CH. 40 - Face Yourself

Phoenix "To sleep??"

Cole "Yes, ghosts are souls that have not been properly put to rest. Be it a wrongful death or an intense personal goal not yet fulfilled, they cannot know peace until such a thing occurs."

Phoenix looks worried.

Phoenix "But.. why can't we just beat her? I mean, you and Tadashi could hurt her directly, right?"

Cole pauses for a moment with a conflicted look.

Cole "Yes but I fear I may have misjudged the mission. I do not think this is a coincidence. I think this was the point all along."

Phoenix's eyes widen as she starts to understand what he's saying.

Cole "We are reckless and uncoordinated. Giving us an opponent that can be beaten without needing to fight would be a perfect lesson."

He says as Phoenix nods, agreeing to his theory. She then stands up with a determined look on her face. 

Phoenix "I'll do it."

Cole stands up, still in pain but ready to move.

Cole "Figuring out a way to get close, past her Frequency shockwaves and a way to calm her will not be a simple task."

She smiles a little at him.

Phoenix "Hey, there's three Hunters here, how hard will it be?"

Cole nods with a soft smirk back. In the field, Tadashi blocks attack after attack, yellow sparks flying off of his sword as he stumbles back from the force. Crystal laughs hysterically as she continues the attack before suddenly a punch is delivered to her face from the side. She flies back a bit, stunned by the sudden attack. Wolf hovers in the air fresh from the attack, her fist covered in the black mist.

Wolf "You wanted me to show you, right?! Come on, I can handle you all by myself!"

She shouts before rushing after Crystal. 

Tadashi "Wolf, don't!-"

He shouts but to deaf ears. 

Phoenix "Tadashi!"

She rushes next to him.

Phoenix "We have a plan."

Cole picks up Alston in his arms as he grunts in pain.

Cole "My Vanguard and I will step back. We are of no use to you in this condition."

Phoenix "You and I are gonna try and get close to calm her down. From there, we can-"

Tadashi "Calm her down?"

Phoenix nods quickly.

Phoenix "Yes. Cole thinks this is a test, don't fight her just.. keep her focused on defense so I can get close enough to her."

Tadashi seems a little hesitant but trusts his friend.

Tadashi "Alright, let's give it a try. The only thing is…"

They turn and look at Wolf struggling to fight against Crystal, yelling in frustration. Phoenix sweats a bit but exhales sharply.

Phoenix "I'll also handle that. Just focus on keeping her attention."

Tadashi nods back before sheathing his sword and stancing. Phoenix then ignites the flame around her fists and charges Crystal from behind. She leaps into the air as Crystal smirks and darts her eyes to the side before quickly dipping to the side, avoiding Phoenix but is shocked when Phoenix pays her no mind.

Phoenix "Wolf!"

She shouts as she dives at her. Wolf is stunned and shocked at the sudden tackle.

Tadashi "Green Hunt:..."

He says, causing Crystal's eyes to open wide as she turns to face him. He smirks at her which causes her to react harshly, dashing at him with a shockwave attack ready to strike but just as she thrusts her attack, Tadashi draws his sword vertically, colliding with the attack.

Tadashi "Buloke!"

He shouts. The shockwave bursts out, sparks of bright green and pastel yellow shooting everywhere. They clash as Tadashi grits his teeth, giving it everything he's got as Crystal smirks. Wolf sees this and attempts to shove her way past Phoenix but she pulls her back.

Wolf "What're you doing?? He needs my help!"

Phoenix "Wolf, I need you to stay out of this! You're going to mess this whole thing up!"

Wolf "How? I could beat her! You and I could do it together easily, we should-"

Phoenix "No, Wolf. If you aren't even going to try to follow orders, you need to stay out of it. We have a plan and you won't listen to it, I know you."

She says sharply and clearly as Wolf begins to soften her gaze, realizing the position she's put Phoenix in. Phoenix gives her an understanding but firm look.

Phoenix "Just.. stay here. Let us handle this like a team should."

She says softly. Southpaw hums at her firmness with Wolf, watching from his waterscreen. As she finishes, Tadashi yells in pain as he is sent tumbling across the ground. Crystal laughs hysterically.

Crystal "Like a team? Really? You're a joke! Look at you! A Hunter and Vanguard completely defeated by one type of attack. A Hunter without his Vanguard, another Vanguard utterly incapable of listening to her Hunter and what? Another Hunter who can't control said Vanguard? You lot are pathetic excuses for agents of the ASA! I'm sure the mighty Southpaw would be ashamed of you."

She says before she starts cackling loudly. 

Crystal "Ahhahaha!"

She laughs loudly at them as Cole lowers his head in shame while Tadashi struggles to get back up and Phoenix stresses. She faces Crystal as she floats higher into the air, small yellow bolts shooting from her hands.

Crystal "I'm going to liberate you now. Maybe then you'll learn to work together."

She lifts her arms up, prepared to strike but Phoenix speaks up.

Phoenix "Crystal!"

She shouts, causing Crystal to hesitate for a moment and look down at her.

Phoenix "Crystal. You were once an agent for the ASA, weren't you? You know this is wrong. You can't-"

Suddenly, a yellow bolt strikes down right in front of her causing Phoenix to shield herself from the blast and exclaim in slight pain.

Crystal "Who are you to tell me what I can or can't do? You don't even know me, agent of the academy."

She bites at her with intensity. 

Phoenix "I'm not.. just an agent. I'm a student. And if you really were a 3rd Tier Hunter, surely there were students who looked up to you, who you protected!"

Crystal hesitates for a moment but sharpens her gaze and blasts another bolt at her.

Wolf "Phoenix, look out!"

She shouts but before it can hit, Tadashi dashes in front of Phoenix and slashes into the Kozen, splitting it with high difficulty but successful nonetheless. He smirks a little, sweating and panting but confident. Wolf watches with a slightly relieved but also conflicted look. Crystal looks surprised.

Tadashi "That was softer than before. I think this might actually work."

Phoenix "That makes me feel so much better coming from you."

She says, a little uncertain but ready to go. He looks back at her with a smile.

Tadashi "Draw her attention."

Phoenix smirks back.

Phoenix "Get in close."

Tadashi/Phoenix "Let's go!"

They shout together before rushing after Crystal. Southpaw, in his South Range, gets an excited look.

Southpaw "Ohho! It seems they're beginning to sync their Frequencies. They've got a plan and can now execute. However, partners aren't composed of two Hunters for a reason."

He says as he watches closely. Crystal's gaze begins to get more intense. 

Crystal 'They might be falling in sync but they're forgetting one important part of the team…'

She thinks as her gaze shifts to Wolf. She looks eager and ready to intervene but struggles with the command of her Hunter.

Crystal 'That Vanguard's Frequency is all over the place.'

She gazes at Wolf's soul, a small lavender purple orb that is spasming in her chest. Her Frequency spiking and dropping rapidly.

Crystal 'Confliction over confliction, she won't be able to hold herself back.'

Tadashi then jumps up and swings his blade down at her but she lifts her hand and blocks the blade with her palm, a slight gap between her palm and the blade created by a sustained shockwave attack. She doesn't remove her gaze from Wolf as she effortlessly blocks the attack. Tadashi gets slightly frustrated with her not paying him any attention.

Tadashi "Hey! Crystal! Keep underestimating me and you might end up dead twice!"

He shouts as he pushes his blade harder than before causing the edge of the blade to begin to glow a bright lime green color. Crystal's eyes widen as she snaps her head towards him. She quickly slams her other hand against his head, shockwaving him into the ground hard. As she does, Phoenix leaps onto her back, bringing her closer to the ground a bit.

Phoenix "Crystal, you have to stop! You're better than-"

Before she can continue, Crystal starts electrocuting Phoenix with her pastel yellow lightning. Phoenix shouts in pain before slowly letting go and collapsing. Wolf watches her hit the ground with an intense look on her face.

Crystal "Come on girl. Show me what you've got. Are you really going to let them fight your fight?"

Wolf gets an angry and frustrated look and steps forward but stops when Phoenix gets up shakily.

Phoenix "That's not.. true Wolf.. This isn't your fight now. Listen to your partner, don't let her trick you!" 

Crystal points her hand at her preparing a Kozen but Tadashi smacks her hand into the air, redirecting the blast. He then tries to follow up with another swing of his sheathed sword to her body but she grabs him by the face and blasts a shockwave into him. Wolf looks even more conflicted as her body literally pulses her to go forward.

Wolf 'Phoenix told me to not intervene. I want to. I can end this myself. But should I do what she says? What if they can't? I.. I will-'

Her thoughts rush through her head but before she can act on any of it, thick roots come from the ground and wrap around her body, neck and arms, restraining her to the ground.

Crystal "Just stay there. You obviously can't decide on your own."

Wolf is shocked and growls with frustration.

Wolf "No! I could've- I was-"

Phoenix "Crystal, just stop. You don't have to do this."

Crystal then backhands Phoenix with a shockwave but she blocks it and slides back, panting but determined.

Crystal "Of course I don't. I want to do this."

Phoenix "No you don't."

She says softly as Crystal looks surprised.

Phoenix "I can feel it… your soul, you don't really want this."

Crystal looks frustrated and blasts a Kozen her way.

Crystal "Keep your eyes off my soul!"

She shouts as Phoenix dodges and rushes towards her. 

Crystal 'There's no way this girl is reading my Frequency. She doesn't have Spirit Perception let alone to that degree. This is something different…'

She thinks and in that moment of hesitation, Tadashi jumps on her back and, using his sword across her chest, does his best to restrain her. Crystal is shocked.

Crystal 'I was distracted!'

Tadashi "Phoenix, do it now!"

Phoenix rushes up to Crystal and ignites her flames. Cole's demeanor intensifies as he watches. 

Cole 'Is she just going to strike? That was not what we planned!'

He thinks as Phoenix shouts.

Phoenix "You were a hero! An agent of the ASA who fought to protect people like us!"

She shouts as she jumps into the air, the flame energy trailing behind her.

Phoenix "Remember the students you used to protect!"

She shouts at her before Phoenix places her hand onto Crystal's forehead and blasts the flame energy intensely. Tadashi grits his teeth and looks away as Phoenix gives it her all. Crystal screams as the others watch with intense eyes. Suddenly there's a flash of bright light that bursts from Crystal, blinding everyone.