(GS3) Home Field: Ni'ihau Private Estate

[Cherry]

Knocking on someone's door before entering was common courtesy.

"Release my friend and I may show mercy", was the first thing that came out of Yugure's mouth. She wasn't really going to show mercy, but she could possibly murder Nebula Lord less if Satoshi was given back safely. The Sword of Courage was summoned in hand just to put emphasis on the threat. While this was a battle she wouldn't let Darren or Seifer interfere with, she would at least have them seal off any methods of escape. The girl was angry, but still calculating. She'd not be a worthy war general otherwise.

[Cece Lockhart]

Noel was finally put down and looked at the estate now with a better view. She saw Darren and Seifer go after the girl she met when they were all gathered at Seifer's house. There was no point in standing there trying to piece things together. All that mattered was that this place was related to one of the final confrontations with the Reverse invasion. Noel held her deck that was placed on her hip and felt a new power there. Looking at the deck, she noticed a new card in it. Sprout Jewel Knight, Camille. Noel had no idea where the card came from but it was there and she felt the unit's eagerness to help out. It had a cheerful vibe to it and is probably the new knight she was told about in her dream.

Let's follow, we can be of some help to them. It was the voice of Salome who she met in that dream.

"Maybe doing so can bring back my memories of what happened before coming here!" With a goal in mind, Noel went inside to go with Darren and Seifer who were up ahead.

[xateramusa]

Xat smiled softly before looking at Mikalea. "I shall be back. I'm going to find more infor on the generals." She wispered to him and once she knew he was in a safe spot went to get more info.

"We should find something on a computer." Shriayuki told her, and with that in mind xat sneaked off to find the office.

It took a little bit but she finally found one, and began to hack into the computer to find out who all the generals are. Shirayuki decided to send out Shijimaru to keep an eye on the room to warn them if anyone is coming.

[Beryl]

Haku was at work on surveillance now, given that one girl that had gone and stolen some things from the estate. Preventing further trouble would make the guests' purpose here linear unless the man of the house stated otherwise. He noticed one of the party members had gone off to try and hack a computer to get information. He shook his head. Nope, sorry, suspicious activity could not stand.

He hit the power breaker to the office, shutting down all the electricity in the room. "No trespassing," he muttered under his breath.

---

Satoshi laughed. "Don't play games with me, Chosen Sword. 'I may show mercy' is a bunch of garbage. I know your goal is to eradicate the Star-vaders from existence. Lying to me isn't going to get you any further success." He got up off his throne and sauntered forward with a gesture. "If anything, you should just say, 'I'm here to slay you, foul beast!', or some cliche stuff like that. It'd be lame as all hell, but at least you wouldn't be lying to my face."

He gazed over the group, noticing Noel was unreversed and that the bearer of Freeze Ray was nowhere to be found. He frowned. Disappointing. They were going to be the prime forms of entertainment, watching Seifer squirm as he fought his sister, and forcing one of the other guests to fight Freeze Ray. But all of that was taken care of, and it did make his experience a lot less entertaining.

Then again...he shrugged and chuckled. "Besides, I don't really see why you're so keen to get rid of me. Without me and a few others, this war wouldn't be a thing. You wouldn't get to fight evil like you always want to do, every single time, Yugure." He shook his head. "Wouldn't it be ironic if the people you're trying to get rid of just want a place to stay?" His look hardened. "While it is the case that the Star-vaders want nothing but a hostile takeover at this point, it is only because these clans of Cray reacted so negatively to our arrival. We simply wanted a place to stay, and instead, we are attacked as the invaders we are claimed to be."

He turned away and walked back towards his chair. "So we harvested them. Many of the clans realized that their despair of wanting nothing to do with us would only make us stronger and overwhelm them faster." He waved a hand casually. "We've even managed to hit the most notable clans of Cray at this point, if you haven't already experienced it. Ashlei of Royal Paladin, Dragonic Overlord of Kagero...magical, honestly." He sat and showed his mark. "And there's plenty more to go as long as I have the powers of the black rings on my side of the table."

Satoshi smirked. "Remember, Yugure. A year and a half ago, Gold Paladin came into existence as the formation of the leftover Royal and Shadow Paladins due to the loss of their great leaders. And all I ever experienced during most of that time was you rejecting those Paladins and pining for your old friends back, as though this clan could never replace them. Yet now, here you are, and that clan is still by your side. You accepted new friends." The smirk turned to a frown. "So why eradicate a chance for new friends?"

[xateramusa]

Xat saw the power get shut off and frowned this wasn't part of the plan but she sliently smirked. "Clever but not clever enough." She said and called back Shijimaru before walking to the door and sighing. "So much for finding info on the generals at least I got some info." She said and went over to the window and jumping down from the room to the ground. She then walked back to the party, and caught up to one of the fighters. "Hey  were is Yugure?" She asked them. SHe had to find yugure and give her the info she found out.

[Cherry]

"Friends?! You people want to make friends by converting and killing everyone?!"

Yugure was incredibly furious. Sure, she was most definitely here to slaughter him, and her suggestion at "possibly" sparing his life was a lie. However, the most insulting thing was the notion that Link Joker wanted a place to stay and be friends. After what the veteran has seen, it was the opposite.

"I don't always want to fight evil, you think I enjoy this?! You think I enjoy facing off against the odds while seeing people around me suffer and die?!"

The woman slammed her fist into the wall behind, expressing her seething rage at such a thought. Constantly tired and exhausted while having lost any functions an everyday human could enjoy... The invaders took that. A year ago, Schwarzschild Dragon had already stolen it away. And they only laugh and sneer at humanity. Heinous cackling from people like The Clown who enjoy this bloodbath. Her fist was clenched tighter, with a hateful gaze of swords aimed at the Star-vader.

"And don't talk like you know Satoshi's actual thought process!" The girl roared at his statement about her rejecting Gold Paladin. "The only thing I rejected of them was that they couldn't replace my old friends. And my old friends could not replace my new ones! You hideous demons spew this idiocy of companionship and co-existence, but your first act on Cray was sealing away three heroes!"

Never, never, never would she ever believe in Link Joker having hearts.

[Beryl]

Satoshi laughed again. "I don't know what you're talking about, Yugure. We didn't seal your precious friends. The Star-vaders have nothing to do with that at all." He shook his head. "And if the Clown wasn't a cold-blooded killer freak of nature, there would be none dead. Only harvested. Killing is pointless when you could simply rule despaired hearts."

He stared hard at her sword glare with his own black ring marked eyes. "If I thought you didn't enjoy this, I'd take sick, sick pleasure in harvesting you. Despair is a beautiful thing, after all. But you're the exact opposite of that." He stabbed an accusatory finger at her. "Then again, what would I know from someone who does nothing but practice and hone her skills for her destiny without considering those around her and the fear of them disappearing? What would I know for someone who was away for so long, her most trusted companion, her lover, cheated on her without a real second thought until it was too late?"

He slammed his fist against the arm of the chair. "You think you're some kind of hero, but really, you've only hurt people by closing your heart to them."

[xateramusa]

Xat after getting info to were Yugure went to the place and over heard what Satoshi was saying and frowned at his words. She then steped into the room. "Sometimes people have to harden there heart and distance themselves to protect them, even though they might get hurt about them leaving, even if they have to regret later. You hone your skills so that you can face whatever is to come, so you can protect your love ones, and keep them safe from harm. She said to Saitoshi as she placed a hand on Yugure's shoulder. "The fact that she has others staning behind her and with her shows that they are not all that hurt as you make them to be. She said with a glare in her eye.

[Cherry]

"Are you saying the Star-vaders and Schwarzschild are somehow different? That just because he isn't in your division, you monsters are beyond what he did that started all of this? Ridiculous... You either want to rule over us or kill us, your entire clan!"

Some seal, some kill, some harvest. It was still under what everything the Chosen Sword had been announcing before: Link Joker is violently taking them. Either by death or Reverse. The swords and black rings in eyes were practically a battle in itself, both sides giving no quarter to the other, and their personal fight hadn't even begun yet. While making it a point to show she won't believe Nebula Lord sugarcoating the invasion, she was still going to defend herself from his slander.

"This isn't about destiny. It stopped being about destiny when I fought Jellal for the last time in the past to end the civil war. The Chosen Sword had a duty to protect both worlds and destroy evil - but I no longer care for that. Because I failed before. I fight for the same purpose, but not because I was born to do it. I don't choose to be a hero because it's in my blood. I choose to do so because I want to and have to put in a hand toward saving everyone.

I was gone and came back to deserving betrayals due to having left. That is correct, but I don't have time to wallow in self-loathing. If those I love would hate me and wish death upon me, fine, but I will not see them die or harvested if I can help it.

And I can do more than help it."

Xat wasn't too far off the mark, but Nebula Lord spoke truth in the fact that her departure may have caused damage to those who didn't know or come with. Despite this, the Chosen Sword found her own heart to be irrelevant to others. It was only a bleeding mechanism that fueled drive. Though closed off, all she needed it for was to give her burning motivation to protect and save people. Yes, this was one of the truths of her self-hatred. A failure who decided to cast aside what was expected of the Espoir Scion. All that mattered is what the woman herself desired.

That was to see everyone else live.

[Beryl]

Satoshi decided to ignore Xat, since he had received word, through his surveillance earpiece, that she had been messing with his stuff in his office. He'd deal with her later.

"To label us all is to misunderstand. After all, that would imply that our group is hiveminded and lacks individual thought." He smirked. "I discovered the being I was bonded to in order to enact my protocol, Cheru, is quite the opposite. Some Star-vaders wish we did not come off as heartless. But, unfortunately, those ones are not in charge, nor do they have the chance to be as long as we exist."

He closed his eyes for a moment, and reopened them to be unmarked. The real Satoshi had something to add, if just briefly.

"We had dinner once, and you gave me the cold shoulder like interacting with one of my closest friends was pointless. I just wanted to be able to do something with you guys again since I was back, but it was all 'mission' this and 'training' that." He shook his head. "I feel like I don't even know the Snow Flower and Blazing Sun anymore. That they're just distant memories who want nothing more to do with me. That's why..."

The eyes remarked themselves as Nebula Lord took over. "That's why, in the end, it was easy to take him over. His suffering and despair is the most pure I've felt in a long time. Someone who feels like he's failed the world and can't recover...the perfect suicidal vassal to kill off if he fails, don't you think?"

He raised his marked fist again, rings glowing. The room around them began to distort into a spacial void. "So we may as well make this quick, should we not?"

[Cece Lockhart]

Noel just stood there listening to the conversation trying to piece everything together. Then she heard Satoshi mention that Ashlei was taken and Reversed. Could... could it be...? It then hit her, all the memories of the "lost time" came rushing into her mind like a raging river. Noel held her head and fell to her knees from the headache it was causing her. "I... I was... Reversed... I... I remember everything..." All the atrocities she has done to innocent fighters, her brutal and cold heart showing no mercy to those Noel beat in a cardfiight. Enjoying their suffering when they were being Reversed. She couldn't believe that she did all of that. Noel's dad would be proud of her but this isn't something to be proud of. What she hated so much was what Noel became, the Kusanagi heir that her father wanted for her to become. Hurting Rosalia and destroying her avatar, Venus Luquier. An ordinary person wouldn't be capable of carrying all the horrible things on their shoulders but Noel had to try despite having tears flow down her eyes.

I am sorry that you had to see all of that. What you saw is the truth of the time you cannot recall. I promise you with my life, that you will not go through that anymore... Salome said in a sad tone, she felt just as guilty for not knowing where her Vanguard was or what happened to her.

Noel wanted to make things right, to redeem herself from all the horrible acts she has commited to the fighters in Rijuku and for the ones she cares for the most, the people she trusts. Which is why she feels it is necessary to use all her power as a Kusanagi for the greater good. The weakness known as Link Joker must be purged from the world.

"Pathetic... just because you were ignored. Just because of that you let yourself be taken over by Link Joker?! My father would of died from laughter if he heard your sad story. We will make sure to beat the weakness out of you!" Noel cleaning her face from her tears, got up and stood next to Yugure, ready to help in with any fighting if necessary.

[Golden Sage NovaRaizer]

Darren glared at the words he was saying. Trying to find a place to stay? If that was the case, they didn't have to use Daiyusha and the others as puppets for their own reasons. Even if they needed a place of their own, they wanted this one to be only theirs. There was no excuse for that. They also mentioned a unit he hadn't heard of at all. Swartzchild Dragon? What in the world was that. Daiyusha made a note of it when it was mentioned.

That was the unit that began all of this on Cray long ago.

It makes sense that it wasn't a Star Vader, what with the name and all. Is he trying to act like he's not associated with it at all?

Darren didn't know if that was the case. He didn't know a lot of things. All he knew was that Satoshi wasn't being himself. And Xat was right, Yugure had nothing to regret from all of this. People were here with her and that was enough to say that she was doing nothing wrong. His hand was to his deck. So badly did he want to silence this Joker himself, but he knew this was Yugure's fight. This was what they must do. Link Jokers get into your head and distort it to make you do things you should not. It was clear why they needed to be stopped. "Whatever you try to say, there's no way you can justify harming all the people who've been in the backlash of this battle! You Star Vaders aren't going to be allowed to do whatever you want to our minds and worlds!"

[Cherry]

"... Satoshi, if you can still hear me, then listen to this."

Yugure took a deep breath as the room began to distort.

"Yukino Espoir is dead and never coming back."

She would make sure the snow queen of unparalleled arrogance who set herself up to fail would forever remain decreased.

"However, while I must apologize for our dinner, I will break apart the shackles of co-dependency that dragged you down. I will bring you back, and have you realize your own merit. Believing you failed the world... if you did, the answer is the same as mine: is still a step forward for you. Recovery will come, and suffering will end. This 'Cheru' leech that forcefed nonsense will be detached by our hands."

This was idiotic.

Star-vaders, the forces without the title, Link Joker didn't have a heart. This new being that clouded judgment was going to be severed, and a friend would be returned. Yugure was practically claiming possession of property, demanding everything that had been stolen. The queen's anger was not wavering, and instead, even more fueled by Nebula Lord's lasting presence.

The Liberators stood ready, and Ezel placed an astral hand on his best friend's shoulder, giving off his readiness as well.

[xateramusa]

Xat closed her eyes before opening as she took out her deck. "Yugure your not alone, you have us here and beside you. We will win and we will get your friend back." She told Yugure before adressing Satoshi. "We will defeat you and your generals, your plan to take over our world will fail. I already got all the info on the locations before your guy switched off the power. Your plan will fail." Was all she said to him, and was glad that Darren, and Noel were there as well.

[Cherry]

Just because Yugure wanted nobody to understand her broken heart didn't mean she understood other people. This fight showcased that, the Liberators combating the Invaders. A battle of never letting the other on four damage commenced, doing everything in their power to ensure the other couldn't break into full power. The Star-vaders were lords of suppression, especially led by Nebula Lord. Even if he hit four, he could hold the Chosen Sword down for as long as necessary.

"Draw your swords...... We shall show mercy upon those in despair!"

This is what Nebula Lord probably commanded, given his stance. Link Joker had a wonderful matchup against Gold Paladin, never allowing them a move once the locks began. As Satoshi's streak of devilish luck would have it, he was set to Break Ride for Nebula Lord's most destructive turn.

He kept trying to talk to her, however. Both of them.

An insult, she thought of it. The Cyber Dragon was trying to console her? To say the weaker self shouldn't be rejected? He'd love to harvest her, yet, Satoshi's words were pouring out. They really were trying to justify the existence of Yukino Espoir. Someone people wanted, a failure that several accepted, part of this "world" of Satoshi's that would shatter should her death truly be confirmed. Even knowing all of this, Yugure responded with venom. Hearing the Star-vader try to preach was bad enough, however, hatred for the past overflowed. "Cancerous scum", "heinous creature", there was nothing good to say about the snow queen of another time. She is a weak, miserable being who could not find any strength or solace, thus wallowing in despair when all was thought lost.

Then, he said something she already knew.

The hearts of Yugure and Yukino are the same.

"And that is exactly why I can't forgive myself!" The soldier screamed, speaking of how these two entities will always be one person. A fact that was loathed to the very core. Never would this past be erased, not once would she forget it. Yugure existed to take Yukino's place, and pick up where the useless queen left off. Yes, a world for everyone to stand together without suffering. Happiness for her would never last for more than a moment, so she could at least make sure everyone else's lasts for a lifetime.

Nebula Lord locked all of her rearguards at once for a massive Limit Break turn. It was to show how Satoshi felt - how Yukino failed to help him, and how Yugure helped him feel. Alone. A kind of loneliness the foul demon dragon took advantage of, as the being itself stated before. Everything to Yugure was business or a mission. Honestly, he wasn't too far off the mark either. This woman underwent some kind of rebirth that left her designed for war. "Friendship" was another mission.

But then he said getting to know Yugure, who hates Yukino, would be fine.

No, she took it as "settling". Everyone wanted that brainless snob of a woman back. But they wouldn't have her back, they wouldn't have a cancerous leech back.

That was why "Yugure" would take him up on his offer regardless, to let Satoshi settle with this woman who will make things right. Starting with bringing him back.

Truly, this was a victory, the first Gloria between them all against a general even. Satoshi knew the next card to appear would be one summoned by Yukino and Yugure - one that represents the two. And naturally, he was correct. Grand Ezel Scissors was drawn. The counter to the invaders showed itself, ready to fulfill her wish. Honestly, the woman still wanted to be rid of her past, but not her friends. Not Haruka, not Hana, not Satoshi, not Ezel, not Ahmes, not Yunos, not anybody. That led to the Nation Saving Lion being ridden. The tide of battle was turned instantly, as every single lock was undone immediately, reviving the tenacious souls. This new life breathed into those sent into a slumber was the signal of counterattack, and a way of showing that Satoshi wouldn't be alone again.

"'Ah, but you fools! You can do nothing without your allies!' is what you're going to say next", Ezel sneered before the unlocks.

This, too, was part of Jojo's- err, his plan.

This same brilliant warmth that Gancelot and Alfred emitted, the kind Ahmes could create in the hearts of others, this hero was also able to shower all in it. Standing behind the lion Vanguard, his power skyrocketed, and gained a Critical for good measure. Anything Star-vader would do... he would undo it as long as he still stands. Ezel's power stood unrivaled, and his decisive might crashed into Nebula Lord, resulting in the sixth damage check of Satoshi's end. The game was over, and the vile, cyber titan had been toppled. Victorious, triumphant cries rang throughout the Sanctuary. Though the Heart Lock on Kurosaki wouldn't be broken easily, his divine Holy Dispel Scissors roared otherwise. Those scissor weapons clamped down and repeatedly snipped away at the black ring, completely shattering it.

Another spell was broken.

Ahmes happily looked upon the cheering Paladins, and suddenly felt Yugure synchronize with him once again. While everyone was happy, she still had work to do. The warrior started with a slow pace, walking toward the commander who was struggling to rise again. He wasn't dead.

Not yet.

"Yugure..." Ezel called out, knowing what was going to happen next. The Ace of Light combined with his Vanguard shot forward like a bullet, slamming into the Cyber Dragon's chest. Howling with rage, Yugure began the terrifying process of tearing him apart. Dashing all about him, the sword of courage ripped through his structure. Bits of the machine broke apart in the combo's flurry, being destroyed from the left, then the right in a flash, and struck back down into the earth at the back. The Liberators watched in awe, the Revengers gazed in shocking praise, the Jewel Knights stared with fear and disapproval. This violent hatred was beyond what the majority of them understood, seeing the Chosen Sword rend the general apart. Screams echoed throughout, both hers and Nebula Lord's. Hissing roars of agony from a being that wasn't supposed to know what it was like to "feel".

It sure felt pain.

They all would.

Every last one of them.

I'll kill them all!

She just... wouldn't stop... Even if Nebula Lord could withstand such torture, even if he was already dead, the sword kept flying. Ahmes, Yunos, and Ezel understood clear as day from the beginning how much their vanguard despised these beasts. Ahmes, internally, worried for her mental state. As did Ezel. However, Yunos watched knowing that this kind of wrath is something they needed. A reason to continue standing against odds after being beaten senseless. More than just protecting people, he believed she had that. This was proof. For what seemed like hours on Cray, the corpse of the Star-vader was mangled mercilessly. The pacing of the beating finally slowed, leaving a panting killer atop it. Not a single shred of remorse was felt, hopping off of the shell.

She left Ahmes after that.

The Swordsman of Light was sweating, gripping at his chest. This raw image and emotion left him out of breath.

Alfred closed his eyes.

"Nebula Lord Dragon has been defeated."

Yugure opened hers in reality, giving off unsteady gasps for air.

"Welcome... back... Satoshi."