Key to Conflict

**Key to Conflict** is the third story episode of Shinsen Dystopia.

## In-Game Summary

The sudden demise of a magical girl stuns Omnis. Aka captures him and takes him to a cafe, where he presses her and Ao for more information. He then learns another shocking truth...

## Plot

Hanabi and Omnis hover over the collapsed Iko. Her wounds are so bad that her transformation is released as she lies on the ground. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Aka seizes Omnis and escapes, while Ao charges at Hanabi to keep her busy.

Aka stops at a cafe and releases Omnis from confinement. He angrily demands to know how they could hurt their friends. Aka is nonplussed, responding that they are fighting like they always have. Ao arrives at the cafe, and under Omnis' interrogation, confirms that Iko is unlikely to recover. Omnis is shocked at the callousness of the twins, and when he asks about Akisa and Eliza, Aka tells him that they died a long time back, and Omnis was pleased about it. Ao adds that it was Hanabi that killed them, and Omnis is sickened.

When he accuses them of acting like total strangers, the girls respond that he is the one acting strangely. Omnis was the one who caused this conflict in the first place, by telling the girls that the last one standing would have her wish granted. Omnis suddenly recalls White Omnis, and begins to suspect that the Ao and Aka in front of him aren't the ones he knows. He quickly questions them about Iroha, and the twins apathetically reply that she was killed right at the beginning.

Seeing their attitude, Omnis is convinced these are parallel versions of Aka and Ao, but isn't sure if he pulled them into his reality or if he was pulled into theirs. A demon alert activates, and confident they can handle them with the renewed ability to transform, the three head to the flux bubble. However, when they get there, Aka and Ao are unable to transform, to the confusion of Omnis.

## Transcript

*(Inside the flux bubble)*

Omnis
Hey! Iko? Are you all right? I'm gonna help you-
Iko
Gbhh...! I don't... want to... die...
Ao
Aka! Now! Leave it to me! Hurry up and go!
Omnis
W-wait! You... how could you... do that to Iko...? Hey! Wake up, Iko! Iko?!
Aka
Can you keep it down? Get in here, please.
*(Aka stuffs Omnis in a bag)*

Omnis
Mggh?! Wh-what is this... H-hey! Let me out of here!
Aka
Ao, stay safe...
Ao
Hurry and go!
*(Aka flees)*

Hanabi
Ah, shit...
*(Scene change to a cafe)*

Omnis
This can't be real... Iko... Hey, Aka! What the hell?! Why hurt your friends?!
Aka
...? What are you talking about? We're fighting like we always have.
*(Ao arrives)*

Aka
A-Ao! I'm so glad you're all right...
Ao
Hahh, haah... Yeah... I managed to lose them for now.
Aka
Are you okay? Are you injured anywhere?
Omnis
Hey! What about Iko?! Is she okay?!
Ao
Taking Iko's side, eh... Well, I don't think she's getting up from that again...
Omnis
D-did... did you really kill Iko...? Ao... what's wrong with you...?
Aka
What's wrong with you? This is nothing new for us-
Omnis
...N-nothing new...? R-right, what about Akisa? Eliza? Where are they?
Ao
...You don't remember? Do you have amnesia or something...?
Aka
Akisa and Eliza... They died ages ago, you know... You were happy about it too.
Omnis
Akisa and Eliza died...?! No... was it... demons?
Ao
No, I think it was Hanabi who killed them? Maybe demons did eat them afterward...
Omnis
Akisa and Eliza were...? Ulrrp...
Narration
I could feel acid suddenly rising in my throat, and I was struck with a powerful urge to vomit. But of course, stuck in this body, nothing would come out.
Omnis
You're like total strangers...
Aka
Huh? You're the one acting like a stranger. When did you get so sentimental?
Ao
You're the Executor that said it. Last one standing gets their wish. That's why-
Omnis
W-wait a minute! Me? I said that?!
Aka
Ugh, why play dumb? You're the one... You dragged us into this endless conflict.
Omnis
What did you say?!
*(Flashback of White Omnis)*

Narration
Images of White Omnis and demons suddenly flashed through my mind. If the girls with me right now weren't the Ao and Aka I knew... If they were truly different people...
Omnis
Th-that can't be... H-hey, Ao, Aka! What about Iroha? And everyone at Arihane?
Aka
Iro...ha...? Oh, Asobe Iroha? She got killed in the very beginning...
Ao
I think it was the girls from St. Charles? I was surprised at how quickly she died.
Omnis
You're unbelievable...
Narration
It was clear from how casually they talked about Iroha and the others' deaths that this wasn't the Aka and Ao I knew... Had I accidentally pulled them in from another possibility...?
Or...am I the one that got pulled into theirs?!
Aka
Well... We've got the advantage as long as we have you. So be good and stay inside.
*(Dynamisphere alert goes off)*

Ao
More demons nearby... Well, easy enough if we can transform into magical girls...
*(The group heads to the flux bubble)*

Aka
Ao! The demons are coming!
*(Magic attacks fly past)*

Ao
Tch...! There's more than there were before... Hey, Aka, hurry and transform-
Aka
I-I can't! I can't transform... Why? I could before-
Ao
H-hey! Omnis! What the hell?! Didn't we just need you? Why can't we transform?!
Omnis
What?! No way...