The date at restaurant
And so, the ITEM team headed to the shop, which was in fact a small restaurant and cafe-bar, on the ground floor of a local hotel, which could afford a more luxurious focus that others shops and hotels. Like using solid wood and such for interior and furniture. However, even if the dining room previously had other customers, they all fled the moment when the battle in the square began.
The short-haired Kinuhata, who after flying from ground zero, over the square and through the restaurant front window, on her crash landing, she rammed and torn apart several pieces of wooden furniture which stood in her way. She been stooped only when a pile of rubble rolled up to the solid bar desk with the tap bar itself.
So, when Mugino and the rest arrived they quickly realize that she stuck there to the point she can't even move single arm or leg in her binding chair made of ruble and for now she stays quiet with the disgruntled expression. Not to mentioned that hit points on her clothing, especially the hoodie, was nearly depleted as how far it was beaten and teared, but still manages to stick together.
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The long-haired girl walks in front of her, while still holding those two under her armpits. "Something is telling me, that you getting used to this position. Are you been here for a while? Because if yes, you shall at last ordered something for us."
Saiai dint comment this surreal picture. "I guess it's a time to say that I super can't get out of this pile without a help. Secondly, I realized that I have to super reconsider my life so far. It really doesn't go well in the direction we are walking. Third, I wish to decrease the difficulty level from world to city."
Cinderella felt that thought in her heart. "Welcome to the Club of Broken Hearts. By the way..." She turned her attention to her colleague under the other armpit. "Are such experiences as today, common in this group?"
Frenda give somehow desperate sigh. "Ah, sometimes yes, sometimes no. However, this whole thing of carrying little girls under the armpit is new experience to me. I can already imagine some random passerby, as they stop walking thinking about question of (Just why have that hot woman a pair of cute Lolly's under her armpits as if they were grocery bags? If she were a wolf, they wouldn't stop much over a pair of beret sheep on their heads.) The next point is the new butler. I can't believe they got us someone who is not a Hamazura and still likes to be teasing by a group of crazily hot chicks, immune to heat." Shes got a question from her companion on other side if she wont meant just crazy girls whit a style, but Frenda Seivelun has assured her that she knew what she said.
The soldier holds his commentary and took action to help the stuck girl to free her from the rubble. As he was throwing some wasted furniture on side, making noise, and tearing some woods parts to free Kinuhata, he alerted someone who was hiding behind counter which was made from a solid wood wall. It was only now when a waitress dares to raise her head from shelter to glance what is going on. There were those three girls, or rather young women's. Just looking at the soldier rescuing someone from rubles gave them the courage to stop crouching behind counter.
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Mugino looked at the three women, who smelled strongly of the still girl's touch, she stiff glaring at them and thought a lot. It was almost as if the hotel had here a very young-looking staff on purpose.
Kinuhata clearly saw what the clock wheels turn in captain head. "Cut it off already! It's super clear to me, that you want to know what it will feel and look like, when you have a bunch of girly girls hung from you, like some male protagonist of some harem game. I can clearly imagine that you will be not satisfied until you have: two of them hang from you back wit they hands around your neck,-- two will you have under your biceps like right now,-- and the fifth will be resting on you head, being wear like it was some super extra deluxe hat. Super give up that idea, this instant! It's ridiculous!"
The beret couple soured at the idea and suddenly abandoned any attempt to complaining about their location, so that they do not end up as a headgear in a more detailed sense.
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Mugino give it a serious though until she looks seriously at Saiai. "Are you sulking, because you dint consider yourself girly?"
At this point Kinuhata barked. "Mugino, what's wrong with you??? No matter how hard you had it while we had been in AC, you've never been so not yourself. Don't tell me that (To be out of town) has such an impact on you. Like you having an awakening of womanhood or something like that." Suddenly her expression darkened when something came to her mind. "Hey,-- you are not going to tell me that you got that, you will super not! And that will be the reason, why that giant glass bowl whit pile of liqueur pralines, that will be enough for a large group on woman's only ride as freedom farewell all night party,-- was half empty. So not only that yours inner clock are ticking,-- you are drunk from alcohol,-- while having a sugar fever,-- when your blood is still boiling with adrenaline after your favorite activity on a day full of fighting and unbridled vandalism, speaking yours slogan: They're paying you for going wild! And on top of that you suddenly craving for dinner group session with a family touch, while you wish that Hamazura will replace this peon, because you are tired to having control yourself, so that you don't call him by this name. All the side stunts you made today so far will be in normal circumstance a big no for you if we had been in AC. But you got carried away by absence of these restriction you placed on you yourself, and tried to try as many of those things as much as possible. You treat this mess we are in, like if we went on some festival, that you crawled for it."
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Shizuri let out a buzz full of recognition, as if Saiai bulls eyed it. "Ohooo." Before she turned her attention to her teammate. "If you miss Hamazura so much that you said all this aloud, then why don't you ask him for a date? Maybe he will walk through the door this instant, if you call him. You know, you can still order him to do it, if he tries to wriggle from it out, right?"
The short-haired girl threw up her hands to side in an annoyed WTF gesture, but the long-haired one had already headed for a table in the corner of the restaurant with a U-shaped sofa around that table.
Cinderella, on the other hand, was astonished. "It's great that at least one of the groups I've joined have someone who can explain to the team what their OP Captain has for an inner problem, before the captain decide to steam out her frustration on his subordinates, and that will continue down the entire command structure. This team is full of lunatics who somehow manage to get along and a labeled themselves that they fight for social stability. But on the other hand, it's still better than being among the Evils one who due to theirs broken hearts, craving for revenge and general change in how things going in world. In addition, I've spend all the raw materials I've gathered to this day, and I'm completely broke once again." As soon as Shizuri seated the Lolly to her place in middle part of that sofa, as if she was a doll on a shelf, who fallen out because it was not placed properly, this girl dropped her head on the table in depression and groan.
When Mugino seated Frenda right next to the first blonde, this Loli has done the same as first one. She drops her head on the table. "I know what you mean. Beating up, an empty purse, no materials, no base, a bunch of angry people who think about themselves that they are better even when they are just a trash, the mackerel withdrawal effects will arrive soon, and I have only my last doll [bomb] left in my entire repertoire of items."
At that moment, Shizuri who finally sat at one end of the sofa, asked lifelessly a speaker question that didn't even need to be answered: What size? Seivelun without thinking automatically replied that regular-explosive. But the next moment her eyes got widened full open, when she realizes that there is more behind that question that can be seen at first glance. With scared eye expression she risen from the table to glance at Mugino, who sits at the end of the couch like a lady, but this level-5 was seemed to be disinterested in the topic while her own glance seemed to be aimed at something outside. The only answer for the blonde was austere: Ah, I see. Therefore, the blonde slid back to the table even more devastated that before.
Even Saiai sat down on sofa at the other end, after she went around and collect some menu prospects as if she was interest in ordering food, fully ignoring the desolate state of this restaurant-cafe.
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It didn't take even a minute for the captain, sitting like a rich lady, to remind herself that it would finally be time for the food they didn't get on the train. After that she start to stare straight at the soldier who approach them again as he was some kind of butler or peon.
Frenda dropped the remark that she finally get it why she had missed the train.
On the other hand, the soldier understood and went to the counter without a single comment. After addressing the still shocked waitress, who were still reluctant to leave the safety behind the counter which was made from a solid wood. It take him a minute to explain that the fighting shall be over now. Then he asks them to prepare something for the ladies who fought against that monster and managed to win. After that he pulled out his phone again to connect with someone.
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However…
As the girls sit there, a suspicious guy with big black glasses on his nose entered that restaurant. From the first glance, he gave the impression that he probably belonged to some criminal organization. Maybe directly Yakuza, or Triad. After a slight look around, he heads to the girls table and starts brandishing craps like the Frenda has a debts that she has to repay, and still don't done it.
Before anyone from the team can say anything, Frenda was already on her feet, slapped the table whit her palm and open her regular big sassy mount on him in assault rifle speed. She quickly silences him with several too much personal insults. Then she told him that just now she has returned from a fight against someone who was going to destroy the entire city if left alone and for that he shall be thanking her for saving his sorry ass. But she continues to complain that she hungry, pissed off and tired, and if he didn't notice, she was even been shot during the battles. For that if someone even tries to interrupt the order of thing, he will get a wrath beyond comprehension. Of course, this guy dint like being talked down, and took it personally. But before he manages to open his mount to bark at her with hate, she pushed a canvas doll into his hands. It was some cheap puppet that you will give to some little girl to hug something. Frenda was very sassy about ordering him to not bother them during the food, so he shall frag off and wait outside in some side alley, because they common topic is not suitable at the dining room manners. She will get him after she take care about some things and one giant annoyance of utmost importance. She even raised the level of sassy girl beyond noble girl talking down to a peasant peon in an abusive way when she makes a very important remark that this was her only doll with great value, so he should treat that puppet with respect. And for the final drop she pointed toward exit as she was practically expelling him from there because his presence will make the food tasting bad.
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The uninvited guest was gritting his teeth and his face was full of anger that even his black glasses dint hide. But after he give an intensive look on the entire party or girls, while especially glancing at the hot body of Mugino with her rich lady appearance, he starts heading towards exit with that doll, as if it should contain a secret USB with sensitive information's. As he was leaving, he made an unreasonable remark towards the girls and especially Frenda. But there was no mistake in thinking he will make his revenge.
The (Yakuza?) guy probably dint even notice the soldier who only now returned to the girl's whit a tray filled whit some random food found left in kitchen hastily placed to look like a mini buffet. This man dint says a world, but his own gaze said that he is going after him.
His thoughts were interrupted when Saiai suddenly spoke to him, again stopping him with a clear gesture. "Don't super bother yourself! You again trying playing hero where it's not needed or wanted. Of course, he will get what he deserves when he opened his mouth onto a league that's too far above him. But the main reason is that you super fail to recognize that someone already call Dips on this pray."
Mugino who will normally blast him within first minute of conversation tracked that suspicious guy with her gaze, as he leaved the restaurant. She seemed calm but her single statement was freezing cold: "The road is clear, do it now!"
Frenda pulled a remote detonator from under her skirt and lifted it so that everyone at the table could see it. "I didn't liked that bastard anyway. So, don't sweet hero boy! I decided to do this a quite ago. After all, that doll is truly really special to me, because I write his name onto it." With a crazy grin she looks outside at her prey and without hesitation, she pushed down the button.
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Outside, the Yakuza guy had just uttered an inappropriate and very offensive note to the doll's face.
That moment, this doll had her revenge on him, when she violently detonates into powerful explosion.
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The soldier got blue when he pulls out his eyes at the scene outside, not believing what this too young girl was capable to do.
But Seivelun was in blitz. "Nothing is better as when the hunter, who think he is writing the story of hunt play, ended up in a position of a prey, when the role switches." She notices the soldier gaze and give him a poisoning smile. "Are you probably thought that you can become my hero??" As he flinches, she giggles. "Sorry boy, you are not my type. Buuuut…" She rise her finger provocative to her chin. "If that uniform you are wearing, is not just something you grab at cosplay shop and slogan (Serving and protecting) is not just a slogan. Then I can assume that there are few like you around, who after today event, will strongly looking for a moment when they can feel like a hero. I can help your whit that. --to feel like a hero for someone elsewhere, who need a different saving." When she made quick glance at Mugino who dint make a slightness reaction and still had averted gaze outside window, Frenda started to grin viciously at him. "If you still want to be hero for some lady in distress, then you should act hurry. If that bastard's cell phone is still functional, it should contain valuable information and contact that shall act wonderfully as an excuse to act wild. You even get the opportunity to kick out some doors leading to some baddies. Then you shall grab a few armed colleagues, grab a police officer who too looking for some way to be hero for someone, and visit a certain place in the business district. I let you save the JSDF public face when they get butt kicked so hardly if nobody will connect me with that refinery hidden behind that tin wardrobe in the under-ground garage of the fish market. Some of those who are down there deserve a better place instead that shit-hole. And I warning you, some of the substances in the glass architecture there are far worse that a high explosive stuff.
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He gave her a very critical look, while having a somehow serious inner conflict of hesitation before setting off quickly.
When he left, she sighed as she literally falls back to the sofa whit exhaustion. "So now I'm really broke." She glanced at the food on the table. "Hey Hamazura, where's my mackerel?" As she looked around for the person for a few seconds, she finally realized that he was not there with them. With a sigh, she got up awkwardly and shuffled to the counter to lure some mackerel from the waitress. When she was returning, she was like another person. She was already consuming her specific fish directly from a large, massively can, which would be enough for a whole group of people. Contrary to her sore state she looked too much happy and energetic like she was having her best dish in life. Ignoring all etiquette of dining (the others eating girls somehow followed) around same table, in order to get onto her place on sofa she literally steps up on table, and dance through him and over the dishes, to get on her place.
She did not avoid the exploratory gaze of the other blonde, so Cinderella placed her hands on the fish eater, after she dropped on but. It took a seconds... "Hey, the heck is going with your body?... It was clogged beyond normal means... And now, is recovering? How is that even possible? You dint cast anything. I though you are good as done, who will not live to see next morning. But with this… that not even healing via spell, that purification as if the body is restoring itself!" Frenda tried very hard that she doesn't listen anything. Then Cinderella looked around to observe the surrounding team members, while still addressing the other blonde. "Hey, does everyone in this group have tier bodies somehow messed up?" Although Frenda stopped fully for a second, like a freezing from a lag. After the pause she continued as if she had heard nothing.
Mugino thought about the sentence for a moment. "I think the grunts on supports organizations are the only ones who still can claim that they have normal body in contrast to this group of monsters." She raised up her cybernetic hand to look at her palm. Nobody can tell just from look that is a prosthetic. "Then again, the surface is only for show, when the abnormal is expected to be the normal for us."
"It's like a super reminder of when we were still normal."
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Only now, one of the waitresses grab to courage to approach the suspicious (hero?) group of customers. But still being hesitant, she at last manage to ask if they can offer something for them.
Mugino realize that she will gladly ask for something more special. But when she reach into her torn clothes on several places, especially when she put her hand into pocket, and that hand come out from one of the holes, and even wriggle her own fingers into space,-- she stays calm. "Hey, Kinuhata, I lost my wallet."
The short-haired girl makes a teasing remark on the broke topic of the rest members at this table and that today is a day full of ridiculous surprises. But the scene with a hole and wriggling fingers got its second episode with her in main role. As her eyebrow twitches, she without any world marched towards the place where she crash-landed and began to dig angrily in that pile of debris, looking for her savings. After she searched through it all, she went out from cafe and ran outside into the square, continuing her search there.
At that moment, the waitress left with a forced smile, letting them take their time, saying that is okay, and she will bring them something on the house.
But waitress attempt to light up the mood dint work and Cinderella begin to lament. "Great-- we're beaten up, poor, and without a roof over our heads. We managed to fight a local criminal organization, and cross the path with a lunatic that have access to magical construct whit a planetary attack abilities. And I can say that there will be other things to deal."
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The brunette woman was as cold as before while she makes an unpopular suggestion. "We can still fly to London. If the Chairman of Board of Directors is there, it would be enough that I am a Level-5 and we're back in the game."
The French girl turned a stressed face toward captain. "Aleister Crowley, the supposed greatest magician in history and at the same time, the supposed most famous criminal in the new age history of magic. The same person of dubious age, who is mentioned in century old books as the father of modern western magic and one of the tree great ones from legendary cabal who make magic widely accessible and understandable to masses. The entire Britannia mobilized itself against this person, and turned they capital into impenetrable fortress. And we are talking about a country capable of waging a world war not just in conventional method but even by magic. What exactly are you meaning to said by (back in game)? Because I must bring out that in London are those who can fight the thing, we fought a little ago, on they own as morning training practice. And what's the best, the city become one big playground arena for something that was described as Multi-team death-match Royal-battle. And as they said this Aleister Crowley has brought a calamity of unseen scale onto Britain that crash down all defense layers and vanished when he walk into city as if he had monsters for days to spend." She even raised her finger on #4. "So let me be straight with you,-- there is no way you can enter this locked up country by normal means. Forget planes, or anything faster. Even if you are strong on offense, you lack greatly in defense, especially on trickery. You not even expert in terms of fields used on that chess board that require master Level at last to enter, or for them to even bother with you. You act like some Maid of Honor who got nervous when everyone leaved the house and she suddenly dint have purpose to hold onto it. You are too much shinny for something that can blend in on game of hide and seek, but more suitable as something that will one put-out on eyes on some outdoor duty on which will be seen. I am trying to tell, that I am not going to London, because the last time I will be seen or noticed is: when someone of these big names will bother to look at the bottom of their shoes, to see what nuisance get stuck there, only thinking when they managed to squished this bug. A bug! That's how OP are those beasts in that circus compare to me. We are going to die there!"
Frenda still trying to look uninterested to the topic as she was blissfully devouring the entire mackerel can. "What she tries to say is, that in generally, the team ITEMis not suited for national war type battlefield. Were more like shady debt collecting agency, when the fishy owners runs the only shady bank in city, in too far questionable way."
The brunette only comment that the same thing applied on indoor and outdoor dogs.
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The group of girls currently occupied by the meal has slowly but sure starting to become famous because a completely different guy in a long coat and diplomatic emotionless stone face seeks them in cafe and approached their table. He has this I work in office aura around him, but with his business suit he looks more important that regular drone. "Ladies, forgive me for interrupting you during your deserved meal, but I searching for the group of heroes who save this city from those vicious monsters." It was not like he still searching for them, but he said that more like a diplomatic sentence. He knows he is on right place. He even grabbed and pulled to the table a chair to sit on it. While he was on it, he pulls out from his suit a pad and look at some data.
It was the Cinderella and Frenda who react first. "Technically it was more like single pseudo famul [magical best servant] as artificial demon who was let loose as a distraction, and those sprouts was only small parts of his body."
"For me, it was like someone has emptied his toy box of failure experiments, that will be otherwise forgotten by time, and tossed the toys to the word, that at last the ignorant citizen who cross that thing path can have fun. Except we don't know if that someone world-wide consider consequence of that move."
Mugino quickly adjusted her pose to something suitable for a lady. "I would use other names for calling us, but you have the correct team. However, I can assume that right now we probably look as some heroes who saved this city and probably the whole world. Again, tcs." After she kicked her tongue, she pointed it out as if it weren't a good thing. "At this moment, we are totally broke, without a roof over our heads, without work, and with a request for medical intervention. Not to mention that a doctors from outside of AC hardly would be able to do anything with my needs, if something went wrong in me. Forget cloning, AC proved it as a failure concept of a cheap results. As bonus, the only person we could refer to, that we didn't do the city saving for free, but at the hire request from the local military, is that mediator guy. Who is currently on run to prove himself that he is a man and he too can be a hero for someone. Anyway, god job Frenda-aa!" As she scolds that girl who merely choke herself on piece of mackerel the brown-haired girl sighed. "We even disused to go on London to save the world once again, but that option dropped. It was all easier when we were practically a city inner security employee. We just had to complete the assignment and the supports organizations will took care of the little things."
Saiai came back from outside. On her arrival at the table, she ignored the new guy as she sat down on the sofa. When she was asked if she had found their wallets, she sprawled on the spot and turned her gaze to the ceiling. "You won't like it anyway, so I'll cut it short. They're super gone! Nothing but scraps has left of them!" There was a moment of silence before she spoke a question. "I don't suppose any of you have a card for a super ordinary account in a super normal bank."
As a dismissive answer, she received choral of groaning or a similar stump for sound of social dying.
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The guy sweated and cleared his throat carefully. "Hmm. You have done a quite impact outside and many will try to seek you for that, so I think this status of yours will not stay for too long. I'm sure when the word gives to another word, there will definitely be someone who will reward you properly for saving so many lives. But I am at hurry and I will ask only a few questions instead. Don't worry, I am not here for property damage, I am from completely different department. So, priorities... I wonder what's meaning is hided between those nicknames as shooter, a tank, a mage, a cleric and a minion, or was it a butler?"
Frenda stopped feeding herself on mackerel from a massive can. "Oh, this? Imagine that you will take this team, transforms him into an RPG game environment. Then assigns everyone to the appropriate professions. We have a gunner with a personal beam cannon, an emo bulletproof tank, a demolition mage and a more purpose-built cleric. We could still talk about an absent hitchhiker or tracker who, when gets involved, will find you everywhere, no matter where you are and how far deep you hide. At last, the errant boy who takes care of shopping, like getting us a car and other small things."
Cinderella tries to follow up with her own entry. "It reminds me of a chess division of the strategic importance and skill direction of allocated personals. In this regard, we can say the lineup of the team is as: the Knight with fire affinity, Rook, two Bishops and the Pawn. That tracker would then be a Queen, because they are used to twisted the face of the battlefield. I can imagine that the horse especially can profit from having this queen on his back and used this combination to reach the opponent king and decide the entire game. "Then we could call that hair demon as attempt to push the entire chessboard to one point as a queen on top of a tower with its own crew. However, the king did not even aim to stand behind the army as he had sent it out as distraction. The purpose of this must be lunatic, because it will be investigated."
Kinuhata was sarcastic. "I was joking whit the post action interview, press conference and hand shaking thing with fans. But at this point I super don't care anymore. If that's what you want to do from now, then so be it."
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The guy seemed wary of the ladies, but he kept asking as he moving his gaze between the group and the pad. "Should I take it that according to you, the culprit of the attack is somewhere in London? In a country that is going through a crisis, again, and has been re-closed? And for some reason this person has done this not as to provoke a retaliation but as a distraction? So?, we can assume that this person is a villain who do this to put another pressure on his persecutors, that already tracking him down? So instead of sending armed forces or anyone to mend with it, we shall send condolence and prays that we hope, that they will give this villain a proper punishment?"
Shizuri looked at him with calm expression. "Interesting. Its seems that the mi… (minion) soldier, has at last done his part. Do you picked-up a short straw, to come her?" The man only comment that they used marbles. "But yes, he draw..."
Saiai give a comment. "I only want to super mentioned that getting our face on the first page of national news as Heroes will result into super annoyance. Mugino, you shall not accept any terms that you will lately see as nuisance."
Frenda with worried face swallowed heavily. "Ah, I remembering that when we had been before asked to do something similar and I volunteered myself, then during scolding explaining how bad idea is that, a casting of my face was engraved onto certain pool table."
Cinderella, on the other hand, was the one who was now catching the bad end of her nerves. "Don't tell me I gotten into a group that ignores the signs of maximum danger. Did it ever occur to any of you?, that the villain had carried out this insidious attack to potentially crush the whole of Britain, by deceiving other countries to strike the island nation by storm? Even if you nuke it, they will be more that capable to retaliate back, and even worse. Even if they seek redress within their country, and stay wholesome, their efforts will fail under external pressure. I tell you that invaders from other countries seeking for revenge will don't care about something so basic as who is good and who is bad, or how bad is what they doing. Simply put, if someone will stand in the way of achieving theirs goals, then he is your enemy, regardless of whether it was your ally an hour ago, because right now this one is only holding you back. The defense in this case will be any more insidious than anything that comes with as attack, because you simply won't have a choice. A perfect crime, because the British will fight to the last defiance for their own innocence, even if the whole world will be convinced of their crime. Going there is nonsense, let it be!"
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While she speaks the man put his note back into coat and he stood up. "Well, I will like to say that this will light my mind and disperse worries, but the opposite is true. I really appreciate that you shared yours opinions without delay. The intel JSDF provided was a little bit confusing but for now I understand that some power shall stayed unharnessed, and nobody shall try to be too much greedy. Before I go to prevent massive losses on materials, money and lives on all countries, I shall at last said that the yellow things stop appearing across country when the black one was defeated. So, thank you for that, it will be ensured that you will receive at least some credit for it. Until then, please enjoy stay on this hotel. Because this country will reward his heroes, someone else will take care about yours problems. And if you forgive me, I must have at last something for the press to work with it, if we must ensure that they will stay off this group." With this line he makes a picture of those four girls in sore state dinning on U-shaped sofa, in some ruined restaurant at ground zero of some disaster.
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"And that's why...." Mugino finished her storytelling to someone... While at this moment she and her team are sitting at a table in an unspecified family restaurant, somewhere in the restored academic city... There is this newspaper spread on the table in front of her… And with her pointing finger, she tapping on the title page of a certain article with a photo of four girls from ITEM team whose looks that they had more hefty hard day that the one you got when you get caught in a hurricane level disaster... And above that image is the catch title: Heroes like from a comic book on broke. Although they saved the day, they knocked down the monster, they help to save the country and probably even the world from even bigger tragedy... Still, they were not strong enough, to defeated the draft in theirs empty wallets.
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[Explanatory (or misguiding) notes:]
Mackerel contains quite a lot of mercury. Mercury is one of the basic elements of alchemy, representing the spirit. (mercury, sulfur and salt) Whatever we say, Frenda's abilities of a sudden reactive chemical reaction can be explained as alchemy, which is a separate offshoot from magic to such an extent that alchemy has become its own set of disciplines and to be alchemist don't directly means to be a mage. (Are you remembering certain alchemist who fight Touma over Index?) Frenda lighter not just remind a magical wand but she swings it in a similar way. In additional, she probably has an unquestionable magical inventory in which dimensions, numbers and weight do not play a significant role. She skilled crafter who pre-craft all her toys, including carpet tape that can burn through still like a torch. She like to give her friends gifts, especially farewell presents to her enemies. The limitation to explosives skill tree can be a consequence of the presence of talent (Esper ability) pulled from within her (existence?, soul? as blessing?). Then she acquired (as she become a tool like a wand) a specialization in a certain type of activity. For example, a cord, sword or scalpel will be damaged if you use it as an ax to mow large trees and the like. (Therefore, only one Esper ability tree per person.) If magic is a desire for a miracle, Esper abilities are a manifestation of talent, then alchemy is breathing the soul into the work/ body. Since these concepts are almost contradictory to each other, one must look for a bypass. For the proper functioning of the body a catalyst would be needed, and for Frenda that catalyst is a mackerel(mercury in it) to which it has an addiction.
Additionally, the Gemstone abilities only become apparent when an unnatural phenomenon of Gemstone is observed. But in order for the phenomenon to be observed, the abilities must first manifest. But when someone perform stage show that showing a certain phenomenon (even fake) then the phenomenon was observed. Imagine the historic religion type rituals. Repeat x times, bringing this knowledge to a large enough audience... And, you dint even notice, but you have someone with Gemstone ability who can perform supernatural phenomenon that, was observed before. Except now it can be observed directly. Like some comics OP Idiot super hero, with random powers that are so silly, that only sillier thing is his explanation about how those powers work. Just like western comic super heroes. So, Gemstones are/ can be civilization customs. Or a mass delusion that become reality.
While I'm in it, the fourth option is the ability to trigger a supernatural phenomenon that appears/ wakes up after a big enough event, as the result of extreme collective psychological or environmental pressure. Like normalizing/ calming the torrential waves, like morning tide which have tossed something on the beach. And that something was awakened power. So stressful event response that it gives bird to ability.
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(July 2021:) I want to have big Inner Scream. On one point I decided to translate certain (this) story from my home tongue to English Language. The effort itself had consumed so much time that I shall be okay if I dint decide to do it. Writing this story (version) for me was not something that was done on one go. But is not just take days to make but it was a months.
It's was not just rewriting it differently, making small chances there and there, i remade it entirely. Practically, I make a completely new version of it, while having previous model to start on it (May 2020?:), that sometimes is more restrictive that helpful. Yeah, use a translator they suggest,-- but those programs are not as good as many will think (July 2021), and on some point, I was not willing use it. This is my… (six?) attempt to translate it and I realize how poorly was my model written to the point, that I got ashamed for my previous work. Even now I have feelings it's not enough. Fixing the bad or (not made translation of certain words) and missing lines that translator returned was not that bad to deal. The nightmare was the puns and references. Sentence in one language can be total gibberish in another.
I rewrite this and realize that I got from 14.000 to 24k in words. Many times, I wanted to give up but I stayed with excuse I wanted something be done, because I got stuck on another bad end. And in the end, I more satisfied that I dint have to deal with it, that I shall be happy that new story is made for my readers. (Actually, right now I am glad that I done it, even if it wont help me in anything.)
What I want to say: that in some cases, translating a story (and doing it good, or at last at mediocre level) can be a bigger deal that making a new one. For so, treasure those who do it as they are writers too. Even if they not are directly called content creators, they still are translators, who make the content accessible for more.
(16. Aug 2024) Ehm, hi. I got better at English, so finding the Typos was a heck thing to do. But it was on my (To do:) list. To see how, a single letter in a word misplaced or be a different symbol, can change the entire meaning of a word and then the meaning of line or entire event. Like when I write the girl flying through the air disappear like a mirage. But I typo diapered, with means losing a diaper, with is funny because her costume skirt got nicknamed as diaper.
Anyway... In this era where AI can ruin nearly everything is hard to stay above water. So thanks for joining me on this story adventure, and maybe, we see each other on another one.
[By Dretnoth, Posted on July 2021. Another grammar Edit on 15-16. Aug 2024. Original Slovak version released in May 2020.]