The Sunday afternoon came as Erika knocked at Hospital Wing Door Number 1971 while she held a bag of pastries out in her other hand. While she didn't like the overpowering smell of antiseptic and the general sense of sadness that permeated the DA hospital wing, staying there was worth it for the company.

In the times of peace that Japan had been living in, thanks to the work of the Lycoris, two prominent attacks stood out in the minds of the public. The first one of course was the Radio Tower Incident repelled single-handedly by Chisato Nishikigi. The other one was a lot smaller and not as talked about, but still lingered in the minds of some: The Red Jyamato Incident.

Three years ago, a terrorist group, the Red Jyamatos, had taken over an old military munitions depot deep underground in West Kyoto. What made things difficult was that a small group of nearby villagers were kidnapped. DA quickly acted with two squads of Lycoris who ran in, one of which Erika was in. While they were able to kill the terrorists, one of them had a deadman's switch.

In five minutes, the entire depot would be buried along with the people. The Lycoris quickly acted as they took the people, who were knocked out by the terrorists. However, once they got out and the hostages woke up, Erika was horrified to find out that there was another hostage that was taken separately from the rest, a girl just as old as her. Apparently, she was snippy, and they had taken her to a separate location for personal beatings.

However, Kusunoki ordered Erika to stay put as they weren't going to risk the life of a Lycoris for one girl who couldn't keep her mouth shut. She just had to close her heart to the girl's suffering. That's what Lycoris did: kill and repress their emotions.

And as much as Erika tried…. she couldn't.

With only two minutes left, Erika had run in and rescued the girl, her body battered and bruised from torture, nearly getting buried by nearly three hundred kilos worth of dirt. While she had gotten chewed out by Kusunoki for disobeying direct orders and almost got fired, only saved by the welcome intervention of Mizuki Nakahara, she had no regrets about saving the girl.

This girl?

Ruriko Midorikawa, who was out in the village countryside for some fresh air.

After that day, she and Ruriko had become friends (well, Ruriko seemed to be okay with her rambling anyway) along with becoming friends with her father, Hiroshi Midorikawa, a doctor recently hired for DA medical operations assisted by his equally intelligent daughter.

A strange coincidence that they both were from DA to be sure, but as a schoolgirl assassin trained by a shadowy organization dedicated to world peace, strange wasn't exactly…strange.

The door opened as the neutral face of Ruriko showed itself. Her dark hair was tied back in a bun, and her blue scrubs were covered by a thick sweater (which was weird since it was hot inside the room). Her grey eyes showed no signs of change at the sight of her daily visitor, "Hey Ruriko! Just doing my weekly rounds so to speak."

Erika giggled but Ruriko didn't respond.

The giggling stopped though as Erika got more solemn, "Sorry, I was kind of…quiet yesterday when I came around. I visited the family…and…wasn't up for talking much."

"Okay, Miss Janome."

"Non-judgmental as ever! That's why you're great, Ruriko."

"Hm. Was the visit nice, Miss Janome?"

Erika smiled a bit, "Yeah. Just got to stay positive. They're gone but their memories keep me going, you know?"

"I see. That's…nice."

"Well, looking back, I felt bad this morning, so I grabbed some food for you and your dad to make up for being such a downer yesterday."

"I see."

Erika peeked inside the room, "Hey, where is Doctor Midorikawa?"

"Doing some personal business elsewhere in DA."

"No worries. Just us girls I guess," Erika responded happily with Ruriko not speaking at all. Erika opened her bag and she handed Ruriko a couple of books, "I got the next issues of Redman for you too. Man, you seem to like this guy, huh? A bit of crush?"

"No."

Truthfully, Ruriko never showed any signs of liking the books ever since Erika gave her an issue of the Redman series after the Lycoris had saved her all those years ago. But she never bothered to return them to Erika, so she assumed that the emotionless girl liked them. It was either that or she threw them away when Erika wasn't there.

Erika chose to think her efforts to connect weren't in vain.

Ruriko let Erika in as she took a seat at her father's desk. Taking the other seat, the Lycoris placed the bag of pastries on the desk and opened it up, "Gills Taiyakis straight from Agito's Bakery. Itadakimasu!"

Gleefully, Erika bit into a taiyaki while Ruriko just sat there being as still as a statue, "So, how's everything going? Any weird patients lately? No one from DA Garage, I hope. Love that place but I won't lie it is kind of a death trap."

"Good and no."

"Awesome! I uh…. did you hear about my mission two days ago?"

"No."

"Yeah, it went pretty well. Just some gunmen! It wasn't too bad," Erika responded as she took another bite, "We've rounded up most of the guns that Majima passed out all those months ago. Intelligence says that in about five months, we should recover at least….74% of the guns so that's a relief."

"72%"

"Hm?"

"In about five months, DA will recover about 72%. Not 75%"

"Oh, you've been keeping up with our operations huh?"

"Hm."

"But even if we manage to recover all the guns, we still haven't found Majima though which sucks. I mean how do you drop from 2080 feet and survive?"

"His continued existence is…. Worrying," Ruriko commented. It was September 18th, 2023, and the last time Majima was spotted was September 13th, 2022. After Chisato Nishikigi's battle with Majima, DA cleaners attempted to search for his body. The only thing they found were blood stains and strands of his green hair in a nearby broken-down warehouse.

The man has been at large for over a year with no signs of where he could be.

"Right? What a pain that guy is! Or was or whatever his whole state of being is or whatever. I swear if he's some kind of immortal cyborg or something, I'm going to blow a gasket. Ha. Gasket."

"Is being a cyborg wrong to you?"

"That's…. that's an interesting question."

"Hm."

"I mean…. I guess it would be neat. I mean imagine: Robot Erika with a flying motorcycle!" Erika joked as she finished her taiyaki. She reached for another one but realized Ruriko was staring straight at her, waiting for an actual answer.

"Wait…. she was serious? Huh. Guess all those comic books have certainly awakened something in her. Even if it is a weird question, she deserves a serious answer. She is my friend, after all."

"Jokes aside…. if cyborgs existed in real life, huh? Prosthetic stuff like artificial hearts don't count, I'm assuming?"

"Yes. Cyborg being an individual with biomechanical integrations within them."

"If cyborgs existed in real life…I'd have to say…I'm not sure I would really like it."

"I see."

"Yeah. I mean…humans should stay human you know? Why change what works? Sure, humans are fleshy and fragile but…. changing that would be…it would be kind of against the laws of nature."

"I see."

Erika's brow furrowed at Ruriko's response. She seemed…. sad? That…was something she's never seen before. She was taking this question seriously! Her face reddened a bit as she thought back on her answer. It was too cold and callous with zero room for warm emotions. Erika guessed that was the cold harsh Lycoris driving her. She felt ashamed a bit. While she didn't mind being a Lycoris, she never really liked that cold part of her that rationalized inflicting pain on others. Unfortunately, years of conditioning couldn't dispel that part away.

But that didn't mean the Erika part couldn't take the wheel.

"Sorry. That was kind of cold. But…. if I really had to think about it and I mean really think about and consider who I am and what I've been through…I wouldn't really judge someone by their biomechanical nature but…but by who there are. Being a Lycoris all these years has really shown what 'human' is. I've seen…I've seen bad people. Terrorists, serial killers, home invaders…."

"They aren't human. Just monsters wearing human skin. If being human is defined by if someone is purely flesh and bone, then we seriously need to change the word dictionary."

"I see," Erika smiled a bit as Ruriko seemed to perk up a bit, "At the end of the day, the human condition is all about who the person is and not what makes them up. Well…. That's what I think. No…. that's what I choose to believe. Man, you got me with these critical thinking skills, Ruriko."

"Hm."

"Nice to know you care," Erika joked a bit. Ruriko always said she didn't care but Erika never took it seriously. She was obviously just shy….

Right?

Right.

"I don't care."

"So tsundere. Nice to know you are reading comics I'm giving you."

"I'm not a tsudairy. I really don't care about you. I never really did."

Erika laughed a bit and Ruriko began to scowl a bit, "It's okay, I know you do."

"I. Don't. Ca-," Ruriko stopped as she clutched her chest. Erika's eyes widened as she stood up, trying to breathe, only to begin crumping on the floor.

"Ruriko!" Erika yelled as she quickly grabbed the girl before she could hit the ground. Erika quickly rummaged through the girl's pockets, "Where are your meds? Why don't you have them on you?"

"I…. I'm… all right," Ruriko managed to sputter out, but her body betrayed her as she began to spasm. Erika quickly laid Ruriko against the chair as she began rummaging through the desk. She remembered that Doctor Midorikawa sometimes kept extra of Ruriko's medicine there. Relief flowed through her body as she found a bottle of her medication, Kitoakase.

"Here!" Erika responded as she opened the bottle and placed it in her hand. However, Ruriko handed it back to Erika. Growling, Erika quickly forced it back into her hand, "Take it!"

"I'm…. I'm alright-GAH!" Ruriko cried out as she dropped the pills. Quickly, Erika grabbed a tablet and threw one into her mouth. Ruriko coughed as the medicine went down her throat. Soon, Ruriko's spasming body relaxed as she leaned back in her chair, "You shouldn't have done that."

"What why?" Erika snapped as slammed the pills onto the desk, causing the bottle to slightly crack. Ruriko raised her eyebrow at the Lycoris' outburst, "Your heart isn't invincible you know! And DA still hasn't found or been able to replicate the Alan Institute's artificial hearts!"

"I'm aware."

"Then why not take your medicine? Why don't you have it on you in the first place?"

"It's…. complicated."

"I'm smart."

Ruriko stopped making eye contact with the girl, "It's…the…. the pharmaceutical that Doctor Midorikawa gets my medicine from might stop producing Kitoakase soon. I've been trying to train my body to try and fight my heart spasms without the usage of Kitoakase."

"Wait what! That's insane!"

"On the contrary, I've read good things about battling extreme heart conditions with controlled breathing."

"Not what I meant! Have you guys tried appealing or something to them?"

"Miss Janome, please do not throw a fuss about this."

"Has Doctor Midorikawa tried making a substitute or something? Wait, can doctors do that?"

"Miss Janome," Ruriko responded with a tone of finality, "Do. Not. Throw. A. Fuss. Please, keep this quiet. The only ones that know this are all three of us. Doctor Midorikawa and I will handle this problem."

Erika wilted a bit back in her chair as she rubbed her temple, "I don't like this."

"I wouldn't imagine you would," Ruriko responded as she stood up. She winced as she clutched her chest and Erika gently took Ruriko and laid her back on her bed. The young girl then grabbed the nearby phone and punched in a number, "I said that Doctor Midorikawa and I will handle this."

"Who do you think I'm calling?"

"He's in the middle of some personal business."

"I have a feeling this little scenario will get his attention."

A couple of minutes later, the door opened as Doctor Hiroshi Midorikawa walked in, flanked by a DA security guard. His hazel eyes widened with parental fear as he rushed to Ruriko's side, placing his hat down and throwing his doctor's coat on, "Ruriko! Erika, what happened!"

"I am fine, Doctor," Ruriko responded as Hiroshi knelt by her side. However, the guard followed right behind him, standing awkwardly in the room, "Mister Asakura, this does not concern you."

"Me and daddy aren't done talking," the guard growled but Erika stepped in front of him, "Brat, this doesn't concern you."

"It does. This is a private matter. Leave."

"Pffff. What's a fourteen-year-old going to do?"

"This fifteen-year-old is a 2nd Rank Lycoris. I rank way above a security guard," Erika responded calmly as she stared down Mister Asakura, "Don't push this."

"Wait…you're the damsel in distress!" Asakura laughed. Ruriko glared a bit as she got up, but Erika waved her off. This was her problem to deal with, "What are you going to do? Demote me like you did to that brat, Tashina?"

Erika sputtered trying to think of something to say. She stepped back a bit, her face utterly red "Her name is Takina! And you're pushing it here!"

"You've got no power over me. No one in DA does."

"Wait what does that mean?"

"All right, that's enough!" Hiroshi snapped, "Asakura, you might not answer to a Lycoris, but you will answer to me. We both know what I am capable of with my rank. Now, I promise you we will talk later but for the time being, I must attend to my daughter."

Asakura glared at the man, Ruriko, and Erika but soon made his way out the door, "Do your job, Hiroshi. You're on thin ice as it is."

Erika glared at the man as he entered the door frame. He sneered, "What are you gonna do? Tear me apart with your bare hands?"

The girl felt her face go cold, "What...?"

"ASAKURA!" Doctor Midorikawa yelled, his fury at his peak, "GET OUT!"

The door shut but the girl could still hear his snickers as he left. Doctor Midorikawa quickly went Erika but she waved him off. She leaned against the wall as she caught her breath, "I'm good. It's been a while since anyone brought that up. But I'll be fine. Check on Ruriko."

"Erika?"

"Check on Ruriko."

The man complied as he went over to his daughter.

"Why didn't you take your Kitaokase?" Hiroshi asked wearily as he sat next to Ruriko, rubbing his temples to ease his frustrations. Erika sat at his desk, not sure if she should leave or not. She considered walking out, but she felt too awkward to open the door.

"We both are aware of the reasons, Doctor."

"We will figure a solution out. Until then you have to take it."

"If I overly rely on it, what will I do once there isn't more Kitoakase? I need to find a way to live without it," Ruriko responded to her father's pleas, "You are skilled but not skilled enough to replicate what I need."

Hiroshi sighed as he got up and opened his cabinet and grabbed some pills. From what Erika saw, it was just some aspirin, "Look…. just…. Just please take the pills. I swear I will find a solution."

"Do not make promises you will be unable to fulfill. You are a scientist…. not a magician," Ruriko got up and grabbed a nearby brown coat, "I require some air. Miss Janome, I assume I will most likely see you again this week. Doctor Midorikawa, take care."

The door shut as Ruriko Midorikawa made her exit. Hiroshi sighed as rubbed his temples, "I'm sorry you had to see that, Erika."

"It's…uh… all right. I'm sorry for intruding on a family matter."

"No worries. With how much you've visited over the last couple of years, you might as well be family," Hiroshi responded to the Lycoris.

"Do you want me to go after her? She might have another attack."

"Ruriko just needs some air that's all. Once she takes Kitoakase, it stabilizes ventricular actions for the next three hours which is enough time for her to cool off. I have a feeling that trying to go get her will be folly. She is quite stubborn."

"All right…. but I'm telling Fuki to look after her," Erika responded as she quickly texted her senior, "Just in case anything happens."

Hiroshi sighed once again as he looked at Erika a bit sadly, "Well…. let's not make this visit too depressing. I'm glad to see you are feeling better from yesterday."

"I'm sorry that I was such a downer. I-"

"No need to explain. I'm simply happy that you are all right."

"You're the best, Doc."

"Although that taiyaki is certainly participating for that title! You didn't need to bring that."

"Of course, I did. You and Ruriko are my friends."

"You really are too nice for a supposed assassin."

Erika giggled as Hiroshi pulled up to the desk. The two began to dig into the pastries with gusto. Unlike Ruriko, Hiroshi ate significantly more, "Wow, you're hungry!"

"I haven't eaten all afternoon," he laughed as he placed two taiyaki together and bit into them, "I've had a busy day."

"With that Asakura guy?"

"That was… part of it. If I may ask, could you please keep the incident private? No need to raise attention to a small squabble."

"Yeah, I will but I want an answer on that guy's deal. I pulled rank and then blew me off! What does he mean when he said that no one in DA has power over him?"

Hiroshi growled a bit, surprising Erika, "Asakura's…. Asakura's just got a bit of an ego."

"That's a really big ego. Saying stuff like that is a good way to get fired from DA. You know what they do with people that get fired from DA?"

"I'm aware of the…. actions."

"Yeah, they completely sabotage your professional career! The only job a fired DA worker will ever get is as a janitor at a high school. And that's generous! Are you saying Asakura's that arrogant?"

"Erika, please trust me on this. The issue is nothing severe. I will straighten Asakura out."

"Doctor Midorikawa, I do trust you. But if he isn't going to listen to a 2nd Rank Lycoris…. why would he listen to a DA doctor?"

Erika cringed at her comment, realizing how insensitive it was but Hiroshi simply laughed it off, "Don't worry, DA doctors still got a lot pull within the organization. After all, you Lycoris cannot survive without us."

Erika laughed, "Yeah, you're right. Sorry for being annoying."

"You were concerned, not annoying."

"I know but still."

"Enough with the tension," Doctor Midorikawa waved off, "I heard you had a mission two days ago. I'm glad to hear everything went well. From what I read; it was Majima's doing once again?"

"Read…?"

"Ugh…. yeah. I can't believe we still haven't found him."

"I'm still so surprised that he survived that 2080 fall."

"Right? Ugh…I don't wish death on anyone but a part of me wished that Chisato finished the job last year."

"Wow, it has been a year since that whole incident," Hiroshi pondered as he leaned back in his chair, "If I'm correct, Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue are in America, correct?"

"Well, I heard from the grapevine that they're coming back this week!" Erika responded as she thought about Takina. Hiroshi chuckled as Erika blushed, her face as red as a first-rank uniform, "I'm super excited and stuff!"

"Thinking about Takina Inoue, I presume?"

"Yeah! I mean I'm excited to see everyone!"

Hiroshi laughed as he took another bite, "Ah, the wonderful nature of young love and the blissful beauty of unrequited crushes."

Erika didn't understand what he went by 'the blissful beauty of unrequited crushes' but she ignored it, "Hypothetically, if I did like Takina…. Any advice? They don't cover social etiquette in Lycoris training. They only teach the opposite."

Hiroshi's smile faded and Erika panicked a bit, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to push! It's just well…. I was thinking that you had Ruriko, so that means you've dated and that you fell in love and I'm just gonna stop now."

"No, it's fine," Hiroshi said as he stopped Erika before the awkwardness combusted any further, "I…I'm sorry to say that I have no advice that I can give. In terms of romance, things…. things never quite worked out with Ruriko's mother."

"What happened? You or Ruriko never talk about her," Erika blurted impulsively, the awkwardness making her act rashly. The girl's face reddened as she slapped her hands over her mouth.

"It's all right. You were kind enough to tell us the story of your life. It feels fair that we open a bit, don't you think?" Hiroshi chuckled a bit, "She…. the woman I fell in love with, that bright optimistic woman who pursued advanced science for the sake of others, she left me and Ruriko years ago."

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have pushed."

"It's all right, Erika," Hiroshi responded as he looked out despondently, "It's just the minor sin of youthful curiosity."

"There…. There are greater sins out there, Erika. Greater sins."

Thank you for reading!

Next time, some old friends arrive!

Next Chapter: July 29