So now that the wave has started, and the last chapter ended just as Kodori was about to call home, let's peek at some of the things that are happening back in Orario and on Earth.

As usual, this will be a collection of events, not a single length of story.

(And if you want a reply to your comments, please get an account, I love chatting with my readers)


Chapter 32

The Japanese Prime Minister sat in his nice office, behind a nice desk, on a nice chair. However, to help with what was happening, the lights in the room had been dimmed, and the blinds on the windows lowered.

Because in front of the nice desk, was a large monitor and a camera.

"Please." The Minister said, "I ask that you forgive my lateness." He said.

The monitor had a dozen different faces on it, each held within their own little square on the glossy LED screen. Each face had a little name plate in front of them, denoting their nation.

"It was your turn to wake up early." The face with 'United States' on the name plate said with a smile, "I think we can forgive the minute and a half we all waited."

"It certainly saves money on travel, yeah?" This time, the face with 'Australia' on their name plate said, "Keeps the eyes away too."

"Are you sure we can trust this... Hasper Encryption?" Russia asked, "I'm sure we've all tried to crack it, just to check, you see."

"We were assured that it was the closest thing to Quantum Encryption that you could get." Canada replied, then shrugged and admitted, "And no, we couldn't crack it."

No one else came forward to admit that they had attempted to hack this supposedly unbreakable computer security, but there were also no denials.

"Shall we get to business then?" China asked, "On how to deal with this other New Land?"

"It is in my humble opinion that we should not 'deal with' them at all." India replied, "At least, not in the way we are all assuredly not thinking about."

"I'm sure by now we've all had legal teams go over the agreements with their 'Guild' with a microscope. And I have to agree, we should not be thinking about that." France said.

England spoke next, "For how simple their laws are compared to ours, it all seems perfectly balanced with no exploits."

"For either side." Africa said, "I agree. We stand to lose everything if we break any of the agreements. They are simple enough to follow, I do not understand why we are discussing this."

It was obvious, but no one wanted to say out loud that some primitive culture a thousand years behind Earth had them by their collective codpieces.

"Our people, all people, would benefit from their medicines." United States said, "But their imposed limits on armaments seems like a pointless crippling of our attempts to get it."

"The potential for an energy source is of great interest as well." India spoke again, "But their refusal to allow this 'magic stone' to leave their city is frustrating."

There was a general mumble of agreement.

"I think." The face in everyone's bottom right corner spoke up. Her name plate said 'Joten', the only 'civilian' team to have gained access to this meeting. "You've been ignoring the real problem with your teams."

"Your really think magic exists here on Earth? Aside from the few people brought over from the Special Region or Orario?" France asked.

In reply, the crude seeming tattoos on the woman's face started to curl with electricity. "Don't act stupid." She smiled, the little creepers of lightning seeping back into her skin, lighting up one of her eyes for a moment, then vanishing, "Isn't that right, Japan?"

The Japanese Minister looked a little uncomfortable, but nodded, "That is correct. While our JSDF was in the Special Region, we have proof other nations, though not which nations, have agents with the ability to work 'Ether'. Furthermore..." He paused, realizing he should have stopped there...

Everyone seemed to look at him though, and the only one who didn't look accusingly at him through their cameras was 'Joten'.

"Our replacement dungeon team will have... special assets." He said, caving in.

Joten smiled broadly, "The only rules the Guild imposed on all of us were about the weapons we could bring. What's that fancy word you have... Meritocracy. Yeah." She crossed her arms over her chest, "And unless you lot start looking for, and welcoming those better suited to this Dungeon of theirs, you'll all be paying a literal Iron price for their magic medicines."

The others all started to take on little hints of anger in their otherwise perfectly calm 'public' faces.

"If I recall, Japan is the only other nation who's actually turning a profit over there." Joten laughed.

The Prime Minister could see the start of a potential shouting match and tried to play it off, "The JSDF who spent time on the other side of the Gate, in both Orario and the Special Region benefited from practise." He admitted, "And it wasn't until recently that they have started turning profit."

There was an uncomfortable silence, where only Joten was smiling.

Then the only one who had yet to speak cleared his throat. Unlike the others, his desk had no name plate, but everyone knew his face. A very old man in a lab coat, he had the clear air of someone who was wasting his time, yet had to be there. "After my study of 'Ether' and 'Magic' in Falmart, and my brief visit to this Orario place, I can conclude a few things we should all take in to consideration."

Japan's Minister, having dealt with this man, one Professor Youmei. To call him 'curmudgeonly' would fall far short of his usual demeanour, so he used his best voice to encourage the professor to continue. "Please, good Scientist, what have you discovered?"

"As much as some of you deny the existence of Magic still, you should know the potentials of it. While we use flint, steel and a little press of the thumb to make a spark, those who can access Ether must still use the same effort to do so with Magic."

"Wiggle your finger and say the word?" America asked, his voice not mocking, but implying at least a little humour.

The Professor, even at upwards of eighty years old, glared at the camera with enough venom that some of the faces blinked. "If that is what it takes, yes. But the principal is still the same. What most of the world lacks is access to this alternate energy." He tapped something on his desk out of view of the camera, but sounding like a book or stack of paper instead of a wood or metal desktop. "Regardless of our ignorance of it, or lack of access to it, it exists. Professor Lelei and Sage Cato have both proven it, though our instruments of base science cannot yet manipulate it."

Joten was chuckling just loud enough to be picked up by her microphone, while the others were diplomatically trying to ignore her.

"Are you saying our various quests to buy the wonders of this new place are pointless?" Australia asked.

"No." The professor shook his head. "I'm saying that what you want is pointless. I can attest to the effectiveness of their medicines. But to progress any society, one needs work. If we were able to crack the code of how a person can access Ether, and create a machine to do so, we could likely replicate many of these wonders you all want." He waved a hand dismissively, "Through the work of Professor Lelei, before we last closed the Gate, we acquired several of their Potions."

There was a subtle leaning towards the camera for everyone on the monitor.

Oblivious (or uncaring) to the obvious spike of interest, the Professor continued, "We can replicate their creation easily enough with chemicals and compounds we discovered centuries ago. But without binding Ether into the creation, they might as well be flavoured water." He realized something, "Ah, I will correct that. The one they commonly call 'Antidote' is effective on its own for a number of toxins, but when an Ether catalyst is involved, it makes our penicillin look like table salt."

"You make it sound like they even have the cure for the common cold." Canada said with a smile.

"They do." The Professor frowned, "While they have rightly restricted access to their Magic Stone, if we could discover a way to make it ourselves, or use some other way to infuse raw Ether into medicines that they had witch hunts over a thousand years ago, we wouldn't need to buy their medicines."

"You said 'rightly' restricted?" China asked.

"Magic Stone is energy in a crystal medium. And while it is purely inert without some outside influence, be it smashing it with a hammer or boiling it in water, it is still energy. Much like uranium would be considered energy." The Professor said, "You call them primitive, but I disagree. They have simply learned what they had to to survive. I suggest you ask your Guild Representative about the Elf-Rakia war. There are already enough ways to kill a person on this planet, we don't need more from another."

There was a little more heavy silence from the monitors, and while Joten had stopped laughing at them, she was still smiling an infuriating smile. "I doubt you want my opinion." She said, "But you should all drink some water. You are far too thirsty for the quick fix."

"You are only here because you managed to scrape together the initial-" United States started, but was cut off.

"My team 'scraped together' the buy in price on our own, not with millions of tax payers behind us who will probably never see the benefits, as usual for your nations. My team is ahead of all of your fancy military training and funding because I told them to think in the long term, not a term in office." She slapped her hand against the desk, laughing, "You find yourself in a situation where all your money and influence gets you nowhere, and you're suddenly so helpless! And aside from Japan, you are all too scared to seek out the hidden you have all tried to burn or run away from since the earliest of witch hunts!"

She leaned forward, the tattoos on her face starting to crawl with sparks again.

"Even the Professor, the one among you who you would think had nothing in his head but fact and numbers has learned to peek outside of his little box. What is that term? 'God Fearing'? HA! It should be 'God Accepting!' Call them back into your homes, your hearts, your blades and your skies, and maybe, just maybe, they will help you. Of course, some of you will have to work harder to convince them the last two thousand years of witch hunts are over." And before anyone could reply, she tilted her head just a tiny bit, "Professor."

And her picture went dark, a little 'no signal' icon blinking on the screen in her place.

"Remind me again, why she was allowed to join in on these meetings?" United States asked, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Because she paid the exact same price as the rest of us." Russia chuckled, "If this 'Guild' wasn't so inscrutable, I'd find it endearing."

Africa spoke up, "I disagree, respectfully. It is our belief that the Guild is exactly what it seems to be."

Britain perked up with an amused reply, "It's not about the answers, but asking the right questions?"

"Not quite." The Professor said, "You forgot the last most important part. You must also accept the answer." And with that, he leaned forward and his screen was replaced with a little 'No Signal' icon.

"Tell me, Japan. What exactly are your assets going to be like when the Gate reopens?" United States asked, "Let me remind you of your current debts with most of us over the Special Region."

"Respectfully." The Japanese Minister replied, "I must remind you, all of you, that the matter of Japan's Debt is a separate issue to who or what we are sending through the Gate the next time it opens." He bowed his head slightly, "You may believe we are above you, when it comes to the Guild. But we are not. We must all follow their rules. Of course, if our restructured team does well, and a market forms around the items brought through the Gate from Orario, we will trade them against our various debts."

"You are just sore that your 'generous donation' of hardware was scrapped." Russia laughed.

"Our Guild representative has denied us the opportunity to send permanent settlers. Is this the same for all of you?" China asked.

They all nodded. "I don't blame them, but I do wonder why." Australia asked.

"Their world is dangerous. Untamed." France said, "Their safety can't be promised, and they want no responsibility for that."

"I do not blame them." Japan said, "Before the start of my Term, I visited their great city. I made the limited amount of video I took public for you all." There were a few nods. "In comparison, their world is a paradise. Danger aside, and yes, if you have not seen the JSDF file named 'brown pants moment'... Their society is unburdened by many of the complications we have on Earth. But they have worked hard to keep it so."

"Of course the isolationist nation would say so." Britain said.

"Then look at us as an example. We resisted the influence of the world, but it did not end well. They are simply resisting as we did. However, they have a border much more secure than ours, have goods we want, and rules everyone must follow to get them."

"They were very well informed about our world before negotiations started." Australia said, "My Guild representative even knew about my country's history!"

All of the faces turned slightly to look at a different spot on their screens. Except of course Japan.

"Aside from small amounts of 'banter', there was little information exchange from us." Japan replied without a hint of hesitation. "While I have not spoken to her myself, we all know of the one who is responsible for that level of information."

"So it is true? Without a doubt?" India asked. "This 'Kodori' did come from Earth?"

"We do know she was here in Japan for the span of a little less than a year, then returned home." Japan said, "Admitted to, and confirmed. I will submit the interview she had with our JSDF head of intelligence to our server if you wish?"

Everyone nodded.

"Very well. She is exceptionally well informed of our 'world state'. Some details are of course incorrect or only partially true. But in general, she knows Earth."

"A shame... Without that information..." United States mused out loud.

"If you are thinking that you are already too late. The damage is done in that regard." Russia laughed, "I cannot even be angry! She has brought an entire planet into thrall for something her world has in abundance, and all it is costing us is base metals and sleepless nights wondering if Baba Yaga is real!"

Most of them looked like they wanted to say something... undiplomatic. "I suggest we return to our efforts to gather properly skilled people." France said, nodding his head and vanishing to a No Signal icon.

One by one the faces vanished, leaving the Japanese Minister to his thoughts. For a moment at least. "There you have it, Kaze-san." He said after unplugging the power bar for the entire setup.

A tall gentleman in the Guild's uniform of smoke black over white stepped out from the corner of the room. Through the weird quirk of parallel evolution, he was nearly indistinguishable from anyone else in Japan. And while his Japanese was outdated, you'd almost think he truly was from this world. "Thank you for allowing me into this private meeting." He said with a deep bow.

"It is little trouble." The Minister replied, "You will also have my full co-operation in regards to Her disappearance."

"It was not against any of our rules for you to speak openly about this. I am curious why you did not." Kaze asked.

"She allowed my son to walk again, and I am looking forward to some... interesting grandchildren. It is a..." He rubbed his chin, "Professional courtesy. Her absence will cause many problems, but a delay of the inevitable will allow your people a better defence against what might happen if the worst is attempted."

Kaze bowed his head in respect, "Do you require coffee? I attempted to make some, though I can only vouch for its aroma, since I cannot stand the taste."

"Please." The Minister stood, "We have much to do to get ready for the next Junction."


(Orario)

When one of the pillars of your society vanishes, even if they have spent an incredible amount of effort to not be a pillar but an architect so others can support themselves without her... It didn't take long for people to notice.

Longer than the Hearthstone Manor thought it would, but it was inevitable all the same. Rumour of Kodori's disappearance moved to tentative fact, then confirmed information. And while there was no panic (the Adventurers were too practical for that, and the Citizens were still safe) it still raised a lot of questions.


(Freya's very pretty prison, Folkvangr)

"It is true. Though there is no word from anyone as to 'where'." Ottar reported. "Our single agent in Japan has heard nothing, and a plain question to Lady Arpeggio confirmed there is no way to Falmart."

"'Lady' Arpeggio?" Freya raised an eyebrow.

"She is." Ottar replied with an implied shrug and an indifferent tone, calmly pouring tea for his Goddess.

"How long has she been gone then?" She took a sip of tea, a little shiver of pleasure following, "Yumil has done well with this..."

The barest hint of a smile played over Ottar's lips, vanishing back into his usual stoic mien as he replied, "At least thirty days, likely more. She has not been seen for longer, but that is not unusual for her."

Freya huffed a little, "Well, that just won't do... When the city's strongest vanishes, people should be informed."

"Orders?" Ottar asked.

"Keep watch. And if her absence persists..."


(Hearthstone Manor)

"Ko-san made this look quite easy." Haruhime sighed.

"You almost had it." Delly encouraged, "Isn't that right boy?"

Fen-chan, a little smaller than he was usually, nodded vigorously up and down.

From a nearby Occulus, a slightly 'absent' voice said, "Ara, you are trying a little too hard, Haruhime-dono."

"Forgive me Yasaka-sama." Haruhime replied, not turning away from the little table in front of her, "I will try again."

Haruhime's four tails swished back and forth in agitation, though Haruhime's face was calm. Slowly, emerging from her palms, a gold and purple aura spilled out. Her hands moved slightly, as if painting or doing calligraphy, and from the energy in from of her, a small four legged shape started to take shape.

"Remember." Yasaka said quietly, "It is part of you, but you must allow it to be free."

Haruhime started to sweat as the fox spirit started to gain solidity, but before it could finish 'filling in' all the details, it began to fade. "I'm..."

And like the smoke it started as, it started to evaporate...

Until Fen-chan very carefully poked his nose to the base of Haruhime's spine, just above her collection of tails. With a rare and rather embarrassing noise, Haruhime's spine locked up, her ears and tails stood straight up, and her body shivered from head to toe.

But there, in front of her, was a small golden fox with black ear and tail tips, made of nothing but mist and her own magic. It even flailed its tail around happily as Haruhime gave Fen-chan a glare.

"Yes, like that." Yasaka said, pretending to ignore the momentary lapse in Haruhime's poise. "Well done Haruhime-dono."

Delly almost couldn't contain her giggles, but she tried to push past it by explaining, "Now... heehee... Ahem! Now... Cover your eyes and try and see through its eyes?"


(Guild, Royman's office)

"I suppose we must delay the wedding." Royman said after Eina locked the office door behind her.

Eina sighed, letting her professional manner slip just a tiny bit. "If nothing else, she won't be able to plan any of it."

"She's such an incredible planner though. We might have to check and see if she hasn't already set something in place that will spring into motion the instant we speak openly of it."

The two of them shared a laugh, each of them knowing it was just 'the good news' before the 'bad news'.

Serious again, Eina got to her report. "It is confirmed. Fels, Delly and Arpeggio have confirmed that it was a targeted trap for Kodori. Our friends on the other side of the Gate are looking into 'who' but we have a solid 'what'."

"Targeted... I was afraid of that. How did they manage it so precisely?" Royman asked.

"Delly has explained already that our way of magic is far outdated compared to the hidden peoples of Earth. While the method would be impossible for us, it would merely be 'tricky' for someone on the other side of the Gate." Eina took out a bit of paper, "Using something that was likely left behind from her visit to Earth, obscuring the magic itself with a simple enchantment, then simply waiting for the owner of the object in question, to touch the trapped item."

"Somewhat terrifying to think of." Royman admitted, "But if it is 'any' object, well..."

"A single hair would have done. So says Fels." Eina nodded.

"They couldn't attack her directly, and it is well known, public even, that trying to attack her friends would bring about her full wrath. But now that she isn't here at all..."

"We have been told not to increase security around the Manor. Lady Haruhime has said she has things well in hand."

Royman smiled, knowing full well that the Fox's Wife was far stronger than her gentle appearance suggested. "We've been told. Thus we obey." Royman said, "Any other news?"

"We are expecting a small force from Rakia, along with trade goods from their farms and orchards." Eina said, "Dungeon access will be granted to the soldiers for two weeks as per the trade agreement, and we can expect to see new deserts at Enki's Creations as early as the day after their arrival."


(Hearthstone Manor)

"A-ma looks sleepy..." Toshi mumbled to his siblings.

The other six nodded seriously, "What can we do? She is very busy... And uncle Fels is here too!" Chie replied.

"Grownup talk again." Sighed Yuki.

"But maybe they can get O-ma back again?" Yumi said.

"I have an idea." Kei spoke, their face serious, "We can all help A-ma get some rest, but we have to be sneaky about it!"

They all looked to the youngest, nodding. Kei's plans were always fun, and usually didn't get them in trouble.


In the living room, Haruhime, Hestia, Fels and Arpeggio were speaking. Having taken over almost all the usual 'magical duties' of Kodori, such as sustaining Fen-chan, many of the ghostly messengers and sentries, and just keeping pace with the Hearthstone's network of friends had started to wear the poor Kitsune down. Added to that, Kodori hadn't sent a single message, and only the briefest of contacts between Hestia and Haruhime's wife... It had been tough on her.

But she endured. "Fels-san? Do you have an idea on how to return her to us then?"

"With the disconnect between worlds being so complete... There is little we can do on this side alone. Unlike her trip to Earth, or Falmart, where ever she has ended up is a very closed system."

Haruhime nodded, perking up slightly for just a moment when a small fox jumped up onto the couch next to her, and just rested his head onto her lap.

Arpeggio continued, "From your description, Lady Hestia, aside from the smallest contact between you and Kodori, you only know she is still alive."

Hestia nodded, feeling a friendly rub against her leg as a second and third fox darted from under her favourite chair to hop up and join Haruhime on the couch. "It is part of our exchange, a little sliver of their soul in exchange for a little of our power. Nothing the Gods know of can sever that connection. But aside from that..." She sighed unhappily.

"Such a thin connection is too... ephemeral." Arpeggio said, pausing only so she could find a good word for it. "If you could feel more, then she would be able to send messages as she had when she was on Earth, or from Falmart." The mage looked down, gave a gold and black fox a little pat, then watched as it too went to join its siblings.

"If the two of you can connect again, perhaps we can do something. Send a message." Fels mused, the swish of a little fox darting between his legs making his all concealing black robe ruffle.

"If she does manage to talk to us, what should we tell her?" Haruhime asked, the hand not holding her teacup randomly petting little fox ears by reflex.

"She needs to set up a beacon. Though, I find it odd she hasn't already? She probably figured out that on her own." Arpeggio said. "Maybe the rules are too different? Like the inability for Christian Magic to work here in Orario?"

Fels, Hestia and Arpeggio made thoughtful faces, while Haruhime simply fell asleep. While they'd been talking, the children had all collected around her and started to nap, dragging Haruhime's already weary body into sleep with them.

"Shall we move to another room?" Fels asked very quietly.


(In a basement someplace)

Sangris, son of Sangrigor, was amused. He really liked it here in Orario. Like the rest of his party (except one, who would be considered by most people 'a square') they had little use for all the modern things back on Earth. Every one of them (except 'the square') was an outdoors man, hunter, fighter and survivalist ('the square' being only passable at any of those) of great skill.

And here, in this world, those skills were put to the test every day. Of all the teams sent through from Earth, only the Japanese team was even on their radar when it came to 'success' in the dungeon. The rest of them were...

Well to put it in a way that wouldn't cause a bar fight the instant you said it, 'not doing well'. But if Sangris and his party weren't here under the aegis of Guests, and thus subject to all the fines and laws of Orario while here... Well, he'd have called them 'effete, milquetoast sacks of sadness that should go back to their mothers teat'. Oh, with the one exception of this one guy from the Russian team who had managed to out drink him. He was cool.

Of course, the other thing holding him back from taunting all of the other teams was respect. He knew that him and his team (including 'the square') had an advantage over the rest of them. And he could respect that even without a magical heritage they were at least trying. Of course, it was like watching a bunch of children trying to lift their father's great axe, but Sangris could respect their staying power.

He of course reported all this to his 'boss'...

Before him was a golden dish filled with blood that rested on a low flame atop a simple iron stand. Reflected on the otherwise mirror smooth pool of crimson, was a face. Ruggedly handsome though still feminine (an Amazon beauty for sure) she smiled up at Sangris's face as he looked into the blood.

Because Sangris meant Blood in the old tongue.

"Well done my child." She said as he finished speaking, "And what of her?"

"Gone. A shame, since I'll need a new weapon before long. Though, that Welf fellow is certainly her equal." Sangris smiled, his teeth gleaming like the curve of his axe blade. "He can also drink me under the table."

"The shame is that it happened so soon. But we can still work with this." She replied, "Has she managed to send word back?"

"Who knows? I'm not their friend, just another contracted warrior. I'll say though, it's impressive how unshakable they are. All of them. You should visit! You'd love it here." He laughed behind his hand, making sure his breath didn't disturb the blood. "Seems she's just another brick in the wall, a big one, but still just another fighter."

"Has no one taken up her duties?"

"She has no duty past anyone else around here. She's not a Goddess. As far as their legends go, she can't be one. She has children." He grinned, "They beat the crap out of me last time I visited."

"As expected of her brood. What of the Wife?"

"She has the same stare as she does, that's for sure. Put the fear in me even though the children challenged me. Far as I can tell, she's holding the territory, but I doubt my entire team could scratch her."

"No no... Do not challenge her, any of them, directly. Have you seen it?"

"Oddly, no. I thought I would when me and the kits got into a brawl. But aside from a lot of bruises and a glare that would make fimbulwinter feel tropical, I got nothing." His smile remained however, "After being suitably humble and admitting defeat at the hands of a bunch of children, I still got a cookie though."

The lady in the blood mirror chuckled, "You were either beneath notice, or not considered a threat. Carry on then. Walk in glory my child."


(Hearthstone Manor)

"Tsuma." Came the quiet voice. "Ha-chan?"

Buried under a collection of napping foxes, the only response from Haruhime was the slightest of ear twitches.

Then there was a louder voice, "Oh! Is that her? You're mates with a shadow? And... ohhhhh those are your children? Raphtalia will be so jealous I got to see them!"

Haruhime's ear twitched again, and Kodori spoke once more, "My love? Wake up? Please?" There was a pause, "Wake up."

Haruhime sat up suddenly, fully alert, ears and eyes searching for danger like any experienced adventurer. But all she heard were the suddenly awake children, her own hammering heartbeat, and someone in the kitchen.

"My love. The card, please tell me you have it?"

Frantically, she pawed at her robe but the Tarot wasn't there. She was about to get up, but Kodori's voice spoke again.

"Forget it, just hold your ring! I love you, but you really need to just listen. I can see you, but I don't think I can hear you." Kodori's voice sounded distant, but clear. Haruhime nodded, and the slowly waking children were all looking around for their O-ma, their fox-forms reverting to Renard children again.

"Good. I am in a world without Gods, and that is even more closed off than Earth. Only when there is a Wave is there any sort of connection. If my theory is correct, somewhere between forty and fifty days from now there will be another connection. Understand?"

"It's O-ma? We're not dreaming? O-ma! Where are you!?"

"Hush." Haruhime said, her arms and tails wrapping around the naked children all over her and the couch, her wedding ring just able to touch her lips while she practically crushed the children to her. She nodded as well to show she understood.

"The next time the Wave happens, I will have a spot set up to receive. Use the picture device in the library to connect to it. I need HIDA! I'm losing connection! I love you! All of you! You'll need something to connect! Maybe visit Kuoh to use my Shrine! Sorry the card... melt... love..."

And her voice, her faint presence, was gone.

Seconds later, Hestia all but ran into the room, nearly tripping over her own feet as she came through the door. "I felt her! She's still alive!" She recovered her balance then saw the teary eyed look on Haruhime's and all the children's faces. "You saw her?"

Haruhime sniffled ever so slightly, shaking her head 'no'. The children had no such reserve, but were still holding back sobs. "She could see us." Haruhime said, "We need to talk to Akeno-san, right now."


(Kodori)

I looked down at the melted tarot. It was painful, physically and mentally, seeing the thin metal picture of my wife warped and twisted on my palm.

But she could hear me, and I could see them. They were safe. That was really all I needed to know.

"Aww... Why did it melt? And doesn't that hurt?" Tetsu asked. "There there. Don't cry Boss."

I bowed my head and let her big scaly hand ruffle my hair. "We have work to do." I said, scrubbing my sleeve over my eyes and returning the headpat. "We really need to kill that other dragon now." I said, "And when we do..." I shook my head, "Survive first. Ready?"

"Of course!" Tetsu's wide toothy maw tried to smile, "Lets find some monsters to eat!"

I hopped back on to Tetsu's back, then put the ruined Tarot back into the pouch I had it in. If the inter-dimensional communication device we had in the library could do 'audio and visual', it wouldn't be a far stretch to do 'physical'. They would just need to use the 'slip gate' that allowed them to return Hagane back to Orario from Falmart.

And if I could get HIDA here...


NOTES!

Next episode? The third Wave. :) See you then.

Thank you for reading! And if you want to see any full colour art, join the discord!

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