SZ:...before you ask…*points to black eye*about this...well, let's say Ragna's rather nettled about what's gonna happen with him in the chapter….mainly who he's gonna deal with
Ragna: *offscreen*I still don't like this!
Z0: Too bad...we are the writers...IE your boss's here!
SZ: And people have been hoping for a Ragna-focused chapter, so congrats! You get more screen time!
Ragna: But why her?!
SZ: Can't say! Spoilers!
Ragna: DAMN IT!
Z0: Too late...it's happening make peace with it.
Ragna: Grr…
SZ: Ahem. We own jack squat aside from original content, so begin the story! Z0...GT?
GT: *sporting a black eye and missing teeth* Allow me. *Pulls out the Annoying Orange* I love this guy and always wanted to do this.
SZ:...oh no. *slowly begins to back away*
Orange: Hey, Seanzilla! Hey, hey! Seanzilla! Hey!
SZ: WHAT?!...oh crud.
Orange: Backing up into TNT.
SZ:...*slowly looks to see the already lit dynamite*...OH SH-!
GT and Orange: *Laugh and the fuse reaches the TNT*
*BOOM!*
"Ahh…." Ragna gave a long yawn, resting the side of his face in his opened palm as he sat behind a desk.
Since becoming the sheriff of Undertown, the townspeople provided him with his own place to stay and work from...not that he had stayed in it much when chasing after various thugs and criminals, but since Celica 'moved' in, he's been staying around more...mostly because he can't say not to that stern glare of hers, especially if he goes out late...oh. The reason he's yawning isn't because he had a bad night's rest...no. Rather...it's been real slow lately in Undertown. No criminals...no con artists...no being called to action by Ben or one of his team mates...nothing.
"Somehow I feel you lied to me…" Bullet muttered, resting in a nearby chair as she wore a pair of blue jeans with the knees cut up a bit, "When I accepted the role as your deputy...I'd honestly expect more...action."
"Give me a break...it's been really slow lately," Ragna muttered, "Normally, Pencil neck has some scheme of the week, thugs cause a fight, and etc. But otherwise...this is a normal old job. This place isn't exactly a normal town, so only we are here to help when the Plumbers are busy."
"...I see," Bullet noted with a sigh, "So I had to change my pants for this…"
"Not my fault you did that challenge three times."
"You didn't specify how many times I had to take the challenge…" Bullet stated, "...They should've added more Carolina Reapers…"
"I still say you should go see a doctor...you know we have those in this world...and they aren't total lunatics either," Ragna muttered, "Cause...something has got to be wrong with your sense of taste…"
"I only like spicy food. It's the only kind that keeps me aware and ready," Bullet argued.
"Oi vey…" Ragna groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Seriously...I'd give anything to break this boredom…"
"Ragna, you have a letter from someone!" Celica's voice called out from the next room.
"If it's from Fistina again, t-"
"It's a case from someone...they wanted to remain anonymous."
"..." he jogged into the other room, "Let me see…"
"Here you go," Celica smiled as she handed him the letter, "They told me to let you open it and read it."
"...?" Ragna raised a brow before tearing the envelope open and read the letter inside while Celica sat at her secretary desk, "'Dear Mr Bloodedge, I've heard rather...interesting stories about you…' Already a red flag… 'and the feats that you have done and endured have piqued my interests...I wish to discuss with you face to face for an interesting case. Meet me at the empty lot located near the entrance to Undertown. Anonymous.'"
"...This sounds fishy," Bullet noted as she leaned against the doorway.
"Hmm?" Celica blinked at that, looking up from doing some paperwork, "What do you mean?"
"I don't trust it...but I'd still rather confront them if this is a set up," Ragna sighed.
"I'll come with...if not to keep an eye out for anything out of place," Bullet stated.
"Fine with me," Ragna muttered, walking over to a coat rack as he grabbed his red jacket and sword, "Celica, watch the place. We're probably gonna be gone for a while."
"Okay!" she smiled, "Have a safe trip!"
"I never do…" Ragna sighed as he and Bullet walked out.
"...It's quiet...too quiet…" Bullet frowned, standing in an empty lot with Ragna as they had their weapons ready, "Is this a plot that 'Pencilneck' you mentioned concocted?"
"Doesn't seem like him...He'd be gloating and dramatically calling out his plan as he sneaks out of his hiding spot," Ragna stated, "That...and I don't hear any clucking."
"He really seems to like that chicken…" Bullet muttered.
"My~" a voice spoke, making them jump, "I thought you reminded me of an annoying Fox I once knew...but to think you even have the annoying girl squire…"
"Squire?" Bullet repeated.
"Who...are you?" Ragna blinked.
"I'm sure Ben has told you about me, in his words, the annoying half naked magic lady who moved in across the street." at that, Ragna and Bullet blinked as someone appeared behind them, the two jumping to see Merlin floating there, "Greetings~"
"..." Bullet pointed at Merlin's short-shorts and then to her jeans.
"Not the time for arguing about the pants," Ragna deadpanned while keeping focused on Merlin.
"You are as interesting as I assumed. Though to be fair, I probed the minds of your friends to learn more about you," Merlin smiled, "Also yes...I'm in both of your heads right now...I agree her odd sense of taste is concerning…"
"...Tch…" Bullet growled a bit, ehr eye twitching as she aimed her opened palm at her, "It's part...of my uniform….!"
"Not now damn it!"
"I'm not here to fight, little one." Merlin pointed her finger as a flash went off.
"Huh?" Ragna blinked looking around before looking down, "NANI!?"
"Oh relax...she's just ten years old physically…" Merlin sighed.
"I don't like this!" Bullet snapped...her clothes having shrunk with her and her gauntlets missing.
"Would you rather I turn you into a lion cub?" Merlin offered.
"..."
"Okay...that...that's magic…" Ragna muttered.
"I'm Merlin...I practically invented what humans consider 'magic,'" Merlin smiled, floating down and picking up the now little Bullet, "Now who's going to be a good girl and let the Master of magic talk?"
"Mmmm…" Bullet fumed.
"...Kay, so you...wanted something with me?" Ragna asked.
"From… I want something from you," Merlin replied.
"What's that?"
"You have an artifact of magical significance that does not yet exist in this world. You're walking around with a paradox," she explained, "Also, I fear one day you're going to break it by punching something, Really Hard...and cause a big mess."
"..." Ragna slowly raised a brow before narrowing his eyes, "What about it?"
"It's a magical artifact of immense power. Why do I care? Because I have about 401 magical items of a fraction of or equal danger right here in my jacket." For emphasis, she began digging around the inside of her coat over her chest, drawing Ragna's eyes there unintentionally.
"...Hentai," Bullet deadpanned at Ragna.
"Here it is," Merlin produced a silver and purple bracelet she slapped on Bullet's hand before tossing her up and letting her revert to her proper age.
"What did you…?"
"Magical Item Number 174: the Peace Amulet...now...she can't be violent even if she really wanted to. It erases all traces of violence and hate from the wearer," Merlin explained as Bullet blinked in confusion.
"Wait, what?" Ragna blinked in equal confusion.
"Go on," Merlin offered, "A free punch for you on me, little girl."
"...I...oddly don't feel like fighting," Bullet blinked.
"EH?!" Ragna gawked.
"She only fights out of violent impulses, so she doesn't know how to fight with a calm serene heart," Merlin explained, "As long as she has that, she has no desire for violence. I've used this several times to help a friend of mine. It was rather complex, but it served him well to fight with calmness."
"...Oh please don't tell me you know a certain annoying vampire brat," Ragna whispered with a groan.
"...Oh dear boy...I can't…" she sighed, shaking her head, "All Women of magical power great and unimaginable know each other. We're like sisters...I'm just the eldest of them all. Why...she gave me the Spectacles of Eros to look after for her due to what happened with her two familiars."
"You better not touch me with those things, damn it!" Ragna barked in instant defense.
"I see my dear adopted sister has done some experiments of her own," Merlin smiled, "Big sister is proud. But don't worry, I have deemed those too dangerous and have put them back into my collection." she explained, "Now on to you and your dangerous magical item."
"...You mean the Azure Grimoire…" Ragna growled, grabbing his sword as he stood ready, "Sorry, lady...but this is something I can't part with."
"..." Merlin smiled and held her finger up...before pointing it down as Ragna was suddenly slammed into the ground as if gravity around him was amplified several times over, "You really do remind me of that stupid Fox...and not just because of the hair...the attitude is just as confrontational. All you need is a short buddy whom you always tie with in arm wrestling…" she giggled, "But you misunderstand me, boy. If I wanted to take the item from you...I could have just frozen you in time and ripped it away. I came to you in person to work out a way so that item doesn't cause untold destruction." she leaned down, "Now I'm going to let you up, but, hey look at me." she pulled his head up, "If you attack me, I will be as you humans say...Nettled. Blink if you understand?"
"..." Ragna, despite the immense gravity, clicked his tongue a bit as he blinked a bit.
"Good," Merlin smiled as the gravity returned to normal, "I say, there was no need to draw the weapon. My suggestion was you let me examine and study it. So I can build in...hmm...better safeguards." she walked away a bit, "I mean...you do know what happens if you lose control, right?"
"...I do…" Ragna frowned, making Bullet blink slightly in confusion, "And considering you brought it up...you know about the Black Beast then…"
"Well, I did just admit to reading your mind and several others you know deeply…" Merlin smirked teasingly, "But also, I am a master of temporal magic. I've skipped ahead to look out for bad things to try and prevent. But I never could stop that one...until I read your memories and found out what the trick there was...a Time Loop, go figure."
"So...you're just doubling down on making sure…" Ragna realized.
"You're a smarter boy then you let on. At least when it comes to this, because you are blind as a bat when it comes to women…" Merlin smiled.
"HEY!"
"Anyway, I want to put in a lot more magical seals...and limiters on that arm, to make sure nothing goes bad." Merlin explained, "It will be like adding it to my list without yanking your arm off. Though I could get you a better one. I know a guy."
"...Thanks...but…" Ragna began as he looked at his Azure Grimoire arm, "I know how dangerous this thing is...I can't consider its power my own. It's thanks to this I was able to survive this long...against Jin...against Hakumen...against them."
"...You refer to Yuuki Terumi and the Murakumo Unit known as Nu-13…" Merlin noted, earning a growl from Ragna, "Yes...those two are pretty prominent in your memories…"
"So then you get it…"
"I understand your reasonings well," Merlin nodded, "But the fact remains, you're carrying around a dangerous artifact. And...you've been treating it rather roughly. It's why you've survived many battles, yes. However, here you haven't needed to use it as much? You have more allies, people to rely on and work with. But that doesn't mean you didn't overuse it in the world before this one. It needs to be attuned, maintained, and restricted."
"..." Ragna said nothing as he continued to look at the covered core on the back of his hand, "...Yeah...I feel like I haven't used it as much, and honestly...I'm relieved...only times I have had to use it was against a berserk, Galvanic Mechamorph, and a mutated To'kustar, but…" he paused as he looked at his open palm, "I know he's out there somewhere...waiting for a chance to strike...I get what you want to do, lady, but…"
"But….?"
"...N-Nothing," Ragna shook his head, "If you think you can get this thing attuned or whatever without me risking turning into the Black Beast...or have it out too long where Seithr is affecting the entire area, then I say...give it a try."
"You're a lot more sensible. I'll give you that much," Merlin smiled, "That Dumb Fox jumped into hell without a second thought when I could have made a better plan. But you...you I like. I can see why one of my little sisters is...invested in you."
"Well, let's just say I trust my survival instincts at times...and you lady...you honestly scare me with how good you are," Ragna admitted, "If it were the old me...I'd probably get my ass kicked 100 fold…"
"Try a Thousand," Merlin smiled, "But you are smart. So I shall begin work on tuning your arm. Oh right. Bullet dear, give me back that bracelet. I don't want you losing your violence forever."
"Yes ma'am…" Bullet whispered as she slipped the bracelet off and handed it to her, blinking a few times after a moment, "...That was weird…"
"It must have felt relaxing. A moment of mental peace...you should try it more. Unlike me, you human girls do age," Merlin taunted, putting the bracelet back in her revealing jacket, "And unchecked rage makes it go faster…" she taunted even further.
"Rrrr…!"
'Well, that was fast,' Ragna mentally deadpanned.
"This one is cute. It's like a living bomb." Merlin taunted, petting Bullet's head.
"...SHINEI!"
*POOF!*
"REOW?!" Bullet exclaimed as she was now in the form of a small lion cub.
"There, much more adorable," Merlin smiled, picking her up, "Now who's gonna be a good little kitty?"
"Magic is scary…" Ragna muttered.
"You should see my actual combative spells," Merlin smiled, "I haven't fought for real in a few thousand years, but then again there's never been a need to. I always dump the work on a well meaning but stupid young hero with a sword…" she lingered on Ragna for a bit, "Ara...I think I'm doing it again."
Ragna snorted, "Depends on your definition of 'stupid.'"
"Oh trust me...you are stupid in a few crucial life catagories...do you even see how girls look at you?" Merlin asked.
"Huh?"
"Of course you don't," she sighed, "No wonder Rachel kept putting the Spectacles of Eros on you...you're dense."
"OI!"
"Reow…" Bullet deadpanned.
"You stay out of this! Also...change her back already, lady! That's my goddamn deputy!"
"Ah yes," Merlin dropped Bullet, who changed back mid-fall and landed on her butt as her normal self.
"I really don't like her…" Bullet growled, rubbing her behind.
"Get used to me, child. I'm here to stay, and I need hobbies," Merlin smiled.
"...I'm heading back to the station…" Bullet muttered as she got up and stomped off, "I'll inform Celica of what's happening."
"You just wanna avoid her, don't you?" Ranga questioned.
"Bite me."
"Hey now, be careful of who you say that to in Undertown. That's actually an offer for sex in some races," Ragna warned before sighing, "I am so glad Thrax warned me on that before I said it to this damn Piscis that would rob places and flee via the river."
"...Noted."
"Hmm...Should I make Thrax-san something to eat, or should I visit Pakmar and help with the store?" Celica pondered to herself, "Hmm...maybe I can ask Ragna once h-"
"I'm back."
"Oh?" Celica blinked as Bullet walked past her, "...Is everything okay?"
"Ragna saw this woman, and she kept using magic on me."
"Really?!" Celica gasped as she stood up, "Someone else knows magic here aside from Gwen-san?"
"Yes...and I already hate her."
"Why's that?"
"She's insane! And she kept transforming me into things! First into a ten year old...then into a lion cub...and she strapped this weird thing on my arm...that made me peaceful!"
"What's wrong with that?" Celica asked, tilting her head.
"...I'm going to rest up. You...you just let me know if anything comes up…" Bullet sighed as she stepped into the next room.
"Wait...but where's Ragna?"
"He's still talkin' with that crazy magic lady," Bullet replied with a snort.
"Oh~...Hopefully they're not too far then. I need to ask Ragna something," Celica stated.
"Fine fine. G…..wait...I think I recall a warning of not losing track of her," Bullet whispered, stopping just as she was about to plop down on the couch, "...SHIT!" she panicked as she rushed out...and saw no trace of Celica there, "...Aw crap."
"Mmm-hmm...Uh-huh...Oh, now that's quite interesting," Merlin mumbled to herself as she waved her open palms over the Azure Grimoire, fully exposed due to Ragna taking off his jacket.
"Yeah, yeah..." Ragna muttered as he was sitting down on the ground.
"Oh come now. Don't be like that," Merlin noted, "Even with all the years of battle you've been in, this Azure Grimoire certainly tells quite a tale of you being quite nice to it and of quite a lot of your battles against these...Murakumo units, I believe."
"...yeah...that much is right," Ragna sighed a bit, "And considering you've looked into my memories….you've seen how hard it is for me giving who they look like to me…"
"Do you ever intend to have that talk with that Noel girl?" Merlin asked, "You know that's why Jin is so mean to her…" she blinked, "Or rather was 'till my newest charge whipped him into shape."
"I know...just…" Ragna paused as he sighed once more, "It's just...too hard...knowing she's a clone of...her…" he scratched the back of his head with his real arm, "I mean, goddamn...everytime I see a guy talking to her, my mind goes into overdrive on how to break them in every way possible that I know of."
"It's sweet, siblings like their other siblings coming to their side." Merlin smiled, "Don't think of it too much. Personally...I always find the bigger the family, the happier you are...and the harder you fight to protect them."
"...But what if you can't protect them?" Ragna questioned, a pained look in his eyes, "What if you were forced to kill them...because they were ordered to kill you upon seeing you...to be created to kill the gods...I don't wanna kill them, but...I have to...to give them some form of peace...to make sure they don't suffer any pain again…"
"..." Merlin smiled before pinching Ragna's face suddenly.
"AH! OW OW!"
"That's sweet you take on so much pain, child." Merlin sighed, "But you're overthinking some aspects, and ignoring others. What you did was hard, and in that moment...you were not wrong. Unchecked they could have become dangerous, and many developed improperly. But what happened in the past is the past, you can't change it, and you shouldn't try. Ironic from me, but that's the truth. If you don't want to do that again, then fight harder, become stronger, so you can protect rather than destroy."
"...true..." Ragna sighed once she stopped pinching his cheeks, "I wanna try and become stronger...for when they arrive," he growled a bit.
"They?"
"The N.O.L...they're somewhere out there in this world...waiting for a moment to strike," Ragna stated, "And moment they show up….moment he shows up, anything good that's been happening to me….will be ripped away from me again...and I'm not letting that happen."
"...this Yuuki Terumi truly has affected you deeply," Merlin noted with a frown, 'No wonder Nine spoke so ill of him…I'll have to see what he even is before I can begin to think of how to help deal with him.'
"By the way...you done yet?" Ragna asked, deciding to change the mood a bit, "My deputy and assistant are probably wondering where I am."
"Right, well this will take a few more sessions to ensure nothing bad happens. As it stands, you should be able to release stronger bursts of energy, and the magical filters will diminish the chance of infection by up to...80 percent."
"80 percent?" Ragna blinked as he looked at his hand, "Huh...neat."
"That doesn't mean go using it a lot more though," she smiled.
"Oh I know. I know when to not get reckless with it," Ragna stated as he stood up, "My master beat that lesson into me quite a few times…"
"Hmm...a good teacher indeed." Merlin smiled.
"Now if you'll excuse me…" Ragna began as she stretched a bit, "Time to get back to the station...heh. Bullet's probably bored out of her mind at the moment."
"Grr…." Bullet growled, currently tied up in chains with Celica bound up in ropes.
"...I see several holes in this plan," Aoiro stated, standing near an overturned and burnt desk as Psyphon walked into the currently messed up and destroyed station office.
"Relax. I hired you for a reason," Psyphon assured with a grin, "The Grim Reaper will come for his little assistants, leading him right to my little trap. It helps his little assistant pratically walked right into us..."
"Yes...but this is th-" Aoiro began before a flash went off, "...Karai…"
"What?" Karai spoke as she put her phone away.
"What...did you just do?"
"Nothing."
"...you took a picture of the deputy, didn't you?"
"...noooooo…."
"..." Aoiro said nothing as she pulled her own phone out..and brought up a playlist.
"?! No...no please…!" Karai panicked as she began to pale, "Don't play that song!"
"Then delete the picture you took."
"There is no picture!" she snapped.
"..." Aoiro began raising the volume and held her finger over the play button.
"I...I swear! I don't have a picture!" Karai exclaimed nervously.
"Then what was that flash earlier?"
"..."
"..."
"No please d-" Karai began before Aoiro hit play...and Moonlight Densetsu started to play, "GYAAAAAAH~! SO GIRLY~!"
"Delete the picture and I'll stop," Aorio stated.
"FINE FINE I'LL DO IT YOU GOD DAMN SADIST!"
"Good," Aoiro smiled as she hit stop.
"...I thought the song was cute," Celica whispered.
"ENOUGH!" Psyphon declared as he picked up Celica, "You will remain silent and watch...as I put the Grim Reaper in his place…"
"But...we're in his place."
"..." Psyphon's eye began twitching.
"It's not wrong…" the other girls muttered.
"Shut up!" Psyphon snapped as he began to walk off, "You two...carry the deputy if you want your pay."
"We're not your goddamn slaves, you suck up," Karai muttered, picking her ear with her pinkie as she picked up Bullet and threw her over her shoulder...with her butt near her face, "And don't hold our pay hostage, or else I'm using your fin as a back scratcher!"
"Karai…" Aoiro spoke.
"What?! I got priorities!"
"You have my butt in your face," Bullet argued with a growl.
"Like I said, priorities….you'd be better with h-" Karai began before she froze up, seeing her sister about to hit play again, "...don't you fucking dare…"
"You are trying my patience…"
"...you never let me have any fun," Kairi pouted, moving Bullet around so she could carry her under her arm, "There..happy?"
"You need to learn some self-control…" Aorio sighed as she put her phone away.
"Bah…" Karai waved off, "...Seriously though this plan better be worth it...and it's not about the money..it's about...onii-sama."
"Eh?" Celica blinked, "Ragna-san has sisters? But...aren't you a little old to be using that term? You're practically grown women…"
"...it's...complicated…." Aoiro sighed as they began to walk away.
"...any reason you're still following me?" Ragna asked as he walked through the marketplace, not once turning to look at Merlin as she floated right behind him, "I thought you were heading back to your place."
"Oh but miss out on the fun?" she asked, "I don't think so. My ward and wielder of Excalibur is busy doing paperwork and other such boring things...I mean...I could bother her by floating around her office all day...but that got boring after she began bashing her head into her desk…"
"Then why not bother someone else then?"
"I would, but let's say some friends of hers are on a rather...busy schedule."
"Eh?" Ragna blinked at that, stopping to look at her, "The hell's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh nothing really~"
"...you're trolling me, aren't you?"
"You can be taught." Merlin smiled.
"Yeah well you're not the first one to annoy me…" Ragna muttered as he looked around for a moment, "...huh. No Tao...guess she's taking a cat nap…" he shrugged.
"Oh yes...that young Kaka Girl," Merlin noted, "From what I hear, there's gonna be a meeting soon between them and the Koko Clan's elders."
"Considering how so few there are for each side, it's probably best to end that crazy war of theirs...least that's what Tora told me," Ragna muttered.
"Oh? Not gonna question…"
"Lady you read my mind. It's easy to guess you know about them through me."
"Well you'd be right, but there is more to it then that." she mused.
"Yeah I had a feeling…" Ragna muttered, "What else do you know?"
"Well now that is a long list," she smiled, "Lets see...my spiritual little sister is a girl you know well, another is none other than Nine…"
"HAH!?"
"Shh…" she put a finger to her lip, "I know of your timeline...dimension...how best to call it. But either way, I know all about you and folks from your place of origin. I know secrets of those legendary heroes you'd never believe even if I told you."
'...ok. Now she's starting to scare me a bit,' Ragna thought, "...then you have some idea where other people from my timeline..di...ugh. Where I came from are…including a certain white-armored bastard..."
"Oh him?" she nodded, "He was a bit of a pain when he snuck up on me one day...so I froze him in time in the himalayas for a few months."
"...you...you froze him?" Ragna blinked in surprise, "...not gonna lie, but your magic is…" he began as he resumed walking and turned a corner….and saw what the state of the station was, "?!"
"It would seem some guests came to see you." Merlin raised her hand as things began returning to their original place, and repairing themselves.
"I...Grr…!" Ragna growled as he rushed inside, "Celica! Hotpants! Where are you?!" he called out, only to get silence in response. He began to look around before he noticed a note, "'Meet me at the pier if you want your assistant and deputy back, Grim Reaper. I have a surprise from you...Psyphon.'...I'm gonna reintroduce him to the very first threat I made to him….and go through with it."
"It seems they are barely three fourths of the way there." Merlin noted her eyes glowing as she looked ahead, "Celica keeps somehow getting them lost, and escaping their bindings...but following them regardless...and Bullet keeps biting this really angry and perverted one."
"Angry and perverted one?" Ragna repeated, '...why do I feel real worried about that one?' he thought before he shook it off, "N-nevermind. You said there's three-fourths away from the pier?"
"Correct."
"...Thanks," Ragna nodded as he quickly ran off.
"Sure you don't need…"
"No need! I know this city is high and low by now!"
"Hmm."
"Hmm….have you tried going right?" Celica asked.
"Yes….we did….several times," Psyphon muttered, his eye still twitching in annoyance as he and his group stood near a stone fountain.
"Are you sure? I think I saw a shortcut for the pier."
"YES I…!" Psyphon began before taking a deep breath, "No no...it's fine. It doesn't bother me...doesn't bother me at all…." he muttered as he and his group took a right turn...and still somehow ended up back at the stone fountain, "...it bothers me. It bothers me a lot!"
"Why are you asking her for directions…?" Aoiro asked with a sigh, "It's obvious she's getting us lost on purpose…"
"She isn't…" Bullet spoke, "She's honestly trying to help."
"Wait...so she doesn't have any sense of direction?" Karai raised a brow.
"Yes...it leads to...shenanigans…"
"How...how does she live?"
"We need to watch her...and Bloodedge even told me to leash her...I thought he was joking at first...but he was not." Bullet explained before sighing, "Oh how I wish he was joking…"
"...wow," Karai owlishly blinked at that.
"...grr…" Psyphon began to growl out in pure anger.
"You seem really stressed...maybe you should have yourself a personal day. Something t-" Celica began.
"ENOUGH!" Psyphon snapped as he held her up to his face, "You are to remain silent, or else I will rip your tongue from your mouth…"
"...wow. You really are cranky."
"Gh?! How...HOW ARE YOU NOT SCARED?!" Psyphon demanded, glaring at the girl, "I can literally end you right where you stand! I can vaporize you with but a thought...and yet you're not intimidated in the slightest!"
"Well...there's no need to have such a strong front on at all times," Celica argued, making Psyphon blink in confusion, "You want someone's approval, don't you?"
"I deserve no approval…" Psyphon growled at that, "I serve Lord Vilgax and keep his mission alive while he's busy!"
"And yet he never said a good thing about you, did he?" Celica asked out of concern and innocence, "Did you ever get anyone's approval?"
"..."
"...ooh...hitting home…" Karai whispered with a cringe.
"...I should end you right here and now…" Psyphon snarled dangerously, his eyes glowing as he tightened his grip on Celica.
"If he does...he'll regret it," Bullet whispered to herself, her arms fidgeting at the moment.
"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" Psyphon snapped as he turned to face her.
"I'm not the coward picking on an innocent girl," Bullet frowned.
"...Karai, drop her. I wish to send the Grim Reaper a m-" Psyphon began before a wall suddenly exploded, "?!"
"Oi, Pencil Neck."
"...ahh…..what timing…." Psyphon grinned as he turned towards the smoke cloud, which began to fade as it slowly revealed a glaring Ragna, "Welcome, Grim Reaper…"
"You got a lot of problems. My fist lodged up your nostril...is about to be one of them." Ragna replied as he cracked his knuckles single handedly, "So spill...why kidnap my assistant and deputy?"
"Well originally it was to lure you into a trap and torture you," Psyphon explained, handing Celica over to Aoiro as he began to pace around a bit, "But as we were heading to your office, one of my men who was secretly spying on you heard some rather...interesting information about you. Or to be specific..." he grinned as he pointed at Ragna's arm, "Your arm sporting this...what did you call it? The...oh yes. The Azure Grimoire…"
"...and what makes you think I do have it?" Ragna frowned, gripping the hilt of his sword.
"Because I finally know a weakness of yours…" Psyphon grinned, earning a raised brow from Ragna, "You see...during the few times my men have fought you and that assistant of yours is nearby, they noticed something...you seem to lose function to the side of your body sporting this Azure Grimoire when she's near…"
"?" Ragna blinked a few times and was honestly shocked that they noticed this, "...so what? Even if I am handicapped, I can still kick your ass here and back, Pencil Neck."
"My name is not….'Pencil Neck'…" Psyphon growled at that, "You will refer to me as Psyphon from this day forth, Grim Reaper…"
"...oh that is an angry little alien…" Merlin noted, appearing behind the girls.
"?!" Aoiro and Karai tensed as they quickly turned...to see nothing.
"...the fuck was that?" Karai whispered before blinknig, feeling her arm empty as she looked down, "...Where the fuck did the hostages go?!"
"?" Aoiro raised a brow before she noticed Celica was no longer in her possession, "...he must not have come alone…"
"If they only knew," Merlin whispered with a grin, floating on a nearby rooftop with Bullet and Celica sitting nearby.
"Grr…." Bullet's eye twitched as she glared at Merlin.
"Oh behave. You…" Merlin began as she turned, only to blink for a moment as she began to float over towards Celica, "Interesting..."
"Hmm?" Celica blinked.
'Konoe had shared with me some info about her sister...and yet it appears she hasn't aged a day. And looking back at Ragna's memories...she was declared dead after her church was burnt down,' Merlin thought as she looked at Celica, "You are an...interesting young girl."
"WHAT?!" Psyphon shouted in shock as he finally processed what happened.
"Magic is a pain, ain't it…" Ragna muttered.
"...n-nevermind! I finally have you here, so I'll have that arm of yours one way or another!" Psyphon snapped.
"Or what? Who are you gonna get to fight me?"
"Simple…" Psyphon whispered as he stepped back, "Aoiro, Karai...your pay."
"Wait, what?" Ragna blinked at that once he took notice of the two sisters, "..."
"..." Karai said nothing as she began to grow a toothy smile.
"...oh no…" Ragna whispered as memories began to return to him….bad memories.
"Oh yes!" Psyphon smirked, only to feel a tap on his shoulder to his left, "Huh?"
"Sorry, but...I already called dibs on the arm." Merlin smiled, appearing suddenly once again.
"What th-?!" Psyphon began before he was suddenly frozen in place.
"...not going to question, but…" Aoiro whispered as a soft smile grew on her face, "We're all alone at last...with no distractions from either side….Onii-sama~"
"SHIT!" Ragna cursed as he brought his sword out, "How are you two alive?! I...I had to…!"
"We know...and we got new bodies," Karai grinned...before she pounced at him, "FOR YOU, ONII-SAMA~!"
"Damn it, Beta no!" Ragna snapped as he kicked her away, "I…"
"Does it matter…!?" Aoiro shouted, losing her calm demeanor for a moment as her katana clashed with Ragna's blade, "Now we can settle our battle from last time, onii-sama!"
"Hmm…" Merlin muttered watching as she made Psyphon bend and knees down to act as a chair for her, "Interesting…"
"GH!" Ragna grunted as he skidded back, a claw mark on his jacket as he ducked under a slash from Karai's claws.
"Come on, Onii-sama! Fight back!" Karai cackled as she widely swung her claws at Ragna, "You claimed you can still fight handicapped, so the two of us should be enough to handle~!"
"If you want I could handle this one for you. As thanks for letting me indulge in my…" Merlin spoke up getting everyone's attention, "Selfish requests~"
"...just dont' rough her up too much…" Ragna stated before quickly blocking Aorio's slash, "I need to beat a lesson into their heads…!"
"Oh fine, I promise...no molecular rearranging...no disintegration and no soul rending." Merlin sighed, she then snapped her fingers as Karai suddenly shot to the left against her will and into Aorio sending them tumbling along the ground.
"...grr…" Karai growled out, her eyes becoming slit as black flames began to come off her, "Stay out of my way, you bitch!" she snapped, pushing Aorio off her as she charged at Merlin.
"...Hmm?" she tilted her head with a smile as she suddenly vanished and appeared about 15 feet to the left of Karai, "You're such an angry little girl. I suppose when you were made they flubbed up on the hypothalamus…"
"Shut up!" Karai snapped as she did an overhead kick at Merlin, who merely tilted her head as the waves of black flames slammed into a building, burning it to the ground until it was complete ash.
"Cute trick." Merlin appeared right behind Karai, pushing her chest up against the back of her head in the process.
"...you think giving me a boobhat's gonan stop me?" Karai asked with a grin, "Sorry lady...but I enjoy it."
"Hmph. What a lecherous young girl you are…" Merlin noted, "But wait...what do the people of this age say? Oh yes…I have a retort."
"Wh-?" Karai began before she was suddenly flung right into the stone fountain, breaking it upon impact, "AH CUNT!"
"Oh you are adorable..you think you're my equal. None of you are. If I wanted...I could wipe most of this area out. This...this is play fighting for me." Merlin explained.
"Grr...don't talk down to me!" Karai snapped as she burst out of the rubble and did a downward kick at Merlin.
"Stone Dragon," Merlin smiled as the rubble lifted and came to the form of a dragon's head made of stone as it slammed into Karai, blocking her attack and sending her flying back.
"...such powerful magic," Celica whispered in awe from her and Bullet's hiding spot.
"Gh!" Ragna grunted as he was sent flying back into a wall, narrowly ducking under an electrified slash from Aoiro's katana.
"Hold on! I-" Bullet began as she prepared to jump off the rooftop to join.
"GET BACK!" Ragna barked, making Bullet tense up and stop, "This is my fight…"
"Good...keep all distractions out, onii-sama…" Aoiro whispered with a smile, her katana covered in azure and silver electricity as she stared at him, "This way we can go all out...can tear one another asunder…"
"Grr...shut up!" Ragna shouted as he swung his sword, only for Aoiro to sidestep it as she kicked him back.
"Come on, onii-sama...this should be easy for you," Aoiro stated, a slight crazed look appearing in her eyes as she circled around him, "Recall that wound I gave you...you were handicapped then when I stabbed you with my blades."
"You're faltering, Mr. Bloodedge…" Merlin spoke, "Your past actions are in the past. From here on, the choices you make will guide and form the future you actually want."
"Try…" Ragna began as he got up, wincing as he held his disabled arm, "Telling the psycho sisters that…!" 'Shit...as long as Celica's here...I can't use the Azure Grimoire...I can't properly fight back.'
"..." Merlin raised her hands and swiped her fingers up, a magical barrier formed around Celica making her blink as she was surrounded by a forcefield, "There we go."
"Eh?" Ragna blinked before he quickly raised his Azure Grimoire arm up to block Aorio's punch, "...not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth, but..." he began before kicking Aoiro back, "I'll take it!"
"?!" Aoiro tensed as she was sent skidding back, "...good….this is the onii-sama we remember~"
"Let's see how the boy does." Merlin smiled as she floated back and sat down on the rubble, making some of it fall over to reveal Karai, "What do you think snappy? Think this will go over well?" she asked, patting her head gently.
"Grr…! Shut it, bitch!"
"Temper temper~" she put a familiar bracelet on Karai's wrist, "There...that should make you passive. No more violent emotions~"
"..." Karai blinked before leaning back against the rubble, "Meh...wish I had my guitar...could just chill at the moment…"
"Good girl...now stay back and watch the show," Merlin stated as she turned back to the fight between Ragna and Aoiro.
"Dead Spike!" Ragna roared as he swung upwards, sending the massive demonic dragons head right at Aoiro.
"Shiroryu ken…Haikai no..." Aoiro whispered, sheathing her katana as she stood in a Iai position as the dragon head came at her...before it was sliced by silver-white lighting, "Raikuha!"
"Ha!" Ragna roared, rushing forward and swinging with his sword, forcing Aorio to block. He then flipped his sword around as it extended and folded into scythe mode. He twisted his body and hooked the scythe around her sword, and with speed and power, swung her around before lifting his weapon up and slamming her down into the ground.
"Gah!" Aorio cried out before she quickly rolled out of the way and sheathed her sword once more, "Shiroryu ken….Ame no Ion!" she called out as she slashed the air multiple times, sending blades of electricity up into the air above ragna...before they broke apart and began to rain down miniature blades of electricity right at him.
"Gh!" Ragna grunted as he was pelted by the rain of electric blades, cutting his jacket up further as bits of blood came off his body.
"Come on, Onii-sama..use it! Aoiro called out as she stood ready, "The Azure Grimoire..I will not be denied this battle!"
"Damn it...listen!" Ragna grunted, forcing the pain back as he approached her, "This is a new world...you and the other one have been given a second chance at life! I dont' wanna kill you two a second time, Alpha!"
"...that is not my name…" Aoiro growled, her eyes becoming slite as electricity crackled off her, "I do not know what my true number is…but I do know this. I will win this time...to take vengeance for my sisters you've slain!" she roared as she got into the Iai position once more, "Shiroryu Ougi: Kyukyoku...Raigeki!" she roared out as she unsheathed, unleashing a mass cutting wave as it headed right towards Ragna, tearing up the ground as it did.
"I get you got a reason for wanting to do this, and I can't take back what I did in our old world...and you can't forget...and you don't have to forgive. But...for this world we got now, I'm going to fight...so shit like that...Never happens again!" he roared, using his sword to block the incoming cutting wave as it sent him crashing through a wall.
"You have no choice!" Aoiro snapped, "You know this is eventual...either me, Karai...or her..one of us Murakumo units must kill you..so that we may fuse to create the Black Beast…to destroy the false gods!"
"Mm...that's never going to happen." Merlin spoke, getting her attention, "I put in a lot of additions to your brother's arm. One of them I would happily dub a Consent filter. You sadly couldn't fuse with him even if he wanted to. I had to ensure my world doesn't fall apart."
"Da hell!?" Ragna shouted, getting up out of the rubble, "What else did you do?!"
"...nothing major."
"...I'm starting to reconsider every nice thing I said about you…" Ragna muttered.
"You should be happy...no more creepy bonding with your plethora of clone sisters…" Merlin muttered.
'Sisters?' Bullet thought upon hearing that, looking down at Ragna for a moment, '...Ragna the Bloodedge...just who are you..and what are you truly involved in…?'
"What do you mean?" Aoiro asked, "H-how could you possibly…"
"Oh right, I never introduced myself. I am Merlin. Yes, The Merlin, the one and the same you've probably seen in the disney movie that got everything factually wrong. For example...I am clearly not an old man...Well I am old...but I don't know almost 4,000 years old isn't much for what I am."
"..."
"As for you girls. You...Murakumo Units….I honestly pity...no. Feel sorry for you."
"...what?" Aoiro's eyes narrowed at that.
"You've all been denied purpose in your life...all you've been created for was to destroy these 'false gods' you declare…" Merlin stated in a serious tone, "You remind me of this one girl I dropped off...honestly she's a lot harder to help than I thought...truly these N.O.L people are ehorridly corrupt people, especially the Imperator if they've forced this lifestyle onto you..."
"...I no longer care for the N.O.L nor the Imperator," Aoiro growled, gripping the hilt of her sword as she glared at her, "I follow my own code...me and my sisters are mercenaries, but I see myself as a ronin...a masterless Samurai with one purpose now…" she paused as she turned to glare at Ragna, "To kill him...the man who slaughtered my sisters!"
"I suppose that's why I prefer people who accept sins as part of them." Merlin spoke, "True...something bad happened between your sisters and Ragna. But...he never tries to make an excuse...and instead accepts his actions. But he still did what he did for a better cause. I guess I just like people who don't bullshit."
"Heh heh...she said Bull," Karai snickered.
"...do not...deny me my vengeance…" Aoiro growled, "He may accept the guilt, but the end result is still the same…" she stated as she sheathed her sword, "And I will end him here and now...with it…" she whispered as she took a deep breath.
"?!" Ragna tensed up, feeling the atmosphere change up as an aura of azure and silver lightning began to surround Aoiro, "Shit...she's…"
"Murakumo Unit...awake!" Aoiro called out as a flash of lightning and thunder went off, sending nearly everyone skidding back with Celica wincing from the impact on the barrier. As the light settled, electricity crackled around the area as Aorio stood there...now garbed in something completely different.
She wore a jumpsuit similar to Lambda's, only it was a more deep azure color as she was decked out in silver-white armor, almost like that of dragon scales as it shown in the light. Her clawed gauntlets and greaves were dragonic in appearance as a metallic dragon tail swayed behind her, moving past the folded silver-white robotic wings that rested on her back. Her hair was done up into a ponytail as her eyes were covered in a visor much like Lambda's, only it resembled the jaws of a dragon with the 'eyes' within it were slit and azure in color. She then reached for her tail, which stood straight as she pulled it free, teh tail changing to resemble a pair of katanas, the blades taking on a pure silver as azure electricity cracked off them.
"Heh...hey...sis is going all out…" Karai noted with a slight grin, "Onii-sama...better be careful~"
"Well it s-" Merlin began before a flash went off, a cut suddenly appearing on her cheek, "?!"
"Stay out of this…" Aoiro whispered, glaring at Merlin for a moment as she looked at Ragna, "Now you...use the Azure Grimoire. Use its power to fight me!"
"?" Ragna turned to Merlin.
"You can still use it like before. I've just made it easier and less risky, if anything...I improved its output." she explained, "All that energy that leaked out before and was wasted, is now focused."
"...so...you want me to go all out then…" Ragna whispered, looking back at Aoiro as a serious look appeared in his eyes, "Fine….dont' say I didn't warn you," he stated, holding his fist up as the core opened, "Restriction Code 666 release...Interdimensional Forcefield deployed! Blazblue..." he began with a roar as the black and red energy began to flow off him before it condensed on his Azure Grimoire and transformed it into its demonic limb state, "Activate!"
"...good…" Aoiro frowned as she stood ready, "I want you at your best….so that I may end you, Onii...no. Ragna the Bloodedge."
"Fine…" Ragna whispered, moving his head around as he cracked his neck, "Bring it…"
Silence befell tha area as the two stood ready, staring at one another as they waited for one to move, gripping the grips of their swords. Suddenly the two clashed their swords striking one another as the sparks were so bright and the impact so loud it was more apt to say it was like the flash of lightning and clap of thunder.
Ragna roared as he pushed and sent Aoiro stumbling back. He continued on, swinging and forcing her to block each and every time. After one block, she twisted her body as she spun quickly in place in the air, unleashing a twin pair of cutting waves that sent Ragna skidding back.
Ragna grunted and stabbed his sword into the ground to stop himself. He quickly pushed forward and sent himself rocketing at Aoiro as he swung and knocked her down and across the ground. Merlin sighed as she held hand up forming a barrier that bounced her off and flew back towards Ragna.
Aoiro's 'eyes' narrowed within her visor before she moved one of her swords around, getting it into a reverse grip as she spun her body around midair until she was a silver-white and azure colored electrified tornado and slammed right into Ragna, making him grunt as he felt the blades cutting into his skin, letting some blood loose.
"Gh…" he grunted before raising his transformed arm and punched Aoiro, sending her slamming into the ground. Before she could even get up, Ragna grabbed her with his transform arm, the shadows around them spreading out as tendrils of darkness rose up and back to stab into her, "Devoured by Darkness!"
"GH!" Aoiro grunted out in pain before Ragna threw her, sending her tumbling along the ground before repositioned herself, "Electron…" she whispered as she reeled her swords back, electricity crackling off her before she spun at high speed, unleashing a large tornado of wind and electricity at Ragna, "Tatsumaki!"
"I am getting real sick and tired of having to deal with this…" Ragna groaned as he held his hand out and stopped the attack, "You're here now...why can't you just try and have your own god damn life?! 'Cause that's all I want here!" the black and red energy of his arm began surging and blasting from his elbow, as if to propel his arm forward and force the attack back even more, "I will live with the things I've done...and I'll strive to be a good person here, worthy of the peace these people give me! Why don't you try and find something else to do...other than cause problems for everyone! Ah...but even then...as your brother it's my job to clean up your mess isn't it!" he gripped his hand into a fist as he punched and negated Aoiro's attack, his fist continuing on and striking her, "BUT KNOCK IT OFF YOU STUPID BRAT!"
"Gah!" Aoiro cried out as she was sent staggering back with each punch, her visor cracking a bit each time, "...u...urusei….urusei! URUSEI!" she roared as she knocked his fist away and slashed him across the chest, letting more blood fly as she rapidly slashed at him, "URUSEIURUSEIURUSEIURUSEIURUSEIURUSEI!"
"She's completely lost it…" Bullet whispered.
"What a reckless boy…" Merlin noted.
"...Ragna…" Celica whispered in worry, her hands against the barrier as she watched the two clash their blades.
"...a different...way of life?" Karai spoke, blinking a bit in slight confusion, "But...how? All we know...is to fight."
"Well then...find something better to fight for." Merlin smiled.
"Eh?" Karai blinked at that.
"I knew a lot of idiots who could only fight." Merlin smiled, "They had a lot of the same issues as you and your sister. All it takes is finding something better to fight for. And you can claim so much more for yourself."
"...so much more…"
"You were created to be machines of war...to kill the gods from what I understand," Merlin continued as she floated around her, "But who cares what you were made for? You can become something, anything, you just have to make your own choices."
"...even if we're mercenaries?" Karai asked
"I was a mercenary." Merlin argued.
"We were created using the souls of people," Karai argued back.
"Yes..and I loath the person who came up with such a ghastly method," Merlin scowled, "But...you're alive now aren't you?" she argued, "I mean...two of your sisters seem to be living a good life right now? Why not join this happy weird world?"
"...it's not that simple for us," Karai whispered, sitting down as she hugged her knees, "Even before and after we died...we've killed so many. All we know is to fight..to kill...to take orders."
"..." Merlin flicked her head making her fall over, "Kids like you are such an annoying broken record…I'm not repeating myself time and time again, if you've sinned...then own up to your sins. Accept you have made mistakes, but that doesn't mean you can't work to be better for others."
"...you said...two of our sisters seem to be living a good life, right?"
"Yes...and I bet you know who one of them truly is," Merlin stated, "The one known as Noel Vermillion...from what I've seen in that young man's memories, so far only 13 Murakumo units were created...and she's one of hte last three that was created."
"?!" Karai tensed up at that, "...wait...then...she's…"
"Yes."
"...Mmm…" Karai frowned a bit as she stood up a bit..and held her arm up, "Mind taking this off? I...may need to go my own separate way."
"?!" Aorio tensed up at that, stopping in her clash with Ragna as she floated up and hovered over to her sister, "What? K...Karai?"
"I admit sis...I like men and girls, I like to rock..I like to mess with my opponents and cut them up, but….honestly. I'm starting to grow….bored of it," Karai admitted with a sigh.
"?! You….bored? Of fighting?!" Aoiro asked incredulously.
"Surely you must feel it as well." Merlin spoke up, "You must be tired of all this asinine rinse and repeat of a flawed idea. Just because it's all you knew doesn't mean it's all you have."
"...But you don't understand…!" Aoiro growled, glaring over at Merlin next, "I have a code I must follow...I need to avenge my fallen sisters...to keep a promise I made to one!"
"...Hmm...but you do realize...you're all yanked from different points in time, right?" Merlin pointed out. She waited a minute, "Oh...you didn't realize that? No...Honey...you never died. You just have memories of the timeline where you did."
"Wait what?" Karai blinked as Aoiro tensed up.
"Oh...kids...no grasp of how time travel works…" Merlin sighed, "Ragna...I think I can handle them from here...unless you want to indulge your right as the eldest sibling to spank them for causing trouble?"
"Sexy magic lady says what?" Karai interrupted.
"Oh...I've been tracking...girls like you ALL over the planet." Merlin explained, "Ragna comes from a point in time where he did all those things. But...if he killed you...how would you be alive here...and younger?" she pointed out, "Your unique genetic structure just means when you travel through time, your brains backlog other timelines. But...I counted much more than 5 girls like you…" she mused, "I forget...you're just children."
"...Don't...don't you dare…!" Aoiro growled out, electricity crackling off her as a symbol faintly began to appear behind her, "Don't you dare give me hope…!"
"..." Merlin snapped her fingers as the symbol suddenly faded, "Don't...interrupt me...ever," she said as her voice became deeper for a moment, "I don't deal in hope. I am a scientist, a researcher, my studies are never wrong. Bad results...oh often, but false...never."
"Wait...can you say no to other people's magic?!" Ragna snapped as he powered down.
"Yes," Merlin smiled, "It's one of my many spells."
"...okay. You really scare me lady," Ragna admitted.
"SAME!" Bullet exclaimed out of both anger and fear...mostly fear as she realized Merlin could probably...and permanently turn her into something.
"Anyway…" Merlin began as Aoiro just floated there, looking at the woman in disbelief, "Oh she broke...other one, slap your sister. I need her to be awake." she spoke to Karai.
"...kay," Karai shrugged, walking over to Aoiro before smacking her in the face….REALLY hard.
"Gah! Karai…!"
"Oh that felt cathartic in so many ways~" Karai grinned deviously as she walked away, "Continue, sexy magic woman."
"Anyway, I'm not telling you this to give you hope." Merlin spoke, "I'm not that nice...or even giving. If anything...I like to correct the stupid. With some...it's easier," she turned to Karai.
"Eh. I like to fight, but honestly this merc work has been getting dull," Karai shrugged, "Don't get me wrong..I'll still get drunk, rock out, and cop a feel now and again...just...I dunno. I might go out and search for myself out in the open world...if it grows boring to me...eh. Might go back to being a merc. If something catches my interest...eh. Who knows…"
"..."
"I know I know. It might suddenly feel like a 'cop out to my character arc' or whatever," Karai snorted as she looked away.
"Hmm...maybe I left that bracelet on too long." Merlin muttered, "It seems it's had a permanent effect on her wisdom…"
"Wait...so this thing made me smart?" Karai blinked as she looked at it, "...I don't like it...this is too much info….oh my god how do you deal with this calmness, sis?! Its...its torture!"
"..." Merlin removed the bracelet, making Karai gasp out as she fell to her knees.
"Oh my god...I can feel the rock returning to my soul!" Karai declared as she did an air guitar rift.
"...so….that's it...my revenge...is meaningless now…" Aoiro whispered as she floated onto the rooftop, dismissing her armor as she looked down, "My goal...my purpose...my code...What am I supposed to do now…?"
"Dark one...slap White one again." Merlin ordered.
"Kay."
*SLAP!*
"Ite!"
"Seriously sis you're supposed to be the calm one...not the moody grumpy one," Karai argued, "No that was Gamma kinda...man she loved to be critical of her food…"
"..."
"But the point is sis...this...just stop it," Karai stated, motioning to Aoiro a bit, "Stop with this..moodiness and take your own sabbatical…Not saying we might turn good, or we might still end up being bad. Personally...I'd rather find myself in the middle...a centrist if you will."
"..."
"...sis?" Karai blinked, lightly nudging Aoiro a bit, "...uh...sis. You're starting to scare me. Did...did you come to an ephin…"
"Silence…" Aoiro whispered, making Karai tense up as she felt the tone her sister had...promised death.
"Hmm?" Merlin raised a brow.
"It is adorable, sorceress….you think you can save these two…" 'Aoiro' whispered, her body becoming limp as she rose her head up, her eyes glazed over as they were void of any life...as if she was possessed by something...someone, "No...as long as they exist...they cannot defy fate...cannot defy my goals…cannot defy my will…"
"...hold it…" Ragna spoke up, jumping up to the rooftop as he glared at 'Aoiro', "You're them, aren't you?...The imperator of the N.O.L?"
"Yes...I am speaking through this puppet…" 'Aoiro' stated as she tilted her head slightly, "I did not expect these two Murakumo Units to survive...but it is good regardless. With three...I can decide which will become Kusanagi...the god slaying sword."
"?!" Ragna tensed up at that, "...damn it let her go!"
"No...she belongs to me…" 'Aoiro' stated, as Bullet charged right at her from behind...only to gasp out as her shoulder was slice up, making her cry out in pain as she collapsed as blood spilt from the wound, "...insolent child...do not mock a god…" she whispered, turning towards Bullet for a moment before looking at Celica, "...soka...that is what the daughter of the two heroes is planning...but…" she began before she jumped back from a blast from Merlin, "...you dare to strike at me, mage?"
"Oh you poor misinformed little girl…" Merlin sighed, "You act like your plans will amount to anything still. However..." she paused as her eyes narrowed, "I know a threat when I see it…"
"...the great Merlin, the 'father' of all magic…" 'Aoiro' noted with a slight unsettling smile, "It is funny...even in our original time, magic still subjects to my will...not even your magic is above my own…"
"..heh...h-hey sis. Stop...talking all funny…" Karai nervously chuckled, "You...you're starting to scare me."
"..did I say you could speak?" 'Aoiro' spoke coldly.
"Wh-" Karai began before she tensed up, a burning sensation in her head as she began to cry out in pain, "GAAAAAH!"
"OI! STOP IT!" Ragna snapped as Karai fell to her knees, holding her head in pain.
"G...get out of my head! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
"Then swear your fealty to me once more," 'Aoiro' ordered, gazing down at Karai, "Only then..shall I make the pain stop."
"No...I...no...this….I…"
"Will never be free of me…" 'Aoiro' stated as Karai's screams of pain echoed throughout the entire area, "Now...who do you serve?"
"I...I…"
"How cruel…" Celica whispered, holding her hands over her mouth as she looked on in horror.
"I…" Karai began as she managed to stand up, "Serve...no….no….!"
"Hmm?"
"GAH! I….serve…..serve….!" Karai grunted, trying to force the pain back as she glared at her 'sister', "Serve…..serve…!" she shouted out as she rushed at Aoiro for a punch...only to stop just as her fist was about to connect with her face.
"...truly...pathetic," 'Aoiro' shook her head, looking to see Karai's eyes were blank as she hung her head, "You are a lost cause...mayhaps I will have Relius or Terumi discard of this day…"
"You…!" Ragna began, about to run right towards her before he ended up crashing into something invisible.
"Be lucky my magic is limited through this body…" 'Aoiro' stated, holding her arm out at Ragna, "Otherwise you'd be dead where you stand...Ragna the Bloodedge."
"Oi...can't you do something?" Ragna grunted to Merlin.
"So you want me to save them?" Merlin asked in interest.
"YES! Anything!"
"I would...but it seems there is a powerful curse on their bodies...one a friend told me of...the Mind Eater's Curse."
"?!"
"Hmph...so you've noticed," 'Aoiro' noted.
"Yes...and the young ward I'm looking over has been inflicted by this curse as well by one point…" Merlin stated, here gaze not once leaving the possessed silver-white haired woman as she frowned at her, "But I've also had time to properly examine it thanks to that." she sighed, "The process of...fixing it is long, and will require me to make more room in my basement."
"You...can't be serious…" Ragna muttered.
"..." Merlin smirked.
"Oh you are serious…"
"...and what makes you think I will let you have both?" 'Aoiro' asked with a grin, "Even if I lose one...two will be enough…"
"And what makes you think I won't let you take either?" Merlin asked with a smile.
"Because I have something that could destroy this entire city within a mere few seconds," 'Aoiro' stated, "The Incurseans claimed they could control it...but no...only someone like I can…"
"...what are you talking about?" Ragna demanded, "What has the power t-" he began before it dawned on him, "...shit."
"Hmm?"
"Rachel mentioned it once...a Nox Nyctores dangerous enough to wipe out entire mountains.." Ragna explained to Merlin, "But it was too dangerous...so much it had to be sealed in a special container...one that was sent to space."
"Gigant; Take Mikazuchi…" 'Aoiro' spoke up as she tilted her head to the side, "So choose, mage...Ragna the Bloodedge...which of these two will save...and which will you go?"
"Tch…"
"Decide fast…" she stated, turning to gaze at Bullet for a moment as she laid in a small puddle of blood, "She is losing blood rather quickly…"
"...Freeze." Merlin spoke as time froze around her, "Oh this won't end anytime soon little one. You can't outlast me...you think you have an answer to it all, but I am Merlin. I've been studying, creating, and perfecting magic for almost 4,000 years. And you think you...You? Have something to stump me...that...is adorable. You lost the moment I decided to side with these strange little brats. If you think your curse is so strong...let's see it stand up to the power of Infinity."
"Infinity?" Ragna blinked.
"That is my magic, Infinity. It never ends, it grows. The more I use my spells the stronger they get over time...and never run out of mana...they only end when I say they end. You've overestimated yourself child, you...picked the wrong fight, with the wrong witch."
"...just...know this…" 'Aoiro' whispered, making Merlin blink in slight surprise as she seemed to be moving a bit, "You've sealed your fate in the incoming war...for control...for the Master...Unit…' she whispered before she fell to the floor.
"Oh that thing again…" Merlin noted as she made time move again...or rather backwards, damage around them undoing itself.
"...wh...what?" Bullet whispered, blinking in surprise as she managed to sit up and look at where her wound was, "It...it's healed…"
"More like it never happened." Merlin smiled, "And now...it's like nothing happened."
"Ugh…." Karai and Aoiro groaned out as they laid on the ground, completely unconscious at the moment.
"...will...they really be okay?" Celcia asked once Merlin dropped the barrier, causing Ragna to grunt as his side with the Azure Grimoire went numb once more, "Mentallty I mean.."
"Hmm?" Merlin raised a brow as she looked at Celica.
"My sister...she told me how dangerous the Mind Eater's Curse is," she explained as she looked down at Karai and Aoiro, "It was forbidden for a reason...mostly due to how it can mentally damage someone's psyche or worst...they say it also eats away at ones memories, leaving that person as a emotionless puppet…"
"Yes, that is what I noticed." Merlin noted, "I've made a spell that feeds the curse...feeds it so much it dies. I tested it out already. Countering curses is fun for me...cause I love to demolish absolute magic."
"..."
"However...now I see the threat that is incoming," Merlin sighed as she floated over to the two unconscious siblings, "Even if it was weakened through a puppet, her magic truly is incredible...if left unchecked, she could truly prove to be a rather...uncomfortable nuisance."
"Is that your way of saying you're still stronger?" Ragna asked.
"You can be taught," Merlin smirked, "But I do mean it...I'll try and keep you all updated if she ever rears her head, because at the moment...I can't even tell where she is."
"Wait...you can't?" Ragna and Bullet blinked.
"Honestly no. It seems there's some sort of spell blocking even my detection," Merlin admitted, "I'll figure something out. I always do." she turned to the sleeping duo who caused them so much trouble today, "Right. These two," she lifted them up while placing her hands to their heads, "Hmmm...hm? Hmm!" she hummed to herself as her hands flashed and she dropped them.
"...What are you doing?" Ragna cautiously asked.
"I used my anti-curse to make it so they can walk around, talk, think. All that normal jazz without going crazy. It'll take time for it to overpower the whole thing though." Merlin explained, "But 'till then, they have basic motor functions. Well...some actions might take a while to fully get back…they might forget to breathe once or twice..."
"...So that's it? Conflict...over?" Ragna asked.
"For today, yes. For now...take care of these two until they're good enough to roam around," Merlin stated as she moved away from Ragna and the girls, "Then once they heal up enough...send them someplace nice so they can find out what to do with their lives. Who knows...they may prove vital to this incoming war this 'Imperator' mentioned."
"...It's the least we can do," Celica spoke, kneeling down next to Aoiro and Karai as she placed a hand on their foreheads, "After what they've been through...they deserve some moments rest…"
"...As long as that one stays far away from me," Bullet muttered, stepping away from Karai as she glared down at her.
"Bullet-san…"
"I don't like her…"
"So...you can just...undo all the stuff that made our old lives...hell…" Ragna sighed, looking at Merlin.
"I like to research. That leads to answers, sometimes helpful ones." she smiled.
'...Great...Two more mouths to feed...and I'm barely making enough as is from the mayor's office…' Ragna mentally groaned, '...but...these two technically are Noel's sisters...clones of Saya…May as well help them on the road to redemption at least...or hopefully some form of normalcy where they won't try to murder me.'
"If you need money, I have worked on a method of turning lead to gold." Merlin smiled.
"...What's the catch?" Ragna asked, "I know how this goes: you offer me money, but there's a catch behind it...and I bet that catch involves my arm."
"Oh no...you already promised help with that," Merlin reminded, "I'm being a benefactor to those who will best be suited to protect this world. Sadly, my old band of heroic idiots have succumbed to time. I used to have a hulking unstoppable force of the sun, a demon midget, a fairy king, a Giant Woman~, a living magical android, and an immortal thief who badly needed better manners." she looked over Ragna, "...Too tall to replace my Demon Midget...but you remind me a lot of that thief…"
"Oi, oi…" Ragna muttered in annoyance...mostly at the 'demon midget' thing.
"What? ...He really was short. A perverted little jerk...though he had an oddly sweet relationship...oh Ben...Ben can replace my demon midget! Aside from that little metal golem that wants to be a knight, he's the shortest of all you boys," Merlin smiled.
"The hell are you on about, lady?!" Ragna snapped.
"Oh not much. Just...reminiscing," Merlin stated as she began to float up, "So I'll just leave you to the rest of your day."
"Wait...you're not gonna help…!"
"Bye~" Merlin waved as she vanished within a flash of light.
"...I...I'm just about done with this day," Bullet sighed as she picked Aoiro up.
"I...couldn't agree more." Ragna sighed, grabbing Karai's leg as he began dragging her, "Hey! What happened to Pencil Neck? Did he die?"
"No. He's free...just hiding...I think," Celica noted, poking out the side of the roof to see Psyphon hiding in a barrel.
"Oh...no skin off my nose then," Ragna shrugged as he and Bullet hopped off the rooftop, Celica jumping off and landing on Ragna's shoulders, "?!"
"..."
"...Don't you read into it," Ragna deadpanned at Bullet.
"I didn't say anything."
"You're thinking it." Ragna argued.
"Oi…" Bullet rolled her eyes as the two began to walk off, "...I'm just saying you might be spoiling her."
"Just 'cause I'm not nice to you," he muttered.
"She's the only one you're ever nice to…"
"Maybe if you weren't such a bitch all the time…"
"Oh don't start this again…!" Bullet groaned.
"Now now...no need to fight you two," Celica spoke up...though in her mind, she seemed to be troubled by something, 'She said she knew someone...and was just as strong, if not stronger than sis was...does...does she know her?'
'Wh….what….is he?' Psyphon thought, peeking out of his hiding spot as he looked at Ragna, 'That….that is no human...that...that is a demon...and this Azure Grimoire...such power...I...I need to warn Lord Vilgax of this!'
"Ugh….what….a day…" Ragna groaned, sitting back in his chair back at the station….which was still in ruins and pieces from the attack earlier.
"The office is still destroyed…" Bullet argued.
"That's fine. Looks like the temp cells are still intact, so no worries about where we're gonna put the crooks in while we wait to hand them over to the Plumbers," Ragna noted.
"The magic woman could have fixed this, too…" Bullet mumbled.
"Magic doesn't solve every problem," Ragna snorted, "Plus, this is a good way to teach you how to fix things ya break in the office."
"Grr…"
"Hey, it's part of the job down here," Ragna shrugged.
"Oh, that reminds me!" Celica recalled, "Ragna-san, Pakmar-san called before Pencil Neck-san and those two came. His food truck is broken down again and thinks it's engine trouble again."
"The usual pay?"
"Yep," Celica replied.
"Right," Ragna pulled out a paper as Celica put a pen in his mouth and let him write on the paper before giving it to Bullet and Celica removed the pen, "Get those from Ge'orge's shop down the street while I deal with Pakmar's truck. I'll be back with lunch and dinner."
"...ugh. Fair...I'm hungry anyways…" Bullet sighed as she stood up.
"Also try not to lose Celcia, Bullet….again."
"Mmm...I can get around just fine," Celica pouted.
"...Keep the leash on standby." Ragna sighed.
"Got it covered," Bullet sighed, already having a leash and a collar out.
"Mmm~" Celica puffed her cheeks out at that, "...Oh! Are you gonna pick up anything for Aoi-san and Kara-san?"
"Hmm?" Ragna raised a brow at that, "...oh. You mean those two sisters...wait. Why call them that?"
"I figure they could use some cute nicknames," Celica smiled a bit.
"...Right...Yeah, I'll do that," Ragna replied, "And we don't do the collar. Not after the first time and the raised eyebrows and the questions. There's a loop on the back of her shirts."
"...You could've told me that beforehand," Bullet muttered as she discarded the collar.
"You gotta adapt fast. Folks down here are quick to think stupid stuff…" Ragna sighed.
"Ugh...duly noted. Okay, Celica, l-" Bullet began, moving the leash up before she noticed….Celica was no longer in the room, "..."
"...We took our eyes off her, didn't we?" Ragna asked.
"Yes…"
"Goddamn it…" Ragna sighed, "Alright...Code White...let's go."
"Affirmative," Bullet nodded before the two rushed out.
"CELICA!"
"Ahh...what a day," Merlin yawned as she walked into a darkened room, rubbing her eyes slightly, "Quite the interesting finds…"
"Hmm...Welcome home, Merlin…"
"...Konoe," she smiled a bit as she snapped her fingers, turning the lights on to see Nine sitting in a cushioned chair with various books around her, "You could have called. This place is a complete mess. I have been examining this thing called 'pop culture' like crazy. They get magic so wrong sometimes," she chuckled before flicking her finger as a manga volume floated into her hands, "But some are rather interesting," she looked up at Nine again, "How has your time been? Have you found your ever elusive lover? How does he get lost so often? Actually I just got done studying his boy. He has a good eye for potential."
"So I've heard…" Nine answered as she closed the current book she was reading, "As for my search...yes. He is as elusive as ever...but I will find him, of course. As for my little trip around the world...it has been an interesting journey."
"Are you still going through with your plan?"
"...Perhaps…" Nine whispered as she stood up, raising a finger as her hat floated right over to her, "Good thing I have a contingency plan…"
"You mean your little...apprentice, correct?" Merlin smiled.
"In a way. Perhaps thinking of visiting her as a new...substitute teacher," Nine smiled back.
"Oh, it's been oh so long since I teased one of her kind," Merlin smiled, "Anodites are such a truly interesting race. But once they get older, they become good friends for a wild night out in the cosmos."
"It truly does put things in a whole nother light once you've met one," Nine giggled a bit before snapping her fingers, causing her attire to change as she was dressed in a deep purple and black female business suit with a pair of black-rimmed glasses over her currently normal looking eyes, "How do I look?"
"It's rare to see you so modest," Merlin giggled, "But you make it work for you."
"Are you really one to talk?" Nine replied, gesturing to her outfit.
"It's not my fault that trends change and humans become so prudish...honestly...what a contradiction. They love to stare, but complain so much at the same time," she sighed, "Though this time is interesting. Replace aliens with demons and it's almost like the Dark Ages all over again."
"Eh. You get used to it...I've certainly have," Nine shrugged as she began to walk past her.
"...By the way, I saw her…" Merlin stated in a serious tone, "Your younger sister."
"..." Nine said nothing as she stopped dead in her tracks, a scowl growing on her face, "...What?"
"I'll show you," Merlin explained while putting her hand on Nine's forehead, "See?"
"...how….why...how?!" Nine snapped, a fiery aura coming off her as her eyes glowed, "I saw her die...and yet she doesn't look a day over...no...no that can't be her!"
"Temporal displacement my dear…" Merlin sighed, "If anyone knows the feeling of someone...out of touch with time, it's me."
"..."
"...Don't," Merlin frowned.
"This is wrong and you know it," nine scowled, "This just brings her closer to death...I can't afford that...I can't…" she paused as her hands balled up into fist, the area starting to rumble, "I can't bare to see that again…!"
"I know…" Merlin replied in an understanding tone, "It's...so hard...horrible...you'd sooner wish torture upon yourself then watch one you care for so much…" she trailed off.
"Yes...but when you're stuck in a time loop...forced to see her death again...and again...and again...somewhat trying to change events...only for the same type of death to happen all the same!" Nine snapped, "I won't...I won't let her...or myself suffer such a nightmarish hell again!"
Nine flinched as Merlin suddenly hugged her.
"...Don't give into it…" Merlin said with a small sad smile, "You know we can't just lose ourselves like kids. Our burden is to be the adults...we need to help the dumb kids...if we let ourselves be the kids, our powers will really hurt those who don't deserve it. Konoe...you know my belief...you can always change," she put a hand to Nine's head in a motherly nature, "If you hate that nightmare oh so much, then take your power...and shatter it. Are you happy accepting nothing can change that? No, take that anger and use it to actually change something."
"...I….I…" Nine whispered, her hands easing up as the fiery aura began to dissipate, "...I need to leave...get my head cooled down while I head to my apprentice's school…"
"You're such a fiery girl you are." Merlin smiled, "I'd love to join, but I have someone here whom I've invested an old sword to. Last thing I need is her to poke someone's eye out by accident with that thing."
"Least it's better than her having the Izayoi…" Nine countered as she began to walk off, changing back into her business woman-like attire as she did, "Anyway...I hope you have a good night, Merlin...it was nice to have a chat with you...even if it was rather abrupt and resulted in nearly torching the place down."
"Eh...I already torched this place down like twice on my own...it is not easy keeping a Phoenix hatchling you know…" Merlin muttered.
"Try controlling a fiery, demon-golem," Nine chuckled as she stepped out the door, "Have a good night, Merlin…"
"Good night then, Konoe," Merlin smiled a bit as Nine walked out the door...and her smile soon became solemn and side, "Take as much time you need...with how much time you have left."
As Nine did step out, she nearly lost her footing for a moment, panting a bit as she felt like she went through a small marathon jog. She then reached for one of her sleeves before pulling it back, revealing a small crack in her skin.
"...Just have to hold out a bit longer…" she whispered to herself as she resumed to walk off, the moonlight shining down on her as she did, "I can't give in now...not until Terumi is ten feet in the ground. If not...well…" she stopped for a moment to look up at the starry night sky, "I just hope she'll pick up the pieces...my successor."
SZ: And another chapter done...and honestly I'd like to point out a few issues. One...well we know there are a few out there that feel about the pacing lately with our chapters for GSE and GSE: SS...well we're trying our best here to make sure you guys have an enjoyable reading experience. Also...well for the battles, we're not going by Death Battle rules here or anything.
Z0: Yeah...we aren't worried about power levels. They don't really matter here. But at the same time...I could care less. So just hoped you enjoyed this train ride of nonsense. We...ended up dumping a lot more story content than originally planned…
SZ: Yeah...ahem! Anyways we hope you enjoyed this side chapter...as we got more coming! Don't worry..we haven't stopped with GSE. Just gotta make sure the other characters we have in those Omniverse of ours here get some screen time..albeit in side stories but still.
Z0: I mean...this is the main strength of us...having this Side Story set up. Speaking of...we already planned for next time...it's gonna be a funny time with a classic and beloved TV Alien...Hide your cats. He's a weird Alien Life Form.
SZ: Aye...ahem! Read and review folks!*nudges GT slightly*besides...I think GT conked out on u-*collapses*Zzzzzzzz….
Z0: *lowered gun with sleep darts* You saw nothing *shoots at the readers*
GT: Zzzzz….Read and Review...Zzzz….