Editing BlazBlue:Phase Shift 2 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 2===

Ishana, an island floating on ocean.

The island was painted with lush green nature and a lovely townscape. It was known as ''The Mage's Guild'' outside the island.

On the other side of history, the Mage's Guild had constantly influenced change in the world. The organization existed to protect and enhance alchemy and magic, the techniques that should have been forgotten in ancient times. They didn't belong to any country nor bend to anyone. At present, there was a grand academy established in the center to pass down the continuously inherited ancient wisdom and vast knowledge to the next generation.

In the academy's courtyard, she stood alone.

The raised tall trees were sparkling, bright green from the summer sunlight. Between those trees, the white sunlight filtering through and fell upon the small stone pavement that was like stitching on the ground.

Although its vicinity was encircled by buildings related to the academy and Mage's Guild, this place didn't have a very enclosed feeling at all. Rather than a courtyard within a school, it appeared more like a hidden garden.

Sitting on a deserted bench set under the shade of a tree in the corner of the garden, Celica A. Mercury was swinging her feet.

The academy uniform in shades of white and black had a magician's motif on it. The short mantle on her back was fluttering in the wind. Her thick, light brown hair that was tied in a high ponytail and the treetops of the courtyard were rustling together, making refreshing noises.

"Looks like Onee-chan isn't done yet."

There was a brick building belonging to the Mage's Guild at the end of a path close to her. There was a meeting being held inside a council room which had barrier that wouldn't let any voices or information leak out. Celica's older sister, Nine, was participating in the meeting.

Celica was waiting for her sister and her companions to come out after the meeting ended.

The wind carrying the scent of greenery was softly blowing through.

"...It feels good."

Celica straightened her posture and lifted her head. The sunshine passed through the trees next to her before shining upon her cheeks and forehead.

Today, like always, Ishana's air was clear without any stagnation.

Seven years ago, along with the appearance of the Black Beast, seithr had overflown throughout the world and polluted the atmosphere. It lessened the wind, weakened the waves, and made the soil barren. The seasons lost their characteristics as the weather became disturbed. The creatures that were constantly exposed to thick seithr would lose their original form and go mad, destroying everything.

However, Ishana wasn't like that. The island that was managed by magic was protected by an invisible barrier. The air, water, and soil were pure, uncontaminated by seithr.

As a matter of fact, there was an incident last year when the barrier had been damage, resulting in seithr entering the island for a short period. But Celica didn't know much about that as the incident occurred immediately after Celica slipped out of the island on important business. When Celica returned to Ishana, the barrier had already been repaired completely.

With the infiltrating seithr purified, Ishana was now thoroughly clean without any glimpse of the incident.

Celica deeply inhaled Ishana's air into her chest.

"I wonder what his face would look like if I brought him to this island."

While narrowing her eyes to block the sunlight shining into them, she smiled gently.

What she was picturing beyond the light and green curtains was the face of a friend important to Celica.

...Friend might not be correct. To tell the truth, Celica didn't know what she should regard him as. She didn't have a formal relationship to refer him as an acquaintance, but he wasn't what she would usually call a friend either.

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In just a few days, he became awfully close to her. He had helped her. He had supported her. He had protected her.

He was... such an irreplaceable person.

"Fufu, I'm sure he'd be amazed. Ah, but he might have actually seen a similar place. After all, he knew so much about magic even though he's not from this island... He's such a mysterious person."

Without realizing, she actively talked to herself in this place devoid of other people.

She met him eight months ago, during the end of last year. He was tall, had white hair and a green eye just on his left side. He was rough around the edges, but very kind.

Since they parted so suddenly he had never told her much about himself, Celica didn't get to know him well enough. But a lot of the strength he'd given her was always burning inside Celica's chest.

There was never a moment when she forgot about him. He was important, precious...



Suddenly, a light was glimmering at the edge of Celica's gaze.



It was probably the sunlight filtering through the trees. But when the light blinded Celica for an instant, her sight was completely engulfed in the next moment.

(Eh...!?)

Her shout of surprise didn't manage to escape.

As if the world had been turned inside out in the blink of an eye, Celica's surroundings turned to bright white.

The courtyard's wind and rustling branches were no more. All sound and smell disappeared, it was hard to grasp which direction was up or down. She was even uncertain as to whether gravity existed. Inside the completely white space, only Celica remained.

No, there was something else. A mirror. When she turned her face around to look at the surroundings, the rectangular mirror had stood there unnoticed, reflecting Celica's whole body.

(Where's this? Why is a mirror here...?)

She should have been able to form the questions as words, but somehow her voice couldn't come out again. It felt like everything had been sucked up and vanished.

The bizarre thing was that she wasn't terrified.

Rather, Celica was drawn by curiosity and took a step toward the mirror.

On the other side of the mirror that looked as if it had made a rectangular cut across the room, Celica's amazed figure was reflected. Then she unconsciously tried to touch it.



But just before Celica's fingers touched the mirror, suddenly it felt like she was smelling something.



It wasn't so much a smell as a familiar sensation.

It was more similar to the warmth of family sat around the table with her, or the calmness she felt when passing time alone, absentmindedly at her favorite spot.

A burning feeling in her chest that spontaneously bubbled up when she was with someone special.

Celica knew this feeling. She remembered.

Celica gently caught her breath as if waking up from a dream.

That moment, a gust of wind swept away the mist in the world. Quite naturally, the scenery returned.

The pouring sunlight filtering through trees, branches rustling in the wind, the fresh and earthy smell of midsummer. The feel of the bench placed under the shade of a tree in the courtyard of the academy she commuted to everyday.

Without looking at them, Celica stood up while looking around. After that, she began to run.

She returned to the school building after leaving the academy's courtyard. Then she left the school proper, leaving the academy behind her. As if drawn by an invisible thread, Celica hastened her pace without so much as a look over her shoulder.

Her chest throbbed. She herself understood what she was expecting.

After all, this impression was... his.

As though she was being guided by something, she went up the slope beside the academy before going around it to a hill located at the back. She reaced her destination in no time at all. At least, Celica felt only a few seconds had passed.

There was a little surprise in the corner of her mind that the hill was so close to the school's courtyard. It would usually take much more time.

She ran up to a gentle slope that was covered with grass.

The hill was slightly elevated; it was possible to see all of Ishana's townscape. White clouds, separating the sky from the sea, were floating in the distant blue sky.

Someone was stood at the hill's summit.

The street, sea, clouds and city. With the scenery of Ishana's calm afternoon at her back, Celica shouted with all her might.

His name.

"————RAGNA!"







The first time she saw him was at the entrance of a deserted village inside a forest.

Sat leaning against the trunk of a tree, he had been gravely injured. On top of that, he had lost his memories. At first he could remember nothing but his own name.

Together with him, Celica traveled to Japan... and encountered the Black Beast.

Celica couldn't do anything. She couldn't stop him. He had directly challenged the Black Beast, and then disappeared along with it.

He had said the he would return.

He had promised.

So Celica waited. She kept waiting because she wanted to meet him again.







Responding to Celica's voice, the shadow standing atop the hill turned around slowly.

A gust of wind whirled past, disturbing the lawn, flowing through her. Celica endured the wind, slightly buffeted by it, holding her disheveled hair while raising her face.

"Ah..."

After she observed the figure once more, Celica involuntarily raised her voice.

The figure was a tall man whose silver hair fluttered in Ishana's clear wind.

However even though his figure resembled a human, it also looked odd.

His body was wrapped in white and black with something that might as easily have been clothes or armor as it could have been skin. The eyeless, earless, and mouthless face was concealed with pure white mask. Red orbs had been embedded around his body. The orbs might be the substitute for his barren face as every single one of them stared at her like eyes.

On his back, there was a long sword sheathed diagonally that was probably as long as he was tall.

"Hakumen-san..."

Celica awkwardly called out the strange man again. A slight disappointment seeped in her voice.

Hakumen was Celica's acquaintance. Together with her sister Nine and her close friend Trinity, he was one of the warriors who had gathered in Ishana in order to defeat the Black Beast.

The eyeless face and countless red orbs gazed at Celica indifferently.

"...So it is you, Celica A. Mercury."

What was heard from behind the white mask was a low tone of voice that concealed his emotions.

To cover her slip up for mistaking him for another person, Celica scratched her face and laughed.

"I'm sorry for shouting at you so suddenly. Umm... I thought you were one of my friends."

After bowing slightly, Celica soon took several steps toward Hakumen.

Hakumen just looked at her from the edge of his vision. Then just as he had been before Celica addressed him, Hakumen turned around to face the townscape.

Celica stood next to him.

"Are you observing Ishana?"

From on top of the hill, one could look down on Ishana with ease.

Basked in the gentle midday's sunlight, the green and blue roofs, and the white walls supporting them, shone brightly. There were people living on the island going back and forth on the gentle stone-paved pathways. A thin forest surrounded it as if protecting against the outside world. Furthermore, the forest was also encircled by a vast sea.

Looking at Ishana from here truly made it look just like a painting.

The scent of grass riding on the fresh wind floated past. While tucking her wind tousled hair behind her ears, Celica gazed at the city and smiled.

"This place is nice, isn't it? I come here from time to time. Though sometimes I get surprised by the sudden strong wind."

Hakumen didn't reply, choosing to remain silent.

There was a weighty feeling about the suffocating silence, but Celica didn't pay it any heed even for a bit.

They didn't often talk, but Hakumen was always like this. Basically, he would just respond to unnecessary talk with silence. He would only speak if it was about the Black Beast.

Celica raised her chin and looked up at Hakumen. He was fairly tall compared to Celica. Looking at him for a long time would make her neck sore.

The white mask must have noticed Celica's gaze, but he didn't turn his face. He faced Ishana in silence as though he was a decoration.

"But... it's strange."

The lawn rustled by wind urged Celica to continue her muttering.

"Why did I mistake Hakumen-san for him? Your appearance and atmosphere are completely different."

But there was something similar. She wondered what it could be.

She would have a bit of trouble answering if she were asked what that was. The voice, demeanor, and body language were different. The resemblance was more obscure, an awfully subjective one.

If she really tried to put it into words... it was his scent, possibly his warmth.

If she said that, even Hakumen might laugh at her thinking she was a dog or something. Celica had never witnessed him laughing. Surely no one else ever had.

Immediately imagining it, he surely would look clumsy. Celica spontaneously giggled at that thought.

As if responding to her voice, Hakumen made a slight motion as he turned his neck. The white mask was looking at Celica.

"——Ragna."

The muffled voice resounded in a low tone.

Celica stared in wonder.

He repeated the name Celica had mistakenly called him. He had only spoke, and yet it sounded like there was a hidden emotion in the name he muttered that didn't suit the expressionless swordsman.

Fixing the angle of his head toward Celica, Hakumen asked assertively.

"I've heard you say the name before. Did you mean ''Ragna the Bloodedge''?"

"Bloodedge...? Nope. I only know him as ''Ragna''."

"Nevertheless... You did meet a man called Ragna, didn't you?"

"Yup, I met him. I don't know if he's the same person you're thinking about, but he's tall and has white hair. It seems he could only see with his left eye, but his eye color was clear green."

Mixed with the gentle wind that flowed, she could hear that Hakumen inhale slightly.

Celica reflexively opened her eyes wide. It was the first time she had seen Hakumen astonished.

"Perhaps Ragna is your acquaintance?"

Pressing her inquiry, Celica watched for Hakumen's reaction, deeply focusing on his white mask.

But without saying anything, Hakumen averted his face from her. He once again faced the city, remaining silent. Viewing his face from the side, it seemed he refused to give an answer.

Celica had a slight wry smile. This behavior was more what she was used to.

But since he didn't leave, perhaps it meant that there was no problem in her continuing to talk. Since he indicated no readiness to reply, Celica continued on her own.

"By the way, I came here since I felt that Ragna was here. Since I can't sense people's power like Onee-chan can, I wonder what's actually happening... I suddenly felt a warmth like the feeling that Ragna had."

Celica gently put her hands on her chest. The feeling she sensed back at the courtyard was still lingering there. With just that small feeling, faint happiness soaked in her whole body. It made Celica spontaneously smile broadly.

"Since Ragna always kept his chin up at all times, doesn't that mean he's the sort of person who always looks forward? No matter how strong the wind was blowing, his feet stayed firm and wouldn't move even a step. That's my image of him. That's why just thinking that I'm next to him makes me feel like i'm being protected."

After her short speech, Celica gave a small laugh. Her ponytail drawing an arc, she looked up at Hakumen.

"Oh, what am I saying? I'm the only one who thinks about him. He actually did protect me once, too. I wonder if the Ragna you know is someone different."

If possible, she wanted to hear what Hakumen thought of Ragna.

However, she didn't sense anything from Hakumen besides his slight breathing. He was absolutely still as if he were a sculpture erected on top of the hill. On the contrary, his long silver hair, which waving slightly as it was blown by the wind, looked out of place.

"Hakumen-san?"

She asked again to be sure. But the response was still obstinate silence.

Celica suddenly noticed. Hakumen was no longer looking at the city.

His face was facing the beautiful cityscape, but his chin was retracted. His appearance was that of a man sequestered in deep, deep thought.