“Do ya even hear yerself, stupid?! I can’t hold crap in these! Why do ya think I carry around a bag?!” Shizuka yelled, poking Reito’s chest.

“Look, all I’m sayin’ is that you’re overexaggeratin’! It’s normal for girls to haul a lotta stuff anyway! So even if their pants pockets suck like ya say, who cares?! There’s no point in havin’ bigger ones, even then, the ones ya have ain’t even that bad!” He snapped back.

Evie, whose room they were in, watched on, unable to even get the point of their argument.

“...Umm...I’m kinda lost. What’s this about pockets again?”

“Perfect, a second opinion! Can ya please tell this blockhead that girl pants pockets are the most useless thing in the world? You can barely fit half a hand in there, guy pockets are waaay better! You of all people should get my point, right?”

“Errm...I-I mea-”

“And can you tell her that they’re not that bad anyway? I don’t even have anythin’ but my phone to carry in the first place, normal people don’t need that much pocket room! Besides, if it’s that much trouble, then don’t carry your whole life around with ya!” He shouted, causing her to back up.

“Umm, I...wear a dogi most of the time…,” she pulled on her collar in a nervous sweat, “so I never usually have pockets in the first place… But when I wore regular clothes, maybe they were a bit too small, maybe...? I...don’t think I’m the best person to ask about this...heh-heh…”

“You’re right,” he crossed his arms,” in the first place, why do ya need an outside opinion? Your points can’t stand on their own? You’re basically screamin’ that I’m right!”

“You asked her right after I did! Shut up, man! Want me ta send ya flyin’?!”

“Try it! I’ve gotten stronger since the last time ya clocked me, so hope you're ready to be knocked straight to Shibuya this time!

“BAAAASTARRRRD!! ORRRAAAA!! They shouted, clasping hands and entering a grip contest.

...I guess when you’re as close as they are, you argue about really small stuff all the time, huh? Evie thought with a smile.

They seemed even at first, until Shizuka moved forward and bent his hands back, all the while a cocky grin on her face.

“OWWWW! SHIT, SHIT, SHIT! NEVERMIND! I QUIT! UNCLE! SHIIOOONN!”

“Hmm~? What was that~? I thought you said you’d win this time~?” She teased. “Cryin’ shame. Buuuut, if you admit I’m right, I may think about letting you go. How bout it, Rei~?”

“Urk! D-don’t go usin’ that sweet and innocent...tone when you’re about to s-snap my hands off!" He said, smiling through the pain, “I’m right, and that’s a fact! Nothin’ ya do is gonna change my mind, ya gorilla-!” He stopped, feeling her tighten her grip once more. “GAAAAAAHHHH!!”

“Ya say that, but my methods are preeety persuasive, right? Wait, weren’t you about to say something else...something about a gorilla…~?” She asked with an innocent smile.

“URRGGHHHHGH! GAAAAAHHH!” He screamed, slipping from her grip before grabbing his hands and rolling around. “Son of a-! That hurt! I swear, I heard somethin’ crack midway through!” Shouldn’t have tried that! My right arm’s been killin’ me ever since I used Impact Geyser!

“Sha-ha-ha! Yer ten billion years too early to be tryna take me on in a strength contest! Another win for me! That makes it 0 to 132 me!” The Ono laughed, puffing out her chest.

“There’s your dialect again!”

“Errr...my bad! Got a little full of myself for a second, heh-heh.”

“Not that it wasn’t funny to watch you almost break Tochi’s fingers...but you guys said you had something planned…?

The two who were just arguing grinned at each other.

“Right you are, little Miss Lightnin’ Bug! Just so happens that we know this really great place to get some grub. From what I’ve heard, if ya want the best eats, ya gotta take the bullet to Minami, 40 whole minutes for a bite if you’re on the Kita side! That’s not even considerin’ how long it takes to get there with a map of the place!”

“Buuuut,” Shizuka chimed in, “we know a place that serves top tier food that’s right here on the Kita side! How lucky are you?!”

“The one and only place we’re talkin’ up-”

“Isssss-”

“Old man Gyno’s Korean BBQ Joint! Hell yeeeaaah!” They exclaimed in unison, locking arms.

“KBBQ…? I’ve never had it before.”

“Huh?! Seriously?! Never?! What? Have you been living under a rock?!” Shizuka asked, grabbing her by the arms.

“Don’t think it really matters though,” he dismissed with the wave of a hand, “only bad thing is that you’ll never get a chance to eat another kind again. Once you’ve had a bite of his, any other kind tastes like shit in comparison!”

Evie’s eyes lit up as her head was filled with the promise of the best food she’d ever had. “That good?! From the way you guys are talking about it, I’m interested! Let’s go!” She rocketed to her feet and made a beeline for the door.

“That’s that, but still,” he whispered to Shizuka, “do ya really think it was a good idea to invite her? I kinda just like it when it’s just a Shion and Reito thing, y’know.”

“Well now it’s a Shion, Reito and Evie thing.” She lightly punched him in the arm. “Come on, she’s a cool girl, if a little quirky. Plus, maybe this’ll break you out of that loner viewpoint you’ve got. Not to be rude, but you can come off as a huge jackass.”

“Not even gonna sugarcoat, huh?” He sighed. “...Fine, fine. I’ll go along with it. But don’t expect me to treat her all buddy, buddy. If she gets on my nerves too much, she’s gettin’ punted straight into the stratosphere.”

“I’m sure she won’t try to eat at you too much...maybe. Meh, it’ll be fine, plus I’ll pound her if she does anything too pervy.”

With that, he unenthusiastically got up as well.

“Hold on you, two,” Shizuka exclaimed, pulling her hoodie out of her bag, “gotta cover my hair!”

The two stopped in their tracks and turned back. “Oh yeah, I keep forgetting. Your hair just screams, “She’s an Ono!”, Shizu.”

“How could you forget? Purple and yellow natural hair’s not exactly common. Well, unless you’re an anime character.”

“I dunno,” she smiled resting her arms behind her head, “it’s just not something I really thought about I guess. To me, you always just seemed like a normal girlie girl.”

Shizuka smiled “Evie… Thanks...pretty cool of you.”

“Plus, even through your clothes, I can tell, you’ve got a pretty rockin’ bod~!”

“...Gimme back my praise...seriously,” she said, monotone.

“But beside that, why don’t you just dye it? Straight purple wouldn’t look bad at all.

“Would if she could, but dye doesn’t work on her,” He brought up.

“Yep. Sucks, but it’s pointless.” Shizuka ran a hand through her locks. “I’ve got a strong resistance to poison. Well, I guess it’s more like I’m straight-up immune to it. And lucky me, hair dye counts as a toxin. I can go through the process all day, but it’d just be wasting water, money and time.”

Poison immunity, a trait of a seasoned assassin… Cool! Evie marveled in her mind. “You’ve tried that, but what about just putting on a wig? It’d be different if you were fighting, but if you’re just going from place to place, I don’t think you'd hafta worry about it falling off.”

Shizuka froze on the spot. “...............”

“...Shion? Don’t tell me you’ve never thought about somethin’ as simple as that? The girl who's always on my case about thinkin’ things through, never thought to just throw on a wig?!

She started breaking into a sweat. “GUESS IT SLIPPED MY MIND! FUNNY, FUNNY! RIGHT?!”

Her maniacal chuckles were proof that it never even crossed her mind

“...Guess even you can be pretty ditzy sometimes, huh?” Evie grinned, walking to her closet and pulling out a silver colored wig. “You can just wear your cap lower to hide your eyebrows. As for the hair, I think I know a color that’d do you justice! Then just slap on some red contacts and you’ll be a real knockout~!

“HERE I COME, WORLD!!!!” Yelled Shizuka, overjoyed at her new look. She donned a silver wig and red colored contacts.

“You’re gonna bust someone’s eardrums shoutin’ like that. Is a wig really somethin’ to rave about?”

“Hmph! I’ve been walking around in that thing for as long as I’ve been here, being able to do it without a hood on is a breath of fresh air for me, it’s the principle! Even if I can’t do it at school, I can at least do so when I’m not!”

Hmm, guess she has wanted this for a hot minute...and she looks pretty happy about it, he realized. “Whatever, it’s not doin’ any harm. Go nuts I guess.”

“I’m going nuts just looking at her,” Evie drooled, “A silver haired beauty~ Wow, you’re hot, Shizu~!

“Do ya ever get tired of soundin’ like an old pervy geezer?” Reito said, lightly chopping her on the head, “that aside, you’ve got the look, but you’d better make up a persona, that disguise ain’t worth crap if you’re rockin’ the same name.”

“You’re right,” she agreed, crossing her arms to think, “how abooouut…? Ah! Got it! While I’m like this, just call me Ramona, Ramona Flowers!” She exclaimed, puffing her chest out triumphantly.

“Reeeeaall original there. What, ya gonna pull a hammer outta your bag now?”

“Totally! And while I’m at it, how bout I swing it straight at the back of your skull, smartass?” She threatened.

“Urk!" He shivered. "Point taken! Let’s just get goin’ before my stomach starts to digest itself.

“No complaints here,” Evie agreed, jumping onto his shoulders, “let’s get outta here, onward Armored Stead Tochi!” She pointed forward, as if commanding him.

“What th-?! Who’re ya callin’ a horse?! Get off!” He shook wildly in an attempt to knock her down, but she was able to stay atop him via wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Come oooon! Samurai ride in on horses all the time! It’s natural! Who wouldn’t wanna be an armored horse for a day?!”

“Anyone with a lick of sanity, that’s who! Shion, aren’t ya gonna say somethin’ to her?!”

“Why? Not like she’s doing something wrong. The way I see it, you pretty much owe her for helping you get to the Top 2 in the first place, so just let her have it, Mr.Armored Horse~” she teased.

“Guuh-! Why do ya hafta make it 2 on 1?” He slumped his shoulders. “Oh well, whatever. Just don’t tell anyone about this or you’re dead. Get it, Lightnin’ Bug?”

“As long as you get me from point A to B, my lips are sealed!”

“Alright, I guess...here we go,” he sighed.

“Bout time! Here we come, old timer!” Shizuka shouted with a wide smile.

The three had made their way into the City, surrounded by people conversing, cars going to and fro, along with all the noise that came with it. But they saw no problem with it. Oddly enough, they trekked on, Shizuka actually seeming to enjoy it as she bobbed her head side to side.

Evie then started humming and doing the same before beginning to sing. “Oh the wind caaaaaries my naaaaaame, from Ninja Island faaar aaawaaaayy~~ Wheeen I set my sights on yooou, ooolooolaalaaloooooo~”

“What’s with that corny song? It’s gratin’,” Reito whined.

“Glad you asked! Characters in shounen manga and anime usually have a theme song, right? A piece that completely embodies the kinda character they are while sounding awesome to boot. So, I made up my own! I call it “Shinobi Queen”. Pretty cool, huh?”

“I thought it sounded familiar! That’s just Sniper King’s theme song from One Piece!

“Whoops, busted! Guess it’s more of an original remix then, huh?” she playfully stuck her tongue out.

“Original my ass! Tch. Come on, ‘Ninja Island’? You’re from overseas, stupid.”

“You’re just mad because you don’t know where it is, silly goose. Come on, Tochi,” she teased, a mocking grin on her face, “you’ve gotta stay with the program. Are you using your head at all?”

A small vein appeared on his forehead. “I’m gonna slug you… Shut. Up.”

His anger did nothing to deter her as she patted his head like a mother would her son. “Awww~ You just wanna know where it is, dontcha~? Well, no worries, I’ll tell you! The secret to reaching Ninja Island is,” she poked his chest, “within your heart.”

“Yeah, you're one more mouth flap away from bein' chucked into traffic,” he growled. She’s just as much of a pain as always...but…at least she’s back to her usual self, he thought, remembering when she snapped during their match together. Her constant carefree jokes at my expense are kind of a pain to deal with, but she’s the best this way. Even if I only say that because her angry eyes almost made me piss myself!

“Sha-ha! Ninja Island, huh? Sounds cool! If I understood, all I’ve gotta do is follow my heart, and I can reach it too~?” Shizuka asked, taking big strides while wearing a goofy grin.

“Exactly,” she pointed, “you’ve got it right, exactly, Shizu!”

“Oi, don’t egg her on!”

“Hee-hee. Alright, calm down, Mr.Grumpy. Say, since you two are showing some new eats, how about I show you a new delicaly next time you’re free?”

“Fat chance, half pint. I’ve eaten just about everythin’, sushi, filet mignon, calamari, kimchi, you name it. So I seriously doubt that you’ll be able show me anythin’ I haven’t chowed down on before.”

“Hmm,” she put a finger on her chin to think before smirking,” how about nyotaimori~?”

“PFFFFFT!!” Reito, along with Shizuka who’s peppy streak was broken by the notion simultaneously choked and flew into a coughing fit out of pure shock.

“Ack! What the hell, dude?! Why would ya even think of bringin’ up somethin’ like that?!” He scolded with a deep blush.

“You’re right, that was really inconsiderate on my part. You’re worried about the price, no? Buying a service like that would cost you an arm and a leg, normally. I get why you wouldn’t wanna. But don’t worry, it’ll be on me, in more ways than one~~ I’m as flat as a cutting board, in other words, the perfect plating, and if it’s you, I wouldn’t mind one bit, Tochi~~” She alluringly insinuated.

“That’s. Not. The. Problem! It’s the principle! Even though that sounds pretty good, food wise and from a visual standpoint, but I ain’t tellin’ her that! He tried to deter her while thinking the opposite.

“I think I get it, you like roads with a few more bumps in them,” she turned towards the Ono, “in that case, Shizu’s pretty curvy, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind. Whaddya sa-” she bit her tongue as the girl shot her a freighting look, her wig casting a shadow over her eyes. The air seemed to bend and break under the pressure of her alone, making the other two sweat profusely.

“Stop… Talking… Now…!” She demanded.

“...Uhhh…,” he gulped, dreading what was coming to him before he looked in front of him and saw their destination was only a crosswalk away, “uhhh- Heeeeyyyy! Would ya look at that, we’re almost there already?! No point in bein’ so slow then! Hang on, Lightnin’ bug, looks like we’re goin’ full blast for the last couple steps!”

“A-alright then!” She stuttered, wrapping her arms around him as he dashed off.

“I didn’t wanna scare them...Seriously,” Shizuka sighed, simmering down, “at this rate, she’s gonna rub off on him. Dealing with one incarnation of human lust is enough.”

She trekked after them in at her own pace.

“H-hey...you felt like death was coming for you too...right? Or...was it just me?” Evie asked her ride, her forehead still dripping from the interaction.

“Nope...I thought she’d really bisect me this time,” he answered, rubbing his head, “word from the wise...try to tone it down around her...kay? For both of our sakes…”

One step inside the restaurant later, the trio’s noses were hit with a barrage of smells. The aroma of chicken and beef, mixed in with the defined scent of tomatoes, onions and lettuce. Waiters carried food and empty plating to and fro, and stalls were packed with people eating and hanging out, which filled the place with a plethora of voices. The eatery had wood flooring and walls, giving it a rustic vibe, while also being clean and welcoming to anyone who happened to enter.

“Smells nice, Evie stated, giving a quick sniff, “hope it tastes just as good!”

“Even better. By the time ya leave this place, it’s gonna be on your mind 24/7 until ya get back in here,” the boy said, swaying back and forth, “but before that, my shoulders are gettin’ stiff from haulin’ your ass around. Get off already!”

“Is that anyway to ask a lady something? Being vanilla looking and bad with girls isn’t a good combo, y’know. How about a please every once and awhile?”

He popped a vein. “Alright then, get off me, or I’ll throw ya off! Please?!”

“Ahh, how nice of you, Tochi. Alrighty then, down I go!” She complied, hopping off.

“This is your first time here, so try to act civilized. Okay, Evie? Old man Gyno’s a really good friend of ours.”

“Gotcha, chief,” She saluted, “anyone you two are friends with is one of mines, just the same!”

A man came out through the kitchen doors and walked toward the front of the establishment. His hair was grey and short, but he was quite tall. Slight wrinkles ran across the sides of his face, giving him a seasoned look. His blue apron swayed as he stepped out. “Well, I’ll be! Reito! And is that...lil Miss Shi-?"

"Shhh!" She stopped him mid-sentence, which her quickly caught onto as he lowered his voice.

"You’re lookin’ a bit different all of a sudden! I almost didn’t recognize you! Back for more already, eh?”

“Of course we’re back, old man,” she smiled, “you know we can’t let a month pass without eating at our favorite spot! As for the color, I got tired of wearing a hoodie all the time, so I flipped the script!”

“As long as ya keep the place runnin’ you’ll catch us here every so often, ole timer,” Reito snarked.

The man rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish smile. “Can’t say I’m not happy to hear that. Although, I wish you’d just call me Mr.Gyno, I’m not that old, I’m barely pushing 65.”

“Mid 60's…? Isn’t that still pretty old?” Evie spoke up, tilting her head.

Gyno’s red eyes darted to her. “You’re Fulgur Shade Evie Tanaka, aren’t you? Fancy that! A Student Council-women in the flesh, haha! What brings you here?”

Reito sighed “That’d be us,”

“Ahh, I see, the only girl I ever see you with is Shizuka. Who knew you had it in you to get a girlfriend this cute?”

“Not. My. Girlfriend. Not even in a million years. She’s not even a friend, just an acquaintance, and barely that,” he strongly dismissed with the wave of a hand. “Ya goin’ senile or somethin’?”

“Girlfriend?” Evie brought her hands to her cheeks and turned away. “Well, it’s not official yet, but...~”

“Oi! Don’t add fuel to the fire!” Reito scolded

“Ha-ha-ha, I’m just joking! Anyway, the name’s Harui Gyno! Nice to meetcha!”

“Right back atcha, old man! And you don’t hafta be so formal, call me Evie, kay?”

He hung his head in disappointment. “Another kid who calls me ‘old’… Seriously, I’d even be fine with just Harui…”

“Sorry. I’m just so used to it at this point that it’d be hard to train myself to call you anything else,” Shizuka apologized.

“It’s fine, no use worrying about it. I’m sure your spot’s lonely without you guys, so get back there already.”

“Yessir.” The two familiar with him agreed in unison.

“And, one more thing,” she clasped her hands together, “while I’m like this, could you call me Ramona instead?”

“Ah, I get it. An alias, huh? Okay, lil Miss Ramona, nice to meet you!” Harui turned to Evie. “Just follow those two, there’s a special room in the back that I let ‘em use. They like drinks better than a lotta adults, even, so I figured it’d be best to just reserve a place for them 24/7. It’s soundproof, so that way, you guys can go wild, and even stay the night,” he whispered to the girl he’d just met.

“Oooo! Like a VIP room? Sounds fancy! Thanks for the hospitality, Mister!”

“Heh, don’t mention it,” he whispered. After all, I owe that girl a lot more than even that. Her folks have got quite the history, and it’s not like she can just erase the past by snapping her fingers. As soon as they see her hair, people run for the hills, even though she’s actually super friendly. I’m glad to see that she’s made another friend in you, and because you have ties to her, times might not be easy going down the line. Even then, I hope you’ll continue to be buds with her.

She stared at him before flashing a smile with a thumbs up. “Who cares about that? If I can’t handle a little trouble, then I couldn’t be the strongest shinobi! I’m not going anywhere!”

“Strongest shinobi, eh? Well then,” he grinned, “I’ll hold you to it! Don’t give up on that dream, or Shizuka!”

Hearing that, she followed behind the other two.

“And congrats on becoming the number one and two strongest at Kita, you two!” He shouted, Reito giving silent thumbs up to his praise.

Yeah, yeah, thanks and all, I just wish you wouldn’t be so loud about it! Seriously! Tryna keep a low profile here! He thought, nervously.

Upon hearing the Harui's congradulations, other students in the restaurant began to look toward the three and whisper amongst themselves.

“Hey...isn’t that…-”

“Yeah, it is! Black Cat Usodachi! He seemed like a complete quack at first, but he even matched Mayer blow for blow! He didn’t exactly beat Gold, but he managed to land some clean hits on him!”

“You wouldn’t expect something like that from such a boring looking guy, but he’s pretty impressive, actually! Not to mention, he’s with Tanaka! She actually forced Gold into a corner, and not only that, put him down! I knew she was strong, but to this extent?”

“Don’t know about the other girl they’re with, though. Maybe she’s an upper school student? Either way, she’s kinda cute, pretty even.”

And I also wish you all would just shut up! Yeah, I don’t exactly standout or dress in a way that screams “unique”, but so what?! I get it! I don’t look like much! And there’s that name again! ‘Black Cat’, ‘Black Cat’!

Ever since the fight with Gold, he loathed that epithet the crowd branded him with. It was just a one-off expression he’d made to describe himself on the spot, but to his dismay, it caught on to others rather quickly.

Me and my shitty luck! He ranted, looking at his best friend who had been reveling in her own thoughts with a reddened face..

Th-they really think I’m pretty? This must be what normal girls experience. ...It’s kinda embarrassing, but...I love it~!

...Well, at least she’s enjoyin’ the attention… I guess?

“You must’ve really helped the old man out to be getting access to a special room, huh, Shizu?”

“You could say that, yeah,” she said, scratching her cheek, “I spend most of my off time takin’ on missions and just patrolling the Kita and Azuma sides of the City. One day, I just happened to come across his place while he was being shook down by some thugs. Needless to say, I busted their faces in. It happened a few more times after that too. Then one day, he started letting me eat here for free, along with giving me a special room to eat in. You could say, to him, I’m sorta like a freelance bouncer he doesn’t hafta pay.”

“Yeah, it’s like having a trained attack dog,” Reito joked.

“Want me to break your teeth?”

As they bantered, voices started to come from down the hall. “H...y! S...op bein’ a...og!”

“What the-? ...A voice? But there shouldn’t be anyone else back here...right?” He mumbled. “Hey, you two, stay put for a second…”

“What’s up?”

“Something wrong, Tochi?”

He didn’t answer them, he just creeped forward to the sliding door at the end of the hallway. Slowly, he pulled it back, but not all the way, just wide enough for one eye to peek through. When he actually saw what was on the other side of it, he started to sweat bullets.

“Everyone knows the best part of a good meal is the meat! Stop hoggin’ it all, Chikara!” Forte roared.

To his dismay, Forte, Chikara, and Gold had occupied the space that they thought had been known to only them. The former had his foot on the table next to an assortment of chicken, beef and vegetables while angrily pointing to Chikara who was forking down as much as he could, whereas the ladder was sitting on the other side of the table, quietly reading a novel.

“No can do, man! Maybe you just need to grab ‘em faster. Y’know what they say, the early bird gets the worm!”

“You two are way too loud. If it’s going to be like this, it ultimately defeats the purpose of asking for such a room,” Gold stated, looking as stoic as ever.

“Huh?! Ya sayin’ I’m slow?! Bastard! What, are ya tryna pick a fight?! Cuz if that’s what yer getiin’ at, then I’ll gladly beat ya down, then eat my fill!”

“Not like I was trying to start anything, but if you’re raring to go, I’m down to kick your ass!”

...I wish they’d just listen to me and stop acting like children… Gold sighed. “Fine, go ahead and kill each other for all I care. Just try to keep the damage to a minimum, we’re on someone else’s property, after all.”

The two took their stances, ready to go at it while Reito shut the door as quietly as he could. FUCK! THOSE GUYS?! WHY HERE OF ALL PLACES?! WHY RIGHT NOW?! WHY! WHY! WWHHHHYYYY!” He screamed, his face paling.

“What's with you, Rei? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Harui came running from the end of the hallway. “Oh yeah! Another thing! Normally, that room’s meant for you guys only, but a couple minutes before you strolled through, who else to waltz in here but The Seer, Rhythm King and Bottomless Glutton! Zeno’o and Mayer were a bit loud, but Gold was extremely polite! I was shocked, seeing as he didn’t smile or emote much. Before I knew it, he bowed and asked me if I had a room that would let him read and eat in peace, so I went ahead and let him have that one. Sorry, my mistake, haha!”

“Mistake my ass! How the hell do ya say you’re not old, senile bastard?!” He scolded before calming down. “Oh, whatever… We can eat somewhere else. This goes beyond just me wantin’ to avoid ‘em. If they see Shion, who knows what’ll happen. Let’s scram,” he elaborated, going back the way they came.

“Get ready, here I come! And don’t cry when ya get hurt, ya asked for some!” Forte configured his Walkman and readied his signature handstand kick. “Eat this! Function Fe-”

“Awww! C...e on! M...ybe ...t’ll wor...o...t! ...ara a...d Maes...o...re nice enoug...h!”

Huh…? That’s...Evie-chan-?! His concentration broke, making it easy for his friend to divert the attack and send him stumbling towards the door.

“Nice try, but I could see that coming from a mile away!”

“You moron! You should have just blocked it! He’s about to smash through the door!” Gold raised his voice, jumping up and sliding it open.

“If anyone’s out there, get outta the way!”

“...Ah, deja vu…,” Reito mumbled, backing up to avoid being bumped into once again. However, he didn’t think about the fact that Shizuka was standing right behind him. “Shit! Move!”

Her eyes lit up as she performed a somersault clean over Forte. She landed unharmed, but her wig and cap weren’t so fortunate, as it’d been knocked off of her head. The boy responsible smashed into the wall behind her and fell onto his back, knocked out.

“Phew! That was a close one.” She kneeled down, concerned about Forte. “Hey, dude,” she poked him,” you alive there?”

“H-h-hey...Shion! Your-!”

“Who’s Shion?” She feigned ignorance while rubbing her head. “You know my name’s Ramo-! ...Oh…crap…”

Gold peeked outside the room. “I tried to tell you not to fight in such a small area. Why do you insist on making trou-!” he snapped his mouth shut in an instant, as if he was in a video that had been paused, and before he knew it, he was sweating profusely. His stoicism broke and gave way to a fearful expression.

“Didn’t expect you to lose your balance like that. You okay, For- Hngh!” The same went for Chikara.

Such a response was natural. They’d encountered someone they’d only heard about in stories, never in person. One of the main reasons the Academies even existed in the first place. They’d come into contact with an actual Ono.

Forte woke up with the shake of his head. His vision was blurred but slowly becoming clearer as his green eyes met her purple ones. “Mmm...am I...in heaven?” He mumbled. Purple eyes…they’re a girl’s...and looks like a pretty hot one~,” of course, his eyes darted to her hair as he admired her looks, but the second he noticed the color of it, his pupils dilated in fear. He tried to process the situation in his head, FOR REAL?! AN ACTUAL ONO?! IF THAT AIN’T ENOUGH, she’s cute as hell~~ WAIT, NO! I GOTTA RUN...RIGHT?! On the other hand...a purple haired cutie~~ Heh-heh~ I wonde- SNAP OUTTA IT, FOOL, YA FOOL! Being as he was, he couldn’t decide between fighting her, flirting or running away.” As his heart beat like a rabbit, he started looking less scared and more friendly, his derpy smile forming before he blurted out what he’d decided on. “Hiya~ Forte’s the name, music’s my game~ Who’re you, cutie~?”

Fully expecting him to scream and run for the hills, She looked understandably confused, along with her cheeks getting rosy from the sudden compliment. But at the same time, she didn’t want to be rude, even though her identity had been exposed. So she made a sheepish smile and raised a hand to greet him. “Y-yo… It’s Ramon- I mean...Shizuka… How’s it...hangin’...?

Reito didn’t ask for much. He just wanted peace and quiet, a couple of hours in my dorm, controller in hand, just relaxing. Sure, fighting was fun for him, but it also exhausted him. So every once in a while, he wanted to take a break hanging out with Shizuka. Sometimes just playing video games in his room or eating at Harui’s restaurant, a lot like they were going to do. With the way things have been goin’ recently, He hadn’t gotten a moment to just goof off with her, let alone a couple minutes to himself that hasn’t been in a hospital.

I mean, she’s my friend. And although her background’s kinda dark, she’s a natural born badass, is pretty sensible, and doesn’t drive me up the wall like every other crazy person I’ve met in this City. Well, Ms.Shindou seems pretty sane...most of the time…

They were just about to start hanging out like we used to, until she convinced him into inviting the girl whose main goal since she met him has been to make his blood pressure shoot through the roof.

Shizuka and Reito time, ruined! Just my luck, right? I even had to carry her like a human pack mule! Uggggggghhhh!

But even that, he could handle as long as Shizuka keeps her in check like she told me. The situation wasn’t perfect for him, by any means. But I felt like he could actually relax for the time being. But...of course, it could never actually go according to his plans.

No matter how I look at it, this situation I’m in...is a problem, he opened his eyes, hesitantly.

He was sitting at a table with cushions instead of seats in the room Harui had promised them, beside him were Shizuka and Evie respectively, the former looking a tad worried while the ladder wore a twitchy smile. On the other side of it sat Gold, who still kept his calm aura, albeit with a slightly furrowed and twitching eyebrows, Chikara, who looked understandable uncomfortable, and Forte, who had been studying the Shizuka like it was his job, his grin still in place.

That girl...what a babe~ Seriously~ To think I’d run into someone like that today, super lucky- Ah! But wait! Evie-chan’ll get pissed if she catches me lookin’ at another girl! That’s how love triangles form! Keep it together, stupid! That short, adorable shinobi is the only girl yer after!” He found himself lost in his delusions as he smashed his head against the back wall. “SNAP! OUTTA! IT! SNAP! OUTTA! IT!

Well…that guy might not be that much of an issue right now… What is he even doin’? Still...THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST POSSIBLE SITUATIONS THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED!! I COULDN’T JUST HAVE THIS ONE THING KINDA GO MY WAY??!!

...The atmosphere got so thick you could cut right through it,” Evie worried, sweating, “I thought we’d have at least started talking by now...but...maybe we should’ve just left like Tochi said…

Reito couldn’t get her to stop running her mouth at all by himself, but there Evie sat, not saying a word.

She chooses now of all times to read the shut her mouth?! Come on! I was countin’ on ya to break the tension!

The only person he could hope to break the silence was Shizuka, who’d been having an inner delima all her own.

They’re scared of me, which is to be expected, she assessed in her head, but it’s not like I can’t fix that. This is a chance. Unlike at Azuma, it’s not a classroom full of people, it’s just 5, and 2 of ‘em I already know!

Despite wanting friends, she wasn’t exactly the best at initiating conversation. She could just barely handle conversing with someone one on one, normally. The longer she knew the person, the easier it was to do so, like with Reito and Evie. Steeling herself, she remembered that most greetings start with a warm smile, and she’d already given one to Forte, albeit, shakely. She wasn’t worried about Gold, as she’d had an ill impression of him since a few days ago, so all she had to do was say hello to two faces.

Let’s do this, you’re gonna make 2 new friends, right here! With that, she raised a shaky hand and smiled, making her spiky, shark-like teeth show through. “H-hey, Shizuka- Uh, I mean, g-guys! I’m- nice to meet- Ah...wait! W-wrong again. Lemme start over,” she sighed, shaking her head, “I’m Shizuka! Nice to...meetcha!”

“...DAMN IT!! THAT’S CUTE TOO!! I’M ALL ABOUT GIRLS WITH SHARP TEEEETH!” Forte shouted, continuing to headbutt the wall.

“.........” Chikara kept silent, looking even more unsure of what to make of the situation.

...Unnerving…that greeting was almost too awful. Does everyone who takes up that line of work have social skills this bad? What exactly...is she trying to do…? Gold wondered.

Yep, she sucks at this! Normally, she’s 10 times better than I am when it comes to havin’ a convo, but now that she’s face to face with 3 at the same time, she can barely get out a syllable without short circuitin’!

It didn’t help that the three she spoke to weren’t exactly in the mood to talk first. Reito knew he’d have to come to her aid this time, he just didn’t know how he’d do it. He mulled it over for a second until an idea came to him.

This’ll be a bit embaressin’, but I can’t exactly worry about my own feelin’s right now. He leaned over to whisper to Evie. Hey, Lightnin’ Bug, follow my lead, kay?”

“Tochi...what are you-?”

He jolted up. “What’s with the silence, you guys?! Waaaait...I think I get it! Ya scared? Shakin’ in your boots, maybe? Guess I could see why, that trademark hair of hers would send anyone runnin’ for the hills. But at least this time, you’ve got zero reason to be shook!” He exclaimed, oddly enthusiastically as he gestured to Shizuka. “This girl right here, as you’ve heard is Shizuka Ono, but I call her Shion! The reason I haven’t gotten killed ever since I’ve been here! Somehow, she always has me covered! She’s nice as hell, but she can still find a way to straighten me out when I get outta line!” He subtly signaled Evie.

Ohh! I know where you’re goin’ with this! She gave a nod, mimicking his body language. “Tochi’s not kidding! I haven’t known her for as long as he has, but she’s a blast to be around! She looks like the street hardened punk thuggish type, but really she’s a super giddy girly girl~ Nice contrast, am I right~?”

“Hey, you two...I get what you’re trying to do, but come on...tone it down a little,” Shizuka muttered, looking down to hide the ever growing blush on her face.

“Awww! Look at her, gettin’ all flustered~ She may act tough, but give her the slightest bit of praise, and she goes as red as a tomato~ She’s hella strong too. To this day, I can’t beat her in anythin’ that comes down to brute force!”

“And her cooking,” Evie praised, bringing a hand to her cheek, “it’s outta this world! You guys should come over and try it sometimes, it’s like eating at a five star restaurant! Kara, you’ve got your fair share of kitchen experience too, right? I’m sure you and Shizu could totally bond over that!”

“...Errr...I don’-”

“Not to mention, her hair~ it adds to the whole “cool beauty” thing she’s got going on! I mean, purple hair and yellow streaks that are completely natural? Screw scary, that’s kickass!” She proclaimed, cutting him off before he could answer properly.

“And she’s super chill too! As long as you don’t piss her off, that is! But don’t worry, she’s got a high tolerance for most things! To give her buds multiple chances to mess up like that, ain’t she sweet~?” He complimented with a twitching grin.

“Okay...I think they get the point, guys!”

“Sensible, pretty, a natural born badass! Not to mention freakishly strong to boot, to the point where she seems more gorilla than girl!”

“Oi...Rei...shut up-”

“Yeah, she’s a little tomboyish, she even sounds like a guy sometimes, but that’s just apart of her charm~”

“Seriously you two...I’m gonna-”

“Anyway, even though she’s a bit of a dork, she’s still awesome! One of a kind, that’s our Shizuka Ono-! Oof!” Their joint encouragement plan was nearing its end until they were both rammed in the gut by the one they meant to help, leaving them bending over in pain.

“That was just one of her love taps… Didn’t hurt me one b-bit!” Evie added with a nervous smirk.

“Y-yeah...and I’m kinda used to it at this point. Come on, Shion, we were just tryna help. Don’t tell me you’ve started to think that deckin’ your buds is a way to show ‘em thanks?”

“Gratitude fer what, dumbass?! Ya really think callin’ me an ape is praise in the slightest?! Yer lucky I didn’t just split yer skulls down the middle!” She reprimanded, raising a fist.

“Oh yeah,” he looked at the other three while pointing at her, “don’t mind the sudden shift in dialect, this is actually how she really talks. She just really knows how to suppress it. But when she gets super pissed, boom! Yakuza bro mode Shion pops out, her teeth even get super spikey like a shark’s. Whaddya think? Kinda cool, huh?”

“Don’t tell ‘em that! And don’t ignore me either!”

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

The group across from them stood silent still, Kade analyzing the situation, Chikara trying to think of what to say, while Forte just stared.

Now she just seems even more frightening…, Gold thought.

Man, actin’ that peppy definitely ain’t me. I feel like I just lost 20 years of life just from that one instance. And with her bustin’ us in the stomach, it feels like a wasted effort. He felt he should’ve chosen something more graceful to compare her to, but in the end, all that mattered was how the three responded.

“Umm, sorry about that,” Shizuka apologized, “I seemed pretty violent there, right? Sha-haa… Well...how should I start this off? I’m not exactly what you would call a normal girl. I’m the daughter of the most feared assassin and Yakuza boss in the world. And I’ve got no trouble admitting what they did was scummy, inhumane, and downright deplorable… Growing up, I had to watch the results of their actions firsthand...it was awful. I can’t exactly ask you guys to just ignore what they’ve done like it never happened, but I atleast want you to know that I didn’t agree with their way of living at all, but...I had no power to stop them. Now that they’re gone, I thought I’d have a clean slate...but of course, they left a huge impact on the world, so it hasn’t been that easy for me. People still run from me when I’m around, so I can never go out without some type of head covering. I know it’s a lot to ask, but...can you please find it in you to not think of me as a ruthless killer? I promise, I’m nothing like how they were. Although...if you can’t,” she held her head down, “I completely understand...it is a pretty selfish request, after all…”

“Shion…”

“Shizu…”

A silence fell upon the room again. Her two friends hoped that her plea would be heard while the other 3 were still unable to respond. Until Forte slammed his hand on the table unexpectedly, making everyone jump as heooked her in the eyes, as if he was studying her.

“...I’ve heard about enough outta ya!” He shouted with a booming tone. “Ya want a clean slate? Yer not like yer folks?! Well...ya wanna know what I think? Someone like you...definitely deserves a chance~! The way I see it, a girl like you could never be some evil villain type, so as far as I’m concerned, from here on out, all that Ono business is old news!” He proclaimed with a welcoming smile.

She didn’t know how to respond at first, he was the first of the three of them to see her hair, and the first to greet her normally.

I thought it was just because he’s stupid or something, or maybe he didn’t know about the Ono...but, maybe he’s a lot smarter than I gave him credit for. Hearing him say that she couldn’t be a bad person made her very happy. smiled, meeting his eyes. “Thanks a lot...Forte, was it? With me, don’t worry about formality, just call me Shizuka. I try my best to keep a good head on my shoulders, but if I ever slip up, I’ll be in your care. Kay?”

He was starstruck. To him, what he was looking at was a greater sight than a sunset. Woah...seriously! That vanilla lookin’ loser knew someone like her?! Seein’ a smile like this is the absolute definition of livin’~~! He swooned, offering a hand. “You bet! I’ve gotcha covered! And that’s a Bluenote guarantee! Y’know, I’m pretty good with anythin’ instrumental, so if ya ever get an itch to wanna play somethin’, drums, bass, keyboard, just ask me~ You’ll get lessons free of charge~”

“Mmmhmm! Sounds great! I’ll keep it in mind!” She said, grabbing his hand as he initiated an unfamiliar hand shake that she just went along with, “It’d mean the world to me if you could get along with Rei, too. He’s a pain in the ass sometimes, but he’s really cool once you get to know him.”

“Y’know I’m literally sittin’ next to ya, right?”

“Can do~ Hey, Usodachi? Maybe we got off on the wrong foot after all. Let’s be buds, alright?”

Fuckin’ kissass! Now ya wanna remember my name?! Man, you’re a pain,” he insulted him, looking away.

“Ah! Evie-chan! Don’t get me wrong, I’m all fer helpin’ Shizuka-chan, but you can always still count on me to be there fer ya!” He apologized.

She just looked at him with a toothy grin. “Maestro...I knew I didn’t hafta worry that much. Like I thought, you’re a really sweet guy~~”

“GAAAHHH!” He shouted, leaning back and grasping his chest. “SHIZUKA-CHAN’S SMILE IS AWESOME, BUT EVIE-CHAN’S IS A STEP ABOVE THAT, IT’S MEGA-AWESOME!! I’M SO GLAD I WOKE UP TODAAAAYYYY!!”

“I was kinda thrown for a loop…,” Chikara spoke up in a serious tone.,” the Ono didn’t exactly kill anyone close to me...but on the other hand, they’ve hurt a lot of people. I can’t exactly forgive that...at least, not on the spot. To be honest...I’m scared outta my mind right now… If I just make a friendship with you here...then you’ve got a chance of gutting me at any time. I mean, I’ve got no way of knowing what you’re thinking, right? We could all end up dead in the next minute for all I know. It...just seems risky.”

“That’s...to be expected. It’s fine...I understand if you wanna completely distance yourself from me-”

“Hey, at least lemme finish.” He cut her off, making her flinch,” It does seem hella risky. A normal guy would just up and refuse you on the spot...but,” he smiled, jabbing his thumb to his chest, “I’m not normal in the slightest! Sorry! Living on the edge everyday, bein’ friends with a natural born killer? That’s the kinda stuff that’d get my blood pumping! The strongest guys are always alert anyway, right? Besides, you’re a fellow cook, and I’ve got a bit of a bias towards ‘em, can’t help it. Even if you’re playing us, all I’ve gotta do is get strong enough to stop you if you try anything funny, so when you’ve got a chance, let’s go at it for fun! I haven’t ever gotten the chance to face some real deal killer techniques!” He exclaimed, giving a thumbs up.

Seriously...he’s painfully outgoin’. How does he see everything so positively all the time? Reito thought with a small smirk.” But, at least this time, I can’t really help but be glad he’s such a glass half full kinda guy.”

“That’s...kind of a weird way to look at it, but you’re basically saying you do wanna be friends, right? Thanks a lot!” She shot him the same gesture. “I don’t plan on doing anything malicious though, seriously!”

“Gra-ha-ha-ha! That’s just what you’d want me to think! It’s cool you said so, but I’d still like to keep on my toes! You’ve probably heard I’m Chikara Zeno’o, by the way! Just call me Zeno’o, and I’ll call you Shizuka! Since you know your way around a good meal, how about trying some of my food sometimes? Getting another cook's experience could go a long way!

“Wouldn’t exactly call myself ‘cook’, but I do know how to throw something together more often than not. I’d be glad to help!”

“Guess this means you lied to me a day ago, huh, Usodachi?”

Reito shivered and started sweating. “Well I Uhh...I-...I uh-”

“What’re you getting so nervous for? Anyone in your position would’ve done the same thing. You probably just wanted to protect her, right? Ono or not, the fact that you did that for the sake of her well being is pretty admirable! You’re cooler than I thought!” He gave a hardy grin.

“...Think what ya want…,” he rested his head in his hand, “stupid Meat Tank.”

“...Are all of you complete idiots?” Gold insulted, standing up and scowling while grabbing everyone’s attention. “You’re just going along with all of this? Forming a relationship with someone with her background?! Assassin’s are ruthless, they’ll commit murder with no questions asked, just for money, and Yakuza basically advocates for underground crime! Both of whom’s blood are coursing through that one’s veins! For all we know, the Ono could have just gone into hiding and she’s a spy that they planted into the academies! They’re both trained masters of deception, after all! The daughter of Shiraiuki and Mikasa Ono...you’re just going to accept her with open arms? Don’t make me laugh, I don’t buy any of this for a millisecond…”

Reito had forgotten one crucial detail, Gold had been put through a lot by an assassin in the past. And he carried an extreme burning hatred for them.

Chikara got up and reached his hand out to calm him down. “Oi, Gold, simmer down-”

“DON’T TELL ME TO ‘SIMMER DOWN’! DO YOU EVEN REALIZE THE GRAVITY OF ALL OF THIS?! THE RAMIFICATIONS??!!”

“W-Well...yeah, but-”

“Then don’t try to lecture me! As far as I’m concerned, she’s just a lion waiting to pounce...a threat.”

While Gold went on his tirade, Shizuka looked down, disheartened. Reito sat on the other side, looking down and clenching his fist. “Shut up… Shut. Up…,” he mumbled.

Evie looked over to him with a worried look. Tochi...I know how you feel. I wanna jump to call him out too, but...thing is, his judgement isn’t 100% misplaced.

Even if Shizuka was different than Gold’s preconceived perceptions of assassins made him believe, it’s not like he had any strong reason not to reject her. Evie knew this, and she also knew Reito had known Shizuka for far longer. So Gold’s words made him more frustrated than her.

“HEY! STUPID BLANK-FACED BASTARD!” Forte shouted, aggresively grabbing Kade’s collar. “Shut yer ass up! Whaddya think yer doin?! Tryna make her cry or somethin’? She took it upon herself to sit down with us and explain what she wanted, calmy! Not only that, but she knew it’d be hard for us to swallow and she’d get it if we just ran right now! But it’s not just those things, I know a sincere plea when I hear one, and I didn’t sense even a hint of trickery in her tone! She’s clean! So just step offa her already!”

“You-? Are you mental?!” He asked, grabbing his collar as well. “Does your will bend to anything with curves and a pair of breasts? If you train hard enough, anything is achievable, even cloaking tonal shifts and taking control of involuntary bodily functions! You think she wouldn’t be able to at least do that, if nothing else? It’s just your bias talking as usual, putting on airs, acting tough in front of girls. You just met her, and now you want to fight over the fact that I distrust her? Laughable! Just shut your trap already!” He demanded, breaking free of his grip.

“Why you-” Just as Forte was about to kick him, Reito got up and met Gold, face to face, veins pulsing from all of his pent up anger.

“Y’know...I can put up with a lotta shit...gettin’ my ass kicked, bein’ dragged to the hospital to see a guy I hate, even bein’ weak. But, when ya just prattle off slander about people...especially Shion? That’s where I draw the line. Ya summed my deal up in about a couple seconds, but ya can’t see anything good in her? So much for ‘Advanced Observation.’ Ever since I’ve met that girl, she’s been nothin’ but nice to me, even though I screw up a hell of a lot, for some reason, she still puts up with me. She brings me food, cooks for me, plays games with me, and has just overall been a cool girl who I can just relax with, and I didn’t even ask her to do most of that at first! All she wanted was a couple friends! Hair color and blood aside, she’s just a Pathos- No...a human, just like us! You’re just talkin’ down on her like that because you’re scared! But she’s not the one you should be afraid of right now, it’s me! So you’d better watch your mouth!” He snarled.

“So what? I’m supposed to hear your viewpoint and go, “Oh, is that it? You’re right, in that case. she doesn’t seem so bad~”, or something like that? All you’ve done is just tell me about events that I’ve never seen, I might as well just consider you’re speaking in hypotheticals. Besides, didn’t you say you were adept at lying when we fought? Guess that backfired on you, huh, loser? I should be scared of you? Hah! You’re just talking out of your ass and putting on false bravado. Get as angry as you want, but you could barely beat me with Tanaka’s help. Now you're picking a fight with me on your own? A ladybug could put up a better fight, even. But if you want another half a week’s stay in the hospital,” he raised a hand,” I could definitely help you on your way. I don’t mind if it’s here either, I’m better at damage control than most…”

“Ya sure about that?” He asked, Aura starting to radiate from half of his body. “In that case...don’t hold what I’m about to do against me. I’ll just use you to get some stress out. Doesn’t matter if I can’t beat ya right now...go ahead and knock me out...go on… Just know that before I keel over, I’m beatin’ the crap outta ya as much as I can before I drop! Maybe I’ll have an easier time lookin’ at your mug after I’ve made it a crater!”

Forte stepped back. There’s that energy again! That guy…

Looks like it…, Gold wavered a bit, looking down, rage is a catalyst for this ‘Aura’, or at least an amplifier for it. This might not be as easy as I thought…

“Hey, Rei! Cut that shit out!” Shizuka demanded, stepping between the two and pushing them away.

“Wha-?! Shion?!” Reito got his footing back, the Aura dissipating from his figure. “Why’d ya go and do that? I was just about to bust his face in! What, do ya actually like people talkin’ bad about ya?”

“For once, I agree with you. This between him and I! Don’t butt in, Ono!”

“The both of ya should just shut it! Hey! Stupid! What’s with you gettin’ all revved up to bust up the Old Man’s spot?! Ya crazy?!” She exclaimed, aggressively poking Reito’s chest. “Calm yer ass down, what he said didn’t faze me one bit! So stop jumpin’ ta conclusions! Me, gettin’ teary eyed over some stupid observations like that? Just who in the hell do ya think I am?!”

He raised his hands up in defence. “Dude, I was just tryna help! There’s a guy prattlin’ off about how you’re no good, and I’m just supposed to take it?” He sighed. “Well...you’re right about one thing, I’m not the type to think about what’s happenin’ around me. If we went at it here, it’d bring the house down, so I guess it’s for the best. Ya got lucky this time, Eagle Eye. Count your blessin’s,” he stated, reluctantly sitting again.

He didn’t see it, but a smile quickly flashed on her face.

I don’t need you to fight my battles for me, stupid. This is something I’ve gotta deal with.

She refrained from telling him, but seeing him get so angry for her sake made her happy. So much so that she had to keep her lips from curving up as she stood there.

...As for you,” she leered at Gold,” I’m gonna say this one time, so listen and do it good. You can go on and on about how you don’t trust me because of this, or that, or blah de blah blah. You’ve got every right to think that way, right now at least. Everything you’ve said, I’m used to hearing, that’s why I sat quiet while you went on your little rant. I’m over it… After all, because of my genes, it’s bound to happen… And as far as friends go, you’re the last person I wanna be pals with, I don’t even like looking at you! From the moment you decided to essentially call my friends, wastes of space...from the moment you called Rei a pissant, I’ve hated you. I don’t even like bloodshed...but you just trigger something in me...it’s like, you’re someone I wouldn’t mind killing…”

“Hmph. Am I supposed to be offended by that? I don’t need your approval!”

“That’s nice, because you’re not getting it, fuckface. You can say what you want about me, anyone can… It’ll just make gaining the City’s- No, the world’s admiration taste even sweeter!” She proclaimed, jabbing a thumb to her chest. “But this no good former killer has a dream, I’m gonna climb to the top of this system and graduate, having been the Student Council Prez of Minami, the strongest school in the City, maybe I’ll even snag the crown while I’m at it! Then, no one can say a thing to me… I’ll turn the name “Ono” from a symbol of fear to the name of the most respectable Pathos in the world! And that’s a fact!”

Right there, she’d made her declaration, unflinching in the face of the wall that was Gold. Understandably, he was shocked, and a tad miffed. Someone of her background wanting to get such an honored position as the strongest Pathos in the world, aside from the king. Needless to say, it got his blood boiling.

“Someone like you? Don’t get ahead of yourself! If you think I’ll back down just because of your lineage, you’ve got another thing coming. I may have let something like that slide, but you mentioned being Queen? No way. I'm going to be the king.”

She brushed her hair back. “We’ll see about that.”

“Heyo! Drinks are here!” Harui shouted, coming through the door all of a sudden, carrying two drink trays. One with 3 cups filled with green tea, and the other with a tall bottle of vodka and a slightly smaller bottle of orange juice, 3 empty cups beside it and a cocktail shaker. “Green tea and Shizuka’s usual-! ...Hmm? Am I...interrupting something…?”

Reito slammed his hands on the table. “READ THE ROOM, YA DAMN GEEZER!”

Mmmmm! Man, that’s good! Nothing like good eats to clear the air~!” Chikara sang, stuffing his face with as many pieces of meat and vegetables as he could get his chopsticks on.

Kade sipped on his tea. “Good thing he was nice enough to put our meal on the house. Is your stomach actually just a black hole or something?”

“Oh! I get it! You’re wondering how I can eat a lot without stopping to drink, right? Years of practice!”

“That’s not what I meant- Well, nevermind, I guess.”

Evie picked up some chicken from the grill in the middle of the table and ate it slowly before putting her hands on her cheek, her smile radiating pure ecstasy. “Super yummy~ You guys weren’t kidding about this taste, it’s divine~ Does Mr.Geezer cook this all himself?”

Forte quickly ate his food while daydreaming. Evie-chaaannn~ Even the way ya eat is adorable, like a cute lil squirrel~ Food for the body and the eyes~ Nice~

“What, did ya think I was lyin’?” Reito said. “The Old Man’s the place to when we’re feelin’ like hard core chowin’ down. He doesn’t exactly put it together by himself, he’s got a couple of hired hands in the back helpin’ him out. Of course, the original recipe for the stuff came from his dome.”

“Yeah, I guess he teaches ‘em well, because no matter when me or Rei come here, it tastes even better than the time before!”

“That so…,” a sly grin found its way to Evie’s face. “Well, I happen to know a secret to making food taste even better than this. Call it a secret jutsu.”

“Talk is cheap, midget. Just show me already,”

She grabbed a piece of chicken with her chopsticks and brought it to his face, causing him to scoot back.

“Here ya go~ Say ahhhhhh~”

“What the-?! Huh?! Wh-wh-whaddya think you’re doin’?!” He stammered, blushing.

“What’s it look like, silly~? I’m feeding you! You’re not the type to work too hard, right? Well, this way, you don’t have to! Besides, isn’t being fed by someone as cute as me a rarity for you? It may never happen again~ I call it, “Open Wide Jutsu”!”

Forte’s jaw dropped. “Seriously, Evie-chan?! That guy?!”

“Don’t call somethin’ so mundane some sorta secret technique! I don’t need your help either! I at least enjoy eatin’ enough to put in the effort to do it, I’m not that lax- Hey...wait… Whaddya mean ‘A rarity for me’, anyway? Ya sayin’ I’m a loser with girls?! Shut up! Shion,” he turned to her, “say somethin’ to her already!”

“Say something for what?” she raised an eyebrow, pouring the bottle of vodka and orange juice into the cocktail shaker before doing what the item entailed. “She’s not overstepping any boundaries, and I don’t know anywhere in the world that classifies feeding someone as a pervy act. You just want me to stop it because you suck with girls. Not my problem. All you’ve gotta do is eat it and be done, dude.”

“Guh! Checked by logic and common sense! Damn!”

“Tanaka’s nothing if not bold. Still...your reactions are extremely misplaced. Just eat the meat already, loser,” Gold urged him.

“I don’t really get it, but give it your all, Evie! Go for it, Usodachi!”

“The two of ya ain’t helpin!’”

Reito looked into her eyes, sparkling with anticipation as she pushed the food closer and closer.

It’s not that he didn’t want to eat it. In his head, a girl feeding him was something he felt he always wanted, but had a slim chance of happening. But it did, and more abruptly than he expected. This wasn’t necessarily a moment where he could just shrug her off, she was genuinely doing out of kindness, and although he didn’t realize it for his own reasons, a romantic gesture. Shizuka couldn’t save him, and no one else could, as far as he could tell. So, he swallowed and slowly opened his mouth to take a bite.

“Ah...ahhhh?”

“No way in hell! Not on my watch!” Forte proclaimed, diving cleanly over the table with such finesse that nothing on it was knocked over or off of it and ate the meat she presented, causing Reito to flinch. As he stuck the landing, he swallowed and put a serious look on his face. “The food was delicious...thanks, Evie-chan!”

He dove like Ecco the Dolphin…, Reito thought, still stunned.

“Only you would go that far to be fed by a girl,” Gold looked on in disappointment.

“Woah! Nice form, Maestro,” she applauded, not angry at him at all, “you were just like a dolphin! Amazing!”

He rubbed his neck. “Heh-heh-heh~ Ya really think so~?”

“Don’t look so happy to be called that! What the hell is wrong with ya?! Didn’t anybody ever teach ya not to steal other’s food?!”

“I don’t think somethin’ like that matters when I take it from you. Why’re ya gettin’ so mad anyway? Wait...ahhh, I get it now,” he flashed a snarky grin, “Yer just jealous that she fed me instead! Gya-ha-ha! Don’t be such a sore loser, man!”

“Argh! What’s there to be jealous of?! I didn’t even wanna get fed in the first place! Actually, I’m glad you did swipe it!” He explained, poking Forte’s chest assertively.

“Huh?! Are ya sayin’ ya weren’t gonna let Evie-chan feed ya?! Bastard! That’s an honor reserved for the Gods themselves! And ya just wanted ta pass it up! I should kick yer ass right here fer makin’ her waste the energy!”

They began butting foreheads. “Now you’re mad because I didn’t take the meat?! Are you an actual retard?!”

“Ya wanna say that again, ya vanilla lookin’ four eyes?!”

“No fighting, you two,” Shizuka pleaded.

“What did ya call me?! Dumbass! Grow a brain before ya go spewin’ insults!”

“Go, go, go! Tochi, Maestro, I’m rooting for the both of you!”

“Don’t instigate! You’re the one who started this in the first place!” Reito chastised her.

“Who gave ya the right ta yell at her like that! Ya want me ta bust yer jaw open?!”

“Yeah, right! Ya stupid walkin’ megaphone!”

“Yer the one who’s stupid with yer dumbass hairstyle, you loser hikki-neet-shut-in!!!”

“Way to be redundant! And I’m not a neet anymore! Least I don’t style it like I’m a hedgehog, whipped bastard!

“FUCK OFF!” They shouted in unison, rolling up their sleeves. “WANNA FIGHT?!”

“Last time, Evie-chan let ya snag a win offa me, but now it’s just 1 on 1. Get ready ta be sent flyin’!”

“I only needed her help to beat that eagle-eyed creep. You’re just small potatoes. I could run through ya with one hand tied!”

Shizuka stood up to quell their uproar. “Yes, yes, girls, you’re both very pretty. Now, can we please just get along and not break anything?”

“WHO ASKED YOU?! BUTT OUT!” They yelled, both of them sending kicks her way. But when they were but an inch from her face, she grabbed their legs, flipped them over so that they faced her and rammed her fists into their faces, sending their heads through the floor.

Her hair cast a shadow over her eyes as she stood up with a menacing expression. “...I said… Get. Along. If ya bust up the old guy’s place, yer dead. Got it?”

She didn’t want them to break anything...but she bashed them through the flooring…, Gold sweat.

Dealing with both of them at the same time without too much effort...she’s kinda monstrous. Chikara thought, Fighting her would be a trip! She’s good!

“That’s just how it is! Anyone who gets on Shizu’s bad side is guaranteed to get a punch to the face. Take it from me, I’ve got first hand experience!”

“Don’t talk about that like it’s a good thing!” She yelled.

Forte pulled his head out of the hole and smiled, gazing at her with starstruck admiration. “You...actually knocked me out! One hit was all it took, just one good belt to the face! To be able to thrash me that easily… Man! You’re one rockin’ chick!”

“H-huh?!” She took a step back with rosy cheeks. “Wh-wh-what’re you sayin’? Y-You a masochist or s-somethin’?”

“Ouuuuuoooooh! That embarrassed stammerin’ is hella cute too~! Combined with how ya look and dress, this is that ‘gap moe’ thing ya talk about! Right, Evie-chan~?”

“Yessy! She’s the textbook definition!”

“A girl who can kick my ass so easily, and look great while doin’ it, along with sportin’ that leader like way of speakin’ when ya get down to business. Mmhmm! No doubt about it,” he nodded, grabbing her hands, “ya give off a super strong “boss” type o’ vibe! From here on out, I’ll call ya Big Boss Shizuka-! Nah, too official soundin’… How bout...ah! Boss Lady Shizuka! Badass, am I right?”

She freaked out and turned away from him a little. “That, gang- I mean...th-that sorta makes me sound l-like a gang leader...but...it’s...not l-like I...dislike it… I-If ya wanna...go ahead...I guess,” she struggled to respond, poorly hiding her growing smile.”

“Cute! That’s my Boss lady-!” He stopped his praise and turned to the short girl behind him. “Urk! E-E-Evie-chan! J-j-just lettin’ ya know, the Boss Lady and you are on completely different levels! Course, you stand a bit higher, so there’s no need to get jealous!” He bowed profusely while she just tilted her head.

“Why should I be exactly…?”

“I don’t see what the big deal is,” Reito mumbled, rising from his hole as well, “I could’ve done that.” Oh well, not like I wanna be acknowledged by a guy like that. “I’d hate to interrupt...well, not really. Got the drink ready yet, Shion?”

“Ah! R-right! Here you go!” She fidgeted, pouring the shaker’s contents into his cup and handing it over.

“Whatcha got there? That doesn’t look like any tea I’ve ever seen,” the Forte observed.

“That’s because it’s not tea. After a long day, whether it be filled with fightin’, lazin’ around, or bein’ forced to interact with others, I like to take a load off,” he explained, swivelling his cup around,” guess ya could call it liquid stress relief. A Shion Brand Specialty Mix! ...But most just call it a screwdriver,” he shrugged.

“Don’t make me sound like some brewery!”

“Alcohol?” Gold raised an eyebrow. “Can someone like you even handle that?"

“Aww, shut your trap, Eagle eye,” he took a sip and shivered from the taste,” as long as it’s a combo, I can drink it. This in particular has a nice taste anyway. What about you, want a swig? Nah, probably shouldn’t. I bet you’re a total lightweight! Hah!”

“That’s nothing to brag about,” he sighed, “I’ll just stick to tea. I’m still on guard after all. This could just be a ploy to trick us all into getting intoxicated to the point we’re easy to pick off.

“Think I’m with Gold on this one,” Forte agreed, “not for the same reasons though. I’m down for a lotta things, believe me. But...drinkin’? Ain’t there a reason we’re not supposed to have that stuff this early? No offense, Boss lady, but I’ll pass-” He stopped to see Evie accept a cup full of it from Shizuka and start downing it.

“Ahhhh! It’s stronger than last time, and it’s got some sweetness to it! But I guess it’s to be expected that not every drink would taste the same. Even the feel of it going down is a way different,” she went into detail before smiling at Forte and offering him a different cup. “Hey, Maestro? You’re a strong, loud and proud kinda guy, so I’m sure you’d have no trouble handling something like this. Wanna give it a try?”

“...But there’s a first time for everythin’, right~?” He swooned, accepting the drink and taking a sip, shuddering from the sudden burn that travelled down his throat. Ugh! This stuff is heavy! But I can’t look weak in front of her, no way! Besides, Usodachi’s just downin’ it like it’s juice. If I stop now, it’ll be his win! “It’s like this is water, I can drink this no problem,” he gave a thumbs up, gulping it down.

“Wow! You’re a stronger drinker than I thought!”

“Heheee~ It’s really nothin’, y’know~ I’m just naturally prone to bein' awesome at everythin’~!”

“Y'know, if the whole kunoichi thing doesn’t work out, she’d make a pretty good cabaret girl…,” Reito mumbled. “Welp, since everyone's gettin' into it, that leaves one guy.” He said, offering a cup to Chikara, “How bout it, Meat Tank? Wanna give it a go?”

He took the cup hesitantly and stared down at it’s contents. “Err...I...dunno about this. It looks just like orange juice...but,” he took a whiff and raised an eyebrow, “smells...weird. You sure about this?”

“Well it’s made with orange juice after all. At least, I’m sure about it bein’ good to me, at least. Everybody has different tastes, so to one, it could be heavenly, and to another, completely gag inducin’. But, I can tell ya one thing...anyone who can down somethin’ this strong, is pretty strong themselves.”

Chikara’s eyes widened. On one hand, it seemed too good to be true, but on the other, strength, along with being thought of as strong by others, was one of his greatest desires. And the thought of being able to achieve one of those goals just by taking a few sips, even if it was just by a bit, was extremely enticing to him. Upon being told something as unbelievable as that, anyone would mull it over for a minute or two.

“Alright then, down the hatch!”

Chikara was however, a bit too trusting and gullible to consider thinking about it. In an instant, he drank his entire cup and slammed it down on the table.

“Ahh, yeah! I do this all day! Shizuka! Hit me again!”

“Sha-ha-ha, you make me sound like a bartender,” she chuckled, pouring more for him. “Coming right up, big guy!”

“Et tu, Zeno’o?” Gold asked, with a sinking tone. “Seriously, am I the only sane one at this table?”

Reito scoffed. “Nah, just the only one with a stick up your butt. Not like I’d ever drink wanna with ya anyway-”

“Heyoooo~ Usodachish~,” Forte bumped into him, eyelids drooping and a small tint of read on his face as he staggered and spoke, “I could do thish allllll day… (Hic)! But if can’tcompete wif someone, ish a lil borin’. Hee-hee~ Howsh about me and yoush haf a drink off? Winner getcs ta sit next to Ebie-chwan for da west of da meal! (Hic)!”

He backed away, pinching his nose. “Ugh! That’s awful! Your breath smells like death, dude! How much did you even drink? Hey, Lightnin’ bug! Weren’tcha keepin’ tabs on him?!”

“Yep! Sure did! I watched him drink 2 cups of it! He also wanted to drink mine for some reason, so I let him!” She filled him in before putting a finger under her chin. “He did start slurring words around his first drink though, but I didn’t really think much of it~ One more please~”

“Indirect kisshhh~ Score~!” Forte mewled.

“Dumbass! That’s when you can tell to reel it back! Vodka is super heavy! Mixin’ it with orange juice barely cancels out any of it!”

“What’s wrong,” he nudged him in the side, “afraid you’ll, (Hic) loosh? Yer prolly a complete lightweigsh!”

“It ain’t about winnin’ or losin’. If ya would’ve challenged me to anythin’ else, sure, I’d kick your ass, especially if we’re fightin’. But a drink off? No. Way. In. Hell. I don’t wanna end up doin’ or sayin’ somethin’ that could be used against me later. Around Shion, it’s fine. But you guys? Hard pass. I’ll just go until I get a little fuzzy in the head.”

“Oh? Thinking ahead somewhat, are we?” Gold teased. “Guess you aren’t just a reckless slacker after all, eh, Black Cat Usodachi?”

When he heard that name again, he shuddered.

“Don’t call me that! Damn, what’s with everybody and that name? Black Cat this, Black cat that! When I actually get an epithet, it’s gonna be 10 times cooler than that shitty one. Or at least, more threatnin’ soundin’!”

“But, that is your epithet, right?” Chikara asked.

“He probably doesn’t know. Just a thought, but I’ll bet you haven’t checked your S.P. since before our match, did you? It’s a good idea to take a look at it after every stride and or failure.

Reito did just that in a huff, pushing the button to bring up his hologram battle stats screen. “What are ya on about?” He skimmed over the info in a hurry, but everything seemed normal, aside from his ranking being updated. “Nothin’ different about it. Same old, same old- Urk!”

Everything was, just like he said, the same, except for one small detail. Under his name was the epithet “Black cat”. When he saw his new nickname, he went pale, and his jaw flew wide open in disbelief. Shizuka even got worried and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Rei?! Rei?! You okay?! Don’t forget to breathe!”

“B-Bl-Bluh- Black Cat??!! WHY??!! WHY THE HELL IS THAT WHAT I’M BRANDED AS??!!” He cried, leaning back from disappointment.

“Gya-ha-ha-ha-ha!” Forte burst out, pointing at him. “Black Cat?! Man! Thatsh rish! Gya-ha-ha! Like a harmlessh libble, (Hic) kibby! Ooooo, wash out, Black Cat’s gobba scrach my eye out! It’sh perfect for ya!”

“I don’t know why you’re so surprised,” Gold explained, “epithets are more often than not given to students based on recognition of their peers and their assessment of your most defining traits, or how their powers work. If you don’t have one after a few matches, you can pick your own. For example, I fight by means of prediction and reading movements. Thus, others began calling me something of a Seer.

Gya-ha-ha, But hecouldn't shee himshhelf losin' that match! Some 'Seer'!"

Forte made fun of him, but Gold seemed to ignore him.

Zeno’o’s comes from his insatiable appetite for not only food, but combat, along with his Path. Tanaka’s stems from her quick but effective way of attacking. Slipping into the background with her speed like a shadow, but capable of devastating attack power with her electrokinesis, hence the name Fulgur Shade, meaning Thunder's Shadow. Mayer as well. With his ability to amplify his attacks and attributes with music, he’s known as Rhythm King. And lastly, you, Usodach. While not really possessing any standout traits, besides maybe that slit through your eyebrow, there was really nothing you could have hoped to end up with besides an insult because of you being deemed a cheater early on. But through your little heroic speech, others latched onto the part where you called yourself Black Cat. And since you have black hair, it was the best fit, I suppose.

“So long story short, I just got fucked on the name lotto front?! Damn it! How come nobody got Godslayer outta that?! Is everybody stupid?! Wait, nevermind that! Can’t I just change it?”

“I’ve never heard of a situation in which someone did, so for now at least, you’re stuck with it.”

“Don’t feel too down and out about it though,” Chikara flashed a thumbs up, “cats can be pretty fierce, too! And if you think about it, it doesn’t specify the kind of cat. You could be a super strong panther!”

“IF I WAS, I’M SURE I WOULD’VE BEEN CALLED THAT INSTEAD, FRICKIN’ MORON!!”

“Aww~ You’re lucky, Tochi! Black Cat, like a cute lazy pal who lies on your lap all day~ Such a great nickname! Unforgettable too~”

“Pfft! It-it’s okay- Sha-ha-ha-! If you- Pfft! I-I mean considering y-your luck- Sha-ha! It’s pretty f-fitting. S-So there’s that at least! Sha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Sorry! I-I just, thought of a funny...joke!” The Ono consoled him, trying and failing to hold her laughter in.

“Just my fuckin’ luck! Who in the hell approves these names anyway?!”

Gold raised an eyebrow. “Hmm? You’ve already met him. All epithets are approved by Mr.Banner before they’re officially added to your school stats. He even updates the system himself.

Neigh’s laugh echoed through Reito’s mind as he grit his teeth. “GRRAAAAAGGHH!! SHITTY TEACH! YA PROBABLY THOUGHT THIS WAS FUNNY, HUH?!! IF MS. SHINDOU DOESN’T KILL YA FOR DRIVIN’ HER UP THE WALL, I’M SURE AS HELL COMIN’ FOR YA!! BUT SINCE I CAN’T RIGHT NOW, I’LL DRINK AS MUCH AS I CAN! FORGET! FORGET! FORGEEEEEEET!!” He whined, downing his screwdriver as fast as he could.

“Hey! Yasaid ya dibn’t wanna do a drink, (Hic), off! Lyin’ bastard! In dat case,” Forte began doing the same, “BRINGITONIAIN’TLOSIN’!”

“Go, Go!” Forte! Maestro!” Evie cheered, pumping her fist. “I’ll be cheering you on while drinking at my own pace!”

“Gra-ha-ha! If you guys are going at it, I might as well join! Good luck beating me!”

Good thing this room’s soundproof… “Don’t go too far, you three!” Shizuka warned them.

...I don’t think a free meal was worth putting up with these people, Gold rested his head on a hand, I should’ve just ordered a pizza…

“Hee-hee-hee~ C’mon, c’mon, Goldyyyyy~!” Shizuka giggled, now drunk putting an arm around Kade. “Ya can read any other, (Hic), timey! Havsh sum funs!”

“That’s not my name, and this is fun for me. But it would be even more fun if you weren’t so close,” he struggled to push her face away, “your chest is pressing up against me. Didn’t you say something 10 minutes ago about hating me so much you wanted to kill me? Actually-”

He was cut off by a loud stomp produced by Evie. Her hair was let down and looked like she’d ruffled it, and the top half of her doji was let down. She knelt down and sternly glared at the boy while her head swayed side to side.

“Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!”

She’s actually saying grrr…? Looks like she went overboard as well...what a pain,” he thought. “Umm...any particular reason you’re snarling at me like a wild animal…?”

“Huuuuhhhh? Whatdahell’reya, (Hic), onaboooouut? Yer da one who was starin’, starin’, staaaaarrrrrin’ at me, bastard! What’shsup, huuhhh? Ya wike meur sumfin? (Hic)! Orrrr, ya pickin’ a fight with me?” She slurred in butchered speech, her body sparking with electricity. “Leshh go den! I’ll turn ya inta fried chicken! ORRAAAAA!!”

This is way too drastic of a change… I think I actually prefer the happy-go-lucky jokester Tanaka better, he cleared his throat, “I don’t think fighting here is a good idea, especially with how destructive your Path can be. And we’re indoors as well. We’re here to eat, so eat-”

“Whereddya get off tellin’ da gweat Ebie what ta do, huh? Huuuuhhhhh?! Wanmetarearrangeyerface?!” She threatened, grabbing him by the collar. Her breath hit his nostrils and made him recoil and gag.

Ugh, disgusting! If her personality wasn’t bad enough, her breath smells abhorrent! Why’d you have to be a raging drunk?! “If she’s like this, then the other three…,” he turned his head to see the two who had been butting heads earlier now fistpumping with their arms over one another’s shoulder, all the while giant smiles stuck to their faces.”

“Yahooooooo! Godda admit, Loudshhpeaker! Your kicksersumthin’ else! I sweaaarrr, I thought I’d end up on the floor if we’dve kept goinnnnn’! Ya were alllll, WAAATCCHHAAAA!!”

“Nodas awesome as you wif dat Aura stuffsh! Yer hitz hurt ahelluvalots too, bud, bud, buuudddyy! That style o’ yer’s is pretty kickassh too! Gya-ha-ha-ha!”

“We gave it our all! A nicshgrittyfightbetween mensh! Isderanythin’betterendat?! We’re mega awesome!! Let’s dukeitdoubt again, fersuuuuurrreee!” They chanted in unison.

“Weren’t you two trying to kill each other a few minutes ago…?”

Chikara was groveling in the corner, tears streaming down his face. “Damn, (Hic), it,” he sniffled, why...why am I so weak? You guys are all so strong but I lost so easily. Maaaaan I suuuucckkk!”

“Awww buck up, Meat Tank,” Reito patted him on the back, consoling him, “ya’ve got pwuncheswike meteorshhh! Yersupastwong!”

“Yerjustbeingnice! Thathurtsmore!” He rejected the praise.

“EBIESTYLELIGHTNIN’RELEASSH: WOARIN’THUNDEEERR!!” The drunk shinobi roared as she hit Reito with a lightning clad palm strike out of nowhere.

“Bwaaahhhh!” He cried in pain, falling to the floor and passing out from the sudden attack.

As she looked down on his unconscious figure, she crossed her arms and puffed her chest out. “Fersumreason, I couldn’t stand ya lookin’ so cheery… Waidaminute, now Iknowwhy! I’mstillmadatchaferalmostquittin’! Now thad I’ve decked ya, (Hic), one, my mindishh pwettyclear! Now…,” she came close to Forte, making him back up out of embarrassment. Due to the height difference, it looked a bit silly from Gold’s point of view.

“Umm…heeeeeyaa Ebie-chwan! Why’re ya gettin’ so closesh with such an angwy look? Not dat I mind or nuffin’, this pisshed off feral wook ya got gowin’ on is hella cute too, ehe-heh~~”

“Grrrrrrrrrr! Don’tgimmedat ‘YersooooocuteEbie-chwan~’ schtick! Yerdaone Iwannasendthroughdaroofshdistime!” She drunkenly threatened, poking his chest aggressively.

“Sha-ha-ha-ha! Shesh gonna send him to space!” Shizuka laughed, banging her hand against the floor.

“Huh?! Me?! B-b-but...whatdidIdo?!”

“Asshhat! Yadoitalldatime! Evewytimewetalkyagetallawkward...wike shome middle School, (Hic), geek! Fwanin’allovame...I’dhafta be a dumbassh nottorealize...da weason yeranervousweckaoundme...is cuz ya got da hots fer me! I’m wight...wight?!”

“...!” Forte went wide eyed with a gasp.

She had made a shocking judgement. But it wasn’t shocking for the reason that this was a well kept secret that no one knew about. He was always extremely transparent when it came down to the feelings he had for the girl, although, in his head, he believes he keeps that fact under wraps. Although, even someone like Reito, who was probably the least sociable person in the room was able to put two and two together and figure it out almost instantly. It was mostly a surprise because she never really acknowledged his feelings or brought it up. In fact, everytime he complimented her, she’d take it and move on. To hear her actually call him out it was a first time thing.

As he still believed that it was some well kept secret of his, he nervously away from her while sweating bullets. “I-I don’t...weally know what yer shayin’... Maybe ya’ve been drinkin’ too much-”

“Don’tgimmedatobviousdeflectionbustaaa! I can see swaight thru yaaaa...wiiiiike a ghost...spookybashtard! Yatalkallllllbig...but yer weeeeeaallly just a biiiig, mooonnddoo, giaaantmeeegeeaaawussss! Ya’ve been headovaheelsferme...fer how many months? Wiiiikkee thwee(Hic)...wight?! Huuuhh?! Iamain’tI?!

“...........”

“Uhhhuuuhhh, now yerallmuteeh? Cat got yer tongue?” She snarked, grabbing his shirt, bringing him to eye level. “Wistenhewree, andwistengwood! Don’t go around dwaggin’ yer feelin’s fer me roooundd n’ rooound for an eternity. Kay? Kaaaaayyy(Hic)?! We’ve beenbudsferwike 3 and sum months, datsahotminnuutteidumbass! Gonna keep dwoppin’ hints feranothercouple, den pwetend it’ssomesecwet? Pansywanzy! Just cuzyabweakdance… dat don’t mean ya, (Hic), gwotta dance around thafactyawikeme. If ya where a weaaaallll man, ya’d justtellmehoyafweeeel! Gwow a pair! Geddit?!”

What she was saying was completely true, even though it did sound harsh. And he knew it, taking a pause to dwell on her words before finding the right words.

“...I should be more upfront… Thanks fer shalappin’ some sensh inta me, verballyImean. YerrightaboutdatEbie-chwan.”

She popped a vein. “...Huh? Flat...Ebie? All of a sudden striking him in the stomach with a punch. “WHOERYACALLIN’FLATCHESTEDSHRIMP???!!! HUUUUUUUUHH???!!!

“Mmmfff!” He grunted, the wind knocked out of him as he fell unconscious.

“THAAAT’LL, (HIC), LEARNYA! ANYONE WHO MAKSH FUNNA MYCHESTISGONNAGETBASHED! BELIEVE IT!” She ranted, waving her fist around triumphantly.

“...Well...ebie does technically mean shrimp…although, it’s strange she’s just now getting angry over it. She never seemed to have a problem with being slender, chestwise at least, is being intoxicated just unhinging her? She also heard his drunken that as flat… I was right to not rile her up further, she just decimated both of them…”

“Sha-ha-ha-ha! DidjaseethatGoldyyy? Heeey~ Heeey~ She, (Hic), tookembothcleanout! Didjasee? Didja?!” Shizuka poked and prodded him giddly as he furrowed a brow.

“Yes...I’m in the same room, after all… Again, please refrain from getting so close to me or the same will happen to you,” he struggled to shove her face away.

Evie stopped her tirade shortly after and leered at the two of them, drooling. “(Hic) I still feelwikesumfin’smissin’... I already tookmyangerout, but...nah...thisfeelsdifferent… (Hic)!” She raised a hand, moving her fingers around in an eerie manner as her feral gaze turned into a perverse smile. “Ohhhh, nevermind~~ Itain’tsumsupacomplexfeelin’, I just wanna feel sum tits~ Heh-heh~~”

“That’s more like the Tanaka I know...unfortunately,” he sighed.

“Yer da only cutie here soitsgoddabeyou~~ But ya prollydontmindrightShizuShizuShizuuuu~~? I mean, we’rebothgirlshsoit’sfineeee~~! Fersureitsallrightyyyy~~”

“It would be if it wasn’t out of lechery…”

She leaped towards the two with widespread arms. “Ishfiiiiiinnee!

“Damn it! If she goes wild here, there’s bound to be tons of collateral damage!” He panicked, getting up to intercept her. “I’ll just have to pinch her shoulder nerve, that should be enough to knock her out until she’s at least sober-!”

Before he could actually do anything, the purple haired girl leapt forward, punched the girl in the solar plexus and piledrove her into the flooring, breaking it and knocking her clean out.

“Sha-ha-ha! Sillygoosey~ Touchytouchyisofflimits! (Hic)!”

Gold just looked on, observing her. “Yeah...that confirms it…”

“Whaddya meaaaannnGoldilocks~~?”

“Those three are knocked out. As for Zeno’o, he fell asleep a few minutes ago,” he pointed to the aforementioned boy who was lying on the floor with tearstained eyes.

“Zzzzzzzz. All aboard the meat traaaaiiinnn~~ Zzzzzzzzz.”

“So you can drop the act...I know you’ve been sober this whole time.”

“Wha?!” She flinched, but soon after calmed down as the blush on her face faded in an instant. “You...how did you know-?”

“I had a sneaking suspicion at first, but I observed you a little more before I jumped the shark. Your movements just now were extremely precise, something that smooth can’t be done while drunk. Even Tanaka’s attacks, which are usually swift with the power only being shown when she connects, but having drunk, they became wild and fierce. The way you moved when you stopped Mayer and Usodachi from fighting matches up with yours from a second ago.”

“I...could just move the same regardless… Don’t some people-?”

“Highly unlikely,” he cut her off, “the only fighting style with smooth movements when under the influence is drunken fist, which wasn’t what you displayed. But, that was only my third case of proof. My first was your blush, it seemed unnatural from the get go, so I thought it was what I alluded to earlier,” he pointed to his face, “the ability to control normally involuntary functions of the body...Biofeedback. Of course, someone with assasination experience would be able to do something like that like it’s second nature.”

She was surprised at first, but him being able to tell she’d been faking it wasn’t exactly out of left field. When she watched the special match, he was able to call out things that would have gone unnoticed by virtually anyone else.

“Nothing gets past you, huh?” she gave up, taking a seat across from him. “You said second and third though...what was your first hint?”

“That much is obvious. Drink too much and your body suffers, some would say it’s akin to a toxin. I just figured someone who took up that line of work would naturally have poison resistance. Even if it was a guess, it’s not too far fetched.”

“...Fair point, but I guess I should’ve expected The Seer to be the one to find me out. Still, much as it kills me to say, I’m impressed, Biofeedback isn’t really a concept most people know about, you must stick your head in medical books in your spare time.”

He went back to reading. “Just a pastime of mine. Aside from regular novels, they provide some interesting information about the body, some of which can be useful in combat. Like nerve locations for example. It’s also how I’m able to use Advanced Observation, anyone can with enough studying. It’s...also something I do out of admiration. I had a family member who was an accomplished doctor, so I suppose you could say I take after them… That’s all I’ll say on that matter.”

“So you wanna be a doctor because of them? That’s...actually kinda sweet. Come to think of it...Evie’s arm healed back without any scarring… You broke it that way on purpose, didn’t you? ...You might actually be pretty nice after all…,” she smiled.

“I just thought it’d be a waste to give her any long term injury, she’s an amazing fighter after all. I wouldn’t exactly call that “nice”, I still broke her arm unnecessarily. As for being a doctor, if I wanted that now, I might as well give up on becoming king. And there is no chance in hell I’m giving it to one of you idiots, or anyone else for that matter.

“I take it back, you’re still a piece of shit…”

“Your opinion is worthless to me.” He turned a page, quickly glancing at her. “I’ll give you credit for one thing though, you’re surprisingly refreshing to have a conversation with. And as opposed to earlier, you’re not a nervous wreck. If I spoke to anyone in this room but you one on one for even a minute, I feel that I’d pull my hair out.”

She awkwardly smiled. “Y-yeah...when it’s a buncha people it’s harder for me, I guess you could say. And I kinda get what ya mean, Rei and Evie are, how should I say...a little much, to say the least. And now that I’ve met Forte and Zeno’o, I could...say the same for them...sha-ha…”

“Usodachi…he’s the last person I’d ever want to talk to. He’s everything I can’t stand rolled up into one person. Abrasive, impulsive, unsociable to the point of annoyance. Yet...somehow...Zeno’o and Tanaka love being around him. I’ll never get them… Come to think of it,” he looked at her, “how did someone like him meet a girl like you? He’s not the type of person that would just go up and speak to you considering your history. How did you even become best friends, let alone acquaintances?”

“...How exactly did we meet?” She looked up to the ceiling. “That’s easy...I could never forget that. I’d say it was abooouuut...a month and a half ago… I had just come to the City myself and took it upon myself to do patrols, just to keep any thugs from making trouble. But on that night, I didn’t run into any, so I thought I should just reign it in and go to sleep, but as soon as I thought that, I found about 4 in an alleyway trying to shake down a guy.

“Him, I assume?”

“Bingo. Anyway, I saw him shaking like a dog, obviously I wasn’t just gonna leave him there, even if he could’ve been a strong student. Long story short, I sent ‘em packing. After that, I checked if he was okay, and he completely lost it! But not just because of my hair, no, he was just really shitty at dealing with girls! Sha-ha! Imagine that!”

“..........”

“Errm, yeah...back on track. He tried to lie his way out of it, but for some reason...he came back and asked me did I wanna grab a bite on him, y’know, as thanks for helping him out. I was so confused, and asked him why he turned around...and him just looked away and told me, ‘W-well...g-girl or not, I can’t just ditch someone who basically saved my life… And on the whole Ono front...I ain’t important enough to off anyway...who’d even waste the money to put a hit on me?’ So, so- Y-ya comin, or wh-what?’ After that...every minute I wasn’t in a match, or sulking from isolation, he’d always call me to hang out…even though until a while ago, he was still a shut in… He’s rude, antisocial, unfriendly, can’t take a hint, has no tact, among a bunch of other things… But...he didn’t turn me away...and most times, he’s a pretty cool guy, even if I hafta set him straight every now and again and...again. I’m glad I met him…”

After hearing a confession like that, most would see her in a different light. “...That’s impressive. How long did it take you to make something like that up?”

“What the-? Make it u-?! What the hell’re ya sayin?! All of that was true!”

“I doubt it. You probably threatened him in some way. Since he’s uncomfortable around women, combined with you being an Ono, he submitted, I’m guessing. Him standing up for you is probably just a result of becoming used to being around you. You know, like Stockholm syndrome.”

“He’s not in love with me, dick!”

“Why should I believe you? You just pretended to be drunk, what other reason would you do that than to coerce me into drinking as well?”

“...Ummm...well,” she nervously twiddled her thumbs, “I...wanted to know what it was like to get wasted with friends...like how anyone normally would when they go out… Y’know?”

“...Even if that is true...it’s only normal for complacent office workers. ...Where in the hell did you get the idea that highschoolers go out drinking with each other normally? Your perception of normality is shockingly off…”

“Well, we’re not exactly normal highschoolers are we?”

He thought for a moment. “...Touché… You’ve got me there.”

“Above all else, I just want a bit of normalcy… Not too much though,” she looked down, “just enough to where I don’t hafta wear a head covering when I go out. Rei’s at least given a little of that… All in all, I owe him a lot.

“Oh, really?”

“Because of him, maybe...it isn’t such a stretch to say I could have friends that I could laugh and cry with… Even if you don’t believe me...you should be able to understand a feeling like that, right-?”

Not a word she said came across him at all as he had his head buried into his novel, slowly sipping tea and turning page after page. “Really now...he gained some sort of incredible power from pulling the sword out of the ground? This reads better than I thought… Hmm?” He looked up. “Oh, were you saying something?

“You mean to tell me you’ve been ignoring me…?”

“I wasn’t at first, but yes. I started about 30 seconds ago. You were only saying things that were either of no interest to me, or I felt that if I paid any more attention to your sob story that I’d start actually feeling sympathy towards you. Hence, me tuning you out. I’m pretty good at it, no? When you go to school with someone like Mayer, it tends to help more often than not.

“I’m gonna fuckin’ clock ya!”

“Calm down, we don’t need another hole in the floor. Come to think of it, why didn’t you just incapacitate them in a way that didn’t require having to replace the floor boards?”

“That’s...er- Well… How do I put this?” She tried to put it to words. “If those two fought, it’d cause a lot more damage than just a little hole. And if she went wild, this place would be toast, literally. People are less likely to do something wrong again if they experience fear as a consequence, y’know, like a mom scolding a kid after stealing a pack of gum. And since you guys are eating with me, it’s my treat, meaning it’s pretty much free. The owner owes me, after all.”

“So you’re saying that a few holes on the ground are worth it as long as you can get a point across?”

“Yep! Meals are free, so all I hafta pay for is the flooring! It’s just a little money, and I saved the place from being thrashed beyond repair. Pretty big win in my book, I think!”

I didn’t think about it like that...she’s surprisingly methodical. Still...can't let my guard down. “Well, whatever the case, I finally have some peace and quiet. I’ll be reading for another hour or so.”

“Go nuts, bookworm. As for me,” she laid on the floor, “ahhhh! I’m gonna catch some Zs. No one else knows about this room besides us and the old guy, so staying till sunrise isn’t a problem.”

“Do what you want… When you wake, I’ll have already left. No way I’m sleeping under the same roof as you.”

“Sha-ha-ha! That’s a relief! I rather gouge my eyes out than spend more time with you than I hafta anyway!”

“For some reason, I feel like that’s at least honest. Before you doze off, just one more thing… I’ve only known you for an hour, and I can’t stand you one bit, Shizuka Ono.”

Even though his words were full of spite, she couldn’t help but smirk. “Good! Because I hate your guts too, Kade Gold!”

His eyes twitched. “You definitely don’t get to call me that…”

“Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.”

“I can tell you’re fake snoring...seriously,” he went back to reading and delved into his thoughts. Another crazy Pathos… Still...that was the first time I was able to have a relaxing conversation. Barely any screaming, a book in my hand, talkin over tea...refreshing.” He peered over the table to glance at her dopey sleeping face. I do hate you, but if nothing else...thank you for a calming talk, Ono…