[Immediately post-Wonder Quartet]

[grimgrimwar]

[Private Message to Reiji:]
I protected your Keystone, like you wanted. You can consider this the end of our arrangement.

[Private Message to Hibiki:]
Hey. I'm gonna do my own thing from here on out. Take care of yourself, okay?

[Event:]
[Alexandra is immediately approaching a few people after the climax of the Wonder Quartet and Yuya's duel with Reiji. Top of that list includes Yuya, Yuma and Labrys. Before, in between or after she's spoken to those people, she's open to be approached by anybody else who was present in the Quartet.]

Comments

[tachyonparticle]

You're very close.

It was two other demons, trying to open up a pathway for Tartarus to come through.

The Barian that appeared, Cestus, was a part of an old hunting team that specifically formed to go after him. *... she doesn't have to say anything about their success, or lack of thereof.*

[grimgrimwar]

[Alexandra just looks down. Her culpability in almost letting Tartarus get through to their world is still hanging over her. She gets the feeling that's not going away anytime soon.] ...so I guess since everything's not on fire, you managed to stop them from doing it.

[tachyonparticle]

*She nods a bit*

For now, yes. We've been keeping an eye on movement and activity through the Ettosyleit, especially now that I've gotten the Dragluon Facility to fully cooperate with me without issues.

For the moment... You don't need to worry about it.

[grimgrimwar]

[Well, that's not gonna happen anytime soon, but thanks for the thought.] That's...good. I'm glad. So...what're you gonna do now?

[tachyonparticle]

Right now, I'm going to ask what you've been doing up until now, since I've been dying of wonder this whole time. *Subtle, Labrys.*

... If you mean after this, I need to go back and inform what happened. To Failnaught and the others.

[grimgrimwar]

...pretty sure I need to do a lot of apologizing around that area, so. I might go with you.

[tachyonparticle]

You're more than welcome to join me with that. I can make a gate as soon as you're ready to do that.

Which, on that note... What have you been doing, up until now? *well. She did warn you.*

[grimgrimwar]

[She hesitates, then takes in a breath and lets it out.]

Training. Mostly. For this.

To fight Academia.

[tachyonparticle]

... Ever since you've been gone?

[grimgrimwar]

[She nods.] Akaba Reiji came to me in the hospital. He made me an offer and I went with him. I've been going between Maiami City and the Armory since then, getting myself ready.

[tachyonparticle]

... It's too late to say... that I wish you could've told me exactly why, isn't it?

*she gives a sound like... a laugh?* Not that it makes much difference, since I know now, of course.

[grimgrimwar]

... [She shuts her eyes.] I couldn't talk to you. I wouldn't have been able to resist coming back if I did. And I had to focus completely on making myself strong.

[tachyonparticle]

Well... It clearly worked, didn't it.

You do look better since I last saw you. Healthier. Stronger. Like... Before.

*yet it's clear she does feel something at the fact that you had to avoid speaking to her-- because you would've so wanted to see her again. She doesn't like that she could've gotten in the way of your recovery.*

[grimgrimwar]

...I'm sorry. In that situation, it hurt just to think about you. About not seeing you. How it must've felt for me to just vanish like that. So I just...tried not to think about it as much as possible. [She sighs.] I...saw footage. Of Heartland. Of those poor people. And the horrible things that happened to them. I had to get as strong as I could. To stop Academia.

[tachyonparticle]

... I understand that. After seeing what they've done here... And understanding the threat they're posing, I'm not going to sit by and allow this to unfold.

I just hope that another situation doesn't end up coming up where you'll need to vanish again.

*she pauses then, recalling to back then* Though I suppose I'm no better in my intentions, since I was seriously considering conspiring with Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon, to break you out of the hospital.

[grimgrimwar]

... [After a couple seconds, she manages a teeny-tiny little smile.] You want me all to yourself, huh.

[tachyonparticle]

I have no idea what you're talking about. I just wanted to make sure you'd be safe. Able to recover without people bothering you about what had happened.

... And maybe so I could have you to myself for a moment. No guarantees as to what I was thinking, at the time.

[grimgrimwar]

Mmhm...I think I understand. [...then the smile fades.] I came back to deal with Academia, though. After that... ...I have to face the consequences of what I did.

[tachyonparticle]

*... she gets serious about that.*

Do you feel ready to do that?

[grimgrimwar]

I...think I have to be. [She sighs.] I wanna say something, but I'm afraid it might...make you mad at me.

[tachyonparticle]

... You do know that'll just make me wonder what it is you want to say anyway, correct?

/2

[grimgrimwar]

I...yeah, I know. [She rubs her head.]

[grimgrimwar]

[Then, she gets more serious.] ...I don't think I was wrong. For wanting to destroy Eliphas. And if I could...I probably still would. I just think he's too dangerous and he doesn't deserve to get away with what he's done. But. I never should've let Tartarus use that to manipulate me. And it was unforgivable for me to...hurt people. With what I turned into. And to put you at risk trying to drag me out of the trouble I got myself into. I need to. Take responsibility for all of that.

[tachyonparticle]

*... she closes her eyes. Eliphas aside, given her feelings overall still about the Astrals...

She does agree-- agreeing to let Tartarus use her like that is similar to why she wants to make sure Akaba doesn't use those cards again. To then turn around and hurt others... even if Tartarus had influence on those decisions, Tartarus wasn't the one controlling her. She gets that.

... But she isn't sure of how to say it. She needs to say something here.*

... I guess the question is... how do you intend on taking responsibility for that? For what were your own choices?

[grimgrimwar]

...I don't know. Yuya and Yuma will probably just tell me to forget about it, because that's how they are. I guess I could turn myself back into the police and go to jail.