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Aria Matsuri

"We'll run until the dark can't chase us!"

0 · 5,137 views · located in Up the Stairs

a character in “Re: Start”, as played by Spidermoon

Description

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❝Stand up, stand up, the Little Sinner stands before you now!❞
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【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#762D73 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #BF3B3B】

|| Let the Flames Begin || Paramore ||







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{β˜› β’»β“Šβ“β“ Ⓝ⒢ⓂⒺ ☚}
Aria | In the musical world, an aria is a song that is sung alone.
Matsuri | It means festival.

{β˜› β“ƒβ’Ύβ’Έβ“€β“ƒβ’Άβ“‚β’Ίβ“ˆ ☚}
Little Sinner | Her idol name, of course.
Nemesis | Her alias as an FF member.
Big Sis | Mizuki calls her that.
Ari | Usually Xavier, Yurei and sometimes Damian use this one.
Sinny | Her idol partner, Minapon, calls her this. So do some of her fans.
Little | Daisy uses this as an insult.

{β˜› β’Άβ’Όβ’Ί ☚}
21

{β˜› ⒼⒺⓃⒹⒺⓇ ☚}
♀

{β˜› β“ˆβ’Ίβ“β“Šβ’Άβ“β’Ύβ“‰β“Ž ☚}
Straight as a door.

{β˜› β’»β’Άβ’Έβ’Ί ⒸⓁ⒢ⒾⓂ ☚}
Kanzaki Ranko || Idolmaster Cinderella Girls




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❝ Get your war paint on, baby!❞
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{β˜› ⒽⒺⒾⒼⒽⓉ ☚}
5'3, just check my idol profile!

{β˜› β“Œβ’Ίβ’Ύβ’Όβ’½β“‰ ☚}
110 pounds, like my idol profile says!

{β˜› Ⓗ⒢ⒾⓇ ⒸⓄⓁⓄⓇ ☚}
It's a nice gothic grey! (Well, black really, but who cares about natural hair color?)

{β˜› β’Ίβ“Žβ’Ί ⒸⓄⓁⓄⓇ ☚}
Blood red! (Shhh, it's hazel.)

{β˜› β’·β“„β’Ήβ“Ž β“‚β’Άβ“‡β“€β’Ύβ“ƒβ’Όβ“ˆ ☚}
I don't have a spider lily on my hand!
I do have some scars here and there though!


{β˜› ⒼⒺⓃⒺⓇ⒢Ⓛ β’Άβ“…β“…β’Ίβ’Άβ“‡β’Άβ“ƒβ’Έβ’Ίβ˜š }
She may appear short, but you'd often be mistaken due to this girl's huge personality which shines through every bit of body language she has. Her large expressive crimson eyes, her big beaming smile, her deep furious scowls, no matter what this girl is feeling you are near guaranteed to know. No one wears their heart on their sleeve quite as obviously as Aria herself. Still, don't let this fool you, the girl has more in her head than you'd think. Her hair is fluffy and loose - dyed of course - which only betters her appearance. Despite being physically fit and quite athletic, hardly any of it shows on her slight form. There is a definite lack of muscle on her frame, but don't think that she isn't carefully toned over her arms and legs and her core.

On stage, Aria dresses up in elaborate gothic lolita fashion, all thanks to the advice of her Agent, a certain Richard Kitsune. Big frilly dresses, wing props on her back, a magical girl staff, Aria can wield a variety of different costume sets to good effect. When she isn't being the Little Sinner, however, the girl has a much more casual wardrobe, enjoying sweaters and jeans. You could almost consider her fashion blind if you didn't consider her life as an idol. But always on her is a black glove dark enough to stifle the gently glowing spider lily marked on her left hand like a tattoo.


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β™™What is life without the little joys?β™™
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β˜› β“β’Ύβ“€β’Ίβ“ˆβ˜š
β₯ Singing | Music is therapy of the soul.
β₯ Mizuki | Is there a better little sister?
β₯ Justice | One reason to fight!
β₯ Power | Isn't it so addicting?





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❝Get up to prove life wrong!❞
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β˜› β’Ήβ’Ύβ“ˆβ“β’Ύβ“€β’Ίβ“ˆβ˜š
⌦ Powerlessness | Don't take things from her.
⌦ Ira Shoku | The truest definition of an enemy.
⌦ Religion | It's all just avoidance from reality.






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β˜›β“†β“Šβ’Ύβ“‡β“€β“ˆβ˜š
Hair flip | It's relieving and dramatic!
Tongue click | What better way to show annoyance?
Sleep Buddy | It keeps the nightmares away.


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β˜› β“Œβ’Ίβ’Άβ“€β“ƒβ’Ίβ“ˆβ“ˆβ’Ίβ“ˆ ☚
⌦ Low Stamina | Both in battle and on stage, she can't last long.
⌦ Emotional | Lives ruled by her heart, not her head.
⌦ Corruptible | Absorbs darkness easier than most light bearers.
⌦ Bullheaded | Even if she's terribly wrong.


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β˜› β“ˆβ“‰β“‡β’Ίβ“ƒβ’Όβ“‰β’½β“ˆβ˜š
β₯ Field Command | Has good battle sense on the field.
β₯ Charismatic | How else is she an idol?
β₯ Protective | It's the duty of the strong.
β₯ Power Mastery | Exhibits above average talent at using her power.


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β˜› β’»β’Ίβ’Άβ“‡β“ˆβ˜š
Monphobia | Fear of being alone.
Nosocemephobia | Fear of hospitals.
Autophobia | Fear of abandonment.

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β™™Lies a girl longing for her family again.β™™
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{β˜› β“…β’Ίβ“‡β“ˆβ“„β“ƒβ’Άβ“β’Ύβ“‰β“Žβ˜š}
The Goddess's Notes:

Ah, my big sister. Precious Aria, you suffer so much in every timeline, partly because of me and my illness. To this, I apologize, and I hope that this version of you fares better than the others have. Sadly, because your world this time is separate from mine, I can't influence it to protect and guide you. It's up to you to decide how to go about this labyrinth Thanos cursed you into. You're so thick-headed and dramatic yet despite this, your heart is bigger than anyone else's. I trust you to use your loving nature correctly this time, and to not let it be stifled by the darkness of the world around you. You're so easy to fall to the darkness, you need to learn to trust your friends and companions instead of your own often misfired assumptions. Don't let the darkness stain your beautiful spider lily - it deserves to glow with all the might it has given you.

I know that you're going to choose Yui over me. It's simply written into destiny itself, that Aria becomes Yui's Destined Guardian. Just in case the other me goes awry, don't let it distract you from your duty of protecting Yui until it is time for her to decide whether or not she wishes to ascend. You can shine so brightly, sis, if only you don't let yourself be corrupted. This you is already different - you haven't resorted to desperate attempts to find the truth, you haven't yet taken a life to shake your resolve in your cause. As unlikely as it is, I hope you never have to take someone else's life in this war. Someone gentle like you shouldn't have to carry that burden.

My dearest sister, you deserve nothing but happiness. Please don't lose your way.




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❝Thanks to the trials I had to climb.❞
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{β˜› ⓅⓁ⒢ⒸⒺ β“„β’» ⓄⓇⒾⒼⒾⓃ ☚}
New Tokyo City, Japan.

{β˜› β’»β’Άβ“‚β’Ύβ“β“Ž ☚}
Kenshiro Matsuri | 46 | Father | Alive
Hazuki Matsuri | 41 | Mother | Died at 32
Natsuo Matsuri | 22 | Older Brother | Alive
Mizuki Matsuri | 15 | Younger Sister | Alive

{β˜› β’½β’Ύβ“ˆβ“‰β“„β“‡β“Ž ☚}

Kenshiro and Hazuki were chosen to breed together by Hime to create children who were obedient and good at following orders, just like they were. While for Natsuo that may have worked, for Aria, the opposite was true. Aria was always a natural rebel, always rambunctious and causing trouble. Whether it was with Yurei, running rampant around school grounds to look for rumors of ghosts and spirits, or if it was breaking into nightclubs with Xavier and pretending to be an adult, Aria was never one to follow rules. The Matsuri house was a warm one to be sure, and Aria felt home there. With a caring father, a doting mother, a playful big brother and a silly little sister, everything felt right.

Well, until Hazuki suddenly died of a heart attack. Kenshiro buried himself in work, and Aria began acting out in bad ways, forcing conflicts between herself and Natsuo without Ken home to mediate. It happened when Aria was ten years old and the house would never be the same ever since. Aria was restless, and things only got worse when Damian's family was suddenly eradicated by what was apparently a burglar. She didn't know what to do and so suddenly someone had an answer. "Why don't you become an idol?" Mizuki suggested one day. "It'll help you control your emotions!" So with help from cookies and her little sister's best wishes, Aria found an agent willing to entertain her, someone known as Richard Kitsune. He took her under his wing and she began her life as the Little Sinner.

Life continued until one day Aria was whisked away from the Budokan by someone who she would find out was named Nagumo - an agent of a cult known as Prometheus, one Aria still had no idea of. He stripped her, tied her up and took many pictures and told her to pose in various ways. It was only because of Xavier, Damian, and Richie that she was found and rescued - and that was when she saw her first light bearing mark, her agent's fire. The poor girl was in a panic, she didn't know what to do and it was only because of Richie's soft touches and gentle words that she could calm down. And sure, maybe it was inappropriate, but some sort of affection blossomed between the two.

When Xavier and Damian graduated from Kasamino Academy, they vanished without a trace. To make matters worse, no matter where she and Yurei looked, they found no hair nor hide of her good friends. In their desperate search, a man with a snake around his arm hunted them down, his job to kill anyone who attempted to join the Freedom Fighters. If it wasn't for Aria suddenly gaining her spider lily, both she and Yurei would have died. As a result, Mizuki was taken from the Matsuri home and neither Kenshiro nor Natsuo would say a word. Aria, with her newfound powers, was ready to begin a hunt all across New Tokyo but that was when Xavier appeared at her front door, inviting her to join a certain Freedom Fighters.

Two years later, Aria turned nineteen. Two years later, Mizuki was still unaccounted for. Two years later, Operation Loretta was to begin.






β’Έβ“„β“…β“Žβ“‡β’Ύβ’Όβ’½β“‰: ⓉⒽⒺ_β“†β“Šβ’Ίβ’Ίβ“ƒ



So begins...

Aria Matsuri's Story

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Aria Matsuri
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❝Stand up, stand up, the Little Sinner stands before you now!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#762D73 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #BF3B3B】

|| Let the Flames Begin || Paramore ||




"I still don't know why we're doing this." Aria scowled, shaking her head. What was the point of this plan, anyways? Weren't there more important things to do than this? "She's an enemy, why are we trying to save her? And geez, why are we even trusting the loli in the tank?" She was restless, this wasn't what she wanted. Fighting had become stagnant as of late, because no matter what anyone said, it was obvious they were losing. Ira Shoku was being pressed down upon by three different sides - The Freedom Fighters heralded by Hime, the Matriarch's criminal syndicate known as the HIVE, and of course Shinobu Tsukasa, the last head of the Yakuza, a crime family once feared in a previous age. And because of the infighting of the three factions, no one has been able to make a dent on Shoku's hold over New Tokyo.

"Aren't you even listening, you idiot dog?" Raven cackled from the tank, rolling her eyes. "If you do this for me, I can use Loretta's power to take out the Matriarch! Once I'm the leader of the HIVE, together we'll be able to defeat Ira Shoku!" There was ambition in her eyes but Damian had told them to trust this child. Still, how did a child like this even become so prominent within the HIVE? That was a question for another day, this girl definitely had her secrets. "Because doing what we've always been doing isn't working, Ari." Xavier frowned, taking her arm as the five of them stood outside Tokyo Tower in the dead of night. "We need to try something different. Hime even agreed that this was a good strategy." No doubt Shoku wouldn't expect a joint attack by the HIVE and the Freedom Fighters.

Five of them were here. Aria, of course, was one of them, her spider lily glowing in anticipation. Xavier, the leader of the New Tokyo Branch was here too, cracking his knuckles, ready for a fight. Damian was hidden back in the Odaiba base, communicating with them in the usual manner. Raven was here, and even if she didn't have a power, the brat had a strange electric sort of gun on her arm that could whirr dangerously when she needed it to. Jenny was here too, and like Raven she had no power and instead was Japan's famed best gunslinger. And last but not least, Aria's very own boyfriend was here, Richie - or better known as the Fox, standing tall and proud with flames prepared in his fists.

"Okay, their guards are rotating now." Damian told them through his mental link. "No more debating, if we're doing Operation Loretta, now's the time!" Aria would rather be doing anything else right now, instead of saving one of their worst enemies yet - Loretta truly was a nightmare to behold - she'd prefer continue investigating to try and find Mizuki. Yurei promised to do research but so far neither of them were able to find her. It's been two whole years and yet- "Ari, snap out of it, let's go!" Xavier shouted and Aria blinked to see the gate was already blasted through. Raven had used her tank to bust a hole through. "Ari, you know what to do." The black haired HIVE executive said with a grin and Aria nodded, her reluctance fading away into excitement.

It was time to show these idiots what she was good for.

Air swirled around her fists as Fox kissed her right on the lips. "Let's get'em, babe." Fox hopped onto the cloud behind her and Aria nodded, pink rushing into her cheeks. "These idiot enforcers are gonna pay for joining the wrong team!" She yelled as she floated the cloud up, blasting them through to the central elevator. A mixture of flames and air was about and then the air mage took them down the shaft, not bothering waiting for the lift. She was taking no lives, of course - Aria was a hero of justice, not some blind murderer, she knew that much at least! And with Fox here, she was making sure he wasn't going to do any killing either.

And then they arrived near the bottom floor, where Damian told them Loretta would be held. But instead of Loretta, Aria found herself face to face with Ira Shoku. Luckily she - and everyone else in this operation - was wearing a mask, so he wouldn't recognize her. As much as she hated it, Shoku was her father's old friend. "Ira Shoku." Aria's voice was cold yet filled with rage. A blast of air was ready to go at a single flick of the finger. "Let's end this now, Nemesis." Fox advised, fists heating up with power. "He's right here, like a candy in front of a child." Aria grinned. "No need to tell me twice!" Screw Operation Loretta, as long as she eliminated the dictator now, when his two strongest pawns were nowhere to be seen -

"Die!" A razor sharp blast of wind formed the image of a dragon and went flying straight at Ira Shoku, aiming to suck the air out of his lungs and make them implode upon themselves.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Aria Matsuri Character Portrait: Yui Character Portrait: Ronan Hemond
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[❝In my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can be whatever I want to be.❞

【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#50A6C2 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #388E8E】

|| Never Enough|| The Greatest Showman ||




Drip, drip, drip.

The sound was maddening. The child watched, expressionless and slack jawed as the liquid snaked through the tube, meandering into her chest. The soft hum of machines filled the air, one of the many that sustained her in this place. It was a large room, opaque curtains draped around the space that encased her. Few were authorized to enter the cordoned area, as maintaining isolation was of most importance. Those that did come in contact or spoke soothing words were erased from her mind with a large dose of anesthetic.

And so she spent most days numb.

Beep, beep, beep

The subject turned her head, watching the other machine. This one had little lines that jumped up and down, like green hills that painted the black landscape. It was steady, rhythmic, it reminded her of dancing. Dancing, two people carrying her in their arms and spinning and circles and then, what was that? Just like that, the memory was gone. What was dancing? She wondered as the curtain rustled and two of them entered. They wore the same white uniforms, masks obscuring their faces. They were the ghosts that haunted her dreams, the ones that came to poke and prod and take blood. Sometimes a taller, brooding man was with them, sometimes a boy with white hair who looked on with disinterest but sneaked glances when he thought no one was looking.

"Are you sure?" The voice buzzed in her ear, loud in her otherwise quiet room. "Affirmative," they spoke in clipped sentences, getting the point across in three words or less. Always three words or less. It was only the dark one that went on in great monologues about futures and things the subject didn't understand. One held her head, the other snaking the tube up her nose. This was something they did once a day to deliver nutrition to her stomach. She could hear the pulsating rush of blood through the hands that held her and it called out to her.

"Heart rate's rising."

Swoosh!

"Subject is stable."

She felt the warmth of it in her throat, the gnawing in her stomach slowly ebbing to nothing. They left, the lights suddenly blaring red. This was new, new and unfamiliar and there was something warm in her veins luring her towards sleep. Her heart rate rose once more, unfamiliar, she didn't like it. It was loud, she didn't like it. She wanted them to make it stop. She wanted the red lights to go back to white, the glaring noise to be replaced by the beautiful silence that always filled her safe little square.



Ronan stopped the attack, he cut through the cloud the two light bearers floated on, his lips turning upright into a grin. "Ronan," Shoku said, his voice a sweet trickle. "Capture, but don't kill." The boy's shoulders slumped, slightly deflated at the revelation that he would not be able to squeeze the lives out of these two. Shoku's image flickered, it was suddenly apparent that he had never stepped foot in that hallway. "You heard the boss," Ronan licked his lips, his eyes flickering red. "Capture, don't kill!" Ronan leaped, on the attack, blood tales sprouting from his back at an alarming rate. While the Freedom Fighters might not have had experience in killing, Ronan had plenty.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Aria Matsuri Character Portrait: Yui Character Portrait: Ronan Hemond
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❝Stand up, stand up, the Little Sinner stands before you now!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#762D73 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #BF3B3B】

|| Let the Flames Begin || Paramore ||




And just like that, the dragon was stopped in it's tracks. Fox created a barrier of fire to block the blood tails striking at them. "Nemi, watch out." Fox warned, grabbing Aria and knocking her to the floor to avoid the Black Reaper's attack. "It's him again." Ira Shoku was very good at training his pawns - according to Raven Loretta would be the strongest of all once completed - but Ronan - or better known as the Black Reaper, he was a dread to fight as well. "Hah, it's two on one! Unless your boss wants to join the party?" As strong as the Black Reaper was, he couldn't win against the two of them! They had the power of magical love - okay, no, keep the Little Sinner out of it, she's not needed here right now.

"Hah!" An illusion was made and Aria masked herself in invisibility. It was Raven's order that they didn't kill either Ronan or Loretta. The plan was to take them both home safely if at all possible. "You won't get past me." The Fox growled, the metal around them hissing as the heat threatened to warp the structure they were in. A signal of mental distress echoed through, hoping to catch Damian's watchful eye. The plan was compromised, with Ronan here the two of them wouldn't be able to get to Loretta's tank. Flames fought with blood but Aria was going around the battle - or so she thought when suddenly a tail struck at her, catching her in the shoulder. The idol let out a gasp and thrust herself at the wall to pull free. "Kuh, how did you do that?" Ira Shoku merely glowered from safety as he pressed a button on a wall. "I suppose neither of you are strong enough to defeat me yet, pawns."

Aria flung herself forward - like hell she was letting him go! - but a blood tail snaked around her torso and slammed her into the ceiling. "Weak." The Black Reaper taunted and Nemesis hissed, her spider lily glowing with might. "Make a distraction so Xavier can get to the tank!" Damian ordered and Aria knew exactly what to do. "Fox, now!" She screamed as she created a blast of air at the floor's foundations, causing it to collapse. Fox dashed forward to grab her and then sprinted past Ronan, back to where the elevator was. "Don't follow us, we'll be back for you later." The Fox grinned as he blocked the path with fire - the escape was burning now, Ronan would likely be buried alive or have to wade through the inferno to escape the falling Tokyo Tower.

"The tank has been secured." Damian declared and Aria grinned, nursing the puncture in her shoulder. She was still too weak, she needed to get stronger if she wanted to beat the Black Reaper. "Let's go home." According to the plan, Xavier would take Loretta to the Freedom Fighter's base in Odaiba. After all, Raven would be too busy, and she didn't want the Matriarch realizing what had just happened, not if she wanted Loretta to be the surprise ace in the hole against the doll-obsessed woman. Of course, Hime's sister, Mayumi, would be advising them on how to get Loretta out of the tank. She was the world's best expert on light and darkness, she could play with the two as if they were putty. If anyone could do it, it was her.

Kissing one last time for now, Aria and the Fox parted ways. He was a HIVE member after all, not a Freedom Fighter. So gliding in on a cloud, Aria greeted Xavier who was already setting up the call with Hime and Mayumi. "And the heroine returns." She grinned cheerfully as Leo rushed in. "What heroine? You could have died, look at all the blood you've lost!" Blood loss? Aria glanced down - oh. When had Ronan stabbed her in the waist? "It doesn't even hurt. Lemme see, lemme see the girl." She pushed past Leo's concern to stare. Suddenly, a name appeared in her head as if it was magic.

"She looks like a Yui." The idol decided before she passed out on the spot.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Aria Matsuri Character Portrait: Yui Character Portrait: Ronan Hemond
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[❝In my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can be whatever I want to be.❞

【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#50A6C2 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #388E8E】

|| Never Enough|| The Greatest Showman ||




It hurt, it was agonizing as her safe little space burst into action and sound. The machines beeped, the hum and hiss off anesthetic shot into her veins to calm her. Through bleary eyes the subject watched, a boy taken aback at her presence.
"I guess that makes things easier," he murmured, lifting her beneath the knees and upper back. She flinched and he smiled, "hey, it's okay. I'm here to rescue you."

Rescue?

What did that mean? What existed outside of these four curtained walls? A dizzying feeling made her head spin as he lifted her off of the bed she had been laying on for what felt like all of her life. She squirmed, the minimal movements she could make exhausting her. "Don't move." He held her close, wrapping her in his jacket and just like that they were gone. There were people there, waiting. They clapped as the boy placed her on the new bed, this one softer, the sheets not as starchy. "Wait,
she's not in the tank?" They spoke in sentences longer than three words, making hand gestures, wearing no masks.

They were noisy, excitable. Her head lulled to the side, the anesthetic beginning to take effect. "Shh, it's alright," her vision blurred as a hand brushed one of the tubes coiling out of her chest. "It's okay, you're free now."

Free?

A foreign word. The subject's eyes closed and she drifted off into a peaceful world devoid of sound and noise. Around her the room was abuzz, alight with excitement at the successful mission. "Aria!" Xavier caught the idol, easing her down. The Doc and his son, Leo, had arrived early after their shift at the hospital. "Here, see if you can make sense of this," Xavier handed them a file. "She was supposed to be in a tank-"

"I think I figured out why." Damian cut him short. The two stared at the light bearing mark, ringed in black. Darkness had begun to infiltrate the lotus blossom on her naval, something none of the Freedom Fighters had ever seen. "Yui," Damian stroked her forehead, "I like it." The Doc worked to stabilize Aria and treat the Fox, who was flushed from his encounter with the Black Reaper. Xavier shook his head and smiled, Leo was working on removing things, taking off the nodes from the heart monitor and the blood pressure cuff while the Doc attached Aria to each. Their base was small, a house really, on the edge of Odaiba, close to the sea. It was three floors, although unassuming, the top one having been set up to contain this girl whose abilities and temperament were vastly unknown.

"So we just keep her here and wait for Raven?" Damian inquired, his fingers brushing the odd feather's on the girl's ears. "I don't think she's going to be too happy about us renaming her." Xavier shifted as Damian spoke.

"Something doesn't sit right." He confessed, "How did Raven know about her? And how can someone so small be a threat to anyone?" Neither boy had the answer. "Alright, let's move her upstairs." The third floor was more an attic that had been refurbished. It sealed off completely, should they need it to and the small window had a view of the sea, the road in tatters after years of misuse. Xavier carried her up the ladder, Leo tethering monitors behind him up the small set of steps.

"How's Aria?" Damian asked the Doc, clearly concerned.

"Stable, I've given her blood and I expect with her spryness, she'll make a full recovery." That was a relief.

"Okay, she's all set up," Leo announced and slowly the subject came to. Where was she? There was light shining onto the bed, but this light was different. It was warm, with none of the artificial harshness she was used to in the lab. Her body was clad in a gown, another new sensation. It crinkled against her skin, like a blanket, but softer. The subject visibly tensed, then relaxed several times as she came to terms with her new surroundings. "Hey there," a voice called out to her. Less than three words. The subject turned her head, taking in the figures at her bed side. "The vocals were cut, but I should be able to fix that," Leo informed him.

More than three words.

"My name is Xavier. Do you have a name?" The subject did not respond. Her gaze seemed empty, dull, devoid of life. Leo opened up the file, his brow furrowing with every word. "This isn't humane, this is a horror story." He jumped to the last page, the one detailing the final few updates. "It looks like they took her out of the tank about a week ago." He whispered and the subject on the bed tensed once more. "What is it?" Xavier held her hand, he stroked her inner arm and her heart rate slowed at his gentleness. Comfort was a sensation she had never known. "Aria named you Yui. Do you like that?" Her heart rate jumped, Xavier assumed that was a yes.

Yui, a name for the one who had gone without one for so long. She struggled in the bed, what the others would soon call her 'victory dance.' It was the first step of many towards healing.

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Character Portrait: Aria Matsuri Character Portrait: Yui
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❝Stand up, stand up, the Little Sinner stands before you now!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#762D73 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #BF3B3B】

|| Let the Flames Begin || Paramore ||




Why Yui, of all names? Why even rename a girl who already had a name? Well, passed out like she was, the singer couldn't really defend her decision, but she knew it was the right one. The name Loretta belonged to a girl who likely had lots of horrible things done to her, a girl who might have been forced to do horrible things in turn. But with a new name, a new identity, she would be free from the burdens the name Loretta offered. A new name, a new life. Or perhaps Aria was just bored and tired and felt like nonsensically naming something because the blood loss was making her delirious. Whatever the case, the deed was done, and who was once Loretta was now Yui, a decision as set in stone as fate itself.

Naturally when Aria awoke she pretended not to care about Yui. After all, she wanted her little sister to come home safe and sound, she didn't even know if Mizu was alive or dead. The singer wouldn't ever forgive Father and Natsuo for not rescuing Mizu from her captivity. Why were they following the man that kidnapped the baby of the family? With thoughts of Mizu swirling in her head - as well as obsessions of still being too weak to make a difference thanks to yet again facing the overwhelming strength of the Black Reaper, was it any wonder Aria had nightmares in the night? So late at night, almost as if sleepwalking, she would stumble her way up the stairs and somehow it became a habit that Aria would cuddle Yui to sleep as if she were a teddy bear.

Not that she would ever admit it if anyone ever asked.

It was a week since Operation Loretta. Raven forbade contact for now - she was busy dealing with the Yakuza so as long as they gave her updates on Yui's status, that was all she needed for now ."I intend to see her myself eventually." Raven said with a nod. "But for now, I've got too much on my plate." Additionally she didn't care much about the renaming. This still begged the question of how she knew Loretta, but for now that wasn't their concern. "Since Xavier won't let me go to the nightclub to get drunk..." Aria sighed, glaring at Xavier who shrugged innocent in return. "Can we debate something here?" It was time to address the elephant in the room now and Aria turned her currently hazel eyes upon the former subject of Shoku in all her tiny glory.

"What can you do? Can you help us?" She asked, almost demandingly. "We used up lots of time and effort and risk to get you to safety, so it better be worth it on our end." She was a hero of justice, yes, but Aria still had priorities, and for her, that priority was Mizuki. "Raven says you're strong, but there's no proof that you are." The reports were vague on what the girl could do, only that she had infinite potential. Leo had fixed her vocal chords some time ago as well. "Can you show us?"

Damian sighed patiently at Aria as if she were an annoying child. "She has amnesia, she can't remember anything." He insisted but Aria shook her head. "But even without knowing, I knew what my mark could do." It was pure instinct. The moment the Black Reaper had almost killed her and Yurei that night, the air burst out as if it had always been a part of her. "I don't think she should even be fighting, Ari, she's just a child." Leo grimaced, no doubt still haunted by the reports. "That's what Hime says too." Xavier added pointedly and it was clear no one was going to believe her.

"Fine." The idol laid down, tired from training today. "I want my sister back." She added in a rare show of vulnerability, only for Xavier to snicker like he always did. "Hah, the way you hug her at night, you'd think she was already-" Okay, no that was - Aria would never admit it! "Jenny, get me a drink." Aria yelled, interrupting Xavier's smug face. The maid appeared in a flash with a drink in hand. "Here you go." She said, all smiles and cow-like jiggly udders. "It's water." Aria glared, eyes prickling. "That's not what I meant, cow, and you know it!" The cow laughed as Xavier wrapped an arm around her. "Cow? Like you're one to talk, you're almost as much of a cutting board as Yui there!" A red hot flush grew on her cheeks then and she hugged herself defensively. "H-hey! Fox likes them j-j-just fine!"

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[❝In my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can be whatever I want to be.❞

【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#50A6C2 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #388E8E】

|| Never Enough|| The Greatest Showman ||




Loud, they were too loud. They came in bunches, sitting in the room, laughing, jostling one another, acting so warm. The light was a bright spot in a cold room. Everyday a man came and took blood from the tube in her chest. He checked her vitals and the scar underneath the bandages on her neck. Her vocals had been fixed, but Yui remained vastly unable to make sounds. Leo was certain it was because of the amnesia, that she would learn once more. He sat with her for hours, shooing the others away, making her limbs move like a puppet on strings. It was clear she was weak, the months she had spent in stasis inside of the tank being had been detrimental towards muscle density. Leo applied techniques he had come up with, ones that had yet to be applied in modern medicine. They did a lot of work in the bathtub, the water making it easier to build muscle and move.

Now Yui had a bit more range in her arms, she could sit up and move her head more. Today, when the rowdy crowd came to see her, Yui was already sitting up. Her eyes lifted to meet them, something new. The Doc was at work, but he too, would spend hours in the room, pouring over the notes for any hint of what could have triggered the amnesia and the strange spots of black in her light bearing mark. Yui still struggled to commit their names to memory, the sedatives still heavily circulating in her blood.
One of the girl's demanded to see what she could do. What could she do? She could feel the blood rushing, hear it pump through the heart and power the brain. The brown haired boy drew Yui onto his lap.

"Aria, don't make the poor girl exert herself, she hardly has any strength." Besides, Damian was almost afraid to see what such a small thing could do. If Shoku had gone through such great lengths to erase her from the world, then surely it must be a terribly powerful ability.

What was her ability?

Yui reached inside of herself. She could feel it, just out of reach, a slippery slope. Still, Yui struggled, she grasped the mountainside and forced herself to push upwards until she grabbed it. Blood began to fill the central line and Leo jumped into action, flushing it back down. Still, Damian seemed to see it all. His eyes widened, whether it was in horror or the fact that he was impressed would remain a mystery. "Blood manipulation," Damian announced. So there were words for this awful feeling that filled her? Yui decided she hated it. Even now she shuddered at the thought of using it again. Yui squeaked, the only sounds she seemed capable of making. Her entire body shook and Damian pat her head comfortingly. "No one's going to force you to do anything you don't want to do." He whispered, the others loudly teasing one another.

Their noise was something she had grown used to, a comforting chatter that sh tried to join in, but Yui found that she could only make strange squeaks and raspy breathing noises. Why couldn't she communicate? Why couldn't she make the same lovely laugh that was similar to the tittering of birds. Why couldn't she sing the way the gray haired one did when she came in at night to hug her close? "Rrr," Yui tried, breathing tiredly with the effort of sound. Was speaking always this exhausting? "Aria, I think she's trying to say your name." Yui could hear the smile in his voice. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against his chest, it was warm and she was always cold, so cold.

"Rrr," Yui rasped, trying again. "Don't look at me," Leo said, "we haven't gotten around to speech yet."

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❝Stand up, stand up, the Little Sinner stands before you now!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#762D73 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #BF3B3B】

|| Let the Flames Begin || Paramore ||




The idol's eyes widened at the words. Blood manipulation. "Like the Black Reaper." She whistled, impressed. Of Shoku's entire entourage, he was the only one that could cause Aria trouble. She was the only one that was able to beat her. Her eyes lit up excitedly, already imagining the ways something like that could be useful on their team. "If we could have our own Black Reaper...!" Jenny shook her head and went to hug Yui who was beside Leo as she usually was. "I don't like the idea of her fighting." She was already fond of the little inhuman twerp, that's for sure. "Look at how small and cute she is!" Aria scowled, ragging the cow away from the fish. "Don't smother her with your udders, that's disgusting." Xavier growled defensively, once again stepping to his girlfriend's defense.

"She's not disgusting!" He grinned, pulling Jenny back into his lap. "She's beautiful." Damian gave him an odd look and sighed. "Do get a room, you two. Don't flirt in front of the children." They didn't need to be told twice. With lust in their eyes, the lovey dovey idiots rushed off to tend to their own business. Aria sighed again, bored. She wanted to be back on the field, she wanted her sister back and safe. She wanted - her eyes widened again. So the fish was finally making sounds? "Sounds more like she's trying to growl to me." The singer said flippantly, a mocking smile on her face. She stood up and strutted closer to where Yui and Leo were. "Are you sure we got Shoku's influence out of her? That she isn't a threat?" As if to test her theory, she poked the fish on the cheek. "Hmm? Are you gonna grr again, fishy?"

Damian glanced at Leo and the young doctor nodded. "Mayumi was helping, any control Shoku had should be gone from her." Hime's younger sister, while not as gentle and loving as Hime was, she was definitely a lot cooler in the idol's opinion. Hime seemed like she didn't even have a sense of humor, always so straight-laced. "I don't sense any either." Damian added helpfully, already clacking away at his computer with extra fervor, as if trying to distract himself from something. "Well, not that there's much to sense. Yui hardly remembers anything at all." She was an amnesiac, after all. "Heh, you're like a goldfish." Aria chuckled, kneeling down to Yui's tiny level. "Did you know that goldfish only remember up to five seconds? And you're basically a fish with these ear fin things! It's official, you're a goldfish!" The telepath rolled his eyes.

"That's just a myth, Ari." A long disproven myth, but it was still a funny comparison to Aria. "Um, here." The jovial mood was gone, now was time to get serious. Yui had had enough time to rest, right? Now she could finally ask what she really wanted to. She produced a picture of her beloved little sister, Mizuki on her holo. "This is my sister. Mizu. She was captured by the same man that took you. Have you seen her, do you remember anything?" She didn't have her hopes up. Amnesia was amnesia, after all, but there was no harm in asking. "Shake your head if no, nod if yes." Before an answer could be taken from the girl, a song began to play. Damian was sporting a crafty smile as he turned the volume up on his holo. "They say music's good for the brain." He shrugged as Aria's voice played on the speaker, one of her many songs. "Who knows? Maybe Yui will like it." Aria groaned in embarrassment, standing back up to her full height, running a hand through her hair to make it flip dramatically behind her.

"Enough playing around." She said, voice hard. "Damian, I'm feeling restless. Assign me something, I wanna get back out on the field." It just didn't feel right to sit around and play while her sister might be being tortured this very second.

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[❝In my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can be whatever I want to be.❞

【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#50A6C2 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #388E8E】

|| Never Enough|| The Greatest Showman ||




Damian looked between Leo and Aria as Yui's eyes lifted to meet the photo. She slowly shook her head, uncertain as to what was being asked of her. Yui had never seen this person before, if that's what she wanted to know. "I'm sorry Aria, but she's basically blank." A goldfish, what was a goldfish? Damian projected an image into her mind, showing Yui what a goldfish was. "More of a doll than a goldfish I think," he ruffled her hair. "Aria, I think it would be best not to bother Xavier right now." Damian's voice was one that spoke volumes of how much he disliked having Jenny here. The part time maid, full time gunslinger was visiting more often and Damian was worried that she was going to attract attention if a customer stalked her back to their hideout. "Don't despair, we're going to find her, whether it's now or in a week."

Even Yui could tell that Damian's words did little to reassure Aria. "If you'd like, you can check the message boards to see if Hime has any updated information or missions for us?" When Hime posted a mission, it was usually something small, like to deliver a coded message or to scope out a possible hideout. Who was Hime? Yui didn't have time to wonder. "Or you can help us physical therapy?" Leo had asked Damian to help out since the telepathic boy was the only one able to project images into Yui's mind. Why were they moving? Yui wondered as Leo lifted her. They went towards the bathroom, Leo placing Yui on the counter to get her changed into a swimsuit. "It'll be fun," Damian winked, rising to go follow Leo. If Damian knew Aria and he did, he knew that she wouldn't want to sit still and help rehabilitate a girl that no doubt reminded her so much of her own sister.

She stiffened as she was lowered into the water, clinging to Leo's sleeves. "It's okay, it's not the tank," Damian soothed and slowly, Yui relaxed. They made strides in progress, with Yui moving a little on her own. She kicked her feet, flailed her arms in circles, and wiggled her fingers. Damian and Leo were thoroughly soaked from all of the splashing, but they seemed happy at how well the girl was doing. Leo bundled her up in a towel, his smile wide. Out of the water, Yui could feel the weakness setting in. Her limbs felt like glass, stiff and cold. Dressed and huddled under the blanket, Leo connected Yui to the monitors once more as he and Damian went to take lunch. They figured Yui would nap, which was how she spent most of the day.

"Rrr," Yui whispered, sitting up. The light of midday shone on her face as she wiggled her toes, Yui closed her eyes, savoring the feeling. Closer, she wanted to be closer. She felt restless in her thirst to see outside that little porthole and so Yui shifted, squirming and struggling until she could move her legs over the edge of the bed. Yui grasped the IV pole connected to her port, a bag of lipids running. She slid forward, her body collapsing underneath her weight.

Beep, beep, beep!

The dreaded sound filled her head, causing Yui to wince. Still, Yui struggled forward, leaving nail marks on the floor as she scrapped her way across the ground, towards the beacon. It was lifting herself that was the real problem, but Yui managed, wrapping herself in the blanket that had been across the small seat of the round window. She panted and gasped, struggling to breathe, thoroughly tired. Yui closed her eyes, the beeping slowly stopping. She relaxed just a bit, opening her eyes to get her first glance at the outside world.

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❝Stand up, stand up, the Little Sinner stands before you now!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#762D73 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #BF3B3B】

|| Let the Flames Begin || Paramore ||




As Aria followed Damian's advice she found a mission that had been a problem for some time now. It was an obvious fact that by joining forces with the HIVE and the Yakuza, it'd be much easier for them to face off against Ira Shoku. But still, the Matriarch was hardly proving to be an ally, and the mobster Tsukasa wasn't all that open to teamwork either. "A peace meeting with Tsukasa, huh..." Aria was half a mind to beat the heck out of the guy, but if this was a peace meeting, she might as well do her best to open his eyes to cooperation. "Hey." Raven's voice crackled on the holo. "I heard you're going to the neutral meeting ground?" Ginza, the rich and fancy shopping district was the neutral ground for the three resistance factions to meet up. "I'll send the Fox too. The HIVE deserves to be there too!"

And so the three of them were gathered. Nemesis to represent the Freedom Fighters, Richie the Fox (and also Aria's agent in his public life) to act for the HIVE, and Shinobu Tsukasa, feared Yakuza leader in all his glory was waiting for them. "Let's get this shit over with, aight?" He snarled, clearly unhappy to see them. "Nemesis, Fox, I get it, this whole enemy of your enemy is your friend thing." He lit his cigar and Aria waved the smoke away from her face, disliking the smell. "But this is a matter of pride. Shoku takes our territory, so the Yakuza has to take back what's theirs with their own strength." Who would take the Yakuza seriously if they had to rely on third parties to fight against the Government? Once upon a time the Yakuza essentially was in control of the Japanese Government. Their goal was to get that back - but that was impossible if they had to count on light bearing bitches to get the job done for them.

"He's just going to kill us off one by one if we don't join up." It was no surprise how mighty Shoku's team was. All three of the rebel groups were more or less forced unto secret bases just to survive, let alone to mount an actual operation. "Shut up, HIVE." Tsukasa spat at the Fox, glaring. "We both know you guys just want the Ion Engine from us." The Ion Engine was a requirement if Raven wanted to complete her pet project of a tank powerful enough to punch a hole through the Roppongi Building's armor. "But you don't have the firepower to keep fighting." Aria countered. It was no secret that the Yakuza was running out of men and weaponry to keep up the fight. Worse of all, they were running out of hiding spaces to run to when things went bad.

Ari hated to admit it, but Shoku was near snuffing them out entirely.

"Give it up. We Yakuza are a proud lot. We live and die by our honor and pride." Was there any way to win his cooperation? If there was, Aria didn't know. "You'd rather die for idiotic pride?" Fox laughed as if this was the funniest thing in the world, tears coming to his eyes from the humor only he could apparently see. "When did you become such stubborn children? You're going to die, and it doesn't matter if there's honor or not, once you're dead that's it, it's all over!" Maybe if Tsukasa was a smaller man he would have taken the bait, but he remained steadfast. "Then let's play a game." He puleld out a deck of cards. "If I win, you two are to join us and cut off all ties with your respective groups. But if you win, I'll consolidate my forces."

Aria growled and shook her head. What a ridiculous idea. "You're just going to cheat us into joining." She hissed, standing up. "Sorry, babe, there's no way to save him from his suicide." Fox frowned but sighed. "For what it's worth, the HIVE will side with the Freedom Fighters." It would just have to be enough, wouldn't it?

Mission failed, all because the organization's leader cared too much about honor to want to save the lives of his men. Can you imagine the strength of a united resistance force? But something like that couldn't happen, not with things as they were. So Aria flew back home to find Jenny on her way out. "I gotta get back home." The maid said with a grin. "Or else the local enforcer'll get suspicious if I'm gone all the time. You should check in on Yui, Ari." Aria nodded dimly, wondering why she wasn't spending time with Mizu instead. Upon seeing the little fish, Aria tossed a small brown square at her.

"It's chocolate." She said loudly, glancing at Leo. "She can have solids, right?" She grimaced and sat down on the couch, disappointed in how the mission had gone. "Leo, can we really win if one of the three groups won't team up?" They needed the strength of all three, two alone wouldn't be enough. Xavier appeared then, having finished with his shower. "Instead of always worrying about that, why not play with Yui?" Xavier grinned, rubbing the towel across his wet hair. "You'll wear yourself down if you don't take some breaks." Aria scowled but dutifully scooted over to the little fish. "Tch, it's not like taking a break will save Mizu." If she was even alive to be saved at all. Bored, Aria decided to tickle Yui to see what would happen.

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[❝In my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can be whatever I want to be.❞

【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#50A6C2 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #388E8E】

|| Never Enough|| The Greatest Showman ||




Damian and Leo returned from their lunch break, both in shock of the empty bed. "How did you get over there?" Leo marveled, sitting down on the sill beside her to check Yui's vitals. She was retaining names now, at least for the one that was always beside her. "I have to go to work tomorrow, Damian, come here so I can show you everything." He went through the motions, Yui not so much as squirming. In the end, Damian wrapped a blanket around her and sat beside her, reading a book aloud as he filled out paperwork to apply for an allowance for more food. They were allotted money for certain things from the Freedom Fighters and since their house had just grown by another and Jenna was spending more time with them, Damian needed to apply to raise their budget.

Yui didn't seem too interested in the book. Her gaze was outside, fixed upon the ocean that lapped gently at the shore. White flurries drifted peacefully downwards, coating the ground in fresh powder. "That's called snow," he projected the image into Yui's mind so that she might remember it. "Sss," she tried, breathing hard with the effort. "Snow," Damian encouraged, his yes lighting up. His holo rang and Yui flinched away, not liking the new sound. "It's okay, it's alright, I'm gonna take this outside." He went down the ladder that led out of the attic, leaving Yui with Leo. Yui was still keenly watching the outside world as the bag of lipids finished and she was attached to one of fluids. "Sss," Yui tried again, having the desire to communicate. "Snow," Leo said gently as he fixed her blanket.

Yui turned her head at the sound of someone clomping up the steps. Foil was tossed onto her lap and a figure fell onto the seat beside her. Yui looked down, wondering what it was.

Chocolate.

What was that? "No, no solids yet, but I'll put it here for later." He lifted the chocolate bar and placed it on the counter cluttered with syringes and medicine bottles. To Aria's inquiry, Leo shook his head. "Politics are beyond me, that's why I became a Doctor," what was a doctor? What were politics? Yui's head spun with the buzzing of their words, the new input of information making her close her eyes.

There were so many things she had to learn, Yui's head spun in circles just thinking about it.

The girl beside her moved and Yui flinched away, but still she came forward, her hands connecting with the bottom of Yui's feet and then stomach. Yui twitched, something like a squeak burbling out of her. Leo turned, concerned, but relaxing seeing that it was just Aria interacting with the girl. The squeaks turned to coughs and then her bottom felt warm and wet. Yui did not blush or turn red because she didn't understand what had just happened. Xavier burst out laughing as he came up the stairs, the sound grating in her ears. "Rrr?" She tried weakly, wondering what they were all laughing about.

They were making leaps and bounds in physical therapy. Soon enough Leo determined that Yui had the strength to stand and take a few steps on land if she was holding onto something. The stairs were not an option and so Yui was still trapped in the attic.
Once Yui had the strength to go up and down steps they were going to need to shut the ladder to keep her inside. They were working on speech too, using flash cards to associate pictures and words to sound. That was where Yui was really struggling, although she was nowhere near as lifeless as she was before. Her eyes were vibrant and full of curiosity, her facial expressions often giving her away. Happiness, sadness, fear, and frustration, so much frustration at her inability to communicate. Sometimes it was cute, her cheeks would turn red and she'd stomp her feet, then lose her footing and fall, taking whatever she was holding with her.

Today when Damian came to help Yui get dressed she was sitting on the floor with a children's book in front of her, running her fingers over the strange textures within. "Morning Yui," she looked up, as though surprised to see him. "Another sleepless night?"

Yui looked away in answer.

"Come on, let's get ready for Leo to arrive." Thankfully the residents had a mandatory leave for the holidays and Leo had spent more than half his time at the hideout, helping Yui and keeping Aria and Xavier in one piece after missions.

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❝Stand up, stand up, the Little Sinner stands before you now!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#762D73 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #BF3B3B】

|| Let the Flames Begin || Paramore ||




Time passed, but the war waited for no one. After yet another successful concert at the Budokan - with Minapon always as her best rival, pushing her and contrasting with the Little Sinner so perfectly you could almost argue that the two were friends and that they had it all planned out. They didn't really, but it sure was convenient how they were counterparts to one another. Meanwhile Yurei was still unable to find hide nor hair of Mizuki, the poor occultist girl didn't know what to do. But the least she could do was try to spread the sentiment that light bearers weren't all bad. "Light bearers represent hope, that's been true for centuries." She spoke on the radio channel she was given by Hime. "And for us, light bearers represent the hope that one day, we will see the spring again."

Certainly not everyone believed the lies Shoku spread to everyone who would listen. And it was Yurei Miyazaki's job to raise awareness that Ira Shoku did not have the citizen's best interests at heart. "What binds us in this world is fear, fear of what harm can come to us! But the light bearers will smash that fear, as long as we let them and help them! They're the heroes that will end the winter!" Aria too, as she sang, sang of hope, of persevering against hopeless odds. Together they stoked the flames of hidden feelings deep down that all the people of Japan were too afraid to admit to themselves in case Enforcers could arrest based on thought crimes. "Let's work hard to have a reason to smile tomorrow!" The Little Sinner said to finish off her concert. That's right. In the open she and Yurei fought to influence the minds of the oppressed, while in the shadows, she and the Freedom Fighters fought to forcibly bring about peace.

Just maybe Mizu could hear her song too, and not lose hope.

She wasn't strong enough. Not strong enough to save Mizu, not strong enough to beat the Black Reaper. "You Freedom Fighters are too soft, Nemi." The Fox said one day during their training session on the Rainbow Bridge, the one place in Japan Shoku didn't have cameras monitoring every move, every word. This magnificent bridge was the one safe place to meet. "You guys haven't been effective because you're not willing to do what it takes!" Aria knew what this was about, of course. "How can we be light bearers if we take lives?" Aria asked icily. She wasn't going to budge on this, absolutely not. "Enforcers aren't the bad guys here, if they don't follow orders, they'll be sending their families off to the work camps!" Enforcers were just as much victims as they were, couldn't the Fox see that?

But he didn't agree, not one bit. "It's not your job to worry about everyone, Nemi." He held her by the arms, trying to calm her down. They were both tired out but as usual, it was the Fox who won the bout. Aria might have raw strength, but she sure lacked the killing intent others had that made them so threatening. "If you try to save everyone, you'll never be able to protect who you really care about." Aria's eyes burned with tears of rage and frustration. "I can save everyone!" She shouted even if it was unwise to do so. "I'm a hero of justice, I can't just take lives!" What kind of hero let the innocent die for her own selfish reasons?

"Ari." Fox's eyes were gentle, worried. "I just don't want you regretting not being able to save your sister." Aria's heart thumped in her chest. A lot of his points were true, of course. They were on a time limit, Mizu's heart could give out at any moment. If they took too long... hell, they didn't even know anymore if she was still alive. "...She wouldn't want me to give up on my ideals for her sake." Aria muttered through grit teeth, but Fox held her close. He, too, was a stubborn one. "Wouldn't you rather a disappointed sister over a dead one?" The idol's breath hitched in her throat but a hand massaged her back, rubbing it as soothingly as it could.

He kissed her, softly, in the falling snow. "I don't want you to have to lose anyone else." His voice shook, but just barely. "I don't want to lose anyone else." The fire mark on his arm was burning with the passion of a million suns. "If there's anything the HIVE taught me is that you have to look out for your own before you can worry about anyone else. Aria sighed, accepting the snuggles from her boyfriend. "I'm sorry for yelling." She mumbled into his chest. "It's just, with the Yakuza being rounded up like pigs to the slaughter, this war's only looking bleaker and bleaker." She then pulled away, eyes burning with the same passion. "But still! I won't give up on who I am, I won't give in and become a killer. I'm a light bearer." And a hero of justice, too.

As Damian requested, Aria returned home with a bag full of clothes. Yui had lived long enough wearing whatever leftover scraps of Mizu's clothes Aria brought along with her. These were all new and were in the correct size - or at least, the smallest size the stores could offer. "Here, I've got what you asked. New outfits for the fish." It made sense that this was her job; she was the idol, after all. "Sheesh, what a waste of money." Someone suddenly grabbed the bag from her, grinning from ear to ear. "Let's try them on her!" Jenny sprinted up the stairs to greet her victim. "Xav..." The singer groaned to her old friend. "Please restrain your girlfriend before she kills the fish from overloading her."

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Character Portrait: Aria Matsuri Character Portrait: Yui
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[❝In my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can be whatever I want to be.❞

【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#50A6C2 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #388E8E】

|| Never Enough|| The Greatest Showman ||




Damian had barely gotten Yui undressed before Jenny took the steps two at a time, grasping Yui by the arm. Yui flinched away, but Jenny didn't relent. Instead she transferred the girl into a rather cute dress with fluffy sleeves and ribbon that went around her neck. Yui caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror as Jenna squealed and reached for her once more. Yui coward, uncertain as to what might happen next. "Jenny, go easy on her," Damian said, unable to rescue Yui from the obsessive maid. "Mmmf," Yui mewled, wanting to be let go of. "Okay Miss, let go, I think it's about time Yui had breakfast." Jenny stood, volunteering to go retrieve it. Yui was breathing hard, feeling as though the life had been squeezed out of her tiny form. "Jenny's harmless," Damian soothed, wondering if he should rub her back before recollecting that Yui didn't like being touched.

"Rrr?" She asked, hearing her downstairs. "Aria's down there... why?" Yui pointed down and Damian shook his head. "No," it was an unspoken rule that Yui was to remain confined to the attic. Despite the fact that she seemed harmless, the files combined with her abilities... well, they didn't exactly trust Yui. Even if she had been a shell when she arrived and Damian could see every thought in her little head, still she remained on the uppermost floor. "I can see if she wants to come up though?" He suggested and Yui nodded, Damian rising to his feet to consult the Little Sinner. "Aria, I think Yui wants to play. Do you want to come up?" Jenny nudged past him with breakfast, hot porridge with cinnamon and sugar as well as a glass of milk balanced on a tray; one of Jenny's many maid skills.

Most of the time, Yui ignored the food, they weren't sure if it was because she had no idea what to do with it or if it was because she didn't trust it.

Just as he had predicted, Yui was largely uninterested in the meal. She took hold of the IV pole and walked towards the window, seeming fine with the parental nutrition going from the bag and straight into her heart. "Yui, come eat," Damian tried, but Yui didn't want it. She glanced back at him, then at the window. "Sssnn," she pointed towards the window. "Yes Yui, it's always snowing." She pressed her forehead against the glass, watching the snowflakes fall. It was all Yui had ever known. Snow and the magnificence of the evergreens that grew so tall they brushed against the sky. Yui's forehead left a smudge on the window. She pointed outside towards the sea, the large ocean intriguing her. Her intent was obvious, she wanted to go outside.

"No." Damian replied without a moment's hesitation. "Absolutely not." He wasn't sure how much longer they'd be able to keep Yui holed up in here. If she began to grow restless or unruly, she could lash out. He would have to consult with the team on how to take care of this. Aria was their strategist and Xavier, being their leader, had the most authority.

An idea made him smile. "Yui, if you want to go outside, you need to eat and grow strong." She frowned and Damian mimicked the motion. "What if I make Aria feed you?" Yui shook her head, clearly not understanding what he meant. "Don't worry, I'll be right back," just like that Damian disappeared down the rabbit hole. Yui perched herself on the edge of the steps, like a magical creature stowing away from the humans.

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Character Portrait: Aria Matsuri Character Portrait: Yui
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❝Stand up, stand up, the Little Sinner stands before you now!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#762D73 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #BF3B3B】

|| Let the Flames Begin || Paramore ||




In a way, the gang leader's actions made sense. The Yakuza was being stripped of many things - their dignity, their control, their power. All because of Ira Shoku. To them, Shoku's taking over of Japan was a personal affront, but they no longer had the ability to fight back. Stripped of everything, they cling to their final comfort - pride - and abide by that pride in any way they could. If only there was a way they could instill hope and light back into their lives... oh, what a weird thing to think about! Drug traffickers, loan sharks, human traffickers, the Yakuza were involved in so many unsavory things! "If it wasn't for Shoku I wouldn't care at all about their affairs." Aria growled to Xavier who nodded understandingly. "But Shoku's the bigger evil of the two, so we don't have a choice." No, if they wanted to win, they were running out of choices.

Maybe, Aria might even have to make that forbidden choice...

Then Damian poked his head down. "Ari, do you want to feed Yui? It's time to try and get her to eat, but she isn't really listening." It really was like trying to take care of a child, wasn't it? "Trying to help a weak girl live reminds me too much of Mizu." The idol said miserably but then Xavier laughed and patted her back. "It's because it reminds you of Miu that you should go. Come on, Ari, we all know Yui's imprinted on you for some ungodly reason." Out of them all, the only name the fish tried to say with any regularity with Aria, though it really did just sound like passive growling. "Fine. God, you're all so bossy." She stood up huffily, swinging her arms with dramatic flair.

Up in the attic it almost felt as if she were in a whole other world. "Man, why do we even keep you, fishy." Aria muttered glumly at the tiny little thing, bowl of untouched food next to the girl. "You haven't even helped yet!" Ignoring the fact that the girl had yet to even recover basic functions, let alone how to fight. Not that Jenny or Leo would ever let her actually fight. "Here, come on, the plane flies into the airport, open wide."' Despite her harsh words and casual speech, the idol was gentle as she moved the spoon of food to Yui's mouth. "Slowly now, you don't want to choke." She sure didn't look it, but years of caring for Mizu taught her some form of bedside manner at least.

"God, this attic is nowhere to live." They hardly even had things to decorate the place with."Let's have Leo teach you to read so we can give you books to occupy yourself with." What kind of books would a fish like? "The Little Mermaid... and, heck, why not, let's just get you a bunch of Disney books." Japan's Disney Wonderland wasn't too far by cloud, if she wanted to get an assortment of goods there. She grinned despite herself. "You better be worth all this trouble, fish." She patted the girl's hair lightly, not too firm in case she pulled away. "Graduate to human and maybe I'll call you Yui!"

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Character Portrait: Aria Matsuri Character Portrait: Yui
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[❝In my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can be whatever I want to be.❞

【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#50A6C2 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #388E8E】

|| Never Enough|| The Greatest Showman ||




The attic was cold and dank, not exactly ideal for human living. It had been converted into an actual room when the house had been bought, however it was obvious that no one had stepped foot in this part of the home since it's revival for the purpose of housing the girl. It was no wonder she wanted to go downstairs, where the lights shone brighter, where the windows were larger. This prison was different and certainly an upgrade, but in the end, it was still that; a jail to keep her contained from the world.

Yui scurried away from the steps when Aria came upstairs, seating herself behind the tray. She looked up expectantly, something like eagerness on her face. "Rrr?" The girl Aria called Fish burbled, watching as Aria sat herself opposite Yui. She looked down at the tray containing the strange brew and drink, then back up at Aria, who, despite her harsh words, was holding the spoon with unexpected gentleness. Yui opened her mouth obediently, this command now familiar thanks to the physical therapy efforts of Leo and Damian. Once the spoon was in her mouth the child closed her jaw, receiving the porridge. It was warm as it snaked its way down her throat and into the depths of her stomach. Yui shivered, the sensation foreign and not wholly unpleasant. She opened her mouth to receive more, keen eyes watching Aria.

The blue orbs lit up at the slight possibility of leaving the attic. Yui turned ever so slightly, porridge dribbling down her chin and onto the napkin on her lap. She pointed to the window, the one that revealed the outside she so badly wanted to see. Aria had other ideas, however, ones that were nowhere close to what Yui had in mind. Books? Yui had a few. They were baby books, ones full of texture and color to school about things and to condition for sensations. Her first few days, Yui had, had a sensory overload at the smallest of changes. The feel of the water on her skin, the way the plush sheets crinkled, the sound of a holo going off (although that one still frightened her). If it weren't for Yui's incredible healing factor, the abuse and isolation would have been much more obvious on her body and no doubt Leo would have treated her as a China doll rather than a potential rubber band that could spring back in no time.

Yui still had nightmares of those events, although by the time she awoke, they were far out of reach.

She blinked when Aria mentioned mermaids and something called Wonderland. "Won?" An easy sound to imitate, the rest of the word, not so much. Despite the fact that she flinched away from most everyone else, Yui leaned into the pat, bowing her head ever so slightly to receive it. She looked up with determination, wanting to earn that status. Yui opened her mouth as though to say, "Let's finish this!"

Footsteps sounded on the ladder. Up came Damian and Xavier, Leo having just arrived and right behind them. "Aria, we want to have a little round table." Xavier announced, taking a seat around the kotatsu. "It's become obvious that keeping Yui up here forever is going to be a little hard." The plan had been that once Yui recovered, they would seal the attic door and the only way to come up would be through Xavier's transport abilities to both keep visitors out and Yui in. They hadn't taken several factors into account, one being Yui's gentleness and them becoming somewhat protective of her despite their wariness. "There are several things we could do, one being putting a TV in here and letting her explore the world through that, but something tells me you're not going to go along with our original plan."

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Character Portrait: Aria Matsuri Character Portrait: Yui
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❝Stand up, stand up, the Little Sinner stands before you now!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#762D73 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #BF3B3B】

|| Let the Flames Begin || Paramore ||




The idol grimaced. It hurt to look at the tiny girl, even dressed up nicely in the clothes she had chosen, it still hurt to look at her. Feeding her felt far too familiar for comfort, but the idol forced it down with her usual sarcastic grin. "That's right, fish, eat. That's the first step to graduating to human." The fish tried to say Wonderland and the idol shrugged in response. "'It's a magical place full of wonder, you know?" The idol grimaced, holding her head as if she was in pain for a moment. "It's a place where dreams come true." She said quietly, reciting the words of someone else who was more familiar with Disney's Wonderland than Aria. "Big sis, won't you please take me there someday?" Aria forced a smile, bitter yet genuine all the same. "If you graduate to human, maybe I'll take you there."

Now was the round table and Aria was nursing a terrific headache just about now. If she didn't feel the need to appear strong in front of Damian and Xavier she might have been cradling her head right here. The meeting was about Yui and further plans on what to do with her. With Raven's forces currently in an operation against Shoku's weapon's stores at the Setagaya Ward - some of the dictator's biggest stockpiles of weapons were carefully placed there in case of an emergency - so without the evil genius's input, it was up to them on how to raise the fish to human status. "I hate the hospital, big sis, I wanna go outside." Another sharp stab of pain right through the brain. "Well clearly leaving her locked up isn't the answer." Aria snapped, rubbing her temple gingerly.

"Let's have Leo focus on expediting her motor skills, specifically walking." Aria muttered. There was a spare room in the Odaiba base, one that no one used. One that had been left untouched in the hopes that one day a rescued girl with a heart condition would inhabit it. "...The spare room, we can dress it up for Yui so she can move there." As long as Xavier or Damian answered the Inspection Enforcer's check up, as long as they made sure Yui knew not to answer the door, everything should be fine. They already had a rotation of shifts here anyways - one of Xavier, Aria, and Jenny had to be here at all times to defend the base in case of an attack.

Then the topic seemed to shift. "How long has this been happening, Aria?" Damian asked, and the idol glared at him with one of her trademark scowls, face twisted and everything. She had wanted to keep this a secret, it was embarrassing and not even that big of an issue. "What?" Xavier asked quizzically, left in the dark. "What's been happening?" So Damian filled him in on Aria's memories of Mizu interrupting at times, causing massive headaches and more than a little heartache. "Since we got Yui here." The crimson eyed girl admitted softly, looking down at her hands. "There's a reason I was avoiding interacting with her, y'know." Every time she looked at Yui the attacks would come again.

Well, if you could consider Mizuki to be an attack.

"You don't look so good sis... I know! I'll make you cookies!" Aria groaned and leaned back in her chair, dangerously close to making it topple over. "Can we not teach the fish how to bake cookies?" She asked almost piteously. By moving Yui to the spare room next to Aria's, it'd also make Aria's sleep buddy habits easier to do. Not that she would tell anyone this of course.

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Character Portrait: Aria Matsuri Character Portrait: Yui Character Portrait: Mizuki Matsuri
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[❝In my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can be whatever I want to be.❞

【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#50A6C2 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #388E8E】

|| Never Enough|| The Greatest Showman ||




Yui didn't seem too concerned with the conversation going on at the table. Damian wiped up around her mouth, Yui flinching as he used a wet napkin to clean the porridge that had dripped out between her lips. "Aria, if it's too much, just say the word. We can send Yui somewhere else," Xavier promised. Would they treat Yui as well as they did here? More than likely not.
They would lock her up and isolate her, just like Shoku had. "I'll start making preparations for the bedroom, but are you sure that's where you want her? She can room with Damian until we find space." Damian slept in the master bedroom on the first floor. Why? Because his room was set up with large holo screens that kept an eye on various wards in Tokyo.

Obviously she couldn't stay in Xavier's room because well, they didn't want to traumatize the child. Him and Jenny would end up locking her out half the time anyhow. "Aria, don't be a Saint, if it hurts too much, we'll just transfer her. Hime or Raven would probably be glad to take her off our hands." He hated speaking about a person that way, as though they were a pet that could be dumped somewhere, becoming someone else's problem. Unfortunately that was the reality of the situation when smuggling light bearers.

"Yui," she said quietly, an easy sound to replicate. "That's right, that's your name," Damian said with a gentle smile. "Remember it, always." Yui nodded, it was clearly an important word. "Ah Leo, just the man we wanted to see. Anyway we can hasten the therapy?" Xavier asked while Leo made his way upstairs. Leo paused to think to himself, "If we spend more time on it during the day. Cut out the nap and work through dinner," Yui usually got tired around 2 PM and would fall asleep during tasks, but Leo could try his best to keep her going. "I think we need to incorporate food," Damian suggested quietly, standing to assist Leo in preparing the room. "She doesn't seem to understand what it's for or what to do with it." His holo would beep if there was something he needed to go look at, but honestly Damian was glad to having something to do that wasn't staring at screens and looking for trouble.

"Aria, if you'd like, you can help. Or we can go to recruitment central to assist with the interviews?" That was the only mission on the log from Hime today. If Damian spotted trouble, he would report it to them. Not all days as Freedom Fighters were fun and exciting, there was a lot of laying low involved. Yui stood, grabbing onto the IV pole she was constantly tethered to and toddling over to the window. She clambered up onto the sill, watching the snow fall. "Brr," Yui said, pointing outside. "That's right, snow is cold, brr." Leo nodded the same moment that Damian's holo beeped. Xavier stood, meandering to the round glass panel, looking at the bird on the sill that was tapping it's beak against Yui's finger. "That's a pretty bird," Xavier observed. Leo lifted Yui off of the seat and onto the therapy mat, it was time to get to work. "Brr," Yui pointed back to the window.

Damian suddenly rushed up the ladder, a bit out of breath "We've got a Code E in Akiba, looks like Enforcers are dragging a Light Bearer towards the gallows."

Public execution was one of Shoku's many fun laws where anyone proven to be a Light Bearer was killed for all to see. Of course, it was only the useless light bearer's that this happened to. The ones who could turn street lights different colors or whose spit glowed. Harmless children, men, and woman who were given a gift that they didn't understand. The useful ones were brought to him, those were the ones that had the real fun.

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Character Portrait: Aria Matsuri Character Portrait: Yui
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❝Stand up, stand up, the Little Sinner stands before you now!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#762D73 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #BF3B3B】

|| Let the Flames Begin || Paramore ||




Give her away? Give the fish away to Hime or Raven? For some reason that the idol couldn't possibly fathom, she couldn't let that happen. "No." She said, perhaps more forcefully than she had to. "No, we're not sending her away." But the girl whose face appeared in her mind, were her eyes violet or cerulean as they cried for Aria not to abandon her? Well, no matter. Despite how Yui reminded her of Mizu - or perhaps, because of that exact similarity - Aria was incredibly reluctant to just give up on her. "We have a spare room for a reason. Once we save Mizu I can just room with her." Yes, that's how it would be, right? Xavier grinned then, eyes twinkling with that playful air of his. "Well, Yui's going to remember you advocating to keep her." He teased, his lips very close to her ear. "You're going to have to spend more time with her then, aren't you?"

Damian was in support of this too. Even if right now it seemed to be putting more stress on the wind mage, he thought that maybe getting closer to Yui would help Aria cope with missing Mizuki so that she'd stay in a healthier space. When Mayumi did the analysis of everyone's light bearing mark - said analysis giving them data on corruptibility, light absorption ratio, and a whole slew of other things, one thing Mayumi made sure to warn Damian and Xavier was that Aria's mark was like a glass cannon - very powerful, but also very fragile if darkness got close. To use Aria at maximum efficiency they would have to very carefully maintain her mental health as best as possible. That's why so often Xavier and Damian simply listened to what Aria wanted and let her have some control despite Xavier and Hime being the real leaders here.

At Leo's news that they could do something to speed up Yui's recovery, Aria nodded, flopping back down on her stomach to try and ignore the memories of her long lost little sister. "Work hard and then we'll take you to Wonderland." Aria said to Yui, a promise being dangled like a carrot before her. "You'll be caught up on all the Disney movies too." She was about to start rattling off a few names when Damian's words brought her sharply back into duty mode. Sure, Aria wasn't a fan of the recruitment interviews - Damian was the expert at that, not her - but rescuing a light bearer about to be executed? That was most definitely something she could do!

Jenny was in the Akiba area as well. "Cow!' Aria shouted into her holo and it automatically sent the call to Jenny's holo. She was already in costume, mask and gun about to march to battle. "Damian, Leo, hold the fort." Xavier warned them. "And if the Black Reaper comes, tell me and Aria and I'll be right back." If Yui was caught again no doubt Shoku would do terrible things to her - and Raven might just detract her promises of helping in the fight against Shoku. She trusted the Freedom Fighters to take care of Yui, what would the consequences of failure be?

Xavier transported them to Akiba and Jenny was there, waiting dutifully, Japan's best gunslinger. "No one's dying on our watch. Let's go!" Xavier announced and Aria flashed a wild grin. "I'll save the victim before you, you dumb cow!" She jeered competitively and Jenny brushed her hair out of her eyes, licking her lips. "Well, we'll just have to see about that, won't we?" A crowd was there, watching with bated breath as the battle began.

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Character Portrait: Aria Matsuri Character Portrait: Yui
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[❝In my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can be whatever I want to be.❞

【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#50A6C2 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #388E8E】

|| Never Enough|| The Greatest Showman ||




Damian had his holo open, he was sitting by the window, watching both the mission play out and the progress with Yui. The little girl was stubborn today, she wanted to play by the window, but Leo needed to keep her focused. When he wasn't looking, Yui clambered onto the seat beside Damian and watched the fight play out. "Rrr!" She cheered, "Vrrr!" A new sound, the closest to Xavier she had ever gotten. "Yeah, we're the good guys." Damian smiled, ruffling Yui's hair. Leo retrieved her, asking Damian to watch that elsewhere since it was a distraction. Yui shook her head, she wanted him to stay. "Okay, but if Damian stays, you have to focus," in response the girl nodded and they set out to work once more. Yui picked things up, she held them above her head, using little weights to build up strength in her arms. She worked on stairs by using a stool to step up onto, out of breath from lifting her legs that high.

"You're doing great, now back down." Yui stepped back down, wanting to take a nap already. They did this five times more before she was allowed to go into the bathtub for aquatic therapy and after that it was speech therapy. "Ha, ma, ji, shi," Leo pointed to the characters, going slowly so that Yui could read them. "Haaaa, maaa, jiji, shhh!" Yui smiled, believing in herself. Leo leaned over and opened Yui's mouth, placing two fingers in it. "Try again," Yui squirmed, uncomfortable, but this was all part of the therapy. "Haa, maaa, jeeee, shhhiiii." She repeated slowly. "Good, again," they did this four times before Leo took his fingers out of Yui's mouth. Yui spit into a napkin, wiping her tongue on it. "Let's break for lunch," they had been making tons of progress, as normal, but Leo wasn't satisfied.

He replaced the bag of lipids with a flush and took Damian downstairs. The two returned with a tray of various purees. Rice congee, blended vegetables, and pudding. "Yui, come here," Leo said, since Yui had taken position on the windowsill once more. She stood and moved to sit on the other side of the kotatsu, wondering what was going on. Usually Yui had a break now, but Leo wanted to work more. "This is food, food is something you eat, it generally tastes good and and makes you happy." Yui wrinkled her nose, she had no interest in it. "Come on, don't be like that, let's try it." Leo suggested with a meek smile, holding up a spoon. In feeding therapy, one usually tried to get the patient to take charge, but obviously Yui was a special case since they didn't know how long she hadn't been eating for.

"Yui come on," Leo tried three different spoons before he found the one that the girl didn't seem to mind. No doubt sensory processing was part of it, since she was easily overwhelmed.

He began with the blandest one, the rice congee, which Yui didn't seem to enjoy. She shook her head when he tried to feed her more and so Leo moved on to the pureed vegetables. Unfortunately, after two bites it all came back up. It was too rich and high in fiber, which Leo admittedly, had been worried about. Damian cleaned up the sick, holding his nose the entire time while Yui curled into a ball, crying because she was overwhelmed and confused. "We'll have to take things slower, I'll be right back," Leo returned with strictly liquids, three different types contained in the same colored jugs; Apple juice, broth, and soy milk.

"Let's try these," if Leo could count on one thing, it was instinct. He had them each poured into a bottle and let Yui choose which one she wanted to try. "The apple juice? Okay," Leo pushed it forward and Yui blinked. The Resident crossed over to the other side, placing the bottle in Yui's hands and tipping it against her lips. From there, instinct took over and Yui knew exactly what to do, sucking on the tip to get juice to come out. "There we go," Damian grinned. Leo held the bottle for her, but they were back to square one after a few sips, Yui refusing to take anymore. She pat her stomach and shook her head while Leo looked to Damian for help. "She's full," he explained, reading her mind.

"Alright, we'll try again later."

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Character Portrait: Aria Matsuri Character Portrait: Yui
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❝Stand up, stand up, the Little Sinner stands before you now!❞


【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#762D73 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #BF3B3B】

|| Let the Flames Begin || Paramore ||




After fighting through a small group of Enforcers, blood tails suddenly shot out and cut them off, blocking their route to rescue the kid on the hanging block. He was on his tippie toes, just barely keeping himself supported enough so that he wouldn't suffocate on the rope. "The Black Reaper." Xavier's voice was wary, full of apprehension. "What are you plotting?" The Black Reaper's white hair glistened in the light and Aria couldn't help but feel as if there was some sort of beauty in it. She was snapped out of her thoughts by Jenny. "Xav and I are gonna get the kid. Can you keep him off our backs?" The wind mage grinned, air crackling in her fists. Of course she could do that! "Oy, Reaper! Eyes on me, because I'm your opponent here!"

That's right, at long last it was time for a rematch. This was what she was waiting for, blood was flowing through her veins, she could feel every pulse of her heart. It was almost like entering a state of hyper-awareness. One slip up and it was all over. That's what it meant to fight against someone stronger than you. "Don't die, Ari." Xavier whispered as he transported himself and Jenny over to fight through the rest of the enforcers guarding the prisoner. Aria raised her arm up into the sky above her, air forming around it to form a dragon and she fired it right at the Black Reaper, riding on the dragon's head. "Nemesis remembers the last fight, Reaper! The Goddess of Revenge won't lose a second time!" The Black Reaper's eyes looked up impassively and then blood tails shot out almost like arms of blackness exploding out of his body to reach her.

"Weak." The Black Reaper taunted as he smashed Nemesis out of the air. She twisted her body and then rolled to land safely, using the momentum of the roll to launch herself at him, hissing like a wildcat. "Shoku would be disappointed. You aren't suited to be my enemy." A blast of air all around her to speed herself up just like a rocket and too fast for Ronan to react, she barreled right into him. "Leader, now!" She yelled and Xavier pulled the boy to safety, ready to snap his fingers to send himself and Jenny to safety and that was when a blood tail went whirling and Aria didn't have the time to scream a warning because as she tried to block it another skewered her through the thigh, looping around like an earring before encircling her chest. "Break now." He ordered and the blood tail tightened.

Was Xavier okay? In the last moment before he and Jenny were transported Aria could swear the blood tail stabbed through both Xavier and the boy, were they okay? There was quite an amount of blood where they once were, what if - no she needed to focus on herself, she couldn't die here, not against the Black Reaper! Stronger, Aria needed to get stronger! "That's my girlfriend you're holding there, mate." A voice, and then a burst of fire erupted, lighting up the stage. The Black Reaper was forced back and an shot of electricity cut through the blood tail. Raven grinned, flashing a peace sign. "I told you, didn't I?" She said cheerfully, her non-patched eye glinting with fervor. "The HIVE is allies with the Freedom Fighters from here on out!"

"You're safe now." Fox said as the Black Reaper scurried away like the rat he was. A hasty kiss, a soft embrace. "Now go, you need to get that looked after." He had wrapped a rudimentary bandage around the wound but it was deep and it throbbed, Leo was going to need to tend to it. "Thank you." Aria breathed, kissing her lover back. "I'm still not strong enough yet, I need more power." If Raven was listening she didn't give any indication. And so Aria floated herself back to the Odaiba base and then released the invisibility, stumbling in through the front door. "Xav?" She asked tiredly. "Jenny? The kid? Are they okay?"

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Character Portrait: Aria Matsuri Character Portrait: Yui
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[❝In my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can be whatever I want to be.❞

【ɗιαƖσgΟ…Ρ” cσƖσя:#50A6C2 β™™ тнσυgΠ½Ρ‚ cσƖσя #388E8E】

|| Never Enough|| The Greatest Showman ||




Leo tried again after a few minutes, but Yui had, had enough of food for now. They would try again at dinner time, which the boys were fine with. The house suddenly burst into a combination of sight and sound. "Leo! We need you!" He yelled and Yui watched as the two boys stood, running down the ladder. Yui went to the ledge to watch, but Damian lifted the ladder up, sealing her into the attic. After all, there was a stranger in the house, they couldn't reveal her presence to anyone. She didn't understand this though, Yui did understand, however, that they had closed one of her only windows. She felt her heart begin to race and her head spun. Why did they seal her up here? Had she done something wrong? The girl pushed against where the ladder normally was, wondering how it opened. The ladder didn't budge, she wasn't strong enough to make it release.

She could use that thing, that power that pulsed inside of her, but how? Yui watched her hands, the skin dancing as her blood sought a way out. Finally it burst through her palm, forming a staff in her hands. She didn't know what to do with it, so Yui tried prodding the ladder, she hit the staff against it, but the ladder sizzled and did nothing. Finally Yui gave up, sensing a snaking in her port, something warm in her veins. Her panic had induced a backup that Leo had put in and her blood returned to her. Yui leaned back, laying dizzily on the floor, this feeling familiar, almost comforting. Yui's eyes closed halfway and she started up at the ceiling, feeling slightly numb. She turned onto her side, her gaze level with the random items shoved underneath the bed in an attempt to keep the room clean.

Downstairs was a mess, there was blood everywhere as Damian placed a plastic cloth on the table and Xavier hoisted the kid up. Jenny had been hurt, but just barely. The lash on her arm was deep and would need stitches, but compared to the kid, whose insides had become outsides, she was in fine shape. Xavier had a small lash on his cheek but was otherwise fine. Leo worked, even when Aria got back he was elbows deep, hanging blood, working to keep this child alive. "Jenny and I are fine, the kid... not so much." There were rope burns around his neck, but that was the least of their concerned. He flat lined and no matter how many times Leo used the paddles of life, the kid didn't come back. It was his fate to perish, one way or another. "That's it, he's gone." Leo put the paddles down, his shoulders sagging heavily.

It was a good lesson to learn, as a Resident, you can't save them all.

"It's okay, you did your best." Xavier stepped forward, closing the child's eyes. "At least he died knowing that there are people out there who cared about him." Tears sprung to Jenny's eyes as Leo went to scrub himself so that he could attend to the deep gash on her arm and the cut on Xavier's cheek. "Aria, take a seat, Leo will patch us up next." The monitor had been turned off so that the glaring beep didn't ring in their ears. "Dammit!" Xavier slammed his fist against his leg, clearly upset. If they had been two minutes earlier, if Damian had heard the holo go off faster. Then, then this might not have happened! They might have saved the child!