[WARNING] The following story will consist spoilers for Blue Archive's Main Story Volume 3.

Yuna startled by the ringing and the engine of a Crusader. Her eyes darted out of the window, the usual sight of students and peace returned for her only when the cruiser tank and two accompanying Foxhounds drove pass the café.

"Are you okay, Yuna?"

Her friend, Yuri, sitting opposite of her asked, concerned at the long look of her face and oddly still tea cup. Yuna's attention returned to her friend and her phone, and nodded weakly.

"I'm okay… Excuse me for a moment."

She took a glance at her phone, the cup returned to the table. A phone number, contactless, but she recognised it. She hesitated, something told her not to yet she was compelled to answer it. A second of silence before the call hanged up. Her heart weighted heavily at that moment.

"You don't seem to be well." Yuri wasn't convinced when she saw the strained face of Yuna. "Are you sick?"

"No, no, it just… I'm worried…"

Yuna set her phone on the table before gazing out of the window. Her right hand rested on her mouth and coloured her face with uncertainty. Yuri inched forward to comfort Yuna.

"It's certainly worrying, but everything is going to be fine soon. It's probably just a patrol."

Yuri had long known Yuna since their first year. A calm doll, was her first impression, when she met Yuna for the first time in a church. She was no less than the usual height of a girl, yet her posture remained mature but calming. The light pink hair that remained at chest length for three years, gentle blue eyes and calming voice illustrated the person known as Yoshikawa Yuna for Yuri.

A simple greeting soon turned into a long-lasting friendship before they joined the Tea Party together. It wasn't anything major, with them being just handling various tasks associated with the administration, but it was still nevertheless achievements in Trinity. Yuna in particular was excellent. Efficient, well-mannered, and trustable, she gained the trust and respect from many people. Soon, she was nominated as one of the most promising first years in the Pater faction and remained such, a secretary of prestige. Certainly, such girl would not have any worries?

"It been just a week after the Eden Treaty incident and we already knew the preparator. As long as Justice Task Force keeps the security tight, I don't think it will happen again."

"Yeah, it won't, but…"

"Just tell me if you can, if anything is weighing you." Yuna persuaded her. "I'm your friend after all."

"Thanks… but it's something personal. Next time, maybe."

Yuri didn't seem to be convinced, nor intended to leave her alone. Yuna's complexion was not improving ever since the Eden Treaty incident. It was terrible, indeed, and one sparks could had led them to a full-scale conflict with Gehenna Academy. There was also the attempted coup d'état, which the preparators are identified as radicals from the Pater faction. Neither her or Yuna were involved, as they had distanced themselves from the cause and during the incident, managing the premise. The only reason they escaped any harms was due to their roles on the academy ground itself. So, why is Yuna seemed scared? Yuri could not understand for the first time, as she watched her image of a well-mannered and composed lady broken down.

Was it the Eden Treaty she was concerned about? Maybe she thought of what if she was there? Maybe, if she was the one there? Maybe, if it resulted in an full-scale conflict?

From what she heard, it was a cruise missile strike, a rarity in Kivotos, followed by a triggered chain of explosion at the Old Cathedral. Causalities were high, and even the famed disciplinary heads known as Kensaki Tsurugi and Sorasaki Hina were gravely injured. One spark was all it took to start a bitter fight between Justice Task Force and Prefect Team, before the eventual full-scale conflict between Trinity and Gehenna. The last bit was avoided, just barely, much to everyone's surprise and relief. Details remained sketchy, however, but Yuri wasn't interested in it. If anything, she just prayed that everything will be fine, and a moment of tranquillity for her and her friend here.

Yuna could see the concerned face of her friend, a genuine concerned face, and the weight doubled. The Eden Treaty incident ended with it broken down completely, the only thing that survived was a ceasefire delegated by the Federal Investigation Club. The Pater faction was rid of its radicals, most if not all, by the Tea Party after the attempted coup d'état. An independent commission of Tea Party, Justice Task Force and Sisterhood was formed, with the intention to fully close the Eden Treaty incident, once and for all, and progress was going well. Everything was good outcomes, but the reasons of her anxiety.

The fear of meaningless, the fear of betrayal, the fear of repercussion?

"Is it… something I can't help?" Yuri asked again.

Yuna shook her head, trying to depress her anxiety in front of her friend. "I can handle this myself."

"Is… the call related?"

"… Yes."

Came the reply after a bit of hesitation.

"… Here, Yuna, the cake you loved."

Her finger stopped from tapping and rubbing the surface of the table when Yuna saw the plate of cake in front of her. She did not realise that the silence she gave and the thought she dwelled into had gone on for some time. Yuri offered an assuring smile.

"It's our rare time of relaxation and one in the few times we managed to reserve these cakes. It would be a waste if we keep this gloomy mood."

Yuna accepted it with a small smile, and they returned to their friendly chat within the peaceful café. Conversation about studies, schools, futures. Small, calm, yet growingly uncomfortable for Yuna. The longer it goes, the heavier it weighed. For long, it never had been an issue, but the one spark—that was an uncertainty.

Maybe, nothing was of naught. A decision, indeed, and things to do soon. Sooner or later, when the phrase became of certain, of truth, of binding.

"Thanks for the meal~"

The little time was interrupted, by the expected yet dreaded encounter. Yuna's eyes widened upon the sight of a smiling, naïve girl who happily snitching off her remaining cake. The cream left carelessly on her mouth and her joyous cheerful face made her a fooling prankster, but the meaning, it was the impending noose.

"Representative … Misono?"

"Oh, that's a good face you made there, Miss Yoshikawa. How long it been since I last saw you? A week? More?"

Misono Mika stood there, just by the table Yuna and Yuri were sitting. Both were surprised at her appearance, too much, before Yuri's surprise became a glare at Mika.

"Represent- No, Former Representative Misono, I demand an explanation of this."

"Ah, Miss Nagamine. Didn't see you there. How's life? Fun?"

"Don't change the subject, Misono." Yuri questioned, her voice wavering. "I don't recall any release order was issued for you."

"Oh yeah, you are part of the Secretariat, isn't it?" Mika mused. "Together with this lil' miss."

The fork on Mika's hand hovered over to Yuna, whose gaze turned onto her tea.

"But… I'm still technically under detainment. Look!"

Mika's smile never left as her arms flailed like a presenter. Yuri could see the person she referring to. A student in the iconic Sisterhood's habit. Her face seemingly uninterested, looking over Mika as thought urging her to leave. Her Tavor X95 was dangling at chest height over the rather inconspicuous plate carrier. Still, the yellow holster, matching the sister's blond braided hair, with the Sisterhood's symbol, a Desert Eagle, was there, obvious in the open at the belt. Another two Sisters were also accompanying her, each had their Uzi hung by side.

Naturally, Yuri and curious bystanders could only question their appearance.

"Why… A Sister is here?"

"I don't know!" Mika replied. "Maybe they thought I need a religious talk?"

"Mika."

The accompanying sister looked closer upon Mika, who returned the gaze. Mika quizzed "What's up?" but the sister just gestured at Yuna.

Mika shrugged. "Everything starts with a casual chat, you know, Naomi. Everyone in Tea Party is like that but to answer your question, we start with an introduction~"

"Wait! I said—

"Please meet Hiraoka Naomi!" Mika interrupted with a wide smile. "The guard dog whose sole mission is to look over me!"

"Nice to meet you, I'm Hiraoka Naomi, part of the Sisterhood."

"What is the Fourth Church doing here?"

Yuri's mouth stopped at the question. Yuna turned her full attention upon Naomi, who looked back.

"I'm rather honoured to be recognised…" Naomi said.

"The saying of the Four Sisters…" Yuna started. "The First comes to preach, the Second comes to confide, the Third comes to protect, and the Fourth comes to judge."

"Such scary saying exists?" Mika asked in curiosity. "Oh well, not like the Sisterhood had a good reputation to begin with."

"For all I know," Yuna continued, sipping her remaining tea. "The only sisters I know of that appear in such manner is the same Fourth Sister, the Fourth Church that is."

"If I may be straight," Naomi ignored the statement by questioning Mika. "Are you sure?"

"I might be stupid, but yes, now and that's her, our little friend."

"What are you talking about?" Yuri asked, clearly sensing wrong.

Naomi just nodded at the answer.

"There's a warrant."

The swiftness of a bang and clicks sounded the Mexican standoff. Yuna's head was pinned against the table as the muzzle of Yuri's Webley rose, inches off Mika. The amused smile remained there, with Naomi's pistol and the other UZI at Yuri. The tightening grip and stern warning remained unheeded as the Browning remained in Yuna's hand, struggling against the force.

"Do you know what you are doing right now, Mika?" Yuri asked.

"Just as Naomi said, there's an arrest warrant for the Head of Pater Secretariat, Miss Yoshikawa Yuna. She was charged for espionage and involvement in coup d'état apparently."

"From the mouth of this person, that is."

"Now, that's a misunderstanding, you see." Mika sighed. "It wasn't even my order. I'm still technically under detainment anyway~"

"Then who? For all I know, an arrest with armed guards on broad daylight in the public?!"

"It's the current host's order."

Yuri barely stabled her breathing when Naomi showed the paper. Official signs, letters, everything, down onto the minor details. Indeed, it was an official warrant, signed by the host of Tea Party herself, Nagisa and the chairman of Justice Task Force.

"It's direct order from the Tea Party's top brass. Miss Misono is only here to confirm the identity and arrange some details."

"And I don't see a reason why you trusted her words. If anything, isn't—"

"Yuri!"

Rarely, she heard Yuna raised her voice. For the long time she was with her, she could had counted all of the occasions with one hand, and usually it meant something. Her eyes looked at Yuna, disbelief, uncertain.

Yuna made a difficult swallow at her friend's face. She remained calm, yet deep inside, her anxiety, her uncertainty, the emotions she long kept hidden flared up.

Of everything, she decided that her Browning should be dropped onto the floor. It clattered onto the floor before being secured by the sister who remained keeping Yuri checked.

"It's just charges. There's still chances I will be let off free."

"But!" Yuri retorted before her face started to sob. "It's… It's… a mistake, isn't it? Everything will be fine, right?"

Yuna didn't answer, merely letting the sister pulling her away from the table and her wrists cuffed behind her. The sister had made a point by tightening the plastic cuffs, and Yuna got the message.

"Just one thing, Sister." Yuna sounded. "Yuri isn't involved in any of this."

"We only here for you."

Yuna's thought remained cluttered, the last words for Yuri never left her mouth. Instead, the best was just a thin smile, as reassuring as she can, towards the sobbing Yuri.

"Alright, see 'ya~ Take care~"

Mika's voice was as playful as usual, waving at Yuri. The sobbing turned into screams of protests and scuffle with one of the sisters as she watched her best friend escorted out of the café, with the villain smiling widely despite forced to be guided by Naomi. She had long wanted to spend their last year as meaningful as possible, and more memories to be made.

Yet, this had to be the last one.

"That's some beautiful friendship you have there, Yuna."

"…"

"Come on, small talk, will you?"

"Mika, a few words."

Instead, Naomi responded. Mika turned her gaze away from the sight of Yuna getting escorted into the rear of the Boxer, tilting as though of asking what.

"I'm not going to lie, that is some sick play. Can you promise me you are not going to do that again?"

Naomi's face showed a hint of displeasure.

"It's urgent, no?"

Naomi didn't respond but merely walked forward, menacingly before grappling the pink haired girl into the Boxer. Mika just played along, sounding cute as before forced to be seated opposite of Yuna whom sole interest was the same floor Mika had kissed seconds ago.

"Rosaria, Micah's here. Objective Alpha is secured. I repeat, Objective Alpha is secured. RTB-ing now." Naomi called through her radio before ordering the convoy to move up.

The Boxer APC moved along the street, escorted by a Foxhound in the front and a Jackal to the rear. The short distance she covered from the café to here, she noticed only the Foxhound and the Boxer were Justice Task Force's. Only the rear Jackal was manned by the Sisterhood and certainly, the Fourth Church. The previous convoy of Crusader and Foxhounds was the early sign of something, and that call…

"For a backtracking, that was quick."

"Just in case, we need to tag your position. Plus, Intel wanted to confirm some details." Naomi replied as she sat down. "Rina, keep tap on her."

The sister beside Yuna just made sure the end of her Uzi was felt by the girl. It was uncomfortable, sure, but she didn't flinch. She only kept note of the armoured door, the Uzi, and two Justice Task Force members who accompanied them by the doorside. Rather than the usual EM-2 rifles, they were armed with reinforced flash shields and M1014 shotguns.

"Just so you know," Mika started. "These guests are mine, not yours."

"I suggest keeping that to yourself." Naomi said.

"Hey, I just want to remind her that."

"… Since when?"

Yuna asked.

"… Just recently, thanks to a recent mop up." Naomi answered.

Even if a through cleaning was done, Yuna had made sure she remained sterile most of the time. The only evidence she could thought of was the details in separate, regular books, which she considered of disposing if she came to a conclusion. Even then, they should had appeared as regular texts unless something beyond her tipped.

"One of the prisoners coughed up after a long questioning. Nothing concrete but a few details on the codes you guys usually use gave everything up. I'm not going to lie, it took Penemue and the Sisterhood some ardours days to find clues and decipher most of them. Plus, that phone we used to call you. We secured it after a few tracking."

"… I believe there's more to it, Sister."

Naomi glanced at Mika, and only a questioning look was returned.

"Wait, I can start talking?"

"For all the wrong reasons, you decided not to talk now."

"Just kidding, I know how to clean my own mess." Mika laughed it off. "Well, let's say I just remembered seeing you around."

Yuna kept her silence.

"You are somewhere close whenever I up to something, you see. Still remembered once seeing your odd interest in the archives about the Old Cathedrals. You were always around, whenever I deliver the letters, after meeting, during night patrols. If anything, the night we carried out the little plan, wasn't you the one in charge of arranging their arrival? As the Head of Pater Secretariat, it would have been easy for you to smuggle those rascals in. It was clean though, but I still it suspicious when they linked up with me that easily through Pater's territory."

Silence.

"Pater Faction is in ruin, Tea Party becomes much centralised, heck, there's even talk of allowing some forms of peace with Gehenna after this long standoff. Isn't that hilarious? After years of preparation, all came to naught in the end because of mere luck and one little mix."

Mika's smile soon worn thin.

"With all of the plans turned into anything but vain… Let's just say, the gig is up long ago. No reason to keep that appearance up, I say."

The only thing that she felt was despair. A total meaningless. Yet, from the emptiness, her heart no longer weighted. Relieved at emptiness.

A deep breath followed by her back straightened up with energy. Eyes forward, Yuna asked.

"May I add something before the confession."

Mika exchanged glance with Naomi, whom nodded.

"Granted."

"Nagamine Yuri, she's innocent. I swear."

Naomi would have casted doubt on it, but the eyes. She remained uncertain, but Mika smiled genuinely.

"A beautiful friendship, how much I envy you. In the end, you found something in a place you deemed vain. How ironic."

Mika's smile turned upon Naomi. "Yuri's innocent, so keep her safe and nice. Got it?"

"… Copy that. I will inform them—"

"Also," Mika interrupted and offered Yuna the best friendly smile she had. "Depending on your cooperation, I might just convince Nagi-chan to let you off."

Naomi was obviously not fond of that abrupt decision and attempted to protest that condition, but Mika replied with one course.

"Listen, you can't just—"

"The current head of the clean-up crews is me, Naomi, even if I'm under watch. This is nothing but a gesture."

After all, this particular clean-up was ordered by the current host, Kirifuji Nagisa and, for good or worse, will be directed of all thing, the treacherous fool representative known as Misono Mika. Naomi could not understand, how despite the betrayal, that the host would trust Mika again.

Still, that was the last key Yuna needed. She no longer cares what happened behind the curtains. She could no longer hide, nor capable of holding onto her ideal. Everything was in vain already, yet the one salvation was still within reach. A promise where she and her best friend to make the best memory in their third year. For the betterment, for herself and for Yuri, within that small space of noise and guards, the head of Arius sleeper agents only known as Geronimo for years, began to confess her three years journey of secretive, evasive and betrayal.

[Author Note]

A little short but will do as opening. Hello, and it been some time since I actually write one short fanfiction and first, to be honest, trying to write a heavy tone. For a Blue Archive fanfiction, this is rather heavy indeed, but with what happened in Volume 3, I say this fits right in. Originally, I intended this as a oneshot, and probably part of a loose collection of oneshots I intend to write to expand onto Volume 3's details, from the aftermaths of Eden Treaty to maybe, other events such as the Prologue. However, I ended figuring that this particular set should be a dedicated series since it will be focusing one event for now. Anyway, it is short for me, but it been some time since I last actually write something and publish. So, excuse me, and I will write something longer soon. Take care, and stay safe.

Signing off.