13 August 2024

11:56 A.M PDT

Comrades' Apartment, Fresno, California

Asami covers her mouth when she heard and saw what Stanislav did. Without a proper answer to try and question it.

Stanislav's hand trembles over his headband. "Why am I different…"

"Everyone is different, Stanislav."

"But… But… But why do they think I should stay uninvolved…"

"I'd tell you if I knew. I don't, however." she closes her eyes to take a breath of air, "Is there anything that makes you happy?"

"Suiiki... Getting to play video games with my comrades… Getting to experience the world of Genshin..."

"Really? Genshin Impact?"

"Yes… Genshin Impact."

"You seem to like how they structured and detailed the world."

"Yes… One day, I'd like to see it for myself… With my own eyes…" he faintly smiles.

Stanislav brought his hand away from his slanted headband. Fully staring at her.

She lightly claps.

"How about you..?"

"I'd like to see it too. Seems interesting."

He makes a pause, hearing disagreement and constant mentioning of his name. So too did Asami, leading to another question.

"Why do you seem they mention you a bunch?"

"Some reason… Jara said about the secrets they don't want everyone to know… But… But… I feel like they should know now…"

"Go do it if that's what you need to do."

Inside the living room, every party involved sat down. With Shu, Niya, and Zelislv on the loveseat and Drahoslav, Jaraslav, and Dvinaslav on the couch.

"Everyone here should know how dangerous Spirits are! Especially now we know they can appear anywhere," Jaraslav said.

"Dealt with this the entire time," Shu replies.

Zelislav, Niya, Drahoslav, and Dvinaslav remained quiet. Until Drahoslav stood up.

"What does that have to do with the topic at all-"

"It's the entire situation…"

Stanislav walks into the living room and within view. Silencing Drahoslav as he looks at him.

"I don't want to fight… But… That presence…" he twitched as he looks at them. "I… I… I sensed her presence…"

"S-Stanislav… D-Don't…"

"Jara..?"

"What's gotten into you, Stanislav? We went over this too many times… If they find out it was you-"

"Then they'll kill me?"

"I won't let our three AST friends kill you if the fact is revealed. Despite what their trainers probably told them to do."

Asami quietly enters the room, being behind Shu with her head on focus. Tactful seriousness on her face while waiting.

"What does me, Asami, and Niya have with being a member of the AST and what you're gonna say?"

Stanislav's expression hardens to a stoic stare. Undoing his headband but with his right eye closed. "I listened to the seirei story Jara told me…"

A knock on the door followed his words. As she was the closest, Asami went to open the door. Causing her to tilt her head.

"Guys!" Asami shouts.

"What is it?" Jaraslav looked over his shoulder.

"This person's here."

"Greetings," he said. "My name is Lucius, UNION Agent."

All five comrades look towards him. Without a deadzone

"A UNION Agent, a Closer…"

"Why is he here?"

"A new one… Other than Se-Yeon…"

"Oh boy!"

"Holy shit…"

Lucius simply passes through the door. Staring at the five comrades. Each of their faces, due to their ethnicities, catching his eye. Intentionally tilting his head as he pops them. The hands next, arms stretched out front, then popping of them commences.

"Alrighty, you guys are wondering why me, a random man, showed up at your door. The simple answer is your landlord."

"How did you even find the complex we live in?" Drahoslav tilts his head.

"Another question. Another answer, do you know Kong?"

All five comrades nod. Leading Lucius to smile.

"Good, he saw you guys leaving your vehicle outside early this morning. When I reunited with him. He told me you guys lived here. But why I knew it was Fresno? Someone told me that."

"Why didn't he approach us? We're not enemies of him, and it would be counterproductive for him not to do so."

"That's pretty fair and kind of dumb. What's your name, mister."

"Drahoslav Cizik. Tribune of the 57th Squadron."

"Maybe at some point, I should figure out you guys some more."

Dvinaslav turned to speak, speaking rather monotonously, "We probably looked asleep at that time. Maybe he took it to wait until later to come to us."

"When I see him again, I'll talk to him about why."

"What is your reason for being here, Lucius?"

Lucius went in front of Drahoslav, looking down on him, "Knowing who you guys are and where you guys have been, we need to talk. Those three Asian guys need to leave for the moment."

Shu stood up. His sight straight at Lucius, "Why do we need to be?"

"I don't know how connected you are to the appearance of the culprit of Denver and San Diego."

"Pardon?"

"She showed up in Denver, then proceeded to carry out a series of murders. Mainly in San Diego in Glowgen's headquarters..."

"Nightmare…"

"Nightmare?-"

"Sorry to interrupt," Jaraslav said. "But he means the Spirit of Time, Tokisaki Kurumi."

Stanislav then looks at Lucius, looking down while he violently shook. Gritting his teeth while his fist suddenly locks into a balled position.

"Spirits... Why say that word..!"

"Anyways…" Lucius walks towards Stanislav, "A doctor offered some crucial information about Kurumi's nature in this world." he stares in front of the hundred and sixty-eight-centimeter tall Slav.

"What is it…"

"You and your friends besides that guy who I was talking to. All of you have a Russian accent. Do any of you know about Experiment S?"

"I do."

"Hmm?" Lucius faces Jaraslav.

"I interned for Élisée Lussier, the head of a scientific group called Section Two. It happened when I was being considered for tribune by Lieutenant Jelusic. Mister Lussier, at that time, was concerned with a project codenamed Sephira-"

"What's with this Sephira project and Experiment S?"

"It's shocking, but they repeated what DEM did about thirty years ago-"

Niya spoke up, immediately responding, "A-Are you implying the great spacequake. Friend of Z-Zelislav?"

"Da, did I state an inaccuracy?"

"Yes, y-you did! It occurred in nineteen-ninety-five. Not nineteen-ninety-four!"

"Sorry. But… Élisée Lussier, as well as another man, accidentally produced Spirit Energy and a Sephira Crystal. That's how the project began, to find a way to safely get rid of it before the Spirit of Origin finds out."

Stanislav sat on the floor, contracted and twitching like crazy. While Shu and Asami stare at Jaraslav with Niya confused.

"S-Spirit of O-Origin..? Who's that?"

Asami turned her head to Niya. "The first Spirit to show up. All other Spirits followed after her ."

"That's deep. What's your name, mister?"

"Jaraslav Lukasuk. Fifty-Seventh Squadron Tribune, head of the Research and Development section."

"Alright, go on."

"However, we soon realised that trying to rid spiritual energy without a Realizer was impossible. Section Two, at that time, didn't have the capabilities to obtain one. We had to resort to a test subject. A risky decision Élisée personally made with the risk that the world we're from could have a Spirit with nothing close in power to stop it."

"Well, I met the guy. He said something about him creating a Spirit by accident. Do you have any idea about what happened?"

"I was Tribune by the time it happened. So I wasn't aware. However, it occurred as a heavy thunderstorm hit Lviv, Ukraine. Where the lab was. My current theory was the power was lost, the crystal was released from its chamber. Where we constantly monitored it and its energy. And somehow, got into the area where Experiment S was in, and he bonded with it and became a Spirit-"

"Jara! Stanislav's not taking this well…" Zelislav shouts and points towards Stanislav.

Everyone present could notice Stanislav's shaking head gripping and occasional screams. Like someone suffering a PTSD attack or a mental illusion.

"What's the deal with him?" Shu crossed his arms.

Jaraslav sternly eyes him. "It's not a laughing matter, Shu. Out of all of us here, he's easily misjudged. So, don't form too strong of an opinion at this moment."

Lucius went down to Stanislav's level. Letting his veteran sense kick in. "Hey, Hey, Hey. What's the matter."

"I-I don't want to r-remember it all! It's so painful!" Stanislav leans his eyes onto Lucius' chest, "S-Suiiki..!"

"Who's Suiiki?"

"T-The only person in… The w-whole wide world… T-To give an unbiased look at me and treat me like a human…"

"Human? Why?"

"T-That stuff J-Jara said… Reminds me of a time I am not…"

"Listen, what's your name?"

"S-Stanislav… Ivanov… Their newest Tribune..."

Lucius gulps and puts his hands on his shoulders. Pulling him back and looking at him in the eyes.

"I don't know what your definition of inhuman is. But you're feeling regret. Something that truly inhuman people can't feel."

"But…"

"He…" Shu said, standing up. "Why would he be weeping over an event that shouldn't appear to happen-"

"You… I don't like your tone towards my comrades. Cut it out."

"Is that what the sword exactly said?" Niya tilts her head.

"Yes," Jaraslav nods.

Shu backs away from him before saying, "So you made that sword say that in Denver?"

Stanislav looks at Shu directly. "Yes. Why?"

"You're a Sp-I mean seirei…"

He shakes his head.

"You're lying… I challenge you, Stanislav."

"Why… Scared..?"

"You won't fight? What a pussy! No wonder you aren't one at all."

"Why is it you want a fight because you think there are signs to your claim that is true?"

"No… I want to prove we have one among us."

Zelislav cracks up. While Jaraslav remains serious.

"Let's take it outside, Stanislav. Everyone will get to see us fight. And we'll show who people sides with in truth…"

"...Fine then. Let's do this outside. What place?"

"An open field. Kearney Park. Tomorrow."

"Bet…"