(OC is mine.)

Michiru

"WE CAN DO IT, RIGHT?!" Jackie calls to my team while the cocker spaniel Beastman holds up her arms.

"YEAH!" We reply in unison.

Ah...this is nice. Familiar territory, familiar people, and familiar games.

Plus, familiar enemies as well.

I'm on the pitching mound of the baseball field, in my yellow and white uniform. Nazuna is off to the side, cheering us on.

My best baseball friend Jackie is the catcher as she usually is, the rest of the bears are on the bases and the outfields as well. We're currently going up against the aggressive Pink Flamingos.

Cheaters...

They always use the dirtiest tactics...nothing is off limits for them, even if it means killing.

But fortunately...I've got a bit of an advantage.

"You again..." The current batter utters.

I remember how she and her little band of mean girls were doing their normal routine of killing any unfortunate bear teammates whenever they could. When I came along, I knew I had to put them in their place. I had the capability to do so, and I struck her, and her friends out, and I helped the Bears win against them.

Good times...

"Aw...little dainty flamingo's gonna run to get her nails done again? Guess what? You're like the two end pieces of a loaf of bread. Everybody touches you, but nobody wants you."

"OOOOHHHH!!!!!" Literally everyone in the stadium lights up at the burn, Nazuna is losing it on the stands.

"F*** YOU!!!" The flamingo batter spits at me, her eyes burning with fire.

"Scream a little louder! Maybe you'll be PITCH PERFECT!!" I scream back, winding up my arm and focus my sights on Jackie's glove, putting all my force into it. "GRAH!"

I've gotten a little better at it, so I don't have to resort to using my other move all the time. If I have to use it, then I'll use it when I have to, but for now, it's too obvious when I do.

I wanted to improve just my normal throw, and so far, it's been working wonders.

The next half second consists of me nearly breaking the sound barrier with my throw, and when everyone comes to, the ball is lodged into the glove, and the batter's got a strike, looking shellshocked.

"STEE-RIKE ONE!" The umpire calls out, holding up the number on his finger.

It happens again.

"STEE-RIKE TWO!"

And again.

"STEE-RIKE 3! YOU'RE OUT!!"

Literally the same thing with the next 2 batters, but on the very last one...

I unfortunately get a little cocky and let it slip a little.

CRACK!!

The sound of the bat hitting the ball rings throughout my ears, and I shoot my head upwards to witness the ball soaring into the air.

Dammit, nearly every time I get in that mindset things go awry!

"GUYS! NEED AN ASSIST!" I cry out to my bear allies, sprinting like a madman to get ahead of the ball.

The honey bear and the grizzly bear both line up next to each other and hold their hands down.

"ALLEY-OOP!!" I leap onto them as they use their combined strength to launch me into the air.

I used something like this the first time I played, but I decided to incorporate my teammates more in this version to work on our coordination.

I reach out my gloved hand, hoping that I was right in my timing...

Fortunately, I was.

The ball makes contact with my glove, effectively making the third batter out.

The same two bears catch me trust-fall style as I descend to the ground, the two of them cheering me for my efforts.

"Keep it up, Michiru!"

"We got this!"

They may've been slow and sluggish when I first met them, but they just needed a little encouragement to rekindle their passion for this sport.

It was because of that they repaid us in the final battle against Alan, and I appreciate them for it every day now.

I can remember it as if it were...

Yesterday...

Wait...it WAS yester-no, not even yesterday...

Our last adventure ended, technically, only a few HOURS ago!

Why is this eating at me so much...?

And to think we were planning on looking for tea...

Only for...well...THAT to happen.

No...I came here to at least somewhat unwind and maybe have fun, so that's what I'm going to do.

"Only one more homerun and we can win, Michiru! We're counting on you!" Jackie jumps up and down, looking like a toddler while she's at it.

"When have I ever failed you before, Jackie?" I smile to her, giving her a fist bump.

"Not that I know of..." She unnecessarily begins to think, scratching her head. "But no time for thinking. ENDGAME TIME!!"

She darts over to the sidelines with the other Bears waiting to pitch, as I'm the first candidate, as usual.

I come up to the plate wielding the signature bat, catching more evil-eyes from the other Flamingos

"You're going down!" The angry pitcher hisses.

"Aw, what's up? Oh right! Your temper. You should go to therapy for that. It helps." I give a toothy smile to her while challenging her with my bat.

"You BASTARD!!" She screams, sending the ball hurling at me as hard as she can.

"GNNNH!" I grunt, putting as much sensible strength I'd be allowed to into it.

CRACK!!!

A hit!

I quickly throw my bat to the ground and dart to the other bases.

Suddenly, as I get closer to first base, I witness, in between the Flamingo's feathers...

Shiny pieces resembling...

"GUH!!" I suddenly have the reflex of limbo-sliding underneath the subsequent KNIVES the dirty player throws at me.

Tried to do what you did to honey bear's cousin, did you...?

I give her the death glare at her attempt on my life, but suddenly I have to dodge yet AGAIN with more blades thrown at my form as I pass second base.

Same goes for third, of which I dodge again, I do a little loop-around just to mess with her as she gets twirly-eyed.

At last, home base!

Almost there, almost there, ALMOST THERE...!

I slide to get the extra speed on the final stretch.

"SAFE!!!"

That one word near instantly makes my entire team go wild.

"And with the final point coming from our beloved Miracle Ball, Michiru Kagemori, the Bears win the day!!!" The seagull announcer over the megaphone exclaims.

My team lifts me up in gratitude in the way you'd see on TV, and Nazuna gets up from her seat, clapping rigorously.

"Yeah, Michiru!!" Jackie screams.

"NICE ONE!!" I hear Nazuna shout over the miniature crowd.

Feels nice to get a win like this...surrounded by new friends that even helped in our times of crisis, and know.

Side note: Where even is coach Dante right now?

Better not be affiliated with the Family again...

As celebrations are done, and I treat myself to a sports drink, I walk over to Nazuna and I wipe the sweat off my forehead. I jump above the fence line and sit down on the bleachers.

"You did so awesome out there, Michiru!" She congratulates me, smiling, still in her white dress, surprisingly.

"Yeah. Guess when I started, I kind of caught on quickly." I say, taking a sip of my drink.

"Only wish I could do something like that." She says.

"I mean, if you're ever up to play sports, I can always show the ropes on this or basketball. I'd probably be better at showing you to shoot hoops, to be honest. I may do baseball, I don't know if I've said this before but I'll say it anyways, I'm a basketball girl all the way." I say proudly, wiping the sweat off my forehead.

"Says the one who makes it look easy." She raises her eyebrow but then smiles.

"It's only easy once you get to know it." I point out.

"True." She replies.

"Well, well, well...little miss Idol here with her bestie. Saving the world's bound to leave you tired, so you go to the game to relax?" I hear a very distinctive sound coming to our side.

The woman who can seemingly show up anywhere...

"Marie Itami. As I live and breathe." I greet her with a nod.

Marie has a brown skin tone, mauve dreadlocks, and green eyes. She sports a dark gray sweater, pale gray hooded overcoat, brown belt, and cerulean skinny jeans tapered at the end, and black high-heeled boots. For accessories, she dons a pair of green visor sunglasses over her forehead and gold hoop earrings.

I've never seen her wear those visors...now that I think about it...

"Literally hasn't even been a few hours since I saw you with everyone else earlier." I say.

"Has the stand been treating you well?" Nazuna asks.

"Oh, perfectly. With your endorsement, I haven't stopped getting customers." She replies, kicking back on her seat. But soon opens her eye to give us a death glare. "Remember what I am...?"

"Yes, Mink." We both say, remembering our little incidents of confusion with what she is beyond her human form, and she instantly lets up her aggressive look.

"Thank you." She relaxes again, smiling.

"Actually, wanted to thank YOU for saving me from Boris the other day." Nazuna says.

"Anytime. Your little title of the Symbol of Anima City has been the best advertisement, and with the cash that's been flowing in? That's more than enough payment." Marie smiles.

"Not scamming people anymore?" I ask her.

"Nobody that wouldn't deserve it." She whistles innocently.

I guarantee you she's still selling some of her products at her ridiculous prices.

I only roll my eyes at her not giving the full answer.

"So, what've you been up to now the world's saved?" I ask her.

"Not much beyond just usual business. You guys seem to have your work cut out for you, what with making first contact with our little alien friend." She opens her green eye to us.

"Wait, how do you...?" I ask, shocked that she somehow already knows about-

"I was near the square when the storm and earthquakes happened. Also managed to see that little falling star descend from the heavens and walk right in front of you guys. Didn't expect to see it help people out of the buildings, to be honest."

Oh, she doesn't know Mayor Rose sent us to see Skyfall.

She should be interviewing him, at this point.

"Happened so soon after us saving the world, next thing you know, another decides to come along." She opens her eyes to the sky. "Makes you think, doesn't it?"

"About what?"

"About what else this could spell for us?" She looks to us.

I look to Nazuna, who also agrees that we still don't know the danger we could potentially be in right now.

"You know something...don't you?" Marie asks us, instantly putting us on edge.

"Know what?" I ask, trying to figure out what she's talking about.

"I mean, why else would you be carrying these things?" She asks, pulling out a marble and a blade we were gifted.

"Huh?!" We exclaim, diving into our pockets to see that she pickpocketed Nazuna. "Hey!"

"Strange things to be carrying. Got something to tell? Don't worry, I can keep a secret." She interrogates us, fiddling with the blade and marble, then putting a little 'hush' sign on her lips.

Nazuna just manages to snatch her gifts from Marie.

"Okay, fine. Mayor Rose sent us to make...well...official contact...with the being." Nazuna says, exasperated.

"Oh?" She widens her eyes slightly.

"Apparently, among the most significant things we've been told, the being's name is Skyfall." I explain.

"Fitting names all around..." She replies, smiling.

"He could do things...he was faster than anyone I've ever seen. Every time he spoke it was like an echo. Though technically we were in a cave, but that's not the point." Nazuna explains.

"Far as we saw, he could fly without wings." I reveal, making sure that there's no one else around.

The place is secluded enough for now, good enough distance so nobody hears.

"That's what it was doing? I thought there might've been some miniature fast-moving bug wings that allowed that. Though why it was going up the wall, I don't know." Marie says, shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, it was full-on flight. No wings, no nothing, just some kind of force emanating from HIM, by the way. Not an IT, it's a HE. Sounded like a he, so we're going with it." I add.

Marie seems to ponder about this for a little while, as the mere idea of it is obviously too, well, crazy, to be told.

"I guess I'll take your word for it, then." She replies, holding up her hands. "So, what do you girls think about 'him'?"

"Kind of a mixed bag. He seems good-intentioned, but it feels like there's more to him than what he's letting on." I say. "That mask isn't doing anyone any favors to actually SEE how he's feeling or what he's thinking."

"Hmm." She utters.

"Same. Can't get an accurate read on him, though Mayor Rose might have a better chance at it. She's probably talking with him right now." Nazuna replies.

"Would've been surprised if he said, 'Take me to your leader!'" Marie says as she imitates some low and gruffy-voiced alien.

"Not exactly what he said, but it was more in the sense of 'Come to me when you're willing or ready'." I clarify, remembering it vividly.

"Not as fun, but okay."

RUMBLE!!

"What the-?" I exclaim to myself as I stand up, hearing the sound of things crashing in the distance.

Marie and Nazuna also get up to see what's going on.

I look back to the city and squint my eyes...

"Wait..." I utter.

I run up to the top of the stadium, parkouring my way to the top to get a better view.

Those scales...

That-

"Boris Cliff was supposed to be sent to prison today...right?" I ask, staring at my friend deep in her soul.

After the most recent attacks, Alan Sylvasta and his cronies were arrested on Mayor Rose's orders.

Nazuna's newly created semi-PTSD kicks in as her eyes widen.

"Alan will be soon, but Boris...right now...yes..." She replies, nodding in shock.

"Wasn't that the snake guy I cut up?" Marie asks, raising her eyebrow.

"Yeah, but I thought he was already behind bars right now!" Nazuna turns her head to Marie.

"Dammit, we gotta stop him!" I exclaim.

FFFSSSSHHHHH!!!!!!

In a flash black and white particles, as well as some minimal sparks, Marie unleashes her Beastman form, as we said earlier: a mink.

In her mink form, she has a longer, broader neck, a square face with small outward-facing ears perched atop her head. She grows claws on her hands and a long, bushy tail in the back. Her clothes remain the same in both forms.

"Y'all owe me double for this one." Our friend utters, cracking her knuckles.

The 3 of us look onward, and soon we launch off the top of the stadium, me and Nazuna with our wings and Marie with her enhanced speed, all of us cruising our way across the desolated slums to protect our city once more.

We made a promise...

Skyfall

"So you say I'm trending on what, again?"

"Facelook. It's a popular social media app." Mayor Rose says, showing me her account on her smartphone.

"Let me guess, a guy named Zuckerberg created it? Or, as we know it now, stole the idea?"

"How...did you know that?" She asks, tilting her head, confused while putting her phone on her lap.

"I have my ways. You know, I always thought of him as a lizard, but I never would've thought him as a snake."

As I say that...something...I don't know...begins to irk me.

I get the urge to cut off all physical attention and focus on the bothering feeling right now...

Something's going on...a presence...

VMMM!! VMMM!!

Suddenly, Rose's phone lights up with a call.

I point to it.

"You might want to get that..."

She answers the call.

"Ishizaki? What is it?"

"May-RO-*static*Bor...-liff...*static*...contacted law enforcement...*static*...BROKEN OUT!!*static*"

She gets up from her seat, realizing the signal's too weak in this cave to get a proper message.

All she knows is that someone's broken out...

"Ms. Mayor, if I may, I happen to detect someone...sinister...malevolent...reptilian...and apparently horribly mutated in a way. Do you by chance know that?"

She looks at me, dumbfounded at what I just said...but seems to put that aside at least for now.

"That sounds like Boris...Boris Cliff..." She utters, her eyes widening as she finishes piecing together what the distorted message was. "Dammit! How did he break out?!"

"I've heard it mentioned a few times you recently got done dealing with a situation of your own. Would I be correct in assuming this 'Boris Cliff', was associated with it?"

"To give you the abridged version, Alan Sylvasta, CEO of Sylvasta Pharmaceuticals, tried to use his technology to wipe out the Beastmen. Boris Cliff was his second in command, and spearheaded the campaign of the Silver Wolf Order." She summarizes, grabbing her stuff. "If he starts infecting citizens with the Syndrome-"

"I can handle him."

She turns back to me.

"You don't have to. This is our problem, and I wouldn't want you getting involved in things you don't need to." She tries to dissuade me from getting myself into trouble. "I know you said you wanted to help-"

"I get involved when I need to, which is usually most of my life. And yes, I DO want to help. It's what I do, and it's what WE do. Maybe you guys need a third party to help you solve this."

She looks to the ground momentarily, debating on whether or not to give me the authority to engage.

Eventually, she relents, nodding her head, and looking to me.

"Do what you must." She says.

"Thank you. But first."

I stand up, and place my fingers to my forehead, holding out my hand to the mayor.

"Let's take the express way back."

Hesitantly, she walks up to me and takes hold of my open hand.

"I'll be taking you near an area where Shirou is. You can handle yourself, if need be, right?"

I focus my attention on where the distinctive wolfman's presence is, as well as the familiar emotional signature.

"Yes."

"Good. It's your first time, so you might want to hold your breath."

"What's that me-"

Initiated.

VRRRREEEEEEE-WHOOOSH!!!!!!

The next thing she and I know, we're hurdling through space, the blue, black, white and purple cosmos themselves brushing past us like they were a tunnel, the light at the end of it forcing us right back into reality.

VRRRREEEEEEE-WHOOOSH!!!!!!

When we come to, we're currently atop what I'd presume to be an apartment building on the corner. Me instantly observing the immediate area to see the cause of danger while the wide-eyed Mayor Rose struggles to regain her senses.

"It was your first Warp. The feeling will pass. It always does."

I help her up as she manages to find her equilibrium again, getting her stance back as well.

Meanwhile...

"Do what you have to. I've got this."

"Hey." She says, I turn back to her. "Shirou and his friends are probably the greatest Beastmen I've ever known. Him, Michiru, her friend Nazuna, and any other of their friends they have. If you were to ever start with anyone as candidates for your, well, training...choose them. They're strong, brave, determined, they even succeeded where I failed." She says, clearly remembering her past faults, and exhaling after still recovering.

She looks up to me.

"Just be...careful...Skyfall." She utters in between breaths.

"I will, and thank you."

That's the last thing she hears from me before I wind up a sprint, and leap off the building in a single bound, doing aerial acrobatic turns as I descend. I launch myself forwards in a sonic boom, flying towards the sounds of chaos and snakes as Rose watches in awe.

To defend this world...

And maybe...I don't want to get hope...but...to soothe the pain I've had for so long.

Shirou

Dammit, DAMMIT, DAMMIT!!!!

Boris should've been behind bars at this point!

How'd he get out?!

Doesn't matter right now, he has to be stopped!!

I'm the first one on the scene, I was on my way to oversee the escort, but I'd have to assume he broke out of his bindings and is now on the loose.

After with what he tried to do to Nazuna, there's no doubt he's trying to look for her.

Out of everyone in the cult...he's probably the most clinically insane...

Even more so than Alan, at least he was calm and coordinated normally, whereas this snake's personality is more or less just mental.

"Your cult is gone, Boris! You're fighting an already ended war!" I growl to him.

He's affected by the Nirvasyl Syndrome, and never got the antiserum just yet, and as of right now, he's horrifically mutated into an amalgamation of snakes, the biggest head being his own.

"You may have won that war, but this battle is only just the beginning!!!" He screams in his manic form.

He lunges one of his snake tentacles at me, of which I leap over as it embeds itself in the ground. I land on it, and run up it towards Boris's face to claw it, but he swipes me with another one, knocking me to the ground. I barely look up in time to dodge another tentacle charge, but this time I grab it and use my claws tear off the head, killing it.

"Where's Miss Déesse Louve?! You know where she is!" He screams again, slamming another down at me, which I dodge and kick away.

"That name died with the Order!" I retort, grabbing a piece of rubble and hurling it at his face, which he catches.

"DÉESSE LOUVE NEVER DIES! HER GRACE LIVES ON FOREVER!" His monstrous form throws the rock back at me, I sidestep it as it shatters on the ground.

Once a part of the so-called mighty Silver Wolf Order, of which I always knew was a sham, he's still trying to bring them back and get his 'goddess' back.

He charges at me again, but suddenly he freezes as I'm about to claw the life out of his face.

He looks behind him, his eyes (all of them) go wide.

Wait...no...

Michiru...some rodent lady I barely recognize, and...

The one Boris's been looking for...

Nazuna.

"Déesse Louve...?" He utters.

The pink fox girl stops dead in her tracks, seemingly somewhat frozen at seeing the one who nearly killed her not even a full day ago.

I can just about see the gears turning in his head in that one split-second.

"So beautiful..." He creepily says, staring at her.

All the attention he had so focused on killing me is diverted to-

Oh sh-

"DÉESSE LOUVE!!!!" He instantly turns away and rampages his way to her.

As he gets somewhat close, and as I'm also right behind him to stop him, the tentacles he was using to shamble over are suddenly sliced in half, he faceplants on the ground, kicking up concrete when he does.

The rodent lady lands right to the fallen Boris, baring her extended claws with her narrowed eyes.

"Let 'em have it!" She calls out.

"Nazuna! Now!" Michiru rallies her fox friend and they both charge.

The two brave girls sprint to Boris's head, and...

RUMBLE-FSSSSHH!!!

In the sound and sight of the two of them lifting up their arms, waves across their limbs, in a drastic change in their body mass.

In unison, their arms bulk up into their Gorilla Arms, exceptionally increasing their striking force and overall defense.

It looks grossly disproportional to their bodies, but it works, so I can't complain in any capacity.

It was the technique that saved Michiru when I bit her, after I went out of control...

"RAHH!!!" They battle-cry as they slam their giant arms straight into the recovering Boris, releasing a small wave of force while knocking him back towards me.

I use this chance to psych myself up, and clothesline-kick the snake man to the ground, causing a crater to form where he lands, he starts trying to recover again.

"Get him while he's down!" I exclaim to my allies as they make haste to subdue him, I try to go for him...

Unfortunately, he succeeds in getting up, backhanding me with one of his tentacles, doing the same to Michiru, who blocks with her Gorilla Arm, flinging both her and I back and causing the rodent lady to go on the evasive, dodging the small flurry of tentacles he swings at her.

When he sees his chance, he lunges his tentacles at Nazuna, who tries to dodge, succeeding several times, doing so elegantly, but gets blind-sighted by another one that wraps itself around her.

He brings her closer to him, hissing in her face.

"Oh, how I've missed you, DÉESSE LOUVE!!!" He maniacally screams at the struggling Nazuna.

"My name isn't Déesse Louve! My name is NAZUNA!!" She defiantly screams at him, sinking her teeth into his flesh, tearing out a giant chunk of it, causing him to let her go in pain. "YOU'RE STILL SERIOUSLY CREEPY!!"

As she screams that, Michiru just about recovers, as do I, and we team up leap up high and attack his face, landing several shots, but he quickly swarms us with more of his tentacles. He seizes us, starting with our legs, and cocooning us up to our necks with his limbs. The same goes for Nazuna, who tried in vain to dodge. The rodent lady keeps slicing at the tentacles, but eventually is being held back by yet another one, not wrapped around her, but she's forcing the jaws back, currently at a stalemate with it.

Dammit, I don't have the leverage to use my claws again, and I can't even use my jaws because he's using his prehensility to keep my longer snout up!

I don't want to have to use it...but I will if I must!

As I begin reaching within myself to unleash it...

"She's mine! You will never get to see her light, nor her beauty! I am her true believer! I am-!"

Suddenly, as he continues to monologue, an overwhelming, unstoppable...

WWHOOOOOEEEEE-BOOOOM!!!!!

There are 3 things that happen in this next moment.

One, I feel the breeze, and force, of something flying STRAIGHT INTO BORIS'S HEAD, almost causing it to cave it comically.

Second, the crushing pressure of the tentacles relents, and I can breathe for once, and I'm dropped to the ground.

Third, and while mid-air, I look up to see the source of the force.

It's...

No...

It isn't...

How can it be...?!

It is...

It's him...

SKYFALL

Embedded into Boris's cranium is the leg of our white and gold alien friend, currently emanating a...what's the name...presence...from him.

In the moments after he collides with the snake man, who gets forced to the ground, me and the girls jump out of the way. The alien pulls his leg off and punches Boris's head as they continue to move despite the latter's face on the floor. The alien thrusts a leg into the ground to slow them both down to a stop as he uses his fist to push him back.

Boris, now with a giant indentation in his forehead, albeit seemingly with great difficulty, tries to get up, and comes face to face with Skyfall.

"W...what...?" He utters in pain.

The masked alien steps back, seemingly to give Boris some room, still giving his poker face.

"Get up."

Why's he letting him recover?!

I, as well as the girls, step forward to try and stop Boris, but Skyfall holds out his hand.

Wait, he wants to do this himself?

Does he even know what he's planning on doing if he gets his way?!

"W-what...are you...?!" He utters, looking up at our armored friend.

He says nothing, the one of the sky opting instead to stare down the snake.

The serpentine man struggles to move, what with the immense agony his head, but eventually regains his balance. He slowly rises, stumbles a little, but soon looms over Skyfall, trying to use his size to intimidate him.

Still no response from him.

"Y-you will not deprive me of my Déesse Louve!" He tries to proclaim, looking around for Nazuna, who, as well as Michiru, are on the other side of the street from me and Marie currently.

He sees his precious 'mistress', and raises his tentacles to try and attack Skyfall with them...but...

He throws one tentacle at him, crashing it into the ground, and making me think that he actually was crushed, but when the dust clears and he pulls back his limb...

Did he just...

He...he literally just sidestepped it.

Is he trying to mess with Boris?

The alien tilts his head at the snake man.

"Give me your best shot."

"GAAAAH!!!" The increasingly frustrated Boris raises more tentacle-snakes, and makes a miniature cataclysm of scaly limbs directed at him.

The white and gold armored one leaps over one and jumps off it as the jaw of another bites into it, making Boris flinch in pain. Mid-air, he spin-dodges one Boris throws at him, and slides down it as another chases after him. He lands on Boris's face almost in a mocking manner, causing the latter to try and smack him, only to be duped as he winds up slamming his tentacle into his own face. When he lands, he grabs a piece of rubble in a similar manner I did, and throws it at Boris in the split-second he tries to recover from his self-damage. When he moves his tentacle, he's met with a chunk of concrete and rebar to the face, causing him to stumble once more from the damage. In pain once more, he throws a wild haymaker in no direction whatsoever, and winds up succeeding in hitting Skyfall...for a moment, because he just backhand-redirected it right back at him.

Seriously...how strong is this guy...being...or whatever...?

What I do know, without a shadow of a doubt...

He's a seasoned warrior, someone who knows what he's doing, and can do it...very well.

"I said your best shot. Not a mediocre shot."

I actually have to stifle a laugh at that, and I think Michiru and Nazuna even giggle in response, while Marie's eyes are wide open with an 'OOOH!!' expression.

"You little-!"

He gets met with another concrete chunk, this time straight into his mouth.

Finally, Skyfall sprints towards Boris, who throws one last barrage of his tentacles at the smaller target. He sidesteps two and vaults over one, even doing an elegant backwards somersault before flipping over yet another.

He launches off one more towards the concrete-gagged Boris, flying to his face. He knees him in the bottom of the jaw, flinging his head back and causing him to not only spit out the concrete, but likely breaking his mouth too.

He crashes to the ground, almost defeated, he struggles to move in his pain yet again.

When he looks up, just about blocking out the sun, is him...

In the air, Skyfall suddenly speeds towards Boris in a sonic boom, slamming his foot straight into the side of the snake man's face, making it connect with the ground.

In a final act of desperation to get up, he moves his head to look at the alien, moving his tentacles towards him.

He's met with a vicious powerful punch to the other side of his head, stomping out any hope for the perverted snake man's rampage.

Is it over?

Yeah...

He did it...

He defeated him.

I know that me and the girls were holding back, big time, but still.

I don't know if he was putting in effort or not, but the very fact that he humiliated Boris Cliff like that...

This guy is on another level.

Me and the girls walk closer to the comatose, or dead, Boris, being cautious around his body.

I check his vitals just in case, it's slightly faint, but present. So he's still alive.

Before anyone can say anything else...

"'Pride doth come before the fall'."

He gets off of Boris and looks to us.

"Apologies if I took it a little too far. I had to blow off some steam."

"It's...alright..." Nazuna assures him, looking to Boris.

He's bruised, mouth bleeding, the crater in his head is still present.

He turns to us.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Nazuna says. "Especially after you showed up, thanks."

"Sorry if I took your moment of glory away. Wanted to help."

I turn back to Boris again.

"I think you did more than just help." I comment.

"But at this point, anything to keep him from coming back." Nazuna adds, gesturing to the snake man.

"How did you know what was going on?" I ask. "You were on the other side of the island, last I saw."

"I mean, we kind of were, so to say. And we saw it, and we got here relatively quick." Michiru says.

I nod at that.

"Good point." I say.

"I sensed a malicious presence here, and Mayor Rose gave me the explanation, as well as the execute-authority. I'm not going to stand idly by as civilians could be harmed. It's why I did what I could earlier to help them."

"Well...thank you for the assist." Michiru bows her head, then turns to Boris. "So what do we do about him?"

"I'll make the call." I say, pulling out my phone and dialing a number.

I contact Rose to set up another convoy to pick up Boris and have him properly sent to prison.

Might need to have another measure of security if we're to properly contain him...

Wait...now that I think about it, I think Alan should be on his way on his own convoy right now.

He should be finished being processed right now, and he hasn't made an attempt to break out yet.

When I'm done, she said she wants us to wait and keep Boris from awaking until he gets picked up.

I agree to it and I return to the group.

"Okay, convoy will be here to get him in about 5 or 10 minutes." I say.

"Heck of a response time from them." Michiru comments.

"Just have to guard him until then." I say, gesturing to the snake man.

"Should be easy..." She adds, looking at his state.

"Mayor Rose told me he was affiliated with the Silver Wolf Order. What's that?"

Suddenly, Nazuna and I exchange a few awkward glances at that name.

How much did Rose tell him...?

"I guess you could say they were a cult who promoted the whole idea of Ginrou, 'The Silver Wolf'. He's basically God of the Beastmen, if I'm to summarize." Nazuna says, sheepishly.

"Is there more to this story?"

"I...admittedly, was a part of it at one point. Boris here was my trainer, but I was more or less just the 'Maiden of the Silver Wolf'. The idea was that I was Ginrou incarnate was what also fueled belief in the cult. Eventually, when the truth came out, I defected as fast as I could. Especially since he was getting a little handsy with me..." She adds, looking to the ground in shame, and looking to her former 'trainer'.

Skyfall seems to think about this a little more before saying something that kind of startles me.

He walks closer to me.

"Do your friends here know that you're Ginrou?"

WHAT THE-?!

He holds up his hand to stop any more reactions from me.

"One, I sensed that abnormal presence from you. Second, don't get angry at her for this, Mayor Rose confirmed it with me. Either she's extremely trusting, or...I don't know."

Why did Rose tell him...?

I'll have to have a word with her about that.

He looks to the girls, Michiru and Nazuna currently checking to see if each other is okay.

"Rest assured, if there's anything I can keep, it's a secret. Do they know about that? Or is it common knowledge that it's you?"

"Thanks. Nobody else knows besides the girls...well, except Marie...I think..." I reply, not knowing if she saw me in the fight against Alan or not. I look at the rodent lady who, at this point, as Skyfall follows my gaze...

FFFSSSSHHHHH!!!!!!

In the signature particles, she shifts back into her dark-skinned human form.

Skyfall tilts his head, as if he were surprised by this, as if he had confirmation about something he was told.

"So that's your shapeshifting ability in action...should've asked Mayor Rose to demonstrate hers..."

"Yeah, about that, how'd the interview go?" I ask him.

"I'd say we made good progress. We shared sufficient info about our cultures. I'd like to follow up with her with maybe one more talk, just in case we missed anything."

I slightly scoff.

"I'd like to have a bit of a talk with her..." I mutter.

"Why's that?"

Before I can answer...

"So...this is Skyfall?" I hear Marie ask as she walks up to us, looking at our armored friend, eyeing him up. "Quite a powerhouse."

"It is what you may call me for now. What should I call you?"

"Marie. Marie Itami." She bows slightly.

Far as I've seen, she's never bowed as a greeting before, even though it is traditional...

She's onto something.

"Nice to meet you."

"So what's your deal, huh? Come down from the sky, shake the whole city to its core? What's that all about?" She cheekily asks with her signature smile.

"Marie, he's new here, give him some space." Nazuna says, interjecting. "And he kind of saved us, so maybe a little more gratitude, in your case?"

"If you're thinking about capitalizing off him..." I add.

"Hey, no promises." The dark-skinned lady says with a shrug. "Though, thank you, ever so much for the help. Honestly thought I was gonna be snake food."

"Welcome. Doesn't happen on my watch."

"But whaddya doing here? Got business to do?" She sarcastically asks.

"If you would call it that, yes."

"Doing what?" Michiru asks.

But as she asks that, the sirens from the new convoy come into hearing distance, and the blaring gets louder as they turn the corner.

The next few minutes to a half hour is spent loading the massive comatose Boris into the giant vehicle, and soon, he's carted off in chains.

Hopefully these will be the ones to keep him restrained...

After we watch the convoy disappear, sending Boris off to prison, we're left alone with the remnants of the destruction he caused.

"So what now?" Marie asks.

"If everything is taken care of now, I'll head back to-"

"Actually, uh...wanted to ask..." Michiru interjects, Skyfall turns to her.

"Yes?"

"I know that this may seem kind of, out of left field, so to say. But...wanted to ask...would you...like to..."

"To what?"

"Hang out?" She slightly awkwardly asks.

Okay...weird question...

Surprisingly, I can hear a miniscule chuckle coming from him, which Michiru interprets as him not taking her seriously.

"No, really, it's a serious question. You said you wanted to get to know this place, and we're extending the offer to you." She clarifies.

"I know it's a serious question...it's just that I haven't heard the term 'hang out' in a long time."

"Have you ever socialized before?" Nazuna asks.

"I can talk, so yes, I can. I still remember all the advice I've been given. It's just...things have happened that've hindered that part of me."

"Then, maybe you should try opening up about that." Michiru suggests.

"If you need help, we can be here." Nazuna even offers.

Another chuckle from our armored friend.

"Both those things are what I've been told for the past 5 months..."

A few more moments pass by before he lets us know his decision.

He gives a 'screw it' gesture with his hands.

"What do you have in mind for 'hanging out'?"

I can just about make out a little squeal/giggle coming from Michiru and Nazuna that they convinced Skyfall to hang out.

"Well, baseball's off the table, already did that..." Michiru says, pondering.

"So is saving the city." I add, gesturing to the aftermath of our fight.

"For now..."

Skyfall whispers that part, we heard it, but nobody comments.

"Already ate as well, so..." Nazuna says.

VMMMM!!!!!

Suddenly, my phone vibrates, interrupting anyone else's efforts for conversation, and I pick it up.

"Shirou? Is Skyfall there?"

"Yes, why?"

"Bring him to city hall. There's a few more things we need to discuss, especially with what's just happened."

"Okay."

CLICK!

"Apparently Mayor Rose needs you." I say to our armored friend, putting my phone away.

Later, at city hall

"I wanted to say to you all, thank you ever so much for your efforts." Rose congratulates us. "As of now, you averted disaster."

"Thank you." We bow to her.

"But, probably couldn't've done it as easily without him." Nazuna says, her and then us look to our alien friend.

"It is with that, Skyfall, in your case...you didn't have to help, but you did. You even offered before I asked for aid in this regard." She says. "For that, I want to extend a special thanks to you."

"Welcome, but I feel as if it isn't necessary."

"Maybe, but still, with you being our guest, I feel as if some compensation is due." She says, pulling out a small file from her desk.

Wait...is that...

"As a token of our appreciation, and to allow you to continue your mission without legal consequences, I would like to have the privilege of making you an official citizen of Anima City, and a member, of our community." She says, pushing the file forward.

It's exactly how she did with Michiru when she first came here!

Rose told me about it...

"It would be an honor, Mayor Rose."

Skyfall walks over to the desk, filling out any information necessary, and hands it back to Rose, who also looks at it for a moment, raising an eyebrow at it briefly before filing it away.

"Congratulations, Skyfall. You now, legally, live among us." She smiles, bowing her head.

"I appreciate it."

"We have options for housing, should you wish to select one, or if you decide to remain in the caverns, that is entirely up to you." She offers.

He puts his hand to the chin part of his mask.

"That'll be nice. I don't have much down there yet, so thank you."

Rose browses a miniature selection before handing it to Skyfall, who doesn't take more than a few moments before making a selection.

"This place? Hmm...it's fairly new, almost as if it was an independent project."

"It's why I'll settle there for now."

"I respect your decision." She says, getting the deed set up alongside him, and she hands it over to him. "The property is officially yours."

"Thank you again, Mayor Rose."

"The pleasure's all mine." She says, smiling. "It's not often you get to help someone like you integrate into our society."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Rose, what else did you need to discuss?" I ask, speaking up for the first time since we've gotten here.

"Well...first, Shirou, you're still in your wolf form." She points out.

Oh. I usually only use this when I need my strength.

Why'd I forget? I normally have absolute memory on this...

FFFSSSSHHHHH!!!!!!

I instantly transform back into my base human form.

In my human form, I have pale skin and white hair that is slightly disheveled with bangs covering parts of my forehead. My eyes are still ice-blue, droopy and stern, but are more focused in my wolf form. My clothes don't change at all, but I don't wear my collar anymore after yesterday.

My human appearance, surprisingly, catches Skyfall's attention.

He tilts his head.

"Hmm..."

"What?" I ask, confused.

"Nothing, just...wasn't expecting that..."

"Expecting what?" I add.

He only looks to the window in response, seemingly knowing what the answer is, but not knowing how to say it.

Meanwhile, Rose speaks up.

"I wanted to let you know we've introduced a contingency plan to keep Boris, and Alan, as of right now, contained in New Alcatraz. We've theorized that if we tone down the effectiveness of the Beastman erasing serum, we might be able to merely inhibit the Beastman factor, not eradicate it entirely." She explains to me. "I've already gotten researchers to see if it would work."

"Good." I say. "Surprised his lawyers couldn't make any case for him."

"Unfortunately, CEOs of corporations aren't above the law, as you know, Shirou. After he resigned from Sylvasta Pharmaceuticals, as the first thing I did to help the city I hurt, I had him arrested and is being sent off to New Alcatraz right now. If you remember, he was being processed by the time Boris was being sent there too."

Honestly, after what he tried to do, it really shouldn't surprise me he'd at least be locked up.

I keep forgetting if New Alcatraz was the one near New York in America, or if it's the semi-new one...I'll have to ask Rose about it later.

More than likely the latter, that place should have the newest tech, and with what Rose is looking at implementing, that place would be difficult, if not impossible, to escape from if you were a Beastman.

"Better." I say. "What else?"

"As you know, we plan on opening up to the public, we need to make good first impressions. How we do that, is debatable." She says. "I'll deliberate with Ishizaki and my advisors until we find a solution. For now, all of you, thank you for your time."

We bow to her, thanking her as she does the same.

The room is soon without everyone else once more.

I hang back to ask one more question.

I lean on the desk to whisper to Rose.

"Why'd you tell him I was Ginrou?!"

"He told you your secret was safe with him, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"One, you told me, so now I know for sure. Second, the fact that he honored the secret, only serves to demonstrate a level of respect he has for us already. So far I haven't seen him leak your identity to the public, so there's that."

"Yeah, but..."

"Maybe expanding your circle of trust would be good for you, Shirou. Just...at least consider it."

"Okay..."

After our brief exchange, I join the others as we make the brief journey down the elevator and out the doors of the tower.

The currently-human Marie's phone suddenly goes off, she pulls it out and looks at it.

"Ah, time for me to get back to my stand. Gotta run, guys and gals." She says.

"See you later, Marie." Michiru says.

"Remember, y'all owe me!" She says.

"Yeah..." Nazuna utters.

Marie then turns to Skyfall, looking at something in her hand before departing.

It's one of the metal peace offerings.

"Hey...thank you..." She utters, remembering our journey here.

He nods in return as she disappears into the city.

Soon, it's just me, the girls, and Skyfall just out here in the September breeze getting the occasional glances from citizens passing by at him and his armor.

"So...now what?" Michiru asks.

"We were talking about recreation earlier, what's there to do?"

"Kind of the stuff we listed...Oh! Why don't we go meet my friend Nina? She's a good friend and I think you'd like her too!" Michiru brightens her complexion. "Hold up."

She pulls out her smartphone and dials a number, holding to her ear while waiting for someone to pick up.

Someone does.

"Hey Nina, it's me! Haven't seen you since the party at the mainland...Yeah?... You wanna hang out? Well, we can be there shortly. Yeah? Okay, thanks!" She says as she hangs up.

"Where exactly are we going again?" I ask.

"She lives near the docks area, just follow me."

"Isn't that all the way across the city?" I ask.

Michiru suddenly gets a look of realization, she tries to talk, but Skyfall is already asking her a question.

"How would you describe this Nina, as you called her?"

"How so?"

"Specifically, personality."

She looks taken aback by the randomness of the question but humors him anyways.

"Well, she's energetic, kind, bubbly, sees the best in everyone, the kind of person that everyone would get along with." She says. "Why do you ask?"

Skyfall holds his index and middle fingers up to the forehead portion of his mask, seemingly entering a focused state.

"Female, young, energetic, bubbly, kind, benevolent..."

His mutterings set us all aback.

"Got her."

"What do you mean by that?" I ask.

He holds out his hand.

"Do you trust me?"

Me and the girls exchange uneasy glances about what he has in store for us.

Reluctantly, we all hold his hand.

"So now wha-GUUUUHH!!!!!"

VRRRREEEEEEE-WHOOOSH!!!!!!

Suddenly, the place is without us in a flash that feels like we're being pulled by all the force in the conceivable universe, sending us hurdling through space time.

To wherever Skyfall has in mind...

Chapter End
(Let me know how this is so far, please, thank you.)