Niko: Eh… So, right…

Standing in front of a whiteboard Yui was able to dig up from the gym’s basement, Niko clears her throat to get the attention of the crowd assembled in Paradise Gym’s main training space. Unfortunately, most attendees are distracted by Kiwako’s flailing about as Yui confiscates her games console and passes it on to Alice for safekeeping, requiring both Hanako and Ueno to keep the grumbling child from throwing one of her tantrums.

Niko: (she loses her patience) Geez! Just listen to me for five friggin’ seconds, okay…?

With a pout and a brief, silent argument between Yui and Kiwako, the younger girl huffs and takes a seat, with Hanako and Ueno sitting beside her. Yui takes a seat front and center, and the rest of the gym’s current inhabitants file in shortly after. Yui speaks up in a tone that punctuates the seriousness of the situation.

Yui: Alright, alright. Sorry, Niko. You got the floor now.

Niko: Right, well… so, according to the Maestro, I have… (she points at a crudely drawn doodle of a bunny with a smug expression and tinted glasses) Wait, does everyone here even know who the Maestro is? He’s, uh, like the boss of the Conductors, but he’s still alive in the Dreamscape and—Oh. Am I gonna have to explain the Conductors first?

Koharu: Five seconds.

Niko: Huh?

Koharu: You wanted attention for five seconds. Five seconds have passed.

Niko: W-Well, ask Arashi if you want more info on who the Conductors are! Err, anyways, this guy Worldeater, is like, the son of Kae— (she points at another doodle, this one of a similar bunny, but looking very angry and on fire) You all remember Kae, right? If not, err… Suit yourself. Anyways, Kae, or like… one of the Kaes, not the one who was married to the Troubadour, but the other one… hooked up with this Italian dude called like Maximo or something… (she points at another bunny doodle, this one wearing a stereotypical black fedora and smoking a cigar) and Worldeater is their son! (this all, somehow, culminates in Niko drawing a complex network of lines from all the “characters” on the whiteboard to a large doodle of a mean-looking masked bunny in the middle) Now, according to the Maestro, that information is like, super important and basically, if I tell him the truth about who he is, Worldeater is toast! (she replaces the Worldeater bunny’s eyes with two X’s on the whiteboard) … Somehow.

Yui: (Having folded her arms, eyes closed as if trying to contain her sense of patience, finally stands up) You uh… want someone to cliff notes that for you? Like, in a way people can actually understand?

Hanako: …I’ll be honest… I couldn’t follow any of that…

Yasu: (Yasu casts a more compassionate gaze towards Niko) Basically, Worldeater’s been living a lie, right? And Niko knowing his full history means we can shatter that lie, and most likely, his confidence and mentality, right? 

Niko: (she blushes, embarrassed) R-Right, what Yasu said… So, eh… I think it’s best if we strike at him as soon as possible… But if Worldeater finds out I have a whole squad with me, the other Balancers might try something funny. If we wanna prevent what happened last time from happening again… we should probably have a think about who’s coming into the Dreamscape with me and who’s staying awake to protect the people who can’t fight.

Yui: …Maximo? D’ya mean Massimo, maybe? Vel told me that he had a guy he ran with once, named Massimo. One of the few he liked. …Wait so, Massimo is Luca’s real father? With Katherine? Huh, this is starting to add up…

Niko: (she puts her hands on her hips) I just told you that, didn’t I? Are you even paying attention?

Yui: Eh… sure, let’s say you did. Anyway, I’m goin’ in. Worldeater and I literally beat each other to death last time. I can’t punch my way through him. But Niko’s strategy is sound, as is the idea that we leave a good number here to keep watch. (She hesitates, as if trying to suppress her emotions) …But I’m going in. I can’t punch him to death, but havin’ someone who knows how he fights is a good idea.

Hanako: …It sounds like you have a history… well… um… i-if it’s all the same, I think I will stay here. To keep guard.

Yasu: Me too.

Kiwako: …As much as I wanna go play in Dreamland, I don’t think I can. I’ve never been to this dream place thingy.

Niko: S-Sorry, you arrived here after everyone got brought in… Wait, that’s a good thing, isn’t it?

Shinju: Well, I’m going for sure. Not throwing Niko to the sharks.

Yuzuki: I’ve been in the Dreamscape for a while too. I should go… I think they have my father.

Yui: …I’m sorry, Yuzu. (She glances over towards Kohaku) Cap’n? What about you?

Kohaku: Someone should stay back in case they use this chance to take another pass at us. 

Yui: Looks like teams are set. Niko will lead me, Yuzu an’ Shinju through the Dreamscape, an’ Kohaku will lead the “home team” with Hanako, Yasu, Ueno and Kiwa to protect the normal or non-combat folk. ‘Specially Niko, since, y’know, she’s kinda the key to all of this workin’. Any questions?

Yuzuki: (After a pause of nobody saying anything, Yuzuki speaks up) Wh-what are we supposed to do if he holds everyone hostage against us? I’m sure he will… 

Yui: We’re goin’ in knowin’ that that’s Worldeater’s most likely play. If he does anything to the hostages, he’s out of defenses. So we gotta handle it carefully, sure, but he knows he’s fucked if he jumps the gun.

Niko: (finishing an overview of how both teams have been divided, each member obviously represented by a bunny doodle, she puts the caps back on the marker) Hell yeah. And we’ll do the fucking! … Wait.