Umano Underground Slums

Jellal had returned to the resistance base after some fresh air outside and a few snacks in his bag. "Okay I got chips, donuts, kitkats, honey buns, gummies and cookies. I think I'm all set." He said with a smile. Jellal was very hungry and saw a few people eyeing him and his stash of goodies, which unfortunately for them, Jellal had no intention whatsoever of sharing any of them. As he walked through the front entrance, he saw a girl young by the couch. She looked very... lost. He could tell she was new. "Ehhh... I guess I can talk to her." he submitted himself. He tucked his bag of snacks behind him with one hand approached the girl.

Sera forgot to challenge Yukino to a death match this time, oddly enough. Perhaps his worry for a person finally invaded the limitations of his desire to stab the ice queen. The ego died down swiftly.

"He's... Okay? How do you know? Did anything important happen while I was gone? Mission debriefing or..."

Something was up with the young malevolent force. Maybe he just wasn't feeling the whole murder vibe today. Could be an off week for the white haired twin.

"... What's that on your finger?"

He awkwardly noted the ring. It totally escaped his mind that might be a wedding ring or anything relevant to that.

"... Are you alright, Sera? Has being around the Reapers finally made you gone madder than you were already? You're concerned about someone, you're not trying to irritate me, you're not even making jokes. Haruka is fine, what's with you?" Yukino inquired, noting several oddities about Glendios today, and it was greatly disturbing. In fact, actually showing concern for him herself made her internally gag. Even with a stoic face, the queen couldn't believe the day came where she actually cared about a Link Joker's well being. Still, he was... how would she put it... not being a pain in her ass. So that in itself was pressing. The woman looked toward her hand when he pointed to it, lifting up her ring hand.

"An engagement ring", she answered... carefully. Almost hesitantly, but let the words flow without pause. Ugh... Telling one of her sworn enemies she was getting married practically screamed: "here, please ruin what I'm looking forward to!" to the heavens.

Hating Link Joker is suffering.

"I'm fine, are you okay? You didn't stab me in my sleep and end my life. Obviously you've been in a good mood recently or something."

Sera stood up, dusting some of the soot from his face and arms, and a bit off his shoulders. He shook his hair similarly to a dog to get remaining black dust particles out. Then blinked, wiping smeared sweaty soot away from his vision to get a better look at the ring.

"He really did it, huh..."

Sera bent over, staring a tad bit closely at the ring, examining and seeing if it was the same one Haruka bought, and sure as hell it was in the end.

"Oi, Ice Chick. I need a really big favor from you. I hear humans ask other humans to do each others' work and I sort of need you to do something for me too."

Sera stood up, his face a little more serious staring intently at Yukino. He was trying to read her expression, probably another human thing. He put a hand on his hip and the other in his pocket, eyeing around, making sure nobody was listening in. He looked like he was about to spill really big secret. He might have even been sweating because it was weird to ask favors, and even weirder from your mortal enemies.

"So..."

Fidget.

"Can you..."

Sweat.

"Can you make Haruka happy for me?"

Wait. What?

"Like, can you make him not be sad anymore? Like, when he comes home from some nights and he just looks.... y'know, like something really bad happened, but then nothing happened and he just says it was a bad day or something but I feel like he's just not happy."

He took a deep breath.

"I mean, make him happy, yeah. Also save the world and stuff. I mean I could probably do it myself if I wasn't a wimpy fleshbag like you but... at least being a fleshbag means we're on equal grounds when I finally get around to pummeling your ass into the ground."

He smirked, but not a malevolent smirk. A pumped-up smirk.

"Not now though. In case I fudge it all up, you have to save the world in my place, with Haruka, and then make him really happy, because I don't think me or Mizumi or Toshiki can really make him happy like you. Must be another fleshb- I mean, human thing."

He scratched his head. Was that too much to ask?

"Can you do it, Y-Yukino?"

That was her name right?

You know, he had a point about Yukino not trying to stab him yet. The reasons were probably Haruka and the Reaper war is greatly affecting her mentality. ... Great, now the Chosen Sword was worried she was actually being indoctrinated. She began to sweat nervously at the thought while Sera looked at her ring. Then, Glendios asked "Ice Chick" or a favor. The woman cringed slightly, now very disgusted with her life. Link Joker asking her for favors? What year was this? Did they all die? Did Harbinger win?

"Can you make Haruka happy for me?" He asked.

"Wha-" Yukino's expression turned to some surprise, having expecting something ridiculous, not cheesy. He spot of Haruka's depression, which she actually guessed over how she made him feel on top of the invasion. Her workaholic nature... she remembered Haruka mildly snapping at her before since she wouldn't relax - she wouldn't sit down. Within the three months of the Star-vader invasion aftermath, people didn't even let her leave the manor due to how uncomfortable she was doing nothing. Then, seeing as he was brutally injured in one of the Deletor attacks, and even worse meeting an invincible Harbinger... Ugh, Yukino wanted to immediately respond, but when she feels like Hell every single day...

Finding an answer for the both of them was a bit difficult.

Then he mentioned fighting her and she cringed again, almost feeling as if the sentiment was just mocking her.

"... If I'm being honest, a lot of him being unhappy is likely my own fault. I know he was irritated at a point when I wouldn't just sit down and relax. I nearly went and jumped off of a high construction beam on him. Even worse, I left for Cray for a year, I dragged him into my war, and he was hurt for it. ... I owe it to him to make him feel better after years of just dealing with me as a lover, on top of so much more. Make him happy...? Of course I'm going to do everything in my power to. I..."

She hesitated at the end of her long-winded point.

"I want to be... a wife that can always light up his life. That when he just... looks at me, he genuinely feels like everything will be okay. I can't pretend to know everything wrong with him or always have the solution for when he's upset... But I just want to make him happy as his lover. Nowadays, I doubt myself to do anything. 'Can you do it'? I just... want to do it."

It was so hard to word as her expression grew sadder, blaming herself for her beloved's downpour mood whenever Sera saw him come home. If Mizumi didn't want Haruka to see her in particular, there was good reason. After the invincible Harbinger destroyed her spirit, the Chosen Sword no longer felt like she could do everything just because she said she would. Chronos said humans were foolishly defiant against what they didn't understand, automatically assuming "I can, I can".

"... I don't really know if that's a satisfactory answer or not Sera, so I'm sorry."

Lovely. She's miserable, her lover is miserable, and now she just apologized to Link Joker. What a time to be alive.

As Okuri had led Jessie over to the girl he'd called out to he became perplexed. She eventually went inside the building she had knocked at and hadn't seemed to have taken notice of his call to her. Perhaps she wasn't looking to chat with people. Stopping in his tracks he took a moment to try and figure things out.

"Well... I was hoping you'd be able to make some more friends closer to your own age Jessie but it seems like she's up to something else. My apologies for the prodding. Maybe she'll be around for a while. Suppose it's back to preparing for the tournament for us." he said looking over to Yukino and Sera again. Perhaps he'd go talk with them when they were finished.

"I don't care who made him unhappy. I'd kill them... Except you also make him the happiest. And killing his source of happiness sounds pretty bad, doesn't it?"

He sat back down against the wall, using the cardboard box as a seat. It broke nearly instantly as he sat on his, falling flat on his butt. He tried not to wince as his butt bumped the concrete. His tailbone ached severely.

"A-Anyways. What about your war? Nobody wants to fight in a war against anything, usually. But when it threatens their life, they'll fight or fly. That's another human thing I heard about."

He shrugged, now rubbing his lower back in slight pain.

"I don't care if you started it or not, because we're- Er, I'm going to finish those things off once and for all. No more Reapers, and Haruka is safe. And you get a piece of him too I guess, since he gave you the ring or whatever. Doesn't that mean eternal companionship or something? Love during life and after death? Maybe I should get a ring for him too."

Sera didn't realize the full capacity of marriage yet, but he was grasping the concept correctly at least.

"By the way, thanks. For calling me by my name."

He blinked, then looked away feeling embarrassed having the say thank you to the person he wants to put a sword through the most. But he was aware that she was the only person who could match him one-for-one at the moment, knowing her blaster powers and his ability to sling locks into fashion against enemies. Control and bravery going head-to-head. While bravery sounds cooler, control would probably win.

Lock is a dangerous and extreme tool, especially in the hands of ludicrous half-humans.

"So, you heard about Chronicle's Eve? You better be participating."

He slipped a flyer covered in soot and torn at the corner from his pocket and showed Yukino. He had that smirk again. Innocent? Nah. Sarcastic? Maybe. Excited. Yes.

Yukino almost made a really morbid joke about Sera killing her and decided against it before opening her mouth. She shook her head, getting it out of mind, and watched Sera fall on his ass when he tried to sit down and broke the box. A quick hand to her mouth, she covered her smirk while letting out a muffled snicker. Making sure to leave no evidence of laughing at him, she reformed her more inquisitive but stoic expression.

"Against eldritch outer gods of death, the majority would fly over fight, I'd think." She began. "I use sugarcoated words and speeches to get people to follow me. I did the same a year ago, and everyone followed my orders. These people would follow me into Hell, even if I already-"

Gave up.

"... Never mind. Anyway. I'm glad you're determined. The more resolute everyone is against Harbinger, the better. And that's... not quite how marriage works. Or engagement. Don't get him a ring." Yukino felt a bead of sweat run down her head, actually willing to tell him what this kind of "eternal companionship" and "love" meant at another time. Another part of her was just possessively trying to get anyone and everyone away from her fiancee. The jealous girlfriend is strong - she got it from Blaster Dark, after all.

Wait.
Hold the phone.
Yukino's mouth was agape in awe.

The doomsday weapon: Glendios just thanked her for calling him by his other name. Exculpate... found this inconceivable. One of the Star-vaders thanking her AND she actually found it in herself to treat him with respect by using "Sera"?! This... the Blaster needs a drink to get the aftertaste of near-vomit out of her mouth. The racist queen felt bewildered by her sworn enemy. First Phantom Blaster, now him.

"... Thank you, Sera, for taking care of Haruka too", she stated calmly with a smile, surprisingly enough. "I am participating in Chronicle's Eve. I needed to look more into this to discover Gear Chronicle's involvement and-"

Phones all over buzzed.

"Bring all registrations to the Tournament Stadium. Our time is now."

... Yukino was entirely certain this text was not sent by Oshiro or just any other representative.

"I think that's our cue", Jessie told Okuri, looking at his phone in confusion.

Jellal walked around the slums holding a bag of chips. Each step he took, his hand slowly went into the bag and freed a chip only to crush it in his mouth. "Everyone seems kinda busy." Jellal thought while taking his second bite. "I wish I could partake just to be useful to them. Maybe even figure out what's my deal." He came around a corner to where he saw a group of people having a discussion. He continued to walk by to check out the rest of Umano when he caught a glimpse of a familiar color: White. He turned back and saw a girl who had white hair who looked like she was about to head out on an adventure or something. "She seems..." Jellal said as he crumpled his bag of chips and placed it to the trash dumpster. "She seems oddly familiar...". The familiarity caused Jellal to take a chance and approach her. Maybe she knew something about him, or maybe he can assist to something. "Um, excuse me!" Jellal said in a light shout while running towards her.

Jessie crouched down to show Okuri the message, even having the picture of Chronojet from the poster in it. "Let's head to the stadium!"

"Remember what I said! You're all to participate at least in the preliminaries or else!" Yukino turned and shouted, immediately getting a number of soldiers running off with their decks. She looked back to Sera, about to ask if he was ready to go. However, her blue eyes were met with him from the past - the last person she needed to meet: Jellal.

"Jellal... You really are here." Yukino slowly spoke as he approached, lost in awe and confusion. Her same foe that started her fate and stood with her as an ally with his revived clan was here before her. The woman... couldn't find the words to even greet him with. Where did he go? Why did he return now? When did he get back?

"Jellal..." Was all she repeated.

After leaving Jessie and Okuri, Carlos walked around looking for the room where the blue-haired girl was being held prisoner. However, he couldn't help feel uneasy about visiting her given that she... She murderer people. Not people that he personally knew, but people at last. "Calm down, calm down..." He told himself. "You're just going to ask her about the blonde girl, Kachidoki, and the others that are helping the Reapers...". It didn't matter where they came from or what they did, he wanted to help them. "I'm pretty sure they're being controlled by those monsters...".

He soon realized that he just walked in circles while thinking, as he ended up where he started. "Huh, I think this is happening to me a lot". Noticing Jessie and Okuri who were looking at the the young boy's phone, he approached them before they left. "Hey guys! Wait!" He shouted. "Where are you going? Did something happen?".

"Check your phone, dude!" Jessie shouted, proceeding to speed off with a large number of the army. They wanted their pay and they wanted to stay in the fight. Bashiro limped along, as if death itself got to him, but it was obvious he was overreacting.

"Oh so you do know me." he said to her. "I unfortunately don't remember much of my past... but, I've had the pleasure of people filling in some of the gaps." He gave a small chuckle although he was incredibly nervous since she gave off a very strong presence. "But uh might I ask who you are? You seem very familiar to me and well hm, it'd be nice to catch up with old friends."

"No... memory?" Yukino assumed, perplexed as to why Jellal has amnesia. Her expression was vivid surprise and awe, still in wonder as to where he even went. "... I'm Yukino Espoir. You and I... Blaster Blade and Blaster Dark..." The Chosen Sword wasn't even sure where to start, and didn't know if telling him those names would help.

Yunos himself simply gazed at Jellal.

"Can you hear my voice?" Blaster Dark called to Jellal. He may not have the connection to him anymore, if there was ever one that let his old vanguard hear his units. Still, he had to try.

"Dude, I don't have a phone!" Carlos answered to the young boy, while chasing him. "Could you at least tell- And you didn't listen... You know what? Forget it. I'm following them". He then started running alongside the Resistance fighters. "It must be something important to move this many people. Hey, maybe it's about the tournament". 

"This would be easier if I asked someone, now that I think about it".

"Yukino.. Espoir... huh.." He's heard of that name before: when he found Rosalia and Neo at the park. She mentioned that he and her followed by the names of Blaster Blade and Blaster Dark. "Blaster...Dark...?" he thought to himself. He tried to recollect but there was nothing. For a brief moment he found himself sad again that there was nothing he could follow up on. He didn't want to keep her waiting. "Sorry but I don't really reme-"

He heard something or someone. Asking if Jellal could hear them. "Wait.. what?". He looked back up at Yukino. "Did you...hear something or something?"

"You can still hear me. You damn idiot, going and losing your memories on me too." Yunos sneered, but grinned, happy with the fact that the connection was still present. Phantom Blaster quietly snarled, gazing upon one of his previous masters. The Dragon of Hell's mind was an enigma to Exculpate and Blaster Dark, but he seemed to be grinning as usual.

"You can hear him, so why are your memories gone? How did you forget about us? ... First, do you know where you've been for the past year?" Yukino inquired.

"All I remember is being trapped in a black void." Jellal said with a confused expression. "Though I should probably mention; my memories are scattered like broken glass. I remember minor things but I can't really 'connect' them." He kept hearing a voice chewing him out about forgetting his memories. "By the way, who is 'Him' or 'he'?"

"... That voice is Blaster Dark. And if you were trapped in a black void, you probably disappeared in the distortions... Broken glass, piece by piece. I see." Yukino answered Jellal and looked downward in thought. So he must've been caught in the Seeds all appearing and causing time and space to start falling apart, like how Hana and Rose were. ... Yet, why hasn't Hana returned yet? Yukino looked up toward her old friend, and her eyes bulged outward at the sight of Hana's spirit behind him, then it vanished in an instant.

... Gaining her composure, the queen noted several soldiers trying to get her to hurry to the tournament.

"First", Yukino presented a Reality Bangle. "Take this, I'll tell you how to use it later. Second, do you still have Maelstrom on you? Or any sort of deck? The void didn't take that too, did it?"

"Nope. I was told that deck was here by Neo.". He opened his hand to recieve a bangle of some sort; inspecting every aspect of it before strapping it to his sleeve. "Wait a minute.." Jellal recapped something. He quickly looked up at Yukino again and looked around at his surroundings. "Blaster...Dark?" He said. "I can hear him but I can't...'see' him?" "Is this some kind of... trick? Or is there really more to this?"

"... We'll have to work on this later on. I need to get moving-" Yukino was cut off by the Dragon of Hell speaking in her mind.

"If the fool has lost his memories, start reclaiming them by metaphorically retracting their steps. He has no deck - give him us Shadow Paladin again. Though he truly wielded Aqua Force, he will begin remembering through the black order of knights."

Phantom Blaster may be a wicked entity, however, he had a point. Yet, Yukino didn't exactly trust him around Jellal again after the nightmare that was Phantom Blaster Overlord. So, what was the next best option? A unit reminiscent of Damned Charging Lance - ten thousand power from retiring three units. Raging Form Dragon came to her mind. With this idea, the Meister called for the rampaging beast's card to appear in hand, then slowly moved her fingers downward to Jellal's hand, conjuring fifty Revenger cards total - a full deck. It stacked itself, placed in the former master's hand.

"I'm heading out to Chronicle's Eve. For now, use this." The Chosen Sword ordered, turning her back, and departing.

Jellal's hand embraced his very first deck, despite already having played the game before but his first deck to him, anyway. He looked through the cards and saw knights, warriors, and dragons cloaked in black armor. At first they seemed like a set of cards that a bad guy would play but Jellal looked at them again and saw that maybe there was another side to them. "Shadow Paladins. Hmmm." He scanned each card, until he came across Blaster Dark Revenger. "So this is the card that kept calling out to me." His eyes was fixated on the man wielding the sword of darkness. "I've... seen you, before." he said as he slowly smiled.

"Thank you, Yukino". He felt relieved that he was one step closer to remembering his former life. Jellal accepted his newfound partnership with his new clan.

Xat walked into the hidout from the train station. Once inside she looked around feeling fearful on how they would see her. As if senceing her fear her spirit wolf emarged in the living along side her to give her reassurance. After all the only one who truly know what she was would be Haurto, Aoi, Fubaki, and Aiden. She began to walk with the wolf by her side to try to see how things have changed sence she had left.

Xat got a text from haurto and smiled. I guess we are heading to this location." She said as she climbed onto her spirit animal who took off running to the stadium

When the majority of humanity is busy with a flying Reaper and a tournament, those few forces left behind were easy prey for Chris. Those people were stuck in webs, electrified with void, or worse... just locked. The little green sunshine: Chrisaline Egao had long departed from Chronicle's Eve to retrieve a comrade. "W͘͠o̴̕w̴͢!̵̛ ̴̢̡̀͠Ý̢͜͢͝o͜҉͏ú̵̶͟ ̷͢ą̀̀͠l̷̵̷͝l҉̷͡ ̸̵͠s͏̵̢͞҉ù̵̀͞͝c̡͝k̶͘!̶̨" The reaper-like girl jeered, mocking the Resistance that couldn't even hold the fort. How delightful, the pitiful warriors that cannot truly break the nightmare. Giggling, she pushed a paralyzed soldier, then locked him for good measure. Hopping and skipping about joyously, she reached Sophie's cage.

"Hello friend! I am here to save you, because I love you!" Chris declared randomly. While the bubbly evil meant her words due to truly being happy about everything, it was also just to get on Sophie's nerves. Chris took the key, then deleted it for kicks. Then just deleted the lock on the door, and pulled it open.

"Let's go, buddy!"