A Certain Missing Esper (Arc 4 Main Story)

That was the outcome. While she could have opposed them indefinately, something within her has budged. The question was which part and why. Kisaragi Anko had yet to fully understand, but she had made a choice. And a choice like that couldn’t be taken back. Although she found herself questioning it only a moment later when Tsubasa collapsed onto the floor like child.

She could have sighed. She could have spat a sharp comment. But she didn’t.

In fact, she kept quiet in terms of words and emotions. That was until Reina finally guided the group onto the right path. The next steps.

«I think we were discussing the best method to get Dr. Reiner's files on Kurama.»

«Correct. This calls for a classic break-in situation. I presume all we need to do is enter his office after hours, dig through his files and leave», Kisaragi explained in what could only be described as factual focus. «Of course that won’t be as easy. It would be best if we split into two groups. One does the actual break-in, while the other plays the look-out and keeps the escape vehicle ready. Clearly, there is always the luring danger of an enemy ambush.» That was a lesson. Both to underline the importance of simplicity in planning and the idea of having to watch one’s back. Clearly, this could become a prime example of such circumstances; even if they assumed the enemy wasn’t on their trail just yet.

No, actually the moment you assumed that to be the truth was when these things tended to happen… «Ideally we gather as much information as we can. It’s mandatory to have a full overview of the circumstances and conditions at all times.»


«Kinda.» Marybeth’s reply was as simple as a single word, yet that was all it needed ton convey it all. Uttered under the weight of pain, frustration but with clear cold. The world wasn’t fair. Wasting your time on explaining and understanding that truth was something someone as experience-hardened as the head of Thanatos wouldn’t bother herself with. But that was fine.

Instead she picked up on the other thing Kohaku said. «So that’s her name? That pest’s? The martial artist?» There was a clear sense of animosity with the underlying taste of interest. Yes, she had left an impression. «It’s pretty common in this city, I hear. It just takes people, ruins them, then forces them into a corner with no choice but to obey; unless you prefer to die right away. It happened to us. Likely to her as well. She’s an outsider isn’t she? The way she fought isn’t anywhere like these damn Espers, at least.»

As they walked through the dimly lit corridors Marybeth didn’t look left or right at any instance. Heck, she didn’t even check on the girl, assuming she was following behind just fine. A sign of trust? More like confidence in her own ability to keep track of her. «We’ll survive somehow. All we gotta do is finish this job, suck up to the people running the operation and prove we’re superior to that shady bastard we took out. Probably will convince them if we can shift the blame and deliver at the same time.» She clearly overshared. But what did it matter? «And then once all that is wrapped we’re gonna find a way to get him and we’re outta here.»

"I think there were some sparks there, sorry about that. I don't usually lose my cool like that."

Still sitting on the ground, Tsubasa looked up at the girl who admitted to being the cause of the heat in the room. "Pfft", Tsubasa chuckled in amusement. For someone who was ready for blood and had a gun in their hand, Aoki had a strangely innocent, earnest, and honest air about her. "No worries. I believe you. You don't seem like the type to lose your cool easily."

Reina then spoke up, radiating courage as she did. "So, what do you think we should do?"

Tsubasa was impressed by the girl's ability to quickly bounce back and put everyone on track. Once she overcame her shyness, she exuded confidence and showcased amazing leadership skills.

"I think we were discussing the best method to get Dr. Reiner's files on Kurama," Aoki replied.

«Correct. This calls for a classic break-in situation. I presume all we need to do is enter his office after hours, dig through his files and leave. Of course that won’t be as easy. It would be best if we split into two groups. One does the actual break-in, while the other plays the look-out and keeps the escape vehicle ready. Clearly, there is always the luring danger of an enemy ambush.»

"Are we sure it's a good idea to split up... again? Won't we be stronger as a group if we stick together?", Tsubasa was hesitant about leaving anyone behind again. The last time they split up things went south.

"No, the girl is right," interjected Aizawa for the first time in a minute, "it's better that we split into two groups for this kind of operation."

"Whatever," Tsubasa quickly became bored of the conversation before the serious talk even started, and dismissed him with her hand. "I don't really get all this brainy stuff so I'm gonna sleep on the couch over there. When you finish devising your strategy just tell me who I need to punch," she said as she stood up.

As she walking away, her coach was visibly fuming, veins popping out of his forehead. He spoke up.

"Get your butt over here and stop being a brat for once. It's not always about punching people, kid. Focus. As the girl was saying, we need two teams, and there there are actual files we got to retrieve from the place," speaking to everyone, he added "Which means we need to decide on our roles, as well as who the members of each team are. It'd be preferable if we could learn as many details as possible beforehand, about the place, potential enemies, and the files in question. There's much that needs preparation before just barging into the office."

"Fiiiine." Tsubasa pouted.

"Watabe. You wanna protect your friends and be respected by others? Then be responsible," he told his trainee firmly.

It was painful to hear, but it made her realize she was being selfish and self-sabotaging again, falling back into old habits due to her insecurities about her capabilities. "You're right. My bad... I was being a brat. So, what are the details of this plan? I'm all ears." She crossed her arms, and was concentrating as intensely as she could. To the others looking at her, she'd probably seem to be making a funny face right now, not that she'd know it herself.

No matter how much she had heard Marybeth going on about the inevitability of being sucked into the underbelly of the city, Kohaku could not help but find that her words from earlier still stood. It just felt sad and torturous.

Anko. Marybeth. So many others she may not have ever known.

Each of them were not only caught in a painful downward spiral, but also blinded to anything but the swamp they had been continuing the tread further and further into.

It was like a horse being guided only within the view of its blinders.

All paths extraneous to those who their misery benefited were obscured for the bait of a desperate bid for survival.

It truly was just sad to watch. After all, they had all been made to give up on anything resembling salvation.

“It doesn’t have to end at just survival though, right?” Kohaku asked.

“I mean…there are still ways out. Even a corner can...still give an escape route, right?” The girl starting to lose breath let out a hypothetical. She couldn’t agree with the fact that everyone she had met was driven into a corner with no way out. She couldn’t agree with them giving up entirely on seeing the light again. And yet… “I know that’s just hollow words…but I just can’t accept it...that neither you...nor Anko-chan will never be...able to find one.”

“Also...who is him?” Presumably, she wasn’t just talking about the guy she left behind for clean-up.

“If that is the plan, then I would like to volunteer for the breaking in and entering team.”

Hirashi liked Miss Scary Eyes’ clear and concise game plan. Whoever it was they were up against, they were at a significant disadvantage in terms of firepower and personnel. Showing up in a large group will only make them easier to spot and eliminate, it is much better to stick to smaller teams and fly under the radar.

“I do better when not getting shot at and I am not a big fan of vehicles.”

Hirashi was, unfortunately, speaking from experience on both of those points thanks to his dealings with Miss Scary Eyes just a few weeks before.

"I think we were discussing the best method to get Dr. Reiner's files on Kurama,"

«Correct. This calls for a classic break-in situation. I presume all we need to do is enter his office after hours, dig through his files and leave. Of course that won’t be as easy. It would be best if we split into two groups. One does the actual break-in, while the other plays the look-out and keeps the escape vehicle ready. Clearly, there is always the luring danger of an enemy ambush.»

"Are we sure it's a good idea to split up... again? Won't we be stronger as a group if we stick together?"

"No, the girl is right, it's better that we split into two groups for this kind of operation."

It would have been wise to leave the planning to the more experienced members. But it was the nagging familiarity of that name that spurred Reina to speak up.

"Then- then I'll go with you." She said to Kisaragi. Was it irrational? Yes. Was it selfish? Possibly. Was it risky? Certainly. But she had gone beyond being desperate for answers. Now she needed them as much as a wanderer stranded in the desert needed water. If this was her last lifeline to them, then she would take any risk necessary. If Kisaragi denied her, she would follow anyway. "That name, Dr. Reiner. I'm sure I know it from somewhere." She explained. But as if sensing that was not enough to win over the woman in red, she continued, a little more bashfully. "I promise I won't get in the way. And besides I can sense people through walls. So that's sure to come in useful, right?" As much as she had grown, at heart she remained a timid girl.

***

Finding Dr Reiner proved simple. This was not a researcher who hid in the deep recesses of a secret laboratory or within the heavily guarded facilities that were so common in the city. His office was publicly listed. It was located on the tenth floor of a high rise complex adjacent to one of the larger hospitals, even. There were no guards save for a token security team who spent most of their time monitoring the handful of cameras dotted throughout the building. Even those were placed in a scattered manner that left the coverage full of holes. The doors were not reinforced. The windows were regular glass and the only alarms to speak of those hooked up to the front and rear entrances.

There was nothing threatening about that place at all.

That alone was almost enough to inspire dread.

"I recognise this building. This is definitely the place." Reina said as they approached. She felt an eerie sense of displacement as she drew nearer, as if - even though she had no memory of the place - she could navigate the building blindfolded.

«Correct. This calls for a classic break-in situation. I presume all we need to do is enter his office after hours, dig through his files and leave. Of course that won’t be as easy. It would be best if we split into two groups. One does the actual break-in, while the other plays the look-out and keeps the escape vehicle ready. Clearly, there is always the luring danger of an enemy ambush. Ideally we gather as much information as we can. It’s mandatory to have a full overview of the circumstances and conditions at all times.»

"Are we sure it's a good idea to split up... again? Won't we be stronger as a group if we stick together?"

"No, the girl is right, it's better that we split into two groups for this kind of operation."

Aizawa-san is right. It's easier to move stealthily with smaller groups.

“If that is the plan, then I would like to volunteer for the breaking in and entering team. I do better when not getting shot at and I am not a big fan of vehicles.”

"Then- then I'll go with you. That name, Dr. Reiner. I'm sure I know it from somewhere. I promise I won't get in the way. And besides I can sense people through walls. So that's sure to come in useful, right?"

"In that case, Tsubasa and I should probably stay with the vehicle and keep lookout. That works out nicely, I was going to recommend we have the more experienced people split up anyway to make sure each group goes smoothly. Seeing as I'm still injured taking the less physically demanding role will be nice for once. Is that okay with you Tsubasa?"

As much as the girl seemed good in a fight, stealth didn't really seem to be Tsubasa's strong suit. And besides that, if it was just Tsubasa and Aiko keeping the car ready, they could have some time to just talk and hang out.

---

As the car pulled up to the building, Reina spoke up once more.

"I recognize this building. This is definitely the place."

"Be careful in there. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but there are often hidden threats to be careful of. You should be fine as long as you're with Kisaragi but don't push it."

With that, Aiko activated her field at maximum range so she could catch any motion in the area and warn the group of any movement outside.

Tsubasa was going to volunteer for the first group that was going to infiltrate the place. She did prefer high-stakes action to boring lookout duties after all. But as soon as she was about to raise her hand, Aizawa caught it and pushed it down, very subtly. She quickly whispered to him: "Why the fuck are you stopping me?"

"You're too rush and impulsive for an infiltration mission. This needs stealth. Let the others take care of this. You said you trusted them, correct?"

This made her reconsider the current situation and after hearing the others' interventions as well, she eventually got convinced and nodded to herself.

"In that case, Tsubasa and I should probably stay with the vehicle and keep lookout. That works out nicely, I was going to recommend we have the more experienced people split up anyway to make sure each group goes smoothly. Seeing as I'm still injured taking the less physically demanding role will be nice for once. Is that okay with you Tsubasa?"

This actually encouraged Tsubasa even more. She did have something she wished to discuss with her in private. So this arrangement was quite convenient for her.

"Sure thing! Do you even need to ask?" She smirked at the other girl.

"I will be tagging along as well, in fact. I'll be driving and I'll stay in the vehicle with you two."

"What?! Uuuugh, why do you have to come too? You'll be eavesdropping on Aoki and me, I know it...", Tsubasa was disappointed to say the least. "Please, just stay here."

"Sorry, can do no such thing. You guys do need a driver."

"Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease-."

She shut down any attempt at a discourse he or the others might try.

"Whoa. Alright, alright! Geez. Calm down, kid. I'll stay here... But if you need any backup, you know how to contact me, let me know asap. I'll follow your location through the GPS real-time sharing application on your phone... As all previous times when you ran away from your training."

Neat!

"Woohoo! Thank you, old man!"

"Who're you calling- you know what, nevermind. We don't have time for this. It's time. Go out there and protect your friends, yeah?"

"Roger that, coach!"

---

The car pulled up following Reina's instructions confirming the target building.

"Be careful in there. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but there are often hidden threats to be careful of. You should be fine as long as you're with Kisaragi but don't push it."

Aiko activated her field. Witnessing her ability at play was honestly fascinating. It was weirdly very convenient yet so secretive and subtle. It had many uses. Tsubasa felt like this kind of ability was the perfect fit for someone who seemed to be accustomed to stealth operations before this day.

But Tsubasa wasn't really nosy or the curious type. She didn't care much about Aoki's past as much as she simply cared about knowing the friend currently in front of her.

When everyone else left and only the two of them remained in the vehicle, Tsubasa spoke.

"Hey, Aoki. Can I ask you something? It'll be quick I swear, I know we should be vigilant. I am paying attention to my surroundings", she admittedly was more nervous than she thought she'd be. She was starting to sweat and her voice was shaking. "Um... I know my question will sound silly. It's just that I wanted to know if I could call you by your first name. Can I call you Aiko? Is that alright with you? I-I mean you do already call me by mine, so... W-well, if you don't like it it's okay too! So it's totally up to you! Sorry for even asking that, it's a stupid question. We're friends, sure, but maybe not that close yet? I don't really know, I don't know when people shift to a first-name basis. Are we that close? I've never had friends before aside from Hajime. Ugh, forget it. It's okay. Oof this is embarrassing and I'm rambling. Anyways, um, yeah. I-I better stop talking now... ha ha ha...", Tsubasa was talking so quickly that she was out of breath in the end, only finishing her awkward monologue with an even more awkward laugh. Saying she was a mess was an understatement. Her emotions were turbulent. She was opening herself up and exposing her vulnerabilities once again, which left her feeling scared and afraid of what Aoki would say next.

The game was on. While certainly not entirely satisfied with the number of players she had been assigned, Kisaragi Anko had swallowed her itch to complain and instead moved forward. Only to realise the playing field was all the more troublesome. By herself she had taken the initiative to perform an initial scouting tour around the building whilst pretending to be an entirely harmless bystander, analysing whatever she could make out about the security detail in place.

The lack of guards, the careless placement of cameras and the average nature of windows and doors were both obvious and worrisome. If someone cared so little about their own security on the surface something was off. Especially when they had ties to this type of incident.

Not to forget they also had someone who could help them navigate the place, as Reina had confirmed.

Yes, it was too easy.

«We will go through one of the windows in the back. I should be able to force them open without breaking anything. Looking at the way they placed the cameras moving around on the inside shouldn’t be an issue either. You tell us where to go and I’ll guide us through their blind spots.» Consequently the plan was also quite simple. So simple it couldn’t falter. Unless of course this was a trap. «Saito, if anyting goes wrong you will take Reina and run. Create diversions. Whatever you might come up should work. I’ll try to play the bait then.»

That was all she needed to say before she set into motion to once more circle around the building in search for the window she had deemed the ideal access point. Neither visible to any prying eye on the outside public nor overly covered by the security cameras whatsoever. Once there she’d bring forth a screw driver she had acquired in preparation for the break-in, shove it between the window and its frame, only to then use it as a lever to break through the connection and thus force it open.

Once done she’d offer to help the other two on their entry before climbing in herself. «Don’t stray too far. Stick close to me.»


Genuine worry. Both for that Kisaragi Anko and herself. It had been a while since Marybeth had seen anyone wear that on their face, yet not the first time. While she despised the idea of ever being pitied by anyone, she couldn’t just reject it either. No, this was a genuine emotion not someone looking down upon her.

As a result just for once she chose to give an insight into her personal world. «There’s none. Even when you think there is. One day you’ll wake up with a barrel in your face.» Reality was simply as harsh as that when you strayed from the path of normalcy. A dog eat dog world that you couldn’t return from.

And yet, for some reason she didn’t feel like cutting it off at just that. «It’s still worth a shot, though. Surviving till the end is what life’s about in the end.» For once the one eyed menace gave a soft smile, entirely devoid of her usual mania. A single ray of hope. One she’d been believing in for the longest time.

«Also…who is him?» «Doesn’t matter.» With that she shut herself off from the girl, returning back into the reality of abductor and abductee. «Now keep moving.» Some things just couldn’t be shared carelessly.

How utterly fatalistic. No matter how much she repeated Marybeth’s words in her head, she couldn’t fathom the utter fatalism of it all. That it was impossible to ever hope for an end to the utter insanity that was the dog-eat-dog world Kohaku had been witnessing over the past two days didn’t feel right even if it was understandable.

But it was tough to find the strength to even raise her voice in objection to her.

In the end, Kohaku was an outsider. Her voice was probably a single drop in the ocean compared to the murky depths that Marybeth or even Anko had tread.

“Even so, I still can’t accept it.”

It was a presumptuous thing to say. She, who had no experience in this world, was the least qualified person to even do so.

In the end, there was no reason for anyone to give a damn. She could deny for all the world cared and it wouldn’t make a difference.

And yet, that may sometimes be the best voice. The idiot on the outside who could tell the idiots on the inside who had given up on everything that there was still a ray of light left.

“There’s always something. A brighter end, even if it’s not a comfortable one to find.”

Beyond complacency. Beyond the status quo.

As she nodded and ran along, Kohaku realized something. She couldn’t let things end without proving to the world there was something worth grasping beyond all of the muck.

“Fine. Let’s keep moving.”

“Then- then I'll go with you.”

Hirashi was surprised by Gown Girl’s sudden request to be a part of the break-in. Although her ability to “see” things would be a good fit, Hirashi did not have too much faith in her other qualities.

“I recognise this building. This is definitely the place.”

Hirashi was even more surprised when Miss Scary Eyes went along with Gown Girl’s request without much complaint.

As for Hoodie Girl and Mad Biker, they volunteered to be on standby near the van. Mad Biker’s manager nearly tagged along too but stayed behind due to Mad Biker’s nagging.

The building they planned to break into was shockingly easy to find. No guards, drones, or fancy laser grids and such that Hirashi had imagined. For someone who has documents related to a new potential power development programme and professional hit squads, they could pretty much walk though the backdoor.
«Saito, if anyting goes wrong you will take Reina and run. Create diversions. Whatever you might come up should work. I’ll try to play the bait then.»
It was obvious Miss Scary Eyes felt the whole setup was a, well, setup and Hirashi did not need to be told twice to run for it if things go pear shaped. Miss Scary Eyes proceeded to expertly pry open a window and motion the two of them to climb inside, offering a boost up to the window sill.
Hirashi politely declined Miss Scart Eyes with a soft wave and hopped inside, Hirashi was unfamiliar with how those boosts worked and would rather sick with what he knew. With a little push from his telekinesis, he managed to make a silent landing and tried to look around the room he was in.

Reina gladly accepted Anko's help climbing through the window. With her short height she couldn't reach the ledge even by jumping and it was only with the taller girl helping to boosting her up that she was able to scramble through in an ungainly and clumsy manner. Saito's graceful and silent entry was wasted as Reina tumbled to the floor in a heap. She whispered an embarrassed apology to her fellow infiltrators.

She was most definitely not suited for this sort of thing she realised, picking herself up off the floor of the empty meeting room.

A quick scan of their surroundings confirmed that there was no one in range. She couldn't say precisely how far her ability extended, but at the very least she felt confident stating "There's no one in the corridor or the next room."

Still, she felt the strange urge to creep along on the balls of her feet as she followed behind Anko and Saito.

***

At the far side of the building, in a small private office a lone man sat at his desk, quietly browsing reports and studies and textbooks and handwritten notes.

Dr Reiner was a man devoted to his work, after all. Known amongst his colleagues in the small institute for his diligence. It was not unusual for him to be found poring over his patients' files long after regular working hours had ended.

And tonight was no exception.

With her field active to keep watch over the surroundings, Aiko pulled the little lever to recline her seat get a nice stretch. Despite being in the middle of the city, the night felt very calm. If it wasn't for the timely interruption, Aiko my have fallen asleep right there.

"Hey, Aoki. Can I ask you something? It'll be quick I swear, I know we should be vigilant. I am paying attention to my surroundings"

When Tsubasa asked this, she looked pretty nervous. Seeing that, Aiko couldn't help but feel a bit nervous as well. Could she have finally have decided to question Aiko about her past. If she did, what should she say. The truth had worked pretty well so far but she'd omitted some important things. Aiko's thoughts were racing but she tried to answer in as casually a manner as she could manage.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Um... I know my question will sound silly. It's just that I wanted to know if I could call you by your first name. Can I call you Aiko? Is that alright with you? I-I mean you do already call me by mine, so... W-well, if you don't like it it's okay too! So it's totally up to you! Sorry for even asking that, it's a stupid question. We're friends, sure, but maybe not that close yet? I don't really know, I don't know when people shift to a first-name basis. Are we that close? I've never had friends before aside from Hajime. Ugh, forget it. It's okay. Oof this is embarrassing and I'm rambling. Anyways, um, yeah. I-I better stop talking now... ha ha ha..."

Aiko was stunned. Her mind had been racing so fast trying to figure out the right answer to a much more serious potential question that it took her a moment to even process this much more mundane one. The 5 seconds Aiko just sat there in stunned silence must have felt like and eternity to the girl sitting across from her. Until that silence was broken by a probably unexpected fit of laughter.

"Ahahahahaha! Yes! You can call me Aiko. In fact, please call me Aiko. With how nervous you looked right there, I though you were going to ask something really serious."

Aiko took a moment to catch her breath. She was relieved Tsubasa's inquiry wasn't anything that would negatively affect their friendship. In fact it was quite the opposite.

"So if you've never had friends besides Hajime and I... does that mean their the one... that isn't around anymore?"

Aiko didn't know why she asked that. The mood was jovial and she probably just ruined it. Her curiosity over what appeared to be the source of a lot of her friend's pain had just spilled over unintentionally.

"If... you don't mind me asking that is."

No alarms. Not a single budge; even following the clumsy entrance of the frail girl. Kisaragi needed a moment for the tension to wear off as she had quickly dove into a blindspot from the door, leaning back against a wall right behind it. With this she had hoped to evade the attention of any possible hostile presence whilst utilising Reina and Saito as a bait to ultimately strike down any guard whatsoever.

However, nobody had come.

In fact, according to their human echolot nobody had been present nearby at all.

«Next time, be more careful.» Was all she could tell the girl in her usual sharp tone. Keeping it short she simply followed the new intel, carefully pressing down the door handle before pulling it open by a margin to scan the hallway. Once she could confirm the girl’s claims, she’d move out, her steps entirely silent. Not that it mattered.

…

This was too easy. This was too straight forward.

Said thoughts occupied her as they traversed the building with unusual ease. And each time they crossed her mind, her state of tension grew and sharpened. After the events of the previous night and day that heightened carefulness was only a natural response…however when it wouldn’t pay off it was also bound to eventually overproblematicise matters.

She’d let silence linger up until the moment they arrived at their presumed destination. The moment they would notice the presence of someone.

«Say. Does this Dr. Reiner keep physical files?», she’d whisper only then. Of course only to acquire the most critical information.

"Ahahahahaha! Yes! You can call me Aiko. In fact, please call me Aiko. With how nervous you looked right there, I though you were going to ask something really serious."

Seeing Aiko laugh so much made Tsubasa become self-aware of the silliness of her request. She got flustered, her face becoming beet red.

"R-right, thanks. But please don't laugh at me," she pleaded in jest, then scratched her hair and smiled bashfully. As she was pondering how to alleviate the insuing awkwardness, the next question took her by surprise.

"So if you've never had friends besides Hajime and I... does that mean their the one... that isn't around anymore?"

"Oh..." It took her a moment to fully understand what was being asked, and her face probably betraying the sudden change in her mood.

"If... you don't mind me asking that is."

Honestly, she wasn't sure how she felt about the question. If anyone could ask her about him, it was definitely Aiko. At the same time, Tsubasa wasn't certain that she had the mental fortitude to explain her whole past right now. She quickly realised that that wasn't even Aiko's question in the first place. Tsubasa's mind was just spiraling. Aiko just wanted to know if he's the friend who died. So... this conversation should be simple enough... hopefully.

"Yeah, Hajime is-" Just as she started talking, her voice started wavering again, and her hands were shaking. "Ugh... ha ha, sorry. It's sometimes tricky to speak about him directly," she took a deep breath and continued, "But you're right. Hajime is the childhood friend that I lost. He... he was like my brother. We were inseparable..."

She noticed that her heart was pounding so much she could hear it in her ears. The trembling in her hands persisted, so she curled them up into two fists in an attempt to stop it.

“There's no one in the corridor or the next room.”

Gown Girl’s statement confirmed Hirashi’s observations, if she had the confidence to say that out loud, it was safe to assume there was indeed nobody around, and her tumble thankfully did not blow their cover.
Miss Scary Eyes however, seemed to have instinctively took cover regardless. If there had been someone here, Hirashi would have been spotted along with Gown Girl. Being equal parts annoyed and relieved, Hirashi followed Miss Scary Eyes’, who lead the group to the doctor’s office.
To Hirashi’s dismay, the lights were on, and someone was very much home. Light spilled out from under the office door Infront of them, and the quiet whisper of moving pages can be heard from the outside.  Hirashi was suddenly unsure of what to do. The original plan was to find and steal the files they wanted, but now the doctor was there…

<<Say. Does this Dr. Reiner keep physical files?>>

Hirashi could not answer the question, so he gave Miss Scary Eyes’ a shrug, not wanting to speak. Even though he heard sounds of paper from outside the door, they might not be the files they were looking for. More importantly, Hirashi did not know Dr. Reiner’s motivations, would he cooperate with them? Was he in on this whole thing? Does he have those strange powers at his disposal?

Unsure on the best course of action, he looks towards the other two, maybe Gown Girl’s “sight” or Miss Scary Eyes’ ninja skills will reveal more.

It was clear to Aiko that Tsubasa was having a tough time mustering up the mental fortitude to talk about Hajime. The trauma surrounding what happened to him ran deep in her. She wore the pain she felt on her sleeve and Aiko didn't need Reina's ability to know how Tsubasa was feeling.

"Yeah, Hajime is-. Ugh... ha ha, sorry. It's sometimes tricky to speak about him directly. But you're right. Hajime is the childhood friend that I lost. He... he was like my brother. We were inseparable..."

It seemed like Tsubasa was barely keeping it together. She had clenched her hands into fists to try and gain some measure of composure again. Aiko reached over and wrapped her hands around Tsubasa's, hoping to pull her mind away somewhat from what she was feeling and reassure her that everything was alright.

"Death is hard. Especially if it's the first time you've had the experience of someone near you dying. It occupies your thoughts when your awake, intrudes on your dreams when you sleep, and when you look around, nothing feels quite the same."

As she tried to put into words the feels that surrounded death, Aiko could feel herself slip off the edge of a slope she hadn't quite realized she'd been balancing on, and words and emotions came spilling out.

"A stray thought about the person and suddenly a happy moment is turned somber. You think you see them out of the corner of your eye before reality comes crashing into you again."

With each word it was clearer and clearer that while this had started with Aiko trying to comfort Tsubasa, Aiko had accidently uncorked all the feeling she had been bottling up.

"You start thinking about if there was something you could have done differently. Laying awake at night you think 'how could all of this have been avoided'. I could have found another way. I could have died instead. But I didn't want to die. The gun was supposed to be a last resort. Even still I could have shot anywhere else. I didn't need to kill them..."

Aiko's grip on Tsubasa's hands had grown tight during her ramblings and tears present in her eyes made her own state crystal clear.

«Next time, be more careful.» Reina nodded rapidly with a wide-eyed look of dumb fear. She didn't want to risk angering the fierce woman any further. She wasn't sure what she expected Anko to do to her in such a case, but she suspected it wouldn't be pleasant.

<<Say. Does this Dr. Reiner keep physical files?>>

Reina's flustered look returned. How could she, who barely remembered her own name, know whether this doctor kept his files in paper or digital form? For all she knew he could have them engraved on stone tablets or committed to memory.

"I don't know! Why would I know!?" She whispered urgently."I don't even know how I know his name! I could have just seen it on the way past the office or something." Growing agitated, Reina started to push back at what she felt was the unreasonable pressure of the mounting situation. Why did everything have to go wrong!?

The door opened abruptly enough to stir the air into a gust. Reina's body went rigid. Her face was a warped mask of mixed horror and panic. She let out a strangled squeak like a groan.

"I thought I heard voices..."

The man who stood in the doorway was tall enough that the slicked back blonde hair atop his head grazed the top of the frame. The boxy cut of his white coat spreading his already broad shoulders to block the door completely. The stony, ice cold face glowered down at the trio. A tense second passed before he spoke again.

"Reina?" The pitch black sunglasses he wore hid his eyes, but it was not hard to imagine them boggling in surprise from the way he spoke her name. "Where have you been? You've been missing for days." His intimidating frame seemed to shrink a little as his shoulders slouched.

***

Rachel muttered a string of choice curses under her breath as she shuffled through the bare hallway. Her ears were primed for signs of danger. Ever since losing track of that Natsume girl she had to consider that there was no-one here she could count as friendly, so any stray noise was certain to signal a threat.

Escape had proven more difficult than she had anticipated. This building, whatever it had once been, was a labyrinth of empty spaces threaded by narrow corridors. So far she had managed to evade her captors by diving into dusty crawlspaces and service passages barely wide enough for her to squeeze through. But every other door seemed to be locked and those that weren't only seemed to lead her deeper. Without even a window she couldn't hope to guess if she was going in the right direction.

"F****** typical." She hissed as she rounded a corner into yet another empty skeleton of a room.

Her ears pricked up at the sound of approaching footsteps and distant voices.

"S***. F***. Goddamn F*****. F***..." Her hair whipped her cheeks as she tossed her head back and forth in search of cover or an escape route. "B***. P***. MotherF****."

Rachel balled her fists and prepared to go down fighting.

An eyepatch. Military dress. At least one gun and a knife (that Rachel could see.) The woman who emerged from the other end of the room looked tough as nails.

"F***..."

Useless. That was what Reina proved herself to be when she exploded into a nervous frenzy, as opposed to remaining silent. However, Kisaragi couldn’t voice these. They were supposed to function as a team here, meaning she had to dial back. Although, her urge to simply knock the girl out for good had sparked.

Especially, when the door to the Doctor’s office opened all of a sudden.

As a man emerged, the kunoichi immediately tightened her guard, albeit switching faces on the outside. She looked at him in innocent surprise, startled at the most obvious outlier in his appearance: The sun glasses he chose to wear in the middle of the night.

«Ekusukyuusu… mi… aru… yu… Dokuta—… Raina—?», she spoke in her most broken english, visibly regaining a sense of calm at the sight of the stranger in the dark night. «Ui… faundo… garu…!» A calm that tore apart each time she forced the foreign language out of her mouth at what was the entirety of her human strength.

An act, of course, she had learned to charm and confused foreigers with. Who didn’t appreciate an overly ignorant Japanese girl with desperate eyes trying to appeal to a gaijin.


That was where their conversation had ended. While Marybeth was no friend of childish illusions, she didn’t go as far as to extinguish the notion of hope placed by the girl. Why? She didn’t know herself, but what did it matter?

Not that it had to, had chance something else in mind for them

«F***…»

A young blonde had appeared around the corner. A child, clearly not an employee of the house, but a guest. A stray one who had dared to defy the rules of the landlord. «Is that any way to speak at your age, kiddo? Didn’t your parents or whoever raised you didn’t teach manners?» She smiled. Of course she did. That mania filled smile of hers was her other most intimidating feature right next to that hollow eye socket.

And if not for that, it was the gun she had immediately pulled from its holster to aim it at the child’s chest. «Well fuck indeed, though.» Lethal violence had been the least thing she had to be prepared to deal, even with children. Actually, especially with the children of this city. «Care to tell me where you’re headed?»

When Aiko wrapped her hands around Tsubasa's, a sense of relief washed over her. Somehow, she knew that the other girl genuinly felt her pain. And she was proven right just a second later as Aiko spoke.

"Death is hard. Especially if it's the first time you've had the experience of someone near you dying. It occupies your thoughts when your awake, intrudes on your dreams when you sleep, and when you look around, nothing feels quite the same."

Tsubasa realised at that moment the extent of her loneliness and trauma. Oh, how long had she longed for someone to share her pain with. Every word Aiko mouthed probed her very core. Tsubasa listened attentively, finally finding someone who could relate with her darkest feelings.

"A stray thought about the person and suddenly a happy moment is turned somber. You think you see them out of the corner of your eye before reality comes crashing into you again."

Aiko was still talking, and it was visibly affecting her as well. But Tsubasa couldn't interrupt. Not yet. She was entranced. The other girl's description was vividly playing in her own mind, for she had indeed the same experience herself. Hajime never left her, not really. She had always heard his voice, whispers on the back of her neck, jolly murmurs in her ear, soft encouragements or firm warnings as she went through her life. But alas, she knew it was but lies. Hajime is long dead. Burried six feet under. Her vulnerable mind played tricks on her, and every single time, she falls for it for a mere second, before reality comes crashing into her, to use Aiko's words herself.

Aiko understood this insanity that consumes you, this obsession that haunts you. She probably had a similar experience to her.

"You start thinking about if there was something you could have done differently. Laying awake at night you think 'how could all of this have been avoided'. I could have found another way. I could have died instead. But I didn't want to die. The gun was supposed to be a last resort. Even still I could have shot anywhere else. I didn't need to kill them..."

Tsubasa was listening with her full attention; following every word that flowed from Aiko's mouth.

It still took her several seconds to fully comprehend the last part.

The first thing that hit her was a strong feeling of wrongness about what she was hearing. Something was amiss.

Then, her brain alarms started ringing, warning her that this wasn't an accidental death. Aiko was responsible.

"Hm?", she said more to herself than to Aiko. Her brain was still processing the words.

Finally, after about three seconds, the full picture was now clear in her mind.

"Ah...", she meekly said, her face betraying her discomfort and shock.

She didn't know how to react, or how to take this information. She wasn't expecting this to be Aiko's past, nor was she ready for such a twist, honestly. She had always thought of Aiko as a kind and gentle girl. What could ever push her to ki-

She couldn't even finish the thought. Her trauma made her physically incapable of thinking about ending someone's life. The very concept of doing it intentionally made her feel sick. As violent as Tsubasa may look, she was never really put in a situation where she would truly end other's lives. Even when she faced the Skill-Outs in the past, it was really all just a bunch of thugs fighting each other, never did anyone of them try to harm her that badly, nor did she ever attempt to cause serious damage either. Maybe it was an unspoken rule between them, maybe they somehow new her identity as a rising pop star and wanted to avoid bigger trouble; she didn't really know the answer, nor did she ever think to ask something like that in the first place.

Tsubasa was lost in thought for a brief moment, when she noticed the tears in Aiko's eyes and felt the girl's grip tighten on her hands... and she immediately regretted her prior reaction. This was her friend. Her friend. Was she going to let this affect their friendship? But could she truly look past this. She honestly couldn't. But she knew that Aiko needed her now more than ever. She just shared her deepest secrets with her, and it was Tsubasa's turn to listen and comfort her, unconditionally, without judgement. Besides, she didn't even know the full circumstances of what happened yet.

Wasn't that what friends were for?

She slapped her two cheeks, quickly bowed her head and said loudly:

"I'm sorry! I was starting to doubt you after hearing what you said! But no judgement anymore! Really sorry for not having enough trust in you for a minute, Aiko!"

She might have said too much. It might have been better not to explain her thought process; Aiko didn't need to know what went through her mind. A more mature and canny person would probably foresee that getting into the details during an apology only make their friend feel even worse about it. But, that was Tsubasa's naive honesty.

She sat back up and held Aiko's hands in her own, imitating the other's previous gesture to comfort her, trying to do the same for her.

"It's okay. I'm listening, if you wanna talk about it. If you don't, that's fine as well. At the very least, know that I do understand the feeling of being haunted by the dead, believe me. I've also been there."

"Hm? Ah..."

Aiko went pale. All she had wanted to do was comfort Tsubasa but somehow it had turned out like this. Aiko had no intention of ever revealing that to Tsubasa and the look on her face as she processed what Aiko had said was exactly the reason why. Shock and discomfort. Eyes that seemed to be staring at her like she was some kind of horrifying creature. And after all, why shouldn't they. There was blood on her hands.

Aiko could feel her tears falling onto her hands as they gripped tight to Tsubasa's. Aiko wanted to just curl up into a ball and hide herself from Tsubasa's gaze, but at the same time, if felt to her that if she let go of her hands it would all be over. Aiko tightened her grip, hoping not to lose what she had, only for Tsubasa's hands to slip away.

"I'm sorry! I was starting to doubt you after hearing what you said! But no judgement anymore! Really sorry for not having enough trust in you for a minute, Aiko!"

"W-what..."

Tsubasa had pulled her hands away, but not to get out of Aiko's grasp, but to snap herself out of her own thoughts. Though Tsubasa had still admitted to losing her trust in her. It hurt but what else could be expected from finding out your friend was a murderer.  

"It's okay. I'm listening, if you wanna talk about it. If you don't, that's fine as well. At the very least, know that I do understand the feeling of being haunted by the dead, believe me. I've also been there."

Looking back up at Tsubasa, Aiko could see the resolve in her friend's eyes. The shock and discomfort seemed to still be present to an extent, but both were being smothered by a desire to be there for her friend. If it was her, maybe Aiko could let her know. Maybe she wouldn't cast her aside like Aiko worried she would. Aiko took a deep breath to calm herself before speaking again.

"My mother is a police officer. She encounters criminals on a daily basis. One day, after getting home late and looking worse for wear, she told me that 'Someone who has killed another, cannot die a human. The moment they kill another, they kill their humanity as well, and become a monster.' I don't know what happened to her that day, and I never had the courage to ask. What I do know, is that it's too late for me now. I've killed someone before, and with them, my humanity. Now I'm nothing but a monster. But if somehow you could look past that, if you could continue to be the friend of a monster like me..."

Aiko's trailed off into a somber silence. She couldn't finish the sentence. Not when she couldn't even accept herself.

"N-nevermind... I'm sure you want nothing to do with someone like me."

«Mhm…»

At first the groaned. Then, her eyes slowly slid open as she returned to reality.

For a few moments, reality remained hazy as she readjusted to it. But when she finally had and could make out things in her surroundings, she’d look around.

Was she still in the same space? Still clad in that bloodstained costume? Actually, was he still with her? As her memory returned, the urgency of the moment caught up with her, forcing her to quickly map the circumstances she had missed out on.

Turning left and right, she’d ask, raising her still weak voice to reach anybody. «Li-sensei…?»

It had come to an end. Kohaku had spoken of aiming for happier lives, but at the end of the day, some people were still set in their ways. After all, those ways were always a consequence of long series of experiences. It was never easy to break through years to decades of resignation to grisly fates with a few words.

But it was never impossible.

But that was all. Before she could consider much more, she had heard a storm of expletives before eventually catching sight of an ordinary small blonde girl one could find anywhere.

Though before she could even say much, Marybeth had already started pointing a weapon at the child.

“Marybeth-san, can you put the gun away? Please?” Kohaku asked as she felt the aftereffects of their long run finally catching up to her legs and burning away at her calves.

In that moment, she crouched down until she looked eye to eye with the young girl. “But she is right. Who are you and what’s going on?”

It was totally not a chance to give her calves a break and allow herself to recover her energy before they had to run again. Absolutely not. Why would you even think it?

"My mother is a police officer. She encounters criminals on a daily basis. One day, after getting home late and looking worse for wear, she told me that 'Someone who has killed another, cannot die a human. The moment they kill another, they kill their humanity as well, and become a monster.' I don't know what happened to her that day, and I never had the courage to ask. What I do know, is that it's too late for me now. I've killed someone before, and with them, my humanity. Now I'm nothing but a monster. But if somehow you could look past that, if you could continue to be the friend of a monster like me..."

Tsubasa's eyes were swelling with tears by the time Aiko finished talking about her past. She maintained firm eye contact, trying to communicate to the girl her sincere resolve to never doubt her again. At the same time, Tsubasa internally chastised herself for not salvaging her earlier blunder in time. The damage was already done. Aiko seemed to think very lowly of herself already, and Tsubasa's lack of tact with her unsavory reaction probably only made the whole thing worse for the girl.

Eventually, Aiko's story came to a somewhat abrupt halt. She went silent for a brief moment, only to add one sentence that made Tsubasa feel the other girl's pain viscerally.

"N-nevermind... I'm sure you want nothing to do with someone like me."

Aiko's words were the last straw—

Her heart was already aching for Aiko after learning about her past. But hearing the utter loneliness and defeat in her voice, dug up memories long buried away. That defeatest attitude, looking like someone who had already given up on themselves. That tone of voice, sounding like someone who has surrendered to despair. It was all way too similar to Hajime's in his last days.

'No no no no. This can't be happening again.

Tsubasa bit her lip, to ease her turbulent thoughts and calm her screaming heart. She would probably taste the metallic liquid if she wasn't being so distracted by what she just heard. Oh, how terrified she was. Worry about Aiko's sanity consumed her. Concern about Aiko's well-being clouded her mind. Fear of failing yet another friend seeped through her pores, but the implication of being pushed away froze her with anxiety.

But—

"I'm sure you want nothing to do with someone like me."

It still echoed in her ears.

Aiko's words were the last straw—

They were exactly what Tsubasa needed to hear to break out of her trance-like state and immediately burst into action. Her body moved on its own, in a spontaneous expression of her bubbling emotions and feelings. She almost leaped from her seat with how quickly she approached the other girl. She engulfed her in a tight hug, firmly wrapping her arms around her. She feared that if she didn't do at least that to keep her anchored in place, the other would just disappear on her like a ghost, or slip through her fingers like grains of sand.

"Aiko, listen. You don't need to ask. I'll never forsake you, I'll never abandon you. No matter what happened in the past, no matter what happens in the future. I'll always be your friend. I'll always be in your corner. Honestly, this is my fault. I let some preconceived ideas and some stupid fears cloud my judgment and almost, almost, affect my trust, but it didn't in the end, don't worry. Holy shit, I'm so dumb. You've only shown me kindness and care and look how I reacted. I am so sorry for hurting you, Aiko." Tsubasa let out a wobbly breath, trying hard not to start sobbing, and tightened her hug. "But, my trust in you is unshakable now, no matter what happens, I'll never doubt you. Because, because, you've been an amazing friend to me! You've extended a helping hand whenever I needed, offered me a shoulder of support whenever I needed," Tears ran down her cheeks and her voice was shaky, "You're probably the kindest soul I've ever met. I'm not even kidding you. You have a heart of gold. Your intentions are pure, and you genuinely care about others. Only a dumbass would doubt your motives. Well, I am an idiot, but you get what I mean. You're the sweetest girl and the most considerate and thoughtful person. About what you did, it's normal that mistakes happened, and might happen in the future too. But I will never hold that against you. And about the whole 'Are you human or a monster now?' thing, I am not academically bright so these philosophical questions go over my head most of the time. But I know one thing: it doesn't matter. Why should it matter? Is it that bad to be a monster? Why is being a monster worse than being a human? Don't most humans have their inner monsters anyways? At least, I know I do. So, I guess to answer your question: I don't care. I don't fucking care if you're a monster or a demon or a fairy. I promise I'll always hold you dear. I'll never come to hate you or shun you. I could never. How could I...? I... I..." Tsubasa was truly ugly crying now and it was becoming harder to talk with the lump forming in her throat, "I know it hasn't been long since we met, but you've quickly grown on me in this short time, and... you became an irreplaceable person to me. I don't want you to suffer like this... I don't like seeing you doubt yourself and blame yourself. I promise... I will never lose faith in you, ever again. So, believe in yourself too. Don't try to push me away with self-deprecating comments again... Please... Because I don't give a fuck about who you are or what you did or what you might have to do going forward. All I care about is that you're so awesome and I'm happy when I'm with you."

«Ekusukyuusu… mi… aru… yu… Dokuta—… Raina—? Ui… faundo… garu…!»

The good doctor smiled appreciatively. As a foreigner he was used to such treatment.

"I see. Well I must thank you. Please, don't force yourself to speak English on my account. I'm quite fluent in the language here." He said as politely as a gentleman. His head turned to Saito as if waiting for the boy to speak in turn, but respected the young man's silence by not drawing attention to it. "I admit, I'm... a little confused." Touching a a hand to his furrowed brow he scratched at the line of his hair. "Please, come inside and you can explain everything." He offered, holding open the door to his office.

Reina did her best to avoid returning the look she had no doubt Anko was burning into the back of her head and shuffled into the office. Inside smelt of pine and coffee. It was not a spacious office by any means but it was orderly and well cleaned even as the shelves and filing cabinets pressed in on the already tight confines.

"Now, can you tell me what happened? From the beginning?"

***

«Is that any way to speak at your age, kiddo? Didn’t your parents or whoever raised you didn’t teach manners?»

Rachel was about to respond with another blunt curse but the woman's next action stopped her in her tracks. The gun barrel was a yawning void that demanded her attention. She couldn't look away no matter how much she tried. All the world's sounds seemed muted and distant as if she was listening from beneath the surface of water.

«Well fuck indeed, though. Care to tell me where you’re headed?»

For the first time in her life, Rachel found herself without a quick response. Her mouth had dried up and her tongue felt too big by far. The sudden drop of adrenaline into her system felt like falling suddenly. Ice water in her veins and a clenching in her chest that froze her lungs shut were enough to keep her from even forming words in her head.

Several agonising seconds passed before the other girl spoke.

“Marybeth-san, can you put the gun away? Please?”

The words brought Rachel back to her senses.

“But she is right. Who are you and what’s going on?”

Her first thought was to play on their sympathy, but from the speed at which the first woman had drawn her gun, Rachel guessed she had little to spare. Pretending to cry might only give her an excuse to pull the trigger.

There wasn't really a way out of this, was there?

"I'm getting the hell out of here. That's where I'm headed." She steeled herself for a violent response, squaring up to the woman with the gun and looking her in the eye with the most fierce glare she could manage. "And my name is none of your business." She snapped as an aside to the silver haired girl. Despite her tough words there was no hiding the tremor of her hands at her sides.

***
The apartment surrounding Misaki was tidy to a fault, showing no traces of an inhabitant aside from the thick odor of tobacco smoke that clung to every surface.

«Li-sensei…?»

"Yo." That man replied from the apartment balcony where he sat with his back against the door frame. "You mind giving me a warning next time you're about to faint? I'll call a taxi or something."

Tight. Aiko was suddenly feeling very tight, like she was being crushed. Through eyes blurred with tears, Aiko saw Tsubasa embracing her and refusing to let go. It was warm... and it was comforting, if a bit painful as well.

"Aiko, listen. You don't need to ask. I'll never forsake you, I'll never abandon you. No matter what happened in the past, no matter what happens in the future. I'll always be your friend. I'll always be in your corner. Honestly, this is my fault. I let some preconceived ideas and some stupid fears cloud my judgment and almost, almost, affect my trust, but it didn't in the end, don't worry. Holy shit, I'm so dumb. You've only shown me kindness and care and look how I reacted. I am so sorry for hurting you, Aiko."

Aiko wanted to interrupt her. To tell her she was wrong, but the words wouldn't come out. It wasn't Tsubasa's fault, it was all her own. They were her actions, and her consequences. But even as Aiko struggled to speak, Tsubasa continued onward.

"But, my trust in you is unshakable now, no matter what happens, I'll never doubt you. Because, because, you've been an amazing friend to me! You've extended a helping hand whenever I needed, offered me a shoulder of support whenever I needed,"

Aiko could see the them. The tears rolling down Tsubasa's face which then fell leaving little marks on her shirt. Though her embrace was comfort, the tears in Tsubasa's eyes prevented Aiko from from calming her own.

"You're probably the kindest soul I've ever met. I'm not even kidding you. You have a heart of gold. Your intentions are pure, and you genuinely care about others. Only a dumbass would doubt your motives. Well, I am an idiot, but you get what I mean. You're the sweetest girl and the most considerate and thoughtful person. About what you did, it's normal that mistakes happened, and might happen in the future too. But I will never hold that against you. And about the whole 'Are you human or a monster now?' thing, I am not academically bright so these philosophical questions go over my head most of the time. But I know one thing: it doesn't matter. Why should it matter? Is it that bad to be a monster? Why is being a monster worse than being a human? Don't most humans have their inner monsters anyways? At least, I know I do. So, I guess to answer your question: I don't care. I don't fucking care if you're a monster or a demon or a fairy. I promise I'll always hold you dear. I'll never come to hate you or shun you. I could never. How could I...? I... I..."

Aiko clung to each and every word Tsubasa spoke. Aiko's thoughts had painted herself as a monster. If Tsubasa had tried to reject that notion, it might have gotten through, but there was an equally high chance that her words would have been rejected outright. But that's not what she'd said. She didn't question whether or not it was that case, just recontextualized it. She was a monster and there was nothing wrong with that.

"I know it hasn't been long since we met, but you've quickly grown on me in this short time, and... you became an irreplaceable person to me. I don't want you to suffer like this... I don't like seeing you doubt yourself and blame yourself. I promise... I will never lose faith in you, ever again. So, believe in yourself too. Don't try to push me away with self-deprecating comments again... Please... Because I don't give a fuck about who you are or what you did or what you might have to do going forward. All I care about is that you're so awesome and I'm happy when I'm with you."

Aiko threw her arms around the other girl. Finally returning the hug. The two sat there for a moment, no words, just tears. It was a bit longer before Aiko finally managed to speak again in a voice halfway between sobbing and laughing.

"And I thought you said you weren't strong."

There were still tears running down her checks, but between them a smile was present on her face. She was a monster, but that didn't matter. She had killed people, and might have to again, but that didn't matter either. Even with these things, there were still people who cared about her and that's all the mattered. Aiko took a deep breath, the first in a while, and with it finally started to calm down. She looked at the girl still in her arms.

"Thanks Tsubasa. Now any more crying and I'll need to get a new shirt."

Aiko voice still held the tell tale sounds of someone who's been crying, but through that, her normal joking tone had managed to poke through as well.