Felix's eyes gleamed at Travis's runic rough-draft. "Efficient and aesthetically pleasing." Felix clapped his hands together briefly in a show of excitement. He then flicked his wrist, materializing what looked to be a brown leather vest, with a empty metal inlay socket on the back. "Remember after we programmed a manastone to automatically charge itself in the presence of strong ley-lines? When we were milling around a few ideas before as to what we'd put this mana-battery in, I remembered something. This vest was commonly used by early untalents as a spell source. I recalled that I had one in storage and fetched it yesterday when we took a brief meal break. The vests were also used in the arcanocracy to help train new magi in manalysis. Sensing the mana density of the inlaid stone was a bit of practical test. Most were child-sized but I did find one that fit me well enough without any modifications." Felix finished explaining. Felix materialized the manacrystal battery that they created a few months back, and then tossed the vest to Travis. "So, do you think we can inscribe the runic formula on this? I mean, after we figure out if the rune actually works, of course." 

	Felix was feeling very upbeat and optimistic. The work the duo had been striving towards was finally coming to a climax. Felix leaned back in his chair and propped his legs up on the table, placing his hands behind his head in a relaxing pose. "Travis," Felix said with a satisfied smile, "I must say, I would not have made it this far without you in the group. None of us would have. I think I am beginning to understand why the vision I had all those months ago made me write down your name. You may not be a talent, but you are certainly talented in a very important way." Felix finished. 

	After Felix finished his compliments to Travis, Zuri unexpectedly exited the Fantasia room. Felix hadn't even noticed she had entered in the first place, and realized that his perception must have been so focused on the task at hand that he subconsciously ignored what was happening around him. Felix let out a nice chuckle at Travis's rhetorical question, "Yeah. That's the second time in," Felix checked his manadial for the time which read: 9:13 PM, "the last hour that we were scolded. In total it's got to be in the double digits at this point. Don't worry, Zuri, we'll get some sleep soon. Now that my mind is at rest, it should be much easier to catch some shuteye." Felix finished. He could feel the fatigue boring into his forehead, like a screw being slowly threaded through a new plank of wood. "So, Zuri. How has your training been going? Any new developments?" Felix asked.

[hr]

	Raiya finished her food, and turned off the t.v.. She returned to the kitchen where she rinsed off her plate and placed it in the dishwasher. She began to walk back upstairs towards her room when her manadial started pinging. Raiya lifted her wrist and tapped the blue spherical gem, accepting the call. The translucent holographic face of Tsukihi materialized in front of her at 1/16th the normal size. [color=00a99d]"Oh, thank the goddess you answered!"[/color] Tsukihi puffed in exasperation. [color=ec008c]"What is it... Suki? I'm tired and drunk and was about to go pass out."[/color] Raiya slurred. [color=00a99d]"Well, ma'am, with all due respect, sober up because somethin' really bad just happened."[/color] Tsukihi said frantically. [color=ec008c]"Tsukihi. Have I ever told you how much I just really...
 really hate the guessing game."[/color] Raiya fumbled with her words, [color=ec008c]"Stop beating around the bush and tell me why you interrupted my evening again.[/color]
	[color=00a99d]"Well ma'am, one of our production facilities was hit. And hit hard. No one had checked on for the hourly update. Then we finally sent a team to investigate, and it was carnage. There wasn't a single survivor. The cameras were wiped and we have no idea who did this or how many. But its safe to assume that this is related to what happened earlier at the docks."[/color] Tsukihi rapidly explained. Adrenaline shot through Raiya as she grew enraged. [color=ec008c]"God damnit!"[/color] Raiya cursed, [color=ec008c]"have you notified the Yakuza yet"[/color] Raiya asked. [color=00a99d]"Not yet, ma'am. You know how the Oyabun does not like to be notified of matters such as these. But if we can't solve this soon, we will have to get the higher-ups involved."[/color] Tsukihi responded. [color=ec008c]"Good. Continue to investigate. I need to get some sleep in the meantime. If you find anything about where these guys are, my manadial will be on all night, so tell me right away. I want to teach these bastards a lesson myself."[/color] With that, Raiya hung up the call, and went back into her room. She sat down on the edge of her bed, but before she could strip down and pull the covers over her head, there was another pinging on her manadial. She looked at her wrist to see who was calling her. It was from an encrypted manadial ID. Nervously, she tapped the crystal to accept the call.