[January 21st]

After the four left the Revenant facility, Matoi had found the state's channels stubborn, and there were three questions to be answered in their hotel next morning.

"Fine, fine." laughed Aimee's voice, four gathered around Mia's phone. "Lemme look, uh… Who wants to know first?"

"Matoi." grinned Marisa, and the five laughed.

"Lessee…" said Aimee, sound of typing. "Matoi Kujo, threat level local. Missiles possess strength to collapse buildings. Has shown ability to blind opponents via a combination of her lasers and missiles. Possesses ability to plant and remotely detonate landmines - extreme caution advised if chasing. Strong personal integrity - likelihood of defection is low."

"And growing by the second." sighed Matoi, and the three laughed. "So fucking tedious."

"What's up?" said Aimee, and Matoi shook her head like she could see her.

"There was an attack on the region's Revenant facility, supposedly - though they're refusing to tell us anything about it -"

" - ah, shit, you're dealing with - Revenant facility guards?" sighed Aimee, and Matoi laughed.

"Have you dealt with them before?"

"Yeeep. Always, uh, huge pain in the ass. Super strict, feel like they're masters of their little domain, have to go through a shitton of forms to get anything out of them -"

" - so they're cops." said Samuel, and the five superpowered cops laughed.

"Pretty much, yeah." laughed Aimee. "Still, uh - if you guys want, can handle all that stuff for you. Charlotte knows how to fill out the forms."

"Be my guest." laughed Matoi, and they didn't see Aimee nodding on the other end.

"Alright. I'll let her know once I let you go, so… Who's next? Threat level?"

"Me." grinned Marisa, and Aimee's typing replied.

"…lessee, lessee…" A pause. "… sheesh. Lot of Marisas. Uh - Gwynvere, right?"

"Yep."

"…there we go. 'Marisa Gwynvere, threat level local. Extremely versatile Revenant. Has shown ability to pick up buildings, trees, and other objects similar in weight. Boudoir's material is limited, but regenerates quickly. Possesses ability to travel using strands from her Revenant - recommended to ambush or surround before engaging.'"

Marisa nodded and waited for the rest.

"…and then." muttered Aimee. "Samuel -"

" - wait, that's it?" said Marisa -

" - huh? Oh -"

- the three laughed at Marisa's mock-frown - " - I don't have 'high personal integrity'? -"

" - is that because of those stockings you stole -" cackled Mia, relevantly; the former pair burst laughing -

" - how do you even remember that?!" laughed Marisa -

" - because I had to loan you $200 for them -"

" - that's gotta have interest now, you know -" laughed Aimee -

" - how long ago was this?" laughed Samuel, and Marisa's laughing head shook -

" - that was like - back in Mia-Mia's first year -"

" - she's finally come to collect." laughed Matoi -

" - god." laughed Aimee. "Imagine if they had a note for that -"

" - ' - don't give her threat level national - she's too, too dangerous for it -'" laughed Mia.

The five kept it going for another five minutes, though it stopped being funny after three.

"…fucking shit." laughed Aimee. "Jeez. Jeez."

"Go - go ahead." laughed Samuel. "What's mine say?"

"...ah, yeah. Lessee. Poundstone. Probably - yeah." She laughed. "One result." A pause - and another laugh - " - oh my fucking -" - she cackled - " - this one - this one just fucking starts out with -"

" - what is it?" laughed Matoi -

" - 'Samuel Poundstone, threat level local, fucking first line -" she cackled again - " - 'extremely violent -'"

" - done!" Samuel smacked his hands down - " - don't need to know anything more than -"

" - fucking incredible." cackled Matoi, silently jealous.

" - still local, though. Schultzy's got you all beat."

Schultzy mock-fanned herself as the four laughed, though Matoi's envy was now a duo.

"...sheesh." laughed Samuel. "Not sure if we should ask about anyone else, after that."

"I - actually. Speaking, speaking of violent." laughed Mia. "Is - is Serena listed?"

"…uhh - lemme check. They usually start tracking at three-star, so…"

"She's rank #26." said Mia proudly.

"Might have it." The sound of typing & scrolling. "…uh - yeah, there we go."

"Nice." chimed Marisa, and Aimee started reading.

"Serena Kunst. Threat level local - I - I, uh…"

"What's up?" said Marisa -

- Mia winced a second after - " - does it - have something personal on there?"

"It… does, yeah." said Aimee. "Uh - aside from… yeah, uh. Also says extremely violent. Even mentions her cup and jacket."

"Er - we should stop, then." said Mia, and Aimee paused.

"I, uh - yeah. Still, uh. Was pretty fun for our stuff."

"It was." said Matoi.

"Two 'extremely violents' ain't bad." nodded Samuel, sagely.

Aimee laughed. "Uh. Yeah, uh. Just gotta - you wanted me to handle the paperwork, right?"

"Good luck." chimed Marisa -

" - but I won't insult you." droned Matoi, and the five laughed.

"Alright. Let you… know when that's all good. Bye."

"Bye." chimed the four, and the fifth hung up. Mia set her phone on silent and waited for the message.

(Aimee) "sorry about that. guessing you know?"

(Mia) "She came out to me last year."

(Aimee) "alright. I'll just pretend I didn't see it."

◆◆◆

[January 25th]

The four had dealt with another Revenant in the next four days, though Matoi's missiles&lasers had blasted it to unidentifiable chunks. If some of her tenacity was that she didn't match Mia's rank, she did realize it.

That afternoon, Aimee called again and they returned to their hotel.

"So, finally got it, but..." She sighed. "So, they sent over, uh, flash drive with all the security from last month on it. No audio, not allowed to send it to anyone, yeah-yeah."

"Did you find anything?" said Matoi.

"I did - or, uh - Atori did." she laughed. "Made him go through thirty twenty-four hours videos, ten angles, all the good stuff."

"Like a true boss." said Samuel.

"Yep." laughed Aimee. "Anyway, yeah. Lessee…" Typing. "…right. So - December 27th. Two dudes run up to the place from behind, alarm is already going off. One of them - looks like he has some kind of acid spray. They start to break in... sorry - one sec. Chimera goes to deal with them, chases them through the halls a bit, just some fighting, and…"

"What are their Revenants?" said Mia.

"Uh - one looks like he's got some - this is black&white, so - some type of acid. Another one - looks like shields. Uh, like medieval ones. Guard looks like... just those tendrils for now. Anything else?"

"Continue." said Matoi.

"They get to - two guys… okay, so. Revenant facilities usually keep their Revenants in separate rooms, and keep a few empty. Two guys end up running in to one that's empty, uses his acid to get in to another… Three Revenants locked up. Corrodes away the - uh, I guess - vat they keep them in - and then -" - she laughed - " - one sec, he - - Chimera just fucking breathed fire - fucking melts one of them -"

- the four tried not to laugh, and she paused.

"…uh. Right. Uh - other guy managed to get away with one of the Revenants, by the looks of it. Keeps spraying acid to get out, Chimera eventually stops chasing him."

"He got away?" said Mia.

"Looks like it. Video from there is just - guessing Chimera is calling up someone about it. Probably Urasaria. Should have his, uh, secondary guard, too, but…"

"His secondary guard?"

"Yeah. Two per facility." said Aimee. "…uh, other than that… Oh - there he is. Looks like they're swapping shifts. Chimera went off-camera."

"Does it say what Revenant was stolen?" said Matoi.

"Think so. They, uh - sent us a bunch of files with this, so - lemme check..." A minute. "…yeah. Said it let its host talk to animals."

Matoi checked her tablet. "What day was it stolen, again?"

"December 27th."

"...there was a call that day." muttered Matoi. "One pair responded to it - Sydney Huffman and Gaspar Smith." Her mouth went grim. "…presumably, that's how they died. Two days later. To the serpent."

"…right." murmured Mia.

"…yeah." muttered Aimee. "Uh. Know what you're feeling. Just gotta focus on solving this."

Matoi nodded. "Of course."

"Besides - you're a good president. Got everyone a payraise." laughed Aimee. "I just put in some dumb ranking system -"

" - not right now." said Matoi, head shaking. "I don't want to joke about this."

"…sure thing." said Aimee. "…sorry. Just know that - helped me - sorry, one second."

As they waited, Mia was thinking about Jeanne&Nuiko now. Her forgetfulness made her guilty for a second, but she made a note to visit their graves once they were back.

"Ugh - gotta go, sorry." sighed Aimee. "Bye. Call Charlotte if you need anything else."

"Bye." said the four, and the fifth hung up.

"…well." said Samuel. "Guess we know where that one came from, at least."

"Isn't it kinda weird someone got away, though?" said Marisa. "Like, Revenant guards should be super strong."

"There aren't many people to choose from." said Matoi. "Usually - it's whatever professional is willing to deal with twelve hour shifts."

"…yeah. I dunno, like." Marisa shrugged. "I think we should - go back and ask him questions or whatever."

Matoi's head shook. "I understand why - but not yet."

"Don't want to let him know we're suspecting him, right." nodded Samuel. "Still - might be nothing. Just need more evidence."

"Aimee can look up his Revenant, as well." nodded Mia.

"…correct." said Matoi. "For now - we'll need more evidence."

"…should we still be scanning?" said Samuel, and the three paused. "If we're deciding not to let him know."

"…no." Matoi's head shook. "As far as I know - facility guards receive those signals, to prepare for arrival of a Revenant."

"Right." nodded Samuel. "Believe that's correct, yes."

Matoi nodded and sat up. "For now - we won't scan. Destroy the Revenants after they've been analyzed - and try to bring someone in alive."

"Unfortunately."

◆◆◆

While Matoi & Marisa slept that night, Mia & Samuel had set out to a midnight diner, glass wall adjacent. (The boar had wanted onion rings.) The Revenants' difficulty made them speak of their trip with the cursed artifact, then of Akira.

"Hasn't reappeared since then, right?" said Samuel, and Mia shook her head.

"He hasn't, though I assume he's watching me constantly."

Samuel peered in to his water and Mia laughed. The boar had always been good comedy for the group, even as the sole male with three lesbians, partially because Mia had never known him to think quietly even when he should've. Another man may have overcompensated in courtesy or hidden his masculinity, but Mia had the feeling he hadn't changed much from that earlier trip and would still be the same by the time they graduated.

Aimee came to her head. She felt like Aimee hadn't changed too much either, but maybe that was because they talked every day and saw each other as often as they could. Someone who hadn't seen her in three years would've known the difference, surely, but with Aimee, Serena, and the others, she couldn't tell sometimes if they hadn't changed since the days they met or if it'd been so gradual she couldn't see it.

She still didn't understand Serena's animes and doubted she ever would.

"… Matoi seems…" She trailed off. "…she - seems like she's feeling guilty - over the students."

Samuel nodded. "Little bit, yeah. Don't think it's her fault those students died - but I'm sure it still bothers her."

"I'm sure." nodded Mia, wondering how she'd be as president. "But, I suppose she - knows we're here for her."

Mia was good friends with Matoi now, but she felt they hadn't gotten to the level of her&Serena yet. Maybe nobody knew the white wedding too deeply, though. Admittedly, she still had difficulty seeing how Matoi handled the intimacy of a relationship, but doubted Rin was calling her Kujotzy. She knew she could rely on Matoi, but wondered if Matoi would ever come to anyone if she wasn't forced.

"She's opened up a good bit from - well, what I remember from my first year." laughed Samuel. "Doubt she would've told Aimee not to joke like that back then. Would've, uh - just gone along, tried to put up that hard shell."

Mia nodded. "I remember. I took a trip with her a few years ago - to Lanacca." She frowned for a second, still wishing she hadn't said that to Matoi. "She - was very, very averse to asking for help at all."

"Sounds about right." nodded Samuel. "Still - we know she's resilient."

"She is." smiled Mia. "Even if she is, er - a perfectionist."

The two laughed.

"Well, she's gotten much better about it, too, like you said." laughed Samuel. "Still - she knows we're there for her if she needs it."

Mia nodded, and in the next instant -

- the two ducked in to their seats -

- just in time to avoid the lunar beam coming from the window beside, glass shattering in to a thousand shards -

" - Outcast!" shouted Samuel, ghastly hands throwing them back -

- but a thousand more appearer; and another cloud of scarabs disintegrated them as the two hit the floor, Outcast's armor forming, Worldwide's scarabs readied.

"Urasaria!" shouted Samuel to the startled diners - " - even though you can't see my badge!"

Diners laughing nervously as they crouched down, another beam erupted out of the broken aperture, and as a pane of ice formed to block it -

- it melted instantly in to water, far more gallons than proper dumping on their bodies, and before they could react -

- another beam entered the pool, more & more gallons entering the sudden body of water, duplicated liquid claiming their heads & slowing their movements as it shoved them down -

" - Wffwffd!" hummed Mia -

- and a tri-swarm raid flew down the two's throats, careful electrolysis keeping them breathing; but they had no time to rest. Pool growing & growing, the water's pressure started to build, scarabs slowing as the beam kept constant on the liquid -

- but the next scene was instant. Ghastly hands formed at every table's supply of napkins and threw the absorbing cloths in to the beam -

- and in to a hundred napkins duplicated the cotton, thousands more forming, diner filling with wet napkins as it absorbed every last drop. The two rose to their feet again as Mia disintegrated them, and they didn't look back as they started their rush out of the diner, down the aisle with door up ahead, more beams landing behind them but no direct hits yet. As Samuel came up to the door, his shoulder smashed it open -

- and groaned at the next door just like it ten feet ahead, perfect diner duplicate -

- just in time for another beam to enter his left shoulder; grunting as he staggered, chips of obsidian fell to the floor, and as the beam sought their spikes -

- a fire scarab disintegrated a hole in the floor, and in to the burrow fell the obsidian, beam catching only air and buying them time to rush out of the next door, peeling left & in to the diner's parking lot. As they turned their eyes left again -

" - guessing that's it!" shouted Samuel, seeing their foe on the line of businesses three hundred feet ahead, midair prism floating above one shopping center's roof. With no time to waste, the two started rushing towards it, cars & trees at regular intervals, clouds forming a war council overhead and starting to rain as they ran -

" - fuck." groaned Mia, holding her burning blue blade high - " - we - have to deal with this before it worsens -"

" - agreed." nodded Samuel, and as the prism's beam shot towards them - " - Outcast!"

- a set of ghastly hands ripped one tree out of its roots ahead and threw it forward -

- and in to the bark went the beam, thousands of pieces shattering out, more ghastly hands throwing them back at the prism, but missing out of range.

"Once we -" panted Mia - " - I can Solar Beam it once we're in range, or the building -"

" - might work." nodded Samuel, another tree&block&beam ahead, and as the lunar light entered the new bark -

- it burst in to a thousand shards; ghastly hands threw them back -

- but the two saw with aghast eyes a gallon of sap drop out of the tree, gallons&gallons of sticky liquid growing as another beam entered it as it hit the ground -

- and formed a field of rapidly growing sap ahead, two hundred feet separating them and their foe, sap field starting to flood fifty feet ahead as they halted -

" - Solar Beam!" shouted Mia, dropping her burning blue sword and aiming her palms forward -

- a white beam erupted from her palms, disintegrating one path through the knee-high sap -

- and the two sighed as it kept regrowing back, Mia forced to snuff out her beam as her supply of scarabs lowered, downpour worsening as she picked up her burning blue blade again. One fire scarab burrowed in to the ground ahead, and as it burnt out a hole -

- the prism's beam swept on to it, asphalt duplicating to repair the sudden burrow -

- but another cloud of scarabs kept pace with its duplication, more brethren drilling holes in the asphalt to absorb the rain, two hundred feet still separating the two. The sap had grown to chest-high, and the prism's one beam swept back to keep it repaired.

"Mia." said Samuel, eyes on one tree left. "Mind if I ask you to do something risky?" (He relayed it.)

Mia nodded and started her rush forward, six-feet of burning blue rushing down the asphalt as Samuel ran off & left, and as she came up to the field of sap -

- she started running right through it, blue flames disintegrating a path as she rushed through but sap still slowing her down; behind, she heard Outcast's grip rip a tree out of the ground -

" - now!" she heard Samuel shout, and as the tree flew past&above her -

- the next scene was instant. The prism's light swept to block it -

- but panes of ice formed midair, ricocheting and sliding the projectile to dodge it, scarabwoman keeping pace below as it flew -

- and the keen end of the barked projectile smashed the lower half of the prism clear off, wires turning to veins dripping out of the ghastly aperture. Mia laughed as the beam disappeared, ramp of ice forming up to the roof, and as she ran up it -

- she saw the dead host on the other end, lower half torn clear off, upper half with a dozen shattered ribs bursting out.

"He's - he's dead!" shouted Mia, relevantly, and Samuel eventually came up.

"Sheesh." he laughed. "Face doesn't look too bad, though. Might still be able to identify him."

Mia nodded. "I'll call Matoi and Marisa."

◆◆◆

Matoi&Marisa had been notified by the time they brought the man's body to the police, though it'd take a few days for identification after his Revenant was analyzed. Matoi had requested to speak with the chief with the others.

"We'll - make sure to identify him as quick as we can, ma'am." he nodded. "Already got a few men working on it."

Matoi nodded. "I have another request to make. Whoever is converting these Revenants - they're clearly powerful. It's a danger for my squadron to have to worry about civilian lives on top of fighting."

"…understandable." he nodded. "What are you… requesting?"

"That the city enforce a curfew. A mandatory curfew."

He sat back and sighed knowingly. "…hoo. I - see what you're saying, ma'am, but… That's - very difficult to do, for a city like this."

"Do whatever you need to do."

"It's - not about what - we can do. It's about…" He sighed. "…this includes businesses, I'm assuming. And if - these Revenants are, a pattern - won't they just keep attacking regardless?"

Her head shook. "So far, they're more interested in killing us."

"…well - yes, but…"

'Is this one of the guys the representative was talking about?' thought Samuel as Matoi spoke.

"They've only attacked where we go - since they've found out we're here. There hasn't been a single attack not centered on us - correct?"

The chief frowned. "We can - well, try our best… Try our best to - enforce something. It'd - have to be fairly late. Don't want to end up arresting many people for it."

"Of course." nodded Matoi. "Anything before 10PM would help - and urge the rest to stay at home as much as possible."

"We'll see what we can do."

◆◆◆

[January 26th]

The following morning, every Urasaria tablet vibrated, but Tiffany took her's first.

'A message from President Matoi,

Students: Currently, my squadron and I are dealing with a pattern of Revenants that transform their hosts in to giant creatures - so far, a giant crab, a gigantic purple serpent, and a floating prism. If any of you have fought Revenants similar to this, particularly around Rockfield (see below), do not hesitate to contact me, Swarm, Boudoir, or Boar.

Thank you.'

◆◆◆

The following 6:30PM, Rockfield had enforced a 7PM curfew and urged civilians to stay indoors.

Mia&Marisa sighed as they stepped in a restaurant as packed as the last.

"Of course." groaned Mia, relevantly.

"Hi, welcome to Pepper's." chimed the hostess (but not that kind). "Two?"

"Two, yes." said Mia, and the hostess nodded as she led them to one table in the middle, two menus left out.

"Your server will be - oh!" She laughed. "I'm - I'm sorry, are you - Urasaria students?"

"We are, yeah." said Marisa.

"Alrighty. I'll make sure your server is with you shortly." she said and walked away.

"…god." groaned Mia. "We - fucking asked them to stay in-doors, but -"

" - yeah." winced Marisa. "I can… ugh, I don't even know. Like. I'm pretty sure they're still serving alcohol, too."

Mia sighed as she read the menu. "… I - suppose it'll be safer if - a Revenant does show up, but…"

Their server walked up. "Hi." she chimed, same practiced tone as the last. "Can I start you off with anything to drink?"

"Uh, just an orange soda." shrugged Marisa.

"One for me, also." said Mia. "Er, can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing."

"Why is - they did announce the curfew, didn't they?" sighed Mia, gesturing to the patrons, and their server winced.

"…yeah. They - did, but… still - 6:33, I guess, so. I was already scheduled for - up until 7:00 PM, so -"

" - wait, they're making you - they're making you work -" - said Marisa -

" - yep." she nodded.

"That - seems illegal." said Mia.

"It, uh…" She laughed nervously. "Probably... is, but - at-will employment, so. Said they'd just fire me if I didn't come in today anyway."

"Ugh." sighed Marisa. "Is your boss - is he like - here right now?" Boudoir's gloves formed fists, and the woman nodded.

"I know. But uh - no, he left an hour ago -"

" - of fucking course." sighed Mia -

" - all bitching about how - you know, curfew is gonna be super bad for us." she sighed. "… but - uh, yeah. Did you two - still wanna eat?"

"I suppose it's safer with us here." sighed Mia. "What do you recommend?"

"Uh… the fish tacos are pretty good." shrugged the woman, and the two nodded. "At least there's that, right? But - uh. So, two orange sodas, two of the fish tacos?"

"Yeah." nodded Marisa.

"Alright. I'll let the kitchen know you're Urasaria - they've been pissed at people coming in all night, so." She laughed and went off.

"…ugh." groaned Marisa. "That's - I seriously wish that dude was here."

"I know." Mia frowned. "… I - wonder if we should leave, but…"

"…yeah, but - I mean…" She sighed. "…I dunno, like. It's safer with us here, anyway, so."

"I suppose."

"Plus, like… wait. Yeah." Marisa grinned. "If they're like - if they're getting off at seven, we can make sure they get home safe or whatever, like."

"Are you going to use Boudoir for that?" laughed Mia, and Marisa's grin grew.

"Yeah, but I'm sure they can handle it."

"And after, we can go visit the owner." chimed Mia, and the two laughed.

"Yep." said Marisa, pounding her Boudour-fist. She'd missed fighting with Mia since their first year, and initially she had worried they'd end up like most mentor & protege pairs where they didn't talk past their year together. Being a host forced her in to quality over quantity for friends, and Mia&Matoi&Samuel were definitely quality.

The server brought their orange sodas, and the two thanked her as she went away. Mia took one sip, and in the next instant -

- a window shattered from across the room; the two shot up&turned -

- and saw nothing fifty feet away but broken glass & civilians, but knew it was another Revenant; Marisa glanced to the emergency exit door behind her&left, and in the next instant -

" - Urasaria! Grab this!" she shouted; a strand erupted out of her glove ahead, Mia sweeping aside to allow her to evacuate civilians that shouldn't've been there anyway, and in the next instant -

- her rope was suddenly severed -

- and something sliced her horizontally in half in the next; Mia shrieked involuntarily, Marisa's top half starting to slide off her legs -

- but the next scene was instant. Two strands erupted from her back and boots, yanking her grisly halves back, desperate Boudoir strands stitching herself together -

- and still gagging & staggering as she landed, glove aiming towards Mia -

- and another strand yanked Mia back just in time to avoid a vicious & invisible swipe, two landing at the left half of the restaurant already evacuated, civilians still trapped ahead.

Stress already grown, Mia swept her palms forward - " - Frozen Ray!"

- a beam of ice erupted from her palms, shooting through the air and hitting the opposite wall -

- but catching nothing but air as she snuffed her chilling ray out, invisible beast they couldn't see but knew was still around, and in the next instant -

- Marisa yanked her left -

" - felt something -" panted Marisa, ripping two balls out of Boudoir, fabric turning to armored collars as she slapped them on her&Mia's necks - " - just in case -"

" - yes." winced Mia, suppressing her urge to yell at the civilians, but before she could react -

- the two saw the invisible beast carving through the patrons ahead, invisible force slashing & tearing them through -

" - Boudoir!" shouted Marisa; another set of strands erupted from her palms - " - grab!"

- and she yanked the rest of the civilians out before the beast could sever the connection again, patrons running out the emergency exit as the two stood again, restaurant empty but for them & the beast. Mia raised her sword high, and a jet of water erupted from the tip, dousing and coating the floor -

- and the two nodded as they saw their dripping foe ahead, giant chameleon-shaped beast rushing with the speed of a serpent around, droplets already starting to fade from its pace -

" - I can't track this -" panted Mia, jet of water trying to keep up with it, and as Marisa whispered something to her - " - I - no, there's - something less riskier than that - wait!"

Realizing it then, her blade disappeared, and she swept her palms forward -

- and a chilling beam hit the restaurant's front door, swift ice spreading & coating the entire enclosure, no hope for the beast's escape then, but in the next instant -

- Marisa yanked them right -

- and up in to the ceiling, swinging as she came to the center of the restaurant -

- and as always, the women were in-tune. A hard strand erupted from Marisa's glove and hung down; at her side, Mia stabbed her sword through it -

- and the golden blade turned ceiling fan spun&spun, swift Jets of water erupting & erupting outward -

- and the two nodded as they saw their foe dripping, Boudoir's swift spin ensuring their tracking liquid stayed on it, and as it leaped towards them -

- the two swung away and in to the right half of the restaurant again, grunting as they landed, beast thirty feet ahead and catching only air, floor starting to soak in water.

"I - have a better idea." chimed Mia, and Marisa laughed nodding, electrical scarabs flying in to the conductive floor, and as the electrical current entered the entire room -

- the next scene was instant. They saw the creature's tongue sweep around as it spun -

- and lap up every last drop of water near it before the current could connect, keeping it safe as it turned to them again. Path of water blocking it & the women, it started walking forward, tongue sweeping and clearing its step -

" - here!" shouted Marisa, ripping a pouch out of her dress and handing it to Mia, and as Mia threw it forward -

- they saw it disappear as the beast swallowed it -

- and the electrical water gift burst open, stunning it just in time -

- for one scorching white beam to disintegrate it with not a single ash left, two panting as they stood again, and in the next instant -

- Marisa yanked them up to the ceiling -

" - just, just in case -" she panted, and the two didn't calm until Mia had scorched the area.

"…a-alright." nodded Mia, trying not to think of Aimee & Serena's near-deaths or Jeanne&Nuiko's actuals. "Are - are you alright?"

"Yeah." nodded Marisa. "Let's just - head back, like."

Mia nodded. Some anger towards Kirihara started up on the way back, remembering how she'd reacted to Mia's grief.

◆◆◆

[January 27th]

The following morning, the four had found the local papers outside one store.

"...shit." said Marisa, her mangled & censored halves headlining. "That's - pretty rough, but, like…"

"…certainly effective." muttered Matoi, taking up the article. "'Urasaria Students Beg Citizens To Stay In-Doors'."

"Looks like they've got the uncensored version online, too." said Samuel, eyes on his phone. "Someone took a picture right when it happened. Doubt anyone'll want to go outside after seeing that."

"We'll see." sighed Matoi, traditional misanthropy in tow. "Regardless, it'll help thin the crowds -"

" - hang on -" laughed Samuel, flashing his phone out - " - you've - you've gotta see this -"

" - what is it?" laughed Mia, eyes closing in -

- and the four's laughter burst out then, Samuel scrolling down for more -

" - stop - no, go up one -" laughed Matoi - " - 'I hope that wedding dress chick shoves a fat fucking missile up the owner's -'"

" - twenty people found this review helpful -" cackled Samuel, relevantly -

" - he's - he's trying to defend himself, too -" laughed Mia -

- Marisa laughed - " - I almost like, feel bad, but -"

" - we warned them." laughed Matoi, setting the paper back.

"Got a few online defenders." laughed Samuel, setting his phone back. "Probably should be careful where we eat now, though."

"Yeah, like." laughed Marisa - " - they might like, get a ton of bad reviews now -"

" - they might actually close down, then." laughed Mia, relevantly.

"We'll see." smirked Matoi. She checked her phone -

- and sighed.

"What's up?" said Marisa -

" - nearly every restaurant has closed down for the week."

Three groans as four started up the street.