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Lyner Barsett      After the startling revealations discovered last week, in which Luke Faelan revealed the truth about the fallen Reyvateil; Ayla Es Sotiris, and the and the goal of the Phantom Cocoon, once called the Cradle of Hope...

     Discussions were had, opinions were given, and a decision was made.

     That decision was; despite the risk she poses to all of Sol Ciel, and the dwindling time she, and the land itself have...they would rise to the occasion and find a way to save her, not kill her. Luke, weary of optimistic heroics, does not believe in them, but... ...He decided to give everyone one chance. One chance to save her.

     And so, Union Medical personnel were brought into the cocoon, and to the medical bay where Ayla's pod was located. Cutting edge healing technology and dive equipment were brought in to help stablize the girl, as well as prepare for the one dive that they were going to have to make into her mind.

     And now, the day has come. There is no fanfare, no calls to gather. Everyone who knew they had to be here, surely would be here. Radolf lead the knights and soldiers outside, forming a defensive perimeter. Inside, at Ayla's medical bay, in addition to Union personnel, Lyner, Misha, Phonon, and Luke were here first. Luke was off to the side, looking over a panel that displayed Ayla's vitals. They were more stable than they were last time. She was no longer just barely alive, risking death at a moment's notice. But she would not wake up.

     Phonon stood waiting off to the side, staring ahead at nothing. Yet, somehow, it seemed like she had eyes on everything going on. She was a silent sentry. A stalwart guardian.

     "......" Lyner stood in front of Ayla's pod, a short distance back, looking up into it at the floating, comatose Reyvateil. This was going to be their one chance. They couldn't mess it up.

     After everyone arrived, they would dive in and take care of this.
William Pauwel     This was it. Months of defying death, weeks of preparation, and days of anxious worrying have led up to this day. Failure here means the death of an innocent girl; it could mean even worse for the whole of Ar Ciel. But this was no monster that they had to slay, there would be no grand superweapon to systematically dismantle, nor is there any ruin that must be plundered.

No, where they're going today is a place so utterly impenetrable and incomprehensible that generations of scholars have tried and yet failed to truly understand it.

Today, they tread into the mind of an adolescent girl.

    Will isn't quite sure about how this is going to go, or even what it's going to be like in there. Sure, they say there won't be any side effects, buuuuut... Is that really true?

Really? Hopping into someone else's psyche won't have any unfortunate knock-on effects down the road?

Well. If they say so.

    "So uh, everyone ready?" Will asks, looking just a little bit uncertain about all of... this. "We just get in the capsules, right? And then it'll... Send us in. And from there..." What? This is kind of his first dive, after all.

Nnnnnooooo pressure.
Kazusa Ujikane     Kazusa is here. But you'd be forgiven if you didn't realize it at first.

    Since when has Kazusa worn such ridiculous clothes?

    It's an ostentatious blue-and-white number. A dress done up to be fashionable, but also extraordinarily complex. In fact, the style of it, upon some closer examination and thought, looks surprisingly... local. In fact, it looks exactly like it could be a Reyvateil outfit.

    If Lyner can discern such things, there was Nyo? essence used in its creation.

    Kazusa herself looks... well, the best way to say it is that she's beet red. She doesn't usually wear anything close to this. She looks like she'd like to hide behind her own bangs if she could. She's got her purse and cards with her, of course, but wearing something like that, it looks as if they're the backup plan for once.

    She does manage to make herself look straight at Ayla's pod, though, her expression pulling into a slight frown.
Sanary Rondel Singing magic. Some kind of weird pod. A comatose Reyvateil. One of these things is not the sort of thing Sanary's used to dealing with even as a medic for the Confederacy! It's not a huge secret that she's probably not the most trusted person to the Union, and trusting the Union is not a thing she does often.

     Still, if there's a powerful person that can be saved and contacted as a potential teacher later? She'll just have to bite the bullet and work with the Union on this one. Not that she really knows just what's going on with all the medical personnel about and all the soldiers, but it'll probably make sense eventually.

     "So... Uh. What's the plan today?" The healer arrives in her usual white coat, a kite shield strapped to her back with a large blade wedged between it and her back like a sort of turtle-shell. She peers up at Ayla for several moments, trying not to let her complete lack of knowing what she's even looking at show too much. Afterwards, she nods in greeting at the others gathered around, although she's makings ure not to get too close to anyone in particular juuuust in case.

     That said, she might be stealing glances towards Kazusa. Not on purpose or anything!
Reina Kinney This whole thing has been a weird ride for Reina. She's encountered quite a bit during this whole ordeal, and it's shown that she is capable of feeling emotions she once thought she fully suppressed. Nevertheless, she still manages to keep a strong look and appearance when she makes her way back here. Only this time, things are going to be a lot more different this time it seems. Nevertheless, Reina doesn't show any signs of uneasiness or anxiety or anything like that.

    Taking a deep breath and blowing it out, Reina looks to the others. "This is what it all comes down to," She says. "It's all or nothing, we have to be ready for anything and everything!" A stern look crosses her face. "So let's get our game faces ready and prepare to do this!"
Misha     This is it then. This is the one and only chance the crew will get for Ayla's sake, before much more drastic measures are taken.
    Misha Arsellec Lune is here. Her outfit is a little more subdued in comparison to Kazusa's, but still one that could no doubt be expected on a Reyvateil of her stature. With her hair done up, she rocks the 'little black dress' look, apparently as much at home in high heels as she is, in clogs.
    Her arms are folded under her chest, a grim look set on her face for a moment. She had offered to give up her freedom for this, if need be. Though that was shot down instantly, it is a testament to her resolve, as she shoots Kazusa a silent, knowing, and communicative look; jade eyes almost wordlessly asking the other girl 'are you ready for this?', as she slides her hand into Lyner's.
Yuna Kagurazaka Yuna has made a couple of extra visits back here since the last time the group set foot here; while she hasn't spent as much time here as she would have liked to, she made good on her promise to come by and sing to Ayla, in the hope that her heart could reach the Reyvateil's somehow - to reassure her, to reencourage her, to be a beacon of hope that all would be well in the end. So it's not much of a surprise that Yuna knows how to get to this chamber by heart: while she's still in her Light Suit - Ar Ciel can be a dangerous place - Yuna walks easily, almost casually, with Elner tagging along behind her.

As Yuna enters the room *this* time, her gaze lingers for a moment on Kazusa, and the blonde idol smiles a bit as she looks over Kazusa's outfit. Seeing how much Kazusa's blushing, though, Yuna refrains from saying anything - just walking over to her, and if she can snag one of Kazusa's hands in hers for a moment, giving the younger girl's hand a reassuring squeeze. "You'll be fine," Yuna says softly, smiling at Kazusa before letting go.

And turning to face Sanary.

Even for Yuna, it's kind of awkward; the last time she saw Sanary, something awful happened to somebody whom Yuna knows that Sanary holds precious. Yuna's smile fades as she dares to meet the healer-tank's eyes ... and then Yuna closes her own eyes, bowing politely - no, deferentially - to the Confederate. "I'm sorry for what happened," says Yuna, her tone and wording now polite and formal as she stands up straight once more. "Flowers are a poor token of my apology, but if there's anything I can do to help Yari ..."

She trails off, swallowing. "Perhaps we should talk about it after we're done helping bring Ayla back to the waking world," Yuna says softly, then takes her place in whatever line-up is forming. (And trying not to blush at Misha's outfit, possibly.)

"I've Dived before," Yuna says, "so this should be pretty similar, right? Those who are Diving climb into the pods, and we get projected into Ayla's subconscious ... it'll be a little like what the 'Cocoon' did during our first visits," she adds, looking to those whom she doesn't think have done formal Dives before, "but - well, Lyner and Luke had probably better advise us while we're Diving."

She looks at Luke in particular, nodding to him. Ayla is *his* Reyvateil, after all, even if Lyner might be more experienced in Cosmosphere Diving generally.
X "As ready as I can be!" Answers X from nearby William Pauwel. Standing right behind him in fact. But X doesn't sound too confident. No. As usual he just sounds worried about what's about to happen. Worried and anxious...

    But no less ready. The tension behind his eyes is clear as day, but so's a deep desire to HELP this girl.

    To achieve an impossible ending, if he at all can.

    "Just remember we're here to bring her back from this nightmare she's been cast into. ... I just hope that a method presents itself once we're in there." He murmurs thoughtfully, anxiously.

    The blue robot steps towards the capsule, head turning about so he can look over the others. And see how they're dealing with this.
Deelel Deelel has come to helpo finish the game as it were it was time to finish this hopefully they could do something to save Ayla as well as stop it. She does't like to think about what the might have to do but she's there infront of the pod and made ready for what would really be her first dive. She looked at everyone who was here and it was tim,e to go in but she did move to set an hand on X's shoulder. "Come on shall we do this X?"
Lyner Barsett      Lyner glances aside at Kazusa. "........." Uh. ...What? That looked like something a Reyvateil idol would wear. One of those new age ones. ...But why? He blinked once, then twice, and then sighed. He turned away. Yeah, better not ask. If he asked, he may wind up facepalming.

     Misha's grasp is felt, and he returns it with a gentle squeeze. This was going to be their only chance, for the sake of this one person, who they did not know, yet would not allow to simply perish. Sanary's question is met with a look. "It's ...kind of simple, and also kind of complicated." He admits, smiling a bit sheepishly. It was subdued, but still there.

     Luke looked up from the computer screen, and looked Sanary's way. "You people are going to be diving into Ayla's mind. An attempt to save her from herself." His eyes narrowed, and he looks away. "If she can even be saved." Yuna's look is met with a nod. "...I won't be diving. I'm going to stay out on this side and keep track of things. What goes on in there is all of your responsibilities."

     So that would be that.

     Phonon smoothly joined the conversation, her eyes focusing. "It is as Miss Yuna says. Those diving are to enter the pods interspersed about. Then, your consciousness will be projected into Master Sotiris' Soulspace." She takes a moment's pause, then goes on. "What happens in there, no one will know but you. Do take caution, as excessive stress will potentially cause a shutdown."

     Apparently that was all she had to say.

     Lyner nodded and looked at everyone. Will, Reina, X, Kazusa, Yuna, Deelel, and Misha all in turn. "Okay. ...Let's do this." he made for the dive pods, letting go of Misha's hand as he climbed into one. Once the others followed suit, and got in, the system would be started up by Luke and Phonon.

     And then everything goes white.

     After several seconds, that white fades into something akin to TV static. Garbled grey, white, and black pixels all around. It stutters for moments at a time, as text appears across your vision.

                           Ayla_Es_Sotiris_CradleOfHope                      

                      Level JHDbhafbdhGA764FS1DKJ142FK243AKD                  

               Loading.....LOadiNG...LoAdInG ....L o A D i n g.....          

                                    Disappear                                

                                       Die                                    

                        DiedieDIEDIEDIEDIEdiediediDIDEIDIE                    

     FWOOSH

     Everything goes red, then fades to black.... And once they finally come to, they'll find themselves all lying upon a wide circular platform, the outer ring slowly revolving. All around them was the black void of space and stars. ...And up ahead was a flight of glass stairs that lead up to a massive golden gate, covered with innumerable gears turning slowly. Their tick...tock...tock....tock the only sound that fills the air.

     "Are you awake?" A tiny voice asks from up above. "Sister, I believe they are awake." Another tiny voice speaks from nearby. Looking up once they come to, they find.... what appears to be a pair of super deformed robot maids floating in the air. They carry an equally tiny broom, dustpan, and feather duster between them. ...It's Phonon. And someone who looks like her. "There is not much time. You need to hurry." Phonon says. "Yes. If you do not hurry, then all will be lost." The other says. Then she smiles. "But worry not. We believe in you. Master Sotiris....please help her."
William Pauwel     "Don't worry," Will says to either Phonon or Luke as he clambers into one of the pods. Probably Phonon though. Will is kind of predictable like that. "We won't screw this up. Not after everything we've been through!" He flashes one more smile and gives a solid thumbs up as he lays back into his capsule. The door closes with a hiss, and Will sort of blinks in his seat. "Okay, so I just lay here and---"

---

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA--

---

*THUD*

    "Uuuuughhh," Will groans, pushing himself off the strange circular platform. He rubs furiously at his eyes to try and disperse the spots that've apparently swallowed up the world and replaced it with... A terrifyingly vertigo-inducing floating platform that appears to have been hung like some kind of christmas ornament in the endless void of space. "Uh," he blinks, once, twice, "This is... Weird--"

Then, from beyond his wildest dreams, THEY appear.

    Not one, but TWO robot maids. Tiny, adorable, super-deformed, 100% huggable robot maids. Will's eyes widen ever so slightly and begin sparkling with unmistakably childish glee. "Oh my stars, y'all're--" WAIT, NO. STOP WILL. YOU HAVE A JOB. "R-right!" He barks at their (super ultra cute) reminder. They're here on a mission! Not to sight-see! If he wants to play around with tiny robot maids, he can do that ON HIS OWN DAMN TIME.

Right now, they have a Reyvateil to save.

    "She's up there, right?" He asks, staring up the glassy staircase... And the golden gate at their zenith. "Alright, come on guys," Will breathes, glancing at the others, "You heard 'em. Ain't no time to waste!" He turns again, squaring his shoulders taking the first step up. Then the next. Then, if it would permit him, the one after that. Eventually, he might just make it up to the gate to try and open it. And all that time, all he has to do is not. Look. Down.
Sanary Rondel Sanary actually looks mildly confused by Misha when she shows up. Wasn't she stupidly cute the last time around? The healer furrows her brow a bit, but does breathe a quiet sigh of relief.

     At least she doesn't have to worry about an overwhelming urge to pick up the girl and pat her head now. That'll probably be left for Kazusa instead. Her attention shifts to Yuna as she notices the idol's presence, listening quietly as she speaks. Sanary is clearly trying to restrain herself and... Actually manages to do so! "Yeah... No, I don't think flowers are medically sound as replacements for... You know. Violent arm amputations."

     There's a looot of venom there. The healer does relent a moment later, though, and she takes a deep breath before shaking her head. "Sorry, sorry. Let's... Yeah, let's focus on this whole... Thing here. If you got an address I can send some flaming turds to, though..."

     She's trying to lighten things up a bit, at least! "Yeah, later's good."

     Turning to the pods, Sanary steps over to one of them to give it a light tap on the off-chance they might explode on impact. "In here? So we'll be rooting around in her head, then... Guh. Hope she doesn't... /mind/."

     She's not waiting for reactions. TIME TO GET IN THAT POD that is some odd text right there. Is that normal? If it isn't, Sanary can't really tell!

     "We never went to sleep." She corrects, then tenses up at the sight of... Robot maids. She's twitching a bit. Her hands clench and unclench as she approaches the pair slowly, then turns around to stop herself, then...

     PRIORITIES, SANARY. Dammit. Closing her eye, she takes another deep breath before hurrying after Will and following the sound of his voice. "Y... Yeah, let's hurry and get this whole thing over with."
Reina Kinney Getting into one of the pods, Reina lies back and smirks. "Pretty comfy actually. This might be fun!" She seems to be a bit on the sarcastic side, but then again when isn't she? Perhaps when she's realizing that she's not ready for what comes next. Or perhaps she just wasn't expecting it. Because then it all goes red or something and then it's all chaotic from there.

    "AHHHH! Oh Falz, what is going on? Son of a De Rol Le, get me outta here!" Reina cries out, wondering if she's gonna make it out alive.

    Then the pod lands with a thud, and out gets Reina, rubbing at the seat of her pants with a scowl. "Son of a De Rol Le, what the hell just happened?" She runs a hand through her hair to make sure she's still intact, then adds, "Whatever it was, I ain't doing it again anytime soon!"
X Whatever X might have been expecting... was FAR FROM THAT.

    X slowly and carefully gets to his feet, one hand clutching the side of his head. It doesn't quite ache, but that... TRANSITION... rattled him pretty badly.

    "Yeah. Just need a moment to recalibrate." He answers the voice... and only looks to see who it was after he's fully upright again.

    It's... the maids?! Surprised, the robot's eyes widen a bit. But their presence is clearly comforting. A faint smile plays across his face. "If there's anything at all that can be done... we'll drag her out of this nightmare." It falters the very next moment though, as he looks around at the vast, empty surroundings... and the onrushing stairs.

    "That said... Any tips you can offer? Have a feeling we'll need all the help we can get."
Kazusa Ujikane     Kazusa doesn't miss the look sent her way by Misha. It's returned with a faint, affirmative nod; as embarrassing as it might be to have everyone staring at her outfit, she's more than mentally prepared to help Mish-

    "-ah."

    And there's the hand-squeeze from Yuna. "A-ah, it's fine, I'm not... I-I'm more..." She drops to a mumble. "...I never wear stuff this flashy..."

    It isn't Kazusa's first Dive, either. So when they go in and something very different happens, she's immediately /rather worried/ about what's going on. When she's next aware, a huge circular platform in the vast emptiness of space is not what she expects. By the time the poor girl's on her feet, her outfit's no longer anywhere on her list of concerns.

    'Tiny, adorable robot maids', on the other hand...

    "I... I wanna take one home," Kazusa mumbles. She's already headed for the flight of glass stairs. But she does keep throwing glances back.
Yuna Kagurazaka While Yuna shows no hesitation about climbing into the pod, Elner shows no sign of joining her; instead, the robo-faerie hovers next to Yuna's capsule, as if to monitor her vital signs during the Dive. There may not be much the robo-faerie can do, or even a particular point to the external monitoring, but Elner's going to stick with its decision. And if Elner had any idea what was going on with the 'loading screen,' it might be more worried about what's going to happen during the Dive.

By contrast, Yuna is possibly more disturbed by it than she ought to be; she jerks to a sitting position as soon as her eyes open within the Soulspace, looking around rapidly. "Huhwha? Is everyone okay - ?"

For a split second, she might not have been sure if she was GOING to wake up; her heart is still pounding, but as Yuna looks at the SD Meido Corps, she seems to calm down. "We're here to do everything we can for her," Yuna says to Phonon 1+2, smiling as reassuringly as she can. And with that , she gets to her feet, looking around some more, getting her bearings and making sure everyone is accounted for. Once she's sure everyone's here who should be, she heads up the stairs to that golden gate ... partly for lack of any other options of where to go.
Misha     Under normal circumstances... Misha would be excited in a very strange way. She has been through Dives before. She has let people she trusted wander through the passages of her mind... This would be her first time Diving into another Reyvateil. The situation is not ideal though. The girl is hurt; angry, and does not want any of them there. The act is akin to holding her down and forcibly shoving all manner of painful medicines down the throat of a frightened girl. It doesn't quite sit well with the Star Singer but it is a better course of action than to just let her die.
    Misha releases Lyner's hand when it's time. And no, she has not come all super cutesty this time... The Star Singer is serious. Which is why she simply picks a pod and slides in, before anyone can notice the tremble taking over her whole body.
    The Dive loads...
    And she's assaulted with feedback and rage. When red fades to black, and black becomes the more distinct shape of the platform, Misha is on hands and knees, panting, heart racing. She picks herself up though, hand resting on her chest and trying to slow the pounding of her heart. "It's... Not always like that is it?" She asks. That can't be normal for a Dive.
    And then tiny maids.
    "..."
    They are cute but now is not the time. "Where?" She asks. William is already on his way though, and Misha hooks an arm around Kazusa's neck to pull her along with.
Deelel There is no time to wait they had to go in she just simople waited there looking like a statue almost as the world goes white and then things start happening. She seems to understand this process better than some might as she starts to enter another world. It doesn't take long to get back oup on her feet.

"That could have been worse."

The Basic staggers back to her feet as she looks at the robot maids for a moment.

"Understood"

The basic seems more used to this but it may just be her nature or how her world works. Still the anger the rage? That was something she did feel and it was not happy.

"We best get moving."
Lyner Barsett Phonon remains emotionless despite people clearly trying to restrain themselves. Her sister smiles and gestures with a hand to the gate above, the two of them parting and floating on either side of the group, following them up. "My name is Sonnet, by the way. Not that I expect it to be remembered now, of all times." Either her emotion module was bugged, or working just fine.

     "We can't tell you the answer, sir. But if you want advice... remember, that a Dive is meant not to cause harm, but to heal." Phonon nods, following Sonnet's answer. "It is as she says." The two maidbots say no more and stop on either side of the massive gate. Once everyone is in place, they both bow slightly.

     "We will pray for your success."

     The gates open with a loud, echoing creak that travels through space, disappearing into the black void of stars. And once it's open, they find themselves before another wide, circular platform. The surface they stand on is solid and see through, with countless golden gears below the floor, turning and twisting with a slow, rigid movement, and an ever present tick tock.

     Lyner steps out, and looks on ahead. At the far end of the space, is a wall of turning gears, and at the base, lies a throne. And seated on that throne...is a figure. A figure clad in pure white armor. It is angelic in appearance, covering her face and body, with winged, metal appendages jutting out here and there. It is impossible to get a read on her expression, but there is no need to, when she speaks, in a bitter, slow manner.

                            ". . . G e t o u t . . ."                        

     This was it.
William Pauwel     Apparently Phonon is just stoic, because Sonnet is about as full of smiles as anything could possibly be in this situation. Is she the one who was sweeping the area around the capsule when they were watching the last time? Robo-maid Sisters! Amazing! Huggable! AMAZINGLY HUGGABLE.

    N-not that Will would ever do something like that. He's got an image to maintain, after all! He's a rough and tumble adventurer! Not some lightfoot who stops and cuddles adorable small things. "You can take one home later," he murmurs to Kazusa, NOT THAT HE WANTS TO TOO OR ANYTHING.

Anyway he can do that later if he wants to. Right now, there're more important things afoot.

    "We'll do our best," he calls back to the maids, pressing a hand against the gate and shoving against it. And then... They find themselves on the final battlefield. Another floating platform. A ticking clock-- ticking down to what? To the end? Will takes in a breath as he hears the girl in the throne speak. Her pain, her suffering, they're palpable here, but Will keeps right on going.

    "We ain't gonna leave here," he says, staring straight ahead, "Not without bringin' you with us. Y'all've suffered alone for this long--" He looks up with an uncertain, earnest smile, "What kind've monsters would we be if we just left you here like that?"
Deelel Deelel gets the mesage of the maid, mend and defend? She could get behind that She didn't summon her keyblade yet there was no need as she moves ahead with Lyner as they all head out she pauses t the figure before them as it says get out.

"We're not leaving wer risked much to come help you."

Right to the point really she nos in agrement with Will.

"IT's not right that you have been made to suffer like this..."
Reina Kinney Now that Reina's out of her daze and more focused on things, she's dropped the sarcasm and has become more stern once again. She looks to the others and then says, "All right, let's do this!" If the purpose of a Dive is to heal, then Reina's willing to help heal anyone who needs it. Normally she'd make a comment about her Resta TECHNIC, but now is not the time for such jokes. Especially when there are lives on the line here.

    When the way forward is opened, the message is sent forth, almost in a somewhat blunt manner in a sense. Reina narrows an eye and cocks the other eyebrow, before shaking her head and adopting a stern look again. "We're not going anywhere!"
Sanary Rondel Getting her mind off less pressing matters, Sanary's attention finally shifts entirely to the opening gate. It should go well, all things considered. So many people around to try and fix this girl's mind with this Diving procedure, several of them actually having experience with the whole matter...

     A giant transparent void surrounding them, including the area they're standing on. Would her flight work here? She reaches down for a moment to make sure her anklets are still in place, and she tries to concentrate a bit of magic energy around her wrists to see if she can conjure some small bracelets around them, but she's keeping mostly still. She doesn't want to piss off the white feathery mass in the distance, after all!

     "... Ayla, I'm guessing? Uh. Hey there. We're here to help." Following Will's, lead, the healer starts moving closer with her hands held upwards to show that she's not armed. "We didn't come in here just to look around, you know? We can't just let you stay in here and be all... Miserable and shit."
Yuna Kagurazaka While Yuna wasn't asking for advice, she still listens to what Phonon and Sonnet have to say to those who *did* want it, and that one hint - 'A dive is meant not to cause harm, but to heal' - strikes a chord in her heart and mind; she nods solemnly to the pair of mini-maids before continuing through the gate. And beyond the gate ...

Yuna smiles, bowing deeply, and politely, to the armored figure. "As William says," states Yuna, "we're here to take you back to the waking world. Ar Ciel is not as you remember it - the wars have ended, and although the planet is covered in dangers, the people of the Towers know peace with each other, and with the Multiverse outside the Blast Line's borders."

Yuna pauses, straightening from her bow and nodding at Deelel. "We've struggled this far in the hope of meeting you, Ayla; I'm sorry for all that you've had to endure, but you don't need to be alone any more. If you've heard my voice before, singing while you were trapped so deep within your own heart ..."

She smiles again, offering a hand to the armored figure, and taking a few steps forward. "Perhaps we can sing together?"
X "Had a feelingg that approach would be critical, yes." X responds to the advice, nodding once. If that's all, then it's enough. If anyone else had a SOLUTION it would've been done by now. He's in truly unknown territory here...

    Which leaves him looking over the others. Who here could pierce such a wounded heart and coax it out of such misery? He's surely no expert on this...

    But around him... there's talented singers (magically so, in Misha's case!), one extremely genuine schoolgirl, two compassionate young men... a construct with a heart like his... a healer, and a warrior.

    If anyone has a chance... MAYBE it's this crew.

    His approach up the stairs and out into the audience platform before the throne's a measured and smooth one with both hands remaining at his sides, weapon systems powered down for the moment.

    Hopefully for the duration.

    When she demands they exit, he frowns briefly.

    "Ayla Es Sotiris." Announces the robot, for that is who he is sure they're encountering.

    "I can only imagine how you've suffered. But we've come awaken you from this nightmare. A future that's more than pain, loneliness... and fear. Please... let us help you."
Misha     And there she is. Even though armored; Misha has no question about Ayla's identity when the group finds her. Of course she draws a breath as she drinks in that reminder.
    A Dive is meant not to cause harm, but to heal.
    She looks to her companions and friends. They all have the right intentions. There is no way this can go wrong, in her mind.
    "Ayla... We've all come a long way just for you. Everyone here wants to see you not be in pain anymore. But Kazusa and I have brought something special..." She says, taking a step back and to Kazusa's side.
    For a moment. Misha looks quite smug. But then she unfolds her arms, one held out to the younger girl.
    "You're ready for this, right?"
Kazusa Ujikane     Kazusa is pulled along, and after another step or two forces her gaze from the robomaids. "...no, no this is pretty weird for a Dive."

    She might be pouting a bit, though. Especially William. SHE KNOWS THAT WON'T BE TRUE.

    A wall of gears. A /sea/ of gears, far below. And the hostility of one long abandoned, one who has come to loathe those who abandoned her. The nerdy girl reaches up to adjust her glasses, biting her lip. "I am," she replies to Misha, nodding her head. Then she adds, for Ayla, "We... *I* know what it's like to be really lonely. And you don't have to be, Ayla... you're not just gonna be abandoned here. We're sorry it took so long."

    Without more to add, she reaches out to take Misha's hand, giving it a squeeze.
Lyner Barsett      Lyner stepped forward as well, making a point of being unarmed. "Ayla...they're right. We know how much you've been hurt and betrayed..." He grimaced as he thought back to the condition they saw her in before. Bone, and flesh fragments...that stasis pod barely keeping her alive while her mind angrily lashed out at the world...

     They were here to stop that. Here to make her realize there was more than just hatred, pain, and destruction left for her and for Sol Ciel.

                                     "......"                                

     The armored girl is silent. She does not move, but her gaze, beneath that helmet is surely taking in all of them. Will is first.

     "That's what they said too. That they would help me. That they believed in me. That they were ready to herald in a new age for Humans and Reyvateils together.

     Her teeth grit and she regards Sanary, X, and Yuna.

     "No one can be trusted. ...I trusted before. I opened my heart to humans. Those I thought were my family. ...But my songs weren't meant to be. Humans and Reyvateils... No. No more. There will be no more."

     Reina and Deelel follow. As well as Misha and Kazusa.

     "Of course. You won't go anywhere? Not even my mind is safe from the likes of you? Your endured risk means that I should accept you and trust you with open arms? Never..."

      "I don't want your gifts, I don't want your pity! I want you to die!"  

     At that, the platform they all stand on begins to rumble violently.

             "Disappear! Die! DIE! DIEDIEDIEDidIEdiedieideIDIEDIDIE!          

     And then tears stream down her cheeks under the armor, and she screams out. In accordance to her will, the space changes. The throne is no longer, a throne. It rises...rises....rises up and up. Nearly twenty meters up. Gears float out from below the platform, reinforcing it, forming into a golden cocoon, a ticking down to the end of all things. And down below, fragments of white and red metal collect, rapidly assembling along the skeleton of gears, till a massive, metal monstrosity formed. It had four arms, with five fingers on each formed into white metal claws. A giant crystal was embedded into the chest armor, surrounded by a ring of metal and a glass sheet.

     And then countless familiar looking laser bits floated in. On the left side, they hovered, all aimed down below. On the right side, a literal army of phantasmal weapons formed. Lances, short swords, long swords, axes, halberds, throwing knives, all manner of things, orbiting the two right arms protectively.

                            "My dream....my dream...."                        

     Ayla began to sing, from within the heart of the metal arsenal, and then... The gem embedded into the chest began to glow harshly. It was gathering energy. An ominous sign of what would soon come. But while that chest crystal charged up, the countless beam funnels on the left side opened fire, raining a storm of red lasers down upon the group.

     Ayla was not going to listen. The time was now. Stop her, and bring her to the light.
Misha     "Everyone here has experienced loneliness in some form. Pain and betrayal..." Misha murmurs, fingers sliding to thread with Kazusa's as she draws a breath and shakes her head. "But this isn't a gift. This was yours to begin with; you just forgot you had it, or lost it. We're just bringing it back to you." She says, heedless of the impending danger, ignoring the fact that Ayla further armors her body in a cloak of mechanical horror, and readies to bear down on them all with her centuries old rage.
    It's scary. She's scared. No, Misha is as terrified as she was, the day Lyner opened the door to Mir's chamber. But that doesn't stop her from her task.
    She will not let that stop her from doing the only thing she knows how to do. Her very breath is one of defiance, a wordless proclamation.
    She is Misha Arsellec Lune, the 31st of the Star Singers, tenth of the Lune line, and arguably the most powerful second only to the original Lune herself.
    Misha is Reyvateil. She is a girl who sings, and she will continue to sing, even should the end of days come, she will be that girl who sings at the end of the world.
    ... And today she does not sing alone.
    A Reyvateil never sings alone-- ever. For when a girl sings, the world will sing with her. But that song is always at its strongest when joined by a voice resonating with the same pure feelings. It does not matter that her partner is not a Reyvateil. It doesn't matter in the least that this other girl can not put song magic to use-- even if Misha shoulders the song entirely on her own in execution, 'backup' is NOT the proper term for what Kazusa Ujikane is. In truth it is EMOTION that fuels a song'es true strength, and Misha knows full well, if there is anyone who could so wholeheartedly share her belief it is the girl who believes in fairy tales and storybook happy endings. Like the one Misha had long ago- like the one Kazusa is living now. Like the one everyone around them will fight to ensure.
    The happy ending deserved by Ayla Es Sotiris, the girl born to save the world.
    Misha sings.
    The world sings with her.
    It is a proclamation of booming horns and wind, heroic percussion... and another voice to join her in the words she had taken into her body in the form of a crystal, and freely taught the meaning and emotion to the person she felt would understand them the best... Words of hope and bright shining resolve, resounding at their purest core, resounding.

                   Viuy vit yorr enclone innna ieeya hieg...                    

                         Was ki ra knawa zaffur vonn...                        

                        Fou yant ga handeres rre yatse.                        

    As she sings, she begins to weave that magic, not the pulsing thunder drums of offensive red magig. Not even the physical healing sweet chimes of blue magic. But the kind of song magic made for the purpose of mending a wounded heart.
Kazusa Ujikane     "Ayla... we're here so that you don't die." Kazusa's voice has gotten soft. In the face of all that hatred, she is, to an extent, humbled. But hearing it also galvanizes her. This is someone who's been hurt, on an unfathomably deep level. Someone who needs a hand extended to her, no matter how much that hand is injured. "We're here because we think you deserve to live. To be saved. And we're not gonna give up."

    So for once, even with that monster of a machine rising up under the Reyvateil's furious, desperate song. For once, though danger stares her down, Kazusa doesn't panic or falter. She doesn't fumble for a card or rush for cover. She stands her ground, squeezing Misha's hand. The younger girl might not be a Reyvateil - not right now, at least - but that's not important. Misha made that very clear. What's important is uniting their feelings. And on that front, there's no issue. So Kazusa opens her mouth along with the elder Reyvateil, and...

           In the dark I see you with hope and despair all around...            
            And I know that we're still fighting in this darkness...            
                      And with the fear of losing ground.                      

    There is no magic in her voice. Not the way there is with Misha. There is only a clear, pure heart to it, a need and emotion that dovetails perfectly with the songstress she lifts up her own voice in support of. She is just a girl, singing with all her heart to reach out to Ayla, in unison with one who can make music into magic.
Sanary Rondel Well.. So much for just trying to talk her down. Sanary whips the Charge Blade and its matching kite shield off her back as the giant metallic construct assembles itself in front of them. She doesn't look particularly enthused about fighting, however, and she even sighs a bit before knocking her blade against the front of her shield.

     "Figured it wouldn't be that easy... Alright. You wanna fight, we'll fight as long as you need. But once you get it out of your system, you're coming back with us or you're coming back with me!"

     Surely she has nothing planned. Moving towards the front of the group, the healer tank raises her shield and channels magic energy into herself to boost her endurance as she takes those lasers head on! Sanary grimaces as some of those lasers sear right into her more exposed and non-shielded legs, but she's stilll standing firm for now as she tries to stop as many of those blasts from reaching her squishier allies. She's even conjuring up some hastily-assembled gray tiles with her magic to try and intercept a few more of those shots!
Yuna Kagurazaka For all that Yuna was getting ready to sing to Ayla herself, Misha and Kazusa clearly have a *coordinated* plan - one which Yuna didn't hear about beforehand. But there are bigger concerns, like a massive flying arsenal being brought to bear by the intended audience.

"SHUGOSEIHEKI!!"

Fortunately, the massive flying arsenal is something that Yuna can do something about - and her first step is to invoke the Wall of the Guardian Star, the kite shield which has served her so well since it was first integrated into her powers. She can't protect Misha and Kazusa from every possible direction, but she can at least cut down on what they have to worry about coming at them. It would be easier with Elner helping to 'spot' for where she needs to hold her shield, but even without the robo-faerie's support, Yuna's determined to do everything she can to help her friends.

And she can even spare her other hand to help reduce the threats further. A sleek pistol flares into existence in her right hand, and she begins trying to shoot down Ayla's weapons. Blades and laser-bits alike, Yuna tries to draw a bead on parts of Ayla's armament. By and large, Yuna's focused on keeping her shield interposed in the bits' line(s) of fire and trying to shoot down the supposedly-melee weaponry when she has a chance, but everything she's trying to do adds up to 'protecting her friends'.

She's focused enough on ally defense that she's not even shooting at *Ayla*. Some people might consider that a priority, but it's like the mini-maids said: healing, not hurting, is the purpose of the group's Dive. Taking so much as a single shot at Ayla herself, no matter how incidental or well-intentioned, could cripple everything that the group has been working towards and render their efforts moot or worse. Shooting down hostile weaponry is enough of a tactical risk, in Yuna's opinion.
Deelel Deelel is not backing down here she's got a thing she's going to do and basics are known fo rbeing very stubbon at tumes. She listens now she does not. She doesn't move to attack but she does tart to move because she doesn't intend to dfie here she can only guess the fepths of this person's pain but now the weapons start coming she does however summon the Duel Disc and she starts muttering something as she holds the blade out and moves to cast a spell.

"Protectaga."

That's when the barriers will form hopefully reducuing how much physical damage her allies will be taking, she'll get into the think of the fight but for now she's going to try to help her allies last long enough to dfo something and hopefully Misha's abilities will pan out in time, Deelel has faith in the power of music after all she was made to create it herself.
Reina Kinney Reina snaps her fingers and pistols form in her hands. She aims at the flying arsenal and fires the twin pistols swiftly, not showing any signs of letting up. "We'll take care of this!" Reina calls out. "We're gonna win this battle any way we can!" She says with a big grin.
William Pauwel Of course, it could never be that easy.

    Will stares as that... that /thing/ assembles itself out of the surrounding world. A twenty meter tall colossus of gnashing gears and malevolence, wreathed by weapons that are quite likely more familiar to Will than to anyone else here. After all, he was the one who damn near got his fool self killed by them. But...

The worst thing is that song. That terrible, mournful, tear-streaking song that seems to darken all the world and swallow up all hope and all dreams--

But then, another song rises to meet it.

    Misha sings a melody that plays out and reverberates with all the world. Kazuko sings in harmony, responding to the Reyvateil's voice with her own. Will shakes his head, the lingering dregs of Ayla's song falling away from his brain like cobwebs. "Ayla... Yer dreams..."

    Will reaches back, his fingers wrapping around the familiar weight of his heirloom weapon. The Solano comes away from its holster, as real as anything in this dream world- as part of its owner as his own right arm. But it seems... Different, somehow. Idealized. The metal is polished, the haphazard repairs are gone, replaced with clean lines and a crystalline windows. Will doesn't seem to notice. The thing's barrel hinges open like some predator's jaws as he takes aim, leaping behind the shields thrown up by Sanary and Deelel both. "Yer dreams are what you make 'em to be! This nightmare ain't all that there is-- there're horizons out there you could never even imagine!"

    Will fires. Great spheres of plasma roar into the air, each one aimed for another one of those gun-bits that so viciously tore him apart the last time. It looks like he's trying to take down this thing's firepower, one drone at a time. But... That can't be all, right?

Well, that's what the radio is for.

A plan is hatched. It's... Probably kind of crazy, to be honest.

But Will IS a Chaser, after all.

"We'll show it all to you. The world you were born to save, you deserve to see it all! You deserve to see how beautiful it is, just like anyone else! And when all this is done, if you don't want to do what you were made to do, then..." He grits his teeth, firing again and again, "Then that's fine! That's your choice too! But we're going to make sure you GET that choice!"
X "Something tells me... that's not what you really, REALLY want!" X barks back defiantly, refuting the girl's hysterics. But he's forced to take a few steps back when the throne becomes her instrument of rampage...

    And he keeps backpedaling, step after step.. eyes going as wide with amazement as they can be. Amazement... and horror.

    She's THIS determined to end it all? Maybe... just maybe... Luke has it right. This might, MIGHT be hopeless.

    Then Misha and Kazusa start singing and X steels his resolve.

    The robot deepens his stance, powers up his weapons and loads combat protocols he'd hoped to keep dormant. His world becomes a whirl of HUD activity identifying threats and predicting trajectories. Far from the emotional beacons that the singers are, but his systems have been stirred by their efforts.

    A part of him knows, knows WITHOUT A DOUBT, that he's biting off more than he's ready for here. His outdated weapons and basic software can't keep up with this much...

    Indeed, a part of him wonders if he ever COULD be able to tussle with a threat like this... however.

    There's no turning back.

    "Fine. We'll just have to do this the hard way..."

    Well. Thankfully, he knows better than to actually attack her. Instead he targets the many floating 'bits' and drones and starts filling the air with surface-to-air fire from his X buster while manuevering in a wide circle-strafe that'll take him over near Will eventually...
Lyner Barsett      The lasers come in fast and hard, and the phantasmal weapons float all around, serving as close range protection, should anyone be foolish enough to actually try and come near. Nonetheless, the group proves sturdy. Sanary, Yuna, and Lyner immediately move to defend. Lyner takes up immediatel position in front of Misha and Kazusa, allowing them to sing without being toppled by any stray lasers. This was his job. THEIR job. That song was their bet on this.

     ...But of course, Will has to be a crazy kid. Lyner hears his plan and just sighs, having drawn both sword and dagger, and started deflecting any lasers that came for his position in front of the two singers. Deelel's protective magic serves to keep him stronger than usual, as some shots get through and strike. He was getting too old for this.

     Yuna, Will, Reina fire off shots to take out the army of beam funnels all firing their way, and the crowd begins to thin little by little as those bits are taken out one by one, and aren't replaced. Ayla could possibly replace them...

     ...If she were actually focusing, but. ...That song. She recognizes that song. And...

                                     "......"                                

     For a moment, it almost seems like her assault wanes. Just for a moment. But then there is an echoing growl heard from all around them, as Ayla, from somewhere within that giant colossus of steel and hate screams out.

     "THAT IS MY SONG! YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SING IT! You're not! You.....You're not allowed....!"

     From the right side, of those massive arms raise, and then come slamming down towards the platform, aiming to smash these intruders to her mind in one fell swoop.

                               "Get out! GET OUT!"                            

     She cries angrily and desperately, like a child that doesn't know any better than to simply sweep her problems aside and curl up in a ball.
Sanary Rondel Sanary can't help but snicker just a bit when she hears Will's plan. not because she doesn't think it's going to work, but.... Well, it's better than anything else she had in mind. Talking to the rampaging Reyvateil didn't look like it was working quite yet, and with all those lasers and drones being launched around? It's taking all of her focus just to keep that healing magic flowing around enough. Deelel's Protectga helps augment her defenses as well, and after a long sigh...

     Time for more pain. "Don't let me down, Yuna!" Firing off a line of green energy at the idol to give her a regenerative boost as well as letting the idol draw from her own stores of magical energy, the healer sheathes her sword and braces her shield overhead. As she does that, magical gray bricks start to form and stack on top of one another on top of the shield. Individually, they're only as strong as steel, but stacked together?

     THey're still only about as strong as steel. Still, every little bit hels as she uses them cushion the blow a bit as a buffer between the claw and her shield. The brunt of her strength is still in holding up that shield, however, trying to use both her shield and her own body to try and keep that massive claw off her allies!
Yuna Kagurazaka The colossus's right arm comes up, preparing to smash downwards; if it actually hits any of the group, it's liable to be a one-hit kill, or whatever the Soulspace equivalent is.

Yuna has no desire to find out what would happen, to her or to any of the others, but she doesn't even think about that - she simply screams a warning to the rest of the group, then calls out to Sanary - and there's no time to coordinate further than that.

And it's DEFINITELY going to take more than one shield to block the incoming giant arm of smiting. She's certain of that just by looking.

Yuna rushes forward, judging the arm's approach as she forms up next to Sanary; she nods to the Confederate shieldmage, flashing a quick grin of both thanks and trust, and brings her shield up as well, right arm bracing her left forearm against the incoming impact. She's painfully aware of the height difference between herself and Sanary, but there's nothing she can do about it now - except to focus as much of her will, as much of her power, into Shugoseiheki as she can. Normally she focuses like that to build up for an attack; she hasn't defended with it before, but - first time for everything.

On the plus side, Shugoseiheki - particularly with Yuna's power and the Light Suit's aura reinforcing it - *IS* stronger than steel. The body behind it, not so much ...
Misha     The initial response is further rage... And Misha is not surprised. As Lyner takes defensive position before her and Kazusa, though, she continues to sing, full trusting in the combatants all around her- yes even Sanary. But then that mechanical monstrosity lifts its arm to strike...
    And Misha YANKS on Kazusa. It pulls the younger girl right against the Reyvateil, acting to shield her co-singer herself while relying on the others to protect her, and pray that arm can be stopped.
    But she does not stop... Her voice still rises, in clear and definite defiance of Ayla's fury.
    "It IS your song! Listen to it! Listen to what you used to believe in!" Of course a Reyvateil can sing and speak at the same time, as her voice grows in volume, pushing back against the storm of the othe Reyvateil's rage with the combined force of her feelings, and Kazusa's.

                                 Giz viuy loss.                                
                        Ma yant ga vit enclone viuy wael                        
                                  Was yea ra!                                  
                              Was ki wa zwihander!                              
Kazusa Ujikane     Oh. Oh, she's mad. She's mad about this song. She's mad, and Kazusa is at first a tad intimidated. But Lyner is there. Lyner is there to protect them, right? That's how Kazusa and Misha can sing without worry... ing...

    That is a very big set of arms.

    Kazusa is not a Reyvateil. She can't sing and talk at the same time. Already the alarming sight of the attack bearing down on them is causing her to falter just a little, but when Misha yanks her over, the girl's voice falters for just a moment. But there's an implicit message to that yank: 'I am here. Trust in me, and trust the others to protect us both.' So it doesn't take more than a heartbeat for the ordinary young lady's voice to rise up powerfully to join Misha's again.

           Danger hides in shadows, this wilderness of lost and found          
   But in this closing darkness, among this terror there's a light we can see  
                                 Don't give up!                                
                       We still have a chance to make it                        
Reina Kinney Not sure what else she can do, Reina sees the giant arm coming at Yuna and she decides she has to think fast. She calls out, "ZONDE!" and a blast of lightning shoots at the giant arm. Hopefully that should be enough to stun it for the time being. It's not a lot, but Reina doesn't know what else she can do...
X A ton happens at once. X finds his strategy to be paying off... he's circling around and trying to avoid drawing too much attention, all while firing off shots. They're piddly, but enough of them's enough to bring down drone bits.

    He just hopes they're enough.

    But William makes his signal at the LAST time X would've been expecting.

    When it feels as though the HAND OF GOD is coming down to squash them all. "ghhhhh... ALRIGHT, LET'S DO THIS!"

    It's suicidal. It's insane. It goes against everything he knows to be common sense and responsible.

    But there is NO helping this girl without risk.

    "Here goes, Will! Hold on!"

    X makes a brave sprint at speeds no ordinary human could manage. Him scooping up Will while that hand's coming down on them won't be a very gentle event. X's great speed means the impact of scooping will up and manhandling him into a grip that gives him any leverage will probably mean a bruise or two... if, well, injuries reflect back into reality.

    The template of all Reploids doesn't slows only slightly from this extra encumberance, but there's a problem.

    There's only a few seconds before those ENORMOUS HANDS squash him and William flat, if that. Desperate, X screams wordlessly and struggles to run ever faster.

    Not good enough. Worthless. His creator hoped he'd do what is right, and here he is, following that heart and conscience that so torments him... but what good is it all if he isn't enough?

    No... NO. He's not going to accept failure here. Will's counting on him. His allies are counting on him.

    One tormented, tragic, crying girl's counting on him, though she doesn't know it.

    In those few remaining instants X's despair-filled, desperate howl becomes a roar of renewed determination. Who's in a position to see it besides Will and Ayla's questionable indeed, but the great jewel set into his helmet shines brilliantly from within - the red gem glows orange-white. At the same time both his feet shimmer and crackle, not unlike the surreal glow from a buster charge... but FAR denser and more intense. They glow so intensely one might worry they'll melt.

    And then... "HYAAAAAAAGHH!!"

    In a tiny corner of X's H.U.D. a single line reads...

    SYSTEM OVERRIDE - EMERGENCY ACCELERATION SYSTEM - ONLINE

    Both feet erupt with plasma-flame, sending him lurching forward with truly tremendous speed. DOWN COMES THE HAND...

    ... and it slams down into the platform behind him with mere inches of clearance.

    With another deseperate shout, X starts skidding over the ground, twists his body about... and....

    FLINGS WILL UP with all the force he can muster!

    "We're counting on you!!"

    And within a second of William being released...

    The robot finds himself collapsing down to his knees, both his legs sparking and sizzling. Smoke seeps from his legs... that's probably not good, right?
William Pauwel     It wasn't that long ago that Will was staring down a machine not very much bigger than this thing. Back then, a handful of elites were able to tear it down, with the finishing blow delivered by a certain Nozomi Houken doing something that she utterly hates doing. Back then, they also had Yuna to keep it occupied, giant robot against giant robot. Well, today, they have the latter. They do not have the former.

So he'll just need to improvise.

But he'll have to survive to try it, first!

    "Uhhh--" Will babbles as he sees the fist, like the wrathful hand of god itself, come down to end all of their lives. His gut withers into the hollow of his chest. It's fight or flight, and there's nowhere to flight to, and no way to fight. But then... That's not true, is it? An idea comes into his head. That thing needs to bend over to strike, so... "X!" Will cries, "Now!"

    The Chaser braces as the fist comes down, its speed arrested by all the other Elites gathered here. Will can't protect himself from that thing. All he can do is fire his little pea-shooter and hope... And, of course, brace for pick-up by his favorite reploid in all the multiple worlds.

    The blue bomber scoops him up like a sack of potatos, his puny human mass virtually nothing in the reploid's arms. Will grits his teeth as X's steely frame bites into his body in uncomfortable ways, but it's better than being crushed in a vise, and so he copes. He copes, but...

X might be strong, but his speed... There's no way they're going to avoid that crushing fist. Misha's warning plays over in his head. You die here, you die for real. And he... He doesn't want to die. He doesn't want to die! "Come on," Will damn near whimpers, "X, come on!"

X...

Comes on.

    "Wauuuuuugh!" Will screams as the Reploid suddenly darts forward. He screams even more as he's sent hurtling into the air, a missile of flesh and bone, straight up at the colossus that's trying to crush them all into so much paste! "X!" Will yells, smashing into the thing's chassis with a hard slap and several wet pops. His hands scramble, finding purchase, somehow, against its bizarre skeletal form. Pain digs into his chest, but he fights through it. He has to. There's no alternative now. "X-- guys, I won't let y'all down! Let's make this happen!"

And with that, bruised, several ribs broken, and not looking back, Will starts clambering over the goliath, searching for some way deeper- to its heart, where a very lonely little girl is trying to block out all the world.
Deelel Deelel has been fine to be in a suporiting role here the goal is what matter they need to protct her allie as best she can and that's what she's going to do. She doesn't want to kill or harm the very person they came here to save the suffering woman from her grim fate.. She's glad to help but now she readies her keyblade and will act to just intercept attack he's not going to attack directly.
Lyner Barsett      'Don't give up'...

     Don't give up?

     She gave up a long time ago! There was no hope here! Only despair! That song was, is a relic of a bygone era! No longer does she... does she feel those feelings! They were dead and buried!

     ...Yes....dead and buried.

     The arm comes down, and Yuna and Sanary move forward to hold it off. Lyner doesn't just stand there and let the two of them handle it on their own. He moves forward as well, raising his sword and dagger flat against one another in a cross. Impact is made, and the Knight of Elemia's eyes widen a tad. "....!" This weight...they were in a cosmosphere, so the same laws did not apply. So then this weight must be...the weight of all of her feelings. It was entirely too heavy for any one person. Even the three of them holding it off was nearly enough to make the three defenders fold, but... They manage to hold their ground under the extreme weight.

     "Push back!" Lyner roared after X and Will pulled off their insane little gambit. Damn it, Will. Your mad little plan had better work! But for now? They needed to get that arm off of them. However, that wasn't all they were going to have to deal with. While busy with the right claw, the left ones were weaving fingers through the space, directing phantom weaponry to come flying right for them. "Tch-!"

     Lyner grit his teeth and pushed, before calling out to X and Reina. "Shoot those weapons down! Our backs are exposed right now!"

     Meanwhile, Will made it up onto the colossus, able to venture across. He would find that there are gaps in the plated metal, but the gears inside prevented further entry. Will could search and search and search, and he would find no way in...

     ...Save for one spot. On te chest, where the crystal is, radiating red plasma, charging up for something, Ayla's singing voice can be heard echoing from further within at this point. Around the edges of the crystal's chamber, gears behind it could be seen, turning slowly and set intervals. ...It should be possible to squeeze past and inside, at a point when the inner workings aren't turning their gears.

     And all the while, Ayla's distorted cries echoed throughout space.

                           "Stop singing that song...!"                      

                             "STOP SINGING THAT SONG!                        
Yuna Kagurazaka When the Light Suit repels an attack, there's usually a characteristic flare as the defensive aura focuses and intensifies to counteract the inbound force.

As the titan's arm crashes down on her and Sanary's shields plus Lyner's crossed blades, Yuna lets out a shriek of surprise and pain, her legs quivering dangerously beneath her before she manages to set her heels and push upright once more - but Shugoseiheki is practically GLOWING, sparks trailing around the edges of the shield's face and curling down along Yuna's arms, torso, and legs. Her whole body seems to have gone numb with the shock of impact, and yet she still pushes upwards, like an old support column sculpted into the shape of a maiden who supports the vaulted ceiling of some grand structure.

Not that Yuna feels particularly grand at the moment. While her shield may be glowing, her eyes are almost dull; her lips move silently, maybe praying, maybe chanting; only slowly does her vision start to clear again, and she starts trying to sort out what else she can usefully do.

Mostly it seems like she needs to keep the mecha's arm from descending the rest of the way.
Sanary Rondel There's some small relief in knowing that this is just some sort of mind-body instead of her real body. Even with Yuna's assistance, after taking that sort of impact head on from something so massive? That healer's going to need a change of pants. Plus, she can practically feel her arms exploding in protest, with only her healing magic keeping herself together enough to not just collapse on the spot. Just because they're her real arms doesn't mean she can't feel all of that pain shooting through her entire body!

     'Push back.' If only it was that easy. Still, it's better than the alternative of getting her mind-body wrecked inside this place! Although Sanary can't quite get her arms moving enough to try and budge that giant claw, she does have the power of...

     Cheating! Mostly by funneling her magical energy into her arms, trying to give herself enough of a strength boost to push back. "Gghk... Ayla! We're not-owshit... We're not your enemies!"
William Pauwel No way in through its ribs. No way in through its belly. No way in. No hope. NO HO--

Wait, that sound...!

    Of course there would be a way in near the gemstone. You don't put a giant glowing thing on a colossal robot without it being somehow a weak point! Will grits his teeth, his palms rubbing raw as he winds his fingers around another jagged metal plate. Blood slicks his the lines of his hands, but he finds purchase, heaving himself up the last few feet.

And what he finds as he slips into the crack is... Gears. Gnashing gears. His heart catches in his chest-- is this it? Will he meet his end here, caught in a mess of whirling metal?

No. No, deep breaths. They come hard, and painfully. He broke a few ribs-- again. That pain is familiar, unmistakable at this point. Fourth or fifth time in one year, now. His breath fogs on the metal nearby as he watches the gears click by. There's a rhythm there; he can see it. He can /feel/ it, the gears clattering the slow drumbeat at the heart of this lonely girl's song. All he has to do is jump when they don't click. It's just like that time under the desert; except this time, instead of drones and a giant death robot, it's just the giant death robot and he's INSIDE IT. No pressure.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

SNAP-CLANK-WHIRR-WHIZ-WHAM-BOOM

Will jumps, leaping sideways over one whirling gear. The next lurches as it starts to turn. He grits his teeth, feeling his gums ache as his heart catches in his chest. Now. NOW! His foot finds a hold and he kicks forward, dodging right between the teeth as they turn. It catches his toe, sending him into a tumble that ends... Right past the set of gnashing teeth.

"Okay... Phase two," Will murmurs, shoving his hat down on his head. "Made it in, now... Ayla--"

"AYLA," Will yells into the hollow of this thing's chest, he roars against the song-- "AYLA, DON'T WORRY! YOU WON'T BE ALONE ANYMORE! You'll never be alone-- no matter where you go!" He sets into motion again, deeper into the heart of this giant. Just like the last three times he's heard it... William follows Ayla's song.
X There goes Will. X struggles to crane his neck back and watch. Not that he can devote more than a second or two to that.

    His job's not over!

    But he stumbles twice when attempting to rise, his legs not moving properly! All in all... he's out of action for about six seconds. That's how long it takes to recalibrate and route around the damaged systems and restore partial mobility to his legs.

    Sadly, the Emergency Acceleration System's back offline. During those few seconds of recalibration... "What was that? That's not a system I even have--" Huuuuh. Weird.

    Well whatever it was, it's left his leg servos in a nasty pickle. Every time his legs move now there's a nasty grinding noise and more smoke from them. But he CAN move.

    And move he does!

    The Blue Bomber's successor launches bursts of solar plasma from his buster up at the phantom weapons. Swords, lances, pikes, whatever's still up there comes under fire from his meager main weapon!

    ... very meager main weapon...

    "Doing what I can!!"
Misha                             Paul chs hymmnos zenva!                            

    "NO!"
    Misha will not. She refuses. She will not stop singing, ever. To sing is all she knows. To sing, is the act with which she gives her heart. Willfully disobedient in the face of possible death even. The song is no relic. Even buried, it is a truth unto itself. By execution title alone, the son't intent should be blatant...
    Exec_Arise/.
    "We're not going to stop!"
    She certainly won't. And as Kazusa's mettle is tested in that moment of danger... The girl is found strong. Her resolve bolsters Misha's. Misha's resolve bolsters hers. A synergistic and repeating cycle that proves there is but one course of action as the others fight NOT to protect them as they sing, but to reach out to Ayla. Her voice rises, the instrumental chorus of the tower of Ar Tonelico itself singing with her.
    The strain is intense as Misha taps into systems of the tower reserved for only the most powerful Reyvateils. Systems of access clearance available only to the Administrator, or those of sufficient skill enough to hack around them, like Mir... Or Reyvateils of strength to brute force bypass the restrictions. Strong enough like the Lune Bloodline. Her voice cracks... Static lacing with her lyrics as sweat beads on her brow as she does.
    Outside the Dive... The Silver Horn blares to life.
    At first the concussive blast wave shatters the sky in a great blast of symphonic energy, before it takes on a more distinct form. A song. A song for all of the tower of Eolia to hear, for every Reyvateil to hear and resonate with and join in song, as the Silver Horn -transmits- two voices. One of them not a Reyvateil's.

                                  Was yea ra!                                  
                               Wee i ga hueaf...                                
                             Wee i ga dople hueaf!                              
Kazusa Ujikane                             I feel us all rising up                            

    Something in the desperation - it doesn't frighten Kazusa, it /hurts/. It's painful to hear. So much hurt and grief in the frantic demands they stop. If anything, Kazusa's voice gets stronger, even with the massive hands bearing down on them... but part of that is because she's decided to trust Yuna, Sanary, and Lyner to hold those up. To support the weight of that pain while she and Misha work to undo it.

    Kazusa does not know what the Silver Horn is or does. She doesn't know that now they sing for all the Tower. She only knows that this much power going into their song seems to be taxing Misha to her limit, and that her own voice surges louder in response, trying to prop up the Reyvateil both with her song, and with her body. She can't speak as a Reyvateil would, but the look in her eyes is a silent 'hang in there'.

                              Now, don't give up!                              
                       Even though the odds have left us                        
                    Feeling so small, but we can't stop now!                    
Deelel Deelel says "It's never too late to turn back on the path you are on. It never is!"

Deelel calls out she's long lived her people are long lived in general she's come to understand but she's also got insight people can change, that's the true power of a User and those like them. They have no functions they can change what they are, what they are doign far more easily than one like Deelel. She'll now start putting the Keyblade to use as she zup up tyring to get up huge thing using it almsot to hook her way up between doing several parkour stunts to get up and make a shot for anything that seems vital.

"No the music will not be stopped please... we want to help you escape this suffering..."
Reina Kinney Meanwhile, Reina is calling out for inspiration as well. "You have to listen to us! We can help you! There is hope! Please!" Her stern look is replaced by one of urgency and kindness. "Please, listen to us!" Tears are starting to well up in Reina's eyes, showing just how emotional Reina truly is.
Lyner Barsett      Though battered and bruised, Yuna, Sanary, and Lyner give it their all to push that arm and claw bearing down upon platform aside. And with their combined efforts, as well s the efforts of others, they DO manage to move it. It's not a dramatic blowback, no. But it's just enough to keep them alive.

     One step is taken, then two, then three, and finally, four. And with a heavy thud and a quake, the arm is dropped aside, onto the platform they were all standing on. But curiously, the weight did not topple the entire thing over. X does his best to shoot down most of the flying weapons, keeping his allies safe, and that's good, because the three defenders would have wound up becoming pincushions otherwise.

     Speaking of Will, he somehow, miraculous, with his CHASER'S SENSES makes it past the ticking deathtrap of gnashing metal, and finds himself into the gigantic metal beast. It's there, that he finds he can walk without worry. There is nothing in here byt winding metal, clicking and turning to the beat of a lonely heart. And there's a song. Low, angry, and desperate to be left alone, she sings.

     And the song is closer now than it was previously. A glance upwards would reveal a suspended cocoon of feathery metal, with a spiral staircase leading up to it. And inside that cocoon, Ayla sits, curled up with her knees up to her chest, and her face buried in them, she is no longer wearing armor. Just a simple black bodysuit.

           "No....no....there's no hope...no future....no happiness..."      

     But Misha and Kazusa's song, Ayla's own song from a time long forgotten, flares up. Misha taps into the systems of the tower, and something extraordinary happens...

     RUINS OF SKUWAT VILLAGE

     An auburn haired Reyvateil looks up from the flowers she's setting down on a grave. She can hear it. She can hear that song. One full of rising hope. She stands up, and turns to face the general direction of the Viola Forest. And she sings.

     AIRPORT CITY NEMO

     From all over the city, Reyvateil's stop what they are doing. Within a certain tavern, an older blonde Reyvateil ceases her performance as she hears that song echo throughout the land. And then every Reyvateil in Nemo begins to sing.

     RINKERNATOR

     A woman in white armor stands at the apex of Sol Ciel, overlooking the world. She is silent and unmoving as the song echoes through the tower and beyond. A moment of silence is spared. And then she opens her mouth to sing.

     AYLA'S SOULSPACE

     All of those voices come flooding in. Reyvateils from all over Sol Ciel joining Misha and Kazusa in song as they remind the lone girl that she's not as alone as she thinks she is.

     The Metal fiend ceases it's attacks, but it remains standing. Deep within, Will can hear a voice.

     ...Why....? Can I....can I really just...go back? ...That's impossible....how can I...trust anyone? ....Why do you all....even care? ...Why...?
Sanary Rondel Sanary practically drops onto a knee as that pressure is finally removed from her arms, but stubborn pride in not wanting to get shown up by the Union is all that keeps the healer from allowing herself to rest. She'll just have to tough it out and force herself back up, no matter how much she wants to just lie down!

     "Gghk... Everyone's still alive? Come on over if... Ugh." The healer tank doesn't even finish that sentence before taking a deep breath, then projecting her magical energy outwards to direct some into each of her allies to bolster their healing. It's not as if she has quite enough strength in her to fight back as well as she'd like, but she can at least put her energy to better use that way.

     As Ayla becomes more visible, however, Sanary finally starts to move again as she starts advancing on the Reyvateil. "Hey. Going back or not... That's up to you. If you want to go back, go back. If anyone tells you they can't..." She winces while shaking her shoulder off, lurching a step before looking up again. "... Then screw them. They can't tell you what to do. But if you don't want to go back to... Uh. To all those people you can't trust?"

     Sanary offers Ayla an encouraging, if somewhat mischievous grin on her face. "... You can come with me instead. I know plenty of people back home that wouldn't turn down having someone like you around."
Yuna Kagurazaka The massive arm finally settles *away* from the party; and brings Shugoseiheki down with it - not underneath it, but with the kite shield's lower corner digging into the 'ground' and Yuna's left arm hanging from the shield's straps, rather than the normal other way around.

Seriously, that kite shield is the only thing keeping Yuna in anything that vaguely resembles an 'upright' position; the Savior of Light is on her knees, gasping fitfully for breath after the immense task of keeping that arm from crushing Misha and Kazusa. Sanary's restorative magic helps, but Yuna is too strung out to get back to her feet; she just bows her head briefly to Sanary in gratitude.

Maybe it was vain of Yuna to think that her own song could turn the tide; Misha - another true Reyvateil - was always the lynchpin, she thinks now, and Kazusa - gifted with the power to copy other Elites - was the natural choice to back her up. But with no strength to get back to her feet, and the song spreading beyond the Soulscape ...

Yuna listens. Her ears attune to Misha and Kazusa, particularly the latter; she doesn't know Hymnos well enough to follow in a Reyvateil's manner. But she can listen to Kazusa.

She can hear the lyrics as they cycle back to words that were sung earlier.

And with that, Yuna opens her mouth and begins to sing along with them, just quietly, but adding the strength of her heart to the song that reaches out, offering an open hand to Ayla.

They can't pull Ayla out against her will, but the offered hand is still there, waiting to be taken if the ancient Reyvateil chooses to do so.
Reina Kinney Now Reina's joining in with the song! Apparently even members of GUARDIANS can sing well too. Then again, it could be she was the one who pioneered the concept of cadences for GUARDIANS Cadets, to help them learn focus better. Regardless, Reina starts singing along too.
X X is no singer! He's not even TRIED to sing before. But as the song rushes in, countless unfamiliar voices, he finds himself distracted from the error messages and diagnostic reports about how hard he's pushing his systems beyond their tolerances and the mess he's made of his legs.

    The battle's fury dies off, and he has a chance to turn and face exactly what's going on. Take in the sight of the enormous robot armor in its totality.

    Unexpectedly, he finds himself humming along with the melody for about ten seconds. Then he realizes he was doing that.

    This is the middle of a battle, what's WRONG with him? The robot blinks a few times. His expression turns questioning, uncertain... plain QUIZZICAL of the situation.

    He can't explain the strange urges he has. Urges to spread his arms out grandly. Or tap a foot to the rhythm. Or cheer. Or SOMETHING.

    in the end, he just smiles and quietly hums along, but doesn't waste a moment of the reprieve. He devotes more and more energy to self-repair systems in his legs and scans for any worrisome developments.

    This situation doesn't seem to need him at the moment.

    This situation.

    This MIRACLE.
William Pauwel Miracles happen, sometimes. Sometimes he planets align. Sometimes, all the voices in a world sing in singular harmony. Sometimes, a dice rolls under that critical 20th percentile.

Sometimes, a Chaser reaches his goal.

    "This way..." Will murmurs, following that song deeper and deeper into the colossus. Eventually, he finds his way into that strange chamber, the suspended cocoon, and the girl that sits within... And her song. Her SONG. So close, so deep into the heart of her suffering, that song's power is palpable. The air TASTES like sorrow. The acrid sensation of purest hatred assaults Will's senses, and each step takes him ever closer to just... giving in, giving up. Damn the world, the apocalypse has come.

But then, an even greater song rises to meet it. Thousands of voices join as one. The entire tower of Ar Tonelico, its many Reyvateils, its very own Administrator, they all sing with Misha and Kazusa. Will feels his heart swell with hope- in this place where feelings are so strong, where emotions are TANGIBLE, it's only that lifeline that keeps him afloat amidst this morass of concentrated negativity.

    And so he climbs the staircase. "Hey, y'all're Ayla, right?" He starts as he climbs, "Well, I'm Will. William Pauwel. And out there are all my friends-- a crazy brave robot named X, a strange girl named Sanary. Kazusa and Misha, they're the singers. Deelel and Reina, I don't know too well-- and Lyner and Yuna, they're real honest to goodness heroes. And we're all here to bring you home."

    Will smiles a sad, hesitant smile and lightly presses his hand against the feathery metal. "And no matter what you think, it IS possible. You can go back if you want to. You can come with us if you like. It's been so long since you fell in here, that you probably don't remember what it's like to be outside, to see the world. But you hear them, don't you? Even if you don't want to. All them voices, all of them're singing for you."

    "Hey, let me tell you something," the Chaser says, his smile widening into a genuine grin. He turns, knocking his knuckles against the feathered metal. "Something my grandpa used to tell me. If you say something's impossible, then it really will be. But if you believe-- if you bet on that little chance that things can work out, then they just might."

    "And if they don't," he says, pushing his palms against the feathered steel now, as if trying to part the folds with strength alone- to crack that prison, even just a little bit. "If they don't work out, and everything in the world goes dark, that's what friends're for. That's when they help you help yourself up, get back on your feet, and try again. That's what we're here to do, 'cause we reckoned that it was unfair that you never even got that chance!"

    "I won't say you'll never be hurt. I won't say nobody'll ever make you cry. But the world is so big. Bigger than anyone can even think about! It's full of so many good things, too. And I like to think there's more good than bad. So come on, give us-- give yourself that chance! Let us show you the world! Come and walk with us, way beyond this cramped little cocoon!"

"So let's go!" Will's voice builds to a crescendo. The broken, battered Chaser presses his hand against the chrysalis as if he's trying to reach inside, to pull her *out!* "It's like their song-- like your song's been saying all this time! Let's go, to that place where freedom lives! Take my hand!"

                              AYLA ES SOTIRIS!                              
Misha     This is it. Misha wields an immense level of power, as a Beta Reyvateil, genetically engineered for sheer raw and unadulterated output. But even she has her limits. Though she shouldered the entirety of the magic behind the song, it is questionable if she would have been able to do it on her on... In fact, without Kazusa's feelings giving wind to her sails, she very well may have not...

                          Was yea ra chs shen corle...                          

And when every Reyvateil upon the tower sings, she feels them too. Shurelia. Aurica. Claire. Girls left and right lending their voices to this new song of hope, just as they had done years ago. Where her strength wanes, the others make up for it instantly, allowing her to slip quietly into the backdrop of many voices raised as one, with a glad heart

                          Rrha yea quel toe lof spitze                          
                         Was yea ra chs shen corle mea.                        
                                      Pat!                                      

    She is panting. Breathless, and shaking, knuckles white where she holds to Kazusa's hand, but manages a weary smile. The attacks have stopped. They can reach out to her.
    "You can." She says. "The world has changed. And so has its people... For every one person who hurt you, there are more waiting to hold out their hand. You just have to take it. We care, because you deserve better. You deserve another chance." The Star Singer says, as the wong begins to wane. Not because there is no more power to it, but because voices dim and lower, simply acknowledging that it is time to let it end. Not just the song. But the entire fiasco.

               Dople handeres! Dople loss! Was wol erra stelled!                
                           Paul chs hymmnos zenva...!                          

    "You just have to reach back."
    Knowing how insane Will is, he's probably near the core of that metal giant to be the first case in point.
    Just like that.
Kazusa Ujikane            I know there's a light, the only shining in our hearts...            

    Even now, all Kazusa can do is sing. As the voices of an entire tower's worth of Reyvateils join them, as the voice of a human idol right there fighting alongside them chimes in as well, the girl can't keep the hints of a smile off her face.

                Standing here, in this place where freedom lives                

    But she remains focused, moreso than she has in a long time. She can't even say the words she so desperately wants to say to Ayla. It would mean setting aside the song, and right now her own voice is the strongest weapon she can give Misha to wield. She will have to trust Misha to speak her feelings.

         I know there's a light, don't let it fade out, it's our heart.        
                                   Let it go!                                  

    And the attack has stopped. That, by far, is the part that inspires hope. That gives Kazusa the first glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel, and it shines through in her voice. Hope, in every word she sings, even as the exhaustion of singing for longer than she ever has begins to set in.

         We are not defeated, we're not losing, in these flames of war!        
                              We're rising up...!                              
Lyner Barsett                                      "......"                                

     Ayla sits there, curled up in a cage of her own making, as the songs of Reyvateils from all across Sol Ciel flood in, singing out hope within the darkness. And then there's Will, standing before her cocoon, speaking of all the great things the world has to offer. She's silent, but she raises her head just a little. A single red eye peers through her hair over at Will, then down at Sanary and Misha.

     She can't understand. All of these people, believing in someone they don't know. Willing to lend her their hands, to give her a second chance. ...All of these....these...

                                  "....Idiots."                              

     She says, raising her head a bit more, face now fully able to be seen. She smiles sadly, and wipes the tears from her eyes.

                                     "......"                                

     A moment of silent consideration is given, and then.... she reaches out. The angelic cocoon that kept her locked away from the world crumbled away into dust, and she took Will's hand.

     Immediately a light shines through, and the metal colossus crumbles away into dust. The void of space becomes a vacuum, giving way to daylight as the sun shines high above. Then everything turns white.

                        "...I'll go see your world then."                    

                 "And I'll endeavor to be a person of my heart...            

                         "...Raised by a light of hope."                      

     Silence.

                                    DIVE CLEAR                                

     And the warm, white light, gives way to reality, as everyone finds themselves back in their dive pods, in the real world.
Deelel There's a lot of things she will see or be aware of but she's got to keep moving, if she does not she's very likely to end up dead. She moves an fances about almost as she moves up the hulking thing keeps attacking she does have her keyblade out. She moves almost in time to the song, she will not give up, how can she? She's the program who walked into the material world. She's done more than anyone she knows of save TRON himself and she keeps moving.

"I was given life to make music, to make art. My creations purpose was creation."

Deelel calls out backing up will and she's also humming with the song as she goes Hymnos is a lanauge that is amazing to her it feels truly made for one thing first and that is song. She should be find as she's darting about, right?

Her feelings seem to b right as things come to and end the Basic lowers her weapon and she leaps from the metal colossus and lands in a three point anding as she looks about as everything turns white.

"Did we ... do it?"
Kazusa Ujikane     "...eheh..."

    As the Dive fades away, Kazusa chuckles quietly, her voice a bit breathless after all that. She's only got time for a few words before it all closes out. So she has to make them count.

    "...I guess I am an idiot sometimes, kinda. But if it can make someone happy... I'm alright with that. You deserve to be happy too! So I'll come be dumb any time if it'll make you laugh. Just gimme a call."

    When Kazusa finally sits up in her pod, her expression is... complicated. She's not sure how to feel about what all just went on. But if there's one undercurrent to her emotional state right now, the faint little smile on her lips probably says something about it.

    At least until she realizes that she's still wearing something so fashionably overcomplicated it could be right out of a video game.

    Then she turns red again.
Reina Kinney Once all is back to the real world again, Reina drops to one knee and holds her head while sighing. "Ugh... whoa..." She stands up and looks around before looking to the others. "We... we did it, I hope?" She looks uneasy, a different trait from the usual Reina Kinney most people would know.
Yuna Kagurazaka As the titan's structure fades and dissolves, a wave of weary relief passes over Yuna, even beyond the enervation she'd brought on with tanking the arm of the colossus (with Sanary and Lyner, but still). Her eyes drift closed as the rest of the Soulspace environment fades to light.

And back in the waking world, ensconced in a dive pod, Yuna slowly forces her eyes to open. She'll probably need support getting out of the pod - but she doesn't presume to answer Deelel's question yet.

She's looking towards the display which shows Ayla's capsule, and glancing at Luke to see what he has to say (if anything). If that Dive wasn't enough ...

Well, Yuna needs to sleep for about a week no matter what; unfortunately, she's not going to have THAT much time to recuperate before she needs to be up and about for something else. She giggles slightly at Kazusa's renewed blush, but gives the card-user a nod of approval. Success or failure, Kazusa did really well in Yuna's opinion.

Now she just wants to confirm whether Ayla's waking up.
William Pauwel Idiots.

"Hah!" Will beams as his fingers close around her hand. "Yeah, I get that a lot!"

But if they're idiots for believing in miracles, then maybe that's just what they are.

    Pure, blinding light washes away the world. Sunlight. Warm and vibrant, filling the world with the scent of a new day. A light of hope is right, Will thinks, as everything goes silent.

    When he wakes up again, it's with a start and a gasp. The young Chaser actually smacks his head on the glass cover of his pod as he bolts back up. "Waugh! That... That was a trip," he mutters, rubbing his face as the canopy swings up. "It was a trip, but..."

"Hey y'all!" Will says, turning towards the others. The Chaser flashes not one, but TWO thumbs up, "That was amazin'! Kazu, you and Misha especially, and X and oh man!" The Chaser leans back, euphoria BURNING THROUGH HIS VEINS. He stretches a little, before swinging back up. "And I didn't actually get to say it before because I was kind of freaking out, but man that dress is fancy on y'all, miss Kazu! Gosh, I just feel like... I dunno."

"This is weird. I ain't usually this..." Will looks suddenly pensive, staring at his wiggling fingers. "Giddy."

Is this a side-effect of being at ground zero of a literal HOPESPLOSION!?

Well, whatever.

    "Hey Luke! Phonon. Sonnet too, iff'n she's around-- that's her name, right?" Will says, turning around to investigate Ayla's life support capsule. "How's Ayla look? Did we do it?" Of course they did. His veins would not be FILLED WITH PIXIE DUST if they didn't, right? Right.

Right.
Lyner Barsett      Luke stands there in the center of the area as they all come to from their dive.

     "......"

     Silence is his greeting. But he jerks a thumb towards Ayla's pod. Once they get out and actually look...

     ...Her eyes are open, and she weakly waves. Barely able to do so. ...Her expression is complicated, but... it can be considered a smile. Of a sort.

     Phonon, who stands off to the side like the guardian she is, speaks plainly. "You have succeeded." She bows nearly in half and stays there. "You have my thanks." And then she straightens up, remaining stoic as usual of her.

     Sonnet is not present. She must be off maintaining some other area of the facility.
Reina Kinney Normally, Reina would be jumping up and down and cheering joyfully, but she knows this is not the time nor place. Instead, she simply offers a thumbs-up to the others and a slight smile. "We did our job, and we did it well." In her eyes, tears can be seen glistening. Definitely this is a side to Reina that one would never expect to see.
X X's dive capsule opens... and he remains there for a good fifteen seconds. Running system diagnostics. Huh? No damage? But he feels...

    "It occurs to me... the question of whether this Dive device would WORK on a Reploid never came up." Which, of course, he isn't, but if people insist on calling him one, he may as well associate with, he decides in a moment of pure exhaustion.

    He's felt like this several times, but it's a phenomenon he still doesn't quite understand.

    He steps slowly and carefully from the device, his movements a bit sluggish and uncertain. Maybe he just doesn't trust his sensors that much right now!

    After all, CRAZY THINGS JUST HAPPENED.

    Then he has a chance to say another thing that was on his mind this whole time that didn't get to be said earlier.

    "Nice outfit!" This, of course, he aims Kazusa's way with a genuinely appreciative smile. Apparently not realizing that she's so embarassed. The smile turns thoughtful as he momentarily closes his eyes to ponder something inwardly. "Maybe I should try wearing a suit..."

    He's plumb -exhausted- and the result seems to be that he's paying a little less attention to voicing his thoughts.

    Then, like lightning, the robot turns his whole body around, orienting towards Ayla's status pod!

    What happens now...?!
Sanary Rondel "Of course we're idiots. I mean... Some more than others, but..." Sanary laughs and waves a hand dismissively, then taps two fingers to her head in a brief salute to Ayla as the light starts to overtake her sight. "We'll see there."

     And then she's awake. Sanary doesn't get out of her pod right away, seeming rather content to just lay around inside for a little while. After checking her clothes, she drags herself out and...

     Falls right back out on the floor. Note to self: Do not wear shields on your back before lying down for a long time. After groaning and struggling just to get herself back up, the healer glances around at each of her Diving companions.

     "Well. That... Uh. Takes care of that, yeah. Just waiting for Ayla now?" Turning from Reina to Will, she laughs freely when he comes out with his own burst of energetic glee. "Nice work up there. That reminds me, though..."

     She promptly makes a beeline for Kazusa, standing by her ominously with her hands outstretched! It'd almost be threatening if she didn't get distracted by the movement from Ayla's pod. Sanary looks from Ayla to Kazusa and that unnaturally cute outfit, then sighs before heading over to where the Reyvateil is laying.

     A healer's work is nevre done. "Hey there. Good to have you with us. Er. Again." She's already projecting healing energy from herself towards Ayla, trying to rejuvenate her at least somewhat even if neither of them might even be in the right shape to do much for a while.

     "Offer's still on the table." She murmurs, grinning for just a moment before refocusing on the healing work again.
Yuna Kagurazaka Oh good, thinks Yuna. It worked, Ayla is awake. Yuna smiles warmly, raising her arm to wave back to the Reyvateil, nodding to Luke and to Phonon ...

Her head doesn't come up from the last nod, though; the blonde abruptly slumps over and collapses, her Light Suit vanishing in a flicker of light and her civilian outfit (T-shirt and jeans) reasserting itself. If nobody catches Yuna, she *will* wind up sprawled in a heap on the floor.

"Yuna isn't hurt," Elner states, quietly but quickly. "She managed to exhaust her energy reserves, though ... what exactly happened during the Dive to use *that* much of her energy? - In any case, she'll recover with a good night's sleep or so." The robo-faerie glances to Luke and Phonon. "Is there someplace here where she could sleep, or do we need to get her back to Union territory?"

The robo-faerie also eyes Sanary briefly; there might be a faint air of exasperation rising from Elner, but the construct's *complete* lack of an expressive face makes it impossible to confirm.
Misha     She takes Will's hand. She agrees to see the world. The song ends.
    Quietly, and with a smile, Misha Arsellec Lune carves Exec_Arise/. into her heart, in its new place beside a small handfull of other songs that mark milestones in her life. She squeezes Kazusa's hand, flashing the girl a grin, before the Dive comes to an end.
    It is an utterly exhausted Misha who sits up in her pod, still breathless and on wobbly legs.
    "Thank you." It is a quiet, and genuine murmur to Sanary for her vanguarding- and now for tending to the pod-bound Reyvateil.
    X gets a brief and mild steadying hand. "A first Dive can be disorienting. ... I think we both just got the mother lode of them all."
    Let Will have his endorphin rush. He's earned it just as much as anyone else right now, as she glances to the pod. The Star Singer is dumbstruck for a moment, before managing a smile.
    She promptly leans on her fiancee.
    "Heh... We're getting too old for this, Lyner."
Reina Kinney Reina collapses alongside Yuna, apparently her energy being expended by this whole thing. She tries to get back up but realizes that it's no use. She gives one last thumbs up before passing out.
William Pauwel     Will looks from Luke to Ayla's pod. "Oh." He sees her eyes open. He sees her *wave!* "Oh! Hahah! Welcome back. Or should I just say good mornin' instead?" The Chaser grins, "Hey, when you're better, I should show you 'round some of the places I've visited! It'll be great. Uh, I'd welcome you proper, but probably not the best plan for someone still recoverin'--"

Oh.

Wait, that IS Photon over there. "IOU," Will says, suddenly, the ENERGY IN HIS VEINS compelling him to hug... A Phonon, who is apparently speaking for Ayla by proxy. And so she gets hugged by proxy, too! She might be MADE OF METAL, but that doesn't stop Will from trying to swing her, and ending up swinging himself around just a bit instead. "Hahaha, we actually did it, didn't we? Storybook endings really do happen sometimes! Hahahahahahaha! Hooo--"

Suddenly Will seems to slump forward, using the maid-droid as some kind of... perch? Support-pillar? Something like that? "Oooogh, feelin' those ribs again."

Phantom broken ribs? Hopesplosion sugar crash? Possibly both!
Lyner Barsett      "........."

     Phonon is entirely stoic, even as she's hugged by the Chaser on an adrenaline high. Blink blink. "....Searching for proper response. ...Loading...loading....loading.... Error. Response not found. Defaulting to standard behevior." She punches Will in the side to get him to release her. It's okay. She didn't use crushing force. Humans are squishy after all.

     Once Will is out of the way, Phonon steps forward and scoops up Yuna. "I will take her to a resting bay."

     And she turns and begins to wander off to do just that. Unless anyone has anything to say to her, she is gone.
William Pauwel "Hurf!"

Will is punched out of his robohug. He groans as the awful creeping pain in his torso is WORSENED BY SUCH TERRIBLE CRUELTY. Even a light punch to the side is STILL A PUNCH TO THE SIDE when you have phantom broken bone syndrome. "Okay, maybe... not the best idea. Hnnng. Hoo." Well, at least he's got this nice dive pod to lean on, right?

Right.
Lyner Barsett      Lyner meanwhile watches all of this beside Misha, having gotten out of his pod without fanfare. "Heh..."

     He glanced down slightly at his wife-to-be and chuckled. "...Way too old for this." God damn it. How long ago was it that he stormed the tower with his friends to beat friendship into an angry Reyvateil just like Ayla?

     ...Definitely too old for this.

     Ayla meanwhile...cannot speak. In fact, she nods to the various people that talk to her, and then her eyes dip closed. She's back to sleeping. But at least she's not comatose now. It can only go up from here, right?

     Luke, who was silent all this time, finally speaks. "...So you did it after all." He mumbled, looked over each over of them. "...Heh. Fine. This is over then. Good work."

     And with that, he turned and began to leave. The Union Medical personnel would take care of Ayla. He no longer needs to be here. This curse of his family has been lifted.

     This was goodbye.
X X glances William's way... but responds to Misha first. She gets a grateful little smile. "That was the hardest thing I've ever done... and you had it much tougher in there. What a song!" Is his modest and honest answer.

    Oh right, Will. X makes his way over to the boy - even faster when he collapses onto Phonon - THEN EVEN FASTER WHEN SHE KNOCKS HIM into a Dive pod... and helps to steady him.

    This time he's much gentler, thankfully. "There wasn't any way to make that softer. Sorry, Will. Are you alright...? I'm not damaged, so you shouldn't be...?"

    He's quite unfamiliar with the concept of phantom pain and all the other weirdness of the human mind's responses to trauma...

    He gazes out where Phonon's walking off. "... She's an odd one, isn't she?"
William Pauwel     Well, at least Will has this nice blue Robot to lean on, right? Righ- wait. "Heheh, don't worry about it, pardner," Will grins, groping at ribs that FEEL broken but... aren't, really. Broken mentally, maybe. "It wasn't as bad as the time I got thrown through a few walls. Y'all did fine. Just fine. It's just... Y'know, that whole thing made an impact. Still feels like there's stuff loose down in there. I'll probably be okay."

If he's talking this much, he almost certainly will be.

    He looks as Phonon starts walking off... And shrugs, "Ehh, maybe I shouldn't've just... hugged her out of the blue like that." WILL, LEARNING A LESSON!? THE SKY IS FALLING!! HELL IS FROZEN!!!

And then... Luke turns to go.

NOT SO FAST!

    "Hey, Luke," the Chaser calls. "Y'all did good too, y'know? Wouldn't've been able to... do this thing iff'n you didn't tell us what was wrong. So, thanks, I guess!"
Lyner Barsett      Phonon was walking off, but...

     There was a smile on her face. A small one. But no one will ever see it.

     Luke meanwhile stops and turns to look towards Will. "....." He consideres his words, then, after a few moments, he just smirks. "Right. Whatever you say, Mr. I Get Blown Up By Robots." And then he turns and proceeds on, and out of sight.

     Forever a cold fish, that one.