crimneo

[crimneo]

Finale

Final (4/4)

(Spoilers for the end of Blazblue)

(Part 3)

*Ringing*

A sudden ringing sound blares from a scroll lying peacefully on a table, the disruptive sound echoing around in what appeared to be an unkempt, messy hideout; it's empty and quiet atmosphere now filled with the sounds of loud high-pitched noises before the only resident within the area rushes in towards the source.

Neo, who had been in the kitchen making tea, storms out into the dining room to where she had previously left her scroll. Quickly reaching out to grab it, she looked down at the device to see just who was the one behind the call, hoping it was who she had been waiting for. And upon reading the name of the caller, she gasped.

Upcoming video call: Ragna

Answer?

She immediately swiped right to accept, before then being forced to wait as the device attempted to connect to the caller on the other side; her longing to see the man having only made her grow more antsy as time went on. Soon enough though, the device had finally finished loading and gave her a proper view of the person on the other end. And upon seeing his face, her expression held the biggest smile it had ever formed.

Ragna: Hey Neo. You doing okay? Oh who am I kidding, of course you are. You know how to watch over yourself.

There he was, the individual she had been waiting to see this entire time. The man who she had come to entrust her life with for any and all dangers, and the person who had come to earn her respect more times than not, finally reaching back to her and meeting each other face-to-face. …sort of anyways.

Neo looked at whatever she could lay her eyes on through the screen, eyeing Ragna for any injuries that he may have received throughout this whole period. She noticed a couple of minor cuts and bruises on his face along with how torn his jacket appeared to be. She looked towards his eyes and found what appeared to be quite the amount of exhaustion residing in them; but all-in-all, Ragna was doing just fine, only encouraged by the fact that he continued to carry the same confident smile she had come to adore.

With a huge exhale, Neo let out all the stress she had been carrying, giving herself one of the biggest sighs of relief she has ever had. She was glad to know that Ragna was doing okay, glad to know that he is indeed alright.

Ragna: *smirk* What's with that sigh just now? You weren't doubting me, were you?

Upon his attempt at teasing, Neo would then find herself glaring down at Ragna with a disapproving stare, not at all in any mood to joke around with "The Grim Reaper". Her eyes gave off such an intense aura that even Ragna himself found to be quite scary, evidently not prepared to be on the receiving end of it.

Ragna: Whoa! Hey! Chill out! I didn’t mean to piss you off or anything! I just... thought that– you’d be feeling a lot more relaxed this time around, especially when you sounded way calmer through the texts.

Upon the mention of her texts, Neo sighed, disappointment now evident on her face. She had indeed been worried for Ragna’s sake, especially since he wouldn’t respond back to her. Yet even after reading her texts, he appeared to remain clueless as to what had been eating her up inside; not at all knowing what exactly he made her go through.

Ragna, however, wasn’t as oblivious to the situation as she had thought, for he knew that there were indeed some wrongs he needed to amend.

Ragna: *scratches cheek* …Listen, I know that– you’ve been worried this whole time and… trust me, I know it’s all my fault.

Neo perked up as Ragna continued to speak, intrigued with what he had to say.

Ragna: I get that I… should’ve checked in with you sooner. I know that I should’ve at least given you a heads up or an update on the situation, but… I didn’t, and I’m really sorry about that.

Neo watched as Ragna apologized and took the blame for all his wrongdoings, understanding that he was indeed at fault for what he had done and how he should have never made her so worried in the first place. He seemed very sincere and was genuinely sorry for what he had done; and yet… despite all that, it wasn’t enough.

Neo remained still unsatisfied even after his apology.

Ragna: Still angry?

Neo: *Turns away* Hmph!

Ragna tried to think of what else he could say to rectify the situation. He could tell that there was something else she had been looking for but what? He thought it over for another moment until it dawned on him.

Ragna: Is this... because of my weird behavior lately?

Neo didn’t respond, she merely waited for Ragna to carry on with his thought process.

Ragna: Look, I know I’ve been acting… pretty strange lately, especially back when we last talked. And I know I asked some strange questions, kept some secrets, and– kept you waiting for answers… but– look, I promise I’ll explain everything to you now. Whatever questions you got or want to know I'm willing to answer it.

Neo glanced an eye towards Ragna, still expecting more.

Ragna: And… I know how much you’ve been left in the dark for all this and… I want you to know that I really am sorry for all that. I promise that it’s not going to happen again. So, if… that's alright with you then-

She turned away again.

Ragna: Oh, come on! Still?!

Ragna watched as Neo didn’t give him the time of day, not once showing any sign of wanting to forgive him. He tried to think, what else? What else could he say to fix the mess he’s got himself into.

Ragna: …Tell you what, how about I do you a favor. Anything you want, just tell me what I need to do, and we can-

Out of nowhere, a giggle suddenly leaped out of Neo’s throat, her laughter no longer being able to contain itself as Ragna continued to act all frantic. A grinning smile grew from her lips, bringing the disappointed expression she had been carrying to an end.

Ragna: Wait… Have you just been screwing with me this whole time?!

Neo’s laughter only grew louder as Ragna began to realize that he had been had.

Ragna (flustered): You were, weren’t you! Gah, You– Dick!

Neo waved apologetically, her laughter becoming uncontrollable; all the while Ragna was left red and embarrassed over feeling like a fool.

Ragna: *Groan* You always have to get a rise out of me don’t you.

As Neo tried to recompose herself, she proceeded to reach out for something off screen.

Ragna: And here I thought you were actually pissed.

Pulling out a notepad and revealing a page towards the screen, Neo used her semblance to construct words and showcased a sentence for Ragna to read.

Well, I was.

*Flip* Up until the first apology at least.

Ragna: You mean I got all sappy for nothing?

I’m sorry. You were being way too sincere for me to NOT mess with.

Ragna: Ugh, whatever. Cause guess what, I’m not saying anything anymore.

*Flip* Come on~ You promised.

*Flip* And it wasn’t all for nothing.

*Flip* You made sure to make me feel well accounted for.

*Flip* And I appreciate that.

Ragna, with his embarrassment fading away, chose to remain silent. Actively choosing not to respond.

*Flip* And besides…

*Flip* After what you did, you kinda deserve it.

Ragna… couldn’t deny that.

Ragna: *sigh* Damn it! I guess you’re right.

Neo then began motioning Ragna to get to it. The sooner the better after all.

Ragna stood silent for a moment, contemplating what he was about to do. He thought back to his conversation with Trinity and how she made him realize the mistake he was about to make beforehand.

Deep down, he knew there were things he needed to do, he knew there were things he needed to say... No, not just needed, but wanted. Things he wanted to do. Things he wanted to say. Things he wanted for the sake of Neo… and for the sake of himself.

Strengthening his resolve, he stared directly at her; coming to terms with the consequences of his actions and embracing whatever circumstances that may come his way.

This was it… this was where they’ll both get closure.

Ragna: Alright then. Take a seat, whenever you're ready. We’re going to need a lot of time to sort this all out.

Neo smirked, acknowledging the circumstances and accepting it for what it is. To her, this was her moment to finally get all the answers she had been waiting for. To finally understand all that has been going on. And to finally find out what else was to come. Whatever it may be, she was going to be ready for it.

Sitting down, Neo propped up her scroll on the table, ready to listen.

Ragna: Okay, let’s get started.

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Ragna: …and just like that... all the bastards were dead.

A moment of silence was all there was between the two as Neo thought about all that was said to her; before the sounds of light clapping soon filled the air. She praised Ragna for his upstanding victory, catching him off guard but nonetheless appreciating the sentiment.

Ragna: Heh well, what can I say. They really didn't stand a chance once I actually got into it.

Neo giggled, agreeing with the notion; after all, this is Ragna they're talking about, and he never backs down to anyone, nor would he ever stand to lose to anyone, no matter how powerful they may be.

Ragna: Still, I got to give credit to where it’s due. It was a pretty tough fight, and it probably wouldn't have been as easy without the help from the others.

Neo casually nodded, understanding that the battle surely must have been a hassle to get through, but... she was a bit curious as to how the others performed.

Ragna: Ruby made sure to keep everyone safe with the use of her semblance. Hyde's sword surprisingly came in clutch against the likes of Salem. And Yu really knew how to rally everyone together and keep our spirits up.

Neo listened on as Ragna praised the others for all their efforts in the final battle, admitting how much of a big help they were and how efficient they were in being able to pull through and work together as a team. While Neo wasn't particularly in any good relationships with anyone within the group, even she couldn't help but feel a little impressed and give respect to when it was due.

Ragna: And Jin, had to hand it to him too. Guy actually put his crazy obsession aside to help us. Went toe-to-toe with Susanoo and everything.

Neo grew curious over what Ragna had just said. Jin? Really? She found it hard to believe that that lunatic actually came through for them.

Ragna: Strange, I know. But deep down he really does mean well; he just lets– other matters get the better of him. Thank God he didn't let it happen this time.

*Flip* How’d he manage that?

Ragna: I just promised him a small favor by the time this was all over, something to keep his head in the game you know.

Neo tilted her head in curiosity, wishing to know what exactly the promise was.

Ragna: Curious huh? Well, I guess it couldn’t hurt to tell you. You see… I promised I’d let him kill me by the end of this whole ordeal.

Neo found herself dumbfounded upon hearing what the promise was. While she knew Jin was crazy; he really had the gall to ask Ragna that? And Ragna actually promised him it too?

Ragna: Yeah… I know it sounds crazy, but coming from him it really wasn’t going to be anything else. Besides, it's not like I planned on keeping it anyways. I have things I want to do after all.

*Flip* So you made a false promise.

*Flip* How devious!

Ragna: Yeah well… Thanks to a certain someone, I ended up learning to be a bit more selfish.

A moment of laughter would then come about between the two, both giggling upon the irony of Ragna's actions; Neo herself never having figured that he was even capable of such a dirty deed to begin with.

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Ragna: And with that… I now hold the power of the True Azure, the Azure Flame Grimoire. The power that can bring about anyone's desire.

Neo stared in awe as Ragna explained the new almighty power he had received upon Terumi's death; a power that was essentially a gift bestowed from a God, from The Origin itself. Such power was what the villains were after this entire time, and now– here it was within Ragna's grasp.

She grew curious over the kind of things that could be done with such power, the many possible things that it could bring began to flow through her mind. The many heists she and Roman could pull off, the many activities she and Ragna could do for fun, the many things that they could all get away with… Only for Ragna to unfortunately burst her bubble.

Ragna: I can already tell what you're thinking and– No, we are not going to be using this for fun. So, whatever you have in mind you can just drop it.

Neo slumped down on her chair, bummed that she won't be able to mess around with such thing.

Ragna: Come on, don’t be like that. With your powers, you can practically get whatever you want already, can't you?

Neo remained annoyed regardless.

Ragna: *sigh* …Look, I’m sorry alright. I know you wanna have your fun and use it for some petty crimes with Roman, but power like this isn't something that should stick around for too long. I mean– we just had people from across the world trying to get their hands on this thing.

Neo brought out her notepad again and flipped a page.

But the power resides in you now, so it's not like anyone can steal it.

*Flip* And you’re responsible enough to deal with something like this.

Ragna: Yeah but…

Ragna paused for a moment, unsure of what to say. As much of a fair point she makes, the reason behind its prohibition was a lot more complicated than a simple act of responsibility.

Ragna: Alright look, I’m not exactly planning on getting rid of this without using it at least once; even I know how big of a chance this is to not pass that up. I even already got something in mind. So don’t worry, I’m not just gonna let it go to waste.

Neo merely stared as Ragna finished speaking before simply taking a resigned sigh and accepting his thoughts for what it was. Try as she might, she knew that there was no stopping Ragna once he sets his mind on something; he was simply far too stubborn for that.

Regardless, Neo still felt curious as to what exactly Ragna had in store then. With power so almighty and unstoppable, the unlimited possibilities of what could be gained was simply unimaginable; and for someone as unique as Ragna, she wondered... just what was he going to use it for?

Ragna: You’re curious as to what I got in mind, right? Well… brace yourself, cause this is where things become... a lot to take in.

Neo raised an eyebrow, confused as to what he meant.

Ragna: You remember back when we last talked, and how I asked if you had any dreams?

Neo nodded, remembering the moment clearly. How could she forget, it was what started all her concerns to begin with.

Ragna: Well…

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Ragna: Take a deep breath. Try to clear your mind for a bit. Told you it was going to be a lot.

Neo did what she was told as she tried registering all that was said to her just then.

Apparently, the reason for all of Ragna's strange behaviors, the reason for all his questions and secrecy, the reason for it all… was because of this massive plan that he had been concocting under everyone's noses.

A plan to change the world for the better.

With the help of the Azure, and the Giant floating God that everyone bore witness to earlier, The Master Unit, Ragna was going to recreate the entire world from scratch, along with fixing all the damages that were made and getting rid of all the factors that caused all these events in the first place. This way, they would never have a repeat of such events ever again.

What’s more, he plans to use the dreams of everyone he knows to help shape the new world over, that way it could ensure that whatever comes next for their world would be for the better. While at the same time, making everyone’s personal dreams come true and bringing their desired future into reality. A reality where everyone will finally live in peace.

Ragna was essentially creating an ideal world for everyone, a world where no one will ever have to worry about any more world-ending threats. A world where their own dreams and goals have been realized. A world where they can all live however way they see fit. All without any interruptions from any other problems.

This… was what Ragna had been working on this entire time. This… is what he had been planning for this entire period. All with everyone being none the wiser.

Raising her notepad, Neo asked:

Since when were you the calculating type?

Ragna: Seriously? That’s what got you stuck? Nothing about the whole “world-changing” plan I’ve been working on?

Neo gave Ragna a stern look, indicating how she just wanted to just get straight to the point.

Ragna: *sigh* Well, it wasn’t easy. There were a lot of things I had to get ready, a lot of people I needed to find, and even then, some of it still required a bit of chance. You could say it was a bit of a gamble and there were a lot of holes that needed filling, but… it all worked out in the end.

*Flip* I see…

*Flip* Not the brightest plan then.

Ragna: Hey. I said it all worked out, didn’t I?

Neo simply rolled her eyes, taunting him over how incoherent his plan may have been.

Ragna: Still… the really annoying part was trying to get as many dreams as I could.

Neo perked up upon the mention of dreams, given how it was the aspect that she found most intriguing to begin with.

Ragna: With all our worlds being merged together, I had to go around and gather the dreams of people from both inside and outside my own universe to make sure things worked right. Thankfully, all I had to do was focus on the ones that took part in that Phantom Field tournament from when this all began; made things way easier for me in the long run, helped me figure out just who was I looking for.

*Flip* And that’s why you asked me about my dreams.

*Flip* You were out on some secret business.

Ragna: Yeah, pretty much. It took a while, but I did eventually get all I needed. Heck, I just got the last batch from the others that were up here with me just now. It’s… actually one of the reasons it took so long to reach back to you, ya know.

Neo’s face began to glow as everything finally made sense to her; her questions having now received answers after all this time. With a light sigh, a feeling of ease washed over her body as a hint of satisfaction lingered on her face.

Ragna: Though I got to be honest. When it came to you I– never... really took your dream.

And with that… the calm, easy feeling that she had felt just a moment ago has vanished, the once satisfied expression Neo carried now replaced with that of a bewildered one.

Ragna: Now I know what it sounds like, but– don’t get me wrong. This wasn’t out of anything personal if that’s what you're wondering. It's rather because… you– said you didn’t have any.

A realization began to hit Neo, as she slowly understood what Ragna was getting at.

Ragna: Everybody had something they wanted to work for and achieve, but you– didn't. Because you've already gotten it. You already have everything you could've wanted. If I tried, there really wouldn't have been anything for me to take, nor would it have made much of a difference in the new world. Everything would be more or less the same, you'll just go back to doing what you always do. So don't worry about being left out, your dreams are just fine.

Neo sighed, relieved to know that Ragna wasn't trying to single her out. For a moment there, she thought he might have been trying to screw her over, actively choosing to leave her dreams aside for the sake of everyone else's.

Not that she wouldn't get why, however. With how problematic her dreams most likely are, she can see why he would want to leave them out.

With it involving the act of causing problems and picking fights with authorities, it really wasn't the best future to go hand-in-hand with everyone else's brighter tomorrow. Something that Ragna himself probably wouldn’t be okay with, given all the lengths he went through to ensure a peaceful future.

In fact, now that she thinks about it, Ragna seemed strangely fine with just letting her carry on with her dreams. Why was that? For all of his efforts to ensure this ideal outcome, her dreams would most definitely throw a wrench in that perfect future he's been planning for.

Ragna: Something wrong?

Ragna who had been keeping an eye on her noticed how concerned Neo appeared to be all of sudden. With how relieved she was just a second ago, he thought it odd for her to be looking troubled. Neo, flipping to the next page, decided to share her current thoughts, curious to what he had to say.

You sure you're okay with me living out my dreams?

*Flip* It’s not like it’d be anything good…

*Flip* ...especially for a place meant to be perfect.

Ragna looked at her message through the screen, a moment of ponderation over the question before a smirk would find itself imbued on his face.

Ragna: *smirk* ...I don’t see why not. Might as well give the authorities something to do while they're over there.

Neo stared at Ragna, quite surprised over his nonchalance to her problematic dream.

Ragna: Okay, in all seriousness, I doubt it’s that much of a big deal. I mean… compared to what everyone else tried to do, you and Roman are pretty tamed in terms of your actions. Course, that’s comparing you guys to evil gods of all things, but… either way, you guys shouldn’t be too much of trouble. Just... don't tell Roman I said that, knowing him he's going to try aiming for something higher now.

As Ragna calmly talked about letting Neo carry on with her actions, he continued to carry a passive and genuine smile on his face, an indication that he really meant what he said and how he was really okay with such deeds. The sight of that smile warmed up something in Neo, something she didn’t realize.

Ragna: Besides, after everything you’ve done to make me feel at ease; I think I owe it to you to do the same.

Neo tilted her head, a bit curious towards Ragna’s statement, but flattered nonetheless. Flipping to the next page of her notepad, she pressed on for more info, this time with a slight grin on her face.

Really?

*Flip* I made you feel at ease?

*Flip* How did I manage that?

Ragna: You trying to act clueless or something? Tch, whatever, not like it matters anyways.

Ragna looked directly towards Neo, eyeing her through the scroll with genuine and sincere eyes.

Ragna: Whether you were trying to or not, you always had a strange way of getting me to feel satisfied, and in more ways than one too. Ways that I– never would have even imagined. Some of them were petty odd and... some of them were probably unhealthy too… yet, almost all of them turned out to be pretty fun regardless. Hell, I used to hate Dine and Dashing every so often, but now I... kind of can't get enough of it. Course that wasn't the only thing, what with all the poking fun, getting payback, and showing who's in charge, a lot of them were pretty worthwhile. All-in-all, you– always knew how to keep things fun; you always knew how to put me at ease, how to keep me happy, calm, and satisfied– all by being… you.

Neo found herself amused as Ragna spoke his mind about her, never knowing that this was how he had envisioned her. She only grew more interested as Ragna continued to ramble on at how much admired her as a person, as herself. Such praise made her feel special and quite happy, happy to know that someone as unique as Ragna can appreciate her for who she was.

Ragna: Sure, there are still some things I'm not a fan of. I mean, I can do without all the crimes and charges but… *smirk* Honestly... if it means I get to hang out with someone as cool and fun as you. Then I say, you’re worth all the charges.

Neo's heart suddenly began to beat faster, her face actually beginning to turn red. His words not only catching her off guard, but also touching her in a way she– wasn't expecting.

Ragna: Hey, you doing alright?

Turning away from the scroll, Neo kept her face hidden from Ragna, not wanting to show him the embarrassment she held on her face. It was her job to do the teasing after all.

Realizing the spot he had just put her in, Ragna merely chuckled in response. ‘Got her that time at least.’, he thought to himself.

Ragna: Point is, you don’t got anything to worry about. Everything is going to be fine now, and soon– you and everyone else can finally get back to doing whatever you guys want. While you can get to go back to having as much fun as you’d like, living your life without anyone left to bother you. Well… anyone besides the authorities anyways.

Neo thought about it for a moment and figured that– Ragna was indeed right. Now that it's all over, she can really go back to doing what she does best; petty crimes and schemes, and this time without any of the previous worries to boot.

She can finally go back to committing crimes with Roman, this time without any of his higher-ups telling them otherwise. She can finally go out and freely experience what the other worlds have to offer, especially now that she doesn’t have some raging God chasing after her. And she can finally bring herself to relax now that everything is completely safe. She was free now, free to explore, free to go out, free to have fun, and free… of all worries.

Soon enough, the thought of it all began to excite her. She already had tons of plans brewing up in her head and she simply couldn’t wait to get out there.

Turning back to the screen, Neo began motioning for Ragna to carry on with his plan so that they could finally put this whole journey behind them; the sooner the better after all. It was time to move on to what the future has in store. All that was left now– was for him to create the new world, erase all the old problems, and ensure the safety of all their futures.

Ragna: *smirk* Well, aren't you enthusiastic?

Neo merely smirked along with giving him a slight glare, letting him know not to patronize her right now.

Ragna: Yeah, I got it. I'll make sure to finish this up quickly, alright.

Neo nodded as she wished him good luck with a thumbs up, to which she then began to reach out for her scroll so that she could end their video call.

Meanwhile, Ragna looked away from his screen, now staring off into the distance as he contemplated one last time at what he plans to do next.

This was it, he thought to himself. This was how it was going to end.

Ragna: …Wait! Before you go, there is... just one more thing I have to tell you.

Upon hearing the sudden request, Neo held back from ending the call, her finger just hovering right above the button; curiosity now imbuing itself on her face.

Ragna: I know this is a bit late, but... I need to explain one more thing to you.

Neo listened in carefully, ready to hear what he had to say.

Ragna: You know how I said that– to make sure we never have to deal with this again, we'd have to get rid of all the problems that caused all of this in the first place?

Neo nodded, a little concerned as to where he was getting at.

Ragna: Well… one of those problems… happens to be something called "The Centralfiction”.

Neo tilted her head, curious and intrigued as to what exactly such a thing could be. Ragna had never brought it up before until now.

Ragna: Basically it’s– the Dream seen by God, something that is constantly monitored by the Master Unit until it gets what it wants.

Neo nodded, slightly understanding now.

Ragna: And as long as the Centralfiction exists, the Master Unit will continue to observe this world and interfere with it until it gets exactly what it's looking for. So to make sure this doesn't happen, I’m going to have to get rid of it.

Now Neo understood completely, this “Centralfiction” is simply another issue that needed to be taken care of to make sure they can finally carry on without any more problems. Not that it should be too much trouble however, especially since Ragna is on the case.

Ragna: Now as for what the Centralfiction is... well...

Ragna paused for a moment, silence being all that passed through the screen before carrying on with what he wanted to say.

"The Centralfiction…

"...is me.”

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‘Huh’

Neo froze as she registered what Ragna had just said.

Ragna: Neo… This is…

“Goodbye”

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~Some Time Later~

Torchwick: *sigh* That sure took a while. Buuut~, I suppose I can’t complain about the results.

Roman Torchwick, Vale’s well-renowned top criminal, fiddles around with a stack of cash in his hands as he makes his way towards the door to his hideout.

After having gone out to do some business, Torchwick has made quite the hefty amount of money from selling vital information relating to the recent events. With his knack for negotiations and his connections to certain people, he had successfully made a killing of this recent scheme. Stuffing his newly acquired wealth in his pockets, Torchwick pulled out his keys and began searching for the right one to unlock the door; his mind thinking back to Neo and how she had been waiting for Ragna to reach her since he left.

Torchwick: Hopefully Ragna finally called, that way me and Neo can finally get back to work. I'm going to need her head in the game, if we want to catch up on some things.

Sticking a key into the keyhole, the door to Torchwick's hideout has finally opened. Taking a step inside, Torchwick began to call out for his pink, petite accomplice.

Torchwick: Neo! Are you still here?

Walking further in, Torchwick could hear the sound of a kettle whistling in the kitchen.

Torchwick: hm… Must be busy.

Assuming that Neo may have been in the kitchen, Torchwick made his way towards the living room section to where he, to his surprise, found Neo sitting all by herself near the dining table. He noted how odd it was for her to ignore the sounds of the tea kettle whirling and began taking notice of the items lying on the table. He saw what appeared to be a messy handkerchief to her side, an open notepad to her right, and… a scroll propped directly at the center of the table.

Upon seeing the placement of the scroll, Torchwick realized that Neo must’ve recently finished a call to whom he could presumably assume was with Ragna.

Torchwick: Hey Neo. How’s it been? Did you just get into contact with Ragna? Did he give any good news?

Torchwick watched as Neo flinched upon hearing his voice, supposedly snapping out of whatever daze she had just been in. Her back had been turned against him the entire time, preventing him from seeing her face. For a moment, she looked as if she was about to turn around and meet him eye-to-eye, only to instead stay where she was and kept her expression hidden away from his sights.

Torchwick: What was with the weak response? Don’t tell me it’s still not over yet, is it? We still got a lot of work to do, schemes needing to be made. How long did Ragna say it was going to take? The sooner the better.

Neo remained motionless, not once moving an inch to show that she was listening, not once showing a proper response.

Torchwick: Neo?

Torchwick began to move in a little closer in an attempt to get a better idea of what was up with her, but as soon as he did, Neo shot up out of her seat almost instantly.

There was a brief pause between the two before Neo turned around and moved towards him, entrapping Torchwick in a big embrace. She buried her face into his coat, tightening her hold around him and not once showing any sign of wanting to let go.

Being caught off guard by the sudden hug, Torchwick was left surprised… and confused.

Torchwick: So… what’s with the sudden sentimentality?

Neo didn’t show any kind of response and simply kept hugging, to which Torchwick decided to let her carry on, and awkwardly returning the gesture in the process.

After a minute or two, Neo eventually let go, backing away to give Torchwick some space and revealing her face to now hold that of a soft smile.

Torchwick didn’t understand what was all that about and was about to ask until something caught his eye. Within Neo's eyes, he noticed how swollen and glassy they were, noting how it almost looked as if–

Coming to a realization, Torchwick looked down at his coat and noticed how there were wet stains from where Neo had buried her face at. It wasn’t hard to put two-and-two together.

Torchwick: Neo, were you… crying?

Neo glanced away, choosing to look out the window instead, the sun beginning to shine down on her through the glass. She took a deep breath as she thought back on everything that had led up to this point, simply taking it all in.

Torchwick: Hey, did… something happen?

Neo turned back towards Torchwick, her face giving nothing but a soft genuine smile that emitted nothing but reassurance. Her expression appeared sweet, and though her eyes remained watery, it didn’t sway her emotions one bit.

Out of nowhere, Neo pulled out a sign that held texts which read:

Don't worry, I'm fine now. Everything is fine now.

‘Thanks to him…’

~~~

Ragna: …It’ll be okay. …I'll take care of everything now…

.

.

.

.

.

.

Ragna: It’s you…

Amane: You've certainly taken your time.

Ragna: Sorry… I got a little preoccupied.

Amane: Nonsense, how could I deny such an amazing curtain call as that… Ahh… to be in love. It certainly is a wonderful feeling.

Ragna: Glad to be of service then… Thanks for all the help by the way.

Amane: It was no trouble really. Call it my thanks for such a wonderful dance.

Ragna: …I guess this is it then.

Amane: It would appear so. *sigh* It's so unfortunate that I can’t remember such a beautiful performance. The name “Amane” sheds a tear…

Ragna: …

Amane: I see… so what do “you” intend to do now?

Ragna: I'm going to bring everyone's “dreams” into the Azure. The world that'll be created… will live without any interruptions… No more gods to disturb it. Soon… it'll be free… It'll be everyone’s world.

Amane: And I take it you don’t have any regrets.

Ragna: Not at all. I did what I needed to do… I don’t regret a damn thing.

Amane: I suppose even love shan’t hold you down.

Ragna: Hold me down…? Nah… it was nothing like that.

Ragna: If anything… it only pushed me further.

~Previously~

Ragna: So… yeah… To make sure something like this never happens again… I'm going to have to… erase my own existence.

As Ragna continued to explain his upcoming fate, Neo had kept her head down the entire time, not knowing how to meet his gaze.

Ragna: Everything that we have done, everything that I am… will all be forgotten. Soon… you, the others, and the rest of the world– will all forget me. It'll be like I never existed. And just like that… that’ll be the end of the road for me.

Neo’s mind wandered as she processed all that she had just heard. For the world to move on and for everyone to live in peace… they have to– forget Ragna. Live like he never existed? It was quite a lot to take in... and a lot for her to want to accept.

Regardless, doing this would prove to be better for everyone in the long run. This would ensure that they all could live peacefully... and that the world would be all safe... and that they can all live freely without any worries... But still...

Neo couldn’t stop this painful feeling in her chest.

Ragna: Hey… don’t look so down. You get to still keep on living the way you want. Sure, I won’t be there anymore, but… I mean, I was only ever there to watch your back, make sure you were protected from Susano; and seeing how you don’t need that anymore, I think you can take it from here.

Ragna simply chuckled at his own response, not once showing any sign of disappointment anywhere in his voice.

Ragna: And hey, to be honest with you, you– probably never needed my help in the first place. Knowing you, I’m sure you would have found some other way to watch over yourself, whether you had met me or not. You're just resourceful like that.

Neo slowly looked up into her scroll as Ragna spoke, noticing how calming of a smile he had been carrying. A smile that displayed no regrets whatsoever, a smile that showcased nothing but sincerity to all who look upon it, a smile… so genuine, so reassuring, it canceled out any kind of negativity around it.

To think that a smile this warm, this pleasant, would come from a guy known as “The Grim Reaper”. It truly was something phenomenal.

Ragna: With that said, there’s nothing for you to worry about. Just keep on going about the way you normally do. It’ll all be fine; as long as you and everyone else gets to carry on and live your lives, then I’ll be fine. So don’t you worry bout a damn thing, okay?

Neo didn’t know what to make of her emotions. On one hand, she gets to live at peace, in whatever way she wishes to. But on the other hand, she has to give up the guy she grew to be attached to after all this time. Who knew that a fake relationship with someone would have meant this much to her, and after so long of simply seeing it as a means to an end. She truly has grown to like him, she truly has come to enjoy his presence, to adore his passion, to relish in his cockyness, and to be fascinated by his persistence. She truly has grown to love everything about him.

And now that it is time for him to leave... and for their relationship to end… she frankly, didn’t want to let him go. She wanted him to stay.

She didn’t care if his presence but trouble to others, nor did she care about whether or not they have to go through another apocalyptic event. If it meant that someone like Ragna can stay indefinitely, then she was all for it. …and yet…

She couldn’t bring herself to act selfish this time around.

A light chuckle then escaped her throat as tears shed down her cheek, her sadness– no longer able to be held back anymore.

Ragna: Hey hey! It'll be okay! Everything is going to be fine, and you’ll still have Roman by your side so it’s not like you’re going to be alone! I know this is very sudden and… pretty selfish of me to end things off like this, …but-

Neo: Shhhh.

Ragna: !

With a quick shush to silence Ragna, Neo lifted her head to reveal to him that the expression she carried was not that of sorrow, but instead… that of reassurance. With a soft smile adorned on her face, she held up her notepad one last time, to which it read:

If this is what you want to do, then who am I to stop you.

Ragna: …You’re… really okay with this?

*Flip* You know what you want and you know what you’re doing.

*Flip* I’ve got nothing to worry about.

Ragna: … *smiles* You really trust me then?

Neo nodded, after all that they have been through, how could she not.

Ragna: *sigh* Still don’t know how you do it. Every time… every damn time, no matter how unconventional it can be… you always have a way to bring a smile to my face.

Neo felt happy to hear that.

Ragna: I really am sorry I have to leave like this, but I’m really glad I got to hang out with you for as much as I did.

Neo understood, she wasn’t going to fault him for leaving her behind, especially not when it was for her benefit.

Ragna: Just know that– even when you forget me, everything is going turn out alright. Even when I’m not at your side anymore, you’ll do just fine, no matter what comes your way.

Teardrops fell from Neo’s cheeks, she nodded in understanding as she dabs the tears away with a handkerchief.

Ragna: With all that said… this is it then. …This is… goodbye.

Neo lightly waved her hand farewell, as her finger hovered over the end call button. She looked at Ragna one more time and gave him the most genuine smile she could muster, to which Ragna did the same.

*click*

Call Ended

~Present~

Torchwick: *Exhale* …That Ragna… what a guy, huh. To do all that… and have no regrets whatsoever. He really is something else.

Neo nodded in agreement, he really was unique.

Torchwick: And yet... not once would he consider himself a hero. You’d think this make up for all the bad he did, no?

Neo shrugged as she thought to herself, Ragna would never consider himself as a good guy, nor did he liked ever being referred to as such by the others. He’d even go out of his way to avoid hanging with them solely because he didn’t want to leave a bad influence. He may have done a lot of crimes, he may be rough around the edges, but what’s a guy with that kind of heart doing with their kind of status.

Torchwick: Well, he’s free to act whatever way he wants. Come on. *Gets up from his chair* Let’s get going. We got a lot of work to do.

Neo nodded as she stood up from her chair, her mind still thinking back on her last moments with Ragna.

Torchwick: Hey… just out of curiosity, but why didn’t you try to stop him. I know he’s stubborn and all that, but… given it’s you who’s asking, you could've at least tried. Who know’s? Maybe he would’ve stayed.

Neo shook her head, she doubted that he would have changed his mind. Something such as that would have to have been out of his volition rather than somebody else’s. But to be more exact…

Neo raised up a sign towards Torchwick's view, the texts reading:

Not only that it wouldn’t have worked…

*Flip* I simply didn’t want to.

Torchwick: But… why?

Neo didn't even hesitate to reveal her answer.

*Flip* Because I didn’t want to make it any harder for him.

Ragna… was a man who faced many hardships. From the way his childhood had been taken from him. To the way he was forced into any conflict that had nothing to do with him. And to the way he lost any chance of a peaceful future. Always forced to fight, always forced to survive, and never getting a chance to take it easy or to have any moment of peace for himself. Suffice to say, he had it pretty rough for quite a long time.

It wasn’t until she came along that he finally got a chance to know what it truly meant to feel alive, to where he started have some fun and began to relax.

To know that she was that person for him, filled her with a sense of warmth and accomplishment, a feeling she didn't recognize so often, but loved nonetheless.

She hoped to continue helping him feel relax, even until the bitter end.

Torchwick: I see… You wanted to go out on good terms. I can abide by that. But still... it must’ve been hard for you to do, right?

*Flip* A little.

Torchwick: A little? Why's that?

*Flip* Because at that moment, I realized something.

Torchwick: And that is…?

*Flip* My own dream.

Torckwick: I thought you said you didn’t have any?

*Flip* No, there was something. I just didn’t remember it until then.

Torchwick: And… what would that be?

*Flip* To help the people I love achieve their own dreams.

Neo held a beaming smile as she thought back to Ragna one last time.

*Flip* And should his be to save the world…

Then that’d be my dream too.

[crimneo]

Love Hurts (Others)

(All sprites from BBTAG)

(All effects from Canva)

[crimneo]

Touching Heartstrings

(All sprites from BBTAG)

(All effects from Canva)

[crimneo]

Don't evoke her wrath

(All sprites from BBTAG)

(Effects from Canva)

[crimneo]

Okay yeah, I'm gonna have to unfortunately delay the final part. Due to multiple outside interferences, I couldn't get t ready in time.

I'm sorry.

I will try to have it out as soon as I can.

Again sorry.

[crimneo]

Final (3/4)

(Spoilers for the end of Blazblue)

[Part 2/Part 4]

(Image: Blazblue Centralfiction - Stage: Sight of Gods)

Ragna:  Take care of the Susano'o Unit too, while you're at it.  I think it's best to entrust it to you right now…  You wouldn't do anything bad with it.

Trinity:  …I understand.  Please leave that to me, as well.

Ragna:  Alright.  You've helped me out a lot, Trinity Glassfille.

Trinity:  It wasn't a problem… Though if I may…  May I ask you a question?

Ragna:  Shoot.

Trinity:  During that last scuffle, the others brought up a girl…  One that supposedly sounded dear to you.

Ragna:  …

Trinity:  I've only ever heard mere tidbits of her, forgive me if I am wrong but… she happens to be your admirer?

Ragna:  …Something like that.

Trinity:  And from what I have gathered…  You have never told her any of your intentions, correct?

Ragna:  …Yeah.

Trinity:  I really don’t wish to intrude but…  If possible, perhaps you could say your goodbyes to her.  I'm aware you originally wished for your intentions to be a secret, but if you've already told your goodbyes to everyone else than maybe-

Ragna:  We’re not as close as you think.

Trinity:  hm?

Ragna:  I don’t know what you’ve heard, but you should at least know that our relationship wasn’t what it seemed.

Trinity:  I see…  Then, why did you spend so much time with her?

Ragna:  For fun.

Trinity:  For fun?

Ragna:  …Yeah.  For some reason, hanging around with her and giving her affection seemed to piss off Susano.  Never knew why… Probably should have asked one more time.  But… getting the chance to piss him off, making him into some whiny cry baby… now I just couldn’t pass that up.

Trinity:  So it was all a ruse, then.

Ragna:  Pretty much.  Just a little game that we both liked to play.  As long as it was fun, we kept it up.

Trinity:  So all that affection wasn’t true?

Ragna:  What does it matter to you?

Trinity:  Forgive me, it’s just… I find it hard to believe that all that affection was merely an act.  With how the others spoke of you two, it sounded far too much for a simple game.

Ragna:  …

Trinity:  If there is any sort of real affection between you two, then I feel it is better if you have one more proper goodbye.  I know that none of this is my concern, and that if you say that there is truly nothing between the both of you, then I will take your word for it, but I hope you don’t leave feeling unfulfilled.

Ragna:  Why do you even care?

Trinity:  The man I once cherished disappeared one day.  I have always wished to have said a proper goodbye had I known that would be the last I’ve seen of him.

Ragna paused for a moment.  A brief silence passed between the two, before a deep sigh was heard from Ragna.

Ragna:  …Fine.  I’ll admit it.  There was something between me and her...  But it’s not what you might be thinking.

Trinity:  If it’s too personal, you're welcome to keep it to yourself.  I was merely asking to be sure you knew what you were doing.

Ragna:  Yeah yeah, but… I may as well get things off my chest. Mind if you hear me out?

Trinity:  Of course, it’s all I can do to repay you for all that you’ve done.

Ragna:  Alright, you see… when me and her first started this gig.  It was really all just for us to get back at Susano for being a pain in the ass.  Though after some time I started to feel things that I… never felt before.  When I realized that it might have been love, I rejected it.  Heck, even now I... probably still do.

Trinity:  I see.

Ragna:  I never wanted to fall in love, especially when I’ve got things to do.  This kind of thing is just not meant for me.  So I hid it, chose not to say anything about it; as long as it didn’t get out, it wouldn’t be a problem.

Trinity:  Ragna…

Ragna:  Though of course it didn’t stay a secret for long.  Nothing ever went my way after all.  Word got out, she picked up on it, and figured it out from there.  We talked about it, before she went ahead and made it official.

Trinity:  You mean she accepted your love?

Ragna:  Supposedly, but I got the feeling that it was more than that.  And not necessarily in a good way.

Upon hearing those words, Trinity became intrigued.

Ragna: You see, I kinda failed to mention earlier that this girl… is not much of a good person.  She’s the henchmen of some big shot criminal in one of the other worlds that merged with ours.  She likes her job and she likes her status, suffice to say she can also be a pretty cruel individual.

Trinity:  Oh my…

Ragna:  Yeah, for the sake of screwing around I tended to look past most of it.  As long as we got to keep pissing off Susano, then we were willing to put aside our differences.  Though I have heard she might've changed a bit after some time, I’ve heard that she even began to show some people mercy, according to Yang at least. She said that I may have been rubbing off on her a bit.

Trinity:  Well that’s good to hear.

Ragna:  It would be if that is the case. But as far as I know, she could have just been trying to get me on my good side, so she can have me stick around and protect her from danger.

Trinity:  You mean she-

Ragna:  She might have just been trying to keep me for her benefits, a means to an end.  As far as I know, her accepting my feelings may have been just that.  A way to keep me around and guard them from any danger.

Trinity:  Do you think there may have been a slight chance that her acceptance was genuine, albeit partly?

Ragna:  Honestly, probably, though it would have mostly been out of pity.

Trinity:  I see…  Yet, you say you still had feelings for her regardless.

Ragna:  Pretty much, despite all my suspicions and issues, I never really fell out of love.  Maybe it’s because I knew our relationship was never going to lead anywhere, or maybe it’s because my pettiness towards Susano got the better of me.  Or maybe I just... had way too much patience for her stunts.

Trinity: Now that last one could be the answer.  Aside from Terumi, you’ve had so much patience for everyone else who’s harmed you, especially towards your family such as Jin.

Ragna:  It’s because we were family I had so much patience towards him, if we weren’t I wouldn’t have cared for him as much as I did.

Trinity:  But it was because you cared for him that you had so much patience.  And I believe that it was because you cared for that girl, that you had patience for her too.

Ragna:  You could be right.  But… they probably just took me for this sucker they got to play the role of bodyguard.  Who knows.

Trinity: Ragna...

Trinity looks down, unsure of what to say.  To see Ragna beat himself up over his own weaknesses is something she never thought she’d see for herself; it was a rare sight to be sure.  For Ragna to think this low of these people, low of his lover, she wonders how could he fall for someone like her in the first place.  She moved closer and put a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to reassure him.

Trinity:  If I might be so bold… I don’t think you were a “sucker”.

Ragna:  Yeah, I know.

Trinity:  Huh?  You know?

Ragna:  Yeah.  Those two could have been trying to take advantage of me from the start.  Using me as a shield and whatnot.  Trying to keep the relationship strong.  Keeping a close eye on me.  They kept tracking devices on me, you know.  Took the time to plant some bugs in my jacket.

Trinity:  Bugs?  Tracking devices?  They really did all that?  …Do you happen to think they could be listening right now?

Ragna:  Couldn’t be.  I destroyed all of them before the fight started.  Didn’t want them to know how things will be going down later, you know.

Trinity:  You knew they planted devices on you, yet you didn’t do anything to stop them?

Ragna:  Eh, I wasn’t all too bothered by it, I mean, they’re not the only ones that watch me. And I figured I just let them get what they want and show’em a bit of what goes on in my side of things.  Which brings me to my point…

Trinity:  Oh?

Ragna:  Whatever they wanted out of me, whatever tricks they used on me, whatever their whole goal was …it didn’t matter.  Not to me at least.

Trinity:  What do you mean?

Ragna:  What I mean is that they were wasting their time on trying to get help from someone like me.  Whatever they wanted out of me, they were never gonna get it, not unless I wanted to give it,  …and frankly... I didn't mind giving it to em. It was no skin off my bones. Hell, I would’ve protected them from Susano whether I did love Neo or not.  …Neo is the name of the girl by the way, figured there's no harm in saying that now.

Trinity:  But, why?

Ragna:  Because she's cool.  I’ve never seen anyone piss off Susano like that.  And the more I got to know her I realized just how fun she can be, criminal side and all.  Heck it wasn’t even just Susano anymore, she knew how to tick off anyone I knew.  Anytime we ran into someone who annoyed me to hell, Neo knew just how to deal with it, even when it came to Jin and Nu.  I know I still care about them and everything and some of the things they do is not entirely their fault, but those two deserve at least some kind of punishment for all they’ve done and Neo felt like just the right amount to me.  It’s stuff like that that might’ve… been what made me so fond of her.

Trinity:  But… you said she was a criminal, and how she had no mind in changing.  You even seemed to think so lowly of her earlier too.  Were you really looking past all that, solely because she amused you?

Ragna:  Honestly, you're right.  All that doesn’t make up for any of the other things she’s done.  And chances are, I probably would’ve never fallen in love with her just cause of that.  Heck, if anything, the actions I listed off on why I like her would’ve instead made me hate her more.  It makes her sound no different from her boss Cinder, or even Terumi.

Trinity:  So… why?

Ragna:  Because of one thing.  She had a heart.  She can be cruel, but she can also be one of the nicest people you could ever meet.  Even if her affection was fake towards me, I knew that she was still capable of caring for another, she wouldn’t have Torchwick by her side if she didn’t.  Sure, it’s only if you get on her good side, but… still, could you believe that.  She really is something, huh.  I’ve never seen anyone quite like her.

Ragna inhibits one of the most genuine smiles he’s ever given off, could this be the work of the “Power of Love” as someone would call it.

Ragna:  But… yeah, that’s probably why I was cool with her and… probably had the hots for her.

Trinity:  But she still has done some quite nefarious deeds has she not?

Ragna:  Yeah, but most of their crimes tend to be the small stuff.  Anything big they’ve done was a result of their boss, Cinder.  And besides, if they ever did go too far, I wouldn’t hesitate to stop them.

Trinity:  I see.  I believe I happen to have an understanding of your relationship now. Though I still have one more question.

Ragna:  Shoot.

Trinity:  Do you really plan on not saying Goodbye to her?

Ragna:  Back to that again huh.  Figures.  Like I said, she probably never felt the same about me. So there'd really be no point.  And frankly, I’m okay with that.  She never needed me to begin with.  Before all of this, she was doing fine on her own, living the dream she already had. Sure, there may have been some dangerous people still around, but she was cool with that; she didn’t let it bother her.  She doesn’t need me to stick around or even pretend to like me.  She’s good from here on out.  And as someone who likes her, that’s good enough for me too.

Trinity:  …I see.

Ragna:  Well… in that case I’m off.  It’s time to finish this.  *sets out to leave*

Trinity:  …But… Do you truly believe she doesn’t have any affection towards you?

Ragna pauses, before looking back at Trinity.

Ragna:  I don’t see why she would?

Trinity:  Ragna… I think you are selling yourself short here.

Ragna:  It’s not like it matters, if anything I’d rather she didn’t.  Make things a lot more easier.

Trinity: Ragna, have you ever thought that maybe she does care? Even if all your suspicions are true, it's still possible that behind all those deceptions, she might've still enjoyed your company.

Ragna: I mean... I guess it's possible. I still doubt it, but...

Trinity: And frankly, I don't believe you would ever fall for someone who would be incapable of loving you.  If she truly loathed you, I'm sure you would've picked up on it by now.  So… Do you really think she doesn't have any sort of affection towards you?

Ragna:  …

Trinity:  I only ask for you to be sure.

Ragna:  Do you really want me to say Goodbye? You don't even know if she deserves one?

Trinity:  I wouldn't know… but I know you deserve one.

Ragna:  … *sigh*

Ragna fetches for his scroll in one of his pockets, pulling it out to find it damaged, but still in service.

Ragna: What do you know, still works.

Ragna then opens up his contacts and was about to make a call, before noticing the sheer amount of messages sent to him.  All by a certain meaningful someone.

Neo

Hey.  How's it going?  Are you taking care of things yet?

Neo

Helloooo?  I know you've got work to be done, but surely you have the time to respond right?

Ragna: 'Wait... she was messaging me?'

Neo

You haven't already started, have you?  You'd give me a heads up if you did, right?

Neo

The heck is going on?!  The sky just turned red!!

Neo

WHAT THE HECK IS THAT THING IN THE SKY?!!

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING ON YOUR END BUT TEXT ME WHEN YOUR DONE!!

PLEASE!!

Ragna: 'She's scared? I mean that makes sense but...'

Neo

Hey.  Are you okay?

Ragna: !

I'm figuring that thing in the sky might be the God you mentioned.

Does that mean you lost?

No.  Forget I said that.  Things are just not going according to plan.

You can still win, right?  You're still fighting right?

Ragna: 'Wait...'

Did you break your scroll?  Is that why you can't respond?

Just get back to me later, alright.

Ragna:  'What..?'

Scrolling through the messages, Ragna found out just how frightened Neo has been throughout the entire event. A side of her he never even thought he'd see. He'd figure she was too levelheaded to get so worked up over this, but upon seeing her most recent messages he started to understand just what was she worried for.

Neo

Hey.  You are okay, right?

You are safe right?

Ragna:  'She’s…

Please be fine.

Ragna:  …actually worried about me?'

Ragna was surprised, he thought he had a good enough idea on what Neo thought of him, but after seeing what she's sent him, he now begins to think otherwise.

Trinity noticed the sudden change in Ragna’s expression and called out to him, but to no avail.  He didn’t respond, but instead looked on at the final and most recent message sent to him, one that held a completely different tone this time.

Neo

You're fine.  I know you are.

Just make sure to win, for everyone's sake.

Ragna:  … heh.

Trinity:  Ragna?

Ragna looks towards Trinity with a smile, a smile possibly more grander than that of before.

Ragna:  You know what Trinity… Thanks.

Trinity:  Oh?  What for?

Ragna:  For being a good listener and letting me get things off my chest.  And… for talking me out of leaving unfinished business behind.  *Dials Neo’s number*

Ragna: We do deserve a Goodbye.

*Call picks up*

[crimneo]

Final (2/4)

(Spoilers for the end of Blazblue)

[Part 1/Part 3]

(Image: Blazblue Centralfiction - Stage: Judgement Day)

Neo looks upon the sky as this metallic-like being in front of her radiates this menacing aura, one that stirs panic amongst all of society.  Neo has never seen anything like it before, such a thing could only be described as other-worldly.

She then hears a “sigh” come from behind her, turning around, she sees Roman Torchwick who appears to have just finished a conversation from his scroll.

Torchwick:  Well that was barely much, and barely anything good.

Roman walks up beside her as he too looks upon the being within the dreaded dark sky.

Torchwick:  With what little I’ve gathered through my connections, I’ve learned that that… “thing” is apparently a God.  And… that the end might just be right around the corner.

Neo didn’t respond, the info they’ve just received wasn’t anything they haven’t deduced already, it wasn’t anything substantial and Torchwick knew it.

Torchwick:  Any replies yet?

Neo pulled out her own scroll to find no new notifications, only some pop-up articles of people describing the current event. She simply shook her head in disapproval at Roman.

Before the appearance of this "God", she had sent a few messages towards Ragna, hoping to get caught up in the current circumstances. Though as of now, Ragna still hasn't responded, leaving her left in the dark. She tried checking for other methods such as the tracking devices and bugs she's planted on him to get an answer, but to no avail. Without any other leads, she too was left clueless and stumped.

Torchwick:  … So we really just have to hope for the best then?  Put our faith in the “Good Guys”?

Neo didn’t respond, her face showed off a sense of concern and worry.  But most notably, her eyes seem to hold a bit of fear.  Something that Roman caught onto.

Torchwick:  …Hey, it’s going to be okay.  You said that Ragna would be up there and that he’ll take care of it.  He even brought some backup with him this time.  Things will turn out fine.

Neo looked up at Roman, a little surprised over him having faith in the “heroes”, even if it is just an attempt to reassure her.

Torchwick:  What’s with that look?  Is it really that surprising that I’m putting faith in a bunch of “Goody Two Shoes” people for once?  I may not be a fan of heroes, but even I know they come with some benefits.  And besides… it's Ragna who's up there, you know how he is, so we can just put our faith in him instead.

With a soft smile and a slight giggle under her breath, Neo sighed at Romans words.  He does speak the truth, after what they’ve both witnessed from Ragna they’ve come to understand that he is not the type to ever back down nor stay down.  No matter how painful, how dangerous, or how impossible the situation may be, he will always be ready to fight.  And he makes sure that he always plans to win.  And yet…

Neo’s smile falls as she looks back at her scroll, her concerns and worries still having not gone away.

Torchwick:  What’s up with you?  Something still on your mind… that isn’t about the current situation?

Neo continues to stare at her scroll, the messenger app displaying on the screen.  She scrolled through the past messages she's left behind on her end, all for one individual.

Neo

Hey.  How's it going?  Are you taking care of things yet?

Neo

Helloooo?  I know you've got work to be done, but surely you have the time to respond right?

Neo

You haven't already started did you?  You'd give me a heads up if you did, right?

Neo

The heck is going on?!  The sky just turned red!!

Neo

WHAT THE HECK IS THAT THING IN THE SKY?!!

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING ON YOUR END BUT TEXT ME WHEN YOUR DONE!!

PLEASE!!

Neo

Hey. Are you okay?

I'm figuring that thing in the sky might be the God you mentioned.

Does that mean you lost?

No.  Forget I said that.  Things are just not going according to plan.

You can still win, right?  You're still fighting right?

Did you break your scroll?  Is that why you can't respond?

Just get back to me later, alright.

Reaching the bottom of the chat, Neo stares at the most recent messages; looking at the time it was sent she can see that it wouldn't exactly be considered recent anymore.  She began typing and sent a few more messages in hopes that he'll respond.

Neo

Hey.  You are okay, right?

You are safe right?

Please be fine.

Despite the many things Ragna has gone through and how many times he always pulled through against all odds, she still can't help but worry for his safety. Normally, Ragna would be the one to reassure her that everything was fine and that he can handle it, but due to his lack of responses and her inability to reach him, it leaves her to ponder over his condition. He could be hurt, he could be struggling, he could be...

Neo paused her train of thought for a moment before continuing. ...He could be dead for all she knew.

Neo exhaled whatever breath she had been holding in. She would never have been this worried for Ragna before, she would've figured that he'd come out fine by the end of it, but... she just couldn't feel sure.  It's all because of those parting words he's said to her.

“Goodbye Neo”

Those words carried a strange aura around them.  As if it had more meaning than a regular old one.

‘Was he... not expecting to win? Was he… really not planning on coming back?”, she thought to herself.

Roman, who has been watching her scroll through all her messages, notes just how tense she is. While he isn't completely sure of what's gotten her like this, he can tell it's got something to do with Ragna. So upon seeing Neo be stuck in her own thoughts, Roman decides to speak up.

Torchwick:  …*sigh*  Well, I suppose I was all wrong about Ragna then.

Neo broke out of her thoughts upon hearing that and looked up at Roman in shock over what he was saying.

Torchwick:  The nerve of that guy.  Making empty promises like that.  Saying he's got it covered, when he doesn't.  And to think that he was just about to earn my respect.

Roman glances over at Neo as he says his next sentence with a smirk.

Torchwick:  I guess he was “all talk” after all.

Hearing what Roman said, stirred something within her.  To hear that Torchwick had so little faith in Ragna to the point of giving up already, it frustrated her, it angered her.  No matter the circumstances, Ragna always pulled through, always fought back, and always stood his ground.  Should he ever falter, he made sure to find his footing, stare down his opponent, and give them a cocky grin.  It doesn't matter if the person he fights is an authority, or a family, or even a God.  He looks them dead in the eyes and tells them they're going down, no matter how tough they are.  And like hell is he going to fall to them.  Like hell is he going to let them feel in control.  And like hell is he going to die to them! He never backs down! He never loses! He always plans to win... He will win. And he will come back.  …She's an idiot… for thinking otherwise.

After calming down, Neo looked back at Torchwick, now realizing what he was trying to do.  All the while, Torchwick continues to face her with a cocky smirk.

Torchwick:  Feeling better now?

Neo remained silent, albeit a brief moment before her smile returned.  Giving a sigh to signify the weight off her chest she turned back to the messages on her scroll and began typing.

She glanced back at Torchwick with an approving smirk, before sending her message.

Neo

You're fine.  I know you are.

Just make sure to win, for everyone's sake.

[crimneo]

Final (1/4)

(Caution: Spoilers for the End of Blazblue)

“...Do you have any dreams?”

Neo looks up at Ragna slightly confused.

Ragna:  Sorry, I know that sort of came out of nowhere.  I was just… curious.  Do you… have any goals you want to achieve?  Maybe some ideal future you have in mind?  Anything you’re looking forward to?

Neo glares at Ragna, feeling skeptical over his behavior.  She doesn’t know why he’s asking her these out-of-nowhere questions and was dubious over his reason for it.  Still, she thought it over for his sake.

Ragna noticed her contemplating an answer and waited patiently for a response.  Soon enough, she looked back up at Ragna with a confident smirk, before bringing out a note out of thin air.  Looking down on the note, Ragna grew surprised over it’s contents.

Nothing.  I’ve already gotten it.

Ragna:  Is that so?

Neo nods with that ever-so common smirk she carries.

Ragna:  *smiles* You’re really satisfied with everything?  What about all the worlds that merged up with yours, you satisfied with that?

Neo shrugs nonchalantly, she doesn’t mind the change from her old world and honestly found the change to be really fun.

Ragna:  Even with all the new assholes that makes things harder?

Neo’s smirk falter’s a bit.  While the change was fun, she did feel she could do without the many different people out to get her; from all the authorities, psychopaths, and even a literal god.  That’s not to say her own world didn’t have it's own problems, Roman’s boss Cinder was a handful who always got in the way of what they actually wanted to do; suffice to say, she was never a fan of all the jerks she had to deal with.  The words on the note she held changed, showcasing her response.

Guess I could do without all that.  The ones from mine and the other worlds.

Ragna:  Yeah.  That seems fair.

Ragna took a step back and thought to himself.  For some reason, Neo felt this odd air between them, it’s as if he is taking in her responses as if they’re something important.  She then remembered her earlier concerns of how he asked her this question supposedly out of nowhere.  Is there some kind of ulterior motive?

Ragna:  Well, at least you don’t have to worry about them too much.  I’ll make sure they never bother you again.

Now that set off Neo’s concern even more.  What does he mean by that?  Why did he say that?  Why did he even ask these questions in the first place?  She has to know.  She pulled on his jacket and looked up at him expectantly, waiting for him to elaborate further.

Ragna:  uh… what?

Neo glares at him and shows off another note, explaining her concerns.

Ragna:  What?  I just said I’ll make sure they won’t bother you again.  It’s what I’ve been doing for you since we’ve been hanging out.  And for the question, like I said, I was curious.

Neo wasn’t buying it, due to her muteness, Neo had to learn how to communicate through facial expressions; because of that she’s learned to read other people’s facial expressions, and she can tell that Ragna is lying to her.

‘What are you hiding?’, she thought.

Ragna looked down at her demanding expression, he can tell that she has already made up her mind and would stop at nothing but to get what she wants.

Ragna:  …*sigh*...  Alright.  I’ll explain.

~~~

Ragna:  Did you get all that?

Neo was sitting down and taking a breather, trying to take in everything she just heard.  From what she understood, all the “bad guys” from each world have been working together to carry out a plan of theirs, and the “good guys” have been out trying to stop them.  And in just a couple days the “villains” are about to summon a “God” and are going to use that power for their own desires, one of which involves destroying the entire world.  To think all this was happening without her knowing, did Torchwick know? Surely he would’ve told her about it.  Was Cinder keeping things from him too?

Neo began to feel some anger grow within her.  That woman was going to throw them under the bus.

Ragna:  You look pissed.  Don’t worry.  By the end of all this I expect all those assholes to be dead, even the ones from your world.  You’ll get to live your satisfied life again.  And without the jerks to bother you too.

Neo glanced at Ragna with a slight smile.  He’s right, when this is all over and he wins, then she can go back to committing more petty crimes with Torchwick; and without an over demanding boss and the fate of the world’s destruction to boot.  Her dreams… truly was coming true.

Ragna:  How are you feeling?  That was a lot to take in, wasn’t it?

Neo nodded, she more or less got everything covered, she just has to put her faith in Ragna and everything will turn out okay.  He’s got this, he’ll win, she knows he will.  And when it’s all over he too can finally take it easy.  Sure there will still be some problems given his status, but nothing he can’t handle.  And besides, she’ll be there to put him at ease and make things easier for him. After all, with all they've done for each other, she doesn't mind sharing her satisfied future with him.

Neo got up and began pressing on Ragna to get going.  He’s got to be all ready for the big day.

Ragna:  Alright alright I’m going.

Neo waves Ragna off as he begins to depart.  He looks at her and waves back before turning away and speaking.

Ragna:  Goodbye Neo.

With those final words, Ragna departs.

“.   .   .”

There was a moment of pure silence for Neo; her smile and the sense of comfort she had has dropped in just a second.  She felt this strange, uncertain, and uneasy feeling welled up inside her chest.  For some reason, there was this odd air when Ragna said his goodbye, it felt weird.  Was he still hiding something?  Should she confront him about it like she did earlier?  Then all of a sudden, a thought popped up in her head.

‘Is he going to-?  No.  Surely he wouldn’t.  I mean… it’s Ragna!  He would never die.  Like hell he would let that happen.’

Neo wandered off to her next destination, all the while thinking to herself.  Ragna will be fine.  Ragna will always be fine.

(Part 2)

[crimneo]

Announcement

Hey... so... I have something akin to an announcement right now... to anyone who actively reads my writings. And well... to anyone that does actively reads my stuff, I want to let you know that I greatly appreciate all of you for taking the time read the work of a noon writer like me. Thank you is all I can really say. Unfortunately, I have some news to those who care about all these skits as it is now time for all this to come to an end.

You see, I plan to end this story I made with the use of these skits. To those that might be asking why I'm doing this, is it because I've grown tired of writing? Is it because I'm busy with other matters? Is it because I have grown disinterested in this crackship pairing between Ragna from Balzblue and Neo from Rwby?

No' I have not grown tired of this pairing nor writing(I am still very busy though). But rather... I am just not a fan of the story I made up.

When I first started writing these skits I wanted to make short skits that don't nessacarily have a story. I wanted write little bits that can show how the relationship and the dynamic between these two characters in a relationship. I instead wounded making a bunch of short stories that seemed to correlate to one another way too much. While I'm not against continuity or short stories, this isn't how I would want a story between these two characters to go. I feel as if this current story is way too much of a mess and I feel it's about time to just put it down.

So with that said, I'm putting an end to this. Though of course I don't want just leave it and never touch on it again. That's why I'm planning on writing a proper ending for this story. If I'm gonna put this down then I want to try and do it right.

I plan on having an ending filled with multiple parts, I've got most of it done so I'm gonna post the first part some time this week(hopefully) and from then on the rest of the parts will come out consecutively the day after.

With all that said... I hope you all like how things will turn out.

[crimneo]

Neopolitan (Valentines)

Artist:

@Icesticker

Links:

Blog page:

Blog post:

[crimneo]

Ragna The Bloodedge (Valentines)

(I don't own this art.)

(I really wanted to credit the artist, I really did, but I couldn't find the artist behind this unfortunately. And believe me I tried. I tried reverse imaging it in multiple websites, but I just couldn't find the source.

All I know is that I found this on Twitter alongside some other sketches of characters giving Valentine gifts. Either I suck at finding things or this art piece is lost. Either way I'm posting it here now so that it can be seen by others. Whoever made this, I wish them luck.)

[crimneo]

Pocky's

(Valentine Special)

Neo:  *taps on Ragna’s shoulder*

Ragna:  hm?  What is it?

Neo:  (with pocky in her mouth)  *flirtatiously waggles her eyebrows*

Ragna (flustered):  Huh?!  You're not being serious are you?!

Neo:  *moves in closer*

Ragna:  …You're trying to tease me, aren't you?

Neo:  *wriggles the pocky at him*

Ragna:  … *puts his mouth on the other end*

(They both move closer from each end and are about to reach each other's lips before…)

Ragna:  *Crunch*

Neo:  ?

Ragna:  (with a blush) *silently munches on his piece and turns away embarrassedly*  You win this one.

Neo:  ‘Heh.  I figured he didn't have the guts.’

(Neo felt joy over teasing Ragna.  However, there was a part of her that felt disappointed over how it turned out.  She wasn't sure why though.)

[crimneo]

Supportive

While on an outing, Ragna and Neo were ambushed by authority figures from all over the world in a plot to finally take Ragna into custody. Though Ragna was able to clear a path for Neo to escape, he's now left to fend for himself.

Ragna:  (heavy breathing)  To think we'd get ambushed like this.

Ragna tries to catch his breath as he looks on at the army of authority figures from all across the world.  His bruised and bloody body trying to hold it's ground and stay standing.

Ragna:  (Looks at himself)  To get this beaten down, must be losing my touch.  (Clenches fist)  Whatever.  Just gotta keep fighting.  Nothing I haven't been through before.

A speaker is then heard from the crowd.

Speaker:  Ragna The Bloodedge!  We ask you to drop your weapon and turn yourself in!  We have blocked all exits!  There is no means of escape!  Give up and save yourself the trouble!

Ragna:  You must be real stupid if you think I want to run away!  How about you guys grow a brain and leave, maybe then I won't have to bash your faces in!

The crowd starts talking amongst themselves.

Speaker:  If that is your choice then so be it!

The army begins to ready their weapons.

Ragna:  Guess we're really doing this.  Fine.

Ragna straightens his fighting stance, his body aching from all kinds of places due to his injuries.  He grits in pain for a bit, but continues to push through regardless.

Ragna:  At least Neo got away, it would've been hard to keep her safe otherwise.

Ragna then reminisces about how he and Neo split up.  After clearing a way for her, he opted to fend off the others to give her time to get to safety.  Neo objected to the idea at first and wished for him to escape with her, but with a cocky smirk Ragna assured her that he can take care of it and that there's nothing to worry about.  Though she still wished to remain at his side, she was no longer worried and complied with his suggestion.

Ragna:  I told her I'd be fine.  That I can take care of it myself.  So I'm gonna do just that.

The army of authority figures began to close in on Ragna.

Ragna:  You really wanna go!  Fine!  Let's go-

Just as Ragna was about to charge forward he felt a yank on the back of his jacket’s collar.  He turned around to see… 

Ragna:  Neo?!

Neo gave Ragna a playful smile.

Ragna:  I thought you left?!  Why are you still here?!  H-how are you here?!

Neo nonchalantly points towards the sky above them.  Looking up, Ragna saw the aircraft that she and Roman tended to use flying above them.

Ragna: Roman?

Neo nodded.

Ragna:  Figures.

They both then hear the war cries from the army and turn to see them charging straight for them.

Ragna:  Shit!  Quick!  I need you to hide-!

Neo taps her parasol on the ground a couple times til suddenly, brick walls were formed around the two blocking them from the army.

Ragna:  Wait.  What?

Ragna then feels bandages wrapping around his body, patching up his wounds.

Ragna:  Is this your doing?

With a smile, Neo nodded.  She then pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket and moved Ragna's face closer towards her.  She then began wiping the blood off his face.

Ragna:  Did you come back here to patch me up?

Neo nodded.

Ragna:  Well… thanks.  I appreciate it, but… you didn't have to come back for me.  I said I'll be fine, didn't I?

Neo gave him a soft, understanding smile and nod.  She pulled out a sign that read:

“I know you'll be fine.  These schmucks got nothing on you.”

*Flip*

“Just wanted to make sure you look good when you show them who's boss.”

*Flip*

“I'll leave soon.  Roman will pick me up.  Then you can go back to bashing faces.”

After cleaning up his face, Neo then pulled out a military canteen full of water and motioned Ragna to take it.

Ragna:  For me?

Neo nodded.

Ragna:  (smiles)  Thanks.  You really shouldn't have, but… thanks. (Takes the canteen)  I really appreciate it.  (Drinks)

Neo smiled gleefully over his gratitude.

They both then hear a piece of the wall break revealing a hole and the officers behind it; but before they could climb through, it was quickly patched up with new bricks thanks to Neo.

Ragna:  Those bricks ain't gonna hold them off any longer.  I think this is your cue to leave.  Want me to clear a path for you?

Neo waved off his offer, with a confident smirk on her face she assured him that she'll be fine.

Ragna:  Well… I guess you are pretty capable, just remember that your safety comes first, alright.

Neo nodded before raising her sign yet again that read:

“I'll be fine.  Besides… whenever you're around, I know nothing could ever hurt me.”

They both exchange soft glances at each other, before Neo saluted Ragna goodbye; her body then shattered like glass, disappearing from his sight.

Soon enough, more pieces of the walls began to break, creating more openings for the authorities to go through.  Ragna wasn't worried though, he merely got into his fighting stance and kept track of his surroundings.

Ragna: (Smirk)  Alright you guys, let's make this quick.  I got things to do, places to be… preferably with the greatest chick I've met in a while.

With battle cries ringing through the area, the army broke through. Swords drawn, weapons aimed, gauntlets charged all towards Ragna.

Ragna: (Cocky grin) You ready?! Let's go!!

[crimneo]

Tired

Neo:  (Notices Ragna sitting alone)

Ragna:  (Currently tired of all the shit he goes through)

Neo:  (Wraps a blanket over him)

Ragna:  Hm?

Neo:  (Brings Ragna closer to her chest and comforts him)

Ragna (embarrassed):  Hey…

Neo:  (Caresses his hair)

Ragna:  … (Decides to relax and embrace it.)

Bonus:

~In an alternate possibility~

Neo:  (Sadly looks down at Roman's hat)

Ragna:  (Wraps his jacket over her)

Neo:  ?!

Ragna:  I… know what it's like.  That feeling that is.  (Lends out a hand)  You're not alone.

Neo:  (Tears up and hugs him)

[crimneo]

Happy New Years!!

There's no New Year Skit, but I decided to put together this little thing last minute.

[crimneo]

A little thing that I put together for the holidays.

Merry Christmas from my BBTAG mains and favorite crackship!

[crimneo]

Something special

(Christmas special)

(Writer's note: Okay so I was going to have this done and post it a couple days before Christmas, but now it's already Christmas and I'm late, soooo... oh well.)

Neo stood at the town center near the big Christmas tree as she waited for a certain someone to arrive.

Ragna: There you are.

Neo turned towards the voice and saw Ragna walking towards her.

Ragna:  What's going on?  You called me out here pretty suddenly.  Any issues?

Neo directed his attention to the big Christmas tree near them.

Ragna:  Oh, so something Christmas related then.  It's only a couple more days till it comes, did you have something in mind?

Neo pulled out a small Christmas decorated box and urged Ragna to take it.

Ragna:  Huh?  A gift?  Thanks, but… isn't it a bit early?

Neo glanced at Ragna with no concern in her eyes, signifying that she is well aware.  She nudged him to open it in which he complied and found…

Ragna:  A necklace?

What Ragna found was a necklace that held a couple of rubies and emeralds within them.  It didn't look too intricate, just a simple plain design, though it didn't stop it from looking shiny and elegant.

Ragna:  (pulls it out)  Wasn't expecting something like this.  Course I don't mind these kinds of things.  Plus the colors suits me.  Matches my eyes.

Neo pointed at his ears.

Ragna:  And my earnings too.  I'm surprised you know about them.  No one ever really notices.

*Pulls out sign*

“Because you're always on and off with them”

*Flip*

“Hopefully, this will get you to remember to keep them on.”

Ragna:  Yeah yeah, I get it.  (Puts on the necklace)  So, how is it?

Neo made an impressed whistle.

Ragna:  Yep, guess it is pretty spiffy.  Thanks.

Neo smiled passionately over his appreciation.

Ragna:  So, any reason why you're giving me this early.

Neo sighed, and then reached into his jacket.

Ragna:  What?!  Hey?!

Neo pulled out what appeared to be a sheet of paper and showed it directly to Ragna.

Ragna:  Ah, so you knew about that.

On the sheet, appeared to be a list of gift ideas for Christmas.  Mainly for a certain individual… Neo.

Ragna:  Alright look, I haven't been able to find you a gift yet.  It's been pretty hard figuring out just what to get you.

Neo looked at the list of ideas Ragna came up with: clothes, books, video games, jewelry, artifacts locked up in a highly secured facility, pissing off someone she hates.  To Neo, all these ideas sound good.  So what was keeping him from just picking one.

Ragna:  For someone who can just steal whatever she wants at any given time, it's gonna be really hard to get you something you can't get.  Besides, I'm pretty sure you'd rather steal those yourself than have someone do it for you.

‘Huh, never thought of it that way... but he's right.”  Neo thought.

Ragna:  I haven't given up trying though.  I know there isn't much time left, but I'm still gonna find something.

Neo smirked, she was happy over Ragna's determination, but she also felt as if he was overthinking it; because… what she really wants is a lot simpler than all that.

Neo pulled out a sign that read:

“That's why I want to let you know, before you strain yourself.”

Ragna:  Wait?  You mean your gift, right?  You're okay with it not being a surprise?

Neo nodded.

Ragna:  Well in that case…  Shoot, go ahead, let me know what you want so I can pick it up real quick.

Neo smiled, before reaching over and tugging on Ragna's sleeve.

Ragna:  hm?

Neo gave Ragna a glance and directed his attention towards his jacket.

Ragna:  Wait…?  You want my jacket?!

Neo nodded with no sense of concern.

Ragna:  For… what?  To keep?

Neo nodded before raising her sign at him again.

“It looks cool, so I want it.”

Ragna (exasperated):  Seriously.  *groan* I mean... I really don't want to give this away.

Ragna looks at his jacket and then at Neo who was looking back at him with pleading eyes.

Ragna:  Hey!  Quit it with the eyes!  Contemplating this is already hard enough!

As Ragna decides the fate of his jacket, Neo looks on at the many groups of people around the area.  People walked with hot cocoa, families took pictures, and other couples were sharing a kiss.  A pretty sight to say the least.

Suffice to say, people are here to enjoy one another's company; and frankly, Neo wishes to do the same.  Neo doesn't actually want Ragna's jacket, what she really wants is to share a Christmas with him.  To hang out with him, play with him, have some fun with him, that’s all she wanted.

Even now, just playfully teasing him with this choice is already fun for her; course she knows that he wouldn't part away with something he had for so long, but seeing him contemplate it for her sake is already pleasing enough-

Ragna:  Here.  (Plops the jacket on her)

‘wait… what?’

Neo pulled the jacket off and looked at it with a surprised and confused expression.

Ragna:  Just… make sure to take care of it.  (Notices Neo’s expression)  What?  Surprised?

Neo nodded.

Ragna:  Figures.  (Scratches head)  I didn't want to give it up, but… you mean more to me than some jacket.

Neo stared in awe at Ragna and felt something touch at her heart strings for a moment.  Ragna would really give away something he found so special to her.

Ragna:  Still…

Ragna's voice broke Neo out of her daze.

Ragna:  Can't help but feel like this gift is some sort of cop-out.  Especially, with all the work I've put in trying to figure out the right gift.

Neo tilted her head, not sure where he was getting at.

Ragna:  Mind if I keep looking?  I feel like you deserve a little more than what I gave you.

And now he feels like giving her even more, despite already giving her enough. Neo can't lie, hearing that warmed her heart a bit.  Though, she still doesn't want him to stress over it too much.  She then noticed the list still in her hand and got an idea.

She directed Ragna's attention back on the list and tapped at one of the options.

Ragna:  Jewelry?  I guess if that's what you want, but can't you get that any other day.

Neo smirked as she raised her sign that read:

“I could… but with you, I'm free to just barge in there without any worries.”

Ragna:  Well… I guess that makes sense.  Alright then, that's what we're getting.  How do you feel about going at it now?

Neo nodded, pleased over the situation.

Ragna:  Then let's get to it.

They both begin to leave for their next destination, before Neo gets one more look at the jacket she held.  She thought about it for a moment before coming to a decision.

Neo threw the jacket on top of Ragna, covering his upper body.

Ragna:  Wha- hey! (Pulls jacket down)  What was that for?

Neo raised her sign that read:

“The jacket looks cooler on you.”

Ragna:  Huh?

*Flip*

“If I want to admire it, I want to admire you along with it.”

Ragna (flustered):  I… see…  (blushes)  You know for someone who doesn't talk, you have quite a way with words.

Neo giggles at his comment, while Ragna tries to regain his composure.  They both thought to themselves as they think about the other.

‘He's/She's pretty special, in ways I couldn't guess."