--DAWN of the FIRST DAY
--72 hours REMAIN
--DOT goes EVIL
--NOA and KEALE meet FAITH
--RUTO is WORRIED, whereas IAN is NOT
--ATSUKO draws the SACRED TEAR
--The SNOW starts to TAKE EFFECT
--CHATTY is SCARY
--SAILOR MOON feels COLD
--LAIN hates RIO
Chatty has returned to the City, Authoress.
*with a small smile* I noticed.
Aren't you going to cancel your current plans, then?
*smiling some more* I don't have any reason to.
.........
(The Authoress lets out a small chuckle and twirls the diskette.)
*dryly* Not even my own computer trusts me any more...maybe I am going crazy.
Please don't start that again, Authoress.
*with a small sigh* I know, I know. Just...run the program, please.
Acknowledged. Running program...
Figure: Uggh...
The figure stirs as the ambient lighting increases, but makes no attempt to rise.
Figure: *moan*
Meanwhile, without realizing it, the person under the slab is missing quite a spectable: seven small orbs, each about the size of a baseball, begin to levitate into the air and give off brilliant, pulsating colors. Eventually their combined light grows to a point where it would be impossible for most even the most determined to remain asleep...reluctantly, the figure begins to crawl out in the open.
Figure: *mutter*
The light reveals the figure to be Refrain, his clothes tattered and bloody in several spots. He opens his eyes, revealing their natural, unpossessed-by-Master-sama colors and somehow is not blinded by the intense brilliance.
Refrain (absolutely shocked): The [Guardians]?!?
Refrain (blankly): Like me? (eyes widen in realization) Choirmaster! He-- (chokes up) Oh, God... (falling to his knees, tearfully) Mack...
Refrain (taken aback): What?
Refrain gives another start as a small egg materializes in the palm of his hand.
Trembling, Refrain cups the egg in his hand gently.
Refrain (puzzled): "She"...?
Refrain: ......?
Refrain (not getting it): Okay...
The orbs rise higher into the air, arranging themselves into a strange pattern, and disperse into seven different directions, leaving Refrain to ponder over their words and his most precious gift.
Vocal (happily): Ah...nothing like a good old-fashioned disaster to bring people together.
Choirmaster (sullenly): It may look like it, but this scenario's been out of my control a long time ago.
Vocal (as above): Oh, don't be such a fuddy-duddy! What does it matter if someone else is masterminding the end of the world?
Choirmaster (impatiently): Because she's the one behind it, and she never does something this straightfoward!
Vocal (shrugging): Maybe she changed her mind.
Choirmaster (urgently): You're making a mistake, I tell you! You're not going to get another opportunity as good as now!
Vocal (eats another handful of popcorn): So? It's only the hunt that's interesting, not the kill. (grins) The more they resist, the more fun it'll be to break them!
Choirmaster: ......
Seeing that Vocal refuses to listen, Choirmaster crosses his arms and begins to fume. Apparently unconcerned, Vocal continues to observe, periodically tossing more popcorn in his mouth as he does so.
Vocal (mostly to himself): Really, Choirmaster, you're far too shortsighted...
Xelloss (muttering): Leaving suddenly without telling anyone where I'm going...Filia-chan's probably going to yell at me when I get back...if I get back at all... ^_^;
O.S. Voice (chidingly): You're getting soft, Xelloss.
Xelloss stops and points his staff at the source of the sound.
Xelloss (languidly): All this stalking is getting old, you know.
O.S. Voice (with a touch of sarcasm): Oh, I'm sorry.
The air before Xelloss shimmers and warps slightly as a figure appears. Xelloss raises an eyebrow as the figure--a female version of himself--comes into view.
Lady (with a predatory smile): Do I annoy you because I'm not part of your "plan"?
Xelloss (shrugging): Plans can always be changed. (holding up a finger, winking) Besides, what makes you so sure you're not a part of my plans?
Lady (as above): That, my dear little trickster priest, is what you would call a "secret".
With that, the lady extends her hand and her smile becomes even more disturbingly frightening as an elaborately decorated staff materialises.
Lady (pointing her staff at Xelloss): And unfortunately for you, what you don't know will hurt you.
Chatty (teasingly): Come back, Voidstar-kun! I haven't finished playing with you yet!
Voidstar: HELL NO!
The battle is still raging quite fiercely as far as the frequency of projectiles are concerned. The tide, however, has turned considerably in Chatty's favor despite the fact that she's been losing her Demiurge powers a bit faster than Voidstar; she just doesn't stop finding new ways of throwing things at him. Voidstar, who by now was completely unnerved by her uncharacteristic cheerfulness, decided that he would rather be a living coward than a dead hero, and tried to make a run for it.
Chatty (chucking a mailbox towards Voidstar): Aw, don't be such a fuddy-duddy! Stop running away so I can properly kill you before all this stupid snow gets in the way!
Voidstar (ducking): I'd rather not!
Chatty (pouting): Aw, why not?
Voidstar: Because I prefer to be alive, duh!
Chatty: It's not like you'll stay dead very long, anyway!
Voidstar: I'm not like you! I can't just resurrect myself on demand!
And so on and so forth. Pretty soon, the two RLs have gotten themselves to a very unfamiliar part of town, and both of them are starting to wear down.
Chatty (slowing): Okay, time out! I need a break!
Voidstar (panting): You go ahead and time out! I'm (gasps) getting the hell out of here!
Stumbling, Voidstar leans heavily against a wall for support...and disappears through the large Plot Hole that springs up in front of it.
Chatty (blinking): Voidstar-kun? Where did you go?
She walks up to the wall and examines it carefully.
Chatty (thoughtfully): Oh, I see, a Plot Hole... (smirks) how very clever! (giggles) Now I get to think of how I can Monkey Wrench this!
With a twirl, Chatty sits in mid-air and places her chin in her hands, pondering cutely.