The five of us raced through the streets for what seemed like hours, though it couldn't have been more than a half an hour at most. I kept up my invisibility spell and my illusion on Ichigo as we quietly slowed down to a jogging pace.

"Hey big guy," Ichigo whispered to Albert as she we jogged through the streets under the cover of my veil. "How's the view from up there?"

"Could be better, honestly," Albert replied. "It's not exactly comfortable being slung over someone's shoulder."

"Ah come on," Ichigo replied with a grin. "I think it's pretty nice. You get to see a whole new perspective on things."

Albert rolled his eyes. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Maybe just a little," she replied.

"Ugh, I'm starting to regret not just riding in the duffle bag... or something," Albert groaned, eliciting a laugh from Ichigo and a few chuckles from the others.

"Aw, don't be like that," she teased, patting him on the back. "Besides, it's not every day you get to experience what it's like to be carried around like a sack of potatoes."

"Yeah, yeah..." Albert grumbled. "Just don't drop me."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Ichigo replied, a wide grin on her face. "Unlike miss crazy goth chuuni princess, I don't have a weird thing getting off by for tormenting people."

"Hey!" Eris protested. "That's not true!"

"Uh huh, suuuuure," Ichigo replied, shaking her head in amusement. "You keep telling yourself that pulling pranks while laughing like a psychopath."

"Nyehehehe!" Stella cackled in response. "I'll show you a thing or two about torment, Nightclaw! Come! Show your mettle!"

"Please don't..." Ichigo groaned. "I'm still sore from last time. I'm gonna kick your ass right back one of these days but not now."

"Oooh, does kitty have some bruises she wants to be healed?" Eris cooed, grinning mischievously while feigning some grabby hands. "I can help with that.~"

"Ew no!" Ichigo exclaimed, her ears and tail standing on end as she tried to put some distance between herself and the other magical girl. "Don't touch me!"

"Aw, c'mon," Stella whined. "I promise I won't bite... much!"

"Ugh, you're such a creep," Ichigo muttered, sticking her tongue out at the other girl. "Keep your hands to yourself, Eris!"

Stella pouted. "Fine, fine. But don't come crying to me when you need someone to heal you, nya~"

"You know, I don't remember signing up for this," Albert interjected, looking between the two girls. "What happened to just getting out of here?"

"Hey, it's not my fault she's so cute when she's flustered," Stella replied, pointing at Ichigo. "Besides, it's fun to mess with her."

"Not beating the allegations," Ichigo groaned. "Not in the slightest."

I sighed, shaking my head in disbelief. These three were going to be the death of me.

Albert chuckled and shook his head. "You two are a riot," he said.

"Don't encourage them," I replied, shaking my head. "They'll never stop."

"Hey, don't act like you don't enjoy it too," Albert replied, grinning. "I see the way you smile when they're going at it."

"Shut up, you," I replied, jumping over and smacking him lightly on the arm.

Ichigo giggled, her ears and tail waggling in amusement. "He's got a point," she teased, sticking her tongue out at me. "You're just as bad as we are."

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but smile. It was nice to be able to joke around like this again after everything that had happened.

We continued moving through the streets of downtown Kaleidoscope, the city lights glimmering above us as we moved through the shadows. The air was cool and crisp, the smell of precipitation lingering in the air. I looked around, taking in the sights as the main streets loomed ahead.

I was amazed by the sheer size and scale of the city, the towering buildings and bustling streets. Sure, Pewterstone had a sizable population, but Kaleidoscope felt almost ten times larger. There were so many people, so many places to go, and so much to do. It was overwhelming and exhilarating all at once.

"Think we've shaken them yet, Black Star?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"God, I hope so," Black Star replied. "I'm getting tired of running."

"You and me both," Albert replied, looking around warily. "This is a lot more stressful than I thought it would be."

"You volunteered, dude," I replied, shaking my head in amusement. "What did you expect?"

"To not have to get thrown off of buildings dressed up as Stella, for one," Albert replied with a wry grin.

"Fair enough," I replied, returning his grin.

Ichigo's ears twitched, her tail flicking back and forth as she listened to the conversation. "Hey you know, that was a pretty neat plan to deal with Hypertroph. Where'd you come up with that?"

Albert shrugged. "I just figured if he could absorb biomass right on contact, some heavy fiber powder would stick to his windpipe like glue. Ever try to eat fiber powder without water?"

"Ugh, yeah, worst diet supplement ever. It was a real pain in the ass," Ichigo grimaced. "You can be pretty sneaky and devious, can't you, big guy?"

"Eh," Albert replied, shrugging. "I just figured I'd try and help out however I can. It was a team effort, really. You guys gave me the opening to use that stuff."

"Yeah," Ichigo replied with a nod. "We've made a pretty good team so far."

"I'm just glad we were able to get away from them. If it weren't for you, we'd probably be dead or hauled off into a truck by now," I added. "I don't think anyone would've thought of cracking open a bag of dietary fiber to shove down a heavy hitter like Hypertroph's throat. Those two could've taken us in easily if we hadn't gotten the drop on them."

"Nah," Albert replied. "I mean, I'm just a muggle compared to the rest of you. All I really did was play possum and figure out a plan. You all are the ones who had to fight. And speaking of which... how' are thhose those knife wounds, Eris? We don't want the Sanguine Sorcerer getting his hands on a single drop of your blood."

"Nyehehe, don't you worry about it," she grinned. "A few knives ain't nothin'! A couple of spells, and presto! Good as new!~" She twirled, the long skirt of her outfit flaring around her as she did.

After we'd punted Warden through a wall, Black Star meticulously collected all the weapons she'd been using and had me laser off any blood we could find in the streets and on her clothes.

"That's pretty awesome," Albert said. "You know, I'm still pretty impressed to this day. Magical girls seem to be the most versatile superhumans in existence. You're all physically strong, have enhanced senses, have all these powers, healing spells, the ability to magically change your outfits... Sure, Depravities like Hypertroph's and Ascensions can be brokenly powerful, and some have all sorts of wacky abilities too, but no one seems as all-purpose and versatile as knights are."

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"Aw, shucks," Ichigo giggled. "You flatter us, you know that?"

"It's just the truth," Albert replied, shrugging.

I nodded. "We're pretty lucky to have powers like ours, yeah," I added. "Though it comes at a cost..."

"Right," Ichigo agreed, her expression turning serious for a moment before her face lit up.

Ichigo suddenly grabbed Albert's arm, pulling him close to her as she looked at him with a mischievous smirk. "You know what? I like you. We're friend-friends now. Don't argue. We're friends, and that's final."

Albert chuckled, shaking his head awkwardly.

"Er. Yeah, yeah," he replied with a smile. "I guess we're friends now."

"Good," Ichigo grinned. "Now, let's get out of here before we get spotted again."

"Agreed," Albert replied, looking around warily. "I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this."

"Me too," Stella replied, narrowing her eyes.

We were getting closer to safety, but we had to be careful. We couldn't afford to be spotted by the wrong people.

My Aura Sight didn't register anything either, so we pressed on.

"So, what's next?" I asked, looking over at Black Star.

"We just need to get to the train station," he replied, gesturing for us to follow him. "Once there, we can blend in with the crowd and make our way out of downtown."

"Sounds good to me," I replied, following his lead. "Let's get going."

We moved quickly, making our way through the back alleys and side streets of the city. The buildings towered over us, the lights of the city shining brightly above us as we made our way towards a train station.

"I think we're almost there," Black Star said, looking around cautiously. "Just a little further and we'll be able to disappear into the crowd."

"Good," I replied, looking around nervously.

Ichigo continued to cling to Albert, her ears and tail twitching as she scanned the area for any signs of trouble.

We were almost out of the downtown area, and the tension was palpable.

"I think we're in the clear," Black Star said, looking around cautiously. "I don't sense anyone nearby."

"Thank goodness," I replied, breathing a sigh of relief. "Let's get out of here before we're spotted again."

"Agreed," Stella replied, nodding.

"Hey, what do you say we get something to eat on the other side of the tracks?" Black Star asked, looking over at us. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving."

"Sounds good to me," Albert replied, looking over at us.

"Same here," I agreed, looking at the others. "Let's get out of here and get some grub."

"Yay, food!" Ichigo exclaimed, her ears and tail waggling in excitement.

We all chuckled, the tension dissipating as we made our way back towards a well-lit part of town.

"Let's just hope we don't have any more trouble," Black Star said, looking back at us.

I was nervous. That had gone... shockingly well, all things considered. The only real hiccup had been Hypertroph and Warden standing in the way. I'd been so worried I'd nearly vomited, and I'd never felt so relieved in my life.

"Hang on, losers," Stella's voice cut through the air, and I looked over to see her transforming back into her normal form, her hair and eyes back to their usual color as we neared a main street. "Can't go walking through downtown like I am."

A swirl of snow flurries formed around her, and when they dissipated, she was clad in a pair of jeans and a plain t-shirt. Her long, black hair had turned platinum blonde, and her red eyes were now a sparkling blue. She looked like a completely different person.

"There, now I'm not so recognizable," she said with a much gentler smile. "I apologize for the coarseness of my behavior back there."

"Multiple transformations...? With different powers? Seriously?" Ichigo asked incredulously. "How in the world did you manage that?"

"It's a long story," she replied with a shrug. "I'll tell you about it sometime."

"Different personalities too, it seems," Albert stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Mm, you sure you're alright up top, Stella?"

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" Stella laughed sarcastically. "Very funny, Al."

He narrowed his eyes, shrugging his shoulders.

"Alright, alright," he conceded. "But seriously, you're okay, right?"

"Of course I am," she replied, rolling her eyes. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you just turned into a completely different person," he retorted. "That's not exactly normal, ya know?"

She sighed and shook her head. "I'm fine. Trust me."

Albert nodded, though he still seemed skeptical.

Stella turned to Ichigo, who was still clinging to Albert's arm. "You can let go of him now, you know," she pointed out.

"Oh. Erm. Right!" Ichigo flushed, releasing her grip. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hang on to him that long."

"Suuuure," Stella teased. "I totally believe you."

"Whatever, queen bee," Ichigo retorted. "Let's just go get something to eat. I'm starving."

We all nodded in agreement and slowly walked into the crowd. Just to be safe, I created an illusion over each of us, diminishing the unnatural beauty of our Dream Shifts until we looked like ordinary people.

"We'll take separate seats in the same car, and get off at the second stop uptown," Black Star explained. "You four stay in pairs. From there, we'll meet up again and find a place to eat. Sound good?"

We all nodded in agreement, and began to split up.

"See ya on the other side," Black Star said, giving us a wave as he moved away from the group.

We all waved back, and I turned to walk into the crowd with Stella.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Ready," I replied.

We made our way onto the train, and I took a seat next to Stella.

"I'm surprised we haven't been found yet," she whispered, looking around. "It feels like the other shoe should've dropped by now."

"Maybe we've just been lucky," I replied.

"Or maybe they're not as smart as we think they are," she said.

I chuckled. "Maybe."

We rode the rest of the way in silence, watching the city go by. I couldn't help myself and peeked down the train car at Albert and Ichigo, who were sitting a few seats ahead of us, both looking a bit awkward sitting next to each other and avoiding eye contact. Ichigo's hair had turned brown under my mirage, and she looked like a normal version of her.

"Hey..." Stella whispered, leaning over in my ear. "You see those two...?"

"Er, yeah?" I said, glancing and turning my attention back to Stella.

Stella smirked, "This kinda looks like the start of a route."

Route?

Oh. Her hobby.

"Stop being a perv, you weirdo," I rolled my eyes.

"Aw, you're no fun," she pouted.

I felt a bit of an emotion I couldn't quite place bubble up, but shook it away.

She winked and poked my nose playfully. "Isn't he your boyfriend, anyway?"

"Never saw him that way, ditto for him to me," I shrugged. "Besides, he'd probably end up hating me if we were ever an item. He needs a sweet bubbly girl, not a serious workaholic."

"Mmm is that how you see yourself?"

I looked back at her, eyebrow raised as her aura suddenly turned red. "Er. What are you doing?"

Stella blinked, then looked down with a bit of a flush as her aura snapped back to silver. "Ah! Sorry... I uh, don't really have a filter, when it's Eri-" she suddenly paused, and bit her lip. "Um, nevermind. Sorry."

"I giggled a little. "Well, I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. I like you just the way you are, Stella."

She blushed, looking down again, before nodding. "R-Right... how i am."

The train came to a halt, and the four of us made our way out.

"Coast is clear," Black Star whispered to me, as he suddenly reappeared at my side, as we walked towards an exit.

"I still don't see any weird auras either," I replied. "I think we're safe for now."

We all walked through the station and exited into a brightly lit street. The smell of street vendors and food stalls filled the air, and the city lights twinkled in the distance.

I finally let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Well, we're here, at least," Ichigo said. "Where to next, Black Star?"

He paused, thinking for a long moment. "Well first — Please call me Henry while we're out here. Second, how do you feel about sushi? I'll buy this time."

"Sushi sounds good to me," Albert said. "I could eat a horse right now."

We all laughed and started to make our way towards the food stalls and vendors.

"I can't believe we actually pulled it off," Ichigo said, looking back at me.

"Me too," I replied. "It feels almost surreal. But hey, we're here, we're safe, and that's what matters. Let's go celebrate!"

"Right!" she replied with a smile, and the group started walking down the sidewalk.

I was exhausted, but elated. I had never been so relieved to finally be safe.

I couldn't help but grin as I walked with the others, looking forward to the rest of the night. I'd earned a little relaxation.

I looked back at Albert, and the look in his eyes made me pause.

He had a strange, thoughtful expression, as he looked at me and then Stella. It was like he'd suddenly remembered something, but wasn't sure how to express it. Then it was gone.

'What the hell was that?'

It wasn't important. I turned away and started to follow after the others, trying to keep my thoughts in order and my head in the game.

I was just glad to finally have a break from all the fighting and drama and life-threatening danger.

I was still reeling from everything that had happened.

I could barely believe we'd managed to escape unscathed.

But I'd been through worse, I told myself. And now, at least I had a group of friends that cared about me. That meant something. It had to.

I took out my phone, punching in a message to the group chat that we'd gotten to safety and probably wouldn't need back-up after all. Then, I followed along behind the group.

As I caught up with them, a sudden wave of exhaustion washed over me.

I had been running on adrenaline for the last hour or so, but now I felt drained.

The thought of a meal and a soft bed made my stomach rumble.

I smiled at the sound, and quickened my pace to catch up to the others.

Just for a little bit, I could pretend I was just another teenager out for a bite to eat. That this was a world without monsters and villains and danger lurking around every corner.

I could... just pretend that I was just a girl hanging out with my friends.

Just for tonight.