[Tokusatsu Themes, Corruption]
"Mama was supposed to come down! Why hasn't she come down!?"
The frustrated voice of one 'Mikai Fushimi' echoed out after she had cut off the broadcast that was meant to alert the whole world to her plot. Because despite the fact that she had managed to open up a portal in the sky, one that would lead straight to the Darkness where her Mama resided, there was no sign of her! Had she been scammed?
"She must not be awake yet." The stoic voice of the converted Tsukiko Tsurugi replied, hand still firmly grasping the blade that was embedded within Ouroboros' body. She had not moved from her position, merely watching over her 'sister'.
"That's easy enough for you to say, Luna!" 'Mikai' said, scoffing as she brushed her hand through her tentacular hair. It wasn't fair. They were supposed to win all of this so easily. That's what Lumiel had said. She just had to crush her empty body's soul, and there was nothing that was going to get in their way.
And yet, despite the presence of the armored girl that had everything taken away from her... Their plan only seemed to be in its first few stages. Was Mama truly asleep? Or had that bastard Magician pulled a fast one on her?
Dark Dragon didn't move. She didn't react. All she did was stand there. Stewing in her despair. All while 'Mikai' walked over to her and gently patted her on the back, treating her in such an infuriatingly condescending manner... Not that the girl within could care. Right now, she was like a puppet dancing in accordance with her emotions' wishes...
'Luna' looked up at the sky herself, closing her eyes gently. "If Mama has not yet awoken, then let us take this as an opportunity to feed. That's what Mama would want us to do." The armored Child of Cepha said, a small trail of drool rolling down her chin. "You must be hungry, Little One. You were here for much longer than any of us."
"I don't wanna eat! I wanna see Mama win!" 'Mikai' cried out, stomping her foot into the ground. Even if she was, in essence, the exact same thing as Luna... She didn't just want to gouge herself. She could've eaten her empty body at any time. But instead, she went through all the trouble of making this plan click. To have it just blow up in her face like this was making her really frustrated...
"Ahaha! Little One! Splendid work! Truly splendid!"
Luna and 'Mikai' turned their heads to look towards the bombastic voice approaching them, only for the latter to grimace as she saw a draconic head that definitely didn't fit the female body it was currently resting on top of. Helheim had lost. Again! "Better work than you've been doing, you piece of junk! You can't even beat one of those girls, so why do you keep on being so damn happy?" It was a genuine question. How could he be happy with such slow progress?
"Every fight leads me close to our overall goal, Little One." Helheim asserted, while having his head adjusted by Neoheim's body so it didn't lean too far to one side. "Those Jõtaiders may be strong now, but they'll slip up eventually. And besides, strong competitors means that the world itself is strong. Which means that I'll be winning in the long run! The strongest worlds are the ones that bring The Darkness the greatest glory!"
"The Overlord speaks the truth." Luna nodded in agreement. "Even if I believe he may be overestimating the ones that fought to protect this world." She muttered, all while driving her heel into the serpent she currently stood on top of.
Cries of pain echoed from Ouroboros' body, while 'Mikai' just rolled her eyes. It was nothing more than an excuse. But she didn't have it in her to bother correcting him. "Whatever. Just get to work on repairing your body. If we really are going to have to wait for Mama to return, then I need you."
"Excellent! You will not be disappointed, Little One!" Helheim laughed, with Neoheim's body doing her best to add to the oomph of her Master's laughter. Truly a pair of idiots, even if they were strong...
"Divine Territory!"
A loud and powerful cry echoed out, as the ground underneath Hel-Neo-Heim suddenly turned pure black. And before they had a chance to truly react, they were launched and shattered, courtesy of the wicked hands that emerged from that blackened space. Thankfully, they were launched in Luna's direction, the armored menace catching all the parts out of the air using her 'hair'...
'Mikai' tightly squeezed her fist as she launched, before turning her attention towards the one that had just arrived. The golden-armored Jõtaider that served as the crux of her plan. "Kanzei... No, Saki-senpai. I really must thank you. As much as you've gotten in the way, you've really been a great help too!"
"Spare me the evil gloating, Kimiko." Saki said, tapping the ground with her cane as all the darkness vanished and her helmet materialized over her head in a bright golden flash. "All I need to know is that you're with them. And for that reason, I will destroy you. Then I'll save her!" She cried out, the hammer of her mind ringing out as her cane transformed into a golden revolver, the 'hero' firing shot after shot in the span of a few seconds.
Kimiko smiled as the Dark Dragon got in between her and her 'Senpai', taking each shot without as much as a scratch or a crack in the armor. "Nah. I'm going to gloat, because I've been waiting for this for a long time. So you just stand there and have some fun with Mikai. I'm sure you two have a lot to catch up on!"
Dark Dragon focused her gaze on the golden girl in front of her. And the few emotions that bubbled around inside of her started to roar out. "Kan...ZEI..!" She screamed, her green eyes turning golden as her helmet's mouthpiece ripped apart, like a dragon opening its jaw...
Kanzei's hammer rang out as her revolver was recrafted into a sword and a shield. All while she was forced to face off against the girl that had been a thorn in her side... And the girl that had seemingly taken advantage of all of it. "You really think that she'll be a match for me, Kimiko? Did you not see how many times she failed to defeat me?"
"She's not wrong." Helheim said, his head still held up by one of Luna's tentacles. "The Golden Jõtaider has consistently proven herself to be the strongest. Not strong enough to take me in a fight on her own, but stronger than most!"
"You say that, and yet you're the one that needed backup this time around!" Kanzei shot back, not about to let that bastard Overlord have the last word...
Though perhaps she should've been focusing on what was in front of her, rather than trading sass. Thanks to her focus faltering after a moment, Dark Dragon had an opening. And with great ferocity, she struck. Roaring to the skies as she lunged forward and slammed her claw straight into the shield that just barely managed to block her strike...
Kanzei seemed rather stunned by the amount of damage that was inflicted to her shield, all while Kimiko laughed. "You may have been able to beat Mikai, Saki-senpai... But this isn't Mikai. This is everything that I've been working towards. The culmination of my efforts. What happens when a soul as empty and as pure as hers finally experiences everything that Humanity has to offer!"
Dark Dragon, despite doing killer damage to Kanzei's protective armament, did not stop. Once she had landed one attack, she would keep pressing her advantage. Lunging forward as the horns on her gauntlets seemed to outright extend, trying to skewer their way into Kanzei's form!
"Those are big words for somebody so cowardly, Kimiko!" Kanzei shouted as she made do with her blade, her mind's hammer ringing out as she repaired any damage done to it while she slashed against the strikes. Her offense was the best defense she has. And even then, she knew that it wouldn't last. Because these strikes truly were so much stronger than before...
Where had all of this willpower hidden itself away? Mikai was supposed to be a girl that didn't hold the same kinds of convictions as she did. So why was she able to strike like this? Why did getting shut inside some stupid armor make her stronger!?
"The Jõtai are fueled by willpower!" Kimiko shouted, the winds of change and victory blowing past her as she started gloating. "And what is willpower? Is it a wish to protect those you love? Is it a wish to keep people from doing what they want?" Her laughter echoed out as she slammed her hands against one another. "It's neither, and yet both! And the strongest will of all... The strongest willpower is vengeance! So what happens when I take a girl who's never felt the need to inflict vengeance upon anything and fill her heart with so much grief and hate that the only thing she could possibly do is lash out?!"
"Then why isn't she attacking you?!" Kanzei cried out, having to jump back as her hammer rang out once again, turning her fractured blade into a pair of matching shotguns, peltering the relentless dragon in pellets to make her back away and give her space to breathe.
Dark Dragon roared, still not affected by the attacks fired at her. But as she watched Kanzei keep on playing hard to get, and she examined the way that she was crafting her weapons, something clicked inside the darkened girl. And she grabbed a hold of the horns on her gauntlet... And twisted them around, giving more space for her gauntlets.
The corrupted heroine let out another roar, as the armor covering her forearm slid forward and covered her hand. Like a dragon snapping down onto her limb. But moments later, it opened up once again... And then a blade took its place. A long blade with symbols decorating it. Each radiating with nothing but hate..!
"She's learning..!?" Kanzei cried out, quickly turning her guns into a pair of blades that she used to clash against the much larger blade that came out of Dark Dragon's arm, with both blades shattering on impact. "And it's stronger too?!"
"I told you, she's powered by vengeance! By hate, by anger, by everything that I've been forcing her to endure! And it's all because of you, Saki-senpai!" Kimiko laughed, so much so that she nearly ended up falling over. "Because you decided you couldn't stand her being a heroine, you allowed me to dig in and make her understand what it meant to be betrayed! What it meant to be hated! What it meant to doubt in herself and think that nobody was willing to tolerate her!"
Kanzei's hammer rang out... But it missed. The sound that resonated through her was not one of hammer meeting a weapon about to be forged. It was the hammer hitting the ground. Which critically left her open, as Dark Dragon's blade came rushing towards her chest.
"KAAAAAAAANZEEEEEEEEI!" The Dark Dragon roared as she skewered her enemy. The blade found its mark, piercing straight through the golden armor as it slid further and further inside. All while the corrupted heroine roared. Not in victory... But in deep despair. Even getting her vengeance wasn't enough...
The golden Jõtaider screamed as well, the pain rushing through her stronger than anything before. It was overwhelming. So strong that she couldn't even bear to think about what was going on. It allowed her to distract herself from the truth, even as she was tossed off that hate-filled blade, her body rolling towards Kimiko...
Allowing the heroine's emotions to step on her head, letting her helmet shatter in the process. "So, Saki-senpai. How's it feel? To be a Hero who intentionally spurned her friend? All because she wanted to be the only Hero, when you could've just accepted her and fought alongside her?" Kimiko grinned, before laughing a little more. "I know you wouldn't be able to. You'd try to force her away. Because you're selfish. You're no hero. You're a tool. And I made very good use of you..."
Saki's face was revealed underneath the helmet as it cracked too much, the hole in her chest barely able to stitch itself together with the will flowing through her. Will that was quickly depleting, evident by those very same stitches coming undone. She had been played... Used... And the worst part is, she couldn't deny that it was exactly because of what she had done. It was because she had chosen to take responsibility for her actions that it all got this bad...
"What's the matter? Cat's got your tongue?" Kimiko's grin widened as she stomped her foot down on her 'Senpai'. "Come on! Say something! Where's that bravado!? Where's that prideful bitch that couldn't just agree to fight alongside somebody and not hog the spotlight!? WHERE IS SHE?!" Her furious venom poured forth, stomping harder and harder, blood spilling onto the ground with every stomp...
Helheim watched from a distance, concern on the Overlord's expression. "This... This brings me no glory. It's a futile victory. Entirely self-serving." He muttered, before turning his gaze to Luna. "Do you approve of the Little One's methods, Luna?"
"Mama told her that she could do anything. And as she's part of that girl... What she had bottled up must have leaked into her." Luna replied in a stoic manner, while one of her other tentacles drew a circle in the air to open up a simple portal. "Regardless, you should leave, Overlord. The Little One and I can take it from here."
Before Helheim had a chance to further comment on the situation, he (and the rest of Neoheim's body parts) were tossed into the portal, leaving the Luna sisters alone with their prey.
Saki didn't react much to the stomping, beyond cries of pain as she endured as much as she could. She was thinking about her actions. Thinking about how much she had been responsible for. And yet, she knew... She wasn't the only one that had helped her fall this far...
Before that foot came bearing down on her head once more, the golden Jõtaider grabbed ahold of Kimiko's ankle... And slowly glared up at her. That's right... She wasn't the only one. "If you stoked it all... Then why is she not attacking you..?" She said, cracking a slight smile. "She'll turn on you. If she's as hateful as you've made her out to be."
"Oh, she's attacking me." Kimiko grinned back, briefly moving her hand past her face as she replaced that purple face with Mikai's. "Or rather, I'm attacking myself. I'm making her pay for everything she's done. Making her pay for trusting in you... For believing that she could just reach out and everything would be okay." That wicked girl laughed, her face still looking just like Mikai's...
...Then the golden Jõtaider laughed. From the depths of her heart, she laughed. "I see... So you're really just lashing out at all of us. If you really are part of Mikai, then there's no way that I'm the only reason..." With her suspicions confirmed, the bloodied girl had her wounds pull themselves together while her armor repaired. "And now that you're this close..!"
Kimiko would have none of the golden Jõtaider's arrogance, kicking her off her leg and launching her towards Dark Dragon, who prepared her blade once again with full intent to skewer her. Only this time, the attempted stab was met with a dark barrier, one that repelled the stab. Not permanently, but just long enough that Kanzei could get herself back on her feet.
"It's true..." Kanzei said as she stood tall, cane reappearing in her hands. "I have been awful to her. I have turned her away. Betrayed her and fought to keep her off the field! But that won't stop me! I won't stop fighting to protect her from herself!"
"You really don't listen to anybody but yourself." Kimiko narrowed her eyes, all while her face returned to normal. "You're just going to lose again if you think you can win like that. You're not learning anything. You're delusional!" Just looking at Kanzei was starting to piss her off. It was a good thing that she wasn't her emotions, because she'd probably hate her even more for being so damn thick-headed!
Kanzei laughed. Then she tossed her cane to the sky, her hammer ringing out once more as it turned into a golden lance. "OUROBOROS! IT'S TIME TO FEAST!" She screamed, letting the lance fly towards its target.
Kimiko's eyes widened as the lance went flying right overhead. It wasn't aimed at her at all. It was aimed at Luna! What in the world was that girl thinking?! "Are you out of your mind?! She attacked you and Mikai when you last met! What makes you think she won't attack you!?"
All she got in return was a laugh. All while Luna drew her blade from the downed serpent, using it to slash the lance out of the way. And by pulling her sword out of the serpent, it was able to move once more...
"Stay down, Minami! These guys are too much for us!" Ouroboros cried out within the downed girl's mind. But her words went unheeded. For a simple reason, one single thing that ensured that the white-haired girl would keep fighting...
The reason she had come here was because she wanted to save Saeko. And that purple monster was still responsible for harming her. So even though she had suffered so much, Minami was still willing to fight. Which was why the serpentine Jõtaider forced herself to move.
Luna blinked as she was suddenly pushed away, with the purple serpent dashing forward. All while a single scream echoed from Ouroboros. Representing both the Jõtaider's hunger and her intent to harm the culprit behind everything.
Kimiko grit her teeth as she was now trapped between a rock and a hard place, prompting her to snap her tentacles. In response, Dark Dragon rushed right past both Kanzei and her, intercepting Ouroboros with a roar of her own and slamming her blade straight down on the purple Jõtaider.
Though her strike didn't meet its mark. Ouroboros' tail managed to wrap around the blade and lock it in place, all while the Jõtaider started to laugh and her mask started to crack a bit from the strain. Minami's golden eye became visible, as well as the crazed look within. "You... You hurt Saeko! You'll be the perfect meal to satiate this burning hatred inside me!"
Kanzei smirked a little under her helmet. That's right. Saeko was here too. And with Ouroboros having a goal close to her own, maybe they could work together for the time being. Even if Dark Dragon was strong, there was no way that she could take the both of them.
"...You care about that weak girl?" Kimiko's eyebrow twitched. Right before she started laughing again as she gave the battlefield another good once-over. "...Luna! Can I? Please?" She chimed, sounding almost a little too excited with how things had turned out.
Luna took a look at the situation as well. Two Jõtaiders, and the Dark Dragon that the Little One had turned. Very well, these seemed like adequate odds. "Go ahead. But if things fall out of your control, I will step in." Her voice was as stoic as ever. And she had faith in her 'Little Sister'. They were going to win. That much was definitely certain.
Kimiko laughed even more as she let her hand slide across her waist, only to reveal the exact same type of Jõtai that Mikai usually wore. Something that both Kanzei and Ouroboros reacted to with wild shock. If she had one, then...
"Henshin!"
Golden energies wrapped around Kimiko as she cried out, before those very same energies were twisted and turned into pure darkness. Darkness that seeped into her body and solidified around it, clenching down until there was nothing left to cover. Once the darkness went away, her new form was revealed. A form that, just like her regular one, looked just like Mikai's.
The differences were mainly in the palette, which were more like a Luna's traditional hues and shades... And the fact that the lion iconography was replaced with a Liger's. And as she bared her fangs and dark flames started to pour off her, Kimiko was more than happy to laugh while punching her fist into the palm of her hand.
"Let's see how you two are going to handle me, the True Mimoto! And my ultimate form, Lunar Liger!" She had truly stolen everything that was Mikai's, and the way she focused on Kanzei after declaring her identity... It really made it seem like she was fighting against Mikai. But that was just how it seemed. It wasn't really her. It was a fake..!
Kanzei steeled herself as she called her lance back to her, meeting True Mimoto's fist with her weapon. And already she could see that she was going to be a difficult opponent, with how the tip of her lance started to break just from contact with the Liger's fist...
Sensing that her 'better half' was safe, Dark Dragon let out another roar and ripped her blade free from Ouroboros' tail, before trying to slash at her again. This time, with more hate covering the blade. This thing she was fighting against... It proved that some monsters were just despicable. Some just needed to be exterminated!
Ouroboros quickly avoided the slash, gasping as her mask regenerated. Seeing Kimiko transform was enough to briefly bring her back to her sensibilities. "These... These are the kinds of people that we're supposed to eat..? Can we beat them..?" She muttered...
"No way, not a chance at all!" Ouroboros' voice cried out inside her mind, before it turned into laughing. "But we can't get away. You got us into this mess, Minami! We're going to eat them, no matter what!" The artificial Darkness within her had seen enough. There was no way they were getting away. So better to just cut loose!
Minami agreed with a brief nod, as the eyes on her helmet flashed golden. "Then let's eat!" She cried out, her tail glowing bright as she dashed at the much larger Dark Dragon. She was going to defeat her and eat her out of that shell!
"What's the matter?! You were so proud just a few moments ago, but now you're on the backfoot!" True Mimoto cried out as she smashed straight through the weapons that tried to clash against her, laughing all the while. "You must've realized that you can't stand up to my kind of vengeance! My kind of hate!"
Kanzei was definitely on the defensive, her hammer ringing out louder and louder as she worked harder and harder to repair the weapons that were broken in a mere matter of seconds. Right before she saw her opening, her hammer loudly rang through her ears with great intensity as darkness gathered in her fist.
True Mimoto noticed what was going on, laughing as she jumped back slightly. "You really think your power will work against me, don't you? Well then, try it! I'll show you just how weak you really are, Saki-senpai!" She said, all while her own power started to gather in the palm of her hand. If she could do it, then so would she...
"DIVINE DECREE!"
Kanzei declared her attack as she held that darkened fist forward, only for it to pull True Mimoto back towards her. And in the same instant, the darkness spread across her golden form and down to her foot, allowing her to stomp into the ground below while bellowing out the name of another attack. "DIVINE JUDGMENT!"
The same sort of circle that would call forth the binding chains of Divine Bind appeared beneath the two, except this time it wasn't chains that flooded out. No, it was spears. Spears that fired off and skewered their way into True Mimoto, each letting the sound of shattering armor resound. Drowning out the sound of her laughter...
Until they shattered, and Kanzei's confidence with it. Just as True Mimoto used her power to gather the essence of those spears into the palm of her hand. And from there, they acted as the fuel of the dark flames swirling around. Flames that were pressed against Kanzei's chest, as True Mimoto returned the favor.
"DESPAIR DRIVE: ERUPTION!"
Just like Mimoto's King's Eruption, True Mimoto's Eruption let all the power she had concentrated into a small point explode outward. But these blackened flames were much more powerful. Nearly melting away Kanzei's armor and leaving several parts of her burnt, while the rest of the area around the two of them was definitely on the verge of complete destruction as well...
And Kanzei was forced to stay standing, because if she faltered then there was no telling what the girl would do. So she grit her teeth as her will reformed her armor, her eye turning golden as she glared straight at the mockery of her rival...
"Ouroboros... OUROBOROS!"
Dark Dragon was fighting against the serpent that kept on slithering away from her attacks. Regardless of her large blade, she was able to keep on the defensive due to the natural slippery nature of her armor...
But that didn't mean Ouroboros was able to deliver good hits. She needed to focus on the defensive, because one good hit from that enemy would leave her broken. Something that the passenger within her was reminding her of every time she swerved out of the way.
What could she do? She didn't have the same kind of versatility that Kanzei had. But what she had was her speed. And with that speed, perhaps if she... That's it, that's exactly what she needed to do!
Ouroboros laughed as her tail swiped forward, jamming its bladed tip straight against Dark Dragon's chest. It didn't do any real damage, but it definitely did make a mark. A mark that Dark Dragon simply ignored as she tried to slash once again.
"DESTROY!"
But a single tap was all that she needed. Screaming out as she let her Darkness-flavored venom pour through Dark Dragon, the mark exploded. And as Dark Dragon was covered in smoke from that explosion, there was no way that she was going to-
"OUROBOROOOOOOOS!"
The roar rang out, and Ouroboros was struck down. Her body was screaming as she was slashed by that blade, the hate within pouring into her. All while the smoke faded away and revealed that the blow had done absolutely nothing. Not even exploding her 'venom' was enough to do anything...
"Ouroboros!" Kanzei cried out, still on the backfoot after recovering from the Eruption, gritting her teeth under her helmet before narrowly avoiding a fist aimed at her face. There wasn't much that she could do, and if she didn't do anything, then Ouroboros would perish... And that...
"Ahahaha!" True Mimoto cried out as the blackened flames poured around her, before focusing on her arms. "Despair Drive: Thrust!" She shouted, before thrusting forward with incredible speed, slamming straight into Kanzei and knocking her flying before she had a chance to dodge.
The golden Jõtaider's mental hammer rang out as she materialized a pair of long blades, using them to stop her from getting launched too far. Which just happened to bring her closer to the serpent that had been struck down...
After everything she had done, could she really allow herself to try and be heroic? Of course. She would protect them. Even if they would scream and complain about it... But more importantly, because of the attachment that Saeko held towards that girl. As much as Saeko had gone through, especially in terms of inadvertently causing herself too much pain, she was going to try and give her some form of relief.
Dark Dragon growled as she lowered onto all fours, aiming her blade towards Ouroboros' chest. This time, she was going to finish her off. Finish off that monster that needed to be exterminated. Before she had the chance to indulge far beyond what should be allowed..!
"Open your eyes, Mikai!" Kanzei shouted as she let the hammer ring out several times over, letting all of her power gather into her arm. Just as the golden one did. Just as she did when she blasted all of those Luna out of the sky, trying to protect her. She would do the same, even if it burnt out her remaining energy..!
Dark Dragon flinched for a single moment. And that's all that Kanzei needed, as the golden Jõtaider's arm started to shine. Turning silver for a brief moment from the sheer amount of power gathered in it, and that very same power being drained out through her hand.
"HOPPING BLAST!"
As the words left her lips, a mighty beam fired straight at Dark Dragon. A beam made from her desire... Her darkness. As it was tainted by her beliefs and her will, it turned pure black. Even somebody made from darkness and hate like Dark Dragon would have a difficult time trying to endure this attack!
Dark Dragon was slammed straight on by the attack, roaring as she was forced back. Just far enough back that Ouroboros got the chance to crawl away, all while the roar grew louder and louder. And while it definitely sounded painful, it also sounded so... filled with rage...
Kanzei collapsed onto her knee as the beam sputtered out, gasping as most of her armor dissolved right after that. She couldn't concentrate. Her sight was blurry. But at least she had saved Ouroboros, if only for a moment...
True Mimoto watched as the energies that had been fired into Dark Dragon continued to pulse all across her form, a smug smirk appearing underneath her helmet. "Wooooow. What a beam. Where'd you learn that, Saki-senpai? It sounded a little familiar... Maybe you learned it from some other golden pain in the neck?"
"That... That was..."
"Yeah... That was Mama's attack..."
The Jõtaikillers, who had passed out from their prior encounter with Kimiko, were awoken by the sheer desire pouring around in the air. They couldn't stay down. Not now. They promised that they would do anything to-
Both Hayato and Ero were forced to scream as a pair of blades were stabbed into their backs. "Stay still." Luna said, having kept an eye on the two. Ouroboros was bad enough, but she wasn't about to allow two more to join the fight. Especially now that one of them was almost done, and the other had been grievously injured. "Little One, please stop playing with your food."
"Oh, don't worry! Dark Dragon's got it!"
Kanzei blinked, before noticing exactly what was happening. The beam that she had fired at Dark Dragon hadn't damaged her... No, it had overcharged her. That's why she was forced back. The power inside her was too much. "OUROBOROS! GET AWAY!"
It was easy enough for the golden girl to say, she wasn't the one currently aching all over. And she wasn't the one whose body was naturally crippled. The weaker she got, the more she had to deal with her body refusing to obey her commands...
Ouroboros looked over her shoulder, and immediately felt dread filling the gaps that frustration left open. Dark Dragon was filled with so much energy that it was starting to leak out in the form of blades sprouting from her body, none perhaps nearly as obvious or as deadly as the ones on the corrupted heroine's tail...
"OUROBOROS..! KANZEEEEEIII! KIIIIIIIILLLLLLLL!" Dark Dragon was driven mad with rage from the overload of energy, roaring as her tail lashed out. Not only was it covered in blades, but it was synchronized to her murderous mood, launching forward and stretching with clear intent to leave the serpentine Jõtaider with much less body to worry about...
The serpentine girl was prepared for the worst, even as she closed her eyes. But all she heard was the sound of a blade meeting a shield. She didn't feel the cold sensation of blood leaving her body...
"You... All of you... You'll pay..!"
Ouroboros opened her eyes, and saw the black-and-white woman in front of her. The mechanical Jõtaider that... That was meant to be her prey, and the one she hated most of all.
PAWN. Hiro Fukano had arrived. And she had saved her, despite everything...
"Ahaha! Welcome, welcome! Good to see you, Hiro!" True Mimoto laughed, before her tone took on an angry tint. "That Magician sure did his job well, if you're here! Did he just leave after I started the Descent, or what?!"
PAWN, pushing back against the tail currently embedded in the shield that belonged to her ROOK module, just smiled. She wasn't able to equip everything, but she had brought that just in case. And it had come in handy...
Even if it left her in Bat's debt...
---
"Well, well, well. It seems like I allowed a little mouse to get away."
Lumiel dusted off his gloves as he looked upon the scene in front of him. One of the girls he was assigned to keep busy had managed to get past him, another was currently nursing a rather grievous wound, and the last two...
Bat smiled as she curtsied towards the Prime Darkness. "You were far too focused on us, I'm afraid. But don't worry. You won't be getting away yourself. My dear D'Or would be greatly displeased with me if I allowed that to happen."
"And what's she going to say when you allowed an ally to get hurt?" Qilin snarked, despite the wound. All while letting out faint whimpers due to the bandages being wrapped around her.
Seiryu glared at Qilin. This was no time to joke around. Especially since she was in charge of making sure she didn't bleed out. "You better know what you're doing, Golden Freedom." She said, glancing towards the Baroness that had aided them.
"Of course. In fact, I'll be sure to give this man exactly what he deserves." Bat replied, as she pulled her hand up and kissed the back of her ring, letting a golden glow flood the room...
As the ring turned into another Hopper System, this one slightly tinted rose as Bat let it slide across her chest, winking towards the magician that had been such a pain in the neck.
"Allow me to invite you to this next dance, Lumiel. It's not often that I get to fight at my strongest."
Lumiel tipped his hat, and smirked a little. Very well, things were about to get a lot more difficult...
---
Hiro had mentally mapped the current condition of the battlefield. That fake Mikai, Kimiko, had transformed into an even faker Mimoto. Mikai was stuck inside an armor formed from her own despair, and Tsukiko... She was keeping those Killers down. If not for her current condition, she would've actually thanked her.
But no. She couldn't allow herself to falter. She was meant to protect Mikai. They were partners. So she'd save her from herself. "Get up, you two!" She shouted, pouring energy through her shield and purging it to create a gap between her and Dark Dragon.
Dark Dragon roared as she stared towards Hiro, as well as the two Jõtaiders that were starting to get back up onto their feet. "HIRO... KANZEI... OUROBOROS... HATE... HATE... HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE!" She screamed, claws darting towards her head. It seemed like there were far too many things in front of her. Far too many things that she hated, and when combined with her overloading energy, she just couldn't keep fighting...
True Mimoto grit her teeth under the helmet. Very well. Since that empty husk couldn't fight while there was so much trash on the field, then she'd do it. "Despair Drive-"
Or so she would've. Except she felt a shiver of terror run down her spine, courtesy of her 'elder sister' looking in her direction. "L-Luna?" She muttered. She didn't like this feeling. It meant something terrible... Or something wonderful was about to happen. Either way, she knew that she should try and back away.
Luna smiled as she drew both blades from the downed Killers... and then summoned two more, ensuring they wouldn't get up. "You played with your food for too long, Little One. I feast upon your leftovers." She said, walking calmly until she stood in between Dark Dragon and the Jõtaiders, her helmet forming as it shut away the face of Hiro's former Sensei...
Ouroboros forced herself onto her feet. Though just looking at 'Luna' was enough to fill her with dread. This time, she couldn't help but agree with the voice inside her. She wasn't going to be able to win. So not only had her prey appeared before her, but it was... No, she had to stand. Because otherwise her prey was going to get away..!
Kanzei forced herself onto her feet. She recognized that armor. Not because she had seen her personally... But because of that golden woman. She had mentioned that she was looking for her. Why would an ally of that woman turn out like this? Regardless, her armor started to heal as her will to fight reignited...
"Tsukiko! Open your eyes!" Hiro shouted, as she clenched her fists. She had to go hard. Not just because of what was in front of her, but because her arm would no doubt try and get in the way again. She had to strike hard and true. Right now. "DESPERADO!"
Luna gazed upon the meal in front of her, as she slowly crossed her blades. All while she broke her stoic facade for a brief moment, giggling as blackened drool dripped from the front of her helmet...
"Luna Slayer."
The three Jõtaiders blinked, and each screamed out in pain as a blade found itself embedded in their chests. A blade that was driven further in, courtesy of several tentacles sticking out of Luna's back, while she had forced her way past them...
"I don't play with my food. I leave it to squirm. Until the very last drop of life has vanished... Only then will the meal be at its tastiest..." Luna said, her helmet folding away so she could bring another blade up to her lips, licking her tongue along the edge. Ah... The sounds of pure pain were like music to her ears. She was right to follow the Little One...
Yet why did her heart ache as she watched them? Especially that girl with the stripe...
"Aaaah! You're so strong, Luna!" True Mimoto clapped, giggling as she skipped towards the three girls. Now they weren't going to get in her way. And that meant that she could finish calling Mama to this world. Just as she had planned the entire time...
Hiro tried to reach for the blade burying into her chest, all while the sirens of her system were on the verge of shutting down pouring through her head. She... She had really done it. Her Tsukiko Sensei... Tried to kill her...
She could feel her heart about to break. But she needed to keep fighting. She reached for the handle of the blade, but her body refused to listen. Her consciousness was fading. Was this... Was this going to be the end..?
As she flickered on the edge of unconsciousness, she saw a gentle golden light... A familiar, warm golden light. A light that she hadn't seen for ten whole years. There's... There's no way that it was actually her light... It was just her life flashing before her eyes, wasn't it..?
"Hopper Split."
That was the last thing that Hiro heard before she lost consciousness. All while gold glow after gold glow took form, each of these glowing figures freeing the girls from the blades that had been driven into their chests...
"You! YOU! LUNA, GET HER!" True Mimoto instantly recognized what was happening, as she commanded her sister to do something. Anything. There's no way that she could let her win, not again!
Luna watched, and swung one of her blades in an attempt to send a shock straight through those strange glowing figures. Only for another one to form in front of her, grabbing her wrist before the swing finished.
"This isn't like you, Tsukiko." A familiar voice rang out from within that golden glow, with two additional glows forming near the downed Killers. "...I'll save you yet. Just hold on a little longer." Her voice turned grave, as the glow intensified in the span of a few seconds...
True Mimoto and Luna were both left blinded by the expanding glow, and by the time they were able to see once again... All the Jõtaiders had vanished. Leaving them with absolutely no prey, not even the spider that had been defeated by Mikai before she broke down in despair... and an empty shell that was still roaring, as Dark Dragon was still overloaded with all of that energy.
"Damnit!" True Mimoto cried out, stomping her foot into the ground. Not only had she not gotten to deal with any of the threats to the plan, but she also got a taste of that blasted golden woman's persistence. Even after all this time, she was still working to ruin their efforts. "Luna! We're going to go find Lumiel! That Magician is going to tell us how to get in contact with Mama!"
Luna didn't really listen, a little mesmerized by the golden glow. Though once it fully vanished, she snapped back to normal. "Very well."She said, nodding gently as she opened a gate to the Darkness with a simple cross-slice.
She didn't know why that golden glow made her feel something... But rest assured, it would not get the best of her a second time...
---
"M-Mikai!"
Saeko shot up, gasping and panting with sweat running down the sides of her head. What had just happened..? Why did she feel.. Empty? Wait... No, she remembered... She remembered all too well what had happened just a little bit ago...
She had... She had fought against Mikai. Because the girl wanted her to come back. And as she started to break down and turn more and more ruthless, it was up to her to try and stop her. Their relationship had reversed. The Villain trying to stop the Hero from going berserk...
And what had she earned for her troubles? ...The loss of her powers, if she had to take a guess. At least, that's what it felt like. It felt like something had been taken from her. Something vital, yet at the same time... It didn't feel like she couldn't move on with her life just because she had lost it. It was like it had been surgically removed, leaving everything else untouched.
"...Mikai..." Saeko muttered as the tears slowly started to roll down her cheeks. Everything she had done was now for nothing. Her powers had been stripped from her... And she could see what was happening outside. The sky was as dark as it had been ten years ago. Everything that could've gone wrong had gone wrong. And here she was. Paying for her mistakes.
There was no way that she could take back what she had done either. She was completely and utterly responsible for what had happened. If she hadn't turned Mikai... If she hadn't betrayed her... If she just hadn't been there in the first place, then-
The door to her room slammed open, making Saeko cry out in shock. And then the tears kept running down her face as she saw the icy-haired girl standing in the doorframe. Yuuki... The other girl that she had betrayed... The same girl that had set her free too, despite knowing what she had done. "Y-Yuuki..."
What she didn't expect was for the icy-haired girl to suddenly pounce towards her and pull her into a hug. A hug that kinda hurt, but one filled with relief. It made Saeko's cheeks flush bright red in confusion, especially as the girl pulled her tight.
"Thank the stars that you're okay! Thank... Thank goodness!" Yuuki cried out, tears running down her cheeks. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you had ended up getting turned out there, or if you had been killed!" There was not a single negative emotion in her voice. Just relief and happiness, all directed at her close friend...
Saeko trembled in her friend's arms, before tilting her head slightly. "W-Wha... Y-Yuuki, I... W-Why..?" She wasn't able to process everything. Especially since the last time they had seen each other was on less than stellar terms. It was with... Yumeko and her, letting her out in an attempt to do something...
Yuuki smiled as she pulled back a bit, wiping away the tears with her scarf. "Yumeko told me that you were going to be the only thing that could stop Mikai from breaking down. So when I heard Kimiko announce that she was Mikai, I immediately thought I had to go save you. Then... Then Saki knocked me out, and I woke up a little while later. I was so worried, you know?"
...Kimiko was... Kimiko was Mikai..? The look on Saeko's face was telling. She hadn't seen that coming. She didn't even realize that there could be two of the girl. But while she did her best to try and internalize what she had heard, there was something else that she needed to know. "...W-Why were you so worried..? I... I betrayed you and everything. I'm the reason why you ended up a Jõtaijin..."
"Idiot." Yuuki said, gently chuckling as she smiled. "You've done a lot of bad, Saeko. But... I've let it kinda simmer for a bit. And I've decided that even if I won't forgive you for it... You're still my friend. You're still my Saeko Suikumo." She explained, patting the girl on the head. "And there's nothing that's going to change that, no matter how much you change when you use that Jõtai of yours."
Saeko's face turned bright red as she muttered and mumbled and steam rushed out of her ears. "I-I-I-" She couldn't even form a coherent sentence after hearing that. G-Good... Good grief... At least she still had Yuuki...
Yuuki's grin widened a little as she watched Saeko nearly break down like she usually did when she got too emotional. In the good way, not the kind of way that would lead to grief. "Heh. Though, as much as I'd like to keep an eye on you and nurse you back to health, whatever you might need... I need you to go meet with Hiro. She wanted to talk to you, and all the Jõtaiders that had been part of the fight against Kimiko. It's been a few hours since they returned, and they're probably all tired, but with that stuff in the sky, we don't really have a lot of time."
"...Yeah..." Saeko solemnly nodded, climbing out of bed... Right before hugging Yuuki once more. "Thank you, Yuuki. Thank you so much." She muttered, before speeding off as fast as she could. She needed to understand more about what was happening...
Yuuki blushed a little and nervously laughed. Perhaps there really was a chance that she could make Saeko turn to the side of good...
But right now, she had to focus. If they wanted to save Mikai, then she had a lot she needed to get through...
---
Within Seiryu's lab was a deeply strange lineup. A lineup that wouldn't ever really have come to pass, if not for the start of this second Luna Descent...
Saeko Suikumo, alias General Spider. Saki Himitsu, alias Jõtaider Kanzei. Minami Kazumi, alias Jõtaider Ouroboros. Hayato Koizumi, alias JõtaiKiller Hayato. And finally, Ero, otherwise known as Hopper System 2nd and JõtaiKiller Ero. All of them had fought against Mikai. Which meant that they were the greatest candidates for the fight against Dark Dragon and the Lunas that kept her trapped within her despair...
And as Hiro looked upon them all, the skunk-haired woman had just one word in mind for all of them. A single word that she had to take a deep breath before she could utter.
"CHILDREN!"
Her words were so strong that they nearly knocked down everyone except for Minami, who was sitting in her wheelchair. She was blown back instead, before wheeling herself back to the lineup...
"Children..?" Saki glared at Hiro, squeezing her cane as it materialized in her hand. "What are you getting at, Fukano..? What are you-"
Before she finished, Hiro slapped her across the face. All while glaring at her, her piercing red eyes burning deep into her head. "You of all people should know exactly what I'm talking about. You wanted to fight us, just because we were other heroines. That's childish! You can't do everything on your own! And why would we even want to be protected by somebody that wants to keep us neutered so she can feel like she matters!?"
Saki grit her teeth, but she didn't reply. Because Hiro was right. And it was directly why they had ended up in this situation. At least the woman didn't blame her and her alone, unlike what Kimiko had done...
Hiro's eyes then drifted to Saeko. "You're no better. You've been sowing the seeds of discord for Golden Freedom. For what? To feel like you've done something that matters? Is that it, Saeko?"
"To repay Lady D'Or and Bat for raising me!" Saeko shot back, hand over heart. "I want to see their ideals come true! I want people to be free from what Atlas Corp has done, and free from danger!"
"Just another child." Hiro muttered, glaring into Saeko's eyes. "You don't think about the ramifications of what you're doing. You just blindly try to earn their love. Even though you've had their love from the moment you were in their arms."
Love... Maybe that was why she was doing it. She always did want to pay them back for everything they had done. Could that be summed up as her wanting to be loved by them..?
Hiro's gaze turned to Minami, as she bowed her head gently. Then she cleared her throat. "That thing inside you. That artificial Prime. That childish hunger that claims it. Tame it. Otherwise, you'll be no better than Luna."
Minami nodded, though she didn't agree. She just didn't want to get into an argument. She knew how to play along and avoid conflict. And this was not a situation she wanted to worsen with conflict...
Then it was Hayato's turn. And before the young man had time to steel himself, he was launched into the nearby wall in the span of a few seconds, courtesy of Hiro dashing straight towards him.
"THAT. Was for Setsuna." Hiro spat at the JõtaiKiller. She had been wanting to do that since the moment she laid her eyes upon him after he shot her friend. And yet it didn't satisfy her. Because vengeance could only serve a flickering purpose...
"Bitch..." Hayato muttered as he pulled himself off the wall, coughing as his body still hadn't healed too well after being manhandled by the 'True Mimoto'. "If I didn't do that, she'd just run amok like any other Monster..."
"Childish view of the world. I hear you met with Yuuki. I'm sure you know by now that Monsters aren't everything that you think they are." Hiro said, wiping the slightest spit off her fist while turning to Ero. "And you, you're not any better despite your attitude."
Ero grinned, but bowed her head. "Mmhm, lemme guess. You're not too happy with how I treat all of this? Somethin' like that?" She was a robot, she had more than enough processing power to calculate what the older woman might have to say.
Hiro merely glared at her to get her message across. Acknowledging one's problem without doing anything about it was worse than being ignorant. But it was clear that she wouldn't get through to the ganguro bot, prompting her to merely sigh as she got back to her initial position...
Before slugging herself so hard that she nearly collapsed, coughing up a bit of blood in the process. "And I'm the biggest child of all, because I let my anger get the best of me at the worst times! I drove Mikai away because I couldn't control myself! She thought I couldn't trust her, because of my damn outbursts!"
The other heroines watched her slowly gather her composure. Saki merely glaring at her, Saeko nodding and empathizing, Minami watching with widened eyes, Hayato rolling his eyes, and Ero paying close attention.
"So, you gathered us here for a reason, didn't you?" Ero spoke up, smiling and winking. "Not just to dress us down and tell us that we all suck. I get enough of that from Mama." The attempt to scold her basically just rolled right off her...
"There are a few different reasons why she brought you here. But I'll take it from here. Thank you, Hiro."
Seiryu stepped out from a secret door to the side, with Qilin following behind her. All while Hiro bowed her head and joined the lineup. She had not yet gotten the chance to hear the information that was about to be dumped on them, so she needed to hear it just as much as they did.
"Gotta say." Qilin spoke up, letting out an exaggerated groan. "That Prime Darkness certainly knows how to knock the lights out of ya. Just wish it didn't mean I had to lie in bed for several hours to recover." She laughed, only for a proper groan to leave her lips. "Right, that's still broken..."
"Your body is nowhere near as strong as it was when you first touched down on this world ten years ago, Qilin. Please refrain from straining yourself any further than necessary." Seiryu said, before turning her attention towards the screen behind her. "If you would-"
"She's one of them!?" "A Luna?" "I knew it, she stood out too much!"
Saki, Minami and Hayato cried out nearly at the same time, with Seiryu twitching a little in response. "Qilin. Just give them the quick explanation. We don't have time for this." She muttered, as the screen turned on so she could prepare all the necessary data.
"Former Luna, actually." QIlin said, chuckling a little as she winked towards Hiro, who rolled her eyes in response. "I was once one of the many Lunas that served the Prime Darkness, Cepha. The same Cepha that touched down on this world and caused the Luna Descent. But because I decided to try and turn Atlas, I... Well, let's just say that I ended up paying for my mistakes, and after a long while as a test subject, they managed to 'fix me'. Whatever that might mean, I'll let you decide."
Saki and Hayato both grit their teeth, while Minami merely pondered what it could truly mean. Saeko too, thinking about what that might imply. Lady D'Or always told her that it was important for them to keep a low profile, since they didn't want another Luna Descent...
"On the note of the Lunas." Seiryu said, as the screen finally showed the data that she wanted to discuss. Namely the matter of their main enemies. Not the Prime Darknesses... But the Lunas. Or rather, Kimiko, Tsukiko and Mikai. "We have to deal with these three. Otherwise, the hole in the sky will keep growing. And if it keeps growing, then we truly will be in another Luna Descent. I'm sure you all fought against these three, but I'll give another rundown just for the sake of being thorough."
The screen focused on the luna-hued 'Mikai' that had announced her presence and her intentions to the world. Kimiko Namishi, now also known as 'True Mimoto' given the form she had adopted. "Kimiko Namishi. For the time being, Mikai will also suffice." Even just saying that was enough to make Seiryu grimace. She wasn't happy with it either. "Due to her connection to Mikai, we are to capture her and find a way to break their bond. Given that she has been identified as the chief culprit behind the girl's corruption, this is our highest priority."
Next, it displayed the Luna that was made from Tsukiko. Her characteristic silver was replaced by nothing but dark tones that took away a lot of her original charm. "Tsukiko Tsurugi, currently designated as 'Luna'. As the former Jõtaider Shadow, she's the strongest enemy currently deployed by The Darkness. As much as I would like to say we could purify her and fix her, she's beyond the scope of your abilities. Thus, I highly recommend avoiding any engagements taken with her. Otherwise... She'll just leave you all on the brink of death again, and this time you won't be saved out of the blue."
Indeed, they had all been saved. By some strange golden glow. A glow that was familiar to Saki and Hiro, as well as obvious to the Killers...
"Finally." The screen turned to Mikai, with Dark Dragon overlayed on top to give the general idea of the current situation. "Mikai Fushimi, currently designated as Dark Dragon. Her rescue is our true objective. With her freed from her despair and her inner turmoil, we'll be able to turn the tide. Not just for the invasion as a whole, but any further developments against The Darkness." Seiryu explained, before the screen shifted to show Mikai's Light Unicorn form. "Upon reexamining the evidence, and examining the exorcized Jõtai Factor from Suikumo's body... We've come to the conclusion that Mikai's Light was more a symptom of her emptiness. But it is that emptiness that has allowed her to purify the Jõtai Factor from the ones she fought... And why she was able to rip out Suikumo's completely, without doing any harm to her emotions. Beyond the ones that came as a result of trying to kill her."
"What..? She was able to remove it with no adverse side effects!?" Hayato shouted in shock, turning towards Saeko, with the girl nodding and confirming what he just heard. "There's no way... There's no way! You're saying that... No, no!"
Before he had a chance to hear anything else, Hayato stormed out. And nobody bothered to stop him. Ero just bowed her head and excused herself, leaving the remaining Jõtaiders behind with the former general and the lecturing dragon...
Seiryu narrowed her eyes a bit, before turning her head to Saeko. "Suikumo.. Or rather, former General Spider." Her tone was a lot more strict, though understandable considering who she was talking to. "I would like for you to stay in my care. At least until we've been able to figure out just how thorough the removal of your Jõtai factor was. Do you have any issues with this?"
Saeko shook her head. "None. It's not like I can do anything with all of it gone." She muttered, before turning her head to Minami and lowering said haid slightly. "Sorry. Sorry for everything, Minami. I didn't mean to drag you into all of this..."
"...Miss Seiryu, do you mind if I take a breath of fresh air?" The wheelchair-bound girl asked, not sure how she should truly answer Saeko's apologies. Especially considering how she was personally responsible for the events that led to her having Ouroboros in her mind, and becoming Ouroboros as well...
Seiryu nodded, and Minami wheeled off. Leaving just Atlas Corp, and parts of Golden Freedom behind. Mortal enemies, and yet neither were in any mood to try and fight one another. What would be the point..?
"You done, Seiryu? Me and the hag've been waiting for a bit longer than I'd like."
"The brat's being impatient. Now that I've gotten the chance to truly talk to him, I can't believe I didn't try to go straight for him earlier."
The screen behind Seiryu shifted, displaying the faces of Atlas and D'Or in tandem. Which just made everything feel so much weirder.
"You both need to learn what patience is." Seiryu said, before just shaking her head. "Hiro. Qilin. Kanzei. Spider. As of today, and until the incident has been dealt with, we are to be considered allies. Atlas Corp and Golden Freedom, united for the sake of our world." She almost sounded hotblooded there for a second. Almost.
Saki grit her teeth slightly, but she had to accept it and nod. Saeko wasn't pleased either, but if it's what Lady D'Or wanted, then it's what she had to accept. Hiro just shook her head, already anticipating the arguments that would happen.
"I agree, Hiro! It's going to be a real mess! All because I have to work with this terrorist!"
"You truly do not help your case in the slightest. Then again, with how short you are, I'm sure you need more than enough help."
Despite the announcement of the teamup, neither leader could tolerate the other. Hiro could probably get away with calling them both childish, considering the spat...
Seiryu cleared her throat. "Charlotta. Atlas. Please get to the point." She hated playing the mediator. But somebody needed to get them back on track.
"Right." Atlas muttered, rolling his eyes a bit. "Hiro. You know who you have to find, don't you?"
"You should as well, Saki. That golden woman that you've told me about."
"Haruhi Kaneko." "Hopper."
"Find her."
The same golden woman that had saved them was now the one they needed to track down. All so they could save the world and save Mikai as well...
Trouble was... Where exactly was she..?
---
"That... That bitch! She knew that there were ways for us to take out those damn Jõtai Factors without telling us a damn thing about it!?"
Hayato shouted as he stood on an outside balcony, kicking the railing in frustration. Even if he was happy to get rid of Monsters by removing the Jõtai Factors, he couldn't admit he was happy to see people lose themselves in the process. Even when they did it in a gentle way, like when Ero removed them as a service, the same happened. So to learn this...
"DAMNIT!"
"Quiet down, will ya? You're just gonna attract the Lunas or something."
Hayato looked over his shoulder, and there was Yuuki once again. That freezing girl that had way too much bravery for what she was able to do...
"Here to gloat, tell me that I was wrong and that I should just try and leave people to their own devices?" Hayato grit his teeth, bumping his back up against the railing that he had been kicking. "Or are you just going to freeze me all over aga-"
He leaned slightly too hard against the weakened railing, which snapped as he put pressure on it. And he was about to fall several stories, if not for Yuuki dashing over and freezing them both to the platform, grabbing him before he fell. "Yeah, I'm gonna freeze ya. If it keeps you from falling."
"That's not the point and you know it." Hayato muttered, looking away as he was helped away from the railing he broke. "...Thanks." He muttered in a much quieter tone. Not wanting to admit that she had done something good.
Yuuki just laughed, before gently knocking on his head. "Glad to see you're improving. Now, how about you vent a little? It seems like you need somebody to shoulder your burdens. And I already did it once, so you might as well do it again."
What was this girl's deal? Why wouldn't she leave him alone? More importantly, she was a Monster, and yet... Damnit. Whatever. If it meant that she'd leave him alone, he'd just tell her what was on his mind.
And as he started to prattle on and on, with Yuuki interjecting here and there to give her thoughts, his partner watched the two from a distance...
Ero just couldn't help but smile as she did so. It was good to see that Hayato was starting to actually bond with somebody. Even if he hated every second of it...
Hopefully he'd start to understand the concept of nuance, and make her job easier in the process...
---
The wind brushed past Saeko and Saki as they stood on their own balcony, quietly letting everything soak in. Not just what they had heard, and not just the concept of their current alliance...
But also the fact that they were responsible for what had happened. Saeko because she had been the one to give Mikai the means to transform in the first place while also tormenting her as Spider before betraying her outright... And Saki by being Saki and refusing to accept any other heroines besides herself...
"...Saki..." Saeko muttered, as she looked to her beloved Saki. "Do you think you can win... After everything you did today..?" She had heard about her performance. The golden Jõtaider, losing so much in such a short amount of time...
Saki shook her head. And she looked out at the dark sky above. "...I don't know..." She muttered, as she put her hand over her heart. She could feel it trembling. Was she... Afraid of being able to keep what she had promised..?
Saeko lowered her head. Of course Saki would be burdened after everything she had done and been exposed to. She didn't blame her in the slightest...
"...Are you both going to just give up, after being knocked down like that?"
A voice called out to them, with both of them turning to see who had tried to reach them. And to their surprise, it was a familiar black-haired girl... The very same girl that had been by Mikai's side since the beginning.
Yumeko. And despite everything, she put on a brave face and a smile. Because she wanted to believe. Despite everything going wrong, she still believed...
Now, would her belief be rewarded..?
---
"I can't believe her! Who does she think she is!? Me? Childish!?"
On a third balcony, Minami was enjoying the wind brushing against her. All while she listened to Ouroboros rant within her head. It was actually kind of cute, though she definitely understood why she was so upset.
"...She called you an artificial Prime. What does that mean exactly, Ouroboros?" Minami had been wondering since she heard the term leave Hiro's lips. Even if she really shouldn't believe her, considering everything she had done...
"I don't know! I just know I hate hearing it! Prime this, prime that! Prime some bitches, if you're so worked up about some stupid Prime!" Ouroboros kept on rambling. It was kinda like hearing her Mom ramble on and on, which made sense considering what form Ouroboros took...
Though she didn't get the chance to enjoy it for long. Not before she heard the door leading back into the warm interior opened and prompted Minami to turn around...
Hiro was standing there. And just seeing her was enough to activate Minami's fight or flight, growling at her like a wild animal. Even hissing a bit...
"I know." Hiro said, not intimidated by what she saw. Instead, she kneeled in front of Minami, with a resolved look in her eyes. "I know that you want to make me your prey. But please. Wait until we've saved Mikai. That's all I want you to do. Then you can do whatever you want."
Minami was actually stunned to hear that. She was just throwing herself into the den of the beast, willingly offering herself in an attempt to save Mikai.
"Yeah right! She's probably just going to imprison us if she gets the chance! Don't agree to it!" Ouroboros cried out, hissing as she glared straight at Hiro. She wasn't about to give in just because she was willing to offer herself.
Hiro could feel the glare, prompting her to smile slightly. "And, since I know you and Ouroboros both hunger... I'll do what I can to accommodate your hungry needs. I'm sure there's something else besides Darkness that you'd like to eat."
"SOLD! NOW, FOOD!" Ouroboros was overwhelmed by the offer of any kind of food that she practically seized control of Minami's body, drooling wildly. She wanted her food... And she wanted it now.
With yet another ally reinvigorated, Hiro let that smile widen slightly. As two thoughts remained on her mind. One being the state of her arm, which she'd have to keep looking into. The second being how she'd actually manage to free Mikai from her armor. They needed Hopper, didn't they..?
As she thought, her pocket started ringing. And she went back inside, just to pick it up. "Hiro. Who is this?"
"Hey, Hiro." The voice was a bit rough and tired, but it was easy for her to identify. Mikai's friend, Agatha. "I... I don't really know what's going on, but..."
"I heard that you need to find somebody named Hopper?"
---
Deep within the darkness.
Deep within her own despair.
Mikai laid all alone.
Eyes dim with fear.
Eyes left empty from her hate.
And a single word left her lips.
A word that captured how she felt...
"Cold..."