Sho, once an acquaintance who had been to the communal Haven (which was populated with more than one winged human like this young one), came to him with their proposal. It was a fool’s deal. They clearly had a plan. They were sitting peacefully and waiting for Sharp to arrive after their melodic conference. The execution of this request never said a thing about how he did it. They made a deal and were willing to go back to HOME. Then they were Izuku’s problem. Besides, none had command of the Power, just powerful weapons. So did Izuku. And Izuku’s was possibly the most frightening of all. Only because of the Shi Kaze and his recent brief encounter with it did Sharp believe these four might stand a chance against Izuku’s terrible sword.
He was not loyal to Izuku. He didn’t care. All he wanted was to inflict all the pain he could on the land while he was alive and hopefully live to enjoy the peaceful aftermath.
He had to admit a very bitter part of him wanted to see the little ruckus back at HOME they were sure to make. He’d already decided not to tell anyone there that he hadn’t disarmed them as part of Sho’s request; leave them be and send them to HOME, and Sho promised they wouldn’t touch Sharp. Let it be a surprise. Loyalty was overrated anyway.
-----------------------
Sitting in their temporary accommodations, Nixon was the one that was the most flustered and out of sorts. The first part of the plan went smooth as silk. The second, much riskier part had gone the same. It required very little pomp and bravado to convince the leader of this group, one Mr. Sharp, to allow them their weapons in exchange for a peaceful and uneventful return to wherever it was they were to go. After informing Sharp that they were willing to fight to the death to stop him if they didn’t get their way, he agreed. Embracers like Sharp rarely want to risk dying. Sho and Crystal had seen the disinterest in his task instantly and used it.
“Will you sit and relax, you fiery old fool,” Crystal told him once she could no longer stand his pacing and fidgeting. “We’re here, and all we can do now is sit and wait. What do you have to fear, anyway?”
Nixon stopped and stared at her. She never went so far as to say he still had command of his considerable power (any fool knew they were being monitored in every way imaginable), but her allusion to it and the current state of things was still upsetting to him.
“Let me tell ya somethin’, yer majesty,” he returned in a harsh tone. “This is a very fine line we tread on right now. We are in tha hands of tha enemy, headin’ t’ who knows where, surrounded on all sides by weapons so powerful tha’ they can wipe out whole cities in just a wink of an eye. If our plan is gonna work, so many things 'ave t’ fall into place tha’ it makes my 'ead hurt.”
Crystal looked mildly shocked. “Why Nixon, I know nothing of a plan! Whatever are you talking about?”
The phoenix wheeled on her and glowered. “Bah, each of us knows the whole truth, don’t get cute with me. These people are not idiots.”
Crystal stopped her prodding and turned her attention to Aryu, a young man she had wrapped around her finger by this point. “What about you? Holding up alright?”
Aryu smiled in return. “Fine. This isn’t the trip I was planning, I can tell you that.”
“Tha’ goes for us both,” Nixon chimed in before resuming his relentless pace and fidgets. He had all the time in the world for answers now, but he felt the need to deal with the situation at hand first.
“I agree with Nixon, though. Mr. Sharp wasn’t what I was expecting to come across as the leader of this group.”
Crystal smiled, putting him at ease. “Did you see the expression on his face when he saw the Shi Kaze? He wasn’t expecting that at all. It seems its recent discovery isn’t general knowledge yet. That’s something.”
“Maybe not then, but it is now.”
“True, but there isn’t an Embracer in the world that doesn’t fear and respect that sword. Whoever leads this army, be it Izuku or not, will not cross it without a good reason. Just its presence is enough to put people on edge.”
Sharp’s mobile base was leading a relatively small force of mechanical soldiers. They were smaller than the Heralds they were accustomed to, but they were no less terrifying. Some held weapons the likes of which Aryu had never seen before (what he wouldn’t give for Johan or one of his history books right now), other ones held what looked like remotes or monitors, scanning the area as they came.
Aryu had done well. When Sharp’s troop came to a stop at the outer edge of the alpine clearing, half-tracks grinding anything and everything under foot, the four of them just stood like a wall with weapons in hand (except for Crystal, who stood a half-step behind her son and his razor-edged shield).
They watched the lead unit, expecting something any moment. Only Nixon wasn’t surprised at what they got. An Embracer was what he’d expected from the beginning.
A door opened, sliding aside silently. From the darkness within stepped forth a man, seemingly as human and normal as any other. Average height and build, shaggy blonde hair and gray eyes that took the four in as he emerged. Thin lips and a narrow face gave nothing away about
