Is This Soul Mine?

The ocean world... right, Harune's, not that village from weeks ago. "The Shatter found me, really, but... eh, doesn't matter." Charlotte knew so much already, it seemed. Just how deep into her mother's data banks did she dig before now? Mother sighed and smiled.

"Were it up to me, Charlotte, you'd stay right here, in our time, until we figured out how to purify the Red from others afflicted with it." She lifted her left hand, to show the distinct lack of crimson presence on it. "Like how Celune did with me, but with deeper wounds, deeper stains. Just in case it reclaimed you and your bird friends were unable to fix it again. But it sounds like you already know where you have to run off to next. And what am I gonna do, tell you no? I couldn't even..."

A grimace as she gestured at Charlotte's midriff, where a giant hole used to be. "...well, you know."

She spun in her hover chair to stare at the data Artemis had compiled and was still compiling for the family to browse through. Info about the ocean world was front and center. "All kidding aside, I'm thinking the same thing. That the ocean world's gotta be your best bet for unlocking the rest of your potential... even after realizing so much of it already!" That pink glowing form of Charlotte flashed in her mind's eye. "Or at least answering all the questions you have that snooping through my private files didn't help with."

"Hell, I'm sure you still have a few about me, even. Unless you already convinced Artemis to gossip about me while I was out last week?"

"I don't mean this in the wrong way Mum, but you know... if I read all this data correctly, not only was Rea like this, but Mom was too and so was I and Sophia. You couldn't convince any of us to stay home if you tried right?"

Not only could Gates reveal a thousand point plan, but she could assure the end of the universe, and Rea or Zak'yanna would have lept into danger.

It's only natural this girl of hers, the culmination of all their best sides, has their worst habit as a trait. To toss herself into danger, chasing the impossible. Gates should know, she's just the same.

Still the wounds she sustained don't seem to bother her, dismissing it as she sits across from her Mum to rest her hands on her chin. Leaning on the back of her chair.

"Well gossip is one thing, I felt like I got the inside knowledge of the upcoming movie starring you. Like your maiden name, and some history about well... they'd be grandparents huh?"

Strange, saying it out loud felt a little foreign to her. So instead she moves on past it, she doesn't want to focus Gates on the parts that bother her or the recovery after.

"Well I know you don't age like Mom did for different reasons, I know you used to almost sound like a cute pop idol. Ever think about going back to singing?" Singing? When did she sing? Who knows, Charlotte's just teasing now, and might be expecting a bonk on the head.

"I know like Sophia you piloted stuff, I bet you know already about my own uhhh... well I swiped an ID for an armored mech so don't be too made." Charlotte puts her hands together again as if begging for mercy.

"I guess I.."

"I kind of want to know why Mum always stuck with Bounty Hunting. Did Mom ever make you think there was something more out there for you? And well, I know a lot of this is in the past but I.."

Something to allow her to spread her wings, to learn something new, and even further her own personal goals without someone nearby.

All of that finally came to a close, one peaceful morning. All Nyalter would get, would be a little warning from Chengshu that it's nearly time.

Nearly time and some options for lodging, a little help from Chengshu's many girls to clear some space for an additional fold out bed. It would be a tight stay, but for a week or two they could manage until something else was figured.

That morning was all she got by the way, it was just a little after lunch after the rapidly chaotic task of preparing oneself for what only felt like a few months apart, was about to come to an end.

By now the memories, their time together, it was all so real feeling and meshed nicely with her life in Gensokyo. Like she had raised her girl in a town parallel to the village, at the same time as being here.

Regardless she arrival would be anything but quiet, the door swinging open with a loud and happy announcement.

"I'm home Mom!"

Flora Clarion, has finally returned from visiting a beautiful ocean side!

Half a day's notice is definitely short enough to make Nyalter fly into a slight panic. She's not fully freaking out, but things in the house are a little hectic for a while as Nyalter fusses over where Flora can sleep. It's definitely not as spacious of a house as they had previously.

Nyalter fusses over several different potential rooms all morning before finally settling on one. Because of that, she doesn't really even have time to prepare anything else. She'd originally wanted to set up more of a party, make some of Flora's favourite snacks, and maybe do some banners or something.

Then again, maybe that's a bit too much-

"Welcome home, Sweetheart~ I've missed you!"

Maybe she should just act smooth like everything has gone according to plan-

"So yeah, this is home for a while. This is the village where I grew up! I'm glad you can see it now. My house isn't all that spacious compared to where it used to live, but at least it keeps out the cold in winter."

She would have liked to have prepared a plate of cookies - There's no wafers at home but she could have gotten some mint-choco-chip ones ready at least-

"So, how was your trip?"

In truth Flora just wanted to make it as casual as possible, like she was actually just coming home from a trip. Due to how she was raised, though it indeed was all those years for them, making too big of a party would make it feel like they were meeting for the first time or something.

No she just wanted to do one thing!

"Super excited! You know it's like living in a town but never seen the other side of the tracks. It feels just like where we used to live, but a little more wild!"

That being said, the bags are set down and with a long stretch...

She leaps at her mother, hugging her and nearly spinning around her with the force of her hug. "It was great! I took Auntie's advice, I went to see an older place with mixed cultures. It was an ocean world, huge and blue! Supposedly they'd suffered many calamities so the world was incredible mixed and displaced. To see how far they'd bounced back, and to see how much of the world had become a different taste of melting pots!"

She nearly lifts her own mother up in excitement, indeed in this moment. Those 18 years felt like true time, indistinguishable from reality, even if one could tell she'd been only away from her bakery for a tiny bit.

"Oh hoo Auntie did some touch ups too. No bags under your eyes from me keeping you up all night, Like you got 10 years of your youth back! I guess being a youkai is sorta a cheat code isn't it!"

She was right, though. Even with the closer view, the actual sight of Vopahu was usually a neat blend of lighting at best. There was always that chance, though, to see him in full, hence the repeat visits.

"Like everyone else?" ...right, the soul vision!

"...well, those that say he's still watching over us would feel relieved and vindicated, I can say that much for sure." One of the guards nodded ever so slightly. "Don't say that to a Ko-Korian though, unless you're looking for a ten minute impromptu sermon." Another guard nodded.

"Our souls look blue though, huh?" He looked through the binoculars himself after Yukichi was done. "Fascinating... I was thinking they'd be colored based on element, like armorite is. Well, good that there's still plenty of common ground betw--"

A great and terrible rumbling echoed through the skies in which they stood, a rumbling originating from far, far southwest. It was such that the floating island itself quaked, with Lesago and Yukichi feeling like it was about ready to fall from the sky at any second. The guards, prepped for such, kept themselves steady and their eyes on the two tourists until the quaking subsided.

Lesago, with bruises around his eyes from the binoculars. swiftly rushed to Yukichi's side to make sure she was alright, even if she was used to a little rumbling from her profession. Still, rumbling? At this height? On this island???

"Okay, seriously, what in Zarktha's name was that??" shouted Lesago to one of the guards.

"Relax, private, I'm calling Qilia to find out." True to his word, the guard, whose name was Miunae, had already pinged the secretary from the main island on his local communicator. "Probably just a meteorite again."

Qilia immediately responded. "Standby, Miunae. I'm pinging Up High for info. Over."

"Copy, Qilia. We have two civ's up at lookout. Employee with visitor. Shall we shepherd them to main? Over."

"Affirmative. Congregate to main until-- wait, standby. I have word from Up High."

A short, painful silence followed. Then...

"Code GaiShu! Repeat, Code GaiShu! Get all civ's indoors! Code GaiShu! Over!"

Yukichi shakes her head, "yet they give this sermon with longer hair than mine, while saying their heritage encourages short hair. Are people really so obnoxious about those little things."

Maybe it was just her attitude, or the aloofness that she often carried about her for studies. She wasn't being disrespectful, but more representing the few that simple dislike being corrected all their lives for minor forgetfulness.

But that all goes to the back of the mind when things start to shake. It only takes seconds for Les to find himself firmly grasps on his arm, held in place like a support pole as she stares right at him.

"You said it was safe Les. If I start to fall out of the sky, I hope you know I'm going to use you as a cushion for my landing! And I will be rough about it! What's going on here?"

She hears them shouting a code, for the civilians to get to cover but she doesn't know what it means.

"None of my business? Honey, I'm making it my business." She sits with Retsuka, hand on her thigh and leaning in close to her neck. Irina's lips just barely brushing her ear.

"Tell me what I want to know. You know you want to tell me." She focused more of her power into her voice. "Or do you long for my kiss (bite) my cute Minion? My own little Renfield."

Irina traced the edge of Retsuka's ear with a fang and her tongue. Her hand cupping Retsuka's cheek now, thumb pushing into her mouth to feel those cute little fangs growing in.

Try as Resuka might, she can't lean far enough away, the pink haired idol encroaches on her, intimately whisper to her ear.

Her mind pulls and twists, rose crosses her cheeks as she fights the urges, but Irina's thumb rolling across those new fangs is what does her in.

"Y-you're the worshh..you.." Her word slips as she's slowly melting to Irina's control.

"I... I." With a soft moan to her touch she finally breaks. "I don't know.... I've been like this for as long as I can remember. The co-owner of my live house... I want her gone... but I can't get rid of her. This form is.. like a mockery of a magical girl's, a void. I feel empty and I can't fill it with anything."

"Well, well, that is quite a number of achievements you have. Utterly impressive I have to admit. Cannot say that mine can even compare with yours, though without my ability, we could not stand in these lands as we speak."

"And such a remarkable job you've done, I can't say I've saved some world from an en crouching miasma. My hobbies and antics often kept me far from any heroic missions, and of course titles are often layered on you by those that simply wish to placate you."

"Well at first I was curious. A world with miasma? I've seen a few, I was wondering it was the same phenomenon. But seems not, a share for that cute clone that I met. She won't be finding a solution here, but now that I'm here and I've met someone who makes my heart beat."

"I've decided I want to stay a bit. Perhaps help a little, what do you say? I could help with that cough just a little, reflect away the worst of it when it gets bad. Would that help with some greater clusters of miasma?"

It seems, Ida is looking at a long term stay.

The silence proved short-lived. Flavia's inquiry drew Lumen back into their hushed conversation. He walked ahead of her, scouring the village ruins for his next patient. ❝ I think... ❞ His voice faltered halfway through his statement, forcing him to choose his next set of words carefully.

❝ Anyone can make a difference here, Señorita Flavia. It doesn't have to be a grand gesture. Something as simple as holding someone's hand can mean the world to them. You gave her comfort in her darkest hour....❞

A transient smile flitted across his lips, nostalgia lingering on the outer fringes of his subconscious mind. He thought of Gran Faro, his beloved homeland. He thought of the chapel hidden in the dreary mist, and of the elderly denizens left behind.

She seemed to be lagging behind him. Was fatigue setting in? His pace slowing, Jordi came to a gradual stop before pivoting on his heel to check on Flavia. ❝ Of course you can. I'll do my best to answer your questions. ❞ The Iberian straightened, content to let his companion reorganize her thoughts. When she finally spoke, her query took him aback.

Even if the biggest threats she faces, are so vastly out of her reach to solve. Her perceptive eyes watch him as he slows, checking patient after patient must be tough, but she sees how he pushes on.

"I know the feeling... even now at times I blind myself, but the day I met my heroes. It wasn't them saving my life that moved me so... it was the sheer brilliance of their presence that pulled me out of the dark."

"I for a second saw someone so bright, I wished to be like them." Perhaps he had met someone or something too that felt like that, just a chance meeting that changed one's life.

"And...if you can't. If those losses stare at you each day. How do you face them?" Flavia's hands clench, "If those I believed I had lost, stood before me... no longer themselves."

"If those I failed to save, are still the ones who need healing. If I am powerless to help them, what do I do?" Her eyes blink, having overshared.

It was becoming increasingly clear that Yoshika's unique brand of daily weirdness was becoming obsolete. Talking dolls, some person calling themself "Mirror". Somehow fighting hulking monsters had become routine compared to this fantastical arrangement.

And the decor of the 'shop' they were in certainly didn't help either. Like something out of a storybook. At least Yoshika showed no real resistance to the doll, helping Flavia to lie on her back as she took an adjacent seat.

"Personally I don't think you have much to worry about with me. I barely took at hit. She on the other hand..."

"This unit asserts, the reception of treatment is non-negotiable, as to ensure neither person here has received disease or magical parasites." The doll insists, though she is not gone for long. The first one she does treat however is the fatigued Flavia, opening her red outfit to applying some medicine.

Not only that, but she seems to slowly stitch the girl's wounds together with string that looks as if it should be the string controlling the doll.

Her skin closes faster, the wound fizzles almost, as if burning away infection before leaving Flavia to twist in pain a little at her efforts.

Then the doll approaches Yoshika, it inspects for any scratches and with string lines small cuts so the same occurs. "This string was woven from a fruit back in the Mirror's home. It is a natural ointment, but with the Mirror's infusion. It may accelerate cells to heal, and burns away infection. Used as stitching, it can be quite painful for those without supplemental energy."

Stuff like supernatural things, magic and mana, or other energies. The doll looks over, and for Flavia it seems to be incredible painful unlike for Yoshika.

"Miss Flavia does not have any affinity for anything."

Indeed, her disappointment is not only visible, but mutual. Even someone as seemingly aloof as Niles could see when something deserves better than to be labeled and transformed beyond reckoning. All the more reason those daggers he carried rattled as his grip grew white-knuckle tight.

"I'll ask that you forgive my failures in the hereafter, and know that should I find the creature that did this to you, I won't be so restrained in my dealings as I have been today. On that, you can count." It was both a promise to the creature and to Priscille, no doubt reeling from her own inability to protect this spirit. Whether it was truly a beast of ruin remained unclear.

But now that the thing they wished to aide is twisted and lost, she can only steel herself to be useful.

"No it's okay Niles..." Though she knows the world isn't kind or cruel naturally, she knows at times people are forced into making choices and striking before they know the truth.

But right now, Niles is acting like those heroic girls she met. Measured, and when it counts. Decisive.

Her staff extends, forms it's full might and with a hand outstretched Niles is granted power. His entire body would burn brilliantly with increased speed, power, with blades that could scorch the sun and wind at his back.

"All I ask, brother. Is that you slay the lost spirit, with the power of a star. So it might not feel another moment of pain."

She is immobilized with this cast, but in a mana rich area, there's so much to take in, and so much to channel into her brother. Perhaps, had they been able to act quicker. They might have brought this combination out against the Owl monster, yet that might have to be saved for next time.

"Okay okay! I get it, Mom." She puts on her best annoyed voice, but the "snap-dragon" could never really be annoyed at her own mother. However if Meiling keeps messing with her hair like that, she might turn it to vines and tangle her up with them.

That girl being Nene, dressed in a maid outfit that's way too frilly and heavy for her liking. It hides too much skin, but to prove to Aurora that she's got the chops not to be a nuisance before going to haggle with the head maid herself.

"Danke." She finishes, a little bit more than she usually takes but not enough to hurt Haya. Millia couldn't even bare the thought of doing so, she doesn't even need the threat of Aiharu.

"You had a lot today Millia-chan, even left me feeling a little sluggish. Though I've been like that a lot lately, so no worries. Maybe still feeling a little sick."

Some of the umas seem to tower over their trainers, and others could be shorter than Flavia easily.

Yet when they all run, nothing like that matters. She watches them put their all into each run, like it's the sole thing they want to do. For Flavia it means a lot to see them, since the one thing she wants to be is a hero, and she would put her heart into any little bit of training she had to to achieve it.

"Hey, don't say Her name so carelessly. She might hear us, somehow." If Edina could hear them like that, Merlot didn't really know, but she could always feel the presence of her Mistress in the back of her mind. Like a comforting blanket.

"Alright, so maybe I am recalling... something. Like I can't really explain it, just something feels off ya know? Gaps in memory that I didn't notice before." Merlot said with a serious tone she had never shown before, pulling up a chair and sitting in it backwards. Putting one arm over the backrest.

Maybe Merlot is balancing between remembering something? The biting memories of the past? Alva seems to know more about her past, but she's all but denied it by now. Embracing this new life, as isolated as it is.

But Merlot, her colourful and vibrant self, that want for attention. Maybe it's biting at her?

"Y-yes! That's right. Are you remembering stuff? I didn't think it was possible, but yes please go on."

Flavia dismisses the worries Merlot has about what they did together, "No it's okay. Senpai it really is okay." Flavia doesn't sit normally, she actually knees down before Merlot, like a worried adult tending to a hurt child. A hand on Merlot's knee.

"You used to be one of my closest friends. You, Alva, Shiraz, and Blanca.. you weren't all called that, even now... Edina's influence clouds all our minds of it. B-but I can find old papers, documents, stuff in your family's home."

"Janah, T'chan louren!" The lead one shouted, pointing at Sezja. Two of the triangular headed ones leapt at Sezja, one lunging forward with a bident and the other sweeping towards her head with a large scythe.

"Ku'ul teroth nik'doh!"

"So be it." Her spear twirls with adept ferocity, it takes no effort at all to parry one weapon down, and to grab the shaft of the other. She pull a creature forward and delivers a kick so brutal it could split a human in half.

The other is sliced clean in two, the blades part of her cross spear more than enough to rend them down.

Even those that follow and met with a flurry of stabs, with an inferno of fire from those fabricated arms of hers.

Spells and tricks Sezja has known all her life, she steps down on a defeated creature as others approach.

Naturally, one on one she would never lose. Yet who knows how many there are here, and now that first blood as mercilessly been drawn. Whose to say they'll ever stop attacking.

Still she postures herself to the others, should a thousand die tonight. So be it, so entrenched in not using Aphelion's gift. That Sezja has missed such an important part.

"Well, I mean, after paying that much, it would have been more embarrassing if I tried to fight it. I had to let them think I knew what I was ordering." Oh, they could tell she had no clue anyway.

"H-hey, you're saying some pretty extreme stuff there. Are you still messing with me, or are you..." What does Nise actually want to ask here? Is Yuzuki trying to bully her? Is she trying to seduce her? "Anyway, I don't mind dropping b your place. I've never... actually gone to another girl's place, actually. So I'm kinda curious to see how it's different from mine." Nise's room is a bit boring and basic. A guitar, some old magazines, the radio... she's not one for decorating, usually.

Yuzuki's got her on the back foot again, Nise's trying to think of ways to cover up her embarrassment, even as she's gently shoved away. What would other's tell her to do at this point?

Well, everyone she knows would tell her to double down, right? So if she's already feeling embarrassed, why not do something super embarrassing that'll overwhelm the girl?

Mimicking Yuzuki's own body language, perhaps a little too well, she reaches up and gently lowers her hand from her reddening face. Using some of her youma-like qualities and a little magical girl sorcery to make Yuzuki see sparkles. Nise says the most flustering thing that comes to mind.

"So when the time comes, are you going to change me into my uniform, like how the maids changed me out of it?"

When Nise pulls her hand down to put on this little show, just before Yuzuki can actually retort and tell her she's being silly. That it's all a joke, and they should find somewhere for Nise to change.

Before the last off-ramp can be taken, Nise hits her with the most over the top and oddly enchanting attempt yet. She has to blink a few times.. is she seeing, sparkles?

A few more blinks, before red overtakes her face even more and finally she makes a drastic decision.

"That's it!"

"Shut up.." Her tone has changed, is she angry?

Regardless, Yuzuki grabs her arm and starts to drag Nise with her. Silence is all that remains for a moment, they walk and walk, Yuzuki isn't inherently strong but she's clearly taking Nise somewhere.

Is it to finally change? Is it somewhere to private to... No it's a house, and she doesn't stop until they're right at the door. All that walking, far from stations and malls, it's a modest small two story place.

She walks right up and unlocks the door, then soon starts to shove Nise inside.

"G-get in."

Yuzuki doesn't want her neighbors to see that she brought a maid home, but indeed this is Yuzuki's home. Pictures of her and her parents, though it seems like notes on the board on the fridge suggest they're the types that travel a LOT.

"Y-you can head upstairs to my room. It's the first door on the left. I'll get some snacks."

Yuzuki hurries by Nise, by now it's clear. She's not mad, whatever charm Nise hit her with, had just had such a strong effect that it caused her to lose her words and simply act. Kidnapping a maid to her own place.

Leaving Nise to her own devices, to go to Yuzuki's room...

A room that's oddly, normal. Some pink, pictures of friends from school. Books for studying and a desk to work at. Though it has more in it that Nise's perhaps, it's profoundly lacking in any sort of hyper interest.

It screams the girl who excels at everything, but has nothing of her own that captures her mind. Instead there's random game posts, random bands she's probably listened to once. Music for an unused device, and a model ship.