Rune-carved doors parted, a droning song ceased, and out came a blonde astride across a not-so-bright corridor.

Hands tucked to the front pockets, her pace was as leisurely as ever, having now returned from the world outside. It was never too easy to get used to the stimulations above, even despite all her excursions thus far. What was it about here that placated her nerves better than any magic or neuroware?

If any eyes would’ve befallen her, they’d have found her in her lonesomeness without a spec of light or text, but in her view inhabited various panels born of her internalized systems, the IANUS. Particularly, there were messages coming in from someone she’d known for a while.

HillBitz: ugh yeah I know, those fucks sicked the remaining Bake at me

HillBitz: so the whole plan fell apart. say goodbye to shopping w

Well, perhaps that was understating it. Seeing these messages sent from a few days ago, she was reminded of how long she had known him. How many years had it been since they’d met, exactly? Then she peered at her new messages.

HillBitz: there’s talk about this shooting star, Ana. have you heard?

HillBitz: wonder if that’ll be relevant tomorrow at work

HillBitz: Talkies knocking at Tenjin’s chambers to get an interview already

Coasting down the passage ahead, the small hint of a smile hung over the girl’s features. Most Commons would no doubt lose all sense of direction in mere moments but for her, this was home and she had no trouble getting by without having to peek at the corners every so often. So she was permitted the luxury of going through these messages. At the end of her reading however, her head was tilted, eyes narrowing at specific words. In particular…

A shooting star? Well, if it’s got something to do with work then it can’t be anything good. Withholding a groan, her fingers danced over the holographic board levitating before her. What little of a smile she had was long gone now.

BackInTheBox: haven’t heard anything about it. hopefully it doesn’t mean trouble for us

A few minutes of walking passed until notification chirped again.

HillBitz: sadly it might. they think it’s a Hougu

She stopped, staring at this message. Why was a shooting star a big deal, anyway? Most couldn’t be seen thanks to the great mantle of gray hanging over the megaplex indefinitely—wait, was that it? The fact it was seen despite the clouds?

Brows curled into a scowl and her shoulders slumped. “Great…” She resumed her pace. She didn’t know much about the Hougu business, or at least nothing more than most knew. Some kind of magical artifacts many of the people in power wanted? But it made sense how their employers would want them too.

Weaving through what they called the Western Ward, a maze-like underground area serving as a residential complex for a variety of people one wouldn’t notice outside, she found most of her attention driven into this conversation.

BackInTheBox: but the Hougu are kinda important yeah? you think theyd make us handle something like that?

HillBitz: no… but it wouldn’t surprise me if they have us investigate places the shooting star was seen around, so taking notes just in case

HillBitz: heard the Bake goes crazier than usual whenever the Wars goes off so that’s something to keep in mind. at least we’ll get more pay if there’s more hunting missions

BackInTheBox: moneys nice but crazier Bake doesnt sound like fun. oh well. long as weve got each others backs we should be fine

Finally, she’d gazed past the translucent screen hanging before her, when it’d evaporated instantly. A shrug came to tear a crack into this muddy mood. What good was she gonna do worrying about this? It could wait for some other time as far as she was concerned. Work would come when it would come, whether she liked it or not; it was always like that. As she was thinking about avoiding anyone unpleasant along her way home, the chat window had popped back up the side of her vision.

HillBitz: if it really starts though, wtf are we gonna do

HillBitz: work and the Ward are two different beasts

BackInTheBox: dunno. not really a fan of getting caught up in a Hougu War

BackInTheBox: i get what you mean though. dont really care for either of them myself

HillBitz: ain’t important enough to get much of a choice, eh? guess we’re too far down the ladder

HillBitz: running’s always an option though

BackInTheBox: yeah, guess it is. but that would make other problems for us

BackInTheBox: then again, those problems wouldnt be as bad as having to deal with a Hougu War

BackInTheBox: just worried somebody might try to drag us back or something

HillBitz: honestly thought you’d say nah since you got a nice family there w

HillBitz: the only other place I know isn’t exactly great either

BackInTheBox: the family thing is complicated

BackInTheBox: and thats the other problem. dunno where we would go

BackInTheBox: guess the best thing to do now is just hope we dont get caught up in a big mess. but if it comes down to it, we’ll have to figure something out

HillBitz: yeah… sorry, asked a weird one there. maybe it won’t happen anyway and we’re worrying for nothing

Some voices of elderly gentlemen were heard in the distance by the left; a heated discussion was in progress. Words such as “fuel,” “elegance,” and “death” were thrown about by one particularly passionate fellow, and he had almost distracted her, but she went back to typing in thin air.

BackInTheBox: no worries. its definitely something to keep in mind anyway

BackInTheBox: hope for the best and plan for the worst, right?

As she sent this message, she had descended via a small set of steps and had reached the branching point she was expecting at last, taking a turn to the right. Immediately, a white and lithe figure rose to meet her, an eager smile their calling card.

“Good evening.” Well, not so much white given the dull red glazing over her, but the tone of her leotard was bright enough. “You’re Anastasia, yes? Can I talk to you for a bit?”

A warm and fluffy coat hung over her arms, and on her waist were a pair of shorts barely covering the lower end of her leotard. What was truly eye-catching weren’t any of these features though—it was undeniably the big white witch hat on her head, and perhaps her brighter than snow white pupils.

The blonde’s gaze shifted ever so slightly, peering beyond the AR projection of her conversation again. She waved a hand dismissively and the chat log was gone, raising a brow at this newcomer instead.

“Yeah, that’s me.” Hands were tucked back into her dark blue jacket’s pockets. “Why?”

“My name is Iori Selena. You have been on my list of people I wanted to interview for a while now!”

Eyes narrowed, Anastasia’s visage scrunched just a bit. “Interview me? What for?”

“It has come to these ears of mine that you possess a rare membership to the most mysterious embassy of this kingdom, you see! I would very much like to hear about it.”

There was a certain glint in her eyes. Was it merely excitement?

Anastasia’s look couldn’t possibly give more away about how she’d felt about this encounter, which was fuel enough to keep her expression this way. She just walked past Iori to stay on track. “Sorry, I’m a bit busy at the moment.”

“Of course,” the witch-like girl raised a hand, quirking her head to follow the wading figure, “you will be compensated for your time and words. I am also willing to maintain your anonymity for my eventual article.”

When the blonde peeked back, there were slender sticks in Selena’s hand—not one nor two but three Silver credit sticks. Her eyes widened ever so slightly.

“To be clear however, I am no suspicious folk, Anastasia-san! For I work for Info ST☆R as a Talkie, a famous news outlet as you’d know.” Selena’s tone of speech was fast and flawless, as if an audio file was being played, except sped up just enough to save time while retaining comprehensibility. “We regale of the many happenings across this megaplex. Do you not wish to contribute to the enrichment of the knowledge of all—Commons, mages and Ayakashi alike?” She dropped the voice of grandeur to something nearly meek, raising her other free hand in half a prayer’s clap. “Even just talking about the public services like the Bake hunting trips would be invaluable, believe me!”

Then, Anastasia’s brows had relaxed, only to be crimped up again. This was a lot of yen. She was just barely holding herself together… Or so she kept telling herself repeatedly.

Seconds passed, before the holding didn’t do much more when her hand swooped up from a pocket, snatching the sticks and stashing them in. “Alright, I’ll talk. Mind if we walk and talk?”

“Yes but uh, walk too far and your words would reach the range of some of the more perceptive mages in the library ahead. Why, I chose this spot for my plan is perfect.” The young witch gestured to the corner from which she rose. “I even had my trusty chair parked for this most auspicious meeting!”

A quiet moment passed; it wouldn’t surprise her if a crow had crossed and cawed then and there. Her frame thawed abruptly, the white-clad girl flipping open a holographic notepad instead, tearing her eyes off the blonde.

“A-Anyway,” she nearly whispered, “we may begin here, or um… the very best alternative would be one’s room,” she peeked up at the interviewee, “either yours or mine.”

Having only listened, Anastasia withheld a sigh, leaning against the wall opposite to the chair. “Okay, we’ll stay here then. So what exactly do you wanna know about the Embassy? I’m not exactly high up on the ladder, by the way, so if you’re looking for any big secrets then you’re talking to the wrong person.”

“No-no, I chose you precisely because you aren’t high in terms of rank; I would not wish to cross paths with a fearsome devil—even I have some common sense the Commons would so frequently boast of, after all!—so I figured you could give me some tidbits of what you see behind those glossy doors of the Astral Embassy.” The white-haired girl leafed through some notes in her personal view. “Is it true they host lessons for Ayakashi to be able to function in human society? If so! Can you describe the kind of lessons that take place there?”

The blonde nodded, the scene of those very lessons coming to the forefront of her mind. “Yeah, they do. Though it’s not just for Ayakashi who can’t function in society, they’re also for Ayakashi who don’t have complete control over their powers. Lots of lectures about human history and society with a vocal quiz every once in a while. And for mastering Ayakashi abilities, they even do one on one lessons. It’s a pretty thorough process.”

“Ooh, sounds like a lot of care goes into these classes.” Selena could be seen typing on air, which was likely just a virtual keyboard unseen to others. “How much do they charge for them?”

“No cost.” Anastasia’s eyes shifted from the wall and back at the girl questioning her. “Not for Ayakashi, anyway. Well, that kinda implies the classes are available to anyone but that’s not the case. Only Ayakashi can take them.”

“Makes sense if they were designed for Youkai to begin with. Say, what kind of instructor runs these lessons? Do they have several teachers for different fields like how you’d see here growing up? On one hand, I could see it being run like a real school, but on the other hand, the Embassy may not be interested enough to allot the necessary funds.”

The blonde lifted a single finger. “Just one. She’s a fairly nice lady who makes sure everyone’s up to speed. Pretty good teacher. Got some rumors around her too but hey, who doesn’t in the Embassy?”

“Sounds nice but…” the Talkie raised a brow, “are you at liberty to speak of these rumors?”

“Pffft. I dunno if I’m at liberty to speak on any of this. You better be telling the truth about keeping me anonymous.”

“Of course, I am a professional.”

Anastasia’s brow furrowed as she turned to face the girl properly. “But before I say anything else, I’ve got a question as well. You said you were looking specifically for me, yeah? Why me? How did you find out about me?”

“Hm? Well not just you per se, I have a whole list of people I would like to find and interview for various topics. I have heard from your brother that you tend to return home from work around this time… and I happened to be free about now,” Selena beamed cheekily, “so I thought to wait you out!”

“Rodion, huh?” A variety of emotions flickered through the blonde’s eyes in a mix when she had heard this name. Just how much had he—?

“Though rest assured, your brother spoke no word of your membership at the Embassy. I had merely caught you participating in Bake hunts with Embassy members before… Your face seemed familiar, and eventually I realized we lived in the same Ward.”

“Alright,” her face easing, Anastasia crossed her arms and leaned her head back on the wall as well now, “guess that’s understandable. So what were you asking about? Oh yeah, the devil lady who gives lectures, and the rumors around her.”

A short chuckle had escaped her lips. “Well, they say she’s involved with some kind of drug trade. Other rumors state she’s looking for some relics. Nothing I’ve seen any proof of… but I wouldn’t be too surprised if some of it was true.”

“The simplest assumption would be Arcane Relics but… I see.” A rather studious expression befell the Talkie’s visage. “She wouldn’t be the first person to do that, huh? Magic items being all the rage in this country and all.”

“Yeah, I doubt she’s the only one. Probably others in the Embassy who might’ve searched for those Relics too. For what exactly,” Anastasia shrugged, “who knows?” Rumors were plenty when it came to this Ward already, and many had little substance; not that she would ever dig into them, not as seriously as Selena at least.

“I see.” I mean it’s either for power or for sales, right? The white-haired girl typed some more into the air. Even I know that much. “I’ve brought up Bake hunting before, but how do you feel about them?”

“How do I feel about putting my life on the line to take down some crazy Ayakashi?” A short bark of laughter had escaped Anastasia’s lips. “Not great. Don’t have much of a choice though, but at least we don’t have to do it alone. They send us out in groups and the training they give us during those lessons we talked about comes in handy. So at least they’re not totally throwing us at the wolves, I guess.”

“Has it ever occurred to you that they may have sent you and your hunting brethren to take care of Youkai the Embassy simply disapproved of, rather than having you deal with mere Bake? Assassinating members of a prominent clan or underlings of political figures, for instance…”

“Maybe? It’s definitely something that could’ve happened. Some people in the Embassy are into the politics of the ‘plex for sure. I’d like to think I’ve never fought anything but Bake but… it’s a possibility.”

“Ah.” I suppose she’s still too new to be having thoughts like that. “Have you… met the Astral Prince before?”

“Nope, never talked to the guy. Saw him once or twice but that’s it.”

“Ooh, so you saw him there! Did you also see—?”

Then she raised a hand and ceased, backing up to the opposite wall to the side of her chair. Likewise, the dark blue girl fell quiet as well, as tip taps of shoes echoed across the path.

A group of teenagers came to pass from the depths of the way Anastasia had initially intended to take; some with their own attire, amulets, staves and whatnot; while others were more casual looking, but a sense of strength couldn’t be dismissed. Perhaps it was her experience gained as a Bake hunter, or it may have been her survival instincts, but the fact remained clear: she wouldn’t raise a finger even if they’d dare her to. After all, a single peek told her that she knew at least a couple of faces from among them. Faces she would rather not confront if she had to.

Before she knew it, she’d been holding her breath, gaze cast low. Just who I wanted to avoid. Heart pounding and racing, she braced herself. Her lips were pursed.

That didn’t happen though, and the mages had crossed by rather uneventfully, and were awfully quiet. The witch-like girl too was as still as ice all the while.

Like this, they trudged on wordlessly until their footfalls were no longer as loud and echo-y as they first came to be.

Just as the pair was about to break the silence between them, a storm of laughter resounded and the blonde’s stomach had practically turned.

Geh. Selena grit her teeth. “…Apologies Anastasia-san, this would not have happened if you didn’t stick with me here.”

No words came from the blonde. Part of her was about to lay the blame just as the opportunity was given, but… she knew Selena had no real fault here. This sickening feeling that had her bite her lower lip and clench her fists within her pockets, as well as the way in which she refused to peek back at the direction of their backs—was all a fact of life for her here in this Western Ward.

“Arrghhhh, just you wait—you smug snobs!” The Talkie pointed where the seeming herd left rather decisively. “I’ll make so much cash; grab a high-class apartment; woo a hot hunk; and climb the ranks of this Ward so hard, you won’t have a choice but to bite your tongue and bleed your gums!”

All the while, Anastasia had a moment to catch her breath, pressing a hand on her chest and exhaling. Once the sweat cooled off her brows, she spoke again, “Do those people give you trouble too?”

“Hmp, just because our family migrated here to get away from all the fighting at Red and Yellow, they get to lord over us.” The white-eyed girl crossed her arms, gazing away from the blonde with a scowl. “We went through the legal channels to get our place here; only the Kami knows what their deal is.”

Hearing this, the girl with the dark blue jacket exhaled again, slowly looking back up to Selena. “You too, huh?” It’s a similar situation with me and my family.” She then spoke almost under her breath, “Being a Hanyou doesn’t help…”

“I can only imagine.” Selena smiled thinly. “Is that the reason why you have access to the Embassy?”

“Probably.” Anastasia nodded. “My parents introduced me to one of their agents a while back and I was basically thrown in shortly after.”

The Talkie hummed. Not your everyday parents if they had a connection inside the Embassy, huh? Then again, no ordinary family can just have a ‘similar’ situation where they migrate to this White Area part of the Ward. “When did that introduction happen, if you don’t mind me asking?” Is entry really on an invitation-only basis, then?

“Around two years ago. Not long after I finished up my education here.”

Okay, not that long, but long enough to familiarize herself there. “You have probably anticipated this line of questioning but… About what they say of the criminal activities perpetrated by the Embassy: what are your thoughts about them?”

“I haven’t seen any of them myself.” Anastasia’s tone was now mostly calm. “Heard plenty of rumors but no proof. That said, I wouldn’t be too surprised if they’re true. Some of the people there are shady enough and, well, it’s a powerful organization run by devils who want to get in on the ‘plex’s politics. There’s probably a dark side somewhere in there.”

“Well, you have devils there as you said, so it’s already on the dark side as far as public perception goes… Are you aware of what goals the Embassy has set for itself? What we know on the surface appears to be just saving face by helping the Temple with Bake hunting, but as you said, these are beings interested in politics originally started by us humans.”

“If I had to guess…” The Hanyou sighed as only one possibility came to mind, which a conversation prior had reminded her. “Maybe they wanna get their hands on the Seven Hougu?”

The witch-like girl was no doubt wide-eyed. “…I suppose it cannot be ruled out even now.” She paused, typing on thin air once more. “Alright, that will be all from me…” she beamed, “for now!”

With a swipe of a finger, a holographic pane wafted over to the blonde’s side, seeming to contain some information.

“Feel free to call me up if you ever wanna share more info; sell me stories; or even spread word your enemies wouldn’t want out in the air,” the Talkie told her. “I look forward to working with you, Anastasia-san!”

“Ah, uh…” The blonde was caught off guard by this, and awkwardly looked between her and the informative pane. “Uh, yeah.” She managed a small, hesitant wave. “See you later.”

Selena bowed, took a moment to fold up the chair into a makeshift file, and dove straight into the same corridor Anastasia herself had initially intended to take, pleasantly humming a song. It was impossible for the blonde not to feel a satisfied smile on this girl, even as a fluffy-coated back faced her.

The Hanyou stood off from the wall, no longer leaning, staring ajar at this very back before realizing the interviewer’s trajectory, from which an amber sheen radiated. Half of her had wanted to just wait it out, but another part grew rather curious. After a moment of back and forth between herself, Anastasia darted forth, catching up to Selena’s side.

“So you were going in this direction too?” She rubbed the back of her head, forcing a laugh. “Me too! Well, mind walking and talking a bit now?”

“Uh,” Selena blinked, then nodded with a smile, “mn! Sure, why not? Was just heading for the Great Library myself.”

“Oh, the Great Library? Need to look up something for your… story that you’re gonna write?”

“I’ve been studying up on biology out of hm, scholarly interest, I suppose?” Selena stretched her arms high. “I’ll go mad if I spend all my time and energy on work.”

“Yeah, I feel that.” Hands back in her pockets as she walked, a relaxed grin slowly crawled up to Anastasia’s countenance. “That’s why I try to find something fun to do in Akateshi every once in a while when I’m free. Sometimes just strolling through the streets, sometimes going to malls to look at all the latest cyberware that’s come out, and sometimes I’ll visit an arcade to play some games.”

“Going on walks, hm? Akateshi is a really busy place for me; I cannot find myself enjoying all the buzz and crowd.” And it always feels like someone will… A strained smile colored the witch’s features, as if she had aged severely. “Seeing those ads reminds me of the state of my bank too.”

“That so? Sorry if I’ve brought up something bad.” The blonde scratched the back of her head again. “So what’s the deal with this article you’re writing about the Embassy?”

“Hm? Ah.” The white-haired girl raised a finger. “The Embassy’s always got people curious, right? It’s just that. Articles relating to them sell! And I get paid well! A win-win, if I say so myself.”

“Gotcha.” The blonde nodded. “So it’s pretty much just for the money. Nothing wrong with that; gotta get the cash somehow and I can definitely see how articles on the Embassy would sell.”

There was a moment of awkward silence as she thought about what to say next before she finally asked, “So, uh, how long have you been writing these articles? Is it something you like doing?”

“Mnm, for about 2 years now? Started blogging, then I got scouted by a company online, and after some boring back and forth, got on Info ST☆R by a stroke of luck. Though if I had to answer if I like it… Honestly, I’m not sure myself.”

“Really? You seemed pretty into it when you were asking me those questions earlier. Or was that just you trying your best to get me talking?”

“Well, I am a naturally curious girl—I’ll have you know!—but sometimes you have to write about stuff you don’t really care about when you’re in my position, so.” The Talkie shrugged. “There’s a ton of interesting things going on in Kamui ST☆R but they don’t get prioritized if they do not rake in as much… But, to be fair, I do like getting paid.” She grinned, rubbing her hands. “I’ve actually been eyeing this neuroware the other day, and have been saving up for it! Oh yeah, does the Embassy pay you well? Surely those hunting jobs keep your wallet fat.”

“They pay well enough.” Anastasia gave her shoulders a jerk. “The real problem is when no work comes in. Sometimes I can go a while without a mission so I had to get a day job as well.”

“A day job, hm…?”

“But you’re saving up for some neuroware? Nice! Whatcha lookin’ at?”

“Mn!” Selena nodded, grinning. “It’s this IANUS module called Autography. You might not have heard about this since it’s not publicly available, but I found someone willing to install it on me.”

Anastasia’s brow was raised. “Really? Can’t say I’ve heard of it. So you’ve got connections who can get you cyberware before it even hits the market?” Her eyes practically sparked. “That’s sick!”

“Rather than ‘before,’ it’s more like ‘never.’ The Autography got designed by mages in Wards like ours, and is a magical tool to be installed into one’s IANUS.” Selena held her pointed hat with a nervous chuckle. “Wouldn’t be surprised if I’m seen as a guinea pig, really.”

“Ohhh, so it’s like a prototype! That’s still pretty cool, but might come with some risks, yeah. But what’s this module do, anyway? From the name, I’m guessin’ it has somethin’ to do with writing?”

“Kinda. It’s a program that makes me auto-recite some spells for convenience, really. Hear the effectiveness wouldn’t be top of the class since, like, there wouldn’t be much devotion to a spell cast that way, but it’s still neat if you ask me!”

“Ohhh… I gotcha.” Anastasia nodded along, then chuckled to herself. “Heh, that reminds me how my mom wanted me to be a Mayakashi; yeah, that didn’t work out. I just don’t have any talent in that field.” She pointed a finger to her neck where her military-grade Tap was implanted, something she’d worked hard to get her hands on after learning she would have to fight Bake. “That’s why I got more into cyberware and Neuromancy.”

“Ah,” Selena raised a finger to her chin with a knowing glance, “bit into the Neuromancy thing, eh? It was always a tad too freaky for me to get into. Fitting for a Neuro like you though.”

“You think it’s freaky?” Anastasia narrowed her eyes. “How so?”

“Because of all the scary stories Mum used to tell me! One of my ancestors actually happened to be one of the researchers trying to pioneer it, you know? From way back when the Hazards had just passed, though.”

As they spoke, the amber lume grew brighter and brighter by the second.

“Not sure if I’ve heard these scary stories. All I know is too much mana going through your cyberware can mess ‘em up. Guess that is kinda scary if you’ve got anything super expensive.”

“Uh, well more like a toooon of human experiments is what I’ve heard—on what were quasi-IANUS or whatever they used back then. As you said though, it’s about mismanaged mana; they would fry the neural paths,” Selena’s palms were rolling beside her temples despite her jovial tone, “leading into a bunch of internally burnt bodies… and brains, and skulls. Imagine casting a spell and killing yourself accidentally, brrr.”

Only a “Huh?” came from Anastasia. It was rather harrowing, but the girl grinned instead. “Yeah, I could see that happening when they were first figuring it out. It’s not much of an issue now, though. Neuromancy has developed enough so frying your brain is next to impossible. Now frying someone else’s brain… yeah, that’s a thing. But Neuromancy isn’t the only school of magic capable of that.”

“Mhm, we humans have been trying to smack each other off to the Astral Realm for eons now, so that wouldn’t surprise a soul. So what is it like, casting Neuromancy? What do you folks do besides frying each other’s noggin?”

“Most of it is actually just interfacing with tech. For example, I could use Neuromancy to change AR displays; interfere with a piece of cyberware; reprogram software; stuff like that. Kinda like magical hacking, in a way.”

“Ah, that’s all?”

“I mean,” Anastasia shrugged, “that’s the basics. There’s more to it like, y’know, the brain scrambling. But yeah, that’s kinda what Neuromancy is about.”

“I see.” Wouldn’t it be totally useless in a place without tech, though? But I guess they’re kinda everywhere… once you’re outside, anyway.

Selena stopped before the doorway to their front, from which shelves could be seen in the distance. Here, the amber glare reflected against their figures whole.

“And here’s the Great Library. Thanks for the talk,” she gave a quick bow, “and the interview of course, Anastasia-san!”

“Oh, uh, yeah. Been nice talkin’ to you.” The blonde looked at the hallway to her left and then back at the girl clad in white, waving awkwardly. “Well, see you later then.”

“Yeah,” Selena gave half a wave as she entered past the bright hall, “see you around!”

And with that, Anastasia turned on her heels and resumed heading home.

A tinge of smile hung over her. No doubt, Selena’s image danced in her mind’s eye. Having interacted with another of this Ward who didn’t immediately drown her with disdain at the mere mention of her origin for once, was nice. What initial apprehension she’d felt blown off now, a part of her wondered where else they bump into.

Away from the sheen of the Library were the gleams of fiery lamps, esoteric characters fluttering within, like fizzing holograms. Despite this, the paths weren’t quite well lit.

She thought back to the information pane sent her way earlier, which was uploaded into her IANUS’ contact list. She could do more business as an excuse. What was it, “sell stories,” or “spread word your enemies wouldn’t want out in the air?”

Nah, makin’ enemies of the Embassy is just askin’ for trouble. I don’t have a death wish. Her mind flashed back to the conversation she was having earlier with her childhood friend. She remembered what he had suggested if they’d get dragged into something like a Hougu War. Her mind was filled with thoughts like these, except they’d always come to a screeching halt at one specific wall: what would happen to her if she’d turn against those in power?

Nothing good, probably.

Where would she go, anyway?

The Hanyou sighed again and the breath almost echoed in the empty hallway she trudged through. She would have to continue as she had thus far. Keep her head down, her mouth shut, and her face neutral, if not positive. At least she wouldn’t be entirely alone. She would always have her childhood friend and her little sister… and perhaps even Selena if she decided to take the Talkie up on her offer.

After all, she was a breath of fresh air here. She didn’t seem to judge Anastasia at all. Perhaps her positive attitude was rubbing off on her, and Anastasia kept wondering how she’d strike up her next conversation. Not to mention she shared her sentiments towards those who laughed at them earlier.

A new friend…

If she wants stories, then maybe I’ll keep my eyes and ears peeled for something she’d be interested in… A small smile crept onto the Neuro’s face, who dug through her memories for potential leads already. As long as it doesn’t put a mark on my back.

Moments later, soft thuds of a pair of feet not of her own tore through her thoughts and her visage sharpened. From the depths of the corridor emerged one blond with a miserably telltale look, if his scowl was anything to go by.

He was a Russian boy who wasn’t often seen trudging about these paths. They’d say he was born with this frown, plastered straight from his mother with a tight slap for crying “too darn loud.” Not that anyone believed the story, but it always felt a tad real whenever they’d find his hardened mug in otherwise tranquil times.

The Neuro heard him draw his breath and once he had passed—with a hastened gait no less—he exhaled and drew air anew exactly ten seconds later. Before the noise of his pace phased out, the girl was sure she’d heard a faint, “Hancom again…”

She winced. Of course, she didn’t watch the boy pass once he’d crossed by, and simply kept going. No eye contact was made prior either, the girl long used to this dance.

‘Again?’ As if we’ve even seen much of each other… Whatever, at least he didn’t bother me.

The Hanyou kept her eyes forward.

By this point, she felt home should’ve been closer, and she opened the map available to all residents of the Ward. Close, it was close. By the Kami, dealing with these passersby—

“Ah, Onee-chan, is that you?”

—Wasn’t that bad…?

A twin-tailed girl, whose blonde locks were reminiscent of her own in color, halted some steps away. How could she not have heard the taps of her shoes? Was Anastasia that caught up with her own thoughts, or was it something else?

The shorter girl strode up to her, beaming as innocently as ever. “Back from Akateshi? How was the Surface today?”

“Oh, Yuliana…” The Neuro’s eyes widened, but was soon replaced with a gentle smile. “Well, it was the Surface as usual.” She raised a hand in greeting. “Were you just about to head out? Or were you coming home as well?”

“Still making the rounds here, sadly. I would love to accompany you home but with this job of mine…” Yuliana held a palm to the side of her head, looked away and fell quiet sparsely. “Actually, Onee-chan,” she peered back at her, “have you seen any suspicious figures since you got back?”

“Suspicious figures?” Anastasia looked off into the distance for a second. “Not really. There was that creepy Russian kid who always looks like he’s got a stick shoved where the sun doesn’t shine; a couple other of the usual annoying Ward kids as well; and met a Talkie on the way here, but…”

The girl in dark blue had to rack her brain for a moment. Was Selena suspicious? She certainly did seem that way at first, but she wasn’t so sure anymore. “I don’t think she was suspicious… Other than that, I haven’t really seen anyone.” Anastasia shrugged. “Walked past a couple mages yelling about something but didn’t really hear what about. Why do you ask, anyway?”

“Well, there’s word of some people having snuck in from the Surface potentially. It’s nothing for you to worry about,,” the twin-tailed girl gave a curt nod, “as we’ll snuff them out and deal with them as usual.”

The Neuro raised an eyebrow. “People from the Surface snuck into the Ward? Can’t imagine they’d be able to do much before getting lost. Any idea why they’re here?”

“We are not sure yet but the report we got was of a group of people wearing masks, and we all know how it isn’t anything new… It can still be a prank like last time, but we’ll keep investigating.” Yuliana smiled, stepping forward with a wave of her hand. “You should go on ahead, Onee-chan.”

Just like that, Anastasia was about to continue on her way and let her little sister get back to work but a gear turned in her gray matter and she ceased from taking a step towards home. It wasn’t like she had pressing matters to get to, and something from her talk with Selena gnawed at her. “Actually,” she caught up to the side of the tiny girl, “why don’t I come with you? I can help look around for these guys. Whaddya say?”

“Onee-chan…” the young girl stopped, “you still don’t trust your sister to do her job, do you?”

“No, that’s not it at all!” The Neuro held her hands up and laughed. “I know my brilliant little sister is more than capable of handling this on her own! I just don’t have anything better to do. C’mon, I won’t slow you down!”

“Well you better not! And please be sure to avoid reckless conduct… else it’d be me who would become the laughing stock of the team.” Yuliana walked again, not towards home nor the path which her older sister came from, but instead she took a diverging path to the left. Does she really have nothing to do, even as a member of that Embassy…?

“Hey, I would never embarrass my baby sister!” Anastasia followed along, rounding the corner to the left. “And don’t worry, I won’t do anything crazy!”

“If you say so… Other members are going over different sections of the Ward so this side is on me… erm, us. We are dealing with Commons; timing is almost too good, though.”

“So, we got any leads?” The older girl remembered all the Bake hunts she’d been on so far, and how she would have to gather information and track them down herself sometimes. “Or are we pretty much in the dark here?”

“We know they are masked, and the report states they’d entered from Akateshi, so the possibility of skulking about these corridors is rather high.”

They were coming up to a branching spot again.

“But as I was saying: timing.” Yuliana cocked her head to the side, facing away from her older sister. “As a Fate, my senses are tingling.” She held her chin. “You’ve heard about the shooting star incident, yes?”

“Unfortunately, yeah,” Anastasia grumbled, “but what would that have to do with these intruders?”

“Because it’s the perfect—actually, wait,” the Fate had opened an AR-projected panel beside her right eye, fished out her contacts list, “there.” Then she tapped on Ana-neechan.

The Neuro got an invitation via her own IANUS’ AR, which she had accepted.

Yuliana’s voice flowed into her mind, “Let’s stick to the BrainNet, shall we? We wouldn’t want to get eavesdropped on; it isn’t just the Surface people but the other mages we have to be mindful of as well.”

“Ah, good point,” the girl in dark blue mentally responded.

“So as I was saying,” Yuliana raised her index finger, “this is the perfect time when the whole megaplex is abuzz with this news. More so than Commons, it’s us Ward people and the Ayakashi who’re glued to updates and discussions. Another thing is… the fact it’s after school; it’s why I can’t rule out a prank.”

“Sooo you think these people might have slipped in since they thought security would be weakened thanks to the shooting star?”

“Yep. This isn’t an active hour either…” Yuliana shrugged. “Well, I know the corridors are almost always empty as far as the naked eye goes, but at 4 PM when our amazingly-reclusive people aren’t coming out for lunch, dinner or some social gathering—you have a time slot where these outsiders can try and infiltrate us. No idea what route they have used though.”

“So we’re just kinda roamin’ around and hoping to catch ‘em, huh? Well then, let’s keep roamin’.” The Neuro stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets and kept her eyes peeled, looking for anyone with a mask… and hoping they wouldn’t run into anyone unpleasant without a mask.

“Still wonder what they had snuck in for. I mean, if it’s a prank then I guess that pretty much answers it. If it isn’t, though…” Anastasia’s gaze turned back to her little sister. “How often do you get into fights in this line of work?”

“Not too often. You know how it is,” the Fate exhaled, “with how people are on the edge about our folks taking big offices and whatnot. In White Areas like Akateshi though, it’s a bit of an occasion for a fight to come to pass, but if it were any other Area…”

The bigger blonde nodded to herself. It was nice to hear the White Area’s security wasn’t just for show, but still—now may be one of those times she’d have to defend herself. Anastasia wasn’t about to let her do that alone, at least.

“Well, let’s hope today turns out to be another nice and peaceful day. Though if we do run into these masked guys, at least they’ll probably be weaker than the Bake I have to hunt… hopefully.”

“No doubt, Commons are no match for a lot of us mages, but we cannot set aside the possibility of them being armed.”

“Yeah, a gun could put us in the dirt just as well as any spell. Being a mage doesn’t make you bulletproof.”

As the pair had proceeded, they came upon an intersection but instead of passing through like the last, the younger girl’s feet ceased. They gazed up to the fuzzy gold mist, which was vaguely notable thanks to a blazing red lamp beyond.

“A Distortion…” Yuliana’s eyes were narrowed at the sight. “They couldn’t possibly brave through one, let’s go around it.”

“Sure thing.” Anastasia had glanced about the corners. “Though if they did end up using it, that’d make things a lot tougher for us. But I guess then there’s the possibility they’ll just never be seen again and it won’t be a problem anymore?”

“Yes. A different team from the other end would take over and we’d get to go home… Unless they get lost in there, but let us not dwell on that.”

“Alright, lead the way, Yuliana.”

“On it.”

The pair had backed out of the path, taking the way Anastasia had originally intended, moving away from the Distortion.

Using the Tap connected to cyberbrain in the meantime, she ran a scan for any nearby security systems: video surveillance, alarms, drones—anything that could get an eye out for these masked intruders.

It may not be legal. The Neuro grinned. But that won’t be a problem if they don’t find out. Besides, it’s for a good cause.

Then they took the way right again, this time heading straight into the intersection to skirt the hazy gold.

Yuliana’s lips were pursed. But… if the intruders can use Distortions, then they wouldn’t just be Commons anymore, right…?