The Riddle, Part 1

The Riddle

See the moon slink down in the sky
Darling, let your fantasies fly
Darling, life is cold
And the game is old

Night fell over Kageoka. Darkened skies welcomed the glimmer of the moon, watching over both worlds, the material and immaterial, alike. The forbidden zone roared to life, much like every night -- but not with human life, but rather, spectral, malicious life. Citizens, Awakened or otherwise, might be unaware of their sinister games... or might get caught up directly in them. The souls of Kageoka were but playthings in the hands of powers beyond their control...

But some pawns refused to play along.

Running across rooftops, jumping impossible gaps and embraced by crimson, anomalous skies, the equally as crimson justicar, Scarlet Senshi, traversed a newly found Bleeding Zone in her usual patrol range. Fast footsteps and wide leaps scared off any lower spirits away, as her aura of spiritual power made her presence known to whatever malignant being currently ruled over the area. Even with all the confidence of a true sentai hero, the girl inside was starting to have a creeping feeling of mounting dread. And especially inside a Bleeding Zone... that couldn't just be in her head.

"We have no time to lose, Kaoru!", spoke Blakeney, his voice booming from the crimson ring around Kaoru's armoured left ring finger. "It's gotta be a big one!

"I wish you weren't right, Blakeney..." replied the girl under the helmet, her blood-coloured eyes flaring up at the thought of a mighty enemy hiding inside the Bleeding Zone. Thoughts of battle excited Kaoru, deep down -- perhaps a side effect of her contract with her Idolon. Within a Bleeding Zone, Kaoru's thirst for justice and retribution grew to greater heights, and any feelings of fear she had were contested by electrifying anticipation. Evildoers were about to be punished.

As Scarlet Senshi flipped and performed other acrobatics from rooftop to rooftop, she reached a derelict crossroads. Large office buildings loomed over the area, as dust and soot obscured her vision. Seemingly, mountains of red mist rolled over the empty space, making the heroine's danger sense spike even higher. She stopped to catch her breath. Blakeney allowed her a little reprieve, before offering some words of encouragement.

"Remember, my Scarlet Pimpernel. Hold your head even higher..."

Kaoru's reply was practiced and straightforward.

"...and into the fire we go."

As she crossed the mist clouds... Kaoru's heart sank.

Towering over her, easily 30 feet tall, was a black, lanky, skeletal looking figure with enormous wings like that of a monarch butterfly. Its eyes glowed blue, and its antennae vibrated in response to nearby vibrations. The sight made Kaoru feel like her death mark, located at the back of her neck, was on fire, and she knelt down from the sheer pain. Kaoru could tell... this was most likely, a Shinigami's thrall. The being spoke softly, with a booming voice that would've put the fear of death in anyone that heard it.

"Fall."

Kaoru struggled to get back up. She summoned her metal pipe, thorns flaring to life as she held the weapon in her hand, using it as a crutch to stand. Her knees buckled from the pressure, but she stood, brandishing her weapon at the monster.

"You dare bring terror to the people of this city?!" Scarlet Senshi shouted with indignation. "Not on my watch -- The watcher of the watchmen, Scarlet Senshi, has arrived!"

The creature shook its head, unimpressed with the display. It lifted a finger at the heroine, speaking once again, as it spread its wings in an intimidation display.

"You humans have interfered with the great Kagayaki far too long. You rise, only to fall... no matter how many times I am set back, sealed or banished, my horror will not fade while I draw breath."

Butterfly wings... Talk of banishment... Kaoru searched her memory for the Student Council's battle reports, or rather, any memory she had of the battles they had ever discussed in her presence. Something came to mind -- a creature that Madoka managed to banish with the help of Itsuki Kusanagi. That one was also the servant to a Shinigami. They were, most likely, the same being. Kaoru's blood ran cold, knowing she was most likely outclassed.

But someone had to walk into the valley. Someone had to make a stand.

"That's where you're wrong!" Scarlet Senshi retorted, gathering her bravado. "Your horror ends right here, right now!"

"Is that so?" Kagayaki cackled lightly, otherwise sounding flat and uninterested. "Then show me."

Scarlet Senshi dashed towards her foe, jumping in to attack his mid-section, only to suddenly vanish, reappearing at the monster's back. Kagayaki was prepared for this, and with ungodly speed, he caught her with his enormous hand.

"What the--?!" Kaoru couldn't believe it. How could such a massive creature be so fast? Before she could think, Kagayaki slammed her into the pavement at full force, sending her reeling into the rubble as he cackled once again.

"Get up, Kaoru!" Blakeney called for her host, as she gathered her strength and lifted her battered body from the crumbling debris. "The battle's only just begun!

"Yes, Blakeney!" Scarlet Senshi recovered, gaining a second wing. She once again approached Kagayaki, zipping and zooming around him in an unpredictable show of finesse, delivering several blows that only seemed to lightly scratch the lumbering titan, before being slapped away into a building by a massive black hand. They were not trading. Kagayaki was simply toying with her.

Kaoru coughed up some blood, staining her motorcycle helmet. Blakeney's influence could dampen the pain, reduce the damage to a degree -- but she was getting hurt. Without a healer, she wouldn't last long if she took more damage.

"Perhaps a tactical retreat is in order..."

"N-No..." Kaoru protested. "This evildoer... is still at large..."

"Just this once, will you listen to me?" Blakeney pleaded. Kaoru could be stubborn at times, and this was one hell of a time to be stubborn. "If we don't back out now, we might not have a chance for a Round 2."

Kaoru grumbled, only stopping to groan from the pain as she could hear Kagayaki stomping towards her. She recovered her breath, and realised she was, indeed, outclassed. A wave of helplessness, stinging, terrible helplessness, washed over Kaoru like white-hot, burning disappointment. She accepted the facts -- there was no way to win right now.

"Tch... Very well. Tactical retreat."

Dropping her superheroics, Kaoru summoned a Garganta and jumped through the tear in reality, landing in a nearby alleyway just outside of the Bleeding Zone. Kagayaki stared at the Garganta, and his head tilted with curiosity at the thought of the world outside his reach.

"Run away, little one..." He mocked, still deep in contemplation. "I may come for your world next."

"I know that took restraint... We may not have won this time, my Scarlet Pimpernel -- But we might need a little more time." Blakeney consoled his host, who was already feeling devastated as she lay motionless on the floor. She slammed her fist on the concrete, frustrated at the outcome, before standing up and checking the damage. She could walk this off, but a trip to the hideout wouldn't be a bad idea.

Kaoru's hideout. An abandoned shed, a few streets away. A small space she had constructed, a home away from home to keep all her evidence, all her records, and her red thread diagrams, as well as an extra space to hide her costume while shuffling it between her home and her locker at Higan. Just as she arrived, she checked under a file cabinet for a first-aid kit she got from her grandfather years ago, just for emergencies. She patched herself up around as well as she could, at least to cover up any bleeding, and she cleaned the stains from her costume before changing back to her uniform. She was still hurt, but her spiritual heroics had mitigated the damage to a degree. She'd recover.

Kaoru's heart once again sank, now to new depths. She could feel her sixth sense pulsing, her brain throbbed inside her skull as she recognised that the Bleeding Zone wouldn't stay only a Bleeding Zone for too long. She had to act quickly.

"That was a close call, no matter how much I hate admitting it," Kaoru spoke. Blakeney was an understanding master, someone who knew what it meant to be a true hero.

"We have our victories and our low points," answered the Idolon, a velvety smooth voice in the girl's head. "What matters is you're alive, and ready to fight another day. Now, what's our next move?"

Kaoru knew the answer. She hated, despised the idea... but she knew Blakeney was implying it. There was no way she'd win this battle... alone. But she wasn't just going to reveal her deepest, darkest secret to the Student Council, and blow her cover, exposing herself to the possibility of any evildoers in Higan finding her and causing greater damage. She was going to have to be covert.

Pulling out old newspapers from the file cabinet, Kaoru sat at her desk and started cutting up clippings. Individual letters. She then took out an envelope, and a small parchment, as well as... a seal. A seal with the shape of a particular flower.

Blakeney reminisced at the sight of the seal. "Ah, my family crest... To think it all began with this, so many years ago..." In truth, Kaoru had bought said seal at a standard arts and crafts store under Blakeney's instructions, but it was most likely unrelated to Blakeney's stories. However, the Idolon's words conveyed a novelesque tale as if it were cold, hard fact.

Kaoru put on rubber gloves and worked away, crafting a letter from the cut-outs. It didn't take long for Blakeney to notice what she was doing.

"A calling card!" Blakeney called out, excitedly. "How bold! Will you do what I think you'll do, after all?

"I'm just... I'm asking for help. For the sake of the city." Kaoru replied, with shame in her voice. She hesitated -- Was this really a good idea? Who else did she have to turn to? Her gloves made her work untraceable without identifiable fingerprints. Not even Yae Zennami herself, with her police resources, could properly identify who made the calling card. Kaoru placed the final cherry on her masterpiece by closing the letter and sealing it, with the crest of the Scarlet Pimpernel.

"Very good work, ma chérie! We must act quickly. You know what will happen if we allow that Bleeding Zone to fester!"

"Yes, exactly. I can estimate... Tomorrow evening, correct? We're running out of time."

"At the break of dawn, we must deliver this message!"


Even before students began pouring into the doors of Higan Academy, at the earliest possible time she could've arrived, Kaoru Nagamine walked down the storied corridors of the institution. She was in a hurry to deliver what was, most likely, the most important piece of information she had ever held in her hands at the time. Kaoru never even considered coming clean to the Student Council -- She wasn't sure how they'd react, or what they'd do with the information. No matter how good they had shown themselves to be in her time working with them, the stain of suspicion never faded from Kaoru's eyes as she looked at her colleagues. Whatever amount of trust she had left in her battered and beaten soul, she had to place on the chance that they'd come to the defence of the city with such a dire message.

She was the first to enter the building that day. Kaoru brought her Scarlet Senshi costume in an unassuming bag and placed it in her locker before anyone could see. She knew she'd have to quickly change, most likely from inside the building, before heading into battle later in the day. She was ready.

Kaoru didn't take long to arrive at the Student Council room. She entered, and without missing a beat, she took out her envelope from under her sleeve and inserted it into the Student Council's suggestions box. The treasurer began to make her way out of the classroom... until she was overcome with a sudden shock. Her sixth sense sprung to life, and she swiftly took a seat before starting to scribble down on a notebook, expecting the arrival of someone. Indeed, the doors swung open shortly after.

"Can you believe it? I was covered in sand, energy drink, AND sewage! All in one day, Yae!" Shu's excited voice came to a halt as he noticed that someone else was in the room. "Oh, Kaoru! You're here early."

"Morning, Kaichou," replied Kaoru, without missing a beat, not even turning to face him as she scribbled away.

"Typical Kaoru," Yae smirked to herself. "Always pushing yourself, huh? Not bad."

"Maybe you should take a lesson from her, eh?" Shu joked. Yae nudged his shoulder with her elbow. "I'm still your favourite detective, am I not?"

"I don't wanna play favourites!" Shu replied, with a hearty laugh. "So, what have you been up to, Kaoru?"

"Notes, " she said, coldly. Clearly, it was more than that. "I went through the suggestions box. There's some... interesting things in there."

Plausible deniability. Yae might've been able to suppose that it was Kaoru who planted the envelope, but if she admitted to knowing of its existence prior, Kaoru knew she could deflect some suspicion, as well as directing the conversation towards the topic that clearly needed the Student Council's attention the most.

"Oh, really? We better check then..." Shu took initiative, looking through the suggestions box. He took out several notes, rummaging to find anything unusual. "Hm... Budgets, more budgets... Complaints.... Everybody's a critic, eh? Oh wait, what's this? It's a.... sealed envelope?"

Yae perked up. She approached the suggestions box, placing a curious eye on the sealed note. Her interest was thoroughly captured.

"Hey, Kaoru!" She beckoned, calling the treasurer closer. "You know about this?"

"Yes," Kaoru answered confidently. She kept her cool, even under immense pressure. "I was waiting for the others to read it together."

And just like that, perhaps thanks to Shu's luck, the door swung open once again as Madoka, Meliaya and Ran entered the room.

"Morning~!" Madoka greeted the others with a spark in her voice and a spring in her step. "What's the first order of business, everyone?"

"If I had to guess..." Ran perked up, pointing to the huddled Shu, Yae and Kaoru a few desks over. "That."

Yaya pronounced her anticipation. "Oh! What's goin' on? I wanna see!"

Soon enough. the entire Student Council circled around a desk as Yae held up the still sealed envelope. They all studied it carefully, flipping it from front to back, almost as if to admire the craftmanship of the seal, or rather, to wonder why someone would go to such lengths with the Student Council. As for Kaoru, she had to hold back her nerves as she pretended she hadn't planted the message herself.

"What a pretty seal!" Madoka broke the silence with a flowery observation. "Whoever made this took a lot of care. Let's read it!"

"That's what I thought too..." Replied Yae, still pondering what this all meant. She carefully opened the envelope, and took out the letter... A mess of newspaper letters, cobbled together into a coherent message. Yae read it out loud.

"Greetings, brave heroes..." The lack of enthusiasm in her voice clashed with the dramatic tone of the text, creating a rather humorous contrast. Kaoru felt somewhat insulted by this, after all the effort she went through to put the message together. "I come to you in a time of need... A powerful monster will create a Flooding Zone this very evening, and if not stopped, I fear what it is capable of. It's time for the allies of justice to band together, for the good of the city! Signed... The Scarlet Pimpernel."

A dry, cold silence swept over the room. Tensions hung in the air as Kaoru did her best to look unassuming, while the others tried to make heads or tails of the letter. The thought of a dangerous fight ahead was also not reassuring. Eventually, Shu spoke up.

"Wait a second..." Shu reasoned. "It's gotta be Scarlet Senshi! She wants our help!"

The Student Council President seemed quite excited to have been contacted by the same Scarlet Senshi that helped them during the battle against the Census Club not that long ago. The rest seemed to share in the sentiment.

Yaya perked up. "Woah, really? We haven't seen her since that time with Alyona's friends!"

"I wonder why she's not being direct with us, though..." Madoka frowned. She thought that such a person would've already become friends with the Student Council after such a battle... She had no idea what was actually going on.

"Nah, those superhero types like their drama," Ran pointed out. "You know that best, right, prez?"

"Well yeah, but..." Shu protested. "I wanna meet Scarlet Senshi! She was awesome! With the portals, and her metal pipe, she's so cooool!"

Kaoru adjusted her glasses, speaking as flatly as possible. "Careful, Kaichou. Yae might get jealous."

Yae, in fact, smirked right at Kaoru, shooting her a confident glare, almost as if answering the challenge.

"What if I told you... We can meet her?"

"Really?!" Shu was ecstatic. "How?"

Kaoru stopped in her tracks as her heart sank even deeper than during the last battle. It took all her mental fortitude for her poker face not to break. She started putting the pieces together, almost guessing word for word what Yae was about to say next.

"Weeell, Scarlet Senshi appeared after we were all sucked into that portal, and she knew where we all were, which means..."

Yae looked over to Kaoru, who with a very, very slight twinge of defeat that only those with a finely tuned social radar could notice, continued that same train of thought, as if dared by Yae to keep the game up. There was no way out of this one. She couldn't let her bias stop her from admitting such an obvious truth.

"...Scarlet Senshi has to be one of the other students that got sucked into the portal and were evacuated."

"Great job, Kaoru!" Yae seemed satisfied, as if she was about to pat her fellow detective on the back. A hint of sarcasm was noticeable in her tone, which deeply irritated Kaoru. "Soooo... She's gotta be a student here! She'll show up sooner or later."

A fire burned inside Shu's chest. He put down the letter, staring deeply into Yae's eyes as he proclaimed the next course of action, turning to everyone else.

"Alright, Student Council! Today, I want all of you here after class. Madoka!" He beckoned, with a heroic index finger splayed. "Gather some backup! I bet Momofuku would love to be a part of this. As for everyone else..."

Kaoru dreaded the next words that were about to come out of Shu's mouth. But it was already far, far too late to stop what she had started.

"...we're staying here until Scarlet Senshi reveals herself, and we'll close that Bleeding Zone together!"

"Sure! Let's do it!" Yaya agreed enthusiastically.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, prez?" Questioned Ran, lifting an eyebrow. "There's still a Bleeding Zone out there that we're not gonna be dealing with until that happens."

"We'll be fine!" Shu reassured his right-hand man. "With Madoka's reinforcements, I'm sure there's no battle we can't win. And besides, we need Scarlet Senshi for this fight anyway! She knows the enemy inside out!"

That was absolutely an overestimation. For a moment, Kaoru wondered if she should've just told them that Madoka had already faced this enemy before, but that would most likely prove inside knowledge... A few grains of sand started forming a pile of guilt in Kaoru's heart.

Madoka clasped her hands together. "So, it's settled then! I'll get us some volunteers. I think Momo did actually come to class today, so she'll be my first stop!"

"Alright, then! Student Council -- Moving out! And we'll be here at 7!"

Yae gave Kaoru one more smile as the Student Council headed out of the room.

"You think we'll find her soon?"

Kaoru's mind raced with a trillion thoughts. Fatality seemed to be looming. She had never been under this kind of pressure before -- it felt like a hydraulic press, slowly inching its way down before squashing an item. And the worst part... Yae seemed to be mocking her. Surely, she was onto something... Onto HER. And Kaoru was starting to run out of options.

"...I don't know. Let's see where the day goes?"

You see how virtue repays you
You turn, and someone betrays you
Betray him first
Then the game's reversed


Everything was going terribly. Kaoru never counted with the thought of her colleagues' gratitude being so great that they'd put off an operation just to recruit her directly. It was immensely nerve-wracking to think about every single way this day could go wrong. As Kaoru went about her day, a film reel of horrible scenarios played in her mind as a secondary process. Her secret being discovered. Being shunned by the Student Council. Arriving to the battle too late and Kagayaki becoming far too powerful to defeat. As she sat alone in class, five minutes after the recess bell rung, she attempted to put her mind off of those calamitous thoughts by scribbling something, anything in her notebook, until...

"Kaoru? Got a sec?"

The Student Council's treasurer turned her head as if she had just been jumpscared, to meet the sight of Madoka and another girl. One she recognised. One she had seen a few days ago... At the Idea Destroyers' base of operations.

"Mhm?" Kaoru replied, quickly regaining her composure. Surely, this had to be important -- She couldn't look shocked for this.

Madoka's tone was warm and inviting. "This is Marisa Kirigawa. She wanted to talk to you."

"Me? Why me?" Kaoru stared the girl down. She seemed completely oblivious to the fact that the intruder from a few days ago was staring her right in the face. Her smile was innocent, but not devoid of purpose.

"I'll leave you two to it. You wanted some secrecy, right?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind. Thanks, Madoka!"

Madoka walked out of the room, leaving Marisa and Kaoru alone. Marisa sat in the chair directly in front of Kaoru, turning around to face her in a move that Kaoru considered a little tomboyish. A blank silence hung in the air for a moment.

"So, Nagamine-chan... I was told you're a detective?"

The honorific was Kaoru's first red flag.

"I can be," Kaoru replied with dry honesty. She had certainly helped the Student Council with cases, but Yae was certainly more deserving of the title than an amateur like her. "What, was Yae busy?"

"As a matter of fact... Yeah, haha."

The sarcasm in that last question came back to slap Kaoru in the face. She was unimpressed, grumbling to herself for a moment while looking down, before facing Marisa again. By all means, Kaoru was actually concerned with the mysteries of Higan, and she was competent enough to compete with the vice-president.

"So, what's the issue? I'll do whatever I can."

"My father's gone missing."

Kaoru blinked twice, not expecting such a wrecking ball of an answer.

"And you come to me instead of the police?"

Madoka slouched in her chair. "Pshh, I'm sure Higan's Student Council is more competent than the police! At least when it comes to the Idea World."

Kaoru raised an eyebrow, not quite believing Marisa's words just yet. There were still a few kinks to figure out. Not just that, she had to stay non-chalant, just in case Marisa actually brought up the Idea Destroyers.

"You do know I'm not actually an Awakened, right?"

"Relax! Madoka trusts you, so I'm sure I can trust you too!"

The word trust hit Kaoru like a corrosive chemical reaction crawling up her back. She felt sorry for Madoka, unable to reciprocate the immense boulder of trust that she had been handed. Kaoru just couldn't shoulder that. And Marisa's second-hand trust was not only yet another bag of rocks to hold up, but the thought of someone so naïve... Kaoru felt terrible for every lie, every secret she had been perpetuating. But it was the only way.

Kaoru sighed, and turned to a clean page on her notebook. She began jotting down with her pen, always with that characteristic robotic calligraphy. She returned to a flat tone as her round, fogged-up glasses stared into Marisa's eyes.

"What's your father's name?"

"Nobuhiro Kirigawa", Marisa answered plainly. Kaoru nodded, writing more things down, as she continued asking her questions.

"When did you last see him?"

"Around a month and a half ago... He was going to work."

"And where does he work?"

"SPEARS Inc. It's a small sales company. They sell cleaning products and some furniture."

"Mhm, mhm." Kaoru didn't look up from her notebook as she noted down every single detail, not just from Marisa's answers, but the whole conversation. Marisa didn't know what to do for a moment, and the silence started becoming awkward, until Kaoru looked up once again. Her expression was sincere, for a little while -- Kaoru genuinely cared about this missing person's case. Her voice softened, and her crimson eyes showed a rare warmth through those round glass shields.

"Alright. Listen, Kirigawa-san. I'm not a miracle worker, but I'll do sincerely as much as I can for you. I'm going to need your cooperation, though. Is that understood?"

Marisa held her breath, nodding enthusiastically. The situation was a little exciting... But for the most part, Marisa just wanted to see her father again. If this was what it would take, she'd be ready.

"What do I have to do?"

Kaoru flipped to another page, wrote something down and ripped a small piece of paper off of it, before handing it to Marisa.

"I need you to call this number if you find any new information, or if something goes wrong."

"You're giving me your phone number? That's so nice of you, Nagamine-chan!"

"It's a burner."

"Huh?"

"I buy burner phones periodically. Just in case."

"Just in case of what?"

"Just in case."

"Suuure..." Marisa chuckled nervously, not expecting such a curious habit from the calm and collected Kaoru. She wondered if all detectives did this. "Soooo... Anything else?"

"I'm too busy today, but I'd like to visit your home and review the evidence as soon as possible. Are you available tomorrow?"

Marisa thought to herself in silence for a second. "Sure, I can have you over after class."

Kaoru flipped back to the page from before, writing down some final details before standing up, facing Marisa.

"I already said it before. I'm gonna do as much as humanly possible to find as much information on your father as possible. If worse comes to worst, the Student Council will help in retrieving him safely. But I need you to help me out here, okay?"

Marisa nodded enthusiastically. "Sure! Thanks so much, Nagamine-chan!"

Kaoru held back the urge to grumble after hearing the honorific again. "In that case, I'll see you tomorrow."


The clock struck five. Kaoru approached the Student Council room, making sure to avoid being the first to dodge suspicion. Shu was already there, along with someone else... A gentle giant, someone who actually got a reaction out of Kaoru on first instance. Takaishi Kuroda.

"Hey, it's my favourite treasurer!" Jested Shu, leaning on the door to the Student Council room. Takaishi stood beside him, his eyes eventually shifting over to the sight of Kaoru. On the other hand, she knew Takaishi had collaborated in previous situations. This wasn't all that surprising, but him... He always got her mind racing.

Takaishi came to return the favour after Shu helped him with his cousin and the yakuza. When it came to the Idea World, Takaishi felt more capable in regards to fighting back, but he was still dreading the upcoming battle.

"Good afternoon, Kaichou, Kuroda-san." Kaoru adjusted her glasses, hoping no one would notice her being somewhat shaken.

"Oh hey, Nagamine-san." Takaishi's heart filled up with a little bravery, as he actually took point in a conversation for once. "Did you like the... You know... The flowers?"

Kaoru's crimson eyes widened behind the thick glasses. She knew those peonies were likely sent by Takaishi, and she knew she had told him she liked peonies, but the thought that they could've been for her was a lightning strike. For the first time in all the time he knew Kaoru, Shu could notice the always formal, always unshakeable treasurer and detective... blushing. The sight was amusing, but he didn't comment on it right away.

"The peonies?" Kaoru's voice was more composed than her face. An awkward silence took over, as Takaishi shared in the blushing much more obviously than Kaoru. He stumbled through his words.

"You know... For the Council room. I... I thought you guys would... Appreciate the gesture. For... All the work you do."

Kaoru was a little hurt that the flowers were meant for the whole Student Council -- but something inside her was a little happy. At least, the gesture was partially meant for her. It was like a magnet pulling her into thoughts she shouldn't have, thoughts of letting herself be vulnerable. She thought of the time she told Takaishi how to be more brave, of the disappointment she felt at the time... Something about Takaishi was just calming in a way Kaoru couldn't place.

Takaishi's eyes darted away. He had gotten a little more acquainted with Kaoru in the time that she had started handling more paperwork due to the Census Club's disintegration, since the Student Council now handled club budgets. An unknown feeling came over him as he wanted to try to be brave, just this once, and talk to her in an unprofessional fashion.

"...they were nice," Kaoru replied succintly, speaking with a rushed tone as she adjusted her glasses over the bridge of her nose once again. "Our workload will be more... bearable now."

"I'm glad," Takaishi remarked. Shu was amused by the interaction, but he knew they were going nowhere.

"Madoka's probably gonna bring more backup soon. We're gonna get a big team together, it's gonna be great!

"Is that so, Kaichou?" Kaoru took the chance to cut the tension, recovering her composure. "Must be nice to come together in such a dire situation... I'll hold down the fort like always."

"Glad you're so understanding!" Shu smirked. "Takes a lotta bravery to do what you do without an Idolon, Kaoru."

Internally, Kaoru cringed at the thought of stolen valour, but knowing Shu wasn't suspecting her -- to her knowledge -- was reassuring, especially with how excited he was to meet Scarlet Senshi. An angry voice shot through the air and ruptured her racing state of mind.

"So, lemme get this straight... You're just gonna WAIT for her to show up?!"

The scene was interrupted by the appearance of Madoka and Momofuku, who was very audibly irate. Madoka did her best to placate her, but she approached Shu before her childhood friend could go on, with an angry step.

"SHUJINKO!!!" Momofuku demanded, with an accusatory finger. "What's all this stuff?! Why can't you just call your little sister here?!"

"Scarlet Senshi isn't Shu's sister..." Madoka sighed with disappointment.

"That's not how this works!" Shu raised his open hands in a calming gesture, smiling brightly. "We... actually have no idea who Scarlet Senshi is. BUT! We know she's in the school."

"Then ask Yae to figure it out! You're just gonna sit on an open Bleeding Zone because of a gut feeling?!"

"Hey, we need her help too! She knows what we're up against."

Kaoru wanted to take a deep sigh, but she restrained herself. Momofuku was actually doing what she wanted all along -- not ask questions and get straight to the fight. But there was no way they'd listen to Kaoru... The Student Council wanted to see Scarlet Senshi. And there was nothing she could do about it, without unmasking herself.

Momofuku was somewhat placated, seemingly calming down as she stared daggers into Shu. "This better be good... You better not turn this into one of your spa sessions!"

"You mean meditation sessions?" A beaming Yae arrived to the scene, with someone in tow... A figure that not only dwarfed her, but also mogged her in every conceivable bodily shape. The contrast was frankly hilarious. Ai Suishi, too, had been brought into play -- much to Kaoru's dismay, who was already dreading having to wrangle her again.

"H-Hello, everyone..." Ai waved succintly to all who were present. Despite her concerns, Kaoru was uncharacteristically warm to her. Perhaps she changed her mind last second, or rather -- a different thought came to mind. This battle was focused on an enemy that the Student Council was already familiar with. There was no way for Ai to miss the target, and she didn't have a Death Mark that Kagayaki could exploit. It was a stroke of genius to bring her in, which made Kaoru more suspicious of Yae, but also more welcoming to the thought of Ai contributing to this particular battle.

"Good afternoon, Ai. Thank you for... coming today." The greeting was short and unnaturally kind, which made Ai tilt her head in subdued confusion.

"Glad you're so on board!" Yae gave Kaoru a coy elbow nudge. Kaoru was not amused, keeping her true feelings under wraps. This time, Yae had played her cards just right -- Kaoru had to admit it was a good decision. But she wasn't going to bicker with Yae right in front of Ai.

"Kaichou," she deflected, by turning to Shu. "What about Meliaya and Ran?" When did she start using their first names?!

"Must be right around the corner..." And indeed they were! Meliaya and Ran approached the group, the smaller one of the two carrying what seemed to be a bright, pink-coloured speaker, connected to a microphone that Ran carried!

"We brought karaoke~!" Yaya announced, with a wide, innocent grin. Ran seemed to share in the sentiment to a degree.

Momofuku looked like she was going to blow a gasket.

"THAT'S IT!! I'm out!"

"Momo, wait--!" Madoka called out to her. Momofuku turned tail, walking away from the group, but still shouting in the halls regardless.

"You're all just wasting valuable battle time! I'm gonna find that Bleeding Zone by myself, and tear that demon a new one with my own boken -- whatever it is!"

The sight frustrated Kaoru as well. She hoped, deep down, that Momofuku would be able to convince the others not to waste this much time waiting for Scarlet Senshi to show herself to the Student Council. But their minds were set.

"Momo..." Madoka shook her head. She knew
this would happen, but she didn't expect it to be a karaoke machine that caused Momo's frustration to tip over.

Yaya expressed her disappointment, her head hanging low. "Does she not like karaoke...?"

Ran patted her on the back. "Some people have a hard time having fun."

"Her loss," Shu remarked. "Honestly, I think it was high time we had a little fun outing -- the more, the merrier!"

"Remember what we're doing this for, Shu," spoke Yae, with a teaching index finger. "We're waiting for Scarlet Senshi."

"Scarlet Senshi..." Ai mumbled out loud, her eyes lost in the beautiful, otherwordly sight of... the floor. She fought tooth and nail to not become immediately fixated on Shu.

"You know her?" Shu piped up, almost giving Ai a heart attack. For five seconds, the same five seconds she took to formulate an answer, she considered snitching on Kaoru if that meant gaining Shu's favour. But she ultimately decided against it, after noticing a twinge of panic behind Kaoru's glasses that nobody else seemed to have been privy to.

"N-Not... really..." Answered Ai, fidgeting with her hair as she looked intensely into Shu's eyes, as if their lines of sight were glued to each other. "I just... know what Yae told me."

Internally, Kaoru breathed with immense relief.

"It's great that you're here, in any case," spoke Madoka, always the peacekeeper. "Anyway, that's everyone we could bring together, I believe."

Shu opened the door with an ear-to-ear, award-winning grin. "Then what are we waiting for?"

Kaoru replied with a defeated sigh. "...Scarlet Senshi."

For we all are caught in the middle
Of one long, treacherous riddle
Can I trust you?
Should you trust me too?


Commotion formed at the front of the classroom, as an excited Yaya set up the karaoke machine with Ran's help, who seemed a little too happy to go along with it, for the usually stoic young man he was. Ran took point, starting up the first song, while Yaya egged him on, almost thrusting him into the front of the class. He stood in front of the blackboard, microphone in hand, as the others looked on with varying degrees of interest, taking whichever seats they preferred.

"U-Uh, okay," Ran mumbled, "Meliaya was really insistent on me going first, soooo... here goes!"

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATU0gXzMsLw)

Ran sang confidently, a lot more than anyone could've expected. Eventually, Shu couldn't keep his excitement to himself and joined in, skipping over to the front of the class during the second chorus and properly accompanying his bro, much to Ran's shock -- but Ran didn't meet him with rejection. He just accepted that the song had become a bro moment now.

As the song ended, some people clapped, some didn't give much response. Kaoru sat at one of the edges of the class, just writing notes down. She gave a few claps and went on with her work. Kaoru's mind worked tirelessly as she went through the information she had gotten from Marisa, as well as all the short impressions she got from meeting her. Madoka's role in this was still a mystery, but Kaoru couldn't quite make heads or tails of Marisa herself. She had joined the Idea Destroyers, for what? For power? To find her father? If so, it made sense for her to trust the Student Council with her case, but Kaoru still couldn't trust the Idea Destroyers. For all she knew, they could be reckless, if not nefarious. As if to rip her from her trance, Kaoru felt a sudden tingle all over her body, as if her whole body begged for her to look to her right. Indeed, Ai had shuffled over to the desk next to Kaoru, and she had only noticed now. Kaoru didn't gasp, only being half-caught off-guard by the jumpscare. Ai's gaze was as intense as ever, and she slowly, ever so slowly, inched closer to Kaoru, in an eerie display... she just needed to whisper in Kaoru's ear.

"I thought you weren't okay with me... helping," said Ai, her voice shivering even in whispers.

Kaoru shook her head, whispering back. "I thought about it, Ai. Now that we know about Nurarihyon, and who's behind the marks... You know what we're working against. I think you'll be fine."

Ai blinked three times in perfectly spaced-out rhythm, and a twisted smile began to form on her face -- not a malicious smile, but an unnatural one. As if she needed to aggressively fake the feeling of happiness, almost as to convince herself that she should be happy to hear that.

"So... you trust me?"

"Do NOT use that word with me. Please."

A cold silence fell over their already quiet whispers. The silence could've killed anyone who eavesdropped with icy cuts of uncertainty. But, like all things, it came to an end.

"...just this once. I-- I think-- Maybe you... you won't..."

"Be a problem?"

"Come on, Ai. You're not a problem. You're--"

"A nuisance? A hazard? A ticking time bomb?"

Kaoru knew all those words were thoughts she had about Ai before. But time and time again, she had been proven wrong. And it was getting hard not to acknowledge in some regard.

"...a person. With flaws and vices, like anyone else. But you said it before. We're more similar than... Than I'd like to admit, Ai. I owe you a lot, even just from today."

Ai looked into Kaoru's reflective glasses in utter disbelief. She would normally be repulsed to hear this from anyone who wasn't Shu, but... A small glimmer of warmth made its way into her twisted, damaged heart. Nothing compared to the warmth of being close to Shu... But also, not a vomit-inducing sentiment to receive. She struggled to find the words to even begin to reciprocate such a feeling -- Kaoru had indeed helped her a lot, even with something as simple as helping her approach the Student Council more consistently, but also in keeping her secrets.

"...thanks. You too."

It was now Meliaya's turn. She frantically looked for a very specific song -- Japanese karaoke machines weren't very keen on somewhat obscure American music --, but her search was eventually rewarded. Shu and Ran sat back down and Yaya took her spot.

"I've been studying a lot of English for this! I hope you all like it!"

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsLorfd9ET8&list=RDEsLorfd9ET8&start_radio=1)

Meliaya's English was quite good, and even for those that didn't have very good grades in English class, at least the song was pretty. Kaoru and Ai weren't paying the song much mind, however -- soon enough, Kaoru got another tingling feeling, and she sat back up. This time, however, Ai sat even more straight up, as Shu made her way to their side of the classroom.

"Hey, Kaoru..." Shu started, causing Ai to shuffle with discomfort in her seat as she fought to keep her nerves in check. Shu was close. VERY close. He leaned on Kaoru's desk with amazing comfort, so much that his face was almost in both of Ai and Kaoru's faces. "I've been thinking -- I know un-Awakeneds can have Death Marks, but it's curious that you have one, and yet you, Ai..."

Ai twisted her head so fast she could've almost snapped her own neck.

"You don't have a Death Mark, but you are Awakened!" The acknolwedgement, the reminder, broke Ai's heart a little.

Kaoru's heart almost nearly stopped. She had thought about this -- prepared a million excuses, and even more speculations -- but it was too soon. If she didn't nip this problem in the bud, it could be bad news.

"I... " Kaoru collected her thoughts. She scrambled in her mind's palace, searching through a labyrinthine landscape of filing cabinets for just the right thing to say. Eventually, she found the ticket.

"There's a lot we don't know about these so-called "Death Marks", " she answered coldly, adjusting her glasses to hide the fear in her crimson eyes. This was, truly, in the most pure sense of the word, bullshit. But the lack of information on the subject gave Kaoru plausible deniability. Just what she needed.

Shu thought about it for a second that, to Kaoru, lasted an eternity. "Then... Maybe you have the potential to Awaken? You're pretty gutsy to work with us without an Idolon! It'd be cool if you had one..."

Again with the stolen valour. Kaoru wanted so hard not to wince, but she fought a losing battle against the over 60 muscles in her face to remain stoic.

"That's not it -- Listen, Kaichou. I knew the risks when I was voted Treasurer. If I remain here, it's for the good of the city, and all of us."

When Ai saw Shu's face light up, she very briefly considered killing Kaoru right then and there.

"Wow! You're really sooo brave, Kaoru! Don't worry -- As soon as Scarlet Senshi shows up, we're gonna take down this monster in a jiffy!"

Shu went back to the front of the class, satisfied with the exchange. Both Ai and Kaoru took a very deep breath, and returned to their whispers. Kaoru seemed to understand how Ai was feeling with just one glance.

"Sorry. I... didn't mean to."

Ai was content enough with being so close to Shu, but flashes of jealousy like that could've potentially been fatal for one or more people in the room. However, she showed titanic amounts of restraint. She shook her head, acknowledging Kaoru's apology.

"His eyes were still on me... even if just a little. I'm... happy."

"If it's any relief, I think... I think I like Kuroda. A little."

Takaishi sneezed. He was staring out the window at the other side of the classroom, just taking in the fresh air. He wondered why he had bothered to come here after all. He was just going to get into another dangerous situation, one that the rest could probably solve without him... But no, he couldn't just stay home with his arms crossed this time! He owed a huge debt of gratitude to Shu for the yakuza business, but also to Scarlet Senshi, for motivating him at a low point. If she was the one that asked for the Student Council's help, surely she'd be there, so he wanted to be around, and possibly see her again... Takaishi wasn't one to think much about girls, but she was cool. With her motorcycle, her fast attacks and her fearless attitude... Takaishi wished he could be more like her. That feeling was strong enough to drive him to putting her Idolon's words into practice.

Little did he know, Scarlet Senshi was just across the classroom. Frantically looking at the clock on the wall, and wondering why the Student Council hadn't done anything yet. 7:30 PM, 8 PM, 8:30 PM. The sun came and went, and everyone seemed restless. Songs passed by, and almost everyone had a go at the karaoke machine but her, and Ai. It was all Kaoru's fault, in a way. For a moment, all the piling guilt of her months of lies started overpowering her paranoia -- a genuine threat was looming over the city, and the only reason why it wasn't being dealt with in the moment was her. Her struggle to just believe in the pure kindness of the partners she had worked with for months. People who considered her a friend. People she had already fought and bled with, just under a costume. They were all waiting on her to make a move. And the city was in danger because of it.

"Kao-Kao!" Meliaya shouted right as Madoka finished her song, another foreign song as motivated by Yaya that they both sang together. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH7kBuZ5GZk&pp=ygUaZG9uJ3QgZ28gYnJlYWtpbmcgbXkgaGVhcnQ%3D) The poppy duet number was a fun time, even if Madoka certainly struggled with her words more than Yaya did. But the moment had passed, and Yaya's attention was now on Kaoru, who lifted her head from her notebook.

"You gotta sing a song, Kao-Kao! You and Ai-chan are the only ones that haven't sung yet!"

Kaoru looked over to Ai, and then back to Meliaya. She considered this to be a simple transaction, doing her part in a sense. Ai, on her end, had no intention to sing. Her vocal chords were shot from last night's... ritual.

Kaoru walked up to the front of the class. Singing wasn't something she did often, but there was one kind of music she did like. She shuffled through the karaoke box's selection until finding the right one.

"That song?" Remarked Madoka, with a chuckle. "Isn't that like, super old?"

Kaoru smiled. "Grandma's favourite."

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhCDK_pSjnk)

As Kaoru began to sing, initially her voice was as flat as usual. She sang in a matter-of-fact way, simply doing the job, but as she let herself get lost in the feelings and the memories, her voice took on a mature, pained quality that was in fact, quite pleasant, to the surprise of almost everyone. Kaoru was immersed in her own feelings, her own worries, her own regrets...

なんとかうまくやれたよ
Nanto ka umaku yareta yo

Somehow, I managed to pull it off well

どうして今待って
Doushite ima matte

Why are you waiting now?

もう一度かけ tell me your hopes and
Mou ichido kake tell me your hopes and

Once again, tell me your hopes and

ほんの少しだけ
Hon no sukoshi dake

Just a little

おれを信じて
Ore wo shinjite

Believe in me

Kaoru was, in a way, begging for everyone's trust. Or rather, the ability to be able to trust them, like a lover who was once betrayed, and sought to be able to love again -- or be a lover worthy of love, worthy of trust. She asked herself, why wait so long? Why keep the pain to herself? Why stab those around her in the back again and again, for a sense of unfulfilled justice, to protect herself from the uncertainty of not knowing what the other will do after she's exposed her heart?

After the song faded, and only the cold breeze remained in the air, everyone gave their appreciation. Madoka and Shu clapped heartily, so did Yae and Ran a little more sardonically, while Yaya was nothing but an honest fan.

"Bravo! Bravo! Very nice, Kao-Kao! You should sing more often!"

Even Takaishi was entranced. In a quick flash, he might've seen that same bravery from that day in Kaoru. No... just a trick of the mind.

Kaoru was unsure how to act. Short of breath from the amount of raw emotion she placed in her song, which was easily the most emotion she had ever displayed with her colleagues, she wondered if she should do it. The microphone was in her hand. Everyone had been waiting for Scarlet Senshi. For her! Not just her colleagues... the entire city needed Scarlet Senshi. She could sense the danger, even now. She could end it all, if she just spoke. If she opened her heart, and exposed herself to the possibility of heartbreak.

"I... I have something to say to you all."

Kaoru's breathing became laboured, as all eyes were now on her. She wasn't ready.

"I... I..."

Everyone waited. Kageoka waited. Just like how they had been doing all day. The floor was hers. All she had to do was say it.

"...I have to go to the bathroom."

Without another word, Kaoru rushed outside the classroom, leaving everyone else with the intrigue of what she was going to say.

"That's it?" Ran asked, missing the point of the situation. "I mean, I've been waiting to go to the bathroom for a while now, but..."

Ran went silent as a supernatural shiver came over him.

"G-Guys..." He shuddered as he spoke. "I think we might've been waiting for too long."


Kaoru passed by her locker and took the costume out, but she did, indeed, go to the nearest bathroom. As she began to change, preparing for the upcoming battle, she looked into the mirror, taking off her glasses. A few tears were starting to roll down her face, ever so slightly. She winced, letting out all the frustration of the day.

"What am I going to do, Blakeney?!" She shrieked, as she stared into her scared, weak reflection. "It's all my fault! I just -- I just wanted to uphold the mission! I NEVER expected today to go like this! I swear!"

"Ma chérie..." Blakeney's familiar voice echoed in Kaoru's head after far, far too long. "You've fought long and hard today. I have watched you as you made your decisions."

"Clearly flawed ones, I know! Why can't I just... TELL THEM?!"

"Non, non, non. That's where you're wrong. You've done what you had to do -- you placed your trust in them."

Kaoru went wide-eyed.

"You already counted with their support in the battle to come. You just didn't expect they'd be so eager to be nosy. Just like you, my Scarlet Pimpernel, everyone chooses who to trust and not trust."

Kaoru talked in between sobs as she fought to keep herself in one piece and not break down right then and there, risking her colleagues' concern, or a significantly more severe delay in commencing the battle with Kagayaki. "W-What do you mean?! I've done everything I could to make them go fight -- EXCEPT tell them! What else am I supposed to do?!"

"You made your own decisions. Your intention to battle is still there. You gathered all your friends in one place, and the battle will indeed commence soon. Secrets revealed or no, early or late, you have fulfilled your part in the name of justice."

"This could've been over way sooner, if only I talked. Why? Why am I like this?! Why, Blakeney?! Why am I such a mess?!"

"My dear Kaoru..."

Kaoru wasn't in a Bleeding Zone, but for only a brief moment, she could feel the faintest touch of a tight embrace around her arms. Just as swiftly as it came, it vanished.

"It's up to you whether you want to trust others with your full heart. You might not be ready yet. But you've learned to trust them enough to do the work you're meant to do, and I couldn't be any prouder of you for it. You've grown into a brave girl, a lady worthy of the title of the Scarlet Pimpernel. And as long as my seal, my ring is placed on your left ring finger, you will have my full support in whatever you choose to do."

Kaoru wiped the tears from her face with her leather-covered hands, being careful not to hurt herself with the thorns or the spikes. Her breathing returned to its regular consistency. She took a deep breath, and composed herself, as she rose to her feet once again. However, Kaoru was never good with thanks.

"...right. We may be no match for Kagayaki as of now, but surely, my colleagues will come... We can win them some time!"

"That's the spirit! No time to waste -- into the fire we go!"

In a spiral of flowers, a Garganta was summoned, rupturing through the open space in front of Kaoru. She stepped inside, returning to that hellscape of decrepit buildings and crimson skies. The dimension was now warped, almost in the brink of collapse as entities swarmed around Kagayaki, his power growing by the second. The super heroine expected to be the first one to face the lumbering titan in front of her, but instead...

"SIMPLY REEED!!! DON'T LET UP!!"

Someone had beaten her to the punch. Someone who sorely needed help.

"Momofuku!"

Scarlet Senshi rushed to the site of the battle as Momofuku swung her boken at nearby Apparitions, directing Simply Red, her hulking oni Idolon, to break through the pack and target the Shinigami thrall directly. Momofuku watched as the armoured combatant rode into battle with her spectral motorcycle, summoning her trusty thorned metal pipe as she, too, swung some Apparitions out of Momofuku's way. Scarlet Senshi hit the brake and her motorcycle vanished into flower petals as the two Awakened fighters came together.

"It's you!" Shouted Momofuku in confusion. "Shujinko has been waiting for you all day! Where the hell is everybody?!"

Kaoru wasn't sure how to respond at first. She came up with something on the spot. "The best is yet to come, partner! With our reinforcement tactics, we'll split the enemy's attention! The rest will come in time!"

Momofuku was taken aback by this, not expecting such tactics from the Student Council. Yae must've thought of that one. "Uh... sure! Just make sure you're hitting something!"

"Will do! The watcher of the watchmen -- Scarlet Senshi is here!"

Scarlet Senshi posed with enthusiasm, much to Momofuku's annoyance. They both rushed into the swarm, swinging wildly into the Apparitions and Small Ideas that protected Kagayaki with their brittle lives. Every swing, every punch, every ORAORAORA rush and magical leaf attack was executed in a clean choreography until both combatants were now face to face with the towering Kagayaki himself.

"So, you return to my realm..." The monster spoke in its low-hum, condescending tone. "And not alone, it seems."

"Talk is cheap!" Momofuku interjected. "You will never get through all of us!"

"No matter. Bring one ally, bring a hundred. Death comes for all."

Momofuku's heart sank as she could briefly feel all Death Marks around the city being targeted. So could Kaoru, but she was too busy with her Death Mark sending searing hot pain through her whole body to act. The world was twisting, moving in waves, unraveling itself. Momofuku managed to understand the gravity of the situation right then and there.

If they didn't win this, Kagayaki was going to break into the real world.


"No time to waste! Everyone to the door!" Shu commanded, knowing well not to ignore one of Ran's gut feelings.

"What about Scarlet Senshi?" Yae asked, not expecting the sudden change of mind from Shu.

"In all fairness," Madoka interjected, "she's probably already fighting! Ran, you'll have to guide us for this one!"

"Hey, my senses aren't a radar...!" Ran protested, as everyone ran to the door.

Soon enough, Shu, Ran, Yae, Meliala, Madoka, Ai, and Takaishi stared into the immense red distortion of the Bleeding Zone. Everyone transformed or summoned their Idolons, and started taking positions. Yae was the commander, as always. Ai took on a wild rage and began to rip and tear into the minor enemies. Shu and Ran advanced together, with Takaishi not far behind them, while Madoka and Yaya worked as their own unit.

"Can you weaken this one?" Asked Yaya, whose jet thrusters helped her soar into the air as she gunned down Small Ideas with ease. Kukurihime attempted to cast Negacion, but she found some trouble doing so.

"The Bleeding Zone is too unstable..." She lamented. "It's becoming a Flooding Zone as we speak -- I'll keep working, but I might not be able to weaken it too much!"

Geistzer tore through enemies with ease, making his way through the swarm and opening a path for Ran and Takaishi to follow. Soon enough, they were in front of Kagayaki himself. Geistzer recognized the enemy from Madoka's account.

"How did you break your banishment, man?!" His sight was soon set on Momofuku and Scarlet Senshi, who seemed to be struggling. Scarlet Senshi, the more mobile of the two, maneuvered around Kagayaki with erratic, unpredictable movements, scoring a few hits here and there, while Momofuku worked to capitalize on those openings with focused rush attacks from Simply Red. However, even their efforts were not enough, as Kagayaki simply swatted them away into the pavemet with only minimal damage taken. Albeit small, Scarlet Senshi had succeeded in achieving a few breaks on the Shinigami thrall's body, and he did seem somewhat winded.

"What's this? More allies, I presume?"

"You bastard! You'll pay for this!" Geistzer was shocked to see that Scarlet Senshi, and even Momofuku, were here before him. For a moment, he felt like a fool for choosing to wait -- he considered it a good option. Surely, if they won now, he'd take the chance to talk to Scarlet Senshi, but the lucky boy's overconfidence came back to bite him in the ass, and he didn't like it one bit.

"Fighting words! I commend you. So be it!" With a wave of his enormous spindly black hand, Kagayaki ignited Shu and Takaishi's Death Marks, bringing them the same burning pain that Scarlet Senshi had felt before. In fact, even Madoka and Yae, far away from the center of the battle, started feeling themselves weaken as well.

However, that wasn't enough to save the monster from a mighty assault from Ran, who leapt into the air and delivered a wrathful haymaker straight into Kagayaki's jaw, staggering him. The Marked obtained some respite from the attack.

"Leave my friends alone, asshole!" Ran's dual body burst with power as he prepared to follow up the attack with more rage, and soon enough, Kagayaki began recieving a volley of energy blasts from far away. Those already present in the heart of the battle watched as Kagayaki's forces had begun to thin, leaving a wide open space for Yae and Kukurihime to fire at will!

And fire at will, did Yaya, who locked onto the Shinigami thrall, firing a salvo of heat-seeking missiles that struck Kagayaki in strategic points -- those already broken by Scarlet Senshi --, staggering it even further!

"Don't let up!" Geistzer rushed through the debris, approaching Momofuku to lay a hand on her shoulder, granting her with a buff. She gave him an understanding stare, as she crossed blows with Ran and Scarlet Senshi. Soon, Takaishi joined too, with a tornado of arms and wild swings. Kagayaki, previously an insurmountable force, was being battered by an unrelenting assault -- both brutal, and cunning in design!

"Geistzer!" Yae called to him. The ghastly superhero joined up with her swiftly. "Everyone's doing their part -- even Scarlet Senshi! How are you two holding up?"

Yae and Kukurihime stood the furthest away from Kagayaki, being protected by Meliaya, who danced in the air with rockets and bullets alike. The battle was being held down.

"We're holding on -- the enemy seems overwhelmed!" Yae announced with confidence. "Kukurihime, get to work on that Negacion!"

Before the heroes could fully cement a lead... Kagayaki's eyes flashed. And their hopes were dashed.

"You think me done, because I am outnumbered?! FOOLS! I rule this realm!" Kagayaki seemed to be lamenting while in the throes of defeat, but a sudden burst of esoteric energy pushed all melee combatants away from him and into buildings, debris, or concrete, with cold cruelty.

"Perhaps, for you to accept the inevitability of death... you must learn to value life, first. I offer you a boon: your deepest, brightest desires, at your fingertips!"

A red mist overcame the battlefield. Everyone tried to hold on, but soon enough, most combatants' visions began to blur. Reality and fiction began to blend together, mind and matter became mush, and the conscious danced an unsteady tango with the subconscious.

All became white.

We shamble on through this hell
Taking on more secrets to sell
'Til there comes a day
When we sell our souls away

TO BE CONTINUED IN: THE RIDDLE, PART 2

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Pub: 27 Oct 2025 23:22 UTC

Edit: 05 Nov 2025 02:04 UTC

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