Patience

Emma could feel the cold steel of the metal chair she sat in make her shiver. The girl sitting across from her did not help matters in the slightest. The manager studied her expression as the two sat in silence in an empty interrogation room. The girl maintained a smirk that irked Emma the wrong way. Though the girl was thoroughly restrained, the manager felt like she was not in full control.

"I'm glad you took me out of there," she started, breaking the silence. "It gets really boring in that cell."

Emma elected not to answer.

"Quiet one, huh?" the girl chuckled. "You're a new one. Haven't seen you around, but I haven't seen anyone new in here for god knows how long. Mind introducing yourself?"

"Emma, assistant manager of the Hololive Special-Operations Unit."

"Well, well, they finally found enough members, huh?"

"They've had enough members for years."

"You think I know that? I've been locked in this place for years, genius. No one comes to visit."

"Enough with the small talk, let's get to business, Haachama."

"Very well."

Emma took out a large file and dropped it on the table. "This is a file with your entire profile and history."

Haachama laughed. "How sweet, they made a little biography about me."

"You were involved in the recruitment of the second generation operatives of the organization."

"How are the others doing? I do hope they're doing well."

Emma hesitated. "They've been good."

"Tell 'em to stop by. I'd love to see the despair and horror on their faces when they see me again," Haachama giggled.

The manager winced at her words, looking down. "You're horrible."

"Tell me something I don't know."

Emma sighed. "Let's move on. So your true name isn't Haachama right? It's Akai Haato, isn't it?"

The girl chuckled darkly. "Don't call me that. Akai Haato died years ago, in that incident. You know it, don't you? They must've told you."

"Of course I do. It's the reason the second generation exists to begin with."

"I'm Haachama, and that's never gonna change. You better remember that."

Emma shook her head. "Haato can't be dead. She's in there, somewhere."

Haachama sneered. "Believe whatever you want to believe. The simple fact is that she's gone."

"If you say so. Moving on, I'd like to ask what you really are."

"What, you don't think I'm human?"

"Of course not. These reports talk about feats impossible for a regular human."

"Would it matter if I told you?"

Emma leaned in. "Greatly."

Haachama stared at the manager, trying to read her. She had to admit, for a lesser being, Emma knew how to keep a poker face.

"Enough with the Q&A. You obviously came here for a reason so cut the bullshit and spit it out."

"If I told you my goal would you tell me what you are?"

"Go on, I'm curious now."

Emma leaned back in her chair. "I need your help."

Haachama raised a brow. "Me?"

"My mission is to eliminate a cult, but I'm having trouble locating them."

"And what do you think I can bring to the table?"

"I'm wondering that too. I might be able to answer your question if you tell me what you are."

Though Haachama was hesitant, she was intrigued with Emma's mission. "I'm something you humans call a god. One born of chaos and madness. This body, it didn't belong to me at first. It belonged to that weakling, Akai Haato. But I took it."

Emma stroked her chin, thinking to herself. 'A god of chaos, huh? She could be useful.'

"Is that good enough of an explanation?"

The manager nodded. "Yes. It lines up with your documented origin. See, this cult, they worship a chaos god similar to you."

"Oh?"

"I need to stop this cult before they do something catastrophic to my world."

"So you think I can find them since we both, what, are gods of chaos?"

"I could also use the extra help."

"And the first thing you do is approach the deadliest inmate in this facility?"

"Anything wrong with that?"

Haachama laughed. "Emma, was it? You really are an interesting one. Fine, I'll help, but only so I can get some fresh air."

Emma stood up. "Good, now that we're in agreement, I hope you don't mind this."

The manager walked behind the girl. Haachama noticed something in Emma's hand, but before she could ask, she felt something snap around her neck. The manager sat on the table in front of Haachama, revealing a detonator in her hands.

"Haachama, you're hereby under my custody on the grounds that you help me complete this mission. Try to kill me or try to escape and say goodbye to your head."

Haachama scoffed. "What makes you think destroying this body is going to kill me?"

"You know what you didn't tell me? Your stolen body acts as a vessel for your consciousness. If at any point it is destroyed, then you leave our plane of reality. Don't try to bullshit me, I've read the reports from your genmates."

The girl stood up, smirking. "Smart girl. I guess I have no choice but to strap in and enjoy the right. It has been quite a while since I've seen the outside world."

"I'll fill you in on the details when we return to my world."

"Well then, shall we be off?"

-

One week later.

Mori awoke to the piercing ring of an alarm, shooting up from the bed. She moved the curtains of the window next to her, seeing the dark sky unchanged. The moon was slightly bigger than it was before, but still quite a distance away. She felt something warm near her hand and looking to her side, she saw Kiara sleeping soundly beside her. Her face went red almost immediately as the phoenix stirred awake, her eyes shining magenta in the moonlight. She sat up as well, wiping her eyes.

"W-what're you doing here?" the reaper asked, flustered.

"Sleeping, obviously."

"Didn't you sleep on the couch?"

Kiara yawned, stretching her arm. "Eh, I tried but I couldn't get much rest, so I came in here."

"Don't you know the concept of personal space?"

"Of course I do, but this is my personal room and you're in it. So in return, I have the right to be in your personal space."

"But-"

"Lighten up, at least you got some extra warmth at night. You're a pretty noisy sleeper, though."

Mori's blush grew brighter and she turned away. "S-shut up."

Kiara giggled. "So it's morning, huh?"

The reaper took a look at the alarm clock. "Yup, it's 7:30."

"So what should we do today?"

"We're still waiting for more news about the mission, so I guess we're having another free day today."

Kiara hopped out of bed. "Great, I wanna go somewhere in the city. Skytree, maybe?"

The two opened the door leading into the hallway. "You sure it's even open?"

"Well, nothing's been going on for a week and things have slowly been reopening. Skytree should be open."

"It's been a week already? Time flies by," Mori remarked, reclining on the couch.

She turned on the television, tuning into the daily news. Several days had passed since the the dome appeared and it was under constant surveillance by the defense forces. Ever since the battle at Asakusa, the two were put on standby as the operatives continued to find new details. After three days had passed and nothing bad had ensued, restrictions were lifted and citizens in the greater Tokyo area were allowed to return to their daily lives, though limited. The uneventful week allowed the operatives, with the help of the yakuza, to survey the extent of the dome. It surrounded the middle of Tokyo, its borders going through the Shibuya, Minato, Koto, Sumida, Taito, Bunkyo, Toshima, and Nakano wards. Though it did not encapsulate the whole of the city, it did cover a massive chunk of it.

Mori glanced at Kiara, who was cooking instant noodles for the both of them. The reaper spent most of her time during the week with her roommate, getting to know her during their nightly escapades into the city. Kiara was a bright, kind, and energetic soul. The phoenix was always the first thing she noticed in the room, whether Mori liked it or not.

A side effect of them always being together were assumptions from other people, ones that the reaper found outrageous. Mori remembered a moment the day before when the two were out shopping and Kiara wanted flowers for her apartment. When the two went to the flower shop, Kiara picked the ones she liked. Busy looking at other bouquets, Mori offered to buy the flowers for her. She stepped up to a counter with the cashier, a old woman, and handed over the flowers.

-

"So, who's the lucky lady?" she asked.

"Uh, what?" Mori asked, surprised.

"Your friend, you're giving these to her, right?"

"Well, I...um...she's not-"

The old woman smiled. "Don't worry about paying, it's on the house. I'm the manager, you see."

"Thank you, but she's not my girlfriend-"

She stopped after uttering that word. She could not believe she even entertained the thought.

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yeah, we're just-"

"Hey, you done over there?" Kiara came up from behind her. "Our dinner reservation's soon, we don't have all night."

"Oh, going out for dinner huh?"

Mori's eyes widened, face red. "No wait, I swear this isn't what it looks li-"

The elderly woman chuckled, waving goodbye. "Have fun, you two. Stay safe now."

The phoenix nodded. "Thank you, ma'am, we will. You stay safe too."

"Wait just a sec-"

Kiara took Mori's hand, the reaper feeling its warmth. She looked down at it, then back up at the phoenix, speechless. A gentle smile spread across Kiara's face.

"Let's go, Calli."

-

Mori felt her cheeks flush slightly and she scolded herself for feeling that way. Growing up, she was taught being a reaper meant being tough and stoic and here she was, going scarlet because of a phoenix of all things. The memory embarrassed her to no end. That little laugh every time she got flustered would be the death of her.

"Breakfast's ready," Kiara caught the reaper staring blankly at the TV. "Thinking about something?"

"No, nothing," Mori snapped out of reminiscing.

"Oh really, not even about me?" she teased.

"O-of course not."

"I'm kidding. C'mon, the food's gonna get cold," Kiara giggled.

Mori sighed. 'Damn it.'

Though others would say the phoenix's cooking was nothing to write home about, the reaper found her food delicious. Mori noticed her roommate had a knack for putting love into everything she did, her passion burning as bright as the fire she had inside of her. The reaper appreciated and respected that aspect of Kiara. The phoenix's cell phone rang and she picked up, seeing Jenna's name pop up on the screen.

"Guten morgen, Jenna."

"Morning to you too."

"What's the scoop? Any updates?"

"Not really, Coco and the others are still searching for more clues around the city."

"So, why'd you call?"

"You and Calli are free tonight right? The operatives have been working all week and I thought it would be nice to relax for a little while. Me and the others are going out for a drink tonight, and I wanted to invite you two."

"An izakaya trip?"

"Yup, the one near the office. It'll be fun."

Kiara looked up at Mori, wanting confirmation. The reaper shrugged, nodding.

"Alright then Jenna, we'll be there."

"Great, I'll see you two later. Bye."

Jenna hung up. Seeing the two were already done, the phoenix picked up the dishes and left for the sink, where she washed them.

"We could take the trip to Skytree after we eat if you like. It shouldn't be too crowded since people are still cautious about going outside."

"Sure, sounds fun."

"Awesome, I haven't been there in forever."

"Hey, Kiara."

"Yeah?"

"Before we go out to get groceries, you wanna go visit the kid again?"

Kiara turned to Mori, surprised. "Well, alright."

"What's with that face?"

"You've been wanting to see Kaworu ever since he woke up three days ago," she chuckled, "Sorry, but to be honest you struck me as the kind of person who wasn't exactly good with kids."

"Well, it's just we haven't found his parents and he seems lonely. I just-"

"It's fine, I get you. I want to see him too. let's go drop by the hospital."

Mori smiled. "Thanks, Kiara."

-

The reaper and the phoenix drove down the streets of Tokyo in a motorcycle. Jenna had asked Mori what vehicle she wanted whenever the two needed to report in for a mission swiftly. The reaper suggested a motorcycle, as she was most experienced at driving it. Arriving at the hospital at Asakusa, they walked inside and entered one of the rooms at the second floor. Inside, Kaworu sat in his bed, a shounen manga in his hand. He read in silence, flipping through the pages.

Mori knocked on the wall next to the doorway. "Yo, what's up, Kaworu-kun?"

He put his book down on his lap, waving at the two. "Morning Mori-san, Takanashi-san."

"Good morning to you too, Kaworu-kun."

"You just woke up?" the reaper asked, pulling up a seat next to the bed.

"No, I was awake a few hours ago."

"Couldn't sleep?"

He nodded. "I had some nightmares."

"Sorry to hear that, I hope you get better sleep today."

"Thanks, Mori-san."

"Whatcha reading?" Kiara asked, staring at the cover of his manga.

"It's a story about a team of heroes that are trying to stop an evil overlord and her minions," Kaworu explained, a bright enthusiasm in his words.

The phoenix giggled. "Sounds awesome."

"It is! The heroes are like you guys, too."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, they're brave, fearless, and they never give up when they fight the bad guys! You and the others are like that, right?"

Mori grinned. "You bet."

"You're still looking for the bad people, right?"

"Heck yeah we are, we'll kick their butts."

The boy nodded, laughing. Kiara saw Mori's face, brimming with kindness. At times like these, she forgot Mori was the battle-hardened, serious reaper she knew.

"So how are you doing, Kaworu-kun? Are you feeling better?" the phoenix asked.

"Yup, ever since a few days ago I've felt good as new."

"That's great news."

"I wish they'd give me better food, the stuff I eat right now is super bland. I hate vegetables."

"But veggies are good for you," Kiara explained.

The reaper shrugged. "Can't blame the kid. Sweet stuff is way better."

"Right?" Kaworu smiled.

"Hey, don't make me cook you veggies for dinner tomorrow," the phoenix pouted.

"What are you, my mom?" Mori joked.

The three shared a laugh.

"Any news about your parents?" Kiara inquired.

Kaworu shook his head. "My dad is always really busy at work."

"Your dad still hasn't come to visit?" Mori asked, irritation in her tone. "Doesn't he know you're in the hospital?"

"His job is really important. Don't worry, I'm used to being alone."

The reaper frowned. "But still..."

"How about your mother?" Kiara continued.

"I don't have one, she...passed away," Kaworu's gaze fell to the bed.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Kaworu-kun."

"It's ok, she passed away a long time ago, when I was young."

"Do you remember anything about her?"

"Not much, I've only heard stories from my father. He said she was a kind person who cared about others. She died because she was really sick."

"That's horrible..."

"Don't worry, Mom's in a better place now."

Mori smiled, holding the boy's hand. "I'm sure she is."

-

They wrapped up their visit to the hospital and Kiara decided to go shopping for groceries. After dropping off the food at the apartment, the time for them to meet up with Jenna and the others came. A short walk to the izakaya later, they stood at the entrance of a lively restaurant. Walking inside, Mori spotted Coco waving to them at one of the many tables inside. The smoke from the grills clouded their vision and the strong scent of grilled food was in the air. Jenna patted the two free seats next to her. As Mori pulled out the chair, she looked at who was across her, seeing Marine chugging a mug of beer in one gulp. She slammed the cup on the table, making it shake and startling Noel and Flare beside her.

"Hey!" Noel shouted.

"Well, well, well," a red-faced Marine started in a drunken, slurred tone, "if it isn't little miss reaper."

Mori chuckled. "Nice to see you too, captain."

The knight chuckled, embarrassed. "Sorry about that, she's already had five mugs in a row."

"It's alrig-"

The captain struck her fist down on the table. "Don't apologize to her, Noel! I told you, she's Mio-senpai in Watame's clothing."

"I think you mean a wolf in sheep's clothing," Coco giggled.

Marine crossed her arms. "Same thing!"

Kiara smiled. "Don't worry, Calli here isn't looking for Watson right now. Right Calli?"

Mori nodded. "That's right. For the time being, your friend's safe."

The captain leaned back in her seat. "Fine, let's just leave it at that. I have my eye on you though. Oi waiter, another mug!"

Noel sighed. "Another one? I don't want to drag you out of here like I did the last time we went here?"

"Oh lighten up, we've been working for days non-stop," Marine went on, swaying her full mug of beer and spilling some on the floor. "We deserve this break Noel, so let's party till we drop."

"I guess you're right but I'm not letting you drink yourself into an alcohol-induced coma. Flare-chan, could you help me out here?"

"I'd love to, but I kinda have my hands full here," Flare chuckled, tending to a drinking Lamy next to her.

The blue haired girl took a sip of her bottle of sake and placed it down next to seven empty ones.

"Holy shit..." Kiara gasped, making Jenna, Marine, and Flare laugh.

"I know right? Well, at least she doesn't get as wasted as Senchou over there. Hey Lamy, don't you think that's enough for one night?"

"I'm sorry Flare-senpai, but I can't get enough of this sake, it's delicious," Lamy smiled.

"You seriously drink like this when you go out with your gen mates?"

Coco laughed, a bottle of beer at her lips. "You totally should've seen her when me and Watame went out for karaoke with Gen 5 a few months back."

"Wait, we're talking about that incident?" Jenna asked.

The chairman nodded, grinning.

"H-hey, that was an accident!" Lamy sputtered.

Marine downed her mug. "Don't be a buzzkill Flare, just let the girl cut loose. Waiter, another one!"

"I'm scared to even imagine what'd happen if only the two came here by yourselves," Noel shuddered.

Jenna scoffed. "Now that'd be one hell of a bill."

"Oi, you two!" the captain addressed Kiara and Mori. "Want a drink?"

The phoenix shook her head. "I don't really drink."

"Really? You're missing out. How 'bout you, Mori?"

"I'm more of a wine person."

"You should ask Coco for some, I'm sure she can hook you up with the finest in Japan."

"Oh that's right," the chairman started. "That red wine you drank when we first met, it has a really acquired taste. Not a lot of people enjoy it. I was surprised to see you enjoyed it."

"Drinking wine really expands your tastes. It's opened me to a lot of new flavor experiences."

"So you're a wine enthusiast?" Jenna asked.

"Well, I've been drinking wine for centuries. You see, wine down in the underworld is good, but drinking the same red wine every single day gets old real fast. When I came up here to the mortal realm for jobs, I took an interest in their different wines. I'll admit, if there's anything humans do right, it's that. There's such a variety of new wines to try with varying intensities and flavors."

"You're really passionate about it," Noel commented.

"Right?" Kiara smiled. "You and I need to go to a winery together once this all blows over Calli."

"That sounds fun."

"So what've you two been up to since the last time we met?" Coco asked.

"Nothing much. We went to go talk with the boy when he woke up," Kiara explained.

"Kaworu's his name, right? How's he doing?"

"Great. We've been visiting him this whole week, Calli really likes seeing him."

"Mori and kids?" Marine asked, turning to there reaper, surprised. "Never thought you were good with kids."

Mori nodded. "He's a good kid. I thought he might've felt alone so, y'know."

"Huh," the captain remarked.

"Other than that, me and Calli have been traveling around the city since the lockdown lifted."

"Oooh, going on dates?" Jenna teased, getting an embarrassed reaction out of Mori.

The reaper dropped the chopsticks she was eating with. "O-of course not! She's just showing me around the city, right Kiara?"

Kiara giggled. "You acted just like this when we were at the flower shop together."

"H-hey, you don't need to mention it he-"

Marine leaned in, smirking. "Flower shop, you say?"

The phoenix nodded, beginning to recount the day despite Mori's silent gestures to keep quiet. "We were there to buy flowers for my house and Calli bought some for me."

"Flowers, huh? That's really sweet of you," Noel smiled. "Remember when you bought me some for Valentine's, Flare?"

The pyromancer grinned. "Like it was just yesterday."

The reaper sighed, blushing heavily. "I-it wasn't like that, I bought them for her cause she was looking around for more."

The captain raised a brow. "Reeeally?" she drew out in joking skepticism.

"Really," Mori replied, unamused.

"You don't need to be embarrassed about it," Flare said.

"Embarrassed about what?"

"You know. There's nothing wrong about it."

Mori stared down at her hands sitting on her lap, her redness unwavering. "Kiara's just...a really nice person."

"Well, she didn't say she was wrong," Marine remarked, leaning back in her chair.

"...S-shut up."

"You two should go on a triple date with Noel, Flare, Okayu-senpai, and Korone-senpai," the captain suggested. "Speaking of, where're the Gamers, Jenna? I thought they'd be here."

"Fubuki took the two to Akihabara. They wanted to play some arcade games together," the manager replied.

Marine raised a mug to her lips. "Figures."

Kiara opened her phone, checking the time. She tapped Mori on the shoulder. "The Skytree might close soon."

Mori nodded, turning to the group. "Well, it's time for us to go."

"Oh?" Jenna asked.

Kiara smiled. "Me and Calli are going to Tokyo Skytree. It's closing soon."

"Another nightly escapade?" Marine asked, grinning.

"Zip it, captain," Mori shot back, suppressing her face from bursting into red again, earning a hearty chuckle from the pirate.

"Have fun you two," Noel waved.

"I'll keep you two posted," Jenna nodded.

Leaving the izakaya and jumping onto their motorcycle, Mori sped off into the night. During the drive, Kiara silently looked at the scenery while the reaper looked ahead. She could not believe that she was caught embarrassed and flustered once more. She still had no clue why she was feeling these things inside her. For most of her exile on Earth she was perfectly fine being alone, fending for herself. It gave her pride to know that despite being banished from her home, she could survive and live on for years without help. Why then did she feel so attached to the person sitting behind her? Why did her face burn whenever her relationship with Kiara was even brought up? These unanswered questions plagued her mind and refused to leave. Before she knew it, they arrived at their destination. They both made their way to the ticket booth after buying some sweets at a bake shop in the mall under the Skytree.

Stepping into the elevator leading to the top floor with a few groups, Mori and Kiara watched as they ascended, watching the ground go further into the distance as they climbed the floors. Reaching they top, they exited, being greeted with a dazzling display. Walking along the windows showing the outside, Mori saw the stunning view of Tokyo under nightfall. They two stopped where the view was its finest, beginning to take in and marvel the scenery. The city was a light show of different colors, all vibrant and bright. Mori remembered how small she was compared to the cities humans constructed.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Kiara commented.

The reaper glanced at the phoenix. "It's breathtaking. I've seen views like these when I ride my dragon, but I'm always amazed when I see them."

Kiara smiled. "Compared to us two, the world is giant. I'm glad we could got to see it together."

"..." Mori hesitated.

"Hey, Calli," Kiara started.

"Yeah?"

"About earlier, when they were talking about us, you looked really conflicted. To be honest, you've always been so distant. Are you alright?"

The look of anticipation on Kiara's face left Mori speechless. She looked out into the distance, taking a deep breath.

"Ever since I've been sent away from my home and been here on Earth, I've been fine living by myself and for myself. I never had friends or anyone to talk to and I was ok with that. I haven't known what it's like to have friends for years. Everybody I've met pass shortly after, since it's my job to retrieve their souls after they move on. I've accepted being by myself. I've never had anyone else close to me."

"So you're conflicted because you've always known being alone?"

Mori nodded.

Kiara turned to the reaper. "But you're not alone anymore, Calli. You have Jenna, you have the other girls, you have Kaworu," the reaper felt the warmth of the phoenix's hand holding hers. "And you have me, Calli."

Mori had no clue what to say.

Kiara's grip on the reaper's hand tightened. "You've been through so much. You're such a kind and strong person and you deserve so much more than this."

"Kiara..."

"I want you to be happy." Mori stared at her pleading eyes. "Please promise me you'll be happy from now on."

The reaper felt the soft touch of Kiara's hand against hers. Mori noticed how close the phoenix was to her. The reaper knew Kiara wanted an answer, that she needed it. Mori gently smiled and nodded. A look of relief spread across the phoenix's face. She held the reaper's hand, smiling back.

"Thank you, Calli."

An intercom cut on, grabbing the two's attention. A man told guests that the Skytree would close soon and asked them to leave soon. Mori and Kiara came back down to ground level, hand-in-hand. Talking about trivial things, they returned to the motorcycle. As the two took their seats, Mori felt Kiara shiver behind her.

"It's chilly now, huh? You should hold on tight."

The phoenix obliged, wrapping her arms around the reaper's stomach, sighing in relief. "So warm..."

Mori turned on the ignition, but she did not lift her feet from the pavement.

"Hey, Kiara?"

"Yeah?" the phoenix asked, curious.

The reaper looked up at the night sky. "Thank you...for being my friend."

Mori started to drive, riding into the street. As the wind blew her orange and turquoise hair, Kiara smiled, burying her cheek into the reaper's back and embracing her tightly as they sped down the road.

-

Jenna looked at her watch. The time was 11:30 and she still sat at the izakaya. The other operatives had left earlier to rest, but she stayed behind. Drinking a cup of tea, the manager glanced around the room. Not many people were left inside, as it was getting late. Soon, she would be the only one left.

"Yo," Jenna heard a familiar voice behind her.

When she turned around, there stood Emma, looking as serious as ever.

"I was wondering when you'd show up."

"Sorry, I had some business to take care of. I'm surprised you even waited for me."

"Well, go on, take a seat."

Emma sat across from the other manager.

"So, how's things with the Church going?"

"We're working on it. They're one secretive bunch, that's for sure. How 'bout you?"

"The Order's also hard to track."

"You know they worship him, right?"

"Uh-huh, which means we're one step closer in accomplishing our mission. All we gotta do now is to figure out how to kill him."

"It won't be easy."

"I don't expect it to be, but we have allies to help."

Jenna sighed. "I still can't believe you got Haachama to help you out. How'd you even get her genmates to agree on this?"

"I didn't. Desperate times call for desperate measures."

The angel shook her head. "Still, releasing her? Fubuki and the others definitely won't be happy about it."

"I know that."

"Where is she right now?"

"My friend's keeping watch over her at my place."

"You really think that's a good idea?"

"I trust her enough to keep Haachama on a leash."

"Well, it's not in my place to interrupt your mission. I'll leave it up to you. Just don't expect me to defend you when the others find out."

"So you told me about your new allies? That one of them is special?"

Jenna pulled out her phone, opening her photo gallery. Scrolling through the pictures, she located the one she was searching for and showed it to Emma. The demon's eyes widened, grabbing the phone immediately.

"That's-"

"Mori Calliope, I know."

The manager stared at the group picture Jenna took with the reaper and the phoenix. "Jenna, you know she's-"

"I understand how you feel about her, but she's helping us now."

"But she's hunting Amelia Watson down. That detective might have a way to stop Nyarlathotep."

"We can't trust her, Emma. There are too many unknowns about her."

"And you think we can trust Mori?"

Jenna crossed her arms. "She's helping us stop these cults and catch the masked man. If that detective's as trustworthy as you say she is, then where is she? Why isn't she helping us? Give her a chance, will you?"

Emma sighed. "Fine, I'll accept her help for the meantime. But the second she goes after Watson-"

"Yeah, yeah, she'll be your number one enemy, I know."

"Well, at least you understand."

"It's not just Mori though. Look who's beside her."

Emma covered her mouth. "Wait a sec. Is that Kiara?"

Jenna nodded, staring at the table. "That's right."

"But I thought she..."

"I did too."

"...Does she remember?"

"No. For some reason she remembers who I was but she doesn't seem to remember what happened."

"So she didn't die during the experiment...I can't believe we found her here..."

"Me either, I'm just as shocked as you."

"J-chad's gonna flip her shit when she sees this. Where is she?"

"She texted me a few hours ago, she said she'd be landing at Narita soon."

"We gotta figure out how to get her inside the dome though..."

"I already notified the boss about her. He knows she's involved in the plan."

"So if the operatives outside the barrier or inside here find a way to breach the dome, she'll be able to get inside."

Jenna leaned back into her chair. "Yup, she's already got level five clearance."

Emma nodded. "Good, once we get together and figure out how to beat him, we'll be one step closer to ending this bastard's reign of terror."

"Amen to that, sister."

-

Mori laid down in bed, unable to sleep. Kiara slept soundly next to her. The pale glow of the moonlight seeped through the cracks between the curtains. The silence comforted her and her eyelids began to fall. The piercing sound of a ringtone cut through the silence and Mori reached over to pick Kiara's phone up. Jenna was calling. She swiped to answer and pressed it to her ear.

"Jenna?"

"Mori? Kiara's sleeping, huh?"

"Yeah, what's going on?"

"Coco came back with a report. We found the Church's base."