Editing BlazBlue:Phase Shift 4 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 4===

The sight of three girls walking alongside a large robotic doll carrying a disturbingly-colored half of a globe was unusual to say the least, even in the less-than-traditional city of Ishana which had built its culture on sorcery and alchemy.

Nine had chosen a room used for magical experimentation located below the Mage's Guild to store Take-Mikazuchi's core. She had chosen it mainly for the magical compatibility of its old wooden floor and walls, and she had cleared everything she didn't need out of the room in order to hold her tools. When Celica's group entered, the room was lit only by magical lamps casting fire-colored light, and aside from a table with three chairs near the entrance, there was nothing else noteworthy to be seen.

In place of tools or books, a recently drawn magic circle dominating the center of the room awaited them.

"It's a sealing circle designed to restrain the functions and power of the core. Nirvana, put the core in the middle of it."

Figuring that Celica was going to ask anyway, Nine preemptively answered her question as they walked in. The dull thuds of Nine's high heels hitting the wooden floor reverberated throughout the room as she went.

The entrance was a big pair of double doors, designed with the need to carry bulky equipment through them in mind, but Nirvana was still only barely able to get the core through. Once she managed to get into the room, she put the core into the magic circle as ordered.

As soon as she did, the circle started emitting dark purple light and the core floated off the ground and hung in the air.

As if it was being held up by an invisible hand, the flawlessly split core held perfectly still as it was suspended between the ceiling and floor. "...Guess that's a job well done?"

Nirvana retreated back to stand beside Celica, who asked for confirmation uncertainly.

Perhaps it was because they had just carried an incredibly dangerous thing that could have unknown adverse effects on humans though the street, but they were all as tense as a taut bowstring.

Once Nirvana had put the core safely into the magic circle, Celica's words served to slowly ease their tension.

"Yeah. Thanks for your time, you were a big help... all three of you."

Remembering what Celica had said earlier, Nine thanked all three of them this time.

Appreciating her sister's thoughtfulness, Celica clasped her arms behind her back and smiled. The town was still in chaos and the world was in grave danger, but she thought that even at a time like this, a little happiness would do wonders.

"I still have work to do, so you go on home, Celica."

Crossing her arms beneath her bountiful chest, Nine put on her big sister face.

There was no clock in this room, but by the time they had entered the Mage's Guild, the sun had already sunk below the horizon and the sky was turning a dim purple. By now night should have completely fallen and the moon would be rising.

Celica's hair shook as she nodded.
"Okay. In that case, I'll finish cleaning up and make us something to eat. I don't really know what we have left though."

It had been some time since they were chased out of Ishana, so the fruits and vegetables they had at home had probably gone bad by now.

It would be nice if she could go grocery shopping, but she wasn't holding her breath for that to happen right now.

"Do you want to come with me, Trinity-san?"

"Ah... I'm sorry～ I want to talk to Nine about something for a bit."

"Oh, okay. I'll just go back with Nirvana then."

Trinity apologized again, and Celica waved to Nine as the latter saw her off with a loving look before heading out of the wood-enclosed underground room.

The girl and her robotic doll left through just one side of the double door, and it closed shut behind them with a heavy thud.

Celica's light, bouncy steps slowly faded into the distance. Eventually both her and Nirvanas' presences disappeared…

In an instant Nine wheeled around to return to Take-Mikazuchi's core enshrined in the sealing circle. The fire-colored magical lighting cast a solemn atmosphere through the dreary room, reflecting off the dark wooden floor and giving the illusion that time had stopped. The half of the red-black globe floated silently inside the magic circle, looking like the contents of a cup in solid form, flat side facing up. It may have only been half its original size, but it still made this reasonably large room feel cramped.

"Nine... sorry to bother you when you're so busy, but I don't know when else I'll get a chance to talk to you one-on-one～"

Trinity was the one to break the silence. She realized that Nine wasn't going to start up a conversation right now no matter how long she waited.

With a nearly imperceptible gulp, Nine shifted her attention back to her. Trinity couldn't see her face past her long hair and the wide brim of her hat, but she saw her lips, no different from any normal girl's, breath a shallow sigh.

"Is this the kind of conversation we have to have privately?"

"That's a little mean of you, pretending you don't know what I want to ask."

"Then you should know what my answer is going to be."

Her tone was curt, but she wasn't outright refusing to talk to Trinity. She was just begging her not to ask.

She was showing her girlish, fragile side that never came out except when she was alone with Trinity, or sometimes with Celica or Jubei. Her soft center that she kept hidden under a layer of tough armor. It showed itself in the whispering tone of her voice. Normally, Trinity probably would have just left the room with an understanding smile, but Trinity couldn't do that this time.

"You've been hiding something about Take-Mikazuchi from us this whole time... haven't you?"
Humanity's ultimate weapon, capable of taking on the Black Beast, that could scorch the earth and warp the landscape with a single attack, and that sucked the life out of countless people in seconds. It crushed Ishana beneath its incredible mass and brought a piece of the Black Beast back to the island with it. With just a glance anyone could tell just how dangerous that black colossus was to humanity. Everyone was more afraid of that thing than ever before, Trinity included, but hardly anyone knew that it was the intellect and techniques of this girl that had created it. Even her little sister, Celica, thought that it was something the Ten Sages had developed.

Nine rubbed her temples like she had a headache.

"Sorry, Trinity..."

"Why do you insist on doing everything by yourself, Nine?"

Trinity gently interrupted Nine's words.

"This is just hypothetically speaking, but what if the most terrible weapon in human history were to come into being, and then someone were to use it, thereby sacrificing countless lives? In that situation, would the blame lie with the one who used it, or the one who created it?"

Nine didn't have an answer to that question, but regardless of which one she picked, she would definitely blame herself. After all, she was without a doubt the one who had created the problem in the first place.

"You feared Take-Mikazuchi. You regret having ever made it, right? But even if you are the one who created it, I don't think it's reasonable to put all the blame on yourself."

Silently praying in her heart, Trinity walked around to stand in front of Nine. Nine had a confused look on her face, but it was quickly replaced with a frown and an intense expression.

She knew what laid beneath that intensity. Trinity clasped her hands in front of her chest.

"Please tell me what Take-Mikazuchi really is. What scared you so badly that you kept it from us?"

Trinity had a feeling that it had something to do with why Nine said the core could have a fatal effect on people earlier, and that it was weighing on her so heavily that she couldn't bear to say it. If Nine were to say, and if Trinity were to listen... then no matter what the truth was, she would accept it. If Nine told her about whatever heavy weight she had placed upon herself, she wouldn't blame her for it no matter what it was. In fact, she wanted to tell her that she had done the right thing and free her from her regret. After all, Take-Mikazuchi saved many lives the first time it was summoned, too.

But…

"I'm pretty sure I already said I won't tell you."

Nine wouldn't open the lock over her heart.

"If I told you this one thing, I'm sure I'd end up confessing everything to you."

Seeming to fear that more than anything, she hugged herself with her folded arms.

She had more than just one thing she wanted to hide. Take-Mikazuchi wasn't the only sin weighing her down, and she had no intention of unburdening herself to Trinity. Hearing her best friend say that, Trinity's chest ached so badly that it surprised even her. She knew that the stabbing pain she felt wasn't directed towards Nine, but it still hurt.

"Nine, I just..."

Wanted to talk. Just wanted to hear you out. Must have wanted to hear you say, 'you're the only one I can turn to.'
The friend standing before her wasn't the genius mage; she was a girl named Konoe Mercury. Trinity might have just wanted that weak, fragile girl to think of her as the only person who would accept her for who she really is, the only person who would protect her.

She was getting déjà vu because this wasn't the first time Nine had pushed her away like this. Trinity was terribly dejected. Her heart dropped as badly as it had in the gut-wrenching moment when she had watched the Black Beast and Take-Mikazuchi drop on Ishana.

In that moment, Nine let go of herself and unfolded her arms, leaning to one side with casual posture.

"I'm sorry, Trinity. I'll tell you when this is all over."

Nine barely managed to keep herself together and act natural as she said it. Her voice wavered a bit.

Trinity weakly bowed her head. Now Trinity was the one who needed Nine to worry about her feelings and protect her. She didn't want to have to say this.

"...Do you... promise?"

Softly, ever so softly. Trinity exhaled as softly as she possibly could. She didn't want to accidentally put more pressure on Nine. No matter how dejected and bewildered she may be, that was one thing she never wanted to do.

In place of an answer to Trinity's hesitant question, Nine lifted her head. Her face had lost its intensity, and her eyebrows drooped as she chuckled wryly, remembering their many trifling daily conversations.

"On second thought, I'll leave dividing the core and applying the seal to one of the other Sages. Sorry Trinity, you ought to be helping the injured. They don't have many people who know how to make medicine out there."

"Nine..."

"...Making that face doesn't make me want your help more."

Don't make this any harder for me. Regret shone in Nine's eyes as she dropped her gaze.

It's hard to say who this was more difficult for: Trinity or Nine. Nine didn't want to hurt Trinity, nor did Trinity want to hurt Nine. They were thinking practically the same thing, but they still couldn't see eye to eye. They couldn't reach each other. In this moment, they were like shirt buttons put into the wrong holes. This sort of thing happens a lot, but in that moment it was much more difficult than either of them would have thought.

Trinity put her hands over her chest, feeling like she was going to suffocate, but managed to smile.

"Make sure you go home to Celica-san tonight. It'd be a waste if you don't eat the dinner she's going out of her way to make for you～"

If she had kept on pressing the point, would Nine have opened up to her? But knowing so much about her, Trinity couldn't bring herself to hurt Nine even worse, and so she decided to stop asking.

It wasn't kindness. It wasn't consideration, either. To avoid hurting Nine with her actions, she was just running away from the truth that was creating friction between the two of them.

She was such a weakling. Trinity's feeling of powerlessness turned to cold misery and buried itself into her heart.

"...Yeah, I'll make sure to do that. Don't worry about me."

Watching Nine's shoulders relax was Trinity's only consolation.

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