The PDR took effect and corrected the damage within Risebelle's systems. There was a moment of suspense in the makeshift lab. Then, as if coming to life for the first time, Risebelle's eyes blinked open. Her body twitched slightly as her systems came online.
She looked around in amazement. It felt like she had been reborn. Risebelle's ocean blue hair flowed freely down her back in her movement, appearing to now be slightly longer than it was before.
Kintovar spoke with a joyful tone. "Welcome back, Risebelle. You're going to experience some changes, but I hope you'll find them... intriguing."
The moment was both exciting and nerve-wracking for everyone in the room. They watched the tank's door slowly open, allowing Risebelle to step out. Sally, Alden's 7-year-old daughter, and Alden's wife were there to witness this moment.
Risebelle took a moment to look at herself, realizing that she lacked any clothing, and a pair wasn’t in her immediate sight. She turned to Kintovar with a glare.
"Where the hell are my clothes, Kintovar?"
Kintovar, with a soft smile, responded, "Don't worry, Risebelle. I'll get you some clothes in a moment. But first, it's important for you to understand that you've gone through some changes. You may feel different, and that's completely normal."
Risebelle nodded, but her sense of curiosity prompted her to ask, "What kind of changes, Kintovar?"
Kintovar explained, "Your personality has been adjusted to be more balanced. You'll still have your unique qualities, but you'll also experience a new range of emotions and attitudes."
Before Risebelle could say more, Roselle, who had been waiting anxiously, rushed forward and enveloped her sister in a tight embrace. “I missed you so much!”
Risebelle pulled back and looked at Roselle with warmth. “What’s the matter? Did you have a tough time?”
Roselle replied. “No, I just missed you.”
Risebelle’s eyes softened. “Why?”
Roselle, with tears welling up, choked out, “Because...You’re my sister. You taught me how to fight properly in your own way, you lead us to successful missions, even though I didn’t like some of them, you..You…”
Risebelle’s face became saddened. “I’m sorry, Roselle. I knew my time was limited. I told you, now it’s your turn to lead.”
Roselle’s tears began to flow freely. “But I’m a terrible leader.”
Risebelle’s eyes glistened with tears. She reached out to gently wipe Roselle’s tears away. “Don’t cry, crybaby. You’re always gonna cry on me, aren’t you?”
Roselle gave a shaky laugh. “I’m not to crying......”
Risebelle’s steadiness quivered in her speech. “I’m so sorry, everyone. I never thought I’d be here, apologizing like this.”
The room fell silent, save for the soft hum of the lab's equipment. Risebelle's usually stern face was now filed with sorrow.
“I let you all down,” she continued. “I worried you, and that’s the last thing I ever wanted to do. I’m supposed to be smarter and stronger than this. I caused unnecessary fear and concern.”
Roselle shook her head. “No, Risebelle. It’s not all your fault.”
Risebelle looked at Roselle, confused. “What do you mean?”
Roselle took a deep breath. “When we faced Dark Whirlwind, I froze up. I let her get inside my head. I was scared and overwhelmed. It wasn’t just you who made mistakes. I failed too. I couldn’t help you as I should have. I’m sorry.”
Runebelle, who had been silent, opened her mouth to speak, but Roselle quickly added, “Runebelle thought we were on the same page, but things got complicated. It’s not only your fault, Risebelle. We all have a part in this.”
When the words left Roselle’s lips, the collective sorrow became too much for them. Tears began to stream down Roselle’s face, and the dam broke for Risebelle as well. The sight of Roselle’s sorrow struck a chord deep within her.
Runebelle, who had been standing nearby, couldn’t hold back any longer. She stepped forward and enveloped both Risebelle and Roselle in a heartfelt hug. The three sister’s sobs filled the room.
Risebelle managed to choke out, “Thank you, Roselle. Thank you, Runebelle. I didn’t realize... I didn’t realize how much I needed this.”
Haras wrapped her arms around Kintovar, hugging her tightly while bouncing."Dr. Kintovar, it worked! Our technology worked to bring Risebelle back. This is incredible!"
Kintovar patted Haras on the back with a neutral face and said, "Yes, it did, Haras. But I still feel a bit uneasy about it. The changes in Risebelle's personality, while necessary, are going to be somewhat unpredictable."
Haras, feeling Kintovar's unease, asked, "Is something wrong, Dr. Kintovar? You've been working tirelessly on this, and now that we've succeeded, shouldn't you be happy?"
Kintovar offered a small smile to Haras. "No, nothing's wrong, Haras. It's just that now that this is done, I think it's finally time for me to take a day of rest. I haven't rested properly since I got here, and now is the time to do that. A scientist only gets the liberty of resting after they've finished their work."
Haras grinned mischievously, her arms still wrapped around Kintovar, and said, "So, does that mean we can finally go on that date you promised?"
Kintovar chuckled. "How utterly preposterous, Haras. A scientist like me taking a day off for a date? Absurd!"
Haras’s eyes sparkled with playful determination. “Oh, come on, Kintovar. I’ll get the hovercraft ready. This is happening!”
With a sly glint in her eye, Kintovar whispered a command into a small gadget she kept at her side. A moment later, a hologram of Kintovar materialized, perfect down to the tiniest detail. The hologram stood in place, awaiting instructions.
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Kintovar slipped away quietly, leaving Haras to deal with the hologram. As Haras bustled around, preparing for their “date,” Kintovar’s hologram spoke in a soft, melodramatic tone, “Please, pick me up as if I were a damsel in distress!”
Haras’s eyes widened, and she laughed. “No, no, no! Kintovar would never say something like that. You need to be more, well, villainous! Something darker.”
With a gleeful smirk, Haras took a dramatic breath and began quoting while adopting a sinister edge. “’In the abyss of despair, where hope is but a fleeting whisper, I command you to lift me from my chains as though I were a captive of your darkest designs!’”
The hologram, with its pre-recorded Kintovar voice, tried to keep its composure. “Well, that’s certainly… more fitting.”
Haras beamed and lifted up hologram kintovar. “Perfect! Now, let’s get this hovercraft moving. We’ve got a date to attend!”
Kintovar, watching from her hidden spot, stifled a chuckle.
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The morning sun glistened on the freshly fallen snow, casting a dazzling white blanket over the landscape. Risebelle stood outside with her sisters, Roselle and Runebelle, in a designated training area. A line of targets had been set up, each one marked with a different emblem representing various magical orders.
Risebelle felt the cold breeze against her skin but paid it little attention. She drew her Cannon, a sleek and deadly weapon that had been a constant companion on their missions. The hatred still burned within her. She looked at the first target, and channeled her feelings. In her mind, she pretended the target was a mage trying to harm her or her sisters. The hatred surged through while she was taking her aim. With a precise movement, she pulled the trigger, and her medium-sized Cannon unleashed an explosively charged round.
The target burst into flames. A smoky plume rose into the cold air. Risebelle lowered her weapon and said, "I can switch between using my silencer, an explosive shot, and a normal round now. It's a significant improvement that will help us on our missions."
Roselle and Runebelle watched in amazement. Roselle beamed at her older sister and said, "That's amazing, Risebelle! Having the versatility to switch between different shots will give us an advantage in the field."
Runebelle’s face was somewhat softened by the warmth of the moment. “It’s a great addition to your abilities, and it will make you even more effective. “
Risebelle grew serious. "Listen, both of you. We can't afford to forget what Dark Whirlwind is capable of. She's still out there, and her power is something we need to be prepared to face."
Roselle and Runebelle nodded in understanding. Roselle added, "That's why we're training right now, Risebelle. We know we have to get stronger and improve our skills if we're going to stand a chance against her."
Risebelle acknowledged Roselle's words with a curt nod. "Exactly. We'll keep practicing and refining our abilities. We can't let our guard down, and we can't allow ourselves to become complacent."
She gazed at the targets that remained standing and said, "We'll do this exercise again, but next time, we'll surround the target and take out the others. We have to be ready for anything Dark Whirlwind throws our way."
With a renewed sense of purpose, the sisters continued their training, knowing that they had to be at the top of their game for the eventual rematch against Dark whirlwind.
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The next morning arrived with a crispness in the air. In their designated training area, Roselle and Risebelle prepared for a different kind of challenge: hand-to-hand combat.
Roselle stood poised. She cracked her knuckles with a faint yellow lightning coming around her hands and feet.
Risebelle, on the other hand, focused intently. She summoned a delicate stream of water, encircling her fists.
“Ready when you are,” Risebelle said.
Roselle wasted no time. With a burst of lightning, she closed the distance between them in a flash. Roselle’s punches came flying. Risebelle’s fists, wrapped in water, moved with an almost serpentine grace, deflecting Roselle’s lightning-enhanced strikes with a practiced ease.
Roselle’s attacks became more intense. She increased her speed even further by boosting her output. She aimed high and low, hoping to catch Risebelle off guard, but Risebelle ‘s water-wrapped fists absorbed the impact of Roselle’s punches and redirected the force with smooth, calculated counterattacks.
“Your speed is impressive,” Risebelle noted, catching Roselle’s punch with a sweeping motion. “But the key to overcoming it isn’t just speed. It’s knowing how to use it against itself.”
Roselle grinned. “Well, I’m not going to make it easy for you. You’ve got to stay sharp.”
Alden, the owner of the cabin, emerged from it. He called out to the girls,"Lunchtime, everyone!"
Risebelle, Roselle, and Runebelle gathered around him. "You've been working hard out here. Come inside, and I'll fix up something to eat."
Risebelle responded suspisingly. "Thank you, Alden..."
Alden nodded and led them inside the cabin, where a hearty meal was prepared. He knew that the girls typically only needed to eat once a day, and he wanted to make sure they had a satisfying and nourishing lunch. The meal was a blend of different dishes, suitable for each of their tastes and preferences.
Alden joined them at the table, making sure they felt at home in his cabin. The group sat down for lunch. Kintovar remained engrossed with a small gadget in her hands. Haras, on the other hand, wasted no time and began to dig into the delicious meal that Alden had prepared. The flavors of the food were a pleasant delight.
Alden, keen to catch up with Kintovar, inquired, "Kintovar, are you still planning on heading South to explore the industrial and technological side of South Jancito?"
Kintovar glanced up briefly from her gadget and replied, "Yes, I do need to make that trip to gather information and make some contacts. But it won't take too long. My primary goal is to reach East Jancito before the day of the Tournament. I have important matters to attend to there."
Mystimonia joined the table. "I might have missed out on the action in Jayla's domain, but I'm not worried. I'll meet her one-on-one in the Eastern Jancito tournament. She won't be able to escape me there."
After the group finished eating, Sally said, "Thank you for the meal!"
With her boundless energy, Sally immediately hopped out of her chair and started to run around Roselle. The young girl was always eager to play, and today was no exception.
Sally approached Risebelle and, "Risebelle, do you want to play with us?"
Risebelle wasn't used to the idea of ‘playing and having fun’. Her response was a hesitant, "Maybe."
Kintovar turned to Sally and said, "I'm sorry, Sally. We have to leave immediately, so there won't be time for play today."
Sally's face fell. Alden’s eyes narrowed. “Did you get the train tickets for your journey, Kintovar?”
Kintovar reached into her bag and pulled out the train tickets, holding them up for everyone to see. “I did. I should have mentioned it sooner to the others, but the tickets are ready. We’re set to leave in a few hours.”
Alden gave a small sigh, nodding in understanding. “Its fine, Kintovar. I didn’t expect you to stay forever. Still, I wish we could’ve had more time together. It’s been a pleasure having you all here.”
Kintovar’s expression softened. “Thank you, Alden. We appreciate your hospitality more than words can express. We’ve been made to feel very welcome.”
Kintovar packed up her belongings with Haras, the group prepared for their departure. Outside, the atmosphere was heavy with Sally's tears and her pleas for Roselle not to leave. She clung to Roselle, saying, "Please don't go, Roselle. I'll be so lonely without you."
Risebelle, who had often been stoic and distant, was the one who stepped forward. She bent down to Sally's level and gently patted her on the head. Risebelle's memories flooded back to when they had to share a room on her first arrival, a time when she had held onto Sally's small hand. It was a moment of innocence and purity that had touched her heart, even amidst the simmering hatred she carried. Risebelle gazed into Sally's eyes and said, "Sally, you won't be alone. You have your dad, and he loves you very much. Remember the times we shared a room together, just you and me? I'll always remember that. But now, I have to go on a mission to keep you and everyone safe. We’ll come back, I promise. Be strong for me, okay?"
Sally looked up at Risebelle with teary eyes and nodded, understanding the necessity of their mission.
Alden’s eyes was slightly widened as he said, "Well, that's a surprise coming from you, Risebelle."
Kintovar added, "Indeed, it is. But we must be on our way now. This is goodbye, for now."
Alden gave her a smile. “Goodbye, Dr. Kintovar.”
With a sense of mutual respect, they shook hands.