[The lounge was quiet now, save for the hum of the city outside the windows. The chaos of the day felt like a distant echo, but the bruises and bandages reminded them it had been real.]
[Shirou sat on the couch, leaning back with his leg stretched out, a thick bandage wrapping his knee. He exhaled sharply when the pain kicked in again.]
[Beside him, Shizuka carefully set down a cup of tea on the table and turned toward him, her brows knit in worry.]
Shizuka: softly, almost a whisper
You shouldn't move so much… you'll tear the stitches.
Shirou: trying to grin despite the pain
You sound like a doctor now… didn't know you cared this much.
[She puffed her cheeks slightly, eyes narrowing, but her voice trembled.]
Shizuka:
Of course I care! Do you think I could just watch you throw yourself into danger and act like it's nothing?!
[Her words came out louder than intended, drawing a glance from Kei and Mio across the room. Kei smirked knowingly but said nothing. Mio simply shook her head with a faint smile.]
[Shizuka realized, blushing furiously, and lowered her gaze.]
Shizuka: murmuring
You idiot… what if you didn't make it?
[Shirou stared at her for a long moment, then reached out—his fingers brushing against hers gently. She froze, feeling the warmth of his touch.]
Shirou: quiet, sincere
I'm here, Shizuka. And I'm not planning on leaving you behind… ever.
[Her heart skipped. She lifted her eyes slowly, meeting his steady gaze. For a brief moment, the chaos, the enemies, the blood—they all disappeared. It was just the two of them in that quiet room.]
[Unable to hold back, Shizuka leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him, careful of his injuries. He blinked, surprised at first, then let out a soft laugh and hugged her back, one arm pulling her close.]
Shirou: soft chuckle
You really missed me, huh?
Shizuka: burying her face in his shoulder, voice muffled
Shut up… just… don't scare me like that again.
[He tightened his hold just a little more. Outside, the night deepened, and for the first time in days, Shirou felt something warm in the middle of all this madness—her.]
[Meanwile, on the Arches's side, the holographic war room flickered to life, connecting Irisyvell, Caucus, and Steag—who had been on-site—with Vlad, Aegir, and Yvach, observing remotely. Floating schematics and rotating maps cast an eerie glow, emphasizing the tension in the room.]
Irisyvell:
The pawns engaged the vigilantes directly. Yggdrasil's group proved far more resilient than anticipated.
Caucus:
Her defection disrupted the operation… they adapted too quickly for our liking.
[Steag shifted uneasily.]
Steag:
Objectives were only partially achieved. Yggdrasil's influence is becoming a real problem.
[Aegir let out an exaggerated, amused sigh.]
Aegir:
To think we let Yggdrasil walk free… a real loss for us, yet entertaining. She could have been a formidable asset.
[Vlad's eyes narrowed, frustration radiating from him.]
Vlad:
Aegir! Do you find amusement in mocking our failures? Yggdrasil threw my elite squad into chaos! This isn't a joke!
[Aegir smirked, the teasing edge unmistakable.]
Aegir:
I'm merely stating facts, Vlad. She has potential… far more than your pride can handle.
[Steag raised a hand, trying to mediate.]
Steag:
Now, now… let's not escalate—focus on—
[Vlad snapped, cutting him off:]
Focus? You think this is simply about focus? Yggdrasil humiliated my planning and now you suggest calm?!
[Yvach appeared and burst out laughing.]
Yvach:
Hahaha! Vlad… you and Aegir never change. Your rivalry is hilarious!
[Vlad shot Yvach a sharp glare.]
Vlad:
This is not entertainment, Yvach! We are discussing strategy—lives and operations!
[Aegir leaned into her smirk, enjoying Vlad's frustration.]
Aegir:
Even Yvach gets it… your temper is a weakness, Vlad. Learn to accept Yggdrasil's potential and laugh at mistakes once in a while.
[Steag rubbed his neck, muttering quietly.]
Steag:
Why do I even try to keep the peace…
[Even amid the bickering, the Seven Arches knew the stakes were real: Yggdrasil had changed the battlefield, and they would need more than rivalry and ego to regain control.]
[After the bickering died down, a heavy silence filled the holographic war room. Vlad clenched his fists, eyes sharp and cold, while Aegir folded her arms, her smirk softening into a calculating gaze. Steag rubbed his neck nervously, still unsure how to mediate, and Yvach leaned back with a quiet, amused chuckle.]
Vlad:
Enough. We cannot afford further delays. Yggdrasil's defection has already altered the battlefield. It's time to assign our pawns and secure our objectives.
Aegir:
Agreed. I've already analyzed the data from today's engagement. We need precise deployment—no improvisation like last time.
Irisyvell:
The pawns still in the field need reinforcement. Lilith of the Pleasure Strike should recover any compromised assets, while Kria of the Krylien Force must prevent the vigilantes from regrouping at secondary points.
Caucus:
NeRu of the Dream Prowl will continue reconnaissance. Ensure no surprises reach our lairs unnoticed.
Steag: hesitant
And… Yvach? Should we…?
[Yvach let out a low, slow laugh.]
Yvach:
I'll handle disruption myself. Let the others play their parts. It'll be… entertaining.
[Vlad's glare swept across the holograms, landing on Aegir.]
Vlad:
Ensure every pawn follows orders. I don't want another repeat of today. And Aegir—keep your commentary to the data, not… taunting.
[Aegir tilted her head, feigning innocence but her eyes glimmered with mischief.]
Aegir:
Understood. Just the facts… for now.
[Irisyvell's tone turned icy as she gestured to the 3D map.]
Irisyvell:
We have our next targets. All remaining supplies, intel, and assets must be secured and relocated. The vigilantes will not catch us unprepared again.
Caucus:
Deployment schedules are ready. Pawns will converge in staggered waves to cover all exit points.
[Steag muttered quietly, still uneasy.]
Steag:
Why do I feel like we're building a powder keg here…
[The holograms pulsed with strategic markers, routes, and objectives. Even as the personal rivalries simmered, the Seven Arches moved with lethal precision, knowing full well that Yggdrasil and the vigilantes would challenge them again—and this time, failure was not an option.]
[The holographic war room pulsed with activity as the Seven Arches began assigning pawns and planning their next moves. Yet, a new problem emerged—one that hadn't been fully accounted for during the previous encounter.]
Irisyvell:
While the vigilantes engaged our pawns, some of our secondary assets were left behind. The police units that supported them have already started collecting remaining goods.
Caucus:
This includes weapons caches, financial ledgers, and potentially sensitive SoveCle data. If they analyze it, our operations could be compromised.
[Aegir leaned forward, eyes narrowing.]
Aegir:
We underestimated the efficiency of their backup. Clearly, these so-called 'vigilantes' and their allied units are more organized than anticipated. Immediate countermeasures are needed.
[Vlad slammed his fist on the table, frustration barely contained.]
Vlad:
Damn it! Yggdrasil's defection caused enough chaos already, and now the police are harvesting our remaining assets? I will not allow these amateurs to dismantle months of planning!
[Steag raised a hand awkwardly.]
Steag:
Uh… maybe we should reinforce retrieval teams before they move everything off-site? But… timing will be tight.
[Yvach chuckled darkly from his hologram.]
Yvach:
Let them scramble. Watching their panic will be… amusing.
[Aegir smirked but focused.]
Aegir:
No. We cannot rely solely on chaos. Reassign Kria and NeRu to intercept any police units carrying our remaining goods. Lilith handles extraction of anything our pawns couldn't secure during the firefight.
Irisyvell:
And I'll oversee the relocation of critical materials to a secure secondary location. By the time they realize, we'll be long gone.
[Vlad exhaled sharply, still visibly annoyed but settling into strategy.]
Vlad:
Fine. All teams execute with precision. Failures like today will not happen again. Every pawn and asset counts.
[The holograms shifted to show movement lines and extraction routes. Even amid rivalry, frustration, and dark humor, the Seven Arches united for one purpose: securing SoveCle's remaining resources before the police could turn them against the organization.]
[The sun was already dipping when the vigilantes finally returned to their safehouse. The drive back had been quiet—everyone drained, physically and mentally. For once, even Kei didn't have a smart remark ready.]
[Inside, the mood was heavy but comforting in its own way. Jackets and weapons were tossed aside, the hum of the heater filling the silence as they settled into couches and chairs. The faint smell of instant ramen wafted from the kitchen where Mio had volunteered to cook—despite protests that she "can't boil water without burning it."]
[Shirou dropped onto the sofa with a sharp hiss, clutching his injured knee. Shizuka immediately crouched in front of him, eyes full of worry.]
Shizuka:
You shouldn't have pushed yourself that hard… look at you.
[He gave a weak chuckle, brushing off her concern.]
Shirou:
I'm fine… nothing a little rest can't fix.
[But she didn't buy it. She grabbed the first-aid kit and started cleaning the wound, ignoring his protests. Kei, sprawled on another couch, smirked despite the exhaustion.]
Kei:
Looks like someone's playing nurse today. Should we leave you two alone?
[Ryokou didn't even hesitate. She bonked him on the head with a throw pillow.]
Ryokou:
Shut it. Or I'll get the bat.
[The tension broke slightly, laughter slipping in here and there, even though fatigue still weighed on everyone's shoulders.]
[Meanwhile, Mio returned from the kitchen with steaming bowls of ramen, dramatically announcing.]
Mio:
Dinner is served! No refunds if it tastes like despair!
[The warm light, the soft chatter, the shared exhaustion—it felt like a rare, fleeting peace after the storm. But underneath it all, everyone knew: this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.]
[Meanwhile, across the city…
The faint hum of the heater filled Reina's apartment. Outside, the city lights glimmered against the cold night air, but inside, the world felt still. Reina sat at the small dining table, hair tied up loosely, jacket draped over the back of her chair. Across from her, Sera picked at her food absentmindedly, eyes distant, lost in thoughts that weighed heavier than the simple meal in front of her.]
Reina:
You barely touched your plate. Thinking about them?
[Sera blinked, brought back to the present.]
Sera:
…I can't stop. The look in their eyes—Leviathan, the others… they still believe in that system. That… family.
[Her voice faltered on the last word, the shadow of old scars surfacing. Reina's expression softened. She set her chopsticks down and leaned forward slightly.]
Reina:
You did the right thing leaving, Sera. You made a choice most people would never have the strength to make.
[Sera let out a bitter laugh, barely a whisper.]
Sera:
And yet, I dragged them into this war… Kei, Shirou, Shizuka, Mio—they're all bleeding because of me.
Reina:
No. They fight because they believe it's worth it. Just like you.
[For a moment, silence settled between them, broken only by the faint clink of utensils. Sera finally raised her gaze, the faint glimmer of determination replacing guilt.]
Sera:
Then I'll make sure this ends. No matter what it takes.
[Reina nodded, but her fingers tightened slightly on her glass.]
Reina: And I'll make sure you don't do it alone.
[The room was dim, bathed in the cool blue glow of the city lights slipping through half-closed blinds. Leviathan sat at the edge of his bed, jacket tossed carelessly over a chair, boots still on. His long hair, damp with sweat from battle, stuck slightly to his face. A glass of untouched whiskey rested on the nightstand, condensation dripping down its side.]
[He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, head bowed. For once, the mighty Leviathan of the Syndicate looked… human. Not the cold, calculated executioner everyone feared—just a man drowning in his own thoughts.]
Ren: Why… do you still haunt me? he thought bitterly, gripping his forehead
[Her voice wouldn't leave him.]
Sera: Because... because you're too important and I love you for that, idiot!!
[The words sliced through his defenses like a hot blade. He clenched his fist until the leather of his gloves strained. For years, he told himself that feeling nothing was strength—that cutting ties was survival. But when she looked him in the eye, fearless even in the chaos… everything shattered.]
[He let out a low, humorless chuckle, though his jaw trembled slightly.]
Ren: whispering to himself You shouldn't have said that, Sera… I loved you first, y'know...
[His gaze fell on the Syndicate insignia engraved into the metal of his dagger, sitting on the dresser. A symbol of everything that bound him. A symbol of everything that kept him from her.]
[Finally, he rose, towering like a storm about to break. His reflection in the dark window stared back at him—sharp eyes, cold steel, but with a crack running through.]
Ren: quiet, commanding …No more mistakes. I'll prepare the fallback site. The Arches will move soon.
Ren: And if Sera… crosses my path again… she's mine. No one touches her but me.
[The room fell into silence again, heavy and suffocating. Leviathan picked up the whiskey, stared at it for a long second, then set it back down untouched. His appetite for liquor—and for vengeance—felt strangely hollow tonight.]
Ren: I'll make sure...
Sera: I'll make sure...
Sera, Ren: I'll make him/her be on my side.