(Remaster) The Ship of the Tempest

Category Five

The room was peaceful and quiet, a far cry from the horrors of the outside world that have been made from one of their own. Z73 and Shinano both were in this room, surrounded by petals that have fallen from the tree above them, the roof open to allow such an action to fill the room with peace.

Shinano had one hand closed around Z73's, both with their eyes closed as Shinano led her friend through the process she goes through when seeing the prophesied future. It was a slow task, as she expected it to be, as it's not easy for someone to learn something they've never touched on before, but it had to be done.

Together, they slowly began to peer into the future, their minds drawing forth from the strange dreams that Shinano used as they did their best to find their target. Z73 felt as if her mind had left her body entirely, and was flying through the open skies, a bird soaring through the clouds type of feeling, and it was unbelievably liberating.

Thankfully, she picked up on what she had to do soon enough, Shinano's help only making it easier to accomplish her goal. Her mind narrowed onto something, a pull somewhere ahead as the metaphorical clouds cleared from her sight, revealing what she wanted to see.

...

...

...

Z73's hand slowly left Shinano's grip, and as soon as the connection was severed, her eyes snapped open, glowing red with vapor trails steaming off her furious gaze. "No..."

Shinano had a much tamer response, her eyes opening slowly as a calm yet fierce look took her face. "It seems she is quite underhanded...I am sorry."

Z73 barely stood there for a second before moving, her pace quick and heavy as rage and fear flew into her heart faster than it ever has before. She threw open the doors to Shinano's chamber, where Musashi and Adapter were having small idle talks.

Both turned to look at her, flinching as the rage literally turned manifest in the vapor trails. "Z-Z73? What's wrong?"

"Marco..."

Adapter stood up at the name, ready to head out. "What? Where is she?"

"...Home."

"She's...oh...oh no..." Adapter was just as caught as Z73 was, but not for the same reasons.

Musashi didn't say a word, seeing how tense the atmosphere now was. She merely stood up and went to the door, opening it and pulling it open.

"Go, for this is something important to you. If it is as I imagine, there is nothing but trouble to be held the longer you dally here."

Z73 didn't need to hear more as she left the building, her gaze fixed squarely on the road ahead of her while her lips stood shut. Adapter soon followed right behind her, curious as to how her rival's rage influences her actions, while also serving as backup, as she said she would.

"Adapter." She stopped, hearing Musashi's call.

She turned to the Battleship, who was giving her a small smile, one that betrayed that she was into something about her. "You seem worried for her."

"You...of course I would be, we're working together to put an end to this madn—"

"No, that's no proper excuse. That tinge of emotion that's been in your eye, you're truthfully worried for her...almost like you're growing attached."

Adapter went quiet, her eye narrowing on Musashi, who only smiled wider as she went back to the table and began brushing her tails. "You can't both hide such things from us, especially when they're so visible on your face. To think the wall that is your relation is slowly crumbling the longer this goes..."