part of their 'favors' as they liked to call it. I was partnered and spoke with Clotho." "You offered them favors? The Fates wanted favors from you and you gave them?" "Yes and no." Victor continued. Part of him wanted to say and divulge the full information of he and Clotho's conversation...but it didn't seem pertinent information to relay, so he decided to keep that to himself. "As I said, I spoke with Clotho privately. As you can see, this is the portion of the information where the video and recordings cut off. I had P.I.X.E.L. turn off due to Clotho's request to not have it recorded...in order to get the signatures as instructed, I did what I had to. The solo chats was the one of two favors...more of a favor of trust, in her own words. The secondary favor, according to Clotho, is yet to be determined." "You still owe them a favor?" Director Sekelsky brought a hand up to rub the bridge of his nose, which turned into a full covering of his face. "Sweet Zorro, dear Astra, give me the patience I need," he said into his palms. He took a deep breath, and tried to regain his composure. "It's entirely possible we have some of the fault," Bard offered. "Another misstep passed over while briefing them." "It's fine. It's fine," the director said. "They're really good at making these things seem innocuous. It might not seem like it matters. Maybe they put some conditionals on it that made it seem mundane. But The Fates have been active for what, a little over two years now? They make their favors matter when they come to collect. I assume they hold one over all three of you, then?" "As far as I'm aware of, yes." Victor nodded, shrinking the holo-pad and having it de-materialize. "And I'm aware of how long they've been active. Yes, the fact that myself and the other two owe them a favor isn't the greatest...but in this situation, our orders were...if I'm not mistaken...to get these signatures. And given the gravity of the situation, it had to be done." "We know," Bard said. "Just... try to haggle a bit next time." "Without the legal department to assist? I think I'll take my chances with the favors." Victor crossed his arms, shaking his head with a small smirk. "In any case, the full details of the report, debriefing and recordings with the information given will be sent to you as promised, director. That's generally my full report."

"You are the Exalted. That I am here is proof enough of that so I do not believe it possible for me to make that sort of mistake and I know it is the Exalted who will deliver this world from its suffering. However, I am not privy to the decision making process of my Lady nor the criteria she searches for and so I cannot, definitively, answer whether she has made one or not. However, as she is my Lady I am inclined to believe that her judgement is sound and that you are all capable of fulfilling your mission. I had believed the means to accomplish your task were rather apparent, though if I have made an error in my explanation then I apologize and will endeavor to work harder in the future to ensure no further misunderstandings happen. To clarify, the Drengr, or most creatures you will encounter, serve no greater purpose in whether or not you are able to save the world other than to aid and empower you. The only thing you must truly defeat is the Accursed and subsequently the Lord of Curses. That is how the world will be saved. The means by which you do so will more than likely be through combat, which is the purpose of the existence behind these shrines, your spirit weapons and the rune grafts bestowed to you. I suppose there is also the matter of the Aeons as well, who will be a means of gaining a greater power, as well as defeating foes of greater strength then yourself which will also allow you to gain even more power to accomplish your task. But of course your greatest weapon shall be your strength of spirit, so do work to never lose heart. I hope my answer has proved sufficient enough." Gene listened intently to every word that River spoke...and honestly, he could only let out a small sigh...was it relief or frustration...only he would know. To him, however, he did take into consideration one thing...even though this was a new world, it was obvious that this little speech River gave (if you wanted to call it that) was definitely one that would've been qualified as one of those great 'heroic speeches' or even one of those 'encouraging speeches' he saw a lot of in different forms of media. "...t-thank you..." he muttered softly to himself. Now that this was out of the way...there was a puzzle and problem to solve. ...least this is more of my expertise now... BGM A stone bridge divided the two halves of the room where the platforms were on...water assisting in it at the bottom. The switches/levers were in plain view...now the question was how to get over to each one. Gene observed and stared at the platforms, noting the distances and even the heights of them. "I can make the jump..." He wanted to respond to this, but Marshall beat him to it. That is to say...the conductor LITERALLY rushed towards the one platform....only to plummet off the sides. For a moment, he felt his heart sink and skip a few beats, thinking that the conductor had just decided to kill herself. Luckily, this was not the case...as she ended up just landing right back on the bridge. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he held his chest, glad to see that another of the party members weren't going to just vanish like the others did. "I-I'd probably advise against that..." Gene quickly said, hearing Sabrina's statement, his gaze going back from Marshall to her. "W-We should go over every possibility and angle before just jumping...after all, it sort of didn't work for Marshall here." Gene began to walk around the stone bridge, looking at the various platforms. He noticed, the ones on the right had three, with the very last one being almost exactly leveled to the stone bridge. The gears were already turning in his mind at this point. Okay, it's leveled with the bridge...maybe...yeah, that could be the case. With some of the games I've played, they usually have a hidden path if something like this is properly leveled with one another. he thought, looking around for a nice sized rock to use. Alas, while it was a stone bridge, there wasn't a nice hand sized rock he could use to throw. Another thought came to his mind, recalling something. ...the weapons! If they work the same way as that one weapon in that game...they'll always come back to the wielder! Without saying much of anything, he summoned his sword and stepped forward towards the edge of the bridge. Closing his one eye, he aligned himself just right to the other platform. He then proceeded to throw the sword into the air between the bridge and the platform. "Alright...hidden path, please be there..." he muttered, only to watch the sword make a swift downfall between the now proven empty space, a loud plop was heard in the water below. With a sigh, he simply held out his hand, watching the sword reappear. "Okay, that hypothesis worked at least...one out of two isn't bad..." Gene held the sword against his shoulder, before turning around to face the group. "Okay, so there's not a hidden path across there. But, I think I have another idea..." he said, pointing at the water. "I can use that Water Wall spell I have and we can use that as a platform to walk across. IF that works, then potentially, we can get one person across to the perpendicular platform there...and then use it to elevate the second person up there to the one Sabrina wants to jump to. It's a long shot, but in theory it could work...I mean, what do we have to lose at this point? We've just learned that if we fall, we land back on the bridge...so just maybe..."

"You serious? You WANTED that old goat to train you? He's a real demon you know, even compared to the teachers back home. At least they actually wanted to be there. Oh hey maybe he'll teach you if he's on your squad, wanna trade leaders?" There was a bit of silence as Trevor left the spoonful of cookies 'n cream, letting Kelsey's words run around his head for a bit. He chuckled slightly, before shaking his head, looking in the direction of Kelsey. "I'll pass." he said, taking another spoonful "No disrespect to you or your team, Kelsey, but I don't think dealing with him on this squad of mine shall be needed." Trevor pointed his spoon at Kelsey, smirking lightly. "How do you ladies even deal with that old man? Only doing what he's told and or asked by our illustrious host in the top hat? Not only that, just his words...his actions..." "What good does that do you if you fall because you were focused on other things, think, boy, think!" "I'm not particularly interested in your past, it doesn't mean anything right here and now." "I don't get you kids. They insist on telling their life stories in the middle of a fight but honestly, Mne fioletovo!" "Well, in a way you won. But keep this in mind....don't pull something like that out here. This isn't a single battle its a war. If even one of us falls its a win for the enemy. They have a hell of a lot more in reserve than we do. You heard your partner, trust them to handle themselves now and then." "Don't let this overshadow what you learned today. And you'd better had learned something." His mind replayed every thing that happened, those words just being fresh in his mind as he shook it slightly. "I'd prefer not to deal with him. Firstly, due to his lack of ethic. Or in this case, his lack of ethic and desire to do anything. If he's doing things just because he was asked, then there's no reason to deal with him. Secondly, apparently my reasoning to be trained by him, which is to say...the magic he performed, was not something he was able to work with...just something he did. Therefore, I believe it's pointless to continue to venture after this man, even though he could easily show me how to properly conduct battle within the parameters of Prana and Rama-Indri...but I digress." Pausing once more, taking the last bite of his ice cream. "And...I would rather not deal with someone who considers both themselves and the others he surrounds himself with as nothing more than soldiers. We're more than that, so much more, I believe that. But then again, mayhaps that's not for me to decide." he got up, causing the empty bowl to float gently towards the trash can. "Besides, I believe my team and squad here are all this sorcerer needs." With a tip of his hat, Trevor gave the group a smile. "In any case, I must bid thee adieu for now..." He turned on his heel, before making his way back towards the apartment.

The mission was successful...for the most part. And Override ended up finding himself returning to headquarters alone...Aeon wanted food...not like there wasn't a cafeteria here at G3, but he digressed. He decided to use the front door this time, to which he was met by the director, Bard and... He paused for a moment, seeing the third individual, not at first knowing who this was, but thankfully the facial recognition software he had that was connected to the employee database said it was: Chet, the paralegal. And surprisingly, he was okay with accepting the paperwork and sharing his senses with Legion...must have the workings of a Cape in him deep down. Nevertheless, he watched Chet go off, as now he remained with the director and Bard. ...and of course Aeon would leave me here with these two...I wouldn't be surprised if she did it just to keep from having to give a full debriefing. he thought, sighing slightly. “We’re going in too. Debriefing and all that. Caesar being snooty can’t be the only thing that happened to you. You’re going to tell me everything." "Understood sir." Override nodded, deciding to remain in his suit until he was for certain Legion's influence and powers were null and void. He preferred to keep his identity a secret from individuals like that if he could absolutely help it. "This was your first time meeting Scarlet City’s three gang leaders, right? What are your first impressions? Do you think a longer truce is feasible?” Override crossed his arms slightly. "It was my first time officially meeting them, yes. Hearing about them and the endeavors they've done is a different thing all together. At the same time, it helped me get a feel and a read on these leaders of theirs." he began. "That said, my first initial impressions are as follows: each one takes their roles a bit...literal...with the Fates being the biggest example. They truly go into the fullness of the mythos of them, with both feet, finishing each other's sentences and everything. Luckily, you get them alone, you can at least have them converse like a normal human being. Aside from that, the facade they have is a terrifying one...I understand now why you all put 'don't fuck with them' as a caution." He paused, going towards the idea of Zodiac and then the Gibbons. "Zodiac, they've done things differently and have always done things differently due to the ever changing factor of the Ophiuchus. From my viewpoint, while each one will adhere to the rules and regulations set in motion with the past leaders, each one tries to add to it...example being that they used to be about power and expansion but overtime, most likely due to the influence of the newer Ophiuchus, they've simply gone to maintain the status quo...and prefer to have knowledge above everything else. Myself and the current Ophiuchus actually are a lot alike in that regard." "As for the Gibbons...if I'm honest...at first glance, it seems that Caesar simply has a hard time focusing on everything..." he said, minding his tongue...after all...his senses were still being shared. "Almost too much on his metaphorical plate if I'm honest. But, aside from that, he's about what I expected. Though the mutilation of his own just to keep tabs on people is a shock." Once finished, Override pondered the director's last question. "If I may speak freely, director..." "Not like you aren't already, sir." "...thank you, P.I.X.E.L." he sighed. "In any case...if I'm honest, whether it's feasible or not, we have to attempt to make this work. After all, everyone is at risk here. If this was simply an issue where one party wasn't going to be screwed in the end, then this wouldn't be something that would need to be drawn attention to in order to have all hands on deck. Unfortunately, it's not the case...all hands have to be on deck for this...in order for us all to survive. They've agreed to play ball...so naturally, we have to believe them and put some level of trust in them, along with their terms."

BGM This was what he had expected from the name "Shrine of Storm". It was ornate, beautiful...breathtaking. There was definitely a difference in seeing a temple and shrine like this in many of his fantasy games and shows...but seeing it in person, it was a totally different experience for sure. Same time, while it had a fantasy style to it...there seemed to be...trace elements of science fiction? The way the electricity ran along the walls...yes, no mistaking it...it had that vibe as well. ...so...a mixture of fantasy and sci-fi? he thought, taking in the various colors and architecture that was surrounding him and his allies. ...then maybe some of this world is just that right out of a science fantasy? If so, then that would have some major implications for everything... Gene, however, kept that to himself for now. He honestly didn't need to be looked at strangely again. But then again, he was basically outnumbered...one to three. Drake and Percy, honestly he wasn't too sure where those two went...but they were the only other guys in the group...now...it was only him. He could try and frame it in the mindset that most men would kill to be in a situation like he was currently in: sent to a fantasy world with a party consisting of three women? Unfortunately, Gene wasn't thinking in that mindset...nor did he even feel like entertaining it. "Welcome, Exalted, to the Shrine of Storm." Eventually, he was snapped from his thoughts to see River standing beside a gilded gold door with a serpent and a orb carved overhead. He stood in silence as Marshall and Sabrina spoke to River...to which he was even surprised by the young dragon girl's question of her being like a 'Pokémon'. Then Abby spoke...and then there was some meat to this conversation... “Oh this is, as the name suggests, a place to worship and venerate the god of thunder and lightning, the Aeon Storm. It is, as well, meant to serve as a trial for the Exalted to overcome in order to gain power in their quest. Oh but technically this is a shrine to worship both Ocean and Storm and as such it’s full title would be the Shrine of Storm and Ocean. However my lady has told me that extraneous details are often excluded in common conversation, and as every shrine is meant to worship Ocean that part of the name was deemed extraneous. If you would prefer I refer to them by their full titles though I could correct myself for future encounters.” "...trials?" he muttered, putting a hand to his chin. It wasn't too farfetched in the grand scheme of things, considering the things he watched and played when he was in his own world. Eventually there would be trials that chosen people would have to face in order to gain and unlock new powers to utilize in their mission. Perhaps coming to the shrine was the best course of action after all. "Anything we should know about the trial going in?" “The trial will be divided into two parts. Firstly you must unlock this door, and to do so you must first find the two levers that do so. A word of note is that they must both be pulled simultaneously for it to work. The second part of the trail will involve combat against my Lady’s servant to see if you are able to wield the power bestowed here. Oh but they will try to mercilessly kill you so do be cognizant of that.” Gene swallowed hard, his gulp being heard no doubt. So not only did they have to possibly split up to find the levers and pull them at the same time, but they also had to combat whatever servant that lay in waiting...oh and said servant was going to try and mercilessly kill them. Why was he suddenly getting cold feet now? Just yesterday he felt like a real chosen warrior in that fight...and yet today...he felt like he was nothing but a screw up. He looked at River and spoke up after hearing this. "...s-so what are we supposed to do...?" Gene asked, trying to really avoid eye contact with her and even the other women in the group. "...and honestly...what are we supposed to do in general? Like...y-you said we're Exalted...basically heroes...we're supposed to defeat the Drengr...we're supposed to do all this stuff...but...how?" he paused, letting out a heavy sigh. "...I thought I knew how to do things here...i-it's a world of fantasy...well...to us anyway. A type of dungeons and dragons scenario...we come in, save the day, beat the bad guy. But...n-nothings black and white...nothings clear...and if I say or do something that normally would seem fine in a situation like that...I...I'm the odd one..." His voice began to waver at the end, his tone becoming more and more quieter as he finally went silent. Gene eventually looked at River again, his voice wavering still. "...are you sure you or your Lady didn't make a mistake...?"

It seemed his initial plan worked...but alas, all good things come to an end. Ziun lamented silently that his little 'disguise Lana as a zombie' plan didn't last very long, but alas, it was the downside with illusion magic. Regardless, a way seemed to present itself after all that time...an exit, what luck! However, it was going to be very tight on trying to make a break for it...but surely no one would be crazy enough to... “Alright, here’s the plan. Sometimes, when you’re spotted you can’t stay to fight all the guards, you just gotta get out. We’re going to charge forward and break through to the exit.” "...so we're just going to rush the exit?" Ziun asked, sighing heavily. He was slightly hoping that this would be a bit easier or quite frankly, closer to where they were, but unfortunately, it was on the other side of the room and they had more opposition in their way. The odds, which were very heavily one sided, were not on their side at the current time. At the same time, he did find the simplicity of the plan to be...a nice change of pace in the long run. "Hold that thought..." The young man quickly turned to his right, taking his rapier and immediately striking at the zombie that was giving Robin a bit of trouble. "If you please! We're having a conversation here!" he groaned, dispatching of the zombie as quickly as he could. Ziun exhaled sharply, still trying to catch his breath with everything he had been working with at the time. "If I'm honest, that may be the only option we have, albeit...it's quite the risky one. I'm not sure how much more I can assist with this..." he said, forcing a small smile. "But...nevertheless, you will have this humble bard to assist in any capacity."

Shit I feel bad for not seeing this until now ANYWHO!~ Strangely, I'm sort of on the fence with this. I tend to do both actually. For example, with Mortal Kombat, my mom and brother have their specific characters they excel with...me, on the other hand, I use almost any and all. Partially this is because I know the specific combos from them...like down, back X/Square/Circle/Triangle...if it all translates the same to different characters, then I tend to easily figure things out and just finagle things out of nowhere. But that's for something like Mortal Kombat...everything else: a character I like and am okay with. I feel that if you get comfortable and are able to work with characters you like and get better with them over time, and as long as your having fun...then that's all that matters.

"It's nice to have you here today; I hope you're not offended if we dive right into things. We have an important match here, I think, even more so than the team may realize." Seemed like it was time to get to the brass tacks of this meeting, so Daichi did what he could to give the Captain the undivided attention. His posture shifted, though his trademark smile never wavered...not this time...he was still riding off the coattails of his last match. A high like that, you couldn't just ignore. "Again, congratulations are in order for Kendra and Daichi. Well done, the pair of you. Your skill level has improved notably in particular, Daichi. And Kendra, you outmaneuvered a very tricky opponent. You did well too, Falisha; I wouldn't wish that matchup on anyone." "Thank you, Captain. Means a lot to hear that." Daichi smiled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. He definitely learned from Honey in his first match, so with adding this into the mix and the new cards he obtained, it was simply the perfect recipe for success! It was that, but also what he took away from Lance's Duel: the facade people wear, it isn't always who they really are. "I think we can take this momentum and really drive into it. For our next match... We attempt a clean sweep. I know every one of you does your best to win your duels every time, but here is where it might be the most important. If we win, 3 and O, no losses... THAT is significant. And I thing we especially should focus on the members of the team who could use it the most. The benefits of a Sashisematta victory can't be understated. Your attitude against Avery had intention, but the timing of your duel against Charlie Robin was... unfortunate. They are a skilled opponent, and your immediate loss to them, well. Some believe it made you look like a fool. Let me be clear, Sashisematta. That is NOT an opinion I hold. But it is something you will have to face within the arena." "I'm fine with being a fool in their eyes. It will only make the satisfaction of my rise all the richer. I assure you, if I am dueling in our next bout, it will be a definitive win. I hope that your wish comes true and I wouldn't be alone in the winner's circle." "I'm not sure which of you is most suited for this; Both of you are strong duelists. Perhaps Falisha may be best in the wake of her last match, or Eve, given her opponent made what some would consider a game-making error. But I think either of you can make admirable showings. Unfortunately, I am the only one here without a win on their dueling record. The only one without a loss, as well, but as captain I think I am expected to have a strong showing, and my first was not up to my standards, or of potential sponsors. I do not intend to repeat it." He had to admit, Rosalia did do some thinking about this for sure. The young man put a hand to his chin, rubbing it slightly. In a way, Daichi could see her thought process. They did have two wins, no losses and a draw. If they attempted a clean sweep of the next match, then they'd have a win-loss ratio of three wins, no losses and one draw. Which would boost morale of the team immensely, possibly also get them scouted by sponsors. On the other hand, was Sai's reaction and response to Rosalia mentioning his Duel against Charlie. But he couldn't help but admire the declaration of victory he gave, but nevertheless, Daichi thought he could've at least worded it a biiiiiiiit nicer. "Those are my thoughts. Now let me ask you... What do you think?" "Honestly Captain, I believe you're continuing to run a tip-top ship around here." he smiled. "Also, unsure if you considered it...but, with last match, I'm sure some of the views on Genesis may come our way yet. After all..." Daichi paused, turning to look back towards Sai and smirked. "If our resident 'Heel' says they'll flock to the stands to watch him fail...the opposite could be said for myself..." he turned back towards Rosalia. "I thought I was hitting my stride before in my Duel with Honey, but last Saturday...I think I hit the newest height I didn't think I'd reach. And you can't say you didn't see that in the audience that day..." he paused, chuckling lightly. "...when I rode on Crystal-Horned Dragon, I could see it in a new way...the excitement in the faces of the audience...the sheer joy. They were captivated more so than I ever thought possible. After that match, I'm positive the views of our team will skyrocket. And if that energy from my match would be shared to the point of reaching outward to the matches that involve the rest of you...then I definitely count that as a win!" Daichi waved his hand slightly. "All that's to say this...don't bog yourself down with the semantics and general details, Captain. Everything will fall into place, it always does!"

“I feel as though I should yell at you. I want you to know that, regardless of your intentions, I feel very disrespected right now, not just that, but all these things we have discussed today. However, because I recognize your intentions as misguided at worst, I will not subject you to some of my… darker impulses. I also just want to make things clear: I know the reason your boss sent you to me last. It’s social pressure is what it is. I know what happens when too many lines are crossed. We’ve all heard the stories or seen the remnants of battlefields before the construction crews come in and build everything back up again. If even one of them -- Ophiuchus, who I respect, or The Fates, who I despise -- were not on this list, I probably wouldn’t on principle. But I’m playing by the rules here, you see?” Override was silent, seeming to have already upset Caesar with his pronunciation...least he assumed that was the exact reason he was so uptight there. He found it strange, as someone who used this ancient title, he figured that he'd want it said the correct way and manner. But then again, he did only hear those here say it like he did...everyone else used the normal English pronunciation. There might've been something to that...so he'd have to keep that in mind. “At the same time, you were the ones proposing payment, weren’t you? How about this: Legion? You are going to carry some of Legion around, that’s all. Just give me a few extra eyes for a day or so, how does that sound? I’m offering this to you willingly. This is my mark, take it as you will.” Now the armored hero was a bit hesitant on this, to which P.I.X.E.L. noticed this and took initiative for his user. A direct line was sent from him to the Director back at the G3 Organization Headquarters. Luckily, both P.I.X.E.L. and Override were smart...they made sure to only have it audio only, no visual...along being the only two to hear this. The line went as followed: "Director, we've successfully made contact with Caesar of the Gibbons, however they insist on us taking Legion with them. What would you have us do?" It was a few moments of silence, then there was an audible sigh, then, "Yeah, he does this every so often because he thinks nobody has figured out Legion's superpower. There are quarantines we can set up. I'll set things in motion for when you get back." "Very well." Override spoke up finally, in regards to both the Director as well as towards Caesar. "We'll parley on this and accept. And on a second note, namely for you..." he said, putting his hands on the signed paperwork, his gaze and head directed towards Caesar. "I simply used the Latin pronunciation rather than those who use the English pronunciation. It's more authentic when referring to someone as yourself, isn't it?" "Is that so?" Caesar said. "A little advice, then: don't push your luck with that. You don't want people thinking you're something you're not." Yeah...it was definitely the pronunciation that pissed him off before. he thought, nodding as he got up. "If that's what you wish." Override shrugged, taking the signed paperwork. "If that's all, I believe we should be on our way back to G3. We'll be in touch, Caesar" -- he pronounced it ˈsi zər this time --.

"You seem to be mistaking something, I don't do magic. I don't know anything about that....wizard business this is just something I do. There's only a few people in this...organization that probably does. As far as training goes...I've got my handful trying to make sure those kids are in condition to fight. I don't even want to train those three, I stopped training people for a reason, so if you want help you'll have to go elsewhere. Everyone here in their own way could help you, even your own squad, but don't come to me for this. I only agreed to these matches because Mauvache asked for it herself. I'm no teacher. And don't call me sir. I'm just another soldier here just like you." Trevor stood there once more in disbelief as Grigoriy spoke...he could feel his fist slowly clench at his side, hearing him say this. The frown he wore was practically piercing his soul...and the young sorcerer wasn't too thrilled about any of this. As the old man walked past him, telling him not to call him 'sir' and that they were nothing but soldiers, he was about to turn around quickly to tell him why that wasn't the case... ...but he didn't. Why? Simple...he felt the tugging by the Cabanomicon, seeming to bring him back to the present moment. It lifted itself and opened it's pages... Mayhaps it's in the best interest to forget him. It's fairly certain that he must be in a position and mindset to where he cannot and will not allow himself to undertake any students. I believe your time may be better suited elsewhere, Masters. "...we aren't soldiers..." Trevor simply muttered to himself, taking hold of the grimoire. "Then...what was the point to point out my apparent short-comings if he was simply doing this because Mauvache asked for this? If he's not a teacher, then why even...?" he muttered to only himself and the grimoire, leaving the area and attempting to catch up to the others. This world had a hodgepodge of various individuals from all corners of the massive multiverse that surrounded this planet...each with their own rules...their own methods of practice. Perhaps he was still in the mindset of his own world and universe...this would be something he'd have to attempt to get over and change...least, he hoped he could. It was a few minutes before he finally caught up to the others...though he was still lost in thought and almost walked past the most obvious ice cream shop..."That Ice Cream Place". Truly an ingenious name for such a simple shop...then again, not everything here had to be grandiose, he thought. He walked in, seeing everyone already being congregated...so Trevor ordered him a simple cookies 'n cream ice cream. He thought about trying that sea-salt ice cream they had plastered on another nearby poster, but he figured he'd save that for later... With his ice cream in tow, Trevor walked over with a half-hearted smile. "Hey...sorry about that...and for bringing up the rear. Seems like my plan of trying to get the old man to train me and teach me was for naught. Perhaps it's for the best."

"I think it's a good thing. Real heroic-like. Plus, just because we have magical powers and all doesn't mean we're allowed to become a bunch of sociopaths with no regard for life. Case in point." “...While I will voice that I’m unsure if that was the smartest course of action, considering how hungrily the Drengr attacked the village just a day ago ...I will also concede, that we have more important matters to attend to; and it would be prudent if we remained on schedule. Ergo, we cannot go chasing down every rat that escapes onto the subway tracks,” "What do you mean, it had given up. W-what was I going to do kill it anyway?" Gene looked at them and immediately looked away. He said something stupid again...didn't he? He suddenly went quiet, almost shrinking into himself...well, he would if he could. That seemed to be two things in just today that he ended up saying that seemed to be wrong or just simply stupid. Was anything truly changing for him now aside from him having this power? Apparently not. ...but...aren't they evil though? We're supposed to stop them...right? he wanted to say this, rather than internalize it, but he bit his tongue. Gene didn't want anything else stupid being said on his watch like this. "...f-forget I said anything..." he muttered quietly. Maybe this wouldn't be like his dreams after all...maybe he would've been better being the same old reclusive young man. Gene simply watched as the bear left, only to follow after the others and being forced to stop at the stone door. "Do we....knock?" Gene looked at the very weathered door. The face of a wolf was the only discerning feature it had going for it. He stared at it for a bit, rubbing his arm a bit with a sigh. He glanced at everyone for a moment, before looking away. "...p-p-probably wouldn't hurt..."

"How exactly do you want me to train you? If you want someone to help you work out I'm sure one of your own squad mates can do that with you." This perplexed Trevor as Grigoriy answered him initially, but he shook off the confused look he had before shaking his head. "N-No sir, not working out. That part I'm capable of handling on my own accord..." he explained, clearing his throat. "What I was asking was for you to train me to fight. It's obvious that you've had plenty of experience in combat...your applications of the magic you used proves this." "Tis the truth...these are applications that I have not seen before in all the millennia I've been under the care and guard of sorcerers. It's truly remarkable." the grimoire wrote upon it's blank pages for the older gentleman to read. "Correct...and this is coming from the grimoire of greatest sorcerer and wizard of my world...Merlin." Trevor explained, taking the book and closing it. "That said, I would be honored if you could teach me and train me up. It's...obvious that while I'm alive and no longer in the Ever...and no longer in my own universe and world anymore, the rules and laws that I've grown accustom to need not apply anymore." He bowed his head again. "So please...I would be forever in your debt if you would grant me this chance, Grigoriy sir."

Saturday “Good job, everyone~! I knew that draw with Free wouldn’t keep you all down! And, hey…Perhaps the duel I showed you all inspired you, hm hm?” "Gah, you found out!" Daichi gasped, putting a hand to his head dramatically, laughing all the while. "But in all seriousness, coach, your Duel did inspire...but it was definitely taking what I learned against Honey and fixing that up here. After all...this time I had the mount!" That wasn't it though. He wanted to also tell them that he had a HUGE gamble before the Duel with putting Timebreaker Magician and Dark Core in the deck like that last minute. It all worked out in the end, but it was a major gamble, one he preferred to keep silent for the most part. Otherwise that would cause the coach and the captain some unnecessary stress. "I knew you could do it. Congratulations Kendra. And you too, Daichi," The young man knew what Rosalia was doing with that, but he elected to ignore it. If the theater buff wanted to congratulate him, he would...whether being coerced or not. "Thanks Rosalia. Here's hoping this can continue for us, and we get our rising star up even higher. Now, how about we celebrate this victory?" In the meantime, in the back of Daichi's mind, he ruminated on Lance's offer of a place to just get away to. Hopefully Team Shining wouldn't have too much of an issue with him stopping by, if only just to visit Lance. Action Duelists like them, they were kindred souls...they had to stick together after all. Tuesday Tuesday came around, same as it always did. They're meeting happening and the talks about the fourth match soon approaching. Personally, Daichi was excited for it but honestly, he was really excited for the potential sponsors to waltz in and give them a contract to sign them on. Shoe companies, clothing companies...hell, even game shops! The possibilities were endless and he was nonetheless excited to see what they'd be presented with. Though when Daichi thought the words "waltz in", he actually wasn't expecting a late thirty year old woman to walk in and shoot off a smile that was eerily similar to the coach's... “Uhh… Mom, it’s… great to see you. Why are you here, exactly?” “Why wouldn’t I wanna see you with your team? Adrian was telling me how happy they’ve made you, and how proud of them you are even now! Oh, by the by, you all can call me Maddy. Nice to meetcha!” Daichi looked at the two, tilted his head to the left and then to the right. He closed one eye and put his hands together in a position that seemed like a frame. There she was showing off the smile... "Yeah, that definitely makes sense. So you get your signature grin from your mom's side of the family, coach." he chuckled, sitting up straight and smiling, being polite. "It's nice to meet ya, Maddy ma'am."

The next turn saw Lance bringing out Ignoble Knight of High Laundsallyn equipped with a series of Noble Arms cards and ending the reign of Oafdragon Magician immediately, but at the same time, Daichi did obtain an Action Card after it all. He noted it was most likely due to the fact that his Spell and Trap Zones were completely full, such was the downside of the Noble Knights...full zones and not able to activate anything else. Regardless, on his turn, Daichi most likely surprised everyone by simply Pendulum Summoning Oafdragon Magician once more, this time in face-up Defense and simply...ending turn. It was a strange move for all who watched, but Daichi knew what he was doing. As Lance’s turn popped up in the spotlight once more, he now had a knight clad in black, with his eyes burning red, slightly hunched over as he wielded 5 Noble Arms. [Ignoble Knight of High Laundsallyn/DARK/Level 5/Synchro/Warrior/2400/900] [Destiny, Gwenhwyfar, Caliburn, Arfeudutyr, Set Card] “I may have allowed you to gain one action card, but I shan’t again! I begin by using the effect of Caliburn equipped to High Laundsallyn once more, to gain 500 life, rising from 5500 to 6000! Then I use the equipped Noble Arms - Arfeudutyr, targeting your set backrow for destruction!” "A bold move, however, I anticipated that!" Daichi smirked, snapping his fingers. "Trap activate! Pendulum Switch! I select two of my Pendulum Magicians and have them swap places! And with Oafdragon…I choose Stargazer Magician [Stargazer Magician/DARK/Level 5/Spellcaster/Pendulum/1200/2400]!" In an instant, Stargazer left the Pendulum area and Oafdragon took his place, while his place was taken by the aforementioned Stargazer. “But your card still gets destroyed!” Once the switch resolved, the revealed trap shattered, and Laundsallyn’s attack fell [2400->1900] “Then I special summon Noble Knight Custennin, as I control a Noble Arms! Then I normal summon Gwalchavad alongside it!” The two knights appeared on either side of High Laundsallyn, only to immediately turn into bright yellow balls of energy. They began to swirl around, before slamming into the ground, forming a galactic spiral in their wake. “The rightful king rises once more, appearing with holy blades in hand! Xyz Summon, Artorigus, King of the Noble Knights! [LIGHT/R4/Warrior/Xyz/2000/2000]” The spiral erupted with light, revealing an imposing man wielding a sword that looked like Caliburn, with its edges opened to leak out blue wisps, “And then I detach the Xyz Material Gwalchavad from him, in order to target Spells and Traps you control up to the number of Noble Arms I control… And since I have four, I target both of your Pendulum Scales! Go, Artorigus!” "You would think that, but however, it's gonna be hard considering I have this here…" Daichi said, holding the Action Card. "Action Card activate! Pride Shield!" He placed the card on the Duel Disk. "Now for my lovely audience that may not know…Pride Shield keeps my cards from being destroyed, so long as I control a monster on my field with the highest attack or defense…and would you look at that: I control Stargazer Magician! Which means my Pendulums are safe!" Stargazer took hold of the Pride Shield, lifted into the air and held it up in front of him and the two Pendulum, protecting them. "Nifty little spell if I do say so myself." “Tch, fiend! I will not permit your tricks much longer!” With a movement of his hands, a shimmer appeared in front of Artorigus, with a golden-trimmed sword rising from it. As it did, the king reached out, the sword opening up portions to leak out blue energy as he took hold of it. Once more, a blinding light covered the arena, with Lance’s voice cutting through. “Holy king, receive the lady’s blessing as you make your stand! May your righteous path carry us to victory! Xyz Change, Sacred Noble Knight of King Artorigus! [LIGHT/R5/Warrior/Xyz/2200/2200]” The knight stood tall, wielding both Caliburn and the sword that had just appeared, covered head to toe in that glowing blue aura. “By banishing the Excaliburn in my Grave, I can perform this Xyz Change!” "The sacred king…truly a marvel to see in front." he nodded, before turning on his heel, running off to find another Action Card. "Best to run off until a strategy presents itself!!" “Halt! I activate Sacred Artorigus! By detaching Custenning from him, I destroy your star wizard!” Artorigus raised Excaliburn to the sky, red energy spiraling around it, then slicing it towards Daichi’s only monster. The energy struck true, destroying Stargazer., as Lance adjusted his position to point dramatically at Daichi. “Charge, my liege! Attack the magician directly!” Daichi skidded to a halt, finding his Action Card, though he was now up against the wall. Stargazer was gone…and now he was being rushed at. "My, my…this might be the end of the road for me…" he said, tipping his hat slowly over his eyes. "Then again…maybe if the audience would believe hard enough…a miracle might present itself in the situation." he smirked under his hat. Artorigus stopped suddenly as Daichi’s scene began, earning a step back from Lance. As the audience murmured in confusion, the knight duelist’s voice rose. “And what cheap trick do you have this time, knave!?” "Oh it's simply a bit of audience participation." Daichi said, still smirking under his hat. "After all, we're entertaining the masses, it's only fair they get engaged…and believe for their favored Duelist to bring forth a miracle. After all, that should resonate with you, Sir Knight. Think of it, as the masses cheering for you against those you clash swords with." He began to raise his voice. "So, audience…let's hear it…do you think that this simple magician can pull out a miracle while facing down a king of knights?" “Y-you can do it!” came a single young voice from the crowd, amidst the murmurs, “Pull out a miracle!” This put the biggest smile on his face, as he chuckled. "Children have the most faith in things than anyone else in this world. Well then, I suppose I may have a trick in my hat, can't let the kid down…" he said, moving a card from his hand to the graveyard, immediately taking his hat off. "...why don't you come out and say hello!" The hat was taken off, but soon began to start floating and suddenly…a brown furred creature with big eyes and a small red bow tie appeared from it. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like you all to meet the latest star to my show! Hattrickuriboh [Hattrickuriboh/LIGHT/Level 1/Spellcaster/Pendulum/300/200]!!!" It simply made a few cooing noises and waved its little green clawed hands. “And what, exactly, does this mongrel do?” "Mongrel?" Daichi gasped, seeing Hattrickuriboh start looking teary-eyed. He began to pat the head of the monster. "It's alright buddy, you aren't a mongrel. But as for what he does, it's simple really. Once I discard him, as I just did…he can allow me to Special Summon a Pendulum Monster from my Extra Deck! Hattrickuriboh, if you please." The monster nodded, dove back into the hat and it began to move violently, almost cartoonishly. After a moment, a card came out of it, it being Stargazer Magician and once more…it made its way on the field yet again. "So now, Stargazer is here once more…so seems like you'll have to declare your attack with the king of knights, sir Knight." “Gah, I suppose I must cancel that charge. Instead, High Laundsallyn, attack Stargazer!” The black knight blitzed forward, 1900 attack to Stargazer’s 2400 defense. However, before its blade could even hit the mage, a silhouette appeared from Laundsallyn, flying from the knight and strangling Stargazer, destroying both the silhouette and the Pendulum Magician. “I used my Gwenhwyfar, who was equipped to Laundsallyn. Since he is a DARK monster, her effect destroys herself and a monster that he battles! With that I go to Main Phase 2 and…” Lance glanced to his grave, then his hand, grimacing, “I end my turn. Your last stand, wizard.” "Then I shall make it my grand performance!" Daichi laughed, drawing for turn. He looked at the card inquisitively but he nodded. "Firstly! Oafdragon's Pendulum skill! With it, I can add Stargazer to my hand!" With that, he added the magician to his hand and nodded. "Secondly! I activate Pot of Desires!" The card was played, bringing forth a…uniquely designed pot before Daichi. "At the expense of banishing a total of ten cards…I will be allowed to draw two new cards! At this moment, this turn resides within these two cards…a true gamble in this performance." He moved his hand slightly, waving it in front of the deck. "Now…" he grabbed ten cards and tossed them into the pot. It moved slightly after the cards were presented and two cards flew off the top of his deck and into his hand. Daichi looked at them, surprised at what was presented to him. These two with those in his hand… BGM The young man snapped his fingers, the spotlights aligning on him. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!! It is with a heavy heart that I say that this is the curtain call on our performance, but as I said moments ago: this will be a grand performance! Now, watch carefully and don't blink, or else you'll miss the show!" He smiled all the while, before turning towards Lance. "For my first trick: I summon Timebreaker Magician [Timebreaker Magician/DARK/Level 3/Spellcaster/Pendulum/1400/0], in his debut performance!" Before Daichi was brought forth a young child holding a sword. “Timebreaker allows me to target itself and one monster my opponent controls…and banishes them until the next Standby Phase! Now, Timebreaker, let’s show Laundsallyn the vanishing act up close! Go! Time Leap Surprise!” Timebreaker nodded, before rushing towards Laundsallyn and immediately having the two of them…vanish…without a trace. “Even so, the noble arms will return! When sent to the grave, these blades can return by equipping themselves to a Noble Knight I control- Sacred Noble Knight of King Artorigus!” “This is true, and under normal circumstances, this would be devastating for this magician…however…” Daichi wagged a finger in Lance’s direction. “Not this time. For my second trick: I shall make the Scared King…disappear! I activate the Spell Card: Dark Core!! At the expense of one card being discarded, I can banish one face-up monster on the field.” he simply smiled, discarding the Action Card in his hand before snapping his fingers. “Artorigus, it’s time you laid your crown down for a bit and take a rest.” Just like that, Artorigus vanished from the field. “That’s two of your monsters gone, sir knight. How’s that for my last turn?” “Even so, can you deal with my life, before my black knight returns?” “Simple…with the main attraction for this performance!” Daichi held two cards up in his hand. “Metronomic pendulum! Swing and sway once more to captivate the audience! Give way for the final act of this performance! PENDULUM SUMMON!! Now, put your hands together!” He placed both cards on the Duel Disk, and smiled widely. “The repeat performer: Stargazer Magician…and, for its debut! Please, give a warm welcome to my newest performer!!” Within moments, something fell from the sky above, like a comet and once it was between him and Lance…it exploded in a beautiful array of colors…before showing what now was before him. “May I introduce: Crystal-Horned Dragon!! [Crystal-Horned Dragon/DARK/Level 6/Dragon/Pendulum/2200/1400]” The red dragon roared loudly, it’s crystalline horn shining beautifully in the spotlight. “I figure I bring forth a dragon to do battle against a heroic knight such as yourself. I believe I’ve done a pretty good job in that department, don’t you?” “It is quite fitting, I must give you that. But does it truly stand up to the task you claim it will achieve?” “Oh my dear noble knight, you should know me by now…” Daichi smirked, tipping his hat slightly. “It surely does. Speaking of, allow me to show you. Crystal-Horned Dragon’s skill activates! When it’s Normal or Special Summoned, I’m allowed to banish a total of five Spell cards from my opponent’s graveyard. And when it does, it gains 300 attack for each one! And if I do the math correctly…” he paused, comedically counting on his fingers. “That would raise it up to 3700 attack! And if memory serves…you have just enough Spells in your graveyard just ripe for the banishing!” Lance watched as the three noble arms and the two Action Spell - Holy Blade left his graveyard, cocking a brow. “As I see it, sir wizard, you are 1100 damage short. Lest you foolishly scrounge for another Holy Blade, which risks a penalty. Alas, I have been unable to play my own Action Card…” “Right you are…but…” Daichi proceeded to climb on top of Crystal-Horned’s back. “I won’t know unless I try! Stargazer, Crystal-Horned…let’s fly!” The dragon immediately took off, beginning to fly with Daichi riding on it, Stargazer flying closely behind. The energy was high in the auditorium, he was 100% sure about it. It wasn’t going like his debut was…and he knew it, and maybe that’s why he was grinning like a damned fool. Nevertheless, he finally saw an Action Card and immediately grabbed it before jumping off Crystal-Horned and landing down elegantly. “...alas, it isn't the Holy Sword…I suppose you were correct in the assumption that I couldn’t grab another. Luck wasn’t on my side as it was yours, sir knight.” “Then have your attack. I will end this next turn!” “Oh, I believe you misunderstood, sir knight…I didn’t get the Holy Sword, but perhaps I can just borrow one of yours.” Daichi now wore a mischievous grin on his face. “Crystal-Horned Dragon’s second skill activates! At the cost of one Spell card…or in this case…an Action Spell card…I can have my dragon select one of the Normal Spells or Quick-Play Spells in my opponent’s banished zone, return it to your graveyard and subsequently activate the effect of said Spell! Annnnnd you so happen to have a total of two Holy Swords, it’s only fitting I select one and use one myself. Crystal-Horned, if you please…one Action Spell - Holy Sword to his graveyard!” The dragon roared the moment Daichi discarded the Action Spell and its crystalline horn glowing as a singular copy of Holy Sword was dropped back into Lance’s graveyard. Soon, the effect would be active as the dragon seemed to get stronger (Crystal-Horned Dragon: 3700 ATK -> +1200 -> 4900 ATK). “With the performers finally ready, it’s time to draw the curtains on our performance!” Daichi said, pointing at Lance. “Battle! Crystal-Horned Dragon, attack the noble knight directly! Magical Crystal Strike!!” The dragon roared once more, the horn on its head growing large and somewhat sword-like as it flew at high-speeds towards Lance, slashing at him with the horn, making quite the fantastic and captivating display in the process. “Come then! I will stand strong until the end!” Lance Sheridan LP: 5500 -> -4900 -> 1100 “I wouldn’t expect anything less but that, sir knight!” Daichi said happily. “Stargazer! Draw the final curtain! Starry Assault!!!” Stargazer Magician simply nodded, it’s staff in hand, rushed towards Lance and struck at him, stars and shining particles appearing in the process. Lance Sheridan LP: 1100 -> -1200 -> 0 “Aaand Daichi has done it! The magician and his dragon have slain the holy knight, taking the win from right under his nose!” Lance stood strong as the attacks had finished, but let out a long sigh when it was over, a wide smile on his face as he began to step forward. “Oookay then! That was pretty impressive, kid!” The man spoke, his voice now a bit whimsical as he approached Daichi, extending his hand, “I wasn’t sure how this would go after seeing your first game, but I guess you really did just try to bring the best out in your opponent. Good game!” Daichi smiled, his hand meeting Lance's. "What can I say, I had to give them a better show than my debut. But it was a good game, maybe try not to give me such a close shave next time." The young man laughed, before moving slightly and turning towards the audience. "Ladies and gentleman, please give a warm hand to my opponent, Lance Sheridan! And until I see you all again under the moonlit sky!" He took a bow, Lance most likely doing the same. “If you ever need somewhere to get away to, let me know. My team is a bit… brutish, but the captain and I are good friends. She acts uptight, too, but she’s a total dork.” "Heh, I'll keep that in mind."

An hour...a literal hour. Override wasn't too thrilled about having to wait this long, but it was obvious that Caesar had is reasonings, at least he hoped to God that he had some. Regardless, they were finally ushered in...and there he sat, watching a projector. And unfortunately, while he did have prior knowledge of the aura surrounding this man...Override fell victim to it all the same. The urge to listen to him...he honestly hated the feeling. “Look at this. How am I supposed to deal with this, hm? I’ve got a failed operation in the middle of town I’ve got to pick up the pieces of, I’ve got whatever the fuck is going on out east, and now some ‘heroes’ are knocking on my door insisting the world’s about to end. Any one of these could hold my attention, and all of a sudden I have to deal with three of them, not to mention everything else Gibbons manages in the city.” A collage of images were what the man was looking at and it seemed they held his attention more than anything else...which could've been either good or bad. “I’m a bit distracted, you understand. I’m only curious about two things here: How fast I can put this particular encounter out of my mind and what the other two gangs, especially the Moray Clan, have had to say about me.” "I think they said something about you being short?" Smooth...very smooth... Override thought, sighing silently as Aeon spoke first. He really needed to learn to anticipate when she was going to speak and make the first move next time. Alas, it happened, so there was no point in trying to live in the past. Still, Aeon and Caesar spoke, though the armored hero kept watching the screen, seeing the Fates from the Moray Clan. It seemed that he was being perturbed by these three young girls...which to an extent, given their power and the fact they were teenagers, did make Override smirk under his helmet. "See? They're stupid, naïve creatures, but that's not supposed to happen to Legion's power. They know something and they're taunting me about it. That cannot be allowed to continue." "So what? Is this something I'm supposed to care about?" "Do you want to get in my good graces or not?" "Me? Not really. We just need a...a signature." Override cleared his throat. "What my colleague means is..." he began, taking charge of the conversation. "In regards to the situation last night, we've come on the behalf of G3 to get a signature from you..." he said, sliding the file in front of Caesar. "That said, you are a man of business...seeing as you seem preoccupied with both your casino as well as the operations of the Gibbons...so this would mean you want something in return for all of this." He stared at the man, his eyes hidden behind his helmet. "So...what would it take to get you to play ball with us...Caesar" -- he pronounced it ˈkae̯ sar, again --.

"I'll catch you all outside the east gate later. I recommend being careful out there, the Pokemon get pretty strong if you wander too far from the gate!" The group assembled and they had a heading: Levincia, home to the Electric Paldean Gym Leader, Iono. While Aruto was excited for it, he knew one thing...his team as current, was lacking. Sure, Hongo and Gapu were good for the most part, but Gapu was still Water Type...which would crumble at the sight of the Electric Types. And Hongo was a Bug Type, which meant he was sort of only going to do normal damage in the long run. If I had a Water Type move or even a Ground Type move on either one...maybe things could be even better. Aruto crossed his arms slightly, exhaling slowly. But right now, he knew what he needed to do: South Province #3 was going to be his starting grounds...and he'd get a new Pokémon to assist with how things could possibly go with Iono's Gym. "Well, I'm gonna get a head start! Waiting here until he gets back is gonna really waste time!" he said, stretching slightly. "Me and Hongo are gonna start it! We'll still be there for you guys to meet up with! Let's go, partner!" Hongo simply made a few clicks and seemed as hyped as his Trainer. With that, the pair of them left, walking right out the Mesagoza doors and into South Province #3! Aruto took in the scenery from this part of the South Province, the rocky terrain was definitely something he was expecting would give him a bit of trouble, but he wasn't deterred. If anything, perhaps this would give him something with Type Advantage due to the locale. Least that's what he was hoping for anyway. In actuality, he saw a few Pokémon, but they weren't initially what he needed...though he kept them in mind...but right now, he needed something...he just wasn't sure what he was looking for entirely. That was, until Hongo hopped down to get Aruto's attention. The young man looked and saw that Hongo was directing him towards a Pokémon: a Skorupi. He gave the scorpion Pokémon a look, seeing it simply devouring a berry. He glanced at Hongo, crouching slowly. "You sure about this one, bud?" he muttered. Aruto was only met with a firm, determined look from his partner...that was it then. "Alright then...if that's what you think...then it's you and me, bud." He stood straight back up, cracking his knuckles a bit. "Let's kick this into high gear, Hongo!" The Nymble nodded, rushing forward towards the Skorupi, who suddenly got defensive and dropped the rest of it's berry. Hongo simply delivered a surprise Tackle which did knock the Skorupi for a loop and stunned it in shock. The battle now had begun! "Great job on the surprise Tackle, Hongo! Now, use Assurance!! Aim for the spot you used Tackle on!" Aruto commanded, watching Hongo nod and preparing to strike...only for the Skorupi to strike first with a Poison Sting. "Poison Sting? Oh man...that's not ideal..." he muttered, watching Hongo jump out the way of the attack, only having it's legs be grazed by some of it. Nevertheless, it's hit landed true, striking the spot that it hit with Tackle. It knocked the Skorupi back a bit, causing it to stumble some. "Now or never...PokéBall!! Go!" Aruto threw the ball in the direction of the Skorupi...only for it to use it's tail and smack it back at Aruto's face. "OW! Okay...still needs a bit more..." he grumbled, picking the ball up. "Hongo, use Struggle Bug!" Hongo unleashed a small green bullet of energy from it's mouth as it struck the Skorupi, which got knocked back a bit more, this time on it's back. "There we go! Now, try this again...PokéBall, go!!!" The ball was launched again, this time making contact with the Skorupi and into the ball it went... One shake... Two shakes... Three shakes... The ball stopped moving and the light no longer was flashing. "AWRIGHT!" Aruto cheered, as he rushed over and picked the PokéBall up. "That's a Skorupi for us! Good eye Hongo...hopefully he'll make a fine addition to the team!" Hongo only hopped back onto his Trainer's shoulder. "C'mon...let's go back and meet up with the others." he said, turning around and rushing back towards the rendezvous point. "HEY! Sorry, was exploring a bit...got me a new Pokémon too!"