>>1014494 Here's a link to the archive for newcomers:

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Geistalt

>>1014494 And fuck 4chan and its retarded duplicate post rules; I'm running out of logos.

>>1014494
>"Why did you wait until now to tell me about it?"

"Why'd you wait 'til just now to tell me about it?" you request.

"Sorry; I've been a bit busy..." she responds. "And Makoto hadn't lost track of her at the time."

"She lost track of her less than ten minutes ago," she adds. "Anyways, at least you kept an eye out for them, Tager, and Hazama."

"Well, it's not like there's much else I could've done," you reply, heading for the door. "Where are they?"

"Last I checked, they were both at the Hanging Gardens," Kokonoe answers. "And, Ryouma... before you go..."

"Yes?" you ask, setting your hand on the doorknob.

Kokonoe immediately answers, "If you really have to defend yourself, here's the access code for the Azure Grimoire."

You lean forward, listening intently.

"'Restriction 666 released. Dimensional interference field deployed. BlazBlue, activate.' Got it?"

>"Got it."
>"Huh; not as suspenseful as I anticipated."
>[write-in]

"Why'd you wait 'til just now to tell me about it?" you request.

"Sorry; I've been a bit busy..." she responds. "And Makoto hadn't lost track of her at the time."

"She wandered off a couple minutes ago," she adds. "Anyways, at least you kept an eye out for them, Tager, and Hazama."

"Well, it's not like there's much else I could've done," you reply, heading for the door. "Where are they?"

"Last I checked, they were both at the Hanging Gardens," Kokonoe answers. "And, Ryouma... before you go..."

"Yes?" you ask, setting your hand on the doorknob.

Kokonoe immediately answers, "If you really have to defend yourself, here's the access code for the Azure Grimoire."

You lean forward, listening intently.

"'Restriction 666 released. Dimensional interference field deployed. BlazBlue, activate.' Got it?"

>"Got it."
>"Huh; not as suspenseful as I anticipated."
>[write-in]

>>1015904
>"Got it."

"Got it," you respond.

"You sure?" Kokonoe asks as you walk out.

"Positive," you assure her, briskly reaching for the other side of the door.

You slam it shut and make for the upper districts of Kagutsuchi.

After a couple hours' worth of well-paced walking, you arrive at the 2nd district.

You overhear Kokonoe screaming out in the distance.

"Stop! STOP, GOD DAMN IT!"

You turn to look at the source–and notice Noel and Lambda facing each other in the distance.

The latter with a mask. The former with a vacant, almost mechanized countenance.

Or was it mechanized and almost absentminded?

Lambda promptly answers, "Overriding command. Engaging."

To which Kokonoe reacts, "No; you can't touch her! Son of a bitch!"

She wraps her hand around Noel's neck, beginning to tighten her grip as the voice of her would-be master echoes without any avail.

"Emergency shut down signal received," the Prime Field informs the professor. "Powering down all systems."

"NO!" Noel abruptly interjects. Lambda collapses in a heap.

"No, stop. The data is being transferred..." Noel babbles.

It's at this very moment that you notice the shrewd Captain.

"Lambda, wake the hell up! I need you! RIGHT NOW!" Kokonoe begs.

"Hey, Kokonoe!" the Captain interrupts. "I don't appreciate that STUPID son of a bitch you let loose on me."

He goes on, demanding, "Do you have ANY idea what kind of havoc he caused?! The number of things I had scheduled I had to rearrange?!"

"Well, he's not under my command anymore," Kokonoe replies. "I haven't seen him since you decommissioned him."

"Bull. Shit."

You hear something beyond mere vexation in Terumi's language. Something that sounds more like nothing in life is working out for him...

So he's going to take it out on folks like you and Kokonoe–and any other collateral soul with which he crosses paths.

>"Nice work."
>"I see you've taken a class in trolling, Kokonoe."
>"It must be fate that I happened to get here in time."
>[write-in]

>>1017434
>Stay hidden.
>Try to contact Kokonoe with yet another ars.
>Compliment Koko on her trolling skills if discovered.

You consider laying low.

"Ryouma! I could really use your help!" Kokonoe pleads.

Well, there goes that option.

"Eat a dick, you shit-licking mutt!" Hazama shouts, turning to face you. "Why don't you just do the world a favor and die?!"

You get ready to fend him off–you can practically feel his hatred emanate. Just like last time, his rollicking insinuations of superiority torture you more than any wound. You start muttering, "Restriction 666 released..."

"I would do it for you," he goes on, "but, unfortunately for ME, I've still got a timetable to uphold and a Cocoon to prepare. But THANK GOD I caught wind of this possibility beforehand."

He adds that last comment with a few laced hints of envy and bitterness as he casually strolls off.

You attempt to pursue him, but are immediately greeted by a feminine figure cloaked in purple, wearing a witch's hat–among other occult forms of raiment.

Her face shrouded behind an impenetrable veil of darkness.

"Now, then... Phantom... I think we've overstayed our welcome," Hazama wryly comments.

The entity opens a portal without so much as a gesture or sound.

"Wouldn't you agree?" he asks in false amity.

And, with that, they vanish into shade.

As you direct your attention back at the Murakumo units, Lambda starts to dissolve into seithr–without any warning.

"What?! What the hell's going on?!" Kokonoe demands.

"I wouldn't know," you remark as she disintegrates.

"...Damn it!" she resumes. "He reprogrammed Noel into getting Lambda to think she was some kind of upgrade!"

"What?! When?!" you ask.

Then it hits you.

"Wait... I've already got it figured out," you tell her. "It was on the 31st..."

You go on, saying, "That was when Terumi rewrote her memories with Ouroboros."

Noel gets engulfed by the seithr from Lambda.

"Well, there goes any means I had of killing Terumi..." Kokonoe morosely mutters as the two of you gawk and stare.

The gleaming mass of seithr fades, having fulfilled its function.

Still, you wonder why the wretched intelligence agent left you with your objective.

Not that it appears to be of any benefit; Noel looks just shy of catatonic.

No sooner do you think that than she slowly appears to rouse from it.

She stops kneeling like a marionette with her strings cut and stands, looking up at you.

"...Ryouma?" she asks.

"You rotten backstabbers," you overhear. "YOU INHUMAN FILTH!"

Tsubaki.

>"How'd you know my name?"
>"How much did Makoto tell you?"
>"Don't worry, Noel."
>"Get the hell away from her."
>[write-in]

>>1017640

Sorry, folks; you have to deal with Tsubaki to get to Hazama.