Seiichi clicks the button and it plays
A nighttime riverside scheme plays out. Below it, [Alexia] wakes up in a dungeon cell with magic-sealing cuffs on her wrists. This dungeon looks like a sample extraction centre, for a hospital… except it's a bloody dungeon. After dismissing the possibility of [Cid] kidnapping her, she turns to her right, seeing a white-haired {Possessed} staring right at her, chained up as well as separated by the cell. A researcher keeps chanting about the 'blood of the royals'. Alexia interacts with him in a rather… cool way. She doesn't act like she's a captive. Her blood is taken. When asked, he reveals that her blood is the blood of the demons… Huh, what a liar- she has the heart of one. Alexia's nonplussed for a demon. Cue OP
Klaus' and Iris' eyes widen. Alexia raises an eyebrow.
Minoru and the Shades simply sigh… they missed it when they took her away… still, "What's up with this blood thing?"
Klaus's still shocked, "I-It's a certain rumour that the royal family's blood connected to one of the three heroes, we had no idea it was true though…" just a whisper here and there about visiting nobles, he thought they were joking…
Oh ho? Minoru smells a trope, Beta blinking.
Claire was now trying to get at the screen to rip Zenon apart… as if she could. Aurora bites her lips, surprisingly calm.
Scene shifts to the Knights' holding cell… Someone's being beaten up to get information out… Not sure if blood is really supposed to fly out when that happens. Two Knights try to intimidate [Cid] into admitting to the kidnapping… by torture apparently. He's in his underwear, the last of his dignity… or so we think. [Cid]'s actually unaffected by the torture, given that he's really numb to pain. Still, he plays along by acting the NPC who knows nothing… while praising their NPC-ness. He's still bored though, especially since they've resorted to needling his quads none too gently.
'They really are the perfect mob characters… which means they're patsies that're trying to make me the patsy' Minoru relays the info to the Shades, who are now acting like Claire while he restrains them with the slime on hand.
Eta oddly enough agrees the torture methods were boring, she tried worse on Minoru-san.
Klaus looks like he wants to apologize to Minoru, seeing as torture isn't legal in his administration, but seeing that he's calm prompts him to wait.
Iris frowns, she's the one who implied it, if slightly guilty while Alexia was still baffled, having no idea it was actually serious.
We switch back to [Alexia], whose blood has been taken a few times already. She's negotiating for her life… considering they want her blood, they're gonna have to treat her quite well. NOT! She's also the outlet for his rage-outs, which leads to a needle being lodged in her arm after the syringe breaks. Since 'they' destroyed his lab, he's fearing excommunication… He takes his anger out on the {Possessed}, stomping on it. [Alexia], feeling sorry for it, calls out for him to take her blood. She's rewarded with a bowl of… something forced down her throat. He seems creeptacular. So does the staring {Possessed}.
Iris joins Claire in moving towards the screen.
"Hey, Alpha?" Minoru asks.
"Yeah, that blonde hair's similar," Alpha doesn't really care for the princess, but felt the {possessed} was familiar.
Epsilon did assure a relieved Alexia that aint gonna happen this time, wincing with Gamma and Zeta.
Knight Order HQ. [Princess Iris Midgar] and [Zenon] discuss the kidnapping. [Iris] states that there's hearsay that [Cid] is the culprit. [Zenon] denies it, saying that he wishes it were not so… Sounds sus to me. Especially since he was only apprehended on circumstantial evidence. [Cid]'s torture lasted a whopping 5 days- man's determined to enjoy the role he's been given. He's to be monitored even after release. That too few are available to move after a princess has been kidnapped is even worse. Even more sus on [Zenon]'s part. He's assigned with the maintenance of order at the {Academy}. In the background, [Claire]'s trying to attack the Knights to get her brother free. [Princess Rose Oriana], the Student Council President, had to step in to keep her down.
Claire smiles smugly.
Rose smiles awkwardly, "Can we wrestle, boss man sis?" Claire blinks, Delta remains smiling.
Sherry frowns, the guy keeps getting more suspicious.
Minoru hums proud of himself, Alpha sighs, exasperated.
As [Iris] tries to remember why she lost the closeness she had with [Alexia], our favourite white haired bitch is currently adopting a close to mindbroken eye style- which is to say her eyes are vacant. [Cid] is finally released… though he's forced to dress on the street, given that he's unceremoniously thrown out. As he heads back to the dorm, a cloaked blonde figure passes by and tells him "Later". Followed by the sound of people being taken down in pain. When he enters his dorm room, we see [Alpha] sitting sexily on the windowsill. He casually greets her as she simply smiles at him.
Epsilon gets jelly. Beta gets even more so. Delta simply smiles. Zeta is similar- she can't bear seeing her god and Master, Minoru, tortured any longer.
Klaus gets red-faced seeing Alpha in that pose, who just tilts her head. Then pauses, giving a sheepish Iris "we're talking about this later" look, Alexia nodding.
Aurore chuckles at on screen Cid complete lack of interest.
[Alpha] hands him a burger from Maguro Rard (Tuna King) as she adopts a sexy crouch on the desk. He eats and says that [Beta] is supposed to be on his assistant role that day… She apparently heard about the situation and returned from a side mission. He ignores the sexy and asks how things are. She replies that things are smooth. She also expanded {Shadow Garden} to the level where they are just below the Culty in influence… He thinks they live normal lives outside the roleplay- which translates to two different conversations.
She dotes on him like a wife would… even removing his shoes, while he relaxes. She also informs him that the {Cult}, the true culprits, have infiltrated the {Knights}. He owes her a burger, since he ate her share. She leaves, informing him that [Delta] is here to see him as well. Now he's the {Cult}'s patsy…
Of course, she wants to kill his torturers, but he holds her back. She also asks him to rely on them more. We also see [Claire] trying to do the same. But [Rose] stops her.
[Alexia]'s eyes are more vacant, though the {Possessed} is still staring at her.
Cue jelly reactions from the shades, Rose and… Why is Alexia jelly?
"I must formally apologize for my remarks, even if they were made in the future… He was simply suspected of the kidnapping, and his perceived strength should've been enough reason to remove him from suspicion. That said, would you have any reason to kidnap the princess, if you did do it?" Rose later apologized, and also asked a good question.
Thinking it over, he replied, "No, I've got no interest in kidnapping princesses… More accurately, I don't have a motive to. Though, if I did, my syndicate, Shadow Garden, could easily do it. Sneaking around would be a piece of cake."
This rattled the royalty and Sherry a lot , given that they are well-guarded (Not as well in Rose's case, but still).
"Oh really?"
"I mean, there's this scenario where a hidden boss uses a princess to attract this MC…"
Alexia nodded, surprisingly interested at the rambling, while Beta pondered.
Back to [Cid] preparing his {Room of Eminence}, with a bottle of vintage wine worth 900000 zeni, with glasses from the same region the wine was made in, worth 450000 zeni. Somehow, he managed to get his hands on { The Shrieker by Monch}… despite it being made a world away. And he finished this off with an antique lamp for mood lighting… His heart's warm with content as he wipes his throne-like chair. Reminiscing on the bandit-hunting and Pochi-sessions that he took part in for the money. Let's not forget that finishing touch- the letter he got just that day to be set below the bottle… what if it broke!? And now to wait.
'Tracking Alexia should be easy now, given what I think that letter probably is' Minoru relayed. The Shades agreed… After a good appreciation of the aesthetics, even Rose could admit that the cringe diminished.
Alexia facepalmed. Aurora was once again impressed about Minoru's spot on luck.
"Does that wine taste good?" Beatrix asked, to which Iris awkwardly said yes. Seiichi gave her a bit just in case.
Time passes, and it's night. [Beta] enters [Cid]'s room with a boob jiggle and moves over to the portion set up for [Shadow]... She sees a particularly grand sight of her master drinking wine as he gazes upon the sky while monologuing. [Beta] reports that the prep is complete as she relays the plan as [Alpha] laid it out. [Gamma] has overall command and [Alpha] has field command. [Delta] is to perform a diversionary attack to signal a city-wide raid of all the hideouts of the {Fenrir Faction} of the {Cult}… using a total of 114 people. [Cid] thinks they were hired extras… funnily enough, that was the maximum mobilizable personnel count… implying more than that number as member count. [Shadow] relays his apologies to [Delta], but on account of that letter, he would be performing the prelude. After all,
" Tonight, the world shall know us! "
The king seems pleased that they would do this. Iris seems offended that a bunch of vigilantes are undermining the Knights… though judging by the way they revere him, he might have taught them. Terrifying, plus they're not necessarily against Midgard and they do have a common enemy, she needs to cooperate with them, as frustrating as it is.
"This is the plan in action guys, let's watch it!" Seiichi urges, he looks excited. Aethra is unusually in agreement… She usually agrees with him, but normally she doesn't do more than nod along… This time, she sits them down as he says it!
Delta pouts, she wanted to take charge… Claire's body was still stinging from the wrestling.
Alpha though, "gotta make a list of our personnel…"
Shady alleyway- the knights that tortured [Cid] are discussing the ones who bribed them. [Cid], in his uniform, appears there. They toss him a boot before proceeding to arrest him for the kidnapping… Only their lookouts literally drop dead behind them. In terror, having drawn their swords out already they try to strike him… only one is sliced in half while the other is neatly divested of his arm. The surviving one looks at [Cid], who's smiling while black ooze surrounds him
"You think you'll get away with doing this to the Knight Orde-"
"You have no reason to worry… After all… By dawn…" The ooze covers him to reveal his new outfit and [Shadow] says, his smile malicious
" Everything will be over …"
In the background, An explosion occurs, as [Delta] has begun her rampage.
Hidden behind, [Beta] narrates everything that's done by [Shadow]... Of course, she's taking fervent notes.
Iris feels a deep chill go down her shoulders, as if she escaped a narrow brush with death. The others feel the same, though the Shades somehow seem… aroused!?
"Hmm, nice one line, but needs work," Minoru clicks his tongue.
Sherry winces, somehow the only one thinking of the damages.
A massacre is shown as [Delta], manic expression on her face, kills another mook at the site of her rampage/hunt. [Alpha] is seen at the top of the clock tower, watching with cool eyes as the raids occur. The {Knight Order} are evacuating the civvies- at this point, that's the only thing they can do. [Iris] also strengthens the security at the {Academy}. All this while she worries about [Alexia]'s whereabouts.
Aurora, who until that point had been headpatting a childishly happy Delta, suddenly pulled her hand away… None blamed her, given that she, on-screen, CUT THROUGH A GODDAMN BUILDING! Naturally, Delta started pouting.
Klaus sighed… This cult had really gone too far. And he could do nothing since they would brand him a heretic should the Midgar Kingdom perform any overt moves against them… He had no choice but to keep his moves subtle. Shadow Garden, though… they could move independently. Looks like they will be tacitly working together for the foreseeable future.
Iris had the same though, Rose a deep look on her face.
Meanwhile, as [Alexia] talks to the {Possessed} about not missing the fun, Mr. Researcher comes in, with an absolute rage. As Alexia recommends surrender, thinking that the Knights had found her, Mr. Researcher talks about being killed by shadows. In his despair, he also stabs a large-ass syringe filled with red liquid (likely another drug) into the {Possessed}. When it grows, it kills the researcher, then frees [Alexia] and leaves to rampage above. [Alexia] grabs the keys and a sword just lying there, given that her shackles are gone and loves out cautiously, commenting on her devil's luck.
Iris wants to be the first one there. To be the one to safeguard her. Somehow, she doesn't think she has that option.
Alexia beams, finally, she has screen time!
Minoru twitches.
SURPRISE! [Zenon] comes, says that she shouldn't eb escaping so simply, and says that the research facility (which CANNOT be called so, and wouldn't pass regulation) was funded by him… Which means he's the kidnapper. So much for [Cid] being the obvious culprit. [Alexia] gloats about being right about him. Zenon reveals that he would be promoted to the {Knights of the Rounds} if her blood and his research was offered to him. Proceed to infodump of the {Rounds}, and they proceed to fight since he pushes her buttons. It's clear that the blade [Alexia] picked up is more battered. She's at a physical disadvantage as well.
He calls her blade the Blade of the Mediocre again… and Alexia responds by replicating Iris' blade perfectly… only he's stronger, and thus disarms her. As he's about to grab her, footsteps echo. A hooded and masked figure walks forward from behind, and names himself as [Shadow], who lurks in the shadows to hunt the shadows.
Alexia sees this and grows more determined to replicate it further, now knowing that her route is the true path. She also blushes as she stares at Minoru's concentrated face.
Rose desperately wants to assist, but knows that she can't, since she's seeing the future. She blushes as she glances at Minoru, too, but her eyes betray an almost zealot-like view of him. Aethra shudders at this.
Claire just shivers more. She still thinks that she can catch up… She's sorely wrong.
"You're not bad, princess," Alpha muses while Iris is inches from cuddling Alexia, the youngest princess blushing heavily, Klaus nodding.
"Thanks…" Iris cuddles her.
And the show must continue…
[Zenon] identifies [Shadow] as… and I quote… 'The stray dogs barking at our frontier bases'... then proceeds to brag about being a core member of the {Cult}, who can't be defeated at all. Of course, as [Zenon] stabs at him, he only ends up hitting air… with [Shadow] questioning the presence of this 'core member'. From behind him.
"Pfft!" Alexia couldn't help but laugh at that savage line spit out by Shadow… Then again, the Shades were openly howling with laughter, so she figured she could join in.
Iris was torn between saying that Zenon was a powerful swordsman and admitting that Minoru was right in making that statement.
Claire saw nothing but her brother being badass… She joined in with the Shades without hesitation.
Rose… frowned. She was not sure that Minoru was even going any level of serious at all. She worried that it would be his downfall.
Klaus had the sense to remain calm. Sherry was frightened after all… though Minoru kept headpatting her.
"Ne, Epsilon, can Gamma defeat him?" Delta asked, interested.
While Gamma winced, she pondered, "If… stroke… correctly… possibly," Eta gave an attempt at thumbs up.
Zeta chuckled at Gamma's relief. Beta wrote down: increase team training.
In the meantime, above ground, the area has been evacuated… now to deal with a berserk {Possessed}. They slash at it, and it regenerates. [Iris] comes in, to the Magic Knights' relief and admiration, attacking the 'monster', though not even her repeated attacks is enough to overcome its regeneration.
"Given what you're dealing with, and without knowing whether Seiichi and/or Aethra decided to even explain it to you lot with that memory knock, we're explaining jack shit to y'all" Minoru shuts down the incoming questions immediately. The others who were in the know- the Shades, Claire, Beatrix and Aurora- decided to follow suit. Though you could see the pity in the Shades' and Minoru's eyes.
Seiichi pops in and says "How's about we do that after this ends, huh?" It was agreed upon then.
While [Iris] unleashed a barrage of attacks that were bolstered by her magic, a blonde stands in front of her. She can't take being chastised by the interloper, who calls herself [Alpha] and proceeds to unleash one strike that manages to level the building… while returning the {Possessed} to her original body. While doing so, she reveals her sadness at the irreversibility of the event, and thus vows to end her suffering. The locket reveals the {Possessed} to be [Millia]- [Grease]'s daughter. [Alpha] tells an annoyingly superiorist Iris to just 'Behave like the audience should, and just watch the proceedings' before leaving, while shrouded in mist. Given that [Iris] made demands of someone obviously stronger than her, while thinking that would work, I'm thinking she needs salt on that burn rather than ice.
'Cool! Though you do realize that bringing her back from that state alive is totally possible, right?' Minoru telepathically asks Alpha. Alpha just looks confused. Sighing, he elaborates. 'You as the blob of meat were in a worse state, and we can feel the magic signatures and amounts from the screen.' Alpha is sheepish and apologizes.
Iris, meanwhile, is suppressing the urge to run over and smack Alpha… Rather easily so, given that Minoru could smack her down for this.
Alexia definitely needs to train harder while Rose was fascinated. Claire was clicking her tongue, she needed to learn that move.
While [Iris] continues her search for [Alexia], the underground battle is raging at the same time. [Zenon] is acting cocky, not realizing that [Shadow] doesn't even consider him an opponent. He wants to show the power of a future {Rounds}. Meh, [Shadow] counters with the use of [Alexia]'s own preferred style after insulting his strength, which helps her realize that [Iris] DIDN'T disparage her that fateful day. No one cares for the environmental damage of course. Also, why is [Zenon] even screaming during the fight? [Shadow] doesn't even grunt in effort… Maybe he should join a screamo metal band instead?
With regards to Alexia's epiphany, no one reacts at all, since Minoru demonstrated that with Iris already. They're just starting to feel sorry for Zenon at this point though.
Iris just feels glad Alexia melts more into the cuddle.
Again, Sherry does point at the damage, but Delta just asks "why?" Minoru is similarly confused.
[Zenon] wonders why [Shadow] hides his identity out loud. He replies that {Shadow Garden} only exists to hunt the shadows while lurking in the shadows. This pisses him off, so he decided to follow in the [Viscount]'s footsteps, downing the same PED and turning a bit hideous. Meanwhile, in the background, [Alexia] tries putting everything together. He brags that this power can only be controlled by a chosen few- the {Rounds}. He then makes the biggest mistake ever, by calling his power the strongest. In front of [Shadow]. While being arrogant about it.
Aurora, Beatrix, the Shades and Minoru blink. Blink twice. Blink thrice. And then lose themselves in laughter. It lasts a long while. EVERYONE stares at them while they're at it.
"I hope he's prepared for any beatdown I'm giving him for that one" Minoru, who did laugh, also had already figured out how to perform 'I Am Atomic' two weeks before Claire was kidnapped, and so was insulted by the idea that some loser could become the strongest using borrowed means, said. Aurora agreed, hoping to see some really good shiz. Beatrix just shook her head.
"Was that an inside joke?" Rose asked curiously, having heard the term once.
Sherry shrugs, equally baffled.
[Shadow] parried one attack, then said this one line.
"How unsightly… If this is the best you can muster, you shouldn't dream of the strongest. Tis but an insult to the strongest, after all"
He then proceeds to a one-sided beatdown of [Demon Zenon]... without his sword. And then says this
"The path to almightiness never relies on the use of borrowed means. EVER !"
This while stamping on the bottle of PEDs that was used, and a purple magic barrier erupts, with circuitry lighting it and him up. The barrier stops barely before [Alexia]. " Playtime's over "
Yeah, there was no way the magic output was gonna be subtle. It hit EVERYONE in the face. Minoru was the only one unfazed. He was excited though, since he figured out what was going to happen. That grin couldn't be concealed, ever!
Gamma visibly shivers at Delta's equally maniac grin.
Alexia had a contemplative face, muttering, "Iris-neesama, how's our kingdom budget again?"
"That's what you're concerned with?" Iris blinks while Klaus nodded, god he can feel the headache of the construction later.
[Demon Zenon] fears the mana output, while [Shadow] reminisces about his obsession with defeating a nuke. He gets called a madman, and is struck at but there is the broken sword as a result.
"This is my Almighty move"
" I… Am… Atomic "
The sword is flourished, the strike is made, and the attack is named
Everyone waits with bated breath, wanting to see the effect. Seiichi and Aethra watch their expressions with bated breath.
The whole area turns white, and while [Alexia]'s silhouette remains in it, [Zenon]'s is wiped out. The whole thing leads to a purple-white beam of light erupting from a canal and spreading about 100 sq. km. by eyeball. Of course, no building survives. [Iris], being the muscle-headed person she is, rushed toward, rather than away from the beam. {Shadow Garden}'s various members conveniently decide to watch from a distance. Gleefully.
The mindbreak continues for Iris, and begins for everyone else.
Could Sherry try to seal that much mana? Nope, not even artifacts could do much against that much mana.
At least no one thought fighting Shadow Garden was a good idea now.
"Huh, so if she had the know-how, Iris, could unleash two of those with her mana count?" Minoru, unconcerned about the damage shown, simply asks Seiichi this… which prompts a facepalm.
"Nope, She only has a quarter of what I restricted you to at most… any tighter and I wasn't sure enough about the accuracy of the restriction."
Well, that puts things into perspective.
"What do you mean restricted!?" Iris asked, now even more concerned. Minoru casually reveals the level to which his mana count has been sealed for the duel… and context clues led to EVERYONE, even Aurora of all people, staring at him.
"What!?" They refused to answer Minoru's incredulity.
In the aftermath, [Alexia], now alone, picks up a sword and starts swinging it in the mediocre style. She's interrupted by a nice reunion with [Iris], who proceeds to show her siscon levels, as the aftermath is revealed in a timeskip.
Claire's eye twitches. If she didn't respect the princess, she'd probably be counted as the brocon if the snitches are anything to go by, which is ridiculous. In other news, the sky's green.
Minoru wants to know what's about to happen, so he grabs the remote and presses play. Skipping the king's chagrin about the process of restoration and bla bla bla casualties- of which there were none- it was part of the evacuated areas.
[Cid] and [Alexia] discuss what happened, and then, as he tries to pull an 'exit-stage back', she thanks him for the compliment to her blade and then asks to resume their fake dating thing… He rejects, expectedly. She slashes him with her sword, also expectedly
Claire and Rose now want a chance to slash Alexia… as do the Shades. Luckily, they are restrained by Minoru's slime again.
Iris facepalms at the bloodbath.
"Mind if I ask why him? You clearly said that he wasn't involved in you liking him there," Aurora wasn't ashamed of displaying her awe of Minoru, but remained confused. Sherry also nods.
"Oh, I think it's because my on screen self realised he was already proud of her mediocre swordsmanship without prompting, she didn't need much else," of course, she refused to acknowledge the same happened here. Goddamn tsunderes.
Iris grips her tighter.
{Shadow Garden}, specifically, the {Seven Shades} discuss the progress of their missions, while revealing the newly developed imitators they got. The {Knight Order} being compromised, can't be trusted (since evidence burned down the night it was all acquired) and that was discussed. Finally, an artifact is shown, as is a bumbling sherry reading a book, while toting multiple such books, and eventually running into a bloody Cid. Cue romantic scenery and ending. This time, two of the {Shades} were shown- [Gamma] and [Delta]
"Now that we've finished this large episode, I'll beam into all of you except Minoru the relevant info", 'You can get the rest from Minoru' Aethra finishes telepathically, the Shades nodding.
The aftermath was… interesting, since even the effects of an atom bomb were explained to show how restrained Minoru was in that attack…
Iris now had a deep fear of Minoru, Claire was strangling him (though he reversed it and is now strangling her), The Shades were scared of Eta, she looked manic, Rose and Alexia feared this knowledge getting into the Cult's hands, and Klaus just sighed, resigned.
Sherry was even more certain something was odd. Artifacts were her thing, there's no other explanation why she appeared, eyes sparkling. Seiichi hated breaking her heart, so he kept silent
"Iris, after we go back, immediately search everyone, there can be spie-yes, you can help," Klaus sighed, Alexia and Minoru surprisingly high fiving, Iris sucks at investigation. Or anything that involves using her head more than is common.
She beleagurdly nodded.
AN: Right... So... While I'd like to say the consistency in chapter output is to continue, I'm not gonna be dishonest. This large-ass chapter is part apology, and part peace offering, cause I'm gonna go into surgery pretty soon- turns out that accident I got myself into tore my right ACL. Times like this is when I'm glad I'm not a US citizen, not in the USA and that my health insurance does matter. Anyway, I dunno if my schedule will be that free, what with rehab and catching up in college after, so I'd expect sporadicity... In the meantime, Neutral could try their hand at a solo chapter, which I'd be open to editing, buut that's their choice
Till next time,
Seiichi and Neutral are Bonkers at the Races!