"Shano…" Airi sighed, giving the Ultimate Producer a small, soft, sad smile. The Ultimate Mentor knew what was really troubling the other woman behind the pitch-black sunglasses that helped her perfect her already-perfect poker face. Beyond the Tragedy, beyond the fall of Hope's Peak, beyond their entrapment in one of the only buildings left, Shano was most afraid for Photon Maiden. Her students. One minute, everything was fine, communication with Towa City and the Future Foundation strong. Then suddenly, nothing. Everyone was just… Gone.

Shano stared out the window blankly. On the inside, she was in turmoil. She dug her nails into her arms. Yes, the Tragedy was still ongoing, but at a slower rate than before. So why was everyone suddenly missing now? Not just Photon, but all the other units too. Likewise, it was not the enemy's style to obtain such a large victory and say nothing about it, whether to gloat, threaten, blackmail, or simply induce Despair. Unless that was it, because Shano could think of no fate worse than the uncertainty. Were her students dead? Dying? Tortured? Forcibly converted to Despair?

"No!" Mana interrupted fiercely, eyes flashing as her eyebrows furrowed in determination. "They're alive! I know it!" She'd always been a fiery woman, but especially in light of the Tragedy, she'd grown up. Her youthful fire shaped into something passionate about justice, and she was more than worthy of her title and Talent as the Ultimate Announcer, risking her life daily to report and provide updates on the Tragedy. The Call of Artemis was not literally locked inside Hope's Peak, rather, the academy was simply the safest place for them to stay.

As staff of Hope's Peak and Pinnacle (though they hadn't been able to teach at the latter before the Tragedy began), they still had keys to the building. Likewise, their name was not purely symbolic or poetic. When she was a student, Airi acted as mentor to a new Ultimate who wound up actually summoning Artemis herself, and after briefly mentoring her in the ways of humans, Artemis blessed Airi by helping her create a unit that would someday be named in her honor. As the Call of Artemis grew up, however, the unit disbanded, drifting away from each other, and Artemis.

They reunited recently at Hope's Peak, this time as staff rather than students, but now it had been ripped away from them all over again. But although they no longer summoned, or spoke to, their patron deity, the Call of Artemis still seemed to carry some of her blessings and protection, as evidenced by all the times Mana should've died trying to collect news from the front only to come home in one piece every single time, breathless and exhilarated, filthy but lively. Only luck of the Gods could've done that, but magic alone would not solve their problems.

The only member of CoA that had yet to speak was Toka Takao, Ultimate Hydrologist. Instead, she typed furiously away on her laptop, light reflecting on her glasses. As the Ultimate Hydrologist, she was responsible for water purification/poison-and-chemical detection, not just in the remains of Hope's Peak, but even as far away as the Future Foundation, their allies. But with communication systems down…

Toka reared back in surprise, nearly knocking over her waterglass, when a popup suddenly filled her entire screen. It was a warning notifying her that a new, powerful server had just been added to the Hope's Peak Network. Then another popup popped up and it read:

New Contacts Added: i-6uk1 Ni1j1ma; Nozomi Kamukura; Izuru Kamukura; C. Fujisaki; C. Nanami & Usami, Magical Girl Miracle; T. Fujisaki; Dr. Lone; Lumina Ichihoshi; DJ-Kunoichi; K1-B0.

"H-hey! Shano! Get over here! This your girl?" Toka cried. The other three all but pushed and shoved to be the first over, but two of them quickly made way for Shano when an image of "i-6uk1 Ni1j1ma" appeared onscreen. The Ultimate Producer gasped, eyes widening behind her sunglasses.

ooo

An ocean away, another DJ unit found themselves living inside the remnants of a giant school. The only difference, this unit and school were American, and far more hostile to each other than CoA in Japan.

"Seperack!" Elsie shrieked. "You are RUINING my VIBES!" The self-proclaimed Ultimate Sponsor slapped the other girl with her little, black, pearl-studded purse. Weronika only laughed in her face, far too large and strong to notice Elsie's weak, wimpy "attacks".

"Gotta do a helluva lot more than that to hurt Weronika the Bear(onika)!" The Ultimate Brawler grinned wolfishly.

"Dare you challenge the Largo Family?! We have what the Italian Mafia and New York City mobsters wish they—!"

"Bullshit!" Weronika interrupted with a snort. "I don't believe you have any actual connections any more than I believe that you're an actual Ultimate! You're just rich!" And a bitch! Weronika narrowed her eyes. Elsie shrieked, but she was quickly drowned out by someone even shriekier.

"G-g-g-guys!" Sophia pointed breathlessly over Elsie and Weronika's shoulders in terror. Neo ignored them all, studying her tablet silently.

"Lone! Smith! Largo! Seperack!" Kazuo Tengan was old, but not frail, and his voice projected down the long, tile halls of the Future Foundation.

"Yes, sir?!" Four voice cried out as one, yet their tones were completely different. While Neo was flat, sharp, and curt, Sophia was high-pitched, whimpering, and stuttering. And while Elsie was prim, proper, and polite, Weronika was begrudging, bitter, and bitchy.

Ultimate Gramps probably got more bullshit for us to do! she sighed. Man, this place's such a fuckin' rip-off! She'd only come because she got a letter saying she was an "Ultimate", and if she studied under the Hope's Peak umbrella, she would be virtually guaranteed fame, fortune, and success for the rest of her life. As a girl who grew up poor with three younger siblings and a father with a drinking problem, she wasn't going to pass up on a free education to one of the best schools in the whole world—not just the country, but the world. Then the Tragedy happened.

The only reason Weronika hadn't tried going home was that the Foundation offered protection to her family in exchange for her continued presence on their premises. Like CoA, they weren't literally locked in the overseas academy, but it was safer there than anywhere else. Even Elsie, with her "connections" and family, was openly reluctant to leave. She longed for her father to come and rescue her, but he was busy fighting his own demons and Despair, so all she had was the pair of Ultimate Bodyguards he'd hired and maintained for her ever since she was a lil Ultimate.

What Kazuo was concerned about was not the outside world, however. Power structures within the Foundation were shifting, and as one of the most powerful factions, Abyssmare was in a precarious position. And why was the power structure shifting…?

"As we are all aware, none of us have heard from Photon Maiden or any of their allies in weeks, and you were tasked by their leader to take over in the event this sort of situation occurred." His glasses flashed, and three quarters of Abyssmare had the grace to look at least a little guilty.

Sophia immediately flinched, shrieked, and apologized frantically. She all but dashed herself against the ground in her haste to bow to Kazuo at his feet. Elsie had slightly more dignity, but she too looked chastised. Weronika scowled and looked away. Noe only continued to ignore them all, reading her tablet. Kazuo had not come to discipline them, however. Not today, at least.

"The 7th Division has detected a new server in the Hope's Peak network. Prepare for cyberwarfare and counterintelligence measures," he said, and Elsie couldn't help but perk up a little. Intel-gathering and spy-work were herbread and butter, and she led that branch of the Foundation. By contrast, Weronika looked bored as hell. She was a member of the 2nd Division, which specialized in police and military. The thought of a stealth or diplomatic mission did not interest her in the slightest. "We also need more recruitment." Kazuo looked at Sophia.

"Aye, sir!" Sophia shrieked again, saluting him with a look of grim determination so tight and disciplined that it was painful to even look at. She was as plain, boring, and forgettable as her surname, Smith. Ironically though, she had perhaps the most powerful and useful Talent of the unit. She was an Ultimate Empath, able to sense and see the emotions of others on a level no one else could. That was why she was in the 3rd Division, human resources. The great irony was that despite her incredible and uncanny ability to read people, she could not talk to them at all.

She had a "Cool Sophia" persona, but it was only good for looking distant, aloof, and cool. There was power in that, but not always. And "nervous wreck" didn't even begin to describe the Regular-Not-Cool Sophia, though it was understandable given proper context. Her parents were abusive, and it crushed her self-esteem and will to live, but before the Despair could consume her, she saw the light of Hope, and she heard a song—a voice—that brought her to life. It was she whom Sophia could read better than anyone else, whom she would attribute her very Talent to.

This fourth—but certainly not final—Abyssmare member was its leader and vocalist. How fitting her name was. Neo Lone. The new, one, and only. And like her surname, Neo had but one goal in life, one focus and purpose: to be the Ultimate Diva, the Ultimate Best! She cared not for petty, ideological quarrels of others. That was why, even in the face of the Tragedy, she continued to perform with her unit.

That was also how and why they soared up the charts. They were the only ones brave—or perhaps foolish—enough to dare. But Neo didn't give a damn either way. If she inspired Hope, fine. If she inspired Despair, fine. So long as they listened and recognized who was goddess. She had no real interest in leading a war. In fact, the only reason she agreed to take over in Photon's stead was because she saw it as more of a challenge than anything serious. It was just another jewel in her crown, getting to brag that she was the leader of Abyssmare, and the Future Foundation.

But she was going to polish that jewel for all it was worth. So even though she had no care for the Foundation, or anyone or anything in it, including the philosophy it claimed to live and die for, she was the first to step forward and shake Kazuo's hand firmly. Unblinking, she held his gaze and saw equally ambitious, distant eyes staring back, staring into her, into the Future, and it was exactly like looking in a mirror. It was time for Neo to become the Ultimate Leader, Hero, Savior, and Revolutionary all at once!

ooo

"—and, and, and, and…!" Michiru sounded like a remix, breathless with excitement, hands clenched into fists and eyes starry as she rambled and raved. "We'll finally get to be our own heroes! Like, we'll get to be protagonists too, for once! It'll be an adventure all our own! Nova Mix!" She punched the air to accentuate her point. "My past with Senpai Sensei Shinobu was my backstory, my Origin Mix, but this? This! Is! Nova Mix!" It was Michiru's arc now! Oh, and her new comrades, compatriots, and companions too!

They'll help me find her! Once I save Master Shinobu, she'll be so pleased with and proud of me that she'll simply HAVE to FINALLY form a unit with me! Michiru was smug and giddy with delight, drunk on the mere thought of rubbing her heroism in Shinobu's face whenever Michiru finally found and rescued her. Maybe a normal person would view such a task as daunting, but not Michiru! The Tragedy may have tanked her previously prospective proposal to attend Hope's Peak, but she was still a Talented student, the Ultimate Announcer!

Someday, though, it would be super cool to be the Ultimate (Social Media) Influencer! she thought hopefully.

She wasn't the only one whose education was hindered by the Tragedy, of course. There was also Kokoa Shinomiya and Hayate Tendo the Ultimate Composer/Music-Writer and the Ultimate Poet/Lyricist respectively.

In Hayate's words, "Kokoa and I were fated to be. She is the melodious song, and I the moving story. Together, we weave magical symphonies. We're tighter than peanut butter and jelly." She flashed her signature peace signs with an almost completely flat tone and affect.

As Michiru would say, Hayate and Kokoa were really good friends. It went a little deeper than that, but Kokoa wasn't one to share such personal things—especially with someone as annoying as Michiru. As far as the Ultimate Composer was concerned, she and Michiru were only allies because of Hayate. Kokoa may not have been thrilled, but she trusted Hayate just as much as she loved her.

Michiru was running around Towa City trying to find her missing Shinobu. Hayate's family was alive, and no one was missing, but the Tragedy had fractured their bonds and ties, and she soon found it easier and less painful for all involved if she kept her kin at a safe arm's distance. Kokoa's mother died in the Tragedy, so Kokoa spent most of her time helping her father take care of the house, but because of her private romance with Hayate, she was often dragged into the other girl's antics. Getting Kokoa to at least ally with Michiru and their other unit mate was Hayate's pragmatism and persuasive, poetic power at play. If there was anyone who understood the use of friends on the street, it was her.

"Aha! Here we go! Here it is! A memory file!" A chipper voice emanated from one of the many monitors lining the walls of the abandoned location in which they took shelter. They were near the heart of Towa City, underground, in the ruins of what was once a giant computer lab. They found it thanks to the girl on the screen, the fourth and founding member of their little squad/family.

According to Lumina Ichihoshi's programming and preexisting memory files, she was the Ultimate Hope AI. She was also the self-proclaimed Ultimate Space Idol, Best in the Galaxy, Cosmos, and Universe. Her internal wiring and GPS systems picked up a ping from the computer lab and she led her three humans to it. Now, they rested on a pile of old, stolen, collected mattresses, pillows, and blankets. Hayate was curled around Kokoa, and she blushed in the arms of the sleepy poet. By contrast, the Ultimate Announcer sat upright and alert, shining eyes and open ears following Lumina's every move and word. If Lumina was Unichord's founder, Michiru was its co-founder.

She was the first to find Lumina, both of them stalking the city streets searching for missing friends and family. Lumina happened to be on the shattered monitor of an old storefront at the time, muttering to herself about her creator-father, and the one he programmed her to save. That was why she was an Ultimate Hope, and it was why she had such a strong, protective and caring streak despite being the youngest of her unit. She'd only been created when Michiru, Hayate, and Kokoa were starting middle school, and this year would've been the one they graduated.

One of the things that Lumina's maternal and sisterly instincts gave her was an extra sense of perception that some people—like Michiru—lacked. Unlike the Ultimate Announcer, the Ultimate Hope AI understood the true nature of Hayakoko's relationship and found it adorable.

"You may think I, an AI, have little concept of human emotion. But I am an Ultimate Hope, after all! Besides, in your tongue, does not the word "ai" mean love?" she once teased while Michiru watched and smiled blithely in obliviousness.

Now Lumina's eyes lit up, literally glowing in excitement. Normally, her left eye was gold like a star while the right was black like the vast void of space, but when she was excited—like now—both of them would shine like suns. A new server had gone online, and although Lumina could not pinpoint exact coordinates, she could feel the traffic in the air.

The strain on the internet's "highway" had just increased to such a degree that there was no way any one, single person was responsible. Even stranger, Lumina could sense some sort of familiarity with whatever technology was transmitting the signals and connections to and from the server… That was another reason she was able to sense it. It was like it was calling to her…

"Oh! There we go! Done uploading into my Nebula Cloud Storage! Let's crack this baby open and see…"

New Contacts Added: i-6uk1 Ni1j1ma; Nozomi Kamukura; Izuru Kamukura; C. Fujisaki; C. Nanami & Usami, Magical Girl Miracle; T. Fujisaki; Dr. Lone; DJ-Kunoichi; Shano P.; K1-B0.

Lone. Fujisaki. Nanami. Why were those names familiar to her? What were they pinging in her database? And why were the memories so weak?

Stage III: The Great Outdoors: Complete.

Stage IV: Re:mix, Re:ality, Re:surrect, Re:vive

AN: Will be on hiatus for over a month as I edit the second half of this saga. And yes, there will be more focus on the outside world and tertiary trio (CoA, UC, AM). LMO will also likely be referenced. I'm bringing EVERYONE, lol!