Beachgoers returned full force today. From his vantage on the top floor of the Kawamoto Inn, Ikko marvelled at how quickly a city like this forgot about chaos and tragedy. If he hadn't heard it directly from Kurumu and Kia, he would have doubted that the creatures from the day before even appeared here.

Someone knocked on the door. Ikko leaned back on the windowsill, facing the door. "Come in."

A suited woman strode in. He frowned. She had arrived late last night, bringing with her a tempest of activity that Ikko had, up until now, dodged thanks to the treatment of his wounds. His evasion had cost him contact with the rest of the group, however, so a part of him was happy to see her. "Your turn, Mister Akada."

"Ready when you are, Miss…"

"Ishigaki. Harue Ishigaki. I'm the field agent deployed by the Minister in charge of Cohesive Society's Monster Integration Operations."

"That's a bit of a mouthful."

"It is." She stepped forward, offering her hand. Ikko met the gesture. She stood a head taller than him, and her suit did much to hide her body, but there was an unmistakeable strength in her grasp that surprised him. Pale eyes practically glowed behind simple glasses, framed by short, sharp bangs of black hair. "Let's try and keep it at least a little formal, though. Internally, we're the MIO."

"Are you busy these days?"

The word busy seemed to dislodge her glasses, which she pushed back into place. "We're not here to talk about my workload, Mister Akada. Have you recovered from your ordeal?"

He flexed his legs, testing them. "Yep, all good. Yukari said that Haruhiko missed most of my major blood vessels."

"That's good. You're okay if I ask you a few questions, then?"

"Sure."

They took two of the threadbare armchairs and set them on opposite sides of a table ill-suited for their purpose. Ishigaki pulled out a notepad from her breast pocket and phone from inside her jacket, setting it on the table to record. She began to recite the city's name, the date, and then what the interview was going to be about. "State your name for the record, please."

"Ikko Akada."

"You're a student at Yokai Academy?"

"Yes, second year."

"What brings you to the Kawamoto Inn?"

"Summer vacation," he answered, "We're on a school project for Yokai, in collaboration with some organisations friendly to the Academy."

"Excellent." Ishigaki smiled. "That's the basics out of the way, so let's get straight to it. You're aware of the three separate incidents that occurred yesterday morning?"

"I-I am."

"I'm told you were the one who located the only survivor."

So clinical. Pushing down the fact that the other two had died, Ikko answered. "I was."

"Were you there before the transformation?"

"I was."

"Okay." Ishigaki scribbled something down on her pad. She adjusted her glasses, looking up at him. "In your best recollection, can you talk me through what happened?"

A lump swelled in his throat. "Before I do that, can I ask something?"

"Of course."

"Is the—" he stopped himself. He was so ready to call him the survivor, so ready to distance himself from the ordeal. It sickened him. "Is Haruhiko okay?"

Ishigaki sighed. "He's alive."

"What does that mean?"

She clicked her pen, set her pad down, and paused the recording. "You have to understand, there are reasons why we aren't disclosing specifics. One of the big ones is that we just don't know, Mister Akada, what it is Haruhiko's consumed."

"But you must know something," Ikko pushed.

She frowned. "I haven't been to see him personally, not yet. From what I've been told, he's suffering symptoms of something akin to ghouldom. Are you familiar with the term?"

He shook his head.

"It's a corrosion of the body and soul that occurs when humans consume, or are injected with, vampire blood. The potency of the blood overrides their sense of self, instilling them with great strength and an insatiable, mindless hunger. Usually, it's terminal."

Ikko froze. He stared at the space between them. "So he's alive, but not for long."

"Don't count your chickens just yet," said Ishigaki, "I said akin to ghouldom. Furthermore, the intervention of Miss Tojo with the Demon Wall spell has limited the influence of the corrosive agent he's consumed. Hence, why I'm here." She leaned forward and resumed the recording. "It means that any information you can offer on the events that transpired directly prior to his transformation will help us understand his condition better."

Ikko folded his arms, chewing on his lip. She had given him no reason to hold back, but her mien gave him pause all the same. Perhaps it was simply the knowledge that he would have to recount this over and again, to each of his friends, once this first interrogation was over. "Weren't the others present when the victims transformed?"

"No-one saw the process as clearly as you," Ishigaki said, "Each of the other groups was in a crowded area, and had their hands full keeping the locals safe. Yours is the only testimony that stands a chance of completing the picture."

Ikko watched as she scribbled something else down.

"Is there a reason you're reluctant to share?" she asked, tipping her head.

"N-no. No, it's just…" He exhaled. "I don't know. I just… don't know where to start."

She smiled, bowing her head. "I understand. Why don't we start with how you found Haruhiko?"

Her prompt dislodged the block in his brain. Ikko told the story from the very beginning, detailing as much as he could. Locating Haruhiko, talking him down, meeting Kiria. It was at the mention of his Kirilua Claret that Ishigaki held up her hand.

"Spell that for me?"

"He didn't spell it to me. How am I supposed to know?"

"Just try."

"Okay. K-I-R-I-L-U-A C-L-A-R-I-T."

Ishigaki tapped her pen against the pad. "And you're sure that's what Kiria Yoshii called it?"

"Yes."

She pushed her lips together into a pout. "Kiri…lua."

"What is it?"

The brightness of her eyes seemed to increase, glaring behind her glasses. "Ikko, does the name Kahlua Shuzen mean anything to you?"

"No… should it?"

"Did Kiria mention the name at all?"

"No."

"Did he mention any other names?"

"Only Fairy Tale. Why? Is this Kahlua person important?"

"They're of interest." Ishigaki answered, in a way that sounded a lot like her closing the door. Ikko furrowed his brow as she gestured for him to continue.

When he finished, she had filled a full three pages of her notebook in tiny, illegible shorthand. "Thank you, Mister Akada," she announced, finishing the recording and standing up, "I think that's just about everything we need as far as your testimony's concerned."

"What happens now?"

"Ah, right." Ishigaki dropped back down. "Well, we've been working overtime to kill the attack's presence on social media, and part of that ongoing effort is going to be making sure we don't cause any more stirs in the region."

"Meaning…?"

"Meaning you lot have to behave," she said, simply, "Keep your noses clean, stay out of trouble, don't do anything students on summer vacation aren't supposed to be doing. I'll be monitoring your activities directly; stay out of trouble, and you won't even know I'm here."

"What if Fairy Tale attacks again?"

"You leave that to the MIO."

"What if you're not there?"

Ishigaki smiled. Ikko was sure she meant to seem reassuring, but her words painted it in a much scarier light. "We'll be there."

"R-right."

"Any questions?"

"No."

"That's what I like to hear. Now." She stood, clapping her hands together. "I'm going to go get changed. You should brace yourself for your friends."

"Why?"

She stopped at the door, turning to face him. A smirk crept up the corners of her mouth. "They're a tad excited to see you."

She pulled the door open, unleashing a great shout of excitement. Flaming hair and oceanic eyes spilled into the room, ignorant of the government agent who'd allowed them entry. Etsuko and Kia threw their arms around him, seizing him at the shoulders and the waist respectively. Had they not gripped him so tightly, he would have surely fallen.

"You're okay!" Kia squeaked. "We've been so worried!"

Ikko smiled, warmth coursing through him. He placed his hand on her head, patting it softly. "I barely died this time, Kia. I've just been locked up for—well, Miss Ishigaki? Why have I been locked up?"

Stifling her laughter, Ishigaki flapped a hand. "Didn't want to contaminate your testimony. Enjoy your summer, Mister Akada."

She closed the door. The three broke apart, allowing Ikko a chance to breathe. "Are you two okay? You didn't get hurt?"

"Neither of us did much fighting," Etsuko explained, "I was too busy keeping people away from the battle, and Kia was protecting Mrs. Kawamoto."

"Not that she needed much protecting," she added, "If anything, I was holding her back from trying to help San."

"She's a fierce one." Ikko laughed. "I'm glad you're both safe."

"What about you?" Kia said.

The three of them came to sit in a loose circle on one of the beds as Ikko explained, with much more brevity, his experience. He focussed on the details they would have likely missed, namely Kiria and the mysterious Claret.

"You got the same instructions as us, then," Etsuko confirmed, "Keep our heads down, don't cause trouble. Enjoy summer—but remember we're watching."

"Yep," Ikko nodded, folding his legs a little tighter, "This is a bit more than we signed up for, huh?"

"A little bit," Kia agreed.

"Two people dead…" Ikko added. "And Haruhiko… I couldn't…"

"You did everything you could." Etsuko reached out.

"That's my point," he said, slouching away from her touch, "I was useless. I found him, but I couldn't stop him. I couldn't stop Kiria. Even when I defended myself, I still needed saving."

"That's not true," she insisted, "Ikko, Haruhiko was the only person to survive. You delayed him long enough for help to arrive in time, at the very least."

Ikko shook his head. "Ruby saved him, not me."

"Ikko…" Etsuko sighed. She looked to Kia, who nodded. "We were all pretty useless."

"Not true."

"So true. None of us did any fighting," Kia corrected, "We've got a long way to go, but is only our second day. Cut yourself some slack, okay?"

He shrugged. "I need to get stronger. I know that. What if it was someone else instead of Haruhiko?"

Another question trembled in his chest, stuck there like a knife. Fear stopped him from touching it, but its chill of its icy metal affected him all the same.

"Then we work together," Etsuko affirmed, sitting back. Inadvertently, her words twisted the knife loose.

"What if it's one of you two?" His voice trembled. He blinked rapidly, trying to stifle the first beads of tears stinging his eyes. "If it was you two in danger, and I couldn't… if I lost you…"

"Then—" Etsuko began. Seeing his expression cut her optimism short.

She looked to Kia who, affected by his outburst, wiped her eyes on her arm. She sniffed. "We can't promise that won't happen," she said quietly, "Just like you couldn't promise that it… y'know. Wouldn't happen to you."

"But—"

"All we can do." Kia interrupted him. She crawled forward, pulling him into a hug, "All we can do is protect each other, as best we can. Get stronger, together, so that if something comes our way, we're ready."

Muffled against her chest, Ikko's next words came like a childish burble. "But I'm so weak… how am I supposed to protect you?"

"You already have." Etsuko joined in. She wrapped her arms around the pair, squeezing them tight. "Masumi got what he deserved thanks to you. You broke Su out of his grasp and me, too. It doesn't always take strength to protect others."

Drowned in the weight of their embrace, Ikko's fears began to calm. The wound left ragged by their conversation now smoothed and began to close, thanks to their words. He tried to join the hug as best he could.

"Ikko, where d'you think you're touching?" Etsuko said, sweetly.

"Sorry, sorry!" Ikko yanked his arm away, jolting from the embrace, "I just—I was trying to do what you were doing."

"I absolutely wasn't trying to do that," she laughed.

"No—no! I mean—oh, man…"

Kia brightened, cackling impishly. "Moment ruined."

He laughed, nervously. "No—oh, god, I'm sorry, Etsuko…"

Soon all three of them were possessed by the mirth of his mistake, one's laughter feeding off the others', leaving them all wheezing on the bed. Ikko rose first, wiping his eyes for an entirely different reason. "Thank you," he said, catching his breath, "Both of you."

"Don't sweat it." Kia flapped a hand, not moving from her prone position. She smiled up at him, eyes shimmering like jewels. "Someone's gotta look out for you."

"We had a little chat when you first invited us," Etsuko added, "You trusted us with a lot of secrets, Ikko, your nature chief among them. It was the least we could do to repay that faith in kind. So… if you ever need anything, call on us."

"You gotta call, though," Kia emphasised, "We're not mind readers."

"Since when did you two start finishing each other's sentences?" Ikko asked.

"Don't change the subject!" Kia exclaimed, cheeks flushing pink.

"Alright, alright." He scratched the back of his neck. He had trusted them to be there before, no question, but to hear it stated so plainly warmed him in ways he could never have imagined before joining Yokai. "Then… will you help me get stronger?"

Etsuko turned her eye to Kia, winking. "He learns quick."

"He's a good egg." Kia concurred, nodding sagely.

"Hey!"

True to her word, Ikko barely noticed Ishigaki as he returned to the vacation properly. Her camaraderie with the Yokai graduates told him that this was not her first clean-up rodeo with this group, and nor would it be the last.

As he expected, almost everyone who hadn't been present at Haruhiko's transformation asked about it. At first he looked to Ishigaki for help, but she had simply shrugged and said, "They're all involved. You're not breaking any laws."

He was on his third retelling, this time to the Huangs in the lobby of the inn, when Ruby interrupted. She tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Could you come with me a sec?"

"Absolutely." He hopped out of his seat, not even bothering to hide his relief at being spared another barrage of questions. "Uh—Koko has the details if you want to know more."

They left the inn and walked a short way out to a rock by the coast, in sight of the building but beyond their hearing.

"So muggy…" Ruby complained, flattening her outfit as she sat. She'd changed from her swimsuit to more professional attire: a white, buttoned-down collarless shirt tucked into a matching slit skirt. "Even if it was magical, that storm's done a number on the weather."

"No kidding." Ikko agreed, sitting next to her. "How can I help?"

"Right. I have a question, and two requests."

"Should I write them down?"

"You'll be okay." Ruby grinned. "Firstly, how are your injuries?"

"All better. I'm still tired, but I think that's more to do with wearing my magic out than anything else."

"You spent the morning training and fighting," she agreed, "It's very likely that's pushed you to your limit. You'll need a couple of days to recover."

"Right. So, the requests?"

"When we're done here, I need you to go and talk to Mizore."

Ikko tipped his head. "Now that you mention it, I haven't seen her."

"I was hoping you'd notice before celebrity got the better of you."

"I'm not a celebrity!"

She giggled. "Only teasing. She's… over there."

He followed her hand out to a spot even closer to the ocean, and further still from the inn. Sure enough, he spied a familiar waterfall of blue hair curled up in the shade. "Is she okay?"

"Hopefully, after you go talk to her. She's been like that ever since we got back from the incident."

"Right…" Ikko murmured to himself. What could be wrong? "Okay. I'll go talk to her. What's the last request?"

"This one's for me."

"Did you want to lead with that?"

Her smile closed her eyes this time. "That would be selfish. Hold out your hand, please."

He didn't question it, holding out his left hand. Ruby shuffled into place before him, taking his hand in both of hers and holding it close to her chest. Sensing his confusion, she spoke. "Before we arrived, I felt your emotions clearer than I ever had before. Mortal fear has its way of clinging to a soul."

"It does," Ikko said, "I really thought I was going to die. If you hadn't…"

"Don't," she interrupted, "You're alive. You're safe. Focus on that."

He closed his eyes. Something lurked at the edge of his emotions that he could neither name nor recognise. Realising that it didn't belong to him, he tried reaching out. Anxiety? Fear? Nestled between those two words lurked the feeling clouding the connection between them.

Ikko took a moment to concentrate. His mind latched on to little things: the warmth of the mid-day sun on his skin, the lapping waves rushing into his ears, the distant song of the tourists down the beach.

Ruby's grip on his hands eased. He curled his fingers slightly, stopping her from slipping away, and opened his eyes to smile at her. "I'm sorry for worrying you."

She returned the smile, hair falling in ebon spools over her face. "Don't apologise. I just wanted to feel you as your normal self for once."

"I didn't realise it affected you so much."

"It normally doesn't," she admitted, "I think the stress of burning through your reserves must have made it worse. Like your desperation strengthened our connection."

"Is it still like that?"

She nodded. "I'm surprised you don't feel it the same way."

"I tend to find myself up to my neck in moral peril a bit more frequently than you."

"That is true."

Ikko let her hands go, sitting back on the rock. "Not that I want to. I wish I had a fraction of your strength, your confidence…"

"You'll get there, Ikko. With practise and patience, you'll get there."

He nodded. The words of his friends still held to him. "I'm working on it. Now, should I…?"

He looked to Mizore, over Ruby's shoulder. She concurred, letting him go. As he slid off the rock, he turned to face her, taking a few steps backwards. "I hope you'll continue to teach me, Ruby."

"Of course," she replied, waving.

He spun, heading to the shadowed rock where Mizore sat, thoughts abuzz with what could be troubling her.

A/N: It feels a bit like I'm beating a dead horse, but I'm genuinely grateful for everyone's continued support. I've been more creatively productive in the past few weeks than I have been in what feels like years. Seeing your comments and seeing folks turn up to read each new chapter is incredibly encouraging!