Quick note: This story follows X Days -Marked-

You don't need to read -Marked-, though you will miss some context/encounter some spoilers.

With that, let us begin.

Chapter I: Reunion

"Ach. Still stings, Yukes," Charlotte Kurogami whined, rubbing where the gaping hole in her torso used to be. "Could ya spare another Cure Drink?"

"You're imagining it, Kurogami," Jun Yukimura replied, shaking his head as they passed Ramen Don. "Let's focus on getting to the meeting on time, yes? The Merchant is a busy man."

"Geh. I almost bit it, lad. Life flashed before my eyes and all that." The girl's high-pitched, sing-song voice flowed rhythmically, accentuated by the foreign inflection from her Scottish half. "Y'almost lost me fer good, Yukes. Show a little concern for a delicate flower like me, ken?" she simpered, grinning obnoxiously.

"You are neither of those things," Yukimura snorted. "And I do care, thank you; pulled you out of the Drake's fire and everything." He raised a palm, continuing to walk without looking back at the girl. "Not that I would've had to, if you were a little more careful-"

"You're right, you're right. Regular hero, y'are," Charlotte chuckled, holding her hands up in surrender. "Let's not spend another ten minutes tellin' me off, eh? I'm not a child, ken," she joked.

Yukimura stopped walking for a moment. He drew a breath, then nodded, turning to face Charlotte. "Yeah. You're right. You know what you're doing. Sorry."

"Oh, uh," Charlotte raised her eyebrows, caught off-guard. "N- no, it's alright. Just jokin', y'know."

Yukimura looked down for a moment, nodding to himself. "Well. You do, though." Facing forwards once more, he continued walking. Charlotte trailed behind, falling quiet. Ugh. He's doin' it again. Unease and discomfort flickered across the girl's face; her eyes shifted around, not focusing on anything in particular. The two passed Cosmic Corner.

"Hey," Charlotte spoke up, her voice full of vigour. "I heard that store has a skirt called 'Love in a Heartbeat'. D'you think if I bought it, I'd find true love?" she grinned.

"I don't think the owner's willing to sell it, unfortunately," Yukimura answered curtly. Charlotte fell silent for a second time; her bubbliness evaporated. She hesitated, wanting to ask something else. Something that had been on her mind…

Before she could make her move, however, Yukimura spoke. "Anyway. We're here," he announced, checking his watch. "Quite a bit early. That's good." He turned to face her. "Shall we wait on him?"

"… Sounds good," Charlotte half-forced a grin. The pair stood quietly outside the empty Concert Stage. The morning sun's reach stopped midway through the district; Charlotte soaked it in, stretching her arms and welcoming the morning with a contemplative expression. Yukimura, meanwhile, simply observed her from the shade of the building. Nary a soul passed by the street, and aside from the distant, busy sounds of people going about their day from the direction of 104, the air was almost… peaceful. A rare, quiet moment of sereni-

"Yo, Yukes," Charlotte spoke, shattering the silence as carelessly as a child knocking a vase over.

"… What's up, now?"

"I was just thinkin'. What if ya did only have seven minutes left?"

Yukimura took a moment to register the question; he shook his head. "… What are you getting at, Kurogami?"

"Y'know," Charlotte made a point of shrugging, "if I got Erased, and ya had to find another Partner."

"… I don't see the point of discussing that," he replied stiffly.

"Ya just got done haverin' about me not bein' cautious or whatever-"

"'Cautious or whatever', hm?" Yukimura smiled thinly. "Glad to know that you were listening so intently."

"Look, canny lad, you're always sayin' that I should 'follow the plan', aye?" Charlotte threw her hands up as she made the jab; her voice bounced and dipped as she spoke, emphasising every word. "I just wanna know. Let's say that I was the one flattened into panbread. What would ya do?"

"Like I said earlier. If I get Erased," Yukimura repeated, "you make a dash for Hachiko, yelling out that you need a Partner as you go; if you're lucky en-"

"Thass not what I asked, Yukes," Charlotte cut him off, dropping her playful tone. "I want to know what you'd do."

Yukimura fell silent for a moment, staring hollow-eyed at the girl. "What do you mean?"

"Honestly… you've had me worried ever since ya got Kensei to take over as the team leader," Charlotte confessed.

"What's wrong with Kensei?"

"What's wrong with you?"

Yukimura pressed his lips together, apathetically leaning against the building. "He's responsible, even if he doesn't always act it. More importantly, the team is fond of him; he can rally everyone efficiently."

"Nobody had an issue with you, Yukes."

"You say that, but-"

"Yeah, I do say that. Obviously there're gonna be a couple or three here and there that might not gel with ya, but," Charlotte frowned and exhaled, getting slightly worked up. "That's no reason to resign."

"Kurogami…" Yukimura broke eye contact, looking down at the ground. His expression was neutral; unreadable on the surface, but… "I'm-… Kensei is a good-"

"I'm not asking about Kensei, Jun. I'm asking about you." The frustration was evident in her voice. The girl's usual upbeat expression was replaced by one of saddened worry. "You're suffering. I can tell that you're suffering because I'm yer Partner. Because I'm yer friend. What happened to ya? You've become so… distant, lately. Sometimes ya just… get all quiet," Charlotte shook her head with a pained expression, "ya take everything way too seriously. Ya look like you're gonna cry, ken. I… I don't like it."

"This is the Reapers' Game, Charlotte," he replied simply. A faint spark of frustration lit up on his face for a split-second before being snuffed out. "It's life or death here. Of course I'm going to be like this."

"Yeah, but ya weren't like this until recently," Charlotte pressed, the desperation bleeding through as she raised her voice a small amount. "You say 'life or death', but we've barely been takin' up Missions lately. Look at your Timer," she insisted, pointing to his hand.

05:41:43:32…

05:41:43:31…

05:41:43:30…

"You have less than a week left, Jun! We need Time ta win the Game, so why the hell're we lettin' it tick away like this? It's like we're not even tryin' ta win-"

"I'm sick of it, Kurogami. That's what it is," Yukimura raised his voice, finally showing some emotion; his expression shifted from restrained calm to irritated scorn. "I'm sick of fighting to accrue enough Time to escape the UG. I'm sick of risking my life every other day! I'm sick of this damn Game, Charlotte!" The man shook, surprising even himself with his outburst. His hands balled into fists, which were promptly shoved into his pockets. "It's easy to survive in the UG. It's easy to survive in the Game, but it's impossible- nigh impossible to win." Yukimura stopped. A few breaths served to calm the man somewhat, but he found himself no less anguished. "I don't mean to belittle Katy's own suffering," he spoke carefully, "and I know that she's in the same boat as us now, but she had it easy the first time around," he spat. "All she had to do was survive one week. One week. Us?" The man chuckled, almost finding it funny. He didn't feel frustrated anymore. He just felt exhausted. "Earn Time by clearing Missions. And the amount of Time needed to win? One Year. One Year on our Timers to win. Until then, we're stuck here. What a joke," he scoffed; his voice was low, now. Emotionless.

"It's not a jok-"

"It is, Kurogami. We've both been playing since the start. We were Dead before the Game began. And how much Time have you accrued?"

"…"

"Two Months." He didn't even need to look at her Timer. He knew. "You have two months, about the same as I did before I resigned as leader. Ah, and how long is it again, that we've been playing? How long did it take us to earn that two Months?"

"I ken how you feel, Yukes…" Charlotte mumbled, subconsciously wrapping her arms around herself.

"No. I'm sorry, but you don't," Yukimura smiled bitterly. "How could you understand how I feel, with your Entry Fee? You can't. It's not your fault," he added, gritting his teeth. "It's not your fault. But you can't understand."

Charlotte said nothing. It was true, she couldn't understand exactly how he felt. She couldn't feel the exact same frustration and torment that she now saw he so clearly had been carrying. She could only feel the pain and hurt of seeing her friend in such a state. "So… what did you wanna do, then…?"

"… I don't know," he shrugged, his expression blank. "I'm burning through my Timer much quicker than you are, with how I'm spending it. But I also don't really care, if I'm being honest. Part of me thinks that I'll kick into gear when I'm getting close to zero, that being so close to Erasure will jump-start me into trying to live again. But even if I did, I've wasted so much of my Time already. It'll take me just as long as we've been playing to get back up to where you are now." Yukimura stopped talking. He checked his watch, remembering that they were waiting on a certain Merchant. The minutes felt like hours.

"And… the other part?" Charlotte asked.

"… What do you mean?" Yukimura looked back up, far past the point of caring about the meeting.

"What does the other part of you think? What happens if y'don't 'kick into gear' when your Timer's about to run dry?"

Yukimura took his longest silence yet, mixed feelings showing on his face. "I don't… want to drag you down, Kurogami. I don't want to drag anyone down anymore. That's why I keep telling you: If I'm Erased, you need to find yourself a new Partner. You need to keep going. But as for me…" The man recalled what Charlotte has asked him earlier. "Being realistic? If you were Erased… I don't think I'd bother to find someone."

Charlotte's eyes widened. She felt like she finally understood how her Partner felt. But she needed to make sure. "You wouldn't find another Partner? Would you rather just… let it end there, Jun?"

"Yeah," he responded without hesitation. There was no fear in his voice. Only a broken kind of emptiness. "This Game is hell to me. In fact, if I didn't care about you surviving, I'd gladly take oblivion over suffering here any longer. You don't have to understand why I feel that way." He knew she wouldn't. That she couldn't. "Just that it is how I feel." And he knew that she would.

Just as the two fell silent for the last time, a well-kept man wearing a waistcoat appeared from around the corner, strolling into the district.

Yukimura and Charlotte glanced uncomfortably from the Reaper to each other, wondering if he had heard any of their argument.

"Well. He's here, So…" Yukimura muttered, moving to meet him halfway.

"Yukes…"

"It's alright, Kurogami," Yukimura assured. "We'll talk about it later." The man turned, looking his Partner in the eye. "I just… I want to say that I appreciate you dragging that out of me. I'm sorry that I didn't trust you. That I didn't open up. Thank you. I'm… I'm glad that you're my Partner, Charlotte."

Charlotte smiled thinly at the gesture, though her aquamarine eyes shone dull with sadness. "Yeah… of course, lad. It's no problem at all. We're mates, aren't we?"

Yukimura likewise managed to smile back. "Yeah. I'm grateful. Truly."

"Is there a problem?" the Merchant called out as he approached, preparing a briefcase of Pins for the pair.

Yukimura turned back to fully face him. "My apologies. Just a discussion between Partners. So, let's see what you have for us."

Charlotte watched on as Yukimura made his way to the Merchant, unaware of the looming danger. A single Harrier sat on the rooftop far above her… waiting for his moment to strike.

X Days -Threads that Bind-

The Player's bespectacled, hazel eyes glinted in the morning sun as she blended in with the mass of pedestrians, hiding in plain sight; her gaze shifted from side to side, scanning for potential threats as she strolled along. One… no. Two Reapers at the end of the street. The Support Reaper's gaudy red hoodie was easy enough to spot. And the man he was talking to, while lacking his own hoodie, did share one thing in common with the Red Hood: A shiny, black pair of wings. Unmistakably those of a Reaper. No uniform. A Harrier, most likely, the Player noted. Next, examining the space right behind the conversing pair, she spotted a faint glint in the air. A Wall. That could be troublesome. The Player adjusted her light-blue newsboy cap, and double-checked the Existence Timer on her left palm.

15:24:56…

15:24:55…

15:24:54…

Hm. Not going to last the day at this rate, she mused, jamming her hand back into her jeans pocket. Having a little over half a day left to live was by no means a comfortable place to be, but it was one that the Player was very used to. A Mission cleared here, a pack of Noise Erased there… She would be fine. As precious as Time was to Players in the Remixed Reapers' Game, it wasn't actually terribly difficult to earn.

Wait. A vague feeling of unease hit the girl, pulling her out of her contemplation. Without breaking her stride, she adjusted the shoulder strap of her messenger bag, and nonchalantly turned, making her way to the shade of the Towa Records store front. The next moment, she had bumped into someone. "Ah…!" Takaharu…!

Takaharu stumbled for a moment, but quickly righted himself. "Whoa, my bad. Wasn't watching where I was going," he apologised, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "Are you oka-"

"Um, it's no trouble. Good day." With that brief apology of her own, the girl pulled the brim of her cap a little further down, and swiftly walked past Takaharu before he had a chance to say anything further. Just in time, in fact; as she moved onwards, she heard the exasperated voice of his Partner ring out.

"Takaharu, what are you doing standing around in the middle of the street?" a girl's voice, about the same age as her Partner, rang out, stern and formal.

"Well- I mean, I wouldn't have bumped- come on, Emma. Basically everyone else here is in the RG!" Takaharu stumbled over his words, laughing before offering up his idea of an excuse.

"Right…" Emma Ishikawa sighed, not sounding entirely convinced. "Also, it's 'Ishikawa'. I'm done shopping, so if you're ready to join the others at…"

The voices of the pair faded as the girl with the cap walked out of earshot. Ishikawa didn't see me, I don't think. The girl frowned for a moment before relaxing. Well, that's probably for the best anyway. She's more likely to recognise me. Probably would cause a scene, considering. Fanning her face with her hand as she turned to rest her back against the outer wall of Towa Records, she cast her gaze back along the path she had walked. I still have time before the recovery mission starts. I'd better hurry, all the same. As she scanned the area, the source of her earlier uneasiness was found: Back the way she had come, a trio of Harriers were approaching from the Miyashita Park Underpass. The girl sighed inwardly. A little early for a Patrol, isn't it…? No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than she noticed one more: A fourth, floating Harrier, surveying the district from high above while her comrades did the same down below. Can't let them see me. The girl briefly considered ducking inside the record store, but just as quickly decided against it; if by chance the Patrol happened to search inside… well, being cornered in there wasn't exactly a thought she relished.

"Nah, I'm telling you, man! Yuzawa's only a Harrier 'cause he wants to be! Ain't no way he's not qualified to make Officer, don't you think?"

"Mmmm, yeah, I see your point. Kinda like Kariya in that way, huh?"

"Oh, for sure. Though they definitely like being out in the field for different reasons, you know?"

"Hah! Hundred percent."

The girl now turned her head to the closer end of the street; the Reapers by the Wall seems to be gossiping. Their voices certainly do carry. They seem friendly enough, at least. Back to the Patrol. Maybe a couple of minutes before they reach here? Well, either way; better the Support and his friend than the Harrier Patrol. Making her decision, she wasted no time in moving over to the duo.

"And yo, speaking of Officers, did you hear about this week's Game Mas- hm?" the Red Hood trailed off as he caught notice of the approaching Player. The Harrier, meanwhile, walked a few steps away, giving his friend space to do his job.

Harrier seems to be the mindful type. Very kind. "Good morn', Mr. Support," the girl smiled cheerfully, waving amicably before coming to a stop. "You've got a Wall up, yeah? Mind givin' a girl the conditions?"

The Red Hood opened his mouth, drawn in by the Player's affable nature, but stopped himself, looking around. "Uh… where's your Partner, missy?" he questioned, his voice now missing its cheerful energy.

"Oh, waitin' at the Scramble, actually," she laughed, slightly embarrassed. "We uh, had a li'l squabble earlier, so I took off. Kinda petty, I know, I know." The girl's palm slapped her forehead dead centre, as if to berate herself.

The Red Hood turned back to the Harrier, nodding to him before pulling out his phone. "What's your Partner's name, missy?"

"It's Kana. And I'm Hanako, by the way. Good to meetcha," the Player beamed, twirling a lock of her shoulder-length, black hair between her fingers.

"…"

"…"

"…"

… He's looking at his Phone. Hanako casually stole a backwards glance; the Patrol was closer now. A little too close. "Sooo…" Twiddling her thumbs, she turned back to the Reaper. "Was givin' Kana's name the Wall condition, or…?" She laughed a little at her own joke.

"Hmmm." Finally looking up from his Phone. "Nah. We're just looking for someone, is all. What's your Partner look like?"

Hanako stopped for a moment, not expecting the question. "Er… Brunette? Hair in pigtails. Bright-blue denim jacket, like this one," she indicated to her sleeve, pulling on it, "elevator boots, shorts that are way too short, ahaha…" She laughed again, though this time it sounded slightly forced. "… You uh, might've seen her around here, maybe? She do somethin'?"

The Reaper said nothing, still staring at his phone.

Hanako moved to take another quick glance behind her, but quickly stopped herself. They were definitely close behind her now; she could feel it. Better not risk it.

"Alright," he spoke up, finally. "Last question, if you got the time: What colour are her eyes?"

"Her eyes?" Hanako echoed, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Like are they, say, violet?" he added, watching for the Player's reaction.

"Uh…" Surprise clearly showed on the girl's face. "No, they're plain ol' black. Violet's kinda fancy for an eye colour, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's pretty rare," the Red Hood responded, still considering the Player's expression.

"…"

"… Okay, well. That'll be fine," he nodded, stowing his Phone away. "Wall clear!" Following his shout, the air shimmered and shined before settling. "Go on then, run along."

"Ah, thank you," Hanako recovered quickly, flashing the Red Hood a smile before trotting past him. Now, to the Scramble…

"Hey, hold up."

Hanako froze, stopped by the Red Hood's voice. The fight-or-flight instinct within the girl screamed at her to run for it, but… Don't act so nervous. Suppressing the urge, she turned to face the Reaper, plastering another friendly smile on her face. "Yeah? What's up?" The panic within her spiked as she caught sight of the Patrol, only a few paces away from where she had been standing. Oh, they're… Luckily for Hanako, the three of them seemed to be questioning Takaharu and Ishikawa, too busy to take notice of her.

The Reaper scratched his temple, and after what felt like an eternity… "Make up with your Partner, okay? The Game's hard enough as it is without havin' playing alone."

Half a second passed as Hanako's brain caught up with what the Red Hood had just said. "Oh, yes! Thank you, I will," she managed to respond. With that, she resumed her course, walking a decent section of the street before turning into an alleyway to gather herself. Closer than usual. Hanako let out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. Can't be careless. That could've gone a lot worse, if the Support wasn't so understandin-

"Hands up, Player."

"!?" Hanako whipped around in shock-

Bang!

The muzzle flash from the Harrier's handgun burst a few metres away from Hanako's face, momentarily blinding her. A bullet whizzed by, cutting through a few strands of her black hair.

"I said 'hands up'!" The Reaper barked, aiming at her quarry's face.

Hanako's mind kicked into overdrive. The fourth Reaper! Of course she would have seen me from the air, how could I forget her?

"You deaf? I have authority from the Conductor to Erase any non-cooperative Players, so raise those damn hands. Drop that bag, while you're at it."

Forceful, but professional. She isn't bluffing. "A- alright, I'm raising them," Hanako lowered her head a little, her voice shaky. Did she notify the others? Or did she pursue me without bothering? she wondered, keeping one hand raised as she dropped her shoulder bag off to the side.

"Where's your Partner? Answer, or I'll shoot."

"The Scramble Crossing. I'm heading there right now." Hanako wrested back control of her voice, answering calmly.

"That's a ways away. Why'd you split up? Answer, or I'll shoot."

"We had a fight, that's all. May I ask what this is about, Miss Harr-"

"I'm asking the questions. Why'd you duck into this alley right after clearing the Wall? Answer, or I'll shoot."

She certainly enjoys saying that. "I'm… taking a shortcut to Cadoi City. From there, I'll continue to the Scramble," Hanako stumbled a little, unable to think of a better excuse.

"Really? Seems like you were trying to avoid our Patrol."

"I wasn't. Being away from your Partner isn't against the rules, Miss Harrier-"

Bang!

The muscles in Hanako's legs instinctively contracted for a moment, but there was no need; the warning shot had harmlessly hit the pavement at her feet. The Player's hazel eyes silently stared into the Harrier's. Trigger-happy type, isn't she? I don't think the Patrol would've heard from this distance, at least. As she thought of her next move…

"Take off your hat."

"Excuse me?" Hanako's heart rate spiked, but otherwise, she did nothing.

"Take off your hat. Look at me properly when I'm speaking to you."

"… I can see you just fine, Miss Harrier. Could you please at least tell me why I'm bei-"

"Stop stalling, or I'll shoot. I'm giving you three seconds to take off your hat. Three. Two-"

"Alright, I'm taking it off…!" Hanako raised her voice a little, her eyes darting back and forth between the Reaper and the entrance to the alley behind her. Slowly and deliberately, she grasped the brim of her cap; her thumb securely pressed itself against the Pin she had stuck on its underside…

Noticing a change about the Player, the Reaper twitched. "Don't try anything funny," she warned, moving one hand to grab her Phone…

Now. "Shockform: Vacuum," Hanako incanted.

Instantly, the Reaper's eyes went wide. She wordlessly grasped at her throat, fingers scrabbling as the Player crouched down and plunged a hand into her bag. The Reaper raised her gun.

"!" Hanako kicked the ground, dodging to the side; the bullet soundlessly shot out of the barrel and hit the wall behind her. She had already grabbed what she needed, however. "Psychokinetics," she commanded, yanking the choking Reaper's body downwards.

With a dull, muted thud, the Harrier's head collided with the concrete, knocking her out cold.

Hanako dispelled the Psychs, taking a breath. Haven't used a Lvl. 3 in a while. Touching the Pin during the Psych really does ease the strain, at least. It was too soon to rest, however. Moving quickly, the girl dragged the unconscious Harrier behind one of the alleyway's dumpsters, hiding her from sight; or at least, making her presence a little less obvious. Hanako's eyes flicked up to the alley entrance every few moments, praying that the rest of the Patrol wouldn't walk around the corner. If I hurry, I'll be fine. Rid of her pursuer, the girl slung the bag back over her shoulder, snapping it open and peering at the various articles inside; pulling the newsboy cap off her head, she decided to switch it for… Let's go with the black beanie. After the swap was complete, she stowed her glasses and jacket alongside the cap, leaving her in a sleeveless, black turtleneck. Making sure to secure the clasp on her bag, she pulled out her Phone. Okay. Now, to the Scramble. Hanako re-centred herself, noting the time as she swiftly made her way down the alley. I'll make it in time. The recovery team shouldn't have any trouble anyway, but… Slipping the device back into her pocket, Hanako picked up the pace, running down the length of the side-street. After a couple of twists and turns, she could see it: The exit, and through it, Cadoi City.

Before she could reach it, however, someone else turned the corner, entering the alley; a young woman with blonde hair.

"Hsst…!" Drawing a sharp breath between her teeth, Hanako slowed her pace to a leisurely stroll, adopting a relaxed, patient gait. The tension quickly evaporated, however, as her senses identified the girl. Well, well. Just a teenager in the RG, it seems. You had me worried for a moment. Resuming her more urgent jog, Hanako quickly passed by the blonde girl, her mind charting a route to the Scramble Crossing. After Cadoi City, it's on to Shibu Dept. Store. If there's a Wall, I should have enough time to take the usual detour to Center St. Entrance, and then…

"Hey, I'm talking to you."

The voice yanked Hanako out her planning. What? For what felt like the fifth time today, she turned around; all she saw was the RG teenager, bafflingly. Nobody else was in sight. Who just…?

"Do I have your attention?" the blonde asked, tilting her head to the side a little. Her posture was relaxed as she looked upon Hanako, though her face had a hint of distaste on it.

Hanako on the other hand, was quite the opposite of relaxed. "… What?" Her eyes narrowed, furrowing her brow by a small amount. The word had soon followed, spilling from her mouth without consent. "You can see…?" She trailed off, well and truly thrown for a loop. But she doesn't feel like a Soul in the UG. No wings either; is she hiding them…?

"No, I'm not dead. I'm not a Reaper either. But, I can see you all the same. Katy."

'Hanako' froze, her mind going blank. Though a myriad of thoughts cascaded through her head, not a single one was coherent. Finally, after several, damning seconds of silence, she tried for a reply anyway. "I'm sorry, I'm not quite sure what you mean," she spoke slowly, still attempting to process the situation. "I think you may have mixed me up with someone. My name is Hanako." Never before had she felt herself speaking so stilted and unnatural. But then, she couldn't recall the last time she had been rattled like this, either; the last time she had been so thoroughly confounded by something as simple as a person calling out to her.

"Don't bother," the blonde cut her efforts down immediately. "You're Katy. The one that the Reapers, or specifically, the organisation behind the Reapers, CHECKMATE, is trying to track down." She sounded almost bored as she rattled off the list of facts, as if presenting a research project to a class. "And, in the Reapers' Game that took place before this one… you were the one Partnered with Magokoro Muki. Isn't that right?"

Hanako, or rather, for Katy stared deep into the blonde's green eyes. A cold breeze drifted through the alleyway. The chatter of pedestrians on the street behind seemed to fade into the distance as Katy held her gaze. Try as she might, she could not recall the young woman's face. There was only a vague feeling. A feeling that perhaps they had met before. Something so small. Something so indescribable.

New Day: Part I

… Why-… How does she know all that? Out of all the questions screaming inside Katy's mind, that one in particular had screamed the loudest. She had completely lost track of what expression she was wearing now; the utter shock on her face was on full display. Eventually, she asked, "… What-… How can you see me, first of all?"

"There." The strange blonde extended a finger, answering in a curt, matter-of-fact manner. "The alley's marked with a Decal. See?"

After a moment's hesitation, Katy threw a quick glance upwards. Emblazoned upon the adjacent wall a few metres up was, indeed, a faded skull and crossbones design. But… why a Decal in a place like this?

The answer had only raised more questions, unfortunately.

"And," Katy drew the word out, the paranoid side of her mind jumping to the worst-case scenario. "You called me… 'Katy', was it? And you mentioned a couple of other names." Her hand casually slid over to her messenger bag as she spoke-

"I'm not here to fight."

Katy froze. Had her intent been read so easily…?

"And like I said: Don't bother. Changing up how you look might work with the Reapers, but not with me. You're definitely her."

"And who would you be, then…?" Katy pressed, jumping at the chance.

"Doesn't matter right now. Sorry." Not very reassuring; her hurried tone seemed to convey that manners weren't quite a priority. "Now. I need your help."

Not quite what Katy was expecting.

The blonde continued. "I need you to speak to Getotsu Tezano. There's something very important that he needs assistance with. You need to-"

"Hold on- excuse me," Katy cut in as politely as she could manage, given how much was being thrown at her. "Getotsu Tezano?"

"The researcher. Kind, silver-haired man," the blonde elaborated patiently; a rare instance of emotion flitted across her face.

"And you know this 'Tezano' well?" Katy asked, still very reluctant to give any information away.

"We're acquainted. And I'm aware that you two are, as well."

Right, Katy bit her lip, but refused to confirm.

"Since a little after Remixed Reapers' Game began. If I'm not mistaken."

Also right. Rattled, Katy distracted herself with another question. "Okay. Let's say I believe all of that. What does he need help with?"

"That, you won't believe," the blonde replied unhesitatingly.

"Well. No harm trying me, is there?" Katy pressed, starting to feel frustrated at the blonde girl's games.

"Hm. It concerns Shibuya, in fact."

"Shibuya…? The whole city?" Katy recoiled, finding the answer as unbelievable as the blonde had described. "So… Do you mean to say the UG-"

"See? I'm stopping there. You'll only want to ask more questions. Better that Getotsu tell you the rest himself."

Katy eyed the blonde teenager before her, noting the informal way she had used his name. She considered her next move, still wary that the blonde could perhaps be some skilled Reaper. "… Well I must say," Katy paused, not knowing what to call the teenager before her, "… miss. It's a little jarring, you must understand, for me to be given such a request so suddenly by someone whom I've never met, but knows so much about me. By someone who knows what a Decal is…" she trailed off. Her finger nervously tapped against the Pin in her bag. If not a Reaper, perhaps an Ex-Player? Is she really acquainted with Mr. Tezano? If so, why be so coy…? All sorts of questions. Katy tried to recall the last time she had directly spoken to Getotsu Tezano himself. As friendly as their relationship was, it occurred to her that it had been quite a while since she had made the time to visit him. It was certainly possible that he could have mentioned her name to another Player, but…

"Hey," the blonde spoke again, her no-nonsense tone cutting through Katy's thoughts. "Talk to Tezano. You'll understand. This is life or death. Okay?"

No, Katy thought instinctively, not nearly enough. This blonde had even avoided giving a name; that alone was incredibly suspicious. Before she could vocalise that grievance, however, the blonde girl took the initiative once more.

"I'm short on time," she noted, gazing at her phone in a discontented manner. "Please talk to him. I need to leave."

"I'm sorry," Katy responded immediately, finding this new level of audacity oddly calming, "but I still don't know who you are. If you're acquainted with Getotsu Tezano as you say, what's to stop you from helping him yourself?"

"It has to be a Player like you. And I can't enter the Ruins, anyway."

"And why is that?"

"Look," her voice shifted, becoming a little more impatient. "Getotsu Tezano. Talk to him. As long as you don't forget what I've told you, you should be fine. Good luck." With that, the blonde pulled her braided hair off her shoulder, throwing it behind her with what seemed like irritation. She walked off-

"Wait!" Katy pulled out a Pin in a show of force. "Tell me who you are. If you really aren't on the Reapers' side, you can surely share your name!"

"Jane Doe," she replied, unconvincingly. "I'm sorry, but focus on what I've asked you to do, first-"

"No, I'm sorry, but that's not good enough," Katy interrupted her. "You know about CHECKMATE? You know the name Magokoro Muki? I need to know where you heard about them. And if you attempt to run, I'll be following you until you give me answers. You may as well just tell me now," she added, insistent.

"… The recovery effort by the veterans to help new Players through the first Mission," the blonde spoke again, tugging absentmindedly at her long braid. "It's starting soon. You're going to abandon them?"

At this Katy felt a slight pang of guilt, but shook it off just as quickly. "There are plenty other experienced Players without me there. They'll manage."

"That's right," the blonde nodded, quietly agreeing. "I suppose you'd know them better than I. Though it seemed like Takaharu and Ishikawa were a little late, didn't it?"

Katy tensed up, caught off-guard once more.

"They were bickering a little when you passed by them earlier, weren't they? I'm curious. Were you upset that Takaharu didn't recognise you?"

Katy said nothing, though the pit in her stomach continued to deepen. This is eerie. Has she been following me? If so, how long…?

"But with that said, I'm sure that the others will still make do, as you say. The team has such capable Players, like Charlotte and Yukimura, for instance," the blonde continued, unruffled. "And with Kensei leading them, a few Noise shouldn't be an issue."

Katy's bit her lip as the blonde continued to casually recite the names of her friends. Is she… Scanning me? That shouldn't be possible, should it?

"Speaking of your friends," the blonde added, her tone slightly passive-aggressive now, "there was also Magokoro Muki himself, at one point. He was certainly your friend. As well as Hiro and Ko-"

"Stop." A surge of emotion shot through Katy. Her hand balled into a fist. The mention of the last two names in particular caused all sorts of biting, unpleasant memories to bubble up within her. "Alright," she conceded, her voice low and dry. "I understand that you have all of this information. I'm not disputing that. What is your point, please?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly with effort.

"I know what it's like, Katy. To be betrayed by someone you trust so closely," the blonde continued, narrowing her eyes on the girl. "Although I wasn't there in the Room of Reckoning with you back then, I can very accurately imagine how you felt. The moment the person you cared about the most stabbed you in the back and tossed you aside. The moment he ran Koushi Tetsuyou through-"

"Stop!" Katy shouted, losing her usual composure in an instant. The girl stared daggers into the blonde's eyes, her breathing now charged and heavy.

The blonde stared back, unperturbed. Suddenly, it almost seemed as though she was just as angry as Katy was.

Calm down, a voice in the back of Katy's mind gently shook her. That's not like you. Keep it together. Restraining herself from saying anything until she was calm, the girl simply continued to stare at the blonde, biting into her lip again. After a little longer, her breathing slowed, and her emotions settled. "… So. What is your point in saying all of this?"

The blonde waited a moment, considering her words. "My point is," she spoke firmly, directing her green eyes at Katy, "that I need you to believe me. Clearly, I was overly optimistic in thinking you'd go along without question," she frowned. "So I'm going to tell you one more thing. One of your good friends? They're facing trouble right now. It could go very badly."

"What?" Katy's breathing hitched. "What do you-"

"If you want to help them," the blonde warned, brushing Katy off, "stick around the Scramble after the Noise have been cleared. That is, if you believe me."

"Hold on-" Katy attempted to stop her again, but the blonde was already running back down the alleyway. "Stop! We aren't done!" Katy began to chase after her, but her legs quickly abandoned the cause. Trouble? Who? She found herself stuck in place, unsure on whether to pursue the enigmatic young woman, or to heed her warning, and… Rrgh. I don't like the feel of this. Spinning on her heel, Katy focused on her original destination, sprinting towards the Scramble Crossing.

"Pyrokinesis!"

"Velocity Booster!"

"Graviton Pulse!"

"Thunderbolt!"

Psych after Psych flew across the battlefield, taking down Noise after Noise. For every two Erased, however, three more would take their place. The more talented newcomers had picked up Psychs rather well, and were now assisting in the defensive effort. Or at least, some of them were; others had simply Pacted, then ran for the hills; an understandable, if perceivably selfish, action. One such man tumbled to the ground, tripping over his own feet in his haste to escape his pursuer. Rolling over to see the Dixiefrog leaping at him, he threw up his arms and whimpered, anticipating the acidic touch of the Noise's form against his flesh…

"Psychokinesis…!" Ishikawa commanded, her Dragon Couture cheongsam and stole gracefully flowing around her as her swiped her arm to the side.

Launched across the Scramble Crossing by the girl's Psych, the attacking Dixiefrog squealed as it unwillingly crashed into one of its own comrades. The sound of static upon static fizzled out as the distressed pair of Noise screeched in harmony with each other, voicing their displeasure.

"Seismic Shake!" Takaharu whooped, slamming his foot onto the asphalt; earthen spires erupted from beneath the ground, skewering the Frogs in a second before crumbling away just as quickly. The twin Noises' dying screams faded into oblivion, alongside the wispy trails of static that accompanied their Erasure. "How was that, Emma?" he grinned, dusting his JotM coat off.

"It's 'Ishikawa'," she returned without looking. "Don't get cocky. There are quite a few of these things today." Just then, as if to reinforce her point, another Dixiefrog leapt at the girl. Ishikawa side-stepped. Whirling around, she pointed two fingers at the critter. "Force Rounds!" The energy rounds struck the Frog dead-on, Erasing it as quickly as it had arrived. "Are you hurt?" she spoke quickly, addressing the panicked, middle-aged man she had just saved.

"I'm f- fine. Thank you for-"

"Alright, if you can move, head to Hachiko; our friends will help you!" she instructed him immediately after confirming his condition.

"R- right!" Stumbling a little, the man got to his feet. After some running, he caught sight of a small group of Players in the distance. He picked up the pace, praying that he wouldn't be caught by another of those monsters before he could make it to safety.

Bang!

Ishikawa's next Psych tore through another three Frogs, instantly Erasing them. "Damn, what's with them today? They just won't quit…!" Preparing another Psych, she called out to a man with a red streak in his hair. "Hey, Leader! What's the strategy here?"

The chaotic scramble continued, unbeknownst to the citizens of the RG. Psychs and Noise alike flew left and right. This violent melee served as an introduction; a welcome party for the newest Players of the Remixed Reapers' Game. A true sink-or-swim moment to test your mettle, whether you had any place surviving in the UG.

"Uhhh… P- Pyrokinesis!" a frail-looking girl, her voice wobbling horribly, held her trembling hands out to one of the numerous Dixiefrog Noise advancing on her. The ground glowed red for a moment, but otherwise… nothing. Instead, something else took care of the threat.

"Repulsor!" With astoundingly good timing,Takaharu swooped in, aiming a Psych-enhanced kick at the Frog.

Wham!

A direct hit; the Dixiefrog flew far across the district like a ball launched during the kick-off of a gridiron game, exploding into static mid-air.

"You all good, kid? What's your name? Talk to me." The words flew out of Takaharu's mouth as he examined the girl for any wounds.

"Oh… It's S- Saya," she stammered, worriedly placing her hands on her chest. "The Psych. I couldn't…" she trailed off, visibly upset.

"It's okay!" Takaharu reassured, ruffling the young teen's hair. "I'm Taka. Just stick with me for now; I'll keep you safe, okay?" Takaharu flashed a caring smile.

"G- gotcha," Saya managed, standing close to the energetic young man as he readied himself once more, wiping his sleeve across his forehead.

"A'iiight, who's next?! Come at me!"

"Argh!" The frail boy recoiled in pain as the Bigbanfrog kicked off his shoulder; static bled out of the bruise and through his t-shirt, leaving a peculiar burning sensation. The boy stumbled backwards, watching the erratic creature in front of him with terror; the blue Frog Noise croaked, staring back with beady eyes. It really could be mistaken for a harmless animal, the boy thought, if not for the bladelike appendages it had for back legs. "H- help…!" he wailed, casting his eyes off to the side. No good; he was practically on the edge of the Scramble. Nobody was close enough to hear him.

The Noise tensed to jump again.

"Nngh…!" The boy spun around to flee. "More of them!" he gasped. The Noise closed in, silently surrounding him on all sides. "Where now?!" Another Frog pounced, latching onto his arm. The boy screamed in pain, flinging the monster away immediately.

Too many. You won't make it.

Pushing the negative thought out of his head, the boy gripped his arm; his eyes darted from Frog to Frog, vainly trying to keep them all in sight. Wait. There! A gap in their ranks to the side; he ran for it, fast as he could. Seconds before clearing the threshold, however, he noticed something blocking his way. Are those… bubbles? Just as the thought crossed his mind, one of the shimmering spheres popped against his leg. Feeling as if the limb had been spattered with acid, the boy stumbled. Don't fall…! In an effort to avoid another swathe of the airborne projectiles, however, the boy did just that; his injured leg gave out, and he crashed to the ground. He sat up, only to see more Noise approaching. "Guh… Stay back!" Unable to find the strength to stand, the boy frantically scuttled backwards. Too slow, however.

The pack was closing in.

You're not gonna make it, the voice returned. You screwed up and got yourself too hurt to run, and you aren't nearly strong enough to fight them off.

"Damn it, shut up…!" the boy cried tearfully. Now they were even closer; the lack of sound somehow made the situation all the more unnerving. A swarm of Sprogs slithered towards the boy's leg, terrifying him even further. He shut his eyes.

Couldn't even survive one day… How pathetic.

The boy braced for the pain, clutching his head…

…

"…?" Noticing a surprising lack of agony in his body, the boy eventually brought himself to open an eye. Bewilderingly, the pack of Noise had disappeared completely. Standing in their place was a lone girl wearing a sleeveless turtleneck, beanie, and jeans. A Player…?

Wearing something of a worried expression, the girl surveyed the district, making a few passes before shouting something he couldn't hear to the group of Players at the other side of the Scramble. She turned to the boy, and opened her mouth.

That would be the last of them. Katy breathed a sigh of relief. Hearing another Player yell the signal, the girl curtly responded with the same word: "Clear!"

With the Scramble secured, the blonde's warning floated through Katy's mind. Normally, with the job done, she would be leaving the district right about now, but… Well. If she was indeed telling the truth, then someone here might be… She stood still, scanning the area. I see Yamamuro… Nakamura… Takaharu. She nodded to herself before continuing. Asahina… Kensei too; Kitaoka seems to be berating him again, Katy mused as her eyes darted from Player to Player. Kirishima… Ah, and there's Ishikawa. Okay. The worried girl checked names off the list in her mind as she matched them to the faces she saw. Eight of us came to help this time. As for the surviving newcomers… also eight. No, nine, she corrected herself, turning her gaze downwards. "Are you alright? Can you stand?" Her concern was directed at the young man with windswept blond hair who had fallen on the ground; the teen wore loose, beige cargo pants, a featureless, white t-shirt, and a simple pair of navy-blue runners. One noteworthy feature however was the expensive-looking camera hanging around his neck.

The boy blinked. He seemed to register that he was being spoken to, but said nothing.

"Hey." Katy called again, in the same soft tone. "How many fingers am I holding up?" A swift movement: She raised three fingers for the frightened youngster to see, expectantly tilting her head to the side.

No answer. Only a flinch, and a confused stare. "Um… Thank you," he managed, a few seconds later.

The girl's brow furrowed by the smallest amount, and a troubled frown began to form on her face. She glanced back to the far side of the Crossing. Everyone's splitting up. It's about that time, I suppose. But what about…

"Heyyyyyy, Potassium!" A bubbly voice echoed through the district, turning more than a few heads.

The boy watched with a confused look as his saviour's attention snapped to the side. Following her line of sight, he caught sight of lass with long, bright orange curls. She waved frantically at his saviour, briskly jogging towards her.

"Dude, it's Lottie!" Takaharu elbowed his Partner excitedly, watching the girl skip along." Looks like she's in a really good mood."

"Yes, I can see that," Ishikawa responded dryly, adjusting her glasses as the boy annoyingly continued to rib her.

"Hey there, Knick-Knack-Nakamura! And Yo-Yo Hideo!" Charlotte laughed as she continued on her merry way, cheerfully waving at anybody who so much as glanced in her general direction. "Kirishimaaaa, ya fit like? Oh! Well, if it isn't Taka!" the girl called out energetically, catching sight of the boy. "How've ya been, mannie? We haven't had a bevvy sesh in yonks!" she shouted.

"Y- Yeah, true! How about I buy you a drink later today, then?" Takaharu shouted back, sounding a little too excited.

"Magic! Keep rockin' that JotM, Taka!" the redhead accepted, tossing in the compliment for good measure.

"A little obvious, aren't you, Takaharu?" Ishikawa asked, her voice monotone. Following the instinctive comment, she rolled her eyes and grumbled at herself. Her usual demeanour reflected in the muted tones of her red dress. "Well, it's your money. If you want to spend hundreds more Hours on her, go right for it."

The jubilant note in the older boy's voice vanished, replaced by a playful kind of sarcasm. "Hey, don't be jealous, Emma."

"That's 'Ishikawa' to you."

"You know, you'd be a little more popular with the guys yourself if you weren't always acting like such a- hrk!" A return elbow from Ishikawa struck him hard in the ribs.

Observing the commotion from afar, the carrot top laughed. "Awww. It's always lively with the pair of ya, isn't it?" With one last jubilant skip, she stopped short of her target. "Top o' the morn', girl. How's tricks?" she beamed, raising a friendly, open hand.

"Charlotte…!" Katy raised her eyebrows, a little surprised. "It's… been a while, hasn't it?"

"It's been yonks girl. What, a half year?" she gestured energetically, her ginger locks bouncing around with every movement. "It's bloomin' fantastic ta see you again!" she squealed. Unable to restrain herself any longer, she leapt forwards, throwing her arms around Katy.

"N- not quite that long, I don't think. Maybe a month or two," the Katy hurriedly corrected, gently trying to prise the clingy girl off. She shifted topics. "First off, how did you even recognise me?" She half-forced a chuckle.

"Ach, come on, quine," Charlotte stepped back and rolled her eyes, mock sadness on her face. "You're really gonna say that to yer best mate? I could spot yer wiry, smol frame from a mile away, lass! Hazel doesn't look bad on ya, by the way," she noted, indicating to Katy's contacts. "Yer natural violet's tops, though. Ah, I swoon every time, lass, I cannae even tell ya. Oh, and who else would be runnin' around Shibuya alone, eh? I can't think of a single soul who ditches their Partner on the regular like you, ken."

"I… see. Well, it's lovely to see you too," Katy smiled, reminding herself just how chatty the Excited Charlotte could get in her natural habitat. Turning her head away for a moment, she giggled a little. "Also, I'm sorry, but… What did you call me earlier…?"

"'Potassium'!" Charlotte's fingers ran through her hair at breakneck speed, somehow managing not to get tangled in the process. "Thass what yer boyfriend called ya, anyway. Is that why ya went off-grid? On yer honeymoon? Was it good fun? He's treating ya right, yeah? And ach, when were ya gonna tell me, ya sassenach? I mean, congratulations and all, but…" Charlotte continued to ramble excitedly for a short while longer before being stopped.

"'Boyfriend'?" Potassium repeated the word, raising an eyebrow. "I'm afraid that I'm… not so lucky, Charlotte." Indeed, this was the first that she had heard of it; the young lady was quite shocked to discover that she was in a relationship she was not even aware of. "Where exactly did you hear this, if you don't mind…?" she asked, moving back to the grounded boy. He's certainly not injured. Perhaps he's just…? Katy outstretched her hand, offering to help him up. The boy was looking elsewhere, however. No response.

"Ooh, well… a wee bird told me, ken." The lass chortled. "Seriously though, ya don't need ta worry; y'know I can keep a secret." She winked cheekily. "I met him in person, yeah? He's unbelievably stunnin', quine. As in, like, Eiji Oji levels of swoon…!" Her accent grew thicker, presumably from excitement.

"'In person', you say…" Before Katy could ask about the matter further, she noticed something. Looking away from Charlotte, she checked the district once more. "Speaking of running around without your Partner, Charlotte, where is Yukimura…?"

Charlotte had already moved her focus elsewhere, however. "Hey. Are y'alright there, mannie?" Kneeling next to the lad, the girl repeatedly snapped her fingers in front of his face.

The boy finally moved, recoiling slightly.

"Think he's plastered, Potassium?" Charlotte's freckle-dusted nose twitched in thought as she observed the teen.

"I don't imagine that he would've started the Game intoxicated, no…" Katy disagreed, placing her previous query on hold. "Though he only seems to be reacting to… Ah." An idea forming in her head, the girl casually walked behind the boy as Charlotte continued to talk to him. Kneeling behind him, she raised her hands up next to his head…

Clap!

With as much force as she could muster, Katy crashed her palms together.

The young boy didn't so much as blink.

"Hm." Katy allowed her hands to hover for a brief moment before promptly dropping them. "Either that's normal for him, or…"

"Ahh, I ken what you're sayin'." Charlotte nodded sadly before speaking directly to the other teenager, slow and deliberate. "Hey. Min," the girl pointed at her face, and leant in slightly too close for comfort, prompting the boy to pull back, eyes wide. "You. Can't. Hear. Me. Can ya?"

The boy continued to hold his confused expression as his eyes darted back and forth from one girl to the other. His lips twitched before falling still, as if unable to decide whether or not to speak.

"Lad's lost his lugs?" Charlotte turned to her friend. "Think thass his Entry Fee?"

"Let's hope that's all it is," Katy bit her lip. "If he was deaf before coming here, he'll have lost more than just his 'lugs'…" The girl drew out her Phone, and tapped away at the keyboard With that, she flipped her the screen over to show the boy her note:

Here to help. Are you okay?

Can you hear anything?

The youngster ran his eyes over the lady's message. With an uncertain expression, the boy opened his mouth and spoke, "I- I'm…" The tears that had previously stuck to the corners of the frightened boy's eyes now spilled out; clean white lines streaked his dust-caked cheeks. "Yeah, I… My Entry Fee's my hearing. I can still hear myself, for some reason, but…" he trailed off, sniffling.

'But…' nothing else? Katy's expression softened as she looked on. That's going to take some adjustment.

"I'm uh… My name's Keita, by the way. D- don't worry about me, if you have something that you're talking about…" Keita adjusted himself to sit more comfortably, hanging his head and began fiddling with his camera.

"Potassium."

"Hm? Yes?" Giving the young man space to collect himself, Katy turned back to Charlotte.

"Lad's fresh from the RG, yeah?"

"Yes…" She glanced over to Hachiko; the Players who had grouped together there had all but dispersed. "The rest have already paired up, so we'll have to find a Partner for him."

"Yeah… Thought so." Charlotte stood, looking thoughtful for a moment. "Well, I'm glad I found the two of ya loiterin' about here, then. I'll Pact with the lad."

Katy's eyes widened. "'Pact'…?" The world seemed to stutter, a cold, unpleasant feeling gripped her chest. "… You mean…?"

"Aye," Charlotte nodded, her expression saddening by a small amount. "Yukes is gone."

Katy stiffened. "Yukimura is…" she repeated, still unable to fully grasp what words Charlotte had just spoken. Yukimura is…? How? Why?

"It's alright, lass," Charlotte spoke calmly, nodding to herself. "He's… It was quick. That Player Hunter bastard got 'im."

Katy stared at Charlotte, uncomprehending. The Player Hunter…? But Charlotte seemed so carefree a moment ago… No, of course she would, given her Entry Fee. The girl kicked herself for forgetting. "… Wait, Charlotte, how long ago…?!"

"It's been like, three minutes, girl," Charlotte laughed bitterly. "That means four more, until they come ta get me, yeah?"

Katy paused for a moment, allowing the reality of the situation to sink in. "Yes. That's… correct. We have time." Her voice was low, carefully measured. Her expression twisted slightly in thought. Yukimura's been Erased… It feels like something's off, but if she says so, then… Then, it hit her. The blonde's warning. Was this how she was supposed to help? To secure a Partner for Charlotte? She swallowed to clear the dryness in her throat. "Charlotte. The Penalty Noise won't chase Keita down until a week passes; the 7-minute rule only applies after losing a Partner. Kitaoka managed by herself for a few days, if you recall, before…" Before Akabane was Erased, and Kitaoka took her spot, Katy finished internally. "… In any case, if we focus on finding you another Partner first, then-"

"Uh, what d'you mean? We got a perfectly good pick right here, Potassium," Charlotte indicated to Keita, who was still sitting quietly on the ground; he appeared to be scrolling through photos on his camera.

"Yes, but…" Katy still struggled to find the words, feeling guilty despite the boy's impairment. "He seems quite… timid. And his Entry Fee…" she trailed off, countless scenarios forcing their way into her head. "I just have a terrible feeling that such a handicap will… get you into a bad spot."

"Someone's gonna get him either way, quine," Charlotte frowned. "Ya sayin' we should fix me up first, then pawn the lad off to be someone else's problem?"

"That's not what I meant to…" Katy bit back her response, conceding the point. She probably wouldn't have made such a suggestion if Keita could hear it himself. She glanced over to the boy, who looked back. She immediately broke eye contact, uncomfortable.

Charlotte held her unamused expression, staring Katy down. A few moments later, however, she broke back into a grin. "Ah, don't get yerself down. I'm right touched that ya care about me, ken. I never get ta see you this emotional." The lass delivered a friendly punch to Katy's shoulder.

"… Right." She bit her lip. There was no time to argue further, anyway. "I apologise that I…"

"Don't be bawlin' about how sorry y'are, either," Charlotte cut her off, cheekily modulating the register of her voice. "'Please forgive me, Lottie'," the girl imitated, her face oozing sadness and shame. "I just love ya so much I cannae handle it, lass.' Ya don't have ta tell me, girl. I understand." Her little channelling session complete, Charlotte coughed as her voice swung back to its usual pitch. "Really, ya saved my skin, quine. If I didn't see the pair of ya here, I'd have been left stranded. Get back to yer own Partner now, alright?" She smiled once more before trotting over to Keita.

Moved by Charlotte's positivity Katy found herself wearing a small smile of her own. It faded just as quickly, however. She thought of Yukimura. Stern Jun Yukimura, who was almost never seen smiling, but whom Katy knew cared far more than most. Yukimura, who would never again be able to experience Charlotte's optimism and warmth. To cherish her company. Her friendship. Yukimura… We hadn't spoken in so long. I'm sorry that I couldn't even be there at the end. She grit her teeth, raising her head and hardening her heart. We'll carry on for you. We'll live, as you'd want us to. Kensei, Charlotte… we'll keep fighting in your place. Reorienting herself, Katy decided that she had been out in the open long enough. It was time to depart. Looks like that blonde girl was telling the truth after all. Should I visit Mr. Tezano, then…? "Take care of yourselves." Murmuring her best wishes to the pair, the girl turned to leave. Mr. Tezano's headquarters. It's been quite some time since I've visited the Ruins, but… Katy steeled herself, wondering what answers the old acquaintance would be able to provide. Better get going. The day is just beginning.

But before the girl could make a move, at that very instant… the sky itself split apart.

New Day: Part I - Threads yet Unseen

Whoa, you made it! Thank you so much for reading this far!

I do hope you enjoyed. I'd love to hear your thoughts, whether positive or negative, though if you can't, I still really appreciate you just reading this far, either way. My deepest thanks.

Look forward to the next chapter!

-X