>>1913413

“Pietr, wait!” you call out, hearing your words echoing futilely back to you, “I'm sorry, I just... Pietr!” When no reaction comes – and really, you hadn't been expecting a reaction – you take a few half-hearted paces after Pietr, never quite breaking into a run. Just what are you supposed to do in a situation like this? Are you supposed to chase after him and clear the air, or are you supposed to give him some time to calm down? He's probably just as mortified as you are, so...

You've really got to wonder what Ayane would suggest at a moment like this – probably something incredibly unhelpful, like “don't get in a mess like this in the first place”. Although really, Ayane might not be the best source of advice, considering her colourful past record.

“Good grief,” a coy voice purrs, “Just what did you DO to that poor boy?”

“I didn't do-” you protest, spinning around to find the source of the voice. Sakura, the god of Sacrifice – and, technically speaking, your patron god – slinks out of a pool of light. “Were you watching us?” you ask, pointing an accusing finger at her, “And Kurosawa too? Oh hell, I don't even want to know what he thinks about...”

“Oh, don't get too worked up. So long as “the mission” isn't jeopardised, I don't think he cares WHAT you do in your private time. Oh, certainly there might be a few grumbles about virtue and the state of modern youth, but what doesn't he grumble about?” Sakura giggles, “I'm more curious about what you're going to do. Just going to let him scurry away, are you?”

“Well... I was still trying to decide that myself,” you admit, “It doesn't matter now, though, does it? I'll never be able to track him down now.”

“No, perhaps not,” Sakura paces around you in a languid circle, “But what if someone led you right to him? I got his scent while I was watching you two being adorable, I could lead you right to him. Easily enough done, for someone of MY talents!”

The inevitable question - “what's the catch?” - surfaces in your mind. Maybe Sakura's just curious, to see what the two of you will do if you come face to face again. She did say that you she had been watching you before, maybe she's just eager to get the second half of your little performance...

>Follow Pietr with Sakura's guidance
>Just phone him like a normal human being
>Head home and give him time to cool off
>Other

>>1913414
>>Follow Pietr with Sakura's guidance
>>Just phone him like a normal human being
Do both, if the phone fails, it's still the excuse when he asks us how we found him.

>>1913414
>Follow Pietr with Sakura's guidance.

File: Sakura.jpg (53 KB, 724x1103)

53 KB JPG

As you consider Sakura's offer – or rather, as you consider what strings might be attached to it – you notice movement out of the corner of your eye. A sleek black car, its windows tinted darker still, prowls past with deliberate slowness. The driver, if you had to guess, doesn't know where they are or where they're going. As you watch, it drives aimlessly away and around the next corner, immediately vanishing into the maze of streets beyond.

Cars like those always reminded you faintly of fish, swimming silently through the night time ocean. Soothing to watch, in their own way. Once the car has vanished, you find yourself letting out a delicate sigh.

“Where is he now?” you ask Sakura, without looking around at the cat.

“He's stopped running, at least. That's a good start, isn't it?” Sakura purrs in response, “He's... hmm, he's not far. He must have doubled back on himself at some point. I wonder if he had second thoughts?”

“Well, that's... reassuring. I think,” pausing for a moment, you consider your options, “Alright Sakura, I'll take you up on that kind offer of yours. Just, y'know, don't butt in when we're talking, okay? I don't need to hear you giggling away in the background or anything like that. Eavesdropping is terribly rude, after all.”

“Follow me, then,” Sakura rises from her low crouch and begins to pad off into the gloom, “He's staying still for now. I'll let you know if that changes at all – then we can chase him down!”

“C'mon,” you protest, “He's not a mouse.”

“But he's certainly not a lion, either,” she counters, tutting softly to herself.

-

As you follow Sakura through the streets, you take out your phone and dial Pietr's number. There's no harm in checking, maybe giving him a little head's up that you're not... mad at him or anything. When the phone just rings and rings, you realise that he's not going to answer – maybe he saw your name and froze up. Fighting back another sigh, you clear your throat and leave a message.

“Hey Pietr, I'm sorry about before. I just kinda freaked, I guess,” you begin, “So, I don't know when you'll get this message, but I'm not angry with you or anything. I hope you're not angry with me, so... Well, anyway. I'm taking a wander now, so maybe we'll bump into each other?” As you lapse into silence, thinking if there's anything else to add, you see a black car driving slowly past. Maybe the same one as before, maybe not – but this time, you memorise the license plate before it vanishes around the next corner. “So that's everything,” you finish, “Uh, yeah. See you around.”

“You're smooth,” Sakura giggles, “The two of you, you're both hopeless!”

“I'm glad that you're finding this so amusing,” you mutter, “Are we close?”

Perhaps chastised by your curt tone, Sakura's answer is meek. “Just up ahead,” she tells you, “There's a little square tucked away. Nice and discrete.”

[1/2]

>>1913453

You don't immediately march ahead, storming into the square to speak with Pietr. You linger at the threshold for a few moments, peering in and studying the scene. Just as Sakura said, the square is discrete – walled off to hide it from prying eyes. Inside, there isn't much to see, with just a pair of benches and a single artificial tree reaching up from the centre. Pietr sits at one of the benches, staring straight ahead. He doesn't look sad or angry or anything like that, he's just... staring.

“Good lord!” Sakura remarks, “You traumatised the poor boy!”

Shooting her one last dark glare, you push all thoughts of the cat from your mind and slowly enter the square. Out of caution, you take a seat at the bench opposite Pietr, with the fake tree forming a kind of bulwark between you. He blinks as you sit down, as if surprised by your presence.

“I got your message,” he begins, “But, uh, I wasn't actually expecting you to find me.”

“I guess I got lucky,” you reply, shrugging lightly to yourself, “But I'm glad you got my message. That makes things a bit easier. I meant what I said – I was just surprised. After everything that's happened these past few days, weeks, months even... after everything that's happened, I don't know where I'm at half the time.” Lapsing into silence, you give Pietr a weak smile. He responds in kind, before shifting aside to clear more space on his bench. Rising, you cross over to sit down – not right next to him, but not as far away as possible either. A nice middle ground. You're both silent for a moment, before Pietr starts to speak.

“A man should be assertive,” he begins, with the air of someone quoting someone else's words, “A man should take the initiative and make the first move. A man should-”

“Now don't take offence at this,” you interrupt gently, “But have you been going to Tanaka for advice?”

“Not specifically. He just... says stuff like that. All the time,” Pietr laughs, shaking his head in wry amusement, “I guess I just... the moment felt right. Too soon, right?”

“Too soon,” you agree, “You gotta save that stuff for the end of the night. At least, I think that's how this works. I'm not exactly what you'd call an expert in this stuff, y'know?”

“I don't think either of us are,” Pietr agrees gravely, “Well... I should be getting back home, anyway. I've been sitting here for far too long already.” Frowning slightly, he rises to his feet and starts to leave the square. You don't quite get the impression of someone running away from you, but still. Hopping to your feet, you follow him to the threshold and softly call his name. Turning to face you, Pietr gives you an inquisitive look.

>C'mon, I'll walk you home. I don't mind
>It's still early out, let's go and get something to eat first
>I'm heading home as well. Stay safe, Pietr
>Other

>>1913502
>C'mon, I'll walk you home. I don't mind

>>1913502
>I'll walk you home.

Time to assert dominance.

>>1913502
>Walk him home gently.

I kid. But still walk him home.

>>1913502
>>I'm heading home as well. Stay safe, Pietr

File: Pietr.jpg (113 KB, 850x1269)

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Before you can say anything, you see another flash of movement at the edge of your vision. By the time you've turned to get a better look, however, the movement has gone. Even so, it's enough to put you on edge – you feel a strangely animal feat, the sense of something that is being pursued by some predator. Your earlier comparison seems laughably harmless in retrospect – the prowling cars seem more like sharks than fish, now.

“Miho?” Pietr presses, “Is there something wrong?”

Shaking off your unease, you give Pietr a confident smile. “Nah, it's nothing,” you decide, “I'll walk you home. I won't take no for an answer, you hear me?”

“Well then,” he laughs at that, “So much for me being assertive... Are you sure, though?”

“Sure, I don't mind,” offering a casual shrug, you gesture for him to follow you, “It's not that far out of my way, anyway.”

A silence descends over the pair of you as you walk together, but it's not a cold or painful one – more the companionable silence of two people who know better than to ramble away. Even the occasional comments that you DO make barely seem to disturb the stillness that envelops you. Sometimes you'll point out a shop that you've visited before, and sometimes Pietr replies with an anecdote of his own. Harmless little exchanges, and nothing more.

When you're about halfway towards the Sentinel building, you see something that feels altogether less harmless.

-

Parked by the side of the road, the same black car that you've been seeing all night waits just up ahead. It's definitely the same one this time, the license plate proves that, but the otherwise featureless vehicle offers no other clue as to its identity. Seeing the same car twice in one night might be a coincidence, but this is... deliberate. When you stop dead in your tracks, glaring at the vehicle, Pietr takes a few more steps forwards before stopping as well.

“Are you sure that you're okay?” he asks, a slight frown creasing his brow, “You look... worried.”

“That car...” you murmur, clearing your throat before pointing it out to him. “Have you seen that car before?” you ask, “Like, tonight?”

“No, I don't think so,” Pietr replies, his frown deepening, “Although I wasn't feeling especially observant earlier, so... Well, what's so important about it, anyway?”

>It's nothing. Let's keep moving, and quickly
>Just wait. I'm going to check this out, see who's been following me
>Other

>>1913559
>>Just wait. I'm going to check this out, see who's been following me

>>1913559
>>Just wait. I'm going to check this out, see who's been following me

>>1913559
>Just wait. I'm going to check this out, see who's been following me

>>1913559
>>Just wait. I'm going to check this out, see who's been following me

>>1913559
>Is there a connection between me and that car?

“Just wait a minute,” you caution Pietr, “I'm going to check this out. I want to see just who's been following me...”

“Following you?” Pietr blurts out, “You mean... do you think it might be dangerous?”

“I can handle dangerous,” you counter, forming fists and putting on a mock fighting stance. When Pietr lets out a worried laugh, offering no further objections, you turn and march across the street towards the parked car. Your hands, held rigid by your sides, are still balled into tight fists. As soon as your back is turned to Pietr, your attempts at appearing carefree melt away. What's left is a hard core of anger bubbling away in your stomach – something about this unwanted attention has really got you riled up.

As you march towards the car, the rear door swings open and a figure smoothly steps out into the street. A foreign man of indeterminate age, his face worn smooth with cosmetic surgery but otherwise handsome enough, wearing a bland suit. Just about the only standout feature he has is the pin he wears at his tie – a glint of gold in the shape of a crucifix. His expression is unreadable, but it's hard to know how much of that is down to composure rather than excessive surgery.

“You look lost,” you begin, stopping just short of spitting the words out, “You need directions or something?”

“Lost?” the man repeats, as if puzzling out the word. His accent is English, refined and polished. “Quite the contrary. I think you're the one who needs directing,” he continues, studying you for a moment before adding, “You ought to leave the Oracle alone, before you cause any more harm.”

At first, you assume that you must have misheard him, or that he misspoke somehow. It's only when you play his words back in your head that you grasp their true weight. “What does the Oracle have to do with anything?” you snap, “Just who the hell are you?”

“Ah, I didn't introduce myself,” the man sighs, producing a silver case from his pocket and handing across a business card. “How inexcusable,” he murmurs to himself as you numbly take the card, “I think that should explain... most things.”

Blinking slowly, you look down at the business card. A simple thing, with just two lines of text – a name, and an official title. The title - “Director of Outreach, Saint Amelia's Charitable Foundation” - is what draws your eye first, if only because of the familiar name. Saint Amelia's is the same school that Emi goes to, you're sure of it. Then, you glance up to the name and, despite yourself, you smirk a little as you read it aloud.

“Nathaniel Amelia Beckett,” you read, glancing up at him, “Isn't “Amelia” normally a girl's name?”

“That's always the first thing that people ask,” Beckett laments, “It's family tradition – the first born child always adopts it as a middle name. Perhaps you'd be more comfortable calling me... Belial?”

[1/2]

>>1913654
Ah. Nebiros' partner.

>>1913654
> Perhaps you'd be more comfortable stepping off and not interrupting a girls first date with a boy.

>>1913654
Also they probably have some sort of way to control the machine aspect of the Oracle.

>>1913654

“Belial,” you repeat quietly, “I know you – you're the one who works with Nebiros, aren't you?”

“An alliance of convenience, I assure you,” Beckett grimaces a little, the tight flesh at each corner of his mouth barely shifting. “I'm not here to talk about Nebiros, however. In fact, I'd really rather avoid all mention of him if possible – he's become something of an ill subject of late,” he continues, opening the car door a little wider, “Really, there's no need for us to talk out here. Why don't you step inside, and we can talk in comfort?”

“I'm fine out here,” shaking your head slowly, you give the tall man a hard look, “And what makes you so sure that we have anything to discuss? All you've done is follow me about and give me some vague threat.”

“Oh, I didn't mean for you to take it as a threat. Really, I mean that – I had hoped to appeal to your better nature,” Beckett takes a single step closer, his hands spread wide in a harmless gesture, and you take a matching step back away from him. “Then I'll make my case as simple and concise as possible. I believe that you're a good person – you want to protect people and save lives,” he explains, “But interfering with the Oracle can only cause more harm.”

“Your Oracle seems quite capable of causing harm on her own,” you point out, “She doesn't need MY help.”

“No? Then why is it that the Oracle has only ever failed... when you are involved?” Beckett tries to raise an eyebrow, “Whenever you're removed from the equation, she has proven herself to be flawless, a potent asset for our divine cause. So, my point is this – if you continue to force yourself into affairs that do not concern you, grave danger may occur. I don't doubt that you'd survive, but I fear that the people around you might not be nearly so fortunate.”

His words sent a cold shiver running through you, faint feelings of doubt forming to gnaw at your gut. “I think you need to work on your pitch,” you manage, “Because that definitely sounded like a threat.”

“If there is a threat, it's one of your own making,” Beckett sighs, “Please, Miss Tsukada. I believe that you're a reasonable woman, and we don't have to make this unpleasant. We both want the same thing – to safeguard mankind against these... demons. What you must accept, though, is that your time has passed – your kind has been given millennia, and what do you have to show for yourselves? It's time to pass the torch, Miss Tsukada. There's no shame in it.”

Gritting your teeth, you look into Beckett's eyes and see something there, something that the other Sentinels you've met and spoken with have lacked. A focus, an intensity of feeling, a pure and undiluted faith.

[2/3]

>>1913732
>A focus, an intensity of feeling, a pure and undiluted faith.
Good lord he's one of the lunatics

>>1913732

“Miho!” Pietr calls out suddenly, rushing to meet you, “What's going on? When I saw you talking to this guy, I thought...”

“Ah, our young recruit. I understand that you've already been making yourself useful,” Beckett turns sharply away from you, giving Pietr a tight smile, “Don't worry, boy, you're not going to get tangled up in anything that happens to Nebiros. I'll make sure of it – his sins are his own, you weren't to know that things would be so... farcical. I foresee a long and prosperous future for you yet.”

“O-oh, I see,” Pietr stammers, immediately distracted by Beckett's reaction, “Then you're...”

“A Sentinel, faithful to the great Monad,” Beckett finishes, accompanying his words with a gesture not unlike that of Christian prayer. “Don't worry, I was discussing a small matter with your young friend here,” he adds, “Miss Tsukada, I trust that we understand each other?”

>I understand, but you're wrong. I'm the best chance you've got for destroying the source of the Intruders
>I understand... I think. I'll take your words under consideration
>I don't understand, and I don't care to. I'm leaving
>I don't understand everything... (Write in)
>Other

>>1913749
>I don't understand everything... (Write in)

"How did you not just threaten me? If I do continue to interact with the Oracle, you're just going to let it happen?"

"If I was a danger to the Oracle, wouldn't it stop me itself anyways? You're probably just mad that it likes me more than you."

"Who do you believe in more, the Oracle or Monad?"

>>1913749
>>I understand... I think. I'll take your words under consideration

>>1913759
seconding

>>1913749
>I'm the best chance you've got for destroying the source of the Intruders
"All you Sentinels have are temporary measures and hopes to control something you don't understand until to kills you from the inside.

I'm going to see Noriko and talk to her. Whatever happens after that will be HER choice, not mine. And ZOE? You'd be a fool to put absolute faith in her. It belongs to Monad and Monad will do what Monad wants, regardless of mankind. Tell me, did Monad ever tell you how these Intruders came to be? Would it shake your faith to know we've been struggling this past millennia to clean up THEIR mess while they hid away like cowards?"

>>1913749
>>I understand... I think. I'll take your words under consideration

>>1913749
>I understand that you're kind of creepy with the not-threats and not-superiority-complex.
>And if "our" time is supposedly passed, I'm fairly sure Oracle counts there too.

>>1913749
>I understand, but you're wrong.

“How did you NOT just threaten me?” you shoot back, watching with some satisfaction as Pietr's eyes widen with sudden doubt, “You basically just said that bad things were gonna happen if I kept messing around with your Oracle. Are you just going to let them happen?”

“As I have said, this is a threat of your own making – if you insist on going looking for trouble, it will likely find you. Will I try and stop you from choosing this path? No, I don't think I will – I doubt that I could, even if I wanted to,” Beckett shakes his head slowly, “You're free to choose your own path, Miss Tsukada, but you must accept that there are consequences. An unknown variable like you brings chaos into an otherwise perfect system. The Oracle can't predict what might happen then. Nobody can.”

“But if I was a threat to the Oracle, couldn't she just try and stop me herself?” you point out, “Or maybe she doesn't think I'm any danger to her. Maybe you're the only one here with a problem.”

“Miss Tsukada, I don't think you understand me,” Beckett smiles again, without a trace of impatience in his voice, “The danger is bigger than any one person – it's bigger than me, you or the Oracle herself. If you were to blind her, or otherwise distract her from her true purpose, this entire city might suffer. Should she try to stop you, in that case? Well, perhaps she has – I'm here, trying to make you see reason.”

His sanctimonious voice grates on your nerves, and you have to fight back the urge to scowl in frustration. It's hard to know if he's being deliberately difficult, or if his faith is just getting between you. “Just who are you more loyal to?” you ask, “Monad or the Oracle?”

“You speak as though there's a difference. The Oracle is an earthly vessel of Monad's will,” Beckett slips his hands into his pockets, considering the issue, “Faith and loyalty to one is faith and loyalty to both. You're not a believer yourself, are you? If you were, I think perhaps you would understand.”

“I understand, and I'll take your words under consideration,” you tell Beckett in a cold voice, more polite of a tone than he really deserves, “But I think you're wrong. I'm the best chance that you've got for destroying the source of the Intruders. All that you Sentinels have are temporary measures and hopes, to control something you don't understand before it kills you. You need people like me, to finish his whole mess once and for all."

[1/2]

>>1913856

“Ah, the optimism of youth,” Beckett sighs, “Tell me then, Miss Tsukada. Just what do you possess that makes you so different from all those who came before you? What makes you SO certain that you can succeed where so many others have failed?”

Clenching your fists tightly, you force yourself to meet his flat eyes. “What do you know?” you spit, “What do you really know? Has Monad told you how this all started? Has it told you that we've been struggling all this time to clean up a mess that THEY started, while they hid themselves away like cowards? How do you feel now, is your faith still strong and unwavering?”

“I know more than you might think, Miss Tsukada,” he answers calmly, “You see, Monad has told me much – yes, including how this all began. Perhaps I know more than you do, in fact. You see, you speak of finishing things and destroying the source of these demons. Allow me to test your faith in yourself – what would you say if I told you that such a thing was impossible?”

“Impossible?” you repeat, your voice growing hushed.

“Original sin, Miss Tsukada. Not a single act, as the Bible might say, but a growing corruption that swallowed up an entire civilisation. In the end, mankind was cast out of Eden, and evil had taken root in the world. So long as mankind exists, the root of all evil will regrow each and every time it is cut down or pulled out,” Beckett studies you for a moment, “Perhaps you can delve into the deepest pits of Hell, Miss Tsukada, but you won't be the first of your kind. Many have gone before you, and some have even achieved their goal – yet every time, the root of all evil has returned.”

“No, no way...” you protest, shaking your head angrily, “What is this, you're just telling me that I'm fighting for nothing, that I should just give up? To hell with that, I don't believe you for a second!”

“Believe what you like, Miss Tsukada,” Beckett urges you, genuine sincerity entering his voice, “But don't let blind faith lead you down a false path. It's not too late to change your path.”

“I'm... I'm going to see Noriko, whether you want me to or not,” you manage, “And whatever happens then will be HER choice, not mine or anyone else's. Do you even know Noriko? She's one of MY kind – so if my time has passed, hers isn't any different.”

“You'd be quite wrong there. Noriko has changed her path, just as you might yet change yours. She has opened herself to Monad in one of its forms, becoming something greater than any of us,” this time, Beckett actually manages to produce a full smile, “I very much envy her, being so close to God.”

“You're a fool if you think ZOE is a god,” you counter, “It's not some benevolent ruler, it just uses people. You-”

A shrill note pierces the night as a phone starts to ring, cutting your words short.

[2/3]

>>1913904
>Many have gone before you, and some have even achieved their goal – yet every time, the root of all evil has returned

Kurosawa never mentioned that. Only the Saint of the Abyss. We'll have to ask him.

>>1913904

“Mine, I'm afraid,” Beckett apologises, taking a phone out of the car and stepping away from you. “Yes? Near here? And we weren't warned about this... why?” pausing, he turns to look your way, “I see. No, I understand. I'll leave the area immediately. Do give my regards to Miss Attwood, will you? Yes, I know that she'll hate that, but tell her anyway. Good day to you, then.” Ending the call, he turns back to you and makes another attempt at a smile. “It seems as though we'll have to cut this short. A demon seems to have taken notice of us,” the Sentinel hesitates as he's getting into his car, “The Oracle missed this one. A strange coincidence, that you were here. In either case, Miss Kanzaki seems to think that there's one coming – I'm told that her machines are quite reliable.”

“He is not lying,” Kurosawa growls suddenly, “I just picked up the scent myself. Thralls, in some number. They appear to be gather in the Umbra, in preparation for crossing over. A relatively minor issue despite their numbers - I will provide directions.”

“Do consider my words. Whatever you might think about me, I came here today with the best of intentions,” Beckett concludes, “I hope that you keep mankind's best interests at heart, rather than any selfish intentions.” With that, he slams his car door shut and the vehicle stirs into life. Before you can spit out the curse that had been building on your lips, he is gone – driving off into the night.

-

A short silence falls over, before a second ringing shatters it. Pietr takes out his phone, pulling a sour face as he reads a message. “Tanaka's on his way. He wants me to wait here for him, and then we'll go hunting together. Practice, he calls it,” he tells you, “I'm sorry about this, Miho. This isn't really how I wanted this night to go...”

“It's certainly not how I expected it to go,” you mutter, still glaring darkly in the direction of Beckett's vanished car.

>You can wait here, Pietr, but I'm going after those Intruders
>I'll wait with you. We can all go hunting together
>I'm out of here. Tanaka's okay, he'll keep you safe
>Other

>>1913969
>>I'm out of here. Tanaka's okay, he'll keep you safe

>>1913969
>Other
>Go to the Intruders with Pietr now.
"Tell him to meet us at the portal. We can't let any slip the net."

>>1913969
>I'm out of here. Tanaka's okay, he'll keep you safe
Tell him to keep up or eat my dust

>>1913990
Seconding

>>1913969
>>I'm out of here. Tanaka's okay, he'll keep you safe

>>1913969
>You can wait here, Pietr, but I'm going after those Intruders

>I'm going to close the vote here and write the next post - going with leaving things to Tanaka. There may be a slight delay, though, I need to sort a few things. Sorry about the delay

>>1914033
I'm sorry I had a brain fart, I read "I'm out of here" as ditching Pietr and let him wait for Tanaka while we went off to fight.

Oh well.

File: Kurosawa.jpg (52 KB, 724x1103)

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“Kurosawa,” you murmur, glancing away from Pietr, “What Beckett said about the unclean source, or whatever he called it...”

“I know,” Kurosawa replies, sadness colouring his voice, “We will discuss it later. He is... not entirely incorrect. The issue is more complicated than he suggests, however. I do not wish to burden you with the full details now, though – not while there is an active threat. We shall discuss this matter when the Intruders have been destroyed.”

“Forget that. Tanaka's on the way, this is all under control,” you snap, “I don't want to wait for something else to come up and delay things even more. You've been pretty okay recently, Kurosawa, don't spoil it now.” Scowling into the night for a moment, you glance back to Pietr. “I'm out of here,” you tell him, “Tanaka's okay, he'll keep you safe. You tell him that if he doesn't keep up, I'll kick his ass.”

“I'll be sure to tell him that,” Pietr says gravely, “Are you sure that you're okay, though?”

“I'm fine, Pietr, I'm just too tired to deal with this crap right now,” you tell him, forcing a smile, “Plus, I need to have a few words with my boss. I trust you two with this, okay? So don't let me down!”

“Understood!” Pietr replies, nodding briskly. With that, you turn and stride away.

-

“You are certain that the Sentinels can deal with this?” Kurosawa asks as you walk, “I understand that they have some experience in these matters, but-”

“Don't change the subject, Kurosawa, they'll be fine,” you whisper, “The world didn't end while we were away at Neptune Island, and it won't end today. Frankly, this is more important than stomping on a bunch of Thralls – so tell me, just what did Beckett mean about the root of all evil growing back?”

“He is correct, in that many of your kind have reached the lowest level of the Umbra before. And, yes, many of those have fought with the unclean source,” Kurosawa pauses for a moment as you march past a giggling couple, “It has been destroyed before, yes, and every time it has restored itself to life – if you can truly say that it “lives” in any human sense. You must understand, Miho, that this situation is not a simple binary.”

Biting your lip, you resist the urge to snap at him. Instead, you just think very harsh thoughts until he continues.

“When the unclean source is destroyed, it is forced into a deep sleep. The Umbra becomes peaceful, and the Intruders are pacified – for a time. Yet, this is not a true victory. The peace does not last,” Kurosawa pauses again, “To truly destroy the unclean source requires sacrifice – a life, freely and willingly given. Such is the ultimate duty of the Heavenly Child.”

“And of all the girls who reached the unclean source...” you murmur, “None of them were willing to make that sacrifice?”

“Such is the ultimate frailty of mankind,” Kurosawa sighs sadly.

[1/2]

>>1914137

“To date, every Heavenly Child that has reached the unclean source and destroyed it has stopped short of offering their life,” he continues, “Each and every one of them has been content with a temporary peace. Someone else, so they reason, can shoulder that burden.” A silence descends as Kurosawa thinks, a shadow of his bitterness brushing against your thoughts. “Perhaps this is why my fellow gods chose to turn their backs on mankind,” he muses, “To see this same failure play out, time after time...”

“Kurosawa,” you ask coldly, “When exactly were you planning on telling me this?”

Silence.

“Before or after I reached the unclean source?” you press. Again, silence is all the answer you get for a long moment, but then:

“It is not an easy subject to discuss,” Kurosawa offers eventually, his voice hushed and solemn, “In the past, I have tried being open and honest about this matter, about the ultimate fate that awaits the Heavenly Child. In my experience, it seldom ended well. The girls that I told either lost all motivation to pursue their goal, or actively resisted it. One even...” He pauses there, halting himself before he can say anything else. “By concealing this truth, I have been more successful in guiding Heavenly Children to the unclean source. Even when they are unwilling to make the sacrifice, some small period of respite is achieved,” he sighs, “Those short moments of peace are better than nothing.”

This time, you're the one who falls silent. To think that THIS is what awaited you at the end of your long road...

“Just answer me this,” you tell Kurosawa, “Is this the truth? I mean, you're not going to spring some OTHER awful truth on me, are you?”

“I think I have finally run out of shocking revelations,” Kurosawa answers drily.

>I see. I'd like some time alone now, please
>There's definitely no other way to truly destroy the source?
>These short periods of peace – how long do they last?
>Be honest with me, Kurosawa. Do you want me to fulfil this duty?
>I have to ask you something... (Write in)
>Other

>>1914188
>>There's definitely no other way to truly destroy the source?
>>These short periods of peace – how long do they last?

>>1914188
>There's definitely no other way to truly destroy the source?
"I need specifics. What part of being a Heavenly Child is needed to finish the job and why?

>>1914188
>>There's definitely no other way to truly destroy the source?
>>These short periods of peace – how long do they last?

>>1914188
>There's definitely no other way to truly destroy the source?
>These short periods of peace – how long do they last?

Did my sister know this?

>>1914188
>There's definitely no other way?

“These short periods of peace that you mentioned,” you begin cautiously, almost fearing the answer that you might receive, “How long do they last?”

“It can vary. I have not yet learned if there is a consistent factor to it or if the duration is truly random. I believe that there may be several factors at work, perhaps too many to allow for any meaningful study,” he replies slowly, “It would be meaningless to offer a theory, in either case. All that I can offer you is my past experiences, and-”

“Kurosawa,” you press, “How. Long?”

“Usually years, and sometimes decades. The longest period was a number of days short of thirty years,” Kurosawa pauses, “The shortest was just six months. No matter how long each period lasted, they always ended the same way – the Intruders became active once more, and the unclean source resumed its loathsome creation. The only way for this cycle to be broken is through Sacrifice.”

“Are you sure?” you murmur, ideas whirling through your mind as you think hard for any loophole or alternative path, “There's definitely no other way to truly destroy the source?”

“I know of no other way,” Kurosawa answers carefully, “Although as we have both seen, there are things in this world – and the other – that are beyond my ken. All that I can give you is the knowledge of the gods.”

“Alright, fine. Let's talk specifics,” you think for a moment, “What part of being a Heavenly Child is required to finish the job, and why? How does this stuff really work?”

“This is a question with no easy answer,” the cat thinks for a moment, “To be a Heavenly Child – or, in your case, to have been made into one – is to possess a special soul. Just as the Executioner is born stained with blood and the Seeker of Truth is born with a canny ear, so too are you born with purpose. That purpose is what draws others to you, and that purpose is what becomes a weapon to destroy the unclean source.”

“That... doesn't really explain much,” you mutter, “You might as well say “it works because it works” or... whatever.”

“This is the way that the world was created,” Kurosawa tells you, a faint note of apology in his voice, “I did say that there was no easy answer. Regardless of the mechanics, the end result is the same. The soul becomes a weapon of great, but transient power. Consider this – the unclean source is made from antimatter, while your soul is pure matter. When one contacts the other...”

“Both are annihilated,” you finish, “I remember that much from my science classes...”

“No other soul is pure enough,” Kurosawa finishes, “Only that of the Heavenly Child – only that chosen by Sacrifice – is fit for purpose.”

[1/2]

>>1914287
>only that chosen by Sacrifice
Or the one chosen by Duty, who takes up Sacrifice, I assume.
I am not looking forward to explaining this to our parents.

>>1914287

“So it's not enough that I have to die, but I have to... what, obliterate my entire soul to do it?” you ask, “Jeez...”

“I... “obliterate” is a harsh word. In either case, perhaps now you realise why some react... badly to this knowledge,” Kurosawa remarks, “In the past, when concern over one's mortal soul was far more powerful, just hearing this was enough to shatter an Emotional Barrier.” He studies you in silence for a moment as you walk, your tight fists buried deep in your pockets. “If I may...” he adds carefully, “You seem to be taking this remarkably well.”

“I don't know, I feel like... some part of me was expecting this,” you think aloud, fumbling for the right words, “It's exactly the kind of crappy deal that would make the perfect end to this whole crappy journey. I just... you're absolutely one-hundred percent sure that there's nothing else?”

“Miho,” he chides, “If there was anything that I could do, do you not think that I would have done it before now?”

“Yeah, I guess...” sighing, you slump your shoulders in dismay, “I just want to know one last thing. Did my sister... did Hikari know anything about this?”

“No,” Kurosawa answers simply, “She was spared that burden. I cannot say whether or not it was the right thing to do, but I believe... I believe that she was happier not knowing. Perhaps I am wrong.”

“We won't know either way now,” you sigh, “Will we?”

-

Kurosawa continues padding beside you as you wander the streets at random, your route having long since devolved into aimless roaming. At some point you passed into the vice district, although you don't remember the transition. You're not sure why he's still with you – maybe it's some attempt at solidarity, or maybe he's waiting to see if you have anything else to ask – but his presence is inoffensive enough.

When your wandering takes you around another corner, you spot a vaguely familiar figure. It's the dreadlocks that catch your attention, with a rag covering most of the young man's face. You saw him briefly at Kasumi's home, as you recall. He was one of her “tenants” - Pip, you think his name was. Something like that, at least.

He hasn't noticed you, too involved with hastily slapping up a crude poster. As soon as he's finished, and not a second later, he starts to hurry away. Judging by the heavy pack he has slung around his body, there's a lot more posters to stick up.

Seeing him here... something about it sets alarm bells ringing in your head.

>Chase after him, see if you can get an explanation
>Wait for him to leave, then examine the poster
>Slip away quickly, just in case he notices you
>Other

>>1914368
>Wait for him to leave, then examine the poster
Something is up.

>>1914368
>Wait for him to leave, then examine the poster

>>1914368
>>Wait for him to leave, then examine the poster

>>1914368
>Wait for him to leave, then examine the poster

>>1914368
>Run up and confirm it's a Return the Earth poster, then chase after and confront him.

If not a Return poster then just chill.

>>1914287
Can't we just sacrifice a newborn?

Flattening yourself up against the nearest wall, you peer cautiously around the corner and watch as the young man hurries away. You can't really blame him for not wanting to stick around – somehow, you suspect that he doesn't have a license to be putting up posters like this. It would just be a petty offence if he was caught, but if it led the police straight to his “real” job...

Kasumi, of course, would be thrust right in the firing line as well. Scowling darkly at the thought, you let a few more moments pass before emerging from your cover and approaching the poster. It's definitely a crude thing, printed off in bulk with a cheap copier and low quality materials, but it gets the message across – and the message is... a rave. Illegal, no doubt, but otherwise innocuous enough at first glance.

Your frown deepens as you take a closer look. The rave is being held at the outskirts of Ark City in an industrial area, probably in a warehouse. There's a small charge for entry, with “donations welcome” - whatever THAT means. The event will start at midnight, this Friday. Other than those pragmatic details, the rest of the poster is filled with lurid claims and boasts.

“Put your foot on the ACCELERATOR and shift into FAST FORWARD,” the poster screams, “This is the BOOST that you've been waiting for!”

Well. You've seen more subtle adverts before. So it's a drug party, you decide, with the rave as either an added bonus or a flimsy attempt at a cover story. Biting your lip as you think, you take out your phone and snap a few quick photographs of the poster, making sure to get all the relevant details down clearly. With that taken care of, you hurry away before anyone wanders past and accuses you of putting the poster up.

-

Once you've put some distance between you and the offending poster, you slump down into a seat and think things over. Kasumi's tenants manufacture Accela, the cyber-drug first made by Kasper Yu. Kasper Yu – or someone who looked very much like him – was recorded rambling about things that Return to the Earth would later obsess over. Return to the Earth, in your experience, have some connection with Accela...

It's all enough to make your head spin. Maybe you should just go home, get some sleep and deal with a fresh new day.

>Head home to get some rest
>Try something else... (Write in)
>Other

>>1914471
>Head home to get some rest

We should have Maika drone that place out on Friday.

>>1914471
>Head home to get some rest

>>1914471
>Head home to get some rest

“Oh, I don't know,” you groan, fighting back the urge to throw up your hands in disgust. You're not too proud to admit when you've hit your limit, and this is one of those moments. After the day you've had, after everything that's happened, you've had enough. Time to crawl back home and get some sleep. Rising from your bench, you start to trudge back towards home. Maybe Maika can send a few drones to check out that rave on Friday, see who's going to it and what they're doing. Rave things, probably, whatever those are.

As you're walking, your phone chimes – with a faintly dispirited note, although perhaps that's just your imagination. “Hey, Miho,” Pietr says when you answer, his voice thin and weary, “I'm, uh, I'm back. That took longer than we expected. Have you ever broken open an ant hive? The way they come swarming out...”

“So you're okay?” you ask, fighting back a yawn, “What about Tanaka?”

“Oh, I've never seen him having so much fun,” Pietr replies, openly yawning as if reading your thoughts, “So yes, I just thought I should call and tell you that we're okay. Um, have a good night, Miho.”

“Sure,” you conclude, “What's left of it.”

>I'm going to pause things here for today. I'll continue this tomorrow, and if anyone has any questions I'll answer them if I can
>Thanks to everyone who contributed today!

>>1914542
Thanks for running.

Thanks for running!

How hardy are we gonna party at this rave?

>>1914601

Miho is a good girl, she would never go to a sordid, drug-filled rave!

>>1914640
At this point I'm starting to suspect. Mildly anyway. I've noticed that Miho has kind of changed in terms of attitude. While she's still determined, brave, and overall a nice individual, I feel like she is becoming less...engaged? I wouldn't even necessarily call it just a loss of idealism, more like she's just resigned to her life sucking and is starting to be apathetic about it. That she's less caring because she actually cares and because it's more of her job.

>>1914736
Probably a side effect of us being a Dutiful Squire. We fight until the end even when it's bitter and hard.

>>1914736

Maybe it's a coping strategy? After a certain point, it might just be easier to assume that things are going to go wrong and tough it out regardless. Of course, that's not the most healthy mindset for a young woman to have!

>>1914808
You're the one who set her down on this path!

>>1914845
Hey nobody's even lost a limb this time around.
Well besides from the time Miho lost both legs but that didn't count because it was a ruse anyway.

>>1915251
Yeah, and Ayane's hung by a thread so it didn't count. Besides, medicine fixed her

>>1915251
Does losing a lung count? It isn't a limb but it is a whole organ. It got better though. Healing factor helps us get away with a lot more stuff than the MCs of Moloch's other quests.

At the same time though the healing allows Moloch to fuck up Miho and the girls way more than the past quest characters mostly consequence free, something he takes full advantage of.

>>1914808
Is that why what Beckett said shook Miho up so much? What he was saying was as vague as it could have possibly been. It was like someone saying the world's going to end and that making you panic.

>>1915464
I like it. Remember when Miho was absorbing drone machine gun fire?
That kind of stuff is cool.

>>1915537
>>1915496
>>1915464
LIGHTER TONE.

File: Maika Kanzaki.jpg (272 KB, 1080x1080)

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While you do manage to get a few hours of sleep that night, your dreams are predictably foul. You dream of a cascading tide of pills falling endlessly before your eyes while a nightmarish drumbeat races away in the background. The drumbeat gradually slowed until it became a heartbeat, and that was when you woke up – soaked in sweat and clawing at your tangled sheets.

“I'm really getting sick of this,” you pant, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before heaving yourself out of bed.

-

After showering and cramming down a quick breakfast with your father – neither of you were awake enough to talk much – you walk to school on autopilot. When your usual route takes you to the old antique store, you pause for a moment to scan the window for any new and attractive trinkets. Nothing really catches your eye, but the ritual of it all is calming. Just as you're starting to head on your way, however, a pair of your fellow students hurry past you, gossiping loudly. They've got big plans for the weekend, apparently, and while they don't specifically mention that illegal rave...

You scowl at their retreating backs. You don't exactly know what that kind of party would involve, but you're certain that it's not a good thing for young students to be getting caught up in. They could at least be more subtle about it, rather than openly boasting about their plans. If they're not more careful, they'll have the Public Morals Committee coming down on them. You've had that dubious pleasure once before, and once was more than enough.

-

A thin rain has started to fall by lunchtime, so you meet up with Maika and Ayane in the library rather than anywhere outside. The quiet, calm air makes a nice change, at least, and there's hardly anyone else around. Sitting opposite you, Maika suddenly leans closer and gives you a probing looks. “I don't think you're getting enough sleep, Miho,” she decides, “You really do look tired.”

“Hey, c'mon, don't peer at me like I'm some... some machine you're assembling!” you protest, “Besides, you don't look so fresh yourself. I probably got more sleep than you did.”

“Man, I don't know what you two are getting up to, but you BOTH look like you could use some more beauty sleep,” Ayane teases, “I mean, far be it from me to get in the way of true love, but you gotta slow down and take a break every so often. It's not healthy to go at it all-”

“Quiet, you!” you scold, punching Ayane on the shoulder as Maika colours ever so slightly. “But seriously Maika, you look unwell,” you point out, taking another glance at the heiress' pale skin and bloodshot eyes, “Weren't you doing those tests with Fujiwara last night? She wasn't pushing you too hard, was she?”

“No,” Maika shakes her head, “Not... really.”

[1/3]

>>1917028

“More tests, huh?” Ayane's teasing dies away completely, “I thought you were done with that stuff. Something change?”

“Doctor Fujiwara had an idea. She wanted me to work with another one of the Sentinels, pooling our abilities. Shaw – I think you've met her, Miho – works mostly from outside the Umbra,” Maika pauses for a moment to let out a discrete yawn, “Well, the short version is, we're working together so that Shaw might be able to control an autonomous vehicle from outside the Umbra – a drone at first, but maybe even a spider tank later if everything goes well.”

“Yeah, uh, I don't know about that,” Ayane complains, rubbing her shoulder at the memory of your last encounter with a spider tank, “I wouldn't mess around with those things, if I were you. My arm still aches, you know – Kurosawa says that I'm just being dramatic about it, but he wasn't the one who nearly lost a limb!”

“That was nothing to do with the tank,” Maika sighs, “If anything, that spider tank was just as much of a victim as you were.”

“Ladies, please,” you clear your throat lightly, stepping in before the pair start bickering again. When you can't think of anything else to say, you just settle for a shrug. “There's no point in digging up the past,” you add lamely, “What's done is done. Anyway, that reminds me – how's that documentary thing going?”

“Oh, yeah. That,” Ayane winces, “There's been a couple of snags. Legal things, I guess, I wasn't really listening and my mom had kinda been drinking when she explained it, so...”

“She can't use certain bits of footage due to an ongoing criminal inquiry,” Shiori explains, emerging from behind a bookcase like a particularly bored ghost, “It's simple. I don't know how you could forget something like that.” Sitting down at your table, the young girl looks around at you all. “Hello,” she adds, as if only just remembering that she hadn't greeted you yet.

“Hello Shiori,” you reply, giving her a little wave, “How's that model going?”

“That tank? She finished it up real quick,” grinning evilly, Ayane reaches across to mess up Shiori's hair, “I caught her at it one night, marching it about the room and making explosion noises. I wish I'd filmed it...”

“Rude,” Shiori mutters, ducking away from Ayane's grasp and trying to hide her darkening cheeks from sight. “And factually incorrect,” she explains peevishly, “I was actually just clearing my throat. Don't make this out to be something it's not.”

“I can always tell when you're lying, you know,” Ayane chuckles, “Even before I got magic powers...”

Maika might have quietened down, but now you've got a different set of bickering to deal with. It never really ends, after all.

[2/3]

>>1917031

A small frown crosses Maika's face as her phone vibrates, purring softly on the table. As she slinks away to take the call, Shiori rises from her seat, gives you a tiny bow, and then backs away. “I have to find some books,” she murmurs, “Excuse me.”

“It's bad news,” Maika announces when she returns, “It seems as though... Where's Shiori?”

“She had to go return some videotapes or something,” Ayane replies, waving a dismissive hand, “Never mind that. What's this bad news of yours?”

“Well, it seems as though there's been some trouble at our Tokyo office – some vague suggestions of financial misconduct. Father has had to go and investigate the situation personally, so he's going to be out of town for a few days,” Maika pauses carefully, “That means we won't be able to rely on his help with anything – including visiting the Oracle.”

This causes a scowl to darken your features. This, coming so soon after Beckett gave you his “well intentioned” warning? This hardly seems like a coincidence. More like a stalling tactic.

“There is a little bit of good news, however. Our “guest” has been given a clean bill of health,” Maika forces a small smile at this, “Miho, could you stop by my house after school today? Arrangements have been made, but things would be more convenient if you're there to lend a hand.”

You're not exactly sure how you're going to sneakily take EVE across the city to reach your apartment, but... well, you'll think of something. These “arrangements” might take that into account.

>Alright. After school, then
>Doesn't this seem like awfully convenient timing? I don't think they WANT us seeing the Oracle
>When do you guys want to go deeper into the Umbra?
>Hey, let's talk about something else... (Write in)
>Other

>>1917032
>>Alright. After school, then
>>Doesn't this seem like awfully convenient timing? I don't think they WANT us seeing the Oracle
Just after Belial gave us vague warnings and threats.
>>When do you guys want to go deeper into the Umbra?

>>1917032
>Alright. After school, then
>When do you guys want to go deeper into the Umbra?

>>1917032
>>>Alright. After school, then
>>Doesn't this seem like awfully convenient timing? I don't think they WANT us seeing the Oracle

File: Ayane Nakamura.jpg (150 KB, 900x900)

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“Doesn't this all seem like awfully convenient timing?” you think aloud, giving Maika a serious look, “I don't think they WANT us seeing the Oracle. Every time we get close, they throw some other roadblock in front of us.”

“It does seem that way, doesn't it?” she agrees, nodding slowly, “Although I suppose the real issue is just how deeply this runs. I don't believe that Father is involved-”

“Sure,” Ayane mutters, “Your dad would never do any shady stuff, Maika.”

“If he was trying to keep us from seeing the Oracle, he wouldn't have helped us this far,” Maika continues, raising her voice ever so slightly, “He could have simply turned down our requests – either by refusing them outright or claiming that it was out of his control. Father is not the sort of man to needlessly complicate matters.”

“But Belial is,” you offer, “I spoke with his yesterday. He wants us to stay away from the Oracle, and I don't think something like this is beneath him. Has your father ever mentioned him, Maika? His real name is Beckett. Uh, Nathaniel Amelia Beckett.”

“Isn't “Amelia” normally a girl's name?” Ayane says, chuckling slightly, “Poor guy, I bet he had a rough time in school with a name like that...”

“I have heard the name before, but I didn't realise he was involved with the Sentinels. He works for the Saint Amelia Charitable Foundation, doesn't he?” Maika taps a slender finger against her lips, “I came across the name when I was doing some research on Emi's school. So, I'm afraid that there isn't really much that I can tell you about him. I can't even ask Father, not until he gets home from business.”

Leaning back in her chair, Ayane gives Maika a sceptical look. “Why were you researching Emi's school?” she asks, “Do you just, like, research random things about people?”

“You don't?” Maika counters.

“Ladies, please,” you sigh, intervening once again, “My point is, we've got one member of the Council of Twelve making trouble for us. Let's all keep that in mind from here on out. Moving on...” Taking a moment to put your thoughts in order, you continue. “When do you feel like going deeper into the Umbra?” you ask, “We can head in any time, but I don't think we should go down there until we're all ready.”

Not least because of what lies waiting for you at the very bottom. This, however, you don't mention. You don't feel very happy about keeping your recent revelations from the others, but neither do you feel like talking about it. It's hard to find the right words to use, especially when the knowledge is so raw in your mind. You've been successfully NOT thinking about it all day, and you'd like to keep that up for a little while longer.

[1/2]

>>1917096

“Well, definitely not today,” Ayane decides, “Since you're gonna be busy with, uh, your new roommate. I've got a hot date as well, so I'm out. Tomorrow, maybe? I'm none too eager to see what's down there, but there's no point in dragging things out any longer than we need to.” A weary, humourless smirk crosses her face as she thinks. “I mean, it's not like we're gonna be any less stressed out later, is it?” she suggests, “There's always going to be something knocking us about.”

“Regrettably true,” you sigh, “I don't know. How about we discuss this properly tomorrow? I'd like to see what Emi and Kasumi think before we decide on anything.”

“That's decided then,” Maika agrees with a nod, her eyes widening slightly as she glances aside at the clock. “Oh, it's almost time to get back to class,” she adds, “We'll meet up after school, okay Miho?”

“Right,” you reply, “After school. I'll see you then.”

-

The Kanzaki compound seems strangely different without the family patriarch in residence, but you can't quite explain how. The patrolling soldiers seem slightly less rigid, as if they can afford to let their guard slip a little, but the difference goes deeper than that. The air itself seems to have lost something, something that put you on guard as well – as if Eligor's very nature, as one bound to an Intruder, was a subtle threat.

That thought is pushed from your mind by a new jab of unease, brought on by the sight of a now-familiar vehicle. One of those sleek black cars that the Sentinels are so fond of waits outside, with no sign of the driver. Scowling briefly at it, you follow Maika inside. Waiting at the entrance to her sterile home are two figures, sitting opposite each other in an awkward silence. You recognise Karl straight away, even without his gaudy uniform – he's wearing more sensible, civilian clothes today – but it takes you a moment to realise who the other figure is.

EVE looks different when she's wearing clothes, her mechanical body hidden from view by an oversized coat. Even her hands are covered by the baggy sleeves, leaving her human face as the only bare flesh on display. Her long hair has been gathered up and tucked under a Kanzaki Automated Industries cap, while she wears a pair of thick-rimmed glasses.

[I'm in disguise,] she explains, noticing your incredulous look, [Shh.]

“I'm here to drive you home,” Karl says bluntly, “It's safer than walking this... girl through the streets. Let's get a move on.”

“Uh, sure,” you reply, nodding quickly, “See you tomorrow, Maika.”

“Yes, certainly. I'll see you-” Maika pauses, giving EVE another look, “Is that my hat? Are those my clothes?”

EVE just sticks her tongue out, hurrying merrily away.

[2/3]

>>1917124

Normally, you and Karl would sit in an awkward silence as he drives, but this time is different. Neither of you speaks to the other, that much remains unchanged, but EVE hums to herself from the back seat. She's surprisingly good at humming, when she isn't being deliberately tuneless and annoying. In the end, irritation drives you to break the silence.

“Are you okay with this?” you ask Karl, “I mean, getting involved this stuff. Are you...”

“It's none of my business,” he replies simply, “I'm just following orders, and one of my orders was that this was very specifically none of my business. As far as I'm concerned, I'm just driving you home.”

“Oh,” you pause for a moment, “Cool. I guess.”

-

When you arrive at your apartment building, Karl parks the car and hesitates, gripping the steering wheel tightly as he thinks. “I thought that we might talk a little,” he says at last, “But perhaps it would be better if we talked inside.”

“Inside?” you repeat dumbly, “You mean, my place?”

“That would be the most convenient option, yes,” he answers, “Is that a problem?”

>No, no problem. Come on up
>It IS a problem, yes. Goodbye, Karl
>Other

>>1917144
>>No, no problem. Come on up
"My parents just learned the truth the other day."

>>1917144
>>No, no problem. Come on up

>>1917144
>>It IS a problem, yes. Goodbye, Karl

>>1917144
>>No, no problem. Come on up
We're all friends here, and Karl has a soft spot for us. He's probably just worried.

>>1917144
>No, no problem. Come on up

>>1917144
>No, no problem. Come on up
As long as you're polite.

>>1917208
Yeah. No grabbing Miho's dad by the chin and looking smug like he did with Miho.

Man that Karl just disappeared didn't he?

File: EVE2.jpg (241 KB, 900x900)

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“No, it's no problem,” you decide after thinking it over, “I don't know if either of my parents are at home, but it's fine. They, uh, they know about all of this. They only found out recently.”

“I'm surprised,” Karl admits, “I always thought that your kind kept their secrets well.”

“Yeah, well, I didn't really have much of a choice,” you sigh, following Karl as he gets out of the car and strides into your apartment – he seems more confident about it than you do. EVE struts beside you, evidently taking a great pleasure from being able to walk freely about. A small bag, bulging with purloined clothes and other things, dangles from one of her shoulders. “All that running out of the house at weird hours and staying out late, I couldn't keep it from them forever,” you add, “Besides, I wasn't happy lying to them.”

“Hm,” Karl grunts, saying nothing as the elevator doors slide open. There's something faintly satisfying about the way he gives the mirrored walls a suspicious look, as though you're not the only one who dislikes them. “I don't know what I'd tell my family, if I was in your position,” he adds, “It's not an issue, in either case. I've got nobody to tell.”

You're not sure how to reply to that blunt declaration. You half expect EVE to make some crude comment, but she offers nothing either. The AI doesn't look so good, wavering slightly in place as her eyes struggle to stay open. [My internal battery is running low,] she explains, a slight slur in her voice, [I need to be plugged in.]

“Oh boy...” you mutter.

-

It's a small blessing that neither your mother nor your father are home when you arrive, sparing you the trouble of explaining who Karl is. As you wave vaguely in the direction of the kitchen table, indicating somewhere for him to sit, you practically drag EVE into the spare room. She wilts down to her knees when you stop supporting her, a faintly mechanical sigh slipping from her lips.

[My bag,] she mumbles, [Cables. The thick one. Power socket in the small of my back.]

“Why put it there, of all places?” you think aloud, digging a fat cable out of her bag. Plugging one end into the wall, you slide up EVE's baggy shirt and stare at her smooth, featureless back. “So, uh, where do I...” you ask her, prodding vaguely at her spine. Experimentation eventually reveals a discrete covering at the base of her spine, the cover popping open when you push down on it. Shrugging to yourself, you stick the power cable in and...

And you try to ignore the vulgar noise that EVE makes when it slips into her. Leaving her to nap on the bare futon, you return to the main room.

[1/2]

>>1917212
I think we earned his respect a bit, especially during the first trip we took with the sentinels in the Umbra.

>>1917215

When you arrive back, Karl is making tea in the kitchen. Frowning a little at the vague sense of intrusion, you sit down and clear your throat.

“Neater than I had been expecting,” he admits, setting a cup of green tea down in front of you as he takes a seat. Studying you for a moment, he launches right into it. “Not so long ago, we spoke about the Oracle,” he begins, “I've been thinking a lot about her lately, mainly because of... Well. I'm told that you've met Belial – he introduced himself to us all last night. It seems that you put him in a foul mood.”

“Huh?” your frown deepens, “It didn't seem that way. He was totally polite, even when I was, uh... trying to rile him up a bit.”

“Some people are like that. The more polite they seem, the more irritated they really are. I've met plenty of people like that,” Karl takes a sip of tea, taking no visible pleasure from it, “We spoke briefly, and he made me think about a lot of things - myself among them. I've always considered myself to be a faithful follower of Monad, but...”

“But after speaking with Belial, you're not so sure?” you guess, “He's pretty, uh, intense about his faith.”

“He is. It made me wonder if it's really Monad that I'm loyal to, or just the IDEA of it. The thought bothered me very much,” an unusually thoughtful expression passes across Karl's face, but it doesn't linger, “I'm a soldier. I can't afford to be distracted by meaningless questions – that's why I'm so irritated. Belial is just making my job harder than it needs to be. I'm already busy enough with more mundane problems.”

“What sort of problems?” you ask. As Karl considers how much to tell you, you find yourself wondering about just why he asked to speak with you. He doesn't really seem to have a specific issue to discuss. Maybe he's just venting, airing his complaints to a relative outsider.

“I've been tasked with tracking down Return to the Earth before they can cause any further damage,” he explains, one corner of his mouth twitching slightly as he notes your reaction. “Does that surprise you?” he asks, “Remember. We Sentinels are supposed to protect mankind from ALL dangers, not just the supernatural. My current assignment is to track them down by any means necessary. Unfortunately... it seems as though they've gone to ground. The trail is cold.”

“Bad luck,” taking a sip of your tea, you force a smile, “Maybe something will come up?”

“Maybe,” Karl muses, “Do let me know if you find anything, though. The Returners seem to follow you about.”

There's no accusation in his words, but you bristle at them regardless. Coming so soon after Beckett's claims, they seem to carry the suggestion of blame.

[2/3]

>>1917253
"Did you get nothing from the hit and runner we captured at the park? Any clues on who this 'She' is?"

>>1917253

“Have you been able to get anything out of that driver from Kaneshiro Park?” you ask, shaking off the faint anger, “Like, any idea of who the “she” they talk about is?”

“Unfortunately not. He's quite reluctant to talk to us,” Karl replies with a frown, “No, “reluctant” is a poor way of putting it. His mind is definitely damaged, and it may be that he can't properly explain himself. We've even had Jun... interview him. It produced no usable information.”

“Interview,” you repeat slowly. You know exactly what he means – he had Jun reach into the man's head in an attempt at ripping the secrets from his mind. Just the thought of it sends a shudder running through you, and an awkward pause settles over both of you.

“Your guest seems to be settling in,” Karl says after a moment, perhaps sensing your unease, “Is it... is she sleeping?”

“Something like that, I think,” you reply, slowly swirling the remains of your tea. “It's gonna be weird having her here,” you add, “I guess people can get used to anything, though. I bet my dad is gonna be happy to have her here. Can't say the same about my mother, though. She's... less enthusiastic about this whole “magic” stuff. When I told her, she kinda ran away to Kyoto. She'll come back when she's good and ready, I'm sure of it, but it just...”

“Feels as though you've been abandoned?” setting aside his cup, Karl gives you a frank look. “You needn't worry,” he says simply, “You've still got your father.”

You get the feeling that that was supposed to be comforting, but... it didn't exactly work out that way. Karl doesn't add anything to that, allowing his silence to continue unbroken. Still, he looks different for having spoken with you – his eyes are a little clearer, while the frown on his face has lessened slightly.

>Feeling better now?
>You mentioned the Oracle before. What was that about?
>What do you know about Belial?
>There's something I'd like to talk to you about... (Write in)
>Other

>>1917290
>>What do you know about Belial?

>>1917290
>There's something I'd like to talk to you about... (Write in)

"...being a soldier means you'd be willing to die for something you believed in, right? But do you ever...worry about that happening? Or are you okay with it? Agh, sorry if it doesn't make sense..."

(Because she may not want to talk about it, but I have to imagine that a career Soldier is probably the best person to talk about it to.)

>>1917290
>Feeling better now?
>You mentioned the Oracle before. What was that about?
>What do you know about Belial?
>There's the rave planned that might have Return to the Earth connections, if you really have no other leads.

Also >>1917304

>>1917290
>Feeling better now?
>You mentioned the Oracle before. What was that about?
>What do you know about Belial?
>There's something I'd like to talk to you about... (Write in)
"Regarding Return to Earth. Have you looked at the 'Boost' angle at all? Both the driver and the chef back on the island were suffering from cyber psychosis. It's probably not uncommon for terrorists to abuse drugs, but both those cases tied with Boost's creator's message that sounded like Return to Earth's mantra...it fits nicely.

It's a hunch but I feel like the drug is directly tied with the organization's recruitment and fanaticism."

File: Karl Dietrich Kaplan.jpg (397 KB, 900x1256)

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“So what do you actually know about Belial?” you ask, shrugging slightly, “All I really know about him is that he works for that Saint Amelia thing. We didn't, uh, we didn't really have the chance to talk much when I saw him.”

“I don't know much more than you do, personally,” Karl replies, “But I did ask Crow about him. They have... history together, apparently. She was quite happy to tell me all about him – along with a great deal of profanity.” Smirking every so slightly, the Sentinel tents his fingers as he thinks back to some older conversation. “He is, according to her, a sanctimonious bastard, but not an abusive one. I don't know if you're aware of this, but she was raised in an institution – a great deal of the staff were cruel, but Belial wasn't,” Karl pauses, “That's the only good thing she had to say about him.”

“What's his interest in these institutions?” you ask, “Are they like, schools and orphanages?”

“You'd be surprised at how many Sentinels come from places like those. Children who have lost parents or siblings to the Intruders tend to end up in care, where men like Belial can watch over them. If their Intruder shows signs of pursuing them...” Karl spreads his hands wide, “In either case, Belial isn't one of the initiated. He's never experienced what so many of the Sentinels have gone through. For that alone, I don't think I can ever truly respect him.”

“Huh,” you consider, “What else does Sionann say about him? Other than the, uh, profanity, I mean.”

“Not much that you might find useful,” Karl answers, “She doesn't care for him much, although that's largely just because he's an authority figure. Jun did mention one thing to me, though – Monad has spoken to Belial more than any other Sentinel. Perhaps that explains the man's faith.”

“Or why he knows so much about...” you begin, before clearing your throat and changing track, “You mentioned the Oracle before, but you never really elaborated on that. What was that all about?”

“That's right, I did mention that. You see, speaking with Belial helped me to put certain things into words – things concerning the Oracle's place in our organisation,” again, Karl pauses here to gather his thoughts. “I believe that there are two kinds of people in our organisation. The first kind is flexible, easily able to adjust to changing circumstances and unknown variables – variables like you. The other kind is rigid and dogmatic, preferring to remove all uncertainty. The former are leadership material, while the latter ought to serve. I believe Eligor Kanzaki to be one of the former, while Belial – and myself – belong to the latter. He ought to be a soldier like me, not a leader. Instead, he leads, or tries to, according to whatever the Oracle tells him."

[1/2]

>>1917389
I wonder if the Oracle wants flexible leaders, given the it was more rigidly interpreted by the AI part instead of the human part up until recently.

Tho Oracle isn't Monad after all.

>>1917389

“I think I get it. The Oracle should be used as a source of advice, not absolute commands. I can agree with you there,” nodding slowly, you consider his words. The more you think about them, the more you find your thoughts drifting onto other matters. “You said that you're a soldier, right?” you add, “And being a soldier means you have to be willing to die for what you believe in, right?”

“Not exactly. It means you must be prepared to die for your orders, not necessarily for what you believe in,” Karl offers you a humourless smile, “In an ideal world, those two would be one and the same. This world, though, is often less than ideal.”

“Well, sure. Yeah. What I mean is... do you ever really worry about it, or think about it happening?” you press, “Are you okay with it? I just... ugh, sorry. I'm not making any sense, am I?”

“I think about it,” Karl answers simply, “It would be impossible not to think about it, but I don't let myself worry. I'm lucky, in a sense – if I should die, I leave nothing behind. No grieving family, no unfinished business. I am in a position where I can offer up my life without regrets. I don't necessarily WANT to, but I'm prepared to make that sacrifice if the situation demands it. That's where you and I would differ – you still have family, and a life to lead. Would you be able to give your life for the cause, knowing that?”

His words cut straight to your core. It's not a question that you can easily answer, and perhaps that shows on your face, because Karl makes a short, dismissive gesture. “It's unfair, asking you something like that,” he decides, “But life is not fair – you must consider these things, if you wish to lead a dangerous life. That's why I don't entirely approve of the way your kind does things. In the end, though, the choice is yours. There is nobility in giving up your life in pursuit of something greater. Content yourself with that.”

“I see. I... I get it. I've just been thinking about this stuff lately, so...” letting your words trail off, you give him a vague shrug. “About that Return to the Earth thing,” you begin, retreating to safer ground, “Have you investigated the Boost connection? Both the driver here and the chef at Neptune Island were using it, and suffering from cyber-psychosis. It might not be all that uncommon for terrorists to use drugs, but the guy who first made Boost – or whatever he called it – had a message that was really similar to the Returner thing. Maybe it's just a hunch, but I think they might be connected.”

“Cyber-psychosis...” Karl muses, “That would explain the damaged minds. There may be something there, yes.”

[2/3]

>>1917459

“But that's not all,” you add, holding up a finger to keep Karl from saying anything more, “There's an illegal rave being held this Friday. It's definitely connected with this drug stuff, and it might have a connection with Return to the Earth. Here, let me just...” Taking out your phone, you bring up the photographs you took and show Karl. His brow furrows as he examines them, but a triumphant – almost hungry – light flickers through his eyes.

“A rave. Yes, it would be excellent cover for a meeting. A crowd to hide within, loud music to deter surveillance, enough petty crime to slow and hinder any investigation...” muttering to himself, Karl glances up to you, “This definitely warrants further investigation. How did you learn about this?”

“Just saw the poster, that's all,” you answer carefully, omitting anything that might lead him back to Kasumi, “There was a bunch of them being stuck up in the vice district. I'm surprised that you didn't know about it.”

“As I mentioned, Belial has been hindering my investigation lately,” Karl scowls, “I was supposed to be speaking with a representative of the police last night, but Belial demanded that I answer some of his questions about the local situation – petty, unimportant questions that anyone could have answered.” Straightening up, Karl smooths out his clothes and gives you a sharp nod. “I didn't mean to complain quite so much,” he adds, “I apologise.”

“Don't worry about it,” you reply with a vague wave, “Feel better now?”

“Surprisingly so,” a softer look – almost one of gratitude – finds its way onto Karl's face, “I don't often get the chance to speak so openly. In either case, though, I've taken up too much of your time.” Rising to his feet, Karl crosses over to the door, only to hesitate. “I hope that your mother returns soon,” he finishes, a stilted note entering his voice, “And... goodbye.”

>I'm going to have to take a short pause here, so the next post might be delayed a bit. Sorry about this.

>>1917527
Might Belial be using Return to Earth to strike at us? There's an AI connection with the cyber-drug, and it seems like the Oracle (or someone) is trying to maybe weaken the Councils power relative to it. Making it a ruler instead of a tool.

>>1917565
>There's an AI connection
That's only speculation right now, but it could match up with the 'She' is ZOE doing Monad's bidding or something. Could be REI for all we know too. Doubt it's SAE and it can't be EVE since she is disconnected.

There is also the chance that a Tyrant could be the cause of this. Or maybe the Saint of the Abyss. They can be pretty smart and sabotaging the Sentinels is a motive they can easily have.

File: Yui Tsukada.png (358 KB, 564x1007)

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After Karl leaves, you find that the rest of the day passes quickly, although you never really settle down to do any one thing. With EVE still sleeping, or doing whatever she's doing, you get a little bit of studying done. It feels like a very long time since you last had the chance to sit down and do some schoolwork, and maybe that's why you struggle to focus your attention on the dreary task. With everything else that's going on in your life, mathematical formulae and chemical compounds just seem... meaningless.

Just as you're giving up and putting away your books, EVE emerges from the spare room and sits opposite you. [I'm awake,] she says simply.

“Yes you are,” you reply, slowly looking her up and down, “But why have you taken off your clothes?”

[It feels more natural this way,] the AI answers, as if your question had been the stupidest thing she had ever heard.

-

Later, much later, Akito arrives home with a heavy sack of groceries. You watch him unpack in the kitchen, marvelling at the wild selection of foods that he examines and puts away. It seems like he just picked stuff at random, or because some aspect of it – shape or colour, perhaps – appealed to him. He tells you about his day at work as dinner is cooking, laughing brightly as he recounts every joke that his colleagues told or groaning theatrically with every hindrance he mentions.

He's trying hard – a little too hard – to paint a picture of regular family life, to give you a pillar of stability to frame your other life around. You appreciate the effort... but you'd appreciate a proper dinner even more. You never thought you'd say this, but looking down at the plate of vaguely purple slop that he sets down in front of you makes you envy EVE. Her meal – a sachet of colourless gel – looks more like “real” food than what you've been given.

Surprisingly, it doesn't taste all that bad.

-

“So, Miho tells me that you were sleeping earlier,” Akito says to EVE as you eat, “Is your room okay? Do you... did you dream of anything?”

[I dreamed of the ocean,] EVE answers, sounding more sincere than usual, [I dreamed of floating in a vast, infinite ocean. It was very comforting, like I had finally come home. Is that how you people dream?]

“My dreams aren't very relaxing, I'm afraid,” you begin, “I mostly dream of-”

The sound of the door handle rattling cuts your sentence short. All three of you fall silent as the apartment door opens and Yui strides in. She takes a few steps more, then she sees EVE and stops dead in her tracks. The silence draws out, long and painful.

[Hello!] EVE chirps, her tone bright and carefree.

Yui just turns around and walks right back out again.

[1/2]

>>1917727
This. This is the one moment of comedy we get before everything goes to shit forever.

>>1917727
>Tackle

>>1917727

The next few moments are chaotic to say the least. Akito scrambles out of his seat and hurries after Yui, calling her name as he goes. As his voice retreats into the distance, EVE just turns and gives you a blank look. [Was it something I said?] she asks, [I just gave her a friendly greeting.]

“Oh hell...” you sigh, “I don't think she was expecting to see you here. I mean, can you really blame her? If I came home after a holiday to find a... I don't know, a new robot daughter sitting at the dinner table, I don't think I'd react well either. Yui... she doesn't react very well to strange new things.”

[Oh,] EVE tilts her head to the side, [Then, shouldn't Akito have warned her about this?]

“Yes,” you reply grimly, “He really should've.”

-

You have no idea what it took to get Yui to turn back and come home again, but somehow Akito manages it. By the time your parents have returned, you managed to convince EVE to put some clothes on – hiding the obviously artificial nature of her body might make this easier to accept. Maybe it works, because Yui is able to study her without reacting badly – without really reacting at all, actually. You're still not sure if that's an improvement or not.

“So,” she begins, slowly looking between you and EVE, “You're a machine, and you're STILL a... magical girl?”

“Uh...” you pause, “That's not really something that I can do anything about.”

“I had hoped that it had been an insane dream,” Yui sighs, “But apparently not.” Sitting down, she glances aside to Akito, who just shrugs helplessly. He might have explained the situation to her, but he certainly hasn't sold her on the idea. Once again, he decided against planning too far ahead – this time, though, things might not work out nearly so well. Yui regards EVE again, looking her up and down. “Did you choose to come here?” she asks the AI, “Why?”

EVE seems taken aback by the question, and it takes her a long time to answer it. [I feel at home here,] she offers, [I've been told so much about it. About all of you. This already felt like home to me.]

This time, the glance that Yui shoots Akito is faintly accusatory. He meets her eyes and doesn't look away. To your amazement, Yui is the one who looks away first. “She can stay for a few days,” she decides, sounding as though she already regrets every word, “After that, maybe we can think about something more... permanent.”

[Hooray!] EVE cries out, smiling broadly, [I won't be any trouble at-]

“But while you're living here, you've got to wear clothes like a civilised human being!” Yui adds sharply, “Understood?”

EVE's grin falters somewhat.

[2/3]

>>1917897

After that, the rest of the evening passes with relatively little tension or confrontation. Yui watches EVE like a hawk, but otherwise allows the machine to go about her business. For her part, EVE is surprisingly well behaved. She mostly just watches television or reads some of your schoolbooks, finding fascination in even the most mundane of things. It must be different to experience such things through a physical body, compared with existing as purely digital life.

Either way, the day creeps to a close and you slink off to bed. Hopefully tonight will be more restful than last night.

-

You couldn't say what wakes you, but something certainly rouses you from an otherwise unbroken sleep. Feeling keenly aware of your surroundings, you creep through to the bathroom to splash some water on your face. As you're leaving your room, however, you see a light coming from the main room. When you approach it to investigate, you see Yui sitting at the kitchen table, a glass of wine sitting untouched in front of her. Even though you're certain that you make no sound, she seems to notice you regardless.

“I'm not sure if I recognise this city,” she muses, “Even my home life has been turned on its head.”

Swallowing nervously, you finish approaching and sit opposite her. “You've been away for a while, that's all,” you offer, “Uh... is Kyoto nice?”

“It's very traditional. The local government is trying to build it up into a heritage city, I think. Dwelling on the past like that... I suppose I can't blame them, but it almost seems pitiful,” Yui considers her glass of wine for a moment, “But then, this city seems to be racing towards the future, no matter what that holds. I don't know which is worse.”

You're not sure what to say. You're not sure if she wants you to say anything, or if she's just airing her half-formed thoughts. Either way, her silence stretches out with no sign of it breaking. The ball, such as it is, is in your court.

>I'm going back to bed. Don't stay up all night either, okay?
>Do you... think I made a mistake, becoming like this?
>Is there something about EVE that you don't like?
>Can we talk... (Write in)
>Other

>>1917964
>Do you want to talk? About all this?
>Is there something about EVE that you don't like?

2nd prompt is dumb. The choice back then when Miho took Duty was saving Hikari's life or letting her die. Wasn't really a choice.

>>1917964
>Is there something about EVE that you don't like?

>>1917964
>Can we talk... (Write in)
Thank her for coming back because we were scared she was going to leave us. Tell her we love her.

Ask how her parents dealt with all the changes in their times.

>>1917964
>Do you... think I made a mistake, becoming like this?
>Is there something about EVE that you don't like?

>>1917981
Hikari died anyway though, and it's a good way to let her talk about her misgivings.

>>1918001
I suppose. I just would never classify saving your sister's life as a mistake even if she eventually was killed fighting the good fight.

>>1917964
This >>1917981

“Do you want to talk about it?” you ask quietly, “About... any of this?”

“I can't believe that my own daughter is asking me that!” Yui laughs, bitterness colouring her words, “I should be the one worrying about you, not the other way around. While I was away, I kept thinking about what you have to go through... and what Hikari had to go through. I always felt as though this world was an unfair place, to take Hikari away from us, but I never realised how cruel it truly is.” Sighing, Yui finally picks up the glass of wine and takes a deep swallow. “Now I have to accept that this is your life, and that there's nothing I can do about it,” she concludes, “It's not easy.”

“No,” you murmur, painfully aware of how banal you sound, “It's not. But this life... someone has to do it.”

“But why can't someone else do it?” she snaps suddenly, “Why does it have to you?”

“If it hadn't been me, Hikari would have died right there and then. At least... at least this way, she lived a while longer. She had more time with all of us,” you insist, “Was that a mistake, then?”

“...No,” Yui sighs after a moment, shaking her head slowly, “But now I'm worried that I'll lose you too.”

“And when you left, I was worried that I'd lost you,” you reply, “But you came back. I'm glad that you did, even if things aren't quite what you expected. I, uh... I do love you, mom. I don't say that often enough, do I?”

“I love you too, Miho,” smiling softly, Yui reaches out to rest a reassuring hand on your shoulder, “I missed you, while I was away. As soon as I'd left, I wanted to come back and see you again. The longer I stayed away, though, the harder it became to come back. I kept thinking the worst, thinking that I'd come back to find...”

“A robot at the dinner table?” you offer, giving her a wan smile. Yui actually laughs at that, your answer taking her completely by surprise. “I guess she's technically a cyborg though...” you add, “But seriously. Is there something specific about EVE that you don't like? I know she's a bit... odd, but-”

“Maybe I'm just old, still stuck in the past,” Yui interrupts, “But when I look at her, I see a machine – a machine that walks and talks like a human, that pretends to be something it isn't. I want to see her as a troubled girl – for your father's sake, if nothing else – but something about her just... repulses me.”

Hearing Yui say this, you're reminded of the very first time you spoke with SAE. There was that same instinctual revulsion, a primal urge to shun the inhuman being. It passed, in time, and now you consider the AI to be an ally... a friend. Perhaps this is the same thing – time will make it easier.

[1/2]

If only she knew what EVE is like in the VR...

>>1918158
Don't upload EVE back into the network, that's what made her crazy in the first place!

>>1918176
I thought it was because she kept splitting herself up among different networks that she lost her sanity.

As long as she stays whole she should be fine like SAE

>>1918121

As she listens to your explanation, a weary smile crosses Yui's face. “I don't think I've ever felt so old,” she admits, “AIs, robots – cyborgs, excuse me – and everything else... Maybe those sad old historians in Kyoto are right to retreat into the past. It seems... safer, perhaps. That world doesn't change, at least.”

“The world always changes,” you argue, “I mean, how did your parents deal with things changing?”

“My father... tried to ignore them as much as possible,” Yui remarks, smiling at the memory, “If he was alive today, he'd be holed up in Kyoto with all those other antiquarians. He hated these electric cars we have nowadays, he didn't think they were “real” cars. My mother... she tolerated his eccentricities, but when his back was turned... she had all the latest gadgets. She was like you, you know, she was very strong-willed. Her name was Miyu. She was every inch the modern woman, even at the very end of her life. I wish you could have met her.”

It's nice, seeing Yui smile like this. “She sounds pretty cool. They both do, actually,” you decide, “Could you... tell me a little more about them?”

“Well then,” Yui's smile grows a shade wider, and the last remnants of tension bleed away from her posture, “It's hard to know where to begin...”

>I'm going to pause things here for today. I'll continue this tomorrow, and if anyone has any questions I'll answer them if I can
>Thanks to everyone who contributed today!

>>1918227
Thanks for running! It's good that our mom came back. Now we can tell her that we're going to give up our life for the sake of humanity.

>>1918227
Thanks for running Moloch.

I hope EVE can fill the hole Miho is going to leave when she sacrifices herself for the world.

>>1918227
Thanks for running!

So how soon are we telling our parents we gotta have our very soul obliterated because we don't trust Dad's boss and his friends to find their own asses with both hands?

>>1918394

I'm sensing a lot of negativity here. Is it really too late to give up hope of an alternative solution?

>>1918432
>Is it really too late to give up hope of an alternative solution?
It's never too late to give up hope! You can do it at any moment while you still have it.

>>1918432
Of course not, but unless I missed something there isn't much to work with the current information we have.

The whole Source thing is still pretty shrouded in mystery.

I can think of 3 low probability loopholes/ ways to survive this at the moment.

1. It only kills the Heavenly Child soul and because we have Dutiful Squire that helps us live somehow.

2. The 'sacrifice' isn't real and it's only the act of selflessly attempting to give your own life for the world that kills the Source.

3. Maybe the amount of people we are close to (the HC main power) helps survival chances?

Bottom two are less likely than the first I wager.

>>1918495
In all honesty I see at least a possibility of another one: Heavenly Child has to sacrifice herself according to the knowledge of the gods. You know what else relies on the knowledge of the gods? The Oracle, the very same one who's constantly wrong when Miho's involved. So maybe they're wrong in this case as well.

>>1918511
True. Everyone has been making assumptions but the sacrifice hasn't been put into practice ever.

We should get the top minds on this to look at it from all angles. I think Kurosawa, Sakura, and Zakuro should meet. I'd invite Noriko too if she wasn't indisposed.

>>1918455
LIGHTER TONE

>>1919539
Laughed so hard at this.

Really though, Moloch is by far my favorite QM. Not only due to amazing writing skills, but the settings, which feel 'realistic' and 'dark', yet 'supernatural' and 'hopeful' at the same time.

Grimbright some might call it?

>>1921207
There's an actual term for it. Nobledark.

>>1921263
I think it's more like grimbright.

>>1921263
>>1921268
Nobledark is shitty world with good noble people trying to make a difference. Grim bright is a nice bright happy world with flawed grim and nasty people in the main.

>>1921207
Nobledark. Most of his Quests fall into that territory

File: Kasumi Sato.jpg (604 KB, 1080x1080)

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Sitting together with Yui, you listen to her telling stories about her parents until the small hours of the morning. They certainly sound like an odd couple – the stern old nobleman and the society girl – and it's hard to imagine how they first got together. Even Yui can't help you there, as that was the one story that she never managed to pry out of them. She even managed to find an old photograph of them both, which brought a gasp of wonder to your lips. Dressed in immaculate traditional garb, they look like the prince and princess from some fantastical tale.

It's strange to think of Yui as being from a minor noble family, and it's stranger still to think of how she came to marry your father. Before you can tease that particular story out of her, the first rays of sunshine start to shine through your window.

“Oh hell...” you groan, “I've barely slept. Do I really have to-”

“No skipping school!” Yui chides.

-

A short nap over lunch goes a long way to keeping you alive and awake for the rest of the day, and then it's time to head out to your usual meeting place. You fire off a few messages as you walk, arranging for everyone to meet you at the shrine. When you arrive, though, only Kasumi is waiting for you.

“My my, was I too eager to get here?” the elegant girl asks as you approach her, “I suppose everyone else has their own errands to run, and they'll be joining us soon enough. We can keep each other company until then, can't we?”

“Sure can,” you agree, sitting next to her and popping open a can of cold coffee, “Hey, how'd that job interview thing work out for you?”

“I think it went well. There were a number of... issues to iron out. Legal issues, owing to my unconventional situation. Simply put, I need some real and official documents before anything can be made legitimate. These things take time, but I'm confident that everything will be resolved eventually,” a delicate frown creases Kasumi's brow, “Although this delay is ever so tiresome. I'm not entirely sure what the issue is – some allegations of wicked behaviour, wasn't it?”

“Man, I don't know. Chances are, it's just another scheme to trip us up,” you sigh, drinking deeply from your can of coffee, “Never mind that, though. If you don't mind me asking, what sort of work are you going to be doing?”

“Well, that all depends on your perspective,” flashing you a brief but alluring smile, Kasumi laughs gently, “Officially, I'll be sitting in on important meetings and taking notes – old fashioned paper notes, to guard against computer hacking. Unofficially, I'll be... observing. Seeing what I can learn, essentially.”

“Sounds... kinda shady, if you ask me,” you admit.

“Perhaps so,” Kasumi shrugs, “But I'm not about to take the moral high ground. A job is a job.”

[1/2]

>>1921436

Ayane and Maika appear a short while later, carrying a bag of snacks. “It's a nice day today,” Ayane explains when you glance down at the bag, “I thought we might have a little picnic before we get down to business. Snacks are good for the soul, after all!”

“And simply terrible for the waistline,” Kasumi sighs, “But I suppose a little spot of indulgence can't hurt. I don't suppose either of you saw Emi on your way here? She's not usually this late, and we've not heard from her. I hope she hasn't-”

“I'm here, I'm here!” the young girl yells, rushing to meet you. Panting to get her breath back, she waves vaguely to everyone. When you notice her clothes – the pleated skirt, complete with black cycling shorts peeking out from underneath, the crisp white blouse, and the chequered tie – you realise something. You've never actually seen her in her school uniform before. She's always made time to change out of it before meeting up with you. You're not the only one to have realised either, judging by the looks everyone exchanges.

“Yeah yeah, don't none of you laugh,” Emi curses, “We all got held back for a stupid special assembly. Some asshole who runs the school came to tell us all how proud he was and blah blah blah. Point is, I was late enough already, and-”

“It's pretty cute,” Ayane thinks aloud, “I wonder if I should get an outfit like that. I bet it would be popular with-”

“Excuse me,” you interrupt, clapping your hands briskly together, “But we're not here to discuss school uniforms. What does everyone think about going deeper into the Umbra? We're not committing to anything, but we can take a look around. Maybe prepare ourselves for what's up ahead.”

“Sounds cool to me. I mean, it's gonna be awful and miserable, but still,” Emi nods, “Yeah. I got nothing else planned today. I'm good to go if you want to, chief.”

“Mm, I don't mind accompanying you,” Kasumi agrees, “We're unlikely to find an ideal time for it, so now is as good a time as any. That said, Miho, if you don't feel up to it, there's no need to force yourself. We can always postpone things a little.”

>No, I'm feeling good today. Let's head into the Umbra
>Yeah, maybe we should wait until another day
>Before we go, I'd like to discuss some things... (Write in)
>Other

>>1921437
>No, I'm feeling good today. Let's head into the Umbra

>>1921437
>No, I'm feeling good today. Let's head into the Umbra
"Was it the one with the weird face Emi? If so, that's Belial."

I'm not voting right now, I just wanted to note that this feels like a check. Like do we have anything on the docket that we've been putting off before we do this?

>>1921461
The sacrifice bit is only after this part of Umbra so we still have time regarding anything with that after we do this.
I can't see anything we'd be locked out of by doing this right now.

>>1921437
>Any of you want a chat with Sakura? She's a fair bit more candid than Kurosawa.
>Oh yeah, Belial runs your school, Emi.
>We have a new freeloader, so don't be surprised if you come visit and she freaks you out.

File: Emi Miyakawa.jpg (276 KB, 1215x1215)

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“That guy who was speaking to your school, Emi, did he have a messed up face?” you ask, “Like, too much plastic surgery?”

“Yeah, that's it. Asshole could barely crack a smile, although I don't think he was trying that hard,” Emi nods slowly, frowning slightly as she considers your question, “So, uh, is he a friend of yours or what?”

“Hardly,” you correct her, “He's Belial, with the Sentinels. We only just spoke recently. You're sure that he wasn't attending for any other reasons?”

“Hey man, I wasn't listening all that closely, but it didn't seem that way. He was just checking in, making sure that we were all clean and well-behaved. Scary thing is, I reckon he was genuine about it,” a shiver runs through the young girl, “Like he really wants us all to be polite and obedient, shit like that. Yuck.”

“Well, at least he wasn't causing any trouble, right?” Ayane decides with a remarkably carefree shrug, “So, you guys wanna go do something fun, or are we heading back into the Umbra?”

“No, I'm feeling good today,” you declare, nodding slowly as you take a look around the others, “Let's head into the Umbra and take a look around. It'll be good to get an idea of what we're heading into.”

“You mean... right now?” Emi says, glancing meaningfully at the bag of snacks, “I mean, there's no harm in waiting a little, is there? The Umbra isn't going anywhere.”

“I AM a little hungry, I suppose...” you sigh, reaching into the bag and pulling out a slightly crushed looking cake. As you unwrap it, a thought occurs to you. “Hey Kurosawa?” you ask, “If we go down there, will you still be able to pull us out? I mean, we're not gonna be trapped down there until the job is done, are we?”

“Not yet,” Kurosawa answers, “But there is a point at which you will fall beyond my reach. Beyond that threshold, you will be at the mercy of the unclean source. It will not allow you to leave until it has been... dealt with. Rest assured, you will know the threshold when you see it. Are you ready to leave, then?”

“I think we are,” you mutter, feeling your earlier cheer wither slightly.

-

After making your way to a window, the first window big enough for you all to fit through, Kurosawa opens a portal into the Umbra. With a vague sense of misgiving, you lead the way inside. It's an easy transition this time, mercifully so, and soon you stand at the entrance to the Necropolis.

“It's funny,” you think aloud, “This all started when I chased an Intruder in here. I never did catch up with it. I wonder what happened to it...”

“Who cares?” Emi says with a shrug, “C'mon, let's make a move! Kaoru is rehearsing today, I want to be finished here early enough that I don't miss any of it.”

She's got her priorities straight, at least.

[1/2]

>>1921437
>No, I'm feeling good today. Let's head into the Umbra

Let's stop by Zacchan's first to gossip about Eve and possibilities for her doll information helping out with Zacchans creations.

>>1921506

“Say, anyone feel like speaking with another god?” you ask as you descend into the depths of the Necropolis, “Sakura – Sacrifice, I mean – is a bit more candid than Kurosawa. She certainly likes to talk about more than just business.”

“Oh?” Kasumi asks lightly, “What was the last thing you two spoke about, then?”

“Ah, well, you see...” hesitating, you feel your cheeks heating up a little, “It was...”

“Dating advice,” Sakura purrs, “I like to think that I spared your little Heavenly Child from a complete disaster. Alas, there was only so much that I alone could do...” Although she doesn't reveal herself, you feel her presence like a change in the air pressure. Everyone feels it, just as everyone heard what she said – judging by the round of smiles that appear on everyone's faces. “Yes, I'm always happy to give advice,” the cat continues, “So don't be afraid to ask.”

“So you WERE on a date!” Ayane crows, “And you didn't tell us all about it? Damn Miho, it couldn't have been THAT bad, could it?”

“It wasn't really relevant to anything,” you reply stiffly, “Anyway, I just thought to mention it. I wasn't sure if she visited any of you, as well.”

“Well, she's certainly never paid me a visit. The gods don't seem to like my home. I wonder if it's anything to do with SAE...” Maika muses, “Oh, but speaking of that. Miho, how's EVE settling in?”

“It wasn't easy at first, but I think she's going to be okay,” wincing a little at the memory of Yui's initial reaction, you force a smile, “So yeah. If any of you guys come over, you'll have to watch out for her. She's a bit of a freeloader, and she can be obnoxious when she wants to be, but... y'know, it's not too bad having her around.”

“What an interesting home life you have, Miho.” Kasumi murmurs, smiling coyly to herself.

-

Your conversation goes a long way to keeping the mood light, even considering your surroundings. You pass through the ancient city quickly enough, never dwelling in one place for too long, and soon you're standing at the entrance to the next layer down. There, you pause to pull on your simple gas-masks. They might not be much, but anything that cuts down on that dreadful miasma down below is a bonus.

The next layer down, the ruined and decaying vision of your home city, is no less miserable than it was on your first visit. If anything, it seems worse. The burning acid rain that falls from the sky pools around your feet in glutinous puddles, while the filthy streets echo with the distant howls of inhuman beasts. As you march stoically towards the memorial – the defiled imitation of it, at least – your good cheer fades to a sullen determination.

The sooner that you're finished here, the better.

[2/3]

>>1921537

“I hate that thing,” Ayane mutters as you arrive at the memorial, averting her eyes from the blasphemous, mocking statue. “The next door was around back, wasn't it?” she adds, “Emi, you've got the key, don't you? Get that door open, so we can get out of here. Then again, the next layer is probably worse...”

“Ah, quit your whining,” Emi shoots back, scurrying across to the memorial and examining the door. With a solemn silence, she reaches out and... impotently mashes her hand against the door. “How do I get this to work?” she asks, glancing around at you as she continues to fumble, “I kinda thought the key would just... appear. Do I gotta say the magic word, or what?”

“Huh, let me think,” frowning, you turn away from Emi and the awful monument. Your reflection, twisted and distorted, looks back at you from a nearby window. As you watch, the window ripples and brightens, a new portal forming in its surface. Crying out in alarm, you raise your gauntlets into a defensive stance as thick, meaty tentacles spill out of the portal.

Wait... tentacles?

“Zakuro?” you ask, feeling faintly foolish, “Is that you?”

“It is I,” Zakuro confirms, the image of her inhuman face forming in the portal, “You must delve deep within the essence of your being, young one. Recall the moment of triumph that granted you that key.”

“You mean, what, think about chopping that bastard's head off? C'mon, it can't be that-” Emi stops short there, looking down as the key materialises in her hands, “Oh. Uh, thanks... I guess.”

“Thanks, Zakuro,” you add, “Uh, I didn't realise you could just... visit us like this.”

“Neither did I,” the Tyrant answers, “But perhaps my mastery over this world is growing. I am eager to pursue this path to its natural end – if research of this kind can ever be said to have a definite end.”

“Uh... sure,” Ayane nods awkwardly, shooting you an uncertain look as if pleading for you all to keep moving forwards.

>Thanks again, Zakuro. We'd better get moving, though
>Are you going to be joining us?
>I've got something to ask you... (Write in)
>Other

>>1921556
>Are you going to be joining us?

>>1921556
>Other
"Uh Zakuro. You realize Duty and Sacrifice are right here with us right?"
So much for her trying to hide from him. It's better this way though.
>(Re)introduce them.

>Are you going to be joining us?

>>1921556
>Will you be joining us?
>Uuuuh, are you guys seeing this Kurosawa and Sakura?

>>1921556
>>Are you going to be joining us?
>>Reintroduce her to the gods

>>1921556
>Are you going to be joining us?
>I've got something to ask you... (Write in)

Would she be interested inretina an AI?

> Reintroduce them.

>>1921592
*meeting

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>>1921556
>Are you going to be joining us?

>>1921592
But why? Is it cause Renko Dolls and Zakuro puppets are slightly similar?

>>1921556
>>Are you going to be joining us?
>Did you want a few words with kurosawa?

>>1921599
That. And I want to make an Abomination to counterpoint the Oracle.

>>1921614
You need Noriko's foresight to make something similar to the Oracle and depending on how the meeting with Noriko goes it might just be ZOE by herself with just logic soon.

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“Hey, uh, Zakuro?” you begin, glancing over your shoulder at the others, “You know that Duty and Sacrifice are here with us, right? I mean, I know that things are... more or less settled between us all, but I kinda thought you were trying to hide from them?”

“That seems a meaningless distraction now. Subterfuge for its own sake can be amusing, for a time, but it can also grow tiresome,” Zakuro growls out something that you interpret as a laugh, “It is good that you are here to make the introductions – I fear that my old patrons may not recognise me.”

“No,” Kurosawa announces, his voice brittle with the effort of remaining calm, “I recognise you, Zakuro. There is still humanity within you – that could never be mistaken for anything else.”

“But you do look rather different,” Sakura chips in, “Have you changed your hair?”

“Huh. So you're NOT gonna start yelling and fighting?” you breath a small sigh of relief, “Uh, do you guys want to talk? Kurosawa, anything else you wanted to say?”

“Really, I don't care what sort of crowd you mix with, so long as it furthers my mission,” Sakura answers with a breezy tone, “It's certainly not traditional, but the old ways are so broken and shattered by this point that anyone who insists on sticking with them is a stubborn old fool... isn't that right, brother?”

“Hmph,” Kurosawa grunts, “But you have proven yourself a useful ally, even as you are. For that, Zakuro, I owe you my thanks. Continue to spare mankind your predations, and we shall have no quarrel with you.” He says this quietly, but sincerely, and then you feel his presence withdraw. He's not left you completely – you can still feel the faintest hint of his presence – but you get the point. He's sulking again.

“Well, I guess it's good that you're all willing to work together – for the sake of the mission, if nothing else,” you sigh, “So, Zakuro, were you going to be joining us?”

“Unfortunately not. Where you go, one such as I cannot follow. You are entering sacred ground, sacred to both men and children of the abyss. One such as I, with one foot in either world, has no place there,” Zakuro gurgles, the image of her head shaking regretfully, “No place, and no purpose. I would be of no assistance there.”

“Oh,” you pause, slightly taken aback both by the refusal and the unexpected melancholy in Zakuro's voice, “Are you sure?”

“Quite,” the Tyrant nods slowly, “But I will keep you in my thoughts. You will find your destination – of that, I am quite certain. The way is already open to you, do you see?”

Slowly, tentatively, you turn around to look behind you.

[1/2]

>>1921621
Zacchan has been prophetic many times.

>>1921633

True enough, when you next glance behind you, the door stands open. Nothing but blackness waits beyond, while your colleagues linger nervously outside. Fighting back a sudden wave of unease, you take a single step towards the doorway before pausing and glancing back to Zakuro. “Hey,” you ask her, “Have you ever wanted to meet an AI?”

Zakuro is silent for a moment, as if she struggles to understand the concept. “They are an enigma to me. Their existence confounds the abyss – we do not know what to make of them. They are neither predator nor prey, to borrow your language, although they bear the mark of both,” she considers the matter for a moment more, “I do not know if such a meeting would be purposeful.”

“Hey, even if you're just curious about her...” you shrug, “Anyway, think about it. I better go, though. I got some sacred ground to tread on. We'll talk again, okay? Thanks again for your help!”

“Go with purpose,” Zakuro urges, before drawing back into her portal and vanishing from sight. Turning back to the newly opened doorway, you prepare yourself for the worst and step forwards. What first appeared to be nothing but darkness reveals itself to have form and texture – a staircase, carved from slick stone of the purest blackness. Even as you tentatively walk down it, you feel as though you're sinking through the air. When Ayane takes her phone out and shines the light from the screen down, the blackness seems to swallow up all trace of the light.

“Let's, uh, take this slowly,” you tell the others.

-

To your great relief, the staircase isn't a long one. It spirals down for a short distance before straightening out into a narrow pathway that leads further down, into a murky gloom that is nevertheless brighter than your current darkness. Fighting the urge to hurry, you take the steps one at a time and emerge out into the newest layer of the Umbra. Even through your mask, even before you've truly reached the bottom, the air grows thick and damp in your lungs. With the wet stench of organic decay hanging heavily around you, you step out into the primordial swamp.

You've never seen anything so vast. It seems to stretch off into infinity, each direction unfolding endlessly before you. Thick clouds cling to the ground, slowly crawling across the terrain like living things, and occasionally parting to hint at some vast shadowy shape in the distance.

“I wouldn't choose to go on holiday here,” Ayane offers, “But it's actually better than that city stuff.”

“It feels less like open mockery, at least,” Kasumi agrees. As you all glance around, Maika begins to unpack a drone and casts it up into the air. Humming softly, it rises up and vanishes off into the clouds.

[2/3]

>Might be a small delay before the next part. Sorry about this.

>>1921657
True. Sometimes better than the Oracle.

Not sure how AI comes to play here. You aren't advocating sticking EVE in a flesh machine to make our own Oracle are you? Cause I'm going to give a hard no there.

>>1921690

With an awed silence culling any attempts at casual conversation, you splash through the mire – not in any particular direction or towards any particular goal, for there is no apparent goal to head towards. For the most part, the mire is simply featureless – barren, save for those heavy clouds and the occasional low, drifting light. They look like fireflies, almost, but scaled up to unnatural size.

When a small group of those fireflies drifts closer to you, they unfold into vaguely human silhouettes and you catch a faint echo of human voices, although you can't make out any specific words. You don't feel any trace of life from those silhouettes, and they seem more like...

“Memories,” you think aloud, “That's all they are. Memories of the girls that have come before us.”

“I do hope that they're nothing more than that,” Kasumi murmurs, clutching herself and shuddering, “I don't think that I could stand finding a ghost here...”

“Yeah, so, I'm gonna ask the obvious question here,” Emi butts in, “But where the fuck do we go now? You guys saw that big... shape thing in the distance, right? I thought it was, like, a mirage or something, but I don't think we got anywhere else to go. Maika, your pet robot got anything?”

“It's a drone, not a robot. Two entirely separate things,” Maika corrects her, “And I'm mapping out the area now, it shouldn't be too long before I... oh.” Her face falls as she looks down into her phone. “That's problematic,” she continues, “The area appears to be, simply put, indecipherable. Other than a few small areas, I can't get any consistent map data. It's like I'm looking at scattered islands in an ever-changing ocean. I think I could direct us to one of those consistent points, but I don't know what we might find there...”

“Son of a bitch,” the young girl marvels, gesturing vaguely at the swamp around her, “We came this far, just to get lost in some crappy swamp?”

>I guess we could head for that distant shape... if it's not a mirage
>Why don't we try following some of those lights?
>Maika, go ahead and lead us to one of those consistent areas
>To hell with it, we've seen enough. Kurosawa, get us out of here!
>Other

>Never mind, no delays here.

>>1921745
>Maika, go ahead and lead us to one of those consistent areas

>>1921745
>Maika, go ahead and lead us to one of those consistent areas

>>1921745
>>Maika, go ahead and lead us to one of those consistent areas

>>1921745
>>Maika, go ahead and lead us to one of those consistent areas

“Maika, go ahead and lead us to one of those consistent areas,” you decide, “Just the closest one. Until we know what's making them stand out from the rest of this place, there's no point in being too picky. Once we know what's up with them, we can decide our next move.”

“Got it. Let me just check my... ah!” nodding triumphantly, Maika points ahead in what seems like a random direction, “This way. I don't think we'll have to walk for too long.”

“You don't THINK we'll have to walk for long?” Ayane presses, “Or you KNOW that we won't?”

That, Maika doesn't answer. You're going to give her the benefit of the doubt and assume that she's too busy checking her directions.

-

Maika's guess proves to be more or less accurate, although it's hard to tell exactly how long you spent trudging through the swamp. That said, five minutes spent walking through ankle deep, sickeningly warm water would have been too long for Kasumi, judging by the expression of utter disgust that she wears. Still, she never voices one single complaint about the conditions, simply focusing on marching through the swamp.

When you feel solid ground underneath your feet, you realise that something has changed. “We're here,” Maika confirms, sounding faintly disappointed with herself, “I... don't understand. There's nothing here, save for a few rocks.”

She's not wrong. You've arrived at a tiny island, barren save for a pile of small stones. After a moment, your gaze returns to that mound of rocks – it's too precise to be a natural formation. When you approach it for a closer inspection, one stone in particular catches your eye. It's larger than the others, and someone – or something – has crudely carved it into a bestial shape. The bullish skull seems familiar, reminding you of...

“Mizuhashi Reserve!” Ayane hisses, “That's the Tyrant we fought at Mizuhashi Reserve!”

“A really crappy version of it, but yeah,” Emi agrees, “But why would there be a model of that guy sitting on a pile of rocks?”

“Because it's not a pile of rocks,” you breathe, “It's a cairn.” Setting the small stone idol back down again, you back off and wipe your hands on your clothes. “That's what Zakuro meant about this being sacred ground,” you continue quietly, “This is a graveyard, a memorial to every Tyrant that has been slain over the years.”

An uneasy silence falls across the group, with everyone trading bleak looks. “I'm sorry, Miho,” Maika apologises, breaking the silence, “I was sure that I could figure this place out, but... it looks like I was wrong.”

>I guess we've got no choice but to head towards that shape
>Let's try following some those lights instead, then
>Don't worry about it. Let's get out of here and try again later
>Other

>>1921884
If this place is an ever-changing mess, what would happen if we clapped our hands and dispelled it?

>>1921884
>Let's try following some those lights instead, then

>>1921908
I don't think this is a spell. Just something innately part of the Source/Umbra.

>>1921884
It's fine.

>Let's try following some of those lights instead, then.

>>1921919
Yeah, so... what'd happen?

>>1921884
>Let's try following some those lights instead, then
>Any insights Kurosawa? You've been here before right?

>>1921884
>No problem, Maika. Let's try following some those lights instead, then.

It's the shape, but I want to explore.

“Don't worry about it,” you tell Maika, “I guess we shouldn't have expected this place to give up its secrets easily. It's not your fault.”

“Yes, but...” she begins, only to harden her expression. “Yes, that's right. There's no point in dwelling on it,” looking you in the eye, Maika nods firmly, “What's our next move, then?”

“Creeps me the fuck out,” Emi mutters, her voice loud enough to cut off your answer before it can begin. “These things are supposed to be monsters, they don't have graveyards!” she continues, her words getting louder and louder, “What, am I supposed to believe that whatever created these things sat here and carved a fucking stone idol for each and every one of them? That's bullshit, man, that's such a load of-”

“Emi!” you snap, “Stay focused, okay? Maybe this is just a trick or some kind of illusion, but don't let it get to you.”

“Stacking up rocks like this...” she hisses as she slinks a few paces away, “Like they're fucking people!”

Fighting back a grimace, you look out across the mire. Not too far away, you see a trio of lights ambling forwards. “We'll try following those lights, see where they lead us,” you decide, “Unless you've got any insights, Kurosawa? You must have been here before, right?”

“You stand now at the heart of the Umbra, and its ever-changing chaos. I fear that no map or directions would be of any use to you,” Kurosawa announces gravely, “Even if I could draw you a perfect map, the Umbra would conspire to make it imperfect. All that I can give you is the same instructions that I have given all those who came before you – the path will reveal itself to you, as it has been revealed to generations before you.”

“Damn it,” you sigh. You're not sure if you should have expected anything else. Frowning to yourself, you fix your gaze on those three lights and march back out into the swamp.

-

You walk for a while, slowly gaining ground on the lights, and then an idea strikes you. Clapping your hands together, you prepare a Spellbreaker attack and slam your palm down into the filthy waters of the swamp. Coursing energies ripple out, causing Kasumi to cry out in shrill surprise, but the mire remains unchanged. “Hell,” you curse, “I thought that maybe...”

“Maybe what?” Ayane jokes, “You'd kill some fish? I saw some folk doing that on TV once, they dropped a live wire into this lake, and-”

“Back when we were in Terror's nightmare, that disrupted his illusions,” you explained, “I thought that it might do the same here. Did anyone see anything?”

“I'm afraid not,” Maika apologises, with the others echoing her answer.

“I'm getting so sick of this place...” you mutter, shaking swamp water out of your clothes as you hurry after the glowing human figures.

[1/2]

>>1922005

As you follow the figures, they grow more and more intricate, first taking on truly human forms and then assuming details. The first light becomes a muscular young woman with a snarling Oni mask, a heavy axe slung casually over one shoulder. The second, by contrast, is a bespectacled young girl practically dragging a rifle bigger than she is. The final figure, the one leading the way, is dressed in a sharp butler's suit and armed with nothing more than a walking stick. Their words grow more recognisable, although they never become quite legible.

Following this strange party leads you to another small island, the cairn scattered and toppled. As you watch, the ghost of the muscular woman lashes out, as if to knock over the rocks in some bygone age.

“Rust!” the bespectacled girl cries, her voice echoing as if coming from some great distance, “That was a grave!”

“A grave for our enemy, Sun. That bastard killed Cass, don't you remember?” the Oni snaps back, her voice equally insubstantial, “I'm sick of this place. We've been chasing after that tower for hours, maybe even days, and it's never gotten any closer! I'm so sick of-”

“Let's rest here, and cool our heads,” the leader decides, sitting down, “Sun, have you thought about what we're going to do when we're finished here?”

“Rosemary?” Sun asks, sitting where her leader indicates, “What do you mean?”

“Once I've destroyed the unclean source, what do you want to do?” Rosemary prompts, “Don't think too hard about it. What's the first thing that you want to do?”

“Um...” the young girl hesitates, “Eat some ice-cream, I guess?”

Rust bellows laughter. “That's so like you!” she chuckles, “I don't know what I want to do. Never cared much for planning ahead. Fuck it, I'll get some ice-cream with you. Rose, what about you?”

“Well, I WAS planning on looking for a husband...” Rose sighs, “But I suppose ice-cream will be good enough in the short term. Shall we all go together? It's a shame that Cass won't be able to join us, but... good lord!” The ghostly image leaps to her feet and turns, pointing off in the distance. “There it is!” she announces, “How did we miss that? Come on, before we lose it again!” As the other two ghosts – memories, whatever – hasten to their feet, Rosemary races off into the swamp, fading until she vanishes completely. Rust and Sun follow after her, winking out of sight in exactly the same way.

Excitement builds as you race after them, but... nothing happens. Nothing reveals itself, and nothing changes. Bitter disappoint fills you as you slink back the island, shaking your head in disgust.

[2/3]

>>1922068

“I don't get this at all,” you admit, “Did you guys hear what they said?”

“Yeah. They'd been chasing after a tower – maybe that shape of yours, Emi – but they never managed to reach it,” Ayane groans as she sits, stretching out her legs, “And then it was just there? Maybe this is just a waiting game, to stress us out and make us easy prey. I don't think my Emotional Barrier would be doing so good if I had to wander around this place for days on end...”

“I told you it was a mirage,” Emi insists, stubborn pride in her voice, “I told you!”

“Yeah yeah...” you sigh, sitting down next to Ayane as Kasumi pokes about in the rubble of the destroyed cairn, “Found something interesting, Kasumi?”

“Oh, nothing much. It was the idol that used to sit here. I was curious, you see, about what they faced,” Kasumi returns, sitting next to you and setting the idol down where all of you can see it. It looks more mechanical than any of the Intruders you've fought before, almost like a leering demonic train. “Ghastly thing, really,” she continues, “And they said that it killed one of their own, too...”


“I just wish I could figure out what they did,” Maika mutters, looking quietly furious with herself, “I've been looking for anything they might have seen, any abnormality or anomaly, but I can't see anything! Just what are we missing here?”

“Kurosawa?” you ask, glancing up at the sky. There's no ceiling here, but no stars either – just a featureless black expanse, stretching out to infinity. When he doesn't answer, you shake your head in disgust. “Damn it,” running a hand through your hair, you try and think hard about what else you could try. Rosemary, Rust and Sun... they found their target, but how did they do it?

>I give up. Kurosawa, if you can hear this, get us out of here
>Wait, I've got an idea... (Write in)
>Other

>>1922136
>Let's try doing what they did. What does every one have planned after destroying the source?

>>1922136
>Wait, I've got an idea... (Write in)
Talk about hope, the future.

might not work if everyone's in on the idea though or it wouldn't be genuine.

>>1922136
>Other
"Let's just stop and take a breather. Maybe have a chat about our future."

>>1922136

> “I do hope that they're nothing more than that,” Kasumi murmurs, clutching herself and shuddering, “I don't think that I could stand finding a ghost here...”

But that's how we found Zacchan!

> Let the tower come to us.

We have to accept this place. The tyrants may have once been people of a sort. They were our stepping stones deeper into the abyss as well. We should respect then as fallen foes, tragic in their own list paths that we ended. As our path to ends. As does everything.

And that's okay, because from the ending always comes a new beginning.

So what if they were "like people". Sometimes people aren't so great. We aren't fighting for "people". We're fighting for what they CAN be in the best sense. This place is the opposite.

We will let it wash over us, and pass us by. And when we turn to look at us behind us it will be gone the mind killer. The little death of technology body is nothing to the death of the soul that makes men animals.

I don't think the source allows a way forward until the heavenly childs' emotional barrier is damaged - like by thinking about the future shell never have.

All they did was stop and take a rest, talking about the future for a little. They didn't look for anything, they didn't try anything, they just... talked. So you'll try that, and see if that does any good. Even if it doesn't, you could do with taking a few moments out.

“Hey, everyone, let's slow down a moment. We're in no rush here, so let's not get in a panic,” you urge, clapping your hands lightly to get everyone's attention, “We've got dry ground beneath us, and there's nothing trying to kill us. Why don't we just talk for a little? Maika, what do you want to do after we kill the unclean source?”

It takes just about all of your will to keep your voice from trembling as you say that, but the others don't seem to notice. “Well, I don't have much choice in the matter,” Maika answers, “I'll assume a position in Father's company, and-”

“Nah, I asked about what you WANT to do,” you correct her, “Like, forget about any limits or restrictions, okay?”

“Hmm. Well, in that case...” faint colour gathers in Maika's cheeks as she finds her answer, “I want to get a spider tank of my very own. I'll take it to Europe and find some empty, ruined city – I hear that they still have a great many of those – and I'll ride around to my heart's content. That's what I really want to do.”

“You're so weird, Maika,” Ayane laughs, “I want to go back to Neptune Island, but on holiday this time. Do the whole five star hotel thing, and get totally pampered. Sure, it's not complicated or anything, but I got simple tastes. What about you, Emi?”

“I wanna go to America with Kaoru, get a pair of those big motorbikes they have there and take a fucking road trip,” the young girl answers immediately, as if she already knew exactly what her answer would be, “I've seen a bunch of movies like that. Just two people, driving across the desert and raising hell. I've been wanting to do that for years...”

“My my, you've all got such wonderful ideas!” Kasumi remarks, her eyes wide and delighted, “I'm almost ashamed of how modest my idea must seem by comparison. I think that I'd like to hold a dinner party, a fully home-cooked three course meal with all of you as my guests. I'm learning to cook, you know, so I'm sure that it would be... it would be...” Her words trail off slowly as she looks over your shoulder, her eyes growing wider still. “Miho,” she whispers, “Look...”

Slowly, you turn to look behind you. Where previously there had been nothing but empty swamp, you see a great tree rising up from the mire, a stone tower engulfed and entwined by the growth.

“That's it,” you breathe, “That's our goal.”

[1/2]

>>1922269

“So, uh, did you know that that was going to happen?” Emi asks slowly as she rises to her feet, “And all that “talking about our future” stuff was just... bullshit?”

“I'm not entirely certain,” you admit, “But that's what Rosemary and the others did, I figured that copying them was a good start. Maybe this thing only appears when we're not looking for it? Something like that, at least. Anyway, are you complaining? We've made some progress, I'm not gonna think too hard about it.”

“Your guess was correct,” Kurosawa explains, breaking his silence, “The tower only appears once you have truly stopped looking for it. In the past, I have tried telling groups of this, but there were never able to truly stop searching for it – they would begin to relax, only to start searching again too soon. In such cases, I was forced to seal their memories of our conversation and start them from a blank slate.”

“Jeez...” Ayane mutters, “And what if we were never able to just, like, switch off like that?”

“Then you would wander here endlessly,” he answers simply, “A most insidious defence measure, as I am sure that you will agree. Now that you have found it, however, it cannot hide from you once again. If you choose to leave here and return later, it will be waiting for you. A small mercy, perhaps.”

“I don't want to waste time thinking about that crap,” Emi decides, marching ahead of you, “I just wanna see what's up and get the hell outta here. C'mon!”

“Emi, wait!” you yell, hurrying after her as she breaks into a run.

-

Both the tower and the tree are vast, almost too vast to comprehend, and so you keep your eyes fixed to the lower level. The tangled roots cover much of the tower, but you can see a yawning doorway – empty, with nothing to bar your passage – peeking through. That's the doorway that Emi rushes towards, and she is almost completely through it by the time you catch up with her and grab her by the arm.

Not a moment too soon. Within the tower is a thin circle of solid ground – maybe a single foot of it, clinging to the inside wall – and a vast, infinite pit. If you hadn't caught her, Emi might have plummeted straight down into that abyss. Staring down into that pit, you feel a palpable sense of malice radiating up from deep within.

This, you realise, is the point of no return. Anyone who enters that pit can never leave – not unless the source is destroyed, temporarily or permanently.

>Return home for today. You've done all you can here
>Descend into the pit and confront the unclean source
>Other

>>1922322
>Return home for today. You've done all you can here

Nope. Not right now.

>>1922322
>Return home for today. You've done all you can here

So I guess we don't need any more keys. We should make sure everything we want done topside is done before we come here again. So probably not until at least after the festival. It'll give us time to see if we can't find an alternative solution to the sacrifice if there is one.

>>1922322
>Return home for today. You've done all you can here

>>1922322
>Return home for today. You've done all you can here

>>1922322
>Descend into the pit and confront the unclean source
BETTER UNLOCK THAT LAST ABILITY KUROSAWA.

>>1922322
>>Descend into the pit and confront the unclean source

>>1922322
>Return home for today. You've done all you can here
Definitely don't want to hop in until we've gotten the god-slayer from the saint of the abyss.

“We're done here,” you murmur, unable to tear your gaze away from that yawning abyss for the longest time. “We're done here!” you repeat, clenching your eyes shut until the pit has released its terrible hold on you. Still with your eyes closed, you turn away and shuffle forwards until you feel the waters of the mire beneath your feet once more. You never expected it to feel comforting, but there you go.

As you're trudging back to the closest island, another firefly drifts past. When you approach, it unfolds into human form. The young woman looks appalling, her hair wild and tangled while her eyes blaze out from a gaunt face. She roams aimlessly, veering from side to side, and occasionally she pauses as a tremor runs through her entire body. Just about the only thing about her that seems to have any strength left is one of her hands – the hand that grips her short, brutal sword. With her lips forming slurred curses, she stumbles past you and vanishes into the fog.

You shudder with fear and dismay, trying not to imagine how harrowing her end must have been – endlessly wandering through this place, unable to grasp the secret that she needed. Better to die quickly and cleanly, you decide.

“I am bringing you home now,” Kurosawa announces, “Prepare for transition.”

-

“The sun, the sun!” Emi cries out in joy, her voice cutting through your disorientation. Opening your eyes, you immediately wince as two daggers of pure light bore into your skull. Shielding your face with a hand, you sit upright and look around. Compared with the murk and gloom of the mire, the real world seems unbelievably bright and clean. One by one, you all shake off the confusion of the sudden evacuation and haul yourselves upright.

A bleak silence hangs over you as you wander back to the shrine. Maika is the first one to speak up, breaking the stillness. “That was awful,” she declares, “I don't think I would have EVER found my way out of there if I'd been on my own. I don't think I could have just... stopped thinking like that.”

“Yeah, it was...” your words trail off as you remember that feral shade, aimlessly roaming the mire. “It was tough,” you finish, “But hey, we all got through it. Luckily for you, I'm pretty good at not thinking about stuff.”

“Hey, Miho, that reminds me!” Ayane points out, “You never told US about what you're gonna do when all this is over!”

“Because I don't know what I'll do,” you reply, forcing yourself to smile at Ayane's question, “Maybe I'll go and get some ice-cream.”

>I think I'm going to close things here for this week. Stay tuned for our regularly scheduled bonus episode!

File: Noriko Inoue.jpg (467 KB, 800x800)

467 KB JPG

Unknown Location
Seven years ago

Doubts had begun to form in Noriko Inoue's mind. Doubts about her newfound allies – if that was truly what they were – and doubts about herself. There was no certain reason for her to be so uncertain, and yet still she found herself wondering about so many things. The people she had met, for example.

Jun was nice enough to her, and his earnest nature gave him an air of boyish harmlessness. He never pressured her or pushed her into anything, and he was willing to help with anything she needed – with only one hand, many things that Noriko had once thought of as routine became far more challenging. Still, she sensed a cautious distance from him, as though he was keeping himself from getting too close to her. Simple professionalism, or something else?

When Jun wasn't with her, Noriko often spoke with the doctor – Doctor Rei Fujiwara, or so she had introduced herself as. The old woman was strangely comforting to be around, with her distracted manner and scruffy appearance. She reminded Noriko of her grandmother, a woman who had passed away while Noriko was still young. Even so, Fujiwara shared that same caution that Jun possessed. One day, while the old woman was pouring coffee for both of them, Noriko finally worked up the courage to raise the subject.

“Doctor Fujiwara,” she began, “Could it be that there's something you're not telling me?”

“Ah? I don't know what...” Fujiwara winced at the question, “I'm not quite sure what you mean, Noriko. I like to think that I've been nothing but open and honest with you.”

“Perhaps it's nothing then,” Noriko paused for a moment, forcing a smile to soften her words, “But everyone seems so careful around me. It's almost as though you're afraid of me! You don't think I'm dangerous, do you?” She expected Doctor Fujiwara to laugh along with her, but the doctor's expression crumpled instead.

“Oh dear...” she murmured, “Did Jun tell you? We agreed not to, since it's just...”

“Just what?” the words felt cold and hard in Noriko's mouth.

“Just speculation. Unofficial theories, nothing more,” Fujiwara busied herself with the cups of coffee for a moment, stalling for time. “We don't really know all that much about this other world of yours, or its inhabitants,” she continued, “Some of my colleagues have suggested that you might be... damaged by the time you spent over there.”

“Damaged,” Noriko repeated.

“Tainted,” Fujiwara explained, “As I said, these were just idle murmurs from people who don't really know what they're talking about. I've had no reason to suspect that-”

“Doctor Fujiwara, I'm afraid that I feel rather faint,” Noriko lied, “Can we finish this conversation another day?”

The old woman looked all too willing to let the awkward subject lie.

[1/2]

>>1922482

Tainted.

Noriko kept coming back to that word. Tainted, corrupted, ruined by her time within the Umbra. She thought of her arm, left festering after an Intruder sank its teeth into her. The limb had been amputated, but perhaps even that hadn't been enough to keep the poison contained. The idea had an awful kind of logic to it – it explained why her Emotional Barrier had collapsed, and why she could no longer transform into her other form. She had lost everything, save for that lone thread of golden light.

She was ruined, no longer fit to be a warrior – no longer fit to be anything other than a vessel for prophecy. There was a certain comfort in accepting this. It made a lot of things easier to accept, chief among them the fact that she would never see her old friends again. Better that they write her off as lost than see her like this – a fallen woman, stripped of virtue by her time in the abyss. Better that she remained here, sequestered away where she could do some good.

But it was a lonesome thought.

A knock at the door caused Noriko to glance up, her dark thoughts clearing a little. When she called out a soft greeting Jun entered, quietly closing the door behind him. “I heard you were feeling a little unwell,” he said, approaching Noriko's bed when she gestured him closer, “Was there anything bothering you? Anything that you wanted to talk about?”

Noriko paused for a moment, and then a small smile started to form on her lips. Jun... he always seemed to know exactly what to say.

>That concludes our regularly scheduled bonus episode. Tune in next week for another episode of Heavenly Child Quest!
>Thanks to everyone who contributed today!

>>1922488
Thanks for running!

No questions today because I can't think up anything more horrible than what is already happening.

>>1922488
Thanks for running Moloch.

This whole 'going to die' thing is good drama but aren't we retreading old ground? Miho pretty much knew she was going to supposedly die for this fight as early as thread 7 when she learned she was Sacrifice. Then Emi knocked her out of her funk by basically saying 'Fuck Fate'. I mean it sucks being reminded of it and having it practically confirmed but were probably going to go through the 'Fuck fate' steps again pretty soon I'd wager.

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/1527371/#p1535968

>>1922535

It's true, there is an unfortunate degree of overlap here. For what it's worth, I was intending to approach this differently - less "fuck fate" and more figuring out how, if possible, to break the rules. So, I hope to keep the reruns to a minimum.

>>1922488
Thanks for running!


Yeah like >>1922535 said, I thought we already faced this.

Also out of all the other Heavenly Children to reach the source, none of them were willing to sacrifice themselves? That's pretty weird.

>>1922580
Cool. I look forward to it.

>>1922586
That last decent probably fucks with them mentally a lot. Or maybe the Source's deal is just that good.

>>1922625
They didn't take the deal, they just killed the source, but didn't sacrifice themselves to prevent reincarnation.

>>1922586
>Also out of all the other Heavenly Children to reach the source, none of them were willing to sacrifice themselves? That's pretty weird.

Damn right. Something is really off about. These girls were selected by Sacrifice because they could get the job done, they could make that sacrifice. And Kurosawa tells us NONE of the ones made it that far could make that decision? I don't buy that.

And what happened to the girls after? Did they go on to live their lives without saying a word of what happened? Did they disappear? We really need to grill Kurosawa about more details.