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[color=f49ac2]Sakura Level 10: 15/100[/color] 
Location: Suoh
Word Count: 1,277
Points Gained: 2
New EXP Balance--- [color=f49ac2]Sakura Level 10: 24/100 +7[/color]
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Sakura’s mouth had fallen open as she watched the message being played on the screen. It was a succinct call to action. [color=f49ac2]”Seems that way, Midna-san.I guess it’s up to the people.”[/color] Sakura said, eyes wide.  [color=f49ac2]”But, wait, forget all that for a second. Raz-kun… what the heck happened with the guy and the knife and all that? Please?”[/color]

Still a little nervous about getting framed and almost killed for the murder, Raz was happy to oblige. "Uh, yeah, yeah, sure. I was...well, basically, we all got a proximity chat through Brain Talk from the Otherlobe. It was Zanotto, so we couldn't, you know, ignore it. Most of the Others were gone, and the fighting moved closer to the Shinra Building, but there were still some stragglers here and there. And those Septentrions made things even trickier. So we got split up, and I decided to rush to help Zanotto. I reached this courtyard just as he rushed out of this, like, side door? He saw me and ran over, carrying this heavy box he had cuffed to his wrist. He was super panicked, said he needed help getting out of here fast, and that someone was after him. The next second..."

Raz pantomimed a knife being driven into a back. "[i]Shink[/i]. Blood everywhere. I couldn't see anyone, so I thought I thought someone shot him at first. I tripped in a panic, only to get grabbed by someone I couldn't see, then lifted onto my feet. Then he appeared. Tall, blonde, one eye red and one eye yellow. Black and red clothes, a Psych-OSF soldier. I swear I've seen him before, but I don't remember his name." Raz rubbed his head ruefully. "Joke's on me for not bothering to memorize everyone's names, I guess. Anyway, he said something like 'hate to do this to ya, but I've got places to be'. He pushed the knife into my hand, grabbed the box Zanotto was carrying, and ran away, turning invisible." The boy sighed. "Then you all showed up the next second. It all happened so fast, I was kind of in shock. Didn't even realize what it looked like at first."

Sakura took in the story with a sigh, rubbing the back of her head. So, it wasn't Raz, and if they ever see the murderer she'll have some very punchy questions to ask.  [color=f49ac2]"Seems like some spy stuff. I have no idea who that is.”[/color]

"Um...sorry about all that, by the way." Lili looked very embarassed as she walked over from where Zanotto's body had lain. "I really flew off the handle. I guess...you know, it'd been a really bad day already, I just snapped." She glanced at the orange cables encircling her clothes. "Maybe they shouldn't have picked me for BIAS after all. A Brain Field is way too much power. And it's an incredible rush. That stuff's dangerous."



Sakura nodded at Lili. [color=f49ac2]"It's okay. I mean for me getting blown up, if that's what you meant. You thought your dad just died so...I can't even imagine."[/color] Sakura said sympathetically. 

But she looked over at Raz out the corner of your eye. [color=f49ac2]"A quick 'I didn't do it' couldn't have hurt, though." [/color]

[color=f49ac2]"I know, I know! You were in shock. Sorry."[/color]

[color=f49ac2]"...but still. Couldn't have hurt."[/color]

Raz looked defensive. "I did say I didn't do it!" In fact, he'd been in such a hurry to get that out as fast as possible that he'd tripped over his own tongue trying to say it. He crossed his arms. "Since we're, uh, apologizing though. I should say I'm sorry for running off and leaving you guys in that creepy hospital with that ghost. What the heck happened down there?" 

[color=f49ac2]"I didn't hear that. I heard 'oh gimme a second, oh, wait, hold on, just wait.'"[/color] Sakura opened up and closed her hand like it was a mouth, and made her voice more higher pitched.

[color=f49ac2]"Oh, uh, the creepy hospital? There was a really bad guy down there who was stealing brains somehow. And I met two of my old squadmates who got freaking brainwashed. And the whole thing is like, on purpose, being done by Psych-OSF. So now we're wanted criminals because the bad guys are in charge."[/color] Sakura explained.

Letting the mimicry slide for now, Raz stared at Sakura with his mouth ajar. Lili seemed a little more composed, but she didn't quite manage to hide her horror, either. "You're not kidding? That's crazy!" Raz shook his head in disbelief. "Sounds like something Dr. Lobato would do. I guess you didn't find out how they're stealing them, or why?"

Sakura looked between the both of them and their horror. She got most of her horror out at the place itself, though.

[color=f49ac2]"Uhh..."[/color] She scratched her head, recalling the details. [color=f49ac2]"Something about a psychic pool, the psynet...the Brainframe?  Just hundreds of brains all hooked up like a big computer.  The scientist there was using them like batteries, I guess. More power."[/color] Sakura said. 

[color=f49ac2]"And the leftover bodies were turned into monsters, so...yeah."[/color] Sakura finished with a frown, puffing out her cheeks as she exhaled. [color=f49ac2]"P-pretty bad. Pretty bad."[/color]

The two former Psychonauts couldn't help but concur. Without knowing more details about Brain Drain's lab, its nature was going to remain a mystery unless the group paid a visit, and the encounter with Anima by itself had been too much for Raz already.

In the silence that followed, Lili held up the spirit she'd taken from her father's body for a closer look. "I swear this guy looks familiar," she muttered, squinting at the individual pictured within the spirit. "Maybe I saw him somewhere around the Otherlobe? But he doesn't look like a soldier. What was this random spirit doing in my dad's body?" Her face scrunched up with discomfort, tears welling up in her eyes despite her fierce attempt to control them. "And what about my dad? Does this mean...he's..."

Sakura looked thoughtfully on at the spirit, wondering what he was up to, what his schemes were. Her face fell as Lili began to fear the worst. 

[color=f49ac2]"H-hey, y'know it- it doesn't mean anything."[/color] Sakura said. She tried to think of the advice Geralt gave to her.

[color=f49ac2]"It just means people like and trust him so he'd be a good disguise. I'm sure he'll turn up if you don't find him first."[/color] Sakura said, trying to cheer her up.

Her vague assurances weren't all that effective, but it wasn't like Raz could offer much better. To her credit, Lili didn't break down blubbering, instead taking a deep breath and keeping as stiff an upper lip as she could manage. After all, she was a soldier. "That box you mentioned," she said to Raz. "Must be why that guy killed him. Or some personal vendetta, maybe. If dad, or...whoever that was, really was involved in all that shady stuff. Maybe he had it coming." She carefully withdrew a small hard case from her belt and placed the spirit inside. "Still. I won't rest until I get my answers."

[color=f49ac2]"Well, good."[/color]  Sakura said with a serious nod.

Sakura tuned back into the main conversation. [color=f49ac2]"In the meantime, it looks like we’re heading to Arahabaki to find the Guardian."[/color] 

[color=f49ac2]"Arahabaki...it sounds japanese, but I have no idea what it means."[/color] Sakura mused.

[color=f49ac2]"But if there’s nothing standing in our way anymore, we should get right too it."[/color] Sakura was ready to keep moving. [color=f49ac2]"Probably gonna be a long trip though and I don’t know if we’re going to be able to easily rest in all the fighting…"[/color] Sakura thought aloud. [color=f49ac2]"But there’s nothing for it. We have to try."[/color]