Time Squad

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Ilona quieted, as she listened to the others speak, trying to rein in her own thoughts. The young woman wasn't sure what to think about all of this. The temptation to save lives and to once more look upon friends of the past was so strong she could feel her heart palpitate with desire. Uncertainty clouded her mind. Was it really a good idea for her to go?

Avoiding such a place, in Ilona's mind, was just as important as it was for her to tear up the letters she wrote. Disconnecting was the only way she could do what was right, but it was difficult for her to do. She hadn't even been able to tear up all of her letters, after all. If she couldn't even do that, then how was she going to pull herself away from the temptation of looking upon the actual people when they were right in front of her own eyes?

Could she look past her desires and do what was right, to focus solely on finding Juko? Ilona never felt as if she had a perfectly noble heart like her parents. There was... too much malevolence inside her.

Ilona cupped her hands over her heart before glancing over at Sion with serious eyes. "If I am to accompany you, I suggest you watch me closely, and not because of my destructive power. That particular place in time is a very... important one to me. Some of my most treasured friends exist there. I care deeply not to make any mistakes I will regret."

@Jeremi @york @Josh M @Verite @Atomyk​

 

[Jeremi]

Tracer had so many questions. "I 'ave a ton of questions." But she just shrugged. "I suppose I got the gist of it though. Travelin' through time AND space to find a girl and bring her back here, yeah? I think we can do that. Ain't it right luvs?"


@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Josh M @Verite @Atomyk

 

[York]

​

Replies

"..."

"Understood. Roger that. And... Thank you."

Despite Tracer's casual and friendly demeanor, Sion seemed to maintain her wary one in contrast, remaining formal and reserved, the "thank you" tacked on at the end seeming rather out of place. No one had really complimented her hat before, or even her in general, so it was difficult to gauge a reaction to such a... such a useless thing to say, but it was no matter. Useless, but completely harmless, at least.

Turning to Ilona with that, the lavender-haired young woman gave a nod.

"I see. Well... I regret that it can't be helped if things aren't to your exact liking, but if you are managing aptly..." Sion continued, seeming to come off more brusque than intended, but continuing as though she didn't notice, "As for what everyone is doing here... I think it would be best to wait for Ms. Lalonde and Akagi to gather their bearings and explain it themselves. I only know an inkling or so of the subject at hand, so I would not be able to give the full picture, unfortunately, so in the meantime, patience will be your best virtue."

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Jeremi @Josh M @york @Atomyk​

Misaka fixed Starman a look and shook her head. "Gee, where have they been keeping you people..."

Having waited for everyone to gather themselves, Lalonde finally spoke up. "As all of you should know by now, Ilona is with us as we try to figure out her powers together. So far, our training has prioritized the young woman's latent destructive abilities. Though Ilona has not yet achieved total control of this power, we believe training another aspect of her abilities will greatly advance her training. As it turns out, our goals with Ilona are in-line with our other interests."

She extended her hand toward Misaka. "This other young woman experienced a chronal anomaly when coming in contact with an individual named Junko Enoshima. She became misplaced in time due to what we have theorized to be latent energy from Miss Enoshima's abilities. Thankfully, she has become stabilized, but now possesses a link with Miss Enoshima that we have used to determine a point in time where Junko can be found."

"I've been wondering about that," Misaka said. She looked at both Lalonde and Ritsuko, not sure which one to address. "Do you think this link is ever going to go away? Will I start jumping through time again?"

"Hm." Lalonde pondered on this for a moment. "... I can't say for sure at this time. What we desire, dear, is to bring Junko to us and put her through training, much like Ilona, for both of them carry a destructive power that can not be ignored, especially not after the destruction of the Coalition's headquarters. Perhaps then we can figure out your connection to her."

"Well, where is she then? What did you mean by 'a point in time?'"

"You see... Miss Enoshima is known to jump not only between dimensions but through time as well. This may sound strange, but we now know that she was present for an event some of you are familiar with. A Murder Game... The Fiamma Incident, in particular."

Misaka scoffed. "This some kind of joke?! I was there and I didn't see her!"

"It's not as simple as that," Lalonde said, sounding a bit unsure of herself for once. "Not every Murder Game has been perfectly documented, and some secrets could have eluded even the participants. Hopefully, these secrets will be revealed soon enough, as it is our desire to send Ilona to this point in time in order to retrieve Miss Enoshima." Lalonde paused, but before anyone could properly respond she quickly added, "And anyone who desires to go with her. This may be a difficult operation and we do request everyone's help. You are here today due in part do to your unique abilities and experiences with chronal matters."

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Josh M @Verite @Jeremi​

Ilona gave Miss Sion a polite nod, waiting for a moment for Miss Lalonde to explain what exactly was going on. She listened patiently, her blue eyes slightly widened and her heart skipped a beat when she would hear the situation explained. Well, she certainly hadn't been expecting to hear anything like this...

"Miss Lalonde, much like Miss Mikasa, I too was involved in the Fiamma Incident. Could it not pose a problem if the two of us were to run into our younger selves by mistake? I have no memory of ever running into an older version of myself back then. Couldn't our presence in that time be dangerous?"

There was a problem Ilona could already feel brewing inside her just at the thought of returning to the Fiamma Incident: temptation. Back then, she met Ryan and Minato, two very precious people to her whom she would likely never see again. Sneaking a peek at them during this rare opportunity would be difficult for her not to do. Would she really be cut out for a job like this? Ilona wasn't entirely sure if she trusted herself...

Changing anything at all might be very bad for her to do. The end of the Fiamma Incident led to her ending up in a place called Alola, a place where she met the master who had trained her to properly use her teleportation powers. If this were to change, and for some reason she didn't end up meeting her master, Ilona didn't even want to think about how that would change her entire life...

@Jeremi @york @Josh M @Verite @Atomyk​

"A very good question," Lalonde said as if she'd expected it. "While this is all highly theoretical, we believe the safest course of action is to make no attempt to change the course of known history. If you did not see yourself in the past, then you definitely want to avoid running into your younger self. As there's no account of either of you being seen in two places at once, it is best if all of you avoid any of the participants of that incident."

Misaka was shaking her head. "So you're going off the idea history was already written with us going back in time in mind?"

Lalonde shared a glance with Ritsuko. "... Sort of. We can't say for sure. Perhaps we are all here in this timeline after we have already sent you back to the past. An interesting idea, to be sure. Time manipulation seems to have different properties throughout universes, but we can't say what changing time on a multiversal level will bring."

"But..." Misaka searched for the right words, her fists clenched. "... People died. We can't stop those deaths?"

"I'm... afraid not, dear. We simply do not know what would happen."

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Josh M @Verite @Jeremi​

"Sometimes, I almost miss the times when I wasn't even aware of the grand multiverse, let alone prospects of time travel," Ritsuko sighed, continuing to smoke her cigarette, puffing out the gray vapor that was almost able to be absorbed by a number of others in the room. After a moment of letting Lalonde and Misaka speak, Ritsuko put in her own two cents into the matter.

"From past experience, I can tell you, Miss Misaka, that I understand the greater good is seldom the most popular option, but... Are you willing to risk tearing apart the established fabric of space-time for just a few lives?" She questioned, "We all would love an outcome in which no one dies, but more often than not, we have to make do with what we can do. Otherwise, we'll lose everything while wasting time trying to stand upon the higher moral ground and fighting voices of reason with weapons of extreme naivety."

Those who were present could practically hear Ritsuko refer to the Coalition Civil War without even having to hear her utter the phrase, though her tone was more tired and cynical than irritated or so, as though she were no stranger to these ordeals. And certainly, while she almost felt like she was being too harsh to a child such as Misaka, though once again, 14 year old children in her world...

"In any case, this is a serious operation. And your mind should only be focused on nothing but the objective at hand which, as Ms. Lalonde had said, is to retrieve Junko Enoshima, the anomaly moving back through time in the Murder Games."

"And that is where I come in," Sion added, injecting herself into the conversation, "You see, everyone, I actually originate from the world in which the Fiamma Incident took place in. That is, the world that the true mastermind of the event, Kirei Kotomine, originated from. I understand the workings of the world better than everyone else here, so not only will I be acting as your supervisor during the mission, I'll do my best to simultaneously act as your guide through the world."

@Atomyk @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Josh M @Jeremi @york​

Ilona quieted, as she listened to the others speak, trying to rein in her own thoughts. The young woman wasn't sure what to think about all of this. The temptation to save lives and to once more look upon friends of the past was so strong she could feel her heart palpitate with desire. Uncertainty clouded her mind. Was it really a good idea for her to go?

Avoiding such a place, in Ilona's mind, was just as important as it was for her to tear up the letters she wrote. Disconnecting was the only way she could do what was right, but it was difficult for her to do. She hadn't even been able to tear up all of her letters, after all. If she couldn't even do that, then how was she going to pull herself away from the temptation of looking upon the actual people when they were right in front of her own eyes?

Could she look past her desires and do what was right, to focus solely on finding Juko? Ilona never felt as if she had a perfectly noble heart like her parents. There was... too much malevolence inside her.

Ilona cupped her hands over her heart before glancing over at Sion with serious eyes. "If I am to accompany you, I suggest you watch me closely, and not because of my destructive power. That particular place in time is a very... important one to me. Some of my most treasured friends exist there. I care deeply not to make any mistakes I will regret."

@Jeremi @york @Josh M @Verite @Atomyk​

Tracer had so many questions. "I 'ave a ton of questions." But she just shrugged. "I suppose I got the gist of it though. Travelin' through time AND space to find a girl and bring her back here, yeah? I think we can do that. Ain't it right luvs?"


@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Josh M @Verite @Atomyk

Sophie listened very closely to what was said... Quickly realizing the delicate nature of their mission; though the extraction of Junko would be, in theory... An easy task, the strange nature surrounding her powers could prove very difficult, and unpredictable indeed. However, with the combined efforts of Ritsuko, Sion, Ilona, the others and well... Herself, there was a good chance they might just be able to pull it off.

Though she hadn't exactly participated in the Fiamma incident, she had caught wind of the fact that Cinder Fall herself had attended... But the details had been kept rather hushed up, mostly because Cinder herself didn't seem very keen on revealing much. In the end, it looks like they'd find out more precise details the hard way, and by this point, Sophie knew perfectly well that she couldn't go back.

For Ilona's sake, and perhaps the sake of the others on this mission too, she had to go with her...

After a few moments of self reflection, Sophie brushed away her thoughts, trying to maintain a degree of focus on the task ahead. She placed a reassuring hand on Ilona's shoulder, mustering up the most encouraging smile she could manage.

"I'm sure you'll do fine..." She said, albeit a bit quietly.

Even if she herself wasn't completely sure about that, she figured this wasn't the best time for self doubt; despair would most definitely be their undoing... After all, it was what caused this malevolence within Ilona to run wild in the first place.​

 

[Verite]

Ilona quieted, as she listened to the others speak, trying to rein in her own thoughts. The young woman wasn't sure what to think about all of this. The temptation to save lives and to once more look upon friends of the past was so strong she could feel her heart palpitate with desire. Uncertainty clouded her mind. Was it really a good idea for her to go?

Avoiding such a place, in Ilona's mind, was just as important as it was for her to tear up the letters she wrote. Disconnecting was the only way she could do what was right, but it was difficult for her to do. She hadn't even been able to tear up all of her letters, after all. If she couldn't even do that, then how was she going to pull herself away from the temptation of looking upon the actual people when they were right in front of her own eyes?

Could she look past her desires and do what was right, to focus solely on finding Junko? Ilona never felt as if she had a perfectly noble heart like her parents. There was... too much malevolence inside her.

Ilona cupped her hands over her heart before glancing over at Sion with serious eyes. "If I am to accompany you, I suggest you watch me closely, and not because of my destructive power. That particular place in time is a very... important one to me. Some of my most treasured friends exist there. I care deeply not to make any mistakes I will regret."

@Jeremi @york @Josh M @Verite @Atomyk​

Tracer had so many questions. "I 'ave a ton of questions." But she just shrugged. "I suppose I got the gist of it though. Travelin' through time AND space to find a girl and bring her back here, yeah? I think we can do that. Ain't it right luvs?"

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Josh M @Verite @Atomyk

Ritsuko nodded towards Tracer, leaning against the wall. "That's the basic gist of it, yes. And should you fail in your journey, space-time itself may end up in ruins. After all, you're tampering with time on a multiversal level."

...

Ritsuko puffed out some more smoke.

"No pressure."

"... Understood. I shall keep you under supervision at all times," Sion promised, nodding towards Ilona, before turning to Lalonde, "In any case, when are we due to leave then?"

@Atomyk @Jeremi @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Josh M
​

 

[Josh M]

Taking off his mask, Starman's body language changed. When he spoke, his voice seemed calm, more centered. He seemed like he was aware. Present in the moment.

"We're going to the pass save the future?"

A brief pause as he looked down.

"I apologize about earlier, ladies. Wh As some of you know, I suffer schizophrenia. My mind, it....it just wanders away at. It takes so much of my strength to fight to keep it. However, I am here now. "

Turning to Risuko, Thom stood firm.

"The legion and I, we've done similar missions before, nothing like this. I know you're aware of how dangerous this is, but everyone? Everyone can claim they know how hot an oven is, but have they touched one? What is the worst case of what could happen here? What are we risking?"


@Atomyk @Jeremi @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Verite

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

"I thank you, my friend," Ilona said in reply to Sophie, once more glancing to her friend. "Will you come with me? I'll feel much more at ease with going if I know you're there by my side." She wasn't sure if Sophie had been invited to come along, but should they refuse Sophie, Ilona would refuse to go herself. It was just that simple.

Trying to ignore the words Ritsuko said, the blonde decided to instead reply to Starman. She was already well aware how dangerous this mission would be and didn't want to stress over it more than she had to. After all, if she didn't keep her emotions in check there was still a chance she could have another accident with her powers.

"It's quite all right, Lord Starman. I'm one of the least judgmental people you'll meet. I understand what it feels like to have problems. Also, it's comforting to know you've done missions such as these yourself. I've traveled through the multiverse a lot myself, but I've always tried to avoid places and times I've gone to before. So going to the Fiamma Incident, an event I saw as a child, will be a first for me..."

@Jeremi @york @Josh M @Verite @Atomyk​

 

[York]

Sophie smiled, seeming to brighten up a little as she spoke.

"Of course! I'll... Always be happy to come with you..." She said.

It was the truth after all; though she wasn't sure if she'd be permitted to accompany Ilona just yet on this venture, she certainly hoped so. Whatever perils awaited them, wherever they went... It didn't matter... She had to pull her weight around the Coalition sometime, and with Ilona's company... Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad after all?

Would they share the same ventures she and Elsa had had together? Well... It was certainly possible... Even if some details about her experiences in the third Murder Game are rather cloudy, she still remembered all those hardships they had gone through, and ultimately overcame...

She also stewed over Starman's concerns, as well as what she had heard from both Ritsuko and Sion; it seemed that if she were to be granted permission... They'd be sent back through time, potentially revisiting events in the past. However, the catch was that they had to avoid... Dying, lest they risk messing with space-time itself, a heavy burden to bear indeed.

But, considering what they had risk with Junko still off somewhere, in combination with all their skills and powers... They might just be able to pull this off, as long as they went about their business carefully...​

 

[Josh M]

"I thank you, my friend," Ilona said in reply to Sophie, once more glancing to her friend. "Will you come with me? I'll feel much more at ease with going if I know you're there by my side." She wasn't sure if Sophie had been invited to come along, but should they refuse Sophie, Ilona would refuse to go herself. It was just that simple.

Trying to ignore the words Ritsuko said, the blonde decided to instead reply to Starman. She was already well aware how dangerous this mission would be and didn't want to stress over it more than she had to. After all, if she didn't keep her emotions in check there was still a chance she could have another accident with her powers.

"It's quite all right, Lord Starman. I'm one of the least judgmental people you'll meet. I understand what it feels like to have problems. Also, it's comforting to know you've done missions such as these yourself. I've traveled through the multiverse a lot myself, but I've always tried to avoid places and times I've gone to before. So going to the Fiamma Incident, an event I saw as a child, will be a first for me..."

@Jeremi @york @Josh M @Verite @Atomyk​

"Lord? Like, a star lord? I never thought looked like a lord. Huh. You don't have to call lord. Just Starman or Thom."

Starman smiled kindly as he slight paced the room. Shaking his head. Looking the young girl, Thom continued.

"The Legion normal doesn't mess with the multiverse, however this won't be the first time we'd have to intervene. My Nura's dream foretold the upcoming crisis. It foretold me being here. If that means I die here, so be it."

@Jeremi @york @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Verite @Atomyk

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

​

Sophie smiled, seeming to brighten up a little as she spoke.

"Of course! I'll... Always be happy to come with you..." She said.

It was the truth after all; though she wasn't sure if she'd be permitted to accompany Ilona just yet on this venture, she certainly hoped so. Whatever perils awaited them, wherever they went... It didn't matter... She had to pull her weight around the Coalition sometime, and with Ilona's company... Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad after all?

Would they share the same ventures she and Elsa had had together? Well... It was certainly possible... Even if some details about her experiences in the third Murder Game are rather cloudy, she still remembered all those hardships they had gone through, and ultimately overcame...

She also stewed over Starman's concerns, as well as what she had heard from both Ritsuko and Sion; it seemed that if she were to be granted permission... They'd be sent back through time, potentially revisiting events in the past. However, the catch was that they had to avoid... Dying, lest they risk messing with space-time itself, a heavy burden to bear indeed.

But, considering what they had risk with Junko still off somewhere, in combination with all their skills and powers... They might just be able to pull this off, as long as they went about their business carefully...​

"Lord? Like, a star lord? I never thought looked like a lord. Huh. You don't have to call lord. Just Starman or Thom."

Starman smiled kindly as he slight paced the room. Shaking his head. Looking the young girl, Thom continued.

"The Legion normal doesn't mess with the multiverse, however this won't be the first time we'd have to intervene. My Nura's dream foretold the upcoming crisis. It foretold me being here. If that means I die here, so be it."

@Jeremi @york @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Verite @Atomyk

Ilona shot a side-glance to Sophie, reaching down to take one of her hands and give it a squeeze. "Thank you, my friend, it means the world to me that I have your support and assistance." Knowing Sion and Sophie would be there to keep an eye on her made Ilona feel a little bit better about the whole thing. She still wasn't entirely comfortable, but at least now maybe her mind would be more at ease and she could try to focus on the mission. Junko needed to be found and helped just as Ilona had been.

As she thought about it more, weren't there others she could help too? One of the people who had protected her during the Civil War Incident, Train Heartnet, had been looking for his friend Eve. She remembered Eve had been involved in the Fiamma Incident, but couldn't exactly recall what had happened to her. The girl couldn't help but wonder if there was a way she could find out exactly what had happened to the female bioweapon without getting involved herself. Perhaps she would talk to Lalonde about it later...

"A-Ah, my apologies, but you do look like a lord to me, sir," Ilona replied to Starman. "And forgive me for saying this too: I cannot call you by such an informal name. But perhaps I could call you Starman-san or Señior Starman..."

Neither was he Japanese nor Spanish, so the titles may not have made much sense, but Ilona could hardly stand to go without adding a title to someone's name. The titles were one of the many barriers she used to help keep herself from getting too close to anyone. She only recalled having called anyone by their name without a title if they were in trouble, if she was trying to catch their attention, or if she was trying to hide her identity from someone. It just wasn't something she was used to doing often.

@Jeremi @york @Josh M @Verite @Atomyk​

 

[York]

Sophie squeezed Ilona's hand back, feeling considerably more reassured by the gesture.

"Anything for a... Friend..." She said.

Well, "friend" might not suffice in this case; Ilona felt almost like... Family these days.

Perhaps thanks to a very distinct lack of one back at "home", which had been part of the Silent Earth for a while now...

Her home was here, at the Coalition now, and... She hoped with all her heart that it wouldn't end up like her old one too; with all the ground that they had gained... With all the efforts the Coalition had gone through, she would do her best to make sure history wouldn't repeat itself once more. It was hard to say what Junko would do if they left her unchecked, and it was for the best that they (hopefully) didn't wait long enough to find out.

Though, Starman's prospect of... Potentially dying here seemed to worry her a little; she knew the risks of going back through time, yes... But... She wasn't really ready to lose someone again...

Even if she might not have formed the same sort of bond that she and Elsa had shared through the events of the third Murder Game with every single person in the Coalition... It still... Troubled her at the prospect of losing someone during this trip.

Yet even so, she decided to keep quiet about her troubles for now; she didn't want to risk bringing down the mood somehow... As it was hard to say how it could affect their mission.

@Jeremi @Josh M @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Verite @Atomyk​

 

[Atomyk]

Lalonde let out a deep sigh before uttering, "Very well."

She turned, gesturing for Ilona and the others to finally get moving. If they were to sit here talking about the dangers all day, they would never get anything done. Lalonde, at least, was confident the base idea of their plan was a viable one, for there was undeniable proof that time travel through the multiverse was very possible. The hard part, in the end, would be once they had already traveled.

"This is going to be so weird," Misaka muttered. She had little to say otherwise.

Built into the training facility was a secure, padded room. They had so far used it for focus exercises, but it was here that Lalonde felt they could achieve the best results. The entire group at least knew of it, and so would likely not find it strange that they were going to be using it. Lalonde passed Ilona device before opening the door to the chamber. "You should be able to transport that device with you. It's experimental so it may not work, but its intended use is to allow myself and Ritsuko to communicate with you. In any case, please proceed into the chamber and we will begin."

In a few moments, everyone was inside, while Lalonde and Ritsuko closed the chamber door behind them. Lalonde's voice then came in over a speaker. "Ilona... You'll have to recall the exercises we taught you. This should be a matter of focus... of tapping into your abilities to perform exactly the task you want to make happen. Recall your experiences of traveling through time, and recall your time spent as a child as a part of that incident. Keep the others in your thoughts as well. Now... everyone, please hold hands and form a circle. We believe this will be the easiest for Ilona to work with."

@Jeremi @Josh M @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Verite​

 

[Jeremi]

Ritsuko nodded towards Tracer, leaning against the wall. "That's the basic gist of it, yes. And should you fail in your journey, space-time itself may end up in ruins. After all, you're tampering with time on a multiversal level."

...

Ritsuko puffed out some more smoke.

"No pressure."

"... Understood. I shall keep you under supervision at all times," Sion promised, nodding towards Ilona, before turning to Lalonde, "In any case, when are we due to leave then?"

@Atomyk @Jeremi @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Josh M
​

"Oh don't worry, luv!" Tracer exclaimed jovially to Ritsuko. "We got this covered!"

Lalonde let out a deep sigh before uttering, "Very well."

She turned, gesturing for Ilona and the others to finally get moving. If they were to sit here talking about the dangers all day, they would never get anything done. Lalonde, at least, was confident the base idea of their plan was a viable one, for there was undeniable proof that time travel through the multiverse was very possible. The hard part, in the end, would be once they had already traveled.

"This is going to be so weird," Misaka muttered. She had little to say otherwise.

Built into the training facility was a secure, padded room. They had so far used it for focus exercises, but it was here that Lalonde felt they could achieve the best results. The entire group at least knew of it, and so would likely not find it strange that they were going to be using it. Lalonde passed Ilona device before opening the door to the chamber. "You should be able to transport that device with you. It's experimental so it may not work, but its intended use is to allow myself and Ritsuko to communicate with you. In any case, please proceed into the chamber and we will begin."

In a few moments, everyone was inside, while Lalonde and Ritsuko closed the chamber door behind them. Lalonde's voice then came in over a speaker. "Ilona... You'll have to recall the exercises we taught you. This should be a matter of focus... of tapping into your abilities to perform exactly the task you want to make happen. Recall your experiences of traveling through time, and recall your time spent as a child as a part of that incident. Keep the others in your thoughts as well. Now... everyone, please hold hands and form a circle. We believe this will be the easiest for Ilona to work with."

@Jeremi @Josh M @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Verite​

Tracer stepped into the circle and gave out her hands to however wanted to grasp them. "Come on then! I wont bite!"

@Josh M @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Verite @Atomyk​

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Sophie squeezed Ilona's hand back, feeling considerably more reassured by the gesture.

"Anything for a... Friend..." She said.

Well, "friend" might not suffice in this case; Ilona felt almost like... Family these days.

Perhaps thanks to a very distinct lack of one back at "home", which had been part of the Silent Earth for a while now...

Her home was here, at the Coalition now, and... She hoped with all her heart that it wouldn't end up like her old one too; with all the ground that they had gained... With all the efforts the Coalition had gone through, she would do her best to make sure history wouldn't repeat itself once more. It was hard to say what Junko would do if they left her unchecked, and it was for the best that they (hopefully) didn't wait long enough to find out.

Though, Starman's prospect of... Potentially dying here seemed to worry her a little; she knew the risks of going back through time, yes... But... She wasn't really ready to lose someone again...

Even if she might not have formed the same sort of bond that she and Elsa had shared through the events of the third Murder Game with every single person in the Coalition... It still... Troubled her at the prospect of losing someone during this trip.

Yet even so, she decided to keep quiet about her troubles for now; she didn't want to risk bringing down the mood somehow... As it was hard to say how it could affect their mission.

@Jeremi @Josh M @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Verite @Atomyk​

Lalonde let out a deep sigh before uttering, "Very well."

She turned, gesturing for Ilona and the others to finally get moving. If they were to sit here talking about the dangers all day, they would never get anything done. Lalonde, at least, was confident the base idea of their plan was a viable one, for there was undeniable proof that time travel through the multiverse was very possible. The hard part, in the end, would be once they had already traveled.

"This is going to be so weird," Misaka muttered. She had little to say otherwise.

Built into the training facility was a secure, padded room. They had so far used it for focus exercises, but it was here that Lalonde felt they could achieve the best results. The entire group at least knew of it, and so would likely not find it strange that they were going to be using it. Lalonde passed Ilona device before opening the door to the chamber. "You should be able to transport that device with you. It's experimental so it may not work, but its intended use is to allow myself and Ritsuko to communicate with you. In any case, please proceed into the chamber and we will begin."

In a few moments, everyone was inside, while Lalonde and Ritsuko closed the chamber door behind them. Lalonde's voice then came in over a speaker. "Ilona... You'll have to recall the exercises we taught you. This should be a matter of focus... of tapping into your abilities to perform exactly the task you want to make happen. Recall your experiences of traveling through time, and recall your time spent as a child as a part of that incident. Keep the others in your thoughts as well. Now... everyone, please hold hands and form a circle. We believe this will be the easiest for Ilona to work with."

@Jeremi @Josh M @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Verite​

"Oh don't worry, luv!" Tracer exclaimed jovially to Ritsuko. "We got this covered!"



Tracer stepped into the circle and gave out her hands to however wanted to grasp them. "Come on then! I wont bite!"

@Josh M @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Verite @Atomyk​

When the group finished their conversations, Ilona took the small device Lalonde offered her, tucked it into her coat, and followed along after the others. Still slightly nervous about this situation, she was sorely tempted to say a quick, mental prayer to the Sun. She held herself back, however, hoping she would be able to rely on her own power rather than the power of a deity who hadn't been very helpful to her in the past.

The blonde felt her heart drop slightly when they entered into the padded room she was accustomed to using for training. She was a bit uncomfortable knowing they were leaving so soon, partly wishing Ritsuko and Lalonde would've told her about this trip sooner. Having more time to mentally prepare would've helped. Still, there was no use in complaining about it now.

"Thank you for the advice, Miss Lalonde," Ilona replied, watching as the door to the room would be closed behind them once everyone was inside. "Admittedly, traveling through time isn't what makes me nervous about this. Out of all the powers I possess, my teleportation and time travel abilities are the ones I have the greatest mastery over. I only feel discomfort knowing..." she cut herself off, glancing around the room at the others. "...I'll be bringing so many people with me. At the most, I've teleported objects and perhaps one other person at a time. This group is larger than what I'm used to, however, I will do my best."

The girl took in a deep breath of air before offering her hands to the others. She extended one hand to Sophie in particular, leaving her remaining hand free for whoever wanted to take it. When the circle would be completed, Ilona would close her eyes and begin to focus. She tried to focus more on the location itself rather than the people she met there, hoping she could manage to bring them a good ways away from the group involved in the Fiamma Incident. Once she had prepared herself, she teleported everyone, the whole group vanishing faster than the blink of an eye.

@Verite @Atomyk @york @Jeremi @Josh M​

 

[Verite]

The sensation of being teleported was something Sion was not accustomed to. She didn't know what to expect out of it, but what she got was something even she couldn't prepare for. A feeling of... being displaced. And it was one thing to be displaced in location, only to find oneself somewhere else entirely, but it was another to be displaced in time, feeling oneself move somewhere they simply did not belong in. Of course, that was her own personal account of it. There was no telling what the likes of say, Ms. Oxton or so had to say of this, but perhaps that was another story for another day.

When everyone had come to again, they would all awaken in a grassy field, the setting of a cold night under a full moon being familiar and unfamiliar to the group at large. The gentle, yet bitingly chilly wind certainly shook Sion awake, her eyes snapping open as she let out a small grunt, struggling back to her feet, albeit with some difficulty, as though her legs felt like jelly in this moment, possibly some sort of side effect from the time displacement.

Wherever they were now, one could only hope that they had reached their destination.

The Fiamma Incident.

"Tch... Is everyone alright? Present and accounted for?" Sion inquired to everyone, checking to make sure the group had been safely delivered to their destination, whilst also examining the area they were in.

Truth be told, she had only been to Misaki Town once, one of the three primary locations of the Fiamma Incident (alongside Fuyuki City of the same world and Academy City from the other world), but the fleeting memory was just enough to allow her to recognize the outskirts of the town, the grassy field beyond the urban town, and the biting full moon that seemed to perpetually haunt the town like an omen.

This was definitely it for her.

"Miss Ilona... Please use the device that Ms. Lalonde had handed you. We need to make sure immediately if we are able to contact her and Ms. Akagi through time with that."

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Jeremi @Josh M @Atomyk​

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Ilona opened her eyes.

When she had closed her eyes the girl wasn't exactly sure, but it must've been sometime shortly before teleporting. She would first glance down, looking to each one of her limbs. She counted them, as if hoping that each single part of her body had survived the trip. Afterwards, she would look up at the group and count each person, hoping that every member of the squad had been brought along. Once she was certain she saw everyone, Ilona sighed in relief and released Sophie's hand from her own.

"I'm okay. It looks like we're all here," the time traveler stated, next turning her gaze on their surroundings. She began to scan the area, trying to discern whether or not they had actually arrived at their target location. She brushed a hand over the grassy field, taking in a deep breath of the night air as she turned her head to the sky. The moon was familiar. The feel in the air was familiar too. It appeared as if they made it.

"I-I did it," Ilona stammered, a pleased smile tugging at her lips. She stood up from where she had been lying on the ground, stretching her arms as far as she could. The blonde continued to gaze around the area afterwards, an excited, almost wild look in her eyes. The field looked so wide open. It didn't have any walls or restrictions. If she wanted, she could just teleport away from the group and wander as she pleased. It was nice to know she could do that if she wanted to. She almost felt free again.

"Ahhh, this feels so nice," Ilona happily added, teleporting herself to another spot.

"So nice."

Again she teleported, as if gleefully exercising her powers.

"So very, very nice!"

She teleported again, but this time she appeared to be out of sight. Where she had gone could've been anyone's guess. It might've even been a bit unsettling to the others, as several seconds passed without her in sight of the group.

Thankfully, she would return again, but her coat appeared a bit tousled and her goggles crooked on her head. She would glance around anxiously after re-appearing, lightly biting down on her lower lip.

"How... long was I gone?" she asked, a suspicious look in her eyes. After glancing around for a moment, and deciding that nobody had really even moved, Ilona sighed in relief.

"Wonderful, I didn't miss much," she mumbled to herself before sheepishly smiling at Sion. "S-So, what was it you wanted again? No, don't tell me, I know this." Ilona paused, as if trying to recall a long forgotten thought, before snapping her fingers. "Ah, this brain of mine hath not failed me yet! You wished to see the device."

The young woman would reach into her coat, pulling out the device. She fumbled with it, as if she wasn't entirely certain how to use it. She would offer it to Sion after a few moments, smiling awkwardly. "Mayhaps you should be the one to activate this device. Technology isn't my forte."

@Verite @york @Jeremi @Josh M @Atomyk​

 

[Atomyk]

Misaka took in a sharp intake of breath when Ilona disappeared for a moment, staring at the spot she had once been. Her face grew hot, and the girl felt anger course through her once Ilona returned momentarily. "H-Hey!" she snapped. "You shouldn't fool around! What if... we..." Looking away, Misaka felt suddenly ill at ease. To be here all over again was unsettling enough, but the idea that running into their past selves could result in some kind of vague damage to reality was almost too much to bear.

Was it really possible to do this? What if they could never return to the future?

The device being passed around came to life, its view screen showing nothing but static at first. Lalonde's voice came through after a moment, sounding quiet beside the droning of static. "Dears, you seem to be... you... don't forget... will... and I will be... you understand?"

It was almost impossible to hear fully.

@Jeremi @Josh M @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Verite​

 

[Jeremi]

The sensation of being teleported was something Sion was not accustomed to. She didn't know what to expect out of it, but what she got was something even she couldn't prepare for. A feeling of... being displaced. And it was one thing to be displaced in location, only to find oneself somewhere else entirely, but it was another to be displaced in time, feeling oneself move somewhere they simply did not belong in. Of course, that was her own personal account of it. There was no telling what the likes of say, Ms. Oxton or so had to say of this, but perhaps that was another story for another day.

When everyone had come to again, they would all awaken in a grassy field, the setting of a cold night under a full moon being familiar and unfamiliar to the group at large. The gentle, yet bitingly chilly wind certainly shook Sion awake, her eyes snapping open as she let out a small grunt, struggling back to her feet, albeit with some difficulty, as though her legs felt like jelly in this moment, possibly some sort of side effect from the time displacement.

Wherever they were now, one could only hope that they had reached their destination.

The Fiamma Incident.

"Tch... Is everyone alright? Present and accounted for?" Sion inquired to everyone, checking to make sure the group had been safely delivered to their destination, whilst also examining the area they were in.

Truth be told, she had only been to Misaki Town once, one of the three primary locations of the Fiamma Incident (alongside Fuyuki City of the same world and Academy City from the other world), but the fleeting memory was just enough to allow her to recognize the outskirts of the town, the grassy field beyond the urban town, and the biting full moon that seemed to perpetually haunt the town like an omen.

This was definitely it for her.

"Miss Ilona... Please use the device that Ms. Lalonde had handed you. We need to make sure immediately if we are able to contact her and Ms. Akagi through time with that."

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Jeremi @Josh M @Atomyk​

"Tracer reportin' for duty!" The girl exclaimed giving Sion a salute.

Misaka took in a sharp intake of breath when Ilona disappeared for a moment, staring at the spot she had once been. Her face grew hot, and the girl felt anger course through her once Ilona returned momentarily. "H-Hey!" she snapped. "You shouldn't fool around! What if... we..." Looking away, Misaka felt suddenly ill at ease. To be here all over again was unsettling enough, but the idea that running into their past selves could result in some kind of vague damage to reality was almost too much to bear.

Was it really possible to do this? What if they could never return to the future?

The device being passed around came to life, its view screen showing nothing but static at first. Lalonde's voice came through after a moment, sounding quiet beside the droning of static. "Dears, you seem to be... you... don't forget... will... and I will be... you understand?"

It was almost impossible to hear fully.

@Jeremi @Josh M @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Verite​

Oh that's not good. "Uuh ma'am you're breakin' up." Tracer scratched her head with a concerned look on her face. "'Ow are we gonna keep in contact if our communication's busted?"

@Josh M @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @york @Verite @Atomyk

 

[York]

Sophie followed Ilona's lead, eager, but at the same time... Quite nervous about what may happen next.

This would mark her first trip back into time, something that was not to be taken lightly, as unlike a trip across merely the multiverse, there was alot more at risk. One little slipup could very easily damage reality as they knew it.

With that in mind, as soon as they arrived in that chamber, Sophie kept a gentle, but firm grasp on Ilona's hand, forming a circle with the others, as she reached out a hand for anyone that might have decided to take it.

As Ilona started to tap into her powers, like she had during the training exercises, Sophie tried to keep a rather firm grip on Ilona's hand, as if she were afraid that they would somehow be separated if she were to even loosen it. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to mentally brace herself for that sudden feeling of being transported. Though she had no idea what it felt like to travel through time, she had distinctly remembered the strange feeling each time she was transported from one Universe into another; the sudden shift in atmosphere... The foreign surroundings...

When the process was complete, Sophie didn't realize it just yet, but she did notice a sudden shift in her surroundings; the familiar air about the training facility she had been staying in with Ilona was gone... Replaced with a cool, but not all unpleasant breeze.

Unlike the Silent Earth, or the place she had once called home... It did not have such a sorrowfull atmosphere... One that would more often than not, bring back rather painful memories, but on the other hand... It was not quite as whimsical or fantastical as Remnant often felt like.

It was only when Ilona let go of her hand that she finally opened her eyes, snapping out of her trance to find herself in an open field... A place that at least seemed relatively peacefull at the moment, but one that struck her as a little familiar. Perhaps she recognized a few details, from the little Cinder had revealed about her experience in one of these "murder games".

"I... I'm okay..." She murmured softly, as her gaze flitted amongst the horizon, looking for any sign of civilization.

Though it wasn't long before she was distracted by Ilona's more joyfull demeanor all of a sudden, teleporting all over the place and... Exercising her powers for the first time. It brought a small smile to her face knowing that at least her friend was having a good time, even if that disappeared for a moment, as Ilona vanished for a bit longer than usual, before (fortunately) appearing again.

Her focus went to the communication device Ilona had brought with her though, noticing the apparent amount of interference it was receiving... Perhaps from having to reach across both space and time, rather than just dimensions, causing Sophie to frown a little... It didn't quite bode well for their trip if their communication with Lalonde was trained like this, but... Some signal was better than none, and with any luck, it would at the very least retain a signal strong enough to be able to hear anything important that thye were being told.

@Verite @Atomyk @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Jeremi @Josh M​

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Although relieved when the device would be taken away from her, Ilona still managed to frown when Mikasa would scold her for messing around. "Oh, Miss Mikasa, I meant no harm. It's been a while since I've been out so I wanted to have a bit of fun. I promise you, I didn't interfere with anyone or anything in this world." Ilona adjusted her goggles and brushed her hands down her coat to wipe some dirt off it before continuing to speak. "I didn't miss anything either. Time manipulation has its advantages." She didn't expect anyone would be pleased with her, but then again, few understood how she really felt about such things.

When the group would focus on their communication device, Ilona was disappointed to hear it cut out. "Ah, would there be any way for us to fix our communicator? If not, I can only hope we're prepared with a backup plan, yes?" she questioned, sounding uncertain. It wasn't as if Ilona had directly teleported them to Junko's location, so they would have to locate her somehow. With no guide how would they find her? And what if she switched locations before they did? "If we have no plan, it may take us quite a while to find her location."

@Verite @york @Jeremi @Josh M @Atomyk​

 

[Josh M]

Unlike most of the group, Starman seemed in effected by traveling back into the past. Adjusting his mask, The legionnaire's eyes gazed at the moon. Randomly, Thom questioned his tea

"Did you feel that? It's pulling us. It's wrapping around us. Neat."

Thom didn't clarify what "it" was. Slightly getting back on focus, Starman pointed at his legion ring

"I think I can pick up the signal better with my Legion ring. It's designed to be used for missions like this. Let's I can clear that audio up."





@Verite @york @Jeremi @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Atomyk