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The paper appears to be some official communique with the Kuriyama logo, a pickaxe and an Alphinite crystal crossed in front of the wheel. As the communique is written in the Yamajiman script, however, Rika is unable to read it.

Isabeau looks over the party, then looks around the city.
"Now hark, where is the city guard? We must ensure those evildoers are subject to the law of the land."

Of course, to anyone not living several centuries ago, the city guard of Barminster has long been replaced by a proper police force, dvidied into several districts. While a city guard is technically retained, they effectively comprise a ceremonial guard at the royal palace, acting as a tourist attraction more than an out-and-out law enforcement group. However, the Guards of the Palace, as they are officially dubbed, are often drawn from Elerian Order Knights and military personnel, leaving a rude awakening for those who mistake them for merely overly-armed dancers.

---

Lin
"Oooooooh, who is it? Or would you rather keep that to your chest, hm? I don't mind either way, I'm just curious."

Astrea
"Just go for it. It's not like we're trained athletes like those professionals at the Miletan Games, right?"

Kruger inspires their newest ally to arms, being quite right in his estimation.

Kruger issues a Combat Order: Concentrate Fire!
Isabeau and Matagot are invigorated!

Rika, being placed between Arnett and the leader of the attackers, manages to slow him, his punches being so slowed as to allow Rika to calmly evade them with the slowest movements on the planet.

(Rika demands insults be said to her face....)
(Rika's Bewitch activates!)
(Rika stands tall!)
(Kruger's Dragon Ward+ activates!)

Rika initiates!
Hit Rate: 59 to hit
Hit: 45, hit!
Kuriyama Enforcer Captain takes 6 damage!
Kuriyama Enforcer Captain loses 20 EVA!

Kuriyama Enforcer Captain retaliates!
Hit Rate: 88 to hit
Hit: 100, miss!

Arnett's construct surges past the others to smash one of their opponents into a nearby dumpster. The pained groan tells you he's not getting up without assistance.

(Arnett's Artistic Cultivation activates!)
(Kruger's Dragon Ward+ activates!)

Arnett's Imago initiates!
Hit Rate: 84 to hit
Hit: 36, hit!
Critical: 1, crit!
Kuriyama Enforcer A takes 30 damage!

Kuriyama Enforcer A is defeated!

"Behold, the power of the Princess of the Tenebrous Kingdom! Behold my royal decree!"
"What are you....s-shut up already!"

The Dryad doesn't quite seem very confident, one of his men having already been downed.

(Kruger's Dragon Ward+ activates!)
(Kruger's Combat Order is active!)
(Isabeau decrees that the enemies of fate be undone!)

Isabeau initiates!
Hit Rate: Irrelevant
Hit: Autohit!
(Rend Heaven check: 17, pass!)
(Isabeau fights against the fleeting light of heaven!)
Critical: 13, crit!
Kuriyama Enforcer Captain takes 75 damage!

Kuriyama Enforcer Captain is defeated!

"Urgh...."
As Isabeau's strike lands true, her feline companion pounces on the closest attacker, his claws and fangs momentarily resembling that of a larger beast's before flickering in a blast of lightning.

(Kruger's Dragon Ward+ activates!)
(Kruger's Combat Order is active!)

Matagot initiates!
Hit Rate: 64 to hit
Hit: 21, hit!
Critical: 1, crit!
Kuriyama Enforcer B takes 66 damage!

Kuriyama Enforcer B is defeated!

As the man falls unconscious, Matagot drags him away by the back of his shirt using his mouth.
"This one is taken care of, my lady."
"You have my everlasting gratitude, my truest companion."

~~Enemy Turn~~
The remaining thug, looking very quickly between his opponents, attempts to swipe for Arnett, only for his strikes to fall wide.

(Arnett's Artistic Cultivation activates!)
(Arnett shuts in!)
(Kruger's Dragon Ward+ activates!)

Kuriyama Enforcer C initiates!
Hit Rate: 76 to hit
Hit: 99, miss!

Arnett cannot retaliate!

Solrise Students may attack!

---

Alicia ponders the suggestion.
"Actnatural? Howdoyoumean?"

---

"Oh? Ohoh? You mean to tell me you HAVE considered it? My, Lin Weylan, looking up from the forge long enough to look for someone special. Who is it? Hm? Isabella? Steven?"

Alicia ponders the suggestion.
"Thatsoundslikeagoodideabutwouldn'tthatlookreallyweird?"

---

Kaya gives a look over at Ilse.
"Yeah. She's a really hard worker from what I know, even if I've hardly spoken to her. I didn't know she had a girlfriend, though. As for sugary....you thinking cinnamon rolls or a Harrow Mess?"

---

"A man can dress however he likes! That's rather-"

"Stop, evildoers!"

Suddenly, a blast of lightning slaps two men, evidently hiding behind a dumpster behind the man, out of hiding. They are dressed identically to the person the trio seem to be speaking to.

An oddly-dressed (even by the standards of the city) girl, about Arnett's age, steps out, snapping her fingers as what appears to be a cat made of shadows appears around her leg, sparking with lightning.
"Your bidding is done, my lady. I caught those two hiding away with hidden weapons on their person."
"Behold, the might of La Princesse Isabeau du Archambault and her faithful servant Matagot! No foul villain can find themselves hidden from the all-seeing eye! The stars do not lie to me, and I have foreseen your vile intent!"

The nondescript man looks between her, the students, and the men behind him, pulling themselves up.
"You.....you must be Solrise students. Damn it."

"Boss, what was that? I've never seen the like!"
"Did that cat just-"

"Listen, kiddos, you should back off. This is NONE of your business."

"Alot."

"Inormallytakeinventoryofallmyfiresafetyandrescueequipment. Keepingexactnumbersofallofmyequipmenthelpsmecalmdown. ObviouslyIcan'tjustbringmyequipmentonstagetocountit,though,right?"

---

The shifty Dryad looks Rika over.
"What business of yours is it if my business is wholesome or not? Isn't this an invasion of privacy?"

---

Eventually, Kaya and Lin arrive at the cafeteria. Being as it is a few hours before the big dinner rush, most people are just coasting off whatever the kitchens have left over from lunch. You spy Ilse with a young Dracis woman putting a blanket over her on one of the tables as she sleeps, seemingly overworked, and you also see Elma running yet another poker game with Freddie and a few students you don't know. Judging from her cheeky grin, she's winning.

"So, uh....wanna just get something to eat real quick?"

Alicia breathes into a paper bag for a little longer before inhaling and turning back to Mus'ad.
"JustimagininghowmanypeoplearegoingtobeinfrontomewhenIspeak. Igetnervousinfrontofhugecrowds. It'ssomucheasiertofightfiresthanteachpeoplehowtodealwithfires, youknow?"

She's speaking even faster than usual, if that's even possible.

---

Rika, Arnett and Kruger are faced with a nondescript man, dressed in a dark brown trenchcoat with no identifying markers; already odd, when you consider the ridiculous variety of fashions surrounding him. Some tree bark is visible on his neck, marking him as a Dryad.

"Who are you? I'm minding my own business."

Alicia nods. She closes her eyes, breathing in deeply, before beginning to speak.
"Heregoesnothing."
"Higuysmyname'sAliciaandtodayIwillbegivingyouademonstrationonfiresafety. It'sarealhazardnowadaysespecially-nopecan'tdoit."

She immediately turns away from Mus'ad and starts breathing very rapidly into a paper bag.

Oh boy.

---

The trip into the city -taken by city bus, of course- is rather unventful, as it primarily consists of you, well, sitting on a bus for about ten minutes while the bus drives to the nearest stop in the city.

That would, of course, be inaccurate. While Solrise Academy holds a large estate of green land, it still technically lies not far out of the city center, specifically the district of Tottersea, within walking distance of the governmental district of Ginby, where the country's halls of parliament are located, along with the nearby Barminster Palace, winter home to the Yorkian royal family. As such, you are not quite far from the middle of the city, with all of its amenities.

Upon getting off at the first stop, the city of Barminster is pretty bustling for late afternoon. An important-looking Avis woman exits one of the phone booths nearby, swaddled in furs. You are surrounded by the city's tall buildings, only visible from the edge of the Solrise estate, with shop fronts bustling with merchandise and a line of posters outside the local cinema showing off all the newest films, from Casarbayda to some film with a title in Frankish, perhaps one of those 'artsy' films the critics preferred to the supposed 'dreck' that comes from the famed Mistlegrove film-making district in western Vespalla.

"We'll just go inside the cinema and check that the tickets are still valid and then we'll see you guys off. Don't worry about the return trip; we'll call Jack and Kaede."

Himiko and Joel make their way inside the theatre, leaving the three of you outside the cinema.

You are suddenly well aware of someone's eyes on you. In a city like this, of course, they could be coming from anywhere, but the nearby alleyway is looking rather suspicious.