Corrected & Connected in Cyber Space Interface

[Frenetic Raptor]

So… it really is true. Rey isn’t coming with us, is she? For Sheela, Devon’s words were all full of disappointing information. But what could she do? Part of her lingered upon the possibility of Rey sticking around on their vacation to Aomori, but she knew very well that the decision was not hers to make. Retaining her resilient composure, she followed along with Rey’s imminent farewell and said her emotional goodbyes. With one of their companions fading out of sight, the time was only right to carry on with a much more welcoming agenda. Her brother was already doing his part, beckoning her to board the train.

“I am sure Rey will do just fine.” The only thing he could offer his sister was a few words of encouragement in return. “As for you, I do think it is in our best interest if we board the train.” He could only imagine how devastated Sasha would be if Sheela got left behind. Not a thought he wished to consider at this particular moment. With his words seeming to sink in, Sheela tailed Nicholas from close behind as they stepped inside with the others. Upon arrival, Nicholas could only smirk at Nathan’s remarks regarding luxury travel fares. Simply meant he was wrong yet again, from his sister’s viewpoint.

Sheela’s eyes were alight as she wandered around the room, examining various features. “So… um... brother… you mean all of these accommodations come standard with every room?” She spun around playfully, and focused her attention solely upon her brother. She could see the questions her words arose from his lack of response. Proving Nicholas wrong was fun and all, though experiencing and seeing new things was far more entertaining. With Nelwa covering a significant portion of the costs, taking full advantage of this vacation became much easier. For that, Sheela was very appreciative of Nelwa’s hospitality.

Unlike his sister, Nicholas could only wonder what form of repayment if any this little trip of theirs would actually wind up costing them in the end. Just the notion of being under constant surveillance was a bit unsettling. Then again, there was really no difference whether they were watched by a hacker or the Gvn, for that matter. Shaking off any unwanted feelings of negativity, he would further perceive Nelwa’s actions as an extra layer of necessary security. A little added reassurance was found through a creative text message of sorts, directly linked upon the television screen.

With everyone remaining situated within the room, Sheela calmly listened to all of the deeply interesting speculation that took place. What would happen if the availability of becoming a Corrector opened up once more? Could she simply say yes at another chance just as Sasha had done, just now? Her heart did feel familiar sentiments in her desire to protect. At the same time, until she could confirm any sort of truthful motive from either side, she held her doubts of being able to form a confident decision of her own.

Not wishing to dwell upon uncertainty, Nicholas was glad a change of topic was on the order. There was no use in speculation without the facts. Until the time arrived where a choice had to be made, he was entirely content with enjoying the moment as much as possible. Parks, museums, and an aquarium, those were all pretty good options to involve one’s self with. As for the hot springs, what better way to relax and ease away some unwanted tension. Nicholas was content with the current agenda.

So was everyone else, especially Sasha. As a result, Sheela found herself locked into another one of Sasha’s notorious bear hugs. Anxious as ever, Sheela expressed herself aloud in full agreement. “You bet we can!” Sounded like the proper room assignment to her. However the boys wanted to handle the rest was up to them. “You think we could go to that aquarium, too?” She wasn’t sure how the others would feel, but it wouldn’t hurt to put in her own vote ahead of time. For as long as she could remember, Sheela held a strong attraction to those sorts of places.

“Not sure about you guys, but who’s interested in the possibility of their being a white Christmas of all things? I think it would be a nice to have one this year.” He wasn’t entirely sure if anyone paid notice to the weather outside. The winter season, even through its bitter cold, captured his fascination the most out of the four seasons. Either way, with or without the snow, as long as they made the best of their vacation and enjoyed themselves, that was all he could ask for.

[Genkai]

"Ooh we can have a snow ball fight!" Sasha nearly yelled as she released Sheela before she could deafen her beloved companion. The idea tickled Sasha to think that they could be in a carefree sort of combat where everything wasn't life and death. Devon arched a brow and gave Nicholas a bit of a 'look what you did' expression but it was in good fun. It was fairly important to keep the mood light and not too weighed down with drama or angst. For now, they needed to enjoy themselves and their destination, whatever it would bring. They were on quite an adventure. "I wanna do some shopping for my mom and dad." Sasha also commented and then looked to the other four. "And you guys too of course." But Sasha wasn't too sure what she could get her friends, she would think of something though. Devon's ears had perked up at the mention of the aquarium. He held back before expressing his interest as it seemed Sasha had caught up to what Nathan had just previous stated about their hacker friend. "Oh well, I'm surprised there wasn't dramatic music and fireworks. Or something." She chuckled a little and stepped back a ways to give everyone some space. The vacancy left by Rey would be hard to ignore but there had to be faith that the cozy group would be able to truck on. Rey was going her own way and it wasn't really goodbye forever.

"Maybe there will be some upon our arrival." Devon suggested and turned back to Sheela. "I'm down for going to the aquarium. Not sure about everyone else..." He trailed off a little and looked toward the other three. Of course if it was just him and Sheela, it wouldn't be so bad. He was sure Nathan and Sasha could find something geeky to do like visit a manga store or something. Then of course there was Nicholas but he would probably be okay with doing either. Since it was their vacation, it was best to do whatever made them happy. And although being with Sheela made their leader happy, it might be best for them to separate for at least a few hours. "Anyway..." He trailed off again and moved over to sit near everyone, his back to the window which he didn't mind. He didn't need to look at the blurry gray scenery. He would much rather just look after his friends. "So the hot springs, at least everyone's agreed there." Devon said and took out his cell phone. It was hard not to go right to their application used for connecting, Cnnt, to the DgtWld. While things had been hectic online recently, he couldn't help but feel a void inside of himself. While he refused to make judgements so soon, he couldn't help but miss work...well back when it was black and white.

Sasha leaned over to Nathan who had shown his support in rejoining the Gvn should he have the chance to do so. Part of her wanted to make a joke about how it might just be the two of them taking down evil viruses and hackers but it seemed ill fitting so she just looked at everyone. Beyond Devon's blond hair, she saw the outside world. Never again she could view online or offline as harmless. Everyone was lucky, they were so ignorant. While their job was but a memory at the moment, Sasha didn't dare mention it to her loved ones. Not yet. Not until she was older, wiser, perhaps when they wouldn't scoff at her wild imagination. "You know...I've been meaning to move out of my parents' for a while so...if anyone wants a roommate..." She smiled a little and raised a hand. Maybe it was because Rey was off on her own or maybe because they just escaped a deadly situation or maybe it was because of the season, but Sasha felt like making a change and she couldn't help but cling to the only thing she knew best which were her friends. Of course it was likely that if no one spoke up, she would probably stay at home until she died. Maybe it was time though...to start to mature, to stand on her own. Maybe her own place was the first step.

The guy knew her baited comment all too well and just sighed. "Don't look at me." He muttered. He highly doubted that the twins had room as they seemed to have enough to deal with anyway. And Rey's apartment was too cramped already. If it really came down to it though, Devon was sure he would begrudgingly offer his place to Sasha if she really really needed it. He slipped his phone away and took another drink from his bottle. The rest of the ride wasn't too eventful. Someone did come in and offer their services but no one seemed too interested or needy. Devon was relieved that Sasha ended up dozing off in one of the beds. He feared she might just babble endlessly the entire time while trying to play "I Spy". 'Maybe the whole almost dying thing was a wake up call to not be such a child.' He thought. Devon ended up doing some reading from his phone, otherwise he played some video games or just mulled over their present position. When the train pulled into the Aomori Station, it was nearly five in the evening. "Well since Nelwa hasn't mentioned our hotel accomodations, I assume-" Just then everyone's phones went off with a text as they de-boarded the train.

Attached was instructions to the hotel. "Guess we go, drop off our things and head to the nearest hot spring huh?" He smirked.

"I wonder about the delay." Sasha noted. It just didn't seem like Nelwa to be sloppy like that. 'Maybe she's busy with all the other stuff she mentioned.'

* - * - * - *

It had been such chaos.

There hadn't been much time to try and explain the misunderstanding that had taken place so long ago but the event played on a loop inside of Vypr's head.

The sound of the old voice, her old name, it had been so long since she heard it. In fact it had been so long that Vypr had feared she had gone mad, given herself some crazy story to justify all the hate that was pent up inside of her. That's all she could feel in a lonely digital world: fear, hate, confusion and madness. Her chest was heavy and she wondered if she might slip into comfortable unconsciousness. This meeting was long overdue, something she never thought she'd ever experience. And now here it was. Part of her wanted to run away, another part of her wanted to lash out and yet she couldn't move, it was as if she were unable to walk. This virtual reality was all she ever knew for so long. While Martha was off living, feeling, eating, breathing fresh air...Mela was stuck inside, left to rot for the criminal which she wasn't. She had been wronging accused and wrongly imprisoned. How could things change? What was change? Vypr was still very much uneasy about trusting anyone, let alone her old companion. Was Odyssey even real or was this another trap for her to fall into? Her heart couldn't take another blow, not that hard. When the young woman before her blurted out a flailing apology, she just stared, unable to hear anything but her own heart beat.

Mela was torn, in so many ways. The two old friends had so much to say, so much to do. It was almost too much. Slowly, she walked forward, her first instinct was ignored, which was to ignore Martha. Her second was also ignored, which was to lash out verbally as well as physically. She was very ambivalent. Somehow Martha was not. She was inviting, charming, commanded as usual. Vypr could only inch closer to her to make sure she wasn't dreaming, wasn't imagining some kind of mental oasis for herself. Maybe it was too late to be saved. "I thought I had killed you..." She whispered softly and reached out for the other's hand. She had been blaming herself, the Gvn, everyone for the wrongful deaths and isolation suffered. While she wanted to be angry, vengeful, a part of her mind wanted to rejoice in the reunion. "If you're real...then I'm not...crazy." She was trying to process everything, trying to be as assertive as she used to be but a caged animal over time, could lose itself. "I don't know what they told you...back then but it was lies, all of it was lies." Mela said and bit her lower lip. "I can't log out...I'm tired of being hunted. I'm tired of being alone." She pleaded and shut her eyes as real tears filled her eyes.

Everything was crashing down, this was too much.

"Why are you here?" She slowly opened her eyes. Memories of the past began to burn her heart and she looked off. Already she had forgotten that they were being watched. Vypr didn't care, this was her friend. She had a friend! They were foes for a frozen moment in time and there was hope, there it was standing in front of her. If only their eyes could speak a thousand conversations at once. If only. Mela sighed softly. "I tried to explain, you were..." She was now trying to justify the actions taken. "You were trying to do your job but...I...I was your friend." While she wanted to be hopeful and happy, she still had to let her anger out. "I was your friend! I didn't want to hurt you but all of you hurt me and then I thought-" She shook her head. "I thought I lost all of you and now here you are!?" She breathed in deeply. "Why...why did you wait? What happened to you?" She whispered painfully, eyes dead set on Martha.

[Reialgo]

"Now you've done it" Nathan spoke in Nicholas' direction, though Sasha's near deafening sequel probably made it hard for anyone to hear anything at that moment. Sasha's seemed to be stockpiling a mental list of "fun" things to do over the trip, the effectiveness would vary vastly for each of them that would be sure. "At least give us fair warning before you try some form of Armageddon", as he suddenly had images of her standing by some large snowball pile she had created prior. He sincerely hoped Sasha wasn't extending the shopping raid, which would no doubt consume most of the day, to the other males, for the most part he would look like he was being dragged around by an invisible leash by a enthusiastic pair of girls. He noted Devon's....heightened interest when "Aquarium" was tossed out, more than how he usually reacted to about anything. He made a somewhat sheepish response to the suggestion that left Nathan unsure of whether he wanted as little people to come as possible, or that he was afraid it wouldn't be fun. "Aquarium's are fine too....certainly more interesting than looking at clothes" adding a quick glance in Sasha's direction as he finished.

He grimaced at the thought of obnoxious fireworks upon there arrival, made even worse by the fact that Newla was probably listening in some way to their current conversation and giving ideas to such an eccentric character was sure to end in disaster. He simply nodded to Devon when he affirmed the wish to find a hotspring, which could be an interesting experience. Nathan couldn't really think of anything interesting to add to the invisible pile of "stuff to do" he supposed if their was a theme park kicking around that it could be fun but bar that...and he hadn't researched Aomori very well anyway. He made more glances towards Sasha. this time being the uncomfortable kind as she was motioning towards him like she was about to sport some devious idea that had just popped into her head. Thankfully it was only about her living conditions, though having her around in the same house 24/7 might have been considered devious in some way. Devon immediately deflected the possibility, leaving the question hanging in the air for some time. Nathan stayed silent, partially because he assumed Sheela would perk up any minute, with or without her brother's consent.

Those were the only moments worth mentioning on the train trip, for the most part each member of the group retreated into their own world for most of the trip, not to say they intentionally ignored each other as at least one of them dozed off to sleep and listening to his thoughts was Nathan's usual way to burn up travel time. The blurred scenery became a vague background as he went back to the matter of becoming a corrector again. So far only 2 people present had voiced there real opinion on the matter, with Nicholas and Sheela remaining entirely silent and Devon dodging around an answer for the time being. It made him think if he would go back even if it was only himself who ended up wanting to do it. He was sure he wouldn't have managed to come so far without them, noting that he had become somewhat dependent on just there presence to get through a normal day, would his answer still be the same if the others refused? he equally wondered over what that really meant of his resolve over the whole business. His semi-daydream was cut short, as always, by the train pulling into Aomori. For the sake of it, he checked around to ensure that fireworks were absent from the scene, though the twilight sky would have made them exceptional to watch. Reading the abrupt text instructions from Newla, he chuckled upon Sansha's mention of a delay, to him it seemed right on que, as disturbingly always. "Guess we better hurry up before this chill gets to us" he mentioned, checking his bag wasn't about to slide off.

*~*~*~*

Words, words were good, weakly spoken perhaps, but far better than the slash of a sword. Hearing Vypr speak to her, even trying to interact with her, shook Martha enough to sort out her head. She stopped feeling like she was about to fall apart as she watched the other girl slowly move towards her like she was consciously thinking about every step. Taking a deep breath she met the girl's somewhat dead gaze. She quickly grasped the girl's hand, squeezing it once and showing a soft grin afterwards. "It's a little cheep how real they make these avatars feel" she mentioned, still trying to process what Mela was currently thinking. She talked about going mad, perhaps it was more surprising that she was sane after being imprisoned in such a manner. "I guess I was a little too good...even for you" she kept the soft tone, and the smile as she saw the virtual tears in the other girl's eyes, it was certainly infectious.

"I know, I know, Newla told me enough for me to get an idea" she spoke in a similar manner to how she might try and calm a child without coming off as patronizing. The girl became more direct with each line she spoke likely coming to grips with the situation. "I came to see you, because words alone weren't enough to tell me that you were alive." With each passing second Martha too felt the anxiety, and even fear, evaporate from her system, she'd heave a sigh of relief if she hadn't got the impressing that Mela was currently in a state where a stray gust of wind might be enough to topple her. But then she threw out the obvious questions, the ones those feelings had created well before this conversation, she could only dodge her direct gaze as she asked. She knew it was unrealistic to be quite so optimistic, something was bound to come back.

"The gvn stripped my corrector rights almost as soon as I logged out, after that.....well......maybe I did drift of to another place. It wasn't that I waited, but I stopped caring about the world." She paused briefly, before squeezing her hand again and brightening her features, "But then I was given another way in, that Newla...well....she's not as bad as her role makes her seem. I mean she made this possible!" She smiled a little wider, in both an attempt to cheer Mela up, and suppress her own tide of tears.

[Frenetic Raptor]

Real World: The chilly city of Aomori welcomes you.

Unable to contain his own composure, Nicholas chuckled along at the mention of a snowball fight. That was until Devon made a passing glance in his direction. Spotting the awkward glare, containing playful intent, Nicholas’ suddenly went silent as his eyes looked away in hopes of not drawing any further attention. He would certainly receive no assistance from Nathan, expressing similar sentiments towards his location. As for his sister… forget about it. He could just see them now, the two girls teaming up against him and the boys, pummeling them into submission. No, a snowball fight was nothing more than a mere competition of little skill; if one won that is. On the other hand, to lose was far worse and meant Armageddon indeed. As for shopping, that too could be very destructive and severely damaging to Sheela’s limited wallet. Impulsive, personal buys were the most dangerous of all purchases. If Sasha was willing to consider a gift for her friends, there had to be something she could give to her in return, as well as the others. Of course, what each one within their group truly desired remained unclear. At least she would be in the company of Devon, and possibly Nathan as both expressed an interest in visiting the aquarium with her. Being with close company was always going to be more delightful than going alone, no matter where the destination. Further discussion brought along even more amusing moments, Sasha providing a rather peculiar proposition. Having Sasha as a potential roommate? Was that even remotely possible? Nicholas scratched his head, unsure of how to handle any sort of response. Sheela would most definitely be all for another roommate; not as if extra room was a problem. The main concern, from Nicholas’ standpoint, was the inability to endure not just his sister, but Sasha as well. Better not to suggest any such availability, for he would never hear the end of it from his cunning sister. He would leave this entire matter to Sheela to figure out… or not. With the lack of discussions, and Sasha fast asleep upon one of the bunks, Sheela yawned out of a developing boredom. Noticing little else to preoccupy herself with, she glanced around unfocused in her last attempt at finding anything to keep herself busy. Unsuccessful, she found her way to one of the bunks and plopped herself down, growing even more fidgety. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am going to get some shut eye.” Sheela took to sleep quickly as she lay sprawled across the bed; her eyes closed and her thoughts drifting along. There was no need to wake the peaceful sleeping beauty until their grand arrival in Aomori. Nicholas took to the tranquility of the moment. With his own phone in his hands, he kept himself at the table, listening to random tracks to bide his time. Every so often a glimpse outside piqued his interest, curious as to the changing of the weather. Time shifted along and the approach of the evening was well in hand. Soon after, the train reached its destination as the group composed itself once more, some of its members more slowly than others. Getting Sheela to awaken was never the easiest of tasks to fulfill, yet with a bit of persistence of his own, she was up and ready to go. All Sheela had to do now was find her reserved room at the hotel and get to those revitalizing hot springs. It wasn’t as if an unusual delay was a cause for major concern. At least, Sheela hoped there was nothing wrong or anything bad happening surrounding Nelwa. Not as if she understood for certain what Sasha had been referring to specifically. Nathan’s words that followed were just the push she needed to get moving. “Yeah, let’s not let the big bad chill catch us now,” she jokingly responded. Not like the current weather was actually a living entity they had to run away from.

[Genkai]

She couldn't help but feel her spirit slump when it started to sound as if she would be alone shopping. Of course if her friends really didn't want to go, which seemed to be the case recently what with that recent trip to the movies and all. Sasha could just go along with whatever was planned if it would make everyone happen. Surely she didn't want to bicker over how they were going to spend their vacation. While going to the Aquarium sounded fun at first, it likely would be too much for the girl who would look at everyone once and want to leave. She knew Devon loved fish so he'd enjoy it but she was a bit caught off guard by Sheela suggesting it. The woman would likely be fine on her own as long as she had her GPS on her, then she wouldn't be lost. And if she did buy anyone anything for Christmas, it would be better that no one was around. So she tired to look on the bright side just in case she didn't plan anything with anyone else. Finally upon their arrival, everyone collected themselves and their belongings and headed off. Sasha looked over her shoulder and wondered what Rey would be up to now that they were actually going their separate ways. It was temporary of course but it made Sasha wonder that if Rey hadn't had other things to attend to, that maybe Rey would at least want to hang out with her.

When Sheela finally headed off and the train pulled onward, Sasha didn't say anything about it or Nathan's comment and just walked down off the platform. She looked around and saw a few taxi cabs by the side of the curb outside of the station. She walked up to one and before she could get too close, the driver got out and helped with everyone's bags and they headed into his large van. Had it not been painted red and labeled as a cab, it would be a bit odd. Sasha gave the kind man their address and sat back, keeping quiet other than that. Her mind may have lingered on Rey and missing her company. Or it could have been on Nelwa and Vypr and their jobs. Or it could have been on being in a new area with so much to see and do. Or her mind could have been on herself and what she would do with her life. If they didn't get their jobs back then what would happen? Surely they'd need new jobs to fill the void and to pay bills. Or they could go back to school and try to make up for all the lost time they had spent saving people from things that no one knew existed as a threat. Sasha didn't consider telling her future employers about her past job because they would think she was mentally ill.

The car ride from the station to their hotel was fairly quiet, at least for Sasha who was tuning anything out anyone else might have been saying. Though this was the holiday season, a time to rest and spend with loved ones, she had a hard time doing so. She knew her friends would want to recharge as much as possible before dealing with the unknown future that lie before them. Sasha didn't feel like much of a leader anymore, there was no one to lead, nothing to fight anymore. There was a chance growing ever so larger in her head, that she and her friends would just vanish into a regular life. What was holding them together now? Surely they had no job and even if they did her friends were unclear about wanting to even return to it. Was this an end of an era? While the past few weeks were tough, she remembered a lot of the good times, when she would help her friends fight off evil viruses or hackers who were trying to poison society. Images of running to school because the night before had been another sleepless one and then running into everyone in the halls, they'd pass one another knowing looks and continue on until they were summoned by the Gvn again. Sasha wondered where those happy days had run off to? Playing hide and seek in her reality now...

"Hey, we're here, kid." Devon nudged the pensive Sasha who had been staring out the left window.

"Oh. Right. Yeah, cool thanks." Sasha managed a smile and climbed out. She paid the taxi herself and grabbed her own bag and walked up to the entrance. The hotel was nice, modern and fairly tall (about 6 stories high) with a few traditional touches.

The car ride for Devon had been fairly alright. He took the time to tell Sheela about some of the expected marine life they would surely find at the Aquarium. Devon was rather surprised, like Sasha, to have heard the girl show interest in going. He would have thought she would enjoy shopping or roaming around the streets for cute guys like Sasha. But he had forgotten for a moment that the group itself was not whole, that was could be slightly off balance and that someone might feel left out. He of course was doing his best to forget about the troubles that awaited them in due time. For now he wanted to enjoy traveling, as it was something he couldn't do with school and work. And since work had been cut off, he had more time to spend with his fellow ex-Correctors and do something fun for a change. While Sasha may have seen their work as fun, like a game...it was more serious for Devon. He treated the bugs they were told to destroy seriously. He didn't really get a joy out of deleting something or killing someone if he ever had to. He enjoyed fishing and being one with nature. Technology had ruined too many lives.

Their jobs were evident of that. So if he did get a chance to wander around the wilderness of Aomori, he would be happy with that too. He had just finished telling Sheela about the Auga Market which has many delectable treats like scallops and octopus. He felt the car come to a halt and he looked around. They had been transported from the rural station to a bustling part of town which was likely the heart, or close to it, of the city. There were people trekking through the snow, doing shopping or stopping to eat someplace. It was lively yet at the same time it held an aroma of solidarity, of wholesomeness. While he missed the chaotic Tokyo, he found himself enjoying the switch in scenery. He got out of the cab but turned to see their hyperactive leader staring off. 'Come to think of it, she had been awfully silent on the ride over, not oh'ing and ah'ing at everything that crossed her line of sight.' He thought but shrugged it off. If he needed to, he would pull her aside later and see what was going on in that brain of hers. For now he would just focus on their new event: checking in. He looked around once more and headed on inside while Sasha got out of the cab. He walked up to the counter and wondered what the room would be under.

Pulling out his phone, he checked the text from Nelwa and used the name it was under, an alias he already assumed. He got them all stickers which could attach to their phones and be used to exit and enter their room. Devon didn't want to admit his excitement, but after the fancy digs on the train, he wondered if they had similar treasures waiting them in their room. He turned back to the others who had gotten out of the bitter cold. The lobby was decorated in bright red and green and silver. There was a classic song playing in the background but his attention had moved on to the shiny glass elevators by them. "Let's get going, we have Suite 302-304." He assumed they had jointed rooms or something and just headed over to the elevator. They got inside after letting a couple exit which Devon, were newlyweds based on the amount of gushy feelings radiating off of them. Devon looked off, feeling a bit uncomfortable and just pressed the third button. They got up to their room and unlocked the door. They were greeted with a lovely panoramic view of the city. There was a large living room and bathroom with a large bedroom. The bedroom was more traditional while the bathroom was high tech and modern, and the living room had both styles melted together. There was a door connection both identical swanky rooms.

"I guess we'll take 304, ladies, we can unpack and head out in say, 30 minutes?" Devon suggested.

* - * - * - *

"Cheap?" Mela retorted. "This has been my life, this is my reality. I've felt pain here beyond anything in the real world and there's nothing to save me from it like there would be out there." She told Martha. Though Martha's remark seemed to be a joke, it wasn't all that humorous to Vypr who just looked off for a moment. Now didn't seem the right moment to compare one another's abilities in the DgtWld. Vypr had improved herself within the time she had been imprisoned. It's all she could do, really. From the sounds of it, Martha had her own troubles to attend to. Mela could somewhat see how her friend could have lost herself. Mela just wished she could have helped more but she had limited resources when it came to contacting the outside world. And just a few weeks ago, she was ready to kill off the pesky Correctors who had offered her help. And now Odyssey was before her, holding her hand. It felt too good to be true. Mela nodded slowly. "I'm not sure what we do now..." Vypr spoke in all honesty. "I want to get out of here so bad but...another part of me feels unwelcomed back. Is there even a way to get me out of here?" She kept inquiring, acutely aware that her friend might not have all the answers at the moment.

In the back of her head, she knew that her friend would likely have to go. Time seemed to pass at varying speeds to Mela. But even so now that she knew she had a companion, a real one! She really didn't want to let go just yet. "How long...can you stay?" She asked Martha slowly, trying not to sound as needy as she felt inside. But it was like she had been living in darkness and there was this flicker of light that was moving and Mela had to run to catch it, she would surely run like hell then. She brushed a hand through her hair that was pulled back and bit her lower lip. Surely Martha could relate to her position as it seemed both women had been cast aside wrongly. Now it was time for them to burst outward and onward. She wanted to make the Gvn pay, and pay they would. She had just to make a plan and execute it. Justice had to be done. Soon a static was heard and then an image of a woman appeared. She had deeply colored gray hair and large rabbit ears. She had on a crown and held a wand in her hand. The woman was dressed in formal crimson, chocolate and silver colors. Her left hand was covered by a velvet glove which the right was bare and held the long wand.

"Greetings." She said. "I am Nelwa, this is one of the three avatars I've made for myself." She introduced herself.

"Hello..." Vypr replied stiffly.

"And hello again, Odyssey." Nelwa smiled, her long hair flowing softly despite there being no wind in the DgtWld. Her red eyes, which matched her real life hair, looked around at the whiteness. "I have decided to come in and explain what is weighing so heavily on both your minds. There are two ways we can safely extract young Vypr from her digital cage but it will take a lot of time and work, depending which route we take. We will need your help of course, Odyssey." Nelwa instructed. "I am also juggling a few others things but I don't see why I can't give you two an extra push whenever needed. We need to locate some of her past DNA and make sure she's safe. We don't know if the Gvn kept her body for their own future purposes or if DNA will have to do. We also need a way to connect her mind to her old body, which I could build in my home but we could always break into the Gvn facility and use that, kill two birds with one stone..." She paused for a moment and tapped the side of her slim wand against the side of her chilled face. "We also need to get a spare MChip for you, luckily a few people just died and I could get one of those..." She trailed off slowly. "But with Vypr's hacking and Odyssey's...well...not being trapped here, we could do a lot of work but it won't be easy."

"Are you saying I might not be able to...?" Vypr struggled to speak up at the moment.

"Oh no, we will find a way, trust me."

"Why?" She asked. "Why should I trust any of you?" She hissed.

"I understand, but don't don't this to yourself...don't cease trusting people because your Gvn managed to trick your little friends. Don't waste your life with this hatred and revenge or I won't waste my time and money helping you. You can drive yourself mad with reasons why I or those ex-Correctors which to help you but don't write off that people do good things, just yet. People do bad things, that's easy enough to see yes? Well people do equally good things all the time and you've been in hell far too long to recognize it." Nelwa looked to Martha. "So what are you thinking?" She asked while Vypr calmed back down.

[Reialgo]

"Well, I do prefer not to be shivering, thank you very much" Nathan spoke bak to Sheela's little jab, though with a clear smile on his face. Whether in agreement or not, Sasha was already on the move towards the taxi bay. Leaving any victory comment alone he followed suite, and was amused by the driver's eagerness to help them pack into the red painted van. It wasn't that he was doing a bad job, just tht he hadn't been treated to quiet the same level of professionalism as the accommodations were clearly about to show. It was a mostly silent exchange, quick and efficient. The man noted down there hotel from Sasha and as simple as that, they were off, apparently ignoring the unwritten traveling law that dictates all passengers must wait for an inconvenient length of time before actually going anywhere.

Once again scenery sped past Nathan's field of vision in a blur, though this time in a manner that his eyes could comprehend. He noted the vast difference between the more modern, built up city of Tokyo and Aomori's rural feeling. Of course it would have been vastly different, but it was more akin to taking a step backwards in time than changing location. He was sure the city had it's own fair share of bustling markets and cramp alleyways, but the current scenery held a kind of charm that his usual surroundings couldn't hope to muster, the differences were down to such a fundamental level. He kept one ear lazily interested in the voices inside the taxi, surprisingly Devon filling most of the silence with tales of the multitude of sea creatures, Nathan couldn't quite remember the last time he had seen the man so lively.On the other hand Sasha was seemingly holding her voice, joining Nathan and Nicholas in silence but for both such behavior was expected. Sasha seemed to be lacking her usual energy, thinking a little back she had seemed to be brooding since they all stepped off the train.

It was a sign that they sill had obstacles to clear before they could truly relax, to really stand a chance of acting like the older days, no matter how hard Devon wanted it to happen. He was almost certainly not the only one to note the girl's silence again with each of them being perceptive at least to one another, but he still ended up mulling over what he could ever do to change that realization. When the taxi finally pulled up, he found himself stepping out to a far more built up area, infact the scenery on there trip had seemed to build up to it, becoming more and more modern as they had driven onwards. There hotel was respectably large, clearly taking after a more modern style as opposed to replicating more traditional looks which he had thought might have been the case.

The woman attending the counter accepted Devon's given information with a practiced smile, directing him to there accommodation some three stories up, of course the elevator was the only reasonable option, especially if it were the kind that high class hotels pride themselves on. Accepting the handy info sticker that Devon had grabbed they headed over to the lift, made an awkward encounter with a....very ecstatic couple before piling inside. The idea that they were that they were holing several suite' for the duration of their vacation made Nathan's head swim, though he'd be lying if he said he wouldn't be disappointed if it lacked a mini fridge. Inside their rooms, hey were greeted by an incredibly inviting lving quarters, it's position clearly cherry picked to get an amazing view of Aomori, which alone probably skyrocketed the price. The room overall possessed some odd clashing theme of traditional and new, with touches of both everywhere in small, restrained amounts. With Devon being quick to assign the suite's Nathan quickly followed. A the current moment he didn't truly care for finesse, simply sliding the rucksack of his back and rum aging around for more suitable clothing to be visiting a hot spring, still finding it a little insane that they were going through with such an idea so soon, part of him just wished to shut down for the remainder of the day, it might avoid anything crazy going down over at the springs.

*~*~*~*

"Your right, I'm sorry that was inconsiderate" Martha apologized, having slipped into a more casual feeling she had forgotten how hard it might have been to talk to someone like this. Though she'd be kidding herself if she even tried to understand what Mela had gone through, being trapped in a place where any part of the world could betray you. She had wondered how the girl had even survived in such a state, it was an impressive feat to be able to dodge the higher ups in their own system, at least she sincerely hoped that Mela's survival was thanks to her own intuition, not some twisted reason to keep her alive. She looked a little grim when Mela brought up the elephant in the room, her smile was still genuine but it became less radiant "I don't know where to even begin about trying to get you back, but Mela, promise me that when we do, you'll take it, and don't worry, I'm not the only person trying to fix this." It was a possibility, thought not one Martha had thought that the other girl would really be considering, it might have well been down to getting used to this world.

"Long enough" she said, springing up another grin at Mela's masked request, it showed she wasn't so dead on the inside.She seemed to be calming down rather quickly, she was certainly becoming less tense. Though she wasn't entirely sure what else she could do for Mela at this point, other than act as a real ghost from her past. Apparently deciding she had waited long enough, loud static heralded the arrival of Newla, dressed in an extravagant style in the avatar that reminded Martha of some cartoonish witch, except that Newla's strange mind had altered it to oddly elegant features. "Eccentric as always, Newla" letting go of Mela's hand to turn to the last person she would have thought she would have gotten help from, though that was six months ago.

She listened to her sudden explanation of Vypr's possible salvation, which was apparently more possible than she had thought, well save for the part about raiding the Gvn facility, and maybe finding DNA from a girl who has been literally removed from reality. It also, irked her how she glossed over those hacker's deaths, but she wasn't about to bring it up there and then. She turned back to Mela when the girl became rightfully suspicious of the people before her, especially how the last time she probably interacted with Newla it was likely slashing her viral creations. "Because Newla can bring others into the dgt wld without a corrector status, if she knows how that system works then she'll be able to reverse it to get you out, though that's making it sound too simple...." She turned back to Newla when she spoke directly to her once again, pausing before saying "Lots of things, for one I don't know how you intend to find Mela's DNA, if we can even confirm that her body is still....alive...." she quickly glanced back to Mela for a second trying not to word it quiet to realistically, "If we're wanting to get into that facility, i's not exactly something I could do alone, not in reality anyway...how were you even considering going about such a thing?" She was in a difficult spot to do anything, lacking the proficiency with the world's coding like the other two in the room, her best bet was likely to be brute force, but only as Odyssey.

[Frenetic Raptor]

Nathan did have a valid point. Sheela could joke about the weather all she wanted, but she was stuck in the same numbing coldness as everyone else. Hushing her silly words, she followed the others as Sasha led them along, off the platform. A brief walk led the group to a line of potential cabs and an enthusiastic man close by, taking to his role as an unsophisticated chauffer. Not that a red van with a label hinted otherwise as to the type of driver behind the vehicle. Admiring the man’s dedication, Sheela handed over her bag. Like a good mannered civilian, she took a seat inside, near Devon. The next stop was to the hotel.

On their travels, Sheela found herself in the midst of an educational preview regarding the sea life they would encounter at the Aquarium. There was no doubt; Devon held a passionate understanding to an overlooked, aquatic habitat. Many of these sea creatures she could recall; there were others she had no clue could have possibly existed. Intrigued by the unfamiliar, Devon’s knowledgeable words were a beckoning to venture into the unexplored. Just to be able to take a moment to enjoy nature’s simplicities in their truest form was more than enough of an experience. Sheela knew not whether these feelings were just a part of a forgotten innocence calling out to her or simply another distraction from the real world.

The topic was soon led astray, bringing about a discussion regarding the consumption of such similar marine life. Nicholas found his focus shifting to the outside world as it sped ahead in fast forward. Just as the thoughts of the Augu Market dissipated from his mind so did any lasting impressions of a society without the demanding reliance of technology having ever existed. With unfocused eyes, nothing beyond his own presence held any lingering attachment while the world built upon itself as humankind’s steel creations arose, towering emotionless over the land. This was truly civilization to its fullest extent, for better or worse.

With the hotel in clear view and the taxi van nearing a halt, Nicholas snapped himself back to reality. There he waited until the rest stepped out before he found his way back into the cold air. Without a doubt; Sasha’s lackadaisical approach to everything was a little concerning. The whole trip was supposed to be a lighthearted excursion and nothing to be taken serious. There would be no blaming the weather as a scapegoat, for any dampened spirits. Nicholas desired nothing of the sort, and would see to it that Sasha had company to spend time with. Sheela and Devon were the only ones who seemed to take this vacation in stride, for what it was.

With everyone inside the warmer, climate controlled interior of the spacious lobby, Sheela gladly accepted her snazzy looking sticker. Wasting no time, she attached her sticker to her phone before wandering about, taking an attraction to all of the festive decorations; not to mention the fully featured Christmas tree. It wasn’t until Nicholas urged her to get a move on did she close in on the group. She too couldn’t shake those lovey-dovey sentiments from her mind, witnessing the same couple pass her by, presumably newlyweds. Not as if that would faze Sheela, the most resilient one of the bunch.

With everyone all aboard and a single tactical push of a button, Devon initiated the launch sequence to great and unimaginable heights; the whimsical glass elevator lifted off, successfully reaching and landing upon the third floor. Dear lord, what the others would have said if they ever heard what she was thinking, those immature thoughts of hers. Remaining positive, she kept up with everyone to their designated room. The door was unlocked, compliments of the quick witted Devon. What greeted them next was a one-of-a-kind view. This living, picturesque scene of a winterized skyline of Aomori was a perfect snapshot of greatness. Accompanying such a dazzling view was the highest of hospitable accommodations.

Sheela stuck to admiring the view until Devon began to set the next plan in motion. “Roger that. You are clear to advance to room 304.” Holding herself to a cunning smirk, she quickly ended her transmission. Good thing they were granted a thirty minute recess. Should be enough to compose herself just a bit. That’s the last time she ever decided to take a nap during the middle of the day. There was one benefit to her role as Corrector; Sheela never had an overabundance of energy to go to waste. Somehow, someway, being a Corrector was still the only job she ever did that could successfully harness her abilities for the better.

Since Sasha appeared to be in her own world, Nicholas held his ground before moving onward to his respective room in preparation for a visit to the hot springs. “Hey Sasha, let me know when you want to do that shopping thing, alright,” he earnestly suggested. In all honesty, Nicholas' situation wasn’t really much different than hers. Yes, with his sister around he was never alone, but he always found himself doing whatever she wished to do, and not where they both actually desired to venture. “Besides, I haven’t really decided where I am going to go just yet.” If she wanted his company, she would come around. “I am almost certain you have a good place or two in mind.”

[Genkai]

At Sheela's comment, the blond smirked a little in return and offered a mock salute. The avid fisherman was a bit envious that the girls had only each other to put up with. Devon had Nathan and Nicholas. As much as he wanted to joke about either friend taking off to join Rey wherever she was, he stopped himself since it might just set Sasha and the others off. She was with Nelwa and had to be out of their thoughts for the time being if they were going to really rid themselves of all the pent up stress that had built up over the past few weeks. " Devon moved to side the adjoining door aside to head into their suite but he paused when Nicholas hesitated. Devon caught Nathan's eye and just moved around and into the living room of the other suite and headed for one of the bedrooms and set his things down. It seemed in one room, there was two small beds and in another, there was the same, but with less space of course. Devon had picked the single room, figuring Nicholas would be fine with Nathan. It didn't matter either way to him though. Like the others, he quickly unpacked and seated himself on the bed. Though he had gotten ample rest on the train, it still felt nice to sit back and relax. Personally, he had been fine with only a five minute wait till the left but he knew the girls would need more time than that. So for now, Devon pulled out his phone and began playing a holographic game of tetris that you played with your fingers in the air.

Sasha looked from beyond the window to Nicholas when he addressed her. She wondered where Devon and Nathan went off to be she saw the opened wooden and paper door and realized they were unpacking. She knew she had to get out of her rut and put on the smile everyone was expecting. The boy's request was still really unexpected, she wasn't even sure if he was being serious or not. Since she was just staring at him, she took a bit longer to register his offer to go with her, out shopping that is. "Oh. Sure...Y-yeah that would be great." Sasha smiled slightly, though she wished she had replied with more excitement than so listless. There was still time to correct herself though. 'This isn't the way I want to feel or start my vacation.' She chastised herself. 'Stop it Sasha!' She cleared her throat. "Um I mean. It'll be really fun! Haha...like a date." She laughed a little, her smile growing a little. 'That's a little better...' She told herself. She just hoped she didn't scare him off but it wasn't like her renewed comment wasn't as out of character as her previous one. "Anyway, thanks. I'd love your company. We can figure something out." And with that, she turned and took her back into one of the bedrooms. The girl was sure she could just tell the others she was tired or unsure how to deal with free time if anyone questioned her sudden change in mood.

There was no way she wanted to tell them about her sudden worries but without income and wanting a change, she wondered if she should just uproot, move to a cute place up north like Aomori or something. Maybe then she wouldn't dream of being Rush anymore and fighting alongside Optimism and Pessimism and Sear. Sasha wondered if the Corrector Chapter was done, over, what would she do? What could she do with herself? Getting a real job would be hard with her flimsy grades in college. Sasha loved being a Corrector but now she didn't have it. Was it really possible that no one else felt like their lives were also up in the air? A small part of herself internally smacked her face. 'Hey, stop! You're Sasha, you can figure this out! Your life isn't over. You have great friends who are all around you. Don't start to become an island. Even if your job is over, which Nelwa said she might be able to fix, that doesn't mean you can't start a new life without doing anything stupid or drastic.' She told herself. 'This is your first vacation in how long? The view is awesome and you get to hang out with someone besides your best friend, that advantage of that, there's nothing wrong with it. Maybe you do want to move out of Tokyo but don't go saying anything stupid without thinking about it or talking to the most important people in your life, stop pushing people away just because there's been a lot of lousy speed bumps!' Sasha shook her head.

'You need them now more than ever, and they need you too, so put on a stupid goofy smile and suggest something insane. Call Devon a silly name, go hug Sheela and tell Nathan you wanna go manga shopping and then tell Nicholas you're still on for your so called date, okay?' A real smile was finally forming. The brunette finished unpacking the necessary items like clothes and shoes and wondered if she needed to change but decided not to since they would be heading to the hot spring. She would just get clean there and it would be alright. She hurried out into the living room of the ladies' suite and looked around. It was just them so she was sure they could hear her within earshot, not matter what they were doing. "Hey guys, whey don't we go get teppanyaki afterwards?" She suggested happily. It seemed for now she was getting back to her old self. "We can grill tons of stuff and there'd be something for everybody to enjoy." She couldn't help but replay the fiasco of trying to pick a movie. That never went well. They were honestly lucky to settle on laser tag and the hot springs. So far, they were kind of on a lucky streak but it stopped there as Sheela and Devon were interested in the aquarium and she and Nicholas might roam the streets. As for Nathan, he was welcome to come if he wanted, she didn't mind being escorted by two nice guys.

It wasn't difficult for the blond to hear the sudden declaration regarding the idea of a meal after their lovely hot spring jaunt. Devon didn't care where they ate but he would make a mental note to go out for sushi at least once when he was in Aomori. "That's fine with me." He called from his room and paused his game and rose. It only took a handful of steps before he was standing back in the same room with Sasha and he could already sense some kind of difference. Some change, for the better. "You seem better. You just needed to rest and stretch a bit huh?" He asked her. He doubted it was that, but he wanted to give her some kind of "out" if she needed it. She just glanced to him and they shared a smile before she spun around. "Anyway." Devon said and looked back outside. "Hopefully since we're going late in the day, there won't be too many elderly or children to deal with." He noted. Devon paced around slowly as Sasha pranced over to open the window. He was sure once the cold air hit her face, she would regret her decision. If they were really by the ocean it may have been possible to have some kind of bonfire but that was seemingly out of the question now, which was fine with him, though fishing on the beach could have been pretty fun in his book. Devon took a seat on a low couch and closed his eyes for a moment. "It is kind of nice here." He commented. "The air is less...thick." He said.

"Isn't it refreshing?" Sasha spun around towards him, her eyes shining.

"Hey, take heed to everyone else and don't get sick or you'll end up infecting everyone else here."

"Aw...your concern for me is so touching, Devvie." She said sarcastically.

* - * - * - *

Nelwa brushed a proud hand through her hair. "Hacking a Gvn branch to obtain entry into its facility isn't that hard to do." She smiled. "For me, anyway." She spoke softly. "I mentioned I have a small group of Correctors in my mists and they could help us get Mela's body back, however it will take some checking up on my part as well as checking surveillance to see if going in is even worth the risk." She said. "I also have a Corrector in a new location, she can help aid in the long winded process and I have people I can call who can help make this as safe as possible for you." She turned her attention from Martha to Mela. "If you really want to get out of this prison, you will owe the Correctors and myself. I do consider this a favor, but you two are skilled at what you do and I do wish to continue maintaining a relationship in helping one another. A lot has changed in the DgtWld and you and the others need to be brought out of your ignorant state of confusion. Not all Hackers are selfish, there is a new branch forming and they call themselves New Age Hackers, they fight to protect nature and get people out of their computers and back into the real world." She finished her brief commentary. "We can discuss them and other matters another time, my point is not all Hackers are evil, while I don't associate myself with NHax, I do commend them and their cause." She concluded.

"So..."

"So I'm trying to work on helping the Correctors get their status back, I hope you two can at least consider the cause of NHax, though I may be able to put you into the system as reinstated Correctors, should you want your old positions back." Nelwa smiled. This would take some convincing but it would be fun to mess with the JPN Gvn. "I just don't want either of you to try and topple the Gvn from the inside, I won't be able to help you there." She looked to Martha. "Now I will take my leave and allow the two of you to talk or if you need anything from me, you can send me a note." And with that she dematerialized into several million specks of gold data. Vypr sighed deeply. They both had a lot to think about.

"I might not be able to get my body." She said. "You really think you'll break into the Gvn just for me?" Mela asked. "I kind of wish I was going with you, it could be pretty fun." She admitted. "But I'll probably have my own job to do in here." She then gestured to the room around here. Deep down, she knew Martha would have to go soon, the DgtWld could be pretty boring unless there was a fight taking place. "If I could get out, you looking for a roommate?" She asked sheepishly and rubbed her neck. "I mean, you'll have to show me any new places. And...who knows if we'll still wanna come here when this is all over." She knew she would still gravitate to it though, no matter what. Her biggest fear would be that if she logged back on, could she still get out? Mela hated to live in such uncertainty and fear though. "I can't wait to have real food and to actually feel someone who can feel me." She said quietly. Maybe she wouldn't go back for a while, but she knew the DgtWld would always be her second home. How could it not be? "I guess we're both pretty lucky to have had Nelwa decide to help us. I wonder who she really is..." It was something to speculate. Of course the name meant something to anyone with a brain who knew about the DgtWld's underground inner workings. "I shouldn't look under any rocks until this is over though." She realized with a shrug. "If you're going to go soon, tell me what you and Nelwa figure out to do." Part of her wanted to say that she owed Martha for this as well.

But she didn't want them to keep score anymore, maybe now was a time to start anew?

'This warm sensation...what should I call it? Happiness, hope or what?' She wondered.

[Reialgo]

Sheela appeared to be acting more giddy than usual as she made casual, making him wonder where both her and Sasha managed to find such raw energy inside themselves, he shook his head, but just then recalled that maybe he should actually bother to look around the bedroom that he had almost unconsciously made a Bee line for. Considering where Devon was currently, it seemed he would be sharing the larger room with Nicholas, not that he knew how the other would react to that, or if he minded at all. He huffed when he couldn't seem to see any semblance of drawers or furniture to such effect, and feeling slightly defeated, simply left his clothing stuffed inside the rucksack and tossed his back onto the nearest bed.

Due to the excellent quality of mattresses seemingly stolen from heaven, Nathan exiled his wayward thoughts as he was sure that he would drift into some kind of nap if he turned his interest inwards again. Instead he simply listened to the odd noises around them as even doing nothing ended up burning time to some degree. The sound of electronic beeps softly continued to play in the background, as Devon apparently committed genocide on tetris blocks, but he could also hear muffled voices from the adjacent room, Presumably Nicholas at least, from the deeper tone that he could over hear. Bar that, it was almost eerily quiet, he half expected the typical sound of crickets chirping for god knows what reason into the night.

Figuring that the boys next door could hear her just fine, Sasha called over about the prospect of a Teppanyaki, not exactly something he often had, simply due to his lack of treating himself to food outlets. "Sure!" He simply shouted back, though he wondered if she intended to just grill everything. With a light groan from lying on something comfortable for a tad too long, he forced himself up onto his feet, recalling that he didn't actually manage to fish out springs - wear from the mess of clothing.

*~*~*~*

Martha looked sidelong towards Newla as she touted her hacking prowess, she was certain some of it was being chalked up by a concoction of pride and arrogance, though she wasn't in the right mind to even test it considering her current body was being materialized by the hackers home written software. She knew the group Newla was referencing as "a small group of correctors", though didn't voice her concerns as it may have agitated the mood, Is she so certain that they'll want to throw themselves back at the government again? it would be in real life this time as well, where they'd miss they're virtual super powers. "That's certainly an impressive backup you're offering" she commented, noting that there were occasions were paranoia seemed to pay off.

She sincerely hoped she wasn't pointing out the apparent favor of her offer to ensure Mela's help with something down the road, as kind as the woman was, she made it to her current position through her own deviousness as well. "I'll take the avatar, but I'd rather avoid an actual post in the gvn again, I'm assuming your intending to do the same with that wing", it still made sense to call them that, or she hoped they knew that anyway. Almost immediately afterwards, Newla took her leave in another eccentric fashion, leaving specs of gold bits fluttering to the pure white ground.

"Don't be silly" she replied to Mela, turning back around to properly face her, "Course you're going to get it back, I'm going to make sure of that....and Newla...and those correctors" she added, admitting that while she would like to march up to the facility as soon as possible, she just look stupid on her own. "With decorating this place?" she teased at the other girl's gesture. Her next question took her a little by surprise, she hadn't been considering that possibility "W-well maybe...see if having a second person in my flat is even a good idea..." adding a sheepish grin, at least Mela was sounding more like she actually believed in getting out. She simply grinned at Mela's hopeful muttering, replying about Newla "Oh now lets not rack her heads on that one, I've tried, she doesn't leave anything anywhere" sighing afterwards, "maybe you should give it a look to tide your self over while you're here waiting". Feeling that the conversation was coming to a close she made one more reply to her friend "I will, though I might have to ring the details out of her to do so" she pulled up a menu, seeing the logout button, "Really though, I'm not acting heroic, I will find you, I promise, and Newla wont go back on her word, she's too prideful." She made a long pause, considering whether she had anything snappier to say, but simply said "I'll talk to you again, Mel'" before tapping the button.

[Genkai]

(New banner pending.)

The group within the hotel ended up heading off to the onsen as planned and then went for dinner just as Sasha had suggested. The evening had been a lonely one for everyone included, it seemed no one missed Rey's presence as they headed out of the restaurant. They hailed a car back to the hotel as everyone seemed happy with turning in soon so they could rest up for the activities they had planned for the next day, their first full day on vacation. Sasha and Sheela headed up to their room while the three boys entered the one next to them. Sasha closed the window she had opened and headed off to get ready for bed. While she would have jumped at the chance to bunk with Sheela and keep her up with stories and dreams of the future, it seemed best to just turn in and recharge for the following day. With a hug, she bid Sheela a calm goodnight and headed to bed. Meanwhile in the boy's suite on the other side, Devon wasn't easily swayed to get some rest. He stayed up mostly using his phone to try and dig up any news regarding some events. He had an uneasy feeling with no one defending the public in the DgtWld, that chaos would soon erupt. Surely since they had been fired, the Gvn would handle the issue of finding a new batch of Correctors for the Tokyo sector but it didn't ease Devon's mind. He knew it should be him and all of them, not someone else, defending the innocent.

About an hour after they got back from dinner, Devon thought he heard Nathan's text ringtone go off. He then heard a knock and came face to face with Nathan himself who said he was heading out and to tell the others not to worry. Devon threw his friend a questionable expression but Nathan just headed off. Devon remained in the single room and assumed Nathan's roommate, Nicholas was either sleeping or had also been informed of his departure. It did worry him that Nathan was heading off so late at in the night to explore a city they didn't know much about. Considering Rey had left, he was a bit against another one heading off. The text message had summoned Nathan for a reason and it was possible their hacker, Nelwa was behind it. 'But why summon him and no one else?' It worried him and made him less sure it was from Nelwa, as it made no sense what so ever. All Devon could do was send a text to Nathan: [Hey, hope everything's okay. Call if something comes up. - Devon] He sent it and laid back in his bed. There was a lot to mull over that it was hard to believe anyone in their dwindling group could get any sleep. If Sasha or Sheela knew about Nathan's sudden departure, he knew they wouldn't get much sleep so he would mention it in the morning should Nathan still be missing in action. His eyes closed and he sent a relaxing melody to his ears with the push of his cell phone's button. The music would turn off as soon as his body entered a natural cycle of sleep.

* - * - * - *

Meanwhile, in another time and place, Haruo and Taruo Nikawa stood outside, watching the crowds of people push and pull at one another to get a better look. A large screen was placed above the stage to help those in the back. The entire street in front of the building was closed off to allow for people to gather and watch the first attempt at going into the future. The Breakers were beloved and were a symbol of hope and closeness, it was only fair, understandable and almost expected that they be the ones to tread into the waters of uncertainty to show the world there was no fear of the unknown. As Taruo tugged at her brother's arm in nervousness, he pushed her back. "Will you stop it? We have an image to uphold." He told her as the band of hand picked Breakers stood inside, waiting for the cue to head into the fray and activate their T2Cs and jump into the future. Haruo was the more subdued of the two siblings while his younger sister was more excitable and usually ended up pulling Hanon into the madness alongside her. Haruo was unsure what the future would hold but he had high hopes for it. He saw the future as a shining utopia, an updated version of what they head at the moment. There would be further advances in the realms of science and space and technology and medicine. Just as he was about to tell Taruo to stop jumping around, he saw Agent S approach them. She was in her usual black suit and sunglasses. Her hair was deep brown and pulled back into a straight pony tail.

"You four, I need you for a moment." She said without any usual frills.

"Okay..." Haruo looked to Hanon, Ryo and lastly his sister who seemed rather intrigued by this sudden need to be counseled. The four were pulled aside and Agent S quickly moved herself around to the back of them as she pressed a finger against the back where their devices were plugged in to their MChips. "What are you doing?" Haruo questioned as he attempted to rub the back of his neck but she slapped his wrist. Haruo threw Taruo a look and Agent S smiled and moved back around and wished them luck. Then the announcement came which everyone had been waiting for. The Breaks headed outside and were greeted with loud cheers and the clicking of phones which were likely recording or taking pictures to document this maiden voyage of time travel. Haruo reached for Taruo's hand and she took it, using her other to wave to the crowd which only riled them up even more. The group finally made it up to the stage and the speeches began. Important people spoke of the bravery and dedication of the inventors, the world and of course the Breakers themselves. As the multitude of praise came to a close a countdown clock began to show when they would be leaving. They had been trained to just think and activate the process, the settings had been put in place already and as their body temperature would rise, it would be time to travel. As the clock reached zero, flashes of light shocked the crowd as the people vanished in a vibrant light show.

The next thing Taruo saw was green, green grass and hills, blue sky and the scent of dirt then hit her nose. "Where are we? The future?" She asked and saw that only three others were beside her. Her blood grew cold as she considered the terrible fate of the other two but concentrated on having her brother, Ryo and Hanon safe by her side. She turned and saw they were standing atop a large flat building. The home seemed very traditional in appearance and had a front yard pond which reached the long driveway. The horizon allowed them to peek at the city of Aomori. As Haruo turned to find a way down, a door opened up from the roof they were standing atop and a male with pure white hair and a British accent motioned them over. Haruo looked to the others and saw no other alternative choice given their situation and the four headed down the ladder and were taken down into one of the many halls of the home. On the outside, one might assume the inside to be cozy and warm but it was quite the opposite. The inside was barren with very modern taste. It appeared whoever lived in it wanted there to be as little personalization as possible. "Excuse me but what year is it?" Taruo asked as they were led down a plain white wall and taken into an equally plain room which had four large leather rectangular couches in the middle, all facing one another. In the middle, there was a simple white pillar with a digital hologram of a cube floating in the air. The four sat down on one of the couches and Eric closed the door, leaving them alone.

"Who was that?" Haruo muttered.

"I don't know but I have a bad feeling about this." Taruo curled her arms around one of Hanon's arms who was next to her, with Ryo on the other side of her, while Haruo was on the other end, next to his sister.

"Hello Breakers." The door opened to reveal a woman who's hair was dyed deep red. She had on a very formal but loose fitted kimono. She closed the door behind her and the pillar in the middle turned into a picture of their T2Cs. "Welcome to the past. If you don't recognize me, I wouldn't blame you, you shouldn't anyway. I'm Agent S, from the future and you four are in the past...the year 2021 to be exact, well it's almost the year 2022." She smiled, her red lips turning up into a smile. "I sent you four back here to help our cause. You know the history of Correctors and Hackers and NHax and all that but now it's your turn." She said and moved to the couch across from them and sat down. "My real name is Sasha Lyds, I come and go between this year and one we're from with the T2Cs. I have visited the future as well, and it is grim. Sadly the two will be the ones to deal with it, as you four are of most use to history if you help the past. Hopefully the future will change once this is all over." Sasha said and brushed a hand through her hair. "If you recall my stories as a Corrector, you should realize that my past self is here as well, I will be bringing my old friends here as well as two new recruits. You four will join the ranks of Correctors and begin to create with hackers." She said. "This isn't a choice, I have risked a lot to time travel and I have no intention of returning until things are fixed here."

"Fixed?" Haruo questioned.

"Agent S, you risked so much already...are you sure this is wise?"

"The future holds a doomsday for us all unless we change our events in the past." Nelwa said. "In this time, I am known as Nelwa, a famed hacker mostly thanks to all the knowledge I have from the future. Becoming a hacker wasn't easy and I've gain a lot of intel and connections while coming here. You will address me as Nelwa, even though I plan on breaking my true identity to my younger self, I don't wish for there to be any confusion. You may call me Agent S if you'd like but I'm not sure if the name still fits me anymore..." She looked down for a moment and then back to the older adults in front of her. "You will be given a new alias when you are given your Corrector status. For now, please wait here." She got up and walked back out of the room. "Eric will come by and see if you want anything." She added before making her exit. Soon the white haired male came in, offering them hot tea and chocolate chip cookies.

"Wow." Haruo just said as they were alone again, snacks in hand.

"I know, can you believe this?" Taruo blinked. "It's a big shock to...unwrap." Taruo whispered and held her tea in hand, her brother surprised that she turned down something sweet to eat. "I guess we have no choice but to help, I feel like we're not being told everything. Do you think that's for the best?" She questioned.

* - * - * - *

That morning, back at the hotel, Devon awoke to see that Nathan hadn't returned which left him with the daunting task of breaking it to the their leader. As he and Nicholas exchanged few words and knocked on the girls' door, he held his breath. It opened to reveal both girls were also dressed, ready for breakfast down at the hotel's cafe. But before he could open his mouth to even sling them a greeting, their phones rang, even one getting an identical message from Nelwa, asking them to all come to her home and that a car was waiting downstairs for them. Devon sighed and stuffed a hand in the pocket of his jeans. "Nathan left last night but I'm sure he got the memo too and Nelwa will take care of him." Devon told the girls as they headed for the elevator to head on down to the lobby. The day was overcast but smelled of oncoming rain. The car outside was running and waiting, the four piled into it without much talk and were driven off into the outer part of Aomori. The car drove up a long stretch of road which led into a driveway. The outside appearance was unsuspecting and held little to no technological sophistication, nothing like what Devon imaged when he thought of where Nelwa resided but he assumed that she had plenty of land and homes across JPN and even the world itself. They got out and Sasha caught Devon eyeing her but she just glanced to Sheela as they were lead inside by Eric who had picked them up. "Please follow me." He said as he moved ahead and let them inside.

The group was led into a room on the third floor with just a simple white room with several computers and monitors. All of it looked very expensive while some of it appeared new, never seen before. There was a woman sitting in front of the screens and turned as the door closed behind the four ex-Correctors. "Hello there. I'm Nelwa." She stood and moved over to them. "It's finally time we meet face to face." She said. Devon squinted his eyes and noticed the face was a bit similar to Sasha, as was the voice. "I have much to tell you all, Nathan and Rey are here and helping me work on your reinstatement into the Gvn again while we try and help Vypr. I've made some progress with her issues and it seems she was telling the truth. She will be sent somewhere safer, somewhere that can help her live out the rest of her life while you four help me. There are new Correctors who will be added to your group. Nathan and Rey had expressed interest in staying with me and Eric while you are given six new recruits." She said. Sasha looked to her friends and frowned. "I should tell you my real name...it's Sasha Lyds and I am from the future. I've established the identity of Nelwa in this time while in ten years, I will be known as Agent S, a worker for the JPN Gvn." She finished and Sasha felt as though she had been punched in the stomach. Devon gave Nelwa a steady look while the red haired woman just stood there, waiting for it all to sink in. "Time travel has just been invented in the future and I've come here and am staying here until the far future is salvaged. Four others from the future should be arriving very shortly."

"I'm...you? You're me?" Sasha gaped.

"Corrected."

"And I work for the Gvn? This house is mine...?" Sasha's mind wandered. "Oh my gosh, this is mine!? This means I don't live at home with my parents for the rest of my life!" She cheered. She then collected herself and blushed. "So...the future isn't good? What are we supposed to do? What can you do, future me?"

"Call me Nelwa please." Nelwa smiled.

"I can't believe this..." Devon said dimly.

"I have so many questions!" Sasha blurted out. "Like me and my friends...why aren't the other future guys here with you...?"

"Sasha." Devon warned.

"It's fine, the future is to be changed so I see no harm in saying what needs to be said..." Nelwa replied and held up a hand. "Devon, you work alongside Sasha as Agent D." She said and Devon paled and gave a bit of a pout, obviously not happy with the news. "Sheela and Nicholas, you're both fine, though I must confess we don't remain close once Devon and I joined the Gvn." She said and Sasha froze and slowly looked to her best friend. "Rumors were going around that Sheela was organizing some group to bring down the Breaker's image but no one knew what to believe. In the future, there are no more hackers or Correctors, everyone is more conscious of technology's strain and Breakers are established to rebuild the trust the public has in the Gvn. Breakers are a cross between hackers and Correctors and are quite popular like idols." Nelwa said. "It's very useful for us, the Gvn, as you can imagine but as I said, the far future isn't as well off and two Breakers have been sent into the future to deal with it while me and my four are here to tackle the past." Nelwa said and glanced to the monitors and saw a notification had popped up, showing the Breakers had now time traveled. She moved past the four and stuck her head out the door to see Eric already heading over to the trap door to retrieve the four from the roof where she had sent them in the future thanks to the touch to the back of their necks.

"Anyway, I'll be right back." And with that, Nelwa let herself out.

Nathan entered and waved to his friends. "You guys can wait in the next room over, Nelwa is going to talk to the Breakers and you can all wait for the two Correctors from the smaller sectors arrive, a car as been sent to the station so they should be here very soon. Nelwa is amazing, she is almost done preparing you to be reinstated. I really would love to go back too but after what I've seen and heard, I just can't, you guys will have awesome company though." Nathan said to them and led them into a room next to what was Nelwa's office. The room was plain with the same fixings as the room where the Breakers were being taken to. The ex-Correctors sat down and Sasha couldn't take her eyes off of Sheela, unable to really believe that the two would stop being friends. Was there much of a point to get mad about something that was in the future? Yet knowing it happened, could happen, worried Sasha.

"The most shocking thing is that you and I aren't friends anymore." Sasha quietly told Sheela. Sasha had made a point to sit on her own couch across from Nicholas and Sheela while Devon sat on his own between the two, just eyeing the hologram in front of him to distract from the mounting tension.