Two weeks later, Mia was back to fighting and rushing up the street with Aimee keeping pace at her side, Rider's tendrils dipped in her vines. Over the months, she'd grown familiar to her enhanced reaction and speed, and they saw their female foe's whip hit the road ahead -

- but the two leaped over to the sidewalk just in time, watching hundreds of spikes burst up out of the road, still chasing after their foe running away 50ft ahead, small stores at their left as they pursued.

"Not too much range." muttered Aimee, and as the woman's whip hit the sidewalk -

- a swift bar of ice burst out of the wall beside, and Mia took one leap up to grab it -

- just as spikes burst out of the sidewalk after Aimee leaped to the spikeless road; Mia laughed a little as she swung on to another bar of ice, and another, and another. Her foe disappeared past the corner ahead, and Mia paused at the cafe before it as a ladder of ice brought her up to the roof.

Rushing across it, she took a glance down before the roof began shifting -

" - of course." she muttered, looking down to see miniature distortions forming in the roof, and in the next instant -

- hundreds of spikes burst up below -

- but a platform of ice formed and kept her from being cut; she shoved her flaming sword down in to the roof as she rushed off to the side, another pole of ice forming as she took one leap off to it, grabbing it in mid-air -

- and turning her legs just in time to crash through the cafe's window in a rain of glass, seeing her dominatrix foe standing over a barista's corpse on the other end. Thirty feet separated them, and her blade was still poking in from the ceiling.

Ahead, her foe's spiked whip cracked, and out of it burst a dozen spikes, spinning rapidly as they shot towards her -

- but the next scene was instant.

"Worldwide!" she shouted, and a white-lined cloud of scarabs flew to meet them -

- and burst in to a cloud of electricity -

- whose lightning arcs pulled the spinning spikes in to her ceiling blade, both exploding in to pieces as her foe stumbled back; no time to waste, Mia spun as a jet of water erupted from her hands, sending another electrical cloud in to it-

- and laughing with a stop as she heard her foe shrieking, pausing as she watched her stumble out the back door with her hair crispier than it'd been before. By now, Mia had accepted Worldwide had gifted her a bout of sadism, and she rushed out after her foe, no time to waste as she came out the back door -

- underneath one whip's sweep she dodged, but as it hit the wall beside -

- another mini-distortion started up, whirlpool pulling her in & setting her footing off-center as her foe made for a second hit -

- but a jet of superheated water burst through her eyes & out the back of her skull; she screamed like a woman in agony as she stumbled away, and Mia sidestepped the spikes coming out of the wall yet again.

Seeing her blinded foe's whip hit the sidewalk, another frozen platform kept her safe as she stepped carefully towards her; once she was twenty feet within, the woman's whip struck her ice - she readied to melt it-

- and her foe fell headless in the next, still-beating heart already carved out as Aimee appeared behind her and the spikes disappeared.

Cocking her head, Mia came up.

"She, um, wasn't going to turn your ice spiked." winced Aimee. "She pulled it at the last second. Wasn't sure if you saw. S-Sorry."

Mia nodded. She took little damage to her pride for this; she understood why they usually hunted in pairs. Aimee crouched down to scan, then turned to her. "Um, not mad at me, right?"

Mia shook her head as they started walking. "No, it's…" Her lips pinched. "Aimee, can I ask you something?"

"W-What's up?" said Aimee, thinking it was if they could breakup.

"Do you believe I'm a good fighter? Being as objective as possible."

"…oh. Um." Aimee nodded. "Uh, guess I'll start with your Revenant. You know it's really versatile. Really, really versatile. Right?"

"I-I know, Aimee." Mia smiled. "You don't need to comfort me."

"Just making sure." chimed Aimee. "But, um… versatile Revenants like that need a lot more, uh, practice. Something like Rider doesn't really have … skill to it."

Mia nodded, unaware this was a point of insecurity for Aimee. "Er, I need to fight more Revenants, then?"

"Yeah. That'll help too, but… um. Do you think it'd help if I arranged some tournament or something?"

"For students?"

"Yeah. Get to fight against more Revenants without, uh - don't have to worry about being a bit risky. Right?"

Mia nodded. "When would that be, then?"

"Before - I can definitely get it up before the day, yeah."

"I believe that will help, then." she smiled. "Thank you."

"Sure thing." Aimee smiled as Mia wrapped an arm around her. "Did you want to stop somewhere and eat? Could um, try that Russian place again."

Mia checked her phone with her other arm. "I want something trashy."

"Taco Bell?"

"Perfect."

Aimee grinned as they set off. Taking off their badges before going inside, they ordered and sat down with their meals they knew they'd later regret.

"Still got the old look." said Aimee and Mia laughed. "Don't think they've, uh, updated anything around here for twenty years."

"That's more than just the food." muttered Mia and Aimee nodded.

"Yeah. Even ends up being, uh, kinda a wash if it's actually safer near Urasaria or not. Quick response times, but a lot of guys trying to kill students to take their Revenants."

Mia nodded as she ate. "That was what, er - some of the men my father worked with. Why they were here."

"Yeah." Aimee sipped her soda. "Um, he still doing good? Haven't heard you mention him recently."

"He is, er. I'll be visiting him with my mother for Christmas."

(It was early November, but half of the students had already been assigned to patrol on Thanksgiving; Mia had Christmas off.)

Mia smiled. "I-I haven't told them about you yet, either. I'm really excited to."

A little slowly, Aimee nodded. "Sounds good, yeah. Um. Not gonna be able to do anything with my family, though."

Mia moved her hand to Aimee's. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah." Aimee barely smiled. "I - it's just - my parents…" She glanced off to the side, her face wearing some hatreds. "They fucking sent me to a conversion camp."

"They - what?"

"Yeah. They're fucking 'Christian lawyer' type freaks. They donate a shitton of money to the church, and every time I think about them, I just…" Her fingers tightened around her soda's neck. "…sorry, I'm -"

" - it's alright." nodded Mia. "I understand. Completely."

"It's one of those things where - I don't ever want to reconnect with them. That's why I make sure to remember it, even if…" Aimee sighed. "…um. Can we change the subject? Sorry."

Mia nodded, and watched as Aimee went back to her meal, her eyes elsewhen.

◆◆◆

Taking Marisa's advice, Mia split her next few weeks between her girlfriend & her mentor. Mornings she hunted with Marisa, and evenings with Aimee, though the two hadn't slept in the same bed yet. She reassured Aimee that this was for their relationship's pace and not its intensity. Recently, she was finding out Aimee was a clingy girlfriend: a trait she enjoyed.

With the need for accelerated training, her & Marisa took every call they could, and at the end of Sunday, Marisa scanned and got a notification her protege had hit rank #50 & two-star. Clueless, Mia asked Marisa what that meant if they were already living together, and after finding out it entitled her to a costume & hero name & weapon, she went with Marisa to the second-year building, slightly less clueless.

One of the doors had a plaque beside it that read 'THE GRAND COUTURIER'. In smaller text: 'and assistant.'

"Would I know her?" said Mia.

"Nah." said Marisa. "You'll know her assistant, though."

Marisa knocked and stepped inside a few seconds later. A short blonde wearing a mechanical eyepatch was cutting some fabric at a corner table. As they came closer, Mia realized she wasn't using scissors; her nails were unnaturally long & sharp.

"Hey, Nuiko." said Marisa.

Nuiko looked up and recognized Mia as Aimee's girlfriend; instinctively she suppressed some bitterness. "Hey. Did you need a costume for your protege?"

"Yeah." chimed Marisa. "For Mia Schultz. Is your assistant, like, in today?"

"No, she's…" Nuiko sighed. "She's in another coma." She gestured to Mia. "Go ahead. Do you have something in mind?"

Mia handed her a folded note. Nuiko winced before opening it, then sighed relieved. "Er, everything alright?"

"Your handwriting is good." said Nuiko. "Everybody else looks like they're writing with broken glass. You can go."

"Thank you."

The two left and Mia whispered to Marisa. "What was with her nails?"

"Her Revenant's name is Shrink & Swell." said Marisa. "...uh. Do I need to say what it…?"

Mia shook her head.

◆◆◆

Urasaria's blacksmith wore samurai garb and a stone expression. Mia knew his blue-haired & lab-coated assistant Yuruko, partially because it was rare for a Urasaria woman to solely hang around men. Her odd speech, appearance, and even hygiene made it clear she made no pretense about following norms.

"…hm." he murmured, examining three scarabs on the table. "Fire - ice - electrical. The metal will need to withstand both high and low temperatures - the strikes of your enemies. The blade you wielded prior was weak, and failed when you required it most - but what I create shall not. It will be as a wonder that withstands seven generations."

"…uh. Whatever you say, Gamage." laughed Yuruko, having found someone more otaku than she. "Dunno. Medicinal can probably create something."

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

"Did you receive my other request for it?" said Mia, and the two nodded.

"I have." said Gamage. "A tedious one - one that will require many hours of collaboration and testing. I shall call you back, periodically, to ensure the concoction is to your specifications."

◆◆◆

A week later, Marisa waited outside their bathroom.

"Done yet?" she shouted through the closed door.

"The mask is slightly tight!" replied Mia from within. "Is that intentional?"

"She usually runs small - but Shrink & Swell can resize it!"

"I should have guessed."

The door opened, and out stepped the new woman. She was wearing an obsidian & beaked mask; her sword had a blue & red helix down the hilt, two scarab-shaped carvings within. The blade shimmered, coated in an liquid that flowed but didn't drip.

"Worldwide - fire."

The blade erupted in to orange flames.

"Worldwide - ice."

Ice stalactites jutted from the blade.

And on her badge, her new name.

'Swarm.'

"…oh." blinked Marisa. "Huh."

"What is it?" said Mia.

"I just thought you'd choose a different name." shrugged Marisa. "What about Queen of Scarabs?"

Mia paused, then frowned. "I'm not going to think about if that's better than Swarm."

"Uh, what about the electricity, too? On your sword?"

"They said they were still working on that."

"Neat. First-year two-star, then." chimed Marisa.

"How long does that normally take?"

"Uh… It took me, like - last April, so."

"…oh."

◆◆◆

By the time she left class Tuesday, she had spent a few days wondering if she'd only achieved her rank from Aimee's help, and was thinking of how to either win the tournament next week or have Aimee adjust her rank properly.

She was walking down the hall of the first-year building when she heard a woman call her name, and turned to face Matoi standing too closely.

"I - yes?" said Mia, stepping back. "Do I know you?"

"You will." said Matoi. "You're competing in the tournament next week, correct?"

"…I am."

"Fortunate. Every student can see how little you deserve your rank. It's obvious you receive special treatment as Aimee's girlfriend."

Mia looked down, not wanting to show the barb had struck. "I… suppose we will see, then?"

Matoi sneered and walked past her. Matoi had been frustrated by her own lack of two-star yet, in part because she took it as an extension of her work ethic; yet she despised nepotism. As she usually admired Aimee, it had surprised her to see her allow it.

Mia went home and talked to Marisa about it, setting the fashionista a bit aghast. She rarely saw anger from Marisa: she heard it now.

"I have half a mind to go out there and - ugh." grunted Marisa. "That's really fucking shitty of her to do. And not true, either."

"It's alright, Marisa." mumbled Mia. "I can't help but wonder if she's… correct, in some way."

"Uh, no, no, she's not. Everything you've like, been through, and especially after last month -"

" - does not change the fact that - Aimee was only hunting with me because -"

" - you had to fight two hosts at once!" said Marisa. "You… you dealt with two Revenants at once, Mia-Mia."

"One of them was easy."

"Yeah, because you actually train. Like, way harder than I used to, too." said Marisa. "You deserve to be two-star. You definitely deserve to be two-star. I mean, you beat Jeanne, too, right? She used to be three-star."

"I suppose." muttered Mia. "…I still need to go practice."

Marisa put her hand on Mia's shoulder. "Don't let her get to you." (Mia felt it tense.) "…ugh. She's like this, too. She just judges people. She just like, stands above people and judges them."

◆◆◆

Mia trained with Aimee the rest of the week, and Matoi with her protege Samuel, whose neck had grown another three inches in the interim. If some of her liking of him was because he no longer gave any argument, she did realize it. She did not dislike him, but privately nothing irked her as much as the times he'd saved her life. If she was to fight Revenants for a living, better she do it by her own missiles & lasers.

These thoughts traveled with her on her way to Yuruko. As she knew Mia had electricity & fire & ice, she had the chemist create liquid nitrogen and bathed until her legs cracked, attempted to drop a toaster in with it (and found Urasaria's outlets suicide-safe), and she'd held her feet to fire until it was painful, then another half hour after. She hated training, but hated being weak more.

Monday morning, Mia passed her first matches, and felt slightly nervous over Matoi passing her's. As it wasn't any way to judge their opponent's strength, both went off to train again. Matoi knew her Revenant innately countered one of Worldwide's elements.

On Tuesday, both passed their matches; they would meet Thursday at this rate. On Wednesday, Mia watched Matoi's last replay in Aimee's mansion.

"Gonna be fighting her tomorrow." said Aimee, and Mia scrolled down her notes. "Feeling okay?"

"…er, yes."

"Do you want to know her Revenant -"

" - no - no, don't tell me that." said Mia and Aimee tensed.

"Uh, s-sorry. Just wasn't, um, w-wasn't sure."

"I - no, it's…" She reached over and squeezed Aimee's hand. "…I'm sorry, Aimee, I've just been thinking about something Matoi said to me." She sighed. "She approached me outside of class, and told me that I don't deserve to be two-star, because… because of how I attained my kills."

"What do you…? Oh." murmured Aimee. Mia saw her eyes wet. "…s-sorry. G-Guess I-I did do that, yeah. T-Thought it would help, but… s-sorry."

"It's alright, Aimee." Mia kissed her cheek. "I promise."

Aimee nodded, wiping her tears. "T-Thanks."

"When I return from… dreadnought, I think it would be best to readjust my ranking."

"I-I can do that, yeah." said Aimee. "…um. But I know you deserve to be two-star. You don't need to listen to her. You would've gotten it without me, anyway."

"And who would I have to kiss?" Mia grinned.

"Anyone you want?"

Mia pulled Aimee on to her lap and gave her a few kisses. "No. Just my Mad Dog."

"Doesn't sound very romantic." laughed Aimee, then glanced back the screen, Matoi still on it. "…uh. Mind if I say something?"

"Go ahead."

"I can't wait to see you make her bleed."

◆◆◆

Next afternoon, Mia stepped past the enormous double doors of the building that had been constructed for the tournament. Matoi was on the other end. Wedding's veil & armor was on, her sword was drawn, and two tunnels were drilled in to Wedding's shoulders; two eyes burst out of the chest.

Mia raised her weapon, and Matoi her own.

"Mia Schultz." she said. "I've been waiting for you."

And their gaze left no more words to be shared. Haze claimed Mia's eyes as she & Matoi rushed forward, and for the spite filling her mind, she carried it through in a strike that met Matoi's steel, two combatants clashing with all their might against the other. Scarab swarming and chattering around her, her eyes twitched as their weapons smashed, and as a heat grew from Wedding's eyes -

- Mia swept to Matoi's back; a score of lasers lit aflame the spot where she'd just stood, but an ice scarab extinguished it, and as her sword sought Matoi's spine -

- it caught only air as Matoi swept with the speed of lightning away. Snarling to Mia, Wedding's shoulders vibrated as she ran back, and as Mia rushed in pursuit -

- a volley of missiles erupted from Wedding's shoulders and blast in to her path, wooden spikes shooting outward and slashing Mia; but sheets of ice formed at her feet as she slid underneath, smoke clouding seconds behind her position, more missiles soaring towards her -

- but a swift wall of ice blocked it -

- and in to a thousand shards it shattered, cloud of steam buying Mia time to reach Matoi again - their weapons clashed again. In a whirlwind of blows and scarlet tatters they revolved around the arena; Matoi's sword cleaved Mia's chest, and as her hilt smashed Mia's blade -

- crystals of ice burst from the steel and froze Matoi's grip, and as her electrical scarabs followed it -

- she was as unaffected by it as Mia. "Thirty degrees warning than I was expecting, Mia Schultz!" shouted Matoi, bashing Mia with her frozen sword back -

- and the clash began anew, Mia stumbling between lasers & sword again as she stepped back again, viciousness of Matoi's strikes growing; Mia swept back again, and as Matoi surged in pursuit -

- right in to a puddle of water; a second electrical swarm surrounded Matoi, and as the lightning surged through her body -

- her arms twitched, skin started to char, hairs standing at attention -

- but the lightning dispersed, one explosive shockwave throwing Mia back and against the wall, Matoi stomping forward still.

"Your electricity is the easiest to counter. A hundred pounds of insulated padding beneath Wedding's armor. Two swarms left, Mia Schultz!"

And she was among Mia again. Inch by inch, the pressure of Matoi's blows forced her further along the wall, and as the corner of the arena approached -

- a flash of fire scarabs melted Matoi's sword's hilt -

- and despite her agonized screams, the feral woman would never relent, her grip more decisive around her weapon than before as she fought. Mia's steel blunted the first and second strike, and as the third impaled through her chest -

- a set of icicles grew at the floor & impaled through Matoi's boots; the pain unclenched her grip as she staggered, Mia yanking out the blade from her own internals, discarding it aside as she ran back, more field of icicles growing behind as Matoi rushed in pursuit. As she turned, she saw with aghast eyes the white wedding still stomping with no care for the pain, red path behind as her feet were sliced, boots torn and gashed but rabid haze in her gaze.

"Half of your ice swarm left! Vermin - vermin - vermin!"

- their weapons clashed again, dodging and sweeping underneath sword and scarabs, clouds of ice freezing lasers & missiles still erupting even as Wedding came danger close. Mia's sword bashed Matoi's blade back -

" - Wedding -" grunted Matoi -

" - Worldwide -" grunted Mia; her ice scarabs flew to Wedding's eyes -

- and froze it solid, lasers swallowed and no movement coming -

- and one slash of her sword shattered Wedding's eyes to a dozen shards; Matoi shrieked as she staggered back, Mia's next flurry of strikes coming and hacking her chest, and as Mia swept underneath another explosive volley -

- an explosion hit the ceiling, and the storm of rubble smashed her skull down; she staggered back against another wall, Matoi having recovered ahead as she rushed forward, blade drawn as she breached Mia's guard -

- and Matoi's grip shot to her hair as it threw her to the wall, kicking down and stomping her spine - " - vermin - vermin - vermin!"

- her steel impaled Mia's palm, and as Wedding's shoulders prepared for launch again -

- Mia's hand ripped up her blade and to the hilt; a spray of fire erupting from her wounded hand -

- and the madwoman dodged back as she yanked her blade out, retreating back as Mia rose to her feet staggering, swift fire scarab cauterizing her wound as she saw Matoi rush back across the arena -

- and leap to the opposite wall, zigzagging back and forth, missiles shooting from her shoulders and explosions hitting the wall -

- and Mia realized it then, fear touching her heart -

" - are you fucking crazy?!" she panted, one moment of lucidity in that tear -

"Come to me - or I'll demolish this entire building to rubble! They'll pull our crushed corpses out from the mountain of ashes!"

- the two rushed to each other again, and as their weapons clashed, Mia's sword burst in to white flames, metal starting to bend & warp, and in the next instant -

- it shattered open -

" - are you fucking -"

- and Matoi's blade was at her throat.

For all the arrogance in Matoi's eyes, Mia found her sword's failure worse, and didn't wait before waiting surrender and stomping out.

"Un-fucking-believable."

◆◆◆

"I would suggest not using your scarabs on -"

" - obviously!" sighed Mia, Gamage & Yuruko across - " - I thought you - I have another fight soon, I can't risk my sword breaking on me in the middle of it."

Gamage frowned, but nodded. "… I apologize, Swarm. I should have checked it at higher temperatures -"

" - no, that's on me too." sighed Yuruko. "I'm the one that tried to enhance it like that. That's on me. I'm sorry, Mia. I spent a whole bunch of time trying to simulate what your temperature would be like, but I didn't account for how Revenants get stronger when they're stressed, since - uh, the way Volgari protein production increases because of xenohydrase, and…" Her hands scrunched nervously. "…um. Yeah."

Mia sighed, but found it hard to stay mad sitting across from a man dressed like a samurai and a woman with blue-hair, wearing a lab coat, red boots and red gloves, while she was wearing an obsidian mask with a curved beak. "I… I just need something durable. Very, very durable."

Yuruko nodded. "Yeah. I'm sorry that I messed up, yeah. Do you want to just like, use one of your elements? Like a really good firesword, but can't handle ice or electricity?"

Seeing Yuruko's mouth open to ramble: "Just something durable for now. I won't use my scarabs on it."

"It shall be done, Lady Swarm." said Gamage and Yuruko laughed.

◆◆◆

To some comfort for Mia, Matoi won the tournament next down, putting herself five ranks up & Mia back down to #51. Over the next weeks, she saw Matoi around campus occasionally, glancing at her if she was walking back with Aimee, but she paid it little mind. When it came to her friends & girlfriend, she knew Aimee's mouth could scorch the bark off a tree from thirty feet away.

December 7th was the last day before her winter break, and on that day, she was already ready to leave before Marisa came in to the living room.

"Are you sure you don't want me to mention anything to her?" frowned Marisa. "Like, she's in my class, I might even see her on the way out…"

Mia shook her head. "It's alright, Marisa."

"Are you sure?" Marisa frowned. "I just, like - I hate that she's not getting punished for being a dick. Even if I have to do it myself."

Mia took that to be her asking for permission, if not approval. "No, I… it does bother me, but I need to think forward. I have Dreadnought in two weeks, and…"

Marisa nodded and hugged her. "You can do it, Mia-Mia. I know that I haven't… like, been that hands-on, but - you've got Aimee, too. If you want to train, like, just call me any time. Okay? Remember my family is near here, so, yeah."

"Thank you." Mia smiled and hugged back.

As Marisa pulled away, she gestured to her room, then went in & came back out with five bags lugged by five Boudoir strands.

"Good lord." murmured Mia and Marisa laughed.

"Yeaaaah. I made a bunch of clothes over the semester, though." She laughed. "Uh, speaking of. I gotta go steal some presents, so don't follow me out this time."

Marisa turned, and Mia watched as Boudoir turned purple, hands moving at her face. A full-mask glanced back at her.

"But if you require my aid, I will answer your call, my fellow lesbian!"

"…er, isn't that dangerous?" said Mia. "If a student -"

- her dress opened to reveal her Urasaria badge, and Mia saluted The Lavender Menace as she swung out.

◆◆◆

Three days before December 20th, a sweating Mia slumped on to Aimee's couch, wiping an ice scarab on her forehead.

"Doing alright?" chimed Aimee, sitting down beside.

"…I-I don't want to ever do that again."

"Same time next week?"

"Of course."

Trying to find some upside, she let her eyes travel down to Aimee's muscular thighs in her running shorts. She hadn't sweat at all, but that was alright: Mia was a woman with imagination.

"Does that sound good?" said Aimee and Mia coughed.

"E-Er, what?"

"Can tell you what Rider does when you get back?"

"M-Mmhm." Her hungry eye was pulled over to the table by her phone vibrating. Confused at the unknown number, she took it quick. "Hello?"

"Mia. It's Hirogane. Need to speak with you."

"Why?"

"Nothing bad. Need to speak with you. I'll send over where to meet me."

He hung up, and her phone vibrated a few seconds later. She relayed it to Aimee, and the two came up to the restaurant an hour later. Gesturing for Aimee to stay outside, she went inside and found him sitting alone at a booth.

"You wanted to speak with me?" she said, sitting down as Hirogane nodded.

"S'right. Don't tell anyone I called you. 'specially not staff. Don't tell Aimee, either. Saya, Luna. Nobody else. It's something - well. Doubt I could get fired for it - but it doesn't look good. Not taking a risk."

"…alright."

He handed her a sheet of handwritten paper. "Don't read it out loud."

'The man you're fighting is named Magnus Egashira. Five years ago, he killed twenty professional heroes in the Eastern League. His Revenant is named Scourge. It's implantable mind control with no known counter.'

Mia felt dread build up, but wondered why he'd kept her alive, gave her Worldwide, and advice. She stared at it for a while.

"All I have." said Hirogane, and Mia nodded. Maybe he was mind controlled, but his eyes looked normal, and whatever she'd gone through last month wasn't something that wouldn't have shown. She held the paper up, and as he nodded, burnt it to ash, then got up & left.

Outside, Aimee asked her what he'd said, and she said he reinforced Worldwide's incompleteness with another checkup.