Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a warm day in Vtuber Town, with spring falling behind everyone. The sun shone down on kids who were excited school was almost over, and parents who were happily making plans to go on vacation during the summer with them. It was an almost peaceful transition period between not only the seasons, but also the dynamics of families.

...Ame wished she could be enjoying it more. She had the curtains open in her room in her apartment, letting the sun illuminate the yellow and brown room. She was sat on top of her bed, covered in blue sheets with yellow clock designs. Shelves surrounded her covered in both Hololive merch and memorabilia of past adventures to timelines - some archaic in design, others futuristic, and everything in between. A desk was on the wall leading out of her room, too, covered in notes and a laptop for when she needed to take work home.

She would normally be very comfortable there. By now, she would have gone to her closet and changed out of her yellow doggy pajamas and into one of her outfits. In fact, most of her friends would be baffled that she was not working in some way by now. It took serious injuries or illness to keep her away from case files or her streaming setup. Even then, trying to get her to stay away from work was a losing battle when she wanted to do it - the only exception being when she hung out with her friends... usually.

But despite the sun rising steadily, she had not gotten out of bed. There was no malady keeping her in place, however... Just a message on the screen of her phone in hand:

Network Notice: This is intended for the Ame of timeline 63264450-MEWQA-00030-LBV. If you are not this Ame, or we have sent it to a time that does not match the stamp below, please forward this message back to the Network’s Important Notice Channel so we may correct this error. We are always striving to improve our communications with our agents. Thank you for your cooperation!

To the Ame which this message concerns - you have been selected to help in a Level 5 strike operation involving 3 to 5 “Type-GDDOW/8.ignis” time anomalies that have breached into timeline 62534175-YTDSV-28355-III. This shall be a joint operation involving several other operatives (between 15 to 25), along with supervision from 1 Kronii. Appropriate equipment shall be provided in the Wattropolis Central Hub Tower in the designated meeting room. (Please see reception to find the appropriate room.)

Participation is mandatory. No outside help is allowed from your or other timelines for maneuverability reasons. We apologize for any inconvenience that this sudden conscription may cause to your home timeline operations. If you require any accommodations, please see below and fill out the appropriate form. Also below is the Temporal Timer to let you know when to come to the meeting. Watch it carefully and do not be late. We look forward to seeing you there!

Below this paragraph were the relevant links and the Temporal Timer. The detective's eyes went to the time stamp again, as if hoping that it would have changed. But the time it indicated that this was supposed to arrive was correct, so there would be no getting out of this. By the end of the day... she would be leaving to destroy some time anomalies.

She sighed, finally putting down her phone and rubbing a hand down her face. The feelings she had when it came to being called on like this were always... mixed. It was certainly frustrating with how sudden they were. On a few occasions, they came and interrupted stream plans or from doing fun events with the rest of EN. Yet even when they did not interrupt anything major like this time, it also miffed her that it took away her ability to select cases herself.

However, she knew it was unfair to blame anyone in the Network for that. Time anomaly breaches were by nature unpredictable, and they often required rapid responses. Even a Level 5, which was just below the tier that indicated a threat that a timeline could receive serious damage, had to be dealt with as swiftly as a 1 or 10. And one never knew when it might escalate into a higher tier, either - anomalies could get stronger, or attract others.

She also did not mind fighting anomalies themselves. It was difficult work, especially at this tier, but she had learned how to handle herself. With others in the Network at her back and a little research, she could handle several kinds of emergencies like this. If she could not, they would not be contacting her. The Network rarely sent its people to the wolves unless they knew they had proper experience.

In this case, she had fought with the category of anomaly they were dealing with, too. While these creatures were never exactly alike between one another, there were patterns that could be studied and exploited. She knew of the strengths and weaknesses of the kind in the message... and had seen firsthand how deadly they could be. Particularly to...

The time-traveler shook her head, trying not to think about that one. It would not matter, because she did not plan to bring her. The point was that she was fairly confident about being able to handle the matter. She may hate that it will mean being away from town for a few days - on both her and the others' ends - but that was manageable. She could cancel her streams, and ask Ollie to handle things at her office.

...But that also highlighted another problem. The thing that had made it difficult to get out of bed this morning. That she... could not really bring anyone to assist her this time. And she would have to explain that to everyone... including her Genmates.

And she would have to be faced with how fragile most of them treated her... One in particular being the worst, especially when she had no backup from home.

A heavy sigh left her, eyes roaming to the window to watch some birds flying outside her window. She felt a weariness in her bones, having grown used to the routine that was likely to follow once she got up. The others had gotten so predictable in how they treated her when she had a dangerous mission. Always the same, no matter how many times she came home afterward.

...But then again, how long had it been since she properly tried to dissuade that attitude? On top of her introversion making it difficult, she did not want to let them know how much they stung her deep inside. It was not like their reasons for the attitudes were built on nothing, after all. What right did she have to complain?

Ame... did wish she could bring along someone else, if only to placate them a little. But even if they were not forbidden for this operation, nobody else would be of any extra help. At least, none of their abilities would make a difference. She knew this for a fact! (Hell, one of them would only make it worse - ironically, the one who would give her the most grief about this.) And besides that, both Ollie and Kronii, her usual help, were not available regardless. The former had too many plans and meetings these next few days, and the latter had duties to fulfill for their own timeline right now.

As for anyone else... the message was right. They would only slow her down. She needed full range of movement to deal with these types of anomalies, both physically and temporally. If she had to worry about dragging someone along, it could end badly for everyone. This was a solo adventure for her, with her backup being the other operatives being brought in.

That was fine with her - she has worked with some fine Ames’ in the past for conscriptions like this... She knew it would be less fine for her friends, though.

“...At least I get to have my watch enhanced for this,” the detective muttered, trying to lift her spirits. And the thought did excite her, a small smile on her lips. Normally, it was merely her way of traversing the multiverse. There were functions, however, that were typically locked away from her for safety reasons by Kronii

For a mission like this, she knew her friend would allow a few restrictions to be lifted. Being able to time hop in an alternate timeline without needing to “bounce” back home would be a given for this mission. She was eager to see if she or the others would be given other temporal powers to help out, even if they were not necessarily needed.

That thought gave her the motivation she needed to get off her bed. She went to her closet, digging through her clothes as she began to put on her classic outfit. She also started making a mental checklist of the things she would need to bring. It probably won’t hurt to get some medical supplies before I leave. I know burns will be a concern for this one, so some cream - maybe painkillers... It might help me get out of needing to rest in Wattrop Anom Hospital if I play my cards right.

On that front, she also made a note to go to her office and get some of her Concoctions. Using them when against anomalies was a gamble, but she would prefer having the option than not. She could also pick up the old files she had on Type-GDDOW/8.ignis’ while there. Any little bit to ensure that this all operated smoothly... and prove she was not entirely reckless.

The time-traveler paused as she finished buttoning up her white shirt, half-dressed now. She did her best to shake off the numb feeling she got and continued. There was no need to get so hung up over that. She would be doing reviews like that anyway, no matter others’ opinions. She liked doing it, almost as much as her normal studying of other timelines.

...But that was also part of her issues, as she considered things. At one point, she would have been brimming with excitement the moment she got a message like this. It was always tempered by caution - these were dangerous jobs, and the risk of death was there. She was prepared to face this, though, and would do her best to stay alive.

Yet... the effort she went through there seemed to matter little to her friends. Their concerns never changed, pressuring her as if she had not done this dozens of times before. Only one of her Genmates actually trusted her on this. The others... 

Don’t be bitter about it, the time-traveler thought glumly, throwing on her coat and putting on her hat. As much as their ways of worrying annoyed her... what right did she have to complain? She had just admitted to the possibility of dying. Despite her prep, unlike many of them, she had no special magical protections or strong immortality. They had every right to be worried she might not come home one of these times.

Besides, she could understand why they acted in certain ways... Or, well, she did for one, and another she felt she was too harsh about. That made it easier for her to let it go and try to forget about it on the job. And for the last one... It was a lot harder, but she was trying. They all just wanted her to be okay. What fault could she put on them for that?

...It was wearing her patience thin, however - something dark boiling beneath its surface. She tried to bury it, but her skin prickled simply thinking about having to face them before leaving. Maybe... she would even try to avoid seeing them today. Just to have some peace of mind for once for this assignment.

That did not mean she could leave them in the dark, though. Things would be much worse for her if she tried to hide this job and they found out later, or if she told them only after she left. Thus, she reluctantly grabbed her phone and went into the EN Discord server they had. She typed up a message explaining the basic details of her departure, including the time anomalies, and that it would probably be three or four days before she showed back up. Her finger hesitated over the send button, but, after taking a deep breath, she found it in her to press it.

They would now probably try to catch up with her throughout the day, but she would deal with that later. She stood there for another moment to message her manager and A-chan about her departure, too, so they could cancel or delay streams and projects she had going on. (Sending an alternate to take her place was an option, but she tended to only bring them in for special events like holidays.) Then, slipping her phone into her pocket, she put her pajamas onto the bed... and from them, she dug out her watch.

Ame kept it on her as much as possible, even while sleeping. As deceptively difficult as it was to use, along with it being “imprinted” onto her, the last thing she needed was for a thief to take it and try to cause problems. She stared at the golden surface of its back and cover. Her thumb rubbed over it, feeling the power inside it as only she could.

Both sides were engraved. The back was more recent, with symbols representing IRyS and the Council, like a planet and dice - plus a Udin face for Ollie. The front, however, depicted a clock surrounded by a scythe, a feather, a book with an eye, and a trident. All of Myth - her close friends... It was like they were watching over her wherever she went.

It usually made her feel nice... But she wondered if days like this would start to make her feel burdened by seeing them. She certainly felt tired doing so now.

Biting back a sigh, she pocketed her watch and headed for the door. Based on the timer from the message, she had pretty much the rest of the day to run around and get what she needed. Once she fixed herself some breakfast, she would begin by heading to get the medicine she hoped would be sufficient.

All the while, she prayed she could avoid running into the others. Luckily, it was a big town, and they would have their own plans today. How hard could it be to lay low?

-------

...Ame wished she had not jinxed herself earlier.

It was not like she had been trying to be stealthy. There was no point in sneaking into the local pharmacy just to avoid a few people. All she was there to do was pick up the medicine she needed, then head back to her office as quickly as possible. It was best to have everything ready hours ahead of time rather than scrambling at the last moment, after all.

She had not thought any of them could get out this fast to try and find her. If seeing them was inevitable despite her wishes, then she had hoped to at least start with a peaceful shopping trip. She knew this place like the back of her hand with how many supplies in the past she had gotten for self-treatment. It should have been an easy in-and-out situation with how fast she could find things now.

Yet here she was, stuck twenty minutes longer there than she had intended. Her foot tapped impatiently upon the white-tiled floor as her companion scanned the baby-blue shelves. She sighed, hefting her shopping basket as she spoke up. “Calli - the brand we have is fine. Quite frankly, it might be overkill. Anything stronger than it would probably need a doctor’s prescription.” She used her free hand to tap the bottle of burn cream for emphasis.

The reassurance fell on deaf ears, though, as the reaper frowned, holding up more of the stuff and looking closely at its label. “But... are we sure of that? And what if you need more? Should we get more bottles just in case?”

“If I need that much cream, then I’ll have more concerns than just the burns themselves,” the detective deadpanned. The bottle she had alone could likely slather up her whole body if needed. Soothing that much burnt skin was not a concern for her.

She regretted her words, however, as Calli’s breath hitched. She looked at the blond with barely concealed panic. “What... does that mean exactly? What else do you need to worry about?!”

The time-traveler released a breath, a mixture of annoyance at the familiar reaction and guilt for causing it filling her. She raised her hand placatingly, putting on her best smile. “It’s nothing, I promise. I’m not going to get hurt that badly. Hell, I might not even need the cream! It’s just a precaution. That’s all.”

The reaper only seemed partially reassured by that, eyes darting back over the shelf. “I... It... It couldn’t hurt to be sure, right? Do you have... What is it you need? Bandages? A splint?”

Ame’s smile dropped, though was not surprised by the continued insistence. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed another bottle of the burn cream she had gotten and put it into her basket. “Okay - I’ll take another! So can we please move on so I can get everything else I need?”

If Calli was put off by her tone, she did not show it. Her shoulders did relax, though, at seeing the extra medicine being taken. She gestured for the blond to lead the way, who was more than ready to get what was left. I could have gotten the last items by now, but nooo! We have to spend ten minutes questioning every little thing I buy. For fucks sake, if I needed a pencil, would she be questioning the lead quality?

The detective grimaced, shaking her head to dispel those thoughts. Still, her eyes wandered to her collected items so far. Besides the cream, she also had a variety of painkillers, fresh threads and needles, and some water... Too many of them. She easily had about three times what she knew would be needed if things went wrong. If she received serious injuries, then either the Wattropolis hospital would cover it, or she would get magical healing here at home. All of this, meant for more minor bits of harm, was excessive, to say the least.

All that was left were some new bandaging cloth, thankfully... But she expected enough to make a mummy out of her, given her “help.”

It took effort to keep her breath steady. She told herself that it was really not that bad. Not all Ames’ came to these missions prepared like she did. While she was not exactly a field medic, if anyone needed help, then the excess could help them! And whatever she did not use, she could donate to others or store in her office later!

...It all rang hollow to her, however. There would be proper medics with them who would have more than enough for those who did not come with first-aid kits. She got this stuff specifically for herself to ease their burdens. Sometimes she still needed their aid anyway, but the attempt at self-sufficiency could help make the operation run more efficiently.

And honestly, it was not that she would mind bringing extra supplies for her alternates. It was just that it was rarely ever needed, nor was it usually requested. More importantly, though... it was not her decision to do this to begin with. It was only because the reaper treated her like she was weak - that big injuries were a guarantee. Always questioning if she was sure she had everything as if she had no experience in this each time.

Even when she had leftover supplies from her last conscripted mission, which happened often enough, she still had to buy new ones sometimes! As if she would not know if her painkillers were or needed to replace her needles! It almost created a need to use up those items on regular cases so that she did not feel like it was being wasted. But if she did that, then was she not just playing into her friend’s fears? Proving her right that her human Genmate was ever so fragile and-

“Ame?” Calli suddenly asked, breaking her train of thought. “Is anything the matter? Does this job have you nervous?”

Blinking, the time-traveler realized she had stopped in the bandage section. She did not know how long she had been staring into space for, but it clearly did not help the pink-haired woman’s anxiety. But... she still saw the care behind them - always there, even when she was not so troubled about her safety.

Shaking her head, she once more put on a smile, shrugging vaguely. “I’m not nervous. There are just... things I’m considering about it is all.”

The words seemed to work as the reaper smiled, shrugging. “Always planning for things, aren’t we?” The two giggled for a second before she continued. “But still, I’m amazed you always seem so calm about these jobs. I get nervous just trying to make a new song, let alone some of my duties as a shinigami!” She smirked slightly. “And I’ve seen how you get when Ollie’s around, too.”

Ame blushed lightly at this, but then sent her a smirk back. “You’re certainly one to talk about that, given how we all know you melt when Gawr wants to bite you.”

Calli’s face turned crimson at this. “T-that’s not-! You turn into mush just because Ollie wants to kiss you!”

“I’ve actually gotten better about that,” the detective retorted. (Well... normal pecks in public, anyway. Making out in private was another matter... though improving.) “Besides, I don’t try to cover up how she makes me feel. I wear my embarrassment proudly!”

If only you were the same with how Calli’s making you feel right now, a voice in her head whispered, which she quickly repressed.

The reaper bit her lips, before sighing and turning her head away. “Fine. You win this round. Not that I want to make a game out of it. That little red devil will eat me alive if they get involved.” She glanced over at the bandages. “Anyway, were you going to pick one, or...?”

The time-traveler glanced over at the shelves... but stopped as an idea occurred to her. She shrugged at her Genmate. “... How about you pick out the bandages this time? Not a lot of differences in brands in this store, so whatever you think is best.” And hopefully, it will calm you down more...

The shinigami looked a little surprised at this. Then, slowly nodding, she gave a grin. “Sure thing! I won’t let you down! I’ll get you an appropriate amount, too! Don’t want you being unable to wrap up a deep gash! I know how much those can bleed - caused a few myself when I have some unruly souls!”

Ame almost wanted to laugh at being given an “appropriate amount,” or comment how she very much knew when to tell a cut was that serious. She kept it to herself, however, as her friend walked closer to the bandages and began inspecting the various boxes. Stretching, she stepped a bit away down the aisle and got comfortable, knowing this was going to take a minute.

...She hated thinking of Calli negatively like a few moments before. They probably hung out the least out of everyone in Myth, but they still had a great time when they did. Her Genmate liked to tease her and get her to drink a little when they went out, and was always so happy to show off her music projects to her. And whenever she had questions about the undead and souls, the other was there to provide what information she could. (Though learning what she was forbidden to comment on was equally fascinating.)

And the thing was... unlike with the other two worrywarts she had to deal with, she knew that it was not anything personal with the reaper. To an extent, at least. Her fellow EN member did not only give the blond this sort of treatment. When just about anyone in Hololive was sick or about to do something dangerous, if she knew of it, they could expect her to check up on them. The immortal was often seen visiting Haato/Haachama during their recovery these past several weeks. She had also been protective of A-chan at the beginning of the year after hearing of her near-death experience with a falling stage light.

The shinigami was very concerned about all of their health - even a few of the immortal members. The last thing she wanted was for any of them to prematurely go to the grave, desiring for this time in their lives to go for as long as possible. As someone whose job revolved around death, it was understandable she would be constantly aware of that possibility... and more so eventuality.

The detective could appreciate that desire, and if it was only joining her in getting supplies her Genmate insisted on, she might have been able to overlook it more. However... it appeared she was given a more invasive version of this treatment than the others. Joining her and being overly critical about every item she got would be one thing - annoying, but manageable. Nothing more than a thing to lightly groan about at times.

...But this would not be the end of it. Once Calli had finally chosen some gauze for her and they left, her friend would not stop checking in. If experience was anything to go by, then she expected to get texted by the hour to ensure she still had everything. As if she was going to casually forget about the burn cream that was the main point of her coming here on her desk! Or like she had never told them how she double and triple checks her supplies for mundane cases, let alone a critical mission!

That level of hovering was definitely unique to her, and only for her work. If she got sick, then the reaper might come to help make soup, or simply talk. It was only with her travels that this over-preparing came in. Hell, sometimes she got it when doing basic scouting jobs. Those were not even on the same level as this!

It was maddening how little the pink-haired woman seemed to trust her with her shopping. To leave the timeline with everything she needed. Whether it was medicine, survival supplies, or scientific equipment, every step of the way she was questioned. It felt like she was being seen as a rookie - the kind who went out exploring only to die by tripping down a shallow hill. It was the same as the first time they had done this, and who knew if she would ever be able to buy some rope without being asked multiple times if it was long enough!

She could not deny it - looking at Calli now, she was tempted to run off. It would not be hard to warp an hour into the past or future and ditch her, getting everything she needed. So often she had considered ignoring those texts, too, until she got the message that she did not appreciate being treated like a child. Some choice words about it were in the back of her throat as she stood there, hand clenching the handle of her basket tight.

But despite these emotions... she never felt quite justified in doing so. Because, in a way, the immortal had to worry about her potentially dying more than anyone. Not necessarily due to her work... but because she could not sense her lifeline.

The time-traveler remembers how fascinated she was to hear about this ability of the reaper’s. To simplify it, her friend could sense the life energy of others, almost like an invisible heartbeat. Whether strong and young or frail and old, everyone had a “feel” to them around her. And, subsequently, it allowed her to know when a person was potentially going to die.

Mostly, she tuned it out, and in fact did not use the power often. (The blond imagined it would be annoying to hear from thousands of people in the town surrounding her.) But when death was approaching, it called to her more than ever. She had described it as sort of like... a saddening melody. A mournful wailing of something deep within people’s souls, ringing out until their bodies lay still and their consciousness left. It was allegedly almost beautiful when it was only one... but disturbing even to her when on a battlefield with hundreds of dead soldiers.

She was used to it, though, having lived with it her whole life. She knew the different ways a death sounded to a soul, too. When it came to one from natural causes, it was like a gradually slowing melody, that by the end started to wheeze to get out some last few notes. Those she had no trouble hearing regardless of circumstance. (It was also why she did not go to hospitals very much while she was on her hiatus.)

When outside factors were at play, however... things got tricky. There was a discord to the “song” some time before - usually minutes, but sometimes hours - the actual death was supposed to happen, as if sensing it was coming. Some were highly noticeable, while others were so subtle it could be missed. Calli theorized it was because those deaths could be prevented if circumstances changed. It was less a death melody and more the soul’s will crying out in defiance depending on the odds. If the person persevered, then the tune soon returned to normal. If not... the sudden cut-off of their life sounded as bad in spiritual terms as it could physically.

Morbid as it was, Ame found it in her to relax more as she pondered this. She knew the shinigami would not just give this information to anyone - she was told specifically to be careful to whom she mentioned any of this to. The human suspected she had needed permission from Death himself to impart the knowledge. Despite the subject matter, recalling it reminded her that she was not entirely distrusted by her friend. The other respected her desire to learn about the mythical and had gone out of her way to help there.

Yet... it also reminded her of what she had learned later. Her free hand unconsciously went to the outside of her coat pocket with her watch, clenching the outside of it. The device brought her comfort, but she could very well guess it did the opposite for the reaper. Not entirely due to the adventures... but because it “scrambled” her melody.

Calli could not hear her soul clearly, no matter how much she concentrated. And that, by extension... meant she had no clue when she might die, or how much danger she was in.

The detective had first assumed her soul was just very discordant when she left for missions like this, and that was the source of this behavior. However, Gura later found out and told her that was not the case. It was meant to be some light teasing then, and she had a few giggles with her friend over it... but it also made things click into place for her.

Something about her time traveling caused interference for the reaper. She did not know if it was the residue caused by her jumps or moving to different periods beyond her friend’s reach. Perhaps it was a combination of both and several more factors. The result remained the same, though, leaving her as a sort of anomaly for death, which... was almost funny, given where she was going.

She looked at the pink-haired woman’s face, her heart constricting, drowning out her annoyance. She had tried to imagine many times what it had to be like. How would the blond react if she could hear souls like her, only to find someone who broke the normal rules of it? What would it be like, watching her leave with no clue if her spirit was crying out? Would she even be able to find the soul if she made it back home before dropping dead?

How could she ever understand what it was like? No matter how many questions she asked, she knew there were elements of this that were beyond her comprehension. A lot of what she knew was based on comparisons, with plenty of blank spaces. How much could she judge her Genmate for that without feeling like she was invalidating her experiences? Her feelings?

(She refused to acknowledge the irony of those questions.)

It was due to this that the time-traveler usually stayed silent. As she acknowledged, Calli’s treatment of the three she worried about was the most tolerable to begin with. As much as it hurts sometimes, if it helped her not panic over not being able to feel her lifeline... then what right did she have to complain?

She did not want to make a big deal out of it. However the reaper appeared to others at first, everyone knew she was a big softy. It was better to grit her teeth and endure it, she had decided long ago. No need for them both to feel awful... or jeopardize their friendship. And maybe one day... her friend would finally trust her to do this on her own.

Calli suddenly started heading her way, making her quickly hide her emotions behind a smile. Her friend smiled nervously, holding out a box of gauze toward her. “Do these work? They looked like they were pretty good quality.”

Ame inspected the box briefly. It was actually a decent brand, as much as gauze could be. And the box was not even as large as she was expecting, which was a nice bonus. She nodded and added it to her basket. “That should be fine. If I do get slashed, then they’ll hold until I get back home.”

The reaper nodded back, though grimaced at the mention of injuries. “I wish you’d take a potion with you out there. Magni certainly isn’t short on those. Or a golden apple from Fauna - its healing is supposed to be incredible!”

“Magic is a complicated matter in the multiverse when it isn’t innate powers,” the detective said. Getting into the full specifics would take too long, though, so she waved it off. “Don’t underestimate the Network’s healthcare, either. I should go and pay for these now, though. I don’t need anything else.”

She had hoped that would be the end of it. Still, she was not surprised when Calli looked at her basket with unease. “Right, um... But... are you absolutely sure? You haven’t really said what all these anomalies are capable of, so I...”

The time-traveler felt her eye twitch. “I’m sure. This isn’t my first rodeo with these kinds.”

“But couldn’t we do another sweep around the store?” the reaper asked, looking around the isles. “There could be something you missed, and if you end up without-”

“It’s fine,” Ame stated firmly, and with unintended harshness. She paused, taking a quick breath and easing her tone back up, smiling tiredly. “I mean, I have everything. If I decide later I didn’t, though, I’ll text you and let you know.” That was seldom the case, but giving her an errand like that could help reduce the number of confirmations she got before leaving. Yet another trick she had learned after so many times.

She waited for a response... but the reaper had seemingly stopped. The expression changed minutely into one... hard to describe. She looked her up and down, frowning deeply. “...Ame? Is... everything okay?”

The detective blinked, something in her gut telling her that her Genmate was not referring to the mission this time. It was not the first time she had a small slip like that, granted. Normally, she would brush it off and try to move things along. There were plenty of excuses she could give - being tired, complaints about her time limit to do prep, and so on. It was just another part of this routine they had developed.

...Something felt off this time, however. It was in the way her friend was looking at her, seeming unsure in a different way than before. It made her words clog up in her throat, feeling... exposed. Now she was feeling nervous, questioning how she was supposed to respond to this-

-which was given an out when her phone buzzed. Breaking eye contact, she got out the device and quickly moved to her messages. And there... she found yet another thing she had been dreading: 

DarkPriestess: Ame! Any chance you can find time to come over? We can play some Mario Party before you have to leave! A bit of fun before the mission, yeah?

Such an innocent message... but one the time-traveler knew would lead to more frustration. She never had the will to refuse, though. She had seen how much it upset Ina before - almost like a dejected puppy.

Plus, in this case, it gave an out to this situation. She gave the shinigami an apologetic shrug, holding up her phone. “I-I have to go! Ina wants me for something before I head out! We’ll talk later, okay?”

She did not give her Genmate a chance to respond as she brushed past her, heading toward the front registers. A sigh left her as she turned out of sight of her friend, pursing her lips. Not... the most graceful leaving, but she was too worried she would only get more snippy. She would come up with something later to put her at ease. My patience really is thin today. I’d better be careful when I’m at Ina’s. You’re better at controlling yourself than this, Watson! Keep it together.

She repeated this to herself as she continued walking. Luckily, it appeared Calli was not trying to follow her. That gave her time to calm down... and prepare for what was to come.

(Meanwhile, the reaper stood there as she watched the blond disappear, blinking to herself. A contemplative look overcame her features, eyebrows deeply furrowed... until an epiphany seemed to take hold. One that made her eyes widen, guilt and horror entering them...)

--------

It was quite easy for Ame to ignore what she hated about coming here while in the middle of the game. She could pretend for a while that this was a casual hangout, just like they might do on a day she had off, or for streams. If not for the bag of supplies she had brought in, nothing would contradict that image.

...The illusion was doomed to shatter, though, once they finished this final round.

Still, she tried to push it out of her mind for a while longer. Instead, she gave a confident smirk as she looked over at Ina, sitting on the same light purple couch as her. “Well, well. It seems that you’re two stars short of being able to beat me. And to think you insisted on a rematch! You’ve only ended up breaking your streak.~”

The priestess rolled her eyes, moving her joy-con as she rolled the die for Waluigi. “Are you sure you want to be boasting before the game’s over? There are still bonus stars after this.”

“Oh, there’s no way you’ll get both of them,” the detective dismissed, waving her off. Even if she got one of them and won the last minigame, she would not have enough coins to overtake the blond. And with the two other CPUs having been utterly crushed by them both despite the normal difficulty, this game was in the bag for her!

...But just in case, she gave her boasting a bit of cover. “And even if you did, that’s not a true win. What you earn those for is based on luck - not skill!”

“...Unless you end up getting them, right?”

“That is a moot point, since that would mean I win anyway. You have no proof of these claims, and I’m shocked you would say that about me.”

Ina laughed, shaking her head. “So sorry, then. I have no clue where I would have gotten that sort of impression from. Everyone knows you’re one of the calmest people when it comes to losing in video games.”

“Damn right, I am!” the time-traveler exclaimed, getting ready to roll her die. “Fauna actually comes to me for lessons to learn how to be more zen! The peace I have, especially in party games, is beyond reproach! You could use a few lessons yourself, you toxic gamer!”

Her point was undercut by the chuckles she could not hold back at that point. When the priestess started laughing, she lost all control and they both just did it harder. A big grin was on her face As they settled onto the couch, waiting for the CPUs to take their turns and they could begin the minigame. She let her gaze roam around the apartment, whose size had been enhanced by the Ancient Ones to be larger than it appeared on the outside. Various pictures her Genmate had made adorned the walls, and small things like vibrant plants on desks and a telescope in one corner showed how often her lovers visited.

The various magics at work there never failed to draw her eyes, but even so, she still took notice of Ina. Having calmed down, an almost serene expression now adorned her face, resting her controller in her lap. Her Genmate hummed a tune as she glanced at the kitchen’s open door. With a flick of her hand, a tentacle appeared there from a dark portal, and began messing with a Keurig visible on the counter. A coffee pod was soon deftly inserted and a yellow mug set out, before the appendage went elsewhere, presumably to get sugar and creamer.

Ame gave a low whistle as she watched it work. The amount of control she has over those is impressive. She may say it’s one of her simplest spells, but it’s essentially more arms! Legs, too, if she’s feeling lazy! And she keeps them so docile, even when she isn’t directly controlling them. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one break anything, even after she gets scared. I should ask again if she’s figured out if they come from any specific entity, or if it’s just a default Lovecraftian spell priests get.

Of course, questions about the tentacles or the strange dimensions of her friend’s home were not the only thing on her mind. When it came to studying the mythical, the magic of the Ancient Ones was a complex, yet deeply captivating topic. Allegedly, their powers gave their followers some of the most malleable rituals that a magic user could ask for, able to make edits on the fly while casting. In theory, one could do practically anything with them, too... the only limit being how well your sanity held together.

The priestess never rushed her studies, though, so they had little to worry about on that front. Nor did she seek the unravel reality to bring her elder gods into this world. All she desired to use her powers for was to improve her life and those of her friends. To be a kind soul to follow when people were at their lowest and might consider making a covenant with these entities. (The blond also knew there was a more personal reason for her continued studies, but the other did not want to share, so she never pried.)

Ame sighed, getting her controller ready as the minigame finally started. (It was just building a puzzle - nothing stressful besides doing it fast.) She was well aware of how lucky she was when it came to the Ancient Ones and their influence on Ina. She knew that the former could be far more malevolent in other timelines, which in turn affected the latter. If not in her general disposition over time... then in the pain she suffered when she lost control. The effect it had on those around her was rarely any better, either...

None of that was a problem here, however. She could enjoy the quiet time they had together when the purple-haired woman wanted company while she drew. Or the small favors she gave her in getting supplies needed to try out the latest spell she had learned from The Book. She could relax and enjoy seeing some of that same magic put into practice, all the while taking notes while the other beamed at her.

When together, they were not as loud as the rest of Myth. But hers was yet another friendship she would not trade for anything, regardless of... current circumstances.

Still, there were other things to be frustrated about... such as watching as the bonus stars both went to her friend. The detective stared blankly at the screen as the scoreboard came up, showing her in second place, before huffing and hitting her joy-con hard against the cushions. She crossed her arms and grumbled. “Fucking game is rigged...”

“I thought you said you were still the true winner?” the priestess teased with a smile.

“Well, it’s a lot easier to enjoy when the game actually shows you’re in first place,” the time-traveler complained, shaking her head. “It must be punishment for picking Shyguy. That’s a baby option! I needed someone with a risky die to use! If you can’t beat the gambling, then embrace it!”

“...Remind me to never take you to Las Vegas.” Ina made a gesture with her hand, and soon the tentacle in the kitchen extended all the way to them. It grasped the handle of the mug, which it held in front of the blond. “Here you go. I thought you were looking a little tired.”

Ame shrugged, accepting the coffee and sipping at it. She was not sleepy, but some extra energy never hurt before these missions. She was going to need to be alert and ready for the meeting planning to ensure she understood their strategy. It was always up in the air how much time they would have to rest before deploying, too, so she had to be ready in case things went down in what would be late night to her body’s internal clock.

Speaking of the meeting, though... Taking out her phone while she sipped, she went back to the Network message to look at the timer. The time made her grimace. She still had a good couple of hours, but she really should get what she needed from her office to avoid rushing later. There was plenty of packing to do, after all. (Plus, the sooner she left, the more likely she might avoid her. If she could get whatever lecture was coming her way after the mission was over, she would take that as a win.)

She had to get going... which meant that it was time to burst the bubble of peace they made.

...Well, it was nice while it lasted, the detective lamented, already mentally preparing. With a vain hope that this time might be different, she took another few chugs of coffee and set it on the table, giving her friendliest smile. “Well, this has been fun, but I’d better get going.”

Ina paused, de-summoning the tendril and looking over at her. “Huh? Can’t we play a few more games? Or if you don’t want to do Mario Party anymore, I have plenty of other options we could-”

“Ina - I need to leave,” the time-traveler insisted, not unkindly, but with more force this time. She stood up, dusting off her skirt. “There’s still preparations I need to do.”

This only made the priestess frown slightly. “You can always do them later, you know. One more game isn’t going to hurt you, Watson. Please?”

Ame’s hand nearly clenched at that. She knew very well that it would not be “one more game.” If she stayed and played some more, her friend would continue to insist on continuing for hours - she had already been there for three! And if she was insistent about no more games, then there would be more excuses on why she should stay, whether it was to teach her drawing or to just talk about whatever came to mind.

She would not be roped into that this time. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her bag of supplies and started to head toward the door. “I’d prefer to get going. We’ll play more when I get back, I promise. But right now, I need to go grab some-”

She was stopped by a tentacle appearing in front of her from the ground, gesturing for her to stop. It was not very imposing, though. The size and the way it was positioned gave it a more... pitiful feel. It quivered lightly, giving the impression of a pet who did not want its owner to leave.

Behind her, she heard Ina stand up and walk up to her. Even without looking at her, she could picture her expression with how sad her tone was. “Ame... Can you please try not to rush things for once? I know you like your work, but... it won’t kill you to slow down. It’ll all still be there for you to do if you stay a little longer.”

The detective had to restrain the groan that built inside her chest. She fought to keep her voice light, not wanting to repeat her mistake with Calli earlier. “Ina, that isn’t-”

“Just one more hour - no more than two, I swear!” the priestess quickly exclaimed. She placed a hand on the blond’s shoulder. “Please... just a little more time together.”

The time-traveler swallowed thickly at this, feeling her heart break a little. It was unfortunately common for this to be the way the conversation went. There were two options for how things often went from there. One was that she brushed her off a few more times, which would leave her Genmate crestfallen and cause awkwardness between them for a few days after she got back. Or, she would crack and stay, and even if her word was honored, there would be time wasted.

Granted, the second was not so bad for the window of time she had with this instance. That made her feel rather stubborn in this instance... but this was not always the case. There were missions where, thanks to the priestess and her inability to say no, she would have to run to catch up with her fellow conscripts. There were even times she was late, which got her in trouble with those in charge. It had not led to official disciplinary action yet, but who knew how many more times that could happen until it did?

And it was all because Ina did her best to delay and make her stay. Even when she explained that time was of the essence, she was brushed off. Even worse was how sorrowful the purple-haired woman would appear, which... She did not think her friend was intentionally guilt-tripping her, but that was how it felt oftentimes. As if she was the unreasonable one for not dropping everything and sitting on that damn couch while other Ames’ got ready to fight a powerful anomaly.

It grated her nerves to no end - more so than Calli’s treatment of her. Which was almost funny, since most would probably think this was less annoying than what happened at the pharmacy. But to her, there was at least something practical to be gained by overpreparing and questioning the supplies she got. Despite the delays it could cause, she still got what she needed in the end. Nothing about playing games got her closer to being ready, which would be fine if it were not for pushing her time limit even more than the former.

Also, she could understand the reason why the reaper did what she did. With the priestess, however, she was still not sure why she was so insistent on this. Was she hoping that one day these delays would cause her to stop being called on missions? Or that she would get dismissed from the particular one she had going on? Or maybe she really was that scared that the blond would not return one day and extended their time together purely from fear.

The motive yet eluded her... but it still hurt. Why could Ina never trust her enough to just let her go when she wanted? Why did she have to play with her emotions so much for what could be a nice sendoff otherwise? Why did she make her feel so... guilty for doing the job she loved?

This all swirled in the time-traveler’s head as she stood there, a hand still on her shoulder. Keeping her breathing even, she attempted to remain strong. She did not want to snap at her Genmate and make this worse than it had to be. Even with the time she had, she was set on leaving - to try and set a precedent for the future. She had to stop crumbling like she had before if she wanted these meetings to become more manageable.

...But it was still hard to muster the words. Her eyes stung as she thought about how upset the priestess would be. Why... why did these missions have to cause them so much trouble? Why did neither of them ever leave with happy smiles and their eyes alight? Why-?

A sudden knock on the door startled her from her thoughts. The priestess jumped as well, letting go of her. With a frown, the other woman brushed past her, de-summoning the tentacle before them and heading over there. This gave her time to quickly rub her eyes and straighten herself out. Yet still, she looked at the door curiously. Her friend had not said anything about more company, so who...?

The answer to that question came when the door was opened, revealing the smiling faces of the Keeper of Nature and Speaker of Space. The latter wasted no time pulling Ina into a big hug, lifting her off the ground. “Oh, Ina! I’m so glad to see you!”

The priestess grunted from being squeezed so much, but even so, she was smiling with a blush. “You say that like you don’t practically live here at this point. Half the stuff in the halls is yours!”

“She’s slowly overtaking your wall space with pictures, too,” Fauna commented as she stepped in, giggling at her two lovers. Her eyes then landed on her other Senpai, blinking in surprise but still giving her a kind smile. “Oh, hello there, Ame! I didn’t realize you’d be here!”

Ame chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. “Um, don’t mind me. I was just about to be on my way.”

Sana dropped her girlfriend back to her feet, looking between the two curiously. “Oh? Were you keeping Ina company until we were finally ready?”

That made the detective raise an eyebrow. Ina looked confused for a moment as well, until it seemed to hit her. She gasped, her face getting redder and her hands covering her mouth. “Oh! I’m so sorry! No, Ame is leaving for a mission later! I got so absorbed in spending time with her until then that I forgot you both were coming here to bake!”

The Speaker only laughed, patting her on the back. “Aw, that’s fine, Ina! It’s not like we were going out - no harm done.”

The Keeper nodded, eyes filled with delight between the priestess and the time-traveler. “That’s actually pretty sweet that you two were doing that. You must have been having a lot of fun! Do you do it often?”

“Pretty much every time I have an important mission,” Ame confirmed. She said nothing else about it, since... the kirin-girl was not wrong. It was fun right until she tried to leave. Then, there was a lot of heartache and delays...

...Which, she realized, she now had an opportunity to avoid for once! Cheering internally at the stroke of luck, she let out a breath and smiled, walking in between the group. “Well, I won’t interrupt your couple time. Think you can make me some gluten-free cookies as a reward for when I get back?”

The astro-girl beamed at her and gave a mock salute. “You can count on us! I imagine perilous missions work up an appetite, so you’ll get a whole batch!”

The detective laughed, glad to hear such a relaxed tone when discussing her leaving for once. She then turned to Ina. Pushing down her nervousness for how she would react, she held out her hand to her. “I’ll see you later, Ina. Thank you... for the games. I’m beating you next time, though!”

There was a brief moment as the priestess looked at her... But then she smiled warmly and shook her hand, a bit of playfulness to her tone. “Of course. You stay safe out there, Ame. Mario Party just isn’t the same without your... unique perspective on winning.”

Grinning, the time-traveler pulled back and tipped her cap at them. She then went out the door, closing it behind her as she let out a deep breath, more shaky than she thought it would be. She ignored that, though, as she went down the hallway toward the elevators. I’ll stop to get something to eat, then head to my office. After that, I’ll head home and do my final checks.

Her steps were lighter than she ever remembered when leaving Ina’s apartment for these kinds of visits. No tears or depression, or anything along those lines! It was a good way to improve her mood... especially when she was the one overreacting, anyway. The priestess hardly forced her to stay or chained her down... At least, not physically or with magic. It was her own fault for not having a better spine for these things. It was ridiculous, really - she could hold her ground against psychopaths and anomalies, but could not say no to her friend?

But that could be addressed another day! So, she did what she always did - compartmentalized it away and moved on. As long as she did not show up, then the rest of the day should be a breeze! And she had helped two of her friends cope with her departure. That was something to take positively!

If only the methods of how did not leave her heart feeling hollow.

(Back at Ina’s, the three lovers had wandered into the kitchen and were getting what they needed together. Fauna giggled as Sana got down a bag of flour, which partially spilled out and made her face all powdery. The Speaker merely smiled like it had not happened, though, setting it down next to other ingredients being gathered by various tentacles.

Despite controlling them, though, Ina could not help but space out some. This was not unnoticed by the Keeper, who walked over and tapped her on the shoulder. “Ina? Is something wrong?”

Blinking, the priestess smiled at her and gave her a peck on the cheek, making the kirin-girl shiver while giggling. “No, I’m good.” She sighed, however, looking back toward the front entrance for a moment. I just wish Ame was not always so eager to rush out... Leaving us all behind so easily. )

-------

The sun was still fairly high in the sky by the time Ame made it to the building where her office was. She sighed, stopping right outside and taking a few seconds to look around and adjust the grip on her bag. Still have a few hours, just like I planned. I might even be able to eat again before departing!

She had just gotten done eating at Fermal’s Cafe - a local place she had come to enjoy. Not just because it was within walking distance to her office, but also the nice dates she and Ollie had shared there. Several people in Hololive enjoyed it, in fact, but none had been there when she went. After dealing with her friends earlier, it had been a pleasant bit of solitude.

She only wished she could have seen her girlfriend one more time before she went. But the zombie had still been busy with her managers and could not make it. She did send words of encouragement, though, and said she would try to get a date arranged for them once her work was over. Her last message had stuck with her in particular:

ZombieSimp: Be sure to give those time anomalies a few good hits for me! I wish I could be there to help you, but I know you’ve got it handled. I’d love to hear about it when you’re done, though! I love you! I can’t wait to give you a “reward” kiss.~

The detective felt her face grow warm, her heart beating quicker. It was not just the flirting at the end that made her feel fuzzy. (But she did smile, knowing her lover would be as flustered as her when she eventually gave that kiss.) It was also how there was no question that she knew what she was doing. The phrasing that her coming back was almost a given and that there was no need to fear.

That did not mean the undead-girl was without worry for her. She was fully aware of the risks of these missions, and even if she had only seen minor anomalies so far -Level 1s and 2s - she knew of their danger. But she also knew she would not be as reckless as she acted. She was trusted to make it back in as best of a condition as she could.

The faith in her was heartening... though, it was always hard to fully believe after dealing with the others in Myth.

She frowned at this thought, trying to shake it off. She entered the building without further delay, making her way through the lobby toward the stairs. This should be a relatively quick visit. Everything she needed was in its proper place - she had cleaned up there just two days ago. And after she had it... she could hold up and avoid the others until she left.

The time-traveler huffed, not liking how that sounded, either. She had thought she would be feeling better after avoiding any crises with Ina. However, the pride she felt in that had dwindled since... it had not been due to any changes by either of them. If Sana and Fauna had not shown up, then they would have gone through the same routine they always did. Plus, in hindsight, she had to acknowledge that she probably would have given into the others' begging... again.

But along with her frustrations about the priestess’ attitude was also self-loathing she felt that way to begin with. She... she was making a bigger deal out of this than there needed to be. Why did she have to be so sensitive about this? Her Genmate meant no harm over it! None of them did... even if one infuriated her. But there was no need to unload that onto the others!

That was not the only thing bringing her feelings down, though. Frowning, she got out her phone and went to her messages. She had not realized it while at Ina’s, but as time went on... she realized Calli had not sent any of her checks in yet. Sure, some times were better than others in their frequency, but there should have been one or two by now.

Yet there was not a single ping from the reaper - not even to ask if she needed anything else. No missed calls, either. Her friend had left her completely alone since they parted ways.

She wished that she could be relieved by this - not having to deal with that constant badgering. But instead... it made her worried. This seemed like a very sudden turn with how things had started that day. Had something happened to the pink-haired woman between then and now? There was not a lot that could bring down the immortal, but she was not invulnerable.

Or... had she let more of her anger slip than she had realized at the end there? That idea made her chest constrict, cursing herself internally. If that was the case, then she would have to try to make things up to her once she got back. Or maybe she could give her an errand to do very quickly! Another bottle of burn cream would not clutter her shelves too much.

...Yet she questioned why she had to make it up to her to begin with. Was she not angry enough at them for not trusting her to do her job? Should she not let them know better what she felt about their treatment of her? They were her friends - they... would listen to her, right?

But then, trying to reason never worked with her, so how well would it go for Ina and Calli? What could she say that she had not done before, anyway? And... how deeply would they pry into how she handled her job? They would probably expect more details from her, including her... issues. Just imagine how much worse they would act if they ever found out about her dissociation...

Ame stopped at the door to her floor, sighing heavily and rubbing a hand down her face. She felt weary all over again, those doubts and more swirling through her head. She could also imagine how worried about them Kronii and Ollie would be. The two of them were always trying so hard to build her confidence - telling her that when she was ready to, she would not be judged for her problems.

She tried so desperately to believe them... but on days like this, experience seemed to slowly erode all that progress.

Don’t think about it anymore, she told herself firmly. She straightened her posture, pushing those thoughts into the back of her mind as far as she could. None of this was going to help the mission - all it would be was a hindrance if she let it all get to her. So, she tried to steady her breathing, opening the door into the hall to get this over with. She turned toward her office-

-and was met with an orange-haired woman leaning on the wall left of the door, arms crossed. Magenta eyes turned her way, which hardened slightly as the phoenix frowned.

The detective froze momentarily, dread and frustration pooling in her stomach. This was the last person she had wanted to see today. She had thought she had finally avoided her friend and was in the clear this time. But... she should have expected she would do this. It was a very good guess that before any case, she would be in her office for a short time at least. It made her wish she had used her watch to get in to avoid running into her, even with how it would affect the temporal timer.

It was too late for any of that, though, leaving her to stand there, her tone unreadable as she spoke. “Kiara...”

Said woman sighed, pushing off the wall and facing her properly. “Trying to sneak out after dropping that text so suddenly this morning?”

The time-traveler frowned, the grip on her bag tightening. “The mission was dropped on me suddenly this morning. I told you all as soon as I saw it.”

“Yeah - telling us you are about to go against some powerful anomalies without even Kronii as backup!” the phoenix retorted, her eyes sharpening. “What the hell are you playing at, Ame? You can’t possibly-”

“Stop,” Ame interrupted in a low voice. Not even a minute in, and she already could not be bothered to deal with this. She walked quickly to her door, brushing past her Genmate. “We’re not doing this again. If you’re not here to just wish me luck, then leave.”

A glance behind her showed Kiara’s hurt expression, which did make her feel bad. However, the other woman’s gaze soon hardened again, her arms falling to her side. “Not doing what? Making sure you aren’t getting in over your head?”

“I already got help from Calli there - no need to worry!” the detective replied, holding up her bag of medicines. She got the key to her office out and unlocked it, pushing her way inside. She tried to close it as quickly as possible, but her friend put her foot in the frame and stopped her.

She held back a groan, simply opting to walk away and head to her closet. As much as she knew this coming talk was going to cause her no end of anger, but she was not going to hurt the other woman to keep her out. Grab a bag, put all the medicine inside, then grab the appropriate gear and files. Deep breaths. Don’t lose your cool...

Kiara stomped her way in, not letting up. “Your supplies aren’t the issue! Don’t try to deflect the issue.”

Spitefully, the time-traveler did just that, gesturing to her brown couch as she opened her closet. “Please, make yourself comfortable. I’ll be with you as soon as I’m done with my work.”

At another time, the joke might have made the phoenix giggle and take a seat. Right now, though, the words only made her glare at her. “Ame...”

Huffing, the blond stepped into the small room and grabbed a big enough backpack for everything she wanted to bring. It also had most other things she needed, too, having prepared ahead for these situations. She put the tan bag on her desk as she shut the door, unzipping and checking its pockets. “Kiara, seriously. Can you please not be so-”

“-Worried when you’re about to throw yourself at a bunch of distortions in reality?” Kiara demanded, stepping to the other side of the desk as she spoke. “Because no, I don’t think I can be just fine with that!”

“I’m not asking you to not be worried! I-”

“Really? Then maybe you can at least listen for once when I try to give you support instead of rushing off alone!”

Ame could practically feel a vein in her head trying to pop out. “Listen” to her? When her Genmate never gave the courtesy to her when they had these “talks?” When every point she made, no matter how big or small, did not seem to matter? Every word she said dismissed under the orange-haired woman’s tirade?

That dark feeling from that morning boiled in her veins now. But, with difficulty, she managed to keep it in check. She tried to focus that energy into getting packed up, putting the medicine into her bag and collecting her thoughts. The gaze of her friend bore into her, but she forced herself into a state of calm.

It was not the first time they had this argument. She would endure it like usual, even if her temper was running thin. There was no need to snap at her over being concerned. She would simply explain herself, no matter how futile it always felt, and move from there. Everything would be fine.

(If she told herself that enough, maybe she would start believing it.)

As she organized the various products she had bought, she took a deep breath and attempted to speak, her tone even. “Look... First off, it’s not even my choice to go alone to begin with. As I said in my text, the Network has ordered it specifically. My hands are tied on the matter!”

The phoenix seemed unamused, leaning on the desk with her hands. “And there’s no way for you to argue otherwise? Would you be bringing anyone if they allowed it, anyway?”

“No, but that’s also my second point,” the detective continued. “Because even if I wanted to waste everyone’s time with paperwork to make an exception to bring any of you, this class of anomalies we’re targeting... You alls abilities would be useless against it. In fact, it’s even worse for you in particular. They can-”

Kiara smacked the desk, cutting her off. “I don’t have to use my pyromancy if it won’t work! I have plenty of experience as a warrior! I’ll even use whatever weapons your Network ‘approves’ of instead of my sword and shield!”

The time-traveler sighed deeply, voice becoming stained. “That’s not how it works. These things-”

“Watson - I can handle it!” the phoenix insisted, hands curling into fists. “My wings will give me plenty of maneuverability, too! You’ve seen me handle time anomalies before!”

“Those were a different class entirely! These things have different abilities, and if you would-”

“I’ll be careful! Isn’t that what you always promise all of us? I know how... weird anomalies interact with the world, but I will take any protection I-”

Ame squeezed her bag hard, making it rattle as she glared at her Genmate. “No! Just- It won’t work, okay?! Your wings won’t make a difference! You’d need my watch to help you keep up with that thing. That’s the main thing about not bringing partners here - it’ll slow us down!”

“I’ll stay close!” the phoenix exclaimed, throwing her hands up. “You can fucking tether me to you if that’s what it takes! Or what about- The Network has devices that can let me simulate what I need to do!”

Christ, and they say I can be stubborn, the detective thought, quietly seething. Taking in a hissing breath, she went to the back of her desk, moving to a drawer with a combination lock. In seconds, she opened it up to reveal a pistol - a G19 Gen 5 FS - and took it out. “It’s not that simple to use that sort of temporal tech. Hell, even if you had used one before - which I know you have not - using a different one than before would still cause disorientation and-” She paused, taking a deep breath. “Look, it’s complicated, alright?”

Kiara seemed ready to retort, but she stopped and then took a deep breath herself. It was a good reminder that she was not acting like this to make them both angry. To her, she was just trying to provide assistance. Still, it did little to settle the coil inside her chest.

After taking a few seconds, the orange-haired woman sighed. “Okay - fine. I can’t use any myself. But there’s still other support I can provide, surely! If I can’t get up close, then I could provide help maintaining a perimeter, or-”

“That. Won’t. Work.” The time-traveler punctuated the last point by removing the clip from her gun, then pulling the slide to empty the chamber. She holstered the empty weapon - she would be provided special ammunition after the meeting that would be far more effective. “You and everyone else are not coming on this mission. End of story!”

The temperature around the phoenix seemed to rise as she glared at her, hair glowing slightly. “And you’re just going to fight these things without us? Don’t you dare try and claim you could take these on by yourself! Even the ‘weaker’ ones I’ve helped you with were unruly!”

“When did I say I could?” Ame asked, moving away from her desk. She went to her filing cabinets, opening one to find the appropriate document. “Because, hey, that’s point three! I’m going to be with several other Network members out there! A Kronii will also be supervising us! I have people who will be watching my back, and me theirs! I’m not alone in this!”

“But how do you know they’ll look after you?” Kiara demanded, marching to stand behind her as the blond sifted through files. “They may be too busy seeing to others and overlook you! And you and Kronii have said not all versions of her have your best interests at heart - some even hate you for existing! If you had me or anyone else here with you, then that’s a person who will be guaranteed to protect you!”

The detective paused, looking at her with a deep frown. “Do you have that little faith in my coworkers? Do you think Ollie doesn’t look after other me’s when I bring her and we’re in the middle of a fight, too?”

“No, but... we... we would be able to prioritize your safety. ” The phoenix took in another breath. Her gaze softened a tad, a bit of desperation entering her eyes. “Ame... you can’t just charge against things so much more powerful than you. You may not like it, but... you have limits. And you shouldn’t be pushing past them so recklessly! Not without our help.”

The time-traveler looked away, staring intently at the papers in the cabinet drawer. There it was... The reason that Kiara got under her skin more than the other two. Why she got so mad that it made her feel like she was walking on eggshells for days after they had these talks. Something that, even at her lowest self-esteem, a part of her always rebelled at, even when she did not have the strength to vocalize it.

“You have limits.” Said as though she was not already aware of that. As if she did not painstakingly take that into account with every case she did. As if her hand was not constantly near her watch for the moment things became too much. As if the usefulness of having any of them along was never one of the first things to cross her mind.

That was what hurt her the most when they did this - being reminded that the phoenix, whether by intention or not, offered no trust that she knew what she was doing. That she did not know how to do her job.

Calli never gave her grief about not taking her more often, despite a shinigami being a powerful ally. She just dumped an excess of supplies on her and let her go on her way. Ina might delay her and become upset when she left, but she was not overbearing. They could even have nice discussions about the missions she went on when she returned as if nothing had happened. Neither raised the issue of her needing to go alone.

But Kiara always had a problem with it. Not just for these conscriptions, but also any case that was almost ensured to involve lots of violence. Whether it was a mass shootout or a mythical beast, the woman was constantly trying to get her to take others with her. Someone from the Network was not good enough most of the time. It had to be one of them - a person from Myth, Council, or just about anyone with powers in Hololive. The harder they were to kill, the better.

She had dealt with this rhetoric since the beginning of Hololive, and it only got worse over time. It then greatly lessened after Ollie started to become regular company to her - the redhead’s regeneration giving the reassurance she needed. But there were still jobs she could not take anyone on like this, and when those came up... a headache was sure to follow.

It was an endless cycle - one Ame had tried so hard to break without success. She took several deep breaths, the grip she had on the sides of the drawer turning her skin white. Of all the things that could be said against her, this one hurt the deepest. Knowing that all the efforts she went through went unnoticed. That every scrape and bruise she got would only feed into the phoenix’s attitude.

That... she was seen as fragile.

There were so many things she wanted to scream about - her body trembling ever-so-slightly from pent-up frustration accumulated through the day. However... she kept a lid on it all. Because despite their heavy disagreement on this topic... they were still friends. Her Genmate had looked after her so much in the past - many good memories she had made in Hololive were thanks to her. It was just this one thing that caused them to butt heads so severely. She... did not want to ruin everything else they had because of that.

She could keep calm. She would endure this. It. Would. Be. Fine.

Managing not to raise her tone, she continued looking through the files. “That’s not going to be an issue. But I’m still not bringing anyone. I know what it takes to bring one of these anomaly types down, and-”

Kiara cut her off with a frustrated growl, grabbing her shoulder and turning the blond toward her. “Oh, for Christ’s sake! Why do you always do this?! What exactly are you trying to prove here?!”

“Not what you think,” Ame gritted out, not bothering to hide her irritation at that point. Glancing at the cabinet, she finally spotted the right file and went to grab it. “And I could ask you the same thing about why you always bother me about it.”

“Because I don’t want you to die!” the phoenix shrieked. “What’s so hard to understand about that?!”

“Nothing!” the detective nearly shouted, moving past her toward her bag with the file in hand. There was a brief thought about showing her its contents... but she was too angry right now. Neither of them was listening to each other at that point, so it would just be pointless shouting. “I never claim that isn’t a hazard! But I know how to handle myself! Whatever you think of my alts, they’re going to protect me! So just once, can you not shout at me and simply wish me luck before I-”

“Can you just accept help from us without coming up with a long list of excuses?!” Kiara demanded, staying right on her heel.

The time-traveler shook all over, her heart twisting too tightly for comfort. She started to open another zipper on the bag to put away the file. “They aren’t ‘excuses!’ I have my reasons for what I do! And if you ever lis-”

This time, she was turned around more roughly. Her hair looking ready to burst into flames, the phoenix shouted right into her face. “Enough of that! Over half of us can’t die! Many of us have millennia of experience fighting! Like it or not, we have advantages you don’t, so stop being stubborn and trust us! Or do you want to leave Ollie alone when one of these days the anomalies kill you over your arrogance?!”

...The file slipped from Ame’s fingers, landing on the floor. There was a moment of stillness as she simply stared at her, eyes wide. Her heartbeat pounded in her skull, but it did not drown out the words on repeat in her head. The walls she always put around her emotions seemed to simply... vanish, spreading through her like a tidal wave.

Hearing that word - trust - being thrown back at her... Using her girlfriend against her like that... Digging at a fear she had no right to touch at...!

Kiara’s hair very gradually lost its glow, what she said appearing to catch up with her, too. Her eyes widened, her rage vanishing as she put a hand to her lips. Swallowing visibly, she reached out a hand. “N-no, wait... I... That wasn’t what I-”

That was as far as she got before the detective’s fist connected with her cheek.

The blond had not even realized she had done it. She felt like a passenger in her own body now, which was now shaking non-stop as she breathed hard. The throb in her hand was barely noticed as her Genmate fell down, only just managing to catch herself on the desk despite how painful it looked.

It did not satisfy her fury. After so long, it had been given an outlet, and it was not going to be stopped now.

The phoenix looked up at her, a dark bruise already on her face as her eyes showed her shock, not having fully processed what happened. “A-Ame?! Wha-”

“SHUT UP!” the detective yelled, louder than she ever thought she had ever been. She grabbed the other woman roughly by the shirt and hauled her up. It was only for a moment, though, before she threw her into her desk chair, which rolled and nearly tipped over. “JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!”

Kiara scrambled on the chair, awkwardly sprawled in it. She now had a scared expression, pressing herself back as she raised her hands. “Wait, Ame! I- ack! ”

The time-traveler had closed the distance, her fingernails now digging into her shoulder. She forced the other to make eye contact, growling lowly as she glared hard. “How... how dare you say that to me! Do you know how much I’m scared of leaving her? Leaving any of you?! Is your view of me so low that you think that never haunts me?!”

The phoenix whimpered, shaking her head as she tried to shake off the hand. “I-I don’t... think lowly of you. I just-”

“LIAR!” Ame shouted, letting go and pushing the chair back. She stalked over the orange-haired woman, who made no move to get up as she watched her fearfully. “You come in here, criticize me over things you don’t understand, never listen to me, and then ask me to trust you?! As if I don’t do that every time I really do need you for a case! Like there are no times I ask for you or anyone in Myth specifically for assistance!

“But that doesn’t matter, does it? Because you seem to think that I can’t go ten steps out there without supervision - like I’m just going to walk into a bullet!” She leaned in, her voice a hiss. “You want to talk to me like I don’t understand the dangers out there? As if you’re an expert on anomalies - the multiverse? You want to call me arrogant?!”

Kiara winced, squirming but not daring to look away. Swallowing thickly, she tried to speak feebly, her tone shaky. “I... I just want to protect you. I... please, I can...”

Even with how softly it was said, the attempt still made the detective see red. She hit the armrest of the chair, making the other yelp. “Are you still not getting it?! Do I have to spell it out for you, or-!?”

She stopped suddenly. Her eyes went to one of her drawers... one where she kept certain items hidden. Things she wished she would get rid of, but did not. Small, painful reminders of what she had seen out there - reminders of lessons hard learned.

A part of her recoiled at what she was considering... but it had no influence on her as she snarled, baking up and opening it roughly. “Do you want to know? Do you want to see why I’m not taking you?! Why I insist on not bringing you sometimes?!”

The phoenix did not answer, and she did not wait for one. She dug into the drawer, quickly gathering up what she was looking for. Whatever sliver of rationality she had left begged her not to, though. It was a step too far - it was not fair to reveal it to her like this! There were ways to make her point without doing this!

Well before any doubts could even begin to break through her rage, however, she pulled out the items. She tossed them at Kiara, chest her on the chest. Said woman flinched, but the objects were too light to cause any pain. Her hand instinctively went to them, picking them up and holding them out in her palm-

-where she was met with... two pairs of feather earrings. Kiara’s earrings. Except they were different than the ones she wore now or any other pair she owned. One was a third the size of hers, while the other had more reds than teal.

The sight of them made the phoenix pause, not understanding but clearly sensing something amiss. Her eyes flicked back to the blond uneasily, having to try a few times to get words out. “A... Ame? What... are these?”

The time-traveler spoke before she could think better of it, her voice cold. “Earrings. From other versions of you. Ones I watched die.”

That made Kiara’s breath catch, her face going deathly pale. She looked down at the feathers, her hand trembling as her voice shook. “I-I... I...”

Ame did not care about what she was trying to say. She growled, walking back up to her as she bit out her words, pointing to the smaller pair. “And guess what? One of them died to the types of anomalies that I’m leaving to deal with! I had to watch how one did things I don’t even want to describe, hearing her call out in agony for every second of it! Yet you want to suggest I don’t know better than to leave you here? You want to call me arrogant when you think you’re in no danger of dying any more than I am out there?!”

The phoenix stuttered, raising her other hand to reach out to her. The detective merely grabbed it, though, and used it to yank the other woman closer, whose eyes were wide as she got right into her face, voice continuing to raise. “Because, despite everything you think of me, I don’t make my decisions to prove I’m above you, or even at your level. I do it to keep you all alive!”

She shoved her back into the chair, stepping back and tapping her chest. “You don’t need to tell me how much could kill me! I know I’m human! I know the shortcomings that come with that! But just because you all are tougher doesn’t mean you can’t die!” She gestured widely in one direction. “Out there - especially out there! - you’re not all as unkillable as you think! And I have had to be reminded of that too many times! To be there to witness other yous perishing, or hearing other Ames’ grieve, or even having to... to...”

Her vision became blurry, hot wet trails sliding down her face. She sucked in a breath, wiping at her eyes furiously. It... it was too much for her. Recalling so many familiar but different faces of people she knew with sightless eyes. Seeing how it destroyed other hers so much more than it would ever affect her... To recall the circumstances of how she got the other pair of earrings.

Kiara’s, expression anguished, tried one more time to reach out to her, lips quivering. “Ame... You... I never meant-”

The time-traveler slammed her hand down on the desk, glowering at her Genmate as more tears fell. “So don’t ever talk to me again like I don’t know what I’m doing. Never try and drag anyone else into this ever again!” She grabbed her bag, throwing it on her shoulder... then, her voice growing tight, she got one last statement. “If you can’t appreciate my job... then don’t even talk to me anymore. Because I don’t need friends who only want to tear me down and try to make me feel like I’m worthless!”

She stomped off toward the door, not turning back as she heard the phoenix gasp. She then heard her stand up, calling desperately behind her. “W-wait! Please, I’m sor-!”

Ame went out the door, slamming it behind her. She walked as fast as she could to the stairs. Soon she was even sprinting, flying down the stairs even as moisture continued to cloud her vision. In no time, she had reached the bottom and slammed her way out of the building.

Where she was running to, she did not know. Just so long as it was far away from the pain...

(Kiara stared at where the detective had left for several moments, finding herself unable to move. Despite her natural heat, every part of her insides felt ice-cold. The last words of the blond tore at her, practically sliding a blade slowly across her heart. It somehow felt worse than her still-throbbing cheek from the punch.

Her eyes went down to the earrings still in her hands, clutching them tightly. Then, tears of her own began to run down her face, a choked sound leaving her. What... what have I done...?)

-------

Even with all the time it had been there, the beach that so many Vtubers had conjured into town was still a wonder to see by many. Having an ocean to visit in the middle of a landlocked town was a miracle of magic - a show of great power and skill from so many. The physics of how it all worked confounded many (being only able to enter it on one side and finding only normal land “behind” it when you looped around the outside was certainly disorientating.) However, it still made a great spot to relax, especially with summer coming up.

It was also positioned so that anyone could view the sunset from its shores. One could normally find a few couples spending a romantic evening there, even in winter, to watch. Today, though, it seemed that most people had opted to retire early. There was no one visible in any direction in the water, and few people were walking along the sandy shore.

...And those that were gave Ame a wide birth, clearly sensing she needed privacy.

She sat a good bit away from the waves, knees curled up to her chest. She faced the ocean, but she was not looking at the sunset, however, her face firmly buried in both arms and legs. The backpack with her supplies lay beside her, almost entirely ignored but within grabbing distance. Her body shook from time to time, pathetic noises leaving her, but otherwise, she was very still... and had been for several hours.

Why she had come here instead of her apartment, she did not know. She had run through town aimlessly, and before she knew it, she had collapsed there. Perhaps a subconscious part of her had wanted to avoid being found at home by any of her friends. She had also not wanted to head to the meeting looking like a mess, though, and had been trying to gain composure... so far without success.

Regardless, she knew she should have left ages ago despite appearances. Even without looking at the timer, she knew she was pushing her time close by that point. There was nothing else she needed, unless she wanted to count that file forgotten in her office. But that was not necessary - she had been grabbing it more for review anyway. Plus, she did not want to go back in case Kiara was...

Just thinking about her caused a fresh set of tears to fall. She curled in on herself tighter, feeling like she wanted to vomit. Despite needing to leave, she could not muster the will to move. No matter how hard she tried, she could not build the barriers around her heart again. Her rage had long since died away, and now shame and regret rooted her to this spot.

It also let the detective recall that encounter with more clarity... and she was disgusted with herself. What... what had she been thinking?! How... could she have shouted at the phoenix like that? How could she have punched her?! She swore her knuckles were still tingly from where they had connected to the other woman’s face. A continual reminder of how deeply she had screwed up.

She had just been so enraged. Her words had tumbled out and she had kept acting before she even thought of doing anything. The careful control she normally attempted to keep over her feelings had all fled her in an instant. She could not handle hearing about how fragile she was viewed as after so long, it seemed. And more so, she would not stand for Ollie’s name - a person who had nothing but support to give her for this mission and love to provide - to be used to shame her job!

...But that was no excuse to have intimidated Kiara as much as she had. To have been so physical with her. There was no satisfaction in seeing her Genmate be scared after all the times she had implied she was weak. All she could feel was endless guilt, never having wanted to hurt any of her friends like that. Especially not after all the things she had witnessed in her line of work.

And what made her even more revolted with herself was taking out those earrings. Recalling that made her breath hitch. No amount of anger justified bringing those out. They were practically markers of dead versions of the phoenix! She may not have known either on a personal level, but... they deserved more respect than to be tossed around. When one had not had an Ame to mourn them and another had been given to her by an alt as thanks after... everything that had transpired.

But the time-traveler had not shown them respect. She had used those remaining remnants of them to tear at Kiara more. Even if it was to prove a point - to finally get it through her head why she could not always come - it was a disgraceful way to handle them. And... who knew what the orange-haired woman would do with them now? Would she throw them away? Show the others? Even them getting carelessly tossed back into the drawer did not sit right with her.

But then, how could she judge now? After the way she had acted? The insults she had sent her way? The harsh comments and-

“If you can’t appreciate my job... then don’t even talk to me anymore. Because I don’t need friends who only want to tear me down and try to make me feel like I’m worthless!”

The statement floated through her head, making her almost too choked up to breathe. What... was there to say about that? What else was there to consider? She... may have very well ended her friendship with the phoenix with those words. She had hurt someone who had only wanted her to be okay. No matter how much the way that care was expressed had irked her, she...

It was too much to bear right now. Stronger sobs left Ame, her throat starting to feel a little raw after all this crying. What... had she done? How was she supposed to salvage her bond with Kiara after that? How would the others react if and when they found out? They would certainly have questions about her new bruise, and... what reason did the phoenix have to lie? How would Calli, her friend of millennia, treat the blond after learning? How would Ina?

Would... she lose the trust of everyone else? She barely knew where precisely she stood with most of the Council and IRyS. They offered support, but how quickly would that erode now? Would... even Kronii finally turn her back on her? If even she turned her away, then everyone else... perhaps also her girlfriend...

The detective closed her eyes, tears continuing to fall. Realistically, she knew the Warden and zombie would not do that to her, but it still hurt thinking about. The idea kept turning in her head no matter how much she tried to banish it.

She... wanted to try and fix this. Even if it did not work, she wanted to find Kiara and beg for forgiveness. To do whatever it was everyone wanted to stay their friends. To... not lose the most important people in her life, who in so many other circumstances made her feel special. Happy.

But... she knew she could not. With how jumbled her emotions were still, any attempt would probably only dig a deeper hole for her. And regardless... she still had to leave. There was no way she could leave the Network to scramble to find a replacement for her so late into this. There was no telling the consequences it would mean for her job afterward, too.

The opposing interests tore her up inside. She rubbed at her eyes, as if it would get her tears under control, but they just kept falling. She could not stop worrying about why Calli had not contacted her. If Ina had truly been fine when she left. Could not get rid of that last thing she saw of Kiara, too many emotions to know how she was reacting right now-

It was in the corner of her eyes that the time-traveler noticed something swimming to shore. She thought she had imagined it at first thanks to her blurry vision, but after blinking the wetness away for a second, there was no mistaking it. It was coming in fast not far to her right, glowing blue. The indistinct shape soon came into focus, humanoid and in a blue hoodie, showing a short woman in a hoodie, head bobbing to the surface to show white hair, red highlights visible. The glow around her came from her blue trident in one hand, which had residue of blood upon it along with small spots on her clothes.

She blinked a few more times at the sight. While too broken up to react, it was then that she realized why her feet might have carried her here. She had heard that one-half of her best friend had been hunting more at these times as the weather warmed up. (Not that the cold had stopped her before.) The way her heart picked up was further proof that something deep inside had been hoping the other was sticking with the schedule she had told everyone.

After all, when both Kronii and Ollie were busy... who next would she turn to if not Gura and Gawr? The only person (or two, technically) in Myth who... offered her any trust?

Even so, she shied away from where her Genmate was coming in, who had gotten close enough to walk. After everything that day, she was too worried about screwing up and causing yet more problems. She shuffled in the sand, sucking in a breath as she turned away from the other. She started to wonder if there was a way to slip away unnoticed despite the screaming within her to go talk to her-

“Ha! I thought that was you I saw coming in!” the shark-girl called out, footsteps casually approaching. “Enjoying the sunset before you leave? You picked a nice day for it. The light on my back coming straight from my fish massacre was incredible!”

Ame stopped, then deflated as she accepted that there was no escape. She did not verbally answer, though, instead going back to hugging her knees. She kept her head turned away, despite knowing how futile that would be at this point.

Sure enough, when Gawr got close enough and stopped, she grunted. There was a flash of light as she de-summoned her trident, then knelt behind the blond. “Um, have you gone deaf or something? Or have you suddenly become queasy seeing blood?”

The grin was evident in her voice, but the detective could not find it in her to laugh or be offended. This was not unnoticed, either, the Atleantean’s tone losing some of its smugness as she moved closer. “Uh, Watson?...Ame? What’s up? You okay?” When she got no response for a few more seconds, the first tinge of uncertainty entered her voice. “Okay, seriously Watson, what are you doing? Did I do something to offend you here recently, or what? I know I went a little overboard sparring with Ollie last week, but...”

That caused a small flinch from the time-traveler. She did not want her Genmate to think she did anything wrong when she had given her so much support in the past, or after what had happened. So, despite knowing it would give up her current state, she croaked out a response. “N... No, you... didn’t...”

She could sense the shark-girl freezing up at how her voice sounded. In seconds, she had rounded to her other side to see her face, eyebrows furrowed. They quickly widened, however, as she saw the human’s face. She dived in front of her, grabbing her face. “Watson?! What the fuck happened?! Are you hurt? Tell me who did it! I’ll-!”

“I-I’m not hurt,” Ame whimpered, letting out a sob as her gaze went to the ground. “I... I didn’t mean to... I was with...” She tried desperately to form words, but they failed to reach her lips.

Gawr, normally one to act haughty, soon looked uncomfortable watching her cry, but with deep concern in her eyes. She looked around, as if expecting someone to materialize to help. “Shit... I... I don’t...” She swallowed, looking to the side with a pleading look at seemingly nothing. “Gura, get out here - now!”

It did not seem like she needed to even ask. The red in her hair and eyes was already turning blue while she had been talking. The detective almost smiled, having always found it cute the way the red persona asked her other self for help. Even when she was forced to stay in control by Gura - to help her learn how to talk with people better - she always seemed to take comfort from the other voice in her head, and vice versa.

But it seemed the blue personality had decided now was not the time to force that. Closing her eyes for a moment, they soon opened again, blue instead of red... but the worry was the same. She opened up her arms, hesitantly leaning in. “Ame...?”

A sound resembling a whine left the time-traveler. A voice told her she did not deserve a hug for what she did to Kiara... but she was too much of a mess to refuse. Thus, she moved forward and embraced her best friend, who wrapped her arms around her in turn. Despite having just come from the ocean, her clothes were perfectly dry. Though, the blond soon created a wet spot as she buried her face into the other’s shoulder, releasing what tears she had left.

The Atlantean rubbed her back, humming soothingly. One hand left for a moment, stretching out to grab her backpack. Once she pulled it to her, she fumbled with the zipper as best she could without breaking the hug. Then, she stuck her hand in. It soon emerged with a bottle of water in its grasp, which was pressed against her Genmate’s side.

Ame got the message, pulling back from the hug enough to take the bottle. She let go of her friend and used both hands to open it. Taking several deep gulps, she felt her head clear some, a headache she had not realized she had diminishing from the hydration. All the while, the shark-girl kept her hands on her side, waiting patiently.

Careful to not drink too fast, she stopped once about half the bottle was gone. Setting it down, she sighed, looking tiredly at her best friend. “Thanks.”

Gura shrugged, putting the bottle back into the bag. “I honestly thought it would take longer to make you take a sip. Your face...” She coughed awkwardly, eyes scanning over the other. “Well, you look pretty... worn down.”

The detective chuckled hollowly, turning to face the ocean again. “Guess I got most of my crying out before you arrived...”

That made the Atlantean’s eyebrows furrow. She let go and settled in beside her. “Huh? How long have you...?” She trailed off, then shook her head. “Actually, nevermind. I... don’t think I want to know.” She stared at her intently. “But... do you want to tell me what happened?”

...The time-traveler truly did not know. Her eyes settled on the ocean, letting her legs spread out before her while she hunched forward. The sun was starting to sink on the horizon, letting her know that her time was running out to dally there. Her watch felt heavy in her pocket, but she made no move to grab it yet.

It was not like she could hide what had happened from the shark-girl forever. If she said nothing now, then her Genmate would surely find out from Kiara later. Even if the orange-haired woman said nothing, then there would still be no hiding the rift the blond had created between them. Trying to keep secrets was a road that would probably cause even more strains within EN. 

But... she did not want to risk Gura’s wrath. When it came to her leaving on missions, she was usually the only one to give her no trouble. Sometimes, after becoming annoyed with the others, it was the short woman who helped lift back up her spirits. Or, she met with her first, which gave her the will to better tolerate the rest of Myth.

Most of the time, it was not even anything she did. Moreso, it was... what she did not do. There was no digging through her supplies to check on them unless it was asked of her. No guilt trips about staying longer when she said she had to leave. Certainly, there was no question of her abilities - Gawr had trained her in lots of her hand-to-hand skills, so both sides of her knew what she could do. They just... met up, maybe did a few things like go to the Arcade or discuss the mission lightly, and then... they parted ways.

There was never anything that made her feel fragile. Her friend... believed in her, and every action made it feel like her efforts to alleviate the others' concerns... might have actually mattered.

These thoughts tempted Ame, who glanced over at the Atlantean, who sat there saying nothing else. She... wanted so badly to get everything off of her chest. To make her regret known to someone before she had to leave. Besides, she had... mentioned parts of her annoyances to her before. Never anything detailed, but when the others got a little too much, the short woman made her feel better, along with Ollie and Kronii.

But... this time was different. If she started talking, she was... not sure she would be able to stop. What if it sounded like she was trying to vilify the rest of their Gen? And... she could not ignore that this might destroy the dynamic they had. There was a reason she had not said anything before - the same way she said nothing about her dissociations to the white-haired woman, despite their long history.

She... was scared of losing this dynamic. Of unsettling it and losing one of the people she could turn to for other issues that came from her job. To watch that trust get snuffed out-

“Ame?” the shark-girl called out quietly. She was frowning, but was not moving yet, perhaps debating if more touching was a good idea at that point.

The detective blinked, unsure of how long she had spaced out. She shook her head, then sighed deeply as she watched more waves. “I’m sorry. I... I don’t know if...”

Gura tilted her head. “Is this... private time traveling matters? The type you meet up with Kronii to discuss? You can stay quiet if that’s the case! I know you guys have a thing going on there.”

The time-traveler shook her head again. “No, it’s... not that. I mean, it’s... kind of job-related, but I’m not...” She groaned, one hand pushing her hat aside to grip her hair. “Christ, I don’t know...”

The Atlantean continued looking concerned for another moment. Then her eyes widened as she sat up straighter. “Oh, gods - you and Ollie didn’t break up, did you?!”

That started Ame, who turned to her with wide eyes herself. “What? No! What made you jump to that ?!”

“Well it’s no secret how happy she makes you when she joins you on cases!” the shark-girl defended. “And she’s the first girlfriend you ever had, right? If something happened between you two, I could imagine it hitting you this hard, if not harder!”

The detective took a deep breath, nodding slowly. “I... Okay, I see your point. Things are fine between us, though.” She grimaced slightly. “But... I’m worried how she’s going to react when she finds out I...” She once more trailed off, unable to finish her thought.

Gura looked at her sadly for a time. “...That bad, huh?” When she got no response, she sighed, putting a hand on her friend’s back. “Look, Ame... you don’t have to talk. I know how you like your privacy sometimes with your job, along with... self-worth issues.” She looked at her earnestly. “But I’m willing to sit with you here until you feel better, if you want the company? Or if you want to message Ollie or Kronii, I can be your silent support. Won’t even glance at your phone if you don’t want me to.”

An emotion bubbled deep inside the time-traveler - indescribable, somehow making her feel both warm and guilty. “You... don’t care if I don’t say anything?”

The Atlantean rolled her eyes. “I’m still worried, if that’s what you mean. But... you’re a big girl. It’s your choice to make.” She paused, then snickered. “Though, Gawr is saying she will still gladly beat anyone up if you ask her to. She’s even promising to not break any bones if you think that's too far.”

This managed to get Ame to laugh, if only for a second. Her gaze soon dropped to her lap, though, any humor she had being swallowed by shame. It would not be the first time she had avoided talking about her problems with her. Yet every time, her friend was seemingly content being a silent presence to bask in. She was always given so much trust... That she would speak on things like this and more when she was ready. Whenever some invisible barrier was crossed.

Right then, however, she did not feel worthy of that patience and understanding. Every second that passed without speaking felt like an abuse of that. What kind of friend was she that she could not share her pains with her? After all they had been through together? Her Genmate was sat there, blissfully unaware of the terrible thing she had done, and was doing nothing to learn of it. And here she was, potentially about to keep quiet until she had no time left, then leave her lost and confused as the others-

...She would not do that. This whole day she had tried to play to the same song and dance with everyone else pre-mission, and it had caused her to hurt someone dear to her. It was too late to change that... but she could do something different here. Give the swirl of emotions within her an outlet and... properly return the trust given to her.

She... she had to trust in the shark-girl. That whatever reaction she was about to get... she was not about to be left alone. To help look after everyone until she got back along with Kronii and Ollie.

Thus, with a shaky breath, she whispered the truth. “I... I punched Kiara.”

...Gura blinked a few times, looking at her again. She looked bewildered, as if believing she had misheard her. “You... did what?”

“I... I punched her,” the detective repeated, voice rising. Her eyes grew moist once more as she bit her lips. “She... She said something and I got so angry, I... Everything just happened so fast, and then I did some more things, and I rushed out before I could think, and...!”

The Atlantean quickly shuffled closer, putting an arm around her. “Hey, remember to breathe! You’re okay!” She met her eyes, a deep concern in them. They also tinted red at the edges, indicating Gawr was pushing forward to pay extra close attention. “But... I mean... You punched her? Why?” She frowned some. “Is this related to the trouble she gives you about going solo for certain cases? I know she’s persistent sometimes, but-”

“It’s how everyone in Myth - all of them except you - treat my job!” the time-traveler exclaimed, throwing her hands wide and forcing her back. She then rubbed them down her face, eyes twisting shut. “I... I haven’t been dealing with it as well as I’d thought. And now... I’ve ruined everything.”

When she looked back over, she saw the shock on the shark-girl’s face, mouth slightly agape. “Wha... what?”

Ame squirmed under her gaze. However, she was able to take some strength from the fact the short woman had not run off immediately. Clenching her hands, she tried to use it and began to explain what had all happened that day. The way the rest of Myth treated her, the things they did... and how it all made her feel.

With Calli, she tried to downplay her annoyance, feeling uncomfortable talking bad about Gura’s lover to her face. She even explained her theories regarding how her lifeline affected the reaper’s view to lessen the blow. But she did mention the lack of messages she had gotten and the fear she had upset her. She was more honest when talking about Ina, though, and the mixed bag those meetings always were. However, she acknowledged how unreasonable she felt she was being there. The whole time, her chest felt tight for discussing them in this way.

And Kiara... It was difficult, but she managed to get the particulars of that encounter out. It felt like razors were in her throat describing the rage she felt over her comments - some of which seeped into her explanation. She had to pause a few times to calm herself, not wanting to yell into her friend’s ears, but there was no masking her frustration.

However... she ended up leaving out what the phoenix said which made her get violent, and much of what followed. Just that the other had struck a nerve and made her lose her cool. Given the situation, she was afraid of what mentioning it without context would cause the Atlantean to feel... Not that... context made it much better, but she kne-... hoped the other EN member had just been heated. It was painful regardless, but... did she not owe her that benefit after all these years?

And beyond that... she felt far too much guilt to mention the earrings. She would deal with being torn into for that when she got back, but... she was too cowardly to face it right now.

The detective spoke for a good while about it all, the sun still sinking in front of them. By the time she finished, the sky had lost a lot of blue in favor of orange and red. She sighed heavily, feeling wrung out, but... lighter. Like she could organize her thoughts more. She was definitely not feeling better about any of it, but breathing was easier now.

She had stopped looking at the shark-girl at some point, and she dared not turn to look at her. She sat there, tensely waiting to hear the reaction of her best friend. Her heart rate picked up again, bracing herself to be yelled at instinctively. A small part of her wondered if she had made a mistake and was about to hear footsteps going away along with a cold voice telling her to-

But Gura’s voice was not cold when she spoke, stopping her thoughts. On the contrary, it sounded... distressed. “You... you’ve been feeling that way about everyone this whole time?”

The time-traveler paused, having to process a moment that she was not being shouted at. There were no immediate signs of accusation in the other’s tone, either, so she hesitantly cleared her throat to reply. “I... yes? I mean, it... took a little time for me to start feeling agitated by Calli and Ina’s actions. Just another sign of how unreasonable I’m-”

“You’re not!” the Atlantean exclaimed, startling her. When the blond turned to her, she was further shocked to find the white-haired woman was... crying. She was sniffling, her breathing slightly irregular as she shook her head. “It doesn’t matter if it seems small, you...! How could you...? How has no one...?”

The short woman took in another breath, her highlights and eyes shifting between red and blue. Ame stared for another moment, taken aback at the display. As it clicked, though, she found herself springing into action. She wiped her face free of her old tears, managing to finally get a handle on her emotions. Then, digging into her coat, she found a yellow cloth, which she offered to her friend. “Hey! It’s okay! You... you don’t need to stress so much about this!”

“To hell I don’t!” the shark-girl bit out, Gawr having control for a moment. However, with a few breaths, both personalities seemed to calm down as Gura took back the reigns. Once she was fully blue again, she looked up at her friend with watery eyes. “I’m... I’m sorry, Ame. I never realized that you... If I had known, I could have...”

The detective sighed, pressing the cloth into her Genmate’s hand. “You have nothing to apologize for. I always kept most of the details to myself.” She looked away, grimacing. “I never wanted to cause any of you to feel bad about it. It’s all just so... stupid. I-”

Anything else she was going to say was stopped by a hand grabbing her forearm. The Atlantean looked at her, a myriad of emotions in her eyes... and at the forefront of them all was compassion. “I... I don’t think it’s stupid...”

The time-traveler blinked, looking at her with wide eyes. “You... you don’t?”

The disbelief in her tone seemed to cause the shark-girl some dismay. But even so, she nodded, her face earnest. “Ame, you’re allowed to be defensive over your job. I know how much going out into the multiverse means to you. If you think the others are being unfair to you about it, then you can say something about it.”

Ame stared at her for another moment... then, swallowing thickly, she turned and pulled her friend into a tight hug. She sniffled, denials still on her lips. “I... I shouldn’t have hurt Kiara. No amount of anger-”

“I’m not saying you were right to do that,” Gura said, returning the embrace and keeping her voice gentle. “But... if you’ve been trying to explain yourself to her before then, she should have listened. Things might be bad, but... you don’t have to take sole blame for this...”

The detective’s eyes watered, but she held back her tears this time. She did not fully believe those words - that this all did not fall upon her and the choices she made. However, the fact that her Genmate was trying to comfort her after explaining everything... Being so kind to her... It did wonders for her heart.

They sat there like that for a few minutes, both coming down from their high emotions. Exhaustion was fast catching up to the blond, but she did her best to shake it off. She would do her best to rest with whatever time she had. But right now, she enjoyed the soft sound of the waves nearby. I should have done this ages ago. She’s done plenty to prove herself. Her eyes closed. And... I have to leave before she can do anything else. If I hadn’t been so scared...!

Why... is it so hard for me to let people in?

There was no time to ponder that question, unfortunately. The silence was broken by the Atlantean, who pulled back to look at her sadly. “I... I just don’t get it. How could the others not realize this? Like, you’ve talked to them about it some, right?”

The time-traveler chuckled dryly. “Oh, I talk to Kiara plenty about how I feel about her butting into my work where she isn’t needed. We’ve both tried to keep it ‘civil,’ despite the yelling. To just leave the whole thing alone when everything is done. I think she even stopped pestering Ollie about my... other issues here recently.” She sighed heavily. “I guess today shows how well that was actually going.”

The shark-girl pouted at her, laying her hand on her shoulder. “Ame...”

Ame shook her head, moving along before she could comment. “But... there isn’t much reason to bother Calli and Ina about it. They don’t mean anything bad by their actions - none of those three do! I... I can’t just stop them from worrying. Not when I can die one day out there. If this makes them feel better about it, then... I need to get over it.”

Something flashed in Gura’s eyes, her hand shifting on her. “I don’t think that-”

“It’s the way things are, Gura,” the detective stated, standing up suddenly. She felt bad about brushing her off like this, but... she knew she was nearly out of time. Her hand went to grab her phone as she looked down at her Genmate. “We can discuss that another time, but... I need to go. The Network is relying on my support out there.

“That’s why I need you to look after everyone while I’m gone. To make sure that... everything doesn’t fall apart because of what I did. I’ll do whatever I can to fix it when I get back in a few days - I promise.” She frowned, looking at the ground. “Though... I wouldn’t blame them if they hate me now.”

The Atlantean looked even more upset, standing up too while reaching out to her. “Ame, I really think you’re-”

“Promise me!” the time-traveler said, term firm. Meeting her friend’s eyes, her tone grew softer, her expression imploring. “Please...”

The shark-girl stared for a time, looking stricken... But eventually, she sighed, her tail drooping as she nodded. “Okay... I promise.” She leaned down and grabbed the blond’s backpack, holding it toward her. “You have everything you need?”

“Yes,” Ame confirmed, taking the bag. The only supplies left she needed were what she knew the Network would provide her.

Nodding, Gura then gave a genuine smile. “Then good luck out there. Try to stay in one piece, got it?”

The detective nodded, slowly smiling back and trying not to tear up - this time from joy. It was simple... but this type of goodbye is what she always wanted from everyone. Just wishing her well and letting her go with no complaints. A small acknowledgment of the dangers, but keeping things light. Overall, giving the impression that she was trusted to do her best - to do everything she could to come home.

She wishes she was more grateful that there was at least one person in Myth who did that...

The time for mopping was over, however. A quick look at her phone showed her the timer, indicating she had fifteen minutes left to leave. Not... too bad, actually, though she certainly was not going to wait for the minutes to reach single digits. In a flash, she put up the device and replaced it with her pocket watch.

...She stared at the symbols for her Genmates on the front. She quickly opened it, though, and began messing with the dial before she could get gloomy again. The guilt still weighed on her heart, but she pushed it aside for now. While she had no clue what she would do yet, she would find a way to salvage things with Kiara and the others. She would do whatever it took to not lose them as friends. To make everyone happy.

She knew Kronii and Ollie would help her with this. While she could not dismiss the idea they would be disappointed in her, she knew despite her doubts they would stay by her side. And now she had entrusted the Atlantean more with this, too. All four of them had to be able to come up with something.

Somehow, she would fix everything. It... it would be fine.

With that thought, she finished her calibrations. She looked at the shark-girl, smiling and giving one last wave. Then, with a deep breath and throwing her bag on her shoulder, she pressed the dial. Immediately, she was surrounded by sparking blue light, and then she was off - heading to Wattropolis to get to her meeting...

-------

Gura kept up her smile until Ame was surrounded by a sphere of blue energy. It persisted for a second, then it vanished as if it was never there. The blond was gone, off to battle with some time anomalies alongside various versions of herself. On another day, Gawr might have been sarcastically bemoaning the unfairness of them being excluded, saying stuff like how they could totally beat up a creature that distorted reality on their own. Or the blue persona would be joking about the need for a timer to begin with when it was time travel. (Though she knew it was a very real need, even if she did not understand how it worked.)

...But neither side was very talkative then. The Atlantean slowly frowned, eyes falling to the ground. She scrunched her toes, as if pressing the sand between them would offer her some clarity. She stood there for a long time, the rest of the world feeling irrelevant right then, fading to the background of her mind. Her tail twitched, wanting to move but lacking water to help her swim off her turbulent emotions.

Then, after who knows how long, the red persona whispered in their head. “Well... Damn.”

Gura could have laughed if she was not also having trouble processing everything. When she had seen the detective’s message that morning about needing to leave, she had not thought much of it. It was not the first time her best friend had been suddenly called away like this, and she was always good about keeping Kronii posted about developments.

She had worries, of course. While she had not been detailed, the blond had given the impression that these time anomalies would be on the stronger side. That usually entailed her getting pretty injured and needing some time to recover, even with magical help. Whether it was a broken bone or a gash in her leg, it was never pretty to see.

Still, the shark-girl knew that was simply a hazard of the other’s job. It might not even happen! Plus, while her Genmate could be pretty mopey when her wounds forced her to stay in their timeline for a while, she always took her recovery seriously. Thus, the white-haired woman had felt pretty well about giving her a silent farewell and not bothering her while she got ready. The red persona had certainly not been worried, bringing them to the beach to do their usual hunting. They had not trained them for nothing!

So when they came back to shore, they were pleasantly surprised to see the time-traveler sitting there. They did not always get a chance to say goodbye in person, and normally her friend was either in her office or her apartment when getting ready to depart. Given the hour, they thought they had missed their window to visit. They had both felt happy, then, that they would get the chance after all!

...Except they had not found the happy, dorky Ame they knew and loved. Instead, the EN member had been crying and looked to have been for some time. (She still did not want to guess how long she had been out there alone.) She had even hugged her tightly and sobbed into her, not appearing to have cared about or noticed the dried blood on her hoodie.

Gura’s hand clenched at the imagery, squeezing the yellow cloth she had not had the chance to give back. Both she and Gawr had panicked a little at this, but they had quickly offered her what comfort they could. A thousand questions had floated through her mind about what could have happened - none of which either of them liked. Confirmation that it somehow involved her work had not helped.

She had not expected many answers. She was used to comforting the blond without much given in the way of explanations. It was difficult for her to open up about the more... “negative effects” of her job - like she expected everyone to judge her for them if they learned the details. But still, she had not been about to push the issue. As long as her being there helped her to feel better, she was fine with her taking her time.

But, to her surprise... the detective actually opened up to her for once... And what she heard made her understand her normal hesitance better...

The Atlantean’s hand clenched tighter, her feet digging into the sand harder as well. Just remembering her friend’s face as she explained the day she had... How the others made her feel with their actions... The way she finally snapped at Kiara for stuff that had been brewing for a long time, it seemed... And, perhaps even worse, the tired acceptance in the other woman’s eyes as she listed it all - giving so many justifications to brush it all off and put the blame solely on herself.

The short woman knew very well that the time-traveler had some confidence issues. She had been witness to quite a few bouts of it and had to cheer her up back to the mischievous gremlin everyone knew. Hell, Gawr did it even more than her, even acting “vulnerable” to accomplish it (which she denied afterward), which showed how much she respected the blond. And as far as they knew, both Kronii and Ollie did much the same.

She... also, unfortunately, knew that Ame felt uneasy talking too much with the rest of Myth about her job at times. It had not been a secret how she and Kiara in particular had argued about it, which the phoenix was scolded for by the Warden and Zombie for, too. These feelings had extended to Calli and Ina, too, it had seemed, but she was always vaguer about them when the topic came up between them.

But today... she had finally come clean to the shark-girl. Now, she understood how deep the root of the problem went... and that their Genmates were the cause, unintentional as it was.

...It was not that she had barely any time to offer more comfort to the detective that upset her the most, interestingly enough. While her best friend had left with a smile, and perhaps feeling better for having vented to someone, her eyes still had a slight hollowness when she disappeared. It stung, but that was not what was getting to her.

It was, instead, her wondering how none of them, including herself, had ever clued on. Even if the time-traveler hid it, surely someone should have noticed! She had even known some of the details but had not connected all of the dots. The reason why her progress with her self-worth seemed too slow had been right in front of them! Reasons that Kronii had been trying to subtly hint at them before, she now realized with hindsight. Yet no one...

And there was still so much about today she did not understand. She had not missed how Ame had skipped over the details of what Kiara had said to cause her to lash out. Even if the reaction had been building in the background for a while... she felt it in her gut it had to have been something bad. At least, it had been very personal to her, never used in their previous arguments. And adding both Calli and Ina’s attitudes on top of that - neither apparently having gotten better this whole time, either...

A low growl left Gura’s throat. Her nails in the hand without the cloth dug into her palm enough to draw a bit of blood. Her heart pounded in her chest as her body shook. Her face twisted, forming a scowl she had not ever had in what felt like decades.

The rage bubbling within actually caused Gawr to pause, who had been silently seething in their head. She was paying attention now, though, her shock palpable as she noticed what their body was doing - things that typically only happened when she was in control. “Um... Gura?”

The Atlantean ignored her other half’s inquiry. She was just... so angry. At herself for being so blind. At the others for their actions. It permeated her, desiring an outlet.

...And an outlet she would give it.

As soon as she thought this, she had her phone out. The red persona figured out what she was doing almost instantly - they were the same person, after all. She got the impression her eyes would be widened if she had their body right now. “Wait - now, hold on! Far be it from me to lecture about being impulsive, but Ame told us this in-”

Shut it, the shark-girl growled mentally at her, pulling up Discord. Though, even without her input... she still had a moment’s hesitation. Gawr was right - the detective had been honest with them expecting them to keep this secret. Just like Kronii and Ollie, it was meant to be a private matter for them to discuss in secret once she got back. It must have been a hard decision to make, and now... for her to immediately be doing this the moment she could not stop her...

However, remembering those despondent eyes hardened her resolve again. This was likely to hurt the time-traveler’s trust in her... but she would accept it if that happened. Because she was not about to let her best friend try to sweep this all away and take the fall. She was not going to let the others keep ignorantly hurting her confidence. Instead, she was going to make sure things changed... and learn more about what the others had been thinking with their actions.

With that thought, she found a channel that involved everyone in Myth but Ame. She quickly typed up a message:

GoobShark: Everyone meet at my house right now! We have an important problem to discuss, and I’m not waiting until tomorrow! I don’t care how you get there or what you might be doing right now - just do it!

With a tap, the message was sent. Gura then brought up her Uber app as she stomped her way off of the beach. She was confident the others would listen to her. It was rare that she was this direct - even Gawr’s texts typically had more snarkiness to them. They would be concerned enough to find out what was up.

Her other self pressed forward in their mind again, giving an impression of clearing her throat. “Um... Gura? Maybe you should... let some of that anger come my way. You know, like old times! We can do one last hunt real quick before our ride arrives to burn it off and-”

I don’t want to get rid of it, the Atlantean argued, shaking her head physically as her teeth continued to ground. She was not sparing any of them from this - not even Calli, despite how much doing so would hurt. More importantly, she was not willing to risk losing her nerve. She was going to keep these feelings nice and hot for this.

The red personality was quiet for a moment. Then... she gave the impression of a mental hug. Her “voice” had an uncharacteristic softness to it, mixed with heavy concern. “Gura, please... You’re... you’re worrying me. I don’t think you’re alright. Not... that things are fine, but...”

The shark-girl stopped once her feet reached the sidewalk. This... almost never happened. Even in the privacy of their own head, Gawr heavily disliked being this vulnerable. It would probably be one thing if her other self was this angry - it was the sort of thing she had been “born” to do. But for Gura to be the one like this - enraged and on a warpath...

Sighing, the blue persona closed her eyes, giving a mental impression of accepting the embrace. “No... I’m not okay right now,” she admitted quietly. She took a deep breath, opening her eyes and glaring at the ground. “And I’m going to make sure the others are well aware of this...”

Chapter Text

The sun had long set and the stars were out as Kiara flew through the sky. Her orange wings, tinged with teal in areas, spread out from her back as she soared above the town, heading to her destination. While she could not hear them, she thought she saw a few people down below pause to watch her pass overhead. Their glow could certainly be captivating when it was dark out - like a shooting star that had come in close to Earth.

On other days, she would have given polite waves to those people. Even though she doubted they could see her, it made her feel nice to give acknowledgment to those who took the time to admire her. If she was not in a hurry to be anywhere, she might have even done a loop for any children watching.

But... she was in no mood to pay much attention to those people today. In fact... she did not feel much of anything right now, except a painful hollowness in her chest.

The phoenix stared ahead, her face blank as she operated almost on autopilot. It was interesting to her how she could be flying, feeling the wind rush past her and beating her wings, and yet feel so... numb. Even the heat of her wings had not changed how cold she still felt, hours later after... after...

After I may have just lost Ame as a friend, a voice within reminded her. She grimaced, but she did not allow tears to form. Her heart still throbbed painfully, though, for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Yet she did not let it cause her to falter from her course... despite not feeling right about seeing anyone right now.

It all felt so surreal to her even now - like a waking nightmare. When she had gotten ready for the day and seen Ame’s message... she had expected some emotional pain. Because, as ever, she had made plans to find the blond and try to get her to take someone for backup. It was practically routine whenever she saw that the other was planning to go on a dangerous mission, and she had planned to find her no matter what to do so again.

She had expected some yelling on both of their parts. They were both stubborn like that when it came to the detective’s job. Nothing ever seemed to change after each time, except to leave both more frustrated than before. Yet... she still tried. In the hopes that one of these times, she would break through to her and get her to accept help.

It had been an easy guess that waiting for her Genmate at her office would be a good way to intercept her. So many of her supplies were there, and the apparent time limit for these missions made using the watch to warp around complicated. (Not that she used it much for casual travel across town regardless, to avoid straining herself.) All it took was some patience to wait things out, and soon she came to the orange-haired woman.

It all had started out as normal, as far as Kiara could tell. They both kept talking, but the other gave no headway. She could admit to being rude, cutting off many things the time-traveler had been trying to say, but at the time, she had been too heated to care. It all seemed as though it would be just another unproductive meeting, and she would be forced to watch the other take off on her own once more.

...Only this time she had gone too far in her barbed comments. Struck a low blow that she had regretted the instance she uttered the words, and had finally broken whatever patience Ame had with her.

She... almost did not want to believe she had actually said what she did. To believe that the detective had not punched her, and continued to be rough from there. That the way the blond had torn into her and made abundantly clear why no one was joining her had all been her imagination. They... had gotten mad before, but for it to have escalated like that was...

But the stinging bruise on her cheek felt too real. The words were too impassioned and detailed for her to have made up. And... the two sets of earrings, tucked into her shorts pocket, were far too tangible - feeling far heavier than they were with what they represented.

All of it had happened, and only now - far too late - was she realizing that she might not have known as much as she had believed.

A bitter chuckle nearly left the phoenix at that, adjusting her flight path. Was that not just a wonderful bit of irony? How many times had the time-traveler tried to explain elements of her job, both when they argued and when they casually hung out? How many times had she been given information on how time worked from Kronii to try and get her to calm down when it came to her Genmate?

She always thought she had listened... but it seemed not closely enough. Perhaps if she had, then she could have learned why Ame was so adamant about her stance without causing a rift. They... could have left on more neutral terms, if nothing else... But the what-ifs did not do her any good now, did they?

This time, her eyes misted a little before she blinked to clear them. She sighed heavily, looking despondent at the ground below. There was nothing she could do now. The detective would be gone by now, so there was no use looking for her to apologize... which probably would not have worked right now regardless. Not when she was still trying to process everything that had been said. She’s... seen me die before? Other me’s? To those...?

There was so much to think about, and so many emotions clouding her thoughts to make it hard to do so. She had remained in the time-traveler’s office for hours after the blond had run off, wallowing in her guilt and shame and trying to clear her head. She probably would still be there now - and wished she still was - if not for having thought to check her phone some time ago.

And that was where she had seen Gura’s demand for everyone to meet at her house.

A pit had formed in her stomach when she had seen that. It was only growing as her flight took her over the neighborhood where the Atlantean lived. In moments, she had spotted the blue house. It was rather plain, but it stood out tonight thanks to it being one of the only houses with its lights on inside. It was like a beacon for her to head towards... but she was worried about what precisely it was leading her to.

This... could not be a coincidence, right? First, she screws up with Ame and made her run away. Now another of her Genmates suddenly had something “important” to discuss not long after she had left? It had to be connected in some way. None of them had anything important going on for streams at the moment - what else could it be about?

She doubted that the detective put the shark-girl up to this specifically. The blond tended to be pretty reserved about her issues and did not like starting waves within their group. (Another pang in her heart; gods, she... had taken advantage of that by confronting her as she had, hadn’t she? She had not meant to, but...) If she was going to vent to anyone, it would usually be Kronii or Ollie. She certainly would not have asked them to confront anyone about it, no matter how angry she was.

But that did not mean that their duel-personality friend had not seen anything. Or that the time-traveler had not gone to her just to talk, since they were very close, too. And a certain red persona might have gotten quite upset with what she saw and/or heard and decided to dig into things more. Ready to drive her trident into whoever had upset their friend.

(...Was it still okay for her to call Ame that?)

That distinct possibility scared Kiara... but even so, she flew down and landed at the front door. As much as she wanted to continue languishing in that office or to go home and cry herself to sleep... the others deserved to know. Even if this meeting was not about what she expected, she needed to come clean. There would be no way to hide it once the detective returned. It was best to explain herself now and begin facing the consequences of her actions.

And who knew? Maybe... she would not be shunned by all of them.

Sighing heavily, she took a moment to concentrate on her wings. In seconds, after some light stinging, they folded up and disappeared. Then, after stretching her back, she looked at the door, mentally preparing herself for what was going to happen. She took in a deep breath... and then rang the doorbell.

It did not take long for footsteps to approach on the other side. The door swung open a second later, revealing not the Atlantean, but instead said woman’s girlfriend. Calli smiled at her as soon as she recognized her. “Ah, Kiara! Good to see you! How’s your day been?”

The phoenix held back a flinch at the question. Still, she was able to smile back some at seeing her lifelong friend, stepping inside. “It’s... not been great, honestly. But I... don’t really have anyone but myself to blame for that.”

The reaper frowned at this, stepping next to her as she took off her shoes. “Hm? Why’s that? I thought you had a clear schedu-?”

She cut off when Kiara turned to her. The pink-haired woman gasped, eyes blowing wide and covering her mouth. The reaction startled the firebird at first... but then she realized the other was looking at her cheek. She grimaced, which caused her bruise to sting a little more. She had no clue how bad it looked - she had not bothered looking in a mirror. But it felt pretty big, and... Ame could throw a very good punch, it seemed.

Calli quickly reached out and put a hand on her face, lightly brushing the bruise. “What happened?! Did someone pick a fight with you?!” Her eyes hardened. “Do we need to get A-chan involved? If they do this again, we can-”

“I don’t need a lawyer,” Kiara stated, batting her hand away. She put her shoes beside the door, sighing once more. “It’s... it’s my fault things escalated like they did. It’s not her fault that she...” She faltered, recalling the sheer rage in those blue eyes after she was hit.

The reaper paused, eyebrows furrowed. “‘She?’ Who are you talking about? Was-?”

The phoenix faced her and raised a hand to stop her. She looked at her with a pained expression, fighting to keep her voice steady. “Calli, I promise I’ll tell you, but... only when the others are around. I... I need to tell everyone, and I don’t want to lose my nerve by having to repeat myself over and over. Okay?” Seeing just one of their faces afterward would likely hurt enough. She refused to let that discourage her.

Calli looked conflicted for a moment, still eyeing the bruise. But eventually, she sighed and nodded. “Okay. But at least let me get you an ice pack. It looks painful.”

I’m too numb to care, Kiara thought, but she offered no arguments. Her Genmate grabbed her hand and led her deeper into the house. Soon, they reached the living room - a good-sized room with walls painted to resemble the ocean and shelves covered in anime merch and plushies. She was led to the dark blue couch and sat down, the TV in front of it turned off for the moment.

She glanced around, frowning as she noticed the absence of two people. “Where’s Gura? And has Ina not arrived yet?”

“Gura’s in her room - she was there when I arrived, too,” the reaper informed her, inspecting her cheek again. “I let myself in with the key she gave me. When I knocked on her door, she said to just leave her be for a while. And no, Ina hasn’t arrived yet. I can’t imagine she should be much longer, though.”

The phoenix frowned at that first part involving the shark-girl. She looked over to where the hallway to the short woman’s room was. “Did... she sound okay when you knocked?”

Calli stopped, looking down for a moment. “...I don't know. She wasn’t very talkative, even when I said I love her. It was definitely Gura in control, though - I can tell the difference.” She stood and smiled awkwardly. “I’m sure she’ll be fine. Must just be having some of her own issues today. But anyway, let me get you that ice.”

Her friend walked away, heading through a door into the kitchen. This left Kiara to sit alone for a little bit, making her sigh deeply. Her eyes kept glancing at the hallway. She did not like that Gura was isolating herself like this. Normally, she would be running around the house trying to make everyone feel welcome. That she had not even opened her door for her lover was... not a good sign.

But... if Gawr was taking a back seat on this, then things might be a bit better than she thought. She might be able to have a conversation with the blue persona before her other side came out to yell at her, at least. Whatever gave her the chance to explain everything. Assuming that Gura can even hold her back. Gawr has snuck her way into control before for a few crude jokes. With something this important...

Perhaps that was why the Atlantean was in her room? To try and convince her other half to behave? Regardless, though, she shook her head, leaning back against the couch and looking up at the ceiling. No matter the reason, she knew it was not going to make this conversation any better. Both sides of her were sure to be upset with her once she laid out-

A dark portal appeared in the corner of her eye, making her startle slightly. Looking over, she watched as it grew in size until it was big enough for a person to step into. Then, a second later, the shadows within wavered, and Ina stepped through the gateway. She touched the ground lightly as she exited, giving a relieved sigh as she got her bearings.

The phoenix gave another weak smile, waving her hand at her friend. “Hey there, Ina. You’re really getting the hang of that ritual, huh?”

The priestess shrugged, stretching as the portal collapsed and became gray smoke before vanishing. “Yeah. I started to practice it a little more after an... incident a few months ago. Speed can be of the essence, I learned, after that. But Fauna and Sana did a pretty good job assisting me this time, too, with-”

Just like Calli, she stopped when she actually turned to look at Kiara. Seeing her eyes widen, the orange-haired woman sighed, using a hand to cover where she felt the bruise. “Yeah, I know. I’ll tell you about it when everyone’s in here.”

Ina frowned, walking over and sitting next to her. “Does it hurt badly?”

The phoenix shrugged. “It’s... bearable. I haven’t actually seen how it looks. I was... too busy after it happened, and then I had to come here.”

Hearing this, the priestess dug out her phone and opened up the camera. She flipped it to “selfie mode” and held it up for her. Taking the cue, Kiara turned her face to get a good view of the mark, and... well, in a way she was impressed. It certainly stood out with the reddish-purple covering a large portion of skin below her left eye. It was not too sickly of a color, though, so it would hopefully heal up in a couple of days. If needed, she could get some magical help.

...She did not think she would get any, though. The mark was well earned in her mind.

As she pulled away from the phone, Calli walked back into the room, an ice pack and a small blue towel in hand. “Here we are! Just hold that against your cheek for a few minutes and it should- Oh, Ina! I didn’t hear you come in!”

“I used a portal,” Ina explained as the taller woman settled on the other side of the firebird. “I ended up losing track of time finishing up some cookies, so I didn’t want to waste time with physical travel. Sana wanted to take some pictures of us with them afterward, too. We made some pretty cute designs with the frosting we made.”

The reaper smiled as she wrapped the towel around the pack and handed it to her lifelong friend. “So you spent the day with your girlfriends, did you? How was it?”

“We had a great time!” the priestess said, smiling back. “We even managed to keep the kitchen clean besides bits of spilled powders. Then, while we were waiting for the cookies to bake, Fauna helped me with maintaining a garden she had helped me set up in my home.”

Calli chuckled. “You have a whole garden now? Seriously, are they planning to move in with you or what? It seems they’ve overtaken more of your apartment every time I come over.”

Ina giggled with her, blushing lightly. “I don’t think Sana would mind living with me one bit! But honestly, we would probably move into Fauna’s house if we decided to live together. She’s much more lively when living near the woods beside her house. Besides, it’s where a lot of her little animal friends live!”

“Yeah, that’s a good point,” the reaper conceded. “She actually introduced me to this one deer that lives near her - Luffy. Have you seen that one? She has white fur and looks pretty cute! She had trouble being near me, though, since... well, being a shinigami and all.”

The two continued to converse like this for a while, discussing the Keeper’s connection to nature. Meanwhile, Kiara sat between them, holding the wrapped ice pack to her cheek, which stung from the contact but was quickly dulling. She ended up tuning them out as she stared off to the side, looking at nothing in particular. While she was glad to see they were doing well... she did not think it was appropriate to share in their merry mood. Not with what she was going to drop on them.

Her chest constricted, imagining how this discussion was going to go. But she was set on doing this, making no effort to try and run. She doubted they would let her go without saying something about the bruise, anyway. Particularly, about who caused it, and she would not let there be any misunderstandings about that.

All that was left was for Gura to join them. It was tempting to go and grab her to get things over with, but... she decided to let the calm before the storm drag on a little longer. Not for her own benefit, but so that the other two could be happy for a while longer. She did not want to rush the Atlantean if she was not ready to reveal why she had called them there, too.

...The anticipation was killing her, though. It was not helped by her mind continuing to replay the memories of the office. She internally wilted as the screams of the time-traveler rang in her ear. The earrings in her pocket felt like they might burn a hole into it, revealing themselves for all to see, making her leg squirm.

She... did not even know why she had brought them. But she had not been able to put them back into that drawer. She had frozen up just by looking at it each time the idea crossed her mind. Too afraid of... what other things might have been inside. Not sure she would have been able to take it-

“Kiara?” the priestess asked. The firebird looked over at her, seeing her knit eyebrows. “Did... you hear me? I asked if you’d gotten to meet any of Fauna’s animals yet.”

Blinking, the phoenix looked away and shook her head. “No, I... unless we want to count Snail. I’ve... only done that sort of thing with Pomu before, but we never looked for any specific animals. Just some cool ones in a few Fey Realms...”

Her lack of enthusiasm must have been painfully obvious. The other two exchanged concerned glances, shifting where they sat and giving her their full attention. Calli put a hand on her back as she spoke. “Hey, uh... are you sure you’re okay? Just how bad of a day did you have?” She flinched. “I mean, I know that sounds stupid given the bruise. But I would have thought you’d be more angry or... just anything other than... um-”

“Seeming like a pathetic ember from a fire that just got doused?” Kiara asked, though her tone sounded more bitter than sarcastic.

Her friends' eyes widened at that, with Ina moving to hug her. “Hey! There’s no need for-”

“Don’t!” the phoenix said sharply, holding up an arm to stop her. It made the pink-haired woman’s hand retract in shock, but she did not let it come back as she stood up and paced away from them. She took a deep breath, lowering the ice pack from her face and looking at them forlornly. “Look, I appreciate the sentiment, but... I don’t deserve it, okay?”

The priestess raised an eyebrow, looking uncertain. “Um... And what makes you say that?”

Kiara looked away, wrapping her arms around herself as she bit her lips. “I... You’ll get to know once Gura gets out here. I... think she might have even called us because of what I did, even though she was not involved.”

That certainly caught their attention, making them exchange another glance. Yet even so, Calli stood up, holding up her hands placatingly as she approached her. Once she was close enough, she smiled kindly at her. “Come on, Kiara, let’s just... relax for a minute, okay? Gura could have called us for anything! Besides, this isn’t doesn’t sound like the Kiwawa we know and love! There’s no need to be so down! I mean... are things really that bad?”

“If you can’t appreciate my job... then don’t even talk to me anymore. Because I don’t need friends who only want to tear me down and try to make me feel like I’m worthless!”

The phoenix looked down at the ground, her voice small as she stepped away. “Yes... they’re that bad. And I’m the one to blame. The bruise is the least of it.”

The reaper’s smile dropped, which was a little hard to see. But still, her friend was clearly catching on that whatever she was holding back, it was not something that could be swept under the rug. Ina also appeared to be catching on to the atmosphere, sitting straighter and looking uneasily between them, her hands on her lap and fingers tapping her legs.

There were a few moments of tense silence, the relaxed air before gone. Soon, though, the shinigami cleared her throat. “Um... okay, uh... Well, we can...” Struggling with her words for a while longer, she eventually just sighed, rubbing her neck. “I... I don’t know. It’s not like I know what happened, so I can’t really...” She looked away, her lips pressing into a line. “But... I mean, if it makes you feel better, I... didn’t have a great start to today. Doubt it compares to you, given how you’re acting, but still... I feel like I messed up with someone.”

Kiara’s eyebrows furrowed, looking back at her lifelong friend. “Really? What happened this morning?” She agreed that it probably had nothing on her mistake, but... it might make her feel a little better to hear out the other’s problems, if for a short while. She was always willing to try and help her Gemnates with their issues when they came to her, especially when it came to relationships of any kind.

...Though, she wondered if they would ever come to her again after tonight.

Calli sighed, looking a little guilty now as she rubbed her arm. “Well... I had never thought about it much until now, but... You see, I was helping get some medical supplies with A-”

A throat being cleared cut their conversation short. Everyone in the room turned to the entrance to the hall... and saw that Gura had finally come out. She stood in the frame, her hair covering her eyes as her head hung low. Blue highlights indicated it was indeed the blue persona in control, though.

Ina went to greet her first, turning on the couch and smiling. “There you are! Sorry none of us went and got you. We were catching up on-”

“Everyone sit,” the Atlantean said without looking up, her voice devoid of emotion. “ Now .”

The other three all stopped, looking at her with wide eyes. Yet the short woman said nothing else, standing there waiting for them to comply. Looking closely, though... the phoenix noticed a few small ticks in her body language. Slight twitches of her tail; her hoodie shifting where her gills were, indicating movement despite not being in water; her mouth firmly pressed shut. And while her eyes might not have been visible... she swore she felt them shifting between them with unusual intensity.

...They seemed to linger a long time on her in particular. It could have been her imagination, but... it seemed like a confirmation to her theory.

It did not change her resolve, though. Thus, she eventually relented and went to sit down, with Calli moving to do so, too. Her friend returned to the couch... but she went over to a plush chair further away and sat. Her two Genmates gave her surprised looks at that - maybe even seeming a little hurt. But she did not want them to have to be next to her if they were disgusted with her confession. It was best to give them space if they wanted it.

The shark-girl did not give them a chance to comment on her choice. She walked into the living room, moving to the center of the room, her head tilting in all of their directions. She remained silent for a few moments longer, to the point that the rest of them started to shift uncomfortably where they sat.

But eventually, she spoke again, her tone still unreadable. “You know... I have been trying hard to collect my thoughts since I got home. I didn’t want to be unfair to any of you. I even considered calling this off after all and doing it tomorrow.” She shook her head. “But after everything I heard... I know it won’t help. So we’re just going to see what you all have to say.”

Ina looked at her with confusion, sitting forward. “Say... about what? What exactly has been going on today with everyone? And are you feeling okay?”

These were apparently the wrong questions to ask. Gura’s head slowly looked toward her, and after a pause, spoke in a tone that portrayed calmness, but was clearly just a front. “...So you have no clue what you did?”

The priestess’ eyes widened, sitting up rigidly. She glanced around nervously, as if the answer was around her, seeming lost. “I... um... What...?”

The Atlantean turned her gaze to Calli before she could respond, her voice not changing. “What about you, Calli? Noticed any problems today?”

The reaper looked a little spooked, evidently not used to her girlfriend speaking to her like this. She coughed, also looking about the room. “Er, well... Maybe? I-I don’t want to assume, but... My day hasn’t... Well, it didn’t start out...”

A hum came from the shark-girl, its meaning unknown. Then, her head went toward Kiara, taking a step in her direction. There was no falter in her voice... but it somehow felt more forceful with her. “And you? Do you have a clue why you are here?”

Shivering, the phoenix stared at her Genmate, feeling like cornered prey. She studied her face, trying to read the other’s exact mood... and that was when she finally saw her eyes. Two blue irises, darkened like a tempest at sea. Glaring at her with such intensity that she felt they could pierce solid steel.

It was all she needed to see to know that the short woman knew at least some of what had happened... And seeing her anger, she suddenly wondered if she was any safer with her than with Gawr.

Yet even so, she sighed heavily, looking away with shame, voice wavering. “I... I do. And it should never have gotten so far. I...” She sniffled, eyes watering once more. “I’m sorry.” She knew the words did not help much now, but she still meant them. Not due to the pain it caused her, but to Ame, and from what was soon to come.

If the apology meant anything to Gura, it did not show. Sighing, the short woman turned and paced in front of them, pushing her hair back and showing her frustrated expression. “You all... I have no words. I just don’t get how you can go months without noticing a thing! You-!” She stopped short, glancing off to the side. It seemed the red persona was talking to her. But eventually, she grunted and shook her head, dismissing whatever was said.

The pause gave Ina a chance to break her voice in, tone now very pleading. “Gura, please! We can’t do anything unless you tell us what’s wrong! What is it we all did? I haven’t even seen the other two today until I got here! I’ve been with Fauna and Sana, and saw Ame before she left! That’s it!”

The Atlantean took a deep breath, before looking at her with piercing eyes. “Exactly... you saw Ame. All of you did.” Her hands clenched at her sides, her gaze accusing at went between all of them. “And all of you had a hand in making her fucking CRY and have a breakdown on the beach before she left!”

...The silence was deafening after she finished saying this. Even Kiara was a little shocked despite having basically known part of that. She knew she had made the detective snap, but... the others had upset her, too? She vaguely recalled her mentioning Calli had helped her get medical supplies back at the office, but she had not thought it was important. But how did that...?

Looking at the reaper, she flinched at how her lifelong friend was reacting. She was looking down, eyes wide and seeming stressed and horrified. She was shaking her head in disbelief, her hands curling into her hair and pulling it. She whispered to herself, too, but the firebird only caught pieces of it like “was I too late to...?” and “it was bad enough, she...?” She did not know exactly what that meant, but it was apparent the other had some idea of what she had done.

The priestess, meanwhile, looked to have been taken completely off guard. She was gaping, seeming to wait to hear that this was some elaborate joke almost. When no such declaration came, however, she fell back onto the couch, appearing to not know how to react. Whatever she and the time-traveler did that day, it was clear she had not seen any problems.

...Seeing she was not the only one who had screwed up did not make the phoenix feel better, though. Whatever it was they had caused, neither seemed to had thought it would bring Ame to tears. And she knew they had not - while they might have wound her up some, it was her who pushed her well over the edge. They may have poked and prodded the detective... but she had gone straight for the heart. She felt almost certain that even if she was the only one to see the blond that day, things would have played out almost exactly the same.

Swallowing thickly, she set aside the ice pack onto a nearby stand, having nearly forgotten about it. She tried to get the shark-girl’s attention, her voice resigned. “Don’t... be so harsh with them. I think we both know it was me who-”

“I’ll get to you!” Gura stated harshly, pointing at her and making her shut up with a wince. She turned back to the other two on the couch. “All of you, to some level or another, chipped away at her self-worth throughout the day! Some maybe more than others-” Her eyes flickered to the orange-haired woman. “-but all of you have been at it for months, apparently! All undermining her and making her feel like she isn’t enough! Making her feel like you don’t respect her job - that she can’t even do it!

“And after all this time... you finally managed to break her.” A bitter laugh left her, her tone wavering for the first time. “You left her a sobbing mess, convinced she had just ruined our group by ‘not being able to take it.’ As if her frustration with all of you was... irrelevant.” She took in a shaky breath. “And... I had to listen to it all... realizing by the end she would try to bury her feelings when she got back. To just try to carry on like usual... Apologize and take the fall...”

The phoenix practically wilted more with each sentence. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to shrink into her chair as her eyes stung. That... was never what she meant to do to the time-traveler. She... she had only wanted to look after her! It was never supposed to...

Chose a great way to try and convey that, huh? she thought, making her whimper.

She could see Calli and Ina looking at her now. They appeared to have not connected all the dots yet, though, which was understandable - that was a heavy problem to be dropped suddenly on them. The pink-haired woman, even more anxious now, looked to her lover desperately. “Gura... Are... are you sure...?” She raised her hands immediately. “I-I’m not trying to dismiss anything! But... Ame really... Is it really that severe?”

The Atlantean huffed, turning her gaze over to the firebird. “Why don’t you ask her? She got a real up close demonstration of how Ame felt, too.”

The reaper looked back at her lifelong friend... and as her gaze went to her bruise, it all seemed to click at last. Her eyes widened, overwriting her panic for a moment. “Oh my God... Ame’s the one who punched you.”

“As I said - deserved,” Kiara mumbled, too preoccupied with how constricted her chest felt now to say much else.

Both Calli and Ina looked at her with disbelief, which she wanted to scoff at. Everyone knew how much she and Ame argued about her leaving for her jobs sometimes. What exactly was so shocking about this? The only thing shocking to her now was that she was tolerated for as long as she was.

Though... she supposed to be fair, they got along very well otherwise. When they were together, it was usually lots of laughs and teasing that followed them, and tended to have good things to say about the other. They certainly helped one another with plenty of other problems when they came up, too. It must have been easy to dismiss their arguments as an outlier that would soon sort itself out one day... A delusion she had shared before today.

She could understand the shark-girl’s disbelief and anger. They must have been ignoring so many signs of what they were doing wrong. And now...

Eventually, Gura let out a long sigh, her tail swishing in agitation as she looked at her. “I have plenty of questions about what you did, and I expect you to fill in the gaps.” There was no room for argument in her tone, and the orange-haired woman did not offer any.

The short woman turned back to Calli, hardening her gaze. “But what I want to hear first is what you other two were thinking. Starting with you .”

The reaper flinched, pursing her lips. “I... I wasn’t-”

“Why, Calli?” the Atlantean demanded, her tone forceful, yet... hurt. “Do you actually think she needs to be supervised like that? She told me how much medicine and bandages you forced her to buy. And even after that, you kept pestering her? What exactly is the matter with you?!”

Calli’s eyes widened, looking like a puppy who just got kicked. Kiara sympathized with her greatly on that - it could not be easy being chewed out by the person you love most. While they had surely had arguments in the past, she doubted they were over anything as serious as this. And who could blame the white-haired woman for her attitude on this? Learning that her girlfriend was causing her best friend to suffer, even if it was accidental?

The shinigami opened her mouth several times, struggling to get any words out. Then... she gave a long sigh, rubbing a hand down her face and closing her eyes. “I... I don’t know what you want me to say. I... I was scared, okay?”

The shark-girl tilted her head, clearly not satisfied. “Of what? That she’d get hurt... or that she’d die?”

“I don’t- It’s more complicated than that!” the reaper exclaimed, throwing her arms out. She took a deep breath, her eyes filled with a multitude of emotions. “It... it freaks me out! Not her job, but... but her watch! The time travel! What it does to her! Her lifeline! I-I don’t even try to listen to anyone’s that often, but with hers... It isn’t natural! T-the ‘sound’ it makes...!”

Kiara sat up a little more, starting to get worried her friend was going to have a panic attack. Before she or Ina could move, however, Gura’s expression actually softened up a tad. Sighing, she stepped closer and put a hand on her knee, trying to make eye contact. “Calli - breathe. Can you do that for me?”

After a second, Calli nodded, taking several breaths. It soon evened out, though her face still looked awful as she sniffled, looking at her lover. “I... I’m sorry. I... I just really do not like thinking about that.” She swallowed, looking away with glassy eyes. “I thought... I was handling it right. Channeling away those feelings and being helpful to her. But... today, I noticed... Well, she got a little mad at me. She tried to brush it off - it was not even the first time it happened when I joined her. But... I noticed...”

The Atlantean’s expression eased up a touch more, stepping back while looking at the ground. The way her eyebrows furrowed suggested Gawr was talking again, too, and it did not look like the blue persona was happy about what she was saying. It made the firebird curious as to what was going on inside her head.

But beyond that, she felt a bit of relief that her lifelong friend had apparently started to notice her problem. Perhaps a bit late, but that still had to count for something. Plus, it was motivated by something very personal to her. She could only pray all of that would be enough to avoid a bigger domestic between those two, though. There did not to be any more schisms in Myth than there already would be... with her probably being the one isolated from the others. They could use one another’s help.

It did not take long, however, for the shark-girl’s face to darken again. Shaking off whatever the red persona had been saying, she stalked over to Ina, crossing her arms. “So... what’s your excuse, then? Because I somehow doubt it’s due to any abilities of yours.”

The priestess stuttered, shrugging helplessly. “I-I don’t even know what I did! I invited her to play some games, we hung out for a few hours, and then she left when Sana and Fauna arrived! I don’t think I asked about her job, either!”

Gura raised an eyebrow. “And when she tried to leave? Before you remembered your date with the other two?”

Ina’s cheeks pinkened. “Hah... she told you about that?” She smiled weakly, but it quickly slipped off her face seeing how serious her friend still was. She coughed, looking around uncertainly. “Um... I mean, I didn’t do much? I only asked if she’d be able to stay a little while longer. She tries to rush off so quickly sometimes, and-”

“-and so you kept insisting when she said she couldn’t?” the Atlantean asked, foot tapping with annoyance. “Trying to delay her from her job and getting upset when she leaves anyway? Or getting her to stay and getting her in trouble with the Network?”

For some reason, the priestess seemed incredulous about that last part. “How does playing games before a mission get her into trouble? What is bad about wanting some more time to-?”

“The problem is that you push her deadline constantly, according to her!” the shark-girl exclaimed, stepping closer and pointing at her. “And she doesn’t even know why! If you’re scared she’s going to not come back, or trying to get her fired, or what!”

Ina paled a little, trying to shake her head. “Wha- those aren’t my reasons at all! That-”

“Well, you’ve given her nothing to work with otherwise!” Gura huffed, crossing her arms. “And right now, it doesn’t matter what the real reason is. It’s that your doing this so much has made her think you don’t trust her to leave! And it-!”

She suddenly flinched, clutching her head as she stumbled, before looking off to the side. “Hey, what was-?” She paused as she listened to her other self. “That... Well, I guess I’ve stopped you before from doing... But I was in the middle of-!” She winced once more, then slowly nodded. “...Okay. Yeah, that’s fair. Er, thanks. I mean it - don’t let my tone make you think...”

After a few more seconds, the blue persona eventually let out a sigh. She seemed a little calmer, but her glare was still intense as she looked at the purple-haired woman again. “Sorry. I think you got my point, though. Whatever it is that’s made you do it, you’ve not done a great job making it clear. You understand now?”

The priestess grimaced, but eventually nodded, seeming deep in thought. Kiara felt a wave of pity for her friend. At least she came in expecting to be questioned and potentially torn into. Calli had also caught on pretty fast. But the former human had to be reeling from having all of this suddenly dumped onto her lap. And when she just wanted to have fun with Ame, it seems. I wonder where the miscommunication happened between them?

It was not her place to try and dig into that, though. She was just relieved that her Genmate had not been subjected to a more thorough reprimanding... which actually got her a little curious, because it seemed like Gawr had just stopped her other half from doing so. And... no offense to the red persona, but she was usually one to rile people up. Yet this time...

But... there was no time to really ruminate on this strange shift in dynamic and what it meant. Both the other two had been confronted already and had what they did spelled out. So that only left one target for the Atlantean’s ire... whose blue eyes soon bore into her again.

The phoenix sighed heavily, slumping in her chair as she got ready for what she came there for. The short woman walked up to her, her tail moving with newfound agitation. One could practically feel the room grow colder as the apex predator stalked up to its helpless prey.

And she had no plans of escaping from becoming her “kill” for the night.

This feeling was evidently not lost upon the other two, who snapped out of their contemplations. The reaper in particular looked between her lover and her lifelong friend, appearing to try and stand. “Hey, now. Let’s all try to be-”

“Sit,” the shark-girl hissed without looking in her direction. And, as if she was struck, the shinigami cut herself off and fell back onto the couch, looking stricken. She looked over to the firebird with deep concern... but the orange-haired woman only shook her head at her, expression tired. She did not want to be saved from this. The other... might even regret trying to in a few moments.

Gura stopped a few paces in front of her chair. Neither moved nor spoke for a moment, simply regarding one another. Her Genmate seemed to take note of her exhausted, remorseful state, but unlike with Calli, it did not seem like she would back down. Fine by me. We both knew who really needs a dressing down tonight...

Finally, the white-haired woman spoke, her voice back to that forced neutrality from when she first arrived. “You know... I’ve always been annoyed at how you treat Ame’s job on some level. I mean, unlike the other two, you were quite vocal about your disapproval of her methods. You always kept it behind closed doors, but we all knew about it. The rest of EN has figured it out by now, too, and it’s leaked into the ears of other members.”

Kiara only hummed and shrugged. She was actually quite proud of them both for always having their arguments somewhere private so they did not drag the others into things. She did express her frustrations at times to a few of the others, but she always kept it tame. She imagined the blond did the same with her little group of trusted friends, too. Still, no matter what they told the others, they all knew the two could get pretty harsh.

“But you know, I never wanted to say too much,” the Atlantean continued. “Even Gawr agreed to keep her mouth shut on the matter. I figured Kronii and whoever else had it all handled. That I would just hang out with her and let her work out her frustrations if they got bad, either by playing games or sparring. And hey, you both seemed to like seeing one another regardless - always smiling and laughing with each other when we all meet up. I figured if you were both doing that, then how bad could it really be?”

The phoenix’s eyes filled with tears once again. She looked down at the ground, her voice a wavering whisper. “I... I do like seeing Ame. She’s always been so sweet, and... I never meant to hurt her like this. I only wanted to... to help” While she would not deflect blame, she still felt the need to make that clear. That her actions, however misguided, had come from a place of love and concern.

The shark-girl sighed, pointing at her Genmate’s bruised cheek. “Well, I have to say - I’m interested in what that help you offered looked like if that was her response to it. She didn’t exactly share, and seemed to want to avoid that topic.”

The other two appeared to become curious at that. Ina glanced at the orange-haired woman, gulping nervously. “Um... Is... this what you said you wanted to talk about earlier?”

“Yes,” Kiara responded, not meeting her gaze. Her fingers went up to her cheek, pressing on the bruise and causing painful throbs to emanate from it.

The action seemed to make Calli uneasy, shifting to the edge of the couch to be closer to her. “Kiara... you can relax a little, okay? You clearly regret whatever it was you did, so... just tell us and we can help you. We can find a way to-”

Further words were cut off as the phoenix started... laughing. It came out bitterly, filled with the pain and regret she had been harboring that entire afternoon. It spilled out beyond her control, going on for several minutes. All the while, everyone else, Gura included, looked at her like she had gone crazy. She did not care though as the sound kept on coming.

When it started to taper off, she sent a wide, guilty smile to everyone. “‘Help me?’ I’m not the one who needs help! I don’t need any pity, either! I was a horrible friend, and she put me in my place. Forcefully.” She tapped the bruise again for emphasis, really making sure to press down this time.

That only served to alarm the reaper, who jumped up and ran over before the Atlantean could say anything. (Not that she seemed like she would have, caught between anger and unsettlement based on her face.) The pink-haired woman grabbed her ice pack, trying to place it back onto her injury. “H-hey! Don’t say that sort of thing! You aren’t a-”

“I am horrible!” Kiara insisted, pushing the pack away. She curled up into her seat, her tears at long last beginning to slide down her face. “Maybe not all the time, but... I have been in this. About her job, that she loves so much and that she’s the expert!” She chuckled some more. “But I never cared - not just today, but all those times in the past. I just kept pressing on and trying to get her to crack.

“And I did crack her... but not in the way I always imagined.” This time, a strangled sob left her as she put a hand on her face. “I... I wish so much that I listened now. She didn’t deserve to be told that. I... even now I don’t know what possessed me to say it...”

The Atlantean’s eyes narrowed, taking a step forward. “To say what ?”

The phoenix’s delirious laughter died out at that. She continued to look away as she spoke. “I... We were shouting, just like our talks always end up. And... I was upset, because just like her, I was getting tired of things always going like that. So, I tried to calm down and... make what I thought was a good enough plea - pointing out that she had limits, and I could help her with them. To help fight these anomalies she’s going after and... not die.”

The shark-girl sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Why am I not surprised... It’s always that with you, isn’t it?! You can never just-!” She stopped, taking a deep breath before going back to glaring at her. “So that’s it? You criticized her ability to handle things and made her feel pathetic, then I’m guessing pressed the point?”

Ina, who had gotten up at some point without her realizing, frowned at the short woman. “Isn’t... that a little harsh? She might not have meant it like-”

“It doesn’t even matter what my intent was,” Kiara intoned. She felt like her mouth was suddenly filled with barbed wire, but even so... she forced herself to repeat what she had told the blond. “Because when she brushed me off... I got angry and basically said she... didn’t trust us, and her arrogance would mean...” She took a shuttered breath, her voice getting quieter. “...would mean she would leave Ollie alone one day if she didn’t change.”

...She could feel the intensity of their stares well before she dared look. Yet still, she forced herself to do so, despite the quivering of her heart. She saw the shock in Calli’s now very wide eyes, looking at her with disbelief and horror. Her head even shook a bit, as if trying to deny what she had heard. She then took in Ina, who had frozen up, shocked with the subtle hints of revulsion. Her mouth kept opening and closing, but she evidently did not know what to say.

And as for Gura... She was met with a pure fury, the other’s hands clenched white and her tail swishing violently. Her looking seemed to be what made her react, too, as she let out a guttural scream. “You... YOU’RE FUCKING DEAD!”

She had barely seemed to move before she was right on top of the phoenix. The firebird grunted at the impact, but offered no resistance, even as she saw her Genmate’s fists winding back. The others were shouting now, but she paid them no mind, simply closing her eyes, prepared to accept her fate-

-until the Atlantean suddenly gave a pained yelp, stumbling and falling off of her.

Briefly confused, Kiara opened her eyes again, sitting up to see what had happened. At first, she thought one of the others had pulled her off or something, only to see them halfway running to her aid, now appearing stunned. She did not have time to comprehend this as groans came from the ground in front of her chair.

Looking down, she was bewildered to see the shark-girl on her side, clutching her head in agony. She had no clue what to make of it... until she saw red seeping into her blue highlights. But unlike usual, both colors seemed to be actively pushing against one another. They wavered like this for several seconds, the red fighting for every inch it could get. All the while, the woman gave labored breaths as her tail hit against the floor hard.

Then finally, after the red gave what appeared to be an even rougher push, it completely overtook the blue. After this, Gawr, now in control, slowly opened her eyes. They seemed bleary, and she hissed and squinted them as she tried this, clutching her head. However, she stopped shaking so much and her breath started to even out.

After a few moments of staring, Calli was the one who decided to act first. She stepped closer hesitantly, kneeling with her hands hovering around the other to help if needed. “G... Gawr?”

The Atlantean turned her face toward her, eyes opening a little more. Seeing her lover, she gave an utterly exhausted sigh, pushing herself into a crouch position. “Hey, Calli... You never fucking saw me like this. Are we clear?”

The small comment managed to get a small, almost relieved giggle out of the reaper. She gave a small, strained smile. “Crystal.”

Ina stepped up to the red persona’s other side, still looking greatly concerned. “Um... Can you... tell me what just happened? It seemed like you two were-”

“Fighting for dominance?” the shark-girl offered, before grimacing and rubbing her head some more. She put herself into a sitting position as she sighed again. “It’s been a millennia or two since that’s happened, but we can forcefully throw the other out of the pilot’s seat and... lock the other up for a while. Usually when one of us is feeling strong emotions like rage and can’t fight back properly.”

She paused, then forced out a chuckle. “Of course, I was always the one who needed that treatment with how bad my temper used to be. Like, way worse than anything you all have seen. That’s the first time I’ve had to do it to stop anything we might regret later.” She let out another groan, her palm pressing against her forehead. “Christ - I never realized how much more painful it was on her end than mine. I... I should cook for a few nights or something to make it up to her. Gods damn...”

Kiara had to blink a few times, only now fully comprehending what had happened. Gawr had... protected her. The red persona, despite almost certainly being as angry for what she said to Ame as her blue counterpart, had decided to save her from being attacked. Is... that what’s been happening this entire time? Gawr has been the one reigning in Gura and trying to calm her down? The idea was almost absurd, given both sides' normal attitudes... but then again, this had not been a normal day for any of them, to put it lightly.

There was a part of her that was relieved at being helped... but she knew she did not deserve it. Grimacing, she curled up on the chair, putting her legs up to her chest. Letting out a breath, she looked to the side and murmured loud enough to hear. “You should have let her... One bruise isn’t nearly enough.”

The Atlantean’s eyes snapped toward her. As she expected, there was indeed a simmering anger in those red irises. However, the other clenched her hands and took a deep breath, doing her best to keep it in check as she answered. “It wouldn’t have solved anything.”

“Still should have let her,” the phoenix whispered.

Calli’s face crumbled at this, though there was a small amount of conflict in her eyes. “Kiara...”

The shark-girl, meanwhile, huffed at her, shakily getting to her feet. “Well, I won’t deny that it was sorely tempting to let her get one swing in... I can’t say I’ve ruled out wanting to thrash you myself, too. Just in a more controlled manner.” She stepped up to the firebird, climbing up onto the chair and squeezing in at her side while standing. This allowed her to peer down at her... and made her glare far more effective. “Because I have to ask... what the hell were you thinking saying that?!”

Kiara cringed, shrinking into herself. Fresh tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she shook her head, whimpering - the full weight of her guilt crashing onto her. “I-I don’t know! I... I wasn’t thinking. I was mad, and I spoke before I even knew what I was saying.” Her breath hitched, using one arm to wipe at her face. “I... I didn’t mean it. I wanted to apologize immediately - to somehow take back the words.

“But... she hit me before I could get the words out. Suddenly, she was screaming at me in a way I had never heard from her. She laid into me, and...” She shifted, making her feel the earrings in her pocket. She swallowed thickly. “I... finally realized how much I had been ignoring what she explained to me. How me trying to protect her came across as... me not trusting her?”

“...And do you trust her?” Gawr asked, raising an eyebrow. “Because it never looked that way to me. Questioning her every time there’s a chance she’ll have to so much as fight someone with a knife doesn’t paint a good picture on that front.”

Kiara flinched at this, recalling similar words hurled at her by Ame. Yet even so, she hugged her knees tighter, getting defensive. “I... I was only concerned for her safety. I obviously knew how mad it made her, but... I thought she was just disregarding her limits. That-”

The Atlantean cut her off with a derisive snort. “There’s that nice little word again. ‘Limits.’ I don’t think you know how to apply that term properly.” She leered at her, crossing her arms. “It never seems like you even know what she’s capable of doing. I helped to train her combat skills, and yet I don’t think you’ve ever acknowledged this. Or her skills with a gun.”

The phoenix gritted her teeth, more words bubbling in her throat. She did not even know why she was arguing with this - when she was questioning her belief in what she said herself - but she supposed one bad afternoon does not kill old habits. “I know she’s fit. But... especially against things like time anomalies, doesn’t it worry you? She doesn’t have any powers and-”

“Her watch and Watson Concoction would like to rebuke that,” the shark-girl snarked.

“And if she loses them?” Kiara demanded. “The latter especially has plenty of side effects, too! Plus, she...” She swallowed, looking down. “She... could die out there. I just... I just wanted to protect her from that. I know I did it horribly and took it too far today, but... is wanting to do that so bad? Isn’t that Ollie’s job to begin with?” She gripped her hair. “I only wanted there to be one of us watching her back! Maybe I couldn’t come this time, but other times... I have experience she doesn’t! I have extra powers that can lend her aid, and-”

“-And you can die just as easily as her,” Gawr stated neutrally.

The phoenix stiffened, noticing the other two doing likewise. She looked at her Genmate, a pit in her stomach. “I... I’m sorry?”

The Atlantean grunted, rolling her eyes. “Last I checked, you aren’t the typical immortal when it comes to living.” She pointed to Calli. “She can be stabbed a hundred times, and far more, and not drop dead. Get exhausted, maybe, but being a bringer of death can give some supernatural endurance where it counts. And since you brought her up, Ollie has regeneration. Even when pushed to its limit, she’ll slowly knit herself together and be back no worse for wear.

“But you ... unlike them, you do actually die. You just have the benefit of reincarnating afterward - a process that, I apparently need to remind you, fucks with your memory. You don’t even remember all of your past lives despite it being years since your last revival, right?” She glared down at her. “So what happens if you die out there? If you keep dying out there and make your life here in town all the harder to recall clearly?”

Kiara gaped, her brain feeling like it had stalled. “I... Um...”

“It’s not like you're any more durable than her,” the shark-girl pressed, not waiting for her response. “You have some fancy powers, but if you’re shot in the chest, you die like any human. Hell, your last death, as you told it, was from a car crash - a rather mundane thing.” She shook her head, scowling. “But Ame’s not panicking every time you enter the streets, is she? She doesn’t stress any time you’re near a sharp piece of silver.”

Withering under her gaze, the phoenix tried to find something to say... but what was there to refute? Everything the red persona had said was true. She focused on the vastness of the multiverse and its unknowns so much that she... sort of overlooked the plethora of ways people can die here... and that she had died to as well. It was easy to forget sometimes that despite living on, her reincarnation worked by her dying. It had happened plenty of times in her old adventuring life, and as pointed out, accidents happened.

In what ways could she guarantee that would not happen out there? Would... her reviving even work properly out there? Would she be forcing Ame to wait around for her to reform, then have to explain to the amnesiac firebird why she should trust and go with her? And that was not even accounting for what she had read in that one file regarding the time anomaly the blond was facing, which had been... enlightening.

The sparks of her remaining pride flickered out, leaving her feeling empty. What... what right had she had to lecture the detective about knowing her limits when... she overlooked her own? Ones the other clearly knew - the file being evidence enough, but everything being said now just adding more to that image. I... I’m just one massive hypocrite, aren’t I?

Gawr seemed to know it, too, as she did not let up on her tirade. “Oh, and hey, while I’m a bit more durable, I can be killed, too.” She jabbed her thumb at herself. “Do you want to start fussing over me as well? Put some bubble wrap around me when I decide to go tussle with a shark? Want to overlook I’ve been around for thousands of years, been in hundreds of battles, and never needed a cute little revive trick?” She loomed over her. “Do you want to keep acting like you're the best warrior out there? As if nothing could ever put you down for good?”

(The two earring sets seemed to press uncomfortably into the firebird then.)

Ina started to frown heavily, seeming to decide this lecture was getting out of hand. “Gawr, that’s enough! You’ve made-”

That only caused the Atlantean to twirl toward her and Calli, who both stepped back as she pointed and growled. “And don’t think her failures get you two off the hook, either! Thinking she doesn’t know how to prepare herself and... and whatever it is you claim your reason to be!” She leaped off the chair, pacing around in a small circle while gesturing. “All of you just keep chipping and chipping at her confidence. Keep making all of my efforts - Kronii and Ollie’s - go down the drain because you can’t manage your fears properly!”

Kiara’s breath hitched, but she came out of her ball. She looked at the short woman, knowing that saying anything would not help her at this point, but... at least hoping it would take the heat off of the other two. “But... don’t you worry, too? That one day... maybe even this time she’s not going to-”

The shark-girl snapped her head toward her and yelled. “OF COURSE I DO! BUT I DON’T TREAT HER LIKE A WALKING CORPSE, NOW DO I?!”

Everyone else jumped back, eyes wide. Nobody dared to move as Gawr took a deep breath, rubbing her hands over her face as she paced for a moment longer. Then... she wandered over to the coffee table, leaning on it with her arm. She hung her head, hiding her eyes from sight like Gura did coming in.

At length, she spoke up, her tone remarkably calm despite the outburst. “Her work is dangerous. I don’t deny that, and she never has with any of us. It’s why she’s tolerated everyone’s attitudes, despite how it hurts her. A day may come when she gets killed, and... even I probably couldn’t hide my tears over it.

“But... she’s not glass. She’s clever, and has plenty of tricks up her sleeve to stay alive. She knows how to run when needed - knows when the odds are too great for her. I... I trust her to do her best, and that if the worst happens... it won’t have been for nothing.” She let out a long breath. “So Gura and I treat things like they’re fine... because they are. And we’re not going to let our time together be tainted by constant worrying over something that might not even happen.”

She paused, then let out a tired laugh. “...I do wish I could help her more, though. Not with her job, exactly, but... the emotional toll it takes on her. Just like Kronii and Ollie. But... I can’t blame her for not letting us in on that stuff.” Her head drooped further. “After all, if this is how everyone acts to simply knowing her job has dangers... then what might she expect if we knew more of those details?”

The words were directed at everyone, and Calli and Ina looked stricken... but Kiara could not help but feel she deserved them the most. She choked up, turning away as tears fell down her face. All those times she got frustrated about not being let in on Ame’s mental health issues... Never thinking about if she had earned being stonewalled as she was.

Voice wobbly, she managed to address the short woman one last time, though was unable to face her. “I... I never meant to cause that. I... I’m sorry. I just...” She sniffled. “I’m sorry.”

“...I know,” the Atlantean said, surprisingly with very little resentment. Yet even so, she gave another heavy sigh, pushing herself upright. “But now that that’s over with, I’m going hunting.”

Calli’s face fell, stepping toward her girlfriend. “Wait - I want to-”

“We’ll talk later,” the shark-girl replied, a bit steely but not hostile. “We’ve talked to you guys about the problem - now you guys sort out how you want to fix things. And if Ame has another breakdown when she gets back... you’ll be answering to me.” She gave a low growl, shaking her head as she stepped a little away from everyone. “But I need to clear my head, and just... leave before I push the ‘equity’ line again. So just let yourselves out when you wish and leave me be.”

She paused, then glared in one direction, clearly addressing Gura now. “And you are going to give me some of that anger to burn off. I don’t care if I have to mentally pull it out of you after you almost tore Kiara open!” Scowling, she marched off toward the front door. “I am not supposed to be the reasonable one here... and I think just now demonstrates that I’m terrible at it, too!”

Without further words, she stomped down the hall. The sound of the door opening reached the others, followed by a resounding thud of being slammed shut. This left the remaining three to stand around in silence for a few moments. Calli and Ina looked at each other, both appearing apprehensive at the revelations that night. The former in particular kept looking toward where her lover left, deep worry etched on her face.

Kiara’s heart cracked, wishing she could comfort them in some way... But it felt wrong to, since she had contributed greatly to creating this situation. So instead, sighing heavily, she slowly stood up, keeping her head down as she tried to follow the short woman out. “I’ll... I’ll see you both later...”

Her words had been quiet enough that she was not sure they heard her. But either way, she did not get too far before a hand was placed on her shoulder. The reaper came up to her side right after, looking very concerned. “Hold on, now! Don’t you... Shouldn’t we talk about this?”

The phoenix chuckled hollowly, lightly removing her friend’s hand. “I don’t think there’s much else to be said. Unless you’re willing to finish what Gura was getting ready to do.”

Calli’s expression crumbled, putting her hand back onto her arm. “Don’t do this to yourself, Kiara. You didn’t-”

“Don’t try to wave off what I said,” Kiara demanded, unable to help glowering at her. “To make it seem like it wasn’t that bad.”

The reaper flinched, looking away as she bit her lips. “I... I wasn’t going to. That... What you said to Ame was awful. I’d be lying, too, if I said I wasn’t... disappointed in you.” She took a deep breath, meeting her gaze. “But... we’re still friends. I don’t want to just leave you to wallow. If I’d known how much having human friends had affected you all this time, then maybe I could have also...”

The phoenix blinked, that last sentence playing over in her head. She... had not made that connection as having a role in this, honestly. But then, with how muddled her thoughts had been most of that afternoon, she supposed it was not shocking. It was not an excuse, but... remembering some of those experiences...

Even so, though, she sighed and pulled away from the pink-haired woman again. “I don’t need justifications, either.” She raised a hand before the other could respond. “I know that’s not how you meant it! But I...” Taking in a breath, she returned her friend’s stare. “Look, I just... need time to think about... a lot of things, okay? Alone. And I don’t need either of you two getting caught up in the-”

“Kiara,” Ina chimed in, stopping her statement. She stepped in front of her, looking at her sorrowfully. “No one is defending what you did. But you aren’t the only one who messed up with Ame. And... she took things a bit too far as well.” She flicked her gaze to the firebird’s bruise as she said this. “We can work together to find a way to fix things between you two. I’m sure she must be feeling some regrets herself... and I doubt she hates you.”

Kiara stared at her, unable to hide her disbelief. She looked at the ground, trying to stop more tears from welling in her eyes. “You... you both should hate me for this. Shouting at me! What I did...” She did not understand why they were not giving her the cold shoulder if nothing else. They both had girlfriends, so they could well imagine how a comment like hers to the detective could sting, so why...?

Calli dared to step closer, wrapping her arms lightly around her. Her voice was soft and caring. “We’ve known each other for millennia. I’ve seen you in bad situations before. Do you really think this one will make me leave you?”

Ina stepped closer, too, patting her on the shoulder. “And you’re still my friend. I won’t deny I’m mad at you, but... it’s pretty hard to hold a grudge with how remorseful you clearly are.” She managed to smile at her. “And I don’t want to see our group torn apart because of one terrible day. Not after all we’ve been through the last few years. You’ve helped us so much with stuff... so it’s only fair I return the favor.”

Closing her eyes, the phoenix found herself feeling warmed by their touches. She recalled all those years roaming Earth and other Realms, with Calli keeping her company when possible. That was also on top of their hangouts in the underworld, particularly when she died, exchanging stories of their adventures. And she also thought about Ina and the memories they had made in Hololive. So many times had she tried to comfort the former human, particularly when the Ancient Ones “screamed” in her head due to their otherworldly conflicts. (She volunteered for that a lot even now that Sana and Fauna had started covering for those more since they started dating.)

She still felt horrid, but... there was something nice about this. Being reminded that, despite her spiraling thoughts, their group had bonds that would not break easily.

...But that did not change her decision. Slowly, she extracted herself from the shinigami’s embrace and stepped away, turning to face them. “Th... Thank you. It... means a lot to me that you’re still willing to...” She took a deep breath. “But I’d still like to handle this alone.”

The other two frowned, Calli trying to speak up. “Kiara-”

“I don’t know how things are going to go when I see Ame again,” the phoenix said. “I’m hoping I don’t make things worse... But if I do, I don’t want either of you getting dragged down by trying to help me. Especially since your offenses should be easier to apologize for.” Her gaze softened as she looked at them imploringly. “Please... let me face this on my own. And if things don’t go well... you can help mend things between us afterward.” If I don’t screw this up beyond repair...

Her Genmates looked at each other, not appearing entirely comfortable with that suggestion. Yet she could tell they knew how serious she was about this. Thus, the reaper eventually sighed, nodding at her. “Okay... But don’t hesitate to call us if you need anything.”

Kiara nodded back. “I will. And contact me if you need any help with your own plans for when she gets back.” She then gave them a genuine, if wavering smile. “Though... I doubt you’ll need any. I know you can fix things with her...”

She gave them one last wave, then turned and walked away before they could say anything else. Her pace was perhaps a little quicker than normal, but she did not care as she got to the front door. She put on her shoes as quickly as possible before leaving Gura’s house, making sure to close the door gently behind her.

Letting out a sigh, she looked up at the sky at the waning moon. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Don’t be too bleak about this. You have a few days to figure out what you want to do. All you have to do is apologize and... figure out how to make up for never properly listening to her... As well as using Ollie against her like that... And making her feel pathetic...

...The task certainly felt daunting, when she put it like that. But still, she was determined to do her best. She closed her eyes, her hand going to her pocket to grip the earrings. It had not occurred to her to mention them, and she was glad she had not. The others had enough on their plates already without something like that on top of it all. They had their own problems with the detective to sort out, and while they were lesser than hers, it would not be easy for either of them.

She had meant it when she said she knew they would find ways to apologize to the time-traveler... Though she hoped their hearts were not as heavy as hers over their mistakes.

Taking a moment to concentrate, the phoenix re-summoned her wings. With a strong thrust, she was off the ground, and was soon flying up into the sky. She would head home for now and try to get what rest she could. After that, she would try and think of some ideas on how to make amends. She had an idea of who she could ask for help, at least - someone outside of Myth... if she could build the courage to confront them. Until then, though, she had a lot to try and consider about herself.

It was going to be a long few days for all of them. And as she took off into the night... she silently wished Ame well with her mission. She prayed that things would go well and that the blond would return safely... and that this would not be the time she got unlucky and leave everything on such a dower note...

Chapter Text

[Wattropolis, 3rd Anomaly Heart Hospital: Timeline ########-?????-#####-???]

After a mission, Ame made an effort to think about the positives no matter... anything else that might have gone wrong. A rather simple exercise, but one that was useful for times when things took a bad turn. She had especially been trying it more after Ollie got upset over a few failed cases - leading by example and all.

Though... it was admittedly a little hard when her entire left arm was in pain.

Still, she tried to go over a mental checklist of positives. The most obvious was that she was still alive! She could complain all she wanted about unresolved cases or injuries received, but if she was still around to do so, then that was worth treasuring. Death was always the worst outcome for her, after all. (Though some of her alts argued that worse would be corruption by other entities and the like, which... she was also grateful to not have experienced yet, too.)

Another good thing was that the mission was a success! Not only was the intel in the meeting almost all accurate - a tricky thing when dealing with time anomalies - but taking them out had gone to plan. It had not taken long for their assigned Kronii to form a “temporal prison” to keep the creatures from escaping, and from there the Ame team moved in to take them out.

Looking up at the bronze-like, sterile roof of the room she was in, the detective recalled seeing those creatures up close. Anomalies rarely ever looked... right, even when low-level. There was always something unsettling about them, not too dissimilar to an entity from an Ancient One. (It was worse when the two overlapped in a manifestation.) It never felt like you were truly seeing them - rather, your eyes tried to comprehend how it was almost physically rending the timeline they had broken into.

Having fought these types before, she was more prepared for their strange appearances. How they appeared almost like translucent outlines of... she supposed giraffes was the best comparison. But their “limbs” had too many bent joints... especially their “necks.” There was also no “head” - just a large bulb with a red within that sputtered and sparked horribly. Several lines of red and orange also extended from it into the rest of its body, twisting around themselves in impossible ways and almost seeming to vibrate the... time around it. Making the forest area they had been in fluctuate into various states of being new... or charred black and still smoldering.

There had been minute differences between all of them - one had some extra “legs” while another almost... glitchily hovered into the air. She had not paid too much attention to many more of those, however. She had focused on her part in the mission, which was to run interference. She had dodged and weaved through the anomalies, using her specialized Temporal Grounding Rounds to force them more into their relative present. Then, the Ame’s with more heavy weaponry could work on breaking down their forms.

It had... been pretty fun to do, if she was honest. With her watch having been unrestricted, she had been able to dodge them by going up and down the timeline, and also interfering with the natural time-flow around her. There had been no need to worry about paradoxes thanks to Kronii, so she had been able to go all out. She had also been able to pull a few other Ames’ out of danger who had the same job as her. With so much power, along with the Temporal Hazard Skin Suit she had been provided, the whole thing had been... thrilling.

That did not mean the time-traveler had not dropped her guard, though... but it had not mattered. After all, when fighting five strong anomalies at once, you were bound to get injured when you got an assignment like hers. Still... she had hoped to keep damage minimal to herself. Having gotten proper rest after all and how wide the area had been to move through...

But unfortunately, there was little to be done when one of the anomalies managed to feed on enough flames to “charge up.” She had seen the way those blue, almost pixilated flames had formed across and inside its body. The order had been given to pull back, of course, but when she had been as close as she had and dodging with her watch being rendered useless... improv could only get you so far.

The large rock she hid behind had saved her from most of the damage, thankfully. With how she had to scramble back there, however, it was only natural a limb had been hanging out for a moment too long. And thus, when the area - across several points of time - had been scorched by the temporal flames, she-

Ame hissed as more cream was applied to the lower part of her left arm. She glanced at the person applying it, brushing off her yellow hospital gown. “Is this a new formula? I swear it - hrm! - never felt this prickly before.”

The doctor treating her shrugged, inspecting the limb. It was another version of her, naturally - very standard in appearance just like her. However, she wore her hair a bit longer than her, and was dressed like a classic doctor from her time - a white coat and stethoscope included. Though... the sleek metal right leg, barely visible under her long black pants, made her distinct enough. It let off a pleasing hum, which she wondered if it was an actual feature to soothe nerves with how intense it felt in her ears.

The alt - codenamed “A-Doc” - finished applying the cream before gently setting her arm down. “It’s a special medicine we just got approval for - not as good at healing the burns themselves, but it removes pesky temporal permeations better. Perfect for Ames’ who want to get home quicker and have means to deal with the more mundane parts of their injuries back home.”

The detective tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. “I thought you said you wanted to keep me for a few more hours for observation?”

“I said quicker, not instant,” her alternate replied with a good-humored smile. It dropped a little, though, as she glanced at the arm. “And... it’s a rather important precaution when burns like this are spread over so wide an area.”

The time-traveler grimaced, looking at her arm as well. It was entirely exposed... leaving the deep red, inflamed skin open for all to see. There were wobbly patterns along it from the ways the flames had danced across it and destroyed the sleeve of her suit in the process. Her hand tried to twitch, but it only caused a sharp sting to go up the limb. She could barely move her open fingers without causing her eyes to water, her nails charred heavily, too.

Every nerve seemed to quiver, creating a constant reminder of her injury. Her ruminations had allowed her to ignore it for a time, but looking at it again now... Well, she was grateful it was mostly second-degree burns - the suit had protected her some - but she still had to grit her teeth occasionally to deal with it.

A-Doc shook her head, looking for any areas she might have missed. “I’m amazed one of those particular ignis-types were able to do that much damage without supernatural flames. Those suits from the Response Center don’t normally give out like this for them.”

“You read the file?” Ame asked, wincing as a few dabs of temporal burn cream was applied.

Her alternate shrugged, giving a small smile. “What can I say? I’m curious to know how some of my favorite, least troublesome patients come to be in my care at times.”

The detective chuckled at this, before sighing and shrugging back. “Well, I had been pushing its limits so the others could get good shots. But you’re definitely right that it got to that point pretty quickly. We thought they were all fresh anomalies, but... maybe that one came in from somewhere else and had already fed?” While Intel had almost been entirely right about most aspects of the operation... with time anomalies, it was scarcely ever completely right, so she would not doubt it.

“Could also be that it was a unique case of needing less flames to consume,” A-Doc suggested. She shook her head, stepping away to a nearby metal table and using a cloth to wipe her hands. “Guess we’ll never know since your group stamped them all out. Not like I would know how to judge it regardless - I’m just a doctor. I’ll leave the crazy stunts to people like you and the studies to the Anomaly Research Division.”

The time-traveler raised an eyebrow. “You work in a hospital that deals with treating anomalous injuries and effects.”

“Doesn’t mean I ever have to see any of the bastards - at least not in person. Remote controlled units are very useful for that.” Her alternate put the cloth back down, then grabbed a tablet from there - similar to ones in her time, but with a few glowing blue lines on its back. She started tapping on it. “Anyway, do you feel like you were burned anywhere else? I did my best to look, but if you feel anything...”

“I don’t think so - don’t feel like it, anyway,” Ame replied, using her good arm to poke around her body. “I have some bruises on my side and my legs from those things tossing stuff around and taking swipes, but that’s it, I’m pretty sure.”

A-Doc hummed, making a few notes. “I see. And... I’m assuming you’d like to use your ‘prime-home insurance plan’ and have anything else treated back in your timeline?”

The detective nodded automatically. There were different insurances and policies that varied depending on the Ame and... how much they cared for their health. Another version might have been forced to stay here in Wattropolis or a hospital in a timeline connected with the Network until properly healed. There were quite a few out there who would probably get themselves killed otherwise, trying to “walk off” their body being altered by an anomaly.

She, though, had proven herself reliable in seeking proper treatment and complying with her doctor’s orders. So, while she often needed to come here after conscripted missions as a mandatory check-up, she could leave once they were satisfied she was not corrupted. It worked out on both ends - they could save on some resources, and she could go home to relax. It certainly helped that there were various healing magics in her timeline, and friends who could look after and help with any recovery.

...Friends who some she had... not left on the best terms with. Who already had enough worries about her work. So seeing her entire arm burned like this could... Especially after snapping like she had to Kiara about handling herself out here...

Something must have shown on her face, because when A-Doc looked up at her, she paused and started frowning. “Hey, are... you okay? Is your arm giving you trouble?”

“No, uh... I mean, it obviously hurts a lot, but...” the time-traveler trailed off, not feeling comfortable about dumping everything that had happened before she left on the poor woman. Still, she did not want to cause her to worry too much, so she sighed and looked down. “I just... was having a few issues with my friends back home. I had to leave things... pretty tense, and going back to that while injured like this...”

Her alternate’s frown deepened, a bit of pity in her eyes. “Ah... I’m sorry to hear that.” She glanced at her tablet, pursing her lips as the vibrations in her leg slowed down. “If... you want, I can see about extending your stay here. Until your arm is in better condition.”

...The offer was certainly tempting - she could not deny that. But even so, Ame shook her head after a moment’s pause. “No, it’s fine. Being gone for several more days would probably not make the situation better, and just raise more concerns. It’s best I not delay and make any of that more difficult.” She sighed, looking around the yellow and bronze hospital room. “Besides, you know I don’t like staying in Wattropolis any longer than necessary if it can be helped...”

A-Doc sighed, but nodded. “Yeah, I figured. I thought I would offer anyway... Though, speaking of your mental health-”

“My Kronii still has it handled - plus, we both know every therapist in the Network is overbooked as is,” the detective stated, her tone light but firm. It had not been feasible to hide her dissociations from her other version entirely, but she agreed to let her handle it herself for now, and to not pry about it. (All the therapists currently employed right now were Ames’, anyway, which would... not be productive for her case.)

“Understood,” her alternate replied, typing another note. “Please don’t go loony on me anytime soon, though - I’m short on cooperative patients, and I’d hate to see you in any of the asylums.”

The time-traveler rolled her eyes, burying any negative reaction the joke might have brought due to recent experiences. “I don’t think I’d qualify to be locked in any of those regardless. I hardly have any special abilities.”

“True,” A-Doc conceded, then looked up from her tablet again. “Anyway, we’ll hold you for a few more hours, then apply some regular burn medicine and send you on your way. For now, though, we’ll let what I just applied settle for a minute, then wrap your arm with-”

She stopped short as her tablet gave a ping. She swiped and pulled up the message... then groaned, pinching her nose. “Or I guess I’ll have a nurse come in a little bit to do that while I go deal with an Ame who has broken out of her room and is loose in the hospital.” She shook her head, stepping around to the other side of her bed. “Do you mind waiting for a bit?”

“I’ll manage,” Ame replied, glancing at her arm. The cream, despite what the other had said about its healing properties, had dulled the pain somewhat. She could stick it out until a nurse could come finish the job.

“Thank you,” her alternate said. She went to one corner where all of her stuff was - her clothes, backpack, watch, and phone. She grabbed the last one and handed it over to her good hand. “Feel free to pass the time using our wifi or talking with anyone back home. Rest assured the nurse I’m sending for will treat you right. She’s... a little odd, but not in the ‘crazy’ way, and knows how to do her job.”

Without further words, A-Doc waved at her and went out the door, her metal foot clinking down the hall. When the door closed, the detective was left alone. Letting out a breath, she carefully pulled herself into a more upright position, trying not to jostle her arm too much. She winced a little, but she managed to rest her back against the headrest, letting her lean her head back to stare at the ceiling for a moment.

She took a deep breath, trying not to focus on the constant needle-like heat that seemed to radiate from her left arm. It was constant, though, and with the hum of that mechanical leg gone, it seemed to become more irritating to her. The room was sparse of much decore to admire, too, other than a pot of silvery flowers, a few pieces of medical equipment, and a television on the opposite wall, currently off. There was also a window that let her see this section of Wattropolis, which could best be described as looking like downtown New York, but more bronze and copper looking, and with more holographic signs. (There was not a clear view of the sky, which was a shame. The black void with blue and green mist, along with a stationary artificial sun, had quite the unique feel to them.)

She had seen this style in this part of the city plenty of times before now, so she did not look long. She was also not interested in watching the news, both because of how confusing the local stations could be to non-frequent visitors like her and to not hear “her” voice. After several hours of working with her other versions, she wanted a few moments of solitude and not push any chances of dissociating.

With that option out, she decided to follow A-Doc’s advice and text Kronii. She had not gotten the chance to say much other than she was alive after the mission, so she had better reassure her friend. Hope the nurse gets here soon, though. I wonder what she meant by her being odd? Does she have something crazy like natural rainbow hair? Or has an alligator tail? It’s been ages since I saw a me who wasn’t human!

There was nothing she could do to rush her, though. The time-traveler quickly got to her messages, bringing up the Warden’s number. It was always nice to catch up with her after a mission like this. She would have loved nothing more than to treat this as a casual conversation, discussing future stream plans and the like. Heck, she would not even mind a small confirmation on how they both wanted the blond to handle her recovery the next few days. With the Council member, she could trust it would not be a tirade about her “limits” and such.

...But she knew she could not avoid what happened with Kiara. One way or another, she was sure that those in EN at least had noticed a change in attitude from her. And... honestly, she wanted to check to make sure she was doing okay. Not just from the punch, but the way she had torn into her, too.

It would... also be a good gauge as to how much of a lecture she might be in for. Her arm serving as all the proof the phoenix would need to chew her out and claim she had been-

She shook her head, frustrated at herself over worrying about that when her Genmate might be hurting. Taking a deep breath, she typed out a text as best as she could with one hand:

#1Detective: Hey, Kronster! Just got done with my check-up over at 3rd Anomaly. The good news is that I have a clean slate of health and will be able to come back after a night here. The bad news, though, is... my left arm is kind of burned almost to my shoulder. I have burn cream, of course - used some immediately after I was in a safe position to apply it. My doctor applied some of their own formula to help with lingering temporal energy, too. But... you know.

Ame sent the message, waiting for a reply. The syncage of time between Wattropolis and her “present” could be a little wonky at times, but... she believed her message would reach to about a day and a half or two days after she left. It would roughly match up with the timing of when she would be able to return using her watch, anyway. The same time currents that dictated this should also apply to her texts.

A few moments later, she perked up as Kronii replied:

PerfectClock: Jesus! Those anomalies must have really gotten lucky, huh? It doesn’t hurt too much, does it? Do you want me to talk to Fauna about some remedies from her, or get Magni to brew you a potion?

The detective almost smiled at the comment about luck. Her Kouhai truly had so much faith in her skills... Though it was hard to believe her entirely, after the circumstances of her departure. Still, she continued the conversation:

#1Detective: It’s not nice having my arm cooked, but it’s just second-degree burns - no third or fourth. Even with magic, though, I imagine I’ll be forced into desk work for a few days.

PerfectClock: Yeah... I’m sorry. I know you hate it when I “ground” you, but if it’s as bad as you say, I don’t want you irritating it.

#1Detective: It’s fine! I know when I need to take a minute to rest... though I’m definitely taking a scouting mission into an alternate space age once my rest is over.  :)

#1Detective: But on to healing, I’ll go with potions this time from Magni. No need for Fauna to make a gold apple or anything on my behalf when it isn’t too serious. If you could pick those up and leave them in my apartment, it would be appreciated. He probably has some pre-made. A few drinks of those and regular application of burn cream, and I’ll be up in no time!

PerfectClock: Sounds good! I’ll get those as soon as I have a moment! I just need to help Mumei with rearranging her journal room. She apparently put a few in the wrong place before, so we’re organizing them all.

The time-traveler gave a small smile this time. Despite her earlier thoughts, it was... nice to have a normal conversation with the Warden. Whatever may have happened over there in regards to Kiara had not shaken their friendship, it seemed. The brief fears she had back on the beach about her finally abandoning her had been unfounded - something she knew, but it helped to see a confirmation like this.

Remembering the phoenix, however, she knew she could not indulge in this forever. She... needed to know what sort of mess she had left and how hard it would be to fix. Thus, taking a deep breath, she reluctantly pivoted the conversation away from her friend’s lover to get some information:

#1Detective: Take your time - pun unintended! But... anyway, how have the others been? Is Kiara doing alright? I know I left things on a... rough patch with her.

Ame waited a few tense seconds, her finger tapping the side of her phone. The nerves of her left arm seemed to flare up from her tension, making her hiss slightly. She prayed that the nurse would be another minute, though - to not get here until she knew what had happened. The anticipation hung over her... until finally the reply came:

PerfectClock: Did you? I’m sorry to hear that. (I’m guessing more of her worries about going alone?) But... well, I haven’t really heard anything from any of the members of Myth the last few days. They’ve... not been talking with much of anyone, actually.

...What? the detective thought blankly. All other sensations in her body, burns included, seemed to go away for an instant as a cold apprehension filled her. All of her Genmates had gone silent? But... well, she was not sure what happened with Calli, but she had left on good enough terms with Ina. She could understand Gura needing a little time to process what she laid onto her, but to disappear for so long...

Her mind trying to figure out what this could mean, she pressed for more info:

#1Detective: What do you mean? You’ve not heard from any of them? What happened?

PerfectClock: Very little, anyway, and I’m not sure. All I got was Calli saying Gura explained a... personal matter among them that needed to be addressed after inviting them to her house a few days back. Since then, no one has heard a word! I’m trying not to worry, but... there was something about her message that made my stomach drop.

PerfectClock: Calli, Gura, and Kiara have been completely radio silent. Fauna and Sana actually went to Ina’s yesterday and confirmed she was okay - especially since it all happened after they had a nice day together. But they didn’t tell the rest of us what the problem was. She hasn’t messaged anyone herself, either. Their streams have all been canceled for the next few days, too!

PerfectClock: Everyone else in Council and IRyS is trying to give them time, but... it’s worrying. Do you know what might be going on? Did you see anything before you left?

...The time-traveler was only partially processing the two texts after the first. Her eyes read them, but her mind was stuck on that first part... Where it all started happening after Gura had them gather up. When she knew that her friend had nothing special going on that week. Happening, presumably, right after she had left... and vented her troubles.

She did not want to believe it... but it lined up too perfectly. The Atlantean had told them everything. About her crying, the way the others made her feel - everything.

It started to feel difficult to breathe, suddenly. She stared at the screen, dread starting to grip her heart as her left arm twitched instinctively, sending shots of pain through her body. Her mind raced as she tried to make sense of it. This... this wasn’t... They weren’t supposed to... She was just supposed to watch after them! She wasn’t meant to...!

Her breath hitched, panicked tears pricking the corners of her eyes. Despite this, though, she managed to write a quick response to the Warden, saying that the nurse came in and that she needed to get off her phone for a bit. Her chest tightened at the lie, but... she needed time to process this. She included a promise to explain in a little bit, though, not willing to go as far as to say she knew nothing.

She dropped her phone the moment she sent the message, using that hand to grip her hair. This... this could not be happening. Her Genmates were not supposed to know any of this! She had been trying so hard to get over those feelings, but now... there would be no hiding them. And there was no way they would let her brush it off - not with everything she told the shark-girl.

What... were they all thinking right now? Thousands of scenarios, filled with reactions ranging from rage to guilt came to her - none helping her to calm down. It was even worse than what she thought might happen due to hitting Kiara! That scenario had felt salvageable, while this one... She did not even know what she expected to happen.

Whatever they felt, though, they were stewing on it in private. A part of her was glad they were trying not to get anyone else in Hololive involved in this. However... would that still be possible once she got back? She had no clue how the information would affect their attitudes toward her. Combining that with her coming back with a burnt arm, and her confrontation with the phoenix still fresh in her mind...

The whole thing scared Ame... but it was nothing compared to the growing sense of betrayal she felt. Gura... Gawr... At least one of them had talked, and the other did not do anything about it. Or perhaps they both did. She... she trusted them with her feelings! That they would not run to the others and make the situation worse! That they would talk when she got back! How... how could she have done this?! Why-?!

...But that was unfair to them, was it not? She was the one who dumped all of her insecurities onto her and then left before she could even say a few proper words of comfort. And... she knew how much her best friend hated her doubting herself - just like she had been doing now. Why was it a surprise she would go to the rest of Myth? If anything, she felt guilty for putting her into a situation that seemed to have no good answer. Either the shark-girl kept silent, heart breaking knowing the blond was suffering... or she confronted everyone to make them stop, despite having to go behind her back.

Still... even understanding this, it stung deeply. Why could she have not gone to Kronii or Ollie first? Keep things within our little time trio? Though, speaking of those two... how was she supposed to explain this to them? A new wave of fear went through her, worried that once they learned of things, they would try and confront Kiara. With how defensive they were of her, she could picture them getting rough with her, just like she had been.

This whole thing could lead to a breakdown of EN... Tear everyone apart... And it was all centered around her.

Tears ran down the detective’s face, who used her good arm to rub her eyes furiously. Her burnt one, meanwhile, twitched and tried to move on instinct, but it only made her hiss as the nerves seemed to grow hotter. The pain only made it more difficult to get herself under control and collect her thoughts.

She did not want everyone to end up fighting over this. Because of her stupid feelings that she should have gotten over by now! (Is that really fair? ) She should have just kept it buried and not spoken a word to the shark-girl - to not burden her! (She’s your friend - she only wants you to stop hurting.) If she had a little more self-control - not lost her cool and hit her friend, then ran to cry on the beach - then everything would be...!

...No, the time-traveler admitted to herself weakly. It would not have been fine. This... is part of what Kronii and Ollie are always talking about. There was no avoiding this forever. I... I need to prepare myself - to get ready to explain to them why I kept this from them. I don't have a choice now.

It was difficult to muster up any such courage, though. She whimpered, unable to help thinking about how it all could go wrong. There were too many variables and things she did not know. Her emotions were too turbulent, switching from fear to despair. It kept her picturing the others... leaving. Of the others’ friendships being broken. Of Kiara either running off or chewing her out, the last traces of their bond-

She had not realized she was not alone anymore until a hand was placed on her good shoulder. A voice - hers, but different - whispered to her. “Shhh. There, there, dear. Take a few breaths. You’re going to be okay. Is it the arm? I’m going to take care of it.”

Blinking and sniffling, Ame rubbed her eyes again and looked over. Sure enough, she was met with an alternate version of her, standing beside her bed and smiling reassuringly. She looked to be pretty standard in appearance, besides the blue in her eyes perhaps being lighter. And... she also appeared to be on the older side. While she had no wrinkles or gray hair, there was something about her face that seemed to suggest she was in her thirties.

Her uniform was also pretty old school. She wore a white apron with a red cross on it over a black, button-up dress that went down over her legs. She also wore a nurse’s cap, and wore her hair in a nice little bun. It was a look that screamed of the early 1900s - from pictures she had seen of nurses during World War 1 in school. It was not the typical uniform of this hospital, so she must have requested it.

And assuming it was “era-appropriate” to her... she realized why A-Doc said she was odd. It was the view of quite a few Ames’ from such times with the beliefs they brought in...

She, however, did not really care about that. Sniffling, she shook her head and tried to compose herself. “I... I’m fine. It’s not the arm - I was thinking of...” She trailed off, pursing her lips. “It... does still hurt, though.”

The nurse hummed, looking over at her burnt arm. “I can imagine. I see burns way too often back home - plenty uglier than this.” She smiled again, standing up straighter and pulling some rolled-up bandages from a small bag at her side - ones that glowed a faint yellow. “Don’t you worry, dear! Once it’s all wrapped up and not exposed to the air like this, it’ll sting a lot less. I also have some painkillers.”

“Thank you,” the detective said, trying to settle back onto the bed. She then glanced over at her backpack, smiling wryly. “Though, if you want to save the hospital some resources... a friend of mine gave me about a pound of medicine you could use. Some normal gauze, too.”

Her alternate laughed lightly, moving around to the other side of her bed. “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think my boss would approve. We can see what A-Doc says, though, once you’re free of any lingering effects from anomalies.” As she set down her bandages and began to get out a few more supplies, she nodded to her. “Also, you may call me Field, if you so wish.”

“You can call me Curious,” the time-traveler offered back, smiling back a bit as she brushed off her face more.

Field hummed again. “That’s... an interesting one. Pretty vague and broad, though. Not that I can comment much, given my own, but since I mainly work here, it doesn’t seem to cause any miscommunication.”

Ame snorted. “Nicknames aren’t a set thing, you know. We can change them as needed on a team. But we all have our favorites.” She glanced at her nurse's cap. “Have you never had anyone who called themselves Field too before? What would your backup be in that case? Trench, maybe?”

Her alternate paused, then shook her head, getting out some scissors. “That one is... a little gruff, don’t you think? Besides, it... might give the wrong impression of what I did during the war. I was mostly in the field hospital tents.”

The detective looked the other over curiously. “So you were a field nurse, then. That had to have been rough.” She rubbed her chin. “It’s not often I meet me’s from the early 20th, or before then. Do you still live there, or are you in Wattropolis full-time?”

Field grabbed some painkillers from her bag and set them on the bed. As she did so, though... she looked at her with sympathetic eyes. “If you don’t mind me asking first... are you genuinely interested, or are you looking for a distraction?” Her eyes flickered to where her tears had fallen, only just barely dry now.

Flinching despite having expected the question, the time-traveler looked away for a moment. Then, she simply shrugged. “Both, really. I do find topics like this interesting... but I won’t deny I need something else to focus on other than my thoughts.”

Thankfully, the nurse smiled, using her free hand to lightly pat her head. “No need to look like that. I’d be happy to talk while I get you wrapped up. I can’t guarantee that I’m all that interesting, though.” She then got the special gauze ready, nodding at her. “If you could lift your arm, please?”

Nodding back, Ame carefully lifted the limb, hissing between her teeth at the pain it caused. Her alternate carefully inspected it first, making sure it had been properly cleaned and treated. Seeming satisfied with what she saw, she then gently placed the start of the gauze onto her wrist, then wrapped it around. It hurt, but she took some deep breaths and endured. She had handled being shot and stabbed before - she would not make a big deal out of this.

As she worked, Field began talking. “To answer your question, I still live in my timeline. Me and my husband live in a nice cottage - not too far from a larger town, but far enough away to be able to admire nature. It’s in the mountains on the United States Eastern Coast. We’ve lived there for years now, and have a young daughter - Jessie.

“It was about a decade ago that I volunteered to go as a field nurse in Europe, though, to help those fighting in the trenches. When I heard about the conditions those poor men were in, I just felt deep down that... I needed to help them. Make sure as many got home as possible. I had already studied certain medical practices from books my parents had, so I was able to prove my qualifications and get sent over as we were sending our own troops into the dirt.”

She grimaced as she appeared to recall that time, even as she carefully wrapped up her hand. “It was... not a pleasant job. Not that I expected it to be, but actually experiencing it was something else. Having to help with both trench foot and bullet wounds, and the moans that filled those tents... It was not helped by me having somehow made it close to the front lines.” She sighed, shaking her head. “But still, I endured it. I wasn’t going to let gunfire stop me from doing my part. I take pride in not having asked for a transfer despite conditions, and in how steady I remained even in the cold while stitching up soldiers.”

The detective hummed with admiration, moving her arm slightly to help with bandaging. It sounded like her timeline was fairly “standard” in how the World War played out. (Not that there were not plenty of variations within the multiverse.) If so, it could not have been easy to have been in that situation for potential years. A grueling fight day in and day out, where gaining land on the enemy was excruciatingly slow.

She had been in plenty of tough battles - her recent bout with the time anomalies being a prime example - but fighting in a full-on war had to be excruciating. If ever she found herself in one, she was only there briefly to get some intel, grab an item, or do some other task. After that was done, she would hop out of there and back to the comfort of her office. It was not the same as having to stick yourself out for the long haul... and she highly respected any Ame who did manage to do so, no matter their position and role.

“I was also fortunate enough to meet my future husband there,” the nurse continued. She sighed wistfully, her cheeks pinkening. “It’s... quite something to fall for a man who you helped with removing bullet shards from. I ended up checking up on him throughout recovery, though, and... one thing led to another.” She giggled. “Soon, we were sneaking off to secret meetings behind trees when neither of us was on duty. And we obviously made plans to meet one another again once the war ended.”

“Heh, that’s so corny... but I’m definitely in no position to judge,” the time-traveler admitted. She raised an eyebrow. “It’s actually interesting to hear you’re with a man. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! Just... not very common, you know?”

Field’s eyebrows furrowed at this, finishing with her hand and moving to her arm. “Yes, I’ve noticed that, too. I’ve never quite gotten why that is. Admittedly, a lot of multiverse concepts go over my head, but I have tried to do some reading on it. In theory, there should be a more... even split with things like this, should there not? Yet a majority of Ames’ I’ve met seem to be homosexual. I sometimes even wonder if the number of those with no sexuality outnumber women like me.”

That got Ame to snort, even as she winced from the gauze being applied. Quite the old-school woman. “That’s the multiverse for you. So many concepts that should be how things work based on rational theories simply... don’t. And the Paradox Division continues to weep over it!”

“So I hear,” her alternate said, before shrugging. “Still, I’m not entirely out of the ordinary there, as I’ve learned.” At the raised eyebrow she got, she elaborated. “As it turns out, my husband, Calvin, is... the male version of the more commonly female Calliope. That, along with him being human instead of a reaper.”

After a moment to process this, the detective chuckled some more. “Well, I hope he’s more polite than the joke male persona my Calli does for streams.”

“He’s quite the gentleman,” Field confirmed, tugging the gauze to ensure it was not too loose. “But anyway, I won’t tell you the more... gruesome details of my time near the trenches. But even after the war, I felt a calling to continue helping nurse people back to health! I probably would have found work in a normal hospital eventually... had I not found this when visiting my parents after my and Calvin’s honeymoon.”

Pausing her wrapping for a moment, she managed to roll up her sleeve. It revealed a golden wristwatch. It had a leather band with tiny gear designs that appeared to be hand-done. A closer look, though, showed a slight blue glow, almost completely missable. The face of the clock, while mostly standard, also had an hourglass black and white design in its center.

The time-traveler gave an appreciative whistle. “Not too bad. You must seem rich at parties to have a watch like that.”

Field chuckled nervously, returning to her work. “I’ve certainly gotten a few compliments when we have friends over.” Her eyes drifted briefly to the device, pursing her lips. “I... was actually not sure at first I wanted to keep it at first. I got an orientation like most others, and what they were saying the Network did as a whole... did not ‘inspire’ me like it probably did you, if... you know what I mean?”

Ame looked at her uniform again, having a pretty good guess as to what she was talking about. “Yeah. The maintaining and study of the multiverse doesn’t quite line up with the ideal ‘1920s life of women,’ does it?”

“To put it mildly,” the nurse murmured, more so to herself it seemed. She quickly shook her head, though, and smiled. “But still, the receptionist I had was quite understanding of how... overwhelmed I was. And that I was not really interested in fieldwork like many of you do. So she helpfully informed me about positions open in the city that did not require a lot of travel.

“That was when I learned about hospitals like this one, and when I saw the pay... Well, it was hard to refuse. It took a bit of paperwork, and I had long talks with Calvin on how to explain why I might be absent at times, despite trying to keep my time gone to minutes on their end. But now, we both have a steady income and can provide Jessie with a great life!”

Ame smiled at the joy her alternate had in saying this. It really did seem to be the best deal for her family - letting her continue nursing people back to health while providing for her daughter. Plus, here, she did not have to worry about the standards of her time perhaps shorting her in terms of pay. With the rates that went on around Wattropolis, it had to be making Calvin’s life easier, too, likely not having to work overtime for more money.

The story did quite a bit to warm her heart. She could almost ignore the issues that were awaiting her back home listening to it... Almost.

Shifting in the bed, the detective decided to continue inquiring about it. “So how have you been enjoying working for 3rd Anomaly Heart? They’ve always been a big help to me when I get injured like this. A-Doc has a good handle of things here!”

“My tenure has been fine so far,” Field replied, now wrapping around her elbow. “And I do agree that A-Doc has been a good boss for me, even if she does not fully understand my... perspectives on certain matters. If the Head Doctor position ever opens up, I believe she has a good chance to claim it if she wants.” She went silent for a second. “This is actually the fourth hospital I’ve worked for in the city. I moved here only a few weeks ago.”

This caught the time-traveler’s attention, who tilted her head. “Guess that explains why I’ve not seen you around here. Any particular reason you’ve moved here?”

“Not this time, no,” the nurse said, shrugging absently. “I was at the 6th Watson Mercy before now, and had worked there for seven years. I was offered the transfer, though, to help with a shortage of nurses here after this facility was expanded. I accepted due to it coming with a slight pay raise and for the chance to broaden my skills more. It was all on good terms.”

Ame nodded slowly, understanding the reasoning... but she did not miss that first part. Nor the slight undertone of something in the other’s voice then. Unsure of if it was okay to ask, her question came out uncertainly. “And... what about the first two you worked at?”

Field stopped, a deep frown forming on her lips. Before she could tell her it was okay not to answer, though, her alternate spoke again. “I... do not wish to name and speak badly of my first two places of work. My coworkers there were not trying to be mean, I’m sure. But...” She sighed heavily. “Well, there were quite a few that seemed to be under the impression that I am... ‘outdated’ in my outlooks of life. And were not always as polite about it as A-Doc is.”

The detective frowned herself, once more having a good guess as to what she meant. There were not many Ames’ who were from what could be considered “older” eras. Quite a few that were often had women suffrage movements earlier than in her timeline, or it had not been an issue in their periods. Other times, they were “oddballs” that did not fit with the time’s mold and found a breath of fresh air when they joined the Network, having a way to not feel so stifled by their societies.

However... there were still Ame’s like Field, who, from what pieces she had said, she could tell was more traditional to her time period. She was not some adventurous soul or one fascinated by the concepts of the multiverse. Certainly brave, given her history, but her outlook on life was likely different than what was typical around there. Even with the wide variety of skills and professions that various versions took on in the Network... she would stand out.

The time-traveler could imagine some of the judgment she had faced for it... and how it would feel to be questioned on it a lot.

It struck at something inside of her - a feeling she could not place immediately. Still, she acted on it and gave a sympathetic sigh. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. Some versions of us just don’t have any tact.”

The nurse shook her head, getting her scissors ready as she neared finishing wrapping up her upper arm. “I’ve gotten used to it. I suppose I would look at a woman from a few centuries ago as a little odd if I ever met one. I’m sure you would not enjoy some of my lifestyle choices, too.”

“Maybe not,” Ame admitted. “But you shouldn’t be treated like there’s anything wrong with you - and don’t try to say that wasn’t what you meant! If you’re happy with your life and aren’t bothering anyone else, then they should learn to back off some.”

There was no immediate response from Field, who cut the end of the glowing bandages. Once this last bit was securely around her arm, though... her alternate smiled softly at her. “That’s very sweet of you, dear. I can see why you’re one of A-Doc’s favorite patients.”

The detective chuckled shyly, rolling her eyes. “It’s probably more so that I don’t try to take my watch and rush out of here the moment her back is turned.”

The nurse laughed. “Well, there are certainly few she would trust to keep their watch in the same room as them.” She looked at the fully wrapped arm. “That feel okay? Not too tight?”

The time-traveler experimentally moved the limb a bit, bending the elbow. There was still a sensation of hot needles, but the protection from the air seemed to make it less irritating. Slowly lowering it, she nodded to her counterpart. “Feels okay. Thank you.”

“Just doing my job. Now, let’s get a sling put on you.” Field walked away for a moment to a cabinet in the room. Opening it, she picked back up their conversation, giving a small hum. “I truly don’t mind conversing at times with other Ames’ about my life. And I don’t have judgment for any of what you field agents do. While it might not be ‘proper’ behavior in my time, I do believe in a woman’s right to be able to be exceptions to their roles.”

Ame nodded, kind of figuring that was the case. She could not imagine the other could stand to be in the Network if it was not, let alone commute to Wattropolis, no matter what the pay was. “If you don’t mind me saying, you aren’t exactly traditional yourself. I’m pretty sure ‘proper’ ladies were not encouraged to go into a warzone.”

“Quite the flaw of mine,” the nurse commented jokingly. She got down a sling and strap that appeared to be of 21st century making, closing the cabinet and walking back over. “But I encountered quite a few Ames’ in my first two places of work who did not appear to appreciate this was the case. They seemed quite flabbergasted that I would prefer time at home cleaning and cooking rather than further expanding my job prospects in my time.”

“There’s certainly nothing wrong with wanting to make your home look nice, especially if you have a kid,” the detective agreed. She could never see herself being quite that domestic, but she would probably make more time for those things if she was ever a parent... Though she tried to stop thinking about that, ideas of her and Ollie following this line of thought she did not feel anywhere close to ready to face so soon.

“And there was also disdain for some initial beliefs I had coming in about love,” Field continued. She sighed, settling the sling pouch around her arm. “While I do hold to some of my beliefs steadfast, I am willing to have my mind changed... if the other is respectful. But the moment I mentioned the strangeness of seeing two women kissing once... I was nearly tempted to say something worse out of simple spite to how that nurse browbeated me.”

The time-traveler winced, looking away awkwardly. “Right. I... guess I kind of overlooked the general attitude back then towards... yeah.” It was easier to remember on the job, but she supposed she had been too distracted to consider it here.

The nurse shook her head. “I’ve gotten over it. I would not even say I hated homosexuality before - while the church I grew up going to would not approve, they were more interested in preaching over the dangers of greed than anything. I never had any deep rhetoric instilled inside of me about it.” She sighed. “But to that first hospital, it felt as though I had committed some heinous crime for simply speaking on it.”

Sighing too, Ame sat up more in bed as her alternate started to put on the neck strap. “I’m sorry. I get their sentiment, but... that’s not how you change minds.” She smiled at her. “Still, good on you for not stooping low enough to say anything... bad to that one woman.”

“You learn lots of patience when working in field tents with a bunch of soldiers in agony,” Field commented, securing the strap. “Yet still, I was not interested in being subjected to that constantly. When it was clear their treatment of me would not improve, I transferred, then again with the second hospital. If the third had not ended up being more willing to talk with me about these things, then I probably would have left the Network entirely.”

The detective frowned at this. It was a sad reality that not all Ames’ would get along with one another. Most could set differences aside for serious situations - and in the end, she supposed that was the most important thing. But away from the action and other important choices, there could be quite a few feuds. Some were even just... abandoned, left to fend for themselves. (One version of her - Shadow - came to mind due to IRyS telling her about their visits to the woman’s bar. She had never met her personally, nor knew her full history, but... she had heard how lonely she was. And how token the attempts to help her were becoming...)

Her nurse’s luck had changed apparently after that... but even so, she felt the need to speak. Clearing her throat, she met the other’s eyes. “Well, if those two hospitals did not want you, then frankly they were missing out. I know we’ve only just met, but I can tell you’re a sweet woman. And your willingness to put yourself so close to a battlefield is proof you deserve a place here. So don’t let anyone ever push you around, okay?”

Field blinked at her for a second. But then she giggled, finishing securing the sling. “You’re a very kind soul yourself. I wish I had met more versions like you in that first year of being here.”

The time-traveler chuckled bashfully, using her good arm to scratch the back of her neck. She took a moment to inspect her new sling. With her arm secure, so long as she did not move too fast, she should be able to avoid worsening her burnt skin. It felt odd to not be able to move her fingers much, but she knew it would not last long. Besides, I only need my right hand to fill out documents... With Ollie watching me, I suppose. Though I don’t know what else they would expect me to do.

Her musings were interrupted, however, by her nurse speaking again, her voice curious... and sympathetic. “Although... it does make me wonder what happened to a nice person like yourself to make you cry like before.”

Ame froze, having hoped that would not be brought up. She attempted to wave her off. “O-oh, uh... Don’t worry about that! I was simply overreacting to something tha-”

She stopped as a hand was placed on her shoulder, just above the bandages. Looking over, she saw Field giving her a knowing look. “Do you want to guess how many times I heard similar words from soldiers trying to save face in front of a pretty lady while bleeding? You’re thankfully not in that kind of danger, but I know when people lie about that.”

Sighing, her alternate looked down at the bed. “It wasn’t just masking their pain, either. When checking on some getting rest... I’d hear them murmuring to see their family again. Or about regrets they left with when they were sent off to fight - not confessing their love, one last argument with a friend, and all the like.” She glanced up. “I’m guessing it’s something like that?”

The detective looked into those eyes, trying not to squirm. The kind understanding reminded her so much of Kronii and Ollie - even the rest of Myth when her job was not involved. Not forcing her to speak, but silently promising to lend an ear if nothing else if she needed it. Hers feels a little more... motherly than them, though, which I guess follows. Almost like Snow, too, actually, but I don’t feel nearly as much like a child here as with her.

Still, it did crack the shell around her heart a small bit. Pursing her lips, she hesitantly looked off to the side. “You... really shouldn’t have to worry about it. I’ll be back home to deal with it in a couple of hours. I don’t have to worry about being stuck in cold dirt holes for years. Besides, I’m sure you must have other patients to tend to.”

“Trying to talk about it might still help you feel better,” the nurse replied. “It certainly did for most of the soldiers I convinced to speak on their troubles. And the hospital isn’t that busy right now - there are plenty of others who can check on other patients.” She tapped her shoulder. “Right now, you’re under my care, so I would love to help you!” Her gaze softened. “You don’t have to tell me everything, either - as you pointed out, we just met. But if there are any parts you are comfortable with sharing...”

Remaining silent for a few minutes, the time-traveler pondered over the offer. She was uncertain about sharing even part of her issues with her alternate when they had only started to get along. What if this hurt the other’s view of her, seeing in insecurities so soon? She felt she would not mind having her treat her again with A-Doc, but if she ruined that now...

...But she knew she was being irrational again. Her head was still a mess, and while listening to Field talk had helped, her heart continued to feel twisted into knots. And while Kronii was still waiting for her to text her back, she was not sure she could properly express her feelings to her. She wanted her friend to be able to understand, so... if talking a little could help her gather her thoughts more...

Taking a deep breath, she rested against the back of her bed. She closed her eyes, trying to think about what she was okay with sharing... And eventually, she settled on a question. “Have you... ever been annoyed with someone, or a group of people, who you know are just trying to help you? Enough... to get violent?”

The nurse was quiet for a time, then gently removed her hand, keeping her voice caring. “Can you give me an idea about what might cause such a reaction?”

Sighing, Ame opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling. “Like... They feel protective of you, because they know how dangerous your job is. And you... I know that such feelings are justified. I’m constantly doing cases that involves fighting and putting my life on the line. They have every right to be worried about me getting hurt.

“But... one of them, Kiara, just... I feel takes her worries too far. She’s constantly trying to force her way into my work, insisting that I absolutely need her protection! And yeah, she’s a phoenix - she can do plenty of things I can’t - but that’s not always the point! Quite a few threats I end up fighting have tricks and abilities that can render her powers useless! Not just her, but the rest of them, too! Plus, even when that’s not the case, it’s sometimes better to go into things alone. Or I already have help from the Network, and it would be a hindrance to bloat our numbers!

“Yet she has never listened to me about any of these points, or the several others I’ve made! She just kept trying to get me to take people no matter what I said! We’ve been arguing for so long about it, and it just... hurts! That nothing I do seems to appease her and that she doesn’t seem to...!”

Her breath hitched, forcing her to stop as she ended up coughing. Field was quick to put a hand on her back, rubbing it as her other hand wiped a tear she had not realized had fallen. Her voice remained soothing. “Take a deep breath for me, dear. You don’t have to keep talking if you don’t want to.”

The detective followed her first instruction, her breathing soon becoming steady again. Once that was done, she shook her head. “It’s fine. I... still had some anger from this last time, it seems.” She let out a long sigh. “But... yeah. We’ve fought about it a lot, and... before I left for my mission, she... said something that made me lose it. Something personal.”

She swallowed thickly, eyes now moving to look out the window to the bronze cityscape. “I... I know she did not mean it. I... I know it! We were both so angry that... But it doesn’t make the pain it caused me go away.” She sniffled. “And the others... Calli and Ina don’t give me trouble about leaving like she does, but they still do things that make me feel like I... I can’t do my job. Like each time will be the one I won’t come back. And it's hard to ignore at times - makes my confidence waver and makes me second guess myself.

“And the one person in our group that never made me feel that way - that had trust in me... I told her about what happened, hoping she would just watch out for everyone. But instead, I’ve learned from Kronii that there’s a good chance Gura went behind my back and told the others!” She bit back a sob. “And if they know... then I don’t know how to fix things! I’m so scared that...” She took in another breath, her voice getting quieter. “I barely even know... but I’m afraid of it splitting us all apart.”

Her nurse made her way around the bed, sitting herself down next to her. She looked at her with sorrowful eyes. “Oh, deary... That sounds awful.” She joined her in looking out the window. “Such a sweet girl like you deserves to have confidence in a job she loves, just like me.”

“...I usually do,” the time-traveler whispers. “When I’m out here on the job, all of the doubts usually just disappear. If nothing else, I can focus enough on my tasks so they aren’t a problem. I certainly didn’t let it distract me from this last mission.” She looked at her bandaged arm and grimaced. “Not that it saved me entirely.”

Field looked at the injury, too, expression thoughtful. “And I suppose you think this will make whatever’s waiting for you worse?”

Ame sighed heavily. “Why wouldn’t it? Isn’t it... proof of how weak I am?”

Anything else she might have said was stopped by an admonishing look from the nurse. “Getting injured in a fight isn’t a sign of weakness. Otherwise, every soldier I ever met, including Calvin, would be considered weak. It’s how you react to it and try to persevere over the odds that shows who you are... or heal from them.”

The detective blinked, then sighed again, rubbing her good hand down her face. “No- I mean, yes, you’re right. I’m not quitting over these burns or anything. I just...” She lowered her arm, shaking her head. “This is part of what I mean. The doubts just creep up on me, and... sometimes, I hear their voices in my head saying those things.” Her eyes cast downward. “I hate it so much... It’s gotten better over time, I’m pretty sure, but they just won’t go away.”

Field hummed, her eyes appraising her as she appeared to debate something. “...But you never told them a word about this?”

The time-traveler winced, biting her lips. “I... I’ve tried to dissuade some of them from certain attitudes. And obviously I push back a lot against Kiara. But... I’ve not been very direct with the rest of them in a long time. The things they do seem so small to make a big deal out of, and... I kind of hope it makes them feel better about seeing me go. I’ve been trying to let go of my annoyances and let it be to keep everyone happy.”

“...But it did not work out.”

“...Clearly. Though, then again, I’ve never been willing to back down from Kiara’s insistances.”

The nurse continued to look at her inquisitively. “Yet if you’re worried about your friendship being ruined over this, then you must have bonded with her in some way. I’d certainly hope she is not trying to intentionally hurt you - or any of them.”

Ame’s eyes widened, looking over and quickly shaking her head. “God, no! Kiara especially! We’ve grated each other’s nerves a lot over the matter, but... once everything has settled down, she’s usually very quick to invite me out somewhere. Usually with some of our other friends, but I think it’s pretty clear to them that it’s our time to cool the embers of our arguments.”

She sighed, eyes softening. “She... she isn’t a bad friend. When I’m not going out onto dangerous jobs, she’s usually very giddy to see how passionate I am about my work. Hell, she can listen to old fights I’ve been in without complaining - she even looks impressed at times! And ever since we’ve met, she’s always looked out for me.”

This made Field perk up. “Oh? And in what ways has she done that?”

The question felt less like the other had any doubts over the claim and more that she wanted her to focus more on those good times. And the detective was more than willing to, smiling a little at some of the memories...

///////

[Western Germany, Spring 1953: Timeline 57364521-SFEVL-83555-PDV; Several months ago...]

As Ame trudged through the forest, her map in hand, she could not help but be annoyed. The calming sounds of birds chirping around her did little to ease her up on this, either - especially since she knew it was not natural.

It was not so much because this case had been dragging on well beyond what she initially hoped it would be that got to her. Finding a portal to a Fey Realm could be a whole ordeal back in her own timeline, she knew from experience, so it was no shock to her that it was here, too. In fact, it was proving to be an even more fickle thing here, since the dimensions of this forest had seemingly changed from what they should be. The leakage must be worse than the reports thought if it’s progressed this quickly.

What was irking her, however, was the defenses that had been set by the fey inhabitants who had caused this mess. Like, when she had heard it was pixies behind it, she had expected more mischief than anything dangerous. Though, in hindsight, maybe that was because she never quite got the meaningful difference between them and fairies. Or they were just that much different on this timeline. But either way, she kept having to-

A thin tree seemed to move in the corner of her eye. Without missing a beat, she drew her pistol as she turned toward it and fired. Two shots connected with the creature made of bark, with gaping holes on it representing two eyes and a mouth. It let out a horrid, crackly scream as a dark purple sap came from its wounds. Stumbling back on several root-like legs, it soon collapsed and writhed on the ground before going still, its “face” starting to seal up.

The detective sighed, looking around for more signs of trents or any other nature monsters. She had not expected such little people to cause her so much trouble, but these pixies were making her re-evaluate her stance. They kept bringing various plants to life to try and stop her from reaching the source of the portal to destroy it. At any moment, a loose branch she was passing under could become a limb that moves down to strangle her, it felt like.

Luckily, these creatures were not that tough to kill. It seemed that the pixies had not expected well-armed intruders, which made sense since they were doing this so far from civilization. (The tensions between the East and West also worked in their favor, keeping eyes pointed away.) These defenses were being scrambled together to try and stop her, and they did not seem to have time to conjure things more powerful.

Still... even as she went back to looking at her map, she wished she could get it to stop. But despite how alert she was, she could never seem to stop any of the pixies, or hear them. Whether she wanted to subdue or injure them, she had no targets to do either. They must have some really good magic for concealment. Good enough for human senses, anyway. Which... speaking of, where’s my non-human help? It’s been ten minutes since we got separated and still no signs of her! That fucking smoke cloud... Did it transport her?

Regardless, she was now having a debate on whether to go find her or to continue trying to locate the portal. Though, given how things were now, both would probably be equally as difficult. Would it be worth leaving the timeline to get some backup, then? She hated the idea of leaving any friend of hers behind, even if only briefly, but if she could get someone back home or from the Network with more experience in these environments-

A thin root suddenly wrapped around her arm still holding her pistol, yanking her hard. Stumbling, the time-traveler managed to stay upright and keep a grip on her weapon, looking around. She saw that another thin tree was the culprit, its “mouth” filled with jagged bark as it hissed at her. It began to shuffle forward, giving the impression that it would be salivating if it was capable of doing so.

She grunted, begrudgingly impressed it managed to keep its body still enough to sneak-attack her. She tried to pull her arm free, but its grip was firm, and was doing a good job of keeping her gun pointed away from it. As she dug her feet in as it continued to pull her closer, she got ready to drop her map, hoping she could get her knife out and cut the root. If she was fast enough, she might be able to avoid getting any deep cuts or splinters anywhere on-

The hissing of flames came from behind her. Then, a second later, a fireball landed directly into the trent’s mouth.

It gave an agonized scream, immediately letting go of the blond. It flailed for a moment, but quickly fell still as its face also vanished. Enough roots were still in the ground that it did not fall other, and it apparently consumed most of the flames. But while there appeared to be no risk of a larger fire, the tree left behind was charred black along the side, still smoking. The remaining embers in the air flitted and died off soon after.

She eyed it closer just to be extra sure there was no small flame left. As she did, though, she heard someone running up behind her, followed by the familiar voice of the phoenix. “Christ! There’s a lot of these guys out here, isn’t there? I think I’ve cut through three of them already.”

Shaking her head, Ame turned to look at the orange-haired woman, her normal outfit a little torn up as she walked up with her sword and shield. - the former having extended its length and glowing brightly. Despite being a little dirty, though, she had a smile on her face, clearly glad to see her again.

Despite trying to keep her face stern, the human could not help but grin a little, too. “That was just my second since you vanished. Thanks for that, by the way - it’s very nice to have to divide my attention between my map and the foliage trying to kill me.”

Kiara huffed lightly, brushing a little sweat off of her forehead. “Well, I’m sorry - the pixies decided it would be ‘funny’ to use a bunch of magic threads to drag me in the opposite direction of you! Little twirps also put a gag on me. By the time I got free, I had lost all sense of where we had started.” She pointed her sword at the other’s pistol. “I was running around like a headless chicken until I heard the gunshot and ran over.”

Ame shrugged, smiling wider. “Well, I’m sure plenty of our fans might argue you already are a-”

“Don’t even finish that!” the phoenix demanded, but it was undercut by her chuckling. “You have no clue how hard I’m working to break that reputation with my audience. And I’m not supposed to be the chicken - they are.”

“They’re never going to listen to you on that,” the detective said. She looked at her map, putting away her gun. “But anyway, I’m starting to think this thing is becoming more useless, so... let’s give the search another hour or two. If we can’t find the portal by then, we’ll probably have to call for a magic expert.”

Kiara shrugged, glancing around the great expanse of trees around them. “Works for me. I can keep fighting these things all day, though. I’m just surprised the Network cares about an incursion of the fey in the middle of Europe.”

“Well, there wasn’t supposed to be one at this time, and certainly not one so hostile to humans,” the time-traveler explained, stuffing away her map into her coat. “Figuring out how this happened is up to another team being sent later, though. We’re just meant to close it up... Assuming these pixies don’t make a bunch of nuts come to life and try to go down my throat to choke me.”

The phoenix giggled. “I’d be more worried about them starting to use thorn bushes if any are around.” She waved vaguely to the tree she burned. “But I think we have a few moments of peace. I don’t think the little guys like smoke all that much, so they’ve probably backed off.”

That got Ame to perk up, pointing to her sword. “Then light that thing up and keep the smoke coming! Just don’t burn this place down on top of us.”

“Not to worry - I can make it light up with no threat of spreading,” Kiara reassured. Holding up the blade, her grip tightened on the hilt briefly, which was then followed by it bursting into flames. It crackled fiercely, and plenty of smoke arose, but true to her word, the flames did not seem to affect any of the nearby plants.

The detective nodded, looking all around her. She strained her ears, listening to the bird chirpings that were still going on despite the shooting and fire. “Okay - come on. It’s a hunch, but I think the closer we are, the louder bird and insect sounds will be. So if we just pay attention to those...

She began walking off in one direction, and the phoenix followed behind her. She did not question the plan - merely looking around with her guard up. Just because the little guys might back off more from the smoke, they were still likely to be beset by more fey-infused plants.

It was going to be a long job yet... but between her gun and the other’s pyromancy, she was pretty confident they could do some “gardening” if the pixies became more desperate.

(The time-traveler liked talking about a case like this one. It served as a reminder that her Genmate did not only have disapproval for how she did her job. That she was willing to listen to some things, and that they could fight well together. No arguments or harsh words... just two friends enjoying time together.)

///////

[Vtuber Town, February 2021: Timeline 63264450-MEWQA-00030-LBV]

The small bar was not anything special - no fancy decorations or crazy lighting. There were old pictures on the dark wooden wall of the town from decades ago to give the place a little personality, though. The room was also big enough to hold a stage for performances. Normally, local bands apparently booked it for use, but tonight, it was being used for more open karaoke for patrons. A fair number of people were sat at tables and on stools at the counter, but it was thankfully not overly crowded.

Ame was currently sitting at the counter, nursing a glass of some beer she had ordered. None of the options there had really interested her, but she had felt like she needed to order something. It... would have been impolite to only get water, would it have not? It was not like she was driving anyone home, and...

...After a moment, she sighed. Okay - I can admit that I gave in to peer pressure. The rest of Myth had all gotten drinks - even Ina - and she had not wanted to feel like the odd one out. So now here she was, taking small sips and trying to get used to the taste.

She normally would not go to a bar of any kind unless it was for a case. As amusing as the imagery of a hardcore detective meeting with clients in one downing whiskey was, she... just was not that kind of woman. Social events and celebrations like tonight were not normally her thing, either, honestly. She was just too introverted typically, and they could make her pretty uncomfortable.

But... she did want to celebrate with the rest of her Gen, despite this. It was a big occasion - approaching six months with Hololive together. Plus, everyone in EN had finally gotten moved into town under the initiative Cover Corp and other Vtuber agencies were pushing. They could now spend time together in person whenever they wanted, and while she might not have been super social... she loved her friends. She had enjoyed their time as streamers so far, and the “additional” meetings she had with some of them thanks to her watch.

So, she had decided to suck up her normal discomfort and accept the invite Calli and Kiara had made to everyone else. And... it had not been that bad, honestly. She had been having a blast talking with Gura about some recent cases she had done, and had laughed when Ina nearly choked on some wine the reaper offered her. They all had a good time discussing potential games to play in the future, too, and on the Council now all also having moved in. (She really hoped they would make the cut and become their Kouhais in Hololive.)

The fun had not stopped for the others, either. Turning in her stool, she watched as Calli and Gura tried to sing a duet on stage, though the latter was so tipsy she was slurring her words - not helped by it being a fast rap. Ina was standing close to them, her cheeks flushed from alcohol, but was giggling and clapping along to their attempt. Kiara had stepped away to use the bathroom, but she had been egging everyone on to try singing up there and had cheered loudly every time one of them finished. We’re so lucky the other people in here have found it cute rather than annoying.

So far, the time-traveler had managed to avoid being dragged up onto stage, to which she counted her blessings about. She did not think she was a good singer, and she was not nearly tipsy enough to ignore that. Still, she had been having a lot of fun watching them perform, too. She had broken away from them for a moment, though, to take a quick breather... and to not be the only one not drinking.

Looking back at her beer, she sighed a bit, lifting the glass and swirling the liquid around. Now that she had some time to herself, she had to admit she felt a little tired. Not just in the literal sense, but also because... she was so unused to this. She had always been a shut-in growing up, and what friends she had then reflected that. But now, it appeared that she would have plenty of more opportunities like this in the future. And while she was fine with that - perhaps even looking forward to it a little... it was all quite the change for her.

Should... she say something to the others? A few of them might have some advice on how to help with these feelings. But she could not help but worry that it might bring down the excited air between them. Would they even end the whole hangout because of her? That was probably a little too paranoid, but now the idea would not leave her alone and-

Her thoughts ceased as a hand was suddenly put on her shoulder, and a sultry voice spoke in her ear. “Why, hello there, beautiful. Sitting all by yourself?~”

Nearly jumping out of her skin, Ame jerked away from the touch. Snapping her head around, stopping herself from throwing a punch, she looked at the offending person. She was met with a woman with long blond hair and deep brown eyes. She was wearing a nice green dress - not too fancy, but definitely pretty - that was filled out nicely by her hourglass figure. The way she was leaning in her direction showed off plenty of cleavage from her good-sized chest, and combined with her smirking red lips... she gave off the impression of a temptress.

In short, she was the absolute last type of person the detective wanted to talk to right now. But she was more polite than to say that to the woman, so, clearing her throat, she smiled nervously and tried to lean away. “Um... Well, actually, I’m here with some friends. They’re just-”

The woman cut her off with a melodic laugh, that smirk never leaving her. “Oh, I’m sure they won’t mind if I sit for a minute!” Not waiting for a reply to this, she sat down next to the Hololive member, leaning against the counter while continuing to flaunt her assets. “I’m Amy. And you are...?~”

The time-traveler held back a grimace, not liking the sound of that tone. Still, she tried to continue being polite, coughing awkwardly while pulling her glass closer to herself. “Um... Ame. But, look, I’m not really here to-”

“Ame?” Amy asked, her smile widening. “Why, our names are so close! It must be fate that brought me over here.”

Taking a deep breath from being interrupted again, Ame gave the other a more firm look. Trying to muster the confidence she had talking to people on cases, she tried to put her foot down. “It’s short for Amelia, actually. And I’m... really not interested in what you are offering. I just want to enjoy some time here with my friends.” She gestured over to the stage, where Calli and Gura were just finishing up their song.

Unfortunately, this did not deter her fellow blond, who only leaned in, appearing more amused than anything. “Oh? And what do you think I’m... offering ?~” One of her hands idly went to the hems of her dress.

“Don’t be coy - even I’m not that dense,” the detective demanded. She was a terrible flirt, but she at least knew a flirt when she heard one. Taking a deep breath, she tried to let the woman down gently. “Look, I’m not trying to be mean, okay? But you’ve chosen the wrong target, whether for a date or a one-night stand.” She paused, glancing down at her streaming outfit. “...And I honestly don’t know what was ‘attractive’ about me to begin with. But still, you’re better off finding someone else, so can I please have some space?”

She attempted to use that as an excuse to leave, getting up from her stool to move... However, the moment her feet touched the ground, Amy grabbed her arm and pulled her in. Caught off guard, she yelped and just managed to set her beer back on the bar before she stumbled. Before she could orient herself, though, she found herself being pulled into a light hug by the woman and... slightly straddling her.

The woman’s eyes seemed to take delight in how her face got red at this, leaning in and speaking with a whisper. “Come now. Wouldn’t it be far more rewarding to be with me than those ‘friends’ who left you alone here at the bar? Just give me a few moments... and maybe I can convince you to do both of those things you suggested?~”

Her hands lightly caressed the streamer’s back as she said this. The time-traveler shivered, embarrassed but more uncomfortable than anything as she looked away. She swallowed, trying to think of a way out of this situation. She did not want to cause a scene and get her and her friends in trouble. However, she got the distinct feeling if she tried to pull away, the hug would become much more firm. And... one wrong move, and this woman would probably try to steal a kiss even if she did get away, which made her stomach twist.

Did... she just hope that one of the others noticed and came to help her? If the three by the stage were not too distracted, they should be easily able to spot her. But that would also put her in position for some teasing and... she just did not want that tonight. Especially not when she has been forced to be half on this lady’s lap. Those earlier thoughts of ruining the night also came to mind, making her squirm and not want to draw attention to herself-

“Ame - there you are!” a voice called from behind her - apparently back from the bathroom.

...Well, it appeared the choice was out of her hands now. But even so, she nearly breathed a sigh of relief as Kiara’s steps approached. When the orange-haired woman grabbed her and pulled her out of that embrace, she almost wanted to turn around and thank her... but was unable to thanks to her now hugging the blond from behind.

Before she could process this, the phoenix tone took on a cooing quality. “Oh, honey! I’m so glad you came with us all tonight! It’s been so long since we’ve been out together like this!” She pressed a kiss to the top of her Genmate’s head... then she looked at the woman, her voice taking an edge. “I’m also sure this person was not making you uncomfortable, right?”

...Ah, so that’s what she’s going for, the time-traveler thought. She must have observed at least some of what had happened and decided she needed help, or she had read the situation that well from a glance. But either way, she did not need to do much to sell the charade, her face already getting redder from the humiliation.

To her credit, Amy did not seem to get angry from this turn. While her smirk disappeared, she appeared more disappointed than anything. Sighing, she shrugged and stood from her stool, then walked away without another word, eyes scanning the room for a new target.

As she got far enough away, Kiara let her friend go, who quickly shuffled away and sat back down. The immortal laughed, grinning broadly at her. “Well, that’s that taken care of! Some people need to know when to back down.” She smirked a little, patting her on the back. “But still... good on you for getting two beautiful women on you in one night, Watson! You must-”

“Kaira!” Ame nearly shouted, batting the hand away. She tensed a second later after she realized what she did, though, then sighed heavily, slumping against the bar. Her hand tapped the side of her drink as she avoided her friend's gaze, her voice quieter. “Just... don’t. Please.”

The phoenix froze for a moment, staring at her with shock. Then... she sat down next to her, looking surprisingly... sober - joke unintended. Her eyes were filled with concern as she frowned. “...Too much?”

Grimacing, the detective shrugged, already feeling a bit of guilt for her reaction. “I... I can deal with joking flirts. But actually convincing someone that we’re dating is... I don’t know - it just feels too weird to me. And just... ending up like that so suddenly with a stranger also...”

Kiara listened to her, appearing to be taking her words seriously. Once the blond finished, she nodded, patting her on the arm and her tone apologetic. “Okay... I’m sorry. I won’t do that again. I just thought that would be a more assured way to get her to go away.”

“I figured,” the time-traveler said, sitting up straighter. She looked back at her, relaxing again and offering a smile. “And don’t worry about it - you didn’t know. I certainly appreciate the help - I wasn’t sure what I could do that wouldn’t cause a scene.”

The phoenix smiled back. “You’re welcome. I’ll be more platonic if something like this ever happens again, though.” She looked out across the room, looking to be trying to spot the woman. “Do you know if you did anything to get her attention, out of curiosity? I only came in around the time she was saying something about names.”

“I was literally just sitting here drinking,” the detective replied, holding up her beer for emphasis. She looked down and used her other hand to pull on her coat. “Seriously, who goes for a Sherlock cosplayer? Is this even that type of bar?”

Kiara shrugged, giggling lightly. “Who knows? Word is getting around town about us and other Vtubers moving in, so maybe she recognized you and thought you were rich?”

The time-traveler raised an eyebrow. “I mean... I can save up lots of money when I need it, but I wouldn’t say any of us are filthy rich. Definitely well off, but...”

She was met with another shrug from the phoenix, as they both looked back to the stage. The other three were continuing to converse at a table nearby while someone else was taking a turn singing. Calli was trying to stop Gura from drinking any more as the short woman clamored over her to grab the glass in her hand. (Was the reaper blushing - in a good way?) Ina, meanwhile, was dividing her attention between them and her phone, a tentacle summoned to help keep the two from falling over.

As they watched the scene, the firebird spoke again. “But just so you know... I think you’d make a good girlfriend to someone. And you’re genuinely pretty enough to turn a few heads if you ever wanted to.”

Ame blinked, eyeing her friend for a second. Sensing that she was not trying to flirt, though, she gave a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of her head as she took a small sip of her drink. “Um... thank you? I wouldn’t really know what to do in a relationship, though... and I’d probably get flustered way too easily.”

“Plenty of girls find that cute,” Kiara retorted. “And it's the effort that counts.” She gave her a soft smile. “But hey, if you ever get a nice girl, I’m willing to help you plan dates and all of that, if it makes you feel better.”

The detective rolled her eyes, giving a small smile. “Heh. Alright - I’ll take you up on that offer. You’re probably going to be waiting a few decades, though.” She did not think she was bad-looking, but... seriously, who would go for her if she was not wilfully trying to find a date? The firebird alone was a better catch than her. (That was not even mentioning the... mental issues her girlfriend would have to put up with.)

“Whatever you say,” the phoenix replied... before gaining a more mischievous smile. “But right now... I don’t think I’ve gotten to hear you sing, Ame.”

The time-traveler nearly choked on her drink. Looking over at her Genmate with dread, she tried to shake her head. “N-now wait a minute-!”

Kiara merely rolled her eyes, though, grabbing her beer out of her hand and putting it on the counter. She then grabbed her arm and gave it a gentle tug. “Come on - one song isn’t going to kill you! I’ll even do a duet with you.”

Ame pursed her lips, looking at the stage uncertainty... But when she looked back at her friend’s encouraging eyes, she gave a long sigh and relented, standing up. “Fine... just one, though.”

The phoenix’s smile grew, giving a small cheer at her acceptance. It made her chuckle as she allowed herself to be dragged over to the others. Everyone being together like this was still going to take a bit longer to get used to... but she had a good feeling about the journey ahead for her and them.

(The detective ended up taking that offer for help with dates, naturally. She more so remembered that night, though, as when she fully accepted that she, like many Ames’, had her own “Myth group” for reasons beyond it being “common.” She wanted to be their friend for herself - not to meet some standard. And it was thanks to all of their proddings... and that talk with Kiara...)

///////

“...She showed that she respected my boundaries,” Ame said, finishing up that story to Field. She believed it had been about half an hour since she started talking. She hoped it was less, still feeling bad for holding up the nurse like this. But... she was smiling widely now, a certain joy filling her from telling these stories.

She could not find it in her to stop as she continued, gesturing with her good arm. “We had always gotten along before then, but... it meant a lot to me, you know? That she held back on the teasing to make me feel comfortable?” She chuckled. “She has done so now that enough time has passed for it to be funny, though.”

Field giggled with her, smiling kindly. “It was very nice of her, yes. And it sounds like you work well together on cases, too.”

The detective nodded. “We do. I’m not so petty as to not bring her when I know she’d be a big help just because she makes a fuss at times. And when I do... she doesn’t feel nearly as overbearing as when we argue.” She shook her head. “Maybe she gets a little worried over some cuts and stuff more than she needs to, but... she doesn’t stop me from fighting. She even listens to my orders and strategies! It’s like her view of me changes when she's with me!”

After saying this, her smile started to dim. She looked down at her bed, those painful emotions from earlier slowly coming back. “I... don’t know why this is. She’s so supportive of me in every other part of my life. But... for some reason, my job... And the difference in how she sees me getting injured depending on if I went alone or brought someone else...” She sighed deeply. “I don’t understand it - what I did that makes her...”

Her nurse hummed quietly, looking out the window for a time. “You’re pretty quick to assume it was somehow your fault. There could be any number of things that have caused this attitude of hers.”

The time-traveler opened her mouth to retort... but realized she did not actually have an argument for that. She sighed once more, running her hand through her hair. “I... guess. It would... just be easier to fix things if that was the case, I feel... and help lessen the guilt on her part.”

Field gave her a sad look. “That’s not a healthy way to look at this.”

Ame looked away, shame welling up in her chest. She knew very well that it was not - Ollie in particular got onto her case about it on plenty of occasions. It was a terrible mentality to have over her problems, especially when she was not the only one at fault. It certainly did not do any favors for her confidence back home.

She... she had to accept this in this situation. While she had failed to communicate properly with her Genmates... they had still caused her pain. As much as she cared for Kiara... nothing would be solved by treating it like the firebird had not escalated the argument, too.

Even so, however, that did not make things seem any easier. She swallowed, looking over at her alternate. “Then... what am I supposed to do?”

Smiling gently at her, Field put a hand on her shoulder. “I think you know the answer to that already... The best thing you can do is explain your feelings to them.” She gave an outward gesture. “If they are your friends, then I’m sure right now they all want nothing more than to make up for their mistakes. And they can only do that if you tell them yourself what it is about their actions that makes you so upset.

“It’s a nice sentiment to want to not hurt their feelings... but you’ve obviously neglected your own enough. If you talk to them, I’m sure you can make compromises with them on how to handle their worries in the future. Perhaps being honest will even make you not feel as annoyed by their actions - just needing to clear up any misconceptions between you guys.”

“...And with Kiara?” the detective asked wearily, the image of her bruised cheek flashing in her mind.

The nurse shrugged. “You’re going to have to decide that for yourself. But given the stories you’ve told me... I believe you two can make amends for your actions. So long as you don’t try to hide and bury your emotions.” Her eyes softened further. “Things may not go back to normal immediately. But if you don’t try, then they never will.”

The time-traveler pursed her lips, pondering the advice... then slowly nodded. Deep down... she had known much of this already, but it had been lost in her sea of regrets. As daunting as the whole situation was... if she did not face it, then all of her worst fears were more likely to pass. There would be no more getting dragged out to karaoke bars or fun cases together... and their group would drift apart.

And so, she would have to do what she did on the job - mount up her courage, and face the problem head-on. There would be plenty more pain to be had for everyone... but if it meant keeping them all together, she was ready to face it. I’ve run from this all long enough... I think Gura knew that, too. I still don’t know how I feel fully about her actions, but...

Taking a deep breath, she met her alternate’s eyes, giving a small smile. “I’ll... I’ll try. I’m not going to lose them without a fight.” She used her good hand to give a brief side hug. “Thank you for... just listening to me.”

Field smiled at her once she pulled back. “It was my pleasure, Curious.” She stood up from the bed, brushing off her uniform. “I had better go check in with A-Doc, though, and see how things have gone with that patient that tried to escape. One of us will be by in a couple of hours to change your gauze to regular ones and put on some normal burn cream for you. Once we’re satisfied there are no temporal effects on your body, we’ll then send you on your way.”

“Got it,” Ame replied, settling back into her bed. She adjusted her bandaged arm, wincing a little at the continued heat. But thanks to the medicine used... and her chest feeling a little lighter, it did not hurt so bad anymore.

Her nurse nodded to her, heading to the door. As she started to open it to leave, though... she paused and looked back at her. “Oh, and... by the way. If you’ve not tried them yet, if you ever want to try drinking again, perhaps try a frozen margarita. You can barely taste the alcohol in those. It’ll probably make those gatherings with your friends more fun for you.”

The detective paused as well, raising an eyebrow. “How... do you know that? I didn’t think women in the 1920s drank alcohol. And were there even frozen margaritas back then?”

“Most don’t in my area, and no they weren’t,” Field replied. “But... I’ve had an indulgence of ‘the future’ from time to time when I decide to roam this city.” She sighed. “As much as I hold dear many of my beliefs from my time... it is as you said before, I suppose. I’m not a perfect 1920s lady.” She pretended to be sad for a moment... then she smiled and winked at her, before leaving the room.

The time-traveler blinked at where she once stood, before chuckling and shaking her head. Guess I have a new nurse to request to be assigned to me more. She rested against the headrest of the hospital bed, closing her eyes. Things were going to be pretty messy for her in a few hours, but right now... she tried to hold to the belief it would all work out somehow. She just needed to work with everyone on this... and put more value in herself.

...Before she could doze off, though, her eyes opened, suddenly remembering Kronii was still waiting to hear from her. Groaning at nearly having forgotten, she grabbed her phone to tell her she was free again... But when she got to her messages, she saw her Kouhai had sent her another particular text:

PerfectClock: Ame - what do you know about what’s going on with your Genmates? Because I got a message from Ollie telling me not to murder Kiara on your behalf after I’ve talked with you.

...Well, Ame took some pride in not falling immediately into panic from seeing that. But it also did nothing to inspire any additional confidence in her for her return. (It seems she was getting an answer to some of her earlier questions after all, though.)

Chapter Text

[Vtuber Town, “Home Time ”: Timeline 63264450-MEWQA-00030-LBV]

It had been a good while since Calli had stayed up through the night to work on something. Such a thing was not healthy, she knew, even for a shinigami, but sometimes projects just called to her to get done. There were also times when deadlines crept up on her and she found she needed to work late to meet them. From there, Bangs or whatever energy drinks she could get became her best friend to keep herself trudging along until everything was finished.

The others did not approve of this, naturally. Kiara in particular was quick to whisk her to bed if she visited and saw her in a haggard state. Since she started dating Gura, her girlfriend also checked in occasionally to make sure she got her rest... with Gawr not being afraid to be forceful about it. (The red persona did also offer her... love bites, though, for being a “good girl,” so that was not so bad.) Everyone else also had their turns with this, too, and while she may grumble at the time, she did appreciate them looking out for her.

...Yet such thoughts had not helped her get any proper rest last night. Though, in her defense, she felt it was one of her more justified times in doing so. After all, with everything that she had learned... and the deep worry she had over her lover still being gone... how was she supposed to sleep well?

This question went through her mind as she rubbed her eyes, working at the stove. Morning sunlight was spilling through the windows in the kitchen as she worked. Bacon sizzled in the pan she was using, the noise not helping her tired state. On the table nearby, some biscuits were already set out, along with some well-done eggs and a few sausages.

The reaper took a deep breath, the aroma of all the food not doing much for her nerves. She slapped the side of her face to wake herself up more, smoothing out her clothes. She was still in her original outfit, but she had lost the cape and most of the accessories. She was also wearing a pink apron that the Atlantean had gotten her - frilly and cute at Gawr’s request. With how much she hung out there, there were quite a few clothes in her size or items meant for her, like wine in the fridge, for when she decided to sleep over and such.

Though... she wondered if her presence would be welcome this time, with how angry her girlfriend had been.

She grimaced, trying to shake that thought as she finished with the bacon, taking the pan off of the stove. She had to blink hard as she made her way over to the table to keep her vision clear. It was not like she had gotten no sleep - she had taken a quick nap or two. While they had helped, though, she was no Kaela, who would be back in top working order after a few minutes. There had not been any Bangs in the fridge or coffee, either, so she could not even get enough caffeine to make up for it.

She could practically hear the lectures in her head from the others if they saw her... But then, would they be willing to this time? Did any of them get any sleep last night after learning how they had... had hurt Ame? She was not sure even J-chad would have the heart to scold her if she knew. She has to be worried, though - getting a message from me in the middle of the night saying I was canceling my streams this week. Did... the others do the same? Trying to keep up appearances for our audiences right now...

Calli knew she should probably check her messages again, but she... just could not muster the will to. It took everything in her to get the bacon set out on the table. Then, after double-checking that there was a plate set for the shark-girl, she sat down in her own chair. She settled in, rested her head in her arms, and just... waited, unwilling to eat until she saw that... that her lover was alright.

She knew she could have gone home, just like Kiara and Ina, but she had decided to remain behind. She had sat out in the living room for hours, waiting to hear the dual-personality woman return home and only Pita the cat as company... But she had not so far. The anxiety in her heart only increased with every hour that went by without seeing her face. It eventually made her get up and do some light cleaning to keep herself occupied. Then, when the task started to feel tedious and she noticed the approach of sunrise, she decided to cook breakfast, figuring the other would be hungry... and to make up for things.

Now, as she tapped her finger against the table, staring at nothing, she wondered if the food would end up going cold. But still, she was willing to store it and heat it back up at dinnertime if needed. She... she could not leave. There was no doubt in her mind her girlfriend was fine (physically, anyway), but... she needed to see her. To know she is not causing herself any more pain than everything already had. To... know for sure that they were still...

Sighing heavily, she closed her eyes, settling in more. Deep down, she knew she was probably worrying over nothing for that last one... But she still wanted to check on her. So, she would continue waiting, taking this chance for a little more shut-eye. It probably won’t be that much longer... I hope. She’ll... be back...

Her thoughts drifted as she dozed off, taking another small nap... only to be awoken by the sound of the front door.

Opening her eyes, Calli let out a small yawn, sitting up in her chair. Glancing over at the clock on the oven, she saw that it had only been a few minutes since she finished cooking. Grumbling, she did a quick stretch, popping her neck from laying on a hard surface like that-

-which was when her brain finally registered the footsteps elsewhere in the house. She froze, eyes blowing wide as she suddenly felt more awake. She looked to the kitchen door, listening intently... and sure enough, she heard slow footsteps, and the muffled sound of the Atlantean talking to herself. It was hard to make out her words, but her voice was definitely rough from a lack of sleep, too, and exertion.

It sounded like she was wandering the house aimlessly for a few moments. But then, as her steps got closer to the kitchen, she seemed to stop. The shinigami could picture her sniffing the air, the smell of bread and meat finally coming into focus for her. Those steps then marched over, her voice becoming clearer. “What the hell is...?”

The door opened, and the shark-girl stepped in - her trident held loosely at her side. Her irises were red, indicating Gawr still had the reins. However, unlike how she usually carried herself, her posture was slumped, and there were signs of bags under her eyes - so unlike her normal smugness. But even so, her tail was swishing in agitation, obviously not sure what to make of the scents in her house.

...Until her eyes landed on the pink-haired woman. She froze in the doorway, eyes widening as she suddenly straightened. Her tail went limp, and she seemed to almost lose her grip on her weapon for a second until it suddenly tightened. She simply... stood there, not speaking or reacting as she took in the breakfast set out for her.

The reaper did not like that - the red persona was usually so willing to take the initiative, even if she was perhaps too impulsive with that at times. Swallowing thickly, the immortal stood up from her chair, brushing off the apron she still wore. She smiled nervously, giving her girlfriend a wave. “H-hey, Gawr. Did... you have a good hunt?” She cringed internally as soon as the words left her mouth - the answer to that being obvious.

Still, Gawr did not appear to snark back or tease her for that, though. Blinking once, she tilted her head, her tone curious and surprised as she finally spoke. “You... stayed behind?”

Calli hid a flinch, unsure if that was meant to be disproving or not. But despite this, she forced herself to keep talking. “Well, I... I just wanted to check up on you, you know? Make sure you got home and got plenty of rest.” She bit her lips, tone starting to become uncertain. “Though... then you never showed up, and I couldn’t get any sleep- And I’m not blaming you! But I started to try and help you clean since you... We all had a rough night, and...”

Swallowing again, she gestured at the breakfast she had made. “I-I decided to cook for you, since I figured you’d be hungry. Not... that I knew if you’d even be back this morning. B-but hey, you’re here! So I was thinking... we could eat together.” She paused for a moment, then blushed heavily as an idea came to her. She went through with it, though, as she gave her best demure smile and lightly pulled on her apron. “And... you could cuddle with me afterward... and leave your mark?”

Even as she said it, she could feel the sensation of a heart she did not have beating faster. She knew how much the red persona craved being physical with her - it was how she felt love, in fact. Having been formed mostly by raw instinct when she and Gura had split in half, the line between affection and lust for her was pretty blurred, but the other two were not ready for sex yet. Words and other ways of showing love were not always enough for her, so it made her happy to be allowed to touch the shinigami... and turn her into putty without escalating too far.

The reaper had hoped the offer would get her girlfriend excited and lift her mood - erase some of the gloom in the air. But... while the Atlantean had definitely perked up at this, it was not the same as usual. Her eyes roamed the taller woman’s body, but... they were subdued. They did not peirce her and make her head feel fuzzy as she usually did. She was even pursing her lips, as if not sure she should even be having any such thoughts right now.

And... that was fair, was it not? Calli wilted some, feeling like an idiot for her offer. The other woman had been furious at them all last night on Ame’s behalf, and she was trying to ease things up by offering her body? And what was Gura thinking at the moment? For once, her anger seemed to had outshined any from her counterpart. She might not even want to see her after hurting her best friend.

Trying to keep her breath steady, she took a small step back from the shark-girl. Yet her voice still wavered as she tried to speak, looking away. “I... I’m sorry. I... maybe I shouldn’t have stayed. I probably went a little overboard with breakfast, too. I didn’t mean to waste your food.” A stray tear pricked the corner of her eye. “I... I should go, right? You need some alone time. I shouldn’t have tried to- ack! ”

She cut off as a blur of blue and red was suddenly in front of her and pulled her into a hug. Startled, she stumbled and caught herself on the table to prevent herself from falling over. Her lower half was practically pinned due to how hard the shorter woman was squeezing her. She could feel the other’s trident against her back, the prongs pointed off to the side to avoid accidentally injuring her.

After a few moments of this, the Atlantean pulled back enough to speak clearly... and while it was almost missable, the immortal could hear the faintest of cracks in it. “Calli... you’re always welcome in this house. Don’t ever feel like you aren’t.” She took a deep breath, looking up at her with an attempted smile. “And you... don’t have to leave. Gura could use the company, whether she wants to come out or not.”

Calli stared down at the woman for a time... then gave a lightly teasing smile. “And do you need the company as well?”

The shark-girl froze briefly, and then forced out a laugh, managing to put on one of her cocky grins. “Pffft! Me? I’m not some baby who needs coddling!” She paused, then gave a small cough. “But... that doesn’t mean you being here is unappreciated.”

The reaper could not stop herself from giggling, a coil in her chest unwinding as relief flooded her at seeing her girlfriend’s normal antics. Smiling, she pulled back enough for her to be able to kneel, giving a kiss on her cheek. “Of course. You’re way too tough to need me to comfort you.” Her eyes drifted to the ground, unable to stop her smile from shrinking a little as her earlier worries came to mind. “I... had been a little worried if everything had... If you had wanted to...”

Gawr managed to catch on, her eyes widening as she shook her head. “Don’t even finish saying that! We’d never...” She sighed, de-summoning her weapon and bringing her arms closer to herself, rubbing one with one hand. “We just needed space for a little while is all. It takes a lot of work to help burn off excessive anger for us - especially nowadays.”

Calli looked at her curiously at this, humming lightly. “I... think I remember you saying something about that once. What exactly do...?”

The Atlantean sighed, shrugging before glancing over at the table. “I can explain it after breakfast. You were right - I’m famished. Barely got a few bites out of the fish I killed.”

Needing no further prompting, the reaper pulled back and gestured to the table. Soon, the two were sitting next to one another as she made them their plates. (The red persona wanted more of the meats, of course.) She quickly stepped away and poured the glasses of milk, then, once those were set out, they began to dig in.

Staying up all night really had a way of making a person hungry. She had not even realized how much she was craving to eat, so distracted by other thoughts as she was, until she took the first bite of her eggs. After that, she had to restrain herself from scarfing down her plate... A hesitance not shared by her lover, who was eating fast enough to risk choking, all the while a content growl emanated from her throat.

The sight made the shinigami giggle, feeling more tension leave her body. Some things never change, it seems, no matter her mood. Still, she did tap her on the shoulder, motioning for her to slow down. The shark-girl grumbled, but complied with the request - even using her utensils a little more properly. Though, she did also take a moment to smirk at the taller woman, really emphasizing one bite of sausage she took while giving intense glances at her neck. The implication was not lost upon her, blushing heavily and trying to focus back on her breakfast.

It was... nice. Normal, even. If not for how tired both of them clearly still were and the subdued looks that overcame them every couple of minutes, she might have been able to pretend it was a normal morning. On one of those days, once they finished, she could usually look forward to either Gura dragging her to play a random video game, or Gawr to find indirect ways to... end up with less clothing.

But she did not expect any such fun today - at least not immediately. And... those thoughts only brought forth another concerning thing she was noticing. Because on normal days, whoever was in control of their body, the Atlantean’s other persona would “peek out” at times to be closer to the experience. It was always marked by their highlights gaining a bit of the other’s color - not enough to take over, but so that sensations were apparently stronger to them in the moment.

Yet this whole time, no matter when or how long she looked... she had not spotted any blue. It did not even seem like the red persona was conversing with her all that much, if at all. There was never that look in her eyes they always got when doing mental communication. And... while it might have been her imagination, but it seemed like she tried to a few times, but then would frown, her tail twitching behind her.

It ate away at the reaper, despite trying to keep things light for them both - to have this small break from their problems. But as she started to feel full and only a few bites remained on both of their plates... she knew they had gone far enough with that. So, her worry finally getting the better of her, she hesitantly decided to ask about it. “Is... is Gura okay?”

If the shark-girl was surprised by the question, she did not show it. She only sighed, looking at her with a tired gaze as she picked at one last piece of bacon. “Define okay.”

Calli bit her lips, tapping her finger nervously against the table. “Um... is she listening? Or has she cut herself off?”

Gawr sighed louder this time, stuffing the rest of the bacon into her mouth. Once she swallowed it, she leaned back from her plate and spoke. “She’s paying attention... But she isn’t doing anything else. She’s just... sitting there, in our mind. She won’t even talk to me! It’s...” She shivered. “It isn’t right. I’m not supposed to have to be in control for this long.”

That made the reaper frown, quirking an eyebrow. “It’s only been a few hours. You’ve been out with me for about as long.”

“That’s different!” the Atlantean insisted, a small growl in her voice as she shook her head. “There’s a feeling in those times that she can come out at any time - that she’ll help me if I need it! And that’s when I’m alone with you! I’ve had to be in control out in public to do my hunt! I had to talk to our Uber driver a bit, which was tough enough to not accidentally insult them! Even with it being night, I had to be careful to avoid people!

“And... she always talks to me when I have the reins. Tells me what I’m doing right and wrong! But right now... I’m on my own.” Her eyes dim a little, her voice getting quieter. “She’s... she’s trying to send me feelings of comfort, at least. But they’re... weak. She’s still so marred down by everything that’s happened, even after our hunt.”

Calli’s heart broke, noticing how tightly her lover’s hands had gotten around the edge of the table - desperately trying to hold her composure and not appear “weak.” She reached over and gently removed them so they did not start to break the bit of furniture. She allowed them to clasp onto her own hands as she spoke. “Right. Something about ‘burning away your anger?’”

“It’s how things were at the beginning - why I was formed,” the shark-girl said. “All of the pain and anger she felt would be funneled into me so she could be our nurturer. Then, I would unleash it all against our enemies, which was... basically anything that moved.” She grimaced at the memories. “After I finally gained a semblance of a conscience, I just funneled it into hunts for food while we... figured out our lives. Now that we’ve both changed so much since then, it’s much harder to do, but... I can still do it.”

“...And did it work this time?” the reaper asked.

“...Yes, but... I can’t take away all of her sorrow,” Gawr replied quietly. “I never even could back then, either, but this feels... more pronounced.” She sighed heavily. “It... It’s like I’m failing at the main thing I was meant to do. I know it’s no longer strictly my job, but... there’s still that sensation deep down. And I know there should be other ways I should be able to help make her feel better! Ways I could comfort her! But-” She stopped, then slowly slid her gaze to the ground. That nearly-missable waver returned to her voice. “...I don’t know what those are. She’s supposed to handle these things, since I never fully understand. But... she won’t tell me how to do it now.”

Calli’s phantom heart broke to pieces hearing this. It never felt right to see the red persona with any major feelings of doubt - without her haughty act that you could still feel the care behind if you knew her, and she even dropped at times. But to also have confirmed that Gura was being so unresponsive... It was just so rare to see both sides of her lover seem completely broken up by a problem. “Oh, Gawr...”

The Atlantean took in a hissing breath, quickly shaking her head as she tried to compose herself. The pink-haired woman stopped talking for a moment, knowing this side of her girlfriend would feel better with a slightly different approach to start. Thus, being careful with her movements, she got the shorter woman out of her chair. Then, she pulled her into her lap and just... waited for her to act.

She was not disappointed when the shark-girl immediately started to snuggle against her. She pressed herself incredibly close to the shinigami, arms wrapping tightly around her back. The movements also had the effect of some... grinding near her lower regions, and the other’s head rubbing into her chest. The current situation removed all chance of embarrassment, though, and her lover, unlike other times, was not teasing her, either. The red persona just needed the contact, and so she let her do as she pleased.

The reaper brought a hand to her hair, gently curling fingers through her locks. A more contented growl once more came from her Genmate, who otherwise stayed silent for the next few minutes. It made the immortal smile, who let her have this moment of rest, watching as her tail wagged happily.

Eventually, once she was sure the other would be okay with it, she decided to add her words of comfort. “If it helps any, I thought you handled last night really well. Keeping things under control, I mean.”

Gawr peeked her head up from her chest, her eyes swimming with uncertainty. “Really? I... thought I was getting kind of harsh with Kiara there.”

“To be fair, it... sounds like she at least kind of deserved that,” Calli replied, as hard as it was to admit to about her lifelong friend. “And you had every right to be angry at her. But you stopped Gura from attacking Kiara! And thinking back on it, I’ve realized you were attempting to mediate things while she had control. Plus, everyone understands how blunt you can be.” She smiled, placing a hand on her cheek. “I won’t say you did perfect, but... you did good. Things might now have gone as smoothly without you there.”

The Atlantean continued to stare at her, not appearing in denial, but more so... confused about what to do with this sort of praise. Yet even so, she eventually put on a grin, chuckling lightly. “Well, I guess if you say so... but you’d better rephrase that as ‘you were the most wonderful mediator, Gawr, my love!’ Really rub it into the others' faces!”

The reaper laughed, quickly being joined by her girlfriend. Glad to see you can still bounce back like this. She held her closer again, giggling as she felt her press against her more greedily. She even blushed as the hands at her back drifted down more, feeling the protective scratches through her clothes as her hands went down closer to her rear. It seemed that her efforts to get the red persona up to her old games was working.

Still, the shark-girl did not go for anything further quite yet. Sighing, she pushed her head up again, eyes apologetic now. “Speaking of last night... I’d like to give you an apology on Gura’s behalf about the whole Kiara thing. I know she regrets it, and will probably say sorry a lot more when she’s ready to come out, but... just getting that out there.”

Calli nodded, quickly becoming serious again. “I figured. And since I know she’s listening, I’d like to say right now she’s forgiven.”

“Kind of easy to say since she didn’t actually get to go through with that,” Gawr pointed out, before sighing and glancing away. “The moment I pulled her away, I could feel how mortified she was at what she attempted.” She forced a chuckle. “And wasn’t that just a great move? We were angry she hurt our best friend. And so, she decided to hurt your best friend, even for just a second. Brilliant plan to fix the tensions in our group, let me tell you!”

Sighing as well, Calli patted her on the head. “I get that, but let’s just be thankful it didn’t happen, okay? I... think we all have enough regrets between us already.”

The Atlantean nodded, seeming reluctant but letting the matter drop. She then looked at her inquisitively. “Have you talked with her this morning, or gotten any texts?”

The reaper shook her head. “I’ll send her a message later today, but I’m trying to let her have her space. Ina, too. If they want to talk, I’ll be open to them, but... they probably want to deal with this on their own. I certainly have experience with Kiara feeling like she’s screwed up with friends of ours.”

“...We’re sure she won’t do anything... drastic, right?” the shark-girl asked hesitantly, failing to fully mask her fear there.

Calli was quick to nod in reassurance. “Trust me - she won’t do anything that would risk her losing her memories. She wouldn’t be able to solve anything like that.” She was also confident that the firebird would not try to leave to... fade away, but she left that unsaid. Instead, she bit her lips, remembering her own fault in this situation. “Also, I said it last night, but... I’m sorry for hurting Ame, too.”

That got Gawr to frown again, who glanced away briefly before letting out a huff. “Yeah... Gura is still pretty mad at you over it. But, in your defense, I can’t imagine it’s easy to have one of your magical senses screwed with like that.”

A shudder went through the reaper, thinking about the detective’s soul and the “sound” it created. For many humans, she was used to a sensation more akin to a pleasant orchestra - not as pronounced as for say the average immortal or a dragon, but still holding strength. Even when it became mournful as their death potentially approached, she could admire the will of those spirits when they were not in great numbers. Even then, she could tolerate the cacophony of large gatherings of the dead.

But... the time-traveler... The constant discord she heard when she dared to listen or her senses came on subconsciously, as they sometimes did... The screeching at such a high “pitch” that-

She blinked hard, dispelling those memories from her mind. She looked away from her girlfriend, grimacing. “I... still should not have let it influence me so much with her, though. If I hadn’t, then maybe...”

The Atlantean tilted her head, being silent for a moment before speaking. “But... weren’t you saying you realized what you were doing wrong last night?”

The reaper nodded, though the fact did little to make her feel better. “Yeah. I... I’ve been trying to be extra vigilant for a few months now, since me and Ollie had a talk. She never told me what the exact problem was - trying to respect Ame’s privacy and all - but she said that we had been causing her anxiety. That... it was the reason she didn’t share those deeper issues Kronii and her deal with.

“So I’d been trying to figure it out since then... and yesterday, it just sort of... clicked.” She bit her lips. “I mean, I’m concerned about everyone’s health in Hololive, so I never gave it much thought before. But... I knew deep down when I heard her annoyance this time that it went deeper than I realized. And I started to piece together that I may be... more vigilant with her than anyone else. I’ve been... such a pest to her.”

She looked at her lover curiously, wondering if she knew the answer to a question that had been plaguing her. “I tried to ease up at the last moment because of this. I normally send her lots of texts to make sure she has her medicines, but this time I left her alone! I thought it might make her less stressed and let her relax!” She swallowed nervously “Did... did it work?”

The sad look the shark-girl gave her told her the base of the answer to that before she replied. “Well, she took note of it... but with how sudden it was, she ended up being worried she had upset you, or that you were hurt.”

Calli’s face fell, handing her head as she groaned. “Oh, great...” In her attempt to help, she had only continued to cause her friend anxiety. Maybe it was a bit better than if she had just sent messages like times before, but still...

Before she could lament more on that, though, Gawr was patting her on the shoulder. Red eyes stared into hers as she tried to sound reassuring. “Come on - don’t be like that! She’ll probably feel better once you explain why you did that. Just talk about whatever shit you’ve got going on with the sound of her soul better, too, and... I think you’ve got a good shot of patching things up really quickly.” She paused, then let out a breath. “Talking to her will probably go better for you than it will us, anyway.”

The reaper blinked, now feeling confused. “Huh? What did you do? I thought you two were the only ones who didn’t give her problems.”

The Atlantean turned her head away, chuckling hollowly. “Do you think she told us all of the stuff you all did yesterday for us to reveal to you all? The woman who so often bottles up her feelings to not inconvenience us?” She shook her head. “That was the most she had ever trusted us with her larger problems... and we were ready to spill the secret the moment she was gone.”

...Oh, Calli thought, the implication settling in pretty fast. She had not even considered if her girlfriend had been permitted to say everything she had, being more focused on the information itself. But, thinking about how Ame had hidden some of her feelings in the past... And some of what Gura had said last night...

A deep sigh left the shark-girl, who looked down at the ground. “She’ll figure out we were responsible one way or another. And as worried as I was about Old Blue’s emotional state going into it, I stand by her decision. Whether Ame likes it or not, she needs to confront you all about these insecurities of hers.” She shifted in her lap, her tail drooping as her frown deepened. “But... I think we can kiss whatever trust we had built to reach that point goodbye.”

The reaper felt something in her chest twist at her expression. She almost wanted to say the detective would understand their choice... but the truth was she did not know. Even if the blond did understand, that might not change how she felt about it, either. Plus, with how the red persona struggled over this stuff, she was not sure how well any such words would land with her. So in the end, all she did was hug her closer again, whispering softly. “I’m sorry. I... I don’t know what to say.”

Gawr shrugged, closing her eyes. “I’ll be fine. I’ll train with her and do all the emotional crap she wants to make it up to her - maybe even get forgiveness... But it’s gonna be a blow to Gura. I think that’s part of the reason she’s brooding - to prepare to have to face that.” She swallowed, her eyes slowly opening. “And until then... I’m stuck in control. I don’t think forcing her out is going to work out well for either of us. So I... have to endure being out and pray I don’t piss anyone off.”

Calli sighed, kissing her on the forehead. “You’ll be fine. You’re not that antagonistic.”

The Atlantean gave her a half-annoyed and half-amused glance. “Not going to say I’m not that mean at all?”

“No, since I didn’t think you’d believe me,” the reaper answered, grinning a little. “And... you are a brat a lot of the time.”

Chuckling, the shark-girl shook her head. “You’re damn right!... But thanks for the confidence.” She pulled back, her face still clouded with doubts. “Still... I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I’ve canceled our streams, and I don’t mind staying inside, but until Gura feels like talking again... And the others... I know why you acted the way you did, but... even Kiara, I don’t fully understand her reasons, and it’s... bothering me.”

Calli frowned, looking away as she took a deep breath. “Yeah, I... get what you mean. Everything is just so confusing right now. Even talking like this, I’m... still reeling a bit.” She was not sure how much she could handle these thoughts for the next few days until Ame got back. She tried to tell herself not to worry so much - that she still had a chance to mend things. But, even still... Thinking about Kiara, too, and the delicate situation between those two...

A beat of silence passed for the couple, both sitting there trying to process... But then, the Atlantean spoke, her tone lighter. “Although... maybe I can help distract us both.~” She did not even let the Shinigami wonder what she meant for a second... as she punctuated her sentence by drifting her hands down and groping the top of her ass.

A squeak left the reaper, blushing hard from the sudden action. She looked at her girlfriend, tone flustered. “G-Gawr?!”

The shark-girl merely smirked, continuing to knee her rear, shifting her body to press herself more flushed to the pink-haired woman. “Oh? What’s the matter? You seemed so eager to offer your body when I first walked in.~”

Calli’s face only got redder, finding it hard to speak under the other’s suddenly intense gaze. “Um... well, I... listen...!”

“I always do - but you never seem to have much to say other than moans,” Gawr pressed. Her grin grew at the sputter that earned her, giggling playfully. She pulled up to be more eye level, her voice growing more sultry with every word. “So what about it? I can spend the rest of the morning helping us both forget our troubles for some time.” She leaned closer. “And if afterward you want to run home and get your cats, or get someone to check on them... we can have fun the rest of the day, too! What do you say?~”

Despite the sensation of a loud heartbeat in her ears that was not real, the reaper met her gaze. The short woman was definitely back up to form more now. There was a deep desire in her eyes - one that always lit a fire in her stomach. The hand still on her behind and the other roaming up to graze her neck was not helping, either.

But looking deep into those red eyes... she also saw the deep caring in them. Despite the domineering attitude, this was not just about lust or instinct. To her, this was also a way to provide them both comfort. Yet she knew she would back off if she said no, too. No doubt her lover would find some other way to keep them busy then - probably some shooting games. As long as it took their mind off of things for a while.

...She did not want to hold the white-haired woman back, though, knowing how much it would help her process everything... And frankly, she would love to be pampered. So, biting her lips demurely, she gave a small nod, her voice tiny. “Please...”

Gawr’s eyes lit up with at that, her tail swishing behind her. Grinning devilishly, she leaned in and gave her a deep kiss, invading her mouth with her tongue. The shinigami closed her eyes, melting into it almost instantly and groaning as her Genmate’s hand squeezed her ass. When she eventually pulled back, she made sure to let her sharp teeth graze the taller woman’s lower lip, too, causing her to whimper as she tasted blood.

“Good girl,~” the red persona purred, causing the immortal to shiver. Seeming pleased at that, she leaned in and whispered into her ear. “Now, clean up the kitchen and put all the leftovers away. Then, meet me in the living room.” She came even closer, using her teeth to very gently bite her earlobe. “And don’t take off the apron... I’m going to take my time undressing you. And if you keep being good... maybe you can undress me, too.~”

Calli’s breath hitched at this. As soon as the Atlantean pulled away and hopped off her lap, she immediately got up as well and started to clean up. She gathered their dishes first, rushing them over to the sink as fast as possible. She could hear her lover chuckling as she left to get ready, amused by her eagerness. There was a very good chance she would use that against her, too, to make her even more flustered and turn her mind to mush.

The reaper could not force herself to feel bashful about that, though. They... they both needed this. Their problems still awaited them in the future, but for a while... they could take solace in one another...

-------

Usually, it was just for fun that Ina found herself lying on the floor to sleep, or any other long period of time. It had certainly become a funny little shtick, almost, within her fanbase. Whenever she went to places and there were not enough beds, the others would oftentimes find her there even if a couch was available. It was something that everyone could have a good laugh at!

She had... never really told anyone why she had first started doing it - especially not her audience. She was not trying to hide it from the others, but they never asked seriously, and it was not anything she brought up on her own. She could picture, though, the small concern many of them would have, knowing it came from a... more depressing part of her life. Before she had found The Book of the Ancients and refound her calling in life.

Still, all of that was well behind her. It might not have been a good way to learn to be comfy on the floor, but the point was that she did it for relaxation now! It was no longer due to not having the energy to crawl into bed every day - finding it too soft anyway. With all the people in her life now that bring her joys of all sorts, everything was fine these days.

...Usually, anyway. But she supposed there were exceptions... like after what had happened the night before.

Laying in the middle of the hardwood floor of her living room, staring at the ceiling... she was reminded of those old times when she was younger. She did not feel as empty as she did then, but... the lethargy was familiar. The sorrow. The doubts clouding her mind, making her body feel heavy... But this time, there was a far more tangible, real source to them.

The priestess was not sure how long she had been like this. After she had teleported back home and texted her manager about canceling her streams, she had left her phone on the coffee table. After that, she had found an open spot behind the couch and just... laid down. Since then, she had simply been looking up, scanning the texture of her roof listlessly.

She had heard birds distantly outside... a while ago, thanks to her bedroom door being open, so she knew morning had passed. But the passage of time had been a blur otherwise. She was pretty sure she nodded off a few times, but her sleep had been dreamless, and it felt like no time passed between the bursts. She had also used some tentacles to bring her food and water when needed, but otherwise, she had only gotten up once to use the bathroom. Otherwise, when not filling her stomach, she had been as still as a statue.

That she was not starving herself was a good sign, she supposed... but she still felt exhausted. Her body craved actual sleep, and maybe she would eventually pass out again, but she did not close her eyes. She just kept staring up, parsing over everything that had been laid out to her and the others by Gura and Gawr.

Where did it go wrong? she thought for what felt like the thousandth time. Of all the things she had expected when going to her Genmates house... She had thought maybe she was doing some early planning for her birthday next month and wanted them involved. Or that she got some unexpected bad news from management and wanted their advice.

She had not been prepared to be told what they had done to Ame yesterday... What she had helped do unwittingly.

Ina grimaced internally, but her face remained blank. The hands clasped on her stomach tightened their grip on one another, though. She was... still having a hard time believing it. Her gaming sessions she did with Ame before important missions... had been hurting her? But they were meant to be fun for them both! A way for them to spend time together and her way of wishing her luck! How was that bad?!

...But then, there was usually at least one of them that did not leave those happy, was there not? When the detective left her suddenly, curtly brushing off offers to play anymore and making her feel... secondary. Or when she got the blond to stay longer, who was then the one who looked displeased, always looking at the clock.

Yet the time-traveler had never complained to her directly about it, so she had assumed whatever annoyance she was causing her was more minor than it appeared. And while it stung at times to be left in the dust, she understood how important the other found her job. It was not like she neglected any of them to do it, either, so could she not be more forgiving if she wanted to be in a rush sometimes? The rough nature of their parting ways during those times had seemed like a minor bump in the road.

She knew now, though, that to Ame... it was a sign of mistrust. That she tried to hold her back out of fear for her safety... and that she wanted her to stop doing her job. Or at least this specific part of it.

The priestess took a deep breath, her limbs already feeling more like stone as the thought once more passed through her head. She... she just did not understand where she had gone wrong. How she had let such a great misunderstanding happen. How she had never caught on... Or, well, maybe that last one was not too great of a surprise - the detective could be quite secretive when she wanted to be. But she had seen a portion of those feelings, and had dismissed them.

She... did not know what to do. She was not sure she understood the full scope of the problem she had caused. How well could she apologize if she did not properly know what to apologize for? And that was on top of the others involved in this, too. Calli seemed to be in a similar standing to her, from what was said last night, but she seemed to know what needed to be addressed for her. But as for Kiara... her feelings were still so mixed about the firebird right now. And thinking of the consequences if the phoenix and time-traveler could not reconcile...

Blinking up at the ceiling, she let out a long sigh. She was so lost on all of this. Maybe... it would help her if she got some proper rest. Just a few minutes of shut-eye, and then perhaps things would be clearer to her... Show her a way to make everything better.

Before she could close her eyes to attempt this, though, she heard a knock at the door. A moment later, the person tried this again, before the gentle voice of the keeper called out. “Ina? Are you in there?”

Ina paused, her eyes drifting over in the general direction of the door, currently blocked by her couch. That was... not a voice she expected to hear today. This time, she knew for sure there were no dates they planned. (How she wished forgetting plans like that was the worst that had happened yesterday.) What reason did they have to come over so suddenly?

But... she could not deny that hearing her Kouhai brought a warmth that was preferable to the coldness that had settled over her. It spread surprisingly quickly, making her body twitch. Even so, though, she could not bring herself to speak, nor to get up to answer the door. She was not certain she wanted to drag anyone else in Hololive into this mess, let alone her girlfriends. That bit of uncertainty kept her where she was, simply waiting for the other to go away.

It seemed that was not her plan, however. She heard the lock on her door click, followed by it creaking open. Both her lovers had keys, even if they typically knocked and waited for her. It seemed that the kirin-girl was not willing to wait this time, though... and neither was the astro-girl, whose voice joined her as they walked in. “Ina? You aren’t hurt, are you?”

The priestess frowned, even as she felt lighter at knowing both her girlfriends were there. It seemed that the two of them had some sort of inclination that she was having problems currently. And that meant that she probably could not just send them away... which she was increasingly deciding was not what she wanted. When them checking in on her was already making her feel better.

Sighing, she made up her mind. Looking back at the ceiling, she spoke up, her tone fairly neutral. “I’m not hurt - I’m over here.”

Two sets of footsteps quickly moved her way, closing the door behind them. They soon rounded the couch, entering her peripherally. She noticed them look at one another, before they got close enough to look down at her directly. They seemed very bemused, though their brows were creased with worry. Her eyes darted between them, but she did not speak further yet.

Fauna ended up speaking next, frowning at her. “Is this where you’ve been? We’ve been trying to text you for hours!”

Ina hummed, looking straight up once more. “Sorry. I left my phone on the table. I left the ringer off, too.”

Sana tilted her head. “And... you’ve not gotten up to go get it?” She glanced around where she lay. “Or... to get your art tablet? A sketchbook? Anything?”

“No,” the priestess answered simply with a shrug. “Only to use the bathroom.”

This time her girlfriends' exchange was more worried, which made her face flush with embarrassment. She was not unaware of how bad that sounded... and it was. But actually being seen in the middle of her sulking brought new clarity to it. She squirmed, averting her eyes a little from them as they silently communicated.

When they looked back at her, the Speaker kneeled and put a hand on her shoulder. Despite how she looked just a second ago, her expression now was soft. “You gave us quite the shock this morning. Everyone in the Council plus IRyS was told that you all in Myth were taking sudden breaks by A-chan, so that they’d not be blindsided by fan questions. Since you looked fine when we left, we tried to text you... but when we got nothing back, we both ran over.”

Ina grimaced, twiddling her fingers on her stomach. “I’m sorry. I... None of us meant to cause you guys distress.” In fairness, she did not know the others had the same idea as her, as much sense as it made now with hindsight. But one of them should have been a little more proactive in reassuring their Kouhais.

“It’s fine - we’re just glad you’re okay,” the Keeper said, kneeling at her other side, too. Her hand gently brushed at her bangs, fingers grazing her forehead. “But... can you tell us what happened? You hadn’t said a thing to us when we were baking, which... I don’t know if that means it’s personal, or-”

“It was after you left,” the priestess cut in, a feeling of contentment filling her at her lovers’ touches. “We all met up last night at Gura’s. It... emotions got high, and...” She sighed, closing her eyes. “God, I don’t know where to even start...”

The other two gave her pitying looks at this. Then, after taking a deep breath, the astro-girl shifted and laid down on her back just like her. She turned her head over, giving a small smile. “Well, I’m not going anywhere, so take your time.”

Ina turned her head at her in surprise. She looked down at her body, eyebrows creasing. “Are... We can move, if you’d like. That can’t be comfortable on your back.”

Rolling her eyes playfully, Sana made a quick gesture with her hand. After this, she began to float a few centimeters off the ground. She nodded at her, beaming proudly. “There - nothing hard pressing against my back!”

Despite herself, the priestess could not help but snort, a smile tugging at her lips. “D-don’t phrase it like that! And that doesn’t-”

She cut off as she heard Fauna settling down, too. When she looked over, she was met with a gentle smile from the immortal, who was turned on her side. “The floor isn’t so bad. I’d say we’ve both gotten an appreciation for it thanks to you.”

Flushing a little, Ina glanced away, giving a sheepish chuckle. “That isn’t... uh...”

Giggling at her reaction, the Keeper smiled, reaching out and grabbing the hand for the arm on her side. She pulled it away from her Senpai’s mid-section, gripping it gently between them. “We just want to help, Ina. Whatever has got you so upset that you haven’t moved from here all morning... we’ll help you with it.”

“We’ll listen if nothing else,” the Speaker added, grabbing her other hand and bringing it closer to herself, too. “But we’re not going anywhere if you don’t want to be by yourself. That’s what we’re here for you for.” She grinned a little, turning to look above them. “Plus, it’s been ages since we’ve done this. ‘Deep floor thoughts with Ina!’ The last time had to be when you were just becoming a young adult! Oh, I’ve missed this!”

The priestess fully laughed this time, the other two giggling along with her. The warmth from earlier fully settled in her now, not dissipating her doubts, but... definitely making her feel better than before. The way they were willing to just join her in lying there - likely willing to wait a long while before she was ready to talk... just to get her to smile again... It helped her to see past the gloom a little better.

I’m so lucky to have them, she mused, looking up once again as she squeezed their hands back. She had loved the astro-girl for a long while before they started dating, and had been overjoyed that her childhood best friend returned those feelings. And while she and the kirin-girl did not have that kind of history, with all the bonding they had done these last several months, it was difficult to imagine a life without both of them now. All three of them seemed to know how to get the others to feel better when they were in a dower mood.

If they wanted to try and help... who was she to deny them the chance?

Taking a deep breath, she muttered a quick incantation. A purple tentacle emerged from a dark portal as a result - thick and puffy. Nodding to the others, she managed to get them to lift their heads, and soon the appendage got into position to be their collective pillow. Sana sighed contently, resting comfortably against it even as she continued floating. Fauna, meanwhile, practically purred as her head made contact, her body shivering as coldness no doubt spread through her from the contact - an effect of the Ancient Ones' powers on her.

Once she got comfortable, too, she stared up for a while longer, contemplating on how to start things. Her smile dipped as she did, once more confronting the memories of the night before. The other two noticed, though, and continued to rub her hands. They were not smiling as brightly now, seeming to sense the good humor was almost at an end, but their eyes were still bright with encouragement.

Taking that to heart a little, Ina released a breath, believing she knew how to begin... wanting to make sure this was not a larger problem than she already believed it was. Closing her eyes, she asked her question quietly. “What... do you guys think about the risks in Ame’s job?”

She felt them shift, likely exchanging more looks. The Keeper tugged at her hand, her voice curious. “Could... you be a little more specific?”

Biting her lips, the priestess elaborated. “Just... with stuff like what just happened yesterday. When she goes on those missions of hers fighting God knows what. Do you... worry about her?”

The Speaker hummed this time, rubbing a star pattern into her palm. “I mean, of course we’re worried. Isn’t that just natural when a friend goes off to deal with a dangerous problem? I know you all got worried at times when I went to deal with that black hole last year.”

The kirin-girl gave a noise of affirmation. “I’ve had my share of dangerous tasks, too. Bae gets pretty worried over IRyS, as well, when she goes off to spread hope in a place that might be hostile to her. So, yeah, we do wonder after Ame when she heads off like she has - just like everyone else.”

Ina frowned some, already having an idea of what kind of responses she was going to get based on those answers. But even so, despite knowing the blow it would give her, she pressed on to be certain. “And... how do you both treat her if you happen to bump into her before she leaves? Do you do anything big, or...?”

She opened her eyes to gauge their reactions. Her green-haired lover appeared somewhat confused by the question, but was giving it some fair thought. The light blond woman, on the other hand, seemed to have a bit of understanding in her eyes at this, and was once more regarding her with concern. Guess that could mean this isn’t the first time she’s heard about this. Hopefully, it was not from a reprimanding.

This was confirmed as the astro-girl eventually shrugged, shaking her head. “No, I... can’t say I’ve ever done anything major. I’ll sometimes ask how it went afterward - maybe give her a treat like all those cookies we put up for her yesterday as a congratulations! But I only ever really say a few words to her before she leaves. Anything more is usually because she requests it.”

Fauna nodded. “That’s how it usually is for me, too. There are occasions where Kronii approaches me on Ame’s behalf to get a golden apple to help her heal from a broken bone and stuff like that. But unless she requests my help, I usually leave her be when she’s getting ready to depart.” She gave an amused giggle. “She’s always so grateful about those apples, though. She basically always gives me compliments on how they taste and how good they make her feel whenever she has one.”

Sana giggled with her. “I think she likes to complement our abilities in general. That’s just one of several convenient excuses she uses to do so out loud without looking too weird about it. But she doesn’t have to be with me! I’d happily give her more demonstrations of my powers if she asked more.”

The priestess smiled a little at their exchange... but the feeling was mired by the mixed emotions at having her thoughts confirmed. Looking away from them, her hands tightened around theirs, trying to keep her voice from wavering. “So you’ve never tried to... coddle her at all? Forced yourself into her preparations, or questioned some of her plans, or...” She took a shaky breath. “...Or held her up longer than she’d like?”

...Even without looking, she could feel how her girlfriends were staring at her now. In the corner of her eye, she saw the Keeper about to say something... but she seemed to stop short, noticing her expression. Looking away, she apparently decided to answer the question first, shaking her head slowly. “No, I... can’t say I have. She’s been at this for years, hasn’t she? Probably longer on her end than ours thanks to how time travel works at times. I trust she knows what she’s doing when getting ready.”

“It’s also hard to question her when Kronini sings her praises like she’s going to be the new Warden of Time!” the Speaker joked. Her face became more serious rather quickly, though. “But as much as we poke fun at her for that... she wouldn’t give those kinds of compliments over nothing. She truly has full faith in Ame, and if that’s her view... it’s good enough for the rest of us. And Ame has done a lot to show she doesn’t slack off from her duties, too.”

Ina closed her eyes, letting that sink in. That... sounded similar to what Gawr said about how she treats the detective and her job. There was some relief in knowing they had not hurt the blond, too... but it was a struggle to not feel worse about herself. She had known her longer and was in the same group as her, yet it seemed that she had done worse than their Kouhais in treating her with respect. What... kind of friend did that make her? What-?

A hand brushed her face, wiping away a tear she had not known had fallen. Looking over, she saw the sad expression on the astro-girl’s normally cheery face. “Ina... Is Ame mad at you?”

The priestess glanced down, a semi-wet laugh escaping her as her eyes watered. “She’s... certainly not happy with me, I’ve learned... She’s definitely mad at Kiara. Pretty much half of Myth has been hurting her emotionally for months now - maybe years - and...” She hiccuped, pulling her hand free and covering her mouth. “None of us knew. We didn’t realize how bad it was until... Before she left, Gura found her and...”

She could not finish her sentences, trailing off into small sobs. She sat up, using both hands now to cover her mouth. The other two followed her, shifting closer and immediately hugging her on both sides. They let her get her tears out, the kirin-girl whispering soft reassurances in her ear while Sana patted her head and let it rest on her chest. The care soothed her heart, but also made the dam behind her eyes open more, making her cry harder.

They sat like this for several minutes, her sobs slowly trailing off. When she was able to breathe normally again, she sniffled, rubbing her eyes before looking at them shyly. “Th... thank you.”

“There’s no need to - like I said, we’re here to help,” Fauna reassured, smiling gently at her. Her eyes shone with deep worry, though, as she rested a hand on her back. “But... are things really that bad? You said this has been going on for months?”

“Bad enough that Gura somehow became more enraged than I’ve ever seen Gawr be,” the priestess confirmed, looking down at her lap now. “They’re the ones who found Ame... and she had broken down thanks to the rest of us. She’d been hiding it for so long to keep us happy, but... she was pushed too far this time.” Her gaze went to the tanned woman, who was frowning in thought. “It seemed like you had some idea about this.”

While not said as an accusation, the Speaker did look a little awkward after she mentioned this, shrugging. “I mean... Kronii has lamented about some of you guys’ questions to her in the past about Ame’s mental issues. And I knew about the tension between her and Kiara. They had mentioned things to me before that had me worried about what was brewing there - a lot of us, honestly. We’d been hoping it would not escalate like a few of us feared.” She sighed, looking at her. “But I’m guessing that it’s done so, anyway?”

The priestess bit her lips, refusing to meet their gazes for a moment. “Well... Ame apparently got so mad she punched Kiara, so...”

That certainly caught the others' attention, their eyes blowing wide. The Keeper brought a hand to her mouth, disbelief in her features. “I... what?!”

Ina sighed heavily, clenching her hands. “Yeah... I’d prefer to not repeat what Kiara said she told her, but... she felt awful about it, that’s for sure. I can’t imagine Ame’s taking her own actions any better, either.” She shook her head, expression falling further. “But how bad that was doesn’t change that me and Calli messed up, too. I... I never even realized our meetings...”

The astro-girl raised an eyebrow. “You mean when you play games like you were saying yesterday?”

Nodding, the priestess took another deep breath. “Yes... or, more so my actions when she tries to leave? Like, I... guess I extend those for pretty long at times, but I just wanted her to have as much fun as possible before throwing herself into a fight! To help keep her spirits up!” She chuckled bitterly. “And I was actually mad at her at times for that - how fast she seems to want to leave most times. But...” Her eyes downcast more. “But I never realized how deeply I was stinging her in return... and I still don’t think I fully understand how I did it. Why she’s come to the conclusion she has about my actions.”

The kirin-girl frowned in sympathy, scooting a little closer to her. “And you’re worried that you won’t be able to make things right if you can’t figure that out. Is that correct?”

Staring off for a moment, Ina shrugged. “That’s part of it. But... I think I’m more worried... about Kiara and Ame’s issues.” At the questioning looks she got, she elaborated. “I mean... those two are practically the hearts of all of EN! Kiara is very attentive to our needs, being someone to lean on when we’re upset. She wears her compassion on her sleeve and springs at the chance to help us. And while Ame is more awkward in her attempts, she is quick to help as well, and her earnestness always shines through. That she’s always trying to learn more about us, too, and what she can do about our more mythical problems also just... Well, I’m sure it means as much to you two as it does me - does everyone.

“They’re always there for us - helping to keep us bound together. If their argument had happened with any of the rest of us, they would probably be both on top of things as we speak, helping us find ways to make amends! The way they normally get along so well...” She stopped, her eyes beginning to water again. “But now... I can’t help but think about what might happen if they can’t make amends. What... it’ll do to the entire branch... and how guilty that’ll make them both feel.”

She could picture it so clearly how nasty the divide could be if things got worse from here. With Calli standing by Kiara due to their lifelong bond despite not approving of her actions, while Gura takes Ame’s side, likely straining their relationship. How defensive Kronii would get of the detective and become cold to the phoenix and anyone with her. With everyone else caught in the crossfire and the potential other pains that could happen - like her own uncertainty of who she would choose between them and risk losing the other. Or what could happen if Bae followed her sister’s lead but IRyS disapproved, for example.

And all the while, the two at the center of this would feel crushed at causing so much grief... and no doubt try to crucify themselves so that everyone else would be friends again.

Once again, she felt hands on her cheeks wiping up her tears. Once they were relatively dry, this was followed by a kiss from each on both, causing a small amount of heat to rise to them. Despite her thoughts, she found it in her to smile at them wobbly. “Thanks. I-I’m sorry. I know I’m probably being paranoid, but-”

Fauna was quick to shush her gently, pressing another peck to her forehead before meeting her eyes. “Given what you’ve just explained, it’s hard to blame you for it. You’ve had a lot to think about this past night, haven’t you?”

Swallowing thickly, the priestess nodded shyly, doing her best to hold in her tears this time. “It’s... been so much. I... I don’t know what I can do to help anyone.”

It was then that Sana grabbed her waist and pulled her into her lap. Her cheeks became redder, but she gave no resistance as her lover rested her head on her shoulder, smiling softly. “If you want to ask the others later if they need a hand, you can do that. But for now, I think we’ll focus on getting you prepared for Ame’s return and talking things over.”

The Keeper nodded, smiling as well as she joined them at her fellow Council member’s side. “Yep! It’s sweet of you to be thinking of everyone else, but you also have problems that need fixing! And we’ll help you with that!” She patted her knee. “So, how about we go get you fed, since I doubt you had a proper breakfast or lunch before we arrived, then have you lay down in bed for a while, hm? Then, once you’re all rested up, we can discuss some plans.”

Ina felt her heart flutter, the idea of being taken care of by them making her swoon a bit. The offer also reminded her of how hungry and tired she was, too, her eyes already drooping a little as if she was going to fall asleep right there. Even so, though, she tried to give a courtesy reassurance, glancing away. “You... don’t have to do that. I’m sure you must have your own plans today.”

Rolling her eyes fondly, the kirin-girl poked her on the nose, making the former human giggle. “Ina - nothing would make us happier than making sure that you’re fine. I don’t have any streams today, anyway, so don’t worry about it. As long as we can make you more confident about talking with Ame.”

The astro-girl nodded against her, pressing a kiss to her cheek once more. “If it’ll help, we can even stay around and help mediate your talk with her. That way, you can be more sure it’ll go alright, even if you can’t figure out what you think you’re missing about this all! I’m sure she can tell you about it calmly if you ask.” She tightened her embrace, eyes filling with ever more warmth. “I don’t know what exactly you were thinking will happen if talks get out of hand... but we’ll try to make sure it doesn’t happen. I promise.”

The priestess sat there for a time, pondering the offers... but her answer was obvious to her. It was true that the situation was bad... but she knew she was not the only one trying. All of them wanted to apologize to Ame - last night made that clear. And while she might not be able to fully control what went on with them... with her lovers at her side, she thought she could get started on her first few steps.

Thus, with one last sigh, she smiled tiredly at them. “Alright, then. I’m... feeling kind of peckish right now, anyway.” As if in answer to this, her stomach growled then, making her flush, even as she giggled along with the other two at the noise.

Once that died down, Sana grinned widely, pulling them both to their feet. “Let’s get going, then! It won’t be a fancy meal, but I think I can make you some cinnamon butter toast! Those are always a tasty treat to have at any time of day!”

The Speaker began leading them to the kitchen, with Fauna getting up and following not far behind. Ina, meanwhile, smiled even more, leaning into her childhood friend’s side. Even with all of her fears, the two knew just how to make her feel better. With their advice, I’m sure things will go fine. The most important thing is to just talk with Ame - no more miscommunications on this!

...She was still incredibly worried about Ame and Kiara’s meeting, however. Her feelings on the latter and what she had said still did not sit right with her, either. But still, she tried to have faith that they would be able to hash out their differences, too. And while things might be awkward for a while, if the detective could forgive the phoenix, she felt she would be able to, too.

Regardless of her complicated feelings, though... she hoped her orange-haired Genmate was doing okay right now...

-------

To say Kiara felt like shit would be an understatement. She could feel the bags trying to form under her eyes from having gotten so little sleep, despite her best efforts. Her hair was unkempt, her clothes wrinkled and disorderly as well - not having bothered to change out of them since yesterday. The pain of her bruised cheek had dulled over time, but it still stung to touch, and it was still a dark shade of black and purple.

Yet somehow, she was still functioning. She had been able to do the bare minimum in brushing her teeth that morning, and had eaten properly. Tears kept springing up at random, so she had been keeping well hydrated, too. She had even helped Jenma by tweeting out about her sudden break to help keep fans at ease about her health.

Still... she felt so cold on the inside. Thorns continued to bind at her heart, squeezing painfully when thoughts of Ame came up, which was often. Of those angry eyes that bore into her. The meeting last night had only served to make her mistakes more stark in her mind, torturing her ever further. That they all had not ostracized her for her actions did little to dissuade this.

It had taken a lot of effort to silence the voice in her that wished that they had... Treating her like the scum she felt like.

Despite this all, however... she had somehow managed to find her way back to the detective’s office. She was sat behind the desk, not really looking at anything at the moment. Her finger idly drummed away on top of the wooden surface with no real rhythm. The afternoon light coming into the window was the only illumination currently, bathing the cabinets and bulletin boards in fading light.

When the time-traveler had stormed out the other day, she had not exactly had the mind to lock the door. Even if she had, the phoenix would have needed to leave eventually, and she did not have a key. And in her state of mind, this crucial fact had not really occurred to her until that morning - at which point she had... come there on autopilot, almost. After which, she locked the door, and had spent her day there - only opening up for food deliveries.

She... did not know precisely why she did this at first. She did not have the energy to leave afterward, though, so she had remained there. When not sitting at the desk, she had gone and straightened up a few loose items she noticed. Besides this, she had also looked at the webs of pictures and strings on the boards, which... looked as bizarre as they did on television, if she was honest. But the notes found across them, complete with references to documents located throughout the office, though, did indicate a method she was sure served her friend (?) well.

There were also pictures on the wall she had looked at. A few seemed to be college photos, with friends she did not recognize. Many, though, depicted her life in Hololive - mostly involving EN at hangouts they had done, but also a few with others like Roboco-san and especially Ollie. And just as many showed her throughout the multiverse - indicated by strangely colored skies, odd landscapes and wildlife, and much more, sometimes alone, and others with either the zombie or Kronii.

There was a frame on the desk, too, she never paid much attention to before. It was of Myth - taken when they all went on a trip to a bar to celebrate six months in Hololive. They were in a group hug outside the bar, most of them clearly tipsy but still smiling widely. Ina and Calli had ended up on the left and right sides respectively, and Gura was squished against the former. And right at the center... was her and the detective, arms around one another and their eyes alight.

It’s a nice picture, she thought numbly, focusing on it for a time. I hope she doesn’t get rid of it just because I’m in there if this goes wrong... I don’t know which I’d prefer, though. Her putting it away so she doesn’t have to look at me, or scratching out my face?

Kiara let out a breath, looking away from it. She knew she was being a bit melodramatic, but she could not help it. The entire room was filled with pictures like this amid the other’s work. They sat next to each other as if they were of equal importance to the blond... which she knew they were. While her Genmate may have been a workaholic of a considerable degree, she put so much value into her friendship with everyone.

She thinks that was why she had been attracted to there subconsciously - to try and remember these good times in hopes that it would help her find some solutions to her problems. But instead... all she could focus on was how she might have thrown it all away with just a few words. Her heart twisted looking at them, but she could not stop from taking glances.

She was fully aware of how pathetic this all made her look. She knew she should have found someone to talk to - maybe texted Calli more when she checked on her earlier, or got into contact with Pomu. Yet after last night, she could not bring herself to face either her lifelong friend or her lover for comfort. (Gods, what would the fairy even think of this?) And besides, while the chances of the time-traveler being robbed were low, she did not want to leave the room unattended while anyone could walk in. Thus, her endless, painful reflections upon her mistakes had become her day.

The lock problem will be solved here soon, though, she told herself. She was proud of herself for not chickening out of meeting the person coming to do it, too. While she had been vague in her text to the redhead - only mentioning that the office was open and she was there - she was not going to run from her. If anyone could provide help, it was her.

...Or perhaps she would be willing to give her other cheek a matching bruise. She figured she needed more physical pain by now.

All the phoenix could do was wait for them to arrive either way, however. So until then, she sat there... reflecting upon what an idiot she had been. The memories of her encounter with Ame and Gawr’s chewing out of her had played on a loop in her head constantly during all her other activities since both. What sleep she had been able to get had been filled with memories of both - often with additions of being choked out and such to add to the misery.

Just... what had she been thinking in that instance that she uttered those words to her? How could she have let her frustration get the better of her so much? Would her friend (?) ever be able to look at her the same way again? What if their argument caused her to become distracted and she got badly injured? How much harder would this be if the other got injured regardless?

These questions were accompanied by the Atlantean’s roasting of her - a fully deserved experience. The overlooking of her own technical mortality, only counteracted by her reincarnation. A process that could cause problems normally, but out there she was not even sure would work properly!

And... she knew she could die permanently even if it did. The proof remained in her pocket, those earrings never seeming to get any more comfortable against her there. It was in the stories of the old phoenix hunts done by wizards millennia ago, leaving their scars on whole generations of her kind before her time. Many knew of the weakness they had to silver, too, even if it was not quite as simple as stabbing them with a sword made of it to kill them. (Though that certainly did not help the reviving process.)

But more important than all of that... she knew she would have now if she had gone on this mission with the detective. The proof was in the open file also on the desk - the same one the blond had dropped before punching her. Her eyes went over to it, scanning the words on the page - practically etched forever into her mind now:

...is worth noting that while this does mean that physical weapons are capable of harming one, it is not highly effective thanks to how they displace themselves across time. Using specialized arms to force them into a single relative period of time is recommended, as well as the use of heavy explosives to negate natural regeneration. (See Document 3-I for typical strategies utilizing these types of weapons.) If such arms are not available, heavy focus on the energy mass in its head may also force it to temporarily retreat out of a timeline.

However, the true power of Type-GDDOW/8.ignis anomalies comes from their consumption of local flames. Simply by being near fire, like all ignis-types (refer to Classification List α), they can absorb flames into their bodies. Once they reach a critical mass of flames, they can then unleash a blast of temporal fire on all sides that often extends to between 50-75 meters. The result is the scarring of that land and becoming, from a linear perspective, a charred landscape constantly smoldering and on fire for decades straight.

Of particular note about the Type-GDDOW/8.ignis anomalies is that they are capable of absorption entities involved with flames (Ex: phoenixes, fire demons). By latching on to their internal pyromancy, they can tear out these flames up and down their period of existence, often brutally causing the total destruction of the person’s form. The end result is often sparking ashes being left behind along with trinkets on their person - all revivification techniques nullified. The Type-GDDOW/8.ignis then gains this magical fire, often increasing its range by several meters and decades. (Note that this means that the bringing of Kiara, or any other companions who use pyromancy, is strictly forbidden to do intentionally, and breaking this protocol shall result in severe punishment.)

The damage caused by these blasts can have severe consequences for a timeline. Thankfully, unlike with Type-JKREW/8.ignis anomalies, whose damage is often etched deep into time, the burned periods left by the Type-GDDOW/8.ignis heal naturally once they are removed. This means there is no extra danger of using controlled paradoxes via Kronii to-...

There was more written on the page, and there were several more in the file. They included further information on the strengths and weaknesses of the time anomaly type, as well as more scientific notes about its biology. All of it was very formal, not too dissimilar to the notes their Ame took at times, but they lacked more formal language and notes than hers. A professional document meant for the use of any agents in the Network.

Kiara did not care about the rest of the document, however. Her eyes were focused upon those specific passages, laying bare her hubris. The detective had said she could not fight these things... and she had been right. There would have been no fight if she had been there, in fact - once an anomaly got close, she would have been dead instantly. Her stomach churned imagining it - all the people on that mission being engulfed in flames because she somehow forced her way into things.

...But what made her feel even more ill was the fact the time-traveler had said she had witnessed another version of the firebird die to one of these. And she could only imagine how much more grizzly and horrifying the “absorption” was to witness than the detached nature of the document provided.

Her hand went to the top of her pocket, gripping the outline of the earrings. She turned away towards a wall, her breath hitching as she squeezed her eyes shut. If she had just listened to what Ame had been trying to tell her... Had focused more on her own limitations...

When... when had it all gone wrong? When had she let those experiences with past human friends get to her? She thought she had become adapted to living among them, but... she had let her old fears get to her. Had let them influence her enough to where she had actively torn away at her Genmate in an attempt to provide help. Make it seem like she had no confidence in her and instilled doubt into her mind about her-

A knock on the door brought her out of her spiral. Opening her eyes, her expression remained miserable as she shifted and laid her head in her arms on the desk. She knew who it was... meaning it was time to face her judgment. Sighing, she called out hoarsely. “It’s open!”

The door cracked open... and Ollie poked her head in, smiling in her direction. “Well, duh! That’s why I’m here! It’s rude not to knock, though.”

The phoenix gave a grunt of acknowledgment, watching her come in. The zombie was dressed in her kimono outfit, though lacked the swords that came with it. In her hand was a key - likely the one to the office. Otherwise, though, she looked happy and chipper, which made sense. While she had tried to get the ID girl there sooner, the other had been busy with streams, and... Well, the firebird had not wanted to get her to cancel and get fans even more worried. So, she had let her be and waited.

She deeply regretted how she was about to ruin her mood, though. Still, it was... nice, in its own way, to see that the rest of Hololive had been going strong. That the potential breaking down of EN was not bringing the rest of the branches down.

Humming merrily to herself, the undead-girl went and flicked on the lights, looking around the room. “Man, what were you doing sitting around in the dark like this? The sun’s going down, silly! But anyway, thanks for calling me. I was probably going to check up on this place tomorrow, anyway, but it’s nice of you to have watched over this place today! I’m a little shocked - Ame’s very good at locking things up. But I guess we all have our off-”

Her head turned to her Senpai again... and she stopped, now having a clear view of her with the lights on. Her eyes widened, rapidly scanning her face as her smile well, arms falling limp to her side. “...days.”

Kiara laughed humorlessly, turning her head to rest looking away from her. “Oh, I know. That’s the perfect description of what the last twenty-four hours have been for me.”

Being still for another second, Ollie then snapped out of her stupor, rushing over to the desk. Alarm was written across her face as she focused on the bruise in particular, using her hand to gently look for other injuries. “Kiara?! What happened?! You... No offense, but you look awful! Did you get mugged? Are you in pain?”

The phoenix shrugged, shifting to get her Kouhai to stop touching her. “A bit... It doesn’t feel like nearly enough.”

The zombie paused, blinking a few times at that. She looked at her with unease now. “What... does that mean? What happened to you? Seriously, do you need anything? There should be some ointment in the closet. Does Calli know about this? Do you need her?”

Kiara shut her eyes briefly, unable to bear the concern radiating off of the redhead. It was a good way to summarize her friend - for all of her simping, she had a deep care for everyone. The woman could not stand to see any of them hurt or in distress, and was quick to contact others for assistance when requested.

...So much of that same care went into her relationship with Ame, as well. The two were so dotting with one another, and seeing their flustered interactions even after so many months together was adorable. Both had so many insecurities on the inside about being able to show their love, but... they built each other up. In both EN and ID, everyone could see how they were slowly accepting their worth to one another - accepting that they were loved.

And that was what made this so painful. The phoenix and zombie had gotten along well in the past, including with talking about the detective. However... there had always been a small sore spot between them in regards to the blond, too. For a long time now, she had been trying to get the ID girl to tell her more about the mental issues her Genmate kept hidden from them. Yet each time, she was firmly rebuked, and would even get a glare on occasion if she tried to ask when they met up for something else. And others in EN had gotten this treatment, too, albeit less frequently.

The undead-girl was protective of her lover... and she was about to confess to tearing her heart open, essentially.

So she would not take advantage of her kindness - not when it was not deserved. And to this end... she saw no reason to dance around things. Lifting her head, she gazed at her Kouhai with tired eyes. “Ollie... I need your help. I...” She took a deep breath. “It’s about Ame. I screwed up with her, and now... I think you’re the only person who can tell me what I need to know.” (Well, there was also Kronii, but she was even less certain about how that encounter would have gone.)

Ollie stepped back, her eyebrows furrowed. “Um... You are not filling me with confidence here, Kiara. I don’t like how you’re acting, either. What exactly happened?”

The phoenix sighed, leaning back in her chair. “You know how I... try to push myself into missions like she just left on?”

That managed to get the zombie to start catching on. She frowned, crossing her arms as she looked at her with suspicion. “Yeah...?”

Kiara broke eye contact, letting her expression crumble. “Well... I ended up going too far this time... and how fucking stupid I am.”

After that, she explained everything. How she had confronted Ame yesterday and what they yelled at each other. The terrible thing she had said involving the ID girl, and the tirade it put the blond on. She spared no detail, including about the punch and the earrings. She described her sorrow afterward, and the meeting of everyone else in Myth last night. How both the file on the desk and Gawr had made her realize her hypocrisy.

She left nothing unsaid, unable to stop herself once she started. The words flowed out without pause, pushed on by the pent-up grief and agony she had been internalizing. Tears clouded her vision and fell down her face, and sobs threatened to make herself unintelligible after a while. But through it all, she kept on speaking.

All the while, she would take glances at the undead-girl’s face. She watched as unease gave way to surprise, then horror and disgust when she mentioned her comment. This was followed by anger, then shock, the two then switching between each other and mixing... Until finally, her expression became crestfallen as she told her what Gura saw of the time-traveler.

A hole was ripped in the firebird’s heart after that. Her Kouhai gazed at her like a person whose idol had betrayed them. And in many ways, that was what this was. The patchwork woman knew very well that none of them were perfect, or the best morally. (HoloX were a bunch of criminals, for Christ's sake!) But this... This went beyond a lot of that. Those in Hololive rarely, if ever, tried to hurt other members intentionally, and this was an especially egregious breaking of that usual truce. And against the woman she loved most, no less.

Yet she kept taking glances at her face, the ache it caused her becoming part of her penance. She did not stop until she reached the end of her recounting. After that, the room fell into a heavy silence. The tension was thick enough that it felt as though everything would explode violently if so much as a fly buzzed in the air.

Eventually, though, she did break it, looking down at the desk and her voice quiet. “I... I don’t blame you if you want to throw me out and stop me from ever seeing her again. If nothing else, I kind of expect you to rough me up. I won’t stop you if you do - you deserve the free shot at making me pay. I struck a nerve I shouldn’t have with Ame... and done so much to undo you and Kronii's efforts to help her self-worth. I realize that properly now.

“But... I do want to apologize. For both what I said and everything I’ve done to her all this time. I should have found a different way to show my concern, and... show my support for her. Not that I expect you to believe I even do have faith in her at this point.” She sniffled, burying her face in her arms. “I beg you, though. Please believe me - I didn’t mean to use you like that. I never wanted any of this! I... I...” She choked back a sob, forcing herself to finish. “I want to try and make things right. I... I need to try to make them right! But... I’m so scared of making things worse. I...” She let out a long, sorrowful sigh. “I need your help... please.”

...A long silence followed the phoenix’s words. She heard no movement from Ollie, but she felt her stare. It made her squirm, trying to brace herself for a hit she thought was certain... but it never came. All the redhead did was look at her.

It all stretched on for so long, that she dared to speak again, voice wavering. “Please... please do something. I’ll even give you my sword if... you need a weapon.” She hoped she was not about to be killed literally - she needed her memories if she was going to do anything. But... with the thin ice she had created between them previously regarding the issue...

Another moment of silence passed... then a long sigh came from the zombie, followed by her collapsing into one of the chairs in front of the desk. When she peaked, she saw she had her face buried into her hands, leaning against the desk as she spoke, suddenly sounding weary. “Even if I was going to hurt you... it’s very hard to muster the will to do so when you look so pitiful.”

Kiara blinked, then groaned as she screwed her eyes shut. “Then can you at least shout at me? I... you have to be seething right now!”

“Oh, I’m plenty angry on the inside,” the undead-girl stated, lowering her hands, her face more subdued than she thought she had ever seen. “But... I’ve been expecting you two to snap at each other for ages now. Not... quite the way I imagined you would, but I’ve been prepared to keep my temper in check.”

The phoenix frowned at this, eyes drifting away. “I’m guessing Kronii’s been ready, too?”

“...More so to help with Ame if she broke down along with me, but it sounds like Gura beat us to the punch there,” Ollie said. She looked down, eyes softening for a moment. “I’m actually proud of Ame for opening up to her like that. I just hope her blabbing like she did doesn’t ruin anything. I’ve always thought Gawr would be a great voice to officially add to the ‘time gang.’ She’s already a great fighting instructor!”

A brief giggle bubbled in Kiara’s throat, to her own surprise. “Yeah, I’m sure it would be a big help for her to curse out the mental problems and scare them off.”

A chuckle was shared between them - very brief, but it was there. More silence followed, both looking off into different parts of the room. The firebird’s eyes managed to find the picture on the desk again. The bright smiles almost seemed to be making fun of her now - taunting her with an open atmosphere free of the coils in her chest. Her Kouhai, on the other hand, seemed to be looking through a lower part of the desk... appearing to be at level with the drawer the earrings had come from.

The question about what was in there and how long she knew about it died in the phoenix’s throat before she could even breathe. Answers of that nature she... wanted to delay as long as possible. Instead, she sighed, deciding to semi-follow up on the other's last comment. “It’s... because of me, isn’t it?” When the redhead looked at her, she sighed. “Why Ame took so long to say anything to Gura? I... dragged her down with me, didn’t I? Everyone else, too...”

The zombie frowned, eyebrows creased with concern. “Why would you say that?”

Kiara shrugged, once again tapping her finger on the desk. “Gura’s always been supportive of her. Calli and Ina’s offenses aren’t as major as mine, either. With how much harm I already know I caused, it wouldn’t surprise me. I’m just... trying to figure out how much I have to make up for.”

The undead-girl sighed, propping her head up with her arms. “Look, you... shouldn’t take full blame for that. Her keeping secrets about that goes back to her early days before she really knew any of you, from what she and Kronii tell me. The self-consciousness she has about it was not caused by any of you! And we’re helping her to cope with it.”

That information made the phoenix feel a fraction better, she supposed. Yet despite this, she bit her lips, her nails scratching on wood. “...But I definitely didn’t encourage her to change her mind, did I?”

Ollie grimaced, glancing away. Appearing to decide silence would not help, though, she released another breath. “No... you didn’t. Gawr’s assessment was pretty on point - she’s very worried you all would become worse and start to baby her, almost, if you found out anything.” She sent her an unreadable look. “Something that I’m rather worried about, too, I should add.”

Kiara flinched, lowering her head further. “I wish I had more to dissuade that idea with...”

The zombie’s face softened a tad. “Kiara, it really doesn’t all fall on you. She’s been worried about that with both Gura and the rest of the Council, too! Her issues with opening up... Your arguments aren’t the sole-”

“But it was still a large contributor!” the phoenix insisted, her hair starting to glow from her turmoil as she held back more tears. “So much of this would be better if I had stopped for one goddamn moment and took time to properly understand any of this! She’d have probably opened up to everyone else ages ago if it wasn’t for me!”

The undead-girl frowned, leaning forward a bit. “Neither of us knows that for sure. Ame-”

“And how am I ever supposed to work with her again?!” Kiara demanded, becoming more distressed by the second. “Not just with cases, if she can ever stand to ask for my help after all of this! I-if I can’t make this right, how could we ever do collab streams? Or go out with the others? Even just pop by for a surprise lunch?”

“Kiara, calm-”

“Who even knows if she’ll be willing to talk once she’s back? She might want to cut ties with me the moment she’s back, and... and what then? It... might even be for the better. She doesn’t deserve a friend like me. One that’ll stab her in the back and try to tell her she’s doing everything wrong in her job, and doesn’t appreciate it, and-”

“KIARA!”

The phoenix jumped, sitting up straight and scrambling back. Ollie stared at her intensely for a long moment, several emotions flickering through her eyes, before she took a deep breath. She eased up some, giving her a look close to sympathy. “You’ve made... a terrible mistake. I’m not even saying getting her forgiveness is going to be easy - it won’t be.” She leaned forward, offering her a hand. “But... it’s not as hopeless as you’ve convinced yourself it is.”

Kiara stared at the redhead, making no move to grab it. Instead, she wrapped her arms around herself, refusing to meet her eyes. “And how do you know that? There’s no way she doesn’t hate me now.” She hated how petulant she sounded, given that half the reason she called the other was for advice. But after laying out everything that had transpired out loud... it was hard to not feel bleak about this. What little hope she had was hanging by a thread now, just waiting to be snapped.

It seemed the zombie recognized this, too, retracting her hand. She put a hand to her chin, her eyebrows furrowed as she contemplated something. Then... her eyes flickered to one of the bulletin boards. Her eyes lit up a bit, then she looked at her Senpai and pointed toward it. “What do you think of what Ame’s put on there?”

The phoenix blinked, quickly looking at her with a confused gaze. “Um... excuse me?”

Rolling her eyes, the undead-girl pointed with more emphasis. “Just look and tell me.”

Still not understanding, Kiara looked over at the board, tilting her head. Not willing to argue, though, she sighed and got up to get closer. Her legs shook from a combination of sitting too long and all of her sobbing the last several hours, but she was steady enough to take the few steps over to it.

What exactly Ame was trying to work out on it completely eluded her - the blond did not give these special titles at the top to clue her in. Still, she tried to make sense of the pieces she had. There were small pictures hung up of what she assumed was another timeline - lots of rustic, metal buildings that reminded her of 1800s architecture. There were a lot more machines around, though, including a good shot of a train, and... a carriage on long, thin legs and a... blue glowing core under it? And... the pedestrians in some seemed to have brass-looking phones with the same kind of affixation.

If that did not confirm this was not taken in their timeline, then the people around in the pictures certainly did. There were fairies in small and large forms moving alongside humans and weird, humanoid robots with white porcelain faces and gears visible in glass sections exposed around their copper and iron bodies. Notes across the board had annotations about many things, like “do clockwork souls work the same as most living creatures?” and “the fey creatures have been very open to industrialization here.”

She tried studying it all for several minutes, hoping to make a guess as to what it all meant. After following a few lines of string, she eventually scratched her head, looking back at the redhead. “Is... this even a case? It seems to be more so random notes about this timeline and observations.”

“Pretty much,” Ollie confirmed. She looked past her at the board and smirked slightly. “It’s about a time period of an alternate Ame she’s been helping learn the ropes of her watch. It’s a pretty diverse one, so she’s been inspired to do a thorough analysis. It’ll all go into documents eventually, but she likes using the boards sometimes to help organize her thoughts.”

“...This is organized?” the phoenix questioned.

“I can understand it,” the zombie stated with a shrug... then coughed awkwardly. “Um... mostly .”

Kiara managed a snicker at that. In fact, as she looked back at all the notes and pictures, she found herself giving a small smile. “Well, even though I can’t make sense of what she’s putting together about its history... I’m glad she’s so passionate about it.” She glanced at a few other boards elsewhere in the room. “All of them are impressive, honestly. That she’s able to put together so much information and keep it all organized... Hell, I saw her once put together who a killer was in one of these in real-time! It was like a detective drama!”

“Yeah, I get to see that pretty often myself!” the undead-girl agreed, grinning at her. “Seeing her gather information on timelines like that one is pretty fun, too. She gets such a cute look on her face when she gets puzzled on a part, too!”

“I know, right?” the phoenix exclaimed, smiling widely. She turned between her Kouhai and the board, tracing her finger along several connected lines. “And you said she was helping train another her? That’s so sweet of her! Gosh, I wish one of you had said something before! I bet she’s been a great teacher!”

“Both she and Kronii have been, I’d say,” Ollie said. Her eyes suddenly gained a small glint. “You’re really supportive of her endeavors there, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am! She’s always taking these cases in strides, and meets so many unique people! And... and...” The phoenix was trying to think of the best way to describe it - how happy she got when the detective let her in on small parts of her job.

...But then, she slowly started to realize what she had been doing. She slowly blinked, remembering what had brought her there in the first place. And yet, as the weight of her mistakes settled back over her... she still felt a lingering giddiness from having been praising the time-traveler’s efforts. For the first time since yesterday, there was an actual spark of warmth in her chest - small, but somehow pushing back against the thorns still there.

And the zombie seemed to be fully aware of this, a knowing expression on her face. “Calli told me about that trick - once you start gushing about Ame’s skills, you don’t seem to know when to stop! You’ve even said a lot of these kinds of things to her yourself. And this isn’t the only thing. You’re constantly hyping her up during collabs, and you’ve been pretty forthcoming with information about your kind. Plus, while she’s able to handle date planning fine on her own these days, I know she still appreciates the advice you gave her when we first got together.”

Spinning in her chair to face her fully, she made eye contact with the firebird. Her smile was tinged with melancholy, but its encouragement shone through. “You’ve been one of her most vocal supporters to everyone else since you met... So do you honestly think she wouldn’t at least give you a chance to try and mend your friendship? If anything... she’s probably just as worried as you are about when you two next meet. About you.”

...It took Kiara a few long moments to process that. A part of her wanted to dismiss that as absurd - why would Ame be worried? She was the victim in this entire mess! If anything, she should be prepared to give her a black eye to match her cheek! It was the immortal who had escalated this entire thing.

And yet... that was not what Gura had said the blond had seemed like when she left, was it? On the contrary, she had specifically said she was blaming herself to some degree for possibly destroying Myth - something she had forgotten in her self-pity. Also, her Genmate was not some battered housewife - she would know full well what abusive treatment was like. For all the problems even the phoenix had caused, if she had thought they were toxic, she had faith she would have either left long ago or done better at putting her foot down.

But she had not. The detective had stayed with them all of these years having a blast in Hololive... including with her. She had once gone out of her way to try and learn more about immortal emotions just to understand them better - pushing herself too far then, but the sentiment was there. Despite their arguments, she still invited her onto cases. And she had kept her feelings on how the others’ treatment of her affected her under wraps... to spare them all of the guilt they now felt.

The time-traveler saw them all as some of her closest friends. Hell, the firebird was not sure if she was close to much of anyone outside of town! Perhaps she had old friends from school and some family, but... she did not mention them much. It was EN, the other branches, and a few other select Vtubers she concerned herself with most of the time. This was where she wanted to be in life.

Why would she abandon them now... even after such an egregious mistake?

It took everything in Kiara to not burst into tears there and then. She rubbed at her eyes furiously with her arm, sniffling as she trembled lightly. “I... I don’t feel like I deserve a second chance. Deserve... to be near her again.”

“...But you still want to be?” Ollie asked, though her tone implied it was less of a question and more of a statement.

A second passed... then the phoenix nodded, her voice tiny. “Yes... I do.” It did not matter about how vile she felt, or their statuses as being an immortal and a mortal, or any of that. She... wanted to keep seeing her smile. To be one of the reasons she can smile and shower her in support in all of her endeavors. To make more memories like at that bar years ago with all of their friends.

And if she had broken that beyond salvation... she will never forgive herself.

She was vaguely aware of the zombie having stood up and moved around the room. She only really looked, though, when the redhead stepped in front of her and held out a tissue. There was a thoughtfulness in her eyes that might surprise others from such a hyper girl, but which those in EN and ID knew quite well now. “It’s not hopeless, Kiara. I know it’ll be rough, but I also know you can handle it. And I can guarantee you that she won’t want to lose you any less than you.”

Kiara accepted the tissue wiping at her eyes before blowing her nose. Once she did that, she sent her a shaky smile. “When did you get to be so wise?”

Ollie snickered, seeming slightly embarrassed. “I... think you’re stretching it a little. I just think I have a good understanding of you two... Ame especially, naturally.” She sighed, giving her a look between wistful and exasperated. “And the one thing you have most in common is taking your personal failings too hard.”

The phoenix blushed lightly, looking away while rubbing the back of her head. “Um... sorry?” Her eyes dimmed a bit. “But I would say it’s well justified in this case.”

The zombie gave her a sad look, then sighed. “I guess that’s fair.” She stepped closer and patted her on the arm. “But I’m serious - I believe you can make things right. And Ame really does care about you a lot - she talks about you and the rest of Myth with an almost reverence!” She shrugged. “You said you wanted my advice? Well, the best I can give you is to not let your moping stop you from talking. Meet with her, give your apology... and if you do respect her job, then explain why you’ve been so hard on her over it.”

Kiara’s eyes drifted over to the desk again, glancing at the picture and document. Then, after lightly touching the earrings in her pocket, she nodded slowly, turning back to her Kouhai. “Yeah. I... didn’t know why I did it myself. Not consciously, anyway, but... I think I do now.” Memories of humans she knew came to her, but she shook them off for now. She took a deep breath, clenching one hand. “And... I’ll listen to her this time. Truly listen.”

“That’s all she’s ever wanted,” the undead-girl said with approval, smiling at her.

The phoenix smiled back briefly, then sighed, looking around the office. “I... guess I’d better leave now, then? No need to tempt fate anymore once we leave.”

Ollie paused for a moment. Then, fishing out the key she had coming in, she held it out to her Senpai. “You can do it, if you’d like.”

Kiara looked at the key with surprise, looking wide-eyed at the redhead. “Huh?”

“You can stay as late as you’d like,” the zombie spelled out, shrugging. “I have another to this place, anyway, so you can have this one.” She looked around the room. “She’s tidied up in here recently, but if you want, you could do the tasks she gave me to help keep everything organized. I can send you the list later. It could go a long way to making amends with her.”

The phoenix stared at the key, swallowing thickly. There was a joke in her mind about the patchwork woman just trying to push her work onto her... but she felt too grateful to ruin that. Being able to help the detective while she was away seemed like an excellent start to making amends. So, slowly nodded. “Thank... thank you, Ollie. I mean it.”

The undead-girl nodded, continuing to hold out the key. The firebird went to grab it... However, the moment her fingers made contact with the metal, the gray hand swiftly grasped her palm and yanked her arm. Caught off guard, she was forced to bend her back forward a little-

-and froze as she was met with the suddenly cold glare of the patchwork woman, who spoke deliberately. “But just so we’re clear... If you ever use my name like that against Ame again, then you will get your wish about getting beaten up by me.”

A shiver going down her spine, Kiara gulped nervously and nodded. This... was somehow intimidating her more than some of the beasts she had fought in the past. “I-I won’t. Never again.” She was certain she would die and revive on the spot if she even began to.

Ollie held her stare for a moment longer, then softened her expression, loosening her grip on her. “Alright, then.” She pressed the key into her hand before standing back. “Call if you need anything else from me. I can do my best to give you ideas on how to cheer her up if things go well. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to debate if I want to tell Kronii what happened or leave it to Ame. Stay safe!”

She waved at her Senpai, moving to the door. As she opened it, though... the phoenix found herself unable to stop from asking about one last thing, calling out. “Wait, Ollie!” Her Kouhai turned to her, raising an eyebrow. Despite her nerves, though, the orange-haired took a deep breath, fidgeting in place. “I... I just need to know. How bad...? Like, what exactly has she seen regarding...?” She could not finish the questions... but she patted her pocket to give the message.

It made her heart clench, knowing the answer was going to be bad. It was such a low note to leave things on, too... But she had to know.

The zombie went rigid, biting her lips as she looked away. But then, with a deep breath of her own, she answered. “It’s... not something she’s dealt with often. I haven’t even seen her do it... not yet, anyway. But... she remembers each one she’s witnessed... and they haunt her.” She glanced up, eyes filled with pain. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget the look in her eyes when she thinks about them... especially involving you and the rest of Myth.”

Kiara looked down, her heart feeling like it was going to shatter any time... but the warmth from earlier still persisted. It gave her the strength to look up just as quickly, determination in her gaze. “Then I’ll be sure to treat them gently until she returns... and give her the comfort she needs.”

The undead-girl gave a strained, but genuine smile, nodding at her. Then, she left the office, closing the door behind her. As soon as she was gone, the phoenix sighed and deflated, feeling wrung out. That woman has so much heart for everyone... but damn can she be intimidating when she wants to. If only those two could be as confident about themselves in their relationship as they are about the other.

It did give her further confirmation, though, that Ame would be in good hands if this all went wrong... Not that she would allow that to happen easily, however.

Looking around the office, she eyed the various cabinets and drawers around. She did not know exactly what sort of tasks she would be doing, but if it was for the detective, she would figure it out. This place would never seem better once she was done with it! (And... she would also try to clean herself up, too. Her hair was starting to bother her.)

Breathing deeply, she squared her shoulders, her hand going into her pocket. For the first time since yesterday, she took a look at the two earrings, even as the sight made her breath hitch slightly. She knew the ones that looked like smaller versions of hers had belonged to the one who died to those anomalies. However... she still had no clue what happened to the version who had the red pair. She prayed that the death was not as violent... but who knew if the odds were in her favor there.

Sighing heavily, she closed her hand gently around the earrings. She would not force the time-traveler to talk about it if she did not want to... but she would listen if she did. There would be no more assuming she understood anything about her work and what it did to her. This time... she would prove she truly did support her and loved what she did. Something she had always deserved from her.

She could only hope that it was enough... because she knew they would both be devastated if not, in one way or another...

Chapter Text

The good news was that there were no complications with Ame’s arm. After they ran some tests after the temporal burn cream and special bandages did their jobs, A-Doc gave her a clean slate of help. There had been a boring draw about proper ways to take care of herself that they both knew she already knew to do, but was semi-mandatory. Then, once she affirmed she would come back if she noticed any side effects that did not correspond to burn injuries, she carefully got dressed, had the limb given normal cream and bandages, and was allowed to be on her way. (If anyone wondered why she hugged Field hard with her good arm before departing, they said nothing about it.)

The time jump was no issue once she got her watch calibrated, either. While it had gotten a bit of soot from the time anomalies abilities - easily polished off right afterward - flames alone could not cause any real damage to the device. Coordinates had worked just as normal, and time currents notwithstanding, her journey back was as smooth as ever.

She appeared in a sphere of blue light back in her apartment, in the center of her living room. Taking a second to dust herself off after, she got out her phone to check the time and date, which automatically set itself once she got back. Sure enough, as had been expected, she had appeared three days after she had left, fairly late in the morning. It synced well with what she had told Kronii via text, as well as A-chan before leaving, so that meant she did not have to worry about going back further once her watch stopped being stalled from the journey.

All of that was excellent... but it did not change what she had returned to.

Sighing, the detective went over to her brown couch and sat down, setting her backpack beside her. She let her eyes roam around the room, noting the television and gaming consoles she had for fun. A lot of it, though, resembled her office in a lot of ways - documents and paperwork on various counters and bulletin boards of notes (though not the kind with strings involved). But there were a few more homely elements, like tall potted plants near the front door, and an aquarium tank along one wall filled with various fishes within.

Ollie kept a good watch over the place, she noted. When her girlfriend could not join her, she usually took care of her office and home, making sure all of her little critters were fed and her plants tended to. It never hurt to double-check her files and get things ready for cases after she did missions, too. She would be unable to enjoy those immediately thanks to her arm, but at least that would all be ready for when she healed.

She was tempted to go and check on the terrariums she had in other rooms to see how they were doing... However, she knew she was just delaying. She could check around her apartment all day, but no matter how long she hid, she knew there was no escaping the others... And she did not want to hide, either.

It did not make things easier, though. She rubbed a hand down her face, groaning as she considered what she was up against. She could not try to downplay anything about her feelings - they knew everything now. She also knew it had impacted them all in one form or another, given the breaks from streaming they took. And that did not even cover what they might think of one another’s actions... particularly Kiara’s.

So, to summarize, she had to try and make Calli and Ina feel better about their actions, as well as try to repair things with the firebird. The first two she was already dreading, and the last... there was a lot to unpack about her feelings there. Also not helping anything was still being... conflicted about Gura spilling everything. Plus, how they would react to her arm was up in the air.

In short, it was a chaotic situation she had to navigate... and the result could damage their group for a long time, if not forever, if she was not careful.

...It was at times like these she wished she was not one of the Ames’ who lacked a Bubba. She would have loved to pet a dog to calm herself down right then. Kind of wish I dog-satted for those versions more now.

Still, the time-traveler took a deep breath, trying to not fall into despair. She clenched her hands, remembering what she and Field had discussed. She looked back at her watch, sitting right in her lap. The symbols representing her friends practically stared back at her - markings of a future with them she hoped for.

She... she could do this. All she had to do was find them and just... talk to them. Let them know about her insecurities, and in turn listen to why precisely they all did what they had. And... as her counterpart said, she knew she could not take the fall. Kronii and Ollie were right, and so was Field - she had to be more assertive about this - accept this was not all on her. While there was a bit for her to apologize for, too... they had to recognize their fault in it all, too.

She was at least a little heartened knowing that the rest of EN was fine. After explaining things to the Warden (and making sure she was not going to hunt the phoenix down), her boss confirmed everyone was doing fine among them. Fauna and Sana have been with Ina this whole time, too, so that was one person at least who had a support system. From what little they had gotten from Calli and Gura, too, they did not appear to have broken up or anything, which was an immense weight off of her shoulders. If she had split them apart...

Unfortunately... no one really knew what was going on with Kiara. Only Ollie had seen her apparently, and all she had said was that the firebird was dealing with it all on her own. The fact the redhead had not seemed to had harmed her was good, but beyond that was a mystery. The amount of unknowns in that situation made the blond uneasy, not being able to gauge what she was in for. She trusted her lover, but... her last exchange with her Genmate still rang in her ears.

There was nothing to be done about that, though. Shaking her head, Ame leaned back on the couch, looking up at the ceiling. There was no sense in waiting around there - sooner or later, she needed to head out and try to find some of them. The question was, though, who to start with, and where to find them.

As much as she wanted to find Kiara immediately, she... begrudgingly acknowledged it might be better to let her feelings simmer down a little longer. Plus, the way Kronii explained it, she had not been in her apartment the last few days, so finding her might be tough. The others she might be able to find in their own homes, but who did she go to first? Did they need more time themselves? It was hard to figure out which one might-

A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts, startling her slightly. She quickly frowned, though as she turned toward it, somewhat puzzled. While she had given a rough time to the Warden of when she would likely appear back, it was obviously hard to be specific with these things. While her friend would have likely sensed her come in, it had barely been five minutes. That was an incredibly short amount of time for someone to get here even if they knew she had arrived, and both the blue-haired woman and Ollie had keys, so who could...?

...Though, as she thought about it, the “who” might not have been so much of a mystery. There were exactly four people who definitely wanted to see her, and they at least knew she would be back today at some time. If one of them was dedicated enough to check, or had stayed nearby and waited for a signal from Kronii...

Swallowing down her trepidation, the detective got up and slowly made her way to the door. Another knock came as she did so, and this time, she forced herself to call out. “I’m here! Just... one second, please!” She hated how her voice shook slightly saying that, but she tried to brush it off. No losing your nerve now, Watson.

Once she reached the door, she did not open it immediately. She got on her tiptoes to peek through the peephole first, wanting to know who it was before she faced them. Her heart pounded, wondering if she was about to see orange hair and have to deal with that pain so soon. Her breath nearly hitched as she looked out-

-and was met instead with pink hair, which... still made her anxious, but let her release a sigh. Quickly unlocking the door, she breathed in one last time, then opened it to greet the new arrival. She gave her best smile, but... she could feel how much her nervousness was affecting it. “H-hey, Calli! Nice... nice to see you!”

The reaper seemed relieved to see her standing there, her shoulders slumping. However... she did not smile back, seemed rather on edge herself. She gave the blond a weary look, eyes appearing to study her face. “Is... it really, or are you just saying that?”

The question made the time-traveler’s smile drop. She looked down, biting her lips as she shrugged. “I... I want it to be.”

Calli nodded, not seeming interested in making eye contact, either. Her eyes roamed the human... and then seemed to properly take in the wrapped arm in a sling. Her eyes widened, sucking in a breath. “Oh, fuck...!” She then winced, shaking her head. “Wait, I meant-!”

“It’s a bad injury, Calli - I know,” Ame stated, looking back up and putting firmness into her voice. For all of her problems right now, she would make this much clear. “You’re allowed to be concerned about it. I’ve already made arrangements to get it healed in no time, but... it does hurt.” She sighed, her good hand clenching at her side. “You don’t have to skirt around mentioning it. That doesn’t help me or you.”

The reaper blinked, glancing back down at the arm. Seeming to be trying to relax more, she came a little closer, hand hovering over it. “What... happened exactly?”

“I got grazed by one of the anomalies' more powerful attacks,” the detective answered, shifting the burned arm. “Basically burned the entire arm. The hospital back in Wattropolis has already treated it for temporal stuff, and I’ll be using Magni’s potions to speed up the healing. But I’m still going to have to change the bandages and use burn cream later today, and the next few.”

Despite it being meant to be a statement of facts, Calli flinched at the last part. She gave a hollow chuckle, her small grin laced with self-bitterness. “I see... Guess you’re not short on burn cream for that, are you?”

The time-traveler winced as well, looking off to the side. “That isn’t...” She gave a deep sigh, pinching her nose. “Gura... really told you everything, huh?” She had known that already, but now finally confronting it...

The reaper shrugged, acting similarly. “Yeah... I think we all figured Kronii would get word back to you, too. Kind of obvious with how you’ve been responding.”

A few moments of uncomfortable silence passed between them, neither seeming to know how to proceed. Eventually, though, Ame grew sick of the tension, letting out another long sigh. She stepped back, gesturing into her apartment. “Why don’t you come in? No use doing this in the hall for the neighbors.” (Some of which included their coworkers.)

Pursing her lips, Calli nodded, nervously entering her friend's home. Once the door was closed, they made their way to the couch, both sitting on opposite sides of it, the backpack between them. Though, as they did so, the blond noticed that the shinigami hissed a little, rubbing at her back. In fact, the way she shifted around seemed to indicate she was somewhat sore in a lot of places. It made the human’s eyebrow furrow, wondering what that was about. Did she get into a fight recently? I thought Kronii said they all were mostly doing fine, though.

She decided to ignore it for now, however. Instead, she decided to ask about something else to break the ice a little, raising an eyebrow. “How did you know I was back at this time, anyway? And get here so quickly?” The two lived in separate buildings, and they were a fair distance away from one another.

The reaper looked a little sheepish at this, rubbing the back of her neck. “Heh... Well, Kronii may have mentioned that you would be back this morning to everyone. So I... might have decided to be in the area to keep knocking at your door to catch you when you got back. That was only my second time doing that, though, so I guess I got lucky!”

The detective tilted her head. “I could have appeared back in my office instead, you know?”

“Sure, but I figured...” Calli trailed off for a second, before sighing and looking at her with worry. “I... figured there was a good chance you wouldn’t since... that was where you and Kiara... argued. And you might not have wanted to have been reminded of that so strongly getting back.”

The time-traveler grimaced... but could not argue with the observation, nodding slowly while looking away. “Yeah, that’s... fair.”

The pink-haired woman bit her lips, clearly troubled by the reaction. Instinctively, the blond took a breath and tried to school her expression better. While she knew she needed to express herself in these, she figured a more formal start into this would help get the ball rolling. She began to part her lips, ready to try and say something to make her friend feel better-

-only for the reaper to suddenly turn toward her better, moving to sit on her knees. Before she could even think why, the immortal was suddenly bowing, her eyes screwed shut and her voice filled with remorse. “I... I’m so sorry, Ame! I-I’m just... I’m sorry!”

...Ame had to blink, her mind feeling like it was buffering. She... should have been expecting that, and yet... “Huh...?”

What was visible of Calli’s twisted with further guilt. “I... I realized what a bother I was being to you - not just because of Gura! I noticed how annoyed you were this time, and... Gods, it’s so obvious looking back! Who the fuck needs a practical pound of bandages for one mission? How would that make a difference no matter how hurt you got?!”

The detective swallowed, her mouth moving with excuses before her mind could stop it. “W-well, it always pays to have spares! And I’m sure plenty of medics-”

“But you’re not a medic!” the reaper countered. Her red eyes looked up at her, the regret in them almost palpable. “You do some first aid, but... you never needed that much medicine to take care of yourself, did you? I... No, of course you didn’t. And you’ve mentioned healthcare before -  said you went to a hospital just now! What extra stuff would they need to take care of you?! Like, did I expect you to pull out bullet casings from your abdomen on your own?!”

“Um... maybe not from there, but a few times when I’ve been hit in other places, I’ve-”

“And if you ever did need all of that, what the fuck would you need me for?! You always seem to know where everything is in those pharmacies! I bet your Network is loaded with stuff for you to use, too!” She gestured to one of her bulletin boards. “With the amount of notes you take on everything, you probably know exactly what is needed right from the get-go! And... what? I just come in and tell you it isn’t enough?!

“A-and then... I just pestered you even more by texting you so many times afterward.” Tears sprang in the corners of the immortal’s eyes, which she tried to wipe. “There... there isn’t an excuse for that, no matter what you want to say about everything else. I should have kept my worry... And I tried to this time. I didn’t go silent on you because I was upset or anything! I was trying to give you space! But... I should have sent at least one message telling you that. I only caused you stress, and that might have... have...” She sniffled, her gaze going to her Genmate’s injured arm.

The time-traveler glanced at it, too... and the implication instantly clicked. Her eyes widened, trying to quickly shake her head. “N-no! This wasn’t because of-!”

She could not finish that before a particularly loud sob left the reaper. She rubbed her eyes more furiously, the hand in her lap bunching up the fabric of her clothes. “I... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to... say all of that like this. But the last few days... Even with Gawr helping me, just seeing you again...” Taking a shaking breath, she dropped her gaze to the cushions beneath her. “I... I never meant to hurt you. I shouldn’t have let how your soul... I-I should have been calmer about it. Millennia of life, and I just...”

Trailing off, Calli straightened her posture, but kept her head bowed. She said nothing further, both hands in her lap now as if waiting for judgment from the human. And while her hair hid much of her face... the resigned look in her eyes was visible.

Ame... could not help but stare for a long while, though. She was too focused on how... surreal the scene before her felt. Despite how prepared she had thought she was to receive apologies from the others, her heart had apparently not been fully willing to accept it. That it would require a bit more prompting, if nothing else.

...But it really should not have been a shock. Had she and Field not already reconfirmed this obvious fact? She was constantly ready to apologize to her friends when she offended them or caused them sorrow... so why was it a surprise they would do the same? And the fact her Genmate had gone so far out of her way to come here to say these things - having been ready to keep checking if she was in all morning, seemingly...

It did not make her feel judgmental of the others - they probably wanted to give her time. But... the effort from the shinigami touched her.

And so, taking a deep breath, she carefully shuffled closer to her friend. Then, being mindful of her burned arm and the other’s soreness... she pulled her into a gentle hug. She rested her head on her shoulder, speaking quietly. “You know... it’s funny. A part of me still wants to try and dismiss all of what you said and take the blame. To lie and say I hadn’t really meant what I said to Gura, or at least that it was exaggerated.” She gave a warbled chuckle. “But I’m guessing you wouldn’t let me get away with that this time, huh?”

A similar laugh came from Calli, who loosely put her own arms around her. “Nope. Even if I had not been told just how bad it truly was.”

“I think Kronii and Ollie would have a fit at this point if I did, anyway,” the detective conceded. She then sighed, pulling back to look at the other. “But... I do still have stuff to apologize to you for, too. I should have told you how much your... vigilance over my supplies was affecting me, no matter how small it appeared.” She pursed her lips, her right hand twitching as if feeling the firebird’s cheek connecting under its swing days ago. “And I’m especially sorry for hitting Kiara. I know immortal friendships are deeper than anything I’ve experienced, so hearing that...”

“Don’t sell the bonds you have with us short like that,” the reaper lightly admonished, patting her on the back. She gave her a sad smile. “And don’t worry about it. I... know what she said. I can get why you lost your temper.”

The time-traveler blinked. “She... told you what she said? I figured she’d mention the hit, but...”

Calli sighed. “She seemed ready to throw herself to the ground and let her kick her for it. I worried she wouldn’t be able to stop crying for a moment.”

Ame thought over this information. “Was... there anything else she mentioned about what was said by either of us?”

The reaper raised an eyebrow, looking slightly confused now. “Um, not really. Gawr... kind of got into chewing her out after that. Why?”

“-Because I don’t need friends who only want to tear me down and try to make me feel like I’m worthless!”

“...It’s nothing,” the detective replied quietly. Then, realizing how that might seem in this situation, she altered her response. “I mean, it’s something that I’ll deal with once I find her. There’s no need to stress about that yet.”

Calli frowned with worry. “I don’t like the ‘yet’ in that, Ame.”

The time-traveler sighed heavily. “Neither do I...” she admitted. Still, she tried to put it out of her mind for now, focusing back on the present and giving a stained smile. “But... I am glad to hear I didn’t screw up with you. When I didn’t hear anything after we parted ways, I worried...”

The reaper grimaced, rubbing one of her arms. “Like I said - I should have messaged you something to make sure you understood.”

“I do now, at least,” Ame said. She pointed to her injured arm. “And just so we’re clear, this was not any of you guys’ faults. I know how to compartmentalize out in the field. Even minor stresses like problems with my PC for streaming need to be kept in check when I’m fighting, and I’ve figured out how to do so. This was just an accident - nothing to it other than to show I need to learn to escape a fire-blast better.”

Calli chuckled slightly. “Is that a common occurrence in your job?”

The detective chuckled sheepishly. “I... cannot deny that explosions in general are a thing that comes up in even regular cases at times.”

“Aw, and you don’t bring me for those?” the reaper teased, punching her lightly on the shoulder. “I’d make a great human shield!... Um, well, a shinigiami shield, I suppose.”

The time-traveler rolled her eyes. “Even if I brought you when one happens, that privilege would go to Ollie if she’s around. It’s one of her favorite excuses to lay on top of me, even when I’m filled with Watson Concoction.” She blushed, a fond giggle leaving her. “And she’ll take her time getting off of me, of course, if the battle’s over. ‘Just checking you for injuries’ she’ll say while checking areas about seven times too many.”

The two of them laughed for a little bit, both clearly glad for a proper tension breaker. It certainly did a lot to ease many of the nerves the blond had coming back. She had been unsure of how easy it would be to ease back into the banter she shared with most of them, the issue overshadowing such things. But here they were, able to talk about her work like most other days not involving vital missions.

It gave her hope about her coming talk with Ina, and perhaps Gura as well. And as for Kiara... Well, it was a nice fantasy, at least.

Still, they could not just laugh things off forever. Eventually, after they had quieted down, Calli cleared her throat. She looked at her with evident trepidation, fidgeting with her hands. “Um... Just to check, have you... not brought me for those kinds of cases for a reason, or...? Like, something I did that...?”

The detective frowned a little, moving to face her more fully again. “I mean, it might not have been fire specifically, but I have brought you on dangerous cases. Pretty sure you complained to me about how uncomfortable it was to get pierced by five spears once.”

The reaper sighed, rubbing a hand on her face while she shook her head. “Right, no - of course. That was a stupid question. I... just don’t know how much my coddling hurt your image of me.”

Expression softening, the time-traveler patted her friend’s shoulder. “Not too much. Like, it was annoying that you... almost seemed to think that I’d always get injured enough to need so much. Not that major injuries don’t happen-” She shifted her arm for emphasis. “-but... Christ, I’m not even in the line of fire for all of those conscripted missions like this time! And sometimes it’s safe to use my Concoction to shore up injuries, or even negate them.”

“...It didn’t really work this time, though, huh?” Calli said, more so sad for her than giving any sense of accusation.

Ame grunted. “Temporal flames are a bitch sometimes. It’s too late for my formula to do anything now, too, unless I want to be bedridden for longer than I already will be.” She sighed, shaking her head. “But my point is that I know how to keep myself safe. And... a quick check that I have what I need for these jobs would not be so bad in case of a bad scenario from any of you. But the breathing down my neck is...”

The reaper looked down, letting out a long breath. “I know. I can’t say it enough - I should have kept my fear in check better.” Her face scrunched up slightly, her eyes dilating a bit. “But... it was not even the injuries themselves that scared me. It was... was...”

“...The way my soul ‘sounds’ to you,” the detective finished for her quietly.

Calli’s breath hitched, before she tried to shake it off. “I... yes. But no matter how freaky it is to me, I should never have let it control me! I’m probably freaking out over nothing, too! Just because that s-sound is so... different to me, doesn’t mean-”

“Calli!” the time-traveler said firmly, making her Genmate cut off with a flinch. Taking a deep breath, she looked away before continuing. “I don’t pretend to understand what hearing our spirits is like to you. It’s... the truth about a lot of magical abilities you guys have to me. I try to study them so much, but some concepts will forever be out of my reach.

“But... I think I have a good enough image of this one. What it must be like to have a sense that’s worked one way your whole life. To have an idea of when people are in danger of dying... And then, meeting someone who you can seemingly never tell if they have anything bad coming in their future.” She looked at her with empathy. “You don’t have to downplay it. That has to be terrifying to someone like you. It’s why my annoyance with your actions never went any deeper than that.”

The reaper stared at her with wide eyes, seeming a little surprised at such a level of understanding. She seemed ready to deflect again, but then... she relented, looking down as her expression twisted more from her fear. “It’s... it’s awful to hear whenever I try.”

Ame sighed sadly, before resting a hand on her arm. “Want to talk a little more about it?”

Calli was silent for a moment. Then, she started to speak. “I’ve told you quite a bit already about it. With everyone else, I hear what’s best described as melodies. They’re constant - beautiful to listen to, even. You learn pretty young as a shinigami to quiet such ‘sound,’ lest you get overwhelmed in dense populations. But... even with unpredictable deaths, where the soul becomes discorded - cuts off suddenly - it’s still a song. Death himself has one! I have one - not that I can hear it myself. Even on a battlefield, the sound... it’s natural.

“But you...” She took a deep breath, seeming haunted now. “It’s just noise, Ame. Chaotic, purposeless noise. So loud that it’s like it’s trying to drown out any sense of when you might die. Or... maybe it just doesn’t ‘know’ when you will.” She gestured outward. “You go between so many timelines at the click of a button. There are so many places you ‘could’ go, with all the potential for danger that comes with it. Being so untethered to time might be... confusing your soul?” She chuckled dejectedly. “I don’t even know, though. That’s just part of the crackpot theories I’ve been trying to come up with the last few days to help.”

The detective gave a wry smile, squeezing her arm. “Well, you’re... talking to the right person about those.”

That earned a more genuine laugh from the reaper. “I guess so.” Her mood quickly became subdued again, though, as she sighed. “But... no matter what the cause precisely is, your time travel... It’s done something to your soul that’s made my ability useless. And...” She sniffled a little, a light shine coming to her eyes. “I hate it so much. Not just for how much it hurts to listen to, but... because I can’t even give you warnings.”

This caught the time-traveler’s attention, who raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’re always prepared for dangerous cases - my interference notwithstanding,” the reaper explained. “But... well, unexpected things can happen on ‘safe’ cases, right? Like, what if you’re out finding a plant to deliver, or even just exploring for the fun of it, when suddenly... I don’t know, a tornado hit, or mobsters were waiting for you. Something you didn’t predict.

“It’s not that I don’t think you could manage to deal with it. But it would be useful to... have some warning, right?” She tapped the blond right above where her heart was. “If I could hear your soul like everyone else, I would be able to let you know if you wished to know! Just listen for any discord in its melody, and then you at least know to keep your eye out more! It might help you avoid getting an injury, or with pulling out if it's too much to handle.”

Ame frowned slightly, rubbing her chin. That... did sound like it would be useful. There had been plenty of times when an innocuous case turned out to be more complicated than she realized. It rarely got into territory that she was overwhelmed unless she already expected lots of danger, but... some more warning would be a great boon. Perhaps the other could even tell how great the threat was, depending on the type of discord that was happening in her soul.

Though, obviously, the point was that they could not do that. It made her grimace, feeling even worse for her Genmate than before. She would not mind letting her mention something like that if they happen to meet up before a case. But the fact that the option was stripped away from the immortal before she could even try to do so... For someone who cared so much over everyone’s health, that had to be a major blow. Perhaps more so than the horrid “sound” of her soul itself.

“I guess that’s why I overcompensated with supplies for your missions,” Calli continued, as if reading her thoughts, looking down. “I couldn’t help you be prepared for unknown dangers, so I figured I’d just ensure you were prepared for the known ones. But... I overcompensated. Hard. And... now here we are.” She sighed heavily. “I should have just left you alone there.”

The detective looked at her with great sorrow, hating to see her so down. So, to help cheer her up, she took a deep breath and made her decision. “You did go a bit far... but that doesn’t mean I want you to leave me alone.”

...The reaper quickly looked up, her face full of disbelief. “Huh?!”

The time-traveler sighed. “Don’t get me wrong - I do not want to be hounded all day to make sure my supplies are all packed. And I don’t want constant questioning on the types of painkillers I get!” She met her gaze. “But... I don’t think you’re wrong with being unsettled by what my soul sounds like. And while it obviously was not my intention to cause that, I’m sorry for it all the same. Especially since I don’t know how to make it sound ‘normal’ to you.

“I want you to feel more at ease when I go out traveling. So, if you want to, you can still join me in getting supplies at times - not just for missions, but also when I need a general restock. I can give you a list, and we can both gather stuff together. And... one or two questions on if I need anything else won’t kill me. I’m not infallible, so you never know.”

Calli continued to look shocked, mouth gaping slightly. She soon pursed her lips, looking at her uncertainly. “You don’t have to. I know how much I hurt you - if shopping together in any way is too painful now, we can just stop. There are probably other things we can do to ‘make me feel better’ that don’t involve that.”

“If it doesn’t work out, we can work on other ideas,” Ame promised. She then gave her best kind smile. “But while I get changes need to happen for my sake... I still won’t accept you all suffering from your own fears. So, we’ll compromise, and eventually reach a middle ground. Does that sound good?”

Another moment passed... then the reaper laughed, her face finally starting to brighten again. “Alright then... We’ll give it a shot.” She then leaned forward and pulled her into another hug. “Just promise you won’t let me hurt you again like this.”

While it was a bit muted, Ame smiled, hugging back. “I... I’ll try not to.” She never wanted to cause such a stir among her friends ever again. If being a little more honest about her feelings would help prevent that, then she would do her best to do so. And after hearing the shinigami’s willingness to change things along with her... she had a bit more hope about them all being able to move past this.

Things were not quite fixed yet between them... but she had gotten past that first step.

They continued to hug for a few moments, and possibly would have continued to for several minutes... However, when she shifted her arm a little, the reaper yelped as she touched a different part of her back. The pink-haired woman moved back, wincing and touching the spot. “Ah, fuck! How are these not healed yet?”

Blinking at the reaction, the detective gave her a questioning look, gesturing to her back. “Okay - I give. What exactly happened while I was gone? You’ve seemed like you’ve been in pain since you got here.” A terrible possibility flitted through her mind, making her tense slightly. “You guys... didn’t end up fighting for real over this, did you?”

Eyes widening, Calli was quick to shake her head. “No! Of course not! I just...” She suddenly started to blush heavily, seeming embarrassed as she looked away. “Well... while you were gone, Gawr offered to... help us forget things for a while. So she comforted me in... the best way she knows how.”

The time-traveler’s eyebrows furrowed, confused for a second. How would comfort end with the other being sore? It did not make sense... until it clicked that it was Gawr who did the comforting. And given how the red persona had a lot of... pent-up desires for her girlfriend, and her unique perspective on how to show love...

Her cheeks soon heated up as the realization hit her. But even so, she could not help but giggle, and eventually laugh. She grinned at her friend, daring to intentionally pat the spot lightly now. “Wow... I’m out there fighting powerful anomalies and worrying about you, while you were busy getting hot and bothered with Gawr? I can’t believe it!”

The reaper’s blush got worse, stuttering as she tried to shake her head and save face. “I-it wasn’t like that! She... You know how she is! A-and we didn’t go as far as... well, you know! She just... I mean, we...!”

“Doubt you did anything to stop her - probably begged her to if anything!” Ame teased, leaning back on the couch with a cheeky smile. “God, the fact you haven’t fully healed, either... You really do love being her chew toy, huh? Not that we all didn’t know that already.”

Calli merely groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Guh... I... hate how Ollie’s made you more comfortable saying these sorts of things.”

The detective laughed. “Well, lucky for you, I think that hit my limit for the day.” She then gave her a curious look, glancing at the areas the other seemed to be sore in. “Still, I’m a bit amazed Gura let her get so many areas. I thought she put a cap on her other self, normally?”

She knew something was wrong as the reaper tensed from that question. The small sigh her friend gave did not do anything to reassure her, either. “Well, she... probably decided Gawr could push her boundaries a little more after all that happened... At least, we think so?”

The time-traveler frowned, confusion and unease filling her. “You... ‘think?’”

Calli grimaced, turning and sitting properly on the couch again as she shrugged. “She... hasn’t been in control for the past three days - not since the night after you left. I think she started to talk with Gawr a little bit yesterday, but she’s mostly been too downcast to do anything.” She looked at the blond sadly. “We... think she’s waiting to see you to come out. To... talk about her coming to us.”

...That was quite a lot to take in for Ame. The idea of Gawr being in control for days straight was already bizarre enough for any reason - she hated being out for so long! But to also know that Gura had been too gloomy to even interact much with her other half... That she was that worried about how she would react to her going behind her back...

A heavy sigh left her, removing her hat and rubbing a hand through her hair. As much as this meeting had given her new hope, there was still a lot to address with the others. And so, wanting to get more of this over and done with, she slowly got up, looking at her Genmate. “Do you know where she is?”

The reaper shrugged apologetically. “Once we knew you were coming back today, Gawr went off to do more hunting. Some ‘last minute stress relief,’ as she put it. She, uh... didn’t think me having more bruises would help me with coming here any.” She coughed awkwardly, before shaking her head and meeting her gaze. “But I’m pretty sure she wanted you to see the others first. To deal with the main issue first before you two hash out her actions.”

The detective bit her lips, not liking the idea of leaving her best friend hanging like that. But she could see the logic in her idea, so she eventually nodded. “Okay, then. Text her and let her know that I’ll meet up with her later today. For now, though, I guess I’ll go see Ina.” She fiddled with her fingers. “You, uh... don’t happen to know where Kiara is, do you? Kronii said...”

Calli winced at that, looking to the side with deep worry. “Afraid not. I thought about catching her when she got home to feed her cats to make sure she was fine, but Pomu came instead. She said Kiara tasked her with taking care of them while dealing with ‘personal issues.’” She sighed. “Given the look in her eyes, I think she knows something rough was going on with us. Don’t think she had any details, though.”

The time-traveler hummed, taking that in. She supposed she could just try to call the phoenix later to set up a meeting. But for now, she would focus on Ina first. She grabbed her backpack and slung it over her good shoulder - she would need its supplies to replace her bandages and reapply burn cream later. “Alright. Want to come with me down to the street while I wait for an Uber?”

The reaper nodded, standing up as well. The two of them went toward the front door, with the blond making sure her sling was secure. It would probably be good to continue resting up here, even considering the magical healing she had access to. However, as she had resolved before, she was not going to leave any of the issues she left behind to fester.

As she reached the door, though - lamenting she lacked two hands to both leave and lock up and get a ride ready at the same time - Calli got her attention behind her. “Um... Ame?”

Pausing with her hand on the doorknob, she turned to look at her Genmate. The woman was shuffling in place, holding her hat she almost left in her hands. Yet despite the nervousness on her face, she still looked directly at her. “I... know things will be rough with Kiara. Even as her best friend, I know I can’t do much to help you both mend things. But I wanted to wish you both luck with that anyway.

“And... please don’t be harsh with Gura. I know she’s probably upset you, but... She has so much support and care for you. She acted pretty hastily, but...” She met her friend’s eyes, her own pleading. “Please don’t push her away after this. You... you can trust her with your problems - I swear it!”

Ame looked back at the door, taking a deep breath. Her feelings around the Atlantean were still a jumbled mess, as much yearning there as there was that sense of being betrayed. But... it was not like she did not want things to get better. So, with both of these things in mind, she eventually found a response. “...We’ll see how it goes. That’s... all I can promise right now.”

Glancing back, she could see that the reaper was a little upset, but there was also understanding in her eyes as she nodded. The blond took a deep breath, trying to hold onto the determination she came here with. Then, the two of them went out the door, ready to get through the rest of this miserable day. (And hoping it would not stay that way...)

-------

Out of everyone she was going to see today, Ina should have made her the least nervous. Compared to everyone else, they had parted ways without any real problems or lingering tension. Plus, she could not help but remind herself that her friend’s actions were still pretty minor all things considered, even with what they implied. While they ended up getting under her skin more than Calli’s hovering, this should be the easiest conflict to resolve!

And yet... Ame still found herself highly uncertain as she stood in front of the priestess’s door, midday approaching. She squirmed a bit, hefting her bag as she glanced around the hall. While she did not feel the urge to run away, her trepidation was on par with what she had going in with the reaper. It stayed her hand, keeping her from knocking for a minute longer.

It made her exasperated with herself, causing her to shake her head. She knew she was being foolish about this - if she and Calli were able to start mending things, then surely she and Ina could, too! They had always had one of the most calm friendships out of everyone. Plus, the purple-haired woman was one of the gentlest souls out of all of them in EN - always taking bad situations calmly.

But... that was also why she was so scared to see her, too. She could well imagine how hard learning that she had been causing the blond so much stress this whole time would have been on her. Especially over an activity that would have seemed so innocuous. Just picturing the regret on her Genmate’s face made her chest twist up a little. And while she had taken time to message her friend that she was coming and about her injury, the burned arm was not going to help initial reactions no matter what.

She almost wished she had asked Calli to stay around for this. More friendly faces during this might have done wonders for them both, and perhaps avoid the awkward start of their own meeting. However, there was also every chance the shinigami’s presence would have only caused more tension - even with their talk, the pain of the last few days was fresh for them both. So the two had gone their separate ways after her ride had arrived, deciding it would be best to let their apologies settle for a few hours at the very least before doing anything else.

Right then, though, the detective wished she had asked her to stay around a while longer, just to have the option. But it was too late to make those considerations now, though. Besides, she might be able to find Gawr and let her know things went well between us. And maybe also figure out where the hell Kiara’s run off to! Just where would have gone in this town?

...Interestingly, she felt like the answer was in the back of her mind, sitting right out in the open. But unfortunately, she was too preoccupied with her current worries to try and dig deeper into that. So, putting those to the side to likely feel like a fool later, she went back to staring at the door, taking a deep breath.

The idea of calling someone else for support besides the reaper came to mind... but she decided she could manage without it. She could hardly bother Kronii and Ollie about it, who had their own schedules today, without causing more uproar in their communities about what was happening behind the scenes. The rest of EN she assumed were in similar positions as well, too, and she did not want to drag them into this drama if at all possible.

Time to stop delaying, Watson, she told herself. Sana and Fauna have kept her in good spirits until now. And as gentle as she is, she’s made of some tough stuff on the inside. She wouldn’t be able to handle the Ancient Ones otherwise. Just get the initial reactions over with, and then we should be able to talk.

With that, the time-traveler finally stopped delaying and knocked on the door. She waited a few moments, then heard the shuffling from within. She took another breath, bracing herself as the door opened-

-only to blink, half-surprised by who ended up answering. “Sana?”

The Speaker beamed at her, leaning out the door. “Ame! Glad you’re finally here!” Her eyes then quickly locked onto her burned arm, wincing in sympathy. “Ouch. Rough mission?”

Ame shrugged, not bothering to glance at it. “Eh, it could be worse. It could’ve been on my foot - left me with a limp.” (She was fairly certain another version of her had gotten hit like that, in fact, but she had not really paid attention to their injuries beyond confirming everyone lived. She would have to read the full report sometime.)

The astro-girl nodded in agreement, then rubbed her back with a small grin. “Also be glad you didn’t get a back injury. They are not fun - trust me.”

“Believe me, I know,” the detective replied, looking at the area her Kouhai had hurt herself before. “Glad you’re still recovering fine from that. I’d hate to deal with that long-term like you.” She then tried to look past her, trying to catch a glimpse of someone else she thought was there, too, now. “I’m guessing Fauna is also somewhere in there?”

“She and Ina are in her room finishing up some practice sketches,” Sana confirmed, pointing her thumb over her shoulder. She tilted her head at the detective. “Did you not know that we’ve been here?”

“No, I did,” the time-traveler explained, her cheeks pinkening a little at her mistaken assumptions about the situation. “I just... thought you had left by now to give us space. Or that you guys were busy with streams.” She frowned. “Or... you don’t stream anymore, I guess. But you might have had art commissions you needed to do or... something.”

The Speaker hummed at this. While her demeanor remained carefree, her eyes seemed to focus more on her expression. “Do... you want us to leave?”

“God, no!” Ame answered immediately, letting out a breath as she smiled in relief. “I would love some moderators to this talk just in case.”

The astro-girl smiled widely, stepping back and gesturing in. “That’s what we’re here for! Make yourself comfortable! Do you want anything to drink?”

The detective shook her head, heading over to the couch. “No thanks. It’s getting pretty close to lunch, anyway, so I’ll just grab something after this.” She sat down, setting her bag at her feet as she tried to get comfortable. She paused, though, to look at her friend, wanting to be safe and confirm what Kronii had told her. “Has... Ina been good this morning?”

Sana gave her a kind smile, closing the door and quickly moving next to her. Once she sat down, she patted her on her good shoulder. “She’s been... tense these last few days. But I’d say she’s been quite happy otherwise, thanks to us.” She then frowned slightly, letting out a sigh. “Though, she’s been rather quiet about this coming meeting since we first got here. Can’t blame her for wanting to keep distracted, but...”

The time-traveler sighed, figuring that was as good of an answer as she could have hoped for. “Yeah, I can’t, either.” She looked back to the entrance to the hall, frowning as well. “I’ll let her explain herself, but did she happen to mention... why she’s acted like she has when I leave for missions?”

“Nope - I think she’s been trying to piece that together herself,” the Speaker replied, shrugging. “She was having trouble understanding why you felt the way you did, but I have no clue if she figured it out.”

That got an even heavier sigh from Ame. “Well, that’s a good start, isn’t it?”

The astro-girl gave her a pitying look, gently tapping her shoulder this time. “Hey, don’t worry. We’ll work this out, I promise!”

Taking a deep breath, the detective nodded, forcing herself not to get too frustrated. As long as everyone was working together to resolve the issue, then things should be... relatively straightforward. And, between the extremely positive Speaker of Space and the nurturing Keeper of Nature, she had doubts this would escalate into anything worse.

If Ina still did not understand... then she would spell it out calmly. With how rough the Kiara talk was going to be, she would not cause things to get worse with any of the others. If they did, she would never forgive herself.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps from the hallway. Looking that was with Sana, the two watched as the priestess stepped around the corner - dressed in her casual artist costume this time minus the hat. In her arms were two Tako plushies, squeezed close to her chest with her arms. Stepping in behind her was also the kirin-girl, who seemed to be gently pushing her along.

When the once-human made eye contact with the time-traveler, she stopped for a moment. Just as the blond had expected, her nervous expression quickly morphed into one of guilt, the plushies being held tighter now. It only got worse when her eyes drifted to her burned arm, making her take a sharp breath and look away.

Ame frowned, not accepting this to be the start of their conversation, she quickly got up and rounded the couch. Before her Genmate could move in any way from her shock at this, she swiftly closed the distance and grabbed her near the elbow. She nodded down at her arm, keeping her eyes on the other. “Let’s be clear right now - this was not your fault. Just a typical injury I get on the job sometimes. Got it?”

Ina blinked at this, still seeming surprised. But then, she let out a sigh, relaxing her posture as she glanced away. “Right... Sorry. A lot has been on my mind.”

The detective’s eyes softened. “I know... me, too.” She leaned in for a brief hug using her good arm. “I’m glad to see you’re alright, though.”

The priestess giggled as she pulled back, managing to grin a little. “I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to say that to you, considering your work. But know that the feeling’s mutual.” She then perked up, looking down at her plushies before holding one out to the blond. “Oh! Here you go! I, uh... thought that these might help us stay relaxed. Give them a good squeeze when we might be getting frustrated, yeah?”

Raising an eyebrow, the time-traveler accepted the Tako. It was a little awkward to hold close to her with the sling she had on, but... it was pretty soft. And malleable. She hugged it against her side, giving it a few experimental presses with her hand. Well... it’s not a dog, but I’ll take it.

It was then that Fauna came up beside them, giggling at their interaction. “Aw, now aren’t you both just cute with your little mascot?” She kissed her lover on the cheek, who blushed and used her Tako to hide her smile. After smiling at the reaction, the green-haired woman then turned to the blond, putting on a fake pout. “But as for you... why did I not get an apple request this time?! Are they no longer good enough to heal your injuries?”

Chuckling sheepishly, Ame could only shrug. “I mean... it’s not really bad enough to warrant that kind of magic, is it? It’s just burns - nothing’s broken. Besides, Magni deserves a bit more regular business from those of us in the company.”

The Keeper sighed, patting her head while looking at her with caring eyes. “You don’t have to worry about how ‘warranted’ it is. If you have an injury that would take a lot of time to heal normally, then I’ll get you an apple. I’d do so for anyone who needed one!” Her eyes sparkled a little. “Maybe I could even give you a bottle of it juiced? I’ve never tried making that before. It would probably be quite convenient, huh?”

The detective shrugged once more. “I don’t know - I think I’d prefer a pie at that point.”

“That I have tried!” the kirin-girl admitted. “Reduced the healing properties a good bit, but the taste was still heavenly, by both my and Mumei’s verdicts.”

The time-traveler raised an eyebrow, intrigued by what kind of other treats had been made with the magical fruit. However... a quick glance at Ina brought her back to the present. Thus, she reluctantly put her questions to the side and gave a more subdued smile. “We can discuss this later. For now, though, I think...?”

Fauna straightened up immediately, looking between the two with a light blush. “Ha... right, of course. Sorry - I was just trying to make sure everything started on a good note.”

The priestess smiled, giving a small peck to her girlfriend’s lips. “It’s fine, Fauna. We both appreciate it.” She then looked at her Genmate, her expression becoming more somber, but still relatively light. “So... shall we get started, then?”

Ame nodded, taking a step back toward the couch. “I think it’s best we do. Let’s just get situated, and...”

With that, a bunch of shuffling happened with everyone in the room. After a few minutes, both members of Myth ended up sitting on the couch, some space between them but not so far as to seem frigid, their plushies in their laps. The Council members, meanwhile, were now standing behind the sofa, crouched down with their heads on its back. (The Speaker insisted that she was comfortable like that, but a heating pad was given to her just in case.) They sat there ready to intervene if things started to go badly, but were otherwise there to observe and add small comments as needed.

Once they were all situated, the detective took a deep breath, taking some strength from the smooth start to this. The whole thing was very civil so far, which was a good sign, but that did not mean things were fine yet. The true test would be when they began to speak, and finding out what it was they each had to say to one another.

Petting the fabric of her plush Tako, she decided to get right into the conversation, looking at her Genmate. “So... I’ll start out by saying that I’m sorry for not saying anything sooner. I was trying to keep you all happy, but I should have realized how... unsustainable the method had become.”

Frowning sadly, Ina shook her head. “You don’t need to apologize. I... I knew that our meetings never ended ‘perfectly’ most of the time, but I never realized how deep it went for you. If I had, then maybe...” She trailed off, eventually letting out a sigh. “But I know that it’s too late for that thinking now.”

Biting her lips, the time-traveler looked down, adjusting her injured arm. “I mean... if it helps any, I really did have fun playing games with you. Not just yesterday, but most other times as well.” She chuckled lightly. “I know you all think I work too much sometimes, but I do enjoy taking time off to do things with you guys. Even I need a breather at times when exploring the multiverse, and not just because of injuries like this one.” She gestured to her bandages to make her point. It’s not always about my dissociations, either, as much as that also affects travels.

Shaking that thought out of her head, she continued. “Heck, part of the reason I work so hard is to make sure we can continue having fun like we are. Not just dealing with a few threats, whether temporal or not, but also to ensure I have the funds to do crazy stuff with you all!”

Sana hummed behind her, smiling fondly at her former Senpai. “You certainly seemed to spend a lot on decorations for my welcome back party from space. I’d never claim it’s cheap to combine so many holidays into one.”

“...Honestly, quite a few of the others had to make sure I didn’t overspend in areas to make it more extravagant,” Ame admitted, blushing at the giggles that earned her. Rolling her eyes, she looked back at her Genmate. “But my point is that... the games themselves were nice. Some time to decompress before needing to work at my absolute best against time anomalies helps make the whole ordeal less exhausting sometimes. And... I appreciate that.”

Her words seemed to help the priestess’s mood some, appearing touched by the confession. But even so, she was still downcast as she looked down, hugging her plushy closer to herself. “So... it really was when you go to leave that’s been the problem.”

The detective frowned, but nodded slowly to confirm this. There was no sense in trying to dance around it - better to get directly to the source. Though, she was glad to see Fauna, in response to this, put her hand on the purple-haired woman’s back, rubbing it soothingly.

Letting her Kouhai continue like this for a few moments, the blond eventually took a deep breath, trying to meet her friend’s eyes. “Look, Ina, I... I know that my job can seem... overwhelming. It sometimes is for me! But... that doesn’t change that I still need to leave.”

Ina raised an eyebrow at her, looking at her like she had stated the obvious (which, to be fair, she had). “Of course I know that! I’m not trying to stop you from doing your job!”

The time-traveler could not help but scoff, rolling her eyes as some bitterness crawled up her back. “You could’ve fooled me...”

Sana gave her a small reproaching look. “Ame...”

Said woman quickly sobered up, flinching as she realized what she had said. “S-sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.” She sighed, looking away. “But... what else am I supposed to conclude? I have a schedule I need to adhere to for these missions, and you have on several occasions pushed it with your insistence on me staying longer. It’s gotten me in trouble a few times, too! These operations can become more complicated from simple things like being late to the meeting and delaying the briefing.

“But... even though you don’t physically restrain me, you make it so hard to leave. Begging me and pulling at my heartstrings. It’s gotten... so tiresome.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “And what gets to me is that I told you about some of this near the beginning of you doing this, before I... just accepted things. But it didn’t seem to make a difference. And if you’re saying it wasn’t to get me delisted from doing this portion of my job... then I truly don’t know what to think.”

At some point, she had pulled her Tako up against her, squeezing it hard between her arm and torso. A quick glance at Sana and Fauna showed that the two of them were exchanging sad glances at her tale... with perhaps a bit of understanding of her plight. Maybe not this exact situation, but the two had likely had their fair share of misconceptions with Kronii about her work, or making it unintentionally harder. As hard as it was to imagine now, there had been a time when the Council members were still learning when it was appropriate to interfere in one another's domains, to disastrous effects.

In a way, seeing their silent exchange made her feel a bit more... validated. That this was not an issue that only she and the Warden - and to an increasing extent Ollie and Mumei - could perceive. And it made her more glad than ever that they had decided to be the ones to watch over their Senpai’s exchange.

As for Ina... she did not say anything for a little while. She stared off ahead, absently scratching her fingers along her plushy as she appeared to think deeply about this. Ame, for her part, did not interrupt her, waiting to see what sort of explanation she had. Because if she was saying it was not some ploy to get her removed, then... was it just plain fear? It was her only other theory, but... something suddenly seemed wrong about it.

Finally, after several moments of tense silence, the purple-haired woman took a deep breath and started speaking. “I... I never meant to make you feel guilted into staying. I only wanted you to have fun, and... I’m sorry.” She let out a long sigh, shaking her head. “But... I just don’t get why you can’t be more flexible with this ‘schedule’ of yours.”

That made the detective’s eyebrows furrow, sitting up straighter as confusion filled her. “What’s so hard to understand about that?”

The priestess sighed, rubbing the side of her head. “I mean... just what I said? You’re able to warp all across time both here and in other timelines, yet... you can’t spare a little more time to have fun? And I know that makes me sound whiny, but I... While I don’t think you’ll end up dying anytime soon with your skills, if that were ever to happen... I want some of your last memories with us to be happy ones. Laughing and enjoying doing games, or even just having a pleasant conversation about streams or your cases. Anything so that when you might be fading out, you can take some comfort before the end.

“But... instead, you always seem to want to rush out. And at times... it’s made me feel bad. Like all of us are... secondary to your work that you can’t give a bit more time. Which I know probably isn’t how you mean it, but... Well, you’re not the only one who has trouble picturing other explanations.” She took a deep breath, squeezing her Tako firmly against her chest as she looked down at it. “If what I do just results in you having more regrets when you leave, though... it just makes me feel selfish for feeling that way.”

Fauna was frowning deeply now, pressing her hand more firmly against her girlfriend’s back. Her Senpai leaned into the touch, but she still seemed rather miserable. Sana was also frowning sadly at this explanation... And yet, there was an unmistakable puzzlement in her eyes. As if not entirely following what the other woman was talking about.

The time-traveler felt much the same, having to blink several times as she processed this all. On the one hand, she... found the sentiment of wanting her to have her last memories be good ones rather touching. It would be lovely to not be weighed down by her misgivings of how most of Myth treated these missions, for example. She certainly would not have had a very pleasant passing given what happened with Kiara especially. Leaving things on such a sour note - the apologies on her lips left unsaid...

But it also said she did not think she would die in the near future, which should also have been uplifting. Yet if that was the case... then what was going on with her? That part about feeling “secondary” baffled her as much as it made her feel awful, in particular. Just what could have given her that impression? She valued her friends just as much as her job, and was constantly trying to balance the two. Had she not basically said that in the conversation already?

A lot of the rest of what her Genmate was saying was also pretty perplexing. The assumption that she could just push the time she needed to leave back at all was not how any of this worked! It was like she thought that she could just use her watch to-!

...Her thoughts came to a halt then, blinking once more. Did... she actually think that she could...? More so, did she assume that the schedule she had was entirely of her own design, and not also dictated by...?

Ame’s eyes slowly widened, feeling like a stone had just dropped into her stomach. There... was no way, right? Like, Ina might not dabble into the temporal potential of her powers all that much, but she knew how complicated time was! Surely she would not... But then again, that would be an easy thing to assume, would it not? It was mostly how things worked for more regular cases. Given that, it suddenly seemed highly reasonable to go to the conclusion that it should always work as such.

Plus... how often did she discuss the exact mechanics of her traveling? She gave the best explanations she could to Ollie, and Kronii obviously understood the particulars. But everyone else... She was certain she had tried at some points, but beyond that... Mostly it was just jokes with a few of them - mostly Gura and Gawr - about the seeming contradictions. Even with those, though, it was basically the nature of living things to try and rationalize, so...

...Still, a big part of her did not want to believe it. That she had left such a big misunderstanding in her job out in the open like this. Because if she had, then... this whole time...

Her denial was not so great that she did not pursue this line of logic, though, shaking her head and speaking up hesitantly after a minute of silence. “Ina... I don’t... I can’t extend my time to be here with missions like this.”

The priestess sighed, the tired look mingled with frustration on her face almost confirming the blond’s theory before she spoke. “I... I get that you don’t want to. I don’t really want to disparage that kind of dedication to your work if you love it so much. But I still couldn’t help feeling-”

“No, like, I literally cannot do that - physically!” the detective insisted, sitting up more. She scooted closer so suddenly that it caused small tingles of pain from her burned arm, but she ignored them as she looked at the other carefully. “I have a strict time limit that they give me! I can’t just jump to whatever time I want all the time. Everything gets complicated when anomalies especially are involved! You... do get that, right?”

There was a small hope in her that Ina did... but the blank look on her face told her otherwise. She could almost see her brain trying to comprehend this, before slowly shaking her head, looking lost now. “But... that doesn’t make any sense!”

“Barely anything about time travel makes sense!” the time-traveler exclaimed, gesturing wildly - her injured arm also trying to join in but getting stopped by the sling. She hissed, dropping her plushy for now and holding the limb close to herself. But her tone was still in high disbelief as she looked back at her friend. “I thought I made that clear a long time ago! You... Please tell me you had some clue!” Her tone was perhaps a bit accusatory, but there was also a strong pleading quality to it.

The priestess cringed, moving away from her girlfriend’s touch. Her demeanor, though, soon became a little defensive as she raised her hands up before her. “B-but shouldn’t that be the one thing, if nothing else, that works like you would expect? How the heck is there a genuine time limit for you?!”

Behind them, Fauna was looking between them with surprise and worry, trying to reach out. “Now, hold on you two-!” Before she could get further than that, though, Sana grabbed her hand and pulled it back. She shook her head at the green-haired woman, appearing to decide it was best to let the two of them hash things out for now.

This was only noted in the back of Ame’s mind, of course, as she swung her good arm out wide. “What about the fact that I came back three days after I left? Did that not raise any suspicions there?”

Ina actually huffed a little. “Well, I did figure that fighting time anomalies would cause some interference with your time-traveling device. But that’s after the encounter, not before! Shouldn’t you be able to get around fine before that and appear at any point?”

The detective gave her a deadpanned stare. “If I could... why did I just tell you a minute ago that I’ve been late to meetings for the Network?”

The priestess opened her mouth... but then stopped, seeming stumped. She blinked, clearly struggling for a response. “I... um...”

Sighing heavily, the time-traveler’s hand went and gripped her Tako once again. Squeezing it acted as an anchor for her as she fought to keep her voice calm and steady. “What you just said is true - quite a few anomalies can interfere with my watch. But there are a bunch of other factors that can get in the way when I go to other timelines - on rare occasions even just going up and down ours! Time currents, temporal storms - all sorts of stuff! Wattropolis in particular is quite the beast itself at times thanks to the paradoxes used to roughly ‘sync’ it with the multiverse while also giving some slack, which... I don’t understand well myself.

“But that also highlights my point! I can’t always jump into whatever period I please! I try to do cases that don’t cause those sorts of problems as much as possible, but I can’t be too picky!” A thought occurred to her then, making her release her Tako and dig out her phone. “Hell - they provide timers to us for these missions specifically! Look!”

It took only a few seconds to bring up the email from a few days ago. Scrolling down, she brought out the timer - long since having run out, but the display remaining. She tossed her phone to her Genmate, who caught it and looked over the message. There was silence as this was taken in, the Keeper and Speaker continuing to monitor them.

Eventually, Ina lowered the device, looking down with an inscrutable expression. “So... this whole time, when I thought you were just being difficult...”

Ame looked down, too, with a similar expression. “And... my assumption that you were too scared to let me leave for dangerous jobs...” She trailed off, feeling something heavy in her heart. This entire thing... While all of her issues with the rest of their Gen could be described as being caused by communication issues, this in particular...

A beat passed... then, almost in sync, the detective and the priestess leaned forward and buried their faces in their hands (or hand, in the former’s case). Their voices came out as whines, utterly filled with regret. “Goddammit!/Oh, my God...”

Inside, the time-traveler was kicking herself to hell and back. How the fuck did she make such a big oversight?! That... this... She knew she had trouble explaining many concepts of how time worked to them before, but this was just a failure to make the basics clear! She covered a lot of this with Ollie in her first few weeks of working with her! Had she really not been as careful with Ina? Were any of the others in the same boat? None of them tried to hold her up in the same way, but...

Along with feeling like a complete fool, though... there was also a pit of dread starting to take root in her. Because if the priestess only held her up because she thought she genuinely had more time, and coupled with the rest of what was said... did that mean she had been wrong about her belief in her? Was she actually more like Gura in regards to how she thought of the blond’s job?

Did... she trust her?

And don’t forget you made her feel like she was not that important to you, a voice hissed in her head. That made her flinch, and even though she knew that was a partial exaggeration of the situation, it would not leave her alone. How could she have overlooked this? Had she truly been so caught up in her own misery that-

She was startled out of her thoughts when someone sat beside her. Before she knew it, she found herself being pulled into a hug from Fauna, arms around her torso. Looking at her face, she was met with an expression of care, but it was mixed heavily with a form of sorrow on her behalf. On the other side of the couch, Sana was also hugging Ina, pulling her into her lap and setting aside her plushy. She whispered into her ear for a moment, trying to calm the woman down, who seemed to be in a similar state to her Genmate.

The Keeper sighed, one hand moving to lightly rub along the human’s good arm. “Gods... I think we just witnessed a small part of what went on in Kronii and Mumei’s relationship when they first got together. If misunderstanding time is that easy, then no wonder they fought so much at first.”

The Speaker gave a light hum of agreement, leaning away from her lover’s head. “Maybe... It kind of makes me understand Bae’s recent efforts to learn about our domains’ functions more.”

Ina gave a small laugh in her arms, which seemed only half-genuine, as she looked down. “Perhaps I should follow her lead, then, or write a journal like Mumei. I apparently have too many holes in my knowledge.”

That caused the detective to cringe. She shook her head, sending her friend a regretful look. “T-that isn’t... Ina, I’m so sorry! I never realized that you... I don’t know how I didn’t ever explain that to you more clearly! Like, sure, it’s sort of true that I have a lot of freedom traveling when I’m only doing mild work, but that isn’t-”

The priestess’s eyes widened a bit, shaking her head quickly. “No! This... Like I said before, I didn’t ask enough questions about how you felt. If I had, then we could have cleared this up ages ago! But...” She grimaced, a small sheen over her eyes. “Was... I really hurting you thanks to such a small misunderstanding?”

The detective sighed, her fingers digging into her Tako at this point. “Don’t... don’t worry about it. Really, I... I deserve blame in this.” She looked off to the side. “I can hardly believe it myself, but... I guess I do tend to talk more about the cases themselves rather than the mechanics behind them.”

Fauna giggled beside her, somehow managing to give a teasing smile despite things. “Well, to be fair, I’d say your adventures are more exciting to hear about. And we all know how you and Kronii struggle to explain things to us linear time enjoyers.”

Despite herself, the time-traveler could not help but snort. “Nobody says ‘linear time enjoyers.’”

“Sounds like we need to coin the term, then!” Sana chimed in, grinning as she nuzzled the top of Ina’s hair. “We can teach it to Bae for the next time an alternate you visits her bar! We can tell her it’s the new cool thing in your Network and see how long it takes for her to catch on!”

This time, it was the priestess who giggled, trying to lightly swat the other woman off of her hair. “T-that’ll be so embarrassing when she finds out, though!”

The Speaker shrugged. “Eh, she can consider it payback for the pranks she’s been setting up in our meeting hall lately. I still feel like I haven’t washed out all the glitter from my body from one of them. Plus, she’s already a human zoomer, essentially - it’ll be on brand for her.”

The others giggled a little more at the comment. Once Ame calmed down, she let out a sigh, relaxing a little. She... really had to thank the Council members later for that one. It felt like their words had carefully undone some of the knots in her heart. It did not erase her shame, but... she could look at it a little more clearly now without devolving into paranoia.

The two had not dropped the conversation, though. The Keeper, who gave her a light squeeze, picked it right back up, looking at her Senpais warmly. “Now, are you both feeling better? If not, I’m sure I could come up with more time slogans.”

“What, are we trying to kill Bae with awkwardness now?” the detective quipped.

“Maaaybe,” the kirin-girl replied with a smile, before shaking her head. “But seriously, you two shouldn’t be beating yourselves up so much. It was an unfortunate mistake, but you both know what you did wrong now.” She tapped the blond on the nose. “And you don’t need to overthink this. It’s not your fault time is so complicated to explain. Why should you get blamed if we can’t always follow your best attempts at doing so?”

The time-traveler glanced away for a second as she pondered that. Then, with effort, she managed to give a small nod, though she did not think her expression entirely matched it. “I... guess not.”

The astro-girl shrugged on the other end of the couch. “Well, that’s a start, at least.” She then moved the priestess off of her lap and stood up, clapping her hands. “If it’ll make you feel better, though, how about you stay for lunch? You can tell us all about ‘time currents’ then, or whatever else you’d like!”

Fauna nodded, letting go of the human and standing as well. “That sounds wonderful, Sanana!” She looked at her Senpai. “You must be pretty hungry at this point, right? We have a few dishes we can make that should work with your gluten-free diet! Plus, we still have those cookies we promised you - both chocolate chip and sugar! So what do you say?”

Ame thought about it for a moment. Then, as she felt her stomach grumble - thankfully too quiet to hear - she sighed and relented. “Alright, sure. I should probably wait to hear back from Calli about something, anyway.” Hopefully she’ll have a lead on Kiara by then.

The Keeper nodded. “Sounds good! You both just wait here for a moment, and we’ll get you drinks to start with! I think we still have some warm water for a bit of tea.”

With that, both she and Sana walked off, heading into the kitchen while sending them both smiles. Once they went in there, the two Myth members were left alone sitting beside one another. There was silence for a few moments, both taking glances at each other but neither speaking up.

Eventually, though, Ina spoke up, looking tentatively at her friend. “Um... for the record, I don’t blame you for this, either. I’m sure you probably tried to tell me this all at one point, but it... must have gone over my head.”

The detective shrugged, her eyes studying the various drawings on the walls for a time. “It could be that. But to be fair, it’s not like I know any of this stuff in-depth. Just how it affects my work. I leave the studies to the Paradox Division so I can focus on... seeing everything in the moment!... And so I don’t go crazy like them.”

“...How crazy are we talking here?”

“Let’s... just say that a few people there could make the most deranged followers of the Ancient Ones here seem like upstanding, sane members of society.”

The priestess chuckled. “Well, then - I guess I made the right career choice.” She then frowned a little, looking down at her lap. “But... I feel like such an idiot right now, honestly. I know you probably are right now, too, as much as I wish you weren’t.”

The time-traveler frowned, dropping her gaze. “Feeling’s mutual.” A beat passed after this... and then she smiled a little, a tiny giggle leaving her. “Though... in a way, this is also sort of a relief.”

Ina looked at her with surprise, tilting her head. “Hm?”

“I mean... just the fact that this isn’t a complicated issue?” Ame explained, finally meeting her eyes. “There’s no magical reasoning I need to worry about, or... unresolved anger. It doesn’t get rid of all that we did the last several times, but... at least it seems simple to solve. In theory, anyway.”

The priestess stared back for a time, then smiled and chuckled, too. “That’s... a good way to look at things, actually.”

“Thank you - I recently got some encouragement to do better on that front,” the detective said, bowing slightly while being mindful of her arm.

Ina giggled a little more, a more content sigh leaving her afterward. Then, her eyebrows furrowing ever so slightly, she asked something else. “So... does solving this include... still coming over for games, or...?”

The time-traveler blinked, though she was not very surprised by the question... And thankfully, she had an answer to it, as she looked over to clarify something. “Are you going to hold me up anymore when I say I need to go?”

The priestess winced, shaking her head. “Of course not! If you’re short on time, you can go!” She paused, then twiddled her fingers together. “Um, if you ever do have more time when you say you need to leave, though... could I negotiate for just a bit more if I help you out afterward? Whatever you need done!”

Smiling a little, Ame scooted closer, using her good arm to pull her friend into a side hug. “We can work out the particulars on that sometime. It should be a minute before my next big mission.” She hummed in consideration. “Actually, if you’re willing, I’m still working out some systems with Calli to deal with... some difficult issues. Do you think we could start inviting her over when I have no shopping to do? To help her relax, too.”

Visibly relaxing from her answer, Ina returned the side embrace, smiling as well. “The more the merrier, right? We might even be able to get a full group for Mario Party next time if you’re up for it.” She then looked off in one direction, rubbing her chin. “Hm... Maybe I should also look into a few of the more temporal magic I’m supposed to have. Trying to understand those could help us avoid this sort of thing in the future, right? I’ve always been a little scared to - I don’t want to accidentally make your or Kronii’s lives harder! - but...”

“I or she could supervise for you if you want to try,” the detective offered. Truthfully, she was also a bit worried about what could happen if her Genmate dabbled in anything she should not. But so long as it was not anything too powerful and they were ready, it should be fine. Another benefit of the Ancient Ones not being actively malicious here.

Their conversation was interrupted by the return of Fauna and Sana, the former holding a mug in each hand while the latter carried a plastic bin full of cookies. The Speaker grinned, setting the treats on the coffee table before them while the Keeper gave out their drinks. “Here you both are! I know what they say about dessert before a meal, but you two handled your talk well enough that we thought you earned it! Food will be done soon!”

Her former Senpais gave their thanks to her, taking sips of the tea (chai, as it turned out - not all that bad in the blond’s opinion). As she sat there, sipping her drink and picking out a cookie to try, the time-traveler watched the others. The Council members stayed behind for a minute to give kisses to the priestess’s cheeks, who was blushing and giggling. She was not trying all that hard to push them away, though, as she told them to focus on the food.

She smiled slightly at the scene, biting into her chocolate chip cookie. There was still more clarifying to be done after this, of course. Plus, there were a bunch of reevaluations of her Genmate she would be doing, now that she knew the truth of this mess. But right now, the future seemed to be bright for them both! She could not have asked for a calmer scenario.

...If only she could believe things would go as well with the phoenix once she found her.

-------

Ame had not expected the rest of her afternoon to be easy, naturally. After the nice meal and Ina’s and giving her goodbyes to everyone there, she had been bracing herself for the talk she had been dreading the most. She had believed that at any moment, Calli would call her and she would be heading off to whatever meeting place Kiara wished. Frustration and remorse seemed to be coming right over the horizon for her.

...Yet she had not expected so much of the former just trying to find the phoenix.

Despite her best efforts, the reaper had been unable to locate the firebird. All of the blond’s own attempts to reach her via texts and Discord had also been highly unsuccessful. She would have believed she was being stonewalled, if not for her phone indicating that her messages had not been read at all. It suggested that the other was simply not using hers, whether due to not having it or it being shut down/out of battery.

In either case, though, it made the task of trying to find her significantly harder. The detective had taken time to run all around town to areas she knew Kiara enjoyed, whether certain stores or one of the various parks. She had even moved by the beach at one point to see if her Genmate was brooding there. (That certainly would have been poetic in a sad way.)

But no matter where she went, she found no traces of the phoenix. Asking the people in these places had not yielded much better results, either, none claiming to have seen her. And, unfortunately, she knew that meant that the immortal had likely not been out much. The people around town usually took note of where the big Vtuber names went, even if they tried not to bother them. Thus, given the sample size she had questioned...

Of course, none of this was helped by her burned arm. It made it hard to conduct any sort of real investigations, given how it hampered certain movements and was just generally painful. Even taking her painkillers, moving around so much was not helping to make the throbbing go down.

This had led to the time-traveler being absolutely exhausted by the time late afternoon was rolling in. She got out of her Uber as the sun was setting, sighing heavily as her fingers caressed lightly over her bandaged skin. Few souls were out on the streets as she stood before the building where her office was, trying to shake off her lingering fatigue.

Maybe she should have been a ninja instead of an adventurer, she thought, pulling at the strap of her backpack. This whole thing was just baffling to her! If Kiara was not at her house, and she was not with any of their friends, then just where the hell was she?! And how was it that she had seemingly not been spotted for the past several days except by Ollie? Just where would that have been?

And the worst part... was something deep in her mind still insisted that she knew the answer! You would think having two decent conversations with people you were scared to lose as friends would have helped clear the mind some, but apparently not! There was still too much anxiety over what could possibly happen when they met, on top of-

“-Because I don’t need friends who only want to tear me down-”

...Well, the point was that her mind was still a mess, which had only gotten worse as the search dragged on. Without a case to distract herself, there was not much hope of clearing it much, either. It made her want to tear her hair out - could she not focus for one second and figure out what this phantom spot was? Feeling like an idiot for not recalling it sooner would be greatly preferred to running around aimlessly any longer!

That was partially the reason Ame had come back to her office, actually. She kind of hoped that maybe taking a few minutes to organize a few files or looking over her bulletin boards would be just what she needed to get rid of some of the cobwebs of nerves inside her. I might not be going anywhere for a few days, but some reviews won’t hurt. I could even add a few things to my notes on Gear’s world!

Sure, her last memories of being in there were... not great. Also, she was scared to look in one particular drawer and see if the firebird had messed with it on her way out days before. However... it was still her area of rest - almost like a second apartment to her. She refused to let that terrible meeting remove all the good feelings she had about the place.

(She supposed she also could have talked with someone to help ease her mind. However, she wanted to give more time to Calli and Ina to process their talks, and she figured everyone else could do for a bit longer having some relative peace. Not to mention she had not seen Gura yet, so getting her would have been awkward, too. If this did not work, she was prepared to contact Ollie or Kronii to talk, but until that proved necessary...)

Plus, she needed to make a stop anyway to deal with her arm. It was nearing time to replace the bandages and reapply some burn cream to it, and she could go for another round of painkillers. It would... admittedly be hard to do that on her own, but she had experience working with one hand on injuries before. And if she found she could not manage, she would give a quick call to the Warden or someone to come help her. (Her Kouhai should have her potions, too.)

With this in mind, the detective walked into the building, her posture slumped from her running about. Yet she still had the energy to make it to the stairwell, digging for her keys already to get into her office. I wonder what Ollie thought about finding the place unlocked? She knew the phoenix did not have a key, and with how she had rushed out, the fact had hit her right after she had left. She had not had any time to correct that, though, so she had let it be as she got to her meeting.

A part of her felt like it would have served her right if she had gotten robbed before the redhead had gotten there to check on things. But her girlfriend had not said anything like that happening, so she assumed everything was fine. Still, she knew the zombie tended to not look at her... small collection (she hated how that made it sound like she wanted to collect them when she very much did not). There was still a chance that was tampered with.

You don’t have to look in there right now, the time-traveler pointed out to herself as she reached her floor. Entering the hall, she turned and looked at the door to her office, trying to straighten her posture. She could just check on them tomorrow after she had hopefully talked with everyone. For now, she would focus on trying to ease up some and debate whether it was worth continuing the search into nightfall. She took a few steps toward the door-

-only to stop as a shadow approached from the other side of its misty window. She blinked, standing in place as she processed this. Had... someone actually broken into her office? She could warp out of there if so to get a weapon or the police, but... could it also have just been her lover? She would not put it past the undead-girl to surprise her by waiting to greet her, likely guessing she would make her way there eventually.

Further speculations were stopped, though, as the person reached the door and opened it. The blond tensed, watching as they stepped out... and she saw it was both the best and worst possible person it could have been.

She now understood why she had the suspicion that her earlier question’s answer was obvious. It probably also explained how Ollie had found her. Yet she had also dismissed it subconsciously, figuring her Genmate would want to distance herself from this place for a while. Not to mention she should not have even had a key!

And yet... there was Kiara stepping out - who looked, without meaning to be rude, absolutely wrecked. Unlike the others, it seemed like she had not found a way to get any good sleep, bags starting to form under her eyes. While she seemed clean, she did not appear to have taken care of herself otherwise, her clothes and hair disheveled. Her expression was hollow, and she even swore there were signs of recent tear marks down her cheeks.

One of them also had a sizable bruise that was impossible to miss, too, of course.

The phoenix did not notice her at first, stepping out with a broom and dustpan. It appeared she had been about to sweep up the front entrance - a task she had originally given Ollie. Her downward gaze soon came up, though... and she immediately froze, eyes going almost impossibly wide. Her cleaning supplies fell from her hands, clattering to the floor.

Ame did not react to that, though, her face in a similar expression of shock. It seemed that, at long last, it was time to have her meeting with the firebird... If only she felt any better prepared for it than she had days before...

Chapter Text

Kiara was sure that the others had been worrying about her. Beyond letting Pomu know to go to her house to feed and take care of her cats, she had not looked at her messages. She had silenced and turned them off, in fact - not wanting any interruptions to her penance. She knew her silence was probably eating at a few of them, especially her girlfriend and Calli, but... she had been feeling too numb to care the last few days. If they got extremely worried, Ollie knew where she was anyway, so she let it be.

Rather than focus on that, though, she had taken to the list the zombie had sent her of chores to do there. Some of it simply involved dusting and a bit of vacuuming, while others were more complicated, like finding specific files and moving them to certain places Ame would go to begin a new case. There were even instructions to look at a few particular documents of testimonies and the like, then mark down any irregularities.

The scope of this work and more turned out to be rather trickier than the instructions made them seem, but even so... she did them all diligently. She looked into every nook and cranny to get rid of small pieces of dirt; found every file no matter how confusing the organization was to her; scanned those documents until her eyes ached. These tasks and more she got through, double-checking after each one to ensure it was done properly no matter how lost she felt at times beyond cleaning.

It gave her a first-hand experience of what the detective did in her job when not out seeing the multiverse, she supposed. She... was not sure what sort of enjoyment the detective got out of some of these tasks, if she was honest. It seemed like a lot of busy work to her. But if the blond got joy out of it, and she and the undead-girl had fun spending time together like this, who was the firebird to judge?

Besides, if this helped her to atone for her mistake... she would do ten times this work.

It was that conviction that had spurred the phoenix on over the time she had spent in that office. She had not left the place at all, beyond going out to use the bathroom and showers this place had. (The time-traveler told her once she thought the building was once meant to be used for gym workouts or such, which explained the latter’s presence.) Food had not been an issue for her, either, both thanks to a small fridge in the office and having deliveries sent there (no contact, of course). As such, she had been able to go through the list given without interruption, and slept on the pullout couch.

...Not that she had gotten that much sleep. Even with the work to help distract her, thoughts of the coming confrontation with Ame plagued her. In what small bouts of rest she had gotten, she had not been able to escape nightmares about everything going wrong - her Genmate angrily shutting down her attempts to reconcile and cutting her out of her life. One of the worst and even included the other using her watch to leave the timeline, vowing never to return - an absurd possibility, even with what had happened. But despite that, she had still been in tears waking up from that one.

So, while she was rested enough to not collapse, she was far from being fully operational. She could not get to sleep after those dreams, so she ended up just going back to her tasks. When she had officially run out earlier today - the detective not having wanted to overwork Ollie, evidently - she ended up just dusting and sweeping for the sake of it. She had also taken time to read over more files, seeing what she could learn about her friend’s (?) fieldwork.

She had lost herself in this, trying to pass the time and figure out what she was going to do. Several scenarios had been turned around in her head of ways she could approach the time-traveler when she got back. Yet no matter how much she tried to consider them, she kept doubting herself. It felt like one wrong word and their entire friendship would be lost forever. Even having been reminded by Ollie that Ame was likely going through the same thing did not ease her mind forever. If anything, it only made her want to make this more perfect.

Her entire day had progressed along these lines... only for her to realize she had lost track, and run out, of time.

Kiara knew she should have expected this. It was the third day since the detective left - right when she had said she would probably get back from her mission. No doubt the orange-haired woman had gotten messages throughout the day from the others that she had returned. It only made sense she would then make her way to her office that same day, if only to drop off her backpack and supplies.

And yet... the firebird was still caught off-guard when she had stepped out of the office. She had been about to do some cleaning out in the hall while she continued her ponderings. It was not technically on the list, and there might have been building cleaners who took care of that area, but she had wanted to feel like she was still doing something - not pretending to. She had gathered up a broom and dustpan, intent on getting the nearby floor swept up before the time-traveler got back-

-only to see that she had already done so, and was standing only a meter or two away.

The phoenix had dropped her supplies the moment she spotted her. She almost thought she was hallucinating at first, but after a moment, she realized the blond was indeed there, also visibly shocked at seeing the other. She was slightly unkempt, as if she had been running around recently, and her eyes were a little puffy, seemingly from crying earlier. But otherwise, the human was as she remembered her.

...Except for the glaring detail of her left arm being wrapped up in bandages and in a sling.

Kiara’s breath hitched the instant that information registered. It was not a full cast, so she assumed the limb was not broken, but... she had read the file. She could almost picture the flames that her Genmate had to contend with. She could almost feel the sensation of the other’s arm burning at the time - skin reddening and blistering, with perhaps even a few nerves getting damaged. An unbearable heat that would have been made far worse if she had come along and would have known from the start if she had listened-

On instinct, she began to rush forward, several questions already bubbling in her throat - mostly boiling down to “what the hell happened?!” Her mind already was flashing with what she knew about treating burns, wanting to go through them all to ensure that the time-traveler had done them all. Admonishments for having let this happen built in the back of her mind as... as...

The realization of what she was doing hit her as she reached her fourth step. Even if it had not, though, the reaction of Ame would have clued her on. The blond had taken a step back, her good arm shielding the injured one from the immortal. Her blue eyes showed her trepidation as to what may have been about to happen... along with a quick flash of anger and tired acceptance. Her jaw was tense, as if already prepared to retort whatever was about to come from the other’s mouth.

It made the phoenix stop all at once, the words dying in her throat. Her heart dropped to her stomach, feeling like a block of ice that made her whole body feel freezing. This... was how it always happened, was it not? Every time her friend (?) came back with a major injury, she would immediately lay into her about it. Use it to make her point about this being why she needed to bring help more often. Granted, those arguments were usually a bit more tame than the ones about leaving, but they both got riled up all the same.

And even with all she had been going through these past few days - had learned about the ways she had been wrong... she had just about done so again here.

That realization made a wave of guilt roll over the firebird, strong enough to almost crush her entirely. Her arms, which she saw had begun to reach out, dropped limp to her sides. She could not even look at the blond as her cheeks flushed in shame, turning her head away. You... you stupid bird. Not even a minute reunited, and you almost screwed up already...

She tried to think of a way to apologize for her small blunder, but... she just could not. All she could do was shuffle back, arms wrapping around herself as she spoke quietly and meekly. “I... I’m sorry.” It was pathetic to her own ears, but it was all she could muster.

Her words seem to make the detective realize her own reaction, too. She looked down at her defensive posture, before slowly dropping it, her expression morphing into one of regret. Her voice came out slightly strained. “N-no, you... I wasn’t...” Her mouth opened a few times, but she ultimately trailed off, looking off to the side as well.

After that, they just... stood there. It felt like an eternity of silence passed between them, but it was probably only a few minutes. It did not make the air feel less stifling, though. They hardly moved, either, as if doing so would only cause more problems.

The phoenix bit her lips, her insides feeling wound up tighter than she had ever felt before. She tried to think of any of the starts to conversations she had imagined before... but her mind was drawing a blank now. How well would they even work now after how she had just acted? It appeared that the time-traveler was in a similar state of mind to her, eyebrows furrowed and her good hand clenching and unclenching at her side.

...Maybe this was a mistake, the orange-haired woman considered. What... had she actually thought would happen by doing this? That they would run up and hug each other, saying sorry and smiling brightly right afterward? That the blond would see how she had tidied up for her and forgive her based on that? That all those instincts and patterns they had followed for so long now would just disappear because she felt bad?

...No. She was not naive enough to have ever believed any of that would happen. But confronting that all now certainly had a way of weighing one down with doubts.

Regardless, perhaps... it would be better to leave. They were already off to a bad start thanks to her, so... maybe they should let things settle for the night. Give them both time to consider how they wanted to approach this. Her heart ached at the idea... but it was even more painful to consider how things could go wrong from here.

Thus, her head still turned away, she started speaking, feeling like her words were being used to defuse a bomb. “I... I should go. You... probably need some time to recuperate after your mission, so I’ll... let you get to that.” Despite herself, she swallowed and dared to look more at her Genmate. “I... kept your office clean for you. The files you wanted for cases are in the right places, too. I... triple-checked on that.”

Ame did not respond to this, her head lowered enough to make reading her expression difficult. Not wanting to push her luck on that, Kiara sighed and accepted the reaction, looking down. “I... I’m glad you made it back. I’m sure you’ll... recover in no time. You... You always...” There was so much more she wanted to say, but her voice started to choke up. Thus, holding back the tears in her eyes, she just tried to end things now. “I’ll... I’ll see you later. Just let me... Whenever you want to. Don’t feel... Take your time.”

She wanted to run out of there after that, but she forced herself to only walk. Her heart clenched more as she neared her fellow EN member to get past, but she dared not do anything to set her off. She kept her head turned away, keeping her arms wrapped around her as she kept her steps gentle. She tried to move gently around her side, focused on reaching the stairwell and finally going home, ready to collapse and sob into her bed for her incompetence here-

-only to feel a hand grab her firmly by the elbow.

Almost yelling in shock, she held back the noise as she went completely rigid. She looked wide-eyed at the detective, who was not letting go of her. The human’s expression was still hard to read, but her eyes had closed tightly, her body trembling a bit as if struggling. Her injured hand twitched, clearly trying to clench but being stopped by its current state and the gauze.

Then, in a quiet voice, her friend (?) spoke up. “Why... don’t you come inside for a moment? I could... use some help replacing these bandages. I... have some burn cream that needs to be applied, too, and... it’s pretty hard to do it all with one arm.”

The phoenix stared at her for a long moment. They both knew this invite was not really about her injury. Perhaps she really did need a little help, but... that was just the excuse. She wanted the other to stay - to talk. Even though she was clearly struggling to figure out what to say herself.

It took incredible willpower to not weep right there. (Out of relief, joy, or something else, she did not know.) As it was, the firebird felt a tear or two slip out as she took a shaky breath... then nodded slowly. “Y-yeah... sure. I can... do that.”

The time-traveler visibly slumped at this, likely worried she had been about to refuse. The blond then pulled her gently toward the office again, both of their steps awkward and uncertain. They went over the broom and dustpan as they moved, neither bothering to acknowledge them nor try to pick them up. They were too lost in their little world to care about them right now.

Once they were inside, Ame closed the door and locked it behind them. Her eyes then scanned the office, her expression remaining neutral as she took in how clean the place was. Her gaze stopped, though on the bed that was still pulled out, and clearly having been slept on not too long ago. There were also a few files that the immortal had been reading sitting on there, their contents kept organized but each folder laid randomly across the mattress.

Kiara gulped as her Genmate took in that scene. She also could not help glancing at the trashcan in the room, nearly filled with takeout bags. She shifted on her feet, one hand bunching up the bottom of her shirt. “Um... I can put those up real quick. I kept note of where each one came from. A-and I’ll empty your trash! I-”

“It’s fine,” the detective reassured, at the very least not seeming annoyed. She tried for a smile, nodding over at the pullout. “It’s a good bed, isn’t it? I almost feel bad that I don't use it too much any more thanks to Ollie.”

The phoenix managed a small chuckle at this, rubbing the back of her head. “I’ll give you that. I expected it to be a bit stiff at first, but I understand a bit better how you felt comfortable sleeping here when doing ‘extra’ work.” (And after the last few days she had, she did not think she could comment on her doing that for the next little while.)

They shared a smile at this... but it was far too fleeting. They were soon frowning again, glancing around the room with unsure postures. But eventually, the time-traveler coughed and looked over at her desk. “Why... don’t we sit down over there and get started?”

Kiara nodded without protest, following behind her fellow EN member. She stood to the side for a moment as the other took one of the two chairs in front of her desk and put it beside the rolling one she normally sat in. She then put her backpack on the desk and unzipped it. With only one arm, she managed to get out a large bundle of gauze, a container of burn cream, and a bottle of painkillers, putting each beside each other.

Upon seeing that last one, the firebird made a quick decision and ran over to the fridge. She pulled out a water bottle from there, quickly bringing it back as her friend (?) sat down in her chair, handing it over. “Here.”

Ame grunted, taking the bottle and setting it in her lap. As she fiddled with her bottle of pills, she looked over to her small refrigerator. “Did you help yourself while I was gone?”

While there was no judgment in her voice, the phoenix could not help but flinch at the question. She wrung her hands, taking her own seat. “I-I’ll replace what I took. I promise.”

The detective winced as well at this. “No, I just mea-” She stopped, then let out a long sigh, getting the cap off of the pill bottle. “...Alright. Take your time with that, I guess...”

More silence followed as the blond got out a few pills, then set the rest aside as she got her water. Once that was opened, she wasted no time taking the medicine, sighing with satisfaction as she did so. The immortal could sympathize there - in her adventuring life, she had not always had access to painkillers or healing magic when getting bad injuries. Yet no matter if someone could “take” the pain, she believed deep down everyone liked getting relief from it where they could. It did not make you weak to do so.

...She wondered how much she may have given her Genmate the opposite impression up until now.

Regardless, once the time-traveler was done drinking, she put the bottle back on the desk. Then, after a moment to consider it... she began to fiddle with the strap of her sling. Slowly, she undid the buckles keeping it secure, before pulling it off her shoulder. Once she set that aside as well, she then carefully moved her arm out, twitching slightly as she did so but managing to deal with the pain.

Once it was held out enough, she then just... looked at the phoenix expectantly. The orange-haired woman caught on to the offer, her heart quivering as she worried about a potential overreaction on her part. However... she also did not want to refuse the olive branch being given to her, for both their sakes. So, scooting her chair closer, she took a deep breath. Then, finding where the bandage had been secured near the shoulder... she began to unwrap it.

She took her time, being mindful of how raw the skin must have still been. Ame took in a few hissing breaths as she worked, but otherwise stayed still. Soon, the gauze was gone from her upper arm, then was removed from the elbow as the forearm was undone. The hand was eventually unwrapped, leaving the whole limb exposed, and...

...Well, the firebird could admit she had seen worse - had caused worse, too, against enemies. But still, seeing all that red skin caused her chest to tighten. She could see the small patterns where the flames had washed over it and signs of where blisters had tried to form but had been cleaned. Her friend (?) seemed to be doing fine with it now, but just imagining the sting and heat of when she first got it, as hard as it was due to her pyromantic nature...

Still, she was at least proud of herself for not immediately acting like she was handling glass the moment the sight was revealed. Instead, keeping her breath steady, she gave a questioning glance to the other. “Do I need to clean this at all before applying the cream?”

“That’s what’s recommended normally for these injuries,” the detective admitted, continuing to keep her arm steady. “It’s not as important since I’ll be taking potions as well, but if you want to use the water to clean it a little to be safe...”

Kiara shrugged, figuring that would not be so bad. Looking into the backpack, she managed to find a rag that looked rather soft and would not irritate the skin. (She’s always so prepared - yet I kept forgetting that.) Dapping some water onto it, she began to rub it along the burned skin, hoping it would be fine without any soap or the like. The blond grunting this time from the contact, her good hand clenching and her injured one trying to, which only seemed to make the pain worse. But despite trembling some, she managed to not jerk around too much.

Even while having to grit her teeth, though, the human was able to continue conversing, looking at her curiously. “You know... it was hard to tell, but you didn’t seem all that surprised that I was burned. I’m not sure I actually mentioned what the anomalies were capable of.”

“I... don’t think you did either... which was my fault,” the phoenix replied, looking down in shame for a second. Taking a breath, she shook her head. “You said my fire wouldn’t work, but... I figured out how much worse it was than that from the file you left behind.”

She could not tell if the flinch the time-traveler gave was due to the comment or because she brushed a particularly sensitive area. “You... read the documents?”

“Very thoroughly,” Kiara confirmed. She bit her lips, slowing down her work for a bit. “I... I should have listened to you about it. If I had, then maybe...” She let out a shaky breath. “You were right. I would have made things worse by being there.” She dared not imagine how much worse her Genmate would have walked out of that mission like if she had been there. Would her entire arm be a black charred mess? Would she have even had time to get somewhere to avoid being burned anywhere else? What about all the other Ames’ that had been there?

Her Ame did not say anything to deny this, though it did not seem to please her to hear, either. Shifting in her seat, though, she looked back at the bed. “Are... those the kinds of files you’ve been reading while I’m gone?”

“...Quite a few of them have been,” the phoenix said. It had certainly been more enlightening - not just for more anomalies that she was useless against, but the others as well. There was almost something unnerving to see names she recognized on those files - Ina for one variant that pulled on eldritch energy, and Roboco for another that caused AI to advance and regress simultaneously. There had even been names on a few occasions for Nijisanji and VShojo members.

The detective sighed, looking away. “I see... I’m glad I never really bothered to add witness statements from seeing some of those effects in action, then. I know seeing the semi-clinical ways they were described in those papers had to be unnerving enough. I’m lucky to have not witnessed many of them myself.”

“...But you did say you saw another me die to the anomalies you just fought, right?”

“...I suppose I did.”

“I... I read what that was supposed to look like.” Kiara looked at her imploringly, needing to ask this after what she heard from Ollie. “Are you... How bad was it to see?”

...The time-traveler did not meet her eyes, remaining quiet for several seconds. Then, she gave a small shrug, her voice... tired. “I’ve gotten over it. I... just try to be grateful that I managed to get out of that one unscratched.”

The phoenix frowned. That answer did not inspire confidence in her - it was barely a response at all. But... she was sure she would not be told anything if she pressed, and she could not blame her for that. So instead, she sighed and returned to her work. “As long as Kronii helped you after that... right?”

Ame looked a bit surprised, likely having expected more on the topic. But she tried to hide it with a cough, settling back as the immortal finished up with the cloth. “Yeah, she... she did. Ollie’s also let me vent when... bad memories come to mind.”

Kiara hummed, inspecting the arm. A bit of puss had come out of a few areas, but she wiped those up with the cloth before pulling back. She decided to give the injury a little time to settle after the small cleaning before doing anything else. It might not have been necessary, but she refused to risk causing any more pain for the human than was required.

While she waited, though... their exchange reminded her of something else that needed to be done. Wanting to kick herself for almost leaving while she still had the items, she cleared her throat to get her friend’s (?) attention. “Speaking of that... I know it might not be the best time to, since we’re dressing your burns up and all, but... I figured you would want...” She trailed off, not able to complete the idea. However, she dug into her pocket, and then held out the earrings still in her possession.

The reaction was near instantaneous, with the detective’s eyes almost bulging out of her head. Her good hand trembled as she reached out and accepted the two pairs, a bit of moisture building up in her eyes. Fingers delicately wrapping around them, her voice trembled as she fought to remain composed. “You... kept them safe?”

“They’ve been in my pocket for the most part, but yes,” the phoenix promised. “I didn’t know if you wanted me poking into the drawer, and... I was kind of scared to look, too.” Then, figuring it was also important to the blond, she added onto this. “None of the others saw or know about them. I... only made clear you made some strong points against me.”

A tear escaping her eye, the time-traveler nodded without looking away from the feathery accessories. She rolled her chair back, putting herself next to the drawer she got them from. She reached down to open it... only to stop, looking at her burned arm. Biting her lips, she looked between the two, which confused the firebird for a moment... but she soon realized the issue. There was probably a special way she wanted to put them up, but precision was very limited when you only had one arm to work with. Especially when bending down like that might irritate her injury.

...That thought helped make it less surprising when Ame looked back at her, swallowing with a hesitant, even slightly worried look. “Could... you help me with this?”

Kiara’s heart officially froze in her chest, painfully cold. Yet even so, she somehow found herself nodding. She felt like she was being pulled by strings as she got up from her chair, shuffling closer and kneeling beside her. “Just... tell me what to do.”

The detective continued to bite her lips, gesturing for her to open it. Before she could be stopped by any doubts, the orange-haired woman complied, pulling the drawer out slowly. Taking a deep breath, she forced her eyes to peer inside so she could help with this. There were not any supplies like pens or ammunition to be found there. There was quite a bit of foam and other soft materials present, though, that seemed to be used to keep the... trinkets safe.

She was... not sure what else she was supposed to call them. On the top layer alone were quite a few small pieces that were both familiar yet different. A piece of a trident tip, purple instead of the blue she knew. An owl feather darker than the one her Kouhai used in her hair. A dark blue ribbon with a skull accessory on it for the former form of a certain necromancer... which was unnervingly too similar in appearance to that. But even so, there was some unknowable itch in her mind that told her it was not the same one.

And those were only a few of what was present... even if seeing one of them alone was bad enough. Having held those earrings for so long was bad enough, in fact! Yet at the same time, she could not help staring at them - taking in every detail of their difference to what she felt deep inside was “correct.”

She was sure her face showed how she felt about seeing it, but she did not dare utter a word. Neither did the time-traveler, who quietly directed her to move a bit of the foam. She did so, trying so hard not to touch anything else in the drawer. She did not let herself falter as the shift made a few more trinkets peek out for her to see. Nor did she recoil when her fingers ended up brushing along one anyway - two bone-shaped hairpieces, gold instead of white.

Her Genmate held the earrings to her lips for a second, whispering what sounded like an apology to them. (For taking them out, maybe?) Swiftly yet carefully, she put them into the opened area for them, letting them rest next to one another. She nodded to the firebird once more, who covered them up before pulling her hand back, clutching it to her chest on instinct. Then the blond pushed the drawer closed, and the items were hidden from sight again.

The two sat back afterward, neither speaking for a while. They both stared at the ground, not appearing to know what to say about... that. It could not just be left alone, but that did not make addressing it easier.

Eventually, however, Ame got things moving again, whispering almost too quietly to hear. “Why don’t you get the burn cream open?”

The phoenix did not need to be told twice, uncaring about how much of a non-sequitur that was. After another moment of stillness, she managed to stand up and get back into her seat. She grabbed the burn cream bottle, twisting off the cap and getting ready to start applying it.

Before she could dap her fingers into it, though, the detective glanced at her face, grimacing as she looked away again with remorse. “I... think I have patches in my bag, too, if you want to bandage up your cheek really quick.”

...Blinking, Kiara had to take a moment to recall what she was talking about. The moment she did, though, a slight stinging emanated from the bruise there, making her face twitch. She... kept forgetting about that, honestly. Its presence tended to fade into the back of her head until she happened to see her reflection in the window or such.

She almost wanted to refuse, not seeing much purpose in doing anything by that point. Unlike with a whole burned arm, one potion should be able to heal her right up if she got one from Magni or Shion! But when she turned to tell the blond that... she took in how ashamed the other was over it. Once that was processed, she sighed, grabbing the bag and looking through it. “Alright. Just let me...”

In no time at all, she had found a large band-aid tucked away in an inner pocket. Taking a moment to make sure her cheek was clear, she stuck it on, covering as much of the area as she could. She looked to her Genmate, gesturing vaguely at it to see if she was satisfied. Given the small sigh she got along with the nod, she assumed that was the case. So with that done, she dabbed her fingers into the cream, then started applying it to the burns.

The time-traveler sucked in a breath upon contact, but it soon became more relaxed as the medicine took effect. The phoenix took her time, ensuring she got every inch of skin that needed it while never pressing too hard. There... was almost a peacefulness to the process, treating her wounds while nothing got in the way. It... was almost normal.

However... the firebird knew that they were solving nothing like this. They were only healing surface wounds right now - nothing of the emotional ones they had caused, especially to the human. They just kept dancing around the issues - almost ignoring them entirely and wasting so much time. Both apparently too scared of what would happen, even now.

...But the thing about them both was that they were stubborn. Therefore, given the goal of trying to make amends, inevitably one of them would simply take the plunge just out of frustration with themselves.

The one who cracked first in this case was the immortal, who took a deep breath. Her eyes drifted as she worked, staring at the drawer. Forcing the lump out of her throat, she finally broke the wall between them with what she hoped was the simplest start. “Why... why do you have those things? Why... keep them?”

Ame sighed deeply, apparently having expected this. She looked out the window, staring at the surrounding buildings in the dwindling afternoon light. Then, she gave a small shrug. “Some... of them were given to me, whether as a token or a form of thanks. Others... didn’t have anyone to mourn them, so I tried to take the mantle as best I could, even if a few were evil.” She grimaced. “And there were some that I tried to give back to other versions of us... only to have them thrown back at me as they screamed at me to leave.”

That last one caused Kiara to wince. (The second was a little... personal, too.) “Christ...”

“Yeah... I can’t really bring myself to hold a grudge usually, though. They were grieving, and... sometimes, I had some level of responsibility. I never... did it unless it was the ‘best’ option for everyone - especially the world, or even timeline - but...” The detective took a breath, shaking her head. “But anyway, those are how I usually gain those.”

The phoenix felt her heart squeeze a little. The way she said that - about having a level of responsibility... The implication was obvious, but she almost instinctually tried to ignore it. Not wanting to believe that her friend (?) had to... That she had been forced to...

To this end, her eyes still firmly on the drawer, she asked something else... despite dreading the answer. “Are... those the only ones you have?”

...Another pause followed, before the time-traveler almost imperceptibly shook her head. “It’s not much more - just a small box back at my apartment. It’s not like I’m constantly witnessing all of you guys’ deaths, or always get a small ‘piece’ from them. And I do get rid of a few on occasion. Some have small effects that are useful for a case, or their original friends get into a better place, find me, and apologize to get them back.” Her good hand flexed some. “...But some I’ve had for a long while. Years, even.”

Swallowing thickly, Kiara looked carefully at her Genmate’s face as she slowly finished with the burn cream. All that she had heard so far only made her feel horrible for her. Knowing she had to suffer silently with these things whenever Myth met up, and with several of the others, too. Knowing that... it was thanks to the firebird herself that she had not shared with most of them about this all, too.

Yet... one last question about lingered in her mind. She wondered if it was a step too far, with how fragile things still were... but despite this, she found her mouth moving before he could consider it more, her voice trembling. “And... have any of these trinkets been from... an Ollie? Or Kronii?” If she had witnessed a version of her girlfriend die before her, or her best consultant to her issues...

“...None so far,” Ame said quietly, after the last of her arm had been rubbed with cream. “Doesn’t mean that one won’t join the collection potentially someday in the future. Just... another thing to remember those lost alternates by.” She stopped... then lowered her head as her tone wavered. “I... I just hope they don’t... end up with a trinket from me anytime soon, or... or...”

That officially tore the phoenix’s heart to shreds. A choked sound left her throat, knowing she was responsible for digging up that fear making it all the worse. She put her hands in her lap, her lips trembling as she forced her words out. “I... I’m so sorry. I... I never should have said that to you. I never meant to... I know you two have a long relationship ahead of you - I feel it! I... I didn’t mean those words!”

“...Then why did you say it?” the detective asked, her voice at last expressing how hurt she felt. She looked at the orange-haired woman, her eyes glistening with a broken quality to them. Yet even amid the sorrow, an undercurrent of anger remained from days ago.

Kiara looked away, biting her lips hard enough to nearly draw blood. All she could do, though, was shake her head, closing her eyes as her tears fell. “I don’t... I don’t know. You deserve a better explanation than that, but... I just don’t know. I was frustrated, and I wasn’t thinking clearly, and...” She sniffled, trying to wipe her face - nearly tearing off her band-aid with how hard she was doing it. “But that wasn’t... what I was trying to say. I can’t expect you to believe me on that, but it wasn’t. I...” Her voice tapered off, becoming a whimper. “I just wanted to help.”

The time-traveler had turned away at some point, her eyes fixated on the ground. Her good hand tapped at the armrest of her chair while her burned one continued twitching like it wanted to move. The immortal did not make a move, waiting to see what the response to what she said would be. She was expecting anything from a breakdown into sobs or to get a matching bruise on both cheeks.

Instead, the blond took a deep breath, then spoke in a tight voice. “That’s just it - I do believe you didn’t mean what you said about Ollie. I... I’ve been hoping this whole time that you would say...” Another breath was taken, her good hand clenching into a tight fist. “But what I don’t understand is... why you kept doing it.”

The phoenix felt confused for a second, trying to reach out. “What do you-?”

“I mean why you’ve been so insufferable about my missions!” Ame exclaimed, standing suddenly. The orange-haired woman leaned back on instinct, but the human did not advance. Her gaze was incredibly heated, though, as she stared right into her eyes. The movements had to be causing her arm to flare in pain, but she seemed to barely notice.

“With everything else, we get along fine!” she continued, gesturing wildly with her good arm while the burned one remained limp. “Streams, hangouts around town, talks about our lives - hell, even a lot of my regular cases! Sometimes we argue during those, but it’s never anything too personal! Nothing that a few messages or a bit of time alone can’t fix!

“And most of the time... you have such nice things to say about my work. You smile and give compliments when I describe the harrowing jobs I’ve been through. You answer pretty much any question I have about your abilities - even if I ask about weaknesses. You maybe give a bit more attention to certain injuries when it’s not needed, but... it’s not overbearing or anything.

“And when you’re actually with me for a case... you listen to me.” She took in a shaky breath, glancing away as her eyes glistened again. “When I take you with no fuss, you don’t question my every step, or treat my strategies like they’re useless. We sometimes argue over a course of action - that’s a part of being partners out there. But when things get moving... you let me do what I need to.” Her gaze lowered further. “It... even makes me feel like I convinced you at times that I’m capable - even if it’s dangerous at times... until the next mission comes around and shatters that.”

The phoenix looked away, guilt pulverizing what was left of the shards of her heart. “Ame...”

“So what’s different?” the detective demanded, snapping her head back with a fierce expression. “What about me going on dangerous missions and cases makes it so that you think you need to insert yourself into them? Like I hadn’t considered the usefulness of everyone or didn’t have orders forbidding it? That makes you try to lecture me about my work that I’ve done for years like you know anything?! That makes you act like you were proven right when I get injured or need to get back up after all?! Why... why am I so FRAGILE to you?!?! ”

By the end of it, the time-traveler was breathing hard, her whole body shaking. Tears streamed down her face as her venting seemed to take all the energy out of her, her posture slumping as she struggled to keep standing. Yet her gaze remained on her, a chaotic swarm of so many emotions behind her eyes that it was difficult to tell if she was more angry or sad.

As for Kiara... she could only stare back for a time, not breaking that gaze. And looking into those eyes... she was able to see the depths of her mistake. All the pain she had caused the other laid bare, strangling them both. How deeply she had wounded the other, even without her comment from days ago.

It was nearly unbearable... but she saw the emotional wounds she had to heal now. And that started cleaning the wound - an explanation of some kind.

She pursed her lips, trying to think over her response. Whatever she said now would likely decide if there was any further conversation after this... or if their friendship was officially dead. She had to make sure this worked, or they might never patch things up after this. And yet... she was not sure her response would satisfy the other. The answer she had realized after what Calli had mentioned. Even at best, it could cause more emotional turmoil.

...But she knew it was better than nothing. She was certainly not going to lie to the poor woman. So, with a deep breath, she reaffirmed eye contact... then responded. “I... I didn’t want to be left without... being able to say my last goodbye. Even if I knew you’d probably be fine...”

As she expected, the time-traveler appeared to not understand that answer. She blinked, tilting her head at the firebird. “I... What does...?”

Sighing, the phoenix knew she would have to be far more detailed than that. But before she began, she grabbed the roll of gauze off the table, holding it up and looking at her Genmate expectantly. The blond had to take a moment to look between them and her arm, like she had forgotten about it. But quickly, she sighed as well and nodded, sitting back down and presenting the limb once more.

Kiara wasted no time in beginning to wrap the bandages around the burns, starting from the hand. And as she did so, she continued talking. “You know I was an adventurer in many of my past lives. Even when I was not exploring for treasure, I was still a free spirit like many phoenixes. So what sort of friends do you think I had normally?”

Ame tilted her head, still not appearing to know where this was going. But still, she shrugged and answered easily enough. “I would guess... other wanderers? People who wanted to see all the Realms like you and find amazing wealth and locations?”

“Right on the dot!” the phoenix confirmed with a small smile. “It’s not that I didn’t have acquaintances in towns and such. But you never know when I might leave a place for decades on end. And if those people were largely mortals - particularly with human lifespans... well...”

The detective hummed. “I see... Guess that explains a few things about my visits to you before.”

Kaira shrugged, unable to answer. While her Genmate said she had met her in her past for certain cases, she currently did not remember any of those lives, frustratingly enough. She had no doubt, though, that the blond had been able to assist with some of her adventures when they crossed paths. She’s always so excited to recount those to me, too... And look how I treated her in return for that...

Moving along from that, though, she shook her head and continued wrapping the other’s arm. “But anyway, a lot of my close friends were my companions on those various quests. And... a lot of them were mortal, actually. You all tend to have a bigger drive for this stuff on average, and... most ruins of lost civilizations are where you all live.”

The time-traveler gave a small chuckle at this. “I guess shorter lives mean we tend to break our societies quicker than immortals, huh?”

“Sure, but... the slowness of how some immortal societies collapse is painful to see for anyone with a mortal experience,” the phoenix said, scowling a little. “Do you know what it’s like to visit the Heavens and see the decay of the current angel hierarchy there? Yet despite it happening over millennia, no one in charge apparently has the brains to stop it. I mean, I know it’s far more complicated than that, but still! At least with you guys, a few years is quick enough to understand why it might be too late to stop a collapse as it starts to happen!”

Ame rolled her eyes, tone sarcastic. “I’m so sorry we humans have affected your view of time so much.” She then frowned, her brief amusement fading away. “But... I think you’re getting a little off track.”

The phoenix nodded, flushing a little at having distracted herself. But she did use that small, nice exchange to strengthen her resolve as she took another deep breath. “Right... But like I said, I’ve enjoyed lots of mortal company in my time. Not just when I’m on Earth, but across several Realms. A lot were human, some were animal-hybrids, and a few were of other species. And all of us, whether for fame or wealth, chased down places of adventure!

“And... it was a good life, for the most part. There are a lot of good memories I have about spending time in taverns or campsites, sharing food and drink with everyone. Everyone giving support and complimenting one another’s styles in battle - mages enhancing warriors' strength, and those in heavy armor defending those in robes. No matter the foe, we stood united to defeat them!” She gained a wistful smile. “It’s... wasn’t that different to what the Tempus boys do... or your own job, for that matter. A lot more investigation and research with you than I did then, but there were a few times I helped archeologists and the like.”

“You helped with a few of my investigations back then, too,” the detective added to that. “Not always for free, but I understood, given your lifestyle then.”

“Sounds about right,” Kiara admitted. (Even Shion and Kaela did not give away their labors to everyone without cost, usually.) She sighed, her bandaging reaching the elbow by this point. “That was my life, though. A constantly shifting band of adventurers fighting for the people and to go to exotic places. Some of my best lives before now were spent like that!”

...She paused, stopping her wrapping for a second. Then, sighing heavily, she looked down. “But... it was losing those people that affect me in ways I... never realized until recently.”

The time-traveler frowned, looking worried now. “Meaning...?”

The phoenix was silent, then resumed with the gauze, her voice quieter than before. “Can you imagine what it’s like, Ame? Eventually, one day... every mortal around me died. Whether it was from time or battle, they ended up in Death’s grasp.” She shook her head. “When I was around them, it would almost always be Calli who came to collect them, and thanks to her... I could sometimes get a quick goodbye to them. Even when not, I at least got to see their souls go and say it silently to myself. But... it still hurt to see.”

Ame’s eyes slowly lit up with understanding. She pursed her lips and looked away. “So... is that it? Lifetimes of seeing mortals die and leave you made you... overprotective of me?” She sighed, shifting in her chair. “That’s... I can understand that - really, I can. That kind of constant experience... You might think you get entirely used to it, but-”

“It’s not those deaths that got to me,” Kiara whispered, unable to meet her eyes. “It’s when... I don’t know what happened to them.”

Without looking at her face, she could feel the detective’s gaze on her. Her voice conveyed her shock. “H-huh?”

The phoenix chuckled bitterly. “My old friends... they didn’t always die around me. Sometimes it was me who died, and with my post-reincarnation amnesia, I didn’t always remember and find them before... enough time passed that I knew it was too late. Or people would leave the group and strike out on their own, and I would try to keep tabs on them, but... it was not always feasible. Especially with how much I moved around.

“And when I tried to look for them afterward - to get some closure... I would often find nothing of them, or where they ended up.” Her breathing became slightly irregular, but she kept speaking. “More time would pass as I tried to find any trace of them, knowing full well that as more went by, finding them became all the harder. Before I knew it, the world had forgotten their names beyond a few stories, if I was even that lucky. Their fates remain mysteries to me... and I...” A choked sob left her. “...never got a chance to say wish them off properly.”

She could almost feel the new tension in the time-traveler now. “K-Kiara-”

“I didn’t even have trinkets like you have to remember them by!” the firebird continued, glancing tearily at the drawer. “Hell, I could have used ones like those to get a necromancer to help me see them one last time! But I had nothing. No body to weep over, no personal item to hold onto - nothing! To this day, there are so many old friends who I don’t know what happened to them. To be able to grieve their passing properly... and make sure they were respectfully laid to rest. Their corpses not just rotting away on a mountainside somewhere.”

A more sorrowful, wet laugh left her. “My... my amnesia just makes it worse. Which sounds dumb, right? You’d think it would be a relief that I can’t always remember those friends I lost like that! But... then I’m just left to wonder how many people there might be like that in my memories - waiting to be recalled at random one day. Perhaps... ones I never remembered soon enough to even try to find them.” Her breath hitched. “Not to mention the gaps. Recalling a later life looking for someone, but... lacking the memories of the life that made me do so for them-”

A small grunt snapped her out of her thoughts. Focusing more, she saw she had accidentally pulled the latest loop of gauze too tight, nearing the shoulder by then. Yet... despite wincing in pain from this, the time-traveler seemed more focused on her , seeming horrified. “That... Kiara, I didn’t... I never...”

Said woman quickly looked away, loosening the bandages as she tried to finish wrapping. But even so, she sniffled and shook her head. “I... I didn’t, either. I never gave it too much thought. I had believed for so long that I was... dealing with that. I would... normally strike out solo for a while when too many memories hit me. That was usually when Calli would join me for company, or I’d drift back to more immortal friends I’ve had that... you know, wouldn’t die anytime soon.

“Yet... here we are...” Her body was wracked with more sobs as she finished wrapping the burns - not as good as who did it previously, but sufficient enough. She did not have the presence of mind to grab the sling, however, as she started to rub her watering eyes. “I’ve been realizing how much it all still haunts me. How I still hope that there are answers for some of my old friends' fates to be found. That I... can mourn them properly.”

She looked at her Genmate’s face, her eyes overflowing with tears. “And... I pushed that all onto you. Your job reminds me so much of those times - all of them. It... made me terrified deep inside that you’d leave for one of these missions, and... and...” She shut her eyes, trying and failing to get her breathing under control. “It’s bad enough that you’d be gone... but having your body be... lost like that...

“It’s why... why I wanted to put myself out there. Get you to take one of the others, if nothing else. So that if the worst happened, you... wouldn’t be alone. That there was someone who could try to get your remains home and... we could have a proper funeral. Give you the respects you deserve for all you do for us.” A final, hollow chuckle left her, as she slumped in her seat and rubbed a hand over her eyes. “...But that’s not how it appeared. I dragged in other stuff, not wanting to think about the real reason... and I hurt you so much thanks to that. I... I’m sorry. I’m just... I’m sorry.”

She tapered off into soft sniffles, so many other apologies lodged in her throat. But... she just felt too overwhelmed. There were no tasks to be done or other distractions to those past feelings she had long thought buried. A few of those friends appeared in her mind: a dog-man with black hair and a sleek green bow; a white-haired woman who was quite unremarkable in body but devastating with cryomancy; an incredibly old dwarf woman who marched around in enchanted gold armor.

So many faces like that... and she might never know what happened to them. Be able to have them buried and give some parting words to them - not in as meaningful of a way as she wanted to, anyway.

Kiara... still had trouble believing she had projected all of those emotions onto the blond. Had she seen them all in her from the very beginning? Or was it only after she had understood the scope of the other’s job? Perhaps it was even born from those forgotten memories of their past meetings - having “found” one of the friends she lost, and not wanting to lose sight of them... A fear that still felt very tangible to her, despite everything.

Because with everyone else she had lost... there was still a chance she could find where they died. Visit the sites and do whatever she felt was appropriate to lay them to rest. But... how could she ever find her Genmate if she died in another timeline? If Kronii lost track of her and...?

She cared for Ame so dearly... All she wanted was to be able to say farewell if the worst eventually happened.

She... she had drowned in those fears. Let them blind her to the damage she was doing to her friend’s (?) psyche. It made another painful sob go through her body. Her need for closure was no excuse to make her feel like she was seen as incapable. And Christ, how many times had she been told the other knew how to take care of herself - seen proof of it in this office? Why could she not have been satisfied with that, when even she believed the human would not die anytime soon?

And... what if this had been the time? Having to live with knowing what she did to her... What closure would she have achieved then? Pain like that could drag on a long time for an immortal... and she already had too much of it already. The devastation she would feel every time she remembered this life...

Thoughts like these clung to the phoenix as she sat there, trying to pull herself together. As her crying slowly quieted down, though... she started to become aware of someone else sniffling as well. Her insides twisting, she rubbed her eyes to clear her blurry vision... and sure enough, the time-traveler’s head was hung low, tears falling onto her lap. Both her arms rested on it, fingers twitching and not seeming to know what to do.

Trying to take a deep breath, the firebird attempted to scoot her chair closer, looking at the desk for the sling. “H-hey, you... It’s okay. L-let’s get that arm held up properly, and-”

“It was for reasons like this, you know,” Ame choked out.

Kiara blinked, looking back at her. “Reasons... for what?”

“Why... I kept quiet,” the detective elaborated. She sniffled again, using her good arm on her eyes. “I... I figured there had to be a good reason you all behaved the way you did. Ina was... just idiocy on both our parts. But with Calli and her powers... and your experiences that... I can’t even fully comprehend as a human...” Her tone slowly gained quite a bit of self-deprecation by the end there.

The phoenix’s eyes widened, knowing how much that particular topic frustrated her Genmate. Without thinking, she got up and kneeled beside her, though did not touch her yet, hands hovering. “Hey, don’t think like that! This... this isn’t your fault! Whatever we have gone through doesn’t justify what we did to you!” She looked down, her guilt welling up inside. “I... I only wanted to help... but all I did was crush you.”

The time-traveler looked away from her, clearly struggling with these words. Her voice remained strained as she spoke again. “I... know I’m supposed to accept this. That you all have fault in everything, too.” Her mouth twisted. “But... it’s so hard to when seeing you like this. When I wanted to... protect you all, too.”

Swallowing down any pained noises from that, Kiara looked further down. Tentatively, she dared to put one hand over the blond’s good one. When hers did not pull away, she let it rest there, taking another breath. “I know... I get that now. The anomalies you fight can be more dangerous to us than you. I should have listened from the start.”

“...It’s not just the anomalies that could kill you forever,” Ame whispered.

The phoenix stopped, somehow feeling... colder than she had even these past few days. It was not that such information was surprising in any way - her kind had been killed in several ways by others. Immortality, whether for a whole species like hers or a unique individual like the Council members, was never truly absolute. A final death can happen.

But... there was just a feeling she got from how her friend (?) said that. Some sort of personal experience there. And more than that... there was what she had said earlier about her trinkets from alternates. An implication she was finding it harder to ignore now as something itched inside of her...

...And that was when she realized she had not asked one particular question regarding those. She looked at the blond, almost certain she was going to hate the answer to this... but she asked anyway. “Ame... how did you get that other pair of earrings? The red ones? You said the small pair was killed by an anomaly, but...”

If the detective found that transition odd, it did not show. All she did was... slump slightly, suddenly seeming exhausted once more. The firebird’s unease only grew, wondering if she should take the question back.

She was just about to as well... until the other EN member started explaining, her voice... robotic. “We... that is, me and a small group of other Ames’, were investigating a beast terrorizing a village. It was not temporal in any way - it was just a regular case. It was before Ollie joined up with me, and I came in alone that time. But of the four other me’s, two brought partners. One was a Miko, interestingly enough - looked similar to ours, too. And the other...” She paused, then took a quick breath. “The other was... a you. Lots more red than teal in her colors, but looked similar enough to you otherwise.”

“It was... just supposed to be a simple job. The beast was supposed to be similar to a bear - thicker hide and not as hairy, and a bit of magical speed. But... it was supposed to be easy. Just trip it up, move in with the rifles with special bullets we had been provided, and shoot it dead. Nothing to it!” She shifted in her seat, shaking her head. “Of course... that strategy was reliant on there only being one of the blasted things.

“There was not. Three of them made themselves known pretty soon. One got in the trap we set up and was down pretty quickly. The other two, though, gave us a lot of trouble. Most of us were struggling with one of them - even with my Concoction, the thing was still hard to pin! And the other... was being distracted by the Kiara and her Ame.”

Another pause followed this. “...I don’t know exactly what happened over there. I... did learn that her reincarnation worked differently from yours afterward, though. She could be back in almost an instant, but with some holes in her memories. It could be disorienting, but dying once or twice would not have been an issue.”

...It did not take long for Kiara to catch on, gulping nervously. “But... she died more than that, didn’t she?”

The time-traveler closed her eyes, her good hand gripping her armrest. “Like I said, I don’t know exactly what happened. All I know is that when the rest of us finished with ours... we heard that Ame screaming in pain. When we went to check... The beast was dead, with a maw full of blood I could tell did not come from it. And...” Her breath hitched slightly. “Not... far away, that you had... pinned that Ame to the ground and was burning her shoulders. And when she looked over at us... her eyes were completely insane, and she was smiling so wide I think her lips split.”

The phoenix almost felt like throwing up hearing this, swallowing down bile. Another her had... been driven mad enough to torture her Ame? Even when she first revived after a death and recalled nothing, she was never crazy! Just what had happened? Had that creature’s speed really let it kill her a bunch of times in a row that fast? Maybe... even eating into her mid-revivification? What exactly would that do to her head?

Though... whatever the answer, she was guessing pretty well where this story was going. She almost wanted to stop it, but she found no words would reach her lips.

Even with how pained she seemed at the recollection, Ame did not stop herself, either. “It was... a blur after that. Everyone was scrambling when she suddenly lunged at us, throwing fire everywhere. That section of the forest soon became a wildfire as we tried to subdue her.” A small whine left her throat. “We... we didn’t want to kill her! We wanted to knock her out so that her Ame, once she recovered enough, could take them back to her timeline! Let all of her friends look after her until she regained her senses! If... that was even possible.

“But... there was a moment we were facing one another. Everyone else was in cover either resupplying or nursing injuries. I was keeping my rifle on her, hoping it would stop her from moving. And... she did stand there, cackling like a mad woman.” She suddenly released a long breath. “But then... I noticed the air distorting around her. I was confused at first... until I saw the blue sparks. Then I saw her hand was glowing, and... finally noticed she had gotten ahold of a watch. And was super-heating it.

“It’s... really bad if one of those break in a way to cause time distortions. I guess that one was more sensitive than mine to that sort of thing. But I knew I only had a few seconds to react. Trying to shoot it out of her hand might have just broken it anyway, and if she could still move afterward, then...” Her grip tightened enough to turn her knuckles white. “I... had a clear shot elsewhere. But, the bullets...” She paused, her voice becoming a whisper. “They were... silver. A special kind, too, which could have meant...”

Kiara forgot to breathe for a moment. She looked at her Genmate, more horrified than ever. No... Please tell me you weren’t forced to... That you...

Her prayers went unanswered, however, as Ame sighed again, her tone somehow more monotone than before. “I... I made the call. I couldn’t risk the watch... I aimed for the chest - to make her drop it and cause her to fall from the force. I hoped that she did not share your weakness, or that there would be enough time to help her after I got the device away.” An emotionless chuckle left her. “No luck on either front, unfortunately...”

A thick silence fell over them. The phoenix stared at the blond, unable to say anything. What... could she even say to that? Her mind felt stuck, imagining the scenario. Having to pull the trigger, hoping you had not really killed your friend - even if it was not technically her. Rushing over... then seeing their body not moving or turning to ash...

The detective shrugged, apparently not done. “Still, the watch didn’t break - there was enough grass to break its fall. It was hard to get it and everyone out with the fire, but we managed, then got back-up to help put it out.” She took a deep breath. “Don’t... know how well the owner of that watch got home, but that Kiara’s Ame approached me afterward. She was... upset, obviously, but was remarkably mature about it. She didn’t blame me for what I did. She even... let me have the earrings once they got the body back.”

Despite shaking on the inside, Kiara was able to clear her throat. She squeezed the other’s hand, trying to get it to release its death grip. “Do... you know why she did that?”

“...I think she knew that was the first time I ever killed one of you directly,” the time-traveler managed, opening her eyes as fresh tears fell. “She probably hoped it would help me with coping afterward.”

The phoenix gasped, putting her other hand over her mouth. It was not just for how destroyed she felt on the inside upon that revelation. It was also... the look in Ame’s eyes. A haunted quality to them that shook her to her core. The depths of which almost rivaled that of any immortal she had ever glimpsed in such a state - that should never be present in a mortal’s eyes. Especially not one as hard-working and kind as her! A gloom that sucked whatever warmth was normally in her gaze.

...Ollie had been right. She was not sure she would ever forget that look, even after reviving.

She felt frozen in place, scared of causing a worse reaction. It was a struggle once again to talk, having to fight to get any words out, her voice wavering. “A... Ame...”

Ame sucked in a breath the moment she spoke, eyes squeezing shut. “I... never should have gotten those out. I wanted to make you terrified, and I did it by disrespecting what was left of the dead. We... we both did things we should not be proud of.” More shuttered breaths were taken. “But... do you understand the full extent of what I have to go through? The amount of factors I need to consider in whether I take any of you or not? Ways to kill immortals that are not common here could be elsewhere in the multiverse... Some ways that might not even exist here, but are still just as effective.”

A shudder went through Kiara, having trouble comprehending it, admittedly. She looked to the side, biting her lips as she only felt worse about her treatment of the other all these months. A weak laugh soon left her. “Heh... guess it... goes to show how us immortals aren’t as ‘superior’ to humans and the like as some like to believe, huh?” She did not feel entirely right for trying to make a joke, but... this was all too much for her. She needed to ease the atmosphere some.

...But she was thrown through a loop by the detective’s quiet response. “You... are better than me in plenty of ways.”

The phoenix snapped her gaze to her again, frowning with concern. “Ame, I’m not-”

“That... isn’t the self-doubts talking, I swear,” the time-traveler promised. She took a deep breath, sitting a tad straighter. “You weren’t... entirely wrong in what you said a few days ago. You have experience in combat that I don’t - instincts that I’m sure only centuries of life at a minimum can bring. Same with Calli and Gura. Ina’s eldritch magic is no joke, either. And everyone in the Council has their positions for a reason, even if a few like Mumei are still learning.”

She gave a soft giggle, both wistful and sad. “You all have such amazing abilities. Powers that I never will. Even if I had any aptitude for magic, I’m not sure I could ever replicate the things you all can do as well.” Her hand released the armrest and went into her pocket. She pulled out her pocket watch, looking at it and rubbing her finger along its surface. “I take pride in what I can do, and I like to think I’m able to keep up with you all enough with this and my Concoction. I try to believe what Kronii says about how well I can navigate time, too.

“But... in the end, I’m human. My limits in many areas just... aren’t the same as you all. There might not be a specific ‘weakness’ I have, but... physically, without help, I can’t compare to you all.” She shook her head, her voice wavering. “But... I’m not trying to pretend otherwise. I don’t expect you to see me as good as you in every area. Or that I’m always going to come out okay on my job - I don’t.” She lifted her bandaged arm to make her point.

Once she lowered it, she took a deep breath, and while she did not look at the firebird directly... the misery in her eyes was almost tangible. “I... I just want to be trusted to do my job. To not be seen as weak despite my limits. I... I just want trust .” Her breathing hitched, clutching her watch as she closed her eyes. “Yet... what right do I have to complain when faced with your trauma? I can’t ask you to forget about that! I... You have your pains, too, and I yelled at you for it! I...”

She stopped for a moment, seemingly to gather her thoughts... but Kiara did not let that continue. Her heart had been pulverized too many times now... and this time, something finally snapped in her. Perhaps it was how feeble to plea to simply be trusted had sounded, as if expecting a negative response to such a thing. Or maybe it was the way the blond was about to slip into a spiral and try to deprecate herself - yet more signs of how badly she had damaged her.

But whatever it was... the need to provide her comfort overrode any hesitance from her misery. All she knew was that her friend - whether the other still wished to call her that or not - was on the verge of another breakdown. And this time, she would not allow it!

The phoenix was barely aware that she had moved. All that she knew next was that she was in front of her Genmate and pulling her off of her chair. She wrapped her into a tight hug, sinking them to their knees on the ground. Somehow, she had enough awareness to not crush her injured arm between them, though the jerks of movement could not have felt good on it. She did not dare to loosen her grip, however.

Ame’s breath caught from the sudden new position. She moved within her arms. “K-Kiara?”

“Don’t... don’t you dare justify me!” Kiara choked out, her tears falling faster than ever. “I told you already - my fears were no excuse for my attitude towards you! You’re one of the most caring, selfless people I have ever known. All the help you provide me - provide everyone... You deserved better treatment than what you got from us. Any of those past friends I knew would have been disgusted with me for the things I said to you.”

She pulled back to meet her eyes, a steely determination in her eyes. “I... I do trust you out there. I never showed that properly when you go on your missions, and I’m so sorry for that. But I know you’re capable. You might be human, but you’re the furthest thing from weak.” She used one arm for a moment to gesture to the rest of the office. “Everything in here is proof of how competent you are. And the fact you can carry on doing this despite the burdens you carry - the things you’ve seen? That just shows how tough you are deep down. Not just anyone could do this, and... I can’t think of anyone better for this work.”

The detective’s eyes watered, the earnest words appearing to strike her deep. “You... you mean it?”

“With all of my heart,” the phoenix replied honestly. She took a deep breath, burying her face in the blond’s shoulder as sobs began to surface again. “I... can never apologize enough for how I acted. I know that I’m probably not forgiven right now. I doubt I will be for a long time to come, no matter how much effort I put in for it.

“But I will work hard for it, if you let me. I’ll do whatever you ask of me to earn it. More importantly, I promise from now on... I’ll give you the support you deserve for your missions. Even if I worry about you... I won’t ever try to force you to take me again. Whatever you deem best, I’ll listen from now on.” A sob finally escaped her as she closed her eyes, pulling the other in closer. “Just... please, let me continue being your friend. I... I don’t want to lose you. To not be able to make you happy ever again...”

A few moments passed like this, the time-traveler not making a move. The firebird prepared for her to try and pull away, accepting that she might have taken the contact too far. If she was not wanted anymore, she would leave without any fuss, as much as it would hurt.

...But instead, the human’s good arm eventually set down her watch and wrapped around her, too, hugging her tightly. She buried her face in the orange-haired woman’s shoulder, a damp patch making itself known as she rasped out her words. “I... I can’t forget about how you acted to me... or what you said three days ago.” She sniffled. “But... I don’t want to lose you, either. You’ve been there for me as much as I have you. I... don’t want all the fun we’ve had to be over...”

A smile pulled at Kiara’s lips. It got wider and wider, and soon she was giggling almost hysterically. She readjusted her hug, allowing her Genmate more access to cry into her even as her own tears continued falling. “T-thank you! I... thank you.” There was much more she wanted to say, but she could not find a way to articulate the massive amounts of relief now filling her - the joy that was gradually begging for release.

Ame’s chuckles soon joined her, wet but not as depressing as before. Her one arm had a surprisingly good grip on her as she collapsed against the immortal. “Th... thank you as well. I... this whole day, I’ve been worried that...”

The phoenix shook her head, pulling back while not daring to let go of her friend. (She was not sure she would be able to ever again.) She gave her a wobbly smile. “I promise... you won’t regret giving me a second chance. I’ll... I’ll do better.”

The detective nodded, smiling as well - the brightest it had been since she arrived. “I know you won’t... and I will, too.” She sighed, releasing her part of the embrace to wipe her eyes. “I still have things I... need to keep to myself. But I won’t bottle things up if I get frustrated with you all about anything. I promise!” She swallowed hard, quivering slightly. “I... never want to repeat this ever again.”

Kiara frowned for a second, taking another breath. Me neither, she silently agreed. The anticipation for this had nearly killed her, and even now she could feel her body’s desperate need for proper sleep. But... it was over now, at least.

Though, that did not mean things were done yet. Sniffling a little, she looked at the shorter woman nervously. “I... I really will do anything. I can get started whenever you wish! What do you need? Help organizing your files more? Combat training? I’m sure I have techniques that could be useful to you, especially if you ever use a sword and shield! Just name it, and-”

“Hey, slow down,” the time-traveler said, gesturing placatingly at her. She looked around the office, humming with consideration. “You... did seem to do a good job around here. And an extra pair of hands is useful whenever Ollie is too busy to come by...” She glanced awkwardly at her bandaged arm. “Um... anything related to combat will have to wait a little bit, though.”

The phoenix rolled her eyes playfully. “Of course.”

Ame chuckled a little, sending her a small grin, seeming eager at the prospect of them sparring a little. After another moment, though, she frowned, looking her over carefully. “And... what can I do to help you with... your history?”

Kiara blinked, then grimaced at the reminder of the cause of her actions. She attempted to shake her head. “There’s... no need for you to-”

“Kiara,” the detective said firmly, catching her attention. Blue eyes bore into her, the exact emotion in them hard to determine. “What you’ve been feeling is definitely not something to try and brush off, either. I don’t want you to drive yourself mad waiting to see every time if I... don’t come back one day.” Her good hand grabbed one of hers, squeezing it. “Please... if there’s anything I can do to help you heal from those losses...”

The phoenix bit her lips, looking away and trying to block out those memories. However... she knew her friend was right. This was not nothing - not even slightly - and who knew what other problems would come of it if it was not addressed? She was not sure, unfortunately, if there was any direct help that her Genmate could provide... But perhaps...

Sighing, she met the blond’s eyes again, forcing her voice not to waiver. “I’ll talk to Calli some more and see what that does for me... But as for you... just promise me something.” When the human tilted her head, she took a deep breath. “Promise... if you’re ever dying, you’ll at least try to get home so that... we have your body. I don’t want to mourn an empty casket...”

Flinching at that, the time-traveler then sighed somberly, giving a slow nod. “I see... Yeah, I can... do that. Definitely.” She rubbed her chin. “There might even be services in Wattropolis for this. I don’t really pay that much attention to the mortuary side of things, but I’ll do some digging. If I’m not part of some list already, I’ll add my name to help with that.” She sighed again, looking toward the drawer of trinkets. “I’ll do my best to make sure you all have more than a pin or anything to grieve with.”

Smiling sadly, Kiara nodded back, also glancing at the drawer. She was... still not sure what to make of that stuff, but she would remain quiet about it to the others. That whole business was obviously very personal to the other, and she would need her time with telling the others. And that’s just one of many secrets she’s kept from us. Because she was worried we’d start acting worse about her work.

...So I guess we’ll have to work to prove we’re worthy of those secrets. Me especially. No more hurting her confidence!

That was a road for the future, though. For now, she focused on something else, looking into her pockets for a moment and pulling out the key she was given. She looked questioningly at the blond. “Do you want this back, by the way? I know it wasn’t really meant for me.”

Ame appeared to consider this for a moment, before shaking her head. “No, it’s fine. I trust you enough to not abuse it.” She looked at the key, smiling slightly. “It’s... nice to see that Ollie still likes you enough that she was willing to give that to help you. Even if you ended up staying in here the whole time.”

Kiara chuckled. “Yeah... though she did give me a firm warning when she handed it over. I didn’t think about it then, but man, she’s gotten really strong, huh? I might be falling out of shape!”

The detective blushed, looking down with a small, loving smile tinged with... embarrassment? “Heh, yeah, she’s... got a good bit of muscle.”

The phoenix paused, tilting her head as she leaned back. Those two blushed about each other for many reasons - and it was adorable as hell! - but this one... had her curious. “Do... you find her muscles attractive?” (Not that she was judging, but she never knew what the human’s exact tastes were, so...)

...The time-traveler looked at her, blinking a few times. “I mean... it lets her pick me up when she hugs me, so... that’s a plus!”

“...But do you spend a lot of time admiring them when they’re exposed?”

“...Is that... not normal or something?”

Kiara stared for a while longer... then started giggling. This soon became chuckles, and before she knew it she was bent over laughing. Ame flushed at seeing this... but pretty soon, she was chuckling, then laughing as well. She even had to hold her injured arm steady against her to prevent it from moving too much as they both guffawed.

The answer was not even that funny to the firebird - usually, something like this would only get a small chuckle from her. But after all the stress they had gone through leading into this... they needed the release. Especially after successfully clearing the first hurdle for mending things. And so there they sat laughing, eventually using one another for a bit of support.

It would be a long time before the guilt left them both, she knew. Even once the tension faded between them, it would be months before she was truly forgiven - perhaps longer. But despite this... the two were still friends. And nothing was going to take that from them!

-------

Night eventually came over Vtuber Town, the streets dying down as people retired home. The stars shone overhead - several more visible than should be possible due to light pollution. That was thanks to Sana learning some new powers over the last couple of weeks, slowly revealing more of the tapestry of light to people in the area. She did not do it every night (at least not yet), and it was not as numerous as out in the countryside currently. But it was still an impressive sight to behold to those who never went out far enough to see more.

Ame admired them at street level as she leaned against the outside wall of the building her office was in, her bandaged arm back in its sling by that point. (She had pulled it a little with all the sudden movements back in the office, but no damage had been caused.) Looking at those points of light was helping her to relax some after the long day she had. It stirred her fascination with astronomy - not a main subject of learning for her growing up, but it was always fun for her to learn about. It made for a nice hobby when she took a “full break” from work, too.

It was just the break she needed after the... emotional encounter she just had. Her eyes had felt very dry at one point, and were only now feeling relatively normal after drinking lots of water. Regret still ate away at her as well, unable to get the punch she threw out of her mind. And she would never stop berating herself over having gotten those earrings out - abusing the trinkets of the dead.

But... despite everything, her friendship with Kiara was intact. They were not going to cause a rift in the group. And the warm feeling it caused inside her made her actually start to believe that... maybe everything would be fine this time.

She sighed, a faint, tired smile on her lips as she counted the stars. She was still trembling on the inside from the relief she felt, making her too jittery to sleep, almost. It was such a contrast to the dread she had felt going into it, almost paralyzed with fear. She even thought she had screwed up for a moment when the phoenix tried to run up and look at her injury. Her defensive movements had been purely by instinct, and she knew a harsh comment had been ready to come out if her Genmate had gotten closer.

But then... the firebird had realized her reaction and apologized to her. It had almost felt like a dream, given how their encounters when she got more major injuries went after missions. And the way the other had looked when offering to leave her alone for the evening... The deep guilt she had seen on her face had cracked something inside her. Reminded her that, like everyone had said, they were both interested in making amends

And she had not allowed their sorrows to stop them from getting started.

The offer to help with re-bandaging her arm had been a good excuse to get her to stay. The detective had known she would likely need the help, anyway, so it had been a convenient offer to give. Plus, it would give them something to focus on as they talked, with the hope that their tempers would not flare up thanks to it.

And... what a talk it had ended up being.

Her heart was still aching from what Kiara had mentioned about why she was so insistent on being with her. Losing so many friends over the millennia, and having no way to know if they were laid to rest properly... She knew already how hard that could be on a person. Something similar had caused Gura’s split personality - the fall of her whole civilization, with the city and its people now at the bottom of the ocean somewhere. Or the way Bae had broken down when IRyS went into her Long Sleep, even with the Nephilim not actually being dead then.

The time-traveler had been learning how much loss could affect immortals, or anyone long-lived. The agony it could cause them could follow them their whole lives, potentially. It was why quite a few of their kinds did not associate with mortals much - form relationships that were from the start highly impermanent. And when one’s future was basically eternity... who could blame them?

But some immortals like her friends still did, obviously, despite those risks. She knew that the phoenix would rather have the memories and the loss associated with them than miss out on the happy moments they had shared. Whatever it was they gained from being with mortals and living more at their pace, it clearly meant the world to them. If only I understood it better, she lamented. The agony Kiara must be going through from all of that... How can I even comprehend that?

Though... perhaps she did, in a way. Seeing the deaths of so many alternates of those she loves... There was a heavy loss to that, too. Some might not understand it - they were not technically her friends - but she knew she was not being crazy. Kronii knew it full well, and Ollie was catching on rapidly, too. It was why it was so hard to get rid of some of those trinkets at times, even when they had some magical benefit for her. Why it felt almost like... a betrayal, though the word was not quite accurate, she knew.

Perhaps... it was that comparison and the empathy that came with it that made her share her story. Of the first time she had taken one of their lives. Recounting the basics while doing her best not to pour all the questions that had haunted her since that case. Was there a safer way to get the watch out of her hands? Would a shoulder shot or something have worked, or would she have heated it up faster in retaliation? Why didn’t Feather yell at me for killing her friend?

Ame sighed, shaking her head to clear that clutter before looking back up at the sky. There was no sense questioning what was already long-done like that, or over-analyzing how her alternate felt about the ordeal. But somehow... her sharing that story had allowed her and Kiara to make the final patches needed to “stabilize” things between them. To get the words out they needed and start making plans to make amends.

She had not forgiven the phoenix for all the months of making her feel worthless. She was not quite sure what it would take to reach that point, either - just a long time repeating the same bits of repentance, or a specific task. But what mattered was that they were still together - that Myth... was not going to fall apart.

Still, once they had both calmed down and had some more casual catching up - only slightly tense given everything - the detective had needed to get away. Kiara had remained in the office, promising to clear up the files she had left out and take care of her trash. Figuring it would help the immortal feel like she was starting to make her amends, she had left her to it, which had led her to step outside.

Now... things were quiet. The night owls of the town did not frequent this area too much, so she was left alone on the sidewalk. She had gotten her phone out and sent a few messages - particularly to see if Kronii had dropped off her potions at her apartment yet - but otherwise, she was keeping her space. After all the running around and uncertainties of the day... it was nice. To breathe easier knowing that everything was officially not going to fall apart.

...Though, that did not mean the pain was done for her yet.

That thought made the time-traveler frown, stuffing her good hand in her pocket. She sighed deeply, wishing that she could just say things were over already - exhausted in more ways than one. However... there was still one person she needed to talk to. For her role in what she had gone through today... and going behind her back to do so.

That part caused a pang inside her chest - for more reasons than one. Reluctantly, she looked away from the stars, letting her eyes roam the streets. Even with all the time she had to consider it, her feelings were still highly conflicted in regards to her best friend’s actions. While it had not been the most pressing matter she had when arriving back... she was still anxious about what would happen. Mainly because... she genuinely had no clue how either of them would react to their reunion. (Though, she certainly had a preference on how it might go... if her emotions would cooperate.)

Of course, that did not have to be an issue for her right now. With how late it was now, it would be reasonable for them to have their talk tomorrow! She was certainly not planning to make the trip to the other’s house at this hour. Once she was sure Kiara was done back upstairs, she could just go home and collapse into bed, ready to begin her recovery time from her burns.

...But she knew both sides of the Atlantean well. She knew that with how agitated the red persona probably was - both from events and being forced to stay in control - she would likely do hunting until very late. And due to that, it would probably have not been that long ago that she got back to shore and checked her messages - including those saying the blond was back. That, along with it almost being a joke how she almost gravitated toward her office, which was not far from the beach...

...Well, there was a reason she was doing her stargazing down there and not the roof.

Ame looked around, curious to see if her assumption would be proven right. It very well might not be - the shark-girl could have ended her hunt hours ago and been at home, or gone to her apartment instead. There was only so much time she was willing to wait for her there, too. If she was not there within half an hour, or if the phoenix came down before then and offered to get her home...

Yet just a few minutes later... her hunch proved correct. A short woman in a blue hoodie came around the corner not far from her, looking to have been sprinting. But when she looked down the street and saw who was waiting for her, she stopped mid-stride. Her tail swished slowly behind her, tilting her head before starting to walk more casually over. As Calli had said, it was red eyes that met hers as the distance between them shortened, until finally, she stopped right next to her.

The detective gave a small sigh, nodding slightly to her. “Good evening, Gawr.”

Said woman huffed, though her posture gave away her relief. “Don’t talk to me like I’m some prim lady.”

The time-traveler rolled her eyes. “Fine - about time you got here, ya brat!”

“That’s more like it,” Gawr replied, grinning a little. “I’ll be sure to pay more attention to the invitation I didn’t get about when we’re meeting next time.” She then glanced at her sling, giving a small grunt. “Well, it’s not a broken bone, at least. You made sure the other guy came out worse, yeah?”

“The anomaly being forced out of our reality and dissipating back into raw time energy should count for that,” Ame answered. “Same for all of his buddies.”

The Atlantean nodded, giving a proud grin as she joined her in leaning against the wall. “That’s what I like to hear! Those bastards are going to learn to fear you one day - running off at the mere sight of you! You just need to keep giving them a good stomping!”

“I was on distraction duty, actually,” the detective corrected. “And if they could be intimidated into not entering timelines, I think the Kroniis’ would have covered it a long time ago.”

“Eh, they probably sense most of them are huge dorks on the inside,” the shark-girl said dismissively, crossing her arms. “I bet even the brooding stone-faced ones you both have mentioned have a stash of anime somewhere.”

That got some giggles from the time-traveler, which her Genmate joined in on. The small exchange helped her to relax some, looking back up for a few moments. It was not that different from when she would come back from any other mission. If the red persona met her, it was trying to make her sound like the best fighter ever. When it was the blue persona, there were more hugs and a more simple congratulations. But either way, it was always casual, even when she had a notable injury like now.

It helped... but she knew it could not last this time. Sighing, she looked back at her friend, who was looking around almost boredly. Yet looking closely... there was a way her tail twitched that suggested nervousness. With every second, it was also becoming notable how silent she was becoming, her hands playing with her sleeves. Guess she wants me to be the one to start things. Let me decide if I just want to banter tonight.

It was certainly tempting... but she saw no real reason to delay this. So, her good hand tapping at her sling slightly, she cleared her throat to truly begin. “Has... it been hard, being the one in control the whole time these last few days?”

Gawr took a deep breath, looking down. “Yeah, I figured Calli would mention that. It’s been... an experience. One I’ve not had in centuries. But I somehow managed to endure it - mostly thanks to my favorite little reaper.” She chuckled briefly with a toothy grin. It quickly faded, though, as her eyes turned to the blond. They showed... trepidation, without even a pretense of covering it up. “And... how did it go with her? As well as Ina and... Kiara?”

Taking a deep breath, too, Ame shrugged, settling more against the wall. “It all went... as well as I guess it could have. Wish some things were better, but I can’t complain.” She gestured up toward her office. “I had my talk with Kiara not too long ago, actually, and...” She bit her lips. “We’re... not back to normal yet, but the worst of that will be over in a few weeks, I hope. But we’re still friends - everyone is. We’re... still all together.”

The Atlantean sighed deeply, her posture slumping as she mumbled under her breath. “Oh, thank the gods...” She shook her head, looking back at her. “Glad to hear it. Seriously, you and Kiara both looked... quite devastated that day. I was half-wondering if I was going to hear you have her chin a shiner, too.” She looked down, her voice getting quieter. “It’s... great you two are making amends.”

The detective swallowed, nodding slowly. “I’m... glad about it, too.” She took another breath, looking at the ground as her good hand moved to grip her coat. “Not that I even had the option to avoid this all with any of them, regardless...”

“...Because of us,” the shark-girl said bluntly.

The time-traveler grimaced, shifting on her feet. “That... isn’t-”

She cut off as Gawr raised her hand, breathing deeply once again. “Just... one second on that, Watson. Gura’s had been waiting to come out specifically for this, and... well, if I’m out any longer, I think I’ll start pulling our hair out.” She made eye contact, her expression serious as well as somewhat tired. “Just... know that I’m sorry, too. I hope... you’re still willing to spar with me and stuff.”

Ame looked at her sadly, wanting to say more to her. But she knew that the red persona would be listening to the coming talk, anyway, and dealing with things through words was never her style, either. So, she simply nodded, reaching over and giving her a pat on her shoulder.

The Atlantean seemed to like the gesture, nodding back to her. Then she closed her eyes, and a second later her highlights started turning from red to blue. The transition seemed more... timid than normal, but soon enough, the red vanished... which was the point that a few tears leaked out. Blue irises soon met hers the next moment, remorse clear as day.

The sight broke the detective’s heart a little, getting off of the wall. “Gura...”

The shark-girl looked away, purring her lips. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, whimpering a bit. “I... I’m sorry, Ame. I know you didn’t want me to tell anyone what I saw, whether you said it directly or not.” She gulped, her hands clenching. “But... you had looked so broken. I-I was moving before I could think, and by the time I did, I was too angry at them to care! I was just trying to help and stop the others from hurting you, but...”

The time-traveler looked to the side, a mixture of emotions seeming to weigh her down now. Her tone was upset, but well-composed. “You... exposed what happened to everyone. Told them how they had affected me when I couldn’t say a thing.” She took a shaky breath. “I caught on to what had happened thanks to some things Kornii said. If I hadn’t, then... If I had come back and been blindsided by that...”

Gura shrunk a little, her tail wrapping protectively around her. She sniffled, hugging herself. “That... probably would have been bad. That idea didn’t stop me, either, though.” She shook her head, closing her eyes. “I... I just wanted to help. For you to not ever feel like you were seen as pathetic like that ever again.”

“...I know, Gura,” Ame whispered. She tried to say something else, but... when the words would not come to her, she ended up sighing, looking off down the sidewalk. “I know...”

There was an uneasy silence after that, neither able to look at the other for a time. The streets remained blissfully empty, as if the people of this town could sense not to head their way. The only sound was a faint buzz from some street lamps and some light wind passing by. Not even the moon was out yet to watch them.

...The detective hated it. She growled on the inside, frustrated with herself. Just say something! It... it doesn’t have to go this way! Speak up and... take the risk. Yet no matter how much she thought this, there was a tightness in her chest - one she thought gone after talking with Kiara - that clogged her throat. Her old fears about that, even now, getting in her way...

Thus, she tried to go for a different approach, hoping it would clear the air. She swallowed thickly, managing to get out some meek words. “I don’t... That is, I don’t really... hate you for what you did, honestly.”

That seemed to surprise the Atlantean a little, who turned to her again. “Huh?”

The time-traveler nodded slowly, looking toward her while trying to keep her breathing even. “I... I mean, you weren’t wrong that everyone needed to know. Whatever I thought I was achieving before now, after I blew up at Kiara... That showed things had gone too far.” She gave a long exhale, rubbing her hand down her face. “I could delude myself all I wanted... it wouldn’t change that I would have to face this all.

“So... you didn’t... really do anything wrong?” She cringed at how that became a question at the end, but still tried to give a shaky smile. “You gave the others prep time they needed, too, at least. Because once Ollie and Kronii found out what happened, they... I know they would have set up meetings.” They respected her privacy for the most part, but they had their limits. While they might agree there are some things better kept between themselves for now, when they saw something destroy her inside like this time... Well, as hard as it was, she trusted their judgment about when she needed to be a little more honest on something.

(She wished one of them was around to help her do that now...)

She had hoped that the reassurance would make the shark-girl feel better... Yet the short woman did not seem to cheer up much. She glanced toward the ground, her expression dejected. “...But we both know whether you were going to do this anyway isn’t the issue. It’s that I did it without talking to you, first.”

The smile fell from the time-traveler’s face, having prayed that her friend would overlook that part for at least a little while. “I-I mean-”

“Ame!” Gura stated more firmly. She then deflated some, her tail drooping as her gaze wandered elsewhere. “I... I appreciate you trying to make me feel better. But you don’t have to dance around it. I know I betrayed your trust by doing this, and I’m so sorry to do that to you. I know how much you valued how I treated your work now - how it helped your insecurities. And... I know I’ve probably shattered that now.

“But... I don’t regret what I did. You needed the support, and the others needed a reality check. I wish I had acted better that night when I brought them together, but I don’t regret confronting them.” Her gaze went back to her Genmate, her eyes glistening once again. “You never deserved to go through what you did. After everything you’ve done for us and the effort you put into everything you do... you shouldn’t have to feel like you’re weak. Because you aren’t, and I know the others, despite their mistakes, don’t believe you are, either. You... you should be able to take pride in what you do - not feel like your problems make you fragile.”

Ame felt a fuzzy feeling take root in her chest, her breath catching slightly. It pulled at the coils still inside her, loosening them up gradually. It was not that the words were in any way a surprise, especially after how the other stood up for her while she was gone. But... the impassioned tone still got to her, somehow. Just the reconfirmation that despite all that had happened... her view of her had not changed. She still trusted her and wanted to see her do better. ( So speak up! Tell her about it and show you still... that you both can... )

The Atlantean kept their eyes locked on hers for a few moments. When she looked away, though, another heavy exhale left her. “But... I get that you need time to open up with things. And as much as I’d always wanted to be part of that with you, Kronii, and Ollie... I get that I destroyed my chances, most likely. You need people who can keep your secrets - not blab about them without you even knowing.”

Just like that, the fuzziness inside the detective felt muted - not gone, but lost underneath waves of heartache. She tried to shake her head, attempting to take a step closer. She did not want to accept the direction things were heading. She... she just could not. “N-no, that isn’t... I-I don’t want you to...”

Before she could articulate her feelings, the shark-girl grabbed her good hand. She smiled sadly, some tears leaving her eyes. “It’s fine, Ame. Really I...” She took a deep breath, wiping her cheeks. “I know you’re in good hands with Kronii and Ollie. So long as you still have them to watch over you, I know we’ll be seeing that confidence you have on the job more often one day!” Her eyes dimmed a little despite maintaining her tone. “I’m just sorry that... none of the rest of us can really help with that yet. But... we’ll work on it, I promise.”

The time-traveler felt her own eyes growing wet, taking shaky breaths. A bit of panic had formed in her gut, feeling like the situation was slipping away from her. Her chest was tightening, making it feel like she did not have enough air to speak.

It might have seemed like an overreaction to others, she figured distantly. It was not like she was about to lose the white-haired woman as her friend or anything - all dangers of that had passed for their group. It was just her telling the blond that she understood that... she probably would not be as trusted with certain aspects of her work now. That she would have to work as hard as the others to rebuild the trust their actions had taken away. It was simply an acknowledgment that they all needed time to heal from what had happened the past several days.

...But Ame did not want there to be this new rift between them.

Having to confront the others had already been bad enough, knowing things would not be better instantly. But with Gura and Gawr... The first member of Myth she had ever met on her travels. A person who had always shown their support for what she did from the start. Who she, in turn, had never shown any aversion to due to her split personality, which she knew had been deeply appreciated.

The two (or three) had shared in so many adventures on cases. Their dynamic on streams was something she enjoyed just as much as the fans did, too. When she called the short woman her best friend... it was for a reason. They were almost always at ease around one another. They were constantly improving one another’s skills. And... they shared a lot of problems with one another already: the red persona’s self-frustrations with being “instincts,” her more mundane bouts of depression...

She... did not want that to be over. She did not want things to be awkward with everyone in her Gen! She just wanted the Atlantean - one of her oldest friends there besides Kronii - to keep being... herself around her. No barriers between them! Why... why could it not be that simple?! The fear of that continued to churn inside her, making it so she was not even sure if she was breathing anymore-

“I... can at least help you and Kiara to keep communicating, if you’d like,” the shark-girl continued, her eyes on the ground at this point - unable to see the conflict written on the human’s face. “I can imagine that you’re both still worried about setting the other off again, so if you need a person around... I need to apologize to her for a few days ago, too, so...-”

If you tell her now, you can salvage that bond! A voice cried within her. It was one instance of going behind your back! Show you can forgive her - that it doesn’t matter to you! Not after they tried to help you!

“-Though, I wouldn’t want to intrude. But I can obviously give you lots of advice for Calli! I don’t know how well it went between-”

But... a part of her was still hesitant, trying to keep that secret buried. What if she went to the others again? She could not deal with them all knowing it - not yet! She still needed time! How could she be sure after this that her friend would be quiet? And... what if she looks at her differently for it? Changes due to knowing-?

“-both of you, but hey, the offer is there. Same with Ina. Just... whatever makes you comfortable-”

You know this is different - she won’t say a word! The voice argued. Not unless you tell her to! And do you really think she’ll think any less of you at this point? When she saw you at such a low point and still thinks you’re incredible? And if she does... At least we’ll finally know.

“-okay? We have time to work this out. But know that no matter what, I’ll be with-”

You’ve put this off for too long now! Just have a little faith! Stop shying away from this and open up for once! Prove to her and yourself that you still trust her! Just tell her!

“-you through every step. And one day... I hope I’ll regain-” Gura’s hand started to loosen up on hers as she spoke, ready to pull away-

TELL HER!

The detective’s walls finally broke. Eyes squeezing shut, she gripped the other’s hand tightly, stopping her from moving away. And then, before there could be any reaction to it, she almost shouted her words, bordering on being shrill. “I-I suffer from dissociations!”

 ...The already quiet streets seemed to somehow become even stiller. The Atlantean blinked at her several times, temporarily frozen. Whether her shock was from how out of nowhere that bit of information must have appeared or her volume, she was not sure. But eventually, the white-haired woman responded. “...What?”

The time-traveler sucked in a breath, biting her lips hard. Yet despite the entirely new anxiety that was now flowing through her, she did not back down. She gulped, her words coming out timidly. “That’s... the big ‘mental problem’ I’ve been keeping from you all. I... I dissociate. As in... I lose all sense of who I am individually. I get lost in questions on what sets me apart, and whether I’m just a... disposable copy out of near-infinite other versions of me...”

She could feel the shark-girl’s eyes on her, but she dared not open hers, lest she lose her nerve. Having to swallow again, she continued to force herself to speak, trying to ignore the stare. “I-it only happens after I do too many cases in a row. Go to too many different timelines. It... also can be triggered by being around too many of my alternates for too long, which is why I don’t like spending too much time in Wattropolis. But I can handle being around smaller groups like on my last mission.

“It can... get pretty bad. I can’t really operate at all when they happen, curling up on myself. They last for several minutes, too - the longest having been about half an hour. But... Ollie makes me feel better during them. Her hugs and kisses... ‘ground’ me. Make it easier for me to think.” She sighed shakily. “There are also mini versions that come up on occasion, but... they aren’t nearly as severe. I just get ‘lost’ in certain topics about how common some things are in the multiverse. It makes it hard to focus properly, but I can still operate. Just a bit of talking to get the thoughts out of my head usually helps me there...”

She trailed off, unsure of what else she could add there currently. Her body started to shake a little, really starting to doubt the wiseness of bringing this up. This was... probably far too sudden to be dropping on her friend, right? It was taking her a while to respond, too, but she still did not look to see what she might be feeling. She just stood there, waiting for the results of her decision, praying it had not been a mistake...

...Then she felt Gura take a step closer. Her clasped hand started to rub the back of hers slowly with her thumb, while her other went to rest lightly on her shoulder. When she spoke, her tone was confused, but... gentle. “Why... are you telling me this?”

Ame paused, trying to gauge her Genmate’s tone. It was concerned, naturally, but... it was not demanding in any way. Nor was it angry for keeping such information from her all this time. There was no desperation in the movements she could feel. It was all just... just...

At last, she opened her eyes to look at her friend’s face... and it was mostly the same as before. No intense staring or underlying panic to be seen. There was a weariness to them, but while they were studying her, too, it was not frantic. She was simply standing there, waiting to see where she was going with this. Ready to provide comfort on a moment’s notice, but letting her breathe for now to see if it was needed.

The Atlantean was not judging her for her condition. She was not looking at her like she was fragile. There was just the friendly care she was used to... The trust.

Tears began to roll down her face, but she was smiling. She started giggling, then chuckling as she knelt and pulled her friend forward. The short woman yelped as she was pulled into a hug, the blond’s bandaged arm somewhat crushed between them. The human barely cared about the stinging it caused, however, as she continued to laugh, almost forcibly forcing the knots from her chest out of her with each second.

The shark-girl, meanwhile, returned the embrace after a moment. Her loose, awkward hold of her indicated she was still befuddled by this sudden turn, though, even before she spoke. “A-Ame? Wha... what’s this all about? Why did you just tell me...?”

The detective could not help but chuckle more, shaking her head. Not that she blamed her for being slow on the uptake with how much whiplash she had likely given her. She pulled back to meet her eyes once more, continuing to smile. “You big dummy... Who do you think are the only people I’ve told that information to? And why do you think I’m telling you now?”

It took a moment for Gura to process this... yet once she did, her eyes went wide. She gaped at her, appearing to be half in denial, but a sparkle entered her eyes, her tail wagging a little behind her. “You... But I... You really...?”

The time-traveler nodded, moving her arm to grip her shoulder. “I want you helping me, Gura... To make sure I don’t lose my head anytime soon. If you want to work with Ollie and Kronii on ways to help me cope with my time-related trauma... feel free to. I’ll let them know you’re in the loop now.” She chuckled sheepishly. “But I... hope there are some things I can help you more with in return. I know it should not be ‘necessary,’ but I just feel better knowing I’m also giving you all-”

“But why?” the Atleantean demanded. She then shook her head, seeming to realize how that sounded, before raising one hand. “N-not that I’m not honored! But...” She re-made eye contact, her eyes shining, a frail hope within their blue depths. “You... you still... trust me? After I...? Aren’t you hurt by that?”

...After a pause, Ame sighed, her smile dropping as she looked down. She considered her answer carefully, grabbing one of the other’s hands. “I... I am. What you did... spooked me quite a bit. If it wasn’t for another me being there to talk to me, I might have even had a panic attack over it. I just... really wish you had gone to Kronii first instead of spilling everything immediately.”

Her chest hurt at the flinch the shark-girl gave, her tail drooping slightly as shame was written across her face. The blond did not let that last, however, as she gently squeezed her hand. “ But !... It’s hard for me to fully blame you, given the position I left you in.” She grimaced. “I dumped a bunch of insecurities on you, then left you before you could even get any proper words in. All the while blaming myself fully for it all? Frankly, I practically invited you to do something about it.

“And anyway, I’m... just tired of keeping a lot of these secrets.” She sniffled, not bothering to stop the tear that escaped her eye. “I’ve been so scared of opening up for ages - worried that you all will see me as worthless if I show weakness. Even you, who has been nothing but supportive of my job, I thought might turn your back on me. I still have my moments of worry that Ollie is going to get sick of my issues one day and... Well, I can’t ever picture her being harsh about it, but it would still hurt.

“But... if I had just been more honest about some of my problems, these last few days would not have happened! The others hurt me, but especially because I hid or downplayed how much they had! And thanks to that, our group could have been torn apart!” She shook her head. “I know I can’t take the full blame, but I still had a part in this. If... if I had just spoken up and not been so concerned over your reactions, I...” She took a deep breath, trying to keep composed.

As she did this, Gura wrapped her free arm around her again, hugging her while looking at her sorrowfully. “It’s fine, Ame. Maybe a bit more communication would have helped, but like I said at the beach, I get why you don’t like to share. So much of your work seems so hard to comprehend. And... this ‘dissociation’ you just mentioned certainly sounds like a horrible experience, to say the least.” Her gaze softened. “We’re not owed knowing about your problems. You’re allowed to keep those between whoever you’d like.”

“I know... but I want that to include you all,” the detective replied. She closed her eyes, taking another breath. “Not just our Gen, either. The Council and IRyS have been incredibly kind to me. I’ve felt like most of them could be trusted with it, too, but... it just feels wrong not to open up to you all first. You’re some of the closest people in my life, and... I can’t just keep shutting you out so much.

“I’m not ready yet to tell the other three about my dissociations. I need... I need to be sure that they really mean to change how they treat the dangers of my work. That they’re not just going to regress the moment I get another major injury, or just after a few months pass.” Opening her eyes, she gave her friend an earnest look. “But I promise I’m going to work harder on letting you all in. And... I want to start that with you. For all of your help, and... because I don’t want things to change between us. You can consider it a second chance if you want, but that’s not really the point.”

Pursing her lips, she released her Genmate’s hand and wiped her eyes. Yet she did not break her gaze as she finished. “I’m tired of being scared of this. So, if you’ll help me... I would appreciate your support in getting to that point. To... be that strong person you and Gawr always see me as.”

The Atlantean continued staring at her for a while, still appearing to be in slight disbelief that this was happening. Once the acceptance hit her, though... her eyes teared up as she gave a wide smile. She pulled her into a tight hug, being more mindful of her burnt arm than the blond had been, as her voice came out with a slight tremble. “You... you’re already strong, Ame. And if you’re sure about this... then I’ll do my best to show you that.”

Smiling shakily, too, the time-traveler returned the embrace, resting her head on her shoulder. The tension in her body seemed to evaporate in an instant, nearly going boneless in her friend’s arm. Noises that were a mixture of laughter and sobs left her throat, a few more tears making themselves known.

She... she had actually done it. She had let the short woman in on one of her closest secrets, and it had turned out fine! Sure, talking about it was different than seeing it, but she had no doubt the other could handle it if she ever had to one day. And if the duel-personality woman had no issues with that, then the rest of what she has to deal with... She would not put it all on her at once, but given time over the next several weeks...

She had finally faced her fears... and the results gave her such a deep hope for the others. Not anytime soon, but one day...

After a while, the shark-girl snickered a little. “Just so you know, Gawr’s doing a lot of cheering in our head right now. I’m not sure you have any clue how much she’s wanted you to realize how much of a ‘true warrior’ you are at heart, ‘trauma be damned!’”

Ame chuckled with her, shaking her head. “I’m glad to hear both of you are on the same page, then.” She pulled back, giving a small smirk. “But... I feel like I’m not going to see her for a few days, thanks to you?”

Gura merely rolled her eyes. “Aw, come on! She uses our head to have some space from everyone literally all the time! Am I not allowed to do the same every now and then?” She then paused, seeming to listen to something, before looking in one direction with an incredulous expression. “What do you mean I ‘used up the privilege for the next century?’ I have accrued many more days than that, if you want to play that game! I could leave you out for the next year by those metrics if I wanted to! Three days was generous on my part!”

The detective snorted, giving an amused grin. But before she could comment any more on that - including a comment how the red persona really could do well if she was out more, in her option - the door to the building opened behind her. A moment later, Kiara called out. “Okay! I think I got everything back to where it should be. I’ll get an order to replace the stuff I took from your fridge in for tomor- Oh! Um... hi, Gura.”

The duo turned to look at the firebird, slowly walking up to them. She had actually cleaned herself up her clothes a little, it seemed, and looked far more put together than before. With her hair newly brushed and without the timidness from before, she almost seemed back to normal - barring the bags still under her eyes.

...And the bandaged cheek as well. But the blond tried not to think about that part.

The phoenix eventually stood next to them, looking awkwardly at the Atlantean. The blue persona, in turn, stepped away from her best friend’s embrace and stared at her as well. Neither moved for a while, seeming to be looking for something in the other. The time-traveler, meanwhile, glanced between the two, not sure what to make of it yet. She did not know completely what had gone on a few days ago, but from what she had gathered about their confrontation... It made her wonder for a second if she need to do anything real quick.

The worry proved unfounded, however, as the shark-girl sighed, then gave the orange-haired woman a small smile. “Good to see you’re doing alright... mostly. We didn’t know what to make of you ghosting everyone.”

Kiara relaxed immediately, giving a tired, apologetic smile back. “Heh... Sorry about that. I needed some space for a while, then... got caught in my own head for a while. I’m doing better, now, though.”

Gura nodded, looking between the other two now, humming lightly. “And... just to be extra sure, you’re both... okay with one another still?”

The phoenix looked over at the human, both meeting one another’s eyes. Then, the immortal smiled again, nodding slowly. “Yeah, we... have an understanding of one another now.”

Ame nodded back, standing back up while ignoring her sudden fatigue. She gave a silent thanks to her friend for not giving any details about the talk right now - particularly regarding her “trinkets.” That was a whole other matter she would have to confront with everyone else one of these days, so she was glad the other understood her need for privacy on it. Especially with how... morbid it admittedly is. I’ll probably have to put that on the top of the list for things I’ll be revealing to Gura, though.

For now, though, it seemed that the Atlantean had her own plans for both of her Genmates. She looked intently at the exhausted eyes of them both, sighing sympathetically. “Well in that case, how about we all call it a day and get you both back to your homes, yeah? Any longer and I’m worried you’re going to sleep here on the pavement.”

The detective shrugged, not bothering to argue about that point. Even discounting how much these meetings had taken out of her, now hitting her all at once it seemed, she should really lay down and take a healing potion for her arm for the night. She stretched a little, her good hand starting to move to pull out her phone. “Sounds good to me. I can get us an Uber to start making the rounds to all of our places, if you’d like?”

The shark-girl sighed a little, perhaps about to say she could call it instead. Before she could, though, Kiara gave a bashful chuckle, smiling nervously. “Um... about that, actually. I... kind of already contacted some... ‘transportation’ for us.”

The other two raised their eyebrows, wondering what she meant. Before either could comment, however, the blond noticed the air distort not far from them in the corner of her eye. They all turned just in time to see a dark portal open. The next moment, both Calli and Ina came out of it - the former far less gracefully than the latter.

The pink-haired woman took a deep breath as she got her bearings, eyeing the portal wearily. “I’m... not sure those are ever not going to feel weird moving through. Can you not learn a more... instant travel?”

“That, unfortunately, would take a lot longer to prepare,” the priestess replied, dusting herself off. “And those need much more unique materials, too, not to mention magical power. Besides, this method can’t be interfered with as easily, or hijacked.” She then looked at the other three, smiling at them. “Glad I decided to have this appear down here and not in the building. And to think I’d catch all three of you together, too!”

That was when the reaper noticed her girlfriend was there. She grinned, running up to her and picking her up for a hug. “Gura! You finally came back out! I’m so glad you’re doing okay!”

Said woman laughed, scratching the back of her head. “Yeah, I’m good. Sorry if I worried you a lot.” She smirked a little. “But at least I know Gawr kept you plenty ‘entertained.’”

Calli blushed, coughing slightly, but still smiling. “She... certainly did.”

The rest of Myth shared a small giggle at that answer. Ame then looked between everyone, tilting her head. “It’s good to see you two, but... why did you both come? I get Ina for getting me home, but...” She looked past the woman in question, quirking her eyebrow as she saw that the portal was still open. “I didn’t know you could maintain those.”

Ina looked at the dark entrance, smiling proudly. “It’s a new technique I’ve learned for it. If I’m precise enough, I can create a small network of lines to several destinations! We just came from my apartment, and going back through will take us to yours. It’ll collapse after that, or if we don’t use it in about... half an hour? So you know - plenty of time.” Her eyes went to Kiara. “And as for us both coming... a certain bird wanted to see if you’d want us to stay the night.”

Blinking at that, the blond looked over to the firebird. The woman swallowed a bit, rubbing one of her arms while glancing around. “Um, well, I... You don’t have to accept the offer, of course, if you want to be alone. But I figured that... if you wanted, we could all stay over and maybe spend tomorrow morning together? Our plans are still canceled for the week, and I figured you weren’t doing much until your arm is healed, so...” She made eye contact, smiling anxiously. “What do you say? Want to have a Myth get-together?”

The detective pursed her lips, thinking over the offer carefully. Her eyes drifted between everyone else, who were waiting patiently for her answer. She could tell they were willing to back off and leave her once she got back home if she so wished. Given the day’s events, it would be reasonable for her to want to have some space. She could just use tomorrow to recuperate and check up on some other things.

...But as she thought it through... she realized how nice it would be to have a normal hangout with them. To show that they were truly trying to move past this and... have a little fun. Thus, she gave a tired smile, nodding slowly. “Yeah... that sounds good. I can get out some games for us to play, and I have a spare bed, along with a few reclining chairs...”

The group perked up at her answer, smiling excitedly. Calli set down her lover, moving over to pat the human on the head. “You let us worry about the sleeping arrangements, there, Ame. And think about games tomorrow! You look like you need sleep more than anything.”

Kiara shrugged, moving over and giving her lifelong friend a side hug with an exhausted grin. “I think I have her beat on that front, to be fair. I call the spare bed!”

Ina rolled her eyes, summoning her book while turning to her portal. “I was just going to use the floor, anyway. Now just give me a moment to double check to make sure this will accommodate all of us. No need for any of us to have a longer stay in the void than necessary.”

The priestess moved off to the side, making a few hand gestures that made her fingers glow a deep purple as she did her check. The reaper, phoenix, and Atlantean, meanwhile, moved into a small group and chatted a bit. The pink-haired woman was particularly interested in hearing how their meetings with the blond had gone, to which they were answering without mentioning the more... sensitive parts.

The time-traveler stood away from them for a moment, taking all four of them in. The air around them was still slightly uneasy - what they all did and how they felt of the other’s transgressions would not go away so easily. (Kiara and Gura in particular appeared to have the worst of it, often glancing away from one another.) Even once it most likely died down largely once some time had passed, the effects were sure to be felt for a long time to come.

But even now, it appeared everyone was falling back into their usual routines. The trio were eventually sharing a few laughs, becoming more animated despite the late hour. Ina was also smiling as she listened to them, too, her eyes fond.

As they did this, Ame dug into her pocket, pulling out her watch. She gazed at the representations of them upon its surface, gently rubbing a finger on each one. Before leaving, she had been worried about only feeling burdened by the sight one of these days. Yet now, as she listened to everyone and thought of the promises made that day... she felt a wave of tentative hope looking them over.

A scythe, a book, a feather, and a trident... and all of them surrounding a clock. Ready to not only protect her... but to listen and comfort her as well. To be at her side when her doubts and frustrations became too much.

She could not ask for a better depiction of them.

Ina called out to everyone then, waving them through the portal as she finished her checks. The rest of the group all thanked her and nodded to each other, each of them stepping through. One by one, they disappeared into the inky darkness, leaving the detective to be the last one to cross the threshold. She gave one last look at her watch, gripping it firmly. With a small smile, she put it away and adjusted her bandaged arm and sling. Then, eager to get home and get stuff ready for everyone, she rushed through the portal.

Whatever awaited her on the other side and in the future... she knew it would be fine. These were her friends, and whatever problems were to come... she would not trade them for anything.