159/Weather and Feelings Collide

Weather and Feelings Collide
Date of Scene:	11 July 2015
Location:	Mitakihara/Uminari City - Infinity Drive
Synopsis:	Storm Knight and Miss White encounter one another, and fight with words as much as weapons.
Cast of Characters:	Hannah Sharpe, Suzuki Natsume

---

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
Sometimes Miss White's company goes out hunting Witches and Familiars to kill them. Today? She's out and about looking for them as test subjects. The feeling of darkness and ambition collide as the magical girl fights within a darkened alleyway in Mitakihara. The oddly squid-like Familiars she's tangling with are a bit of a pain with those multiple limbs, being able to slip around the air like water, and acidic ink sacks. Thankfully, she shows little sign of damage thus far as she slams one into the side of a wall.

The Barrier protecting civilians and the area alike holds well, even as the first Familiar dies. The second rushes for Hannah, only for her to raise one knuckled hand.

A binding spell quickly wraps the creature up into a ball, and with a snap of her fingers, it's gone as she lets out a powerful teleport spell. Just the Familiar. And the telltale signs of the magic are easy enough to find...nor has she been subtle. It'd be easy to catch Miss White in the act of stockpiling more Evil Monsters!

Suzuki Natsume has posed:
     Storm Knight had been practicing her magic, and she'd been able to begin sensing magic better! And... a massive civillian-protecting barrier was ... definitely not subtle. Soon, Storm Knight had arrived, and was darting to the scene! And she sees... Miss White, killing something and then... ... capturing it? A teleportation? Storm Knight shifts Verdrehen Sturm, frowning slightly.

     "Hello again, Miss White." Storm Knight says, leaping down to land nearby her. "I'd like to know what you are doing, because that did not look like you defeated that monster." Storm Knight says, her hands both resting on the haft of her Naginata, moving it into a passive/defensive stance. "And why."

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
Miss White straightens as she senses Storm Knight's arrival, prompting an odd smile on her face as she turns around. The barrier, wisely, is kept in place. Between her change of barrier jacket, and the long, jagged scarr down her hand, seems things have been eventful for this particular magical girl.

That grin is at once warm, and a little bloodthirsty.

"My, my, Storm Knight-san! What brings you out on the town today?" All easy-going friendliness, this one, when she's not actually fighting. Though from how tense her body is, that could change in a mere moment.

"Oh? Is it not obvious? Destroying Familiars and collecting useful test subjects." Comes the girl bluntly.

"As for why? Well. I am not one to spill trade secrets. What does it mean to you?" Comes the woman in turn.

Suzuki Natsume has posed:
     The barrier is kept in place, which is probably for the best. There weren't any civilians around, so there was nobody for Storm Knight to worry about seeing her and Miss White, and as she gazes at her... she notes that bloodthirsty grin. A scar. A change of barrier jacket. Several things had obviously happened since Storm Knight last encounered Miss White, and she herself hadn't changed or had much happen to her. Was she failing in her promise? She was doing what she could to get stronger, wasn't she?

     "...The spell you have going isn't exactly subtle, Miss White. This much energy... it's only natural that I'd come to see what was going on here." Storm Knight responds, taking a couple of steps towards Miss White. "Destroying Familiars..." Storm Knight had no idea the kind of familiars Miss White was talking about. "Killing people's partners is not very kind, Miss White. That test subject looked quite unwilling, as well." Storm Knight takes another step closer, though there was still a good five or ten feet between the girls.

     "Because I want to know what you're doing all of this for. Why you would rob a bank, why you would need test subjects. I can't think of any reason that would drive me to do such, so I seek to understand." Storm Knight says. "Fighting another powered person feels off, and you obviously have some honor, so you must have /something/ driving you to do this."

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
Storm Knight's response actually earns her a chuckle.

"So you can at least sense that much magic! Good! It was not about being subtle. All about containing these wild.../things/!" She spits on the ground in contempt.

And then she realizes the mistake, here, and both hands wave in the air almost comically.

"Wait, wait, wait! No, no! You have the wrong idea!" Comes the woman, that grin dropping into a serious look.

"Not the kind of Familiar you are thinking of! The only 'partner' these things have are...well, frankly, it will be better for you to never encounter one. Or anybody for that matter."

She actually crosses her chest here.

"Unless they tried to kill me or Viktor, I promise there is no way I would take out someone's partner like that. I...Viktor has been good to me. Better than I deserve. So I have no intention of severing an important bond like that." Spoken like a true Familiar owner.

She ponders, then speaks on the subject. "These Familiars are mindless bottles of emotion that prey on people. They are created by bigger mindless bottles of emotion called Witches. Both are very, very dangerous and often hard to kill. So if you know what is good for you, stay away from them. There are very ruthless people involved in the business." She yanks down her Barrier Jacket sleeve. That scarr goes down past her elbow, from what can be seen, and may just be longer. Then she yanks it back up.

"Why I am doing this? I have many reasons. Ambition. Desire. Power. The thrill of a fight."

Her head tilts, and she thinks, before chuckling. She couldn't tell everything. But maybe her little forming wall needs a hint.

"...But I guess one way to put it, is that I simply find the world around me unbearable and disgusting." States the woman simply. No explainations. Just a plain declaration of hatred that filters into her voice.

Suzuki Natsume has posed:
     "I think someone with even the slightest amount of sense for magic would be able to." Storm Knight says somewhat quietly, her tone a bit humble. Still, her naginata is lowered at that comical handwaving. "...Ah-hah, so a different kind of familiar, not like a magical girl's partner." Storm Knight says, giving a somewhat neutral gaze towards Miss White.

    "...It's likely inevitable that I'll end up encountering them eventually, if I continue to be active, if they are a threat to this city and its people." Storm Knight says. "Such is the role of a defender." She says firmly, lifting her blade once more.

     Viktor. Okay, so Miss White had someone she cared about, she was probably fighting in part for him then. Possibly a family member or a close friend. Or her familiar, from the way she was talking about him. Interesting. Storm Knight listens to the information dump about familiars and Witches. Mindless bottles of emotion. She could understand how those are dangerous. Alright. "...That is useful information, thank you." Storm Knight says politely, smiling slightly towards Miss White, though... she takes a good look at that scar. Hmm. Interesting. "... I'll make sure not to get into a fight with the people involved with the Witches then. Though if the witches are endangering people, I cannot stay away. It is my duty."

     And then... ambition. Desire ... possibly for power? Those reasons were... foreign to Storm Knight. "I can understand the thrill of the fight, but why would your ambition drive you to rob a bank? What sort of ambition would you need something like that for?" She asks. And then.. that continued comment. "..." She takes a small breath.

     "I cannot accept you calling this world unbearable and disgusting. I have friends, I have family, I have met and helped many interesting and wonderful people. Even you are interesting and wonderful in your own way... and most of all... I think that you are lying." Storm Knight says, lifting her Naginata. "You obviously like it at least a little, otherwise you would not have let me get those workers out safely."

     Storm Knight takes a small breath, "I don't really want to fight you. You don't seem like you're actually as hateful as you seem to claim. But still... using such dangerous things as test subjects... I don't believe that I can allow that, because if they get out... who knows what damage they would create." Storm Knight claims, stepping forward several steps, lifting her Naginata. But Miss White wasn't attacking. She didn't feel right attacking her first, even though she was quickly attempting to close the distance for her own weapon to be in range, while Miss White's fists were not.

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
There's a deep, deep sigh.

"...Somehow, given how you justice-loving types tend to act, I would put that as a certainty. Ugh. Idiot! Just do not do something stupid like getting devoured by one of those disgusting things! Got it?" She looks away, trying to hide a bit of concern. She knows far too much about the business of Witches and Puella Magi at this point.

It's a dangerous, easy path to death. Kyouko made that quite clear.

For once, she's cursing Tomoe-sensei. That bank robbery wasn't her m.o. at all. Still, she has to keep Eclipse's secret safe.

Her brow twitches, involuntarily. A small sign of being caught in her duplicity. But she recovers swiftly, smiling.

"Everyone needs hobbies."

And honestly? It was kind of fun.

Then it's Hannah's turn to listen. Her own inconsistencies are thrown back at her, and all she can do is dodge the question.

"Hey, I might not be a particularly good girl, but I like sleeping at night. Murder is not on the menu. Besides. You talk like friends and family and hating the world are incompatible." Another hint, small and subtle.

Then she just laughs bitterly as the girl starts talking about the risks.

"I am well aware of the dangers. Trust me. I am not the kind of person to trap a being like that without the ability to contain it. I have seen what happens when the strong get overconfident, and end up falling prey to those things. The weak? Not a chance. I have the things under control." Comes Miss White, full of confidence. A disaster in the making, one saboteur away.

And then Storm Knight comes, swift and strong.

"...But I guess you have no reason to believe that. Fine then! If you think I am risking my employees that much, then come get me, Storm Knight! Show me the strength that blade of yours has!"

Hannah doesn't move, instead taking up a fighting stance. She waits until just before Suzuki is about to strike!

Then ducks down, body twisting as her Device calls out!

"Wind Rider!"

Magical air flows underneath her feet, and carry her forward in a burst of speed! Her right arm pulls back in a powerful blow, swinging forth with the force of a sledgehammer! It's a perfect right hook, aimed for Storm Knight's leading shoulder! Worst still, there's a burst of cutting magic air along with that golden spiked knuckle!

"Prove that you have something to fight for!"

Suzuki Natsume has posed:
     "..It is not a matter of justice. It's a matter of honor and duty. It is my honor and my duty that drives me to defend those who are in need of it." Storm Knight responds, it was form and spoken with ... was there a slight edge of hollowness to that statement. It was something that had drilled into her, that she followed, but did she /really/ believe it? ... Yes. To at least a degree, but it was her parents' decision to instill that in her, not her own decision.

     "Hobbies that might lead to death are not a good thing for a young woman to have. Have you considered putting your skill at fighting into sports, I find it an excellent outlet for frustration." Possibly too much information given there, Storm Knight! Oh well.

    Not that it mattered. If Miss White found out, it would just be someone she would have to keep an eye out for more actively.

    "...That is a contradiction. You hate the world, but don't want to murder anyone. You're ... half-baked. You aren't going fully either way... I think you're confused, maybe even being manipulated by someone." Storm Knight says. It was honestly a shot in the dark, one that she was watching Miss White's face intently, trying her best to read her emotions, or see some sign that Miss White actually wasn't just fighting because she really was evil!

     "... You may be strong enough to contain it, but are you sure that nobody else will break that containment while you're away? What if you have a rival that might want you out of the picture, instead of just wanting to understand?! You're being too naive!" Storm Knight calls out, "Strength isn't everything, even those who aren't strong in one way are strong in another, the world isn't so black and white as for there to be a 'the strong' and 'the weak' as a separate type of people!"

     Storm Knight hadn't actually struck, mostly just feinted it -- which was enough! It had gotten Miss White to dash towards her and to attack. And immediately, there was a ping from the device.

            <PANZERSCHILD.>

    A defensive magical circle aBut is that really what I fight for?</span>)o.

    Back into the battle, Storm Knight shifts immediately, using the momentum of that strike to spin her body slightly, bringing the shaft of Verdrehen Storm down in a low angle, attempting to sweep Hannah's legs out from other her. Immediately this was followed up by spinning the Naginata to bring the flat edge of the blade down, attempting to strike straight down the center of Miss White's body. And then, honesty comes out.

            "I'm still discovering that."

     "...But my duty is still my duty, and I cannot allow you to continue as you have, you are putting yourself and many others in danger."

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
Hannah's head tilts in curiousity.

"Honor? Duty? For someone who speaks about those things, you lack quite a bit of conviction. Are you just paying lip service, or do you actually owe something like that to someone?" Even as she tries to dig, to taunt, her own words betray her. She knows about honor and duty for all her outcries about justice.

Then an eye closes.

"And what? Play around with a ball or a wooden stick? No thanks. I need something more visceral."

A little frown here.

"I know perfectly well about...those close to me and the world. Tried reading any papers recently? War. Plunder. Disease. What good is there in this world? USELESS!" Comes the girl, suddenly furious. Has she hit a nerve?

Teeth grit, real anger filtering in. She couldn't tell the other girl the truth. Especially with just how hard she way lying to herself.

But self confidence returns. Her mind runs over the precautions, the plans, the many barriers she's set up. The guardians and safeguards.

"That /is/ a danger, yes. But do you really think I have not set up plans and others to ensure that does not happen?" She grows dead serious.

"Anyone who calls themselves my ally is someone precious. Mundane or magical. As long as I have blood in my body I will not let them be destroyed. No. With what I am doing, I am going to ensure disgusting creatures like that cease to exist."

It's a moment of weakness, but somehow, she can't not vent her purpose in researching the creatures...at least in part.

She still has her own greed, after all.

Then she laughs darkly.

"Too late! There is already a girl who claims the entirety of this city as her hunting grounds! That sort of thing is already writ into my flesh. My naievety physically ripped from my body and mind. No worries there!" She cackles aloud, as she comes in for her blow!

She scowls. "STRENGTH IN THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IN THIS WORLD YOU FOOL! THE WEAK JUST GET HURT, KILLED, AND TRAMPLED ON!" Her heart aches, knowing deep down, she's the weakest of them all. Horribly flawed, useless, pathetic. Those words aren't a declaration of power. They're aimed inwards, cutting herself for her own lack of power in her mind.

Her strike is deflected, the power of both Storm Knight's and Miss White's blows causing the concrete to shatter beneath them! Reality shutters, only that barrier keeping the real world safe.

It shoves her back a good foot as Storm Knight spins, and her weapon sweeps Hannah off her feet. Hannah ah's as she's falling to the ground, but her free hand catches her body! And then as the blade comes down, she rolls over, a swift kick intercepting Storm Knight's blade as she too parries aside!

"...That is how the world works, Storm Knight. If you want to get anything done, you have to gamble, have to risk things! It...that is the reality we live in!" Comes Miss White, voice dripping with venom. Not at her, but at the world itself.

"But if I can just become strong, truly strong, then....!!!" Then what?

She stops herself from revealing her true intentions. She rolls to her feet, leaps back towards the street, and kicks a nearby street lamp with wind! The resulting force sends a long, jagged slice of the pole towards Suzuki!

Suzuki Natsume has posed:
     "I am a knight. A samurai. It is my duty by blood." Is Storm Knight's simple response, there was pride in her voice as she says that response, her gaze staying firmly towards Hannah's, her movements minimal, barely doing things such as head-tilts or moving of her eyes. There was blinking, but only the bare minimum required for her eyes to stay fresh. She was in a battle and she was acting it. Even if Hannah might be the least likely enemy to kill her.

    "I'm currently using a naginata, which is a glorified sword on a stick. Wooden sticks are quite fun to use." Storm Knight responds simply, there was a slight smile as she watches that gritted teeth, her eyes half-lidding as she listens to that anger. "I do not read the papers, the papers are worthless. They cover only what will sell, and what sells is that war, plunder, disease." Storm Knight says calmly. "They do not look for the helpers. Because for every story that there is war, plunder, and disease... there are two more stories that go untold of the people fighting to end those wars, to help recover from that plundering, and efforts to cure that disease." No anger. Barely any emotion. Storm Knight wasn't without passion, but the moments of it were few and far between.

     "So ... your ultimate goal is to ensure that creatures such as that are gone forever, that the war, disease, and similar are ended." This information was important. Miss White wasn't ultimately an evil person, if her assumptions based off of that. She had reason and possibly even good intentions towards it. "But those who are mundane count as the weak in your words. There is only the strong and the weak, so why would you allow someone mundane be by your side?" Yes. Storm Knight. Poke. Prod at the beehive. This is the best thing ever, really!

     Someone had claimed this city as her hunting ground? That was dangerous as well. "... That person will have to have someone talking to them, then. That is dangerous if they're hurting people over it." If she could find out why, there was a chance she could help. If she could find out why there's a chance she could remove any reason anyone would have to do wrong things. Either with her own strength, or with words. ...

    Storm Knight -- and by extension, Suzuki Natsume... might be a bit naive.

    "The weak have the strong to shield them from what would hurt, kill, or trample them! The duty and responsibility of the strong is not to crush or look down on the weak, but to protect them! To ensure that they can continue doing what it is that helps the strong continue on! The world is a world of checks and balances, without the weak, the strong would crumple in the end! Who provides your food? Do you hunt it yourself? Do you farm it yourself? Do you acquire it yourself? Do you order the shipments? Everyone has their place! This world is not so simple as to say 'the weak get trampled on'!" Suzuki calls back, even as her strike is deflected.

    Miss White had been swept off her feet, but managed to deflect the follow-up -- while off-balance. Storm Knight could admire that, to be honest. When put off-balance, most people couldn't react nearly as well! "You don't train like someone who truly believes that, people who believe only in their strength falter, because they lose those people who support and help them continue getting stronger!"

     "Even the weak have to do those gambles, even the weak risk themselves for what they believe in, even if those little beliefs are just something like 'being able to feed my family for one more day'!" Storm Knight pauses though. She shut up when Hannah was about to say what she wanted. "...Then what?" Storm Knight says.

     "What is it you ultimately want?! What drives you this much?! What is worth doing things that many others would hate or revile you for, what is worth hurting other people over if they get in your way?" That jagged slice of pole... that was something much more difficult to defend against, Storm Knight lifted the haft of her blade to deflect again, but the jagged pole dragged a

Suzuki Natsume has posed:
    

     "What is it you ultimately want?! What drives you this much?! What is worth doing things that many others would hate or revile you for, what is worth hurting other people over if they get in your way?" That jagged slice of pole... that was something much more difficult to defend against, Storm Knight lifted the haft of her blade to deflect again, but the jagged pole dragged against the arm of her Barrier Jacket, tearing a deep gash in the right arm of it, and a cut in Storm Knight's arm. "What do you have that is worth dying for?! Nothing you've said is like that!" Lightning crackles along Verdrehen Sturm's length, as Storm Knight yells in unison with her Device.

            "SCHLAG!"
            <SCHLAG!>

    Storm Knight dashes suddenly towards Miss White, as another call-out from the device can be heard. <BLITX SCHRITT.>

    Both Storm Knight and her device were consumed in lightning, which flashed past Miss White, the tip of her naginata sweeping towards Miss White's legs again, this time the blade though, charged with lightning that would cause the damage to be intensified. Immediately after the attack, Storm Knight skids to a stop, turning to face Miss White again. "Why do you risk dying and never being seen again by your friends?!"

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
Blood. A simple familial offering. Miss White belts out a laugh.

"Blood!? Are you joking!? Ridiculous! This is not a world of nobles and kings! The only thing that matters about blood are the ties to our parents! There is no duty, no written 'must do' by being born! You are a free woman, Storm Knight! Ridiculous, truly ridiculous! Did your parents con you into such a foolish line of thinking? The only way you can do anything is by reaching out with your own two hands, with your own will and ambition! A borrowed set of ideals like that is Absolutely. Utterly. WORTHLESS!"

That calm voice grates against her ears, her own raging heart pounding. Miss White and Hannah Sharpe are people of action, of passion, of endless motion and striving against the world and obstacles. That calm, gentle breeze that is Storm Knight annoys her. The eroding touch of wind versus the fury of a volcano.

"And yet for all those so-called heroes work, where are they now!? Struggling, suffering, and most of the time feeding worms because they did not have the power, the ambition, the resources to really get what they want! They were too SOFT!" Comes the girl, railing against such notions of the unsung hero. The only ones, in her view, that ever attained anything were those who stood up and made something of themselves.

And then Storm Knight deduces something far too close to the truth. She doesn't grasp the entire enormity of her dream, but it's enough that the woman's fury fades momentarily. Something far more desperate, far darker emerges.

"You should really watch your tongue." She starts, voice low, full of now cold fury utterly uncharacteristic of her. Storm Knight is definitely aiming in the right direction.

And worst still, indirectly, she insults Ao. Eyes close, and her face is a stone mask of rage barely contained.

The wonderful, strong girl, that despite not having any magic, survived against a horrid, dark disease. The girl that Hannah had failed, not able to utilize the gift she was given at birth to protect her friend. The pair that the magical warriors of the city didn't arrive in time to help, and that only one insane Professor had offered something to help.

No, Storm Knight wasn't there to help at her lowest moment. None of the other magical girls were. They were all weak and worthless. And herself most of all.

"...Shut up! SHUT UP! Say what you want about me, but anyone who insults her, I WILL NOT FORGIVE!" Howls Hannah as that dam bursts. Her other words are lost on the woman, driven into pure fury.

That blade sweeps to her feet, and she makes to use a barrier to block it alongside her leg! But as metal clangs on barrier and hardened muscle, lightning races through her. She yells out in pain, her body clenching. When the lightning ends, her leg smokes from the fury of Storm Knight's blow! Yet, still Hannah stands! That foot slams down, and she aims a wide, sweeping kick for the other girl's head, aiming to kick her into one of the walls!

"I...I just..." In that moment of stunned weakness, and Storm Knight's words, she very nearly spills it all. She holds back at the last moment, resolve hardening, and she glares at the knight before her.

"You would not understand the scope of what I aim for, what I desire! Telling you is worthless! Now get out of my way!"

Suzuki Natsume has posed:
     Borrowed ideals. Is that what it was? She was driven by her parents' ideals for her, the duty and honor that they had pushed upon her. Storm Knight's gaze darkens. "You do not understand what I have gone through. You have no place in calling my ideals, and thus myself, worthless." Storm Knight says, her voice low, dangerous, the closest to rage that she's ever come to. That raging volcano that would not calm. Storm Knight and Suzuki were calm people, doing everything methodically and straightforwardly, doing it calmly so that it was always perfect. This raging woman -- she didn't know how to handle her.

     And it was grating on the Storm Knight's calm. Those words were hitting closer to home than she would like, making her think thoughts that she never wanted to, and remember just how much she silently resented her parents for how much they pushed her to be perfect. "Do you truly know that? That they struggle so? Have you seen them struggle? Because if they are struggling, then they are fighting. The soft ones are the ones that sit in complacency because they do not believe that they have a place in life. They may not have gotten far, but they are not weak. You speak too broadly. You do not think enough about your words..." And Storm Knight should watch her tongue?

     That tone. That tone was worrying. That tone was much more than the passion that Miss White had desplayed so far. Storm Knight shifts immediately, subconsciously taking on a more serious fighting stance as that tone screamed danger. Danger that quickly began to bubble and seethe underneath a surface that Storm Knight felt she could see clearly before her. For once in her life, Storm Knight was afraid. She hadn't been thinking enough. She hadn't been calm enough.

     "Her? ...Hm. A person drives you too... then." Storm Knight says, shifting slightly. She moved to defend herself against that striking foot, but it was too fast for a proper barrier, instead purely the shaft of Verdrehen Sturm striking her. She skids to the side, losing her balance and she simply.. falls over. She hits the ground at that moment of weakness. Once more falling silent. A silent, listening moment. Miss White had been twisted by circumstances, Storm Knight was sure of this. "...Miss White. ...I've been told it's alright to let others see your pain now and then." Storm Knight says, slowly pushing herself up to stand, her Naginata not being lifted. "...I've learned what I wanted to, and you aren't actually doing anything bad. ... We conversed well in this fight." She says softly, slowly straightening. There was a slight stagger, the right side of her face bleeding with an already-beginning bruise where her own weapon had struck her in an attempt to block that kick. She takes a small breath. "Telling people is how you might earn allies." She says, closing her eyes. "...There's no point in fighting here. Verdrehen Sturm."

                <BLITZ SCHRITT.>

     "...Go to your friend. You seem as if you need some reassurance, Miss White." Storm Knight says, before she's consumed in lightning, soon little more than a trail of light speeding down the street.

    When she eventually gets home, Suzuki Natsume goes to her room and passes out, exhausted. It was a different exhaustion than she was used to. Emotional, more than physical.

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
Hannah simply smirks as danger lurks in Storm Knight's voice. The woman only tries to egg on that danger, those negative emotions more.

"Just as worthless and useless as I am. Do you understand? We are struggling without end. There is only pain and suffering held off by the tiny strings connecting our fates together." Ends Miss White, that crippling weakness, the self-doubt, all projected back against the world. A world she hates.

"Only by gathering as much strength as can be obtained can we defy anything at all." Comes Miss White finally.

"Stop talking down to me! Weak, weak, weak! Only when you can command power, prestige, and respect and fear can you manage a single thing! That and that alone will let us bypass our own uselessness!" Rails back, does the girl, even as her blow connects.

Fear. Honest to God fear shows in Miss White's face for a moment. Not even a Witch has gotten that much out of her. But the connection, the realization that there's someone she fights for...and could be a target...scares her more than anything.

Her hand goes up as Suzuki falls, ready to strike another blow. But she can't do it. Her own honor, her own feelings prevent her from just slugging a fallen girl who's no longer fighting. Storm Knight is gone. Hannah remains silent.

Then, she turns around, and promptly kicks in a new door into the nearest building in pure anger.

"If you just spill everything, then those allies will stab you in the back, you fool!" She yells to the empty air. Then, the barrier fades, and in a burst of wind, she too is gone.

~Karina Residence~

Ao Karina has gotten used to the comings and goings of her best friend. Hannah is there, behind her in the kitchen. Ao turns, smiling at the familiar sound and that bit of pressure against her ears. It's Hannah, not Miss White.

"Hannah-chan, what's...ah!?"

Ao is pulled into her arms, and the girl squeezes her best friend in her arms. Ao lets out a whimper, and then hugs back as hard as her weak body allows.

"N...not so hard, Hannah! What's wrong? Oh...come on..." Hannah shudders, Storm Knight's words barbs in her confused, self-hating heart, and as the two near the couch, the tall blind girl just collapses, sobbing senselessly into the neck of her friend.

Why does it hurt so much, to talk to that Knight?