(Lee walks by Exekialās office to see Exekial shuffling a bunch of Black Cards, muttering to himself, surrounded by piles upon piles of materials.)
Lee [Entropy]: Commandant? What are you doing?
Exekial: Hm? (Looks up) Oh, hey Lee. Iām counting my funds for Luciaās new frame.
Lee [Entropy]: Pyroath?
Exekial: Mm.
(Lee enters the office out of curiosity. He cranes his neck over Exekialās shoulder as Exekial punches some numbers in a calculator.)
Lee [Entropy]: (Frowns) Didnāt we have more black cards? Why do we only have 15k?
Exekial: (Drops a Harmony Accelerator on the ground and frowns at it) I figured that with the accelerated patches, I could try to get Watanabe his weapon. Easily build the funds back and all.
Lee [Entropy]: I seeā¦ and did you manage to obtain it?
(Judging by Exekialās expression, the answer was a resounding no.)
Exekial: (Stoops to pick up the Harmony Accelerator before turning back to take inventory) The only good part about the entire thing was that I scrapped enough together to get Echo a good bow. Now she and Alpha can actually deal some real damage in PPC and War Zone.
Lee [Entropy]: (Crosses his arms) I still canāt believe you replaced me with an Ascendant of all people.
Exekial: (Looks at Lee guiltily) Sorry, Lee. Alphaās just easier to play, and her leap really takes some of the burden off the powercreep. (Turns back to pile of materials) On the bright side though, I donāt intend to leave you in the dust for too long. Iām gonna get you your Hyperreal frame and Liv her Empyrea frame.
Lee [Entropy]: (Scoffs) A waste of funds, if you ask me. Hyperrealās already powercrept by Pyroath. (Frowns) And why are you getting Livās Empyrea frame? Wouldnāt she get hurt using it?
Exekial: Normally, yes, but remember? Weāre outside the bounds of canon when it comes to gameplay. (Taps head) Liv wonāt be harmed if she has Empyrea here. Also seeing as sheās the only Fire Amplifier in the game right now, I kinda need her to boost Luciaās Pyroath capabilities.
Lee [Entropy]: (Wryly) Careful, Commandant, your favoritism is showing.
Exekial: Not at all. And as for Hyperreal, I just think youāre one of the better units to play. Your gameplayās fun to use, and besides, this is the first time all of you will have the same element. I canāt pass up the thought of having a full Fire Gray Raven team now, can I?
Lee [Entropy]: Now youāre just trying to flatter us.
Exekial: (Shrugs) Flattery or not, itās the truth. Although, if youāre truly worried about funds, donāt worry. Iām planning on getting your frames from the Selectors.
(Lee doesnāt say anything in response. He picks up one of the Memory Resonance Pick chips and examines it. Thatās when he notices the corner filled with skulls. Lots and lots of skulls.)
Lee [Entropy]: Uhhh, Commandant? What is that?
(Exekial turns in the direction Lee is pointing towards. A sheepish expression comes across his face.)
Exekial: Oh, that. Wellā¦ (Scratches the back of his neck.) I mightāve tried to attempt Ultimate PPC.
(Lee blinks once. Twice.)
Lee [Entropy]: You what.
(Before Exekial can respond, the door to the lounge opens. Enter Lucia, Ayla, Watanabe, Alpha, and Alisa. All of them are in various beaten up states, with Watanabe having the least amount of scratches.)
Watanabe [Epitaph]: Hm. Well, that was quite a different experience than what Iām used to.
Lucia [Crimson Abyss]: Speak for yourself. Our team barely made the time limit for the last stage. (Begrudgingly jabs a thumb at Alisa.) As much as I hate to admit it, itās only thanks to her that we managed to beat it at all.
Alisa [Echo]: (With Cecily hovering over her shoulder) Iām glad I can be of service.
Lucia [Crimson Abyss]: Tch.
Ayla [Kaleido]: We werenāt able to make the time limit of the last stage, but Lucia and I still managed to score high enough to get 20 black cards! (Holds the black cards up with a bright smile.)
Lucia [Plume]: (Comes up to Exekial with a solemn expression) Commandant, I request that we never do that ever again.
Exekial: (Rubs the back of his neck sheepishly) Sorry, Lucia. I shouldāve known that this week wouldnāt be a good matchup of any of our abilities. But, on the bright side, I got enough skulls to SS your Pyroath frame!
(Lucia brightens at that. Alpha tsks and flicks vital fluid off her katana before sheathing it back into place.)
Lucia [Crimson Abyss]: If our business is done here, Iāll be heading back to my sister now.
Exekial: Alright, Alpha, take care. Iāll see you next week, yeah?
(Alpha only makes a vague gesture as she walks out of the lounge. Everyone watches as the door shuts forcefully behind her.)
Watanabe [Epitaph]: (Wryly) Just as pleasant as the day I first met her.
Exekial: Iām assuming your battles went well, Watanabe?
Watanabe [Epitaph]: (Scratches his chin) Well, it wasnāt exactly a walk in the park, but BLACKā ROCK SHOOTER and I did as well as we couldāve hoped, considering our enemy didnāt have reduced Fire resistance.
Lucia [Plume]: Speaking of, where is she?
Watanabe [Epitaph]: (Shrugs) Not sure. She said something about ātaking care of businessā and disappeared. But Iām sure weāll still see her around, at least until Lucia gets her new frame.
Lee [Entropy]: Commandant and I were just talking about that, actually.
Watanabe [Epitaph]: Luciaās new frame?
Lee [Entropy]: Mm.
Ayla [Kaleido]: (Throws her arms around Lucia and nearly throws her off-balance) I canāt believe Luciaās leaving me to handle the Ice Team all by myself! Weāre already missing a Tank and now weāre losing our only Attacker T_T
Lucia [Plume]: (Sweatdrop) I wonāt be leaving you all by yourself, Ayla. Iām sure Commandant has a plan so you arenāt left all alone.
Exekial: Indeed. (Taps terminal and brings up the blueprint of Wanshiās new frame) HQ informed me that Wanshiās new frame is coming out right before Lucia, but heāll be in the dorm shop. Iāll have enough saved by then to grab him.
Ayla [Kaleido]: Oh! Well, if you say so, Commandant. (Lets Lucia go) But Iāll be holding you to your word!
Exekial: (Wryly) I wouldnāt expect anything less of you, Ayla.
Watanabe [Epitaph]: (Stretches and checks his pocketwatch) My comrades are probably getting worried about me, so Iāll have to head out for now. (Waves at Exekial) Same time next week?
Exekial: You know it.
Alisa [Echo]: Iāll take my leave as well. Supposedly thereās still another branch of Utopia that hasnāt been crushed yet. (Performs a complicated farewell salute) Until next week, Commandant.
Exekial: (Bewildered) Uhā¦ sure. Until next week.
Ayla [Kaleido]: (Yawns and checks time) The WGAA probably wants me to finish that painting. Guess Iāll have to pull another all-nighter tonight. (Waves cheerily at Exekial) See you soon, Commandant!
(Everyone leaves one by one. Soon, all thatās left in the Gray Raven lounge is Exekial, Lee, and Lucia.)
Lucia [Plume]: Oh yeah, whereās Liv?
Lee [Entropy]: I think she went to the Science Council for something. Not sure what.
Exekial: Sheāll be back before we know it. In the meantime thoughā¦ (Rubs chin, absentmindedly staring at his office door) I need to take inventory of all the materials I still need for Pyroath. Weāre running a bit low on Memory Enhancers and EXP Podsā¦
Lucia [Plume]: (Frowns) Canāt that wait until tomorrow? The bags under your eyes are rather dark, Commandantā¦
Exekial: Mm, maybe youāre right. Itās not like I have anything else to do while I wait for your banner anyways.
Lee [Entropy]: (Amused) Donāt forget itāll still be another four months until it finally rolls around.
