Persona BLEACHED 3: Chapter 34

Chapter 34: The Large Hill 
March 9, 2030 
"Ladies and gentlemen: I officially welcome you to Japan's biggest kitchen. Welcome to Osaka." Lily dictated. 
It was early in the morning, and the young Artisans were on the ground floor of their hotel, along with Sakuya's mother. This was to be a four-day excursion to Japan's second-biggest city, coinciding with the start of spring break. 
"Something tells me that I'm gonna be spending a lot more time at the gym after this. I can already feel myself putting on pounds..." Ibuki said. 
"This place is to food what Akihabara is to electronics. You could eat to your heart's content and not come close to experiencing everything." Kibō stated. 
"Ohhh, you're being too tempting. I really don't want to cheat on my diet, but it's gonna be so hard..." Natalia said. 
"It's not like the only thing to do here is eat. Right, Mama?" Sakuya posed. 
"Oh, certainly not. I wouldn't be a proper travel agent if I brought you all to some rural backwater where all there was to do was sit around and eat. There's no shortage of spots to visit: Dōtonbori district at night is a must, Den-Den Town is a requirement for the electronic crowd, Universal Studios Japan is here, there's parks and theaters anywhere you look..." Lily explained. 
"We simply must pay a visit to Osaka Castle. Well over 400 years of vital history begging to be experienced. I've made studying it a top priority for my time here." Kenneth stated. 
"I heard there's an American-style district here. Might be nice to see a slice of home, eh, Barbie?" Kat asked. 
"I guess...I'd really like to visit one of these theaters, though." Barbara responded. 
"It's a shame that we only have four days to work with. So much to experience in so little time." Carrie said. 
"Me, I'm already starving after that drive. I hear the takoyaki here's killer. There a place I can run to super quick?" Sahir asked. 
"Easy there, speedy. We haven't even gotten to our rooms yet. Trust me, there's no shortage of places to eat around here. Let me get us checked in first, and then it's off to adventure." Lily walked to the receptionist. 
"...hey. We're gonna have a super time, right? I know this was sorta last minute, but I thought we could use a good few days to diffuse and get our heads in order." Kat said. "Especially since there's only a week until...the deadline." 
"....." Barbara uttered. 
"It'll be okay. You can still enjoy yourself. Next week can wait until next week. You can't let your life just stop." Carrie comforted her. 
"I can look up theater showings and we can go whenever you want. He doesn't control whether you can live or not. That's for you to decide." Kibō reassured. 
"Your family's right here, babe. Everything's gonna be fine." Ibuki assured. 
"...thanks, guys. Really, I'm okay. I don't even think about it that much anymore." Barbara replied half-heartedly. 
"Barbie...if you're hurting inside, you don't have to hide it. We don't have to keep any more secrets. I think we've all had our fill of those for a while." Kat pleaded. 
"...I..." 
"Yoo-hoo, kiddies! We're good to go. Our rooms are on the 5th floor. Let's drop our stuff off so we can get some grub. I know you all are starving." Lily called out. 
"Coming, Mama!" Sakuya called back. 
The group began to head for the elevator. "She says she's alright, but...I dunno." Sahir whispered. 
"Would anyone be with everything going on?" Natalia questioned. 
"Perhaps we're being arrogant in thinking we can truly understand." Kenneth added. 
Ibuki and Kibō both knew that they weren't going to get anywhere with Barbara at this point, so they could only give looks of concern before joining with the others. Carrie patted her shoulder before doing much the same. Kat came to the same conclusion and started to leave, before Barbara grabbed her hand. 
"Not here, okay? Not now...when we have a moment alone. Is that okay...?" Barbara requested. 
Kat gave an understanding look. "Okay. When you're ready. Let's go have some fun, alright?" 
"Okay. Thank you, KittyKat." 
Kat looked down. "You wanna keep holding my hand? I kinda dig it." 
Barbara released her grip. "Seriously?" 
"Meeeeoooow." 
The pair reunited with the rest of the group, standing in front of the elevator. "Uh-oh. We've got a problem." Lily said. 
There was a sign plastered over the elevator, reading "Closed for general maintenance--apologies for any inconvenience." 
"Well, that's some bad timing." Kibō said. 
"No." Kenneth had a realization. 
"So I guess that means..." Sakuya said. 
"No." 
"Our only option is..." Carrie added. 
"DAMN IT ALL!" Kenneth groaned. "...the stairs." 
Natalia rubbed his arm. "It's only five floors. You'll be okay." 
"Four, actually. Remember, there's no fourth floor." Lily corrected. 
"I've never really understood that." Sahir responded. 
"The characters for 'four' and 'death' are pretty similar in a lot of East Asian cultures. That's why lots of hospitals in, say, China and Korea don't have fourth floors. It's all about keeping away bad mojo." Kat explained. 
"Well maybe that fear of bad fortune works in your favor this time around, Kenneth. One less floor to traverse." Carrie said. 
"It's still my mortal nemesis." Kenneth responded. 
To the burgeoning sculptor's consternation, the group went up the three flights of stairs to their floor, their luggage in tow. Kenneth brought up the rear, and was grumbling to himself. "Bloody...never-ending steps...having to tug...this tripe myself..." 
"Dude, it's three floors. Are you that out of shape?" Ibuki asked, her own travel bag slung effortlessly over her shoulder. 
"There's a reason...elevators were invented. Who does maintenance...during working hours?!" 
Natalia received a text from Kat. It was a clip of the Hulk from Avengers: Endgame, going up a set of stairs and complaining. "Kenny rn" was the caption. Natalia giggled. 
They made it to the fifth floor, with Kenneth still huffing and puffing. "Okay, people, I've got your room keys right here. Everyone remember their room assignments?" Lily asked. 
"It's a sausage fest agaaaaaain." Sahir put his arms around an annoyed Kibō and a still-panting Kenneth. 
"My usual housemate, Mama." Sakuya answered. 
"I already called dibs on the danish." Ibuki put her arms around Natalia. 
"Well, it's gonna be an interesting stay, at least..." Natalia replied. 
"That means you're with me and the amethyst, Barbie." Kat said. 
"I don't want to be too much trouble, you guys must want some private time, right? I can stay with Ibuki and Natty--" Barbara responded. 
"We want you with us, love. Our priority is making sure you enjoy yourself. We'd never consider you a burden." Carrie retorted. 
"Well if you're sure..." 
"Right, I'll give y'all some time to get settled. We'll meet in the lobby in 30 minutes." Lily directed. 
"Wait a minute...I just realized something." Kenneth uttered. "I'll have to go back down the stairs." 
"Um, yes? That tends to be how it works." 
"If I could barely manage one trip, how am I supposed to navigate another one so quickly?" He stared at Kibō and Sahir. "One of you will have to carry me." 
"Wait, for real?!" Sahir exclaimed. 
"No way, man. The princess carry is reserved for our girlfriends. I'm not giving our resident cat thief ammunition." Kibō objected. 
"Aw, at least it's cute that you're thinking of me." Kat teased. 
"...you wanna do it, Bookster?" Sahir asked. 
"Hell to the no." Ibuki plainly rebuked. 
The boys looked at each other. "The old-fashioned way, then." 
They went through three rounds of rock-paper-scissors. After two ties, Kibō put up scissors. Sahir put up rock. "Ha!" 
"Dammit!" Kibō griped. 
"I feel so loved." Kenneth sniped. 
A half-hour later, after everyone unpacked, they made their way downstairs. Sure enough, Kibō was saddled with carrying Kenneth. "Are you jealous yet, Barbara?" the Englishman asked. 
"Yes. Horribly." Barbara responded. 
"Quite the gallant and gentlemanly fellow your boyfriend is." 
"I will throw you down these stairs." Kibō threatened. 
Everyone reconvened in the lobby. "Alright, if it's a good meal you're wanting, there's no shortage of options. I think there's five ramen joints within walking distance alone." Lily said. 
"No shortage of options is right. I could go for the takoyaki or the okonomiyaki...or maybe some sushi, or some noodles...oh the noodles...!" Sahir began to swoon. 
"It's a culinary's dream. Osaka is the food capital of Japan--maybe even the world." Sakuya said. 
"'Kyotoites are ruined by spending on clothing, Osakans are ruined by spending on food.' as the old saying goes." Kibō added. 
"Do you think the restaurant people would give me their recipes if I asked super nicely?" Natalia asked. 
"I know I ain't saying no to that face. Can't hurt to try." Kat replied. 
"I say we give the vicinity a good look-through. We could throw a dart onto a map and likely land on a good spot." Carrie proposed. 
"Righto. Let's get to walking. Keebie, grab your GF, otherwise she's gonna be sulking all the live-long day." 
"Wait, what--" Barbara uttered. 
"On it." Kibō promptly picked her up. 
"Eep! W-what are you...oh, okay..." Barbara blushed. 
"I'm not hearing any complaints or struggled cries from you now." Kenneth griped. 
"No, but there's about to be one." Kibō shot him a daggered look. 
The group decided on a small ramen shop close by, and stood around the tables outside. "Mmmph...oh, that's so good. I'm gonna be so fat when we get home." Sahir scarfed down his noodles. 
"Pace yourself and mind your table manners, Sahir-kun. We don't need you choking on your food." Sakuya cautioned. 
"Unless you're planning on taking up sumo wrestling, wouldn't getting fatter be counterproductive for an athlete?" Kenneth questioned. 
"Well if he gets big enough, he can be an effective goalkeeper. He'll be so large, there would be no hope of getting the ball past him." 
"...! Saku? Was that a joke?" Sahir questioned. 
Sakuya covered her mouth with one of her sleeves. "Perhaps." 
Carrie, meanwhile, was looking away from the table, while sipping an iced coffee. "Something catch your attention, Caroline?" Kenneth asked. 
"Look at that store." Carrie directed. 
Among the buildings was another pop-up store centered entirely around the Ashen Artisans. As with the others the group had seen, this one was busy. 
"It appears that our popularity reaches here, as well." Carrie stated. 
"Yes...I recall similar stores in both Sendai and Sapporo." Kenneth added. 
"Not just those. I've looked us up online, and these things are popping up in every major city here. Japan's gone batty over us." Sahir said. 
"Y'all saw it too, huh?" Kat approached with the rest of the group. 
"This can only be Max's doing. All of this fanaticism and sudden fame is too similar to the Prisons." Kibō surmised. 
"But the sphere of influence is outrageous. Every Prison we've dealt with has only spanned a single district. We're seeing these effects spread out to multiple cities, hundreds of miles apart." Sakuya said. 
"Not to mention, usually these things only revolve around one person." Sahir added. 
"...not necessarily." Kat responded. 
"Whatcha mean?" Ibuki asked. 
"Ah, that's right. Ms. Hana's Prison was different." Kenneth realized. 
"Bingo. She was the one in control, but not the only one reaping the rewards. DJ Tan Man and the squabbling cousins were in there, too." Kat replied. 
"So what if the same thing's happening here? Max called it 'his' Prison. But what if..." Kibō pondered. 
"Are you saying that people are going crazy over us because..." Natalia began. 
"It's not his Prison. It's ours." Kat surmised. 
"Are you kidding me?!" Sahir griped. 
"That son of a--once wasn't enough?! He's gotta rope all of us in on this crap?!" Ibuki questioned. 
"It makes sense. If it was only his Prison, the fanaticism would be directed squarely at him. Not the entire team." Carrie surmised. 
"But something's not right here...why haven't we changed? The Wardens all reveled in their popularity and had their personalities twisted. Why hasn't that happened to us, in that case?" Kibō asked. 
"Likely the same reason why we as individuals haven't experienced a surge in fame. It's directed towards the team as a concept, not as people." Kenneth surmised. 
"....." Barbara shrank away. "Maxie...what are you thinking...?" 
"Barbie..." Kat uttered. 
"Heya, kiddos. Why the glum looks?" Lily arrived. "You all looked so amped to get in on the eating. Why the long faces?" 
"It's nothing, Mama. A little leftover exhaustion from the trip." Sakuya answered. 
"Give us a few minutes and there'll be some extra pep in our steps." Sahir insisted. 
"Well, alright then. If you need anything, I'll be in that little handbag store over there." Lily departed. 
Kat gave a downtrodden Barbara a glance. "Well...we can keep wracking our brains over this, but the truth is, we can't do anything about it until next week. All we can do is keep on living." 
"We can't let him live in our heads. We'll have lost before we ever stepped foot into his Prison." Kibō asserted. 
"We came here to get our minds off of what was happening at home. Even if there's truly no escape from it, we should still make the best of our time here." Carrie insisted. 
"Yeah...much as I'd like to give Maxie a piece of my mind, there's nothing we can do right now." Ibuki conceded. 
Natalia poked Barbara on the shoulder. "Hey, I've got an extra ramen bowl if you want it. A good meal always helps me feel better." 
Barbara put up a light smile. "Thanks, Natty. That's really sweet of you." 
"Exactly what we all need right now. You're in Japan's kitchen, the best thing to do is eat." Kat asserted. 
"Drowning our worries in noodles. There are worse ways to spend a vacation." Kenneth quipped.
--- 
"It's not too gaudy, is it?" Lily presented a newly-bought, very purple handbag. 
"It's...quite mauve, Mama. The encyclopediac example of purple, I think." Sakuya replied. 
"It stands out, it does. But it was super affordable and I think it's cute, so..." 
"You're free to use your money the way you see fit. I'm only saying that it's a little...much." 
"You're starting to sound like the mom here." 
"I don't mean to undermine you if that's what you're thinking--" 
"Oh, perish the thought! Any Mama would kill to have such a mature and responsible kid. Makes it so much easier for me when I wasn't in Mom Mode for a long time. And, y'know...being a thirty-two year old woman with a sixteen year old kid." 
"None of that was your fault, Mama. Please don't think that it was." 
"Ugh...sorry, I don't want to get all sappy now. It's our first real vacation, and I can see that you and your pals really need to decompress, so..." She made a zipping motion over her mouth. "Only fun words from here on out." 
"Never be afraid to speak what's on your mind. But, yes, levity is what's needed at the moment." 
"Right. So where'd your mates head off to?" 
"They're exploring around the area. Scouting out where we can have dinner later. Well, now that I think about it, Sahir-kun did leave in a hurry. Said he'd be back with a surprise. Senpai went with him, curiously enough. He seemed certain that she'd get some enjoyment out of...whatever it is he's up to." 
"That boy's always in a hurry. But whatever he's got going on, it's bound to be a riot. Probably what that poor girl...needs..." 
Lily trailed off. She'd spotted something, and Sakuya turned around to see what it was. And what it was...left her speechless. 
Barbara was rubbing her eyes in disbelief. Next to her, Sahir was holding a large object with both hands, a cheeky grin on his face. Sakuya could see that it was a lantern, one meant to hang in front of a store as its identifying sign. It was in the shape of a round, gray fish, with the words "Fugu Frenzy" written in red kanji on either side of it. 
"His name is Hootie!" Sahir exclaimed. 
"Hootie the Blowfish. I...I can't." Barbara groaned. 
"What is this?! Where do you keep finding these things?!" Sakuya demanded. 
"Okay, so when we got into town I found this restaurant was raffling off their sign cuz they were getting a new one. I put my name in for the heck of it, and..." Sahir began to chuckle. "I got a text a while ago that I'd actually won." 
Barbara tried to hide her laughter. "I'm sorry...it's just so ridiculous. Look at the thing! What are you even gonna do with that?" 
"'What' is right! You gonna open up your own seafood joint back home?" Lily asked. 
"See, there's the rub. I'm not keeping this." Sahir held it out towards Sakuya. "Surprise!" 
"W...what." she uttered. 
"I know it's not a seal or any other kind of sea doggo, but a giant fish is a perfect gift for any aspiring marine biologist, I think. I mean look at this face! He'll bring any room together." 
Sakuya also tried to suppress her laughter, covering her mouth with her sleeve. "And where do you suppose we put him? Perhaps in the living room to welcome any and all guests? Shall we outfit him so he drops from the ceiling whenever we open the door? He'll certainly make for a fascinating conversation piece." 
"You know, kiddo, most girls would be okay with dinner and a bouquet." Lily shook her head. 
"And how do you intend to bring him back? Are we to tie him to the roof of the car?" 
"We'll be trending before we even reach the highway." Barbara replied. 
"Eh, don't worry about it. He's a lantern, remember? Folds up and everything. You could take him to work with you if you wanted!" Sahir responded. 
"I...don't think I'll be doing that." Sakuya answered. "What on Earth am I going to do with him? It's impossible to be upset with that silly grin on his face. And at least Senpai is smiling again." she thought. 
Sahir folded the giant fish up. "So we gonna catch up with the gang, or keep going our own...uhhh." 
Arriving on the scene was the trio of Kibō, Carrie and Natalia. The girls tried to look away from him and were clearly hiding the fact that they were laughing. He was hiding beneath his hood, though his annoyance was clear. 
"Uh-oh. This little scene doesn't look very good, does it?" Sahir questioned. 
"Um, Keeb? There something wrong?" Barbara asked. 
"I want to die." Kibō grumbled. 
"We, uh..." Natalia mumbled. 
"He followed us to the cosmetics store and..." Carrie started. 
Kibō clenched his fists. "Those lying 'free sample' people said they had something that'd finally get my ahoge to stay down. So I dabbed some on my head, and..." He pulled his hood down even more. "I can't. It's unspeakable. I don't know how I could've made it worse, but...it's worse." 
"Oh, dear." Sakuya uttered. 
"Well you can't stay with that hood over your head forever." Lily commented. 
"Can't I?" Kibō replied. 
"Oy. Y'all talking about us while we ain't around?" Kat arrived with Ibuki and Kenneth. 
"Oh dear God, no." Kibō thought. 
"Dare I ask what you're holding there?" Kenneth asked Sahir. 
"Oh, I won this in a raffle, his name's--" Sahir began. 
"Let's not get into that. Ishimaru-kun was about to elaborate on his faux pas." Sakuya interrupted. 
"Oooooh, Kid Thunderbolt made an oopsie? This I've gotta see." Ibuki said. 
"Can't keep a secret from us, Keebie. C'mon. Hood off." Kat urged. 
"No. Never." Kibō defied. 
"Keebie, you've been socked in the face, shown your naive brain on several occasions and given me a primo foot massage. We've been party to all of your embarrassment. This'll just be the next journal entry." 
"He gave you a foot massage?" Ibuki asked. 
"Oh, honey, you haven't lived until you've felt those muscly fingers between your--" 
"Uggggh, stoooop! If I show you will you cut it out?!" Kibō griped. 
"Probably not. But you never know until you try." 
"Well I'm not gonna judge, big guy." Barbara assured. 
Grumbling to himself, Kibō reluctantly lifted his hood. The assembled group's reactions ranged from stunned silence to bemused laughter. 
His ahoge was most assuredly not flattened. What the hair product had actually done was change its color, and that of the hair immediately surrounding it, to a vibrant shade of blue. 
"BRUH. WHAT. HAAAAAAAA!" Kat cackled. 
"Now it's even more obvious!" Ibuki joined in. 
"It's...certainly a statement. I can say that much." Kenneth uttered. 
"I feel terrible for laughing, but you must admit...it is rather shocking." Carrie said. 
"It's, um...not permanent, is it?" Lily asked. 
"It better not be! Right now it looks like the worst dye job in the world! Like I took half a bottle and just dropped it on my head!" Kibō griped. 
Barbara walked up and gave the azure ahoge a poke. She held up part of her own hair that had been highlighted blue, and let out a giggle. "Guess we're matching now, huh, big guy?" 
"Glad you're finding this so amusing." 
"If you hate that hairdo so much, why not just cut it off?" Lily asked. 
"I've tried. Several times. It comes back quicker and longer every time. It makes me look like the hero in some dime-a-dozen isekai." 
"Kazumaaaaa, KAZUMAAAAA!" Kat grabbed his arm and shook him. 
"Where's Truck-kun when you need him?" Kibō bore an exasperated look. 
"Anyway..." Kat let go. "Y'all feel like hitting the pool for a bit? For transparency's sake, I'll just come out and say that it's purely because I want to see everyone's midriff." 
"Of course." Kenneth sighed. 
"As sketchy as that motive might be, it wouldn't be spring break without at least one dip in the pool." Carrie said. 
"Can I establish one rule beforehand?" Sakuya asked. "No giant fish lanterns, please." 
"Aw, come on, he'd be the perfect floatie!" Sahir protested. 
"Weeeeell, I could use an excuse to break out the bathing suit." Ibuki chimed in. 
"You in, Barbie? It's alright if you want to rest in the room or something." Kat asked. 
"No, I want to be with you guys. Not moping by myself. I'm in." Barbara asserted. 
"Atta girl." Kat thought. 
"W-well...time to see how I look in a swimsuit, I guess..." Natalia blushed. 
"You're gonna look adorable, Hoods. You don't gotta worry about a thing. Unlike someone else. Eh, Blu Manchu?" 
Kibō let out an agitated growl. 
--- 
"You know, you don't have to stay next to me the whole time. Go on and enjoy the water." Carrie suggested. 
"In a minute. I'm just gonna enjoy the view for a little longer." Kat replied. 
The girls were lying on two poolside chairs, drinking fruity beverages. Barbara was seated on the edge of the pool next to a sheepish-looking Natalia. Kenneth was in the pool next to them, while Sahir was in the center, mischievously teasing Sakuya. Kibō, meanwhile, was shielding himself beneath an umbrella, a backwards cap bearing the phrase "I ❤ Osaka" on his head. 
"You've gotta come out of there sometime, Keebie." Kat said. 
"I'm fine in the shadows." Kibō replied. 
"Come now, Barbara is over there looking rather lovely. I'm sure she'd appreciate having some knightly company with her." Carrie surmised. 
"Then put a helmet on Kenny's head. I'm not moving a muscle." 
Kat sighed. "Keebie, I'm gonna give you two options here. You're either gonna move your butt over to where your girlfriend is sitting, OR I'm gonna start playing Scatman at max volume, on repeat, until you move." 
"Now you're being ridiculous." 
Kat brought up her phone with the song already paused. "Ski-bi dibby dib yo da dub dub. Don't try me." 
"Ugggh...okay, fine." Kibō got up and walked to where Barbara was sitting. 
"That's a good boy." Kat went to swipe at his rear, but he moved out of the way. "Ace reflexes, big man." 
He ignored her and kept walking. 
"Hm. I wonder what's taking Ibuki so long?" Carrie questioned. 
Shortly after, Ibuki arrived. "Sorry for the delay, y'all. I actually forgot to bring my swimsuit so I ran around trying to find a new one." 
The girls were short on words at the sight of her in a flame-pattern two-piece. Kat actually spat out her drink. 
"Yeah, I know, but it's what I could come up with in a rush. I lucked out that they even had one with fire on it." 
"Ah, Ibuki, what we actually meant to convey is that...um..." Carrie stuttered. 
"Uh...nice abs." Kat uttered. "Hey, Care...I'm gonna go get some more drinks, I...kinda spilled mine. You can take my seat, Bookie. I'll be right back." She got up and walked away, discreetly wiping her mouth. 
Ibuki promptly lied down in the chair. "Not in any hurry to get in the water, huh?" 
"I go in at my own pace. I try to avoid exposing myself to the heat often." Carrie replied. 
Ibuki noticed something. Though Carrie's back was not visible with the swimsuit she was wearing, there was some scarring that could be seen below her neck. "Does it have to do with your back?" 
Carrie paused. "It does. I may have mentioned before that when we first encountered Death's Hand, one of their acolytes set off an explosion in mine and Natalia's dorm. I took the brunt of it while shoving her out of the way. I nearly died from it." 
"Damn. I'm sorry." 
"The scars are a permanent reminder. They don't hurt so much anymore. Only when I'm in the heat for far too long does it start to sting. But I would do it again in an instant. I couldn't live with myself if I allowed Natalia to suffer greater pain when I could have done something. Any stinging I feel now is a bearable price to pay." 
"I...actually totally get that." 
"How do you mean?" 
Ibuki lifted up her leg, revealing a scar on her upper thigh. "One asshole John got too handsy with Kaede once. I let him hear about it. Got my licks in, sure. But he got me with a knife before it was over. It hurt like Hell. But no SOB is gonna pull what he tried with my sister and walk away with feeling in his legs." 
"I had no idea. You willingly take the pain when you're defending someone you love, I suppose." 
"Love..." Ibuki pondered. "Before I got to know you all, I never really understood what that word meant. I love my sister and my niece, of course, but they're my blood. No one outside my family ever showed me any kind of respect or treated me with dignity. I was just something to be used. Taking a knife to my leg...laying down with a different creep almost every night...I did it all to keep myself alive. No one ever wanted to know the real me. Then you all came along and flipped my world upside-down." 
"All I'll say is..." Ibuki continued. "You're a lucky lass, Care. Having someone like KittyKat to be crazy over each other. You've given me so much love over these last few months, but...I hope I can have that kind of love someday." 
Carrie smiled warmly. "You will. I'm sure of it." 
Kat returned with the drinks. "Y'all gossiping without me? For shame." 
"Just having some girl talk. I won't hog your lady for too long. I'm gonna go for a dip." Ibuki got up. 
Over near one edge of the pool, Kibō sat beside Barbara and Natalia. "I, um...look okay in this, don't I?" Natalia asked. 
"Don't be so shy, Natty, you're super cute. Your diet's really paid off. Don't you think so, Kenny?" Barbara responded. 
"She's leagues different from the girl that first walked through the classroom door. In more ways than one." Kenneth replied. 
Natalia turned redder. "Ohhhh...I'm gonna melt..." 
Barbara turned to Kibō. "Want to dive in, big guy? The water feels really good." 
"I'm alright." Kibō plainly replied. 
"Come on, you can't be a grouch for the whole trip. What's wrong with having your hair dyed blue, anyway?" 
"Nothing when it's intentional." 
"Aww, don't be such a stick in the mud, dude!" Ibuki's voice rang in from behind. "What good's a vacation if you don't...cut loose!" She kicked him in from behind. 
"Bah! Couldn't you have warned him, first?!" Barbara exclaimed. 
Kibō rose up out of the water, his hat now floating next to him. "Is it National Bully Ishimaru Day already?" 
Everyone looked with stunned expressions. "What? Is it the hair? Did it come off?" 
Kat tried to contain her laughter. "No, dude, nooooo..." Sahir uttered. 
"Is it that bad?" 
What was once a splotch on top of his head had now spread. He now sported an entirely blue head of hair. 
"How...did the water actually make it worse?" Sakuya questioned. 
"What do you mean 'worse'?" 
Carrie walked over and presented her phone, with the camera on. Kibō reeled in horror at the sight of his completely blue haircut. "Oh. My. GOD?!" 
"Maaaaarge, MAAAAARGE!" Kat cackled. 
"That is a profound statement if I've ever seen one." Kenneth uttered. 
"Was that lotion made out of blueberries?" Natalia asked. 
"Forget being an isekai protag, dude. Now you're looking like the protag of the next Fire Emblem!" Kat laughed. 
"If...if I can't get rid of it with water...then how am I ever getting rid of it?!" Kibō demanded. 
"You're gonna have a fun story to tell Kyoko-sama when you get home." Ibuki stated. 
"Maybe...we should pay that store another visit." Carrie surmised. 
"Maybe the next batch'll give him a rainbow on his head." Sahir replied. 
Kibō sank under the water out of sheer embarrassment. Barbara could only shake her head at the ridiculousness of the situation.
--- 
Dōtonbori district runs along the canal of the same name, and is highlighted by the innumerable, eccentric billboards and advertisements lining the city's iconic restaurants. The most notable features include the large, mechanical crab situated above the Kani Dōraku crab restaurant, as well as the clown mascot Kuidaore Taro, named after the phrase that has come to exemplify Osaka: to ruin oneself financially by overspending on food. Most iconic, however, would be the large, lit-up "Glico Man" sign featuring a triumphant-looking runner, which has become emblematic of Osaka. 
In the middle of this busy nightlife district, the group were near the mechanical crab. 
"...no, you can't take it." Sakuya stated. 
"Aw, c'mon, Hootie needs a friend!" Sahir replied. 
"I will admit to being charmed in regards to 'Hootie', but a lantern is one matter. Pray, how exactly would you manage to fit that crustaceous contraption through our apartment door? And if you somehow did that, where exactly would you put it?" 
"Not to mention, how would you even carry that thing? You got a crane in your back pocket you can use?" Lily questioned. 
"I mean...Keeb and Ibuki could lift it, right?" Sahir answered. 
"....." 
"...you aren't taking the crab." Sakuya affirmed. 
The rest of the group were huddled around each other. "You really should've put that down for dinner, Keeb. It's really bad table manners." Natalia chastised. 
Kibō's hood was over his head, though the blue in his hair was still readily apparent. "....." 
"With the number of customers they deal with week after week, I can guarantee you that blue hair is the least bizarre thing they've seen today." Kenneth said. 
"I think blue hair's pretty cool." Barbara chimed. 
"It works for you. And yours wasn't an accident." Kibō grumbled. 
"The chlorine was probably what messed with it. I'm sure a regular old shower would fix it right up." Kat insisted. "C'mon, man. We're all pals here. You can handle one measly night looking like you're modeling for a Gorillaz cover." 
"...you're all gonna keep laughing." 
"We got all of that out hours ago. We'll be nice for the rest of the night. Right, Kitten?" Carrie replied. 
"Right. Only my usual teasing and ribbing from this point on." Kat replied. 
"That...doesn't sound like an improvement." Kibō said. 
"OK, kiddos, where we off to next?" Lily approached. "The night's still young. We're not calling it in after dinner, are we?" 
"No way. Gotta be something else to get up to around here that's not eating." Ibuki responded. 
"Well...I did read up on the place before we came. There's a Don Quijote over by the northern part of the canal. It's actually got a ferris wheel built into it." Lily proposed. 
"Of all the store names..." Kat thought. 
"If we're doing another ferris wheel, can we not make it so it's us three stuffed into a carriage?" Sahir asked. 
"Trust me, I'd refuse wholeheartedly if that were to be the case." Kenneth replied. 
"Don't worry, I can be reasonable. If you wanna pair up all romantic-like, feel free." Kat said. 
"Welp." Ibuki put an arm around Lily's shoulders. "Looks like we're in the solo box, Mama Saku." 
"I'll try not to lame you to sleep, Fireball." Lily deadpanned. 
The group made their way over to the store where the oval-shaped ferris wheel resided. "The guy on the front of the wheel there is Ebisu, the God of fishing and luck." Lily explained. 
"A bit of extra luck wouldn't hurt. Grab your dance partners, people." Kat replied. Everyone got into a carriage in short order. 
--- 
"You sure know how to pick your friends, girlie." Lily said. 
"It's more that they picked me. They brought me out from the pits and kept me out." Ibuki replied, sitting across from her. "It still feels so...weird. A year ago I was so messed up. Years of turning tricks just to survive, finally free of the demon controlling my life but with nowhere to go...finding whatever little underground fights would pay me...a jump to superstardom and then the big crash..." 
"And even then, you're still standing. And thriving, from my POV." 
"I couldn't understand why or how, but...yeah. I can't even really put it in words how insane it's been. Having friends that genuinely care about me, fighting my hero in the ring and somehow winning, having a house to call home...guess I've got you to thank for that last one. I know giving your old house of horrors up to someone else was a sketchy decision, but I can't tell you how much it means." 
"I couldn't just hold onto that place forever. When I decided to move back to Japan, I promised Saku that it'd be a fresh start for the both of us. I thought for the longest time that nobody else should live there. But if someone else can fill the place with love and happiness and there's not a shred of Masato Tsumomo left in it, then I'm more than happy to let it go. And there was one more thing..." 
"What's that?" 
"How old was your sister when she had her baby?" 
"Um...Kanae-chan is closing in on five, so...nineteen." 
"And you were just fifteen, right?" 
"Yeah. I had to grow up really quick. It's how I ended up having to...you know." 
"It's a lot for such young girls to deal with. Traumatic, even. Especially when your only company is a violent man controlling your every move." 
"So...you really do understand." 
"I was only fifteen when Masato stole me away from home. Within a year, I had Saku. Sixteen years old with a baby in a foreign land. He'd get so angry whenever I said I wanted to go back to Beijing. And being so young, I couldn't fight back. What else was I supposed to do? I was powerless. Nothing made that more clear than when Saku started saying that she didn't feel like a boy." Lily looked pensive. "I didn't know how to help her. I couldn't even help myself. And when she needed me most...I cowered. I ran. For eight years I thought I'd left my baby to die. So I ran back home. Then I ran to Europe and started drowning my guilt in Guinness. I thought I'd just wither away into a corner and that'd be the end of it." 
"I want you to understand something, Ms. Ibuki." she continued. "You have gone through something that no one else ever should, especially when you're too young to fully comprehend the consequences. I want you to appreciate the second chance you've been given. I was lucky enough to get to be with my Saku again, and I'm absolutely not wasting it. I haven't had a drop of alcohol since I got here. I have to do good because that's what she deserves. I know that's what you want for your family and for yourself. I don't want you to have any regrets. So...call it a gift from one survivor to another." 
"Ms. Lily, I..." Ibuki struggled for words. "For the longest time, I'd forgotten the reason I've been fighting. My own rallying cry. 'Fight for your happy ending'. All along I've thought of myself as a victim that's been wronged by so many people. But...you're right. I'm a survivor. One that deserves to be happy. I'm not gonna waste any of the chances I've been given. Fighting's all I've done all my life. So that's what I'm gonna keep doing." 
She looked out the carriage window to the skyline of the city. "Never thought I'd get to enjoy a sight like this. With people I love that...that actually care about me." She visibly relaxed. "It...makes me happy." 
"I'm glad to hear that. Saku always looks so exhausted when she comes home. And everyone looks like they're carrying the whole world on their shoulders. Attending that academy means they've got some huge expectations to deal with. It's tough when they're still at an age where they're figuring out who they are. I mean, most of these kids came from overseas. They should at least get some time to relax and see the sights." 
"True that. I've never really traveled before meeting the gang. But it's a good breather before heading home to tackle all of the problems there." Ibuki looked down. "Whatever...or whoever they might be." she mumbled. 
--- 
"Something on your mind, Saku? You've got your thinking face going." Sahir asked. 
"Oh, my apologies. I'm just wondering how Mama is faring with Hinotama-san." Sakuya replied. 
"Yeah, Fireball can be a bit extreme, huh? Worried she might be tempting Ms. Lily into a 'good time'?" 
"W-what? I'm sure neither of them has that sort of leaning..." 
"Not that kind of good time! The kind that involves alcohol." 
"Oh...yes, of course. Of course that's what you meant." 
"Sheesh. And people think my head's in the gutter." 
"Perhaps you're starting to rub off on me." Sakuya giggled. ".....I'm sorry. There is one other thing on my mind." 
"I figured as much. And I'm guessing it's got to do with a certain someone of the sparky variety, right?" 
"It does." 
"Well, don't worry about it. Maxie saying that you're a liar doesn't mean a damn thing coming from him. Dude spent the last half a year lying to our faces. He can kick rocks." 
"I appreciate the sentiment, but..." 
"Don't say he has a point. So you've kept some secrets, so what? Who doesn't? He doesn't have any sort of moral highground when his lies are so much more dangerous. You're a smart, polite girl who knows who she is. Wish I could say that much." 
"Sahir-kun...?" 
"Jerk thinks he can tell everyone what's good for them...my whole life's been someone telling me what's good for me...my old man telling me that my bro isn't manly because of who he likes...what's 'manly' even mean, anyway..." 
"This is taking quite the heel-turn, I feel." 
"Uh..." He snapped out of it. "Sorry about that. I told you before about my oldest brother, right? Salim's the coolest guy I know. Taught me more about football than anyone else. He's got style, he's got swagger, he's everything anyone would want in a son. There was just one problem...well, in my dad's eyes." 
"You mean...that he was gay." 
"Salim's never been shy about who he is. 'Live your truth and never be who someone wants you to be.' He'd always tell us that. That's honestly why me and my brothers and sisters are as open-minded as we are. But my dad wasn't having any of it. He wasn't okay with who my brother was. And when he couldn't make him be who he wanted, he bolted Salim from the house." 
"And then your uncle took him in." 
"Yep. Uncle Joseph's a worldly guy. He works as a doctor in London. Personal doctor for Arsenal. Him and my Pops haven't seen eye-to-eye for a long time. Bro's been in London for a few years now. I give him a call every now and then. I actually asked him how I should handle...you and me." 
"I see...well, that does make sense." 
"I asked him how I would break it to Pops. He tells me not to worry about it. 'In about a year you'll be a man, and there's nothing the old fool can do about it. Follow what your heart's telling you and live your truth. Especially if she's as cute as you're saying.'" 
"Flattery runs in the family, I see." 
"But that's why I can't go along with what Maxie's doing. I don't care if he thinks he's helping people or making them 'better' versions. He's doing the same thing my old man did to my brother. Forcing people to change when that's not what they want isn't being heroic. It's being a controlling bully. They won't be who they want to be. That would hurt so many people like my brother. People like you. And I'm not gonna let that happen." 
Sakuya got up and sat down next to him. "I agree. People should be allowed to be the best versions of themselves. On their own terms and nobody else's. For my first eight years of life I was forced to be something that I wasn't. I felt like an alien in my own body. The day that the Master--that Pittacus arrived was the day my mother believed that I'd died. And in a way...I did. Sakutarō died alongside Masato. They died so that Sakuya could finally live. No schoolyard bully or petty tyrant will ever take away who I am. And who I am is who I choose to be. I'll be damned before I let someone like Max-kun make that choice for me or anyone else." 
"You know..." she continued, "Your brother sounds like a worldly and wise man. I'd love to speak with him." 
"Heh, well, it's fair to warn you: he can charm a snake into giving up its eggs. I'd be lucky to have even 10% of his charisma." Sahir replied. 
Sakuya rested her head on his shoulder. "I don't think you should be worried there." 
--- 
"Oh, look at all these lights, Kenny. They're so pretty..." Natalia gazed through the carriage window. 
"I believe it. I'll just enjoy it second-hand." Kenneth sat in place. 
"Aww, is somebody afraid of heights? Don't worry, the tall-ness isn't gonna bite you." 
"That remains to be seen." Kenneth felt something on his side, and turned to see Natalia affectionately snuggling up to him. 
"There, there. Natty's here to make it all better~." 
"I'm really not that terrified--are you purring?" 
"Maaaaaybe~." She relented. "Sorry, is that too much? You can tell me if I'm going overboard..." 
"No, I'm fine with how affectionate you are. On the contrary, I feel guilty that public displays like that aren't really my strong suit." 
"I wouldn't call it 'public' when it's just the two of us in a carriage, but I get it. I just need to know what the boundaries are." 
"I'm of the mindset that so long as you're acting counter to how you were when we first met, then it's a net positive. Far be it from me to tell you not to be who you are." 
"Well I feel the same way. You can be as snarky and persnickety as you wanna be as long as you're not shut in your room all day." She put on a faux-English accent. 
"That teasing tongue shows me that you've been spending far too much time around Katherine." 
"Meeeeeow." 
Natalia paused. "Look at how far we've come, Kenny. Where we were against where we are now. It's like magic. Even though it was because something bad happened...I'm so glad I came here. I've been able to change myself for the better, and I've got this crazy new family now. I might still be a nervous wreck if I'd stayed home." 
"And I would likely still be a bitter fool refusing to interact with anyone. I suppose there were...some benefits to meeting you all. I only feel annoyed by Katherine's...Katherine-ness once in a while." 
"People can change on their own power. With some encouragement, yeah, but it's up to us to want to be better. You can't force it out of someone because...it isn't real. That's what's different between us and Max. We help people to understand why their behavior isn't okay, but it's up to them to realize it and say they want to change." 
"Yes, indeed. Compare that to Maxwell's artificial methods where he picks at the person's trauma to 'empower' them to behave adversely. It's less about making a positive improvement and more about bitter revenge. It's making victims into aggressors." 
"I can't understand him at all. Especially after what he did to Layla. He wants to act like he's being heroic, but he breaks into her room and threatens her before 'saving' her?" 
"Something tells me that there's far more to his motives than a simple hero complex. There's too much planning and subterfuge involved for it to be so straightforward." 
"Whatever it is...he needs to be stopped. Not just for Layla, but for everyone. Everyone with the power to change themselves. It's something only we can do." 
Natalia turned to look outside again. "I really am so happy that we came here. Hey, Kenny..." 
"Yes?" 
"I know you really want to visit the castle here. Mind if I come with?" 
"Will you be bringing your signature pastries along?" 
"Of course, silly." 
"Then I can think of no better vacation experience." 
--- 
"...I'm gonna be stuck like this forever, aren't I?" Kibō groaned, scratching his cerulean scalp. 
"It's not all that bad. It definitely stands out. But I know how much you hate drawing attention in, so that's definitely a problem." Barbara replied. 
"Ugh, I can see my parents now. Dad's gonna drop his coffee mug and Mom's just gonna start laughing. 'My baby's auditioning for an anime!' she'll say. Followed by a lot of head-scratching." 
"It's honestly really funny that you just know how your mom'll react to anything. And that I can totally see it playing out that way." 
"Yeah..." Kibō rubbed the back of his neck. "Alright...now that we actually have some time alone...how are you holding up?" 
"....." Barbara looked down. 
"It's okay if you're...not okay. I know we're here to relax and not worry about things, but...for you it has to be impossible. Listen, you don't have to hide anything. I'm here to listen. Blue hair and all." 
"...I...I'm nervous. Confused. Terrified. My mind's been racing for the last month. I don't think I've cried so much in my entire life. And no matter how much I want to wake up from this...I never do." 
"I'm sorry, Barb. I wish it wasn't this way." 
"But I've decided...that I'm not going to cry anymore. Because no matter how many tears I shed, it's not going to change what reality is." 
"Is that right?" 
"It is. Because it's my responsibility. If I can't keep it together for everyone else, then I shouldn't be out there with you all. But I need to be there. Because the one person I've spent more time with than anyone else is making a horrible mistake and I...I have to fix it. No...if this has any way of ending without a fight, it has to be me that does it. I'm not built to hurt another person. Especially not my own brother." 
"I know. I remember when we fought the Thebans last year. After you fought the Ismene woman. You were mortified that she was..." Kibō stopped himself. 
"'I was born to join in love, not hate. That is my nature.' From Antigone, ironically enough. And when I finally face Max, I'll give him another quote: that no matter how foolish he is, I'll still love him regardless. And if I can't get him to stand down, then..." 
Kibō put his hand onto hers. "Then I'll take care of it...we'll take care of it. He'll be quoting that one Macbeth soliloquy by the time we're done with him. You know, sound and fury--" 
"--signifying nothing, yeah. I know my Shakespeare." 
"I know. But don't worry about any fight." Kibō stood up and manifested his sword, holding it in both hands. "I'll teach him what a real 'hero' looks like." 
Barbara stood up and put her hands on his. "I thank thee, o brave knight." She kissed him, then rested her head against his chest. "...I'm scared." 
"I know." 
"It's going to be alright...isn't it?" 
"We have KittyKat calling the shots. It's going to be dramatic. It's going to be chaotic. But after all that...it usually works out in the end." 
"KittyKat..." 
--- 
"Ah-choo!" Kat let out a sneeze. 
"Santé." Carrie responded. 
"Merci." 
Carrie took a tissue out of her handbag. "To your health." 
"Thank you. Weird time for allergies to crop up..." Kat wiped her nose. "Whew...haven't had some time to ourselves in a hot minute. So what's going on in that dainty little head of yours?" 
"The same thing as usual. Concern for your well-being. You've been keeping your thoughts close to you since this ordeal began. I've quite truthfully had my fill of secrets for the time being. As I believe you have." 
Kat sighed. 
Carrie patted her lap. "I know how to get you to relax. Come. Glasses off." 
Kat obliged, removing her glasses, before laying her head down on Carrie's lap. She let out another sigh. "Y'know, I can't see so good now...but one thing's still clear. You're still the most beautiful girl on the planet." 
"I'm tempted to give you a kiss right now, but I'll reserve it for after the talk. So what's weighing on you?" 
"Hm. Besides 'everything'?" 
"Start with the most pressing." 
"...it's really happening, isn't it? We're really going to go...beat up Sparky." 
"Hopefully it doesn't come to that." 
"You know it's gonna. It's worth a shot, but...I think he's beyond words at this point. He's thought about this for a long time. And part of me thinks he's wanted a piece of me for even longer." 
"Why would you think that?" 
"Sparky's not a tough read. He's an MCU nerd with a hero complex and major daddy issues. Now look at me. An ex-thief who's never spent a day in jail and gets opportunities thanks to her daddy's notoriety. I'm everything a guy like him hates. If he wants to spread his 'hero's gospel' to everyone, then I'm the exact person he needs to deal with--whether that means joining up with him or...worse." 
"Do you really believe he would go that far?" 
"He threatened a girl's parents and put Prof's mom in a coma. I don't know if it's the power he's gotten or if it's just him, but...he's absolutely willing to do something awful if it gets him what he wants." 
"'The ends justify the means'. A frightening mindset, indeed. If only we could have--Kitten?" 
A thin stream of tears was making its way down either side of Kat's face. She feigned a smile. "What's the look for? Something on my face?" 
Carrie understood. She put a hand on Kat's cheek. "Close your eyes. There's nothing here but my deep, unyielding love. Relax. We have time." 
Kat wordlessly did so. 
"It's so easy to forget given her confidence and position in the group, but...she is still the youngest. This whole fiasco has probably hurt her more than anyone else besides poor Barbara." Carrie thought. "Perhaps what she said really began to sink in. The implications of it all." 
"The boy I once loved would probably kill me if given the chance." 
"Care..." 
Carrie snapped out of her thoughts. Kat had opened her eyes. "Yes, Kitten?" 
"I feel like I know the answer to this already, but...if something bad happened and we majorly disagreed on something...would you ever think of...hurting me?" 
Carrie wasn't surprised at how forward she was being--this was Kat, after all--but the question was nonetheless unsettling. A simple "no" would have sufficed, but she felt Kat needed something more right now. 
"I would never consider such a horrid thing. No matter what happens. If you really love someone, the thought of causing them pain should never cross your mind. No matter the disagreement. I would think someone with Maxwell's history would understand that. But as far as I am concerned, hurting you is not even an option." 
Kat sat back up. Wordlessly, she hugged Carrie. "I have to be strong...for Barbie...for everyone...even when everything hurts...so if you could just...keep being my rock...and help me get through this..." 
Carrie reciprocated. "Of course, my Kitten. That's exactly what I'm here for." 
--- 
"...well. I guess everyone enjoyed their little ride." Ibuki noted, with all the couples holding hands. 
"Ahehehe..." Kat uttered. 
"Productive rides, I'm hoping?" Carrie asked. 
Everyone affirmed as much. 
"Get all the stresses out there and finally ready to relax?" Lily asked. 
"I think so." Barbara nodded. 
"Good. On that note, it's about that time to turn in. Tomorrow you'll have the city to yourselves. But I think you all could use a good night's sleep after such a long day. Shall we head back?" 
"Yes, Mama. I think that would be best." Sakuya replied. 
"Give us a night to digest everything. And maybe come up with some proper hair care methods, eh?" Kat teased. 
"...I'm not gonna answer that." Kibō responded, to everyone's amusement. 
With that, the group headed back to the hotel. Now, perhaps, with renewed resolve for the task that lay ahead.
--- 
March 10, 2030 
"Osaka Castle. Constructed in 1583 as the seat of the Toyotomi clan, serving in that capacity until 1615 when the Tokugawa clan conquered it. They held the castle until 1868 when, during the Boshin civil war, pro-Imperial forces captured the grounds and razed the castle to the ground..." 
Kenneth stopped himself. "Ah, beg pardon. I must be boring you to tears with my rambling." 
Natalia giggled. "You just get so into it when you're talking about buildings. It's charming in a geeky kind of way." 
"You'll have to excuse me, I'll be rambling all day. I've wanted to pay the place a visit since I first arrived. It's a Japanese icon, after all." 
"You, being geeky and rambling? That's waaaay out of character." Kat chimed. 
"...and I suppose putting up with the one-woman peanut gallery is a small price to pay." 
Kat sighed. "Fine. I'll give you a wide berth if you want..." 
"Not even a quip or retort? That's...abnormal." 
"Hey, are you feeling okay? You've been kinda off since last night. Is everything alright with you and Care?" Natalia asked. 
"Nah, everything's fine on that front. I'm just...really tired. Starving, honestly." Kat replied. 
Natalia could tell that there was more to it, but could also tell what--or rather, who--it pertained to, so thought better of pursuing it. "Let's just have a nice, peaceful lunch, OK?" 
"Should we not wait for Caroline?" Kenneth asked. 
"She said she had an important call to take care of. Didn't ask what about. Girl's gotta have her privacy, y'know?" Kat replied. 
Past the moat and the trees, within the castle grounds, Carrie stood before the entrance to the main tower, a white structure with golden statues situated atop the green roofing. She looked at her phone, to the most recent messages. 
"Meet me at the top of the tower. Come alone. I'll know otherwise." 
With a sigh, she entered the tower, making her way to the structure's apex. As she approached the last floor, she glanced around. People observing the famous structure's interior. Completely innocuous. 
What awaited her at the top would be anything but. 
She stepped into the room. Counter to the rooms below, there was only one individual. Staring out the windows at the park and city below. "I'll say one thing, Your Highness. You are a very prompt young lady. You couldn't ditch KittyKat and the others fast enough. I'm flattered." 
He turned around. Plaid, button-down shirt and jeans, holding a Ramune soda bottle. Casual as can be. But Carrie knew better. 
"Maxwell." 
"'Maxwell'. Always so formal and proper. You know how to make someone feel important." Max took a sip of the soda. "Mmm...y'know, I'm more of a Sprite guy myself, but this ain't half bad. Takes a few tries to get it past the marble, though..." 
"To what do I owe this visit?" 
"Mmm...straight down to business. What do you think I'm here for?" 
"Presumably to spew more self-righteous banter to justify your misguided quest. Am I near the mark?" 
"Heh. I wouldn't be that condescending about it, but close enough. Now your next question must be, 'Why me?'" 
"I'll admit, I'm curious. Of all the people you could have contacted. Why not Kitten? You quite clearly have a personal issue with her. Or how about our dear, tormented Barbara? Has it even crossed your mind that you've deeply wounded her with this nonsense? Or has your slow descent into depravity clouded you from being able to feel?" 
"Hooooooo. And I thought KittyKat's tongue could cut deep. Mincing words isn't something you're fond of, is it?" 
"Not with one such as you. Now start talking." 
Max looked out the window once more. He caught sight of where Kat and company were seated to eat. "Cute. Everyone looks pretty relaxed for being tormented. Might just be a European thing." 
"This is nonsense. If you're going to waste my time, I'll just leave--" 
Carrie turned around, only to find that Max was standing in front of her. "Why the rush? Late for a round of cuddles? Lord knows y'all don't hug each other enough. Think I called you here just for kicks and giggles? Please. There's a method to my madness." 
"Tch...well, out with it. Why am I here?" 
Max disappeared and reappeared in his original spot by the window. "Make yourself comfortable. We've got much to discuss. The fact that you haven't taken a swing at me proves that I was right to call you over any of the others." 
"And that's because?" 
"Because out of everyone, you're the only one who thinks with this..." Max poked his head. "...over this." He poked the spot over his heart. "I thought if I could get you away from the Kitten Koalition for a few minutes, you'd be in a better spot to consider my previous offer." 
"Your offer to have us help you subjugate humanity? Why on Earth would I ever consider that?" 
"Don't think of it as subjugation. Think of it as awakening humanity to its true potential. Taking the restraints off and letting people be their best selves, without being slaves to their pasts." 
"As opposed to being slaves to you? And that point itself is a fallacy. Every person you turned into a Warden became more consumed by their trauma. All of them became the exact thing that they despised. What you're doing has done them no help whatsoever." 
"On the contrary. I'd say they're all better off now than how they were before. You can look at Ibuki to confirm that much." 
"No, Maxwell. They're only better off now because we helped them. We pulled them from the darkness you plunged them into. And you don't get to use Ibuki as part of your argument after what you did to her in particular. How could you look her in the eye, knowing the struggles and mental anguish she was fighting through were your doing?" 
"Honestly...I felt horrible." 
"Did you now?" 
"I did. Her despair and torment are things that shouldn't be. She and others like her are precisely the reason why I've embarked on this mission. I'm doing this for victims of the invisible enemy." 
"Taking a cue from your favorite book and 'tilting at windmills', are we?" 
"Don't patronize me. There's a difference between fighting an enemy you can't see, and one that doesn't exist. Bringing the true monsters into the light so that people no longer have to suffer in silence...how is that any different from what we've been doing all this time?" 
"Again with this comparison...here's the difference, 'Captain Thunder'. Our job as of late has been to clean up the messes you've made. We have been helping, you have been hurting. And as for your assertion that the others are flawed for being emotionally driven, you should look in the mirror before saying such things." 
"Tch. I don't know what you're talking about. I'm doing this--" 
"'To be the hero', is that it? Help humanity to reach its full potential? Don't make me laugh. You revealed the real reason yourself a month ago. Kitten can see right through you and so can I. Nobody came to save you from your father's wrath, and so you think this insane course of action will make for a suitable case of revenge." 
"....." 
"The truth is, Maxwell, I've done my research on you. Barbara has told me much. How your father portrayed himself publicly as a staple of the community, when in reality he was a violent drunk who cheated his way to glory. How your mother took the punishment herself so you and your sister never had to. It's not difficult to see where your fixation on heroic figures comes from." 
"Tch. So I'm an open book, is that it?" 
"So open that I can make out the staples in the middle. Your hero complex is staggering. Much of it stemming from your uncle. A policeman and veteran of the United States Air Force, correct? In that sense, it's easy to see how you descended into the realm of authoritarian fascism so seamlessly..." 
Max visibly became agitated. "Fascist? Is that what you're calling it? Wanting to make the world safer by exposing evil is what you'd call fascist?" 
"No. Forcing people to do things because you think it's best for them, belittling their sense of self in the process, that is fascist. You dishonor your mother's sacrifices by doing this in her name." 
"Don't you talk about my mother. I'm doing this so no one else has to take the hits like she did. But let's get back to the old topic. You want to bring my parents into this? Fine. I'll just counter with yours." 
"What are you getting at? My parents have no bearing on any of this." 
"Oh, really? Well, do I have some footage for you." Black, metallic armor materialized on his left arm, and he began to tinker with it. "Bemular. Bring up the file. Call sign, 'Blackthorne'." 
A video feed emerged from the armor. It showed a dark-haired man with a goatee standing at a podium. 
"Papa...?" Carrie uttered. 
"I don't know what isn't getting through to you. I've crunched the numbers, I've done to field tests, the design is flawless! This would make traversing dangerous terrain far more reasonable!" Rodrigo dictated. 
"One test isn't enough, Mr. Blackthorne. You're speaking in hypotheticals and what-ifs. We can't afford to--" 
"Afford? Heh...hehe...that's what it's all about, isn't it? The safety of others and the planet be damned, so long as we can save a few precious Euros, is that it?!" 
"That will be all, Mr. Blackthorne." 
"Idiots...damn, greedy idiots! If you all would listen to me instead of your wallets, maybe we wouldn't be barreling towards extinction! If I had my way..." 
"Someone please escort Mr. Blackthorne out of here..." 
The feed ended. "Curious, isn't it?" Max questioned. 
"What point are you trying to make?" Carrie demanded. 
"'Everyone else is stupid and you can't do good things on your own. If only everyone would just listen to me, then things would be okay.' Sounds a little authoritarian, don't you think?" 
"Shut your mouth. My father was nothing like you. He was trying--" 
"--trying to save the world. Right." 
Now it was Carrie who was displaying her agitation. "I'll not have you smearing my father's name any longer. He was a brilliant man who wanted to preserve the entire planet, without controlling anyone. Who wouldn't be frustrated by bureaucratic red tape hampering those efforts?" 
"Brilliant, yes. But you have to admit, there were some questionable tendencies there. I mean, bringing your wife and kid into a dangerous environment just so you can get a deal done...it shouldn't be a surprise when you end up filled with a few bullets. If that's not being a control freak--" 
As if by instinct, Carrie's patience finally broke. She swung and connected with Max's face, knocking him to the ground. 
He got to his feet. He could only laugh. 
"There it is! There's everything wrong with humanity right there! All that brain power in your noggin, and you go with the brute force out of the gate! Nobody thinks! It's instinct and nothing else! That's what I'm trying to rid mankind of! No one should have to suffer because people can't control their base urges! I'm going to strip all of that rage and anguish away, and make a world that doesn't know villains, only heroes!" 
"You are a delusional, arrogant fool!" Carrie retorted. "You think what you're doing is erasing rage and bitterness? All you've done is create more of it! You've given people the means to take revenge against the ones who wronged them, and made them no better. Monsters creating more monsters. And you, Maxwell? You're the worst of the lot. Bitter and angry and wanting nothing but vengeance. You want nothing more than to hurt the ones that hurt you. I can see it in your eyes. You're no different." 
"I'm a wretched monster, huh? Yeah. You're right. I'm the worst. And I'd love nothing more than to walk up to my old man and blow him away. Tell him to give Kerberos my regards. And that's exactly my point. We're all slaves to our basic instincts. Why not tear all of that anger and rage out and make a world where we're all our best selves? I'm doing the right thing!" 
"You're making people into puppets. Stripping away free will. How is that heroic?" 
"You see what thousands of years of individual thought has done, right?" 
"Caaaaare! Are you up here?" Natalia's voice rang out from below. 
"Well, that's the end of that. See you in a few days, Carrie." Max took another sip of his soda. "Enjoy Osaka. I hear the blowfish is to die for." 
Natalia arrived. "There you are! I was getting a little worried." 
Carrie turned to look at her. She looked back. Max was gone. 
"...my apologies. I had to take care of a very irritating conversation." she replied. 
"Well, now that that's done, we can have ourselves a yummy lunch...hm?" Natalia noticed something. "Ugh, who just leaves their garbage hanging around a place like this? Some people, I swear..." She picked up the bottle of Ramune. 
Carrie stayed quiet. This was no time to alarm the others. There was nothing they could do about it now. 
For now, it was lunch with her best friend and the girl she loved. It would be hard to be upset for long. But the pit in her stomach would not be erased so easily. 
--- 
"So she hasn't come by here at all?" Kat asked. 
"Haven't seen her since dinner. I thought she was going to the theater with Keeb?" Natalia replied. 
"She did. But I called Keebie just now and he said they got back half an hour ago. I'm really nervous. Given everything, I don't like her being by herself." 
"I understand that. You don't think..." 
"Heeeeey...who's talkin' about me when I'm not around? Why I oughta..." Ibuki slumped up against Natalia's back, blushing. 
"Um, hey, Bookie. You, uh...feeling okay?" Kat asked. 
"What, something's wrong? Pffft, I'm doing aces. Just got myself a liiiiittle bit of booze on the way home. But it's fiiiiine. Right, Natty?" 
"Um...sure, yeah, totally fine. Not weird or anything." Natalia replied. 
Ibuki squeezed her a bit. "Mmm, you're so adorable, Natty...wanna eat you up..." 
"Hey, so...you wouldn't know where Barbie could be right now, would you?" Kat interjected. 
"Ummmmm...naaaah. Probably went for a late night swim or something...homegirl can look after herself, y'know..." 
"Riiiight. I'm gonna keep looking around, then. Have fun, Hoods." Kat walked away. 
"Fun, sure. Uh, Ibuki...my hair isn't edible...please stop..." Natalia pleaded. 
Kat walked down the hallway, and returned to her room. Carrie was lying on their bed. "Still nothing?" she asked. 
"Nothing. Keebie says she didn't tell him she was going anywhere else. No one else has seen or heard from her." Kat put her hands to her face. "I knew I should've gone with them. I let her out of my sight for one second and she disappears. I promised her I'd be a better friend and now she's gone ghost...if something's happened to her, I'll never forgive myself!" 
Carrie got up and comforted her. "Calm yourself, my love. You can't blame yourself. She could've just as easily gone somewhere of her own volition." 
"But why won't she pick up or answer my texts?" 
"She has a lot on her mind. She probably wants to be alone with her thoughts. Likely somewhere private." 
"Somewhere private..." 
"Give the hotel a thorough search. She can't have gone far." Carrie kissed her on the cheek. "I'll be here when you return." 
"With cuddles?" 
"Absolutely." 
Kat left the room and continued down the hall. "Where are you, Barbie...I don't like the radio silence. Where'd there be no one around..." She had an idea. "Hold up...'midnight swim'. It couldn't be, could it?" 
She made her way downstairs and walked to the pool area. Sure enough, the place was deserted, save for one person. Barbara sat at the edge of the pool, dangling her legs in the water. "Point to you, Bookie." Kat muttered to herself. 
She approached her best friend. "You had me spooked, beautiful. I was about to turn the city upside-down to find you." 
"...I'm sorry. I just...needed a minute to myself. Everything's been such a blur, and I couldn't...couldn't get a minute to think." Barbara replied. 
"Hey, don't worry about it. Take as much time as you need. I'm just...so relieved that you're okay. I'll head back if you need some more time--" 
Barbara grabbed Kat's hand before she could walk away. "Stay. Please, stay...I...I need you. You're the only one who can understand..." Tears began to form in Barbara's eyes. 
"...of course. I'm not going anywhere." 
Kat took her shoes off, rolled up her pants, and sat down next to Barbara. "Alright. I think we've been dancing around this for long enough. Go ahead. Your heartbreak is mine. Let me hear it." 
Barbara took a moment. "There was this one time when we were younger...I was practicing for a dance competition. Instead of using a tree or a bench to stretch my legs, Max let me use his head and shoulders. In a public park. He didn't care if it looked embarrassing. He just wanted to help his sister. That's just how he is. He's always there for me, and I'm always there for him. A lot of siblings argue and get on each other's nerves, but that was never us. But..." 
"But?" 
"Right after helping me with practice, Mama picked us up and...she was covering a bruise. Max noticed and he knew it was our father that did it. He swore he'd kill the old man one day, and that really upset Mama. She always told him to do the right thing. To never do something awful, even if it was for a good reason." 
"So if she knew what he was up to now, it'd probably rip her heart in two." 
"I've spent the last month lying to her about what he's doing. Stuff like 'he's studying really hard and not talking to anyone'. How would I ever explain the real reason? He's doing everything she never wanted him to do. And if he doesn't come ba--" Barbara began to stutter. 
"Barbie...?" 
"If he n-n-n-never comes...if he doesn't...if he..." 
Kat held her hand tighter as Barbara lost her composure. "Nooooo...I can't...I can't think like that...I can't...why...why him...why did it...have to be him...whyyyyy...ahuh...ahuhuhuhuhu..." she wept. 
Kat put her head on Barbara's shoulder. She responded by tightly hugging Kat. "I can't take this, Kat...I can't...I'm sorry but...I don't want to pretend that I'm okay when my heart's in a million pieces...he's hurting people...my geeky, hero-loving brother is hurting people and trying to act like it's the right thing...how am I supposed to deal with that?" 
"That's exactly what you're doing right now. Venting to the one person that gets you more than anyone. Look at my eyes, Barbie. It's taking all my willpower right now not to lose it. And I can tell you that it's probably not gonna stay that way for much longer." 
"I'm sorry..." 
"Don't be. I still love him, you know. Honestly never stopped. It broke me for a while after we broke up. Which is why..." Kat tried to hold her tears back, at least long enough that she could get her words out. "Why it's so hard to accept that he probably sees me as a big enough threat that he'd kill me if I got in the way of his plans." 
"Kill you...? No, no. Max isn't that far gone..." 
"I want to believe that he isn't. But I don't know if he even cares about who he hurts. As long as he gets what he wants. I know that's not what you want to hear, but...I don't know if words are gonna work on him." 
"No..." 
"I'm sorry. I really am. But there isn't another option." 
"....." 
"....." 
"...can you ever trust me?" 
"Barbie...?" 
"You should just leave me behind...I can't hurt him...I can't watch you fight him...I'll be dead weight..." 
"I need you there." 
"No you don't." 
"I need you there. I love you, don't you get that? That angel's voice you have calms me down like nothing else does. I need you talking to me. It lets me know everything's okay. No matter how dark it gets." 
"I love you, too...but I don't want to hold you back..." 
"Hold me back?! I won't be able to do it without you! Everyone...they're my family. Natty's my heart, Care is my soul. But you, Barbie? You're my sister. You're the one I can trust to keep it all together when things go south. You keep me sane. You're...my resolve." 
"KittyKat..." 
"I...I don't know if I can really describe what you mean to me. Care says it all the time that there are people in your life that are just meant to be there. Thousands of miles apart, and things fell in the perfect way, and here we are, together, in this one moment. And here's me, the thieving gamer girl, sitting in a pool with a future Broadway starlet, telling her that I need her." Tears were dropping down from Kat's face. "I know how hard this is, Barbie. But you have to face this. We have to face this. You can't do it alone, and I can't do it without you there. Please...please don't leave me, Barbie. We have to do this, because...I want us to be happy again. I want to sing and dance with my best friend because I know that's what makes her happy. And I want to stop Sparky from destroying everything for everyone. Please...help me do that. Help me stop your brother from making the worst mistake he'll ever make." 
Through her own tears, Barbara put up a smile. "You're the sister I always wanted...the one that's always there when I need her. I don't want to hold you back. I want...to face this together. With you. I still think we can get through to him. But if we can't...then I won't stop you from stopping him. It's my responsibility to see this through to the end. With you, and with him." 
She clutched Kat's hand tightly. "No more regrets. We just have to get it done. Because the best friend I'll ever have needs me...as much as I need her. You don't have to worry anymore. I'm with you...forever." 
Kat's heart warmed. Warmed in a way it hadn't for quite a while. Barbara finally understood. And with that understanding...came a voice from within. 
"I am thou, thou art I. Thy vow has been reborn as a blood oath. It shall become as a dagger, to cut the path to thine own future. Thou has reached a true understanding of The Star, granting thee new power..." 
The dagger fell, and an entity emerged: a grand, dark-skinned demon bearing six bat-like wings. 
"I am Lucifer, the morning star that rises from the dark. Ye who has defied Hell itself, accept my blessings and allow me to form thy dagger." 
Kat returned to reality. "So...what do we do now?" Barbara asked. 
"Well...it might be late, but there's an all-night karaoke place not far from here. I think we're overdue for a girl's night." Kat replied. 
"You really want to? Like, right now?" 
"We're on vacation, and I want nothing more than to sing until our vocal cords give out. You in?" 
"Nothing would make me happier." 
"Good. Now let's dry our feetsies off and dust off the Disney soundtracks." 
"Sounds like a night~. And maybe you can introduce me to some of The Golden Wei's old hits while we're at it." 
"Ugh, please noooooo..." 
The girls went off into the night. The confrontation would soon be at hand. 
But for tonight, they could just be two teenage girls enjoying the other's company. And neither one could be happier.
--- 
March 12, 2030 
"Awwww...do we really gotta go home?" Sahir groaned. The students were gathered in one of the rooms. 
"Unfortunately, reality waits for no one." Sakuya replied. 
"So speaketh the girl who must find space for a giant blowfish." Kenneth joked. 
"His name is Hootie and I'll make space if I need to." 
"Welp, someone's changed her tune on the thing." Ibuki said. 
"So...is anyone gonna talk about..." Natalia gestured towards Kibō. His hair had returned to its normal color. 
"I won't be starring in an isekai after all." he said. 
"And it was all thanks to Kitten's knowhow." Carrie chimed. 
"Granny's secret recipe for undoing a bad dye job. Works every time." Kat boasted. 
"Your grandmother...devised a way to remove hair dye." Kenneth pondered. 
"Oh, she's a total badass. She's closing in on seventy and still highlighting her hair. Got the energy of a lass half her age." 
"And somehow figured out how to boil milk in a way that it un-blues my hair without burning my scalp." Kibō added. 
"I'm...pretty sure there's less dicey ways to do that." Ibuki said. 
"Hey, y'all. Sorry for the wait. Had to freshen up." Barbara arrived. 
"Like you even need it." Kat chimed in. 
"So we heading out soon?" 
"Mama's checking us out, then she's grabbing the rental. It won't be long now." Sakuya answered. 
"Why, Barbara, is that a new perfume I'm smelling? It's quite lovely." Carrie asked. 
"I'm glad you noticed. I found a cute little shop yesterday and I helped myself to a few bottles. I know it's just a bus ride back, but, y'know." Barbara replied. 
"You always smell so pretty, Barb. Could you give me some of the places you go to?" Natalia asked. 
"Sure! There's a couple of spots near the school that I'd love to take you..." 
"She's got her sparkle back. I'm glad. I'd love having the real Barbie around again." Kat thought. 
At that moment, her phone began buzzing. "Hunh. It's Prof. Checking if we've left yet, I'm guessing." She picked up. "Morning, Prof." 
"Kat. Is everyone with you?" Rin asked. 
"Um, yeah, we're getting ready to head home. Is something wrong?" 
"Put me on speaker." 
Kat did so. "Hey, Professor. What's going on?" Barbara asked. 
"Is there a problem back home?" Kibō asked. 
"You could say that." Rin was on her couch with Rose, watching the television intently. "Look at the breaking news." 
"For those of you just waking up this morning, we have breaking news. A video has been broadcast throughout Tokyo, across every channel and streaming service. A message from an individual claiming to be the leader of the vigilante group known as the Ashen Artisans." 
One could almost see the exclamation points appearing above the youths' heads. 
--- 
It was an average Tuesday morning in Tokyo, with everyone bustling to work--though less busy than usual, given that it was still spring break for the city's students and teachers. 
Then it happened. 
Every video screen, big and small, TVs and computers, began broadcasting the same feed throughout the city. The background was completely black, with the Ashen Artisans' signature gray "A" logo displayed. Standing in the foreground was Max, garbed entirely in his black armor, though there was one addition: a large, glowing blue lighting bolt across his chest, and the armor's eyes glowed the same shade of blue. His voice echoed. 
"Good morning, Tokyo. I'm sure you're all looking forward to another day of soul-crushing tedium, but this is a crucial announcement I have for you all today. I'm here to deliver a proposition of grave importance...and to some, an ultimatum." 
The curious public looked up at Tokyo's numerous building-adjacent TV screens. 
"Now, you must be wondering who I am. As you can see by the logo, I am with the rebels known as the Ashen Artisans. Their leader, in fact. You can address me as 'Captain Thunder'. Or, alternatively...as your future savior. You don't know me...yet...but you know of what I've done. The scoundrels that have met their downfall at our hands. But now, there is an even greater danger threatening your lives. The invisible threat that lies in the shadows, out of sight and out of scrutiny." 
At the Azure Moon game store, Leon stopped brooming and stared at the shop's TV monitor. Jin watched from behind the counter with a look of intensity. 
"If there's a single thing that I've learned in my time on this Earth, it's that the worst evils don't happen where you can see them. The real tragedies are formed when doors are locked, cameras are off and eyes are shut. If you squint really good, you might see the signs. But more often than not, you don't see the signs until it's too late. Those who the Ashen Artisans have overthrown were masters of this shady craft. Wearing masks and pretending to be upstanding pillars of society, when in reality, they were fiends. Demons in human skin." 
Kaede was preparing to leave for work, Kanae hanging onto her shoulders. She caught the TV turning on out of the corner of her eye, and went to shut it off. The bizarre sight caught her attention, and she watched, understanding through subtitles. 
"Up until this point, we haven't made any sort of public announcements of this nature. Only warnings directed at villains when their time is nigh. But this is an entirely different matter. It's a matter...of true justice." 
Kaido was outside of the fish market, staring up at a TV screen. Nearby, Shūjo and Hiyoko watched the same broadcast, both with the same intense looks as Jin. Jugo was also close by, sitting in his patrol car and listening over the radio. Over in a separate block, Tenko was at the gym, interrupting her workout and watching with an intense focus. 
"You see...there is a way to eliminate wickedness from the hearts of the masses. To destroy even the unseen evils that plague every corner of society, and empower the powerless into action against those who wronged them. You may have already seen what I'm talking about. The bullied card collector who became an unrivaled Champion, the abused streetwalker who unseated the strongest woman in Japan, the unfortunate lackey who began a seafood empire. Yes. I did that. All of it. And that's only the beginning." 
Junko watched alongside the rest of the news station staff. Ryōma sat nearby with their son, while chewing on a piece of gum. "Little shit." he muttered. 
"I am not here to lord over you all like some kind of king. I'm here to offer you freedom. From pain. From injustice. From evil. I am but a humble servant of the masses' will. I know you all are tired of this corrupt, unfair, diseased world we live in, where we have to absorb hurt and anguish on a daily basis and be told to move on and keep existing. This is not a world we live in. It's a world where we just exist. And I am no longer going to accept that." 
Tan rushed over to the flower shop, and swung open the door. "Are y'all seeing this?!" 
"Shhhh." Araragi shushed him. 
"We're well aware." Ranmaru stated. 
Hana looked intently at the TV, holding a cup of tea. 
"And here's where you come in, dear public. I can start on the path of clearing evil from the entire world, but I need your help. Strength comes from belief. I gave people strength, and that strength grew through belief. I'm asking you, the people of Tokyo, to trust me. I'm going to save you all. You'll never have to struggle beneath an unfair world ever again. Your desires are my desires. I believe in good's ability to triumph over evil every time. Mankind can still save itself from the ruin forced upon it. All I need...is your belief." 
"And now...to the ultimatum. To my brothers and sisters in the Ashen Artisans. No doubt you've considered the pros and cons of what I've offered you all. Is it not your desire to defeat those who believe themselves untouchable by the law? To embolden the downtrodden into believing in themselves? Do you truly believe in the world's justice? Or just your own justice? I'm afraid that personal justice that fails to benefit the world no longer has a place here. I'm afraid...that the time for talk is over. Now is the time to back up what you say." 
"Your deadline is this Saturday. If you fail to bring me down...if we cannot come to a consensus..." He keyed away at his arm's computer device. "...then your fate is sealed. I've set up a private Twitter account that I will set to public on Sunday morning. There, I will leak your identities and personal information for the world to see. Any life you could still have, and your loved ones' lives, will undoubtedly be put at risk. This is my absolute last resort. You've forced my hand. Pray that whatever choice you make is the informed one." 
"And so I must say goodbye for now, people of Japan. We will be speaking again very soon. Hopefully, in a much better, just world. This is Captain Thunder, signing off." The feed ended. 
--- 
The group were left in a befuddled stupor. 
"....." 
"....." 
"Ohhhh...SHIIIIIIIIIIT!" Sahir exclaimed. 
Ibuki stomped in rage. "That rat-FUCK! That was bullshit! Every last bit of it!" 
"Such effortless deceit...it's no wonder he was able to fool us for so long." Kenneth uttered. 
Kibō's phone buzzed. He gave it a look. "What...the..." 
"What's wrong?" Carrie asked. 
"Mom just sent me a video. This is Akihabara right now." 
He showed the video, taken from inside of Master Plan Electronics. The caption from Kyoko read "Wtf???" A large crowd had gathered outside the store, and all of the people were looking up at a screen. They were all chanting. 
"Thunder! Thunder! Thunder! Thunder! Thunder! Thunder!" 
"This...this can't be happening..." Natalia uttered. 
"Prof...what's going on over there?" Kat asked. 
"Exactly what you're seeing. Crowds like that are sprouting up all across the city." Rin answered. 
"Mimi just took this. From Karakura General Hospital." Rose presented her phone. From one of the hospital's upper floors, a crowd could be seen below. The chants of "Thunder!" could be heard clearly. 
"This...this is a nightmare, man...I'm gonna wake up any minute now..." Sahir looked dazed. 
"If this kind of fervor keeps up and spreads, it'll mean a deluge of Desires coming under his control." Sakuya surmised. 
"The more he has, the more power he gains. His power's effects are already being felt across Japan. If this were to continue..." Carrie began. 
"...he'd be strong enough to start changing hearts all over the world. Oh, Max, no..." Barbara uttered. 
"And if we don't do what he says, he'll...leak all of our info online. With everything he knows about us..." Natalia mumbled. 
"It'll be like painting targets on the backs of our families. 'Here are the ones who turned against the noble hero'. Life will surely become a living hell for them." Kenneth stated. 
"Wait'll I get my hands on the little prick...all of that 'I'm the leader and I'm gonna save you allllll' crap...his heroic ass is gonna need surgery...after I break my foot off in it..." Ibuki growled. 
"I need you all to remain calm." Rin stated. "I know how terrifying this is, and if nothing else, only heightens the urgency of what's going to happen on Saturday. But he's trying to get in your heads. He knows how to unsettle you. He'll use every trick he knows to weaken you before ever facing him. You can't let him win now." 
"Sure ain't making that easy..." Sahir uttered. 
"What do we do now?" Kat asked. 
"Well, if he wants to give himself a power boost this late in the game, it's only fair that we respond in kind. Rose?" Rin responded. 
"Right. As soon as you return home, come to our house. It's time for some advanced lessons." Rose said. 
"Advanced lessons?" Barbara questioned. 
"It's apparent now that we aren't dealing with a normal enemy. He knows everything that you all are capable of. He's likely only showed a fraction of his power. So if you want this to be an even field, then you'll need to evolve yourselves. I have specialized knowledge of how to make it happen." 
"We have four days. Every second is going to count. So we do everything we need to to win. Are you all in?" Rin asked. 
Kat looked around the room. The intent was clear. "Yeah. We're in." 
"Good. Have a safe trip. We'll see you all later." The call ended. 
"...alright, all. I know you're spooked. I am, too. But this doesn't change a thing. The mission's the same: knock Sparky on the head until this BS stops. So we do what we gotta do. We get stronger and we win. We're not gonna let him get his way. He wants us to do what's right for everyone? Then that's what we'll do." Kat dictated. 
"By kicking his ass!" Ibuki exclaimed. 
"Damn straight. Vacation time's over, peeps. We're back in business starting now."