[center][h3]Forging Bonds II[/h3]
[color=BFBFBF]Zenkichi’s[/color] [@MULTI_MEDIA_MAN], Sandalphon
[b]Word Count:[/b] 4,307 words (+5) [/center]

Out of Zenkichi, Akane, and herself, Sandalphon ended up finishing her noodles last. While such laggardly conduct embarrassed her somewhat, she knew that too much of a rush could have ruined the experience in more ways than one. This kind of food demanded temperance, given its tendency to splash and stain, especially on snow-white clothing. Well-mannered restraint played a part in her relative slowness, but for the most part the blame lay with the simple fact that ramen wasn’t a very efficient way to consume nutrients. Then again, since her objective right now was technically relaxation, she considered easing up on her dedication to efficiency for once. As much as that went against her nature.

At the very least, the others didn’t seem to begrudge her presence, which made her grateful. Father and daughter alike seemed content to sit here on the bench beside her, enjoying the tranquil atmosphere. A refreshing, playful breeze blew in over the bay, driving the rhythmic crash of small waves against the port town’s wharf and the beaches to its north and south. The squawks of seabirds around the docks mixed with the birdsong from Everdream Valley, providing a natural background to the comings and goings of the townsfolk, lively but not clamorous. Everywhere one looked, one could find vivid colors, and living things. To a long-time city-dweller, used to the stagnant, chemical-ridden funk of Midgar, the clear, fresh air here might come as a shock–a startling realization of just how good life could be. Sandalphon would have appreciated this place alone, but sharing it with Zenkichi and Akane somehow enhanced the experience much more than she expected. This sense of fulfillment, she realized, must be happiness.

Their ramen finished, Akane had been petting and fussing over Maru while Zenkichi looked around, enjoying the sights and remembering the last time he’d gone to the beach, with the kids. They practically had to drag him away from the RV to get him to relax. And when he’d fallen asleep, the punks had buried him in the sand and turned him into a [i]mermaid![/i] A nostalgic smile crossed his face when he thought of the memory, because as annoying as it was at the time, it was still something he thought of fondly.

Sandalphon rose from the bench. She turned to the others and gave them an apologetic bow. “Thank you for your patience, and for your company. I had not realized how much I needed a break like this, nor to the degree to which I’ve already overindulged in inactivity.” Her eyes narrowed, her critical gaze not meant for her companions. “It seems my overall performance may be slipping, possibly as a result of my fusions or recent experiences. I must renew my efforts.” She took a deep breath in through her nose and turned her attention toward the Virgin Victory. “Between our campaign’s reorganization, optimization, and expansion, there is much that I must do. I must beg your leave.”

Zenkichi got up as she did, holding his hands up to gesture for her to stop. [color=BFBFBF]”Woah, woah, we’ve barely checked out a few stalls and had lunch! That’s hardly a break. We just fought through the most heavily-defended part of Midgar, took out two Consuls, kind of, and defeated both the Guardian [i]and[/i] some of the strongest people in Midgar. You’re gonna run yourself ragged if you don’t let yourself relax for more than an hour, Sandalphon.”[/color] He turned to Akane, frowning. [color=BFBFBF]”I didn’t just say any of that.”[/color] Smooth.

“Uh huh, sure thing, dad.” His daughter rolled her eyes, running her hands through her Pal’s fur with a loving smile on your face. “You are so adorable!”

The rather sudden and emotive response stopped Sandalphon in her tracks. Her pupils flashed exclamation marks, then became inverted triangles before returning to normal as her head tilted slightly. “I…see where you’re coming from. Compared to my usual duties, our recent endeavors are more intense, with far more hands-on action than I’m accustomed to. Yet we’ve also managed to achieve a great deal, despite the greater challenges.” She relaxed her posture somewhat, sliding her hands into her coat pockets. “I tend to be critical with myself, but changing circumstances mean I must temper my expectations and focus on adaptation. Overworking myself would be unwise.” Once again she bowed her head at Zenkichi, her radiant halo dipping slightly. “I appreciate your concern for my well-being.”

[color=BFBFBF]”I mean, I [i]did[/i] just see you passed out in your chair past midnight last night. This morning, whatever. Be kind of a shitty friend if I wasn’t at least a tiny bit concerned about that.”[/color] Zenkichi admitted, shoving his own hands into his pockets and relaxing a little. [color=BFBFBF]”But yeah, field work is a [lot] more tiring than desk or support stuff. I’ve had my fair share of both, and while it can be exhausting to manage paperwork for ten hours straight, at least my knees aren’t practically knocking into each other by the time I’m done.”[/color] He joked, chuckling. 

As they spoke, Sandalphon became aware of thunder rumbling in the distance. Though the sky had been bleak and overcast all morning, a glance southward led to the discovery of a thick, heavy stormfront, darkening the clouds as it steadily traveled northward. After gauging the distance, Sandalphon observed that the storm would be here before too long. “It looks like a storm is coming. Quite a few miles away still, but it appears to be moving quickly. I give us approximately ninety minutes.” She turned her attention back to Zenkichi, Akane, and Maru. “Let’s take advantage of this extended break while we can.”

[color=BFBFBF]”Hour and a half, huh? Alright, I can work with that.”[/color] Looking back at the stalls they’d explored, then to the more sturdily-built storefronts, and had a thought. [color=BFBFBF]”Ya know, we [i]could[/i] make it a multi-purpose trip. Not entirely leisure, but not quite work, either. I’ve been meaning to make use out of some materials I got from some of the machines we fought in the slums, so if we found a blacksmith or something, wonder if they might be able to do something with it. And who knows, maybe they could take a look at your staff or that rifle you got.”[/color] It wasn’t a total day of relaxation like one might expect at a beachfront, but he did intend to make use out of that memory alloy and machine cores.

Sandalphon nodded, pleased with the blend of pleasure and practicality. “By all means.”

Once they disposed of their empty ramen bowls, the three got up for another romp through Port Meridian in search of a craftsman. Though they weren’t necessarily in a rush, there was only so much time on the close, so they moved at a purposeful, brisk pace. As they searched through the various storefronts, they happened to pass through the scenic [url=https://i.imgur.com/Er6Gpg4.jpeg]town square[/url]. Full of potted plants, flower boxes, and vibrant buildings, it featured a tall fountain in the middle, and looked altogether lovely. This place seemed to be popular with couples, with or without children who played and ran alongside their family pets. After admiring the sight for a moment, hower, Sandalphon noticed something incongruous with the happy scene, hidden within the architecture itself. The plaza’s central stone dias, octagonal in shape, rested on a large metal disc built into the ground. It bore a ring-shaped pane, and beneath the surface of what looked like a giant [url=https://i.imgur.com/V5sRaYS.png]gauge[/url] blazed purple flame, a fourth of the way around the ring. That huge dial gave what would have otherwise been a very pleasant spot a backdrop of foreboding. “Strange,” Sandalphon murmured. She logged her observance for further analysis.

She did not dwell on it for long, however, since the trio found a smith soon after. Though possessed of deep red hair, emerald-green eyes, and flashy clothes paired with an enormous greatsword, this artisan lacked something important; she seemed to be a mute. Sandalphon, Zenkichi, and Akane caught her only a few minutes after Midna’s own order got completed, so the silent smith was warmed up and ready to rock. While Sandalphon lacked materials of her own and didn’t plan to present either the Aether Lance or Eye of Sol for maintenance, Zenkichi could try and communicate whatever he needed.

[color=BFBFBF]”Good afternoon. I wanted to see about getting a sword worked on, or maybe getting a new…one…”[/color] Zenkichi greeted the woman, only to trail off as his eyes locked onto a sword resting against the wall. Though, calling it a sword was perhaps inaccurate, given its size and roughness. It was more like a [url=https://imgur.com/a/YtT7T29]coarse lump of iron[/url] than a proper sword, but still, it called to him. [color=BFBFBF]”Uh, sorry about that. How much for that huge sword back there? I have some things I can barter with,”[/color] Zenkichi said, pulling out the machine cores he was holding onto. 

The warrior smith pursed her lips. Having just been through the song and dance with her previous customer, and miscommunicated a fair bit about her world in the process, she seemed hesitant to go through the effort again. By now, Sandalphon had noticed the redhead’s conspicuous lack of speech so far, and begun to hypothesize. When the smith glanced over to appraise the greatsword, then turned back and started holding up fingers, Sandalphon felt all but certain. In the end, the asking price for the heavy weapon seemed to be six thousand zenny, which seemed reasonable as far as the archangel was concerned. Iron might not be a premium metal, and the ultra greatsword seemed quite crude in terms of craftsmanship, but it must have taken more than its fair share of materials and labor. Plus, it certainly made for an eye-catching attraction, showing off just what this silent smith could achieve.

“Six thousand,” she stated, looking at Zenkichi. “If money is tight, I would be happy to assist. There is no better investment than the safety of my allies. Though…” Her eyes fixated on the object of the detective’s desire. “It may be prudent to ensure that you can lift and swing that weapon first.”

“Yeah, dad, wouldn’t want to go and throw your back out or something.” Akane snarked, though her tone made it clear she was mostly joking.

[color=BFBFBF]”Ya know, if that thing wasn’t so absurdly massive, I’d be offended.”[/color] He said, stretching his back out and then his arms. [color=BFBFBF]”But yeah, that looks like something an Oni might carry, hah.”[/color] Stepping up to the weapon, he turned his head to the smith and raised an eyebrow, receiving a nod in return. Taking a deep breath, Zenkichi grabbed the colossal sword and lifted, the weapon taking a good amount of effort, but still liftable. Releasing the breath and holding the sword, he flipped it so the tip of the blade was pointing to the ground, finding that he could hide a solid portion of his frame behind the sheer width of the blade. 

[color=BFBFBF]”Oh wow, this thing [i]is[/i] huge, it’s almost like a shield too.”[/color] Holding and examining the weapon, Zenkichi gave a resolute nod. [color=BFBFBF]”Yeah, I…definitely think I want this thing.”[/color] He said, looking over to Sandalphon. [color=BFBFBF]”It’s a bit soon to be calling it in, but do you think you could pitch in for this? I’ll go find somebody to sell those cores to and pay you back, just…rather not go running all over the place, ya know?”[/color] He asked, ears a little red from embarrassment. 

Sandalphon nodded immediately, not sure why he'd be embarrassed, but compelled to help him feel comfortable relying on her. “Of course. Happy to be of service.” She produced her wallet, a belted pouch of white with a diamond-stitched pattern and a shiny gold-tine button. Her employment with DespoRHado Enforcement might not have made her much richer than her time with the Lateran Church, but the archangel was nothing if not frugal, and could easily cover the cost. Once the smith received her payment, she hefted the greatsword easily, placing it on her workbench for a final polish before wrapping the base of the blade in a leather sling that Zenkichi could wear like a backpack. As scabbards went it left a lot to be desired, but it beat carrying the massive thing in his hands. The sight of him handling the ultra greatsword seemed to amuse Sandalphon somewhat. “If you did lack sufficient strength, I imagine that simply carrying that around would be an expedient way to build it.”

[color=BFBFBF]”Oh yeah, no way somebody could stay lanky carrying this huge thing around.”[/color] He joked, gently placing his hand on the sword before it de-materialized, joining his other weapons in Valjean’s storage. [color=BFBFBF]”Oh, and don’t worry about that,”[/color] he reassured the smith, [color=BFBFBF]”it’s just a thing I do. It’ll be back when I need it. Thank you for that, I’ll be sure to make good use of it.”[/color] Giving a small bow of the head to the woman, he nodded happily. That was really simple. 

[color=BFBFBF]”Alright, so other than finding somewhere to sell these machine cores to pay you back, Sandalphon, it looks like we’ve got some time to hang out, all three, or I guess four, of us.”[/color] Looking around, Zenkichi found a random direction that looked kind of nice, and pointed. [color=BFBFBF]”After being in the city so long, I think a nice walk around the countryside sounds nice. Get some fresh air, see the place, ya know?”[/color] His suggestion was met by a nod from Akane and an affirmative from Sandalphon, so with that, the trio set off. 

As they walked, the three passed a number of farmsteads, a couple of sprawling ranches with tractors slowly crawling through their crops, watching and adoring the various Pals working the fields. Akane had her hands full trying to keep up with Maru the whole time they were walking, but she spent the whole time laughing and chasing the playful Cremis. 

After around a half hour of walking, Zenkichi paused and turned to look back towards the port town they’d left, getting quite the view from the hill the group had found themselves on. They could see a number of farms between them and the port, and the approaching storm off in the distance, still coming in quickly. [color=BFBFBF]”This is probably as far as we should go. That storm’s getting closer and closer.”[/color]

Sandalphon observed the scenery, both facing back down the way she and the others came, and out into the valley. The hilltop where the three ended up featured a bunch of old ruins, all overgrown with moss, grass, and twisted roots. In fact, the ground beneath them looked like the face of a colossal coin, its etched words and emblems painted over in verdant green. To the south, the rolling hills extended for miles and miles, the green pastures where creatures grazed interwoven with fields of golden grain in an immense patchwork quilt. Eventually the farmland gave way to a watery rift, where the Everdream Valley, the western mountain range, and the bay to the east converged, shrouded in the bluish atmospheric haze. Above that sunken lake, immense structures hung in the air, from [url=https://i.imgur.com/1wA6JqJ.png]small islands[/url] to huge gears that turned as steadily as the sky from night to day. If not for the dark storm clouds, it would have been an idyllic landscape, but to Sandalphon it still harbored an awesome beauty.

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/JcGOZYz.jpeg[/img][/center]

When Zenkichi suggested heading back, she didn’t respond right away for once. He was right, of course, but against her better judgment Sandalphon hesitated. The time she’d shared with him and Akane today made her happy in a way she hadn’t felt before, that feeling probably another byproduct of her fusion with ordinary humans, but no less precious for it. It was only a moment, but she didn’t want it to end.

[i]If only now could last forever.[/i]

But it couldn’t. All the thoughts running through her head culminated in a conclusion, and breathed in deep through her nose. “Zenkichi Hasegawa,” she began, her tone formal. “After enjoying this time spent with you and Akane, and seeing your compassionate heart for myself, I have decided on something important. Will you sit down?” She beckoned him toward the flat rock that she stood beside.

Zenkichi startled a bit at the way Sandalphon said his name, and then what she said after, but nodded and slowly walked to the rock he was pointed towards. [color=BFBFBF]”Uhh, yeah, sure thing…”[/color] He flatly replied, a tinge of confusion in his voice. Akane, meanwhile, had stopped with Maru sitting next to her, looking at the angelic woman incredulously.

Once he seated himself, Sandalphon turned and gracefully knelt before him on one knee. Her face was deadpan, and her pupils betrayed nothing. “I have a proposal for you,” she told him.

Both Akane’s and Zenkichi’s faces reflected their utter bewilderment at the current situation, the former seeming more annoyed, and even a bit angry, while the latter was trying to figure out what exactly was happening and what he’d done to deserve the [i]withering[/i] glare his daughter was giving him. [color=BFBFBF]”Uuuuuuhhhhhh….what…might that be…?”[/color] Zenkichi trailed, eyes pleading with Akane over Sandalphon’s head not to murder them both then and there.

Her gaze did not waver as she continued. “I have the authority to unite us in a holy agreement that will bind us together going forward. I firmly believe this partnership would greatly benefit both you and your daughter.” She opened her hand to reveal a glowing blue circlet, adorned with gold and alight with miraculous power. “Will you accept my light, for the sake of a brighter future?”

“You. Cannot. Be. For [i]real![/i]” Akane ground out through gritted teeth as Zenkichi sat up like a rocket and looked between the two of them, hands out as if to ward off a fight. “It’s been [i]one date![/i] And I’m RIGHT HERE!” She growled, causing Maru to look around in confusion to find whatever had upset her new master, completely oblivious to the social tension that hung thick in the air.

[color=BFBFBF]”Uhhh, Sandalphon, while I definitely appreciated our talk last night, and today was fun…don’t you think this is…a bit much? And definitely too soon!”[/color] He added the last bit rapidly, though that just had Akane look at him even more harshly, as if she was hoping he’d confirm there [i]wasn’t[/i] something going on. For his part, Zenkichi looked as if he was being pulled apart at the seams, trying not to break poor Sandalphon’s heart while also warding off his daughter’s frustrations. 

“Hmm?” The archangel looked confused herself, her pupils flashing question marks as she looked between father and daughter. She seemed baffled that somebody would even consider turning down her proposal, considering how much benefit it offered. The halo in her palm faded as she tried to reason with him. “Too…soon? But…we could be forced to fight again at any moment. My covenant would grant you powers that would greatly aid in your sustainability on the battlefield.” 

Her pupils turned to exclamation marks. “Oh. Oh, I see. I beg your pardon. I shouldn’t have expected you to agree without explaining the specific blessings you would receive.” She stood up, conjuring a screen that gained pop-ups as she spoke. Her pupils flashed stress marks. “By accepting this covenant, you would be granted three Protocols, each of which confer a blessing whenever you use a skill. A defense boost for Preservation Protocol, a heal for Restoration Protocol, and an affliction cleanse from Purification Protocol.” She dismissed the informative screen, continuing matter-of-factly. “After recalling the distinct abilities you used in battle, like Triple Down and Megidolaon, I concluded you’d be the ideal recipient of this power. Are you following so far? I can go into more detail on the ‘Locked Sigil’ mechanic if so.”

Both Zenkichi and Akane looked at one another, then back to Sandalphon, then at one another, then back to Sandalphon, before letting out a sigh. “Yeeeeeaaahhhh, it sounded like you were asking him to marry you.” Zenkichi merely groaned, nodding his head a little at Akane’s clarification. 

[color=BFBFBF]”The whole…kneeling down. Offering me a ring. Halo. Thing. And you literally said you had a proposal for me. We, uh…yeah. Thought that. I was wondering what you meant, but it certainly sounded more…romantic than practical.”[/color] Sighing as he ran his hand through his hair, Zenkichi nodded. [color=BFBFBF]”Uh, yes, more details would probably be nice. Though, that does sound useful.”[/color]

Sandalphon stared for a moment, her pupils in the form of loading spinners. Then she looked away, her pale features almost imperceptibly reddening. “I…see. Forgive me. That was not my intention, but I can see why you thought so.” Her voice dropped to a slightly incredulous murmur. “I thought such a stance was customary among humans when proposing life-changing contracts…” She cleared her throat and turned back toward Zenkichi, her pupils back to stress marks. “I only recently began to express feelings, and they seem to be interfering with my communication abilities.”

She shook her head, though for some reason or another she still seemed a little put out. “No matter. Regarding ‘Locked Sigil’, it is a three hundred second period after a fight begins during which you have access to any one Protocol at a time. If you reach zero, you will gain access to all three with the use of every skill. Using skills will reduce the time by six seconds, and cleansing an affliction will reduce it by eighteen. When combat ends, the Locked Sigil state will reset.” Having rattled off a lot of information very quickly, the motor-mouthed archangel paused for a second to catch her breath. “My covenant works autonomously, and I do not have to be present for it to function. Its judicious use should drastically boost your odds of survival in any combat scenario.”

[color=BFBFBF]”Hey, it’s all good. Emotions can be…tricky.”[/color] That was the understatement of the century, but it was hardly inaccurate. He took a few moments to think about it, but there didn’t [i]really[/i] seem to be any downsides. [color=BFBFBF]”I accept, Sandalphon. I accept your covenant. Thank you for trusting me like this.”[/color] Akane pulled a face at the way he said it, but with the misunderstanding cleared up, didn’t seem all that upset anymore, gently scratching behind one of Maru’s ears.

“Now that that’s over with, can we go back to the ship? I really don’t like the look of that storm.” Akane urged, a small frown on her face. 

Now it was Sandalphon’s turn to admonish Zenkichi’s rush. “Just one moment, please. We do need to make a binding agreement before the covenant will take effect.” She conjured a large screen completely plastered with text, all arranged in a very officious format and with copious usage of thick legalese. Despite its size, it featured a tiny scrollbar on the right side, and moving it even a little sent pages and pages of text tumbling by. “If this arrangement is acceptable, please indicate that you agree to the terms and conditions.” On the bottom right of the screen, there was a button that read ‘I do’.

Zenkichi’s eyes bugged out a bit at the sheer volume of text before him, eyes trying to scan the document for any hidden secrets or rules. He didn’t find anything that stood out, but after a minute or so, he was starting to mentally check out, so he dragged the slider slowly down, pausing every few seconds to scan the page, before reaching the bottom. When he clicked ‘I do’, he let out a little sigh. [color=BFBFBF]”Alright, and that’s that. Covenant accepted.”[/color]

“Good.” The screen vanished, but Sandalphon didn’t move to leave. Instead she lifted up her hands, her palms up as if holding an invisible tray out for Zenkichi to take. “Now, please give me your hands,” she requested, monotone. Her pupils seemed to be sparkles again.

Zenkichi complied, prompting a roll of the eyes from Akane, who watched with feigned disinterest at whatever weird ritual her father and this woman were performing. [color=BFBFBF]”Alright, I’m ready.”[/color] Zenkichi confirmed.

After gently taking Zenkichi’s hands, Sandalphon turned them up and interlaced her fingers with his. Her pupils began to change symbols rapid-fire, and a warm feeling passed between the two of them. After a few seconds they reverted back to sparkles, and she gave a final squeeze before releasing him. A bright light shone over Zenkichi’s head, cast by a glowing blue halo rather like a glowstick, adorned with golden bangles. The next moment it vanished, but a slight sensation of warmth remained. “Covenant successfully established,” Sandalphon reported. “Preservation Protocol will activate the next time you use a skill, and you can switch your own Protocol at your convenience. Thank you for your patience.”

[center][hider=For Sandalphon]New Power:
[b]Sandalphon’s Covenant[/b]
At the start of trials, inflicts the "Locked Sigil" debuff on the host for 300 seconds, but grants them the "Preservation Protocol" effect. The user can change which Protocol is active (Preservation, Restoration, or Purification) by announcing its name. These Protocols activate when a Skill is used and provide a defense buff, a health burst, and a status cleanse respectively. These effects will target himself if an offensive skill is used, or the target if a support skill is used. Locked Sigil's remaining time will be reduced by six seconds each time the user uses a Skill and by 18 seconds each time the user removes an affliction from an ally. When the Locked Sigil effect wears off, the user will be granted the "Sigil Released" effect instead. Sigil Released grants the user all three Protocols at once, marked by the appearance of a halo above the host’s head. This covenant is currently established with Zenkichi Hasegawa[/hider][/center]

[color=BFBFBF]”Alright. Covenant established. Sounds good.”[/color] Zenkichi replied, a little bit awkwardly, before taking a breath and nodding a few times. [color=BFBFBF]”Thank you, really. I’m sure this will come in handy. Preservation, Restoration, and Purification, right? The three protocols?”[/color] He clarified.

“Correct. And you’re welcome.” By now, the wind was really starting to whip the trio’s hair and clothes, not to mention interfere with their conversation. Sandalphon glanced up at the sky, knowing that the storm could descend any moment. “Apologies for the delay. We should definitely return to the ship.” Her eyes narrowed as she prepared to set off. “This weather strikes me as supernatural in origin.”

Zenkichi’s mouth thinned into a line, and his eyes narrowed along with Sandalphon’s. [color=BFBFBF]”Yeah, we should definitely get back. That…doesn’t look good.”[/color] Akane, for her part, picked up on the implication, returning Maru to her Sphere and frowning. [color=BFBFBF]”Akane, if anything happens, put me between you and it. Same for you, Sandalphon. I’ve got your backs.”[/color] 

Huh. For a second there, Akane could have sworn that her dad seemed…[i]cool.[/i] Weird.