Mythra stood at the entrance of the police station, alone. She had recently purchased herself a new watch and took a deep breath… reflecting on everything that had led up to this point in time…

Frankie pressed a button on the wall outside of a large dome like structure- while he smiled expectantly, Pyra and Mythra gave him curious looks that only continued as the large metallic door slowly began to open. Their jaws dropped when they saw what was behind the unit… a large, shiny black truck. It was old, scratched up here and there… but it was just fine all the same. Frankie took out another pair of keys in his pocket and twirled them nonchalantly as he walked on over to the drivers' side. With a simple beep, the truck opened up and he quickly unlocked the doors, inviting the two of them to come inside. It was unlike Frankie's little boxy car; there was plenty of room in the back, cup holders for every passenger, pockets on the back of the seats, a separate device that would connect to Frankie's phone rather than built into the vehicle itself… it was like they stepped foot into his old car all over again.

"My dad always wanted me to drive this some day… so I guess it's mine now…" Frankie said, longingly patting the wheel.

"So then what are you gonna do with your old car…?" Mythra asked, opening up the glovebox, being nosy.

"It's yours now, Mythra."

"WHAT?!" She and Pyra hollered.

"It's what you have the most experience with- I'll lead you to the DMV with this… and you and Pyra follow behind with my old car."

"B-but school feels like so long ago- how will I-"

"You'll do fine, Mythra… and you'll have Pyra to keep an eye on things."

"Yes! You can count on me!" Pyra saluted proudly. Mythra had nothing to say, but instead, let out a nervous groan as she looked at the ground, quivering in her seat…

It was all over. She put the car in parking and her instructor, an older lady, glanced her way judgmentally as she took notes down diligently. There was an eerie silence as Mythra gripped the steering wheel.

"I blew it… I know I did… how the hell is anyone supposed to turn on those bike lanes or whatever-? Cripes… and Frankie looked so excited too… what's he gonna say when I come back with egg on my face-? Shit, did I forget to put my blinker on- oh- was that a red light- did I give the correct right of way- I'm such a useless, worthless failure- how am I gonna get myself anywhere in this new life if I can't even-"

"Mythra Guosmán- meet us back inside. You'll need your picture taken." The lady said with a light smile on her face, exiting the car.

"H-h-huh…? For what…?" Mythra asked back.

"You passed."

"…"

"I think there's a booger hanging out…" Mythra looked at her new drivers license in disdain.

"Everybody's ID pictures suck, míra…" Frankie took his own license out of his wallet to prove to Mythra. Not only was his face significantly fatter and more unkempt than now, but he faced dead ahead with a cold glare in his eyes.

"…least you made an effort to clean yourself up."

"…you're serious?"

"Oh- this is so exciting!" Pyra pulled the two of them into a surprise hug, bouncing up and down in joy. "I can't wait until I start taking off! Then I'll need my own vehicle! I can't have either of you picking me up from work forever now, can I?"

"Work! Crap- Rocko! The month's about to turn and I haven't even called him back! U-umm… uh- here- take this!" Mythra shoved the card into Frankie's hand and rushed off towards the house phone in a panic, repeating his credentials over and over in her head.

"…huh, there IS a little mocito hanging out…"

"So… this is it, then…?" Kari asked, her entire little work crew, Pyra included, stood in front of Mythra, who sighed heavily before nodding her head. Kari nodded solemnly as well, reaching out for Mythra to shake her hand. She did so firmly and nervously, not able to look Kari in the face. She sighed herself before speaking up once again. "You've been a dear this whole time, Mythra, feel free to use me as a reference if you need it- I won't hesitate to put in a good word…"

"Yeah… thanks…" Mythra mumbled.

"Listen here, hon, if you're gonna do ANYTHING in this new little place o' yours, you better clean up their act! Cuz if you don't, I'm gonna be coming for you!" Nora spoke boisterously.

"Yeah… you weren't the worst ever, I guess- but hey- if you can peep me Yuri's number- lemme know- drinks on me!" Ron chuckled heartily, causing the rest of the crew to roll their eyes.

"Frankie and I are on your side 100%, Mythra… you know this… we've got the weekend to prepare… you're gonna do great…"

Mythra nodded lightly at Pyra, a small smile finally cracking across her face. Not another exchange could be uttered before Kari stepped up just a bit closer to her.

"And Mythra? There's someone to see you off…" She announced, turning around to allow none other than Sally and her mother approach. Mythra's eyes widened in surprise as the little girl shyly walked forward, looking to both her mother and Pyra, hands tucked sheepishly behind her back. After getting a nod of approval from the both of them, she brought her hands out in front of her, holding a piece of paper.

"Aunt Mythra… this is for you…" She peeped, giving the slip to the taller woman, who took it gently and intrigue. Her eyes started welling up in tears when she saw what she was handed… it was a picture… of her and Sally driving in a cop car together, happy smiles on their faces as they just finished arresting a bad guy. "D-don't forget… you promised that we could work together when I get big… so you better do a good job so I can see you again!"

Mythra was entirely choked up now, but she put on a steely face and smiled proudly at the little girl, crouching to her level and gently patted her head.

"Will do, kid… Will do…"

Thus leading to where Mythra stood at this very moment, the police station.

"Gonna do great…" Mythra kept repeating those words in her head over and over again.

As she did so, she imagined Frankie suddenly showing up, he was surprised at first, but quickly put on his usual warm smile whenever he saw Mythra come into the room.

"Hey, Mimi!" He said in his soothing and welcoming tone…

Mythra clenched herself tightly, putting on a determined scowl as she walked forward and finally… towards her new line of work…

She expected the worst coming in… but it really wasn't that bad. Everything seemed… normal. It wasn't any different from the library structure wise- albeit a lot more professional and studious looking- it was a place of business for adults where criminals would be interrogated, after all. She said nothing at first and only continued to look around cautiously. Everything was high and multi-storied, certainly a big departure from the one-floor library she had grown accustomed to. People went in and out of elevators constantly, and she dared her best not to make eye contact with any of them- she didn't need any awkward confrontations now of all days. No, rather, she just wanted to get the one she needed to out of the way first and foremost. With the receptionist.

Her hair was short and brown, her eyes a deep green, and she wore a pointy set of glasses in addition to ladies' uniform that Mythra herself now wore- black on black on black. It certainly attracted more heat than was comfortable but, such was life. Mythra took another deep breath and approached the receptionist firmly, eyes straight ahead and standing up tall.

"Hey." She said simply. It was just enough to garner the receptionist's attention. She was initially caught off guard and jolted a bit in her seat before swiveling to face Mythra, stoically, but politely.

"Y-yes miss. How can I help you today?" She asked before inspecting her dutily. "Hmmm… I don't believe I've seen you around here before- you new here or something?"

"Yup. First day. I'm looking for Rocko Williams. He said to ask for him when I first got here."

"Sure! Can I see a form of ID?"

Mythra was about to reach into her purse and do just that before a loud male voice from beyond the counter suddenly shouted.

"Hold it right there! What business do you have here, Miss?!" It cried.

"I am a new employee! I know my- w-wait- ROCKO?"

The light brown man chuckled heartily as he walked on over to Mythra, a great big smile plastered on your face.

"Good to see ya, kid! Ready to start your first day of training?" He asked.

"Y-yeah- sure- I guess… your kid doing okay?" Mythra asked back.

"Funny you should ask- she was just asking about you and if she can expect to see you out in the field! It'll be a few before we get you on your ropes, but if you catch her around the shopping center, you be sure to give your blessings, alright?"

"Mm. Will do." She nodded. "So… you said the chief's gonna be training us today?"

"Yup! The normal trainer's got a nasty bug today- he won't be in til at least next week."

"Oh no… that's awful…"

"Haha- still as compassionate as ever I see…"

"W-well… I mean… nobody likes being sick… just wish him the best is all…" Mythra turned with a blush. "F-forgive me for being presumptuous, but I'd like to get on with the training as soon as possible… if you can show me around…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down, Mythra. I'm not the one who's gonna be training you."

Mythra's eyes widened in shock. She hadn't even had a chance to ask further before Rocko explained himself.

"I'm only Deputy Chief, hon… nah, it's the Chief of Police who's gonna be overseeing the newbies!"

"And… that's… higher…?" She asked timidly.

"Well let's put it this way, she's MY boss."

Mythra sweat lightly. "Oh….. fun…"

"Ah, don't worry too much, she's plenty scary, but she's even sweeter!" Rocko reassured her with a gentle pat. "I got your back, remember? I told her all about you the day after your little save- just follow her lead and you'll be in her good graces, alright?"

Still unsure of what to think, and still intimidated by the sheer mass of the department itself, Mythra knew there was no going back… and she knew this is what she wanted. Even in her doubt, she still felt her heart twinge to get into this line of duty, and as such, nodded sharply in response.

"Great! Just head on over to the very back by the coffee station- that's the training and orientation room- as for me- I gotta bounce. You'll do great, Mythra! See you!"

With that, Rocko was off and left Mythra to her own devices.

"Um… Miss? Your ID, please?" The receptionist asked once again. Mythra, in a slight daze, hurriedly returned to her task in a light panic, getting a chuckle out of the shorter haired woman.

Mythra entered the room quietly enough, but even so, she attracted lots of attention. There were nine other people in the room with her, a few girls, but mostly guys. Their background was a bit difficult to discern apart from one lady who definitely looked like she was partially Mexican, like Frankie. Everyone else was either as light as a feather, a nice golden tan, or an indiscernible darker skin tone.

Mythra was definitely the most standout amongst them all. Though her core crystal was hidden as always, her long blonde hair, intriguing yellow eyes, and her rather… bright and flashy appearance amidst the black and brown, even gray hairs that the rest of the room wore made her stick out like a sore thumb. In general -as a likely result of her origins and past- Mythra simply naturally gave off an almost "regal" aura, like a warrior princess out of a fairy tale. This was the impression Kaito, Frankie, Miko, and their work friends all felt when they had first seen Mythra. But it was also a short-lived one, because the moment they became familiar with the way Mythra spoke and behaved, the veil of regality broke rather quickly, giving way to what was simply a dorky lady with above-average hair game.

Obviously however this wasn't the case for these officers in training Mythra found herself surrounded by, as this was the first time they'd ever seen her. She could feel all the eyes on her and knickered nervously to herself. She shut her eyes and took a seat before staring straight ahead, making an attempt to not bother anyone too much. Most of the people in the room returned to looking at their phones or sitting back in their seats as anxiously as Mythra was, but a couple of others, still, had a few things to say to another peer- and she couldn't help but listen in on some.

"The chief of police? Really?! Oh god- that's exactly what I DON'T need!"

"Right? You'd think they'd be more organized in a place like this…"

"Heheh- how about the girls who just walked in, eh?"

"Dude, don't even think about it, she's WAY out of your league…"

'And not even remotely interested.' Mythra sneered to herself as she put her head down, trying to keep her heartbeat under control… she relaxed her muscles ever so slightly as she continued to think about Frankie… playing games with him… eating yummy food… teasing him all day long… his cheeks certainly had been getting redder from all the cheek pinching she did to him. She chuckled to herself lightly and finally felt herself put at ease… just as she did so… the door opened up once more.

It wasn't a new recruit like her. No, this was a tall, dark skinned woman, who had to duck underneath the doorway just to let herself in. The chief of police herself. She wore a similar outfit to everyone else in the facility, but hers was a deep blue rather than black. Her blue eyes glinted straight ahead with an intense gaze that even intimidated Mythra. The room fell silent as she approached the front of the room and faced the lot of them, eyeing up each and every one of them carefully… and when she got to Mythra, she cocked an eyebrow in intrigue. Mythra noticed this and sat up straight. The chief scoffed in amusement before finally breaking the silence.

"Welcome! New recruits! Normally our drill sergeant would be taking you lot under his wing before we get you out there in the field, but he is in NO condition to work, so you got ME filling in for him!" The room was filled with noise once again, as all but Mythra were chattering amongst themselves, either intrigued, or flat out scared. "Alright, alright, settle down. For those who don't know, I'm Chief Adakai. I'll be gettin' you young bucks and spring chickens out there hardened and ready to work! Just follow along and you'll all do fine- NOW! Before we get started- I'd like to do some roll call…"

Chief Adakai pulled out a clipboard and inspected it carefully, flipping through each page quickly to ensure everything was in order, before stopping at each individual one to call out the person's names.

"Roberts!"

"Here!"

"Nguyen!"

"Ðây!"

"Rodriguez!"

"Present!"

She went through the remaining six in rapid succession, all responding dutifully, if a bit nervously… and then she reached…

"Guosmán!"

At the sound of 'her' last name being called, Mythra stood up quickly and straightened herself up attentively, hiding her nervous sweat behind a stern glare and… colorful shpiel.

"Present and accounted for, Chief Adakai, ma'am! Deputy Chief Rocko himself has referred me to you ma'am! I'm on your side and dedicate all that I stand for to serving for a just cause and keeping people safe and loving their best lives to the best of my own, ma'am! You won't be disappointed, ma'am!"

Silence filled the room again. Even Adakai had to blink herself back to reality at Mythra's surprise performance. Everything coming to a still all at once didn't help Mythra settle down one bit. The drops of sweat hiding behind her forehead were finally starting to drip down and she was already thinking she had blown it already if even the chief was at a loss for words.

"Right… at ease…"

Mythra quickly sat back down, lowering her head in embarrassment as hushed chuckles fluttered across the room. Perfect first day indeed…

"Now- I'm lookin' at you all, and I see lean, clean, and sturdy muscles up down and all around. It's nice to see you all in top form, but being out in the field is more than just looking the part- you gotta ACT on it too! First day of training- Obstacle course! Let's get a move on!"

With a blow of her whistle, everyone shot up out of their seats and ran off to the outside training area… all except Mythra, who was still stewing in her cringe-worth introduction. She was tense beyond belief and breathed heavily as she tried what she could to brush it off but… goodness gracious… she had spent so much time with Frankie and Pyra at any really given point in time, now was the first time she really felt alone… she could think about them cheering her on, but that's all it was… thinking… they weren't physically there… she groaned in utter discomfort as she felt her steely resolve weaken and knees buckle in nervousness- it was pathetic, she thought, but what else was she supposed to-

"Guosmán!" Adakai hollered. Mythra yelped out of her seat in surprise and looked around to discover she and the chief were alone.

'Shit!' She cursed to herself. "I-I won't be held back, Chief! Honest- I-I got this… and stuff!" She made a hasty retreat as she followed the other employees out in the training yard, leaving Adakai behind to curiously inspect her from a safe distance.

-later that afternoon-

"Though the creation of fire is strongly linked towards today's Homo Sapiens and our extinct relatives, the Neanderthals of the Ice Age, it's commonly accepted that the first hominid to gain control of fire was none other than Homo Erectus…" Frankie announced to an audience of his classmates in his current archaeology class, pulling up a slideshow of his findings while he spoke, sharing his screen to everyone else who looked in awed wonder. His professionalism was so grand here that it made his court trial speech look like a stuttering act- "If you look here, you can see traces of burned bones and ashes of plant remains dated nearly one million years ago. Increasing brain size necessitated a wider variety of food compared to the earlier Australopithecus, which still had trouble even leaving the trees they once called home in the first place- and as we traded our ability to digest raw meats in favor of higher levels of intellect and upright locomotion, this control of fire couldn't have come any sooner! Their favorite foods consisted of boar, hippos, rhinos, and their most favored specimen, perhaps directly leading to the creature's extinction… the straight-tusked elephant… all this constant changing and leaps in evolution required greater travel- expanding out from their previous home in Africa, heading across Asia, paving the way for people young and old to divulge into the homes they would make in the Americas, Australia, and Europe, building on their cultures, developing society as we know it today, who knows? Their efforts might have been so fruitful that they even ascended above the clouds- but one things for sure- were it not for them… we may not even be standing here today…"

And with that… Frankie was done with his presentation. Though his applause was silent, he felt proud of himself nonetheless and finally let himself breath as the professor took center stage once again.

"Alright! Thank you, Frank- I oughta give you extra credit for pronouncing everything right!" She chuckled as she congratulated the young student. "Unfortunately, that's all the time we have for today- but! With all the presentations done and over with, all we have to do is prepare for the final! I'll send out your rubrics out by the end of the day, and your final grades should be up by Friday. Your final will be… investigate a fossil or ancient object of your choosing… and provide a professional and detailed presentation, with physical props… to me and the archaeology team!"

Frankie felt his heart sink. It was intimidating, for sure, but the thought of presenting whatever he so wished sounded so… tantalizing… so many dinosaurs to choose from, so many molds to sculpt, so much… no… he knew exactly what he needed to study on… bringing in Pyra and Mythra was out of the question… but… Kaito and Miko had records… lots from their Mexico trip… he thought about Pneuma, reaching to the outside world as much she could… he'd help her out he decided… all he needed was the guts to do it… over a month was more than enough time… but what to choose… as he thought over this and exited the online class, he received a text from his phone. It was from Mythra, he excitedly opened it up and read quickly to himself, eagerly awaiting to hear how her progress at her new job was doing… then his smile dropped as he read what she texted him over and over again… his eyes scanned his device back and forth in a frenzy.

"Mythra… what are you on about…..?"

-that same morning… training day-

"Alright! Ladies and gents! Welcome to your first day on the force!" Adakai shouted as the whole group eyed a rather intense looking obstacle course- barbed wire, incredibly tall nets with not a single cushion underneath, metallic monkey bars that had been baking under the unusually hot October sun for who knows how long, ramps, climbing walls, rope pulls, it was the entire WORKS.

"Now I know what you all are thinkin'… looks like a walk in the park, eh? Well, lemme tell ya, it ain't everything to LOOK the part of law enforcement, you gotta MOVE like us too! You can't be standing in the back all pretty with your guns out, hopin' any do-badders come to ya- NO! You better be ready to chase 'em down and bring 'em to justice! Kids these days are more limber than ever, and they're out here aceing their own little jungle gyms like it's breakfast on a Saturday morning! You don't wanna be upshown by a buncha kids, DO YA?!"

"MA'AM, NO, MA'AM!" Everyone, minus Mythra, all responded heartily.

"THEN I WANNA SEE SOME SWEAT OUT THERE! SHOW US WHAT YOU GOT!" With a loud blow of her whistle, everyone was off, again, except for Mythra, who was still busy taking everything in for herself.

She already made herself look a fool in front of the chief earlier that day… that couldn't happen again. She was right, it did look like a much more intense version of something she'd see at the local park… but that was part of the act, wasn't it? A bit of deceit to lure in a rookie like her into a false sense of security. Any one of those things out there could spring in her face or stomach at the most inopportune time. Getting through it wouldn't be the hardest thing in the world, Mythra had dealt with much worse before, it was the matter of working WITH it that bothered her. Adakai was right, she had to adapt to this world even further than she already had. Was she overthinking it? Thinking too little? Were her pre-starting jitters catching up to her in all the worst ways possible?

Chief Adakai took a brief but interested look at Mythra. She still seemed as nervous as ever, and normally, it'd be her job to get her up into shape or take her aside to talk to her about how things would work out, but Adakai wasn't in this position for no reason. She looked at Mythra's eyes. As jittery as they were, they were also focused… calculating… anticipating… still a bit scared but, then, who wouldn't be? It left her in a bit of an awkward position herself. She could very easily get Mythra back on track by calling out to her, but she could also let her just… get to it.

And that's what she did.

Mythra felt her blood boil and thoughts swim around in a jumbled mess that made her stomach churn and muscles spasm uncontrollably. It was the cooking competition all over again. ALL over again… those very same emotions, the energy, the decisions made therein, it was all the same, and as such, she went about all this the very same way.

The way she knew she could.

Blinded by her own furious determination, she recalled every single moment she was on the battlefield-what she could, anyway- and dove straight through the course, with every single intent to shut herself up.

As a duo of slightly younger men had approached the climbing wall and were struggling to not get tangled up in their own ascent. Both barked orders and motivators at each other to keep going, but both would more often than not stay stuck in one place for far too long, leaving an awkward workaround for anyone who wanted to scale the net themselves. A complete waste of time… then there was Mythra. With gritted teeth, she snaked her way through the forming line and latched onto the holes of the net tightly, zipping from one side and one obstacle to the other, disorienting those that had gotten stuck and those that had yet to get anywhere proper. While a few had yelled at her angrily, others stood back in awe as she had leapt down from the very top of the net to the very bottom, landing right on the soles of her feet without so much as a wince of the impact.

She set her eyes on a training box and dashed on over. Adakai already had to remove her glasses as she watched Mythra fly so effortlessly and pointedly from the net- if a bit carelessly- but now her mouth swung agape in surprise as she cleared the box with a single jump. Her legs contracted completely to the other side of her body, and sprang back into place as she landed on the floor. Push ups and pull ups were next, and with adrenaline still pumping, she couldn't even hear the barking commands of her chief and cohorts. Aggressive and speedy, she leapt from one challenge to the other without a single care. Hopping barbed wire, smacking a moving training dummy with a baseball bat, running and leaping over hurdles either with or without placing her hands on top, expertly stepping in and out of the tires laid out on the ground of one track… she did just about everything over and over and over again. The hot metal parts of the gym equipment did nothing to deter her, and no matter how many times people tried to reach out to her, she just kept going… and going… and going-

"FWEEEETTTTT!"

Chief Adakai blew her whistle. The sharp ping of which immediately caught Mythra's attention. She snapped out of her trance and breathed heavily. Though sweat trickled down her face like never before, she was still able to see the either miffed or shocked looks of her constituents… her face was painted with an unsure grimace as she backed up slowly, trying to catch her breath. And that's when she felt the chief looming over her dutifully. Even as Mythra looked up at her directly, the sun shined harshly down on her, obscuring her facial features completely, making the situation Mythra was in impossible to describe.

"…Guosmán… let's have a talk at lunch, you and I…" She said.

Mythra gulped nervously… but nodded obediently.

Silence flooded the orientation room as Mythra looked down at herself in terror. It was a carousel of emotions, flipping from high and low speed at the most random intervals and it was driving her man. Chief Adakai had been in the room with her this whole time, and the only sound that accompanied them as both ladies struggled to find the correct words to start with was the tiny but oh so deafening ticking of the clock just above the podium. As Mythra's quickening heartbeats increased further, she knew she had no choice but to come clean… whatever would happen as a result of it, she would accept it with her head held high… she just had to…

"Guosmán-"

"Chief Adakai- I'msosorryIdidn'tmeantogetsohuffyouttherebutthispositionmeanssomuchtomealliwantedwastolookanddogoodinfrontofyouyouandibothhavemissionsandwhateverelseyouwannacallthemtoaspiretowardsiknowyouunderstandthatbutimeanitimsorryandthatdisplayofstupidhyperactivitywillneverhappenagainjustpleasegivemeanotherchanceineedthismorethanyouthinkpleasepleasePLEASE-!"

"MYTHRA!" Chief Adakai had been repeating her name throughout the entirety of Mythra's frantic rant, but referring to her by her given name finally captured her focus and now the blonde was as stiff as a board as Adakai stared straight ahead at her. She settled the younger woman down with a raise of her hand and a light chuckle before standing up.

"At ease… at ease…" She said, making her way to the desk Mythra sat at. "Alright, I'll be straight with you. As awe-inspiring as your performance was out there… you really oughta pay attention to what's going on around you…"

"I know…" Mythra said lowly, still not looking at the chief as she went on.

"See, kid, there's a lot more to being a part o' law enforcement than just showing up like the big man or woman on campus, stickin' a gun down a bad guy's throat and forcin' them to their own arrest- NO! That's an attitude that drives me crazy! It's an absolute nightmare to deal with climbing up, and I do NOT wanna instill that mindset onto budding youths like you!"

Mythra winced and turned away in embarrassment. Adakai watched as she did this and took a deep breath herself to calm down. Now she took a seat herself and looked directly at a still flinching Mythra.

"Guosmán… you've got some of the best chops I've ever seen on anyone so young… you're smart, you're dutiful, you got a good head on your shoulders… you got everything except confidence… did I hit that on the mark…?"

"…yeah… a little too well…" Mythra admitted. She opened her eyes slowly now, but was still turned away from a now chuckling chief.

"Y'know, when Rocko first told me about you, tryin' to get me to consider a greenhorn like you without a degree… I'll admit… I thought he was crazy! But I didn't get to where I am by whistlin' Dixie…" Adakai sighed as she turned away herself. "Nah… what kind of a chief would I be if I made it okay to just spin a yarn for the sake of a friend of the family to get an easy job or what have you? I trusted him then and I trust him now… as a matter of fact… I knew he was makin' a good choice the moment I saw ya up on stage at the cooking competition~"

Mythra felt her heart stop suddenly as she finally turned around to face Chief Adakai. She hadn't even had the slightest moment to ask her how she knew about that… because the answer was right in front of her. All this time, Chief Adakai was Mia! Mythra's mouth swung open in shock as she stood up from her chair, stuttering over her words as Mia stood up just the same. It was humorous display to be sure, but Mia was quick to put a stop to it.

"Okay- okay- at ease, Guosmán!" She said through a few stifled chuckles. "Take it the first day jitters really took a toll on your recognition!"

"I…I… w-well… maybe…" Mythra admitted, crossing her arms as she turned away.

"Don't worry too much about it, hon. You ain't the only one." Mia said, urging Mythra to come closer. "I know the police business isn't for everyone. Lotta people see things on TV or read stuff on the news that… well… I hate to say is true but…" Mia took another deep breath as she felt her blood boil and skin crawl. "But that's exactly the reason why I'm standing in front of you- YOU, specifically to help you out! I see you out there AND behind the scenes! I've heard bits and pieces of your story from people you and I both know- and that's exactly the kinda mindset I want from you and everyone else working in this field! Here in Cali, back home in Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, India, Pakistan, Tokyo, Wales, FANTASIA!"

Mia's sudden outburst of energy intimidated Mythra. She backed up a little bit as Mia stood up tall and firm, driving her point even further.

"I know… it's a tall order, Mythra, but… it can be done… with people like you in the world I know it can be done. But we can't move forward unless we got all our ducks in a row- otherwise it'll all just come crashing down and we're left with table scraps people'll just throw out like yesterday's trash! So I wanna hear it from you… are you still willing to go through with this? Cuz you've got me on your side… the people out there… your sister… that man o' yours…"

Mythra blushed lightly as Mia mentioned Frankie… though now was far from the time to try and correct her. Mythra already knew the answer to that- she came to that conclusion with Frankie some time ago already. Now, however… with all this extra bit of context and things to consider, her thoughts had to delve even further than just, "keeping people happy". A noble cause, one that sounded strangely familiar to be sure… but…

"…Yes. I do." She began as she stood up straight. "Mia… I don't tell a lot of people this, but… let's just say that my background isn't… the most pleasant… and it's one Pyra and I had to share." Mia looked and listened on intently as Mythra spoke with a sense of pride and confidence she hadn't yet seen of her. "There were lots of things we didn't like about our lives… ourselves… what we were causing… but I've learned a thing or two in this crazy life we've been chasing the last few months." For the first time, it seemed, Mythra looked her dead in the eye. "I wanna make the most of what I can. Frankie's doing that, Pyra's doing that… I want…no, NEED a place for me to just… go forward with the things that I know I can do… but at my own comfort!"

Mythra kept going, really putting to words the feelings she'd been having non-stop the past few days…weeks, months…perhaps far longer than that.

"I don't wanna be using weapons to get answers as much as you do! Believe me when I say that I have been there, and I have done that and it drove me insane! So if you're willing to help me out, then I'm willing to stick by your side and come out on top the way I really should! Because you're my chief and I'm your officer! S-so… Chief Adakai… TAKE ME IN!" Mythra kneeled down and lifted her hands up towards Mia dramatically as she finished.

… silence crept over the room again as Mia stared down at the younger woman in bewilderment. Recognizing the awkwardness of the situation, Mythra brushed herself off and cleared her throat.

"S-sorry… been helping that sister of mine with a play she's been writing…" She admitted with a blush.

A few more seconds of silence had passed as Mia chuckled again before letting out a hearty laugh of pride as she hugged Mythra closely, patting her on the back in congratulations.

"There it is! That's what I'm talking about!" Mythra was weirded out at first but went along with Mia's own theatrics before the older woman pushed her away and placed her hands on her seriously. "You've proven yourself over and over again that you're someone we can REALLY trust in, Mythra, and I AM happy to have you on the force… but you gotta keep that confidence of yours up! If you really are my officer, then I'd be more than happy to whip you into shape myself… if you're up to the challenge, that is."

"…yeah… I am…" Mythra said.

"Good… now then… why don't we get back to lunch and discuss things a bit further? Cuz if you're serious about this, I've got a few things in mind…"

"Really? Like what?"

"Well… lemme ask you this… you're okay with Brianna cookin' your meals for a bit, right?"

-that evening, back home-

"I see… mmm…" Pyra pondered over the text Mythra had sent Frankie that afternoon. The latter was still flustered a fair bit and his breathing was quick. Pyra's silence over the matter only made things worse.

"W-well…?" Frankie asked out of habit. Pyra responded by putting his phone down and cupping his face in her hands.

"Frankie, please… I understand you're worried… but we know who Mia is… we know that this is something Mythra is very passionate about… and if you really care for her as much as you say you do, you'll support her on this decision…" She said, looking him straight in the eye. Her own eyes were furrowed out of concern for Frankie himself.

"I-I know that! And I do! I-it's just…" Frankie pulled himself away from Pyra's grasp as he looked off to the side in embarrassment.

"Just… what…?" She asked, bending over suspiciously.

"Mmm… I'm gonna miss her…"

Pyra shook her head and chuckled lightly as she slapped his cheeks softly and reassuringly.

"Oh, Frankie, you empathetic doofus… you know, if Mythra knew you said that, she'd be no better than you are right now…" Frankie let a small pout as Pyra spoke, only prompting her to squish his face even more. "Oh, don't be like that! Mythra is a strong lady, and I know she'll do great! Besides… it's only for a week… you'll see her again soon…"

"Mmm… so near and so far… I just want my gaming buddy…" Frankie admitted.

"I know, I know… but this is the first time she actually has something to properly pursue… so let's let her do that while we do much of the same for ourselves… is that okay, Frankie?"

"Mmm… yeah…"

"Perfect! Now then… I do believe that it's time you and I have a bit of time for ourselves anyway…" She said with a wink.

"Y-yeah… I have missed that…"

"Well! First things first… I am getting kind of hungry… shall we bust out the fondue pot?"

"Y-you mean it?"

"It's been sitting there in the cabinet all month… can't very well let it go to waste now."

"O-oh! Okay! I'll uh… I'll put some sausage in the air fryer! Get the stuff ready and I'll go out and get a chicken… and some strawberries for dessert!"

"Ha-ha! Now you're talking! And while we're at it, you might as well read me your report from this morning! I wanna hear it all the same!"

"H-heh… okay Pyra…"

Frankie and Mythra's worries were both calmed the day before. Now, just as Mia had said, they had their ducks in a row, and all of him, her, and Pyra knew what they had to focus on. Frankie would focus on his report a little later. He still had homework to get through that week, and Pyra would spend most of the weeknights looking over the things she and Miko had wrote down on her scripture and trying to fine tune them. Mythra, however, started her days a lot earlier than she would have cared for.

In the morning, she and Mia would be up and running around her house to build up their stamina as Brianna watched the two of them fondly… and in Mia's case, very fondly. Running would turn to reflex testing, and reflex testing would turn to mock fighting. The agility and strength of Mythra's punches and especially her kicks had nearly taken Mia by surprise each time she striked, but it was a pleasant surprise nevertheless. When the time for work would come, Mythra would then switch on over to whatever the day had in store for her. Outdoor drills and exercise often started the day and while she still had her own qualms she was still getting over, she would keep focus on Mia at all times, which reminded her of the talk the two had not too long ago… and she would also think about Frankie, marveling and cheering on her heroic duties in the amazed and dorky way he would gawk over a monster or dinosaur of some kind whenever they played games or watched movies… a leisure she didn't get at this point in time… but it was only for a short while… and it would feel so much sweeter finally getting home to do that. That's what kept her head held high. Every now and then, she'd also bring out the picture Sally drew for her on her last day at the library, yet another reminder for her to keep going. She had to. She just had to…

As a result of all this practice and speeches and writing at home, along with Frankie and Pyra's own little after-work bouts, Frankie himself felt himself grow… just a bit more confident all the same. Those feelings of loneliness and insecurity felt so long behind him now that the house never seemed to settle down with Pyra and Frankie's dramatic readings and reenactments of their favorite movie scenes, or Frankie adding a bit of extra flare to his writings by mimicking something like a dinosaur chasing down its prey, or an ancient human painting the battles that day had brought him up on the wall for all to see, and those feelings of comradery even followed him at work. Before, Frankie would often eat his lunches alone, but now, Yuri and Rubee would be especially happy to have him tag along… even if Yuri was all too eager to share some videos of a young Rubee performing Ave Maria at her kindergarten talent show, embarrassing the younger woman and the older man to tease her with threats of termination… Frankie would share some of the things he'd get to talk about in his classes, Rubee would find it easier to approach him as she checked in on the reports she needed to return to her supervisor… everything certainly seemed so much more lively now.

Finally… the end of the week came at last. Pyra had fallen asleep early that night… tuckered out from the spooky stories she'd tell the kids and all the extra maintenance she had to keep up on with Mythra no longer there. That just left Frankie to stew for a bit on his own in the den, looking at his laptop in pitch blackness… only the light from the monitor keeping him company… but he wasn't looking at any old articles… he was reviewing the ones Miko and Kaito had uncovered just before they shed further light on Addam and the Cloud Sea.

His heart beat rapidly and tears formed in his eyes as he looked over the Trinity processor… he knew it was important to Pyra, Mythra, and Pneuma… but he didn't like the thought of something so… massive being such a big part of them. He still didn't quite understand it or much of anything that was a part of Pyra and Mythra's lives after Addam. Pneuma only shared so much, and Pyra's imagination was still just that… he wondered about that boy Mythra told him about… and about how much that part of their lives was still shrouded in mystery… what DID happen after he grew up…? Something that Frankie wouldn't like to think about perhaps…? Well, whether he liked it or not, he did, and that only made his heart race faster… just… WHAT happened…?

…Miko had a way to contact someone in the know… he knew that at least. Even still, the questions that were still left up in the air… on top of being by himself near the stroke of midnight… it was trying… VERY trying… and he almost felt himself lose it… but then…

"Ker-clack…"

The door of the kitchen unlocked suddenly. Frankie turned at the sound and saw Mythra! She was clearly tired beyond belief… but she was home… at last… and just in time…

"Hey, Dum-" Mythra couldn't finish before Frankie pulled her into a super tight hug. The force of which knocked the air out of her, but she hugged back all the same, with a smile on her face. "Heh… miss me…?" She asked.

"…especially now…" He admitted.

Mythra frowned and led Frankie over to the couch once more, shutting his laptop down and getting him comfy before falling on top of his chest and hugging him closely. Frankie placed a comforting arm around her himself… before wrapping the other around her tightly because of his own insecurity.

"Mmm… I had such a rough day today…" Mythra said, resting her cheek up against his chest lazily. "Mia's a great coach before and after hours, but man she works me to the bone on shift… guess that's a way to keep me humble, heh… hopefully the real trainer'll take us somewhere new besides just drilling and mock fighting and twisting and defending… But it's over… heh… finally over… by the way, Brianna told me to tell you to say hi to Kaito."

"M-mm hmm…" Frankie said. Mythra looked up from his chest and raised an eyebrow his way.

"What? C'mon, Dummy, I could feel your discontent all the way outside… it's more than just missing me, isn't it…?"

"Y-you don't know that…"

"I do… actually… now spit it out before I get mad…"

"But you're-"

"PERFECTLY fine. Just tired. You're hurting and you got me… I'll give ya til three to spill it…"

"W-well it's like this…"

As Frankie poured out everything he had on his mind… Mythra listened, and each time he tried to downplay his sadness, Mythra snapped at him and ordered him to keep going… Mythra would reassure him, let him know he wasn't alone, remind him that things would all fall into place someday soon… Frankie had forgotten how nice it was to just… have Mythra there… and he felt all the better TO have her there… just as much as she did. The two talked well into the night, sharing their work experiences with each other, revealing all the surprises their work experiences unveiled each and every day, it was like the two had never even been apart, like Frankie had never been upset and Mythra had never been tired. They had each other, with Pyra and Pneuma not too far away… things were finally starting to settle down, and with all new leases on life opening up more than just a few doors all at once that night… they finally fell asleep right there… happy and excited for the next day to come.