Fandom Faerie Core - In Character Thread

[EbonChevalier]

Karam had read stories of old faerie tales of people going into strange places and returning home years later. With everything that he was somewhat sure happened he could say there trip to the wood fit the bill.

It was the only way he could explain any of this!

There is weather-worn stuff!

The overgrowth!

Big sis Hoshino being in the Magus Order!

"Sis....."

Karam put his hands forward in a calming gesture


"I know this looks strange....but we just went to another world. And I think time might run differently here than there. It's us. Just stay calm."

Ehb Karyra Rithas Emiya Shin

 

[Rithas]

Ehb EbonChevalier Emiya Shin @LowD Karyra

---

It was best that if Cyra just never mentioned missing that fire kick that the group would all collectively forget the fact that it happened. Her combat efficiency had to be maintained for the moral of the troop.

...

She'd buy Karam a steak later or something...

---

Spoiler: Skit: An Announcements on Announcements.

As the kids continue to eat, Cyra suddenly jumps onto a rock and waggles her stick.

Cyra: "Alright, it's about time I say it. What's this with screaming attack names before doing them? And that Why is working numerous fronts!"

Karam: Still munching on honey berries. “Cuz that’s what all the cool heroes do. Duh…”

Akane: "Magic needs an incantation. That's why I say it... but I don't know about, uh, Stun Edge."

Ruka: "Blame on the storybooks!"

Cyra: "Yeah well in the story books they can't kick you in the face before the attack is finished so..." She sighs "Except you Akane that's actually a good reason you get the Cyra Pass"

Ruka: "At least it's cool!"

Cyra: "Well it isn't cool to get an con-cushion!"

Her words fell on if not deaf then sleepy ears after that. Cyra resigned herself to getting back to that intervention later...

---

Cyra dreamt of a strange moth floating aimlessly in the fading sunlight.
She tried to catch it, grasp it in her hands. But it was always just out of reach.
How come she only realised how often this dream reoccurred when she was in it?
How come she could never remember?

---

Cyra woke up ready to throw hands. It did not take her longer then half a second to realise that the Camp, the woozle and pete was nowhere to be seen. And if Pete had vanished in the night, then that meant that all the effort they had wasted yesterday was for literally nothing. They had been hoodwinked, bamboozled, lead astray, run amok and most certainly flat out deceived. But it was okay, because Cyra had totally seen this coming. She smashed her fist into her palm at the (completely foreseen) betrayal.

"Why I oughta---wait a second."

The second thing that she realised was that another thing was missing. Which was the very earth that they had fallen asleep on. Okay, Pete had really pulled a fast one on them if he had done that....No, wait. That was silly. Nobody could move Cyra like that without her noticing, her instincts were honed like a hawk. Anything within a five yard radius was well alerted. And really, when she looked more closely at her new surroundings. She began to realise how not new they were...

These flowers looked familiar.
So did this stump.
And that spire...it had to be...
Brain. Thinking. Hard.

Hang on, they were right back where they started! Well...before they started? Teleported? Mysteriously kidnapped by ancient forces? So many questions. A sense of relief at being back? A grumble in her stomach telling her she really needed breakfast? All overruled by a single thought lighting up the front screen of her mind.
If they were right back where they started. Then where was Hoshino!?

Cyra felt herself wounding up to the same state of mind she had when they were moved away here in the first place.

The thought/riddle/curse was rolled over in her head again.
Where Was Hoshino!!!

A voice spoke out.
Cyra looked up.

Oh there was Hoshino. Did she really have to use that voice again it wasn't like Cyra had done anything like brea-
There was Hoshino!!!

Cyra put her hands to her mouth in a loud gasp. "Oh thank the stars I was so worried." Then Cyra had to deal with the proceeding problem that comes from any long term worry that been filling up your soul suddenly vanishing. The positive emotions that flood back in tend to be overwhelming. She wanted to run forwards for a hug but the sudden reversing of the situation had made her legs feel rather stiff. "Where werrrrrre yUo?"

"I am NOT crying." She was not crying. "We spent so long tryyying to fiNd you!" She wiped something some from her eyes. Not tears. "I had to dEAl with a stupid yellow bear and a horse who-didn't-know-what-a house was and I'm still not sure what the other guy was meant to beEEEee"

Her little brother was saying something. He was trying to point out something important, but Cyra only really focused on the end of it. "I AM STAYING CALM KARAM!" She shouted, as a calm person would. It was clear that whatever dots being connected by Karam and others were but annoying specs of dirt on her Hoshino tinted glasses. Her glare back at him did make her notice the belongings however. Spotting hers, she picked it up in a rush.

"And someone left my Kalimba here!" Okay, it looked worse for wear then she remembered. But turning it to see that the C scratched on the back of it (Short for Cyra, if you didn't know.) was still there. Cyra half hiccupped a remaining sob of relief from finding Hoshino and half groaned from the state of her item. "And they like dropped it in wet mud or something. This is gonna take ages to clean out!"

 

[Ehb]

EbonChevalier Rithas Emiya Shin Karyra

---

The tension Hoshino felt in that moment was almost enough to touch. She had been taught that Phantoms were capable of being deceptive - certain ones. The idea of a phantom taking the appearance of a certain someone in order to get her to let her guard down was certainly within the limits of that possibility. But... taking the appearance of all the children whom had disappeared out in the forest that night was just - not fair.

At the end of the day, it was her job to vanquish the darkness - at least that was what Fatuita would say.

If these 'illusions' were in fact just a trick being set up by the Phantoms, then she would make sure to destroy it.


But, that luckily does not happen. Karam pleads for calm - and Cyra starts going all over the place in a way that Hoshino knew a phantom couldn't replicate.

Hoshino breathed out a sigh of relief. Releasing so much tension that she almost felt like her legs were about to give out. She was... this close to turning her magic against them as an exterminator. She was closer to that than the children probably would ever realize.



She approached the group, and immediately started looking over them dotingly.
That was to be expected. She was looking them over for any injuries. They could've had something happen to them during that fight with the Woozle - but then again they didn't have too much trouble against it. Well, save for Melio, who had his upper torso up to his neck encased in ice!

But, in that case, Hoshino took a headcount. Karam, Cyra, Ruka, Akane...

Melio? Where was he? The children, in rising dread, realized what Hoshino had just noticed herself. Melio was not with them. Even though they had all went to sleep at Pete's camp together last night, they woke up back at this tree and field without him.


"Melio... was with you all when you left the Orphanage that night, right?" Hoshino asked, the children feeling her hope fading in her voice. "You all, know what happened to him? Where he is?"

The children did not know what had happened to him.
They were still struggling to quite grasp the sudden change of scenery. This sudden change happening a second time. Karam had understood what had happened the best. It really felt like the children had gone to a different world. Karam was even quick to note the different passing of time. Sure, they were in a forest... but it was a place where the stuffed animals talked and, Pete wasn't like any magus order member they had ever seen before.

Their experience in the past day was still making more questions than answers, though.

But, as they were about to soon find out, Hoshino knew more about what happened to them than what it first seemed like.

"Or, let me put it in a different way." Hoshino said, calmly. She breathes in.

"When you were all in that world, did you guys encounter a Heffalump?"


At that moment, hearing Hoshino here in the 'real' world mention the mysterious monster they still weren't too sure about shattered all possibilities that they could write off what had happened to them as some sort of dream. In addition... the possibility that something did happen to Melio suddenly became much more real.

 

[Rithas]

Ehb EbonChevalier Emiya Shin @LowD Karyra

---

Having Hoshino look over them was a great joy. Normally Cyra would be like 'psssfh look over yourself more like' but this time she was giving a pass. It was also good to double check that Hoshino was in fact real and not some myotropic illusion they had all conjured up from that Honey they ate. Anyway, Hoshino asked a question that Cyra raised an eyebrow at.

"Melio, yeah. I mean you can literally see him right behind...me" Cyra looked behind her. And to the side of her. And above and behind her just to make sure. Then she did a 360 spin.
Where was Melio?
Not again. Not Again. Not Again!

"He was with us the entire time..." She whispered under her breath.

Hoshino was a mysterious disappearance in weird circumstances. This one was unfair. He had been with them the entire time.
Melio couldn't be by himself. He'd get bored to death without books!

Hoshino asked if they had encountered a Reffapump. Cyra tilted her head. She pulled one of the stars out of her pocket. "So the stars were you..."
Had she really been there before them.
Wait. Hoshino was a Princess?
No. Questions for later. She needed to find her brother.
Ignore everything else from the Journey.

Cyra did have one lingering thought about that journey through her quick replay of it.
Had Melio spoken a single time after they had woken up in that place?

What was she talking about? That line of thinking was wack to even explore.
Right?

"N-no. We didn't see a Leffahump. We encountered a Woozle. We beat it...I think. No help from Pete, had to rescue that oaf." No help from Melio as well, he just kinda got frozen. But they had gotten him out of that. Pete had disappeared with everything....He didn't. Did he? No. Cyra rescued him herself. He had to owe her for that!

"Wait. D-Do you think he might be stuck back in that world with that suspect yellow bear or something!?"

 

[Emiya Shin]

Ehb Karyra Rithas EbonChevalier

---

Ruka was so glad that she managed to land that knockout hit on that Woozle. Even so, she was not giving up just yet. The spunky girl was planning to beat the Phantom, until it was not moving. Fortunately, she realized Pete's request, which was capturing it. And so, the adrenaline within her body slowly left her, as she settled down with the others for the night. When it was bed time, Ruka decided to sleep on the wooden boards, as that will not stain the only clothes that she had on herself. Wooden board or not, it has been a long day for Ruka, and she was soon fast asleep...

... Without expecting that the scenery will dramatically change by the time she woke up. Like all the others, the brash girl was pretty much surprised that they were back at the Faerie Tree.

Yep. The kids were now back at Twilight Town. Wait a minute, was that their prized possessions underneath the Faerie Tree, and a circlet of flowers? Ruka's eyes went wide when she saw her shark plushie gotten irreparably damaged, and soiled. Even so, she still hugged the broken plushie, as a certain someone approached the group of kids.

Ruka was once again, went dazed for the nth time. It was Hoshino, dressed in the colors of the Magus Order.

"B-Big Sis?" She instinctively blurted that out when her eyes met Hoshino's.

Even so, something was terribly off. Was that a threatening aura? Fortunately, the aura did not last long, as Cyra and Karam managed to calm down Hoshino. It felt like she was second-guessing their existence. Ruka remained standing at where she was, while still hugging that shark plushie. It was her first item that she bought with her own munny after all. When Hoshino pointed out that Melio was missing, Ruka did looked around, and seems like it was true after all. The girl could only closed her eyes, and sighed, while Cyra explained the situation to Hoshino.

"Big Sis Cyra was right, Big Sis Hoshino. I don't think we ever met a Heffalump. We did fought against a Woozle, and it got captured by a person named Pete on that other world Karam mentioned. He looked like a hunter, and he said that he knew Fatuita."

Ruka then further clutched on her severely damaged shark plushie, and slowly looked down at the ground with an exhausted expression. "That Woozle also impersonated as Kipo, but thankfully Big Sis Cyra, and Bro Karam managed to figure out which one is the Woozle, and we had beaten that thing down..."

 

[Karyra]

Ehb Rithas

---

The fight finished quickly, and Akane felt like a whirlwind of things happened all at once.

Spoiler: Skit: Frozen in Place, Fear of Freeze?

Akane: "I'm sorry I wasn't much help before, with the Woozle. When I stood so close to it I think I got hit by that attack too. Maybe that's a good thing, if I had helped..." Akane pauses "we would have gotten super confused."
Pete: "I got my eye on you! I'm still not one hundred percent convinced you're the real deal! You seemed real content letting everyone fight what's supposed be a 'copy' of you!"
Akane: "I'm sorry Mister Pete." sniffle "Are you feeling better after she froze you? I'm still pretty cold. You can sit closer to the fire if you need."
Pete: grumbling Pete noises "...I have conflictin' feelings about you asking me that question. Given you tried splashin' me the moment we met."
Cyra: Pokes Pete with a stick "Because you shot her with a net!" She rolls her eyes "Honestly, look at her cute eyes of sadness trying to be kind and you're out here being passive aggressive to a child........."
"Again!"
Pete: "Owch!...! Hey!" nabs the stick off Cyra "Who in the world taught you yer manners? A tree?!"
Akane: "Pfft, haha! Thanks, Cyra. I... I'm gonna be stronger and make it so we can actually fight off the Woozles without worrying if it's not me or is me. Jeez, Woozles are difficult..."
SKIT END

She laid on the ground, tracing the stars. They were more clear here, but also deeply wrong. Each she'd learned about were shifted to the wrong place, and even as she tried to count them her mind drifted off...

When she awoke, she thought she was still dreaming, thinking those familiar skies and noises were just her mind still waking up and filling in her familiar home. But this wasn't her room in the Orphanage. She sat up immediately, feeling leaves fall out of her messy hair. This was Twilight Town? This was Twilight Town!

Akane saw the pile of stuff. Struggle bats... books... a plushie. Akane blinked. Her plushie. A tiny turtle that had been beaten up by the weather. She scrambled over to grab him, pulling the toy close to her heart.

She was so absorbed into holding the plushie and just being happy to be back, she missed what everyone else saw. Their claims and talking eventually pulled Akane back from her moment.

Akane followed the group, staying quiet. She'd already encountered a Woozle who looked just like herself, so proving that you are... well yourself is really hard. Maybe they should come up with a system for later. Just a way to tell the difference between her and a fake. She figured Melio would explain their... reappearance... wait where was he? Oh no, did he get left behind?

Wait.

"We encountered a Woozle. And Ruka is right, it looked like me. But it could use Deep Freeze and other powerful magic. But... how long were we gone? We felt like we were only in that world for a day. But..." Akane looked at the Kalimba that Cyra was holding. "This much damage can't be done in a single day... right? And you're wearing Magus Order colors?"

 

[EbonChevalier]

Ehb Rithas
Karam put up with the dotting and tutting over him. It wasn't the first time Hoshino had gotten worried about them and it wouldn't be the last. But at the mention of one of their number being gone his heart almost skipped a beat in surprise. He turned around and his eyes darted hither and thither. What had happened to him and where had he gone? Karam swore he was right with them when they went to that strange world.

Karam's eyes widened and he screamed.

"MELIO!"

They left to find a sibling only to lose another!
Karam immediately started pacing about, his mind replaying that whole strange adventure. To see when Melio might've vanished. Like Cyra he remembers him being frozen but Karam was certain they'd thawed him out before they went to sleep!

"H-hoshino......how long have we been gone....."

With Melio missing and Hoshino knowing about those strange creatures of that weird forest it was obvious something was up.

 

[Ehb]

Hoshino smiled in a vain attempt to hide how she herself was about as overwhelmed as the children were. A moment ago, she felt like she was wanting to cry, seeing them miraculously alive again. But was she only feeling that way because at that moment, she simply felt like what she was seeing was impossible? But, the fact that the children were still here. The fact they were alive and not gone save for one of them. The wave of emotions that were almost overcoming Hoshino was being kept at bay by the questions that had been haunting her this past year.

She listened to them.


From what Hoshino understood, the children were describing that they had in fact entered the Faerie Core for the Hundred Acre Woods, were Pooh and his Friends Lived. They apparently had stumbled there while looking for her on that night.

While there, the apparently met Pooh. They also met what sounded like a Core Intruder. Additionally, they seemed to insist that they encountered and fought one of the world's Woozles. But, the worried furrow on Hoshino's brow only became more pronounced as the children continued to describe the fact that it took the form of Akane, and had fought against it. That was... that was the behavior of not a woozle but rather a heffalump. And, it was far more dangerous.

There was a strong possibility that Melio became a part of the story that played in the Hundred Acre Woods' Faerie Core.

Based on the children having been together in the world up until this moment they arrived back here then that was likely the case. This was something shge was going to have to report to Magus Order. Especially if she wanted any help in possibly rescuing him. But... that would put these children in danger as well, if Magus Order found out these children has survived that night, and had now managed to return.


Breathing in, Hoshino gave her younger siblings a beaming smile.

"Well everyone, I can say one thing. It sure seem like a whole lot has happened to all of us this past year."

A year?
Did Hoshino just tell them all that, in that one day walking around the woods, they'd been away from Twilight town for a year? Well, that did explain why their toys got so old and musty. But, then again, why were they left out here in the open? Did the just get thrown out here?

Seeing Akane holding her musty dolls and Cyra holding her damaged Kalimba. Pretty much everyone had their precious things beat up by being left out here in the elements. Accutely aware of this, Hoshino looked at them all apologetically.

"I'm sorry everyone I thought that if I left your guys' favorite stuff out here you'd eventually come back looking for them... ah! Well I guess it sort of did work in the end though. I'm just super, super glad you guys are all okay."

And Melio...

"A-and I think we'll find soon Melio just like I was able to find you all. Don't worry, just leave it to me and Fatuita! All our friends in Magus Order will be able to find him eventually."

Hearing Hoshino say that gave the children some reassurance that things would work out somehow for him.

"But you know? I need all of you to make a really important promise to me, okay?"

Hoshino winked at them while making a shush gesture with her index finger.

"I need you to promise that you'll never, ever, under any circumstance tell anyone else about what happened. That you went to that other world, that you saw Pooh and his friends, the 'Woozle', all of it. Okay? Please promise me you won't tell anyone else no matter what."

Some of the children couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that statement.
Did they do something wrong by being transported to that other world against their will?

Still, the solemnity of Hoshino's words were not lost to them. She was serious about them making, and keeping this promise.
While at the time where were a little confused at Hoshino's insistence, they would come to someday understand why they made that promise to her, and hopefully, it would be from that understanding that they could understand why things turned out the way they did.

And so:

Cyra Rithas , Karam EbonChevalier , Akane Karyra , and Ruka Emiya Shin each said to their sister:

 

[EbonChevalier]

Karam sucked in a sharp breath at what Hoshino said. A year. They spent one day in that weird place but a year had passed! He shouldn't have been that alarmed as he'd brought it up as theory. But the idea of a whole year of your life just going poof was bonkers. He reached down and picked up the not deflated ball he used to knock around in the square. Was someone else putting on a show at the plaza now? And what about the younger kids? He and the others did a lot to help out Fatuita and Hoshino. Had things gotten worse since they'd left?

And exactly what had happened to Melio? He believed Hoshino and Fatuita would do everything they could to bring him back. But, he got the suspicion Hoshino was leaving something out about how. The promise she made them keep made him all the more suspicious.

"Okay, I won't tell anyone."

He made an X over his heart.

"Cross my heart and hope to die.But tell us what been happening we were gone for a whole year."

Maybe Hoshino had her reasons for this. That was all he could assume until he knew more.
Ehb Rithas Emiya Shin

 

[Karyra]

Ehb

---

Year.

They had been gone a year. Akane fell to her knees, stunned.

"It- we were gone a day. Just-" Akane stammered. "No one would believe us, even if we said what happened. there's no point. What should we say happened instead? Because we've been gone a year and now we're back out of nowhere."

Akane held her turtle doll close to her heart.

"I promise, but... I want to join the Magus Order. I need to be better."

 

[Emiya Shin]

Ehb Karyra Rithas EbonChevalier

---

Like the others, Ruka were also quite stunned, when Hoshino revealed that they have been away for a year. She was basically speechless, and merely looked at Hoshino with widened eyes, and her mouth agape. Hoshino continued on, apologizing that she had left their precious belongings under the Faerie Tree, and even assured that they can find Melio.

Then, comes the next shocker. The children had to keep their experience an utmost secret. Ruka cannot help herself, but frowned at that request. She really wanted to know what had happened to them. After Kipo, and Karam spoke their minds out...

"I'll keep that as a secret, Big Sis Hoshino. But um..." She clutched her shark plushie with pout. "Can you actually tell us... what happened that night? The night where you left the mansion, please...?"

 

[Rithas]

Ehb EbonChevalier Emiya Shin Karyra

---

Cyra shook her head and blinked. "A year!?" But that!....they were only!...and that entire time!...
She was so right being in a hurry that entire time!
And she already had to work hard enough trying to show that she was just as senior as Hoshino. And now she had a whole extra year to catch up on!?
Wait. Did her age count from her physical time or just the time from her date of birth. In which case, was she now 13 near 14. Was that better? She was as mature as any adult, so...result?

Hoshino having some words of comfort on finding Melio gave Cyra some relief on her current stress. Compared to Hoshino's disappearance when all anyone could go was 'Who?' it was a remarked improvement. That it was then going to be up to Fatiuta and the Magnus order was a little less ideal. She had never gotten on with her or the order of losers and them not finding Cyra and co for apparently a YEAR was not doing much to build any resemblance of fondness!

Which is why when Hoshino requested a pledge of secrets against anyone outside the circle around the log, Cyra merely nodded her head. So much so that she kinda forgot to say something until after everyone else was finished.

"Pfffft duh~ Do you think I have any words to say to any annoying adult or dweeb wearing a uniform." She looked her sister over. "That isn't named Hoshino?" A cough. "Don't need a promise for that obvious fact."

Seriously, telling other people? When have other people that weren't her siblings been any help to her? Ever been reliable?
Never.
That was the answer.

"Really. The less people who don't know what they're doing getting in our way the better." Cyra pricked one of the tabs on the Kalimba. It made more of a wet slap then any sort of musical note. The girl sighed at the sound of a year's absence.


"But the others are right. We gotta know what happened over the year of our, er." Cyra scratched her head. "...extended beach sabbatical?"

 

[Ehb]

EbonChevalier Karyra Emiya Shin Rithas

---

The children made their promise. Not to tell anyone about their year-long absence in that other world.

And on that similar note, everyone seemed to have the same question to ask Hoshino as well, 'what happened here in twilight town in the past year, then?'

"Well, a whole lot of things sure can happen in a whole year." She said, once again smiling in a slightly overwhelmed fashion. "I suppose the most pressing issue here is that the Orphanage and the Forests around Twilight Town aren't all too safe anymore! There's a lot more Phantoms reaming out here now. Even during the day."

No way, that much of a change? It got that bad already?
The children remembered vividly that Phantoms only appeared in the forest during the night. Now they had the strength... the ability to show up in the day?

"There's been a problem with increasing Phantom activity for some time now. In any case, we all moved behind the walls of Twilight Town. I was looking for you all even after the adults gave up and; They said to not come out here anymore necessarily, but I kept on believing that you all were somewhere out here even after you all disappeared from the Orphanage that night. And, honestly..."

I was coming here to say goodbye for the last time.

Hoshino caught tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Not wanting to worry the children anymore, she cut herself off from saying anything more.

"...But you guys all showed back up! So right now, it's more important to get back into town so we don't get chased by scary Phantoms!"


The children began to truly understand that the words their sister said about how 'a lot had happened' were true. Not only had a year passed, but things had gotten to the point that they couldn't even go back to the Orphanage in the woods anymore. Well, for some of them they didn't even necessarily want to stay in that Orphanage forever. Some wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible - with all the leaky parts of the building, and the occasional lack of beds. But, the fact that the place that they had just snuck out of one night had just become a place that they should never go back to anymore out of necessity, was just such a clarifying illustration at the year that had gone by was certainly a whole year.

But then, where to go from here?

Was it even safe to be in Twilight Town anymore? Would Cyra be able to complete any more eating challenges? Would Karam still be able to draw large crowds of people to his shows at Market Square? Would Ruka be able to turn her luck around with so many phantoms now swarming the area around town? And Akane...

She wanted to join Magus Order.





"You want to join Magus Order? Akane...!"

The tone in Hoshino's voice sounded the exact same way it did when she was scolding Cyra for something she did. But she quickly toned herself down, since it was Akane.

"...I know that it seems like Joining Magus Order like Fatuita is the only way to get stronger, and I know a whole year passing is really surprising. But, you know? There's lots of other ways to 'be strong' too. There's helping out people in the town like we always do - there's lots people need help with too! Even just being adopted, and being well behaved can help someone."

Akane and the others could sort of understand what Hoshino was getting at. Sort of.
But there was something even bigger than that, which they noticed.

Hoshino sounded like she was very much against the idea of any of them joining Magus Order. By just how hard she just tried to dissuade Akane from the idea. Even though she had just tried to go about it as gently as she could in the moment. Just as the children saw through what Hoshino was really saying, Hoshino saw them reflecting that notion right back to her.

"Let me re-do that..."

"What I wanted to really say, is that you don't need to be good at destroying Phantoms with Magic to be strong. There's other ways to help too! Like being kind to people and caring for them - not just with Cure Magic either, but in trying to save people's Hearts." Hoshino looked amongst the four children. "Delighting people in Market Square is fine. Trying your hardest all the time works too! Watching out for people's well being, and being considerate. A Strong Heart is more important than even the Strongest Magic, you know?"


Hoshino walked up to Akane, and gently patted some of the dust off of it.

"Don't worry, Akane. We'll find Melio somehow. You don't need to have to join Magus Order to save him. I'll definitely get him back."

Spoiler: Dearly Beloved - Promise Under a Tree

The children were a little surprised to hear Akane - the one whom had been meekly trying to adjust to arriving at the Orphanage, making such a statement. Going to Magus Order, following in Fatuita's footsteps. They didn't know everything about Magus Order, but every tidbit of it that trickled down to them sounded difficult and dangerous. They wondered if Akane really understood the full extent of what she was volunteering to put herself through.

Hoshino was always against the children going into Magus Order. While the children didn't pay it much mind, most of the time - they knew Hoshino and Fatuita would argue over the topic from time to time when they thought they couldn't see them. But, looking down at their now aged precious things. The children - for the first time maybe - just realized just how fleeting their time was. Just like their toys, their childhood wasn't going to last forever.

Should Akane reconsider joining Magus Order?
Should they themselves even think about it?

Either way, with the attention focused on what Akane had just said, it felt like the children should've voiced their opinion on their sister's declaration - and either support or dissuade her from that decision.

 

[Karyra]

Ehb

---

At Hoshino's comments, Akane shook her head. She managed to stand her ground against Hoshino's tone. The one reserved for the thickheaded Cyra.

"It's not about strength, big sis. It's about knowledge. I- that thing impersonated me and I didn't know how to stop it. All I could do was cry when we were abandoned in the woods. It- I'm not going to join just to save Melio either. I just," she hugged her weathered little turtle for strength, the seams softly popped in her hands. "I hate being in the dark. I hate not knowing what to do. My heart is weak, big sis. To get anywhere, I need to know more to get stronger."

For the first time, Akane stared Hoshino straight in the eyes. "Besides, you're one to talk. You're in your Magus Order uniform right now, aren't you."

 

[EbonChevalier]

'Woah....'

Karam was not expecting to hear that coming from Ak-no! Kipo of all people! 'Akane going the distance and joining the Magus guild......' He thought. From someone so meek it sounded like a burst of insanity. But the reasons Akane gave made perfect sense. Out of their little gang, she's the meekest it makes sense that she wouldn't want to be like that forever. And Karam was feeling a bit meek himself too. Melio went missing. A whole year of their lives, just gone. And the general weirdness of that strange world they went to. It had completely shaken up his world. He could only imagine how Akane felt.

But whatever she was feeling she didn't need to feel it alone.

"I gotta agree with Akane on this one big sis." He stepped forward. "Things are getting more dangerous and you'll never know when we'll have another brush with danger again. We were all out of our depth back there. And I was honestly winging it most of the Ttime and hoping things would turn out."

He placed a comforting hand on Akane's shoulder.

"Akane's got the right idea let us join the Magus Guild so we can at least be more prepared."
Ehb Karyra Emiya Shin Rithas

 

[Emiya Shin]

Ehb Karyra Rithas EbonChevalier

---

Ruka listened to Hoshino's further explanation for the past year, and there were more bad news rather than good news. There were noticeable increases of Phantom activity, which caused the citizens of Twilight Town retreated to the walls. She could only frown at the reveals from Hoshino. It also seemed that the spunky girl forgot Kipo, or Akane did announced her intention to join the Magus Order. She did not thought about it, until Hoshino tried her best to dissuade her. It was through Hoshino's explanation, it seemed that there were huge costs of joining the Magus Guild.

At this moment, Ruka was pretty much clueless at this point. Even Karam agreed with Akane's decision. Though one thing for sure, Ruka felt that such decision has to be made carefully. Considering that the group of children had just returned from an alternate world, the spunky girl decided that she wanted to go back to the Orphanage's new location.

"Ummm..." She called out to the others. "How about we, uh... Head back to the Orphanage first? I think... it's better if we think this through, Kipo. Perhaps Big Sis Hoshino can offer her experience after joining the Magus Guild? Besides, if Big Sis Hoshino was right, we're in a dangerous place right now..."

 

[Rithas]

Ehb EbonChevalier Emiya Shin Karyra

---

The phantom problem had gotten worse? So they were waiting for her to be absent to strike. Figures, she did absolutely destroy that one phantom so it was logical. But bad enough for everyone to retreat within the walls? The orphanage just gone from their reach just like that? That was gonna be weird. A day long year gap and their home was basically poofed. It and all it's falling apart, dusty, moist, cold, drafty, noisy, mysteriously smelling of something she could never put her finger on, broken glory. Hmm, when she put it like that...

"It was a little weird they stuck all the orphans in the middle of a dark forest...." the girl responded to the news, thoughtfully forming a L with her hand beneath her chin.

Where were they meant to stay now, the steak house? Oh she really hoped it was there. Wait. No. Then there'd be a bunch of little kids in the way of her completing the challenge. No, wait some more. If it had been a year and things had gotten more hectic then it was possible they had removed the pinnacle of challenges all together! She wasn't sure her heart would recover from that.

"Eh?" She responded with a head tilt at a familar tone often shot at her. But hearing Akane name's being used, Cyra settled back into thinking about the new path she must take if the Super Mega Uber Steak Challenge was truly was gone to the wind...

Then a tone change brought the rest of her attention to the conversation. A bite back from someone she wasn't aware had teeth. It didn't take long for her to make a face.

"Woah!" Cyra put her palms out. "Woah woah woah woah..." She shook her head. "Woah."

"Joining the Magnus Order? Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves!" The girl turned to face the rest of the group and took a step back, nearly touching shoulders with Hoshino. "We don't need them! They're not gonna magically -" Cyra grasped at the air a few times as if she was trying to physically grab the words she wanted to use. "make you stronger or something! They'd just tell you what to do and that task would be stupid. They didn't bring us back from that place for a whole year! We did it in a day! If we were treading water then they were buried in the seabed!"

Where was this coming from? One magical bear trip and a rather turmoUlotus reveal of a year skip and now suddenly both Akane and Karam wanted to sign up for the Order!? Why was there an apparent lifepath clearance going from the duo? Not to mention Ruka had not outwardly denounce such an idea. Yeah, maybe they did need to go back to the orphanage (wherever it was now) but this didn't need to be uttered. Did they not realise joining that stupid thing would have them essentially separated?

"The thought is simple! So we saw one weird hefolump, big deal. We dealt with it. You were plenty of help, no adult supervision needed! We don't need to break up our fa- um, opinion on the order. What's wrong with having a big heart?"

So it was clear where Cyra stood on that idea, not that it was any surprise whatsoever. Nothing positive was ever said about that specific group of people from Cyra.

"She does raise one good point Hoshino. Why exactly are you in a friggin' uniform anyway." Cyra pinched one of Hoshino's sleeves with a raised eyebrow, the older sibling's arm just awkwardly being lifted with the tightening fabric. "Did they have spares from lack of interest? You just liked their colour scheme? Wait, have you been drafted!?" She wasn't entirely clear what that word meant but she had heard a mother say it to a son once in a strained tone so - "It does not help your argument if you wear the enemies colours sis."

 

[Ehb]

EbonChevalier Karyra Emiya Shin Rithas \

---

It was surprising to see Akane cling onto such a bold idea. But it was clearly apparent to Hoshino that the one day/one year ordeal in the Hundred Acre Woods had given the normally meek girl a perspective and realization at the obstacles that the world presented. Fearing the unknowns, Akane was seeking out the one strong looking thing she knew - joining Magus Order. Karam was also for the idea, wanting to join Magus Order alongside Akane.

The children and their weak place in a world with many, many dark and unknown things lurking in it. Fearful of that - it was only natural to want to join Magus Order. The beacon of light that was actively trying to save the world. Though, to say they were trying was an understatement. There were individuals putting their very hearts on the line in order to find a way to at least buy precious time for a breakthrough.

Time that they could only purchase by throwing themselves at the Phantoms until they'd get overwhelmed. It was the same case in all other parts of the world that had fallen to the darkness at this point. Akane, Karam... not even Cyra knew just how... hopeless the situation in the realm of light was at this moment. But also, it wasn't right, Hoshino felt, to just keep everyone sheltered away from the harsh truths of the world. She would have failed her job as a big sister if their hearts were weak.

Thus, ultimately it was a good thing for Akane to want to seek out strength, and even to do that by joining the Magus Order.
But, what was also certain was that 'joining magus order' was much, much more than just walking through the door and being handed a stick to fight Phantoms.

Ruka and Cyra both pointed this out. That Akane and Karam might've been saying brave words now, but that they were saying it without really knowing just how much that all would really entail - they were right to think this.

Nodding, Hoshino agreed to the sentiment that it was best to not make any hasty declarations. Nodding to Cyra standing beside her.

"Akane, Karam... It's good to see you've both found something to work towards and be passionate about , but maybe lets talk more about Magus Order after we've all gotten back to the safety of town before making any definite decisions, 'kay?"

"It might've been just a day for you all in the Faerie Core, but it's still important you all get rest after going through that."



Hoshino mentioned to the children that they were about to move.
The children gathered up what cherished thing they still wanted to hold onto and were willing to lug through the forest.

"Though, wait a moment." Hoshino said looking a little disheartened. "Is it really that hard to believe that I'm actually in Magus Order? I got assigned these clothes because I've been a member the whole time! ...why are you all acting like that's a surprising thing to find out?"

There was a corner in some of the children's minds that were able to find humor seeing Hoshino getting self conscious about them being surprised in seeing her wear a Magus Order uniform. She might've had the Order Uniform on, but she was still Hoshino underneath.

It sort of felt like a prime moment to tease her about it?

 

[Emiya Shin]

Ehb Karyra Rithas EbonChevalier

---

Ruka was expecting that Cyra would agree with Akane, and Karam's idea on joining the Magus Order for power, but it was obvious that she was also against it too. Hoshino also agreed that they should head back to Twilight Town, before they can talk more about the Magus Order. Ruka of course, took her precious belongings that was left under the Faerie Tree. She was planning to keep herself quiet, and tail Hoshino, but she just had to bring up about the fact that she is now wearing the uniform of the Magus Order.

"That's because Fatuita wore the uniform all the time, not you, Big Sis Hoshino." Ruka plainly spoke her thoughts out. "If anything, you're the one who always argue with Fatuita, and now you're wearing the same uniform as her..."

 

[Rithas]

Ehb EbonChevalier Emiya Shin Karyra

---

Cyra's look of mild confusion slowly sank into a pool of sourness. "Wait. What? I thought that was like..." Cyra clapped her hands together. "I-run-ick or something."

What exactly happened to say what you mean, mean what you say. More imporantly. Doing what you mean. Was Hoshino honestly telling them that she had joined them with full heart!? You disappear from existence for an entire year and suddenly people start backtracking on their words and committing to life decisions in your absence! "This is....convoluted! Your deep concern laced in a heart-felt message now like....an icecream seller warning about the dangers of dairy!"

Uncool! Not Fun! Vastly Concerning!

Cyra gripped the Kalimba in her hand. "A-a-and frankly! Not a good colour scheme to go with your eyes and hair!"

 

[EbonChevalier]

@Ebh @Karya Rithas Emiya Shin

Karam looked at his clothes at the mention of getting out of the woods and into town. While by no means covered in filth his clothes were dirty. And... he took a whiff of the air. He and the girls had a slightly strong odor to them, He could really use a bath too. "Yeah, I got so caught up in the moment I felt like I had to say something. And I really could use a hot bath and a hot meal"

Karam gathered his now deflated struggle ball confident he could fix it. When the topic of her wardrobe came up he spoke after the other. " Well, I was pretty much thinkin' what Cyra and Ruka were. E-except the who color scheme thing. But also....." Karam rolled the words in his head to make them seem less harsh. "I didn't think the Magus Guild was a good fit for someone with your........level of coordination..." (Translation: "You such a klutz I didn't think they'd take you.)

 

[Ehb]

---

"That's because Fatuita wore the uniform all the time, not you, Big Sis Hoshino."

"Eh? Is that so, Ruka?"

"A-a-and frankly! Not a good colour scheme to go with your eyes and hair!"

"Gyaaa! Cyra you too!?"

"I didn't think the Magus Guild was a good fit for someone with your........level of coordination..."

"...even Karam?"

A dejected Hoshino dramatically fell to the ground on her knees at the absolutely ruthless opinions of her returned charges. How cruel!
She was dependable! She was! The children felt some comfort in Hoshino still being Hoshino.

The four looking at the sorry state of their sister's now crushed confidence could only now remember that she was just a little bit sensitive about her belief in herself - and it was a common kindness among the children among the children of the orphanage to not be too harsh on her for her occasional waywardness since... well it was big sister Hoshino after all. Though, that being said, they also couldn't help but remember that it was them seeking out Hoshino for not coming back home that lead to all this.

But of course, it wasn't always like this. Going out to find Hoshino wasn't new, actually. There'd been times that Cyra had gone out to fetch Hoshino back from Twilight Town before bedtime.

That was before the Phantoms started to become a problem though. It was before Magus Order came around and put up the barrier around the Orphanage. For Cyra, she remembered there was a time where children would go play outside in the forest even after the sun went down. Of course, with the Phantoms, that was now impossible.

Even more worse - the entirety of the Forest seemed to be off limits now, based on what Hoshino had told them. All in the span of just a single day for the children.

---

Recomposing herself, Hoshino was eventually able to start leading everyone out from the Faerie Tree and back to Twilight Town.
Despite the apparent danger of the woods, the way back was uneventful. Though, as Hoshino retraced her steps back, the children couldn't help but count several piles of tell-tale ashes on the way back. It reminded them to keep up the pace to make into town before dark.

They arrived at the main gates of their hometown just a bit before dusk. The fading light was enough to have the children appreciate just how much things had changed...



Namely, the blue glow. Veins of glowing magic were strewn around town like vines. Against the walls, up to the tops of the tallest roofs in Twilight Town. Maybe most striking was the clocktower at sunset station - practically now unrecognizable. The grand looking crown of the town's central station was now a hive of these blue veins. The modified tower radiated a barrier that encompassed the entire settlement all the way past it's walls.

As the sun continued to set even further, a blue hue the town communicated was dull and fearful. It was as if the town was keeping a vigilant watch on itself, to see it not fall to the Darkness, even if it now had become a cold catacomb of Magic Veins and Barrier Projectors.


At the foot of one of the gates, the group stopped just before the doors. Presumably the now needed to wait for the guard to let them back in.


It was in taking this now unfamiliar setting that the children realized that Hoshino had just summoned a massive key into her hand. What was she going to use that for, a door? The gates?

Some of the children felt like they needed a MAJOR time out. The veins, the barrier, the entire look of the town now just modified so drastically, it was making them wonder if it was even the same twilight town. Hoshino's sudden ability to make giant keys come out of the air. What in the world was all this? The children had already accepted that yes, a whole year had went by, and things were no doubt going to be different, but this was.... this was too much!

"There's... probably going to be some not-too-pretty things you're going to see in there. But again, it's important everyone, even the town's people - work together to try to save Twilight Town from the darkness. Just remember our promise. And... when we go past those gates, we don't know each other anymore, okay? It's just pretend though. I want you guys to pretend that I just found you all out in the forest, and I'm bringing you back into town for safety."

The soft and sincere tone Hoshino said to the children drove the point home that this growing web of lies was necessary. Still, wouldn't the town's people... or other orphans be glad to see them again like Hoshino was? A sick feeling was developing in some of the children's stomachs. A feeling that said that there was only more bad news beyond the walls of Twilight Town. Hoshino, ever the big sister, could sense the growing unease among the children.


EbonChevalier Karyra Emiya Shin Rithas \
"...We still have some time before sundown. Why don't we rest just a bit? I got a bit of food left to ration. Actually, I think I can make something special since I have some salt. Karam, Cyra, can you grab some twigs and break them to be like popsicle sticks? ...and Ruka, help me mix these ingredients up, and Akane... can you help me out with some of your Blizzard Magic?"

With something to do, the children did as tasked. Not much normal to how Hoshino normally would delegate out things. But considering salt and blizzard magic was involved, it was clear what Hoshino was planning to prepare...

It was up to the children to help prep it all together!


=================================================
A New Reaction Sequence is in Play!

[ △ Prepare a Treat! ]

1 - Cyra or Karam gather sticks and break them to be like popsicle sticks.
2 - Ruka or Cyra or Karam mix the salt, and sweet cream.
3 - Akane or Hoshino use Blizzard Magic to freeze the mixture with the sticks to make ice cream!

 

[EbonChevalier]

Ehb Rithas Karyra Emiya Shin
"Whoa....."

The changes to Twilight Town were staggering, to say the least. His eyes traced the network of glowing blue veins crisscrossing within his field of sight. It seemed unreal yet here it was the town he knew barely recognizable. He winced when Hoshino said he had to pretend not to know her. It felt wrong. It felt weird. What would they do? And where would they go now? That and many more questions ran through his mind but were interrupted by his stomach. 'Pete's eats didn't really last that long....' He thought. When Hoshino brought up making some sea salt ice cream.
Using twigs for popsicle sticks did sound unsanitary. But he was hungry. He and others need something to do. And.....making a dozen cold salty snacks is the closest he'd get to the good old days.

"Sure nice lady, be right back."

It took some walking but he did find a few dry sticks in the park. Enough for a bakers dozen of Sea Salt pops. Whipping out his struggle hammer he go to work.

*SMASH* *SMASH* *SMASH*

"There that should be enough for all of us."

 

[Rithas]

Ehb EbonChevalier Emiya Shin Karyra

---

If she was to ignore the apparent existential dread of her homeland slowly being devoured by the haunting nightmares of an eternal darkness that seemed to never stop advancing upon their very livelihoods. And any resemblance of the light left literally being twisted and malformed into something different in the absence of her being plucked from the world for a whole year compressed into the day. And that her sister was now insisting that as soon as they entered a place that they had wandered freely to act like they had never been here before like they were lost forest children. The orphans pretending to be orphans. If she could forget all that...

Which she could.
Cause she was twelve.
Or thirteen...darn how does this count again?

Then Cyra was only left to remark on how blue everything was.

"Sure is...blue."
You see?

Cyra couldn't help but give Hoshino some side-eye every so often,
"Yes. Haha. New place. No one would recognise me for any reason. Haha. No picture of me on any restaurant. That still exists!"
....
"That still exists?"
.........
"That still exists!?"

It was good that Karam started to take action on this whole popsicle thing cause Cyra wasn't sure what added indentation she could add on the fourth repeat. Maybe the implication of typed underline or som- Wow Karam was really going ham against those sticks.

"Wow, I guess I'll go mix this. Non-Cha-lant-le-y"

She stared at the bowl, holding the various ingredients in her hands.
Pfft, this was easy. There was no previous record of her failing to succeed in making some sort of dish before anyway.

"And a little something like this..."
Cyra willy-nilly poured a ratio of stuff into things before swirling it around with her...literally nothing she had with her was hygenic so she resorted to using her fighting stick.

"So is...teleporting apparel a new fashion trend or...like is that a one time thing or is it like...more then that? Like in a resturant that still exists right" Cyra said to no-one, staring right at her sister as she absently mixed around the bowl.

Well...maybe she wasn't gonna forget the whole summoning a key thing completely.

 

[Karyra]

Ehb Rithas

---

It wasn't physical strength she was seeking with the Magus Order, really. It was knowing what the heck was going on. They knew, and she was in the dark with a year lost and gone. Hoshino had lied to them about being in the order too! Akane was so... so... so frustrated!

Her anger bubbled silently as they walked back to town.

She couldn't even recognize her home. The clock tower, where 'd spent all her time, now she had to pretend all of this was just a stranger finding them blind and dumb in the woods. That no one would be happy to see them. Hoshino had a giant key and had been just lying to them, icing over all this as if it were normal. As if everything they had gone through was just a long trip and everything was fine.

Cyra handed over the mixture for ice cream over to Akane, and she just looked at it for a moment. Normally, she'd hold herself back. Let it get a little frozen with magic, but she was furious, so she let it all go wild. What the result would be... would be.