Across the yard, the Circle's squads waited in parade order, pressed uniforms in slate and white, blades at hips, watching Eclipse's happy chaos with expressions caught between decorum and open curiosity.
At the rack line between the two guilds, a Shogunate spear-user had drifted over to a Runewoven girl warming up her floating daggers. He bowed to her before speaking. "May I ask what keeps them up?"
"Spite and mana. What does your spear fold out of?"
"Blessed paper. Several shrines' worth of prayers."
"...Okay, trade me."
Both of them were grinning by the time she floated a dagger across for him to examine.
The far side of the yard belonged to the broadcast.
Six production trucks stood in a row trailing cable everywhere, and each crew member swarming them wore an armband with two crests printed side by side: Eclipse, and the Shogunate Circle.
In the middle of it all, the Media seat of Japan's ruling council was personally bowing to Kira and Rika.
