Mia awoke in the infirmary with someone over her, filling a glass of water. Her vision was in a mist, and she felt nauseated & weak.

"Hirogane?" said Saya's outline. Mia closed her eyes until she heard him come over. "She appears to be awake."

"Mia?" said Hirogane at the end of her hearing.

"…y-ssh…"

"Check her for brain damage."

"Please stay still." whispered Saya at the start of her hearing. Streams of fog flew in to Mia's ears. "She does not appear to have any lasting brain damage."

"…yessh…" Mia's eyes peeled open one dust of light.

"Good enough to question." yawned Hirogane, sitting down beside. "What's your name?"

"...Mffia… Cultz…"

"Close enough."

Mia turned over to Saya, hoping the fogwoman had better manner for her fogged brain.

"Do you know where you are?" said Saya, crouching down.

"Uffarias… infirmary…"

"Urasaria?" said Saya, and Mia's head weakly nodded. "Good. You have been in a coma for a small amount of time - but nothing worrisome. Only a week. Would you like something to drink?"

"…all… right." murmured Mia, barely leaning her head up. She let Saya drink water to her.

"Good?" said Saya, pulling the glass back.

"…w-where's Aimee?"

"She's alright." said Hirogane. "Figured you'd ask. Still in a coma, but she's stable."

"She's here." said Saya, pointing to one bed Mia still couldn't see. "I'm certain she will be alright, Ms. Schultz."

Mia's spirit sank in to the sheets. Aimee was normally a text or one call away, and Worldwide's colony couldn't suppress that as she heard Saya say they should leave her alone and they closed a curtain on her sobbing. Marisa would support her, but what could she say to help her? She didn't know how long it could be before Aimee could wake up, and she felt guilty over not going home with her that night, until Saya peeked back and her crying plugged up.

"…s-sorry." murmured Mia, eyes dripping.

"I wanted to give you some tissues." Saya smiled as she sat down and took Mia's glass of water. Streams of fog dissolved the liquid, then filled it with tissues.

"T-Thank you."

"It's alright." said Saya. "I promise you - having seen her many times before - she's very strong."

"…k-keep talking. P-Please."

"About Aimee, or something else?"

"A-Anything."

"Would you like to hear how I first became Hirogane's assistant?" (Mia nodded.) "Initially, I did not want to work in the infirmary. I actually wanted to work in the cafeteria." She laughed a little. "Refilling various vending machines, and the likes. Blackburn activated when I was a teenager, but… well, then, I thought the only positions at Urasaria were… violent work. I am still desensitized, but I've never enjoyed… The - the moment it happens." Her head shook. "I'm sorry - I should speak about something else."

"I-It's alright."

Saya nodded. "But, I kept it secret. I had already used Blackburn privately for minor cuts and scrapes, and before I met Luna, well… I had very clean hands for a chef. I was working at a restaurant. Close enough that students would come in. It was an Italian restaurant, of course, and the owner never caught on why the olive oil never seemed to run out." She laughed. "It was selfish of me, admittedly. And very risky. Revenants like Blackburn - creation Revenants - it's illegal to sell anything created by them."

"Y-Yes." Mia sat up.

"But, there was a fight near the restaurant. It spread inside, and these two students had dealt with this other man, but they were very, very injured. They were calling someone to pick them up and transport them to the infirmary."

"You healed them?"

Saya nodded. "I asked them to please not mention me, but - a few people had already seen me. Particularly the owner. I went home that night, and found out that he had given Urasaria my address. Two students arrested me, but healing Revenants are rare enough that..." She laughed. "I-I mentioned I could fill, but - I was still trying for a cafeteria position. Maybe because it wouldn't be so drastic of a change."

"Maybe." Mia smiled.

"But, the infirmary is more important." She smiled. "And I did meet Luna through here. Sometimes I think I constrict her too much. I still cook her meals for her, even if … even if she does not need it. I enjoy seeing how she smiles with a good meal."

Mia nodded. "Thank you, Saya."

"Are you feeling better?"

"I am."

"Good. I am sure she will be alright." Saya paused. "But - not about Aimee - I did wish to let you know. The staff did ask to question you, but Hirogane and I will delay telling them you're awake until you are ready. The other four at the hospital wanted to see you, as well. Symphony mentioned wishing to speak with you privately beforehand."

"Makoto?" Mia frowned: her day was poor enough. "Why?"

"She did not say, unfortunately. Would you like me to call her?"

Mia nodded. "Er, can you also let Marisa know I'm alright?"

Saya nodded and went out the curtain. Eventually Makoto stepped inside, her eyes the same color as Mia's.

"Guess you heard about Aimee." muttered Makoto, sitting down. "Uh. Finally gets a girlfriend and falls in to a coma right after. Some things aren't meant to be."

Mia didn't like that one.

Makoto looked up at her. "What … happened, anyway?"

With some difficulty, Mia relayed her side of it. "...and then, I fell unconscious."

"…yep. That's, uh - saw that. Yeah." Makoto sighed. "So, me on the first-floor. I guess Aimee probably saw you get thrown out of the window or some shit. I heard her screaming, went outside, and… fuck." She winced. Seeing Mia's expression: "If - if you fucking saw it, you'd shit your pants too. Seriously. No one has even been able to *touch* Aimee like that."

Mia blinked, having not made any expression.

"So, I went up to the window, and saw that with Aimee, and then he just - that dreadnought or whatever - just looked at it like, you know, no way. I guess you were unconscious by then, and he just fucking shoved his hands inside his chest and ripped it open. I saw - he fucking took one of his hearts out and shoved it down your throat. I'm not shitting you, he turned back to me and - five or six fucking hearts in his chest - and he disappeared."

"He - I swallowed - what?"

"I don't know. Dude, I just…"

"…swallowed a heart." muttered Mia. "Hirogane didn't mention anything about it."

"They would've noticed you shitting it out, probably. Or whatever you do when you're in a coma." said Makoto. "Staff doesn't know, either. I'm not - I'm not gonna say shit. Fuck those cucks."

Mia winced. "C-Could it have been another Revenant?"

"Uh, pretty sure it was still beating, but - fuck, dude."

"…Worldwide." she said, and in the next instant -

- an orange flame appeared before her eyes. "…er. The same color, at least. I-I don't feel anything new, either."

She tried to mentally extinguish it, and nothing happened.

"It's gotta be something." winced Makoto. "Maybe wait a few days or something." She looked away and pinched her eyes. "…g-god, this shit sucks."

◆◆◆

Mia stayed in the infirmary for the next week, and she felt guilty whenever she looked over at Aimee's bed. She had her's moved next to her girlfriend's, waking up early to check if she'd woken up & staying up late to see if she would. Marisa came in daily to see her, but Mia didn't speak much to anyone that week. Talk-shy, she would let Marisa or Saya lead their conversations.

After moving back in with Marisa, she had a nightmare one night, and went out to the living room to sit on the couch.

'…m-maybe she'll wake up soon.' thought Mia, wiping her eyes. She heard Marisa's door open and felt her sit down.

"Hey, Mia-Mia." said Marisa, her hand following on Mia's shoulder. "Everything alright?"

"…n-no. I-I had another nightmare." mumbled Mia. "I just w-want Aimee to wake u-up."

"She will." Marisa smiled, her other hand ripping fabric from her pajamas, hole regenerating as she gave Mia a Boudoirchef. "She's your first girlfriend, right?"

"S-She is. I-I just w-wish - I-I want her to wake u-up, a-and k-kiss her or, or - I don't k-know."

"Yeah." said Marisa, hugging Mia. "It's going to be okay. I promise. Like, she's rank one, and Hirogane says she's gonna be fine. You two are gonna be a really cute couple, too."

Mia laughed. "T-Thank you."

"Plus, you're both…" Marisa pulled back and smiled. "Just make sure you try to like, stay level-headed, right? Like, it's gonna be fun. Just don't try to build her up too much."

"Y-You sound like you have experience."

Marisa laughed and sat back. "Kinda. I mean, I don't really have any issues getting a first date, but after that… I dunno. A lot of times it's with women that get way too intense, and I think they, like, they just expect more than I can give them."

Mia nodded as she sat up.

"I'm still glad I'm a lesbian, though." Marisa glanced over to a stack of magazines & manga she kept by the couch. "Like, I'm basically the only person who even buys these anymore." She handed a few to Mia, with names like 'SHE', 'HER', and 'DYKE'.

"They're not very creative." frowned Mia.

Marisa nodded, shuffling one of the dirtier manga lower down the stack. "Yeah. Like, a lot of these are all corporate now or whatever, but I still want to support it, you know? I mean, we didn't even used to - like, it was illegal for us to have sex until 2003 in some states." Marisa paused. "Uh, not you and me. Maybe you and Aimee."

Mia laughed. She checked her phone for any messages, then let Marisa know she was going back to bed.

In the last quarter of that night, something in her room screeched -

"WORLDWIDE!"

- she woke up screaming -

- and Marisa knocked at the door -

" - just a second - second!" panted Mia, no figures around, Worldwide's scarabs lighting the room.

"Everything okay?" said Marisa, and Mia nodded rapidly as she checked the time, then paused.

"…that wasn't a nightmare." she muttered, then said: "Marisa? Can you - can you come in?"

The door opened and in stepped Marisa. "What's up?"

"…Marisa, er, can you hear your Revenant's name twice?"

"Uh, what happened?" said Marisa, sitting down as Mia sat up.

"I heard Worldwide screaming again, but I-I don't know if it was a nightmare, or -"

" - oh." winced Marisa. "Um, I don't think so, but, like, do you feel any different?" Mia paused - " - wait, wait - let's go to Hirogane before you do anything, right?"

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"Alright."

The two got dressed and went to the infirmary. Mia relayed it to Hirogane as Pulse's tendril touched her heart.

"Doesn't feel different." muttered Hirogane. "Go ahead and summon it."

Mia drowsily nodded, and Worldwide's scarabs appeared on her wrist, golden with red lines -

- and another half with blue lines. "...that's new."

Hirogane remembered Worldwide's previous host again. "Definitely is. Try it."

Worldwide's blue scarab exploded ahead of her face -

- and she smiled as a cube of ice appeared & fell - " - it's ice?"

" - wait, you got a new ability?"

"Must have to do with Dreadnought." muttered Hirogane, obviously.

"Is - is it alright if I test it more?" said Mia, excitement pushing out her curiosity.

"Go ahead."

She put her hands together. Left hand burning orange, ice covered her right hand -

- and extinguished her flames in a cloud of steam. "It can put out my fire." She grinned.

"That's good." chimed Marisa. "…uh, but why do you have it now?"

Mia sat up. "I don't know, but… I-I have control over it, and…" She yawned, still drowsy.

"Better to get some rest." yawned Hirogane. "Come back tomorrow - I'll check it again."

"Isn't it his Revenant, though?" said Marisa. "Uh, let's - I guess we'll talk about it tomorrow, yeah."

Mia nodded. Once they were back home, the two went to bed, though her excitement over her new ice kept her up. Now, she had water, steam, a way to extinguish her flames, and something to distract her from Aimee.

◆◆◆

The next afternoon, she checked on Aimee & was checked up on.

"Colony still feels incomplete." said Hirogane, drawing Pulse's tendril out.

"How many more sections?"

"Can only say it's not covering your heart. As for Aimee - Saya said she saw Rider come out the other day. Shouldn't be long before she wakes up."

Mia nodded, eager to show Aimee. She'd trained her ice with Marisa that morning and said the same. Thinking it might be cute, she had practiced forming platforms of ice; something where she wouldn't have to crouch to kiss her girlfriend.

When she left, Marisa had a call for them, and they went out fighting Revenants until the next Monday. They agreed not to investigate Rayaka until Aimee was awake again, and the staff had believed their & Hirogane's lie about Worldwide growing a new ability.

Monday afternoon, Marisa crouched down on a street to scan. She was starting to feel proud of her protege, and the two were starting to fight as equals with Worldwide's new ice. "Good job, Mia-Mia."

"Thank you." smiled Mia-Mia.

Marisa's tablet vibrated. "…uh. Call from Saya?" She took it. "Hello?" She nodded like Saya could see her: it was her habit to make gestures when she spoke on the phone. "Yeah, Mia's here." She handed it to Mia.

"Hello?" said Mia.

"Ms. Schultz." said Saya's voice. "You and Aimee are dating, correct?"

"Yes."

"Would you like to do her baths for her?" said Saya. "She needs to be washed daily, and I was not sure if she would prefer you do this for her, instead of myself."

A sense of envy came over Mia and she did like it. "Er, what do I need to do?"

"I'll demonstrate for you when you return, but it will be daily, and she needs warm water. A sponge bath."

Mia tried not to grin. "I-I'll do it, then, yes."

"Thank you. Come see me when you return, please."

◆◆◆

Saya had shown her how to bathe Aimee in the sideroom, and Mia was trying to suppress her urges as an eighteen year-old lesbian at Aimee nude in a tub.

"Let me know if you need anything else." said Saya and left, locking the door behind.

Mia ran the sponge along Aimee's muscular back. She wouldn't deny having imagined what was beneath that vest once or twice - she took her time. Eventually, she had to put her rag & hands in a precarious spot.

'I should probably be … quick here.'

"…nnn…" Aimee groaned and Mia's cheeks filled.

"Aimee?" she said, hands protecting Aimee's honor.

"…nnn… c'mon…"

"Are you awake?" Mia swept her censoring hands to Aimee's stomach.

"…you can be rougher… even if I'm a good student..." Her head groggily shook. "…kiss my neck…"

Mia glanced back, then kissed Aimee's neck. "Aimee?"

"… always do this when I'm dreaming about you…" Her head shook as she sat up in the tub. "Just… need to check. Then we can -"

" - er - what?" panted Mia, Aimee counting her fingers -

- and stifling a shriek at finding ten; her cheeks filled -

- and Mia didn't even ask as her eyes clenched shut, vaguely waving to the clothes on the bed, tub quivering with Aimee's anxiety.

"I-I-uh." panted Aimee. "Let's j-just -"

" - I-I didn't hear anything, you simply, er, simply woke up, and nothing. Nothing."

" - I - yeah." said Aimee.

Mia heard her stand, but not speak for another two minutes.

"U-Uh. You can open them now."

Mia's lips pinched as her eyes opened, Aimee dressed & sitting on the bed. "…er. Why... why did you say you were a good student -"

"- let's talk about s-something else." laughed Aimee. "S-Seriously. Anything else."

"A-Alright." laughed Mia. She paused as they both blushed. "…er… A new Worldwide ability?" she offered.

"You got a new one?" chimed Aimee.

"I'm… not sure how, but yes. Makoto came in and told me -"

" - fuck - sorry, I -" said Aimee, suddenly worried - " - do you have my phone?"

Mia pointed to a bucket in the corner, and when she blinked Aimee was holding her phone texting someone.

"Sorry." winced Aimee as Mia sat beside. "Didn't mean to i-interrupt, just - Makoto was probably worried."

"It's alright."

"I know you don't like her, I just... She's reliable. Just sometimes like being cynical about everything." Aimee paused. "Uh, don't tell her I said that."

Mia smiled. "I won't."

Aimee nodded, glancing down at her phone.

(Makoto) "Are you two gonna fuck?"

She locked her screen before Mia could see. Mia relayed Makoto's story.

"…shit." muttered Aimee. "Never heard of a Revenant that can do that. Or someone with multiples like that."

"It's one per host, isn't it?" frowned Mia, remembering the journalist putting gravity to a vote.

"Yeah. Government puts a lot of money in to trying to find out why, or, uh, private agencies."

"And the method of transfer…" Mia winced, rubbing her throat. "I-I don't feel - I only feel stronger, but…"

"Yeah." Aimee pinched her brow. "…ugh. Sorry, I'm still feeling kinda out of it. Still want to fall asleep."

Mia nodded. "And have more dreams about me -"

" - stop -" laughed Aimee - " - come on -"

" - I have something on you, now - and that you're a good student -"

" - y-yeah." laughed Aimee. "G-Guess you do, yeah. Um…" She laid back. "…still. Uh - just wanna sleep, right now."

Mia smiled as she laid down beside. "Do you want to cuddle?"

"Yeah." grinned Aimee. "Guess I'm, uh, permanent little spoon. Right?"

Six-feet tall, Mia laughed and nodded as Aimee got her head on her chest.

◆◆◆

Saya interrupted them after ten minutes.

Aimee took another week of rest, and the two had their first date after, though Mia wasn't sure if their dinners before counted or not. Aimee had joked about her finally getting a girlfriend and falling in to coma right after, and the two had laughed, comedy being tragedy plus time. Mia still hunted and stayed over with Marisa most days, though Aimee had gotten to see her new ice freeze a man alive just in time for one Rider-hit to shatter him.

In early October, Mia was leaving the gate with Marisa, then heard Aimee shouting her name behind. She turned and the two kissed, Marisa grinning beside.

"H-Hey." smiled Aimee. "Needed you to come see something. Marisa too. Think they, uh, found Rayaka."

The three set towards Aimee's mansion. Makoto opened the door, smirking like Marisa as she led them inside, television already on.

"Two lovebirds are here." she said, and one Dmitri head nodded as he shifted to make room on the couch. The news was one.

"Residents across various counties have reported body parts appearing in their sinks, showers, and toilets. Now, we must advise you, these images are very, very graphic, and not appropriate for children to see…"

An amputated arm came on-screen.

"That's it?" yawned Makoto. "Boring."

"Boo. -- Boo." said Dmitri mock-ruefully, and the five, along with Atori, laughed.

"Maintenance crew got uh, sent down to the sewers near here." Aimee kept her hand on her girlfriend's; it helped reassure her Mia didn't suddenly hate her. "Only person that could transport those body parts everywhere is Rayaka."

"Probably in the sewers." Makoto leaned back. "Might just flee again, though. I fucking hate water Revenants."

"Then kill them quicker." said Atori.

"Uh, then we're back to nothing, Scarface."

Dmitri's two heads spoke. "Decant has the -- sticky acid, maybe."

"Uh, Mia." said Aimee. "Do you think if I um, enhanced you - could probably freeze with good range, right?"

"It did work on that one dude." shrugged Marisa. "Uh, or what was left of him."

Mia nodded. Aimee had to put that kill in manually; there hadn't been anything left to scan.

"Yeah." said Aimee. "Uh, so me, Mia, Marisa - one team. Atori and Dmitri another. Anyone want to go with Makoto?" Without waiting: "Okay, she can solo. Good luck."

"Fuck off." laughed Makoto.

◆◆◆

The six went through the city and in to three different manholes, Atori & Dmitri one, Aimee & Marisa & Mia another, and the pink-haired brat got to solo.

Mia climbed down in to the sewers, concrete paths along the tunnel, green river between, Marisa&Aimee already standing.

Aimee nodded to Mia, and a single fire scarab appeared in the air. It burst open in a tuft of orange flame -

- and the air around burst in to flames -

- but an ice scarab snuffed it out before the methane could explode, Mia nodding, having already trained her counterscarabs. The two hugged Marisa, and the fashionista started swinging along the tunnel, hearing someone whistling a minute away & past the corner -

- to an expected sight fifty feet ahead, Marisa upping the pace of her swinging as he turned on the horizon -

" - you again!" laughed Rayaka, throwing his coat in to the pool - " - what do I owe the honor of these three bitches coming after me -"

" - enhance!" shouted Aimee as they landed, Rider's tendrils in Mia's veins; Mizuchi's enormous form burst out of the green river -

- but a swarm of ice scarabs froze the entire moat, Rayaka laughing as he leaped up to Mizuchi, serpent's form filling the tunnel and head swaying, icicles slicing his coat in two -

" - another fucking theft! You get around, don't you - Schultz!" he shouted; Mizuchi's head smashed the ceiling behind the three -

- and the rain of rubble blocked their retreat, concrete chunks falling behind as Marisa aimed her palms there -

" - Boudoir!"

- a dozen strands erupted from her palms -

- and slammed a dozen bits of concrete right through Mizuchi's fangs; it screeched as it staggered back, Aimee rushing up as Rider's tendrils went taut -

- and Rayaka was in Mizuchi's mouth in the next just as Aimee was on its back, knife slashing and carving, foe disappearing within his Revenant's maw. Screeching again, it thrashed the upstart off its back and in to another wall, glob of venom following behind -

- but an ice scarab froze it in midair, Mia with some pride at her usefulness as Aimee appeared beside; underneath another sweep dodged the three, and Marisa relayed an idea then.

Ahead, Mizuchi's open maw shot towards them -

- and the next scene was instant. Marisa ripped her blade out of her dress; Aimee dipped her tendrils in Mia's veins; Mia set Boudoir's blade alight as Marisa threw it forward -

- and the keen end of the flaming blade went straight down Mizuchi's throat; they heard Rayaka screaming inside, green serpent charring black, form starting to wilt as it slumped down -

- and the three saw with aghast eyes Mizuchi's form split in to two, two serpents rising out of the green moat -

" - fuck." sighed Aimee, and in the next instant -

" - FTL!"

- Mia turned -

- and appeared in the middle of an abandoned street in the next, Dreadnought's form disappearing from her vision ahead; she shot up with scarabs readied, glancing back, burnt husks of buildings around. She felt something behind up the street, and as she turned -

- she saw a car thrown towards her -

- but a wall of ice burst up ahead, and in to the barrier smashed the car, keeping her safe as she stepped back -

- just in time to avoid a glass-eyed woman bursting out of the ground ahead, drill carved out of her head and claws on her hands; and the two hit the ground fighting. In a whirlwind of blows they fought along the frozen wall, ice scarabs growing to repair it & lengthen it across the entire avenue, and as a single scarab flew below the woman's boot -

- it froze her step to the ground; Mia swiped for her neck -

- but caught only air as the woman arched back, drill hitting the ground -

- and underneath the asphalt she went again. Burrow's hole still left, Mia held her palm in to it -

" - Worldwide!"

- and a jet of water erupted from her hand; beside, her ice wall shattered as she froze within the entire burrow - she shot up to glance back up -

- and saw her mole foe dragging herself out of the ground ahead, dozen icicles having claimed her body; ahead, Mia saw her new foe twenty feet away, eight eyes with white tentacles dripping out of them. Four tentacles shot to her wrists -

- but her body covered in water couldn't be gripped, letting her slip out as she swept to the side -

- dodging the next volley of four that came. She glanced back and noticed something odd about his tendrils, and in the next instant -

- and the keen end of a dozen claws entered her back; she shrieked as she stumbled forward -

- but another dozen stalactites burst out of her back and impaled her mole foe behind, horrific shriek erupting from her female foe as the corpse fell off of her hedgehog-like back.

Bacteria suppressing her nerves, her eyes kept forward as her male foe staggered back forty feet away, and as his 8-eyes disappeared -

- she swept back just in time to avoid four tentacles shooting from her right -

- but the next four came from her left & shot through her blade; she stumbled back with her weapon lost, noting that the tentacles always had to extend their full length as three of them disappeared ahead -

- and three tentacles burst up from below -

- but another step back & they caught only air as they grew; a spray of ice hit their bases and froze them halfway up their length -

- but she cursed as the tips curled & bashed their frozen prisons before they retracted, swift spray of fire melting the frozen shards to steam before they could be thrown back at her.

Weapon shattered & needing space first, she rushed back up the sidewalk & away, setting her hand to a building's outer wall as she ran past a bent lamppost. Across the street, eight tentacles shot towards her -

- but the next scene was instant. A swarm of fire scarabs burnt eight holes in the wall, and in to the crevices went the tendrils -

- just in time for a frozen spray to freeze their tips in place, trapping them there as Mia swept underneath them and rushed back to the lamppost, with her eyeless foe staggering thirty feet away.

Hands flaming, she gripped the lamppost and ripped a section out of it, freezing the pipe solid as she rushed at her foe; as she came within range, she heard the tentacles breaking out of their prison behind -

- and one superheated pipe bashed his head apart in a shower of steaming gore, and in a second sweep on the return -

- smashed his nose apart in a mist of red, and in a third hit -

- that compressed his skull in to a mess of flesh-colored goo, and she kept bashing until she was sure that he was dead. A little proudly, she smiled to herself as she stood -

- and two right arms gripped her with the strength of a thousand back; she thrashed and shrieked, scarabs flying in to her foe she knew was there -

" - GIVE WORLDWIDE TO ME!" his otherworldly tone filled her ear as she grunted, her pipe swinging wildly back -

- and he slammed her with the strength of a million against the ground, one boot rising as her right arm rose -

" - W-Worldwide -" she panted as he stomped -

- and her pipe turned frozen in time to hold his vicious stomp back; grunting as she rolled away, her weapon fell out of her hands as she stood twenty feet away -

- and one stomp shattered it to metal shards, Dreadnought turning to her now, one four-fingered hand gripping the lamppost beside -

- and ripping it clear out of the ground; as it was thrown towards her, her body covered in ice -

- and the projectile turned frozen as soon as it hit her armor, swift shove of it away before it could damage her, twenty feet separating the two, Mia's wounds dripping heavily.

"W-Why - why are you -"

" - give Worldwide back to me - I'll fucking kill every single -"

" - you - why are you GIVING it to me -"

" - FTL!" he shouted and disappeared, and in the next instant -

- two fists hit her back and smashed her in the ground; she gasped as she rolled to her back -

- and two hands gripped her with the strength of a thousand down, scarabs swarming to try to burn him, flames growing & turning to white; Dreadnought paused, two right arms still pinning her as she thrashed and screamed -

" - WORLD - WORLDWIDE!" she shouted; a spray of blue fire erupted from her palm -

- and charred clear through his arm; he screamed as he staggered, grip unclenching in time for another spray of purple to disintegrate two of his fingers clear off, scarabs starting to burrow in to her skin and biting her fingers -

" - WORLDWIDE -" she panted, scarabs burning purple -

- just in time for one four-fingered fist to go through her chest & out again, still-beating heart still-connected out of the ghastly aperture, fear in the otherworldly tone -

" - hollow vessel in the form of woman - heed the will of your new master -"

- and her movements slowed as a reflection in a disturbed pond; she couldn't move her limbs and her eyes wouldn't respond because some invisible force was gluing her hands to her sides as he stood off of her and set her heart back in, and she didn't feel anything but the unholiness of the scene as her legs dragged her up until she was standing and staring right in to his eyeless face, agony of her first wound repeating every time she wanted to move or have any thought of her own until she felt a pair of fangs slash open her back -

- and she fell back to the ground again; Rayaka was there and standing over her, shouting at the end of her hearing that he'd gotten her for Ryumi, but the only scene she could see was Dreadnought's two hands grabbing him by his legs, hanging him upside-down, and as a man might snap a wishbone -

- tore his body in two, and as he discarded the grisly halves over his shoulders she heard him say a date & town she didn't remember until after he was gone, six fingers digging in to his own chest and peeling it open to reveal four hearts, ripping one out and shoving it down her throat enough that she didn't need to swallow as her wound healed and the swirling mist disappeared from her head when she was back at Aimee's side.