Utena-kun> Utena-kun is sitting on the porch, deeply lost in thought,
hand
on chin, almost statuesque. But his thoughts are clearly grim.

Utena-kun> The porch swing swings a little. Someone's sitting there.

Utena-kun> He pulls back his robe's hood. "Now what's the problem?"

Utena-kun> Utena-kun blinks. "Paradox?" He sighs, and lets his slender
hands fall into his lap. "... I'm trying to figure out how to get my own
soul. So that I don't have to be part of her."

Utena-kun> Paradox shrugs. "Not possible. Nobody can CREATE a soul."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun shrugs his shoulders, the open jacket shifting around
his shoulders. "God can."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun says, "So it has to be POSSIBLE."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun grins weakly. "Just damn unlikely."

Utena-kun> Paradox uh-huhs. "Big news, Utena, you're not god anymore. I
don't get what the problem is. You're divided and seperated just as you
wanted."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun says, "... But it's not what Anshi wants, and.. I
don't want to die when Utena-chan finally gets herself killed for acting
like a maniac like she does.. She's.. what, avatar of Chaos now? If I want
to have a normal life, I can't be part of her any more."

Utena-kun> Paradox nods. "You've got a normal enough life. I did just what
you wanted. One body with Utena's love for Xelloss, her spirit, her sense
of adventure and bravado and tendecy to get in trouble, and one body with,
you know, love for Anshi. I don't get it. Isn't that normal enough? You're
simple enough to have an ordinary life in this offshoot form."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun sighs. "It's not that I'm ungrateful, Paradox. It's
not that at all. I'm content with what I am. But Anshi's not. She wants me
to be more than just her devoted husband... she said we have no lives." A
wry, sad smile at the corners of his mouth. "And because I want to make
her happy, and stay with her, and not die the next time Utena gets hurt...
I have to find a way."

Utena-kun> Paradox ehs? "Of course you have no life. You're just a
splinter off Utena. I didn't divide you in HALF, that would involve too
much copying. So I just put the bits relative to Anshi in a new body and
let the rest go on their merry way." He says this.. very casually. Like
that was the plan all along.

Utena-kun> Utena-kun growls softly. "What are you saying.. that I can't be
anything more than I am? I have memories of what ... I.. did as her. I can
still BE like her, even if I don't have those parts of her soul."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun says, "I can't just be this one thing. It's not
enough."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun looks away. "Not for her, anyway. So my whole
existence doesn't mean anything if it's not making her happy."

Utena-kun> Paradox shrugs. "You can be like her. In some mimicing way,
following the patterns Utena established. What more do you want? I'm not a
miracle worker. I made a perfect lover for Anshi so Utena could leave that
byproduct behind and be happy with Xel."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun nods glumly. "And I thought she wanted that. But she
doesn't. Himemiya doesn't." He stands. "So I'm just... one tiny thing. No
wonder I don't have anything to ffer."

Utena-kun> offer.

Utena-kun> Paradox says, "What more could you want? Your purpose is
simple. Would you rather I have made Xel's Utena copy the splinter and you
the whole?" He stands up. "Honestly, you don't have much right to
complain. You'd still be stuck without me. You can learn to live with
being what little you are. Utena's happy. The real Utena." He's not
cold... he just doesn't care. Paradox has never been a compassionate sort.

Utena-kun> Utena-kun clenches his hands. "Maybe.. maybe I don't WANT to be
a simple thing."

Utena-kun> Paradox uh-huhs. "You don't have much choice. I'm not god. I
can't make a person. And besides, Utena is an individual. You can't BE
her. You're going to have to decide to be something else, if you want to
be more than just her shadow she left behind."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun nods slowly, placing his hands on the porch railing.
"Essentially, I'm an infant, aren't I. I don't have a soul of my own
because I haven't done anything to make one. And it's not enough just to
exist."

Utena-kun> Paradox ehs? "You can love Anshi. That's why you were made. You
don't need anything more than that and you weren't made for anything more
than that. Because you exist, Utena's free to do as she pleases. What is
the problem? I don't get it."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun slams his hands down. "SHE DOESN'T LOVE ME."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun turns and glares at you. "THAT's the problem. She
doesn't love me. She won't EVER love me as long as I'm only this one
thing."

Utena-kun> Paradox blinks. o.o "Why the hell not? You're manly enough and
passionate enough. Honestly, humans can be so ungrateful."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun sighs. "Dammit, I don't KNOW." he sounds frustrated,
angered. "I tried to be kind and gentle and everything that I KNOW she
needs... that I know I can GIVE her.. but she doesn't want it. She doesn't
want me to be devoted to her. She says my intensity is too much for her."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun slams his hand down again. "Evidently, it's not all
right for me to love her wholeheartedly. I have to be other things too."

Utena-kun> Paradox ohs. "Humans can be so picky. I don't see what's so bad
about having someone whose very existence relies on undevoted love." He
shrugs. "Well, what can you do?"

Utena-kun> [devoted]

Utena-kun> Utena-kun shakes his head, nostrils flaring as he lets out a
frustrated breath. "I don't know. But if I want her to love me, I have to
do something. Maybe it is selfish but I suppose she has the right to ask
it of me."

Utena-kun> Paradox says, "I disagree. What right does she have? You're the
husband here. And you're everything she NEEDS. What does she expect, a
performing animal? If I knew it would be this messy I wouldn't have
bothered." -.-

Utena-kun> Utena-kun sighs. "I'm not ungrateful, Paradox. I'm -not-. I
want to keep existing. But I can't make her happy, so I don't know what
the hell to do either! I don't want to take Utena-chan from her life.
She's happier than she's been, that way. She feels like she's having the
life she wanted. But I'm not getting the life *I* wanted."

Utena-kun> Paradox ohs. "Don't worry, I wouldn't put you back together.
Utena gets precidence over you since you're not really a full lifeform."
He hmms. "Well, I could just expunge you, if it's not working out. No harm
done."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun covers his eyes with his hands. "I don't want to go
away from her."

Utena-kun> Paradox says, "Why not? You said she can't accept you."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun says, "... Because I LOVE HER, dammit!" Utena's dark
blue eyes well up. "I love her, but she won't accept my love, and I can't
help loving her ANYWAY! It would... would break her heart if I was gone.
She wouldn't be able to go on.{"

Utena-kun> Paradox says, "You sure about that? I mean, if she wants you to
leave, maybe she doesn't need you anymore. Not that you're a person on a
technical level. I can't make a person, I made a doll."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun stammers softly, given pause by that.

Utena-kun> Paradox says, "Hey, you win some, you lose some. I guess it
wasn't meant to work out. And you can't get your own soul. What, you're
going to call up God? 'Hey, creator, can you make me a real boy?' This
isn't Pinnochio."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun's eyes flash. "Maybe.... maybe that's what I will do.
You're not God, either, Paradox. But I'm not ready to just roll over and
die yet.,"

Utena-kun> Utena-kun says, "Not until I -know- there's no other way for me
to make this work."

Utena-kun> Paradox shrugs. "Have it your way. You may be a doll, but you
can still hurt. And failure is the worst hurt of all." He turns to go.
"It'd be easier on you if you'd let me purge you right now. Get it over
with instead of dragging it out."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun says, "Sorry, Paradox." A grim smile. "Us Utenas
never know how to take the easy way out." He shakes his head. "It's my
life, even if I am a doll and nothing more. I'll make something of it, or
I'll die. Just like everyone else."

Utena-kun> Paradox ehs. "Have it your way. But here, just in case you
change your mind." He tosses you a small capsule.. a pill. "Just swallow
that and you'll stop being. Easy and simple."

Utena-kun> Paradox steps off the porch.

Utena-kun> Utena-kun catches it, and looks at it in his palm. He closes
his fingers over it. . o O ( Not like that. )

Utena-kun> Paradox opens a hole in reality, and walks through.. vanishing.
Leaving you behind with the unpleasant revelations.

Utena-kun> Utena-kun is tempted to just fling the capsule into the trees,
but then some poor animal or something might get it. He just shoves it
deep into a pocket and sighs, leaning over the porch to gaze out into the
trees... "At least I'm a living doll."

Utena-kun> Himemiya walks out of the manorhouse.

Utena-kun> Himemiya has arrived.

Utena-kun> Himemiya looks outside.. holding a shawl over her shoulders, to
ward off the cold. "Utena?"

Utena-kun> Utena-kun looks up, arms crossed over the railing; he was
apparently leaning over it, looking into the distance. "... yes..?"

Utena-kun> Himemiya walks over, and puts a hand on your shoulder. "Come
back inside.. it's too cold out."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun sighs, and nods. "Okay." He hadn't noticed the cold,
truthfully.. too deep in thought to even register the weather or the chill
air around him. But when you touch him he feels it suddenly and abruptly;
he pushes from the wood railing to follow you inside.

Utena-kun> Himemiya blinks.. noticing that. "How could you not notice it
was so cold?" She leads you back inside, to the parlor.

Utena-kun> Himemiya enters the manorhouse.

Utena-kun> Himemiya has left.

Utena-kun> Utena-kun sits down, shrugging a little and offering you a weak
smile. "I guess I was distracted, thinking about things."

Utena-kun> Himemiya says, "But Utena, you're ice cold to the touch. And
you weren't even shivering until a moment ago."

Utena-kun> ...until Anshi told you it was cold.

Utena-kun> Utena-kun blinks. "..." He looks at the floor, and tries to
change the subject, desperately... stands and moves toward the kitchen.
"I'll warm up with some tea." Trying to keep his voice light and
unconcerned.

Somewhere on the muck, Urd has connected.

Utena-kun> Himemiya nods.. she doesn't seem to notice your unsettling.
"Okay. I'll start a fire." She fetches a log from the pile, and places it
in the fireplace.

You page-pose, "Utena wavies n.n" to Urd

Utena-kun> Utena-kun moves off quickly. "..." Is he REALLY that empty? He
didnt' FEEL himself to be so. Not until Paradox said that. Before that...
he felt like himself.. herself.. whatever. He had an unbroken memory
chain... he WAS Utena. Why is he doubting himself now?

Utena-kun> Paradox said that your behaivors, how you felt yourself to be,
were just copies. Would a copy really be able to recognize itself until
someone pointed it out?

Utena-kun> Himemiya lights the logs, and fans the flames a little..
smiling, as it warms up the room.

Utena-kun> But he KNEW he was a copy, intellectually. Why should this
matter NOW?

Utena-kun> Utena-kun waits for the stove to heat the water... sighing.
Eventually returning with two cups, offering one to you if you want it,
keeping the other for himself, wrapping thin fingers around the china.

Utena-kun> Because before, you felt like you were equal to her. That you
were an even division. But if you were made to be simple.. to be only
Anshi's lover... and she can't accept that, then it matters now. It
matters to everything.

Utena-kun> Himemiya takes the teacup, and sips.. ahh. "It's good tea."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun nods... draining his own cup with a quiet aura of
despair. "It's good." He sighs. He should tell her, shouldn't he...

Utena-kun> Himemiya doesn't seem to mind... although that's how she's
handled it, these last few days. Playing it normal. Ordinary. Simple. Just
doing what needs doing, reacting as she should...

Utena-kun> Utena-kun sighs. "Himemiya... I should tell you something."

Utena-kun> Himemiya looks up. "Yes, Utena?"

Utena-kun> Utena-kun puts the cup down.. the coldness he feels isn't going
to be eased by a mere liquid. And he looks away, sad azure eyes gazing
into the fireplace. "... I thought I was.. something that I'm not. I'm...
I don't know if I can become anything more than what I am right now. I'm
going to TRY. But I'm not sure. Paradox came to me, while I was out there.
I'm not... an even part of Utena. I'm just... a tiny fragment."

Utena-kun> Himemiya is given pause. Her teacup does not rattle. It does
not move. Speechless...

Utena-kun> Utena-kun shakes his head, bitterness in his eyes. "Instead of
making a clean split, like I thought, he just... took a small, small piece
of her and made me from it. Literally... although I have her memory.. I
remember BEING her... I'm just the parts that relate to you.. and that's
all." He sighs. "... Until today, I was happy just being those parts. I
didn't know any better. So... Just... I'm going to try, for you. Because I
love you so much, and I don't want to leave you alone. But it may not be
possible for me to change." He fishes out the capsule. "He gave me this.
He said I should just stop being now. But I didn't want to do that>"

Utena-kun> Himemiya's eyes widen. "Don't!" she cries, in reflex response..
then remembers, you just said you didn't want to. "..don't. Please."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun smiles weakly. "I don't want to." He sighs, and picks
up the tea again. "But.. I am what I am, and I don't know if I can change
it."

Utena-kun> Himemiya says it almost instinctively. "Utena wouldn't give
up."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun flinches.

Utena-kun> Himemiya is serious. "There must be a way. Utena has dealt with
gods and monsters and Death herself. There has to be a way. Don't give
up."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun's expression darkens. "No... she wouldn't." He stands
up, and starts to move away. Angry, not really knowing all the reasons
why, and he thinks it'd be better to just.. get out a little. Clear his
head somehow. Why is this even.. why is he ACTING like this? He was FINE.
Just FINE, before./

Utena-kun> Himemiya gets up.. starts to follow.

Utena-kun> Utena-kun shakes his head, looking back over his shoulder. "...
You shouldn't follow me. I don't know where I'm going."

Utena-kun> Himemiya says, "I'm going to help." Adamant. "I won't run
away."

Utena-kun> Utena-kun shakes his head. "Himemiya... I'm going away. I have
to find a way to exist on my own. You don't even think of me as Utena now.
I can tell. I'm not her. I can't ever be her. So I have to find out what I
actually CAN be."

Utena-kun> Himemiya pauses. It's true.. she doesn't want to say it aloud,
but it's true. "But.. but I want to help. Can't I do anything..?"

Utena-kun> Utena-kun shakes his head, pulling away from you. "Either I
come back as something you CAN love... or I won't come back at all." And
then he moves through the door... closing it quietly behind him.

Utena-kun> Chuchu looks up.

Utena-kun> Chuchu asks, "Chu?"

Utena-kun> Utena-kun fights back the tears in his eyes, glancing to the
little mouse. "I'm going away, Chu."

Utena-kun> Chuchu blinks.. he falls into step beside you. "Chuchu?"

Utena-kun> Utena-kun blinks. "...You want to come along..?"

Utena-kun> Chuchu nods. "Chu!" He puts on a little hat reading TOUR GUIDE.

Utena-kun> Chuchu ()n.n()

Utena-kun> Utena-kun grins weakly, and kneels down to pick you up in his
hand. "Okay." He sets you on his shoulder. "I don't really know where to
start. Maybe Urd's temple or something..."

Utena-kun> Chuchu nods! He approves of that idea. "Chuu!"

Utena-kun> Utena-kun steps off the porch... looking back at the house.
"... I hope I'm doing the right thing."

Utena-kun> Chuchu patpats your cheek. "Chu." Trusts your judgement.

Utena-kun> Utena-kun smiles weakly. "Thanks... I guess we'd better go."

Utena-kun> Chuchu nods. "Chu, chuuu.." comfortingly. Smiling. ()n.n() His
job is to keep your spirits up, and that he does.

				     *

Dark Horse Tavern and Inn
 
Lina_Inverse comes in from the village square.

Lina_Inverse has arrived.

Utena . o O ( Okay, that was creepy n.n )

Utena goes and sits over at whatever table Xel's picked out.

Xelloss ahhhs. "The tavern and inn. Always a pleasant stop. Ne, Ut-chan,
Lina, let's get a room upstairs and play hide the sausage!"

Lina ^_^ grins from ear to ear, the smell of food washing away any
horrible thoughts....except that one O_o;

Lina exclaims, "PASS!" she finds herself at seat at the table, plucking
the menu up and skimming through it!

Utena hmphs! at Xel and baps his arm. "I don't share."

Xelloss says, "Darn."

Xelloss fetches menu as well. Hmm.

Utena . o O ( Not SOBER, at least. o.O -ahem-. )

Xelloss says, "Ne, you think Canal would be okay? She seemd a little off."

Utena says, "I hope she'll be okay. She's got to be having it rough. I'm
more worried about if Order puts 2 and 2 together and doesn't come up with
five."

Utena says, "About her, I mean."

Lina looks up from the menu with a slight frown, " I'm still not sure what
would be the best thing to do with her.."

Utena says, "We need to keep her close by. But not to try and treat her
like an outcast or anything."

Lina leans on the table somewhat, " I think we could use Kane too!"

Utena THEN picks up her menu.. looks at it a few moments, then shrugs.
"Ale and a slice of cow." Puts it back.

Xelloss says, "Ah.. Utena, Order's the one who IDENTIFIED her. He knows."

Utena flinches. Having not quite realized that.

Utena says, "Dammit."

Xelloss says, "And I'll have a steak with a side of pork chops and
sausage, please. n.n"

Utena asks, "Then the question is.. is he going to use her...?"

Xelloss says, "He hasn't yet. But he's patient."

Lina peers back at the menu then points to the dinner section ^_^ " I'll
just that!" she IS however pointing to ALL the dinners....well that's
nothing new.

Xelloss says, "Lina, I hope you realize that this doesn't technically fall
under business expenses. o.o"

Utena says, "Yeah, it does."

Xelloss asks, "It does?"

Lina ^_^;;; waves her hand slightly " It's ok , It's ok!! ^_^ I've come
prepared!" She holds up a small pouch! YES She's gonna pay!

Utena looks at Xel with a grin. "She's my business partnet."

partner.

Utena says, "We shook hands and everything. So it's a business meal. ^_-"

Xelloss says, "Oh. o.o Well. Let's just hope the treasury is stocked.
n.n;"

Utena says, "It should be okay."

Xelloss says, "Soooo... hm. Lina, I never got to debrief you. h.h"

Xelloss says, "About your mission, I mean."

Utena sighs and sits back a little... then BAPS Xel hearing THAT tone of
voice.

Xelloss owie. ;.;

Lina grins at that stuffs the pouch back into her cape! ^_^ " WELL!!! If
I'd known this is how it was gonna be, I shoulda closed down shop ages
ago...." she sweatdrops at Xeloss too -_-;

Utena says, "Put the monster away. Later."

Xelloss asks, "Yes, ma'am. Anyway. Lina, what'd you find out?"

Luna_Inverse comes in from the village square.

Luna_Inverse has arrived.

Utena waves to Luna from the table where the three of them are sitting.

Luna Inverse makes her way to the table and waves, smiling. "Canal should
be along anytime now."

Utena says, "Oh, great." She slides her chair to the side to make more
room.

Luna Inverse leans down to Lina's ear and whispers.

Lina shakes her head slightly," Just what you already know!  Order's gonna
try to assemble it's altar and enslave Lord of Nightmares...well Thats the
plan anyway, other than that, nothing new."

Xelloss asks, "No idea if they already have any of the parts?"

Utena says, "I think we have to assume they have at least one, Xel. Love's
shop..."

Utena says, "At LEAST one. Possibly more than we think."

Xelloss says, "It's the possibly more that concerns me."

Canal comes in from the village square.

Kane comes in from the village square.

Xelloss says, "They might have every bit except for the one you have,
Utena."

Utena says, "We've been dallying around here... and that Breen contingent
was in Evilania. They MIGHT have found the dungeon by now while we've been
sitting talking about it."

Canal steps into the tavern, and the second she does, she finally sneezes.

Luna Inverse takes a seat at the table.

Canal exclaims, "ACHOO!"

Utena nods. Sighing.

Signal O.o;;

Luna Inverse asks, "Nobody knows for certain what the enemy has?"

Xelloss says, "No positive lock, Luna."

Lina :o.o blinks " Bless you...."

There is an enormous puff of smoke where Signal was standing-

Utena nods to Luna. "We don't entirely know. We DO know we have ONE piece
of it safely put away."

Canal blinks, then looks back at where Signal was. "Eh?"

Lina O.o;

Xelloss says, "Oh dear, he vaporized."

Xelloss says, "Very sad."

Chibi blinks.

Luna Inverse looks to Utena, "A scout would work. Even if he or she
doesn't make it back, it is better than sacrificing the entire party."

Canal exclaims, "AHHH!! IT'S THAT THING AGAIN!!"

Kane blinks, then sweatdrops.

Canal suddenly hides behind Kane, completely ducking underneath his cape
this time.

Lina c.c drums her fingers across the tabletop! " You know Xelloss....we
COULD have had one of those pieces now if you'd been justa LIIIIITTLE bit
more specific!"

Kane looks at Canal.

Utena nods somewhat reluctantly to Luna. "I hate asking anyone to do
something like that thought.'"

though.

Xelloss says, "Be more specific? I have no idea where it would be or what
it is either. o.o"

Utena clears her throat. "I suppose... I could ask the Lord." o.O

Chibi looks around.  "Choco?"

Canal asks, "Lina-san.....?"

Xelloss exclaims, "Ah! Good idea! And you can take Canal with you!"

Utena UHMS at Xel. Quietly.

Lina asks, "But you left out some important details ...FOR EXAMPLE, you
never said anything about this Trevor guy!!" she looks to Canal, " Eh?"

Utena says, "Employees only."

Canal points out from underneath the cape, and points to Chibi...

Xelloss says, "Trevor isn't in Breen. I didn't think it was important."

Canal isn't planning on stepping out from hiding underneath Kane's cape.

At least anytime soon....

Kane wishes Canal didn't do that- it took forever to get the wrinkles out
of it.

Chibi waves at Lina.

Xelloss asides to Utena, "Canal was employee #2, in a lot of respects.
o.o"

Canal suddenly sneezes again.

Canal exclaims, "Achoo!"

Utena bites her lip, whispering softly.

Lina exclaims, "Well maybe not to YOU, but I woulda liked to have known
the entire--" she sweatdrops " OH GOD!! It's back!"

Once again- a large puff of smoke- as Chibi disappears, and Signal
emerges.

You whisper, "I don't think she's in ANY mental state to meet the Lord
right now. I can go, ask, and return before the dinner's on the table." to
Xelloss.

Xelloss ohs. Nods to Utena.

Signal blinks. "Ano....."

Lina O_o;;; she blinks at Canal and looks back " O-OI! What;'s going on
over there?"

Canal sweatdrops, not knowing what happened, since she's still under
Kane's cape.

Kane facefaults, looking at Signal.  "Nanda kora....."

Utena stands up quietly. "Order for me, Xel..? I'll be back." She looks at
everyone. "Hopefully, this should be quick."

Xelloss says, "Don't use that word, Utena. o.o"

Canal blinks, suddenly remembering something.

Canal exclaims, "Hey!"

Signal looks back at Kane.  "What!?  What are *you* staring at!?"

Utena eheh's. "Force of habit, Xel." She moves toward the door.

The World of Dreams

Utena phases quietly into Ops, checking on things idly while on her way to
the Employees Only door.

Quiet night. All dreamwork is on hold until this matter is settled.

The Employee's Only door is locked.. but snaps open at your touch.

Utena passes through into the stairwell beyond, her wings starting to
reappear as she walks along.

Upstairs, at the Lake of Chaos.. it's silent. The waves lap randomly, less
salty than before, but still not as lively as they usually are.

Utena approaches the lake, sitting down crosslegged on the shore. "..
Lord? We think we know what Order's trying to do now. But there's
something we don't understand. Can you help?"

Silence.

Utena sighs, standing again. "I know you don't want to leave your
mourning. All I'm asking is... Order is trying to find its altar. But we
don't know anything ABOUT IT. We don't know what it is. That's all I want
to know. I know it's wrong to ask too much. But we can HELP better if we
know."

A short reply. *...You know what is needed to know already. He explained
it.*

Utena sighs.

No more reply than that.

Utena *I only know what I was told second hand, Lord. I don't know how it
works, except that... that we have one of the manacles.. if we have one
piece, is that enough to keep it from working..? *

A long pause. And then-- an image hits you. A silvery disc, a raised dias.
A chair placed on it. Two manacles, one on each arm rest. A chain connects
them. A lock in the middle. And then the Lord of Nightmares is shunted
into the chair.. and the holder of the key, an indistinct figures, says
something... and she obeys. The Order MAKES her obey. And the image ends.

Utena staggers back, as if struck by a hammer in the stomach. Feeling
that, as well as seeing it... she almost falls over, her legs going weak
underneath her. *.... b.. but... is there a counterpart...? A... a altar
of Chaos..? *

*I would not do that to any one. He would.*

Utena pushes herself back to standing. *There's no counter? None at all?
No balance to that?*

*There can be no balance to something which should not have been in the
first place. It was... an illicit manuver. An unfairness. It must be
purged.*

Utena NODS, almost frantically. *Yes. Yes, it has to be. Is it possible to
destroy it..?*

*Only by turning its power onto itself. You have seen what it does.*

Utena lowers her eyes. *We thought we couldn't. But... if I brought the
pieces we can get here... wouldn't the lake destroy...?* She pauses,
tilting her head. *I have.*

The lake shudders. *Keep it away from me. Please.*

Utena shudders too. Stupid to even THINK of it. She nods. *I'm sorry. I
will. I don't want it near ME, either. I almost...* Shakes her head. *I'll
go. We have enough to go on.* And turns to leave, swiftly. Unsettled.

*Wait.*

*...protect my child. She has the finest properties of two of my three
offspring. She will be able to help you.*

Utena turns back, blinking. *Your.. child..? I thought we were all your
children..?*

*There are many uses for the same word.*

Utena smiles softly. *That's true. But I have a limited mind. Which child
do you speak of..?*

*The star of white.*

Utena THINKS she means Canal. Given that has been a subject of
conversation. It could mean Lina, as well. In either case, Utena nods, and
closes her eyes. *I'll do my best. Thank you. I'm sorry to have disturbed
your rest here.*

No response, beyond that. The conversation has ended.

Utena strides out and up, and through, and phases quickly back to reality
before the time limit jumps on her...

Xelloss exclaims, "Depending on how you view.. ah, Utena!"

Canal smiles, then looks back at Kane. "Is this acceptable to use as a
paymen... #11?!"

Canal looks back at Xelloss.

Buffy blinks as a puff of smoke disappears in front of her o.O

Canal exclaims, "oh no you don't! You're not getting out of this one!"

Utena returns, looking... a little pale. As if someone just hit her really
hard in the stomach with a hammer.

Xelloss says, "Ne, Canal-chan needs her payment.. ano? o.o"

Lina O.O erks and finishes the plate off quickly before Utena notices's it
gone! She scoots it nonchalantly to HER pile.

Lina blinks, looking up in surprise....oO( Uh-oh....) " ...."

Buffy glances back and spots Utena.. she grins before blinking, catching
the sallow look about her, "Hey Utena.." She comments carefully.

Canal looks back at Utena, then grumbles and drops down in her seat. She
knows she's not going to get any answers like this.

Chibi looks around again. He bounces back toward Xelloss.

Xelloss erms. "Utena-chan?" n.n;

Kane looks at Canal.

Utena blinks, smiling briefly to the girl she met earlier, "Hi, Buffy."
And she sits down at Xelloss-tachi's table, her fingers linking together.
"... I... got some of what I needed to know. But not as much... and too
much..." She shakes her head out, trying to get her thoughts composed.

Canal asks, "What...?"

Xelloss offers Utena his cup of tea. "Here, sip."

Utena takes the cup without question and drinks from it. She lost her
appetite after what she was seen.. FELT... though.

Xelloss blinks. 

Lina looks to Utena , somewhat concerend.Well that certainly didn't sould
like good news. She stays quiet though, and listens..

Buffy glances with curious concern at Utena.. but continues into the
tavern, sitting at the bar and ordering some tea. 

Utena sighs. Evidently keeping whatever she saw to herself, not
volunteering ANYTHING unless she's directly asked. Her eyes gaze into the
table almost blankly.

Canal asks, "Ah... Ne... Utena-san... Daijobu...?"

Lina glances at Xelloss, questioningly.

Utena looks up. Nods slowly. "... I'll be all right. But we have to
destroy that thing.. we can't let Order completely build it.";

Xelloss shrugs. n.n; Then ums. "I don't think we CAN destroy it, Utena. I
couldn't make a dent in that part we have."

Kane turns his attention to the little Chibi thing scarfing down Pocky
sticks.

Lina clears her throat and asks softly," Ne, Utena...What happend?" Once
again...the direct approach.

Utena says, "We can destroy it. I'm not.. entirely sure how. But it can be
destroyed."

Utena says, "I've been... BEGGED to destroy it. And after what she showed
me.. I understand why.'"

Xelloss says, "Well, we already knew it was probably bad news."

Lina arches an eyebrow slightly," What she showed you?"

Utena tries to get her composure back. "I went to her. She... showed me
what it does. Anyone who completes the altar.. and who has the key that
controls it... can order her to do anything, and she HAS TO DO IT."

Utena says, "ANYTHING, people. Anything at all."

Canal listens silently.

Xelloss hmms. He tries to imagine what would be possible if you had a god
of gods to push around. Then oeoeeeerrrss. @.@;

Xelloss says, "I see."

Luna Inverse watches Xelloss contemplatively.

Utena says, "She said... that it could be destroyed.." She looks at
Xelloss. "By turning its power onto itself."

Lina asks, "Well,Xelloss, didn't you say that without even ONE of the
pieces, the altar was ineffective?"

Xelloss says, "They can't put the thing together without one part."

Utena says, "She said, "You know its power." But I can't imagine how we
can force it to order itself..."

Xelloss ums. "Utena, wouldn't that imply putting it together and using it?
o.o"

Lina says, "Whoah whoah!! I thought that was the LAST thing we wanted"

Utena blinks. "If we could get ORDER into it.."

Luna Inverse asks, "What if a single piece is destroyed?"

Lina nods to her sister," That's what I was getting at..."

Utena nods. "Or if we destroyed even the single piece we HAVE.. that would
ruin it too."

Xelloss says, "I have no idea how to destroy even a single piece. They're
tough."

Luna Inverse shakes her head at Utena, "No, mortals weren't meant to be
gods."

Luna Inverse grins with a thought.

Utena grins wryly. "We'll argue about that another time, Luna. Generally I
agree. But that's not here or there."

Luna Inverse says, "or at least...put the word out that we destroyed our
piece."

Buffy takes a few long sips of her tea.. catching snipets of the
conversation behind her and not having a clue what's going on.. though
guiltily, her curiousity is peaked.

Utena says, "No. He'll KNOW if we don't. He'll know we're bluffing."

Xelloss says, "I somehow think they'd see through that."

Utena says, "We have to ACTUALLY destroy it."

Lina exclaims, "^_^ WELL! I say that for now, that should be our focus!
Try to find a way to destroy the piece we already have! If we can manage
to do that, then Order has nothign else to work towards!"

Utena nods. "And we DO possess one of the manacles. I saw the pieces it's
made of."

Utena says, "Two manacles, a chain, a chair, a silver disc of some kind,
and a key. The KEY is the most important part. Without the key, it's.. not
quite useable."

Utena blinks. "And a lock. Sorry, I almost forgot that."

Utena wonders, "Xel.. couldn't we just.. take a HAMMER to the damn
manacle?"

Utena says, "It's made of silver metal.. but it's a PHYSICAL OBJECT."

Utena asks, "It can't be COMPLETELY impervious...?"

Xelloss says, "Well.. we haven't tried, but I'd assume it has SOME
protection against that.."

Lina ^^ " WELL then why not find a way to release the protection spell and
THEN " she cracks her knuckles " Pound it into DUST! *_*"

Xelloss says, "I could fetch the manacle and we could try kicking it
around.. n.n;"

Luna Inverse says, "If it could only be put beyond anybody's reach, like
another dimension or universe."

Utena nods. "Do it, Xel."

Utena says, "We might as well, while we're all here."

Xelloss nods. *pouf* vanishes.

Luna Inverse grins, "I have an idea"

Canal looks at Kane.

Canal asks, "Should we try anything?"

Kane glances at Canal.  "hm?"

Luna Inverse exclaims, "poor chocolate all over the manacle and let Lina
eat her way through!"

Utena looks at Canal. . o O ( Use Order against itself.. )

Lina O.o " Ano, Utena , was that a very good idea?! I mean, by him
dragging out here wouldn't that make it easier for Order to get a hold
of?!"

Buffy finishes her tea.. and steps from the bar. She works her way
silently to the door and leaves.

Canal says, "Nonono..." She's taken observations on the Chibi thing. "Have
it eat its way through the chocolate."

Utena says, "Lina... we've got some of the most powerful people in the
world sitting here in this table."

Luna Inverse drops a bag of money on the table. "My bet is on Lina."

Utena says, "It would have to beat ALL of us..."

Xelloss *pouf* returns. "Ah.. gang, should we be smacking around an
ancient relic in the middle of a crowded tavern/city?"

Canal says, "Good point."

Utena asks, "Xel, where ELSE would we take it?"

Lina sweatdrops and thinks she'd just said that.

Xelloss asks, "No need to trigger a holocaust. n.n; Well... um. Away?"

Canal asks, "Where to?"

Luna Inverse says, "Take it to a temple of Cepheid."

Canal stands up.

Xelloss asks, "Ceipheed wouldn't get pissed off?"

Utena says, "If you have a suggestion..." She uhms. "I don't know. Isn't
Ceipheed kind of.. ordered?"

Canal says, "Probably more chaotic than Order, though."

Xelloss hms. "Achoo'."

Lina taps her chin, " Well the only secluded place I knwo is my
basement...although I wouldn; t exactly call it safe.."

Utena uhms. "The Sanctuary grounds?"

Xelloss says, "I'm voting for a Ceipheed temple, if Luna knows where we
can find one."

Xelloss says, "If it blows up, maybe the Dragons will forgive us."

Lina C.C;;;

Luna_Inverse has connected.

Xelloss says, "And besides, we've got a friend in the family. ^_^" Looks
at Canal.

Canal exclaims, "Eh...?!"

Utena says, "I'll secede to your judgement, Xel."

Luna Inverse says, "Cepheid isn't pure order."

Canal blinks at Xelloss suddenly looks at her.

Xelloss ums. "We're going to a temple, Luna. Know of one?"

Luna Inverse asks, "whose temple?"

Lina sweatdrops c.c;;

Utena tries something quietly while the others talk. *... Hey, Reason? You
tuned in here at all?*

"I'm not omniscient, Reason replies. What do you need?" 

Xelloss says, "Ceipheed's, like you suggested."

Lina crosses her arms behind her head c.c.

Signal blinks..  "Hey!  How'd I get here!  I was leaving- wasn't I....?"

Xelloss nods to Signal. n.n "Exactly."

Canal blinks, looking oddly at Signal...

Luna Inverse nods solemnly, "It will have to be a secluded one. I can't go
back to mine. They'll be waiting."

Xelloss asks, "Know of one?"

Signal then glares at Xelloss.  "Uruse~"

Canal asks, "Hey! You said you knew something about Rail?"

Canal stands up and looks at Signal.

*Eheh. Sorry, Reason... We just need to know if you can send me that
other tube. It's... a lot more important than we thought. If we don't find
a way to destroy them, very very BAD things will happen. They're manacles
of the altar of Order.*

Luna Inverse nods in reply. "Yes I do. In fact, it is quite impregnable by
normal means."

Reason responds, *I would, but some idiots stole it. Probably a fraternity
prank.*

Utena mutters darkly, "SHIT."

Xelloss o.o?

*... dammit. All right..*

Canal blinks, then looks at Utena.

Signal then blinks.  "Eh?  ...uh.... yeah;... the one that looks like this
guy ::jerks a thumb in Xell's dir:: that was glowing earlier and caused
all that commotion?"

Lina arches an eyebrow . looking to Utena " Eh? O.o;"

Utena says, "Reason doesn't have the other manacle any more."

Canal nods. "yeah! Him!"

Canal exclaims, "What?!"

Xelloss says, "Oh, bugger."

Utena says, "We're losing ground here.."

Canal suddenly swings to look at Utena.

Signal then nods.  "So he's Raile..."

*I don't think it was a prank, Reason. Order's gathering the
pieces of the altar.*

Lina facepalms! Great! What next!?

Reason Hmms. I can't say who has it; I wasn't here when it was
taken..

Canal says, "Why don't we just get to kicking this thing around and seeing
if we can cause any damage to it before anything else can go wrong..."

*I'm betting I know. Did you find out anything more about it
before it was stolen? Any properties, any unusual things apart from its
effect on chaotic things?*

Utena is all in agreement with THAT>

Luna Inverse's eyes flick slightly, "I'll talk more about the temple once
we're on the ship."

Canal asks, "Ship?"

Canal looks up at Luna.

Xelloss says, "More ships? x.x"

Lina O.O blinks at the mention of the ship as well, " OH GOD! Not another
ship!!"

Signal shrugs and then starts to leave again.

Kane is totally lost here... ^^;

Canal stands up and whispers to Kane, trying to straighten him out on
everything.

Luna Inverse asks, "How long were you planning on experimenting with the
artifact?"

Utena grins darkly. "Until we BREAK it."

Reason *Not really. It's made of reality, though.*

Canal asks, "You know... Why don't we just go to a field or a plains or
something like that... Somewhere close?"

Xelloss says, "Breaking stuff is cool. Uhhuhhuhuhuh."

*Made of REALITY? in a way that can be messed up by
Paradoxical type powers?*

Xelloss nods to Canal. "Good plan."

Utena nods too.

Reason answers, "None that I know of. It's not made of OUR reality."

*Utena aaaahs softly.*

Lina stands up and nods " Yoush!!! Lets just hurry up and break the
blasted thing!!!"

Xelloss says, "I hereby declare Canal leader of this mission! Lead on."

Xelloss gets up.

Canal exclaims, "Me?!"

Kane blinks.

Xelloss says, "You suggested it."

Luna Inverse nods in agreement. "The temple would take a while to reach,
and once there, it's still unknown if the artifact will break"

Utena says, "Okay. I can tell you this much, folks." As she gets up with
the others. "Reason says it's made of reality. But not OUR reality."

Canal blinks, then she looks at Kane. "I'm not fit to be a leader. I'll
pass it over to you, Kane."

Canal smiles.

Xelloss says, "Oh, goody. x.x"

Kane then looks at Canal.  "eh?  what??"

Xelloss says, "Well, we can try, anyway."

Kane exclaims, "Ch-chotto!  I don't even know what's going on!"

Utena nods. "Let's throw what we can at it and see if it breaks." She
starts to follow Xelloss out.

Xelloss says, "You don't have to! You're management."

Lina-.-; folds her arms over her chest and grumbles, " OOOI!!! What about
ME!?! I suggested breaking it in the first place!" her ego of course took
a nice blow!

Canal says, "Hey!" She suddenly glares at him and quickly grabs his ear
pulling him down to her level, whispering to him.

Kane exclaims, "I-te!"

Utena says, "Guys? Let's just DO it. C'mon."

Xelloss says, "In the meantime, I go north. Follow me at your leisure."

Xelloss leaves the tavern and heads out into the village square.

Xelloss has left.

Off the side of the road to the east you see a broad expanse of oak trees,
from which chimney smoke can be seen from time to time trailing skyward
about a half mile deep amongst the sparse arbors.

Xelloss says, "This'll do."

Utena nods.

Utena says, "It's too bad I'm NOT Dios any more. We could just throw this
thing into a lake of fire three dimensions away. -.-"

Xelloss says, "Now now, Utena, let's not be bitter."

Utena says, "I know, I know." She resumes glaring at the nasty little
manacle.

Xelloss withdraws The Item... it's just a thick wrist-bracelet of some
kind, a solid tube made of silver. No features at all. It's shiny, though.

Xelloss says, "Okay, here it is."

Canal continues running, and sighs finally stopping, taking deep
breaths...

Lina finally catches up -.-;;;;; She cracks her knuckles!" THAT'S!! stand
back! Lemme have at it!"

Xelloss drops it and runs, given Lina's attitude o.o

Utena WHOAS at Lina. "Hang on a sec!"

Kane comes up beside Canal.  "So where we going again?"  he asks her
quietly.

Lina looks to Utena " WHAT?! Want it broken or not?!"

Canal says, "We're going to see if we can cause any damage to this
artifact that can mean the end of the world as we know it."

Canal smiles and waves her hand to Kane. "Its really that simple."

Kane says, "Ah....."

Utena pulls her sword out from.. thin air? and runs it through the center
of the manacle laying on the ground.. pinning it into place. "Otherwise,
the blast could just send the damn thing flying south."

Xelloss says, "This sort of thing happens all the time. n.n;"

Utena says, "The LAST thing we need is to lose track of it."

Xelloss says, "Yeah, we don't want to have to hunt for the apocaylptic
trigger in tall grass or anything."

Lina blinks and o.O; erks " Ah, you have a point there...."

Utena steps back. "Fire away, folks. The sword will be fine."

Canal asks, "You sure its okay to use your sword...?"

Canal looks at Utena silently.

Utena nods. "It's fine. The Sword of Dios is pretty tough." She meets
Canal's eyes, trying to look reassuring.

Canal nods slowly...

Xelloss asks, "So, do we have a first volunteer?"

Lina AHEMS and motions everyone away from it!!

Xelloss steps away. o.o;

Utena gets clear. o.O

Canal backs up as well.

Canal has a guess as to what Lina's going to use, since that's the second
spell she and Kane saw her use. ^^;

Kane stands over by Canal.

Xelloss says, "Try not to kill us, Lina."

Canal is quietly explaining the situation to Kane while watching.

Luna Inverse stands next to Lina.

Lina nods, closing her eyes and concentrating ,she begins " Darkness
beyond twilight....crimson beyond blood that flows....." a strange series
of flickering lights begin gathering in her hand as the win picks up
around her...

Xelloss aiee! and hides behind Utena. O.O

Canal creeps back to make sure she's behind Lina, dragging Kane with her.

Utena GYAHS! and GRABS Xel and gets behind Lina too AND puts up one of
those cute little paradoxical walls.

Canal decides to do something like the others for good measure...

Canal says, "Kane... I'm raising a psi barrier..."

Canal holds her hands out before her, the silver bracelet almost having a
faint glimmer as a a faint glow seems to surround them...

Kane nods.

Lina continues on ths way.." Burried in the flow of time...in thy great
name , I pledge myself to darkness.." The energy continues to gather ,
forming an ever growing violetmass of pulsating energy swirls withing her
palms.... " Those who oppose us shall be destroyed by the power you and I
posses!!..." She rears back, weilding the now HUGE mass of energy and
UNLEASHES it as her eyes snap open, " DRAGON SLAAAAAAAVE!!!" and with
that.. ^_^ well you know the drill...a HUGE spiraling comet of redhot
violet energy zooms its wa to the target!!!

Xelloss ducks and covers!

Canal watches silently, holding the barrier up in front of her and Kane.

Utena ERKS and braces for impact, happy that she has that nice wall around
her and Xel... o.O

The comet streaks towards the tiny manacle, like a bolt from god's bow..
striking the metal! ... and then it piffles out and goes away.

...

^^;

Xelloss falls over. X.X

Canal blinks and lowers the barrier.

Utena drops hers as well.

Xelloss asks, "Check with me on this.. Orihalcon is usually gold, right?"

Utena says, "The Dragon Slave calls on the Lord of Nightmares, right...?"
She asks softly.

Utena mmhmms. "Or a dull pewter."

Canal asks, "Orihalcon...?"

Utena says, "It's a kind of metal that absorbs spells and makes them
invalid."

Lina AAHS!!  in surprise!" DAMMIT!! How could that stupid...OOOH it WOULD
be made of Orihalcon! >.< That blasted piece of I oughta " and with that
she babbles on cursing it's inability to allow itself to be destroyed!

Luna Inverse leans over Lina's head and holds a hand to her forehead.
"Lina..."

Luna Inverse says, "That sucked."

Canal says, "Hey..."

Lina *-.-* grumbles

Canal asks, "Can we try...?"

Utena says, "The Lord said that we have to destroy it with its own power.
Does anyone have a..." She nods. "Give it a shot, Canal."

Canal glances at Kane, then back at Xelloss and the others.

Kane looks at Canal.

Xelloss shrugs. "Give it a whirl."

Canal tugs on Kane's sleeve, pulling him over with her.

Kane is tugged over by Canal/

-/

Lina fehs, now hating that manacle more than anything else...she trudges
back behind them, letting Canal an KAne have a try.

Canal then looks at Kane, stepping out in front of him... "Plasma Blast,
Kane?"

Kane then nods to Canal.  "Worth a shot..."

Xelloss says, "Shields up, people. n.n;"

Utena replaces her barrier...

Luna Inverse murmurs, "Lina, Orihalcon is made of the Order?"

Canal nods, then she holds her hand up into the air, the bracelet seems to
flicker faintly... She then throws her hand out in front of her...

Canal closes her eyes, concentrating while she carefully traces a hexagram
into the air and it begins to glow brightly...

Lina takes another step back and pulls up a shield around herself, eyes on
Canal and Kane.

Utena... blinks at Luna's murmur. ".. Antihalcon.."

Xelloss asks, "I don't THINK it's Orihalcon, though. The color and shine
is all wrong. But it's got the same effect, maybe?"

Canal holds her hand out at it, then steps a bit aside... "Plasma Blast
ready, Kane... Fire on will."

Kane closes his eyes as well, the bracelet on his wrist glowing also....  
He nods.  After a few moments, he opens his eyes- looking at the target.  
"Plasma blast... hashaa!"

Luna Inverse thinks to herself quietly..."antihalcon....antihalcon......"

Utena looks at Xel while this is going on. "There was a crapload of
antihalcon plates at Shin's old fortress. We could forge a hammer or
something.."

Xelloss says, "No need. I dipped my staff in the stuff."

Canal opens her eyes, staring at the bracelet... she braces herself as a
powerful blast of white energy is fired from the hexagram and at the item.

Utena ooohs.

WHOOOOOSH. The beam of the Plasma Blast is larger than the 'raygun' effect
of the Dragon Slave.. it screams by the manacle, covering it in light and
burning a path for half a mile down the rolling hills (and through
them)......... but leaving the manacle completely unharmed when the light
fades.

Utena-.-

Xelloss-.-

Utena exclaims, "GOD DAMMIT!"

Canal glares at the item and storms over to it.

Utena says, "This SUCKS!" She drops her wall infuriated. "Stupid thing..'"

Lina >.< GROWLS " OOOH! Thats it! I'm just gonna stomp it into the bloody
ground!"

Canal looks at it, then she gives it a nice kick out of annoyance.

Kane sighs.

Kane says, "Che"

Luna Inverse muses, "Im glad we didn't take this to one of Cepheid's
temples."

*WHOMP*. This time, there's a reaction; the physical blow Canal lands gets
bounced back at her at ten times strength.

Canal suddenly cries out and crashes back to the ground...

Kane exclaims, "Ah! Canal!"

Xelloss o.o

Utena O.o! "Canal!"

Lina blinks O.O

Kane runs over to Canal.

Kane asks, "Oi- daijoubu?"

Canal says, "ahhh... itai yo...."

Luna Inverse asks, "Xelloss, who created these manacles?"

Xelloss says, "Um.. Order, we think.."

Utena has an idea. She grabs Xel by the arm. "Come with me... I need you
for this."

Xelloss meeps. "What?"

Canal sits up, then gumbles a bit.

Utena says, "I need you and your staff."

Xelloss h.h

Lina O.o; scratches her head, watching Xelloss and Utena...c.C;

Utena-.- "Dammit..." KNOWING he was going to pull that.

Utena tugs him over. "I have a really crazy idea."

Kane offers Canal a hand up.

Xelloss asks, "Best kind. What?"

Luna Inverse leans to Lina, "Lina...the Lord of Order can create
antihalcon artifacts?"

Canal takes Kane's hand and pulls herself up.

Canal blinks, then grins. "Hey! Can't the Lord of Nightmares kind of make
something like that?"

Canal asks, "And imprison Order?"

Luna Inverse nods, "That's what I'm thinking of."

Canal nodnods, then looks at Kane. "It makes sense, right, Kane?"

Utena walks over to where the manacle (and her poor SINGED AND WHITEHOT)
sword is sitting... she gestures softly with her hand and WHAM a small
transparent pyramid of force closes around the manacle and the sword too.
"Xel, get your staff ready..." She'll reply to WHY the Lord won't do that
after she tries her experiement.

Luna Inverse says, "or she may have already done so."

Xelloss spins his staff a little. "We'll know in a minute. I have an
antihalcon dip on my magical staff. If you channel magic through it, it
SHOULD break Orihalcon."

Kane nods slowly.

Xelloss holds it out? o.o

Utena says, "No. I'm trying something else... I want to see what
happens... but I need you to strike. That pyramid SHOULD contain any force
it exerts. When I give you the word, I want you to jab the tip of your
staff at that thing as HARD as you can... then I'm going to close the
force around it."

Utena says, "I have to be able to concentrate on containing it."

Lina stays quiet and watches the two from where she stands, rubbing her
chin thoughtfully.

Xelloss ahhs. "So flood the inside of that shield with every magic I can
funnel through it?"

Utena says, "No, Xel. no magic. Just HIT IT HARD."

Xelloss nods! "You got it! One whack to the head comin' up!"

Xelloss gets a nice golfing backswing. n.n

Utena closes her eyes, concentrating. Making sure every last PARTICLE of
that shield is up and intact... then cries out, her eyes opening, "Hit it
NOW!"

Luna Inverse is standing behind Lina, just in case.

Xelloss SWINGS down, and through the shield at the moment she opens it.
The antihalcon ball strikes the manacle..

*CLANG*

Utena SLAMS the shield CLOSED.,

Xelloss's staff gets shattered into 25,690,149 pieces. O.O

Canal blinks, watching his staff break.

Luna Inverse snaps her fingers, "I knew it!"

The shield wobbles a little, but nothing else happens.

Xelloss ;.;

Utena says, "DAMMIT."

Xelloss exclaims, "That was my only antihalcon staff!"

Luna Inverse dances around, "yes yes! I knew it I knew it!"

Lina moans, facepalming.

Utena asks, "I thought it would work if we contained the force inside
perfect null and made it bounce back at itself?"

Xelloss asks, "Knew what?"

Utena says, "Dammit. -.-"

Luna Inverse stops dancing, "...sorry?"

Luna Inverse composes herself. "Nevermind."

Xelloss scratches his head. "Okay. Let's recap. It absorbs magic. It's not
orihalcon exactly or it'd be toast right now. And you can't kick it or
whack it."

Luna Inverse hums to herself softly. "Plus, it destroyed your dipped
staff!"

Utena says, "And the Lord ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT make a counter to it. She
considers this the highest abomination."

Xelloss says, "Thank you for remininding me. -.-;"

Utena flinches. "I'm sorry, Xel. I didn't think it'd do THAT."

Luna Inverse says, "...soooo, what could it possibly be made of."

Canal asks, "Well, then can't she make something to counter Order's
prison?"

Xelloss hms. "Guys? I'm not sure we CAN break it. Utena, didn't you say it
was made of reality or something? Reason said?"

Canal asks, "She's of equal power, right?"

Utena nods.

Utena says, "Made of a reality that isn't OURS."

Utena says, "Canal, she WON'T."

Luna Inverse grins and nods.

Luna Inverse asks, "and where does magic not exist in reality?"

Utena says, "She considers this thing the cruellest kind of torture.. she
hates it and everything it stands for..."

Canal says, "No! Not make a prison..."

Xelloss says, "Okay. Here's my theory. Order made this. Order is opposite
of Chaos. So, any power stemming from the Lord of Nightmares or humans
isn't going to cut it. That thing is made of pure order, concentrated into
a shape."

Canal says, "I understand it being torture too... But I'm just saying
this..."

Utena says, "She would never make anything like this... and she WON'T help
us by giving us the solution, either. That would be too.. ordered."

Luna Inverse asks, "Xelloss...if Order made it...why do we have it?"

Utena says, "But she DID say if we fed its power onto itself it could be
destroyed."

Canal sits down and stares at the manacle...

Xelloss hrms. "Good question. Why would he leave this stuff around for
humans to grab? He could just put it togethe rhimself and go to town."

Utena says, "That's what I was trying to do with the shield..."

Utena says, "Because neither of them can work on their own, Xel."

Xelloss asks, "You sure that's what she meant, Utena?"

Utena says, "They need humans do to their work for them."

Xelloss says, "Oh."

Utena nods. "I'm pretty sure. She said 'you know what it did'. Remember
when I put it on?"

Canal then reaches out and pokes the manacle lightly this time...

Xelloss hrmmms.

Lina sighs, joining Canal, inexamining the manacle....

It pokes back. Amplified reflected force. But it's just a light poke, so
it's mroe of a light shove.

Kane wishes he could just hack it to bits with his psi-blade


Utena says, "If there was a way to hit it... without hitting it.."

Utena says, "to make it THINK it was hit.."

Utena shakes her head. She's talking nonsense now.

Canal asks, "To make it think it was hit...?"

Xelloss says, "What's this thing do, anyway? I've gotten lost."

Utena nods.

Luna Inverse says, "you're talking about laws and sciences that don't
exist in our reality, Utena."

Utena says, "Okay... let's recap here."

Canal then hops onto her feet.

Canal says, "Utena... Take your sword out."

Canal grins to Kane.

Utena says, "It's invulnerable to human magic, human attacks, and physical
strikes. When you put something through it, whatever that thing is becomes
ordered..." She blinks. "Uhm... are you SURE, Canal?"

Canal says, "Just try slashing at it, Kane... See what happens..."

Xelloss asks, "Isn't that a human attack?"

Kane looks at Canal, arching a brow.  He then nods slowly.

Lina nods agreeing with Xelloss.c.c;

Canal exclaims, "I'm sorry, I just feel like seeing what it would do,
though!"

Canal is extremely curious, remember?

Xelloss says, "Okay, okay. n.n Have fun. n.n;"

Xelloss steps back, mind you.

Lina 9.9;;; sweatdrops.

Canal steps back as well... Then she thinks for a second, watching the
manacle.

Utena says, "You could get really hurt..." But Utena moves over, gesturing
to move her sword out of the way... not TOUCHING it as it's still whitehot
from the various magics it absorbed.

Kane pulls out his psi-blade from its holster.  The blade emerges from the
hilt, a brilliant white blade of energy.  He swings at the manacle-

Luna Inverse says, "this reminds me of that math problem. two carriages
leave their towns at the same time traveling a certain speed....."

*BONK*. The blade just stops when it touches the metal. But something
happens -- a small bolt of silver power arcs up the Psy-Blade, and since
Kane is the power himself that it uses.. he gets a short shock of Order's
power.

Kane falters back.

Utena blinks. o.O

Lina O.o;;;

Kane shakes his head.  "What the-"

Luna Inverse says, "do it again"

Canal blinks, then looks at Kane, quickly running to his side...

Xelloss scratches his head. "Must've connected through the blade.."

Xelloss says, "Again? o.o"

Lina O_o;;;;

Kane looks at Luna oddly.

Luna Inverse watches with interest and nods sadistically.

Canal leans forward and speaks softly... She then places her hands on his
arm, shaking her head...

Lina starts scooting WAAAY away from Luna and gets behind Xelloss C.C;;;;

Utena has a bad feeling about this. A really bad feeling.

Kane smiles faintly to Canal.

Xelloss erms.

Canal returns Kane's smile, and looks back at the manacle.

Canal steps away from Kane and starts pacing - she's thinking heavily on
this now.

Utena says, "Uhm.. Canal? I don't think this is a good idea. If you're
thinking what I think you are."

Canal blinks, then looks at Utena.

Canal asks, "What?"

Kane allows the psi-blade to disippate.  He sighs, twirling the thing and
slipping it back in its holster.

Canal says, "I was just making sure he's alright."

Xelloss asks, "What did you think she was thinking?"

Utena says, "Okay." She grins weakly.

Lina ^_^;; Eheh's

Utena shakes her head. "That is a secret." Not wanting to give any
particular insights into what she thinks is probably a REALLY bad idea
ANYWAY.

Xelloss ums.

Canal looks at the manacle, watching it... She then kicks a rock, but
aiming just past it, rather than at it.

Xelloss says, "Anyway. Okay.... I've got one idea, people."

Xelloss says, "Who here can open a portal to another universe? n.n"

That's a NORMAL question, with this crowd...

*sweatdrop*

Canal asks, "Another... Universe....?"

Luna Inverse's face lights up, but she remains silent.

Utena uhms.

Xelloss exclaims, "Sure! It's like when those dwarfs had to drop a ring in
the crack of doom. Let's just get rid of the freaking thing!"

Canal asks, "I can probably phase it away some great distance... But
another universe....?"

Luna Inverse . o O ( I knew it wasn't part of our scientific laws )

Kane facefaults.

Lina-_-;;;;

Xelloss shakes his head. "Gotta be out of this world completely."

Utena sighs.

Kane asks, "It wouldn't work if we somehow disrupted it...?"

Xelloss asks, "Disrupted?"

Canal blinks, almost like she's remembering something... Then she shakes
her head, closing her eyes.

Utena asks, "Does something like the Dramatic world work, Xel? I THINK we
could still open a gate there...?"

Kane glances at Canal.  "Well- Canal mentioned phasing- and it reminded me
of something."

Luna Inverse says, "Xelloss....what little I know about alternate
universes...it can take centuries...thousands of years for the cosmic
stranges to parallel our own for that kind of teleportation."

Canal looks at Kane.

Xelloss says, "I know, Luna. We'll have to take a shortcut."

Xelloss hms. "Utena, can you just kick it out of the universe and into a
void limbo? You do something like that with your shields.."

Utena says, "The problem is I have to CONCENTRATE. if I do NOTHING else, I
think I could do that, easily."

Xelloss says, "Worth a shot."

Canal ignores their talk to talk to Kane. "What did you mean by disrupt?"

Utena looks at Xel. "I mean, if I do NOTHING else. Like.. moving.
Talking."

Xelloss nods. "Okay. Go ahead. Put the thing away."

Kane shrugs.  "Like you said earlier- phase something through-"

Kane says, "not all the way though..."

Canal blinks, then smiles.

Luna Inverse disagrees. "Someone should physically carry out to another
universe. No god could ever follow."

Canal then looks at Xelloss. "Hey... What about that for an idea?"

Xelloss hrms. "Tall order, though. Ejecting an object's one thing, but
hand-carrying it? Assuming we can GET a portal open to somewhere."

Canal points to Kane.

Xelloss asks, "If someone can do that, by all means... eh?"

Utena sighs. "I guess we don't have a choice, do we." She looks extremely
unhappy about it... but shakes her head to Luna. "No, I can do this. the
wingless of Paradox taught me how. I can make it go a LONG WAY and several
realities clear of here. But the price is that I will literally have to
stop doing ANYTHING but keeping it open."

Xelloss asks, "Hold on, Utena. What's Kane's idea?"

Canal smiles to Kane, thinking he should explain it.

Luna Inverse does NOT look happy with the idea of it simply being 'thrown'
away, but keeps her mouth shut this time.

In a page-pose to you, Xelloss feels a little bad. All this mental effort
spent and we really can't get RID of it, or the plot would be over nn;

It was his idea, afterall. ^_^

Xelloss looks at Kane. n.n

Luna Inverse . o O ( Not good...Not good. )

Kane sighs.  "Well- what if we were to phase something through that thing-
but not all the way- just enough to disrupt it."

Canal says, "Or to phase part of it somewhere."

Xelloss asks, "Oh, you mean like sticking an arrow through it?"

Canal says, "I can probably phase something into its exact coordinates..."

Utena says softly, "I'm not sure how that will help.. but try it."

Xelloss says, "It'd be a neat trick, but unless you know HOW to do it..
ah, good."

Xelloss says, "Sure, give it a shot."

Kane smiles at Canal.

Canal smiles back to Kane. "Well done, Kane."

Canal asks, "Do we have something I can phase into it...?"

Xelloss says, "Phase Lina into it."

Canal sweatdrops.

Kane facefaults

Utena baps Xelloss.

Xelloss n.n;

Utena says, "It should be something chaotic though."

Xelloss says, "I know. That's why I suggested that."

Luna Inverse mutters, "Lina is chaotic."

Lina-.-;;; snaps outta her thoughtfullness for that one " Oi!"

Xelloss asks, "Where's that platypus?"

Utena says, "BESIDES LINA." Utena huffs.

Xelloss asks, "Ah! What about Anything-chan?"

Utena exclaims, "NO!"

Utena exclaims, "Don't you DARE!"

Xelloss meep.

Xelloss says, "Okay o.o;"

Utena says, "I'LL go before she does."

Xelloss ums.

Luna Inverse says, "Utena could go."

Canal thinks a bit, staying silent...

Lina >.<;;;;;

Xelloss asks, "Can we solidify a Laguna Blade and jam that in there?"

Xelloss says, "No, I have no idea how."

Canal says, "I don't know what a Laguna Blade is, let alone solidify it."

Utena blinks.

Utena says, "Wait, wait..."

Utena exclaims, "I know!"

Xelloss o.o?

Canal blinks.

Lina blinks too...o.o

Canal exclaims, "I got it!"

Kane asks, "Hmm?"

Xelloss says, "Oh my, many revelations."

Lina O.o;;

Utena brings up her right wrist, which has a gold bracelet and two round
spheres set into it... She detaches one and holds it out. "Yuffie gave me
this 'materia' thing. It's supposed to enhance luck. Luck is a function of
chaos."

Xelloss ahs! "That's good. Canal, what was your idea, too?"

Canal says, "Well..."

Canal says, "There's another type of thing I can do similar to it..."

Canal says, "A phasing gate..."

Xelloss says, "Tell, tell. It's always good to have options."

You page, "Besides, we could destroy it.. and Order could REPLACE IT n.n;"
to Xelloss.

Canal says, "Except I open the gate on the item... just as something
like... like... Like that spell Lina used last night is fired through it
or something like that..."

Canal blinks as she failed miserably on explaining that.

Lina ^^;;;

Utena hms. "I think it's better to keep it in THIS world and phase through
it."

Kane sweatdrops.

Utena says, "Otherwise we're back at the 'we don't know where it is'
problem."

Canal says, "No, a phasing gate is like a gateway."

Canal says, "I can designate where I want it to link to, as well."

Xelloss says, "Can you link it to the crack of doom? o.o"

Utena asks, "Where would you SEND it?"

Canal says, "Say... 10 feet from here or something like that."

Luna Inverse spreads out her bedroll and yawns, settling down for the
night.

Xelloss asks, "OH! Oh! You mean funneling the power INTO the object rather
than AT it?"

Utena mms. "Okay. try it. Hell, at this point, ANYTHING's worth a shot."

Kane looks at Luna and facefaults.

Canal exclaims, "Exactly!"

Xelloss says, "Sure! Go ahead."

Canal says, "Close the gate just as the attack is fired."

Canal asks, "okay... Who's going to fire the attack...?"

Canal looks at Lina, then at Utena.

Xelloss says, "I volunteer Lina for that task."

Xelloss puts on a hard hat.

Utena shakes her head. "I better not. Lina's stronger magically, anyway."

Luna Inverse snoozes faintly in the chill of the night, warmed of course
by some of the collateral damage from the spells. you know, smoldering
rocks, barbecued bambi, and a few smoking tree leftovers.

Lina smiles and winks ^_- " I think I can handle that!"

Canal says, "okay... Lina, come here."

Utena fits the luck materia back into her wristlet and steps back.

Canal picks up a twig while walking over to the manacles...

Lina approaches Canal and nods.

Canal runs the twig along the top of the manacle, and looks at Lina.

Xelloss says, "It's good to have so many powerful magic users, ex-gods and
maniacs on our side. n.n"

Kane sweatdrops, looking at Xelloss.

Canal says, "Okay... This is the area I'm opening the gateway..."

Canal says, "Directly through the center of the item..."

Lina nods listening to Canal " Right."

Canal says, "I'm not used to actually opening it intentionally on
something, like this... So I don't know how it'll handle..."

Xelloss says, "Nothing inside the tube but air, fortunately."

Utena says, "That could WORK!"

Utena smiles. "Do it."

Xelloss eh?

Canal stands up and looks out to the horizon... "Keep in mind... The other
end of that gateway will probably be about 30-40 feet in that direction."

Utena says, "If she shifts it INSIDE ITSELF, Xel.."

Utena says, "It'll order itself out of existence."

Xelloss says, "Oh, goody. n.n"

Utena says, "Anything you put inside it is ordered."

Canal says, "I'm going to close the gateway on the attack, and trap the
attack on the Manacle."

Utena nod, nods. "Try it."

Canal asks, "Sound good?"

Canal stands up, and backs up towards Kane...

Xelloss says, "What could go wrong? n.n"

Utena WHAPS!

Lina ^_^ smacks her fist into her palm with a nod, " Yoush!!"

Canal blinks, then looks at Xelloss.

Canal exclaims, "Don't say that!"

Xelloss x.x

Xelloss says, "Gomen. x.x"

Kane sighs.  He then looks at Canal and nods to her- "Ganbatte."

Canal says, "We should get everyone away from the manacle, because I don't
know what's going ot happen when we do this..."

Xelloss steps back more 'n more. n.n;

Utena nods, and backs well up... shields ahoy, folks.

Canal asks, "Lina? What spell?"

Canal asks, "Same one from last night?"

Xelloss says, "Preferably not the Giga Slave."

Canal ignores that, since she still doesn't know exactly what it is. ^^;

Canal just knows that whatever this Giga Slave is - its not good.

Lina-.-; sweatdrops " Well of COURSE NOT! " she nods to Canal, " Laguna
Blast would work!"

Xelloss says, "Ah, yes! That taps L-sama directly."

Canal says, "It works on my end. Quick and simple."

Canal then looks at the manacle.

Canal hold her left hand out in front of her, the bracelet glowing
faintly... She looks over at Lina. "How long can you hold the spell before
releasing it?"

Xelloss asks, "Takes her awhile to charge it up, ne?"

Canal says, "This'll only end up taking a second or two in the long run.
We need to time ourselves perfectly."

Lina looks to Xelloss, "Acxtually, Laguna Blast works almot as quickly as
fireball....It's not AS powerfull or difficult to control as the full
Laguna Blade.."

Xelloss ahs. n.n

Xelloss says, "Groovy."

-_-;

Canal asks, "Like I asked... How long can you safely hold the spell,
Lina?"

Canal says, "That way we can time ourselves and do this in one shot."

Lina nods, " Right, it only takes , really a few seconds to cast.."

Utena brings down her force-shield again.

Canal asks, "Not casting time, Lina... Holding time after you've got the
spell cast... How long can you hold it before you release it?"

Canal sweatdrops.

Lina-.-; " I wasn't finished..."

Canal sweatdrops again.

Canal says, "Gomen."

Xelloss asks, "Can we just do this, ne?"

Kane says, "Well- they want to get this right-"

Lina says, "As I was ABOUT to say is that I can hold it for a good 20
seconds after it';s been cast...easily."

Canal nods. "Perfect."

Canal says, "Alrighty."

Canal says, "Everyone... We're going to start."

Canal says, "Lina, go ahead and cast the spell, I'll open the gate while
you do so..."

Xelloss says, "Return all seats to an upright position."

Canal closes her eyes, the glow on the bracelet brightening a bit...

Utena backs up, near Xel, shield shimmering faintly in a ripple that hurts
the eyes to look at even though there's nothing there..

Lina nods, moving her hands infront of her , and closing her eyes to fully
concentrate on the gathering energy....

Xelloss ^_^

Canal opens her eyes, looking outwards at the manacle... "Phasing gate...
open...!" Just as she speaks out, a gateway forms in the exact center of
the manacle... Nothing can be seen through it... It only looks like the
surface of a pool of black water...

A ripple runs through the air, from the gateway. Something is amiss.
Through the black waters, faint lines can be seen, in a grid...

Xelloss ^_^...

Canal asks, "Lina...?! I don't like this... Let's hurry, okay?"

Xelloss asks, "Um. Wait a minute. Isn't that thing made of Order's
reality?"

Canal asks, "Eh?"

Canal looks at Xelloss.

The lines get sharper, more defined.. silver in color. Rapidly approaching
the surface of the water..

Kane's bracelet flashes momentarily as he sets up a psi-barrier for
himself.

Xelloss says, "Well, if what's 'inside' it is Order, then.."

Utena says, "Oh... SHIT."

Kane blinks and looks at Xelloss.

The lines bulge outward.. starting to flow through the gateway in the
OTHER direction. Entering this world.

Utena exclaims, "Close it! Close it NOW!"

Canal quickly snaps the gateway closed suddenly.

Canal takes a few deep breaths, being that she wasn't ready for that....

The grid that had made it through before the gateway closes forms and
reshapes.. a huge amorphous blob of mathematics ten feet by ten feet by
ten feet. And it's not happy.

Lina lets the now crackling black mass of negative energy die down almost
emmediately! O_o; Hell that was good!

Lina-_-;;;;;;;

Utena gestures and tries to slam another wall on the blob that escaped...

Kane heads over to Canal.  "Oi- shikarishite?"

Canal quickly steps back beside Kane... She suddenly throws her hands out,
adding power to the psi barrier Kane had raised.

Kane eyes the manacles and the blob thing- wondering now what....

The grid spins and twists, deflecting the wall Utena throws at it. A voice
echoes directly to your spine.. Order's voice. YOU WILL NOT UNMAKE WHAT I
HAVE MADE. The manacle flies into the air, and centers in the grid.. it's
taking it away.

Xelloss RUNS to charge it -- and bonks his head on the shield he was
behind. x.x (thud.)

Utena says, "GOD DAMN IT..!" Her wings SNAP open, shining butterfly wings
a searing golden chaos... she drops her shield before herself and
LITERALLY FLIES at it.

Kane says, "Nanda- " He looks at the manacle quizzically, then glances at
Xelloss.

Canal blinks, then cries out, angrily...

Canal throws her hands down at her side, breaking her addition to the psi
barrier.

Lina says, "NO!!!>.<"

Wire meshes lash out, to grab Utena, as she charges directly at it;
telescoping her move.

Canal takes off, but running to move around the 'blob' thing and get at
another position.

Kane gasps.  He then whips out his psi-blade- should he need it.

Lina quickly gets to her feet, launching a quick Flare Arrow at the nasty
blob!

The Flare Arrow evaporates, just as the Dragon Slave had. This thing is
made of the same stuff; ignoring all magic stemming off chaos.

Utena tries to just radiate sheer chaos as the wire mesh forms a sort of
'hand' of its lines and makes a wild grab at her... makes a dodge attempt
too.. but... may not be fast enough. But if it draws her inside, she'll
kill it from inside..

Canal says, "Psi Blast...!" She skids to a stop and fires, but not at the
blob, but at the manacle, hoping that what Utena was afraid of earlier
would happen - and knock it away.

Lina >.< " GOD DAAAAMN YOU!!!"

Kane runs at the thing and slashes his blade at it.

Canal says, "(OOC) Maybe we should wait for him to catch up on this. ^^;"

The blast is accurate enough; the manacle goes flying away, about thirty
feet. But Order's too distracted to notice; it's busy trying to consume
Utena, to completely envelop her as lines burn out from her chaotic
energy. It's focused and ignoring everything else.

The psyblade locks dead on it, just as it had on the manacles -- jolting
Kane with ordered power, for a moment.

Utena . o O ( C'mon, take me IN... c'mon... )

Canal suddenly vanishes in a flash of white light, reappearing next to the
manacle.

Canal reaches carefully for it to pick it up.

Utena gets all tangled up in the web, like a dark silver net closing over
her head, ensnaring her. Her wings are still visible, shining with painful
luminescence, dark vicious gold.

Kane says, "Che!"  He falls back- bringing a hand to his head for a moment
and readjusting the grip on his psi-blade.  He looks back to the mess.

The manacle's easily picked up; it has no power of its own. But when Canal
touches it.. Order notices. Refocuses. DROP IT OR BE DESTROYED. It ignores
Utena now.. seems to only deal with one person at a time, leaving her in
the rapidly burning mesh.

Canal blinks, then she grins almost defiantly... She glances over at
Kane...

Kane looks to Canal.

Utena strains with it, caught up in the mesh; every motion of her form
sets more lines on fire, but it's replacing them just as fast as she burns
them, isn't it..?

Kane then smirks and rushes at the thing again.

To an extent.. most it lets burn away, 'dropping' you, as it were, and it
reforms them on the side facing Canal. It wants to go after her now.

Canal suddenly grips the manacle tightly, and vanishes, taking it with
her, hoping that she can either get the manacle away from it, or it away
from Kane and everyone else.

Kane skids to a stop.  "-Canal?!"

Utena slumps over to the ground... picks herself up, wings shivering.. and
the Lord's command echoing in her. Protect my child. She manages to get
off her feet, her wings fluttering fast as a hummingbird... knowing Order
will follow.. and going to follow IT where IT goes...

Lina blinks O.O Where the hell did she go!?

Xelloss pages, "Better pick up Kane and Lina. :)" to you.

The grid pulses with frustration. YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE ME, VOLFIED. The
mesh fades away, presumably to follow Canal.

Kane blinks- .oO(Canal doko wa!?)

Canal holds her hand up in front of her. For a second, the silver bracelet
hanging from it seems to glimmer lightly as her form seems to become a
bright light, finally fading away into nothing.

Canal has left.

Utena grabs Kane and Lina (and no, don't ask HOW right now...) and pulling
them with her as she punches through the air where the mesh faded away..
the Lord's gift giving her the ability to chase portals.

Alicia's Grave

After following the path and working up a steady hill, you stop at the top
where you see a large Sakura tree. The size of the tree proves that it's
definately been there for quite some time. It stands tall, its many
branches reaching for the sky, the recently fallen snow resting gently on
them. At the foot, you see a small, simple grave, with the name 'Alicia'
carved into it. Looking out from off the hill, you see another path
leading towards the garden at the side of the house.

[Exits : (R)ose Garden, and (C)leared Pathway ]

The grid confronts Canal.. but is not acting. It's talking. THE MISTAKE OF
SACRIFICING HERSELF. IT WAS A PETTY VICTORY. IT CHANGED NOTHING.

Kane blinks- why were they here...?

Utena is hot on the mesh's heels... wings blurring.. and she brings Lina
and Kane with her...

Canal says, "It changed more than you can even fathom..."

Canal is still holding the manacle tightly in her hands.

Canal glances down at it, her knuckles almost white from her grip on it...
She then glares back up at the grid.

Utena basically lets the other two fall to the ground and tries to fly
right into the damn grid's 'back'.

The cube gives up that tack. THE WHITE STAR WILL NOT WIN. A single line of
Order spears out.. aiming to pierce Canal's shoulder, on the arm holding
the manacle.

Kane exclaims, "CANAL!"

Canal closes her eyes, letting the attack pierce through her shoulder...
She quickly snatches the manacle into the other hand - the one with the
bracelet.

The cube ignores Utena.. meaning she burns through it slowly, as she did
the first time, but it doesn't stop it. Not yet.

A second line lashes out, to jam through the other shoulder. WHY DO YOU
PERSIST IN FOLLOWING YOUR PREDECESSORS FAILURE, VOLFIED?

Kane runs toward Canal, grasping his psi-blade firmly.

Canal continues her glare at the grid, though tears are running down her
cheeks....

Utena snarls... aware while ripping and burning and tearing her way
through this.. that she's failing in her purpose.. and it makes her all
the angrier.. which makes her shine hotter..

Canal asks, "My predecessor?" She laughs... "Why do you say that Alicia
was my predecessor?"

Lina_Inverse has disconnected.

Canal says, "She was my previous master... I'm only following her final
order."

Kane stops- blinking.  .oO(Alicia....? ...baachan...- what is going on!?)

BECAUSE YOU ARE THE GOD OF YOUR WORLD, AND THE DAUGHTER OF CHAOS. AND SHE
WAS PART OF YOU IN MANY WAYS. A third line lashes out, to piece Canals'
neck.. but it fuzzles. Burns out. NOW the cube notices Utena. YOU ARE
INTERFERING.

Utena says, "DAMN STRAIGHT, you son of a BITCH!"

Canal screams, closing her eyes as the third attack fires.

Kane then shakes his head and looks to Canal again, "CANAL!!"

Utena's voice cries out, "Get her OUT of here, Kane!"

The cube now tries to fight off Utena.. but she made too much progress,
while he was distracted. The mesh is falling apart. THIS IS USELESS. IN
TIME YOU WILL FAIL EVEN IF YOU PURGE THIS VESSEL OF MINE..

Canal slowly opens her eyes, seeing Utena interaction... She looks at Kane
and stands up... Quickly she turns to run, hoping to get Order's attention
again, having gotten an idea.

Utena exclaims, "FORGET THE MANACLE, just RUN!"

Kane runs for Canal.

Canal then grins, and waves the manacle in the air to what's left of the
grid. "HEY! COME AND GET IT!!"

Utena twists around, trying to grab hold with her hands now as well as
burn with her wings... grab the lines and sear them with her will. > o O (
DAMMIT, Canal.. don't DO this. Just GET OUT OF HERE. )

Canal flinches painfully, but she continues on, taking a wild leap of
faith here...

It works; Order is predictable, if anything else. Sixteen lines sting out,
intent on piericing and killing Canal, once and for all, while Utena's
burning amplifies as it's distracted...

Kane leaps in front of Canal- slashing at the lines- intent on protecting
her.

Canal me suddenly leaps back, hoping to avoid the majority of them, but...
She aims to holds the manacle through one of them as it fires for her.

Thus, using its own power against it, I guess. ^^;

A few things happen at once... one, many of the lines miss, skewed. A few
injure Kane, one gets to Canal.. one goes through the manacle. The manacle
is absorbed into it, once the line connects.. vanishing. The burning Utena
started is too much, though, and the grid skews, twists, and collapses..
lines starting to fade. Order has no reply to this. Perhaps.. surprised.

Canal silently crashes to the ground hard, landing behind Kane...

Utena slumps down with it, pale and tired-looking, and she falls back to
the ground... "..."

Kane lands back a ways, ignoring his wounds for now as he watches
silently.  He lets the psi-blade disappate and stoops beside Canal,
picking her up slowly. well- lifting her head up-

The lines fade, a few concealing into a blob.. it drops to the ground. In
the shape of a key. Whatever the manacle was got reformed into this.
Order's gone. At least, that part of him.

Utena reaches out swiftly to grab the key.

Canal opens her eyes, looking at Kane and smiles faintly... "Did it work,
master....?"

Kane smiles faintly at Canal.  He nods slowly- "I think so.  Canal- don't
do that!  You had me worried-"

Canal she then laughs a bit... "I had two things to do... Either keep the
manacle safe... Or keep you safe, master..."

Utena slowly... pulls the silver key into her hand from the ground...
looking at itnumbly for a few seconds.. before she starts to laugh. It's a
tired, but not miserable laugh...

Utena says, "... Oh.. oh god, this is sweet."

Utena stands up, cradling the key tightly in her hand. "Canal... Kane...
we didn't win. But we just got something a lot better than what we had."

Kane glances over at Utena.  "Nani?"

Utena holds out the key. "We got the key instead."

Canal smiles, then rests her head in Kane's arms, just becoming silent...

Utena says, "Without this.. none of the other pieces work. At all."

Utena looks at the exhausted Canal. Feeling about the same herself, ready
to collapse into someone's arms... But not yet. "You did good. We won this
round."

Kane smiles weakly and nods to Utena.  "You okay?"

Canal is at least happy - she got the answer she wanted, saved Kane, and
helped them with at least accomplishing something in the fight against
Order.

Utena sighs. "I'm tired, but I'm not hurt. I'll take this for now.. we'll
talk about it after we've all rested." She smiles wanly. "Take care of
her, Kane. She was really brave. You both were." She folds back her pale
yellow wings from sight, and walks one step in the air.. then vanishes.