Outside the branch

This damned rain....
He swore to himself, if that rascal won´t show up in five more minutes, he`d just leave. Sure, her airship was late, he knew that, but according to his intel it left the Kagutsuchi port half an hour ago. Was she just lost in the city, or something? That´d be understandable... its a big city and she was new here, but come on.
He had things to be doing! The phases could shift at any moment- he was absolutly sure that Ragna the Bloodedge had already stepped up to the stage and was making his way here right now... he couldn`t risk to meet him before it was the time. In fact even if he wanted to, he couldn´t meet Ragna because... oh, right. That took care of itself. The dumbasses of Takamagahara erased themselves by a poor choice of phase shifting. So, nevermind, he only had.... what, four hours left before the world would end forever?

"Christ almighty. Hurry up, Vermillion..." He cursed through his gritted teeth, while soldiering through the rain- he was supposed to meet her here, so he´d be damned if he would change positions like an amateur just because it was raining.

-----------------(From Kagutsuchi's Port)------------------>

Noel arrived running quickly: she was late, and she knew it. And her being late meant she was likely to be reprimanded for her bad work, as if Jin wasn't enough... This doesn't look good...
So, I'm looking for a Captain from the Intelligence... at this hour of the morning, that's not gonna be easy to locate him... Just as she told herself that, she noticed green hair, the green hair of someone with an Intelligence uniform. It had to be him. Isn't it Makoto's superior officer? Hazama... She says she didn't like him... but he doesn't look so harmful... She walked towards him:
"Mr. Hazama, sir?"

At long fricking last.
Propping himself off of the wall he leaned against, Hazama casually walked over to Noel to greet her.
"Ah, yes, Lieutenant Vermillion... i hope you didn´t get lost on your way here, Kagutsuchi can be a frightening city to be in."
Instead of shaking hands with her, he reached into his coat pocket to pull out a stack of papers.
"Your mission.. capture and detain Major Jin Kisaragi, isn´t it? Well, he´s been reported to be around here... but, some sources state he didn´t seem right in the head, if you know what i mean. I`d be careful if i were you."
Smirking a bit, he handed her a sealed file.
"In addition, i´ve been told to give all officers on duty this- an optional secondary target. Ragna the Bloodedge has been spotted around this city, and its safe to say that he´s far more dangerous than a war hero thats running around going insane all of the sudden. You´ll find all information including detailed reports of his abilities and his habits in that file."
Maybe that way she`ll live longer than in the previous phase.
Shrugging his shoulders, he put the remaining files away. "Well, thats it, really. If i knew where that guy was, i`d probably tell the Air Corps to come flying in and take him out, but i do not. Though i have to say, even though your orders come from high up, they are a little.... odd, don´t you think?"

Noel had arrived panting, but shed had remained somewhat attentive to the Captain doing the mission control. While she didn't like his trash-talking of Jin, she found herself forced to admit that he was somewhat right: when Noel had last seen her direct superior officer, he was zealously running away while laughing ecstatically, which was not like him at all...
Hazama switched subjects to talk about Ragna the Bloodedge. That man... he's that man whose picture was on Jin's file that he left on his desk, isn't he.? Why would Jin go out of his way to meet him.? From Noel's point of view, Jin could only be after Ragna's bounty, so that it'd be over and he'd claim it for himself, because that's what he does... that was what he did in the Ikarugan War after all: arrive, kill Lord Tenjô, and leave.
"Um, sir, why would I consider engaging Ragna the Bloodedge? I have orders not to-" Hazama had gone on his speech, but now... was he questioning the orders from above.? "Mr. Hazama, sir, I do not question the orders. I only have to execute them." An awkward moment of silence followed.

"I... I must go after Major Kisaragi, so... I'm going to check out Areas 10 down to 2." On her words, she left running down below the Port, to start her researches, and she'd end up at the Cathedral itself in case Jin was in there, even though she doubted it: after all, he wouldn't be so absent if he was in a NOL base full of personnel, would he?

Hazama nearly blinked as she muttered about being ordered not to engage Ragna the Bloodedge. He messed up the phases again didn´t he? He knew he should`ve paid attention to the briefing... oh well. Now she got his file, maybe if she fights him she can buy him some more time to come up with something else. Afterall, this was the last attempt, the last try he was going to get. If they´d mess up this time, there wouldn´t be a Dark War, and there wouldn`t be a Bloodedge and there wouldn´t be any heroes. There`d just be the end of the world, and thats it.

As she rushed off without saying goodbye, Hazama looked after her.... and how that short skirt, drentched from the rain which had finally come to an end, was barely covering up her ass.
Nice. Nice legs too. Not so much on the upper body, but hey, you can´t have everything.
She had a chance to end this... he`d seen it happen before, one of the phases she actually managed to get Ragna the Bloodedge to avoid the Cauldron, except that Jin Kisaragi then lured him down there and the story ended accordingly. Maybe, just maybe they`d end up differently this time?

"You`ve got one chance, Vermillion. Make me proud." He muttered, holding onto his hat as he walked into the Kagutsuchi branch, closing the door behind him without locking it.

==>Entrance

Despite his reputation and rather flashy appearance, Ragna the Bloodedge was no stranger to subtlety. Living as one of the most wanted criminals in the world, perfecting the skills of stealth was an absolute necessity for survival. Now was one such time when that certain skill set was being called into action as the Grim Reaper gradually made his way closer and closer to the looming Cathedral using civilian homes and businesses as cover. Keeping to the shadows, he was able to advance to the very steps of the Cathedral, hidden in a darkened alleyway that provided the last possible cover. From here on out it would be a matter of speed that decided how quickly he was detected.

Slinking deeper into the darkness, Ragna kept perfectly still as a female NOL member passed by in the direction of the port. Hidden from her view, Ragna did a double take as the blond girl went by. There was something familiar about her, unsettling though he couldn't quite place the reason behind it. Clearing his head of such distractions, the Grim Reaper waited a few minutes to be sure that the girl had left the area before making his move. The sun had just set beneath the horizon and the streets were cloaked in fresh darkness, all daytime pedestrians having retreated inside for the time being. As a streak of dark red, Ragna burst from his hiding space and made a beeline for the front doors of the Cathedral. His upper body almost parallel with the ground, the crimson rebel ascended the steps towards the front door at top speed. There wasn't a chance in hell he could make it though the entire building without being spotted so he didn't even intend to try. Instead, he would rely on shock and awe to capitalize on the element of surprise. Closing in on the front doors, he cocked back his right fist without missing a step, seithr flaring around his hand in a black and red blaze. Lashing outward with it, Ragna followed it up with a second strike summoning another burst of seithr from below to send the huge doors crashing inwards at great speed. "Hell's Fang!"

------------------(From Kagutsuchi's Port)--------------------------->

Noel was running from the Port, still not tired despite the fact that she went to Area 10 and back here in little time. She was seeing the Door to enter the Cathedral, but a sinister figure was rushing headlong into the headquarters, blowing the entrance open in a bang. I- It's Ragna the Bloodedge!
Her orders were to avoid engaging him at all cost so she froze and looked at her side to make sure Mai was not running to her certain death. "We have to remain cautious, Mai... Let's wait for Ragna the Bloodedge to be out of sight before going in..."

Her cautions taken, she couldn't help thinking. But if he runs into the empty headquarters... ..!! And if the Major is inside! Now she wanted to go inside and save Jin if he were here, but noone, especially not her, was a match for Ragna the Bloodedge; and she didn't want to risk the life of a friend, even if she could try to save Jin this way...

Mai blinked as Noel mentioned the Bloodedge, stopping in her tracks the instant it was brought up.
However, as she looked into that direction...
Thats... thats him, from back then!
Her heart sank. Her friend from her acadamy days... was Ragna the Bloodedge?
That... that can´t be... it simply can´t be...
She stood there, stuttering, unable to comprehend.
How can it...? He was such a nice guy...
She was so out of it, she didn`t even notice Noel anymore.

----------(Arriving from nowhere)------------->
As she walked around Area 2, Youna felt a slight breeze of air. Though, for her, it was a cold day, and she had to wake up early this morning: crime-hunting wasn't a very forgiving profession, she had to be awake at the earliest moment possible, and she had to not rest to gather her money the fastest way possible.
When she walked up the path to the NOL Branch, Youna suddenly felt something ominous and immediately rushed in: darkness of abnormal power was just this close! The sheer shock thrilled her to the bone, and yet she had a little hope spring inside her... If I stop this, I will get much more money than what I need! I'll clear myself in one go, and then I will live normally again!
She didn't think one more moment. Catching the hilt of her sword at her back, she dashed forward, trying to get at this thing. When she saw the figure at the entrance of the Librarium, she stopped running, walking numbly and trembling due to the terror. It's... It's Ragna the Bloodedge!
Hopefully, she wouldn't get noticed by the time she finally snapped back to her senses, standing like a sore thumb in a place where everyone was either hidden or not bothering to hide and ravaging everything in sight...

After a while, Ragna's red silhouette headed inside. Getting her mind back together, she ran inside, following the highest bounty in the world in order to try her chance at taking it.
---------(To the Cathedral)---------------->

(Debut)----->

Kuon had finally reached town, and had immediately went up to the NOL Branch. The outside was fairly wide for an area that served no purpose, and even featured a spot that offered a nice view over the few levels below. Those thieves sure have good taste... they can afford it when they have stolen so much money, power, and weapons...

Hm, enough thinking. Time to blow this place up. Taking her time to look at the magnificent building, Kuon slowly walked inside. She was persuaded that whoever was inside this building wouldn't be able to resist long against her, the Volcanic Witch.

------------(To the Cathedral)------------>