Persona BLEACHED 4: Chapter 21

Chapter 21: The Great Reprieve
October 28, 2031
"'Two weeks to the day of the deadly assault on Staten Island, P.D.F.'s New York branch held a public memorial service, in honor of the twenty-three agents and seventeen civilians killed in the attack.'"
Max was lying on the couch in his apartment, reading from a laptop. "'After the service, Commander Max O'Donnell disclosed that seventy-two people injured on October 13 have been released from the hospital, though several more remain receiving treatment...'"
He rubbed his eyes and sighed. "Hey, c'mon, you literally just got home. It's too soon to get depressed." Cindy walked over, holding a plate and wearing an apron featuring a chibi Hatsune Miku dressed as a chef.
"I can't stay out of the loop forever. I could've easily died then, too."
"But you didn't. You're here now, and you're gonna get better. And I'm gonna help you. Go on and close that for a minute and eat. Cindy-O's Bountiful Biscuits!"
"Ooh, biscuits. Now you've said the magic word." Max put the computer on the table.
"Made with love from the Pillsbury can." Hugo commented.
"Nyeeeh, whose side are you on?!" Cindy griped.
"Thought I heard something popping." Max said.
"It's the thought that counts!"
"Knock-knock-knock." a voice uttered from outside.
"There be your guests." Cindy got up to answer the door.
"I see someone is taking their personal attendant role to heart." Emily was behind it, accompanied by Anna and Candice, who was holding onto the latter.
"Is it really too much?"
"It's cutesy and extra. So 100% you, mami." Anna replied.
"Is it alright to come in? We aren't being too disruptive?" Candice asked.
"Nope, you guys are fine. Doctors said to keep visitation to a minimum, though. He still needs a ton of rest." Cindy replied.
"It's alright, we're not gonna be long. Me and Luna are kinda skipping out on work to do this, sooo..." Anna said.
"I already let my employees know I'd be late, and you're on patrol duty, anyway. We're alright." Emily stated.
The three women entered, Anna directing Candice so she could safely sit down. "Oh hey, the whole troupe came to say hi. Sorry I'm not so presentable." Max said, wearing blue, long pajamas.
"Not that I can notice." Candice said.
"How's the arm feeling today?" Emily asked.
"Eh, getting there. I've gotten used to the hurt by now. The painkillers at least help me sleep. That and having such good room service." Max replied.
"I aim to please~!" Cindy chimed.
"You doing okay there, Cind? Your eyes are more shadowy than a raccoon's." Anna asked.
"I keep telling her to take a nap. She doesn't have to be on me 24/7." Max said.
"I'll take a nap when I know you're feeling 110%! What kind of personal nurse would I be if I left you in agony while I went off to slumberland?" Cindy asked.
"I know you don't have an off switch, but you need to recharge your batteries, too. I won't be upset about it."
"Could be worse, Cind. He could be barking orders at ya until you were skin and bones." Anna said.
"I'm not an asshole. I'm not gonna put her through the ringer after I took a sword for her."
Cindy put her arms around his shoulders. "Isn't he the best patient you could ask for? Know what this means? More biscuits!" She turned back to the kitchen.
"Bless her heart, she truly does adore you." Candice said.
"I'm starting to notice that." Max looked pensive. "Okay. You ought to know that I've got a million questions about what happened. And zero idea which one to ask first."
"Just pick one out of a hat and go from there." Anna suggested.
"We'd probably be here well past lunchtime if we did that..." Emily commented.
"I guess I'll start with...Candice." Max started.
"I have some idea of what it is." Candice replied.
"That lady that was chasing after you..."
"Calypso, yes."
"She really sounded like she despised you. Who is she? Are there others, y'know, like you that live off the ocean?"
"There are. You heard her mention a nation called Lemuria. It's an island located in the middle of the Pacific, home to a tribe of mages whose abilities have developed in a way that they're better suited to life in the open ocean. It's where my father lives."
"And that Calypso woman is one of them?"
"She is. Quite an important one, at that. She was set to ascend the leadership of Lemuria at one point. Her father was the previous ruler. He was assassinated during a raid by the Wolfpack a few years ago."
"The Wolfpack killed her father? Then why would she join them?"
"Because she helped them do it."
"She...had her own father killed?"
"Lemuria is heavily guarded against outside invasion, so she helped the assassins get into the city. With him gone, she would have an easy and quick path to the throne. Except one of her accomplices was captured alive, and gave away every detail of her treason. She was banished after that."
"So how come she hates you so much?"
"Well...with no heir remaining, Lemuria is currently being governed by a council of scholars. One of them is my father. Ever since the transition, I've been floated around as a potential ruler. The idea of a half-breed taking her throne from her is something that Calypso can't live with. She's sought my head ever since."
"It's such an unfounded hatred. You've expressed time and again how you have no interest in ruling." Emily said.
"I can't, and I won't. A life of issuing orders and closing myself off, of potentially sending people to their ends by my decree...I feel ill just considering it. My life belongs to Mother Ocean, and all the creatures she's birthed. I could never abandon all that for the weight of a crown."
"Kings and queens have gotta know when to be ruthless. Our Candy's too pure for that. She'd rather spend all day playing with dolphins than sitting in some boring meeting room." Anna said.
"I mean, wouldn't anyone?" Max asked.
Cindy re-entered, holding a bowl filled with water. "The biscuits are almost ready. Here you go, Candy. The salinity's the exact right amount. I checked three times. Give me one sec..."
She put a towel on the floor in front of Candice, then put the bowl on top of it. Candice removed her sandals, and put her feet in the bowl. "Bless you, Cindy." Her eyes regained their azure hue. "Ahh...much better." She looked around. "My, what an orderly apartment you have, Max."
"Might not be that way much longer with this one at the reins." Anna pointed at Cindy.
"Be nice." Max urged.
"Hey, I've been keeping my apartment clean! Ish." Cindy objected.
"Oh? Now this I'll have to see with my own eyes." Emily replied.
"You...wanna come to my apartment, Emmy? Ooooh, now I HAVE to get it totally tidy!"
"Give me a time and date and I'll schedule accordingly."
Candice and Anna were surprised, the latter raising an eyebrow.
A bell rang out in the kitchen. "That's the biscuits! BRB!" Cindy went to attend to breakfast.
"So, Candice. Are the other sea people like you? Do they lose their sight when they're out of the water?" Max asked.
Candice shook her head. "Just me. It's my unique quirk. I've never let it bring me down. My father frames it as my eyes choosing only to see a beautiful world. Heehee, he has a bit of a whimsical spirit. It's not all that uncommon where I'm from."
"Better whimsical than nutsy-coocoo." Anna said. "So, uh, on that bit of cheer...ya met *him* face to face, didn't ya?"
"Yeah. I did." Max affirmed.
"It's so much worse in person, ain't it? Feels like your skin's filled up with worms just from talkin' to him."
"Being near him was enough to make my skin crawl. He looks and acts so casual, almost friendly. Then you look into...those eyes."
"Staring into that man's eyes is when you know that you're faced with pure evil. By then it's likely too late, and he's grazed you with that cursed Necrofog, and plunged you into your worst nightmare." Emily dictated.
"'Necrofog'? There's a name for that?"
"His natural powers are further fueled by ancient curses like that, gained through forbidden rituals. It was his indulging in those arcane acts that resulted in him being discharged from the P.D.F."
"Wait, what? That psycho was in the P.D.F.?"
"Yes. So was Ezekiel, for that matter. They were a highly-decorated pair. Cutting Gale Zeke and Searing Blaze Johnny, P.D.F. New York's most fearsome duo. Too fearsome, as it turned out. Indulgence in dark arts and even darker acts cost them their positions, and illicited the formation of what we now know to be the Wolfpack."
"Everyone in that foul organization holds some kind of grudge against the Defense Force, whether they're criminals seeking revenge, or in some cases, disillusioned former agents. All of them wanting to see the Defense Force brought to the ground." Candice added.
"His old rep's followed him for all this time. He might look scrawny at first, but once anyone sees that gun or that smoke in action, they're pretty quick to get in line." Anna said.
"I heard you experienced the Necrofog firsthand. Have there been any lingering effects from it?" Emily asked.
"The first few days after were...rough, to say the least. Even with the antidote. Everything just felt so real. I knew what was happening *couldn't* be happening. But still..." Max replied.
"We've all been there, dude. It's a nasty bit of magic, no doubt about it. Makin' your brain think things you ought to know aren't true is as dirty as it gets." Anna said. "Hey, so...there's somethin' I've gotta know--"
"Sorry for the wait! Bon appetit!" Cindy reappeared, holding a plate stacked high with biscuits.
"How big was that can?" Max questioned.
Everyone took a biscuit. "Good thing you didn't get your old man's kitchen technique, Cind." Anna said.
"I second that. One trip to the hospital this month is more than enough." Candice agreed.
"Aww, quit being so mean! Daddy hasn't blown anything up!" Cindy objected.
"Recently." Emily mumbled.
"Anywho, what I was saying, Maxie...how come you stayed?" Anna asked.
"Why I...why do you ask?" Max pondered.
"You saw what you're up against. You nearly got yourself killed. You said it yourself, 'not my world, not my problem'. Uncle Maxie was giving you the perfect out. Don't you wanna go back to your girl?"
"More than anything."
"So then...why?" Candice asked.
"I can't go back until I know I can be the one to make her happy. And because I can't leave you all here to fight those monsters. I'm not saying you don't stand any chance, but walking away to save my own skin isn't something I can live with. Especially after you've all gone out of your way to make me feel like one of the family. I owe you guys the effort."
"You saved Cind and Candy from getting killed. If anything, we're the ones that owe you." Anna responded.
"Don't even think that you do. Anyone would've done the same thing."
"Anyone would say that they would. Very few would follow through. How about this, then. As proper thanks for your actions, we promise to do everything in our power to support you and get you home. It's the least we can do." Emily proposed.
"I knew that you had the same good heart as your Barbara. We'll do everything we can to help you, right, Anna?" Candice asked.
"Guy wants to do right by us and his girl, and wants to punch my old man in his shit-eatin' face. Not gonna say no to that." Anna replied.
"I-I'm really not that great...I appreciate it, really, but..." Max looked away.
"He's blushiiiiing! You can say you love us, Maxie, it's OK~!" Cindy hugged him.
"Easy, easy, owowow! Shoulder, remember?!"
A short while later, Anna checked her phone. "Alright, duty calls, ladies and germ. I'll see ya in a while. Lemme get ya back home, Candy."
"Alright. Sorry if I get the floor wet." Candice said.
"Don't worry about it." Max replied.
"Hopefully we can all get together like this soon. I treasure our meetings, I really do."
"A shame it took such an awful tragedy to bring us all together just to relax. We really ought to plan something for when things settle down." Emily said.
"Totally! Um...would you be good with that, Maxie?" Cindy asked. "It's not weird, is it? Hanging out with a bunch of girls all the time, I mean."
"It's no problem. You should see who I hang out with back home." Max replied.
Anna and Candice left. "Ah, before I go, I have something for you." Emily said.
"Huh? For me?" Cindy questioned.
Emily reached into her bag, and pulled out a clipped stack of papers. "My manuscript. Nobody else has laid eyes on it. Give it a look through when you have a free moment."
"You finally finished it? And you want me to read it?! Oh, Emmy, I know it's gonna be great already!"
"I'm flattered, but this is an early, *early* draft. This version probably isn't winning any awards."
"I thought you said you were more of the promoting type." Max questioned.
"I've honestly been working on my own novel for years. But it was only recently that I was struck with a jolt of inspiration. You'll probably notice more than a few typos at the end from how frantically I was writing. Sorry in advance." Emily replied.
"Well *I* still can't wait to get into it. What's it about? Oh no no, don't tell me. I wanna go in with a clean slate. Ooooh, this is so awesome!" Cindy exclaimed.
She embraced a surprised Emily. "I have the coolest big sis in the world. Thanks for letting me look, Emmy."
"Ah..." Emily looked over at Max. He gave a nod. She reciprocated the hug with a smile. "Don't mention it. I hope you enjoy it."
"I know I'm gonna!" Cindy let out a giggle. 
"I'll leave you to it. Rest well, Mr. Jadefang. And keep me in your thoughts. I'm launching a YA novel today. My employees are already telling me there's a line."
"Sounds like a ripper of a time. Have fun." Max said.
Emily left. Cindy ecstatically jumped and twirled around with the papers in hand. "I can't wait I can't wait I can't wait! Emmy's first big work, and I'm gonna be the first one to read it! Oh, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna shirk on my nursing duties! You need anything?"
"I'm good. Get comfortable and relax. I'll let you know if I start hurting." Max replied.
Cindy sat down on the couch and put her feet up on the table. "Dealsies~."
---
Later that night.
"So, honest opinion on the noodles." Cindy asked, sitting with Max on the couch, eating Chinese takeout.
"I'll give them a 7.7 out of 10." Max replied.
"You've got some critical taste buds, don't ya?"
"Believe me, I've had some pretty otherworldly noodles before. I'd like to say I've made some myself."
"You're always talking about how good you are at cooking, you've gotta make some up for us one of these days!"
"I'll think about it. Once I get all the feeling back in this hand."
Cindy ate from her plate. "Mmm...so, it's not like, a crime to ask for some of your cooking, is it? It's not something only a select few can experience?"
"Well I can't say I do it for everyone that walks by. Before I came here, I mostly cooked for my girlfriend and her family."
"Could you tell me a bit more about your girlfriend? I wanna know what kinda lass captured your heart."
"Well I'm not gonna say no to that. Her name is Ibuki." Max took out his phone. "I've got a bunch of pictures, but this one's probably my favorite."
He showed a photo of Ibuki during a modeling shoot, sitting on the ground and giving the cameraman a tempting look. Her hair was tied back and stylized to appear 'wild', and she wore a torn red half-shirt, spiked armbands, and red boots worn over netted leggings. "Fireball" was written in fiery letters behind her.
"Hooooo woooooow!" Cindy exclaimed.
"Takes your breath away, don't it?"
"My dude, when you said you had a girlfriend I wasn't expecting that you actually meant you had a *woman*friend. She's a bombshell! Is she a model?"
"On the side. Full-time, she's a hairdresser."
"Those are some pretty fire abs for a hairdresser."
"She used to be a wrestler. And a damn good one, at that. 'Fireball Ibuki' was her moniker."
"A model, a hairdresser AND a wrestler? How old did you say she was?"
"She's 21. 22 in February. It must sound like a lot, but she's had to fight a lot to stay afloat. Her life was rough growing up. Her parents died when she was young, so her and her sister just had each other for a long time. Her sister is hard of hearing, and she got pregnant young, so they had to do some...difficult things to survive."
"Wow. But she's doing really good now, right?"
"Oh they're doing phenomenal. Ibuki has a job now where she can shoot the breeze all day and not have to punch people. Not that she'd hesitate to do it if she needed to. She's very much the 'take no shit from anybody' type." Max rubbed his leg. "I found that out the hard way."
"Oh, that's right...you did say that you did something pretty bad back home."
"Something that's not so easy to deal with. A mistake that transcends mistakes. It's part of why I wanted to stay. Until I feel like I'm the kind of guy that deserves a woman like her. I want to make her happy. She deserves better than the perpetual screw-up."
"Awww. Well if you ask me, you're already there. And I think she'd say the same thing. But I haven't met a girl yet that doesn't dig a heroic turn."
"Maybe we don't go *that* far. Well if we're having this convo, how about you tell me about your boyfriend...Dai, I think it was?"
"Ooooh, I'd love that...buuuut, maybe it'd be easier if you saw for yourself. Tomorrow, even."
"Why, what's going on tomorrow?"
"A lot of the big shots from the Tokyo branch are coming tomorrow to meet with Daddy about the attack. Dai's dad is the commander, so Dai and his brother and sister are coming with."
"Damn, sounds major."
"It's super major. Usually they meet through video call, but they want to see and hear for themselves how bad it was. My dad's been mega busy getting things ready. It's why he hasn't been by to see how you're doing. But he'd like it if you attended the meeting."
"Me? What for?"
"You wanna know about what happened in Naruki, right? About that oni girl? Nobody knows more about it than my dad and Dai's. And that girl...you said that you know her in your world."
"Yeah. Where I'm from, a redheaded woman by the name of Ringo Kubo was my high school professor. She's one of the nicest, most helpful people you could ever meet. Which makes what this world's version is doing all the more unbelievable."
"Well maybe what you know about your world's version might help with dealing with ours."
"I don't know, even her power felt different. But if I could start getting some answers around here, that'd be perfect."
"If your arm starts hurting, you're free to come back here. We're off-duty until you're alright."
"I'll be fine."
"If you say so. I'm gonna head home real quick to shower, you need anything before I go?"
"Nah, I'm good. Thanks for dinner. One thing, though...is there anything I should know before meeting your boyfriend's dad?"
"No, no. Just that he can be a little...intense. And not that you'd have a reason to, but don't try to lie to him. He can see through lies like they're made of glass."
"Oh, lovely." "(If there's one thing I *love*, it's a living lie detector.)"
---
October 29, 2031
The Planetary Defense Force headquarters. The 34th floor, reserved for meetings of varying scopes. This morning's was certainly of the serious variety.
Max sat in the meeting chamber, a dimly lit room home to a sizeable round table bearing the New York branch's emblem. He bore a look of discomfort.
"Is it hurting again?" Cindy asked, tending to him.
"Not gonna lie, it's getting there."
"Sure you don't wanna sit this one out?"
"I can toughen it out for a while. It's no problem."
"You don't have to prove anything."
"I'm not trying to prove anything."
"Yeah, you are. Girls don't like it when guys are reckless. Take care of yourself a little more."
"When I was six, my old man tied me to a tree and left me out in the freezing cold because I knocked his beer over. I can suck it up."
Cindy looked disturbed. "Well let me know if it feels any worse."
The chamber door opened. Commander Max entered, with Bobbi, Letty and Anna close behind. Candice held onto her mother's hand. "Good morning, beautiful people." the commander greeted.
"All two of us." Max uttered.
"Candy's seat's right here, Aunt Bobbi. I got her water bowl set up." Cindy advised.
"Beautiful. Watch your step, mermaid." Bobbi navigated her daughter.
"Thank you as always, Cindy." Candice sat down, her eyes regaining their color as soon as her feet touched the saltwater.
"How's your recovery going, Mr. Man?" Letty asked.
"I'm fine. It's barely even a bruise." Max assured.
"That wince tells me otherwise. You sure you're up for this?"
"Don't question him, Mommy. Or else you'll get a depressing beer story." Cindy cautioned.
"A depressing what now?"
"Oye. Is Luna gonna show up?" Anna asked.
"Luna has already arrived." Emily suddenly appeared behind her.
"YIKES! Where'd you come from?!"
"Would you like me to explain it in detail?"
"Settle, people. We haven't had our friends from Tokyo visiting in years. Last thing we need is any sign of disfunction." Bobbi warned.
"Please, they know how we play already." Commander Max sat at the head of the table, next to his younger counterpart. "Hey, kid. You holding up alright?"
"Yeah, yeah. Hurts like hell, but I walked here on my own power." Max replied.
"In case I haven't said it already, thanks for everything that day. You seriously saved our hides. Still okay with not going back?"
"Would you have?"
"Not until the job's finished."
"On that, we're on the same page. So where's this legendary Tokyo branch I've heard so much about?"
"That's...a good question. They should've been here by now. Anna, where are they?"
"According to Jess, they just pulled up in their taxi." Anna looked at her phone.
"They took a--why would they take a taxi? They can FLY!"
"'Fly'?" Max uttered.
"Apparently they've got Ken with them, and they felt bad about him going on his own, so they got a cab together." Anna explained.
"Oh, right. They've got their own Kenneth." Max remembered.
"Be prepared for a dagger through the air if you call him that." Candice warned.
"Remember, kid. Dasuke is one of my oldest friends, and one of the finest warriors on the planet. Remember your manners. He can be scary when he's mad." Commander Max advised.
"I can keep my cool...how scary are we talking?" Max asked.
The door opened. "Knock knock. Try not to get too excited." Ken entered.
"You know it's proper manners to say that *before* you open the door, right?" Bobbi questioned.
"Yeah, I don't much care about manners. Morning, Maxie. How's the fridge?"
"Sealed with a passcode that I change every time you visit." Commander Max replied.
"You know me so well. So I take it that's the mini-you, is it?"
"Yo." Max responded. "I hear you met some of my friends back home."
"That I did. There was this one girl--"
"Kat. Before you say anything, yeah, I know."
"I didn't even get out a thought."
"You don't have to."
"Well it's obvious that you and her share some kind of wavelength. She took a stab for someone, too."
"Wait, what? Kat was stabbed? Is she alright?"
"She was fine when I left. She's a tough cookie. My brother was about to stab a friend of hers, and she jumped in the way of it. A lot like what you did for our young Ms. O'Donnell here. There's not a lot of people that would do that sort of thing."
Max looked away, trying to hide how red he was turning. "You're crazy. Me and her are as different as night and day."
"You're seriously adorable when you're embarrassed, Maxie~." Cindy chimed.
"So how was your ride here, Kenny?" Letty asked.
"Oh, a peach. The wonder twins were squabbling in the backseat the entire time. I almost wished they'd just flown and left me be." Ken replied.
"And where are they now...?" Emily asked.
"Waiting on the wonder twins to finish peeing downstairs. I swear, those two..."
The door opened once more. Two young men entered. One wore a black P.D.F. uniform with the same draconic emblem on the back as Ken's. His hair was silver, with black streaks, extending past his shoulders. He wore a silver neckerchief. "And here we are, late again. No thanks to you, Spence."
"Oh, bite it! I remember you drinking just as much of that Slurpee as me! More, in fact!" The other young man wore a matching blue uniform, buttons undone on the jacket, and had a backwards blue cap. He had unkempt blonde hair, along with a chin beard.
"This shit never ends, I swear." Ken muttered.
"DAAAAAAI!" Cindy jumped from her seat and practically leapt into the silver-haired young man, rubbing her cheek against his.
"Oof! H-hey, Cindy...you're squeezing me again..." he responded.
"I'm here too, y'know..." his companion complained.
Cindy stuck her tongue out at him, to his annoyance.
"Don't choke the poor boy, Cind. Don't make me get the hose." Anna said.
"I hear stupidity going on in here." A young woman, a couple of years older than the boys, entered. Her uniform was orange, and she possessed blonde hair tied back. She wore a green neckerchief, and had aviator goggles hanging around her neck.
"There's my giiiiirl." Anna got up and slung an arm around her shoulder. "MmMmMmmm, am I loving those jeans on you. Lookin' all official."
"Am I supposed to look *un*official?"
"You could look messy for all I care, your still sexy as hell." Anna smacked her on the back.
The lively siblings all approached Max. "Huh. I expected you to be taller." the blonde boy said.
"Spence, don't be rude. Mom might not be here, but that doesn't mean you can say whatever crosses your mind." the woman chastised.
"I just gave an opinion, sheesh!"
"Ummm." Max was at a loss.
"I think we're scaring the man. Let's dial it back a bit." the silver-haired man said. "Height doesn't determine someone's worth. It's the content of their character. You might've guessed by now, but I'm Dai Sorenos. Word has it that you took a sword for my girlfriend."
"That I did. It's what anyone would've done."
"On the contrary. Many a man would've frozen in place or tried saving their own skin. Protecting someone, potentially at the cost of your own life, is the mark of a brilliant spirit."
"I really wouldn't go that far. I'm just Max."
"Well, 'just Max'. I'll keep it simple." Dai extended his right hand. "Thank you for saving the girl I love."
"Ah..." Max uttered, his left arm still in pain. He awkwardly reciprocated with his right hand. "Sorry, just...it still hurts. Cindy's been taking great care of me these last couple of weeks."
"A girl's gonna do whatever it takes to help the bestie that saved her~." Cindy chimed, her arms slung around Dai's shoulders.
"Bestie, eh?" he questioned.
"Can't deny it at this point." Max conceded.
"An honest response. I can respect that. I'm Jess. I'm the Tokyo branch's aerial combat specialist." the woman introduced herself.
"Fly girl, eh? My uncle was a military pilot, so I can respect that. So, you're Anna's..."
"Booty buddy? Hell yeah." Anna chimed.
"Anna, seriously. Not while we're working." Jess uttered.
"Aww, but ya look so charming in that uni, I can't help myself."
"Y'all are just gonna go to town on each other after this, aren't you?" the man in the cap questioned. 
"Not like you'd know the feeling, ya incel dweeb." Anna retorted.
"INCEL?!" he slumped, horrified at the accusation.
Dai sighed. "And this sad husk of a man is my twin, Spence."
"In case you're wondering, this *is* normal." Cindy said.
"And it's just...so...fun." Ken uttered.
"Alright, I think that's enough traumatizing our friend here. Jessica. Where is your father?" Emily asked.
"Cleaning his uniform. He got carried away with a steak." Jess replied.
"That tracks. That guy never met a prime rib he didn't lose his cool over." Anna said.
"A steak and Slurpees. Where the hell did you all eat before this?" the commander questioned.
"It would've been a normal lunch if these two didn't spot a 7-Eleven on the corner and immediately get a stupid idea." Jess grumbled.
"Nothing wrong with a little brainfreeze competition!" Spence responded.
"There's a lot, actually." Max uttered.
"Well it doesn't matter either way, cuz I won easy!"
"Because you don't have a brain to freeze." Dai responded.
"My, my, Mr. Jadefang. You must think me and my family are the most dysfunctional unit imaginable. And you wouldn't be far off." a man's voice echoed.
"...?! Where'd that..." Max looked around.
"Confused? Apologies, this is just a display. All one needs to do...is look towards the shadows."
Emerging from a dark corner of the room, almost as if he was separating from the darkness itself, was a man. His uniform was silver, and there was a star on the upper lefthand corner of his jacket, indicating his position as commander. Said uniform looked worn, the tell-tale sign of many a battle. His hair was a distinctive silver, as was the thin goatee he possessed. His eyes, like those of his children, were a piercing yellow color.
"Foreboding as usual, Dasuke." Bobbi said. "Where's that steak stain we heard about?"
"You see my jacket buttoned, don't you?"
"How very dignified of you, Commander." the older Max said.
"I'm nothing if not dignified, Commander." 
The two commanders shook hands. "Good to see you again, old friend. How's the wifey doing?" 
"Chomping at the bit for some action, as per usual. She sends her regards. I take it this is your younger counterpart."
"Yes, sir." Max affirmed.
"Now you have the eyes of someone that's endured many of life's difficulties. Though that scar on your face and the weakness in your arm tells me just as much."
"Y-yes, sir."
"Don't look so nervous. I've heard that I can be intimidating. I imagine you still have many questions about how things work here."
"Well, yeah. I've got one in particular I've got for you and the old man. Naruki City."
All three of the children noticeably shuddered.
"Hm. How many times have I had that name dropped in front of me these last five years?" Dasuke questioned. "So what do you know about Naruki City?"
"Well in my world, it's where I live. Where I went to school and met my friends. It's the center for most of the chaos that happens where I'm from. And during the attack on Staten Island, a girl with the same name as the professor who helped me appeared and said she wanted the two of you to suffer. And I want to know why." Max asked.
"This is the same girl who gave you that shoulder wound, yes? Ringo Kubo...well. Our oni has a name, and she's a ghost."
"You've known about her?"
"I suppose the time has come. Right, old friend."
"Right you are. Listen good, kid. This was one of our lowest moments...the Tragedy of Naruki." Commander Max began.
---
"October 30, 2026. Almost five years to the day. It was the day before Halloween, but there wasn't going to be any trick-or-treating this year." The commander began.
"My office had received a tip that an extraterrestrial force was preparing an attack on Sapporo. Insectoids, and large ones at that. Operating on a hive mind, and attracted to the magical energy dwelling inside all humans. Not only that, but they're often used as an attacking force by the Wolfpack." Dasuke continued.
"That's why they called our branch in, since we had the most experience dealing with my brother's gang."
"I'd gotten the tip from a trusted source. I'm very selective when it comes to my network. And I was noticing some suspicious movements leading up to that date. Everything seemed solid enough." Ken dictated.
"So on the promised date, we took our main forces up to Sapporo. We waited. And we waited. We concealed our presence effectively, and we evacuated the populace under cover of darkness. But...nothing happened. No Insectoids arrived. Not a single grub." Dasuke continued.
"It was then that we got an emergency call in from Tokyo. The market bureau of Naruki was preparing for its annual Halloween festival, where all the different businesses would pass out candy to the children. But what happened instead was...the Insectoids. A swarm of them. We realized too late that we'd been mislead." Commander Max related.
"By the time we'd made it to Naruki, even with teleportation technology, it was too late. The district was reduced to ashes and rubble. One-hundred and seventeen men, women and children perished that day."
"Even after we publicly exposed the traitors in our ranks that fed us that bogus information, it was too little, too late. In the eyes of many, the P.D.F. had left Naruki to die. Many others understood what had happened, but a very vocal group has spent the last five years drilling our every move. 'Never Forget Naruki' is the rallying cry for anyone with a bone to pick with the P.D.F." Ken explained.
"It was our fault for not vetting our information enough. We admitted as much after the tragedy. But words can only do so much for people who lost everything. Something our oni very clearly believes."
"In the years after the tragedy, Naruki became a no-man's-land. Gated off from everyone save for surviving relatives who had special permission to visit where their loved ones lost their lives. Occasionally, though, thrill-seekers and other general idiots sneak their way in. 'These lands are cursed', they'll say to themselves. Because everyone knows that the ruins are guarded by a mysterious masked vigilante. A figure dressed in ninja garb and wearing an oni mask, who chases away anyone who isn't welcome in those hallowed grounds."
"And now we know that our demon is in fact a person." Commander Max added.
"Who was she? Before everything?" Max asked.
"I had to do some digging, because of her age during that time. There was a walk-in clinic in the district, run by one Dr. Hanatarō Kubo and his wife, Yumi." Ken placed a paper in front of Max, showing a goateed man in a doctor's coat, and a woman in scrubs with that same familiar red hair. "Articles described them as well-liked in the area. They would always have the clinic decked out for Halloween and every significant festival. One person commented that the good doctor would dress as Santa Claus during the holidays and entertain the local children. Just all-around good people."
"I feel like I already know the answer to this, but...they died during the tragedy, didn't they?"
"They did. Found in the rubble of their clinic. Along with their 17-year old son Togemaru, a third-year student at Naruki Central High." Ken placed another photo of a young man with spiked up black hair. "Reports from survivors say that the three helped usher patients out through the back while they stayed behind with critical patients who couldn't leave. It takes a special kind to perform that kind of sacrifice."
"There was only one person in the family unaccounted for." Dasuke presented a photo, of a young girl with dark red hair, two black bows on either side of her head, multiple ear piercings, black eyeliner, and a ripped shirt with 'Babymetal' written on it. "Their 13-year old daughter, Ringo."
Max picked up the picture, staring intently at it. "....."
"That's her, right kid?" Commander Max asked.
"Yeah. That's her. No mistaking it."
"People close to the family say that she was entering the 'rebellious teenager' phase and stayed out later and later. On that day, she was supposedly going to meet with her best friend, Namiko Sakaki, to discuss their Halloween plans." Ken presented a photo of a girl with long brown hair, wearing similar dark clothing to Rin.
"Miko...Sakaki..."
"That name mean something to you, Maxie?" Cindy asked.
Max nodded. "My Rin Kubo had a close friend by that name. There's...a lot of personal history between the two."
"Namiko Sakaki was found deceased about a block away from the clinic. But Rin Kubo was nowhere to be found. The assumption was that she'd been taken by the Insectoids or that she'd ran off somewhere far away, with her entire family now gone." Ken dictated.
"But now we know that isn't the case. The Oni of Naruki and this missing girl are one and the same. And now she's in league with our sworn enemies." Dasuke said.
"I...I don't get it. This whole thing was obviously a Wolfpack scheme, right? They're the ones responsible for this, not you guys. Why would she join up with the people who killed her family and friends?" Max questioned.
"Cuz my old man is as cunning a schemer as there is." Anna replied. "Girl was probably on that same boat of blaming the P.D.F. for what happened. Then here comes the twisted bastard, whispering sweet payback in her ear, promising that she'll get the heads of the people she blames for destroying everything she loved."
"Tempting promises meant to further his own ends or just to serve his own amusement. It's a typical Johnny O'Donnell ploy, one that's brought in the bulk of his force. And there's few promises more tempting than revenge." Jess followed.
"Tons of people hold grudges. Not all of them go on to massacre a bunch of people." Spence responded.
"Has she killed anyone?" Max questioned.
"Does it matter at this point?"
"I think it matters a ton, actually. Has she?"
"Being perfectly honest, no one that trespassed into Naruki these last five years was killed for it. Just scared off." Dai answered.
"Even in this last battle, none of the agents that encountered her suffered fatal wounds. I had the feeling when I crossed blades with her that she was intentionally holding back." Bobbi said.
"What are you trying to get at, kid?" Commander Max asked.
"I just...when I looked her in the eyes that day, I didn't see any wickedness or malice. All I saw was...sadness. It was like the only thing keeping her moving was the thought of revenge. Something she said bothered me, too...she called her actions 'the desires of the dead'." Max replied.
"Unbelievable, my dude. Didn't this chick nearly kill you? Why are you going to bat for her now?" Spence questioned.
"Because I get it."
"You...get it?"
"I know what it's like to be so blinded by the thought of revenge that nothing else matters. Back home I was so obsessed with the thought of destroying one single man that I betrayed everyone close to me. Everything I believed to be true was corrupted by that one, blaring thought. The truth? If Johnny had found me at that low point, it could've easily been me standing there in that chaos with a blade pointed at the old man. I have zero doubts about that."
"Admitting to being a vengeance-obsessed monster is certainly a thing to do in a room full of the good guys."
"Shut up, Spence." Cindy chastised. "Maxie isn't a monster. He admits to being a screw-up once, but he's not anymore. He's already proven that I can trust him with my life. My mind's not gonna change on that."
"Thanks, Cind." Max responded.
"Got your back, bestie~." she winked.
"Well then, Mr. Jadefang. You certainly make a compelling argument. What do you propose we do about Ms. Kubo?" Dasuke asked.
"The Rin Kubo of my world is, no exaggeration, our superhero. She's helped us out in more ways and more times than I can count. If this Rin Kubo is even a tenth of the person that she is, then I can get through to her. We can tell her the truth about what happened to her family. I can convince her that the path she's on will only lead to more despair and grief. I feel like...it's something I'm meant to do." Max replied.
"Tell me something, Mr. Jadefang." Emily began in a serious manner. "Would you be this gung-ho about talking to this girl if she didn't resemble someone you know? If she was a complete stranger, would you still want to save her?"
"I...can't say for certain. Her being like my old professor definitely plays a part, I can't deny it. But even if it wasn't her, it wouldn't change the feeling I got looking at her eyes. She's hurt, and she's angry. Alternate Rin Kubo or not, I have to at least try."
"So let me ask this, then. Does a tragic past automatically excuse awful actions in the present? If the man who killed my mother admitted to having had an abusive childhood, would it justify his every action now?"
"Emily, don't--" Commander Max began.
"She has a point, Max. Tragedy or no tragedy, she was complicit in the assault, and wounded a number of our agents. Criminal acts aren't so easily justified when she's attacking our people of her own free will. Do you think any of the people currently sitting in hospital beds would accept an 'I'm sorry' from the girl at this point?" Bobbi responded.
"The answer is no. Nothing can justify hurting people. But here's my retort." Max plopped his hands on the table. "If you think people are unsalvageable, then lock me up right now. Toss me to that council and let them do with me what they will. Because by that logic, I'm an irredeemable monster."
"Maxie, nobody wants to--" Cindy objected.
"If you really think she's not worth saving, then you're wasting your time with me. Don't mistake this as me asking you to kill me. But you all gave me a lifeline. I'd hope you could extend her the same courtesy."
"....." Emily gave Max a long stare.
"....." Max returned the look.
And then, the mysterious Arch-Witch did something the young man wasn't expecting. She smirked. And slowly clapped her hands. "That is *exactly* what I wanted to hear from you. Well done, Mr. Jadefang."
"Uh...what?" Max blinked.
"What was it that I said to you when we first met? I wanted to know exactly what kind of person you were."
"(Pretty sure your exact words were 'what kind of Max O'Donnell you are', but I guess we can't have you saying that in front of Dad. Lest he thinks you actually respect him.)"
"Up until this point, I had no idea what to make of you. It felt to me like you were going through the motions, not taking anything seriously and counting the seconds until you could go home. Yet I've seen a different side to you these last few weeks. That talk of wanting to be good, and wanting to be different...you've shown me that it isn't just pretty words to endear us to you."
"If you're trying to pull the wool over our eyes, you're certainly going to extreme lengths to do it. I'm impressed by your strength of ideals. You've at least got more of a spine than this old, gray warhorse did at your age." Dasuke said.
"Well excuse me for not being born with a leather jacket and Mercedes, Mr. Effortless Cool." Commander Max griped.
"So what's your plan on this, anyway? Ask her nicely and hope she can suppress the urge to attack my father on sight? Would she ever agree to joining us?" Dai asked.
"That I don't know. And to be frank, I'm not really looking to make her fight with us. If she can't bring herself to trust us fully, then that's how it'll be. Just as long as she realizes that she's being deceived into doing something she can never walk back from." Max looked downwards. "Sorry, I've done most of the talking. There's probably more official business that needs taking care of than my hypotheticals."
"What you're proposing makes sense. More than I can say for certain other people." Jess responded.
"Try to not stare at me when you're saying that." Spence grumbled.
"Well, it's definitely something that we'll have to consider going forward. Now then, Dasuke, I believe you wanted to survey what needs fixing on the island?" Commander Max asked.
"That I did. We have manpower to spare, if it helps return things to normalcy. Or at least close to it." Dasuke replied.
"Let's hop to it. You good for that, kid, or is that not searing pain you're trying to hide?"
"Ugh...can't get anything past you, can I? Yeah, might have to sit this one out. Might've given the arm a bit too much work..." Max uttered.
"This looks like a job for Nurse Cindy-O!" Cindy bolted up.
"Huh?"
She proceeded to hoist Max over her shoulder, to his shock. "I'll get you to the antibiotics, stat!"
"Anti--I'm not infected! Put me down--"
Max struggled as Cindy ran off with him. 
"Well. Guess some things don't change." Jess deadpanned.
"I should probably go after her. Before she splits the poor man's stitches open." Dai responded. "If it's not too much trouble, Dad."
"Definitely isn't. In fact, how about all three of you go after? Give yourselves some time to catch up. Leave the grim work matters to us." Dasuke replied.
"Oh good, we get to be nurse's assistants for the day. That's always *fun*." Spence groaned.
"It's either that or walking around wanton destruction. Pick your poison." Jess responded.
"I know which poison I'm pickin', mamacita." Anna leaned in close to her.
"Don't make me get the hose."
"Ooh, I like where this is goin'."
"Would you mind if I went along, Mother? I'd probably be a burden more than anything." Candice asked.
"You're never a burden to me, mermaid. But if you want to catch up, I won't object." Bobbi replied.
"Well, Em? You coming with or staying to chat?" Commander Max asked.
"Hmm...I think I'll be staying behind." Emily replied.
"Hunh. Wasn't expecting that answer. You coming down with something?"
"Somebody has to be the voice of reason amongst the chaos. Can't be losing Mr. Jadefang to madness, now. And..."
"And?"
Emily thought about it. "That's it. I have to make sure Cindy doesn't overdo it."
"Ah, I see now. That shield of thorns is starting to chip away a little, is it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm going before Mr. Jadefang's apartment is reduced to ashes." Emily left with the others.
"Emily is...going to spend time with Cindy? Willingly? Has she come down with something?" Letty asked.
"I wonder." the commander responded.
"Don't think we don't know your game, you sly old wyvern." Bobbi said.
"I haven't the faintest idea of what you're implying." Dasuke replied.
"You shuffled those three out the moment you saw an opportunity. I've known you long enough to know when you want peace and quiet." Ken said.
"...I'll neither confirm nor deny it."
---
"So let me get this straight. The super-people in your world summon ghosts to fight?" Spence asked.
"They aren't ghosts. They're manifestations of our subconscious that we can only use in places with enhanced spiritual energy--" Max answered.
"It'd be so much easier to just call them ghosts. All that 'inner self' stuff goes over my head."
"Sure it's not going through it and makin' a whistlin' noise?" Anna jabbed, her leg perched on Jess' lap.
"You're such an asshole."
"I am what I eat." She rested her head on Jess' shoulder. Jess, for her part, stayed silent.
"Please try not to be so vulgar, Anna. Surely it must be making Jessica uncomfortable?" Candice advised.
"I'm used to it." Jess at last responded.
"Back on less thirsty topics..." Dai began, "Cindy tells me that the, ah...Persona you summon is Ultraman, apparently?"
"You can summon Ultraman?! I wanna see this!" Spence demanded.
"I'm not gonna summon Ultraman." Max refused.
"Why not?"
"Because the building would *explode*, genius."
"No use arguing with a hero buff like this. You're not gonna get anywhere." Anna said.
"Spence is a bit of a hero buff himself." Jess said.
"Jess, don't. PLEASE don't." Spence asked.
"Oh, yeah. He's a fan of one show in particular. Tell him, Spence." Dai said with a mischievous smirk.
"Ugggh..."
"Oh boy. What's the story here?" Max asked.
Spence hesitated before answering. "Have you ever heard of a little show called 'The Boys'?"
Inside the kitchen, Cindy and Emily worked on dinner. "Turkey's in the oven...next should be..." Cindy pondered.
"The salads." Emily filled her in.
"Right, the salads."
"Do you have the kelp strands and dressing for Candice's?"
"Oh, yeah, I have some in my apartment. I know how particular she is."
"Before you go, aren't you forgetting something?"
"Uh...oh, shoot!" Cindy set the timer on the oven. "Kinda important to actually turn it on, ahehe..."
"Hm...unless this turkey was housed in the Arctic circle, would it need to be in there for 500 minutes?"
"Gah! Oh, no no no no..."
"Calm down, it's an easy fix. It won't be burnt after a single minute." Emily corrected the timer.
"Sorry..."
"Don't overexcite yourself. Cooking is a delicate process, especially when you're doing it for a large group. Take it step-by-step. Think of it as one of your engineering projects. Everything falls apart if you miss a step or rush through it, right?"
"Yeah, you're right..."
"Take a moment to breathe. Your brain operates at hyperspeed and it makes it easier to overthink. Go get the kelp. I'll look after things here."
"Okay..." Cindy turned to leave, but felt a pat on the head.
"Dad would've blown this kitchen to smithereens by now. You're doing great. They'll appreciate it."
"Mmmmmm~!" Cindy took on a pleased expression, and almost floated out of the kitchen.
She left the apartment. In the living room, the discussion was such that they didn't notice her departure.
"Wait wait wait, you posted *what*?" Max questioned.
"I just said she was hot, I didn't know!" Spence insisted.
"How did you *not* know?! Her name is literally *Stormfront*! That should've been the giveaway right there!"
"I didn't know that, okay?!"
"Twitter must've been a firestorm."
"Oh, you have no idea. Genius here found out the hard way." Dai replied.
"Thank mercy that account wasn't linked to his public one, otherwise we'd *still* be doing damage control." Jess said.
"Wow, man. *Wow*." Max said.
"It was a simple mistake!" Spence insisted.
"The 'mistakes' didn't stop there." Candice spoke up.
"Candy, don't!"
"This has to be good if you're the one bringing it up." Max replied.
"He asked me if I had gills, and if they sounded like Patton Oswalt. I won't deny that Chace Crawford is a very good-looking man, but to presume that I have gills--talking ones, at that--based on a profane television show is an absurd leap of logic." Candice related.
"It was a joke!" Spence insisted.
"This is why you don't have a girlfriend." Dai stated.
"Always ragging on me for that! I bet this joker doesn't have one, either--"
Max held up his phone to show the model picture of Ibuki. "You'd be wrong."
"Gh...!"
Jess looked at the picture. "Anna, I might have to cheat on you."
"Get in line!" Anna rebutted.
"D-doesn't prove anything, he could just have that on his phone--" Spence responded.
"Wrong." Max swiped to the next photo in his gallery, of Ibuki in that same outfit kissing him on the cheek. He swiped again to a photo of them at a dinner table.
Spence's mood dropped. "You've gotta be shitting me."
"It look like you're coming out of my ass, bro?"
As the boys bantered, Jess got up. "I'll be back. Gonna check on lunch."
"Gonna be countin' the microseconds, mi chica bonitaaaaa." Anna replied.
In the kitchen, Emily was preparing separate meals using only her magic. "You're surprising me, Emily." Jess walked in.
"Surprised that I haven't leveled the building just from turning on an oven? Not everything is hereditary, Jessica." Emily replied.
"The fact that you're anywhere but your apartment or the bookstore is surprising enough. But you're cooking. With Cindy. By choice."
"Is it really that bizarre to be spending time with her?"
"Yes! Insanely bizarre! There were times where it felt like you'd make up any sort of lie just to avoid being near her. It was easy to assume you hated the poor girl."
"Hate, hm...is that what it came off as."
"Why the sudden change? Why after twenty years do you decide you want to be a good sister--or any kind of sister?"
"Tch...you wound me, Jessica. But such an observation must not be far off if you're the one making it."
"Has that guy given you some sort of 'Come to Jesus' revelation?"
"Maybe so. Of maybe I've come to realize how narrow-minded I've been all these years. Or is change really so impossible?"
"Have you changed?"
"I would like to think so."
"Then I guess it wouldn't be too much to ask you to have a five-minute conversation with your stepmother."
"...you are going straight for the jugular today, Jessica."
"I'm nothing if not direct. So I take that as a no. I'm only being this critical because I'm your friend, Emily. This isn't an easy thing to hear, I know. But you need to learn to let go of old grudges at some point. Would your mother want you to spend your life resenting your father for wanting to be happy?"
Emily's hair looked as though it was beginning to float up, as the sound of crows cawing echoed. "Not now, Jessica. I'm going to excuse that last remark because others are present. Don't put words and feelings into the mouths of the dead. My father can have as many wives as he pleases. I will only ever have one mother. That can never be changed."
"No, I don't suppose it can. I'm sorry. But I think it would make Cindy happy if you at least made an attempt to mend fences with her mother. That's all. I don't want our first meal as a group in years to be awkward, so I'll drop it. I'll go back to having Anna nibble on my ear, now." Jess left the kitchen.
"An attempt. What do I even have to say to that woman?" 
"I'm baaaack~!" Cindy returned with the kelp. "Oh, is something wrong? You look a little tense."
"I'm alright. Let's get the food sorted."
Jess returned to the living room. "I miss anything?"
"Your brother has had his manhood threatened." Candice replied.
Jess sighed. "By who?"
"His own little head." Anna answered.
Spence had his arm down on the table. "Come on man, right here."
"Dude. My arm is literally stitched together. Not gonna happen." Max refused.
"Surely there's other ways to flaunt your manliness than arm-wrestling an injured man." Dai said.
"I'm evening out my karma! The scales are too heavy on the side of personal insults! I'm correcting this with my own hands!" Spence declared.
"You were right, Anna. He is an incel." Max said.
"I am not! Stop ignoring me!"
"Hey Dai, is there any way to shut him up?"
"Unfortunately not. If he wins, he'll never let you hear the end of it. If he loses, he won't leave you alone until he wins something." Dai replied.
"Quit talking like I'm not--" Spence got out before his mouth suddenly vanished. He frantically felt for it, only able to make muffled noises.
"And thus, there was silence." Emily peeked out of the kitchen, dark energy emanating from her hand.
"Honestly, Spence, I call it an improvement." Anna smirked.
"Mmmmmmm..." Spence grumbled.
Moments later...
"Ta-da! Straight from the kitchen of Chef Cindy-O!" Cindy presented the completed meal on the table.
"Ahem." Emily vocalized.
"With the brilliant help of Chef Emily, of course. Ahehe..." Cindy composed herself. "Dig in! I made it with love~."
Everyone took their portion and sat either at the counter or on the couch. Spence stared at his plate with a look of frustration.
Anna ate from her salad. "Babe, what's wrong? You've barely touched your lunch. Cat got your tongue?" she taunted.
"Snn ff rr brrch..." Spence vocalized.
Jess sighed. "Emily, at least let him eat."
"The second he says something irritating, the mouth goes again." Emily snapped her fingers.
"GOD!" Spence got his mouth back.
"Maybe you should be more responsible with your mouth, bro." Max advised.
Anna rolled her tongue.
"So, Jadefang. You really think you can talk this Kubo girl down?" Jess asked.
"Can I do it? I honestly don't know. I know plenty of people back home that are much more skilled at that than me. If I could channel just a little of that energy, I think I can get through to her." Max answered.
"First you'd have to understand her a little bit more. It's one thing to hear about what happened. It's another to see it for yourself. So I have a proposal." Dai said.
"A-a-a-a-a proposal?! Oh, oh Dai, this is so sudden, at least let me fix up my hair..." Cindy began to blush.
"Not *that* kind of proposal!" Dai shook his head. "Anyway, what I meant to say is, I think it would be helpful if you came to see the ruins of Naruki for yourself. To truly understand why this girl is so enraged."
"She's said to have stalked the area for the past five years. It's entirely possible that she'll have left some signs of her being there. Something personal." Emily surmised.
"Yeah or she could be wandering around, waiting to cut us up like cheddar! Is going into a demon's home turf really the best idea?" Spence questioned.
"I've gone to demon's lairs before. And she's no demon. I really don't believe that. I'm up for it." Max responded.
"Then we'll make the arrangements when the time is right, and your arm is healed." Dai said.
"Gotta get it nice and strong for when Oni Girl cuts it off for good this time." Spence added.
"She'll likely go for the easier prey first. The kind she could smell fear on." Jess said.
"Why are you looking at *me*?!"
Max looked to Cindy. "Hey, so..." he whispered.
"I'll come with. Can't say no to more time with my man. Or a favor for my bestie." Cindy winked.
"Appreciate it." Max glanced at the bickering siblings. "I *really* shouldn't be alone anywhere with them..."