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Willow made no sense as usual, so even though it left a pang in her heart, Sylvia did not respond. She had no idea how to handle her without Ember’s assistance, who seemed to be wrapped up in her own problems involving Hotaru. But Tsubomi…

[color=0072bc]”Look, you’re rightfully angry now and hopefully at whoever caused you that original harm…”[/color]

The sentence struck a chord deep inside Sylvia. Her furious tears kept rolling down her face, the pyre of her emotions only intensifying as she found the words she had been looking for. She had heard them countless times in her life from Ember, but the protector kept on insisting that it was her who was bad and… this whole time, she had been lied to. Hizuki told her. And it did not feel like she had been told a lie.

[color=gold]”There are no misunderstandings under the eyes of the gods,”[/color] Sylvia responded. [color=teal]”There… there are only Them and… Their lies.”[/color] It still felt painful to say it. She also felt that Tsubomi had a point. Even if she said something that confused her, maybe she could just let it out. Sylvia did not want to act like Hotaru, but… Maybe for once, it was permissible. Maybe she would discover something again.

It would definitely hurt. But maybe she would be getting hurt for a worthy cause this time.

[hr]

[color=red]”If you truly wish for everyone for have a good day, then you should have talked with us instead of setting up whatever this scheme is, then unleash your wrath at Suki because she just so happens to not act according to the plan you concocted in your head.”[/color] Ember kept the razor edge in her voice even while her knuckles whitened. If she were honest, she would have loved to have Hotaru’s cooperation, or even Sylvia’s assurance that whatever happened, it would not be painful. She felt like worms crawled on her skin, but still forced herself to put on a mask.

[color=red]”And you throw insults left and right as though they were salvation to be meted out by your truly merciful hand.”[/color] The schemer continued with biting sarcasm. However, before she could truly start trying to rip Michi apart at the metaphorical seams, Michi grabbed Tsubomi - who seemed to have been trying to pacify Michi for some reason - and shifted Ember along with Hotaru onto a stage.

What the hell.

Ember figured she knew a thing or two about teleportation, but this felt foreign to her. It was almost as though she moved through thick water, then deposited onto a shoddy stage which had not been there before. Which meant either that Michi had some sort of power that allowed her to manipulate reality to such an extent or that she kept them all in an illusion or worse. Both prospects caused sweat to pour down Ember’s face. She all but turned into a salt statue on stage, all colour draining from her form.

Hotaru had no such qualms, however.

The teleportation also had her disoriented. But instead of playing along, she watched the exchange unfold between Michi and Haruna and flared her magic, causing the stage’s wood to crumple beneath her feet when she took a step forward.

[color=#D8CD9F]”The one and only thing that will be getting destroyed today,”[/color] her fury rung crystal clear, [color=#D8CD9F]”Is going to be you and whatever the fuck you’re doing to us!”[/color] Then she launched herself at Michi. Burning through her magic at a precarious rate, she intended to rip through her target in one swoop, only to be joined by a second from in the middle of her arc.

Sylvia.

What was the protector doing here?

With tears still brimming in her eyes, Sylvia had also launched herself at Michi, Shatterscape’s visage coalescing around her mid-air in a sight that resembled her leaping out of a shattered mirror. These two were as two comets; Hotaru aflame with an [color=#D8CD9F]off-yellow light[/color], Sylvia surrounded by [color=gold]golden[/color] threads concentrating around her gauntlets. Almost like she was trying to grasp them and part them at the same time.

All the while Ember watched on, unable to do anything to prevent the unfolding tragedy.

[hr]

Ember may have felt alone, but First Shuuko also watched on. She held a similar sentiment in her heart, yet before she could reach out, [i]something[/i] appeared on the rooftop and called out to a “Finn”. Opening her eyes - her concentration wavering as she split her focus into two - First Shuuko’s eyes widened as she beheld what seemed to be a demon.

[color=B0C4DE]”Excuse me. I’m sorry if I’m interrupting but… um… Can I ask you why you’re here?”[/color] She asked of the being with a somewhat nervous smile. [color=B0C4DE]”Because I’m hiding. Please don’t tell anyone I’m here!”[/color] And she exaggerated her gesture with a cutesy - if, again, somewhat nervous - wink.