"Well, all's well that ends well, or at least that's what they say."

Sitting on a concrete slope next to a riverbank, Kanade looked out across to an identical slope on the opposite side as excavators and construction cranes began their repair work. After how crazy today turned out to be, she was grateful everything was somewhat restored to a certain degree of normalcy. However, it was still apparent their troubles weren't over yet.

Being safely returned to Perto City by the Gym Leader, Kanade and her friends were greeted by their distraught parents, who were obviously worried about what their children had gone through. Even Motomu, the least social out of them, was still talking with his parents like a normal human being. That last part was too jarring for Kanade to properly comprehend.

With nothing much they could do now that the city itself was free of Ultra Beasts, the group of friends headed down to the nearby riverside, wanting to clear their minds of the harrowing experience from earlier today. It was there that Kanade currently found herself, gratefully enjoying the ordinary view. Sighing in relief, she was thankful nothing particularly bad happened to her or her friends.

"But Kanade-chan, that only applies here. We don't know what the situation is like in other cities." Ririka pointed out, abruptly snapping Kanade out of her musings. "It's only because of the city's relatively low population and spread-out buildings that we managed to escape mostly unharmed. Imagine what an attack of this scale could do to somewhere like Minant City!"

"Yeah, I get your gist, Ririka-chan." Realizing that probably wasn't the most sensible thing to say, Kanade was about to mull over Ririka's words when a sudden thought came to her. "Wait, then what about Kumiko-senpai? Is she gonna be alright? We don't know where she is, so there's a chance she may have been caught up in something bad! Man oh man, I can't believe I forgot about her!"

"Kanade-chan, wait…" Ririka pleaded, but it was already too late. Kanade had already fished out her phone and was rapidly scrolling in the hopes of finding Kumiko's number. Though Ririka never recalled either Reina or Kumiko giving them their contact information, Kanade had somehow located what she wanted, jamming her phone to her ear the very second she found it.

"Brrrt, brrrt… brrrt, brrrt." The dial tones began. As each one ended and the next began, Kanade felt her heartbeat get faster. Why wasn't Kumiko-senpai answering her phone? Did something bad happen to her? Kanade's mind was racing through all the potential possibilities, and a good majority of them scared her. Finally, her line connected to the other side, and Kanade let her worry be heard.

"Kumiko-senpai! Are you alright?" Kanade quickly belted out, shocking Ririka with the speed she was talking at. There weren't many occasions Kanade had shown this level of concern for someone, especially a person who she only met a couple of times. This made Ririka think at least some part of Kanade's reaction was simply an act, though why she would go this far was completely up in the air.

"Um, who is this?" Kanade heard an unfamiliar voice on the other end. This wasn't Kumiko. Freezing up, Kanade didn't know how to respond. Somehow, Kumiko's phone wasn't in her hands. This was bad. Very bad. Whatever Kumiko found herself wrapped out in was a serious matter indeed. Having no other choice if she wanted to learn what happened, Kanade mustered up the courage to speak.

"I-I'm Kanade Hisaishi, a friend of Kumiko Oumae's. Do you know her?" Taking deep breaths, Kanade tried to calm herself down as she felt her eyes moisten up. While she hadn't known Kumiko for that long, the older girl had shown nothing but kindness to Kanade ever since they met. To learn that she was in danger greatly unsettled Kanade.

"Greetings, Miss Hisaishi. I'm Kaori Nakaseko, a member of the Elite Four, and also the nurse currently tending to Miss Oumae at the Dacap Town hospital. How may I help you?" Upon hearing the soothing voice on the other end of the line, Kanade relaxed a little, but immediately tensed up once she heard the last part. Now that she learnt Kumiko had somehow been hospitalized, Kanade wasn't sure what to expect anymore.

"Oh… Then is she alright?" Fraught with shock at the news, no other question could come to Kanade's mind except the most obvious one. A part of her clearly knew Kumiko was certainly in dire straits right now, but she refused to acknowledge that reality, instead clinging onto what little desperate hope remained. That was the only way she could prevent herself from breaking.

"Unfortunately… Miss Oumae's been hit by a sleep-inducing Pokémon move, so she's currently unconscious." Unsure of what exactly that entailed, Kanade continued to listen as the voice on the other side continued speaking. "She just underwent treatment, but only time will tell if it's effective in waking her up as soon as possible."

"Oh… alright then. Thank you very much. Goodbye." Hanging up with a flat 'click', Kanade turned to Ririka with a lifeless expression etched onto her face. Being aware that Kanade had just heard the worst, Ririka braced for the imminent impact. "Kumiko-senpai's been hospitalized. She's currently unconscious after she was hit by a Pokémon move."

"What? No way! I can't believe Kumiko-senpai got hurt!" Overhearing what Kanade said to Ririka, Yume was frightened by the news. From her perspective, Kumiko was an impressive Trainer, so the mere prospect that she was injured sent shivers down Yume's spine. Whatever was powerful enough to put Kumiko out of commission greatly unsettled Yume.

"C'mon, Ririka. Let's go visit Kumiko-senpai." Ignoring Yume yet again, Kanade decisively grabbed Ririka by the wrist and began to drag her away. Not wanting to miss any chance she got to see Kumiko, Yume haplessly tagged along, hoping that she could at least get some recognition along the way. From where they sat, Motomu, Mirei, and Satsuki looked on in confusion.

Despite their own safety, none of them were feeling secure at all.


"Mamiko, come on! Aren't you going to join us?"

Hearing Tomoe call her over, Mamiko recalled her Pokémon after they finished helping her to clear a patch of rubble. Thanks to the timely support of her friends, Minant City managed to remain mostly intact, with Izumi's expert guidance allowing them to quickly handle the Ultra Beasts. Once the fighting was over, the four women split up to assist in cleaning up the city.

To Mamiko's surprise, her friends were surprisingly competent in that regard, getting all their work done faster than her. Even with her Pokémon chiming in, everyone had already reconvened at their meeting point, leaving Mamiko behind in the dust. Now that her friends were waiting, there was increased pressure on Mamiko's shoulders to hurry up, so she did just that.

Finally finishing what she needed to do, Mamiko was about to head over and reunite with her friends when she heard her phone begin to ring. Digging it out from her pocket, Mamiko was surprised when she saw that the incoming call was from Asuka Tanaka. Confused as to why a member of the Elite Four wanted to talk with her, Mamiko assumed the subject matter had something to do with the Ultra Beasts.

"Hello, is this Mamiko Oumae?" Tanaka's voice came in from the other end. Unlike the other times Mamiko had spoken with her, Tanaka's tone carried an air of seriousness to it, slightly unsettling Mamiko. Whatever had caused the normally bubbly and energetic Elite Four member to speak so solemnly was certainly troubling.

"Yes, Miss Tanaka. What do you need to tell me?" Cutting straight to the chase, Mamiko waited for whatever bad news would soon reach her ears. She briefly wondered if this was related to the League in some way, but quickly dismissed that thought. Any League communications would normally be done by an aide. With something more personal being the next most likely option, Mamiko braced for the worst.

"I found your little sister Kumiko and her girlfriend at Houkago Records. Somehow, Kumiko was hit by a sleep-inducing Pokémon move, which rendered her unconscious. I've taken her to the hospital in Dacap Town." Asuka informed Mamiko. Nearly dropping her phone upon realizing the true extent of what happened, Mamiko was left speechless at this revelation.

Just what was her little sister doing at Houkago Records? The last time she saw her, Kumiko was at home, brooding about… No. The Kumiko she knew wasn't that reckless. Just because Reina had been kidnapped by HTT didn't mean that Kumiko would stage a daring heist in an attempt to rescue her. Even though their love certainly ran deep, Mamiko wouldn't say it was that powerful.

But… everything lined up perfectly once she thought about it. Kumiko had kept her door locked since she returned for the second time that night, and Mamiko hadn't gone to check up on her. She had planned to do that the next day, but the Ultra Beast invasion forced her to leave home in a hurry early this morning. In her haste, all her worries about Kumiko were forgotten. And Mamiko now paid the price.

Because of her oversight, her little sister had been hurt. She didn't know why or how it happened, but Mamiko was distraught she wasn't by Kumiko's side at that moment. As her older sister, the last thing Mamiko wanted to see was Kumiko harmed in any way or form, and she had no idea how to confront that fear now that it was reality.

"Alright… Thank you for the information… Goodbye." Hanging up on Tanaka with a desolate 'click', Mamiko sighed to herself. Her eyes beginning to water, Mamiko almost screamed out loud, but restrained herself at the last moment. If Kumiko had caught her doing that, it would no doubt be embarrassing for Mamiko. Even if she wasn't physically there, Mamiko still needed to set a good example for her sister.

"Mamiko, are you alright?" Touka asked, noticing how her friend's mood abruptly doured. Going over to check on her, Tomoe and Izumi followed as well, worrying about what could've happened to cause such a sudden shift in Mamiko's demeanour. Fighting back tears, Mamiko quickly answered her friends. They deserved to know the truth.

"My little sister's… been hurt. I don't really know the details, but I've got my own… suspicions on how that happened." Sending out her Wigglytuff, Mamiko held on to it. "She's currently at the hospital in Dacap Town. If you don't mind, I'm going to go over and check up on her now. Is that alright with you?"

"Of course we don't mind, Mamiko." Izumi reassured her friend. "Since we're all older sisters here, there's no reason we're going to prevent you from seeing your sister. In fact, we can come along with you if you want. That's the least we can do to support you, isn't it?"

"Yeah, you're right." Smiling at her friends, Mamiko looked on as they latched on to her Wigglytuff as well. "I can't thank you all enough for this. It really means a lot to me. Once I've confirmed my sister's alright, I'm treating you all to drinks tonight at the best bar in town. Deal?"

"Deal." As they Teleported away, Mamiko was comforted by her friends' warmth.


"Azusa, I've got some news for you. It's about your friend Kumiko."

Turning around, Azusa Sasaki looked right into the eyes of Mirai Sezaki, who was walking at a hurried pace towards her. For the normally collected Gym Leader and senior, such a frenetic speed clearly wasn't normal. Wondering what could've unsettled Mirai to such an extent, Azusa was naturally disturbed as well, especially when it related to one of her friends.

"What's it about, Mirai-senpai?" Halting immediately, Azusa allowed Mirai to catch up with her before the two started walking again. Their steps automatically syncing up over time, the pair moved in unison as they headed to Azusa's destination. Though Azusa certainly was worried, her legs didn't betray that fact, continuing their steady march without skipping a beat. Such was the discipline being in Rikka gave her.

Once her squad finished dealing with the Ultra Beasts in Eigve City, Azusa returned to Rikka headquarters with them to unwind. While the situation across the region was slowly coming to a close, Azusa's team was still put on standby in case something unexpected popped up. Everyone had already been caught off-guard once. No one wanted it to happen again.

"Remember what you mentioned to me about Kumiko's girlfriend being kidnapped by HTT?" Mirai's comment made Azusa recall she previously said something about that to her. After Mirai was called back to Eigve City to help deal with the Ultra Beasts there, everything had gone so quickly Azusa forgot that happened. "Well, Tanaka found both of them at Houkago Records earlier today, and Kumiko was discovered unconscious due to a sleep-inducing Pokémon move."

"What…?" Taken aback by this sudden development, Azusa failed to realize that she and Mirai had already arrived at her team's break room, and everyone else was staring at them in disbelief. Rapidly braking in her steps, Azusa then took a seat in between Amika and Serina, while Mirai folded her arms around her shoulders. Neither Shiho nor Tiachi batted an eye at the attention Azusa received.

Thinking back to the conversation she had with Shuichi yesterday, Azusa's eyes widened as she realized what must've happened. After Reina had been kidnapped by HTT for whatever reason, Kumiko most likely swooped in and rescued her, only to get hurt on the way out. Though such bold action didn't fit the Kumiko she knew, Azusa couldn't imagine any other scenario.

"Azusa-chan, is everything OK?" Amika asked, noticing the worried expression forming on Azusa's face. Wrapping her arms around Azusa for a cuddle, Amika didn't know how to deal with this situation. Seeing as she had completely no idea what Azusa just heard, preemptively comforting her was the only thing Amika could do. Looking over, Amika saw that Serina was doing the same as well.

"No… I need some time to process the news. After that… well, I don't know." Shaking her head, Azusa closed her eyes and took a deep breath. While she didn't know Reina that well, hearing she and Kumiko were in a relationship meant Azusa couldn't help but also care about her condition. No matter who you were, having the person you loved forcibly ripped away from you was bound to be traumatic.

However, Azusa was more concerned about how Kumiko was faring. Having been on the receiving end of Pokémon moves several times, she had first-hand experience of how much they hurt. As Pokémon were much tougher than human beings, their attacks needed to hit harder, which translated to comparatively severe injuries on the human body. Several visits to the nurse's office taught her this the hard way.

Azusa had never been attacked by a sleep-inducing Pokémon move before, but she could hazard a guess on how damaging it could be based on past experience. Mirai said she heard Kumiko had been rendered unconscious, but Azusa suspected a coma was the more likely effect. Unless there was some sort of treatment for this type of condition, Kumiko would be stuck in a vegatative state for quite a while.

"Sasaki, do whatever you want. As long as it isn't stupid, we'll stand by your side." Serina nodded at Azusa in affirmation. Letting out a small chuckle at Serina's words, Azusa's mood brightened ever so slightly. As Amika, Serina, and Mirai let go of her, Azusa stood up with firm resolution, now having a clear idea of what to do next.

"Alright then. I'll visit Kumiko in the hospital. Even if she's in a worse state than I expected, she still needs a friend by her side." Announcing her intention to everyone in the room, Azusa's voice was brimming with confidence. About to stride out of the room, Azusa felt her hand being grabbed. Turning to see who it was, Azusa was surprised that both Amika and Serina were clutching on to her.

"Azusa-chan, we'll go with you. After all, you also need friends by your side when you're troubled." Amika smiled at her. Flashing a grin back at Amika, Azusa felt more sure of her spur-of-the-moment decision. Following a playful nudge from Amika, Serina's facial expression became less glum as she let out an exasperated sigh.

"What she said, Sasaki." Serina's voice was gruff, but Azusa instinctively knew she genuinely meant well. Grabbing both Amika and Serina by their hands, Azusa headed out of the room with them, feeling relieved by their support. Though she didn't know how Kumiko was faring, Azusa was confident she could weather any storm ahead.

"Great! Let's go!"


Hazuki was not having a good day.

After being reunited with Shuichi in a completely unexpected turn of events, she headed to the Dacap City hospital with him and Midori. As the latter had her Audino Apaise with her, Midori thought it was a good idea to help out there considering how busy it would be, and leave the fighting to someone more experienced. having no other plan, Hazuki and Shuichi quickly agreed with her.

However, this plan didn't take into account what Hazuki and Shuichi could do. Once Midori started helping out at the hospital, Hazuki and Shuichi were now all alone as they waited for her. Deciding to take a walk and calm herself down, Hazuki left Shuichi right where he was, only to return and find Reina…

Taking a shaky breath, Hazuki tried to force herself not to think about what just happened, but she couldn't push those shocking memories out of her mind. Not even the appearance of her friend Tsubame could shake her out of the funk she found herself in. Seeing Shuichi being brutalized like that made Hazuki feel uncomfortable, and she didn't like it one bit.

Just why? Just what did Reina have against Shuichi? Just why was Reina here in the first place? Hazuki had never seen Shuichi and Reina interact with each other before, but the encounter she witnessed seemed to suggest the two had some history. Despite all her flaws, Reina wouldn't suddenly attack someone out of the blue. Hazuki knew that for sure.

But what? What had Shuichi ever done to Reina? To Hazuki, Shuichi was just a regular teenager. He didn't look like the type of person who would be the target of someone else's revenge. Was Reina the one being irrational here? So many questions were swimming around in Hazuki's mind, but it hurt to try and make sense of them all.

"Excuse me, you can go in and see him now." A voice temporarily tearing her away from her troubled mind, Hazuki looked up to see a nurse staring down at her. Quickly flashing back to the present, Hazuki then remembered what happened after the incident with Shuichi. He had swiftly been taken to the emergency room, and Hazuki was waiting outside ever since.

"Th...thanks." With the nurse's departure, Hazuki stood up and prepared to step into the room, nervous about what she would see once she entered. Blood was spilling out of Shuichi's neck the last time she saw him, so Hazuki naturally worried about his condition. Opening the door with bated breath, Hazuki braced for the worst.

"Hey, Hazuki." Sitting upright in bed with a strip of gauze bandage wrapped around his neck, Shuichi looked over to see who just entered the room. Overwhelmed with relief that he wasn't seriously hurt, Hazuki ran over and embraced him, taking Shuichi completely by surprise.

"I'm so glad you're alright…" As she felt Shuichi's warmth flow through into her body, Hazuki realized just how much she appreciated it. She hadn't noticed it before, but there was something about Shuichi she found comforting. Despite how ordinary he seemed to be, perhaps it was this plainness that attracted Hazuki to him. Being someone who often thought of herself as someone quite normal, it was a good fit.

"Yeah… The doctor said it was only a surface level wound, so there's nothing to be worried about." Wrapping his right arm around Hazuki's back, Shuichi felt confused about why he did that for a moment, but embraced the idea nonetheless. Surprised by his gesture, Hazuki's face turned a bright red. She didn't expect this to happen.

"Thank goodness… I was worried sick about you." Despite her blush, tears were beginning to stream down Hazuki's face. Hugging him tighter, Shuichi felt his cheeks getting hotter, but Hazuki's body heat distracted him from that. It was the first time in a long while that he had been so intimate with someone like this. Savouring the moment, Shuichi did the only thing he could.

As she was looking into his eyes, Hazuki felt that Shuichi was quickly leaning in closer before she felt a sensation on her lips. Wondering what it was for a brief second, Hazuki got her answer when her gaze shifted downwards. Without her realizing it, Shuichi had pressed his lips to her own, resulting in a kiss between them.

"I… I can't believe it… My first kiss…" Her face now a much brighter crimson, Hazuki was at a loss for words once Shuichi broke off the kiss. Though she was completely surprised by the gesture, Hazuki didn't want it to end. Rubbing his hand behind his head, Shuichi let out a chuckle.

"To be honest, that was my first as well." Shuichi certainly was flustered by what he just did, but not in a bad way. "I mean, there's just something I find captivating about you. From how you're always so lively and energetic, to how you jumped in and saved me back there without thinking twice… I could go on, but-"

"There's no need to." Closing the distance between them again, Hazuki initiated the kiss this time, catching Shuichi off guard. "You know, I've felt the same way about you for quite a while now. You're so dorky and cute at times, but act really cool when it counts. To me, you're the kind of guy I can't resist longing for."

Even in this most dire of circumstances, at least there was a small glint of joy to be found.

"Thank you for the meal, Ms. Oumae. It was quite delicious."

Wiping her mouth with a napkin, Mayu stood up from her seat at the dining table. After rescuing Kumiko's mother from a trio of Xurkitree, Mayu had been graciously treated to a home-cooked meal. As she had been fighting Ultra Beasts non-stop ever since they began to appear on her way to Relude Town, Mayu was grateful for a warm meal inside her stomach.

Eating together with Kumiko's mother, the older woman had told Mayu quite a fair amount about her daughter, but was still confused as to why Mayu may be searching for her. Dodging the question repeatedly, Mayu knew that any answer she could say would definitely lead to even more questions, so all she could do was give non-replies in their place.

"Do you know where your daughter is?" Mayu had asked. That was the most confusing part of it all. Kumiko's mother had said she was at home last night, only to have disappeared early this morning. While she hadn't expected Kumiko to be here in Relude Town in the first place, Mayu thought it would be as good a place as any to start her search.

Unfortunately for Mayu, it seemed that even if she somehow found Kumiko, it wouldn't be easy telling her anything. From what Kumiko's mother had divulged, it seemed that something bad happened to Kumiko some time ago, which was the reason she had returned home. Mayu could speculate all she wanted on what could have driven Kumiko to such despair, but there was no use in doing so.

"Can I have Kumiko's phone number, Ms. Oumae?" Mayu asked her host. Reasoning that was the quickest way to find out where Kumiko was, Mayu decided to save it for future reference. After all, Kumiko was the most essential piece in the puzzle she was trying to piece together, so tracking her down was currently Mayu's number one priority.

Once she gained Kumiko's contact information, Mayu prepared to leave the Oumae household, but her departure was abruptly interrupted when the front door burst open with a loud 'BANG!'. Wondering if it was a straggling Ultra Beast or an opportunistic burglar, Mayu got her answer upon closer inspection, where she saw someone who resembled an older Kumiko with longer hair.

"Mom! Kumiko's been-" Mamiko began, but then her gaze fixated on Mayu. Immediately recognizing that face, flashbacks then began to enter Mamiko's mind as she remembered what her mentor told her. Nearly gasping in shock, Mamiko wondered why she was here out of all possible places. "No way… you're… How…?"

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Mayu. Mayu Kuroe." Extending her hand out, Mayu felt the clutch of Mamiko's ginger grasp. It didn't take a genius to figure out Kumiko was in big trouble, but having completely no information about exactly what happened didn't help. "You can continue your conversation now."

"Yes…" That brief interlude with Mayu allowed Mamiko to temporarily regain her composure, but she still needed to break the news. "Mom, Kumiko's been hit by a sleep-inducing Pokémon move, and she's currently being treated at the Dacap Town hospital. I'll take you to see her now."

With Kumiko's mother barely having enough time to process the situation, Mamiko grabbed her by the wrist and led her outside, where Mayu saw a Wigglytuff waiting. As they instantly vanished in the next moment, Mayu was left all alone once more. Closing the door behind her, Mayu stepped out, taking in a deep breath before deciding what to do next.

"Dacap Town, hm…" Taking out her phone, Mayu checked her map to see that it was surprisingly close, which meant she could meet Kumiko there if she was fortunate enough. However, Kumiko being unconscious right now would certainly delay her plans, which meant Mayu needed to take that into account. Even so, this was most likely the only chance she would get to meet Kumiko without needing to find her.

"Alright then, let's go." Sending out the Pokémon she used for getting from place to place, Mayu hopped on its back before flying away. The descending sun shining on her back, Mayu rested her head on its neck as she wondered if this was the right choice. Right now, what Kumiko needed was room to recover, not a sudden visit from someone she didn't even know.

However, Mayu needed to meet Kumiko at any cost, so she couldn't hesitate any more. Ever since that fateful day, finding Kumiko was Mayu's number-one priority. Everything from that point forward rested on Kumiko's shoulders, which meant telling her what would come to pass was of the utmost importance. If Kumiko wasn't prepared to face it head-on, then all hope would be lost. Mayu was sure of that.

No matter what she had to endure, Kumiko needed to make it through.


"Can't believe I found you here of all places."

As she took off her sweat-caked top and undid her sports bra, Natsuki turned to face Asuka, whose body was fully unclothed save for her signature red-rimmed glasses. Natsuki didn't know why Asuka was keeping them on, especially when they would make it more cumbersome for her to remove her clothes, but she didn't question it. Natsuki was too used to Asuka's eccentricities by now.

"Ah, then it must be fate that led you right here to me, Nakagawa-chan." Finally removing her glasses and slipping them into her dress' pocket, Asuka watched as Natsuki took off the remaining clothing protecting her modesty. With both of them fully in the nude, all physical barriers separating Asuka and Natsuki disappeared, but the emotional and mental ones still remained. "Why don't we take a shower together?"

"Bwah- what?!" Taken aback by Asuka's proposal, Natsuki didn't know how to react. If Yuuko found out about this encounter, there would be no end to the suffering she would endure. Taking advantage of Natsuki's confusion, Asuka closed the distance between them with a few strides. As Natsuki felt Asuka's body rub against her own, the older girl pressed their foreheads together. This was now getting uncomfortable.

"Oh, it'll be fine. Since the hospital's so busy right now, no one's going to check this area. Besides, even if Yoshikawa-chan finds us and misinterprets our actions, I'll leave you two to your own devices after that. If you want, I can even stay and join in! Though I'd much rather do this with Kaori-chan…" Asuka mused, before using her body to press Natsuki's into the nearest shower stall.

As Asuka turned on the hot water, Natsuki was still surprised that the hospital actually had a shower and hot springs bath facility. Wanting to take a break after everything that happened today, Natsuki grabbed a change of clothes upon discovering this area's existence courtesy of an information plaque. Little did she know Asuka would be here as well.

Shortly after having witnessed the scene between Kaori and Haruka on the roof of Houkago Records' headquarters, Natsuki had been summoned to the hospital by Asuka. Arguing with her on the phone for who knows how long, Natsuki finally relented when she learnt the truth about Kumiko. With worry for her friend trumping everything else, Natsuki hurried over without a second thought.

"You know, you could've led with Kumiko being here." Natsuki nudged Asuka's body a bit to make some room for herself, being treated to a gratuitous view of her body in the process. Averting her gaze for fear of Yuuko's potential reprisal, Natsuki continually dodged Asuka's repeated attempts to get closer again. "Even if I'd have to fight my way through a horde of Legendaries, I still would've thought it was worth it."

"But where's the fun in that, Nakagawa-chan?" Asuka asked teasingly. As the drizzle of warm water poured down onto their bodies, Natsuki felt her hair cling to her skin. That didn't feel good, especially with the amount of grease that had accumulated there. Groaning to herself, Natsuki swore she would one day cut her hair so this wouldn't be a problem anymore.

"Well, my friend being in mortal danger isn't fun!" Slightly miffed at how lightly Asuka was taking this, Natsuki angrily helped herself to generous portions of shampoo and conditioner before hastily smearing it all over her hair. While using the body wash to clean herself, Asuka flaunted her assets semi-seductively at Natsuki, causing the latter to get flustered as the former replied.

"I've got to agree with you, but what happened to Oumae-chan was out of my control. The least I could do for her was get her here. After that, well… Oumae-chan's got to face whatever comes her way by herself." Letting water rinse her body off, Asuka then leerily stretched her fingers out towards Natsuki's hair. Once she swatted Asuka's hands away, Natsuki let out a grumble.

"Can't argue with you there." Spreading the body wash over herself, Natsuki watched as Asuka lifted her legs to clean the remaining bubbles sticking to them. Positioning the showerhead so water could spray over her, Natsuki scrubbed herself as Asuka stepped out of the stall. "But still, I really wish I could do more for her."

"Then why don't we visit her again? Oumae-chan must be starving for attention." Wiping herself down with a towel, Asuka put on the fresh set of clothes she previously set out. Though she wanted to soak in the hot spring baths next, Natsuki did have a point, so Asuka couldn't ignore her like that. Following Asuka's lead, Natsuki got dressed as well, feeling relieved her body wasn't a source of embarrassment anymore.

Heading out of the baths together, Asuka and Natsuki went directly to Kumiko's room. Anticipating Kaori's presence, Asuka took the initiative and flung open the door, only to find she wasn't in the room. A cursory dart of the eyes also revealed the bed Kumiko previously occupied was empty. Gasping in shock, Natsuki briefly wondered if they went to the wrong room before noticing a sticky note on one of the chairs.

Picking it up, Asuka read what was written there. "To whom it may concern: As I haven't observed any adverse reactions from Kumiko Oumae ever since she regained consciousness, I have discharged her from the hospital. This room is now free for use. Regards, Kaori Nakaseko."

"What…? So Kumiko's left just like that? Where could she have gone?" As Natsuki's mouth gaped open in abject confusion, she heard a knock on the now shut door. Opening it, Natsuki saw a small crowd of people outside, some of whom she quickly recognized as people who knew Kumiko.

This situation was going to take quite a while to explain.


A/N: I'm happy to report that I've finished writing the second saga of this fic (though the published version will only be available to read a few weeks later), and after the interlude chapters have been completed, I'll begin writing the third and final saga, where everything will reach its inevitable conclusion. We're now in the endgame.