On a balmy night in the middle of summer, as three of the Blade Children sit in the grass outside of Ryouko's house, Rio asks an unexpected question: what do you want to be when you get older?

It's a silly question, for them, and Rio knows it. They don't know if they will survive past high school graduations, or grow old enough to even consider a career. But regardless of these worries, these ever-present doubts, Kousuke answers.

"I think I'd like to be a doctor."

"A what?"

"I'll never go to that hospital."

He looks at his companions - especially Rio - with disdain. "You asked."

"I thought you'd say something more realistic."

"That isn't realistic? I've broken enough bones to know how to set them, and it's not like the sight of blood bothers me."

Ryouko sighs and rips a handful of grass from the ground, tossing it over her shoulder into the redhead's face. "Stupid. You just want a chance to pick people apart."

"Huh..." He narrows his eyes at her. "Maybe I'd actually like to help people. I know I'd be good at it."

"Maybe..." Rio feels thoughtful. "Kousuke-kun does know quite a bit about injuries, after all." She pauses. "But I still wouldn't want him as my doctor."

"Suit yourself..."

"I think," the pigtailed girl continues suddenly, her eyes brightening, "I'd like to make explosives."

Ryouko snorts. "That's no surprise."

"You know, there are lots of military jobs for that kind of thing." Kousuke picks blades of grass out of his spiky hair, sneezing loudly before proceeding with his next sentence. "I'm sure there's an army or two out there that would love to have you on their side, as long as you didn't scare them off first..."

"Really?"

"Why not?" He grins. "Just don't blow them up at your job interview and you'll be set."

"Hmmm..." Rio purses her lips, giving this idea serious thought. After a moment she turns her attention to Ryouko, who is sitting silent, now, looking up at the starry sky. "Ryouko-chan?" she ventures, cautiously. "What about you?"

Ryouko shrugs. "Maybe I'll run."

"People say that Ryouko-chan could go to the Olympics someday." Rio smiles, sweetly, at her friend. "I believe it, too..."

"It's not something I can get my hopes up for, though." The brunette's voice is low. "If something happens... what would be the use of dreaming?"

"Don't dream about it, then." Kousuke speaks up from behind her. "Instead, believe that you're going to be a housewife with lots of children."

She whirls around, fixing him with a murderous glare. "What is that supposed to - "

He grins, leaning forward to pat her on the head. "Better to dream than to resign yourself to that kind of fate, right?"

"... idiot." She ducks away from his hand. "Don't say things like that. It doesn't sound right."

Rio giggles. "Ryouko-chan thought you were proposing, Kousuke-kun..."

"I did not!"

"I wasn't!"

Ryouko and Kousuke look at each other, blush, and turn away to look elsewhere. Rio giggles again, her voice melodic, and sprawls out in the grass. "Ryouko-chan will never be a housewife, but I don't think that's what Kousuke-kun wants for her, anyway..."

Their voices are in unison this time. "Shut up, Rio!"

She only smiles and closes her eyes, feeling the cool summer air on her face. Something Kousuke has said - better to dream than to resign yourself to that kind of fate - sparks hope within her, just a little bit of hope, enough to stir her cold heart and set her mind wandering down a new path. If they do survive, if they do make it... well, she really would like to make explosives. It would be fun.

And as for her friends... She opens one eye to peek at Kousuke and Ryouko, who are still refusing to look at each other, and laughs to herself. Maybe there's one more dream that she has, one more dream that is just a little less selfish... but who knows how long it will take for that one to come true.