p align="LEFT"The nightmares came back./p
p align="LEFT"Rou fell to pieces. I desperately tried to put the pieces back, but they fragmented further at my touch, until they were too small to recognize. A fox's laughter echoed in the distance./p
p align="LEFT"A beast loomed over a scared boy. Akito ran into danger. I tried to stop him. I grabbed his hand but he slipped through my fingers. Just as the beast slashed Akito across the chest, the boy grinned, and wore Togo's face, and ripped into Akito's flesh from behind./p
p align="LEFT"Meiko, lovely sweet Meiko, was tearing things apart in a wild rage. I tried to stop her. Tried to hold her until she calmed. She fought me. She was a tempest and I couldn't soothe her./p
p align="LEFT"Nisei stood at a crossroad. The paths had cliffs on either side. Each time he took a step, gusts of wind pushed him towards a different path. It surprised me that I dreamed of him. I still tried to help, but all I did was add another gust of wind buffeting him./p
p align="LEFT"When my alarm rang, I was awake. I felt like mud, but my eyes were open, staring at the collage of posters and colorful fabric pinned to my ceiling. I could hear Arachne skittering on my side table. She had stayed with me since the whole Asuka fiasco./p
p align="LEFT""Arachne, hit the snooze button for me," I said, not able to will myself into moving. I heard her skitter across my bedside table, and for a brief moment, my phone was silent. And then it started playing Killer Queen and vibrating noisily. Without looking at it, I knew it was my girlfriend. I had all of my friends ring tones set to different songs. Arachne backed up as if offended, and then suddenly pushed the phone off of the table. It clattered to the floor. "Hey!" I said, throwing off blankets and sitting up. I scooped up my phone, and answered it. "Hi, Meiko," I said cheerfully, despite being tired./p
p align="LEFT""Good morning. Don't forget you have to go to work. I'm not there to travel with you," Meiko said, her soft voice scratchy from lack of sleep./p
p align="LEFT""Right," I said, half glad she had called. I might have continued lying there like a lump otherwise. I heard Rou shouting in the background. "Are things okay over there?" I asked./p
p align="LEFT""We've made little progress," Meiko answered dryly. "I think I'm going to call in today, if that's alright with you."/p
p align="LEFT""It's fine. Rou needs you," I said. The words came reluctantly. It wasn't like I was jealous, exactly. My dreams weighed heavily on my mind. I wanted to protect them, but it wasn't like I could do anything when there wasn't anything to fight. All I would do was get in the way./p
p align="LEFT""Are you sure?"/p
p align="LEFT"Selfish. I shook my head, trying to dismiss that taunt. "Yeah. I mean, I skipped a couple of days too and made you do the show by yourself too. It's my turn to cover for you," I said, trying to sound like it didn't bother me at all./p
p align="LEFT""Okay." It sounded like she didn't entirely believe me. She knew me too well. After a pause she said, "Eat breakfast."/p
p align="LEFT""Yes, Meiko." I sighed./p
p align="LEFT""I'm serious."/p
p align="LEFT""I know." It wasn't like I liked not enjoying food. Food was one of my favorite things./p
p align="LEFT"I heard her talking away from the phone, muffled by her hand. She uncovered the phone and said, "Have a good day, okay?"/p
p align="LEFT""You too. Good luck. Get some rest if you can. You got knocked around pretty good yesterday, too," I said. "We're no good to Ki if we end up getting hurt because we're not taking care of ourselves."/p
p align="LEFT""Exactly. Take your own advice, Meiki," Meiko said, before saying goodbye and hanging up./p
p align="LEFT"I sighed and stared at my phone. That was entirely different. It didn't even feel like I really needed the food. I got out of bed, properly awake now, and started getting ready for my day. After a long, hot shower, I braided up my hair as coffee brewed. There was a rhythmic knock at the door and Akito let himself in. He looked like something a dog had rolled in. His eyes were dark, and his face looked pale./p
p align="LEFT""Good morning!" he said cheerfully before putting a box down on the kitchen table and slumping into a chair./p
p align="LEFT""I see you're still moving like an old man," I said./p
p align="LEFT""I'm shocked. Someone who makes their living talking has forgotten her greetings," Akito grumbled, sounding like an elementary school principal lecturing children for not saying hello properly to neighbors as they walked to school. "Especially for someone who brought you breakfast."/p
p align="LEFT""Sorry. Good morning, Aki," I said more pleasantly, although it must have sounded patronizing because a smirk flickered across Aki's expression. "I see they put you on babysitting duty. I was going to eat."/p
p align="LEFT""It's equal parts that and getting me out of their hair," Aki said, brushing his own hair away from his face with a hand. "Apparently if I'm going to fuss instead of rest, I should fuss at you. Unless I want Rou to stuff me in a garbage can."/p
p align="LEFT""I could see him doing that," I said, coming to the kitchen table. Rou could be a bit short tempered even in a good mood, and losing Ki was a major blow. "What did you bring me?"/p
p align="LEFT""Rice balls. Nothing fancy," Aki said, flipping the lid of the box open. There was a row of five good sized rice balls, each wrapped in seaweed cut to look like Year's face./p
p align="LEFT""Not fancy, huh?" I asked, showing him the face. "This is cute."/p
p align="LEFT""Well, the food itself isn't fancy. But it didn't feel right just making rice balls." Aki said, shrugging. "I figured simple was probably better for you right now."/p
p align="LEFT""Yeah, sorry," I said. I took one and took a bite. Eating felt distressingly mechanical, like I was a robot only going through the motions of chewing./p
p align="LEFT""I wish we knew what was going on," Aki said quietly./p
p align="LEFT""No kidding," I said. I shoved another rice ball in my mouth. I felt bad that Aki's adorable rice balls tasted like clay. "Do you mind if I take the rest for lunch?" I hoped someone at work might help me eat them, but chances were someone from the Mei Brigade would call me at work and scold me if I didn't eat them myself./p
p align="LEFT""Yeah, go ahead," Aki said, his tired eyes watching me with concern. "Are you leaving already?"/p
p align="LEFT""Soon, yeah. You should rest here," I said, annoyed that a walking garbage fire was that concerned about me. I was fine. Mostly. Probably./p
p align="LEFT""Thanks," he said, slumping against his chair like an old jack-o-lantern./p
p align="LEFT"That took me aback. It wasn't like I had expected for him to decline, but to give in so quickly without brushing it off was alarming. "That bad, huh?"/p
p align="LEFT""Mm..." Aki said in a noncommittal way, and continued dryly, "Despite appearances to the contrary, I am a doctor and I am aware that fighting a god of ink and light right out of the hospital is a terrible idea."/p
p align="LEFT""Well, we did win," I said, which made him flash me a wry smile. "Two High ReMares down, and your noisy brother is sort of on our side. We're getting better." At least in some ways. We did lose Ki. And his clever mind was teamed up with Maneki's deviousness. And there was still Shika, who had ripped off my transformation like it was nothing. The same Shika who had scattered the Mei Brigade, killing Togo. And there was something that even Maneki feared and respected./p
p align="LEFT"But Aki knew that, so I said nothing, trying to push away the images that had haunted my dreams./p
p align="LEFT""We are making progress, I guess," Akito said, propping up his head with his hand./p
p align="LEFT"I had one more weapon in my attempts to cheer him up. I grinned, and crossed my arms, I shifted into my pose, and said, "We're living in color!"/p
p align="LEFT""Yeah, yeah. Go to work, alright?" he said, grinning back and waving me away dismissively./p
p align="LEFT"I decided that would have to do. I finished getting ready and ruffled his hair affectionately. "Behave, okay? The doctor said you should rest and not get into any fights. You should listen to him."/p
p align="LEFT""He is a very handsome and cool doctor, so I suppose I have to," Aki said, "Besides, Rou has my driver again, so yeah, not a chance. Fall's not going to come sweeping in to rescue you again, okay? Be careful."/p
p align="LEFT""You keep saying that, but your track record is very good on that one, magician," I said, grinning at him before ducking out the door. It seemed like all of the times he appeared to save me was when he really shouldn't be able to./p
p align="LEFT"At the office I was greeted with the usual chorus of good mornings. "Is Meiko okay?" Nawata-san asked immediately./p
p align="LEFT""She'll be alright," I said, brushing it off. I don't know what she told them about not coming in, so I didn't want to say she was sick if she had said something else./p
p align="LEFT""Meiki! I'm going to have Nisei-kun fill in for Meiko. Let the boy get a little air time." Okuda-san said as she hurried across the room./p
p align="LEFT"I groaned internally but said "Yes, ma'am." I was actually surprised that he was still bothering to show up for work. I had thought that Maneki had demanded he work here as a plant, but ties between them had to be at very least tenuous, if not completely severed after he helped us./p
p align="LEFT"I shuffled around the office, getting ready, before heading to the booth. I'd have to take care of all the sound board today. It wasn't may favorite part of the job, and usually Meiko did most of it, but I could work it just fine, thank you. I sat down in her chair and got my notes in order./p
p align="LEFT"Nisei hesitated at the door before bowing sharply. "Excuse my intrusion!" he announced, remaining bowed./p
p align="LEFT""Yeah, come on in, Nisei-kun. You can relax," I said, amused. He was more awkwardly formal and stilted than usual. It wasn't long ago that we had been enemies. But he had fought hard against Minotaur with us, and Aki had insisted they were brothers whether Nisei was Nisei or Togo. He was part of our weird little family, even if he was a prickly shouty punk who wasn't sure where he really stood./p
p align="LEFT"He raised his head and walked over to the open chair. "Thank you for taking care of me," he said, and sat down./p
p align="LEFT""We start in five. Here are your notes. Just follow my lead, alright?" I said. He nodded, and I started getting the equipment ready./p
p align="LEFT"I gave him a quick count down before I turned everything on, "Good Morning, Oara! I'm your host, Kimura Mei, and today Meiko is absent, so filling in is F.M. 98.5 Mei Brigade's very own intern. Nisei-kun, introduce yourself, would you?"/p
p align="LEFT"He stiffened up in his chair and gave a sharp bow despite radio not being a visual medium. "I'm Meian Nisei! Nice to meet you!"/p
p align="LEFT""What school do you go to, Nisei-kun?" I asked, needling him for not giving a more complete answer./p
p align="LEFT"He hesitated and said, "I go to Oara University. I'm a first year student. I was a ronin for a few years before starting school, but now I'm majoring in communications!"/p
p align="LEFT""Is that so? I went there too, with the same major. Are you enjoying it?" I was actually surprised he had an answer ready for that question. It seemed odd that a ReMare would pretend to live a human life./p
p align="LEFT""Yes, I am," Nisei said simply./p
p align="LEFT"It didn't seem likely that he was going to supply more information, so I decided to move on. "Alright, next up is the weather! It's still pretty hot in Oara. Today we have a high of thirty degrees Celsius, with a low of twenty eight. It's supposed to be sunny all day, with clouds rolling in tomorrow morning."/p
p align="LEFT"Nisei got through the traffic and community calendar without incident. If it sounded dry, well, there wasn't much helping it with him. He did a good enough job for his first time though. The only stumbling block came when we reported about the festival./p
p align="LEFT""The festival was good, lots of wonderful food and beautiful fireworks," Nisei said, reading off of his notes./p
p align="LEFT""There was a ReMare attack, however," I added. We had defeated Minotaur. People would remember him being there./p
p align="LEFT""Yes," Nisei said shortly./p
p align="LEFT""There was a little damage to the stalls, but Year, Winter, Fall, and Summer managed to defeat an incredibly strong ReMare named Minotaur," I said. "The festival was able to continue as usual, with the planned fireworks and dancing."/p
p align="LEFT"Nisei was quiet, staring at me./p
p align="LEFT""Please stay safe, Oara. These Kamen Riders are doing their best to protect your precious memories," I said./p
p align="LEFT""No," Nisei said suddenly./p
p align="LEFT""Excuse me?" I asked./p
p align="LEFT""Summer isn't there to protect everyone." Nisei said, crossing his arms./p
p align="LEFT""He fought Minotaur bravely, protecting Fall's memories. I saw it myself. It was cool," I said, and before he could argue more, I continued, "It's time for Oara Morning Driiive!" I switched to a lineup of music. "What the heck are you doing?"/p
p align="LEFT""I am not your friend," he said, glaring at me./p
p align="LEFT""You fought with us. We want to protect you too," I said./p
p align="LEFT""It's none of your business what I do. I don't have to join you," Nisei said./p
p align="LEFT""No, you don't," I said, "But you also don't need to be difficult."/p
p align="LEFT"'I am not being difficult," Nisei said. "Do not talk about Summer as if I am part of your group./p
p align="LEFT""Fine," I said, annoyed. If he was being stubborn, I certainly wasn't going to argue with him about it on air. "We'll talk about something else."/p
p align="LEFT""Good," Nisei said. And when the show went back up, that's what we did. It was awkward and tense, but somehow we made it till my lunch break without totally falling apart./p
p align="LEFT""Next up, we have Lunch Rush Music Hour! This has been F.M. 98.5 Mei Brigade!" I said, and turned off our microphones. "Thanks for your hard work," I said to Nisei. "Do you want to go get lunch?" I asked. I didn't particularly want to eat, but I did want to see if I could convince him to be a little more cooperative./p
p align="LEFT""I have better things to do with my break than eat human garbage," Nisei said, before standing up, bowing severely and walking off. I stared after him. It was the rudest he'd been to me without actually just screaming in my face, like he did when he was transformed./p
p align="LEFT"Whatever. I went to eat quickly in the staff room./p
p align="LEFT""Not going out today?" Oscar asked, coming in to rinse out his coffee cup./p
p align="LEFT""Not to eat, anyway. I've got rice balls today. I might leave to stretch my legs. Check to make sure there aren't any ReMares causing trouble. You know," I said, biting into a rice ball. It was about like biting into packing peanuts, despite knowing it should at least be a little sour, with the soft pickled plum in the middle./p
p align="LEFT""You usually eat something heartier than that. Are you trying to diet or something?" Oscar asked, putting his cup to dry./p
p align="LEFT""No?" I said, baffled that he'd even ask./p
p align="LEFT""Oh, well… I see. I could give you tips if that's what you wanted. Eating nothing but rice isn't great for a diet," Oscar said, turning his nose up. If I let him, he'd go on a rant contrasting the benefits of French and Japanese food./p
p align="LEFT"I shoved the last rice ball in my mouth and stood up. I didn't want to have that conversation. Another time, I'd be happy to argue with him about it, but I couldn't stomach it now. "I gotta go. See ya!"/p
p align="LEFT""Wait up! I need to go shopping too," Oscar said, dashing off to get his shoes. I sighed. If I had wanted people picking at the way I was eating, I would have went back to the lab, where their concern was from a place of love, rather than just nosiness. And I didn't particularly want to worry them either, especially when they were busy trying to get Spring made so Rou could fight./p
p align="LEFT""Oh! I almost forgot. I've actually got to check up on a friend. Sorry, another time, alright?" I said, getting ready and escaping the building. He followed me out, still heading to go shopping. I thought to head towards Kamitori, to see Rou and Meiko, but then I spotted Reina across the street, and waved at her. I crossed over at the light./p
p align="LEFT""Hey Reina-chan! How's it going?" I asked cheerfully./p
p align="LEFT""Hello," she said reluctantly. She glanced across the street. "What's he doing?"/p
p align="LEFT"Oscar had stopped on the sidewalk when he had noticed Reina. He took a few hesitant steps back, before turning away and hurrying off./p
p align="LEFT""Shopping. That sure didn't look suspicious at all," I said, still annoyed with him. "I talked with him by the way. It seemed like he didn't remember you, but…" I gestured vaguely in the direction he had walked off in. I was disappointed. Oscar could get on my nerves sometimes, and I suspected some of that was cultural differences, but I worked with him and couldn't help wanting to believe he was a decent person. Not the type of person who'd dump a girl at the altar and talk about her rudely behind her back./p
p align="LEFT""It's fine," Reina said. "There's someone else I like now." She glanced around, as if expecting that person to show up. "It's why I still hang out around here."/p
p align="LEFT""Are they cute?" I asked, glad that she was moving out of the desperate pain that drove her to cooperate with a ReMare./p
p align="LEFT""No… They're cool," she said, trailing off. "Listen, you know them, don't you?"/p
p align="LEFT""Who?" I asked. "I mean, maybe? I know a lot of people. It is part of the whole radio hosting job, you know? You gotta talk to folk."/p
p align="LEFT"Reina shook her head. "No, because you're Year," she said./p
p align="LEFT""Oh. Oooooh!" I said, light bulbs going off in my head. She had been impressed with Meiko when we had rescued her from the ReMare. "Do you mean Winter?" I asked./p
p align="LEFT""Yes. Who is Winter in real life?" she demanded./p
p align="LEFT""Real life? Winter is real," I said confused. Being Year was a part of my real life./p
p align="LEFT""I mean when not fighting weird monsters," Reina said impatiently./p
p align="LEFT""Oh. It's not really my place to say," I said, trailing off. "But um. She's sort of spoken for." Meiko had said she was fine with sharing me with Akito and Rou, because she was fond of them as well, but I sincerely doubt she had any thought to opening our relationship beyond that. Especially not with a stranger. And likely not for herself either. She wasn't that outgoing./p
p align="LEFT"Reina sighed. "Figures. By you?"/p
p align="LEFT""Yeah," I said, ducking my head apologetically. I wasn't actually sorry. Meiko is the best, and I'm still feeling floaty over the fact that she likes me. It just felt like I kept getting in Reina's way unintentionally, when I really hoped she could be happy./p
p align="LEFT"Reina stared off into the distance for a long moment. She sighed again and nodded, as if coming to a decision. "Fine. You owe me an ice cream."/p
p align="LEFT""What? Alright?" I said, shrugging, wishing I could say that it sounded good. "I'm going to Kamitori." I gestured at the bus stop. She nodded primly, and we waited quietly for the bus. At length I said, "You remind me of her, a little."/p
p align="LEFT""Oh?" Reina said, glancing at me./p
p align="LEFT"I nodded. "You are both very cool and elegant in your own ways."/p
p align="LEFT"Reina frowned, "I don't need your pity," she said but her cheeks flushed a little./p
p align="LEFT""Of course not," I agreed. "But it's true."/p
p align="LEFT"The bus took us to Kamitori, which was bustling, full of people getting lunch and shopping. In the distance I heard Puffy-kun's theme song, and guessed that the weird smokestack mascot was having a live performance somewhere down the arcade./p
p align="LEFT"I couldn't help but look at the Momiji Café. I wanted to check on Rou and Meiko before I went back to work. What surprised me, though, was that the café was busy. There was actually a few people waiting outside to go in. Odd, considering I had left the owner of the café at my apartment with instructions to get some rest./p
p align="LEFT"Or not so odd, considering it was Akito and he had been doing nothing but pushing himself since he had returned to the Mei Brigade./p
p align="LEFT""They have good ice cream," Reina said, noticing my interest, "And the owner is cute, even if he is really short."/p
p align="LEFT""I know," I said, "he's a friend of mine, actually."/p
p align="LEFT"She gave me a suspicious look./p
p align="LEFT""Not Winter," I said, guessing what she meant. "Sorry. We did an interview together at the Meiaki Togo Memorial Hospital, and we actually went to high school together, although those memories are kinda… Y'know." I moved my hand to look like something blowing away in the wind./p
p align="LEFT""You have memories missing too?" Reina asked./p
p align="LEFT""Seems like it," I agreed. "It kind of sucks."/p
p align="LEFT""I thought you were immune or whatever." Reina frowned./p
p align="LEFT""Only in the armor, unfortunately. And… sometimes we lose," I said reluctantly. "And it's terrible."/p
p align="LEFT"She nodded, staring at the café. The waiting couple were allowed in, and a large group left, chatting and laughing as they walked. "Let's go in," she said without looking at me, and led the way. I followed her. It seemed like a different place with so many people in it. Before it had felt more like a fancy kitchen in a close friend's house than an actual restaurant. There was no sign of Rou or Meiko, but I figured they must be upstairs in the lab./p
p align="LEFT"Akito, however, was sitting in a comfortable chair at the register, greeting people as they came in. A cute girl in an apron flitted from table to table, taking orders and filling drinks./p
p align="LEFT""What heavenly light breaks through yonder door?" Akito asked shading his eyes as if our presence was blinding. "Is that you, Meiki-chan? What a surprise! And who is this visage of beauty?"/p
p align="LEFT""This is Reina," I said, catching his gaze. Dawning awareness flickered across his face. He had heard about me complaining about her glaring at me whenever I went past her on the street. "I promised to buy her ice cream. Reina, this is Meiaki Akito."/p
p align="LEFT""A pleasure to meet you, Reina-san!" Akito said, smiling./p
p align="LEFT""The pleasure is mine," Reina said, bowing. "I like your café."/p
p align="LEFT""Oh! Such sweet words from such sweet lips. I am unworthy!" Akito said. Reina frowned, blushing a little./p
p align="LEFT""I didn't know you had this many employees, Aki," I said, cutting into his flirting./p
p align="LEFT"He had the dignity to look affronted, "Despite appearances to the contrary," he said, echoing what he had said earlier about being a doctor, "this is a popular café, and I'm actually a pretty good chef," Akito said dryly. "And before you start in on me, I am taking it easy. Go take a seat and Sona-chan will be with you in a moment."/p
p align="LEFT""Alright, Alright," I said. Reina had already claimed a table near the wall. She was scowling, like a cat splashed with water. I joined her. "Sorry, he's a bit much sometimes."/p
p align="LEFT""I hate it when guys say stuff like that when they don't mean it," Reina grumbled. "It's embarrassing."/p
p align="LEFT""The embarrassing thing is that he totally means it," I said, rolling my eyes. She frowned, clearly not believing me. "So… What are you going to do?"/p
p align="LEFT""Order some ice cream," Reina said, looking at the menu./p
p align="LEFT""That's not what I meant," I said./p
p align="LEFT""It's all you're getting," Reina said. Sona came over and took Reina's order. I ordered a small dish of ice cream as well, when Akito caught my gaze from across the restaurant. "It doesn't matter, does it? It sucks right now, but I'll move on."/p
p align="LEFT""That's good," I started to say, when the door opened and Oscar walked in. Reina watched him carefully as Akito also flirted with him before directing him to sit down. Oscar looked confused, but he didn't seem to notice us as he sat down and started looking at his menu./p
p align="LEFT""I changed my mind. I'm going to talk to him," Reina said, standing up abruptly./p
p align="LEFT""Are you sure?" I asked, my voice hushed./p
p align="LEFT"She ignored me and walked over to him and sat down at his table. "Oscar," she said sternly./p
p align="LEFT""Mademoiselle?" He startled, looking at her like she had pointed a weapon at him. "Excuse me, are you a fan?"/p
p align="LEFT""Not lately," Reina said, crossing her arms. "You stood me up."/p
p align="LEFT""I'm terribly sorry?" Oscar said, baffled. "I am trying to order some lunch, could you excuse me?" He tried to hide behind his menu./p
p align="LEFT"I frowned. It had seemed suspicious when he had deliberately avoided us when I went over to Reina, but he did seem like he really didn't know her./p
p align="LEFT""We were engaged to be married, Oscar. And you stood me up to badmouth me in the park with some tart!" Reina said, pushing his menu down on the table. The restaurant went quiet, as people started to awkwardly watch the brewing argument. "You know who I am, don't you?"/p
p align="LEFT""I'm afraid I don't know about that… I have seen you around the radio station. Lately whenever you see me, you either start crying or glare at me," Oscar said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat./p
p align="LEFT""You're lying!" Reina shouted. "You always get squirmy when you lie!"/p
p align="LEFT""I most certainly am not!" Oscar said, his face turning red./p
p align="LEFT""I'm gonna throw your friends out, Meiki," Aki said, sidling up next to me, looking amused./p
p align="LEFT""I'm so sorry," I said, standing up. "I'll see if I can-"/p
p align="LEFT"I was interrupted by an angry scream from outside the store. Hushed whispers fell over the store as people tried to figure out what was going on. I met Akito's gaze. "Summer," I said. He glanced towards the back of the restaurant, and I could read his thoughts on his face. He wanted to go upstairs and get his driver back from Rou. "Stay. They heard it too," I reminded him. "I'll call Winter if I need backup. Keep your restaurant from exploding."/p
p align="LEFT"Akito struggled for a moment, and then nodded. "Go. I'll see if I can fix things here."/p
p align="LEFT""Thanks," I said, and half ran for the door, spurring further murmurs from the customers./p
p align="LEFT"As I opened the door, I heard Akito say, "Alright, darlings, what seems to be the problem here?"/p
p align="LEFT""Okay, Nisei, where are you?" I muttered./p
p align="LEFT""AAAAAAAGGH!"/p
p align="LEFT""Thanks," I said under my breath and ran towards that end of Kamitori. I had to slow to a walk quickly though, to slip through the throngs of people who were dazed and milling around. In the center was a low stage, with Puffy-kun sitting down staring off into space. I heard another yell down an alleyway, and I chased after it./p
p align="LEFT"I crashed into Summer as I crossed another narrow path. He hissed at me, and shoved me aside, before tackling a ReMare with equine features and brown markings. The ReMare struggled and got away, with Summer racing after it./p
p align="LEFT""Well then," I said, and swiped my indigo Memoka across the Time Driver./p
p align="LEFT""Spooky, Scary! Witch!" the driver announced, playing a creepy tune, with indigo light pouring over me, leaving my Witch armor behind. Almost immediately, the Prism charge was complete, and I drew the Prism wand./p
p align="LEFT""Alakazam!" I said, waving the wand sharply. I disappeared and reappeared in front of the horse ReMare. "Stop right there!" I said. It backpedaled instinctively, but on the other end of the alley was Summer, snarling and poised to tackle it again. The horse ReMare hesitated, not sure which was worse./p
p align="LEFT""This is shitty," the horse ReMare said, sighing. "Dang it, this is the worst!"/p
p align="LEFT""Come quietly, and it doesn't have to be," I said softly. "What's your name?" I asked, trying to calm the ReMare down./p
p align="LEFT""It's not like I'm sticking around for you to use it. See you never!" The horse snorted, sinking into the Under./p
p align="LEFT"Summer screamed his objection, and tackled me. I ducked under his arm, spinning out of his grasp. He caught my cape and pulled hard. I staggered back and he managed to get an arm around my neck. I tried to elbow him in the chest, but he ignored it./p
p align="LEFT""Summer, we're busy. What in the world are you doing attacking Witch?" Winter was leaning up against the alley wall in front of me./p
p align="LEFT"Summer snarled at her and tightened his grip, moving back a few steps. I stumbled along./p
p align="LEFT""It's fine. He's on his way too, and I'm sure he'd love to have a chat with you about putting our friend in a choke hold," Winter said mildly, and Summer looked around wildly./p
p align="LEFT"I took that moment to choke out the word "Alakazam," and my magic poofed me over to Winter./p
p align="LEFT"She punched my shoulder lightly. "You alright?" she asked./p
p align="LEFT""Yeah," I said, catching my breath, hands on my knees, "We were chasing a ReMare. It got away."/p
p align="LEFT""Summer fades. Good bye!" Summer's belt chimed, and his armor disappeared. Nisei stood there looking like someone had put sand in his underpants./p
p align="LEFT""You got in the way!" Nisei snapped. "I am hungry and you let Charlie get away!"/p
p align="LEFT""You were going to eat it?" I asked, straightening up./p
p align="LEFT""What else am I supposed to do?" he said, throwing his hands up in the air. "I can't just eat human memories anymore, I've got to eat something!"/p
p align="LEFT""Have you tried… and this may sound unconventional, but bear with me. People can eat…. Food," Winter said, crossing her arms. I stifled a chuckle./p
p align="LEFT""Human food? No! It's garbage!" Nisei's nose wrinkled like she had suggested he should eat a turd covered in mayonnaise./p
p align="LEFT"Which was about how I felt about eating at the moment. I made a fist as if I could punch that thought away. "Even now, with a human body?" I asked, because I had to. "Rou could eat just fine, when Ki was with him."/p
p align="LEFT""Why would I even try it?" Nisei grumbled. "Now excuse me, I've got to see if I can still find that idiot."/p
p align="LEFT""Wait, let me help," I said, "I don't want a ReMare running around here where there's so many people."/p
p align="LEFT""I don't want your help. You'll keep the light for yourself," Nisei snapped, and turned to walk away./p
p align="LEFT""Hey! Stop!" I said, jogging after him. He glanced back at me sharply and stomped a foot. A black pit opened up in front of him and he hopped in. The hole disappeared behind him. I stared after him, surprised he was willing to risk going into the Under after helping us./p
p align="LEFT""Let's go back to the café," Meiko had dropped her transformation, and walked up next to me. "There's nothing we can do with them in the Under."/p
p align="LEFT"I nodded and swiped my hand over the Time Driver. Instead of saying announcing that it was being shut down, it just cackled like a witch, before dropping the transformation. "Let's see if Aki's got a bar fight on his hands."/p
p align="LEFT"The café was a lot calmer when we got back, which surprised me. Aki could be antagonistic sometimes. A lot of times. He was still sitting with Oscar and Reina. They both looked upset, but they were talking normally now./p
p align="LEFT""Alright, alright. The truth is… I do recognize you, Reina. I remember dating you, but… I don't remember agreeing to get married," Oscar sighed. "I'm sorry."/p
p align="LEFT""Then why would you go through the trouble of insulting me? You could have just… I don't know. Broke up with me like a normal person?" Reina said, rubbing her eyes./p
p align="LEFT""And say what? Sorry, I forgot why we were holding this whole wedding thing? Honestly, It looked very… creepy, that a wedding was happening at all," Oscar said./p
p align="LEFT""I would be worried if my significant other was suddenly preparing for a wedding that I didn't think I was involved in," Akito said, glancing up when he noticed I was coming in, "But that doesn't excuse you insulting her."/p
p align="LEFT""I thought she was crazy, alright? This was before I knew about all of this Year nonsense. That it could be anything besides what it looked like didn't even cross my mind," Oscar said./p
p align="LEFT""So, because you thought I was crazy, you didn't think you needed to treat me with respect?" Reina said, her tone raising in anger again./p
p align="LEFT"Oscar sighed, "I'm sorry. You're right. That was awful. Is there anything I can do to make up for it? Do you want to try to… try again now that we both understand what's going on?"/p
p align="LEFT"Reina shook her head slowly. Now that her anger and hurt was directed towards the person it actually was meant for, she seemed a little more relaxed. "No. I don't think that's a good idea. I am glad that we talked though," she said like she was closing a book that she had struggled with, but had ultimately finished./p
p align="LEFT""Again, I'm sorry," Oscar said./p
p align="LEFT""Me too," Reina said. She stood up. "I'll see you around, I'm sure." She noticed I was back. "Meiki, you still owe me an ice cream. I gotta go."/p
p align="LEFT""Sure," I said, and watched her leave before walking up to Aki and Oscar. Meiko followed me. "I'm glad that got sorted out. I was worried about her…"/p
p align="LEFT""Yes. It's excellent, I'm sure," Oscar snapped. "Meiki, these ReMares of yours need to be stopped." He stood up and left as well./p
p align="LEFT""Tell me something I don't know," I muttered./p
p align="LEFT""Right? Neither of them payed for food," Aki complained./p
p align="LEFT""I'll pay," I offered. "I was going to pay for Reina's anyway."/p
p align="LEFT""Nah, it's fine. What happened?" Aki asked. I explained quickly about our encounter with Summer. His face looked serious as he listened./p
p align="LEFT""He might listen to you," Meiko suggested./p
p align="LEFT""He might," Akito agreed. "Could make him less of a butt head if he can eat real food."/p
p align="LEFT"I heard an aggravated yell from upstairs. Meiko sighed. "If food cured that, I'd have less to worry about. I've got to go before he breaks something."/p
p align="LEFT""How is he doing?" Aki asked quietly./p
p align="LEFT""Still charming as ever," Meiko said blandly. "Isn't thrilled that the Spring Driver wasn't finished a month ago."/p
p align="LEFT"Aki sighed. "He wouldn't be."/p
p align="LEFT"Meiko nodded, before leaving to go up the side stairs. Aki stood up gingerly and walked back over to the cash register. I followed. "I don't know if it would help…" I said quietly./p
p align="LEFT""I didn't even say my plan yet!" Aki objected./p
p align="LEFT""Plan?" I blinked, "No… I meant about feeding Nisei."/p
p align="LEFT""Rou still liked eating when Ki was with him." Aki gave me an appraising look./p
p align="LEFT""Nisei is different."/p
p align="LEFT""Do you still think you're turning into a ReMare?"/p
p align="LEFT""I don't know, Aki. I hate this. I don't know what I am." I sighed. "What were you planning?"/p
p align="LEFT""Calling Maneki over and over until we get Ki on the line. And then bothering him until he helps us," Aki said as if he was suggesting the best way to defeat the bad guys was to do a real sick bike stunt on the moon./p
p align="LEFT""I changed my answer. I know that won't help." I smiled. "It isn't your worst idea, but…" I shrugged. It definitely had a high chance of just angering the tiger ReMare./p
p align="LEFT""Yeah, I know. I just wish I could cheer him up," Aki said, leaning back in his chair. His gaze flickered to the ceiling./p
p align="LEFT""Me too. I gotta go back to work," I glanced at my phone. I had left my bike back at the station, so I'd have to take a bus. "If the horse ReMare or Nisei-kun shows up again, let me know, okay?"/p
p align="LEFT""Yes, boss," Aki said lazily, saluting me as I walked out the door./p
p align="LEFT"Nisei didn't show up at work after lunch, and I worried./p
p align="LEFT"Rou fell to pieces. I desperately tried to put the pieces back, but they fragmented further at my touch, until they were too small to recognize. A fox's laughter echoed in the distance./p
p align="LEFT"A beast loomed over a scared boy. Akito ran into danger. I tried to stop him. I grabbed his hand but he slipped through my fingers. Just as the beast slashed Akito across the chest, the boy grinned, and wore Togo's face, and ripped into Akito's flesh from behind./p
p align="LEFT"Meiko, lovely sweet Meiko, was tearing things apart in a wild rage. I tried to stop her. Tried to hold her until she calmed. She fought me. She was a tempest and I couldn't soothe her./p
p align="LEFT"Nisei stood at a crossroad. The paths had cliffs on either side. Each time he took a step, gusts of wind pushed him towards a different path. It surprised me that I dreamed of him. I still tried to help, but all I did was add another gust of wind buffeting him./p
p align="LEFT"When my alarm rang, I was awake. I felt like mud, but my eyes were open, staring at the collage of posters and colorful fabric pinned to my ceiling. I could hear Arachne skittering on my side table. She had stayed with me since the whole Asuka fiasco./p
p align="LEFT""Arachne, hit the snooze button for me," I said, not able to will myself into moving. I heard her skitter across my bedside table, and for a brief moment, my phone was silent. And then it started playing Killer Queen and vibrating noisily. Without looking at it, I knew it was my girlfriend. I had all of my friends ring tones set to different songs. Arachne backed up as if offended, and then suddenly pushed the phone off of the table. It clattered to the floor. "Hey!" I said, throwing off blankets and sitting up. I scooped up my phone, and answered it. "Hi, Meiko," I said cheerfully, despite being tired./p
p align="LEFT""Good morning. Don't forget you have to go to work. I'm not there to travel with you," Meiko said, her soft voice scratchy from lack of sleep./p
p align="LEFT""Right," I said, half glad she had called. I might have continued lying there like a lump otherwise. I heard Rou shouting in the background. "Are things okay over there?" I asked./p
p align="LEFT""We've made little progress," Meiko answered dryly. "I think I'm going to call in today, if that's alright with you."/p
p align="LEFT""It's fine. Rou needs you," I said. The words came reluctantly. It wasn't like I was jealous, exactly. My dreams weighed heavily on my mind. I wanted to protect them, but it wasn't like I could do anything when there wasn't anything to fight. All I would do was get in the way./p
p align="LEFT""Are you sure?"/p
p align="LEFT"Selfish. I shook my head, trying to dismiss that taunt. "Yeah. I mean, I skipped a couple of days too and made you do the show by yourself too. It's my turn to cover for you," I said, trying to sound like it didn't bother me at all./p
p align="LEFT""Okay." It sounded like she didn't entirely believe me. She knew me too well. After a pause she said, "Eat breakfast."/p
p align="LEFT""Yes, Meiko." I sighed./p
p align="LEFT""I'm serious."/p
p align="LEFT""I know." It wasn't like I liked not enjoying food. Food was one of my favorite things./p
p align="LEFT"I heard her talking away from the phone, muffled by her hand. She uncovered the phone and said, "Have a good day, okay?"/p
p align="LEFT""You too. Good luck. Get some rest if you can. You got knocked around pretty good yesterday, too," I said. "We're no good to Ki if we end up getting hurt because we're not taking care of ourselves."/p
p align="LEFT""Exactly. Take your own advice, Meiki," Meiko said, before saying goodbye and hanging up./p
p align="LEFT"I sighed and stared at my phone. That was entirely different. It didn't even feel like I really needed the food. I got out of bed, properly awake now, and started getting ready for my day. After a long, hot shower, I braided up my hair as coffee brewed. There was a rhythmic knock at the door and Akito let himself in. He looked like something a dog had rolled in. His eyes were dark, and his face looked pale./p
p align="LEFT""Good morning!" he said cheerfully before putting a box down on the kitchen table and slumping into a chair./p
p align="LEFT""I see you're still moving like an old man," I said./p
p align="LEFT""I'm shocked. Someone who makes their living talking has forgotten her greetings," Akito grumbled, sounding like an elementary school principal lecturing children for not saying hello properly to neighbors as they walked to school. "Especially for someone who brought you breakfast."/p
p align="LEFT""Sorry. Good morning, Aki," I said more pleasantly, although it must have sounded patronizing because a smirk flickered across Aki's expression. "I see they put you on babysitting duty. I was going to eat."/p
p align="LEFT""It's equal parts that and getting me out of their hair," Aki said, brushing his own hair away from his face with a hand. "Apparently if I'm going to fuss instead of rest, I should fuss at you. Unless I want Rou to stuff me in a garbage can."/p
p align="LEFT""I could see him doing that," I said, coming to the kitchen table. Rou could be a bit short tempered even in a good mood, and losing Ki was a major blow. "What did you bring me?"/p
p align="LEFT""Rice balls. Nothing fancy," Aki said, flipping the lid of the box open. There was a row of five good sized rice balls, each wrapped in seaweed cut to look like Year's face./p
p align="LEFT""Not fancy, huh?" I asked, showing him the face. "This is cute."/p
p align="LEFT""Well, the food itself isn't fancy. But it didn't feel right just making rice balls." Aki said, shrugging. "I figured simple was probably better for you right now."/p
p align="LEFT""Yeah, sorry," I said. I took one and took a bite. Eating felt distressingly mechanical, like I was a robot only going through the motions of chewing./p
p align="LEFT""I wish we knew what was going on," Aki said quietly./p
p align="LEFT""No kidding," I said. I shoved another rice ball in my mouth. I felt bad that Aki's adorable rice balls tasted like clay. "Do you mind if I take the rest for lunch?" I hoped someone at work might help me eat them, but chances were someone from the Mei Brigade would call me at work and scold me if I didn't eat them myself./p
p align="LEFT""Yeah, go ahead," Aki said, his tired eyes watching me with concern. "Are you leaving already?"/p
p align="LEFT""Soon, yeah. You should rest here," I said, annoyed that a walking garbage fire was that concerned about me. I was fine. Mostly. Probably./p
p align="LEFT""Thanks," he said, slumping against his chair like an old jack-o-lantern./p
p align="LEFT"That took me aback. It wasn't like I had expected for him to decline, but to give in so quickly without brushing it off was alarming. "That bad, huh?"/p
p align="LEFT""Mm..." Aki said in a noncommittal way, and continued dryly, "Despite appearances to the contrary, I am a doctor and I am aware that fighting a god of ink and light right out of the hospital is a terrible idea."/p
p align="LEFT""Well, we did win," I said, which made him flash me a wry smile. "Two High ReMares down, and your noisy brother is sort of on our side. We're getting better." At least in some ways. We did lose Ki. And his clever mind was teamed up with Maneki's deviousness. And there was still Shika, who had ripped off my transformation like it was nothing. The same Shika who had scattered the Mei Brigade, killing Togo. And there was something that even Maneki feared and respected./p
p align="LEFT"But Aki knew that, so I said nothing, trying to push away the images that had haunted my dreams./p
p align="LEFT""We are making progress, I guess," Akito said, propping up his head with his hand./p
p align="LEFT"I had one more weapon in my attempts to cheer him up. I grinned, and crossed my arms, I shifted into my pose, and said, "We're living in color!"/p
p align="LEFT""Yeah, yeah. Go to work, alright?" he said, grinning back and waving me away dismissively./p
p align="LEFT"I decided that would have to do. I finished getting ready and ruffled his hair affectionately. "Behave, okay? The doctor said you should rest and not get into any fights. You should listen to him."/p
p align="LEFT""He is a very handsome and cool doctor, so I suppose I have to," Aki said, "Besides, Rou has my driver again, so yeah, not a chance. Fall's not going to come sweeping in to rescue you again, okay? Be careful."/p
p align="LEFT""You keep saying that, but your track record is very good on that one, magician," I said, grinning at him before ducking out the door. It seemed like all of the times he appeared to save me was when he really shouldn't be able to./p
p align="LEFT"At the office I was greeted with the usual chorus of good mornings. "Is Meiko okay?" Nawata-san asked immediately./p
p align="LEFT""She'll be alright," I said, brushing it off. I don't know what she told them about not coming in, so I didn't want to say she was sick if she had said something else./p
p align="LEFT""Meiki! I'm going to have Nisei-kun fill in for Meiko. Let the boy get a little air time." Okuda-san said as she hurried across the room./p
p align="LEFT"I groaned internally but said "Yes, ma'am." I was actually surprised that he was still bothering to show up for work. I had thought that Maneki had demanded he work here as a plant, but ties between them had to be at very least tenuous, if not completely severed after he helped us./p
p align="LEFT"I shuffled around the office, getting ready, before heading to the booth. I'd have to take care of all the sound board today. It wasn't may favorite part of the job, and usually Meiko did most of it, but I could work it just fine, thank you. I sat down in her chair and got my notes in order./p
p align="LEFT"Nisei hesitated at the door before bowing sharply. "Excuse my intrusion!" he announced, remaining bowed./p
p align="LEFT""Yeah, come on in, Nisei-kun. You can relax," I said, amused. He was more awkwardly formal and stilted than usual. It wasn't long ago that we had been enemies. But he had fought hard against Minotaur with us, and Aki had insisted they were brothers whether Nisei was Nisei or Togo. He was part of our weird little family, even if he was a prickly shouty punk who wasn't sure where he really stood./p
p align="LEFT"He raised his head and walked over to the open chair. "Thank you for taking care of me," he said, and sat down./p
p align="LEFT""We start in five. Here are your notes. Just follow my lead, alright?" I said. He nodded, and I started getting the equipment ready./p
p align="LEFT"I gave him a quick count down before I turned everything on, "Good Morning, Oara! I'm your host, Kimura Mei, and today Meiko is absent, so filling in is F.M. 98.5 Mei Brigade's very own intern. Nisei-kun, introduce yourself, would you?"/p
p align="LEFT"He stiffened up in his chair and gave a sharp bow despite radio not being a visual medium. "I'm Meian Nisei! Nice to meet you!"/p
p align="LEFT""What school do you go to, Nisei-kun?" I asked, needling him for not giving a more complete answer./p
p align="LEFT"He hesitated and said, "I go to Oara University. I'm a first year student. I was a ronin for a few years before starting school, but now I'm majoring in communications!"/p
p align="LEFT""Is that so? I went there too, with the same major. Are you enjoying it?" I was actually surprised he had an answer ready for that question. It seemed odd that a ReMare would pretend to live a human life./p
p align="LEFT""Yes, I am," Nisei said simply./p
p align="LEFT"It didn't seem likely that he was going to supply more information, so I decided to move on. "Alright, next up is the weather! It's still pretty hot in Oara. Today we have a high of thirty degrees Celsius, with a low of twenty eight. It's supposed to be sunny all day, with clouds rolling in tomorrow morning."/p
p align="LEFT"Nisei got through the traffic and community calendar without incident. If it sounded dry, well, there wasn't much helping it with him. He did a good enough job for his first time though. The only stumbling block came when we reported about the festival./p
p align="LEFT""The festival was good, lots of wonderful food and beautiful fireworks," Nisei said, reading off of his notes./p
p align="LEFT""There was a ReMare attack, however," I added. We had defeated Minotaur. People would remember him being there./p
p align="LEFT""Yes," Nisei said shortly./p
p align="LEFT""There was a little damage to the stalls, but Year, Winter, Fall, and Summer managed to defeat an incredibly strong ReMare named Minotaur," I said. "The festival was able to continue as usual, with the planned fireworks and dancing."/p
p align="LEFT"Nisei was quiet, staring at me./p
p align="LEFT""Please stay safe, Oara. These Kamen Riders are doing their best to protect your precious memories," I said./p
p align="LEFT""No," Nisei said suddenly./p
p align="LEFT""Excuse me?" I asked./p
p align="LEFT""Summer isn't there to protect everyone." Nisei said, crossing his arms./p
p align="LEFT""He fought Minotaur bravely, protecting Fall's memories. I saw it myself. It was cool," I said, and before he could argue more, I continued, "It's time for Oara Morning Driiive!" I switched to a lineup of music. "What the heck are you doing?"/p
p align="LEFT""I am not your friend," he said, glaring at me./p
p align="LEFT""You fought with us. We want to protect you too," I said./p
p align="LEFT""It's none of your business what I do. I don't have to join you," Nisei said./p
p align="LEFT""No, you don't," I said, "But you also don't need to be difficult."/p
p align="LEFT"'I am not being difficult," Nisei said. "Do not talk about Summer as if I am part of your group./p
p align="LEFT""Fine," I said, annoyed. If he was being stubborn, I certainly wasn't going to argue with him about it on air. "We'll talk about something else."/p
p align="LEFT""Good," Nisei said. And when the show went back up, that's what we did. It was awkward and tense, but somehow we made it till my lunch break without totally falling apart./p
p align="LEFT""Next up, we have Lunch Rush Music Hour! This has been F.M. 98.5 Mei Brigade!" I said, and turned off our microphones. "Thanks for your hard work," I said to Nisei. "Do you want to go get lunch?" I asked. I didn't particularly want to eat, but I did want to see if I could convince him to be a little more cooperative./p
p align="LEFT""I have better things to do with my break than eat human garbage," Nisei said, before standing up, bowing severely and walking off. I stared after him. It was the rudest he'd been to me without actually just screaming in my face, like he did when he was transformed./p
p align="LEFT"Whatever. I went to eat quickly in the staff room./p
p align="LEFT""Not going out today?" Oscar asked, coming in to rinse out his coffee cup./p
p align="LEFT""Not to eat, anyway. I've got rice balls today. I might leave to stretch my legs. Check to make sure there aren't any ReMares causing trouble. You know," I said, biting into a rice ball. It was about like biting into packing peanuts, despite knowing it should at least be a little sour, with the soft pickled plum in the middle./p
p align="LEFT""You usually eat something heartier than that. Are you trying to diet or something?" Oscar asked, putting his cup to dry./p
p align="LEFT""No?" I said, baffled that he'd even ask./p
p align="LEFT""Oh, well… I see. I could give you tips if that's what you wanted. Eating nothing but rice isn't great for a diet," Oscar said, turning his nose up. If I let him, he'd go on a rant contrasting the benefits of French and Japanese food./p
p align="LEFT"I shoved the last rice ball in my mouth and stood up. I didn't want to have that conversation. Another time, I'd be happy to argue with him about it, but I couldn't stomach it now. "I gotta go. See ya!"/p
p align="LEFT""Wait up! I need to go shopping too," Oscar said, dashing off to get his shoes. I sighed. If I had wanted people picking at the way I was eating, I would have went back to the lab, where their concern was from a place of love, rather than just nosiness. And I didn't particularly want to worry them either, especially when they were busy trying to get Spring made so Rou could fight./p
p align="LEFT""Oh! I almost forgot. I've actually got to check up on a friend. Sorry, another time, alright?" I said, getting ready and escaping the building. He followed me out, still heading to go shopping. I thought to head towards Kamitori, to see Rou and Meiko, but then I spotted Reina across the street, and waved at her. I crossed over at the light./p
p align="LEFT""Hey Reina-chan! How's it going?" I asked cheerfully./p
p align="LEFT""Hello," she said reluctantly. She glanced across the street. "What's he doing?"/p
p align="LEFT"Oscar had stopped on the sidewalk when he had noticed Reina. He took a few hesitant steps back, before turning away and hurrying off./p
p align="LEFT""Shopping. That sure didn't look suspicious at all," I said, still annoyed with him. "I talked with him by the way. It seemed like he didn't remember you, but…" I gestured vaguely in the direction he had walked off in. I was disappointed. Oscar could get on my nerves sometimes, and I suspected some of that was cultural differences, but I worked with him and couldn't help wanting to believe he was a decent person. Not the type of person who'd dump a girl at the altar and talk about her rudely behind her back./p
p align="LEFT""It's fine," Reina said. "There's someone else I like now." She glanced around, as if expecting that person to show up. "It's why I still hang out around here."/p
p align="LEFT""Are they cute?" I asked, glad that she was moving out of the desperate pain that drove her to cooperate with a ReMare./p
p align="LEFT""No… They're cool," she said, trailing off. "Listen, you know them, don't you?"/p
p align="LEFT""Who?" I asked. "I mean, maybe? I know a lot of people. It is part of the whole radio hosting job, you know? You gotta talk to folk."/p
p align="LEFT"Reina shook her head. "No, because you're Year," she said./p
p align="LEFT""Oh. Oooooh!" I said, light bulbs going off in my head. She had been impressed with Meiko when we had rescued her from the ReMare. "Do you mean Winter?" I asked./p
p align="LEFT""Yes. Who is Winter in real life?" she demanded./p
p align="LEFT""Real life? Winter is real," I said confused. Being Year was a part of my real life./p
p align="LEFT""I mean when not fighting weird monsters," Reina said impatiently./p
p align="LEFT""Oh. It's not really my place to say," I said, trailing off. "But um. She's sort of spoken for." Meiko had said she was fine with sharing me with Akito and Rou, because she was fond of them as well, but I sincerely doubt she had any thought to opening our relationship beyond that. Especially not with a stranger. And likely not for herself either. She wasn't that outgoing./p
p align="LEFT"Reina sighed. "Figures. By you?"/p
p align="LEFT""Yeah," I said, ducking my head apologetically. I wasn't actually sorry. Meiko is the best, and I'm still feeling floaty over the fact that she likes me. It just felt like I kept getting in Reina's way unintentionally, when I really hoped she could be happy./p
p align="LEFT"Reina stared off into the distance for a long moment. She sighed again and nodded, as if coming to a decision. "Fine. You owe me an ice cream."/p
p align="LEFT""What? Alright?" I said, shrugging, wishing I could say that it sounded good. "I'm going to Kamitori." I gestured at the bus stop. She nodded primly, and we waited quietly for the bus. At length I said, "You remind me of her, a little."/p
p align="LEFT""Oh?" Reina said, glancing at me./p
p align="LEFT"I nodded. "You are both very cool and elegant in your own ways."/p
p align="LEFT"Reina frowned, "I don't need your pity," she said but her cheeks flushed a little./p
p align="LEFT""Of course not," I agreed. "But it's true."/p
p align="LEFT"The bus took us to Kamitori, which was bustling, full of people getting lunch and shopping. In the distance I heard Puffy-kun's theme song, and guessed that the weird smokestack mascot was having a live performance somewhere down the arcade./p
p align="LEFT"I couldn't help but look at the Momiji Café. I wanted to check on Rou and Meiko before I went back to work. What surprised me, though, was that the café was busy. There was actually a few people waiting outside to go in. Odd, considering I had left the owner of the café at my apartment with instructions to get some rest./p
p align="LEFT"Or not so odd, considering it was Akito and he had been doing nothing but pushing himself since he had returned to the Mei Brigade./p
p align="LEFT""They have good ice cream," Reina said, noticing my interest, "And the owner is cute, even if he is really short."/p
p align="LEFT""I know," I said, "he's a friend of mine, actually."/p
p align="LEFT"She gave me a suspicious look./p
p align="LEFT""Not Winter," I said, guessing what she meant. "Sorry. We did an interview together at the Meiaki Togo Memorial Hospital, and we actually went to high school together, although those memories are kinda… Y'know." I moved my hand to look like something blowing away in the wind./p
p align="LEFT""You have memories missing too?" Reina asked./p
p align="LEFT""Seems like it," I agreed. "It kind of sucks."/p
p align="LEFT""I thought you were immune or whatever." Reina frowned./p
p align="LEFT""Only in the armor, unfortunately. And… sometimes we lose," I said reluctantly. "And it's terrible."/p
p align="LEFT"She nodded, staring at the café. The waiting couple were allowed in, and a large group left, chatting and laughing as they walked. "Let's go in," she said without looking at me, and led the way. I followed her. It seemed like a different place with so many people in it. Before it had felt more like a fancy kitchen in a close friend's house than an actual restaurant. There was no sign of Rou or Meiko, but I figured they must be upstairs in the lab./p
p align="LEFT"Akito, however, was sitting in a comfortable chair at the register, greeting people as they came in. A cute girl in an apron flitted from table to table, taking orders and filling drinks./p
p align="LEFT""What heavenly light breaks through yonder door?" Akito asked shading his eyes as if our presence was blinding. "Is that you, Meiki-chan? What a surprise! And who is this visage of beauty?"/p
p align="LEFT""This is Reina," I said, catching his gaze. Dawning awareness flickered across his face. He had heard about me complaining about her glaring at me whenever I went past her on the street. "I promised to buy her ice cream. Reina, this is Meiaki Akito."/p
p align="LEFT""A pleasure to meet you, Reina-san!" Akito said, smiling./p
p align="LEFT""The pleasure is mine," Reina said, bowing. "I like your café."/p
p align="LEFT""Oh! Such sweet words from such sweet lips. I am unworthy!" Akito said. Reina frowned, blushing a little./p
p align="LEFT""I didn't know you had this many employees, Aki," I said, cutting into his flirting./p
p align="LEFT"He had the dignity to look affronted, "Despite appearances to the contrary," he said, echoing what he had said earlier about being a doctor, "this is a popular café, and I'm actually a pretty good chef," Akito said dryly. "And before you start in on me, I am taking it easy. Go take a seat and Sona-chan will be with you in a moment."/p
p align="LEFT""Alright, Alright," I said. Reina had already claimed a table near the wall. She was scowling, like a cat splashed with water. I joined her. "Sorry, he's a bit much sometimes."/p
p align="LEFT""I hate it when guys say stuff like that when they don't mean it," Reina grumbled. "It's embarrassing."/p
p align="LEFT""The embarrassing thing is that he totally means it," I said, rolling my eyes. She frowned, clearly not believing me. "So… What are you going to do?"/p
p align="LEFT""Order some ice cream," Reina said, looking at the menu./p
p align="LEFT""That's not what I meant," I said./p
p align="LEFT""It's all you're getting," Reina said. Sona came over and took Reina's order. I ordered a small dish of ice cream as well, when Akito caught my gaze from across the restaurant. "It doesn't matter, does it? It sucks right now, but I'll move on."/p
p align="LEFT""That's good," I started to say, when the door opened and Oscar walked in. Reina watched him carefully as Akito also flirted with him before directing him to sit down. Oscar looked confused, but he didn't seem to notice us as he sat down and started looking at his menu./p
p align="LEFT""I changed my mind. I'm going to talk to him," Reina said, standing up abruptly./p
p align="LEFT""Are you sure?" I asked, my voice hushed./p
p align="LEFT"She ignored me and walked over to him and sat down at his table. "Oscar," she said sternly./p
p align="LEFT""Mademoiselle?" He startled, looking at her like she had pointed a weapon at him. "Excuse me, are you a fan?"/p
p align="LEFT""Not lately," Reina said, crossing her arms. "You stood me up."/p
p align="LEFT""I'm terribly sorry?" Oscar said, baffled. "I am trying to order some lunch, could you excuse me?" He tried to hide behind his menu./p
p align="LEFT"I frowned. It had seemed suspicious when he had deliberately avoided us when I went over to Reina, but he did seem like he really didn't know her./p
p align="LEFT""We were engaged to be married, Oscar. And you stood me up to badmouth me in the park with some tart!" Reina said, pushing his menu down on the table. The restaurant went quiet, as people started to awkwardly watch the brewing argument. "You know who I am, don't you?"/p
p align="LEFT""I'm afraid I don't know about that… I have seen you around the radio station. Lately whenever you see me, you either start crying or glare at me," Oscar said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat./p
p align="LEFT""You're lying!" Reina shouted. "You always get squirmy when you lie!"/p
p align="LEFT""I most certainly am not!" Oscar said, his face turning red./p
p align="LEFT""I'm gonna throw your friends out, Meiki," Aki said, sidling up next to me, looking amused./p
p align="LEFT""I'm so sorry," I said, standing up. "I'll see if I can-"/p
p align="LEFT"I was interrupted by an angry scream from outside the store. Hushed whispers fell over the store as people tried to figure out what was going on. I met Akito's gaze. "Summer," I said. He glanced towards the back of the restaurant, and I could read his thoughts on his face. He wanted to go upstairs and get his driver back from Rou. "Stay. They heard it too," I reminded him. "I'll call Winter if I need backup. Keep your restaurant from exploding."/p
p align="LEFT"Akito struggled for a moment, and then nodded. "Go. I'll see if I can fix things here."/p
p align="LEFT""Thanks," I said, and half ran for the door, spurring further murmurs from the customers./p
p align="LEFT"As I opened the door, I heard Akito say, "Alright, darlings, what seems to be the problem here?"/p
p align="LEFT""Okay, Nisei, where are you?" I muttered./p
p align="LEFT""AAAAAAAGGH!"/p
p align="LEFT""Thanks," I said under my breath and ran towards that end of Kamitori. I had to slow to a walk quickly though, to slip through the throngs of people who were dazed and milling around. In the center was a low stage, with Puffy-kun sitting down staring off into space. I heard another yell down an alleyway, and I chased after it./p
p align="LEFT"I crashed into Summer as I crossed another narrow path. He hissed at me, and shoved me aside, before tackling a ReMare with equine features and brown markings. The ReMare struggled and got away, with Summer racing after it./p
p align="LEFT""Well then," I said, and swiped my indigo Memoka across the Time Driver./p
p align="LEFT""Spooky, Scary! Witch!" the driver announced, playing a creepy tune, with indigo light pouring over me, leaving my Witch armor behind. Almost immediately, the Prism charge was complete, and I drew the Prism wand./p
p align="LEFT""Alakazam!" I said, waving the wand sharply. I disappeared and reappeared in front of the horse ReMare. "Stop right there!" I said. It backpedaled instinctively, but on the other end of the alley was Summer, snarling and poised to tackle it again. The horse ReMare hesitated, not sure which was worse./p
p align="LEFT""This is shitty," the horse ReMare said, sighing. "Dang it, this is the worst!"/p
p align="LEFT""Come quietly, and it doesn't have to be," I said softly. "What's your name?" I asked, trying to calm the ReMare down./p
p align="LEFT""It's not like I'm sticking around for you to use it. See you never!" The horse snorted, sinking into the Under./p
p align="LEFT"Summer screamed his objection, and tackled me. I ducked under his arm, spinning out of his grasp. He caught my cape and pulled hard. I staggered back and he managed to get an arm around my neck. I tried to elbow him in the chest, but he ignored it./p
p align="LEFT""Summer, we're busy. What in the world are you doing attacking Witch?" Winter was leaning up against the alley wall in front of me./p
p align="LEFT"Summer snarled at her and tightened his grip, moving back a few steps. I stumbled along./p
p align="LEFT""It's fine. He's on his way too, and I'm sure he'd love to have a chat with you about putting our friend in a choke hold," Winter said mildly, and Summer looked around wildly./p
p align="LEFT"I took that moment to choke out the word "Alakazam," and my magic poofed me over to Winter./p
p align="LEFT"She punched my shoulder lightly. "You alright?" she asked./p
p align="LEFT""Yeah," I said, catching my breath, hands on my knees, "We were chasing a ReMare. It got away."/p
p align="LEFT""Summer fades. Good bye!" Summer's belt chimed, and his armor disappeared. Nisei stood there looking like someone had put sand in his underpants./p
p align="LEFT""You got in the way!" Nisei snapped. "I am hungry and you let Charlie get away!"/p
p align="LEFT""You were going to eat it?" I asked, straightening up./p
p align="LEFT""What else am I supposed to do?" he said, throwing his hands up in the air. "I can't just eat human memories anymore, I've got to eat something!"/p
p align="LEFT""Have you tried… and this may sound unconventional, but bear with me. People can eat…. Food," Winter said, crossing her arms. I stifled a chuckle./p
p align="LEFT""Human food? No! It's garbage!" Nisei's nose wrinkled like she had suggested he should eat a turd covered in mayonnaise./p
p align="LEFT"Which was about how I felt about eating at the moment. I made a fist as if I could punch that thought away. "Even now, with a human body?" I asked, because I had to. "Rou could eat just fine, when Ki was with him."/p
p align="LEFT""Why would I even try it?" Nisei grumbled. "Now excuse me, I've got to see if I can still find that idiot."/p
p align="LEFT""Wait, let me help," I said, "I don't want a ReMare running around here where there's so many people."/p
p align="LEFT""I don't want your help. You'll keep the light for yourself," Nisei snapped, and turned to walk away./p
p align="LEFT""Hey! Stop!" I said, jogging after him. He glanced back at me sharply and stomped a foot. A black pit opened up in front of him and he hopped in. The hole disappeared behind him. I stared after him, surprised he was willing to risk going into the Under after helping us./p
p align="LEFT""Let's go back to the café," Meiko had dropped her transformation, and walked up next to me. "There's nothing we can do with them in the Under."/p
p align="LEFT"I nodded and swiped my hand over the Time Driver. Instead of saying announcing that it was being shut down, it just cackled like a witch, before dropping the transformation. "Let's see if Aki's got a bar fight on his hands."/p
p align="LEFT"The café was a lot calmer when we got back, which surprised me. Aki could be antagonistic sometimes. A lot of times. He was still sitting with Oscar and Reina. They both looked upset, but they were talking normally now./p
p align="LEFT""Alright, alright. The truth is… I do recognize you, Reina. I remember dating you, but… I don't remember agreeing to get married," Oscar sighed. "I'm sorry."/p
p align="LEFT""Then why would you go through the trouble of insulting me? You could have just… I don't know. Broke up with me like a normal person?" Reina said, rubbing her eyes./p
p align="LEFT""And say what? Sorry, I forgot why we were holding this whole wedding thing? Honestly, It looked very… creepy, that a wedding was happening at all," Oscar said./p
p align="LEFT""I would be worried if my significant other was suddenly preparing for a wedding that I didn't think I was involved in," Akito said, glancing up when he noticed I was coming in, "But that doesn't excuse you insulting her."/p
p align="LEFT""I thought she was crazy, alright? This was before I knew about all of this Year nonsense. That it could be anything besides what it looked like didn't even cross my mind," Oscar said./p
p align="LEFT""So, because you thought I was crazy, you didn't think you needed to treat me with respect?" Reina said, her tone raising in anger again./p
p align="LEFT"Oscar sighed, "I'm sorry. You're right. That was awful. Is there anything I can do to make up for it? Do you want to try to… try again now that we both understand what's going on?"/p
p align="LEFT"Reina shook her head slowly. Now that her anger and hurt was directed towards the person it actually was meant for, she seemed a little more relaxed. "No. I don't think that's a good idea. I am glad that we talked though," she said like she was closing a book that she had struggled with, but had ultimately finished./p
p align="LEFT""Again, I'm sorry," Oscar said./p
p align="LEFT""Me too," Reina said. She stood up. "I'll see you around, I'm sure." She noticed I was back. "Meiki, you still owe me an ice cream. I gotta go."/p
p align="LEFT""Sure," I said, and watched her leave before walking up to Aki and Oscar. Meiko followed me. "I'm glad that got sorted out. I was worried about her…"/p
p align="LEFT""Yes. It's excellent, I'm sure," Oscar snapped. "Meiki, these ReMares of yours need to be stopped." He stood up and left as well./p
p align="LEFT""Tell me something I don't know," I muttered./p
p align="LEFT""Right? Neither of them payed for food," Aki complained./p
p align="LEFT""I'll pay," I offered. "I was going to pay for Reina's anyway."/p
p align="LEFT""Nah, it's fine. What happened?" Aki asked. I explained quickly about our encounter with Summer. His face looked serious as he listened./p
p align="LEFT""He might listen to you," Meiko suggested./p
p align="LEFT""He might," Akito agreed. "Could make him less of a butt head if he can eat real food."/p
p align="LEFT"I heard an aggravated yell from upstairs. Meiko sighed. "If food cured that, I'd have less to worry about. I've got to go before he breaks something."/p
p align="LEFT""How is he doing?" Aki asked quietly./p
p align="LEFT""Still charming as ever," Meiko said blandly. "Isn't thrilled that the Spring Driver wasn't finished a month ago."/p
p align="LEFT"Aki sighed. "He wouldn't be."/p
p align="LEFT"Meiko nodded, before leaving to go up the side stairs. Aki stood up gingerly and walked back over to the cash register. I followed. "I don't know if it would help…" I said quietly./p
p align="LEFT""I didn't even say my plan yet!" Aki objected./p
p align="LEFT""Plan?" I blinked, "No… I meant about feeding Nisei."/p
p align="LEFT""Rou still liked eating when Ki was with him." Aki gave me an appraising look./p
p align="LEFT""Nisei is different."/p
p align="LEFT""Do you still think you're turning into a ReMare?"/p
p align="LEFT""I don't know, Aki. I hate this. I don't know what I am." I sighed. "What were you planning?"/p
p align="LEFT""Calling Maneki over and over until we get Ki on the line. And then bothering him until he helps us," Aki said as if he was suggesting the best way to defeat the bad guys was to do a real sick bike stunt on the moon./p
p align="LEFT""I changed my answer. I know that won't help." I smiled. "It isn't your worst idea, but…" I shrugged. It definitely had a high chance of just angering the tiger ReMare./p
p align="LEFT""Yeah, I know. I just wish I could cheer him up," Aki said, leaning back in his chair. His gaze flickered to the ceiling./p
p align="LEFT""Me too. I gotta go back to work," I glanced at my phone. I had left my bike back at the station, so I'd have to take a bus. "If the horse ReMare or Nisei-kun shows up again, let me know, okay?"/p
p align="LEFT""Yes, boss," Aki said lazily, saluting me as I walked out the door./p
p align="LEFT"Nisei didn't show up at work after lunch, and I worried./p