[b][i]Ken Illustrious Ikari[/i][/b]

Ken simmered with anger. 

He had failed Reverio. 

Reverio had failed him.

Lyngerium Lie, aka Lynnwell Tourmaline, now had two of the swords and all it would take was for her to change her mind or be caught by Reverio for all three 'Keys' to be collected and a fragment of the Greater Evil to be unleashed. 

And worst of all, he knew that the smartest option was to come to Chinami like a [i]beggar[/i], and not the kind that deserved compassion, but the sort that took advantage of others' kindness.

He won't do that. His own pride won't be able to take it. He wanted Chinami to acknowledge him as more of an annoyance, to acknowledge that his way of living was valid and that he did more good than harm.That he was [i]strong[/i].

But was he? As Mr. Immortal drove him and Hajime to a place of safety as he had promised, Ken fumed and seethed yet also reflected on his own behavior. It was clear that he needed help, that he had selected a goal too high for his talents, but that he cannot trust anyone other than Hajime and Mr. Immortal and maybe Jeremy but like heck he was endangering the poor kid like that. Oh, and the ghost that had possessed him; he trusted her too but she had been quiet lately.

So only one or two active allies, and Ken was not going to lie and flatter and soothe others' egoes or downplay the dangers of his course of action to get more - He was straightforward, blunt, and sharp. So his next words to Hajime were, "I have a plan. Would you... Would you be okay with us being seperated for a while?"

[B][i]Hajime Sakaurazaki[/i][/b]

Hajime nodded; Ken's tone was bitter, and wavered slightly, but [i]did not break[/i]. 

The man respected that about his fiance. And he respected that Ken had another plan so soon after his - [i]their[/i] - defeat, one that carried several risks as well as potential rewards.

"You need to go to the Thomas Haast Institute for the Consecratedly Challenged, aka the Giftless Academy, and pretend to enroll there," Ken spoke. "If I'm right, the Old Faith Collective must have contacts there; maybe they even recruit from that place. So find out what you could, and if they are innocent... Protect them."

A sign his betrothed had retained his sense of morality, and can distinguish between the innocent and the guilty. And proof he did not just exchange one tyrant for another.

"Where will you be going?" he ventured to ask. "Surely not... Kiburi's?"

Hajime sighed in relief as Ken shook his head and said, "I am a St. Laurel's student first and foremost. I'll seek help from there first. Kiburis... To go there means admitting that I'm closer to them than a follower of Laurel's."

It was his turn to reply with, "Then it's settled. You're going to St. Laurel's, I'm going to the... Wait, Non-Gifted get to go to [i]school[/i] in Rhea?"

Well, this was a surprise, considering how Non-Gifted were treated everywhere else. Even he only got schooling as he was a Samurai.

He saw Ken nod, then say, "If we get things right, it will be the same in Izumo. If we get things right..."

[@Dezuel][@Lewascan2][@Supertinyking]