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[dollmaxing]

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Hiiii! You've reached Ichinose Kuon, head of AI research and development. Leave a message and I'll get back to you!

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[dollmaxing]

Ichinose had gone up the elevator and through a few halls, distancing herself from the cafeteria. Sure, Zenkichi could probably track her down, but the distance gave her time if she needed to react.

A little staff room was a helpful enough reprieve, especially with the shadows still lumbering around after her. She didn't bother talking to them or smiling for them, and settled on a little plastic chair at a table, trying to will her hands to stop shaking from adrenaline. One of the shadows placed a cup of water out for her, and she gave it a little nod.

Ringing. Phone ringing. Both of them, actually - maybe it was Takuto. That'd be nice, hearing his voice-- but once she fished out the phone with the working mic, her chest clenched.

Akane.

She answered, turning it on speaker.

"What?"

[counterfeitphantom]

Akane had their signal. Thankfully- even if the map itself was a bit uncertain. However while she could easily locate Kuon, Zenkichi's signal was slightly faint. Navigating between different realms was difficult as is.

"Can you confirm Wolf's location?"

[dollmaxing]

"I left him in the cafeteria. He didn't follow me," she answered flatly, plainly.

[counterfeitphantom]

"Wha-" she blinks in confusion. "Then why the hell can't I read his presence? He has to be somewhere in the palace though...wherever that is."

There was a pause. Clacking of keys following right in the silence.

"His systems detect recently injected cognitive stabilizers...that's not good," Akane mutters- masking the anxiety in her words. "Okay. Ichinose. What did you do?"

[dollmaxing]

"Gave him a light shove against his arm and told him to scoot so I could get a spoon," she answered, crossing her arms and leaning against the table. "He panicked and grabbed me by the arm, lifted me off the ground. Takuto's shadows intervened to pull me out of his grip since he wasn't responding to me telling him to put me down."