"Now that the first part of the show is over- there are four parts- I think we need a break from all the excitement… Why don't y'all relax a bit?" Seiichi invited, placing a buffet that included a lot of Midgardian and Orianic cuisine.
Naturally, everyone agreed, though the Shades and Minoru were at a separate buffet line, which served more Japanese stuff.
"OK, that was the first major arc… 114 may've been more than enough for the operation in the future, but I want medics and backup at the ready in the future. Keep that in mind going forward as well. Given that Klaus cannot be allowed to remember anything, we should also try to place one or two of our members as workers at the palace." Minoru said as the first plan of action. He figured that the Cult must've been keeping an eye on the Royal Family for a long time if he can't respond in the open.
Epsilon nodded, it would be too risky if the King knew, the spies might think something's off if he starts acting cautious.
"That is all well and good, but there still is that one thing to explain" Zeta interjected. "How is it that you were able to hit upon the right answers every time? At this rate you might not be right at some point!" She spoke from a place of concern… Which is why Alpha didn't slap her.
"I'd be concerned too, but since reality warps for him…" Gamma counters.
"Yes that's right!" Beta is on her side. Eta simply nods alongside her.
"Nope! That's not it!" Seiichi interjects "While the idea of Reality warping for a singular mortal entity is amusing, the actual answers baffle even us immortals. Seeing as he has managed to go as far as I'm showing you, and beyond on pure luck, I have two possible answers. Interested in hearing them now?"
Minoru nods for them, since he's curious of how he managed it as well. "Well, while I'm definitely curious, I'm also not one to fix what's broken."
"Fix? More like update!" came the rebut. "The first reason for everything you're guessing being correct is that your LUCK stat's just that high… While this would normally mean that Reality warps around you, you're not us Dimension Hoppers for realsies and without that particular distinction you can't do that, so let's put a hole on that one."
The fact that his luck could just be that high seems to scare Minoru, so Seiichi rushes to correct him.
"The more likely answer has to do with the subconscious. Not many know this, but when you make a gut choice, like whether you trust someone or not, it's really your subconscious working to assess what you know and making a more informed choice. If honed well enough, it can work as well as Delta's instincts do when she's hunting. While it rendered Delta herself an idiot in everything else due to her age of development and the time given for said development," Delta sounds slightly offended at that, "Minoru's honed it for well over 22 years over two different lifetimes," Beta is still calculating her lord's age over that, Epsilon shivering, Eta analysing some "interesting" looking food from an affronted Zeta's hand, "As such, his instincts have heightened for almost everything except his own situation- meaning he subconsciously used the tropes in stories to predict/figure out everything, but his own refusal to see reason managed to keep him from realizing the terrifying truth for himself…"
Alpha looks terrified then blinks, "Thank god you're an otaku then?" She's grateful he's on their side considering how he's doing it subcounsciously, but the reason it's still baffling.
Minoru looks smug at that, the others still reeling.
Gamma and Beta look like they might be… Oh good, Aethra stopped them from destroying their non-existent knickers. Eta looks more awake than ever, since she now wants to take his brain out and look at it, chuunibyou or not. While Minoru's scared, Seiichi thinks he can survive the process… as long as the brain is kept intact.
Aethra nips it in the bud again, somehow the voice of reason "No brain taking, please, we do have an innocent audience present," she scolded, eyeing Sherry and Rose. "Plus, it would be too much blood to clean anyway."
"Yeah, blood is a no-no. Eta did already poison you so… ANYWAY, how many IAA's can you launch, anyway?" Seiichi dropped a bomb before he asked Minoru that.
This time, Alpha DID slap Eta… while Delta was debating if killing Eta would be worth it. The others are having similar thoughts.
"Ok, I can see that that bit of info did NOT go over well with you. Don't kill or harm her in any way- that's just her way of expressing her desire to understand him. Mad scientists do be different after all." Seiichi intervened. "Now that she understands Minoru's origins and that his ideas are just normal, she'll refrain, I think." Eta seemed to nod along.
Since everyone calmed after that, Minoru answered the question asked. "With the amount you restricted me to, I can launch about 64 of the basic attack… The variants may or may not take more. Then again, we're talking about an IAA the size we just witnessed- that was a small one. I could probably do the entirety of the capital of Midgar if I used all of the mana that isn't absolutely needed, but that's the max range right now…" He neglected to think of his harem's fear, as he nonchalantly dropped bigger bombshells.
Eta decided to ask Seiichi to give a comprehensive explanation of the nuclear bomb- for reference. Seiichi, being the maniac that he is, did so, since he wanted them to have access to nuclear energy. Also, one of his covers involved being a physics major, so he had a vested interest in this. Aethra, noting his intentions, decided not to give him grief. Gamma, Zeta and Beta joined in on the impromptu lecture. Minoru became his assistant for this lecture, given the IAA.
Since Seiichi made a privacy bubble to insert himself into that conversation and to keep the upcoming lecture from the others, the Royals + Sherry were able to have a separate conversation. "Alexia, I think it is clear that the next time you have concerns about anybody, you should come straight to me." Klaus began… only for Alexia's glare to stop him.
"With all due respect, Father, I was unable to convince you about Zenon being a bad idea in that future, especially if my own objection was the only thing standing in the way. Ergo, I'll find my own way, thank you very much." Her words shocked Iris completely out of her thoughts, since she was thinking about the investigation that she needed to do and exactly who she needed to assign what to.
"Also with all due respect, I don't think Sister should be leading the investigation- the way my kidnapping has been handled reveals a lack of competence, if she trusts other people to do it for her. In fact, that might be the worst way to conduct an investigation, especially when we now know that the Knights have been compromised!" She completes the rebuttal with a cool gaze at Iris.
Iris simply gaped at her little sister taking charge like this, jaw dropped… Her talent meant nothing to her sharp tongue. Klaus looked approving. Rose knew that she would never be allowed to participate in government, given her Kingdom's way, but it still rankles her that she knows nothing about how her own kingdom is run. Sherry meanwhile is looking to the future, for what she might be needed for. Little did she know…
While the conversation heated up with the Royals + Sherry, Claire, Aurora and Beatrix were left to their own devices. Aurora, due to her past- and current state, was enjoying everything on offer, from both the Shades' table and the normal table. Beatrix was sampling the alcohol… The Merlot and the vodka piqued her interest.
"Good to know some things never change," albeit slightly confused over new modern facilities, nothing else seems to have changed, Aurora sipped her own drink in relief.
"What do you think… Alpha would want… as a gift?" Beatrix grimaced, the name wasn't really clicking in her mouth, since she missed years of her niece's life… a niece who had her name changed. In their tribe, it was mostly nature sensing or combat lessons.
Aurora blinked at the sudden question, "Maybe a hug?" She wasn't exactly big on childhood fantasies (hello Diabolos) that was normal, right?
They both stayed silent at that. Claire, sensing an opportunity to pull a rival away, decided to suggest a day out for just the two of them.
Too bad for her, "Sounds… good, maybe Cid could join us?" Were the words out of Beatrix at that.
That brought a laugh out of Aurora and an annoyed Claire, the conversation somehow passed to siblings as Beatrix remembered her sister and Aurora chuckling they were lucky.
An unlikely friendship was formed.
Eventually, a few hours later, everyone finished their conversations, with varying degrees of acceptance, and gathered at the couches, ready for the continuation.
"Now that we are fed, let's go on to continue" with that, Aethra pressed the button.
AN: OK, so this is a bit of a relaxed chapter so that I can get back into the swing of things. Apologies for those who wanted this one out faster. Next chapter will be back to the usual comedy (if substandard by comparison to other works). What I've suggested here is a bit of headcanon with regards to how Cid really lucks into everything
As Always, Read and Review!
Seiichi and Neutral are off to the races (again)!