Hyde was standing outside the classroom. The school day was over as Orie was busy packing her things. Next to him was Tsurugi encouraging his friend to make a move
"Tsurugi I really don't think this is…"
"Hyde my boy, if you want to get closer with people, hanging out is the best way!" His friend said with a big grin.
"But what if she's busy? I don't want to-"
Tsurugi sighed and simply patted Hyde in the back.
"You'll thank me for this"
With one motion, Tsurugi pushed Hyde so that he'd make his way in front of Orie. The bluenette yelped in surprise in Hyde showing up seemingly out of nowhere
"Kido! Um.. Hi!" She said still in shock
Hyde nervously laughed and decided to just wing it.
"Um… Hey Harada! It's been about a week since you transferred here, yeah? If you want, I could show you around some places to help you get settled."
Orie could see Hyde looking nervous, barely keeping eye contact. She couldn't help it and laughed. Realizing what this could look like, she quickly assured her friend.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. To be honest, I could use a guide." She looked at Hyde with a warm smile. "I'd Love that, Kido"
Current Area: Somnus Fountain
The wounds from Carmine were healing, but the swordsman could still feel the soreness from that last attack he did. He was aware that Gyre Vortex would take a lot out of him, but using it with Veil Off just made his body even more tired. Realizing the path he was walking would take him to a familiar landmark, he pressed on.
This took Hyde's travels to the Somnus Fountain. He had several memories of this place, most of them recent. While he used to consider this shopping area just a place to get goods when the mall close to his house lacked the things he needed, he began coming here a lot more with a certain transfer student.
Orie's place was close to this shopping area, so that day when he offered to be her guide, he showed her all the places he'd think could help her adjust to her new home. Stores that sold affordable household items, easy and healthy recipes, cleaning supplies, etc. He still remembered the comment she made when he was listing those places.
"You seem very knowledgeable in taking care of the house Kido. Don't your parents help?"
"Well, I've been living alone for a while now, so it's just something I've learned to do."
As Hyde was resting on a bench, he pondered about that moment. When Orie learned that he lived alone and offered to spend more time with him. Study together, cook together, walk around together, all those moments were so much fun for him
'Heh, guess Tsurugi was on to something' Hyde smiled.
Of course he still wanted to strangle him for putting him in that leap of faith, but the ends he'd say justify the means. Because of that, this fountain held a fond place in his heart. He can only hope to wrap this night up so he could see Harada tomorrow.
His thoughts were interrupted when he began hearing the sound of clicking heels. Knowing this could only mean an In-Birth, Hyde hid in the bench and kept a close eye on his surroundings. When he heard where the clicking was coming from, his face paled at what he saw.
Long blue hair
'No…'
That familiar white hairband.
'No. No. No.'
Blue eyes.
'Oh no…'
Despite wearing a long grayish blue dress with long white socks and really high heels, Hyde could tell right away who she was. The symbol on her dress was that of the Licht Kreis. Linne showed him that symbol during her crash course.
Before Hyde could process what to do next, he could hear a voice from a distance.
"I know you are hiding over there. Please come out." He heard.
And her voice confirmed it. That was Orie Harada over there. The swordsman took a deep breath and came out of his hiding spot. Orie's eyes widened upon realizing who she was seeing.
"K-Kido!?"
"Hey Harada…"
The two could only stare at each other in shock. Orie was still trying to process that her friend was an In-Birth, and also matching the description of the one following the Princess of the Night Blade.
"If you're here, does that mean… You are the Wielder of Insulator?" Orie assumed.
"Yeah… But Harada. I never would have imagined you were in In-Birth. How long ago was that?" Hyde scratched the back of his head, asking.
"I've been one for… a while. You?"
"Heh, last month. Remember that day I saw you off after our study session? It was sunset that time"
How could she forget? Hyde aced that exam and was feeling more energetic than usual. She knew the symptoms people had when they first manifested their powers, but felt like it was a coincidence. She was sure Kido was safe, but here he is now in the Hollow Night.
"I see… A void bit you then… I'm sorry Kido. I should have been there to protect you…"
Hyde shook his head. "Don't be. All that happened in the span of minutes. No one can be everywhere at once. But yeah, that's how I got Insulator and how I'm essentially part of the Night Blade."
"The reports I've read have made that clear. It has made you quite the Unknown Actor in this Night."
The swordsman shrugged. "You got me there. Linne's really not all that bad ya know. She fights alone because she's forced to. Which is why I want to help." Hyde said that with his caring smile.
Orie nodded in response. "I am aware that the Night Blade is not evil and that we should focus our efforts on Paradox. But Kido, you know I can not allow her and Paradox to meet. With you roaming around as well, I'm sorry. As 5th Executor of the Licht Kreis, I ask that you withdraw."
"Harada… What are you saying?" Hyde's expression started to turn to worry.
"The Licht Kreis will handle the matter with Paradox. I must take the Princess and your sword into custody until we know for sure if she intends to use it for good or evil. Please Kido, I'm doing this to protect you!" Orie's eyes were pleading for Hyde to listen to her.
The swordsman could understand where she was coming from. The Night Blade and Licht Kreis have a strained relationship to put it lightly. She is just doing what she thinks is right. She just wants to protect him so that he doesn't do something reckless.
But…
To let Linne handle this alone, the person who saved his life. That was something he couldn't accept. So once more, he wanted to talk it out with Orie to find some kind of compromise.
"Harada please. Let me pass! I need to find Linne and help her defeat Paradox, I promised to support her! I know she is doing this to help people, just like you!"
"Kido… I'm sorry. But if you don't withdraw now, I'll have to use force…" After saying that, she raised her rapier and pointed it at her friend.
"You… you can't be serious…?"
Hyde turned away and gritted his teeth. He had a feeling this was going to happen, but he hated it regardless.
"You should know," Hyde said, showing Orie his bandaged hand..
"I made a promise" Hyde removed the bandages to show her a fully healed hand.
"And when I make promises, I don't stop until I finish them!"
Insulator was summoned out of his hand as he pointed his blade back at Orie.
"So you intend to fight?" Orie hoped Hyde would see reason. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt someone dear to her.
"Yes. But before that, I just want to get this off my chest"
Orie listened intently.
"Harada. No matter what happens, you are someone I care about. I just want you to know that" Was all he said.
Hyde could see Orie's sword arm tremble, once she held it in place, his friend gave a solemn nod
"Let's go Kido, think you're ready?"
"Whenever you are Harada"
IMMORTALIZE
Hyde versus Orie
"Divine Thrust!"
Orie immediately begins the battle with a thrust of her rapier. Hyde blocks the coming attack only to be pushed back by the sheer force of the move. The executor did not stop, she kept on the offensive with a flurry of strikes, causing Hyde's hand to work overtime to fend them off.
Once Hyde was able to push her off with a wide slash, Orie backed off with a series of backflips. Once she was at a distance, he noticed some of her attacks grazed him. Feeling his cheek, he felt a little blood trickle down.
'Holy hell Harada. Just how much have you been hiding?'
The moment he got his bearings straight, he knew that this fight would be nothing like Yuzu's. That was a glorified training session, this was a fight to win. And Orie's experience would make defeating her that much more difficult.
But he had to try.
Hyde rushed in and began his offense when all of a sudden a giant, silver knight appeared and blocked his slash with its giant sword.
"What the?!"
The knight immediately pushed Hyde back, causing the blonde to see Orie have her hand up as if she was commanding that knight to battle.
"This is my EXS Kido. It allows me to channel my power into my knight, Thanatos. This is your last chance. Surrender before this escalates any further"
Hyde could see her eyes were cold, devoid of the usual light he's known his friend for having. He couldn't accept this, but his choice demanded him to face her.
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that. Orbiter!"
Hyde fired his projectile, only for Thanatos to block it by forming a shield around it and Orie. Thanatos vanished after forming the shield.
'Maybe her knight works like that spider guy's webs. She needs to actually control it for it to do anything.' Hyde could only guess that was why she doesn't just keep it active the entire time.
'Still, that barrier is going to be annoying for Orbiter'
With a click of his tongue, Hyde decided to go for plan B. He rushed in, going for some slashes. Orie stepped up, ready to counter his attacks when the blonde's right hand began to fidget.
'What's going on?' He then noticed that Orie was purposely leaving a spot open as her free arm began to move. Suddenly his fight with Yuzu came flooding back. He had a feeling of what was coming next so he acted accordingly.
"Vacant Shift!"
Without warning, Thanatos appeared on Orie's open spot, ready to strike at Hyde. With his three uppercut slashes, he blocked the attacks from the knight with the last hit pushing it away. Orie's charge was a feint for her knight to attack. Yuzu showed him what happens when you fall for a feint and he was not going to make that mistake again.
Now he was in the air after using Vacant Shift, he saw the executor prepare for an attack he was all too familiar with. He still felt that kick from Vatista during his battle with her and his hand felt the same thing.
So with a twist of his body, Hyde pushed himself out of the way and saw his prediction paid off.
"Sacred Arrow!"
Orie lifted her rapier the the air with a lifting thrust to catch Hyde, but thanks to his quick thinking, left herself wide open for a counterattack.
"Craver!"
Using the blunt of his sword, Hyde used his own lift attack. It slammed right on Orie's chest as the red trails carried the attack upwards. The fencer was launched back but was able to catch herself and landed gracefully on her feet.
After catching her breath from the hit and wiping a little blood from her mouth, Orie gave an approving nod.
"Well done. You seem to be holding your own" She said with genuine praise
"Harada… I don't want to fight you." Hyde's eyes turned sad
"Neither do I, but I must fulfill my mission."
The two would clash blades as thrusts and slashes were made to each other with Orie incorporating kicks to the mix. After a clash with Hyde's knee and her kick, the fencer began to think of a different tactic.
With a click of her heel, she jumped over Hyde and landed behind him, forcing him to try and follow her movements. Before Hyde could react, his friend already made her move.
"Divine Thrust!"
Powered with EXS, she thrusted through Hyde's chest, causing several fast hits to connect. Hyde grit his teeth through the pain and saw Orie still going back to her stance. With a stomp on the ground to hang tough, he launched a quick counter hit.
"Orbiter!"
Powering his projectile with EXS, the energy disc went by much faster than before. Orie tried to block it with Thanatos, but it was already in front of her before she could summon her knight. She quickly jumped out of the way, with part of the disc hitting her left arm.
The executor winced in pain but still held her stance. Hyde held his ground as well, neither refusing to stay down.
The two clashed even more with Orie applying most of the pressure. Trusting his hand, Hyde guided Insulator to do one swift slash as Orie followed through with one swift stab. Both attacks landed as a result.
Hyde suffered a stab on his left shoulder while Orie suffered a slash to the leg. Both combatants staggered back in pain, but Hyde still had his sword arm.
"Oribter!"
Firing his projectile, Orie could tell it was the slower version and summoned Thanatos to hide in the barrier.
If only Orbiter was the attack Hyde was going for.
Forcing his left arm to move, Hyde held his sword together and concentrated his EXS to reveal the second attack Vatista taught him.
"Anthesis!"
Orbiter dissipated as a red beam fired off of Insulator, striking the barrier with enough potency to punch a hole through it, striking Orie's right shoulder as a result.
The scream he heard his friend gave hurt Hyde. He took no joy in this, but had to push through it. Even if it hurts like hell.
Thanatos vanished as Orie fell on one knee. She was breathing heavily as she used her rapier to support her. Hyde wasn't any better. The grazes in his body and the EXS thrust were taking its toll on him.
"You impressed me Kido… To think… you'd take me this far despite being a recent In-Birth." Orie said between breaths.
"Well… you know me." Hyde tried to lighten the mood. "I'm a quick learner…"
Under better circumstances, Orie would have laughed. But this time, she knew what she had to do.
"Which is why it's with all due respect, that I must end this fight now"
Orie then held her blade close to her and began to channel her EXS. She then uttered the two words that Hyde dreaded to hear.
"Veil Off."
'Ah hell' Hyde paled
Emitting a red aura, Orie got back on her feet, numb to the wounds on her body. With her rapier close to her, she charged at Hyde at full speed.
The boy tried to react, but she was faster. Orie grabbed Hyde by the shirt and landed a dropkick with both her feet, her heels practically stabbing through his gut and sending him back a few feet.
As Hyde tried to stand up, he could see Orie lift her blade up as Thanatos appeared above her.
"I'm sorry Kido. This will not kill you, but your Night is over. Luminous Embrace!"
She stabbed her blade on the ground as Thanatos slammed its blade down, creating a pillar of light heading right at the swordsman.
Unfortunately for Hyde, he was too shaken from the kick to move as the pillar came closer and closer. But even so, he had to stay strong. Holding his blade as best as he could, he might as well go out swinging. With a shout, Hyde braced himself as the pillar fully engulfed him.
As the attack ended, Orie could only hold her head down in guilt.
…
Only for her to hear Hyde gasping for air.
Upon looking, she could see Hyde not only standing up, but remained completely unharmed from her attack.
"H-How…?" Was all she could mutter.
Her Veil Off vanished, causing her to feel her injuries again. She held her blade down to stay standing as she tried to face her foe.
Hyde on the other hand stared at Insulator. It glowed a shining red as he felt incredible power emanating from it.
'Linne mentioned that at full power, Insulator could outright delete EXS. Did that.. happen?'
He could only assume that his blade thought he was in danger and briefly used its power to protect him. The shining red quickly went away as soon as it appeared.
The two were on their last legs with both completely using up their reserve EXS. The best they could do now were their bare minimum attacks.
With a shake of his blade, Hyde dashed as fast as he could to land one last strike. Orie in turn had Thanatos block his strike and pushed him back with a simple shove. Before he could react, Orie was already in front of him for one final thrust ready.
"Forgive me…" he heard her say.
This…
Was what the Unknown Actor was waiting for.
Upon getting pushed back, Hyde immediately took Yuzu's lesson to heart and waited for that perfect chance to strike. As he was sent back, he positioned his sword in a way that he would be ready to strike at a moment's notice. Upon seeing Orie come in for her last attack, he knew it was time.
With one final slash, he knocked the rapier out of her hands. The executor's eyes widened in shock as the sound of her weapon clattered the floor. Now all Hyde had to do was point his sword at Orie to end the match like he did with Vatista and Yuzu.
His hand had other ideas…
Without warning, Insulator began to be raised above his head, ready to strike her down.
'Wait! This isn't what I want!'
Hyde tried desperately to pull down, his left hand trying to stop it but his injured shoulder made it a losing battle.
'No!'
Shock turned to fear as Orie could not move from her position. Her slashed leg prevented her from moving anymore and she knew Thanatos would not come out in time to protect her. Especially when both her arms were too hurt to control it.
'Please!'
All Orie could do was close her eyes and brace herself.
In this single moment for Hyde, several flashes of his time with Orie began flooding in.
Their first meeting.
Him showing her around the city.
Her wanting to visit his house.
Them studying together.
That serene smile she gave him whenever they were together.
'STOOOOOP!'
The blade swung.