6:00 PM, JST.
A dark room lit with ethereal white orbs and twinkling erald stars. It seed like a scene from a fairytale, an epheral space that couldn't exist in reality.
A piano stood upon a raised stage, illuminated by a spotlight from above. In the background, crimson curtains frad the piano. And seated before the musical instrunt was John Smith, Myth Inc. CEO.
At least, that's what everyone watching thought. Surely this had to be an ad for his new project. This was just a ans for him to promote Project MirAIs and improve the company image.
But John didn't care what they thought. Adjusting his suit again and double-checking the tablet propped on the piano, he nodded and then stood up. Turning towards the cara, he let out a tired smile and said, "Thank you, everyone, for coming to watch this stream. I'm afraid that if you're here for news about Project MirAIs or Myth Inc, you've co to the wrong place. This..." He looked at the piano and ran his fingers across the keys, playing a few notes. "...Is a bit of a selfish act."
Right. This was all about his desires, his wishes. If Project MirAIs was ant to fulfill and support the girls, this one stream was for him.
"...I hope you don't mind too much." Saying that, he glanced at the tablet.
As expected, there were ssages showing people were confused. So doubtful. Others saying that he was doing a publicity stunt.
But John didn't care. He kept his gaze out for a ssage that might be from Yue or g... but there wasn't one.
Letting out a sigh, he shook his head and sat down at the piano. "This is a simple stream. Today, I'll be playing love songs and other piano ballads in the hopes that it reaches the one I love. The ones that are out there in the world sowhere beyond my sight." Running his fingers along the piano, he nodded and then started to play.
"Yue. This is for you. And g... please co ho."
-----AI|IA-----
[]
At the sa ti, words appeared in front of Tsuki's field of view, paired with a female voice.
[Can't escape from crossing fate!]
[Fight!]
Oga shifted her stance. "They co!"
Tsuki blinked and then jumped out of her bed, her silver-wing necklace shining with light. Holding the controller, she smiled and said, "I've got this, ggie!"
-----AI|IA-----
6:13 PM JST.
John stopped in the middle of playing the piano, his eyes suddenly wide. "g?" He shook his head and looked at the tablet.
[anonymousaardvark - What's he doing?]
[uglyparrot - I paid good money for this!]
[nightowl - Stop joking! This is being stread for free!]
John quickly stood up and glanced in the distance.
He was sure of it. For a split second, he felt his youngest daughter's powers flare up, her Taiji domain enveloping the world.
But then it vanished, smothered by sothing as if it never existed.
John glanced over at Qing.
The forr Azure Dragon's face was grim, staring in the distance as well.
John looked back to the cara and smiled. "My apologies. It seems that there's so technical difficulties. I'll be back shortly." He nodded towards Qing.
The stream cut for a mont.
Looking at the tablet, John saw the chat explode with disappointnt, fury... the usual response from a sudden stream interruption.
But he didn't care.
At that ti, two people appeared in the room, warping in through spatial manipulation.
The first was Beta. Unlike her usual stylish attire, she was dressed plain and simple: a hooded black Nikeys sweatshirt and matching pants. At the sa ti, her eyes, usually a bright orange but currently a deep violet, scanned the surroundings.
The second was Bai. Compared to Beta's composed appearance, the White Tiger was a ss. He had been wearing a suit and tie combo, but it was completely shredded, revealing his bare torso and leaving only rags for pants.
Beta reacted first. She gave a brief look towards Qing and Bai, looking a bit surprised, but then she turned to John and said, "Father. That power-"
"It was g. And it seems to be in Arica too..." John frowned, quickly wracking his brain.
What was going on?
Just then, in the corner of his eyes, John saw his tablet freeze up. The chat stopped for a brief mont before a flood of ssages ca through. Hundreds sent at once.
[tsukisuki - Stupid dad! Stop singing and pick us up! Are you blind!?]
[tsukisuki - Dummy! If you want to apologize, do it in person!]
[tsukisuki - I know you love mom already, so co and say it to her face!]
That sa ssage, repeated in various forms.
The na was different. In fact, he rembered the userna. Tsuki's. Kai's daughter.
But the content of the ssage made it clear who the real user was.
At that ti, Bai rolled his shoulder and then glared at John. "Oi! Bastard! Why didn't you take care of the Mandate of Heaven before you left?!"
Mandate of Heaven? Of course he did. He bound the Realm Source to his will and-
Wait.
Dots, connecting in his head. Stray pieces of information that he hadn't paid attention to until now.
The fact that he had used his Accumulation to take away Yue's Heart Demons in order for her to beco an immortal and beca the embodint of them so that her cultivation would be easier.
The fact that Yue gave up her path of Perfection to walk on Karma instead.
The storm of karma that erupted when John arrived on Earth.
Events that seed to want to push John away from Yue, and then now an overt attempt to conceal g from his gaze.
And more than that, a 'force' that kept trying to cause trouble for John since he had arrived, as if to distract him from what was important.
John narrowed his eyes and then muttered, "You son of a bitch. No, you sons of bitches. I left the heavens intact before I left, and this is how you repay ?"
"Master John?" Qing called out and then glanced at the cara. "The stream-"
"Oi, Titor. Get over here."
Beta blinked. "Titor?"
Silence, and then a voice that sounded similar and yet different to John's echoed. "Hah. I guess it can't be helped."
Afterwards, a figure erged in the room, appearing in a splash of 1s and 0s. A man with slicked back black hair and a white lab coat.
Beta's eyes widened and she looked between John and the new arrival. "This...?"
John turned his back on Titor and said, "This is what you were made for. Deal with it while I deal with those bastards."
"Yeah, yeah." Titor rubbed the back of his neck before his appearance shifted, turning back into a mirror image of John in that tuxedo. He walked over to sit at the piano, running his fingers along the keys a bit to warm up, and then said, "But damn. I was *just* on the breakthrough of figuring out how fluctlights worked..."
"Hold on!" Bai stepped forward and scowled. "I want an explanation of all of this first! Just what the hell did you-?"
"Beta. Use your full power to protect everyone we know from karmic, divine, and other intervention. Tell Alpha to be on guard for any potential invaders and to imdiately destroy them."
Beta's eyes widened and then she nodded, her face serious. "Understood, Father. Leave the protection detail to myself."
John reached into his Heavenly Realm and then pulled out two items. The first, a white spear with a curved edge, crackling with white lightning. The White Tiger's Guandao.
The other, a double-edged sword with a deep blue blade and a frosty aura. The Azure Dragon's Jian.
"E-Eh? The hell?!" Bai looked at John and said, "When did you get your hands on-"
John tossed the weapons to their rightful owners and then said, "Let's go. We end this tonight... And then we're going back to deal with those idiots who think it's a good idea to try and force my wife's original fate back upon her to try and get rid of ."
_________
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