Jotou swished a vial of dark pink, syrupy liquid and pocketed it into her yellow coat. With their belongings retrieved and with the sky inching closer to dusk, they began to depart from Guinzione Bridge Station.
Their exit was t with resistance, as the majority of the population near the Celine River was keen on getting elsewhere. Water traversal was being barred by the police due to overcrowding of boats and gondolas.
The jumble of incoherent voices, the bumping of shoulders, the thought of an unachievable task—how uncomfortable. Though the life she chose nonetheless.
Against the odds once again; she only wondered if the odds would ever be in her favour. ’Or do I always just think about the odds when there’s no way for to know.’
Against the crowd, none cared that the Thundering Blade was buffeted around despite the gleam of yellows. Well, that would be incorrect; for a hand did take the blonde’s and pull her up the stairs of the station.
Against the current, the wolf-woman tugged her through—Fuko holding onto Jotou’s coat and Tiffany’s hand while Asobi stood atop the wet streets where the crowd had thinned. So, with a puff of her breath, Jotou muted out the noise.
Fuko and Tiffany made it up. On the last step up, Jotou, unable to see her feet, slipped and her eyes widened for a mont, but an armoured hand caught her free hand.
Ben lifted her up onto the pavent and away from the tunnelled stairway into the station.
"Sorry," Hotaru imdiately turned and checked the blonde, but Jotou shook her head. The redhead hoisted up the bags containing their belongings and set them down.
Jotou steadied herself and looked up to the sky.
"Dude, I really think you need a break," Ben whispered with concern.
She took a deep breath, not against the sentint. "I don’t think I have the ti." Her eyes were not exactly trained on the sky, rather the bird that was coming in for a landing a few tres ahead of them.
Through the thinning crowd of citizens, sitting on the side of a fountain, was a familiar detective in blue. Standing next to her, was the large figure with his arms crossed—his eyes no longer tensely looking as he spotted the short brunette.
Both parties closed the distance while Kira perched on the edge of the fountain. Without any warning or words, Kazuo reached his arms out and grappled Fuko into a hug.
Fuko’s shoulders jerked up. But with her head on her father’s stomach for a while, she cald down and closed her eyes.
"...Hey kid."
"...Hey dad."
"You did good," Kazuo hushed audibly.
Fuko let a single breath escape her lips. "...Did Ms Aetherton tell you to say that?"
The sa breath escaped Kazuo’s lungs as he let her go.
The brunette turned and saw a subtle smile on Morgana, who gave a nod and said, "Glad you’re safe kid."
Kazuo Namora adjusted his posture and surveyed the others... "The Scorching Inferno," he spoke towards the armoured figure standing around the sa height as himself.
Ben looked around and then reached a hand out sowhat uncoordinatedly, "You’re her dad, hi, yes, I’m the Scorching Inferno. You’re a detective, right?"
Kazuo did in fact shake his hand a tad firr, "Detective Namora."
"Crispy, greatest detective in Burnetrout," Jotou introduced, then introduced Kazuo to the armoured figure properly, "Benjamin Hurley. And that’s the second greatest, Morgana Aetherton," she pointed.
Ben’s head turned to the golden blonde while he was still in the handshake, "My guy, full governnt? Seriously?"
"Funny how no hide, no hair of your na anywhere," Morgana replied.
"Well he didn’t give his na to anyone. One thing I didn’t ntion in the letters," Fuko gestured her hand over to Ben then to Jotou.
Kazuo let go of the grip and took a second to think. He then calculated and asked of the blonde, "Old friend?"
"Only two more sowhere in the world," Jotou said with a sigh.
"Case of another world?" Morgana folded her arms.
"Yeah, I know Jotou really screwed up in that departnt, but could you guys keep it on the down low?" Ben requested.
"Nobody in Burnetrout needs to know that information. Regardless," Kazuo glanced over at Jotou. "Care to elaborate on what’s all gone on in the past twenty-four hours kid?"
_
Seventeen hundred hours—closed shops, shut windows and police tape stretching wherever it could. What was a bustling tropolitan was a baron wasteland. Drenched were the city streets, with nothing but lingering wind from the prior storm.
There was a man with a thick greying beard and gold-frad spectacles; his uniform was made of dark reds and blacks. Two flaming feathers with a strike across stood out, signifying his station.
He turned, putting out the cigar he smoked onto an ashtray on the table. The table itself had maps, docuntation and a single transceiver laid on its side.
Radios humd while many in similar uniform worked all around what seed to be the man in charge. He looked across the table and spoke with a hoarse commanding voice, "Forty-seven dead, two hundred sixteen injured and or hospitalized.
The pri culprits free and the threat advancing onto our enemy. I understand the alderman of Belle-Ventrialis has allowed you entry into private territory on the basis of titles and the first-hand witnesses to the threat at hand.
However, I don’t need to state that vigilantes, adventurers or not, don’t need to interfere in affairs of national security. I thank you for your aid, protection and information; the Royal Navy shall handle it from here," he firmly put.
"And how, may I ask, are you handling it major general?" Hotaru queried back.
All of them stood in the headquarters of the Royal Navy—particularly, the communication centre situated up a few floors. Asobi glanced at all the fancy radios and clunky equipnt built ticulously around the room.
Tiffany stood behind Fuko, relatively hidden and a bit overwheld; everything here seed out of her league. The brunette, alongside her father, Morgana, Jotou, Hotaru and Ben faced the major general.
"I’m sorry Azure Firefly, but I’m not at liberty to say," he replied to the redhead’s question.
Ben gestured his hand over to the wide window that overlooked the sea, "Surely the plan’s to give chase, I an, otherwise you’re all letting this go."
"Not a single vessel seed to have left the dockyard," Fuko had her arms crossed.
"That’s because the navy’s already decided to let this go," Morgana stated without waiting for confirmation. Her piercing green eyes stared at the major general.
The major general kept his lips sealed and shook his head. "Please, I must ask all of you to leave."
A transceiver from one of the consoles to the side of the room crackled, "Major General Dalevern, this is Lady Frederica Etta Pinberry, do you copy?"
"Sir," one of the navy n quickly gave way for the major general to access the microphone on the beeping button-filled switchboard.
He leaned in to reply, "Grand Alderman, this is Major General Gabriel Dalevern of the Royal Burntish Navy, I hear you loud and clear ma’am." He then motioned one of the navy to escort the others out.
However, "Copy that. The general is currently indisposed under my orders; I understand you are in company with others of renown," Lady Pinberry replied.
"Yes ma’am."
"Could you please list their nas and stations."
The major general listed them all out.
"What is the current position of the enemy, what are your assessnts of the situation, what are your current orders if any and what are your procedures going forward?"
"Copy ma’am. I will relay all details once the area is private."
"You are in the company of the topmost esteed detectives of Burnetrout and the adventurers directly involved with the current quandary. I grant you the liberty to speak freely among their presence."
The major general looked back at them and gave a nod to the microphone, "Very well ma’am. Shall I leave the line open for communication with everyone present?"
"Please do."
"Understood ma’am," the major general quickly ordered the navy officers to open up channels so that everyone could hear and reply. "We have been unable to discern the exact position of the enemy.
Its speed seems to shift and change from what little we could observe. Turbulence close to the target has halted any naval activity near it.
By our estimations, if the target’s trajectory remains to be the Malecise Regi, it will reach by o nine hundred hours; the Malecise Navy an hour earlier, excluding any scouting ships.
Current orders for all stationed naval units directly eastwards of current position are to divert course towards north and south, allowing the target to pass."
"What?" Jotou snapped with an annoyed tick of her brow.
"I see..." Lady Pinberry replied. "Am I to understand this is for the safety of the Royal Navy?"
The major general sighed, "Yes ma’am. Our troops have not been trained for this kind of threat and any attempt of halting the target would be done poorly. I will not be condemning my n to death at sea."
"...Understood major general, do as you see fit," even across the crackle of the transceiver, there was a hint of gloom as she replied. "Remain at the ready for any and all orders of the general."
"Copy that ma’am-"
"All I need is one ship to get there, fast," Jotou declared. "I can put an end to Beauregard," her hands pressed onto the table as she leaned forward.
Hotaru laid a hand on the blonde’s arm, "Jotou-"
"Are you saying you have a plan in mind Ms Howllett? If so, state it clearly," Lady Pinberry responded.
"Issue is, she doesn’t really have one. Sorry, Scorching Inferno by the way, your highness," Ben bowed slightly.
"I agree," Hotaru’s ears folded down.
"Lady Pinberry, do you know the exact details of the threat?" Jotou ignored the two and faced ahead.
"I am aware and I am being inford as we speak."
"Then you should know Beauregard, the new god, is a sentient sli and is now channelling the power of an old god—Irvette, the God of the Oceans. With a high enough voltage, it doesn’t matter how big or powerful she is; I can bring her down."
"And all you require is a ship to escort you?" Lady Pinberry asked.
"I’m sorry to be against you kid, but you can’t guarantee that," Kazuo stepped in.
"We’re not going to be able to stop all of this with a single ship and a bolt of lightning," Hotaru stated.
"S-she regenerates doesn’t she? Even i-if you c-cast all of your lightning, w-would it be enough for sothing that m-massive?" Tiffany joined in.
"Then what do you all want to do!?" Jotou exclaid and stood upright, a few sparks running down her hair and fingers. "Sit back? Let the cult just waltz through with their plan? Are you all hearing yourselves?
Their goal, it’s genocide, plain and simple! It’s the regi, hardy har-har, evil enemy that we all hate and have been in war with. So everyone here’s okay with the death of millions!?"
"You don’t need to shout," Morgana glared.
"No one here’s saying that Jotou, it’s just a difficult decision," the redhead tried to calm her down.
"Fine, no one’s saying that. But I don’t think keeping your hands behind your back and doing nothing’s a ’difficult’ decision," Jotou retorted.
"Then you need to co up with a reasonably reliable plan," Kazuo replied.
Jotou wiped her face in her palms, "We are facing a giant sli monster with the powers of the ocean itself. There is no possible plan that’s gonna be reasonable or reliable."
"If she of all people’s saying that, you better take her word for it. It’d be our best shot while Beauregard’s still not at her full potential," Fuko said with her arms crossed on the table.
"If I may speak boldly," the major general intervened. "I for one don’t mind if the Malecise Regi falls by tomorrow; I know that may be controversial.
But I’ve lost too many people and this war’s gone on for long enough. I’d like for my grandkids and my family, to live in an era of peace. I’m sure most of Burnetrout if not the world shares that sentint, even if no one would say it."
Jotou glared, "So what? They’re a lost cause? If you believe that, you belong with the Deuctus Cult. If the world shares that sentint, they’ve already won."
"Don’t twist my words Thundering Blade. You and your party tried to stop them and failed. Now, our hands are tied. We don’t-"
"And what happens after?" Jotou interjected before the major general could finish. "What happens when that so-called new god cos back and decides to drown everyone who doesn’t want to worship her?"
...
No one had any answer to that.
"I have the chance to stop her," rings of yellow lightning circled her irises. "Beauregard is going over there to cause a calamity; a disaster that’s gonna kill millions of innocents.
You think they don’t share the sentint? That they want this war to be over? That they don’t want their loved ones to not die in this aimless, stupid, cruel war? They didn’t choose to be born there nor in this ti.
How many people in the great fire were hoping, wishing, praying that sothing would stop it? When the innocent people of the Malecise Regi wake up in the morning and see that, don’t you think they’ll be doing the sa?
A miracle to stop the untily demise of an entire race, a nation and all that it has to offer to the world. If I can be that sothing, shouldn’t I at least try!?"
...
...
"A ship major general—the fastest one you have," Lady Pinberry crackled through the transceiver.
"...Unfortunately, the cult foresaw that plan of action. Before I was cut off, I was going to say that we don’t have our fastest vessels at the ready.
mbers of the Deuctus Cult attacked the dockyard; we shot them on sight, but not before they could sabotage a lot of our dormant ships. Repairs may take hours, but... so number of ships will be returning to port.
They can be refuelled within the hour and we would be able to send the Thundering Blade on her way. The SS Narwhal would be the current fastest," he relayed, with a hint of sha on his expression.
"Then see it done," Lady Pinberry affird. "Thundering Blade of Kria and Cravolta, I, Lady Frederica Etta Pinberry, Grand Alderman of Burnetrout, grant you and those of your party, the authority to do as you see fit.
While the Royal Navy reserves the right to belay any of your direct commands, the Royal Burntish Navy is at your disposal. This authority shall last until whensoever the current threat of the Deuctus Cult has ceased."
Jotou’s brows knitted in confusion and she tipped her head down slightly, "T-thank you."
"I place my trust in you. Go forth dear bard of war, and return heralding the news of hope," the signal cut off.
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