The following morning, Rin felt she had scratched through Matoi's proverbial surface, and the two set out to Rook Hospital. The woman at the desk sighed as they came up.

"What do you want?"

"We're here to visit a patient - Richard Sharp."

Matoi grinned as the woman started at her computer with no legal argument or resistance. She was living the dream then.

"Room 309."

"Thank you." nodded Rin, and the two went up to 309. Matoi knocked, and a woman answered, elderly man on the bed behind. "Yes?"

"My name is Rain-On-A-Wedding - I was here to ask Richard Sharp some questions."

The woman glanced back, and gesturing to Matoi, stepped inside with her. "Mr. Sharp is… unable to answer any questions. He's nearing the end of his life. He can barely write. Let alone answer anything, anything specific."

"Because of his cancer?"

"Yes." nodded the woman. "We were actually -"

- and the next scene was instant. A whirlpool appeared underneath the woman -

- and one giant piranha burst out & swallowed her alive; the two barely winced as its teeth tore her apart in the next, maw spitting her out as red chunks, and as another whirlpool appeared underneath Richard's bed -

- Rin threw one red icicle in to it that froze the pool solid before another piranha could jump out; another whirlpool appeared underneath the women -

- and the next scene was instant. A line of missiles erupted out of Wedding's shoulders and flew up; as they hit the ceiling, Wedding's lasers welded them to a solid pole -

- and the women leaped on to it together, Matoi with one arm around the pole and one on Rin, piranha bursting out of the whirlpool below but catching nothing but air. Ahead & below, the frozen whirlpool started to crack -

"( - hold my ankles.)" winced Rin; Matoi held her by her ankles as Rin leaned down, scooping up the elderly & sleeping patient before the piranha could swallow him alive. Glancing right as she grabbed Rin again, Matoi expected another piranha to come from the wall -

- but no whirlpool came; quickly, she climbed up to the pole's tip -

- but no fish came again, two nodding as they realized it, Rin speaking - "( - he -)"

- Matoi threw her hand over Rin's mouth, and the icewoman tried not to smile between her fingers. The whirlpools disappeared below, and Matoi glanced with Wedding ready, hearing somebody murmuring out in the hall. Wedding's lasers curved to disintegrate the pole from eye-level down; they heard footsteps outside, and in the next instant -

- a teenage boy walked in to the room. No reaction but nodding at the chunks of gore, he glanced back -

- just in time for Matoi's stomp from above to throw him to the ground, and the two hit the floor fighting - but none could match the white wedding's strength. Her grip shot to his right hand -

- and snapped his entire arm behind his elbow; he screamed immediately - " - s-surrender!"

- Matoi threw him to the ground, and he started gurgling; one stomp shattered his left shoulder as Rin & Richard landed behind, second stomp popping his socket out of his skin -

" - tell me what you know about Richard Sharp." grunted Matoi, peeling one missile out of her right shoulder. Rin kept one hand on his leg, Sekisetsu ready to freeze.

"I-I - I'll tell you - I'll tell you, just - just don't torture me - p-please - I know you're president and -"

- Rin started to wonder how many people Matoi had tortured to have someone say that, but blinked it from her mind. She was sure her girlfriend had good reasons for it, and she preferred not to think such things of her Matoi.

"Talk." said Matoi. "Or I'll bury you in a fucking desert."

"I-I know y-you w-would, too - f-fuck. O-Okay. Maybe - maybe we can make a deal -"

" - start fucking talking -"

" - o-okay! Chill - chill! What - what do you want to know?"

"Why were you here?"

Rin frowned as something started smelling.

"…f-fuck." he said. "I'm - I'm going to attend Urasaria next year, y-you know. I'm in highschool, Panther High, and - y-you know, some, some dude came up to me - outside of school and - you know, asked me if I wanted to make a bit of extra money. By just killing - the - the salary sucks, d-dude -"

" - what did he look like? The man who approached you?"

"H-He - I-I dunno, man, I didn't - "

- Matoi kicked where she shouldn't -

" - FUCK - BROWN - brown - brown-h-h-hair, I d-don't know! S-S-Some - s-s-shorter than me - ow, fuck, I - I - sorta, sorta s-skinny -"

" - is that all you have? He asked you to kill Richard Sharp?"

" - a-and - the room - i-if it didn't - hurt so fucking much -"

" - I could have used Wedding and made you a falsetto."

"That's - that's a-all I can - that's a-all I got, man, he - he looked super fucking skinny a-and -"

" - what's your name?"

"B-Brett Bachs."

"…fine."

"A-Are you going to arrest me?"

Matoi glanced at Rin smiling, who nodded.

"Sekisetsu." she said, tapping his knee -

- and he froze solid in the next instant. Rin snapped her fingers, and he shattered in to frozen shards.

"(They'll have to mop him up once he melts.)" chimed Rin as she set Richard back on the bed, and Matoi laughed.

"(Good.)" She relayed in Japanese what he'd said.

"(…yes.)" nodded Rin. "(A highschool, then. We should go there next?)"

"(Precisely.)"

Rin nodded and the two started walking out.

"(I'll need you to ask around about him once we're there. Any student would immediately recognize me.)"

"(…ah.)" Rin nodded, nervous over her English. "(I will try my best.)"

"(I know.)" said Matoi, smiling at Rin.

◆◆◆

They had told the first doctor they saw that it was safe if for the two corpses. Matoi had notified the police to question Richard before they left, but doubted he would be useful with his cancerous memory. She sat in a cafe fifteen minutes away from the school while Rin went out questioning.

A few people milled in & out of the cafe, and as civilians usually did, they recognized her but didn't show anything but respect. For all she knew, their outward expressions were accurate, but she didn't care too much how civilians thought of her. Rare were the days now when she didn't receive some piece of hatemail or disgusting fanmail. She had often used her spite of others to better herself and new reasons came to her office daily.

She'd disliked most other students in her first year, too, but Gamage's Sunset hadn't paired well with Wedding, so Marisa & Jeanne had beaten her to two-star. She took it as her own fault and not her mentor's, but it might've been why she'd taken Mia's benefitting from nepotism as such an insult & approached her angrily after class; though she preferred not to think of embarrassing times like that.

As for Rin, Matoi felt she had loosened up after her disastrous first day, even if driving hours between clues was tiring.

"Matoi-kun!" shouted Rin at the door; Matoi shot up as her girlfriend rushed inside, and as she saw a brown-haired & thin man at the door -

- she liked how all the breath emptied out of his face as soon as he saw her - " - oh, you've gotta be fucking -"

"( - don't use your missiles!)" shouted Rin as she came up beside - "( - coral!)"

The two swept with the speed of light back -

- just in time to avoid a pillar of coral bursting up ahead; its branches tapped the ceiling & grew -

- and smashed every ceiling light in the cafe, more walls of coral blocking the front windows and plunging the room in to darkness. The two stepped back against the wall, and a single missile burst out of Wedding's shoulder; one laser hit its case -

- and a flash of light filled the cafe; they saw their foe staggering on the other end, biolumescent coral growing above his eyes, more branches growing on the floor & towards them -

" - Sekisetsu!" shouted Rin; her hands swept down -

- and turned the floor to ice, freezing the branches in their tracks; another tap turned the wall at their backs to ice, and another missile blasted their exit as they swept back & in to another cafe, forty feet separating them from their foe on the other end. Sekisetsu restitched the frozen wall's wound, no sight of their for as Rin spoke -

"( - he's more aggressive than before -)"

"( - it's desperation.)" said Matoi, and in the next instant -

- a hundred coral spikes burst out of the wall & towards them -

- but Rin's chilling touch turned them frozen before they could grow any further, Wedding's lasers melting the red children to red water as the two stepped back, and in the next instant -

- another hundred spikes -

- and another freeze & melt kept them safe as Matoi spoke.

"(He's still within range.)"

"(Yes. I - I could do the same thing if he's close, but - last time didn't go so well.)" Rin laughed nervously and Matoi nodded.

"(Thin your wall.)"

Rin snapped her fingers, and her wall lost enough weight for them to see him standing on the other side; a pinhole opened up in the ice -

- and a minimissile flew toward it; Wedding's eyes shuddered as it flew -

- and one laser set their foe blinded & staggering back. Rin melted her wall to red water as the two rushed towards him -

- but the next scene was instant. A cage of coral burst up around the man and locked him inside -

- and the two sighed as they swept back just in time to avoid another tendril from below, foe only twenty feet away but locked in a prison of his own design.

"(Missiles.)" said Rin, tapping Matoi's shoulder, and her girlfriend nodded.

"( - they'll shatter.)"

"(Yes.)" nodded Rin, and a cage of coral spikes reinforced the man's prison ahead. "(We - need to break it, but...)"

Matoi glanced forward, coral blocking the windows gone & light returning to the cafe, civilians huddled under their tables. "(Can you surround him with ice?)"

"(Yes.)" nodded Rin, and a dome of ice formed over his. "(Do you want to fire a missile in?)"

Matoi's head shook as she walked left, looking for an electrical outlet on the wall. "(No - he might still die. We need him alive.)"

"(…hm.)" Rin nodded as she crouched down, tapping the floor and turning a section underneath the man to ice. "(I can try to get him to suffocate, but…)"

"(Coral produces oxygen.)" smirked Matoi, relevantly, and Rin laughed nervously. A line of missiles burst out of her shoulder, and Wedding welded them to a solid pole. She set them in to an outlet and Rin nodded as the electrical current came.

"(Much better.)" chimed Rin, Wedding's insulation keeping Matoi safe as she set it inside the dome of ice, and as its metal tip touched the dome of coral -

- it twitched -

- and Rin laughed as red water started filling the enclosure, only enough space for the improvised rod to make it electrical. "(And now, he'll be uncomfortable.)"

"(I could find more outlets - but I doubt we'll need it. We'll wait a few minutes.)"

"(Mm. Alright.)"

The two waited a few minutes, and in the next instant -

- the dome of coral disappeared -

- and the two laughed at their unconscious foe inside. Rin rushed up and tapped him to an ice sculpture, and Matoi scooped him up. Unbeknownst to the two, the electricity had killed the algae keeping his oxygen going.

"(Good.)"

"(Yes.)" nodded Rin. "(Should we - should we question him, then?)"

"(Not until his Revenant is removed. Another student and the police can handle that - we've already done enough for the day.)"

She was starting to get annoyed at how long it was taking. Ironically, Mia & the rest were coming back tomorrow and she doubted they'd be finished by the weekend.

The two dragged the ice sculpture back to their car and back to the police for interrogation. They went out for dinner, and once they got back to Urasaria, Matoi sat up in bed while Rin laid her head on her lap.

"(…Matoi, can you rub my hair?)" Her face smiled up.

"(…alright.)" She started rubbing Rin's hair. A clammy feeling of trite love rose in her stomach.

"(…are you feeling alright, Matoi?)" Rin sat up.

"(I am.)"

Rin nodded. "(Good. Because - I like it when you hold me. I feel…)" She smiled. "(…well. I really like it when you hold me, and, um… I want to make sure we do as much as we can while I'm here. Right?)"

"(I - yes.)" muttered Matoi, starting to think of when Rin'd be gone. Since the two started dating, she had convinced herself physical touch wasn't that important, but now the evidence against that was laid out. She wasn't sure how she could reconcile the two.

"(…come on.)" Rin kissed her cheek. "(Something more than 'yes', Matoi. You're being a little stiff.)"

"(I'm thinking.)"

"(About what?)"

"(...about being stiff.)"

Rin laughed. "(You can't get out of it like that, come on. Something's bothering you.)"

"(There - isn't, Rin. I'm - not an affectionate person.)"

"(No, you're stiff. There's a difference.)" Rin winked. "(You're nervous. It's alright to be nervous, but - I want to be able to talk about it, right? So we can fix it.)" She dipped her hands under her shirt, and began to undress. "(Now. What I was thinking, is that we can start by having sex -)"

- and she burst in to laughter at Matoi's filled cheeks - "( - no no, I'm kidding, I'm -)"

"( - you're making it even worse.)" laughed Matoi -

"( - but - but you're laughing, now -)"

"( - because you're being ridiculous -)"

"( - is that what I need to do, then? Do I need to be ridiculous?)"

"( - I - I can't say.)" laughed Matoi.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"(I'm not asking for, for you to be a romance novel.)" laughed Rin. "(I know you're not like that. Even if... even if I like it a little when you are.)" She smiled. "(But - this is our two weeks together. I want us to get all of this out - everything we can do together, now. And if that means going dancing, then -)"

"( - absolutely not.)"

"( - then you can at least loosen up a little. Yes?)" Rin put on her begging smile, which was even worse in-person.

"(…I'll try.)"

"(Good. Now.)" Rin laid down. "(Put your hands - on my back -)"

"( - do you want this or not?)"

"( - you need to be taught. Proper - proper Rin-holding technique.)"

"(Fine.)" Matoi laughed, grateful only Rin could see her stupidity.

++++++

The next morning, Matoi had gotten breakfast delivered and the two ate in bed.

"(…Mmm. Still a little bit too sweet.)" Rin set aside her half-eaten container of oatmeal with toast & jam.

"(I can have them bring another one.)" said Matoi, rubbing Rin's thigh. She could feel like an idiot in April.

"(No, it's alright.)" Rin tapped her phone on the nightstand. "(Another item off the list. You said there's a few we wouldn't, um, be able to do, right?)"

"(Right. A few of the restaurants only have locations in California, across the country.)"

"(Mmhm. And the investigation… well. We'll find something to do today.)"

"(Mmhm.)" Matoi yawned. Rin lowered her head on her chest, and Matoi's hands touched her stomach as she held her.

Rin closed her eyes, thinking of what she & Matoi could do again. She felt Matoi kiss her, then grinned as she pulled Matoi closer in. "(….Mmm. Matoi… I-)"

- Matoi's tablet vibrated on the nightstand, and Matoi sighed as she took it. Rin blushed as she sat up.

"(They're asking us to meet with the police again.)" muttered Matoi, and Rin nodded rapidly as they stood.

"(Y-Yes.)"

Matoi glanced at Rin, wondering why she was so excited for work. The two got dressed in their regular clothes and went down to the station to meet with the chief again.

"Rain-On-A-Wedding. Frostbite." he nodded as they sat down, feeling embarrassed over his earlier mistake. Of course she wasn't Chinese - she was clearly Korean. "We just finished questioning the guy you brought in. Wanted you down here as soon as we did. He's… well. Made an accusation."

"About Sabrina?" said Matoi.

"Yes. He claims that her brother hired him to find someone to murder her. Now - for me, that - that would be surprising. Doesn't seem to be any past history or obvious motive, from what you mentioned, but - well."

"Crime can be random." said Matoi and he nodded.

"Oh, and I know that too. We once dealt with a case where some shoemaker's son was kidnapped. Held for a million dollars in ransom. Finally caught the guy - after the victim had to pay - and find out that he just didn't like how the guy's house looked. But - but I shouldn't keep you. Just go over and see what's - see if we need to hold him in custody."

Matoi nodded and the two went out. They got in to Matoi's car and the white wedding started driving, hoping Rin would be more talkative today than her.

"(He might be our culprit, then.)" said Matoi.

"(Yes.)" nodded Rin, trying to stay focused. "(If his father is, um… dying soon, then… maybe he knows something about him? His sister, maybe?)"

"(Possibly.)"

"(But - maybe his sister was doing something illegal, too. If she knew he had a Revenant, then… and - and she called for a student. Yes?)"

"(Yes.)"

"(Then she must have, somehow known that, that someone with a Revenant would try to kill her. For some reason.)"

Matoi shrugged. "(I don't know why he would try to kill his father, if he'll be dead soon regardless.)"

"(…it is odd.)" murmured Rin. "(…um. Let me think for a bit.)"

"(Alright.)"

She passed by a restaurant that she knew was on Rin's list. Any other time, they would've gone in and had lunch, but she watched it disappear in her sidemirror. Why did they need her & Rin for something any student could do? Over the next hour, Rin came up with a few theories, and if they were out of anyone but her, Matoi wouldn't have bothered listening.

They pulled up to the mansion's gate. Matoi sighed as she found the guard missing, and in the next instant -

"( - Matoi - blast us left!)" shouted Rin, and in the next instant -

- one shockwave blasted them with the strength of a million through the gate; another blasted them left -

- just in time to dodge the wave of magma that'd been shot at them from behind; car still flying left, another shockwave slowed its roll -

- and landed right in a patch of wax-covered hedges at the lot's south&left corner, mansion at the center and outer wall at their left & back as they got out of their car. With no time to waste, the two turned towards the gate -

" - Sekisetsu!" shouted Rin; a wall of ice burst up ahead & right -

- and blocked a second wave of magma, chill solidifying it & turning it frozen, two stepping back and in to the patch of wax-covered ground. Matoi felt a presence behind and turned -

- just in time to block one waxman's fist from behind; one hand gripping his wrist tight, two lasers shot through his chest -

- but she sighed as the hear only set him aflame, wax dripping but still barely melting. She shouted for Rin at her back -

- and one swipe from Rin with Matoi's sword tore the waxman in two, goo falling rigid as the two stepped back; at her side, Rin handed Matoi her sword, wall of ice still standing at their rights. Something started rumbling in the distance, and in the next instant -

- the wall of ice shattered in to a hundred shards, and flew towards them -

- but one missile met it head-on, shockwave blasting it with the strength of a million away. More waxy & trampled hedges were still laying ahead, pale goo rising up and starting to grow limbs. The two started rushing forward, keeping along the left & outer wall.

"Kekkonshiki." muttered Matoi, and in the next instant -

- two shockwaves blasted the women with the strength of a dozen forward -

- narrowly dodging the wave of magma that'd come from the right side of the lot; the two hit the ground running as they landed, coming up to the mansion's left wall, still rushing as Matoi glanced back. More waxmen were growing out of the waxy hedges underneath her car. She sighed as she saw another wave of claim her vehicle -

- which shuddered, buckled, roof melting in to its seats -

- but still stood at the end, Matoi blinking at it & reminding herself to buy it once they were done -

"( - here!)" shouted Rin, tapping the mansion's left wall - "( - inside!)"

- and Sekisetsu froze the entire wall solid, one section of ice peeling back to allow them in; in to the mansion's main lobby swept the women. Another twenty waxmen separated them from the staircase at the other end, mansion's front door at the right; Matoi gripped her sword as the two rushed forward, Wedding's lasers superheating her blade as she swung it -

- and a sweep of superheated steel charred half their foes without a single ash left; she shot off to meet another five -

- and Rin's icicles impaled the last five of their foes, two nodding as they kept their rush going across the room, coming up to the staircase & speaking as they climbed -

"( - the wax one has to be here, right?)" panted Rin -

"( - presumably.)" said Matoi, coming up to the staircase's tip. One hall was to their left and another to their right. Superheated blade readied, the two rushed right & down, doors at regular intervals and one at the end of the hall; behind, they heard a soundwave blast down the mansion's front door; ahead, they saw more waxmen bursting out of the doors -

"( - Fallen Snow!)" shouted Rin -

- and a volley of frozen red crucified every last waxman to the wall, candlesque men groaning as the two rushed past, immense chill keeping them from dripping. As they ran, Rin glanced back -

- and sighed as she saw their wax contort around the frozen nails, bodies morphing to set them free - "( - are you kidding-?)"

"( - they're immune to temperature?)" said Matoi, coming up to the door at the end; Rin sighed as she glanced forward -

"( - I - think so, but -)"

"( - Wedding!)" shouted Matoi, and one missile blasted the door down -

- and in to the bedroom swept the women; Matoi didn't wait for the next instant scene. A line of missiles erupted from Wedding's shoulders and flew across the room -

- and the explosions tore every last nightstand & painting & scented bedsheet in to chunks of lavish gore, wax within the drawers getting splattered on to the walls - but no sign of the host. With a sigh and a grunt, the two turned back to the hall -

- and a bizarre scene met their stare fifty feet away.

"Were you looking for Mr. Sharp?" shouted, ahead -

- a wall of wax blocking the hall, candlesque eyes & features growing from the goo, expression contorting and grinning as it spoke - " - because I'm afraid he's already -"

- and the next scene was instant. Matoi felt something heat up behind her&Rin -

"( - Wedding!)" she shouted; her lasers burnt a hole below the two, and in to the sudden burrow they fell -

- and swept back as soon as they hit the floor before the wave of lava could drip in through the hole. Rin threw a disc of ice to plug up the hole, speaking as the two stepped back.

"(I realize why they're together. If one is lava -)"

"( - it's immune to it - somehow.)" muttered Matoi. Rin nodding, one missile blasted through the wall at their backs, and the two rushed out -

- to at last come outside the mansion again, rushing up & along the right wall now, one section of the outer wall having melted from the scorching wave earlier.

"(Fortunately, there's an easier way to solve this.)" said Matoi as they ran; Wedding's shoulders rumbled -

- and a constant line of missiles flew in to the mansion as they ran along the right wall, explosions tearing through the walls & foundation and setting it rocking; Rin rushed up along the lot's outer wall, and as her fingers tapped it to turn it to ice -

- a current like a thousand volts entered her; she shrieked -

- but Matoi gripped her tight and pulled her back to her as she ran, Wedding's insulation absorbing the excess as Rin winced & groaned - "( - I - I can't turn - is it elemental -?)"

"( - waves. Soundwave - lava - electrical.)" said Matoi as they turned the corner, and Rin nodded, hair still twitching as they rushed along the back wall. More explosions tearing through the back half of the mansion, three stories started teetering & tottering, roofs collapsing and rooms starting to crumble - "( - back!)"

- and the two rushed as fast as they could to the back & outer wall, turning back just in time -

- to see the entire mansion collapse & shudder, buckle inward & shatter in to a million ashes, smoke and ashes popping out of the ruins as every last room tore itself to shreds -

- and nodding with no rest, Matoi blasted the back & outer wall to bits, shockwaves clearing the rubble from their path. Sweeping out of the lot, the two rushed right, still along the wall. Matoi stopped suddenly and climbed as fast as she could with her sword, trying to find their second foe's location -

- then swept with the speed of light back to the ground -

- dodging a wave of snow that'd been blasted towards her, wave of white flying over them above, nodding to Rin as she spoke - "( - remember what I told you about Mia?)"

"(I - yes.)" nodded Rin quickly - "( - I - tried to practice it with Yamato -)"

"( - good.)" Matoi nodded, and the next scene was instant. One laser disintegrated the ground below; in to the sudden hole fell the women -

- and the two started their tunneling, Matoi's lasers acting like Mia's fire & Sekisetsu's ice acting as the frozen ceiling, Rin & Matoi running together as they tunneled.

"(I'm -)" - Rin panted - "( - also - freezing different paths above - to, to distract him -)"

"( - good. I'll tell you when.)"

"(Y-Yes.)"

The two kept it up for another half-minute, and in the next instant -

"( - now!)" shouted Matoi; one disintegrated a hole above their heads, and out of it swept the women -

- to at last stand outside of the lot and in the grass; Matoi turned, their second foe only thirty feet away, still oblivious & turned away, left&right arms contorted like waves. The mansion's outer wall was at his left; one missile flew towards him, and as he turned -

- his eyes widened - " - Su-"

- and the shockwave blasted him with the strength of a thousand in to the wall, soundwave erupting from his limb but catching only air, rubble smashing his skull in; Matoi rushed up with superheated sword readied, and she cleared the clearing -

- for one sweep that cleaved his right arm clear off in a shower of blood, and in a second sweep on the return -

"( - WAIT!)" shouted Rin, rushing up beside - "( - MATOI -)"

- and Sekisetsu froze him alive before she could go for the double. She glanced at Rin like she wasn't killing someone -

- and as her eyes visited the mansion, she saw it then. A pool of wax the size of the building was rising out of the ruins, dozens & dozens of limbs growing a hundred feet away.

"(Here we go.)" muttered Matoi, relevantly, ideas rushing across her head.

"(We - we need to find the host.)" winced Rin, and Matoi nodded. "(We can try to ask him.)"

"(Unstasis him.)"

Rin snapped her fingers -

- and the man shrieked in agony as he unfreezed -

- for Matoi's blade at his neck - " - where the fuck is the other host -"

" - go - go fuck yourself, y-you f-fucking -"

- and Wedding's laser burnt a screaming hole through his leg. Their foe hit the ground, hands clawing at his leg. This time she judged it right. She stepped up and Wedding's beam turned him in to a falsetto.

"I can be much fucking worse."

" - he - it f-f-fucking po-po-posseses him - he's i-i-i-in that fucking thing!" he gurgled.

"Then you're freezing him." Matoi pulled him up by his neck, fingers nearly gripping through his skin. "Use your snow -"

" - y-y-you think I'll do -"

- and one superheated blade went through his eye & out his skull; he screamed as a man in mortal agony, desperately trying not to stagger. Rin knew her girlfriend had a good reason for that one.

"You still have a second -"

" - O-O-OUT!" he shouted; Matoi yanked her blade out as he swept his left arm back -

- and a dozen waves of snow burst out of it, shooting towards the waxy beast starting to rise out of the ruins -

- and even it couldn't stand the chill, icicles forming all over it; beside Matoi, Rin threw another heavy volley of her own in, waxy limbs starting to fill with ice, another dozen waves of snow claiming it as another hundred icicles shot towards it, and as another twin volley hit the beast -

- the two nodded as they saw it freeze entirely solid, no cracks coming in the ice mountain ahead, limbs trying to move but freezing before they could rise -

- and disappeared right in to the ruins in the next, mountain of ice falling to the ground of the ruined lot with its support lost & shattering as it hit the floor, no wax left but plenty of ice. Rin nodded to Matoi, and in the next instant -

" - Wedding!" shouted Matoi, and in a single sweep seeking his left arm -

- that cleaved it clear off in a geyser of blood, and in a second sweep on the return -

" - Wedding!"

- that cleaved his right leg off in a shower of blood; a horrific shriek erupted from him as he fell back -

" - Wedding!" shouted Matoi, superheated blade seeking his left leg -

- and disintegrating it off the rest of his body, man dead & not even able to reach for his lost limbs, quadruple on the pavement -

"( - very - very violent.)" winced Rin, relevantly. Living in Japan, she wasn't as desensitized as Matoi, but Sekisetsu kept trauma & most gore from bothering her.

Matoi nodded slowly. "(…no Mr. Sharp, either.)"

"(…yes.)" Rin frowned. "(Let's - let's check the, um, wax Revenant.)"

Matoi nodded, and the two stepped up to the demolished mansion. One frozen corpse was in the rubble, and the two sighed as they saw it, normal number of fingers on his hand.

"(He's clearly fled - and we have no leads.)" muttered Matoi. "(I doubt either of them would have known where he is.)"

"(There - there must be something, but…)" Rin's eyes widened. "(Matoi, is he - we need to go to the hospital. He - he might be trying to kill his father before we can get to him -)"

- Matoi nodded, and the two rushed to Matoi's car. The roof was still melted, but Wedding's missiles turned it in to a convertible.

"(I - I realized it, after you said - that he would be dying soon.)" said Rin as they pulled out.

Matoi handed Rin her tablet. "(Let me know if anything comes up near the hospital.)"

"(Yes. But. His, his father is richer than him, isn't he? The mansion?)"

"(His sister didn't want it.)"

"(Yes. Yes.)" nodded Rin. "(Then, um. Then could it have something to do with inheritance?)"

"(It… could. Something to do with that.)"

"(Maybe - maybe he…)" Rin frowned. "(… I-I don't know. It - it could be something simple like that, but…)"

Matoi looked towards the next three hours of road.

She glanced over, and her eyes fell from Rin's face to her tablet. Hopefully, Mr. Sharp would stupidly attempt to kill Richard himself, Rin would freeze him alive, and they'd be done.

"(…can we get something, um, from there?)" said Rin, pointing to a gas station ahead. "(Just - just something quick. I'm a little hungry.)"

"(Alright.)"

◆◆◆

They hadn't received a call from Rook Hospital, and after checking on Richard Sharp once more, the two sat waiting in their car outside. Matoi called up the chief to relay what they hadn't found, and he paused for a while.

"…well. That might be it, then. We'll - we'll make sure people keep an eye out for him. Whole state. We'll let you know as soon as we see anything."

Matoi glanced at Rin. They had a week before she had to leave, and the future started forcing a tear out.

"Can we send a few men over?" he said.

"…you can." said Matoi, taking her tablet out. "There'll be two other students here when you arrive. I'll let you know their names. They'll be taking over the investigation."

"A- what?" said Rin.

"Is there something wrong?" he said and Matoi's head shook.

"No. I'll be busy for the rest of the month." She tapped two names. "One of them is named Wraith - he'll be with his protege. Let him know any relevant information."

"I… well. Well, I - I can't stop you, I suppose, but - are you sure that -"

" - I'm sure. Goodbye." She tapped her phone off and Rin looked at her like she hadn't killed someone.

"A - (Matoi, what did you say?)"

"(I told them we won't be pursuing the investigation any further. I'll be handing it off to two other students, once they arrive.)"

"(You - what? But we have to find him.)"

"(Rin, they only needed us to fight Revenants. If he shows up again, they can -)"

"( - Matoi, you - we agreed to help them investigate. We can't just, just quit -)"

"( - we have another week until you're - until you have to go back to Japan, and…)" Her mouth went grim.

"(…I know, but I just - I just don't think we should…)"

"(I took two weeks off because I wanted to spend time with you. Not spend six hours driving every day.)"

A bit of guilt came over Rin. This felt like something out of one of the romance novels she loved to read, but at least they gave you the plot's answer, too! This was truly a different Matoi, one she hadn't known in their five months together.

"(…one is them is two-star.)" said Matoi. "(They won't have any trouble dealing with other Revenants - if he does show up again.)"

"(…yes. I know, but…)"

Rin frowned, but laughed as Matoi kissed her cheek.

◆◆◆

Over the next few days, after more prodding from Rin, Matoi agreed to one formal double-date. Matoi had done her hair in a bun and was wearing a black dress, and as they sat down across from Mia & Aimee, Rin placed her hand on her's openly, feeling a supreme pride at her ultimate plan coming to fruition.

"Hey." chimed Aimee. "Rin, right?"

"Mmhm." Rin nodded. "Aimee, yes?"

"Yeah."

"I've never seen you this dressed up." Mia grinned at Matoi, whose hand tensed around Rin's.

The Japanese culture acting up in her again, Rin figured. After having trouble with Japanese women back home, she should've known better than to try one overseas.

"Mmhm." said Rin. "But I wanted to try something more formal. Matoi-kun told me that - that you had a girlfriend, so - I hope it was alright to ask for this."

"It was." smiled Mia. "Aimee wasn't working this week, either."

(Unknown to Mia, Aimee had taken it off to go ring shopping.)

"Yep. Been together, uh - nearly three years." Aimee smiled and Mia nodded. "Met back in Mia's first year."

Rin asked, "Is she the woman you mentioned in the interview-?" and Matoi tensed -

" - she - she is, yes." said Mia hastily. "She had asked me not to mention her."

"Yeah." said Aimee. "Just figured that - didn't want to accidentally make it any worse for her, y'know."

"Ah." Rin nodded, as did Matoi. "I know that, ano, everyone - everyone at Ueno supports you."

"Thank you." Mia smiled, but admittedly didn't care what anyone in Japan or anywhere else thought of her. Unbeknownst to her, she hadn't only inherited Worldwide's ability - she had inherited Ryumi's stubbornness as well.

"Yep." said Aimee. "Plus, uh - before I forget, wanted to ask you about something, Matoi."

"What is it?"

"Would you be able to - Timepact. Would you be able to, uh - see if you can help us get certified in Japan? Figure it'll go quicker with someone who knows Japanese."

Matoi untensed, then nodded as she ran her thumb over Rin's hand. "I might - though they may still decline us, regardless."

"Ah. Yeah. We already got, uh - already got America, Europe, Russia. Still want to get a transporter, but…"

"A transporter?" said Rin, glancing at Matoi. "Like Junpei?"

"No, she means someone that can transport hosts."

"There's Revenants like that?"

Mia glanced at Aimee knowingly, who nodded. "They're, uh - pretty rare, but yeah." She laughed. "Still. Guess we should talk about something besides work."

"Yes." Rin smiled and checked her menu. "Matoi-kun, can you check the ingredients?"

Matoi nodded, and glanced over at Aimee before leaning closer to Rin. Matoi was still embarrassed over Mia's interview, but smiled to Aimee as Aimee smiled to her. Aimee had been annoyed at her for it, but she supposed she had to forgive a few things. The world had but known one perfect woman, and hopefully she was right about her damn ring size.

◆◆◆

With four days left before Rin had to go back to Japan, the two finished up one of their prior mornings, and went out to a local park that night.

"(Now?)" Rin chimed as they sat down on a bench.

"(Fine. Now.)" Matoi laughed, and Rin laid her head on her chest. As to be expected, Matoi was still not one for public affection, but Rin was content with Matoi privately, both in their bedroom and outside of it. "(We're still not going to karaoke.)"

"(Hmm. Maybe I'll have to save that for next time.)" said Rin.

"(Not next time, either.)" said Matoi. Rin laughed, but when her mind turned four days ahead, unease grew up in her stomach. She hugged Matoi tighter.

"(…my… What was it? Threat level national?)"

"(Threat level national.)" Matoi smirked.

"(My threat level national girlfriend.)"

Matoi wrapped an arm around Rin, trying not to look at the ticking sun. Rin moved off of her chest, but yawned on her shoulder until the mosquitos came out. As one landed on Matoi's knee -

- a laser charred it to ash; Rin burst out laughing -

"( - did you just -)"

"( - I wasn't going to swat it -)"

"( - you just - ) - fucking - ( - disintegrated it -)" laughed Rin -

- and she laughed even higher as one missile blasted through the next three -

"( - it could be a Revenant - )" laughed Matoi - "( - the barnacles were -)"

"( - you're - no, they're - they're going to go extinct -)"

"( - then I'll be a global hero -)"

"( - a - a global level threat -)" cackled Rin - "( - here, I'll help you -)"

- she swatted one -

- and a frozen mosquito hit the ground, red spike of ice piercing through another three, Matoi laughing as her missiles blasted another dozen. They kept it going until the population was gone, and though Rin wanted to stay longer, Matoi suggested they head back home.

◆◆◆

Four days later, the five met in the Elite Four's office, and Rin's return flight was that afternoon. The five hugged, and Rin smiled as they pulled away & she held Matoi's hand.

"Thank you for all the souvenirs." she laughed, gesturing to the bag on the table.

"Yep." chimed Marisa. "Uh, I even got like - a few lesbian magazines too, so. All two of them that are left."

"They weren't even allowed to sell them to me, either." said Samuel and the four laughed. "Hope you have a good flight."

"Yes." nodded Mia.

"She will." said Matoi. "Can you be here when I come back?"

Mia smiled. "Yes."

Matoi nodded, and she started walking out with Rin. She & Marisa would be graduating at the end of May, likely leaving to a Mia presidency, with two new squadron members & one Samuel. She was annoyed she had wasted three days on that investigation, and though she considered asking Aimee for her first month off to go visit Rin, she was needing to get back to hunting and focus on her future career. Her & Rin hadn't even started to talk about that or who would move where, but she felt some obligation now to begin discussing it, as Rin was beginning to know her too deeply not to be living with her eventually.

[END OF ARC: (NOT) BORN IN THE USA]