[IC] TTG Chapter 6: Envy

[GodofGamingRWBY]

Valkyrie

 

As soon as Grima had heard a noticeably different 'boom' from the norm, she forced herself to peek above the edge of her shield, a few bullets managing to ricochet off of her helmet as she saw the source. A mortar volley, coming at her, and fast.

 

Within an instant, the world around Grima slowed down as she stared at the mortar shells flying at her. A volley of them, aimed above her to get around her shield, the shells speeds indicating that they would hit just before the machine gun fire ended, barely enough time to react. But, it had taken Finale time to switch fire, and as such, there would be enough time for Valkyrie to counteract it. Unfortunately, her shield was extremely heavy, so it would take too long to simply lift it up after the machine gun fire ended in order to block the mortars, unless she did something extra to force it up.

 

One second

 

With that, the world returned to its normal speed, just as the machine gun fire began to let up, forcing Grima to go with her plan, kicking the bottom of her shield just as she began lifting it to quickly force it forward and up, along with placing her other hand beneath the shield to add extra stabilization. Then the volley hit, exploding the area around her, and on top of her shield, almost knocking Grima to the ground from the multiple explosions, though still managing to force her to one knee.

 

Queen was right, it would be really hard to approach with that much firepower, and with how quickly Finale could switch between modes. But she wasn't going to give up, she just had to take the onslaught and get close. Once she was close, she could likely finish the fight easily. So, forcing herself up, Grima kept moving forward, her shield's position depending on where Finale was aiming. If it was directly at her, then obviously, Grima would move the shield back to the front, but if it was simply more mortar fire, then it only made since to keep her shield up.

[IntSys]

Astra vs. Supernova

 

Tai faced his opponent again from above. Without the jetpack, Astra's aerial movement became clumsy. Even rotating took effort, let alone horizontal movement. The only path he could go now was down, letting gravity pull him to the surface. He needed to take advantage of his opponent's predicament.

 

He noticed his opponent trying to gun him down again, but half of the already-weak machine guns were already melted away, and the gravity and the fog between them all made the bullets even less potent they already were. At that moment, the bullets were merely a defensive screen that would force him to sustain damage as he neared his opponent.

 

The star rose high up over Astra's legs. It radiated a blinding halo that seemed to rival the sun above. The form of its core jittered as it phased from red to orange, and then yellow, and finally a bluish white.

 

The boy from 14 years ago raised his right hand high above the mech figure on the rubber floor. The middle finger was the head, and the other four were the limbs. The palm was the body, and his creativity was the fire. His mouth wheezed as if to emulate the sound of a flaming star. "Take this! My signature attack,

 

"NOVA STRIKE!"

 

Finally, the star crashed upon Astra. At a breakneck speed, Tai... No, Supernova, dived down, burning brighter than ever. The fog along the way was first twisted, then distorted, and finally torched away by Supernova's sheer speed and temperature, clearing up the skies nearby.

 

He very well had the ability to stall, especially with Astra's vertical capabilities stripped away, but right now, he wasn't that man bound by the obligation to assist a higher power. He was Supernova, his dream. And so the match shall not end with a utilitarian's draw. It shall be a hot-blooded ending that would send the entire crowd into a frenzy.

 

There was nowhere for his opponent to run. Or rather, his opponent had lost the ability to run. The fist was on the course for Astra's center at a speed even greater than the speed Supernova used to escape from his grasps.

[Shamitako]

Hiroki

 

Arcturus was worn out and in a good deal of pain, but now wasn't the time to worry about himself. There were much greater things at stake. The worry on his face was clear, even through his pain.

 

"Congratulations." Arcturus said between rasping breaths, "Unfortunately, celebration will have to wait, there is much I need to tell. I wanted to save Cardinal from herself, but I made a grave misstep. I assumed she was alone, but He's been manipulating her from the start. Not even that boy coming all this way for her was enough, He has convinced her that she can't trust anyone but Him, not even her own heart."

 

Astra vs. Supernova

 

Adam saw the attack coming, but with his mobility reduced as it was, dodging normal wasn't an option. He didn't have time to think of a plan, his opponent was going to hit the attack if he stopped to think. Instead, Adam let his reflexes take over.

 

He could have used the same technique Tai had earlier to dodge, but he felt in his heart that such a thing would be wrong. He could feel the passion is his opponent's attack, and his own rekindled passion refused to let him run away. Instead, his reflexes did something completely unexpected even to him.

 

"WAIT!" his cry rang out across the field as Adam outstretched his hand to tell his opponent to stop.

 

The word was more than a plea, it was his raw desire. Tai would not so much hear it as feel it, a heartfelt request for the Nova Strike to be held back, if only for a short while.

 

Reflex bonus used

 

(OOC: technically you can go on with the attack, but I'd appreciate if you played along for a minute)

 

Valkyrie vs. Finale

 

Artemis narrowed her eyes behind her mask. Such a complex response with such little time to react, her opponent was good. She considered switching things up again, trying to test the limits of Grima's skills.

 

But that was enough experimenting, Artemis had a good sense of how her opponent could fight, and had a simple solution to the issue. Her gun rearranged itself again as she lofted it back above her head, turning into a sort of disc launcher. It fired out several of these discs, which proceeded to float in a defensive screen between the two combatants, lights on the top blinking bright blue at regular intervals.

[GodofGamingRWBY]

Valkyrie

 

When it seemed like Artemis wasn't going to launch another mortar strike, Grima lowered her shield, rolling her shoulder after the explosions before advancing once more, this time making sure to keep at least one eye on the outside of her shield so she could see what Artemis would do... Which seemed to be launching several floating discs. They didn't seem harmful, yet, but that probably wouldn't be the case. She fired them out for a reason, and she'd have to be careful, or else she would be in extreme trouble.

 

With that, Grima chose to mix her approach up this time... Specifically by not heading straight for Artermis, but beginning to move around, seeing if the disks would reposition themselves or not. She still had to get in closer, that was obvious, but she'd get nowhere by being reckless.

[Chevaleresse]

Save Cardinal from herself? What did that mean? Cardinal was... dangerous, she'd come unhinged and tried to kill Tai, the one who'd apparently been on her side. If it hadn't been for Blink, she might have even succeeded. Maybe that was what the man meant. "Wh-Who is 'Him?' I don't, um, understand." That was an understatement. She didn't even know why she was stopping to listen to what he had to say; Arcturus was her enemy. Though he had promised that she would change, and whatever she'd done to win - or, stalemate, really - was certainly new. He hadn't lied to her that she knew of, at least. Still. . . "And why should I, um, help you?"

[Shamitako]

Hiroki

 

"You would most likely know him as Watcher, though recently that's become a bit of a misnomer with how much he's been interfering." Arcturus explained, "He believes it his duty to take on the evils of the world so that heroes may rise and drive humanity forwards. It is his machinations that lead to Cardinal becoming the False God of Nil."

 

Arcturus chuckled. It really was something, this scenario Watcher had built. Arcturus only hoped that Hiroki would find the right path where he had failed.

 

"There is no help left for me, I have already failed. The responsibility now falls to you, you must choose the path that will save the world. My intent is only to give you all of the information so that you can find the right answer." He sighed and sat himself up better, looking Hiroki in the eyes, his gaze softer than expected, more like that of a parent than an enemy. "The following are the facts: Watcher will always take the side of evil. Watcher has convinced Cardinal to obey him. Cardinal is the only one who can defeat Watcher. And most important: Neither of them can defeat you."

 

Valkyrie vs. Finale

 

Going around, a typical response. The mines remained stationary as Grima moved to avoid them, but Artemis took the opportunity to launch yet more discs. Oddly, however, rather than creating another defensive screen, Artemis chose to lay the next set of mines behind her, leaving the path between her and Grima wide open for an approach. 

[GodofGamingRWBY]

Valkyrie

 

Yeah. This was quite clearly a trap, and one that Grima just let become more prepared for. Brilliant work, as always. Suppressing her sigh, Grima advanced, lowering herself to the ground, as well as picking up her pace. She just had to keep moving forward and take Finale's attacks head on, otherwise she'd get nowhere.

[IntSys]

Astra vs. Supernova

 

The star blazed for a brief moment before it slowed to a halt before Astra. The energy shield persisted, glowing as brightly as it had before, but the finishing intent had gone away with the wind. The man inside the machine had plead for him to stop, amidst the climax of the battle. Supernova was known for not just his unusual approach to the competitive scene but also his remarkable sportsmanship - something that was worth defying authority over, and so he accepted his opponent's request.

 

"What?" Unintentionally, his fired-up blood charged his words, making them sound more interrogative than they really were. Both men were within an arm's reach from each other, yet they paused for a moment, letting the passion precipitate.

[Shamitako]

Astra vs. Supernova

 

Adam hadn't expected himself to do what he did, let alone Supernova to accept his request. So this whole situation was quite the surprise. But even surprised, he didn't hesitate or stutter. 

 

"I don't understand why you're here." Adam said, "The way you fight, you're not doing this for anyone else. You can't be, because you're giving your all to defeating me. And if that's the case, why are you part of this battle where you and I are just pawns for someone else?

 

"I have a proposal: let me take your place. If I fight for Nil, then you can fight against me to save the world. Not for the sake of another, but for your own. Because if the world ends you won't be able to keep fighting." 

 

It was an absolutely ludicrous proposal, one that would only make sense to the most childish of people. But at the end of the day, the childlike passion for he fight was what had brought them all here in the first place. Some of them had lost sight of that, some, like Adam himself, had no choice but to give it up. But maybe Supernova could still escape, he could fulfill the responsibility of participating in this foolish tournament and be free. And if that possibility remained, Adam couldn't help but offer it. He only wished he could still take that route himself.

[Chevaleresse]

Hiroki blinked. Once again, she was left with difficulty responding. It wasn't exactly something that should be new to her: the whole point of the tournament had been to fight Cardinal in the end. Having one of the most powerful beings in Tempest assure her that she wouldn't lose to either her or Watcher was still different. She felt the weight of responsibility that she'd been trying to ignore settle about her shoulders as she listened to Arcturus. The girl had tried her damnedest to not think about it, but by joining the tournament, she'd accepted the responsibility of dealing with its conclusion and its aftermath. It was a daunting thought, to say the least. 

 

"So I need to convince Cardinal to, um, fight Watcher?" Hiroki halfway began to shake her head even as she said the words. That didn't exactly sound like a likely outcome, and almost certainly wasn't what Arcturus meant. "Or. . . how am I supposed to know what the right answer is?" According to Arcturus himself, the gods were wrong, but it still sounded an awful lot like Cardinal needed to be stopped - and she still wasn't sure who she should be trusting. "Or what to do at all?" Hiroki wasn't really any good at anything other than fighting. If that wasn't the answer, well, she wasn't sure why the man seemed to be placing this trust in her. It seemed genuine enough, but this still felt like it was all over her head.

[IntSys]

Astra vs. Supernova

 

Somewhere between the clash, Tai's emotions had spilled over to his opponent. Somehow, the total stranger he was facing in the ring felt far more close to his heart than Cardinal or Tejfidh.

 

Perhaps, that was because, only in the ring can he be Supernova.

"Thank you."

 

Cardinal's plight and Tai's responsibility, or even saving the world... They were all ultimately meaningless.

 

For "Tai" could not exist without "Supernova."

 

That man inside the mech over there must have felt the same. Surely, he must be a man with dreams too. Yet there he was, offering to give up his position so that Tai could retain his. Or perhaps, something was stopping that man from doing the same.

 

He clenched his fists. "But don't give up yet. You saved me, and I'll save you as well."

 

The wind began to blow on Astra again.

[Shamitako]

Valkyrie vs. Finale

 

With two thirds of the area around her now covered by a minefield, Artemis had reduced her opponent's approach options to one. All she had to do now was keep up the attack until even Valkyrie's defenses couldn't handle any more. 

 

Switching her weapon back to mortar mode, Artemis began raining fiery death on her foe once more, this time with no signs of letting up anytime soon.

 

Hiroki

 

Arcturus was patient as Hiroki reeled. This was a responsibility far too large for anyone to bear, truly she was handling it better than most.

 

"I am just a warrior." Arcturus told her, "I have done many great things in my time, but making great choices is not one of them. But sometimes a warrior such as myself is presented with a choice that can't be ignored. We have to make these choices, difficult though they may be, and we may never know in the end if the choice we made was correct.

 

"If you must have my advice, then I will say this: Whatever Watcher wants of you, do the opposite."

 

Hiroki heard a cracking sound behind her. A jagged white line had cut through the air, distorting the world around it. Slowly, it opened, forming the shape of an eye floating sideways. Looking at it made her feel invisible, as though it could see right through her.

 

"That was quicker than expected." Arcturus remarked, "It seems you've received an invitation."

[Chevaleresse]

If he was right about anything, it was the part about choices. She barely knew any of the people involved in this, and yet she had to choose who to trust, and who to ignore. For all she knew, this "invitation" was some sort of elaborate deathtrap; wear down her mech in a pitched battle, then take her somewhere and dispose of her now that Favor wouldn't protect her. The only thing that seemed to disprove that was her newfound strength. Arcturus had promised it, and so it had been. Maybe he was just messing with her mind, like he had before, but she felt like she could trust him. So, instead of turning and walking away, Hiroki took a deep breath and nodded before standing. "Okay. I'll. . . do my best." 

 

She turned to face the portal. It was strange. She'd always been uncomfortable with having people's eyes on her, but she didn't like this feeling of its gaze seemingly going right past her. Another breath, and she began to walk forward.

[GodofGamingRWBY]

Valkyrie

 

Again, in response to the volley of mortar fire, Grima stopped in her tracks, this time having a better head start in preparation, lifting her shield above her head right before the first strike hit. With the first volley, Grima managed to lock herself in place, barely budging from the explosions. Then a second hit... Then a third... Then a fourth, and after the third, it was clear that Grima herself wouldn't be able to hold up for as long as she hoped against the repeated strikes, unlike her shield, which was still remarkably scratch less. Already, she was almost forced to her knees.

 

Suddenly, time slowed down drastically, the only thing Grima could hear being her own heartbeat in her ear, spaced out, as expected. Each beat ticked her ability to think down, and she desperately needed that time to come up with a way to get herself out of this situation.

 

Two seconds.

 

Right now, she was almost literally stuck between a rock and a hard place. She saw what Finale's plan was now, to limit her mobility and force her to approach in one specific way, and to make sure that one path was destroyed as completely as possible while she was still in it, before she could get anywhere near. While Grima still had energy to move, she'd be torn to pieces before she could enough headway to get into a melee fight fast enough. And at this rate, if she got forced to her knees again, she wouldn't have much of a chance to get back up.

 

"Are you here fighting for the gods because you think they're right, or because they didn't give you a choice?" 

Three seconds

 

... She didn't have a choice. This was what she agreed to do, because she was a criminal. She was offered pardon if everything succeeded, and that's part of the reason why she fought. Not because she thought the gods were right, but simply because she had a chance to correct her wrongdoings.

 

"If your resolve is that weak, I'd suggest you turn around and leave right now."

Four seconds

 

Sparing a quick glance, Grima sized up the mines floating nearby. They were made to limit her movement, but she had no idea how powerful they actually were. They could be just for show, or could have an immense punch behind them. She might have to take the risk in order to gain some mobility, but if they were harmful, she would simply lose this battle even harder than before. Unless she used them for something else...

 

"It's been a few years, but you used to be a pretty good fighter in the arena, didn't you? How would you like to earn your freedom with those skills?"

Five seconds

 

... Fuck it.

 

Just as the normal flow of time resumed and the next volley hit, Grima let out a burst of speed, pushing herself off of the ground as she stepped towards one of the floating mines, using her momentum to strike at one of the mortars coming straight for her, the two metals causing the mortar to explode practically in Grima's face. But, instead of falling back, the pilot of Valkyrie pushed forward, continuing her movement to jump up, placing her shield beneath her feat and in front of the mine.

 

And then said mine exploded, launching Grima forward, her shield withstanding the actual damage of the explosion, leaving Grima to twist herself in midair again in order to position her shield in front of herself, all while making sure to steer herself towards her target.

 

Finale.

[Shamitako]

Hiroki

 

Arcturus smiled reassuringly as Hiroki entered the portal, but his face turned to grimace as soon as she vanished. He was confident in her ability to fight, but first she would have to navigate whatever lies Lucifer laid before her. 

 

"You really should just learn to ask for help." he muttered to himself, "It would save all of us a lot of trouble."

 

~~~

 

The world flashed white as Hiroki stepped into the portal. A scene faded in before her, discolored slightly but still easily recognizable: a much younger Hiroki, hurt and frustrated as her opponent stood over her triumphantly. It had been her very first fight, an absolutely humiliating loss.

 

Her younger self stood and looked towards her with a blank stare. Everything else faded away again, leaving her floating alonw with herself in this white void. As she floated there, she suddenly realized that she has switched places and was now looking on herself in the present. No longer a defeated child, but one of the strongest warriors in all the Planes.

 

"Congratulations." a man's voice tore through the silent abyss from behind her, the other Hiroki vanishing in the same instant. He walked out and turned to face her, a young man with dark skin, brown hair, and ocean blue eyes that seemed to look through her just as the portal had. "I'm sure Arcturus already told you about me, and I should warn you: absolutely everything he said was completely true, no doubt about it."

[Chevaleresse]

She'd tried to forget that match. She was pathetic, so very pathetic, unable to even fight back in a meaningful way. She had been nothing, and she refused to go back to being such. Hiroki took a deep breath. Watcher was probably just trying to unsettle her, but the joke was on him, Hiroki was always unsettled. Nothing he could do or say would be worse than what she'd already tried to tell herself, and the girl had maybe, finally, proven herself wrong. She met his blue gaze with her own violet one, trying not to let her nerves show. "Why did you set, um, up Cardinal as Nil, then?" First things first; though, really, it was the only thing she could think of to ask. What did you do when confronted with a second being the gods feared immediately after the first?

[Shamitako]

Hiroki

 

"It will be some time before you are able to fight again, let's go for a walk." Watcher completely ignored Hiroki's question and began walking away. There didn't seem to be any choice but to follow. 

 

The white void slowly began to turn pitch black around them, starkly contrasting Watcher's white suit. "I told you that everything Arcturus said was true, but I withheld something." Watcher said as the white void finally vanished entirely, dropping a curtain of blackness of Hiroki's eyes, "You see, you cannot trust a word I say, and indeed Arcturus was mistaken about something."

 

An explosion tore through the space around them, the shockwave threatening to send Hiroki flying away from the nothingness she stood on. A bright blue light now illuminated the blackness, a star had appeared next to them.

 

"There are rules that govern this universe, four elements whose influence can be accessed by manipulating our very souls. These elements signify an endless cycle of power, and each cannot usurp their place in the cycle."

 

The star turned purple and began to flicker, Hiroki didn't understand what this meant, but she knew it had fundamentally changed.

 

"These elements are also paired, which allows the cycle to reach an equilibrium. Most important for this equilibrium is energy, which is capable of creating balance with light, the element of destruction."

 

The star changed again, now not so much a star as an orb of pure white. Under this new light, Watcher himself seemed to glow. 

 

"You see, light can never defeat energy, and so as long as these two powers remain balanced, there can be no destruction. This balance is a fundamental rule of the reality we inhabit. I believe Arcturus told you of this relationship, correct?"

 

Watcher went silent, apparently finally listening to Hiroki as he waited for her answer.

[Chevaleresse]

Hiroki stopped for a moment, then shook her head slightly. There was no real point in lying about it, though something about what Watcher had said struck her. Energy and light. . . Arcturus had said something about her holding the power of energy. Did that mean she now had some kind of role to play in this equilibrium? Once again, there was so much she didn't know. Of course, Watcher could very well be lying about this, but this made sense with what she knew already. Lord had mentioned a balance of the planes, the disruption of which would cause great destruction. "What does, um, this mean for Nil?"

[Shamitako]

Hiroki

 

Watcher shrugged, "Nothing really, I'm just passing the time." he said. 

 

The world changed again, now an extremely strange looking plane covered in some kind of green plant that looked like a carpet and with a strikingly blue sky straight out of a fantasy world.

 

"Here's the thing:" Watcher extended the back of his hand towards Hiroki, "According to the rules, you and Arcturus can always force an endless battle against me. But it's been a long time since I was beholden to the rules."

 

Watcher flicked his first two fingers three times, beckoning. Obeying his command, the energy within Hiroki burst forth, flaring out between them in a burst of raw power. And then it shrank. Growing increasingly small, Hiroki's power floated over to Watcher and settled above his hand, small enough that he could place it in his palm if he wanted. Hiroki felt as though a part of her had been torn away. 

 

"If I wanted, I could take your power right here and now, you would never again be able to create more energy. That means no mech, no star powers, none of it." He shook his head, and Hiroki's power floated back into her, growing again as it returned, "You asked why I made Cardinal what she is, and it's simple: I have already succeeded as the destroyer, and I wish to create a hero who can undo my actions. Cardinal trusts me, I'm like a father to her, but I have every intent to betray her, ensuring your victory and the safety of Tempest."

[Chevaleresse]

Hiroki gasped faintly at the feeling, mostly because she felt like she had to respond somehow to the yawning emptiness that opened up inside her when the glowing ball - was that her Favor? Her soul? - coalesced over Watcher's hand. The man's claim certainly sounded true with that evidence placed before her. With that true, how was she supposed to oppose him? It was already fairly clear; he said something about her not being strong enough to fight again. She was to fight Cardinal and win, become Watcher's hero. So, she needed to do the opposite. Cardinal couldn't defeat her, so even if Arcturus's assurance that Watcher couldn't was rather less comforting now, she could do something. 

 

. . . Of course, a plan that relied on her charisma and ability to speak well under pressure was probably a bad one. "Isn't that, um, just going back to where, um, we started before Nil?" He did just say he was looking for someone to undo his actions but this all seemed . . . pointless. All that manipulation of people, all of that hurting, for entertainment? Though another, less important question rose to mind. "And. . . what is this place?"

[Shamitako]

Astra vs. Supernova 

 

Adam wanted to protest that he was already beyond saving. If he lost here, then it would all fall apart, and he didn't have any chance of winning, it was a given that Supernova's next attack would decide the battle. But something made him stop. Why did it have to dscide the battle? Had he really given up already? No, he couldn't. Not because of his responsibility, but for his own pride. There was a time for humility, he'd learned that the hard way, but nothing made now that time.

 

There was one thing he could try, though the likelihood of it working was virtually none, it wouldn't be fair to himself or his opponent if he didn't do it. And so he raised his arms in a defensive posture, braced himself for the incoming attack, disengaged his lock, and plummeted towards the ground.

 

Valkyrie vs. Finale

 

Artemis was almost caught off guard by that move. It was certainly reckless, not the sort of thing you'd expect from such a design. Unfortunately for Grima, reckless wasn't going to be enough. With no way to change her trajectory, she was unable to avoid Finale's arms reaching out to grab her shield and using her momentum to redirect her around Finale, into the minefield. Artemis didn't let up either, immediately unleashing another volley of mortar fire towards Valkyrie the instant it hit the ground.

 

Hiroki

 

"This is the world I was born to, and the one Cardinal currently inhabits. It's quite the lovely sight." Watcher ignored the important question again, "Though nowadays it doesn't look much like this. In fact it's impossible for anyone to survive there for more than about seventeen seconds, not that time still has any real meaning there."

[Chevaleresse]

Through the restless swirling of all of the fears and doubts the situation, a flare of anger rose up to illuminate her thoughts for a moment. The alien scenery, beautiful as it was, was hard to appreciate at a time like this, and she glared up at Watcher for a moment. He was treating her like a child, refusing to answer her questions and distracting her with other things. She forced the feeling back for the moment; Hiroki was acutely aware of where she stood in regard to him, especially considering she had no idea where she was or how she would get back home if her host decided she was too troublesome. Then again. . . "Don't belittle me." She was "his" hero (though that thought sent another wave of anger through her, this one more bitter tasting than the last.) Pointless though his machinations may have seemed, surely he wouldn't toss them aside just because she got slightly belligerent. 

[IntSys]

Astra vs. Supernova

 

That's the spirit.

 

The energy shield flared up again, reaching its prime in just an instant. Just as quickly, Supernova dived down and around his opponent, getting past his guard. Intense heat rubbed against his opponent's armor on the way down, not letting go for a split second. This would be the decisive blow... And he needed to create as little torque as possible to prevent what had happened last time.

 

His eyes were set on the sphere behind the wrecked, smoke-spewing jetpack. The mech's core. And finally, he jolted back upwards, meeting the core with a high speed right uppercut. Even at the very end, he still believed that his opponent could fight back. Not out of paranoia over losing, but out of the mutual respect between pilots.

[Shamitako]

Hiroki

 

Hiroki's demand gave Watcher pause. It wasn't every day someone spoke so directly to him. And for her to use the same words as that madwoman, it struck him as poetic. He actually felt tears well in his eyes before he stopped himself. 

 

"There are some answers that must be worked for." He said, "If you can answer a question of mine, you will have your own answer. So tell me: How many Planes are there?" 

 

It was a simple question with an obvious answer, but anyone could tell from the fact it was being asked that the obvious answer was incorrect. No, the answer was the number at the core of everything, and the number that would soon come to represent Hiroki herself.

[Chevaleresse]

Hiroki frowned. There were seven, of course, unless one counted the false plane of Nil. Watcher had also mentioned hailing from a plane that underwent some great cataclysm, at least from what she could infer. "Nine. At, um, least, as far as I know. Pride, Greed, Gluttony, Envy, Wrath, Lust, and Sloth, um, plus Nil and where you came from. There's um, also dream planes, but I don't think, um, you mean those." She fully expected to be told she was wrong, and led to the answer if she wasn't told outright. Hiroki was liking this situation less and less; she didn't exactly mind learning more about the nature of the planes, but being guided and nudged around until she reached a place where she no longer had to be dealt with was exactly the thing she'd pushed so hard to avoid.