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[color=hotpink]"Looks like this is the place."[/color] Akiko neared a door in the casino after a spell of walking. Interesting, considering everything that was this endless casino, the sight of a door that would be the way out was... interesting to her. Sure, she saw it coming given the recent advances of her abilities into what they became, but she could always be surprised nonetheless. 

Akiko pulled the arrow out of her inventory. The same arrow that had given her access to Castle, something that let her conquer the Tower in a way that felt... considerably different than before. A quasi-physical form of her sight ability, a manifestation of her soul, it was essentially her in some way. In a sense, she made it this far with just her own wit. She had some help, sure, but this felt like a first time situation, an unexpected change to the story that had been written a thousand times before.

Yet again, since being in this Tower, she was alone with nothing but those loyal to her and her own wit and strength.

[color=red][You're hesitating.][/color] Castle manifested behind Akiko, conversing with her. [color=red][Afraid of an end to the story?][/color] 

[color=hotpink]"It's not that. This... it feels like we're getting really close to the end of a story here. What if... what if it's all pulled away from us at the last moment."[/color] Akiko lamented, grabbing hold of the door with her hand and choosing to ignore the "Authorized Personnel Only" sign. Then again, that [i]was[/i] her in some sense. 

[color=red][The rules have changed this time. You'll succeed.][/color] Castle floated up over Akiko, hovering there and observing its master as she thought through things. [color=red][But if you do this, there's no going back from the decision. You know this, right?][/color]

Akiko chuckled as she pushed the door open. [color=hotpink]"It's already too late to go back now."[/color]

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[color=yellow]"O-or ignore me, that's cool."[/color] Well, the idea of keeping peace was far out of the way at this point. Ah well, cooperation wasn't always for everyone, she guessed. Plus the new arrival of a wolf that seemed loyal to Kanbaru made her... puzzled. Wow, a lot had happened while Apia got therapy, huh.

Then the group moved to an arena, Apia taking a seat in the sidelines as Kanbaru prepared to clash steel with Yui. Apia could feel the theatrics here, whether intended or otherwise. It was slightly annoying that Kanbaru wasn't willing to maybe see past a long-time grudge to focus on a bigger picture, but Apia knew better than to get involved here. She did, however call out from the stands.

[color=yellow]"Um... unless I'm missing something, I feel as if you could just as easily talk this out! Maybe not die in a duel!"[/color] As hopeless as it was, maybe it'd do something for Kanbaru and Yui. [color=yellow]"Honestly, can't believe you're willing to fight someone just as soon as we met after like, I don't know, a few years!"[/color]

On Yui's shoulder, the snake stretched out and coiled towards Yui's wrist for security, but it also seemed like a formidable weapon in it's own right. An unconventional one, but it was loyal enough to fight alongside Yui. Especially since it was allowed to.