● Illusory ●

Chapter 25

Lilly

I sighed as I walked away from a pile of guards, dusting off my hands as I stretched for a moment before heading back to the area where Kalle had left us with Haruka. She had informed me of where Alex had gone earlier, to which I couldn't help but wonder if they had gotten lost by now. The few rumbles that I had heard during my brawl with the guards made me wonder if they were okay, or if they had run into someone horrible. Maybe they even found Seiko. Who knows.

Once we reached the area Kalle had left us all, we were met with the scene of half the room blocked off with rubble while the other side was filled with our members looking exhausted. I noticed that Nadine and Yuuko were missing then. "Uh, where's our leaders?" I asked, concerned with their disappearance. Yamikani approached me then.

"They're behind there. They went to go find a way out so we all could reunite," he informed me, "They were even looking for you three....er, two."

"Well, we're here. Two of us at least," I replied, snickering nervously, "I'm pretty sure the third either got lost or had found Kalle at this point."

"They were pretty determined to find him," Haruka replied, "but what about the two girls from the science department? Any word yet on if they're on their way?"

Odalis joined Yamikani then, tapping her watch. "Ashaki told me they were en route, but had run into a problem with the guards at the Neverland Building. Apparently the guards from here went there too," she told us, to which I sighed.

"I really feel like this scheme was elaborately planned," I admitted, "I hope they haven't hurt anyone yet."

Luna stepped forward then, signing [Only injury we have had here is Atalyah spraining their ankle, aside from a few cuts and bruises on everyone.]

I nodded. "That's better than what I assumed," I told her. I decided for now that I'd stick with the group instead of going off and looking for Alex. I felt as though they'd be able to protect themself, especially since they basically could just clear crowds with the point of a finger. I was sure Haruka thought the same, or that she was just preoccupied with the whereabouts of her eldest daughter, as I watched her walk over to the wall of rubble and place a hand on it.

Though, as I turned back to our group, a door burst open with a figure in a black cloak tripping over their own feet before scrambling back up to a stand. We all were on guard now as the figure threw off their hood, revealing short, rose gold locks and a panicked face. I thought I heard Luna shift behind me as the figure held up their hands in surrender. I noticed now that there were little devices sitting in their ears like little headphones. I assumed it was to help them hear.

"Please, I come in peace," they pleaded sincerely as Haruka stepped in front of us all, "I have nothing on me that can hurt any of you except for the gifts that I hold myself, but I would not like to use them either."

"State your business," Haruka told them calmly. The cloaked person looked at her then, still looking worried and alarmed.

"The name I was given was Rose Gold, and I'm only here for one thing," they told us, looking to Luna before returning their gaze back to Haruka.

"I'd like to reverse my mistakes and help all of you and your friends get out of here."

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Alex

"What do you think you're doing!?" Seiko shouted at me, despite being several inches from my face. I winced, yet didn't raise my hands once, not even finding words to speak either. I was still in shock with finding that she's still alive, but at the same time she was strangling me so, really, I couldn't speak clearly if I tried. Though, at the same time, I was still breathless and recovering from my rage against Kalle. If I've learned anything so far today, rage-induced violence is exhausting. Though, honestly, any kind of violence triggers exhaustion and kuebiko.