[Tokusatsu Themes, Corruption, Transformation, Cheerleader TF, Energy Drain, Droning]

"Spider. Bat. There's something I'd like for you two to do."

The air in the cozy yet cramped hideout, where the main culprits behind the current attacks on Mimoto hid away, was warmer than usual. Almost sickeningly so, considering what they had managed to accomplish lately.

"Hm? What would you like us to do, Lady D'Or?" The lavender-haired militant, General Spider, asked as she used a mirror to adjust her uniform, looking over her shoulder to gaze upon the brown-haired woman.

Baroness Bat quietly closed the book she was busy with, raising an eyebrow as she climbed out of the comfortable chair she had just nestled her way onto. "Is it another one of your delightful plans, my dear? We do need to sow as much distrust, so that we might achieve our ultimate goal."

Their leader, the wide-rimmed-hat-wearing brunette named D'Or, smiled a little as she ran her hand through the hair of her group's final member, who was currently busy curling up on her lap like he was some sort of cat. At least, that's what it looked like. He'd probably excuse it as some sort of serpentine schtick.

"You've both been very capable with the creation of Jõtaijin over the last little while, but... I'd like you two to team up this time around." She said, carefully caressing the green-haired boy's chin as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Spider blinked a few times, before shooting a glare at the red-dressed and blonde seductress sitting a small distance away from her. "...Lady D'Or. Can you not force us to work together when we..." She paused, twitching as she noticed the blonde puckering her lips and quickly turning away to finish. "We clearly don't mesh together." The militant concluded, slightly biting her lip as she tried to hide her expression from her ally.

"Ara, you're acting as up-tight as ever, Spider." Bat chimed, wrapping her arms underneath her bosom. "But you know that there's no point in being difficult. As long as we achieve the results that our dearest want, it won't be an issue." She chimed, winking towards the black-clad militant.

The lavender-haired woman shivered as she looked towards the blonde. No matter how many times they worked together, she never did get used to the way that she acted. It always got on her nerves...

"Spider." D'Or said, smiling as she gently lifted the green-haired boy off her lap and let him lay where she sat, before walking towards the lavender-haired militant. "You know what we're after. We can't afford not to make compromises here and there. Besides, Bat just wants to get to know you more."

The General narrowed her eyes. The words that left her Lady were true, but that didn't mean she had to accept them. "Do we even know what could happen if we both gifted a Jõtai to somebody?" She tried to appeal, but it fell on deaf ears. Especially as she felt a pair of hands sinking into her shoulders.

"Don't fret too much, Spider." Bat chimed, her words dancing into the lavender-haired woman's ear as she carefully pushed her thumbs into her shoulder joints. "I have just the right girls in mind for us. As long as you deal with one of them, I'll make sure the other is ready to assist yours. Two freed souls joining together as one. Doesn't that sound romantic?"

Spider leapt ever slightly off the ground, spooked by the sudden teasing gesture. Her gaze quickly shot between the chair, and the blonde behind her as a blush quickly filled her cheeks. "Fine. We'll talk on the way, just stop touching me like that." She adjusted her cap, heading straight out the door into the night.

"Tense, are we? Don't worry, Spider. By the time we're done today, you'll understand my touch a little more." The blonde giggled as she followed her out the door, but not before turning around to blow a kiss towards the woman she served.

A yawn slipped from the green-haired boy's lips as he slowly sat up in the chair he had been left in. "You're sure they're gonna work well together? Last time they tried to do something, I'm pretty sure the big man himself ended up taking notice and we had to lie low for a year."

"They need this, Cobra." D'Or replied as she walked back to the chair, kneeling down as she pecked the boy on the cheek. "We all need to work together perfectly, or we won't get what we desire. You understand, don't you?"

King Cobra nodded slowly, stretching as he climbed out of it and wrapped his arms around the older woman. "I get to bully them if they mess up, okay?" He grinned, a devilish grin appearing on his lips.

"Of course. Now, let's wait and see if they don't mesh together as Spider claims."

---

"Chimeeeeera."

The voice of Mikai Fushimi echoed out through her room, as she paced back and forth. It was a bright day outside, but she hadn't left her room yet. For reasons unbeknownst to her and the creature lingering inside her mind.

"What is it?"

Once called upon, the space around the sandy-blonde girl turned black and revealed the lion-like woman in all of her glory. Though, there was something a little different compared to normal. Namely the addition of slight fluff around her wrists combined with a set of claws sticking out near her nails. A small, yet noticeable change compared to what she was like just a week ago.

Mikai grinned a little as she looked at the beefy woman that lived inside her mind, throwing her hands behind her head. "You didn't tell me that you got claws, Chimera!" She chimed, as if she just lost her train of thought as she grew impressed by that new detail.

"That's thanks to you, Mikai." Chimera replied, running those sharp things through her mane as her ears twitched, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Because you turned that power into your own, I started getting a bit of my own back. Thus, this."

Her host blinked a couple of times, tilting her head. "You're part claw?" She said, part of her usual naivity poking its way to the surface.

"No." The lion-like woman said very plainly, patting her host on the head as she ruffled her hair. "Not only am I Chimera the individual, but I serve as the basis for what humans consider a Chimera in a mythological sense." She explained, slightly stretching out her fingers to make the claws grow further outward and sharpen at the same time.

She didn't understand what that meant, but the show of strength like that was cool to MIkai. "Whoaaaaaaaa." She gasped, before tilting her head a little further. "What's a Chimera?"

"Mikai, seriously, we need to get you some acute studying help. Yumeko's doing a lot, but you're still far behind." Chimera sighed, running her hand through her hair, only to slightly twitch as she felt the sensation of cutting herself. Should've retracted her claws first. "A-Anyway, a Chimera is a mismatched abomination made of several animals. Traditionally, they're made of Lions, Snakes and Birds. In my case, my main form is that of a Lion, but I had many other powers back during the time where Monsters reigned."

The sandy-haired girl finally realized what it meant, before shaking her head. "But you're not an abomination, Chimera." She said, firm as she wrapped her arms around the mental projection of the woman inside her head. "You're my friend."

Hearing that brought a smile to the lion-like woman's face, as she wrapped her arms around her as well. "You're mine as well, Mikai. Don't forget that, and please don't accidently get turned into an icicle ever again. My aging heart can't take it."

MIkai nodded rapidly as she squeezed the older woman tight, before letting go and grinning. "I can't promise for sure, but I'll try! That's all I can do." She gave her own kind of promise, before stretching a little more...

"Dear, breakfast is ready!"

The blackened space faded around the sandy-blonde as she heard her mom call for her, causing the visage of Chimera to disappear back into her head. "Coming!" The youth cried out as she whipped the door open, ready for a nice bite to tide her over.

Breakfast came and went, leaving Mother and Daughter together for a little longer. Especially since it was currently the weekend. Neither of them needed to go out anywhere.

"So, how's school been, Mikai?" Her mom, Kaoru, asked as she carefully swirled the spoon around in her cup of tea. A simple cup with nothing special about it, just like the older woman herself. But that was part of why she loved that cup, and why she used it ever morning.

MIkai took a big sip from her own cup, wincing only a little before swallowing it. Bit too hot. "Oh, it's been great!" She giggled, not noticing that her cheeks were flushing bright red from the overdose of heat.

"Please be careful, Mikai. You don't want to burn your mouth." Her mom scolded her slightly, before sighing. Honestly, she didn't want to be too harsh on her. Considering what she had been like some time ago, she really didn't want to return to that kind of behaviour.

Her daughter nodded as she blew on the top of her tea before taking another sip, sighing as the slightly cooled liquid counteracted the hotter one. "Thanks, Mom." She chimed, only to tilt her head a little. "Mmmm... You know those girls that came by two weeks ago?"

"The tall one with the cool air about her, and the generously padded one?" Kaoru replied, and her daughter nodded. "You did tell the other one to say sorry after everything she did, right?"

Mikai nodded a couple more times. "She's said sorry, after she got done with detention. Saki-senpai had told one of the teachers about what she did, and it seemed like she was a completely different girl after she finished that session!" She explained, looking a little into her tea before twitching. "But I mentioned her friend Alyssa and then she turned right back to normal. Really weird how that works."

"Welllll..." Her mom said, slowly sipping from her cup, thinking carefully before putting it back down. "With how long you were in that funk, you're probably not aware of how people tend to act." She explained, clearing her throat. "What would you do if I tried to take away your favorite shirt, Mikai?"

The sandy-blonde thought about it for a bit, before shrugging. "It's just a shirt, right?" She answered, not knowing if it had any significance. It was just another piece of clothing for her to wear, wasn't it?

"Mmhm. To you, it might be. But let's say it was her favorite shirt. She'd try to flip out, right?" Kaoru used the example, and the gears very slowly started to turn inside her daughter's head.

A light turned on inside Mikai's eyes. "So, because I keep talking about Alyssa, I'm trying to... take... away her friend?" She blinked a couple of times, trying to figure out if that was how things worked.

"Maybe not that exactly, but you're touching a sore spot for her. If you try and approach it differently, and slowly make her open up, you can try and make her less violent. And ultimately, she'll be better off." Her mom gave her wisdom, before closing her eyes and smiling. "Or you could just beat her up in one of my video games, if she's that kind of girl. Maybe she's just got a lot of steam in that belly."

The sandy-blonde nodded as she finished her cup, getting up from her chair as she stretched a little. "Maybe! I'll think about it, Mom!" She giggled, before pausing as she looked towards the TV in the living room...

Instead of the usual morning news that'd report on the incidents that had happened lately, including the freezing incident with Yuuki-senpai last week, there was a different program currently running. A program about... running.

"In a few scant hours, the Mimoto Marathon, sponsored and supervised by Atlas Corp, will begin. Children and adults of all ages are encouraged to participate. While there's no explicit prize, the fact that you participate is more than enough prestige!"

The screen showed several girls, women, boys and men all lined near the starting line, each of them looking ready for the big event. Though, upon closer inspection, it was kind of weird that she could see a blonde woman in red in the far background... and, uh...

Was that Hiro wearing an outfit that exposed her midriff? Judging by the black and white colors, combined with the skunk-stripe like hair, it had to be. But at the same time, it didn't seem like her kind of aesthetic. So, was she just seeing things, or...

"Mikai? Earth to Mikai, you're staring too hard at the TV. If you keep looking, the image's going to burn into your eyes." Kaoru spoke up from behind her, patting her daughter on the back to try and get her attention.

The young girl quickly swivelled around and nodded rapidly. "Sorry, Mom. I just thought it sounded really neat, a big race around the entire city!" The youthful girl giggled, putting her hands behind her back. "Could I try?"

"If you want. Just make sure to be back before it gets too dark." Her mom smiled from ear to ear, happy to see that she showed some sort of interests. It was one thing for her to be normal, but it was another for her to develop beyond that normal. "Maybe you can call some of your friends, see if they're willing to run with you."

Just as Kaoru mentioned the 'friends' idea, the sound of the doorbell rung through the Fushimi household, prompting the older woman to look over her shoulder. "Speak of the devil. Mikai, if you would?" She asked, turning her head back towards her daughter...

Only for the girl to have sprinted past her before she finished turning around, the sandy-haired girl quickly opening the door to reveal who had decided to pay them a visit. "Helloooooo!"

"You don't need to be that loud, Mikai." The black-haired girl standing in the doorway, Yumeko Watanabe, smiled as she looked at her cheerful friend. "Ready for the marathon?"

Mikai blinked a couple of times. "Oh, sorry, Yumeko." She rubbed the back of her head as she nervously chuckled, knowing that she should take things a bit slower now and then. "...Wait, hold on, what? How'd you know I wanted to go check out the marathon?" She asked, rightfully a bit surprised. Was she this easy to read?

"What else would you be rushing out the door this early for?" Yumeko shot back, before chuckling a little herself. "Actually, I say that, but..." She continued, stepping aside as a loud horn suddenly blared past the two girls. A proud and excessive horn, the owner no doubt being just as excess obsessed.

There were exactly two people that the sandy-blonde knew were this loud. One was still recovering after everything she did a week ago. And the other was Agatha. Still, she didn't know her friend had a car!

"Excuse me?" A soft spoken voice reached the ears of both girls, leading their gaze towards the owner. A black-haired woman clad in a maid's uniform, who gracefully bowed before the two as she spoke once more. "My name is Tomoe Kotobuki. As one of Lady Anemone's servants, I'd like to ask you if you'd be so kind to join her for a social outing."

Mikai blinked a couple of times, looking to Yumeko and then to the new maid and then rapidly back and forth between the two... Only to lean over her black-haired friend's shoulder, whispering into her ear. "Agatha has a maid? Agatha has MANY maids?" She asked, honestly shocked. Not so shocked about a maid as a concept, that much she had learned from going over to Tsubasa's place enough.

"Indeed she does. You should meet her head maid, she's a kind and serene soul." The black-haired girl replied without missing a beat, bowing before the maid once she turned back towards her. "Is she waiting for us, Tomoe?"

Tomoe nodded slowly. "As much as it pains her to wait, though I don't exactly know why that virtue has eluded her kind heart, she is currently sitting within the family limousine. If you'd both like to join me, we can move along before her temper bursts." She explained, sounding way kinder compared to what you'd expect from somebody that stayed around the full-bodied rich bitch 24/7.

"Sure! I've never been in a limousine!" Mikai quickly cried out as she ran up to the maid, reaching out with her hand. "I'm Mikai! Nice to meet you, Tomoe!" A servant was still a person, no matter what people told the blonde, and that meant that they'd make a great friend. And she was nice too, all the more reason to befriend her!

The black-haired maid smiled a little as she took her hand, shaking it gently. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Mikai. I can tell that Lady Anemone hasn't been wrong when she described you."

"Mikai, you don't have to make a scene out of befriending everyone. You can just greet them and move on with your day." Yumeko spoke up, slightly biting her lip as she made her way over before bowing a little as if to apologize to the maid for her friend's behavior. "Now, we should get going, shouldn't we? We've got a marathon to run."

The sandy-haired girl couldn't wait, happy to try something out for the first time. Not knowing how it'd go, nor expecting it to go wrong.

---

"You're in high spirits, Byakko."

A blue-scaled woman entered one of the most important offices in the entire Atlas Corp complex, adjusting her tie as she closed the door behind her. All while listening to the spirited laughter from the other end of the room.

"Did you SEE her, Seiryu!? I've never seen Hiro that angry in YEARS!" Byakko, the head of IT and other digital solutions in Atlas Corp, shouted from the other end of the room. All while doing her best not to slide out of her chair from the pain that her laughter brought her.

The white-coated and blue-haired dragonoid, Seiryu, raised one of her eyebrows as she walked closer to that desk. "The last I saw of her was when she came home from her failed mission. Does this compare to her emotional state after that encounter?" She said, her voice at a low octave compared to the white-haired tiger-woman across from her.

"Okay, maybe she was more angry after that." Byakko replied as she slowly sat back up properly, clearing her throat as she dusted off her suit. "Point is, the emotion trying its best not to squeeze out onto her expression when she had to wear that outfit. Oh, god, I wish I had filmed it." The giggles were still trying to slip past her lips, as she couldn't get over it.

Seiryu just stared at her with a look that could best be described as a resting bitch face. "I see." She said very simply, adjusting her tie as she put her hand on the desk. She wasn't one for small talk, much less mockery of a fellow high ranking employee. "Why did you call for me, Byakko. Be quick about it. I need a new guinea pig, and I'm eyeing a volunteer."

"Killjoy." The white-haired overgrown kitten muttered as her tail squeezed around her stomach more than ever. "I wanted to check up with you in regards to the upgrades to the PAWN System. I've finished the necessary code to enable the docking procedures, but I wanted to make sure that she's gone through the treatment to properly handle them."

The blue-haired dragonoid tapped her claw against a specific point of the table, bringing up several holographic screens depicting every single bit of research that she had done in regards to their mutual friend. "Currently, her abilities and her body will only allow her to dock with one at a time. Any further usage can damage her body beyond repair, at least until she gets used to using one of them."

Byakko nodded, smiling a little as she turned around in her chair and looked out at the city at large through the wall-sized window. "What about the other system? The one we were toying with, based on the abilities that the other Jõtaider's been showing?"

"While she could use every single element at the same time, it seems counterproductive to enable too many options at a lower power output when the manual shift will allow her greater power at a minimal cost in terms of time. However, we still need to examine if it's worth using in the long run. If it's not worth it, we might need to integrate the system into the addons." Seiryu explained, showing of several stock photos of the PAWN suit covered in several types of energy, complete with a different sigil taking the place of the text written on her chest piece.

The white-haired kitten rubbed her chin a little, before stretching and jumping out of her chair. "And what about her, how much has she signed off on?" She asked, her voice lowering a few octaves as she turned around, her animalistic irises narrowing as she nearly glared at her fellow Saint.

"As much as she thought necessary. She also reminded us that we need to inform her of when the trials are done." The blue-haired dragonoid replied, tapping the spot on the table once more to turn off the holographic screens. "Are we done here? I have more trials to run. On other products."

Byakko nodded, slowly running a hand through her hair as she looked down at the city below one more time...

Only to laugh once Seiryu had left, snickering to herself. Oh yeah. She still couldn't get over that stupid outfit that Hiro had to wear...

---

"Well! You two sure took your time getting here, but I am at least a little grateful that you accepted my gracious request. And I do mean gracious, this is out of the kindness of my heart!"

Agatha Anemone, the richest girl in class, made her opinion of the current matters at hand loud and clear as she talked with her two friends, arms and legs crossed as she slightly huffed. Her words didn't reflect her actions, as per usual.

"Thanks, Agatha!" Though that didn't stop Mikai from misinterpreting them as usual, a bright smile on her face as she leaned back in the comfy seats within the limousine. "I can't believe you've got enough money for this sort of thing! What do you think it cost, Yumeko? Thousands? Tens of thousands?"

Yumeko took a small chug from a water bottle that had been provided ahead of time, before chuckling at her friend's wild underselling. "Try a couple dozen extra zeroes, Mikai." She chimed, looking to the brighter blonde expectantly. "Isn't that right, Agatha?"

"Hmph. It's priceless, Mikai. This was a reward that Father received for a job well done. Unfortunately, Father is currently busy with duties across the ocean. So, until then, it is for my use and my use only." Agatha explained, brushing a hand past the massive drills that accompanied her plumped form.

Mikai nodded as she listened. "So you've also got a dad in another country? I do too! Wow, we're really alike, huh, Agatha?" She chimed, innocently as usual.

'You know what your Mom said, Mikai. Maybe you should think before you speak. She nearly threw you through a window last time you touched a nerve.' The voice of Chimera spoke up within the girl's mind, reminding her of her social faux pas.

Agatha twitched... Only to nod. "I suppose you could say that, yes. I would regard my Father with less than kind words, considering the absence, but you sound like you still have some affection for yours." The rich girl said, looking towards the girl she once hated above all else in the world.

"Mmhm. He's been sending a lot of letters back to us ever since he left. Always sending money to make sure we're able to live comfortably. At least, that's what Mom says. But, I..." Mikai paused, nervously shuffling in her seat. "I've not looked at them for a while. I dunno why, I guess I just don't feel ready to?"

The blonde nodded, cracking a bit of a smile. "At least yours sends positive things. All that my Father has done is pour gifts onto me. Never any actual time with me. Mother's the same, but she's..." She paused, looking away for a moment.

Yumeko quietly sat, watching the two girls talk to one another. All while drinking a little more water with every sip she took from her bottle. It was best not to speak up, since the two needed something like this. It was why she had turned up, after all. As a mediator, in case something went wrong.

Noticing that it seemed like a sore spot, the sandy-blonde quickly spoke up to try and divert the topic towards something else. "How's Alyssa doing?" She asked... Only to realize that she went from one sore spot straight into one that was possibly even more sore, causing her to nearly collapse into her seat.

"You don't-" Agatha nearly whipped back towards the girl, only for the black-haired passenger to look towards her with a certain kind of gaze, cutting her rage in half before it could even start. "She's fine. She's been doing fine ever since we went to her place. I wish she wasn't as overbearing, but she's been trying to clean up after herself at least."

Mikai nodded, happy to hear it all. "So, uh... Why are you so protective of her, Agatha?" She asked, tilting her head slightly. Honestly, before her Mom pointed it out, she did think it was a little bit weird that she always acted this violently, especially when she talked about her.

The blonde girl took the deepest breath she could. Just so that she didn't do anything she'd regret. Her maids had been clear about this after her last session at detention. The girl only wanted to try and help. There was no reason to turn her away for that. "...You saw her in that state, and you really ask me why I'm protective of her?"

"I do. She needs friends other than you, doesn't she?" The sandy-blonde replied, smiling a little. "At least, that's why I reached out.  And hey, she's better now that she has two more friends, isn't she?"

Agatha really couldn't argue against that, lowering her head as a bit of smoke started blowing out her ears. "You're not wrong. But, it's just... She was the only one who was there for me when I was all alone, somebody like me. And then she turned into that. And she didn't want to let me help her." She clenched her fists, squeezing hard as her anger built. "I don't want her to end up like that again. So I want her to depend on me. Just so she doesn't fall down the hole again."

Yumeko smiled, clapping a little before Mikai joined in. "I didn't know, I'm sorry, Agatha!" The shorter of the two girls sniffed, a little tear building in her eye as she got up from her seat and practically dove at the blonde, squeezing her tight before she had a chance to defend herself.

"AND WHO GAVE YOU THE IDEA THAT IT WAS OKAY TO HUG ME LIKE THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN?!" The prideful girl shouted violently as she tried to wrestle the sandy-blonde off her, steam pouring out of her ears as her anger visualized and vocalized itself, prompting the black-haired girl to just shake her head disappointedly. Ah well. It took time for people to change. At least she hadn't punched her.

Once Agatha finally got the shorter girl off her, she crossed her arms and huffed, refusing to talk to her for the rest of the car ride. Leaving the young girl to look out the windows, enjoying the sight of people doing their best to run along the roads. Including, but not limited to...

A tall and purple-haired girl, as well as her shorter and sportier friend, both of who watched the limousine pass them as they ran with all that they had.

"S-Stop, just a second, Mina..." The taller girl muttered, wheezing a little as she came to an abrupt stop. "S-Shouldn't we be conserving our stamina for later..?" She asked, sweat pouring down every inch of her body. It definitely didn't help that she had chosen to wear a dress that matched her messy hair, it was making it so much worse.

The shorter girl, Mina Magatsu, smiled as she jogged in place and looked towards her taller friend. "Nah. If we slow down, we'll lose. You know how that works, right, Rika?" She chimed, her short brown hair blowing in the gentle wind.

"Y-Yeah, but, look at the people going to the start line by car..." Her companion, Rika Nitta, coughed a little as she tried to regain her energy. "Can we at least walk the rest of the way? I don't think I've got the energy to run more..." She nearly begged, her legs wobbling as she nearly fell into her friend's arms.

Mina slowly nodded, wrapping an arm around her taller friend, wincing slightly as her arm throbbed while half-hugging her. "Just lean up against me, alright? I'll get you to the starting line, then we'll worry about getting you some energy then."

"Thanks, Mina. I'm sorry for always dragging you down..." Rika muttered, a deep and embarrassed blush colouring her face. It was shameful for her to do this, and it wasn't the first time she had done so either.

Her shorter companion just smiled, not wanting to bother her. Or make her aware of the golden glow that had been spreading across her arm for the last few hours, courtesy of the golden anklet she wore...

---

"So many people..."

Mikai muttered as she looked out at the crowd of people that had gathered in the main park in Mimoto, which was the starting line of the entire Marathon. She couldn't even SEE the actual starting line, that was how many there actually were..

"Is that your inner coward speaking, Mikai?" Agatha scoffed, walking over to her 'friend' as she crossed her arms. "You think you're going to be beaten by every single person here?" She asked, her harsh tone sounding more teasing than anything considering the kind of behaviour she normally put on.

The sandy-blonde shook her head, smiling from ear to ear as she turned towards her thickly built blonde friend. "Nope! I'm excited to have fun with all of them! Aren't you, Agatha?" She giggled, stars practically sparkling in her eyes. She was more than prepared, at least that's what it felt on the inside.

"Hah! I'll give you this, only a girl like you would think that this is going to be fun!" The rich girl laughed from the bottom of her heart, brushing her hand against her twin-tailed hair. "If you make it to the top ten, I'll personally drive you to school for a week. Let's make that a bet, shall we? And don't even think about what you have to give in return, this one's entirely on me!"

Mikai grinned and nodded, grabbing her friend's hand and shaking on the deal. "I'll see you at the finish line then, Agatha!" She chimed, a little fire sparking in her eyes. Oh yes. She was going to have a lot of fun.

'I know you might think of it.' Chimera spoke up within her mind, pre-emptively scolding her like an older sister. 'No using your powers untransformed. People are going to get more suspicious than seeing you actually transform.'

This brought a pout to the girl's lips as she turned around, a little upset she couldn't use as much of her strength as she had available...

"Yumeko! What's taking you so long!? Get over here, we've got a great spot to prepare ourselves for the race!" Agatha shouted towards the black-haired girl who had been sticking to the back, a little angry vein popping into view on her forehead.

Her shout didn't earn her any favours, as Yumeko just shook her head from where she stood. "It's a marathon, Agatha. Besides, I'll just watch. If you two need anything at one of the checkpoints, I'll be there. That's good enough, isn't it?" She chimed, smiling from ear to ear.

Mikai nodded. Even if she couldn't run alongside her friend, the fact she was ready to help was good enough. "How far can you run, Agatha?" She asked innocuously, honestly wondering how far a stouter girl like her could make it.

"Further than you. Now, since she's not participating, scram." Agatha waved her away, putting on her game face as she started doing stretches. "We're competitors now, Mikai! If I see you on the road, you're toast!" She boasted, grinning towards the girl. Confidence poured out of every pore of hers...

A laugh soon echoed. Not from either of the three, but from a red-haired girl who approached the lot of them with a mocking grin on her face. "Well well! If it isn't the star duo of Anemone and Fushimi. And here I thought Himitsu was pulling my leg when she told me about your antics two weeks ago."

The stoutly built girl narrowed her eyes. Great, there went her mood. "And what do you want, Valedictorian Akaijin?" The blonde asked, turning towards the mocking redhead.

Mikai turned to look at her as well, blinking as she examined the girl. She was taller than the two of them, maybe even a little taller than the two student council members, and she seemed to have a lot of presence to her despite the fact that she hadn't raised the tone of her voice. All that she did was merely look at them, letting her natural gaze, the golden trim that had been added to her uniform, and her ankle-length fire-coloured hair do most of the talking.

"I was looking for anybody that might pose a challenge during today's marathon, but here I find two slackers." She said, her words cutting deep despite her expression not changing much when she spoke. "Do you two really think you have time to have fun, considering your grades and your recent performance in the tests we've had?"

Agatha just started ignoring her, knowing that once she began talking, it'd be hard to shut her up. Meanwhile, the sandy-blonde blinked a couple more times, before stepping closer to the redhead. "Nice to meet you." She said, not as excited as usual. Something about the way she spoke put her off, but... There was a point to that kind of aggressive ribbing, wasn't there?

"...You really are as strange as you look, Fushimi." The redhead said, shaking her head as she took the hand she offered. "Kokoro. Kokoro Akaijin. As you no doubt heard from Anemone, I am the Valedictorian of our grade. If you find yourself stuck on anything, and provided you can give me ample reason to help, I'd be happy to share some insight into the subjects you're struggling with."

'She smells.' Chimera muttered inside her host's mind. 'Not of anything bad. She just stinks of egomania. You would actually be better off sticking with Agatha than her.'

Her mental friend wasn't wrong, but Mikai still didn't think too bad of her. After all, the fact she would help a person out was a good thing in and of itself. "Thanks, Kokoro. I'll make sure to ask you if I end up having a problem!" Her mood improved after that single show of courtesy, smiling from ear to ear.

"Are you being mean to people again, Kokoro-chan?" Just as it seemed like the new faces had stopped coming, another girl showed up. This one with an actual smile on her face, not unlike the one on the sandy-blonde's face. "You better not be bullying, that's not like a Valedictorian."

Kokoro twitched and turned away. She wasn't in the mood to answer that question. And for her money, Agatha was happy to stop hearing her grating voice.

"Nice to meet you!" Mikai quickly chimed, reaching out towards the new girl, whose green hair was beautifully illuminated by the sun hanging overhead. "I'm Mikai Fushimi! Who're you?" She asked, very quick and excited to introduce herself.

The green-haired girl, whose uniform was uniquely decorated with a couple of star pins and a crown pin weaved into the collar, giggled as she took the sandy-blonde's hand. "Yua Hokori. I'm glad to see that you've started getting nice and bright, Fushimi-chan." She replied, politely adding proper honorifics as she even bowed a little. "I'm happy to see you trying to run too, Anemone-chan. Are you going to make it to the top five like last year?"

"If I don't, I've asked my maids to make sure that I receive an appropriate punishment. I won't let them down." Agatha replied, clenching her fists a little to make sure that her arms were working properly. "How about you, Hokori? Are you ready? Or are you just watching like Watanabe is?"

Yua nodded, adjusting her pins ever slightly before putting her fingertips up to the corners of her smile, stretching it further up than it really should ever stretch. "I'm just going to cheer for the lot of you, with a big bright smile. For me, it's not about winning. It's about seeing you all do your best." She chimed, the symphonic sound of her voice echoing around her. "Besides, watching you all might give me inspiration for that, you know?"

"That?" Mikai asked, tilting her head. Both at what the mysterious element could be, and... at the girl herself. She was just as cheerful as her, it was actually a little scary even if it was comforting at the same time.

Her new green-haired friend nodded, before giggling a little. "I'll tell you another day, okay, Fushimi-chan?" She winked, wanting to preserve her secrets for a little while longer.

"Got it! I'll make sure to put on a good show then!" The sandy-blonde proclaimed, pumping her fist into the air. Oh yeah, she was well and truly ready for a good marathon at this point.

Yua smiled, before turning towards Kokoro for a second. "Kokoro-chan, do your best, okay?" She said, patting the silent redhead on the back before walking over towards the spectator's area. There was still time before the start, but she needed to find a good spot for her to watch from.

"...Fushimi." The redhead spoke up, looking over her shoulder briefly. "Since this is your first marathon in who knows how long, I recommend using the tents that the sponsor's set up to change into something appropriate. Just to give you an edge." She offered a bit of advice, kneeling down after doing so. "You'd need it, especially against the likes of me or Anemone. Himitsu as well, if she shows up."

Mikai nodded. "I'll be back then!" She chimed, running off rather quickly, leaving behind the two natural enemies to glare at one another as they both prepared for their fateful match against one another.

As the sandy-blonde ran towards one of the tents, she noticed somebody that stood out against the crowd that had gathered in the other end of the spectator's area. A girl in a wheelchair, and a bespectacled girl that wore a uniform that seemed strangely familiar..?

"Hey!" She cried out, running over to them, waving towards them to try and catch their attention.

They didn't initially notice her, too busy with their own conversation, as the wheelchair-bound girl silently looked out at the massive crowd.

"Suikumo?" She asked, looking up at the lavender-haired twin-tailed girl keeping her company. "Do you think I'll ever get to run alongside everyone else ever again?"

The twin-tailed girl shook her head slightly. "I don't know. I wish I could tell you, but I'm not Chimo-senpai or Himitsu-senpai. They could give you an encouraging talk, but I..." She paused, sighing sorrowfully. "Sorry, Kazumi-chan."

"It's fine, Suikumo. Your honesty is actually better than their empty wor-"

"HEY!"

Both the wheel-chair bound girl and the girl behind her shook as the voice of the sandy-blonde warped around them, their eyes looking towards their spectator causing the two to blush. Neither of them thought anybody would bother listening in on what they were talking about.

"Y-Yes? H-How can I help yo-" The twin-tailed lavender-haired girl blinked a couple of times as she looked at the new arrival, before realizing that she had definitely seen and heard of her before. "Fushimi-chan? W-What brings you over here?"

Mikai grinned as she came a bit closer. "You stood out, and I was wondering why somebody in a wheelchair would want to see a marathon." She chimed, blinking a couple of times before she looked at the lavender-haired girl. "Hold on, have we met before?"

"N-no, actually. But you've met my fellow council members." She replied, letting go of the wheelchair for a moment as she curtsied in a dignified manner. "Saeko Suikumo. The youngest and greenest of the Mimoto Student Council. I'm happy to meet you, Fushimi-chan."

The white-haired girl in the wheelchair, who wore a carpet to keep herself nice and warm if the wind decided to pick up, smiled as she looked towards the sandy-blonde. "Nice to meet you, Mikai. I'm Minami Kazumi. I'd do more than shake your hand, but..." She paused, not finishing her statement as the reason was rather obvious.

"Nice to meet you both!" Mikai replied, not deterred by the lack of manoeuvrability on the wheelchair-bound girl as she grabbed her hand. Saeko's too, shaking them both at the same time. "So, why are you watching the marathon?"

Minami looked out at the crowd, sighing a little as she rested her head on her hands. "Jealousy? Wishing that I could be like them? I'm not sure, if I have to be honest." She mumbled. "I just felt like I had to be here, and..."

"I happened to be on hand." The twin-tailed girl followed up, adjusting her tie slightly. "Part of the Student Council's duties are to ensure that any accessibility-hampered students get the proper treatment that they deserve. We're happy and willing to help out regardless of what they need." She said, smiling a little. "Though, it's about the best that I can do as part of the council, but that's better than nothing I guess..."

Mikai shook her head, smiling from ear to ear as she patted the council member on the shoulder. "You reached out, and they took your hand. You should be happy about that, Saeko-senpai!" She gave her two cents, pointing towards the white-haired girl in the wheelchair. "Besides, Minami's happy that you helped, isn't that a good thing?"

"S-Saeko-senpai? W-We're in the same grade, Fushimi-chan!" Saeko blushed across her entire face, never expecting to be called senpai in her entire life. In fact, she hadn't received any sort of gratitude like that in years. Even the kind that her charge offered her for her service.

Minami chuckled a little. "I am happy. Suikumo's been a good help. Whenever I need anything, she's there for me. I couldn't count the amount of times that she's helped me. Whether it's with daily life, or with school, or with anything like that...

"Oh, oh no, I don't help that much, surely..." The lavender-haired girl muttered, losing herself in the compliments as her face turned completely red, burying any other emotion in the process. Ah, she needed somebody to snap her out of this before she'd do something she'd regret..!

Mikai giggled, happy to bring a bit of a smile to the two girls. "Well, I have to go change. Keep an eye out for me when I'm out running, okay?" With that, she sprinted off with her heart full of happiness.

She had met an entire five people today, and her day had only just begun! They were all nice too, in different amounts! How better could this day get?

Chimera, meanwhile, got the strangest feeling when she looked at the spectating duo, keeping quiet about that sensation for the time being...

---

Now that she was actually in the changing tent, which had been plastered all over with the Atlas Corp logo to make sure that the runners understood who was making sure that they were safe and secure for the duration of the marathon, there was a little thing that came to the sandy-blonde's mind.

"...Chimeraaaaa?"

The black space wrapped around her, causing the lion-themed woman to appear underneath her, laying between her legs. "Yes? What's the matter?" She asked, eyebrow raised as she stretched a little.

"Do you feel anything? Like, about this tent?" Mikai asked, crossing her arms a little. "I don't trust it." She muttered under her breath. And she couldn't put her finger on why...

Chimera nodded a little. "I feel something. A faint pulse of energy. Not unlike when we look for a Jõtaijin. But there couldn't be one in here. The tent's too small for one to hide in." She explained, closing her eyes. "They might be in the crowd outside already, and... We're just going to have to be reactive for this one. No other choice about it."

"Guess so. Well, it's not like people are going to notice me if I transform in the middle of a crowd, right?" The sandy-blonde said, her belt quietly appearing around her waist as she ran her fingers along it. "Hey, you think I can go straight to the wolfy form?"

Her predator of a partner shook her head. "No transforming in crowds. They'll notice. Even if they don't, others absolutely will. People that you don't want to reveal it to. Like Agatha." She explained, before clearing her throat a little. "And... Let's call that form something, alright? We can't just call it 'wolfy form'."

"Well, isn't that just what my forms are? Lion-y, wolf-y?" Mikai shot back, genuinely not sure if they were supposed to have names or not. She just thought of them as armours for her to use, not anything with a name.

Chimera shook her head, getting up on all fours before grabbing hold of the girl's legs and wrapping her arms around those very same legs, lifting her onto her shoulders in the process. "If you're going to keep calling yourself Mimoto, you're going to need to spice your name up a little. To differentiate what you're using."

"Huh. Why's Mimoto not good enough?" The sandy-blonde asked, carefully balancing atop of those powerful shoulders. While totally trying not to giggle and laugh about the fact that she was so far up in the sky! She was really, really high up, and she could probably fall down and hurt something, but it felt really great to be up here!

The ancient predator shook her head. "You've been giving your attacks names, the least you could do is name your forms. Listen. I'll give you a start. We'll call your initial form, since it relies on my main powers, 'Flame Lion.'" She gave a suggestion, gently bouncing the girl atop of her shoulders to make her enjoy the ride a bit more.

"Flame Lion! I like it! The Infernal King of the Beasts!" Mikai laughed, taking the name of the form to heart quickly. "So, if that's that form, and I got a wolfy form with ice powers from Yuuki-senpai, then..." She paused, steam slowly rising from her head...

It felt like her mind shattered as the name came to her. Like a pane of ice that kept her from thinking clearly was smashed to pieces, her eyes opening wide as her irises turned into excited stars. "Frost Wolf! The Alpha Hunter!"

"See? Just a little push, and you do all the hard work for me." Chimera chimed, laughing a little after. "What's with those silly titles though? I only asked for one extra name, but you go ahead and title them too?"

Mikai laughed back, ruffling her partner's hair as she swayed from side to side. "Well, it's not good enough to just call them a thing, they gotta have flair too, don't they?"

"You've seen too many of Tsubasa's super heroine shows." The lion dryly replied, before sighing as she let the girl down. "Just focus on the marathon for now. If a Jõtaijin does show up, do your best to hide, then transform and deal with them. We'll finish the tour after that."

The young girl nodded, as the darkness around her disappeared. Getting dressed into a proper running uniform after that was easy...

She left her uniform behind, swapping it out for a simple t-shirt with a blue 9 proudly printed on the back, and a pair of shorts that should let her move about as smoothly and as unhindered as possible. Though, were they a little too small for her, or were they just naturally tight? Eh, didn't really matter.

"Time to win!" Mikai chimed, dashing out of the tent before even bothering to check if her hunch had been correct.

And if she had bothered, she would've noticed that somebody was hiding in the far back, her breathing slowed to try and hide away her presence to the world at large. Despite her large body making that incredibly difficult...

"That girl... Fushimi..." The purple-haired girl, Rika, muttered as she slowly fell onto her knees. Even she had managed to work up the courage to participate, despite the fact that she had gone through so much already. And yet here the big girl was, too afraid to join her friend on the front lines...

She had to admit, she was more than a little pathetic. She wasn't out of shape, she could definitely make it all the way around the city alongside her friend, but... She didn't have the confidence. And everyone else would be looking at her dear Mina too, which meant that she'd forget everything about her, and...

The faintest, slightest sound of a bat crying out reached her ears, and she slowly looked up from her pitiful position. What was that noise..?

"My my, this is a troubled sort of girl..." A supportive, yet seductive voice echoed around the shaken lass, a giggle following that. "Lacking in confidence, yet having all the qualities to surpass the girl that she loves..."

Rika looked around as she tried to notice who was talking to her, a shiver running down her spine. "W-Who's there? W-What are you?" She muttered, slowly raising her fists to try and defend herself. She didn't want to fight, but she could if she needed to...

"I just want to help you, Rika. That's everything I want." The voice spoke once more, this time sounding like it was right behind her. Around her. Inside her. Everywhere, and yet nowhere...

As she blinked once more, the one who was speaking appeared before her, a blonde woman in a red dress, smiling softly as she gently curtsied before the taller girl. "A pleasure to meet you, Rika. I am but a benefactor of the downtrodden. The ones that don't feel like they belong. And I want to help you find where you belong."

To say that Rika was suitably unnerved would be an understatement. This... beautiful woman, had suddenly appeared and said that she could help her. Even though they had never before spoken with one another, she thought that she could help her. It was surreal, and frightening, and she knew that it was bad news...

And yet she listened. Because her heart wanted to get the answers. "Where I belong... I know where I belong, but..." She muttered, her heart pounding against her chest as she thought of the sporty girl that had long since taken up all of her heart's ability to feel. She knew that she couldn't think of anybody else, at least not romantically.

"You want to be by Mina's side. Not just as a friend or a lover. But as an Equal. And you're too afraid to take that step. To admit that you want to be more than what you are." The woman said, as she reached up to cup the taller girl's cheeks. "I can help you with that. I can help you bring out your inner equal. And then you can help her in any way you feel suitable. All you need is to trust me."

She shouldn't listen to this. She should run. And yet she didn't. Those honey-like words had ensnared her. She believed every single sweet lie that left those lips, no matter how grave it was. "I... I trust you. Tell me, please. How can I be hers..?" Rika asked, her voice lowering a few octaves as the intimacy grew between the two strangers.

The woman smiled, as a golden glow appeared from her hands, travelling down the girl's face until it reached her neck and snapped shut around it. In the form of a golden necklace, not unlike the golden trinkets that had been causing trouble all around the city.

"Let your desire change you, Rika. And let it unveil the form you're most suited for. So you can truly belong." The woman, the devious Baroness Bat, smiled as she let go of the hopeful girl and let the Jõtai do the rest of the work.

Rika let out a loud moan as the golden glow started spreading across her body, wrapping her in what felt like a cocoon. A skin-tight cocoon, one that grew tighter, almost constricting.

And yet, her heart beat harder. Her body refused to be held back. The golden energy sank into her instead of binding her, making her muscles bulge outward little by little. And as she tried to overpower the energy, a single image remained inside her mind.

The girl she loved. Mina Magatsu. The star athlete. The yearly champion of the marathon. The girl who had done so much for her over the course of the last few years. The girl who she wanted to repay with her love and her life.

As that image, and her desire for her, grew larger, so did her body. She could feel the tent's ceiling brushing up against her, and thus she grew outward. Thickening. Strengthening. All while her heart beat harder and harder.

Mina. Mina. Mina. MINA. MINA. MINA! MINA! M I N A ! M! I! N! A!

The golden energy erupted around her as she screamed out loud. "MINAAAAAAA!", leading to her body shredding its proverbial skin and for the transformation to reach its end...

Rika panted as she slowly looked at herself, her hands, her arms, her legs, her everything. Every little inch of her body, every little part of her, had grown stronger. Whether physically, or visually. The muscle in her body had grown. Not freakishly so, but just enough that she clearly looked like she could wrestle with the best of the best. And if she were to run with those legs, she'd probably make a marathon a cinch.

And yet... That wasn't what she wanted. No, she was happy to have all of this at her fingertips, but that was just one part of it. That was why her outfit hadn't shredded, and why it had changed without her noticing. Instead of the usual uniform, she now wore a short sleeveless shirt, and a skirt that barely covered the important parts. A cheerleader's gear, complete with pompoms appearing in her hands once she realized what she had become.

"This is what your heart wishes to be." The blonde woman chimed, appearing upon the transformed girl's shoulder. "Her cheerleader. Honestly, it's kind of cute. I expected something a bit more mature, but I'm just one woman." She explained, crossing one leg over the other.

Rika let out a powerful and satisfied sigh. It was just as the woman had said. She did feel much better. And yet... "Is... Is Mina going to accept this?" She asked, her heart throbbing just by thinking of the girl that she loved. She wasn't sure, even with that powerful emotion inside her.

"She'll accept you as you are. She accepted you even then. But now, you have the confidence to accept that acceptance. And that's what matters most." The blonde said, closing her eyes and giggling. "In fact, you're going to have your hands full in just a few moments. She'll need you, more than ever."

The red-clad woman closed her eyes, turning into a swarm of bats that surrounded the transformed girl's body. A swarm that spoke as one, their combined voice sounding powerful and mesmerizing. "Now go. By the command of Baroness Bat, show the world your true self."

"Cheer your lover on, Cheer Champ!"

---

"I thought I told you to stay out of these things."

Mikai blinked a couple of times as she heard a familiar voice echo through her ears, causing her to turn her head around repeatedly until she found the source. Strangely, the only one that stood out was a woman wearing a white and black tubetop with a familiar logo in the middle, as well as a disgustingly short skirt and a monochromatic parasol. She wasn't familiar at all. Not even with that skunk stripe in her hai-

Hiro Fukano, publicly known as Jõtaider PAWN, glared daggers at the sandy-blonde that couldn't recognize her. "Don't play dumb." The venom in her words was obvious. Probably still sore from what happened last week.

That was exactly the kick the girl needed to realize who she was talking to. "Oh! Hiro!" She chimed, smiling from ear to ear. Her fellow heroine!

"You don't have permission to use my first name, Fushimi." Hiro quickly shot back, her glare intensifying as she pointed her decorative parasol towards her. "Now. I'm going to be blunt with you. Get. Lost. I'm equipped to handle any incident that might occur, no matter the kind of Jõtaijin that'll appear."

Mikai knew that her rival wasn't lying. She had managed to keep the situation under control while she was stuck inside a mental ice cube! "Nope!" But that mean she'd listen to her. Not when there could be trouble afoot. "Besides, two heads are better than one, right?"

The black-and-white-haired woman twitched, lowering her parasol as steam slowly rose from her head. "Not if that head ends up incapacitating the other head." She retorted, before walking towards the spot she had taken up on the sidelines. A table with a couple of snacks, a megaphone, several piles of paperwork, the device she used to transform, and a briefcase laying on top of it.

"Hey, I didn't incapacitate you-" The sandy-blonde was about to reply, before memories of that day flashed by her, and she had to nervously laugh instead. Well, she kinda did, but only after she started turning towards her in a reckless and violent fashion. "Aaaaanyway..." She tried to change the subject, darting her eyes over the place to try and look for something that might help her with that.

Trees. People. Lots of people. Grass. Man, there was a whole lot of nothing that she could talk about. Well, maybe she could ask about the-

"Greetings." A familiar, robotic voice echoed from the gauntlet that laid atop of the table. "I see you've chosen to ignore Hiro's advice as usual. Unfortunate, but that just means you've gone the other route."

Mikai blinked a couple of times, while Hiro slowly scowled. "Huanglong. Since when did you talk to her?" The older woman asked, digging her fingers into the side of her arm as she tried to contain her emotions.

"After the bout where she awakened another power." The voice said, before a hologram depicting a cute white-haired boy, a near-direct replica of the owner of Atlas Corp, appeared on top of the brace. "Since we weren't formally introduced, let this count as our first proper conversation. I am Huanglong, the AI partnered with Hiro Fukano to administrate the use of the PAWN System. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mikai Fushimi."

The sandy-blonde looked at the older woman, then the much shorter digital boy that was about the size of her hand, then back to the scowling black-and-white-haired woman, and then back at the boy. "I thought digital people were bigger, like Hub-chan." She said, scratching the back of her head.

Her response made the short hologram slowly tilt his head, wondering who she might be talking about. He didn't know of any 'Hub-chan', nor did he anticipate that she had ever seen somebody like him before.

"...I'm not going to bother asking who or what you're talking about." Hiro shook her head as she slowly grabbed the gauntlet, attaching it to her wrist. "If you're done bothering me, I'd like for you to leave me alone. Judging by your uniform, you're supposed to be participating in the race, aren't you?"

Huanglong looked up at his partner, his expression growing more than a little displeased. "Hiro, there's value in working with others. Like you're working with me. We'll achieve greater efficiency if we all work together." He explained, only for her to click a button to shut off the subroutine that projected his body, shutting him up for the time being.

"Oh. Oh, yeah! But, look, Hiro, I had a bad feeling!" Mikai quickly snapped back to attention, as she grabbed the taller woman by the wrist. "There was this bad smell inside the tents, and I was wondering if a Jõtaijin had been in there! Don't you have anything that can scan the crowd?"

Hiro grabbed the younger girl by the head, shaking her a little to make her let go of her, before clearing her throat. "I do. But finding a carrier before they actively use their power is harder than you'd think. Especially in a crowd as huge as this." She explained, her gaze narrowing as she looked towards the crowd. "But if you're right, I have to be ready."

"You're welcome for the help!" The sandy-blonde chimed, not bothered by the glare that reached towards her. Now, if she could just get back to her spot in the crowd-

"M-MAGATSU! UNHAND ME THIS INSTANT! YOU'RE BREAKING ALL SORTS OF LINES!"

A scream echoed from near the centre of the crowd, prompting both of the two heroines to whip their heads towards the source of the sound. The crowd slowly broke away, making a path straight towards the culprit.

In the middle were two girls. One familiar to Mikai, as it happened to be Kokoro from earlier. That shade of red was unmistakable. And she swore she could recognize the other, desperate-looking girl too. She had seen a brunette like her before at any rate.

"L-LET GO OF ME, YOU SIMPLEMINDED ATHLETIC OAF!" The redhead shouted at the girl violently grabbing her arm, letting out gasps and pants as it felt like the entire thing was being torn off.

The brunette, Mina, didn't let go. In fact, the more the redhead struggled, the tighter her grip got. She wasn't about to let her prey go. She wasn't about to let this valuable strength go to waste. Not when it could go to her. Not when she could enhance herself and keep standing at the top...

"Give it to me..." Mina muttered, lines of gold travelling down her arm as it started sinking into the redhead, draining equally golden wisps of energy from the girl. Just as if she was taking something important from her.

Kokoro slowly but surely was forced to stop struggling. The strength in her body, her will to do anything, her power and her very personality, draining away and leaving her little more than a husk. And as she fell onto the ground properly...

The last specks of gold had disappeared from her arm, leaving the arm devoid of color. Black soon took its place, coating its way around the arm and quickly consuming the rest of her body, leaving only a husk of a Pawn in the place of the Valedictorian.

Mina, meanwhile, pulsated as the golden glow from the girl she had absorbed slowly consumed her. Her arm, the one that matched the one she had just grabbed, turned a crimson-shaded gold. It felt stronger than ever. Powerful. And with it, she could do anything...

But it wasn't enough. As horns grew from her head, and her golden eyes scanned the crowd, she couldn't feel satisfied with just one part of her body improved. She needed more. MORE! MORE TO SATISFY HER NEED!

The golden-armed girl dashed into the crowd around her, violently grabbing other limbs and draining them just like she had drained the first victim. Leaving yet more husk-like pawns on the ground below, each of them barely twitching. For a Jõtaijin, she didn't really care for her minions...

'Well. I never thought I would see that.' Chimera muttered within the heroine's mind. 'At least it means we can focus on the main girl-'

"Jouchaku."

Before the thought finished, and before Mikai could really react, she heard the sound of her rival transforming at her side. Not a moment later, PAWN dashed into the fray, not about to let this situation get any worse than it already had.

"More... MORE!"

Mina shouted into the air as most of her body had taken on that crimson gold color, showing how many parts of her being had been augmented by the stolen parts from other people. It didn't matter who those parts belonged to. It just mattered that they enhanced her. Especially as she flexed her arms, laughing as the muscles grew noticeable.

"Thunderbolt."

With that added strength came a heightened sense of awareness, letting the girl weave around the near-lightning fast punch that launched at her, courtesy of the heroine that had transformed to deal with her. "...Fast one, are we?" The bulky heroine muttered, turning towards the statuesque stunner, cracking her neck.

"You... Strong..! Glorious..!" The corrupted girl laughed as she cracked her knuckles, cracks visibly appearing on her form. "I'll make that strength mine..! Make it part of Glory Chaser..!" Her laughter turned crazed as she jumped towards the visor-wearing woman, not about to let a chance to grow even stronger pass her by.

PAWN punched at the girl flinging herself at her, gritting her teeth slightly as the added speed from the girl added additional damage to the blows they traded. "This is going to take some work." She muttered, taking up a stance as she went from the offensive to the defensive.

Glory Chaser's vile grin widened even further as she flew past the heroine, skidding to a stop with the ground underneath catching on fire from her heat-filled and strengthened body. Her eyes darted around, looking for a way to get close so that she could land a grab and drain all of that precious strength...

She laughed as she noticed all of the Pawns she had caused, the two braincells inside her glory-obsessed head rubbing together as she grabbed two of them by the arms, lifting them with ease before throwing them at the black-and-white heroine.

"Human projectiles. Advising further caution." Huanglong's voice echoed through PAWN's ears as she weaved around the black-clad victims, only to counter a blow that came flying at her after that, primarily remaining on the defensive.

Every time she thought she had a moment to breathe, another faceless mook would get thrown at her. Another kick or punch would fly at her, courtesy of the golden monster, one that she had to react to with the appropriate counter, or she'd get grabbed.

"More... MORE!" Glory Chaser laughed, as she darted back into the panicked crowd, screams quickly echoing through the park as more and more of the spectators were drained of their glory-bringing aspects, empowering the Jõtaijin and making more projectiles for her to use against the heroine.

PAWN held her ground. She hated this, but as long as she stood tall and took care of the Jõtaijin, all of the affected victims could get the therapy that they needed. She'd have to owe Charlotta one hell of a favor for this, though...

Mikai stood on the sidelines, clenching her fist slightly. She knew that her rival could do this, it was just a matter of landing the right punch. But that didn't mean she couldn't go help her, right? It'd mean that less people got affected, and since everyone were too panicked to look at her specifically, she could just-

"Give her a M!"

The girl blinked as she turned towards the voice that echoed behind her, only for shivers to run down her spine as a girl triple her size towered over her. A girl that was bulging with muscle, and a girl who could probably break her like a twig if she wanted to.

'J-Jõtaijin spotted. Two of them, this close to one another?!' Chimera's panicked voice echoed through the young girl's mind.

This was bad. One of them was a challenge, depending on the person that served as their core. TWO? With how distracted Hiro was, this was going to be difficult.

"Give her an I! Give her a N! Give her an A! What's that spell!?" The towering Jõtaijin, dressed like an exaggerated cheerleader as she waved her pompoms around, shouted across the entire crowd.

The panicking citizens didn't understand, but her booming voice managed to reach into some of them, causing them to reach to the air above with their hands quickly gaining a set of glued-on pompoms. "MINA!" They cried out in unison with their leader, the affected quickly getting covered in the usual black substance as they turned into the Jõtajin's pawns.

"Ehehehe... Mina! Cheer Champ is here for you! Do your best!" The Jõtaijin announced her name, jumping up and down and causing the ground underneath to quake from the power and weight of her character.

Mikai couldn't help but blink as she looked up at her, scratching the back of her head. Despite looking so strong, she was... a supporter? Well, that made things a little easier.

"You wanna cheer too, don't you?" Cheer Champ chimed, kneeling down as she looked down at the heroine with a smile on her lips. "You wanna cheer for Mina as she makes everyone her power, right? Make her even stronger with her cheer? Just reach up and grab your pompoms and start shouting out loud!" The purple-haired cheerleader's voice boomed around the young girl, making it hard for her thoughts to get through her head properly.

The youthful sandy-blonde nearly did so, the words a bit too convincing for her to avoid listening to, before she shook her head and clenched those hands. "No! That's not right!" She said, turning away from the Jõtaijin and running into the crowd. She had to get away, she couldn't transform with her near.

"Oh well! More cheer for Mina! GIVE ME AN M!" Cheer Champ jumped into the air again, and more victims in the crowd quickly joined her, allured by her powerful voice.

Mikai had to hurry. If she could turn people into pawns just by shouting, then she had to make sure that people were safe. Primarily Yumeko! And Agatha too, she'd hate to see her turn into a minion-

"GET LOST YOU LATEX-COVERED BIMBOS!"

One loud shout later, and a cheerleader-themed Pawn suddenly went flying right by the sandy-blonde. And then a couple more, all caused by Agatha's brute strength and unleashed anger. "Huh." The youthful heroine muttered, surprised to see that much power in her friend.

"MIKAI! GET TO SAFETY BEFORE I THROW YOU THERE MYSELF!" The stoutly built rich girl shouted after catching a glimpse of her 'friend' in the crowd. Aw, she cared.

Knowing that her friends were safe, at least for the time being, she took the moment to run in a different direction, further away from the action so that she could get the chance to transform.

"You really are something, Agatha." Yumeko, currently being protected by Agatha, breathed a sigh of relief. While she would've preferred to be protected by Mikai, this would do for now.

The blonde laughed as she turned her head towards the black-haired girl. "I look kinda like Mimoto doing this, don't I?" She said, only to quickly whip back around as she filled another Pawn's face with her fist, knocking that one a good yard or so back.

"If she gained half her bodyweight." The black-haired girl dryly replied, before nodding slightly. "She'd be proud of you regardless." She muttered quietly, before turning to her left to look at one more girl that had been kept safe by the blonde.

Minami. The white-haired girl quietly watched it all, especially focusing on the brief flashes of the armored woman that was currently enduring the assault put on by the golden monster.

"Oh, how am I going to find a way out of all of this?" Yua, having gotten lost in the crowd, was currently trying to get away from the threats. Something that was easier said than done, due to all of the turmoil happening around her.

Several people screamed as another Pawn went flying past them, knocking down a couple as it landed right in front of the green-haired cutie. And unlike the rest of the drained ones, this one started to move. Ever slightly.

"Need... glory..." It muttered, its body looking shrivelled up thanks to the Glory Chaser draining it prior, but as soon as it noticed the girl brimming with hope towards the future...

It didn't do anything. It was too weak. It just looked up at her, hoping for a chance to have its power restored.

Yua blinked a couple of times as she looked down at it. She should be afraid of it. Yet she pitied it. What was wrong with her, exactly? What made her feel this way..?

"Cheer! Cheer! Cheer!"

She heard the voice of the other monster in the distance, and the words resonated with her. It was like when she was out at those shows. When she shook her glowsticks... This thing on the ground, this thing that needed a hand... Maybe she should try and help it..?

"Go... Go for it!" Yua cried out as she threw her hands into the air, cheering on the Pawn on the ground. Not realizing that by raising her hands, she fell under the power of the Cheer Champ.

She let out a moan as her skin quickly turned shiny and black, like the Pawn. Pompoms spawned in her hands, as she threw them up once more. Every time she thrust them up, it was like a shot of ecstasy coursed through her. It felt good to cheer on somebody! It felt really good!

The characteristic dome formed around her head, as she continued cheering. Cheering was good. Telling your friends to do their best was important. Making them stronger by giving them your strength was the best thing. Being a cheerleader that gave it all to the important girls was what mattered. That was what she was made for! A force of constant cheer!

Her cheers reached the pawn, whose body returned to normal thanks to all of that powerful energy. Fueled by her cheer, it ran back into the fray, ready to fight back against the heroine so that her glory could be drained..!

"Your vitals are slipping, Hiro. You should consider a retreat. We can ask for help." Huanglong's voice echoed through the heroine's ears, despite the odds she faced.

PAWN wasn't about to back down. Despite her body feeling like it was starting to run on its last legs. Despite the fact that she wasn't just facing a power-draining Jõtaijin that had managed to fill out the rest of the area with her minions, who had been reenergized by the other Jõtaijin's cheers. She wouldn't give up. There was still a chance for her to do something.

She entered a stance, her visor picking up movement in the black-clad ranks, as the golden form of the Glory Chaser appeared once more, her hands outstretched to try and grab the weakened heroine..!

"KING'S THRUST!"

Just as the golden Jõtaijin was about to grab the heroine, a fist found its way into the side of her body. A fist that launched her into the blackened Pawns, a fist that belonged to a girl that should've learned by now.

"WHY WON'T YOU EVER LISTEN-"

"I AM LISTENING! AND I DON'T CARE!" Mimoto shouted, the lion-themed heroine turning to face PAWN with determination leaking through her suit in the form of violent flames. "Hate me if you want, but we gotta save people!"

Hiro's hands were trembling. They were downright furious. She wanted nothing more than to punch through the girl right then and there. For daring to be like her. For daring to throw herself into the action again and again.

It was exactly because of people like her, that wanted to help her, that she ended up like this. It was because they kept throwing themselves out like this that she ended up being all alone. They all wanted to help, and they ended up crumbling. And yet...

"Fine." PAWN said, turning away from the younger heroine. "Do what you want. Just don't get in my way." She muttered, energy flowing into her fist. If she had to use her anger for something, she'd use it to focus the last bits of energy that she had in her.

Mikai grinned underneath her armor. "Then I'll get them off your back. You take care of the speedy one!" The shorter heroine cried out as she dashed towards the crowd of Pawns, her entire armor coating in flames as she jumped into the air...

"KING'S ERUPTION!"

Before launching herself down at the ground below, sending powerful shockwaves of flame out from the impact point. That should buy her ally some time, now that the mooks were done with..!

"MINA MINA MINA! GOOOOOO MINA!"

Unfortunately, they weren't done. The cheerleader Pawns, the ones that responded to the cry of the Cheer Champ, cheered the fallen Pawns on. And almost as quickly as they had been thrown down by the flames, they all stood back up with their eyes laser focused on the lion heroine.

'Looks like bigger attacks just fizzle out. We still need to get to the Jõtaijin too. Any ideas?' Chimera asked within the girl's mind, constantly focused on the objective.

Mimoto nodded as she clenched her fist. "If we can't blow them away, we'll just dash through them!" She cried out, crossing her arm in front of her as she slid a hand across her belt, the flames chilling as the air around her froze in place.

"CHOU HENSHIN!"

The icy air absorbed into her armor, coating it and transforming it into the icy-flavored wolf-themed armor she had conjured up the week before, with her claws quickly extending. As much as she wanted to announce her presence, now wasn't the time!

With all of those enemies in the way, the ones still encroaching upon her, a blowing them back wasn't an option. So instead, she had to go straight through them.

The grass underneath her feet froze over as she slashed her claws against one another, before howling into the air above causing her visor to slide over the rest of her helmet. She could see the path she needed to take, as she leapt into the air with her claws outstretched..!

"Alpha Hunt!"

Using her speed, she practically flew through the air. Using one Pawn as a stepping stone, she slashed into it and flew to the next in line. From the shoulders of one enemy, onto another, every single one acting as yet another point for her to leap from, until..!

"M! I! N! A-"

The loud cheer was pre-emptively cut off, courtesy of a pair of claws digging into her exposed body. Cutting against those muscles, knocking the loudmouthed Jõtaijin to the ground and cutting off the energy that poured out of her into the pawns that she controlled.

"No fair! I was just cheering my bestie on!" Cheer Champ whined, the wound inflicted by the heroine healing on her body as she got back up, flexing her muscles as she looked down upon the much smaller yet violent 'wolf'. "Why do you have to make that stop?!"

Mimoto's visor snapped up, as she slowly put her hands in front of her chest. "Because she told me not to get in her way! So I'm stopping you, so all of this can stop!" Her eyes flashed, as the air around her grew colder. Time slowing down as she focused her gaze on the larger target...

"You're going to regret getting in between me and Mina!" The purple-haired Jõtaijin cried out as she threw a punch at the smaller wolf, only to miss as she had seemingly disappeared. "...Eh? Where'd she go?"

As she tried to look for her, she noticed that her body had several tiny indents. As if she had already been slashed. As if she was in danger. She could feel the dread filling her heart as she slowly turned around, barely catching a glimpse of the blue-shaded heroine...

"Alpha Freeze."

Only for the air around to thaw, the 'gashes' opening up and delivering hit upon hit to the larger girl. Enough damage to disable her, the heroine was sure of it..!

And yet, despite the pain within her, despite her body screaming at her to give up, the Cheer Champ stood tall. And if anything, she was more determined. "Mina... MINA! YOU CAN DO IT! DRAIN THEM ALL!"

The Pawns around the park, the ones that weren't cheerleaders, quickly fell back down. Deprived of their energy once more. Because all of the cheerleaders focused their empowering cheers on the Glory Chaser, filling her with more than enough power to wipe out anybody that'd dare stand in her way.

"...A desperado play. On both of their parts." Hiro muttered, noticing the mass of Pawns falling down. There was only one target remaining...

The Glory Chaser laughed maniacally as she jumped out from the crowd. Her very existence was turning fragile, as every breath she took caused her body to jolt in between the dimensions. She had consumed too much power. If she got any more, she was going to end up destroying herself from her unbridled ambition and desire. And the last thing standing between her and that end...

Was the heroine she still wanted to drain. PAWN.

"You're mine. MINE! MINE MINE MINE MINE MINE!" The Glory Chaser shouted, practically driven insane as she rushed towards her prey, scarlet sparks pouring off her body as she disappeared from the naked eye.

It felt like time stood still as Hiro saw her disappear. She knew that she couldn't dodge. She knew that any actual blow would just trade, leaving her at a disadvantage. Her options were limited.

But she wouldn't give up. That's not the kind of woman she was. "HUANGLONG! PROMOTION!" She shouted as she felt the force of the impact approaching her face.

"Permission Granted."

A forcefield appeared around her, launching the violent monster back for just a brief moment. Enough for the heroine to breathe, and enough to call upon her secret weapon. The upgrade that she has asked for, after her loss to Mimoto. "Jouchaku Change." Her voice grew calmer, as powerful letters flashed on the inside of her visor.

'PAWN to ROOK.'

The briefcase that has been sitting at her desk burst open as a set of mechanical parts flew through the air, knocking out several Cheerleader Pawns in the process, the parts swivelling around her after their arrival before guiding lines shot out from each part to various parts of her body. Primarily her arms and her chest.

A proper helmet, with the crown of a Rook. Enlarged shoulders allowing for a greater range of movement. Thickened armor plating on her arms. Enormous hands, capable of tearing anything apart. And a new chest place, with 'ROOK' written on the front.

ROOK grabbed the final piece as it flew past her, sliding it onto her wrist. A shield the size of her enormous knuckle, ready to guard against any attack that her enemy could throw at her.

"Promotion complete. Byakko's modifications are working smoothly. Will this be enough to deal with her?" Huanglong asked, as the heavily upper-body-armored heroine stared down the golden Jõtaijin.

He didn't need to ask. Even as the Glory Chaser came in for yet another strike, it would be the last one.

“MIIIIIINE!” The Jõtaijin screamed as she lashed towards the heroine one more time, attempting to go for a lower strike to take advantage of her heavier body.

All that happened was a swift block from ROOK, stopping her attack in its tracks. This time, she didn’t find a way over or under the heroine, stuck in that one spot. And it would prove to be her downfall.

The blade that flicked out from the shield, covered in violent flames, would ensure that.

"SAINT ON - SUZAKU" "Checkmate."

It happened in a split second. A slash that went cleanly through her. Not just her. Every single pawn in the nearby area, whether created by the Chaser or the Champ, felt the burn of her attack. Burning away their wild desire. Burning away what contained them. Burning away it all...

Leaving them reduced to their old selves. All except the Chaser, whose body merely convulsed as her power left her, the golden specks she had absorbed from everyone slowly returning to those she had stolen it from. Leaving her body permanently glowing crimson, the sign of a body that eternally craved somebody else's glory. The sign of Mina Magatsu's inner envy, let out to rage without anything to hold it back.

"Mina! MINA!" The Cheer Champ cried out, as she ran towards the fallen Jõtaijin, her emotions getting the better of her. Even knocking the wolf-themed heroine aside to try and get there faster-

"Thunderbolt." ROOK muttered, having swung her blade before snapping it back into the shield it had been hidden within.

A wave of raging fire pierced through the cheering Jõtaijin, the effects of the powerful attack quickly burning away at her will. With her friend defeated, taking her down was easier than ever. Leaving her to collapse onto her knees, transforming back into simple old Rika, her muscled body still on display for any remaining spectators.

Mimoto paused as she looked towards the transformed version of Hiro. Before giggling a little, and throwing her a thumbs up. The two had managed to work together properly this time.

ROOK looked at her for a moment, before her armor released powerful steam, disappearing into specks of energy. The addon as well, unfortunately.

Hiro decided to show the girl mercy. Just this once. She had done what she came to do. Now, she'd leave. And return to report to headquarters, of course. Both with the Jõtaijin in mind, and the results of both new systems' performance.

All while not noticing several of the spectators, the ones that hadn't been transformed into Pawns, quietly gasping in sheer shock and awe at the power that their public defender possessed.

Not long after the public heroine left, so did Mimoto. Disappearing into the thickets, de-transforming moments after with a big grin on her face.

'And what are you grinning for, Mikai? She just showed you that you still had a long way to go.' Chimera spoke up within the girl's mind, wondering why she'd be so happy at a time like this.

Mikai giggled as she climbed down from the tree. "Because she didn't hit me this time. And she only yelled a little." She explained simply, stretching a little. She was a little sad that she'd not get to do the marathon, but working alongside Hiro was worth it. "And..."

Her grin widened further, her eyes lighting up with stars. "I can't believe she's so cool!" She laughed to herself, with her mental passenger just sighing and shrugging her imaginary shoulders...

That mood of hers would never fade, despite the adversity. Only growing in brightness, as the people around her grew closer...

---

"...This was your doing, wasn't it?"

Sitting in her office, Byakko quietly sipped from a cup of milk as she looked out the window, having watched the entire fight unfold. With difficulty, considering the difference in elevation.

"I don't know what you might be talking about, dear Byakko." A soothing, yet devilish voice echoed over the intercom. "This was entirely due to your devices, no? The Promotion System and the Saint System, working in tandem to heavily empower our dear Hiro?"

The white-haired kitty slowly sipped from her cup, a scowl on her face. "I didn't install that shield. The actual equip speed and the response time of the systems have been improved beyond my parameters. You messed with them before Hiro got ahold of them." She wasn't pleased. Especially as she squeezed her claw around that thick cup.

"My, that's an accusation. You wouldn't want to make our dear Lord disappointed in you, if you were to raise it at the wrong person." The voice spoke once more, before a giggle left her lips. "I only wish for the Lord's Pawn to perform perfectly. That system of hers is very valuable, after all."

Byakko turned towards the holographic display hovering above her desk. Showing a woman with white hair and a black streak woven in between all of those chalk-like strands, who wore a distinctly black-colored suit compared to everyone else that served Atlas Corp. "What are you getting out of this, Qilin?"

"Results." Was all that she said, before the feed cut off. Leaving that single word to dwell within the kitty's head as she looked back towards the city below.

...Next time she'd give Hiro an upgrade, she'd make sure that sneaky bitch didn't touch it at all. Glory-stealing bitch...