[Illyria Castle – Prison]

"It's I-No!"

Faint flames keep the paved stone hallways of the prison's floor alight. A small squad of armored knights sprint down the path, gathering around to obstruct the hall's end – several feet ahead of an enormous door. Readying their weapons, they prepare to fend off the intruder.

Dim light reflecting off of mint green sunglasses, a crimson and black-clad witch casually strolls in. Stopping a few feet from the group, she places the back of her left hand on her hip – raising her right hand. "Do any of you really think you can stop me?" Observing the opposition remaining statue still, she smiles to herself. "Wow. No idiots in your little group, I see."

"If you turn back now, we can all stay that way!"

"Tch. These days, chivalry's worth as much as shit on your shoe."

Sword pointed forward, the frontmost guard retorts, "be that as it may, we bear our country's flag. We're not afraid to step in it."

"I feel for you. Really, I do." A step forward, she teleports behind them. Instinctively, they all turn around to see her walking before stopping in front of the door. She looks up, her smile stretching wider.

"You – You witch!"

"Our first idiot." I-No swiftly turns around, launching a blast that destroys the door and renders the knights unconscious. She enters an empty white room as the dust settles, walking towards the maiden cell suspended in the middle. "Sorry about the mess," she sarcastically quips. "Didn't know you were such a neat freak."

Two massive chains hold the cell in place. After the incident in late November, the woman detained inside the mechanism is none other than the ex-Sanctus Maximus Populi. Ariels – dressed in an off-white plain bodysuit, with her arms restrained in the side restraints – acknowledges her presence, head titled downward with her eyes closed. "Why… are you here?"

"How about you?" She bounces the question back. "Why are you here? You wouldn't have ended up like this if you'd just gone and died when you lost your war against humanity. Your 'daughters' and those who believed when you assumed the role of God's voice hate you."

"There, there now... Don't cry. This was always the plan for Ramlethal. She was, after all, a failure."

"You're evil, Mother... You're a demon!"

"Hah… and you believe you won? Witches have such vivid imaginations."

"Better than not having one at all. I'm not the one who had to give up my crown and castle."

"Be careful, now. That rug under your feet is a lion's mane. You might be on the other side of the cage for now, but you won't get away with it for long."

Leaning into the detainee's left, I-No lowers her voice. "I could stop if you'd like. So long as you return what's mine."

Ariels raises her head slightly and opens her eyes, messy hair obscuring most of her face. "…Yours? Ha, hahaha. Do you think it will obey you just because you put a leash around its neck? That power needs no master."

"Today it does." The witch takes steps away from the maiden, turning around to face the other again. "And once you see someone wielding it… You'll know who the master really is."

"You may think you know everything, but you can never foresee your mistakes. You're just a child excited over a new toy."

"No. You're the child here." I-No breaks the maiden's lock, causing the secondary panels to fall open. A black-gloved hand held towards her chest triggers a barrier of light to appear. Ariels narrows her eyes, scowling. "You've dreamed up the boogeymen under your bed and in your closet…." The light grows dark, the force causing the room to quake. "But you didn't have the imagination to drive them away."

"…What are you planning?"

"Limitless creation." She reaches into Ariels, beginning to pull something out of her body – the other woman groans out in pain. A solid black figure with a thorned halo exits from the cloud of dark energy, dropping to the floor. Features emerging as the pseudo-smoke vanishes, a man with gunmetal grey skin decorated with pink x-like scars, a black heart in the middle of his chest, and horns holds direct eye contact. He grins as I-No looks down at him.

"Aww. Someone finally found me out, huh? And you're the most dangerous 'someone' it could've been."

As the two escape the scene, Ariels remains dazed in a pained state. Moments later, Ky and two additional soldiers hurriedly rush towards the chamber. A swordsman that recovered from the initial blast stands at the destroyed door, explaining what happened. As he collects himself and walks in, two more stand by inspecting the broken maiden.

"Well, there wasn't much after I came home. I did wonder where you were after you departed and drove off after I tried to wave goodbye."

Ah. She does remember that. The past 48 hours were the beginning of time to be made up. "If it's any consolation, I didn't tell anyone else either."

"A workaholic as always." She cracked a joke to lighten the mood. "I went home on the 30th. The short version is when I wasn't training, I explored the city. I did my best to understand it all, and I think I have a good grasp. I can only imagine onlookers thinking, 'wow, is she a tourist?' The citizens seemed at peace with themselves and each other, but that's just at first look. I've still got a lot to learn," she turned to face him after dismissing a panel. "But I have a question for you. You've lived through it all, right?"

"Unfortunately."

"The divide in existence… Mankind's remained the same, hasn't it? Unsure of what it desires but refuses to accept necessary changes to better itself or reach a goal. One might say it's a distortion or something. I don't know." She scooped a few pebbles up with her hand, tossing them off the ledge. "But if one were to satiate everybody's wants, what would be left? Utopia is unattainable, no matter who leads. This new era's not any different than back then. Humans, Gears, wild and domesticated animals, other lifeforms. What difference does it make now?"

"Someone once said... that if mankind's endless want could be sated, inequality and conflict would come to an end. Or, to look at it another way..." he picked up a rock, holding it up in front of them. "If you were to rob humanity of its desire," he effortlessly crushed it, opening his fist to let the dust blow away in the breeze. "You would bring peace to the world. But who wants a world like that? And what is the peace people desire? Asking that is to ask... what humanity is."

[Washington, D.C., United States of America. Late morning.]

A matte black vehicle – subtly decorated with gold accents and two horses at the front – zooms down the capital city streets. Zipping around corners with loose precision while avoiding the other cars headed in the same direction. At the wheel, a red-orange haired woman constantly glances at the rearview mirror before redirecting her eyes to the road ahead. Her "pet," assuming their quadrupedal form, sticks its head out the window, swapping between growling at the pursuers and enjoying the breeze with its tongue out. By no means a reckless chauffeur, she drives her four passengers safely to evade the numerous aircraft trailing them. "Hang on and enjoy the ride, Rei."

Seated behind the driver, a young man with short silvery-white hair peers out the window. Concerned about the bumpy ride, he questions, "i-is everything all right? I can hear tires screeching."

Across from him is an older gentleman. "These windows have great visibility, wouldn't you agree?" He lightly knocks with the back of his hand. "You wouldn't even know they were there."

"Indeed."

"They're 110 millimeters thick, too. A 100% wurzite. Just as fast on land as in the water. Worst case scenario, she can even move without wheels. And our driver Giovanna's more than her good looks: she's got 42 manuals worth of emergency protocol committed to memory. Not bad, huh? Miste-"

"Asuka. No need for a 'mister'."

"Asuka, then. Anyway... This car you've chosen for your little hitchhike could put any tank to shame. My only complaint is that I can't find an insurance company to cover it." Vernon leans forward, making a hand gesture. "Do you know why that is?"

"Well, um..." Kreutz lifts a hand towards his face. "Yes, I do. Because you are the 76th President of the United States, and this is your personal car."

Vernon shoots a look at the rearview mirror; the ends of his mouth briefly curve upward. "It'll take some extra work to get wolf spirit fur off the upholstery."

"For the last time," Giovanna jokingly responds. "She doesn't shed!"

"Ah, she's got a sense of humor. Reminds me of… someone I… once knew…." Kreutz clears his throat, keeping the conversation from derailing any further. "A little flashier than I would have chosen on my way to propose demilitarization at G4, but nonetheless."

"You're not subtle at all," the woman seated to his left comments. "I agree with you there."

"I do apologize for forcing my way in like this. I had considered alternative approaches, but..."

"Save the explanation for later. For now, we need to get all these eyes off us." Vernon motions towards the car's roof, referring to the media aircraft following closely behind.

A man's voice goes over the airwaves first. "Our intrepid reporters can confirm firsthand that the Gear Maker is currently seated in the President's car!"

"That is correct." Another male follows up. "It seems that the most heinous criminal in history, commonly known as "That Man" may have surrendered himself into United States custody."

From another, a woman begins. "While we haven't been able to get a clear view of the situation, witnesses are reporting that he was speaking with the President. Now, there is a possibility that this may be a copycat..."

Older than the previous, a second female's voice overlaps. Giovanna takes advantage of the road situation, applying tremendous pressure to the pedal, speeding up, and changing lanes. "-the mastermind behind innumerable crimes during the Crusades, the monikers "That Man" and "The Gear Maker" should be familiar to anyone who's ever opened a history textbook..."

"His true identity has remained a mystery until now..."

"Some speculate that he may be involved with the United States' expected demilitarization announcement at G4."

"Citizens have started to gather in protest, resulting in confusion unseen since the 42 Club incident..."

"What is he after?!"

"Be wary of the recent spread of unfounded speculation. As of now, we don't have any confirmation..."

"He's a man of many names. But perhaps we should call him by the one most familiar to us: The Devil."

"This is depressing," Giovanna muttered to herself. She reached for the radio, changing the station. "Time for a tune."

Howling in shadows
Living in a lunar spell
He finds his heaven
Spewing from the mouth of hell.

Those that the beast is looking for
Listen in awe, and you'll hear him
Bark at the moon.

She notices the wolf quietly howling as if it was commanded by the song. "Heh. Classic."

An older blond man by the name of Stryper rests his elbow on the space behind the window. Eyes obscured by his black sunglasses, his furrowed brows and frown convey his annoyance. "Vultures, all of 'em. They can spot prey from a mile away."

"Oh, actually," Asuka interrupted. "I leaked the story to them."

"You don't say... Wait," Colin's eyes widened. "HUH?!"

Erica looks away with her arms folded across her chest. "I hate to say it, but you heard that right."

"It was a necessity." Bartholomew's and Vernon's eyes are on him now. "I want my actions to be just as transparent as the glass of this window. I know that my request is unreasonable, but—"

"You call it a request... But with all those eyes on us, this is a demand." Stryper looks back in from the window. "You might not realize, but if the pen is mightier than the sword, then the microphone's stronger than a cannon."

"You're supposedly the mastermind behind a hundred-year war. Whether that's true or not, it's what the people believe. If the victims of that conflict or their families are nearby..." she turns, "they aren't just here to get a look at you."

Rei barks, prompting Giovanna to pick up on an unfamiliar scent. Her head jerks to the side as she notices an outside presence. "Huh?!"

"Get down!" Stryper shouts, repositioning Vernon to cover him.

Dressed in a black and blue dancer's outfit, a man wielding a pair of fans leaps into the air – a platform composed of blueish-white butterflies acting as elevation. The car's sunroof opens as the butterflies disperse. Asuka lifts his head up to see the figure hovering above, making eye contact with the false assailant. "So, it is you." He safely lands on the road as the group drives off. This figure closes his weapon, activating his comm before standing up, ignoring the oncoming traffic behind him. "That's a negative, Boss. Looks like the 'other one' is in Illyria."

A mile down the asphalt, the driver brushes aside what happened. "Skies sure are clear." Giovanna looks back at her passengers. "We're going to need a 43rd manual, Mr. President."

"Worry about that after we've—"

"Mr. Asuka." Erica cuts Stryper off. "They say that there's nothing you can't do. So, what could you possibly want from us?"

"...Confinement."

"For you?" The President questions. "I don't think there's a cell in this world that could hold you."

"No, not for me. For the Tome."

Silence fills the vehicle at the mention. "The Tome... You mean, the Tome of Origin?!"

"To be more precise, I need a place that cannot be accessed by any outside force. One that cannot be forced open by any weapon or spell, no matter how strong."

"...Now I see."

"So, like Alcatraz? Rikers Island? Guantanamo?"

"No, Mr. President. He's referring to an even safer location. The Presidential Emergency Operations Center. In other words... The White House."

[Somewhere in the wastelands. Midday.]

"Do you see anything now?"

"Just one moment. And… there." Among the holo-screens, Aria pointed out the moving radar blip. "Target's running just down the road."

"Watch this." At the right moment, Sol revved his bike, driving it off the cliff and stopping a distance away from the bounty – causing him to stop in his tracks.

"Huff, huff... Rgh, this ain't good...! Sol Badguy...! I saw ya in the newspaper, y'know!"

"You can read?" Sol dismounted the vehicle, standing up straight. "Shit, you're smarter than I thought." He reached into his jacket, holding the poster up. "How 'bout you read this for me?"

"Who's that handsome devil?"

"C'mon, read it. Says you're worth two months' worth of meals."

"Two whole months? Figured a big world-savin' hero would have more expensive tastes. Shouldn't you be puttin' up your feet at the castle right now? What're ya doin' out here bounty hunting?"

Sol responded, "do I look like I got any table manners?" As he approached him, the target readied the object in his hands as a means of defense. "Ah, hold on now. Hear me out. I get it. Between the name and the look, I can seem a little scary. But... You make the right choice here, and I'll show you my softer side."

"D-Don't screw with me!" Pulling back, the sharp object was thrown like a javelin. "Hyah!"

Observing from her seat on the cliff, Luna had a visceral response to seeing Sol's hand pierced to stop it. "Ouch…"

"Heh heh!" The weapon expanded, lodging itself in the left side of his chest.

"Oh, right. This is just a scratch to him. But still…." Sliding down the side, she made her way to the road level, standing and waiting undetected.

He glanced down, smirking. Closing his palm, he grabbed the midsection of the spear, pulling it out and dropping it on the ground. "Huh?!"

Wound next to his shirt's zipper, he remarked, "that was the wrong choice."

"N-N-No freakin' way!" The bounty backed up, scared, trying to escape. That is until he bumped into someone. Startled, he turned around to see a woman with a hand over her fist. "What the-? Who are- !? Shit, there's two of you!?"

"I'm with him," motioning toward her partner with a head tilt.

Trapped between a pair of bounty hunters, the target panicked. Frantically looking back and forth, with Sol walking towards him, he raised a fist in an attempt to attack. "Dammit!"

"Wrong. Move." She kicked the bandit hard enough to send him flying; the body crashed into the concrete slab Sol kicked up. ("Woah.")

"You… monster…." Sliding down, the unconscious man collapsed.

"That's Mister Monster to you." Sol knelt down to the right. "The army didn't burn their morals and budget a hundred years ago to make someone you could disrespect."

"Don't you mean Asuka?"

"What?"

Luna walked closer towards the other two bodies. "Asuka made you and me. Not the army."

"This guy sure as hell doesn't need to know that." Standing upright again, he saw she placed her hands in her jacket's pockets. "And I'll—" He paused when she coughed. Reading her facial expression, he changed his word choice. "We'll settle things with him in due time."

[Illyria Castle – Prison]

Continuing the scene assessment, various guards work together to inspect the confinement chamber. Ariels remains silent, blankly staring at the colorless floor beneath her. Ky and Daryl stand outside, one kneeling and the other standing with his arms folded.

"Our citizens have both freedoms of thought and freedom of speech. They may voice their complaints to the government as they see fit. This is a democracy, after all. In short... Ky..." Daryl unfolds his arms. "Our administration is not a popular one."

The younger stands up, walking into the room with the other following close behind. "You're telling me that someone came to complain about a top-security containment cell 300 meters underground?"

"You catch on quickly."

"And you chose to leave the comfort of the castle and come take a look for yourself."

"I didn't plan on doing so until I heard that the First King himself was inspecting the site. Are you really so desperate for supporters?"

"In terms of pure accomplishment," Kiske states with a fake smile. "People say I should be the Third King."

"Lines like that are why you keep making enemies." His façade fades. "What are the damages?"

"32 injured, and the sturdiest door in the castle kicked down."

"What was stolen."

"Nothing." They stop a few steps away from the guards inspecting the cell. "Nothing I could include in a report, at any rate. The culprit took something from Ariels. Whether that's a weapon, a power, or something else we should be afraid of, I couldn't say."

"It's as if we're cursed. How has it only been three weeks? Three weeks between the end of the war... and our culprit is deciding to shake things up again. What did you say her name was...?"

A third man's voice joins in the conversation. "I-No." Leo stands alone at the door, holding up a stack of papers. "If you're planning on becoming a detective, you chose one hell of a first case."

[Illyria Castle – Corridor]

Floors above the prison, the three Allied Kings walk down one of the castle's many corridors – the two in blue and purple leading the way. Daryl flips through the papers, skimming what information that's been gathered on I-No throughout the time since she appeared. "This is an extensive criminal record. If even half of these accusations are true, then ten life sentences wouldn't be enough. And she's a combat genius with the ability to move through time? It's no wonder the police in the military have thrown in the towel."

"Spare us the barbs and read, would you?" Leo slightly turns his head to the right, eyes focused on his colleague.

"Barbs?" Daryl does the same, looking back over his shoulder. "I like to think of them as staples, holding the pages together. Otherwise, it's an endless list of excuses for why I-No's running wild. But on that note, Leo... I do have one question about all of this. What is her goal?"

"All of our info's on those pages in your hand."

"She's the strongest performance criminal in history," Ky adds, his attention remaining forward. "Other than that, we don't know a thing. The fact we have something of a record is a feat in itself."

"Even where she came from?"

"We don't even know if I-No's her real name."

"Saves me the trouble of looking her up in the registry, at least."

"She's been known to work with the Gear Maker, though again, we can't say why. Or at least, she was working with him until recently."

"What makes this time any different?"

"She's never made a move this big before," Leo adds. "Not to brag, but I'm a video surveillance fiend. If I caught it on camera, I could track a flea to the end of the world. But I-No destroyed all the footage from last night."

"Of course, that's criminal behavior 101."

"Not for her. Usually, she wants the spotlight. But this time, she didn't want to be seen."

"She was hiding something. Which can only mean... She's got a sequel in the works."

Their walk stops to a halt.

"How grateful I am that we have your brain. But what is it about this that has you so rattled?"

"The timing. It's too close to the G4 Summit for this to be a coincidence. And we've got two troublemakers in play here: the Gear Maker and I-No. They may have different motives, but I can't imagine their actions are entirely unrelated. When two tornadoes collide, they create an even bigger storm."

"You're right. The timing couldn't be worse. We need to put an end to all this. Or rather... We need a tornado that can snuff out the other tornadoes. Or, at least another force of nature."

"Another?" Ky realizes who he's alluding to. "Daryl, you don't mean…."

"Sol Badguy is still a bounty hunter, is he not?"

"The man spent at least a hundred years trying to get his life back."

"It's not that I don't appreciate what he's gone through... But heroes are put on a different pedestal. We shower them with praise... because we expect them to risk their lives. By the way, where is Aria?"

"Out with Sol," Kiske answers. "They've been gone for two days."

"What!?" Whitefang interjected, stomping one of his feet. "She could've been here to help!"

"It wasn't my decision to say otherwise." He holds a hand up, prompting the other to calm down. "As strong as she is, I don't think she would've been able to stop I-No. If she knows what Jack-O knew, then maybe she could've warned us."

"One sacrificed themself so another could return. How tragic."

"Regardless of if the Gear Maker's Valentine is gone or not, I take it you two weren't asked."

Both weren't expecting the question, raising a brow in confusion. "About?"

The Third King held eye contact with his colleagues for a few seconds before speaking. "We didn't check to see if she possibly retained her powers."

"Possibly?"

"Did you consider they're either dormant, or Ms. Hale figured it out after leaving? At first, it lines up with grasping for straws. It's a thought Dr. Paradigm brought to my attention."

"That dragon's always going on about hypotheticals if he's not nagging me while I'm trying to do paperwork," Leo goes on an aside. "But he may have a point."

"Based on old records – if you can call them that – from when she was Justice, what elements she'd be able to use are," Daryl points to Leo first. "Fire," then to Ky. "And lightning."

"Runs in the family, I guess. Dizzy's inherited the fire from both of her parents."

"I dread she potentially has you-know-what… In the chance his hypothesis is correct, she's on the same scale as them. A walking nuke."

"Well, you're free to ask her when she gets here." Ky turns on his communicator. "I'm calling them back."

[Wasteland]

"Should I be worried that you, uh…" Aria pointed at her chest while looking at his wound, seeing Sol shook his head. "I see what Dizzy meant by this can get hectic now. What with you being stabbed and brushing it off like nothing."

"It's only your third day."

"Still! We've learned I can use two elements, hit them like baseballs, and Jack-O can temporarily come out. But I can't regenerate like you." She watched as the open wound closed itself, leaving behind a bloodstain on his shirt. "Nor do I want to get hurt in the process to find out. I think I'm going to throw up."

"I did have a regeneration factor too."

"I happened to pick an easy target with a hefty price tag?" She asked as she took a seat on the roadside barrier, watching him roll the target up in a tarp and securing it to the front of the motorcycle. "Kinda feels like we're in the Old West."

"Buy a lottery ticket. If anyone figured out who you were and that you're working with me, the bounty on your head would be up there."

"Be honest. How much do you think I'd be worth?"

He looked right at her and replied, "all the money in the world."

"Oh my god, are you blushing? ~ I can't believe this jackass is a smooth talker. Then again, this is who took you out for a fancy dinner date with a picturesque view three nights ago. And took a couple's photo with you at a museum because it was closing time."

"I thought you were friendly. I don't think he meant it entirely like that. I was humanity's worst enemy for the longest time, remember? The cost for what I've done could never be repaid."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm just messing with you. Don't beat yourself up for what you had no control over. ~ Well, there is one way repayment would be in full. But I don't think you're going to like what you hear."

"Keep it to yourself."

"Alrighty then. ~"

Aria picked up the Outrage, holding it against her as she pretended to underestimate the superweapon's specs. "Is this supposed to be heavy? It's as big as me!"

"Be careful with that. It's much more powerful than that staff of yours. And that's before I put batteries in the thing." It surprised him as she was able to hold it with ease after finding the grip. Just like him, she placed it to rest over her shoulder.

"Not even I know my full strength, so you might want to retract that statement." She stuck her tongue out at him. "I still have some Gear cell residue and whatever power Jack-O had."

He reclaimed his weapon from her hands, leaning it against the vehicle. Tightening the white ribbon around the handle, he recalled their practice. "You were holding back that night?"

"A little. Still adjusting to this new body."

"You have the other world's fate deciding seed, power to use fire and lightning, and the combined strength of a Gear and a Valentine. Not to mention one of what I listed off was accidentally discovered. You are a bipedal recipe for disaster."

"Just like you."

"Aaaagh! Stop it! I can feel the unresolved tension between you two!"

Having noticed her laugh, he had to ask if it was solely from her tendency to find her own jokes amusing or if her second voice had a comment. "Did she say something about this?"

"Something about unresolved tension."

"You think you can handle me now?"

"Please. Our first time, you thought you were going to hurt me."

"God! Get a damn room! Just turn me in already!" The immobile bandit was a sitting duck for a quick attack. Out of annoyance, Aria reached into her side pouch to take out her weapon and whacked them over the head. "YEOWCH!"

"Hey! Easy with that. Don't give him brain damage." A curious smile formed. "…What else can that do?"

"I found out I am flexible, so maybe -…."

"Oh, come on! You two are doing this on purpose! It's torture! If you two are going to flirt like this, at least take me off and put me in that backpack of yours!"

Their comms went active, with Ky's voice on the other end. "Sol. Aria. Can you hear me? Answer this call."

"What is it?"

"We need you two to come back to the castle."

"We'll be over as soon as we can." Shutting off her comm unit, she watched as he followed. Before he could say anything, she cut him off. "It's okay. It sounded urgent, so let's go."

[Area 42]

In a lush, open region populated with natural greenery, ruins remain scattered across the plain – an old stone temple is located high above the ground. Time passed from his assisted escape, the gunmetal-skinned man stood at the edge, stretching and breathing in the air. "Mm...! Do you smell that? Dust and plants everywhere."

"And, uh... you're happy about that?" I-No asks, seated on a rock a few feet away, with her right leg crossed over her left.

"You try spending all day locked in a windowless room. Then you'll get it. I was stuck in one for a hundred years." He turns around to look at his associate. "What'd you pull me out for, anyway? It's my fault you lost your power." He begins to move, hopping short distances without a single step atop the rocks. "You want it back, right? Look, I know it sounds cheesy, but..." Crouching – almost a kneel – in front of her, he looks through his blocky x-shaped shades. "It'll make you a god. Does that intrigue you?"

"Does it matter?"

"Sure does." He smirks, reaching into one of the holsters attached to his belt, swiftly firing a bullet. Round stopping right before her face, it's suspended in mid-air, falling after a second.

"Ah." She stares, lifting her right hand to mimic a slap. A restrained blast flings him aside, backward towards a nearby cliff. His body slams against it, upside down in a comical manner – arms above his head, legs bent at angles. She rises to cross the road, looking up at her handiwork. "That's an awfully personal question."

Unfazed, he continues. "There's a reason behind this world. Things only ever start to exist when there's a reason for them to. Even me. As long as you exist, you're needed. By something." Firearm remaining held, he "falls" off, landing on his feet and standing with his back to her. "I was wondering if, for me," he places the gun back in the holster. "That something was you."

"Fallen for me, have you?"

"Your power, at least." Out of the corner of his eye, he looks over his right.

"What else is there?"

"I realize this may sound a bit contradictory now, but I've never been big on the idea of fate. So even if we only know, I dunno, four percent of what makes up the universe..." He walks forward, continuing on the tangent while maintaining eye contact. "Discovering the remaining 96 percent doesn't really interest me. Neither does wealth, honor, influence... The most important thing for me..." the figure stops, holding his arms up and wide open. "Is drama. Tell me, what kind of story are you about to write for us?"

"The god who made me did so with a tequila in hand." She starts to walk further down the path. "If he could do that, I can do anything. But what I want is simple." Stopping, I-No raises her head to look at the sky. "A future."

"Well... That's interesting." He snaps his fingers, causing a crimson-colored convertible vehicle to manifest in the space between them. The passenger door raises as he bows with his left arm crossed. "Happy Chaos."

"Happy...?"

"My name." Chaos interrupts. "I heard that somewhere and decided to take that as my name. What I went by before doesn't apply to me. You're my boss. And I'm gonna be your sacrifice." He jumps in the driver's seat, starting the car. "Hop in. We're going for a joyride."

[Washington, D.C.]

Two military aircraft fly above the grand courtyard's flora towards the White House. Various government employees, from those in suits to armed guardsmen, walk along the paved pathways. "Avalon, this is Firefly 3. Special patrol, complete. Requesting permission to RTB."

A woman in the control center answers the pilot. "Avalon Clay, confirming. Firefly's patrol logged as complete. Return to base, Firefly." Her response prompts the pilots to continue past.

[White House – Corridor]

En route to the PEOC, Bartholomew, Kreutz, and Vernon are accompanied by three secret service agents and two armed guards as they head down the corridor. Holding a green file folder close to her, Erica leads the group past the numerous doors. "Mr. Asuka."

"Hm?"

"I won't ask you to walk with your eyes closed but try to save your curiosity for the guided tour."

"Oh, right..."

"I really don't mean to be so uptight, but this is a highly restricted area. Which is, to be fair, exactly what you asked for. The most difficult room in the world to enter." They stop before double doors. She faces him, a stern expression matching her professional nature. "Though I hope you don't expect five-star luxury."

As she reaches for the doorknob, a question's posed. "So it's just through this door?"

"No, that room's just a room... You could just open the door and walk right out for a coffee." She slides the handle upward, activating the hidden mechanism. Excluding the soldiers, the group begins their descent down a faintly lit elevator shaft.

A metal door lifts, revealing an Old World era shelter's hallway. The six of them stroll down, with Vernon quipping, "quite the antique, isn't it? The White House hasn't changed since the Crusades. It's got little shelters and hideaways all over the place.

"I'm rather used to this sort of environment." Memories of the project complex flow through his mind. He briefly reminisces – those walking with him disappear, replaced with a couple holding hands a few steps ahead. The two abruptly stop to avoid another researcher aimlessly rushing down the hall. After shouting "sorry!" and running off again, the woman brushes the narrowly avoided collision off, mentioning something about going out later that night.

Her partner jokes, "as long as someone else doesn't try to crash into us, then sure. Isn't there a new movie that you were looking forward to?"

"About the animals in the city?"

"That's not going to be out for another two months. What do you say we see the martial arts one?"

"Whoops, I forgot. Yeah, I meant to say that."

"Meanwhile, I don't even know what's safe to touch." They stop before a locked door. Vernon holds a hand to the bio scanner, bypassing the lock. It slides open, revealing the room behind. He and Erica enter, noticing Asuka hasn't moved, staring at the lock.

"Good. It hasn't changed..." He thinks to himself.

"Asuka."

"Coming!" Stepping forward, he takes in the pristinely furnished shelter. "This should suit me perfectly."

"Do you have many friends?" Erica catches him off guard. "I'm afraid that all private communication from this bunker is strictly forbidden.

"Signal blocking, I presume?"

"That's right. Communication's less 'forbidden' than it is impossible. This room uses 13th generation A.E.S. encryption – the highest standard of security in the universe. So, make your personal calls now, before your friends start to wonder where you've disappeared to."

"Oh, er, thank you... But... I don't believe that will be necessary. Even if I could call or refer to them as such, they've all left."

The three accompanying agents chatter amongst themselves. The one with glasses and a mustache comments, "he's awfully unassuming for the Devil."

To his right, the man wearing sunglasses responds. "Yeah, I'm almost disappointed, to be honest."

Asuka silently casts a spell, causing a slight rumble. A magical circle resembling those used for communication appears behind him. Vernon takes a step back, and the agents reach for their concealed weapons.

"What're you—"

"Don't panic," Asuka reassures those present. All communicators activate, remaining online for a few seconds. He dismisses the effect, turning off the devices. External alarms begin to sound off. "See?" Bartholomew glares at him, clenching her fist close to her chest. "S-Sorry..."

[White House – Garden]

A seven-foot-tall, heavy-set man walks out of a door, greeted by several others in suits. They stand in front of the President's personal vehicle, silent and statuesque, with their hands clasped in front of them. He stops to look at his wristwatch. "...What're they up to in there?"

[White House – Corridor]

"Chief, Secretary Dickinson has already arrived."

"That's why we're in such a hurry."

"Honestly, I'm not sure if this whole exercise is really worth our time." Agent Udo looks out the windows. "I mean, the Secretary's stronger than all of us agents combined."

"Yeah, and he's pissed off that we let the Gear Maker into the compound," Stryper responds. "Being late may cost us some trust, sure, but skipping this training would cost us our lives."

They stop in front of a door, with the blond reaching for the handle. "Tell that to Gio."

"Who do you think drove us here?"

[White House – Roof]

Thinking about the rough drive earlier in the day, Giovanna gazes at the sky. She lounges by laying back against Rei, using the wolf spirit as a backrest. "Who was that guy earlier…?" Rei licks the side of her face before nuzzling against her side, emitting a soft growl. "Yeah, you're right. He's not as important as what's going on now. Still, I wonder." She recalls the style of clothing he wore, paired with his weapon choice. "Ornate, flowy clothing, and a pair of war fans… is he Japanese?"

Her train of thought is disrupted by a man's voice. "Little early for moon watching, isn't it?"

She sits up, scooting down a few centimeters to look down from the edge. "It's too gloomy indoors."

"It'll get a lot gloomier if you piss off the secretary. Come on, you've got a training exercise to get to."

"Anything I do pisses Goldlewis off." Giovanna jumps off the roof, landing lightly on the ground. She begins walking towards the other two agents. "He's strong, but I can outrun him and that coffin of his."

Stryper folds his arms in response to what he deems unprofessionalism. "You used it as a sled and rode down a staircase one holiday season."

"Nothing was going on, and it's not my fault he left it unattended. Besides, the alien –"

"Doesn't he insist it isn't one?" Udo interrupts.

"U.M.A. or whatever he says it is. It likes when its home isn't swung around. You recommended me for the secret service, remember? I read the brief. I know what I'm doing."

"Oh? Did it say anything about paying you to take a nap?" Her eyes go to the pin on their jacket lapels. The design is of an upside-down pentagonal shape with a gold smiling cartoon star, with three smaller silver stars below it. Hers has the same design, minus the goofy addition. "You're so much stronger than the rest of us, yet you still haven't earned this badge. Why is that, Giovanna?"

"Because it looks incredibly stupid."

"I don't disagree," signs of a telltale smile emerge. "But don't go around saying that, got it? This was designed by the President himself."

"Did he design that ugly shirt, too?"

"Enough already, just prepare for your training. And button up your shirt dammit."

"But then how will I catch a good man?"

"It sure didn't work on me..." Rei growls, teeth visible as one side of her mouth remains open. She's close to biting him. "Agh! Keep that thing on a damn leash!"

"Nah." She holds back a laugh, slightly covering her mouth. "Funny how you're the only one she does this to."

[White House – Presidential Emergency Operations Center]

Two black leather couches, separated by a low coffee table, act as the seating for a conversation between the President and his (dis)honored guest. "Now, Asuka... I think I've got a good read on you. I've seen that you're a good man. The people who don't know you may say you're the Devil, but it doesn't seem like you're looking to cause trouble. That's why I opted to grant your request. But now that I've done so..." Vernon leans forward, clasping his hands. His expression hardens. "Mind telling me why you're really here?"

Unable to answer, Asuka glances around at those standing. Three agents are on the sides – two across, one to his right, where the Vice President stands behind her superior.

"You said that you wanted to protect the Tome." Erica breaks the silence. "Do you intend to remain within these walls forever? We aren't idiots. We realize that your "surrender" coincides with the G4 Summit. And you'll be right under the representatives from the four most powerful nations in the world. So what exactly do you intend to do?"

"Rather than protecting the Tome, per se... I want to erase it for mankind's history. It's been done before... Are you familiar with Project Tír na nÓg?"

She thinks about where she's heard the name before, remembering something. "Impossible. That's just an urban legend...!"

Vernon leans back and looks over at her. "Fill me in."

"...People say there's a massive strategic weapon hidden somewhere within the White House. But that's a completely unfounded rumor."

"As the former President, Ms. Bartholomew, you would know. It is indeed mere gossip. But what makes it a rumor of note... is that the truth is far more surprising." His statement gets their eyes to widen in fear and intrigue. Asuka stands, walking over to the nearby stone bust of a past President. "The Crusades may be over, but many sad relics of the era remain, lying dormant and undiscovered. Some of which are extremely dangerous. I consider it my duty to eliminate them all."

"And you intend to raise this issue at G4."

"The blame for the Crusades rest solely on my shoulders. I put humanity on the brink of extinction. There's very little difference between a good statue and an evil bystander." He gently brushes the bust's side. "For too long, I've chosen to avert my eyes. But if there are two things I truly need to erase from this world..." Holding up the text as mentioned earlier, there's an addition to the list. "They are the Tome of Origin... and Sol Badguy."