The four went back to the bookstore the next day, and found reprints.

"Different cover, at least." said Samuel, and Matoi took it off the rack. Six eyes followed her.

"…of fucking course. 'Are American heroes too violent? Lethal force operating on Japanese soil?'"

"Okay - you're not telling me I'm not in that one." said Samuel, and the four kept their eternal laughter.

"Such - such a fucking stupid joke." laughed Mia, relevantly.

"Works every time."

"More reading." sighed Matoi. "Give me a minute." She flipped to the story, and three waited as her expression tensed. "Typical." She set it back on the rack. "Their narrative's changed. Now - the same writer thinks you three didn't do enough to find the host - before stunning civilians unconscious last night."

"I - how could we have possibly have found him otherwise?" said Mia - " - it doesn't hurt -"

" - I know." smirked Matoi, raising her hand. "Don't concern yourselves with that."

"Imagine how they'd react if I had twisted his head off." said Samuel.

"You'd finally be in a magazine."

"No, they'd still find some way to exclude me."

"They'd like, cut you out with a pair of scissors." laughed Marisa. "Ugh - still, though, like. That sucks."

"What, er…" said Mia, almost nervous. "What do the - regular newspapers think of us?"

"… a good question." murmured Matoi. She went down the aisle, three following behind as she came to the only slightly-less-exploitative press. She flipped through one. "… there's little mention of us. Slightly concerned over our violent reputations… No criticism - no praise."

"I guess that's good." chimed Marisa.

"I wouldn't worry what the press thinks of us. We were called in for an investigation - us succeeding is the most important part."

"Yeah." nodded Marisa. "I mean - we're doing good on Revenants, so, like - whatever."

"And on food." chimed Samuel. "Didn't get the chance to get to desserts last night, though."

"…here we go." laughed Matoi, eyes rolling at their three expressions. "What do you want?"

"I want, uh…" said Marisa. "Uh - what about candy? Do they just have the same stuff we do?"

"In some -"

- Mia's phone vibrated, and she took it quick.

(Serena) "Have you gone to Akihabara? I dunno if you want to since it's full of videogames and stuff, but it might be cool. ( ◡‿◡ *)"

" - er, Serena asked me about - Akihabara?" said Mia, and Matoi nodded.

"It's a shopping district for otakus - unfortunately."

"What's an otaku?" said Marisa.

"Serena." chimed Mia, and the four laughed. "Er - someone who likes anime and manga, isn't it?"

Matoi led them outside as she spoke. "Someone obsessed with anime and manga. I hope she isn't asking for a body pillow."

"A body pillow?"

"Some of them buy body pillows with - anime girls printed on them."

"Seems nice." chimed Samuel. "Something to cuddle up with on those long, cold winter nights - how much are they? -"

" - absolutely not -" laughed Mia -

" - he's gonna buy one, now -" laughed Marisa -

" - I should have left you behind." laughed Matoi.

The three taunted him for a few minutes longer and came to the train station. They stepped onboard, civilians packed tight but quiet.

"… man." whispered Marisa as the four walked down the crowd. "These are like - way quieter than American ones."

"Etiquette is important." murmured Matoi, taking up the rear and passing by two men standing -

- and with the speed of light turned to them, fire suddenly in her tone -

"CHIKAN!" she shouted, shoving one's hand off from her thigh - the rest turned to her -

"(Stop making such a scene.)" muttered the second man, turned away. "(A young woman like you - you're embarrassing yourself, shouting like that.)"

"(Turn to me, you rat.)" grunted Matoi, ripping her badge forward.

He laughed and turned; and his face went colorless.

"(I apologize -)" - his head bowed - "(I didn't realize you were -)"

"( - you're scum.)" grunted Matoi, towering now. "(You're an insignificant rat - if we were in America, I would slaughter you like a pig right now. Misogynistic scum.)"

Mia saw Wedding's veil flash, felt the heat grow from its eyes. She gave a vague gesture to the passengers clearing.

"(I would love to just -) - fucking - (I hope your dick shrivels off. Perverse vermin.)"

She grunted, cursed and started stomping back. The other three couldn't help but follow, and they came to the door to another carriage. A sign overhead read 'WOMEN ONLY'.

"… Boar." she muttered. "Keep your eyes out."

"Yes, President Matoi." muttered Samuel, sitting down, and the three women went in to the carriage full of others.

Matoi slumped in to one seat, and Mia and Marisa sat beside.

"… What - er - happened?" whispered Mia.

"…one of them groped me. Chikan." Matoi sighed deep and hunched over. "Sexual harassment on public transit is common. Precisely why this car is women-only."

"It's, er… that - serious?" mumbled Mia, not wishing to offend.

"I've dealt with it - once before, when I was in junior high. Most Japanese women have."

"He - um, groped you, then?" murmured Marisa.

"Correct. The worst consequence I can give is making a scene - most women don't have that option."

"That's fucked up." muttered Marisa. "That's a - real pig. Real men don't do that."

Matoi shook her head. "No. He is a man - as real as any other on this train. Notice his reaction to my badge - he expected me not to make a scene, but it'll hardly deter him. Presumably, he'll be doing it again tomorrow."

"Is there - anything we can do?" murmured Mia. "Er - mention it to Daishi, perhaps?"

"Perhaps. The worst consequence he'll receive is being reprimanded by his superiors publicly, and in private, they'll bond about the bitch that embarrassed them. The tabloids will see it as another reason to criticize us."

The train stopped, and her head shook as she stood, thinking of the Gorgons. If they had seen it, they would've killed him for her - but another would've popped up the next day. As a teenager, she had often been frustrated at the world's unwillingness to bend, & her mother had always brought her to her meetings.

Samuel met with them as they got out and went up to Akihabara, streets covered with civilians, every building in sight covered in anime, signs that said "BLURAY DISC SET OUT" in English; and the rest, Japanese.

"I - jeez." said Marisa. "You were right, damn."

Mia took a picture to send Serena, and the four went down the streets, Samuel taking up the back.

"Are these all advertisements for - anime shows, then?" said Mia, and Matoi shrugged.

"Or videogames."

Marisa halted, and as the two women stopped - " - what's -"

- Samuel stumbled in to Mia's back; the three turrned -

" - I - apologies." said Samuel, and as Matoi's eyes turned above -

" - were you -" - she started cackling, gesturing to the poster above - " - distracted by something -"

" - is - is that who you're going to buy a pillow of?" laughed Mia, gesturing to the purple-haired anime woman above -

" - I mean, she does look like she's very wholesome -" said Samuel -

" - yeah, with breasts as big as her head!" laughed Marisa - " - god -"

" - don't make me start calling you pig again. Two strikes." laughed Matoi, knowing him well, and the four started down again, Samuel careful to keep the upper half in the driver's seat.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Could you tell me what show that's from?" he grinned. "Might have an interesting plot -"

" - absolutely not."

They came around a corner, stores plastered with merchandise, cosplayers at regular intervals.

"Maid outfits, too." said Marisa, gesturing up, four three-dimensional women wearing maid outfits.

"A maid cafe." Matoi glanced at Samuel. "We're not going inside -"

" - I don't even know what it is." laughed Samuel.

"Is it a restaurant?" said Mia, and Matoi nodded.

"They serve you in maid outfits - I assume those are the waitresses."

Marisa winced. "That's… gotta be pretty shitty. Like, having to cater to weird dudes."

"Can't imagine it's paid well, either." nodded Samuel. "Having to deal with male managers -"

" - don't -" - Matoi laughed - " - no, don't try to be feminist now -"

" - you look at anime women once -"

" - or twice -" laughed Mia -

" - and you're no longer a hero, you're an - an anime-women-looker." laughed Samuel. "Where're we gonna go, then?"

The four paused, and Matoi's eyes walked down the street.

"…there's a general store up ahead." she shrugged, and the four went to the general store up ahead, walls packed with goods, aisles only enough space for barely single-file. Discount electronics and snacks stacked and formed their own shelves.

"Lotta stuff." chimed Marisa, leaning to allow one woman to pass by. "Uh - wait, I wanted to get - where's the candy?"

Matoi paused, and turned after a few seconds. "I have no idea, actually."

"Oh boy." said Samuel, and the four went down the maze of goods.

"Precisely why my mother never brought me here." laughed Matoi. "This is a popular chain - their stores are always impossible to navigate."

They turned a corner to their salvation-in-employee-form. Matoi went up and spoke with him, and he led the four down six turns before they came to the candy aisle. Matoi swiped three packets of mochi off once he left.

"What're those?" said Marisa.

"Mochi - cakes filled with bean paste. Slightly sweet."

"Good enough for me." chimed Mia, taking her own three off.

"Uh, what about… ooo - pocky." Marisa took two boxes as Samuel glanced down.

"…mango, cheesecake… strawberry." Ghastly hands pulled six rectangular bars off the shelves. Matoi led them back to the register and paid.

"We'll be eating here." she said, leading them outside to a bench. "It's considered rude to eat while walking."

"Makes sense." said Samuel, taking his candy out, white cubes with fruit flavoring inside. The four started eating.

"…this tastes alright." shrugged Mia, one out of three mochi down.

"If you're not eating all of your's, I will." laughed Matoi, and Mia handed her the other two. "I haven't had these in years."

"Not, uh - too sweet, either." muttered Samuel. "Guessing they use less sugar."

"Maybe we're just like - numb to sugar." laughed Marisa. "Uh - where do I throw my trash away?"

Matoi glanced up, and the three's eyes circled.

"…uh. I - don't see any trash cans…" said Marisa.

"Would they mind if I used Worldwide?"

"If they do, they won't say anything." shrugged Matoi. She kept her badge prominent as Mia's flaming blue palm disintegrated their trash, and as if on cue, Matoi's phone vibrated.

(Daishi) "(Are you four busy? I have something you may like to read.)"

(Matoi) "(The new tabloids?)"

(Daishi) "(Haha - fortunately, better news than that. Some mail came for you at Ueno - it's already been inspected.)"

(Matoi) "(We'll head over now, then.)"

Matoi stood, relayed it, and they set out.

◆◆◆

The four met Daishi on the tenth floor already kneeling, cardboard box on the table.

"(Rain-On-A-Wedding.)" said Daishi.

"(You can call me Matoi by now.)" laughed Rain-On-A-Wedding as they kneeled. "(You wanted us to see something?)"

"(I did.)" he laughed. "(Go ahead - open this box.)"

Matoi opened the box, ten letters inside. She glanced at Daishi, and he nodded as she tore one open.

"Ooo. Least this has English." chimed Marisa, peeking over. "…uh."

"Bad English." laughed Samuel. "What's the Japanese say?"

"The same message - far better written." laughed Matoi. "(Are these from the civilians last night?)"

"(They are.)" nodded Daishi. "(I thought you would like to see them - especially after the, ah - ) - gossip rags."

"(Fortunate.)"

"(But - I have more good news.)" he said. "(The police have found enough information for their warrant. There was footage of Katuhisa speaking with the men we fought last night - some hours before they attacked the restaurant.)"

Matoi nodded. "(What happens next, then?)"

"(Tonight - you and I shall go to Katuhisa's home, and attempt to apprehend him. It's… likely he'll resist, but - well. If we can take him in alive, all the better.)"

"(Are you saying we're allowed to kill him if forced?)" smirked Matoi, and Daishi laughed.

"(Well, hopefully not - but that was part of the warrant, yes. No knocking. He lives alone - but we'll discuss our tactics more later. Currently, I believe - using Kiseru, we can approach from any wall of his house silently. Perhaps - myself at one end, you at another if he flees.)"

"(Of course.)" nodded Matoi. "(One moment.) Elite Four - I'll be setting out with Daishi, tonight. They've obtained a warrant for Katuhisa."

"His death papers?" said Samuel, and the four laughed.

"We'll see. If we don't return within an hour - find us."

"Like you'll need it." laughed Marisa.

"Don't jinx it." chimed Mia.

◆◆◆

By midnight, the duo arrived in a suburb in Kofu, evacuated homes left and road right as they walked down the sidewalk. Both had their badges off, hoods on. Daishi came up to one house with keys readied.

"(One to the left.)" he muttered, Matoi nodding as he unlocked the door. The two kept their Boudoir-silent-boots on as they came to the backyard, houses around, wooden fence where expected.

With no time to waste, the two rushed left&across the backyard, and as they came up to the fence -

- a dozen projectiles entered their backs and burst out their chest; with the speed of pain the two turned -

- and saw their female foe a hundred feet away, skateboard stalled on the wooden fence..

"(Clearly hostile - go ahead.)" muttered Daishi. The two started their charge forward, and as a new set of wooden projectiles shot towards them -

- a volley of missiles flew to the ground and blasted up the dirt; and in to the sudden cloud went the projectiles -

- and fell suddenly limp, speed lost as the two came fifty feet within range; ahead, the woman started grinding down the fence, veering and riding her skateboard their way and beside -

" - Wedding!" shouted Matoi as the woman passed by, missiles chasing after their target -

- and the two sighed as she came out of range, grinding to the fence's end -

- and leaping up, right&away on to Katuhisa's house, hitting the second floor's awning, grinding with the speed of sound around - 

- and disappearing behind as the two ran up to the prodigal fence, Revenants readied; but the next scene was instant.

The house started to suddenly buckle, walls turning ragged and rusted, and as the building toppled towards them -

- two missiles burst out of Wedding's shoulders, growing to a massive size, and as one struck the home -

- the explosion tore the house in to a thousand shards -

- and the second blasted the rubble away; smoke clearing quick, the two stood again, seeing the prodigal skateboarder leaping out of the ruins towards them -

- and landing on the fence again, starting her grind right away from the two -

- but Matoi laughed as a dozen shockwaves threw the woman back in to them; she screamed as she flew between them -

- and straight through the window of a home behind, still screaming as they lost sight of her. Vision of her directly lost, the two vaulted over the prodigal fence, rushing to the shattered side-window of the next home, seeing the kitchen cleared inside, gas stove within. No time to waste, the two swept inside; and in the next instant -

- the oven exploded outward -

- but a line of missiles flew from Matoi's shoulders, forming a globe and surrounding the growing cloud, Wedding's lasers welding their casings together together -

- and the two nodded relieved as the explosives contained their hellish brethren, seeing the living room up ahead, window at the other end - but they had no time to rest. A familiar grinding began outside the home, and before they could react -

- the window shattered, and in shot the skateboarder, knife readied, and as she passed by Matoi -

- she swept with the speed of light away, knife catching only air as the woman sought the first window -

- but the next scene was instant. Daishi's hands dug in his pocket, swiping out a prepared centipede; a puff of black gas mutated it, tumors lengthening it to a insectile rope as he lassoed it forward -

- and the keen end yanked the woman off her board; she shrieked as she was pulled back, and in the next instant -

- the centipede disintegrated. Her board reappeared as she ollied out the window -

- and disappeared right&outside.

"(Tedious.)" muttered Matoi, relevantly; with a sigh, the two rushed back and in to the living room, front door left. A puff of Kiseru dissolved the door, and in to the street they swept again, running out on to the sidewalk, lawn beside and parked cars on the road -

- which were suddenly launched towards them -

- but a swift slice of Wedding's lasers charred each to cubes, seeing the woman on the other end; anorher automobile shot towards them -

"( - let me test something.)" said Daishi, taking the front -

- and a puff of blue gas halted the car in its tracks, the two nodding as it fell, knowing the sudden speed only applied until it made contact. True confidence now, the two started to the road -

"( - god - shit -) - Kyōsō!" shouted the woman; starting her grind on the sidewalk, and in the next instant -

- the road started collapsing; the sudden lack of support threw them off balance and in, and as a sinkhole formed below -

" - Wedding!"

- a dozen missiles flew above; hand on Daishi's collar, Matoi threw her other hand up -

- inch by inch, the two flew back&behind - but her explosives weren't load-bearing. Only in hand-range of the grass behind, the two started to fall again, sinking death below -

- but the next scene was instant. A puff of black gas hit the grass, mutating it in to a bizarre sapling, hundreds of branches growing outwards -

- and on to one clung the two, saving them as the road collapsed below, wide chasm separating them and their foe as they climbed back to the sidewalk. Their eyes ripped left, seeing their foe there now, a hundred feet still separating the two. A new chasm split the ground between them, three combatants with eyes sharp.

"(You're clearly protecting Katuhisa.)" said Daishi, two on one end and house left, one on one end and original house left. "(Why?)"

No response, the woman's hands swept behind her back -

- and threw a dozen knives with the speed of light forward; Kiseru's blue gas neutralised each, and as they fell -

"( - thank you.)" laughed Matoi, lasers and missiles meeting with each blade; a dozen shockwaves blew them away, and as a line of missiles flew in to the chasm -

- a swift slash of Wedding's lasers welded them solid, forming a bridge connecting the two sides. With no time to waste, the two rushed up upon it, new missiles flying right -

- and Matoi stifled her laugh as the woman dodged left, fleeing in to the lawn of the initial home, and in the next instant -

- a dozen shockwaves at her feet blasted her clear through the front window. Hearing her weakening groan a second later, the two rushed up and vaulted inside -

- to a sure victory meeting their stare, woman crawling away, gushing blood and body cut -

" - K-Kyōsō!" she panted, tapping her blood -

- the two went suddenly blind, losing their sight, still hearing their foe crawling ahead; but their blood chilled as they heard her rise.

"(V-Vitamin - A.)" her voice grunted. "(Now - n-none of us can - see! Half-life - sped up - and - iron!)"

- the three started to weaken, still blind, Daishi daring not use Kiseru's gas. Three combatants stepped blindly but silently around, daring not reveal their location, knowing a single missile, puff of gas, or swift knife could end it.

Matoi felt something swipe for her; she swept back and stumbled in to a wall, knowing her foe could hear her then, and in the next instant -

- Wedding's lasers erupted outward -

- she felt it hit something metal to her right; and in the next instant -

- a dozen blind missiles erupted from her shoulders and flew right -

- and the shockwaves blasted someone right&away, feminine scream erupting after the sound of shattered glass -

- and the two regained their vision&energy. Their eyes ripped right, seeing the shattered&bloodied window. They rushed up quick -

- and saw the woman laying still outside.

Matoi nodded, and the two swept out the window. A puff of purple haze filled the corpse's nostrils, leaving two sighing as they realized it.

"(…dead - unfortunately.)" sighed Matoi, the first time she had for a murder.

"(…unfortunate.)" Daishi frowned. "(But - sometimes, it cannot happen any other way.)"

Matoi nodded. "(Katuhisa is clearly avoiding us. Someone warned him.)"

"(Agreed. That alone - and with this, the next warrant will come much quicker.)" he laughed. "(If I had no integrity - I might even leak it to a tabloid or two myself. That would certainly expedite it.)"

The two laughed. "(They would be useful for once.)"

"(For once. Still - I shall handle the report, and keep watch here for some time. Can you find your way back?)"

"(I used to live near here.)" laughed Matoi.

"(You - did? In Kofu?)"

"(You seem surprised.)"

"(I suppose I never did ask.)" laughed Daishi. "(Were you set to attend Ueno before you moved, then?)"

"(They had given me - I was ten, when my Revenant activated - they gave me until I was eighteen for removal surgery. To see if Wedding would develop something nonlethal.)"

"(The removal waiver.)" nodded Daishi. "(I had to - well, my parents -)" - he laughed - "( - had to sign mine, when I was only seven years old. Initially, Kiseru did not have sleeping gas. Was that the reason you moved to America, then?)"

"(It…)" Matoi's eyes rose for a second. "(… was - one of the reasons.)"

"(I - apologies, for prying.)" said Daishi, and Matoi waved him down.

"(It's alright. Do you need any more help?)"

"(Only some canned coffee for the night.)" laughed Daishi, and Matoi with him.

"(I'll see what I can find.)"

The white wedding set off.