“Is that a police car?” Ichika froze. The little girl beside her asked a question that the older one didn’t hear or process. She looked behind her. The police car had already come to a halt, and the doors were opening.

There was no hesitation. If it hadn’t been for her improved eyesight, she never would have seen the gun save for a brief flash. They’d taken out their guns and were aiming at them. Her hand flew to her chest and with a small click, a flurry of light erupted from her locket and overtook her.

Her clothes melted away into the blanket of white surrounding her. It hugged her body, wrapping her up in a wintery kimono, draping upon her and grazing her ankles. The snowy gown thickened and the sleeves began to droop, as if they were branches weighed down by snow. The transparent tips of the sleeves gently glimmered in the soft light. The snowy light caressed her waist, becoming a glittering sash with a gentle cyan coloring, a largish bow bouncing on her back. Finally, the final bits of light settled in her hair forming icy hairpins that matched her icy blue skin.

It took only an instant for the light to start and finish its work, and it wasn’t a moment too soon. Ichika instinctively took hold of her magic and swiped her hand across the ground, a wall of ice forming at her behest. It wasn’t even finished forming when the bullet shot into its depths, the ice encasing it in its frigid form.

“Are you alright?” She asked as she turned to Wisp and Cleo.

“We’re fine, thank you,” Cleo smiled.

“M-mommy, I…” Wisp trembled.

“I know. It’s okay, sweetie.”

“T-they really opened fire…” Leah said in a quiet voice.

“B-but we’re the good guys!” Carmen shook her head in disbelief.

“Snap out of it!” Ichika shouted at the two. “We need to figure out a plan, Carmen.” She looked at the awestruck teenager, who finally nodded at her.

Carmen snapped open her locket and transformed, the surging light subsiding as she crouched behind the icy barrier in her yellow uniform. “So, what do we do?”

“We have to get out of here,” Cleo stated. “Ichika, can you use your barrier to cover us as we make it back to the cars? It’s only one car, so…”

“You might want to double check your math,” Ichika said grimacing, looking towards the cars, Cleo and the others following her gaze. As they tried to protect themselves, another pair of police cars had driven into the parking lot, at least from what they could see. Vivi had evidently used her magic to summon thick plants from a nearby mess of weeds, forming a thick wall to defend them, blocking out whatever was beyond it from the others’ sight. “Still, you’re right. We need to get to our cars so we can get away. I’ll do my best to cover us. On the count of three. One.” They lifted themselves to their feet. “Two.” They readied themselves to run. “Three!” They all sprinted forward, Ichika waving her arm, summoning the wall of ice to her side, having it run alongside them.

As they approached, they watched Vivi and Melody use their magic to continue growing the wall of plants, thick vines forming a thick barrier within the garage. Annie took a deep breath as they seemed to finish up. She turned to face Ichika and the others. “Good, you all made it back safely.” She looked to Cleo. “I’m glad.”

“I’m sorry,” Cleo grimaced. “They’re probably here for me.”

“Hey now, don’t be like that,” Annie frowned. “We’ve apparently all been marked as criminals since the fight at the mall. Not much point fretting about that now.”

“I guess that’s true,” Cleo admitted. “Well, I suppose this means we’ll be working together, then, from here on.”

“Sounds like it,” Annie chuckled. She glanced over her shoulder, noticing Melody waving Ichika towards the cars as they did something. “What are they doing?”

“Sounded like they’re covering up the license plates with ice,” Carmen stated. “That way they can’t find us back home.”

“That’s clever,” Cleo grinned.

“We sure are,” Carmen boasted. “Right, Vivi?” She looked at her friend. Vivi stood there and shivered. “Vivi?”

“Something’s coming,” Vivi said, her voice shaking.

“Huh, what do you…” There was suddenly a bang, and disturbing tearing sound, followed by thick gross thud sound as a part of the vine wall exploded, chunks of the floral matter spewing across the ground. Emerging from it was a tall man with a pair of horns piercing his crimson red hair. His hair was matched by the brighter red color of his scale covered arms and the large equally red draconic wings and tail behind him. While he had red eyes, they had a chill to them that seemed more fitting for the dark blue uniform that he was wearing. “W-who…?”

“Hands up!” he commanded; his voice was solid and forceful. What was worse was that given his posture, the man seemed absolutely certain of his personal might. It was difficult to tell if his confidence came from his body or the badge, which gleamed on his chest, but his conviction unnerved the women. “You are under arrest!”

“On what grounds?” Annie managed to force out an opposition, although even she was taken aback by the pressure of his presence. “Who even are you!?”

“I am Hector Habernaker, a Captain of the Mesa Police Department. As for your charges, you are under arrest on suspicion of criminal theft, assault, battery, destruction of public property…” He continued to list crime after crime. While some were true to a degree -- the battle at the mall, for instance, did see some property damage, although they’d managed to keep it to a minimum -- other crimes, such as the accusations of theft, were outright false. He even mentioned a case of trespassing.

“Trespassing?” Annie questioned. “What is this!?”

“Don’t feign ignorance.” The police captain’s eyes narrowed. “We have video evidence of you lot infiltrating a studio downtown.”

“A studio…?” Vivi repeated. “Wait, does he mean…?”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!?” Melody shouted. “You mean the abandoned building that creep was using to hold me hostage!? You’re going to charge us with trespassing instead of the bastard who was actively using it for criminal use!?”

“So, you admit to being there then,” the captain noted.

“You…” Ichika scowled through her teeth. “You’re just trying to get us on trumped up charges, aren’t you? Even when we’ve tried to help people, and stop others from committing crimes?”

“People like him don’t care about that. They care about their own reputation.” Cleo glared at the captain.

“Ah, I see you’re here too, witch,” the captain chuckled. “That makes our job easier. If you’re going to resist,” he said, lifting his hand, heat building in his grasp, “then we’ll just have to do this with force.” As he said that, a group of other officers in heavy gear filed in behind him.

“W-what do we do?” Carmen asked, her voice shaky.

“Carmen…” Vivi frowned. “Annie, what do we do?”

“Right,” Annie took a breath. “Vivi, Ichika, try to subdue the officers.” She looked to the other two, both nodding and turning their attention to the other officers. “Mel, you and I are taking down Mr. Captain here. Carmen, you’re going to hold back and assist as needed.” She looked to Cleo. “Cleo, you get Wisp out of here!”

“R-right.” Cleo nodded as she readied to dash for her car.

“No, you don’t.” The police captain ran for Cleo.

“Not so fast!” Melody declared as she hurled a sudden torrent at the captain. The man spared hardly a glance as he punched at the surge of water with a flaming swipe of his claw, turning it into a cloud of steam. “What!?”

The captain continued to rush at Cleo, the woman desperately trying to stay out of his reach. Annie charged at him from the side, but his wing caught her flaming blade, and then tossed her aside. “You won’t escape again!” he hissed at Cleo.

“Crap.” Cleo cringed as she stumbled, desperately trying to summon her lightning to fend off her attacker.

“Leave Mommy alone!” Wisp cried out. Her wings shimmered and glowed a gentle green as a gale suddenly forced the police captain back. Cleo seized the opportunity and summoned a bolt of lightning to her hand and shot it at the man, charring his shoulder as he flew off his feet.

“Whoa.” Annie looked to the pair in awe, surprised by Wisp’s power and Cleo’s strength alike. She turned back towards their draconic foe.

The police captain let out a red-hot breath, his eyes now burning with anger. The others trembled in shock as, in the blink of an eye, his humanoid traits retreated, his maw jutting out, fangs exposed on his scaly skin, and his hands morphing into fierce claws. Even his boots were shredded as his feet grew sharp talons.

“W-what the hell?” Annie muttered. They had seen people like him before, draconic humans who wielded great physical strength and impressive magic. But this… they’d seen a lot of strange things, but a transformation like this?

“Unfortunate.” The police captain’s voice became deeper and more gravelly, gaining a raw rasp. He exhaled, a puff of flame following. “I still haven’t mastered this power yet. Guess I’ll just pin the collateral on you,” he growled at Cleo.

“Not even hiding it anymore, are you?” Cleo grumbled. “Hate me that much, do ya?”

The draconoid chuckled. “You’re going to rue the day you messed with my men.”

“Your…” Cleo’s eyes widened.

“What’re you talking about?” Annie questioned.

“Oh, didn’t she tell you? She’s assaulted several of my men over the past several weeks.” The captain’s voice seethed with anger, a bigger puff of flame exiting his mouth as he breathed.

“You mean the same pieces of shit who were hurting their families!?” Cleo argued. “Don’t you dare pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about!”

“Shut your mouth, bitch!” The captain charged at Cleo again, cinders falling in his wake. He flinched as a wave of water pushed him to the side. “You think that’s enough to stop me!” he roared, turning his attention to Melody as she panted after her attack. He channeled the flames in his mouth into a single sphere of flame and spat it at the floating mermaid.

“I won’t let you hurt her!” Annie roared back, her flaming sword tearing into the fireball, the flames turning to wrap themselves upon the blade.

“Then I’ll just deal with you first!” The captain grabbed at her shoulder, his claws sinking into her skin, causing her to shriek in pain.

“Annie!” Melody yelled. She felt her body tremble as her girlfriend screamed in pain and the dragon man laughed in amusement. She felt her anger and rage swirl within her. As she glared at the man, her fury built to a single sharp point, as if reaching out to stab the villain. “Leave her alone!” she yelled, throwing her body forward.

Much to the shock of herself and the others, the captain began to wail in pain as a blue spear pierced through his thick scales. The spear was coated in water, extinguishing the flames of his searing breath and denying the grip of his claws.

Annie stumbled backwards as the draconoid released his grip, instead trying to desperately remove the spear skewering his shoulder. “Annie!” Melody released her grip on her spear and held the red-headed beauty. “Are you okay?”

“I think I’ll manage.” Annie gave a light chuckle. She turned her attention to the spear as the police captain tried fruitlessly to remove it. “Guess you have one like mine now,” she smiled.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Melody smiled back.

“You bitch!” the police captain roared as the spear clattered to the ground. “I’m not through with you!” He raised his claw as flames began to rage upon it. The two grimaced and braced themselves.

Then there was a sudden flash of light. It persisted for a moment and then faded away. The two flinched for a moment then looked around in confusion. “My eyes!” the captain shrieked as he gripped his head in pain. They looked to the side, seeing the number of police officers near the wall of vines writhing from similar pain. Some were trapped in vines, while others had their feet frozen to the ground, but all of them were gripping their heads in pain.

Suddenly a familiar car rolled up to them, Leah emerging from the window. “Get in!” she shouted. Annie and Melody nodded, and climbed into the car. The two sighed as they relaxed in the car, while Leah made her getaway.

“Huh?” Melody looked around the car. “Where’s Vivi?”

“She’s with Ichika and Carmen. I didn’t have time to grab her since I had to get you two,” she explained.

“I see. I’m glad they’re safe.” Melody glanced out the window, watching Cleo’s car drive off in a separate direction. “Them too.”

“So, what was that light anyway?” Leah asked.

“I uh… thought Vivi or Carmen may have done that.” Annie frowned.

“Nope, they seemed just as confused by it as everyone else.”

“Great, another mystery,” Annie sighed. She glanced out the window, spotting the garage shrink into the distance as another revelation hit her. “Aw crap! My car!”

“Uh, sorry, but I’m not turning around.” Leah shrugged.

“Noooooooo!” Annie whined as they drove away.

“There, there…” Melody patted Annie’s uninjured shoulder. “…dear.” Her voice slowed as she noticed something pass by in the window. She looked out the back window. She wondered if she imagined it, but… she could’ve sworn she saw a woman with long blonde hair in a longer white gown and… a golden spear? She couldn’t have been real… right?

* * *

The woman stood upon the gravelly slope and looked down upon the garage. She furrowed her brow and frowned. “I didn’t want to believe it,” she mumbled to herself. “Things have become so… misguided. All those men. They should be helping those girls. And yet…” She fell silent.

She felt sorrow build in her heart. She knew this wasn’t right. She even felt an impulse rise within herself to punish the corrupt men down below. They were a mockery of their station after all. But she managed to rein in her instinctive desire. “This isn’t like back then. We… I have to be better than that.”

That desire that flared up in her. She felt so ashamed of it. It was the kind of thing that He would do. He loved living to his impulses, no matter how cruel, vindictive, or petty they were. She couldn’t help but feel naïve and foolish for allowing herself to go along with his terrible ideas. She’d allowed herself to be so horrible under His direction, and she refused to let herself do that any longer. Especially after…

She brought her hand to her chest and smiled. “If it weren’t for you.” She giggled a little. She didn’t use to do that. Back then her emotions were an enemy. But she knew better now. All thanks to her precious companion. She took a deep breath, and looked off to the distance, catching a brief glimpse of one of the cars those girls were driving. She smiled.

She’d finally get to meet them soon, but she’d have to wait for a little bit longer. At least her little ally would support them in the meantime. That aside, she did have one last mission to accomplish here.