"S-sorry...I wasn't thinking. Dammit, I have a rune missing now..."

He held back further violently questioning Kazu and stepped back.

"It's okay..."

Kazu groaned, realizing how much pain she was in. She had to continue to hide her ability with magic and sacred tasks, so she simply brushed dirt and such from her which clung to her basic shabby clothes.

"Why are you here? Why were you left by an integrity knight? Are you a training knight?"

Kazu shook her head.

"I'm not a training knight. I was found in the highest minister Administrator's chambers, but before that my memories are as a spinster from Rulid, from the year 186. I don't know how I got here but it was suggested I try and find out here in Rulid and at the school specifically. I was told to meet...Kirim?"

Teru stared in his utter confusion.

"I know pointless to ask since you don't know either...but how does one come to the future from the past?"

She shrugged and he turned around.

"Follow me, I'll take you to principal Kirim's floor. She might not be conscious, but she has a few familiars who could speak with you standing by with her."

Kazu gave a look of confusion as she heard the situation. She wasn't actually confused, but she knew she had to be confused in regards to both Kirim's current state and on familiars.

"You'll understand once you've met her. I've had to explain this to several people today. I hope you'll excuse my rudeness."

She followed him.

"It's okay, you weren't rude."

They moved down the elevated platform, to the side, and then up further than they traveled down, and Teru knocked at the wall around them. The door slid up and revealed a room about as large as Quinella's room, but more decorated. There was a vanity, a large bed, an exercise space, a large study, and several book stands spaced around the entire floor. It was daunting to see. Kazu wasn't familiar with Kirim's room. On the bed, there were three familiars including Kiin along with not just Kirim's body, but Koeru's. Kazu blinked in surprise, and Teru had a glare on his face. He walked forward and poked Koeru's cheek once with a frustrated expression, but he sighed.

"How did someone get into the principal's bed?"

Kiin perched on Teru's shoulder and began explaining.

"The white haired girl appeared here about two hours ago. She has been asleep the entire time so we haven't deemed it necessary to remove her from the room. She simply appeared where she is, nothing special."

Kazu blushed, thinking that she might have spawned in on Quinella's bed beside her. Laying beside Kirim wouldn't be as impactful since it would feel more like an out of body moment. Kazu was thankful she woke up on a cot after all. The uncomfortable cot was more acceptable than waking up to someone not expected to be sleeping next to. Kazu felt a discomfort which made her think of Asuna.

"Does that match you, Kazu?"

Kazu nodded her head.

"I don't know if I appeared in her bed, but I appeared in highest minister Administrator's quarters, but woke in a cot."

Kiin huffed. He stared at Kazu and flew over, perching on her head.

"Pick up the white haired girl and lay her on the floor. I get the impression you're the more physically strong of the two and it would make me feel better not to have a man lay his hands on her. It may wake her to have her on a less comfortable surface."

Kazu nodded and followed Kiin's instructions. There was something oddly comforting about having Kiin on a spot he would usually occupy. He gave her peace of mind that at least one more life was safe to converse with.

Kazu picked up Koeru with ease and gently laid her on the floor. Koeru trembled and shortly after awoke. She looked around and her gaze fixed on Kazu.

"Where are we, Kazu?"

Kazu sat down next to her and spoke softly.

"We're currently in Underworld year 492 after the appearance of the walls, in Kirim's bedroom floor of her academy built over our home of Rulid."

We're in Ela's project world, in one of the most volatile spots for us to be in she mentioned to us before. We need to be incredibly careful. Follow my lead please. We're from year 186 after the border walls appeared. We suddenly appeared in the future, current year of 492. We don't know of the world's current circumstances. Just use ignorance until information is shared with us.

Koeru nodded in understanding, and Kazu sighed in relief.

"What's your name, woman?"

Teru's voice was cold as he said those words. Kazu and Koeru glared at him briefly before she answered.

"My name is Koeru. I'm Kazu's younger sister."

"What did you do in the past if you're both related?"

You served the church, you're skilled with sacred arts and taught me some.

"I was a servant of the church."

Teru backed up.

"You...serve the church?"

"Calm down boy. There have been plenty from the church working at this school and learning. Head teacher Alice and her sister Selka were once solely working with the church, as a base example. Even if miss Koeru is of the church, you previously being of the dark lands has no weight here. She is of no threat to you."

Koeru was nervous. She didn't know how to handle the situation. Kazu held her hand and she gave her a nod. Kazu was trusting her.

"I...served the church. I always wanted to work with my sister. I learned some sacred arts, but I couldn't handle how stifling it was."

Teru breathed out a sigh of relief and Kiin puffed a proud ember from his mouth, his expression happy.

"See, nothing to be wary of. Besides, I could tell immediately if they had ill intents here. I'll enroll them as students here. While we don't know much about them, we can learn about them here. And they could learn what they need to survive in this unknown future they've stumbled into. I suspect from what Kazu said that they are from the past, so they could learn what our modern world is like and what's different."

Teru nodded.

"That makes sense I guess..."

Kiin nodded.

"Now, it is dinner time for students so I suggest you return to your dormitory and have your dinner or go to the communal eatery. I will take care of enrolling our new students. Thank you for bringing Kazu here."

Teru was a little apprehensive, since Kiin was only a familiar and Kirim was still unconscious, but he had to admit he had no scope of understanding on how strong Kiin was. Kiin could be as powerful as Kirim herself for all he knew. If Kiin, the head familiar said to leave it to him, he had to. He got onto the elevation panel and took it down to the communal eatery.

"Now that we're among common minds alone, how about explaining to me why your soul moved from Kirim to this vessel? This one is more you outside. And who is Koeru? I believe due to circumstances, I wasn't logged out when you were last time. What happened while time was frozen here?"

Kazu sighed in relief and Koeru had a deeply confused expression.

"I was logged out as emergency measure because Kikuoka attacked me out of nowhere and Ela was protecting me. She of course regrets leaving you in here, but she couldn't let anything fall out of place."

Kiin shrugged his little shoulders and Kazu pet his head.

"It's fine, I understand. Let me close the elevator walls so we're not going to be eavesdropped on. You need to enlighten me on Koeru's presence here."

Kazu was happy to hear the fluency to Kiin's speech, but she recalled he wasn't so fluent before. He spoke more childishly last she recalled, and it hadn't been that long he had been in Underworld as far as she knew, so it shouldn't have been enough to change how he spoke. It was possible his speech pattern was easily influenced, like some people were easily susceptible to change of their accent. Kiin was originally a pet AI.

Kiin flew over to the floor where the grooves were for the walls to come down, and he lifted his snout. With that motion alone the wall moved up. Kazu imagined the design of the wall was on a cycle, through the floor and outer wall like a chain. Either always moving up, or always moving down. It had gone up when she arrived with Teru after all.

Kiin flew back up and perched on Kazu's head again and he curled up.

"Now, I suggest somewhere besides the bed. The study would be a good spot for us to sit down."

Kazu nodded and walked over to the study part of the floor. It was fascinating at every glance. More details and things she knew were to her taste were available to see. It was a feast of information. She sat down on a large cushion chair next to the desk, not feeling worthy of sitting behind the desk where Kirim was supposed to be. They weren't the same person after all. Not anymore. Or at least for the time being.

Koeru sat closeby on another of the cushion chairs not behind the desk and waited for Kazu to explain. She could have probably come up with something, but she was relying on Kazu's current knowledge since she only had spotty memory of her and Ela's first life, and of her struggling for her life.

"We'll start with...well, Ela started the Ygg plan way ahead of schedule. She planted two in Canada, one where Yellowstone mountain was in America and deleted Yellowstone in the process, one in Japan, two in south America, and one in Russia where Moscow is. She apparently got rid of Russia and put it back together there. I was asleep for it, but it's all over global news. As far as Koeru, she came about because Ela was sharing her past memories with me and according to her, I might have related too well to her life as Koeru on some level, resulting in me taking on her personality, as an identity. She put us in Underworld controlled at first in a part of the dark lands where nobody would come across us, but I don't know what's going on now. I think there might have been a mistake with us being put in here. Either that, or there was some kind of danger and she couldn't enact the safeties before putting us in. After all, her vehicle is the most easily accessed medicuboid. And there you have the long and the short of it...did I miss anything, Koeru?"

She shook her head.

"I'm honestly more surprised at how quickly and precisely you rounded up all that information. You didn't miss anything from what I recall. Oh, except that she taught us how to access our inner world. Something even I don't have in my memory."

Kiin nodded.

"It sounds like a lot happened. How many days passed outside since you were last logged in as Kirim? It's the same day here."

Kazu sighed in relief.

"It's been a day. Unless I slept more than I thought while recovering from memory sickness."

Kiin purred and relaxed in Kazu's hair.

"Then...well while it's intense and incredibly interesting that so much happened in such a short time, we're going to have to figure out how we move forward. Kirim's familiars have gotten together under the understanding that we have a plan where there was no plan before that we were ready to handle the absence of Kirim, but having you in her place would be ideal if we could come up with some reason you're a suitable replacement. Do you happen to believe you could make this whole school in a day? You did see it from outside while flying here on dragon back."

Kazu shook her head rapidly. Kiin nearly flew off from the sudden shift in her head movement.

"Hmm...then we'll have to get you to that point. I suggest you participate in the classes for the time being, try and fit in, and come back here for dinner. You don't have a room yet, tell any inquiring classmates that Kirim's familiars have recognized your talent and are training you. It's the truth after all. Kirim wouldn't exist without you."

Koeru stared.

"Let me get this straight...I think the situation of this world is, it's created, Kazu has been sent here before as this Kirim person on the bed, and now she's actually here with her memories intact while as Kirim she didn't have them and now we're going to have to try and keep cooperating with the plans of the project even though we don't know what's happening outside and have no idea how to find out? Is Kirim okay? She won't wake up and suddenly we'll have two Kazu at the same time, will she?"

"Kirim doesn't have a soul in her, which is something completely new in this world since you spawned in, Koeru. And as such, I believe it's because Kirim's soul is here, but in a different body. Unless you, Kazu, could separate your memories as her and place them into Kirim as a vessel, the body won't wake. Since the memories would be incomplete, we'll have a solid excuse of amnesia caused by Vector to tell the students. Kirim is still capable as a body of doing magnificent feats of magic, but it would be wonderful if you could also fill the role yourself, mama-Zu."

Kiin's lovingly spoken use of his previously used word for her made Kazu feel warm. It finally felt like perhaps things weren't so...confusing for them. They had a plan. Though it was a short plan, without knowing what the future would hold.

Kazu's gaze drifted outside, seeing Scheta on dragon back hovering around just outside of the window. She was staring right at Kazu, but she flew off shortly after. She recalled that Scheta was supposed to stay and report back to Quinella. It seemed Scheta was staying back and observing for the time being, but it was confusing seeing her back after she left for the time she had.

"Who was that?"

Koeru's question broke the silence after Kiin's last projected speech. Kiin sat up on Kazu's head and faced outside with her.

"I sensed something stronger than a human but I wasn't looking at the moment. Do you know, mama-Zu?"

Kazu picked up Kiin again and placed him on her lap.

"Yes, that was the integrity knight who brought me here. She was supposed to observe me, but it seems she took the indirect route for the time being. It helps with keeping things between us right now, but I'm sure Quinella would have wanted this information. Regardless, we should keep this to ourselves. It would be troublesome if this information even accidentally got out to others with her involvement."

"Agreed. Letting anyone besides those currently present know about the outer world situation would be dangerous. That does bring me to wonder though...why are you here, mama-Zu? Why are you here without occupying Kirim? You explained Koeru being new development. I honestly don't understand this situation. Ela wouldn't take such a risk...even if you were in danger outside."

On that, Kazu had to unfortunately agree.

"I need to know what's going on outside...do you happen to know where the nearest console is? I could log myself out at a console..."

Kiin flapped his wings proudly.

"Kirim made one recently, before she was attacked by Vector it was about two days. So..."

Kiin leapt off of Kazu's head and glided smoothly down to a spot on the floor on the opposite end of the room. He pressed in a part of the floor that appeared to be a tile, but there were no tiles anywhere in the room. Where the floor was pressed in, a pedestal rose up. Kiin stood atop the pedestal and when it reached its top point, he double tapped the smooth of his paws against the surface of the pedestal. The surface lifted to reveal what looked like an advanced laptop.

"How did Kirim make something like this without knowing about the outside?"

"When Quinella used all her effort to save Kirim and Kirii from the issues with their senses, Kirim attuned a little with Quinella's mind. Quinella has a console in her room of the cathedral. She discovered it at the height they stopped building the cathedral. Quinella used the knowledge with Kirito to understand everything they could about Underworld, even understanding until they were given bodies, there was no getting out. Kirim used the information of the console to create a replica, and the replica hooked up to the systems governing underworld. You have a way out because you have a body, but I'm not sure you want to leave just yet. Just try and reach out to those outside."

Kazu took the advice seriously and was utterly baffled so much had happened that wasn't conveyed through watching the data. She had experienced that attuning process, but she didn't retain any of it. It was so much, she almost didn't believe it. She saw the data on the screen of the console however and she couldn't deny. It was a computer.

"Give me a minute."

Kazu typed so quickly that Koeru watched closely but stunned. She wasn't expecting Kazu to be so much of an expert.

"I have a line outside. It's straight to Ela's vehicle terminal. If she isn't there, then one of her children will hear and get the message to her."

Kazu's words reassured Kiin and Koeru that nothing unexpected would happen. At least, that was the plan. When the call opened, she heard a man's voice, a familiar man's voice fill the room.

"You shouldn't be doing anything so meddlesome. That monster is already destroying our world, just let my task force destroy her project and hope for rest after changing everything so she stops with what she's done."

"How are you hacked in?! There's no opening for this place at all!"

The voice cackled and rumbled before he revealed his way in.

"You saw how I got in. The server room at Rath. You really should have told that monster about me if you really were on her side. You must have had doubts! I guess you really are somewhere on the side of humanity. We're taking back our world. You can just go on a rampage in there and destroy everything, or I can go in and do it for you. Your choice."

Kazu was crying and her expression contorted with rage. Kiin and Koeru shrunk back.

"Or I could get out of here right now and reduce you and your task force to ashes in an instant, PoH!"

He laughed in response, the most hysterical laugh Kazu had heard.

"If you want to be deleted, go ahead and try. I can delete your conscious from here. You don't have enough time to get out here and fulfill your threat before I just hit a single key and delete your dive conscious."

Kazu roared and a surprising blue and purple glow emanated from her both and whips and cracks of lightning surged off of her, rebounding off of the surroundings and returning to her only to be naturally absorbed.

"I would suggest...not fighting this person who could delete the two of us. I may not belong here, but you're needed. Try and find an opening somehow, make him come in here. We have to find some other option. Believe me, I understand your rage, but we need to think before we act."

Koeru's words calmed Kazu down a little. PoH did say he would go into Underworld and destroy everything inside if she didn't. She could just continue to preserve the project as she was, and be ready to destroy him the moment he logged in.

"Your friend is right. I would like to have some fun in this game~ so many lives I could play with! So much entertainment I could get from these projects your teacher created. Each one is unique, just like the people out here. Your teacher is basically a god, but you know by now...some of us people like the idea of playing god more than the idea of actually having or being one."

The call was cut and the console was deleted.

Kazu was still simmering with rage, her flimsy rag clothing burning to ash from the heat which emanated from her.

"If it's any consolation, we now know you do have a good portion of Kirim's ability with magic. And you can transform. Your mouth became similar to a dragon's when you generated that lightning, and your internal structure changed to adapt to holding draconian elements inside. You're basically a dragon in the shape of a human. Your mouth is back to normal, but the moment you decide to channel an element directly through your body, my guess is your mouth would change again."

Kazu was exhausted. She didn't want to hear anything more about being swept along into the paces of others. She was so completely out of control, and desperately wanted to know what Ela was doing about the project. She fell asleep from her exhaustion, and while asleep, she sprouted a long thin skin coloured tail and similarly grown wings from her back which covered her, curling her into a protected bubble. It was very unlikely intentional, more instinctual.

"I was confused why you called her mama, but I guess it makes sense if your mother is a dragon..."

Koeru's comment made Kiin laugh. He flew up on her head and ruffled her hair.

"I didn't think you were capable of such a wonderful comment. I thought you were a broken person, but it seems you do have a sense of humor!"

Koeru blushed, and the two got comfortable nearby, watching for any sign when Kazu would wake up.