[Don't be shocked, but this episode is… a lite bit different.]
[For now:] Imagine a World of Black and White; like if the art background of this story was a manga written by black ink on a white paper.
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It was a calamity…
That was a proper name for the level of working-chaos in office. All that packed inside something that looks as administrative multi-store building for a massive corporation, or some high-level agency with government support. In every direction, everywhere you look, you can see a madding office work effort. Overtime workload was to soft description on the situation presented on this information battlefield. Phones were ringing, operators were telephoning, and an office employer were running from place to place often with pile of documents in their arms. But it was not the madness one can heard on a (dead line) to deliver the (company product), because there was no product to deliver at first place. But still...
The investigators were trying to figure out what has happened. The solution department was already working on a plan, even if they don't have all data. The pin-cork tables were filling by astonishing rate with notes, photos and evidence. Somebody lined up a strings across his office putting a notes of events onto it, making something like a time web of events. Supporting staff was running errands to keep this place running. Printers were printings a thousands of pages. Coffee was drink on litters/gallons and sugar consumed on kilos/pounds. Even the food rations was made in format that can be devoured fast, easy and in option can cold down on work tables in they thermal pack boxes.
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There was at last one who was not in hurry. One person was seem to be immune to this chaos. A Calliope Mori with melancholy bud distant expression on her face, was standing on the hallway outside the offices, work floor, and auditoriums. She was looking out of the window on a colorless rain.
She sigh. ("The color's are gone.")
Suddenly some person from management approached her. Because she was more on the action work side in field, that administration side in office, she know better to stay out of the way. But even she know that her (deployment) in this mess is questionable. This manager tell her that, because they were unable to contact not just several but many agents and operatives, they not allow her, to do nothing. So they hand over to her a very classified file folder and tasked her to check up several V.I.P. operatives. If possible she shall retrieve them for a newly forming respond task force.
As she takes that file folder, she knows, that she is on the respond group to and those operatives will be her teammates for whatever big operation that come next. It was just a seconds but once again she was standing alone next to the window looking into that file. She got surprised that she is tasked only to found a four characters. But by how they were phrasing the creation of her team within the formation of response task forces; she figured out they mobilizing everyone and everything they can. The few reliable information about the current situation dint tell her much new from what she was already assumed. The (incident) occurred on the entire world, as they already trying to pinpoint (a source), hinting that the effect is not permanent. Multiple teams are forming with an unusual idea in mind. As if she shall already expecting a certain objective or task.
But… even in this (gray) situation, while reading the data, she giggle. "They call this team a Myth." Then she literally rolled her eyes around when they mentioned, that during the effect of this incident; some knowledge, rules and position of some (places?), persons and even (fact?) can be inaccurate to the owning memories.
Don't bothering to read everything in details, especially when there was a lot of personal information about the four she need to find, she closed that file folder and went onto her mission to found her teammates.
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The intel about the inaccuracy of someone own memories turn out to be absolute true as Mori ended up strolling, roaming the streets aimlessly not finding anyone she was looking for. She even sit down to read the file with great focus to get every piece information, to actually found anyone of them.
Eventually a hunger hits her and as she was ramble for some piece of food through the shopping area, she stand up in front of very suspicious (food restaurant?). It was a KFP. [Kiara Fried Phoenix] Suddenly she remember that a boss of this one, is actually an operative of they agency and a one of those she was tasked to found. But this one was also know for the issues connected to her personality. Mori was unable to prevent a desperate smile on her face and she literally was building a resolve to actually enter that restaurant.
And after a few minutes of staring at that establishment, she make that step forward.
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She entered a mess hall and was unpleasantly welcomed by a wall of flames. At first; it look like the entire interior of this building is in ablaze. And of course no file alarm in far sight. But on second glance; it was just one person [fully scorched black] standing in middle enveloped in fire aura [white]. Then the flames in the hall were just an emotional illusion created from that person overwhelming pressure of presence.
Actually the employees were all hiding behind counter or turn-over tables with some other customers.
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On other side of the coin, Mori seems to be bored. "Cut out the demonic flames."
That person menacingly glared [evil white eyes] at the person who dared to spoke this. It give her a few seconds to actually recognize that person, with was symbolized by widen its eyes full open. Then it was like if you open an over-shaken bottle of fizzy drink. All the flames bubbled up and out like a fountain onto a foam and dispersed.
Until only a girl with chicken slender legs in a fast food restaurant uniform dint emerge from the puffs of steam and fluffy clouds where that fire demon was before. Then with still angry face she return toward some worker standing behind the counter and she pointed at the newcomer. "See?! Don't dare to say to me that (this) is not a problem! Even her, from all, despite knowing what it actually is, she saw it like something else. But I am an eternal flame of romance!" She angrily stomp the ground and for a second it look that she took from that attack more damage that the floor. "Agrh! Enough!" Looking offended she turn her back to that employee. "Calli, lets go! I Don't know (who) or (what), but if you reached me, then you are already on something. And hear my word: We solving this!"
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Mori dint move from that spot as she observed Takanashi. "Actually, they making a team and we are on it. But first: Are you sure you are okay?"
Stubbornly she trow her face with closed eyes to side. "Don't mind this side-back. Soon or later, it will be all okay. You seem don't care that much but (I), refuse to be like this for to long."
Some of the employee come from the kitchen in back, pushing a trailer. "Mam. This is you order." Takanashi turned toward that person and got taken aback by how big the thermal box for food carrying was.
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Mori starts to speak... "I need to find..."
...But still ticked Takanashi, stop her with raised hand and finger, as she with strictly expression look at Calliope face. "Pa! Pa! Pa!… Save the boring stuff, when we all be gathered. Just simple look at you, told me everything I need to know, how big mess you are inertly. No need to force yourself to say monochromatic [black and white color theme] stuff to me. I love colors! Especially in the little talk! So don't worry! I definitely know the girl we shall wist next. In fact, she self invited herself. By making a ridiculous order by a phone." She glared down at that food box, and got angry for some reason. "And I will choke all this down into her throat!" She tried to pick it up, but the box dint move. "Ara?" [Eh?] She tried again, but then realize that the thing is to heavy for her to even slightly to move. "Ara~a?" [E~eh?]
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But that was not the case of the other girl with strength of the man. She pull that box by its shoulder strap and hang that thing on her back.
It was not all what they were to take with them, because there was still a shopping bags lefts to take. So the employee hand over it to the boss, including a clip board, with the address of the delivery.
But even that make that girl bent over, so she fully shocked scream her inner rage out of her lungs. "I am a weakling too?! Did the color was actually the source of my strength?! Aghrrrr!" Mori offered herself to even take that, but Takanashi strongly refuse. "No! I have my pride! I will somehow manage!" Then the stronger girl offer, or mentioned her (power?) drink, but even that was meet with denial. "No! That things of yours; Kills people!" In the end another employee brings up more shopping bags, so the stuff can be divided between them.
Now, was time to move, and every employee and (customer?) lines up, making a corridor toward the front door, to see off the boss and her teammate onto they mission.
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After one full episode of failing to found the way names as "Wayfinding failure"; later…
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At some point the party of two, managed to found the shark location…
Takanashi Kiara was furious and stressed out to the point, she was grinding her own teeth. They were standing in front of apartment door located on some (backwaters?) location, that was so (out of the main story-line), (so far in back); that it not even been displayed on a player map or any playable map. The weaker girl was spooking words through her teeth as some kind of threat. "You better have a real reason for what you told me, Gura. Or be on it, even worse, that me! Otherwise, I show you what is really into me!"
Mori was unfazed to that monologue, so she knock on the door.
A steps was heard behind the door and in moment Gawr Gura opened and show herself to them. But… … … The duo of visitors pulled they eyes out in shocking surprise. The (girl?) in front of them... She look nothing like them, or what they will expect to see as person. It was like if the artist that was tasked to visualize her, stop its work on early stage. Just bunch of bored lazy sketch that resembled an early stage of character creation, with all the support shape draws; like sub level circles, rectangles, triangles, lines and such. Simply; the type of drawing that have to long way to its final move of pen or brush.
The moment (Shark?) noticed who they are she put down whatever she was doing until now and reach for the (trident?) who was put on standby next to the door, (ready to grab and go). But… … … Even the mighty trident was a sketch. Just a few lines that hardly resembled a pitchfork, with price tag hanging from it. But instead of numbers, there was some poorly sketched Atlantians symbols that probably symbolized that weapon name.
Without delay the short girl walk out, close the door behind herself and face them. "Lets go!" Of course that confused the party but she raised her (hand?) to stop the questions. "Calli… I am a (character concept draft)… Lets go!" They asked her if she need a help, like use a pen to (draw the rest of her) to bring her back. She quickly come with a plan. "We need an artist. Right? Then how lucky of you. By a chance, I know the person. But first, we need a to fetch a fee [payment] for the gate keeper, to let us in."
Takanashi look at the clip-board, and at the list of items asking the (little girl?), if those are that payment. Whit simple answer (some of it is for the next stage) the trio move out.
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The (small girl?) lead them onto a water plan on the edge of the hill.
The party of three (adventures?) stand in front of suspicious trio in capes, who clearly act like a guards in front of the gate. Like a members of sect protecting the entrance to they secret lair/ den.
Gura say to the team (That she got this.) and she step in front of them to challenge the trio. After taking a deep breath she put herself into a (chuuni)byoo mod. [Chūnibyō, is a Japanese colloquial term typically used to describe early teens who have grandiose delusions, who desperately want to stand out, and who have convinced themselves that they have hidden knowledge or secret powers.] Then in a (protagonist entry speech) stance she launch a theatrical speech of high importance. "The time has finally come! We must unleash the hidden power, that lies dormant within our bellowed priestess. The world calling for it. But first! Let me present the tribute." She take the shopping bags and put all items from it down on the table. No matter how much anyone look at them, they were a cooking ingredients for sweets. She make a power stance and spoke about grand revealing. "Behold! Unbaked cookie~es."
The group in capes was moved to the tears. After they exchanged a glances and nodes, they give them a one-day free-pass card. Then they take the ingredients and step aside to let the party to pass the entrance, while saluting to them.
Mori and Takanashi dint said a word with an expression: (Ugh! I don't touching that!)
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The interior of water plant, to much reminded a RPG dungeon in steam-punk settings. But the free-pass card was really handy.
Eventually, they reached a tunnel passage way, that looks like a service or maintenance corridor, under the mountain. But they were instantly be able to recognize in a distance, a meter tall cylindrical trash can siting lonely near the wall. Only after a few more steps, they were able to notice a single door in the wall that was next to the trash can.
Gura, leading the group skillfully as if it was not her first visit, stop the party good twenty meters away from that duo and let them wait for like a minute. It nearly look like if she was expecting a trap in front of the entrance onto the boss room.
As if it was a scripted event; that door opened out and a (tentacles?) reached out from inside. They bring out, toward the can a whole bunch of fully packed trash bags. As expected the tentacles opened the lid on the trashcan and tried to toss all the trash bags into it. But, there was to many of them and they were all like half size of the poor trash container. So there was no way they will fit in and the lid will close. So a magical circle shows around that trashcan. All the bags imploded inside, as if all contest in them was cursed in pressure press and all air got suck out. Then those small balls finally fall inside and the lid was closed. At final step, those tentacles returned inside and close the doors behind themselves.
The Shark suggested: "Lets give her a few more minutes." And the rest of the party make noises of agreement.
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So, after a few extra minutes of waiting, they approached the boss room door. They actually stop like two meter away, but they still were able to heard a noises of hasty emergency room cleaning procedure. They even was able to hear the inhabitant panicking. "Oh no! Cappy! That's not a food!"
Concept draft Gura approached the door, and start knocking on the door. "Hey Ina, are you home?" She ignored the panicked 'Kia' lady shriek from inside. Then she start loudly knocking, acting as if her friend was a heavy sleeper. "HEY Ina~a! Wake u~up!" From inside comes noises of moving stuff around. So Shark acted like she is inpatient and start banging on the door, as if she thought that she was not heard because of the all noises inside. From second to second she was becoming more animal-istic in her attempts to get noticed.
The duo standing back thoughts a scene of monkey climbing on metal door with iron bar window. That monkey then starts to shake the entire door violently screaming very loudly.
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In a moment there was "I coming!" from inside.
The duo in back was expecting that the door will slam (open out) with such force, that the Shark will fly to the other wall and slap the wall with a fat mark. Or that the door will open so fast that it will do an 180 degree turn, hit the wall and turn the girl into a wall ornament or other type of wall panting.
But Gawr know better and actually got down from the door and hop walk toward the duo on side.
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The door opened normally, slowly and with care not to hit anyone who will stand behind them. An Ina'nis Ninomae slowly show out having a smile of expectation. But a hint of desperation show on that face when nobody was in front of that entrance. She pour out, look around and when she saw the trio, her face beamed up with a happiness. She was willing to jump out from the entrance, but some mysterious power prevent her feet to make that step out, as if she play a game where the floor on the corridor was a lava.
Anyway she invited the trio in.
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As they walk in an observe the very clean and girly room of educated student and aspiring artist, they look surprised how lady lake the room was. As if a princess was living here.
The only violation on a perfect 10/10 room beauty was this small storeroom or pantry room, behind sturdy door, which one leaked a dark aura. No!, the door look like they were slowly sinking into the pool of darkness, or dark emotions, or were falling into abyss in subspace.
The host told them with a straight face to (Not worry about that!) and (Don't go near them!) and (Newer open them!).
The library section with her neat book shelf look so pro, that one can expect that by pressing a hidden switch a secret second layer will unfold itself to the reader.
Quite soon, the room look like a bunch of friend gathered on single place and even bring a bunch of food so they can have a dinner party. Five character were siting on fluffy carpet around one short round table for tea, cookies or such. Mori was going through the data in file folder from manager getting everybody on the same pace. Its look more like a brainstorming study session on group project.
Then someone mentioned that they still missing a fifth member of the team. That was weird because there was fifth of them, who was siting around the table. So they went with old good counting the present heads. And they went in circle. First they focus fall on Calliope Mori, the leader. Then turn on Kiara Takanashi, the food provider. Next was Gura Gawr, as concept draft. Fourth was Ina'nis Ninomae, the house owner. And the fifth one was Cappy the chilling Capybara aka Happy Cappy.
All four of them shouted the name (Cappy?!). Even if the fact was put on table and the cover blown up, Cappy the chilling rodent, keeps its chill hippo (hippie?) hamster expression and continue to devour a blade of grass as some cool smooth criminal.
The quartet redirect they attention to the sheet with the data about the fifth team member and where to found it.
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After, skipping a half of the story arc; later…
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The party of quartet reached an (old castle?) or mansion. The room they entered was wide and had tall ceiling. The big windows suggest that this was a living room of some eccentric genius engineer, that was turned onto a work-shop on some mad science project or mechanism.
Mori step forward. As if she was on famous court show: She shot forward her pointing finger at the person on other side in (Objection!) gesture. And she shout. "Operative Watson! We finally found you! There is nowhere you can hide now!"
The Watson in lab coat was fully preoccupied working on some big machine, mechanism, or construct. When she heard that entry line she hiccup and swear back. "Fag! How the heck you get here?! This is an off limit area!"
That reply ignited a discussion when Takanashi actually think about it. "Shes right, how we get here? I mean, its has been a half of story arc we spend on it. And now, without an explanation, we are here."
Without any worry Ninomae drop on the table of discussion the reason of (Why?). "We were forced to cut the story length from the budgeting reasons."
Still as concept art Gawr was full of sarcasm. "Surely, that decision will not get back at us in later stage of the story, and it will not bite us badly."
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Mori move into her battle stance. "Enough of the pleasantry! Watson, we come to stop this madness!"
But Watson urgently plead back. "You don't understand! I trying to fix this mess! Just trust me!"
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As if it was a lot of fate a warning system light bulb lighted up on that machine and an unpleasant alarm sounded onto the room. It was a grim indicator that the time limit approaching.
Ina and Gura was already standing next to window on opposite side to the machine, glaring out. Then Gawr turn into the room shouting the warning. "Its coming!"
Takanashi standing in the room school them. "Girls! A half of story arc!… The audience don't even know, what is coming."
But at this point even Ninomae dint waste time as she walk towards Takanashi to take a defense stand. "No need for explanation! The time has come! Ame, Calli! Now or never! The decision is on the two of you."
Watson was in panic, hasty working on the machine. "No!... No, no, no!... I was on time!... I am on time!... I can fix it!... I will fix it!... I am fixing it!… TRUST ME!"
There was at last one person that dint bet on that pleading. Mori, menacingly holding a death scythe, was walking with firm step toward the engineer's back. Every her step was like a tick on pendulum, ticking off the life that was left on Watson sand glass of life.
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Then in a scene where from front we watching onto Watson sweated up face. She faced the operation panel of the machine and she pulled a big lever. The machine activate and a something like (time bauble?) start to spread from it toward the entire room. It froze that girl in lab-coat staring at the machine with (Please! Work!) expression.
Mori tower up behind that girl back and rise up her scythe to swing and take both Watson ans the machine out of the picture. The spreading bauble, time froze her with her eyes pure white staring down on her pray ready to release the swing.
As we focusing on the traveling time bauble, a little far we can see on the each side of Mori, the duo Takanashi and Ninomae in defense positions as they backing toward the machine, but still facing the window on opposite side of the room. One can think they were holding some invisible barrier or technique. They time froze as they were like that.
Then there was concept drawing Gawr, making a power stance right in front of the window. We don't know if the technique she used had any effect, but the window exploded inside. As if the house was hit by an epic level of tide way and all that water now pouring in through that single hole in the ship hull. The water wall sweep away that Shark and as the time bauble reached the tide way, it time froze that wave towering above the duo of defenders, ready to swallow them. And Gura had a first seat on that ride as she was pushed back by the very front of that wave that sweep her from her feet high up.
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Ignoring the others windows, it really look like the time has fully stooped and the calamity was frozen in place. On second glance, this scene look like a picture recorded on painting frame: A water tank exploded tearing a hole in its wall. Gura got washed away as she fail to hold the valve. Ina with Kiara was watching as escaping water jump on them. Then Calli was enough of all rising her scythe on panicked Amelia operating the water system, failing to decrease the pressure in pipes. All before the escaped water will fill the control room.
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Then the second calamity was arrived.
A (real?) water wave showed itself in the scene when she tore apart the room wall like it was just a picture painted on paper. It literally make a hole on it as the water steam pierce the most backed image. Then it wide to all sides.
Second to destroy was the time frozen picture of the tide way with Gura on it. It tear it apart like a poorly made dam that shall hold the water levels in check.
Third one to shred was the duo of defending girls that was washed to the sides. They images were torn sideways by the share force of water stream.
Next one was Mori as it was crushed down by the weight of the water that was poured on the paper image.
Then the calamity hit Watson and this time it was the final and most upwards layer of the scene. So the (real water?) dint pierce it, but soaked it wet. Incoming water filled the room full. The final layer was soaked to the point, that the entire scene, second by second, turned into ink that dissolved into water, and as a black clouds was taken away.
Every single piece of this scene was destroyed by water that seemed like a wast deeps under the ocean level. The water was the only thing that was seen in all direction.
To this lonely serenity come a single gasp for air escaping a certain girl mount… No! It was a single release of air in form of bunch of air baubles into a water from the lungs of fully submerged person. And those baubles went up, toward the distant ocean surface, following a hint of light from above.
Then through the water… someone… called certain someone name...
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[notes]
Its kind of funny that I had a base for this episode ready before Ina had her black and white concert stream "Neverland Paradox". I was (Wow! Its fits the theme perfectly!) At that time the concept for Mori finding the trio was already made, only the Amelia part had no notes. Then when I got to write her part, I was listening to "Medieval Christmas Music – Christmas Market" witch helped me with the atmosphere of the scene. Anyway, this episode in original sounded like a separate story, but it was alpha written into the same file like the "my shark roommate cannot be this lazy" so it was eventually implemented in. So, my dear readers, (Have you been able to figure out whats going out here?) or you will wait for the reveal until the next episode?