The Grand Crossover RP - Pathway to Origin [IC/PG-13/Moved to NCM for Finale]

[Maeriberii Haan]

 

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"You can't see them? The Rukh? Oh right I forgot Solomon has ruined you and you don't even know it. Its not your fault."

 

"Who's Solomon?" Tenco asked in confusion, since she had absolutely no idea of the name Gyokuen just said. At the very least though, she didn't seem to be antagonizing her, so Tenco felt a bit more pleasant about it. Not by too much though, since she's still feeling a pressure coming from her. 

 

Let me show you then. 

 

"Huh...alright then." Tenco then took a glance at Dorian, who was rolling his eye in displeasure it seemed. It might not be a good thing that's waiting for her. Probably. But then, they were completely surrounded by black and white...thing, something that Tenco managed to recognize as both her and the scarlet sword that had been miniaturized on her hair as a hairpin started to react to it.

 

These little beauties flow from all living things and if you are trained to see them you can follow them to their host.

 

"...Ah. So what you're referring as Rukh is actually the same as Qi, or at least, as far as I recognized it. I see now." Tenco believed that the two of them were talking about the same thing, though Gyokuen probably saw it in a different manner than her. 

 

So because of his black Rukh and your white ones I thought maybe it was one person who was about to make a lifestyle change. For example, a little ways away you see a large collection of white Rukh belonging too children with weird key like weaponry.

 

At those prompt, Dorian was seemingly surprised enough, and key-like weaponry reminded Tenco of the opponent he had faced on the bridge. He probably recognized whoever was right there in front of them. The woman then looked at Tenco closely, as she seemingly analyzed her from bottom to top, in such a way that made her a bit uncomfortable.

 

Yes their Rukh was very pure. 

 

 But...not as pure as you. Nope, nowhere near as pure at all.

 

"...Pure?" And now, Tenco was getting more and more confused. it's something minor, but this only made Tenco to be more...worried regarding the true intent of the woman in front of her, probably out of paranoia more than anything. While she's still thinking that the woman was not dangerous, her mannerism definitely was a bit suspicious.

 

"So you've detected our arrival from our Rukh. 

Well...that's really something. I'm still not sure of your true intent here, however. So...yeah. You're not going to proceed, by the way?"

 

 

 

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[The Warden]

|_)Sorceress Supreme, Avalon Lydia(_|

|_)Pathway of Remembrance: C9(_|

 

"Is that all you require?" the bossy looking woman questioned.

 

"Ahh, yeah...." Lydia replied awkwardly as the woman became disinterested in her.

 

The Sorceress cleared her throat awkwardly as she spun on the balls of her heels, turning her back to the rest of them as she folded her arms. "Looks like you were too late Avalon" Lydia remarked with a slight grin.

 

"I see that girl, and more's the pity for it. I would have hoped that after awakening once more I could feel my old powers again. Though it's clear this rabble would not have been worth the effort, if you had at least sped up" the dragon snapped in annoyance.

 

"I have no idea what you're talking about" Lydia said innocently.

 

"Do not play games girl, I know you were deliberately going slow so we wouldn't make it in time" Avalon said accusingly.

 

"Eh, they didn't need us anyways. So, no harm no foul. We should save our strength if we're going to fight Protheus anyways."

 

"I suppose he would make a worthier challenge, at least."

[Love of Ghibli]

Dorian and Gyokuen: Path of Death 

Gyokuen snapped out of her lustful gaze and quickly made it back to reality. She realized that it would actually be fun to travel down the pathway in larger numbers. Especially if that meant being able to mentally torture purist like this Tenco character. But it was too soon for her to find out about this girls triggers. Maybe she hadn't faced her designated pathway ghost yet. This would require patience. But like they say good things come to those who wait. 

I would never intrude on your personal quest. In fact I would like to accompany you. If that would be okay. She said with her head tilted in an awkward smile. Yeah...not trustworthy at all. Dorian added quite abruptly. You used to be a lot more civil and pleasant to be around. Gyokuen retorted as she gave the young specter a sideways glare. Oh, that's my bipolar disorder, you have to forgive me. I just spit truths out there...what can I say? I can't wait till we find your inner demons. If you wanna know somethin' just ask. I don't have nothin' to hide. Well not anymore anyway. Dorian nervously looked down the direction Gyokuen came. But we should get going. Don't want those nasty keybl...I mean people with  key like weaponry to catch-up to us...right? Dorian's nervousness betrayed his true intentions, which easily caused Gyokuen to raise an eyebrow. 

Ending Location B6

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

Butlerok & Rhadamanthys: Path of Death

Butlerok and Madame had gone off secretly to some other part of the forest. Not really sure on waiting for permission from Kratos the Mad Blood swallowed the corpses of everything on the battlefield. They would arise in the form of hundreds of small black spheres. Ragnarok had stripped what souls the corpses had and ate them as fuel to gain his strength. As Butlerok gained his strength he looked at his former boss, trainer and mentor he was overcome with emotions. He tried hard to not not let it show, but it was clear that this was not something he wanted to deal with. Ragnarok revealed himself in his chibi form with an arm full of souls munching down upon them. Madame looked at the Kishin and gave a menacing glare. You have one minute to explain everything, if you miss a detail you die. Butlerok began to explain everything to Madame.

Meanwhile Rhadamanthys and Regulus were seconds away from having another massive blood battle. However Rhadamanthys couldn't help but notice micro glances the young lion cub was making glances at someone else. Rhadamanthys followed Regulus' line of site and followed that all they way to Reimu. Regulus noticed that Rhadamanthys noticed his glances. Are you serious? You would dare be distracted by a woman as we are about to do combat! Can you shut up for a minute! Silence child! I can't engage in combat with a distracted child with some cheap infatuation. Clear your thoughts while I go mend my garbs. Rhadamanthys went inside the forest and as Regulus could do nothing but stand still and blush as he passively glanced at Reimu. Ugh NOT RIGHT NOW!

 

Ending Location: C9

[Kingdom Xathers]

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[center]Team Lombax - Death Path / B-10 and C-10[/center]

[divider1]


(♫♪ [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlF3KXjM8kI]“Teaching Alister the Game”[/url] ♪♫)

[color=#ff0000]“... and that is why you need to know exactly where monster effects activate.  That’s the difference between drawing two cards and being one card short.”[/color]

[color=#800000]“What?  But I thought Card Car D activates in the Grave--?”[/color]

[color=#4b0082]“--nah, Al, Car’s effect activates and resolves on the field.  Just like Felice or Lonefire Blossom.”[/color]

That was the conversation that could be heard as Alexander, Umbris, Alister and Clank made there way out the other end of the corridor after what felt like an hour of walking.  To be exact, Alexander and Umbris were explaining a few Duel Monsters card mechanics to Alister, with Clank giving the occasional input and feedback.  What a bunch of nerds.  [color=#800000]“So, you only run Upstart Goblin at three only if you have the space right?”[/color] Alister inquired.

[color=#4b0082]“Yes, but I would be careful using them when facing against an Aromage Deck,”[/color] Umbris warned.  [color=#4b0082]“Their effects activate whenever they gain Life Points, and those Decks are built to get more Life Points any chance they get.  Speaking of which, some Ritual Beast Decks run Soul Absorption since they banish their cards, like, a lot.  And don’t even GET me started on how long their turns usually go on for.  [b]UGH!![/b]”[/color]

[color=#ff0000]“Suffice to say, Al, that’s why building a Side Deck is important when playing Match-Style Duels, since you can swap in cards that can deal with certain match-ups,”[/color] Alexander added.  [color=#ff0000]“Then again, most Duels I’ve been in have been Singles, as the fate of the world is usually resolved through just a single Duel, so… … oh, wow, someone finally turned on the lights, huh?”[/color] Alex blurted out as he finally took notice of their surroundings, now brightly lit by several lampposts.

(♫♪ [url=http://www.infinitelooper.com/?v=TZLUoeYgqvY&p=n#/0;77]“A Brief Respite...?”[/url] ♪♫)

[color=#800000]“Well, that’s a nice change, I thought my eyes were going to be permanently dilated from being in total fu[b][/b]ck-all darkness the entire time,”[/color] Alister groaned as he rubbed his eyes, the light of the lamps being a little much for him.

[color=#4b0082]“[i][b]HIIIISSSSSS!!![/b][/i]  Seriously, I think I’ve turned into a vampire,”[/color] Umbris grunted as he held his cape over his face to block out the light.  [color=#4b0082]“Then again, I bet Clank here’s the only one not too bothered by this, given he could just adjust his visual receptors at will,” [/color]he added as he glanced over at Clank, the little robot doing exactly that.

[color=#008080][font=courier new,courier,monospace][b]“At least the darkness is gone now, and as they say, after darkness comes the dawn,”[/b][/font][/color] Clank mused as he recalibrated himself.

[color=#800000]“We’ve still got a ways to go, though,”[/color] Alister uttered as he looked ahead, seeing a large staircase far off in the distance.  [color=#800000]“The same as in Remembrance….  Hey, I… I know what Alpha said, but, with the brightness we’d easily spot Red.  Think we should capture him, then take him to Truth ourselves?”[/color] he suggested.

[color=#4b0082]“Well, that depends on a number of factors, Alister,”[/color] Umbris replied, [color=#4b0082]“one of them being whether or not Red has managed to survive the Corridors back there, as I’m pretty sure there were others just like the one we went through, including whatever Nightmare he had to contend with.  But sure, if he managed to survive that, then I don’t see why we shouldn’t… … we [i]do[/i] have a Dragon Capture Jar on us, don't we, Alex?”[/color] he asked the other lombax.

[color=#ff0000]“Pretty sure we do,”[/color] Alex said as he pulled a binder out of his drawstring bag, then proceeded to flip through the pages.  [color=#ff0000]“Lessee… Darkworld Shackles… Shadow Spell… Flint… Ekibyo Drakmord… Bad Reaction to Simochi… … … … AH! Here we are,”[/color] he chimed as he found what he was looking for, pulling out three of the same card from their sleeve of the card page to show the group.

[color=#800000]“Okay, good, that’ll work,”[/color] Alister nodded at the jars.  [color=#800000]“... wait, these will seriously help us capture him?  Do they actually [i]imprison[/i] dragons inside them?”[/color]

[color=#ff0000]“Well, if you’d like a demonstration, Al…,”[/color] Alexander began, trailing off as he glanced over to Umbris.

[color=#4b0082]“... uh-uh, no way Alex!  Just no.  I HATE those things!”[/color] Umbris protested adamantly.  [color=#4b0082]“I am [i]NOT[/i] changing into a Dragon-Type just so you can demonstrate--”[/color]

[color=#ff0000]“--I’m kidding, Umbris,”[/color] Alexander chuckled as he pulled out another card.  [color=#ff0000]“C’mon now, did you [i]really[/i] think I would do that to you?”[/color]

[color=#4b0082]“... … yes.”[/color]

Alexander’s face briefly expressed his shock at Umbris' terse response.  He scoffed as he quickly got over it while calling out a Koumori Dragon from its card.  [i][color=#ff0000]“Dragon Capture Jar!”[/color][/i] Alex called out, activating his trap card.  The dark-purple dragon made a comical, dog-like shriek as it attempted to escape the suctioning force coming from the stone jar, yet its efforts were for naught as the orange tinged vortex pulled the dragon head first into the jar, the stony face on the side lighting up momentarily.

Umbris shuddered as the dragon was imprisoned in the jar, some very unpleasant memories bubbling to the surface.  Alister grimaced as well.  [color=#800000]“That doesn’t look very pleasant,”[/color] he pointed out.

[color=#ff0000]“Oh, it’s fine, the dragons are perfectly safe while in the jar,”[/color] Alex answered dismissively.

[color=#4b0082]“Easy for you to say, Alex; [i]you’ve[/i] never had the misfortune of being [i]stuck[/i] in one of those!”[/color] Umbris interjected.  [color=#4b0082]“It’s like being stuck in an elevator, and you’re surrounded on all sides by Giant Soldiers of Stone.  They’re all too busy talking with each other, so they can’t hear you asking them to move their giant stone asses so you can finally wriggle an arm free to scratch the itch on your nose that you’ve had for the past hundred floors, and you still have a thousand or so to go and you’re all going to the same exact floor. THAT’S what it feels like to be in one of those jars!”[/color] Umbris said with every ounce of indignity he could muster.  Alexander began to feel sorry for the Neo-Spacian… then started to wonder just what exactly happened for him to have gotten stuck in a Dragon Capture Jar in the first place.

[color=#800000]“... … so,”[/color] Alister spoke up to break the awkward silence that followed Umbris’ rant, [color=#800000]“are you saying that we [i]shouldn’t[/i] subject Red to--”[/color]

[color=#4b0082]“--no, actually, I think it’s a wonderful idea,”[/color] Umbris chimed in with a suddenly far more chipper tone.  [color=#4b0082]“I mean, sure, it doesn’t make up for the bastard killing Ratchet, but hey, it’s the little things in life that makes it worth living.  Plus it’ll be easier than trying to lug around a, what, ten-foot tall dragon?”[/color]

[color=#800000]“I… I guess,”[/color] Alister stammered, a bit conflicted as to whether or not he could deal with putting Red through such an ordeal… but Umbris did have a point.

[color=#000080]“Hello poppets, were you waiting for little ol’ me?”[/color] a voice punctured their little meeting.

The group turned to find Bayonetta and Gabriel walking towards them, both looking a whole lot better than the rest of Team Lombax.  [color=#ff0000]“Good to see you, too, Bayo,”[/color] Alexander replied happily, glad that the Umbra Witch and lion plushie had both made it through their corridor safely.  [color=#ff0000]“Ehh, hope you don’t mind my asking,”[/color] he added in a curious tone, [color=#ff0000]“but, umm… what exactly did you--?”[/color]

[color=#000080]“--a mad God of Chaos fused together with a giant evil serpent,”[/color] Bayonetta answered bluntly.  [color=#000080]“I have Gabriel here to thank for that serpent part,”[/color] she added as she gently shook the plushie hanging off her forearm.  [color=#000080]“What about you boys?  What sort of [i]fun playmates[/i] did the corridors set you up with?”[/color]

[color=#4b0082]“A deformed, vengeful, clinically insane alternate version of me, which came about from some possible timeline where Alexander died,”[/color] Umbris replied almost as bluntly.

[color=#800000]“As for me, I had to face off against the original Alister Azimuth who was operating some mecha designed to look like a fusion of Red and Emperor Tachyon, and then of Red and Ratchet.  Trust me, that was NOT a fun time for me, at all,”[/color] Alister grimaced with a slight shudder, not quite willing to go into full detail about that fight.

[b][font=courier new,courier,monospace][color=#008080]“Nor for me,”[/color][/font][/b] Clank added, shuddering even more than the General.

[color=#ff0000]“Creepiness aside, at least Alpha gave you some decent advice,”[/color] Alex interjected.  [color=#ff0000]“That’s more than what could be said for the rest of us.”[/color]

[color=#b22222]“Well, I’m sure you guys still learned [i]something[/i] from those Nightmares, right?”[/color] Gabriel asked.

[color=#ff0000]“I guess…,”[/color] Alexander uttered with a shrug, his arms awkwardly pressed by his sides.  [color=#ff0000]“I mean, Umbris and I already had a tight bond and all, and, well… I’m a little nervous that he might develop stalker tendencies now,”[/color] he said jokingly.  Umbris responded with a swift punch to the lombax’s shoulder.  [color=#ff0000]“Ow.”[/color]

[color=#4b0082]“Puh-lease Alex, I have a much better chance of stalking Terris than you,”[/color] the Umbra Panther pouted under his breath.

[color=#a52a2a]“Whatcha say, Umb?”[/color]  The Umbra Panther yelped as he was taken aback by the sudden appearance of Terris, the Neo-Spacian Terra Mole.  The Mole had a quizzical tilt to his head while Alexander shot Umbris a knowing smirk from behind the large, beefy Neo-Spacian.

[color=#4b0082]“Guh-uh-I-uhh--”[/color] Umbris yammered for about three seconds before regaining enough of his composure.  [color=#4b0082]“I, uhh, I said, “I have a much better chance of talking with you”.”[/color]  His muzzle became flushed with a vivid violet shade as he hoped Terris would buy it.

He didn’t, not one bit.  Still, Terris chose to play along.  [color=#a52a2a]“... ‘kay,”[/color] he shrugged.  [color=#a52a2a]“So, uh, whatcha wanna talk about?”[/color]

[color=#4b0082]“Not now,”[/color] Umbris quickly said flatly.

Alexander bust out laughing.  [color=#ff0000]“Heh-heh… hah… ‘kay, Terris, that’ll be all for now,”[/color] he chortled as he recalled the Terra Mole.

[color=#4b0082]“You’re an ass,”[/color] Umbris scoffed.

[color=#ff0000]“Good, good, share your feelings~  That way we can avoid having you break down into a creepy stalker who collects the souls of all his friends,”[/color] Alex smirked.  His smirk was wiped away by a ground right hook to his jaw from Umbris, knocking the lombax to the ground as the others winced and/or vocalized their empathy, though they weren’t at all surprised by Umbris’ outburst.

[color=#4b0082]“That’s NOT funny!”[/color] Umbris screamed loudly, utterly livid.  [color=#4b0082]“It scared the fu[b][/b]cking crap outta me to see what I could have become okay?!”[/color] he snapped angrily.

[color=#ff0000]“I was just kidding Umbris, it scared me, too.  But, I figured we could laugh about it since, well, we both overcame it together, y’know?”[/color] Alex explained meekly, rubbing his aching jaw.  [color=#ff0000]“... but, you’re right, that was… uncalled for… I’m sorry…,”[/color] he apologized, head hung shamefully.

[color=#4b0082]“It’s fine, Alex,”[/color] Umbris said, scratching the back of his head as he helped his friend back up.  As soon as he was back on his feet, Alexander gave Umbris a hug, which the Neo-Spacian warmly returned.

Bayonetta wiped a dry tear away, pretending to sniffle loudly.  [color=#4b0082]“It’s so beautiful,”[/color] she declared.

[color=#800000]“Yeah, it is,”[/color] Alister agreed wistfully, before remembering that there was no point to this.  [color=#800000]“Okay, I think we should go now guys.  We’re wasting time now,”[/color] he called to the others, tapping his right index finger to his left wrist as if we were wearing a watch.

[color=#4b0082]“Wait, so, we’re [i]not[/i] gonna wait for Red?”[/color] Umbris blurted out as he and Alex pulled out of their hug.

[color=#800000]“He only has one Path to go, right?”[/color] Alister reminded.  [color=#800000]“If Red [i]is[/i] still alive, we can wait for him in Truth.”[/color]

[color=#000080]“Good point,”[/color] Bayonetta agreed, suddenly becoming a bit anxious for some reason.  [color=#000080]“Besides, I’m somewhat expecting something to happen there, too.”[/color]

[color=#b22222]“What’s that, exactly?”[/color] Gabriel asked.

[color=#000080]“Again, that would be spoiling,”[/color] Bayonetta replied.  [color=#000080]“And besides that, I really don’t want to get my hopes up just for them to be crushed underfoot.”[/color]

[color=#b22222]“Uh… okay,”[/color] the plushie conceded.

[color=#800000]“Okay, now that that’s agreed, let’s go!”[/color] Alister cried, clapping his hands together as he did so.

However, the mere moment the entire group started to move, the lampposts began to flicker erratically.  Confused by this development, the group sensed something quickly descending on them from above.  They looked up just in time to see an ominous cloud of darkness crash down upon them, blanketing them in both chaos, and the potential of the future.  

[spoiler=Different images were constantly playing through Alister’s mind, so many different future potentials echoing through his mental halls.]  The first vision that came to his head was of a gravestone just a few yards away from him.  Dreading what it could mean, yet curious at the same time, Alister found himself drawing closer to the grave, and as he got closer, the name engraved on the stone became clearer: written in Lombaxian was the name “Kaden”.  Alister could feel a tightness in his chest, and yet, there was also peace.  Kneeling down, the General placed a single flower at the base of the gravestone, and his mouth voiced silent prayers for his lost friend….

That vision soon faded away as another took its place.  It was a familiar world, one had had called home many times before.  Alister was sitting on the hood of a hovercar as he contentedly watched the Fastoon sunset, remembering a time so long ago.  A content tear ran down his face as he watched the sun slowly set beyond the horizon.  His smile never faltered, even after a silent explosion went off in the ruins nearby.  With a [bemused] sigh, Alister hopped off the hovercar and proceeded to hoverboot his way towards the ruins to investigate….

Once more, a new vision washed away the previous one, this time placing Alister before a giant glowing portal, a pair of goggles on as he could feel pride swelling within his chest.  He could feel his heart reaching out for whatever was beyond that portal, and he couldn’t help but smile and cry as he felt as if years of work had finally paid off.  He could feel a hand on his shoulder, but he couldn’t quite see who it belonged to.  All he knew was that he too shared the General’s sentiments.

Finally, one last vision came to him.  Alister was amongst a beautiful field of cherry blossom trees; their petals were gently wafting in the air as he had, in his hands, the diminutive Red struggling to be freed from his clutches.  The only thing that truly felt off-putting was that he felt no desire to crush the dragon, only a sense of concern and worry.  For some reason he was worried about the dragon, but he couldn’t tell why….[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Alister, of course, was not the only one experiencing possible futures, as Alexander would find out for himself.]He first found himself in what he quickly realized to be a Duel Monsters Duel, standing in an arena surrounded by thousands of cheering spectators in the stands.  He was not holding any cards in his hands; rather, his hand appeared before him as holograms, each card about as tall as himself.  Standing on the other end of the arena was his opponent, the werewolf-like Samuel Hainz.  The wolfman smirked as he stood by three of his Halloween-Themed monsters, whilst Alexander’s field only possessed a single humanoid male in a black bodysuit, a panther-like headdress adorning his helmet.  Alexander could feel himself smirk, despite the apparent disadvantage he was in, for he saw in his hand the means in which he could turn the Duel around….

Before he could make his move, however, Alexander was whisked away to another scene, a library of some kind.  Alexander couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but the air around him felt… funny, for whatever reason.  Still, he continued to look through the shelves, searching for a book to possibly help him in whatever predicament he was in.  Eventually, he settled on a particular book with a title that had something to do with Djinni and made his way to a nearby table to sit at.  The table was positioned next to a tall window, and through it, Alexander could see in the midst of multicolored “clouds” a giant ring which was displaying a swirling blizzard, and he inherently knew that his “owner” was apparently out in a tundra.  For some reason, he was hoping that his “owner” had remembered to put on a coat….

Alexander turned away from the window to look down at the book he had picked out, but instead found himself staring down at a row of piano keys.  He was playing [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imX87kc0dfY]a song[/url] on that piano, and he felt a mixture of sadness and peace which was reflected in the notes he played.  He realized that there was another instrument being played alongside his piano: a string instrument, a cello perhaps.  And although he didn’t see who was playing, he knew that it was someone who shared in the feelings he felt.  However, he also recognized his surroundings, one that he had recently been in during another dream… a mansion….

Suddenly, the surroundings shattered as Alex was in a desolate wasteland, his friends were with him as he was staring down Sayer.  The smug bastard was grinning at them as a purple crystal formation behind him was growing, a dark presence visible as smoke inside the cluster, red eyes staring out menacingly.  He could feel a great sense of horror and disgust at Sayer and whatever it was that he was playing at as the crystals grew, cracks forming along them as whatever was inside was trying to break free….[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Bayonetta, too, was experiencing visions of her own.]First, Bayonetta found herself sitting atop a skyscraper in the center of a futuristic city, the ivory-colored buildings bathed in the glow of the late-afternoon sun as lines of hovercars weaved through the high-rises.  The Umbra Witch was wearing what appeared to be a futuristic spandex catsuit, complete with glowing neon lines running along the contours of her body.  In her now hime-styled hair perched an ornament in the shape of a cluster of flowers - rosemary, parsley, thyme and sage.  Standing close beside her was Jeanne, wearing an equally-futuristic red catsuit and her white hair in a short, curly perm.  Her Umbran Sister nodded her head toward the skies above the city, where a horde of angels could be seen descending on their position.  With a silent sigh and a wry smile, Bayonetta kicked off the top of the building, Jeanne following closeby, the Umbra Witches sprouting feather-like wings on their back as they prepared to do combat with the Angels of Paradiso.  Even after a millennium-and-a-half, hunting Angels never got old, and neither did the Umbra Witches….

The scene around Bayonetta shifted, placing here now within a more present-day city, the many people roaming about here and there… Christmas shopping, it seemed.  Well, that seemed familiar.  All it needed were for some aircrafts to fly dangerously close and for her dress to soon be covered in jet fuel again… well, let’s just hope that doesn’t happen this time.  As Bayonetta walked down the block, wearing an insulated pale blue coat over a simple, yet elegant, black dress, her attention was seized by someone calling her name.  Hmm… it wasn’t Luka, nor Rodin… and it certainly wasn’t Dante, either.  Turning around to face her addresser, Bayonetta found herself caught off-guard by someone she recognized almost immediately, despite their older appearance: a young man, possibly in his mid 20s, wearing a bright orange-and-yellow parka and baggy cargo pants.  His white, dreadlocked hair was tied back in a thick ponytail, contrasting with his dark skin tone, and his icy blue eyes seemed to glisten as he gave the Umbra Witch a playful, familiar smirk.  Bayonetta couldn’t help but to smile as well; the “Little One” she had parted ways with over twenty years ago on Fimbulventr, and he was now a man….

… urgency overtook her as a new scene began to play out: She was now wandering the halls of a hospital, her pace between a brisk walk and and almost-jog as she frantically searched for the room--person, rather--she was looking for.  She caught a glimpse of Rodin and Raphael Valentine following close to her right, they were accompanying her on her search.  A few seconds after Rodin nonchalantly bowled over an assistant nurse, Bayonetta eventually found the hospital room she was looking for.  Feeling herself call out a familiar name, Bayonetta quickly entered the room, where she found a handful of other people huddled around the hospital bed.  A few of these guests seemed taken aback by the Witch’s sudden entry, but quickly got over it as one of them recognized her almost immediately.  This individual, a tall, muscular male with blue, teary eyes and tattooed arms, gave her an acknowledging nod before returning his attention to the comatose occupant of the bed: a Hispanic male wearing a lion mask….

The somber scene vanished as Bayonetta then found herself in the middle of a field of cherry blossom trees.  She enjoyed the scenery of the flower petals drifting in the gentle breeze, the sweet scent wafting in the air… she almost didn’t notice when a familiar voice called out to her.  It was a voice that… … but, that couldn’t be possible, could it?!  Bayonetta wheeled around, and her heart almost stopped as she saw, a few yards away, a white-haired woman in red….[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Even Umbris was not immune to this phenomenon, though there was one particular vision that stood out for him….]It was a curious vision, as he seemed to be seeing through the eyes of Terris, who was looking at himself in the mirror, posing in various lucrative positions.  He wasn’t so sure why, but he was really enjoying craning over the back of his neck to get a good look at Terris’ rippling back muscles.  There was just something tantalizing in the way each muscle had perfectly carved ridges.  He flexed tightly, the muscles constricting like an iron wall of flesh.  Though there was no sound, he was suddenly very startled as his door swung open, with the real Terris walking through it.  There was a very awkward moment as the two stared at each other, and though Terris’ mouth made no sound, Umbris could already tell that his friend was asking him what he was doing….[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Of course, it wouldn’t be fair to leave Gabriel out of the festivities, right?]He was human again, or as human as one could be in his predicament.  He was following the Legendary Knight Hermos across a large courtyard of a fortress or castle of some kind.  There was a bit of tension and urgency in their gait, they were preparing to take off towards another destination.  It was around the point where they were close within the center of the courtyard that Gabriel’s attention became drawn to someone who had called out his name.  Pivoting on his heel, Gabriel was uttered shocked to find Russell, who had apparently arrived at the castle on the back of a horse-sized chicken (I know, it’ll sound ridiculous to just about anyone reading or witnessing this.  It’s a Niwatori, by the way).  

As surprised and in awe as he was to see that Russell had somehow found his way into the Duel Spirit Dimension, he was nonetheless elated to see his best friend again after such a long time.  Their joyful reunion was made brief as Hermos urgently called out to Gabriel, having taken on his Dragon Form.  The luchador-turned-knight looked back into Russell’s face, soundlessly telling his friend that he had to hurry to their next destination.  Russell grabbed on to Gabriel’s hand, and although he couldn’t hear what he was saying, Gabe knew that Russell wasn’t going to be separated from his friend again after having just found him.  Gabriel agreed and relented, signalling for Russell to join him on the back of the dragon.  Gabe’s vision ended just as Hermos took to the skies, Gabe and Russell holding on tightly….[/spoiler]

The group groaned loudly as they all came too, their bodies splayed awkwardly on the stone flooring.  The lampposts were back to normal, radiating their light as they had before.  Although no one was physically injured, their minds were still reeling from the imagery that had assaulted them just moments before.  

[color=#4b0082]“... the fu[b][/b]ck was that about…?!”[/color] Umbris blurted out, being the first to speak.  Somehow, he felt… exposed, subconsciously pulling his cape around him as if to hide some indecency.

[color=#000080]“I think that’s what you could call, the Pathway’s last laugh,”[/color] Bayonetta groaned as she picked herself up along with Gabriel.  [color=#000080]“By the looks of it, I believe those were visions of the future; given to us so the Pathway could, well, as the French say, [i]“taunt us a second time”[/i],”[/color] Bayonetta declared in a faux French accent that would’ve gotten her slapped by Jeanne for messing up.

[color=#800000]“Well, I think it did a rather good job of the “taunting” part,”[/color] Alister grumbled irritably, realizing that most of the visions he had been shown were perhaps the sickest joke ever, like a carrot being held before his nose only to be given a bullet between the eyes.  He gasped loudly when his mind suddenly snapped back to the last vision he could remember, his lips curling into a sinister grin.  [color=#800000]“We have to get moving,”[/color] he ordered, jumping to his feet.

[color=#008080][font=courier new,courier,monospace][b]“Why are we now suddenly in such a rush General?”[/b][/font][/color] Clank questioned, having been exempt from nap time.

[color=#800000]“We’ll get him,”[/color] Alister announced seriously.  [color=#800000]“We’ll catch Red in Truth.  We have to go now so we can ambush him.”[/color]

[color=#4b0082]“I agree,”[/color] Umbris voiced suddenly, still feeling somewhat indecent and awkward at the moment.  [color=#4b0082]“Let’s go now, so the Pathway doesn’t give us anymore creepy voodoo visions that may or may not involve one of your friends,”[/color] he added with an awkward level of denial.

Alexander hummed in a semi-suspecting tone before speaking up: [color=#ff0000]“Are you really sure about this, Al?  I mean, it’s like we’ve said before: just because we’re shown that it [i]could[/i] happen doesn’t mean it [i]will[/i]--”[/color]

[color=#800000]“--Alex, I know you have your concerns,”[/color] Alister interrupted, [color=#800000]“but if we don’t do this now, that future may never happen.  I don’t know why, yet, but Red had shrunken himself, most likely to escape us, meaning the ambush worked.  Even one of his wings was ruined.  This is our chance, and I say we take it.  Otherwise, we might lose it--and Ratchet--forever.”[/color]

[color=#ff0000]“... you’re right,”[/color] Alexander conceded.  [color=#ff0000]“No matter what, we gotta do this for Ratchet, at least to bring some closure….”[/color]

[color=#800000]“And besides that, some of the Altisters should be coming out of Recovery Mode soon, and I’m not entirely sure I wanna be dealing with them at the moment, so if y’all would please…!”[/color] Alister turned to leave for the staircase without much explanation for his statement, leaving the others slightly confused.

As they followed after him, Alex sidled up by Umbris.  The Umbra Panther still had his cape wrapped around himself, and up so close Alex could actually see him blushing.  [color=#ff0000]“I’m going to take a leap here and say you saw something really awkward, am I right?”[/color] he inquired, gently elbowing Umbris.

[color=#4b0082]“I don’t want to talk about it,”[/color] Umbris said in a strained tone.

Alexander shrugged with a sigh.  [color=#ff0000]“Suit yourself, buddy.”[/color]

[color=#4b0082]“I will do just that, thank you,”[/color] Umbris replied quickly and flatly.  Without Alex noticing, Umbris took a quick look underneath his cloak, and he was relieved to find that his own body was beneath it, and not Terris’ delectably muscled ridges.

[color=#b22222]“I saw Russell,”[/color] Gabby remarked to Bayonetta as the Umbra Witch kept a steady pace with the others.  [color=#b22222]“I was trapped in the Spirit World, as my dreams foretold I would.  But, Russell found me.  I guess it won’t be completely hopeless for me after all.”[/color]

[color=#000080]“I’m glad to hear that, Gabby,”[/color] Bayonetta whispered with a soft smile, the vision of seeing Gabriel in the hospital still fresh in her mind.  Somehow, she knew from that vision alone that this will certainly not be the last multi-dimensional crisis that she’ll be involved with.

[font=courier new,courier,monospace][b][color=#008080]“General, did you really see Red in your vision?”[/color][/b][/font] Clank inquired as the robot trotted by Alister’s heels.

[color=#800000]“I didn’t just see him, Clank,”[/color] Alister asserted to the robot as he held out his right hand.  [color=#800000]“I had him right in my hand--which is to say, I [i]will[/i] have him right in my hand.  Granted, the one thing that bothers me is what I felt.  I didn’t feel angry with him, nor did I feel like I hated him.  I just felt... [i]worried[/i] for him.  I don’t know what it means, but something big is going to go down in Truth.  I can feel like it is.  Which is why we need to get there [b]ASAP[/b].”[/color]

[color=#ff0000]“You think so too, huh?”[/color] Alexander said as he joined Alister’s side.  [color=#ff0000]“Same with me.  I think I know exactly what’s coming up next, and it involves a certain "gentleman" we all love to hate, and [i]“love”[/i] is a bit too generous of a word in this case.”[/color]

[color=#800000]“Sayer…,”[/color] Alister growled under his breath.  [color=#800000]“Oh-ho-ho, I am SO looking forward to caving in that smug face of his,”[/color] the General declared, slamming a fist into his open palm.

[color=#ff0000]“Don’t get too excited yet, Al,”[/color] Alex interjected, a serious look on his face.  [color=#ff0000]“He’s going to be bringing his A-Game this time.  He had a monster I had never seen before, hidden inside purple crystals.  Whatever was in that crystal, I got a terrible feeling from it.  It’s bad news Al, and it’ll only get worse from there once he gets involved.”[/color]

[color=#b22222]“Good to hear that another one of us is aware of what that bastard’s capable of,”[/color] Gabriel chimed in as he and Bayonetta joined the conversation.  [color=#b22222]“As long as we stay even one step ahead of him, though, taking him down will be a cinch,”[/color] Gabe added as he and Alexander bumped fist-to-cotton-polyester.

[b]“Agreed,”[/b] the others declared as they quickly engaged in a group chat as they crossed the rest of Death, and began to ascend the staircase.  At the top, they were thwarted by a barrier that prevented them from nearing a crumbling stone tablet.  A familiar question flooded their minds.

[font=courier new,courier,monospace][i]‘Are you willing to embrace your fate’?[/i][/font]

[color=#ff0000]“Looks like we’ve got another question to answer,”[/color] Alexander sighed as he rubbed his face where it had impacted with the barrier.  [color=#ff0000]“Not like we didn’t see this coming, though.”[/color]

[color=#000080]“Well, I certainly hope we don’t have to pour our hearts out like last time,”[/color] Bayonetta mused as she folded her arms neatly.  [color=#000080]“I guess this is why the Pathway showed us our future, so we can be certain if we’re happy with what we saw.”[/color]

[color=#800000]“We don’t [i]have[/i] to be happy with it,”[/color] Alister reasoned.  [color=#800000]“we just have to be sure that we know what our future really is.  And I for one am happy to know that beyond this road there’s still a life for me.  I will get the closure I want, and at the end of the day, I’ll finally be able to live my life again,”[/color] he announced, the barrier receding for him.

[color=#ff0000]“I hope you’re right, Al,”[/color] Alexander uttered solemnly.

[color=#800000]“Well… I [i]am[/i] in control of my fate, right?”[/color] Alister reassured the other lombax with a confident smile.  Alex nodded in agreement, put at ease by Alister’s resolve.

[color=#000080]“Tomorrow is mine,”[/color] Bayonetta declared in an almost triumphant tone.  [color=#000080]“Even if an eternity in Hell is to be my final fate, that doesn’t mean I should be worrying myself over it.  When my time comes, it will come.  Until then, I will live my life to the fullest.  That is what I’ve always told myself, and that’s certainly not going to change anytime soon.”[/color]

[color=#b22222]“I may be scared by what my future may have in store for me,”[/color] Gabriel spoke up, [color=#b22222]“but I know that, whatever comes my way, I won’t be alone.  With my friends by my side, I’ll have no need to fear.”[/color]

[color=#4b0082]“I’ve already seen what one of my possible fates could have been, and I am going to move heaven and hell to make sure that it doesn’t happen,”[/color] Umbris proclaimed soulfully.  [color=#4b0082]“I might not see Alex again for a while after this, but I still have plenty of great friends to keep me going.  I’m not going to give up on everything like Void Umbris did, and I sure as hell won’t go all yandere on my friends either.  I’m me, and will [i]remain[/i] me.  That’s all that matters here.”[/color]

[font=courier new,courier,monospace][b][color=#008080]“Ratchet was a great friend of mine, but I know he would not want for me to mourn him without being able to move one.  I could perhaps return to the Great Clock to fulfill my destiny, [i]or[/i] I could go back to starring in the Secret Agent series.  I will miss Ratchet dearly, but I won’t let my grief weigh me down,”[/color][/b][/font] Clank proclaimed solemnly, his optics tightly shut.

[color=#ff0000]“I may not know for sure what will happen either ten years from now, or ten minutes,”[/color] Alexander began as the last person to speak, [color=#ff0000]“but I’m prepared to keep moving forward no matter what.  I won’t let my past hold me back, nor will I let the possible futures intimidate me.  I will help to pave a better tomorrow, for myself and everyone, because this life of mine is still worth living.  And I will live this life with you all, either by my side… or in my heart.”[/color]

Accepting their sincere answers, the barrier completely collapsed for everyone, allowing them to pass on towards the tablet.  [color=#800000]“See you all in Truth,”[/color] Alister said as he was the first to touch the tablet, disappearing from Death.

[color=#ff0000]“Y’know, I can’t help but feel like a secondary player in this subplot of his,”[/color] Alex remarked with a slight chuckle as he, and the rest of the group touched the tablet, leaving the Pathway of Death behind them as they all returned to their White Room.



… and yet they would not know until some time later that an unlikely pair was just leaving the same hallways that had gleefully tortured them.

[The Warden]

|_)Red the Arisen, & Ratchet the Lombax(_|

|_)Pathway of Death: D9(_|

 

“...and to this day I still regret eating that entire cow whole” Red finished, a disgusted look on his face as he recalled one of his most embarrassing experiences.

 

“That’s disgusting” Ratchet giggled, trying to pretend like that wasn’t incredibly hilarious.

 

“Well, it’s the most embarrassing thing I could think of that you weren’t involved with. But now it’s your turn kid, I’m all ears” Red smugly reminded the lombax.

 

Ratchet grimaced slightly as he saw no other way out of his part of the conversation. “Well, uhh… actually, there was this one time that I tried to use a teleportation pad from one building to another, except I hadn’t realized until it was too late that the pad was under maintenance. Sure, I made it to the other side just fine… my clothes, on the other hand, didn’t follow. And the worst part was that the other building was having school field trips at the time, so, uhh…I was charged and arrested for public nudity.”

 

Red covered his mouth, snorting loudly as small jets of flame blew from his nostrils. “Yes, I can see how that would be pretty embarrassing. Though, you would have fit right in on my world. Modesty isn’t much of an issue with us, seeing as how dragons and most inhabitants of the three realms don’t worry too much with clothing” he snickered. “Granted, we Elders care about modesty only in the sense of such things not being a distraction. You wouldn’t believe how much time male adolescent dragons spend in private places.”

 

“So they--”

 

“--Day and night. It’s hard on them, as they only just became bipedal, and their bodies are already working in overdrive as they slowly grow to full-size. Dragonic puberty tends to be pretty rough, as sufficed to say the heat they feel isn’t just from their flame sack” Red chuckled.

 

Ratchet mentally facepalmed himself as he gave an uneasy chuckle, too. Of course adolescent dragons would do “that”. Clearly, it was the same no matter the species. Ratchet would know, seeing as he had also spent many a “private moment” in his garage with a copy of “Miss Universe”. Thankfully, his perverted thoughts were dispelled as Red started speaking again. “This is nice” the dragon said in a contented way. “It truly feels good to actually speak with someone again.”

 

“Someone not evil or crazy, I bet” Ratchet added. “And yeah, it is nice, being able to just have a normal conversation without anything to interrupt or ruin the mood.”

 

“Yeah” Red agreed, laughing awkwardly as he realized he was about to ruin it. “Pity I’m going to miss it once we reach the end though.”

 

“... yup, mood has been sniped to death,” Ratchet sighed.  “So, how do we go about this, then?”

 

“Best not to think about it yet” Red suggested as they finally left the hallway, and into the light. 

 

Red grunted as he shielded his eyes, his eyes wigging out as they desperately tried to adjust to the light. Ratchet, as well, resisted the urge to act like a vampire being burned by the sun’s rays (and we mean “proper” vampires, not the faggy ones that sparkle like diamonds in the sunlight) as he squinted in the sudden, yet welcome brightness being given off by the lampposts in the area. “Ugh, still better than the darkness at least” Ratchet grunted as his eyes adjusted.

 

“Quite” Red groaned in agreement as he could finally see again after an unnecessarily large number of blinks. “Ugh, well, home stretch it appears my friend…. Hmm, that’s actually rather depressing to say, in hindsight.”

 

Ratchet frowned slightly, knowing what Red meant. “Mm-hm. After a few moments getting to know each other, we’ll be back to being enemies again… man this sucks…. Y’know, Red, it’s not too late to join us, just, just saying.”

 

Red sighed sadly, his body hunching over itself again as he felt the desperate need to run away. “I’m sorry, I just… can’t. I have too much at stake to throw it away now. I know I can’t believe in Protheus, but, I have to believe I can do something. It would drive me mad otherwise.”

 

Again, Ratchet didn’t have the heart to tell Red the crushing truth. “W-well, who knows?” Ratchet chimed in with a slightly more chipper tone. “Maybe somewhere along the line both Counter Corps and the Divine may end up having to work together anyway. I mean, it’s not like you guys need Protheus to realize your dreams, right?”

 

“No, it would just require us to appropriate the Key of Origin, and you would be hard-pressed to pry it from Protheus’ grip. But I have no doubts we’d be forced to team up at some point, as that appears to be the norm of the end of the round giant monsters like that energy being. But I’m being depressing again, I apologize. I’ve just got a lot on my mind right now, and some somewhat confusing emotions to combat” Red sighed.

 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right” Ratchet relented, sighing as he tilted his head upwards toward the dark, seemingly empty sky.

 

“You know, you remind me of Spyro” Red admitted as he too looked up at the empty sky. “You have that same drive, the same courage and bravery to face anything head on. Granted, he’s not quite as arrogant as you, or as stubborn. Plus he’s less likely to end up making stupid mistakes” the dragon added as a snide aside.

 

“Wow, you are like a Mood Assassin or something” Ratchet scoffed as he lightly flicked Red’s forehead.

 

Red grunted at the fierce flicking his received, and if not for his firm grip he would have fallen right off Ratchet’s shoulder. Either way he still chuckled to himself. “I just thought I should try to lighten the mood with a little ribbing, as frien-- Is it just me, or is that palour of darkness falling down on us?” Red questioned, pointing at the layer of darkness descending on the two.

 

“If it is, I hope it doesn’t eat us” Ratchet blurted as the lampposts around them began to flicker rapidly, the darkness consuming them.

 

[spoiler=As the darkness encompassed the two, visions began to play out in their minds.  Ratchet was frightened at first, but as it continued, he managed to remain calm as he viewed the visions being shown to him.]The first of his visions placed Ratchet walking along a long stretch of white sandy beach, most likely on planet Pokitaru. He was wearing a pair of blue swim trunks and sandals, the rest of his body bared to the warm breeze. He was not alone, however, as he had his fingers curled around the hand of Talwyn, who was dressed in a green two-piece bikini, a yellow pareo tied around her waist and a red flower necklace hanging off her neck. The Markazian smiled happily at the lombax, and he returned her smile as they walked along the beach together….

 

The beach scene slowly dissipated as he soon found himself within his garage, a shield mask over his face as he soldered an object before him on his workbench. He turned of the soldering machine for a moment to take a look at his handiwork. He turned to look over at Clank who was standing nearby.The little robot gave Ratchet a thumb’s-up, complimenting him on his work, to which he himself could feel himself saying that he couldn’t have done it without Clank’s help. Satisfied with his work thus far, Ratchet carefully grabbed hold of the object by his handle, lifting it off the workbench as he studied it in the light; a custom-made wrench. Ratchet could feel intense pride in its design, and a silent thank you to his older self. He gave the tool a few experimental swings, completely happy with how it felt in his grip….

 

Just like before, his garage vanished as he found himself in a slightly barren place, save for a hooded figure kneeling before what looked like a gravestone. Ratchet felt himself walk closer toward this individual, feeling a sad smile forming on his lips as he drew closer. He placed a comforting hand on the individual’s shoulder as he sat down next to him. The figure turned to look over at Ratchet, their hood dipping back as white fur came into view. Alister gave Ratchet an appreciative smile as they both sat before Kaden’s grave, a pained sense of longing curling around inside Ratchet’s chest as he looked on at the grave of his father. Ratchet soon found himself encircled by Alister’s arms as the elder lombax held the younger one in a tight hug.  Ratchet could feel Alister’s body shaking, realizing that the General was crying. Returning Alister’s hug for a short while, Ratchet soon pulled himself away to get a look at the General….

 

… only to see that the surrounding scenery had changed once more, now placing Ratchet within a field of cherry blossom trees. Despite the change in his surroundings, he still found himself with Alister’s arms on his shoulders, the General looking at him with a tear-stained face. His crying was almost uncontrollable, yet Alister still kept it together as best he could as he soundlessly expressed to Ratchet just how scared and worried he was after he thought he was dead. Ratchet, too, could feel himself crying as he expressed how sorry he was for the way he had acted, though he was cut off midway as Alister pulled him in for another hug. As the vision slowly faded out, Ratchet could feel other arms wrapping around him and Alister comfortingly: the arms of their other friends….

 

[spoiler=What the dragon would suffer however, was a far worse destiny]

All he could see was endless darkness, a hollow, empty, bitter darkness. Red could feel as if his very soul was being torn out of his body by a sigil that appeared beneath his feet. A six-pointed star with a circle surrounding it. As it shrunk towards Red he could feel the very air in his lungs forced out of him. A pair of shadowy claws tightened around his neck, suffocating him as the circle shrunk to just a foot away from all sides. There was a sickly green glow coming from the star as Red was steadily losing consciousness, collapsing to his knees as he felt the last wisps of life fade away. All he could hear in his last moments was the soundless voice of someone calling his name out from the darkness….

 

Red awoke with a start, his heart and mind racing as his breaths were coming in rapid pulses. The illusion filled every corner of his mind, and he was absolutely terrified, even as Ratchet was half-crushing the dragon. His heart was beating too fast for him to calm down, hyperventilating as Ratchet stirred. “Ugh, what… what was that?” the lombax groaned as the weight of his body stopped crushing Red.

 

Ratchet closed his eyes as he gripped his head, shaking it wildly as the visions rattled around inside his noggin. His head felt like he had downed fifteen Quasar Brews in one sitting, then decided to raid a salt factory afterwards. “Ugh, that, that was… uh, Red?” Ratchet questioned, noticing the dragon.

 

With his body free Red saw fit to curl into the foetal position, his tiny body rocking on the stone flooring as he looked utterly dead inside. “RED!” Ratchet cried in worry, snapping the dragon out of his delirium.

 

“Yes?” Red replied timidly as he kept rocking back and forth.

 

“What the hell did you see?” Ratchet said aghast.

 

“I… I don’t know” Red whispered in a raspy voice. “All I saw… was darkness.”

 

“Red…” Ratchet said weakly, trying to reach out for the dragon that was now softly sobbing in a small pile. “Jesus man, what did you see? Seriously now, don’t jerk me around.”

 

“I… emptiness… darkness… I’m… scared” Red whispered, not even sure himself why he was crying. He heaved a whimpering sob as the tears seemed to stop on their own, allowing Red to compose himself that he wasn’t a blubbering mess anymore. He was still shaking as a cold chill ran up his spine, and his mind was still flooded by the vision. The worst thing was, he knew who owned those claws. “Adrastos” Red uttered silently to himself, before realizing the look of concern Ratchet was giving him. 

 

“I’m… I…” he stammered, not even knowing where to begin on how he could explain himself. This was a bad omen, no, not a bad one, a terrible one. Red shuddered loudly, just thinking about those claws at his throat. His own unconsciously rubbed at the spot where he had been strangled.

 

Ratchet scooped Red up off the floor, cradling the miniature dragon in his arms.  “Red, you gotta keep it together.  You can’t let the Pathway break you like this.  Y… You won’t do your world any good by faltering in the face of the future.”

 

Red was still panting rapidly, but he still tried to pretend for Ratchet’s sake. “I’m… I’m fine Ratchet” he lied.

 

The lombax wasn’t buying any of it.  “No, you’re not.  Whatever you saw scared the ever-loving crap out of you.  Look, you just need to calm yourself down, okay?  You’ll get through this, y’hear me?” he told the dragon firmly yet as comfortingly as possible.

 

“I said I’m FINE!” Red snapped aggressively, a small plume of flame billowing from his mouth. His stature had somehow gone from quivering mess to raging dragon in less than a second, and he was staring daggers at Ratchet until he winced painfully, gripping at his head. His head was throbbing painfully, like there were a thousand hammers crashing down on it. He was violently shaking his head about, desperate for the pain to stop. He was almost about to slam his face against Ratchet’s palm if not for the pain steadily receding. Red’s claws sank into his brow, sliding down his face as the pulsations ended.

 

“Now are you fine?” Ratchet implored, not entirely keen about having been yelled at for trying to be helpful.

 

“Yes,” Red groaned, “I’m just dehydrated. It was just a headache. A potent, makes you want to rip your skin off headache. I’m fine now, sorry for snapping at you. I’m not angry with you, I’m just annoyed with myself for falling for a cheap trick from the Pathway. I should have known better than to let it get to me.”

 

“It’s fine” Ratchet nodded understandingly, accepting Red’s apology. “You’ve got a lot on your mind, too, so I can’t exactly blame you for being a little bit irritable.”

 

“No, I shouldn’t have gotten angry. If there’s ever been a fatal flaw it’s my temper. I don’t even know why I got so riled up” Red sighed, scratching at his ice cast.

 

“Like we’ve said, it’s just the Pathways trying to screw with us” Ratchet replied. “Speaking of which, we should get going; I can see the exit all the way over there” he added as he pointed up the massive staircase.

 

“Yes, that’s the best idea I’ve heard all day” Red sighed, painful twinges running through his temple. The dragon was grateful that he had Ratchet to carry him up the long flight of stairs; he could never have made the trip on his broken leg.

 

After what seemed like a god damn forever of climbing stairs, Ratchet finally reached the top, with the stone slab awaiting them. In his haste, Ratchet didn’t anticipate the barrier he summarily smashed into. He and Red were mashed against the invisible barrier like birds that had flown into a Windex-cleaned window. “Feck” Ratchet and Red both uttered in strained tones.

 

‘Are you willing to embrace your fate?’

 

That question echoed in their minds as the lombax detached himself from the invisible barrier, the two of them simultaneously rubbing their own snubbed noses. “It appears we have reached the end. Could you, err, put me down please?” Red requested.

 

“Yeah, sure,” Ratchet agreed, carefully placing the dragon down on the floor.

 

Red sighed as the green column overtook him, returning to his original (and more dignified) height. He gazed longingly at the tablet, but tore his eyes away to Ratchet. He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck as he held his hand out. “Thank you for spending time with this old dragon” he said gratefully.

 

“No problem,” Ratchet replied as he placed a hand on one of Red’s claws and shook. “Certainly not how I expected to spend my time, but… well, I‘d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it” he chuckled.

 

“The same” Red smiled sincerely, truly grateful for Ratchet’s time. Pity he had to be a mood killer again. “Ratchet, I need you to do something for me. I want you to… could you, uhh…. Please, keep what I told you to yourself. I don’t want Alister finding out, because, it’ll only make him try harder to coerce me. Tell him, tell him to just keep away from me. It’s for the best, that way.”

 

Ratchet heart sank a little. “But, Red...” The lombax heaved a depressed sigh. “... guess I’ve no other choice, huh…?”

 

“Do we ever?” Red sighed sadly, folding his arms trying not to make eye contact. “Just, promise me okay? If Alister knew, well, it will only end in tragedy, I know that much. It’s just better this way” he sighed again. “You should get moving Ratchet. No doubt your friends have already left Death, and they still will be very worried about you… oh, this is awkward, but, could I also have my staff back now?” he requested.

 

“Uhh--oh! Right” Ratchet remembered as he pulled the staff fragment out and handed it back to the Dragon. “It, umm, made for a pretty good melee weapon, I’ll admit.”

 

Red chuckled as he reclaimed his weapon, the thing utterly miniscule in his own grasp, as it was more like a dagger to him. “No surprise. Light Gems might not look it, but they’re as sharp as they come. Only thing aside from Dark Gems that could actually pierce a dragon’s scales. Not surprising you picked up on that, as you have a pretty keen eye for such things” he smiled, affectionately tussling Ratchet’s head in a proud, fatherly sort of way.

 

Ratchet resisted the urge to say “I’ll bite you” as Red rubbed his head. “Well, thanks” he replied as he gently pulled Red’s hand off his head. He turned to look at the slab before them. “... I guess this is goodbye for now… … listen, Red.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“... everything will turn out for the best in the end” Ratchet told the dragon sincerely. “Even if the time we have left in our lives may be brief, we still have a tomorrow to look forward to. I hope you remember that as… as you go back to save your world. As for me, well… I, too, have friends and family that I wish to see again, and if I’m going to have that chance, you can be damn sure that I’ll be moving forward to reach it.” As soon as Ratchet said this, he could feel the barrier shift in order to let him pass.

 

“I wish you luck Ratchet. May the Ancestors guide you to success” Red said in solemn prayer, giving Ratchet space to move.

 

“Yeah… you too, Red” Ratchet said with a wave goodbye to his new acquaintance, saddened to know that the next time they meet won’t be on such pleasant terms. Stepping up to the slab, Ratchet soon vanished within a bright red vortex.

 

Red sighed sadly, knowing that, once again, he was alone. Or, was he? There was something hovering in his peripheral vision, but every time he looked it was gone. And yet, he was certain something was there. With a grunt he unleashed a nebula of electric sparks from his staff, three small puffs of smoke billowing in the air. “You can come out now” Red growled threateningly.

 

“I was wondering when you’d acknowledge me…” a voice chuckled sinisterly from the shadows. Seated on one of his R.O.D.s, Sayer descended from the dark empty sky above, hovering about 3 yards away from the dragon. “I must say, Red, you are just all sorts of entertaining.”

 

“How long have you been spying on me?” Red hissed, his eyes narrowed in fury and disgust at Sayer.

 

“Since the Path of Remembrance, if I’m going to be honest with you” Sayer answered bluntly (“You?  Being honest for once?  HA!” Red scoffed incredulously). “I may not be able to spy on the Counter bastards thanks to a certain lion plushie’s interference, but I’ve still kept myself entertained by keeping an eye (or several) on my dear fellow members of the Divine. And you, my dearest dragon, have been the star of my most favorite telenovela yet! The drama, the heartbreaks, the betrayals, OH! how I simply LIVE to bear witness to it all! Almost as fun as watching the Nazis commit mass genocide” Sayer added with a nostalgic tone.

 

Red’s self-control was literally defying the laws of nature to hold the dragon back from just pouncing and smother that cocky jabroni. “My life is NOT for your personal amusement you speck of feculent scum” he hissed in a weird combination of loud and quiet.

 

“Now now, Red, no need for such language (and yes, I know you just called me a “piece of sheet”)” Sayer clicked his tongue at the dragon as he waggled a disapproving finger. “I merely wish to offer you my sincerest praise for making it this far, especially after all you’ve gone through up to now. And not just my praise, no-no,” Sayer added, “I also wish to give you a little present, if you’d be so kind to accept it, of course--”

 

“--I have no intention to accept whatever it is you have to offer. I still haven’t forgotten you tried to kill me not even a day ago, Sayer” Red spat in disgust. “I’m not going to even try to pretend you’re a friend of mine, and if not for my respect to the very idea of team spirit, I would be roasting you alive where you stand. Don’t try to pretend to be anything more than a pain in my hide Sayer. Your faux affability won’t convince me that you’re anything more than scum!”

 

Sayer merely chuckled darkly at Red’s adamant refusal.  “Actually, Red, allow me to rephrase my earlier statement” he said as he pulled a card out of his coat, the card glowing a vibrant, sickly green as he held it between his index and middle fingers while aiming it at Red. “I’ll be giving this to you, whether you like it or not…!” With a sound like the firing of a gun, the card shot out of Sayer’s hand and flew at high speed at Red, turning into a green crystal mid-flight before striking and shattering the dragon’s ice cast and embedding itself within the open wound Red had failed to properly heal earlier.

 

Red screamed loudly as he felt the gem melt into his wound, sickly green lines running along his exposed flesh. The pain was beyond anything he had ever felt before, his knees caving as he fell onto them, clinging to his arm in pain. His arm was shaking violently as the nanotech still within his system was trying (and failing) to combat whatever it was Sayer had done. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!” Red screamed at the Schemer.

 

Witnessing the results of his action, Sayer let out a short howling cackle. “Don’t you see, Red?” Sayer asked rhetorically, drinking in the dragon’s suffering. “I’m merely granting you the opportunity to embrace your dark side, just as your old friend Adrastos had always wanted of you! Oh yes, I know all about him, thanks to you” Sayer explained as he stared into Red’s mortified face. “See, every being has a dark side, and my little gift to you will draw that out and intensify it. Won’t be difficult, since seeing as Adrastos had already done most of the work before, your darkness will be more willing to come out. Even if you try to keep it at bay, you would only be delaying the inevitable, Red” Sayer told the dragon smugly.

 

“THEN I’LL DELAY IT FOREVER!” Red screamed, plunging the Light Gem into the wound. Aside from the pain of having stabbed himself, Sayer’s own curse was delayed as it went from an impossibly painful burning to just burning. Red was panting heavily as blood dripped onto the stone floor, some traces of purple in his blood that he didn’t notice, being too invested in Sayer. “I won’t let you make me that person again Sayer. DO YOU HEAR ME?! I will delay your poison to the end of time if I have to!” he promised with a venomous glare.

 

“How cute” Sayer giggled darkly at the dragon’s attempts to save himself. “But I’m afraid the seeds have already been sown. You shall soon bloom into the worst enemy of your dearest friends. You won’t be able to save anyone, especially from yourself. And most importantly, just as you were Adrastos’ slave before, you shall soon become my greatest puppet to the end of time… or until something better comes along and I’ve no further use for you. Whichever comes first.” With one final laugh, Sayer hovered over toward the stone slab, having already given his answer beforehand, and was swept away by the vortex as Red angrily banged his fists against the barrier, the dragon denied even the chance for vengeance.

 

He grunted as water trickled into the wound, overflowing from it as he slowly removed the tip, freezing it over into a new cast. He looked at it grimmly, feeling the putrid green glow pulsating in his wound. The ice was doing a good job of keeping back Sayer’s curse, but for how long he had no idea. In truth the only ideas he was having at the time all involved incredibly violent torture acts on Sayer for being, well, Sayer. And yet, he couldn’t even repress certain dark feelings for Alister. A green sheen ran over his eyes as they gently narrowed. “I will not be the monster of my past. I will not be the monster of my past. I am me, NOBODY ELSE! Sayer will not use me, he will not control me. I may have lost my past, but I will let noone take my present or my future DAMN IT! I won’t let him have the last laugh, I can’t...” he whimpered to himself, the barrier fading away as it considered that an acceptable answer.

 

Red struggled to his feet, the pain of his leg becoming an unfortunate reminder as he practically had to drag it to the tablet, where he placed his hand to it and was gone.

[Merci]

~ Protheus Maximus ~
The Pathway to Death (E7)

“This is… pathetic.”

From the moment the immortal sorcerer first arrived in this realm calling itself ‘Death’, all the obstacles in his way had been surprisingly incompetent in terms of how they attempted to oppose him. What little worries he’d had regarding this silly place had since vanished – since the very concept of death was something that he would almost undoubtedly conquer, it was only natural that this would be so easy. There was no need to even pay attention the Key of Origin that he constantly held with his right hand, having not ceased to let go of it since first starting to trials. However, this crude easiness beginning to prove to be a little ridiculous, and disappointing as well in regards to it.

When Protheus had first arrived, despite the mysterious, unbendable cloak of darkness that surrounded him wherever he went, it seemed that there was little to oppose him as he made his way through the stone ground, and even though the light orbs that lit the way dimmed greatly, there was virtually no enemy, or obstacle, or anything. He had a feeling that there was supposed to be something, as it might’ve been the case for the other lesser warriors, but for him, nothing manifested. No voices. No objects of any sort from any potential ruined future. Nothing to serve as an example for what the journey of his life might be leading to.

It ought to have been obvious why - in the state he was in now, there was no way that he would be swayed from his current path. To fail would mean to disappear into the void, and to succeed would be to become something just like the void. By seeking eternity, he was effectively guaranteeing that everything, except the mere act of existing, would become worthless to him over time. In other words, the only thing that could be shown to him was that very nothingness.

At the moment, he was apparently walking through some sort of bridge that was around a kilometer or so long, and every now and then, creatures composed of a strange matter would lash out from the dark, possessing nondistinct forms, but the black orbs that surrounded him would automatically home in on and blast them off before they could even get close. In any case, he wasn’t concerned about any of them getting past his defenses, as his eyes were locked solely on the destination.

Then, his feet stopped in front of a gigantic stone corridor, its contents shrouded by a wide, gaping curtain of blackness so utterly obscured that even he, the Herald of Darkness itself, couldn’t see through it. He frowned, as if wondering what its purpose was meant to be. Clearly there was meant to be something awaiting him on the other side, some sort of opponent that would oppose him, and hopefully it would be someone who could give him a real challenge. He’d been left extremely dissatisfied after the anticlimactic finish of Truth, not helped in the slightest by the boredom he was having to face now due to the lack of opponents, so perhaps this could remedy it.

What awaited him on the other side...he had a feeling that it was someone who would pose some sort of meaning. Someone who would challenge him in every way, representing his 'Death'. His Ultimate Enemy, so to say. Various names crossed his mind - Athena Clearstream, Rey Rasvateil, and of course... Itsu Fudo. If it was any one of them, he would be prepared to strike them down without a second thought. He wasn't about to hesitate. As long as it wasn't that annoying person from before, then he could handle anything.

Then, without a second thought, he entered the corridor and-

...

"Oh, hello there, Protheus Maximus. You came. Finally. I was getting bored waiting here for ya."

"What."

"Did you really have to kill me so suddenly back there? A little warning would've been appreciated, ya'know. Urgh, I can still feel the pain in my neck..."

"Seriously, what."

No such luck. As the candles lit the inside of the corridor all the way to the end, the enemy that awaited him from several meters away turned out to be a silly teenage, Egyptian girl with silver hair and a dark dress, by the lowly slave name of Pener. The expression on her face showed just as much annoyance as his own. Truly, they both must've found it bothersome to deal with each other another time.

"I'm sure you know why I'm here, and what we must do. So then... shall we begin?"

 

With a dull smile, she raised her arms, and a massive, metallic black dragon materialized behind her with red pulsating lines over its body and glowing crimson eyes that stood out, piercing through the darkness surrounding them. It was none other than the Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon.

 

This was even worse than having to not face anything at all. Hadn't he already faced her once already? Wasn't this redundant? His eyes were twitching at the mere thought of it. It was a meaningless event, and yet it had happened AGAIN. What was the point? What were the Pathways trying to teach him? It was all getting to be so annoying. Fine then. If that was the way it wanted to play, then he wouldn't hesitate one bit and end this so-called 'battle' as soon as possible, if it would even be called that.

 

Protheus let out a bored sigh. "...Hmph. I suppose it cannot be helped."

[Reinforce]

Ayame

Pathway of Death: B5

 

Nearby, Kazuya reacted to the shadows attacking and upon his orders, the goddess with him brought down heavenly fire around the shadows. As that happened, Kazuya also walked across to talk to her again.

 

“Ayame…sorry if I’m asking, but what are the things they actually whispered to you?”

 

"Accusations and blame, they're blaming me for the deaths of my friends, and telling me that my actions will bring the end of everyone I'll ever become friends with. It's in their voices too, Jin, Lien and Naomi."

 

Shaking her head a bit to clear it, she started to speak again.

 

"It doesn't matter, we should keep moving."

 

That said, Ayame started to walk forward again, following the path onwards once more.

 

---

 

Chandra

Pathway of Death: A1

 

In barely a moment, Jace had imposed himself between the two, his cloak somehow blocking every trace of the fireballs she'd thrown, before expanding to reveal a set of light blue wings out of his back. Through the middle of that, a small voice called through her mind, barely noticable compared to the constant bombardment of perverted thoughts that were emerging.

 

"Help me...can't get control..." 

 

Chandra just winced upon hearing that, wondering how she was supposed to help a telepath get control of his mind, when she'd always stayed well away from any sort of mental manipulation. She didn't have time to ponder on that though, as the original target of the fireballs made his way around Jace and up to her, grabbing her struggling body in a hug and rubbing his body all over hers. What's more, there was so much sweat pouring off his body that it was quickly soaking her clothes, and he didn't seem phased by the heat radiating off her body at all. With a huge body wrapping around her own, she'd have trouble doing much, so instead of directing her power into a spell, she simply raised the heat around her even higher, and set off flames wrapping around every part of her body, leaving her untouched but hopefully burning the man hugging her if he didn't hop off. If nothing else, at least the high heat and fires burning around her was evaporating off the sweat that had gotten onto her clothes, leaving her dry again.

[Dad]

Kratos, Kenpachi, & Killua w/ Gon

 

Kratos stretched, rolling his shoulder.  Kenpachi yawned, looking around for Yachiru.  Killua was celebrating their 'victory' with Gon, bragging about their super sick, totally awesome epic winz combination of tactics and abilities.  And uh, of course with help from these other two people and what have you.  Killua's celebration was short lived however, as a pink blur suddenly shot out of nowhere and tackled him into the snow.  He shook his head to get the snow out of his face, only to be staring blankly into Yachiru's face.

 

"Oi, Yachiru--"

 

"Killua!" she screeched.  Killua forced a grin, scratching his head.  "Er, yeah?" and Yachiru embraced him tightly.  She was extremely infatuated with this boy.  Kenpachi sighed in the background, and Kratos folded his arms.  Killua, not sure of what to do, pat Yachiru on her head.  She looked up, and squealed for joy, as she began running around in circles now.  In her blur of excitement and anxiety, you could hear her crying out, "I'm glad you're okay, Killua!"  Kenpachi shot Killua a look, and Kratos did the same.  The boy did his best not to look the two other men in the eyes, for fear their evil stares would pierce his very soul.  He could feel their eyes burning into the back of his head, as he tried to laugh off Yachiru's excitement.  Killua quickly jumped to his feet, ushering a thanks to Yachiru.  "But what about Kenpachi here?" he said pointing  thumb over his shoulder.  "Eh, I figured Kenny would be okay.  I've worried about him enough."

 

A vein strained in Kenpachi's forehead, and Killua began to sweat profusely at this remark.  He could feel Kenpachi approaching him from behind.  "Oi, Killua," he said snarling.  "You trying to to get with my Yachiru?"  Killua turned around slowly, with a staggered, frightened smile, as his eyes glazed over in fear.  "Er. . .no?"  Kenpachi grabbed Killua, and held him in his large hands like a football.  "Well if she likes you," Kenpachi began, cocking his arm back, as Killua squirmed.  "WHY NOT!?" and he launched Killua towards the end of the pathway, up the stairs, and forced him to faceplant into the barrier at its end.  All the way, Killua was screaming, "You're making this awkward!"

 

"Stupid kid.  Don't betray someone's heart."

 

Kratos only looked on, prepared to follow Killua.  It was the end of his trek, after all.  he had crossed all three pathways, and now, beyond those doors, Revy lie in wait for him.  "Kenpachi," he said suddenly.  "Hm?"  Kratos stretched out a hand.  "Thank you."  Kenpachi obliged, shaking the warrior's hand.  "I'll see you soon, Kratos."  The Spartan nodded, turning towards the now refilling lake.  He would have to run across it.  Turning one last time to see the back of Rhadamanthys' head, Kratos said nothing, but dashed away as fast as he could, his feet ablaze with the magic of Hermes' Heels.  Kenpachi now focused his attention on Gon, who he was able to identify as Killua's best friend.  He walked up to the boy, towering over him, with a menacing smile on his face.  He leaned down, getting uncomfortably close to the boy's face.

 

He sighed, and began to ask questions.  "That's your best pal, ain't it?" Kenpachi asked abruptly.  "He's a good kid.  He's as aggressive and crazy as I am.  And if anything happens to him, Yachiru would lose it."  Kenpachi stood up straight.  He looked to Yachiru who was still running around in circles, fast enough to produce after images and hit herself with snowballs.  "Take care of him.  We'll need all of your help for the end of this mess."  Kenpachi stuck a hand out behind him, catching Yachiru in her blind dashes.  "Ain't that right, little lady?"  She was still full of excitement, and with a big grin, said, "Yep!"  He plopped Yachiru onto his shoulders, and stood up straight.  "I don't know you very well, kid."  Kenpachi said as he stood up.  "But judging by your company, you're probably pretty scary too.  Do us a favor and don't get killed.  I don't wanna have to drag your soul around if you do," he joked as he turned towards the lake now.  Kratos had vanished from sight, and he was about to do the same.

 

Throwing a wave to Gon, Kenpachi marched to the edge of the lake, and jumped straight across it.

 

Killua was digging his head out of the snow, Kratos had just reached the top of the staircase, and Kenpachi landed with a thud.  "You ready?" Kenpachi asked to the other two approaching the pathway's end.  There was a dark pond ahead of them, and they all stared into it.  Before proceeding, Killua turned around, and shot some fancy lightning into the sky.  It formed lettering, as he issued a brief goodbye to Gon.  "See you soon," is what it read.  The boy turned around, nodding to his other companions.  And before they realized it, a questioned was etched into their individual brains.

 

'Are you satisfied with your past’?

 

"Yes."

 

"I am."

 

"Well, duh."

 

And separately, the three (and Yachiru) were whisked away by powerful magic.  They would now find themselves in the White Room, one last time.

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

Killua

 

There was one door remaining.  He had completed two pathways, and had a chance to be reunited with his best friend.  He had been in an epic battle with two powerful men who, though they were allies, were still total strangers.  He'd come across a pretty girl, who he couldn't open up to.  And he had an admirer who he could never give his heart too.  He couldn't help but smile.  There was one pathway left, and he was itching to finish it.  Opening the door to the Pathway to Truth, Killua stepped inside to be greeted by an obscenely dark tunnel.  Though, there was a light at the end.  In his experience, running towards the light yielded favorable results.  He began running patiently towards it, covering good ground even without Godspeed.  This reminded him of the Hunter Exams, and it was quite refreshing.  He would reach the tunnel's edge in approximately one hour.

[Tesability Black]

~Counter Corps - Inside Hapshiel's Mind - Jace's POV~

Blue eyes found themselves open to the bright field of flowers and still-suffocating happiness as the mindmage began to peel himself from the grassy ground below him, though the suffocating feeling wasn't as bad as before now. He didn't see any of those unusual angels around him when he woke up, which was a note of relief.

However, he knew he wasn't where he was supposed to be, remembering what was happening up until that point. Closing his eyes, the mage in blue tried to focus on leaving this mine and returning back to himself...but as the seconds passed with nothing happening, he realized one thing.

Somehow, he was stuck.

Panic began to fill him as the realization dawned on him, the fact that he was unable to return to his own body, so he tried to reach out to any familiar mind nearby, any at all. And yet, there was only one. Closing his eyes as he brought his hands to the sides of his head, he began to focus on the pyromancer...

"Help me out! I'm stuck and I can't get control of my body from here!"

"...what am I doing, she won't be able to help," he said to himself a few moments later in self-defeat. Lowering his hands while watching out for the cooing angels that were most-likely nearby, he tried to calm himself, tried to reduce his panic as he tried to figure out how to get out of this place. The fact that the odd winged humans kept fluttering around unnerved him, however.

"Release the Living Guildpact's mind from one's own, Celestial."

Lifting his head at the voice, though it did not boom here as it would have out there, he found himself hoping that he would soon be able to get out as he began to search for a way out himself, since apparently just leaving was not a simple possibility.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~??? - Path of Death - ???'s POV~

The heat, it was getting harder to breath because of it. He began to expend energy trying to breath, the exhale now audibly noticable to most ears. Sweat was dripping from everywhere and making all the exposed skin on his entire body start to shimmer, though no move was made to do anything about it.

It was strange. Since he passed out and started talking in a strange way, he hasn't once blinked, nor did it looked like he was trying not to do so. It just seemed like he had no need to, despite the increasing heat possibly drying out his eyes way beyond normal.

Said eyes, however, began to glow once more with a light-blue light and Jace began to speak again, the thoughts emerging from the physical mind becoming disrupted and slowed as a voice dissimilar to his own, but familiar to Chandra, became heard.

"Release the Living Guildpact's mind from one's own, Celestial."

For now did the strange, petal-born wings pull themselves back under the cloak, disappearing as if they were never there to begin with.

"Release the mind before one's hands are forced."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~The Divine - The White Room - Tesability's POV~

The black maw opened up wide for a yawn as the dragon began to awaken from her nap, stretching out her various limbs and wings from her much-needed nap. Giving her whole body a good shake like a dog shaking of water, she looked up towards the one remaining door in front of her, her wings folded in close as she approached.

The white door opened up before her before she jumped into the doorway...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~The Divine - Path of Truth - Tesability's POV~

"I canna fwy here!" Accustomed to being able to take off and fly with her wings, Tesability found herself in an interesting pickle when she arrived in a darkened corridor. When she tried to stretch out her wings to fly, she found out quickly that she could not stretch them out as far as she needed to without clipping both walls at the same time. Not happy with the turn of events, the Dragon NetMonster instead tried to break into an unpracticed run, bumping nosefirst into walls on occasion due to being able to see in there.

As soon as she saw the light ahead, she made a beeline for it on all four paws, though when she finally arrived past the light, her muzzle became one with someone's back...

(I'm leaving how the pair wind up landing up to you, Dorian.)

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

~??? - Path of Death - ???'s POV~

 

Beyond the edge of the angel's light and the pyromancer's flames, red eyes observed the scene playing out in front of the darkness-cloaked individual, a grin on his face to expose a single fang.

 

"The angel is much too large to be over, despite his apparent willingness to accept the pleasure of recieving pain," he muttered to himself. "But Jace is a very-different story indeed..."

[Phantom Roxas]

[Death B6/C6] - Sora

 

Sora’s floating Keyblades tore through the plasma coil, though as he swung the one in his hand, Xemnas blocked with two sabers composed of pure red light within his hands. “Stay out of my way, Xemnas,” Sora said. ”I’m not here to fight you. It really wouldn’t much be much of one anyway.”

 

Xemnas parried Sora’s Keyblade with one saber, but the second was blocked by another Keyblade. “Why?” Xemnas laughed. “Because the power of Ra rests within you? You only obtained that power through Xansvita’s actions. You are bound to Ra not through your own worth, but through the will of the very emissary of despair that took your own body from you, and even then, that power could not save you from the Madara. Your power was only of use to you against Ivero, a mere remnant of Xansvita.”

 

Sora leapt back as a third Keyblade shot through Xemnas’ chest, causing the Nobody to stumble. ”I trusted Arthur with the Keyblade,” Sora said. “And he beat the Madara. So I think I should at least get some credit for that.”

 

“Hardly. If you wish to view Arthur as your successor, then look at who you yourself succeeded. No matter how strong you may have been, did it make any difference in saving Ven?”

 

”I’m not going to let anyone else die like he did!”

 

The area around Sora and Xemnas grew a tint of red, as Xemnas’ beams surrounded them on all sides. “Before you think about protecting others, you should really think of ensuring that you too can survi-”

 

”Look out!”

 

Two masses, each roughly fifteen five in size, broke through the shield of lasers. One red and the other green, they landed right on top of Xemnas, causing the bridge beneath them to collapse. As Sora watched Xemnas be dragged into the abyss below, he heard a finger snap. The beams began to launch themselves at Sora, but Sora commanded all three of his Keyblades to float around him, each one casting their own Reflega spell. Golden flames extended from the shields, consuming the beams until they were all gone. The flames withdrew themselves just as they had appeared, and once the barrage of lasers had ceased, Sora ran ahead on the bridge as part of it burned down behind him.

 

”Don’t think you can leave us behind!” It was the same voice that had called out before. Zilyana touched down in front of him, with Kree’arra close behind her.

 

”Is it wrong that I don’t feel so bad about… that?” Kree’arra gestured below them, where Xemnas was no doubt still falling down.

 

”It is only fitting.” Zilyana waved as she walked past Kree’arra. ”Armadyl and Bandos hated one another the most, so it fell to you to deal with Graardor. Besides, as long as he and K’ril are down there, I’d call that a victory.” Zilyana elbowed Kree’arra, and Kree’arra returned the gesture.

 

”What did you guys just do?” Sora interrupted.

 

”Saved your life!” Zilyana answered, twirling her sword in her hand. ”The Pathway thought it could defeat us with illusions of the generals that led the armies of our enemies. However, it made the mistake of attempting to isolate us into one-on-one fights.”

 

”And then you two worked together and beat them?”

 

”In a manner of speaking. It was simply convenient for me that Kree’arra could fly while his opponent could not.”

 

Sora’s eyes were narrowed, but he could vaguely hear a tone of gratitude in her voice. Saying nothing of it, he decided to walk with them along the bridge. ”Still… you guys probably could have picked a better place to drop them. I almost had him, you know.”

 

”What’s important is that you survived,” Kree’arra said. ”Besides, had we not interrupted your fight, who knows how much energy you may have wasted in continuing it.”

 

”I guess. Anyway, we should probably meet up with the others. Kairi, Eria, Arthur-”

 

”I’m sure they could handle themselves.” Zilyana asked.

 

”Well, yes, but…”

 

”This Pathway is darkness itself,” Kree’arra reminded Sora. ”Searching this place for them would be wasting time better spent making it to the end.”

 

Sora couldn’t find the words to disagree with that. ”You guys… you’re probably right. Let’s get a move on.”

 

”Quite,” Zilyana agreed. ”The sooner we can take the staff, the better chance we may have of restoring our universe to its proper order.”

 

”To say nothing of Protheus and his Divine.”

 

”We’ll take care of all of that, don’t you worry!” As Sora sped up along the bridge, a fork in the road appeared.

 

”Well then,” Zilyana chuckled. ”If you’re so insistent on leading the way, then which way shall we take?”

 

 

Ending location: C7

[The Warden]

[[Another Time, Another Place]]

 

 

Sweet Reckoning

 

When all pathways are completed, that is when Time truly begins, or, does it end? The three Doors are gone, and in their wake is a long white corridor. As one walks upon the corridor, they may end up intersecting with other corridors, and other people. But, all corridors lead towards one place. From one of the twelve different exits the corridors will open up onto a tiled landmass floating over a rippling rainbow sea. Tall ice-like glass walls are raised all around the floating mass, and through these are where the corridors end. One very noticeable trait about this place is that physics are very haphazard in how they work, altering from high to low gravity in certain areas. At the center of this domain is a large tree with a clock coiled out its branches, and three stone pillars.

 

Each pillar represents a Pathway an individual has completed, with Red for Death, Yellow for Remembrance, and Blue for Truth. To touch one of these pillars allows someone to recall their time and experiences in each of the Pathways. The clock the three pillars stood resolute over was permanently locked at 12:00 o'clock, and despite it ticking, the hands of the clock would not move. At the base of the tree was a receptacle bound tightly in its roots, awaiting for the Key of Origin to be presented to it. Until that time, the clock will not react to anything else around it, and it was impervious to all harm.

 

A horrible dark ambience wafted around the branches of the tree, as if there was some kind of presence watching with disdain and disgust. Also, be sure not to be knocked over the size of the landmass, as the gravity above the ocean is 50x Earth's gravity. And to fall into the rainbow ocean was to be swept back to the White Room, requiring a person to race down the corridors again back to Prologuous.

 

[spoiler=Welcome, to Prologuous]

 

Each tile is 50m x 50m

 

[Gαr]

Gon, Path of Remembrance

 

The fight was now over and Gon and Killua had a short lived celebration when Yachiru tackled him. Kenpahci swooped in and berated Killua about love culminating in the big man launching Killua all the way to the end of the Pathway. Gon laughed at his best friend's misfortune, but stopped midlaugh when Kenpachi got a little too close for comfort, especially with the radical height difference. Gon nodded along to Kenpachi's orders. He didn't know what Kenpahci meant by dragging his soul around, but he waved back when Kenpachi waved. It was amazing how easily the two biggest men Gon has ever seen jump across the lake and to the other end. "Killua sure has the strangest friends."

 

He grinned and started running across the lake. The water was refilling so he concentrated his aura around his feet so he could walk on it. About halfway across, lightning flashed across the sky with the message, "See you soon." Gon knew it was from Killua. Gon did double-time. He made it up the stairs and stood before the dark pond. He stared into and it asked one question in his head.

 

'Are you satisfied with your past’?

 

"Sure, I am."

 

He found himself back in the White Room. Last time he was here, he spent a good while in it. Now, he was in and out of there. He just knew what Path Killua was going to take. He choose the Path of Truth and started along the the dark path. He sensed Killua up ahead and was about to repay him for how he was greeted at the start of Remembrance, but someone else had the same idea in mind.

[Dad]

Killua, Pathway to Truth

 

He was hovering around the edge of the tunnel, taking in the sights of the Pathway.  To be honest, this was quite a sudden but welcome change.  It was peaceful.  The fields ahead were enormous, and stretched far beyond his eyes.  It was littered with flowers of different kinds, blooming cherry blossom trees, and seemed to be all too surreal.  He sighed, taking a deep breath as he looked below him and noticed two glass bridges.  They stretched across an enormous gap that reached the length of the tunnels, and out into the fields before him.  A smile sneaked its way across his face, as Killua wondered if he had to rush through this pathway.  He was enjoying it, and it was just beginning.  But he had to keep his wits about him, knowing that any member of the Divine could suddenly, at any time, show up and atta--"Hey!  Whoa!" he said falling over the edge of the tunnel as he felt someone smack into the back of him at full speed.  He went tumbling down, but sprung to his feet and landed safely below near the glass bridges.

 

He could feel Gon's presence, but it wasn't as close by as the one immediately above him.  Taking this into account, Killua prepared for the worst.  It had to be a member of the Divine.  And for them to catch him off guard, they had to be moving pretty damn fast.  He turned his head upwards, to be greeted by a very frightening, albeit feminine, face.  This face was accompanied by dark black eyes, horns, wings, and a tail.  It was standing on four legs, and appeared harmless at first.  But even though Killua had seen different types of monsters, demons, and even giant killer ants, this was the first time he'd ever seen one of these.

 

"Is that--IS THAT A DRAGON!?" he asked aloud to no one in particular.  Though he couldn't confirm it, he was pretty sure this beast belonged to the Divine.  Which could only mean it was here to kill him.  And if Killua had trouble detecting this dragon as it slammed directly into him, there was a good chance he was almost assassinated.  His hair stood on edge, and Killua began to back slowly into the glass bridges behind him.  There was only open field ahead.  If he was going to escape the enemy, or at least assess their abilities, he was going to have to get somewhere he could fight.

 

He took an immediate fighting stance.  "Not gonna kill me with your fire breath!?" he asked the dragon before him.  He began thinking aloud, rapidly.  "They're immune to magic, so I can't kill it with lightning, can I?  I'll have to get in close."  He blinked away, and reappeared next to the dragon.  He quickly jumped atop her, and tried to wrestle the beast to the ground.  Unfortunately, she was twice his size, and it was like a child holding on to the leg of an adult.  He zipped around the dragon, trying to find various ways to pull her down, but she only looked at him in confusion.  He tugged at her legs, but to no avail.  He pulled down on her neck, but to no avail.  He pulled hard on her tail, but to no avail.  Exhausted from frantically trying to size up the dragon, Killua sat, arms back, legs open, in front of the dragon.

 

"Okay," he panted.  "Okay.  You win.  Just, go ahead and peel off my flesh and add it to your collection of corpses that surrounds your heaps of gold in your impenetrable dragon lair," he said in one long breath.  "Unless Gon saves me, I'm pretty sure this thing is gonna eat me."

[Tesability Black]

~The Divine - Path of Truth - Tesability's POV~

Blink.

Blink.

Blink.

The whole time the odd human was doing his various things, ranging from yoinking her tail, to which she simply smacked him on the rump with it after he let go, to pulling at her neck, which she ended with a playful nip at his hair, she had not really once moved from her position.

"...yu guffies," she finally replied once he had apparently surrendered. "Ai nu bweaff faiwe, bu' waitneengsh...an' wa'sh a wair?"

Shrugging, she simply hopped into the air and zipped off into flight at a high speed, evading the trees that came within her flight path with effortless skill.

...wait, did she just call him 'goofy'?

[Love of Ghibli]

Butlerok & Rhadamanthys: Path of Remembrance

After having everything explained to her, Madame could not even hold back her exhaustion. With a heavy sigh she looked at her own body and realized that Butler's actions are completely contrary of his training. It was clear that his training would not have helped him in this journey unless he took steps similar to what was taken. So if I am to understand I have a "Zanpaktou" belonging to one of your souls subordinates and the blade of Zeus. I never did like my younger self. So inexperienced. Madame looked back at the people who Butlerok explained were pivotal to this plan of theirs needless to say she was not impressed. The same gentlemen who Butlerok nearly killed seemed to be the only ones with true war time experience. I see. Well I can't fault the boy for having a wild imagination. What are you waiting for then shouldn't you make your way to the final door? Butlerok pointed towards Rhadamanthys who was walking towards them with his surplice having reformed. A couple of steps behind him was the young Regulus who was still walking off the embarrassment of having a crush in the middle of battle. 

My armor has been replenished, the valuable competition has left after the best battle that I've had in this cycle of my life, so why are we still here? Isn't it clear. You have to kill us. Butlerok looked at his mentor and Rhadamanthys looked at Regulus. Well I cannot say that I am particularly content with the concept of fighting my mentor... Madame quickly pulled out a Desert Eagle pistol and shot Butlerok directly in the face. The Kishin dug the bullet out of his eye and it regrew. Your regeneration rate is very slow. If you are going to be a true immortal you should get better at that. Interesting...any more suggestions? She cocked the gun and pulled out another Desert Eagle. I have some notes. 

Regulus and Rhadamanthys looked at each other and the young lion cub took a fighting stance. We already no how this is going to end. Don't we? Last I remember, you died. 
 

Ending Location: C9
 

[Maeriberii Haan]

---

 

Kazuya Minegishi

Pathway of Death B5-B6

 

“It doesn’t matter, we should keep moving.”

 

Once again, it seemed that these “pathways” used an individual’s past, mistakes, flaws, or guilt as a way torment the ones treading on it. Hearing Ayame’s explanation and her plea to not mention the matter again stopped Kazuya from asking about it more, though it still gave him more fuel for his thoughts as the two of them continued to walk in silence.

 

Now that he thought about it, the thought of his friends had rarely come across his mind during his time on the pathway…disturbingly so, even. For the people who were really close to him to be glossed over and forgotten like that felt really wrong, and to think about it, he eerily accepted the fact that he had just signed his world’s temporary annihilation by coming to this pathway in the first place to fight on this war, despite the fact that all of his friends would be dead by now. The fact that he felt barely anything regarding this…it started to scare him a little.

 

“Then why the hell did you take her offer?”

 

Hearing that familiar voice from his headphones, Kazuya jolted in surprise and dropped the pair to the ground. Anticipating the possibility that Ayame or Amaterasu might give him another series of weird looks, he immediately picked the headphones up and hung it on his neck instead of wearing them while hastening his own walk so the two didn’t leave him behind.

 

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about that. Probably just my headphones breaking up and giving me a jolt.”

 

Of course, he’s lying this time. The fact that he suddenly heard the voice of Yuzu yelling at him from his (already nonfunctional) headphones clearly disturbed him, and it shows in his face. He knew at this point that it’s another trickery of the pathway, but even compared to his encounters in Remembrance, this one sentence felt far more personal than before. Probably because this time, he felt that he’s actually screwing up instead of his confused and clueless state in the previous pathways.

 

Kazuya silently hoped as he continued to walk alongside Ayame that it would be the last of these disturbing things the pathways tried to pull to torture him, as unlikely as it was.

 

---

 

Tenco/Tenshi Hinanai

Pathway of Death B6-B7

 

Yeah, as if it needed more clearance, this woman was clearly suspicious. As naïve and slightly simple-minded Tenco was, she could pretty much see that Gyokuen was not someone to trust, especially after she looked at her with what could be described as a lustful gaze. It was…disturbing, and this was coming from someone that until not too long ago was obsessed unhealthily with her older sister/mother figure, in many ways.

 

“…Why am I thinking about that at a time like this?”

 

Tenco shook her head. She kind of had to admit, that a lot of her thoughts at that time was ridiculously creepy in hindsight, and if not for Tenshi’s last actions which would make doing it be incredibly sacrilegious and improper and the fact that her body ended up way too mangled after their battle, she would’ve…

 

Anyway, realizing more and more that she could become more and more hypocritical if she kept on thinking about that in that way, Tenco decided to return her gaze to Gyouken, and tried to check whether she could use her sword-hairpin to gain the same vision as the woman. The result was unsurprisingly a failure. Gritting her teeth in disappointment, she then immediately fixed her attitude and body language, not really wanting to be seen as suspicious by especially the creepy woman.

 

“I would never intrude on your personal quest. In fact I would like to accompany you. If that would be okay.”

 

“Yeah, not trustworthy at all.” Dorian managed to say what Tenco had in mind before she got a chance to utter the exact same thing. The joy of fast talker, Tenco mumbled. It’s still at least pretty amusing that Dorian also saw the woman to be non-trustworthy too. It kind of spoke volumes on how non-trustworthy the woman was.

 

“You used to be more civil and pleasant to be around.” The woman retorted, not amused by Dorian’s abrupt reply. And after that, a short banter followed, but before Tenco could even get a chance to say anything, Dorian already said that they need to start going, before the people using key weapons caught up to them. That mention reminded her of the specter Dorian faced earlier, which did use a weapon that looked like an oversized key. An oversized, ridiculously fancy key that somehow managed to look really dangerous. Curiosity taking over, Tenco decided to ask the man regarding those weapons

 

“So…what are these keyblades supposed to be? What kind of weapons are they actually? And…why are you seemingly having a beef of sort with their wielders?”

 

---

 

Reimu Hakurei

Pathway of Remembrance, C9-C14-???

 

“Well, I guess that’s something.”

 

The battle before her had ended with a peaceful note, with both sides seemingly content with each other now…despite supposedly being enemies. Not that she complained, since it’s always what happened with her too. The new girl that arrived still seemingly looked like she’s seriously confused regarding the entire thing, and then, she noticed that one of the men there decided to…stare at her with a not-so-subtle hint on his eyes regarding what’s on his mind. Nothing perverted probably, but seeing someone getting a crush on her at a time like this felt odd, and her disapproval of the idea due to the improper timing and everything was perfectly illustrated on her expression.

 

Hoping the guy got the signal that she was not interested in him or his future advances for now, Reimu then turned around, and saw that Killua and his boy friend, along the big bald warrior and the old man and the little girl she met during the Pathway of Death were already leaving the scene. It’s time for her to follow them and leave too, that was Reimu realized that time. She had been messing around in the pathway for too long, and what’s left for her to do was to finish it and go towards the expanse that lies beyond it.

 

Just before she left, she saw the two members of the Divines that fought Killua and his friends earlier were now preparing to fight again, this time against…a woman and the guy that clearly had a crush on Reimu earlier. She pondered once more whether she should join this one, but a quick glance towards them clearly showed that this was more about personal matters than anything, so she decided to just leave like she would originally did with basic human decency as the reasoning.

 

Reimu lifted off from the ground once more, and set up her barriers to protect her from the snowstorm ahead of her before she flew towards the end of the pathway, passing through the chilling crystal clear lake below her, which reflected the beautiful moonlight above.

 

 

Reaching the end of Remembrance not long after, Reimu scaled the winding staircase in front of her, the last staircase that separated her and Revy, and the others. After this…no one knew about what else would wait for her and allies beyond the point, and honestly, Reimu couldn’t wait to see whatever it would be. Although, she was more ecstatic with the prospect to see Revy again right now. Not without reasoning of course. Even with how little they’ve been interacting with each other, even if they only knew each other for a short time, the brash woman ended up reminding Reimu of the value of actual friendship, and reminded her on how distant she had been with others before, even to the people she considered as “friend”. Even to Marisa, who had been with her since forever, the perceived distance between them was perfectly clear, something that the pathway-created Marisa mentioned as a jab to her earlier. Reimu felt that she and Revy ended up close enough during the course of this struggle, and Reimu definitely enjoy her companionship so far, especially on the previous pathway. The shrine maiden felt like she had her second chance of actually befriending others after her meeting with Revy, of course with a healthy dose of personal jabs courtesy of the pathways helping her.

 

It was with those thoughts in mind that she proceeded to rush through the pathway, even ignoring the boat and the lake as she just flew above it, towards the stairs she’s currently on. Not long after this, the final stage of the conflict will happen, and Reimu was ready to help finish this incident once and for all, so she could return to Gensokyo to live her old life once more, with the things and changes she had been subjected to throughout this journey. The thought of her possibly dying was around, of course, as it would be natural to think about in situations as dire as this, but Reimu just scoffed at those thoughts despite knowing that her current condition was not really at the best one possible. She had been through a lot before this, so she believed that there’s no way she’d just die easily like that, especially not at this point, not at the end game. There are way too many things on her shoulders right now for her to afford dying. Arturia’s wishes, Yukari’s wishes, other’s wishes, and…most of all, her own wishes, her dying would be too much of a letdown to everyone. Though…if death did end up being her only choice, then Reimu felt that she would be ready to accept such fate.

 

Reimu’s thoughts ended up trailing off further from the topic the higher she ascended on the stairs. If there’s one biggest thing the pathway pushed her to remember, even bigger than her impersonal stance on everyone, it was how she was merely acting out of duty regarding everything, ignoring her own feelings. A slave to public relations, doing her job because it’s what others wanted her to do. She had put a resolve into herself now as she had been realizing this fact on the previous pathway. As it had been said by herself, she would help in ending this incident not as the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, and not because everyone else’s wishes, even if she didn’t want to disappoint them. She would solve this as herself, Reimu Hakurei, and she would do what she thought to be right without anyone else deciding for her. And right now, the right thing to do was to help the Counter Corps in stopping Protheus from reaching the door. Even if Yukari had said to her to just follow her order back then, Reimu believed that following the Counter Corps would be better for everyone, including herself and Yukari. With those thoughts still in her mind, she reached the endpoint of the pathway, fully expecting the incoming question that she’d inevitably answer.

 

“I’m sorry for not following your order, Yukari. But this is for everyone’s sake, so I hope you’ll understand.” Reimu mumbled to herself regarding the thoughts she had. Not like anyone would be able to hear her right now, as she’s completely alone on the endpoint. Especially not the person the sentence was aimed to, since Yukari didn’t even enter the pathway. Well, discounting the alternate universe Yukari that she met earlier, of course, although Reimu was still unsure whether she was real or not. And with that, she walked towards the barrier that separated her and the teleporter, expecting the usual voice to greet her. But this time, something different happened.

 

“Are you satisfied with your past?”

 

“…Huh, that’s weird.” For a second, Reimu could swear that she knew the voice that talked to her regarding the final question for the pathway. Maybe it’s simply due to the fact that it’s the pathway of Remembrance that they ended up using a familiar voice gathered from her memories here, but she still found it funny, if a bit unsettling that the voice was clearly that of a woman’s rather than the neutral sounding voice she heard on the previous two pathways. Still thinking about the actual reasoning of the change, the voice was then heard once more.

 

“Are you satisfied with your past?”

 

“Wait a bit, alright?”

 

It’s a bit odd that the pathway now tried to repeat the question, something it never really did before. Although…Reimu started to feel more and more suspicious regarding the actual reasoning behind this, sensing that it was someone’s attempt for a foul play, or something similar. There’s little reason for the pathway to change its modus operandi at the final one to boot, and however small it was, it still warranted her concern. With this suspicion in mind, Reimu stood there facing the barrier of the pathway, waiting for what would the voice do next.

 

“Are you satisfied with your past?”

 

“Three times the charm, huh?”

 

And now, the voice changed to the ones she usually heard on the previous pathways. She was still suspicious regarding the entire thing, but with the voice returning to normal, she decided that she’d answer it, seeing no danger in answering this one now. But before she could answer, the previous woman’s voice spoke up again.

 

“Are you satisfied with your past?”

 

“Wha-“

 

“Third time's the charm, yes.

 

One is a miracle.

 

Two is a coincidence.

 

Three is normal.

 

And the fourth…is death.”

 

Reimu didn’t even get a chance to defend herself before she was sucked out of the endpoint into somewhere else, leaving absolutely no traces of herself in front of the barrier and the endpoint.

 

---

 

Yakumo Yukari and Neos Rivetter

Pathway of Truth, A3-A7-A3-A9

 

“...K-Koishi!”

 

“...That hurts.” Facing the fact that she was almost completely disintegrated, Koishi responded to her situation with almost indifference. Her face showed that she was feeling immense amount of pain, but the tone of her voice was instead completely flat. It was as if she was actually uncaring about the fact that she just had her body completely erased from existence by Gemini.

 

“I’ve never known him to do that before,”Neos remarked, eyes held open a bit wide at the scene that suddenly occurred.

 

“...Neos…w-what did he exactly do?” Yukari asked to Neos, the neutral expression that she tried to keep since earlier had disappeared completely as she saw Koishi getting almost erased from existence by Gemini. That point was the peak of her worry about Koishi. There were almost no traces of her attempts earlier to show her being insensitive to Koishi’s condition. At that point, she almost reacted to Koishi’s almost-erasure by rushing to the battle and try erasing Gemini with her own power, but a combination of the things he said earlier and the fact that Koishi not seemingly caring regarding her predicament made Yukari stay on her position in the end, trying to keep her bottled anger from leaking. Deep inside, she also knew that if she jumped to fight Gemini, she would just make the situation even worse.

 

The youkai sighed a bit as she waited for Neos’ explanation, realizing that she didn’t have much choice on the matter. If she rushed ahead and attack Gemini, there’ll be zero chance she could get more information from him, not that the information would matter to her right now, especially not after what he did. The fact that he already accused the two of them as being using the pretense of asking for the information as a front for something else entirely had pretty much voided any further benefit this interaction would have, and what was left behind was a deep regret that she didn’t just get far away with Koishi earlier. Right now, she...really had no idea on what to do, to tell the truth. She wanted to trust Koishi to be able to handle this on her own, which is why she didn’t just gap her away, but if this went on for too long, then…

 

“She’ll hopefully be fine.” Yukari said, almost like a whisper. She was slightly surprised that the pathway allowed her to say it, but she realized that on how she said it, she didn’t say it as a matter of fact. She simply said it as a hope, a wish that the silver-haired girl could turn out alright in the end after this mess. “So...once again, can you tell me what did he do to her?”

 

“I think,”Neos started to say after a few more seconds of thought, “he used some form of infernal magic to dissolve most of her...though I don’t understand how she’s still able to even speak after that.”Neos soon glanced towards Yukari; the right blue eyebrow raised a bit as he looked towards her. “Got any ideas why?”

 

“About that...first of all, can you see the blue eyeball-like structure attached to her head right now? The one connected with the veins and tentacles to the head?” Yukari pointed at Koishi’s third eye, making it as clear as possible for Neos to see where she’s pointing at. “That eyeball thing is the true Koishi. She is from a species called a Satori, and their true self is the third-eye with the tentacles over there. They can puppeteer a body...dead body using the tentacles, and they can also use the tentacles to sew the body together if necessary.”

 

“So, Gemini just forced her to throw that idea way out the window, I’m guessing,” Neos responded to this bit, clicking his tongue before turning his head just in time to see Gemini picking up the head by the hair and throwing it towards Yukari. A completely disgruntled and disturbed Yukari picked up the head, but she was surprised to see that the third eye had somehow disappeared from the head during the interval between the time the head was picked up and the last time she and Neos observed it, leaving only the bloody, pouting, motionless head as the remaining part of Koishi on her hands.

 

“I’d suggest you teach her some manners before someone decides to not be as nice with the corpse. And now, I’m gonna make sure a certain mage isn’t getting himself raped by a messed-up angel...I’d rather be the one that does that instead.” With a wicked, toothy grin on his face, the suited double snapped his fingers before appearing to just disappear from the Pathway as a whole. Seeing him attempting to escape, for a moment Yukari’s emotions took over the control of her body, and she tried to catch him using her own gaps before he completely left, just so she could put an end to him as a payback to what he did to Koishi. But...she stopped, even before she started to make a move towards Gemini. Yukari froze on her place when she actually found out about what actually happened to Koishi after her body being disintegrated, all unfolding before her eyes. No matter how much she had seen this kind of thing before, seeing something like it unfolded in front of her still managed to completely disturb her, and she realized how dangerous it had become if she and Neos stayed on the location with Koishi going as badly as this.

 

“...Neos.” Yukari turned around to see the shapeshifter, with a dreadful look on her face as she dropped the motionless Koishi’s head to the ground. “It’s time to leave. Don’t ask about why for now. Just...stand still and let me do my thing without you resisting.” Without giving any more information regarding what she was going to do, and without waiting to hear Neos’ response, a giant gap opened on the group under the two of them, and they were immediately swallowed by it, leaving the immediate area behind.

 

 

“I think we’ll be safe here.” Yukari and Neos appeared from the gap on what seemingly the other side of the pathway, with the formerly vibrant and beautiful pathway bristling with life now replaced by a completely dying land, without anything living as far as their eyes could see.

 

“Sorry for teleporting you with barely any precedence like that, Neos.” Yukari sighed as she looked behind, at the area the two just left behind. “It’s too dangerous to be there now, and there’s not much point to stay there with Gemini leaving.” She said with a heavy heart. Without the purple man, it theoretically would be easier for Yukari to try helping Koishi opening up once more, since she wouldn’t experience the distorted and rotten mindflow from Gemini’s consciousness, but...what she saw when she realized the third eye had disappeared from her decapitated head...it convinced Yukari enough that the situation was hopeless for now. Even without the moon, there’s no way she could try dealing with her in that state once more, there’s too big of a risk, and with the infinite resources she had access to here, it’d just be plain impossible for her, to be frank. And there’s no way she’d involve someone else with the horror, especially if that someone was the type that would just be easily broken by the satori.

 

“My question is why did you even approach me for questions regarding Arturia? I’m damned-near new to this whole ball-o’-sheet,”Neos remarked with an exasperated tone, releasing a sigh as he did as he ran a hand through his hair under his hat. That remark broke Yukari’s train of thought regarding Koishi, and she returned her attention to the shapeshifter.

 

“It’s simply because you’re the only person around at the time.” Yukari answered bluntly, before catching the tone of exasperation from Neos. “To tell the truth...I’m here with the intent of opposing both Arturia and Protheus, if it's not clear yet from my dialogue with Gemini earlier. Both of them are equally destructive in their goals, and I can’t let either of them to be the one to use the Door...or to do anything to it.” She didn’t even need the Pathway forcing her to tell the truth to drop this sentence. No point in lying about this, after all. If she could convince people to see the truth one by one...it’ll be enough, definitely. “So, for now, I believe that we require someone that would be able to open the door for everyone’s interest.”

 

Which would be me, of course.

 

“I can think of only one person who could use the Door and have several requests be granted at once through him, but I don’t even...wait, is that smell what I think it is?”

 

While Yukari was a bit confused with the remark, Neos moved one foot back and began to sniff the air, much like a dog trying to catch a scent of something. It only took a few seconds, but once he got what he was searching for, the false human bounded towards one direction of the path at an unreal pace, aided by Agility to increase his speed. He stopped upon seeing what looked like a slight indent in the ground and knelt beside it for a second. “...oh...funk, he’s been pulled here.”

 

“You mean Gemini?” Yukari asked the soon-returning Neos, getting concerned with him suddenly like noticing something bad on the pathway. However, he just shook his head before standing back up onto his feet.

 

“It does smell like Gemini’s been here much earlier, but that’s not what I’m worried about.” Turning to face Yukari, a worried look fell upon his face. “I mentioned just now that there was only one person who could use the Door on behalf of many at once, right?” Glancing back down towards the indent, which looked like someone was thrown backwards and hit the ground on their back. “That person is on the Paths now, and I don’t think he can survive alone.”

 

“Who are you referring to, Neos?” For a bit, she felt dejected that Neos would consider anyone else as fitting to utilize the Door, but she knew that as long as it’s not Arturia or Protheus, it should be fine for her and Gensokyo, so she decided to try listening to Neos now.

 

“I’m not gonna get into all the bullshit he wound up head-first in his Multiverse, but I will say this. I know of...correction, was working for a powerful mindmage by the name of Jace Beleren. He’s capable of linking multiple minds through his own and has done it before. I’m surprised he’s not insane yet...that or he does a damned-good job of keeping a mask of sanity. It’s very possible that he could link several minds into his own before walking through the Door and having many requests granted at one time. The problem is,”Neos continued before looking down the path ahead. “Jace himself is an Artifact from his Multiverse, which means that if he winds up erased...there’s gonna be bigger consequences than normal...including the self-destruction of one particular plane in it.”

 

“...Heh.” This “Jace” person...was pretty much seemingly a stable version of Koishi, with how Neos described him. In a way, if Koishi was more stable than she was now, Yukari could definitely see her too as someone that could be pretty fitting to use the Door. The great youkai snickered a bit with the suggestion’s coincidence with their current situation, before replying to Neos with the things that she was concerned about with his suggestion. “As you’ve said, it’s a risky choice, despite his ability to understand each faction’s wishes. We can’t take any risks in regard to this, Neos. This...is not a mere wish granting device. We’re talking about temporary complete, absolute control of the entirety of existence in itself. And as you’ve said, he’s probably just wearing a mask of sanity…”

 

Yukari paused for a second, before continuing. She had just realized something, a coincidence, she could’ve said, but a hilarious one nonetheless. Trying as hard as she could to not laugh in the grim and serious situation, Yukari then continued to talk.

 

“I think Gemini’s referring to him when he talked about the angel and a mage earlier. In that case...he definitely wouldn’t be suitable.” Yukari finished her sentence, still suppressing her laugh as much as she could.

 

“...that is a picture I’m trying not to envision, no matter how many times I tease Jace in such a way,” was the rather-deadpanned response given by the shapeshifter.

 

“So many behinds are broken today.” This time, the deadpan remark given made Yukari couldn’t help herselfbut to crack a joke...to which the response was a resounding forehead smack from Neos that turned a part of his skin even more yellow from the impact.

 

“On an actual serious note, however,” her smile disappeared from Yukari’s face as she continued to talk again, her tone returning to her cold, serious tone from before, “we definitely cannot let either Arturia or Protheus...and a big portion of the Divines, now that I think about it, to walk through the Door and utilize it.

 

However, a big problem regarding this is how the others look at Arturia. At this point, if we confront Arturia directly, we’ll just end up having to face everyone else on the Corps, and since we’re also opposing the Divines…that’s not really a good prospect for us, if I may say.” A huge understatement. “This is why I need as much information I can get regarding her, and as many people who would listen to me about this. To hammer the point once again, you, and all of your fellow Counter Corps members, are walking towards your deaths right now.

 

No single one of you will leave this conflict alive if you follow Arturia’s lead.”

 

“My life’s been pretty voided even before discovering this war. I should have already been dead twice now.” The comment was random, but it came with a pensive look on his face as Yukari mentioned that he wouldn’t leave this alive under Arturia’s wing. Facing what she perceived as a surprisingly selfish response, Yukari could only sigh before replying.

 

“What about the others, however? Other members of the Counter Corps...or how about anyone else? How about the worlds left in ruins due to the whole conflict? Arturia will not let any single one of these erased worlds to be reformed with the Door’s power, if what I gathered so far is right. I doubt she’d even let anyone use the door, even herself.” It’s understandable if the shapeshifter didn’t really care about his life, but Yukari had to remind him about what else could be at stake. “Both Arturia and Protheus’ lead will give everyone a bad end. Without any exceptions.

 

I’m not saying here that you should follow me instead, but...this is why I really need to figure out a way to outplay both at the same time.”

 

“Never said I didn’t care about anything else. I’m just stating that, after this point, I’m no longer fazed by even Arturia herself trying to end my life. Apparently, she tried to kill me to get rid of Gemini after I passed out in Death.”

 

“I guess that’s quite expected of her to do.”

 

Glancing towards Yukari after her statement, the thoughtful look still on his face, he continued to speak. “However, I know that she never manages for one specific reason. Considering the number of multiverses I’ve been through, if she managed to erase me, there’d be one hell of a chain of events to deal with, possibly including the creation ofanother Counter Guardian to stop her from killing me. Which hasn’t happened...not yet, at least.”

 

Crossing his arms in thought as he leaned his head forward, Neos let loose with another nasal sigh.“Then again, considering her Aura pattern’s similar to Jace’s though not in colorations, there may be another that may aid us. I don’t know her name, but I do know that the phrase ‘fiery vixen’ can literally be applied to her…”

 

“Well, we definitely need as much assistance and support as we could. Or at least, as much people being aware of this fact before it’s too late.” The suggestion of others to open the door other than herself irked Yukari a bit, but she did calm herself soon afterwards after getting herself to realize that what was important right now was just for anyone to press the reset button, and it would be fine even if it’s not her.

 

A brief silence then followed those words as the two simply sat on their current location, not really sure as of whether to continue or not. Then, turning around once again to look at the previous area that she had left, Yukari let out a big sigh, a somber look was on her face. “...Getting this point straight to you had claimed a victim. The girl over there, the one that we left behind earlier. I...could have just left the scene as soon as she warned me, but I didn’t in hope of gathering more information from you, and later from Gemini.”

 

“...all you’d have to do was wait until I get to the end of a Path and he’d apparently be forced to show.” Glancing ahead towards the decaying forest, then back towards the shower of pink petals in the forest behind, he shook his head before looking ahead once more. “Then again, if I had never pretended to be something I’m not, there’s a lot in my life that would have never happened.”

 

“Even if there’s no way I could actually know about that…yeah...I think that was just plain selfish of me to do what I did earlier. She didn’t leave on her own since she trusted me. She trusted me to keep her safe from people like Gemini…and I just betrayed her trust due to my own selfishness. I don’t think I can even justify the thing I did as for the greater good.

 

And now, that girl ended up suffering from my mistake, and...I’m not sure whether I can actually help her at this point.” The scene that unfolded as soon as Gemini left the area came to her mind once again. “I don’t think I know about what I should do now, to be honest.

 

I think I’m getting a bit too obsessed with overcoming Arturia now to the point of me ignoring the person I’ve promised to for us to get through this mess together.”

 

It was completely, utterly random, but Neos suddenly came up to Yukari, making an attempt to give her a comforting hug, despite the awkwardness it may cause. “As I keep telling Jace, if you feel as if you cannot live for yourself, live for those that have been with you, whether or not they still stand by you in life.” Letting go, then lowering himself a bit so that he could be eye-level with her. “Often times, the ones we think are gone never truly are. The Path hasn’t erased your memories of her, obviously.”

 

It was a bit surprising, but Yukari then returned the hug for a bit before letting herself go from Neos. His words did give her a reminder about Renko, and everyone that she had left behind. But right now…he was right that Yukari should focus on who was with her now. Which was Koishi.

 

“You’re right. I’ve made promises to the people I’m close with from time to time…but I always end up breaking those promises due to my own weakness. Yet...I still honestly wanted to do something to Koishi despite her current state. I’ve promised her to bring her all the way to the end, to help her meet her sister once more. She had saved me that one time in the past, and I’m obliged to help her even if she had lost herself. But right now, I don’t think I have any choices in this matter.”

 

“Oh, there is always a choice. The question is, do we take the chance to make the choice or do we let others make it for us?” A sly grin, though definitely not as tainted as Gemini’s grins, emerged on his face. “I’d say the former sounds better, don’t you?”

 

“Then tell me what can I do right now. She had her heart and mind completely closed from outside influence as of now, and even the strongest psychic couldn’t pierce that blockade. There’s only two occasions where I managed to go through. First time was simply luck, as to be able to enter the pathway, she had to open her heart and be recognized as an actual sentient being, and the second time, I had to utilize the Pathway of Remembrance to do it for me.”

 

“You keep saying ‘heart’ and ‘mind’,”Neos remarked as he crossed his arms in front of himself again, raising a hand to rest his chin on it. “But what about ‘soul’?”

 

“What are you implying here...Neos?” Yukari asked, her hope was slightly ignited once more. She didn’t really have any ability to read or access Koishi’s soul, so if Neos could end up picking that third option to save Koishi, then…

 

Seeing Yukari being hopeful like that, Neos allowed his arms to drop to his sides once more before looking up towards the clouded sky. “In my realm, the ability to control Aura was akin to the ability to control life force, the very soul of a being. Though we have different ways of manifesting it, both Gemini and myself have control of this power. It would be tricky...but there may be a small chance I can coax her back out again...it’d be a great risk to myself right now, however…”

 

“Is it really okay with you…?

 

But you’re already offering this as an option to me. I guess we should try it in that case.”

 

Neos raised up his hands to either side, almost as if tossing caution to the wind. “It’s kind of my fault she flipped the funk out the way she did, so it’s the least I could do,” he commented before lowering his hands again, sliding one hand into a pant pocket as he did.

 

“In that case, let’s return to her again. Hopefully this will work.

 

You ready, Neos?” This time, Yukari waited for Neos to voice his readiness before gapping them away.

 

“...as ready as I’m gonna be, considering I risk self-erasure with this.”

 

He didn’t dare look towards her when he said this, but there was a sliver of fear noticeable in his neon-green eyes. Fear, however, can be a good thing when it keeps you alive.

 

“Alright then. I guess it’s time for us to visit her again.” And with that, they were swallowed with the giant gap once more, before being spat out of it on their previous location in the first half of the pathway.

 

"...And now, you see why I have us teleported away earlier." Yukari said in a cold tone.

 

Right there, Koishi floated mid-air, her body and clothing had somehow been reformed, and around her, torn body pieces of the fairies of the pathway were scattered. The satori herself was seemingly trying to find someone alive around, for an unknown purpose. All the fairies around her were already a goner after all...

 

“...holy Arceus, I even see a few Togetics in this mess,”Neos stated, trying not to let himself appear shaken and enraged by the disregard for life in general that had happened before him. “What in the Distortion did she do to all of them…?”

 

Yukari, despite the scene still disturbed her a lot when she actually saw what happened earlier, tried her best to keep her composure as she proceeded to explain to Neos regarding what actually happened.

 

“Remember how I said earlier that satoris utilize others’ nonliving bodies as their own?

 

When I teleported ourselves away earlier, she was using all these fairies to rebuild her own body.” Yukari paused for a bit, pondering about whether she should continue with the details or not. After several seconds, she decided to continue her sentence with a caution instead.“You really don’t want to know about how.” Yukari said while she observed Koishi’s body from her position. Compared to the time when Koishi used her head and limbs to rebuild herself, Yukari at least now could say that the body she made was quite well-built. At least, there were no obvious patches where one part led to the other. It’s just as if it’s a normal body now...which made it not really too horrifying unless one went deeper than what’s currently visible.

 

“...something tells me I’d best not try to read her DNA, either, or I may have a headache that won’t stop for a month at least…” Shaking his head to clear himself of such thoughts, Neos looked back up towards the rebuilt satori and sighed through his nose with a closed mouth. “Welp, either this ends well, or I’m gonna be hurting for a spell.”

 

“Don’t lower your guard when it comes to your mind. The last thing you want is to be turned insane by the thoughts she projected.

 

I’m still a bit unsure on how it worked, but my assumption would be, you’ll be bombarded by what would be amplified Gemini’s thoughts, twisted even further than it already is.”

 

“That’s one beauty about this,”Neos remarked, rubbing the palms of his hands against the upper portions of his legs. “I won’t be going through the mind.” Bringing one hand over now-closed eyes, they began to glow with a light-bluish light before he reopened them, the light glowing through the green instead of over them.

 

“I know, but even then she can influence you deeply if you lower your guard, which you’ll do when you’re trying to access her soul.” Even with her warning however, Yukari was sure that Neos would be alright in the end. With a slight smile, she watched as the entire process unfolded in front of her. Not that she’s perfectly sure about the chance that this would actually work however. In fact, she’s pretty skeptical. But right now there’s no other way but to try out everything if they wanted to actually snap Koishi out of this, so there’s no point in stopping Neos from trying. And for this once, Yukari really did want to try hoping that for once, things would really go in her way.

 

The forest around them now appeared not as the beautiful forest that one would see with normal eyes, but the decrepit forest that lie beyond the mirror, lifeless and dark. The way this part of the Path truly looked under its veil. Glancing down at himself, he could see the familiar light-blue aura he normally shed off, though he saw that it was somewhat faded. “I won’t be able to use much in this, though.”

 

He dared to look towards where Koishi was last seen to his normal eyes, seeing to his surprise a purple glow that was almost not even there, which netted a surprised look. “What the...is she even alive?”

 

Raising his hands in front of himself with palms facing the being in front of himself, his hands began to glow with the same blue light, a light that began to surround Koishi in both normal and his altered sight. Almost as soon as he did, a deep pain began to rip through his body from the extreme overtaxing of energy he was pulling, trying to coax Koishi out of her sealed state indirectly.

 

...unfortunately, before he could find out if it even worked or not, his body shut down on him, forcing him to fall to the ground from suddenly passing out, creating a resounding ‘thud’ as he hit the ground on his side. He was still barely alive, but he’d probably be out for a bit...again...

 

 

“It…it’s working!

 

Neos, it’s working!”

 

Very unusually for her, Yukari couldn’t hide her joy when she saw that Koishi was slowly waking up from her sealed-off state. She was admittedly pretty skeptical at first regarding the method used by Neos, but seeing that it gave off a positive result casted off all doubts inside of her. Even with Neos still being very much unconscious due to the exertion, Yukari still tried to celebrate the fact with him. Even with the uncertainty of what to come next, a triumph like this was very well, welcomed.

 

Yukari herself had make sure to restraint Koishi’s body to lie on the ground to prevent any dangers to both herself and Neos during the process. Seeing her eyelids starting to show signs of movement, it was as if she’s being a witness to a miracle. That once…all that she wanted to do then was to approach the girl, give her a warm, welcoming hug, and apologize for what she didn’t do earlier.

 

But…just as Yukari shifted her attention away from Koishi for a second, when she returned her gaze to her supposed location, the body had completely disappeared. While at first she was surprised and slightly panicking, she then realized that Koishi probably just decided to run away as far as she could from the two while activating her power, probably all thanks to the earlier incident still leaving a huge mark on her.

 

“…If that’s the case…the only thing left for me to do is to hope that we’ll meet again so I can apologize to her.”

 

As much as Yukari wanted to track down Koishi at that moment and finish the pathway alongside her, rational side finally kicked in again, and she decided that it would be a meaningless endeavor. Koishi’s presence concealment meant that unless she somehow wanted to see Yukari or Neos again, she would completely be invisible to both of them, and as it worked by toying with their minds rather than their senses, tracking her down with magic would similarly be impossible. Not to mention the fact that she still need to prepare herself for the inevitable confrontation against Arturia. The situation simply didn’t permit her to do more regarding Koishi. With a deep regret in her heart, Yukari picked up Neos and carried the unconscious shapeshifter on her back. Even if he’s clearly bigger than her, Yukari’s still a youkai, even if a little bit too weakened, and thus, her physical strength was not something to sneeze at. Though…Neos had seemingly shifted to his formless blob-like form, which did make her job easier as she could pick him up with more ease than what she expected at first. With Neos safely carried on her back, Yukari at first pondered whether she should just walk through the pathway and find as many information as she could regarding it, but in the end she decided that it’s too impractical, and thus, she opened a gap once again, walking towards it to appear at the other side of the pathway, not really too far from a series of crystalline bridges leading towards some sort of corridors.

 

“A reflection of how we started, it seems.

 

Well then, this is the end, Neos. It’s time to reach out to what kind of truth do the pathway wished for us to learn.”

 

Still very aware that Neos hadn’t woken up yet, Yukari still tried to strike up a conversation with him. Still staring at the crystalline bridges over in the distance, Yukari considered to try healing Neos up before continuing, but it felt like it’d be too much of a drain to her, and the last time she healed someone, it took her roughly two hours of sleep before she could actually move around again. And as much as she wanted to rest now, there’s no longer any time for that. Thus, she decided to walk through the rest of the pathway instead of stopping a bit to rest or treat Neos, seemingly aware that there’s something that either herself or both of them needed to face sooner or later.

 

And she was right. Not long after, she came face-to-face with a cloaked figure. Aware that the pathway would demand her to finish something with the figure before she could continue, Yukari stopped in her tracks, waiting for the figure to talk or drop what it’s supposed to do there before Yukari could continue. In a voice similar to a teenage girl’s voice, the figure then proceeded to speak.

 

“Well well, Yukari, may I ask you a question?”

 

“Yes, though you already did.” Yukari replied in a deadpan manner, not really looking forward to whatever the figure would say to her. Even then, the figure didn't even seem to notice that tone from her, and continued ecstatically with her supposed question.

 

“Sweet!

 

Well then, my question’ll be pretty simple. Why are you doing all of this, Yukari?”

 

“…Pardon?” Yukari looked at the cloaked girl with a questioning look; seemingly not sure about what the girl was trying to ask to her. It was then responded with a giggle from the girl before she elaborated further about what her question actually means.

 

“It’s simply that, Yukari. Why are you looking forward to finish the pathways and reach the Door?”

 

“Of course, it’s for-“ Before she could finish, the girl cut her mid-sentence.

 

“Nah, it’s not the case, not what I wanted to hear. Not the full case, I mean. I know you’re fully intent on restoring the worlds, especially your own world for a relatively selfless reason, but hey, every selfless action will always have a selfish side to them! So, that’s what I wanted to know.

 

You might be confused about this, as this selfishness of your intent might be buried on layers and layers of other things in your mind, but just trust your heart to say it, and it’ll come out to the light of truth for us all to hear.”

 

“Sheesh, alright then.” She’s a bit annoyed by the girl’s elaboration and her know-it-all tone, but Yukari pushed that annoyed feeling away as she thought about what the girl wanted to hear. It shouldn’t be something too outlandish, definitely. Something really close to her. Maybe it’s some sort of gratification or reward? No, it shouldn’t be. Almost nothing material would actually get her attention right now, they should be completely meaningless.

 

Maybe it’s a feeling instead? In that case, what kind of feeling? Satisfaction of finally being able to save Gensokyo? Maybe, but Yukari kind of doubted that it would count as an actual motivator on why she pushed this hard towards the finish. Maybe her reuniting with people that she cared about? Possibly, but in this case, who? Ran and Chen, which she effectively viewed as her family? Reimu, who was the person that she trusted the most? Or is it either Yuyuko or Suika, her long-time friends?

 

Friend.

 

And with that, Yukari realized the actual answer that the girl wanted, though it did leave her with various conflicting feelings due to what kind of answer it was. Returning her sight to the cloaked girl, Yukari saw that she was already a bit impatient with how much time it took Yukari to figure out an answer. Neos was still unconscious on her back so he probably wouldn’t listen to what she’s going to say.

 

“I’m doing this for Renko.

 

I’m doing this…so I can find a way for us to meet with each other again. So I can be with her again, once more.”

 

Saying that was really weird for Yukari, but she knew that it’s what her heart wanted to say. Even if it’s jarring or odd…she could feel that it was what she wanted that time. And it seemed that the girl was satisfied with that answer, but then she suddenly approached Yukari, and tapped her on her shoulders, somehow growing to be around her height as she walked. With an older voice, the cloaked woman spoke to her one last time before disappearing.

 

“Here’s one last question, Yukari. Though, it’s not really something that you should answer right now. I don’t think you’re in the right state of mind to answer it now anyway.

 

Yukari…whose life are you supposed to be living as right now?”

 

The question silenced Yukari as she watched the figure disappear before her, leaving behind the crystalline bridge around ten meters behind her. Not sure how to react to the question, Yukari suppressed it inside of her, assuming that it would just be a distraction from her goal, before she continued to walk towards the corridors beyond the glass bridges, still with the unconscious Neos-blob on her back.

 

---

 

Komeiji Koishi

Pathway of Truth, ???-A3-E10

 

[spoiler=Koishi]

 

And here I am.

 

Alone.

 

Looking at the closed-off room where I was bound, I sighed. I stopped looking outside the moment my body started to try violating the purple-haired man. I know that he’s far from a good man. After all, I’ve seen everything about him. Everything.

 

Every single memory of him that he ever had. Every single thought he has on his mind.

 

At that short moment when he emerged, I…effectively became one with him. As my heart was forced to fully be opened, along with the third eye, I had no choice but to be in full contact with the depravity going on inside of him. Again and again, I’ve felt this pain over and over again. As…as much as I wanted to see the light inside of other’s heart; times and times again, I only saw darkness. I can’t say that I saw the darkness I just witnessed from the purple man’s, Gemini’s heart in others, no, nothing was close.

 

Despite all of that, no matter how much I wanted to blame him, or anyone for everything…in the end it’s really just my fault that everything turned as messy as this.

 

…It always ends this way. Without myself being able to handle this darkness…I hid times and times again inside of my own barricaded heart, letting my primal urges to take control of my actions in the meantime.

 

I hate it.

 

I hate being this weak. I don’t want to be a coward.

 

I want to protect my sister. I want to protect Orin, Okuu…I want to protect everyone.

 

And…I want to protect Yukari too.

 

But no matter how much I tried to open up, to not be weak, it’s inevitable for me to end up ramming straight to these dark thoughts. I inevitably became crushed by these thoughts that I’m too weak to resist, and I’ll run away. That is how it always is.

 

Even surrounded by this complete darkness, without any way to see the outside. I can still hear about things that happened out there. I think my body had just killed several fairies that was just minding their own business not a second ago. I don’t want to know about the details. I don’t know…I don’t know how…why do I even have this kind of darkness inside of me? People talks about alternate personalities and other things…this is different.

 

This is me.

 

This darkness is me.

 

Sleeping inside of me, it is perfectly me.

 

I don’t know anymore.

 

In the middle of this darkness of my heart, I decided to imprison myself.

 

Here and out there…there’s no difference. I’ll simply be a burden to everyone. At least inside of here, no one can hurt me.

 

As much as I cannot feel love inside of this prison anymore, I can’t ever feel hate anymore.

 

And…I guess I can settle with that.

 

 

If my thoughts could be read, people might be surprised that it’s…not really that childish;

 

The ceiling is red, but it’s covered by a darkness.

 

I know I’ve broken my promise to my sister that I’ll go all the way to the end along with Yukari, and I’ll go save Gensokyo completely, even from the moon. I’m too weak.

 

Too weak.

 

Too weak to protect her.

I know she’s disappointed in me. Even without reading her heart, it’s easy to figure out. I wonder…does she still love me even after all of this?

I don’t know.

 

I’ve been trailing off, talking to myself. I don’t know what I’m talking about anymore. Fragmented, disjointed, it doesn’t make sense even if it should, but why should I care?

 

Stuck in this pathway, the only thing that waited for me now is the inevitable oblivion.

 

It hurts. It hurts.

 

Yukari…it hurts.

 

I want to see the light in other’s heart again.

 

I want to see my sister again.

 

I want to hide here.

 

I want to…I want to be alive.

 

I don’t want to die.

 

Staring at the blood red glass ceiling above me, the only thing I can do now is to close my eyes.

 

I wonder…can I still dream at a time like this?

 

 

“Wake up, Koishi.”

 

Someone’s voice could clearly be heard. Koishi wondered whether it’s just coming from herself or whether it’s coming from the outside as someone else managed to pierce her impenetrable closed heart. Looking around to see whether she could pin down the source of the voice, all that she could see was nothing but the poorly-lit room she confined herself into.

 

“Probably was nothing.”

 

Shaking off the feeling that she had heard the voice before, Koishi’s mind trailed off again, crowded with the thoughts that she kept on repeating over and over again to ease the solitude of being sealed within her own heart.

 

But then, she heard a faint sound of someone chuckling.

 

“After all these times, you’re still the same Koishi I know.

 

No point in subjecting yourself to this pain, Koishi. It’s not your fault.”

 

Before Koishi could respond to the decidedly feminine voice, a surge of blue flooded the place, and without Koishi being able to do anything to it, the next thing she knew was that the blue light had completely engulfed her body.

 

For some reasons, it felt pleasant. Koishi tried to resist, but in the end, her mind gave in as the room she was in was slowly getting disintegrated by the blue light. She had no idea what was actually the cause of this, but even if it’s the doing of the purple man, there’s barely any reason for Koishi to care about what would happen to her.

 

“This once…please don’t run away again, Koishi.

 

Please, for my sake.”

 

And then, everything disappeared as Koishi’s consciousness was forcefully being dragged from her inner sanctuary with Neos’ action.

 

---

 

The first thing that Koishi did upon realizing that she had been dragged out of her hiding place and that she had woken up in the pathway once more with her consciousness intact was to hide her presence away from both Yukari and Neos, before running as far away as she could from them. As she ran, she saw the fairy body parts that littered the immediate area near her. More likely than not, it’s her doing. The thought that she would once again massacre this much life for completely no reasoning at all really scared her. Even if the voice asked her to not run away, even if it tried to convince Koishi that it’s not her fault at all, it couldn’t convince her at all. It’s pretty clear that there’s nothing else she could do other than running away, and it’s pretty clear that she’s the one that kept on spilling blood time after time. Everything always went to crap due to her. Even Gensokyo’s end…it’s also due to her, as much as her sister tried to put the blame to herself or the lunarians. Koishi bitterly acknowledged that in the end it’s simply her fault that everything went worse for everyone. And thus, too scared to die but realizing her presence would only hurt others, Koishi ran.

 

To where? She had no idea. She couldn’t go back, and staying might not be an option. There’s not really any place around to hide for her. She probably could only move forward now, but she still wanted to be as separated from anyone else as possible. And thus, she continued to run.

 

Reaching the other edge of the pathway, Koishi kept on running, ignoring the sceneries around her until she came face to face with a grand mirror, with a completely desolate land reflected on it. Not even giving herself a time to think about its meaning, Koishi continued to run past the mirror. She ran amid the ridiculously strong winds, she ran through the putrid smell of the decomposed fairy corpses around, she broke through the dead trees standing on her way, Koishi kept on running away.

 

She ran and ran, until she met a figure in dark cloak blocking her way. She tried to ignore it and to run past it, but something stopped her from running. Not mental, not physical, not even magical. Her body simply stopped hearing her commands as soon as she thought about running past the figure. She wanted to get past it, and she almost deployed her tentacles once more, but she felt that she had hurt too many people already, and decided to wait the figure out, to see what it’s actually up to instead of attacking it immediately. The figure then walked towards her, and in a surprisingly feminine voice, posed a question at her, catching the satori off-guard.

 

“Why are you running away?”

 

“I don’t want to hurt anyone anymore.”

 

“But you running away still hurt others in the end. So why are you actually running away?”

 

Koishi paused for a bit, not sure on how to proceed after her answer got overturned by the figure. After a brief silence between the two, the figure continued to confront her and her thoughts.

 

“I’m not seeking what you think is right.

 

What I wanted to know is what you know deep inside you to be the correct answer to my question.”

 

“In that case…” Koishi paused for a bit, still wondering about what the figure actually wanted from her before continuing to talk, this time just following the pathway’s desire as the answer subconsciously appeared on her lips.

 

“I…I ran away because…I ran away because I’m a coward, and I’m too weak to face them. My heart is too weak to be with the others and face my problems.

 

I can’t…there’s nothing else to do for me aside from running away. That’s the only thing I can do now.”

 

It was the truth that the figure wanted to hear, and as soon as she finished her sentence, on the verge of breaking down in tears as she realized more and more how much of a mess she was, the figure disappeared into the air, leaving Koishi alone on the desolate pathway.

 

It was probably for the best for her anyway.

 

 

 

 

---

[Dad]

Revy, Prologous

 

The first thing she noticed when she came to, was the White Room.  "I'm back . . .but, why in the White Room?"  She noticed that all the doors were missing.  Her three pathways were completed.  And, upon discovering she could stand straight, her leg appeared to have healed, at least enough to be able to walk on it.  She stretched, looking around for any sign as to what she was to do next.  After gazing about for several minutes, an odd light caught her eye, and a path broke open before her.  She could only see a single path laid out in front of her, and she had no choice but to walk it.  It was ominous, dangerously so.  She took her time, observing everything around her carefully.  It was blank, like walking on a canvas.  Is this what the pathways represented?  A new canvas?  A blank start?  This was how Revy--the convicted felon, the murderer, the discarded child, the lover, the fighter, the friend--chose to interpret it.  And she only kept walking this blank pathway.  She couldn't see very far ahead.  She had no idea what was coming.  There was no way she could have guessed it.  She was seemingly mesmerized by this chance to be a new person.  If this--the blank, perfect, pure white scenery--was really her chance to start a new, she could have everything she ever wanted.  A family.  A friend.  A lover.  She could break free of her past transgressions, shatter her old self, and shed her old skin.  She could live the life of a normal woman.

 

 

 

 

 

Who the hell knows?  That was a question she couldn't answer.  She had very few things on her mind.  Revy had come a long way.  To answer that question now would be immature.  She shook her head, trying to break her daze.  Looking around again, the white had begun to fade.  It turned yellow as she progressed further down the pathway, and eventually, it became a pale grey.  It reminded her of the color of steel.  The path had become more dangerous now, and it made that very clear to Revy.  Seeing the grey coloring reminded her of a rainy night.  It was depressing.  Gloomy.  Disheartening.  But after everything she had been through, she couldn't be swayed by such a dreary feeling.  Not right now.  But before Revy would have the opportunity to shake off the changing swings of the Pathway, she felt a presence near her.  This was the first time she had felt something like this.  

 

It was cold.

 

Not like the battle she had with that alien, tentacle flinging man-creature from before.  No.  This was much colder.  It was like she had stepped outside of the very consciousness of her own mind, and entered into a nightmare that was not her own.  And it was growing closer, as she steadily walked down the pathway.  The hairs on her head stood on edge, and Revy could feel the cold presence now darting towards her at full speed.  It was growing faster by the moment, and her brain couldn't process what was coming at her.  

 

This thing.  Whatever it may be.  It's presence was, initially, so cold, that Revy had to stop in her tracks.  She was frozen with fear.  Her breathing had become labored, and she grasped at her chest.  But as she turned her head to face her attacker, she felt a waft of warm.  An orange glow that swept over her entire body.  It engulfed her like a blanket, and swept her off of her feet.  She panicked for just a moment, and went quickly into unconsciousness.  And she now lie in someone's arms, breathing harshly, her heart racing.

 

 

Ending Location:  B1

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

Kratos, Prologous

 

He fell from the ripple of magic with a thud.  With a knee, Kratos gathered himself, and assessed his surroundings.  But there was nothing to be seen.  His trials had been completed.  Three pathways had been defeated, and Kratos now faced a pathway more white than the Pathway to Remembrance.  It was not cold.  It was not hot.  It was indescribable.  He attempted to take it all in at once, but with nothing to take in, Kratos found himself staring down an empty corridor.  Ahead of him, nothing.  Behind him, nothing.  What was he to do now but proceed forward?  Perhaps Athena would bless him one last time, and allow Kratos to see the art of this final pathway.  But would Kratos did notice, was the effect of this Pathway on him.  Why was it so white?  Was there something he was missing?  Was it something he was looking too deep into?  Could he be misinterpreting the entire thing?  That was a sure possibility.

 

 

What of it?  There wasn't much left for Kratos to chase.  His family, all of them, were dead.  Gods included.  He recalled Arthur, who he had felt a connection with.  But this was something he couldn't confirm.  The only connection Kratos could chase now, was his relationship with Revy.

 

"Revy," he thought suddenly.  Kratos broke out into a sprint.

 

What if he was behind?  Had someone else finished their pathways before him?  Had they crossed Revy?  Kratos ran faster.  What if they had attacked Revy?  Could he be too late this time?  "No.  NO!" The boots of Hermes burned bright, and Kratos burst down the pathway as fast as he could.  Suddenly, his concern had turned into murderous intent.  If someone had dared to lay a hand on her, he was prepared to use his very last breath to slay them.  His heart beat rapidly, and Kratos was filled with rage.  Was he too late?  Had he failed, again?  "Revy!" he called out.

 

And now he could answer his own question.  There she was, dead ahead of him.  A wave of gratuity captured him, as Revy slowly turned her head to face him.  "Revy!?" he called again, approaching even faster now.  But she did not reply.  She began to faint, just seconds before he could lay his hands on her.  As she fell, Kratos caught the girl in his arms, and fell to his knees.  "Revy?  REVY!" he cried as loud as he could.  But it seemed she was in a slight coma.  She stuttered, but she would not awaken right away.  Kratos would have to tend to this girl, if he really, truly wanted to be with her.

 

Ending Location:  B1

 

 

 

---

 

Killua, Pathway to Truth

 

It talked.

 

"Huh?"

 

It talked.

 

"Hang on.  Come again?"

 

It.  Talked.

 

"Did that--the thing just talked to me!  In gibberish, but it talked!  If Gon could see this!" Killua said aloud as the dragon breezed past him at incredible speed.  "Heh.  And it called me goofy.  At least I think."  Killua stood still, taking this situation in for just a moment. This dragon likely belonged to the members of the Divine.  He couldn't take it lightly.  And, it was intelligent apparently.  I mean, it made Killua--a hyper intelligent strategist with uncomparable bloodlust--look silly.  "Wait a minute.  Did that thing just call me goofy?"  He took it as a challenge.  "I'll show you goofy!" he said as his lightning flared, and lit the wooden corridor on fire.  "Godspeed!" he cried out, before vanishing down the Pathway.

 

He blazed past the glass bridges, cracking them as he moved.  The field of flowers began to burn beneath his feet, scorching the land and creating a massive wild fire.  Then, the dragon was in his sights.  She was bobbing and weaving in and out of trees.  How dare she insult him!?  He wouldn't stand for it.  He kicked things up, and darted out in front of her.  As he began to gain ground, Killua turned around.  He maintained his speed, and began running backwards along side the dragon.  After several seconds, he managed to overtake her, and taunted her.  He placed both his thumbs in his ears, with his fingers fanned out.  Sticking out his tongue, the waved his hands back and forth, and rolled his eyes at the dragon.  "Now who's goofy!?" he teased, before bursting ahead.  Soon, he found his open mouth taunting to be regretful, as he swallowed a handful of fairies at high speed.  "Bugs!?"  He retched a bit, trying to keep his speed ahead of the dragon.

 

Ending Location:  C3

[Tesability Black]

~The Divine - Path of Truth - Tesability's POV~

She narrowed her eyes at the speeding human ahead, the same goofy one that she crashed into earlier.

"...yu vewy guffies," she remarked as the pair apparently 'raced', to which the show of speed made itself known to her as a challenge.

Well, it was a challenge she was willing to accept. No one, and I mean no one was faster than her, and this little twerp was challenging her title as the speediest being in the universe?

No, this wouldn't stand.

Stretching out her wings as far as they could stretch during one small portion of clearing, lightning began to come off her scales in increasing amounts to illuminate the various areas of her body, including the golden color shown underneath her wings before suddenly bursting forth with a massive increase of speed.

In the form of a lightning bolt did she sped forward, her display of speed no longer a contest as she zipped far ahead of him, though neither were out of the trees just yet.

For a few seconds, a second much smaller lightning bolt zoomed alongside her to allow for the conversation below that was unheard to anyone else's ears.

"You'll never outrace the Omniverse's destruction, just like you couldn't outrace the fate of your other NetMonsters."

"Yes, yes, I will. Just watch. No one's faster than me."

"Even with all your speed, it will mean nothing once your Crystal's shattered."

"I don't plan on reverting any time soon. I don't plan on anyone else losing their home. I will get my home back, even if I have to be the first one through the final door."

"You won't be fa---"

"Then I'll make myself fast enough! I'll bring everyone back! I'll bring Kawuros back!" This was the only thing that became heard, though it was only heard in the form of a minor roar.

"You two don't share neither Attribute or Species, what does the Ice Mech mean to you?"

That almost caused her to slow down, to allow the one behind her to catch up to her and surpass her.

"He was...my..."

She actually did slow down the tiniest of bits as she thought of the answer, clipping one of the trees to force her to slow down a little bit more again. She hadn't really thought about that before, honestly. She had always felt something towards the blue robot, though she never question what it was. Whatever it was, she found herself in a lot of pain around her middle after he was killed in front of her.

"...I dunno the word."

"Could it be that you actually experienced love?"

"...what's 'love'?"

Instead of answering that question, the little bolt veered off and went a very-different direction, even as the living lightning bolt continued forward while thinking about the odd question that had no known meaning to her...

 

(For anyone that wondered why her speech suddenly cleared up, no fangs = no speech impairment.)

[The Warden]

|_)The Evangelist Hapshiel(_|
|_)Pathway of Death: A1(_|
 
Hapshiel howled loudly as Chandra turned up the heat, but not in the way the fire mage expected as Hapshiel relished in his skin being scorched. "YOU NAUGHTY LITTLE FIREBUG! HOW DID YOU YOU KNOW I LIKED IT HOT?!" he screamed euphorically as he rubbed his cheek against hers.
 
|_)Inside Hapshiel's Mind(_|
 
As the imprisoned mind mage lay amongst Hapshiel's mental landscape, a large purple rose bloomed before him. It was a truly immense piece of flora, and it bloomed beautifully, another Hapshiel inside, his lower body thankfully fused into the main stem of the plant. Or, at least it was hiding his lower half. His eyelids gently lifted, small vapours of dew drifting from his long lashes as he gazed at Jace. "Why are you in this place?" he questioned curiously.

[Love of Ghibli]

Dorian & Gyokuen: Path of Death

 

Dorian snickered as he wondered why he had beef with Arthur in the first place. Well let me think.I tried to kill one them...like three times I think. I took this dudes girlfriend and turned her into a clown prostitute. Wait let me change that, my butler-demon-thing did. Also that was after I took the girlfriend's "Gods" and tainted them. So after all that he hates me. I then proceeded to lose all of my memories in a very weird way and apparently tried to kill him again...I think. I'm not sure. I've done a lot of mean things to the Keyblade person and I think he has a large group of friends now. So getting into a fight would not be the smartest thing I could do. 

Dorian ended his explanation with a thumbs up and an over exaggerated smile. You have to be one of the most depraved humans I have ever met. Gyokuen said slightly disgusted then she mentally played Dorian's story back in her head. Wait you lost your memories, right? Did you get them back when you went down the Path of Remembrance? Yes. Gyokuen let out a huge sigh. So when I met you all of that humility and nobility were the consequences of amnesia. Correct. How awful of a person are you that you are only decent when you forget everything about yourself. I don't know. I think I had an existential crisis outside of the Path of Remembrance asking myself that very question. Now I realize, that I like me and that is all that matters in the end right?

There is something fundamentally wrong with you. But enough of you. What about you Ms. Tenco? Gyokuen said turning her head and continued walking. The Rukh around you dance as if you have a connection to life itself. Surely you have an interesting story to tell. Dorian thought to himself and he also came to a realization. Yeah if you're that same person who fought Protheus then how did that work out for you? I don't remember seeing the end of that bout. But you would've said something by now if were the winner right? So what happened?

Gyokuen looked behind the group while they continued to keep walking. It looks like we have company. There are some people behind us and from the looks of it they could both friends and enemies. Gyokuen could gain a general assessment of the alignment of these strangers based on the Rukh that were fluttering by, but it was more fun to keep this information for herself. Well what should we do? I advise us to get ready for battle. She said with a sinister hint of bloodlust gleaming in her eyes. 

Ending Location B7

[Dad]

Kenpachi, Prologous

 

He landed on his ass, back in the White Room.  Yachiru fell beside him, landing gracefully on her feet.  "Here again?" he questioned aloud.  Kenpachi and Yachiru glanced around the immediate area, but there was nothing they could sense.  Upon further investigation, Kenpachi noticed the Pathway Doors had vanished.  The entirety of what surrounded him was white.  He had been stuck to a sea of emptiness, and the only thing beside him was his Zanpaktou, and his best friend.  "Tch."  He scoffed, irritated.  Why the hell would they end up back here?  He didn't quite get it.  His sense of direction had always been pretty bad, and even with Yachiru at his side, he still often got lost.  "What'd ya think?" he asked his comrade aloud.  Yachiru could only shrug, as she too observed the room.  "What if we charge straight ahead, Kenny?"  She scrambled up Kenpachi's back, as he stood to his feet.  "Not like we got much choice," he said with a grin.  They began their slow trek down the blank pathway, very little on their minds.  Kenpachi was only focused on finding this Protheus guy.  He was the reason they had been stuck here.  He, Protheus, was the reason they had been killed, brought back to life, only to be back on these pathways.  This Protheus person.  He was obnoxious.  Kenpachi aimed to kick his ass and hopefully get home, even if what Arthuria said was true.

 

"So if the Seireitei is gone, whaddya wanna do, Yachiru?"

 

She giggled at this.  It was something she hadn't given much thought.  She remembered the many battles Kenpachi had in the Seireitei.  She remembered her Ladies Organization, and how much fun it was to be the boss and receive free candy.  She remembered all the good times she had, and many of the bad ones.  Regardless, save for one or two, every event that had taken place in Yachiru's young life had been beside Kenpachi.  She didn't care about the Seireitei.  She might miss a friend or two, but as long as she had Kenny, she didn't need anyone or anything else.

 

"I dunno Kenny," she said at last.  "Maybe we can go to Earth?  Ooh!" she gasped excitedly.  "If we go back to the World of the Living, you can get your rematch with Strawberry-kun!" she remarked.  Kenpachi laughed heartily.  "Sounds like a plan!"  Their march down the empty pathway was a slow one, but Kenpachi wasn't in a rush.  If there was nothing to go back to, he would still have his best friend.  That was all he gave a damn about.  

 

"Alright.  Let's find this jabroni, and push his skull in.  I wanna see what his soul looks like," Kenpachi said with a devilish grin.  His old malice was still there.  He felt good.  He felt confident.  An unknown foe presented the greatest danger.  This was what he lived for.  "Let's pay him back.  For Byakuya."

 

Yachiru pumped a fist into the air, in total excited agreement.  "Yeah, yeah!  Yeah!" she cheered.  

 

Ending Location:  A2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Killua, Pathway to Truth

 

 

She zoomed far ahead of him, accepting his challenge.  It was impressive, this dragon's speed.  Her wing span was enormous, and what was more impressive was her ability to avoid clipping into trees with such a broad figure.  Killua smiled.  This was going to be fun.  He began to pick up speed, keeping his eye on the target.  She zipped in and out, not slowing down for even a moment.  But before Killua could match her, she had slowed down for just a split second.  "What was that?" he wondered to himself.  He began to catch up with less effort, as the dragon slowed down again.  "Was it hit by something?"  Then, she accidentally clipped a tree.  Was it distracted by something?  Killua caught up after several intense seconds, and slowed to match her speed.  He poked the dragon cautiously, to get her attention.  "Hey.  Why'd you slow down?  You clipped that tree back there.  After all that impressive flying, why the sudden slip-up?"  He dashed under her belly onto her right side, still running directly beside her.  Lightning against lightning.  It was strange.  His natural desire to have a fair fight forced him to see to the care of this dragon.  Even if she did think he was goofy.  

 

Killua instinctively leaped over a hillside, flying beside the dragon for just a moment, as their race continued.  He still wanted things to be interesting at least.  Her speed was not questionable.  That was certain.  But as lightning bolts are said to be thrown by gods, Killua had enough juice to keep up and take over.  "When you're ready to answer me, I'll be ahead," he said flipping over the dragon again, and boosting himself ahead.  His hair began to stand on edge, and his eyes turned a more pale blue than before.  "Godspeed," he uttered to himself.  And he vanished before her eyes.  Of course, Killua knew his lead wouldn't last long.  This was a mythical creature he was dealing with after all.  He was enjoying himself.  He would try to race Gon in this manner, but he'd end up getting clipped by a fishing line eventually, and that was painful.  Snickering to himself, Killua continued running, almost as if his life depended on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kratos, Prologous

 

He continued his efforts to revive Revy.  Initially, he shook her harshly.  But, in fear for hurting her further, he stopped abruptly.  He straightened her hair back, and ripped just the top quarter of her top.  Her breathing slowed down, and Kratos watched the sweat bead from Revy's forehead, down her neck.  It was not clear what disturbed Revy at this time.  Kratos grew frantic.  He was overcome with worry, with fear.  A fear he knew all too well.  This was the same fear that had been instilled in him, so long ago.  It was a fear clouded by judgment, anger, and pain.  A fear passed down from generation, to generation.  But he would not let it consume him again.

 

Slowing his own breathing now, Kratos arched Revy's back, and raised her head slightly, so it was as if she was sleeping against a strong tree trunk.  Placing an open palm against her forehead, Kratos began to focus.  He concentrated deeply, putting himself almost into a state of an alert coma.  He channeled his very life force, into Revy, and she became empowered by a radiant, blue glow.

 

She stirred at this, but Kratos did not stop his focus.  He held Revy's free hand now, and further channeled his life into her own.  Now, Revy's eyes would open, and blurrily meet Kratos' own.  

 

Dizzy and weary, Revy opened her eyes, blinking many times before her vision cleared enough to see Kratos' face.  "Kratos?" she asked slowly the first time.  She couldn't confirm what she was seeing.  Sitting up straight at last, Revy sat now in Kratos' lap, and looked him in the eyes.  "Kratos," she said with a sigh.  She hugged him tightly, forcing Kratos to topple backwards.  They fell atop each other, and Revy sat up first.  She found that her strength was back.  Her legs were no longer in pain, and her breathing had become normal.  

 

She sighed, placing an open palm in Kratos' chest, lifting herself up, as she replied, "Sorry.  I, uh, kinda wasn't expecting to see you so soon," she admitted.  Kratos stared at her for some time,  His eyes wavered from her face, and down to her neck.  He looked back up quickly, back into her face.  "Why were you unconscious, Revy?" he asked staring her in the eyes.  Revy smiled as she stood up, and Kratos sat straight up.  "I felt something, when you were heading this way."

 

Revy took a seat behind Kratos.  They sat back to back, and Revy crossed her legs.  "Did I harm you?"  She shook her head.  Revy hadn't been this open with another guy before.  It was strange.  She felt a burning in her chest.  It wasn't painful.  It was warm, like a fire on a winter night.  It felt good.  "No," she replied at last.  "I just . . . heh," she laughed.  "Your presence sent me into a panic.  And I think, in combination with all of the other sheet going on, and how my mind has been so scattered," she said emphasizing scattered.  "I just went into a sort of temporary over drive.   But I guess, now that you're here, I'm fine," she said smiling out of his view.  Kratos' head was held low, as he stared at the ground.  He spoke anyway.  "Do I frighten you, Revy?" he asked finally.  This was what he really wanted to know.  He was certain of the answer, but he wouldn't change his mind either way.  Revy sighed.  This was painful to admit.  "Yes," she said finally.  She sighed again.  "But, it's not something you're doing!" she said correcting herself right away.  "It's just--"

 

"I know, Revy," Kratos interrupted.  "You fear what I am.  You fear that in my rage I would harm you.  You fear that my rage is uncontrolled.  But you're wrong."  Kratos stood up, and walked around Revy, so that he could see her face.  She had her arms folded over her knees, and she looked up into his face.  "I know," she replied.

 

"You don't understand.  I've fought for some time.  I know Revy.  I know what it means to place my anger towards my enemies.  I've lost control enough.  I don't want to lose control again."

 

"I know," she said trying to reassure Kratos.

 

"Revy.  I cannot harm you.  I would not harm you.  I--" she grabbed his arm, interrupting his flurry of speech.  "Kratos.  I know," she said with a smile.  "It's gonna take me some time, but I think, if we tried," she said tugging his arm.  She pulled Kratos forwards, and she leaned in, just onto her knees.  Kratos was leaning over now, and Revy finished her sentence.  "We could take our time," she said with her lips dangerously close to his.  "I dunno about you, but, I'm not in a rush.  We could take it slow, Kratos," Revy said as Kratos took a knee now.  Her breathing was heavy again, but it wasn't labored.  Kratos huffed a bit, as a sudden adrenaline over took him.  "We can just, move in slow motion," Revy said at last.

 

BGM:  Slow Motion

 

Kratos placed his free arm behind Revy, holding himself barely upright.  Revy leaned in all the way now, and stole a kiss from his lips.  She smiled carefully at Kratos, who smiled back.  Moving his free arm, Kratos allowed Revy to fall back onto his right arm, as he wrapped his left around her.  

 

He slowly ran his fingers down her neck, until he reached her already ripped top.  He began to tear at it again, and Revy gasped.  She lied back now, loosening her muscles.  Kratos stopped suddenly, and Revy looked up.  "What's wrong?" she asked.  Kratos said nothing, as he raised his hand.

 

Then, with a flick of his wrist, a wave of Spartan's arose from the nothingness in the pathway, and began to encircle Revy and Kratos.  

[Maeriberii Haan]

---

 

Tenco/Tenshi Hinanai

Pathway of Death B7

 

Well what should we do? I advise us to get ready for battle.

 

"Well...wait a bit, let me see them for a bit."

 

Tenco tried to look at the incoming people as soon as Gyokuen mentioned about them...and was slightly surprised that they're seemingly members of the Counter Corps, if her memory served her right. That would definitely make her position there awkward. After all...it felt slightly rude if she suddenly enter an upcoming battle as the enemy of the person standing next to her (not Gyokuen, however). And Dorian himself, aside from the...really questionable stuffs that he said about himself earlier, didn't seem to be that bad of a person.

 

Oh well.

 

"Sigh...I guess...I don't know. I'll get ready either way. They seem to be my fellow member of the Counter Corps...I think."

 

 

---

 

 

“The hell are you doing, Yukari?!

 

Can you try acting like your age for once?”

 

The next thing Reimu realized after everything went dark for her was her floating alone in the all-familiar empty space completely covered with eyes and hands, all belonging to no one, to be technical. Reimu was perfectly familiar with this modus operandi, and it always managed to annoy her whenever Yukari did this to her. Though, one thing that surprised her was how Yukari ended up being bothered enough to follow her to go through the Pathways, without telling Reimu first about it to boot, for some reasons. As she waited for the woman to appear, she began to notice a giant sphere floating under her. While it didn’t exert any gravity towards her despite its supposed mass, it felt really odd that Yukari kept around something this massive inside of her world, and Reimu was a bit curious regarding the sphere’s true nature. But before Reimu could get a chance to approach the sphere, Yukari had already appeared before her, looking completely dejected.

 

“...You know, I’m very disappointed in you, Reimu.”

 

After saying that, she disappeared, only to appear right in front of Reimu, startling the shrine maiden. No matter how long she had been interacting with the great youkai, she always managed to surprise her due to her completely unnerving way of entering the scene and leaving. Although…that startled feeling was immediately replaced with something else as Yukari’s words finally entered Reimu’s mind.

 

“I have expected you to not stray from the path I have set for you, but you still did. After all what I did to ensure your safety and survival all this time, you still betrayed me.

 

What a way to show your gratefulness to me.”

 

The look of Yukari’s face was completely grim. It was the look of someone on the verge of losing themselves completely, and Reimu could detect from her aura that she had undergone something terrible, something that might have a relation with the sphere below them. Reimu prepared herself for the inevitable confrontation silently.

 

“Reimu, I said you shouldn’t follow Arturia or the Counter Corps! Why didn’t you listen to me, Reimu?”

 

“Lady Yukari…right now, I believe that following her and her companions would be the best for our and Gensokyo’s sake.

 

I’ve learned a lot regarding them, Yukari. They’ll definitely help us in rebuilding Gensokyo back, and cleaning up the mess. Just trust me on this-“
 

“You know nothing, Reimu. It’s not about simply returning Gensokyo to how it was.” Yukari returned to her cold tone, as both of them started to inexplicably descend towards the sphere under them, probably with Yukari’s total influence inside this…sub-world of hers. Though the closer they were to it, the smaller it become, to the point of it only being as big as Yukari’s palm when they reached its position. Looking at the sphere, Yukari let out a heavy sigh before continuing to speak.

 

“I believe you are aware of the idea regarding the entire foundation of Gensokyo’s concept.” Yukari said, on which Reimu simply nodded at her without saying anymore words. She had a bad feeling regarding this, and she’s worried both regarding of what would Yukari do here with her, and about Yukari herself, who right now was definitely as far away as someone that could be described as being well on the head.

 

“Human exterminating youkai, youkai feeding on human, the establishment and the maintenance of the cycle is a big part of the nature of the land, a sanctuary of the youkai made with the goal to keep youkai existing in this ever-changing world. Youkai thrives due to the fear of humans from them after all, as they are explicitly born from the idea of fear itself.

 

Of course I’m aware about it, Yukari. I’m the one behind the Spell Card rule after all. But I don’t see anything regarding that which would have any relevance in our situation.”

 

“There’s another important thing regarding Gensokyo’s existence, however. Everyone always assumed and longed that Gensokyo will be everlasting, for it to be the eternal sanctuary for the things the outside world had forgotten. Almost no one realized however, that it was actually a world created with its own ending programmed into it from the very start, one that I ended realizing after it was too late.

 

You, of all people, should have been aware of this fact, but the surprised look in your face indicated that I expected way too much from even you, Reimu.”

 

“…Ending? What do you mean, Yukari?”

 

“Gensokyo is a world where all that is forgotten is accepted into it. That was just how the way it is, as Gensokyo was the ‘Dream’ to the outside world’s ‘Reality’. Gods, youkai, other things, myths, legends, and now, discredited things and lost properties all end up appearing in Gensokyo. The Great Hakurei Barrier, the one boundary that separated this ‘dream’ and the ‘reality’, was created when the youkai risked the danger of being completely forgotten.

 

But the barrier has a hole in it. A hole I intentionally left behind. That is what I have described above. Can you see the problem now?”

 

Reimu was silent.

 

“From that hole, the outside world flowed into Gensokyo. Reality slowly turning into a Dream, and Dream slowly becoming a Reality. As this conceptual blurring of boundaries happened, The Hakurei Barrier will be completely weakened. The foundation of Gensokyo’s existence will collapse due to this hole, and it is something inevitable.

 

Everything that was born must die one day, and worlds are not an exception to this. Gensokyo was born, and it will die. That was just how the way it is, no matter how hard I tried to find a way around it back then.”

 

“But Yukari…can you simply close off the hole you created?”

 

“It is possible, yes, to try distorting the natural order and close of the hole, just as those girls defeated death. Just as we close off physical holes, the conceptual hole in Gensokyo’s foundation can be closed, isolating our world from the outside.

 

But the ending will still be similar. Twisting the natural rule will end up simply creating a distortion, as we’ve seen here thanks to Isamy’s exploits.

 

As much as I hated to admit it, Gensokyo needs change. It could not afford to be completely sealed off, as it would suffocate on itself. A world with nothing new created or born in it was the same as a dead world. Just as an eternal sleep without waking up is death…doing that will just kill Gensokyo, albeit in a different way than the natural, inevitable one.

 

Just as dreams ends, Gensokyo’s end is inevitable. Either a natural or twisted end, it will definitely end due to how it was created.”

 

“…Yukari, you’re implying that…?” Realization finally hit Reimu regarding the reasoning behind all of Yukari’s action so far.

 

“No matter how strong I am, there are still limits to what I can do. This is why I pursued many ways to try staving off this inevitable end. And, around this time was when I learned about the existence of the multiverse.

Realizing the full expanse of the entire concept, my hope was ignited, since there should be a way hidden behind all of these different possibilities that could end with Gensokyo’s continuing survival. This was when I started to travel around the multiverse, and when Isamy started with her quest.

 

…But in the search of the way to save Gensokyo, I ended up killing it for good.”

 

“…" Reimu was silenced once more with Yukari's statement.

 

"Hmm? What's with the silence, Reimu?"

 

"...The Lunarian war…you’re the one causing it?”
 

“It was a desperate time. The incident with the psychic girl from the outside world that ended up with the hole created on the barrier left me without much choice but to continue my search despite the risk caused by the distortions created by Isamy. The Lunarian realized this activity as the distortions started to wreak havoc on their cities, and blamed me for it. But I kept on continuing despite their warnings. Without me listening to them, Yorihime on behest of Lord Tsukyomi decided to gather her troops and enter Gensokyo, demanding an explanation.

 

The rest is history, but there’s something else that happened after it, one that you’re unaware of.”

 

Yukari was now playing around a bit with the sphere on her left palm, before pushing it towards Reimu. The shrine maiden caught it with both of her hands, but as soon as she took a hold on it, a gap swallowed the sphere and returned it to Yukari’s hold, much to Reimu’s bemusement.

 

“After I evacuated you away, the conflict ended up becoming worse and worse, and then, the Celestials decided to pull the keystone that held their heaven together and used it to quell the conflicting land.

It ended as well as you expected. Not long after, Isamy appeared before that brat Tenshi and whisked her away to involve her with this conflict, while, unknowingly to the herald of entropy and me until later on, dooming the land completely. But…roughly moments before that, a desperate me ended up deciding to try replacing this broken Gensokyo with another, alternate Gensokyo to cover my tracks.

 

But…the distortions proved to be too strong. As our actual Gensokyo was slowly getting erased due to the distortions, my attempt to bring the other Gensokyo ended up backfiring horribly. Very horribly.”

 

Yukari paused for a bit. While she shouldn’t be bothered to take a breath due to her nature, she did so anyway, probably to help her earlier words to sink in to Reimu’s mind. Meanwhile, the shrine maiden could only stare at Yukari in disbelief. Her expression was that of being betrayed. To learn that the demise of her beloved land was due to the person she trusted the most in matters regarding it, to learn about the extent of the mess, Reimu almost wished that the entire thing was just a dream.

 

“Reimu, you do remember about what I said regarding the importance of boundaries, right?”

 

Reimu went quiet, thinking of an appropriate response while trying to keep her bottled frustration from leaking out. Not long after, she started to speak.

 

“Without boundaries, the land and the sky will become one. There wouldn’t be anything such as night or day. Everything will become a single, concentrated-

 

…no. No way. There's no way it could...

 

...Yukari, you're saying that thing is…?” As realization completely hit her at full force, the shrine maiden pointed at the sphere on Yukari’s palm.

 

“Yes, this is what you think it is.

 

As I attempted to bring the alternate Gensokyo as a replacement to the erased world, the distortions also erased the boundaries that kept it together. And worse…it actually erased the boundaries between one Gensokyo and the other too, bringing uncountable Gensokyos into one single spot.

 

This sphere. It was originally far bigger than it is now, but I compressed it to this form.”

 

Reimu was at complete loss of word when she heard about what Yukari just said. How much of a mess she had gotten herself into and how disturbed and completely obsessed she was, she was getting too far gone right now. While before she had seen some things that were off from Yukari, this entire mess was on a whole new level than what she expected. Even then though, Reimu felt that this was not the end, a suspicion confirmed when Yukari once again continued to talk.

 

“Seeing Isamy as my only clue on how to fix this mess, I immediately travelled through the multiverse to hunt her down, and along the way, I learned of the Door’s existence. That was the thing that finally gave me hope.

 

To know that it was still possible for my mess to be fixed was one of the most wonderful feelings of relief I ever felt. With that in mind, I continued to follow Isamy to a small artificial world, the Sphere Forest where the key was stored.

 

I came across Tenshi again there, who clearly opposed me for her own childish reasoning, though she ended up being a non-factor after I completely messed with her head. I managed to get myself several new allies in the meantime…most of which ended up dead or betraying me anyway, so they in the end shouldn’t matter enough to be mentioned in more detail. Later on, even Ran and Chen fell there, all due to me not being able to assist them directly.

 

I’ve lost too much people to afford going back now. This is not a matter of restoring Gensokyo. If it is, there’s a lot of other ways to do it. But Reimu…this is a matter of ensuring Gensokyo’s future. Fueled by all these sacrifices, I shall imprint the concept of eternity itself to this land I loved. I will not trust my…no, our future to any of the feuding sides.

 

If you honestly believed that your choice in trusting Arturia is right…then prove it to me.

 

Show me how she could save Gensokyo! Show me how you and your way can save Gensokyo, Reimu! I don’t think I can’t trust anyone anymore. Not even you.

 

I, Yukari, the Demon Lord of the Boundaries, shall be your judge.”

 

“…Stop this nonsense, Yukari! There’s no use in fighting each other now!

 

This is not the time to be selfish!”

 

As much as Reimu wished the same thing as Yukari, it was not the time for it. Right now, it’s not only Gensokyo that was at stake. Uncountable amount of worlds suffered the same fate, and Reimu knew that only by following Arturia would all those worlds including Gensokyo can be saved. Right now, it’s not only a matter of restoring a Gensokyo for them to return home to. It’s a matter of restoring everything back to normal so that everyone could return home safely. That Yukari only capable of thinking about Gensokyo at a time like this…it was sad.

 

“Prepare your Spell Cards.”

 

“…What?”

 

“For the sake of who would have the right to decide Gensokyo’s final fate, a final Spell Card duel would be fitting.”

 

“…Yukari, you’re insane. A Spell Card duel, the most useless sport in the world is not something that we should do right now!”

 

“Defeat me, or I shall kill you.”

 

“There’s not much time left for this nonsense, Yukari.”

 

“In an alternate Gensokyo where it was made of your dreams, you are currently in my position, heralding the very end of Gensokyo itself.”

 

“What are you even saying...?

 

Ugh...you…never really cared about me after all, huh? Probably you just see me as another one of the Hakurei Shrine Maidens, only there to finish the job you ordered.”

 

It’s almost impossible to reason with the woman she used to look up to as a mother figure, however mischievous she was at times. Reimu knew about this fact from the start she was dragged here and saw her, but even then she tried and failed.Right now...Reimu finally decided on what to do. If it was a Spell Card duel that she wished, then for all intents and purposes, Reimu would carry that wish, and defeat her. Just like she always do.

 

“Yukari! Right now…I’m not facing you as a Hakurei, Yukari. I’m not facing you as the one serving under you.

 

I am Reimu, and I challenge you to a Spell Card duel!” Hearing Reimu’s bold declaration for her challenge, a grin formed on Yukari’s face. Right now, despite the situation they were in, Yukari decided to play this like a stage play, just like how spell card duels are supposed to be in the first place. And in this one stage play, of course she had to designate herself as the villain.

 

“The end is near…it must be fate to have you and me of all people be involved in the very end of the concept of Spell Card Duels itself. With that challenge, do you wish to defeat me?

 

Or do you wish to be defeated?” Yukari asked, her purple eyes glowed more and more intensely as the area around her started to crack for an unknown reason, aside for a dramatic effect, but Reimu was completely unfazed. The shrine maiden didn’t really get Yukari’s desire to settle this in the now-obsolete Spell Card rule, one that would only be there for cosmetic purpose to boot, so Reimu chalked it to her degrading sanity. Not that she minded it at all, though. She just viewed it as completely unnecessary in their current situation. Seeing Yukari getting into spirit however, made Reimu’s own determination to reach a higher level. Right now…after all these times, she could actually see herself as the hero Gensokyo deserved and needed, and she would definitely show why she’s one.

 

“Of course…of course I want to win! This is it, Yukari! For the ultimate fate of the dream we share together, this is my proposal of our final duel! Five Spell Cards, if I can beat you with these five, then I’ll win!” Five blank cards materialized before Reimu, which from there she grabbed one as the rest stay floating in front of her. Seeing the gesture, Yukari responded by materializing the same amount of cards before her, and grabbing one from them too.

 

“In that case, to make this fair, I’ll also use five spell cards in this duel.

 

Come…show me that resolve to save the multiverse as you said.”
 

BGM: Gravity Free ~ Final Dream

 

“If this is what you wished…then I don’t care if this will kill me. As long as this can snap you back to the Yukari I know…the Yukari that truly loved Gensokyo…then it’ll be alright.”

 

“A battle to decide the eternal struggle…I accept!”

 

“Yukari, don’t you dare holding back now!”
 

“Like hell I will. As the you in the alternate world said…

 

Gensokyo is mine, and I will not hand it over to you!”

 

“Gensokyo isn’t just yours, Yukari. You can’t take it away!”

 

Trashtalking before a Spell Card duel is a part of its beauty, something that might not make much of a sense at first, but not a lot of things in Gensokyo did, so it never really bothered Reimu. All in all, it’s usually a way to get both participants of the duel to get up the spirit of the combat, probably. This time however, as she had finally found something she personally fought for, those words held more meaning than ever to the disgruntled shrine maiden, and she’s sure it’s the same case with Yukari too, who was clearly smirking smugly now.

 

Yukari then pushed the sphere up front, and with a strike from her fan, it started to break up, swallowing everything around them with light. Reimu was not sure what exactly happened, but what she did know was the next thing she realized was that the two of them had been transported to the Hakurei Shrine, oddly without anyone else being present. The sphere was now simply floating between the two of them, as both combatants started to prepare themselves for the upcoming clash.

 

“I’ll open this one. Spell Card, Great Arcanum: Danmaku Bounded Field!” The Spell Card on Yukari’s hand flashed brightly as she declared its name, revealing the true image of a complex purple barrier depicted on it, before it burned out of existence not long afterwards.

 

“Starting up with survival spell of all things…you really gotten yourself carried away with this, huh?”

 

The sky darkened as Yukari’s own purple boundary expanded throughout the battlefield, all the while she disappeared completely during it. The barrier then inexplicably multiplies and overlaid on itself and its copies, and before Reimu could be aware of it, she had completely been surrounded by the so-called Bounded Fields, and now she’s pretty much trapped in the barrier until the end of the spell’s duration. Yukari was probably outside of the barrier at the moment, and knowing her, opening up with a survival card was probably a way to chip out her stamina without too much effort. Reimu shook her head at the thought before preparing herself to dodge the incoming bullets from all directions.

 

Or she could just cheese through it. Not something she'd normally do, but in a battle against Yukari, she must use any advantages she could muster.

 

Yukari was less than amused when Reimu emerged out of her bounded field far before the spell’s duration ended with only slight tatters on her clothing, still almost completely in a prime form. Smoke was rising from her right palm, and Yukari immediately knew what it implied.

 

“So you decide to dismantle the barrier completely instead of waiting out the duration to end.

 

Ah well.”

 

With that said by Yukari, she used her umbrella to tear a gap on reality, followed by many other gaps and cracks near her, and with her command, white orbs and lasers were fired from those gaps, all the while the gap youkai spun around, becoming a ball of destruction that aimed to home at Reimu’s direction using the channels of interconnected gaps scattered around the battlefield. Dodging the outwardly expanding pattern of the spheres were not really something hard, although the random lasers fired were a problem since it was meant to corner Reimu on either Yukari’s or the bullet’s direction. At times she had to use a barrier to temporarily block a laser just for giving her an opening to dodge an otherwise inescapable situation, all the while she used any openings she could to take a cheap shot on Yukari with all things in her (bottomless) arsenal. From youkai busting needles, seal amulets, smaller yin yang orbs, her two Hakurei Yin-Yang orbs which she used as bouncing projectiles, barriers, and everything else she could muster, all was fired at Yukari. At first, her barrages were blocked by Yukari as she nonchalantly forced her way through Reimu’s attacks by using her umbrella, but Reimu soon learned that she had an opening whenever she stopped on her way to re-aim her movement. As soon as she entered that point, Reimu immediately blasted her with her own onslaught, but Yukari caught up to it, obviously. Deciding that the nonspell was enough to gauge Reimu’s ability for now, she called the attack off.

 

“Seriously Yukari, what’s stopping you from swallowing your pride and trusting me and the Counter Corps to fix this mess?”

 

“None of you know about the way to actually save Gensokyo. It’ll complete break apart not long from now even if it got restored to how it was anyway.”

 

“Then…do you actually know about the exact way to save Gensokyo?”

 

That question was met with silence from Yukari. As Reimu guessed, she’s just bluffing and being completely desperate right now. She saw that reaching the Door would grant her the ability to prevent Gensokyo from self-destructing instantly. It was a real shame that it didn’t work that wa-

 

“Of course. After visiting countless multiverses during my search for an answer…I have decided that the best way for Gensokyo to survive is to…completely rewrite the rules of its existence using the power of the door.”

 

“...But Yukari…by doing that, you’d-“

 

“I’d have to completely rewrite the rule of youkai’s, and even divine spirit’s existence. There is no other solution that will have a more lasting effect than this.

 

It won’t be the same, yes. In a way, I am completely destroying Gensokyo and reborn it anew. This is only possible with the Door’s power, and thus, this is why I must be the one to reach the door.”

 

“…That sounds stupid even for your standard, Yukari.” Even when she said this, Reimu could only stare in disbelief to what Yukari just bluntly said. It made almost no sense, destroying and recreating the world she loved as a way to keep it surviving? Is that what her love towards the land means? Was it only extending to the concept of the land itself, not the inhabitants or even the physical world of it?

 

“Do you even love Gensokyo, Yukari?”

 

“Do I love Gensokyo…? You asked that to me?

 

As strange as the concept of it might be, yes. Yes, I love the land that I created with my blood and sweat. Yes, I love the land enough to sacrifice it at a time like this, when it’s necessary to do so. No one else loved Gensokyo enough to do so.

Reimu, to question my love for the land after how much I’ve sacrificed, after how much others have sacrificed for this…you’re the one that hates Gensokyo. As expected from someone that distanced herself from everything like you.

 

I am this world, Gensokyo. And Gensokyo is me.

 

This is the Gensokyo that I loved, and I will not let you, nor the other members of the Counter Corps from taking it away from me!”

 

“You’re not making sense, Yukari! This is not what someone that loved Gensokyo would do! What you’ll create…it’s not Gensokyo!”

 

The card in Reimu’s own hand started to glow as she raised it upwards, while Yukari picked up another card from her pile as she watched Reimu closely. Not out of being worried by the attack she would bring out, but out of curiosity.

 

“Tell me, Reimu. Why would you even want Gensokyo return to how it was, a fleeting existence that would end soon?”

 

“…Because…because it’s my home! The land that I protect, the land when I am born! There must be another way for it to survive than completely changing it!

 

Spell Card-“

 

“Sentimental values, huh? You know that this is not a time to be sentimental, right?"

 

“And this is not a time to prioritize Gensokyo above other worlds! Everything is at risk!

 

Spirit Sign: Fantasy Seal –Blink-!”
 

With the Spell’s full declaration, Reimu disappeared from her position just as Yukari decided to fire a barrage of bullets at her direction. Not long afterwards, she appeared above Yukari, and fired several formations of amulet barrages downwards at a rapid speed, before disappearing again. Using her fan, Yukari slashed upwards just moments before those amulets hit her, and a giant crack on reality opened on the area she slashed. However, the amulets then suddenly split from the formation, dispersing away to actively avoid the gap, before shifting into youkai-busting needles and home in again at Yukari at a high speed. Not amused, Yukari disappeared on her gap before the attack could hit her, appearing moments afterward, standing atop the Hakurei Shrine’s arch. Cracks appeared around the sky in the arena of the duel not long after, and beyond those cracks were purple eyes, acting as a way for Yukari to detect Reimu’s movement so she could get no opportunity to surprise her.

 

Right now, the most problematic part for Yukari was the so-called [blink] part of the spell. Reimu was utilizing her ability to phase out of her physical form to figuratively blink from one place to another, allowing her to attack Yukari from literally any direction at moment’s notice. While the original form of the attack was unlike this one, right now it seemed that Reimu had modified her Spell Card to be more effective in dealing with her.

 

“What a pain.”

 

“That’s my line.”

 

Appearing right from below her, Reimu fired another stream of explosive amulet formations, but this time she accompanied it with several barriers placed all around Yukari to prevent her escape, all seemingly set up within a blink of the eye. The fact that Reimu decided to appear from a position very close to her made Yukari unable to respond to it fast enough to avoid getting set-up on, and Reimu’s barriers prevented her from avoiding the attack in any way.

 

An explosion soon followed as the amulets exploded on Yukari while Reimu ended her Spell Card just when she finally landed on the shrine’s grounds. She sighed as she watched the explosion dissipated above her. There’s no way Yukari would’ve been able to avoid that one attack, and if it landed successfully, that should mean that Reimu had-

 

The sound of some sort of engine roared through the air. Realizing what it would imply, Reimu immediately rushed away from her position before a train came crashing down from Yukari’s explosion towards her, immediately creating a big explosion on the point of its impact with the ground while Reimu continued to get the hell out of the train’s hitbox. From the distance, she could see the explosion demolishing the shrine, much to her chagrin. Though at least, with this not being the real Gensokyo, the shrine exploding like that was not too bad of a problem.

 

“Spell Card-“

 

“Wait…you still have more?” Reimu was surprised. As far as she could remember, this attack only consisted of one train, and that was it. To think that it’s not over yet was-

 

“Abandoned Hubris: A Road Down Mankind’s Monuments!”

 

“…Well, that was new-

What?”

 

Any further comments from Reimu must be withheld as Yukari casually opened a gap just above her, from where a huge ship emerged. The smell of petroleum was very much clearly around from the ship, and Reimu realized what did it mean, and what was Yukari attempted to accomplish. Reimu blinked as fast as she could from her position forwards, approaching Yukari’s position as she attempted to get the hell out of the area of effect of the ship, which was even larger than what she thought at first. Though…when she returned to the shrine, Yukari was already gone. That realization was followed by the deafening sound of explosion as the tanker ship crashed and burned, devastating the immediate area. Even on her shrine, which was roughly 1 kilometers from the point of impact, Reimu could feel the heat from the explo-

 

“Keep your focus on the battlefield, Reimu.”

 

Yukari then appeared above Reimu with another gap opened, this time summoning a broken down space station from it (though Reimu herself don’t know about what the hell it actually was), and fired it down at Reimu. Gritting her teeth at the incessant display of ridiculous structure, Reimu drew one of her spell cards, and put it forward.

 

“Ugh…Treasured: Yin Yang Sanctifier Orb!”

 

Her two Hakurei Yin-Yang orbs expanded rapidly as she used them to block the incoming structure, and within seconds, the two had already become hundred-times bigger than their original size. As soon as they contacted the structure, the orbs started to spin and disintegrate the rushing space station, while Reimu immediately left the area so she could find Yukari’s position and attack her.

 

“I’m afraid that I have to end this now.”

 

“Yukari…what now?” Above the gap youkai, Reimu could see an oversized missile, with labels that reminded her of Utsu-

 

“…Is that…a nuclear missile?”

 

“Good observation from you, Reimu. I was worried that you might not be able to recognize this. But I’m afraid that it’s not only one missile that you need to be worried about.”

 

BGM: WAVE - Necrofantasia

 

Before Reimu had a chance to react, around twenty intercontinental nuclear missiles with enough payload to devastate a city each appeared from the gaps scattered around the battlefield, all aimed at Reimu. The shrine maiden could only respond by taking another spell card, leaving her with only two left, as the missiles were fired from the gap towards her position, while Yukari disappearing using her gap with her sphere just moments before the entirety of the fake Gensokyo was obliterated by the resulting attack.

 

As the battlefield disintegrated completely, Yukari returned to her own gap world, seeing that she had defeated Reimu. Since the Spell Card rule was intact, there were no worries about her dying even with all that nuclear blasts. Looking at her remaining three Spell Cards, she sighed. It took her way too long to handle Reimu. As most of the original rule’s specification regarding a spell’s impossibility to handle had been absolved, what was left was the non-lethal binding on those spells. Yukari, as the Demon Lord of the Boundaries, should’ve been able to utilize this lack of power ceiling to her advantage, unfair as it might-

 

And her train of thoughts was interrupted as Reimu suddenly appeared from a gap, somersaulting and kicking her right in the face. Yukari could see that she had only 2 spell cards left with her, which means she escaped defeat by burning up a Spell Card as a way to escape. Seeing that she didn’t seem to be bothered by the blast, and there seemingly no damages or sings on her or her clothing aside from the ones caused earlier, she probably had-

 

“That’s no way a proper Spell Card, Yukari. It’s neither beautiful nor refined.” Reimu said calmly as she reappeared before Yukari to land another kick, but this time Yukari blocked it with her right hand, which was followed by her grabbing that foot and threw Reimu away from her using her strength. But as she was being thrown, Yukari noticed that Reimu was smiling, and turned her palm around to notice an explosive amulet was there, planted by Reimu using her kick earlier. Before it could go off, Yukari gapped that hand away straight at Reimu’s back, where it pressed her spine as a barrier encased her and the hand just as the amulet exploded.

 

Yukari withdrew her right arm to notice that it was badly singed by the explosion, and she was annoyed that it was slightly painful. Though Reimu should’ve ended worse than her-

 

“I’m not going to let you be the one to interrupt my train of thoughts again, Reimu.”

 

She turned around just in time to block another series of kicks, this time using barriers to avoid Reimu from planting amulet bombs at her. Before Reimu could get away, Yukari pulled her parasol from a gap and used to thrust at Reimu’s chest, sending her flying backwards at a high speed. If she was just a normal human, the attack would’ve easily broke her ribs and kill her, but Reimu, as the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, of course had the physical strength to survive it, though not that it mattered as Yukari followed that thrust with series of light orbs moving faster than the speed of sound at the shrine maiden’s direction, but predictably for her, before the orbs could land on her, she had blinked away.

 

“Reimu, you’re seriously getting predictable.”

 

Yukari summoned a multilayered violet barrier behind her as she turned around to greet Reimu with a barrage of butterfly-shaped projectiles, and it seemed that she managed to catch her off-guard now, since she didn’t even seem to-

 

“Ugh, you got me.”

 

The Reimu in front of her was of course a body double created using her Instant Dimensional Rift technique, and Yukari felt a bit annoyed that she fell for that trick. In response, she drew her next spell card, and immediately activated it.

 

“Barrier Sign: Omnidirectional Charming Quadruple Barrier!”

 

With the declaration of the spell, Yukari casted her signature four-layered barrier all around the border world, rapidly expanding and sucking in anything nearby, all the while each barriers themselves fires off a mixture of laser and bullets anywhere at random, just so she could anticipate Reimu’s appearance wherever she was.

 

“I’m right here, you old dummy!”

 

“Standing behind me all the time…how funny. You have accounted for the fact that I wouldn’t fire at my own direction and the barrier themselves wouldn’t affect the area near me.

 

Though, I believe you missed the fact that I also have prepared myself for this possibility.”

 

Arms appeared from several gaps around Reimu, and restrained her as Yukari calmly turned around to face her. With one hand, she called off her ongoing Spell Card as to not waste her energy further, while she looked at the shrine maiden with a certain glee on her expression.

 

“Well, well, I don’t think you can escape again now.

 

So, this is my victory, no?”

 

“As if.” That defiant answer was then followed with a hearty laugh as Reimu showed something that she had been holding all the time. It was the sphere containing Gensokyo, now glowing as it responded to Reimu holding it.

 

“You seriously missed me picking up this, Yukari?”

 

“What are you going to do with it anyway?

 

I’ll go end this right now before you can further act all high and mighty against me.

 

Magic Sign: All-encompassing Eye of Laplace!”

 

At the spell’s declaration, slightly surprising Reimu, all of the eyes on the border world seemingly shifted their gaze towards her, which was a bit disturbing until she realized that a form of energy were charged on each of the eyeballs. At that prompt, Reimu activated the sphere immediately, and with it, the fake Gensokyo that moments ago had been obliterated by the nuclear missiles was recreated, and the attack were voided immediately as Yukari got herself getting decked by the shrine’s arch as soon as it materialized.

 

“Sweet, that’s two spells in one go. You only have 1 spell left now, Yukari.”

 

The arch materializing right at Yukari’s position was not a random coincidence. All these times, Reimu had been observing the sphere since the moment Yukari was using it to recreate an image of Gensokyo as their battlefield. While at first she didn’t really know about whether she’d find it useful or not, she then realized after the fake image had crumbled that the rough position between things in Yukari’s border world and the fake Gensokyo corresponded to each other, and from there, she then devised a way to utilize this in a way Yukari wouldn’t notice. She included calculating the immediate area’s positioning as a preparation for this.

 

“Reimu, why don’t you understand what I’m trying to do here?”

 

Recovering herself after the impact, Yukari stood up once more, only 1 card was floating in front of her now. Her gaze was now looking more and more disturbed…but Reimu felt that there’s something else she was hiding at that moment. And then…Reimu realized something regarding her. Clearing her mind from other thoughts, the shrine maiden then replied to the youkai.

 

“I understand perfectly, Yukari. And because of my understanding, I can’t let you do it.”

 

“But you’re going to doom Gensokyo!”

 

“You already did by doing the things you’ve done, and you’ll erase the Gensokyo I know completely by changing everything about it if you reach the door.

 

There should be another way, Yukari. If you fear that the boundary’s weakening due to Gensokyo slowly becoming like the outside world…then let’s make a new Great Barrier instead. Let’s not make it too complicated, Yukari.”

 

“…You’re too naïve for your own good.”

 

“And you’re too cynical for your own good. And desperate, to boot. I’ve figured out something about you now, Yukari. And that is…I don’t know how should I say it. It’s pretty sad, really.

 

You’re taking this way too hard, to the point of you ignoring how the pathway works and tries to force your way out here towards the door. You want to change Gensokyo, but you yourself won’t let what’s inside of you to change. You’ve been stuck here for a while, haven’t you?”

 

“…”

 

“Guessed so. If you ask why I know about this, then it’s due to a simple deduction. You’ve kidnapped me during this final point rather than anywhere else. You acted as if you’ve followed me all this time but you’re not acting on me at all before, when I started to learn about the actual state of matters here. While it could also be attributed towards the possibility of you just entering the pathway…your eyes couldn’t lie that right now you’ve been pretty frustrated by something.

 

It’s easy to connect the dots here, Yukari.”

 

“That is none of your business.”

 

“Oh, no, it’s never my business. But…there’s simply one reason why you can’t move on, Yukari. I’ll just tell you that for now so you can figure it out by yourself.”

 

“…Stop mocking me!”

 

BGM: Grenze des Todes [border of Death]

 

Yukari’s reply way surprisingly hostile for her standard, and even Reimu was surprised by it. Without wasting time the gap youkai started to open up gaps behind her, and from there, she started to fire off random debris at ridiculously high speed towards Reimu, who resorted to her kicks and barriers to block them all off. In response to it, Reimu then fired her Persuasion Needles at Yukari, but she rapidly summoned her gaps to swallow them all before they could even dodge the gaps, and then, another gap appeared just behind Reimu, from where the swallowed needles were fired back at her, much to her frustration as she had to graze the bunch at a dangerously close speed, and some of them even managed to slash through her detached sleeves. Before Reimu could attack again, Yukari appeared above her, and summoned hundreds of varying street signs as a projectile to hit her. Reimu resorted to her short-range blinks this time, and moved around rapidly as the street signs followed her wherever she moved, annoying her greatly before she just decided to blow them all up using her amulets. After she was sure there’s no more street signs being fired at her, she turned around towards Yukari’s position, but she had disappeared from there, reappearing above her with several hundred small gaps with something pointy appearing from it. Sensing something bad, Reimu summoned her barrier immediately just as a literal rain of knives came down crashing at her, before Yukari herself disappeared with the rain of knives still going.

 

The barrier Reimu put up managed to block the knives from hitting her, but she was more concerned about where would Yukari appear again. She then focused her mind to track the aura of everything around her, and not long after, she then noticed the emergence of an aura coming from a crack not too far below her. Using instant Dimensional Rift once again so she could get away, Reimu rushed towards that aura source from another direction just as her replacement amulet clone was crushed by the raining knives. But then, just as she was close enough to attack the aura source, she realized that it was simply one of Yukari’s arms, which immediately disappeared before a steamroller crashed down right on top of her.

 

Reimu could feel her spine breaking a bit as the steamroller hit her back, but her quick reflex allowed her to drag herself out of the underside before she could be fatally crushed by the vehicle. Taking heavy breaths out of fatigue and pain from the hit, Reimu stood on the shrine’s staircase, still unsure about where Yukari was. Though before long, the youkai of boundaries appeared on her far left…or was it far right? Reimu was unsure, but what she knew was that she appeared with her now gold-colored gaps all aimed at her direction. Realizing that she didn’t really have any time to blink out of the upcoming onslaught’s range, Reimu drew her second to last Spell Card.

 

“Boundary of Myth, Legend, and History: Gate of Babylon!”

 

“Spell Card…Divine Arts: Omnidirectional Demon-slaying Circle!”

 

The attack declaration was done almost at the same time with each other. As hundreds or thousands of various legendary weapons was fired from Yukari’s gaps, including in it a ridiculous amount of swords ranging from normal to giant-sized, a powerful expanding field was erected around Reimu’s position. The weapons stabbed through the field as if it was physical, but they had almost no ability to pass through the field to harm Reimu at all, while the field itself expanded more and more beyond, pushing the rain of weapons from Reimu’s direction back at Yukari. The stacked weapons were at that point thick enough to reflect upcoming weapons as soon as they’re fired. Yukari, not amused by this, stopped the ones coming from her gaps, before gapping all the stacked weapons and herself away. She then reappeared somewhere else and opened a gap just above Reimu, where the gapped weapons from earlier would come raining down straight at her.

 

Though, the spell kept on going, summoning another layer of the expanding field to block the weapons, this time disintegrating them on contact instead of letting any inches of them to get through it like before. At the next minute, the spell was called off, with a very exhausted Reimu still standing on her previous position, and a less than amused Yukari watching above her.

 

“I win…Yukari.”

 

Reimu turned upwards to face her opponent, smiling widely as she finally managed to overcome her despite her ridiculousness. With 1 spell card left at her disposal, she was pretty much the undoubted clear winner of this spell card duel.

 

Or not.

 

Much to Reimu’s surprise, Yukari still had her fifth blank spell card visibly floating around her, a sign that she’s still in competition. It shouldn’t have happened. For all intents and purposes , the weapon barrage earlier should’ve been her very last one. Reimu immediately suspected foul play from Yukari, confronted with this fact. At this rate her loss could very well be sealed due to how drained she had become from the battle so far.

 

“Yukari...how?”
 

“To make things fairer for you, I guess there’s no harms in telling you my tricks now that I've won. I simply changed the boundary between one and zero, and the boundaries of the Spell Card Rule itself that currently was applied. I have assured my own victory even before we dueled.

 

It’s over for you, Reimu. Time to give up.”

 

“Tch…no way…no way I’ll give up now!”

 

It was clear, however, that Yukari had been rigging this duel from the very start. That’s the only reason Reimu could thought about why she even challenged her in the first place. Since the beginning, Yukari had planned all of this, and Reimu foolishly walked towards that trap. In frustration, the shrine maiden could only stare at the youkai above without being able to do anything else. She was not sure what made angered her the most from this. Whether it’s the fact that she had been cheated out, the fact that the rule she had crafted as a way for human and youkai to keep sustaining Gensokyo’s cycle without bloodshed was being tarnished by Yukari’s meddling, or the fact that the one doing this was Yukari of all people.

 

Nothing she could do for now, however. She had failed. Despite Yukari still wouldn’t have the ability to pass this pathway, Reimu herself had failed here, and she wouldn’t be able to continue anymore. And with this, she wouldn’t be able to meet the others again, or continue to help them anymore. Not that she had been helping much, but that fact made her really wanted to be able to continue fighting. But now, she’s stuck here, completely under a disturbed Yukari’s mercy.

 

And then…the sphere she was holding, the sphere containing Gensokyo itself, started to glow as Reimu was almost admitting her defeat, and someone’s whisper could be heard from the sphere itself, talking towards her. No…it was not a whisper. From what the shrine maiden thought was a mere whisper, Reimu then heard a multitude of voices coming from the sphere, all was aimed at her. All of those voices were perfectly familiar to her…and surprising her, it was then followed with another hundreds of voices. And then, thousands. All of those voices were cheering her right now.

 

“Reimu, don’t you dare losing now! I don’t wanna take over your number 1 position if I get it due to you being a loser that gives up when things aren’t going your way, ze.”

 

“Well, well, well…it seems that you’re in a pinch now, huh? Do not disappoint me, shrine maiden. I still want to drink your blood, you know?”

 

“Reimu, keep fighting!”

 

“Don’t let her win!”

 

 

“Hmm…I sense a disturbance in the air. I think I should end you soon before you can activate your last-“

 

“I refuse to lose.”

 

BGM: Gravity Free ~ Ultimate Dream

Blinking away faster than what Yukari could detect, Reimu fired several rows of needles at her direction, all managing to stab her, though Yukari herself didn’t seem to actually feeling pain from it, only surprise. Before her, Reimu was floating solemnly, with the sphere of Gensokyo orbiting her along with her two orbs.

 

“Earlier…you said that I hate Gensokyo for not agreeing with what you said. I’m here now to prove you are wrong, Yukari.”

 

“Ugh…still with the sentimental values? Just drop it off.”

 

“It might be just sentimental value, but such is a part of living. Not having something to be sentimental about is similar to dying.

 

To tell the truth, now that I think about it, Gensokyo’s pretty lame. People fight each other for the pettiest reasoning, racism was very much in effect and is a daily part of life, people are ridiculously noisy, and immature brats with immortality are everywhere. It’s pretty much a sanctuary for fantastic girls who don’t know any better.

 

But…I like Gensokyo as it is, even if it’s not perfect. I like its people, however noisy and racist they are. I like the scenery, I like the parties and festivals, I like the times when I can have tea on my own, I like Spell Card duels, I like my time together with others, I like racing with Marisa when it comes to resolving an incident, but most of all, I like all the different people I meet there, including you, Yukari. Even if I'm not even able to attach myself to any of them, even as a true “friend”, I still liked most of them.

 

As much as I disliked Gensokyo, there's so much of it that I can't help but to fall in love with. And...I know it's the same case with you, Yukari.”

 

“Once again, that way you’re dooming Gensokyo since you don’t let it change.”

 

“But change happens naturally, Yukari. And…to be honest, if it’s already time for Gensokyo to end, then I’ll be happy to live to that point. I know that my arguments are bad right now, as I’m not good at arguing for the most part, but this sentimental value is what makes Gensokyo what it is.

 

…”

 

“What’s with that sudden silence?!”

 

“You’re worse than lying than I am, this time.

 

...Gee, never thought I can ever see a day when I can safely say that. Yukari, you don’t even want the outcome that’ll happen if you use the door right now. As I’ve said before, you’re getting really desperate.”

 

“…So what? Saying that wouldn’t make me lose now.”

 

“Of course it wouldn’t. After all…the battle’s over already with my victory.

 

You always said that I was, and indeed, I always was, a loner at heart. No matter how much I made friends with both humans and youkai, I always kept my distance from them. At first, I’m simply thinking that I’m just like that due to my occupation as the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, who must solve incidents impartially. Yet it’s actually due to me tend to detach myself from others, unable to feel such thing as closeness, even to people such as you or Marisa. A floating existence, just like my ability said about me.

 

But…later on I realized that I wanted to be together with everyone, as much as everyone wanted to be together with me, as friends and companions. It's stupid of me to think that I can take everything alone, even as the Hakurei Shrine Maiden.

 

I don’t want to face this alone.

 

But...I'm never alone in the first place. As long as I opened my heart to others, there'll always be people that will walk with me, backing me up when I resolve incidents, and in my life in general. That is what being with the Counter Corps so far has told me. I am not alone, and I never am. Even as a floating existence…I still have, and will always have people that I care about backing me up, cheering for me.

 

This is why…right now, I know that I can declare my victory over you, who detached herself from others as you were completely consumed by that goal, to the point of ignoring anything else. I know that your closed heart will not be able to triumph over this resolve, Yukari.

 

Honestly…there’s little reason for me to actually help the Counter Corps to restore the damage done here. But I’m doing it for the sake of my comrades, whose homes were also destroyed due to this incident.

 

Hopefully you can understand now why you’re unable to pass through this pathway. Losing sight on the journey itself, you completely ignored what the pathway had aside from other’s miseries, and thus, you’re unable to move forward.”

 

“…That will still be unable to actually defeat me. I’ll figure out a way to pass this pathway myself!” While saying that, cracks slowly consumed everything on the fabricated Gensokyo around her as Yukari prepared her next spell card. It was a meaningless gesture, however, as Reimu knew she had won this fight. Silently, she summoned seven grey-colored yin-yang orbs than orbited around her at high speed as her gaze was completely locked on the gap youkai’s eyes.

 

“I’ll end this battle right now, Yukari.”

 

“Suit yourself and try. You only have 1 Spell Card left.”

 

“One is all I need.”

 

“Tch, you’re still all talk.”

 

“You too…Lady Yukari. Now…it’s time for you to be honest to yourself.”

 

“Shut up!

 

Profound Danmaku Bounded Field; Boundary of Foam, Shadow, and Phantasm!”

 

“Spell Card…Last Word: Fantasy Nature."

 

As she declared her spell card, facing the uncountable amount of projectiles that Yukari fired off as she was getting imprisoned by her barriers, Reimu could only smile as her seven orbs, along with her original two yin-yang orbs and the sphere of Gensokyo started to bathe the world she was in pure white light.

 

"Once again, I win, Yukari.”

 

---

 

Yukari awakened in front of the small pond near the end barrier of the last pathway, She couldn’t remember much about what happened after Reimu declared her final spell card, but all that she knew was she had completely been annihilated by that single attack, as much as she could be annihilated in a Danmaku Duel anyway. As she opened her eyes, she could feel something warm around her, and she found out that Reimu was there, hugging her as tightly as the girl could.

 

“…Do you understand now, Yukari?” Reimu said weakly to her. Her hug tightened, and in response to this gesture, the great youkai hugged her back as an attempt to comfort the exhausted girl.

 

“…Yukari…can you hear me? Please, go travel through the pathways and see what’s truly inside of your heart. What do you really want for Gensokyo…for us. Don’t lie to yourself.

At the end of the day, see if I’m right or wrong this time. Hopefully if I’m wrong you can forgive me, Yukari. But before that, please stop hurting yourself with your own lies.”

 

“SIgh...if you say so, I guess I shall do it.” The youkai quietly answered.

 

“...Heh, that kind of answer is what I'm expecting from you. Thank you, Yukari. Thanks for all your hard work in keeping Gensokyo safe and protected.” And following those words, Reimu collapsed due to her fatigue, her hug loosened a bit as she lost her consciousness. As a gesture of respect Yukari decided to transfer a portion of her own energy to Reimu. While she didn’t necessarily agree with her completely yet, Yukari still felt that she needed to do this since Reimu had beaten her fair and square, even considering her last spell card. Reimu had far exceeded what she had expected…and in a way, it felt nice. It felt like she was seeing her daughter succeeding at overcoming her, despite the circumstances. And, as much as Yukari hated to admit it, she did agree on some of the points Reimu said. She definitely was getting too desperate especially after Ran and Chen was gone.

 

“I’ve screwed up a bit, huh?” Yukari said to herself, as she looked upwards contemplatively. Right now at least, she finally could figure out a way to proceed thanks to Reimu. Whether the next time she met the two would still have different goals or whether they ended up agreeing to each other was unclear, but it shouldn’t matter for now. What’s important now is finishing this pathway and continuing, with the things she had learned so far regarding the state of the incident, and regarding herself. This was what Reimu probably meant by “change”. Standing up as she carried the unconscious shrine maiden after the healing process was finished, she approached the barrier of Remembrance for the last time after her previous failures, this time, with the belief that she would be successful in passing through it.

 

This time, she just had to be honest to herself for the answer.

 

“Are you satisfied with your past?”

 

 

 

“…Satisfied…I guess I do. The past is a cluster of unfixable mess of a gigantic proportion…but there’s no point in dwelling on them longer. They’re unfixable, as I’ve said. We should move on to the next day rather than dwelling too much on yesterday.

 

I think that’ll be it for me and her.

 

Are you satisfied now, Pathway?”

 

---

 

“…Uhh…where am I?” Eyes still slightly swollen, Reimu woke up at a white room, without Yukari anywhere to be seen. She was feeling more energetic than ever for some odd reason, and the fatigue she felt just before she passed out was completely gone, replaced with a renewed vigor that even exceeded her natural one. Her miko outfit was still clearly singed and tattered from her battle, however. That was pretty much a pain for her, but at least aside from the big hole on her blouse’s back from when Yukari’s forced her to eat her own explosive amulet, no major clothing damage was around. She then soon noticed that the sphere containing the multiple compressed Gensokyo was floating nearby, still following her after her confrontation with Yukari, much to her pleasant surprise. Hearing everyone’s voice was the only reason she managed to muster enough willpower to activate her Fantasy Nature to defeat Yukari. Though, she was unsure whether she should touch it or get to contact to it for now. As it’s the compressed essence of myriad derivative Gensokyo, who knows what kind of things could happen.

 

She then checked her fake arm and see if it was still functional, and much to her relief, not much damages was observed on it, but it was getting more and more uncomfortable for her. If this mess was resolved, maybe she could get someone to replace her arm with something less awkward, but...nah, not much point in thinking about that for now. As the arm was still fully functional, Reimu shouldn't worry much about it. Though...now that she thought about it, the arm was getting more and more uncomfortable every time she phased out using her ability to ''blink'' or whenever she used Fantasy Nature. Not too problematic for now, but she could see it being a problem in the future. Then again...she shouldn't have used that one ability too much, and definitely not as much as she used it against Yukari earlier. That was close. Very close.

 

After finished on checking herself, Reimu stretched herself a bit before noticing that the doors denoting the three pathways had disappeared, replaced with a long white corridor.

 

This is it.

 

The final stretch.

 

Beyond this…it’s the final stage. Soon, Reimu knew that she would be able to meet Revy and the others somewhere beyond this, and the incident’s end could finally be seen. Completely spirited by these thoughts, the spiritually amplified Reimu ran through the white corridor in excitement of what would come next.

 

Reimu Hakurei

Pathway of Remembrance, C14 -> The Boundary World -> Prologuous, D1

 

---

 

(Disclaimer: The Yukari in this post is the NPC, not the character. Hopefully the different text color hint about it enough.)

[Tesability Black]

~Counter Corps - Path of Truth - Neos' POV~
 
The golden blob with the crystalline heart within it was finally starting to stir a bit, twitching slightly as it tried to awaken from its forcibly-induced slumber. “Dii…” It let out an unintentional yawn as it stretched out a limb-like extension from one side, its eyes kept closed the whole time.

“Awake already, Neos?” Yukari asked as she continued to walk through the bridge. The sooner the shapeshifter could walk on his own, the better for Yukari as even as much as she had no objections in carrying Neos until the end, she still prefer if he would walk on his own.

“...to di?”

“...Hm...so this is your true nature, huh?” The shapeshifter seemingly could only utter those sounds right now rather than talking. Not too horrid, but definitely not what she’d like him to be right now. “Hey, you’re fine right now or should I help you a bit and heal you up somewhat?”

“Ditto to.” As it made the trio of sounds, a small limb-like structure snaked out from its size and into Yukari’s view before motioning down towards the ground, as if motioning for her to put it down, which Yukari immediately did as soon as she got the signal.

The moment it hopped onto the ground, the familiar blue light that had been seen once before surrounded it once more before changing into a much taller and more human form within a few seconds, the light fading to reveal the human form he had been wearing before.

“Ack, what happened,” Neos asked of himself after the light faded away, rubbing his face with his hands. “I haven’t passed out like that in a long while.”

“You probably overexerted yourself after you tried to pull Koishi out of her mind prison.

Which succeeded, by the way. Although she immediately ran away as soon as she woke up, probably still shaken by the whole thing.” While he’s probably talking to himself right now, Yukari decided to answer his question.

And it was an answer that had Neos looking behind himself, towards Yukari. “Well, at least I didn’t faceplant without good reason. I may not be able to do that again for a while, though.”

“Such wouldn’t have been needed if you had stayed home, Antonio.”

The new voice heard actually sounded different, as if verbally repeating the word ‘Mew’ over and over again, but maybe for Yukari’s sake, the words were translated to be understandable. Neos’ eyes had widen at the sound before turning towards the source, seeing what looked vaguely like a floating pink cat with large blue eyes.

“Hm…? You’re familiar with this creature, Neos?” The creature did take Yukari’s attention as soon as it appeared. It was...admittedly pretty cute in itself, though she herself was not really in a mood to appreciate that cuteness right now.

“...Mistress Mew?” A really-sharp ear would have caught the rather-minute stutter in his voice on the first word uttered as he spoke. He was completely unexpecting to see this particular face ever again, so to see her here had floored him. “What are you doing here?”

At this point, a sad frown fell upon the pink creature’s small muzzle as she ‘spoke’. “I could ask you the same question. But first, why did you wish to be human when you’re clearly not?”

The false human opened his mouth, then found himself closing it again when no immediate answer came to him, prompting him to look down and away for a brief moment, forcing him to think on that answer for the moment.

“Heh, you really have an identity crisis aren’t you? At least my question was simpler."

Neos’ left ear managed to twitch at Yukari’s pair of responses, aggravation beginning to build up. He tried to open his mouth again, but again nothing would come out vocally. Finally, he let loose a minor roar before finally belting out, “Argh, I wanted to be like the human that saved our home, Mistress!”

“But don’t you think that the extend you took, to try to be a Pokemon Trainer like him, which required being human to even get what was needed to be allowed to be such was extreme?”

“...it was the only way I could think of.”

“Is there even a benefit of being a human in that regard?” Yukari continued Mew’s question, honestly due to her own curiosity more than anything. As someone who used to be human but discarded it, Yukari didn’t feel like she’s losing much during the transition between being a human and being a youkai, and to hear that Neos strived to be a human to do what he wanted to do was slightly baffling, and intriguing at the same time.

“That I can see, not really. Most of the humans of the world we’re from see us like animals,” the Mew responded. “They often forget that they used to be like us millions of years ago before Arceus declared them ‘Fallen’.”

Neos turned his back towards Mistress Mew at this statement, unable to face her for the moment. “...I didn’t know that at first.”

“Hm…? Can you tell me more about it?” Yukari asked, her curiosity getting aroused. To this question did Yukari catch Neos grabbing one of the short sleeves on his black shirt, as if reliving a painful memory in his head.

“When our realm was being created, all of the races were equal, with no need for different terms for whom was what. All were Pokemon and all had power...
 
...but the early humans, in their greed for more, tried to usurp the Creator of his power and take for themselves the ability to control and create whatever they wished. They, however, were not successful and the Creator stripped them of almost all their power.” At this point, she floated down towards the ground, resting the tips of her hindpaws on the ground before looking up towards the false human. “Where we lived, something disturbed the energy of our corner of the world, causing it to try and self-destruct. A human with a Lucario ally tried to restore the balance and would have both sacrificed their Aura to do so had the Lucario not pushed the human aside. However, it was the human who started the effort to save the Tree of Beginning, the Lucario was not strong enough to start it himself.”

“Seems like the human in our worlds were...not really different from each other.

Still...outside of the power over Aura, what does actually being a human bring when it come to this?”

“..the humans don’t seem to realize that we are capable of taking care of our own kind, often feeling a need to rescue us from many of the disasters they cause,” Neos suddenly replied, his back still to the pair, though it could be seen that he had leaned his head forward a little. “It seemed like for every one ‘good’ human, there was at least ten more bad ones…and even then...” The sleeve he was gripping subconsciously revealed more of the strange purple mark on his left upper-arm, which started to appear more like a cruelly-carved ‘R’.

“But you saw for yourself how cruel they can be, even experienced it first hand. Why did you keep up the charade that finally got you banished from home?”

The shapeshifter fell silent and still on that question. It was very-possible that he didn’t have an answer to that question, at least not one off the bat.

“You two seem to be pretty...confused regarding your stance on humans.

Unhealthily so, if I may add.” It’s not really the improper, for fun jab that she used earlier to mess a bit with Neos. This time, it’s voiced out of genuine concern, and Yukari did feel that Neos’ getting way too confused regarding his stance and his identity related to the humans. “I mean, back in my world, us youkai had a well defined role in relation to them already. We scare them and hunt them for food, and they exorcise us. It’s quite a simple natural law compared to what kind of mess happened in your world.”

“It’s not as much confusion as it is loss of ‘sight’ in regards to humanity.” The Mew shook her head before deciding to finally sit her rump upon the ground, coiling her long tail around herself a few times. “Several generations after the humans were stripped of their power, they discovered another way to try and control their surroundings, including capturing many of us. They try to restrict now whom can do this now, but...as Antonio said, for every one human that’s good natured, there’s several more with only greed and power in mind.” It was strange, never once did this creature refer to Neos as that name, but as a different one…

“Antonio this, Antonio that. Can you tell me more about that name, Neos?”

At this point, a teasing smirk appeared on the Mew’s muzzle. “Yes, why did you shorten the name I gave you when I found you over three decades ago? Especially since you parading around as a human isn’t exactly new anymore, now isn’t it?”
 
Neos only looked up towards the stars above, leaning his head back enough for the wide-brimmed hat he wore to completely hide sight of any facial expressions if looking at him from behind. But if one was to move to in front of him, they’d see that he wore a somewhat-defeated look on his face as he thought about the answer to that question.

“Ah...so his name is originally Antonio.

Well...I have to admit, that does sound more like a proper name compared to Neos.”

While Yukari would’ve liked that she could just grab Neos out of the this conversation and just run straight towards the mirrors, she had a feeling that she wouldn’t be able to since the cute little critter was still there asking him questions, and to tell the truth, Yukari was getting slightly curious regarding the shapeshifter itself. Call it a flaw one might, but her curiosity was always getting aroused even at times when it’s improper to be curious. Like, right now.

“I didn’t know better then, it sounded like a cool name...then just got used to it over the years.”

“That’s not a very-good reason, Antonio,” the Mew remarked, a slight scolding tone in her voice similar to a mother scolding a child.

This time, his right ear pulled a noticeable twitch, himself closing tight his eyes as he tried to keep his annoyance from building itself into a bomb on him. “I know it’s not, Mistress. I shouldn’t need a good reason for what I do, should I? I wanted to do so and that’s that.”

Hearing this answer, the pink creature, which was small to the tall form that Neos took on for himself, floated up off the ground before floating in front of him, prompting him to jolt for a second before recrossing his arms in front of himself and looking away, to which she floated into view every time he tried to look away. A minor growl escaped his throat before finally facing her, his eyes reopened into slits. “What?!”

Such an outburst was rewarded with a sudden bop to the nose with the tip of her tail, just hard enough to cause him to jolt back slightly as well as sneeze a couple of times, but not actually hurt. “Respect your elders, child. You’re lucky there isn’t a lake nearby for me to drop you into again.” After a moment, the floating pink cat allowed itself to lower its tail from the scorpion-like position she had it in, ready to strike his nose again before the change in position. “And I ask you this: You’re so focused on being like someone else...but why not be you?”

“...what?” Rubbing his nose with an open palm after letting fly with a couple more sneezes, he finally looked back up towards Mew with a confused look. “I...I thought I was being whom I wanted to be...so what do you mean?”

Seeing the stunned look from under the short and wild sapphire hair, Mew simply nodded once before continuing. “Have you discerned yet why you were forced to demorph at the beginning of the path?”

“I…” No answers were coming forth from him as he tried to respond, instead finding whatever he would have said dying in his throat.

Allowing his arms to droop to either side of him, Neos couldn’t but look at her stupid. “...but why was allowed to take back this form, then? I look almost exactly like I did when I entered!” With this did she raise a paw in front of her, shaking her head slightly.

“There’s a difference between taking a form out of necessity and taking one to deceive others, especially yourself.” To this, Neos tilted his head as he raised a blue eyebrow, which she actually gave a faint smile on. “Do you remember what you were thinking when trying to regain your current form?”

“...I was forced to demorph because I was lying to myself about who I thought I was, was I?”

And with a single nod, Mistress Mew floated up towards Neos before giving him a quick peck on his cheek, which prompted a slight blush. “I’ll see you when you get home, Antonio.” He covered his cheek when the small legendary Pokemon flew off high into the air before disappearing, a small smile on his face before it faded into a frown.

“...that’s assuming I can get back home…I’ve been wondering the Omniverse for a long while now...”

“No desire to settle down, Neos? And I guess...we’ve been here for far too long, now that the topic of settling down get mentioned.” Yukari said to him, a mixture of gratitude that the Mew had flown away and more curiosity regarding what happened around her was felt by her, but she ignored those thought as she talked to the shapeshifter who was getting more and more...odd the more she’s travelling with him.

At this point did he finally look back towards her, the frown still on his face. “More I couldn’t get back if I wanted to...I was originally banished from my home.”

“Hm? Why’s that, Neos? And...is there really no way for you to go back?”

“Not on my own, at least.” Finally, he turned around to properly face her, the blue jewel resting over his heart from its golden chain still maintaining its glow and illuminating faintly a small area of his face. “I’m just lucky the last time I landed in a multiverse, it was in one where some of the beings there can travel between the planes of it...through even they can’t move beyond their sphere of realms.”

“Well...how about this?

If both of us can survive through this and we can fix up the worlds back to normal...I’ll go drop you off back home personally.” Not unlike her usual self that she’d make a warm offer like this to someone, but right now, she’s in a pretty cheerful mood despite of everything, and she did owe Neos a lot due to him saving Koishi earlier and letting her realize the final pieces regarding Arturia and her motives. “I’m serious about this, by the way. It should be within my realm of ability for me to pull this off, even in this depowered state that I’m stuck with.”

“...I would like that actually…”

Releasing a sigh before remembering something he discovered earlier, Neos looked on towards the further end of the Path. “Let’s continue talking as we going forward. We’ve stayed here long enough indeed.”

Without warning did he quite literally dash off with a blazing speed, a few flicks of flame left behind from the friction his dash was creating. Yukari shook her head looking at the shapeshifter running that fast, and simply tear off a crack in reality for her to enter in, and thus, she appeared just right before the mirror as Neos ended up running towards her.

“Alright then Neos, time to enter this mirror. I’ll be ready when you are.”

He hit the proverbial brakes once he was just a foot away from the mirror, seeing the youkai in front of him and crossing his arms from the sight. “I forgot you can do that…” Before he could really see what was in the reflection, he went and blindly jumped in, followed by Yukari not long after, though, not before she left a crack behind on the area, just to be sure.
 
At one point of his dash however, amongst the dead trees of this part of the path, a small form began to grow...a form that revealed itself as a bluish flower comprised entirely of crystal with the same internal glow as the crystal Neos always carried with him...
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
~The Divine - Path of Truth - Tesability's POV~
 
"Hey. Why'd you slow down?"

Her leafy ears twitched at the voice before she turned the head of her electrified form towards the source, not even registering the poke to her intangible sides. "You clipped that tree back there.  After all that impressive flying, why the sudden slip-up?"

Though her shape was barely discernable, the electricity that formed her ears pinned themselves against the back of her head at these questions, managing a muted growl in response. "When you're ready to answer me, I'll be ahead," she heard him say before he zoomed forward, almost becoming one with the lightning himself.

"You'll never outrace the Omniverse's destruction, just like you couldn't outrace the fate of your other NetMonsters."

The line echoed in her head, prompting a noticable growl that verged on becoming a roar. Her speed began to increase more and more, straining herself as she tried to reach past her limits in speed.

She will outspeed the end of the Omniverse. She will be the one that can hopefully turn back the clock on her world and many of the others.

She'll make sure of it.

The electricity that formed her became an increasingly-narrower line as she continued to speed forwards.

At one point, she disappeared from view. The only left from her was the newly-formed trail of multi-colored light appeared very-similarly to a rainbow starting from a ring of light exploding from that point.

The front tip of the speeding rainbow long sped past Killua and towards the mirrors ahead. Figuring she was fast enough to shatter them, she didn't bother slowing down in the slightest when she honestly should have.

Instead of flying through the mirror, she bounced off it, flying up and back as she spun several times over herself before finally landing on her belly with spirals in her black eyes...

[Love of Ghibli]

Butlerok & Rhadamanthys: Path of Remembrance

After a seemingly long battle with his mentor Butlerok was knocked back into the air and did a back flip back to the area with all of the floating black spheres of Mad Blood. He started to pant as he didn't know how long he could keep up with his mentor. Madame stepped out of the forest and cracked neck. I'm glad to see your new abilities have not dulled your skills but this is far from satisfactory. Are you done? Butlerok was still tired from his earlier match. It was foolish to actually get into a fight with such a skilled fighter. Butler looked side to side and realized that he actually had another option. Ragnarok have you devoured all of the souls of those fallen Spartans? Well yeah, but I'm just doing what I can to instantaneously close up your wounds. This lady keeps hitting your vitals. I mean you're immortal but still. Good I have a strategy. I'm one step ahead of you. Butlerok started to glow an eerie green and with that several bodies started crawl out of the black balls. Madame started looking at these twisted creatures who were clearly a distraction. Hmmm inventive. 

Madame started unloading bullets into the these twisted creatures and as they were obliterated with lightning she then noticed that all of the creatures were instantaneously reformed into their original shape. Okay...Madame said quite annoyed as her eyes went completely white and she called forth a bunch of storm clouds.

On the other side Rhadamanthys and Regulus were busy trading blows as it looked like Rhadamanthys was the one with the advantage. The young boy was panting as he noted that he couldn't hold his ground against Rhadamanthys. Come now, why are we even having this fruitless battle? Even with fatigue you do not pose proper contest. Really? You know how this will end don't you? I'm just going to do the same technique I did the last time and rip your heart out. Rhadamanthys scoffed because that was a move that did end his life before and he didn't get the time to think of a counter. Yeah, but I guess that is why you won't do it. Having a second chance at life is precious isn't it? So we're at a stalemate till I figure out how to end your life. I would not call this a stalemate.

Ending Location C9

[Kingdom Xathers]

Team Lombax (minus Ratchet, currently)
Pathway of Truth -

Upon exiting their White Rooms for the third time, Alexander, Alister, Bayonetta, Gabriel, Umbris and Clank found themselves within near-pitch-black darkness.  “... are you shitting me…?!” Umbris blurted out.  “I thought we left that pitch-darkness crap back on Death Path.”

“Well, at least we’re not on Death Path anymore,” Alexander noted.  “I still wish we could see around here, though….”

“Same here,” Umbris replied as he began to blindly feel his way around with his hands.  “Maybe if I can find a wall or something… huh?”

“... … … well, I’ve no idea what you were intending to find, Umbris,” Bayonetta’s miffed voice spoke as the Umbra Witch felt a hand rub against her buttocks, “but that is NOT a wall that you have your hands on… and neither is THAT, Alexander…!” she added as another hand was pressed up against one of her puppies.  “The only person allowed to touch those right now is Gabriel, and only because he’s not flesh-and-blood right now.”

“Oops…!” Alexander gasped quietly as he and Umbris quickly let go of Bayonetta’s goods, Umbris being especially quick as he did not wish for a repeat of the beating he had suffered at Team RWBY’s hands.

With a strained sigh, Bayonetta spoke up again, “Alister, you’re here of course, aren’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the General’s voice spoke up for the first time since entering the Path.

“... well, seeing as these two got a free feel,” Bayonetta continued in a dry, almost forced tone as she entertained the notion in her head, “you might as well get one, too.  Wouldn’t really be fair, otherwise.  Well?  Come on, then.  It's not everyday I grant such a generous offer.”

“Well, if you’re really sure of this,” Alister replied slowly as he cautiously felt his way over toward the Umbra Witch.  “... hmm… … Miss, would you be so kind as to bend down a bit…?”

“Alright, but nothing funny, understan--MMmmph…? Mmph, mm-hmmmph….”

“Hey, what’s going on…?” Umbris inquired, not seeing what Alister was doing.

“Wait, if I can just grab another Dark-Piercing Light,” Alexander mumbled as he rummaged through his cards in the dark.  “... oh, wait, better idea.  Lumi!”

“You called for me, sir?” a female voice spoke as their surroundings were finally illuminated, the source of the new light coming from the bioluminescent body of a slender, pale-teal female figure.  She was one of Umbris’ Neo-Spacian companions, Lumi, otherwise known as “Twinkle Moss”.

"Yes, and thank you for coming, Lumi,” Alexander welcomed the Moss.  “Now, let’s see wha-WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?!?!”  Alexander shrieked alongside Umbris, Gabriel and Clank as they finally caught sight of what Alister was doing with Bayonetta; the General was, in fact, stealing a kiss from the Umbra Witch.  And Bayonetta was not opposed to it one bit.
 
“FUCKIN’ “A”, ALISTER!!” Umbris shrieked out, flabbergasted that the General had basically scored, big time.  “Seven Minutes of Heaven?!  And right in front of us?!?  Seriously?!?!!?!”

“Jealous?” Alister smirked as he pulled away from Bayonetta, some of her lipstick smudging his lips.  “At least I didn’t straight up grope her goods like you two did.”

“THAT WAS BY ACCIDENT!!!!” Umbris hollered indignantly.

“Seriously, though, Alister,” Alexander spoke up with a smirk, “isn’t Red enough?  You keep this up, and you’ll end up with an entire harem by the time we reach the Door of Origin,” he jokingly added with a chuckle.

“Technically, this already counts as cheating on Red.  Might as well go all the way, considering the damage is done,” Clank pointed out.

“SILENCE!!” Alister hissed, “I’LL KEEL YOU!!!”

“Easy there, Tiger,” Bayonetta chimed in as she pulled a few stray strands of fur from her lips.  “Wouldn’t want to make the wrong choice and lose a Social Link forever.  You’ll never One-Hundred-Percent the game that way.”

Alister let out a growled sigh.  “After close to forty-two-thousand New Game Pluses, I just want to get a Good Ending… … if only Ratchet would be here to see it with us…,” he added with drooping ears.

“I guess that’s probably the Golden Ending,” Alexander remarked, his ears also drooping in memoriam of their lost friend.  He sighed sadly.  “Well, let’s get going. No point standing around being depressed.”

With a collective, somber nod, the group made their way down the now-well-lit wooden hallway, continuing on as they ascended a flight of stairs up through an opening above….

(♫♪

♪♫)

A gentle breeze blew, scattering cherry blossom petals all about. It was as if the group had stepped foot into a Japanese park… if said park was on a section of earth hovering in the middle of an endless midday sky.  Despite the beauty the land retained, there was a horrible feeling of unease amongst the group.  

“Oh, my~,” Bayonetta slowly gasped out.  “This has to be the nicest thing we’ve seen in the Pathways so far.”

“Word?!  Let us see!”  Before Alexander knew it, the other four Neo-Spacians emerged from their cards in order to marvel at the scenery.  They dogpiled on Alex as they drank in the sweet flavour that was the scenery.

“I say, these cherry blossoms are most exquisite,” Aquos the Marine Dolphin exclaimed.  He watched as Aeros the Gale Hummingbird began to dart from tree to tree, chuckling as the avian Neo-Spacian poked his beak around the delicate flowers.

“Hey!  Leave some for me, Aeros!” Pyros the Fervor Scarab called out as he dashed over to the trees as well.

“You guys are like kids going out for recess,” Alexander chuckled as he picked himself up off the ground.

“Can ya blame us, Alex?” Terris asked with the biggest grin of all.  “It’s not often we get ta see somethin’ like this, ya know?”

“I get what you mean, Terris,” Alister spoke up, a soft smile on his own face as he watched the Neo-Spacians run about.  Eventually, Alister’s eyes rested on Umbris, who was also happily gazing upon the scenery with a glazed look in his eyes… hmmm… right, what was it that Alpha had told him?  “Hey, Umbris?” Alister questioned in a seemingly innocent tone.

“Hmm?” Umbris uttered as he tore his eyes away from the forest before them.  “What’s up, Al?”

“I was just curious,” Alister began, a slight smirk on his lips, “but if you were to take someone out on a date, or even a picnic, to a place like this, who would you ask out?”

“Huh?  That’s… rather out of left field, General, even for you,” Umbris remarked, somewhat taken aback.  “... but I guess, if I had to pick off the top of my head, I’d ask out Terris.”  The relatively calm conversational look on the Umbra Panther’s face held for a good three seconds, tops, before the realization of what he had just said hit him like a Rocket Arrow Express.  “What the…?” he gasped, choking on his own words.  His eyes bugged out as he slapped his claws over his muzzle, muffled screams coming from his closed maw.  

The damage had already been done, as now the entire group had their eyes on the Panther, each with a variety of expressions on their face: shock, bemusement, amusement, and a withering look from Terris.  A few even seemed to have an expression that screamed “I knew it!”, especially Alexander’s.  As for Umbris, the look on his face told the tale of one’s world basically crashing around them.  “So, Alpha was right,” Alister thought to himself, having confirmed that his Alternate Self’s hint was indeed true, even though he now felt sorry for essentially getting Umbris to out himself.

“... well, I suppose it was inevitable,” Lumi spoke up after the initial shock wore off for her, her tone calm and collected even after hearing Umbris’ answer.  “After all, I am the only female of the group, so there’s really not that many options for mates, and it’s not as if homosexuality isn’t unheard of amongst us,” she explained as she turned to look over towards Aquos and Aeros.  “In Umbris’ defense, I suppose his is more a case of bi-curiosity, if not full-on bisexuality, if, er-hem, our own relationship is anything to go on.”

The color had actually vanished from Umbris’ fur at that point, leaving him almost as white as Wulf, Lightsworn Beast’s fur, and he was shivering like crazy, though behaved like a statue otherwise, not moving from the spot nor turning his head to look at anyone else, even as Terris slowly inched his large frame over toward the Panther.  Umbris started shaking even more as Terris drew closer.  Oh gods, he must hate me so much right now, Ugh! why’d I have to go and say that? He’s probably gonna crush my head in his hands--no, hand, he can just do it with one, though he’d probably just pop my head off, oooooooohh!!! or what if he takes that drill and shoves it up my--”EEEEEEEEK!!!!!!” Umbris squealed internally as he felt Terris’ giant hand land gently on the top of his head.  The Panther was just about ready to soil himself right then and there… … what he had thought would come never came, as instead he felt Terris’ hand gently glide back and forth across the top of his head.

Terris has a small smile on his face as he continued to gently pet the Panther.  “I… didn’t think anybody liked me that much.  I mean, big guy with a lot of femmy sorts, who could?  Not sure if I like you that much back, but it’s nice that you would pick me out of everyone,” Terris confided to Umbris in a comforting tone.

“God, you’re too fucking nice Terris,” Umbris whispered as he gently pulled Terris’ hand off his head.  “I… well… thanks for not crushing my head in.”

“Aww, c’mon, Umb, I wouldn’t hurt ya like that,” Terris chimed as he gave Umbris a light pat on the back.  “We’ve all been friends for a long time; I’ll still care ‘bout y’all no matter what.”

His thoughts put at ease, a small smile formed on Umbris’ lips as his fur returned to its original dark purple shade.

Alister was torn away from the scene before him as Alexander rapped his knuckles on the General’s head.  “Confirmed suspicions aside, Al, that was a mean little trick you played,” Alexander scolded Alister.

Alister shrugged, looking quite pleased with himself.  “I just wanted to be sure that Alpha wasn’t completely screwing around with me.  But this just proves it, and, more importantly, I’ve realized something,” he declared.

“And that is?” Alexander pressed somewhat impatiently.

“Well, even if you’re forced to tell the truth on this Pathway, you can cover it up in rhetoric and dismissive comments.  Just because you’re forced to tell the truth doesn’t mean you’re required to.  So, I’ve realized we’ll need to ask the right questions in order to get the real answers,” Alister explained.

“... huh.  That’s, uh, rather clever, actually,” Alexander admitted as he glanced back over toward the Neo-Spacians, watching them converse amongst themselves.  “So, we know what we’ll have to do once we catch Red… now we just have to agree on how we’re gonna catch him.”

“Well, I say we have plenty of time to formulate a plan of attack,” Bayonetta chimed in as she strode over to the two lombaxes.  “Though, maybe it would be best if we moved it a little further on.  Outside the exit of a practically one-way corridor is too obvious.”

“She does have a point,” Gabriel agreed.  “Being amongst the sakura trees gives us plenty of room for creativity, at the very least.”

“Then let us proceed onward,” Clank declared as the group travelled into the forest of giant cherry trees.

As they walked through the strangely evenly placed rows of trees, the group began discussing strategies.  “So, I’m kinda all for hiding in the trees, so we can jump him when he’s close enough,” Alister suggested.

“I wouldn’t mind confounding him with the petals themselves,” Alexander chimed in.  “I mean, obscuring his sight with a blizzard of petals would also allow us to get the drop on him.”

“No offence, but that sounds stupid,” Umbris grunted.  “He’s a fucking dragon Alex.  He’ll just burn the petals with his fire breath.”

“Hey, a distraction is a distraction,” Alex shrugged.  “However briefly it holds up, it’d still give us enough time to strike--”

“--OR give Red the opportunity to make his own counter strike,” Umbris countered.  “If he breaths fire this entire place will go up in smoke.  So let’s give him no reason to do so.”

“I wonder how big of a donkey I’d have to summon for it to be effective on the dragon,” Bayonetta mused aloud, stroking her chin as she pondered the possibilities.

“Cereza--UGH, seriously?!  Does everything have to be some BDSM routine for you?” Alister scoffed, not at all amused by the mental image that ran through his head.

“Well, he is a Bad Dragon--”

“--and stop indirectly referencing an adult furry toy website!” Umbris chimed in.

“Who’s referencing an adult furry toy website?” Ratchet questioned as he approached the group.

“Not now, dear,” Bayonetta dismissively said to Ratchet, not even bothering to turn around to look at him, “Mummy is have a little tiff with Goddaddy Alister and unimaginative Uncle Alex.”

“”Unimaginative”?!?!” Alex shouted in exasperation.  “What are you talking about?!  My idea was totally imaginative--!!”

“--from an art student’s perspective,” Gabriel cut in.  “But from the perspective of an actual ambush, it’s easily more flamboyant than Umbris is now--”

“SHUT UP, GABBY!!” Umbris hissed at the plushie.

“Don’t you yell at my Little One like that!” Bayonetta snapped as she flicked Umbris on the nose.

“Ugh, he is NOT some BABY, stop treating him like one!” Umbris snapped back as he poked Bayonetta in her left boob, earning him a quick and heavy slap from the Umbra Witch.

Alister and Clank stood back and watched as Alex, Umbris, Bayonetta and Gabriel proceeded to engage in a fight within a Giant Ball of Violence.  “Look everyone, this is officially going nowhere since we can’t even pretend to think anyone else’s ideas are remotely good. Maybe we should take a step back and… wait,” Alister realized, head snapping to look at Ratchet.

“Oh, you finally realized I’m here huh?” Ratchet grumbled with false indignity.  “Took you guys long enough.”

“R… Ratchet…,” Clank uttered in stunned monotone, completely godsmacked at the sight of the young lombax standing before them all, while the General had apparently lost the ability to speak.  The Giant Ball of Violence dispersed as the combatants within also realized who was now standing with them, all of them just as shocked as Clank and the General.

“Ratchet...,” Alister voice cracked as he finally found the ability to speak again, “is… that really you…?”

“No, it’s Princess Mononoke, Alister, taking the form of Ratchet,” the young Lombax snarked with his arms folded.  “I wasn’t gone for that long y’know?”

“Y… you’re alive…,” Alexander quietly gasped, a hand pressed to his chest as he thought it might have stopped beating for a moment.

“Please tell me this isn’t a trick,” Umbris begged to no one in particular.

“It’s no trick,” Ratchet grinned, hands on his hips.  “I’m glad I finally caught up with you all, actually,” he admitted, a guilty look creeping on his face.

Alister said nothing as he staggered towards Ratchet, his breathing like a hurricane as he stood in front of his godson. With a raised hand, he slugged Ratchet as hard as he fucking could.  Ratchet was knocked to the floor in a second flat, his hand on his cheek.  “OWW! FUCKING HELL OWW ALISTER!” he roared furiously, his cheek swelling up.  “What the fuck was that for--?”

“THAT was for hitting me and running off on your own, scaring us all to fucking death and making us all believe you were DEAD!!” Alister snapped furiously, kneeling down at Ratchet.  His incredibly serious scowl steadily broke down as he stared Ratchet in his eyes.  “And this… is for coming back alive...!” he sobbed loudly, falling forwards and embracing Ratchet as tightly as he could.

“Ah… Al…?” Ratchet stammered, taken aback by the General’s sudden emotional outburst.

“Ratchet… my dear boy,” Alister continued to sob, tears running down his face like torrential rain.  “We were so worried about you.  After we found your wrench and the damage, we feared the worst.”  He pulled away momentarily to cup Ratchet’s face in his hands.  “But you’re alright.  You’re alright…,” he blubbered as he pulled Ratchet back into a hug.  “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry….”

“No, I’M sorry,” Ratchet apologized, finally wrenching Alister off him.  Placing his hands on his shoulders, he gave Alister his best apologetic look.  “I SHOULD have listened to you, instead of running off like that.  I was wrong, and you were right Alister.  I shouldn’t have assumed I knew better,” he admitted guiltily.

“I don’t care,” Alister whispered, gently brushing a hand along the swollen cheekbone he had struck moments before.  “You’re here and safe now.  That’s all that matters.”

“Ratchet….”

Ratchet looked to the source of the voice.  Clank was standing there, lubricating fluid leaking from his sockets.  “Clank….” Ratchet replied, tearing up.

Pulling Alister’s hand away, Ratchet turned to his oldest friend.  “Clank, I am so sorry for abandoning you like that.  When I wasn’t with you, I felt like… I felt like….” he trailed off, his eyes going all misty like.

“You must be pretty naive to have believed that load of dragon droppings I fed you earlier.  Maybe that’s why you keep that little robot around, to be your common sense.”

“I felt like there was a piece of me missing, like, I wasn’t whole.  Sometimes I forget, with all my big guns and tools, how much I really need you Clank.  I’m just glad that this time it didn’t require me travelling across the galaxy to a giant galactic clock and fighting an egomaniacal….” he paused, thinking his next choice of words carefully.  “Travelling the galaxy to a giant galactic clock for me to remember how great a friend you really are,” he grinned, tears running down his cheeks as he held his hand out to his friend.

“I’m only hurt that you forgot that fact in the first place,” Clank quavered, taking Ratchet’s hand.

“I’m sorry to ruin this happy moment, I really am, but… HOW THE FUCK DID YOU SURVIVE?!” Umbris shrieked like a distressed damsel. (“No I fucking didn’t!”)

“Really, Umbris?” Ratchet gave an annoyed scoff.  “Is that really important right now?”

“Again, real sorry, but, Red almost fucking KILLED Alister.  How the fuck did you survive without even having a scratch on you?” he demanded skeptically, looking up and down Ratchet’s practically pristine body.  “We all saw the battle site, we saw the trashed R.Y.N.O. and your semi-exploded wrench.  HOW did you survive what was clearly Red’s A-game?”

“I wouldn’t say it was his A-game,” Ratchet muttered to himself.

“R-Ratchet,” Alister quavered, his relief turning to complete dread as he gave Ratchet his coldest stare.  “If you’re here, does… does that mean... you...?  You… you didn’t… did you?” he stammered, dreading the worst.

“I-I didn’t,” Ratchet blurted almost instantly.  “I mean, yes, we fought, he wasn’t at his best, and I messed him up pretty badly, but, well… he still managed to hand me my tail.”

Alister, as well as the others, blinked with confusion in their eyes. “I… I don’t understand, though,” Alexander spoke up.  “Red beat you… and then let you live?”

“He didn’t let me live… he actually saved me,” Ratchet explained.  “After apparently trying to stab me and explode me,” he added as a quiet aside.

“Okay,” Alister said, rubbing his temples.  “We’re going to need you to start from the beginning here.  Because, we’re going to need some context right now.”

“Alright.  After I ran off, I came across this illusion of my ruined garage, which had a bunch of weird photos of the future there.  After I left, I heard someone swearing loudly.  Just my luck it was Red, staring at a picture.  Fuck if I know what scared him so much though, especially to make him swear,” Ratchet remarked in an amazed tone.

The group all shared a quiet, knowing look toward Alister.  “No, shuddup,” Alister snapped at the group as they started snickering and giggling like a group of middle school brats.  “We are not going to tell Ratchet about the wed--err, th-that photo!”

“Okay, now I’M curious here.  If it’s funny, please tell me.  I’ve been in desperate need of a laugh for the past hour now,” Ratchet insisted.

“Well, I dunno if this’ll cause you to laugh,” Alexander snickered as he pulled a picture frame out of his satchel and handed it to Ratchet before Alister could tear it out of his hands, “but I guarantee you’ll be going “Oh-Em-Gee” all the same.”

“ALEX, NOO!!” Alister whimpered, flailing his arms helpless as Ratchet grinned at the photo.  (“What the hell?!  I thought Alpha ended up destroying that photo when he restored Zayon’s memories!”  “Well~ I’d be lying if I said I didn’t make a copy of it beforehand… or two.  Or ten… thousand.”  “... I am SO Un-Friending you, you fucker.”)

“O-o-o-ohhhh my god!” Ratchet cackled, staring at the beautifully framed photo.  “Well, shit Alister, I hope the reception is going to be decent.  I’m used to some more upper class food after all.  Shouldn’t be a problem for you, since your beautiful bride is a dragon, I’m sure he has a treasure hoard somewhere,” he joked mirthfully.

“Urge to repeat the Great Clock Massacre… rising…,” Alister seethingly growled under his breath in a low, gravelly, almost demonic tone.  A few seconds away from forgetting himself completely, Alister recomposed himself in record time.  “Yes, well,” he explained, “I’m afraid (no-I’m-not) that photo is from an alternate timeline, where a, uhh….”

“... where that universe’s Alister fell in love with that universe’s Red, let’s put it simply,” Alexander stepped in, saving Alister the trouble of finding the right words.  “I dunno if that Alister is gay or just bisexual, but….”

“Oh god, that’s fuckin funny,” Ratchet snickered.  “Well, I’m good (for now).  As I was saying, I saw him staring at that photo, and, I just felt so freaking angry with him for what he did to you.  I brought out the Whalloper, and socked him in that huge scar I put on his mug,” Ratchet boasted modestly.  “He flew through a wall!”

“That explains the dragon-shaped hole in the wall,” Bayonetta mused.

“I tore his wound open again, and, I stood over him with the Scorpion Flail.  I was so pissed off as he lay at my feet, that shit-eating smirk on his face despite bleeding out and looking like processed meat.  But he’s a devious bastard.  He said some incredibly terrible things, about you, Al,” Ratchet grimaced.  “He knew I was angry, and he worked his hardest to make me explode.  He played on my frustrations, and, worse, he played on my selfishness.  I played right into his claws when I tried to take his head, but those noodly arms of his are stronger than I thought.  He grabbed the flail and pulled me in with it. After he grabbed me he punted me like a hoverball.  I think he also crushed the flail.”

As the rest of the group listened intently, Alex and Umbris glanced at each other, trying to process how the beginning and end of Ratchet’s story were connected.  It seemed bizarre, but they knew that while on this Path, Ratchet wouldn’t be able to make anything up.  “I was just fucking gone at that point.  I shot a missile into his gut, adding on to what you did to him, Umbris.  He used his magic, but I blocked it.  It felt good watching him double over, almost vomiting blood from that shot.  I taunted him, and he snapped.  He spammed that Shock spell of his, and as much as I dodged em, the guy has a mouth like a god damn motor.  He got me good, twice, actually.  Since he also decide to grind me into the ground with his arm before punting me again.  That’s when he made the mistake of gloating.  He continued to talk shit about how fucking great he was, and also talked shit about you.  As he was monologuing I saw he was having trouble standing on his right leg.  It was trembling a lot.  Did he hurt it in his fight with you Al?” Ratchet questioned curiously.

“Y… you know what, I think he did,” Alister mused, his mind flashing back to his fight back in the Remembrance Path’s forest.  “He fell down a bunch of branches after I knocked him out of the air.  His leg must’ve hit one of them hard.  I actually think I remember seeing him wince while standing on it.”

“Well, I guess I did the one better.  I threw my wrench at his leg, and, I either broke or fractured it.  His scream was pretty ear-piercing, and, as much as I liked seeing him suffer, I couldn’t help but feel guilty for hurting him like that.  I dunno what it was, but, he just seemed so pitiful grasping at his leg as he lay on the ground crying.  He kinda felt like a wounded animal,” Ratchet admitted guiltily, his ears drooping.  “But, I had a job to do; I had to make sure he could never harm you or any of us ever again.  I brought the R.Y.N.O. V out on him at point-blank range, and… I pulled the trigger.”

The look of horror on Alister’s face said it all.  “Don’t you think that’s a little excessive?  All he did was break my arm, he didn’t try to blow me up!” he shrieked.

“I wanted to be sure, okay?  It didn’t work, anyways.  I tore one of his wings apart as he tried to shield himself with it, but that hide of his is fucking thick; those shots barely even hurt him.  And he’s got good aim as well; he damaged the R.Y.N.O., and it exploded on me.  Everything went black after I hit a wall, so, I have no clue what he tried to do to me after the fight,” Ratchet finished, concluding Chapter One.

“Well, I think we can hazard a guess to fill in the blanks,” Bayonetta chimed in.  “The dragon must have been livid with you having injured him thusly, so he must’ve wanted to be just as disproportionate with your suffering as you were with his,” she hypothesized, causing Ratchet to shrink further back with guilt.  “Apparently, once you were out of it, Red tried to stab you with whatever weapon he had.  And I say “tried” because, for whatever reason that eludes us currently and I’m certain you’ll shed further light on, he missed… repeatedly.  On a target that was comatose.”

“And here, I’m gonna take an even wilder guess,” Alexander joined in.  “During your tale, you never mentioned what had happened to your OmniWrench, which we found in a half-exploded, twisted mess.  Now, my guess is this: after trying, and miraculously failing, to stab you, he then tried to blow you up with a spell.  And again, miraculously, Red missed, sending his Magic Missile flying off-course where it blew up your discarded wrench.  Oh, by the way?” Alexander paused as he pulled said twisted mass of metal out of his satchel, handing it over to Ratchet.

“Aw, shit,” Ratchet uttered quietly, his heart almost breaking at the sight of what was essentially an extension of himself.  He cradled his baby in his arms; it was as if his own child had died.  “Well, now I know what happened to it, at least,” he mused grimly.

“Now that we’ve covered what we’ve gathered from our clues,” Umbris spoke up, “there’s still the matter of what happened after Red’s attempted payback.  So?” he turned to ask the younger lombax.  “Mind telling us what happened once you awoke from your little nap?”

“Yeah, this’ll sound weird,” Ratchet began with a hand scratching the back of his head, “but, I was in an ice, umm, baby carrier, I guess would be the best way to put it.  Red put me into an ice shell, and filled it with magic water.  He then froze it to his chest.  I was pretty livid after I woke up, but after we got past the petty insults, we just kinda, talked.  He made some cryptic nonsense that I didn’t even realize until, well, now, that he was actually warning me about my selfish actions in abandoning you guys for revenge.”

“”Magic water”?” Umbris uttered confusedly.

“Aqua vitae, from the sounds of it,” Alexander mused.  “So, wait, that’s how he saved you?  He couldn’t bring himself to kill you, for whatever reason, so he resorted to putting you in a rejuvenative bath and carrying you around?”
 
“He said I was a bargaining chip.  I hurt him pretty badly, so he wasn’t in much of a condition to fight.  So, he was hoping to use me as a trade-off for any Counter Corp he’d find.  My life, to let him go by without a fight,” Ratchet explained.  “Honestly, I was pretty pissed off with that idea.  Being held hostage is one thing, but to be called a bargaining chip was just insulting.”

“How much you wanna bet Red kept him alive because he looked cute?” Gabriel snickered quietly to Bayonetta.

“In that case, I wouldn’t blame him,” Bayonetta answered with a giggle of her own.

Meanwhile, Umbris was shaking his head.  “Well, clearly that didn’t exactly hold up, seeing as you’re here without Red.”

Ratchet sighed, a look on his face that closely resembled one of someone who met Excalibur.  “Yeah, I’m getting to that.  After we kept going on the bridges, (the bastard kept jiggling me with his stupid limp,) we went into those dark hallways.  I had the express honour of getting a front row seat for his nightmares when he faced off with a twisted and evil version of one of his friends.  Through that monster, I finally got to see what Red was really like.  He was a twisted, sadistic, evil monster born from a petulant and bratty teenager who thought he knew best. (“Huh, why does that sound familiar?” “Shut up, Umbris!  Anyways,”) He had actually attempted to conquer his own world,” Ratchet reported.

Alister’s heart sank, whatever feelings he still had for Red slowly being crushed underfoot.  “So, you were right to be suspicious of him after all.  I can’t believe I let him manipulate me,” Alister seethed.

“Yeah, I know.  Red was a twisted, sadistic, evil monster… who would take a bullet for you every time,” Ratchet added.

“... what…?” Alister gasped out, dumbfounded as his ears perked up.

“During that fight, that evil, uhh, what was his name?  Right, the evil Spyro kept going after me every chance he got.  And, every time, Red took the hit instead.  The first time, he let his own arm take the hit.  The second time, he… he…” Ratchet quavered, choking up a little.  “He twisted around, and let that monster’s staff slice him from his back all the way to his tail.  Red willingly allowed himself to get hurt, just so I wouldn’t be.  He took every hit intended for me, right up to where the evil Spyro got serious.  He used a powerful spell, and Red… he used his magic to shield me.  He took the entire brunt of the spell, giving his all to protect me,” Ratchet continued, a sympathetic tear rolling down his face.

Alister was utterly whelmed by this new information.  “He… protected you…?” he hoarsely whispered, a hand clutched to his chest.

“... but why?” Umbris questioned.  “I mean, not for nothing, but it would have been easier for him to have let you take any of those hits.  He could have abandoned his bargaining chip idea and let you die to save himself.  I just… UGH, I swear, I’m getting the distinct feeling that Red is even more confusing than Sayer, and THAT’S saying something.”

“... maybe Red does care about Alister…,” Alexander thought to himself, “enough to keep Ratchet safe despite what had happened….”

“He collapsed after the lightning burned him inside out, and the evil Spyro broke me free by cutting me from Red’s chest.  I took then him on myself, but, I kinda underestimated his temper, and the fact that he was made of shadow.  As I was setting up another ingenious booby trap… evil Spyro trapped me using his cheap shadow trick, and then he tried to eat me,” Ratchet sneered bitterly, remembering the dragon’s hot breath.  “And then, Red got up again.  The evil Spyro smashed Red’s staff into pulp, and he did nothing.  But he forced himself up when I was in danger.  Evil Spyro went after him, and knocked his ass down again.  He also tore off one of Red’s horns just to insult him.  And then back to me… only for Red to rise again.  Evil Spyro said something, and Red got majorly pissed off.  I sorta forget what he was going on about, since I was a bit shell shocked from almost being eaten.  In the end, Red destroyed evil Spyro, and then he collapsed in a pool of his own blood,” Ratchet concluded.

“... b-but you didn’t just leave him there, did you?” Alister worried.

“No, I couldn’t.  I was just as confused as you guys are.  Here I was, standing by a guy who had only recently tried to kill me, and then he was now trying to save me.  I could not put the pieces together at all. So, I didn’t know what to think; that is, until he asked me to “finish the job”,” Ratchet explained.

“... he… he asked you to… kill him?”

Ratchet nodded.  “Yeah, I couldn’t believe it.  He wasn’t even asking for a mercy kill either.  He was actually referring to our previous fight.  He wanted me to kill him because he was my enemy.  But, I had had enough of his passive-aggressive bullshit.  So, I chose to pay him back earlier, and used some nanotech to heal him.  That was, I tried to.  My own nightmare paid me a visit, and, it was one hell of a wake-up call facing him.  What Red had told me about that “lonely road”, I got to see it for my own eyes.  My nightmare was me. A me that forsook everyone he cared for for his own selfish reasons, a me that I could have been, had I not been given a wake-up call.  We fought pretty viciously, Red even helped me out again.  I don’t know what dragons are made of, but it must be the same stuff they use to build tanks as even as he lay dying, he still used his magic to shield me.  Honestly I think he had planned to trip me with his staff, just to give me the opening needed to destroy future me’s weapon.  I was actually kinda glad to have Red backing me up in the fight, as well as… well, you and Dad also helping to keep me safe,” Ratchet smiled as he pulled out his pocket watch, showing off the dent in the casing.

Alister let out a gasp as he tenderly held the pocket watch hanging from Ratchet’s neck.  Bayonetta, too, let out a small gasp, realizing that the advice she had once given the young lombax indirectly helped to save his life.  Much like that one time she had given the same advice to a certain little girl.  “Oh… oh, Kaden…,” Alister mouthed almost soundlessly as he ran a finger along the indentation on the watch.  “... Kay… thank you…,” Alister thought to himself, or rather, mentally whispered to the image of Kaden residing in his own pocket watch.

“I didn’t even have to take the hit, but, if I hadn’t… well, one instance of Ratchet would have been the death of Red.  I wasn’t really thinking when I jumped in front of that bullet, but… I guess it was because he did the same for me.  After I ended my own nightmare, Red was in a bad way.  Part of the reason he took the hits was because, if the staff hadn’t killed me, what comes after would have.  They’re called Dark Gems, and they’re evil minerals that constantly grow.  Inside a person’s body, they cause wounds to fester and widen.  Red’s entire body was riddled with the splinters of the things, and he had these disgusting growths as well that were churning out this gross purple pus.  I tried my best with the nanotech, but it had a hard time fighting against a magical infection,” Ratchet continued, a grim look on his face.

“Magical infections require a magical cure,” Alexander replied in a somewhat knowing tone.  “So, then what happened?”

“I was panicking a little, but the first dose kept him alive.  I tried again, but he stopped me, mumbling for his staff.  He enchanted the nanotech, and it worked.  The corruption was cleansed and those growths burst, healing over.  Light Gems counter Dark Gems, which was why the enchanted nanotech worked.  He wasn’t very talkative once he came to, and I guess he considered ourselves even.  I called him out as he tried to leave after just recovering and, I dunno if it was guilt, or loneliness, but, I finally got to see the real Red.  The real real one this time.  And you were right Al, he’s an okay-to-great guy, once you get past the act he had been using on us the entire time.  And, this is kinda surprising, but I think he might actually have an even bigger guilt complex than you do,” Ratchet marvelled.

Alister blinked hard.  “How so?” he asked, the feeling of relief he had felt being fleet as it was replaced with confused curiosity.

“Well, you see, he’s…. Ah! Right, umm, nevermind, I didn’t say anything,” Ratchet swiftly denied.

“Oh, yeah right, you were SO totally going to say something,” a tiny voice chimed in.  The group jumped a bit as they turned to see who had spoken; fluttering above them was a small group of fairies, apparently having been watching the scene the entire time given that one fairy had a giant bucket of popcorn with them.

“Maybe so, but, I don’t want to say it now,” Ratchet retorted defensively.

“Ratchet,” Clank chided with his hands on what could be assumed were his hips, “what exactly don’t you want to say to us?”

"I….” Ratchet stammered through his teeth, subtly trying to look for a way out.  “I…, can’t tell you what he told me.  He made me promise him that I wouldn’t.  He doesn’t want you to worry about him Al.  Know that he does care about you, a lot, actually.  But he doesn’t want you going after him anymore.  He just wants you to stay away, and, go on with your own life without worrying about his.  He doesn’t want to hurt you anymore.”

Alister slowly shook his head.  “I… I can’t do that,” the General said.  “It just wouldn’t be right to leave this whole thing unresolved, I… I at least want to apologize to him, for the way I had acted towards him.”

Ratchet shook his head.  “He would tell you there’s nothing to apologize for, and find some way to fault himself for it.  He’s quick to take the blame like that,” Ratchet sighed.

“Alister, could I try something?” Alexander requested in a hushed tone into Alister’s ear.

“Wha… what do you have in mind?” Alister whispered back.

“You’ll see,” Alex said quietly as he addressed Ratchet.  “Ratchet, what exactly was it that Red made you promise not to tell us?” he inquired.

“I told you, I promised him not to tell you all that his world is going to end,” Ratchet snapped defensively, before realizing in horror as to what he had just revealed.  “What the…?  How did you...?” he gibbered.

“And now you know part of the reason why this is called the Pathway of Truth, Ratch,” Alex explained.  “For whatever reason, this Pathway forces you to speak the truth, no matter what you intend to say.  Not even white lies can be uttered, if the right questions are asked--”

“Alex, shush!” Alister snapped, still taken aback by what Ratchet had said.  “You mean to tell me that Red is in this war to try and save his world from annihilation?!”

“Cat’s out of the bag now,” Ratchet huffed.  “Yeah, exactly that.  Time has ended in his world, and the inhabitants of that universe are freezing in time as well.  The build-up caused by the break in physics is going to tear it apart via entropy.  Red said that he joined the war four days after time froze, and that now he has one day left before it ended.  He’s been so desperate he’s willingly siding with the Divine just for the mere hope of saving his world from being erased.  He’s been hurting himself day and night by denying his own basic rights as a living being for that goal.  THAT’S why he’s been pushing you and everyone away, Al.  “What I want, and what my world needs are two completely separate things”,” Ratchet chimed in his impression of Red.

Alister stood there, his face almost frozen like a photo as, in the back of his mind, he remembered the pair of photographs he had come across, and more specifically, the message written on the back of them: ““I wish it could be this way. I want to be with all of you for the rest of my life, but that is just an empty dream. An illusion. Time is up, my friends. And soon, only I will remain.”,” he recited in horror, a shaky hand reaching up to cover his quivering mouth.  “Oh… Red…,” he breathed out tearfully.

“That wasn’t a threat against his world.  It was his goodbye to it,” Alex uttered, sharing Alister’s horror.  “Those… those hourglasses… the sand.  An hourglass is usually a symbol of someone’s entire life time.  As sand running through an hourglass.  They were all broken, completely broken.  He knows that if he fails, his world, and the billions of lives it contained would be lost.  And that photo, shows that it is possible for him to fail.”

“... and the worst part of it?” Gabriel added, about to add a whole ‘nother level of sadness to this tragic news.  “His world… may be already gone, just like all of ours….”

“There’s no maybe, it’s pretty much guaranteed gone, since he’s been here long enough,” Ratchet pointed out, his voice cracking as he fought back the tears.  “He doesn’t know.  That asshole Protheus didn’t even tell the Divine that their worlds are gone.  Red still thinks he has a chance to save his world, not even knowing that what he’s fighting for... is already gone.”

“And you didn’t tell him…?” Umbris croaked.

“HOW COULD I?!” Ratchet shrieked almost hysterically.  “How could I have even begun to tell him that everything he was fighting for, all that pain he’s put himself through, was for fucking nothing?  It… it would have devastated him….  He’s been pushing himself to death for that tiny hope that he could save his world.  I couldn’t bring myself to be the one to snuff it out,” Ratchet hiccuped as he fought back the tears.  

“How could I… have even told him that all the stuff he did to you, to push you away. He broke your arm for fuck’s sake. How would he feel if he knew he did all of that... for nothing?  He’s already got a guilt complex a mile long just for what he’s done in his past while under freaking mind control.  He’s been living with his guilt for a while now, and, could you even imagine not being able to put decades old demons to rest?  Without hoping he could do something right, for once in his life, he’d have nothing left.  He’d be worse than destroyed, he’d be completely dead inside.”

Alister could bear it no longer, dropping to his knees as he wept for Red.  Yes, the General knew all too well what guilt and self-loathing would drive one to do to make everything right again.  He had been right about Red all along… he just never knew how right he was until now.  “So, we’re not so different, he and I,” he laughed humorlessly.

“Kinda.  But, he’s also got a major inferiority complex working for him too.  It was kinda insane listening to him talk about his life, when he told me that he spent fifty years studying to be an Elder, a few years being another Elder’s assistant, a few decades under mind control, then a year of actually being himself again.  He told me he had done nothing truly great with his life.  That’s also what’s driving him, the desire to prove himself.  It’s sad the he’s also lost that chance, as well,” Ratchet added to the grim pile.  “It’s like he’s the butt monkey of his universe.”

“Try “Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds”,” Umbris mused bitterly.  “Damn… all the shit he’s gone through, and going through….  I actually regret some of the shit I said about him.  I guess with his insane quest, there’s no chance to bring him around to our side?”

“Tried it.  He’s dead set on his task, even though it’s killing him,” Ratchet answered.

The fairies, caught up in the soap opera-like drama, seemed to converse with each other about something.  As they broke away from their huddle, three of the fairies zoomed off, each going their own separate direction.  “Hey, listen!” said one of the fairies that had stayed near the group, “we’ve just sent our friends out to look for that dragon you’ve been talking about.  If one of them finds him, they’ll be right back to tell us where he is!”

“Oh! Well, that’s very nice of you, actually,” Alexander nodded gratefully.

“No, thank you,” the fairies replied giddily.  “You lot have been the most entertainment we’ve had all day.  We actually want to see what happens when you add the dragon to the mix.  It’ll be better than a daytime talk show.”

“Uhhh…,” the group collectively droned, not sure how exactly to respond to that.

“Speaking of which,” added the Lead Fairy, a chibi-like female with red hair and a blue dress, “while we wait for our friends, why don’t we lighten the mood with a little “Truth or Dare”?  Sound like fun?”

“Somehow, I can already tell this’ll be a game we’ll all regret playing,” Umbris uttered quietly to Alexander.

“And somehow, I get the feeling they won’t leave us be until we agree to play,” Alexander replied just as warily.

“Nah naah, it’ll be fun, trust us.  Here, I’ll start with a truth from, uhh, ah, the big boobed lady.  So Tits Mcgee, out of the males here, which one would you do?” the Lead Fairy questioned cheekily.

“First of all, my breasts are not that big,” Bayonetta snapped with a mixture of modesty and embarrassment.  “And honestly, I wouldn’t give any of the boys here the time of day.  No offense,” she added to the lombaxes as well as Umbris and Gabriel, “but the majority of you wouldn’t be alive long enough for me to have a proper relationship with you.  A “Mayfly-December Romance” as Tv Tropes would put it.”

“Umm, we were just asking which one you wanted to have a one night stand with, really,” the Lead Fairy frowned.

“Well, that’s still a bit of a stretch, really,” Bayonetta replied.  “I mean, I’m not exactly certain if bedding a lombax would be considered beastiality--”

“OH MY GAWD JUST PICK ONE ALREADY!!!” shouted one of the other fairies.

“... fine.  Alister,” Bayonetta answered tersely.  “He seems like he actually knows how to treat a woman right, and most likely knows his way around a woman’s body, anyways.”

“And just what are you implying by that?!” Ratchet asked indignantly.

“It means you are a V-I-R-G-I-N virgin,” one of the fairies cheered, complete with pom poms and a cheerleader outfit.  “Unless Red was kind enough to take your cherry,” she added with a sly wink.

“First off: no, he didn’t.  Second: WHY I OUGHTA--!!” Ratchet shrieked as he madly hopped up and down, trying to grab the offending cheerleading fairy that was now flying right out of his reach.

“According to Zayon, it’s not that bad,” Alister said indignantly, even though he shouldn’t really be indignant.

“Gross Alister, just gross.  He’s like one of those awesome grandfather types. Plus, I think he’s at least six times my age. Probably older,” Ratchet protested as the fairy stuck her tongue out at him from the safety of the branches.

“Zayon didn’t mind the age difference,” Alister grumbled to himself.

“Actually, wouldn’t Red be, like, a 30-something-year-old mentally?” Alexander asked Alister.  “‘Cuz then, that would sorta make you--I mean, Zayon, the older one in the relationship.”

“Sounds about right,” Alister shrugged.

“Next question~♫” Lead Fairy chimed impatiently in a singsong tone.  “You, Red Stripes with the GORGEOUS green eyes!  Who are you most attracted to in this group of yours?”

“Uh… y’mean, in a romantic and/or sexual way?” Alexander blinked.  “I… honestly couldn’t tell you.  I’ve no physical nor romantic attraction to, well… anyone I’ve come across.”

Everyone blinked as they stared at Alexander, almost as if his head had suddenly detached from the rest of his body and was now floating in midair.  “Heh… ha-ha.  Y-you’re joking, right?” Lead Fairy blurted out, dumbfounded.

“If I was joking, I’d technically be lying,” Alexander reasoned.  “And since we can’t lie here, then clearly what I’ve said is true.”

“So, wait,” Gabriel spoke up, “you’re saying that you might be… asexual?”

“Seems like it,” Alexander mused.  “I mean, I still have platonic feelings for people, but never have I felt anything, y’know, serious as straight-up attraction.  Either that, or I just haven’t found “The One” yet.  There’s still time, obviously.  Wouldn’t want to rush things,” he shrugged.

“Ahh, I kinda like hopeless romantics like you,” the Lead Fairy smiled warmly, despite her cold remark.  “It’s a pity though.  We were kinda benching on you to be the one to throw a chair during the lover’s spat.  That won’t be a thing now, which blows, but what can ya do?” she shrugged.  “Oh well, next up, why not the yellow looking fuzzball with the attitude problem?  Hmm, let’s see, what’s embarrassing for ya?  Oh, I know.  If, given the chance, would you want to do Tits McGee over there?”

“WHAAA!?!” Ratchet yelped, his jaw hanging agape as he glanced over towards a less-than-amused Bayonetta.

“Honestly, is it possible for you all to ask a question that doesn’t involve sex in any way?” Bayonetta fumed.

“We could; it’s just funnier to us if we ask the really awkward questions.  Like if we ask the Purple Panther over there about which position he’d want to do his mole friend in?” the Lead Fairy grinned.  “Feel free to answer that question, by the way.”

“HOW ABOUT I RIP YOUR FUCKIN’ HEAD OFF?!” Umbris roared as he prepared to lunge at the Lead Fairy, only being held back by Bayonetta grabbing on to his tail mid-pounce.

“See?” the Lead Fairy smirked, “that sort of thing is hilarious to us.  We could easily ask those tedious philosophical questions about deep personal truths and all that load of horse crap.  But we just prefer to make you guys angry instead.  We spend a lot of time without real entertainment, so we gotta savour it while we can.  If you want a serious question though, then how bout this: Given your ambush is no longer happening, what are you going to do with your dragon? Who we can now assure you is in the pathway.”

At this, Alister was left with a confused, introspective look on his face.  “... I don’t know, yet,” he uttered.

“Ugh,” the Lead Fairy groaned.  “See? Watching people go quiet and thoughtful isn’t funny, at all.  It’s just boring since we can’t exactly look into your minds much.  But, why do anything at all, fuzzbag?  He doesn’t want to see you, as he’s happy with his own delusion.  What right would you have to burst his bubble when it’s the only thing going for him?” she questioned.

Again, Alister fell silent.  At the same time, Bayonetta was beginning to regret questioning the fairies and their antics, part of her wishing they could go back to questioning Alister’s sexuality--

“--of course, if you’re still not willing to answer that,” the Lead Fairy quipped, “then we can go back to asking the fun questions, like~: On a scale of plain to FABULOUS~, just how gay are you, Gramps--?”

“I! AM! NOT! GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Alister snapped, hollering with such force and ferocity that he was blowing the fairies away, as well as ruffling up Bayonetta’s hair.

“Conflictous white tiger, you didn’t need to shout that loudly,” the Lead Fairy complained from the tree branch she held onto.  “So, you’re bi then?  Or at least bi-curi--Uh-oh,” she gasped out, the color draining from her face as she watched Alister call out Mr. Zurkon.

“Zurkon,” Alister commanded with a borderline-psychotic toothy grin on his face, “KILL!”

“Mr. Zurkon thought you’d NEVER ask!” the synthenoid replied giddily, taking on his original form as he proceeded to zoom around, chasing after and firing at the fairies that had now taken to fleeing for their lives.

“Feh!  Serves them right,” Alister scoffed as he and the others watched Mr. Zurkon massacre the troublesome fair folk.  “Besides, I’d never tell them about the time Kaden and I-Ai, ai, ai….”  Alister cringed as he slowly turned around to see the rest of the group staring at him.

“Go on~” Bayonetta insisted as she took a handful of popcorn from the bucket one of the fairies had dropped in its attempt to escape Mr. Zurkon’s rampage.

“Al,” Ratchet spoke up, hands on his hips, “what did you and my dad do, exactly…?” (“Aside from each other?” Umbris asked off-screen.)

Yep, now Al had put his foot in it.  Might as well come out with it.  Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Alister proceeded: “It… was college, we had a few drinks… I dunno what was going through Kay’s head, or my own, but… next thing I knew we were both, err… hardcore snogging on the couch….”  The General’s face was radiating a bright fuchsia glow.  “I swear, we didn’t do anything beyond that!  Grrr, damn you, Truth Path….” Alister growled, blessed in the fact that he was passed out when Kaden stuck his hands down his pants.  This was a fact that Kaden took with him to his grave, and beyond it as the memory of Kaden sniggered inside the Watch.  “The day after, we swore never to speak of it, ever.  Well, until today, that is….” he trailed off, catching Ratchet’s livid expression.

“I hope you paid for his dinner, you pervert,” Ratchet seethed viciously.

“In Al’s defense, I was the one who made the first move,” A voice rang through Ratchet and Alister’s heads, both recognizing it as Kaden’s.

“Ugh, DAD~!”

“Hey, we were young, wasted and… well, felt like experimenting.  If you had had a normal lombaxian life you would have as well.  It’s only natural to want to explore the limits of your sexuality,” Kaden shrugged, somehow.

"Not helping, Kaden," Alister pointed out, his face in his palms after seeing a sour look flash across Ratchet’s face.

“Hey, I’m speaking on behalf of Zayon here.  He heard your little outburst and if not for our promise to not interfere he would have said it instead,” Kaden explained.

“Okay, I’m sorry about that.  I’m just getting really sick of people constantly thinking I’m gay when I show affection for another male person,” Alister sighed. “... on that note--”

“I’m bi, believe it or not,” Zayon’s voice quickly interjected.  “Just so we’re all clear on that.”

“You know,” Bayonetta began, still munching on popcorn as she observed the carnage, “since you’re killing off those fairies, they probably won’t be willing to scout Red for us now.”

“Meh,” Alister shrugged carelessly, “I’m sure they would have screwed us over, anyways.  And, if I know fate as well as I do, we’ll probably be seeing Red pretty soon, anyways....”