Tiari: "Ah, finally…!"

As he opened the shower-room’s door, Soketsu’s eyes immediately met with the familiar catgirl standing by one of the exercise machines near the entrance. This time she was wearing a dark blue overall and her long, black hair was clamped into a neat ponytail, making her cat-ears even more prominent on the top of her head. Was she there to exercise; he wondered? She wasn’t working out in the training hall before, obviously, but maybe she was jogging in the area? After a brief moment of hesitation he stepped out of under the doorframe and nodded towards the locker room on the other side.

Soketsu: "Sorry, were you waiting for the shower to open up?"

She was apparently surprised by the question, which already told Soketsu he guessed wrong, but she said it anyways.

Tiari: "No, I was waiting for you."

Soketsu: "Really?"

Tiari: "Yeah, Ahaz told me to get you."

Soketsu involuntarily twitched. As a matter of fact, he hasn’t seen Ahazkun even once ever since his welcoming party, and that was two weeks ago. Suddenly being called after being neglected like that could only mean one thing: the man meant to discuss business with him. For a moment he silently grumbled about how the esteemed ‘Silver Oracle’ managed to find the worst time to advance his plans, but he didn’t voice his thoughts and instead only uttered a cautious "Why?"

Tiari in turn only rolled her eyes and threw her hands into the air.

Tiari: "How should I know?"

Soketsu stifled an surprised chuckle while he walked over to the catgirl’s side.

Soketsu: "Right. He can be quite… cryptic."

Tiari: "No need to tell me. I live with him, you know?"

Tiari let out a loud groan and began vigorously articulating.

Tiari: "He’s always like ‘Tiari, put this here so that we some guy who wasn’t even born yet could find it’ or ‘Tiari, turn that thing 45° east so that it can be used when we need it in fourteen years’ and so on! The guy is a slave driver."

This time Soketsu didn’t stifle his laugh as leaned on the machine at his side. It was a strange combination of a treadmill and a punching bag on a metal stand.

Soketsu: "Well, he can’t really help it. Predicting the future is hard."

Tiari: "Hey, I know! But it’s just so annoying when he knows what you want to say and keeps finishing your sentences and everything…"

Soketsu: "Keeps finishing your sentences? What are you, newlyweds?"

The catgirl gave him a flat look and waved her hand dismissively.

Tiari: "Nah, we are a little past that period."

Soketsu: "Oh, so you are already married? Congratulations."

This time her still flat expression darkened with a hint of annoyance.

Tiari: "No, we are not, idiot." She scoffed before crossing her arms in front of her chest. "We are master and familiar. It’s a bond stronger than any vow."

Soketsu: "Ah. So you don’t need to get married. I got it."

Tiari: "Well…" Tiari scratched her cat-ear with a sheepish smile. "I wouldn’t say I never thought about it, but I wanted to wait until the entire group is back together."

At this point the man awkwardly cleared his throat. He wanted to tease Tiari a little, but he forgot that she was older than she looked and so he instead stumbled into a serious topic. At last he regained his composure and said:

Soketsu: "So what’s stopping you now?"

Tiari: "Nothing, I suppose…" Tiari muttered with a distant look in her eyes. "But then again, maybe I should wait until the next phase of the Plan is over and things calm down a bit before I bring it up. I can wait."

Soketsu: "Well, you two are practically glued together already, so it’s not like getting married would really change things."

Tiari: "Yeah, I guess you are right…" She began to shrug, but then she stopped as a mischievous smile spread on her face. "The same could be said about you and Kay too, don’t you think? Speaking of which…"

Soketsu: "No comment." Soketsu spoke hastily.

Tiari: "I didn’t even ask anything yet!"

Soketsu: "You wanted to ask something about our relationship, right? I can’t say anything regarding that; I still have a lot of things to think about."

His words didn’t seem to dissuade the catgirl, as she sidled up to him with an impish smile.

Tiari: "You two had a fight, huh?"

Soketsu frowned in surprise, then frowned even harder as he realized his reaction already gave away the answer.

Soketsu: "Where did you hear that?"

Tiari: "Pabloc."

Soketsu’s shoulders drooped as if someone let the air out of them and he groaned softly.

Soketsu: "Figures."

Tiari: "Say, do you need any help?"

Soketsu: "From you?"

The catgirl promptly puffed her chest with a confident smile.

Tiari: "Hey, I might look young and cute, but I’ve been by Ahaz’s side for a little more than, let me see… A net of 12 years by now. With that, I would say I have 12 years more relationship experience than you do."

Soketsu: "Net?"

Tiari: "You know, with all this time-jumping business and whatnot."

Soketsu: "Oh, I see…"

Soketsu nodded sagely, if only to buy some time, but the catgirl had none of it as she set her knuckles against her hips and grinned.

Tiari: "Anyways, you can— No, you should talk to me. Come on!"

After saying so she turned in place and then marched over to the bench at the far side of the room. She tossed a couple of broken dummies aside to make space before she sat down and patted the empty place beside her.

Tiari: "Take a seat."

Soketsu gave her a skeptical look at first. Truth be told, the two of them have never been close. Even in the past, before the Devastation, they barely spoke with each other, and even then it was only about business. He used to consider her only as an extension of Ahazkun, and while he had seen more of her recently (she often came over to hang out with Kay in their new dwelling in Avalon), they barely interacted. It felt weird for her to offer advice like this, and considering her master, he subconsciously suspected some kind of scheme.

On the other hand though, it was a sad fact that Tiari was about the only relatively normal person he could talk to about such things, and he was afraid that if he neglected the opportunity he might regret it later. However, there was one last issue to sort out before all that.

Soketsu: "What about Ahazkun? Wasn’t he looking for me?"

The catgirl looked like she just remembered why she came over on the first place, but then she quickly shrugged her shoulders.

Tiari: "Ahaz…? Meh, he can wait."

Soketsu: "Are you sure?"

Tiari: "Yeah. He is driving me crazy with his assignments lately anyway. We have the whole day ahead of us; he can wait a little. "

After thinking for a few seconds Soketsu finally gave in and sat down by her side while trying to ignore the catgirl’s satisfied smirk.

Tiari: "Good. Now, what was that thing you two were fighting about?"

Soketsu: "Are we jumping right into the middle?"

Tiari: "Hey, this is not counseling. I’m not going to build up everything by asking stupid questions about your mother."

Soketsu: "I don’t think real counselors do that either."

Tiari: "Whatever, just spit it out. We don’t have all day."

Soketsu wanted to retort something about having all the time in the world just a few seconds ago when it was about Ahazkun waiting, but he refrained from doing so.

Soketsu: "Fine. We weren’t exactly fighting. We just had a little disagreement."

Tiari: "Don’t try to sugarcoat it, just give me the facts."

Soketsu: "Okay then… Do you know about Kay’s condition?"

Tiari: "Which one?"

At first Soketsu wanted to mutter ‘There’s more than one?’, but at last he only said;

Soketsu: "Her appearance."

Tiari: "Oh, you mean that she doesn’t age? Yeah, she told me a while back. I don’t know the circumstances, but I don’t think it’s such a big deal. I don’t age either."

Soketsu: "Yes but you are a Familiar. You were…" He abruptly paused for a moment. "What is the right word? Made? Born?"

Tiari: "I prefer the word ‘created’."

Soketsu: "Then, you were created the way you are now. But she… She is just stuck in that body and can’t help it."

Tiari: "I still don’t really see the problem."

Soketsu heaved a sigh. He was starting to regret getting involved in this conversation, but there was nothing he could do about it now without being rude.

Soketsu: "So, Tiari? Have you never wanted to grow older? I mean, more mature."

The cat-eared girl raised her finger to her lips like she was thinking about a really profound question, but in the end she shook her head.

Tiari: "Nah, not really. I like my body the way it is, and so does Ahaz. So yeah, I’m cool. But what does this have to do with your fight?"

Soketsu furrowed his brows and answered:

Soketsu: "Unlike you, Kay actually grows. According to Pabloc she seems to age normally."

Tiari: "She does? Then what’s the problem?"

Soketsu: "She ages, but when she transforms into her weapon form and back, her age resets to the time she first transformed."

A knowing smile blossomed on Tiari’s face.

Tiari: "Oh! I see, I think she mentioned something like that before. I believe I can see where this is going…"

Soketsu: "Our argument was about that. She wants to fight with me, but to do that she has to transform. If she transforms, her age resets. The only way she can grow older is if she stays put and as far from fighting as possible."

Tiari: "Hmmm…" Tiari theatrically rested her chin on her knuckle and let out a soft grunt. "I have to admit, you’ve got some fine mess here…" After a moment of thinking she looked Soketsu in the eye again. "Just for the record, what do you think of her appearance right now?"

Soketsu: "She is lovely," The gruff-looking man uttered without a moment of hesitation. He was so direct Tiari could only blink for a moment before she regained her wits and cleared her throat to hide her shock.

Tiari: "S-So… khm… So you don’t have a problem with how she looks right now?"

This time Soketsu hesitated for a moment.

Soketsu: "That is a difficult question."

Tiari: "Okay, let me rephrase that: Are you uncomfortable about a relationship with her because she looks like a child?"

Soketsu: "… There you go being blunt again."

Tiari let out a snort and shook her head.

Tiari: "Don’t change the subject."

Soketsu sighed and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Soketsu: "She is just… I don’t know. I want to say I don’t mind, but it would be a lie. In fact I am even a little bothered by how unconcerned you are about it."

The catgirl scoffed once again with a thin smile.

Tiari: "Listen, we are a group of time-travelers, semi-immortals, shape-shifters and eldritch abominations. Excuse me for not being particularly floored by your girl looking younger than she is. You should really get over it."

Soketsu: "Easier said than done," Soketsu muttered with a sigh. "But even if I decided to imitate your attitude, she would still be unhappy about it."

Tiari’s ears twitched at the words.

Tiari: "About you having a relationship with her as a child?"

Soketsu: "I don’t know about that… but I am sure she doesn’t want to stay a child."

Tiari: "Are you sure."

Soketsu: "Positive."

Tiari: "Hmm…" Tiari fell silent for several seconds while staring into thin air, but her eyes were too serious for Soketsu to interrupt her. At last she turned back to the man at her side with a single raised index-finger. "So let me see if I got this: You are uncomfortable with her staying a child, so you want her to grow up. She wants to grow up too, but she also wants to fight with you. If she fights and transforms she cannot grow up, but if she doesn’t fight, she is afraid you would leave her."

Soketsu: "I wouldn’t." The man interjected flatly, but Tiari only shrugged her shoulders.

Tiari: "She probably knows that on a rational level, but emotionally? You haven’t directly told you how you feel about her, have you?" Soketsu swiftly averted his eyes, which was answer enough as far as Tiari cared. "You see, that is the crux of the problem. Since your relationship is not certain, she tries to cling to you using her transformation to make sure you wouldn’t abandon her, but doing so makes it so that she cannot grow up and thus your relationship can never advance. She must be thinking; ‘Soketsu doesn’t like my body, but so long as I am his weapon, we can stay together! That’s good enough for me!’ When you look at it like that, the solution is actually really simple: Go and tell her you love her, and that you will not abandon her, and she will no longer have to depend on her transformation for reassurance. Then wait a couple of years until you are comfortable with her looks and go for it. Easy."

Tiari flashed a toothy smile at Soketsu, but it quickly disappeared as she found him deep in thought.

Tiari: "What’s the matter?" Her eyes slowly narrowed into suspicious squints. "Don’t tell me you don’t actually love her…"

Soketsu: "What?! No!" Soketsu jumped to his feet like he was doused in cold water, but then his own words registered and he hastily added. "I mean, that’s not what I mean! Of course I love her!"

Tiari: "Then tell her."

Soketsu: "But... I’m not sure."

Seeing the large man nervously fidget made the catgirl roll her eyes.

Tiari: "How can you not be sure? Do you love her or not?"

Soketsu: "It’s not that I don’t love her, it’s that I’m not sure of the kind of love I feel…"

Tiari’s face abruptly darkened, but Soketsu too distracted to notice.

Soketsu: "I mean, we have been together for so long I’m not even sure that what I feel is romantic. I mean, for a long time I treated her as a younger sibling, and so I c—"

Suddenly there was a loud smack echoing in the hall as Tiari jumped to her feet and jabbed Soketsu in the pit of his stomach. He immediately paled and hunched over from the unexpected strike.

Soketsu: "Ouch! Hey!"

Tiari: "Read my lips:" Tiari exclaimed as she retracted her elbow from his abdomen. "You. Are. Overthinking. This."

Soketsu: "But I can’t help it! I’m not sure if it’s the romantic kind of love…"

She looked at him in disapproval bordering contempt before she swept her entire face with her palm. Once she finished her expression became deadpan.

Tiari: "I gave you my advice. Your problem is not Kay’s condition. It’s you and your half-assed attitude. Think about that for a while."

Even though the ex-Rover was almost two heads taller than the catgirl, at this moment Soketsu completely sunk back in front of her intimidating stare.

Soketsu: "Harsh," He muttered. Seeing that Tiari’s gaze wasn’t softening he also tentatively added; "I will reflect on what you said."

For a few seconds Tiari observed him closely, as if testing his words, and at last she let out a long breath, her face finally easing up.

Tiari: "You do that," Tiari shrugged and pointed at the door with her thumb over her shoulder. "Let’s get going. I believe we are done dissecting your love life and Ahaz is probably getting impatient by now."

Soketsu: "All right, all right."

Soketsu’s shoulders drooped in resignation as he followed after Tiari at a respectable distance, and he couldn’t help wondering if he was going to regret this discussion for the rest of his life…

~~~

Ahazkun: "About time…"

Tiari: "Sorry, we had something to take care of."

Soketsu: "Hello."

Soketsu gave a half-hearted wave to Ahazkun, but his attention was obviously elsewhere. Unlike his new home, the oracle’s a personal quarters were in the outer facilities surrounding the city. It wasn’t just him though, as Gabe and Pabloc also lived outside, only Soketsu and Kay got a small mansion inside Avalon. He didn’t understand the reason behind it, but he didn’t want to look the gift horse in the mouth and just graciously accepted it, even though this way they had to go through the whole security scan every single morning and evening. But then again, living in the underground complex had its downsides as well.

Ahazkun seemed even paler under the artificial lights. Unlike the infirmary and a few selected facilities with artificial sunlight, this room was lit by a set of lamps in the corners. According to what Soketsu overheard from Tiari, they were usually on the move and only stayed at this suite for a couple of days at most, so the artificial sunlight might have been wasted on this room.

Even now, after two weeks of habitation, the only parts of the place showing any sight of usage were the beds and the long writing desk at the far end of room. The latter in particular was covered in a huge heap of hastily scribed memos, calculations, letters and other assorted notes. Ahazkun was sitting in front of this very heap in a display that Soketsu considered mildly nostalgic. He wrote a few lines onto the piece of paper in his hand and after observing it with his familiar, glazed stare he deliberately inserted it into the middle of one of the precariously balanced a document-towers. Only after he did so did his eyes clear up.

Ahazkun: "Listen Soketsu, we need to talk." He spoke with a dry voice as he turned towards his guest. He didn’t bother with courtesies or even stood up, but Soketsu didn’t mind. He was already used to the man’s peculiar mannerism.

Soketsu: "Well, that’s why I came here, didn’t I?"

Ahazkun: "Right." Ahazkun nodded at the rhetorical question like it really needed an answer, then he gestured at the girl in the room. "Tiari?"

Tiari: "Hm? Yes?"

Ahazkun: "Would you be so kind to bring us some tea?"

The catgirl paused for a second, but a moment later one of her brows rose with realization and she promptly rolled her eyes.

Tiari: "Sheesh… You know, you can just tell me if you want to talk in private…"

Ahazkun: "Some black tea, preferably Earl Grey with little sugar if possible."

Tiari threw her hands into the air in surrender.

Tiari: "I get it, I get it! Geez, you are the worst."

As the catgirl loudly left the room, Ahazkun pointed at the sofa with a coffee-table in front of it. Soketsu figured it was placed there recently just to he could sit there.

Ahazkun: "Take a seat; we have a lot of ground to cover."

Soketsu: "Don’t we always?" Saying so Soketsu took the seat offered and looked at the oracle with a solemn expression. The atmosphere in the room was slightly tense ever since he entered, and he felt that whatever the oracle wanted to discuss had to be serious. "So? Why the secrecy?"

There was a small twitch on Ahazkun’s face that could have been anything from a grimace to a small smile.

Ahazkun: "I wouldn’t call it secrecy, it’s just something that is better discussed between just the two of us." He answered dryly. "I wanted to talk to you about it before, but I never had the time. I was quite busy, you see."

The ex-Rover conspicuously glanced at the pile of papers on the desk behind the man and tilted his head questioningly.

Soketsu: "You still seem busy to me."

Ahazkun: "Yes, I am."

Soketsu: "So? Why now?"

Ahazkun’s face darkened. He exhaled softly and intertwined his fingers before placing them on his lap.

Ahazkun: "There is something that I can overlook no longer, and I need your help."

Soketsu immediately nodded.

Soketsu: "I’m listening."

Truth be told, this was the closest Soketsu have ever seen the man to being fidgety, so he decided to pay extra attention. In the meantime Ahazkun silently exhaled, after which his complexion became a little better.

Ahazkun: "I think…" He began, but then paused with uncharacteristic uncertainty. "I think Gabe is up to something. Something dangerous."

Normally this was the point where there was supposed to be a moment of tense silence, but it was immediately dispelled by a stifled snort from Soketsu.

Soketsu: "What? That’s all? Isn’t he always doing something dangerous, weird or dangerously weird?"

The oracle shook his head.

Ahazkun: "No, what I’m talking about isn’t one of his usual escapades. It’s a lot more serious."

Soketsu: "As in…?"

Ahazkun: "I don’t know, and that’s the problem."

Hearing these words, Soketsu immediately raised a brow.

Soketsu: "Wait, you want to say you cannot predict him?"

Ahazkun: "Exactly."

Soketsu: "Sorry if I sound ignorant, but so what?"

The oracle narrowed his eyes in admonishment but continued with the same businesslike voice as before.

Ahazkun: "You know how my predictions work. When I say I cannot predict him, it doesn’t mean that there is a margin of error, but that I am absolutely unable to do so. He is doing something that causes a ripple of probabilities that throws all my predictions off."

Once again, Soketsu’s brows furrowed.

Soketsu: "Did you say ‘ripple’ just now…?"

Ahazkun nodded sharply. While it might have sounded innocent, that word had a bad history for their group. The last time he used it in regard of his power was three hundred years ago. It referred to a very specific moment that made all predictions after that point unreliable. They called it Ground Zero. For the rest of the world, it was the descent of Nov’Elsfaan.

Ahazkun: "Have I ever told you how my Innate Ability works?"

Soketsu involuntarily raised a brow at the sudden question.

Soketsu: "Yes, though I didn’t understand a word back then."

Ahazkun: "Let us give it a try again."

The ex-Rover shrugged his shoulders.

Soketsu: "If you think it’s necessary…"

Ahazkun: "It is necessary for you to understand the magnitude of the problem." Saying so Ahazkun opened a drawer and took out a wooden box from his desk and placed it on the coffee-table between the two of them. It didn’t have a top and inside Soketsu could see a number of glass marbles. Just when he was about to question the spectacle, Ahazkun told him; "I know you are bad with mathematics, so I prepared this illustration in advance."

Soketsu: "How considerate of you." The large man grumbled under his breath.

Ahazkun ignored his words and lightly shook the box in his hand so that the marbles spread around on the bottom.

Ahazkun: "What I am going to tell you now is an enormous simplification, but it shall do. Please look at these marbles."

Soketsu: "Yes?"

Ahazkun placed a finger on a single marble and began toying with it while talking.

Ahazkun: "I presume you are familiar with the game of billiards? It is a game where you apply force to a single ball in order to get the other balls where you want them to be using the rules of physics. To do that, you have to be able to see the location of all the balls in relation to each other as well as the edges of the table, the ability to predict where the balls will go once you move them, and perfect control over the way you move the first ball. If you have all three of those things…" With a sudden movement of his finger Ahazkun flicked the marble he was toying with. There were a series of knocks as the marble hit another, then another, then the wall and so on. After a few seconds the noise abated as the seven balls came to a stop, forming a perfect triangle in the middle. "…You can have perfect control."

Soketsu nodded attentively.

Ahazkun: "My Innate Ability allows me to see the ‘balls’, I use mathematics and simulations to predict their movements and I use plans and personal intervention to reach the desired outcome. However…" With a move of his hand, Ahazkun scattered the marbles again. This time, for some reason, they kept rolling and bouncing around in the box. "Doing the same thing while the balls are already moving is much harder. You have to know where the balls are at the moment, at what direction they are moving and at what speed, and on top of that you also need to be aware that they might collide with the other balls, throwing them off their course. However, while it is hard to get the result you want…" Suddenly Ahazkun poked a finger into the box, subtly changing the direction of a single marble. All of a suddenly the chaotic knocking subsided and a few seconds later the marbles came to a stop in the middle in the exact same triangle as before. "… but it is far from impossible."

Soketsu honestly wanted to clap at the display, but he held back the urge and instead let out a profound "Hm."

After a second of pause Ahazkun shook the box again. This time the marbles weren’t rolling around chaotically, instead they were rolling in tidy geometric paths and hitting the walls and each other with an almost hypnotic beat.

Ahazkun: "Basically this is how my power works. In a simple example like this I can perfectly tell the future state of the system just by observing it long enough. It is harder to do it in the real world, as the number of variables are several orders of magnitude greater, but by controlling certain variables and using probability calculations I can achieve roughly the same result. However…" This time Ahazkun raised his left hand. Between his index and middle fingers there was a marble. After a moment of meaningful pause he dropped the marble into the box. Suddenly the previously ordered marbles went out of control, turning the previous beat into a chaotic rattle. "… this is what happens if you introduce a new element into the system. Suddenly all previous predictions and plans set in motion get thrown out of order, and until the new element is accounted for, further predictions become impossible."

Soketsu: "Oh, I see now…" Soketsu spoke with a faint smile. "So the reason why your predictions didn’t work after Ground Zero was because Nov’Elsfaan was a new element." Suddenly his smile disappeared and gave way to a thoughtful expression. "But wait, if it is a new element coming from the ‘outside’, how can you know it is coming from the first place?"

Ahazkun’s eyes showed approval of the question as he put away the marble box and returned to the discussion.

Ahazkun: "While I cannot predict what the new variable would do once it enters the system, I can see the circumstances during which it would appear. New variables do not just come into existence on their own, they have to be brought in. The closer we are to that point in time, the less precise my predictions would become. The same goes for the predictions closer to the new variable’s point of origin. This is the method by which I could tell that our efforts during the Nov’Elsfaan project would bear fruit and how I can tell now that Gabe is involved in something similar."

Soketsu: "I think I understand, but there is one thing I still don’t get: why now? You were able to tell us about Ground Zero years before it happened, so I thought you would be aware of it for a while."

Ahazkun: "There was always a margin of error, yes, but the accuracy of my predictions regarding Gabe have plummeted since you came back."

Soketsu: "So that’s why you called me?"

Ahazkun: "Not exactly. I have talked with Pabloc as well, but we couldn’t reach consensus. However, it is quite certain that you are only the catalyst, not the real problem."

Soketsu: "I feel like we are purposefully ignoring the real question, so let me get it out of the way: Why don’t you just ask Gabe about what he’s doing?"

Ahazkun: "I don’t think he would answer me."

Soketsu: "Oh come on! If he is doing something that is messing with your abilities, just tell him to stop it. He is weird and annoying at times, but I am pretty sure he is not doing it on purpose."

Ahazkun: "… We cannot be certain of that." The oracle spoke with a sullen voice that made Soketsu twitch with apprehension.

Soketsu: "Wait, did I just hear that right? Are you serious?"

After a long moment of silence Ahazkun looked Soketsu in eye with a difficult expression.

Ahazkun: "You have not been back for long, so it is understandable you haven’t heard about it, but it is quite possible that he still holds a grudge against me."

Soketsu: "Grudge? What grudge?" Soketsu waited for the answer for several seconds, but in the end he quickly lost his patience and let out an irritated groan. "Seriously? Ahaz, you can’t just drop a bombshell like that and not elaborate! Now again: what grudge?"

The oracle met Soketsu’s eyes, but only for a second. After averting his gaze the man took a shallow breath and finally answered.

Ahazkun: "It is complicated. It stems from something that happened after you died."

Soketsu: "Oh yeah, so that’s where this is heading. 300 years ago. Again…"

Disregarding Soketsu’s mutters, Ahazkun continued with the same dispassionate voice.

Ahazkun: "Do you remember what we talked about in the laboratory the day you first entered Avalon?"

Soketsu crossed his arms and nodded affirmatively.

Soketsu: "Yeah. It was about Jill and that I shouldn’t mention her in front of Gabe? Does this grudge between you two have something to do with her?"

Ahazkun: "Indeed. Specifically, it concerns the circumstances of her death."

Soketsu: "W-Wait a moment!" Soketsu abruptly raised his voice and hand in unison. "She’s dead?!"

Ahazkun: "Yes. Why do you act so surprised?"

Soketsu: "I…" Now that he was asked at point-blank range, Soketsu’s head quickly cooled down and he awkwardly crossed his arms again. "Honestly, I’m a little shocked. Since everyone else is alive, I kind of expected that she’s around too and I just never met her for some reason."

Ahazkun: "Sadly no. She is definitely dead. She died not long after your death in order to neutralize the Corruption."

Soketsu: "Neutralize the…? … Okay, how?"

Ahazkun: "Do you remember our final assault against the Bahden Glis?"

Soketsu: "Of course I do. It’s something like my very last memory from my previous life."

Ahazkun: "Then you also remember what happened right before the battle?"

Soketsu: "Now that you mention it…" Soketsu’s eyes opened wide with revelation and his face slackened as he began to put the pieces together. "She was missing, wasn’t she? Gabe was running around looking for her until the last moment. He wanted to have her around in the final battle, but we couldn’t find her and we ran out of time."

Ahazkun: "True. And that was because of me."

Soketsu: "Which part? Was she missing because of you, or we couldn’t find her because of you?"

Ahazkun: "Yes." Ahazkun stated with a nod, but before Soketsu could even roll his eyes he continued; "Jill was the Carrier from the previous fairy generation. She had an enormous Soul Core of her own because of that."

Soketsu: "Whoa, wait! We are suddenly talking about Cores? You know I am bad with that."

Ahazkun looked reproachful for a moment, yet his voice stayed the same.

Ahazkun: "I shall use layman’s terms then: I asked her to serve as a beacon to attract the Corruption."

Soketsu: "That’s…!" For a moment Soketsu almost jumped onto his feet, but in the last moment he reigned back his emotions and instead just glared at the Oracle.

Ahazkun: "It was a death sentence, yes. She knew it well, but this was the only way to thin out the Corruption enough so that our present could come to be. She was well aware of this, and she volunteered to be the sacrifice out of her own free will."

Soketsu took a deep breath and calmed his nerves. So she sacrificed herself, he considered? In a way she was like him, dying in the final battle to accomplish the impossible. But then again, unlike him, she had the resolution to undertake her task knowing it would certainly kill her. He couldn’t help but admire that resolution. At last he exhaled and nodded towards the other man in the room.

Soketsu: "I see. What happened after that."

Ahazkun: "Gabe naturally found out about it all, but by then she was more than dead; she was gone. She completely disappeared from this world, taking all the Corruption she collected with her. I expected him to be furious at me. He was not. In fact, he was almost too calm. You died, Jill died, the world was in ruins and he never blamed me even though we both knew all of it was my fault. He just went on with his work as if nothing happened. At most he became a little more taciturn, but even that didn’t last long."

Soketsu slowly shook his head.

Soketsu: "So you want to tell me that you think he held onto a grudge against you because he didn’t immediately blame you? Doesn’t that sound a little paranoid to you?"

The oracle promptly shook his head.

Ahazkun: "No."

The large man sighed and rubbed his temple.

Soketsu: "All right, then why don’t we just ask him? That should clear things up."

Ahazkun: "I do not think so. In fact, I do not want him to know I suspect him. If he knew and he really did harbor ill will towards me, he might hide it even deeper only to strike at the worst moment possible. I cannot afford that, but I cannot afford alienating him either. He is vital to the Plan. And that is where you come into the picture."

Soketsu: "Let me guess; you want me to probe him and report to you."

Ahazkun: "I am glad we are on the same page."

Soketsu: "… You know, I’m not entirely comfortable with spying on my friends."

Ahazkun: "I would not necessarily go as far as calling it spying. I only wish for you to talk to him and see if you can ascertain whether he has any ill will towards me that might compromise the Plan."

Soketsu: "If it is really so simple, why didn’t you ask Pabloc or Tiari to do it for you?"

Ahazkun: "Because he would be suspicious of them. Since you just came back and you are considered a simpleton, he might let his guard down in front of you and let something slip."

Soketsu: "Simpleton, you say…" Soketsu grumbled, but in the end he let it go and instead asked the thing that has been bothering him for a while. "You know, you seem awfully concerned with this. Is there a reason why we have to get to the bottom of this right now?"

Ahazkun once again averted his gaze for a moment. After a moment of deliberation he finally looked up and let out a rare sigh.

Ahazkun: "You know why we are all here in the present time, right?"

Soketsu: "Well, I’m here because you guys dragged me back from the grave, but as far as I can tell, you guys want to fix the world by redoing the experiment." The moment he said that, Soketsu’s eyes once again opened wide in realization.

Ahazkun: "It is exactly as you just figured. A new Ground Zero is approaching and I… we cannot allow any distractions. Can I expect your cooperation?"

Under normal circumstances Soketsu would have deflected the question, but considering how desperate the Oracle appeared, he decided to help him out a little. He was also a little curious about what plans Gabe might have had, but that was beside the point. At last he nodded, and he was just about to say so verbally as well when the door opened without any prior warning.

Tiari: "I hope you are finished, ‘casue your tea is ready."

Saying so, Tiari entered the room while rolling a small serving cart in front of her carrying an antique-looking tea set.

Ahazkun: "Thank you. Your timing is impeccable as always."

Ahazkun switched back to being calm and collected so fast it was almost disturbing. He took the cup offered without the slightest of reservations.

Ahazkun: "It’s delicious. Thank you."

Tiari: "You are welcome. How about yours?"

As if woken from his absent-minded daze, Soketsu finally raised his hand and took a sip from his cup.

Soketsu: "… It’s good. A little too sweet, but good."

Tiari: "Phew. I’m glad, I had no idea how you liked yours, so I just put a lot of sugar in and hoped for the best."

Ahazkun: "So…"

After finishing his portion, Ahazkun gently put his cup back onto the ornate plate it arrived on and turned to Soketsu.

Ahazkun: "I am sorry for holding you up for this long and thanks for listening."

Soketsu: "Sure. I will inform you if there are any news."

Ahazkun: "Good."

Soketsu, still looking a little uncertain, stood up and moved to the door.

Soketsu: "See you."

Ahazkun: "Goodbye."

Tiari: "Bye! And you can come by on your own too, you know?"

Soketsu: "I’ll keep that in mind."

He could hear the two talking after the door closed behind him, and the moment it did so he dropped his shoulders in exhaustion. Apparently the leisure of the past two weeks were about to come to end, he figured. Then all of a sudden he snorted derisively.

Conspiracies, paranoia and the coming Ground Zero… he could deal with those later. For the time being there was only one thing he felt he absolutely had to do before everything else, lest he would never get the chance later. Thinking so he straightened his posture and headed towards the closest monorail station with steps that were just a little bit anxious.