[Tokusatsu Themes, Droning, Walking Advertisements]
"Mmmm... Zzz..."
A quiet snore echoed out through a well-decorated bedroom. Figure after figure depicting the young girl's heroics lining the walls, as she drooled onto the mattress underneath her. All while giggling a little in her sleep as well. A happy dream unfolding before her eyes...
And at the side of that bed, was a white-haired woman. Putting on her uniform, without making much of a sound. She didn't want to disturb her partner. She had been through so much. Just because she had to do her job as part of Atlas Corp didn't mean that she had to disturb her...
Those were the thoughts that ran through Hiro Fukano's head, as she gazed towards Mikai. The white-haired woman quietly rubbed the metallic cage that was wrapped around her arm, before shaking her head. She cared for the girl. That much she could still tell. But the emotion that was supposed to comfort her didn't ring through her heart. There was nothing except a hollow hole. A hole that she would not fill. For the sake of the people that she cared about.
Really, what she was doing wasn't very different from how things normally went. Her contract, nay, her duty as Atlas Corp's Jõtaider meant that she had to be ready whenever. It was why she originally wore her gauntlet to bed, so that Huanglong could wake her up in case of an emergency. This hadn't changed, even after the procedure that turned her into what she was now...
"Are you sure you shouldn't let her know?"
A tiny hologram appeared in the palm of her hand. Huanglong, the AI that served to properly regulate everything that had to do with her arm. If not for his presence, the Darkness that had been trapped within her would try and take over her again. Even if this meant that her capacity to feel emotions had been sapped, she didn't care. As long as she could keep her loved ones safe.
"I'm sure." Hiro didn't say the words out loud, merely transmitting her words through the connection she shared with the AI. "She's just come back from the brink. Even if it's been a few weeks since then, the amount of doubt and the amount of grief that she harbored towards everyone... Part of that was my fault. Though I cannot feel guilt, I understand what I've done. And..."
Her words paused, as she merely closed her eyes. A gesture that Huanglong understood completely, having been by her side for long enough to pick up on how she deemed it appropriate to emote. "Very well. Though I wouldn't recommend it, given the girl's love for you, I understand the burden that you bear. Just remember. You still have people at your side, Hiro." Though he was little more than a bundle of 1s and 0s woven into a visual form, his voice had taken on a much more caring tone compared to the past.
"I do. And that is why I have to do this." Hiro whispered. Explicitly letting the words leave her lips, as she turned to leave. Mikai could sleep until the sun rose into the sky. For now, she needed to go carry out her duties-
"Mmmm... Hiro..?"
Hiro froze. The girl had heard her. As she expected her to. By whispering, she hoped that she would hear her, just so the girl could speak to her again. Despite her solemn pursuit of what she thought was right, her heart knew it wasn't right. In ways, she would have to curse that very same heart of hers. Because it would just make things more complicated...
Mikai yawned as she sat up in bed, her hair a complete mess. All sorts of strands just poked out all over the place. And it looked like she could pass back out at any moment. "Where're you going..? Don't you need sleep..?" She said, though her words were hard to make out due to being interspersed with yawns and a bit of spittle still in her mouth. All in all, she looked like a far cry from the Hero that had saved the city.
But this was the girl that they had done everything to save. The girl at the core of that Hero. Mikai Fushimi. The girl whose emptiness allowed her heart to hold all the love that her friends had for her. A girl that had regained hope. A girl that would make Hiro cry, if her heart still allowed her to.
"Just heading out to work." Hiro said, before walking over to the bed with that stone-faced expression. Her smiles, her frowns, all of them were mere fabrications at this point. So she didn't put much effort into trying. Even when faced with a girl like her. "You really should go back to bed, Mikai. You look like a mess."
"Mmm..." Mikai nodded, before reaching for Hiro and hugging her tight. "It doesn't feel right to be sleeping without you, Hiro..." She muttered, before her grip on the woman loosened, and she collapsed right back into bed. She wasn't able to keep herself awake. Slumbering back into dreamland, where she belonged...
All while Hiro quietly watched the girl, her arms still softly trying to grip onto her despite the lack of strength in them. If her heart could still feel, it would no doubt be warmed. But right now, all she felt was the cold that the Darkness had put in its place. The only way that she would get to enjoy something like this ever again, was to make sure that the Darkness never came back.
The older woman carefully pulled the covers over Mikai after she tugged her hands back to her, before planting a kiss right on the girl's cheek. "Sweet dreams, Mikai. I'll make sure they stay sweet." She whispered, knowing that the girl wouldn't wake up again.
Protecting that smile... It was what drove her. Let all harm come to her... As long as Mikai could keep smiling...
Only that would make up for the smiles that broke thanks to her actions...
---
"Well, doc, what's the status? Found out anything neat? Or still stuck trying to piece together the puzzle?"
"The less time you spend bothering me, the more time I have to achieve my goal."
"Sheesh. Cold reception!"
Qilin giggled as she stood in the doorway leading into Seiryu's personal quarters, where the Saint was busy mixing together several compounds while at the same recording the results on a nearby laptop. Now, Seiryu was a busy woman. She knew that much. But this? This was a new kind of busy. And it was the kind of busy that she loved to bother. Just so she'd get a reaction out of her.
"If you want to be welcomed, go visit Genbu. She's been complaining that she missed out on the bigger brawls weeks ago." Seiryu noted, letting a shadow get cast on her face. "She says that, and yet she single handedly kept most of the lower floors from getting flooded by immature Luna..."
"Ehhhh, not in the mood for grandma smothering right about now. That can wait until I need a workout." Qilin said, stepping closer to the entire setup. Without actually putting a single finger on any of the tech, knowing that Seiryu was likely going to chew her out if she tried something.
Seiryu paused as her concoctions and her data computed. While still keeping her gaze away from the white-haired mischief maker. "How's the girl? Is she doing better?" A word of care, from somebody that would never offer something like that to anybody. Not even her own allies.
"Oooo. Got a soft spot for lil' Mikai, Seiryu?" Qilin giggled, and narrowly ducked out of the way of the razor sharp tail tip that went flying towards her throat. "She's fine, she's fine. Better than ever before, even! Turns out all she needed was a pep talk!" She chimed, not at all bothered by the hostility.
"I doubt that." Seiryu muttered, as she turned towards her computer. Tapping a few keys, as she brought up a physical scan of Mikai a few weeks back, and then the night after the Near-Luna Descent. They were practically identical. "If that had been everything she needed, I would be able to register healthier brainwaves, as well as improved emotional responses. But as far as my instruments can tell, she's still empty. So what really changed?"
Qilin shrugged. "Who knows? The girl's a real piece of work, so I'm not surprised she managed to come back from that. Besides, you know the power of the heart, Seiryu. Even an empty one can do magical things. Isn't that what you said when you first examined how her power was able to suppress the Jõtai Factor inside of a Jõtaijin?"
"Not a word about that to anybody." Seiryu's tone took on a venomous tint, before she cleared her throat: "It's good to have her back in high spirits. Please make sure that she maintains a habit of coming by for a checkup. Using the data I've been able to compile from her, we should be able to make steady progress regarding the Jõtai Factor's deepest secrets."
"Nice. Very nice. Would be great if we're able to finish that. The quicker the better. Both for the sake of the city, and for the sake of our goal. Y'know?" Qilin grinned, before clearing her throat. "On that note... We need to conduct a few field tests, don't we?"
Seiryu nodded as she finally turned around, her eyes lightly glowing. "Hiro. Bring in the volunteer." She said, her voice booming as her voice was being projected through the air. No need to simply call somebody, when she could get ahold of them in a much quicker way.
While the Jõtaijin Outreach Unit was currently in contention due to its natural connection to D'Or, the tech that they developed for the sake of the unit was still useful. Especially since it was partly based on their research into Jõtai anyway.
Hiro entered Seiryu's lab moments later, her expression as dull as ever. But she wasn't alone. She had a younger girl with her. One that was a tiny bit older than most of the students from Mimoto Highschool. Rather young for an Atlas Corp employee, that's for sure. But her soft and fluffy hair, almost like a sheep's fur, made her look way more approachable than a lot of her coworkers. Especially with those cute blue eyes and the milky chocolate hue that her hair had.
"Thank you for picking me, Lady Seiryu! I, Nanako Tachibana, won't let you down!" Nanako introduced herself, quickly bowing before one of the Saints of Atlas Corp. She would never want to let down somebody that important. The company at large had taken her in after her Dad decided that what she had done wasn't good enough, so she felt eternally indebted to them!
Qilin and Hiro both raised a brief eyebrow as they heard her last name. Tachibana. Hadn't there been an announcement lately from the Tachibana Foundation, regarding their new goals for the city? While Atlas Corp had a majority stake in the majority of public projects and property, the Tachibanas had managed to amass a ton of wealth out of nowhere. A cause of concern for sure...
Seiryu didn't pay too much mind to it. She wasn't one for corporate espionage. Atlas had told her to use her as a guinea pig, and that's all she needed. Besides, she looked like she'd be great for the job. "Tachibana." Seiryu said in a detached tone, before the fluffy-haired girl suddenly sped over, body vibrating as she now stood in front of the Dragon.
"Yes, Lady Seiryu? Please, just tell me what I need to do. I'll help you in any way that I can! I've always wanted to be of use to you, Lady Suzaku, Lady Byakko and Lady Genbu!" She was like an excited fangirl, given the stars in her eyes. Exactly the kind of guinea pig that she needed at the moment...
Though that didn't make the way that she invaded her personal space any less grating, prompting Seiryu to quietly push Nanako away with her tail. "Your excitement is appreciated, but remember basic courtesy, Tachibana."
Nanako blushed slightly, before vibrating in place. "So sorry, Lady Seiryu! I'll make it up to you somehow, I promise!" Her loyalty was unparalleled. She hadn't been subjected to some of the newer propaganda, had she..? No, that never left the viewer this enthusiastic. Just another cog in the system.
Seiryu quietly gazed towards the tablet containing her current experiments, before tapping a can-shaped graphic. In an instant, a hole opened up in the ceiling above her, and a can was shot down into the palm of her claw, still a little hot from being transported in mere moments.
"Titan Cola? Why's it not branded with the Atlas branding, Lady Seiryu?" Nanako asked as she gazed at the can, right before it was tossed to her. "I thought that the people you invited into your lab were made to try out brand new Atlas products!"
"Special case." Seiryu explained, before taking a seat as she grabbed a nearby keyboard, a holographic screen appeared at her side. One of Byakko's more creative inventions, a way to easily write out notes in the spur of the moment. No need to read prior notes, just keeping track of a single note document was good enough.
Nanako stared at the can one more time, before opening it up without much more worry. If Lady Seiryu said that it was going to be okay, then she'd have to taste it and give her thoughts. And then... Maaaaybe she could ask Ichiro-nii if he had any ideas on what to give a Dragon to apologize?
The cola-like liquid started to pour down her throat... Or... Hold on, that wasn't cola, was it? It felt a lot thicker, a lot more... Invasi-
Nanako's eyes widened in shock as the drink suddenly started to spurt back out of her mouth, the inside of her mouth already being covered in a thick silver hue. The same silver hue that was working its way over her body as the drink started to cover her, not unlike a Slime that was trying to take control of its host.
In mere moments, many of the parts that made her unique were pressed down by the liquid metal, leaving nothing but a silver sheen. And though she very briefly tried to resist, natural panic started to spread through her, it didn't last as her arms snapped close to her sides...
The guinea pig dropped the can to the floor as soon as she was completely covered in this silver substance, as she looked like nothing more than a drone. A featureless silver drone, that would obediently follow orders and serve the one that had transformed her. That's what she looked like...
Right up until the moment the fizzy sound of a can being opened echoed out, and a red stripe forced its way into the middle of her body. Painted from her chest, all the way down to her crotch. A logo formed on her chest as well, snugly situated right in between her breasts. A towering shadow, with only their red and blue eyes left visible. Perfectly matching the half circles that were wrapped around the shadow...
The logo also appeared on the silver-wrapped girl's forehead, as her lips parted into a wicked smile. Perfectly complimenting her new status as a living advertisement. "Titan Woman says try Titan Cola! It'll give you strength like never before!" She said, jutting out her chest as a subtle tone pressed into her metallic form, really emphasizing the 'benefits' of the drink that had transformed her.
Seiryu took a sip from her coffee and put away the keyboard. Seems like the first part of the experiment was a success. Next up, the field test...
And for that, she needed the white-haired woman that had brought in the guinea pig in the first place... As well as a certain grumpy kitten...
---
"Slow down, Mikai, I can barely keep up with you when you're like this!"
Mikai giggled a little as she spun around to face her friend, Tsubasa, who was having a hard time keeping pace. Not that she blamed him, she was a lil' too fast. Not her fault either, just a byproduct of being who she was.
"Sorry, Tsubasa. But we've got a lot of stuff to buy, and we gotta get it done before tonight. So we better hurry!" She chimed, walking over to her friend to make sure that his wheezing and panting wasn't too bad. He had told her that he had been trying to train, so... Okay, maybe it was slightly her fault that he wasn't able to keep up if she thought he had been exercising with Momiji...
Tsubasa coughed a little, before snapping back to attention to the best of his ability. "Y-Yeah, I get that. I just... Just need a drink soon..." He muttered, before very nearly collapsing up against Mikai. "...M-Maybe a drink right now actually." He had pushed himself a little too hard, it seemed...
MIkai smiled as she helped Tsubasa over to a nearby café, letting him get a nice cozy seat before ordering a quick drink for the two of them. "Thanks a lot for coming with me, Tsubasa. Yumeko said she was busy, and I haven't been able to get in contact with Agatha. And Saeko's with Saki, so..."
"Don't make it sound like I'm a backup option like that..." Tsubasa muttered a little disappointedly, with Mikai cracking a gentle grin in turn. He didn't really mean it, and she definitely didn't take it as more than a joke. "I'm just happy that I can help. After what happened during all of that, I thought... I thought I couldn't help anybody."
The shorter girl nodded, as the event flashed before her eyes. Tsubasa had tried to save her in his own way. And all that happened was that Mikai turned his sword-friend into a more evil sword-friend, and Kimiko turned him into an armored mockery of a hero... "Well, it happens. You shouldn't let it keep you down! I'm sure that if you and Momiji work together again, you can definitely help the ones you want to help! Just like all those Heroes that you keep showing me!"
"Wouldn't that be great..." Tsubasa shot back, as he gazed into the drink that just arrived. Watching as the cold bubbles worked their way to the surface of the chilled drink. Popping so ephemerally, not unlike his own bouts of supposed heroism. "I just... It doesn't feel right to rely on her. Shouldn't she be able to do things herself? Should she really just be wielded by me, as I try to prove that I'm a Hero... When I keep failing, too..?"
Mikai watched as he took a sip, already busy sipping from her own so she remained quiet as he kept speaking. "It just... It just hurts, because I haven't been able to help Hiro. She... She saved me back then, and then... Then I end up frightened by how she got corrupted, and when I try to help you to help her too, then... Then I just got corrupted. It's not fair, and I don't... I don't want to drag Momiji into this if I keep failing."
"Didn't a lot of the Heroes fail too?" The sandy-haired girl countered, finishing her drink with a satisfied sigh. "It doesn't matter if they fall. If they get back up again, that's what counts. And besides, even if you didn't succeed in turning me back to normal... You still reached out to me, Tsubasa. Just like everyone else did."
"Yeah, but..." Tsubasa muttered as he gazed at the glass in front of him. Half empty... or half full..? The question of what remained in the glass was usually framed like how you would gaze at the world. What was more appropriate for him..?
"No buts!"
Mikai's voice cut through the doubts, her smile brightly shining like it had so many times before. "All it takes to help somebody is to reach out. And you were just as important as all the others, Tsubasa. If you hadn't tried, then I wouldn't have woken up. It took all of my friends' feelings to reach through to me, so don't worry. You're a Hero to me, even if you think you messed up!"
There were a few stares pointed at the two, thanks to how loud Mikai was. But it didn't matter to her. And neither did it matter to Tsubasa, frankly. The young man nervously chuckled, as he finished his drink with peace of mind.
"I've missed that, Mikai. Your smile." He said, smiling back at her. A softer and quieter light was pouring from that smile. Compared to hers, he was hardly notable. But as she said, that was still the light of a Hero. "I guess I'll just have to keep trying. I'll get a win eventually!"
"Yeah!" Mikai grinned, holding her hand up for a hi-five. "I can't wait to see it, Tsubasa!"
The two friends hi-fived. A symbol of their lasting friendship. Still burning bright, because of what he tried to do for her sake. As well as for the sake of his idol...
It was then that his eyes lit up a little. "Before we head home, there's something I'd like to pick up. One thing for Momiji, and another for Hiro. I want to help her, so she can keep fighting. So she can keep being the Hero I know she wants to be." Though Tsubasa still sounded nervous, there was this hint of determination. The determination to reach out, just like his friend would.
"Of course!" Mikai's grin was even brighter now. Even wider. It was good to see her friend getting back to normal. Now, they just had to finish up their shopping, and everything would be perfect.
She was going to make this right. She knew she could.
---
"Uhm, Saki? I know you said you wanted me to join you for a bit of shopping, but you didn't tell me what we were shopping for."
Saki paused, causing Saeko to bump into her as she didn't expect her Senpai and close friend to suddenly stop like that. Thankfully, she hadn't been knocked off balance, but it still startled her ever slightly...
"I suppose I didn't." Saki muttered, as she quietly turned around to face Saeko. Pausing momentarily after that as she noticed the slight bump on Saeko's head, causing her to narrow her eyes. "Sorry, Saeko. There's just... There's just a lot on my mind lately."
"Is that why you've been so busy..?" The last time that Saeko saw Saki act like this, it was when the girl had been deliberating over the Jõtai that led her to becoming Kanzei. "Not to mention, you seemed really aggressive last week, when we fought against that perverted boy."
The Student President nodded, before walking over to a nearby bench to take a seat. This wasn't the time to get in anybody's way. Just the time to have a chat with a girl she's been so close to for so many years.
"...Do you remember, way back when we were kids?"
Saeko nodded as she took a seat by Saki, closing her eyes slightly. "I remember. I'd never forget that day." Even now, the images flashed before her eyes. Seared into her psyche, never to be erased.
She had run away. Abandoned Minami to her fate, all because she was too scared. Of course she was scared. She had lost her Mommy and her Daddy. And even if... E-Even if that lady was nice, she didn't trust anything about Atlas Corp and their experiments.
There was this girl that worked for Atlas Corp. An intern, with the same kind of sweet smile as Mikai. She had noticed Saeko's fright, and... She helped her escape. To this day, she wasn't sure if she was punished for it. But after that...
"I found you. While I was running from everything." Saeko grabbed ahold of the hem of her skirt. "...You looked so sad back then, Saki. Like your heart was hurting, despite how strong you tried to look."
Indeed. She'd never forget the look on her face. The empty hue in her eyes, despite the way she held out her hand and tried to support her after she had tripped and fallen into a puddle in the rain.
Despite the pain she felt, she tried to protect a stranger. In some ways... Maybe it was because of how they met back then, that Saeko thought she would be perfect for a Jõtai...
"I'm amazed you remember that much." Saki said, cracking the smallest smile. "I just... I just did what I thought was right at the time. My head was a mess, ever since that day. Seeing Mother and Father, Big Sister and Big Brother... Seeing them all just twist into Luna like that, before Hopper.."
Even now, she tried to make it seem like she was strong. But for once, the tiniest crack started to form in the Student President's facade. A single tear, as her voice grew hoarse. "Before she did what had to be done. What a Hero would do."
Both of them had been hurt. Lost people during the Luna Descent. But when they met, it was like... It was like they had the chance to live once more.
"...Do you think what Hopper did back then was really what she should've done?" Saeko asked, pressing her back against the bench. Looking up at the fluffy white clouds that protected them from the sun's harsh rays.
Saki shook her head. "Even back then, I couldn't be sure. Grandfather had his own thoughts on what a Hero was. To him, Bravery was what mattered most. With Bravery and Guts, you'd be able to defeat anything and make things right. He always did see things in such a bright light, just like Father."
"And in the end, you decided... You wanted to protect us, by any means necessary. That was what you thought being a Hero was like." Saeko concluded, with Saki nodding in turn. "Not like I was any better. I caused this whole mess in the first place..."
"That might be." Saki said, before looking up at the skies once more. The light poured through the cracks between the clouds, shining down on the two of them. "But... We don't learn without making mistakes. That's what's been bothering me, too. What's been keeping me so busy."
"...You don't know what to learn?"
Saki shook her head, as she lifted herself off the bench. "There's plenty to learn. I'm just not sure if I'll be able to take it all to heart. And I'm still not sure what kind of Hero I really should be. Yumeko showed me one way, and that hurt. A lot." She continued, wincing slightly as she rubbed her rear, which had been looking more than a little swollen ever since the fight last week. "I'll have to keep thinking. Until I find the answer I'm satisfied with. Until then, I have to keep it up. All of this thinking, and keeping Mikai on her toes."
Mikai was the premiere Hero in Mimoto, it only made sense to make sure she kept that up. Knowing that Saki had things figured out, however, just made Saeko retreat a bit. Quietly pulling her feet onto the bench, as she buried her head in her knees. "And I... I just don't know if I'm doing the right thing..." After everything she had done, did she really deserve the forgiveness that Mikai and Yumeko offered her? And could she truly call this right, when she had believed in Lady D'Or's vision for so long, causing so much trouble for other people because of it?
"You don't need to know, not yet anyway."
The light of the sun above shone down on Saeko's head. And she slowly lifted her gaze, to meet Saki's. As she stood in front of her. Just as she had done all those years ago. When she first met her, after she had run away from danger.
This time, Saki's eyes were... They were warm. Uncertain, but honest. She understood that she had done wrong. And she was determined to fix things in her own way. A far cry from the stubborn girl that had been seduced by the allure of the Jõtai, who had been petty enough to fight Mikai to be the only Heroine...
She had been tempered. By the encounters with the Darkness that had descended once more. By her fights against Mikai, who proved that she was arguably even more stubborn. And by the fights against Kimiko, who correctly identified her as the lynchpin of Mikai's transformation into Dark Dragon.
"I don't know how long it'll take for you to figure out if this is really what you want to do, Saeko. But I'll try to help. Just as I tried to help you back then." Saki's words were filled with uncertainty, yet the supportive vibe...
It was a vibe that Saeko hadn't seen from Saki, ever since Mikai started to save people. One that made her slowly wipe the tears from her eyes, as she reached out and took that hand.
"Thanks, Saki. Thank you. For everything." This... It didn't solve either of their issues. But the support was still appreciated. Letting her know she had somebody to lean on, as she figured out things from here.
Saki smiled, before wistfully sighing. "No wonder Mikai keeps preaching about 'Reaching Out'. Now, if only I could keep that up." She seemed almost snarky as she talked about it. But at the same time, it showed that she had been taking notes, and genuinely trying things to see what could work for her. Better than staying closed minded.
"Ehehe..." The tiny girl was a real piece of work alright. But she had done a lot to both of them. They had acknowledged it during the Near-Luna Descent, but it still rings true. "Oh, uhm, we were shopping, weren't we?"
"Mmhm. There's a few supplies I'd like to pick up for the cake. It's their Anniversary, you know." She said, as she started to walk off. Leaving Saeko to briefly put things together...
...Shit, that's right, Lady D'Or and Bat's Anniversary was coming up! How could she have forgotten an important day like that!?
With a blush filling Saeko's cheeks, she hurried off...
---
"Have you always abused your abilities like that?"
"I don't know what you could possibly be talking about."
Ero raised an eyebrow as she watched her white-haired friend quietly being fed sweets by a waitress. A waitress that had blue-colored eyes, currently swirling round and round and round...
"I mean, it's pretty hot, don't get me wrong." The Ganguro Pastel Goth Bot said as she watched, frowning slightly. "But didn't you say you were going to try and find out how to make that Prime Darkness inside you nice? What part of making her nice involves hypnotizing somebody into feeding you?"
Minami chuckled softly, swallowing the candy in her mouth before snapping her fingers, causing the Waitress to snap free from her hypnosis. All while the white-haired girl closed one eye and let the blue hues fill that eye. "You make it sound like this is something I'm using Ouroboros for, Ero. But it's actually just something I like to use whenever I'm feeling a little... Playful, let's say."
"Scary, scary." Ero was happy that she almost always had her hypnotic defenses active, because there's no way that she wanted to fall prey to Minami's tricks. "You think you could use that to help me mess with Hayato? I'm sure there's no way that he could resist your beautiful looks, nor those eyes of yours."
"And you call me scary, you're the one immediately planning to turn it into an advantage." Minami teased back, before crossing her arms as she leaned into the back of her wheelchair. "Not to mention, you're keeping an eye on me because that Hopper woman wanted to make sure I don't run too wild, isn't that how it goes?"
Ero winked and nodded. "And because I like ya and think you're fun to hang around. And now that I know you've got some strong hypnosis on your hands, why shouldn't I start thinking of the ways you can put it to good use?" The robotic deviant was honest. Refreshing, all things considered.
"Charming. I prefer girls like Saeko, however. Nervous, yet determined girls. Girls that can stand up for themselves when push comes to shove." Minami explained, as she took a brief sip from her tea. "Now, if only the Darkness would send one of those. Then..."
She paused, before shaking her head. "I suppose I'd have to eat her, all things considered. Can't tease her for long, or Ouroboros gets grumpy." She concluded, a little sigh leaving her lips. "And as delicious as these sweets were, now I'm feeling a little thirsty..."
"Well, there's this booth a little further down the street that's trying to sell some sort of new cola. Who knows, maybe it'll make Ouroboros pop and you won't have to worry about it anymore?" Ero chimed as she got up from her chair, quickly spinning around the table before stopping behind the wheelchair-bound girl and grabbing ahold of the handles.
Minami offered a golf clap for Ero's spinning skills, before closing her eyes as she was wheeled off. Letting the darkness slowly but surely wrap around her, causing Ouroboros to appear around her as well.
"You're getting awfully chummy with somebody that clearly wants to destroy me the moment she gets the chance." Ouroboros said, still wearing the guise of Minami's 'Mother', Rena. Just as she had done when she revealed herself to Minami in the first place...
Minami merely smiled in turn. "Now now. We're playing nice. That way, I protect you. And when the going gets rough, then you protect me as well. And if we play nice while doing so, the 'Killers' will continue having second thoughts about all of this. Just like that boy's been having."
Ouroboros pouted, as she squeezed tighter around her host. "You still owe me food. These sweets aren't enough." She muttered, her stomach grumbling. "The moment something from the Darkness arrives, you're letting me eat."
"I will. But only if you keep being a good girl." Minami said, reaching a hand out from a gap between the parts of Ouroboros that were wrapped around her, all so she could pat the girl on the head. "We're in this together. And we have been all this time. Haven't we?"
Ouroboros' response was to just pout more, and vanish alongside the darkness around her. Leaving Minami to merely smile, as she let the soft wind brush against her.
There was so much that she still needed answers to. But right now, she was happy...
---
"Explain yourself, Hayato."
Hayato was standing in front of Lady Hopper, who looked disappointed. Not furious, like when he fucked up in the past. Just disappointed that he had failed again.
And yet he remained quiet, standing there obediently, yet remaining defiant in his own way. Facing down the woman that had given him the ability to fight, both for her cause, and for what he believed in as well.
Lady Hopper sighed as she gazed towards the medal collection they had on hand. The only medals they had were her spare Hopper medals, each infused with part of her Monster Ability. Being able to multiply had been a great help, as it had essentially duplicated her compatibility with the Hopper System, and given it to others now that she had made improved versions of the system.
"Ever since you met with all of them... I do not blame you for changing your viewpoint. But to return the Jõtai Factors back to the ones that we had already taken from, potentially amplifying the signal that the Darkness uses to enter this world... I know you're not stupid, Hayato. So explain why you consider this an acceptable risk." Lady Hopper asked, her gaze turning into a glare.
"...Back when you first found me, when I still hated whoever had done that to my Mom, I would've killed any Monster that dared to stand in my way, all thanks to what they had done." Hayato started, biting into his lip and gently grabbing his shoulder. "I still remember how you twisted my arm so hard it almost felt like it could come off. As you lectured me for how toxic my hate was."
Lady Hopper nodded. "Yet at the same time, I nurtured that hate. Tempered it. Focusing it only on those that were 'bad', because they had fallen and become Jõtaijin. Knowing that you would do what needed to be done. Not my finest moment, trying to turn bigotry into a better thing."
"Not in the slightest." Hayato agreed, gritting his teeth slightly. "I thought that if I just made sure that all the Jötaijin were gone, all the worst Monsters would be gone too. And nobody would have to suffer like my Mom did. But you know exactly what I saw. Exactly what started to tip me off."
"How intrinsically tied the Jõtai Factor is to the Monster Gene." She continued his thought, a hand on her heart. A hand tightly, violently grasping at her chest. "Jõtaijin and Monsters are one and the same. By removing the Jõtai Factor as a whole, you remove the Monsterhood as well. And to many, that removes much of what keeps them going. Rendering them as husks, yet removing the beacon that keeps the Darkness aware of this world. Compared to letting this world be devoured. Something that you're denying, by returning those medals."
"Who fucking cares if the world's safe, if people don't get to enjoy the lives they were supposed to live?!" Hayato shouted, slamming his hand into the table. "It was bad enough seeing their expressions grow dull! It was bad enough having to live with the constant nagging feeling in the back of my mind, telling me that I was no better than Golden Freedom and that BAT!" Indeed. As much as his hatred for monsters had been tempered by what had happened over the last little while, his hatred for that blonde hadn't faded. "And then that icy bitch kept on lecturing me, reminding me that my feelings were stupid! Of course I shouldn't blame all Monsters for what that Bat did, she's the one responsible. Just as the Darkness is responsible for what happened to your Wife, Lady Hopper!"
"You're right." Lady Hopper said, as she lifted herself from her seat. "But we cannot kill the Darkness. We cannot kill them, because they're simply too strong. You've seen the Primes. They keep coming back. No matter how hard we try, they won't stop. They'll keep coming. They'll keep attacking. Only by making our world unappealing, will they stop. Only once we've cut away this beacon, and that includes myself, will we be safe!" She shouted back, emphasizing her own view the same way he did. "Even if they'll have dull lives, they'll actually have lives! If the Darkness wins, there'll be nothing left for them!"
Lady Hopper and Hayato were at a standstill. She expected him to start pushing back against her, should he ever grow a conscience. And he expected her to be stubborn, given everything she had told him. But both of them were determined, not planning on giving an inch-
"You two are certainly at it. It's barely even past noon, and you almost sound like you're about to kill each other."
Both Lady Hopper and Hayato gazed towards the new arrival, with Lady Hopper's sharp gaze turning into a glare. Hayato's gaze, by comparison, turned wide and confused...
"Yumeko... What in the world are you doing here? How did you find this compound?" He paused, before his own gaze turned sharp. "...Temporal memory?"
Yumeko shook her head as she simply smiled. "I followed you, actually. I had the feeling you and Hopper would get into an argument, given how you've been feeling lately." She explained, winking slightly. "You really think I'd be so petty as to use what I know from my first time through these events to figure out things?"
That took the wind out of Hayato's sails, prompting him to collapse into his chair. "I... I thought I had made sure I wouldn't be spotted..." He muttered, simply embarrassed enough to completely nullify his anger. Almost adorably so, even...
Hopper, however, reached for one of her medals. To make sure that she was ready to protect herself. "Why are you here. I thought we reached the end of our little arrangement, after we 'averted' what happened during Christmas."
"We have." Yumeko said, remaining nice and calm in the face of an obvious threat. "...I'd like to request the remains of your original Hopper System. The one that broke during your first bout against the very first Luna that touched down here in Mimoto. As well as your prototype Desriver."
"What do you take me for, a bargain sale?" Lady Hopper shot back, before sharpening her glare even further. "You're no better than a Prime either, you know. Hopping from one timeline to this one... Why should I trust you with my creations?"
...She had heard that before. And it simply prompted Yumeko to sigh, as she knew that she would hear it again. "Because I don't want to simply stand on the sidelines, wishing for Mikai to be alright. Being so distant from her was part of why all of this turned out the way it did, even with the precautions I made. I want to make up for that." She explained, before smiling once again. "As for the prototype Desriver... There's something I'd like to try out with it. A gift for your successor, if you would."
Lady Hopper kept on glaring, before sighing in turn. "Take them. And never contact me again. If I find out you've been here, I will make sure that you pay for tampering with our world." Zero tolerance for those that didn't belong to her world. Even if she had been an ally, and did everything to try and make things right.
Yumeko bowed her head, knowing how difficult it must be for Lady Hopper to agree to something like this. But thankfully, she had managed to convince her. And it helped her get her mind off the little argument, she was sure of that much.
She walked over towards the glass-covered closet where the items were stored within. Letting her pass right by Hayato, and letting her whisper a few words into his ear as she kneeled down to get the items she desired.
"There's still more that your Driver can do, Hayato. After all, it's made from a Jõtai. And the Jõtai make your desires become real. Trust in it."
Hayato tried to turn his head to look at Yumeko, to try and get a more direct answer out of her after that cryptic advice... But she had already vanished, together with the items that she was there to get...
Leaving him to dwell on what she had said. And leaving Lady Hopper to dwell on what she had done up to this point.
And how she should be able to turn all of this around...
---
"What are you looking at? Huh? HUH!?"
Mikai had a confused look at her face. She just wanted to get a quick drink after she had gotten a lot of shopping done with Tsubasa, and there was a lot of commotion nearby. Lotta talk about some kind of really good soda, and... Well.
She couldn't stop staring once she saw the two people that were advertising at the stall. Which was why she was currently being assaulted by the shorter of the two, who she simply couldn't take seriously.
It was Byakko, one of the Saints of Atlas Corp. But instead of being dressed in her usual getup, she had... Well, she was wearing a tube top with this strange 'Titan Cola' branding on it, and a pair of shorts that were dangerously tight that had also been branded on the rear. Combine that with her hair being dyed part red and part blue, and she definitely caught the eye. And when you took the red hues from part of the branding with the blush on her cheeks, you'd really question if she was mad or just playing it up to look more on brand.
Tsubasa, for his part, was just as speechless as Mikai. Because he was staring at Hiro, who was dressed almost identically to Byakko. The only difference between the two was the lack of proper emotion on her face, and the presence of the mechanical shell around her arm... And the fact that she also had the branding on her cheek, to make up for a lack of emotion.
Well, how was he supposed to react to his idol being used as a walking billboard and not batting an eye about how strange it was!?
"SAY SOMETHING, PIPSQUEAK!" Byakko shouted at Mikai, shaking her slightly. "The last person I wanted to see today was you, especially after Hiro dragged me into this! I was content to work more on the newly updated PAWN System, but noooooo, I just had to be used for advertising!"
"This was your idea, Hiro?" Mikai ignored the anger from the cute kitty, who just fumed as she dropped her in turn. "I didn't know you liked to get painted like this! Are you trying to deal with your arm?"
Hiro shook her head. "The Tachibana Foundation managed to convince Atlas to partner with him. Thus, we're working to promote their latest product. Titan Cola." She explained very casually, running a single hand through her hair while at the same time lowering the sign that kept her somewhat modest.
Tsubasa was doing everything in his power not to stare at the very obvious breasts on display. Not the time to start having even more conflicted feelings about his idol. And as his eyes darted around, he noticed a couple of familiar faces in the crowd...
"She's supposed to be a Hero too, so why's she advertising like this?" Saki asked, looking at the can of Titan Cola in her hand, and then comparing it to Hiro's figure. "The least they could've done is brand the can with her too, if they were going to use her like this."
Saeko nervously laughed as she looked at her own can. "With the kind of Jõtaijin you've made, Saki, I don't think you really get to talk about something like this." Honestly, she was nowhere near as... Immodest, as Saki's own minions had been.
Minami had been parked beside her good friends, letting the cold chill of the extra cool can rest against her cheek. "Aaahhhh... At times like these, I'm very pleased that Atlas Corp's been able to keep the Shopping District so nice and warm, compared to the rest of Winter outside. Makes the cold surface of a fresh soda so much more refreshing..." She sighed sweetly, trembling all over. It also helped that seeing Hiro in such a humiliating garb was just as refreshing as the cold against her cheek...
Ero hadn't picked up her own can, since she was a machine. Instead, she was snapping many shots of the two 'booth babes', grinning as she cooked up plenty of plans within that processor of hers. She probably had a couple extra bottles of dye at home that she could use on Hayato to get him to look almost identical. Especially once she finished replicating the Tithoth Medal without meeting that girl again...
Tsubasa watched the friends from a distance, before quickly turning towards Mikai. "I-I'm going to go over there. C-Can't..." He couldn't even finish, but the knowing glance from Mikai told him that it was okay. No need to spill the beans on how awkward it was to look at his idol like this.
As he shuffled and scuttled his way over to the others, Mikai turned back to Byakko, who was still fuming and trying her best not to submit to the most basic of instincts as she stewed in her anger. "Maybe Hiro thought you'd get the chance to use the System, Byakko! Hiro always looks out for us, and you two seem close. Isn't that why you keep an eye out for her?"
Byakko's expression went from anger, to embarrassment, back to anger. "YOU CAN'T JUST SHIFT THE TOPIC LIKE THAT! EVEN IF IT'S TRUE!" She shouted, rapidly shaking the girl. "YOU'RE NOT EVEN ASKING WHAT'S BEEN UPDATED ABOUT THE SYSTEM! HIRO DIDN'T EVEN ASK, SHE JUST GRABBED ME AND PULLED ME ALONG!"
Soft laughter left Mikai's lips as she was shook around, which just caused her to be shaken even more. All while Hiro watched with that same unemotive expression. It was a ridiculous thing to see, one that onlookers would no doubt be shocked to behold.
And yet, it was comforting to see. Things really had returned to normal. That chaotic hint of normal that came from her and the younger girls trying to keep people safe. Seeing Mikai get into trouble just because of the way that she was... It would normally have made her worried, and normally evoked a response. But right now, all she felt was emptiness, even if she knew that it was relieving.
That, and she knew that there was no way that Byakko would actually hurt her. As angry as she could turn, she would never hurt somebody unless she had a damn good reason to. Which was good, wouldn't want her to ruin this part of the field test-
"Thank you, Everyone! Thank you, thank you!"
A loud, booming and fizzy voice echoed, with the entire crowd turning their attention to the source. A source that was standing on top of one of the lampposts that would later illuminate the district. Up there, a shiny silver woman stood, gleefully grinning with those perfectly sculpted lips...
"TITAN COLA FOR LIFE!" Titan Woman laughed, her voice booming even more as she held out her hand, a fizzy sound spraying forth. Not just from her, but from many of the cans that had not yet been opened by the masses...
Even if they tried to brace themselves as the cans shot open, there was very little chance that any of them were ready for the way the thick soda suddenly shot out. The fizziness was deafening, and the shine from the silver soda within was absolutely overwhelming, blinding most that would have readied themselves.
And since their mouths were all open, thanks to how thirsty they all were, each and every single stream of Titan Cola found itself a new home. Slamming down the throats of willing consumers, while at the same time splashing across them. All being forcibly covered and squeezed into a compact and identical form.
Saki tried to stop it by hammering away at herself and her will, keeping her steady. But all that she felt was her will crumpling like an aluminium can, as she was covered in the silver hued liquid.
Saeko tried to cover herself partly in her webbing, but she was far too slow. If anything, she just helped it spread across her, as she wrapped herself in the silver liquid and left herself looking identical to the girl at her side.
Minami expressed disbelief and annoyance at not being able to properly feed, before she was forcibly snapped out of her wheelchair by the all-encompassing liquid, leaving her yet another identical drone compared to the girls at her side.
Ero blinked as she watched some try to come towards her, only to giggle as her mouth snapped shut, and she spun all of that icky sticky stuff off her as it tried to stick to her. The pervert was impenetrable...
And yet her spinning just caused Tsubasa to be covered in more of it. Forced to swallow just as the others, while the extra sludge added some more feminine curves to his form. Forcing him to look identical to the other drones, large metallic breasts and all...
Mikai, for her part, quickly pulled herself free from Byakko and yanked her away from an oncoming onslaught of Titan Soda, the angry kitten hissing as an electrical field of pure energy covered both. Courtesy of Hiro acting just as quickly as her partner...
With Ero slipping right through the forcefield, only suffering a few sparks thanks to her mechanical nature. "Well, well. We're in quite the aluminium pickle, aren't we?" The JõtaiKiller chimed, with Byakko shooting her a glare. "Whaaaaat? Can't we have a bit of fun in a dire time? I thought that was how people did stuff around here!"
"WHEN WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST, NEAPOLITAN!" Byakko shouted, even as Mikai made sure to dust her off so she wasn't covered in anything. "Hiro, explain, you're the one that dragged me into this mess!"
Hiro cleared her throat slightly as she gazed up at the Titan Woman on the lamppost, with all of the other aluminium drones still in the process of being finalized. "It seems as if the Tachibana Foundation's been tampering with the Jõtai as well." A complete lie. Yet due to her current state, that lie could not be distinguished from the truth. "I wouldn't consider her a Jõtaijin, but she's an enemy nonetheless."
Huanglong appeared on her shoulder. He looked a little tense, but he would do his part as well. "Transform now, while the barrier's still active. Based on my analysis, these should develop into Successor-like entities soon, and will have the ability to spread their transformation to you with ease. Keep your mouths shut or protected, and don't let a single drop get inside."
Mikai nodded, the flames of her power consuming her as she posed. "Henshin!" She roared, her flames billowing off her and leaving Flame Lion in their wake.
Ero giggled as she flicked her wrist, activating the Desriver on her arm. "Even if Hayato's not here, I'm still what I've always been! Hopper System 2nd, activate!" She shouted, with her Desriver flaring to life as it used her voice as well. "DESIRE UP! HOPPER!" It shouted, as her more humane features were folded away, replaced with the JõtaiKiller, Ero.
Byakko grit her teeth. She could wipe the floor with all these drones if she just tapped into her true power. But this was the perfect time to test drive the new PAWN System. "Jouchaku!" She shouted, as a set of PAWN Armor quickly started to coat her. Perfectly sized for her smaller frame, too.
"Jouchaku." Hiro calmly declared, as the armor that made up her arm's prison spread across her. Turning her into KING, armaments ready to deal with a horde of minions...
Titan Woman watched the scene unfold before her. A scene that was just beautiful. So many ripe girls that needed a taste of her soda. And at the same time, so many that had already been given a taste. Just wonderful, just wonderful!
"Titan Cola!" She shouted, with each of the drones under her command posing just like her. "What is it for?!" She shouted, sending ripples through the incomplete drones...
"Titan Cola for Joy!" The drone that had been Saki giggled, her lips forming as she achieved her own stripe, a bright yellow that matched the playful twist of Lemon. "Laughing Lemon Titan Cola!"
"Titan Cola for Tears!" The one that had been Saeko smirked, letting her hand slide across her chest as a more rain-like hue of blue filled out her stripe. "Blueberry Blues Titan Cola!"
"Titan Cola for Moods!" The droned Minami chimed, spreading her chest as her green stripe filled out. "Moody Melon Titan Cola!"
"Titan Cola for Rage!" The drones and feminized Tsubasa shouted, her fiery red stripe filling out as she slammed her chest. "Raspberry Rage Titan Cola!"
And many more just like them cried out, most of them taking on the same sort of colors as them. So many different, yet identical flavors. And it was honestly kind of hard to properly distinguish between them. Kinda like if you had a big pile of soda haphazardly placed together, you wouldn't be able to tell one flavor from another.
"Titan Cola for Everyone!" They all shouted in unison, with the main Titan Woman shouting the loudest of all of them. "TITAN COLA FOR LIFE!" And their voices amplified, as they each stuck out their hand, the fizzy sounds from their sculpted lips echoing loud and clear.
And just like that, several dozen... No, several hundred streams of cola burst forth from their hands, all of them aimed at that tiny force field. All of that liquid was guaranteed to short circuit it, for sure!
PAWN grit her teeth, her armor flashing bright green. "Screw it, I'm tapping in anyway! The Saint System'll replicate this!" She shouted, as that green took on a golden and white hue. "DESPERADO! TIGER'S CAGE!"
To buy her allies time to counter attack, she slammed her fist into the ground. Before the onslaught of soda slammed into the force field, jagged rocks in the shape of a Tiger's fangs erupted from beneath, with each individual piece able to block one individual beam. Showing the fine control over Earth that was beholden to the Saint...
KING gazed at the hole that they had proverbially dug themselves into, before a thought quickly crossed her mind. "Mimoto, Eagle. Killer, that flame you have access to. We'll burn the metal off them." She said, the lower parts of her armor starting to groan as green energies started to flow from her arm and into them...
Mimoto nodded, as she took to the skies with a powerful "Chou Henshin!", spreading her wings as the green hues of Blast Eagle broke free from the armor that was blown off her. All so she could quickly fly over the masses that surrounded the protective area around them.
"Might as well put that thing to good use!" Ero chimed, flicking her gauntlet open as she slotted in the medal that she had kept on her. "REVEAL YOUR DESIRE - INFERNAL!" Her Desriver shouted, as flames from the afterlife started to pour across her. Billowing, dangerously hot flames. Ones that were building at an impeccable rate.
PAWN watched as KING vaulted over the cage she had made, with the JõtaiKiller launching herself into the air. She could feel the PAWN suit already cracking in response to how much power she had poured into it, causing her to grin slightly. "So it can handle one taste of my Authority. Heh. Guess we might actually get the chance to mass produce this yet..!" She said with confidence, as she focused her gaze on the leader of all these soda-flavored drones...
Titan Woman was frankly a little shocked to see these remaining heroes work in perfect tandem. How!? She had made so many drones, weren't numbers going to outmatch specialized products!? That's how distribution worked, the most popular flavors were the ones that won out in the end! "DRINK TITAN COLA!" She would not give i-
"ONE MORE! DESPERADO, TIGER'S CAGE!"
Titan Woman did not get the chance to finish her attempted attack, before she was very rudely slammed into the crowd of drones by a jagged rock reaching all the way up and hitting her in the back. Like a discarded can, she bounced for a second. She was durable though, and-
"Thunderbolt."
KING sped right past her, her blades slamming into her side and launching her further. Just like all the other soda-flavored drones. Their main ability to attack came in the form of their fizzy beams, which took time to aim. When faced with an opponent that was hooked up on speed, there was no chance that they could coordinate enough to lead their shots!
The sound of aluminium being thrown around filled the second 'cage', as Mimoto kept on speeding up as well. "APEX STREAM!" She shouted, as the winds picked up around her and launched them even higher, coalescing towards a single point..!
Where Ero was waiting, keeping herself in the air thanks to her scythe spinning from her back. "Nifty way to use this thing!" She grinned, as she began spinning in the same direction. Adding even more velocity, and thus a second source of propulsion that was aimed down at the first cage. All while the winds that she was making were carrying the flames of her inferno!
"HAVE A TASTE OF HELL!" She shouted, her entire body consumed by the infernal flames as the soda drones were launched up towards her, letting her send them right back down towards PAWN as the flames latched onto them and burned away at their containment.
A four-man combination, putting a quick end to the threat of the supposed Jõtaijin. Even if PAWN quickly realized the obvious result that she had cooked up. Leaving just a single scream of abject terror, before the threat was rendered absolutely null and void....
The 'cages' lowered, leaving a rather amusing sight to behold. Namely a bunch of people rolling off each other, safely knocked out and hopefully not suffering from Pawn Syndrome or something similar... And two people in the middle of it all.
Titan Woman... And Byakko forcibly turned into a tiny one as well, even if she was knocked out. She did get doused in all of the metal as it flooded down into the cage...
Ero snickered as she landed close to the pile, the flames having died down as she transformed back to normal. All while she used her eye to scan the metallic substance. She definitely, definitely needed to try and remake some of it later, so that she could turn Hayato into a soda shill...
Mimoto landed by KING, both transforming back to normal. The sight of Byakko converted into a drone was a lil' bit amusing, but she turned her gaze to Hiro. "She's going to be okay, right?"
Hiro nodded, with Huanglong manifesting on her shoulder once again. "With the main culprit knocked out, the drones are rendered inert. We can break her out once we get back, and her durability as a Saint means there should be no side effects." He explained, pausing for a second. "You'll want to contact Doctor Charlotta with regards to your friends, however. I cannot say if there are any other side effects, but she is the expert on Jõtai Research, even if she is our enemy."
"Got it." Mikai said, as she tried to find Tsubasa among the bodies. Saki and Saeko too, wouldn't want them to be too hurt. Minami could probably handle herself, she was slippery enough and spooky enough... "Oh. When will you be home, Hiro?"
"Late." Hiro immediately replied, as she picked up the defeated Titan Woman. "Don't wait for me. And sleep well, when you do." She said, before starting her long trek back to Atlas Corp. She had orders to bring in the test subject, once they were defeated...
Mikai watched, her expression growing a lil' sad. Just a lil'. Before she shook her head. No time to be sad. There was still way more that she had to do.
And since Hiro was going to be home late, she had way more time now..!
---
"It's not like you to immediately go down here after a mission."
Hiro didn't budge, her eyes locked on the tube in front of her. It had been... Some time, since she arrived back at Atlas Corp and deposited the test subject. "What did Seiryu say." She asked, though she didn't really care about the results.
"Mild success. A bit more infectious than we would've liked." Qilin explained, as she gazed at the tube as well. "But it proves her hypothesis. That it's possible to externally cover a human in the Jõtai Factor, and leave them unaffected by the side effects. Should we integrate this into the PAWN System once it's been mass produced, we'll be able to draw out the strengths of a Monster and integrate it into the armor without much conflict either." She paused, before her smile curved slightly. "And should we be brought into an extended war with Golden Freedom, we can turn their own tactics on them."
Hiro didn't listen, merely focusing on the girl quietly floating in the tube. The girl that had haunted her for so long. The girl she had failed, just as she had failed Mikai. Even as Qilin waved her hand in front of her face.
"I can see you." The white-haired woman muttered, as she slowly turned her head to look at the other four tubes hanging beside her. The four that were filled, and the one that didn't contain a humane figure, but rather a tattered lab coat, the only thing that remained of her.
Natsuki Maki. Sakura Koizumi. Sayaka Kaneko. Hana Ito. And the last tube, meant to house Rena Kazumi...
"These girls are the ones that weigh on your mind, aren't they?" Qilin had seen them plenty of times before. But now that Hiro was in this kind of state, they felt a lot more melancholic. A lot more difficult to swallow.
Hiro nodded. "Natsuki, Sakura, Sayaka and Hana each worked for me. And each of them wanted to help me with the looming threat that Golden Freedom posed. But each of them fell prey to the artificial Jõtai Factor that's housed inside the PAWN System. And Rena..." She paused, the fresh memory of the Prime Resonance still hurting all these years later.
"Native Awakening." The name of that incident. The four girls turning into violent Jõtaijin, perhaps even more than that. "Not a fond memory at all. And after all that, they're still comatose. Almost irrevocably bonded to that Jõtai Factor..." Qilin muttered, sighing as she turned her head towards the empty tube. "As for Rena..."
"Nothing besides her lab coat was left behind. The only evidence that event even took place, was the test subject having peacefully passed out by the end of it all." Hiro recounted the Prime Resonance incident. The incident that had gained her an enemy. "...One day, I'll bring them all back. Rena has to be alive too, I know it. If Tsukiko got corrupted by the Darkness, then there has to be traces left of Rena as well." She said, determined words with no real emotion behind them leaving her lips.
Qilin nodded, and sighed a little as she started walking out. "I'll let Seiryu know that you'll be down here for a while longer. Just don't spend too much time here. Your heart might be drained, but you don't need to make yourself needlessly suffer even more than you already are."
The door to the containment area quietly closed as Qilin left, leaving Hiro to her own devices. As she kept watch over her failures, and gently grasped her chest...
She would find a way to fix this. And protect Mikai's smile as well. Even if it killed her...
---
Night had fallen in Mimoto. In fact, it was just about to be midnight. And finally, Hiro returned home.
Her home was silent. Mikai was no doubt sleeping in bed at this time. She had a long day ahead of her tomorrow. More schoolwork, with exams no doubt on the horizon. Good. Best she focused on something that wasn't just heroics.
Slowly but surely, Hiro stepped deeper and deeper inside. So she could sleep in the same bed, and perhaps just catch a few small winks before another long day of her o-
...There was a single lit candle on the table. And as soon as Hiro noticed it, her heel clicked a little too loud.
"Happy Birthday, Hiro!"
The lights turned on. And there Mikai sat on the other side of the table. Looking positively tired, right about to tip over onto the table. But she couldn't sleep. Not until she had wished Hiro a happy birthday.
Hiro stared at the cake. It looked messy. But it was made from the heart. And the cream and everything that covered Mikai's face emphasized that. Just as the Natura Bleu action figure that held the teeny tiny candle in her hand, which had been forced into the middle of the cake, added a bit of extra charm.
"..."
The white-haired woman had all but forgotten that her birthday was coming up. And not many had taken note either, given the gifts on the table could be counted on a single hand. One from Byakko, as usual. One from Mikai herself. And one from... Tsubasa, that boy she had saved once, was it?
Hiro quietly stepped towards the table. And she put out the flame by gently blowing on it, letting the tiny smoke billow...
"What'd you wish for?" Mikai asked, yawning as she watched Hiro come closer. She was so, so tired. Especially since all that flying earlier had finally come back to bite her.
Her partner knelt down at her side, and locked eyes with her. Before wrapping her arms around her, and gently putting her hand on the back of her head so she hugged her as nicely and as tightly as she possibly could.
"That's... For me to know. And for you to find out one day, Mikai." She muttered, as a single tear ran down her cheek.
Only to be joined by more tears, as Mikai hugged her back and let her hands rub against that back. Tears of her sadness and happiness, breaking through the veil that the Darkness in her arm forced upon her...
The love and support from the short girl... That, was what she wished for. And as she got it, she couldn't stop crying. Because in this moment, she had gotten everything she ever could've wished for. And so, she cried.
Because the smile that she wished to protect, was there to protect her as well...