Oh wow! It looks like Jackie and Noir are going to have a run-in with the Dread Hunters! That Jackie O'Hara is a commendable human, truly. She lost everyone she held dear, and for years, she occupied her broken heart with work. She has made quite the financial accomplishments from the looks of it. Owning a successful apartment complex as well as a spa is nothing to sneeze at. She's done well for herself and has kept very busy.
But now that she has Noir back in her life, I guess she's decided to keep him far away from the troubles lurking in the shadows of the kingdom, hence why she's left him behind. To Toui, it all seems like an attempt to shield herself from the pain of potential loss. It wasn't just about protecting her peace; it was about protecting herself from the possibility of watching yet another loved one slip through her fingers. It was a respectable effort, it's just too bad it didn't work since Noir followed her anyway.
Speaking of protection, I wonder what'll happen if Noir has to fight. I have no doubt he'll be more than up to the task. The only problem is that now he's been made just as mortal as any other human. I wonder how he'd respond to pain if he were to get hurt. Liability's Accord is truly a double-edged sword. Its ability to transfer damage doesn't just stop at preventing someone from dying; it also prevents the wearer from feeling pain. In Noir's current state, I'd bet he's more of a glass cannon than the berserker he was in the swamp. His body is built for the task, but who knows? One good hit could raise his pain sensors from zero to ten. The shock alone might be able to do him in.
Side note (yes I am changing the topic, there's so much to talk about!): I don't usually find much amusement in the materialistic creations of humans, but oh boy, did the guys over at Catalyst sure know what they were doing? They didn't just get ahead in the industry; they gapped all the competitors. But of course, something that fast is considered illegal, which is why they only made one of the M1's, aka Model One, and fine-tuned them to only go 150mph, still about 25 mph faster than their competitors.
Despite being a 12 year old company, they didn't make their first motorcycle until two years after starting, being dedicated to making the fastest motorcycle there was on the market.
They ran into trouble with competitors spying on them and stealing some of their equipment the closer they got to completing their first motorcycle, so they hired help to keep out unwanted eyes and to protect their creations and information. Thus, how they met Jackie and her father. As a gift, they gave Jackie's father the finished product once they realized it was too dangerous to have everyday people driving something that fast and how they could tune it to go slower. Jackie's father eventually gave it to her, and that's how she came into possession of it.
It's not so much the M1 itself, but the history of it and how Jackie came to own it. That motorcycle is a symbol of sacrifices made, risks taken, and bonds formed in the pursuit of innovation. And now look, they're the number one motorcycle company in Akrion Kingdom and the entire continent of Magnus.
Ah, this world has such a deep and interesting history within even the most trivial things. Toui has had the opportunity to watch so many events and scenarios unfold, but the one going on here in Meteor Kingdom is by far the most entertaining. The history of these events trek back to before even Toui became an Ego.