Yumi, Hana, and Mio stood before me while I sat silently on the couch in front of them. We came to Yumi's condo after I came clean to Mio about hearing Beatrice in my head. I told them the same thing I told Mio, and no one was able to make heads or tails over it.

"So… How do we know you ain't screwing with us?" Hana asked.

"What do you want me to do? Let her take over to prove it? My mom's been telling me to keep my magic in check in case Beatrice tries to come back. Maybe we're finally getting to that threshold," I said.

"Your powers. You said Beatrice helped you in our world— our original world?" Yumi's eyes opened slightly, demonstrating the severity of the situation.

I nodded.

The very brief moment I made use of Beatrice's magic felt so surreal. It was like I could destroy the world. Some of her emotions bled through, too. Her obsession with Mio, the desire to conquer Earth, and to rule as queen again.

"What do you guys think?" Mio asked her old friends worriedly.

"I believe Saeko," Yumi said. "Right now, it isn't a question of whether she is telling the truth. It's clear time is of the essence. What we need to figure out is how to prevent Beatrice from returning."

"If it was that easy, we woulda done it by now. Man, first dryads. Now Big B? What a headache." Hana plopped onto the couch beside me.

Everyone fell silent. Either one of those threats were hard enough to deal with. Two at once? A part of me wanted to go to Takamagahara and plead the gods for help, but they were probably still feuding. 

"There is a way. If Beatrice is hidden somewhere inside Saeko's psyche, then we can enter her dreams," Yumi suggested.

"Subdue Bea from there, right?" Mio asked.

"Not quite. We ask her to be a good girl, or we confine her in a way such that she doesn't affect Saeko. Whichever way this turns out, Saeko will likely lose her connection to Beatrice for the time being," she explained.

"Maybe we should put the Beatrice thing on hold? We might be able to fight back against the dryads with her level of magic," I said.

All three of them closed in on me.

"Are you nuts?" Mio planted both hands on my shoulders.

"I might be! I don't know! What I do know is that I was able to match those dryads in strength that time. You guys know how strong Beatrice is more than anyone. Without it… would we really stand a chance if dryads end up showing?" I fired back.

"But to rely on Beatrice's power, the same power that might usher her back…" Yumi put a hand over her mouth and fell into thought.

"Either way, daylight's wasting. What're we gonna do?" Hana asked.

Did I even want to meet Beatrice? Well, I had to meet the music sooner or later. Let it be now.

"I want to at least talk to her," I said.

"Then I'll be coming with you," Yumi insisted with a reassuring smile.

"Count me—"

"No!" We interrupted Mio at the same time.

"Why the hell not?" Mio cried.

"There's no telling how Beatrice is going to react seeing Mio there. Sorry, but this is for the best. You have a message for her? Let me relay it," I said.

Sighing, Mio relented and took the other side of the couch in disappointment. She probably wanted to yell or get a punch off Beatrice.

Yumi and I sat together on the couch, holding each other's hands. Hana performed a magic spell to put us to sleep. As I was getting sleepy, Mio hopped back onto her feet and stood to my side.

"Tell Bea this: stay the fuck away from my Saeko," Mio said.

My eyelids shut after those last few words. Darkness enveloped me. I drifted off into slumber and traversed a vast sea of emptiness. A warm hand grabbed my shoulder. It was Yumi, whose motherly aura soothed my unease.

As soon as the two of us touched ground, a world took form. We were standing in front of a wooden cottage. The rushing waters of a creek wrapped around the modest building from the back and down the left. Someone was by the edge of the waters, casting a fishing line.

The woman turned around, and we recognized her immediately.

"Oh? Nice of you two to join me! You're just in time. I caught a couple of fish. What say we grill these bad boys?" Beatrice smirked.

Yumi stepped forward and put an arm in front to shield me. "We aren't here for any of your antics, Beatrice. Saeko has a few questions, and we'll be on our way."

"Suit yourself." The former succubus queen, who currently inhabited my mind, tossed one more fish into the bucket. She brought her catches over to a fire and drew a knife. Yumi and I tensed up, but Beatrice snickered quietly while fileting the fish. "What, you think I want to kill my old friend and the host body I need to get out of here? Puh-lease. The least you two can do is sit the fuck down and get over yourselves."

We drew closer to Beatrice and the fire. I was surprised by how warm it was. Maybe I shouldn't be. A dream had the potential to be very real, and as a succubus, part of our powers were to invade and make it as enticing as possible.

Right now…

"Well? You don't want fish. You're clearly still afraid of me. What the hell are you doing here?" Beatrice asked while skewering each trout and putting them over the fire.

"That's my question. I want to know what you're doing inside my body and why. You're supposed to be dead. We saw you die," I said.

"Yes, you did! And let me tell you, it really hurts! As for your questions, what's the point of asking what you already know? Wouldn't you rather ask about dryads instead?" she taunted with a wooden skewer.

The roasting fish was beginning to distract me. Their fat dribbled off their glistening bodies. I swallowed hard, looking at them.

"Beatrice, please. Even you must be able to understand Saeko's trepidation," Yumi said.

"See, that's the thing. I don't want to understand. I stopped trying to understand when all of you betrayed me. You swore to serve me after I risked my life to save Taleia. Look where we are now," Beatrice fired back.

"Your little sister? What happened?" I asked.

Beatrice pulled a smoking fish from the fire and smiled. "During the war, Taleia was caught by light elven forces. They don't keep prisoners, so it was a race against time to save her from execution. We lost a lot of good demons to bring back one succubus. Boy, was the king unhappy about that my call. Who was it that took the brunt of his punishment?"

"...You. I have never stopped being grateful to you for that, but Beatrice… It's time for you to let go." Yumi avoided Beatrice's stare as she spoke.

A fish was suddenly lifted up to my face, tempting me to take it. My hunger got the better of me, and I took the skewer from Beatrice. After blowing a few times to cool it down, I chomped down on the morsel. The meat was crisp and fresh, lightly salted to perfection. It sated my hunger completely even though I was a succubus and this was only a dream.

"Good, isn't it? I used to take Mio out to the mountains all the time. Find a nice creek to just fish and eat and fuck all day. Of course, she never really appreciated me being around." Beatrice shrugged and began skewering the other fishes to roast.

"Clearly, you don't want to talk about yourself when we're asking questions. Only when you can ramble as you please. How about a different question: the dryads, how do we defeat them permanently?" I asked.

"With a lot of fucking magic. Kahaha! Were you expecting something profound or a secret weapon? Thing about dryads is they have all the firepower of a succubus queen and the madness of a starved succubus, but none of the drawbacks of one. See, Queen Saeko. We need each other. Let's get along and tango nicely, yeah?"

Before Yumi and I could get another word in, shadowy hands grabbed hold of us. They dragged us into a deep abyss. Beatrice's shit-eating grin stayed clear in my mind until I snapped awake.

We were back in Yumi's place. Hana and Mio hovered worriedly around us. 

"Well?" Mio asked, her brows knitted with anticipation.

"Your sister is still the same old bitch." I shook my head, and Mio threw her arms in the air.

It was getting late. We had learned and gained nothing. Mio, Hana, and I headed home since the sun was setting. On our way back, however, Mio stopped mid-flight.

"Think I'm gonna go take a hike for a bit. Need to clear my head of this whole Bea shit," Mio said.

"I'll go with you," I offered, but she put a hand up to stop me.

"Afraid I'll fuck someone without you? Relax. I won't be gone long. Besides…" She left the rest unsaid, and I didn't need to think long to realize. Knowing that Beatrice was inside me, probably listening in or watching through my eyes, likely didn't sit right with her.

"I understand… See you at home?" I asked.

"Yeah." Mio flew into the forest.

It was no coincidence she headed in the direction of Fukuo Shrine, where we had defeated Beatrice.

"Hana, you're a dryad. How did you overcome your insatiable hunger?" I asked as we landed in front of her love hotel, startling a couple who decided to pick the next building.

"Believe it or not, I never had it! Guess that makes me an enigma. When I first met Big B, she tried to kill me. Imagine her surprise when our battle ended in a tie." Hana merrily rocked back and forth on her ankles.

"Ehh… So, how'd you two go from going after each other's throats to being allies?"

"The other dryads saw me as a defect. After Beatrice and I fought, she wanted me to join her. I had nowhere else to go, so I signed right up," she said.

"Wait. Beatrice selflessly saved Yumi's sister. She gave you a place to belong. Am I crazy? Beatrice sounded like she was a pretty good person." I scratched my head over the recent revelations.

"Once," the pink-haired trickster corrected me. "I used to love B like I love you guys! People change though. Sometimes for the better. Other times for the worse. I dunno what kinda dog poop is waiting for us farther down the sidewalk, but we'll deal with it when we cross it."

"You could have made a better analogy… but thanks. I appreciate it."

Hana waved goodbye and skipped into the love hotel all smiles. I departed into the city to clear my thoughts like Mio. Streetlights were beginning to flicker on and neon signs illuminated the city in an array of colors. I landed in front of a clothing store. A large and wide window with mannequins dressed in the latest fashion trends were displayed to attract young people like me.

Summer was upon us. I'd like to go to Okinawa again with Mio. Or maybe a cruise… Somewhere we could spread our wings together with the ocean beneath and sun above us like last year.

I positioned myself in front of a mannequin that had a bathing suit to see how I looked in the reflection. It would be nice to buy a new one. If it was Mio, she would undoubtedly wear the skimpiest one again.

A group of high schoolers emerged from the patisserie a few buildings down. I caught a whiff of the sweet foods from inside in the brief moment the door slid open. Unlike other places, their displays weren't made of resin or plastic. Freshly-made pastries were put on display behind the window to give passing pedestrians pause at their mouthwatering morsels. Maybe I could get something for Mio.

"Oh! Grab the strawberry custard cake!" Beatrice appeared in the reflection to my side.

"Could you not? This is supposed to be my quiet time." I sighed.

"It gets boring inside your head. Half the time, all you think about is that boy named Kana and being surrounded by dicks. The other half is Mio— that part, I don't mind at all."

I turned red, having my inner thoughts revealed like that.

"Anyway," Beatrice continued, "that custard cake looks mighty tasty, don't you think? Get one for yourself and Mio. It's what I would get, if I were you."

"Well, too bad you're not me." I entered the patisserie more out of spite than a desire to buy something.

The employees welcomed me in unison with their enthusiastic greeting. When I walked up to the register, a middle-aged woman wearing a smile as bright as her uniform asked me what I wanted.

Unfortunately, the words lodged in my throat.

"Sorry, I need a moment to think." I apologized awkwardly.

"No worries! Please, take your time!" she insisted and slid a menu placard with pictures across the counter to me.

Glancing down, the reflection of Beatrice showed up in the polished counter.

"How would you know if what you picked is really what you picked and not me? You can't. Our souls are as intertwined as our bodies. We might as well be fucking. Kahaha!" Beatrice cackled so loudly that it was as though she was right next to me.

"On second thought—"

"H-Help!" someone outside of the patisserie cried.

A ski-masked man wrenched the purse and phone out of an elderly woman's hands. He took off running down the sidewalk. I raced outside to check on her first since she fell down.

"Are you okay, miss?" I asked, offering a hand to help her up.

"Yes, but…"

"Don't worry. I'll be right back!" I flew after him from the air, unimpeded by pedestrian traffic like he was. The thief saw me coming and rounded a sharp corner, but I was gaining. Out of desperation, he threw himself into an alley to take his chances in the narrow bystreets between tall buildings.

Too bad for him, I was used to chasing rogue succubi flying at full speeds. I conjured a portal in front of him and snatched his ankles. He tripped. The purse and phone went flying from his hands. I managed to catch them both before they hit the ground.

"Whew. Not your lucky day to be stealing," I taunted and landed next to his head.

"S-Succubus? Alright, I give! I'll turn myself in… just please don't hurt me!" The thief surrendered easily.

"Nice catch. Now fuck the shit out of him." Beatrice's reflection appeared in a puddle from water dripping off an air conditioner above. 

"I-I'm not going to have sex with someone in broad daylight!" I exclaimed.

"Not sure what you're screaming about, but I could go for some sex with a succubus!" he chimed back in.

"You shut up." I charmed him into the silence.

"What good are bottom-feeding dredges other than to serve as sustenance and livestock?" Beatrice asked.

"For one thing, I'm not you. My decisions are my own. Also, Mio wouldn't have wanted something from a patisserie. She likes spicy food more than sweet stuff. You would know that if you actually cared about her."

The former queen succubus glowered, then vanished as soon as another droplet of water caused ripples in the puddle. I tied up the thief for the police to find and returned the old lady her belongings. In an ironic twist of fate, she insisted on buying me a strawberry custard cake. I half-expected Beatrice to come out, prodding me to eat it. Nothing.

On the way home, I bought some spicy fried chicken from a convenience store. My roommates were gone. Probably out with friends or at their clubs. The door to my room was left slightly ajar.

"Mio?" I peered in to find her lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. "I brought you a snack."

"Yeah, I smelled it the moment you came back. Thanks and sorry about… ditching you earlier." Mio sat up and looked away ashamedly.

"It's fine. I told you, I understand. Having Beatrice inside me and popping up every now and then makes it a little awkward, right?"

"No, that's not it! Man… shit, how do I even say it? Lately, I've been feeling like crap. The only reason this is happening to you is because I turned you into a succubus. Now Bea might take over your body. I'm turning out to be a bad luck charm to you or something…"

"As if!" I blurted out, surprising even her. "You're the best thing to ever happen to me. I'll say it as many times as possible until you believe me. Just like everything else, Beatrice is just another bump in the road we'll get over. Together."

Mio got a little teary-eyed. It wasn't everyday— hell, it was a once in a blue moon kind of thing for her. I sat next to her and wrapped my arms around her.

"No one's home right now. Wanna go eat those spicy wings and fuck in the living room?" Mio grinned.

"So you can eat my pussy with hot sauce lathered around your mouth? Definitely not." I said, standing my ground on the matter.

"Fine~" 

Mio knocked me down on her bed and kissed me. As our lips and fingers entwined, and our tails coiled around the other, I noticed Beatrice's reflection in the window. She had her back turned to us, arms folded. I thought she was going to be furious with me. Instead, she made an audible scoff in my mind, making sure I heard it, and then disappeared.