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Tales from Tama Town

Second District Arc

Chapter 23

For most people, getting out of bed was a difficult task in itself. For one young girl named Stella, it was near impossible to muster up the motivation to start her day. She hated the early morning light that streamed in through her bedroom window, the sound of birds chirping outside, even the feeling of fresh sheets covering her body: everything was irritating. The only thing she disliked more was the thought of having to get up and face reality.

"I'm not going today." Stella mumbled to herself as she buried her head under her pillow and curled into a ball. It was Monday, which meant another boring recap from Central on the week's activity and then a gruelling week of cleaning streets, catching Noroi, and waiting for a Tsukaima attack. "I'm not doing it." Stella didn't care if her absence ruined their patrol schedules, she didn't care if she wasted her friends' time, and she certainly didn't care if Central had to put her on probation again. "They can figure it out themselves."

Her older brother peeked in and glared at her with an annoyed expression on his face. "Hey! You're gonna be late for class!" He hollered, earning an angry grumble from his sister in response. "We can't afford to skip today!" He didn't blame her, though: it was rare for anyone to be in high spirits after seeing what they saw last week. "C'mon. I'll pour some coffee for you, sis. Breakfast is frying away on the stove."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm awake." Stella poked her head out from under her pillow and stared up at him. She couldn't remember when she stopped caring about her duty as a Sweeper, or why she stopped caring. It was all so pointless in the end. "Just lemme get dressed, okay? I'll be ready in a bit." She was tired. Tired of seeing people die. Tired of watching Noroi feed on them, of seeing Tsukaima and Youma rip Sweepers apart. Tired of dealing with Central and their arbitrary rules. Tired of fighting, tired of running, tired of hiding. That scene from the Third District massacre was still fresh in her mind. That girl who fought with such ferocity... Stella didn't know what to feel anymore.

Benjamin was there that night, too. She had no idea how her brother was still on his feet after seeing so much carnage; Ben always wore a stoic expression whenever they patrolled together, but Stella knew better than to assume he felt nothing. 'Can you blame me?' Stella thought to herself as she stretched and yawned. 'There's no point in making myself miserable.' She forced herself out of bed and made her way towards the kitchen. She found Ben pouring coffee into two mugs; he set one cup down on the table as she sat down and waited for him to speak.

"Lenore says she'll drop us off on the way to college. Mom and dad left already." Ben sipped from his mug and studied his sister's face; she grimaced at his words. "Don't tell me you two are still fighting." He was the middle of three siblings, stuck between his warring sisters. "Remind me, what happened again?"

"She got mad because I lost her charger." Stella shrugged as she cupped her mug and inhaled deeply. The rich aroma of fresh coffee filled her nostrils; her stomach growled with anticipation. "You know how she gets, bro! She acts all sweet and nice but then explodes when someone pisses her off..."

"That explains where MY charger went." He narrowed his eyes and frowned at her; Stella smiled sheepishly as she averted her gaze and took a sip from her drink. "Seriously?" She didn't respond; instead, she took another sip from her cup and hummed in delight. "Enjoying yourself? Brat." Benjamin grumbled as he rose to grab food.

"Thanks for the coffee." Stella changed the subject. "Ooh, eggs!" She pointed at the pan on the stovetop; Ben nodded and filled two plates with scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. "Lenore made these, right? Good!" Her sister was a terrific cook, unlike their parents and Ben. Stella chewed on her food with gusto as Ben chuckled. "Delicious."

"C'mon, Stel. Grab your bag and hurry up." Ben tapped his wristwatch and grabbed his messenger bag. "We have to go, or Len will leave without us." Stella didn't need to be told twice: she finished off her breakfast in seconds and jumped to her feet. The walk wasn't that long, but she hated walking in the morning.

"Fine." Stella sighed as she snagged an apple from the fruit bowl and dashed upstairs to grab her backpack. "Coming!" She hollered as she tugged on her sneakers and shoved the apple in her mouth. She slung her backpack over her shoulders and hopped down the stairs.

"Sis, if you keep eating like that..." Ben shook his head as he opened the front door and walked out into the cold morning air. "Don't come crying to me when you choke." Stella followed him outside and locked the door behind her; the smell of petrichor filled her nostrils as she took a deep breath of fresh air. It rained last night. She liked it when it rained.

"Hey, it's dumb and dumber!" Lenore called from the driver's seat of her car as she waved at them. She was a tall, lean woman who looked more at home on a runway than at university. Her long black hair hung down past her waist; her almond-shaped eyes were a piercing shade of brown that made people pause and take notice. "Good morning!" She flashed them a dazzling smile as they approached the car; Ben opened the door for his sister before taking his place in the passenger seat.

"'Dumb and dumber?' You catch a glimpse in the mirror again, sis?" Stella stuck her tongue out at Lenore as she eased into the back seat; the older girl laughed in response and pulled out of the driveway. "Thanks for the ride. By the way, breakfast was amazing!"

"Did you think so?" Lenore glanced at Stella through the rearview mirror as she drove down the street. "I can always teach you two sometime!" She teased; Ben and Stella both groaned. "Come on, now. Put your seat belt on!" Her expression shifted into one of irritation as she watched Stella struggle with her seat belt. "Honestly! What are we going to do with you?"

"Sorry, sorry." Stella buckled herself in and placed her backpack on her lap. "It's just that—"

"Hey, sis." Ben tapped at his phone as he read through the latest news. "The PMCs in Fifth District had a rough weekend." He summarized the headlines for them; Lenore's brow furrowed in concentration while Stella grimaced and rolled her eyes. "Escort missions gone wrong, kidnapping, unauthorised weapons discharge... I guess it was only a matter of time, eh?" Lenore frowned; she hated the private military companies that sprung up all over Tama Town, but she couldn't argue with their usefulness.

"I guess..." Stella muttered under her breath; Lenore's fingers tightened around the steering wheel. "It's none of our business, though. Let's hope they get their act together sooner rather than later." Benjamin shot her a questioning glance; Stella frowned at him. "I don't care! I'm just saying... It's not like we can do anything about them."

"Fine, fine." Ben dropped it for now. They'd probably get the summary during their meeting today, anyway. "Thanks again, Len. We'll walk home after classes, okay?" Lenore nodded as she parked in front of their school. "Have a good day at college, sis!" He waved goodbye to his sister as he hopped out of the car with Stella.

"Don't mention it." Lenore smiled as she watched them enter the building. "Be safe, kiddos!" She backed out of the parking lot and sped off towards her destination; her expression grew grim as she recalled the headlines Ben read earlier. It wasn't so much the nature of the incidents that bothered her: it was their sheer volume and severity! Private Military Contractors were supposed to keep civilians safe, not murder them! And kidnapping? Who authorized such a thing? "This is bad..." Lenore was starting to wonder if Tama Town would survive to see its centennial anniversary.

Chapter 24

"C'mon sis. Did you pack your slippers?" Ben asked as they headed out of their last class. Stella gave him a thumbs-up as she tightened her bun. Ben smiled and ruffled her hair. "Good. We're on thin ice!"

"Ugh! Stop it! I'm not a kid!" Stella swatted away his hand as she glowered at him. "Don't mess with my hair!" Ben rolled his eyes as he checked his phone for new messages. Since when was she so concerned with her appearance? Ben remembered when she would go to class looking like a total wreck, her uniform rumpled and stained, her hair messy and tangled... Now she was trying to emulate her sister! It made him laugh sometimes, how much Stella admired Lenore.

"Right, right. Sorry." Afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows of Higashi Academy as students flooded out of the campus and onto the streets. Ben and Stella were no exception: they strode towards the clubhouse at a brisk pace; the rest of their teammates would meet them there. Ben was glad that he managed to convince his sister to come with him today! Hopefully, things would go well for once.

Langston would be there for sure: he was captain of the ballet club they used as a meeting place, and the girls adored him. Whether it was because of his talent or his handsome face, Ben wasn't sure, but he had a hunch that Langston enjoyed the attention. His natural charisma drew crowds wherever he went; his athleticism and dance moves had earned him accolades from even Central. Some found him a tad full of himself, but Ben didn't mind.

"There you guys are!" Langston shouted as he waved at them from across the room. "Sweeper meeting in an hour, yeah?" He eyed his fellow club members with a warm smile on his face. "Which means you've got a bit of time to actually fulfill your club duties. Stretch and warm up before we start. And maybe you'll stop sucking so bad next time."

"Yeah, yeah." Stella muttered; her face flushed red with embarrassment. "Showoff." Ben chuckled at his sister's reaction as he followed her onto the mats in the center of the studio. It was a bit of a mixed bag, how unpopular the ballet club was. On one hand, it meant the Sweepers had free rein! On the other hand, it meant they had to work extra hard to maintain a semblance of normalcy in front of the faculty.

"So..." Ben watched Langston stretch out his hamstrings while Stella warmed up her ankles and calves. "I saw some headlines this morning, and I gotta say—"

"Right? Shit show!" Langston smirked as he finished warming up and stood up straight. "Something's really wrong with those PMCs. This is way more than some rogue element—at least, that's what Mel said." Melanie was the de facto leader of Fifth's Sweeper cell, and quite generous with intel compared to the Central liaisons. "Says the new security group's pretty good, but they're stepping on some toes. There was a turf war in Eighth this morning! Sounds like they're losing their cool, too."

"But..." Stella furrowed her brow as she tightened her bun. "What do you think we should do?" She couldn't understand why the PMCs would let themselves get into such a state; how could they trust a bunch of paid mercenaries to protect their families? "Isn't there a way we can help? Central, too!"

"Not our problem, sis." Ben thought it was obvious. "They're grown-ups with guns and badges. We're just kids with sticks and talismans." It was policy to focus on Othersiders, and leave all Tama's other monsters to the authorities. Lenore used to grumble about the same shit, back when she still remembered. Back when she was still a Sweeper. "I know it sucks, but..." Ben wasn't sure what else to say.

"I don't agree with it either." Langston sighed as he helped Stella stretch her leg. "But until they ask us to intervene, we keep our noses clean and focus on Noroi." They needed to protect the civilians from the small fry who fed off their restlessness and terror. Not get involved in whatever war the adults were waging on each other. "Trust me, I wish it could be different too."

"Hmm..." Stella sighed; she had heard it all before. She had hoped that Langston would have a different opinion. The room grew quiet as they focused on their exercises. Soon enough, the other Sweepers began to arrive in dribs and drabs.

Ben and Stella greeted the newcomers as they entered the room; some were kids from their class, while others were from different years. Still, they all had one thing in common: their Sight. Most were freshman or sophomores who knew nothing about fighting Othersiders; the kendo club handled combat training in that regard. And last, carrying a clipboard in her hands, came the Central rep.

"Hey hey~! How's my favorite duo?" Miki squealed with delight as she ran towards them; Ben rolled his eyes in annoyance while Stella struggled not to laugh. She was a short, slender girl with dark brown hair and a bubbly personality; Ben found her annoying at best, while Stella got along quite well with her. "And Langston, too! Hell yeah!" Miki draped an arm over Langston's shoulder and flashed him a radiant smile.

"Miki!" Stella exclaimed as she tried to push the shorter girl away from him. "You're going to suffocate him!" Ben burst into laughter; Langston's face turned scarlet as he tried to shrug her off. "Jeez, give the guy some breathing room!" Miki stuck out her tongue and stepped back from him, giggling all the while.

"B'aww... You guys are no fun!" Miki pouted as she folded her arms across her chest. "Well, we've got a big meeting today, eh?" She glanced around the room with a grin on her face; a few students had brought snacks, while others had spread out across the mats with books in hand. "Mind wheeling out the whiteboard? I've got some news to share with the crew!" She was a bit of an eccentric when it came to technology: she preferred writing things on paper than typing them up on a computer.

"Sure, sure." Ben pushed himself off the ground and started wheeling out the whiteboard from storage; Langston grabbed a marker and handed it to Miki. "Hey sis, bring over some chairs, yeah?" Stella nodded as she rushed over to grab some folding chairs; within moments, the entire class was gathered around her. "Alright Miki. Go ahead."

"Right." Miki uncapped the marker and began scribbling on the whiteboard, the levity in her voice replaced by a cold professionalism. "For those who haven't kept up, here's what you missed." She drew some stick figures on the board to illustrate her points. "Long story short: There's a big, bad Othersider loose in Tama. Sightings in Fifth and Third Districts." She scribbled some question marks under the drawing of an Othersider. "Central has no leads on what it is, so we're focusing on the usual threats instead." She circled the Noroi. "There's also some PMC turf wars going on in the outer districts. So steer clear of those." She scribbled a skull under the drawing of PMCs. "Any questions?"

"So..." One student raised her hand as she stared at Miki. "This thing is a Tsukaima, right? Or Youma?" Her voice trembled as she spoke; Miki grimaced at the question. "How powerful is it? Has anyone died?" A low murmur filled the room as the Sweepers absorbed this information; they couldn't help but wonder who'd be next to fall victim to such an enemy.

"No word on how powerful it is, but it's definitely dangerous." Miki thought about how to answer her second question: she didn't want to alarm anyone, but lying wouldn't help them either. "Not many people died because they had a Magical Girl on hand to intervene, but—" She paused, her voice choked with emotion. "Too many people died last Wednesday." Stella's expression darkened; Ben frowned at her reaction. "You don't need a reminder of that, do you?"

"Ah right... That..." Ben grimaced as he recalled what happened that night. The Sweepers on scene tried their best to save everyone they could, but the damage was already done by the time they arrived! "N-not something we're gonna forget anytime soon..." The nightmarish scene played in his mind over and over again; he could still remember the sickening crunch of bone and tendon as claws dug into flesh.

"That." Miki echoed, before continuing on with her explanation. "Now, aside from that... There are reports of Othersider migrations around Fifth and Third. Both districts are seeing increased Noroi activity lately, so stay sharp!" Miki looked around the room and watched the expressions of her classmates. Some were tense; others seemed relaxed or disinterested. "We might need to offer support—"

"Not Fifth. Nuh uh!" Stella piped up; everyone turned to stare at her as she spoke up again. "Fifth's a no-go! We're not going there, are we?" Miki arched a brow as she gazed at Stella; the girl shrank back under her gaze and averted her eyes. "A-at least, I don't think I'll be able to..."

"I don't want to go back either." Another student shuddered at the thought of returning to Fifth. "What if that thing finds us?" An uneasy silence filled the room as they considered her words; Langston cleared his throat and decided to break the tension.

"We can support Third District, then. I heard from the boys in the baseball team that their Sweepers are over in Fifth anyways. Musical chairs, anyone?" He joked, earning a few chuckles from his audience. "Easy, right?" Langston cracked his knuckles as he turned to address Miki. "So, is that everything?"

"Um..." Miki flipped through her clipboard and tapped at a page. "Oh! Right, the Magical Girls. Ninth District's duo will be lending their strength to the southern Districts. Nighty Knight was injured over the weekend, so she's benched for now." Stella perked up at the mention of NK's injuries; she was one of her favorite Magical Girls! She'd have to pray for her recovery when she got home tonight. "Starlight Aura is still on active duty, though. And apparently, a new Magical Girl is in town. Name's 'Knockout.' Not much info on her yet, so keep an eye out." Miki flipped her clipboard shut and turned to face Stella again. "Any other questions?" Stella shook her head; Miki smiled and clapped her hands together. "Well then, let's get started!"

And just like that, Miki was back to her usual peppy self! Ben adored their Central liaison for many reasons: she was helpful, considerate, and always willing to listen to their concerns. She never treated them like children, and never shied away from getting her hands dirty. But sometimes he wished that she would rein in her enthusiasm a bit...

"Alright Second District, let's go hunting." Langston announced; the Sweepers began to rise from their seats and file out of the room. "Unless you'd rather grab some pointe shoes and practice." He teased the Sweepers as he ushered them outside. "You're welcome to join the ballet club." Ben chuckled as he watched his classmates' faces twist into sour expressions. "Just kidding, jeez."

Their club wasn't that bad, was it?!

Chapter 25

The river that ran through Tama Town was nothing special. It was a winding, lazy body of water that flowed into the ocean, dividing the districts into east and west halves. It was nothing compared to the coasts that lined Higanshima, or even the man-made lakes and canals in Fourth District's park. Yet, for whatever reason, people often found themselves drawn to it.

Miki was one such person: she loved walking alongside the riverbank at night, watching the moon's reflection ripple across its surface. It calmed her nerves, helped her collect her thoughts. So when she led the Sweepers to that night' s hotspot, she took a route that would take them past her favourite view. Miki breathed deep; the night air was heavy with the scent of Sakura blossoms. "Ahh~! So peaceful." She basked in the moonlight as she listened to the trickling current. She had a good feeling about tonight.

"Peaceful indeed." Ben commented as he followed after her; Stella stuck close behind him, a concerned expression on her face. "You gathered up quite a group for a patrol run, though. Did something happen?"

"What can I say?" Miki shrugged as she motioned for the Sweepers to take up positions around the area. "Every single Noroi in Tama Town seems to be passing through here lately. It's a perfect opportunity to cull their numbers!" She rummaged through her bag for a moment before pulling out a map. "See these circles? Those are Third and Fifth District, from the industrial areas in the east to the residential neighborhoods in the west." She traced a line across the paper with her finger. "And see these arrows? Migration routes, per those slackers in Ninth! Don't tell them I said that."

"Huh." Ben studied the map as Stella peered over his shoulder. "These are pretty detailed... You sure?" Miki nodded: between her fellow Central reps, the itinerant Sweepers from Ninth District, and that mysterious benefactor Mel-Belle spoke to, her intel had been solid thus far. "Fair enough. So we're sitting in the sweet spot between their migration routes?" Ben continued on; Miki gave him another nod in response. "I don't know... Seems risky. What if the big, bad Othersider is lurking nearby?"

"No problem-o~!" Miki assured them. "Mel and Starlight are both on quick-dial, and our buddies in Fourth and First are further up the river. Not to mention the fact that the Magical Girl duos are already out and about tonight." She patted her phone for emphasis. "The recent patterns mean the Magical Girls are 'roaming,' lately! Worst-case scenario is a Tsukaima ambush, which you guys can handle."

"Fine." Ben accepted her logic, even if he didn't like it much. "Don't complain when one of us dies, though." Miki laughed as she put away her map and pulled out a couple of talismans from her backpack.

"We're Sweepers, Ben! If anyone dies to a flippin' Noroi swarm, I'll eat my shoe." Miki's smile faded as she saw Stella's expression darken. "Hey, it's going to be okay, alright? We won't let anything happen to you or anyone else. I'll treat us to Tama-Pop boba afterwards!"

"Really?!" Stella's eyes lit up with excitement at the promise of sweets; Miki giggled as Ben rolled his eyes. "You're the best!" Ben couldn't help but smile at the sight of his sister being so happy. Everyone noticed how gloomy she had become since Wednesday.

"I am pretty amazing, aren't I?" Miki boasted as she pulled out her notebook and checked her watch. "Let's get set up, hmm? Ngozi and Lee, can you hang out by the parking lot and catch stragglers? Langston, can you babysit the newbies and make sure they don't get swarmed by Noroi? These shoes are too cute to eat~! Ben, you wanna—awww!" Miki pouted as Ben walked away from her. "Hey! Where do you think you're going, young man?"

"Hang out by the trees and flush them out, right? Got it." Ben shouted over his shoulder as he made his way towards his position. Miki rushed after him, annoyed at how dismissive he was acting. "Man, it's already 8:30... My bed is calling my name."

"Excuse you! I wasn't done with my assignments, mister!" She scolded him as she caught up with him; Stella trailed behind them both, a smile on her face. "He's in a mood today, huh?" Stella couldn't deny it, so she chose not to comment. "Well, anyway: you two are with me, okies? There's a crummy little mall a block away from the riverbank, and we're gonna wait there for any dumbstruck Noroi who think they can escape along the sewers."

"Isn't it closed?" Stella asked as they arrived at their destination; Miki nodded and tugged at the locked doors. All of the shops were dark; all of the lights were out. "Won't we get in trouble?"

"Probably, but hey! I happen to be pretty good at picking locks~!" Miki snickered as she crouched down and retrieved a lockpick set from her backpack; Stella arched an eyebrow as Ben sighed in exasperation. "Hey, I've never gotten caught before! I'm not breaking my streak tonight." She inserted the tools into the keyhole and began fiddling with them; within seconds, the door unlocked with a click. Truth was, the mall was inundated with Noroi, and was largely abandoned during the day, too. "Boom! See? Easy!" She whispered as she opened the door and slipped inside; Stella followed suit while Ben brought up the rear.

"So what exactly is the plan?" Stella murmured as they walked through the empty hallways; Miki had stashed a flashlight in her bag, which she used to light their way. "We just wait for the Othersiders to show up, right?"

"Dodge the rent-a-cops and hunt down any Othersiders who manage to slip away, yeah." Miki confirmed; she knew from experience that the local security was mostly lazy and incompetent. The poor guys that worked here were victims of Otherside abductions too, their families struck down by Tsukaima or plagued by insomnia thanks to Noroi swarms. They wouldn't be much trouble: probably nodding off in between bouts of night terrors. "See these windows? They're perfect for keeping an eye on our targets!" She beamed with pride as she looked through one of the windows; it was a straight shot from their perch to the riverbank. "If things go smoothly, maybe the neighbourhood can finally dream again. Fingers crossed, am I right?"

"Yeah..." Stella nodded; Miki smiled as she saw a spark of determination in her eyes. "That's what Sweepers are for." Stella twirled her baton as she prepared herself for combat; she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "If they think we're all hopeless... they're dead wrong!" Ben smirked at her words. "This'll be easy."

"Atta girl!" Ben chuckled as he ruffled her hair. "Finally found your mojo, eh?" Stella scowled at him as she tried to fix her bun, while Miki busied herself placing talismans at key points throughout the mall. With the number advantage and an adequate prep time, victory was almost certain. She felt like an old samurai general, from those black-and-white flicks she watched as a kid. Leading from the front, issuing orders, setting up her troops for success... a shogun! It was exhilarating.

"Alright gang, let's wait and see what happens~!" She had a good feeling about tonight.

Chapter 26

Knockout leaned on her massive hammer and gazed at the moon. Tama's skyline was a wonder to behold. Its buildings towered over the river like titans, each one illuminated by a rainbow of neon lights. A kaleidoscope of colour flooded the streets below, transforming them into an alien landscape of concrete and steel.

She admired the view for a moment longer before turning her attention back to the streets below. Tonight was a big night! She was all on her lonesome here, buying time for the Fifth District sweepers to clear out a parking lot or something... she hadn't paid attention, but the surly shrine maiden she spoke with insisted it was important.

"A parking lot? That didn't seem right." She tended to talk to herself when transformed, which wasn't uncommon from what she heard. Apparently, lots of the senior Magical Girls found themselves dishing out puns when transformed, too!

She made a note to pass through Fifth before heading home. Things were pretty dead here, and she found her mind wandering with each passing minute. "Wait, no." Her focus snapped on something else entirely: something drawing closer with each passing minute. She knew something was coming without seeing it; she could feel it in her bones. The awareness trickled in, little by little. She noted the tension in her jaw from her nervous grin. She heard the creak of her gloves rubbing against each other as she squeezed the handle of her oversized weapon. Her body was rigid and tense. Like a spring under tension or a taut piece of rope, ready to burst.

"There, look!" she willed her gaze across the street. "Are those Othersiders?" They looked kind of weird! They had thin, humanoid bodies with long arms and short legs, their spindly fingers tipped with long, razor-sharp claws. Their skin was translucent; their veins stood out stark against their flesh. Their teeth were rotten, their eyes milky white and unseeing. Yet, they moved with uncanny precision, as if guided by some deliberate force.

Knockout studied them with acute interest, like a bird of prey about to dive on a hapless rodent. She hadn't seen Othersiders like that before! Then again, she was new to this. "Pretty ugly, ain't they? Bet they'll stick out in a crowd!" she mused. They crept along the sidewalk and disappeared into an apartment. "Oh no you don't!" She hopped off her perch in pursuit.

Something felt wrong. Knockout closed her eyes and concentrated; a faint ringing filled her ears as she strained to pick up the sounds—voices?—from inside. There were, among other things, blood-chilling screams. "Those aren't Othersiders!" she realized, moments before the first few bloodied residents stumbled out of the building, wailing in stark terror.

Knockout tapped her hammer on the ground as she took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart. The air around her grew still; the din of sirens and alarms fell silent. It was like someone had put a soundproof bubble around her, cutting her off from everything except for the thundering beats of her own heart. She was just a rookie, damn it!

She had no clue what to expect when she joined the hunt. Nor did she expect to be thrown into the deep end so soon! All Knockout knew was that she needed to save lives. "Well, when all you've got is a hammer..." She didn't waste another moment as she barreled past the civilians and towards the lobby.

With a heavy sigh, Knockout hefted her hammer and lunged forward; a gust of wind rippled across the concrete as she crashed through the nearby window. Glass shattered all around her; screams filled the air as she landed in front of a group of cornered civilians, sending hundreds of kilos of magically-enhanced steel crashing over the nearest creature's head. The crater she left behind was immense; the pavement cracked under her feet.

"What are you standing there for?! Run!" Knockout yelled at the stunned crowd. "Get as far away as possible!" She growled as she watched them scatter in panic; the pale body crumbled into pulp underneath her weapon. What the hell were these things? The panicked citizens seemed aware of those things' presence, and the fact that they could be seen by adults meant they weren't Noroi or Tsukaima. So what was going on?

She had no idea what the hell she was doing! Was she supposed to stay and fight? Or leave this to the PMCs? Not to mention the fact that she had no clue how many others were still trapped inside. And those people who fled into the night? What if they got hurt or injured? Or hunted?! What if there was a swarm of Othersiders waiting to ambush them? They would be sitting ducks!

"Aw, hell." Knockout grimaced as she saw more of those creatures emerge from the darkness; their translucent skin was illuminated by the dim lights of the foyer. "Leave the thinking for later!" She roared, raising her hammer high and rushing towards her targets. "Time to make some rubble!" Knockout slammed her hammer down on the first Other-thingy, obliterating it with a single blow. As its remains liquified beneath her hammer, she swung her weapon around her body and unleashed a burst of energy. Her enemies exploded in a shower of gore as her attack tore through them; she felt her heart rate spike as adrenaline coursed through her veins.

It wasn't fear; it wasn't anger either. No, it was something deeper than that. An animalistic thrill coursed through Knockout's body as she demolished every Other-thingy that crossed her path. There was nothing else in the world besides her and her foes. Love for her town, or a strong sense of righteous justice? Love for her friends and comrades? Loyalty to her fellow Sweepers? Right now, the only thing Knockout could think about was the blood pumping through her veins. And the pleasure of destroying those hideous creatures.

Knockout lashed out with a series of heavy swings; her blows pulverized flesh and shattered bone as they crashed into bodies. With each impact, she unleashed an explosive burst of energy that ripped through their ranks and decimated them. Physicists might have argued about the incomprehensible forces at work as the petite girl unleashed attacks capable of levelling buildings; Knockout didn't care about physics. Nor did she care about the laws of reality! If physics was the problem, she'd just have to clobber it over the head with her hammer!

She made her way through the hallways and stairwells, guiding frantic people out while she smashed more bodies. Euphoria washed over her as she slammed more creatures with her hammer; her limbs trembled with exhaustion but also pure adrenaline! A distant voice warned her to stay calm and focus, but it was drowned out by the tremors from her weapon striking stone walls and concrete floors. Soon enough, she returned to the foyer, out of things to smash.

Knockout was dripping with sweat and blood. Her nostrils flared as she inhaled; the stench of death and decay was sickening. But, by her quick glance, the bloody smears weren't very human-like. Which meant she succeeded in protecting people! "Fuck yeah!" She smirked, wiping the grime off her face with her sleeve. "I am unstoppable!" Every foe slain felt like another notch in her belt. She felt powerful! Invincible! Fearless!

Until the gunfire started.

A burst of automatic gunfire ripped through the night air; bullets whizzed past her head and smashed into windows behind her. Knockout's euphoria evaporated in an instant. She turned towards the source of the gunfire; her heart sank as she saw a group of soldiers clad in body armour and wielding assault rifles. "Behind you, moron!" One shouted. Oh fuck! Those creatures hadn't fled; they rallied.

"Oh shit!" Knockout threw herself to the ground; a volley of gunfire ventilated those monsters' skulls and shredded their bodies. The world around her descended into chaos: explosions erupted across the street, drowning out all other sounds with their thunderous roar. Shrapnel flew everywhere; debris rained down on her from above. Gunfire cut through the smoke and dust, illuminating it with bursts of white light; silhouettes danced through the clouds, moving with a precision and discipline that marked them as professionals.

Knockout gritted her teeth as she struggled to catch her breath. The teams advanced in silent formation, with one grey-jumpsuited individual stopping to lend a hand. "Ma'am, we're with Antaeus Conglomerate. Can you stand?" They spoke with a neutral tone, their face concealed by a blank mask, their voice distorted by electronic filtration. "Your support is appreciated, but we'll take it from here."

It was unreal to her, how all that vim and vigour left her the moment the bullets whizzed past her head. Knockout should have felt relief. She should have felt grateful. Yet, as the adrenaline left her body, she became aware of a distinct sensation emanating from one of those mercs. She froze in place; her body turned stiff and rigid. It was something she felt every night: the elation, the despair, the euphoria. The madness...

The Otherside.

Chapter 27

"Sis, wake up!" Ben shook Stella's shoulder as he peered through the glass window. "They're starting to move!" Stella rubbed her eyes as she stirred from her sleep. "I think I see movement. Oh yeah." Ben tried to figure out what they were seeing. The group seemed agitated, their movements more erratic than usual.

"Great..." Stella mumbled; she yawned and stretched her arms as she wiped away the drowsiness from her eyes. Somewhere across the river, automatic gunfire punctuated the silence of night. Stella didn't care enough to check which group of paramilitaries was wasting ammunition; their presence always put her on edge. "Huh? Where's Miki?"

"Checking her talismans." Ben shrugged as he continued surveying the scene below. "Welp, here they come." He announced as he stepped back from the window and tightened his grip around his blade. "Do try to keep up, yeah?"

"Tch... way to hype me up." Stella sighed as she watched Noroi crawl out of sewers and slither across the ground. "Honestly..." Her grumblings were cut short as Ben grabbed her arm and dragged her towards a set of stairs. "Whoa!" Stella yelped as they reached their destination and readied themselves for battle.

"You zoned out when Miki explained the plan." Ben reminded her as they waited for the first Noroi to appear. "They'll funnel in through the doors; Miki's talismans will make sure they don't sneak up on us. Think you can handle a couple of Noroi?" Ben looked at Stella and frowned; she flashed him a confident smirk before returning her attention to the corridor below.

"Just because I spaced out doesn't mean I'm incompetent!" The collapsable baton Lenore gave her felt comfortable in her hands; Stella twirled it around while she scanned the shadows for potential targets. "Noroi are easy: I'm just worried about the big, bad Othersider lurking in Tama Town."

"Which reminds me: stay close to me, okay? Last thing I want is you getting o—" Their conversation was interrupted by a surge of Noroi streaming towards them. Ben's blade swung in wide arcs, slicing through bodies with ease, while Stella smashed their skulls open with her baton. "Watch my flank!" Ben commanded as she stayed within arm's reach of her brother. "And keep your eyes peeled, sis."

"Shut up! I am paying attention!" Stella scowled as she noticed an Othersider approaching them from behind; she twirled her baton once more before striking the creature's jaw. The beast let out a high-pitched shriek as its head snapped backwards, killing it with a single blow. "See? No worries."

"Nice!" Ben said as he avoided another Noroi's claws and impaled it with his blade. They were far more aggressive than usual, perhaps because they felt cornered? Maybe they behaved like that when they swarmed? Whatever the case may be, they acted more like little Tsukaima than Noroi. "Where the hell did Miki run off to?" Ben shouted as he cut down another group of attackers.

"Dunno, but it doesn't look like the talismans are working." What happened to funnelling them in? How did these Othersiders get behind them? "Wanna call for backup?" Stella asked as she saw more Noroi push into the main hall from outside. "Ben? You okay?" She couldn't see her brother's expression, but she could feel his concern radiating from his body. "Ben!"

"Sorry, I spaced out there for a second." He sighed and shook his head clear of unwanted thoughts. "Miki, where the hell are you?!" He shouted; their Central liaison seemed to have vanished without a trace! "Oh, for the love of..." Ben cursed as he saw more Noroi crawling up through the windows and towards them.

"Backup. Now." Stella ordered; Ben nodded in agreement and tapped on his phone. The incoming wave was overwhelming; he wasn't sure how they'd be able to handle them all at once. "Shit!" Stella grunted as she struggled against one Noroi's iron grip. It coiled itself around her leg, pinning her to the ground. "H-help!"

"Hey! Let her go!" Ben swung his blade at the creature, cutting off its arm; the Noroi reared back and screeched in pain as Stella scrambled away from it. "Good grief, these guys are pushy!" Ben thought aloud as he took another swing at his assailant. Its limbs snapped beneath his blade, causing it to dissolve into a cloud of black dust. "Alright, buy me a minute, sis!"

"Huh?! What do you mean buy time?!" Stella's eyes widened in panic as she watched more and more Othersiders swarm towards them. "Ben? Ben, what are you doing?" She could hear footsteps rushing towards them from behind, but wasn't sure what to make of them. "Ah! Get away!" She swung her baton at the nearest Noroi and backed away from it; their numbers grew by the second!

"Right, sorry." Ben fired off a text message before turning back to Stella. "Hope someone is nearby." He glanced at his sister and grabbed hold of his blade; she looked terrified, yet remained on her feet despite the swarm surrounding them. "Come on, sis... Someone will answer soon..." He mumbled as he prepared himself for battle once more.

The two siblings stood back-to-back as they fought off the Othersiders. The Noroi thinned out, but the Sweepers were tuckered out too! "Tsukaima." Ben whispered as he noticed one approaching. "There!" Ben shouted as he stumbled backwards, tripping over Stella's foot and falling onto his rear. "Oh man..." He wheezed; his muscles ached with exhaustion. "How many fucking Othersiders are there?!"

Even at full strength, a Tsukaima was a tall order for a pair of Sweepers to face alone. To fight them while fatigued was another story altogether! "Damn it... We're too tired for this." Ben knew it was too risky to stay and fight, yet... he couldn't think of any other options available to them. "Sis, when I say go, run for it. Okay?" Stella didn't respond. "Stella!"

"Got it..." Stella mumbled; her breathing was ragged, her heartbeat erratic. She didn't want to fight anymore: she was scared of what would happen if they failed. "Ben... what do we do?" Tears rolled down her cheeks as she gazed at him; he was shaking as well! She could tell he was nervous. "Ben!"

"YOU have to run, sis." Ben shouted as he forced himself onto his feet; he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, focusing on steadying his trembling body. "I'll buy you some time! Find Miki and—!" His instructions were interrupted by a flash of light coming from behind them, followed by a loud crash that shattered all nearby windows. Most of the straggler Noroi scuttled off, while the Tsukaima reeled back in surprise. "W-what the hell?"

"Sorry!" Miki stood, bruised and battered, at the end of the hallway. She held a smoking talisman in one hand and made a hand-sign with her other. "I was ambushed! Lost my phone in the scuffle..." She grumbled as the Tsukaima floated, frozen in place. "That's a Tsukaima." The creature's spine creaked and groaned as its body twisted and contorted into unnatural positions, trying to free itself from her spell. "Mind finishing it off? Very tiring, keeping it still."

"On it." Ben scoffed as he approached the immobilized Othersider and stabbed it in the back. "Gross..." He shuddered as its body dissipated into a black cloud. "Now, what the hell happened? Where were you?!"

"Told you, got ambushed." Miki spat out some blood and winced in pain, dropping the talisman as it burnt away into ash. "I used up all my talismans, too... Sorry." Ben frowned as he looked her over; she appeared exhausted and battered. "Please tell me someone answered your text."

"Huh?" Ben checked his phone. "No... Looks like everyone's busy." Ben showed his phone to Miki. "Seems like Central was right about migration routes after all..." Another peel of gunfire made him lose his train of thought, this one much closer. "If we're all exhausted, should we retreat? Meet up with our seniors at the rendezvous point?" Ben suggested; Stella and Miki nodded in agreement.

"Right, we better wrap things up and call it a night." Miki sighed and began making her way towards them. "Come on, let's go find Langston and the others." Her pace was sluggish; she limped towards them while clutching at her side.

"Hey Miki?" Stella called out to her as she offered a hand. "Are you okay?"

"Yep!" Miki beamed with pride; the blood trickling from her nose and the trail of crimson she left behind suggested otherwise. "Not much for fighting, but I'll live." She let out a weak chuckle as Stella led her towards her brother. "Between the agitated Noroi, the distant gunshots, and the fact that no Sweeper-friendly Magical Girl has arrived to help us, I'd say we performed better than expected tonight~! Praise, praise~!"

"Your standards are super low." Ben chuckled as they made their way through the mall's hallway. "Alright, let's find our crew and get out of here."

"No Tama-pop boba, then?" Stella asked with a forlorn expression. "Man... I wanted to try those strawberry ones you were talking about..." Miki chuckled as Stella wrapped an arm around her shoulders to help steady her gait.

"My treat, after this mess is sorted." Miki promised, giving Stella a pat on the back. Little did she know, the mess was far from over...

Chapter 28

Knockout listened as the gunfire died down and the carnage settled. It seemed that the immediate threat had been dealt with. She knew it was no guarantee that the civilians were safe; however, judging from how her gut twisted with anxiety, there was still danger in the air. One mercenary moved with fluid bursts of speed that belied his bulk, a parabola of acceleration and deceleration that transformed him into a human pendulum. Knockout couldn't keep up with his movements, even with her enhanced perception and reflexes. It was uncanny, yet no one else seemed to notice.

"So what, you're a cosplayer? Vigilante" One soldier questioned; Knockout glared at her as she approached. "Don't think you need to hide anything from us; we're on your side." The mercenary removed her mask, revealing a scarred face and short blond hair. She didn't trust these guys: they were the kind of folks that made a girl like her shudder just thinking about them. She remembered where she was from: Higanshima's docks, a gang-controlled slice of Tama Town where all manner of goods—both legal and illicit—flowed through. These men were no doubt cut from the same cloth as those ruffians back home.

"Thanks." She mumbled as she took a step forward; the soldier backed away from her. "The creatures inside are all dead." Knockout glanced at her hammer and frowned, her fingers tightening around the handle. "I'm just a passing cosplayer, yeah." Adults' perception was a bit fuzzy around Magical Girls—not to the same degree as with Othersiders—which made lying to them easier than usual. She looked up at the soldiers and bowed. "What were those things? And what are you guys doing here?"

"There are a lot of dangerous people in Tama, little girl. Scientists with more imagination than common sense, you know?" The mercenary explained. "Those were probably the results of some lab experiment or another. As for us... we're Antaeus Conglomerate personnel." Oh, great. 'The' megacorp. "We were hired to protect your neighbourhood from these... things."

Knockout frowned: there was something odd about this group of soldiers. Something about their auras... especially the one who walked like a fucking bell-curve. "Hey, where are you taking those corpses anyway?" She watched as several bodies were tossed into the back of a truck. "Why aren't you using body bags? I saw at least 50 bodies in there. You shouldn't be—"

"Company policy, I'm afraid." The mercenary chuckled as she flashed her an apologetic grin. "Don't worry, little girl. We're not the monsters you're thinking of. The victims' bodies might be vectors for dangerous contagions and drug trials." The mercenary explained as she reached into her pocket and retrieved a small slip of paper. "Now, if you excuse me..."

Knockout just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. The way that fluid merc moved among his peers: they stepped aside to let him slip past, yet none looked at him. Like he wasn't even there... both seen, yet unnoticed. As the man passed by, she felt a shiver run down her spine and a wave of nausea wash over her. Knockout turned around and watched him toss a limp body into the truck's cargo hold.

"Ahem." One mercenary cleared his throat; Knockout jumped as he placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "You saved a lot of lives here, kid! Like an honest-to-goodness hero! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, yeah?" He slapped her back before releasing her grip. "Go home and rest up! You earned it." Knockout winced at his touch.

"Um... okay?" Knockout wasn't sure what to make of this. What was their deal? She had a feeling that things were about to go horribly wrong. "Hey? Can I ask: who's that guy?" Knockout pointed at the man who'd just thrown the last body into the truck; he closed the back door with a thud and turned towards them, his gaze locked onto hers, she was sure, through the mask. Almost as if he sensed her pointing at him...

"Hm? Oh, that's Specialist Adler." The mercenary turned to look at him; Adler frowned at Knockout's stare. "Funny, he tends to slip under everyone's radar most of the time. Got embedded with us a few days ago. It was his hunch that led us here, actually! Guess you owe him. Isn't that right, Adler?" Adler gave her a curt nod before making his way towards them; the other soldiers parted to let him through... even the ones whose backs were turned to him. Knockout grimaced at the sight of him drawing closer and closer; her skin crawled as he approached.

"P-pleasure." Knockout stammered; Adler stopped in front of her. His face was hidden beneath the blank mask, Knockout felt chills run down her spine as she saw her reflection in his visor. "S-so, thanks for the save?" She forced a smile as she extended a hand towards him.

"Warm." Adler's voice was muffled by his helmet's speakers, yet Knockout swore she heard him speak in multiple voices at once. The strange murmurs echoed inside her skull, filling her head with noise. "Glad. I. Found you." The words sounded like static feedback to her ears, as if they were spoken by dozens of voices simultaneously.

Knockout gasped as she felt a jolt of electricity coursing through her veins; her body froze in place while her heart pounded against her ribcage. Her mind raced with frantic thoughts: what was happening? Was she hallucinating? Was that shock her imagination? Knockout tried to steady herself as her legs buckled under her weight. It was so obvious, the 'Other'-ness of this man. "Huh?!"

Adler tilted his head to one side, studying her for a moment longer, before turning away and walking towards the truck. She sensed something cold, detached, and clinical. Like a doctor performing an autopsy, moments before his first incision. Knockout collapsed to her knees as Adler climbed into the truck and shut its doors behind him. A horrible chill ran down her spine: it wasn't just the cold November breeze hitting her sweat-soaked skin. Her subconscious had known from the moment she laid eyes on him, yet her brain refused to acknowledge it. After all, Othersiders were invisible to adults. So what was this man?

"Hey? Hey!" The mercenary knelt beside her, shaking her shoulder. "What's wrong? Did he scare you or something? The guy is a bit off, but he means well." The man's concern was genuine, yet Knockout couldn't bring herself to look at him. "Hey, are you okay? Do you need medical attention?" Knockout's mind spun in circles; her entire body trembled as she struggled to understand what just happened.

"Yeah... no, I'm fine." She whispered as she pushed herself back onto her feet; the soldier held out a hand to help her balance herself. "Maybe a priest!" She joked, but she also wanted to report in to Central ASAP. "Thanks again!" Knockout summoned the last of her strength and took off running down the street. She ran until her lungs burned and her muscles ached, her body was screaming in pain by the time she arrived at the shrine gates.

The streets were quiet as she staggered towards the torii, stumbling along the way. Her mind was racing; her thoughts were consumed with panic and fear. What had she witnessed tonight? How could Adler exist? Were others like him lurking among the masses? If so, what were they after? Were they waiting to strike? Or planning some sort of attack?!

"What's wrong?" Yuki rushed over to Knockout's side as she fell forward; Yuki caught her mid-fall, keeping her from hitting the pavement. "You look terrible!" Knockout could barely think straight as Yuki helped her up and escorted her back home.

"Bad... experience..." Knockout mumbled; she felt nauseous as she recalled the events of tonight. "Met a monster."

"The Noroi?" Yuki asked; Knockout shook her head in response. "Tsukaima?" Yuki paused; Knockout shook her head again. "Oh. Oh! Oh no..." Yuki's face grew pale as she put the pieces together. "Was it a Youma?! So soon?"

"No..." Knockout clutched at her chest, struggling to catch her breath. "Something else..."

"Enough." Yuki's patience was in short supply even on a good day. "I'll make you some tea. Come catch your breath, then tell me everything." She led Knockout towards the main shrine building and sat her down at a table. "Petunia, oi! Quit doodling and bring some snacks. Our newest Magical Girl looks like hell!"

"Yep, yep-yep!" Petunia chirped; her voice sounded muffled due to her pencil lodged in her mouth. She scrambled over to the kitchen and grabbed a box of cookies and a bottle of water; she returned moments later and handed them to Knockout. "There ya go! Eat up, yeah?" Petunia gave her a thumbs-up before returning to her work. "It helps!"

"Thanks..." Knockout managed to mutter between bites; the girls' company made her feel better already. "So um... that feeling you get when you fight Othersiders...?" The other girls nodded as they sat around the table and waited for her to finish her explanation. "I felt something similar with one guy. An adult! Like he was part-Otherside!" Knockout gesticulated, trying to make sense of what she saw.

"What did he look like?" Yuki asked. Petunia flipped to a fresh sheet of paper, a look of sheer concentration on her face. Knockout described him in detail: his body language, his movements, his overall demeanour. Petunia sketched away as she listened intently to every word, nodding along to every syllable.

"He sounds super-freaky!" Petunia interjected as she finished the sketch. "What did he sound like? Maybe he's a Tsukaima in disguise? Or maybe he's a new type of Youma?! OH! What if he's a new type of Sweeper?! An upgrade?!" Petunia was bouncing up and down in excitement; Knockout's words clearly roused her artistic passions. Yuki looked ready to slap her.

"An upgrade? Petunia. Go make fucking talismans. Your only job." Yuki ordered; Petunia pouted before hurrying off to another room. "So... creepy and ominous? Walked like a math formula? Voice like a legion? Yeah, something is off." Yuki concluded. "First case of an Otherside-afflicted adult spotted. Did he say anything?"

"Um... he called me warm." Knockout replied, a bead of sweat forming on her brow. "And he said he was glad to find me?" Yuki narrowed her eyes at the information. "Yeah. 'Glad. I. Found you.' talked like a zombie or something!"

"I'm going to check in with Central and see if they have anything useful to say about this weirdo." Yuki muttered as she stood up and left the room. "It's not just the fact that he's an adult. What was he, anyway? What does he want? Why would he reveal himself to you? Is he hostile?" Yuki slid the door closed, still talking to herself as she did so.

Knockout stared at the paper Petunia left behind; the figure in the sketch was unmistakable. "A human being who belongs on the Otherside?" Knockout read aloud; Petunia had scribbled the caption above her drawing. "A Humanoid... with an aura unlike anything I've seen before!" She frowned as she thought back to how Adler had moved and spoke, recalling every detail of his unnatural appearance. To Petunia's credit, she captured his body language perfectly! How a still sketch managed to convey his uncanny gait, his detached presence, and his unsettling mannerisms...

"Gahhhhh! This sucks!" Knockout groaned as she flopped over onto the floor.

Chapter 29

"What do you mean, 'emergency meeting?' I'm pretty beat up." Nana winced as Yuki screamed into the phone; Nana sighed as she surveyed her injuries: cracked ribs, bruised spine, and several other scrapes and gashes. She'd faced Tsukaima packs alone before, but that night in Third District? She nearly died!

"I get it, really! But you'll hate what comes next." Yuki's voice grew louder and angrier by the second. "Alright fine, I'll meet you at the hospital. Take care of yourself." Nana had no clue what that was about; it must've been something serious for Yuki to leave her post like that. Then again, Yuki liked to be in charge of her own life: if she felt like moving, nothing could stop her!

Nana sank deeper into her bed and closed her eyes; the doctors had given her something for the pain, and she felt drowsy as a result. Nana's vision blurred, and the room seemed to spin around her as she tried to sit upright. "Good grief..." Nana moaned as she rolled over and buried her face in her pillow. The agony coursing through her veins was excruciating! And, something she hadn't said out loud: not all of it was physical. "I fucked up... didn't I?"

Nana remembered lying in a pool of sweat, tumbling from consciousness and unconsciousness. She used up every ounce of her strength fighting the pack of Tsukaima after saving those Sweepers from that freaky Othersider anomaly. No one knew what happened when a Magical Girl used up their mana: would they survive? Would they revert to their normal selves? Would they die in a spray of glitter and magic? None of these questions were answered, however, because Nana was more resilient than expected.

"You'll recover with no permanent damage." The doctor had informed her once she returned to consciousness 24 hours later. Her every breath hurt; even lifting her arm was agony! Yet the X-Rays and CT scans revealed nothing beyond the cracked ribs and bruised spine. 'Stress and fatigue,' said the doctor, 'nothing more.'

"Take it easy for now." The doctor advised her as he left the room. Nana was frustrated by the diagnosis, yet powerless to fight back against it. "We'll monitor your condition and update you regularly." Nana wondered what became of those four Sweepers, especially the young one that got knocked out. She thought she saw Sgt. Nowak pass by her room once too, shuffling about in a patient gown. "Try not to overexert yourself." Nana nodded again as the doctor closed the door behind him.

"Uh-huh..." Nana mumbled; she heard voices coming from outside the room, a mix of nurses chattering to themselves while others tended to other patients. Nana squeezed her eyes shut and focused on the mana flowing through her body; she felt a warmth spread through her veins, easing her discomfort as she took slow, steady breaths. 'If only my powers could heal me faster.'

Nana heard footsteps approaching her room and opened one eye as a familiar figure stepped through the door. "Yo." The petite Miko with messy hair greeted her. The snow-white robes and vibrant red hakama made her look like she'd walked out of a movie set. "You look like shit." Yuki tossed a bag of snacks onto the bed.

"Fuck off." Nana spat, wincing as pain shot through her ribs. "What's up?"

"Figured you might want a treat to help with the healing process." Yuki shrugged, scanning the room until she found a chair and dragging it towards the bed. "You want some water? Juice? Coffee? Tea?" Yuki leaned closer and scrutinized her face. "Or do you just want me to spill the beans right now? Do you want me to tell you why I'm here?"

"Sure, spill the beans." Nana grunted as she forced herself upright; the painkillers made her woozy, and Yuki's scowl only deepened when she noticed this. "Ah, I'm fine." Nana groaned, though her body still ached all over.

"Last night, super late, we got a Magical Girl with a bizarre story." Yuki began. "She fought off a group of weird mutant things, then a squad of mercs arrived to relieve her and secure the site. That's when she got freaked out by this Specialist Adler guy, who said something strange." Yuki pulled out a sketch and showed it to Nana. "He scared the shit out of her."

"Cool." Nana deadpanned at Yuki's description. "Not sure what this has to do with me?"

Yuki continued: "He spoke like a 'chorus' of voices; she described him as a Humanoid with an 'Otherside aura.'" Nana sat up, heart pounding as she stared at the sketch. "What's more, she quoted a strange little phrase that you mentioned a couple times." Nana's eyes widened as Yuki recited her words verbatim: "'Found you.'"

"Oh shit..." Nana clutched at her chest, struggling to breathe as the implications sank in. "What is that? That's not... he's not..." Nana struggled to find the right words as panic gripped her heart. "He can't be..."

"Who knows what that creature is..." Yuki folded her arms across her chest; Nana noticed her knuckles were white as she gripped her arms. "But you need to lay low for now. Yesterday's big push was a big risk: we thinned out the Noroi population, but it cost us." Nana groaned as Yuki's lecture went on and on: "A couple of kids got hurt. A few more had to retire early due to exhaustion." Yuki frowned as she studied Nana's face. "As in, they fucking quit. They decided they weren't cut out for this shit anymore. They don't want anything to do with Othersiders ever again. And the Central rep from Second reported something unprecedented: During a fucking Sweep, one of her Sweepers got SHOT and another got kidnapped. By random cartel guys!"

"Oh wow!" Nana didn't know what to say. Tama was Tama, full of wildcard shit happening every day. Yet, Sweepers were—for all intents and purposes—street gangs. They traveled in packs, armed and ready to fight or fuck shit up if they ran into trouble. There were much softer targets to go after for those human trafficers... like college kids or office ladies heading home late at night. Sweepers weren't an easy mark... "Sounds like bad luck."

"Bad luck?! 'Bad luck?' is losing your wallet. Being shot, or worse, kidnapped is not 'bad luck!'" Yuki fumed; Nana swore steam was coming out of her ears! "Tch... what's Central gonna do? Nothing! Nothing at all!" Yuki looked furious; she clenched her fists so tightly that Nana could hear her knuckles cracking. "Look, you rest up. We'll check in with the other districts and see if we can find info on Adler or the missing kid. It's been a week since Mary went missing, too. It's starting to feel hopeless..."

"Yuki... I'm sorry." Nana's voice cracked; she felt tears welling up in her eyes as she thought of Mary's face. Nana yawned, her eyes feeling heavy again. "Anyways, I think I need some more rest. Sorry, but they've got me on real strong stuff. So..."

"Fine. Get some rest, Nana." Yuki stood up and reached for the door handle. "Once you're better, come visit me at the shrine." Yuki hesitated before continuing: "Petunia misses you."

"Yeah yeah... I miss her too." Nana mumbled as Yuki left the room. "Be safe..." Nana closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. 'Found you...' Those words echoed inside her head as she lay there in silence; Nana felt like screaming but didn't have the strength to do so. What did that mean? Found you... 'Found you...' Nana groaned as a sharp pain shot through her chest, gritting her teeth as agony flooded through her body. 'Found you...' 'Found you...' 'Found you...' 'Found you...' 'FoundyoufoundyoufoundyoufoundyoufoundyouFoundYOUFOUNDYOUFOUNDYOUFOUND...!'

Chapter 30

She felt even worse than the previous morning. "Not going." Stella pulled her blanket over her head and hid under it, refusing to move. "I'm exhausted..." Stella whispered to herself as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Memories of last night's struggle against the Othersiders kept flashing in her mind. Stella knew how lucky they were to survive that encounter unscathed, yet felt tremendous guilt when she heard what happened to the others.

'Lee's hurt, bad. And Ngozi's missing.' Miki's words echoed inside her head. "At least we made it out in one piece..." She told herself over and over again, but it was a hollow comfort. Lenore's faint protests sounded distant and muffled in her ears. Stella shook her head as she pulled the covers tighter around herself. "Not going." Stella repeated, feeling tears trickle down her cheeks. "Sorry... I'm sorry..." She sobbed as the weight of her actions pressed down upon her.

"Stella you ass! Stop being dramatic and get up!" Stella ignored her, refusing to budge from her bed. "Get the hell up right now, or I'm chucking you out the window! Bed and all! Get up!" Lenore pulled her blankets off her head and yanked her pillow out from under her arms. "Don't give me that look! Jeez, you're such a spaz. God, why can't yo be normal?! Like Ben!" Stella flinched as she covered her ears with her hands.

"Not normal!" Stella cried as tears streamed down her face. The stress and anxiety of the past few weeks had finally caught up to her. "I'm not normal!" Lenore scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest. Stella lowered her hands and wiped away the tears with the sleeve of her pajamas. She could feel Lenore's disappointment and frustration radiating from her body, filling the room with a sense of heaviness. "Ben's not normal either... he's just better at pretending than me."

"Ok, yes." Lenore conceded, and Stella was taken aback by the lack of a witty comeback. "No one is 'normal.' We're all weirdos in our own way. But you know what? You are smart, you're athletic, and you're popular! People like you, Stella!" Lenore let out a frustrated sigh before continuing: "And I believe that you are more than capable of overcoming this funk you're in." Stella's face flushed as she listened to Lenore's speech. "Stel, I love you. You know that, right? You're my baby sister, and I love you." Lenore sat beside Stella and placed a hand on her shoulder. "So please, please stop moping and get your ass out of bed before I suplex you out the damn window! And don't say I never did anything nice for you!"

"H-huh?" Stella stammered as Lenore pinched her cheeks and pulled them apart, stretching Stella's face into a smile. "Len... stop, it hurts!" Stella protested, though she couldn't escape Lenore's grasp. "Please! I'm sorry! I'll get up! Let go!" Lenore released her grip and slid off the bed. "Owowowowoowww..." Stella rubbed her cheeks while Lenore went to rummage through the closet. "What are you doing?"

"I'll pick something stylish for you." Lenore began laying out the outfit pieces next to each other on the mattress. "Maybe I'll even find my charger... don't think I forgot about that." Lenore narrowed her eyes at Stella. "Go take a shower! You reek of sweat and failure!" Stella groaned as Lenore pushed her towards the bathroom. "Also, brush your hair!"

"I hate you..." Stella grumbled as she marched to the bathroom; Lenore chuckled and continued sorting through her outfits. Stella turned on the faucet and waited for the water to heat up. Steam filled the room as she stepped into the shower, washing away the stress and anxiety of yesterday's events. Lenore was right: she couldn't wallow in self-pity forever. 'Besides,' Stella thought to herself as she rinsed away the soap from her skin, 'there's still plenty of Othersiders to Sweep around Tama Town!'

After Stella finished her shower and got dressed, she headed downstairs to find Ben eating breakfast at the table. "Oh! Good morning sis." His expression faded into a weary smile. "I see Len dressed you, too." Stella looked down at his outfit: an unbuttoned flannel shirt worn over a faded graphic tee and sweatpants. "We need to buy locks for our bedrooms."he muttered as he took another sip of coffee.

"You two done whining?" Lenore asked as she swooped down and draped an arm around Stella's shoulders. "Not sure why you two have been acting so strange lately, but I'll chalk it up to teen hormones and high school drama. Now, eat before we leave! I've got evening classes and a noon shift at the coffee shop, but I'll drop you off at school."

"Ugh..." Stella knew that Lenore was trying to cheer them up, but her overbearing nature was getting on her nerves. "I'm not hungry," she muttered as Lenore placed a plate of food in front of her.

"Bullshit. Eat." Lenore ordered, glaring at Stella as she dug into her meal. "I won't hesitate to shove that fork down your throat!" Stella poked at her eggs and scowled. She hated when Lenore acted like their mom! She didn't know half the shit they'd been through these past few months! "No wonder you brats are still getting pushed around by your big sis, you gotta eat if you wanna grow!" Lenore's smug expression irritated Stella beyond words. Lenore crossed her arms over her chest as Stella ate her breakfast. "That's better."

"Now who's being dramatic?" Ben scoffed as he took another bite of his toast. "C'mon Len, we're not going to shrivel up and die because we go one freaking day without breakfast." He sighed as he watched Stella pick at her food. "Look, even if we did skip a few meals, it's not like we're starving or anything."

"So sassy this morning, gosh." Lenore narrowed her eyes at Ben, then Stella. "Did you two fight? Argue? What happened?" Stella shook her head in response. "Alright, whatever. Eat your damn toast." Lenore sighed and turned towards the sink, washing the dishes as her siblings ate their breakfast.

What were they supposed to tell her? 'Oh, nothing sis! Just fighting eldritch monsters from beyond the veil! You know, no biggie! Wouldn't worry about it.' Stella looked at Ben and could tell he was thinking the same thing. Lenore wouldn't believe them: no adult would! What's worse: when Ben just started, Lenore was a high school senior, a damned good Sweeper herself! Then one day... well, one day she just stopped seeing, and stopped believing. "Lenore..." Stella murmured as she watched her sister do the dishes; Ben nudged her leg with his foot underneath the table. "Just ballet club drama."

"Mhm... sure." Lenore sounded skeptical, yet didn't press them further. "Well, hurry up! We leave in ten minutes." Lenore walked past them and snatched up the empty plate from the table. "I'll be waiting by the car. See ya!" she ruffled Stella's hair before walking out of the kitchen. "Brats!"

"Sorry Stel." Ben muttered. "Sorry about yesterday. Sorry you got involved in all this. Listen, I know you're glum, but I appreciate what you did last night." Ben patted Stella on the shoulder; she winced as he made contact. "I'd tell Lenore what's going on with us, but we both know she wouldn't believe a word." Stella nodded in agreement; she took a deep breath and pushed her plate away from herself.

"I don't know what to say to them all." Stella confessed; she slumped forward in her chair and stared at her feet. "About last night or the other days... what should I say?" She looked up at Ben with a pained expression. "I don't want to do it anymore."

"I know you don't. Trust me." Ben let out a soft sigh as he stared down at his hands. "If it makes you feel any better, you can always stop whenever you want. But I won't. Not until that Othersider threat is gone for good." Ben clenched his fists and stared off into the distance. "I can't imagine what life would be like if I let this shit go on without trying to put an end to it." Stella saw a fire burning in his eyes and heard a cold determination in his voice that sent chills down her spine. "They can't win, Stella! They can't! If we don't do something, who will?!"

"I get it." Stella forced a weak smile. "I'm with you on this." Stella stood up from her chair and picked up her bag. "Besides, it gives me an excuse to hang out around Langston!"

"I know, and that's what scares me." Ben deadpanned as he got to his feet and headed towards the front door. "C'mon, Len is probably waiting for us in the car. Don't want to make her angry again."

Chapter 31

Stella was bored during class. Her mind wandered from one topic to another while her teacher droned on about mitochondria and cell division. She wondered how other kids handled the stress of fighting Othersiders: did they cheat on tests? Did they skip class to go patrolling? Did they even Sweep at all? Her fellow Sweepers—despite being good-hearted kids—seemed to treat it all like a game! They would laugh and joke while fighting Othersiders, and often tried to get the best kill shots or see who could rack up the most bodies. Were they trying to keep things light-hearted to cope? Or were they just psychopaths?

"Stella." The teacher's harsh tone brought her back to reality. Stella blinked as she looked up at him: he stood next to her desk, his arms folded across his chest as he glared down at her. "Were you paying attention? Or did something else catch your eye?" Stella felt the entire class staring at her, smirking and giggling behind their textbooks. The teacher's gaze darkened as he noticed the bruises on her face and neck. "Stella? Where did you get those marks on your skin?"

"I..." Stella glanced around the room and saw dozens of faces staring back at her: their eyes were filled with curiosity and suspicion, yet she felt no sympathy coming from any of them. 'I got hurt while Sweeping...' Stella thought to herself. "Ballet club practice is rough. These are just from falls and such. Please continue the class, sir. The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, right?"

"Alright..." The teacher raised an eyebrow as he returned to his desk and resumed the lecture. "Please try to focus, Stella. Your grades are impressive, but that's no excuse to slack off!"

"Sorry." Stella knew he didn't care about her grades or her health. All he cared about was that she passed his class without any trouble. That was his job, after all! To prepare students for the world outside of high school. The thought made Stella chuckle, and several students gave her confused looks.

The rest of the day went by in a blur: lunch, P.E., social studies, English. Before Stella knew it, the final bell had rung and it was time for club activities. Her body ached and her mind was foggy from lack of sleep, yet she dragged herself to the locker rooms to change into her dancewear. Why bother 'preparing for the world outside,' when she knew that the Otherside existed? Why try to survive in a cruel and uncaring world when creatures from beyond threatened to destroy everything? These were her thoughts as she stood outside the ballet clubroom, taking deep breaths to steel her nerves before opening the door.

"Yo." Stella jumped as Miki greeted her from behind. "So, you've been avoiding me todaaaaay..." Miki's sing-song tone irritated Stella.

"It's not personal." Stella grumbled as she walked past Miki. "I'm tired. I'm not in the mood to talk. You seem awful cheerful for someone who got one of our friends shot, and another one kidnapped. Sleep well last night?!" Stella regretted lashing out at Miki as soon as the words left her lips.

"Yeah." the Miko's cheerful demeanour vanished in an instant, replaced by a cold rage. "Slept fine, actually. Because unlike some people, I have the capacity to take responsibility for my mistakes, and recognize when fuck-ups just happen." Miki's voice trembled as she spoke: "It was sheer chaos! Misfortune! They weren't targeted because they were Sweepers, or because of my fucking plan. They were taken because drugged up ASSHOLES drove by, saw them, and thought 'two young people alone at night? Hell yeah!'" Miki slammed her fist into the wall beside her. "Those guys weren't cartel: they were small-time thugs, bikers or something! That's not even fucking SWEEPER BUSINESS! Want me to start a fucking security firm? Or should I buy a gun and go hunting?! God fucking damn!"

"No..." Stella looked down at the floor and shuffled her feet. "I, I didn't mean that..."

"You did." Miki's glare was filled with spite and resentment. "Don't lie to yourself or me: you meant every fucking word." Miki took a step closer to Stella and placed a hand on her shoulder. "My calls were sound, and I BLED alongside you and your brother against something bigger than any of us. So just have a good fucking practice, okay? Or at least pretend to have fun." Miki spat before walking off in a huff. "Tch... goddamn it. Why do I even bother?"

Stella felt a pang of guilt in her chest: she had gone too far. It wasn't fair of her to blame Miki for what happened, and it wasn't her fault that Lee and Ngozi got caught up in whatever the hell was going on in that parking lot. Tama was Tama: dangerous, unpredictable, full of surprises and shit that went bump in the night. How was Miki supposed to anticipate some drive-by kidnapping?!

Stella trudged into the dance studio and found her fellow club members stretching out on the floor. She took a seat next to one of the other girls and started working on her flexibility. Her muscles were stiff and sore from yesterday's excursions: every stretch hurt, every bend made her bones creak. 'Why am I still doing this?' Stella thought to herself as she bent over backwards into a bridge pose. 'Why am I wasting time on ballet club?!'

"Alright everyone." Langston entered the room and clapped to get their attention. "We'll be learning the choreography for this year's competition piece today!" He was all smiles as he pulled up a video on his tablet. "Remember: if we do well enough, we'll qualify for nationals!" Langston was grinning from ear to ear as he spoke: "But that won't happen if you can't learn the routines!" The other club members looked excited at the prospect of competing. 'So what? We'd go compete at some dance competition while Tama Town is overrun by Othersiders?'

"Sis?" Ben poked her shoulder and waved a hand in front of her face. Stella blinked as she returned to reality: Langston and the other club members were staring at her.

"Wha-? Huh? Oh! Sorry..." Stella shook her head and rubbed her eyes; she must've spaced out for a moment there. "Um... sorry! I'm just tired and stuff."

"Did you rattle your noggin last night?" Langston was battered himself from yesterday's excursion, and had bandages on his face and arms. "Or are you still thinking about Lee? Don't worry, I've heard he's recovering." Langston's smile faded as he mentioned their injured friend. "Ngozi though... the police are looking for her, but we all know that there's no guarantees." Stella winced at his blunt statement. "Damn. Sorry. Was that insensitive? Look, everyone's shaken up about what happened. But worrying won't help anyone. So let's work hard and try to lighten the mood. Okay? Okay!"

"Yeah..." Stella was lost in her thoughts as Langston led the group through warm-ups and stretching exercises. She kept thinking about Lee's injuries and Ngozi's disappearance; she kept imagining Ngozi tied up in some basement or shack somewhere, cold and scared and alone. 'But what can I do about it?' Stella wondered as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. 'I can't just quit ballet club and search for her.'

"Alright everyone, line up!" Langston clapped his hands to get their attention; the other club members scrambled into position while he played a song from his tablet. "Watch my demonstration first, then we'll go through the whole routine together!" Langston walked them through the steps and combinations, taking the time to correct their positions when necessary.

Stella struggled to keep up with the instructions, stumbling over her own feet as she tried to remember the routines. This was new choreography, and Stella didn't feel like dancing today! Yet little by little, she felt herself getting caught up in the rhythm of the music: her body moved without thinking, flowing across the floor as if possessed by an unseen force. The music guided her movements: her legs swept through the air, her arms swayed gently from side to side. Her eyes closed as she drifted along with the melody, and for a moment she felt calm.

Langston clapped once more as the song ended. "Great work! Let's take five, then we'll run through the whole routine together."

Chapter 32

After an hour or so, the other club members had gone home for the day. Stella and Langston sat together in the dance studio, enjoying a bottle of water after their long practice session.

"Thanks." Stella said, wiping the sweat from her brow. "You're really good at choreography."

"I am, aren't I?" Langston chuckled, tossing his empty plastic bottle into the trash bin across the room. "Good enough to qualify? Time will tell. Anyways, can I ask you something? Why'd you hang back today? Don't you walk home with Ben?" Stella frowned at the question, she hadn't talked much with Langston outside of ballet club and wasn't sure what to say.

"Um... just wanted to stay in practice." Stella lied, knowing full well that Langston didn't buy it. "Also wanted to see if you were alright. You got hurt pretty badly yesterday, right?"

"Oh, these scratches?" he touched a bandage on his cheekbone. "Just bumps and bruises. No big deal! Miki got the worst of it. Well, not counting Lee. Or Ngozi." Langston sighed and leaned back against the wall behind him. "Look, Stella. I get it. I know you're having a rough time dealing with everything that's happened, especially with that... business from last week. Yesterday's events were salt in the wound too. But please, don't let that push you away."

"I'm not pushing anyone away!" Stella protested; she crossed her arms over her chest as he gave her a stern look. "Okay, maybe a bit. Sorry, I just... I don't want to drag anyone else down with me."

"Hmm..." Langston nodded. "That's very thoughtful of you, but we're all in the same boat here, Stella. Just kids trying to make sense of things that go bump in the night." He leaned closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Trust me. We need you more than ever right now. Yesterday was a disaster, and Lee won't be able to Sweep for a while. Then again, did you see Miki's text this morning? I heard you didn't reply." Stella flushed bright red; she had seen the message, but never got around to replying to it. "Miki wants teams of four. Minimum."

"Four? Why four?"

"She thinks we won't be such appealing targets if we travel in packs." Langston explained; Stella could see his reflection in the mirror as he spoke. "These incidents have been spiking lately. Crimes are on the rise: murders, muggings, kidnappings. They're getting bolder, Stella, and we need to adapt."

"Hmm..." Stella frowned as she thought about yesterday's fight. "Well, maybe she's right. Still, four seems a bit much for a simple Sweep..."

"It's not about fighting Othersiders." Langston groaned. "Jeez, Stel! Read the text later, please. Basically, if Othersider numbers continue to shrink, and their movement patterns keep shifting, we should be more worried about the cartels than the Youma. Do you get me? Human traffickers and cartel gunmen aren't the same as the freaky shit we deal with. Those people are vicious, Stella." Langston sighed and lowered his gaze.

"And they're not scared off by talismans." Stella joked, hoping to lighten the mood a little.

"No," Langston laughed softly. "Talismans don't do shit against bullets." He held up his fingers and pointed at her. "See, you and your brother have never been in any real danger during a Sweep, Stella. And I mean 'real' danger: no shootouts, no knives, no kidnappings. Second District was never too bad anyways: most of its Othersiders were weaklings that could be Swept without issue. Second safest district from those freaks, next to Ninth."

"I understand." Stella replied, though she didn't completely get it. "So, Miki's concerned about gangs getting bolder?"

"Yes! Cartels and others are migrating too, because that megacorp started patrolling the ports." Langston got up from the floor and stretched out his back. "They're willing to risk exposure to competition and whatever freaks crawl out of the gutters, rather than deal with law enforcement!"

"Ohhhh." Stella could see how that made sense. "Right."

"The Othersiders don't care, one way or another. They're just trying to survive." Langston took a deep breath and exhaled before continuing: "Do you think they want to cause trouble for us humans? Or are they just trying to live? Eh? Either way, their behavior has changed these past few weeks, and we need to be prepared for the worst." Langston shook his head as he grabbed his bag off the floor. "So, as a Sweeper, I'm asking you: please stay safe." He walked towards the door and waved goodbye without turning to look at her. "See ya tomorrow."

"See ya." Stella watched Langston leave the studio and disappear into the hallway beyond. "Stay safe huh..." She closed her eyes as the room fell silent around her, save for the whirring of the air conditioner overhead. "Safety." Stella mused, unable to shake a growing feeling of dread in her stomach. 'Safe is nice, but it's not real.'

Stella got up from the floor and headed towards the lockers to change into her street clothes; her mind raced as she slipped on her shoes and left the room. After dinner, she and Ben would wander around town in search of Othersiders to Sweep. She wondered who they'd get paired with. 'Who's going to be stuck with me?' She didn't want to Sweep tonight, but knew that Ben would go whether she joined him or not.

Chapter 33

Stella knocked on the door and waited for a response. After a few seconds, a familiar voice called out: "One second!" She heard footsteps approaching the other side of the door; the deadbolt slid back as Lenore opened the door and peeked through the gap between it and the frame. "Oh! Hey Stel!" she swung the door open.

"Um... hey sis." Stella couldn't help but stare at Lenore's outfit: it looked like she was dressed up for a night out on the town! Her hair was done up in a fashionable updo and her jewelry sparkled under the hallway lights. Stella noted that Lenore's makeup was flawless, which made her feel self-conscious about her own appearance.

"What's up?" Lenore asked as Stella shuffled her feet. "Are you just gonna stand outside the house all night? It's chilly, and you don't have a jacket on!" Lenore stepped aside to let Stella pass.

"No..." Stella glanced over Lenore's shoulder and noticed Ben peering from the living room sofa. "I, I wanted to... well, Ben and I were going to do some homework together tonight."

"Hmm?" Lenore raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Aren't you dorks in different grades? Or did Ben get let back two years? I swear, that boy acts like he's got shit for brains sometimes!" Ben rolled his eyes and pretended to look busy reading a magazine.

"She meant for our ballet club. Not 'homework,' Stel. 'Practice.' We've got an event coming up." Ben threw the magazine on the coffee table and stretched out his back. "And she wants me to help with her lifts." He lied as easily as he breathed sometimes—a perk to having such a stoic disposition!

"Ahhhh!" Lenore's eyes lit up with excitement. "Ben! That's great!" She gave Stella a curious look. "You're doing lifts? Wow! Are you entering a competition?" Lenore was ecstatic as she imagined her younger siblings performing in front of a crowd. "Ooh! Can I come watch?!"

"Maybe? Langston's the one coordinating all that stuff, not me." Stella muttered, feeling flustered by Lenore's enthusiasm. The eldest sibling practised martial arts back in the day, but gave it up when she got busy with college. She was a terror when riled, though. After all, who the fuck gifts their little sister a collapsible baton on a whim?!? "It's for the inter-club event this winter. They will send out a calendar of practice sessions and competition dates soon, I think."

"Awesome! I'll check my schedule!" Lenore seemed pleased by the idea of attending one of their competitions. "Maybe mom and dad can come too, hey? A big family event! Sounds fun, right?"

"Yeah." Stella mumbled, trying not to think about how awkward it would be to have her parents present at a ballet event. They worked too many hours to keep up with their kids' extracurricular activities, and had missed plenty of their recitals throughout the years. She couldn't shake the fear that her parents would coo and gush over how talented she was, embarrassing her in front of her friends and classmates. Hell, they'd probably bust out the big, clunky camcorder they never used and film the whole thing! Stella shuddered at the thought.

"Don't you have a date, Len?" Ben went in for the save, much to Stella's relief. "Shouldn't you hurry up and leave?" Lenore stopped grinning and shot Ben a nasty glare. "I'm just saying! I mean, he might think you've stood him up or something. I mean, you can do better than him, sis!"

"Oh yeah..." Lenore pouted and turned back towards the door. "Well, have fun practising your ballet." She waved goodbye before stepping outside and closing the door behind her. "Don't work Ben too hard now! Don't want to give him a hernia!" Stella and Ben exchanged looks before bursting into laughter.

"Whew, thanks bro." Stella wiped away tears of joy as she took a seat on the sofa next to Ben. "She's been so peppy. I hate it."

"Oh yeah, she's been in a good mood." Ben agreed. "I wonder if her new boyfriend is why? Not that I care. I'd rather deal with a happy Len than a sad Len. Less headlocks and chokeholds."

"Heheh... yeah." Stella leaned back against the cushions and closed her eyes. "So... I kinda ghosted Miki all morning, then sorta snapped at her later... and um... yeah. Who are we Sweeping with tonight? And where are we Sweeping tonight? Also, 'teams of four?' We're gonna be stopped by every freaking security guard in the area!"

"Yeah... well, she says that's what we gotta do for now." Ben shrugged and glanced towards the hallway leading to the front door. "Not to worry, our parents pay for the family subscription. And Keats Security has good reviews! If they give us 'tude, just flash your card at them." Stella groaned at the thought of dealing with more adults.

"Who's going to be paired with us?"

"Miki's busy reorganizing the whole group: who goes with who, who'll patrol which parts of town, and so on. We lucked out: for tonight, we get a Magical Girl! She's pretty nice and cute. Easy to get along with. Got a thing for sweets too!" Stella smiled as Ben gushed over the girl he'd be Sweeping with tonight. He had a type, she noted: strong, confident, independent girls with a will of steel. 'Miki fit that profile.' Stella thought to herself as Ben went on and on about this girl. "Oh, and her name is—"

"Knockout! Pleasure." Stella was surprised to hear an unfamiliar voice coming from the hallway! How had someone snuck past them?! "Apologies for the intrusion! The window was unlocked and slightly ajar!" Stella leaned over the couch's armrest and peeked into the corridor.

There stood a Magical Girl: a short girl with blonde hair and an outfit that would put a pop idol to shame. It was a riot of colours: a pink-and blue vest, puffy yellow sleeves attached to a garish pink shrug, a lime-green tutu trimmed in white frills... the list went on! A gem-studded clasp held her hair back in a lazy ponytail. Her hammer was just as tall as she was, and far heavier than the trio put together! 'Gotta give credit where it's due: that outfit's fashion crime makes othersiders go running for their lives!' Stella thought to herself as the girl bounced across the living room towards them.

"Umm..." Stella glanced at Ben and raised an eyebrow. "We weren't expecting you until later... right? Ben?" He nodded slowly, a bemused expression on his face. Knockout cocked her head to one side like a curious puppy. "Also, we have a door...?"

"Apologies!" Knockout bowed her head low enough to touch the ground before leaping back to her feet. "Miki said you wouldn't answer my text messages! So I decided to let myself in!" Stella looked away for just a moment, and Knockout vanished from sight. "Apologies for any inconvenience!" Knockout called from the other side of the door. "I hope you're hungry! I've brought snacks!"

"Wait!" Stella leapt to her feet and bolted towards the front door, yanking it open as Knockout pranced inside. "No, I mean—" Knockout smiled at Stella as she dumped an armful of sweets onto the coffee table. "How did you—"

"Haha! Yes! Sour candy!" Ben was ecstatic as he grabbed a packet of sour gummies shaped like frogs. "Hell yeah!"

"How did you do that? Vanish like that?" Stella asked, picking up a package of chocolate-covered gummy bears.

"Don't be silly! I can't vanish." Knockout stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I'm just fast. It's no big deal, really." Knockout popped a grape lollipop into her mouth. "Now then! Shall we get going? We have a long night ahead of us!"

"Uhh..." Stella was taken aback by the girl's enthusiasm: she had never seen someone so eager to go hunting for monsters! "Sure?" Stella glanced at Ben for confirmation; he shoveled gummies into his mouth and nodded. "We're heading out in a few minutes."

"Excellent!" Knockout seemed delighted by their decision; she spun in place before sinking onto the sofa next to Ben. "Tell me more about this 'ballet club' of yours!"

"I—what? Tell you—what?" Ben paused mid-chew as Knockout leaned towards him with an innocent smile. "Well, sure..." Knockout listened as Ben rambled about his hobbies and interests, all while devouring more and more candy. She'd ask questions from time to time—often prompting Ben to give more detailed answers—nodding and giggling at the right moments.

'No way.' Stella was floored by how quickly Knockout had charmed her brother into submission! 'What sorcery is this?!' It was like watching a masterful magician perform tricks on stage! She felt a pang of jealousy as Ben poured his heart out to his new companion: he'd never been one to talk about his life or interests with strangers, yet here he was spilling his guts to a girl he'd just met!

"Ahem!" Stella coughed, clearing her throat loud enough to catch their attention. "Well then! Looks like we're ready to go!" Ben nodded, wiping crumbs from his cheeks with the sleeve of his shirt. "Knockout, um... you should probably hide that thing..." Stella motioned towards Knockout's hammer sitting by the doorway. "I mean, if you can vanish and all, there's no reason to have your weapon on full display..."

"I can't vanish, silly!" Knockout giggled as she waved her hand and transformed the hammer into a tiny gold charm bracelet with a single, golden flower pendant. "But yes, this form is more discreet." Knockout admired the bracelet on her wrist as Stella shook her head in disbelief. "Shall we get going then?"

"Yeah! Let's go." Ben leapt to his feet and ran towards the front door; Knockout followed behind. "After you." He held the door open and gestured for Knockout to leave.

"Tch. Whatever." Stella huffed and walked outside, leaving her brother to close the door behind them.

Chapter 34

Stella glared as Knockout and Ben conversed. She couldn't hear what they were talking about, but knew it wasn't Sweeping related. 'Focus, you two!' Stella thought to herself as Knockout paused their conversation to snack on more sweets. She wasn't sure what bothered her more: Ben's gushing over the girl, or Knockout's nonchalant attitude towards their mission. 'She's supposed to be our ace in the hole...' Stella grumbled as Knockout squealed in delight.

"Awww! What a cutie!" Knockout exclaimed, holding her phone close to her face as she showed Ben a picture of her pet ferret. "Her name's Molly! And that's Jello!" she swiped her finger across the screen and showed Ben a picture of her cat playing with a toy mouse. "And here's Little Dot!" Knockout scrolled through images of her corgi snoozing in various spots around the house. 'Lee's in a hospital bed with a bullet hole in his chest, Ngozi's missing or worse, and countless lives are being ruined by the Otherside. But sure, let's take a fucking pet break!' Stella fumed as Ben oohed and aahed at every photo Knockout showed him.

"Ahhh, she's adorable!" Ben was smitten as Knockout flipped through more pictures of her pets. "I'd love to meet them someday!" Knockout beamed at him and promised she'd arrange a play-date one of these days. 'We have a mission here, dammit!' Stella cleared her throat to get their attention. She felt something awful brewing in the pit of her stomach. 'What is this feeling?' Stella wondered as she continued walking down the street. 'Ugh... focus!'

"We should swap numbers," Ben suggested, handing her his phone. Knockout's eyes sparkled with joy as she tapped away at his screen. "Oh, so your name's Anne?" Ben gave her a curious look; Knockout giggled as she sent herself a text. 'This isn't a fucking date! Get your shit together and Sweep already!' Stella resisted the urge to shout at them to focus, instead glancing at a nearby clock tower as they passed by it. Something felt off.

"Oh for fuck sake... Knockout! Pay attention! Othersiders!" Stella shouted at the distracted Magical Girl as she ducked behind a car. Knockout looked confused for a moment, seeing nothing and sensing little. But to Stella? It was clear as day. Othersiders had gathered in the shadows surrounding their group: the miasma of negative emotions—guilt, fear, anguish, envy—was unmistakable. "Right there!"

"What?! Oh hell no!" Knockout yelped as a group of Tsukaima materialized near the intersection ahead of them. "Why are they gathering?! What's going on?!" Ben stepped up beside Knockout and slung his backpack off his shoulder. "What are you doing?!"

"Fireworks." Ben pulled out a handful of firecrackers and flash paper from his bag and looked towards Stella for confirmation. "Stella, tell me when they're in position." Maybe their new Magical GIrl partner could have handled it, but for the siblings? Well, even a single Tsukaima was a bit much: they were cunning and quick-witted, not to mention vicious. And a whole pack of them? That was a recipe for disaster.

"Got it." Stella watched the pack close in on their position. She could see their eyes glowing in the dim street lights, and hear their guttural hissing and clicking. Their movements were erratic, their forms wavering. "Now!" The fireworks exploded in a cacophony of loud bangs and bright flashes of light, causing the Tsukaima to shriek in fear and retreat.

"What the hell was that?" Knockout muttered as she poked her head over the car's hood to check on the situation. "Scaring them off isn't the point..." Knockout crossed her arms over her chest and scowled. "Let's regroup and go back to patrolling the old shopping district. I heard it's been—"

"SHUT UP!" Stella yelled, startling the other girl into silence. "Oh my God, are you for real?! Did you really just fucking say that?! Are you serious?!?!"

"Excuse me?!" Knockout shot back. "I don't think—"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Stella could feel her anger building up inside her: it was a burning heat, coursing through her veins like liquid magma! Her blood boiled with rage as Knockout stared at her with a bewildered expression. "They were closing in on our position! There were six of them! Those fucking monsters have no issues eating their own kind when they're starving! Did you see that?! Did you?! Do you not have eyes?!" Knockout shrank back as Stella ranted.

"Stel, I just meant..." Knockout slung her hammer over a shoulder and frowned. "I'm sorry, okay? I just mean, I should be killing them. Not... whatever you two are doing." Ben averted his gaze and shuffled his feet. "We're here to Sweep, right?" Knockout's calm tone only infuriated Stella further!

"FUCK OFF!" Stella cried as she swept her arm through the air and released a wave of energy from her hand. The blast threw Knockout backwards a few steps, leaving the Magical Girl and her brother both stunned by the sudden outburst. "Don't tell me how to Sweep!" Knockout stood frozen in place as Stella stormed towards her, Ben close on her heels. "What the fuck do you know about fighting?! Do you have any idea what you're doing?! Don't you dare tell me what to do!" Her world spun.

"Whoa!" Ben caught Stella as she slumped forward; her hands were shaking, her knees felt weak, her vision was blurry. "Stella, what the hell was that?" What WAS that? Stella's heart was pounding in her chest, her breathing ragged and rapid. 'Since when could I do that?!' Stella wondered as Ben helped her stand upright.

"Ohhh... shit." Knockout stared at the spot where the wave had impacted; a glowing, twisting mass of energy remained. "Um... alright, Stella... I didn't realize..." Stella couldn't make sense of anything going on around her: it was like she was watching someone else's body move through a foggy haze of anger and despair. "This isn't good."

"What... what happened?" Stella stammered, trembling as she watched Knockout approach the anomaly. "Was that me?" She felt so weak. So exhausted. She wasn't sure if her words were audible to Ben, or if they were merely thoughts drifting through her mind. "Ben... I don't feel... good." Her eyelids grew heavy as he lowered her to the ground.

"Fuck... Stella? Stella, c'mon!" Ben shook her gently as he pleaded for her to stay awake. "Stella? Are you okay?" Stella wanted to respond, but she couldn't speak. Knockout, meanwhile, poked at the anomaly with the end of her hammer. "Don't touch that! What are you doing?!" Ben screamed as Knockout swung the hammer towards the anomaly and smashed it.

Cast

(in order of appearance)

Stella

Clever, burnt-out, dark. A reluctant young sweeper and ballerina

Ben

Stoic, confident, deadpan. A sweeper who found himself resigned to the role.

Lenore

Brash, athletic, energetic. A college kid with a bright future who dotes on her siblings.

Langston

Supportive, gentle, charming. Ballet club president first, sweeper second.

Miki

Organized, faithful, performative. A shrine maiden who tries to look past her cynicism.

Anne

Trusting, affectionate, dutiful. A new magical girl who loves animals, and heavy weapons.

Specialist Adler

Quiet, perceptive, strong. A mercenary who's undergone some... changes.

Ngozi

Analytical, interdependent, reactive. A young sweeper with far too much energy.

Lee

Languid, vain, belligerent. A reluctant sweeper hooligan with a sweet tooth