ΔΔΔ: "Hey! Hold up for a sec Arian!"
Arian had just left the campus when he heard a voice calling out to him from behind.
Arian: "Palae? What… Why have you come here?"
Palae: "Isn't it obvious, come on I came after you!"
Arian: "What they said is probably right, you know… Eion had hate in his soul, maybe he did-"
Sensing his growing doubt Palae immediately interposed: Palae: "Maybe so, but what the Lord did after wasn't right. He shouldn't have come after you just because you were an X grade, he just used you as a way of pushing his agenda."
Arian: "What is he doing all of this for?"
Palae: "I'm not entirely sure, but one thing's for certain. He really wants them all angry."
"Come on, let's get out of here."
Arian: "?! And where are we going exact-"
Arian didn't even get a chance to question her as Palae grabbed onto his arm and took (read: dragged) him away.
(They're all… They're practically worshipping him already.)
Aurora looked on from a distance at the sight.
(They keep cheering that… That fake name.)
¡ ¡ ¡: "Hey! I was looking around for you ya'know?"
Aurora spotted the tiny girl approaching her. Even though they were relatively the same age, Aurora had always felt like her senior.
Aurora: "Mitsuno? What are you doing here?"
Mitsuno: "Oh, me? I was just at the rally like you."
(I guess that really was what it had turned out to be, no sane person could call that a regular speech. Although, I didn't think Mitsu would show up.)
Aurora: "You're not going to go and praise our new God? Seems like that's what everyone's doing."
Mitsuno: "…No… They're all wrong, they don't know Tifon like we do."
"He's not a God, but the Gods only know what they've done to him. I barely recognized him…He didn't even notice me when I waved at him!"
Aurora couldn't help chuckling over what she said. Even in her saddest moments Mitsuno never failed to entertain those around her, Aurora felt she was trying to cheer her up now too.
Mitsuno: "Well, what's the plan?!"
Aurora: "W-What…? What plan?"
Mitsuno: "Isn't it obvious? For all those student honors you get sometimes you're such an airhead!"
Mitsuno stepped in closer to her, to the point that their noses were practically touching.
Aurora: "Ah!?"
Mitsuno: "The plan to get Tifon back, of course! That Alcaeus guy's no fun!"
(I should've known she'd have a naïve idea like that…)
Aurora: "I'm… I'm sorry Mitsu but that's just impossible."
Mitsuno: "You feel responsible, don't you?"
Aurora was completely taken back. Mitsuno blurted that out practically out of nowhere, still inches away from Aurora's face she tilted her head and peered directly into her eyes.
Mitsuno: "I can tell from the color of your face that you're hurting."
"Besides, we're his real friends! If we don't save the guy, who will? Haahahaha."
Aurora: "…"
She didn't know what to say, the obstinate yet free-spirited girl before her seemed like an angel at that moment.
Aurora: "I guess I can't really argue with that can I? Haha."
Mitsuno: "Alright then! Let's get to work!"
Aurora: "Wait, right now…? What are we working on exactly, and where?"
Mitsuno: "Where do you think, silly? The archery range of course!"
And so they went forth to…Practice archery. But, little to their knowledge, there were two students already present at their destination.
Arian: "Uh… So, what are we exactly doing here again?"
Palae: "Huh, that's weird. I could've sworn to the Gods she'd be here."
Arian: "You mean Mitsuno?"
Palae: "Yeah, I mean, as club leaders we all have to work hard for our respective members. But that girl takes it a little too far sometimes."
Arian wondered what she meant by that for a moment. Then remembering his original question, tried to ask it for the 3rd time already.
Arian: "Why are we looking for Mitsuno?"
Palae: "Well, I had a hunch someone like her would be worried over this just like us. Besides, I know for a fact she still sees Tifon as a friend, she'd want to help him."
Arian went silent for a moment after that name was mentioned. He hadn't had a spare moment to really think about it, of course, the thought had crossed his mind before. But it was only just confirmed, Tifon was the one.
Arian: "I'm… Not so sure I feel the same."
Although he spoke as always, Palae felt the malice coming from him. He still wasn't sure how to feel about the death of his best friend, all he knew for certain was that Tifon had caused it.
The rally held at the school campus was nearing its end, the substantial crowd that had gathered was now slowly starting to disperse.
Lord Xuth: "Thank you, my friends, for joining us this afternoon. This will be all for today, I'm afraid Alcaeus still needs plenty of rest after the scars he's taken on."
The security guards began waving back the crowd surrounding Alcaeus, eventually leading him back to the Lord.
Lord Xuth: "You did well, my son. The people will surely rest easier now knowing that you are here to protect them."
Alcaeus did not answer the Lord, only giving him a slight nod he followed them.
The Lord gestured to Phrosyne, she hurried to his side.
Lord Xuth: "So, I'm guessing you were unable to convince the commandant to come?"
Phrosyne: "I'm sorry my Lord, she insisted on having other matters to attend to."
Lord Xuth: "Is that so? A shame, we could've initiated our plan regarding the 'Warriors' division early, the crowd would've taken to it nicely. It'll be a tad harder appealing to the senate without the public knowing beforehand."
Phrosyne: "I'll see to it that such a thing never happens again, sir."
Apart from being the head researcher in the lab, she was also Lord Xuth's personal assistant. Phrosyne was a tall woman, almost always seen dressed in business attire, she had long snow-white hair that she wore in a high ponytail.
Lord Xuth: "Oh, don't mind it. I know well how hard it can be to get through to her."
The Lord waved away the matter altogether as they reached their car. Perhaps one of his greatest attributes was knowing which tasks to delegate, and which to handle himself.
Finally, they arrived at the labs. Fore Thought Inc. was, officially, an organization focused on scientific advancements in medicine. However, the truth of the matter kept from the public was that their main expertise was actually in the modification and research of Boons. And the height of this research was in the creation of artificial Boons, through mechanics and engineering. Experiments concerning matters like these were nearly impossible without a specimen to examine, and that's where the commandant came in.
Lord Xuth: "Alcaeus, stand by for a while."
The Lord walked towards the commandant's quarters. Her room was a simple one, awfully reminiscent of the old one she had while she was still in the barracks.
Lord Xuth: "May I?"
The commandant went to open the door.
Commandant Calli: "Was there something you needed, sir?"
Lord Xuth: "Yes, as a matter of fact, if I could borrow you for the evening."
Commandant Calli: "For what purposes?"
Lord Xuth: "Well, to put it simply…" The Lord smiled a sly grin befitting a misbehaved child.
"You have a date planned with our very own Alcaeus this fine evening."
Palae: "That's gotta be her! Mitsuno, hey, over here!"
Palae waved at them while tugging at Arian's arm.
Arian: "Aha, yes I see that."
After standing by for a few seconds the two groups finally met.
Aurora: "Don't tell me, you guys are here to practice archery too?"
Arian: "Hello everyone."
Palae: "See Arian, what'd I tell you? I could practically feel they were en route."
Aurora: "Oh, so that's why you wanted us to come here, Mitsu."
After a hapless giggle, Mitsuno finally spoke.
Mitsuno: "I uh… I actually did bring you here just to practice archery…Ahaha"
Aurora: "…Ah…"
Palae: "Alright, alright, enough dilly-dallying. We have to come up with something to knock some sense back into Tifon."
Arian's discomfort was becoming more obvious to them all. If they couldn't trust each other now, their partnership was near impossible. Aurora finally stepped in.
Aurora: "Look at it like this, right now we're in a crisis. If that Lord gets any more freedom he'll weaponize the entire city, stopping him is our first priority."
"You can figure out if you want revenge afterward."
She spoke without extenuating circumstances, her candidacy made an impression on them.
Arian: "You're right, so what's the plan?"
They suddenly all looked at her for directions, without even realizing it she had become their group's leader.
Aurora: "First we need to figure out what his most necessary asset is for the success of his plan."
Mitsuno: "Cash money??"
Aurora: "That… is definitely one factor in it."
Palae: "…It's Tifon isn't it? He could never have gotten them all on their feet without a legend to banner under."
Aurora: "Exactly, as long as he's on their side, the people will be too."
Arian: "Then it's a double-edged blade. If we can get Tifon to turn against him, nobody will have any reason to trust him anymore."
Mitsuno: "Then we're right back to square one! Knocking some sense into Tifon!"
Palae: "Hah, I suppose so."
Palae patted the little beast as it nudged its head up, completely satisfied with her own deduction.
Palae: "…But."
Aurora: "Yea… It certainly won't be easy to get that close."
Arian: "We'll need some plan for when we face him as well. I don't mean to downplay our chances, but he overpowered Eion even before getting all of these new enhancements."
An uneasy air came over them all then, was it even possible to beat Tifon?
Aurora: "Before figuring that out, we'll have to learn to fight as a team."
Palae, suddenly getting excited, went up to them and clasped everyone in a big group hug.
Palae: "Well then, don't I have the perfect idea just for that!"