[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/VopBxRg.png[/img][/center]

Even as she and Xolys rematerialized in the center of the reception hall, Olivia still found herself frozen with shock. It took the sound of her partner’s voice to finally shatter her paralysis.

[color=DodgerBlue][u]“Olivia, are you all right?”[/u][/color] the techno horror asked, his voice filled with concern.

[color=DeepSkyBlue]“Oh Xolys!”[/color] Olivia cried, clinging to the technomantic terror in a tight embrace. [color=DeepSkyBlue]“A-All those poor people!”[/color] the bluenette sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. [color=DeepSkyBlue]“H-He killed them all!”[/color]

[color=DodgerBlue][u]“I know,”[/u][/color] Xolys replied in a somber tone, even as a technomantic tendril gently stroked Olivia’s hair. [color=DodgerBlue][u]“I only wish I had been swift enough to protect them,”[/u][/color] he added. [color=DodgerBlue][u]“As it was, it took all my power to ensure that [i]you[/i] escaped unharmed.”[/u][/color]

[color=DeepSkyBlue]“B-But what do we do now?!”[/color] Olivia asked, her eyes wide with panic. [color=DeepSkyBlue]“I-If Necroid 99 is really working with Tsubotica, then he’s about to steal the Power Stone! We need to warn everybody! Oh! B-But, how do we know who’s been taken over by Tsubotica and who hasn’t?! A-Anybody could be a potential enemy!”[/color]

[color=DodgerBlue][u]“True,”[/u][/color] Xolys conceded. [color=DodgerBlue][u]“Yet, we must at least make an attempt to sound the alarm. In addition, I highly doubt that Tsubotica, or any other character from Gearmantic Hearts, has anything to do with the current crisis,”[/u][/color] he added. [color=DodgerBlue][u]“Whoever was masquerading as Necroid 99 almost certainly fabricated that story in order to enlist our aid in his nefarious scheme.”[/u][/color]

[color=DeepSkyBlue]“And I fell for it completely…”[/color] Olivia muttered through gritted teeth. [color=DeepSkyBlue]“We’ve gotta make things right!”[/color] she declared a moment later, her voice filled with renewed determination as she raised two clenched fists. [color=DeepSkyBlue]“Come on! Let’s go tell security!”[/color]

Shrinking down to travel mode, Xolys allowed Olivia to return him to her backpack, before the pair set off to find a member of the event’s security staff. The eldritch robot only hoped that whoever they found would believe their story…