(2025 Edit) Technomancer: A Magical Girl's Sidekick [Post-Apocalyptic][Mecha][Magical Girls]

The masked woman, Hellhound, led the way, and we were herded down a series of dimly lit hallways.

My breath was shaky, and my hands trembled with fear.

The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive, like the air before a thunderstorm. I stumbled again, and I could feel the others tugging at the rope that connected us. I gritted my teeth and tried to keep pace.

The other hostages looked as scared as I felt. We exchanged nervous glances, but no one spoke.

I kept my eyes on the floor, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other.

Soon, we reached the back exit. The doors were locked and sealed shut, and there was no escape. Hellhound paused for a moment, as if she was contemplating something. Then, she turned to her crew.

"Listen up," she said, her voice cold and commanding. "Once we're out of this place, you know the drill. Scatter, meet at the rendezvous, and don't draw attention to yourselves."

They quietly nodded and grunted affirmations in response. The masked leader turned towards us then. Her gaze swept over us, and I couldn't help but shudder.

"You're our insurance," she said, her tone dripping with malice. "If anyone gets in our way, you'll be the first to go." She gestured to one of the robbers and handed him a large, metal cylinder with a glowing blue light at the end. The man's outfit looked familiar, and I realized he was the one who had taken my Chaos Cores.

The robbers all had the exact same physique and stature, and I couldn't tell one apart from the others. It made it really hard to get a read on their individual movements and actions. But he had a sort of gait to him, an arrogant sort of swagger, that I could recognize from afar.

They shared a nod, and Hellhound turned to the doors.

She raised one foot and slammed it against them with a loud crash, kicking the door clean off its hinges.

"Clear!" she said, motioning for us to follow.

The cool evening air hit me like a blast of frigid wind, sending chills down my spine. The fog had grown thicker, and it seemed like it was swallowing the city.

It had gotten dark out, and the streetlamps were now on. The streets were deserted, and I could hear the distant wail of police sirens.

I scanned the area, looking for any chance of escape. But with my hands bound, and surrounded by heavily armed robbers, I knew our situation was dire.

The robbers herded us into separate armored vans waiting nearby, and we were pushed roughly onto the floors of the vehicle. I landed on my stomach, grunting as the impact knocked the breath out of me.

Midori, on the other hand, somehow managed to make landing on her butt and sliding to the ground look almost elegant. I heard the door slam behind us, and I looked around to find myself in a dimly lit, windowless interior.

The man guarding us stared me down as he took a seat. He had a gun slung over his shoulder and was idly twirling the mana disruption field in one hand. Hellhound moved to join him, tapping her pistol against the wall. Two other guards joined them, positioning themselves at the door.

"Let's get the fuck outta here boys!" Hellhound barked.

The vehicle's interior was cramped and dimly lit, the only light coming from a small bulb at the front. I lay there on the floor, my hands still tied behind my back, still trying to calm myself down and catch my breath. Midori and I were tied to another man in his twenties with green hair, a cheap business suit, and pink eyes, who was staring fearfully at Hellhound.

The van's engine rumbled as it started, and I felt the vehicle move, taking us into the unknown. I glanced at Midori beside me, her face illuminated by the faint light filtering through the van's tinted windows. She seemed calm, but her eyes were like steel.

There were two sacks packed full of chaos cores and mana crystals on the bench beside Hellhound, and she seemed to stare at us, her eyes unreadable behind her wolf-like face plate. The masked man on the opposite side of her held his weapon at the ready, his gaze locked on us. I tried not to make eye contact with them.

We rode in silence for what felt like hours, though I knew it couldn't have been that long.

I shifted uncomfortably on the hard metal floor, trying to ease the ache in my shoulders from the handcuffs that bit into my skin.

"So, a kid from Earth huh?" Hellhound suddenly said.

Her voice was clear, cutting through the silence of the vehicle's interior like a sharp knife.

I looked at her warily, not sure how to respond. She continued to speak.

"Bet you thought coming to Terra would be your big break, a chance to leave behind all the dirt and grime, am I right?"

Her tone was mocking, and it made my skin crawl.

I stayed quiet, not wanting to provoke her.

"I gotta say," she went on, "you're either very brave or very stupid."

She leaned forward, her face plate only inches from my face. "Tell me, kid, what did you think was going to happen when you came to Terra? That everything would just magically get better for you?"

But I couldn't help myself.

I grinned sheepishly. "Well, things don't always go according to plan do they? I mean, this is the third time in the last two weeks someone's tried to kidnap me. I guess it's become something of a habit."

The sarcasm caught her off guard, and she stared at me for a moment before responding.

Her voice deepened, "You're a funny one, kid. But you better watch it. You don't want me to decide you're not worth the trouble."

Her threats hung in the air, and I didn't dare to say another word.

"Good. Looks like understand each other." She leaned back, satisfied, and the van continued on.

Hellhound snickered before turning her attention back to Midori.

"And look at you," she began mockingly. "There's something about you... a stench, even. How do I put it? You seem like a bitch who had everything handed to her on a silver platter, hm? I hate people like you. The worst kind of scum."

"Piss off," Midori somehow managed to say with a straight face and a slight twitch of her right eyebrow. "I mean, that's rich coming from someone like you who thinks they can take whatever they want and get away with it. I'm not the one kidnapping a bank full of fucking people here."

The words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of the situation. I stared at Midori, my jaw clenched tightly.

A realization suddenly struck me.

She had no fear of death in her eyes, no concern for herself.

Was she a Magical Girl? Is that why she was so unafraid?

And if she is, what the heck are her abilities? Is that how she knows about the Assembly Ceremony? Is it possible for her to help us? Actually get us out of this?

The robber raised his pistol at Midori's head, his finger tightening on the trigger.

Midori stared back, unyielding as she stared at the barrel of the gun.

"My, my. What a foul mouth for a little rich girl trying to play tough," Hellhound sneered, a cold, mocking edge in her tone.

She then held up her hand, signaling to the other robber. "Stand down, Sidewinder," she ordered.

Her voice dripped with authority as she leaned forward. Midori quirked her eyebrow and leaned forward with her as well.

"You can't fool me, little girl. You've got that air about you, you know? Like you've never had to struggle for anything in your life. Born with a silver spoon in your mouth."

I could feel the tension in the air. Midori's jaw clenched, her gaze never leaving Hellhound. She shifted her body, her muscles tensing.

"Tell me," Hellhound continued, her voice dripping with disdain. "Have you ever had to work hard a day in your life?"

I couldn't see her eyes, but I could feel the rage burning inside Midori as she glared at the woman. I tried to keep myself still, but I couldn't help but freeze.

The tension in the air was palpable as Midori finally spoke.

"I've had to work harder than you'd ever imagine," Midori spat out, her voice laced with barely controlled anger. "Who are you to cast judgment on me?"

Hellhound laughed, a cold and hollow sound that sent shivers down my spine. "Look at that, a little bite in your bark, eh? Let me tell you something, girl. Your fancy background doesn't mean shit out here. You're just another piece of meat, and if I had my way, I'd gut you right now."

I clenched my jaw, trying not to show any emotion on my face.

Midori stared at Hellhound for a moment longer before speaking again. Her voice was low, her eyes never leaving Hellhound's mask. "So what's the point? You're going to kill us either way, so why waste time?"

Hellhound snickered in response, shaking her head.

"Sometimes, I like playing with my food before eating it. And you three... you're a real treat."

Midori's face hardened, her expression turning to stone. But before she could retort, Hellhound walked over and gently put a boot on the man who'd been tied up with us.

I glanced at the green-haired man beside me. He was trembling, his face a mixture of fear and anger as he watched the exchange.

He seemed like he was close to breaking. It made sense; he had no stakes in this, no friends with him. I could see the desperation in his eyes, the fear of dying alone.

He watched the exchange with wide, fearful eyes, his body tense and rigid. He seemed like an ordinary guy like me — thin and timid, caught in a bad situation

He wore a suit that looked slightly too big for him, and his hair was a mess like he'd been running his hands through it nervously. His eyes were a striking shade of pink, almost unnaturally so, and they flicked from Hellhound to Midori, then to me, filled with a mix of fear and uncertainty.

Hellhound's attention briefly shifted to him, and the man flinched under her gaze. "And what about you, pretty boy? Got anything to say?" she taunted.

The man swallowed hard, his voice barely more than a whisper. "I... I'm just a clerk. I don't know anything about this... Please, I just want to go home."

Hellhound laughed, a cruel, hollow sound that echoed through the van. "A bank teller, huh? Wrong place, wrong time. Tough luck."

The man's eyes brimmed with tears, but he said nothing more, his gaze dropping to the van floor.

My heart ached for the man, but at the moment, I felt numb. I had no idea what Hellhound's plan was or why she'd chosen to rob the Mana Exchange and kidnap a whole bunch of random people. All I knew was that it wouldn't end well, whatever it was.

"What's your name then, little clerk?" she asked, her tone all too casual like she was deciding whether or not to have him for lunch.

"M-My name is Taro. Um. Pleased to meet you m-ma'am."

Hellhound crossed her arms, unamused. "Pleased to meet me?" She laughed. "Right. I'm sure you are. Well, Taro, let me give you a piece of advice. You should be careful with your words. You don't want to rile up the wrong people. Understand? I can be a bit cranky sometimes."

Taro nodded timidly, a sheen of sweat on his forehead.

"Y-Yes ma'am. I understand. Been around enough not to," he spit out. "Please, I don't have anything to do with this. I just want to go home."

Hellhound considered him for a moment before laughing and turning her attention back to Midori and me.

"You know, it's interesting," she mused like she was talking about the weather. "We've got a little cross-section of Shoreline City right here. A kid from Earth trying to climb the social ladder, a rich bitch playing at being tough, and a scared little wage slave who loves to bow and grovel."

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Her words hung in the air, heavy with menace. She leaned back against the van wall, observing us with a predator's gaze. "You three represent everything I fucking despise about this city. The opportunists, the privileged, and the weak. Pathetic and disgusting, the lot of you. If it were up to me, I'd bury all three of you right here and now and never think twice about it."

I felt my fists ball up in anger but forced myself to remain still.

"But unfortunately, you have value. To me, at least. So don't worry. I'm not going to kill you—not yet, at least. But know that if any of you step out of line, I'll be more than happy to make sure you regret it."

Her words sent a chill down my spine, and a cold fear slowly settled in my gut.

She meant it. She really meant every part of that comment.

I had to come up with something quick.

"Rai-chan, can you get me a visual on our surroundings?" I reached out mentally.

"Checking now," Rai-chan responded. My HUD lit up with a schematic view of the streets around us, displaying a chaotic scene on the traffic cams.

The city was in disarray, with emergency vehicles trying to navigate through the congested streets, their sirens blaring. I could see the aftermath of the explosions that the robbers had set off as distractions, with plumes of smoke rising into the night sky. The five vans had split up, and I had no idea where the other hostages were.

The van continued to drive through the city, taking convoluted twists and turns. Every turn and stop made my heart race, and I wondered if this would be where they decided to get rid of us.

The chaos outside provided the perfect cover for the robbers to escape with their haul, and it seemed like they knew exactly what they were doing. The van suddenly made a sharp turn, and I could feel the vehicle slowing down. I tensed up, my body bracing in anticipation for what would come.

Hellhound was still watching us with a twisted smile on her face. "Almost there! You know, I think I'll keep you three around for a bit longer," she said, her voice dripping with malice. "You'll be useful, one way or another."

I felt a surge of fear but pushed it down, focusing on the situation. We were in a bad spot, but I wasn't about to give up.

"Rai-chan, any chance you can tap into the city's traffic control system? We need a diversion," I asked, grasping at straws.

"I can attempt to access the network, but it will require a significant amount of mana," Rai-chan warned. "You are currently at 48% capacity and I estimate this will take approximately thirty units to work."

I hesitated. Using that much mana could leave me vulnerable, but it might be our only chance.

"Do it," I said, steeling myself for what might come next. I felt a drain on my reserves as Rai-chan began to access the system, my body trembling with the effort.

As Rai-chan worked silently in the background, I turned my attention back to Hellhound.

She definitely seemed to be enjoying the power she held over us.

But...

Maybe we had an out.

The van suddenly lurched to a stop, causing everyone inside to jostle against each other. "What the hell?!" one of the robbers shouted from the front.

Cars were honking incessantly, and people were getting out of their vehicles, looking confused and frustrated. A few seconds later, I heard the screech of sirens all around us.

"Holy cow! Rai-chan, what did you do?!"

"I managed to use my access to the city's traffic control system to block off this street," Rai-chan replied, her voice almost lost in the chaos outside. "I have also alerted the authorities to our location by intentionally leaving glaring footprints in the hack. I believe it is our best chance to get out of this alive."

Hellhound had scrambled to her feet, gazing through the small in front before shouting orders to the other robbers. "Dammit! Take us down that side street. Everyone grab what you can and get out of here! We need to move, now!"

The robbers scrambled into action, grabbing bags of loot and heading for the van's exit.

Hellhound drew a pistol and palmed a portable mana disruption cylinder, before turning her cold, menacing gaze towards us. "You three, get up. You're coming with us."

We were dragged out of the van, stumbling into the chaos of the jammed side street. Sirens wailed in the distance, growing closer by the second. Two robbers other than Hellhound poured out of the front van, each carrying a duffel bag.

Hellhound motioned for her henchmen to move, and they pushed us forward, their expressions hidden by their masks and the shadows of their hoodies. It looked like we were somewhere near the docks on the city's west side, with the sounds of water lapping against the shorelines mixing with the distant sirens and shouts. The air was heavy with the smell of salt and diesel, the dampness of the fog adding an eerie chill to the night.

"Keep moving," one of the robbers hissed, pushing me forward roughly. I stumbled but managed to stay on my feet, glancing at the other hostages to make sure they were okay.

Midori kept her head up with a serious expression, while Taro seemed utterly terrified, his eyes darting back and forth in fear. I gave him a reassuring smile, and he gave me a weak nod.

It'd be difficult for the authorities to find us through this fog, and the sounds of the city were muffled, making it harder to pinpoint our location. Hellhound led us towards the piers, and I could hear the sounds of boats in the water.

"Where are you taking us?" I asked, my voice shaking despite my best efforts to sound confident.

"Shut your damned mouth," Hellhound spat, pushing me roughly in the direction of the pier.

The other robbers followed closely, their weapons at the ready.

As we approached the dock, the fog started to clear a bit, revealing several large, metal warehouses lining the edge of the pier. A small number of uniform, hi-tech boats were docked there, their hulls bumping against the wooden planks. The sound of lapping waves filled the air, and I could taste the salt in the air on my lips. Seagulls squawked overhead, and a cool breeze ruffled my hair.

The warehouses loomed ahead, their rusted walls looking foreboding in the dim lighting.

"Ikki," Rai-chan suddenly chimed. "Looks like those boats ahead are in fact not civilian vehicles. I have identified them as 'Ko-nishiki-class patrol boats.' They're armed to the teeth and ready to escape the harbor."

My mind raced. If those were armed patrol boats, the robbers were planning on a high-seas getaway.

Midori coughed, getting my attention.

She subtly pointed down towards her feet. She tapped her boot twice and gave me a nod.

I couldn't speak to Midori without raising suspicions. The robbers hadn't noticed, but it was clear she was signaling she was about to do something.

She was giving me a chance to join her if I could. Was there something in her boot that she could use to escape?

I quickly scanned the area around us.

The pier stretched out into the bay, lined with large metal warehouses that seemed to loom ominously in the fog. A few rusted cranes sat idle, their skeletal arms stretching out over the water. I could hear the sounds of boats rocking against the pier, the gentle lap of water against wood, and the faint buzz of insects.

There were rows upon rows of shipping containers stacked like massive colorful Lego bricks. They seemed to stretch on forever, their shadows casting an ominous gloom in the thickening mist. I could hear the distant hum of generators and machinery coming from within some of the larger warehouses, but otherwise, the dock was quiet and desolate.

I glanced at the robbers around us. Their eyes darted around, alert and nervous, their hands tightly gripping their weapons.

As we moved, I noticed how Midori subtly shifted her weight, testing the strength of her handcuffs and the length of the handcuff rope.

She was definitely planning something, I could tell. I didn't know what, though.

I looked around again — Hellhound was firmly in front of the formation, and we had a robber on our left and right flanks. Midori was all the way on the right, with Taro on the left and me at the center of our formation. The last guard was behind us, shoving us along with his rifle drawn.

Suddenly, Midori stopped, gasping and panting with her hands on her knees as if trying to catch her breath. The robber in the back growled and moved in to push her along as the other two turned around, looking slightly annoyed. I tensed up, ready to act if needed.

"Tch, damn spoiled brat. What are you, a princess?" he muttered. "Get a move on!"

Before anyone could blink, Midori flat out did a backflip and kicked him square in the face with a snap.

She used the momentum from the backflip to rotate herself around, her handcuff rope twisting and spinning her around until the chain of her cuffs were now around the guard's neck. The movement caused me to lose my balance and fall to a knee as the rope pulled tight against my wrists.

She twisted her body back at 45 degrees in a fluid motion, using the handcuff ropes as a weapon.

It happened so quickly that the guy approaching her didn't even have time to react as his foot landed directly over hers. With a twist of her hips and legs, the rope torqued him backwards, causing him to stumble and go crashing to the ground.

As the man fell toward the ground, Midori threw out a lightning-fast, precise up kick at the rifle, causing it to go flying away from his grip.

The other robbers, startled, raised their weapons, but Midori was already on the move, pulling the fallen robber's combat knife from his belt as she rolled.

I dimly realized that the handcuffs around her hand had clattered to the ground, and she'd managed to cut the rope between her and me in one smooth motion.

How the fuck had she managed to do that?!

"Move!" I shouted to Taro, pushing him to the side, tackling him to the ground and off to the side.

The chaos was immediate, with the robbers shouting frantically as they tried to regain control of the situation.

Midori blurred and sprinted toward the nearest robber with the knife gripped tightly in her hand.

I could only stare in shock as the two opened fire, and hunkered down low as I felt a few whiz over my head.

Midori zig-zagged through the bullets, a step ahead of their aim. She closed the gap in an instant, and I cringed as her knife found its mark in the closest man's throat.

But the man didn't collapse in a pool of blood as expected — instead, he seemed to be short-circuiting, sparks flying from the spot where Midori had struck.

Midori didn't hesitate. She quickly drew her arm back and flicked the knife at Sidewinder, catching him through the chest. The knife somehow penetrated clean through his chest, landing directly on the rope between Taro and me, cleanly slicing the rope before embedding itself on the pavement with a clang.

He, too, began to spasm and convulse like a marionette with its strings cut.

Sidewinder staggered back, but he seemed to be still functioning, his movements slow, jerky, and labored as if he was running on some kind of autopilot.

"Proxy drones!?" Midori briefly shouted, eyes widened in surprise as she drew the fallen man's combat knife. She quickly hit the deck in a side roll, avoiding another volley of gunfire.

I scrambled to my feet, filing away the revelation. The robbers weren't human. That certainly explained their lack of vitals.

The last henchman rolled to the side, reaching for the gun Midori had kicked away. I caught the movement and sprinted over, kicking the weapon away before it could be used.

He grabbed onto my ankle and yanked me onto the ground, and I used the momentum to roll over, planting my boot against his face and kicking him away.

The thug's grip loosened, and I scrambled away, grabbing for the rifle. My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I aimed the weapon at the robber.

I hesitated momentarily, finger trembling on the trigger as the adrenaline pounded in my veins.

Was I really going to do this?

Realization quickly dawned in the half-second that'd passed — I had to pull the trigger. With a quick breath, I focused on the target and fired, spraying at the target in front of me.

The gun jerked in my hands as the eerily realistic robot's head exploded, sparks and metal parts flying in all directions. For a moment, an eerie silence engulfed the pier.

Right. He was just a Terran drone thing.

A gunshot rang out, and I jerked my head in surprise. Midori yelped in pain as she jumped to the side, red spurting from one leg. Sidewinder had reoriented himself and had fired off a burst at Midori.

In a flurry of motion, Midori dropped to one knee and flipped over onto her stomach, dodging another volley of bullets from the last remaining henchman.

She clutched at her right thigh and hip, where blood was rapidly spilling out from the wound, as she crawled for cover behind a pile of discarded crates. I turned my rifle at her attacker and squeezed the trigger, unleashing a torrent of bullets at him.

Fuck you. Fuck you!

I couldn't deny it was cathartic to light up the man who'd stolen my hard-earned money. The rifle in my hands bucked violently, spitting out bullets with a deafening roar. Sparks and fragments of metal danced in the air as I continued to unload on the bastard, his body jerking and contorting unnaturally under the onslaught of gunfire.

He stumbled and fell back as the bullets impacted, his rifle clattering to the ground. The henchman's limbs spasmed with each bullet, sparks flying everywhere, and he slowly crumpled to the ground, twitching.

In the ensuing chaos, I noticed Taro making a break for it, running towards the safety of the buildings where we'd come from. I couldn't blame him; this was no place for a clerk.

I looked around frantically — I'd lost track of Hellhound somewhere during the chaos. I scanned the pier but couldn't spot her. Adrenaline pumped in my chest, and my blood thundered in my ears.

Did she get away?

"Oh, what a pleasant turn of events." Hellhound's voice cut through the silence, her tone mocking as she clapped slowly. "I must say, I'm impressed. You're full of surprises, aren't you? I certainly didn't expect that performance you'd put on."

She stepped forward, her wolf mask glinting in the dim light. She had a pistol out and pointed directly at Midori's side, who'd already cut her cardigan and formed a quick and sloppy improvised tourniquet around her leg.

I quickly raised my gun and shouted at Hellhound, literally shaking in my boots with adrenaline. "Don't move! Drop your weapon!"

I was never confident with my aim, and they were a good 30 meters away. Even with the rifle I was using, I couldn't guarantee I wouldn't miss and hit the wrong target.

Hellhound simply shrugged as if nothing was wrong.

"Oh, are you going to shoot me? Child, have you been keeping track of the bullets in your magazine? You don't have enough left to do much of anything. You can run away now, or accept your defeat like a brave little soldier. I won't give you a second chance once I'm done here."

he didn't even turn to look at me, her eyes still trained on Midori as she spoke. A surge of rage spread through me as I raised the rifle and pulled the trigger, calling her bluff.

It clicked, the sound of an empty chamber echoing in the air. Hellhound smirked, slowly turning her head to face me.

"Tut, tut, my little soldier. I'm afraid you ran out of luck. You'd better run."

My heart dropped.

This was it.

"Now, why don't we finish the job here?" she sneered as she trained her aim on Midori.

But Midori didn't flinch. Instead, she straightened up despite the open wound, her eyes burning with a fierce determination.

Hellhound's finger tightened on the trigger, and I could see the malicious glee behind the mask. "Any last words? I doubt you'll be able to dodge this one."

Midori's response was dry and short to the point as she rolled her shoulders. "Yeah. Go to hell."

"Rai-chan!" I reached out mentally. "I need to run a Hijack on her. I don't care if I have to run into the negatives and risk my life doing it. Just do it now!"

She answered immediately, "Ikki... You do not have the mana reserves remaining. Her defenses are far too sophisticated at this range to breach with your remaining energy. On top of that, the portable disruption field will make it far more difficult to succeed with a Hijack."

But I was already moving. "I said do it!" I grunted quietly, a fierce determination grounding me as I lunged forward. "The costs go down exponentially with distance, right?!"

Midori closed her eyes as if waiting for the fatal bullet.

Hellhound raised her handgun, aiming directly at Midori from roughly thirty feet away in the open.

Time seemed to slow as I watched Hellhound's finger tighten on the trigger as I ran for it. My heart pounded in my chest, fear and adrenaline coursing through my veins.

"Midori!" I shouted, but my voice was lost in the fog. There was no way I could make it in time.

Hellhound fired, and I watched stopped and stared in horror as she unloaded four shots at Midori's torso. I was sure that I was about to watch Midori die, but I couldn't tear my gaze away.

But Midori did something impossible.

She'd stepped to the side, and I caught the glint of steel as she brought her combat knife around.

With a flash of silver, the knife sliced through the air, the reflection of the firelight surrounding its blade as it moved. I couldn't believe what I was seeing as the bullets ricocheted off the edge of the blade, their trajectories changing and veering off course.

They slammed into nearby shipping containers, sparks flying as they embedded themselves in the metal. The noise of the impacts was loud and jarring in the quiet of the dockside, but the sound was almost drowned out by my pounding heart and the rushing in my ears.

Hellhound stared silently in shock, her mask of confidence slipping for the first time as she glanced briefly at the mana disruption field in her hand before looking back up to Midori in visible bewilderment.

"Fascinating. ...What the hell are you?"

Slowly, Midori opened her eyes, revealing a fierce, unyielding gaze and smirk that burned through the foggy night. I almost swore her blue eyes briefly flashed purple under the light of the neon signs and burning buildings in the distance. The misty backdrop made for a dramatic stage — the firelight flickering against the sea-like fog and smoke as her cardigan and hair billowed and flapped in the salty breeze.

Midori's voice was steady as she responded. Her face was visibly laced with pain, but she put on a tired, confident grin as she settled into a shaky combat stance.

"Me? Well..." Midori chuckled weakly. "It's complicated."