[ perhaps it is the guise of the mission, of being under orders again, useful in some way that will eventually involve eliminating this underbelly site of its pests, but rider is uncommonly calm without the black armor to aid her.

for this, too, disgusts her. from the very beginning, the state of this world revolted her to no end. in some respects, far worse than the ones she hailed from. from edo's japan. from heian's japan. from tokyo's japan.

and in some respects, just the same. from upon her thundercloud all of humanity's worlds appeared just as infested with evil as the rest. the indulgent music and the greedy patrons are both painfully loud and distantly far.

vile, but a problem that shall be dealt with in due time.

nothing shall stand in her — in their way to see it done.

and the more shousetsu hesitates, the more rider can surmise what her master had witnessed. some grand force had made her privy to the workings of a far-off organization, her history with the world's greatest onmyoji, and her divine power had long caused her to understand the existence of time travel. of separate universes. of endless possibilities.

her master stands on ceremony for no reason. rider glances between the snowplain of that offered hand, and those pools of seagreen and reads the quiet plea in her voice. ]

It's not like you to be so roundabout, my liege. If you have something you wish to convey to me, then, please ... by all means.

[ she places her own hand to her chest. ]

Do so, and I shall listen.