The next morning in the beach town of Trisora, Aimee came to Mia's trio and asked to borrow her while she & Makoto talked to Atori & Dmitri, who would be arriving that night with Lanara's family.

She took them to a local diner, and after ordering, looked over her shoulder, then pulled a folded paper out of her pocket. She passed it to Makoto, who nodded after a few seconds, and passed it to Mia.

"…nine left?" whispered Mia.

"I just checked their presidents and translated." whispered Aimee. "Might not fight them all. Figured it would be fifteen max."

Mia was about to ask how she knew their abilities, but remembered, after their conversation in Lathusser, waking up to Aimee watching leaked videos. To mostly the same popularity as gladiators, filming students had become a dangerous hobby in recent years; particularly in China.

"Got it?"

Mia nodded. Her hands went under the table, and when they came back up the paper was gone.

"We done?" yawned Makoto. "Cause I've got a three-day shit that needs a home."

Mia ignored her, as she usually did. "Er, Aimee, I... needed to ask you something."

"What's up?" said Aimee, holding her hands.

"I… feel like I should tell Marisa." (Aimee winced.) "I-I know how it sounds, but - it doesn't feel right to fight without her knowing. She won't tell anyone if I ask her not to, and… When we run in to Revenants, she'll - she'll wonder how I know their abilities."

"Gonna have to fake it." said Makoto and Aimee frowned.

"I… you know I hate to tell you not to tell her, but - this is really serious. I know that…" She trailed off.

A sense of unease came over Mia. She wondered if she had become more obsessed with Aimee than she realized, or how Marisa would react if their positions were flipped.

She opened her mouth, then closed it, and in the next instant -

- a bat's screech erupted from the man who'd just stepped inside, blue scars on his face -

- and the three were thrown straight against the back wall, screech pinning them as they grunted; and the rest of the patrons burst open in clouds of gore & blood, man stepping forward with only twenty feet separating them & he.

"T-Ten-Mile…" winced Makoto, teeth tense & wrists cracking -

" - R-Rider -" panted Aimee, tendrils taut as she sliced at the wall -

- and the time-dilated titanic cut launched them out to the alley behind, freeing them as they landed & the man laughed ahead.

"Creates space between objects or destroys it." muttered Aimee as the three backed away.

Trumpet forming, Makoto blasted one note in to it -

- and the soundwave was thrown back in to the wall above, smashing a crater above them; the man stepped forward as the bat opened its mouth -

" - run!" shouted Aimee, and the three fled out of the alley just in time to avoid the next screech, coming out to the street quick; they heard his laugh only inches away, and as the bat's screech began again -

- it blasted Makoto with the strength of a million down the street; Mia giggled as her pink speck disappeared, Rider's tendrils in her veins & swiftness keeping them away as she ran with her girlfriend. Sheets of ice formed as they skid & slid, rushing down another sidewalk and in to another alley.

As they exited it, a wall of ice blocked behind as they ran.

"Counter, counter." muttered Aimee. "He's going to check if the tendrils are tense. Can't break through that barrier with Rider."

Another street corner was ahead, and hearing footsteps beyond it, they turned back as soon as they hit it -

- but the man was in front of them again with his bat's mouth open -

- but a geyser of water erupted from the ground, dousing him as it screeched & blasted Aimee & Mia away; as they flew, an electrical scarab flew in to the conductive streak -

- but another screech cut the watery current in half, no damage done as the two landed backfirst in another alley. No choice left, they spun back and rushed deeper in -

- to find nothing but a dead-end. Aimee drew her knife -

- but another blast at their backs pinned them to the wall, and the man appeared behind, standing now at the entrance to the alley. Pressure growing as its volume rose, the man started stepping forward, and as Aimee's knife started to crack -

- the next scene was instant.

"Wedding!" shouted a familiar voice above; their eyes turned up -

- and saw Matoi leaping off the rooftop above, missiles detonating and blasting her back down, explosive fall for the woman at a speed even the -

- and another screech blasted her across the street as the man turned, her body smashing in to another store; Aimee fell down with his back turned to her -

- and he fell apart in to twenty slices of gore in the next, still-beating heart already destroyed before he hit the ground. Panting slightly, Aimee started rushing towards Matoi as a man with a strawhat walked towards her, and before she could react -

- he ripped his hat off, smashing Matoi headfirst in to it, and she disappeared like a vortex had swallowed her; he repeated the same with himself and disappeared in to his own hat, nothing but the attire left on the sidewalk.

Aimee rushed up to it as Mia caught up behind, and as she picked it off the ground -

- out of it appeared and stood a titanic figure, who Aimee knew was Eternity.

She swept with the speed of time back as her expression froze. "Mia - run away, now."

"W-What?"

"You heard me!"

With the voice's whip, Mia got her legs under her in a hurry. Streets blurred and frozen sheets formed under her as she slid & slid down the streets, shoving every civilian she ran in to aside, stress upping her pace as she heard somebody screaming in the distance. Running for another minute, she turned the corner -

- and hit the ground with Marisa, Saya shrieking in surprise over them. Marisa quickly stood up and asked her what had happened, a bit of blood on her face.

"A-Aimee told me to run." panted Mia, tears forming. "W-We found Ten-Mile and - Matoi was captured by Vortex and -"

" - Revenants?" said Marisa, peeking past the corner.

Mia barely realized she had said their names. "Y-Yes, a-and -"

- Marisa went rushing after something she saw, and as Mia & Saya followed behind -

- they saw Aimee stumbling down the sidewalk with three ribs burst out of her chest. One wincing eye saw Mia as she slumped against the wall, and Saya ran up to her, quickly muttering for Blackburn's fog. Streams of black shoved her ribs back in, beginning to fill the grisly wounds all over her body.

Blood drained in rivulets down her vest as her ribs reformed in their rightful spot, still exposed by her wound. Mia realized she was carrying a strawhat.

"Is - Is there a Revenant after you?" said Marisa, and Aimee's head barely shook.

"S-Second." She watched as the pink-haired conductor walked past the corner, holding a candy bar she'd bought from a vending machine, then running over to them. Maybe that last Revenant should've killed her, she thought.

"You okay?" said Makoto.

Mia crouched down and rubbed her girlfriend's shoulder. "D-Did you get him?"

"N-No." Aimee winced as she stood, wounds mostly healed. "V-Vortex got Matoi, and - need to go through one of the hats and save her. Me a-and Mia." She waved the hat.

"Uh, wait." said Marisa, handing Mia an attached Boudoir-rope. "How do you know the ability?"

Makoto spoke quickly. "Just a guess."

"Yeah." said Aimee. "Figured it's, uh, probably two-way."

She glanced at Mia, who nodded as they stepped inside the hat.

◆◆◆

Slumping against the barn's inner wall, Vortex looked over to Matoi's body to make sure she wouldn't awake soon. He watched with some amusement as Eternity staggered in to the opposite wall, still gushing blood where Aimee had amputated his arms. As he hunched over, something hit the ground that was not only blood.

Vortex remembered an expression he had heard once, possibly from Mei, about how there were significant hosts and those shat out by history. He thought of his last conversation with Mei as Eternity turned to him, pleading in his broken Chinese, and supposed that an ambitious man had to put up with a few things.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

He moved his hand from his hip to his lap, until one of Wōxuan's straw hats appeared in it. He set it by his side, and Mei rushed out of it over to Eternity. Watching Mei inject him with Rejuvenation's syringe, Vortex reminded her that he could have killed him.

Mei took no notice. She muttered a curse to Eternity as she jammed the syringe in to his heart. "(Did you find her Revenant?)"

"(No.)" said Eternity. "Granite. (Dead.)"

"(Some random professional no one cares about. Congratulations. Vortex, they'll be coming as soon as they realize how the hats work. Kill her quickly.)"

"(She's better as bait.)" said Vortex, dragging her back up. He had no intention of bringing her home: no Japanese or dogs allowed. "(I could have waited to call you. Remember that when you're writing your report.)"

"(Do you expect me to praise your restraint?)" spat Mei, surprising him. "(All you've shown me is that you consider your temper more important than your work. I'll certainly mention that in my report.)"

Footsteps began in the field outside. Mei swept the hat over herself & Eternity, and they disappeared. His grip tightening more than usual, Vortex dragged Matoi through the barn's back door.

◆◆◆

"…of course." sighed Aimee, glancing down at the broken Boudoir lasso around their torsos. It'd snapped the moment they came through the hat, landing in the far end of a field littered with hats.

"We should keep one close." said Mia, swiping one up and wearing their transportation back.

Barn off in the distance with door closed, the two stepped forward carefully, Rider's tendrils forming and scarabs & blade appearing.

"What should we do if Eternity shows up?" said Mia.

"I… remembered Rider counters Eternity." frowned Aimee. "Makoto mentioned it to me, uh, after Renee died. Still, if he shows up - run. You deal with Vortex and -"

- Mia ripped her hat off as something green fell out of it; a live grenade with pin pulled -

- but an ice scarab froze & threw it away, frozen explosive shattering in a rain of icy shards as it hit the ground.

"I probably should be the one wearing that." chimed Aimee, and Mia handed it to her. Twisting Boudoir's broken strand, she tied it to her chest with portal facing outwards.

"C-Clearly." said Mia.

"I'll make sure not to turn it towards you." winked Aimee.

The women started their trudge forward, just in the first quarter in the air. They heard full-auto gunshots in the distance, and in the next instant -

- a hailstorm of bullets erupted from every single hat ahead, lead storm covering up the sky above, and as it arced and fell back towards the two -

" - Mia - stay still - Rider!"

- and for Aimee, the world slowed as a reflection in a disturbed pond. Dozens of bullets fell at a chilled pace above the two, still out of reach but falling inch-by-inch. Rider's tendrils were taut.

She smiled at Schultzy beside, whose head was moving like one caught in jelly.

'…got some free time.' she thought, planting three kisses on her girlfriend's cheek. The bullets fell within range, and as she brushed them aside - ' - time resumes.'

- and the rest fell with their former speed to the ground, leaving the two unharmed.

"...did you-?" Mia tapped her cheek.

"Nothing." grinned Aimee, and as the women stepped forward, a different realization struck Mia -

- but their foe wouldn't rest. Artillery rained out of the hats above, mortars scorching the air as they arced down towards the two women -

- but a titanic igloo formed and blunted the projectile, cracking in a rain of shards as the shockwaves threw them back, falling & skidding on the dirt behind.

"Fucking mortars?" winced Aimee, relevantly, dragging Mia up with her. Aimee's fingertips were singed, having thrown aside the mortar that came from her chest's portal.

"Vortex works both ways, correct?" winced Mia - " - we still don't know where he is, but -"

" - probably works both ways, but -"

- with the speed of her swarms, Mia rushed down the now-cratered field, her eyes searching for another hat -

" - he can use Matoi to shield himself if you attack it!" shouted Aimee, aiming the hat on her chest away from Mia as she chased.

"Her Revenant will automatically activate - she has insulation!" she shouted as she scooped a hat of the ground; a line of ice&fire went in through the portal and disappeared, and as another set of electrical scarabs flew in -

- a scream of agony echoed from the barn ahead, and the two rushed forward with no time to waste. Mia felt the electrical current hit her target yet again as another volley flew in, scream fortunately male as they ran, no projectiles left to slow their path. As they came a dozen feet within the barn's entrance -

- they halted suddenly as the barndoor was thrown open and out burst Vortex, skin charred, hair snarling and singed, clutching an unconscious Matoi to his chest -

" - fucking scarab bitch! Let's make it more interesting - my life or her's!" shouted Vortex, knife at Matoi's neck.

Aimee tapped Mia's back, Rider's tendrils piercing her spine. "Can't kill." she whispered, and in the next instant -

- a fire scarab burrowed below the ground behind Mia, and before any could react -

- it burst up at Vortex's feet and melted his blade to ash; and Aimee was at his throat a second later, free hand ripping Matoi from him with the strength of time -

" - f-fucking gweilo -" grunted Vortex; Mia rushed up to Aimee -

- and one hat's sweep brought them back to the familiar street corner, portal attire disappearing a second later.

"Oh! You're back!" chimed Marisa, leaning against a wall beside.

"What … what was that term he used, Aimee?" said Mia.

"Probably some slur." said Aimee, dragging Matoi on to her back. "Let's get back to Saya."

◆◆◆

Outside of the trio's hotel room, Marisa glanced at the closed door. Saya & Aimee & Matoi were inside; the white wedding hadn't woken up yet.

"She - what?" said Mia, standing with Marisa.

"She just went running off, yeah, like. She was the only one who had her tablet when we got attacked, and I guess, like, someone must have called it in."

"Why didn't she tell you?"

Marisa gave her a look like she'd asked an obvious question. Lips pinched, Mia nodded as Marisa spoke. "Like, I'm glad she was there to save you, but she could've at least said something. It's like she thinks everything's about her ego." She sighed, then looked over to the door. "…she did save me a few times, but still."

"She saved you?"

Marisa nodded. "Yeah. The Revenant was - he could like, instantly throw out this combustible fog and stuff. She actually got hurt pretty bad trying to keep me and Saya from getting hit."

'Miasma.' thought Mia, feeling guilty as Marisa continued.

"She accidentally destroyed it, though, so Aimee needs to put it in when we get back."

"…she… she should, yes." said Mia. "Er, you said she destroyed it?"

"Yeah. Accidentally."

Saya & Aimee came out, nodding to the duo.

"She will be alright." said Saya. "I'm… not certain if she will be awake for tomorrow, but she has no lasting damage."

"Yeah." said Aimee. "Atori said they checked in with Lanara's family, so. Probably should go see them now."

Mia nodded, locking the door before they set off to a room on the fourth floor. Makoto opened it for them, and they went inside to Lanara's family & Atori & Dmitri.

Aimee's eye was pulled over to the skittish teenage girl standing with her family - one older-looking than she'd expected. Whatever Appraise's ability, it didn't seem to suppress trauma well.

"Um, hi." said Aimee. "I'm Aimee. Urasaria's student body president. I'm usually, er, out east, so - dunno if you know me."

"The Mad Dog." said Lanara's father, tapping his daughter's back with an awkward laugh.

"Exactly." Aimee smiled.

"…s-sorry." mumbled Lanara. "I-I don't really want to talk."

"That's alright. Where's, uh… the professional? Granite?" Aimee glanced to Dmitri.

"He ran in to -- Eternity."

"…shit." sighed Aimee. "And so did I."

"It was always a possibility - but he had allowed enough time for our escape." said Atori. "A hero cannot ask for a better death."

"Uh, 'none' would be better." said Makoto, head shaking. "You guys lost your brains in that town."

"Have you found a girlfriend yet?" said Atori, and Aimee laughed as Makoto frowned.

"That means no." chimed Dmitri, and the rest laughed.

"C'mon - let's focus." laughed Aimee. "Mia and I were, uh - in three fights today. Shouldn't get in to another tonight. Vortex and Eternity, are, uh… Eternity is armless, but probably alive. Should take Lanara for surgery in a night or two, once Matoi gets up."

"Affirmative." said Atori, and the rest looked at him weirdly. "This is the route we will take." He pulled his phone out for the seven. "Auctioneer is the guard."

The eight heroes discussed their plans, and where they would be stationed while Lanara had her removal surgery. Near the end, Aimee mentioned that Saya would need to be outside with her & Mia; something that caused her to look apprehensively at Aimee, but she decided not to bring it up in front of Lanara.

◆◆◆

The seven spent a few more minutes together and came back to their rooms. Marisa unlocked her & Mia & Matoi's door -

- and winced at the empty bed.

"I - what is it?- oh fuck." said Mia.

"I - fuck. This is - fuck fuck fuck fuck." groaned Marisa. "I - okay, we - we definitely locked it. No hat, no sign of fighting, so let's - let's just assume she's okay. Maybe she just like, went out for food."

"What should we do?"

"Stay here." said Marisa, turning out to the hall. "I'll - I'll check the front desk and - okay. If she comes back, lemme know, okay?"

"Okay." Mia gave her three quick nods.

Cursing their lack of caution, Marisa went down the hall, to the main lobby, and the woman at the desk.

"Hi, um - I wanted to know if you saw another Urasaria student pass by here? Uh, female, long black hair, Matoi Kujo?"

"Can I see your badge?" said the woman. Marisa handed her badge over and her eyes lit up. "Oh! I remember you. You checked in with Aimee, right?"

Marisa nodded.

"I have a little sister who goes to Urasaria - would you know her?"

"Uh, maybe?"

The woman nodded as she typed at her keyboard. "She's so - gosh, don't tell her I said this - she's so, so obsessed with Aimee. I don't know what she would do if she ever dated anyone."

"Oh." Marisa forced a polite grin. "That's nice."

"Sorry. Starstruck. What was her name again?"

"Matoi Kujo. Badge says Rain-On-A-Wedding."

"…let's see… She checked out of your room, and in to… 159."

"Uh, she checked in to her own room?"

"A few minutes ago, right."

Marisa's brow furrowed. "Uh. Thanks. This way, right?" She gestured down a nearby hall. The clerk sent her off with a wave after handing her badge back.

She knew Matoi had figured out what occurred and had a better guess why she'd left. She thought about asking Aimee to deal with her - she likely had experience with students like her - but she hoped that Matoi, to some degree, respected her.

She stepped up to the door and heard cursing inside as something hit the floor. Marisa knocked, and the room muted. The door opened.

"What - what the hell do you want?" grunted Matoi, discarded missiles littering the floor behind.

"I just wanted to check in on you -"

" - I don't need someone to check on me, Marisa. I'm perfectly capable of handling myself."

Matoi stomped back to bed but left the door open. Marisa stepped inside and closed it as Matoi sat down.

"…um." Marisa picked up a half-made mask off the ground. "Is this your's?"

"Don't bother asking questions you know the answer to. Of course they're mine. I've been training for five - six *fucking* years, and I still can't break one fucking barrier. I still have to be some fucking damsel in distress."

Marisa took a seat away from Matoi. "…look, like, I know why you're upset, but you can't just run off when -"

" - or what? What do I offer this group, exactly? I was useless against the mist, the horde, my fucking -"

" - you weren't useless against -"

" - even you admit -"

" - if you'll let me finish one fucking sentence! Can I do that?" said Marisa. "Can I? Can I say something, o-or are you just going to yell at me that I'm wrong?" She saw Matoi's eyes dampen and lowered her tone. "…seriously. You're a good student. I know you're like, right above me in rank, too. You can't let one or two Revenants change that."

"You would think differently if you were on the other end of it." grunted Matoi.

"I *have* been on the other end of that, Matoi." said Marisa. "It fucking sucks, but… you're holding yourself to a standard that nobody else does. Everybody else has to deal with this, too."

"I-I have no desire to be like everyone - or *anyone* else."

"Even Aimee? Like, Matoi, you can't solo everything. That's just how Revenants work." When Matoi said nothing, she continued. "Like, there's nobody that can beat every Revenant. Especially when they get to attack us first, and they get to, like - some of them even freaking look up our Revenants. Me and Mia-Mia fought somebody who instantly knew what we could do. That's scary, but we still kicked his ass, because we're a pair."

While Matoi wouldn't have admitted something this melodramatic, she had fallen in to a view of hunting not as law-keeping, but competition not to be sullied. She muttered something; Marisa didn't hear it, but still suspected that was all she was going to get.

"…but, um. I still just wish you..." Marisa shook her head. "…nothing. I'm glad you're safe, and I'm glad Mia's safe."

"…she's a good fighter." murmured Matoi. "You've trained her well."

"Thanks." Marisa smiled, then sighed. "…yeah. Like, she hunts with Aimee a lot, too, so she gets to train with her, but… I dunno. Sometimes it just feels like we're roommates, not mentor and protege."

Matoi sat up. "You shouldn't blame yourself for that. It's good she's learning from a variety of people."

"I guess. It just feels like I don't want us to be too close, but I don't want to be alone, either." said Marisa. "Like, that's how it was with my last mentor. I don't want to be like that."

Matoi nodded and looked over at the missile scraps on the floor. Her eyes were still a little damp. "I… need to clean these up."