"So, you two really weren't...getting intimate?" Sena asked slowly, glancing between Kazuma and Darkness from across the table the group had assembled around. After forcibly waking Darkness back up with a slap, (clearly, not the best choice given her elated reaction), he'd forced her to confirm his statements regarding their time training together.

"No. We weren't. Really." Kazuma ground out, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Why is that so hard to believe? Actually, better yet, why the hell were you two standing outside listening to it?!"

"That's besides the point." Aqua retorted almost instantly, earning her a swift glare from her male friend. "Can you really blame us, given your history?"

"Wha-YES! Yes, I absolutely can still blame you!" Kazuma shouted, before turning to Darkness for support. "Can you believe these two?!"

The female knight jumped, shying her head away before muttering, "M-must you put me on the spot like that!? S...so intense…"

"First of all; stop." Kazuma deadpanned, ignoring the moan that followed. "Second, answer the damn question, you raging perv."

"K-Kazuma! Your indecency knows no bounds!" Darkness whined, her cheeks still a bright shade of red. "But if you truly desire my thoughts, I am quite surprised that they both jumped to such a conclusion."

"AHA! SEE?!" Kazuma declared, pointing at the startled crusader with a vindicated smile. "Even she seems to understand how weird you two are!"

"Do not lump me in with the incompetent priest!" Sena sputtered, earning her an offended "Hey!" from Aqua beside her. "And to think I was kind enough to even consider making sure you were alright!"

Kazuma blinked, taking a moment to process the prosecutor's words before it hit him: she wasn't aware that he had technically died back in the guild hall. Of course she would be worried about his well being.

"Well, despite your insistence on me being some kind of perverted sex fiend, I appreciate the concern." He relented momentarily, the smallest of genuine smiles rising on his face. "Truthfully, I'm surprised you even considered as much. Not to be rude, but we're not exactly the best of friends."

"Perhaps not, but it is still only proper to follow up with you." Sena retorted, looking ever so slightly embarrassed as she averted her gaze momentarily. "I...heard a few rumors, and it sounded as though you were badly injured. I'm glad to see that wasn't the case."

"Heh heh, yeah, well, I'm fit as a fiddle as you can plainly see," he reassured. He was still debating with himself whether or not he should let Sena in on his little reviving game with Aqua. While the move Resurrection itself wasn't unheard of, he was afraid pointing it out to her might make her suspicious, and he was already trying to keep the possible mind-control business on the downlow.

"That you are, and I'm happy to see it." Sena assured him, momentarily matching his smile before falling back into her usual, "serious prosecutor" mode. "However, if you are willing, I'd like to ask a few questions about your assailants."

"Oh, uh...sure. I can give you a pretty good idea of what they looked like, I guess." Kazuma agreed, prompting Sena to nod and retrieve a small pad and pen from seemingly thin air. "...do you have magic too?"

"I'm not sure what you mean, Mr. Satou." Sena replied with a brief smirk, before turning to Aqua and Darkness and once more adopting a more serious expression. "While this is your home and you have every right to refuse my request, I'd like to conduct this interview in private."

It may have just been his imagination, but for a second, it looked like Aqua was about to retort. However, before she could open her mouth, Darkness placed a hand on the goddess' shoulder before giving Sena an understanding smile. "Of course, we'll excuse ourselves."

"Thank you kindly." Sena replied, watching Darkness practically yank the goddess towards the hallway, ignoring her mutinous mutterings pointedly. After they left, Sena proceeded to grill Kazuma for the usual information, which he was more than happy to supply.

"So, the main offender was a corrupt priestess with black hair and a long coat with an accompanying cape, and her accomplice was a taller, pink haired woman with yellow eyes and a brown cloak." Sena read aloud, humming in thought as she tapped rhythmically with her pen. "Well, the descriptions match what the other adventurers and guards reported. I still can't believe that two of the Devil King's generals would perform such a risky attack as this."

"Well, I may have kind of mouthed them off a bit when they started antagonizing me. But to be fair, they did offer me a free drink, so my head wasn't exactly in the right spot at the time." Kazuma defended, earning himself a terse look from the prosecutor. "What's that look for?"

"Talking back to two demon generals. Only you would be bold enough to do that." She mused aloud, shaking her head ruefully. "Then again, a number of less polite words come to mind as well."

"Hey, they just showed up out of nowhere and started calling me and my friends rude things while demanding I butt out of their lord's business! Besides, they were talking to the guy who already took down four of their comrades, PLUS they were completely surrounded in a room packed with more experienced adventurers! Don't fault me!" Kazuma whined.

"There's plenty of fault to go around, I can assure you of that much." Sena replied, before sighing and closing her flip pad. "That should be enough for the moment. If you'd like, you can call your friends back in now."

"I would, but...I actually have a question for you. Specifically about them." Kazuma stated, briefly glancing towards the hallway, before turning back around. "Do you think they're acting strange at all? Like, more than the usual brand of weird they happen to get up to."

Sena cocked her eyebrows in confusion. "I'm not sure what you mean. Could you elaborate?"

"Well...do they seem off to you? Out of character, doing things you wouldn't expect of them." Kazuma rattled off with relative ease. "Just...the last few days, I've gotten the sense that something is going on with them, and it could be serious."

Sena leaned forward, becoming more invested the moment she detected Kazuma was being earnest with his concerns. "Have you already discussed this with them?"

If by "discuss" she meant awkwardly fumble his interrogation on them this morning, then yes, he already did that. "Yeah, but nothing worthwhile came out of our talk. If anything, it only added to my suspicion that there's something up with them."

"What exactly sparked this suspicion?" Sena quired, becoming more and more curious by the second despite her better judgment.

"That's a bit complicated," Kazuma relented, nervously scratching the back of his neck again. "See, it all started a while back when we went exploring this new dungeon. I, uh...almost got into a scrape, but we all made it out fine enough. After that, the girls were just...off. Like their switches got flipped or something. You get it, right?"

"I...believe so, yes." Sena answered slowly, seemingly formulating her own thoughts as they went along. "What specifically about their behavior made you so concerned?"

"I don't know. They just became less annoying I guess; started acting more like normal people for once, which is far from their usual MO in case you're wondering." Kazuma explained, pondering for a moment as he selected his words carefully. "It's just...I've known these girls for almost two years now, at least a year and a half. They've never acted like this before, not with any other close calls or injuries."

"How many close calls have you had, exactly?" Sena asked, causing the young man across from her to pause, before actively starting to count on his fingers. "Satou…"

"I guess around...7? That sounds about right." Kazuma muttered casually, earning himself a fresh, sharp glare from Sena.

"7?! You've almost died 7 times?!" The prosecutor sputtered in shock. "I'd say it's very much reasonable that they'd be somewhat worried about your health if you really almost died 7 times!"

"But that's the thing though: they only just started acting weird after the sixth time!"

"Do you even hear yourself right now?!" Sena practically roared, glaring at Kazuma with unexpected intensity as she rose to her feet, leering at him from across the table. "Adventurer or not, you shouldn't treat your own life with so little care!"

Kazuma ran out of things to say, thoroughly surprised with how vehemently Sena seemed so concerned for him. Granted, she didn't know that he had actually died seven times, but judging on her reaction now, he was glad he hadn't mentioned it.

"Ok, look, I didn't mean to upset you." He interjected, hoping to defuse the situation relatively quickly. "I just assumed it was common for adventurers to get into hairy situations. I mean, it kinda comes with the job, like soldiers going off to fight a war. I thought that kind of thing was expected."

"Expected and accepted are not the same thing, Kazuma. You should know that." Sena countered, before sighing and retaking her seat. "I'm sorry, it's just...hearing someone speak about life and death so flippantly is greatly upsetting to me. Your life, like the life of every other adventure, guard, doctor, and average person matters. You should have the opportunity to live a long, prosperous life. The very idea that you're so comfortable with your own demise is...well, it's…"

My lot in life? He thought to himself bitterly for a split second. Where the hell did that come from?! Kazuma was usually one for dark humor, but that last thought was a bit much in his opinion.

"Well, after a rude awakening from a few of my friends, I think you'll be glad to hear that I plan on taking better care of myself from here on out." Kazuma assured Sena, seemingly bringing her out of whatever thoughts she'd been stewing in. "And for what it's worth? Thanks. It's...really nice to know that some really gives a damn about my life besides the people who would be royally screwed without me here."

Sena smiled sadly. How much grief and strife had the boy been through to make him say such things in such a casual way? "A lot of people give a damn about you, Kazuma. Your party, your adventuring friends, your parents, there's too many to count..."

The prosecutor didn't realize it at the time, but the mention of his parents missing him struck something fierce in his heart. He had almost forgotten what Aqua had told him about the reaction his parents had when they learned of his initial death back in Japan. How they laughed at the news of their own flesh and blood passing on into the great beyond…

Oh fuck...that's right, they laughed when they heard about that. Mom and Dad laughing is basically proof they never loved me, r-right? To laugh at my death like that...was I really that bad of a son?

The sudden emotional scar that had unexpectedly been opened by the reminder overwhelmed Kazuma momentarily, tears welling in his eyes before he could even think to suppress them. Sena noticed this almost instantly, and immediately became concerned yet again.

"Kazuma? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's...it's nothing." Kazuma croaked, trying and failing to keep his tone steady as he hastily wiped his eyes. "It's just, uh...my parents didn't really shed any tears when I left home. Heh, some tears of joy, maybe."

Sena's frown deepened severely, worried about just what Kazuma was implying with such a statement. With some hesitation, she stood up, crossed to the other side of the table, and wrapped the young man in a sudden, unexpected hug.

"Wha-Sena?" Kazuma gasped in surprise, not quite sure what to do at first. "I...what are you..?"

"Please don't tell me you've never been hugged before?" Sena said desperately under her breath.

Kazuma chuckled quietly at her whispered worries, slowly leaning into the hug and eventually returning it. "I haven't had it that bad, no. Just...never expected a hug from you of all people."

For once, his joking actually managed to make someone chuckle as Sena said lightly, "Consider yourself lucky then. I'm not normally the hugging type."

"Heh. Luck is one of the few things I've got going for me, isn't it?" Kazuma muttered weakly, before slowly disengaging from the hug and wiping his eyes once more. "Wow, I don't think I've cried like this since…"

He trailed off gradually as he noticed a terribly important development. At some point or another, Aqua and Darkness had reentered the kitchen, and were both staring at him with a mix of shock and sadness. Before he could even get a word out, Aqua practically launched forward, nearly steamrolling Sena as she embraced Kazuma in her own hug, blubbering and sobbing.

"KAZUMA, I'M SORRY!" She cried, either ignoring or completely overwhelming his surprised noises with her own. "I HAD NO IDEA THAT WHAT YOUR PARENTS DID BOTHERED YOU THAT MUCH OR THAT YOU THOUGHT WE DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU! WE DO, I SWEAR ON MY GODLY POWERS!"

"A-aqua! Let go of me!" Kazuma hissed, firmly believing this was another effect of whatever brainwashing, mind-control antics had befallen his group of friends. Aqua may be emotional, but how often did she cry over someone other than herself. "I'm fine, really I just-WAH!"

Suddenly, both Kazuma and Aqua were scooped up into a larger hug by their crusader, who did manage to restrain her emotions a bit better than the goddess, with only a few tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Kazuma, neither of us had any idea you were hurting!" She swore desperately, practically crushing the young man's bones in her embrace. "Please, don't be afraid to come to us in the future for such problems! We want to help however we can!"

That definitely sounds like something a mind controlled person would say. Kazuma thought to himself, before wheezing in ever so slight pain as both girls seemed to tighten their grip in synch. Oh god, I think one of my ribs just cracked. If this doesn't let up soon, I think I'll have to go to the hospital again!

Thankfully, Eris or whatever other powers that be spared the young lad another trip to the ER as an unexpected voice was heard in the room.

"What happened here?" asked a meek voice. Darkness and Aqua loosened their combined death grip on Kazuma as they turned to the source.

"Did we miss something?" said Megumin, piggybacking off of a snow-covered Yunyun. Darkness actually released the both of her companions, allowing Kazuma to stumble free, take a few greedy breaths of air, and respond properly.

"You could say that. I think the better question is what the hell happened to you two?!"

Eventually, after taking a few minutes to change the girls out of their soaked clothes, (NO PEEKING, YOU PERV!) and getting them bundled in some warm blankets, Megumin and Yunyun explained what had occurred on their outing.

"The walk out to our temporary training spot was pretty good, the snow wasn't coming in as heavily then." Megumin explained, sneezing briefly before Sena offered her a tissue. "Thanks. Anyways, after I used Explosion, which was amazing by the way, the wind and snow started to kick up a lot. We had to stop a few times when things got rough."

"It was kinda scary when the wind really started to pick up." Yunyun muttered shyly, still shivering slightly beneath her blanket. "The snow was so thick that I could barely see three feet ahead of myself."

"Well, I think I speak for all of us when I say that I'm glad you're both safe." Kazuma assured them, offering both girls a mug of hot cocoa that he'd managed to whip up with Aqua's help. "I was kinda starting to get a little nervous, honestly."

"Thank you, Kazuma. That's very kind of you." Yunyun hummed pleasantly, before sipping her mug of cocoa and gasping slightly. "Wow, this is delicious! I've never had anything like it!"

"It's a drink from where I come from called Hot Cocoa. I figured you two would like it." Kazuma explained with a proud smile. "If only we had marshmallows, then you two really would have been in for a treat!"

"If they can somehow make this stuff taste even better, I'd be down to try," commented Megumin before taking another careful sip of the piping hot chocolatey nectar. "So like I was saying, we barely made it back here before the storm really started picking up speed. I knew the weather diviner said there was a chance for snow but I didn't think it would get that bad!"

"Well, at least we know for future reference." Kazuma snarked, earning him a half hearted glare from the diminutive wizard. "Maybe you should abstain from Explosion until the weather dies down. Wouldn't want you getting lost in the snow, would we?"

"Is that supposed to be your attempt at a short joke?" challenged the feisty Crimson Demon. "Because I've heard them all, and that one was pretty weak."

"Not really, actually. Just wouldn't want to lose my favorite wizard after putting so much work into her."

The words, which had been half genuine, half testing her reaction in case she was mind-controlled, had their desired effect as Megumin sputtered briefly, her cheeks blooming as red as her namesake as she huddled further in her blanket, muttering about stupid boys.

"Well, speaking of the storm, it doesn't appear to be letting up anytime soon." Darkness announced, looking ever so slightly troubled from her spot next to the window, watching the snow whiz around wildly. "Perhaps Yunyun and Sena should stay the night, as to not make them trek through the storm in order to get back to their residences."

While not opposed to that proposition himself, Kazuma did become slightly worried that the presence of two more girls would hinder his investigations on the ones he already had to babysit on a daily basis. Still, even he wasn't cruel enough to kick two innocent women out into the cold…

"Sounds like a good idea, Dark." He agreed, missing the bright smile that grew on the crusader's face after he addressed her as such. "Would you two be comfortable spending the night? We have more than enough rooms, so it wouldn't be any trouble."

"Well, I never really got to enjoy my break after all this mess happened…" hummed Sena inquisitively. "Aw what the hell, why not! It beats going back out there now. Besides, I'm sure the boys back at the office can manage themselves for at least one day without tripping over themselves."

"I'm more than happy to stay as well!" Yunyun agreed cheerfully, beaming brightly at her surrounding sorta-friends. "It'd be nice to get to know you all as well as I know Megumin!"

A general assortment of agreements sounded from around the group, excluding Aqua, who was not looking forward to sharing Kazuma with two other girls for an unknown period of time because of some bad weather.

Yunyun and Sena both turned to Aqua looking slightly puzzled as to why she had yet to agree. Eventually (through peer pressure most likely) she relented, "Fine, you two can crash at our place until the storm lets up."

Despite being put off by the archpriest's apparent grumpiness, the two women expressed their gratitude nonetheless. Unbeknownst to them, Megumin and Darkness shared worried glances, unsure of how their blue friend would handle the additional distractions provided by the two women when it came to Kazuma.

While the three had already sorted their differences and were more than happy to share him, it always seemed like any amount of significant attention from another girl that was out of the loop irritated Aqua immensely.

All the same, the group gradually dispersed for the evening as the storm raged on outside. Kazuma was walking back to his room later, fully prepared to finally take a load off and get some rest when he heard someone call out to him from down the hall.

"Kazuma~!" Aqua crowed, coaxing a tired groan from Kazuma's lips as he turned around to face her with an unamused look. "I just wanted to let you know that I meant what I said earlier in the kitchen. If you ever get upset again-"

"I'll go to Wiz. She gives better hugs." Kazuma interjected, relishing the shocked look that crossed the goddess' face before he placed a hand on her shoulder. "But thanks. I know you mean well, and honestly, it is nice having you in my corner. Goddess or no."

Aqua beamed at the following statement, giggling happily before leaning forward and wrapping Kazuma in a much nicer hug before briefly pecking his cheek and releasing him.

"See you tomorrow, Kazuma!" She chirped happily before skipping down the hall, leaving Kazuma mildly stunned and even more convinced that she was under one kind of control or another.

"Mark my words, I'm gonna get to the bottom of this." He promised to himself, before opening the door to his room...and immediately shrieking as Chomusuke launched at his face with a startled cry. "HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET IN HERE?!"


SPECIAL THANKS, ONCE AGAIN, TO 0NE SWOOD GUY FOR HIS HELP ON THIS CHAPTER