At the end of the deserted road lied the town of Omachi, clearly designated by the blue highway sign looming over the entrance. What was also made clear was that travelers were strongly encouraged to, "stay the fuck out"; advised by graffiti sprayed over the sign beneath warmly greeting the town's visitors. Already Joker regretted coming here, especially while so vulnerable. Safety in numbers, the protection of remaining in close proximity to other humans, that voice that kept interrupting his conscious thoughts told him to forego all pretenses and abandon any hope of finding it here. And while he trudged along, Lavenza leading him by the hand with Morgana in front, there were few indications that the voice was lying. The further down main street they got the more dilapidated the buildings appeared and the more eyes he felt on him, eyes he searched for but couldn't see, from the dark crevices between said buildings. It was destitute. Unsettlingly empty even for a sleepy little town.

If the first sign of life they encountered was any indication, it might've been preferable to have been surrounded by actual ghosts populating it.

A raggedy looking man with a dirt-stained hoodie approached the trio with his hands in his pockets, shoulders tensed, eyes darting all around. He'd seen many sketchy characters with devious intentions along the streets of Shibuya and Shinjuku, enticing people and hoping to take advantage with all sorts of illicit offers and opportunities. Compared to this, they looked like fine, upstanding citizens.

The man stopped just a few feet from them, close enough that the implication was clear that they wouldn't be able to just step around.

"Yo. There's a 10,000 Yen toll to enter town. Pay up."

Lavenza scoffed but saved face and attempted to retain a semblance of cordiality. "We are light on funds. But you appear to be a generous person. I'm sure you'd be willing to make an exception for us."

But the man had no intention of making an exception.

"Sorry but it's official town policy." He looked at them expectantly. When the dubious claim did nothing to elicit a different response, he grew agitated.

The thug moved in closer, walking past Morgana and targeting Lavenza in particular. "Look, don't try to play me you little bitch. I could fuck you up and nobody around here would try to save you."

Ren moved forward, ready to shield her behind him, but Lavenza held him in place, looking back at him from her eye's periphery and giving a slight shake of the head.

She turned her attention back to their captor and spoke calmly. "We'll be moving on now. I'd advise you don't attempt to impede us any further."

Lavenza made to step forward, when her wrist was caught by the man, who had drawn a switchblade out from his pocket. In a blur, the man had thrust the knife towards the girl, but the screams that echoed weren't female. The knife dropped to the ground and the man kneeled over, grasping his arm.

"FUCK! AGGGHHHHH. MY WRIST!" He dropped and began to roll around in agony. When Ren looked at his rolled-up sleeve, it was evident that Lavenza had done more than just snap it; she'd shattered it.

Morgana and Ren looked on in shock. While he was perfectly aware of Lavenza's power, he had no idea her physical strength was such that she could crush bones with such little effort. As he stood there, mouth agape, memories of him teasing the twins about wanting to hold hands while he ushered them around to various points of interest flooded his head. At any point, had they wanted, could they have done that to him? Or had his own power offered him protection? A small bead of sweat dropped down his temple as he considered this.

Lavenza did not look satisfied about what she'd done, in fact, she looked rather distraught. She looked down on the man with pity.

"I took no pleasure in doing that to you. If you'll allow me, I can fix it. But if you attempt to harm me or my companions again, the pain you feel now will pale in comparison to the agony I'll inflict upon you." She reached her hand down timidly, hovering just above his arm, awaiting any response. "Will you comply?"

The man whimpered and gave a quick nod of his head, finding it impossible to vocalize his agreement while writhing in pain. The silvery-haired girl reached down gently grazed his wrist with her gloved hand, and gradually the gesture seemed to reduce his suffering. Eventually, he was able to sit up. Lavenza again reached her hand out, but this time he recoiled, and stumbled trying to spring up and back away.

"I won't mess with you anymore, ok?! Just-just stay away from me you little freak!"

"I'll do as you request. But I'd suggest you not attempt to 'mess' with anyone else either. Do you 'feel me'?"

"Wha-whatever! Just f-fuck off already!"

Ren and Morgana gave each other a slack jawed look, struggling to process the sequence of events they'd just witnessed. If Morgana had been traveling with her up until this point and was rendered speechless by what had just happened, what else was she hiding from them?

"Shall we move on?"

All either could do was nod dumbly.

Walking in silence, Ren found himself considering the girl dragging him along. Though he'd only interacted with her for a few days total, this her anyway, he already had a considerably fleshed out opinion of her. He began reminiscing. It was odd; when he'd first met the twins they'd unsettled him quite a bit. He wasn't sure what to make of them, and even once the initial shock of discovering the world beyond reality wore off, he still found himself unnerved, and then a bit annoyed, by their bratty and caustic natures. Justine had been more subdued, at least. She hadn't kicked him through the door to the Velvet Room, nor did she take such delight in whacking the bars to his cell to try to startle him or shrieking at him at every opportunity. Caroline, well, she was a little hellion. Frankly, she pissed him off. At least at first. As the three became more accustomed to each other though, a gradual, unspoken sense of trust and companionship began to build. They were like bratty little sisters, little gremlins he'd take on fun outings to placate, giving him plenty of chances to tease. It'd been amusing to watch them be so out of their depth, fish out of water trying to pretend they could breathe air. They had remarkable wisdom regarding the metaphysical, the nature of humanity and its intrinsic components. But they'd been so laughably ignorant about simple things he took for granted. They seemed to understand the why better than most mortals could ever hope to but were hopelessly lost on the how.

They were cute, he had to admit. Pretty even. Not that he was into girls that young. Right? When he'd emerged victorious from their "special inspection", they'd revealed to him the feelings they harbored. At the time, he'd responded the only way he could think to, to lean into it in a joking manner, a lighthearted way of acknowledging their feelings without truly entertaining them. Just teasing, that's all.

"I can't choose between you."

And it had been true. He couldn't. He'd grown to like both of them. He'd grown to trust both of them. To enjoy spending time with them. But he shuddered a bit at the implication now, in hindsight. They were just kids, right? Little bratty sisters who he could hang out with, who also just happened to be his employers, kind of. But they weren't actually kids at all, were they? And they weren't really his employers, they were...in a way they were his partners. Similar to, but not exactly the way Morgana was, and not like any of his friends were while acting together as the Phantom Thieves.

Turning his attention outward to the girl before him, he considered Lavenza, his partners made whole. Lavenza...she...made him feel...safe. Safe? Was that a feeling a "prisoner of fate", whose purpose was to outwit the forces arrayed against him through strength and cunning should have or desire in a partner? Here she was initiating physical contact with him, unprovoked, and though that pang of guilt he'd felt from last night, that same discomfort that had arisen as she clung to him in sleep caused a slight twinge in his conscious, he actually found it welcome. And for the first time he had to acknowledge that she was, in fact, very pretty. Beautiful, a word not spoken lightly, even in flirtatious fun, would not be an overstatement. Maybe he'd always felt that way. It's not like he'd ever have acknowledged it consciously or admitted it to anyone, including himself. Though she was something beyond human conception, he doubted such an explanation would've allowed him to avoid the social repercussions of confessing to finding girls/a girl of their/her stature attractive. Even now with her growth spurt she was still fairly short. But at least more filled out, more womanly, as odd as the thought sounded.

He couldn't help but compare Lavenza to the other girls he knew, but doing so not only made him a bit squeamish, it also felt meaningless. His female teammates were all quite attractive, as were the adult women he'd formed bonds with. But they were human. When he thought of Lavenza, the descriptors "hot" and "sexy" did not resonate at all. Rather, she had an ethereal beauty to her, almost like an ornate glass figurine, painstakingly crafted by one who'd attempted to capture the purest essence of innocence in human form. A figure too delicate to pick up and touch for fear of breaking her. Now here she was, out of her metaphorical display case and interacting with physical reality, and it was apparent she was anything but fragile. Maybe it wasn't some great revelation, considering he'd taken the twins out to interact with his world too, but maybe he hadn't fully appreciated what they were either. But then, he hadn't known at the time. He still didn't really know.

Pick her up. Dig your fingers into her pale skin. Make her your plaything. She won't mind. It's what she desires.

He shook his head vigorously, attempting to dislodge the licentious seed that was trying take root in the soil of his conscious. For the shortest, almost imperceptible second, he thought he could make out Kamoshida's lecherous face.

Morgana looked at him, concerned. "You spaced out all of a sudden. Are you sure you didn't hit your head the other night?"

Ren blinked. Honestly, no. What was all that about? It's like my thoughts got consumed by...not that it's not nice to think about her. It feels good to think about her. Don't look at her though. It's getting a little weird. Had that been his own voice just now? It came from within, but it didn't sound like him, nor anyone he knew.

"I'm good," he finally replied, averting his eyes from Lavenza's curious gaze.

Morgana was skeptical. "Uh huh. Well, like I was saying, there's a market up ahead. We can stock up on supplies there. Assuming they're open."

Ren looked around. This area of town was nicer, but it still felt off. Nobody walking around. It was likely a weekday, that would make sense. Yet, even at noon on a weekday you'd expect to see some foot traffic around. Elderly people, people taking a break, vagrants.

"We still need to find Dr. Iwamura's family. So I can...tell them what happened."

Morgana's expression turned solemn. "Oh. Right. Yeah, it might be best to do that first. Do you know where we can find them?"

"She's got her home address in here." He lowered the phone to Morgana's eyelevel. "You know where it's at?"

"Not really. But this gives us a general idea. This town isn't that big, it shouldn't be too hard to find it."

"Maybe we should ask around."

Morgana sighed. "We can try. But let's be careful. People around here haven't been very receptive to conversation. Lavenza can tell you."

Lavenza opened her mouth to speak, and Ren found himself suddenly enthralled, his attention locked, clinging to every word that crossed her soft, pink lips. But he wasn't listening to her, he couldn't. Not when someone, or something, else was boring into his head.

"Your desires are known. You cannot hide them here. Not now. The eyes of the predecessors are upon you. Their tendrils have you ensnared, little being, they slither through your skull and wrap around the tapestry of your mind, and as they pull at the threads your every thought is revealed for them to see. Go on. No one will stop you. Allow your deepest desires to be realized. Summon it from the recesses of the subconscious. Reach out. Grasp it."

Ren nods.

"Look at her. Such a precious thing. So servile. She would make an excellent pet, don't you think? So loyal. You could do anything you wanted to her. She is sturdier than she appears. You cannot break her, not her body, at least. How wonderful it will feel. Releasing all that frustration, relinquishing all that shame. So deliciously deviant, without fear of consequence. She can service you until the end of time."

Again, Red nods. But he's begun to feel sick to his stomach. Both are involuntary reactions.

"But then again, why would you want her to? Eventually you will grow bored of her. As is natural. A temporary amusement to sate your craving. In time you will dispose of her, just as she would discard you. Play with her, break her, throw her away."

This time he doesn't nod. None of that sounds right. And it's difficult to understand why, but because it doesn't the nausea suddenly breaks. The voice seems to realize this.

"Ignore my foresight at your peril, little one. In time, you will come to know your fellow man as they've known you."

He's left wondering what that could possibly mean.

"Do you wish to see yourself through the eyes of your so-called friends? Do you wish to know their deepest desires? The ones they'd trade away anything to grasp, but for a fleeting moment? Including...your life?"

"You're wrong."

"Oh? That remains to be seen. Perhaps you are right. But what about the hordes, the humans of this wretched town, or this island? They do not stand with you. And what are three against millions? What about the rest of your world? Billions more who would see you buried?"

"..."

"That's right. You know them as they know you. Threats. They fear you, as you fear them. You have the trappings of strength and clarity of purpose while snug between your friends. But alone what are you? Just another animal, in a constant state of insecurity and uncertainty. You live not for ideals anymore, mortal. No longer can you cover yourself, the hideous truth of your kind, with the illusion of ideals. Now, what you truly are is laid bare. Now you, whose stench melds with the beasts of your world within my nostrils, can no longer mask your scent, huddled together within the walls of your precious "civilization".

"...What are you?"

"I am that I am. And in time, you will come to know me as I know you. As I know all of your kind."

"If you know me so well, then you already know nothing you say will stop me."

"How precious. By all means, squirm and gasp beneath my heel. Or fall by the hands of your kin. It matters little. You are but one of the sources of my sustenance. By drawing breath you feed me. I am within you. I am within all life. I thrive while you decay. You are nothing, mortal. It is you who cannot stop I. You who cannot undo I."

As though waking from a dream, the voice abruptly faded, and again he could hear Lavenza's voice. But this time neither of his friends questioned the daze he'd believed he'd exited. It was as if Lavenza hadn't stopped talking during his exchange with the voice, or rather, she hadn't even begun.

"We have had little luck with acquiring much of anything from these people. They are untrusting and seem prone to states of paranoia."

Ren's eyebrow quirked. "Paranoia?" He hesitated but summoned his courage, needing confirmation that he hadn't gone insane. "...Did you guys hear that voice just now?"

The slits of Morgana's eyes widened, and he stared at his roommate intensely. "Now you're hearing voices? Maybe we need to get you to another clinic..."

But Lavenza acknowledged that something had been amiss. "Strangely, I did experience a lapse of presence. Like I was temporarily outside, looking in. But I heard no voices, and the air was devoid of sound."

Unease filled each of them, as the prospect of someone, or something, being able to commune with them at will was unsettling enough, though not overly strange for those who had encountered so many things beyond the scope of reality. No, it was that this entity, whoever or whatever it may be, could seemingly disturb the world around them. For Ren especially, the brazenness and confidence it had spoken with unnerved him. Many of their targets and their shadows had had similar attitudes- but it was clear now: things around them were being influenced by something that could interact with them whenever it chose, and which they could not see.

Which meant in all likelihood, so were the people around them.

"Come on, we'll find it on our own."

After an hour of fruitless searching the trio finally received a stroke of luck. The doctor's phone had picked up a signal, spotty, but enough to allow access to the internet and an exact location of the address. As chance would have it, the residence was only a couple of blocks from where they'd been searching.

A fairly modest house, one traditional in aesthetic bore the prematurely deceased doctor's name. Ren made note of its unkempt appearance. The dormant plants, their naked branches weighed down by the frosts of winter, had been allowed to grow unabated as evidenced by how close they were to front of the home. More discomforting, however, was the sight of one of the windows boarded up. He craned his neck to try to get a better look past the gate, but the overgrowth created a sort of cage around the place, one that reminded him a bit of the Velvet Room.

Pressing the buzzer, he received no response, and he was fairly sure it wasn't operational. With a deep sigh, he turned towards Lavenza and Morgana.

"Alright you guys, I'm going to go give their door a knock. Stay here and back me up."

He hopped over the small gate, wincing slightly as his bad foot hit the ground. Cautiously, he approached the front door and knocked several times.

"Hello?" He wasn't sure what to say to identify himself or appear less suspicious. Whoever opened that door was going to receive terrible news, and his mind and heart were racing thinking through how he was supposed to relay it.

"Hello? Is anyone home?" After several more knocks there was still no answer, and no sound of movement indicating anyone was on their way.

Just as he was about to try again, he was distracted by the partially audible conversation going on past the fence.

"-Isn't that right? You're holding out on us again."

"-Am not. You'll get what I owe you."

Ren climbed up on the fence and peered over. Across the street, he could see a boy with cropped hair in a puffy jacket, his back against the fence and caged in by two larger boys. They had a thuggish appearance, not unlike the man they'd encountered earlier. One was heavier set, the other taller. The taller one slung his arm around the boy in the jacket, but Ren thought it unlikely to be a gesture of friendship.

The taller of the boys gestured at the wider one. "Come on, Ichiro here has been wanting to have some fun at the hotel, but his pockets are a little light."

"Your sister isn't cheap, and I'm trying to order the full package." The two bullies cackled, and he could see the boy in the coat's fists clench.

The taller boy looked up and met his gaze. He directed his accomplice's and captive's eyes over to towards the fence. "Look, now you've got the neighbors watching. Let's take this somewhere else."

With a jagged smile, one that only revealed his top teeth, the hoodlum waved towards Ren and laughed. "Afternoon!"

Ren stared him down, but the boy only became more amused. "Fine day to you too, asshole. Hahaha."

As the boys walked off, one in front and behind leading the boy with short hair, he swore he could see his eyes linger on him, as if he wanted to call out something. But he swallowed his words and lowered his head.

Ren watched them get further away, waiting until they were almost out of sight before he jumped the fence. Shaking off the lingering pain, he started down the street in pursuit. Winding through the corridors of houses, he trailed them out of the end of the neighborhood and into a large, forested area. He'd lost sight of them, a strange grey fog separating the end of the path from the tree line. He paused for a moment. Gathering his willpower, he walked through, and found himself in a grove. Meters ahead of him was the wide-open maw of a cave.

"In there."

Following them in, he could make out the harsh crack of a fist upon skin. The cave wasn't very large, but it was dark, and based off sound the boys had dragged their victim towards the back. Ren grabbed Iwamura's phone from his pocket and turned the light on.

"That's what you get for trying to short us, you piece of shit!" One of the boys yelled, and again he heard rustling and someone being struck, but it sounded like the blow had been blunted, maybe by his thick jacket.

Another chimed in. "Hey, but maybe we should keep him alive. He could lure his sister to us, and we can get a piece of th-

As he approached, he could see there were two other boys with them, both as scummy as their friends.

"Enough."

The tall boy's head whipped around. "Who-oh, it's you. Listen, this isn't any of your business. So if you're smart, you'll turn around and fuck off."

"Unless he wants a piece of Yamagishi's sister too..."

"Trickster! Why did you run off?" Lavenza and Morgana had caught up and stood beside him.

The boys released their victim momentarily, their attention now directed towards the three before them, particularly Lavenza.

"Whoa, look what we've got here! A live one. And she's cute!"

"Hey, why are you hanging out with a scruffy little pussy like him anyway? And I'm not talking about the cat." The gang hollered and jeered. One of the boys, a lanky teen with spiked, frosted hair pushed Ren out of the way as he walked over. He was surprisingly strong, and Ren tripped and fell over, seething as his ankle pulsed.

"And she's dressed like a maid! Can it get any better?!"

"What do you say? Ditch this guy and come with us. We'll protect you. As long as you treat us good..."

Lavenza stared at him blankly.

"Aww, are you shy baby? Don't worry, I won't bi-"

Without so much as a blink, Lavenza grabbed the boy's shirt and hoisted him by the collar. With a quick flick of the wrist, she flung him into the wall of the cave. Like a rag doll, he crashed into the craggy surface and flopped to the ground, his limbs contorted awkwardly.

"That was very unwise. You shouldn't have harmed my guest. You'll pay dearly for that."

The other three thugs rushed over to swarm her, either invigorated by raw adrenaline, or feeling confident and empowered by their numbers. In any case, their assessment was woefully out of touch.

"You really think the three of you are any match for me? You should've turned tail and ran when you had the chance. I'm going to enjoy making you regret your mistake."

In that moment, Ren and Morgana's minds synchronized, both silently pleading that she wasn't about to whip out her favorite move.

Ren watched with bated breath. Please Lav, no Megidolaons. PLEASE no Megidolaons.

Morgana chewed furiously at the fur on his paws, riddled with anxiety. Danger close! DANGER CLOSE!

The large blast never came. Instead, with a whisk of her hand Lavenza threw each of them back. When one tried in futile desperation to lunge at her she tossed him into the cave's ceiling, and though it wasn't a very far drop, he fell face first into the dirt with a thud.

The boy with the buzzcut crawled over towards Morgana and whispered, "Is she a Jedi?"

Morgana's reply was cut off by Lavenza's merry laughter and taunting, mocking another of her victims as she repeatedly forced his hand across his own face.

"Stop hitting yourself. Stop hitting yourself. Why are you hitting yourself?"

"Ah, never mind," Yamagishi whispered. Morgana slapped his paw against his forehead and cringed, embarrassed.

The three spectators were transfixed on the impressive, yet somewhat terrifying scene before them. Their savior smiling contentedly while she swirled her gloved finger about, stirring it through the damp, musty air which filled the dark den. Above her the only thug still conscious whimpered as he was forced to spin in circles, much to his terrorizer's amusement.

Lavenza threw him down, and a large thud reverberated, and what sounded like a splash of water. "Pathetic. When faced with a real adversary you all crumpled like wet tissue paper. You reprehensible, no good, sorry sacks of sh-

"Lavenza!" Morgana and Ren yelled.

"What?! I'm a little busy at the moment."

She turned back towards her last victim, standing triumphant and ready to resume gloating. "As I was saying-"

"LAVENZA!"

"WHAT?!"

"BEHIND YOU!"

Before she could turn to look, she was sent flailing through the air by the blur of some long extremity striking across her torso. A grotesque, wet sound echoed, as the rapid patter of legs, far more than two, bounced off the rocks surrounding the ceiling. Lavenza skidded on her back, landing meters away.

"Lavenza!" Ren shouted in horror.

The viscous sounds came closer, and the dim outline of a large, bulbous head loomed overhead.

Ren shined the phone's light directly in its eye, its alien features now fully visible. Its head was its eye: a massive, singular oracle that took up the entirety of its "face". Its body, reminiscent of a centipede, was wedged into a hole above. The alternating red and black segments with rows of legs, too many to count, gripping on to the roof of the cave. With an ear-splitting shriek it pounced and rotated its body, twisting around quickly in the air as it dropped and landed on its feet.

"Behold. A wretched being from the void beyond. A lasting reminder of the insatiability of mortal life. My inadvertent creation, cursed to scour within the dark crevices of the universe, constantly searching for that which it can no longer see. Let us see which of you proves the superior specimen."

Slowly the creature inched its eye towards Ren, the structure appearing almost human, save for it having a cross like iris, almost as if it had a second eye vertically overlapping the other. It stared at him for a moment before raising pincer-like appendages and stabbing them forward. The air in front of his face was sheered as the loud rev of a chainsaw slicing through flesh deafened him.

"Lavenza?!"

His hearing recovered quickly; his ears not insulated from another shriek which shook the cave. Its head turned towards its assailant and the lid narrowed. Barreling at the girl with head lowered, the creature attempted to ram Lavenza with its body. She rolled out of the way, deftly dodging the charge. She brought her chainsaw down on it, but the blow glanced off its shell, throwing sparks in all directions. The force of contact caused her to lose control and propelled her back again, but she managed to stay upright.

"The top layer of its skin is like steel! The blades just bounce off of it! Morgana yelled from behind.

Lavenza summoned her Grimoire, but the monster charged her again, closing the distance with frightening speed. She was forced to evade the assault, and her silent call to bring forth one of the many names within the tome was interrupted. She grunted in frustration.

Incensed, she tried to pull the creature upwards like she had with their human adversaries, but to no avail. Apparently sensing what she was attempting, it dug its legs into the dirt and coiled its body tightly. Wrapped snuggly around itself and rooted to the ground, Lavenza was stunned to realize she didn't have the strength to move it. With the lull in its charges, her compendium opened and the pages flipped rapidly. Behind her appeared the glowing form of a turquoise-skinned being with many arms, holding a sword and trident.

"Danger close!" Lavenza yelled.

An explosive whirlwind of flaming beams rose from the ground and engulfed the beast. Ren recognized this one- Maragidyne. It wasn't as intense as the brutal evaporation she'd launched the previous night, but he could feel the blistering heat wash over his skin.

But the monster hadn't. Raising its eye it uncurled itself and shook off the lingering flames like a dog shakes its fur after a bath.

Morgana was shocked. "I-it didn't do anything! How...?"

Lavenza was enraged. With a growl she charged at the beast, spearing ahead with her chainsaw brandished. As she approached, the centipede swung its body, including its heavy eye, downwards and struck the ground. The resulting vibrations surged through the earth and knocked her off-balance. A cloud of dust and rocks swept over them, dissipating quickly.

!

The falling debris gave Ren an idea. He crawled over to Morgana and started patting him down.

"Hey! What gives?!"

"I need your slingshot."

"Huh? But-"

"Unless you want to take the shot."

Morgana sat up and looked at his paws, staring at them for a moment before heaving a sigh. Though he didn't need thumbs to wield it, being confined to his quadrupedal form made it more difficult to balance. He could stand on his hind legs, but that was also more difficult than he cared to admit.

Ren nodded and went back to digging.

"Where do you keep it-"

"HEY! Watch where you're grabbing. And don't stretch my pockets!"

Yamagishi watched with great interest. "You don't appear to be wearing any clothing though."

"Not so rough!" Morgana yelped.

Ren finally managed to secure the weapon. "Got it." He grabbed it and crawled forward.

Yamigishi was in awe. "Fascinating. Where did he pull that from? Are you sure you're a male cat?"

"I'm not a c- I'M NOT A GIRL!"

Ren got up on one knee, wincing slightly at the pressure placed on his bad ankle. Scooping up some of the sediment lying around him and loading it into the sling, he drew back, ready to fire. He called out to his attendant, who was the monster's sole focus now.

"Lavenza! Move towards us!"

Lavenza looked back for a moment, then at the looming eye bearing down on her. She inched away, rotating her body to lure the creature's head to turn.

"Move parallel! And try to keep me out of its field of vision!"

"Out of its vis-Do you see the size of the eye?! I'm not sure I can!" Lavenza yelled back.

"Try!"

With a huff she continued backpedaling. She waved her arms, trying to keep the beast's attention occupied.

Ren closed his eye and breathed in deep, exhaling a bit. Then he steeled himself.

Closer. Closer.

The beast brought its remaining claw down and opened it, preparing to strike. It slashed forward, right at Lavenza's neck.

It scraped against her torso as she leapt into the air, drawing its head upwards.

A medium sized rock hurled through the air and struck it dead center in the iris. The beast began blinking rapidly to dislodge the stone, throwing its head back in forth in desperation. It blinked one last time before a blue blur hurtled towards it, followed by the sound of a revving chainsaw, and a horrific shriek that threatened to bring the cavern down around them.

Lavenza jammed the blades through its eye and held on as tight as she could as it violently, futilely, tried to shake itself free. The chainsaw sliced through, dousing her with a thick, purple substance. It didn't smell like blood, but it was putrid all the same. She grunted and kept the pressure on as best as she could, praying for it to be over. In a matter of seconds, it was.

The monster collapsed and convulsed, its lid frantically blinking and trying to clear the ooze from its lens. The blinking slowed until the lid no longer moved at all, and the monster's body was completely still.

The group and their rescue said little on their way back to his house. The entire ordeal had been exhausting, and they each needed to catch their breath, physically and mentally. Morgana had ran back to the Iwamura's home, after several minutes of chastising and declarations that he was better equipped to investigate more thoroughly.

Ran sat on the narrow slice of pavement outside of Yamagishi's home, craning his head up towards the sky, absentmindedly watching the sun slowly dip below the horizon. The girl in blue, now the girl coated in purple, sat next to him in silence.

He made to open his mouth, but caught himself, knowing what he wanted to say, but doubting he should.

"I know what you're about to say. Enough of that."

Ren's eyes went wide and he gawked at her for a moment, before looking back up into the air. He stole a few quick glances before she turned to him, her golden eyes blinding him and searing his skin just as the sun could. Unknowingly, unintentionally, and metaphorically, he was mostly sure.

"Look at me. Now, do those words in your head sound at all like the man I admire so much? The man I left the only world I've ever known behind to search for?"

He stayed quiet for a minute before choking out a response.

"...No."

"That's right, they don't."

She sighed, seeming a bit apprehensive and considering her words. But then she let loose.

"I know the doubts that plague you. Whatever this thing is, assaulting your mind and provoking your insecurities, it is not the only one who can read you. I see you, the real you. Beneath the mask. Beneath the flesh. You are a beautiful, precious man, not because you defy the will of tyrants and undo their injustices. It is not merely what you've done, it is what you are. You continue to breath. You continue to walk. You continue to try. You try when others would lie down and surrender to fate. You try despite knowing pain awaits you, that the potential for great loss is ever-looming. Every step you've taken, every moment you press on, you gamble with your life. Not only for your own sake, but for the sake of others. Because you see humanity, and indeed life itself, as redeemable, something worth defending, worth cherishing. Even now."

Ren smiled, but he couldn't voice his appreciation before she continued.

"The power you possess brought us together. But it isn't the summation of what you are to me. I am your strength. I will move heaven and earth for you if needed. So long as you continue to hold on to that part of you, that part that will not surrender, that will not quit. So long as you hold on, neither will I quit on you. Should you fall, I will pick you up and carry you. Should you doubt, I will be your reassurance. Should you die, may it take an eternity to bring you back, or join you, I will."

"Lavenza..."

He had nothing witty to say. No suave retorts or amusing distractions. The implications were clear. They weren't implications at all. That came from within the depths of the heart. A truth more honest, more candid, than any other that had been revealed to him in his life.

Lavenza smirked. "Though it may not be necessary, as it seems you're as skilled as ever, persona or not."

He smiled wide. "You take your job very seriously, you know?"

She waved him off. "Oh hush. You should be thankful I'm giving you the pep-talk. I could always split myself and have them do it."

Ren's eyes went wide. "You can do that?! Please, don't demonstrate."

Lavenza laughed. "I understand. I know they were difficult to deal with."

"Understatement of the century."

"But though they hesitated to show it, they cared about you too. Deeply."

"Yeah, well...the feeling is mutual."

The smile and blush his affirmation earned were just as endearing as her words had been. The two sat together in contented quiet for a few moments, before they were joined by the teen with the closely cropped hair, his head bandaged.

"Amamiya-san, thank you. Were it not for your intervention, I might not be here speaking to you. You have my gratitude."

He turned to the young woman and bowed.

"You as well Lavenza-sama. Uh, I'm unfamiliar with your culture's customs, so I hope it is no disrespect to you when I say, 'May the Force be with you.'"

Confused, she looked over at Ren, who shrugged.

"Um, thank you. Think nothing of it."

"If it's acceptable, I'd like to exchange numbers with you guys."

Ren held up the phone. "Oh, uh, this isn't mine-I mean I don't know how useful it'll be. I don't even have a charger for it."

"I have a spare you can take. Give me a moment." He ran back into the house.

Morgana jumped down from atop a dividing wall and ran over to them, sinking himself into Lavenza's lap. He sniffed at her clothing, noticing the lingering scent of the gunk on her dress, but was apparently unbothered by it. She giggled and ran her hand gently across his head.

"Was your mission fruitful Morgana?"

The cat's dazed and bewitched expression turned serious. "There's no one there. And it looks like no one's been there for a while. We already knew that much. But, I came across this-"

He pulled out a strange, orb shaped pod. It resembled a flower bulb almost, with a sharp needle like spin protruding from the center. It was purple and green, coated in veiny skin, with a noxious sort of appearance to it; similar to how a poisonous plant or animal might have vibrant colors and a unique pattern. "-this was on the living room floor."

Ren inspected it. "Are you sure you should be touching that?"

Morgana considered it. "I think it's empty, whatever was in it."

"What do you think it was?"

"Something that could incapacitate someone. Or maybe worse."

The house's door opened again, and Yamagishi bounded towards them, holding a small black box and a cable with several heads.

He handed the device to Ren. "Here, it's a universal."

"Thanks." Ren looked it over briefly before pocketing it.

Yamagishi looked at him for a moment before speaking. His eyes were wide, almost like a doe's. "So, then is it alright if we share info?"

"Sure."

"Excellent! Uh, ahem, great. Cool."

Ren gave a slight smile. "Well, if you're feeling alright, we're going to get going."

"B-before you leave...um...my mother wants to thank you for saving me. She's-busy right now. But, she told me to ask you if you'd like to join us for dinner soon."

The boy avoided Ren's eyes, glancing around anxiously. He was a little sketchy, but he also seemed innocent and vulnerable. The wounds on his head reminded him of his own arrest, and the brutal beating he'd undeservedly taken. He felt a strange sense of comradery with him, despite not knowing him at all.

He looked over at Lavenza and Morgana, who in turn looked at him, awaiting his reply.

"That would be nice. Let us know when."

Yamagishi's eyes lit up. "Of course! Um, my mother's schedule is a bit erratic, but, most likely I'll let you know within the next week."

Taking a cue from his otherworldly guide, he dipped his head in acknowledgement.

"Until then."

Through the void of night the dim glow of the phone's screen illuminated the tired boy's face. It had been a long day, one that felt longer and more exhausting than any of the deep dives through palaces. And they'd accomplished few of their objectives. But at least they had managed to save someone. And he'd made it out with his life, despite the best efforts of his foes, both man and alien. He glanced over at the girl curled around him in slumber, her soft breathing barely audible.

I guess we're making a habit of this now. He snorted internally. He didn't mind, not really. To pretend he disliked it would be dishonest. But it was a bit disconcerting. Especially after how she'd been today. It was almost like Jekyll and Hyde, though she'd only turned aggressive to protect them. Lavenza had mentioned that she suspected being contacted by the voice, but she hadn't heard anything speak. Was it capable of influencing her thoughts and emotions just as it had his, but in a different way?

His thoughts were interrupted when her eyes fluttered open.

"Sorry, did I wake you up?"

She yawned, careful to cover her mouth, then shook her head. "Are you not tired?"

"Yeah. I just have a lot on my mind."

"Yes, it's quite apparent. Would you...like to talk about it?"

"Not really."

She stared at him. He turned to face her and stared back. Eventually he conceded.

He sighed deeply. "These creatures-they're not shadows, right?"

"No. They're unlike anything originating from the sea of souls that I've seen. Some bare a vague resemblance to creatures of your world. Others are almost entirely alien. Well, alien to you I suppose."

"The voice told me that big one was an 'unintentional creation'." His eyebrow quirked up. "Are you confirming the existence of aliens?"

"I did not intend to be literal. I only meant that they are foreign to the collective unconscious. They do not appear to be concepts of man given form. Although, if it is true that there has been a merger of reality and the world beyond, I can't be absolutely certain."

"You said it didn't speak to you, right?"

"Right. But, I admit I neglected to tell you...I saw images. Fractured visions."

"Visions? Like...?"

"I saw...a boy. A young boy. Holding my eldest sister's hand. On a beach. Which is odd because, I've only been once before. With you. As them. And...and it's difficult to explain-I felt an intense sense of purpose watching them. Similar to...how I feel when I'm with you."

"And as I followed behind them, the ocean tides rose impossibly high. I watched mortified as they were swept away. They were...pulled apart. And when the waves receded, I saw the remains. Theirs and countless others."

"...Was there anything else?"

"A large eye. Staring through me."

Ren's brow furrowed. "Like the centipede?"

She shook her head. "It was human, I believe. Lying behind a purple haze."

They were interrupted by Morgana yawning and stretching. He jumped up between them on top of the covers.

"It's too early for you guys to be talking so much."

Ren reached behind his furred friend's ear and scratched. "Still a slave to routine, even when we've got nowhere to be."

Morgana allowed him a few scratches before lifting his head away. "It's important to keep yourself well-rested and sharp. We might not have a specific target right now, but we know bad things are happening around here. We need to stay on our toes."

"We should focus on finding out what happened to Iwamura's son." Their initial objective couldn't be forgotten, even if it had only been thrust on them coincidentally.

"Agreed. Still, Morgana's right. If you are to be successful in continuing your rehabilitation you must be adequately prepared for the obstacles you may encounter. Now that you needn't worry about school, you'll have more time to devote to your role."

"But I can't-Right. He caught himself. "Ok."

Lavenza acknowledged his unspoken thought. "Regaining your powers is only one facet of your journey. While it is of great importance, you mustn't neglect the other aspects of your physical and mental wellbeing."

Morgana grinned wide. "That's what we're here for. To keep you from slacking off!"

"We'll be with you every step of the way. Also, it merits repeating once more-you should continue to try to form bonds with those around you. Though I must admit it will likely be much more difficult now..."

Ren thought for a moment. "Yamagishi seems like an ok guy." Though I wonder what was up with him and that gang...

"It would be wise to meet with him again. He has been one of the few we've encountered who have expressed genuine interest in forming a connection. That may not be a coincidence," Lavenza offered.

"Then we'll eagerly wait for him to get in touch."

"One other thing," Morgana interjected. "If we're going to start pursuing leads, we should think about arming ourselves better."

"Like with real weapons?"

"Whatever we can get our hands on. Replicas may work on shadows, but I doubt they'll cut it against the monsters. But I guess we won't know until we try."

She sensed Ren's unease at the prospect. "Morgana and I are more than capable of defending you from people who might wish you harm without having to resort to lethal methods," She clarified. Considering what she'd done earlier, he wasn't sure how true the non-lethal part was.

She continued. "But when facing these creatures, it's important that you have some means of defending yourself."

"Understood."

"We'll whip you back into shape in no time! Morgana beamed. "You won't have to rely on conventional weapons as much as you gain some of your strength and skills back."

Lavenza hummed her agreement. "Once your ankle is healed, you should start an exercise regimen. I'll be watching you closely to monitor your progress and give encouragement."

"Heheheow. She'll be watching you really close, that's for sure."