Takeda was sitting across from Geo without their visors on, watching as Geo attempted to hack into them using Ami's laptop.
Takeda rested his leg over the other and rubbed his jaw from the night before, really regretting taking the job to win favor.
Gwain had yet to figure out Ami was drunk, lucky enough for him, but he knew his judgment drew near.
"Hey, boys." Marlow greeted, walking into their flat and towards the bathroom with a towel in hand. "Do you mind if I use your shower? I hate to use the ones on campus and Deva has that nice shampoo that—"
She suddenly loomed over Takeda and analyzed the two from head to toe.
With swiftness she hadn't comprehended, their visors were on, albeit Takeda's much more crooked since the wire was still connected to the computer.
Marlow rose an eyebrow and hummed to herself, before shaking her head in nonchalance.
"I guess the heat is really affecting me..." her tone was filled with worry, which made her quicken her pace to the shower.
As she entered the bathroom, she threw Agni out on his face.
"How'd she see me that damn quickly...?" Agni mumbled as he sulked towards the couch, just as Ami and Deva arrived as well.
The two girls were sulking as well, taking lazy seats on Geo's sides. Agni decided to take a seat beside Takeda and looked at the bandages around his neck.
"Party was really wild, huh?" Agni asked, earning a groan and stiff nod. "Anyway, why the long faces, you two?"
"Miss Marina made me learn more water movements, and Ami has to write a 100-page essay on some landmark west of Gwain."
Takeda hummed and closed his eyes as he recalled his next mission from Gwain. He remembered that he'd be venturing rather far from Gwain as well, but not to the west.
"West is just boring sand." Agni chuckled at their misfortune in a playful manner.
"Oh, come on, you need to be a little more motivated," Marlow sat on Takeda's left in her school uniform, smiling at her underclassmen.
"Easy for you to say— you're graduating." Deva said with squinted eyes. "We have one more solar cycle to go, and you know how they are..."
"Heh, the last year is the easiest." Agni smirked, but Marlow gave a skeptical stare.
"I've never seen you study..." her comment made Takeda glance up at him two as he read through the skills Geo unlocked on his visor.
"I have my methods." Was all Agni revealed, but everyone was pretty sure of what they may be.
Ignoring him, "I just hate to waste my time on useless moves. Why can't I just use the ones I already know? They're stronger." Deva continued her ramble.
"What if you look for a crystal fragment book?" Marlow suggested.
"What?! They're way too expensive— and it's almost impossible to find them!"
"Then I guess you can only learn them by yourself." Marlow shrugged, subtly rolling her eyes.
"Nothing will make my day now—"
Lanney slid a fresh stack of blueberries pancakes in front of Deva, and strawberry ones in front of Ami.
With no hesitation the Deva began to eat with no utensils, making Takeda pick up her head with a glare at her lack of etiquette.
Geo slid her a fork and knife while shaking his head as Ami picked up a call from Gwain.
"Ami, come to the castle after class. Bring the Knave and the Deranged one with you. They have packages."
Ami accepted, but heard Gwain start again a distance away, "I just called Ami, see? I know how to use this thing."
•
Geo, Takeda, and Marlow stood off of the teleporter, standing across from Ami, Deva, and Agni.
"We'll wait at the castle." Deva parted as the three disappeared in a beam of light.
"I can deduce why you two can't use the portal. I have class, so I'll catch you two later." Marlow took off in a blur, leaving Geo and Takeda to take a stance in the opposite direction.
The two began rushing through the forested path towards the castle, before a dark presence stood in their way. Takeda skid to a stop as Geo slowed down to a walk, standing a bit ahead of him.
"The Silent Gale and the Knave," a violet-fashioned man greeted, drawing a one-sided saber. "I've read up on the Gale, but you've escaped my knowledge, Knave." He spun the blade before sheathing it at his hip like a gun, smirking as he tipped his brimmed hat.
"I've been longing to meet you two."
Takeda stepped to Geo's side, letting Savien get a better look at his armament. Takeda told Geo that he needed to head out for his next venture, and nodded to Savien.
"Ah, short on time. No worries. It was a pleasure while it lasted, Knave."
Takeda disappeared with a gust, letting Savien continue with his message.
"I'll be brief, my role is merely a messenger to you, Silent Gale. This scroll is a guide to objects of the occult. The treasures you may find are of immeasurable potential.
However, I doubt any Teoran can conquer the venture for these treasures. But, I have high hopes for you."
Geo didn't mind the challenge being presented, and decided to take the scroll. Looking back up, he noticed Savien was gone.
•
"Are you gonna ask Geo to join you in the desert?" Deva asked Ami, who held Noobe in her arms.
"Hey, guys. Where's the two buffoons...?" Gwain strut up with a scowl.
Takeda fazed into sight beside Deva, and a moment after, Geo arrived beside Agni, who had already held up his finger to boop his nose.
"There you are. Packages have arrived." Gwain turned on her heel and began walking towards her throne, causing the others to follow.
"Only high ranking officials get their packages to the castle, right?" Deva asked Gwain, following behind Geo and Ami.
"Not necessarily, only those who reside here."
"Is it from someone famous?" Agni chimed in.
"...I don't go through other people's mail." Gwain leered back, before swatting her hair back.
Suddenly, a large broadsword was swung at Ami.
Takeda swung Ami behind him as Geo blocked the blade. The guard who tested them smirked at the clash, before surrendering and sheathing his sword.
"Not bad, bodyguards. For you, Silent Gale." The taller knight handed a beige package to Geo, who tapped the seal with swiftness.
Open its unsealing, a digital letter was revealed. "To the Silent Gale, love, your #1 fan." Deva finished reading with a face of disgust and disbelief.
"How come love...?" She wondered, but Ami and Agni had an idea, imaging Twain giggling at the thought.
Suddenly, Geo was enveloped in an orange flash, before revealing a hooded tracksuit of a black and orange color scheme. On the hood was the Twain emblem, making Deva and Ami grimace in fear.
"I think it's about time we leave...!" Deva and Ami began pushing Geo out of the throne room as Gwain began charging her body with light.
Takeda gave an annoyed look at the sudden favoritism, but shrugged and began to follow after them.
"Hey, didn't I say you both had packages." Gwain appeared in front of him with her hand on his chest.
Takeda rose an eyebrow, since he saw no package in sight.
"Follow me. I'll debrief you of your assignment on the way to the throne."
Takeda followed Gwain, noticing that despite her sister's involvement in her affairs, she was rather unbothered.
"That sister of mine clearly has a type. I intercepted her package for you, since it was a proposal of cooperation with her own territorial ventures later down the line."
Takeda hummed and inquired about what that would mean.
"Well, seeing as we're two different kingdoms, that'd be treason, but of course as sisters we operate under the same rule to a degree. I may consider the partnership, should you show your worth with time."
Takeda smiled and gave a thumbs up as she arrived at her throne, and he stood beside it.
"Your mission is rather simple. There's a gathering of Bubblets near the sewers. The horde seem to have gathered up a mass of treasures by stealing from beach-goers, so I'll need you to reclaim the goods."
Takeda shrugged and smirked, seeing that the task was easy enough. Gwain had to respect his confidence after hearing about his feats the day before.
"Seeing as your defense to magic is limited, I had this made for your missions. Hopefully, it's a step above your previous attire?" Gwain smirked as she pat his chest, his body shining yellow.
"So? A thank you is due." Gwain leered at him, but knew that he was simply starstruck, so she hid her smile.
Takeda nodded in appreciation, so Gwain crossed her arms with a smirk.
"It's a Compaction Suit. Similar to the Omega suit, it absorbs damage, but only half, and convert it into a defense boost. It should help with your endurance in a fight."
Takeda groaned just thinking about the bruising from the beatdown yesterday and let out a low sigh.
"Now, be on your way, Knave. I expect results."
Takeda huffed at his title, making Gwain chuckle as he disappeared in a blur.
•
Takeda kneed open a wooden door under a cliffside cove, splattering Bubblets against the wall, who glared at him in disdain.
Dashing further in Takeda leapt up just in time to roll over a raising drawbridge.
Rushing around and leaping off of more wooden structures, presumably their living quarters, Takeda decided he'd take a much more passive approach in getting back the treasures.
He saw a brigade of Bubblets later up a wall of gel shields, so he decided he'd vault off a rather regal fountain in the center of their abodes and land behind them.
The Bubblets looked at each other in exasperation, before dropping the shields in defeat.
Takeda burst through another set of wooden doors, sliding around to turn his back to the massive entity that sat on a throne of golden coins and accessories.
With his hands in his pockets, Takeda leered back with a smirk.
"Ha. It's admirable you came all this way." The Entity stood up, and towered over Takeda by half his height. "Unfortunately, you've come all this way to fall by the hand of King Kaditopez!"
Kaditopez slashed his arm down and sent a torrent of water barreling at Takeda, who only stood in the face of the pressure.
Def | + 1 ]
Magic Def | + 1 ]
Def | + 1 ]
Magic Def | + 1 ]
Def | + 1 ]
Magic Def | + 1 ]
Takeda allowed the water to flush away and back into the ground revealing he was fine, but his beige jacket had turned a darker hue from its compaction.
Takeda awed at its capabilities, and made sure to thank Gwain properly for the gift later.
Seeing Kaditopez suddenly appeared beside him Takeda leaned away from an upward slash. He flipped back as a geyser erupted from the ground where he stood, before clawing his hand forward and blocking a punch from Kaditopez, who gurgled in shock.
Takeda parried his fist and flipped over a kick, landing in a crouch but needed to flip over another slash at his side. He kicked Kaditopez away as he soared over, giving him distance to charge an orb of water in his hand.
Charge | Raging Geyser - Flinch ]
Kaditopez eyes widened in disbelief seeing his own skill being charged against him and quickly grew infuriated. He charged his own orb in his hand as they held out their claws.
Active | Raging Geyser - Flinch ]
Active | Raging Tide - Stun ]
"Huh?"
Kaditopez was suddenly overpowered with ease, the beam of water Takeda produced being double the size of his own. As he water barreled through him, Takeda suddenly dashed by with his armament outstretched, hitting him with a stunning slash that brought Kaditopez to his knees.
"Alright! Fine... you win. You can have all our treasure."
Takeda smiled at the victory and walked up to the pile of treasures. Within the mound of gold, he saw a marble handle and pulled out a curved, ornamental diamond sword.
Shrugging, he tossed it back to the pile and simultaneously spotted a Water Crystal Fragment Book.
Takeda perked up remembering that Deva was on the lookout for one. As he picked it up, he heard a thud behind him and saw Geo in his Omega Suit.
Takeda questioned his presence, confusing Geo and Kaditopez.
Geo held up the scroll that Savien gave him, perplexed as well since he assumed the gesture was in goodwill.
Takeda groaned before pointing out to Geo that Ami was on her own, making him rub his neck and apologize. Takeda tossed Geo the Water Crystal Fragment book and shook his head.
Claiming that he'd handle it, he decided to let Geo reap some benefit for his efforts, since it wasn't his fault that Savien was up to no good.
Takeda used the last of his magic to use a skill that Gwain taught him to transport goods to the castle armory.
Active | Migrate ]
With the treasures sent back to the castle, Takeda told Geo to follow after he delivered the book to Deva. Geo nodded and the two raced off to leave a confused Kaditopez.
"What the hell...?"