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Misha     After the events on Ar Ciel, AND Lyner Barsett's return, there should be celebration. ... Actually there was, in the form of a homecooked meal made by Misha. But after THAT there were other matters to attend to. She wanted to make sure everything was -alright-. Not just on the outside, but inside as well, deep inside the locked depths of her heart held secret even to herself.
    The Njorun Dive Shop is prepared for Misha Arsellec Lune this time. Multiple Dive pods are set up and prepared, linked together and prepped for a tandem Dive on levels of which normal Reyvateils couldn't support.
    "Ah... Lyner... I hope you don't mind. I've um. Done a few Dives- with other people in the Union. I figured I could. You know. Trust them." She tries to explain.
    To the uninitiated, Diving is the act of entering a Reyvateil's subconscious mind- where they keep their darkest and most treasured secrets, in order to learn, grow, and help them craft new songs. Any technician in the shop can explain those basics.
    For those already initiated, the pods are set and waiting for people to climb in, and Misha is looking as nervous as ever.
Lyner Barsett      Ah. Diving.

     How nostalgic. Lyner hadn't done a dive in a long, long time.

     The white knight, in his cape and quarter armor, stood in the Njorun Dive Shop, looking about the place from where he stood. "I know you told me this place was here before, but...I think this is my first time actually setting foot. Funny how that works, haha." As good natured as always, the young man turned to Misha upon hearing her address him.

     "Huh? You dived with other people?" He paused, tilting his head a bit. "...Well, I don't personally mind, but are you okay letting so many other people see your soulspace?" He smiled a tad, scratching his cheek with a finger.

     "I mean, if you say you trust everyone, I won't stop you." A pause. And then he lowered his arm, looking a bit sheepish. "I'm just sorry that I wasn't personally here to help you out when you needed it." A sigh. "But..."

     His smile persisted. "You look well. So I guess they did a bang up job!"

     Ever the optimist.
Riva Banari Riva's here! She prances in with pocket full of candy and a head full of happy. She waves to the others as they arrive, and chuckles to Misha. "Man, this is going to be interesting." She replies to the Reyvateil, and winks to her. "Don't worry! Everything's going to turn out A-OK!" She gives Misha a thumbsup, and looks to Lyner. "Don't worry about a thing, Lyner! You've probably done this plenty of times, right? She trusted us to help her out, and that's what we're gonna do! It's what friends are for, after all!" She grins, and then perches up on the edge of her favorite Dive Pod, before flopping in.

(It's her favorite because it's the closest one.)
Landon al Cid      The Prince of Ramuh arrives as he usually does - regal even in his school uniform, apparently-unarmed but anything but. The Prince's smile is a gentle one as he bows, one hand over his heart, to Misha, and then offers a firm hand to Lyner. Landon's handshake is a firm and strong one, the handshake of someone who's quite used to handling weapons.

     "Good evening. I am Landon al Cid, Crown Prince of Ramuh. It is a pleasure to met you, Sir Barsett. I look forward to working with you in the future. As always, lady MIsha, it is a pleasure to see you again."

     Landon does not offer anything else in the way of important dialogue. He instead sits down at one of the Dive Pods after some small talk without consequence, a smile on his face. He's far more *relaxed* than he's classically been. Probably because the /war/ is over, and he can focus on things like helping friends. Like Misha!
Kazusa Ujikane     "It's totally fine, totally fine! I was here before, it worked out great." says a voice from Lyner's side.

    Looking for the source of it will reward him with the sight of a nerdy-looking girl with her hands in her pockets, giving him the sort of beaming, 'it's totally fine' grin that tends to give the impression that it should not under any circumstances be treated as reliable. The 'nehehehe' probably doesn't do much to reinforce her reliability quotient.
Archer      So... this was Lyner Barsett... and hopefully, he could tell them what exactly had happened with that entity.

     However... the process of 'Diving' is not exactly one he is looking forward to. Out of all the things he was willing to do, having his subconscious and deeper consciousness probed was /not/ among one of the things Archer was eager to go through with. Therefore, he continually regarded the pod with an outwardly-impassive, yet inwardly weary gaze.

     However... if it was one-way, it might be more acceptable to do. But then again, as a Heroic Spirit as opposed to a living human, there was no telling how the process would react to him, though he'd imagine he would be forewarned about possible complications.

     Looking at Lyner, Archer could not help but feel reminded of Emiya Shioru - passive and overly-optimistic, to the point of naïveté.

     There were more familiar faces as well - Landon al Cid and, more recently met, Riva Banari - as well as one he didn't recognize; an amber-eyed blonde-haired girl in glasses.

     "I doubt you'll remember me since we didn't meet directly, but I was at the fight between the army and that... creature from the mountains. I provided support fire from the wall" Archer offers up, in case Lyner was unaware of all the active participants in that fight - and considering how he was apparently out-of-circulation for Union affairs, it was very much a possibility. "I am known as Archer."

     Additionally, he sighs and gives a skeptical glance at Riva - already he wasn't exactly on the best of terms with her due to their differing viewpoints, and he can't help but give a cynical remark; "Optimistic for someone who was practically burnt to cinders by that entity. It might be best to reserve judgement until we know what we're dealing with."

     One could call Archer many things - or describe him with many choice swears - but if nothing else, he was honest in his opinions... blunt as they were.
Reiji Arisu So he was called, so does he answer. Let it be known that Reiji Arisu does not shirk from his responsibilities, or from helping those who he calls friends.

    It's not that he's being motivated by the promise of a delicious home-cooked meal after all this, or anything. That's mostly just a bonus! Mostly. Misha's cooking is pretty amazing, okay??

    Regardless, it takes him very little time to reach the Njorun dive shop from his apartment in Roppongi. The magic of warp gates is, as always, abundantly convenient. The exorcist comes without his usual weapons and armor-- it's not as though he'll need it here, right? Who'd ever think to attack a dive shop in Njorun? Crazy people, mostly.

    He cranes his head toward Lyner as he arrives and... squints a little bit. "Hm," he observes, thumbs hooked inside his pockets, "You're about as I expected." Maybe a bit... shorter? That's probably not right. Or maybe Soulspaces do weird things to how people imagine other people!? Who knows? "Good to meet you in person, though. I'm Reiji, we've spoken on the radio."

"Misha," he greets with a nod, "I hope today's dive goes as well as the others. We'll do our best as usual."
Misha     "Just 'well'?" Misha sounds skeptical there. Like she was expecting more from the blonde-haired youth, and even flashing something of a mildly sour look. But Lyner gets a quick peck on the cheek when Misha thinks no one is looking, and people begin to arrive. "They've taken good care of me. I think... Something big has been going on in there, and I wouldn't want you to go alone for this one. I'd hate myself if anything happened."
    But people are showing up-- or are already here, considering, Misha near leaps out of her skin when it turns out Riva was probably there the whole time for that. "Eheh... Well, Riva's been pretty enthusiastic about it too." Something about Chroma rangers, if Misha remembers correctly.
    Of everyone present, Archer is the only one that hasn't Dived before, and hopefully being a super ghost of a futue hero won't result in any strange connection effects, but it really should not. So everyone is here. Landon, regal and stalwart as ever. Riva, full of exuberance and glee, Kazusa- more reliable than she looks, and Reiji. Reiji.
    "I guess if we're all ready..." She really means herself, judging from the small fidget as she climbs into the main pod. "Remember, I'm trusting you all in there."
    So as everone climbs into the pods, they begin to close, sealing with a hissss and enclosing the occupants in darkness. But the darkness is only momentary, as symbols in Hymmnos, the lyrical-mechanical language of Ar Ciel start to fly across the vision like a rapid page scroll, and there's a flash of light...

    MISHA_FEHU_EOLIA_ARTONELICO ... LEVEL... @*^%##?

    Something is definitely wrong there, as the group is dumped out at Stonehenge, the art deco sculpture stone ring is dark and silent, on a hill with a full view of a darkened Njorun Station. The power is flickering everywhere- that much can be seen from a distance.
    This is about when the tiny figure of a catgirl riding a floating ocarina comes SHOOTING into the midst of the group.
    "OH THANK THE GODDESS YOU'RE HERE." Hama mewls. The panicked babble that follows is wild and incomprehensible squeals before she pauses and makes a realization. Wheeling on Lyner, she pauses and stares. "... Oh. You're back. That's kind of surprising. Well I guess we're boned."
Lyner Barsett      "Ehehe, but you do look well!" Lyner, being Lyner totally missed the cue. But he was being honest. The peck on the cheek is met with a smile, and then people begin to arrive. Welp, no time for that now. It's time to get down to business. To defeat the hu- Misha's doubts.

     "Huh?" Riva gets a look from Lyner, and then a few blinks. "Well, yeah. Yeah, of course! Thanks for helping Misha out, Riva." And he smiles a genuinely grateful smile to her before turning to Landon, taking the offered hand and giving a firm handshake.

     "Oh wow. A real, actual prince! Nice to meet you, Mr. Landon. And thanks for helping out Misha as well." A grin followed and he added. "I'll look forward to working with you in the future too!" And then came Kazusa. Releasing Landon's hand and letting the Prince of Ramuh move on, he turned to the girl.

     "Uh...well, of course it'll be fine! If it all worked out before, then I'll trust you guys as much as Misha does. Let's all watch each other's backs and help Misha again." So he said.

     Archer's voice gets his attention from there, and he turned to face the Servant of the Bow. "Huh?" Blink. "...Oh. Ohhh, you were the guy firing from the distance?" Yep, looks like that was him. Lyner donned a grin and went on. "That was some pretty great shooting, Archer! I don't think that creature would have went down without your support fire, so thanks."

     Not that Lyner had any direct hand in the battle, but hey.

     At Archer's cynical remark to Riva, Lyner held both hands up placatingly. "Ahaha, hey, hey c'mon now. We're not here to do this again. We're supposed to be helping Misha, remember?" But then, he did kind of agree with Archer inwardly. Anything could happen during a dive. Depending on how the Reyvateil felt, her soulspace could accept you, violently reject you, torture you, lead you around with a carrot on a string, or anything really.

     ...Let's say he had firsthand experience.

     Reiji's arrival draws the knight's attention, and he let Archer off from there. "...Eh?" About what he expected. "...Ahahaha...Well, thanks!" Lyner replied, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. ...That probably wasn't a compliment, Lyner. "Oh so you're Reiji. Nice to meet you in person finally!"

     Pause.

     He leaned in a bit closer. "For the record, I wasn't lost." Then he leaned back.

     Once that was all out of the way, he made his way into the nearest available pod and got comfortable. It was diving time. For better or worse. Hopefully not worse.

     So when the dive begins and everything is thrust into Misha's cosmosphere, Lyner i the first to voice aloud. "...Wow, this is not what I saw last time I was here." He frowned a tad, looking around carefully. "I don't think I need to tell you guys this, but always expect the unexpected here." And then came Hama, bobbling in on that ocarina like the panicked mind guardian she was. Oh man, he hadn't seen hama in forever.

     Even her derisive barbs were nostalgic. "Ehehe...Hey, give me a little more credit than that, Hama." He chuckled, but soon sobered up and stepped forward. "What's going on here? Where's Misha?"
Kazusa Ujikane     "Aah, Reiji~!" Kazusa greets the exorcist cheerfully. "Good to see you, good to see you." She stuffs her hands in her pockets... only to stop when she realizes there's someone new here. Someone tall. Someone who looks kinda cool, actually. "Oooh, I wonder if..."

    Hey, Archer. There's a nerdy girl holding up what almost look like tarot cards at you. Five of them. One with an image of a sword on it, one with an image of a longbow, one with a strange bit of writing - Hymnos, if Archer will recognize it - one with a dagger, and one with a bestial set of teeth, all on black backgrounds. She looks up at Archer, then down at the cards again, then up at Archer, and then... pout. "Aww. Magus-type. I already have that card filled. Maybe next time."

    Only now does she seem to realize that some sort of social interaction is in order. "Oh! Uh. Kazusa! Kazusa Ujikane. You said you're 'Archer'? Does that mean you're a Servant?!" It has finally hit her, and now she is wide-eyed with wonder.

    Oh wait, right, they have a Dive to do. "O-oh, uh, we can talk later." Zoom. Boy can she scramble into her pod quickly.

    When Hama appears, Kazusa has to visibly restrain herself from leaping to give the tiny guardian a hug. "D-don't worry, Hama, we'll save you!" Is she... teary-eyed? Yes, yes she is. Mostly because she knows trying to hug the adorable thing will get her bitten again.
Reiji Arisu     "Sure you weren't," Reiji replies to THE GUY WHO WAS DEFINITELY LOST with a long sigh and a short rubbing of his forehead. "You just wandered off and forgot to turn on your radio." And then assumed that, because the radio was quiet, everyone on the other end was DEAD. This is not a good habit to keep, Lyner!

    And then, KAZUSA! "Yo," the exorcist nods and says, "Good to see you, too." Misha catches his attention again. Reiji gives her a nod as well, "Xiaomu's a bit busy tonight, so I'm here alone, unfortunately." He rolls his shoulders in a slight shrug. "We should still be fine, though. I just hope Hama doesn't chew us out for coming as such a huge group again."

    Even if her Pissed Off Face is completely adorable, which might just be a function of the fact that she's a tiny catgirl on a floating ocarina. Regardless, it seems it's about time to get going. Without much fanfare, Reiji settles himself into one of the many divepods and waits for the usual scrolling wall of...

Of...

Well.

Well that isn't right.

    Nevermind that @*^#251#? isn't a number even in the most esoteric programming languages, there's something immediately... off about the space where they emerge. Reiji pinpoints it immediately, and his expression falls into one of deep and profound concern.

Hama is actually happy to see them.

This cannot possibly be a good sign.

    "Hama," he says, taking a step out from the stone summoning circle and toward the Mind Guardian, "What's going on? There was some... weird text on our way in." The exorcist pauses as he glances towards the enormous, flickering Njorun, "...I'm guessing there was an accident at the power plant?"

IS IT LYNER'S FAULT AGAIN!?
Riva Banari ZORT

Riva arrives in the Cosmosphere with all of the pomp and circumstance of a whoopee cushion left on an easily accessible chair.

That is to say, she lands on her face for no readily apparent reason. Blame the DISTORTION IN THIS WORLD. Riva picks herself up, dusts herself off, and promptly manages to resist attempting to bribe the Guardian into submission, mainly because everything and their doc is OOZING OMINOUS.

"Ummmmmmm." Riva says, looking around and suddenly less confident. "This looks bad. Really bad." She glances to Lyner and Hama, who she figures know the most about these shenanigans. "So, uhhhhh. What's the situation and how can we help?"

Riva frowns. "... This is weird, you know. You'd think Lyner showing back up would make things /less/ apocalyptic..."
Archer      Archer, being the observant sort - and capable of turning phantasmal - takes note of Misha's show of affection to Lyner, though he doesn't broadcast that he saw nor draws attention to it.

     However, he does seem a bit more openly quizzical when Misha remarks that she is trusting them all, gaze narrowed slightly. But, ultimately, it seems that this 'Diving' procedure is necessary to learn precisely what had happened regarding that entity as well as the fact that it seems to connect to something else.

     Hearing Lyner's apparent praise, Archer doesn't really accept the compliment nor does he deny it - though he does seem lightly surprised someone actually took the time to offer it either way. Thus, his only response is a simple nod.

    Archer does note however what seems to be contemplation in Lyner's expression when he tries to placate things, figuring he must have at least been correct about there being risks of something unexpected happening - so with that in mind, he shrugs and allows Lyner to break up the conflict in the making.

     Archer's gaze narrows a bit at the sight of the girl with glasses when she displays the tarot cards, feeling a bit weary of them - especially when she makes her commentary. He can take a guess to what she means - she is most likely a magus... and might recognize him as a familiar she wished to claim. Thankfully he felt confident he could escape such an imposed servitude... but that didn't mean he was eager to test that belief.

    He does however take the time to promptly answer her question as well as make note of her name - Kazusa Ujikane - for future reference. "Yes, I am indeed a Servant, though I no longer fight in a war."

     He takes a long breath in and expels it over the course of several moments, before stepping into the pod and sighing as it seals shut, wondering exactly how this process is meant to work.

     ...

     However, the rather blatant error message seems to point that, whatever way these things are meant to function, they currently aren't doing so right now.

     Archer notes the appearance of Stonehenge with curiosity, though notes the disturbing and conceding sight of Njorun Station in the background with a flickering power grid... but he is a bit more surprised by the 'neko' on the ocarina, eyes widening slightly - if only barely noticeably - out of surprise and confusion.

     It is here that he sighs and decides to state the obvious for the sake of conformation; "I take it this-" he gestures to their surroundings "-is both not normal and a very bad occurrence? What exactly happened here?"
Landon al Cid      Dives...Dives are weird, but are they supposed to be like this? No, Landon's fairly sure they aren't. The strange noise is a pretty big clue that something isn't right here. The arrival at darkened Njorun is enough to mark it firmly as 'something is wrong', leaving Landon feeling firmly uncomfortable even with the floating ocarina cat (meh, monsters. That's less weird than the creepy station. Monsters are just a part of life for Galiandans.).

     It reminds him of the Mirror Forest, the disturbing land behind the mirror of another world. Already, Landon's instincts tell him to get ready. He one of his Law Cards forward and fills it with Magic Particles. The card glows a dim blue light before it expands into the strange pizza-cutter sword that is the Judge Blade. The blade, crystallized law itself, shines as Landon shoulders it.

     He doesn't echo everybody else's sentiments, largely because repeating 'something is wrong' is just babbling in a circle, and Landon's not the kind of person to do that. Instead, the Prince immediately takes advantage of having a light source that goes further than a few feet, moving it to see if he can spot any distortions while everyone else talks to the floating ocarina cat.

     OK, it's a /little/ weird, but it's not hostile, so...
Misha     "I'm not the one that needs rescuing!" Hama snaps irately. "It's -worse- than the power station- that thing that's been haunting Misha is out of control now- she's gearing up to go to war with it! Get to the upper boughs and see for yourself!" It looks like things are already starting, as fires and explosions begin to rock Njorun, the highest branches coming alight with sound and bright flashes, and chaos.

    The world map does in fact pop up.
    -Misha's Apartment
    -Bar: The Sad Song
    *#(%???Q

    The strange garbled text is in fact the path to the upper boughs, and Hama is already flitting that waym practically expecting the others to follow her. "Since Misha got her old self back, it didn't take kindly to that and kidnapped the old Misha. The present Misha is still too unsure of herself to deal with it!"
    That seems as good an explanation as ever, as there's a thump.
    And there's Misha, toppling out from the higher branches and landing with a cough. She's shivering, covered in frost and quaking to the bone and... A child. Lyner Barsett follows shortly after, in full armor, battered and bloody, one eye scrunched shut. "Damn... I thought we had it that time..." And then he looks up. "Oh! Hey! Great timing! Misha could sure use your help!" He says, wholeheartedly still chipper as he shoots himself a thumbs up.
    "I can't- it's too strong!" Misha yelps.
    It's crawling down from the upper levels... Dragging itself along on two massive clawed wings, utterly massive. The first thing that comes into view is a long graceful neck of scales... Ended with a jagged, tooth-filled mouth for a head, and glowing baleful red eyes. It is blatant what this trick of Misha's mind was designed from as its massive, lizard-like body slinks sinuously into view.
    A dragon. Overbloatedly huge and terryfingly powerful, making roost in the very heart of her subconscious... There is a blue dragon.
    "What is this...?" It rumbles. "Come to take my singing priestes...? I... Think... Not." It rumbles with a chuckle, drawing a deep lungful of air... Before unleashing a storming exhale of sub zero breath.
Lyner Barsett      "War? Out of contro-wha?"

     Seriously, what in the hell happened while he was gone? Lyner decided that now was not the time to be asking twenty questions, and instead, was racing after Hama with all due haste. " ...I don't get it, but I'll figure it out!" He skids to a stop right as someone comes tumbling down from above. "Whoa! M-Misha!?" But she was a kid again. More confused than he ever figured he would have been, Lyner stepped forward, about to kneel and talk to her when...

     Well /he/ came tumbling down after. At least another him. "...Huh?" It was like looking in a mirror. Except that mirror kind of got put through the wringer. "...." So not even cosmosphere him could defeat Misha's doubts? Well... that's okay. He doesn't need to singlehandedly solve the Reyvateil's problems. Not anymore. That's what friends were for!

     "Right." And without dwelling on it any more than he already had, Lyner grinned and gave himself a thumbs up in return. "No problem. We've got this." And at that moment, the answer to 'what was causing this' became abundantly clear. A dragon. A huge, huge dragon. ...He could actually swear he's seen it before. Maybe in one of Misha's song magics? Tear God? ...It's been a while.

     That didn't matter now anyway.

     "Your singing priestess?" The knight of Elemia asked, reaching back and hitting a button on the compact sword sheath holstered behind his waist. With a faint mechanical whirr, a handle popped out, and the hilt expanded. "I'm afraid that Misha doesn't belong to you! If you're the thing chaining her down, making her doubt herself...if you're the one who caused her soulspace to become...this..."

     He grabbed the handle and pulled, drawing a smooth, pure white blade. There was no flourish or otherwise flashy shows of preparation. He reached for his right shoulder guard after, drawing the dagger mounted on it in his other hand and flipping it to reverse grip.

     "...Then we'll banish you from her mind, and return this world to light!" Because there was no I in team. He wasn't here alone. He was here with everyone, and it was with everyone that they would solve this problem.

     Lyner stepped in front Misha, as well as his battered other self, taking on a defensive stance. As the ice breath came, he muttered lowly. "Shield of Bond." Followed by the crossing over of both blade and dagger. In response, a energy gathered before him, forming into a diamond shaped shield, large enough to defend those behind him. The ice breath struck right then, pushing against the shield, and forcing the knight's position back gradually, but Lyner did not give up. He dug his feet into the ground, and grit his teeth.

     "Go! All of you, go! Take that thing down!" He roared to the others over the freezing wind.
Landon al Cid      A Dragon.

     Landon al Cid has never seen a dragon like this. Oh, he's seen Dragons before - as the heir of the most powerful country on Galiandan, Landon has personally met with the Dragons of Bahamut on a very few diplomatic occasions, although never more than one and never for very long. Those dragons were great, refined creatures, majestic in intellect, nobility, wisdom, and goodness. Their presence overflowed with security and safety, as close as one could get to the divine in fleshly form.

     This...is not one of those dragons.

     The jagged-toothed maw, the baleful red eyes, the massive wings, the sinewy neck. The slinky, shadowy nightmare. The rumbling, deep, and terrible voice. This is not a messenger, a guardian, of divine providence. This is not a wise and just creature.

     This is a fear, given life in the mind of a girl.

     The monster wastes no time, and neither does Landon. Well-honed, split-second reflexes kick in in an instant. He's a tank, by nature. He tanks hits. This is what he does. So as soon as the dragon begins to breathe, Landon tackles Kazusa to the ground. The girl is untransformed, after all. She's the one his finely-honed Tank Instincts tell him needs the most protection.

     She is the Squishy.

     Landon takes the hit instead, because there's just no *time* to call up a wall, and the crystalline Judge Blade is set in front of her to shield her from the frigid blast. Frost sweeps over his body as he tries to keep her safe. Icicles form in his white hair, around his eyelashes. He has the good sense to keep his mouth and eyes safe, or he'd *probably* be dead.

     No. Not probably.

     Absolutely.

     Landon weathers the freezing storm, defending Kazusa from it as best he can, between his own body and the heavy Judge Blade. Only once it ends does he rise, shaking, his teeth chattering together furiously as he tries to shake off what is surely frostbite.

     He tries to lift the Judge Blade, but his fingers won't close around it.

     Alright. Fine.

     Landon's hand rises, and the Judge Blade comes unstuck, hovering telekinetically in the air. It spins in front of him, then goes shooting right for the dragon's maw as Landon fumbles with his law cards. His ice-blue fingers are not helping him.

     Damn. Damn! Internally, he curses as cards fall from his fingers and shatter into nothingness. They're just constructs, but the fact that he can't grip them...

     Then he'll just do it the old-fashioned way.

     The Judge Blade harries the beast as Landon goes running forward. Motion heats him up. Motion makes him feel better. He runs, pumping his arms and legs in the most exaggerated charge of his life. At the last instant before the dragon, the Judge Blade comes sweeping down, and Landon grabs onto it for...

     ...well, for a boost up, so he can *punch the dragon in the face*.

     #Freelancer.
Reiji Arisu     "Oh, right," Reiji mutters, his memories scrolling months back. There WAS something about a giant monster roosting on top of Njorun, wasn't there? "Well. I guess this was bound to happen sooner or later. At least it was nice enough to wait for us before moving."

The world map is a familiar sight, and...

>Bar: The Sad Song

No, he has something he has to do.

>>Bar: The Sad Song

There will be time for that AFTER they deal with the giant monster!

>>>Bar: The Sad Song

Just because pattern recognition is a thing doesn't mean he always has to go to the same place!!

>:|
>*#(9 0??Q

There.

    Reiji arrives like a rushing gale in Hama's wake... just in time to see Child-Misha and Mind-Lyner plummet to the ground not so far away. "...So she's kidnapped again, huh?" The exorcist frowns as the ground begins to tremble. Like a madman walking into a hurricane, Reiji advances to meet its source head on.

    Its source being a... a dragon. An enormous, bloated, greedy dragon. Reiji's brow twitches briefly. Its power is immense, this monster that roosts in the branches of this world-tree. He doesn't know its origins, he isn't aware of why it's /here./ All he knows is that it has to go; all he has for it is a name.

"Nidhoggr."

    Freezing wind blasts down from the tremendous beast, freezing the land and crystallizing the air. Reiji's hand twitches as it washes over him--

There's a flicker of firelight.

    A dashing shadow in black and red emerges from the column of frigid vapor. His footfalls strike the interior cone of the dragon's deadly breath, causing platforms of frozen air to nucleate from the lethal chill. A blade is gripped in his hand, brilliant, vermilion flames dance around its edge. In his other, a rack of familiar weaponry.

    "Nightmare-Dragons..." he mutters as he lunges the final few meters, kicking off a particularly large shard of ice to swing Karin at the creature's enormous eyes. Karin's flames erupt, blossoming into a tremendous lotus of heat and light and explosive power! "Are not so different from any other youkai!"
Archer      A rescue inside what, from the little Archer could gather, was this 'Misha' girl's soulscape or at least analogous to it as far as he knew, was not quite what he had in mind. How was this connected to what happened in the mountains with the army against the entity?

     Or perhaps they were connected only in the fact that they were both tied to the same person; Lyner Barsett. At the very least, it seemed there had to be a link.

     Perhaps what that link was would become apparent in time, the bowman glancing as the mental representation of Njorun suddenly was set ablaze.

     As there is little other choice but to do so, Archer begins following the small 'neko' immediately... and inwardly finds amusement in what she said.

     A present-self being uncertain of their old self. What a novel concept. One he was all-too-well acquainted with in fact. Though it seemed that he would never be fortunate enough for something to come in and miraculously set the path straight for his own past self.

     When something begins tumbling out from above though, Archer reacts on reflex, swiftly moving underneath it to catch it before it hits the ground - and this time is more openly surprised to see the form of a near-frozen child in his arms, the Servant having dropped down to one knee to gently set her down before him.

    One that was, upon examination, a younger version of Misha... though the coating of permafrost across her body was hardly a welcome sight, the Servant of the Bow's expression seeming slightly more sympathetic at seeing a child in clear pain and fear.

     It makes his gaze perhaps a bit more irritated then usual as he glances at the injured mental-representation of another Lyner Barsett - this one bleeding in battered armor - who's chipper indifference is a marked contrast to Archer's prior comparison of the knight to Emiya Shirou.

     The boy wasn't quite /that/ optimistic and dense.

     When the dragon - a /dragon/ of all things - climbs down towards them, Archer stares in muted amazement and deep concern for a minute. This was not going to be an easy task if they were meant to fight this creature... though outwardly he seemed more concerned then stunned and, underneath it all, was a bit curious.

     If this was a representation of Misha's consciousness ... what part of her was this dragon meant to represent?

     "Trace; On"

     When the elemental attack of the Dragon pours forth toward them, Archer sands back up and moves in front of the frozen girl's body reacting with the best weapon he can think of off-hand - a weapon that drew it's power from heat.

     "I am the bone of my sword."

     The framework appeared through his mind's eye, pulled from the hill of swords and conceptualized into the physical world as an ornate blade of decorative, curving edges and crimson-lined contours - a longsword meant to represent the fiery, if not abstract passion that defined the Emperor of Rome. And as the frost approaches-

     "AESTUS ESTUS!"

     -it is met with a burst of brilliant red flame that flows outward with the forward slash, working to diffuse the attack before it can proceed further - and perhaps blunt the damage both Lyner's will have to take.

     He will have to project his bow as soon as able, though - he doesn't envy the odds of facing it in close combat if he has the choice.
Kazusa Ujikane     "Well, you're part of Misha, so if I'm rescuing her, I'm rescuing you too by extension," Kazusa declares, punctuating the whole thing with a 'hmph' that is very nearly pouty. She does look up as directed, however, just in time to see the Dive!Njorun fill with the sound of fighting.

    Oh hey, there's the garbled travel option. Time to g- oh. Oh they don't have to go anywhere, it's coming right to them. Aw crap.

    "Th-that's... that's a really big dragon," Kazusa mumbles. She might be just a bit intimidaOH GOD ICE BREATH! "WAAAH-!" Crapcrapcrap here it comes, here it- suddenly, a Landon. A dashing prince, saving her just in the nick of time. Even if it was a little rough. "OOF-!" There is exactly one response that is allowable in a time like this. "...so cool...!" The sound of battle, however, brings her back to something resembling reality, and the girl hastily fumbles for her bag, pulling out one of those cards she'd held out at Archer earlier - specifically, the one with the Hymnos on it. If anyone here can actually /read/ Hymnos, they might just recognize it as Misha's full name.

    "By the card I choose, I stand as a hero! THE MAGUS!"

    Held out before her, the Magus card comes apart into a wave of white sparks, passing along Kazusa's arm and over her body, front to back. Where it passes, her clothes change, her hair color changes, her eyes change, everything. By the time the sparks disperse, it is still Kazusa's build, her face and hairstyle, but the outfit, the demeanor, everything else about her looks exactly like the Reyvateil in whose mind they are currently facing a dragon.

    Without missing an instant, Mishazusa spreads her arms and begins to sing, soft but determined, a phantom ensemble rising up to back her voice with instrumental melody. It is a slow song to start, but one laced with passion already, beginning to weave a tale of heroes who have lost much, taking up arms to face a great beast. First and foremost, the power of that song begins to flow into Landon - a simple enhancement, strength and speed, giving him what he needs to stand and fight.
Riva Banari As much as Riva would like to go stop in... ANYWHERE BUT THERE she has a job to do and she's not getting paid to laze around and sketch Ayako playing video games.

Today. She's not getting paid to do it TODAY.

"WAAAAAAAAGH!" Riva yells as she looks up at the horrifying dragon, and braces for impact, whipping up the Ajoran Maul into a defensive stance as the dragonbreath rushes down to freeze people. People are covered, and Archer oes what he can to mitigate, but Riva herself... Well, she's more durable than a lot of people for Reasons. The icy breath coats her, rime running along ber body as it smashes into an array of warding charms and a pulse of red-gold Anima that tries to push back like a barrier. However, it is less than successful in negating the attack: Riva emerges from it chattering and frigid.

No, not like that.

With a clatter of teetch, Riva hisses at the huge beast. "Okay, you're OUT-MISHA'D AND OUT LYNER'D TODAY, YOU DRAGON PUNK! LET'S ROCK!" She yells, charging forward to open with her favorite Big Horrible Thing tactic: launching her anchor-like hammer to grip onto the dragon and pull her up so she can begin trying to use the beast's size against it, trying to strike for joints and anything glowing. Glowing things, in her experience, are always great to hit.
Misha     Misha is dizzy. A fall like that probably would have hurt her, mind incarnation or not, and who knows what disastrous effects that could have had on her psyche. Thankfully Archer is there to catch her in time, but it looks like the Star Singer is dazed. Clearly out of the fight, it's a good thing Lyner steps into his proper place in front of her. "L-Lyner wait-" She tries to speak as her knight draws his blade against the beast- and then all is chaos. Hama has vanished- this is wholly out of her power, which means it's in everyone else's hands.
    And it begins. For the moment, Misha is protected, making herself as small as she can behind Lyner- not a difficult task thanks to her child-like size. But the dragon still comes.
    Not even as soon as it was done unleashing that freezing gale, albeit somewhat muted idue to Archer, it's already dragging itself further down the boughs, arrogantly into melee, and Landon's now Hymmnos empowered blow strikes true. Hard enough to make the beast's head jerk with a growl, before it even realizes Reiji is upon it- having used its very own breath as a means to close the distance. "I am no nightmare." Growled even as it snarls in pain, Karin slashing down a sensitive eye in a blaze. "It doesn't matter how many Mishas or Lyners come. I exist because of him." Snarled as its remaining ey... Focuses on Lyner Barsett as Riva wields the Ajoran maul to the fullest. One gigantic wing-arm folds as the joint is battered nearly beyond use, but the other raises. Massive clawed fingers flashing as the slashing stroke comes so fast the air CRACKS with a miniature sonic boom, intending to claw and bat away the whole party.
    "I was made to please him. Misha made me to show him how powerful she was- I was made to prove 'I am useful'. And How did that end? Left to fester and rot." Rumbled in a chuckle. "I am no simple nightmare-dragon..."

    "I am Hesitation... I am Indecision. I am Doubt. Timidity. Crippling and debilitating, faltering Diffidence... I am the God of Tears formed from Misha Arsellec Lune's doubts."
    "I. Rule here. This is my domain, no longer hers." Chuckled as it turns that baleful gaze upon Kazusa Ujikane- now apparently a Reyvateil- not just any Reyvateil but the one he holds sway over, as though attempting to exert that very same sway over her as well.
Landon al Cid      Ah, buffs. Other people might be occasionally confused by this sort of thing, but Landon comes from a world where teamwork and tactics are commonplace, especially where magic is concerned. Landon takes the magical music in stride, shaking off the last of his frost as he lands.

     "You think yourself a god?"

     "VERY WELL THEN!"

     Landon snags the Judge Blade out of the air as he lands, shouldering it as he faces away from the dragon. The buffs, the motion, they've thawed him out enough that he can dig into his coat and snag a card out of his pocket. It pulses with blue light, etching patterns into itself as he flicks it out to his side.

     "God of Tears, I have judged your like before! I have judged the god who gave birth to my own people, to the blood that runs in my veins, without a second thought! God, Devil, or Man - I will judge all those who believe themselves beyond consequences!"

     Landon spins, throwing the card forward. It hovers in the air for an instant. "Hesitation, doubt, be cast asunder! Your purpose is thought, your cause deliberation, but in extremity you become the poison of indecision! Now, I give aid to cast your poison out! In the name of the Al Cid Family, and the Reyvateil in whom you reside, I judge thee, God of Tears,"

     GUILTY

     "The sentence...BLIND!"

     Crystalline chains explode from Landon's card. They whirl forward, going straight for the dragon's eyes, to wrap around it and link up on the other side. They move to cover its eyes and to break its gaze on Kazusa - and perhaps give someone else an opportunity to do something much worse.

     "Let us see how your Divine Tears flow with your eyes locked behind the chain of your sins!"
Kazusa Ujikane     Kazusa is not Misha. Her cards do not flat-out make her into whoever she copies. But they do transfer, along with abilities and skills, more than a little of the original user's mindset. The song wavers, very nearly falters. But the fact that she is not Misha is what allows Kazusa to recover, the copied Reyvateil seeming to steady herself with a moment of focus. And if anything, the dragon has made a mistake in this; he has given her something else to work with.

    Fear. Doubt. Hesitation. The looming beast holds the entire land in its iron grip. The thing the heroes have sallied forth to slay is a monster that has long terrified the land. Its grip is not easily loosened, its might not easily faced. Kazusa's song slides smoothly into all this, gathering all that wavering emotion and bringing it down on the God of Tears, hitting it with its own nature - and eating into the power it has available, weakening and debilitating.
Lyner Barsett      "....." Once the freezing air passed, the glowing energy shield vanished, and Lyner lowered his weapons, nodding a thanks to Archer before listening to the dragon speak. Not a nightmare. Doesn't matter how many Mishas or Lyners come. He exists because of...Lyner? Exists to prove a notion of 'I am useful'? That gave Lyner pause.

     It was like all will to fight drained away from him. "...So that's how it was." For a long moment, he did nothing.

     And then he turned his back on the fight, sheathing both sowrd and dagger. That's not what he needed to do now. Instead, he knelt down in front of the child sized Misha. "Misha...I think I understand what's happening here." He paused, and then shook his head, chuckling a bit. "Okay, maybe not entirely, but I think I get the gist of it." He sighed and looked down, ignoring the sound of an epic clash taking place behind him.

     "I'm sorry."

     "I'm sorry that I left you behind for over a year. And I'm sorry that I was never here to help you and support you when you needed it." Mind-Lyner was given a look next. "And thank you, me. Thank you for supporting her as best as you could in my actual absence. I know it must have been tough, haha..." He gave the other him a grin, and then sighed, eyes closed.

     All of that said, he smiled, eyes opening again. "But I'm here now." There was a moment, and then he continued. "Misha...I'm, no, we're not the ones who has to defeat the God of Tears." The knight shook his head. "We can come at him with all the weapons and magic we want, but..." He reached over, setting a hand onto her shoulder. "The one who has to put him to rest...is you."

     "You don't have to worry, fear, or doubt anymore, Misha. Because as your friends, we will always be here to support you. You'll never be alone again. And that's a promise that I intend to keep." Lyner then stood up, back still to the melee, as he offered Misha a hand.

     "I believe in you. We all believe in you. You can put these feelings to rest once and for all, and move forward to a new tomorrow."
Reiji Arisu     Reiji cannot hear Kazusa's song. Not easily, anyway. Nidhoggr's hypersonic claw-swipe catches him across the chest and head. Blood splatters across the boughs of the Njorun-Construct as a great gash opens across his torso and as one side of his face explodes into a mess of shredded skin and dripping wounds. Even in this mental world, the pain is very real.

But it is not anything he hasn't endured before.

This creature is a dragon, it's true. That much is undeniable. But...

    As Reiji lands, skidding across the frozen, splintered roots of the great tree, he can't help but think it less terrifying than the last dragon he faced. This creature of indecision, of self-doubt and crushing despair is truly powerful here in the realm of the mind, but...

Is it the equal to the one who represented the absolute, calamitous end of a world?

    No time to think. Only to act. Reiji surges back into the breach, his face seizing with pain as he speaks. It hurts to talk, but he does so anyway. "We are not Misha, and only one of us is Lyner," the exorcist answers as he leaps up underneath the colossal beast.

His hand flickers to the arsenal at his side.

When it emerges again, it does so with a deafening roar of thunder.

    Chirai flashes in his grip. Arcs of twisting lightning leap through the air as he strikes at the insides of the beast's limbs. "Doubt. Hesitation. The compulsion to turn away from your problems when faced with them. To act as though everything is fine even though it isn't--" Chirai crackles as it cleaves and tears, the might of the EARTH made manifest in its electric fury. "When we were told to avoid you, that was to your benefit as well. When we were told to avert our attention, that allowed you to grow fat with power. But."

    Another crash of noise. A heady haze of gunpowder smoke builds around the monster as Reiji launches shot after shot from Hollywood. "We're here now. We deal with you NOW. When it's realized that doubt is nothing but the illusion that fear uses to hold power over one's heart, then it shatters like a pane of glass! No matter how powerful, indecision falls when one has the strength to face it. And if Misha is not powerful enough alone, then..."

    "Then--!" Black smoke mixes with arcs of lightning, crafting a thunderhead out of stray electric discharges and a haze of gunsmoke. WOOD and EARTH combine to form a roiling dervish of elemental might, each eating away at WATER'S strength. The dual powers of Growth and Fortitude stand in conrast to Indecision. Reiji picked these weapons for a reason. "Let her draw strength from all of us! We're all here to help her overcome YOU!"

"Now, God of Tears--" Reiji roars as he leaps high overhead, surrounded in a contrail of thunderclouds. Chirai glows with fulgurous energy at his side. "FALL LIKE YOUR NAMESAKE!"

He strikes.

The thunderhead resonates...

And then unleashes a cataclysm of sound and fury.
Riva Banari Riva tries to invoke the Get Up On The Hudra's Back Corollary, but Nidhogg will not let just anyone do that. Looks like she needs to reduce its HP some first. The damage is handy, but Riva would much prefer not 'being clawed by a horrifically powerful dragon' too. Unfortunately, in her haste she forgot one comes with the other, and she hits the tree, bleeding from a nasty laceration across her chest. She grits her teeth as she shakes her head, trying to foxus through the blurring haze of pain as she pulls herself up. She has to focus. She has to fight.

This has become rampantly Serious Business. "Maybe that's the case..." Riva grits. "You're rough. You're going to make her curl up in a hole, keep her from doing anything good or fun with her life, and she'll be unable to accomplish what she's supposed to do."

She sighs. "That's a greedy-ass dragon all right. But it's times like this that friends are here to help you out. Everyone has ups and downs. You've always been awesome and helpful to /me/, Misha, and I'm not going to let you rot in some dragon's claws!"

She turns, and hurls the Maul high up into the air... But it's nowhere near the dragon. What's she doing?

She reaches into her coat and pulls a pair of MP9s, the Anima Ciruits on them lighting up blue-green as she levels them at the dragon, and she strafes to one side, spraying a hail of magical bolts at the beast as Misha and KazuMisha get get their Song of Hacking on. Suhhh-weeeeeeeeet.
Archer      And so the mystery seems to clear up slightly.

     An embodiment of doubt. A representation of the things that would cause someone to freeze solid - the thoughts that would turn their cores cold and feel as though an impossible chill had settled in their blood. And Misha's was a doubt that formed from wishing to prove herself useful - prove herself worthy of something.

     ...

     How ironic that it was a feeling Archer was all too familiar with. How could he not when he had made himself this way to try and vainly prove dying one man's goal was not impossible? When he'd watched his dream's ugly reality unfold before his very eyes time and time again? When he'd resolved to one day end it by slaying his own past-self's existence?

     He also notes Kazusa's actions - foremost being that her 'cards' seemed to let her utilize abilities that were not her own... and belatedly wondering if she would have tried to replicate his own abilities and appearance had the 'Magus' card had been 'empty.'

     He'd rather not have anyone else having his abilities - the boy having them was issue enough, considering the pointless heroics he expended them on.

     However... this might be detrimental of Kazusa's 'song' tries to touch him as well, as his mindset - the idea that such doubt is impossible to escape and that he himself seems to have accepted his long-standing doubts as a bitter truth - might poison the 'unity' of the group... or serve as something the 'God of Tears' may leach off of. Especially when he makes his own voice known.

     "Telling her a white lie is just as damaging as letting a past action fester" Archer cynically admonishes Lyner's words without remorse. "Even worse if you actually believe it. Doubt is as ever-present as anger or fear for the simple fact that we can never know what tomorrow brings - you can't claim in good conscience that she won't be alone again one day, or be forced to face something herself."

     His bow materializes in one hand, mounting Aestus Estus against it's drawstring and pulling it back, the blade's form twisting grotesquely into the elongated shaft of an arrow that seethes with burning flame. "Likewise... promising you will always be there to support her is why these doubts exist to begin with. The very fact that she did not apparently know where to go when you were not there to support her. If she is to truly conquer her doubts... she must accept that there will be times that she must stand alone."

     ... but it is when Aestus Estus begins charging fully... that Archer's expression surprisingly seems a bit more sympathetic, though he does not face Misha at any point. "What you /can/ do for her... is to simply let her know whether you will be proud of her no matter what. Let her put her doubts in herself to rest by assuring her she did well. Do not make an assurance you cannot keep as opposed to a vow to do what you can... and in turn, tell her that what she has done was enough."

     It is a warped viewpoint - cynical and even harsh that goes against all the others - to say doubt /can't/ be beaten as opposed to quelled... but it's a genuine statement.

     Closing his eyes, Archer gives his final response on the matter; "You have lived and struggled with this creature all this time - continued to fight in spite of it's existence, from what I know. That in and of itself is more then many can claim to do... and it more then enough proof that you can quell those doubts. You have already done so and moved ahead before. You need only do so again."

     At last, after reaching the peek of it's power-

    "Aestus Eastus!"

    -The weapon becomes a Broken Phantasm and is launched at the dragon, exploding in an immense maelstrom of flame that, if nothing else, should push it back.
Misha     And lo, judgment is cast down upon the beast of Doubt itself. PErhaps not quite what the draconic embodiment of Misha's worst negative aspects had expected. His head snaps back with an ear-popping roar, relieved of sight and pummeled with the very same emotions he had wielded like a club of terror for who knows how long. For all the sway this beast held over Misha, the more her friends step in to give their strength, the more the tiny Reyvateil edges out from behind Lyner, watching with wide eyes of jade.
    The elements aare brought upon it, then; Earthm thunder, wood, water, Anima, as blade and bullet break scales and rip billowing holes in the beast's leathery wings, before the explosive might of an ancient and legendary weapon- albeit a copy of one- is sacrificed in a conflagration of its own power.
    But for all the damage wrought upon it, the beast does not FALL. Clawing and flailing wildly it refuses to yield. Although that arrogance has been quite beaten out of it... For good reason.

    Misha is now no longer hiding. Hands balled into fists as she watches- she watches people she can trust- people she relies on to help handle something that by all righs, she should have done on her own long ago-- too long ago. And something Lyner is right about. Her fingers slide into his for a moment as she closes her eyes.

    'I believe in you. We all believe in you. You can put these feelings to rest once and for all, and move forward to a new tomorrow.'

    '... if Misha is not powerful enough alone, then... Let her draw strength from all of us!'

    '... it's times like this that friends are here to help you out.'

    'Let her put her doubts in herself to rest by assuring her she did well.'

    'No one's as strong alone as they are in a group. It's okay if you made something too strong to control alone, because you've got friends to help control it together. ...emotions are kinda like that too, come to think of it. It's always easier if you have someone to share it with.'

    "I think I finally understand."
    It is as soon as she says this that the dragon seems to... Fizzle. A sudden crackle and hiss as it flails- trying yo retreat back up the boughs of the immense tree. He distorts, flickering and visually breaking, like watching a massive, dragon shaped moving screen of television snow. NOW Misha steps forward, grabbing the hand of the closest Reyvateil present.
    "--Keep singing." She near orders Kazusa. Because her voice soon and quickly rises to join it. Now not one, but two immense choruses weaving an intricate tale in Hymmnos, the fluttering and melodic, lyrical, language streaming in verses of pure emotion, one chiefest among them.
    Freedom.
    Two Reyvateils reaching a point of such like-minded unison while singing have a peculiar effect... Harmonics readings fly off the charts, growing- not steadily like when a Reyvateil sings on her own, but EXPONENTIALLY as two hearts briefly become one. Misha wholeheartedly throws herself into the song, casting away her fears, doubts, and terrors in the process as the Tear God's own nature begins to crumble upon itself, breaking down faster and faster as it's summarily wailed upon...
    Until it is no more, erupting in a spray of broken pixels and visual artifacts...
    And the sun begins to rise in Misha's world.
Lyner Barsett      Lyner had heard what Archer had to say, he heard, but...he did not respond. He gave the Servant a sideways glance, and simply nodded. A nod that said 'I understand what you're saying', and nothing more. Here was not the time to debate. Here was not the place to decide whose ideals were greater.

     This here, was the place for Misha to decide for herself, just what she was going to do.

     And that decision was made. With no words to offer, Lyner merely stood where he was, remaining moral support as Misha took those steps out, and begann to sing. To sing a song that would grant her the freedom she deserved. It was a freedom that would reach out the grasp for herself. Not one that would be handed to her.

     The knight couldn't help but smile as the combined song of both Reyvateils echoed out throughout the cosmosphere. The Tear God was no more. The struggle was no more.

     The sun would rise again.

     And Lyner would nod, satisfied with what has taken place here this day.
Kazusa Ujikane     Kazusa turns her head slightly, but her song never falters. She has Misha's own skill with music, and her melody intertwines with that of the reyvateil whose own powers she's borrowing. Heroes rising up against the impossible enemy. Standing against everything, despite all the pain. Vanquishing the beast, removing its reign of terror once and for all.

    Freedom.

    The sun rises and the song fades, Kazusa's eyes closing for a moment as she lets it come to a natural end. Then they open again, with a deep breath, a slow smile of satisfaction spreading across her face. Misha's hand gets a squeeze as her semi-doppelganger turns to her with a warm look. "Good job~. Next time we go out, the Dokkoi Sets are on me."
Reiji Arisu The God of Tears has fallen.

    Reiji stands amidst the dispersing cloud of snowy, television static. Chirai slides silently back into its sheath and Hollywood is set into its holster with the soft click of locking latches. "Well. That's that. Nice work, people." Reiji sighs, slinging the heavy weapons rack over one shoulder as he moves back towards the others-- And to the Reyvateil of the hour.

    "Hey," he says to Misha, wiping the dried blood from his cheek. It's a mess- he wonders, idly, if that'll carry over to... outside. Probably not, but there's something to be said about lingering mental side-effects. He'll probably manage, though. "You did good. I've never had to stare down the draconic incarnation of all my anxieties and apprehensions, but I know it can't have been easy."

    There's a beat. Reiji reaches into one of his pockets, only to discover that the inside of Misha's brain is apparently a no-smoking zone. He sighs- probably for the best. "So," Reiji inclines his head towards the tree, resigned to his lack of a fix, "That thing kidnapped Big Misha, right? We should probably think about going to find her."

Unless... That whole thing was metaphorical.

And... He's forgetting something--

Oh. Right.

"Lyner," Reiji glances at the blonde, then shrugs. "You did pretty alright too."

THIS GUY'S STANDARDS.
Lyner Barsett      Lyner glanced at Reiji.

     "......"

     And then he smiled. "Haha, thanks, Reiji. But it was really all of you guys. I just hung back and defended." Well, that was kind of his job, but that's okay. "Good work out there yourself!" He gave the Shinra Agent a thumbs up at that.
Archer      Archer simply regarded Lyner back impassively, though he also accepts that it is not a matter of them accepting each-other's ideals as it is that Misha decide what she takes from them.

     He doesn't offer further support - the battle, at this point, is one of wills and belief as opposed to force of arms... and thus not one he can partake in any further at this point

     As the creature dissolves and shatters, Archer lets out a long sigh as the battle seems to come to a close, eying the sunrise contemplatively.

     He's not sure what to feel seeing this. The feeling he experiences isn't quite one of 'freedom' - little to nothing is capable of truly giving him that feeling... and only one, literally self-destructive thought even brings the slightest modicum of hope for that.

     However, he does find himself agreeing with Reiji Arisu for the most part, knowing that the girl could not have had an easy time standing strong.

     However... his own words could be considered a fair bit colder... though still fair in a way.

     "This is a battle you may end up having to fight again - perhaps more then once. And sometimes those doubts may end up being well founded" Archer warns her, crossing his arms as he looks toward her... but he seems a bit more sympathetic. "However... you have the tools and capability to overcome that battle, now - how to subdue and accept your doubts. I daresay you have proven that here. But keep in mind that regardless of where you draw your strengths from... you and you alone must make the effort, as you did today. Use that in life."

     The Red Knight closes his eyes here, contemplating whether this has truly solved anything... and if it has, what the result will be. But either way it seems the result will only be shown in time.

     ...

     Maybe with any luck, the girl will find her own reason to live. Then again, she may throw her life away trying to live up to an ideal without acknowledging any doubt at all until too late, as he did.

    It was her path to choose and her choice to make, in the end. He simply hoped she would not pick the wrong one.
Misha     The sun is slowly starting to rise. Maybe now things won't be so dreary in here. Though Misha certainly seems to have an extremely bad habit of hiding her real feelings, maybe this will bring about a change for the future. Who knows.
    What is important is that...
    Dive-World Lyner has picked himself up and is giving Lyner AND Reiji a thumbs up each-- no that's not important, but it does happen. Hama has re-emerged, and the red look of mixed flustered rage says she might have some choice words to say. But she swallows them down. "W-well. You didn't break anything. So that's good. I guess." Grudgingly admitted. But. That dragon did take an aspect of Misha captive. And now she's slowly- really slowly because heights are terrible and she is apparently never going to get over that- making her way back down. Compared to tiny Misha, this one is older- and in a much more formal and ornate set of purple robes.
    It might be the third Misha in a black cocktail dress that steps out of the bar right across the street from the battle site that might get more attention as she lazily swirls a wine glass.
    "Oh good. My past self's not dead, and you made present Misha get over that huge hurdle. Maybe I can finally show my face one of these days." Chuckled with a coy smile. "I think she's finally picked up on that after all these years." Noted to Archer as she sips her drink. "Anyway now might be a good time to get out of my head. There's gonna be a lot of cleaning up to do after that mess but... It's for the best."
    That and the pillar of golden light that appears reaching towards the sky back at Stonehenge says this trip is just about done.
Reiji Arisu     Reiji gets... Double thumbs ups from Double Lyner. That's one more Lyner than should exist in a world, but what can you do!? The exorcist just sort of sighs and runs a hand through the white shock of hair on the blasted side of his face. "Right. Thanks. I'm just glad it went well."

    Or at least, well enough that Hama managed to actually be polite, which is a really nice change, let me tell you. And Misha is able to descend from on high, which is also really cool. The fact that there are Three Mishas doesn't bother the exorcist so much. This is her mind, after all. But there is... Something.

>>>>Bar: The Sad Song

Yeah. Okay.

    "Actually, there's one more thing I'd like to do before we go," Reiji says, giving Cocktail Dress Misha a bit of a wave. "You guys still have the usual brew on tap over there? I could use a drink."
Lyner Barsett      Lyner breathed out a sigh of relief, and stared up at the sky. Well, looks like it was all over. As evidenced by the pillar of light over at Stonehenge, signifying a Paradigm Shift. Hama's appearance is met with a grin. "Hehe, it was all thanks to your speedy arrival!" After that, he glanced at...well, the three Mishas present, and paused.

     "Ah...which one of you is the Misha of this level?" He asked, scratching his cheek with a finger lightly, and looking awfully sheepish.

     Once an idiot, always an idiot.

     Reiji's mention of a drink gives Lyner another pause. "...Wait, what? You actually drink here?" He asked, giving the agent a curious look. "Does it actually do anything? Now I'm curious!"
Reiji Arisu     "It's actually a pretty good brew, usually," Reiji says to the Knight of Elemia. "I don't know how she does it or how it works--" or where Misha even tasted that stuff before. She has to be templating that beer off of SOMETHING right? "--But I've never gone wrong ordering the stuff on tap here."