[Rina]

To think someone would go far as to shoot Schezo out in the open...Lemres would never think of it, but seeing his friend targeted for assassination only underlined the gravity of the situation. It's become apparent the Absolutionists aren't pulling any punches when it comes to fighting against the leaders' ideals, but it's tucked away within ordinary citizens to divert the suspecting eyes. And the one that tried to kill Schezo thought his kind doesn't belong in the Life Sphere. Do they not realize the fallacy of letting Absolution go? Where would be the end?

Getting Schezo to Lightweather was quick, but the check up is far from brief. Aside from the background noise of the television breaking the silence, the quiet atmosphere of the waiting room seemed to slow down time. Seconds didn't feel like seconds. Lemres was hoping his friend would be alright, but all he could do is put his faith in the doctors. Schezo's recovered from worse situations, what's stunting this one?

"Lemres?"

Hearing his name be called, the comet warlock promptly followed the doctor to discuss Schezo's current condition...

"How's Schezo doing?"
"Mm...He's...in a strange state right now."
"Strange? How so?"
"There's no doubt he was shot. I'm one of the witnesses among several others, but he doesn't have a single bullet wound to be found."

No bullets. No evidence. A devious tactic, but it appears such an attack wasn't fatal to Schezo. It still bring up a question as to how someone got their hands on those means and the means of developing it...

"Wha...? So is he unconscious by something arcane?"
"I can't say for certain, but that's the best conclusion I can think of. I'll have to keep an eye on him if he awakens. He's still functioning, thankfully."
"That's good. He's one tough cookie, after all. I haven't seen magic that was made for firearms, though, so I need to look into this."
"I would suggest you tell this to the police, too. This Absolutionist crisis is getting out of hand quickly."

Once the discussion has been tied up, Lemres came to visit Schezo once visiting hours opened. Right before Lemres' downcast face, an unconscious dark mage laid down on the bed, showing no signs of awakening.

"...you sure attract a lot of enemies, Schezo..."

[Mari]

"Miss Arle. I bring urgent news."
"What's happening?"
"Well... Schezo Wegey has been shot."
"--Shot? Like with a..."
"With a gun."
"Oh... Is he okay??"
" . . . I'm not sure."

--Wait, how were they not sure?! Why wasn't that the detail they started with?!

. . . Not long later, Arle arrived at the hospital.

"--Oh, Arle. I thought you quit!"
"Y-Yeah, but today I'm here to see a friend..."

Finally, Arle entered the room to see Schezo. She momentarily hesitated a moment to acknowledge Lemres, sort of stopping in her tracks and just sort of doing a double take at Schezo. He clearly wasn't conscious, which meant asking him what happened obviously wouldn't be an option. Arle moved over to him regardless and hesitantly looked him over, absent-mindedly grasping one of his hands in a lowkey clingy manner. She only observed for a moment before addressing the other person in the room, however. "...Did you see what happened?" Arle asked rather simply.

[Therider]

And in burst into the room another friend, someone whom... truth be told, if Schezo was awake to see him, it would be a massive shock to both of them to know he came without being prodded and begged to come. The self proclaimed Hero of Justice lost his words to stunned silence as he laid his eyes on the bedridden mage. Lagnus held no true ill feelings towards his rival, and while Schezo was a better mage and magic user overall a nicer individual to most people a pervert and a creep, Lagnus truly considered him a friend and ally when times needed them to be. Sure they would bicker and Lagnus would always lose win by a long shot, but no true malice was truly intended. In fact, sometimes it felt like Schezo was one of the only people who acknowledged him for his skill and prowess.

RfHVqEUAp_1d20-4 (Lagnus' CHA roll to check for offensiveness; dead fail)

That's right about when Lagnus started yelling.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS? Who would dare harm Schezo? He's a war hero, and nothing perverted he says really hurts people!"  Lagnus, having honed in on Schezo, finally noticed the other two. Lemres, a close... friend of Schezo? Was friend truly the right word to use for him and Schezo? In any case, a close companion of the bed-ridden mage. Lagnus nodded curtly before glancing over at Arle. Then turning back to shake Schezo awa-

ARLE WAS HERE?!?! She was the triumphant leader of the Life Sphere now! She led the assault on the Sonic fiend whom these gangs base their names on! How could she not save her friend and fellow hero?!? "A-Arle... How could you let this happen?!? How could I let this happen? You leaders really need to get on this! If this is what happens to heroes, imagine the pain it'll cause the innocent! The weak! Those who are trodden upon!"

Lagnus raised a fist. ...Do you know where the fiends live? I'll hunt them down and uproot them myself."1d20-4

[Rina]

Lemres gave her space to see him, understanding of her great concern. The two have unexpectedly grown to be close-knit friends and allies, so the news were When Arle takes hold of Schezo's hand, a pulse still beats, so he yet still lives. In complete contradiction to the gunshot, but true to the spoken word of the doctor, there isn't any sort of bullet wound. It's a big mystery to be had, combined with the unknown identity of Schezo's attempted assassin.

Upon being asked about it, Lemres shook his head in response to Arle.

"Not enough, unfortunately. I was with Schezo when he got hit, but didn't see who took the shot. It happened in an instant."

Lemres snapped his fingers to further back the spontaneous nature of the shooting. He continued his testimony, as it'd be quite important for Arle to relay as well.

"We were just passing through the Rainbow Square after discussing the current state of the Sphere. What was supposed to be a civil, important talk turned to disaster out in the open. As to why someone tried to assassinate him in daylight, I can only imagine it was to send a message to all of the witnesses, myself included."

Just as he turned to Schezo to take hold of Schezo's hand and check on him, Lagnus suddenly bursted in to visit. Who was this man? Schezo would know. Unfortunately, Lemres can't ask him, obviously. All he could do is try to calm the agitated light warrior and exercise courtesy among the others staying within.

"Please, calm down. I get that it's a shock, but we can think better with a calmer mind."

Breathe in... breathe out. Once Lagnus' calmed down, Lemres resumed. Well, he'd continue anyway in spite of Lagnus' impulsiveness.

"Wish I had a name. The shot came out of nowhere and the culprit long gave us the slip. One thing's for certain, Schezo's reputation for being a hero precedes him, and it attracted some unsavory attention because of it. That badge he wears is basically a walking target for the Absolutionists."

And Lemres too, though Schezo has much more to his name than the comet warlock.

[Mari]

Arle just kind of flinched as she found herself on the receiving end of accusations. "--H-Hey! I wasn't there! How was I supposed to stop this??" she sorely protested. Man, talk about unfair. Like she didn't feel inadequate for the position as it were. She hesitantly returned her attention to Schezo and Lemres. "...This is awful. They're trying to overthrow the life sphere!" Arle blurted out, getting the 'message' they'd sent loud and clear. "...And they're going after my friends to do it." she added, her shoulders sagging in defeat. What was she even supposed to do about that? She didn't know how to handle a civil war! How did she deal with it when a group of people she was supposed to be leading were trying to overthrow her? ...Mario and Samus' words came back to her. ...Right. Right. She wasn't chosen to be some great leader. She was chosen because she was already what the life sphere needed. She just had to trust her judgement and stop overthinking things. After a long moment of silent thought, she continued. "...Well, I'm up for kicking their butts if we can find out where they're at." Arle offered, a note of condemnation in her tone. "But first I have to find that out. You said that badge was kind of like a target, right?" Arle thoughtfully offered. ...What were the odds she could just stick that badge on a jerk like Kodomo Dragon and convince him to pretend to be a great hero or something? ...Nah. That was too mean. Hey, has anyone seen Choppun?? "I think I could probably set up some bait to draw them out. ...The problem is that the bait would be in a lot of danger." Arle continued, disregarding the issue of how they'd track the assassins. She was certain someone could help with that, so that wasn't such a big issue.

[Rina]

Lemres tapped his chin, listening to an understandably distressed Arle devise a plan. She's got big shoes to fill in, and she's still quite young to be a leader. Noble, but a huge burden to shoulder even if she's backed by two others. Lemres, in a way, emphatizes with her. Back in magic school, his power often put him on a leadership role, and he was made to put on an unflappable front to keep morale up. Seeing her like this pained him a bit because of how close to home it struck, from trying to take a stand...and making decisions, good and questionable.

"While that does seem like it'll catch their attention, the lack of a solid pattern makes your idea a high risk, little reward gambit. Who knows when the next person will be targeted? And where, too. We currently only have one case of this and several spotty witness testimonies."

A very peculiar case indeed... Lemres paused for a short moment to give attention to what he believes is the more damning detail.

"And more importantly: Who. Consider Schezo's reputation in this. I have a badge myself, but he specifically got picked out because for two reasons."

Lemres held out his hand, holding up fingers to count the bullet points.

"His involvement in two major operations: First to Fall, Last to Lead; and more importantly, Absolution. And two...his close ties to you, the Sphere's newly appointed leader. I believe he also told me he's worked closely with Samus on one mission too, so he's got a double dose of Sphere leader ties. I was there for Absolution, and yet I wasn't taken down. While it can be chalked up to picking out one victim per scene, I could've been one by just association alone."

Considering all the angles to go discern the patterns with little sacrifice is tough... Lemres is uneasy like Arle, but he chooses to remain calm for Arle's sake.

[Arle Nadja]

Arle paused momentarily, considering what Lemres had said before deflating slightly, her gaze lowering to the floor. “...I guess you're right.” she replied in a defeated tone. “I was thinking maybe I could do it, but I guess that'd probably be a bad idea too.” she softly added. “Gu gu?” Carbuncle asked, creeping into the room with a wary expression on his face. Arle paused to crouch down near the ground and hold her arms out to him, inviting him into them. He promptly ran in and jumped into her arms, sorta hugging her cheek for a moment before bouncing around her shoulders for a bit and settling to perch. “Gu gugugu gu gu guu gu gugu!” Carbuncle chirped. Arle softly sighed in relief, a gentle smile crossing her face. She'd really needed the comfort right about then. “Thanks, Carby. I guess we'll have to do our best and rely on other people to help us solve this one, huh?” she asked, apparently understanding the little yuru-chara. She then hesitated a moment as a thought occured to her, returning her attention to Lemres. “--Is there anything I can do to help? There's got to be something I can do as a leader...” she asked and mused aloud, trailing off in thought.

Arle Nadja 210/210 70/70

--Companions/Status--

[Rina]

"Hmm..."

Lemres tapped against his chin, trying to put together a plan on flushing out the culprit. Minimizing potential chaos would be ideal, but how much is feasible, considering? More importantly, how much can Arle exercise her position without painting a big target on her? The position of power is something that should be taken with utmost care. Just as Lemres could cook up an idea, the rattle of a doorknob broke silence as a doctor of the Hospital stepped in.

"Pardon the interruption, but I have a report on Schezo Wegey's condition."
"Oh, please inform us."

Lemres turned his attention to the doctor stepping in. With all this talk about drawing out the culprit, learning Schezo's condition could provide clues on this mystery. The comet warlock was attentive, ready to listen to what the doctor has to say.

"See...While Schezo still yet lives..."

The doctor sighed, looking rather defeated at the results.

"...I can't sense a single drop of his life essence."

Lemres jerked up from his seat upon hearing the news. A twist in the wound indeed, this makes the assailant all the more mysterious... Is the means of assassination arcane in nature?

"What!? Is he dead!?"
"I hope not. The dark mage is pretty hardy, and rather supernaturally so. As he's lived for many years, his body is far beyond human capacity, as if his own magic is sustaining himself from death's grip. But to further delve into his condition. It's as if his soul was forcefully ripped away and cast out elsewhere. Quite faint, but there is a trace of such force lingering within him."

Lemres took another look at Schezo, trying to sense his magic again. He can faintly sense Schezo's magic, but at the very center of his being, it just abruptly stops. The life force that animates him ends so unnaturally, plucked from its vessel.

"...You're right...It abruptly stops there. There's some foreign magic in him from when he got struck too."

[Arle Nadja]

Arle kinda listened to what was going on quietly for a good few long moments, considering what it was she was hearing. The realization hit her as abruptly as she blurted it out. “They stole his soul?!” Arle said. She then went quiet for a moment, considering what this meant.
“Oooh... That's really bad. That's really really bad.” she lamented, panicking a bit at the thought. If they had his soul, that meant he was at their mercy. Who knew what they intended to do with it. As far as she knew, souls usually got stolen for eating or for sacrificing. Neither of which were reversible. It was all she could do to not freak out in front of others, but in the privacy of her own mind she was already in a full-blown panic.

[Rina]

"Stolen or no, an objective's been established now: Find Schezo's soul before they do."

Lemres fixes his hat, knowing the dangers this could being but would prefer not to vocalize. Though he means well, he tends to keep things a secret to sidestep the tension it actually poses. That, or possibly do this on his own. Arle's got a big seat to fill, and suddenly dipping out of the leader's chair might cause a stink in the Sphere. He's firm in his words, but he has...other plans.

Sorry Arle...but if something happens to you, the Sphere's morale is going to fall apart at the seams. If I don't find Schezo quick, then they might kill him off for good...or use his immense power to cause more chaos...!

Plans behind a firm expression.

[Arle Nadja]

Arle was quiet for a long moment. This did present something of an issue of split attention. If she were to go out searching for Schezo's soul, who would stay here and deal with the absolutionist threat? How did she know this wasn't a trap to try and force her to take actions that would indirectly lead to something awful happening? She couldn't imagine one person's soul was the key to taking over the world or anything like that, so why--if not to bait her out onto the field? As much as she didn't like it, she had to not rush into this in an angry furor.

 “...I'll stay here and inform the other leaders of what's happening. We need to try and make sure the Life Sphere is safe for Schezo to come back to.” Arle softly lamented. You can kind of hear that she doesn't like administrative duty, but that was chair she occupied. “I'll entrust the mission to recover him to you, okay? ...You can have whatever you want to help you make sure he comes back okay.” she adds. Was that too much? Eh, she'd figure out the politics of it later. For now it felt just right.

[Rina]

Oh thank heavens she's on the same page. He was seriously close to sneaking out and striking it on his own, but hearing Arle being firm on keeping political affairs as first priority gave Lemres some peace of mind. There was no other way to handle this situation at the moment, and only he is in the position to take action outside the Sphere. It'll be hard splitting the effort, but damage control is the first thing that needs to be done in these times. With an affirmative nod, Lemres confirmed the course of action.

"Got it. Rest assured, I'll bring him back safe and sound."

[Arle Nadja]

“Alright. I'll let the other leaders know what's going on” Arle said as she moved to get ready to leave.

[Rina]

"Sounds good. Can't leave higher ups in the dark on what's going on. You go take care your front, alright?"

Lemres nodded, affirming his mission to retrieve Schezo's soul back to the Sphere. His body is being maintained, thankfully, but there's only so much they can do until things worsen... He knows how close he is to the leaders, though not the type that would take up the position. He better be quick about it, taking his leave once Arle does.

[Arle Nadja]

“--Right...” Arle softly replied, hesitating a brief moment before continuing. “And Lemres? ...Good luck.” she added before heading out.

((End presence))