[Corruption, Transformation, Brainwashing, Tokusatsu Themes]

"Why did you want to see me?"

The tired voice of Hiro Fukano rung throughout the laboratory belonging to the head of Atlas Corp's Biotech Division Head, a woman known to cut straight through the bullshit. A woman who didn't have much time for pleasantries, given the sharp look in her eyes.

"We've picked up readings. Another Jõtaijin at the Academy. Didn't you clean up the place when you were there last?" The blue-haired draconic woman, Seiryu, asked as she turned her sharpened gaze towards her guest. "Or did you get distracted by the Jõtaider that we know operate in the area? She was active a few days ago, in a different part of the city. You didn't leave your duties to her, did you?"

Hiro let out a long and labored sigh, the image of the girl's face flashing before her eyes. Overlapped with another, similar face... "No, I would never. She's a threat to herself more than anything else." She explained very briefly, thoughts running through her mind. 'Why would she keep trying to fight? She saw how badly she faired against that last monster...'

"Very well. As long as you're not skimping on your duties, I don't need to worry." The dry-voiced woman replied, shuffling through a few notes on her desk. "And it means that Atlas stops getting on my ass about keeping an eye on you, so that's always a plus." She continued, muttering and mumbling as she took a brief sip from her scalding hot coffee.

All the department heads were close to the CEO of Atlas Corp, their history well documented. But not all of them cared for him to the same degree, Seiryu perhaps the least. "Is that all you wanted me for? Just a little chat about the next target?" The black-and-white haired woman asked, arms crossed across her chest.

"No, actually. There's one more thing. And you're not going to like it." The dragoness continued as she pulled out a specific paper from her stack, tossing it to the suited woman. "It's an order. Straight from his right-hand woman."

Hiro grimaced further as she caught the paper, opening it to reveal a couple of flowery words that she never properly read, as well as a single word written in bold print that she couldn't ignore.

"ELIMINATION"

Signed by the despicable Qilin as well. A woman that she had grown to loathe over the years that she had worked at Atlas Corp. "Order processed. If you excuse me, I'll go back to my patrols." The company-sponsored heroine said, every word barely making it through the tiny gap between her teeth as she walked out of the lab...

Almost immediately after she left, her gauntlet started to glow, and a little hologram started walking back and forth atop the side of it. Her partner AI, Huanglong, was clearly in the midst of thinking about the task given to them.

"Elimination. The act of murdering and disposing of a body. We need to make sure that we have these techniques memorized when the time comes, to allow us to properly complete the tasks given to us." He said, his voice both dry and yet endlessly curious. As expected of a fledgling AI whose primary directive was to learn.

Hiro shook her head as she walked down the uniform halls. "No need to memorize. I've gone through the routine so many times that it's wired into my brain as muscle memory. Trust me, and the order will be carried out without a single moment's hesitation."

The AI on her wrist nodded. "I trust you, Hiro."  The visual replica of his boss said in a tone that could be compared to that of a child putting all of their trust in a parent, as he slowly sank into the gauntlet once more. All he was good for at the moment was powering the device. Anything else was secondary to that purpose.

She'd need it. Especially once she'd face that girl again. She knew she wouldn't give up this easily, especially after what Seiryu had picked up on. But this time, she'd beat it into her. That she shouldn't play games. She should stay home and stay safe.

That way, she wouldn't end up like the others that came before her.

---

The next day, in the Cafeteria of Mimoto Highschool, three familiar individuals found themselves eating with one another, happily chatting amongst themselves.

"So, let me get this straight." Tsubasa Sato, the bespectacled boy amongst the three of them, spoke up. "Not only did you get to have an actual conversation with Anemone, but she started punching you because she had a problem with you? What kind of person does that?" The short-statured boy's words were dripping with disbelief, but considering what he knew about the sandy blonde friend of his, it wasn't that hard to believe.

Mikai Fushimi, the sandy blonde in question, nodded rapidly. "Mmhm! And then after she punched me a couple times, she punched another friend of hers and stopped her from transforming into a monster! Honestly, I have to thank her sometime. She's not that bad when you get to understand her!"

"You really need to think more carefully about the people you associate yourself with, Mikai. Otherwise you risk getting more than punched." The sensibly minded of the three, Yumeko Watanabe, spoke up after finishing a bite of her home-made lunch. "What could've happened if she threw you off a railing or something?"

The sandy-blonde girl blinked a couple of times, rubbing away at her head as she tried to imagine that. The girl they were all talking about, Agatha Anemone, was a pretty strong girl for being as heavy as she was. So it wasn't impossible to imagine her being thrown to the winds. "I... Don't think it'd be that bad? I could probably land on my feet. Or if I fall far enough, I could transform and break my fall that way."

Both Yumeko and Tsubasa felt sweat run down their foreheads in response to the almost ditzy way that their friend responded. "You can't just do that, Mikai. You'd get seriously hurt, and you'd damage that friendship you're building. You said she cheered you on, right?" The boy spoke up, adjusting his glasses a little. "That means that somewhere, somehow, there's a bit of her heart that doesn't want you to be seriously hurt. So you gotta make sure she doesn't go that far. Even if her temper tries."

"Tsubasa's right. Keep an eye on how she acts and don't let her get out of hand. If push comes to shove, you can call Himitsu. She's no doubt got a way to put that girl on a leash." The black-haired girl added on to her friend's reasonable warnings, before she paused. "Actually, now that we're speaking of Agatha... Where's she been the last week or so?"

Mikai rubbed the back of her head this time. "When I was talking to Saki-Senpai back then, she kept saying that she was going to toss Agatha in detention for what she had done. Maybe that's where she is?" She said, a bit of her memory sticking out when it could've been buried deeper below.

"Detention? B-But that's... Oh goodness, even a girl like her wouldn't be able to handle detention!" Tsubasa cried out in shock as his glasses started fogging over, something that he quickly fixed by wiping on both sides with a tiny Natura-labeled cloth.

The sandy-haired girl tilted her head in response. "Why not? What's so bad about being forced to do your homework? I was in detention lots of times because they didn't like how silent I was during that part of my life."

"It's been a while since you've been in detention though, Mikai. Ever since our gym teacher got assigned the role of overseer during those hours, things have taken a turn for the... dramatic, let's say." Yumeko explained, a shiver running down her spine. "Oh, I can just remember the faces of the boys that came back from detention after a week. Their life had drained from their eyes..."

Mikai blinked a couple of times at the wild tale. "So wait, our gym teacher's so bad that she makes people lose their lives? Isn't that really bad?" She asked, reasonably worried. She didn't even really remember her time in detention, a result of her mind being in a less than stellar place.

"Figure of speech, Mikai." Tsubasa quickly followed up, adjusting his glasses as he pulled a set of pictures out from his pocket. How he got them was anybody's guess, but they portrayed the issue quite clearly. "If you look at these, you can see them attempt to beat down our teacher, but..."

As he flipped through the pictures that initially depicted a rather gentle-hearted looking blonde woman, she was soon replaced by a black-masked terror that pinned the boys to the ground, the way they contorted in response to her hold no doubt causing more than a little bit of damage to their bodies.

"Once they managed to eke out her other self, they all found themselves near-hospitalized from what she did. Never really truly broken, but shocked to the point where they never ever spoke out again. They've been good boys since, according to the people I talk with online..." The boy concluded, his glasses having fogged up as his breath got a little too hot for all of that.

Yumeko gently slapped the boy on the back of the head. "Your interests are showing, Tsubasa. This isn't the time to share that kind of stuff with Mikai, it hasn't even gone past Noon yet." The sensibly minded of the two friends put the boy on the right track, and he nodded in turn. She was right, he should've reined all of that in.

Of course, once they both took a good look at their younger and easily excitable friend, it was not even close to surprising to see stars having formed in her eyes. "She's so cool!" Mikai cried out, almost snatching one of those pictures of her other self wrestling with the boys. She never realized that a woman could be that cool, and she was a heroine! Maybe she should seek her out and ask her for some tips regarding her fighting style...

'Whats so bad about the way you fight now?' Chimera's voice echoed from within the sandy blonde's head, her lion-pelted visage leaning across her shoulder. 'That being said, damn. If I was still alive, I'd go a few rounds with her. She reminds me of the predators of old, even myself a little. When all the prey tried to gang up on them and try their best to fight back, only to be turned into mince once they failed...'

The sandy-blonde shook her head slightly to make the predator inside her head quiet down for the time being. She didn't need to focus on the woman for that reason, even if that was part of why she was cool! It was the techniques that she was interested in, at least right now...

"Ah, Fushimi!" A mature, yet gentle voice called out amongst the crowd of students, one belonging to a woman that the girl hadn't quite gotten introduced to. A woman that she had just looked at pictures of, said pictures quickly being hidden away once more.

It was a blonde woman clad in a black-and-red sweater, as well as a set of jogging pants that allowed for easy movement. Keeping herself cozy and nimble in any situation. That was their gym teacher, Alicia Heathers. A woman who harbored a deep and dark secret, according to what Tsubasa had just been prattling on about.

"First, let me introduce myself, since I don't think we've properly gotten acquainted since your recent awakening. I'm Alicia Heathers. Pleased to meet you, Fushimi!" She chimed with a bright yet caring smile, one that her student quickly returned with a bright smile of her own.

Mikai stood up from her chair, bowing down as far as she could. "Happy to meet you, Alicia-Sensei!" She cried out with gusto, making the blonde woman giggle a little at how enthusiastic she was.

You wouldn't happen to be free at the moment, would you?" Alicia asked, bowing politely towards the other two students who returned the gesture, the boy a little less firmly so. "I have a little issue with one of the students in Detention, and I really need something to set her straight." She explained, clenching her otherwise gentle fist. It seemed like the rumors were true.

Mikai nodded slightly after rising back up from her bow, tilting her head equally so. "Why me exactly, Sensei? I'd happily do it, but... What made you come all the way here just to ask me?" She questioned this motive, as any young girl rightfully should. If she really did need help, then...

"Because I want to help you just as much as you can help me, Fushimi." The teacher explained, putting a hand on her student's shoulder. "You've still got so many credits to catch up on, and if I could give you one for doing a little errand, that'd be great, wouldn't it?" She continued, her smile widening as it radiated with her caring energy...

The younger girl's face lit up as she quickly wrapped her arms around the taller woman. "Thank you so much, Sensei!" She grinned from ear to ear as she let go of her, already skipping up and down. All while Yumeko quietly sipped from her cup of water in the background, hiding a small smile behind the cup itself.

"Remember, don't get too touchy with teachers. We might end up with a few problems if we're seen like that too often!" Alicia chimed, prompting her student to let go quickly. "Okay, now, regarding the little thing I want you to get for me... Run off to the girls' locker room, and grab a certain little thing from my locker." She explained, dropping a key into the girl's hand. "You'll know it when you see it."

Mikai was quick to pocket the thing and nod. "I'll be done before you know it, Sensei!" She cried out loudly before speeding off, not even waiting for her two friends to potentially accompany her on that task...

"And don-... And she's gone, just like that." The teacher didn't even get to warn her, cheeks flushing a little red at her own inadequate teaching. "Oh, she'll be fine. If what Maki's been telling me, she's a far cry from the girl who was always so quiet for so long..."

Both of the girl's friends nodded as they got up from their seats. "Sensei, if you excuse us? We have some studying to do, before the library closes." Yumeko spoke up, bowing in respect alongside Tsubasa, the squirming movements still keeping him from being as proper as he should.

"Just don't be late for class. If you see her, tell her to try to avoid the Hall Monitor? Otherwise, she might get a bigger scolding than I ever could." Alicia asked, and both of the students nodded in return. "Good. Now, if you would also excuse me, I have a big fish to fry. You get the gist."

With that, the teacher left, a foreboding aura unveiling itself as she cracked her knuckles. Yep. She was about to go open a can of rough play on Anemone. Knowing her, she could probably take it. But she wasn't the one they were worried about.

Mikai was. They hoped she wouldn't get herself into any worse trouble...

---

“How are you adapting to your new position?”

The voice of Hiro echoed throughout the empty halls, most of the students currently busy with their lunches as she walked alongside a brunette in a comfortable looking cardigan, her braided hair running down the side of her shoulder. Tacky, but exactly what she liked to wear.

“Less than I’d like. The amount of students that stop by to have their hearts checked after their Pawning experience is… overwhelming, to say the least. If not for your hasty work, I wouldn’t have time to make sure all of them get the proper treatment.” Charlotta, the new Doctor contracted by Atlas Corp to care for Jotaijin victims at the highschool, explained her situation. All while interweaving her fingers together. “While the first wave wasn’t too bad, the second wave… Well, to say that they all wanted to fall asleep and cuddle with me wouldn’t be far from the truth.”

Hiro nodded slowly, adjusting her gauntlet. “With any luck, we shouldn’t overload your beds for much longer. The hardware in my device has been upgraded since last time I stopped a Jõtaijin. Discovering them ahead of time and executing them should be easy.” Her voice was firm as she pumped her arm forward, feeling the energy flow through the device…

“I’d prefer if you didn’t act on false calculations. Who knows if you end up injuring somebody who had only wanted to improve their life?” Doctor Charlotta mused, only to close her eyes. “I suppose that was why Tachibana had been chosen. The youngest in such a huge family. Surely he just wanted some sort of escape…”

The white-suit clad woman looked at her brown-haired companion with one raised eyebrow. “Tachib… Ah. The latest victim to their scheme.” She paused, realizing who she was talking about. “How’s he handling his new condition?”

“He could be feeling much better. Between the persistent arousal coursing through his veins, and his utter lack of energy while awake… He barely has a chance to look his family in the eye. Not that they care to visit him like this, preferring to focus on their own matters.” The Doctor explained, sighing disappointedly. “Regardless, he’s in perfect health, and besides his tendency to immediately fall asleep, he’s not a danger to anybody any longer. Once I make the final checks, I’ll make arrangements to send him back home. After that, he’s legally out of my hands.”

The hired heroine nodded slowly as she looked dead ahead. “This is why I want to finish them as fast as possible. If we prevent them from making Pawns, their reputation can’t plummet. And that means they can maintain a happy family life, at least until they relapse in some fashion.”

“Relapse? There has been no recorded instance of relapsing, what are you on about?” Charlotta shot back, her own eyebrow raised at this point. What did the black-and-white haired woman know that she didn’t, as a high-ranked employee of Atlas Corp..?

Hiro just gave her a certain look, before looking down at her gauntlet. “Huanglong, I want an update. What are the current levels of Jõtai Energy?”

Right after she asked, the visualized replica of her boss in a pocket-sized form emerged from the screen of her gauntlet. “Lower than expected. Lady Seiryu said that we would be able to find a Jõtaijin, but these readings indicate the exact opposite. What do you suppose we do with this information?”

“Keep monitoring the situation. That’s what we do.” The white-suited woman replied, and the AI nodded before sinking back into its home. All while she turned back around to face the brunette. “Allow me the benefit of the doubt, Doctor. It’s possible for a single person to be transformed into a Pawn multiple times. Surely it should be possible for that much energy to coalesce and transform them on their own, should they be left untreated for too long.”

Doctor Charlotta rubbed away at her chin for a second. “I… Would not be able to confirm that theory, as I tend to cure my patients of their ailments as soon as they come into my clinic. Outside of the ones with irreparable damage, like the former Jõtaijin. But I do suppose that your theory holds water…” She mused, closing her eyes a little. “But what would you do with that information, Hiro?”

“Nothing. I don’t aim to take advantage of these creatures.” Hiro shot back as she turned around once more. “I just want to make sure that you don’t overlook a potential health risk. You are in charge of making sure that they return to normal, as much of them possibly can be returned at any rate.”

As the Doctor nodded in agreement, the sound of two girls shouting in the distance echoed around them. Sounds unfamiliar to the two of them, prompting the white-suited woman to walk forward and get a closer look at whoever was making so much noise…

“SASAKI! GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT OR I WILL SEE TO IT THAT YOU NEVER GET A SPOT TO SQUAT IN EVER AGAIN!” The angry tones of an orderly girl flew around her, all while a redheaded black-capped girl sped right past her, a girl who barely wore anything to keep her body as exposed as one reasonably could be.

Not a moment later, and the culprit behind the screaming revealed herself. A blue-haired girl with a ruler held firmly in one hand, ready to bring it down upon the short girl that had just ran past the black-and-white-haired woman. Or she would’ve, if she didn’t catch a glimpse of the Atlas Corp enforcer watching her disobey rules of common courtesy…

“F-Fukano-sensei, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to run in the halls.” The girl, Saki Himitsu, quickly bowed down apologetically. This was not at all how she anticipated that she’d meet the woman who was in charge of defending the school against monsters.

Hiro slowly sighed. “At ease. You’re not in danger of being expelled just for running.” She replied, motioning for the younger girl to bring her chin up. “What I want to know is two-fold. Who were you chasing, and… Have you seen any signs of Jõtaijin activity around the school?”

“Of course, I’ll answer anything you give me. Firstly, the individual that I was giving chase to is a notorious delinquent around these grounds. Aimi Sasaki. She’s found to have turned several of her classmates and other problem students into her underlings, by…” She paused, reaching into her pocket to pull out a notebook. “By, according to the notes that Maki-sensei gave to me, enacting her will upon them and molding them into a better form. Something along those lines.”

That conversion process was highly suspicious. In fact, it was exactly how the most common type of Jõtaijin operated, forcing their willpower upon the vulnerable and making them accept the role of a pawn in their little game. How was a human able to do that at the same level of potency?

“What does she do with her underlings? They sound about as dangerous as a horde of Pawns, should enough of them gather in the same place.” She asked yet another question, lightly pressing a single button on her gauntlet to make sure everything was being recorded.

Saki blushed a little as she looked at the floor. “...Please don’t tell this to anyone, Fukano-sensei.” She started, the blush growing. “She makes sure that they do their homework on time, keep schedules that keep them properly in shape, and… protects them, should they come into harm’s way. Usually by grabbing the attention of whoever wanted to try and bully them.” The explanation was an unusual one, but the way she felt utterly embarrassed with every word made it clear that it had to be the truth.

Charlotta smiled as she heard it, poking her head out from behind the white-suited woman. “What a wonderful little girl, doing her best to solve her fellow students’ issues in her own way. Now that’s a good student if I’ve ever seen one.” She chimed, scribbling some notes on a notepad she pulled out of nowhere. “Himitsu? Would you be a dear and tell her to come by my office later in the evening? I want to understand how she ticks.”

“Of course, Doctor. If I can catch her, I’ll make sure that she gets your message. And I’ll make sure she shows up, with the promise of striking her attendance record in response to good behavior.” The blue-haired Student President explained and bowed, smiling a little now that she got all of that off her chest.

Hiro nodded herself, pleased on some level. But there was something foreboding in the air. Seiryu’s calculations couldn’t be off. So there had to be somebody hiding in plain sight, or…

“SAKI! SAKI! EVACUATE THE SCHOOL!” A loud and strong voice echoed from down the hall, as the redheaded girl quickly dashed up to the trio, sweat dripping down her brow. All while her close proximity to the three allowed them to notice the strange tattoo that had been crossed out over her belly…

The Student President’s eyebrow raised as she put her arms on the much shorter girl’s shoulders. “What are you babbling on about? Is somebody in danger? Speak sense, otherwise I can’t help.” She tried to grill the girl for answers, only to feel her teeth clacking together rapidly and uncontrollably. “What in the…”

“I… I saw them, Saki! Pawns! My underlings, they were all claimed by those things!” Aimi, the redheaded girl, cried out as she pointed down the hallway. “If you want everyone to stay normal, we gotta warn them and get them outta here! NOW!”

Hiro’s gaze firmed up as she grabbed ahold of her gauntlet, turning towards the end of the hallway that the girl came from. “Himitsu. Do what she said. Evacuate.” She commanded, the energy in her gauntlet quickly growing…

“As you say, Fukano-sensei! Come on, Sasaki, we have to go!” The blue-haired girl quickly replied as she stood up straight, turning her head towards the Doctor. “Doctor Charlotta, please help as well. We have to cover as much ground as possible!”

Charlotta nodded, turning towards Hiro. “Please don’t injure the culprit too much, as I’ve already said. Whoever they are, they may be suffering as much as you are.” She said, before running after the two younger girls. Leaving only that foreboding warning in the woman’s mind…

“Suffering as much as I am, you say…” The white-clad woman mused, several faces flashing before her eyes. “No, there’s no way. Nobody should suffer as much as I had…” She muttered, the energy in her gauntlet reaching full power.

Huanglong emerged for a second, looking up at his wielder. “All Systems Green, Hiro. At your command.”

“Jouchaku.”

The armor spread from her gauntlet, just like before. Covering her in a proverbial carapace of black with a blue undersuit to keep everything protected. Her visor burst to life as the armored parts of her arm covered up the gauntlet, keeping everything sufficiently contained. The improvements to the machinery meant that her transformation took such a short time that the armor had already appeared on her body after she said the magic word. And with that, she felt the power growing in her limbs.

“Jõtaider PAWN, moving out.” She declared for but a brief second before speeding forward, running down the hall with a trail of energy being left behind. She had to be quick. Even if she couldn’t detect the Jõtaijin, she still had to deal with the pawns.

Something that was even more apparent than ever as she rounded the corner, seeing a delinquent stuck on the ground with a set of those ever-familiar Pawns circling her. All of them adorned with ice skates on the bottom, their mere presence causing the ground to grow frozen in mere moments…

“H-HELP ME!” The black-clad girl cried out, only for the trio of Pawns to spin around her, icy particles drizzling down on her. Each of them sank in and nestled themselves where they needed to, her body slowly taking on a colder shade as her blood grew cold. Way too cold…

She shivered, she gasped, she felt like everything was trying to come down on her at once. And then it got worse, as she could see her heart leaving her body. Whether that was an illusion from the frostbite that she was suffering from or the dance from the skate-wearing Pawns, she wasn’t sure.

All she knew was that it was growing colder, ice forming around it. And in turn, her body too started to be covered in ice. Or rather, a thick layer of black, all of it slowly making its way up to her neck as the ice encapsulated her heart.

But then, the impossible happened. Her eyes filled with warmth, a fire burning within the ice. And yet, it did not melt. Because that flame was the Passion within her, manifested within her new form. She slowly got up onto her feet, the black substance closing around her head and forming a dome as the heart sank back into her chest. All while she ‘looked’ towards her fellow Pawns…

“PASSION!” They all cried out, their voices resounding around the room despite the lack of a mouth on their new bodies. They knew what to do! Spread their eternally-frozen passion to anybody that stood in their way, starting with the black-clad woman over there..!

The Pawns quickly skated towards Hiro, each of them with their hands outstretched to pin her in some fashion. But PAWN wasn’t about to let that happen, as she pulled her arm back, energy gathering near her palm.

“Thunderbolt.”

PAWN jettisoned straight through the four pawns, almost like lightning struck them. Seconds later, they all found themselves on the floor, their domes cracked and their bodies on the verge of turning back. It would take longer rehabilitation, but they’d recover.

If that was what they were like, turning the area around them into an icy wonderland… Then the Jõtaijin that transformed them would take heavy advantage of this element. She had to hurry. Otherwise it wouldn’t just be a transformation that would get to them, but hypothermia just the same.

She just hoped that the other Jõtaider had the common sense to stay out of her affairs...

---

Mikai ran down the halls of the school, excited to help out her gym teacher. Especially since she put so much faith in her and wanted to help her out! That meant that she had to help her out in turn, otherwise it just wouldn’t be right! You did good things for people that did good things in turn.

There was just one issue with all of that, as she slowed down ever slightly. She looked both sides at a crossroad, wondering what path might lead where. Especially since she didn’t know where the gym supplies actually were. Or what the specific thing she was looking for actually looked like. Maybe she should’ve asked before running off.

“Oh well, I just gotta try them all and see which one works!” The sandy-blonde chimed as she quickly sped up once more, dashing down the path straight in front of her. With any luck, she should be able to check all of them before the bell rang…

But as she headed down the hall, she felt a sudden chill try to overtake her. A chill that made spine shiver and her body almost collapse from the strain, causing her to fall onto her knees. It was intense! So intense that she couldn’t even imagine transforming like this…

‘An enemy..?’ The thoughts of Chimera resounded throughout her mind, but that couldn’t be right. She didn’t feel the presence of a Jõtaijin. So… what was causing this infernal chill?

“NO RUNNING IN THE HALLS!” A booming, powerful voice echoed around the hall, as ice suddenly crept across the floor. Followed by a set of dainty skating sounds, resulting in somebody hovering over the sandy-blonde girl with a very judging look on their face. The aura they gave off was… Heavy, to put it bluntly.

Mikai slowly turned her head up towards the person who had caused the floor to freeze over, only to look straight into a set of chilling and icy eyes, ones that made her body shiver even more. And yet, that same icy cold stare was comforting in some fashion..? She didn’t understand exactly, but…

“I’m sorry!” She cried out, dropping her hands onto the floor as she swiveled around to face the feminine figure. “I didn’t know that there was a rule like that! I just wanted to help Alicia-sensei out with the task she gave me!” Her words would hopefully set the record straight, since she was so honest that she couldn’t really tell a single lie.

The older girl blinked a couple of times as the younger girl begged at her feet, prompting the icy chill around them to die down a little. “You… You didn’t know? What kind of a girl are you, even?” She asked, slowly kneeling down to look closer at the youth. “How can you just not know rules? For that matter, who are you anyway?”

“M-Mikai! Mikai Fushimi!” Mikai cried out as she looked up, straight into those icy eyes once more. They were cold, but not because they were filled with disdain or hate. They were just cold! And cold wasn’t that bad, once you got used to it! “I… I didn’t pay a lot of attention for the last few years, sorry.” She muttered, genuinely apologetic for her earlier mistakes in life.

The icy-eyed girl blinked a couple times. “Fushimi… You’re the girl that Himitsu-Senpai’s been talking about! The girl who took all of Anemone’s punches and didn’t stop trying to help her!” Her voice grew warmer as her impression of the girl improved drastically. Who would’ve thought that she’d run into this little idiot?

“Eh? Himitsu… That’s Saki-Senpai!” The younger girl’s eyes lit up as she got up further, the ice underneath her melting into nothingness as she started getting a good look at the girl in front of her. “You know her? What’d she say about me?”

Standing in front of Mikai was a girl dressed in a more extravagant version of the usual Mimoto Highschool uniform, one with an armband that read ‘Disciplinary’. Not to mention the uniform seemed a bit thicker than the one that Saki wore when she saw her last, which started making sense as she noticed the girl’s pale complexion. The warm clothing, the way the world around her started freezing, and the icy look in her eyes… It all made sense.

The girl that had caught her was some sort of Yukionna, an ice-flavored monster! But she was nice, just like Alyssa was. Was she natural born? That had to be the case, she couldn’t feel any kind of Jõtai energy from her. Amazing! She never expected to meet a real monster, much less one at her school! And to think that she knew Saki…

“Know her! Of course I do! She’s the acting head of the Disciplinary Committee, as well as the Student President! I’m one of her subordinates, Yuuki Shimo!” The icy-eyed Yukionna-girl chimed, grinning from ear to ear as she beamed with pride. “And as for what she’s said about you… She thinks you’ve got a long way to go, but she’s looking forward to the day where you’ve gotten back into the swing of life properly. I dunno about you, but that sounds like praise to me!”

Mikai nodded rapidly, grinning herself as she heard those words. “She was really nice when she was helping me and Agatha deal with Alyssa’s problems, and…” She started speaking, only to quietly kick herself mentally. She couldn’t just blurt out about how the rich girl’s lonesome friend had transformed without an issue. Then she’d be in trouble… probably. “And she was really nice to my Mom too!” She quickly changed the subject, a bead of sweat dripping down her brow.

“She’s the pinnacle of good behavior. Whether towards those that don’t deserve it, or those that have earned it. She has her heart open towards anyone!” Yuuki clenched her fist, her eyes gradually turning red. “I remember… I remember when she showed me the way. When I was lost, when I was just on my little legs, helpless after my parents helped me out the door… She came! And she reached out to make me stand up for myself!” She prattled on and on, a fire burning in her eyes.

The younger girl blinked a couple of times as she watched the older girl’s enthusiasm burn bright, to the point where her eyes changed. It was… It was actually really cool! “It must be really fun to have a Senpai like that!” She giggled, amused by how the intended scolding turned into a mutual fanboying session.

“Fun? Oh no, her presence doesn’t make things fun. I mean, it does, but not like that.” The Yukionna-girl said, as she slowly brought one hand up to her forehead. “The thing that’s really fun, is what I do whenever she’s not around…”

The girl’s hand slowly rose through her hair, flipping her bangs and everything else backward, to the point where her neat hair now took on a much different feel. A wild and passionate one, matching the fire in her eyes. Such a stark contrast to the way that her species should act…

“I LET MY PASSION RUN LOOSE AND SHOW THOSE THAT DARE ACT AGAINST THE RULES SHE’S SET THAT THEY’RE NOTHING! BUT BY BEING THAT NOTHING, THEY CAN BE SO MUCH MORE, AS LONG AS THEY LET THEIR PASSIONS BECOME A REALITY!”

Her shout was loud, almost to the point of shattering at least one pane of glass. All while her body started radiating heat, contrasting the cold that she gave off. She was both hot and cold at the same time! What a cool Senpai…

That contradiction was enough to pique Mikai’s curiosity, as she slowly put her hand on the wild-haired girl’s shoulder. “So warm, yet cold too… How’s that possible? Are you special, Yuuki-Senpai? Like, do you have fire powers or something to go with the ice?”

“All I have is my PASSION, Fushimi!” Yuuki replied with gusto, clenching her fists once more. “That single thing keeps my heart burning!” She laughed, before brushing her hair forward a bit, letting her calm down and get her cool in check once more. “Though, I’m nowhere near as hot-hearted as my Mom. She managed to tame my Dad and make him a real husband worth loving, despite his cold exterior and interior. Though he never smiles, she knows what he loves her. And that passion… Well, it gave birth to me, so it had to be worth something, didn’t it?”

The way that she swapped between her two temperaments at the same time was genuinely super cool… “So if you can make yourself super hot... Couldn’t you use that when you try to lecture people that run in the halls?” The easily excitable young sandy-blonde asked, a bit starstruck. And not too quick to listen, as she outright ignored the bits about the older girl’s past.

“Please, if I actually set their PASSION on fire, then they’d be burnt to a crisp. I need to make sure that they can turn it into something worthwhile before I give them a good warm squeeze. If I do it any earlier than that, Himitsu-Senpai’s going to be the one scolding me for negligent behavior.” The icy-skinned girl replied, a bit of a blush on her cheeks. As if she had already done it once before, and this was all but admitting her faults...

Mikai nodded. Man, if she didn’t have to hide her secret identity, she would love to show the older girl what she could do with her transformed form. They could even try and see who had the better flames, and who had the better passion! Though she wouldn’t yell it quite as loud as the icy-haired girl, that’s for sure…

Just as the two were starting to hit it off well, a frantic set of steps echoed from down the hall. “Hold still for a second, Fushimi.” Yuuki said as her tone grew serious, the air around her freezing below 0 degrees. “NO RUNNING IN THE HALLS!” She cried out, causing ice to spread from her body rather quickly, freezing the entire place solid, including the girl who had done her best to prepare for the cold…

Not even a second later, and a familiar looking wolf-eared girl with her hair covering most of her face slid on by, having tripped on the ice. It was only thanks to the Hall Monitor grabbing her by the collar as she slid by that she didn’t keep sliding, being forced to stand up once more.

Once she was propped up, it didn’t take much more for Mikai to realize who she was. There was only one student in this school that had a pair of ears like that AND had most of her face covered. “Mumei-chan? Hey! What’s up?” She chimed, happy to see the nameless student once more.

Mumei-chan giggled a little as she rubbed the back of her head. “Sorry for running in the halls, Shimo-Senpai. And hey, Mikai! Nice to see you too!” The wolf-eared former Jõtaijin chimed, only to snap back to reality a second later. “Wait, no, we don’t have time to be all cozy and stuff! We’ve got a big problem! Like a huge, super duper big problem!”

Just as she spoke about the problem, it became increasingly obvious what the issue was. Giggling Pawns were turning around the corner, each of them skating along a pane of ice that was similar to the one that Yuuki had made with her monster powers, though they were much more malicious about it. As Pawns tended to be.

“Monsters!? Here!?” The Hall Monitor cried out as she whipped her hair back, letting her passionate heart take over. “We can’t allow any of them to corrupt students into their terrible visages!” She clenched both of her fists, before turning to the sandy-blonde. “Fushimi, I need you to do me a favor! Get hold of Hitmitsu-Senpai! I’ll make sure that Mumei-chan gets out of here and into safety!”

Mikai quickly nodded in response to the order. “I don’t know where she is, but she’s probably doing her best too! Make sure Mumei-chan stays safe, Yuuki-Senpai!” She cried out, not even hesitating as she tried running off… Only to lose most of her footing and go skidding instead. “T-Too slipperrrryyyyyyyy!”

The would-be-heroine slid far, far away, leaving the wolf-eared girl with the icy-skinned Hall Monitor. “Sheesh, to think that she was depressed just a few weeks ago. Now she’s happier than ever. Almost a bit jealous, honestly.” Mumei-chan muttered as she scratched her ears, ruffling her hair in the process.

“Jealousy, you say?” Yuuki’s hair turned back to normal after another brushing, her icy eyes peering into the shorter wolf girl’s head. “You want to be as strong as she is?” She continued, positioning herself behind the girl…

The wolf-eared girl shook her head. “Not like that. I just wanna, y’know, believe in the stuff I can do. Getting turned into a wolf kinda helped, but… didn’t really solve much. Though I guess I’m a lot better at sniffing out people, and that’s gotten me a few friends. Convenience and all, but better than nothing, right?” She prattled on and on and on…

Only to feel a chilling sensation spread through her, as something sunk into her back. “Let your PASSION run wild, Mumei-chan. Just like those that patrol the halls.” The Hall Monitor’s voice echoed through her head, slowly consuming every thought of hers.

Her heart was freezing. And yet, a fire was lit within. A fire representing her passions. And as a thin layer of black covered up her entire body, that passion would consume her. It would keep her ready to obey the one that had changed her… and make her all-too-whole…

Yuuki’s hand left the back of the newly created Pawn, who then turned around and saluted. A heart had formed on her dome-shaped head, and the warmth she gave off was powerful. She was more than ready to serve the Hall Monitor’s needs and wants.

“Go, Passionate One! Catch those that dare act against their heart and make them see reason!” The Hall Monitor shouted, prompting the saluting Pawn to nod rapidly as a pair of skate blades appeared below her feet. A moment passed, and she took off. She’d find those that acted against their heart… All while the world around her turned to ice, allowing her to speed along with those skates…

The Hall Monitor grinned, crossing her arms as she looked towards the direction Mikai had headed in. A honest girl for sure, but one that still needed guidance. As her Senpai, that was her duty…

And she couldn’t wait to see her saluting with the passion in her heart running wild…

---

They kept on coming. No matter how many she struck down, another four would pop up just the same. Just how many students were there at this school? And how quickly were these pawns able to spread their foul influence onto them?

Hiro took a deep breath as she closed her eyes, letting the sounds of her visor blare through her ears. She needed to focus. Detect where they all were. Formulate a strategy that could take them out most efficiently so she could focus on the Jõtaijin. All while detecting that very same monster.

“Sensors indicate that the infected number is in the triple digits, Hiro. Your orders were only to eliminate the Jõtaijin, should we no-” Huanglong spoke up in her ear, only for his words to be cut off rather violently by the woman turning off communications.

An AI was an AI. They were not able to process the same emotions that humans were. And as much as her superiors thought that she was just like one such being, she had a heart beating her chest still. No matter how hard she tried to suppress her emotions, she couldn’t help herself. Innocents needed to be secured…

“Next group is up ahead…” Hiro opened her eyes, a glint of determination visible underneath the colored glass. Indeed, she could see a trio skating towards her, each of them crying out in the same way as the first group she had dealt with.

They didn’t get to cry out for long as she jolted forth, slamming through all three as they screamed out in unison. “PASSION!” were the last words they said as the black substance fell off them, reverting them to their previous forms. And immediately after that, their bodies started to shiver, prompting the black-armored heroine to toss the three into a nearby classroom that hadn’t been touched by the spread of ice yet.

So many more to go, so little time. She had to act fast.

“King’s Thrust!”

Elsewhere in the halls, Mikai was rushing through with her body caught aflame. Transforming had let her get her footing once more, but that still left so many girls to save! It was lucky that she had seen Mumei-chan, because if she hadn’t informed her, who knew how many she’d still have to go through!

“I’m going to have to try and remember their faces, maybe figure out if Yumeko can do something nice for them on my behalf.” She muttered to herself, the flames keeping her from slipping thanks to how they counteracted the ice below.

Chimera just laughed inside her head, snickering and giggling. “You? Remember a face that you’ve never seen before? Mikai, you couldn’t remember what your mum told you three days ago, how are you supposed to remember a face?” The ancient predator teased her, sighing sweetly as her sounds bounced around in her head…

“Well how am I supposed to know what games are what!? Tsubasa showed me those cool ones, but Mom’s got so many older ones hidden away under her bed and she keeps beating me in them! And is this really the time to tease me, Chimera!?” Mikai cried out internally while sinking one of her fists into one of the pawns, burning away the black that kept them converted and heating them up in the process.

The predator shut up after laughing a little more, leaving the heroine to deal with this crisis on her own. And she had a lot of work to do, those skating pawns surrounding her thanks to her inferior speed. Sure, she could defend herself thanks to the flames, but they were all so damn fast…

“PASSION!” The pawns cried out, each of the latex-skinned minions twirling around on the icy floor as they skated towards the armored heroine, ice growing along their hands to turn them into blades with the tips pointed at her.

Mimoto clenched her fist as the flames around her gathered into her palm, before she turned that very fist towards the ground. “KING’S ERUPTION!” She cried out, weaponizing her latest move in an altered form.

Instead of making it erupt around a single target to immolate them from the inside out, she used it to create a barrier of flames that would consume all of the attackers, burning away their aggression and melting them back to normal, while leaving the heroine unharmed if ever slightly tired.

“Gotta get used to using so much power, can’t run out ever again..!” She gasped and panted as she staggered back to her feet, noticing yet another pawn skating towards her from the upcoming crossroads…

She could deal with one just fine, she still had power left over from the last move!

PAWN noticed a pawn up ahead, in the middle of a crossroads. Another victim that needed to be freed, as energies traveled down her armor into her foot.

Mimoto jumped into the air, the flames in her vicinity gathering on her foot as she propelled herself towards the Pawn.

The black-armored heroine dashed forward before leaping into the air, the green energies in her foot flaring up as she flew ahead…

“King’s Flame!” “Checkmate.”

Both heroines impacted the Pawn at the exact same time, causing their excess energy to completely incinerate any trace of the infection that had been plaguing them. While also sending the two smashing into the walls opposing one another, the blowback from their inadverted crash was way too strong for either of them to handle…

“What was that? No, wait, I know that kinda energy…” Mimoto waved away the smoke that had been kicked up by the clash, peering through to try and see the woman she had once met before…

Only to find a fist dangerously close to her face, courtesy of that very same woman. Jõtaider PAWN, the woman that had saved her friend and issued her a warning. “...I thought I told you to keep out of this business. Why are you still standing?” The visor-clad woman said, gravity dragging down every word that left her lips.

A normal person would recognize that they should stop while they were ahead. A normal person would stand down and stay out of trouble. A normal person would do all of that and actually listen.

Mikai, the self-dubbed Jõtaider Mimoto, was not normal.

“Let me help you!” She cried out, clenching her fist as the flames sparked around it. “Yeah, I may not be strong or experienced or any of that! But you can’t just go around on your own! We’re both heroes, aren’t we!?” She shouted, her belief laid bare as she held out one of her hands, open and reaching for the woman’s own.

PAWN glared through her visor as she brought her fist away from her head. “You almost got yourself killed or corrupted last we saw one another. Why should I trust that I don’t have to babysit you? Depending on your answer, I’ll act accordingly.” Her words were still heavy…

Mikai stared straight ahead at her, the flames flickering as they went out. “...You can’t!” The conviction was strong, even as she admitted her faults. In fact, those very flames that just died out came back with a vengeance, covering her form completely. “But I’ll do what I can, regardless if I’m able to keep up or not!”

“You… You’re a complete idiot!” That wasn’t a response that the woman liked. Not one bit. “I just told you that you ended up in danger, and you’re willing to throw yourself in danger again!?” The energies that had been in her foot were now flowing through her, giving her blackened armor a subtle green glow.

The girl in the warm-colored armor nodded without hesitation. “Because that’s what a hero would do! That’s what I would do! I promised to protect the city with all I could, and I’ve gotta do it!” The foolheaded way of thinking was dangerous…

So dangerous that it nearly earned her a punch from PAWN, one that barely nicked her cheek as it caused the wall behind her to collapse after missing. The constrained rage within her fist was leaking out…

“Hiro. For the time being, it would be advantageous to work with her. Otherwise, you may run out of energy against the Jõtaijin. I may not know what issue you have against her infantile heroics, but they will allow you to complete this mission faster. I recommend accepting her help, with the caveat that we will have to disable her means of transformation in the future if she performs inadequately.” Huanglong’s intellectual and factual voice rung through the visored woman’s ears once more, communications activating whether she wanted them to or not.

The black-armored Jõtaider’s energies slowly died down, the woman turning away from the younger heroine. “...If you fail to keep up, I will make sure you never stand up to me again. You got that?”

“I’d stop you if you tried it, but I got it!” Mimoto cried out, grinning underneath her helmet. She got through to her. She really did. Even if only for a moment.

Now that they worked together, they could defeat anyone… Right?

“Aw, how cute. The two of you think you can actually work together. Makes me sick to my stomach.”

A mocking voice boomed around them, one filled with enough power to make a chill run down the younger heroine’s spine. No, wait, that wasn’t power. She knew this voice! She knew it well, too! It… No, it couldn’t be, could it?

“Jõtaijin detected. Hiro, it’s not the one we were hunting. Should we contact Lady Seiryu?” Huanglong’s voice echoed over comms, all while the black-armored woman swiveled around to try and spot her…

Mikai’s eyes widened underneath her helmet as she noticed a black figure hanging from the ceiling, one with a very familiar looking uniform. As soon as she saw the Spider on her cap, it was too hard not to realize who it was. “You!”

The woman, dressed like a military general wearing mostly black with a few greys that served to contrast the knee-length purple hair that stretched out behind her, laughed as she slowly sank further down from the ceiling. “I’m impressed. You, the lonesome girl who should’ve transformed into a nice Jõtaijin that could’ve torn up the status quo, stands against us thinking you can be a hero. Cute, but pointless.”

“We’ve got records of this one, Hiro. Eyewitness accounts and scans recognize her as ‘General Spider’. One of the three main Jõtaijin that’ve been causing havoc around the city as of late. In fact, we have records of her dating back to… Ten years ago, before the PAWN system even started production…” Huanglong kept spewing out data, but the heroine didn’t need to hear any more.

The energy lines on her suit flared up once more, all of them gathering in her hand as she jumped up, trying to grab the militant woman’s face and sear it with that gathered energy. An effort that didn’t pan out well, as the spider-themed woman just swung out of the way, as if she was dangling by an invisible thread.

“Why’re you here? Do you get some sort of sick fun out of transforming people? Wait, you’re with that Bat lady I fought a week ago, aren’t you?” Mimoto quickly pieced things together, since both of them happened to deal out the Jõtai that had transformed her, Mumei-chan and Alyssa…

General Spider let out a laugh that rang out from the bottom of her deep and twisted heart. “Round of applause for the idiot who’s started to learn! Yes, Baroness Bat is on my side. Our objective is to tear up this world and root out everyone who’s been thrown into a position that they’re not fit for! We give them the chance to change the world on their own, with the Jõtai!” She laid her plan bare, clapping all the while. “Can’t believe you didn’t figure it out sooner, considering the mark you left on Bat after your little clash!”

PAWN cocked her fist a little as she looked up at the villain, only to look back at her ‘ally’. She had fought another one of the culprits… Bat? That name… Why did she have to get involved too?

“So who’d you corrupt this time? Another friend? Another innocent? Maybe I should beat it out of you and find out!” Mimoto shouted up at the black-clad monster, the flames around her keeping her from noticing that the air around her was getting a lot colder by the second.

Spider shook her shoulders a little, grinning while adjusting her hat. “You’ve already met her, idiot. Maybe if you were smarter, you would’ve realized who it was.” She chimed mockingly, only to laugh a little more. “I think she’d be delighted to show you what she’s acquired ever since she turned, wouldn’t you agree…”

“Yuuki Shimo?”

The cold shards in the air froze completely, refusing to move as a familiar figure skated onto the scene, with the ice spreading not only along the floor but the walls and the doors. Courtesy of one firey-eyed girl that Mikai had greeted just a little while ago…

“Y-Yuuki-Senpai?” She couldn’t believe her eyes. That girl was filled with so much passion, so much genuine care towards her peers despite the harsh way she carried out the rules of the school, that she couldn’t possibly have imagined that she could be corrupted.

PAWN wasn’t surprised. Of course it was another student. It was always another student when these outbreaks spread in an institution like this. “Huanglong.”

“Your assumption is correct, Hiro. This is the Jõtaijin at the center of this outbreak. Eliminate her quickly, according to Lady Qilin’s instructions.”

Mikai didn’t like the stance that her ally took on seconds later. “W-wait, that doesn’t look like you’re trying to defeat her! That looks like you’re trying to kill her! That’s not what a hero should be doing!”

“I’m not that kind of hero, Mimoto! Letting her roam around will make the students freeze to death if they don’t stay permanently corrupt! I’m ending it now!” PAWN shouted back as she charged forward, electricity flowing her palm just like earlier. “Thunderbolt!”

She flew forward, leaving a trail of lightning behind her… until she smashed that fist straight into a wall of pure ice, one billowing forth like a passionate flame from the Hall Monitor’s palm.

“I like that look in your eyes, hero! But you’re not utilizing your PASSION correctly!” Yuuki cried out as she ran a hand through her hair, exposing the golden bracelet around her wrist while her hair took on its wild and passionate form. “None of you are! You all let your PASSIONS stay locked away within your hearts, refusing to use them to your full potential and letting them guide you through your daily lives!”

Mimoto… didn’t like this. Not one bit. It was like she was seeing a betrayal for the first time, time feeling like it froze completely. “Yuuki-Senpai, you… You’re better than this, you can’t give into that thing!” But she didn’t want to give up! She saw what a hand that reached out to a troubled soul could do. If she could just be that hand, then..!

“I’ve already given in, Fushimi!” The Hall Monitor shouted back, as she held that bracelet-wrapped arm into the air. “THE PASSION IN MY HEART WILL NOT BE STOPPED! YOU WILL ALL FEEL IT FLARING UP WITHIN YOU!” She screamed, the golden energies covering her as the Jõtai corruption settled in…

They swirled around the icy-skinned girl’s body, coalescing into the shape of a long coat that wouldn’t feel out of place on a naval officer, perfectly complimenting the shade of her hair. Not only that, but she exposed part of her torso in the process, revealing a flame emblazoned across her pale-blue abs. That open coat and the pants that were desperately clinging to her hips gave her an erotic yet at the same time bold feel. She wasn’t afraid to expose herself, as long as she had her beliefs in heart!

“LET THE PASSION BE SEARED INTO YOUR HEART AS PASSION PUNISHER SETS IT FREE!” The corrupted girl shouted, the icy air around her taking on a heated edge. Fire and Ice in accord, a terrifying combination. All while she retained none of the mercy or goodwill that she showed to Mikai earlier…

General Spider giggled as she retracted into the ceiling, a golden glow swallowing her whole. “Enjoy your little feud, you two. I have more souls to free, more people to liberate.” She cackled as she disappeared, leaving them alone with the monster between the two.

“Focus, Mimoto!” PAWN cried out as she went on the offensive once more, the energies in her body flaring up fully as she dashed forward. The ice was cracking underneath her feet from the weight of her armor, until she got into melee range…

She slipped. The ice hadn’t reacted to her weight. Letting Passion Punisher dodge out of the way by using the very same type of skates that her Pawns had, showing that she was responsible all this time. Something that Mikai really should’ve picked up on earlier…

Unfortunately, Mimoto was having a bit of an episode right now. Her flames were dying down, her passion and her will shut off as she saw a friend corrupt herself willingly before her very eyes.

“Wake up, Mikai! You can’t just stand there, you’ll be hurt!” Chimera’s voice echoed through her ears, causing her body to react on instinct and dodge a Pawn that nearly skated into her. “If you don’t do anything, she’ll just keep acting on her own! You know she’s better than that, show her what you mean!”

The lion themed heroine slowly clenched her fist… as she whipped around, the fires starting up once more as she smashed it into a pawn that tried to skate by. She didn’t like this feeling in her heart. She wasn’t familiar with it, and it made her feel terrible.

So she had to do something about it! She turned towards the long-coated villain and dashed forth, the icy floor not proving to be a trouble for a girl who conducted so much fire that she could melt somebody’s insi-

Nope. The ice didn’t melt. The warm air just absorbed the heat, leaving Mimoto to skid across the ice with Passion Punisher laughing at her attempt to hit her. “YOU’RE NEGLECTING YOUR PASSION, FUSHIMI! USE IT, LET IT CONSUME YOU AND YOU’LL UNDERSTAND!” She taunted her, enjoying the way she could just run wild

“If I can’t attack you directly, then…” PAWN weighed her options, watching the leader of the Pawns direct them like an admiral would command her troops. If she… Yes, that was it. She just needed to use them to knock the main enemy off balance.

The blackened heroine grabbed one of the Pawns by her domed head, before tossing her towards one of the other skaters, knocking them both around thanks to the weight of their heads. Which knocked the one on the receiving end into yet another, and so on and so forth until they all bounced around like pucks on a curling rink.

“Passion!” The dizzying Pawns cried out in unison as they flicked back and forth, each losing their footing and sprawling out of control, with some of them even headed straight for the Passion Punisher…

Of course she dodged. It was what she was good at, avoiding responsibility for her action of corrupting everyone under the guise of setting their Passions aflame. Avoiding responsibility for how harshly she enforced the rules that her idol had set for the school…

But not avoiding the next attack that came from PAWN, a lightning trail piercing through her as the last Thunderbolt landed as intended. “HAHAHAHA! YOU’RE GOOD! I’VE NEVER FELT PASSION LIKE THIS, SO COLD YET SO INTENSE! YOU’D MAKE A GREAT PAWN!” She shouted, not bothered by the hit despite the sizable impact on her torso…

Mimoto struggled back to her feet, panting all the while. Between the ice and the enemy at the center of it all, this wasn’t exactly a good situation.. But she had to do something. Her ally showed it was possible, so if she just used that same tactic..!

She dashed forward, flames gathering in her fists like before. “KING’S THRUST!” She cried out, shooting straight ahead like an arrow fired through the air set aflame by her will.

An attack that naturally cruised right by the agile monster. “DID YOU NOT HEAR ME THE FIRST TIME, FUSHIMI? YOU NEED TO USE YOUR PASSION! OTHERW-”

“KING’S ERUPTION!” Mimoto cried out as she grazed by the Jõtaijin’s form, using the momentum of one fist to propel herself to the ground like before. The fires spread out from the fist that punched the floor, melting the ice and charring anything in the near vicinity. Whether it was the ground or the floor, or any Pawn that was unfortunate enough to get caught in close quarters after being knocked around.

Passion Punisher being the one who took the most damage, her body blackened and aching from the blow. It was her natural weakness, despite the fire burning inside her heart. And now, more than ever, she looked weak. She could barely stand, the skates having melted underneath her feet. She was struggling to even stay still, wobbling back and forth. The fight was over, somebody just had to talk to her…

Mikai smiled underneath her helmet as she got up, turning towards the corrupted Yukionna. But just as she was about to try and tell her that it would all be fine…

“Checkmate.”

She caught a glimpse of PAWN flying straight towards the heavily injured girl. She couldn’t withstand another finisher, so if she took this one… No, this wasn’t how it would end! Not as long as she could do something about it!

Mimoto threw herself into the path of the finisher, holding her arms up to defend the weakened girl. Even as her armor started to crack the second that green-clad foot made contact with her armguards.

“You’re defending the Jõtaijin, Mimoto! GET OUT OF THE WAY!” The other heroine cried out, the energies intensifying. Not only had she dared to fight alongside her without proving herself, but she decided to change sides all of a sudden?!

The lion-themed heroine stood her ground, the melted floor underneath her preventing her from sliding away. “She’s still a person! We can talk to her and help her! Just like Agatha did to Alyssa! JUST LIKE MUMEI-CHAN DID TO ME!” She cried out, the flames in her hands turning blue as she threw the armored woman aside, deflecting her finisher with the willpower within her heart. She wasn’t the same girl she met just a little while ago. “All it takes to help somebody is to reach out! I’ll give a hand to those that need it, just like others did to me!”

PAWN grit her teeth as she skidded off the floor. Yet again, the girl had proven to be a problem. She had stood up to her, she had refused to back off, she had nearly gotten herself corrupted, and now she actively fought against her. When would she learn that her actions had consequences? Consequences that she witnessed first hand!?

“Fushimi… That passion of yours, towards the people you can help…” Passion Punisher’s voice was weak, yet it seemed proud of the girl that had nearly defeated her. She even began to smile a little, chuckling in disbelief. Things had turned around quickly…

Mikai giggled a little, her back turned towards the monster. “I’ll protect you for now, Yuuki-Senpai. Then I’ll lend you a hand.” She said, facing in the direction where the other heroine stood…

*CRACK* *drip*

...What..?

The girl slowly looked down, only to see something red pulsating in front of her. Something that was slowly being covered in a reflective pane of glass. Something that made her feel cold. Something that… didn’t feel good…

“Your PASSION will fuel us both, Fushimi. Now, let it be frozen in its splendor, forever more…” Passion Punisher wasn’t done. Far from it. In fact, that weakened state was when she was at her most dangerous…

Something that couldn’t be emphasized enough, as her hand was sticking straight through the armored heroine’s chest. She had shattered it on both ends, grabbing ahold of the girl’s heart in the process as it slowly chilled in her hand. All while the owner couldn’t react, her body and her mind freezing over in tune with the muscle that beat ever slowly…

PAWN grit her teeth. This was EXACTLY why she didn’t want the girl along! “You understand now, Mimoto!? YOU UNDERSTAND WHY YOU SHOULD’VE LET ME HANDLE IT!?” She screamed, but the words went unheard by their intended recipient. Because that girl…

That girl had been frozen, the armor crumbling off her form, revealing the sandy-blonde hair hidden underneath. Revealing Mikai Fushimi, the heroine that wanted to protect the city and reach out to those that needed it. Revealing a girl that had fallen prey to her own mercy, her body acting like a puppet plucked off its strings.

Her heart slowly returned to her body, the wound mending in an instant as the Jõtaijin pulled her hand out. And at the same time, the student’s uniform changed into a long coat not unlike the one that the villain herself wore, with Mikai’s abs adorned with a faded flame. Her skin was also turning a pale shade of blue, just like the Jõtaijin that had frozen her heart.

The corruption hadn’t taken hold of her fully, but it was clear that she was being transformed into a second Passion Punisher, should she stay like this for too long. To think that a Jõtaijin could make successors instead of Pawns… Maybe it was because of her innate power that this happened…

Mikai’s expression was as cold as her body now felt. Her usual willpower had been completely frozen over, and she was nothing more than a pawn to the Jõtaijin. Or at least, something along those lines. She was clearly more powerful than the regular type, since she wasn’t covered in the black substance, but she hadn’t yet matured. If the frozen heart in her chest started beating again, with the ice still around it… Perhaps her thoughts would be hers once more, even if twisted by the passion permanently kept in such a powerful state.

“GO, FUSHIMI! LET YOUR PASSION BURN AS YOU DEAL WITH THIS MEDDLING PAWN!” Passion Punisher shouted with glee as the frozen-hearted girl nodded slowly, skates forming on her shoes as the icy powers of her commander filled her.

PAWN grit her teeth as she blocked the surprisingly fast strike from the skating heroine, the slash being just as hot as it was cold. And unlike before, where she lacked the speed to properly keep up with either her or the villain, she outpaced the heroine. The ice that once spread from the Jõtaijin now spread from her feet, allowing her to go faster, faster and even faster…

“Hiro, your system can’t take much more damage if she keeps this type of assault up. The heat and the cold don’t counteract one another, but supplement them. We need to stop her.” Huanglong resounded through the black-armored heroine’s ears, causing her to grit her teeth in displeasure…

If only the girl had listened to her. If only she had stopped being a hero. Then things wouldn’t have gone this bad. Then she wouldn’t be forced to act for another. Then… Then..!

“HhhhaAAAAAAAAAAA!” Hiro screamed out as she grabbed ahold of the frozen-hearted Mikai’s hand as she sped on by yet again, smashing her fist straight into her face. Her emotions boiled over. She couldn’t stop herself now. The girl was going to understand the grave mistake she had made, one way or another. All while her mind remained frozen, unaware of what she was supposed to learn…

Or was it..?

---

Darkness. Cold, comforting, and familiar. Mikai knew what this was like. She knew it way too much. All thanks to those years that she had spent all alone…

But this time, it was different. She was frozen. She was well aware of that, her body encased in ice within her own mind. If she could move, she wasn’t sure if it was worth it. That feeling of being betrayed was still fresh in her mind. How could she reach out and help Yuuki-Senpai if she just turned around and stabbed her like that? It… It didn’t feel nice.

Maybe she should just drift within her mind a bit. Just let everything play out. Just like old times…

“WAKE! UP!”

A fist made impact with the ice. A fist that she had grown used to. A fist that helped her once before. It was Chimera’s fist, and she looked… Not too pleased with all of this, if she had to be honest.

“MIKAI! WAKE! UP!” The lion-pelted woman cried out as she slammed both of her fists into the ice like a wild animal. She didn’t accept this. She didn’t want to accept it! Her host was better than this! She could do much better! She HAD done much better!

But it didn’t matter. The ice didn’t disappear. Any crack that the strong predator made vanished within seconds, a sign of the corruption that had taken hold. Whether or not either of them wanted it to go away, it didn’t care. It would keep her imprisoned until the Yukionna decided it was time to free her…

“WAKE… Up…” Chimera panted as she collapsed against the ice, coughing a little from the cold. “Damnit, Mikai… What happened to that spunk of yours… How’re you letting yourself get pulled down by a little bit of ice…” She muttered under her breath, sounding genuinely hurt by her host and friend’s loss to the corruption…

Despite how hurt the near-naked woman sounded, what could the girl do? She was stuck. This wasn’t her decision, this was… It was just what happened when she trusted somebody that she shouldn’t have. Maybe if she hadn’t, she would still be okay. Maybe she should’ve let…

Her heart beat.

It didn’t accept the train of thought. It knew better. She knew better. She had seen better. Just a week ago, when she stood up against the Bat-themed villainess… And back when Mumei-chan reached out to her…

Her heart beat.

That’s right. They both reached out. Agatha to Alyssa. Mumei-chan to her. That gesture saved them from being corrupted by the Jõtai. Not just that… Chimera reached out to her. Time and time again. Until she finally took her hand and let her save her…

Her heart beat.

Mikai’s eyes shot open. She couldn’t stay like this! There were people that believed in her, whether right by her side or in another part of the school! Chimera! Her mom! Yumeko! Tsubasa! Even Agatha! They all believed in her, each in their own way! If she stayed stuck like this, then she couldn’t repay them!

Her heart beat.

The ice began to crack, the girl within refusing to give in. The fire in her heart… that was what her Senpai had tried to freeze solid. That was why she was stuck like this. But the advice she gave her, earlier in the day. ‘Let her passion run loose.’

Her heart screamed out, roaring with all its might.

“Mikai..?” Chimera muttered as she watched the ice crumble into nothingness, everything being sucked into the girl as she slowly landed on the darkened floors of her own mind. All while the predator couldn’t believe her eyes…

The sandy-haired girl grinned like she always did, a hand on her chest. She remembered what Spider had said. That she should’ve been a monster. So what if she used the energy that was threatening to corrupt her, just like she had used the energy from the Jõtai to become a hero?

“Thanks, Chimera.” Mikai chimed, smiling from ear to ear. “Thanks for reaching out. Now, I gotta reach out to Yuuki-Senpai. Beat me up if I mess up, okay?” She said, warmth radiating off her body…

Her ancient friend couldn’t believe her eyes, the tears running down her cheeks as she just… punched the girl’s chest. Gently. Without doing any damage. “You damn well know I will…” She said, smiling just like her host. “Now go get her. Show her what you’re made of.”

Mikai’s visage disappeared, ready to put an end to this...

---

PAWN panted, standing over a crater that she had made. With Mikai squarely in the center, still looking as corrupt as ever. She was finally reining in her emotions, having worked up a sweat from thoroughly smashing the girl over and over. It was a wonder she hadn’t started bleeding or anything…

“Such PASSION in your beatdown…” Passion Punisher chimed, skating towards the tired heroine, a wicked smile on her face as the sweat started running down her exposed torso. “You’ll serve my needs well, once I freeze it in its current state…” She made her plans bare, seeing no reason not to do so. She was weakened, ready and ripe to be attacked…

Indeed, the blackened heroine couldn’t land her defensive blow. The skate-equipped Jõtaijin, fully recovered thanks to the passion in her kouhai’s heart, was now ready to finish her off. She should’ve conserved her strength instead of emptying out her emotions.

“Hiro! Act now, or you’ll face contamination! HIRO!” Huanglong screamed in his digitized voice, but there was little the heroine could do. She was simply too tired, closing her eyes as the villain’s hand raced towards her back…

...But there was no impact. No crunching sound of flesh piercing through metal. Just a gasp and a groan…

“Fushimi..? How did you… aha… AhAHAHAAHA!” Passion Punisher’s laugh echoed throughout the halls, in utter disbelief at the sight in front of her. Who wouldn’t laugh at something this absurd, something she could’ve never expected!?

There stood Mikai. Her body bruised. Her legs shaking. There was so much pain running through her system thanks to the punishment that Hiro had inflicted upon her while her mind was frozen...

But her heart was still beating, filled with the same passion that her Senpai coveted.

Her ally just watched with a silent eye as the sandy-blonde pushed back that hand, her skin tone returning to normal while the outfit warped back into her normal school uniform. “You have to stop, Yuuki-Senpai!” She shouted, tossing the icy girl back with all of her strength…

“Make me, Fushimi!” The skating villainess cried out in return, the air itself freezing around her. “SHOW ME YOUR PASSION AND DEFEAT ME!” Her voice raised a few octaves, the fire in her eyes reflecting her inner self. The self that had been perverted by the Jõtai…

“I will!” Mikai shouted, clenching her fist as her body engulfed itself in flames, those very same flames forging her armor without a word. She transformed in a second, the lion-themed suit roaring…

Only for it to crack. The colored parts, the parts that were supposed to protect her, all started to howl. “I’ll show you my passion until you take my hand, Yuuki-Senpai!” She cried out, as she crossed her arm in front of her, entering the stance she took when she normally transformed…

“Chou Henshin!”

The armor shattered… Or rather, the fires that powered it did. Replaced with a cold chill that gave it a brand new color. The warm oranges and reds were replaced with chilled blues of both light and dark shades. Ones that made her armor look much sleeker, much more well defined, to the point where she had a totally new feel to her…

She was a lion no longer. She had a silhouette that was way too sleek for that. Especially as the claws that usually adorned her gauntlets slid forward to fuse together with her hands, giving each digit a more defined sharp point. The ‘face’ that her torso made changed just the same, the eyes growing narrower as a bit of her chestpiece jutted downward…

Mikai had changed. Used the icy corruption within her to grow to a new state. A state that could stand alongside her old one, with the element keeping them separate. Frost Wolf. That was her new form, a sleek hunter, ready to pounce upon her prey…

“So this is what your PASSION brings you, Fushimi? Useless! You’ve changed your armor, so what?” Passion Punisher mocked her transformation, before she skated straight towards her. She’d be showing her disrespect if she didn’t meet her passionate challenge head on!

This time, she was the one outsped. The wolf-themed Heroine disappeared before her very eyes, the only thing left in her wake being the faint sound of a howl…

“Where did she go!?” The long coated villainess cried out, whipping her head back and forth, unable to keep track of the suited heroine. Every time she thought she caught a glimpse, she disappeared, leaving only a howl or a claw mark behind…

She had lost all control over the situation. The sweat running down her brow wasn’t from the heat inside her. It was from fear. The shoe was now on the other foot, as she started twirling around, creating a barrier of ice around her. Her passion would protect her… it would shield her from this beast!

As Passion Punisher protected herself, a set of claw marks appeared on the floor, rapidly approaching her… Only to pierce straight through the shield that she had made, smashing it to pieces as a claw mark appeared on her body, the pain following not long after that.

She whipped around to try and see her attacker, only for a howl to echo through her ears once more. The chilling, killing intent was too much for her to endure. This was something beyond what she could handle..!

Another set of claw marks slid along the walls of the hall, and the Jõtaijin layered two of her shields on top of one another to try and block the assault once more. And yet as soon as she blinked, they were both shattered, leaving yet another mark upon her body.

Every time she tried to defend herself, it just ended in the shield being shattered and another wound accumulating on her body, while claw marks appeared around her. Then another. Then more, even as she established a wall as big as the hallway itself. It shattered, the shards raining down upon her and inflicting more and more wounds, the claw’s effect on the environment growing by the passing second…

“PASSION PRISON!” But she wasn’t about to give up! She still had her aces! Her heart’s inner flame burned bright, as she managed to catch a final glimpse of the speedy heroine. Six walls of pure icy passion shut themselves around her, the blue-themed heroine stuck within the cube. It was so tight that she had no possible way to move, no possible escape! She had won!

*ARRROOOOOOOooooo…*

The prison shattered as the heroine howled, the icy shards floating in the air as time seemed to freeze. Just as quickly as she had been shut inside the box, the girl had managed to get free, and not only that… She found her way onto the girl that had taken her heart from her chest, pinning her to the icy floor.

Mimoto’s helmet was more lupine than ever, a visor-like attachment having slid on top to give her a predator’s eyesight. She had the girl exactly where she wanted her. Where she could punish her for everything she had done. She had wordlessly defeated her, she could kill her right then and there…

And yet, she didn’t. She just let the attachment slide up, revealing the glass-like eyes that showed her eyes through them. Eyes that were happy, not angry. She didn’t think ill of the girl, despite what she had done. She just got up and reached out with her clawed hand. It wasn’t hard to imagine that she was smiling behind that helmet either.

“...You’d reach out, despite everything I’ve done?” Passion Punisher asked, her heart still pounding so hard that she wasn’t sure she could still breathe. It felt like her life flashed before her very eyes…

Mikai nodded. Not the heroine. The girl underneath. “Always. You deserve a second chance, Yuuki-Senpai. Just don’t tell anybody about who I am, okay?” She chimed, letting bygones be bygones.

...Yuuki took her hand, laughing as her hair returned to normal. The corruption within her died down, letting the influence she had over the pawns disappear. Everyone that had been turned would now be turned back to normal, though they’d probably feel extremely cold for the time being…

The girl underneath the armor laughed, only to let out a groan. “Ouch. ow. owwww… How badly did I get beat up?” She tried to laugh it off, but it really did hurt. Sheesh.

“Way more than you could handle. Come on. I’ll go on ahead, apologize to Himitsu-Senpai for my actions, and get ready for my punishment. Catch up when you can, after you’ve untransformed.” Her heart was burning with Passion once more, but this time at a more healthy rate, as she pet the wolf-themed girl’s head. “Keep your passion burning brightly, Mikai. And thanks for opening my eyes.”

Yuuki took off, skating along the ground, barely making a little bit of ice to keep herself moving smoothly. Everything seemed like it’d end happily ever after…

With the exception of one black-clad heroine, one who had just mentally recovered from what she had done to Mikai just a little bit earlier. “Fushimi… MIKAI!” She shouted, the green energies that normally poured through her body turning red in an instant.

“Hiro! You have to calm down, the system can’t take this much emotion! You were chosen for your ability to control yourself, not for-” Huanglong was cut off before he could explain any further, communications shut off so hard that there was no way for him to turn them back on.

Mimoto turned towards PAWN, entering her combat stance. “What’s your problem with me anyway?” She asked, not even a little mad at this development. She knew something like this would happen, and now she was definitely ready…

“EVERYTHING!” The black-clad heroine shouted as she sped towards the lupine heroine with surprising speed, the reddened energies in her palms digging away at her armor. Armor that was notably thinner than her lion form’s, sending the same painful feedback through to the exhausted girl underneath.

The lupine heroine jumped away as soon as she could, speeding up to the point where she couldn’t be seen by PAWN. “What do you mean everything!? We’ve only just met weeks ago!” She cried out, using that speed to grind her claws against the floor, using that momentum to heat up her claws and strike through the other heroine’s thick armor…

It was precisely because of this tactic that she had to trade blows. Hiro knew what direction she came from, so every strike that landed on her armor was given a strike in return, the thickly armored woman sending the wolf-girl flying, only for the attack to return in kind as Mimoto used her claws to skid along the ceiling and walls whenever she got too close.

“YOUR FACE! YOUR MANNERISMS! YOUR INCESSANT NEED TO PROTECT THOSE THAT DON’T CARE ABOUT YOU! YOUR WILLINGNESS TO THROW YOURSELF IN THE PATH OF DANGER WHEN YOU HAVE PRECIOUS LITTLE LIFE TO SPARE!” The black-and-white haired woman shouted, her rage peaking with every strike she traded. All of it… It all reminded her too much of those two.

The wolf-themed heroine panted underneath her suit, several chunks having gone flying thanks to the powerful blows. She couldn’t really see straight thanks to the intense pain shooting through her, but letting that woman keep going around like this, yelling her head off… It wouldn’t do. Both of them were heroines, she had to see reason…

“WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE THE SAME WAY!?” Hiro screamed as she jetted forward, propelling herself by causing the energy in her hands to explode repeatedly. A tactic that did just as much damage to her as it would eventually do to her opponent, and a show of how far her mental state was falling…

Mimoto’s claws grew longer as she crossed them over her chest, howling into the air as her visor sank down. The air around her slowed down, her heart beating quietly and at a snail’s pace…

“Alpha Freeze.”

The wolf-heroine disappeared, then reappeared behind PAWN. As soon as the woman drew breath, many tiny slashes appeared on her armor. One wouldn’t do much damage, but they layered on top of one another repeatedly, chipping away at her armor until it started sparking, unable to take that much damage all at once.

Hiro’s mind was racing, the pain, the anger and everything too much for her to handle… So much so that she slumped over, unable to get another word out. It seemed like the heroine had been able to defeat her…

“Thank you, Mimoto.” Only for her to rigidly return to her normal posture, her eyes still closed underneath her visor. “I don’t believe we’ve been formally introduced, but I’ll spare the pleasantries for now.” A robotic voice echoed through the speakers on her ears, exposed thanks to the myriad of attacks inflicted upon her.

Mikai panted and gasped, losing her own footing thanks to all of the damage inflicted on her. So much so that her armor disintegrated, revealing the utterly tired girl underneath. “You’re not gonna try and fight more, right? I’m a little… well, lot tired after all of that, eheh…” She hoped that the being controlling the heroine would be nice…

“You’ll be given time to recover for now. Judging by Hiro’s mental state, she’ll attack you again if you go over her expected limits.” The voice said, as it forced the woman to turn around. “I recommend either following her advice, to stay outside of combat… Or…”

The girl blinked. “Or?”

“...Grow stronger, Mimoto.” The voice sounded warm, almost as if the owner had grown to respect her. Unlike the woman it worked with. “Show her that you’re better than she thinks you are. Only then can her eyes open.”

“So, reach out until she takes my hand? I’ll do it, thanks!” Mikai quickly chimed back, only to fall onto her butt as she finally lost her balance, laughing a little despite the pain…

The robotic voice laughed a little as well, as he guided Hiro away. He had used the armor’s internal [Pacify] routine to subdue her, but if she woke up before he had gotten her out of danger, things were just going to get messy.

Today, the winner was Mikai… and as a winner, she was going to claim her prize. Which was to pass out on the floor, way too tired to keep going. She needed a nap after all of that.

And she did it with a smile on her face, happy over getting through to both Yuuki-Senpai and Hiro…

---

With everything calming down around the school, in part thanks to the speedy response from Saki and Charlotta when Hiro sent them off, as well as how quickly Yuuki took her punishment and gathered everyone she had corrupted, the former pair was left with the arduous task of figuring out how many of the Pawns needed a dose of therapy to deal with the effects of their little stint…

“Maaaan… I got corrupted again?” Mumei-chan whined, her ears pinned to her head. The two found her collapsed against a bench, having been unable to catch up to a set of very fast girls. “I didn’t think it’d happen, but Shimo-Senpai was like, impossible to resist…”

Saki sighed as she slowly ruffled the girl’s hair. “She’s a sly one. Always has been. You think she’s just loud and boisterous, but she’s got a clever head between those shoulders.” The blue-haired student president remarked, while the brown-haired psychologist carefully applied the necessary medical treatment to the former Jõtaijin…

“Yeah, but like, I had been a monster before, hadn’t I? Can’t I not get corrupted again, Himitsu-Senpai?” The girl whined more, yelping whenever one of her bruises got something wet rubbed up against it.

Charlotta held one hand to her chin, humming. “Hmmm. Saki, you have a reasonable amount of power here at the school, don’t you?” The brunette asked, and the student president nodded in turn. “If you’d allow me, I think there’s a way that we may be able to protect students, while giving the former Jõtaijin a chance to put their new selves to good use.”

“...You want them to keep using their powers? Won’t that make them transform back?” Saki asked, while still petting Mumei-chan. She couldn’t help it, the girl was too fluffy. Probably got off the best out of the transformed students so far.

The Doctor giggled as she shook her head. “My research shows that it’s quite healthy, actually. They just need to be careful and not overdo it, and they won’t even make any Pawns. If you do your best to gather them, I’d love to formally introduce the concept in the next coming weeks.”

“...I don’t know what you’re planning, Doctor, but… If you think it’s best for the other students, I want to make sure I’m a part of it. Just let me know if you need anything else to accomplish this.” The Student President said, bowing before the brunette to show the respect she deserved.

Charlotta chuckled. Before long, she’d have that support group up and running. What better way to let them all heal than spending time with one another..?

Now, if only she could make sure that Hiro wouldn’t knock them all to kingdom come.

---

She could feel it. The presence that had made her feel oh so good… It spoke to her again. She thought it was just a fluke some time ago, but now…

“Chimaera, my dearest rival…” A tanned woman draped in a zipped up hoodie and nothing else, a giantess in human form given her size, chimed as she licked her fanged lips. The presence washing over her made her feel all sorts of wonderful, as she mused audibly to herself. “Keep building that strength. I want our reunion fight to be as chilling as what you just did…”

The mysterious woman stretched a little, a bulge squirming on the inside of that very same hoodie. “Oh yes. You’ll meet her soon too. Once she’s strong enough, we’ll all meet her. And then we’ll have the fight of our lives once again. Just you wait, my little one. Then you can join the rest…”

A gust of sand blew past the strange woman, only for her to disappear before the naked eye. There was still so much prey to hunt, and so many young to tend to. Chimaera’s growth could wait.

She had so much power still to gain, after all...m