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Owner	Pose
Petra Soroka	"He said he was sure the Director of Trideag knew something about went down so he's headed after her next." "This'll get us there faster. So come on!" "Well... alright then. Lead the way." . . . "Petra, please slow down a little bit, I'm not used to this place at all.     The wide-eyed frantic agitation that Petra looks back at Audrey with, while running through the smeared purple-blacks of the Corridors of Darkness, is transparently painted with worry for Lilian. Even though she was huddled on the floor of Audrey's room just a couple days ago, sobbing over ice cream about Lilian's treatment of her, here she is now with *desperation* on her face to sprint to her side the moment she heard Lilian was in danger. Coming to a stop and turning around to Audrey's complaint in the echo-less space amps it up like physical pain.     She shifts her weight back and forth between her feet before relenting. "... Thirty seconds, alright. We should still be faster than the Black Silence. This place is basically safe, as far as I know--" It's not, but Petra is built in a certain way. "But we shouldn't take our time."     Once Audrey's caught her breath, it's back to running, and Petra grabs her wrist when she starts to lag behind. Eventually the portal out detatches from the swirling background, two-dimensional black on black even as they approach it. It doesn't show anything of what's on the other side of the impenetrable void, but Petra hurls herself into it unhesitatingly, hauling Audrey by the hand behind her. . . .     In Lilian's office in Trideag Headquarters, there's a sudden banging sound coming from inside her closet. A second later, Petra, wearing a suit with fresh bloodstains around the cuffs of the sleeves, tumbles out and onto the floor, holding onto the hand of a girl wearing a Nova Heliosanctus school uniform. She hastily releases it and springs to her feet, voice urgent.     "L-Lilian! I'm sorry for barging in! The Black Silence is after you for information about Angelica's death, and he's killed everyone he's come across so far!"     Dutifully, she lists off relevant bullet points of data by counting off on fingers, but she nervously avoids meeting Lilian's eyes. "I want to help him but I'm more concerned about your safety. I don't know how soon he's arriving but the bodies of the Middle guys couldn't be more than an hour or two old. He's famous for untraceable assassinations but he's evidently capable of taking on a dozen moderately strong Brothers and Sisters of the Middle at once and killing all of them without a problem. I'm really sorry for showing up like this."
Audrey Basque	Audrey didn't just need her breath, she needed to recenter her mind. No, Petra, this place isn't safe!!! ... although, the road is unusually stable around Audrey, and it's not like they're being attacked, it's just... spooky.     Weird. Wrong.     "T-Thank you," she says, stopping, taking in as much air as she can while she can. She's barely keeping up, but surely if Petra is using this place to travel then it shouldn't be a miles-long run?     Then a portal.     "Is that the-- how do you know it's--"     Doesn't matter, Petra leaps in and drags Audrey with her. Well, okay then, how much worse can this day possibly get really.     . . .     Audrey trumbles out of the closet and halfway on top of Petra. The absolute horror in her eyes is compounded by the fact her blazer is open and her blouse is ruffled and--     She's on her feet as fast as Petra is, for completely different reasons. The wrong reasons, even, and she hurriedly fixes her hair and, in the panic, forgets about her clothes entirely.     She has nothing to say. She averts her gaze if Lilian looks at her, but not otherwise. She's tense? Stiffening up. Caught.     Even the space around her seems odd now.     Should she... say anything?     Don't.     She is right there.     No.
Lilian Rook	Whatever Lilian's office on the thirteenth floor should look like, this isn't it. The headquarters has its own generators-- Lilian had made absolutely sure of that-- but the building interior here is bathed in the same darkness as the City outside, as if she'd let the blackout in on purpose. Stumbling out of a closet puts a short flight of stairs between Petra and the glow of the elevator buttons hanging in space. It slams her shin against the side of what must be an overturned chair, lying on its side amidst a dusting of loose papers, that one can only barely see by the gleam of ghostly monitor light caught on its edges. The air is stale and cold, and faintly reeks of smoke; the climate control hasn't been turned back on. Lilian's coat hangs over the back of her chair anyways.     It's just her skin that catches the artificial glow. Without baring it, she'd melt right into the heavy shadows that drown out everything else. Stripped down to a cutoff top layer, Petra can see the fresh patch of gauze taped down over the bruise-mottled skin of her left side, exchanged for the bloody heap in the waste paper basket by the desk, joined by the bandages from her fingers. Her eyes are desaturated to bleach and black by the lighting, underscored by deep shadows. Freshly reddened salt tracks stand out on her cheeks all the same. Her hair looks slightly wet, just recently washed. A lit cigarette hangs between two fingers; the chipped and scorched-off paint on her nails hasn't been replaced.     In her hand, where there should be a tablet, is a white paper note. She's been staring at it to the exclusion of her computer, despite the grainy bystander cellphone footage currently blowing up on the City's social media of her and Rita limping into a sushi restaurant while drenched in blood playing out on it. She looks up at Petra without moving her head. Her eyes saccade partway to Winter Crow, partly disassembled on her desk for its sheer surplus of worn out parts. She skims Audrey with her gaze; not her face, which she slides right over, but the patch on her uniform. Then she looks back to Petra as if it makes her head throb to do so. The light doesn't seem to catch in her pupils.     "What did you do this time. It hasn't even been a week, Soroka." says Lilian. Her voice rasps. "Are you trying to ruin my life again, or is that just incidental this time? Can't you find the brakes for even a second?" It's asphyxiatingly unclear if she's even paying attention to a word that Petra is saying, until, "That's not what you look concerned about to me."
Audrey Basque	Not what she expected.     In her mind, the Star of Heliosanctus would have had a luxurious office, likely in whites and golds, a massive marble desk, chairs you could die in, a view you'd fight for. It just made sense. It's what you'd expect, really, of any Enlightened capitalizing on a rise to glory.     This... isn't any of that.     It's the opposite.     It stinks, and it's dark, and it's not particularly comfortable looking, and... what is that video on the computer screen? Blood, and...     Now she's putting Petra down.     Whatever you're thinking...     Can't I? Just a bit, for once?     "Miss Rook."     Audrey advances, adjusting her blouse and blazer to be just a bit less messy. "She's telling the truth. She came running here the moment she heard about it. Whatever differents you may have right now, she's here, in a panic, for your sake."     A pause.     "... I was simply caught in her whirlwind."     That's it? That's, after all this time, it?     This was definitely a mistake, too.     She looks so tense. She's not comfortable at all.
Petra Soroka	Seeing Lilian in this state makes Petra nauseous. She never heard of Angelica up until seeing her corpse, barely even knows that she and Lilian met, and so the miserable ruin in the office can only be because of Petra. Because of winning, because of the cost, because of the methods, because of the corrupting taint of Petra Soroka becoming too much to bear and creeping across the whole world, visible in the darkened expressions of every person Lilian came to care about here and in every bit of rubble and despair.     Like a queasy noise after downing half a bottle of wine. Like a 'my apologies' in the radio. Like a centimeter of hair clipped away. Like the crack of a cane and the unmade bed and curtains drawn. Petra's touch, always. "... I was simply caught in her whirlwind."     Ah. Cinder again. Lilian said the same thing before about Cinder, in the cannibalistically abusive way that Petra dragged her along and crushed her ability to exist without her, even before White Night. What happened to when Lilian was encouraging her to go on dates and fretting about whether Cinder might be too touchy with her? The whirlwind, obviously; the same one that picked up the chairs in Lilian's office and threw papers around the room, and scattered ash across the last memories of Lobotomy Corporation until it was all anyone could taste. "It hasn't even been a week, Soroka."     Petra feels like vomiting. Sick grey pallor replaces the pink of running all the way here, and she twitches, eyes stinging with tears. Mouth dry, she can barely get out words, and the compression on her chest leaves her unable to even raise her arms to gesture, much less fight one of the strongest Fixers in the City.     "... Okay. The world doesn't stop for me. Tomorrow comes no matter what. And this tomorrow involves someone coming to threaten your life. Please let me help."
Lilian Rook	'Miss Rook.'     Lilian's eyes slide over to Audrey. This time her dull gaze hovers in the vicinity of her face. The utter disinterest that oozes from Lilian's expression doesn't feel like usual; or at least 'usual' for a fellow student. It isn't that Audrey is simply boring. Or beneath her. Or proposing something totally without merit. The way she stares through her is more like all of this has already happened before, and that she already knows how it will go. Like everything Audrey could possibly say lives in a whole other universe, far away from here, that has nothing to do with this on.     '... I was simply caught in her whirlwind.'     Her sleeplessly shadowed and tear-reddened gaze doesn't budge a millimeter. Lilian's lip twitches in disgust instead. Something sparks in the blacker portion of her eyes. The lit cigarette slips by a few degrees between her fingers.     "You left your uniform on." says Lilian, and for a split second, the difference in hostility between how she speaks to Audrey and Petra is made crystal clear; though her tone is closer to neutral, the way she looks at her can only feel like she detests her much more. "You're representing the school, aren't you? You're not a helpless victim. Don't tell me it was her fault."     '... Okay. The world doesn't stop for me. Tomorrow comes no matter what. And this tomorrow involves someone coming to threaten your life. Please let me help.'     Lilian looks away. A long drag on the cigarette she hates is a more calming alternative. "I almost don't even want to hear you explain what you think you're doing." Lilian says, rough-voiced from the effort of not coughing. She turns her wrist, and drops the note from it. The polished surface of her desk slides it almost to the edge, before a corner catches under the blood-tarnished trigger grip of Winter Crow, and sticks     Heeey Lilian! Thanks for all the family advice! I thought you'd appreciate the chance to show off in front of Deyvat :3     I'm only really accustomed to Fixer life but I ended up married so i need all the help i can get o_o     Share this with your partner okay? On a special day ^_-<3     --Angelica     "What do you expect me to do?" Lilian rasps. "Run away from my own castle? Desert everyone here and look after myself? Order my subordinates to hurl themselves onto his sword?" She plants her elbow on the tabletop, and leaning her head against her hand, runs her fingers through her bangs, sighing smoke. "You people already used up your strength saving Angela. You can't save me as well."     Sitting back up again, Lilian reaches across the desk for Winter Crow, reassembling it one worn-down piece at a time. "All that's left is for me to handle it like I always do. The cost of everyone else's half-assed determination and empty air promises. It's me again. Like usual. So nothing's changed."
Angela	The call to warn Trideag is heeded. Ceri and Solace were on their way rushing back to Trideag themselves when, like a jumpscaring monster, the man in the black mask enters their periphery. One second later, Ceri realizes 'shit!' and turns to face him and another second later she realizes the whole reason The Black Silence showed himself to her was to buy that extra second. The Zelkova Workshop axe slams into her arm and pulls back before it can dig fully into bone. An assassin's mercy. Pulling back, she sees Solace readying her own axe and sword and she shouts at her, "Idiot! You AREN'T ready. Get to HQ, I'll handle this...!" Solace hesitates but follows orders, making her way back to the Trideag HQ as Ceri and the Black Silence face each other. "Ceri Wood. Former heiress. Lived in District 14's Nest. Threw it all behind to join the Cinq. Threw it all behind again. Prefers carrying rapier in left hand. Covers weaknesses well but can't stop putting too much pressure on her leading foot, slows her down just enough." The Black Silence says. "...Went missing around twelve years ago, returned recently. Tell me about the Pianist. What do you know about him?" "I wasn't even in the City at the time, how do you expect me to--merde!" This time her rapier is ready and it barely deflects the axe away but he has a second weapon--another Zelkova--a mace that he uses to jab into her gut. "Rapier doesn't work well when I'm faster than you and have two weapons. You aren't my main target, but if I find out you knew something I'm coming back for you--" The Black Silence tries to leave but Ceri raises her rapier up in defiance with gritted teeth. "The Director... has had a rough month. I'm not letting you add to her burdens without a fight." The Black Silence cocks his head at her. "...Hahh... I was afraid you were going to say that."
Angela	LATER Ceri is hobbling towards the Trideag HQ. Her body is carved up and bruised and there's something odd about the way she's walking, but by all appearances to the two guarding the main gate, she is alone. "Oh shit--is that Ceri??" Fractal, who is guarding the main gate with their buddy Pez says. "Come on--we gotta get the Gate open--" And as they work on opening the gates, Pez asks, "How do you think she got away form the Black SIlence, she looks like shit--" A realization dawns on them and they turn around only to get a gunshot each in their legs, mere moments after The Black SIlence enters their perception once more. He drags Ceri along with her into the main lobby and flings her body so that it comes to a rest at the little monument with the Code of Trideag listed there. The Black Silence considers the monument for a moment, though with the mask it's impossible to tell how he feels about the code emblazoned on it. "Sorry about your friend but she wasn't being helpful." The Black Silence says. "The love of my life loved this place. Said it represented hope for The City, hope for our child. She wanted to support you any way she could. So in that spirit, I'm giving you a chance to send me home early. What do you know about the Pianist?" Despite the fact that Ceri clearly got a good hit on him before she went down--his left arm has a thick cut on it and is dragging the mace along behind him--there's a visible unease around the Trideag personnel. Just by reputation alone, The Black Silence registers as a threat they can't handle. While The Red Mist was a legend based on what people knew about her, the strange peculiarities around The Black Silence and what they don't know about them--creates a different sort of aura that has a similar effect on people from The City. Knifty squeaks, holding up a dinky little knife and cowering. The Rats have their swords out but seem unsure what to do. Only Solace, explicitly from the Outskirts, has both her weapons out and is putting her body between the assassin and the others. She doesn't attack yet, perhaps waiting to see how the Elites will handle this one first, but it's not like she knows anything about what he's asking about. Nobody does. But for now The Black Silence holds off on future aggression.
Nobunaga	"Stand guard," Nobunaga commands the tall armored man accompanying her, "Stop anyone who attempts to leave. Do /not/ kill them." Her eyes shift without turning her head, side-eyeing his face, "I would prefer no injuries, either."     Nagayoshi Mori, his bone-white armor mostly washed of blood and ink by the rain, closes his eyes with a wide sharp-toothed grin and an affirmative "Nnh!" His free hand reaches up, hinging his helmet forward until it conceals his face. Like this, he takes a position just outside the Trideag gate and plants his spear in the sidewalk with the ring of metal piercing concrete. Hands now free, the towering warrior slams one metal-clad fist into the other, jerking downward to loudly crack his knuckles.     The wounded gate guards, he can't do much about. Nagayoshi is a warrior, not a doctor, but at least he can guard them too.     As she enters the facility courtyard, Nobunaga lifts one gloved hand, fingers splayed out upwards. Her fingertips straighten, then curl slightly towards herself.     In response; a arquebus-- an ancient rifle-- materializes immediately in front of the Black Silence as he issues his threat. It isn't aimed at him. What it does do is swing itself like a baseball bat, the heavy stock swinging right at the side of his head.     Nobunaga's walk ceases just inside the building's entrance, her left hand tucking into the pocket of her slacks. Around her, more rifles wink into existence; this time, each one is aimed directly at the Black Silence.     "Forgive the intrusion," the warlord states in a chipper voice. Left hand pocketed, she lifts her right palm-upward, "A fair number of people are looking for you. 'Black Silence', yes? I am Oda Nobunaga-- the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven."
Riku Asakura	Riku runs through the city to get to Trideag in time.  As he approaches, he hears the gunshots and immediately grabs the Fusion Riser.  He rushes through the sequence, trying to do everything he can to get there quickly.  "I go!" he says activating an Ultracapsule.  Ultraman Seven appears next to him.  "You go!" as Ultraman Leo appears next to him. "Time for my courage to burn bright!" he says as he scans each capsule, and pulls the trigger on the Fusion Riser.  "GEEEEED!" SEVEN LEO ULTRAMAN GEED SOLID BURNING! Soaring overhead, Ultraman Geed comes crashing down in front of the Black Silence, trying to protect the ones he just shot by placing himself in the direct path.  Steam blasts off his body, as he comes from his three-point stance, and stands up fully to face the man.  "Stop this, Black Silence, you're only hurting yourself doing this.  Nobody here knows about the Pianist," he says holding his arms out. "I'm asking you to stop this.  I can't imagine the pain you're going through right now, but this isn't the path to healing.  It will only make things worse, make other people hurt and want to hurt you and others in return.  Please... just stop and let's find a different path to try and find out what happened..." Geed truly knows nothing about the Pianist.
Audrey Basque	Lilian's stare might not mean to be intense, but it is. To Audrey, at least. She'd played this exact meeting in her mind out before, a dozen times; it was never here, and never in the wake of someone else dragging her to it. And in an ideal world, she'd have had the high ground. Socially, and literally. None of that today. It really might be the second worst day of her life after all, and not just because of the Corridors.     "You're representing the school, aren't you? You're not a helpless victim. Don't tell me it was her fault."     "I did not-- mean--"     But she implied it, didn't she?     "... you are right, Miss Rook."     The vilest words to ever cross her lips.     "-- so, you will understand perfectly that as a White Crown representative of the school, I cannot walk away. Petra brought me here to help. And you're here." She had to slip that in there. It might not even be fully conscious. She would give the whole introduction speech, but... it's out of place here and now.     Though come to think of it, she knows not the first thing of how to help or against what she's even up against. 'The Black Silence', an assassin. That's basically no information.     There's no time to think about it or argue, sadly. The gunshots might be inaudible thanks to the gloves, but the yelling and alerts aren't.     She tooks to look at Petra.     "Shall we?"     This isn't it. This isn't it, and she's stressed like it is.     Calm.     Look at her. It'd be so e--     This isn't it. And it's not the time.
Tamamo	Tamamo can check the strings of the deceased. The killer certainly seems to be moving towards the Trideag building though the distance quickly snaps that link shut. He isn't too far ahead, but he's probably got about an hour's headstart and he seems to be the kind of guy who moves fast.     It was all Tamamo had time to check. She pulls a phone out from her sleeves, rapidly types out a series of messages to someone, and starts walking toward the door. There isn't any more need to track down the Black Silence, since they know where he's going. She knew from the start that he'd end up there, but not when. Tamamo had only hoped to have something better to tell him by the time they got there.     Something comes back in response to her messages. Often, she keeps her expression controlled in situations like this, but nobody is supposed to be looking, right now. The fact that she isn't happy about it can be easily seen. She responds, but that doesn't change. LATER:     'What do you know about the Pianist?'     "I know that the power he gained originated from the same site as held the L-Corp facility. I do not know what it is, but it spread from there."     She knew that from the start, too. She just hadn't wanted to have to say it, when it wouldn't lead anywhere but toward the one Lilian had named the 'least guilty.'     "Please pardon me for only saying so now. You are not an easy man to follow, and I would rather that I knew more."
Father Berislav	<Tac-Watch> 4 (RS) Red Dwarf says, "Back to the jeep! We're going!"     "I'll follow you and meet you there."     Father Berislav is out of the club like a bolt.     Much like his engagement against the Kurokumo clan when they attempted to corner the Blade Lineage, there's no effort to conceal his augmentation. Relying on it fully to keep up with the jeep, Berislav follows on the rooftops, trailing rapidly-fading still afterimages in his wake. The wind whips at his hair and his cassock with every stride of his legs, the sound of its resistance peaking to a dull roar with every leap from one rooftop to the next.     Building by building, he races closer and closer to the Association headquarters, until... What do you know about the Pianist?     Thud. The last afterimage flickers out of existence behind Berislav, a freeze-frame of him in free-fall towards the ground. "Excuse me," says Berislav, palms outward and raised as he rises from his landing. "But I think it's fairly obvious they're too worried about which of their friends you'll hurt next to answer you clearly." He keeps his voice level and calm, despite his entrance.     "Olivier is also very worried about you. My name is Father Waters Berislav. I'm with the Watch. I happen to be very worried, too. Not only about you, but about the cost your actions will incur towards the people of the Backstreets, when the other Syndicates discover the depth of the wound you've given the Middle and try to move in."     Berislav's body coils like a spring--the Black Silence can see it even though his posture doesn't change at all, when Nobunaga's rifle swings. "She's not one of ours, for the record," says the priest.      "Anyone in your position would be entitled to some answers," he continues. "So, don't you let one of them go and get Lilian? She'd be better prepared to give you that information than they would. It's her job to be informed about the City."     "In the meantime, I'm sure some of my people would like to see to her wounds," he says, nodding towards Ceri. "Will you let us do that?"
Redshift Operators	The Black Silence probably won't be harmed by the swing of the butt of the gun. But it might cook off the confrontation. And someone predicts that would be an unbelievably huge problem -- that's why she flickers into view abruptly, letting the impact of the gun jar her arms as her blade intercepts it and knocks her back a bit, sliding into a guarded stance. Her leader makes his presence known in a smoke-grenade's blast, laser-sight sweeping through thick mist surrounding the man -- not enough to obfuscate conversation, but enough to make combat an unsteady, uncertain problem. The Redshift Operators are here... on *Black Silence's* side.     ...This isn't the path to healing. It will only make things worse...     "*WRONG!*" The stern-voiced gunman growls "Maybe you'd be right if this had been a one-off. But the neck-up phenomenon, this... this weird person-changing shit..."     "Let it be known as Abnormalization."     "*Whatever!* It's *still happening!* The thing that took this guy's lady is *still going on*." His green optics glint in the smoke. "So nobody come here and tell me 'this won't fix anything', 'this won't heal anything'. The world's still ending just as bad as it feels like it is. Whatever made the Pianist is making more. It's still happening. It has to be found, it has to be stopped, and whoever did it or cut corners on stopping it has to be *killed*."     The pistol glints through the smoke, a hurried readiness. He mutters, tensely, "Even I gotta say this might be the wrong tree to bark up, even if I'm pro-barking." To the Black Silence. But he's here to help the man, not get in his way. And if this industrial disaster has brought about these strange mutations -- or worse -- then it's his job to kill more than it is to stop the killing.
Odette Raskins	There's a lot to think about on the way to Trideag HQ. What kind of strength can be built to... Not compete with, not stand beside, but even just to support so many giants? How can she become someone that her allies in the Watch, Trideag, Elibe, and beyond count on when the chips are down? Is it really even possible for someone like her? <J-IC-Scene> Petra Soroka says, dully, "Raskins. Ceri needs emergency treatment when you arrive." <J-IC-Scene> Odette Raskins says, "Huh? Wh... Okay! I'm just a few blocks away. Three... No, two minutes." The doubt's still gnawing at the back of Odette's mind as she sprints the rest of the way to the Trideag building, distracting her from the other possible question of why Ceri's in need of treatment. She readjusts her bag's straps on the way and slides a scanner out of her belt as she goes, nearly slamming into someone on the way towards Ceri once she sees her body at the monument. It's a quick sidestep that should be enough to avoid a collision, at least, and she's even feeling a little bump in her mood at noticing how easy it feels to run like this now. MAybe she really is making progress. Maybe things are getting better for her, now that she's had time to step away from everything and let it settle over the past two weeks. She doesn't even recognize who it was she ran by in her haste to get to Ceri, and she glances back briefly to raise her arm in a wave. "Sorry! In a a rush, got to-" Wait, was that the Black Silence? Wait, why's he bleeding? Why are Fractal and Pez bleeding? Grimacing as the injured are already starting to pile up, Odette tries to just shove all those questions out of her mind as she keeps sprinting, about to slide to a stop by Ceri and instead slipping at the last moment to land awkwardly on her side. Unwilling to let that get to her while she's working, the EMT is already sweeping the scanner across Ceri to determine the extent of her wounds while her free hand dips in and out of her bag at a rapid clip. Emergency pen, jabbed into Ceri's neck to help stabilize her condition while she works. Spray, to clot wounds that are still bleeding. Bandages, to hold together anything that might be in danger of tearing further without the support. "Stay with me, Miss Ceri... What happened?"
Petra Soroka	"You're representing the school, aren't you?"     Petra's eyes slide away from Lilian to look to the side at Audrey for a moment before flicking away. Audrey not introducing herself or stating her own reasoning for being here before talking about Petra doesn't escape her notice, but it's lost in the malaise of the 'whirlwind'. Lilian looking at Audrey gives Petra a brief glimmer of a light through the haze to consider her, but not enough to form an opinion about it. "You people already used up your strength saving Angela. You can't save me as well."     Petra can't look at Lilian, or the cigarette, the desk, or the paper. Any objections she might work up to Lilian's desolation die in her mouth and crawl in wet spasms down the back of her throat. If Audrey is looking for any help from her, she won't find it. Petra clenches her fist and jaw, staring downwards, on the verge of tears. "It's me again. Like usual. So nothing's changed."     Petra breathes through her hoarse throat before turning to the elevator, stiffly hinging her arm to the compact mirror in her pocket. "Okay. I'm still here."     Thus, 'throwing subordinates on his sword' it is. Petra's pleading gaze-- for assistance with the upcoming battle, but also simply to get out of here-- flicks up to Audrey, and 'shall we?' is a minor reprieve from Lilian. She twitches her head in a weak nod, and heads to the lobby. "Oh shit--is that Ceri??"     Suit darkened with blood from the Middle corpses and her own re-opened wounds, Fourth Match Flame alight and in her hand, Petra's presence within the unfamiliar Trideag lobby is radioactively unusual and ominous. Morphmetal swims through the air around her in two loose waves, not bothering to be hidden or subtle, in contrast to the Black Silence himself. The shots ring out, and Petra moves instantly, whipping Silver tendrils around Fractal and Pez-- who she's never met-- and yanking them backwards to throw them unceremoniously into the lobby behind her. Ceri, on the other hand, slides to a stop on the ground, and Petra doesn't immediately move to do anything about her. <J-IC-Scene> Petra Soroka says, dully, "Raskins. Ceri needs emergency treatment when you arrive." "What do you know about the Pianist?"     "Hi again," Petra responds, lifelessly. "I've shared most of what I know with you, and the information I didn't say was information that I only needed to rule out options, not find the real one. Please don't make me do this." "I know that the power he gained originated from the same site as held the L-Corp facility."     Tamamo's arrival and declaration startles life back into Petra for a moment, but it's a pale and horrified form of life. Both wide-eyed and wincing, she's both surprised and intensely, instantly wishing that Tamamo had said anything else.     "... How? We're not... oh." There's a dozen options of what Lobotomy Corporation could have done to cause this. If it was just 'Lobotomy Corporation's fault', that Tamamo's divination had discovered, then that would align with the theories Petra had given on the day of the Pianist's attack, blaming Aberrations, blaming branch breaches, blaming power outages and snowballing disasters. There could only be *one* thing that points a line to the Lobotomy Corporation Headquarters.     And Petra knows more about that than anyone. She squashes her face in her palm, blinded except for the tactile tendrils of morphmetal raking the ground around her. "... So there's nothing to kill. No one to get revenge on. Everyone involved in the leadership of Lobotomy Corporation is dead. I killed Ayin, the CEO of L-Corp, several weeks ago, Black Silence."
Gaonoir	<Tac-Watch> 4 (RS) Red Dwarf says, "Back to the jeep! We're going!" Gaonoir hrrmphs. He had no real opinion of or direct experience with Trideag. It was simply the matter of dealing with this anomalous weirdness going on. "Sounds like you're going to have to wait to play codebreaker." "Then we should be prepared beforehand." Erika thumbed the command icon on her smartphone Digivice, unleashing a surge of digital energy into her Digimon partner. "Perfect Digivolution, Execute!" A few moments later and Gaonoir has been transformed into his more anthromorphic Dark MachGaogamon form, grabbing Erika and rushing off. Between speed and voidstepping the Digimon arrives in a swirl of darkness at roughly the same time as Father Berislav, hovering just behind him with Erika sat in the crook of one arm. A simple look around can tell this is already a mess. "Tch." The other large metal gauntlet clenches, ready. But for the moment let's see if Berislav's effort to talk can get anywhere.
Redshift Operators	The minute Petra shows up, the gunman squad-leader's laser-beam sweeps her where her center of mass ought to be. When she says that ominous 'we're', it instantly zips to focusing on her forehead, regardless of the fact that the morphmetal would surely intercept anything.     "I killed Ayin, the CEO of L-Corp, several weeks ago..."     The laser dot instantly leaves Petra's forehead without a word.
Madeleine Cadrasteia	As the 'away team' hurries toward Trídéag headquarters, Madeleine is lost in thought, moving on instinct. While she beelines across rooftops and vaults over city streets in hope of catching up to the Black Silence, her mind wanders in contemplation.     Every member of the Excrucian Host has lost something precious and irreplaceable. The ruination of the 'is-Not' by the angels of her world meant that nevermore could any place truly be *home* for the Excrucians, that forevermore would Madeleine's people be defined by their alienation and grief.     Madeleine has never lost a lover to violent ends, but she imagines to know something of how the Black Silence feels. The bleak rage, against the world, against anything in reach. The wish for unattainable justice, or for at least the meteing-out of punishment. Excrucians, when they first understand their curse for what it is, fall almost to the last into such a state. Many are consumed entirely in a mad frenzy of fruitless vengeance, using every drop of their power and will until they unravel and burn away.     But oh, the destruction they can cause in that time. Oh, the vengeance that can be had.     Lashing out is intoxicating, thrilling. Madeleine knows this well. However she may have justified in the moment each of her acts in the war against the world, there was also a simple appetite for revenge behind them all. The thought that if something, *anything* could be made to bleed badly enough, perhaps things could be right again, could be like they used to be.     That, in Madeleine's estimation, is roughly where the Black Silence is at right now. And if he's let to have his way he'll tear Trídéag to pieces like he did the Middle, like he's done to who-knows-how-many people in the last few days. So when she arrives to the standoff at the gates of Trídéag HQ, she does ready her spear. But she waits, perhaps unwisely, for the Black Silence to make a first move, to start the fight proper.     "I understand what you're feeling, but there's no going back to before. And you won't find justice at the bottom of a pile of random corpses. You're here to learn the truth and move forward. That's good, but I can't let you hurt these people, even if they can't or won't help you."
Xion	PHONE: Phoning Petra Soroka, Xion says, "You can't *be* the villain of everyone's hearts to justify how you feel. It doesn't work. Because you'll also be the villain of your own heart, and, I think you're figuring out you have one too. Or, one's grown where you didn't expect it, and now this belligerent thing is leading you all *kinds* of idiotic, contradictory places." PHONE: Petra Soroka says, "Yeah... well, my heart used to be something that I was better off being the enemy of. It wasn't exactly my ally either. I think we've... still, probably, got a fraught relationship." PHONE: Petra Soroka says, "I don't know. I can't imagine that the next step after waging war is to 'be kinder to myself' or whatever." Phonecalls hanging off of railings in warming march evenings in Traverse Town didn't feel like they helped. Churros and rock candy barely made her feel normal again. Ache in the arms, weariness about the shoulders, and tiredness hugged her like a lover coiling about limbs to drag her off to bed again. To sleep, to be less, to be nothing at all. Could she bear to become better? Chomping on her churro, she thought about answering Petra again. Did she know? Was this pitiful state of reaching-at-anything what she had been reduced to? She did want it, right? She had been so sure, and worse, was told to stay, and so what was this feeling she felt? It wasn't regret, or defeat. Was this sick sense victory? It had to be better than this. She dangled, surrounded by the orange-yellow lights of living in windowboxes and rounded-edged screens and the dot-twinkles of glows, and let her phone dangle likewise in black-gloved hands. --- Xion had asked, though, told the Tridaeg association members that if anything happened and if they were in a pinch to send her a message. The Rats, especially, had been given a straight talk about 'no, seriously, I'll show up' that hadn't been seriously tested. Sometimes Xion wondered if people believed her. Other times, Xion wondered if people thought they'd be bothering her if they asked. Neither was the case, when Solace finally got back to Tridaeg to warn the association. Getting a text message - that someone (a Color Fixer??) was threatening the association, the noirette doesn't think twice in rushing through a Corridor without all of the details, appearing a fresh outfit onto herself from her paramagical inventory. Emerging inside the Association compound, she's at a trotting jog-to-standing pace when Ceri is rolled against the plaque. Dressed in a black coat, zipped open to reveal a charcoal tank top and jean-black shorts over black leggings and sneakers, the noirette's eyes don't go through all the steps of shock-widen and anger-narrowing. Instead, her feet turn towards the Silence, and her hand shifts back to close in the air around a blade-- But there's a creaking-taut sound instead of a cleank 'shwink!', and the Kingdom Key does not appear in her grip. From the tight line of her expression a frown emerges, and the handgrip shifts to a different point in space to summon the empty star-toothed pale silver and dark blue hilted Starlight. '*Whatever!* It's *still happening!*' "I'm not going to try and deflect whatever you're feeling with words." There's no casual shrug in her stance, no happy shouldering of a cartoonish weapon, just a slowly stepping intent. "Killing 'whoever', because 'whatever', is no way to go about healing. And you know this."
Redshift Operators	"Killing 'whoever', because 'whatever', is no way to go about healing. And you know this."     "Nobody wants *healing!*" The gunman speaks with urgency. Not the same tension and emotional resonance as the Black Silence, who has lost far more. But he knows what this situation means. He's been here, seeing the scenario from so many angles.     "People want safety. People want a world that spins the way it ought to. People want," His gun goes to his side for a moment, as he gestures and points at District Nine wildly. "The damn Pianist to be the *only* time this happens, and for whoever caused it to wind up *dead!*" Back to a firmer grip on the weapon, keeping the barrel up again. "If one person's entire world ends, then it's not right for everyone else's to keep spinning. That can't be how it works, it's *wrong*. You can't quarantine, you can't block it into parts. It's gotta find the source and balance."     His hands squeeze his gun tensely. "I'd take it *slower*, maybe answer a message or two more," He hisses through teeth under his helmet. "But the direction's right. That's how this works. We don't give up on that."
Lilian Rook	In an ideal world, this would never have happened. In a better world, at least, this would be the part where Lilian suddenly descends on the Black Silence from a blind angle, appearing in the lobby with thunder and fury that instantly rallies all of Trídéag in a single dramatic moment. The world Lilian has to live in is the one where it hurts just to stand up out of her chair.     It's the one where she can feel where the recently healed space that a morpmetal bullet narrowly fell short of her kidney complains about every motion of her left arm, having to work the action of her sidearm back into place against accumulated metal fatigue and heat deformation. Where she has to throw her Association coat back on over her crop top, baring more of her bruised collarbone than she'd like, because her armour hasn't recovered since fourth day of fighting, and fold up that note on her desk into inner pocket, for fear that it might be disappear if she leaves it. In this reality, she looks right past Audrey at 'you're right', as if it were obvious from the start, and picking up her sword, she limps towards the elevators.     '-- so, you will understand perfectly that as a White Crown representative of the school, I cannot walk away.'     "That's exactly why your responsibility is to walk away." Lilian murmurs as she walks past. "Don't look for reasons to fail just because you're bored of succeeding. Anyone in this world would kill for what you have."     'Okay. I'm still here.'     "'Still'." Lilian breathes out, pausing a moment before hitting the call button. "I can't tell whether I hope we're all still the same people or hope that we're not." The elevator arrives immediately. "Get out of my office."     The intercom clicks throughout the building. Overriding every regular announcement, personnel direction, even the ambient music in the ground floor outlets, Lilian's voice doesn't need to introduce itself, no matter how haggard she may sound.     "All non-combat personnel are instructed to open employee-only exits and entrances and to evacuate visitors from the premises. Medical personnel are to gather at pre-arranged emergency meeting sites and be ready for triage. Fixers are ordered to report to the main lobby. Do not open fire on the Black Silence until instructed otherwise. I repeat, do not open fire until instructed otherwise."     There's a pause long enough to hear the whirring of the elevator through the ambient background. An in-lift emergency phone?     "I don't take attacking my people lightly, 'Black Silence'. Show me you're not just another mad dog."
Sarracenia	Sarracenia cannot teleport, has no super speed, nor can she manipulate time to her advantage to reach Trideag.      That does not stop her from employing every method she DOES have to get there as quickly as possible. She uses her Leaf power to fly high enough that she is above most buildings, landing on a roof. Then, in bursts, a large Bullet Bill appears and rockets through the sky at something akin to highway speeds, banking and cornering around buildings in ways a projectile like that should not be able to. Every few seconds it explodes, sending the Trideag-dressed princess spiraling through the air as she pulls out another and in another explosion becomes a car-sized Bullet Bill again and continues her frantic flight.      She does not want anyone in Trideag getting hurt because of her, and definitely does not want Lilian to have to clean up her mess. It would just make Lilian think she is right and that the entire Multiverse can't be depended on to handle things without her.      Even still, Sarra doesn't make it in time. One last Bullet Bill power-up rockets her down toward the entrance and explodes just far enough above that it won't hurt anyone below. She once again goes flying out in a graceful spiral and in an acrobatic flip she lands on her feet at a run. She is already pulling out her hammer as she lands and her morphmetal is flowing to the tip to form a semblance of the hammer she used to carry.      Just in time to see Ceri flung through the door. She growls and rushes inside, paying no heed to Black Silence at first. She instead rushes to Ceri! "Ceri!" Sarra exclaims, skidding to a stop on her heeled royal slippers and pulling out a green mushroom as she rests her hammer head down on the ground. She forces the mushroom into Ceri's mouth if she has to. Is Ceri even still alive?      Sarra isn't Kukuru, she isn't even Odette. So, the mushroom is the best she can do. She then turns to Black Silence, her one visible blue eye burning with rage. But, she understands the stakes this time. She saw the dance club. Black Silence won't hesitate to take lives and take them swiftly if he has a mind to. "We do not know anything else! I already told you, everything we know of that could have done anything like this was already contained!      Sarra starts to says something else, to spout off about Adam. But...they stopped him, right? Nothing he did should have gotten out...right? Sarra's eye flicks over toward Petra, remembering that she is supposed to keep things about the war a secret and that not doing so resulted in this. Her angery expression turns to one more of desperation and tears appear in her eyes. "Please. I met Angelica. She was so kind and vibrant. I will happily help you figure out whatever happened! But...no one here knows anything about it! Do not hurt them! Especially not because of me!"
Angela	The Black Silence snaps his blade up as the gun appears but he's obviously expecting the gun to SHOOT not BONK and it WOULD have slammed against his face had White Dwarf not interceded on the strike. The Black Silence looks at her for a moment, gives her a nod, and then his head shifts back to look at Nobunaga. Even with the mask, his entire posture indicates he has no idea who this is. It doesn't go away when she introduces herself. There's decent odds that he's unaware she's the source of the GUNBONK too. It just sort of appeared in front of him, Nobunaga talking to him doesn't tell him she's the source of the Gunbonk. But he does notice the hand in her pocket. [ansi(95,")]You here to get in my way?" He asks, his voice garbled in the way voice-changers affect the voice. Then a GUY comes crashing down in front of him! He doesn't know it's Riku. The Black Silence, interpreting this as an attack, swings the mace hard for the side of Riku's head. He's already mid-swing when Riku starts talking and suggesting finding another path. "Shit, that scared me." The famous Color says, totally willing to admit it. Gaonoir appears. No, The Black Silence tells himself, don't get distracted by the bipedal dog thing. Just ... just ignore it. It's not real. Pain hallucination. That must be it. Angelica told him there was some kind of large squirrel guy but that's clearly a large dog guy. Tamamo gives him some information though it's (mostly) not new information to him. "...Sorry, I couldn't stand still." He says to her. "But I got a lead." Father Berislav also tries to convince him to give up peacefully but he invokes Olivier's name which gets the hand on his sword to twitch, tellingly. "...I know I'm causing him trouble. He told me not to stir shit up. That's how he's always been." But he exhales out a sigh. "Look, I know that 'revenge' doesn't help me 'heal'. I'm not an out of control amateur who loses his shit every time he loses someone. But void-eyes is right. I need to know the truth. She was my life. I need to avenge her. And I need to continue being Empty after like all the cliches say." Ceri is unconscious but she's not dead! Neither are Pez or Fractal for that matter, though they are wounded. The Black Silence doesn't seem to be going for the kill for anyone just yet. He's being honest about not going full hog for the reasons he said. Ceri's wounds are serious, but nothing that Odette can't handle. ''I killed Ayin, the CEO of L-Corp, several weeks ago.'' "Kinda stunned you just admitted to killing the head of a Wing." The Black Silence says. He hears the evacuation alarms go off. He doesn't chase after non-combat personnel. His eyes linger on Knifty as she rushes off to drag Cheer and Soothe out of here. "You saying he was responsible for everything? It's a viable theory, but I can't confirm it." ''-let one of them go get Lilian.'' ''Show me you're not just another mad dog.'' ''--But the direction's right.'' The Black Silence nods once to Red Dwarf and then turns back facing forward, focused on Petra, first, then Xion... And then finally Sarracenia as she arrives. The Black Silence lingers on her for a moment longer than the others before finally he speaks. "I'm not here for Lilian." He says, extending a finger to point at Sarracenia. "I am here for you." IS THIS IT? IS THIS SARRACENIA'S CHANCE TO GET KIDNAPPED?!
Angela	The finger then points to Xion. "And you." And then to Petra. "And you. There were other names, but I don't know who they are yet." He lets his arm drop. "Our source said it was your fault, and some others. That you engaged in sabotage. So let me have them and I'll leave and write an apology card for getting ahead of myself." This doesn't seem to be something Solace is willing to accept as she lashes out with her axe. Protect the Village, she thinks. That's her job here. Protect the Village. The justification of this man doesn't matter. She has to protect her fellow Villagers. The Black Silence sidesteps it, deflecting her blows with his own axe. In a moment, Finn and the Rats will be moving to engage too.
Audrey Basque	"Don't look for reasons to fail just because you're bored of succeeding. Anyone in this world would kill for what you have."     Just run.     Stay safe in your little dorm room. Go to class. Get your grades. Get your dream job or start a company and then be comfortable for the next three centuries. Yeah, it's easy, isn't it? It's what Enlightened crave. Joining the Immune? Getting involved in risky Multiversal business? It's gotten glamorous, thanks to her success story, but it's still counter their nature.     She'd know about killing to get places.     Nevermind that right now. Petra's...     Right. This is a pointless argument.     But Audrey can't help it.     "Not me."     Barely audible. She might not even realize she said it instead it thinking it, as she started walking alongside Petra to leave and head down.     . . .     And now she was down. Standing by Petra, who had a sword out, amidst a lobby full of armed Elites and a single man warranting this much of a response.     Audrey is silent, because she doesn't know this man, doesn't know his story... and doesn't know the circumstances. Not beyond what he said, anyway. Saving Angela really had a cost, didn't it?     She looks to the side, at Petra, to see what she'll say or do. It's all she can really do, right now. Or all she dares to, anyway. It's next to nothing, and it bothers her.
Gaonoir	''"Look, I know that 'revenge' doesn't help me 'heal'. I'm not an out of control amateur who loses his shit every time he loses someone. But void-eyes is right. I need to know the truth.'' Gaonoir tilts his head as Black Silence speaks, eyes narrowing behind his visor. So the man or whatever he's become is not entirely lost to the situation. It's like Red Dwarf said. The direction is right. What is causing this madness and the bizarre incidents needs to be found. But he's made a really big mess in his wake. There was more at risk than just getting the world to spin right. "He.. acts like this is all he has now," Erika muses at his side. "It very well may be," Gaonoir rumbles softly. That hits a bit closer to home than he would ever publicly admit. But he knows that spiral. The feeling that the only thing you have is focus on the one thing you can do. Make it everything you will do... And then he says he's there for Sarracenia, which makes both Gaonoir and Erika blink a couple of times. That was not expected.
Xion	'Nobody wants *healing!*' Xion's thumb braces the hilt of her sword, but the tip doesn't rise. "They want the results of healing. They just want it now. I know." She answers, tone measured. The insistence, the need of what the gunman speaks of is emotionally real. "But it won't happen, 'now'." Xion answers, lifting empty right hand to gesture about the lobby. "You can't kill anyone in this building and fix the City! So if what you need right now is to *kill*, then you *are* barking up the wrong... tree" Xion winces. Trees, really? The reference felt truly hollow now, like trees themselves were throbbing burn-ins behind the eyes after leading Angela to the Tree of Light. Shaking off the weaving feeling of a moment, Xion taps the tip of her blade to the ground and blinks her eyes a few times before tracking between the Black Silence and the Red Dwarf. Lilian's orders to not engage with the Black Silence are ones that the Nobody remains following, easing a little as the Black Silence doesn't aggress while he talks to Petra. Xion wants to keep talking with Red Dwarf anyway, and several more lines of Posting are almost brought to bear and are stifled. "Gathering up all the reasons to point a gun from other people won't help you hit me with it, Red Dwarf." Xion finally reaches, eyes leaving the staredown with helmet optics to look at the man pointing at her. 'And you.' Xion brushes a black-gloved hand across one side of her bangs. "I'll be honest. You can't contain or imprison me. You won't be able to restrain me. You can only kill me, or convince me to go with you, and if you threaten them I'm simply not going with you. Under those conditions, how will you act?"
Nobunaga	> "She's not one of ours, for the record." > "I repeat, do not open fire until instructed otherwise." > "You here to get in my way?"     Nobunaga closes her eyes. The numerous rifles floating around her all tilt up slightly, aiming at the ceiling in perfect time to her own gesture; raising her right hand as a fist to lightly bonk herself on the head, "Oops. Apparently not."     Guess I got the wrong impression from all the bodies, she thinks to herself. Her bonking hand lowers to cradle her chin in one gloved hand, regarding Black Silence more critically. There's clearly a lot more to the situation than she knows; so it's best to listen and absorb.     No use going off half-cocked with no intel, as she had just nearly done. In flickers of golden sparks, the numerous rifles disappear one by one. The last weapon that vanishes is the one that took a swing at him; the one blocked by White Dwarf. > "I'm not here for Lilian. I am here for you."     "Hoooh~?" Nobunaga's head tilts slightly, still rubbing her chin with her hand. The look on her face becomes one of Smug Realization. > "And you. And you. There were other names. . . That you engaged in sabotage."     "Oh," the entertained smugness drops from the warlord's face as quickly as it had appeared.     "So we round them up and it's off to the executions, I suppose," Nobunaga sweeps her arms out in a lift of her shoulders, eyes closed, "Or perhaps there was something to that 'sabotage' that had to be done? An unknown angle?" One crimson eye opens, fixed on Sarracenia, then sliding towards the others that Black Silence called out directly.     "Shall the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven hold trial?" Unbidden flames circle very briefly around her feet, vanishing as quickly as they had appeared. Her hands spread to either side in a sweeping gesture, a wide grin crossing her face that doesn't quite match the determination burning behind her eyes, "I do have a sense of justice-- so I shall hear all sides before I render judgement, if that is the route chosen."
Riku Asakura	'"*WRONG!*" The stern-voiced gunman growls "Maybe you'd be right if this had been a one-off. But the neck-up phenomenon, this... this weird person-changing shit..."' Ultraman Geed looks towards the Redshifts and shakes his head.  "That's something that can be taken care of separately.  Charging around killing everyone who might have information is different..." he says, standing straight up.   '"Shit, that scared me."' Riku doesn't move to defend himself, letting the blow get close to him before Roland aborts it and instead admits to being startled.  "I apologize, I didn't mean to scare you.  I needed to get here fast and I didn't see another way to close the distance in time." 'I need to know the truth. She was my life. I need to avenge her.' Geed makes a motion with his hands, part sad and part trying to keep things calm.  If the position was reversed, how different would he be, he wonders.  He doesn't know... it's a sad thing to consider.  However, he points at Petra, at Sarra, and then at Xion.   Oh.  Oh no.  People were hurt because of what they did.  He looks crestfallen but knows that they can't just let the man kill these people.  Lilian's orders to not engage the Black Silence are followed, he's not looking to start a fight the best that he's able.   He's not sure what to say or do right now, caught between his duty to people and his feelings he takes a step forward, continuing to shield the people of this place and make sure none come to harm.  "Who are the others on your list," he asks wanting to not just jump to conclusions either.
Tamamo	The wounded are being handled. The fact that the Black Silence hasn't actually killed anyone -- in this building -- isn't lost on Tamamo. Outwardly, she doesn't concern herself with it. An evacuation is proceeding.     She can't very well tell Nobunaga to cool it, any more than she can tell the Redshifts to stand down, though she does eye the latter warily. Regardless of who's 'right' in any objective sense, there's a side that's Lilian's, and a side that's... Lilian's recently murdered friend's grieving husband. Ugh.     '... So there's nothing to kill. No one to get revenge on.'     "There is... something. However, whether it can be killed... or, for that matter, found... is unclear."     'But I got a lead.'     "Oh...?"     'I'm not here for Lilian.     I am here for you.     And you. And you.'     "Eh? Even Xion...?!"
Redshift Operators	The gunman is startled. His aim wavers. Then it firms, darting between Xion, Petra, and Sarracenia. "You *sure*?" He whispers, tensely. "Two of those, I know from deposing the damn Queen of the Leviathans. She--" He starts.     "They're moving! All of them!" The cyborg is calling out, seconds before the motion. Neither the gunman nor the ninja have intentions of holding back. Even the Black Silence, in the heat of things, works more deftly than they do, more precisely. As Finn and the Rats start to head for the Black Silence, the ready blade and the dangerous laser sight sweep to them...     Stop those Rats now if you want this bloodless.
Father Berislav	...I know I'm causing him trouble. He told me not to stir shit up.     "But he's also always been very kind, hasn't he? That's what most impressed me about him. When I met him, I expected that kindness only to be skin-deep. Imagine my surprise when I saw someone who wouldn't apologize for the way the City treats its most vulnerable."     "He doesn't blame you, you know. He's less worried about the trouble you'll cause for him than he is the trouble you'll cause for the people of the Backstreets if the City feels threatened by you." Kinda stunned you just admitted to killing the head of a Wing.     Berislav manages a breathy chuckle. "Petra can be surprisingly forthcoming, yes." He turns his attention towards her. "Why did you do that?" There's more that he knows, from Rita's admission, but won't ask here-- Our source said it was your fault, and some others.     So he told you. That makes this difficult. You won't be able to restrain me. You can only kill me, or convince me to go with you, and if you threaten them I'm simply not going with you.     "Thank you, Xion."     In a flash, Berislav is between Roland and Solace. As her axe passes the apex of its swing, his foot pins her wrist to the outer fence surrounding the headquarters. "Please stop that. Tell your friends to stop, too." His silver eyes plead more fervently than the words do, searching hers for understanding an acceptance. "You don't have to trust me, but you should trust her." His eyes flick in Xion's direction.
Riku Asakura	Geed turns, putting his back to Roland and the Redshirts turning towards Finn and the Rats. "Stop!" he says trying to get them to stop their attack. "Lilian told you not to attack without her say so!" he says to them, trying to now shield The Black Silence from the Finn and the Rats.
Madeleine Cadrasteia	"But void-eyes is right. I need to know the truth. She was my life. I need to avenge her. And I need to continue being Empty after like all the cliches say."     Madeleine nods, just early enough into the Black Silence's remarks to betray that she was expecting him to say that. Wow, this guy Gets It! She's about to commend him for being reasonable when he demands... prisoners? Maybe worse than that, given what the Black Silence apparently does to leads that don't pan out.     When Solace breaks the stalemate and attacks, Madeleine flinches, genuinely caught off-guard. It's just enough of a hesitation that Solace attacks alone, her axe deflected by the Black Silence's. On instinct Madeleine springs closer, but she remembers the Dame Commander's order before she swings her spear around to attack. The huntress lets out a conflicted "ech!" sound and hops back away from the burgeoning melee as Berislav intercepts Solace's attack. He's *probably* not going to hurt her, right?     Madeleine chances a look past the Black Silence, toward the other elites and Trídéag fixers. Toward Odette frantically setting to work on Ceri, and the plaque on the wall above. You are responsible to your comrades before anything else. Guard them as they would guard you.     The huntress hesitates, again, another chance for things to go terribly wrong. What does 'guard them' *mean* here? Fight side by side with them, or keep them from getting butchered by the man who might be, in this moment, the City's most dangerous resident? She sucks in a breath through her teeth, and tries to relax from her fighting stance. Maybe this still doesn't have to go bloody. "Their lives aren't for sale. Says so right on the wall, in not so many words."
Tamamo	'I repeat, do not open fire until instructed otherwise.'     This doesn't seem to be something Solace is willing to accept as she lashes out with her axe.     In a moment, Finn and the Rats will be moving to engage too.     Stop those Rats now if you want this bloodless.     "Stay! Are you a child? Do not try and tell me 'she never mentioned axes.'" Maybe this is the wrong time to be indignant, or maybe it's exactly the right time. She doesn't know what kind of employee relation Solace has with Lilian, but she knows who holds authority over the organization and, by extension, the situation. The anger flares despite the clear justification for immediate violence.     Berislav approaches Solace. Tamamo claps her hands together, eyes bright, and commands the attention of the Rats with, "Look to me. I will remind you when your hands are not to stay."     Used forcefully like this, it will be obvious afterward that they were struck by a Charm, but the situation calls for some amount of force. They'll get over it, she hopes. In the meantime, it will be much harder for them to pay attention to anyone else in the room, Solace and the Black Silence included. Other things fade away in a feeling of radiance.
Petra Soroka	"If one person's entire world ends, then it's not right for everyone else's to keep spinning."     The gleam of red light briefly flashing off of her morphmetal is enough to give Petra an idea of what's aimed at her, but it's not precise enough to show when it veers off. In response, the morphmetal orbiting around her tightens, tensely coiled in preparation for an attack, but she doesn't bother moving her head or shifting her stance at all.     "Yeah. I don't disagree. You're not finding those people here. This is the one place in the City that doesn't deserve to be punished, according to your wife, and she was right. I'm sorry. Find somewhere else for revenge if you need it."     Xion gets a tiny fraction more energy out of Petra, but mostly in the form of sympathy and distant relief at her presence. "Hi, Xion. I'm sorry you keep getting dragged into stuff at the worst possible times without context." "Kinda stunned you just admitted to killing the head of a Wing."     "Oooh," Petra says, sort of lightheartedly amused through the flatly miserable affect, weak half-smile twitching one side of her mouth. "Ohh nooo, call an Arbiter. Call the Head. I know what company I'm in."     Referring to the Black Silence, she means; intuitively sensing that if somehow the Head were responsible himself, he wouldn't hesitate to carve a path through District 1 to get to him even if he'd never make it. Petra lowers her sword a tiny bit, flamelight dancing on the reflective morphmetal around her. "You saying he was responsible for everything?"     "No. I'm saying he was the last one alive who was. The other one responsible died over a decade and a half ago." "Our source said it was your fault, and some others. That you engaged in sabotage."     The number of 'sources' that could possibly mean is *vanishingly* low. To point out, not the Elites involved with the City as a whole, not Ceri the Lobotomy Corporation agent, but to include Xion, who was present for one particular thing... it instantly sours Petra's mood even worse than Lilian had, which she hadn't thought was possible. Audrey, standing next to her, feels the sick sting of intangible psychic needles pricking under her skin, washing off of Petra in waves.     "Listen to yourself. If I was involved in a conspiracy large enough to topple a Wing and wipe a District off the map, would I really implicate myself in it while standing in the middle of an Association Headquarters I'm not part of, while you have nothing to go off of besides 'a source'?"     Petra tilts up her chin, gold eyes locking onto the mask with as much intensity as if it was his face. "Your 'source'," Spat. There's one person she can think of it being, and it feels like pure stomach acid across her lips. "Has ulterior motives to get me killed and erase her part in it. Listen to me," "Why did you do that?"     "I am the last remaining leadership of the former L-Corp. Ayin died at my hand; his co-conspirator died before the founding of the Wing, and their plan, ever since the beginning, was exactly this. Until recently, I didn't have any choice in whether their plan to destroy the City went through. My first act when I had the freedom to choose was to execute him. The source you're talking about is someone who prevented me from cutting off his plan altogether, and is the person who caused it to succeed 'occasionally' in events like the Pianist, rather than the intended result of it happening to everyone."     "So," A tendril of morphmetal whips around Solace's waist and drags her back away from swinging at the Black Silence and Berislav between them. "So everyone just hold the fuck on for maybe a fucking minute, alright?"
Odette Raskins	"... M-Mister Dwarf?!" Hearing Red Dwarf is one of the few things here that actually snaps Odette's attention away from treating Ceri, partially because she truly wasn't expecting to see one of her heroes here of all places. She had seen him not long ago, so to see him here again with White Dwarf... "Nobody wants *healing!*" "People want safety. People want a world that spins the way it ought to." She'd be so much more elated if not for the circumstances surrounding them being here. It'd be more inspiring to hear him, too, if she wasn't already wrist-deep in treating Ceri's wounds. She does breathe a sigh of relief at Ceri's wounds not being impossible to treat, at least, and she even marvels a bit at the Black Silence's once she starts to notice that the wounds really could have been so much worse than they are. "I need to know the truth." With that and what he says, Odette feels some of the tension leaving her all at once. Not all of it, though, since she can't forget that he injured three Trideag members just for... "Mister Black Silence? I get that you wanted to get answers, but why did you have to do it like this?" She gestures at Ceri with her free hand as she puts the finishing touches on wrapping up her wounds, then winces slightly while getting back up on her feet. "Were they going to stop you from getting those answers? Were any of us?" She knows she can't fight him, but something about all of this just feels wrong in her chest. Odette looks over at Black Silence for a another moment, then forces down that feeling right back into her gut to get started on treating Pez and Fractal. Easier wounds, to be sure, although having them awake for it means she might have to force them to stay a little more still while she's extracting anything that might still be stuck in them from those gunshot wounds and spraying those same wounds with disinfectant. There's still so much that doesn't make sense, though. This is all coming from his pursuit of the Pianist and those responsible for unleashing it, right? Why would he have a lead here of all places? "I killed Ayin, the CEO of L-Corp, several weeks ago." "I am here for you." "And you." "And you." Odette inhales, exhales, then lets her gaze slowly drift over to Petra, then Sarracenia, then Xion, and then finally back to the Black Silence. Her mouth hangs open slightly as she struggles and fails to unpack any of that on her own, lacking far too much context to do that right this second. In looking towards the Black Silence, though, she sees the Rats moving in, and she sees White Dwarf and Red Dwarf readying their weapons. Leaving Pexz and Fractal with mostly-dressed wounds, ODette sprints her duffel-bag carrying ass over, hands held out on each side as she tries to interject right in between the Redshifts and the Rats, shuffling back and forth to also try and keep herself between the Rats and the Black Silence. "Whoa whoa whoa whoa hey! C-c-come on, this is...! Don't be stupid!" She stammers out rapidly, her anxiety spiking through the roof as she tries desperately to keep the situation from quickly reaching the worst possible outcome. "N-nobody knows... D-does anyone here even have half the story here?! Just s... Slow down and figure it out!" She half-shouts half-pleads, still holding her arms all the way out like she could actually physically stop any one of those present from chopping them right off if they wanted to. She's pretty confident she could stop the Rats from getting themselves killed, at least. "P.. Petra, you know what's... Huh?" Odette doesn't lower her arms, but she does glance back at Petra briefly as she details her own involvement in the Pianist's appearance. Its sounds like she stopped even more Pianists from happening, but when Odette looks at the Black Silence, she doesn't know if that's enough to stay his hand. She looks instead to Lilian, practically pleading with her eyes for the too-relied upon Commander to do something.
Xion	'Eh? Even Xion...?!' "It's going to take longer to explain than we have, Tamamo. I want to tell you, myself, what happened - but I might not get the chance before it matters." Xion admits, Tamamo's tone a bit heartwrenching all on its own. She had never gotten around to telling Tamamo her dream, and now the whole of that and the hope of unsullied coats were lost for something else. 'Withstand us', an oath taken even when not understood. And now, of course, the wake of disaster and the blowing of wind as it willed. "So, for that, I'm sorry." The Nobody's voice drops. Standing, ready to react to gunfire or flash steps, a particular kind of twitchy focus doesn't catch the Rats moving - having sorted them to allies. When one of the operatives calls out movement, even after Lilian's command, she's about to call them to heel when Tamamo is first at that and far more effective. She, also, is leading this scenario. She, also, is bearing out a weapon just to match the energy. With some stiffness and single-finger uncurling, she releases the grip on Starlight and lets the magic blade tumble out of grip and back into motes and sparkles. 'Thank you, Xion.' There's not a lot less-armed Xion can be, and she had already admitted to terms. Berislav's movement isn't trusted anyway - something about being thanked right as someone moved in a fight - but Xion doesn't blink or shift herself. 'Hi, Xion. I'm sorry you keep getting dragged into stuff at the worst possible times without context.' "The context was an attack on a place I'll respond to. The details are being asked for by name. I don't think you need to apologize for this one, Petra." Xion admits, using empty hands to shush-and-motion-back the association members around her. Not for her, please. She's not asking them to die for her, still.
Father Berislav	So everyone just hold the fuck on for maybe a fucking minute, alright?     "I appreciate your efforts to de-escalate. I'll echo our friend here," he says, gesturing to Riku as he retracts his leg from the fence, "In reminding our friends from the Association that Lilian did ask you to hold fire unless otherwise instructed. That order was given for your benefit, not hers or the Black Silence's."     I'll have to wait for an explanation. Asking for one here, now, doesn't seem like a good idea. I'll let the Black Silence lead the conversation--put his wants at the forefront. If he feels he's gotten what he's after, then he'll leave and these people will be safe.
Sarracenia	'IS THIS IT? IS THIS SARRACENIA'S CHANCE TO GET KIDNAPPED?!'      Indeed, Sarra's one visible eye widens in a mixture of confusion...and excitement. "M-me?" Xion is added to the list, which is fine. Then...Petra is added. Sarra's expression goes flat and her eye drifts to Petra for a moment before back to Black Silence. "...like I said, I will happily help you figure out what happened. And if us going with you will keep Trideag safe, I am all for it. That is not to say I am just going to let you execute us or something, because the only person I can think of who -would- have been able to do this..." She nods toward Petra when she admits to killing Ayin, "...was already killed by us when he flew into a mad rage."      'Or perhaps there was something to that 'sabotage' that had to be done? An unknown angle?'      Sarra's one sapphire eye meets Nobunaga's crimson gaze. From her look, Nobunaga might easily be able to tell there is more to the story. But, Sarra does not hold the gaze for long before returning her attention to Black Silence. He killed all those people at the Middle's place...but he hasn't killed anyone here. That means...he is at least somewhat noble.      Xion's presence of course is welcome to Sarracenia. Xion's mention of a tree however makes Sarra tense up and look at Xion for a few moments, but she doesn't say anything. She once again looks at Black Silence.      'Their lives aren't for sale. Says so right on the wall, in not so many words.'      Sarra looks to Madeleine with a bit of respect. "Maybe not, but it seems more than a fair trade to me." Sarra says. "Needs of the many...and all that."      Then...much to Sarra's surprise...PETRA lays out many of the details of what happened. Sarra can only watch wide-eyed. And once Petra recommends holding on for a minute Sarra grips her hammer...and the morphmetal head flows back to her lotus hairpin before she slides the handle back into her purse. The princess quite obviously still wants to tell everything, but -some- of everything is a start.      '<J-IC-Scene> Tamamo says, "What is it you mean in saying 'everything'?"'      'It's going to take longer to explain than we have, Tamamo. I want to tell you, myself, what happened - but I might not get the chance before it matters.'      '<J-IC-Scene> Odette Raskins says, "M-M-Miss Xion? Okay, you've got.. Um... S-some answers, right? And... Petra, and... Princess Sarra?! How do you have...'      Sarra looks to each person in turn as they speak, then lets out a long, heavy breath that carries a bit of an apologetic air with it. She does not add anything, though. For once...the princess keeps quiet. Everyone who -does- know things seems to think it is the right idea. "...what source do you mean?"
Redshift Operators	For all his faults, the gunman isn't so bloodthirsty that he'll open fire when it looks like things are calming down. The pistol is held in a grip likely white-knuckle beneath the gauntlets, but it's held, *not fired*, for so long as it looks like things are stalled... And a quick raised fist signals the cyborg to do the same...     The tension with Xion remains.     "Gathering up all the reasons to point a gun from other people won't help you hit me with it, Red Dwarf."     "Goes real far on giving me no other choice but trying." He exhales. "Whether it works or not, there's things a guy has to do." He firms up the grip. "That man," He whispers tensely under his breath. "Is making mistakes. But I don't see anyone else burning bright and hard as he is to make the heat that's needed. Those monsters are coming out of the woodwork and the people dying can't live off caution and wait-and-see."     He does glance to the Black Silence, though. "Now put some of that fire to something that gets you a team." He whispers tensely to the man he's defending. "I didn't put a knife in the Company's heart solo, because I *couldn't*. Stop leaving us behind, going mute-mode -- at least put down a damn *manifesto*!" Then: Right back to defending him. He gets the feeling that words like that will hopefully mean more to him from someone trying to materially help.     "We've got your back, whatever happens." He says. "But fix the 'whatever' part. Make *sure* this source isn't using you, feeding you anything bad. Some of these helped take down the Leviathan Queen."
Gaonoir	''So everyone just hold the fuck on for maybe a fucking minute, alright?"'' ''I'll let the Black Silence lead the conversation--put his wants at the forefront. If he feels he's gotten what he's after, then he'll leave and these people will be safe.'' There's some explaination started by Petra, and Berislav reminding people they were ordered not to engage, to give the Black Silence a chance to speak. "What he said," Gaonoir grunted in agreement. He's not the very talk out problems type, so he'll just back the Father on this one. "So many tangles and frays, I'm going to need a bigger string theory board," Erika murmurs, listening intently to the exchanges. Particularly the ones about there being a greater secret scheme behind all this.
Tamamo	'Your "source",' she spits, 'has ulterior motives to get me killed and erase her part in it.'     A part of Tamamo's attention moves directly to Petra at this. She hadn't expected it to be someone quickly identified... assuming, of course, that Petra isn't mistaken. But there must be someone. Someone who 'had a part in it,' motivated to kill her, and...     'I want to tell you, myself, what happened - but I might not get the chance before it matters. So, for that, I'm sorry.'     There's been a lot of sorrow going around. Tamamo can't help not only hearing it, but imagining for herself what circumstances might have led to this. None of what she's imagining is comforting, Lilian's grief still recent on her ears.     "I would very much like us to receive such an opportunity." There's still a sliver of hopefulness, even with how hard that feeling is to express in this moment.     Outwardly, she isn't tense. That's all on the inside. She's serenely in control, as far as the Rats, and anyone peripherally caught in her Charm, will be able to tell. That continues even as she slips a phone back out of her sleeves and begins tapping something.
Lilian Rook	'Our source said it was your fault, and some others. That you engaged in sabotage. So let me have them and I'll leave and write an apology card for getting ahead of myself.'     "You're in no position to make demands of me, 'Black Silence'." She must have a feed to the lobby. It has to go through a personal device and not the main lifts. "And a card isn't good enough. I formed this Association to defend the people who need it; who the City loves less. And guess what."     "That's not you, Colour. That's the woman you dragged in here beat half to death; your reward to her for having a conscience. That's the two you shot outside for following her. Who do you take me for? Who do you think you are?"     The elevators at the far end of the lobby emit their pleasant 'ding' and roll open the Fixer executive doors. Lilian in her black coat steps out, one smart heel click followed by the other. Her gait limps. Her hair is loose and damp. Her eyes are dull, the skin around them red. She carries her sheathed sword in one hand, and slams the other against the plaque as she passes it. Her fingers are covered in bandages.     "I won't let the City roll on in and take whatever it wants. I promised. It says so, here, right on the wall."     Solace looks like she's already handled. The look Lilian gives her is a mixture of disgust, dismay, and sympathy. She doesn't have much energy to put into any of them. Whether or not the Black Silence was here for her, she can't just sit in her tower and let the others handle it; that thought takes up the air of everything else.     She can't bear to risk them handling it, or she can't trust them to. There are no exceptions.     "You were supposed to protect her. How dare you show yourself here. Get out. Get out. Get--!"     'I am the last remaining leadership of the former L-Corp.'     Lilian's breath freezes in her throat. Her fingers curl. The fist shakes. She reaches halfway to her eyes, then looks away. She's too tired to act like she knew Petra was going to say any of this. She can't seem like it was all according to plan when she'd so obviously just recently been wiping away tears.     'I would very much like us to receive such an opportunity.'     Lilian exhales, shuddering from her throat to her shoulders. The anger bleeds out, and her voice becomes leaden. "A failure who couldn't even protect one woman doesn't have the right to demand anything from me. Angelica's husband has the right to know what I find. Which one are you coming to me as, 'Black Silence'?"
Angela	The Black Silence considers Xion. Can't contain or imprison her? Some form of Fairytech, he assumes. But there's ways to keep people prisoner without doors. AND YET, he'd have to think that up, he hadn't planned for that. Ugh. He really is moving too fast. But he can't stop now. He nods to Tamamo. He's getting a picture here that he's not liking. He doesn't really like it at all. Petra is giving answers. He's not sure how much of it he believes. And it's making him realize that he's not going to get a proper answer he can put his faith in here. She seems to know who he meant by the source despite trying to hide it, and that makes him frustrated too because that's not neccessarily a clear sign that SHE was telling the truth now is it? If there's already animosity there. If she has incentive. And she might. But at the same time, can he really trust Petra who has held back information before too? No, that's not the best idea either. It's enough to make him want to start swinging swords around until everyone around him is dead, but he saw KIDS here. The guy in the helmet feels correct, but is he believing him just because he wants to? Solace and The Rats are pulled away from The Black Silence and he runs his hand down his mask, rubbing his face like he has a headache right through it. Shall the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven hold trial?? Ugh... He wishes he could read minds. ''A mixture of confusion...and excitement.'' The Black Silence steps a foot away from Sarracenia. What was THAT about? Why was SHE excited to get kidnapped?! And why did she stop being excited when others were involved?! What was she thinking?! WHY IS THERE AN EIGHT FOOT TALL DOG BOY. ''I didn't put a knife in the Company's heart solo.'' He has no idea what the Company is but he gets the gist. Olivier's given him the same advice in the past and this guy really feels like Olivier is at his back telling him to stop, stop stop. And he doesn't want to. Does anyone even have half the story here? Maybe at best they all have half the story. Make sure the source isn't using him. No, he realizes, there's only one way he can get to the bottom of all this. Who does he think he is? He doesn't answer. The mask protects the world from seeing his face. He turns, taking a long look at the wounded Lilian Rook. If he wanted to kill her, this would be the best time. Once she's healed up, he isn't sure he'd be able to. He distantly remembers the light in his wife's eyes as she spoke of LIlian Rook. Someone not bound by the City who will fight for it, someone who understands The City but isn't consumed by it. He lets himself breathe for what feels like the first time in forever. He was supposed to protect her. He was supposed to protect her. He only had just left to help Olivier with something because he owed him and if he was ''there'' then maybe, then maybe... Is he a husband or a failure? "...You're right. I should've been there. If I'd known there was something coming, I would've been. She pushed me to go out and take that job to help out an old friend. What awful timing, huh? I always have the worst timing."
Angela	He turns to Petra. "The medic's right isn't she? ... You've all got some ideas going on, and maybe some of you are lying. I have no way of confirming that. But a third of you seem totally confused, a third of you seem like you have some idea, and a third of you're acting like you got most of the answers after being real cagey. And yeah, I can't confirm our source was being honest either." Get out, get out, get out... He turns to Red Dwarf. "I'll slow down. I'll stay in contact. I didn't want to rely on this option, but I've got one more thing I can do." His weapons vanish away and he turns, walking towards the way he came. And then he pauses, looks over his shoulder one last time and adds, "...But okay, look, I have to say... Your opsec, okay, maybe I'm too quiet about it, but... I wouldn't have even come here if you didn't make it seem like you had something to do with it. Two different stories, I get it, but this was--like eight." He lowers his head. "...You really cared about her, huh, Director? ... I can tell in your voice. ... Sorry for the trouble. Good luck with your wedding. Hope... Hope it's a happier one." And then he continues walking away, even more miserable. Ceri starts to stir and Solace glances to Lilian. No reaction but she doesn't pursue The Black Silence.
Gaonoir	WHY IS THERE AN EIGHT FOOT TALL DOG BOY. It's not even the strangest form Gaonoir could be in, but that's not really important. What matters is that the encounter appears to be de-escalating. Not that he will relax until it's entirely and clearly over. But some of the tension is backing off at least. And for once he's not too upset it didn't turn into a fight, this would not of been a great place for it. Not that he has much to say. Erika on the other hand can summerize for the both of them. "We really need to the bottom of this matter before a bigger fiasco comes from it."
Nobunaga	Nobunaga's offer to hear all sides and levy judgement isn't brushed off-- it's completely ignored! It turns out that kind of action isn't even all that necessary. It might even just be overkill. After a moment, the warlord props her hands on her hips and lets out a hearty laugh at her own expense. She does, however, step aside so Black Silence can leave without obstruction.     Nagayoshi Mori out by the main gate squares up as the dejected man approaches. However, catching a glimpse of Nobunaga in the door, he relaxes and stands aside as well. After watching The Black Silence depart, Nagayoshi pivots and approaches, his spear resting over his shoulder.     "Get me Chacha," the warlord commands, "I'm going to want a base of operations in this City." The spearman pauses, his helmet tilting towards her. In response, Nobunaga grins, "There's blood in the air, here. War has already broken out, this country has shattered and broken countless lives with it." She inhales, resting her hands on her hips as she gazes out into the rain, "What a nostalgic feeling. Let's get started."
Father Berislav	The medic's right isn't she? ... You've all got some ideas going on, and maybe some of you are lying.     "I'm afraid she is."     "Part of my work in the City has involved establishing an information network. It isn't perfect," he says. "There are things that simply happen when no one is looking. What I've heard has been difficult to corroborate--as difficult as you're finding it."     "Even when the information is accurate, it's rarely actionable. People are frightened, Black Silence." I get it, but this was--like eight.     "Unfortunately, operational security is fairly scarce in our circles." It's a miracle our efforts in District 12 haven't been blown open by someone at this point. I pray it stays that way until our momentum is too much to be stopped.     "Red Dwarf, if you and your friends would like a debriefing, I can provide it in person or over our channels as you prefer." There's no longer any need for urgency--so Berislav simply leaves, in the opposite direction the Black Silence heads.
Riku Asakura	'"A failure who couldn't even protect one woman doesn't have the right to demand anything from me. Angelica's husband has the right to know what I find. Which one are you coming to me as, 'Black Silence'?"' Geed winced at this, it was harsh but also not unfair.  When the Black Silence turned from the group and decided to head out of the facility, Geed transformed back into Riku.  He's got a deep frown on his face, and it's hard to express what is in his heart right now.  He feels sorry for the man and his loss, but he knows that what he's doing is wrong.   He takes a step back and watches The Black Silence leave, unable to say anything.  He takes a breath and tries to find a smile, but he just can't find it.
Xion	'I would very much like us to receive such an opportunity.' "We've put off a lot of talking, and here is what it's gotten us, huh." Xion reminisces, tensely. Xion doesn't know what she's standing for - she's just used to being singled at and pointed to. 'lightless' echoes in her ears. "The wood is rotten, Red Dwarf. Rotten to the core, and the wood-work has produced horrors for as long as anyone remembers. Did you sign up for Tridaeg, when people died just moving around town, not for 'crime' reasons but for real tangible systemic monsters, to do something about it? I'm not going to ask you to name the operation you were on when we were busy, but the same words don't work here! And the same gun won't hit me, Red, so take that side while you're all lathered up, but I'll expect you right back here, cleaning the *blood* off that plaque of things you're looking for." There's a kind of pitiless poise that Xion has towards Red Dwarf, a lingering 'you? of all people?' that goes unhidden without a mask or cowl. Empty-handed, the noirette tilts back to bring hands out in a loose open-armed gesture. "Glad you're on the case now, huh?" She asks, dry. "I hope you find the answers you're looking for before you start stacking up bodies to feel better on behalf of someone else. Does it work like that? I've seen it tried - but never accomplished." The Black Silence is more personable -- and probably more right. He's also not pointing a gun at her, with all the adages applied - just a finger. Similarly lethal, but less directed by gunpowder. They're also not really directing any questions at her. In fact, her statement - that she couldn't be bound or stopped - performed exactly the effect it would: It makes the assassin slow down. Even if he could best her in a fight, he couldn't secure her, so they simply didn't run that one. Xion looks to Lilian, and brings her hands in slowly to smooth out her hair and then coatsides. She wants to repeat 'I'm sorry', but apologizing to Tamamo in the way she had had only seemed to make things worse. So, for now, the Nobody tries to stand for Lilian, watching the Black Silence leave.
Odette Raskins	Red Dwarf doesn't fire. White Dwarf doesn't start slicing. Odette hears him speaking more, and she starts to breathe again. She hasn't moved from her spot between them and the Rats, though, as her legs have somewhat locked themselves in place from fear. She doesn't dare try to move much, either, worried that even a sudden movement from her might get the Rats to escalate on reflex or something. "I appreciate your efforts to de-escalate. I'll echo our friend here," Odette feels like crying in the good way. Finally, someone else with an uncertain amount of knowledge of the situation and a willingness to de-escalate! She even starts to breathe normally again, although she still glances around slowly to see if anyone's actually lowering their weapons yet. <J-IC-Scene> Sarracenia says, "...hey! I can have info!" <J-IC-Scene> Petra Soroka says, dully, "Sarracenia doesn't have half the amount of info she thinks she does." Odette feels like crying in the bad way. Oh hell, someone with just enough knowledge of the situation to make things worse! She goes right back to hyperventilating, steadly turning back to the Black Silence with chattering teeth and just bracing for something to start flying at someone else. "I won't let the City roll on in and take whatever it wants. I promised." Although she had hoped for Lilian's presence to stop the Black Silence from flipping out earlier, seeing her in this injured state makes her realize this could actually turn out even worse than expected. What if Lilian got hurt even more, or worse? One of an already dwindling number of people willing to help the City despite not being from here, one of the few bosses she's ever known to actually be a good person... The idea of losing her starts to feel unbearable. Odette's gaze flicks to her sidearm for just a moment, even though she knows she wouldn't stand a chance if she drew it. Against all odds, however, the Black Silence actually pulls back. Not just from Sarracenia, but he's even pulling back on his own generally, and the Rats in turn are pulled away from him. Are things de-escalating after all? Odette can't relax until the weapons are lowered, but- "The medic's right isn't she?" "I'll slow down. I'll stay in contact." Even though he's looking at Petra when he says that first bit, Odette nods rapidly in agreement with the Colour. "V-v-very right! So... Y-yeah, slow down. Breathe. We can... W-w-we can figure out what's what, and then..." Wait, won't that still mean a potential bloodbath later if the answers point at certain people being directly responsible for his wife's death? Would that really make things any better, or would it just make him angrier that he didn't follow the first option he chose in coming here to begin with? Odette's still sweating bullets despite still being clueless about what actually led to the creation of the Pianist, but she still has Petra's revelation to start piecing things together. She knows Xion was involved somehow, and that Sarracenia... Actually, that might've just been an infosec thing like he just said. Either way, Odette keeps watching the Black Silence unblinkingly as he starts to leave, waiting until she can't see him any more before letting out an exhausted exhale bordering on a brief wail." Oh god I thought I was gonna die...!" The EMT blurts out and practically collapses on the spot, sinking to her hands and knees just finally breathe without having to spend any more energy standing upright. "I-is everyone... Everyone okay? Anyone else hurt?" She's not too good to crawl back over to Pez and Fractal to finish treating their wounds, then to head back to Ceri to get her treated properly instead of just doing emergency triage.
Audrey Basque	Per Petra's request, Audrey had already started feeling her way around the local boundaries. There was some... rudimentary warding or power of sorts, but nothing she can't subvert from the right spot, just as the right star twinkles and currents shift.     Thankfully, it doesn't need to be a thing. She's... not sure how Lilian would take it, even. No, it doesn't matter, Petra asked, and that's that, but-- the man is leaving.     And Petra said to let him.     For half a second, Audrey even lets herself relax. She almost, ALMOST, manages to forget Lilian is right there, looking like the worst thing ever.     She walks by Petra-- reaches out for her shoulder, but then hesitates, and pulls her hand back. "I think I recall the way. You know where to find me."     She turns one final look at Lilian.     There's a dozen options.     Instead of saying anything, her head drops.     That's exactly why your responsibility is to walk away.     Audrey takes one more step away from Petra, vanishing into a mirror-sheened crack that almost looks like it refracts her, and lingers a second longer than it had last time.
Tamamo	'A failure who couldn't even protect one woman doesn't have the right to demand anything from me.'     Harsher words, she couldn't imagine.     . . .     Tamamo, letting her compulsion over the Rats fade, puts away her phone with some satisfaction -- whereupon it immediately buzzes. She turns back on the screen, looks at the latest message in long puzzlement, quietly says, "Well, yes, I should hope so," and puts it away again. There are other things she should really be paying attention to.     It seems to be working out, at least. She has no issue with the Black Silence leaving, though she's still at least a little distressed -- kept to herself, for the most part -- in the direction this is taking. It's all very well to say that more time is needed to investigate something, or to stop hurting people who don't have the answers, but that means very little if nothing is done to actually arrive at any. Waiting around for new developments is less pleasant when they're likely to involve mass slaughter.     The thought of calling Petra on her lie floats around for a bit. The memory of her conversation with Lilian just before this puts it down, again. Petra's not even the one who would be hurt by that revelation, and she'd drag another half dozen people with her if it came to that, most likely. A pity. Tamamo can at least feel for the 'source' who saw the opportunity to get rid of her... but getting all that blood on Lilian's rugs? No, no. Best not.     There seems to be a warlord setting up shop, but that's probably normal for the City.     'We've put off a lot of talking, and here is what it's gotten us, huh.'     That pulls the bunrei back to the active present, only to consider the recent past, and then the less-recent past. "It has troubled a few, many times, and troubles many, more than a few times, for things to be kept away for lack of considering that they should be shared, I suppose. Sometimes, too, there was a thought that one may be protected by being unknowing. Little good does such do when secret wounds are still revealed. It feels ill to be a healer among so many injured." There's no blame in her voice. Only the sadness of missed opportunities.
Sarracenia	'You were supposed to protect her. How dare you show yourself here. Get out. Get out. Get--!'      Sarra admittedly hasn't spent a ton of time around Lilian, so when she hears Lilian getting this worked up she assumes it is about Tamamo. "...are you afraid that you will not be able to protect..." Sarra doesn't finish the sentence, but she ends up looking at Tamamo for a few moments.      'A failure who couldn't even protect one woman doesn't have the right to demand anything from me. Angelica's husband has the right to know what I find. Which one are you coming to me as, 'Black Silence'?'      But, soon Sarra assumes she was wrong and Lilian actually might have cared about Angelica after hearing what Lilian says and what Black Silence answers with.      'The Black Silence steps a foot away from Sarracenia. What was THAT about?'      Sarra blinks in surprise as she is very clearly stepped away from, then huffs in a bit of anger. Not only is she not getting kidnapped but the kidnapper was actually -repelled- by her?! This thought earns the Black Silence a glare. She is -SO- worthy of being kidnapped! Is that not obvious?! Do not be such a coward!! The thoughts move through her mind, and most anyone with mind- or heart-reading powers would probably be able to hear them.      '...You're right. I should've been there.'      Despite his rejection of her as a kidnap victim, Sarra feels for Black Silence. She starts to say something, but only a slight sound escapes before dying. What would she say?      'I would very much like us to receive such an opportunity.'      'We've put off a lot of talking, and here is what it's gotten us, huh.'      Sarra looks toward Tamamo and Xion. She would like to be involved in that opportunity. Xion is pretty precious to the princess now and Tamamo is someone Sarra thinks highly of from their few interactions. Of course, she has no ground to ask about being involved in that opportunity, so she just gazes at them a moment before sighing softly.      'I'm going to want a base of operations in this City.'      "Oh?" Sarra says to Nobunaga. "Are you going to start an Association of some kind as well?"      <J-IC> Sarracenia says, "He did not kill me the last time I gave some info but not all of it!"      <J-IC> Gaonoir says, "Don't jinx yourself."      <J-IC> Lilian Rook says, "The information you gave him directly implicated yourself and lead him to come and finish the job."      <J-IC> Lilian Rook says, "You're on suspension starting right now."      <J-IC> Sarracenia audily flinches, audibly gets angry, then audibly deflates. "...very well."      Sarra stays deflated after. She slowly pulls out her Grade 6 card and looks at it for a long moment. And just stands there, looking at it. She idly wonders if it is a bad sign that she sort of understands Petra's sentiment earlier about loving all her choices up to this point.
Petra Soroka	"Two different stories, I get it, but this was--like eight."     Petra keeps her eyes locked on the Black Silence unflinchingly, as if none of the other people in the room exist to her at all. "And you know there's only one that matters. I thought you, of all people, would know the way everyone fucking confabulates their own narratives when they don't feel comfortable not knowing what's going on. You use it to your advantage all the time, don't you, Black Silence?"     Seven competing stories are flattened into scrap under Petra's tone, disregarded and cast aside as the incoherent ramblings of the insecure fearful ignorant. Neither Berislav or Red Dwarf were privy to any of Lobotomy Corporation's secrets, but if Rita's working with the Black Silence, Petra has to assume that all the information will come out soon enough, and it'll be framed in the worst possible way for herself. She heard the declaration Rita made with that last beat of White Night's wings before she entered Angela's memories: loudly, to Rita, the war isn't over until Angela's dead, and by extension, Petra. The methods Petra used during the war were not just necessary, but insufficient. It's just that Petra doesn't have the heart to tell Audrey to pin the Black Silence in the room so she can execute him now before Rita has a chance to use him against her later.     In that sense, Nobunaga wasn't all that wrong about her wider lens. In another sense... Xion is on one side of the room, Lilian is on the other. Audrey, the Concord, is standing beside her. So... she has to be 'better'. If that means better than Rita, then that's what she'll try to do. "... Sorry for the trouble."     "... Hold on."     Just after the Black Silence walks out the door, and the whole company of Trideag isn't peering over her shoulder, Petra slips out of Trideag Headquarters after him. Her nondescript suit matches his, even in the darker bloodstains splattered all over it, and she has her sword held low and nonthreateningly in one hand. In the other...     "I don't have every answer you need. And I don't know who's left to kill. But, well..." She looks away, still not quite willing to draw upon the tangled and sick-feeling scab of sympathy she feels for him. "... I'd like to have your best interests at heart."     Between her fingers is an offered card with her contact information. Apparently she actually followed through on doing that, considering how often it's come up recently. "Red Dwarf, if you and your friends would like a debriefing, I can provide it in person or over our channels as you prefer."     Heading back inside-- because abandoning Audrey twice would be intolerable even to Petra-- Petra brushes past Berislav and makes eye contact with him as she does. It's a little unnerving to know that the debriefing, without a doubt, is going to involve her, and she has absolutely no idea what the actual content of it will be, and how much is poisoned against her in an honest way, and how much might be poisoned negatively.     Still, though. "... Good luck, Berislav." She doesn't have anything against the City.
Petra Soroka	"I-is everyone... Everyone okay? Anyone else hurt?"     That makes Petra suddenly acutely remember the fact that Madeleine's stupid fucking tiger curse got her with one of its claws. The bleeding stopped quickly, it always does, but the ache and stabs of pain when she moves her torso lurch back to the forefront of her mind, draining what little energy she has left.     She's not Trideag, though. She has... maybe two allies in this room, and one is Xion, and the other is Audrey. She's not going to ask for medical treatment inside their headquarters. "I think I recall the way. You know where to find me."     Well, fuck.     "... Hey, Xion? Are you planning on sticking around long?"     Petra, far-fallen from the minutes earlier presentation as 'the last leader of Lobotomy Corporation', slinks over to Xion and lowers her voice, with the exact sullen finger-poke tone of someone obliquely asking to leave a party their ex showed up at. Of course, there's nothing to say to Lilian, now that she did as well as she could have promised. It'd just be really really embarrassing to have to walk all the way back to the warpgate right behind the Black Silence while looking at her phone to not seem like she's intentionally following him.
Redshift Operators	The gunman is scowling at Xion behind the helmet. He pulls the barrel of the gun down as things reduce escalation, but the wagging finger goes back up. "Don't give me the 'where were you' shit. Nobody's everywhere and nobody's everything. And *especially* don't give me that, 'well it won't feel good, I'll get proven right by the future' shit. I do what my heart says is right, I feel fine if it turns out good or bad, and I stick to it because it works and it hasn't stopped working." He's gotta back off now, though, either way. His morally-insubstantial response is, in a way, unbreakable for how deep it rests in his heart.     The weapon that stays up is White Dwarf's. And she has it pointed at Lilian. She's been, it would seem, more emotionally disconnected from most of this. But something about what Lilian did, or said -- something about all of this, and her, has activated a burning in her.     "Demands," She says. "Are the exclusive domain of the failure. The powerless. The wronged. The *right* of demands, and the entitlement to weep that something is unfair, and presumptions that one should receive kindness without cost, and assertions that the world should be more right, are that exclusive inheritance, held by none else. A failure has no leverage to demand anything from you but a failure has every right -- in some sense every duty -- to demand."     When she grips her blade, there's a... temporally-aligned projection of sorts. A hypothetical sprawling from her mind that could probably be understood by someone linked with time. "You know it would be wrong if the man who had defended that woman had come here making demands of information from the people associated with you. If a man who had lost nothing came here, hurting people, calling for information." She says, seeing an unjust and *fundamentally wrong* world where a powerful Black Silence who had slain the Pianist before Angelica had died would come here doing the same thing. "That story is not only unlikely and unjust -- you know it lacks rightness too. At this moment, many failures yearn for something better." She looks back to District 9. "And *something* is now answering their *right* to do so, not their leverage."     It sounded a lot like sour heroposting for a minute there. But near the end it sounds more like... Something, unclearly, different. Like she knows that Lilian understands something unique to her own experience, and she's trying to offer some strange artifact of her own: 'Would this fit yours? Can they be synthesized? Can something of value be found?'     She steps back, as the Black Silence does, and takes the retreat, sheathing her sword as she does. "The situation will get keep getting much worse at this rate." She mutters to herself. Without even a reply from Lilian, she almost sounds like she already lost some kind of argument.     It's possible that she simulated a few hundred arguments with Lilian, lost them all, and then presented that as the emotionally-strained consolation.
Lilian Rook	[ansi(243,'...You're right. I should've been there.')]     "Don't agree with me." Lilian nearly chokes on the words. "Fuck you." barely makes it past her throat. "You should be on your hands and knees, grovelling for my forgiveness. After all that, while I was--" Her throat tightens too much to say anything at all. Lilian presses her sleeve to her face, and bites her lip bloody at the ragged sniffle that slips out despite her.     '...But okay, look, I have to say... Your opsec'     "It's fucking atrocious and I taught them better." Lilian cough-squeaks, wiping her face against her sleeve and then staring away angrily. "But you've been so busy you haven't slowed down to check the internet at all, have you? So go and fuck yourself. I'll find out which of the people in this room is lying and . . ."     '...You really cared about her, huh, Director?'     Lilian fails to answer. Her face is good enough to be one. She reaches into her inside pocket, feels the paper crinkle, and her expression falls, for just a moment, as she croaks out "What was the point of protecting the City if she isn't going to be in it? She deserved to see it more than anyone else."     'Hope... Hope it's a happier one.'     "I'm not cancelling Angelica's invitation." Lilian says, desolately. "Be normal."     . . . . . . . .     Lilian breathes out as if she'd been holding it all this time.     'And *something* is now answering their *right* to do so, not their leverage.'     "If it were Tamamo, I'd have killed everyone on that list just to be sure." Lilian says, numb; hollowchested. "He has every fucking right in the world. Of course I know that. But he can ask it of anyone but me." She knows perfectly well that White Dwarf doesn't have all the context, but somehow, for some reason, she expects her to get it anyways. "On the third day in that hellhole, when Rita taught me to picture who I was fighting for even when I couldn't see them, Angelica was the first one I was able to imagine cheering me on. Out of every single person here, I'm the only one who was trying to save her; and that includes him."     "So of course it's only inevitable that, in the end, I'm the one who has to answer for it."     '...are you afraid that you will not be able to protect...'     Lilian finally rids herself of her lit cigarette. She reaches without looking to stub it out on Sarracenia's tongue and flick it into her face.%
Lilian Rook	'It has troubled a few, many times, and troubles many, more than a few times, for things to be kept away for lack of considering that they should be shared, I suppose.'     "I'm clocking out." says Lilian, layered with implication. "I've already been here for too long. And things are about to get more complicated for the next few days." She barely glances behind her. "Ceri. I see you're awake again. Report to medical, then take over my duties immediately. If anyone talks to the media or shares any information on Trídéag operations before I'm back, I expect you to order every available Fixer to detain them. If they resist, lethal force is authorized."     She sighs, as her quick beeline to Tamamo stops at her arm. "Solace. You're confined to quarters until Ceri or I give the order. Cheer and Soothe can get anything you need." Her voice cracks when she raises it. She finds the energy to shout easily enough. "Everyone who isn't a member of Trídéag, get out. Now."
Sarracenia	Sarra is not about to let someone put a cigarette out on her tongue. She leans back quickly with a yelp, then eeps in surprise as the cigarette bounces off her face. That certainly makes the princess mad quickly! Her fists clench and the glare that was leveled at Black Silence is now directed at Lilian.      Any other day, Sarra might go off like a bomb. Today though...she distracts herself with Ceri. She goes to help Ceri to medical. She feels she owes Ceri at least that much for staying with her after the Merelisa incident and being decent to her since then. "...I am sorry about this, Ceri."
Tamamo	'I'm clocking out.'     She sighs, as her quick beeline to Tamamo stops at her arm.     'Everyone who isn't a member of Trídéag...'     Tamamo, assuming herself the exception, only waits long enough to see those so directed turn away before she-- considers fussing over Lilian's present appearance, but instead simplifies the topic to, "We shall take some time, but allow me to see to those bandages, first, and then we can go about cleaning up. Others will manage without you, for a little while."
Angela	''And you know there's only one that matters.'' The Black Silence does know that people confabulate their own narratives when they don't feel comfortable not knowing what's going on. And he does use it to his advantage. That's how he got as far as he did on his investigation here. Is this woman really the last of leadership at LobCorp? Are they supposed to be on each other's side here? He needs to think. Lilian is chastizing him. He doesn't know if it's deserved or not. He hopes it is. He'd rather be wrong but he ''needs'' to be right about this. She'll find out who is lying. Angelica's invited? But she can't go and-- --...What's the point of protecting The City if she isn't going to be in it. That's how he feels. "...Yeah..." Can he be normal? His normal's gone. "...I'll figure something out." He leaves before he learns exactly how Lilian was fighting for her, how at the forefront of her mind she had been. But maybe that's for the best. He'd probably collapse if he heard all that right now. Something answering their right? He's so exhausted. The situation will get worse? It is, every day. ''Hold on.'' The Black Silence stops as Petra approaches him with a ... card? It feels like she's being honest about his best interest but she's hidden information a lot. No harm in taking the card, he supposes. If only because Argalia gave her his and he's a fucking nut. "Sure. Thanks. ... Good luck." He says tonelessly before he continues the rest of the way. He hopes he gets to end all this begging on his hands and knees for forgiveness. He hopes somehow he gets to that point no matter how impossible it seems right now. ''Ceri's orders.'' "Yes ma'am." Ceri picks herself up. "You heard her! Back to work! No more of this lollygagging. And I ''better'' not hear of any more stories slipping out to people! You're all staying put 'till I get cleared by Lenny." ''Solace is grounded.'' Solace dips her head. Then she nods once to Lilian and makes her way straight to her room without complaint.
Xion	"If you knew what was going on, you'd either not lift that gun, or you'd pull the trigger. If you're unsatisfied with the level of discourse from the person you're willing out of existence with your gunlines, try not threatening with gunlines." Xion grumbles, feeling the bit-chompingly dire need to Post Back and to defend herself and subduing her own heart in a vice. Xion, even as she was - sore armed and tired - couldn't see herself losing when faced with 'herself, before'. A wild will, a surging heart, open to the cries and plights of all. It made sense, cleanly... She had already beaten that 'her' to get here. Even bare-handed, Xion bet she could subdue Red Dwarf's heart too - or at least their gun. Four of them, though. . . It's a blessing that her threat works, and Lilian's castigation sends the Black Silence turning to pick a better time and angle. Did Sarracenia's loose mouth cause this? 'It feels ill to be a healer among so many injured.' "There was a fight." Xion explains, as if that could sum up weeks and days after. "It became ugly." A deep understatement. Xion's eyes drop. "Some wounds are the kind healers can only treat over time. Some people died as they were, and emerged as they are, and there is no revival." She doesn't mean corpses, but there were those too. "It's something I don't think anyone is proud of, least of all myself, but it feels like nothing counts and the same will go on forever until it doesn't, and... The usual everything is just a soapbubble lie, almost." It's almost-but-not-quite resentment. She can't resent the world, because didn't she get what she wanted? What she fought for? Sometimes, Xion wishes it wasn't a fight. Even for how useless she would be, if things didn't call for a blade, sometimes she wishes there was more parties, and that she was more useless. But there was always a call to swing. 'What was the point of protecting the City if she isn't going to be in it?' Xion wishes she had the answer. Hadn't she told Sougo? That the tree was no good if there was no reason to enjoy the ground it was planted on? She had known the answer, known since the beginning, and yet made one promise too many. Lilian had relied on her to be on the other side. Hadn't it been okay for her to lose? Was that what this feeling was?? Xion, already gassed in just standing there looking tough and waving off help, has her eyes locked onto Lilian, a pang of feeling pulsing across her face when the other woman finds Tamamo and 'clocks out'. 'Everyone who isn't a member of Trídéag, get out. Now.' '... Hey, Xion? Are you planning on sticking around long?' Last of all, Petra. Xion is approached, finger-touchingly awkward by the woman who made her accomplice in the war of misery, and the sheer moment of self-exclusion by being forced to choose gives Xion a visible migrane. It comes over her as a pain, then a firm close of the eyes, and finally a sink of her shoulders. "I can send you home, Petra. Lilian's right - he'd definitely take advantage of who you are if you had to leave the normal way. I'll..." Xion can't summon up the energy to justify or define it. Wasn't this what she wanted and begged for? Binah? A woman like she once was? Two, perhaps? "... get you home." She could stay, but it would be despite the danger it brought to the Association. That was the purpose of the walls, and the guards, and the oaths, but... not for her. Giving one last look at Tamamo, and Lilian, Xion turns about to usher Petra into a fresh two-dimensional inky gateway of darkness that springs up in threshold near the Nobody.