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Chapter Text

“Canteen’s closer that way.”

Miyabi gave a startled yelp and almost dropped the stack of boxed food she’d been sent to retrieve from one of the City’s warehouses. Balancing the supplies in her arms, she carefully turned to see where the gruff voice had come from. Behind her stood a white-haired man whose face was mostly obscured by a black mask and eyepatch. He looked to be a… what had the people of the City called it? ‘Elder?’

Glancing in the distance to where the man was pointing, she realized that she would indeed arrive at the canteen faster if she followed the direction he was indicating. “Oh, I… thank you, um…”

“Gray.”

“S-sorry. I’m still getting used to everything here. It’s all so…expansive.”

“You’ll get adjusted in time. Lemme take some o’ those.”

“Ah!” Miyabi barely had time to protest as Gray reached out and scooped up half of her boxes.

“You looked like you could barely see where you were goin’,” Gray chided. “Plus with that much weight it’d only be a matter of time before you threw your back out. I’ve seen it happen before.”

Miyabi suppressed a pout. She wanted to believe she’d been doing okay, though she couldn’t deny the supplies were fairly heavy. “…I suppose you’re right. Thank you, Gray.”

Gray simply grunted. “Let’s get a move on then.”

The pair set off toward Mikitaba’s canteen. The silence was painfully awkward, though Miyabi was secretly grateful to have someone to guide her. She’d only arrived in the City the day before, and had barely scratched the surface of all there was to see.

It was still so much to wrap her head around, how such a place could exist. Free from the endless strife over the flame clocks, with allegiance to neither Keves nor Agnus but several houses. Seeing the younger ‘children’ playing together without a care in the world. It was staggering to discover how much had been kept from her back then. She tried to force the image of Consul Y out of her mind, gripping the boxes resolutely.

At last they arrived at the canteen, and set the boxes down by a door that led to the kitchen. A mix of delicious aromas wafted out from the other side. Miyabi felt her stomach growl but ignored it, standing up to face Gray again. “Thanks again for the help, I really appreciate it.”

Gray nodded curtly. “You good to get the rest yourself?”

“I’ll be fine now, that was the last of it,” Miyabi replied. “What about you?”

“Just need to go check in with someone, then I’ll be headin’ out. Got a few things to take care of.”

“Oh?” Miyabi tilted her head. “What kind of things?”

The man crossed his arms. “Gatherin’ resources, mostly. Standard stuff.”

“I see…” Steeling herself, Miyabi held up her fists in a way that she hoped made her look determined. “In that case, could I maybe, um, join you?”

Gray’s unobscured eye blinked, clearly not having expected that question. “What?”

“Er, I mean, would it be alright if I came with you on one of your jobs?”

Quickly recovering, Gray immediately shook his head. “I’ve been working alone for a long time. I don’t expect that to change anytime soon.”

Miyabi frowned. “I may not be as old as you are, but I do have a fair amount of military experience. A-and I’m skilled at healing! I promise I can take care of myself in the field.”

“I believe you. You wouldn’t be standing here if that weren’t the case,” Gray responded. “Still, you’ve only just broken out of the cycle. You’re better off staying back an’ helping with things here.”

“I realize that,” Miyabi said, closing her eyes, “and it’s exactly why I want to go. All my life I’ve been kept blind to what the world is really like, and now I have a chance to see it for myself. I’m sure I’ll get to go with Mio and the others eventually, but it could be days before they make it back here.”

Standing up straighter, Miyabi looked pleadingly into Gray’s uncovered eye. “I intend to do all I can to help support the City, but I also wish to try and grow myself too. Just one mission, and I promise not to bother you again.”

Gray held her stare for a few seconds, then gave a rumbling sigh. Stepping back he turned away from her, his ragged cloak twirling behind him. Then he tilted his head and spoke over his shoulder:

“Meet me at the transport bay in 15 minutes. Don’t be late.”

Miyabi watched as he strode away from the canteen toward the residential district. A small grin formed on her face, anticipation already growing for her first mission unchained from the flame clock.

But before that, as she felt her stomach rumble once again, she decided that a quick lunch was in order…

Chapter Text

Perhaps it was due to their experience with Ouroboros and all the insanity they seemed to attract, but the battles inside the Archsage Gauntlet hadn’t taken long for the heroes to acclimatize to. At least that was how things had gone for the battles themselves; finding themselves plucked from thin air and transported to what was apparently a realm wholly separate from Aionios was a completely different matter.

Despite the abrupt summons, Isurd took little issue participating in what essentially boiled down to a training exercise. Casually dematerializing his disc-shooters he turned to his current teammate, whom he only wished would take things as seriously as he did. “My Gyreflow fields can’t do their job if you don’t position yourself properly. You almost didn’t make it that round.”

“Oho, what’s this now?” Ashera chuckled mirthfully, offering a strained grin as she gingerly rolled her shoulder around. “Being doted on by an Agnian Commander? This might take some getting used to.”

“I simply wish for us all to make it through this…experiment unscathed,” Isurd explained, folding his hands behind his back. “Being a team of only three we should strive to minimize unnecessary risks, at least until more reinforcements become available.”

“I suppose that’s a fair point.” Ashera glanced off to the side at Eunie, their current leader, as she browsed the shopping tent run by the Nopon Archsage (which inexplicably sprang up from nowhere between each wave of monsters). “Funny that, I’m always up for a scrap, but I didn’t expect to pop up here all of a sudden.”

“A little warning would’ve been nice, I’ll agree.”

Ashera smiled leisurely as she rested her blade across her shoulders, twisting her torso from side to side. “Hey, your colony’s the one tucked away inside a big cave, yeah?”

Isurd looked over with a bemused expression. “For lack of a better term, yes, Lambda does reside inside a cave. One we dug out ourselves, I’ll have you know.”

“Huh.” Ashera peaked an eyebrow. “Way different from ours, right under the Kevesi Queen’s nose and all. Dunno if I’d ever be able to relax if I was you; I’d be constantly worried about the roof falling in.”

Isurd chuckled dryly. “It does concern me sometimes, I admit. We’ve tried to give it a homely feeling as best we could. I like to think the surrounding waterfalls also help give it a certain charm.”

“Maybe once this Moebius mess is done and dusted I’ll come check it out myself,” Ashera replied, finally deactivating her own blade and resuming rolling her shoulder out. “Perhaps I’ll even do a little tour, might be fun to hit up all the Agnian colonies and see what they’re like…”

“If you’re planning to challenge all the other commanders, I’d advise caution,” Isurd cut in. “Reigniting the flames of war after they’ve finally been extinguished would be highly undesirable.”

“I know, I know,” Ashera rolled her eyes. “Still, you gotta find ways to keep things interesting, yeah?”

Isurd opened his mouth to respond, but Eunie had chosen that moment to make her way back over, finished checking out the wares; the stout Archsage and his shopping tent had vanished yet again.

“Right, you lot,” their leader began, “we’re just over halfway done. Sounds like the next one’ll be a big ‘un. All set to continue?”

Both heroes nodded, readying their blades just in time for the next wave of beasts to appear. As Isurd activated a regenerative field on the ground, he was satisfied to see Ashera promptly move over and stand just inside its edge as she caught their nearest foe’s attention.

The commander of Lambda allowed himself a small smile. Perhaps there were more benefits to this gauntlet than simple combat practice after all…

Chapter Text

“Look, look! See? There resting spot of gigantimassive beastie!”

Juniper glanced over in the direction their companion was pointing. It had only been a few minutes since Ino had suddenly shown up at Colony Tau, insisting there was a huge monster nearby that she needed help exterminating. Having long memorized Maktha’s layout the scene before them came as absolutely no surprise, revealed to be an enormous grey Gogol slumbering peacefully inside the circular gap of a flat treetop.

“Yeah, that’s just Gonzalez,” Juniper said plainly. “Imposing for sure, though you probably don’t need to worry about him.”

“It Ino’s job to worry!” The artificial blade clenched her metallic fists, cheeks puffing out in a determined pout. “Ino cannot let such a massive threat go unchecked! As long as jumbo-sized monster remains, all Nopon of Maktha are in potential danger!”

Juniper momentarily debated on whether to inform Ino that only a single Nopon resided in the entire wildwood, one who was in more immediate danger from the creatures roaming the lower levels rather than the higher canopies. “Anytime I pass through here he always seems to be sleeping. Not the most active monster in Maktha, thankfully.”

“No telling when naptime will come to end though, so better being safe than sorry,” Ino chirped before drawing the twin red swords attached to her back. “There nothing for it; friend Junipon, please to help Ino bring Gonzalez down for good!”

“What?” Juniper took a half-step back in shock, before hastily glancing over - Gonzalez scratched his chest but otherwise stayed asleep. “Are you mad? Fighting him as a party of only two would be suicide!”

Ino’s face took on an anxious expression as she traced a line into the ground with one of her swords. “Cannot simply turn blind eye, would fly in face of Nopon Champion moral code.” She frowned, deep in thought for a moment, before her face lit up. “Ino know! Prime opportunity present itself: Ino sneak over and throw Gonzalez out of tree!”

Juniper stood in place for a moment, completely stupefied, before realizing in horror that Ino was already making her way toward the slumbering beast. Quickly darting around and throwing a hand on Ino’s shoulder, Juniper berated the artificial blade as quietly as possible. “That plan isn’t any better! How would you - no, forget it. Even if you managed to do that, the fall would just make him angry. There’s no telling what damage he might do then.”

Thankfully Ino stopped, although she didn’t look too pleased. Juniper sighed as the artificial blade sadly re-sheathed her weapons. “Here, tell you what, I’ll have a word with the gang the next time they visit. If you really want the honour of hunting Gonzalez, I’ll tell them to bring you along. I recall Sena mentioning that they managed to take down an oversized Gogol somewhere in the Aetia region, so he shouldn’t pose too much of a problem.”

“Really?” Ino looked back up with a hopeful grin. “You’ll do that for Ino?”

“Sure,” Juniper nodded. “Just wait until then to take him on, alright? I’d better get back to Colony Tau in the meantime. Be careful not to let the other Gogols spot you going back.”

“Much thankings, friend Junipon!” answered Ino, stage-whispering to stay undetected. “Ino will be on way as well. Must continue sector sweep of Maktha, for safety of all Noponkind!”

“Er, right.” Juniper replied, awkwardly scratching behind a verdant ear. “See you around then, Ino. Keep fighting the good fight.”

Chapter Text

It always made Valdi’s day whenever the Ouroboros squad dropped by to visit Colony 30. Their arrival normally signalled a delivery of supplies that could be put toward the latest phase of Dorrick’s construction. Today looked to be different than normal however, as the engineer noticed the extra member that accompanied them.

The bipedal Levnis was different from any he’d ever laid eyes on, standing above the others at nearly double their height. Its chest frame rose open to reveal a girl a few terms his junior, who began to climb out. Valdi promptly tossed his wrench aside and sprinted over to introduce himself.

“Hey there! My name’s Valdi, what’s yours?”

“Unit designation: Number Se - ,” the girl began before cutting herself off. “Correction; my name is Segiri. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Valdi knew it was rude to stare, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Segiri’s Levnis. “Incredible… I’ve never seen a Levnis quite like this one before. Which Colony are you from, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Segiri’s expression remained neutral as she spoke in an even, matter-of-fact tone. “I was originally situated at Colony 0. However, I have since been relocated to a new location in the Cadensia region, along with all current members.”

“Colony 0? Huh, I’ve never heard of that one,” Valdi glanced back at her. “Does everyone in your colony pilot a Levnis like this one?”

“Affirmative.”

That got Valdi excited. A whole base full of unique Levnises? He was definitely going to ask Lanz to bring him there sometime.

“Er, sorry, where are my manners?” Valdi spread his arms and widely gestured around the colony, full of bustling Nopon and the constant sound of construction. “Welcome to Colony 30! Shall I give you the tour?”

The commander led Segiri around to check out the shops, introduced her to Mechafriend, and brought her to the canteen to grab a snack. As the rest of Ouroboros milled about, the pair eventually gravitated back to what was inarguably the colony’s ultimate point of interest.

“This here is Dorrick!” Valdi proudly announced. “We’ve been working on him for a while but with Phase 10 just about finished he’ll finally be complete!”

Segiri stared up in muted astonishment at the colossal Levnis. “Comparing timespan to scale of production, construction appears to have been highly efficient.”

“It’s all thanks to the others, we never would’ve gotten this far without their help,” Valdi grinned. “So? What do you think?”

“Analysis impossible in current state. Please stand by.” Before Valdi could stop her she’d hopped back into her own Levnis. Focusing on Dorrick she remained still for a few seconds as she scanned the giant mech. “Projection of data generally exceeds that of nearly all standard-issue Levnises encountered,” she concluded. “Dorrick has extreme combat potential, capable of reaching the highest percentile of damage output if properly optimized.”

“…Wow, I figured he’d be good, but that sounds crazy!” Valdi chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. “Er, the thing is though, we’re actually designing him to be an anti-combat Levnis. Because of how things have changed, our design approach also shifted drastically. We want to kill with kindness, so to speak.”

“Kill…with kindness?” Even while inside the Levnis, Valdi could practically see Segiri’s look of blank confusion. “Requesting further elaboration.”

“Well, you guys came at a good time. We should actually be ready to run some field tests in a few moments,” Valdi informed her. “If you stick around for a bit you can come watch Dorrick’s first time in action!”

“Very intriguing,” Segiri answered. “My assumption is Dorrick will be the first ever Levnis created without a combat-focused directive. In that case, perhaps integration of stealth features would also be beneficiary?”

“Huh? Stealth features?” inquired Valdi.

“Yes. Initiating demonstration, please observe.” Without warning, Segiri’s Levnis promptly turned invisible.

Valdi’s jaw fell open. Had her Levnis really just vanished? How was it possible?! It went beyond anything he thought he knew about machinery. If he focused he could see a slight distortion in the space where Segiri was standing, but he doubted he could’ve noticed it had he been unaware.

He remained speechless as the Segiri deactivated the cloaking effect and reopened the frame to reveal herself. “Demonstration complete.”

Valdi wanted nothing more in that moment to question what tech made such a marvel possible, but he decided to file it away for later - Dorrick’s initial test run was soon to begin. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder if an eleventh development phase was feasible to give his giant friend one last upgrade…

Chapter Text

Teach’s face betrayed no hint of emotion as he surveyed the results of the training exercise before him. Well, it was less an ‘exercise’ and more of a ‘one-sided thrashing’. It was only thanks to many terms carefully honing his mask of stoicism that his face didn’t tighten in discomfort as the famed Smouldering Cammuravi gave his troops a run for their G, and then some.

He felt no joy in seeing others collapse from the strain of battle, be it ally or enemy, and especially not members of his own colony. Foots had naturally been the one to demand a spar, which had then morphed into an impromptu drill that saw the fiery warrior facing down the entire company. It hadn’t taken long before he and the rest of the troops were sprawled out, their white Agnian armor now coated with a layer of gray ash.

“Alright everyone, that’s enough,” Teach’s soft-yet-authoritative voice cut through the silence. “Report to the medical tent if you need to, then hit the showers and take the rest of the day to recover.”

The soldiers pulled themselves to their feet, grumbling and clutching sore limbs as they hobbled away, light smoke still emanating from a few. Cammuravi stood motionless as he watched them leave, holding aloft the blazing lance responsible for their defeat.

“Most impressive,” Teach spoke as he moved to approach the warrior. “You don’t hold back against anyone, do you?”

Cammuravi listlessly deactivated his blade and turned to face Gamma’s commander. “My Way demands that I give my all in battle. Failing to do so would’ve been disrespectful to my opponents” Closing his eyes he added, “however, I did adjust my intensity to account for multiple adversaries in lieu of a single one.”

“So you did go easy on them?”

“Not what I said. The Way also demands balancing the conditions of battle wherever possible, to grant an opponent a fair opportunity to seize victory.”

“A commendable outlook,” Teach replied with a nod. “I doubt most would grant the same courtesy when fighting for their lives. In any case, thank you for taking the time to let them test their mettle against you.”

Cammuravi crossed his arms. “I appreciate it, but it was Noah’s idea to send me over to try teaching in their stead. It seems my style may have been a bit much for some of them…”

Teach’s mouth morphed into a small smirk. “They’re a tough bunch; they may be sore tomorrow, but they’re always eager for lessons beyond what I have to impart. Getting a taste of your fighting philosophy is the best thing they could hope to receive.”

That seemed to satisfy the warrior, who nodded solemnly. “You do me a great honour, Teach.”

The pair were silent for a moment as they idly studied the landscape, peering up at the crimson-marked vegetation that dotted Melnath’s Shoulder. Eventually, it was Cammuravi who broke the silence. “Have you ever thought about how different everything will be, once this is all over?”

Teach glanced over, eyebrows raised ever so slightly. “I could ask you the same. But yes, the thought has crossed my mind more than once. A world free from the cycle of war…I’d never hoped to consider it until after meeting Ouroboros.”

Cammuravi closed his eyes. “It’s almost funny. If all goes well, we’ll no longer have need of the combat skills we’ve spent our entire lives learning. Once Moebius are destroyed, the art of combat - and my Way - will become obsolete.”

Teach eyed him for a moment longer before he looked away and across the colony, watching Foots lean on Kyrie as she helped him into the medical tent. “Indeed. Much will likely be lost in transition, and yet I still can’t help but feel curious. Perhaps you’ll even manage to forge a new ‘Way’ for yourself as well.”

Cammuravi hummed, his mouth still drawn in its usual tight line. In contrast, his hardened eyes had taken on a slightly softer look as they fell upon the domed Ferronis that towered silently above them.

“Perhaps we all will.”

Chapter Text

*Clank*
*Clank*
*Clank*
*Clank*

Each time the sound rang out and reverberated around the interior of the Tap-Dancing Nopon, Melia felt her practiced poise and calm demeanour slip a little. She suppressed a sigh as she turned in her seat toward the source of the constant clanking. “Masha, I fear the other patrons are starting to stare.”

Masha, for her part, didn’t appear bothered in the slightest. Situated in a vacant corner of the canteen next to their table, the self-proclaimed ‘Lapidarist Extraordinaire’ sat cross-legged on the floor in front of a portable anvil, eyes firmly locked on her current task. Without breaking stride she replied, “pay them no heed, dear. They all know the gravity of our situation, surely they can accept these sorts of things can’t be delayed when the fate of the world hangs delicately in the balance?”

Melia looked away and surveyed the restaurant, offering an apologetic smile to anyone she locked eyes with (who immediately averted their gaze). Her eyes landed on her friends waiting in line to procure their food. “But of all places to perform your craft, it had to be here? During the lunchtime rush, no less?”

“Oh, poppycock. What good would my services be if I weren’t adaptable?” Masha finally looked up, a slight tinge of indignity on her face. “Our comrades have become so bogged down as of late, I daresay any chance to optimize their schedule is worth seizing, wouldn’t you?”

Melia closed her eyes, deciding not to pursue the matter further. “I suppose you have a point. The battle with Moebius is rapidly coming to a head. Your swift expertise is most appreciated, Masha.”

“In service of our queen, there can be no higher honour,” Masha beamed proudly before refocusing on her task.

For a while Melia was silent as she simply watched the Lapidarist’s practiced hands perform their work. She noted with relief that the other patrons seemed to have mostly tuned them out, their conversations growing to blend in with the sounds of the crafting process.

*Clank*
*Clank*
*Clank*
*Clank*

“…I never really was one for trinkets when I was younger,” Melia stated. Seeing Masha tilt her head up slightly to indicate she was listening, she continued. “Jewelry often seemed too… excessive for my tastes. Even to this day I find myself preferring functionality over glamour, as is the case with ether gems.”

“Hmm, I assumed you’d be the type to never settle for anything less than the best,” replied Masha. “I suppose there is something to appreciate in an understated quality, on occasion.”

Melia nodded, idly brushing a hand through one of her wings. “Though I confess, I did have a few exceptional moments. There was one period of time when I was introduced to many accessories that went far beyond my typical wardrobe. I recall growing quite fond of a pair of ruby-encrusted eyeglasses…”

Masha peered up at her with a look of bewilderment. “Our fair queen wearing glasses? There’s an image I don’t think I can picture, but I shall take your word for it.”

Melia’s lips curled into an unburdened smile. “Yes, it was a time of many novel experiences, but such departures of fashion were mainly out of necessity and bolstering my still-developing ether abilities. Actually, being here amongst a determined group of heroes, all bonded together by a common goal… I find myself feeling emotions similar to those of that time.”

Masha had ceased her hammering altogether. “Well now, I feel like I’m seeing a side of the queen very few are privy to. What brought this on, dear?”

Melia simply stared down, eyes tracing the grooves that curled along the wooden table. “Nostalgia, I suppose you could call it.”

When she didn’t elaborate Masha simply returned to her work for a while. Eventually, with a few final strikes of her hammer, the Kevesi craftswoman at last rose from the floor and stepped around the table toward her. She felt her hand gently being turned over before the finished product was placed in her palm. “There you are dear, all finished.”

Melia stared down at the ring she’d requested, molded from the material known as ‘Enigmatter.’ The design was ornate, yet somehow subdued at the same time. It carried a cerulean hue that she imagined would match her eyes if she were ever to compare them. She took a moment to simply marvel at the brilliant ring before turning her attention back to its maker. “The quality is outstanding. You truly are a master of your craft.”

“I should hope so,” Masha smiled. “One cannot claim to be a Lapidarist Extraordinaire without holding themselves to the highest standard!”

“Oh, and what do I owe you for the commission?”

“Consider that one a gift,” the craftswoman winked at her. “On the day you fight to embrace the future, I hope it will help give you an edge.”

Melia slowly clasped her hands over the lustrous band, feeling the subtle warmth radiating from its smooth surface. “You have my gratitude, Masha.”

Masha nodded with a smile, then crouched down to begin disassembling her workstation. “Of course, if you should ever find yourself longing for a pair of bejewelled spectacles, I’m sure we can work out a fair price.”

“Hm,” Melia tittered, sitting up straighter as she noticed Noah and the others returning with their meals from out the corner of her eye. “I will certainly consider it…”

Chapter Text

Yesterday had been a whirlwind of emotions for Ghondor. On the one hand, she was happy Ouroboros had been saved from an untimely demise, and had likewise helped spare the City from total annihilation. On the other, her closest ‘friend’ Shania was gone, her life snuffed out by her own hand. It’d felt like the epitome of ‘win some, lose some.’

But today, in the grand scheme of things, everyone seemed to be in high spirits knowing Ouroboros were alive and kicking. The Kevesi/Agnian conflict seemed to mostly be a thing of the past as well. Things were finally looking up!

And then a Consul randomly appeared in the middle of Agnus castle.

Ghondor was lucky she’d been walking through the courtyard after finishing breakfast, otherwise things would have devolved into pure chaos. She made a snap decision to take charge (like anyone would oppose her), yelling at people in the vicinity to calm down and just let her deal with the situation please. Thankfully Aggy and Oggy seemed to be on her wavelength as usual, corralling the crowds and assuring people that everything was under control.

Man, this was not how she’d pictured the day would go. What the hell was this dag’s problem?

“What the hell’s your problem, ya dag?” Ghondor all but shouted up at the massive man. “You come in here tryin’ to start something? C’mon, get to explainin’ before I sock you in the beak!”

The large Consul didn’t wear a mask, a first in Ghondor’s eyes. Thankfully he didn’t seem aggressive, stroking his big gray beard and glancing around. “Well I’ll be a Gulkin’s gizzard, so this is where I end up today. Don’t see those other two around, now where did they get off to?”

“Hey! Don’t ignore me!”

“Ah, sorry lassie,” the Consul replied as he looked back down at her. “Call me Triton. Sorry for causin’ a ruckus, I promise ye I meant no harm.”

Ghondor peered behind her to see the crowds finally dispersing, though many were still eyeing the Consul warily. She turned around and put her hands on her hips. “You didn’t answer my question. What on Aionios are you doing here?”

Triton gave a hearty chuckle. “Ah well, some days I just feel like surprising meself, so I roll the dice and see where the gale takes me. Little perk that comes with the whole teleportin’ business.”

“So you just…popped in here without tryin’ to?”

“Right-o, lassie.”

Ghondor just gaped at him, in a rare moment of speechlessness.

“Careful there, you’re gonna catch flies like that.”

Ghondor snapped out of it and grit her teeth. “Sh-shut up! Cut the crap, old man. If you’re looking for Ouroboros you won’t find them here.”

At that, Triton’s eyes morphed into a panicked expression. “Blimey, ‘ave they been done in?!”

“What? No!” Ghondor jumped at the man’s sudden outburst. “They just got freed yesterday. No thanks to you,” she added, crossing her arms.

“Ahhh.” Triton wilted a little under her gaze. “I do apologize for that. The other Consuls and I don’t exactly get on, as it were. Couldn’t believe it when I heard they’d all been locked up, but I wouldn’t’a been able to spring ‘em from the brig if I wanted ter.”

Ghondor blinked. “Hang on, you aren’t with the other Consuls? Aren’t you Moebius?”

“Nay lassie, I gave all that up ages ago. I’m a free agent now, a real man o’ the sea. Does wonders for the complexion, it does.”

Well this was unusual. Ghondor scoffed and shook her head. “You’ve got some nerve, doncha? The folks here would’ve bashed you up if I wasn’t around.”

“Well, even if they had, I’m made o’ fairly sturdy stuff,” Triton replied, plunking a hand onto his armoured chest. “But that aside, if you’re the Moebius-hatin’ type then why’d you jump to my defence? Not that I don’t appreciate it, mind.”

“…Honestly, I dunno,” Ghondor shrugged. “Figured you were different somehow, what with you showin’ off yer ugly mug without a mask an’ all. Guess my hunch proved to be correct.”

Triton barked a laugh. “I s’pose I am a bit different from the others in that regard, ain’t I?”

Ghondor studied him for a few seconds. “So…what now? You just gonna loaf around the castle all day?”

“Mmm, I reckon I’d receive a warmer welcome if I came back with me Ouroboros mates in tow,” Triton nodded. “I should probably go track ‘em down and see how they’re gettin’ on after bein’ cooped up for so long.”

“Sure. You do that,” Ghondor mumbled back.

“Hey, lassie.”

“What.”

“Its clear as day how much you resent us,” Triton began in a placating voice. “Can’t say I blame you, mind. Before I ship out, if you got some feelings to work out you could always dish ‘em out on me, eh?”

“Huh? You tryna pick a fight?”

“Only if it’d make ye feel better.”

Ghondor paused. Then she laughed and shook her head. What a strange dag this guy was.

“Fine then!” In an instant Ghondor’s trademark red blades materialized over her fists. “Put up your dukes, old man!”

“Ha! That’s the spirit, lassie!” A pair of violet anchor-shaped gauntlets appeared over Triton’s own hands as he took a defensive stance. “Give ‘er all you got!”

The crowds Ghondor had worked so hard to disperse were forming up again but she couldn’t bring herself to care as she rushed toward the former Consul, fist cocked back and a winning grin on her face.

Chapter Text

“Is that her?”

“I believe so, Dame Alex.”

“What’s with the Armu?”

“I’m not sure myself.”

Alexandria stood at the edge of Colony Iota alongside her lieutenant Chickadee. In the distance they watched as Fiona, their fellow Agnian commander, slowly approached. Lumbering along behind her was a large Armu; sitting atop it was another girl, presumably another member of Colony Mu there to accompany her.

“Hello Commander Alexandria!” Fiona called cheerily once they were close enough. “It’s so good to finally meet you!”

“Likewise,” Alexandria replied warmly, walking over to shake her fellow commander’s hand. “Glad you could make it, I imagine being stuck in Cadensia makes it hard to get out much.”

“Yes, thankfully I can rely on Ouroboros to help me make the trip.” As Fiona spoke her eyes grew wider with excitement. “You should see the ship they’ve got and how fast it zips across the water! Oh, I just love the sea!”

Alexandria couldn’t help but smile at the younger commander’s enthusiasm. “I’ll have to ask them to bring me along sometime.” She swept her gaze over to the Armu and the girl sitting on top of it. “Nice Armu you’ve got there.”

“Thanks!” the girl piped up, turning to slide off the bulky creature. “It was Nico’s idea to bring one along.”

“Erm…” Alexandria forced herself not step back as the Armu curiously shuffled toward her. “Hang on, who’s Nico?”

“That’s me!” the girl, Nico, answered with a wide grin.

“Wh-whoa.” Alexandria swayed as the Armu got right up close and nuzzled against her arm.

Fiona giggled at the sight. “Aw, he likes you!”

“Be careful Dame Alex!” Chickadee immediately pulled her commander away from the affectionate Armu before glaring at Fiona. “What’s the meaning of bringing this Armu to our colony?”

“Well, we actually brought her as a gift,” Fiona looked like she could barely contain her excitement as she turned her focus back to Alexandria. “A gift for you!”

“Surprise!” Nico added, throwing her hands wide.

“A gift for me?” parroted Alexandria. “I’m grateful, but why?”

“To be clear, this one comes from an Armu breeding program we set up back in Colony Mu,” Fiona began. “We have plenty already, so Nico pitched the idea to gift one to you. As to why, we wanted to thank Colony Iota for sharing all of its extra supplies. Not just with us either, you’ve helped support multiple colonies with your generosity.”

“There’s another reason too,“ Nico chimed in. “Fiona told Nico, which is to say me, that you celebrated your birthday a few days ago as well. So you can also think of this as a belated birthday present!”

Alexandria stared at the Armu, watching as it flicked its ears back and forth. “Wow, I… I don’t know what to say. I assume you heard about my birthday from Ouroboros?”

Fiona nodded. “They said you were okay if others knew about it.”

“In that case, I thank you for the gift Fiona, truly,” Alexandria replied with a soft smile. “Here, why don’t we bring it inside and set you two up with your lodgings?”

“Thanks Ale - ” Fiona cut herself off. The younger commander looked deep in thought for a moment before she recovered. “Um, would it be alright if I called you ‘Lexi?’”

Alexandria arched an eyebrow. “Lexi?”

“Fifi likes giving nicknames to people, it’s sort of her thing,” Nico supplied.

“Hey!” Chickadee frowned. “Her name is ‘Alexandria’ and you will show the proper respect by addressing her as - ”

“Actually, I kind of like it,” said Alexandria.

Chickadee gawked at her. “Huh?! I-is that how you’d prefer to be called, Dame Alex?”

“Don’t fret over it, use whatever you’re most comfortable with,” Alexandria smiled back.

“I’m so glad you like your gift Lexi,” Fiona said happily. “Armus can carry a lot, so they’re really handy for moving supplies around. Oh, and you can of course get milk from them too! Have you ever tried milking an Armu before?”

Alexandria froze. “I…don’t believe I have, no.”

“Oh, it’s super easy once you know how,” added Nico. “We could even give you a lesson later if you want.”

Alexandria glanced from Nico to Fiona, who looked at her expectantly. There was no way she could’ve possibly said no to those faces.

Spark it, I'm not getting any younger.

“Alright then, sure,” Alexandria nodded resolutely. “For now though, let’s just work on getting you settled in.”

The four girls retreated into the colony with their Armu in tow. As Fiona and Nico moved to greet the colony’s other residents, Chickadee leaned over to whisper: “Don’t worry Dame Alex, I know you’ll do just fine.”

“Thanks Chickadee,” Alexandria replied as she laid a hand on her newly-gifted Armu, gently running her palm across its rough hide. A playful smirk grew on her face. “Although, it may be beneficial for the future leader of Iota to learn about Armu-milking as well.”

“What?! But it’s your…” Chickadee looked ready to protest but decided against it, sighing in defeat. “As you wish, Lexi.”

Alexandria chuckled and gave her 2nd-in-command a playful nudge with her elbow, not missing the small smile that grew on the younger girl’s face.

And thus, the bond between Iota and Mu grew even stronger…

Chapter Text

The cool night air blew softly through Ethel’s sliver hair as she gazed down at the waves below the lookout balcony. Long curtains of water cascaded down on either side, framing the jagged stalactites that hung from the bedrock supporting the sea above them. It was a scene she found herself coming back to on most nights, whenever she needed a break from the constant bustling of the City.

“Enjoying the view?”

Ethel turned to see Monica, the leader of House Vandham, had arrived on the balcony. “Evening ma’am,” the former commander of Colony 4 greeted her softly. “Forgive me, I was just…”

“You don’t need an excuse to take a break,” said Monica. “Cammuravi told me you were training almost nonstop today. I’d say you’ve more than earned some time for yourself.”

As she spoke she strode over to the space next to Ethel, propping an elbow up and leaning on the railing herself. “How long’s it been now, a week give or take? I’d meant to ask earlier how you’ve been feeling.”

To Ethel it felt like the maturation process she’d undergone had only occurred yesterday, restoring her body back to its former 9th-term physique. She threaded her fingers and pursed her lips. “After I left the pod, it was as if everything had slid back into place.” Ethel replied. “In the hour that followed I could feel arts and techniques I developed in my past life returning to me. All still ingrained inside, as if they’d never left.”

Monica nodded sagely. “That’s a relief, it might be something to do with muscle memory. I figured you’d slowly relearn everything when you left with Ouroboros, but that’s even better. Speaking of, you guys get up to anything in that time?”

“We’ve been around,” the silver-haired woman replied. “We took down a monster called ‘Dunesea Marcellus’ over in Dannagh Desert that’s been holed up there since who-knows-when. They’ve also been going through a laundry list of tasks for some of the other colonies and their assorted inhabitants.”

“They’re quite the altruistic bunch, those Ouroboros,” Monica smiled. “We’re lucky to have them on our side.”

Side. For Ethel it was a word that kept being redefined. She’d once been pitted against Agnus, then apparently against Ouroboros themselves, and now most recently against Moebius. Not even the City was immune to taking sides, what with their various houses and the conflicting ideals that kept them at odds. She idly wondered if those sides would persist once Moebius were defeated. Probably so, but she’d take petty squabbling over their current opposition any day.

“Indeed. If all goes well we won’t have long to wait before this conflict is resolved.”

Monica nodded in agreement before she stepped back from the railing, casually rolling out her neck. “By the way, I wanted to see if you might be interested in training together sometime soon? Since you’re back to your old self, I mean.”

Ethel looked at her. “Oh. Now that you bring it up, I realize I have yet to actually see you use your blade. Yes, certainly. Perhaps even tomorrow, if you have the time.”

“I can always make time,” replied Monica. “Though on that note I was also wondering, how skilled is your hand-to-hand combat?”

“My…” Ethel instinctively glanced down at her own hands, then back to the Lost Numbers’ leader. “The colony soldiers have only ever fought with their blades, even in drills. I don’t believe I’ve ever…” she trailed off.

“Well now, we can’t have that,” Monica answered with a tiny smirk. “It’s vital to at least have some rudimentary training; you never know when you might find yourself unable to rely on your blade. How about tomorrow morning I give you some pointers and bring you up to speed?”

Ethel felt a small pang of guilt that she’d never considered to hone such a basic field of her fighting ability. Even so, the offer to learn was there, and she wasn’t one to refuse such an opportunity when she saw one. “Thank you Monica, I look forward to it. I’m sure I could learn much from you.”

“No need to thank me,” Holding up her own hand, Monica studied it for a few seconds before it slowly curled into a fist. “It never hurts to stay in practice.”

Chapter Text

Zeon exhaled sharply as he slashed at the swirling pink miasma in front of him. However many minutes the battle had lasted so far felt like hours. Something about the ethereal, unforgiving terrain on which the fight was unfolding was testing the limits of his endurance, almost as much as their enemy himself was.

Z was undoubtedly the most dubious, erratic and downright menacing opponent he’d ever faced in combat. It was hard to even be sure if he was doing any damage to him; the Moebius’ ‘face’ and the harsh pink mass that billowed endlessly from his ‘hair’ took up nearly every part of their surroundings. To make matters worse, it never seemed content to stay in one place for too long, shifting and reforming itself and forcing them to chase after him.

He took a moment to study the battlefield. Around him the various other commanders of Keves and Agnes alike were giving their all for the sake of the future. It all felt so surreal to him. Not long ago in recent memory he never would’ve considered he might someday combine his strength with Agnes against a common foe. But what a formidable foe Z was, screaming and howling as he glared at them all with angry red eyes.

It was at least somewhat fortunate that Z seemed intent on mainly targeting the Ouruboros; he shuddered to imagine how one-sided the fight would surely be if he were pitted against him alone.

His idle thoughts were ill-timed as a shower of needle-like energy exploded from above, causing him to raise his shield a split-second too late. One bolt pierced his shoulder; he cursed as his blade fell from his hand, automatically gripping the wound with the other.

“Oi, watch yourself!”

His head shot up to see none other than Queen Nia of Agnes running his way. It had been nothing short of a grand spectacle the moment her and Queen Melia had entered the battle themselves, but he forced himself not to dwell on it. Proper introductions could wait until after they had won.

“Hold still. Move your ‘and for a second…” A watery blue-green light swirled out from Nia’s own scimitar-like blade to envelop his shoulder. Almost immediately the pain ceased, with no trace of the wound left behind.

Zeon stooped to pick up his blade, rolling shoulder a few times for good measure. “Thank you, your highness. That healed much faster than I’m normally used to.”

Nia offered him a slight curtsey. “I’ve picked up a few things over time. I do all I can to keep everyone in good health.”

To Zeon, It seemed like an understatement. Ever since stepping foot on the otherworldly battlefield Nia had been weaving around and patching up any injuries among their company. The other healers were no slouches, but she had inarguably contributed the Feris’ share of the healing overall. Wherever her regenerative powers stemmed from, they were as astounding as they were effective.

It was impossible not to feel biased toward his own Queen, but the way the Agnian leader conducted herself with grace and poise was deserving of its own praise. Even in their current situation she had remedied not only his wound, but his will to fight. Standing tall and regal, framed by the two blade-like apparitions that floated on either side of her…she was truly an inspiration.

Suddenly, a huge blast of pink energy sliced across the battlefield, cutting between the two and missing them by inches. Zeon staggered back in shock, unable to do anything but watch as Nia stumbled backward and landed on her rump. With a disgruntled expression, she leapt to her feet just as quickly and whipped around to face toward the distant Z, shaking her blade at him in irritation.

“Argh, sod off already, ya bloody - !”

Zeon temporarily forgot where he was as his ears were subjected to a string of profanity that tumbled forth from the Queen’s lips. Any impressions of grace or poise were instantly shattered. The barrage of unrepeatable words nearly made him drop his blade again.

It didn’t last long however as Nia's posture quickly stiffened, and she turned back to him with a slight blush pasted across her features. She quickly cleared her throat in an attempt to salvage her dignity. “Erm…sorry, forget you ‘eard that. We’ve almost got ‘im, so just hold on a bit longer, yeah?”

Without waiting for confirmation the long-eared Queen dashed back into the fray, heading over to help pull a fallen Lanz to his feet. Zeon watched her in disbelief for a few seconds, before forcing himself to focus. Right now the battle demanded his entire attention. Or at least it should have.

As he once more cleaved at the strange waves of tendril-like energy, Zeon found the exchange had left him with a lingering pang of curiosity. He made a mental note to approach the Queen after the decisive battle was concluded. Maybe then he’d have a chance to inquire as to where her extraordinary healing ability - and also perhaps, her crude vernacular - originated from…

Chapter Text

“Mmmgh… oooaahh…” Manana moaned as she massaged her full belly with both wings. “Knew should not have gone for sixth helping…”

The complex walls of Origin radiated their sinister violet lights as the Nopon hobbled down the hallway that led back toward the hangars, away from where the party was holed up inside the Upper Storage Tower. They’d cleared out all the monsters in the surrounding area before settling in, electing to begin their final assault on Z at full strength the next morning.

Such a feeling of finality naturally demanded a feast of sorts, which Manana had been all too happy to whip up. She’d gone above and beyond, cooking more than her usual volume of dishes. It was partly out of gratitude for all Ouroboros had done for her up until now, and partly in case it was the last time she’d ever get to - No! Such thoughts did not bear thinking about!

Manana felt herself growing drowsy, a sudden wave of fatigue washing over her. She’d initially hoped that a short walk would help sway the feelings of anxiety keeping her awake. Now she doubted she had the strength to make it back to her bedroll.

“Oof, here come food-coma,” Manana grumbled. “Can’t… go on…”

With an ungraceful flop, the chef toppled over onto her back. The last thing she saw were the tendril-like patterns of the hallway’s ceiling as her eyes drooped closed.

...

...

Well, this one looks a bit out of sorts, wouldn’t ya say?

Slowly, Manana forced her heavy eyelids open.

They’ve all had a rough go up until now. I can’t say I blame her.

Right, I s’pose that’s fair. Architect willing, they’ll have things cleared up before too long.

“…Meh?” Manana slightly raised her head.

I think she heard us.

What, actually?

Yeah. I’m a bit surprised too.

How come she’s only hearin’ us now?

Perhaps in her case it’s to do with the subconscious? She doesn’t exactly appear lucid…

Manana had partaken in the occasional over-indulgence of meals before, but any food-induced naps that resulted from them normally didn’t include disembodied voices. Her mind was adrift; her body felt weightless as if she were floating in the middle of Erythia Sea. She didn’t recognize who the mysterious voices belonged to or where they were coming from. She tried to say something in response, but found she lacked the energy to even do that.

I certainly didn’t expect this sort of thing to happen at the very last minute.

Reckon it’ll be a problem?

No, I think it’s alright. Let’s just leave her be for now.

Alrighty then. Er, hey there, sorry if we disturbed your nap. We’ll be going now, so uh, just keep doing what you’re doing! You guys are on the homestretch, so don’t give up!

Using what little remaining energy she had, Manana slowly raised a wing to acknowledge that she’d gotten the message. Once she managed that she let it flop back down to the floor. Before her mind winked out she thought she heard a third voice speak, one that sounded calmer and quieter than the others.

Honestly you two, I can’t leave you alone for a moment, can I…?

Manana awoke to the feeling of a hand gently rubbing her tummy. Slowly she sat up to see the rest of her friends gathered around her; the closest, Sena, retracted her hand and gave her a relieved smile. “Hey sleepyhead! Glad to see you’re up. How’re you feeling?”

The chef stared back at her. Then without warning she quickly rolled over and clambered to her stubby feet. “Meh meh! Manana did not mean to sleep in!”

“Easy there, we all just got up ourselves a minute ago,” Lanz reassured her. “We were a bit worried when we didn’t see you in the camp this morning.”

“For once, friend Lanz is correct!” Riku pushed his way around the others and came to a stop in front of his Agnian counterpart, tiny hands planted on his hips. “Was careless of Manana to wander off in dead of night. Could still have been baddies lurking nearby unaccounted for!”

Manana grimaced and looked at the floor. “Sincere sorries, Riku. Manana knew should not have overstuffed belly during last night’s feast.” She gave a large yawn, covering her mouth with a wing before continuing. “Manana also have strangest dream… thought she heard voices coming from nowhere.”

“Voices you say?” Eunie pondered with a sideways grin. “Sure it wasn’t brought on by all those Doodlenoodles you scarfed down before bed?”

Riku however, had fixed his gaze squarely on Manana. “Meh meh? What did voices say, exactly?”

Manana slowly shook her head. “Manana have hard time remembering. But it felt like they were talking to Manana directly.”

“…Most intriguing,” Riku scratched his chin with a wing.

Noah chose that moment to speak up. “Glad you’re alright, Manana. Are you feeling ready to take on Z?”

Manana nodded resolutely, curling her wings into fists and pumping them in the air. “It time to give Moebius mega-est of megaspankings!”

“Glad to hear it,” Noah smiled. He then grew serious as he turned to address the rest of the party. “Okay guys, we’ve almost made it to the end. Let’s bring it home!”

The Ouroboros let out an assortment of cheers and murmurs of assent, and continued making their way toward the heart of Origin. Only one member didn't move - Riku lingered in place, his gaze distant as if focused on nothing in particular. He didn’t have to wait long.

…Take care of yourself in there, Riku.

The Nopon glanced up, gave a silent nod, then quickly scurried off to fall in line with the others.