"Talking"
"Thinking/Thoughts"
"[Intercomms]"
*Noises*
______________________________________
Somewhere in Babylonia
We see Raiden sitting on the office...He was earlier summoned by Hassen to take a look at something...Raiden took that same file and headed to his office...Once he opened it
A picture was attached...the report says that there was a foreign energy that were not aware of...it had not been identified...The picture shows that a corrupted with a blue light on its eyes but what the extremely caught Raiden's attention was the fact this corrupted had some type of flesh attached to its torso
Raiden : "...How interesting...Both Ati and Amb found something similar to this..."
Raiden continued too look at it...it was very interesting...The corrupted are evolving which is concerning and puts everything at risk and making it more dangerous
Raiden : "Flesh...What are the corrupted evolving into...or is this even a corrupted at all?"
_______________________
Artic Union
Rosetta can be seen dragging the Remains of a Bionic Bear which was more powerful than the others she witnessed and fought...It was strange as she gazed at it...It had a more tough exterior and jagged claws
Diana : "...This is bad news"
Rosetta : "...Indeed it is"
Rosetta says looking down...feeling that this was an omen to something that will eventually burst forth
Rosetta : "Forest Guards! Ready yourselves for the coming future! As protector of our Home we must face this coming challenge head on!"
Rosetta announced towards her fellow Forest Guards...She then clutched a necklace that was hanging around her neck before looking to the skies
Rosetta : "You also may have seen this...Be careful...Rai-Rai"
________________
__________
________________
Back in Babylonia
Liv : "Commandant?"
Liv spoke out while knocking on the door...Raiden was pulled out his thinking towards Liv before coughing and fixing himself
Raiden : "Yes?"
Liv : "A letter"
Liv said while holding a letter...something you don't normally see with all this technology around
Raiden : "Oh?"
Liv walked in and handed over the letter...Raiden gently grabbed it and nodded at Liv...who then just nodded back before walking out to go do some other stuff
Raiden looked at the letter and gently carassed it flipping it over to see a hand drawn flower...Raiden sighs before putting the files to the side and opening the letter
Raiden : "...She really is something"
Raiden said as he was looking at the letter
Raiden : "I guess I can...I'll attend"
Raiden said with a small smile on his face...he could see the tiny Iris handwriting on the very bottom already giving away the identity of the sender
________________
__________
________________
Babylonia
Arts Association Building
Raiden entered the building and looked around quite amazed at the new renovations
??? : "Oh? If it isn't the small little boy I found hiding in the carriage"
A gray haired man wearing a dark reddish coat hanging with a full black suit having his arms crossed and a necklace with the WGAA logo on it
Raiden : "Oh...Sir Allen"
Raiden said quite relieved and a bit surprised to see him
Allen : "So? I assume your here for her correct?"
Raiden : "Ehm...Yeah...You always manage to know huh?"
Allen : "One doesn't need to look for a reason if he knows who the person is...anyways...It's good to see you again child"
Raiden : "You too Sir Allen"
Raiden said bowing slightly before walking past him
Allen : "She'll be in her room hope you didn't forget where it is"
Raiden softly chuckled before waving...Allen just did a small smile feeling quite proud as he sees Raiden walking away
Allen : "...Heh...That Teenager has grown a lot"
Allen then continued his merry way and walked away
_________________
______________
_________________
Raiden continued walking down the halls and looking at the doors to see where he needed to go
Raiden : "...Where are you Selena?"
Raiden continued his merry way still looking at door before finally finding the room...It had a flower on its hinges
Raiden : "There you are"
Raiden said before going to the door and knocking on the door...He heard an audible thump followed by a hasty stepping of feet
??? : "I'm coming!"
Raiden heard several footsteps and sees the door opening revealing a black haired construct
Raiden : "Hey Sele-"
Raiden got cut off when The Construct pulled him towards her and gave him a bone crushing hug signified by the crack heard
Raiden : "Great...to...see you too"
Selena : "Rai Rai! It's been so long!"
Raiden : "I can tell"
After that interaction...Raiden went inside and it can be seen that there were many scattered music notes in room
Raiden : "Oh my...you have been quite busy"
Selena chuckled embarassed at her own doing
Selena : "Well...Making meaningful music takes time...I wanted it to be a more romantic tone"
Raiden : "Really?"
Selena : "Uh huh"
Selena said taking Raiden by the hand and pulling him to her table where the musical notes were intact meaning she chose those notes to play music to go along with whatever her style is for now
Raiden : "...You really have been working hard huh"
Selena nods as she grabs a note and made Raiden look at it
Selena : "You know I've been really thinking hard on this...I want it to be perfect"
Raiden : "Your such a perfectionist you know that?"
Raiden replied with an underlying sarcastic tone as he was fully expecting Selena to go full on Diva once she finished this
...
...
...
...
...
After a while
...
...
...
...
...
Selena and Raiden are in Babylonia's park hanging out
Selena : "You know...I never visited the outside much"
Raiden : "Your a shut in...yes"
Selena blushed at that and playfully punched Raiden's shoulder
Selena : "It's not like I'm always introverted in my room Mister"
Selena and Raiden wandered around the park and then coming across the flowers...the two stayed silent after that...Selena pulls out a purple iris and gently carasses a finger on its petals
Selena : "...I've always liked the flowers you sent me"
Selena told Raiden as she continued carassing the flower
Selena : "But for some reason...I was attracted to the Iris...For no apparent reason...I did not know what it was...but it felt special from the normal flowers..."
Selena admitted...She then looked at Raiden with a smile
Selena : "I found out that it was special to me...because you were the one who gave it to me"
Raiden closed his eyes and smiled before looking away to avoid her gaze...he had quite the weakness when Selena started to speak
Selena : "...For all my performances...It was all hope and faith...But this time...I want to title this performance...About Love and Passion"
Selena continues carassing the flower but her eyes are focused on elsewhere...it was the man right beside her
Selena : "...Would you like it? If I were to practice what I have in mind?"
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
Somewhere in Babylonia
Nikola was in a room with three people...Him, Celica and Nikola and on the other side of the table...was a woman dressed in all black using a black coat as a cape...she had an authoritarian like aura around her
Nikola : "Anastasia Einzbern...Welcome back"
Anastasia opened her eyes and she looked at Nikola with a deadly glare
Celica : "Now now Chief...No need to be hostile"
Anastasia : "I just woke up...to find...Alot of things have happened in my absence"
Hassen : "...We are deeply sorry for your loss..."
Anastasia slammed both her hands on the table making Nikola and Hassen take a step back
Anastasia : "Where is my son?"
Nikola : "...Classified..."
Anastasia : "Classified? More like you have no idea where he is huh?"
Nikola just gulped and crosses his arms...He doesn't any reason to lie anymore especially to Anastasia
Anastasia : "...There's no point in telling it now...Tell me...Everything"
Anastasia coldly said sitting down and maintaining her posture or authority
________________
________________
________________
Back with Selena and Raiden
Raiden had Selena by the hand as they continued going somewhere else in Babylonia
Selena : "So you do know your ways around"
Raiden : "One does not simply become a Babylonian without taking a lot of looking around"
Selena : "Where are we even going exactly?"
Raiden just laughed a little while they continued
Raiden : "Somewhere where you'll have a full view of the stars"
Raiden told her and that made Selena's eyes light up in curiousity
Selena : "Lead the way then...My Knight"
Raiden just chuckled at that title
...
...
...
...
...
Raiden and Selena arrived...it was a large open expanse somewhere in Babylonia...after a few hoops and turns...they finally arrived to their destination
Selena : "...Wow"
Raiden showed her the stars it was dimly lit from where they are and you can fully see the celestial bodies from across...normally impossible
Raiden : "Sometimes...I come here alone and gaze at the vast expanse for hours and hours on end"
Selena : "It's beautiful"
Raiden : "I know...This let's just say a Haven"
Raiden then went to an ipad and pressed a button turning the floor into a transparent glass and a mirror to the outside stars
Selena was bewildered at what she was seeing...it felt like she was floating in the void...moving ever so freely to truly get the feel
Raiden : "Then you bring this down"
Raiden said by climbing a pile of boxes and bringing down a metal door panel that was also turned transparent with the press of a button and making the surroundings exactly like what's outside
Selena : "This feels... extraordinary Rai-Rai"
Raiden looked at Selena who was twisting and turning ever so gracefully
Selena : "You know...I've never felt so light in my life...care to join me? My Dearest Knight?"
Selena stopped and offers a hand to Raiden who gently walked to her and took her hand...Selena smiled before spinning closer and putting her other hand around Raiden's waist
Selena : "Now do the same...Hold me"
Selena commanded intertwining their fingers as Raiden ever so gently puts a hand around her waist
Selena : "Good...Now follow my steps"
Selena said with a gentle tone as they began to move...Like it was a performance...Performance in the vastness of space
_________________
......
_________________
A Few hours later
Selena : "That...was an amazing experience my dear"
Raiden : "The more you tell I'm your dear...the more I think I'm in danger"
Selena : "Oh don't worry for I only wish the best for both of us...Our bond...is special and dear to me...And I'm not...Letting go"
Selena said with a gentle and soft tone while she and Raiden gently swung back and forth like a play...despite there being no music it seemed like they were both in complete harmony
Raiden : "...Selena"
Selena : "Shhhhhh~"
Selena shushed him preventing him from speaking
Selena : "Right now...your not the Gray Raven Commandant...Right now...Your Raiden Yamashita...The man whom captured this artist's heart"
Raiden just nods with a small smile at what Selena said...and so just continued to gently dance with her...it seemed that in this room...it was just them...
Selena : "Right now...I'm not an Artist...Because for now...I'm just a girl named Selena..."
Selena and Raiden's foot moved in rhythm and their hold on each other was firm yet gentle
Selena : "...Will you come to my performance later?"
Raiden : "I will..."
________________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
________________________
A Few Hours Later in Babylonian time
Raiden was with the Gray Ravens in the lounge...and are gathered around the table
Raiden : "...Who sent it?"
Raiden asked looking at the USB in the table...He was abit skeptical on who it is although he had an inkling feeling of who it is exactly
Lucia : "It also came with this Letter..."
Lucia handed Raiden the letter...Raiden grabbed it and opened it as the Gray Ravens went behind him to see what the letter had
The Letter said
[I heard you lot are having fun up there! Hope I didn't miss anything Hahahahahahaha! Oh boy if you were here with me right now down here you'd be having a blast! So your wondering where I have been? Don't worry I'm alive and kicking...But your probably asking why I've sent you a USB...In that file I want you to keep secret...Do not hand it to Asimov, Hassen, Nikola or that Bitch Collins okay? Good...As for what's in it...Fufufufuf~ it's very interesting]
The letter ended with the signature at the bottom
[From yours truly - HonkaiEaterZero]
Raiden : "...That mans humor is so broken"
Lucia : "...What's humor?"
Liv : "Lucia no"
Lee : "I'll explain later"
Raiden looked at the USB...and since this was from Kiri...he already knew it was already important
Lee : "Do you want me to open it Commandant?"
Raiden : "Wait..."
Raiden stood up putting the letter down and going to the door...before pressing a special button...it was for private reasons...the door locked shut and not a single sound came from inside that could be heard from the outside
Raiden returned to the table and nods at Lee...Lee then picks the USB up
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Raiden and Lucia : "This...can't be"
Lee : "...A most disturbing discovery"
Liv : "Project...Core...it was real? And not just a myth"
Raiden : "What is project core?"
Raiden asked curious as to what this Project entails
Lee : "Project Core was a scientific research built upon by the idea that controlling the Virus into a more weaponized system for a construct...it was led by Scarlet...real name Scarlet Murata but his middle name was redacted from the databases...The"
Raiden : "Yes I know...please continue"
Lee : "My apologies Commandant...Project Core was stated to be the ultimate weapon as its main function is to completely hold portions of the virus into a container...to which a construct can control remotely"
Raiden : "I see...that's not the full story is it?"
Lee : "Hardly...It has been expunged from the databases...only fragments of it remained...the Project was considered a failure...but this USB...it tells us...There have been...more of them scattered across the world"
Liv : "...So it's true...Previous... Scarlet-sama...That's why you were displaying signs of corruption...those medical records...you faked them all..."
Liv said covering her mouth in shock and realization as if she's been hit by a massive information overload
Lee : "It appears...Our previous commandant had succeeded and has scattered these containers and knowing Commandant Scarlet he would have probably made them to bypass any detector and make harder to find...probably most are destroyed...but if it indeed is true...then whoever gets it...has the power to shape and control...The Punishing Virus in it's purest form"
Raiden takes a deep breath before clutching that small necklace he always had since he found it
Lucia : "...Should we not tell President Hassen about this?"
Lee : "No...We must not..."
Lucia : "Why?"
Lucia asked...curious as to why Lee is denying help from the President...afterall their dealing with a potential Babylonia ending threat
Lee : "...It's more than likely Kurono will catch wind of it...They are sharks in the water and if there's but a drop of blood...they will seek it like hungry piranhas"
Raiden : "...Lee keep it safe...Let us not speak of what transpired here...from the others...Is that clear?"
Lucia and Liv : "Roger"
_______________________________
....
....
....
_______________________________
Meanwhile
Anastasia was walking across the halls with Nikola and Asimov...towards somewhere within the Asimov's laboratory
Asimov : "This...will be the first time they would be awake...for over years"
Anastasia : "You never reinstated them to another squad?"
Asimov : "No"
Nikola : "We couldn't...We honored your contract and made sure Kurono could not keep them"
Anastasia : "Good...That Squad is the first squad I had...and the one where my Husband put most of his work into"
Nikola : "...We prefer to not speak of hi-"
Anastasia : "Don't you dare...Utter his name Nikola"
Anastasia said getting close and personal on Nikola's face with a calm yet sinister aura around her
Anastasia : "You have turned your back on him..."
Asimov chooses to stay out of this matter...he knew who Anastasia was talking about but he had no business into her private matters...and how much the Woman loved that Scientist
Anastasia : "Thanks to you and Kurono...He's gone"
Anastasia solemnly said clenching her fingers and continuing to walk...it was clear she had alot of bottled up anger within her but refuses to let it out
Asimov : "...I'm sorry for your loss"
Asimov stated... Anastasia didn't reply back as she walked forwards
...
...
...
After a while they finally reached three tubes containing three constructs
The first one was a tall woman with a demon like muzzle...black hair and wearing a black Military like outfit with a white undershirt coupled with long dark thigh stockings...two earrings and combat boots
The second one was a tall woman with pinkish hair that faded into white...wearing a white shirt tucked in by a light grayish long skirt that completely covered her legs with also a long black coat outfit from a military
The third and final one was a strong one...This construct had white-ish hair that faded...with claws for weapons wearing a turtleneck black shirt with a hole that showed her stomach with two interlocking belts wearing black jeans and a medium lengthed coat
Anastasia : "...They looked like they haven't seen the light of day after that mission"
Asimov : "They haven't...after your...More than death encounter...Someone had to intervene in order to save you"
Anastasia : "..."
Asimov : "We don't speak of the details after that...there is too many things that have happened"
Anastasia : "I know"
Nikola : "Some of those topics concern him...but seeing your state...we shall not speak of it unless you want to"
Hassen : "It's the last we could do"
Anastasia : "..."
Anastasia hovered her hand around the button that would reactivate her constructs but hesitated for a moment
Anastasia : "...Did the project he was tasked of a success?"
Hassen : "No... unfortunately"
Anastasia : "...Damn it"
________________________
____________
____________
____________
_________________________
Somewhere in Babylonia
Raiden along with the Gray Ravens are in a Play Concert as Selena was going out and playing her music to the crowd
Raiden, Lucia, Liv and Lee are in the very back above the concert looking down so they could see the whole stage as Selena performed
Liv : "Commandant I'm gonna have to thank you for this..."
Lucia : "This is the first time I've seen a performance...It's extraordinary"
Lee : "Hmmp"
Raiden : "I'm glad you guys are enjoying this like me. This is the first time were here for a relieving performance"
Liv was just astonished and was quite focused on Selena's singing and performance...Lucia just watched with a smile while Lee had a camera to record everything
Raiden was also focused on Selena and her music and movements...from her twirls to how light she moves around the stage
Raiden : "...She's quite divine when your looking from here"
...
...
...
Selena twirled and continued singing before making eye contact with Raiden and then winking...Raiden just smiled
...
...
...
Lucia and Liv looked at Raiden expecting an answer to which Raiden got caught off guard by
Raiden : "...Wait"
Lee : "Goodluck"
Raiden shivered at Lucia and Liv's expression as he felt he would need to explain quite alot of things when they get towards the lounge later
______________________________________
Chapter End
Finally updated...Whew I was writing this bit by bit because exams and school work are quite a pain I barely have free time now and so apologize for mistakes and late updates
Also
Hehe Boi