If any characters die in the Vol. 4 finale, I promise you they will get a chapter focused all on them.

Until then, here's this.

There was something about midnight releases, the stationary thrill of waiting in line with dozens of other people for the same thing that Neopolitan had always found enticing. Having been on the wrong side of the law for most of her life, she really never had the opportunity to do something like this; rather, her and Roman would just go in through the back door and steal it for themselves without any hassle. With their time spent on Big Brother: Ozpin, they managed to have most of their criminal record smudged away (in return for community service on the weekends) and could finally try to readjust to everyday life.

However, one of them was having a bit more difficulty changing lifestyles than the other.

"This guy in front of us smells like pizza rolls," Roman murmured in Neo's ear. The ex-crime lord had been standing with his hands in his pockets for hours, patiently waiting with his partner for the release of Chinpocketmon: Solar and Lunar Versions outside of the biggest video game dealerships in Vale. In an attempt to hide his identity from any former passing colleagues who may pass by (and mock him for his somewhat geeky pastime), he had put on a navy blue hoodie and baseball cap to conceal his face. Neo was less worried about being noticed, and was cosplaying as a Chinpocketmon trainer, complete with a Monster Ball baseball cap, blue and white vest, and Uchakip plushie at her side.

Neo poked Roman in the stomach, telling him to stop complaining.

"Alright, alright," Roman rolled his eyes, "Just wish this line could move a tiny bit faster."

Neo tapped on her watch with a finger.

"Yes, patience is a virtue… Not one I'm particularly fond of, though. You sure you don't want to make one more backdoor bust, for old time's sake?"

She nodded her head no almost immediately.

"…How much longer then?"

Neo held up two fingers.

"Two hours. Great." He peered over the heads of the roughly eighty people ahead of them. With all those people needing to buy the games before them, it would add at least another hour to their wait. And if any of them were suckered into signing up for a Membership Rewards card… It was times like this he really wished he hadn't forgot his cigars back at their apartment.

If Neo wasn't here, he would probably be in the back of a police van now for punching the stinky neckbeard in front of them. He could still smell his pepperoni scented breath, and wished the guy's mother had taught him how to breathe through his nose. Why did there always have to be one of these people at these kinds of events? Everyone else was just relatively normal looking, but here was this guy decked in a stained hoodie that couldn't even cover the lower half of his exposed gut.

Worse yet, he was fairly certain the guy was taking glances at Neo. His partner wasn't the most modest of people when it came to cosplay, and made sure her 'puppies' were pushed up by her vest just enough to show off. While Roman didn't mind most people looking at her (if only to bask in their envy of him for having her), this guy was a bit too much on the creeper spectrum for him to let it slide. He knew very well that Neo could defend herself, but he'd be damned not to stand up and tell the guy off himself.

Roman looked down at Neo, who had pulled out her GameGirl to pass the time. As she pulled up her Chinpocketmon team menu, the neckbeard turned around at the sound of her Uchakip's cry. "Pardon me, m'lady. Is that an Uchakip I hear?"

Scrunching her nose at the overwhelming scent of pizza, Neo nodded and showed the guy her team. Roman watched him carefully, noticing he was looking past her GameGirl and right at her chest.

"Mhm, nice stuff, nice stuff," the guy nodded, "Though that Uchakip is a fairly weak link in your lineup… The name is Plaid. Plaid Q. Urkel. Pleasure to make the acquaintance of such a dashing lady like yourself." He reached out for her hand to kiss it, but Roman wasn't going to let that slide.

"Nice to meet you too, Romeo," he lied, stepping in between them, "I take it you're a hit with the ladies, huh?"

"Y-yes," Plaid lied, stammering as he tried to think up something clever, "I only am the best Chinpocketmon player in all of Vale. The girls swarm to me after my grand victories. I could show your lovely friend here my skill, if she would like."

"Sorry, but I doubt you're better than her," Roman boasted, jerking a thumb at Neo ho was too busy focusing on her game to care, "My Neo managed to beat her rival Yang, who was far more experienced at competitive battling at the time mind you, after only a month of practice while using that Uchakip you think is a 'weak link'. So, do you really want to try your luck?"

Apparently Roman was more intimidating than he assumed he was, as Plaid was sweating like a roasted pig. "N-n-no! Not tonight, I mean! Just, well, I don't seem to be in the exact state of mind for battle right now. It is a very, very specific mentality I have to be in, you see."

"…Uh-huh," Roman said, "Whatever buddy. You do you."

With Plaid turning back around in a flash, Roman sighed and looked to Neo. She shrugged, her show of indifference to the whole situation.

"Yeah, figured you'd say that. Just looking after you, that's all."

She glared at him, raising an eyebrow.

"I know you can look after yourself, Buttercup. You don't need to tell me. People like him just piss me off. If we weren't trying to change, I'd take Melodic Cudgel and-

Neo hopped up and bopped him on the forehead with her palm, trying to knock the thoughts of violence from his head.

"Ow! I was kidding! Jeez, it's like you completely forgot how we used to be…"

Biting her lip, Neo turned her GameGirl off and made some sign language at Roman. It was dark out, but he could easily read her hands.

"You might want to forget, but it isn't that easy. We can't just erase it. Our pals know what we were, and they're fine with it. Leaving it all behind is leaving behind a lot of things I really don't want to forget. You know what I mean, right?"

Of course she did.

It was the day she first felt alive, like her life had meaning. Those alleyways and sewers she used to traverse for nearly her whole life had led her to an underground slave ring, where the head honcho thought she would be a perfect sell to a drug dealer way out in Mistral. Someone small like her could easily be stuffed in a crate, he said. She had tried to run, taking them on a wild chase through the slums of Vale, but they easily caught up to her when she tried to escape into a local bar. She was surrounded, thinking that it was better to take her own life than suffer through what awaited her…

Until Roman stepped in.

She had pinned herself to the bar counter, hunkered down under the stools to avoid the men who wanted to steal her away. The young Roman had been sitting just beside her, his orange hair standing out in the murky, smoke filled room as he huffed on a cigar. His hair hadn't grown over his one eye yet, and he was lacking his signature eyeliner. He had looked down at her from atop his stool, seeing the fearful tears in her eyes as her as her assaulters closed in like wolves. He had handed her his cigar with a wink, putting his bowler cap on her head as he took hold of Melodic Cudgel and beat the hell out of the men. After he was done, she took his hand and walked out with him, never looking back.

Roman was right. To forget her past was to forget the most important thing that ever happened to her.

Two hours went by like nothing after that. Roman had taken his own shot at Neo's team to kill some time, but realized he had trained her too well: she had easily swept him under the rug, 6-0. His countless rematches didn't go any better, and he admitted defeat just as the crowd at the front of the line erupted in cheers. Neo's eyes lit up, and Torchwick would be lying if he said he wasn't a bit giddy too. Any Chinpocketmon fan has the right to freak out at being able to earn the newest pair of games.

"Took long enough," Roman grinned, putting his arm around Neo's shoulders, "Let's go-

"MOOOVE!"

Like an Ursa Major plowing through poorly trained Huntsman, Plaid took off at breakneck speed in front of them, steamrolling through customers in front of him like they were twigs. Before anyone could realize just what had happened, the man was inside the store at the front desk.

"Didn't expect big boy's Semblance to be super speed," Roman shrugged, stepping over fallen customers, "Come on, Neo. Let's get the games and go home."

Several dozens of toppled people later, and the duo finally stepped foot in the game dealership. Plaid was panting as he leaned over the front counter, a shit-eating grin on his face as he stared down the employees at the registers.

"Sir!" one of the workers pleaded, "You can't do that!"

"Oh yes I can," Plaid said, "My father is in charge of all the stores in this district! If I told him that you all disrespected his son, you're all out of a job! So give me what I want!"

Roman and Neo didn't like the sound of that. They approached the big man-child, tapping him on the back to catch his attention. "Hey there, buddy. What's going on here?"

"Heh-heh," Plaid laughed nervously, still intimidated by Roman, "I'm making cash here! I'm buying every copy of Solar and Lunar Versions with my father's credit card to sell them on C-Bay for double the price! Its genius!"

"It's a dick move," Roman glared, Neo imitating him. Sure, he could see the profitability in Plaid's motives, and hell he would have done the same a few months ago. But not now. With Neo trying so hard to change, dammit he would too. "All of those people and us have been waiting hours for these games, and here you go and just force yourself up here to do this?"

Plaid gave him a twisted smile, looking at Neo beside him. "If you want a copy so bad, I'll give you one for free… If you let your girl kiss me."

Neo clenched her jaw, doing her best to not lunge and bite his face off. Fortunately, Roman was there to part her on the head with reassurance. He winked, a peculiar gleam in his eye, one that Neo recognized right away.

It had been a while since he had to use his power. Back then it made his job too easy. Too many simple minds to influence, too many smart ones to fail against. Life without using a Semblance was much more fun. But times like this… Hell, they were perfect.

Roman put his hand on Plaid's shoulder, looking him straight in the eye. The sleazebag felt a strange sensation come over him as a tint of orange filled his irises. Roman's voice sounded very drawn out and low, like… he was being hypnotized…

"You're going to buy us the video games," Roman said, waving his hand past Plaid's face.

"I'll… buy you the video games."

"You're going to buy them for everyone outside too."

"For… everyone outside too…"

"You're going to go home and stick pepperoni up your nose," Roman was having too much fun with it now. Neo giggled from behind him; she missed seeing his tricks on the weak minded. "And you're going to do all of this right now."

"Okay…"

Moving stiffly, Plaid put his credit card on the counter. "I would like… to buy all the copies… for everyone…"

It was a demand the cashiers were more than happy to fulfill.

The two ex-criminals snuck away from the cheering crowd of fans, all shocked and overjoyed that they had gotten free $40 games. None of them were aware of just what had brought this token of charity down on them, but they weren't complaining. Neo and Roman walked down the moonlit street, both playing their new games as they made their way home.

"You know," Roman said as he picked his starter, reflecting on his good deed, "I think I know why Little Red wanted to be the hero now."

Neo smiled, leaning into his side as they stepped under a street lamp. She slipped under his arm, reaching up to take his hat and wear it herself, just like she did on that fateful day. "…You always did…"