[Brainwashing, Tokusatsu Themes, Atlas Corp]

“Alright. I’ve got a question. A burning question. Why the hell are you here?”

Standing in the middle of the illustrious penthouse of the Atlas Corp building were two individuals. One of them being the silver-haired trickster and on-and-off handywoman, Tsukiko Tsurugi. The other was the impossibly short and annoyingly self-centered Atlas Grimwald, the owner of the entire corporation.

The boy was not very pleased. The way that steam gradually blew out of his ears as he paced back and forth in front of the silver-haired woman made that all too clear. “No, seriously, why are you here? I specifically asked for that golden bitch, not you. You always screw something up, so why the hell did you think that it’d be a good idea to drag your ass all the way up here?”

“‘cuz if I didn’t show up, you’d just chew her out for some terrible reason. Like you’re doing to me right now.” Tsukiko quickly shot back, grinning as she threw her hands behind her head. “Haven’t you learned your lesson since last time we had a talk, boss? You’re not getting anywhere by being a dick to your employees.”

Atlas narrowed his eyes as he stepped over to the very extravagant looking mahogany table he called a desk, leaping onto it before taking a seat. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been trying to improve on that. I only treat you like trash, because you get on my nerves all the damned time.” He huffed, like the child he seemed to be.

Looks weren’t everything, the silver-haired woman knew that very well. If she wasn’t careful, he’d do something worse than just whine at her. “That’s not helping your case, boss. If you keep being terrible to me, I might just go and quit. And you need me more than you think you do.” She dangled the tempting offer of resignation in front of him, as she walked around the desk and took a seat in his chair, smugly grinning.

“Hmph!” The boy cried out as he turned towards her, glaring straight into her eyes. “I don’t see a point in mincing my words with those that I know enough. You know what I’m like, I know what you’re like. If I have to chew you out because you’re doing a terrible piece of work, that’s just how it has to be. And the less you try to resist that, the better everything turns out for us in the end.”

Tsukiko nodded a bit as she kicked herself away from the desk, spinning around in her boss’ chair. “So you’re saying you’re totally fine with me being a dick back to you, because you’d rather have me be honest?” She chimed, spinning around and laughing at him in the process. “‘s a really terrible way of acting towards your employees, boss! You get literally no loyalty, no kindness thrown back at you!”

“What do I need kindness for? I need results, otherwise I won’t get the world in my hands!” Atlas shot back as he jumped off the table, stomping over and grabbing the spinning chair to make the woman come to a stop, glaring straight into her eyes once more. “You know what I want. That’s why you’re helping me.”

The silver-haired woman leaned back in the now-immobile chair, sighing. “Yeah, and that’s not why I’m helping you. If anything, I’m making sure that your employees know what kinda boss they’re working for. If they knew you were this much of a dick, they’d quit if they could. Though if what Byakko-chan’s been saying about Suzaku, I’m beginning to think that there ain’t really a way to quit.” She prattled on and on, while her gaze turned sharp for a brief moment as she let something confidential slip.

“… I’m going to have to have a talk with Byakko later.” The albino boy in the white suit muttered, his expression twitching for a brief moment. It seemed like she had struck a nerve, more so than she normally did.

Tsukiko laughed as her boss grew quieter than he ever had before, leaping out of the chair and onto the table a bit away from them, laying down on her back as she used her agile body to mess with him. “You really should listen to people more often, boss. I keep telling you that. Maybe they’d stop tattling to the people they actually like if you did.”

“Oh, my god, I hate you so much.” Atlas muttered as he stepped closer to the table, grabbing the woman by the nose as he yanked as hard as he could. “Sit still and tell me straight, wHY THE FUCK ARE YOU HERE?!” He shouted straight into her ear, the table shaking from the power behind his voice.

Her ears were ringing, but her smile didn’t disappear. Nor did her laugh, as she wrestled herself free from his grip. “I told you, I’m substituting for Haruhi-chan today.” She explained, as she twirled around as she sat back up and rested one leg upon the other, letting her look down at him. “She’s busy. We had a rough night yesterday, and I wanted to make sure that she got some time to relax after everything that had happened.”

“She could’ve sent a text. Anything to prepare me for your jester-like nature. I get a headache just talking with you, and the way you flip flop around the place makes it even worse.” The albino scowled as he dragged his chair back over, taking a seat and looking up at the silver-haired woman. “Fine. What do you know about her duties as my assistant?”

Tsukiko tapped her chin a couple of times before shrugging. “Babysitting you because you’re a real piece of work?” She laughed, before shaking her head a little. “Okay, no, that one’s going a bit too far. Sorry, Boss. She keeps your data in check and presents it to you in a digestible format, based on what all the departments have been doing the past week.”

Atlas’ expression briefly turned even more sour than it already was, before a smirk slowly crept onto his face. “I’ll be damned, you can actually be useful. So, what have you got? What has everyone been doing to make our reach better?” He seemed outright excited, rubbing his hands together like a kid about to unwrap his christmas present.

“Lessee… Byakko’s been designing some crud that’s supposed to make the robots that do all the big construction work more efficient. She also says to buy more milk, you’re running out. Genbu’s doing Genbu things, making sure that the foundation of the new buildings are as solid as they should be. Suzaku’s been spiffing up the uniforms so that they look more uniform compared to the freeform nature of my duds, and Seiryu’s been turning trainees into bimbos with the new energy drink.” The silver-haired woman went over the things in her checklist, before narrowing her eyes a little. “MIght wanna tell her to stop that, we’ve only got so many newbies to play around with. I know it’s supposed to make them last longer and everything, but again, can’t she use herself as a test subject? We’re wasting manpower.”

The albino boy looked her in the eye as she made her suggestion, turning away from her as he rested his head on his hands. “Alright, and suppose I did that. What should she occupy her time with instead? You’ve seen what a bored Seiryu can do.” His usual annoyed tone was replaced with one that actually seemed… leader-like. Like he actually had some amount of proper respect for her.

“You want efficiency out of your newbies, yeah? Try to let their minds actually take a break without making them lose their smarts for longer than a couple of minutes. I dunno how she does it, but when she had me under after the time that Haruhi-chan went a bit over the edge, she fixed everything. Maybe she can do that but to everyone else?” Tsukiko suggested something, before pausing and covering one of her eyes. “On second thought, maybe just have her work on food supplements. I just remembered what happened after the anesthesia wore off, she’s going to try and kill me if I suggest that.”

Atlas sighed as he turned back around, looking into her eyes with a bit less hatred in his own. “You’d want me to trade out a body that can work without the mind for a mind that doesn’t matter? You sure that’ll make them work harder?” He asked, still not holding himself back from his own opinions.

“It’d make them more willing to overwork themselves if they get a chance to relax with a good meal. Especially one with love poured into it, like the ones Genbu does for her subordinates. Imagine if you got a taste of that, I’m sure you’d be ready and willing to build an entire skyscraper just because you got to eat your Granny’s soup.” The silver-haired woman explained, sighing a little with a blush on her cheeks. “Damnit, lucky bastards get all the spoiling, I just get a grumpy girlfriend who always wants to kick me for what I do.”

The albino boy shrugged his shoulders. “It’s because of how you are, Tsukiko. It’s precisely the same issue you call me out on, that’s why she’s angry with you.” He shot back, before unbuttoning his shirt ever slightly to reveal a cat-like claw mark across his chest. “Byakko gave me this a few nights ago. She had enough of my smart remarks and taught me a lesson.” The explanation was emphasized by a light cry of pain as he grazed his fingers along the wound. “Tell her that she’ll get her milk, as long as she promises not to slash me without prior warning.”

“Got it. Can’t guarantee anything, you know how she is.” Tsukiko shot back as she got off the table, sighing as she walked towards the windows lining the penthouse. “It’s real hard to change how we are, huh? Nurture, nature, whatever?” She muttered as she put her hand on the window overlooking the city below, the skies grazing past the building…

Atlas nodded as he rolled his chair over. “You’d be surprised at how many times we’ve gone through this routine. I kept track, we’re already in the triple digits. And yet neither of us learn.” The boy laughed, only to rest his head on the back of his hands as he looked out the window as well. “...It’s only been five years, but we’ve gotten so far. To think that my little wish could bloom so much.”

“You and the saints are ruthless types, I’m not surprised. At least I’m doing what I can to keep the little man satisfied, so you keep yours.” The silver-haired woman shot back as she leaned up against the window. “You know, I never asked when you personally welcomed me and Haruhi-chan to the company, but… The hell are you gonna do when you get that wish of yours? The bit about lending a hand all across the world?”

The boy looked at her with a smile, winking eerily. “That’s for me to know, and you to find out.” He chimed cryptically, only to scowl a little. “You better not actually try to find out, it’d ruin the surprise.” His mood turned on a dime as he stuck out his tongue at her. Because it hadn’t been the first time where she had guessed his plans ahead of time.

“Yeah, yeah, I getcha, I getcha.” Tsukiko replied as she sighed, walking away from the window as she leapt onto the back of one of several stray couches in the floor-sized penthouse. “So, what else do you need me for? Anything? Because if you don’t, I think I’ll head back down to my office and relax, compose what Byakko needs to hear, and then probably sleep.”

Atlas stood up from his chair as he walked after her, clearing his throat. “There’s something I think you’d like to know. Just a tiny thing that might concern you, nothing too crazy.” He chimed, almost too cheerily so. He was definitely about to take the piss out of her.

“Whaaaaat?” The silver-haired woman asked as she balanced on top of one leg, using her antics to train her body at the same time. “Kinda busy trying to be cool and all, better be something good.”

His smile grew wider as the gleam of utter malice filled his eyes. “Hiro Fukano and Haruhi Kaneko are not at home.” That single sentence was enough to make the woman trying to act like a buffoon cease, making her stomp up to him with a serious look on her face.

“...Where are they. Tell me, right now.”

Her voice was chilling, enough to make the boy shiver a little as he looked at her. “I think you know where, Tsukiko.” Atlas said, closing his eyes as he lightly jabbed her in the side. “Use that power you’ve been hiding if you need to. Make sure they’re not up to anything that can hurt the company.”

Tsukiko didn’t pay attention, rushing right past him after receiving the jab. She had to figure out why the two were here. Maybe later she’d have him answer how he knew about her power, but that’d come later…

Her boss watched her descend down the elevator, prompting him to pull out a communicator from his pocket. He had an important call to make. The least he could do for a ‘loyal’ employee, despite the vitrol the two shared...

“...Seiryu. I know you don’t like it when I call you, but we have to talk. It’s about your current experiments.”

---

It was dark. Disturbingly dark. So dark that it was impossible to breathe or see anything, at least that’s what it felt like. It was like being wrapped around by a thousand blankets, smothered into a tiny space that could run out of air at any one moment…

That was what it felt like to be Hiro Fukano right now. The black-haired young woman could barely breathe, her eyes closed against her will. She wanted this feeling of claustrophobia to go away, as it wasn’t one of her normal fears. It was something imposed upon her, and she wanted it gone… Gone!

“L-Let me see! Let me see!” The squirming woman cried out, panic dripping from her lips as she tried to move her arms. To absolutely no avail, both of them tied behind her back. Tightly pressed against her body and prevent from doing much of anything, leaving her to squirm and wriggle around uselessly in an attempt to do literally anything…

She knew she wasn’t dreaming. This was too real to be a dream. But she wanted it to disappear regardless! She wanted to go on with her day like nothing had happened, she wanted to wake up fully and figure out why she was bound like this, and why they hadn’t bothered gagging her! She just wanted to be free!

But her eyes didn’t open. They remained shut, as a cold and foreboding sensation reached its way up her spine, making her shiver all over. The sensation grew wetter, almost as if she was being taken over by some sort of slime… No, no wait, she knew this sensation…

A scream left her lips. Her eyes weren’t shut. The feeling of claustrophobia… That was… No, that night had passed! She wasn’t stuck in latex, there was no way!

Hiro’s screams intensified as she thought herself trapped within a layer of latex, not unlike when that Monster that had covered her in a liquid form of the substance tried to turn her into a drone. But nobody could hear her. Nobody could stop her and tell her that everything was alright. She was stuck within her prison of pure black, writhing around and getting nowhere.

She could feel the sensation trying to creep into her ears. Trying to reach into her and cover up her ability to think. Just like a predator would do, like the ones she had read about when she was studying. She felt her heart growing cold as it spread across her…

“Is this how I’m going to lose myself..? A-Am I just going to be turned into a puppet and made into nothing more than a shell for them to move around?” The young woman swallowed her spittle as she tried to shuffle around a bit more, feeling the dread settle into her heart. “T-Tsukiko-sensei… Please… If you can hear me, if anybody can hear me… Please, save me…”

The black substance crept further and further inside, until it came to an abrupt pause. The sensation, everything about it… Just stopped. It was like it had never been there, despite how much it tried to press down on her.

Hiro opened her eyes, and all she could see instead of black was a comfortable and warm golden glow, shining down on her and washing away all of the icky stuff that had been trying to compress her. It was refreshing… Soothing…

She couldn’t believe it. Everything she had been afraid of, washed away like it was nothing. All thanks to a little bit of gold, shining before her eyes as it offered itself to her. Almost like a present, a gift from those above that wanted to show pity towards her.

The glow slowly died down, collecting itself into a bracelet shaped object. Still as golden, still as alluring. It was meant for her. All that she had to do was take it, and then use it as her own. Then she could be so much more… She could be… Just as strong as her sensei…

Hiro gasped as her thoughts ran away from her, causing her to hug herself for comfort. ‘N-No. I… I would not want to be as strong as… No, not like this…’ She thought to herself, trying to keep herself focused. She wouldn’t want to overstep her bounds. Not when she knew what the company she worked for was capable of…

Not when she knew that she could rely on that silver-haired beauty, even if she had her strange traits. She knew that this wasn’t her power to take. She should back away, and just wait… Then, everything would be fine. She should just… She…

The glow from the bracelet shined into her eyes, and the blacks of her irises started to reflect that very same shade of gold. She could feel her arms trembling as they reached forward, trying to grab onto the bracelet. She wanted to take it for herself. To let the power course through her. To let the voice inside her head, which was begging her to take it, get its will and way. She had to do it, otherwise she’d just be another sheep amongst the flock… She…

She hesitated. Hiro’s will, as suppressed as it seemed to be, was still doing its best to fight back. “I don’t… I don’t want this…” She muttered and mumbled, the golden glow in her eyes switching back and forth. She knew better. She knew that she had to stand on her own, and accepting power… It wasn’t the way to go. She had to make it her own. Just like Tsukiko-sensei had done.

The entity behind the golden glow was growing impatient. So much so that the object hovering in front of her changed shapes once more, the glow solidifying around her neck and clamping shut. In the form of a shackle, ready to drag her along should she try any more pointless resistance.

“Accept it. It’s your power. You can make your dreams come true. You can protect those you love. You can find the place where you belong.” The booming voice, which had only been whispers that she couldn’t make out prior, now loudly blasted through her ears. It wanted her to give in and obey. It wanted to make her nothing more than a meaty puppet for it to control, as it tried to drag her closer to the source of the golden glow…

Despite the powerful words that did their best to try and take control out of her hands, the ones that wanted to make her obey and follow its orders… She kept on resisting. The shackle around her neck was cracking. Her willpower, specifically groomed by the silver-haired woman she looked up to, was proving too much for the dominant voice to subvert. No matter what they tried, she wouldn’t take it out of her own free will…

“Fine. If I must do this the old fashioned way.” The voice muttered, giving into the fact that the woman wouldn’t stop resisting. A set of antennae, as gold as everything else, popped out and started to glow. Started to resound, dragging the woman’s attention towards them with a combination of sound and light…

Hiro’s eyes were dragged towards the lit-up antennae, her gaze slowly but surely dimming as the quiet sound of the two vibrating penetrated into her head. Her ability to resist was quickly being suppressed by the hypnotic sound filling her brain, making a bit of drool run out of her head.

The only way that she was going to take that bracelet, would be if her entire ego had been suppressed by hypnosis. A set of antennae with sound that could put anybody under their command was perfect for this purpose. Especially since the effect of the bracelet’s all-consuming glow made it hard to see who the antennae belonged to…

“Listen. Hiro. You have to take it. You’re the only one who can do anything with it.” The voice stopped booming, since the woman’s brain had been put under a powerful trance. “You need to take it. The power you’d gain… You could do anything you’d ever want. Find the place you belong, get the support you need. Escape the shackles placed upon you by society…”

The voice within Hiro’s head was familiar. Comforting. She had heard it before… She knew who it belonged to, but her semi-conscious mind couldn’t quite put everything together. All she could do was slowly smile, nodding along to the sound ringing through her ears. The comforting melody of that voice…

Her hand slowly but surely reached out, the golden bracelet reacting to her as it registered her pulse. Her life. Her desire. Even when suppressed, the voice and the antennae had made sure that the wants inside her heart were laid bare. Otherwise, the bracelet wouldn’t react. The Jõtai wouldn’t have somebody to feast upon if it didn’t have a desire to latch onto. It needed that desire, that absolute want within the heart, otherwise-

…It stopped glowing. The golden glow from the Jõtai vanished. The bracelet, meant to awaken the desires within a person’s heart, fell to the ground below. Thanks to how far she had gone to try and make it bond, it ended up working against her. Those desires were not pure. They were not the woman’s own, and thus, it couldn’t react…

“Damnit, DAMNIT!” The voice cursed, the golden space cracking bit by bit as the Jõtai lost its power. All of her planning, flushed down the toilet. All because she was impatient enough to try and rip into the mind of her prey, to force her to act the way she should. But there was still time, she could fix this, she could-

The door kicked open. The illusion vanished. Everything returned to normal. Everything except for the trance that the young woman had been put under, her drool still pooling down on her chest as the culprit behind her trance looked towards the door.

“...Haruhi-chan.” Tsukiko’s voice resounded throughout her office, as she closed the door behind her, letting her sharp silver eyes do the talking. “What exactly are you doing?” The scarf-wearing woman asked, one fist clenched.

The golden-haired woman, with a pair of antennae sticking out of her forehead, cleared her throat as she stepped back. “Tsurugi.” She replied at first, before putting a hand on Hiro’s head, slowly running her fingers through her hair. “I was merely trying to delve into the trauma that the girl possessed, caused by the fight the two of you were a part of.” She explained, a keen look of truth in her eyes.

A look that her scarf-wearing friend completely ignored, as she stepped closer. “Haruhi.” Her voice was deadly serious. “What were you doing.” She asked again, this time wanting a straight answer from her, one that didn’t involve any kind of trickery. Especially since she wanted to understand why a friend, one she had cherished for the last year or so, would suddenly decide to do something this awful.

“...Do you really want to know, or do you just want to punch something and hope the problem goes away?” Haruhi asked, and her friend nodded, showing her resolve by lowering her guard. Just so that the two could speak on a level playing field. “...Thank you, Tsukiko.” She muttered under her breath, before adjusting her tie once more. She had to do this. She had to show her resolve. Show her that she was going down the wrong path in life…

The golden-haired woman was just about to speak, only to receive a knee, straight to the stomach. One that launched her into the wall, making a significant crater from the force of that attack. All while the silver-haired woman refused to smile.

“Why, Haruhi?” She didn’t need to hear her explanation to know that she was doing something wrong. Something that she’d regret, if she ever came to her senses.

Haruhi grit her teeth as she pulled herself off the wall, feeling the pain spike through her body as she retracted her antennae. “Because she doesn’t deserve to be used! She deserves to have the chance to grow, like you’ve offered her!” She shouted, her heart laid bare.

“And that gives you the right to put her under a trance and force her to take a choice!?” Tsukiko shouted back at her, pointing at the drool still running down the woman’s chin. “She’s out cold for god’s sake, Haruhi! You could’ve fried her brain if you weren’t careful, like you almost did the last time you used that ability! LIKE YOU ALMOST DID TO ME!”

The golden-haired woman flinched as she adjusted her tie once more, averting her gaze. “It’s necessary. You… You’ve become a much better person after that. You’ve stood up against his regime. You’ve stood up to them and become independent. While she… She’s risking herself for somebody that won’t be there forever!” She shouted, but the way her body started shaking made it hard to say she was truly serious. Or if she wasn’t affected by what she had just heard.

“Listen to me, Haruhi!” The silver-haired woman stomped closer, pulling down her scarf so that no part of her face was obscured. “What do you gain by doing any of this!? And don’t give me any crap about independence, there’s something beneath that, you know there is!” She shouted, punching the wall right beside her as the two came as close to one another as they had been last night, their lips barely an inch apart.

Haruhi looked into the frustrated woman’s eyes, closing her own as she took a deep breath. “...I just want her to live a life of her own. That’s all we ever wanted from everyone. But his spread has gone too far. If we don’t do this, the company will just keep growing. And we’ll be helpless to pry his control away from people.” She said, as both of her eyes started flashing.

Tsukiko quickly jumped back, saving herself from a blast from the paralyzing sights and sounds that her partner could pull off. “‘We’? You’re with Rose?” She asked, her heart pounding slower as everything started clicking into place. No wonder the girl had only barely addressed her, or even bothered trying to harass her compared to another innocent woman…

“I am.” The golden-haired woman confirmed, clenching her fist as she slowly stepped forward, her eyes still glowing. “As long as he remains in this world, as long as he threatens the world with his influence, we will not stop. We will free this world and let everyone live the life that they deserve. They will have the chance to find where they belong!”

Haruhi’s words were almost fanatical, but her partner would be lying if she didn’t understand them. “He’s an asshole. And he’s megalomaniacal. But that doesn’t mean you get to take away people’s right to choose. They have to choose for themselves if they want to fall in line or if they want to fight back, like adults!” She shot back, clenching her fist again as energies started swirling around her. “I have to stop you, Haruhi. Otherwise, you’ll just hurt Hiro-chan.”

“I know. I wouldn’t have given you the Jõtai to awaken your inner potential, if I didn’t think you needed it.” The golden woman explained. “Although, if I knew that you’d grow so strong so quickly, I would’ve never considered it. I would’ve saved you myself, and we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

Tsukiko let those words sink in, prompting her to slowly clench her fist and gather the energy within herself. The black and silver belt that had been granted to her by that golden bracelet appeared around her waist, just like it had done two times before. “You were watching back then… Why didn’t you do anything? Why’d you just toss that thing to m…” She paused, before closing her eyes and chuckling. She knew the answer.

“Because you knew that I could do it.”

“Because I knew that you could do it.”

The two said in unison. Even when they were at each other’s throats, their trust in one another didn’t fade. It’d take much more than that to shatter their friendship. Even revealing her allegiance to the people that had been causing trouble around the city wasn’t enough to make the silver woman’s mood sink permanently into the depths of despair.

“Alright. If you trust me that much, then here, let me give you something.” Tsukiko chimed as the energies swirled around her. “I’ll give you the beating of a lifetime, so you understand what kind of mess you’re walking into. And then I’ll make sure you apologize to Hiro-chan for nearly frying her brain with that brainwashing technique of yours!”

Haruhi just looked at her friend, with the stare of a woman that honestly should’ve been stopped hours ago. A woman that should’ve never gone this far. A woman that still wasn’t sure if this was the right path for her to take, especially since her partner now showed her the same kind of mercy that she always had…

“...And if I win, you help me. You help tear down this travesty of a company and give the people here the chance to claim their destiny.” She said, her voice firm as her glowing eyes turned to normal. “That’s a prize worth fighting for. A cause worth fighting for!”

Tsukiko nodded as she punched one hand into the other. “You gotta beat me first, Haruhi-chan! Otherwise, you’re never gonna get what you want. You gotta reach out and take it, just like the opportunities in life that have passed by you!” She shouted, before tossing both of her hands out to the side, palms open to allow the energy to flew through while she uttered her now-iconic phrase.

“HENSHIN!”

Both balls of energy crackled, black and silver respectively, as they both sunk into her body and covered her in a layer of protective armor colored after the sphere that corresponded to that side. Her veins became visible on her body, highlighted by the opposing color as they met in the middle. Her helmet shone brightly as the moon-shaped visor materialized, showing her eyes through the holes in the metal-like armor. Eyes full of determination as she stomped one foot forward, both hands now fully clenched. “Jõtaider Shadow!”

Haruhi grabbed ahold of her tie… and finally undid it, tossing it aside as a golden gauntlet appeared on her right hand. A gauntlet with an intricate design, plus an orb-shaped slot in the back and the palm of the hand. “I suppose I’ll have to break this thing out. Even if my designs for it are nowhere near ready…” She muttered under her breath, the golden gauntlet brimming with such power that it actively started blowing back everything inside the tiny office…

“What, you’ve got one of your own? How come it’s a glove and not a belt? And beyond that, what do you mean it’s not ready?!” Tsukiko shouted from underneath her helmet, standing her ground thanks to the weight it added to her frame… While shuffling to the side so she could grab the unconscious Hiro, making sure that she didn’t go flying through a wall when she least expected it.

The golden woman’s chest glowed for a second, before she used her gauntlet-covered hand to rip her suit jacket and shirt into shreds. With her top exposed, her ample breasts bared outside of a long night spent with her partner for once, it wasn’t hard to see that a grasshopper-shaped tattoo was glowing in the middle of her chest. A symbol of her heritage as a Monster.

“Desire, release.” With those words, a fine-looking orb slowly slid out of her chest, landing carefully in the palm of her hand. An orb with the insignia of her species inscribed within. “Using this, the Hopper System, I can release a person’s desires. Just like the Jõtai does when it binds with a person, turning them into a Monster based on their wants and needs. And with this…”

Haruhi slowly slid her gauntlet-covered finger across the orb, before grabbing it with her free hand and holding the armored hand in front of her chest, closing her eyes as she felt the power emanating from herself, her crystalized desire, and her specialized Jõtai. Just like her partner, it was time to transform.

“Insertion - Hopper!” She slammed the orb into the back of the gauntlet, the waves of her desire splashing out from around her, causing the fabric of reality itself to crackle as the office dramatically increased in size. A safety precaution built into the gauntlet, to ensure that she could go all out. Unlike her reckless partner who endangered dozens the night before.

Tsukiko let out a gasp as everything grew wider, or rather, stretched into absurdity as the space around her widened to the point where the room had become the size of a colosseum… Perfect for fighting against her friend. “Haruhi-chan, always wanting to show off when she finally makes up her mind…” She grinned a little underneath her helmet, ready to enjoy herself. And beat the stupid plan out of her, of course.

Haruhi grit her teeth a bit as the energies from her crystalized desire were starting to backfire on her, before she clenched her fist and struck the air in front of her, the energies crystalizing into shards as she shouted from the depths of her soul.

“ACTIVATION CODE - HOPPER!”

<Hopper System - Online>

The crystalized shards of her power flew towards her, sinking into her skin as they turned into the outer layer of her armor. The outline of her muscles on the armor, while still defined like her partner turned enemy, were nowhere near as obvious. Her figure was sleeker, and it wasn’t just because her physique was lacking. It was an intentional part of the design.

Golden colors travelled up her arm and down her torso, with her veins emphasized by a deep green shade, like that of a grasshopper’s skin, or a monster’s blood. The ‘veins’ glowed as energy flowed through them, the rest of her sleek suit forming in a matter of seconds thanks to the quick response time from her crystalized desire.

Her leggings had a special design inscribed along the side, giving them the appearance of oversized grasshopper legs. Specialized for hopping, and especially kicking. She could probably bounce off a target several times, should the need arise. Something that became all too clear as she kicked the air and quickly used her own ability to kick the air itself, bouncing herself onto the ceiling before kicking back onto the floor, landing with grace as a bit of gold energy pulsated off her form.

Finally, the helmet formed around her head. Just as humanoid as the one that her partner turned enemy wore, but instead of a moon serving as an impromptu visor, she had a large pair of red eyes, again mimicking those of a grasshopper’s. Combine that with a V-shaped fin emerging above, taking the place of her normally-hidden antennae, and she was ready to fight.

Haruhi clenched her gauntlet-covered fist, electronic sounds releasing from it as the orb had disappeared from its slot. She had converted her desire into pure fighting energy, as both of her eyes lit up bright red to contrast the smaller ones on her enemy’s face.

“Behold, Jõtaider Shadow. Bathe in my splendor. Witness me, your ultimate enemy… Hopper.”

The silver-and-black armored woman nodded in response to her friend-turned-enemy’s threat, holding out her hand and letting the energy travel along the vein-like outlines in her armor. “Shadow Saber!” She called out, her weapon flying out from the gem on her belt and straight into her hand, letting her twirl it around before pointing it at the golden-armored woman. “Remember our deal, Hopper! I win, you stop this and apologize. I lose, I’ll help you!”

“Your conditions are deemed acceptable, Shadow!” The golden-armored Monster cried out as she gathered her energy in the palm of her hand, firing it off in the shape of a ball the size of her fist. A projectile, with enough speed that only the keenest swordswoman should be able to cut it.

So naturally her longtime partner and ‘friend’ carved straight through it, sending both halves flying off to the side as they exploded into golden specks of desire. “Then I won’t hold back!” The shout flew through the air as she slid her finger alongside the flat of her multicolored blade, igniting the energy within. The same energy that had grown so powerful that she could carve a ferris wheel in twain and destroy a monster the size of a building.

Hopper kept her arm primed, the energy building and traversing through her green veins as they gradually turned golden like the rest of her suit. The longer she spent empowered by her desires, the stronger she’d get. According to her calculations when developing the system, at any rate. The longer you nurtured desire, the more ravenous it would become. It stood to reason that she’d surpass the quickly evolving heroine…

“Shadow Slash!” Shadow cried out as she slashed through the air, the energy warping off her blade into the shape of a crescent moon before firing off towards the woman in gold, attempting to slash straight through her and chip away at her defenses…

Only for the energy to be absorbed into the palm of the woman’s gauntlet, an audible gulp echoing from the gauntlet. “Hopper System - Absorption. Any Desire can be reconstructed into my own upon direct contact, turning it into fuel for this form of mine.” The armored woman explained, smugly so. If she didn’t wear that bug-eyed helmet, you’d probably be able to see the enormous grin plastered on her face…

“Absorption, eh?” The heroine grinned as she dashed straight ahead, turning off the energy that coursed through her blade and transferring it into her legs. “If you can absorb my strike, then I’ll just use my desire to power me up!” She cried out, reversing the grip on her sword as she dashed straight past the villainess

Only for her strike to be blocked. Even as she turned around to dash past her once more with her blade ready to strike, it failed to connect thanks to the precise movement that Hopper could carry out. “Hopper System - Prediction. By reading the desire in the air, I can see your move before you do it. You have no hope of defeating me with a brute assault. Surrender.” The way that she spoke made it sound like she was so assured of her victory, such a stark contrast to the emotions that had been slung around between the two just minutes ago.

Was she doing it to rile her partner up, knowing that she had an emotional weak spot? Maybe, but that wouldn’t stop her. Shadow’d just keep up the assault. Again and again until a crack showed up in her defenses, where she could strike until it broke open and let her will to fight leak out!

Hopper kept a close eye on the black-and-silver armored woman, blocking every one of her speedy strikes. Whether it was a slash, a punch, a kick, anything was blocked directly by her gauntlet, either empowering her once more or rendering the strike worthless thanks to the thickness of her sleek armor. Despite the fact that she was nowhere near as thick as the woman who was on the offensive, the superior build quality behind both the medium for her transformation, as well as her desire, left her superior to her opponent by quite a lot…

“Give it up. You have no hope to defeat me.” The golden woman stated, as the golden veins on her armor started to pour all of their energy into her hand, the gold vanishing to reveal green once more. “Hopper System - Repulsion. Using your very own energy, I’ll blast you into next week!” She shouted loud and clear as the energies in her fist flew out, taking the shape of a much larger fist that caused the ground underneath to crackle and split from the sheer amount of power gathered within the construct of pure desire…

Shadow’s eyes widened underneath her helmet as she quickly brought her sword up, only for it to shatter on impact with the fist as it sent her flying straight into a wall, caving her in and making a substantial crater at the same time. “D-Damn, that’s some disgustingly strong power you’ve got, Hopper…” She coughed, her armor having cracked in the face of such overwhelming power.

“You get it, don’t you? The fact that you can’t face me. The fact that despite your insane growth, you still have your limits. You have to stand down and help me, Shadow. Join me. Join us. We can save this world, fix what’s wrong at the wretched core. Give the humans, the monsters, the lives yet to be born, a chance to breathe and live the lives they deserve!” Hopper preached, stepping closer to the wall as the veins on her suit gradually started filling with color once more…

The heroine pulled herself off the wall, laughing a little as she cracked her neck. “Since when did you get so religious? You don’t need to sell me on this, I made my conditions as clear as they needed to be.” She shot back, clenching her fist as energies poured through the cracks in her armor. “You have to win against me before I’ll join you.”

“You can’t win, Shadow. You have no weapon. Your armor is already damaged, thanks to your own assault being returned to you. What do you hope to accomplish?” The woman in gold said once more, her golden veins brightly shining as her power reached its maximum…

Shadow punched into the air, the back of her helmet opening up to allow her scarf to blow out, giving her look a personal touch. “It’s not over until it’s over, Hopper!” She shouted loud and clear, the energies coalescing upon her fist as she quickly darted forward, all of her desire, all of her willpower gathering in her palm as she threw a punch to decide everything.

“Useless!” Hopper shouted as she caught the punch before her arm fully extended, her gauntlet audibly slurping down all of the power within her enemy. “My Hopper System has the ability to make every single attack of yours hit like that of a child throwing an impotent tantrum! What do you hope to-”

Her villainous monologue was cut short as the heroine punched further, despite the energy being sucked from her fist. “I hope to beat you to the ground until you understand, Hopper!” She shouted, her red eyes turning silver and black in tandem. “Until you understand that you can’t keep a hero down! You can’t subjugate those that want to live on their own terms! And you! Can’t! STOP! ME!”

Shadow’s attack was causing the cracks in her armor to widen, only for the energy within her to fill them out and repair them in a flash. On top of that, her constant attempt to push forward caused the energy to fill her fist faster than it was being drained, overpowering the absorption in more ways than one.

The veins on Hopper’s suit turned silver and black as the energy overpowered her own stored reserves, causing several warning flashes to appear within her helmet. She grit her teeth and jumped back before the punch could do any more damage, gathering all the energy and venting it out through the palm of her gauntlet. “HOPPING BLAST!”

Another ball of powerful energy blasted forth from the gauntlet, but this time it was tricolored. Silver, Gold and Black, composed of the desire of both of the combatants. And because it was made out of both of their desires…

Shadow kicked straight ahead, kicking the blast back at the sender, causing the golden Monster to be the one sent into a wall this time, both her suit and her gauntlet cracking upon impact. “H-How…” The golden woman muttered, part of her eye cracking open to reveal the golden eye behind it, only for the Hopper System to use the residual desire in the air to repair her armor as quickly as possible…

“You don’t get it, Hopper! You don’t get it at all!” The heroine cried out as she walked toward her, with the energies that had been building within her heart flaring up and off her body in a wild inferno. “If you keep trying to force yourself on somebody, they’ll strike back! It’s what I keep trying to teach our boss! It’s what I keep trying to tell you, when you end up forcing your opinions on your subordinates! I know you mean the best for them, especially compared to him, but that doesn’t make it right to use the same methods!” She shouted, her power actively steaming off her, with her breathing growing a little heavy due to everything building within…

Hopper pulled herself off the wall, raising her arm again. “They’re necessary methods! The means get us to the end that we all desire!” She cried out, not willing to stand down despite taking a special attack straight to the chest. She’d rather stand and fight until the end, like the cause she believed in!

“You’re deluding yourself, Haruhi!” Shadow shouted back as she whipped her hand to the side, palm open as energy gathered within it… Only for that same energy to turn into the Shadow Saber, reforged from her will alone. “Until you learn, I’ll keep fighting you! Until you understand!”

The golden villainess clenched her fist as she gathered her own power, only to enter a stance. This time, she wasn’t just going to stand there and defend herself. “Then come at me, Tsukiko! Beat me to my senses!” She would take that beating, if she could dish it out.

Her opponent dashed forward with her blade primed, slashing into the expecting palm of the gauntlet once more. This time, before that energy could overpower the Absorption power of the Hopper System, the golden woman vented it straight through her free arm, punching into the silver-and-black heroine to knock her back.

Shadow grit her teeth underneath her helmet, her energy-filled body quickly regenerating from the attack as she dashed forward again, slashing straight into the gauntlet before delivering a punch to the golden jaw of her enemy, knocking her just as far back as she tried to go for a followup attack.

Hopper regained her footing just as quickly as she lost it, whipping under the attempted slash as she punched her gauntlet into the stomach of her opponent. The energy from her veins cracked into her weaponized fist, blasting into the torso of her enemy and knocking her back once more…

It’d be a slugfest. They knew it would. They’d keep doing this, punching away at one another until one of their wills gave out. And they knew each other too well to give up. They’d keep doing it until one or the other died… And neither honestly wanted that.

Shadow grit her teeth as she slid back into her combat stance, letting the energy gather in her blade once more. If she had to keep slugging, she’d need an edge… And she knew exactly how to get past that impenetrable defense. All it’d take would be a single crack, one she could force open!

The heroine tossed her sword forward, the blade extending thanks to the energy within. She fully expected it to get caught, which was why she ran after it, using her power to run just as fast as she threw it.

Hopper let the blade sink in through her gauntlet, utterly unharmed by the penetration thanks to the absorbing effects of her system. “You’re wide open, TSUKIKO!” She screamed as she bounced into the air with impeccable speed, surpassing that of the woman running at her before kicking down at her with her legs stretched out!

Shadow wasn’t caught off guard. Not at all. As soon as she saw her enemy jump into the air, she used the momentum of her body to whip her leg into the air, meeting the feet of her grasshopper enemy with her own, the two kicks and the energies within their bodies clashing, the sparks made from it causing the ground and the ceiling to crackle…

As their clash made the energy in the air quickly spread out and caused more destruction to the expanded space, the drooling black-haired woman finally woke from her trance, shaking her head to clean away the wet spots on her face. “W-What’s… what…” Hiro muttered, unable to believe the sight in front of her…

There her superiors were. Clad in their armor (Kaneko-sensei had armor too?!), kicking away at one another like they were at each other’s throats. She didn’t understand, but at the same time… She didn’t get involved. Her mind was still blurry from what had happened just a little while ago, and… She knew better…

She just sat there, watching the chaos unfold as the two fought one another with everything they had. Everything the could possibly give for their cause. Like proper adults… Proper fighters!

“Persistent..! Why won’t you just GIVE UP!?” Hopper shouted as she split from the kick, wiping away sweat that had started to form on her helmet as she landed. She was stronger, yes, but that strength didn’t come with any endurance.

Shadow grinned underneath her helmet as the energies crackled from her foot, still pulsing through her veins as she clenched her fist. “Because you’re better than this! You know you are!” She shouted, though she was starting to reach the limits of her ability too. She could feel the sweat building within her suit. She had to finish this. And thankfully, the crack she needed was right there, waiting for her to take advantage of it!

The heroine dashed forward once more, every step causing the ground underneath her to tremble and crack from the sheer power in her body. “Grit your teeth, HARUHI!” She cried out as she came closer, the energy pulsing through her body causing her entire form to glow the two colors that symbolized her…

Hopper drew the blade from her gauntlet, converting it using her system’s abilities into a blade of her own. One with serrated edges and teeth, perfect for opening up and breaking the armor of her friend. “GIVE UP, TSUKIKO!” She screamed, stabbing the air ahead of her with the blade, attempting to land a brutal hit on her enemy…

Shadow’s speed was too much. The blade, ready to meet her heart, stabbed straight through her and dripped with blood as it met the other side. And though the pain was great, her desire to win was even greater…

Her wound immediately healed, the blade absorbing into her to fuel her regeneration, the sheer power it took causing the scarf sticking out of her neck to blow as if a tempest was rushing past her. And at the same time, her energies swirled into her fist, letting her call out one last attack, intended to end it all!

“SHADOW PUNCH!”

Tsukiko smashed her fist straight into Haruhi’s helmet, shattering it, and the rest of her armor, in one fell swoop. There was so much energy within her that it immediately overloaded, decomposing into specks of errant desire and launching the woman into another wall. All while her own body continued to build up more and more of that energy…

“H-How…” Haruhi, broken out of her transformation as the Hopper System vanished from her hand, slowly slid out of the crater as she could feel her entire body aching. It was in pain… yet it wasn’t damaged. The desire within her, the desire of her friend, was keeping her from being more harmed than she should be…

Shadow approached, her armor disappearing as the energies disappeared, finally giving her heart the time it needed to calm down. “I told you. I’d keep beating you until you gave in. And the look in those cute eyes of yours, Haruhi-chan?” The silver-haired woman grinned as she held out her hand, as inviting as it ever was. “They know they’ve lost.”

“...I refuse…” The golden woman muttered as she stood back up, gritting her teeth. She didn’t even care that her shirt was still gone, nor that her body screamed in aching agony. She wasn’t about to give up..! “I’ll… I’LLLLL!” She screamed as her desire, now naturally pouring through her body once more, started to flare up as pure energy…

Tsukiko put a stop to that by flicking her across the forehead. “You’ll leave and recoup your losses. That’s what you’ll do, isn’t it? Head home, lick your wounds, check up on your real boss and Rose. That’s the kind of woman you are.” She saw straight through her prideful act, adjusting her scarf in the process while digging her fingers into it. “Go, Haruhi. I’ll fight you again, when you’re ready. As many times as it takes.”

Haruhi looked into her partner’s eyes, seeing the determined pity reflected within, and closed her own. Her energy died down. “Very well.” She muttered, as the office slowly started to shrink. The golden specks of desire that still flew through the air coated her in a lesser version of her suit, granting her some amount of anonymity for the time being. “Mark my words, Jõtaider Shadow. We’ll fight again. And you will fall.”

“I’ll beat your ass even harder next time, Hopper. If that’s what it all takes.” The silver-haired woman promised, closing her hand and acting as if her friend had given her the handshake that she desired. “Don’t hold back. Even for a second.”

The golden Monster laughed, as her body turned translucent for a second. She became one with her desire, letting her jump straight out through the walls of the building. And from there, through the air as she headed straight towards her home, leaving both her partner and her subordinate behind…

“You’d think after being punched that hard that she’d give up, but Haruhi-chan’s always been the stubborn type…” Tsukiko sighed as her office returned to normal. “‘least she managed to keep the place from looking like an even bigger mess…”

Hiro slowly stood up, taking a deep breath after watching the last bits of that happen. “T-Tsurugi-sensei… W-What was all of that?” She asked, taking slow and exhausting steps towards her superior. “Why was… Was Kaneko-sensei an enemy this entire time? Was she…”

“She wanted to do something to you, Hiro-chan. Release your inner desire and let you re-rail your life into its proper destination or some crud like that.” The silver-haired woman explained as she turned towards her subordinate, not missing a beat. “You feeling alright? You looked like you were out of it when I came here. Trust me, I wouldn’t blame you if you felt like half your brain melted. Haruhi-chan’s Monster Abilities are in a class of their own.”

The black-haired woman slowly looked at the floor. The voice she heard in that golden world… That was Kaneko-sensei’s. Why did she want her to try and give into a power that wasn’t her own… When she could’ve just asked her..? Was this really what she wanted to do?

“Hiro-chan.” Tsukiko spoke up as she put a hand on the black-haired woman’s head, ruffling her hair with her characteristic bright smile. “I’ll stay with you tonight. Just so you don’t get kidnapped again. Wouldn’t want you to end up in a place where I can’t save you.”

The younger subordinate nodded slightly, the worry still fresh in her mind. And her legs… well, they were still a little sleepy after that entire trance business, so it wasn’t surprising to see them giving out all of a sudden, causing Hiro to gasp-

Only to end up in the arms of her direct superior. “Whoa now, careful there. Wouldn’t want to get some sort of damage when you’ve just gotten past the brain-melting trance.” The silver-haired woman laughed a little as she scooped her into a bridal carry. “I’ll carry you the way home. Consider that an apology for not waking you up and checking up on you earlier.”

Hiro stayed quiet as Tsukiko carefully carried her home, her embarrassed and passionate blush intermingling with her worried feelings to make for one awkward walk home…

All while her thoughts were focused on the golden woman… and what drove her to go down this kind of path...

---

“This… This isn’t good…”

Some time later, in the hideaway where Rose and D’Or made their home, a grave expression found its way onto the face of the brunette ‘in charge’ of both of the monstrous women…

“What’s wrong, D’Or? I felt a big shock earlier, was that Hopper? Did she beat Tsu- Shadow?” Rose asked, clinging to her sweater-clad leader, still aching from the fight the night before. Not physically, but emotionally. Her heart was the only thing aching…

D’Or nodded, though with her eyes filled with dread. “It was. Their powers… Both of their powers were beyond anything either of us could’ve imagined. And yet, right after that clash… The Jõtaider’s shot up to levels that should never have been reached. I hav-”

A groan echoed through the room, as Hopper limped her way in. “She’s… Why is she so damned nice…” The golden-armored Monster muttered, collapsing onto her front as everything throbbed. She didn’t hurt, but that didn’t stop her body from acting like everything was so unbearably terrible.

“Hopper, dear… Maybe what we’ve been doing…” The brunette muttered, looking between both the blonde bat-Monster and the golden grasshopper-monster, taking a deep breath… “Maybe we should’ve taken things slower. I have a terrible feeling, and…”

Rose looked up at her brunette partner, hugging her tighter to try and comfort her. “It’s okay, D’Or. You let us do what we wanted, just like we always said we’d try and let everyone do.” She chimed cheerfully, trying to stay positive in the face of adversity.

“I hate to admit it, but…” Hopper let out another painful groan as she lifted herself up from the floor, her armor disappearing to reveal the topless Haruhi. “I don’t regret that clash. It was inevitable. And though her powers are increasing at a rate unparalleled, even by my Hopper System, we’ll find a way to get the goal we desire. As you always desired, D’Or.”

D’Or looked at both of her allies, slowly nodding. Before turning towards the golden-haired woman and laughing just a little. “I appreciate the effort to try and keep our spirits high, but, Haruhi… Your breasts are out in the open.”

The golden woman looked down at her breasts, her face slowly turning a bright shade of red. “...So… they… are…” She muttered, all of the adrenaline from the prior fight leaving her as she slowly looked back at her allies…

And straight at the face of Rose, who was drooling a little at the ample bosom her grasshopper friend was blessed with. Prompting the golden woman’s blush to deepen even further.

Though the mood within their little hole had grown more relaxed, D’or couldn’t help but fear the foreboding feeling in her chest. As if something terrible was being attracted by how much their desires were spiralling out of control…

Hopefully it wasn’t anything to be concerned about. Just a cold shiver, nothing more…

---

“Mama! Mama!”

Within the depths of Darkness, a young voice cried out. A formless voice, almost like a little spirit within the vast sea of emptiness…

“Yes, Luna?”

A mature voice, equally formless, responded to the cries of her daughter. A voice brimming with love, and so much more…

“I felt a big shake! A huge shake of desire! Can I go eat it?”

The younger of the two voices spoke out again, the darkness coalescing as the hunger from the voice drooled into a proper form. Desire was giving shape to that which had none…

“Of course you may, Luna. You may eat everything you so desire. Just remember to eat the world too, so it can join us.”

Her mother gave her the permission she so desired, bringing warmth to the creature forming from nothing but pure darkness. A being built out of literal and unrelenting desire, just like the Jõtai that had been used by the villains…

A being with a hungry grin plastered on such a cute face, as a set of tentacles reached out into the endless darkness. Tentacles that would wrap around the world filled with desire… and gobble it up, people and all. So that they could be absorbed into the nothingness between the worlds themselves.

The grinning creature, a squid-like girl with bright yellow irises and deep black eyes, was going to have fun feasting on this desire-ridden world...