I do not own Blazblue.
Thanks to Murder Media for all the help. We're going back to Ragna. Anyone see a pattern forming?
"Chase this!"
The roaring mass of darkness slammed into a massive boulder and reduced it to nothing more than a pile of rubble. Ragna observed his handiwork, noting the power of his "Grimoire" was just as he always remembered it to be. It was a thought that occurred to him a little late all things considered, but seeing that he had plenty of time to think while traveling it was a thought that was bound to hit him eventually.
Did he still have the Azure Grimoire?
The short answer was yes. As far as a real explanation goes…
After checking himself over and confirming his body was just as it should be, Ragna was very curious as to what the deal was going to be with his right arm. All it took was a quick roll of the sleeve to confirm it was, in fact, still there. That unmistakable skin of his arm darker than anything else you can find in the world. Ragna wasn't exactly sure how to feel about still having his replacement arm at first, it caused just as many problems as it solved in his life after all. Thankfully his worries were put to rest when he made his second, much more pleasant realization…
He could no longer hear the Black Beast.
Yes, no matter how much he focused and listened for it, Ragna could not hear that familiar, dreaded whisper of the Beast gnawing at the edges of his mind. It was a condition that had plagued him since day one and stuck with him until the very end. It never got any easier to deal with either. On the contrary, it actually got more difficult as time went on if anything. The Beast grew stronger with him, so he had to sharpen his will that much more to keep it down, but that was about all he could do. Whether he was completely alone, surrounded by people, awake or asleep, Ragna could never totally escape from that monster's temptations. Yet here he was now, the power of the Azure literally at his fingertips with no downside to show for it.
He didn't hate it, Ragna had to admit.
As for how this came about, well, Ragna could only take a guess. Maybe he wasn't as stupid as some people though, but he wasn't exactly the cleverest guy around either. He assumed it had something to do with the fact he was only able to exist in this world based on his own memory. He was who he remembered himself to be to put it simply. So long as he knew he knew who and what he was, that being a human being, he should have no fear of ever becoming that monstrosity ever again. And luckily being human is one thing Ragna knew he would never forget. She made sure of that, after all.
Fight until the very end as a human being.
Rachel said those words to him so very long ago, but they resonated with him more than anything else ever had in his entire life. She didn't often ask things of him…terribly big things anyway, so when she asked him to make that promise with her, he didn't have to think twice. Those words kept him strong even in the bleakest of situations and undoubtedly saved his life more than once. Just another one of the many things Ragna would like to thank Rachel for in earnest. Yeah, yeah he said 'thank you for everything' before parting ways with her, but he wanted to say so much more.
She deserved to hear so much more.
Of course, he didn't know where the hell to start when it came to giving proper thanks, or properly conveying feelings for that matter, but he supposed he had the time to think about it. Later though, because he had another small problem on his hands.
Ragna had no idea where he was.
The savior of the world, everybody...
Old man Jubei tried plenty of times to impart the joys of traveling onto Ragna, and it's not like he exactly hated a good walk, but he simply didn't have a passion for it. Most places tended to just look the same to Ragna. That being said he never made much point to stop and see the sights what with how busy he always was back in the day. Perhaps a little more travel wouldn't hurt now that he had nothing but free time on his hands. He would need some way to spend his days now anyhow. If nothing else, it would mean avoiding the current problem he was having for in the future.
Luckily the little problem of his didn't last much longer.
The monotonous wasteland Ragna had been walking through slowly began to change as he could spot the occasional man made structure on the horizon. However, it was worth noting that not a single building was left completely intact. As he crossed over a hill, Ragna could even spot a good deal of clutter scattered across the land. The ruins were the only clue Ragna needed to finally determine where he was.
It looked like he was in Ibukido as far as he could tell.
Yes, only one area he ever traveled through was so cluttered with junk, on the surface at any rate, and that was none other than the 5th Hierarchical City of Ibukido. As he made his way further into the wreckage, Ragna even took note of the architecture. Smashed to hell or not, even he could recognize the particular style of the buildings that were still standing. Jubei would tell him about how they were made in the same style as the architecture back in his homeland of Japan or something like that. However, what really grabbed his attention was the movement Ragna caught off in the distance.
"Are those…people?" Ragna moved to step forward, but was abruptly stopped by a voice.
"You there! Sir!"
Apparently more engrossed with sightseeing then he thought, Ragna didn't even notice a group of men approaching him. Sparing nothing more than a glance over his shoulder, it turned out to be a familiar group coming to meet him.
It was the ninja that worked under Bang.
There was no mistaking it, not when they were all practically identical save for different color variations of the same outfit. Honestly, Ragna even could've sworn they all had the same voice too. Combine all that with the fact they shared the same excitable personality as their boss and they were a downright hive mind in the making. Still, not like they were ever bad guys, so Ragna figured he could show them some respect—just a little bit, if nothing else.
Turning to face the men, Ragna greeted them, "Sup?"
"Sorry to have to tell you this, sir, but we are going to have to ask you to keep clear of this area for the time being."
Ragna noted they didn't seem to recognize him. Not too surprising, he supposed. Bang's lackeys were never the brightest blubs in the bunch so it was no great shock if they didn't recall his face. The more intriguing matter was what they were all doing in the ruins of Ibukido, and why it was closed off.
"Oh yeah? So why can't I pass through?" Ragna scoffed. Meaning to be polite or not, he couldn't help but give a disrespectful tone when dealing with people telling him not to do something.
"Well, our group is currently heading a massive reconstruction project in this area."
"That's right," another ninja chimed in. "With all the construction, we are finding the area is a little unstable with sink holes and other hazards, you see? Not to mention there isn't much we can do to regulate the Seithr right now. Wander into the wrong area and it could very well be a deathtrap!"
Ragna had to chuckle, he couldn't help himself. These guys didn't know who they were dealing with.
"Look guys, I appreciate the concern, but I'll be fine. I'm a big boy so don't bother worrying about me. Just let me pass through, cool?" Despite Ragna's heavily sarcastic reassurance, the ninja clearly weren't buying it though.
"Um…sir, with all due respect we really can't let you through. We have our orders, and—"
"And I can respect that," Ragna cut the ninja off, deciding he wouldn't be able to leave room for argument here. He let a growl slip in his voice, "but I'm gonna have to level with you guys, I really need to get by here, understand? Its gonna happen one way or another, so why not make it easy on yourselves?" Ragna's stern tone and intimidating presence were plenty to put the ninja on edge. A few shifted their stances, clearly preparing for a fight should one break out. Ragna didn't want to hurt them, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't.
Ragna really didn't expect to do much fighting—at least not so soon, but he could shrug it off easily enough. Fighting was always second nature to him for better or worse. Shifting his stance slightly, Ragna moved to take hold of his sword. Just a show of force, he told himself. If there was gonna be a fight then so be it, but he at least wouldn't chop anyone up today.
"Alright, punks, remember you asked for—"
"TOH!"
A cloud of smoke exploded in between Ragna and the ninjas of Ikaruga which revealed a large, scruffy looking older male with a toothy smile plastered across his face. It took Ragna a moment to recognize who the stranger was thanks to all of the smoke in the air, but once the fog had finally settled, the criminal was more than happy to see who it was. Bang Shishigami had appeared before them, the man just as Ragna remebered save for the missing nail, but that was to be expected. Though it wasn't the first person he intended to meet, Ragna was glad to run into one of the few people he actually did kind of consider a friend. Bang started to clear his throat and took a step to the side to address both Ragna and his own gang.
"Gentleman, I must say I could clearly feel the tension in the air a moment ago. What seems to be the problem here?"
"Nothing, now that you showed up," Ragna said as he stepped forward. "Good to see you again, Bang."
Ragna braced himself, expecting Bang to throw an arm around his shoulders and blow out his ear drums with a greeting that would surely be heard throughout all of Ikaruga, but was actually rather shocked when Bang merely gave him a glance instead.
"Forgive me, stranger, but I don't believe we've met before. Have you perhaps heard of me?"
"W-Wait, what?" Ragna questioned, knowing what he heard couldn't possibly be right. He knew Bang wasn't what many, himself included, would call smart, but he certainly wasn't this dim.
"What are you talking about? It's me! Ragna!"
"Hmm…" Bang dipped his head in contemplation and furrowed his brows. "…No. No I can't say I've ever met a 'Ragna' in my life, nor do you look familiar. My apologizes, but maybe you have me confused with someone else?"
"Cut the bullshit, Bang! If this is your idea of a joke it ain't funny!" Seeing as patience was never his strong suit, Ragna wasn't able to contain his outburst and managed to visibly frighten Bang and his gang as a result. He couldn't fathom what had gotten into the ninja though. He could admit they hadn't exactly known each other for the longest time but Ragna got the impression they had become friends, and if Bang made one thing perfectly clear it was that he would never so much as dream of turning his back on a friend.
That son of a bitch, Ragna cursed to himself. He couldn't believe he only had to be gone for a short while before people completely forgot about him. Unless…
There was a thought the criminal truly hadn't considered since he returned to the world, and now that it hit him he honestly couldn't believe it hadn't crossed his mind sooner.
Does anyone remember him?
The whole situation was weird and kinda complicated so Ragna didn't exactly want to reflect on it, but now he must consider what were the results of his decision to step inside the Master Unit. He had rebuilt reality using his memories as a template with a few creative changes here and there. For one thing, he made sure there was no longer any outside forces like Takamagahara that could interfere with a world anymore. He figured it was best to let people be people and handle their own business. Ragna also took it upon himself to let those who were known as the Entitled live out their lives in peace so he did his best to recreate the handful dreams he observed. These changes aside, Ragna figured it was best to keep the world how he remembered it, history and all for better or worse. None of this should have created a problem, Ragna would assume, but there was one last important piece he had left to consider. He built the current world, but he himself was not in it, and that could only mean…
This was a reality where he did not, nor did he ever, exist.
Shit…
The thought did not sit well with the former criminal whatsoever. For the most part he wouldn't really care if his actions were remembered or not. It's not like he was running from his past, perhaps he didn't always make the best decisions, but he always stood by them. He had no need for recognition for his more heroic actions either—praise was never something he cared to have one way or the other, for the most part anyway. No, what bothered him were the few key individuals that he actually managed to grow attached to over the years.
Friends and comrades in arms like Bang and Kagura.
He might not have had the easiest time dealing with Jin and Noel but they were still his family.
There was always Jubei—the man who trained and raised Ragna as if he were his own son.
And most importantly...Rachel...
SHIT!
No. No, no, no… If anyone would be an exception it would be Rachel. She was an Observer, so her memory was ridiculous. Not like she was the most normal girl in the world either. She would be different for sure. She had to be…
"Ragna?"
He was jostled from his thoughts when Bang's hand came down on his shoulder. However, no sooner than when Bang's hand made contact did Ragna push it away out of reflex, but it did make Ragna realize he must've zoned out for a minute there. Giving Bang his full attention once more, Ragna could see his lapse must've made the ninja concerned.
"U-Uh, my bad, what were you saying?"
"I was merely asking if you were alright." Bang repeated himself. "You got alarmingly quiet and looked as though you had seen a ghost."
That was certainly not what he wanted to hear at the moment.
"It…its fine, Bang. Don't worry about it." Ragna knew there was no use crying over spilt milk, so he thought best to just move pass it. "Look, you're right, we never met before. Sorry to freak out on you like that."
"I thought that were the case, but if so, how did you know my name before I gave it?" Bang questioned.
"Hm? Oh, right, that. You see… I stayed in Kagutsuchi for a good while some time back. I heard about you while I was there." Ragna lied. "You were a big shot there or something, I guess?"
"Oh! You must be speaking of Ronin-Ga!" Apparently, that was enough for Bang because his face brightened up immediately. "Yes, my comrades and I made a temporary home for ourselves in the Ronin-Ga district of Kagutsuchi once before. I did everything I could to repay them for their hospitality so I suppose my name was spread around! Ha, ha, ha!"
"Yeah, something like that…"
Bang approached Ragna once more, much jollier than a moment ago. "Now then, what was the problem you were facing? You needed passage through Ibukido?"
"Yeah, I got some important things I need to take care of as soon as possible, so I don't have the time to circle around the entire area. Think you can help me out?"
"Hm, we were given strict orders to keep all trespassers at bay…" And just as Ragna was getting ready to throw a sucker punch and make a break for it, Bang gave him a thumbs-up. "So, that is why I will guide you through myself!"
"Really? You know you don't have—"
"Nonsense!" Bang clenched his fist, his eyes now burning with passion. "I can see it just by looking at you, you are a man who is moving with purpose. However, seeing as I cannot disobey my orders, I can only see one solution and that is to be your personal guide!"
"Wow, Boss, how kind of you!" One ninja cheered.
"What else would you expect? This is Boss Bang we're talking about!" Another chimed in.
"Yeah! You're the best, Boss!"
"Boss! Boss! Boss!"
"Ha, ha, ha! No need to get so wound up, you know!? This is simply the duty of all noble men!" Bang spoke humbly, but anyone could see how proud he was, and his gang ate it up.
And it was already giving Ragna a headache. Still, he wouldn't mind catching up with Bang for a little bit. Perhaps he would be able to find out how things have been lately too. First things first, though, shutting up the cheer squad.
"Hey!" Ragna's voice boomed over the land, startling the ninjas. "Uh, thanks for the offer. If I seriously can't go by myself, do you mind if we get going? I wanna make some headway sooner rather than later."
"Very well," Bang got the message loud and clear. "Back to your stations, men! I will rejoin you as soon as I finish helping our new friend here."
The ninja gave a salute and took off toward their respective work zones before they were interrupted by Ragna. With his men returning to their work, Bang offered Ragna his complete and undivided attention.
"Before we begin," Bang held out his hand to Ragna, "A proper introduction is long overdue. You have heard of me already, but I am Bang Shishigami! At your service!"
Ragna regarded Bang a moment, but he really couldn't keep himself from smiling a bit. He took Bang's hand and gave it a hardy shake.
"Ragna. Nice to meet you, Bang."
"Likewise!" Bang turned and gestured for Ragna to follow. "I won't hold you up any longer, Ragna, let's get you on your way."
"Now you're speaking my language." Nothing sounded better than the prospect of progress, so Ragna was quick to fall in step with Bang and they set a comfortable pace as they made their way through the recovering land of Ibukido.
"Hey, tell me, where exactly are we going?" Ragna questioned. "You don't really plan to walk me all the way to the next Hierarchical City, right?"
"Ha, ha! No, unfortunately I don't have the time to spare for a trip like that. I still have my obligations here after all. Where I will be taking you is a makeshift train station that was set up to assist with the relief efforts—shuttling supplies and workers and the such. You're in luck seeing as it is scheduled to depart once more rather soon."
"And where the hell will that thing take me?" He really didn't have the time to bounce between random train stations.
"It has a direct line to the city of Yabiko. Have you ever been there before, Ragna?"
Yabiko… Kagura's base is there, probably anyway, Ragna thought to himself. If Kagura hasn't kept in touch with Rachel, he should at least be able to provide direction to Kokonoe. It stood to reason he would at least keep tabs on his co-conspirator. Not to mention the fact Kokonoe was a woman who Kagura always had an eye for. Not that it made a lick of sense to Ragna, but whatever. Although it occurred to Ragna that it wouldn't actually be easy getting close to the Black Knight seeing as he had no memory of who Ragna was. He wouldn't be able to put all his eggs in that basket that much was for sure.
Brushing his thoughts aside for the moment, Ragna answered, "Yeah, once while I was traveling."
"Travels, eh?" Bang mused. "Based on your stature, and that well-worn weapon attached to your hip I assume you are some kind of mercenary? A vigilante, perhaps?"
"Sure, something like that..." It was best to change the subject. "How about you? What do you do, Bang?"
"Oh-ho! I am proud to say I am a direct attendant of none other than the Imperator, Lord Homura himself!" Bang declared.
"Really?" Ragna clearly feigned interest, but Bang didn't seem to pick up on it.
"That's right! You see, I served his father, the late Lord Tenjo—may he rest in peace—back when Ikaruga was in much better shape. As I'm sure you know, the events of the Civil War did not end well for the people of Ikaruga and we were made to flee. Truly, a modern tragedy! It was at this time I lived in Kagutsuchi and was given the news that the young lord had survived! I was simply overjoyed! So, I had set out and—" Bang carried on unabated, but Ragna decided it wouldn't hurt to tune him out.
He knew this story anyway, and how it ended too. Bang's dream was to be able to serve Homura once more and restore the Ikaruga territory to its former glory. Probably the most selfless out of all the dreams Ragna had observed, he would think. All Bang wanted was for his people to be happy again, and Ragna was glad to help make that happen. He guessed he could've just restored Ikaruga himself, observe it to be so or whatever, but he believed it would've been wrong to just fix everyone's problems with god magic. It would surely be more fulfilling to do it themselves too.
Ragna wasn't much of a builder anyway.
"—And by the end of the final battle we were victorious! We had overthrown the corrupt, evil being that took over the NOL and restored Lord Homura as the rightful ruler. Things were shaky for a bit, people understandably untrusting of the NOL, but we pressed on and are now on the fast road to recovery! Not just for Ikaruga, either, but the whole world as well!"
"Hell of a story, Bang." Ragna laughed.
"Yes, yes, it is quite the tale I must admit! Although you probably have heard enough from me. If I may, I have a question for you."
Ragna shrugged, he had nothing to hide. "Shoot."
"I hope I'm not overstepping my bounds, but what with the way you were so persistent about passing through Ibukido, you would understand that I am a bit curious as to what you are searching for."
"Oh, that…" Ragna wasn't quite sure how to explain it. He didn't want to bust out a crazy long rant like Bang did.
"You don't have to answer if you do not want to! Like I said, I don't mean to pry."
"Nah, don't sweat it." Ragna sighed as he figured to just be vague. "I got this…friend, alright? She's, um...really important to me and we went our separate ways a little while back. I was just worried she was gonna get lonely without me around so I was looking to catch up with her."
Bang stopped dead in his tracks without a word, and Ragna followed suit a second later when he noticed.
"Bang? What's the hold up?" No sooner than when Ragna said those words, did Bang rush forward and throw an arm around Ragna's shoulder.
"Why didn't you say so earlier?!"
"S-Say what...?!"
"That you were searching for your loved one, of course!"
"What do you—just get off me! You seriously reek!" Ragna broke Bang's hold on him with a hard shove and stepped back to catch his breath, but Bang clamped his hands down on Ragna's shoulders to look him dead in the eye.
"Ragna, I know very well that there is no pursuit in this world more noble than the pursuit of love! If you had said you were seeking your woman sooner, we could've avoided all that confusion!"
Of-fucking-course, Ragna told himself as he smothered the urge to drive his fist into his head. He should've remembered that all you had to do to win Bang over is drop the love bomb.
"That's real good and all, but could you do me a favor and stop touching me?!" Ragna broke Bang's grip on him once more and readjusted his coat. "Seriously man, personal space…"
"M-My apologizes, Ragna. I have a habit of getting a bit…overexcited when matters of romance get involved. My own woman has told me as much, at least."
"Well she's on to something. Mind if we keep going?" Ragna was ready to move. It was nice seeing the guy again, but Ragna was remembering a little Bang went a long way.
"Yes, of course! If you would just follow me."
With the awkward physical contact out of the way, the duo was back on track. If he was being honest, Ragna really wouldn't have minded a little silence now, but he could practically feel how bad Bang wanted to keep talking. Surely about this woman of his, though Ragna had a guess as to who it might be.
Screw it…
"Hey, you mentioned a woman of your own?" Ragna asked.
"That's correct!" Bang brightened up so quickly you would think he just won the lottery. "I was blessed, Ragna, simply blessed to happen upon this angel in my travels, and even more so that I am privileged to call her my significant other! Never had I met a woman so witty, with a will of pure steel, and a true spirit of fire within her soul! Once she is in the throws of battle, the passion that burns in her eyes is unmatched by all! And, just between you and I, her beauty simply knows no bounds. Oh! Oh! I actually have a picture of her! Look!" Bang wasted no time digging out a photograph and shoving it in Ragna's face.
"Hey! What did I tell you?! Personal space!" Ragna barked out while swiping the picture from Bang's hand.
"R-Right! My mistake." Bang made a point to take a step back so they were at arm's length.
Ragna threw in a stern look for good measure to make sure the scruffy ninja wasn't going to get any more bright ideas before looking at the picture. The picture wasn't only of Bang and his significant other—they were surrounded by the ninja of Ikaruga, and were all striking poses around their boss who was dead center with a huge smile on his face even by his standards and his arm around his woman. Ragna's first and only guess was that doctor, Litchi what's her face, but he was wrong.
Butt Floss?!
It was that mercenary with the attitude problem, butt floss…or Bullet, Ragna had to remind himself. By the way she was slouching and rubbing her arm she looked rather shy, but the blush and the rather uncharacteristic smile on her face gave away her joy. His surprise over Bullet subsided quickly, however, when he noticed who was in the back of the picture just barely fitting in the frame.
"Tager! That's it!"
"Oh? You know of my darling's commanding officer?"
Now it was Ragna's turn to infringe on Bang's personal space as he reached out and grabbed his shoulder, holding the picture out for both of them to see.
"Bang, this is super important so I need you to listen, alright?" Ragna held the picture directly in Bang's face as he frantically gestured to the imposing figure in the corner with his other hand. "This right here is the Red Devil—Tager from Sector 7, right? Right?!"
"Y-Yes, it is." Bang took the picture back as he looked it over. "You see, despite Bullet's immeasurable beauty she always refused pictures of any kind. Strange, no? I managed to convince her to take this one when I suggested a group picture and her commanding officer offered to join in. What is the significance of this though? Do you two know each other?"
"I…I know his boss, Kokonoe."
"Oh! You know of the professor as well? That is certainly surprising considering how much of a recluse she is." Bang commented.
"Well I do, and I need to talk to her. Look, I haven't been entirely honest with you." Ragna was doing his best not to alarm Bang, but he finally had a proper lead to find his way to Rachel and he wasn't about to lose it. "It's about my friend. I'm not just trying to catch up with her, I'm actually trying to find her. I haven't been able to reach her my, uh, usual way and there is nothing else I can do on my own. Kokonoe is an…acquaintance of my friend and the only other person I know who might be able to contact her. Finding Kokonoe means I find my friend, so I—"
"Say no more," Bang interrupted. "You want me to get you in contact with Bullet and Tager so they can connect you to Kokonoe, is that right?"
"Yes, exactly!"
"Hmm…" Bang crossed his arms and lowered his head in contemplation. He was clearly hesitant about the idea, and if Ragna was being fair he couldn't blame him. From Bang's perspective, he was nothing more than a complete stranger asking for the location of his beloved girlfriend.
"Look, I know it's not like I've given you any reason to trust me, but I really need you to trust me anyway. If you know the deal with Kokonoe you know how hard she is to find. This could be my only chance, so please!" Ragna pleaded.
In a flash, Bang set Ragna with a hard glare intense enough to intimidate anyone else. The ninja meant business now.
"This friend of yours…" Bang began, "are they truly precious to you."
Ragna didn't hesitate, "More than anyone else in the world."
Bang held his glare for a moment more, but he couldn't stop a smile from breaking through.
"There is no lying in those eyes. I do believe I can trust you, Ragna." Bang gave the second, overdramatic thumbs-up of the day. "Fret not, my friend! I will do all I can to reunite you with your precious one!"
"You're the man, Bang!" Ragna bumped his fist into Bang's. "I don't know how I can thank you."
"Think nothing of it! Anything for the sake of love!" Bang crossed his arms, "I have some good news for you as well—Bullet and Tager are currently on assignment in Yabiko."
"Aw hell yeah! Finally, some good luck for a change."
Just then the air was pierced by the sound of a sharp horn.
"Huh? What's that?" Ragna asked.
"Hm? Oh that? That's just the train. Its scheduled to leave about now, I believe." Bang answered simply.
...
...
"Goddammit!" He tested his strength, he tested his grimoire, it was now time to test his speed. "Lead the way, Bang!"
"Right! TOH!" Leaving nothing more than a cloud of smoke behind them, Ragna and Bang took off after the train. They made their way uphill, aiming for the platform, just in time to see the train pulling away.
"Ragna, there is one last thing I must tell you!" Bang called out.
"You better make it fast!"
"Bullet is on an assignment in Yabiko, but I know not where! Furthermore, I would guess they will only be there for another day or so, so time will be of the essence!"
Ragna growled, not the news he wanted. "Hell…alright, anything else?!"
"Just keep in mind that Bullet is not quite as forthcoming as I am! Be sure you let her know you and I have spoken and your current situation and she is sure to help—"
The train sounded again.
"Gotcha! Thanks for everything Bang!" With no more time to spare, Ragna braced himself to hit his top speed and took off, completely disappearing in the blink of an eye and leaving the ninja completely awe struck.
"By Lord Tenjo! He can move with the speed of the Seven League Step!"
With a few mighty strides, Ragna flew up the hill and completely cleared the platform just in time to jump and land on the caboose of the train.
"Jeez, talk about cutting it close." Ragna gasped.
"RAGNA!"
Hearing his name even over the wind and the train, Ragna turned back to see Bang standing at the edge of the platform with his arms raised in the air.
"Godspeed my friend! I wish you the best of luck! I know your love will triumph in the end!"
Ragna actually had to laugh a little bit. Since he returned to the world he had already managed to face a couple setbacks, but running into the patron saint of optimism did wonders for his mood. Ragna gave Bang a thumbs-up of his own as he slowly disappeared in the distance. He wasn't too sure what he was going to do after he met up with Rachel, but coming back to help Bang rebuild his home didn't sound too bad.
For the moment, however, rest seemed like a pretty good idea. He had consistently been on the move since his return and could use a breather. He spied a hatch a few feet away from him and pried it open with ease before dropped into the train cabinet. A quick look revealed this was merely a supply car—just a few crates here and there. Dropping down next the closest one, Ragna settled in for his long ride to Yabiko. These Ars Magus trains could move pretty fast, but it would still take some time for him to reach his destination. Which was fine—he needed to think over what he was going to do next. Ragna knew he would have to think of some way to convince Bullet and Tager to help him, not to mention Kokonoe of all people. He would make it work one way or another though—this was for Rachel after all.
"Hang on just a little bit longer, Rabbit. I'm almost there."
