The Way Back

Kentaro:<It might have been better if that barrier covered more than just the castle.>

Derek: <Hey, it's alright.>

*He stares down King Alexander.*

King: <There was barely any city beyond the palace back when it was created...>

*Allina comes running down the hallway and sees Kelphy and Derek by the door of the throne room. She peeks in and sees the King talking to Kari and Kentaro.*

Allina: <(Oh.)>

Kelphy: <(Allina, is everyone prepared?)>

Allina: <(I think so. Lucien and Creed are outside, maybe you guys should go to them. I'll find Crowley and Alto and we'll all meet there soon.)>

*Kelphy nods and Allina steps into the room, tugging on Karii's sleeve.*

Allina: <(Psst, can I talk to you for a minute?)>

=====
~Alto~

*Whenever he tries to open the door he'll realize she never actually locked it.*

=====
~Crowley~

Parker: <So... hum... what do you remember before the explosion?>

=====
~Creed & Allina~

Allina: <Oh? I wanna hear all about it soon, okay?>

*She pats his head and runs into the palace.*

Kentaro:<Alter it as the kingdom expands?>

*KARI turns to Allina.*

"Okay..."

Creed smiles, "Ok" then heads inside meeting up with Lucien and heading to the throne room.

Alto meets them there as well having opened the door. Creed nods and then goes off before coming back ten minutes later dressed in a fine red velvet suit similar to his usual emerald one only with a snowflake jewel on the lapel.

Crowley: <All I remember was following you into a house to take cover. After that, it's... pretty much a blank.>

~Kentaro & Kelphy~

King: <That barrier stopped Origin's attacks. I can't do something like that.>

*Kelphy steps inside, glancing at her father before looking at Kentaro.*

Kelphy: <Kentaro, we should go.>

=====
~Derek, Alto, Lucien & Creed~

*The boys have apparently gathered in the hallway outside the throne room. Aera comes walking towards them.*

Aera: <The Garuda is ready!>

=====
~Kari & Allina~

*Allina leads Kari down the hallway and around the corner and then turns to face her. She is still wearing her ball dress covered in holes and soot.*

Allina: <Okay, so, thank you.>

*She then proceeds to slowly approach Kari and hug her, seemingly expecting some sort of negative reaction.*

=====
~Crowley~

Parker: <Hm. Okay then.>

*Razz walks out of the medical wing and looks at them.*

Razz: <It's time.>

"Alright, let us go then" Creed smiles to Aera.

Alto grins, "The final battle awaits us."

Lucien seems to be pondering something but he smiles too.

Crowley: <Well, then let's get going.>

Kentaro:<Probably a good idea.>

*He pats the Jade Rabbit on the head.*

Kentaro:<Ready to use all those moves you've been practising?>

=====================================================

*Kari's body stiffens up.*

"You...you're welcome."

*After some hesitation she hugs Allina back.*

Derek: <Let's roll. We're about to do the impossible.>

*The king fucks off, sighing repeatedly.*

Jade Rabbit: <Hell yeah! Y'all just wait until you see me kicking ass. Imma be cooler than...>

*He points at Kentaro, but slowly moves his finger to point across the rest of the group, then putting it down.*

Jade Rabbit: <...S-Some really cool person I have yet to meet!>

*Razz, Crowley and Parker arrive in the same hallway.*

Aera: <So everyone's here but... Kari and Allina?>

Kelphy: <...They should be here soon.>

=====
~Kari & Allina~

*After they hug, Allina smiles and laughs a bit.*

Allina: <...It felt like a fairly apropriate moment to do it, what with the possibility we're all going to die soon and all.>

"""Yes""" Creed, Lucien, and Alto all say.

*Kari steps back with a look of horror on her face.*

"What?!"

*Crowley just leans up against the wall and taps his foot on the ground. He wanted this to hurry up. Not really out of eagerness, but more out of anxiousness.*

~Kari & Allina~

[In retrospective, that probably wasn't the best motivational speech.]

Allina: <I'm just kidding! We can win for sure if we give it our all. I wanna live to go to your wedding, dammit. If only to mock Kenta. Anyway, we should probably get going.>

*She raises her right opened hand for a high-five.*

*She raises her trembling hand and gives a weak high-five.*

*Soon, they exit the palace to see the Garuda hovering above the ruins. Aera walks beneath it and the sphere on its underside glows, teleporting her inside. Razz and Parker follow, as does Allina. A small crowd has gathered near the main entrance to the palace, and most of them are now glaring at Kelphy and really, the group in general.*

Jade Rabbit: <(What's with the stares?) YES, PEOPLE. WE ARE THE LEGENDARY HEROES. AUTOGRAPHS LATER.>

*Kari kind of hides behind Kentaro who just pats the Jade Rabbit on the head as the two enter the airship.*

Alto just kind does his pressure thing and gets the crowd to back down before entering the ship with the others.

Lucien follows close behind. He smiles weakly and walks to Allina and stands next to her.

Creed enters as well.

*Crowley just follows everyone without even glancing at the crowd. After all his thieving years, crowds are the last things he wants the eyes of.*

*Derek gives an epic speech to the people about how they're gonna be safe and that there's no need to fear and all that jazz, then boards the ship.*

Ambiance Music

*Once they're all gathered on the bridge, the airship's enveloped in a blue aura and rockets towards the flying white fortress. As they're approaching, the fortress glows silver and shoots a beam down, hitting the airship. Nothing seems to happen, but after a few seconds Kari, Kentaro, Derek, Alto, Lucien, Creed, Crowley, Allina and Kelphy start fading.*

Allina: <We're disappearing!?>

Fahren: <It would seem Origin's only letting those chosen by Luna inside.>

Aera: <Something weird's happening to the airship, it isn't responding!>

*The airships starts flying very slowly.*

Crowley: [Damn, what's going on here?]

"I'll return safe land the ship Aera!" Alto says.

Lucien takes Allina's hand.

Creed places his hand on his sword and waits.