I'm doing too many serious stories lately. Time for some low-stakes comedy, because nothing's funnier to this site than children dying.
Laphicet (Tales of Berseria)[]
“ | Eat my arm. I don't care. Just... leave me the other one. I need it to clobber the jerk who made my Velvet cry!
— Laphicet
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” |
The malak that would later be known as Laphicet was created during a Scarlet Night, when a pregnant Celica Crowe fell into the shrine containing Innominat. Celica was reincarnated as the malak Seres, bound to her former husband Artorius Collbrande, while her child was incarnated as a nameless malak. This malak was later given to Teresa Linares, and given the designation "Number 2." He would often sneak out to try and gain knowledge, and was eventually brought with her to Hellawes.
Number 2 saved the freshly shipwrecked Velvet Crowe, Rokurou Rangetsu, and Magilou, leading to a chain of events where they set fire to the port of Hellawes. Number 2 was ordered to commit a suicide attack, and after being kicked in the face by Vevet to stop the spell, he was picked up by her and taken when they escaped on a stolen ship. He sticks with the group, eventually being given the name Laphicet due to his resemblance to her late brother.
He journeyed with Velvet and her companions, learning and growing as a person because of it. After Velvet seals both herself and Innominat away, Laphicet takes on the vacant mantle of the fifth Empyrean. He would later be corrupted into a dragon by Heldalf, a later Lord of Calamity. Sorey would then lead his party, including Edna, the younger sister of his friend Eizen, to purify him.
“ | ” |
Laphicet typically sticks to casting Malak Artes, but when he is in need of a rapid close-quarters defense he utilizes magic slips of paper to attack the enemy. There isn't really much notable about this style. His Break Soul increases the party's resistance to damage, at the cost of one Soul Gauge, and can extend this to reducing stagger resist for enemies on the field and then to enabling his allies to attack faster, at the cost of one soul each. All allies are healed once the effect expires, by 10% per soul used. Laphicet starts with three souls, and has a maximum of five.
See here for a complete list of his Artes, including his Mystic Artes which has its own tab.
“ | So they lay eggs because they're like husband and wife... But... How do they make the eggs?
— Laphicet
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” |
“ | Spirits, release!
— Laphicet
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” |
Laphicet, like the rest of the group, has several "mystic artes" that she can use to capstone his combos. Binding Order traps one enemy in a cage thing and blasts it, while Chaos Bloom and Indignation use magic and a massive lightning bolt, respectively, to hit all enemies on the field.
This uses Blast Gauge, which is refilled by landing Break Souls or resting. Laphicet starts with a full 6 Blast.
“ | ” |
- Literal Child
- Is a literal child. Ten years old, chronologically. While he is very attached to the party, and also tends to listen to them, he does have moments of childish curiosity.
- Determined
- He is nevertheless about as determined as Velvet. While he has significantly more morality than she does, he is also defined by his unwavering will to do what he believes is right.
Tita Russell (Trails series)[]
“ | Whatever makes it so I can be a part of her life, I want it to do it. Even if it's small. Because that's what friends do. That's how I really feel.
— Tita Russell
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” |
Tita Russell is was born to a family of prominent engineers in the country of Liberl. As the granddaughter of Professor Albert Russell, and typically in his care due to her parents' work taking them internationally, she learned Orbal Engineering by assisting him in his experiments. As Albert Russell was one of the students of Professor C. Epstein, the Father of the Orbal Revolution, her instruction was rapid and cutting-edge. Thanks to this, she was a trusted member of Zeiss Central Factory, Liberl's premier Orbal Engineering and R&D enterprise, before the age of 12.
At the age of 12, she meets Estelle and Joshua Bright as they're traveling to Zeiss. They save her from a monster attack, and she shows them to the town as thanks. They next meet as they're trying to get help from her grandfather, and the pair get sucked into his experiments. They stay the night, quickly becoming friends with Tita and pretty much adopting her as a younger sister. Her grandfather's experiments get the wrong kind of attention, and he is kidnapped.
She meets Agate Crossner, a Bracer senior to Estelle and Joshua, as they search for her grandfather. The two quickly bond, the 24-year-old Agate seeing her as a younger sister while Tita develops a crush. They successfully rescue her grandfather, and the group goes their separate ways. They meet up again during Col. Alan Richard's attempted coup, working together to foil it.
Tita spends some time honing her abilities, and reunites with Estelle when she investigates the earthquakes happening in Zeiss. After learning that it was an experiment conducted by the Ouroboros Society, the group of villains Estelle was hunting, Tita decides to join her surrogate older sister on her journey. They head to Grancel, the capital of Liberl, where she meets and bonds with fellow 12-year-old child Renne. Tita is devastated to learn that her new friend is actually a member of Ouroboros, and resolves to help Estelle pull her out of the organization.
She continues traveling with the group, and when a dragon attacks Bose she steps up as one of the few members with a ranged weapon. She helps protect Agate from Loewe, another member of Ouroboros, and sticks by his side until he heals from his wounds. Afterwards, she plays a major part in restoring communications around Liberl during the Liber Ark crisis.
After that is resolved, she reunites with her parents and the entire family begins work on the Orbal Gear, a powered armor meant to help stand up to Ouroboros' own unmanned machines. She also attempts to win Agate's heart though his stomach, inviting the Bracer for meals regularly. While this has strengthened their bond, he still only views her as a younger sister.
Tita is one of the people drawn in when the priest Kevin Graham activates the Recluse Cube. She is one of the first allies he comes across, and she is vital in helping him resolve the crisis caused by the cube. During this time, she gets to meet with Renne again, and confirm that the other girl does care about her as a friend. She returns to her apprenticeship under her grandfather and parents.
She would later enroll in the Thors Military Academy Branch Campus at the age of 16, both to help her friend Olivert Reise Arnor - one of the princes of Erebonia - investigate strange happenings as well as to learn under Professor G. Schmidt, her grandfather's fellow scientist and semi-rival. Her technological prowess, and the upgrades to the Orbal Gear she made as her personal project, prove vital in foiling the plans of Giliath Osborne, the Ouroboros Society, and several others that planned to use Erebonia as a staging ground to end the world. She continues her studies, maintaining her friendship with Renne as the latter heads to Calvard.
“ | Orbal Cannons, meanwhile, fire shells containing energy which explode on impact. Similar to orbal guns, these have less recoil than gunpowder-using cannons, and their power can be similarly adjusted.
— CAPEL
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” |
Tita uses an Orbal Cannon to fight. It's basically a gigantic grenade launcher (that appears to be recoil compensated) running on similar principles as an Orbal Gun. Namely that it uses magic bullshit to work instead of gunpowder, and thanks to that can shoot its grenades with varying power and effects. As her weapon affects her attack radius, she will be using Meltdown Buster, which gives all her attacks a base medium radius.
She further has access to the Orbal Gear, a powerful mech. When entering the Orbal Gear, she gets a variety of additional buffs. It doubles her health and increases her physical strength and defense by 20%. Additionally, it makes her immune to the Poison, Faint, Freeze, Sleep, Petrify and Morph status effects. She cannot cast Arts until she exits the Orbal Gear, but all Quartz remain in effect. Her basic attack in this mode is a swing of the Orbal Gear's axe-like-thing.
“ | Hmm... let's see. A problem with mode changeover means that something is probably wrong with the memory. Have you run a full diagnostic on the memory core yet?
— Tita Russell
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” |
In order to utilize Orbal Arts, Tita must be in physical possession of a Combat Orbment. Each Orbment has slots for a quartz, a tiny crystal with an attunement to one or more of the seven elements: Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, Space, Time, and Mirage. They offer various benefits by themselves, and the configuration they are in allows for the casting of different Orbal Arts.
- Gold Gem
- Halves the EP cost of Arts.
- Ruby Gem
- Increases physical attack by 15% while reducing physical defense by 9%.
- Freeze 2
- All physical attacks have a 20% chance to inflict Freeze.
- Freeze
- Prevents the affected party from acting and deals damage over time.
- Heaven's Eye
- Combines the effects of Eagle Eye and Information.
- Eagle Eye
- Increases the distance at which enemies can be seen.
- Information
- Can see information about the enemy in battle.
- Water Gem
- Increases maximum health by 15%.
- Emerald Gem
- Massively decreases defense against magic, while reducing magic attack power by 9%.
- Onyx Gem
- Increases speed (affects AT) by 90%, reduces movement range by 2
“ | Agate's always saving me, so... I have to help him back! I have to... No... That's not it. Not just it. He's blunt, and he always looks annoyed... He always treats me like a kid and calls me things like 'shortstuff,' but... He's really very nice, and he's always watching out for me! He means so much to me... I love him!
— Tita Russell
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” |
Note that all Arts take a time to cast and can be interrupted. This time varies, but is generally longer for stronger spells. Arts also cost a resource known as EP. AT is a relative measure of time; I don't have an equivalent to actual seconds, sadly, but it's definitely not 1:1. An average (on-level, not cheesed, non speed stacked) elite mook fight will last a few hundred (but under a thousand) AT, while an average boss fight will take several thousand AT.
Tita will start with, and has a maximum of, 482 EP. The EP costs below include the Gold Gem reduction.
- Tear
- Restores a small amount of HP to a single ally. Costs 5 EP.
- Teara
- Restores a medium amount of HP to a single ally. Costs 10 EP.
- Tearal
- Restores a large amount of HP to a single ally. Costs 20 EP.
- Tear-All
- Restores all HP to a single ally. Costs 35 EP.
- Curia
- Cures any abnormal status of a living ally. Costs 5 EP.
- La Curia
- Cures any abnormal status of all allies in a large area around a single ally. Costs 15 EP.
- Sylphen Guard
- Boosts agility (affects dodge) for one ally, lasting 400 AT. Costs 5 EP.
- Sylphen Wing
- Boosts movement speed for one ally by a bit, lasting 400 AT. Costs 5 EP.
- Sylpharion
- Greatly boosts movement speed for allies in a small area around a single ally, lasting 400 AT. Costs 20 EP.
- Clock Up
- Boosts the speed (affects AT) of a single ally, lasting 400 AT. Costs 5 EP.
- Clock Up EX
- Greatly boosts the speed (affects AT) of a single ally, lasting 400 AT. Costs 15 EP.
- Chaos Brand
- Inflicts Confuse on an enemy, lasting 250 AT. Costs 20 EP.
- Confuse
- Afflicted party takes actions at random with random targets.
- Anti-Sept
- Inflicts Mute on one foe, lasting 400 AT. Costs 10 EP.
- Mute
- Prevents casting magic.
- Anti-Sept All
- Inflicts Mute on all foes in a medium area, lasting 400 AT. Costs 20 EP.
- Mute
- Prevents casting magic.
- Orbal Down
- Inflicts Mute on all foes, lasting 400 AT. Additionally reduces their magic defense, lasting 400 AT. Costs 50 EP.
- Mute
- Prevents casting magic.
- Clock Down
- Greatly reduces the speed (affects AT) of all enemies in a medium area around a single enemy, lasting 400 AT. Costs 25 EP.
- Aqua Bleed
- A stream of water shoots from the ground, dealing low Water damage to one enemy. Costs 5 EP.
- Blue Impact
- A stream of water shoots from the ground, dealing medium Water damage to one enemy. Costs 20 EP.
- Blue Ascension
- A stream of water shoots from the ground, dealing high Water damage to one enemy. Costs 40 EP.
- Fire Bolt
- Shoots a fireball at a single enemy for low Fire damage. Costs 5 EP.
- Flare Arrow
- Shoots a bolt of fire at a single enemy for medium Fire damage. Costs 20 EP.
- Napalm Breath
- A pillar of flames erupt under the target for heavy Fire damage. Costs 40 EP.
- Cyclone Napalm
- A whirl of fire erupts under the target for massive Fire damage. Costs 75 EP.
- Air Strike
- Shoots a blast of wind at a single enemy for low Wind damage. Costs 5 EP.
- Aerial
- Creates a tornado covering a medium area for multiple hits of Wind damage. Costs 20 EP.
- Lightning
- Shoots lightning in a narrow line for medium Wind damage. 20% chance to inflict Seal, lasting 400 AT. Costs 10 EP.
- Seal
- Prevents the use of non-magical attacks.
- Plasma Wave
- Shoots lightning in a medium-width line for high Wind damage. 20% chance to inflict Seal, lasting 400 AT. Costs 25 EP.
- Seal
- Prevents the use of non-magical attacks.
- Soul Blur
- Shoots out some energy discs at a single enemy to do low Time damage. Costs 5 EP.
- Shadow Spear
- A spear materializes out of the ground, dealing medium Time damage to one enemy. Has a 20% chance of Deathblow. Costs 20 EP.
- Deathblow
- Instantly kills the target.
- Hell Gate
- Attacks a small circle around a target for low Time damage. Has a 20% chance to cause Faint, lasting 400 AT. Costs 15 EP.
- Faint
- Prevents all actions.
- White Gehenna
- Attacks a medium circle for medium Time damage. Has a 20% chance to cause Faint, lasting 400 AT. Costs 30 EP.
- Faint
- Prevents all actions.
- Abyss Fall
- Summons a demon thing to attack a large circle around a single enemy for high Time damage. Has a 20% chance to cause Faint, lasting 400 AT. Costs 45 EP.
- Faint
- Prevents all actions.
- Dark Matter
- Deals high Space damage to a single foe. Costs 40 EP.
- Ascension
- Deals Mirage damage to a single target. 20% chance to inflict Seal, lasting 400 AT. Costs 5 EP.
“ | ” |
Crafts cost a resource known as CP, which is built by dealing and receiving damage to a maximum of 200, and unlike Arts have no cast time. AT is a relative measure of time; I don't have an equivalent to actual seconds, sadly, but it's definitely not 1:1. An average (on-level, not cheesed) mook fight will last a few hundred (but under a thousand) AT, while an average boss fight will take several thousand AT. These Crafts are available to Tita while she's outside the Orbal Gear. Tita will start with 100 CP.
- Chain 3
- Can utilize Chain Crafts to team up on an enemy with up to three allies. Costs 20 CP, increasing by ten for each ally that participates.
- Smoke Cannon 2
- Launches a smoke bomb at the target, dealing low damage in a medium area. Has a 100% chance to inflict Blind for 500 AT. Costs 30 CP.
- Blind
- Non-spell attacks have a 50% chance to miss
- Vital Cannon 3
- Launches a cannon shell that heals a large amount to allies in a large area. Somehow. Costs 30 CP.
- Orbal Gear
- Summons and boards the Orbal Gear. Needs to have enough space to deploy it. Costs 20 CP. Changes her Crafts from this list to the on in the next tab, as well as restricting her usage of Arts as well as other status buffs mentioned in said tab.
- Cannon Impulse F
- Pulls a big ol' minigun larger than she is from... somewhere and fires, hitting everyone in a medium line for high damage. The cannon runs on gunpowder, and so can be used in areas where orbal power is blocked. Costs all CP, requiring at least 100 CP to use. Increases in power if used at 200 CP.
- Satellite Beam 2
- Types some coordinates in a briefcase computer, which then fires a beam from a satellite cannon at a medium area for high damage. Don't think too hard about how the satellite got up there when you can't leave the lower atmosphere of Zemuria. Costs all CP, requiring at least 100 CP to use. Increases in power if used at 200 CP.
“ | She just thinks that by participating in the Orbal Gear's development, she'll be able to keep thinking about her. The project connects them in a tiny way even if they can't meet, even if Tita can't do anything more substantial for her.
— Dan Russell
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” |
Crafts cost a resource known as CP, which is built by dealing and receiving damage to a maximum of 200, and unlike Arts have no cast time. AT is a relative measure of time; I don't have an equivalent to actual seconds, sadly, but it's definitely not 1:1. An average (on-level, not cheesed) mook fight will last a few hundred (but under a thousand) AT, while an average boss fight will take several thousand AT. These Crafts are available to Tita while she's riding the Orbal Gear. Tita will start with 100 CP.
While in the Orbal Gear, Tita has several baseline ability increases. It doubles her health and increases her physical strength and defense by 20%. Additionally, it makes her immune to the Poison, Faint, Freeze, Sleep, Petrify and Morph status effects. She cannot cast Arts until she exits the Orbal Gear, but all Quartz remain in effect.
- Climb Out
- Exits the Orbal Gear, returning to Tita mode. She loses the stat increases she gets from Orbal Gear mode as well as the crafs in this section, and requires space to disembark. Costs 0 CP. Changes her Crafts list back to the previous tab, reverses the mentioned stat changes, and allows her to use Arts again.
- Bullet Barrage
- Fires a barrage of bullets in a medium area, dealing damage to all enemies inside. Costs 10 CP.
- Smoke Missiles
- Bombards a small area with smoke missiles, dealing damage to enemies and having a 100% chance to inflict Blind for 200 AT. Costs 10 CP.
- Blind
- Non-spell attacks have a 50% chance to miss
- Charge
- Rams one foe, moving to their position and dealing high damage. Pushes the foe back significantly and has a 20% chance to cause Faint for 200 AT. Costs 10 CP.
- Faint
- Afflicted foe cannot act.
“ | That's it! I claim this cutie in the name of the Bracer Guild! Scherazard, we're taking her with us!
— Anelace Elfead
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” |
- Tech Wiz
- While not quite to the extent of her friend Renne (though she has her own... stuff) Tita is an incredibly skilled engineer, even at the age of twelve. Her grandfather, Prof. Albert Russell, was a disciple of Prof. C. Epstein, and passed on all his knowledge to Tita. Basically imagine being raised by someone who learned at the feet of an unholy hybrid of Einstein, Newton, Tesla, and Hawking. While sharing their interests and enthusiasm, so all their knowledge gets passed to you fairly easily. Thanks to this, Tita is a child prodigy at engineering, able to solve complex problems with speed and skill. She is so good at this that putting her on a project with ZCF's best minds isn't considered slowing them down but helping to speed them up.
- Literal Child
- Despite the above, she is a literal child. Twelve years old, at this point in her timeline. She gets lonely, misses her parents, and gets super attached to Estelle Bright because the Bracer was kind to her. She also has a high level of curiosity, as befits both her scientific mind and her age.
Notes[]
- Please have at least couple paragraphs as to who you think will win and why
- Evaluating the warriors used based on a different canon or different point in their timeline as given will invalidate a vote
- I have the final say on whether or not a vote counts
- Contact me via Discord if you think I made a mistake with vote counts
- Only votes on this blog will count.
- Rebuttals can reduce a vote by a half point or more.
- Counter-arguments can restore the vote to full
- Rebuttals will not be accepted less than 48 hours before the close of voting, save for the following:
- Should a vote be made less than 48 hours before the close of voting, rebuttals will be accepted up to 48 hours after the close of voting, and the voter waives the right to defend their vote to restore it.
- Votes made less than 24 hours before the close of voting (or close enough that I can gauge this to be their intent) will count for half at most.
- ago)
The warriors will be pulled from the following timelines and canons:
- Laphicet Crow: During the events of Tales of Berseria, just before fighting Artorius Collbrande
- Tita Russell: During the events of Trails in the Sky 3rd, between finishing Part 2 of Moon Door 1 and leaving Phantasma.
Battle[]
Prologue[]
It was an average day in DFederal North University as the middle school section goes to the cafeteria for lunch. A pair of sixth-graders, a young boy with blonde hair in a feminine-looking robe and a girl around the same age, also blonde but wearing boyish overalls and a hat, thank their chelonian lunch lad for the food, walking towards the seating area with their trays while continuing their conversation.
“Velvet’s obviously the cooler sister,” Laphicet says, “I mean, she’s a pirate! Who helps people!”
“Yeah, but Estelle’s a Bracer!” Tita replies, “She helps people, too! And doesn’t need to pretend to be bad, either, which makes her the cooler sister.”
“But Velvet’s taken down The Abbey and Artorius! That’s like a whole country!”
“And Estelle’s fought Ouroborous! They’re stronger than a country!”
“I don’t think they’re stronger than a country…”
“You saying I’m lying?”
“Am not!”
“Are too! You’re just trying to change the subject because you can’t win!”
“Am not!”
“Are too!”
The two kids slam their trays down, growling at each other as the other children gather in a circle around them, buzzing. The kids glare, before the tension is broken with the sound of two struck blows, followed by chairs clattering. The cafeteria falls silent as Laphicet picks himself up from the ground, hand clenched in a fist with a bruise on his face. Tita does the same, a bruise on hers as her palm stings. The charge back in, yelling, punching, and kicking as the sounds of a fight finally reach the ears of the staff.
Laphicet sits in one of the isolation rooms next to the dean’s office, bruises and cuts marking his face, his outfit dirty and disheveled. He looks up as he hears the doorknob turn, and a redheaded woman in a white-and-blue dress bursts in, rushing to his side.
“Phi! Are you okay? What happened?” Eleanor asks, worry clear on her face. Phi sees Velvet walk in as well, the raven-haired woman closing the door behind her, and hangs his head.
“I got into a fight.”
“Did you win?” the demon asks.
“Velvet!”
“Mr. Bowser pulled us apart before we could settle it,” Phi says in a small voice.
Eleanor shoots her girlfriend a glare before she could say anything more, and turns back to the young boy.
“So. Why were you fighting?”
“Well, Tita also has a big sister, and…”
In another isolation room, Tita also sits, cuts and bruises on her face. Her clothing was also dirty and disheveled, and she straightens her hat. She looks up as the door opens, a black-haired man stepping in only to be shoved past by a woman with brown hair in twintails. Estelle beelines towards Tita, kneeling in front of her and giving her a gentle, but firm, hug.
“Are you okay, Tita? What happened?” the Bracer asks, releasing her.
“I got into a fight.”
“Did you win?”
“Estelle!” Joshua shouts.
“Mr. Bowser pulled us apart too quickly to tell,” Tita says.
“So why were you fighting?” Estelle asks, withering under Joshua’s disappointed stare, “I told you, words before fists.”
“So Laphicet’s got this big sister, and…”
An explanation and a few minutes later, the children glare at each other in the hallway, their respective guardians behind them and a weary Cyclops between them, massaging his temples. Estelle and Velvet give their respective surrogate siblings a shove on the back, sending them stumbling forwards.
“Umm…” they both start, and stop. Tita gestures towards Laphicet, who continues.
“I’m sorry for losing my temper and hitting you,” he says.
“I’m also sorry for losing my temper and slapping you,” she says.
“But I still think my sister’s the best!” they say in unison, looking away from each other in a huff.
“I’m sorry about this,” Eleanor says, facepalming, “He’s usually such a sweet kid, but when it comes to Velvet…”
“No, it’s the same here,” Joshua sighs, “Tita’s a good girl, but if she thinks someone’s slighting Estelle or I…”
“Well, there’s one way this city’s got to solve quarrels like this,” Estelle says, helping less than she thinks.
“Well, you’re right there,” Velvet says.
“Ah! We’ll ask our sisters to fight in the battle dome!” Tita and Phi say, each pointing at the other, “Ow!”
The two kids wince, rubbing the backs of their heads and looking at their surrogate sisters.
“We’re not the ones with something to prove,” Estelle says, gently rebuking her little sister.
“What have I told you about fighting your own battles?” Velvet says, admonishing her little brother.
“Then… I challenge you to a match in the battle dome, Phi!” Tita says.
“I accept!”
“While this is all well and good,” Cyclops says, “You’re both suspended from school for the week.”
“Now wait just a second, buster!”
“What the hell? A whole week!?” Estelle and Velvet say in unison
“Yes. This wasn’t a sanctioned match, so unless you get someone to approve it as one within the week, they. Are. Suspended.”
The four guardians sigh, almost in unison, trying to figure out how to plan their schedules around this sudden disruption. The two kids look troubled, before seeming to have an idea.
“Estelle, Joshua, it’s okay. I can pull an extra shift with the Engineer’s Guild, and Umbrella’s asked if I want to intern in one of their labs.”
“Velvet, Eleanor, Dantalion’s got a large shipment of new books at East Uni’s library. They’ve been asking if I can pick up extra shifts, so I can tell them yes.”
“No,” Cyclops says, “In order to make the punishments mean something, you are also forbidden from working for that week. Naturally, the penalty for not working will also be applied to your stipends and add extra fees to attending here.”
Both Tita and Laphicet turn towards him, causing him to flinch slightly under the pressure of two puppy-dog stares. He hardens his heart, however, and only gives an impassive stare in return. The stalemate is broken when Joshua puts his hand on Tita’s shoulder.
“We can have Kloe watch you in the Bracer Guild tomorrow while we figure this out,” he says, “And we’ve got other friends in the city to help if it gets too busy.”
“I’ll ask Eizen to let you stay at Spyglass tomorrow,” Eleanor says, patting Laphicet on the head, “It’ll give me time to figure out my own schedule. And I don’t want you running with Velvet’s crowd.”
“Hey, that… no, you’re right.”
“Well, either way you’ll have to take them home for today. After Anders has healed their bruises,” Cyclops says, and the other adults nod. He points to a sign to the infirmary, and heads back into his office.
Ch. 1[]
“Hey guys,” Estelle says, waving as she, Joshua, and Tita walk into the Bracer Guild.
“Hello!” Kloe says, waving back, “Sara’s already out. South Uni had another request for a substitute Combat Instructor. Another favor for Instructor Rean, it seems.”
“How many of those does he have?” Joshua asks, sighing as they walk towards a bulletin board. The troubles of citizens typically littered it, but it was fairly empty today.
“From what I’ve gathered, one for every week he was her student,” Kloe giggles, “She… wasn’t the best at anything outside of combat courses, from the sound of it.”
“That’s definitely our favorite alcoholic typhoon,” Estelle says, walking over to the counter as Tita pulls up a chair. All four turn as the slamming of footsteps resound outside the door, Tita frozen mid sit. Kloe gives a wry smile as Joshua and Estelle roll their eyes, anticipating the arrival of the DFederal Bracer Guild’s newest Junior Bracer.
“Hi hi! Anisphia is heeeere!” an energetic blonde shouts as she slams the door open, “And I come bearing a request!” she continues, striking a pose and holding a piece of paper up proudly.
“Bring it here, Anis,” Kloe says, waving her friend over as Tita resumes plopping herself on her chair. The other princess does as bidden, handing the bill off and moving towards the child.
“Hey Tita. Heard we’re watching you for a couple days. What happened? If you want to talk, of course.”
“I got into a fight.”
“Did you win?”
“Anis!” Kloe says, throwing her friend a sharp look as she confirms the details of the job.
“Hehehe. But that’s important, isn’t it?” Anis says, winking.
“It was a draw,” Tita says, “But we have an official rematch in a few days.”
“Well, I’ll be cheering you on, then,” Anis says, tousling the younger girl’s hair. Tita smiles warmly, before Kloe clears her throat and draws everyone’s attention.
“This is urgent,” she says, “The request is from Red on behalf of both the Animal Control and the DFederal Zoo. There’s been a major breakout, and they’re looking for help in taking out the rampaging animals. It’ll need all four of us. Tita, you’re coming with us. Only use your weapon if you’re physically threatened. We don’t want to extend your suspension.”
Tita nods, clenching her fists as the other four draw their weapons, running out the door. Kloe takes a second to lock it after Tita, grabbing the younger girl and casting a spell to allow her to leap to a rooftop, where they follow the other three. A few minutes later, Tita watches on as Estelle slides under a charging blue beast, spinning her staff to kneecap it before darting to the side and kicking it over as it slams into an unusual reptile, pinning it in place for half a second. A youth in a school unform stabs the reptile with a fruit knife while it’s down, causing it to vanish entirely. A spread of long, thin swords blankets the area while a white, red, and blonde blur bounces through the area, ripping the beasts caught within to shreds.
Joshua flashes back and forth in front of a Kraken, slicing its tentacles as it flails about. The beast looks in confusion as he vanishes from sight, only to panic as he reappears right between its eyes to lash out with a devastating combo of slashes. It collapses as Anis flips around a Megatherium’s neck, slicing it off and leaping off of its body to chase a furred humanoid with leather wings. She lands on its back, a quick twirl of her mana blades slicing off its limbs and head. The aerial view afforded her a glimpse of their client, striding out in the middle of the street. He twists his cap, extending a pokeball. Out comes an armored turtle, in front of whom a large mass of water appears.
“Red’s here!” she shouts, “Scatter!”
The members of Animal Control and their Bracer helpers dart into alleyways as the mass of water washes through the street, followed by flashes of lighting as Red’s Pikachu calls thunderbolts down upon the escaped animals. Kloe quickly casts a spell as the levin rain fades, a series of ice pillars filling the street. The electrified water freezes solid, trapping those animals which yet live. A man in blue armor rides his jetpack in, landing in front of the shivering form of a blue hedgehog. He slaps a pair of cuffs on the unfortunate rodent as Kloe closers Tita’s eyes with the tips of her fingers, plugging the child’s ears with her thumbs.
“Wait!” the hedgehog shouts, “I’m sapient! I’m not an animal!”
“Yes you are,” Jango replies, voice as cold as the ice surrounding them, “Per the decree of the User Council, you are to be treated as an animal. Yet just killing you where you stand would be… inhumane.”
“No, please! Not that! Anything but that!”
“Wally! I know you’re there!”
A red streak solidifies into the form of a man, Animal Control’s head and founder grabbing the hedgehog by the cuffs. The rodent barely has time to scream in terror before the fastest man alive whisks him off to his fate.
Farther downtown, Eleanor opens the door to Spyglass PI, the three detectives within turning to look at the new arrival. She ushers Laphicet in, giving the them a wave. She sets a small gift basket down on the desk, filled with various types of food and drink.
“Hi guys. Thanks again for agreeing to look after Laphicet,” she says, and pats the boy on the back.
“Hi Eizen, Uncle Thancred, Miss Jo. Thank you for taking care of me,” the boy says.
“Now you behave, okay?” Eleanor says, kneeling and giving the child a hug, “I’ve got to go to work, but I’ll be picking you up after.”
“Yes Eleanor,” Phi says, returning the hug. She breaks it off after a few seconds, rising and waving goodbye to the four of them. Phi stands awkwardly in the doorway for a few seconds before Thancred pulls out a chair and gestures to it. The young malak heads towards the seat, putting his bag down beside it as the grey-haired man goes to make coffee. As the aroma of the roasted beans wafts through the small office, Jo walks up to him.
“Hey kid,” she says, giving him a smile and kneeling in front of him, putting them face-to-face, “Eleanor’s been a little cagey as to why you’re not at school. If you wouldn’t mind, I’m kind of curious.”
“I, uh, got into a fight.”
“Did you win?” the pirate asks.
“Eizen!” Jo says, giving him an annoyed look.
“Well, did you?” Thancred asks, handing Phi and Jo mugs of coffee and shrinking back under the latter’s glare.
“It was a draw,” he says as Thancred glances at Jo’s golden eye, “But we’ve got an official match to settle it in a few days.”
“Good on you, kid,” Eizen says, “Just tell me when. I’ll be there.”
“You boys and your fights,” Jo says, sighing and rising as Thancred gives Eizen a mug of coffee, and takes a sip from his own.
“Well, if the kid’s in a fight it’s on him to see it through,” Thancred says, “It’s a matter of honor.”
“I suppose I can’t argue with that.”
The four’s attention is drawn to the door as a quick rap on it sounds. It opens, revealing a girl with the same hair as Eizen, wearing a dress and carrying a parasol.
“Hi Edna,” Phi says, blushing.
“Oh, Phi. Hey,” she says, walking to her brother and tossing a paper on his desk, “For you, Eizen. From the DFPD.” The girl saunters out as Eizen looks over the paper, before waving it in Thancred’s direction. The Scion snatches it, reading it himself.
“Say, Phi, how would you like to come on a stakeout?” Thancred asks.
“A stakeout? Really? That’s so cool!” Laphicet says, eyes shining.
“Yep. There’s this one therapist with suspected Wolves ties, and we need to do a stakeout to see if he gives any of that away. I’d love some company for a bit of it.”
Laphicet nods rapidly, clearly excited as the three detectives look on with warm smiles.
An hour and a half later, Phi tries to recapture that warmth from a fresh cup of coffee, almost curled around it under a blanket in the harsh March air. Thancred pats him on the back, whispering so as to not break cover.
“Just a few more minutes, okay? Don’t want to get Eleanor too angry.”
Phi nods, and Thancred peers through the telescope again. The pale man with slicked hair in a suit sits languidly, taking some notes as the blonde woman in a blue dress talks, her back to the voyeurs. After a second, he speaks. Thancred jots down every motion he can lipread.
“I see, Miss Pendragon,” he writes, underlining a word with a subtle, but notable, stress, “You feel wronged, and stuck. While simply letting go would be the better option, I believe someone of your… persuasion would need to see their injuries redressed.”
The blonde says something in response.
“Ah, I see. Yes, the offending party being in such high places might stifle that. But I have friends in… lower ones.” Thancred’s eyes widen; this might be just the break he needs, “I can put you in touch with them. They have… plans. To which I am not privy.”
A few words from the blonde and the therapist writes something on note paper, handing it to her. They get up, moving out of the office, and Thancred breathes a sigh of relief.
“All right, kiddo. Let’s get you back.”
Phi nods, grateful anew for the wonders of central heating.
Ch. 2[]
“Hey guys,” Estelle says, walking into a DFPD precinct in the Middle District. The building was fairly small compared to the others, thanks to the relative recency of its construction. A large blue-and-white wolf perks up as she enters, stretching and getting up as Tita follows her.
“Hello to you both,” the wolf says.
“Hi Zeit,” she says, petting him.
The voices finally seem to reach the office in the back of the precinct, and a slim man with brown hair pokes his head out from one of them, followed by a silver-haired woman, a red-haired man, and a blue-haired girl a few years younger than the rest. Lloyd smiles and walks out, followed by the rest of the Special Support Section.
“Hey, Estelle, Tita,” he says, waving, “How’ve you been?”
“We’ve been good. The Bracer Guild is a little too busy to be watching Tita, though, even with Schera back from her time off.”
“Well, leave the kid to us, then,” Randy says, patting Tita on the head with a somewhat complicated expression.
“Thank you,” Estelle says, “It’s a big help.”
“It’s the least we could do for our friends,” Elie says, smiling at Estelle and taking Lloyd’s hand.
“Plus, I moonlight with the Engineer’s Guild,” Tio chimes in, “Of course I’m going to help Tita out.”
“All right, I’ll leave her to you. I’ll be back to pick you up at the end of the day, Tita. Be good.”
“I will. Bye, Estelle,” Tita says as she buries her face in Zeit’s fur.
The Bracer chuckles, turning and heading out the door. Elie gives Lloyd’s hand a squeeze before heading to the fridge, taking out a small container, which she puts in the microwave. Lloyd follows her, busying himself with the coffee machine as Randy and Tio sit down at a long table, clearing off the papers on it.
“So, Tita, as your future former instructor, I have to know,” Randy says, “What did you do?”
“I got into a fight,” Tita says, still playing with Zeit.
“Did you win?”
“Randy!” Elie shouts, glaring at him as she brings over the container, the smell of warm pastries wafting from it.
“That is the natural question, Elie,” Tio says, snatching a pastry for herself.
“It was a draw. There’s a rematch coming in a few days, though.”
“We’ll be cheering you on,” Lloyd says, walking over with a tray of coffee mugs, “Anyway, what’s on the agenda?”
“Well, nothing really urgent has come in,” Tio says, tapping on a tablet, “So today’s patrol day.”
“Where to?”
“The next scheduled place is… oh.”
“What is it, Tio?” Elie asks, looking at the tablet. She grimaces, looking pointedly at Tita. Randy takes a peek and starts to laugh, while Lloyd gives a resigned sigh.
A few minutes later, Tita blushes furiously as the Special Support Section leads her through their patrol in the Red Light District. She tries not to look too hard at the scantily-clad men and women hanging around outside buildings, and trying not to listen too closely to the sounds coming from within them. The occasional prostitute gives a wave to the group, returned awkwardly by one of its members.
They pass by a gaudy storefront, a cluster of minor arcana framed in neon above the name “The Stacked Deck.” a muscular, blue man with an overly-large sword beside him sits at one of the tables on its balcony, sharing a drink with a thin, pink woman with horns on her head. Tita tilts her head as a girl who appeared to be much younger than her glides out on heelys, placing food in front of them. She looks at the next building, with out-of-place white columns and a large, muscled man holding a lightning bolt lounging out front, gazing across the crowd and giving the occasional flirtatious wink to a fetching lass or comely lad. Tita tugs on Randy’s sleeve, curious about something.
“Hey, Randy, I don’t really see guards here. And not a lot of cameras.”
“Ah, yeah. Well, you know what this city’s like, right? The workers here tend to be capable of defending themselves. And most people don’t want to be filmed in this area. So bouncers tend to be for ambiance. Or, like ol’ Zeus there, offering their own services.”
“I see…”
“Unlike the Entertainment District in Crossbell, this area actually tends to be quite safe,” Lloyd chimes in, “It’s why many of those stuck in the sewers look for work here.”
“Oh. That makes sense. So why do you patrol here, if it’s so safe?”
“Because someone always tries something,” Tio says, pointing at what appeared to be a scuffle starting a block or so down. Randy lifts Tita under his arm as the group sighs in unison, breaking out into a trot to intervene.
Meanwhile, deep below the raucous streets of the city proper, a man encased in metal, swathed in green cloth, stands upon a makeshift stage in a makeshift auditorium. The hall, carved into the stone walls of DFederal’s sewer system, was dark, save for a few brilliant circles of light concentrated on him.
“And as always, my loyal pack, we must stick together. For only in unity can we rise and gain the power we have been denied,” he says, voice rising to a crescendo, “And that is what Doom promises you. The time is nigh.”
His gaze sweeps out over the applauding audience, passing smoothly over an unassuming girl in a frilly dress and landing on the blonde woman in blue. Saber stood out, even in this motley crowd, and he allowed himself a smile as the spotlights cut out. A quick bit of magic sees him back to his office, where he looks at a blackboard, several names written with notes underneath them. He takes a piece of chalk and puts a tick mark next to the note labeled “Recruit Saber?” under the name “Appelmonkey.”
He steps back, looking at the board as a whole. The last two uprisings, by the Abbey and by his predecessor in the Wolves, had failed chiefly for a single reason: the ‘Users’ were given cause to interfere. From the observations made by his Wolves, Appel was quite fond of that “Saber” girl. He couldn’t see her appeal himself, but it might serve to get that one on his side.
There were four other names on the board. One, Laquearius, had a similar note to Appelmonkey’s, namely “Recruit 9S?” Another, Wassboss, was noted as being “too apathetic.” And the other two, Beastman14 and Leolab, only had question marks underneath. The two were wildcards, and Leo in particular would prove troublesome. With these five on his side, or at least convinced to sit on the sidelines, his victory would be assured.
A sharp knock comes at his door, and he turns suspiciously. Whoever it was had gotten past both his guards and his wards nearly undetected. A fairly skilled infiltration, only to announce themselves by knocking. Whoever it was, then, was not here to fight.
“You may enter Doom’s presence.”
At his call, the door opened. Out steps an Asian man in a grey suit jacket and pants over a red button-down shirt. He looks at the blackboard and gives a confident smirk, immediately understanding the plans on it.
“Name’s Jordi,” he says, “That question mark there, for Leo? I can help with that.”
“Oh?”
“Normally I’d say I know a guy. But in this case, I am the guy. Can put you in contact with him. Rest’s up to your smooth talk.”
“And why can I trust you?”
“It’s my neck on the line, too. So, you in?”
“Far be it for Doom to look a gift horse in the mouth.”
“That’s what I’m talking about. So there’s this alleyway, see…”
Earlier in the day, Eleanor entered the Integration Center with Laphicet in tow. The two headed to the employee-only area, where Merrill and Sypha were also preparing to start the day. The former Exorcist waved to her coworkers as they got coffee, and they waved back. Their attention is quickly drawn to Laphicet, who greeted them in a similar manner.
“Well isn’t he a cute little guy,” Merril said.
“Yes, quite adorable. But why is he here?” Sypha asks, “Children his age should be in school.”
“I got suspended,” Phi said.
“Oh?”
“I got in a fight.”
“Did you win?”
“Sypha!” Merril exclaimed.
“What? You’re curious too, aren’t you?”
“Well, yes, but what if he lost? Shouldn’t you ask ‘Who won?’ instead?”
“It was a draw,” Laphicet said, slightly offended.
“And he’s settling it officially in a couple days,” Eleanor said, “I’ll have to look after him in the meantime, since Velvet’s crowd is hardly the place to send a child.”
“What does she do, anyway?” Merrill asked as they move to their desks, relieving the night shift, “I don’t think I’ve heard.”
“Well, she’s asked me to keep it quiet. Here, Phi. Sit,” Eleanor said as she pulled a chair out. Phi sat as instructed, and watched her do her work. Which mostly consisted of chatting with the other two women while they waited for someone to walk in.
Some time later, their boredom was finally relieved as a couple enters, the man dressed in blacks and reds while the woman wears a contrasting white and blue ensemble. The woman taps her companion on the shoulder, nodding towards the employment pamphlets lines up near the entrance. The man picks up a pair, handing one to his partner. They both peruse it, a look of consternation never quite leaving their faces. After a while, Eleanor calls out to them.
“Do you need help?”
The two look at each other and nod, striding over to her desk. The man gives Laphicet a grave nod, while the woman gives him a thin smile.
“I’m Clive Rosfield,” the man says.
“Jill Warrick,” the woman says.
“And I’m Eleanor Hume. How may I assist?”
“We’ve both been looking for work,” Clive says, “and, well… other than fighting we don’t really have much in the way of skills. At least not that we can remember, since we haven’t had our battles yet. But that makes it hard to find honest work.”
“Have you considered some sort of service job?” Eleanor asks, “Something like what I’m doing here?”
“Clive’s too honest for that,” Jill says.
“Jill!?” Clive says, looking at her.
“Your emotions show far too clearly. I find it charming.”
“But that makes it harder to deal with difficult people,” Eleanor mutters, “But good fighters, the honest sort… I can put you in touch with a friend of mine. Shigure Rangetsu. He runs a cadre of bodyguards, who prioritize helping those less able to defend themselves. And he won’t begrudge your departure should you leave after your allowed access to all your memories.”
“That sounds perfect for us,” Clive says, “I give you my thanks.”
“Oh, no problem. I’ll give you their address,” Eleanor says, writing it down on a piece of paper. She hands it to Jill, along with her business card, and continues, “Go here, and tell them I sent you for a job. The rest is down to whether Shigure likes you or not. Be prepared for a sparring match.”
“Certainly. Thank you,” Jill says, and the couple shares another look. They turn and walk out, leaving the pall of boredom to descend on the trio once again.
Ch. 3[]
Velvet raises her bandaged hand, waving at the skinny bouncer in front of the Iceberg Lounge in greeting. Her other arm wraps protectively around Phi’s shoulders as she ushers him into the nightclub’s daytime restaurant and bar area. The customers within give them a nods and waves of greeting as she heads to the back office, where Red Hood was waiting.
“Hey Velvet,” he says, “Thanks for agreeing to pick up the morning shift.”
“It’s no problem. But…” she says, bringing Phi forward, “I might need to leave him with the others.”
“Really? With them? What happened to our first rule?”
“You can trust him. He’s good at keeping secrets.”
“Well, if you’re vouching for the little guy that hard… and I don’t think we can let a kid in the kitchen. You’re my best chef; I’ll make an exception for him.”
“Thanks, Jason. Phi, be good. And tell no one about where you’re going to go.”
“Not even Eleanor?”
“Especially not Eleanor. My shift up here ends at lunch, so I’ll be down to help out as well.”
Phi nods and Velvet heads out, putting on a hair net as the door closes. Jason stares at him for a few seconds, and the child straightens himself and meets his gaze, putting as much determination behind his eyes as he can muster. Jason breaks into a smile, putting his mask on and patting the kid on the shoulder.
“Good, you’ll fit right in,” he says, pressing a button on his desk. A bookshelf slides to the side, revealing a stairway leading downward as Phi fails to keep the awe from his face at seeing an actual secret passage. “You can thank Eizen for that one,” Jason says, “Come on.”
They walk down the staircase, leaving behind the light of Jason’s office as another, dimmer one looms through a slightly-ajar door. The smell of tobacco and alcohol wafts out as it opens, revealing a dimly-lit room, a spotlight on a round table. Sitting at it were four people: a pale man in a red suit, with a similarly-colored wide-brimmed hat, an elf with glowing tattoos showing through his shirt, a man in a dark, long coat and a frowning white mask, and a boy with black pants and a blue-and-white hoodie.
The boy tosses one of his chips into the pot, and the masked man looks at his cards and clicks his tongue, throwing the pair towards the center. The elf looks at his own card, and the five face up – an ace, a jack, a three, and two sevens – and matches the boy’s bet. The man in red smiles, revealing a set of fangs, and places two chips in the center. The boy and elf sigh, matching the raise, and they turn their cards over.
The fanged man’s grin widens at his two pair, only to frown as the boy reveals pocket aces for a full house. The elf chuckles, showing a pair of sevens for a four-of-a-kind, the winning hand. The rest of the lights come on as he rises, walking towards a red-haired man in a white t-shirt and jeans, and they walk into one of the rooms in the back. The lights finally bright enough to see, Phi notices several clearly criminal people smoking at a bar and a variety of others scattered around the room. He gives Rokurou Rangetsu a small wave as the demon slides into the spot the elf had just vacated.
“The Iceberg was already a major hangout for criminals and the… less scrupulous bounty hunters,” Jason says to Laphicet, “I figured why not make things more official? And more fun. Hey guys! This is Laphicet. Velvet’s his… mom? Aunt? Older sister? I’ve never quite been sure. Anyway, be nice to him so she doesn’t try to eat us.”
The assorted criminals and bounty hunters laugh, some of the friendlier ones giving the child a wave. The Red Hood gives the kid another pat on the shoulder before turning to walk back up the staircase, leaving him alone. He looks around, and a pink-haired girl sitting on one of the couches waves at him languidly, holding a teddy bear. She pats the space next to her, and he obliges.
“So what’s a kid your age doing out of school?” she asks.
“Suspended. What about you? You don’t seem much older than me.”
“You see S over there,” she says, nodding towards the boy sitting at the table, “He’s my partner. We’re working. What’s a kid gotta do to be suspended here?”
“Got into a fight.”
“Did you win?”
“Nadia!” Swin shouts, the boy looking back, “Jason told us to be polite!”
“I am!”
“It was a draw,” Phi says, “We’ve got an official rematch tomorrow.”
“Oh, is that what LP and Rufus are oh so busy doing? Well, with them running security no one’s going to interfere. Ah, looks like S won. See you,” she says, as her partner reveals his cards for a straight flush. She gets up, walking to his side as he points at the Italian in a suit with a rabbit-eared woman on his arm. Phi watches the proceedings with growing interest as the players at the table swap in and out, each time leaving Rokurou hanging his head in defeat as the criminals looking for help dwindle.
Doctor Doom casts a teleportation spell, appearing in the alleyway that Jordi had told him about. It was a massive gamble, but one that might sweep away one of the largest obstacles in his plans if he succeeds. He looks around confidently as he stands, awaiting the arrival of the man he was to meet.
“So. It was Jordi first,” a voice resounds in his head as a man in a mask, pants, and long-sleeved shirt appears in front of him. He had laid out wards to detect magic, so it was likely something else. Unless Leo was capable of bypassing those.
“I’m sure you’re aware of the organization I lead. I think we’d both prefer it if we… didn’t step on the other’s toes.”
“You overestimate yourself, Victor.”
“Ha. You wouldn’t be saying this if you knew what we were planning.”
“I say this knowing that if I cared, I would find and foil it in less time than it would take for you to realize you were even on my radar. I have bigger things to worry about these days.”
“Bigger than I? Doom finds that hard to believe.”
As he finishes, he staggers under the weight of something being shoved into his brain. The memory of another, which forcibly tears away his attention. The bearer of the memory stood before a collection of… things. One a mass of flesh and chitin, one a set of crystals that grew in non-Euclidean patterns, one a spider with too many limbs made of clasped human hands, another that was impossible to even perceive visually, and more besides. They all radiated power, enough that Doom knew the gap between himself and they was as absolute as the gap between himself and the center of a black hole. What little he could feel of the memory bearer’s body was also simply wrong.
The insignificance of his own existence loomed in his mind, but he held fast to his sanity and sense of self. He was Victor von Doom. A man who was feared and loved in equal measure. Godhood itself was beneath him. This would not faze him. He would not falter in his goals, not a single step.
His body shudders as he gasps, suddenly hyperaware of the cold air. He regains his bearings in a second, realizing that Leo was still there and looking directly at him, for once. A few shifts in his body, too subtle for most to notice, conveys two things: the man is surprised and impressed.
“Your mind is stronger than I gave it credit for. Here’s a bit of information for you. Out of the last five rebellions, I got involved in three. They attacked me, those under my command, and the very foundations of this city. I’m sure you understand what I’m getting at.”
“I do,” Doom says, digesting the information that there were other rebellions he was unaware of.
“I suppose it may be difficult, seeing as you’re unaware of anyone who works for me. But I believe in you.”
“Jordi has a way to contact you. Does that not imply he works for you?”
“Had. Worked. The information has been removed from his mind, so interrogation won’t help.”
“Doom understands well.”
Leo vanishes as suddenly as he appeared, leaving Doom alone with his thoughts for the second it took to activate his magic.
Joshua Bright gets off the bus next to the reservation shelter, Tita in tow. The pair walks into the inverted pyramid, passing through the hollow container-sized space on the bottom. The seven other shipping containers on the first level block out the noise of the city’s Lower District, though only six of them are occupied. The seventh contains a pair of ladders, leading up to similarly empty containers on the second of the five currently-present floors of the shelter.
They climb up, moving around to a pair of shipping containers with one side removed, next to the container that is supposed to be Tita’s, had she not been living with her surrogate siblings. Joshua knocks on the door, and a voice comes from inside.
“Come in! You just missed Schera.”
“Thanks, Olivier,” Joshua says, and the two enter. The blonde prince was dressed in a white coat, signifying that today he was Olivier Lenham, the wandering bard. Not that it really mattered here.
“Hi Olivier!” Tita says.
“Ah, Tita! Welcome to both of you.”
“Thank you for looking after her,” Joshua says.
“Oh, no problem. I’m honored that you chose me to be her guide into a life of debauchery!”
“Estelle also told me to say that she ‘still has a thwacking stick with your name on it, buster.’”
“… duly noted. I’ll make sure to be a proper bad example.”
“Come on, Olivier. You know if she had that little faith in you Estelle would never let you look after Tita.”
“I know, I know, I only jest. She will be safe as if she were swaddled in her mother’s arms. Safer, if half of what I remember Agate saying is true.”
“I’ve got to be getting back. I’ll pick you up in the evening, Tita,” Joshua says, patting the girl on the head before heading out the door.
“Say, Tita, I never did hear why you were suspended,” Olivier says, holstering his orbal pistol and hooking the chain of his combat orbment into his coat.
“Got into a fight.”
“Did you win?”
“Olivier!”
“What? I was just curious.”
“I…, it’s just that every time someone’s asked me that they got yelled at, so I just… kinda did it by reflex?”
“Ha ha ha, understandable,” Olivier says, pausing as he picks up his lute.
“What’s wrong?” Tita asks, noting the pensive mood.
“Joshua and Estelle have told me that you made a lute for me in our shared future. One that could hold my gun without changing its sound. I valued it enough to take it with me when I was with Schera. Yet they remember it, and I don’t.”
“Well, you just need to fight a battle to get your memories back. I apparently need one to get mine and get three years older.”
“Indeed. Let us hope that day is soon. Yours is tomorrow, no?” Olivier asks, waving Tita to follow him as they leave his and Schera’s combined shipping container.
“It is.”
“I’ll be sure to watch,” he says as they head to the bus stop outside the shelter.
A short ride later, and Tita sits on a bench as Olivier plays his lute and sings, instrument case open in front of him. As he was remarkably skilled with it, the case was already filling up with a variety of bills, coins, and even the odd gemstone. She puts a mug of warm, honeyed water next to him as he finishes a song, to scattered applause. He takes a drink, pauses for a second, and launches into another piece. Tita huddles over her own mug, warming herself as a black-haired high schooler and a blonde woman in blue sit on the next bench over, talking. With nothing better to do, she eavesdrops.
“Hmm… indeed, Trickster of Lavenza, something has changed with your bonds. The Death Arcana seems to no longer be available to you.”
“That’s pretty bad, Margaret. Without that one…”
“You should still be able to fuse new Personas of the Death Arcana, but they will be weaker than before.”
“That’s better than I thought, but still not good,” Joker sighs, “Guess I should stop relying on Alice.”
“Diversifying your repertoire would be… wise. But take heart, there will be another one linked to the Death Arcana for you build a bond with. They are not in the city just yet, and I cannot say how long it will be until they are. But you will know when you meet them.”
“Thank you, Margaret.”
The sounds of applause and another song ending draws Tita’s attention away, making sure that Olivier still had enough water. They were going to be out here for a while.
Fight[]
Two blonde children walk into a large arena, its tiled floor covered in a pristine, matte white sand. The crowd cheers, anticipation for the blood of the young finally released after the weeklong buildup. Tita and Laphicet look at each other, resolute as even the voices of the announcers introducing them fade. The girl has her Orbal Cannon in hand, pointed to the side, while Phi has a slip of paper drawn and held as threateningly as he can. They both await one word, and anything else is simple noise.
“FIGHT!”
At that proclamation, Tita levels her Orbal Cannon and fires, while Phi tosses a slip of paper forward. The shell and sheet collide, kicking up dust that obscures the two fighters from each other. Tita circles around to the side, only to spot the glow of magic fading before she’s engulfed in a purple haze. The sudden increase in gravity brings her to her knees, her bones creaking as she shouts in pain. The cloud of dust disperses to reveal a golden glow around Phi, the levitating boy charging his magic for another strike.
The pressure fades as the glow vanishes, an array of mirrors springing up around the girl. Tita acts quickly, diving towards the outer edge of the sphere. She’s a split second short as a laser rips through her ankle, sending her tumbling out as it bounces through the array. She doesn’t quite level her cannon fast enough as a collection of light and dark spheres scatter through the stage, exploding and sending her into the air. Phi lands, needing to recover for a second as Tita aims and fires. He doesn’t react to it, judging it to fly high.
As expected, the shell passes over his head. Where it explodes, knocking him to the ground and freezing him solid. Tita rolls as she lands, leaving red flecks on the sand. She rises after stopping, pointing her mortar straight up and firing Vital Shot, which heals her as the ice around Phi melts. The boy instantly takes stock of the situation and leaps to his feet, loosing another slip of paper forward as Tita fires again. The magicked sheet once again collides with the shell, detonating it and creating another cloud of chilled sand.
Tita, having learned, immediately fires another shell at where Laphect was supposed to be. Her eyes widen as the boy appears from within the cloud as the mortar shell arcs over his head. She takes a half-step back to avoid being hit by a swipe of paper, which bursts into fire. She levels her mortar at the boy point-blank, but he swerves around her just as she pulls the trigger. The shot goes wide as another gout of flames erupts to the side, catching her his time.
The girl shouts in pain again as she stumbles back, taking a deceptively steady shot upwards. She staggers as she swerves around the elementally-charged bursts of paper, and leaps farther back to create distance. Phi notices her aim shifting and dashes forward, only to stagger and cry out in pain as the mortar shell coming from above collides with the new one, blanketing the area in shrapnel.
The glow of magic surrounds Tita as Phi lets loose a burst of energy, healing himself slightly. He dashes forward, creating and exploding two other orbs of energy as Tita finishes casting Tear-All, fully healing her wounds.
“Spirits Release!” he yells, starting to levitate.
“Orbal Gear!” she shouts, summoning the mech and boarding it as a bright magic circle appears in the air.
“I stand in the light of the heavens! Cower before the gates of hell!” Laphicet intones, as a purple circle appears under the starting Orbal Gear, “Come forth, divine lightning! This ends now! Ind—”
He cuts off as a roar of gunfire tears through the stadium, red bursts sprouting on his body as the magic circles fade. Tita and the assembled spectators watch in silence as the child’s body tumbles to the ground with a wet thud, the white sand dong nothing to staunch the spreading crimson pool. A burst of light surrounds him as Soul Distortion fades, some of his wounds closing. He rises to his knees, coughing weakly and groaning as the crowd cheers. A golden circle surrounds him as he begins to cast magic.
“Eat lead!” Tita shouts cutely, leveling the machine guns on the Orbal Gear’s back at her foe. Phi stops casting to run, narrowly dodging the hail of bullets, the shots themselves far more threatening. A wooshing roar sounds behind him as Tita activates the jet thrusters on the Orbal Gear’s feet, sending her forward as she chops with its axe. Phi dives out of the way, and stays on the ground to duck a horizontal swipe. He rolls to his feet, jumping over the return stroke and turning to look at his foe.
The boy’s eyes grow wide as he sees a pair of machine guns pointed at him, the girl in the exposed cockpit staring mercilessly as she presses a button on the console in front of her. Another roar tears through the stadium as they discharge, shredding his body at this close range. The child falls to the floor, dead, as the stadium erupts in cheers.