Seifer's Gambit/One's Broken Heart - Umano Underground Siege

Carlos suddenly woke up, all patched up and feeling relatively well. He even felt a year younger. He looked around for a familiar face, and found Sera nearby. He recognized his sleeping face just because he was close to him, given that a pretty dense fog covered the whole place. "Hey... Sera..." He tried to wake him up. Soon after, he recognized that Sera looked a little bit different than usual. But again, the place was covered in fog.

However, he quickly stopped as he recognized some distant familiar figures far away in the fog. They were going through some kind of door into a some kind of hallway. A door and a hallway that Carlos was pretty sure wasn't there before. He tried to make sense of everything that was happening... But he gave up quickly. Ever since he came to Japan, everything around him started making less sense everyday. "Sera, wake up" He tried again. "I think something is happening. Again". 

No matter what he did, his friend just refused to wake up. "Well, looks like I'll have to leave you here..." He thought. He wanted to take him to the obviously dangerous place, but interrupting someone else's sleep was just too much. "I'd like to drag you to danger, so you can drag me out if something happens to me" He told his friend. "And, well, something always happens. But whatever, sleep well. Oh, and I'll compensate you later for saving me". He then managed to catch up with his friends on the hallway, who also looked a little bit different because of the fog. "Hey there. Did I miss something again?".

Noel walked in with everyone. She saw a sight that was very disturbing, a sight that brought to her disgust ans sadness. The Blaster Dark sword bathed in a pool of blood. First her appearance looking a year younger was one thing but now... this. It was sight that no one wanted to behold. What... is all this? Why do I keep having such a terrible feeling about this?! Noel shivered as she knew something or someone was waiting somewhere deep inside but didn't know what or who it was.

"Welcome... Resistance fighters." A strange mysterious and cold, emotionless voice echoed throughout the hallway. It was then that a strange and seemingly powerful force field was blocking the door at the end of the hallway the fog led everyone into. "We've been expecting you... you all... will not pass.." The voice echoed everywhere until finally the voice took shape and a woman was in the way of the blocked door. This woman... it was... "Mirai? Is that you? No you can't be!"

The woman in their way appeared to be Mirai, she looked similar but several features of her appearance changed. "All of you... leave him alone... all of you... go away! ALL OF YOU... LEAVE NII-SAN ALONE!! I will... defeat you all... I will... end everyone's suffering!" A dark aura surrounded her as well as her eyes began to glow red. The hallway shook from just her aura radiating. Her intent wasn't to defeat everyone and have them run, no. Her intent right now was to kill. "I... I... I am... the Destroyer, the Sword of Kusanagi! All of you... will be cleansed from this world!"

The darkness of the commander before them was thick - like a spiked barrier. Her hair shadowed over the eyes of what everyone believed to belong to a killer with this sight, and her frown spoke nothing. Bashiro looked at her and Aoi stopped skipping, rather... concerned with the eerie silence from the usually loud general. Yugure remained quiet and continued on, until the void of Noel rang out. Initially, the Chosen Sword looked back toward Noel, but she hadn't said anything. Instead, it was someone... with the same face as the girl who fought Seifer with her at the Mall? ... Yes, it was the same one! Why do they share the same voice?

Drawing Blaster Blade, she was ready to handle this block. Bashiro groaned, not wanting to fight a girl. Aoi bounced excitedly, "a mini boss!" she shouted.

"Just knock her unconscious!" Yugure ordered.

Raiden's eyes went wide at what he saw. It was Mirai? THAT was Mirai?! His radar was going off, detecting a sign of Malice's Seed energy. She'd helped him more than once while he was investigating the town and everything happening within it. However, if this is what she was all along, then perhaps this meant he never knew her at all.

He gripped onto his deck as he knew there was only one way to handle this. He had to connect to her heart the only way he knew how. Vanguard. "Mirai! I will battle you! I'll return the Mirai I came to know!"

Neo continued walking down the foggy hallway until he noticed someone in the distance, then he felt the ground shake

"Whoa.. What the.." Neo said
"Is that.. Noel.. I cant tell"

Neo couldnt really tell, so he ran ahead and then he noticed who it was.

"Your that Mirai girl from the lake.." Neo said in shock

Neo couldnt believe what he was seeing, but he knew what he had to do, he was ready to fight. But he wasnt going to use his usual deck because his Brawler units got injured against Malice. So Neo pulled out his other deck and was ready to fight despite being injured himself but he didnt care.

"Lets do this!" Neo screamed

Jessie continued to curse himself for not being strong enough atop the fallen Okuri, and within the space of the spirit's mind, a large set of clocks and gears turned. Loud ticking, loud tocking, tick, tock, tick, tock. "Eternal soul..." A voice boomed, filled with kindness and warmth. A light shined down in this world of unconsciousness, revealing a scarf-wearing "dragon" with wheels for feet. Such an unnatural creature descended before Great Nature's chosen vanguard, and the entity emitted... a sorrowful aura. Truly, he regrets seeing this. "You have suffered greatly for eons, and I commend you for enduring pain for centuries. You have yet to even be rewarded for remaining a gentle soul who wishes for the good of others."

The okuri inu had slaughtered man before, but not for the sake of needless violence nor in the name of madness. Instead, for other animals in his home to survive. To give them food and help them grow - live. After so long, this Gear Dragon has seen the immortal lose themselves due to wishing for death. They went insane, they killed for the Gods to punish them accordingly to finally end their lives, they became wicked and malicious.

But not this one.

"You who have touched me with your earnest kindness, despite your sinking heart.

I wish for you to continue this way while finding happiness over and over."

The clan of Great Nature surrounded Okuri, and a new fellow appeared with the power to "repel" - Resist. "Sleepy Tapir".

A card had fallen onto the body of the kind spirit.

His wounds healed, the Gear Dragon vanishing from his mind with all of the clockwork.

So Neo faced off against Mirai.. but there was a major problem. Neo still wasnt recovered from his previous fights and was fighting with sheer willpower at this point, barely able to draw his cards and play them. After a grade 3 attack by both fighters, Neo was able to use his Egg Helm Dracokid skill to enable Limit Break even tho Neo was still only at 3 damage. so he Brokerode one Ignition on top of another and retired 2 of Mirais units and went on the offensive but Mirai stood her ground.

As the turns kept passing Neo was feeling more weaker and weaker as he was trying to just stand up straight. He was able to draw the one unit that would give him a chance to win.

"With the strength of my friends, I ride! Eradicator Gauntlet Buster Dragon! Its Breaktime!" Neo screamed out

Neo then retired Mirai's field and Gauntlet attacked but it was blocked and so were Neo's other 2 attacks. At this point Neo could barely see the field. But Mirai's ultimate attack came.. She Brokerode with Cormac and called 3 Tyeron on the field and things were about to get worse.. After Mirai went after Neo's rearguards. Tyeron forced Neo to retire 3 of his rear guards or not be able to guard. He decided to retire 3 to guard but.. Mirai's words were slowly getting in his head. Neo knew what he was doing was right to protect his friends but.. was it the right choice? Neo blocked the attack and his turn began. Soon he called a full field and retired more of Mirai's rears and won the fight!

Soon after the fight: "I did it.. for Seifer, Darren, Tsubasa and everyone... I did it... " Neo said

Neo then passed out on the battlefield as he was out of energy, but he had just enough to prove that he was back and once again ready to help his friends..

Mirai vs Neo

The fight seemed evenly matched at first but Mirai was actually adjusting to the regained power that Malice had from her. That caused her to not play at her full potential. Even so, she was powerful as is. Mordred having to take on the full force of Neo's Eradicators, was also adjusting to the power Mirai received. The fight began to turn into Neo's favor, having advantage in field, damage, and hand. But this was alright. Losing one fight didn't mean anything. Mirai was biding her time.

That was when she finally drew her ace, Ambitious Spirit Revenger, Cormac. The Seed's eye glew and using Mordred's break ride skill, she called Witty Revenger, Teyrnon. She then called two more from hand followed by a legion, activating all three Teyrnon's skills. Granting Mirai a former power, a power so great that in her time she was referred to as the Sword of Kusanagi. It have been a reduced power from what it originally was but it was still very deadly. Forcing Neo to retire three rear guards or he cannot stop the vanguard attack. This left Neo with no choice but to retire three units just to perfect guard.

The ability left Neo with no field but that quickly changed as he called everything he could from his hand to refill the field and finished the fight before passing out. Mirai endured the damage and now her power adjusted. Almost like if the loss didn't do a thing to her, she turned her field of vision to Raiden. "You fools... why do you all insist?! Why can't you all go away?!"

After the fight, Mordred Phantom started glowing softly with a black aura... Which vanished soon after, however... The card had changed.

Mordred Phantom gains the skill "[AUTO](VC):[CB1 SB1] When this unit is placed on VC you may pay the cost. If you do, check the top five cards of your deck for a Revenger unit, reveal it, then add that unit to your hand. Shuffle your deck."

Another curious change came over the unit as well... Mordred had... Seifer's face now.

All was silent in Okuri's mind, a dreamless sleep as he neared the edge of death. What a life he had lived. So long and filled with so much emptiness and loneliness. Yet not entirely void of friendship. He had seen them all again, his loved ones and friends. They made certain years of his centuries long existence happy and meaningful. Surely it was okay to leave now. To just disappear. He'd done enough hadn't he? But it wasn't to be. A strange sound entered his mind and in what felt like a dream he was suddenly aware of himself again, standing in a dark place. But there were clocks everywhere, the ticking resonating with his very being.

"Is this... what the afterlife is like? I had imagined something a little more..." he thought until a voice sounded through the darkness as well. There was a bright light and Okuri beheld a strange creature who called out to him. The dragon knew of his centuries of suffering and hearing another recount them brought a new sensation of pain to them.

"Then... this is the end. It's finally over for me now isn't it?" he questioned but it wasn't to be so. The dragon wanted him to continue. "Why?! I've lived long enough! When is it my turn to rest?! Why would you have me continue when I'm so utterly alone?!" he said his heart wrenching as he tackled issues he had long since thought done and settled. But he wasn't alone. He felt hands on his shoulders and others nearby. Turning he saw the Tester and Researcher Fox legion, Chatnoir, Duckbill, Mikesaburo, many others he saw in his deck, and then a new figure appeared. Sleepy Tapir came to join him in his fight. But these were just cards, how were they here? Unless they too were representative of living things. He wasn't alone. Not if they were there to help him. Their collective presence was enough to bring tears to his eyes both in the mental space he was in and externally on his unconscious body.

And then something else came to his mind. He could hear someone, they sounded distressed. And they were nearby, touching him even. Jessie and the other friends of the Resistance came to mind. He wasn't alone. Not now. The dragon's power filled him and renewed his body and at the same time the thoughts of his friends and those members of Great Nature nearby him renewed his will to continue living. The sounds of the ticking faded as the dragon vanished and Okuri could feel himself stirring to actual consciousness.

-----

With Jessie still on top of him Okuri began to stir. It started with a few simple moans and his legs began moving as well. His eyes opened slowly and at first he thought perhaps he'd gone blind or really was dead after all. There was nothing bug fog all around. He realized he was on his side and as he went to move felt no pain. Something had healed him. He knew he had had severe injuries prior to passing out. The scenes in his mind came back to him and he realized he hadn't imagined that dragon. Moving his head up a bit he saw Jessie lying on him, no doubt worried sick about him. There were some cards as well. Sleepy Tapir from the scenes of his mind. First thing was first though, Jessie seemed in need of some relief.

"Je... Jessie?" he managed to say. His body seemed fine, just tired from everything that had happened. He shifted some more so that while still mostly lying down his head was up enough to look at the boy.

"Okuri!! Okuri...!" Jessie perked up at the sight of his friend finally rising, reawakening from such a brutal attack. He hugged the spirit tightly, just repeating his name over and over. The lad was only fourteen and he gravely underestimated the possible backlashes and casualties of war. He made new friends and met great people, but he assumed because they're all heroes and the like, nothing bad would ever happen, even when they lost. He was so, so wrong and he was simply ecstatic to know one who could've died was still alive and kicking, crying onto his body.

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Mordred Phantom who shared the face of the boy who had fallen into despair, began taking in Mirai's anguish into itself. The remnants of sentiment for an elder sibling to defend and nurture the younger... A will manifested itself, causing the illusionary phantom to transform. Cape fluttering within the night skies of the United Sanctuary of Cray, the leader of the "Revengers" had assumed its true form: the desire to become the darkness forever, sparing the alternative timeline sister further torment. That Abyss Dragon who sent everything into chaos and was broken in two in spirit, recalling his noble nature within the outreaches of shadows.

"Dragruler Phantom", was the name of this renegade who would absorb all sadness.

With a will of its own carved from a master and the Seed, it glared toward those who dared to attempt passage.

Raiden looked into Mirai's eyes and saw a different person. He couldn't believe it. Her power was like Malice, her reasoning was unlike anything he had seen... or was it? He was speaking like the Queen Yukino. Could she be...?

Raiden's deck was his Liberators of the past. A product of this world they were now in. Fighting alongside his old allies felt... familiar. He needed all of their strength in order to defeat Mirai and show her that what she was doing was not the way.

Mirai was ruthless. Her power and triggers were great. Even with a field of all Grade 1 units, Raiden felt the pressure. Revengers were a troop to fear. Raiden did not stop, fighting with all he could. He used the power of Garmore, Break Riding and seeing two Critical Triggers on the top. Instead of calling them, he put all of his faith into Garmore. His faith was rewarded. Marlaux who was suppose to have been deleted, Bruno, even two triggers were welcome. His formation was powerful and Garmore himself was 42000 strong, but it was easily blocked.

Mirai's turn. With the power of her Break Ride, she called forth the Revenger Legion Cormac and Makart. Her rear unit gave the Leigion a skill. He was forced to sacrifice one of his own allies in order to guard. He looked at the units... He almost didn't do it. In the end, he felt he couldn't afford to lose to her. He retired one, being pained at the choice, and he barely defended himself. He had to end it this turn.

Raiden drew, but he was out of options. He placed a unit to make up for a lost front row, but Garmore could not have a booster. Raiden attacked. Mirai guarded it. Only two triggers would get through. The first check... Heal Trigger. He gave the effects to Garmore. Hoping his words could reach her in this attack, he checked the second unit. Critical Trigger! Garmore had broken through, but even with this, Mirai still stood. His fight and effort felt like it meant nothing. Her will and strength were more than he could ever expect. "She's too strong... for one person..." Raiden said, panting from the strain of the fight.

Haruka's stomach turned at the events all around him. He, one, concluded his wife-to-be was a murderer, and she never told him about it. This was... a pain to think and even greater so to realize. He held his stomach watching as Neo and Raiden protected to Resistance members as they advanced forward and then were promptly intercepted by... Was that...?

Time flashed before Haruka's eyes. 3 months ago on the last day Haruka can remember being himself, the day he and the group were not fighting a war. They were hosting a Vanguard Cafe for the School Culture Festival. That day, he and Seifer were tied together by the bonds of the Shadow Paladins, Haruka as Blaster Dark Revenger, and Seifer as Mordred. They shared a fight together in fact, Haruka's first attempt using Raging Form Dragon. It felt good... different, but good. It was his first attempt at bonding with the knight of envy.

Today, he felt an obligation to take this fight. Dragruler Phantom stood before the group...

Haruka walked forward, accepting this fight. He stared Dragruler in the face. He sneered in the face of the dragon.

This dragon embodied everything Haruka knew about Seifer, and as a symbol of that, Haruka would have to be careful. It was an obstacle to the Resistance, but it was something personal for the young Captain of the Aqua Force. Due to the disappearance of Revonn and Haruka's detachment of the timeline, Lambros and Thavas were still able-bodied in the fog, as was his force.

"I'm going to kindly ask you to get out of the way."

That cold gravity Haruka held once in a blue moon. This was one of those times.

The events went by one after the other to Haruto from Mirai arriving and shattering the very fabric of the situation at hand by challenging her own friends like a mindless drone. It's obvious after she said that she was protecting her brother that Seifer was the one behind this. The worst part came when he noticed Yukino's look towards that sword and then at Haruka reacting to it, it made him question what exactly was happening or has happened....was it possible...

"There's no way..." he thought, as Neo and Raiden fended off Mirai and the situation changed once again, with Mordred taking on Seifer's look and standing against him was Haruka.

"I need to step in soon, at this rate they are more in danger." he thought, as he clutched his deck.

Okuri was taken aback as Jessie gripped him tightly and began to cry. He managed to sit up some and a little awkwardly placed one of his front legs around the boy, his paw on his back. An attempt to return the hug as much as he could. The Sleepy Tapir cards shifted as he moved and slid down to his side. He'd get to them soon enough. Jessie continued repeating his name. The poor boy was being exposed to hardships at a young age. Okuri had been so ready to die but was Jessie ready for him to do so? Clearly from this reaction he wasn't. He'd realized when the strange dragon appeared to him that not only was he not alone but he was needed. He'd continue to live his life so long as it went on.

"And here I thought it'd be okay if I left for good so long as you were safe. That was awfully mean of me Jessie, I'm sorry." he said softly has he began nuzzling the boys face. In some ways Jessie reminded him of his child from ages past or at least he felt a similar drive to protect him. And similarly protecting was one thing but dying couldn't be an option at this point. He needed to still be there for him. His sash moved to pick up the Sleepy Tapir cards and he noticed his deck had been collected for him. Putting the cards together to sort through later the sash worked its strange magic and out of sight they went. Okuri was beginning to take note of just how strange the fog in the area was but as there appeared to be no immediate threat he simply focused on Jessie.

"There's nothing left. You stop... or I'll fall. Either way, it's finally ending."

The distorted voice of Seifer and Dragruler was filled with agony and misery, even rejecting trigger power at some point in the game as a symbol of rejecting life. Revengers versus Blue Storm was filled with sorrow - tears from that which aren't even the water clan. Standing as the Guardian, Dragruler faced the Aqua Force leader with the will to prevent them from going on with also a conflicting desire to not... truly fight. Only cease this forever. To make them all stop against what was judged as hopeless, noting that even the defiance of the Resistance couldn't change anything.

But it always changed something.

Again, and again, and again. Even when pressed with their backs to the wall, Thavas, Lambros, and Haruka weren't giving up. It was simply an impossibility for them. And the Revengers knew this already. They always knew this, and continued to fight with the Abyss Dragon appearing himself, with Blaster Dark beside him. That Blaster Dark who kept fighting with them, despite his own views and ambitions, would be the arm in bringing about the finale for his owner.

And Haruka attacked him.

Just to get an intercept out of the way, just to settle Thavas' grudge of when Yunos called him a kid and said he's out of his league. The reason didn't matter, as the image of Seifer rushing to Mirai was generated, using triggers to save the Avatar.

The others watching caught a glimpse of heart.

The boy who fell into despair - this image led them to believe that, even if the voice had given up on life, the will didn't give up on someone precious. Yet, it was meaningless, as he himself - Dragruler could not sustain and Thavas' ability to seal away further struggling did him in.

It vanished, and the barrier dropped as the fight was over.

The Chosen Sword finally understood what this was all about, and her expression... was depressing.

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"Why would you think something so stupid?! You're... you're not... going a-anywhere man!" Jessie took his apology and wanted to hit him for thinking things would be okay if he left for good. He didn't want anyone to die, even in the name of protecting someone. Everyone deserves to live, he wants everyone to live. The scene was touching to those outside, like a boy and his dog reuniting at the end of a depressing movie with a happy ending. Even under the gloomy skies that shrouded a bright day, Jessie sobbed and smiled over his friend being alive, sharing the hug with him longer.

At the barrier being removed, the world seemed to stop... Then dissolved away, shrouding everyone in pitch black darkness. It stayed like that for several moments before a soft, weak light appeared ahead of them... Shining down on the... platform they were now standing on? What was this? The hallway was no longer there, the door gone. They were on a circular platform that was... rather large for the base, though the hallway was weird to begin with. Across the way from them was what looked like a raised staircase leading up to the... Was that a corpse? Was that the corpse of Garnet Star Dragon? And in front of it...

A brunette was standing before the carcass. The figure's head bobbed up slightly, as if suddenly realizing something before turning around to see them. It was Seifer, as he was before all of this. Though his eyes... They were devoid of light... And blue? Weren't they normally crimson?

"Nee-san... Everyone. ...You came..." his voice was quiet... sad, and, when he spoke an image full of static would flash through everyone's mind: a beautiful red headed girl, with a gentle smile on her face, but her eyes... it was like looking at a drawn picture, with the bridge of the nose up to the brow erased. Then the image shattered. When everyone would be able to see again, Seifer would be standing before the group now, looking as he did back during the War of Liberation... Short brown hair, blue eyes a light white dress shirt, and black pants... A pair of wire frame glasses hanging off his nose. But his eyes... They stayed devoid of light.

"...You shouldn't be here. ...Just, let me fade away peacefully okay?" he sighed, another static filled image would shoot through everyone's minds again, this time... It was... Seifer's face? There was blood running down the corners of his mouth, but he was smiling. The image panned down for a moment, revealing Blaster Dark stabbed into his stomach, his hand on another's holding the hilt of the blade, before panning up. His mouth moved, and while there was no sound, it was evident what was said: 'It's okay... I don't blame you... It's okay...' before the image shattered again.

This time when everyone could see, Seifer was standing behind Yukino now, standing five inches taller than her. But his appearance changed, this time his lightless eyes were crimson, wearing his outfit from the war with Star Vader, and there was a stab wound, tearing the fabric of his shirt and jacket. However there was no blood to be found, other than the stains on the shirt. "Why are you all even here? You've got a world to save. ...I'm no one important."

Raiden's eyes widened at seeing the first male before them. Was that... Seifer? It looked similar but so different from key defining features. Something about this wasn't right. The image came after that. That girl... he knew that girl. It felt like a blur and he couldn't recall the face. Why couldn't he remember? This usually wasn't an issue for him at all.

The next time Seifer appeared, he looked like he did during the War of Liberation. While Raiden didn't know the male at that time, he like everyone had seen the tournament he was a part of. The look was clear and memorable. What was this for him to be able to do such things? Did he really have reality warping power like Malice? And why were the things he showed like this?

The next image was... horrifying to him. He was the one stabbed with the Blaster Dark. He knew only Yukino as being able to summon it, and with Seifer holding the blade, it was likely she was going to attack something else and he got in the way. It had to have been on purpose because of that smile. Did this actually happen or was it a nightmare? Who was the person he met if Seifer was killed a year or so ago?

Finally Seifer appeared behind Yukino. Raiden himself had been behind her as well but some length away so he jumped at the fact that Seifer was basically right in front of him. Hearing what he said, he had to say, "Of course you're important. You've built bonds with all of these people! A world without you isn't worth saving to them!"

"Are you fucking serious?" Bashiro said plainly with a hand on his hip. It wasn't sass due to him thinking what he was woken up for was ridiculous, rather: "One, you took the base. Two, we wouldn't be here if you weren't someone important."

"What is this weird place?" Aoi asked, her head tilted.

Exculpate - one of the those charged with the duty to revive the light, looked into the eyes of the boy who suffered. Like others, suffered in this time and world without light. The sight of a dead cyber dragon Star-vader would have greatly pleased the warrior if it wasn't for her younger brother needing someone. The images - it was Rosalia, of course. The sight of the sword in him, those words, the images breaking apart. This "space" was cracking and shattering as Seifer's heart had been and still is. Ahmes, unfortunately, had no doubt he would simply fall apart if they don't do something.

When Seifer somehow teleported behind Yukino, towering over her height, she said nothing and didn't move.

"We're here for you", the Chosen Sword spoke softly, but straightforwardly.

"Bullshit!"

Karin pushed past the rest of the group, running straight up to Seifer. She was shorter than him- a lot shorter, and had to look pretty high up just to see his face, but she stood her ground all the same. "You screw up once and just give up?! You'd rather just fade away and leave everyone behind?!" Karin held her hand up to her orange eye, pointing right at it. "You think you're any different?! You're Yugure's family, you were gifted with Nouvelle's grace, hell, you even fought back against Harbinger's control! Her orange eye glowed faintly, staring like a dagger into Seifer's own eyes. She brought her hand up to his collar and gripped as tight as she could, pulling at him. "...Then look me in the eye and tell me I'm wrong. Tell me that trying to change is hopeless, that breaking free is impossible. Look me in the eye and tell me that."

Karin wasn't having any of this. Whether it was because of the reversion in time keeping her free will rooted to her, or because she had actually begun to break free herself, she didn't care. This man was a fellow Kagero player, one of Yugure's family, and a friend. They had both turned their backs... And now had a second chance to make things right. She wasn't going to sit by and watch him go.

After this fight with Mirai, Neo had passed out and was put to the side against the wall to rest. A bit of time passed by and he woke up. He was trying to get his vision but he noticed a very familiar person standing behind behind Yukino.. it was Seifer and Neo heard his words asking everyone why they were there.

Neo tried to get up to answer him back

"Its simple bro... we all care about you.. We all want things to go back to normal..Especially me. I left Seifer and im truely sorry about everything that happened. I wont rest until everything is done to save you.. and everyone else.. and everyone here will agree with me.." Neo said as he tried to stand up

Haruka remained silent, seeing the images all around him. The one of the murder he was correct in the perpetration of, and then as Seifer appeared. His battle with Dragruler weakened him, as the emotions he was experiencing now was a mix of turmoil and sorrow. He could've been there more. He could've prevented this. If only he never made the timeline skip...

He held in the need to puke all over the floor, because he was the Aqua Force Captain and wasn't going to let his front be given up in the face of adversity... Seifer's adversity.

"Seifer... You know this isn't what we, what I, wanted for you. I---"

He couldn't apologize. It wasn't his apology to make. Somebody else had to say sorry because there was no way Haruka could truly ask for forgiveness for what he had done in the past. Everything Haruka did to invoke Seifer's wrath in the past was well-deserved, but this was the only penance Haruka could get. Bringing Seifer back. It was an act of brotherhood, but more importantly...

A Vanguard can only do so much without his rear-guards. Mordred and Yunos became well aware of that, and in the same way, Haruka and Seifer did as well. Without your friends; without the closest things to you in life, what was the purpose of moving forward?

Karin burst through the group, nearly knocking Haruka on his ass. He stared up in awe at her outrageous response, more surprised even that she had been tailing them the whole time. His heart turned in a few directions they probably shouldn't have. His eyes, downcast.

The situation took a turn for the dark, so much so that everyone was blinded for an instant and then stood in front of them a broken man, a person searching for something to cling to in order to remain in their world....even though he had lost the person he cared for the most...

".....I had a feeling..." he said, as he saw the image of the woman, feeling his heart ache with the pain that Seifer must have felt.

He could relate, he really could for a time he lost everyone and everything he lost his parents his loved ones and the only reason that kept him alive was because his brother was still out there seeking a better life for the both of them....but he too was also taken from him....his last connection to the world. Now that Seifer was standing behind Yukino and in this case next to Haruto he had to make him understand....

"I understand....I know full well how it feels...I lost everything that day....my brother, my family even all those who tried to help me I rejected because I was sure it was over for me..." he said, as tears started to flow down from his eyes. "There was a time where I would have let that sword finish me if I was in you place..."

"I may not understand the feelings that you had towards her but believe me it hurts just as much to lose everything....yet i'm still here, still fighting because I have a reason to continue living because they are always alive to me...You may think you're unimportant but to everyone here you are a dear friend, to her you still are important...I doubt she would have wanted to lose you either, you're important to more people than you realize." he said, rubbing the tears out of his eyes.

"Come back to us...to find the will to continue living requires a lot of strength I know that more than anyone, but i'm not alone to bare that burden and neither are you." he said, as he tried to regain his stance.

"Oh Haruto...."

It was... ...Something wonderful at least. He heard what everyone had to say and yet... Staring down at Karin with his eyes devoid of light, it was as if he was staring directly into her soul. "...I..." another image flash, one... Strangely of Yukino dying, her head removed from her shoulders? "I've always failed, always lost." this time, the red head from the previous images was slain, stabbed through the chest from behind. "I've never had the strength to protect anyone, no matter how hard I tried, a failure." the last image... Was of Haruka, flames behind him and the bodies of the girls mentioned before... A bloodied hand coming into frame before the image shattered.

This time, Seifer was behind the group entirely, facing them. "...There is nothing left for me. No time, nothing. I'm a burden, trash, a coward..." another image, looking up at a girl sitting upon the rubble in Kizoku, the vision going hazy then... The image shattered again. "...I do appreciate you all, here... Trying to stop me. But it's already far to late for that." This time the image showed a towering Father Espoir, and bits of the conversation came through... Mostly Hana and Tsubasa's names, that time was running out... And that he would try to fix it all, to make up for his weakness, then the image shattered once more, with Seifer standing in front of the group, his back to them. His outfit now was... a scarf, a black sleeveless jacket, and black pants... His hair now spiky and blond. "I've lost her more times now than I can stomach. She's gone, my foil. My sheath, everything that held me up. My reason to fight, to live." he stayed quiet for a moment before turning his head to face the group, tears streaming down his face.

"We've all lost things that are important. Things that mattered, but I'm not strong like any of you. I'm a coward... I'd rather disappear and take my weakness with me, than get in your way any longer."

Raiden's eyes widened at the sights. A woman died, then two. One was Yukino, the other was the girl from before. Had it been so long since he had seen her that he really forgot her? It hurt him just to think that, but it was clear that was the situation. Even Haruka, who he knew mostly through Yukino but still understood he was a good person, in front of the dead...

Hearing what Seifer said, this time her turned and said, "Don't be so selfish! Do you really have the right to decide that on your own?! If you feel weak, let your loved ones reinforce you! If you are afraid, let them protect you! You aren't getting in anyone's way or else no one would be here, so what makes you think you need to disappear?"