77Α/Ν: This story is written by SuperNova23 ( u/2817228/SuperNova23) and I, so go check out his stories as well!
Disclaimer: We don't own JoJo's Bizzare Adventure and Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya. If we did, Jotaro would be able to act. Because seriously. What was that!
They swam in silence for a while, in a steady speed that brought them slowly closer to the surface. There was not nearly as much light as the albino might prefer, but she knew they were still well within danger's clutches and it wouldn't do to be out of it through it.
"The sea floor is so beautiful… It would be nice to spend some leisure time here." Polnareff muttered absent-mindedly.
"This is no time to be taking it easy. We have to reach the surface before we run out of oxygen." Joseph quickly put a halt in any thoughts not aimed towards reaching their goal and Illya for a moment felt frustrated at him- he wasn't wrong, she knew, but Polnareff had just been commenting on the obvious, he hadn't been slacking off or anything like that. And yet he had still been scolded. But the small flare of anger subsided almost as soon as it appeared and she put even more force behind her legs, as she struggled to keep up with the rest.
"Will it come after us?" the redheaded student asked Avdol.
"I don't think so." he replied. "High Priestess can transform into metal and glass, but she cannot become fish, water, nor sea foam. But keep your eyes peeled. If it follows us, it will transform into a screw on our gear or something. Watch out for pebbles and moving stones as well."
The albino suddenly felt as if they would be better off if Kakyoin hadn't spoken at all. Although the logical part of her knew that they wouldn't quite escape by being on solid ground, they'd be marginally better off, if only for the fact that they wouldn't be in danger of running out of oxygen, or of their internal organs bursting from the pressure altering or-
"Illya!" Mr. Joestar called out at her and she stopped swimming to turn to look at him. His face was strict, but his eyes full of understanding. "Not so fast Illya. Remember, we can't go up too fast, it's dangerous. Plus," he slapped his hip, "I am not as young as I used to be…"
"Sorry!"
"My word Illya-san, what has gotten into you…"
"Sorry Ruby…"
"Well, never mind that." the old man showed them the device attached to his lifejacket. "We only have seven meters to go! We are finally at the Egyptian shore!"
The team visibly relaxed at the news and Avdol pointed at a tunnel up ahead, lined with rocks. "Swim along the rocks to the surface!"
As they followed along the formation, using it as leverage to propel themselves forward, overwhelming relief became horror as a deep, throaty sound came from beneath them. The rocks they had been using as a guide slowly parted, revealing two rows of perfect teeth. Illya kicked back and let a scream tear its way out of her throat at the sight of a giant grinning mouth of all things, opening up to swallow them whole.
It opened wide, the enemy making a deliberately slow show out of it before inhaling deeply, sucking water and them as well in. Swimming against the sudden vacuum was completely pointless, although that prevented no one from random flailing in a desperate attempt to get away.
"Illya-san!" her partner screamed as she was torn away from her and straight into the void beneath them, Illya reaching out for Ruby only for a large hand to snake around her waist and pull her back.
"Hold on to me Illya!" Avdol yelled down at her and she did so for dear life, probably leaving permanent wrinkles on his red robe. The teeth closed shut behind them and the Egyptian's hold on her turned painful as they were thrown around.
"H-how is it so fucking huge! It was so small a while ago! What sort of Stand power is this?" Polnareff somehow managed to yell and actually be heard over the noise of water whirling around and the shouts of everyone.
"You boys are so slow!" the voice resounding through the cave belonged to a woman, a young one, she mused. Cocky and annoying, just like a certain someone she recalled with a shudder. "Since rocks are made of minerals, shouldn't it be obvious that the seabed is made of minerals too?"
"Her Stand must be more powerful now that it is near its user! She must be close!" Kakyoin was struggling to be heard over everything else, however this wasn't the case with Midler.
"Correct! I am seven meters above, on the shore! However, my High Priestess will grind you to a pulp, so you will never see my face! Ever!"
As if to punctuate that point, the Stand chose that moment to expel all of the water inside its mouth, leaving them suspended midair and consequently causing them to fall on the hard floor. Avdol let Illya go at the last moment, so as to avoid having his weight fall on her at their landing. The albino whirled a fraction of a second before impact, managing a perfect landing on her feet.
Or, almost perfect.
"Oh Master, don't be so rough on your faithful servant~" the scream was anguished, but all the same Illya's face darkened as she stepped harder on the obnoxious Mystic Code.
"You cannot even be captured right, can you, you pest!"
"Oh my, is that Illya-san's psycho loli side? Kuro-san would be so proud~"
"I'll show you-"
"This is not the time you two!" Kakyoin scolded them before taking a look around. "Where in the Stand are we?"
"We are still in the mouth." Mr. Joestar replied. "It didn't suck us down its throat."
"Hey, Jotaro!"
Whatever more Joseph might have had to say on the subject however was interrupted by the Stand user that currently held them in seemingly unbreakable clutches. The albino tensed, half prepared for some unreasonable request or another, maybe even some of the par-for-the-course gloating some of her recent enemies seemed to be so fond of.
She definitely didn't expect what came next.
"Jotaro, you are just my type, so this is really hard on me. It's too bad my Stand, High Priestess, has to digest you!"
…
What?
The shadow of a short figure with a huge hand and an even more huge hammer came into Illya's thoughts for a second time since finding herself into Midler's presence. They… those two are…
Polnareff had risen slowly to his feet and he appeared to be having some sort of epiphany, signaling the brunette to come a bit closer.
"If only we had met under better circumstances… A pity." she continued, causing Illya's left eye to twitch as she was reminded of her god-like arch-nemesis from Miyu's world. Too similar! Those two are too similar! Polnareff was still whispering away into Jotaro's ear, but Illya could only hear Midler being channeled by Beatrice Flowerchild and all the terror that implied. "But, if I kill you, Lord Dio will praise me! No hard feelings~"
And suddenly she was a teddy bear again, watching Beatrice and a Julian blanket and she could feel something inside her snap. No one should ever have to witness something like this!
Interrupting her mental breakdown however was Jotaro, sighing loudly. "Gimme a break… Do I have to?" he asked, like some five year old trying to avoid bed time.
"Come on, just hurry up and say it!"
Looking as if he had been forced to chew on something particularly sour, the brunette looked up. "Midler…" he called out. "I want to see your face, just once. You could be my type as well." And, narrowing his eyes in unconcealed disgust, "I could even fall for you."
Illya deadpanned. What's with looking like that! A dead rabbit would do a better job than you!
But apparently insulting and demeaning was just Midler's type, because the entire mouth went bright red. You have got to be kidding me…
"I-I bet she is a real babe! I can tell just by the sound of her voice!" Polnareff added, looking about nervously.
"Indeed!" the Egyptian cut in, raising his index finger in front of his face. "I envision her as an elegant woman. I say this as a fortune teller!"
"Doesn't she sound like the actress, Audrey Hepburn?"
"If only I had been thirty years younger…"
Illya was staring at them in disbelief, but it was Ruby who finally gave voice to her thoughts.
"…Are they serious?"
But Midler went on getting a brighter and brighter shade of red, until Illya began having doubts as to whether the enemy Stand user was having a heart attack, a nosebleed, or was about to murder them all.
Maybe all three, she mused.
"You liars!" Midler shrieked at the top of her lungs. "You don't mean any of that!"
The ground beneath them began to shake and turn softer, her feet sinking into the pliant flesh and for a second the dream world of Death XIII came back and she felt her breath catch in her throat. They were all thrown up with a single twist of the muscle, Joseph's regulator falling from his mouth.
"Holy sh-" but he took a glance at her and seemed to instantly change what he was about to say. "-strawberry milkshake!"
"Are you serious right now!"
"Isn't it wonderful Illya-san, everyone is being so considerate~"
"Seriously, what is your problem!"
"Everyone, look up!" Kakyoin's warning finally forced the trio to get back in touch with reality, as the huge appendage prepared to strike them down from above.
"Jotaro!" the shrill voice was filled with rage and the tongue of the Stand somehow managed to put all of its considerable strength into a strike aimed solely on him, the oxygen vault on his shoulders crumbling like paper. Time seemed to slow down as his back arched in an unnatural angle, his eyes widening in pain before his head fell forward, blood shooting out of his mouth.
"Jotaro!"
"Jotaro-san!"
The brunette was sent flying between the molars, barely managing to avoid crushing his head on landing. However, after he hit the lower one, he remained motionless for a few moments, trying to catch himself.
Staying motionless at that moment was equal to a death sentence, she knew. Midler would kill them all. Not only because she had been ordered to by whoever this Dio person was supposed to be, but because she wanted to. She wanted to kill them. She enjoyed it, there was no mistaking the sheer callousness with which she had dismissed their efforts to escape, or their very lives.
Her fists clenched by her sides as the stupefying fear was slowly replaced by a new, not entirely foreign feeling.
Anger.
Cold, all-consuming anger.
Before her eyes flashed a blinding light and a girlish smile, cropped red hair and childish golden eyes.
I hate getting hurt but… I hate Illya-san getting hurt even more.
Bile rose to her throat and she had to swallow it down forcefully. I can't… I can't do this… I can't just…
Although no one was actively shielding her from harm in the same manner as back then, there was something inside Illya that simply refused to remain a spectator. She couldn't. She wouldn't. Not when she knew exactly what she had to do, when she had the power to stop it.
"Ruby…" she muttered faintly, extending her hand towards the Mystic Code, who instantly realized her intentions.
"Illya-san! I told you already, you are in no fit condition to fight! The strain a fight would put on you…"
Illya gritted her teeth. "Don't you worry."
The upper molar was brought down like an executioner's blade and Star Platinum barely managed to keep it from falling.
"You wish to pit your strength against mine?" Midler mocked, her voice making it clear that she was enjoying this. "These teeth are as hard as diamonds! You'll never break them! I'll kill you first!"
Despite Star Platinum's strength, the tooth steadily came down, one inch at the time. Almost as if the Stand was doing so deliberately, to draw it out more. Star Platinum's arm bent at the elbow, losing ground.
"It's just… It's just diamonds Ruby." she managed to whisper.
That was right. Just diamonds. She had pit her strength against far greater foes- heroes of legend, Gilgamesh and Ea, Julian and his cube… Here, right now… she had nothing to fear. Even weakened, this woman, Midler, compared to everything she had been through and all that lied ahead, she was…
"You are nothing." she said loud and clear. The tension from the ongoing battle was instantly snuffed out at her calmly delivered words, earning her everyone's undivided attention.
"What?" her enemy managed to eventually spit out, disbelief laced with anger colouring every word. "What did you just say to me, you snot-nosed brat?"
That's right. No more wishy-washy Illya. Miyu… Miyu still hasn't made to us-
"I said." she repeated with an even voice, rising to her feet and staring straight ahead. "You are nothing!"
"Honestly Illya-san." the Mystic Code muttered, not without some pride, as her handle extended, "Can't you just do as I ask you for once?"
-a single complaint!
As Ruby's handle made contact with the palm of her hand, she could feel the Magic Circle form under her feet and the familiar surge of magic went through her, she felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Emerging, she kicked the muscle beneath her lightly and, adorned in her Magical Girl outfit, Illya flew.
"What's this…?" she heard Polnareff mutter in shock.
"Let Jotaro-san go!" she demanded, pointing Ruby at the tooth over his head.
"You… you shitty brat… you think you can order me around? I will crush all of you!"
High Priestess's tongue moved from beneath her companion's feet and before they had time to recover from the sudden movement, it was already falling down again. At the same time, the upper molar, that had remained frozen in place after she had called out to her enemy, began pressing down on Star Platinum once more. Illya didn't let any more time be lost, accelerating to place herself right between the heavy muscle and her companions, twisting her body to hold Ruby horizontally in front of her.
"Barrier and physical protection!"
"Right away!"
"Useless!" cried their enemy in response, the powerful muscle easily breaking through the first three formed star-shaped shields almost immediately, closing the distance between it and the pink-clad albino.
"Illya! Get out of the way, run!"
Illya pursed her lips, ignoring the small pang of pain behind her eyes to focus on the battle ahead. I am done running. Creating a purple, pyramid-like barrier with Ruby, she managed to repel the first hit, only for Midler to hiss in frustration and pull back to prepare for another attack.
"Now!" she cried and, the moment the tongue had fully recoiled, a giant shackle in the shape of a star locked down a few meters beneath the tip, preventing completely any further movement for the time being. Illya knew it wouldn't last forever, but it gave her ample time to achieve her own goal. Without any further delay, Illya darted beneath the immobilized muscle, reducing the distance between herself and the trapped brunette as quickly as possible. He had been trying to inch closer to the edge, but he was too big to be able to do so quick, struggling for every inch he gained.
"Jotaro-san!" the albino extended the pink Kaleido Stick towards him, "Grab onto Ruby! I will pull you out!"
"Don't get cocky brat!" Midler screeched in anger, bringing down her upper row of teeth with savage power, the shield hanging above Jotaro's head coming down another few, precious centimeters. While her barrier and Star Platinum's strength had prevented Midler from crushing him as she had planned, she managed to bring her tooth down quite a long way, trapping Jotaro beneath it and only her shield keeping it from finishing the job, the molar touching his chest. D-damn it... He is stuck!
Almost instinctively, the albino kicked against the teeth, putting distance between herself and them. She may be able to transform the teeth into anything she wants… Her grip on the handle of her partner tightened at the thought. I won't be able to keep this up for long.
"Illya-san, your nose, it's…"
"It's nothing." she said as she wiped a tiny bit of blood away with her glove, before raising Ruby above her shoulder. "Let Jotaro-san go." she shouted a second time. "You cannot win this, so just let him go already!"
"Or what? I will save you for last brat! I will play with those filthy liars until there's only their crushed bodies left and then I will take my time with you!"
Illya gritted her teeth, her temples throbbing painfully from the effort it took for her to maintain her transformation. The trapped tongue above their heads earned a bit more ground as her magic wavered for a fraction of a second and the molar hanging over Jotaro's head came ever so closer. The brunette was well and truly trapped, the only thing preventing him from dying a very painful death also preventing his escape.
No, the only way to end this fight was to neutralize High Priestess for good, she thought. In one strike.
"Ruby, prepare full charge."
"Illya-san…"
"Do it!"
High Priestess had turned a blinding shade of red, well past the point of rage. The Stand was directing the entirety of her attention on freeing the shackled tongue that had already managed to stress its bindings to their limit, several cracks indicating that it wouldn't last long. She let out an excited squeal, pressing even harder against Illya's barrier.
"Tsk! Can't you go faster?" she muttered, her voice ragged.
"I am doing my best Master, but you don't exactly have the luxury of losing too much mana at once…"
"Just… hurry up!"
"What's wrong little girl, not so arrogant now, are we?" Midler laughed, a chunk of the star holding her breaking away. In the heat of the moment however, she completely forgot that the pink-clad Magical Girl wasn't the only enemy she had to worry about.
"Now! Hermit Purple!"
"Hierophant Green!"
Hierophant unraveled its lower body, tying itself just beneath the half-broken shackle, while Joseph's Hermit Purple twisted around the tip. An electric-like current went through the thorny vines, eliciting a high-pitched scream from Midler.
"M-my tongue! I can't move it at all! You geezer what did you do?!"
"Heh! This will hold you in place for a while!" the old man bragged with a huge grin on his face.
"You… You ridiculous piece of shit! I will kill you! I will kill all of you!"
"We'll see about that! Magician's Red!"
The red bird shot out engulfed in fire, aiming for the sensitive underside of High Priestess's tongue, crushing on it with every bit of strength the Stand could muster and forcing it a couple of meters away.
Grabbing the small window of time given her, Illya raised the wand above her shoulder.
"Maximum Output!"
"YOU GODDAMN BRAT!"
"Schneiden!"
She swung Ruby in a wide arc, the thin energy blade containing most of her remaining mana, aimed at the teeth that held Jotaro tight. As it made impact, the molar and the two teeth next to it instantly shattered, then proceeded to tear right through the wall behind them and eventually dissipate somewhere on the sea floor outside, water rushing in from the newly made hole. With a swift move, the brunette rolled away from the tooth he had been trapped on, just as the last remains of the pink-and-purple shield faded away.
He stared at her for a few seconds before sighing. "You really did a number on her face, huh?"
"Eh?"
"Never mind –move it." he ordered and looked around. "The place will be filled up to the brim soon."
He was right; the entire Stand shook, though with pain, rage, or both, she really couldn't tell and didn't care much to find out. Sea water was rushing in and while the size of the tear on the cheek wasn't enough to instantly flood the mouth, it was still coming fast, having already gone past her knees.
"Let's get out of here! Quickly!" Avdol yelled, pointing at the newly-made exit.
"Right!"
As they ran towards the hole, Midler began to scream, spitting unintelligible words that were probably not particularly kind to any of them.
"Look, she's trying to close the exit!" Polnareff yelled, spitting a curse through his teeth.
Indeed she was; the destroyed cheek looked as if it was melting in itself, the entire cavern taking on a silvery colour as High Priestess tried to change its form to something else in an attempt to seal them in for good.
"Emerald Splash!"
As the attack connected with the wall, keeping the hole Illya's attack had made wide open, Midler let out a screech that had them stopping in their tracks, covering their ears to protect them from bursting.
"Move it damn you!" Jotaro cursed them from where he was standing next to destroyed cheek, the water now at his midriff.
"Right!"
Passing through the makeshift exit, she swam a short distance away, watching the troublesome enemy melt away from the place it had been occupying on the sea bed, leaving behind no trace of having been there, the only trace of the furious battle a large dent on a nearby rock.
Assured of her companions' safety, Illya held her breath for the remaining distance, breaking on the surface way ahead of the rest. As she floated above the sea, she blinked a few times to get used to the bright sunlight as she breathed deep, savoring the abundant oxygen in the air. Even the chill of the soft breeze on her wet clothes was welcome and she navigated towards the shore, where she caught the first glimpse of a dark blue jacket.
Landing on the sand, she dissolved her transformation and checked on the Class Cards in her chest pocket. Both they and the hairband were alright, albeit slightly wet, but she could think of worse. Her head was in pain enough that it felt like someone was playing the drums in it, but it was a considerably better predicament than the one she was in five minutes prior.
"Honestly Illya-san, you are too reckless! Are you trying to get yourself injured? Do you enjoy watching me slave away to keep you up and running?" Ruby yelled at her the instant she was back to her more casual form, shoving herself at the albino's face angrily. "You could have caused yourself some serious harm down there! Do you even listen to me at all when I talk to you!"
"Ahaha… sorry about that Ruby…" she apologized weakly.
Slowly, the rest of her companions surfaced, taking off their regulators and lifejackets before they even left the sea. Seeing them, she raised a hand to catch their attention and walked towards them, stopping at the edge of the waves.
"Well, that was awful…" Mr. Joestar muttered, catching his breath. When his eyes landed on her, he seemed to somber up and he covered the distance between them, kneeling in front of her so that they would be at eye level. Wordlessly, he took her appearance in and pulled a wet handkerchief from his pocket, dubbing at her nose to clean the remaining blood. He seemed like he wanted to say something to her, but instead he stood up and patted her on the head awkwardly, as if he was afraid she'd bite.
"Illya!"
Unlike the older man though, the Frenchman had no intention of staying quiet about it.
"Illya, what was that? How could you just… break those, when not even Jotaro… And what about that outfit? What even was that thing and where did you even change! Man, I don't get it at all! Why did you keep this from us!"
"Well I… you didn't ask…?" she smiled nervously, scratching the back of her head.
Four sets of raised eyebrows and a very intense glare met that statement, the menacing atmosphere coming down to crash her with the collective disapproval aimed at her general direction. She felt her knees tremble slightly. W-what's with that look! How can they all look so menacing at the same time!
The awkward silence was eventually broken by Avdol, who held his index finger up. "Polnareff is right! Illyasviel, you have to admit that the abilities you just demonstrated as well as your very suspicious arrival merits some explanation!"
Calling me by my full name now?!
"That is correct." Kakyoin added, his expression cold. Crossing his arms in front of his chest, he stared the little albino down. "Illya-chan, I think I needn't say this, but unless you plan to be more forthcoming with us, we cannot run the risk of keeping you around."
"W-wait a minute…" Didn't I just save you people!
"It cannot be helped." Mr. Joestar sighed, taking her a little by surprise. "It's not like we could keep dragging a child around with us anyway."
You too Mr. Joestar!
"Good grief… Aren't you being a bit too casual?" Jotaro cut in, pulling out a wet cigarette from his pocket, staring at it for a couple seconds before tossing it on the sand with a grunt. "We still haven't found where Midler is, so why are you chatting away like there isn't a fucking care in the world?" he yelled, everyone looking at him with a slightly guilty expression. As they scattered, the albino felt the now-familiar sensation of something tying itself around her ankle as Kakyoin sent her a glare before leaving to search for their knocked out enemy.
I thought we were over that… she thought, not without some bitterness and her lower lip trembled slightly. She was caught by surprise though when a large hand patted her head.
"I don't really give a damn what your deal is brat." the brunette informed her softly. "Just don't get in the way for as long as you stay with us. We'll get you into the first plane and you will go straight where you came from. You've no business in this mess."
"R-right." He isn't wrong. "Thanks Jotaro-san."
"Good grief…" he muttered again as he pulled the visor of his cap lower.
Ruby patted her behind the ear comfortingly. "It's fine Illya-san." she whispered. "Don't forget that we need to find a way home as well."
Illya nodded her head slightly, acknowledging the Mystic Code's words, but not feeling any better for it.
"Hey, I think I found her!"
Polnareff's excited voice interrupted her brooding and she and Jotaro moved towards the Frenchman's voice. The white-haired man was standing a few feet away from the unconscious form of a woman clad in a light blue caftan and red heels, her face turned away.
"Are we sure she's the one?" Kakyoin asked.
"Most likely." Avdol nodded. "There doesn't seem to be anyone else around."
"Man, I wonder if she really is a babe!" Polnareff wondered loudly, closing the distance between the woman and himself in a three large steps. But as soon as he got close enough to take a look he jumped back, letting a shocked yell escape him. "D-don't come any closer!" he warned, holding his hands in front of him. "Illya and Kakyoin really messed her up good…"
Illya blinked. "Huh?"
"You can see right into her mouth and her teeth are-"
"Polnareff! Shut your fucking mouth!"
The sudden yell made everyone jump and the Frenchman looked shocked for a moment before finally registering the expression on the albino's face. As understanding slowly dawned on her, she swiftly avoided Jotaro's hand, who, realizing her intention a moment too late, failed to pull her back and made a beeline for the woman. Taking advantage of everyone being momentarily frozen, she managed to get right past Polnareff's position, coming face to face with their defeated opponent.
Her mind stopped working for a few seconds as she stared frozen, her eyes going wide. Did I do that to her…?
Her stomach tied itself in a tight knot as she took in the frankly hideous sight; the woman, Midler, was really beautiful- or at least was, before the wound in her face that ran through her cheek from her ear and stopped a little bit away from the edge of her lips. Around the center it seemed kind of tattered, as there was a vaguely circular wound over the other one, that gave her a front-row view of the inside of her mouth, jagged bits of flesh framing the cut. She could see the bloody remains of teeth on her upper gum, identical to what had been there after she fired. Her entire left cheek was smeared in blood that had found its way around her face; some was splattered on the sand next to her, but most seemed to be on her head and top of her clothes.
As she stared at her, Midler let out a soft groan but otherwise remained unconscious. But I… I only wanted to- I didn't mean to-to-
"Illya-san, please calm down!"
The albino was shaking from head to toe- this was nothing like the battles back in her own world, or Miyu's. The stakes were higher and the opponents scarier and she had never hesitated to use every available means to defeat them but… this was still different. She had never seen anyone come out of a battle in such a condition. Not Bazett-san, not Gilgamesh after he had taken her Quintet Fire, not even Angelica, whose sides had been sliced by both Shirou-san and Kuro. This woman, she… she had been mutilated.
By me. I did this.
The thought left her slightly numb, so she wasn't prepared when a pair of firm but gentle hands scooped her up as if she weighted nothing and turned her away from the sight. As she came face to face with Silver Chariot's helmeted head, she found herself being slightly fonder of the idea of getting as far away from this place as she could, as soon as possible.
A/N: Nova, I think we may have broken Illya. XD
Now, for the Anon reviews: since there seem to be two Guests with the same name, you are now Anon1 and Anon2, because "Anon" is funnier to write compared to "Guest". (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧
Anon1: She can't do much at that point. Aside from a good chance of kinda breaking all the stuff in the submarine (submarine included) while they were woefully unprepaired to get into the water -no regulators, no oxygen vaults, no idea that their vessels might kinda burst if they move too fast for the surface... and also the good chance that a big submarine would probably collapse around their heads, or even on them. It was kind of a deterrent. ;)
Anon2: For your Chapter 5 review, yeah, it kind of does, doesn't it? The initial idea behind them was bonding a bit with the Crusaders, adapting to the new place as well as giving us sometime to develop properly some of the things we wanted to do. Looking back to it, it could have been turned into one chapter with Chapter 4, but at the time, it was just not doable. RL gets in the way. :)
As for the Chapter 7 review. It was annoying to everyone, us included, to have to keep Illya on the sidelines for three chapters straight. We want the action too you know. Heck, this story began because of how much we wanted all of the action. But it's as important to have a proper set-up. Illya needs to get to know and become accustomed to the new world. She needs to learn what that new world is like and how it functions. Above all, how this world is affecting Illya herself. So while we didn't enjoy withholding the sort of action Illya can be a part of, it was inevitable. So while we agree that after Chapter 3 there was little action from her direction, it doesn't turn her into a "doormat". It definitely doesn't make her ineffectual. We needed the time to build everything up properly and that can involve sometimes not blasting everything to oblivion and back. Finally, don't forget that Illya is not at full power, and much of her resources are focused on repairing pre-existing damage and acclimating to the world. She has no mana reserves since Ruby is using every drop as soon as Illya gets it.
Thank you both for your criticism and we hope to hear from you again!
Thank you to everyone who is still reading and we hope you enjoyed!:D