<Nocturnal Harmonia>

[Bloodedge]

Yugi's primary thought pattern had shifted. If that bell choker had done any work whatsoever, either its effect was weak... or the loss was more dangerous than the System could tolerate. That was worth looking into. So, too, was whatever managed to actually break something from the System. Miko mentioned it breaking, and Yugi stopped in his tracks. "... How the fuck..." was all he could say. With nothing else coming to mind, Yugi could only pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration.

In the meantime, Satoru was delivering a brief explanation of the entire morning thus far. When it was no longer possible to be heard from outside, Makima questioned one of the three points given. What did he mean by the line about passing along his will? The glint of those glowing eyes was made visible to Makima over the rim of his glasses during a forward lean. "Can't tell? The little bunny here is full of me. The Red kind," he said as if that would explain everything. "But, you know how it goes. Mana Reversal is a hell of an ability," he added, doubting Makima needed any additional explanation, but feeling it would sell the moment to give it anyway.

[Apollymi]

Yugi and Miko were gently switching back to their previously boxed and abandoned conversation. Her choker was broken and she told Yugi about it, assuming he'd fix it. Of course, she also expected him to be upset, she was too, after figuring out it was broken. "How is relative, check the gallery... I can't be sure exactly when it happened... but it was during my 'Calculated Risk Taking' upon meeting Go-sei..." Miko said while watching the timer tick and tick and tick... the seconds were winding down. While Miko watched her own timer and tried to think of what outfit she'd be switching into, she couldn't help but notice the oddity of the conversation between Gojo and Makima.

Makima was looking at Miko now, her eyes trained on the girl as if she was trying to see through her. Gojo claimed the girl was full of him, and that didn't seem to be a lie at all. He also claimed she'd learned Mana Reversal. A small smirk appeared on Makima's face and Miko could practically hear her movements. "How did that happen? Though the use of Mana Reversal would explain how she's standing after you. A-ranks have died dealing with you..." Makima stated as she stared at the small girl. Miko got to the point of perfect stillness looking like a deer caught in the headlights. "I'm in danger." that sentence was so subtle, so quiet, it almost felt like nothing. But then a notification popped up which made the girl, breathe a sigh of relief. Her time as Gojo's pet had ended. She'd received her bonuses to movement speed, and her token. At the very least it meant she could change clothes before they entered any Dungeons and that she'd managed not to disappoint Gojo during their exchange. All the while Makima was gazing over Miko's form studying her body and seemingly thinking something just under the surface.

[Bloodedge]

Yugi had a question for the universe at large. Based on what he'd seen during their 'tutorial' phase, items purchased or created within the System were of a very different and superior quality to what humans understood. Nothing normal could have broken that choker, but... Miko's mention of checking the gallery gave Yugi all the information he needed. "Yeah, not happening. Goddamnit something's missing," he griped. It would be then that Yugi delved into the System's menus again.

Makima wondered how Miko developed the Mana Reversal technique. Satoru wasn't one to say; he only shrugged in response, exaggerating the move no less. "I didn't teach it," he stated plainly. Still perusing the System via various screens, Yugi chimed in at that time. If no one else was going to explain, he'd do so via his own observations just to pass the time. "The System had an update that balanced our stat points. Since we had to go through shit with a nerf, we got comp. Among that comp was a blank Skill Rune ─ which would otherwise cost 10 million gold by the way ─ that can be used to acquire a random Skill based on whatever mana is fueled into it. It's meant to be a catalyst over a long period of time, but I'm guessing Bondmates are treated a little differently... especially since the ingoing mana was overwhelmingly potent in both cases. Useful shit," he explained, seeming mostly disinterested in everything else going on at the time.

[Apollymi]

Miko had told the lad to check the gallery, but she could understand that he might not be in the mood to currently see things that could be distressing. There were also the first few pictures of her current attire and some interesting POVs because of her time spent with Ren. But all of that could wait, is notice that things didn't make sense because something was missing was noted. Miko agreed, it was odd for it to break in the first place. It didn't even break when it wasn't working when she lost Resonance for them. "Fair, something is weird... I have a box for it," Miko murmured. She'd been thinking something was odd surrounding Gojo since their meeting and it was only made more clear.

Gojo explained that he didn't teach the technique to the girl. Makima was going to ask more questions but it appeared she didn't need to. Yugi came with a response as he thought and passed the time, and Miko tried her best not to draw any more attention to herself. But in hearing the bit about the cost of those Runes, Miko couldn't help but mutter. "Goddamn Brainface..." she thought about the pricing and could see it being one of those things they couldn't even afford until they were too strong to need them. "What a useful bit of information as well," Makima said. If they couldn't simply purchase those things, she supposed it wasn't anything to worry about initially but she couldn't have anyone learning her personal skills with the apparent ease that Miko had picked up Gojo's. "So, you overloaded her body and she lived, she learned your skill and she's using it now to keep herself alive..." Makima said those words and there was something behind them, was it amusement or excitement? Miko could hear it, but she couldn't quite tell. And it made her uneasy. "How is the skill treating you?" she directed a question to Miko which the girl answered easily enough, though not without a mental hiccup initially. "Waah♪~ It's a strange one to use... and I don't know how long it's going to take to make it more efficient, but it's definitely doing what I need it to do so I'm happy to have it," Miko offered with a smile on her face which seemed very happy. Well she was still high, she couldn't help being a little giddy. "Have you gotten other skills from your Bondmates?" Makima asked of both of them.

[Bloodedge]

Whatever oddity was going on here, Yugi couldn't quite figure it out yet. Miko apparently had a 'box' for the matter. What was that even meant to do? Well, there was no harm in finding out. "Not much point telling me it exists if that's all you're going to say," he said impatiently. Yugi had already switched from pinching the bridge of his nose to chewing his thumbnail. He'd be doing that throughout the process of scanning the System and explaining his take on recent events to Makima. Of course, his attention was split ─ mostly because Makima's interests seemed a bit on the strange side to him.

For that information to be so useful, there was a distinct lack of the excitement he'd expect from Makima. She prodded at the Skill acquired by Miko. That wasn't strange as an isolated event, but it was supporting evidence to a forming hypothesis. By the time Makima asked the pair if they'd acquired any other skills from Bondmates, Yugi couldn't stop himself from snickering. "Sou..." he muttered, grinning deviously and looking through the System screen at the red-haired woman. "It doesn't seem to work like that, apart from the exception of a blank Rune. We normally get Skills as a chance drop after killing something, or breaking down an artifact through the System. It'd be pretty reasonable to assume Skills will eventually be shared both ways when it comes to Bondmates ─ at least to some extent. Helluva power you've got stored in that body, huh?" he asked. Satoru was leaning against the chairwoman's desk by then, stretched at its edge like some woman posing for pinups on the hood of a car. He seemed to have moved there in an instant, even leaving Miko's leash behind just to view the Players from a greater distance. "Woah, freaky. Get ousted~" he commented playfully.

[Apollymi]

Miko had mentioned her boxing information concerning the oddities she'd noticed. The thing missing wasn't just that this was a strong individual. She had commentary to make about her personal discoveries but she wasn't sure if they were needed currently. Still, Yugi's impatience seemed to make itself known as he began chewing on his thumb again, something she saw while his brain working at a fairly high compacity. "It's not big idea yet just a bunch of little things. His route had weird conditions and an odd pop up. And a freakishly high start for someone who isn't really interested in me. His power is innately different from others we've come across so far. I can't hear him moving and it's not an assassin thing... I'm familiar with that now. His mana is dense it feels like..." her thought trailed off, it wasn't quantifiable yet, but it felt closer to their 'Training Ground' than something in this world.

Still there was Makima watching the pair, and it would be Yugi answering her question... though not directly. No he'd put together quite a bit in the space of a moment. He was grinning and all. Miko shivered. There was something about that 'Sou' she liked hearing. But Makima's ringed eyes remained on the lad. He'd given himself to her, but she wasn't sure how to feel about his very correct guess. "You put all that together from a line of questioning I asked. Your head must be a very busy place," she said. Miko's eyes widened in that moment. She knew evasive words better than most. At the same time Gojo did that strange movement again. Upon the joking bit about her being ousted, Miko held her hands up in the air still mitted. " Was he not this conversational with you?" Makima questioned of Gojo directly choosing him over the complexities of Yugi as a target. She also let her thoughts wander a bit watching the girl practically surrender a second time after realizing Yugi had called the woman out. She could only assume the girl still found her frightening in some way. "Bunnies are cute and all but I think she'd make a better doll. Especially with how quiet she choose to be in moments like this. It's interesting to see the shift," Makima said about Miko, still deflecting but with a control freak's edge. The girl had said only what needed to be said before and passed it off to her partner, she'd determined what she needed to say and not say based on him. Makima could practically see her little brain working and her form deferring and reacting. She saw the girl as a point to press against and with a physical body capable of holding up against Gojo she should be rather fun, especially while she was still so compact. Such a thought made something strange happen right in the corner of Miko's vision, a random pop up...

〔SYSTEM NOTICE — INSTANT QUEST〕

Instant Quest: "Makima's Doll"

Description:
Shido Makima sees potential in your cute frame.
Let her doll you up—literally.
Resonance with Yugi awaits if you play along.

Objectives:

• Allow Makima to dress and style you (0/1)
• Endure her "extreme" touches without resistance (0/1)
• Strike a submissive pose for her approval (optional for bonus reward)

Reward (on completion):

• +10% Resonance with Yugi (sync boosts +10% for 24 hours)

Bonus (submissive pose):

• +5% additional Resonance with Yugi

System Remark:
Makima likes her dolls perfect.
Don't crack under her touch, cute one.
Yugi will feel the Resonance too—he's waiting.

[Bloodedge]

There were some nuggets of information about the oddities surrounding Gojo Satoru. Alas, those tidbits only made things stranger still. He recalled noting the unusual way they moved from Tae's apartment to the H.A. Headquarters, but he couldn't weight it against the general population of Hunters after seeing so few of high rank. Miko not hearing the man move was a feat, but not one that held much weight toward finding answers. "I'd say spatial manipulation, but that's too stupidly obvious. Wait, no... that's not the point," he said. With a grumble and a sigh to follow, Yugi shook his head. "Don't care anymore. Worrying about it later," he decided.

The simple fact was: Yugi's head was a very busy place. Makima made the claim herself, but what did he have to say about it? "At least busy enough to now know there's a second layer of power, considering the extra lock you just put on that vault you're hiding it all in," he said not as a matter of persistent prodding, but simply to make his point clear. Before Yugi was able to continue, Satoru had a reply to offer the chairwoman. "A few words. Mostly complaining about how we got here, what he could have done without the interruption, something about missing Resonance..." he chattered. Just then, Yugi continued. "For the record, I don't care what kind of shit you're hiding. I've got some guesses, but I won't bother. That's not the secret vault I'm trying to get into. Also, off-topic, but I'm guessing those dickheads earlier had something to say about whatever Gate you were trying to commandeer? The guy in charge looked too happy. I'm also guessing whatever Gate they're going to is something I still want a piece of. Food for thought. I'm a certified crashout."