(GS3) Field: Rijuku Park

[Cece Lockhart]

"Huh? Oh... it's you... ugh, your presence... it's disgusting! You are... you are so weak! How did you even manage to exist? And now you dare walk up to me and speak to me like an equal? Seems like someone needs to learn where their place in the world is. But you aren't even worth my time... purifying you wouldn't even save you! But don't worry, I will spare you of your existence and allow you to be my stepping stool! HAHAHAHA!" Noel begins to laugh hysterically at the thought that Khudus had the nerves to come up to her. She snapped her fingers and Reverse fighters from everywhere that heard the sound of her fingers came to her like a shield of protection. "Yes... entertain me, let's see how long... you will last..."

Noel then walks away from the park uninterested at what will happen to Khudus

[ShadowCM]

Khudus saw Noel walk off as another swarm of Reversed fighters surrounded him. ..heh weak. How soon you forget Noel. I will show you. His eyes started to change a little and became fierce as a beast. All the fighters surrounded him and started to fight him simultaneously. It was an intense bunch of fights. He was cornered at 5 damage and reversed fighters around him cackled. Khudus looking at the ground. The fighters continued to cackle when suddenly a deep laugh starts to break through the cackling. The reversed fights stop cackling and look around and soon notice it is Khudus who is laughing. Cornered. In this sort of fight. Sorry you lot but thats too funny. Prepare yourself!

They looked at him confused but Khudus just drew a card and then closed his eyes.Blue dragon sleeping on the blue planet. Listen to my call, wake up and descent to the field! Break Ride! Divine Beast, Azure Dragon! The reversed fighters didn't seem too impressed but Khudus was feeling good. First boosted by Blank Marsh Golden Anglet attacks your Vanguard. They accept the damage and are at 4 damage. Next attack was Black Tortoise attack with another Blank Marsh boosting. They blocked it but Black Tortoise skill aided him. Now Khudus was set. Blue Dragon launch your attack White Tiger boosts. Azure Dragon attack. They accept it and drive check reveals no triggers. The reverse fighters are feeling good but Khudus is still smiling.

Ethics Buster break ride skill. Golden Anglet and Black Tortoise stand. The rear guards stand much to surprise to the fighters. Next Azure Dragon Limit Break. Blank Marshes stand. The two Grade 1's stand meaning Khudus had two full powered attacks. But he wasn't done. As Golden Anglet stood he gets +3000. Now boosted by Blank Marsh, Golden Anglet attack. They manage to block it and know they on;y had one attack. But Khudus had more planned. Blank Marsh skill. Into the soul you go. Now stand once again Golden Anglet. The reversed fighters were scared. They didn't have enough to block him especially with another power up. Khudus attacked. The fighters scream in pain as they lost and reverse was undone.

Khudus smiled but suddenly felt dizzy. He managed to get to a tree before collapsing. Ugh. Too many fights. I've got nothing left. I'll find you tomorrow Noel. I'll free you of this.

[Jello]

He made it to the park on the bench near the angel statue where he always sat at. He was cold. Well, he was dead. Haruka's heartbeat stopped when he died, and restarted when Sera took over. It stopped again after he left the hospital because Sera doesn't need to use bodily processes to keep the host moving as long as he has reverse energy to move the body with an autonomic movement. His blood stopped flowing and was clotted in his veins.

Sera felt guilt pile in, knowing he killed an innocent human who served such a purpose. If this were back then...-

With a sigh, he relaxed his hands, placing them in his pockets and staring at the moon. The sadistic twisted Sera back there was a provoking hoax. Sera isn't  that sort of being. He is an entity that was only here to finish a mission with the host. Once it was over, the host would be free to continue his existence. But things just took too long, too many barricades, people got in the way and the body was easily fatigued.

Sera clenched his teeth in frustration. He didn't want this. Was this what it felt like to be human? Emotions welling up in his head that were only ever calculative and predatory. Now. Tears were capable of flowing down his cheeks. Moonlight graced the boy as it always had. Sera cried; a weeping angel in the moonlit night. Catching his breath, he shook his head, replacing his face of emotion with a mask. There was a mission to carry out, and the sinister side of him is the side everyone will have to see.

Where was Shiki when you needed him? The only person Sera found tolerable to even a slightest degree... In fact-

Hmm....

It was quiet tonight. The Reversed soldiers must be dwindling, or the town is almost overrun. Probably the latter, because the presence of Reverse energy was skyrocketing.

[Cipher Izanagi]

The crazy that had become Seifer had followed, though here he had a completely different look. It wasn't one of psychopathic rage. I mean he still looked like he was psycho, but he was much calmer, not bursting out into random laughter or taunting or anything. Quietly, and respectfully Seifer stopped a good few feet away, doing a half bow before staring at Sera. He seemed to be in thought but... "I guess if I've awoken finally, it's getting close to time?" the voice overlay was still there but faint and less pronounced. It really was just because he was calmer than at the facility.

[RosaliaIzanami]

Rosalia followed quietly from the facility, wondering just what was going to happen. It seemed before that during Seifer's psychotic rage, he was going to fight Haruka and then everyone else in the area. Could a Reverse fighter, well, fight another Reverse fighter? Haruka didn't have the marks of Reverse, but he had this other power to him... The "stalking" led the redhead to the park, watching from the stone wall that surrounded the park, figuring it would be unsafe to get any closer. But, if she was quiet enough, she could hear what was said. However, she couldn't see Haruka crying... Getting close to time?... Is there more to this invasion?... She gripped the Kagero deck rather than her Pale Moon in one hand, her phone at the ready in the other hand.

[Jello]

Reminiscence

He turned his gaze to Seifer with a small smile. With a sigh, he raised a hand. A black and red ring circled a finger and suddenly grew... and grew..... a giant red bubble began to engulf the area where Seifer and Sera stood. It created a distortion for those with high-Reverse energies, stopping anyone who wasn't connected so highly to the Reverse from entering or listening in. It took energy out of Sera to create one, but with Yukino's merciless rampages and Hana's star-stalking, it was the smart move.

"You... I." He breathed in, his lungs barely moving. Sera wasn't used to it. Taking on a human form over such a long span of time.

"Seifer. Haruka Nakahara is dead. It's probably obvious that I'm not Haruka. He's been with you for most of the time I swear to you.... But as of two nights ago in the hospital."

He fell silent. He bowed his head.

"I am sorry, I could not protect your friend." With that he stood, releasing a small orb of energy. It was red-hot, steaming itself. It was Overlord's direct connection to Haruka. The "phoenix down" should Haruka be fatally injured.

"If Haruka's body were to be fatally worn down or destroyed, this energy would activate. Haruka would be brought back to life after a semi-period dormant state. Everyone in the public will know he died, and that he is dead. Nobody must know he is alive." He waved his finger, then returned to his seat, placing the orb back in his chest.

"I have a request of you. We have a mission to fulfill and you have been chosen to finish this, along with two other generals of mine. Your task is simple. Exist. I must be released onto Cray. My people, the so-called "invaders" are taking over Cray, and at the same time, Earth. I never cared for these humans or their emotions. If they disappeared that would not make a difference to me but this boy... was somebody I found myself to care for. Protect him at all costs. I pray. I am obviously going to be hunted by the rest from this point forward... I implore you do not look for me beyond tonight. What you do is up to you from here on out.  The preparations are complete, enough energy has been collected for my departure. I will be released onto Cray, like the plan had gone. Just a few more nights for the trip." Sera smiled, staring at the sky again.

"I wish for you to do what you have set out to do. Finishing the job tonight was not simply to open the Reverse in you, but to break a seal. You have power, Seifer. Do not let it go to waste."

The barrier came down, along with the ring dissipating.

"Farewell. Do take care, my General."

He began to walk away, leaving only echoing footsteps and the faint sound of a thump. His heart began to beat once more. This was the feeling Sera had never felt before. Not truly. The feeling of living. What a feeling it is......

[Cipher Izanagi]

Seifer listened quietly. Oddly enough there wasn't a single trace of psychotic tendencies anywhere to be found from the male, even inside of the distortion. Turning his head at the mention of Haruka's death, the reversed part of Seifer, and his normal half both shed a few tears which were quickly wiped away. It hurt, both sides, tremendously. Even the psycho rampage Seifer considered Haruka almost like a brother. He figured something had happened but... And after all of that, the mentioning of Overlord and the direct connection... It struck another cord with Seifer, the human part of him. It made him realize just how alike he and Haruka actually were, bringing a deep pain to his chest. Gripping the center of his chest... Even before the distortion disappeared, Seifer's own reverse started to die down and he gritted his teeth, listening quietly, tears dropping to the earth. Haruka was like a brother to him... That's how he felt, that's why this hurt so much. As the distortion disappeared and Sera left, Seifer's reverse left him and he was just standing there whimpering quietly. He couldn't tell anyone about Haruka's fate and yet he had to bear the pain of knowing... He didn't blame Sera oddly enough... All this pain, he just... Yelled out into the night sky falling to his knees and punching the ground crying. "God dammit! Dammit!... I..." he trailed off into sobs as he gripped the grass. The reverse mark that had been so prevalent all this time was now gone, replaced with tears that pooled and fell to the ground like rain, gripping the grass... It wouldn't do anything but... His body just reacted... He hurt.

[RosaliaIzanami]

Rosalia was listening intently.. until this weird bubble consumed those she was eavesdropping on. It was terrifying, but even with Luquier Reverse still lingering in her mind, she couldn't connect to whatever this barrier was... Dammit... She debated on texting about the weird bubble, but it would be pointless. She decided to wait and see what would happen... And eventually, the bubble dispersed. Haruka walked away though, leaving Seifer alone... sobbing?... He cried out and was punching the ground. Just what happened in there?... She sent a quick text before approaching the brunette, kneeling by his side and brushing his hair back gently with her fingers. Then her hand moved to his cheek, rubbing lightly to wipe away the tears. Only then did she notice that the single mark was now gone... "I'm here, Seifer..."

[Beryl]

The strong energy Satoshi had detected at the high school had settled in the park. He stepped up to notice, not to his surprise, Seifer. However, what was a bit more surprising was the fact that he was on the ground...crying? Blast from the past, considering the War of Liberation. Then again, this felt a bit more intense.

Rosalia was at his side. It was like those two had never been apart. But that wasn't important.

The bigger question, as he continued to walk forward, was what the fading presence he felt was. A secondary one.

[Cipher Izanagi]

The male didn't even realize she'd followed, let alone that she was now at his side, and yet... He was glad she did, gripping the hem of her dress, he was now pretty much curled up into Rosalia, crying his eyes out. He just couldn't stop. His body convulsed with each sob, the male shaking. He was going to make himself sick at this rate, but it just kept coming. His eyes burned, his chest hurt. If anyone knew what he knew, and was the same as him... Yukino herself would know, on a totally different level definitely, but she'd know just how he felt if she knew what he did. Sad to say, the rate of his crying would end up staining the female's dress if it continued on like this.

[RosaliaIzanami]

Rosalia didn't know what to say. More so, she would cry with Seifer, except she was still trying to understand just what the world has become with the invasion and such. She pulled him closer, the female wrapping her arms around him in a gentle embrace. Her hands either stroked his hair, or rubbed along his back. But she didn't ask what was wrong. In the end, she probably wouldn't be allowed to know, despite how much she wanted to help him... So, she let him cry, like she had cried with him multiple times before. And like Seifer had done before, the redhead hummed a lullaby, ignoring her phone vibrating from the text, assuming it was from Darren or Yugure. Probably the first option. Actually, she sang softly, the one thing she would never do around her friends, though she didn't notice Satoshi approaching.

[Cipher Izanagi]

It took a long while for the humming to have any effect on him, though when it did, he calmed down slowly, taking deep breathes and hiccuping occasionally as he shifted his weight up a little bit, his forehead lightly pressed against her collarbone, with his eyes shut. His face was still wet with tears, lightly dampening her skin. He just listened to her quietly, trying his hardest to relax. Everything still hurt... Burned. He wanted his friend back... Maybe there was a way... A way he could do it.

'I'll...el.. u..' a soft voice in the back of his mind. He couldn't make out the words of it, he didn't know who said it, and at first thought it was the female he was relying so heavily on right now, but realized she was still singing. Maybe it was just his imagination. Silently, he relaxed more, almost drifting off to sleep.

[Beryl]

Initially, the plan was to walk up and question, but...Rosalia's singing triggered something in Satoshi for a moment. A memory of Hana's singing from a year ago. A pleasant voice that reached the heart with its intonations. He broke his emotionless gait and hunched down next to the two of them. He took off his sunglasses, the twin rings still in his irises, but his look was much warmer than his demeanor had given on.

"Hey, Rose, is he going to be okay?"

[RosaliaIzanami]

During her lullaby, Rosalia didn't mind the tears that dampened her skin, or her dress. She had probably cried on a dozen outfits of Seifer's before; it was only right for him to have a chance to cry too. Her touch was gentle, rubbing his back in time with her song, and continued to rub as the lullaby came to a close. Only then did she look up, and noticed Satoshi had joined them. Yet.. despite how nice he seemed, one look into his eyes revealed the same reverse rings she had seen before. The female instinctively held the almost sleeping brunette closer, but otherwise she didn't move, save to look down at the male in her arms. She just couldn't stare at the rings... "He'll be alright... even if he's not, I'll do everything I can to help him... What're you doing here, Satoshi?..."

[Beryl]

Satoshi licked his lip. How to explain...

"I felt something while I was by the high school. It brought me here." He looked at the young man's face. The reverse marking that was on his face previously had receded. Strangely, that was okay. To see him like this...something truly stressful happened, and it wasn't fair to force him into anything. It was his mission to keep him on track to find the Seed, but not if it meant it was going to be truly painful.

He noticed Rosalia refused to look him in the eyes. He didn't really blame her, although eye contact would be important to impart he knew where Noel was. He put a hand on her shoulder.

"I don't know if this helps at all, but Noel's at the high school. She's calling it her domain. I went there to enforce the invaders' directive, and I'm a bit concerned it might have broken her a bit..." The rings bent a bit to show genuine weariness. "Even with the way I am right now, on either side, despair is nowhere to be, and I'd honestly do anything to help her, and others, not be despaired." He shook his head. "I just don't have methods that are...reasonable right now."