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Post by othus on Sept 26, 2021 3:50:15 GMT
Akane was not the same since she merged with her alternate universe version. To her, both memories seemed equally real. She knew not just of her battles in this world, but also of her former one. Restless nights and the thoughts of a home she had ran away from flooded her mind. Was this really ok? Before, she had fled due to her weakness, but did she have that same excuse now? Akane thought of her sister, not the tall, strong one from this world, but the much weaker and smaller Mai. The Shindo of Mechanics that sent her to another world as she fended off a horde of evil creatures. Was she ok? Perhaps things were far too gone for some of her loved ones: Callis, Ann, Soon...but what of her sister? if she returned now, would that mean her sister's sacrifice was in vain? And did she really had the strength to make a difference? Akane walked through the castle, thinking of the past. Gan was now living in Korea with Jun, Mai had moved with Soon and Osechi out of the castle and Ann lived comfortably in New York. The once noisy hallways of the castle felt empty in comparison now. Did she long for something that no longer existed? she was at home, and at the same time, she felt lost. The battle against Musashi showed her she had friends, friends that made a difference. Not only were they able to save her, but also repelled Izanami. This was not the first time, no. Ever since she met them at Shirokumo, they proved to be the best people one could have in their life.. Akane knew they could help, but at the same time, she feared losing any of them a second time.
Orihime walked around with a massive chocolate chip cookie in one hand and a glass of milk on the other. finding her sister right before her. Akane seemed surprised, it was rare to see Orihime around at all.
"Onee-sama? You are back on earth? and your hair is black now?"
Orihime smiled and looked up.
"I'm just taking a break. We were 3 months down there after all. Progress is slow, but we are winning...thanks to your mom. I heard Mai and Ann are gonna come to the next dive with us"
"I see...It is good to see you back, please go ahead and rest some more"-Akane said as she walked past her older sister, cutting off the conversation, still lost in her own thoughts. Orihime was not a bad person, but there was nothing she and Akane had in common.
"You ascended...somehow you managed to piece back your soul together, congratulations for that"-Orihime said as she smied. Akane stopped in her tracks and looked back
"I'm Sorry, what?"
"Your hair, it is now white. Means you are now a full blood shinto."
"Is that what white hair means? Then, what about my mother? she doesn't have white hair"
"You only get white hair under uncontrollable emotional distress, try relaxing, your hair should turn black like mine"
"I...don't think I can relax"-Akane told her sister
"Hmmm...well, you should, else you are burning out your power for nothing"
Akane thought about what that meant. was having white hair such a big deal?
"Wait a second, my sister has always had white hair...I don't get it, she's never had a problem"
"Mai should be a lot stronger, you know? have you seen that nitrous gauge from those car videogames? It's like she's keeping it pressed all the time, never letting it fill"
"Has anyone actually told her this?!"
"Dunno, why don't you try telling her? if she stops now, maybe she will get her full powers back in 30 years or so. Now, if you are not feeling at ease, know that there's people you can count on. Have you actually tried calling a friend?"
Orihime finally moved to her room, leaving Akane alone in the hallway to think.
"A friend..."-Akane said as she took out her phone.
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Post by Vapovile on Sept 26, 2021 20:19:48 GMT
Haruko was sitting in her workshop, penciling out a design for a pair of pants when her phone rang. She was surprised to see who was on the caller ID. Putting her tools down, Haruko answered the phone.
"Hey Akane! How are you?" She began. Haruko nodded her head along to the conversation, eventually hanging up the phone and stretching.
"Welp, looks like duty calls again. Glad Cosmina's hanging out with Erin today, hope they're having fun." Haruko strolled into her room and began to assemble an outfit fit for battle.
---
Stepping off the teleporter, Haruko waved toward her host. "Hello! Nice to see you again! Have you figured out this new you yet?" Haruko asked, seeing if Akane will accept her hug.
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Post by TimePuppy on Sept 29, 2021 19:21:32 GMT
Arthur tapped his pen anxiously. He was almost at the end of his workday yet he still had so many documents to look over and sign. He took his job seriously, he always felt it was his duty to respect his dear departed dad's desires, yet it felt like such a drag sometimes. He leaned back in his chair to sip some tea when his personal phone started ringing. Akane? Curious why she'd be calling now and all too happy for any distraction, he answered the phone.
It wasn't a long conversation. It didn't need to be. But it left Arthur grinning ear to ear. "I'll be there in two hours," he said, tossing himself back into the paperwork with renewed vigor. He had something big to look forward to right after work. --- Arthur called his kids during his flight to Japan. They weren't surprised and just wished him luck and to stay safe. He also called Hyun, telling her he'll unexpectedly be stopping by Japan today so they could meet up when he's done. The rest of the way he spent listening to music. It took just over an hour for him to be zipping through the streets of Shirokumo and stopping next to Akane and Haruko.
"Hey, Akane, still rocking the white hair. Nice. And nice to see you too, Ruko." He offered both a hug as well. "Sorry I kept you both waiting so long. Though I assume there will be more than just the three of us anyway, right?"
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Post by HungryHunter on Oct 4, 2021 1:07:51 GMT
Jun had both her laptop and her Spinosaurus plushie in her lap as she idly searched the internet. She felt a lot less lonely when she was alone these days. There was always somebody just a call away. “No, I did this one last week… Shattered One, any ideas?” “Make that one, it’s pretty.” “Food isn’t judged by how nice it looks… it does look nice though.” Jun mumbled, scrolling down through a page of traditional Mongolian food. Her dinner planning was interrupted when her phone went off. A quick glance told her that it wasn’t Gan as she expected, but another Musashi agent. “Akane? Yes, I can come over. Yes, just a few minutes.” Jun stood up and sent a text telling Gan to pick something up for himself on the way home. It wasn’t long before she arrived. She had dressed as casually as she could stand, her hair tied back with cute floral hairclips on the side and a simple but still very purple and silky louse. “Akane. It’s good to see you. And… you two.” Oh no. She could barely remember the other two’s names. She was pretty sure one was Arthur, but she hadn’t really walked to the other one much. Jun remained silent to avoid digging this hole deeper. She would simply wait for somebody to say their names, that would save her!
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Post by othus on Oct 6, 2021 5:07:15 GMT
"Well, I am still getting used to all this...but yes, for the most part"-Akane arched herself down to hug Haruko in an almost silly position. Musashi smiled as she looked at her. No matter the world she was in, Haruko was always the same on the inside. Good and with a gentle heart.
Arthur arrived shortly after and Akane was again forced to go down for the hug, she began to realize maybe she was too tall for her own good.
"Ah, this...yes, I still haven't figured how to make it go back to black. and no, dyes don't seem to work at all"
Akane set her hand on Arthur's shoulder and smiled as she walked past him
"Yes, only one more. Don't want too many people to know about this"
A few minutes after Jun arrived. This time, it was Akane the one who moved towards her with a hug.
"I'm glad you came...um, anyway, you know Arthur and Haruko yes? maybe you guys haven't talked but, well, there you go" Musashi walked them to a small conference room in the castle and offered everyone a seat. she took a deep breath and finally spoke
"I guess there's no easy way to explain all this but, to start from the beginning...Akabane was an alternate universe version of me. During our last fight with Musashi, well, Jun was there to see it, She used a soul stone and merged her soul with the Akane of this world"
Akane paused for a second, wondering how much of that was easy to take in
"In any case, her memories and the ones from this world are both real to me, I remember being there at the Ono-ha castle, everything Akabane did, every conversation and experience she had"
"What i'm trying to say is. Akabane also had a world she came from. You all saw the black creature Ainu released on the island. In Akabane's world, that very same thing destroyed the world as we know it. It might be difficult to understand this, but that world is mine as well. for the longest time, I escaped to this reality with no intention of ever coming back, but I don't want that world to suffer. I want to do something about it...And that's why I called you here"
Akane straightened herself.
"I plan on going back to that world. I can't ask this to anyone else. Mai and Ann have done their first dive to Yomi and Soon retired from fighting. Callis...he needs to stay in this world. I refuse to involve him in this. And so, all I have is you three. All of you have loved ones here, things that are precious to you, so, I won't think less of anyone here if they do not want to come with me, but, I need your help. I know full well I cannot do this alone, but with your help, perhaps there's hope"
It would be incredibly selfish of Akane to say she did not want to risk Callis' life, but Akane was certain, if she lost him a second time, she wouldn't be able to take that. All that was left, was for her friends to decide.
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Post by HungryHunter on Oct 7, 2021 6:00:04 GMT
Jun accepted the hug and responded in her own stiff way. It was still awkward and difficult for her. She had only barely patched things up with Akane. Gan had been thrilled, of course, but she still had reservations. The presence of affection where she only deserved derision was unsettling. “Akabane!?” She lost her grasp on her tightly controlled emotions, gasping. Finally she understood what had happened on that pyramid. “I am- I am simply pleased to learn she did not die there, not entirely. She was kind to me.” Jun mumbled, stepping back to avoid attention for a moment.
On some level, she wondered what that was like. She knew what it was to not have your mental space belong only to yourself, but that wasn’t the same as what happened to Akane. The possibility that it might be affecting her judgement came to the fore when she said they were going to another universe to fight a god. “Akane, I do not doubt your sincerity, but I saw the destruction that creature caused, and that was a fraction of its power. What you suggest seems to be taking on that in its entirety, and that seems… impossible.” She said. “Well, demons are the natural enemies of the divine, so perhaps I can be helpful.” The Shattered One spoke up in her mind. “You did not even want to fight a demigod, so be silent.” Jun thought back.
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Post by Vapovile on Oct 9, 2021 23:46:02 GMT
Haruko stared at Akane, trying to process everything. So Akabane was an alternate version of Akane, from a universe that was already destroyed by that black pillar? Jun spoke first, speaking of the impossibility of the task. Haruko silently nodded. "I also understand your desire to save your alternate self's timeline...but if an entire world couldn't stop this, how could us three possibly do anything?" Haruko asked.
The seamstress wanted to help, but this sounded like suicide. Did Akane have some ace in her sleeve? Even if she sent them and the entire Musashi after this problem...did they have a chance at taking down a force that conquered a world?
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Post by TimePuppy on Oct 13, 2021 20:18:05 GMT
"Hi! We meet again... Jun, was it?" Arthur waved at her. She didn't seem very comfortable with hugs if her reaction to Akane was anything to go by. Akane then proceeded to explain the situation. Arthur nodded along, having heard about the whole soul merger before. The idea to go to Akabane's world was news to him though.
"These two have a point," Arthur added when all was said. "You can naturally count me in, you know I love an adventure, but we should probably figure out how to actually beat that monster. For one, you had a superpowered army last time and it was still a tough battle. Even if we can gather an army like that in the other world, they already lost to it once. Plus, I doubt they have a giant pet turtle to help us out again."
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Post by othus on Oct 14, 2021 1:22:45 GMT
"Naturally, I don't plan on sending us all to a fight we cannot win, there is a way"-Akane told everyone as she set her hand on the table
"There are weapons in that world that can destroy Izanami. The Musashi in this universe have half of them in their hands already, and that is why they are winning the fight. Namely, Tomoe's Ame no Habakiri and Orochi's spear of creation. Miyamoto Musashi stole from us my brother's Kusanagi no Tsurugi but, the point is, these weapons will turn the tide of battle, and to retrieve them, it is best to move in a small group such as this"
"I am not saying there is an easy way to deal with this, but if there is a chance I am willing to try..." Akane paused for a second and continued, knowing she had yet to add all the troublesome details.
"which leads me to the next problem, we might be there for a while...maybe a few days will pass here, but it will feel like months there"-Akane sighed, she knew it would be hard for anyone to just make such a decision.
"I will give you some time to think about it, if you are still willing to go through with it, I'll tell you how we will get there"
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Post by HungryHunter on Oct 15, 2021 20:21:30 GMT
Well crap. They remembered her name. That meant she was the only one to forget. She wanted to jump out of the window. Preventing her from doing so was paying attention to Akane. There was a way? But months… “That is a long time… I did not even bring a change of clothes…” Jun mumbled, realizing she sounded stupid. Like that was what mattered. But she couldn’t focus on the rest. It was all so big. But she had an advantage over the others, a reason she could come even if they couldn’t. “Only one human being in this whole world will care that I am gone. I will be by your side.” Jun bowed to Akane. “I understand if you will not come. You have families, obligations. I only have Gan, and I think he would want me to help Akane.” She said to the other two.
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Post by Vapovile on Oct 17, 2021 0:39:29 GMT
This information made Haruko pause, looking up at the sky as she considered her options. She wanted to help Akane with this issue, but was it really worth the risk to her own life to save a parallel world? Her mind then flickered to Melody, stopping by every couple of days in her time...but weeks pass for her. Arachne had already been defeated, and she was at the forefront of rebuilding society and trying to prop up the world governments that were decimated. Even though Melody was also from a parallel world...Haruko still considered her a daughter.
Haruko nodded and stepped forward. "I understand." She stated. "Like Jun said, I do have family and obligations, but this will only be a few days to this time. So I think it's right to help a family friend in need. Not my first experience with parallel worlds, after all." The seamstress smiled and turned to Akane. "Besides, if this is going to be months, who else is going to keep you all looking presentable in a society that's collapsed? Honestly."
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Post by TimePuppy on Oct 17, 2021 19:49:42 GMT
The final part gave Arthur pause. It's true he didn't mind taking on tough opponents despite his family. He was strong, he knew he was strong, and with it came confidence. Even with all the dangerous fights, he always came out alive and he trusted he'd keep surviving. But leaving his family behind for months... Not hearing from them... Or Hyun... He closed his eyes and started walking in a circle, considering the situation.
Jun didn't take too long to think about it. She claimed there was but one person who cared for her. A thing Arthur found hard to believe, but it wasn't a moment to argue about now. Haruko came out next. He knew her love for her family was just as strong. And she was ready to go in, though perhaps hiding her own anxiety with her classic jokes.
Eventually, Arthur came to a stop too. "Alright. It will only be a few days for them. I think they'll live that long without me. Yeah, I'm coming. Someone needs to model Haruko's outfits after all. Though I will have to make a bunch of calls first." Love, Hazel, Hyun, Dan, Martha, Love will probably pass it on to Ariana, a bunch of other people, and of course Alma will have to cover his vacation days paperwork for him.
"Oh right. Is there anything we need to do for the trip?"
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Post by othus on Oct 20, 2021 3:18:53 GMT
Akane's eyes shone and she bowed before her friends once she heard they would join her
"I thank you all for helping me yet again...I don't know how to repay your kindness"
Musashi then answered Arthur's inquiry
"There's nothing you particularly need to do, just make sure you have all the equipment necessary for this mission. Now, I will introduce someone to you"
Akane opened a door and a brunette woman walked in.
"This is Nelle Auriga, I am sure some of you have already seen her before, she was there during the incident at Shirokumo and the invasion of Tokyo. Nelle is a drifter who came from the same world as Callis"
Nelle did a formal bow and introduced herself.
"A pleasure meeting you all, Messa-Musashi already told me about the situation, I am here to help you cross the gap between dimensions"
"Nelle arrived to this world using a magical artifact from Centris called the veil. Before, she could only use it for a few seconds, but now, Nelle can drift at will"
Nelle walked forward and explained more to detail
"I will use my artifact to send you all to Messa Musashi's reality, it will take about a week for the veil to recharge, so be warned, you will be stuck there until then, not counting the time disparity between this universe and the other, which Messa Musashi has calculated to be of around a month"
Nelle took out from her pocket a pink gem set as a pendant and walked towards the exit of the room
"I will open a portal outside, once you cross, there is no going back. I will open the portal in that very same spot a week from now. Do not worry, if by any chance you miss that window, I will enter myself and bring you all back here"
"Nelle and I will see you in a few hours, I'm sure that with Haruko around, any combat gear is bound to last a long time, of course, If Haruko knows of someone who could provide us with gear for this team, I would gladly pay for it, I don't intend to wear my armor for a whole month"-Akane said as she smiled at the pink haired seamstress.
Redying for the adventure, Akane examined her virtual machine undersuit and armor. stocked on all the projectiles her armor outfits allowed. stun grenades, smoke grenades and shurikens. Musashi reached for both of her Kaneshige blades and strapped one on each side. she tied up her hair and took a deep breath. This was it, she was finally gonna go back to that world. But she was not alone. Jun was strong enough to be her rival in the past, Arthur was the most powerful Ice Mage she knew of, and Haruko was the versatility queen that binded this whole team together. A massive weight was off her shoulders now that her friends were by her side. When she took a look in the mirror, her hair was back to black.
With everyone gathered outside, Nelle activated her relic, and a massive portal opened before their eyes.
"It's time fo go! Best of luck to you all!"-Nelle declared as Musashi went first.
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Post by Vapovile on Oct 20, 2021 6:25:15 GMT
Haruko returned Nelle’s bow, looking the strange woman up and down. She reminded him of a certain other feline person she knew. And she had dimension hopping powers? Could it really be this much of a coincidence? Deciding that the situation was more important than finding out, Haruko filed that thought away in her mind.
The seamstress paused when Akane said they needed gear. “I don’t usually carry many weapons outside my knives...but I know just the girl to call.” Haruko winked at the others and stepped away, pulling out her phone and scrolling to the L section. “Hi Leone! So, odd request…”
Within 30 minutes, Leone stepped out of the teleport station, one large steel suitcase in her hands. She placed it in front of Haruko, letting out a sigh.
“Welp, I got what I could on short notice! Hope it’s enough. What is this...thing you’re all doing?” Leone asked, glancing around. She didn’t recognize the woman in the dress, but she did know Arthur. She blasted a finger gun his way, and turned to see Akane.
“Whoa. You know Akane Musashi?!” Leone asked with surprise. Haruko gave an awkward laugh. “Y-yeah! We ran into each other a while ago. She’s really nice.” Haruko tried to explain. Leone let out a chuckle.
“My my. Considering you asked me to get you all food too, I guess you’re all going on a trip, huh?” Leone asked, Haruko nodding her head. “Yeah, we’re uh...just going to be gone 3 days. Good to be prepared, right?” She said, being a bad liar. Leone stared at her...but shrugged her shoulders.
“Yeah, best to pack for weeks when you’re just going to be gone 3 days. Well, I’ll send Haruko the bill later and she can give it to whomever. Nice seeing you Haruko!” Leone stepped forward and wrapped Haruko in a hug, lifting her off the ground. She then set her down and looked at Arthur. “You too, kiddo.” Leone winked the ice mage, and bowed toward Akane. “And it was a pleasure to meet you, miss Musashi. If you ever need strong and stylish combat gear, please contact the Fleury Combat Boutique.” She presented a business card, and after any comments were made, walked back through the teleporter.
Haruko opened the briefcase and saw the space inside was far larger, a miniature Kaspa that Leone uses for storage. Everything from a rack of clothing materials, to a pantry of food, and a wall of guns and other weaponry lay inside the square room. But on the 4th wall lay a large black and orange motorcycle that she knew Leone used regularly, modified with several enhancements to its performance. Haruko whistled at the display. “Yeah, I think she gave us enough, if anyone wants to see.” Haruko offered, holding the open briefcase out for people to look inside.
Her own lack of preparation had been made up for, Jun felt. However, she knew she was lacking in one regard. “Mrs. Miyata, if you have the time, could you craft an outfit for me? I require something pragmatic for this voyage. I can pay by check, if needed.” She was almost embarrassed to ask. It wasn’t her first time being tailored for, but here there was an acknowledgement of surrender to Haruko’s knowledge, that she would know better how to form a practical outfit for her. She wanted to clarify that of course she knew how to dress practically, she just wanted something that was nice and pretty but also good for hiking in a horrible wasteland and she hadn’t brought that.
Haruko’s eyes lit up when Jun addressed her. “Considering Akane’s the one paying for my materials, let’s call this one on the house. Only if you call me Haruko though. We are teammates, after all.” The seamstress gave a small smile toward Jun, looked over her figure, and pulled out several pieces of cloth from Leone’s Kaspa.
“Oh. Okay. Thank you, Haruko.” Jun was already on a first name basis with her teammates. It was weird. The generosity was weird too, but maybe that was just what Haruko was like. It was something that made her feel prickly, her desire to get defensive over it kicking up. She managed to bite her tongue this time.
With a nod, Haruko got to work. “To get the best result to your taste, I’d like your input. What sort of hues do you like? I’m seeing a more subtle shade in you...blues and blacks. Here, one second.” Within seconds, Haruko got to work. She took some black fabric and fashioned a pair of black pants that still showed off her leg shape, but had extra fabric to resist damage and the environment. She finished it with a tiny purple butterfly design on the hip that glittered in the light.
“So quick…” Jun murmured as she took the pants. It was incredible. How did she do that? The resulting design was nice, too. Casual, hikable, defended her legs, and still looked nice. Incredible turnaround. “You didn’t even wait for an answer… but you were mostly right.” She mumbled.
Haruko squinted her eyes slightly. “That’s the prototype, Jun. If you like it, you can take that. But I wanted to give you something tangible that I can match to your tastes.” Haruko instructed.
Oh. Oh no. She had immediately accepted too easily. She did like it, but now she had to make sure her input made sense! “A stripe. Um, a stripe down each leg. To look… fast.” She felt like an idiot, but it really could use a dash more color. “Or… more butterflies? For the color. Down the leg.” She tapped along the outside of the pant leg.
Smiling, Haruko took the pants back and readied her needle once more. “Very well! One second…” Haruko took out several more threads and sewed in 2 more butterflies into the pants, with a trail etched in to make it seem like their flight path. Once she was done, she presented it to Jun. “Soooo?”
“Those will do.” Jun said, while blushing at just how nice they were. These would make excellent jogging pants if they survived this trip intact. Opening up slightly, she was able to more clearly suggest elements of the shirt, and soon Haruko was back to work.
Haruko put the finishing touches on the rest of Jun’s outfit. She added a small blue skirt with shiny material at the bottom, and a maroon top that came with a black jacket to complete the look. The shirt had a rose pattern along the right side, going down to the hem. Haruko stood back and admired her work. “So, how’d I do, valued customer?” She joked.
“This is…” Jun blushed again. “Cute.” She had trouble saying more. It just felt good to have somebody make something for you, not because you paid them to but because they wanted to.
Satisfied with her work, Haruko spun her needle on her finger confidently. “Thank you, it was a pleasure Jun. Anyone else need a more suitable adventure outfit before I pack everything away again?” Haruko asked the other two.
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Post by TimePuppy on Oct 31, 2021 21:19:47 GMT
Arthur remembered Nelle as the prison person who came from the same world as Callis. Not much other than that. He didn't even remember she could travel through dimensions. "Alright, we'll be counting on you, Messa Nelle."
By the time Leone showed up, Arthur was already on the phone so he only winked when she showed up and waved energetically as she left. Love and Hazel were soon informed of the plan and asked not to get too crazy with partying. Dan was be asked to check up on them to make sure they were fine. And finally, he called Hyun. He apologized for not meeting her today, he was going on an out-of-dimension business trip, be back next week, he'd miss her, love you. Make sure Dan makes sure Love and Haze don't misbehave.
Having finished that, he thanked Haruko for the offer, but he didn't need anything now. He had a spare coat if he needed one. "I hope you have some spare clothes in our sizes though; we're gonna be in there for a whole month and I'm not sure how much sewing equipment we'll find in the apocalypse land."
Finally, it was go time. He let Akane have the honors of going in first. It was her plan, her world, and her mission. He followed soon after, excited to see what the yomi world was like.
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Post by othus on Nov 1, 2021 21:36:47 GMT
A land of green plains and flower fields stretched as far as the eye could see. The sun shone radiantly in the sky and a gentle breeze rustled Akane's hair. In the distance, a forest of trees, tall as buildings and blue in hue could be seen.
Musashi smiled.
"Nelle's ability is impressive, she was able to send us exactly where I requested"
Musashi looked back at her castle, now in ruins, only a few walls still standing as proof there was a great structure built in the past.
"How is everyone holding up? Welcome to my home, or, what's left of it anyway."
"I asked Nelle to warp us here. the Musashi Castle of this universe held a very important artifact, a compass made by my sister, it will point us towards the Sacred Treasures, follow me! It should be in the underground armory"
As soon as the portal closed, Akane began to move, she hurried at a decent pace, the castle seemed in even worse shape than the last time she was here, not only that, there were a few craters caused by explosions on the outer yard, those weren't there before.
"Don't let your guard down, there are signs of a recent battle"
what was at first only a possibility became a certainty as Akane witnessed multiple Shinto oddities frozen.
"What the hell?!"-Akane inspected the creatures, massive Shinto monsters shaped like elephants, with dozens of tusks at the front, put on ice by someone or something.
"I saw Shinto like these tear through entire squads of Musashi Agents and associates like nothing, and now there's two frozen solid here... We should hurry, this ice doesn't seem to be melting any time soon, but if these things break free, they will spell trouble. Also, whoever did this might still be around"
Musashi guided the group further down the yard until they finally found a door that led to the underground armory. The door was...busted open.
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Post by Vapovile on Nov 5, 2021 1:24:53 GMT
Haruko smirked and hoisted the suitcase onto her belt. "Trust me Arty, between this and my own Kaspa, we're going to be set for a while." She said confidently. The group then took their trip to another dimension.
Blinking out into the new land, Haruko glanced around to see if there were any threats. She whistled at the destroyed Musashi castle. "You weren't kidding, even this fortress was destroyed..." Haruko observed. If the Musashi were destroyed, what became of the HWIC? Were Erin and Elyssa ok? What about Aria, or her kids?
Pushing these thoughts to the side, Haruko followed Akane, steering clear of the frozen Shinto.
"Ice...so there's a powerful mage up ahead. Think it's the alternate version of yourself, Frosty?" Haruko asked, glancing back at the frozen enemies. Who could have the power to freeze beasts that strong?
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Post by HungryHunter on Nov 5, 2021 2:31:42 GMT
The transition to another world was sudden. With one step, they passed the point of no return. Jun had to take a moment to gather her bearings. It was dizzying, to be here one moment and there the next. Although the strange thing was, they were not so far from where they started. She recognized the form of the castle in the crumbling ruins around them. A building as great as a city was reduced to a few bricks. She already had her sword out when they encountered the elephant creatures. They reminded her of something she had seen in a book of prehistoric animals, some ancient elephant that had four tusks instead of two. They weren’t so fearsome, but it was something normal she could connect these things to to make herself feel better. It barely worked. The past was foreign in its own right, and they were stepping deeper into an alien world. When they saw the smashed-open vault, her fingers curled and sharpened into lethal claws. “Akane. How strong would a being who could break those doors be?” They had just arrived and already they faced death. This was worrying.
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Post by TimePuppy on Nov 5, 2021 23:56:52 GMT
The scenery wasn't what Arthur expected. He thought this would be a world of darkness and decay, but it actually seemed... Pleasant. The grass was still green, the cool breeze refreshing, and the sun still carassed the landscape.
"This isn't the apocalyptic land I expected, I must admit. Though expecting a dark void probably was too much."
The nearest landmark were the ruins of a great castle. Akabane's, Akane's, divine fortress reduced to rubble. "This was build to combat our enemy, wasn't it? Or to be impervious to her assaults, at least. But even something like that could fall... In this universe at least."
The group went further in, passing great craters, the freshly smouldering grass around them making it clear these weren't here long. Someone was here very recently. Possibly still around. Though maybe they were friendly, seeking shelter in the ruins of what was once a safe place. A familiar place to them, maybe? There were also frozen elephants decorating the courtyard, enemies of the Musashi according to Akane. A good sign. If they were frozen be whoever was around, that meant they were all going against Izanami. If the other person could trust them...
"Alternate me? Uh... I don't think that's possible, Ruko, as cool as it would've been." Akane had told him how he died already. Him and Haruko and many others... Friends and foes still alive in the original universe. Or their universe at least. God knows which ones is truly the original. But he was curious about the ice. He extended tendrils of mana toward the ice prisons holding the giant beasts, trying to feel them out, see if they were magical in nature or special in some other way. He would also add some of his own mana to the ice to make it harder, less likely to break.
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Post by othus on Nov 6, 2021 0:50:03 GMT
"This was one of the first places to fall, but most cities had the same treatment as this castle. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say humans are an endangered species in this world"
As the group walked, Akane listened to everyone, Arthur's opinion made her look back at him.
"No. A dark void is exactly what you should expect, Arthur. This land is cursed, we only have until sunset to find shelter, but I expect the Armory will work, so we have plenty of time"
Naturally, Akane's idea was completely ruined as they finally got to the Armory. Busted open by some force. Jun's question made Akane nervous the more she thought about it.
"This was the only place that was still in one piece when the Shinto attacked...let's say we all attacked this gate at the same time, we would be here for hours. This looks like it was destroyed in a single move"
When Arthur began inspecting the Ice, he would notice it was indeed magical in nature, he added yet another layer on top which perfectly assimilated into the ice formation.
"Arthur is right, Haruko. As unfortunate as it is, I saw you both perish at the hands of Ikari back in Shirokumo, and even if my Arthur had survived, he wouldn't be able to take two of these monsters on his own. I do not know what happened to the Jun of this world, but hopefully, she is still alive. Even if that version of Jun and her sister weren't exactly nice"
Akane moved inside towards the armory, drawing both of her Kaneshige blades.
"Whoever came here wanted something specific, let's hope it's not the same item we want"
The undeground armory still had working lights on the inside, albeit quite dim due to the energy shortage. compared to the soil outside, it was a lot easier to tell multiple people entered rather than just one. Moreover, there was also trace of monsters.
"Looks like Shinto got inside as well...we should hurry, down this hall to the left we will find the main room"
It wasn't long before the hallway began to fill with the stench of blood, giant clawmarks and slashes on the wall indicated more battle. Akane held her breath and covered her nose.
More Shinto. shaped like direwolves, exceptionally large with fangs as long as shortblades, one shredded to pieces, the other cut clean in half. oddly enough, the one shredded to pieces still seemed to be moving, while the larger one seemed fully dead. Akane pointed at the creatures and signaled the group to examine them closer.
"see this? those two were clearly caught by different attacks...the elephants too, and the gate. One is still trying to regenerate, the other's regen was canceled... This is clearly not the work of one individual, let's keep going, stay alert"
The main room was incredibly large for an underground facility. multiple shelves with steel boxes sealed by electronic locks.
"Alright, let's split. Haruko and I will cover the boxes on the left, Arthur and Jun can cover those on the right, we are looking for box 2378, if you see it, grab it and head to the exit. we will meet again in 5"
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