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The white flash dissipates, but he daren’t open his eyes to the assault of colors as he careens throughout the Citrusverse.
Fortunately, seconds later A2 felt his feet touch something soft and grainy, was this it?
He and everyone else rode the Multiversal Train for hours searching for their missing rampaging counterpart, and what do you know, it led them to Kyomura’s fine, grainy, golden cell.
Opening his eyes, all he saw was the pale golden sandy plains of a desert.
“This is it, then.”
Looking up ahead, they walked towards a lone cactus, trying to remember their way towards their place.
“One cactus..two cacti…” A2 spots something larger amongst the mist of nothing but billowing sand. “-oh, there it is.”
A tall golden tower-like construct loomed above the man after wiping the sand from his glasses, and putting them back on as he walked onwards, his eyes caught onto the intricacies of the tower’s carvings, and even as he was approaching the entrance, he stopped to admire the artistry behind the loops and swirls on the pillars that somehow still kept the sandstone tower upright.
He realizes he probably has stared a little too long at the architecture, and hurriedly rushes inside, his face burning up slightly.
“Oh shit, I forgot.” A2 stood in front of the staircase upwards in the golden tower, “No elevator…” A2 peered around, surely their senior won't mind him using his power here?
A2 summoned one of his golden lances, although having the thickness of a twig, the guy thought that it was good enough. His non dominant hand on the lance and with a flick of the hand, he felt the air rush past him as he was propelled to the top floor.
His failure of a plan clear as day by the fact A2 ends up looking half of himself while trying to get up from the sand-covered floors, he mentally curses the Tree before brushing off the grains on their coat after his “exciting” adventure on the y-axis, he turns to the desolate cracked staircase stationed a few steps away.
Until a familiar crackle of magic echoed throughout the hallway he stood in.
A blast of bright lemon-yellow magic grazed the side of A2’s face, burning the spot where his cheek melted into its deformed dark, slimy state. Still stunned from the sudden attack, A2 looked down the hallway to meet those familiar faded amber eyes.
“Kyomura, I know I’m made out of goop, but magic blast wounds still hurt.” He grumbles, unamused.
Kyomura chuckled, her voice like a grate in his ears. “So maybe you should’ve made less of a ruckus in the stairway. My genius gets interrupted by loud pests like you.” She briefly gazes outside at the bright sunlight filtering in through the stained-glass windows, before returning A2’s impatient stare. She huffs. “So, why are you here?”
A2 took some time to remold the black goop currently sliding off his burnt spot, making sure his glasses stay in place. “I came to offer a deal.”
Kyomura raised their eyebrows “A deal?” They chuckled “Dealing with the person who caused the near-destruction of the Core Cities, and has an immense grudge against your friends.” She hums, and A2 could feel her watchful eyes tracking his every silent gesture. “You better have something good in for me.”
A2 contemplates whether he was making the right choice. “But what is a better choice than what I’m about to offer her?”
“I’ll help you get out of here.” He spoke, an edge of shakiness to his tone.
Kyomura’s eyes widened “Now that’s something I did not expect coming from you.” She pauses, clicking her tongue, before answering. “Fine. I want to get out of this stuffy place anyways. What do you possibly need?”
A2 steadies himself, swallowing the nonexistent saliva in his mouth. “Help us find Rae.”
He nearly audibly winces at Kyomura’s tone. “Huh?”
“That’s right, we got into some trouble with her a while back, so…” A2 awkwardly twiddles with his fingers behind his back.
Kyomura thought for a good moment. “Do I get to kick her ass?”
With great reluctance, A2 grumbles. “Yes, yes you do.”
Immediately, a hand was offered “It’s a deal then”
“Of course.” A2 clasps his clammy hand around her rough leather gloves and shook it, and Kyomura grins.
“I think…” She spoke with a slight drawl, her cyan curls falling to frame her face as she leans in to stare into his cautious, watching eyes, the rim of her top hat casting an ominous shadow over her wide-smiled expression. “This will be an interesting, interesting partnership. Would it not?”