The morning wind blows by his ears, causing them to wiggle. On the side of the road, Ren stands with a small backpack hanging behind his back, then he turns around with a questioning glance, "You sure I could take these clothes?" He says to the grey-haired girl in front of him. In question of the brand new, sparkling clean shirt and pants he's wearing, though he still holds his beloved yet dusty white denim jacket.

  "Yeah. The ones you're wearing were a just a mess, hun. You don't want to end up looking like a hobo, don't you?" The hazel-eyed werewolf, Lenia reassures with a laidback tone.

  "Well, that make sense. But... Is there anyways I can pay you back? Like, maybe if you give me your phone number, I could transfer you some money? Seeing how I'm basically a stranger to you. It kinda makes me feel bad if I can't repay the help somehow..." Ren slightly pouts as he lies his ears back.

  "Oh, no need to," She giggles nonchalantly, "Like I said last night, you're my saviour, I was the one repaying you here. And besides, there are no internet here, so transfering wouldn't work anyways. So, there's no need for all that extra stuff!"

  Ren's heart whooshes with relief, "Well, okay then. Thank you so much, Lenia. For the food and everything."

  "Your welcome~"

  He then looks back to the road, seeing the cracked pavement and concrete. It has two lanes just like the average, normal road, though it won't be much of use considering there's no vehicle for miles and miles to come, "So, the Island's station, it's that way, right?" He points to his right, then looks back to Lenia.

  "Yup, yup! Usually, there could be one or two buses that'll pass by a few miles from here, but even then, that's a pretty rare occurrence. So, just hope that you'll encounter one! Less you wanna walk for hours and hours," Lenia informs.

  To that, Ren slouches forward, his eyes falling into depression, "Yup... I'll definitely look out for that... Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh..." He lets out a massive grunt, before sighing his laziness away, "Oh well, I'll better get going. See you, Lenia."

  With Ren now ready to take his leave, they both give their last smiles to each other, "You too, Ren."

-----

  As the bus's door hisses behind him, Ren's pants doesn't stop when he steps up to the bus's middle. He takes a glance to the driver, a seemingly overworked Starfish-headed man, judging from the narrow dots on the underside of his starfish-head he gives to Ren.

  Ren just shrugs it off. The sky is going dark, and he have to take rest. So, he goes through the hallway of seats and take a row of empty ones in the middle-left. He sees no other passenger in sight, except for a pale, blonde man in a fancy suit sitting on the back corner. Ren pays no mind and quickly melts to his seat. With a sigh of ultimate relief, he throws his backpack to the his feet then he leans his head to the windowsill.

  As the bus drives through the lush, purple meadows of glowing, bioluminescent hills and forests, Ren keeps his eyes locked to the sight, as a track of melodic, jazz music plays on the bus's sound system.

  Normally, Ren would put on a pair of headphones then sleep to some J-Pop or K-Pop. Or he would play games like Wild Rift, till eventually, his mobile data runs out. But now? Nope! His phone is gone. Poof! Just like that!

  Now, all his pirated movies and manga folders are gone for good. His stashes as well, but perhaps, that's for the best.

  For now, the only thing he can do is to sleep to the sight of the vividly glowing forest, with the rising moon watching from the sparkling sky above. But even then, he's not that sleepy now. Perhaps due to his pumping adrenaline from finding this bus.

  To that thought, he sighs. He lifts his knees and lays his legs to the empty row, his tail wiggling from the comfort.

  This tattoo on my nape... How'd it get there? He suddenly thoughts as he rubs the spot gently.

  Mom's gonna kill me if she finds out... He sighs again, then continuing his own train of thoughts.

  Is this the proof that there really is a Goddess inside me? Though soon, he sees the reality, swinging his head at it. Nope. Impossible. Not happening.

  And... Who the fuck was that girl? His mind wakes to the time he met "Azayaka," How she approached and talked with such a lax tone. How she appeared so incredibly random. How she... Almost kissed him with the most utter of nonchalance.

  Shit. This is bringing him back to "The Haunting of The Near Kiss," Where everything reminds him of it. So, to distract his own mind, his thoughts begin wondering somewhere else.

  How about that time... He lucid dreamed? Yeah... That could work.

  He remembers in that dream, he was in this empty field of pink petals. Nothing else was in sight but nothing was impossible, it's a lucid dream, after all. And so, he imagined some things, some weeb-ass things... But from what he remembered... what came was... Aza. And she was... Naked.

  Wait...

  Aza...

  Naked?

  And so, a hot wave of blush creeps up to his face. He wiggles his tail and lays his ears back. His body melting to his velvet seat as his palms hide his face.

  My god... I can't believe I did that...

  Fucking hell... Aza... Sorry... I'm so so so so so sorry...

  But even then, the other side of the coin rises in his mind.

  But...

  How her body is curved to perfection. How her abs faintly shows their curves. How her gaze and smile seems to pierce his heart. Could it be just his own imagination? Or could it be somehow linked to reality? But, either way...

  She's... Really hot.

  Then he immediately slaps his own cheeks.

  God... What the fuck is wrong with me!?

  Ultimately, he manages to calm down the simmering heat inside him by kicking the luckily empty seat in front. Though the ruckus he makes is enough to make him feel the piercing glare coming from behind.

  He glances behind, seeing that blonde man eyeing at him, "S-Sorry... Uh... Just having a lot of things going on right now..." He chuckles lightly, before melting back to his seat.

  Well... Hopefully the phones at that station doesn't cost any money. Or else... I'm fucked.

-----

  As the train calmly moves across its rails, the faint, bubbly howl of the vehicle shooting through the vast ocean's current penetrates to its many carts.

  Seated on the comfy seat beside the large, circular window, with his wings shrunken down to only reach his shoulders, Yuu reaches up to his neck, his fingers grabbing hold of the silver collar around it, "This thing's really fucking annoying..." Yuu scoffs, his attention diverted back towards the sight of the ocean's blues.

  "Stop your complaints. You either behave or I'll keep you in the Knight's cell. By letting you here with me I've been quite generous enough, didn't I?" Sitting on the seat facing him, The Chief, now only a literal half of her body, responds with the same radio-distorted voice of hers.

  "Y'know, I was quite confused when she let you two come. But now that I think about it. I guess we do need some sort of a guide, huh?" From the seat behind Yuu, Amura's snarky tone plays, accompanied by a pair of condescending pink eyes as she peeks her head slightly above her seat.

  "Shut it. Your the one who's only here for the fun of it," Beside Yuu, Azayaka snaps back, lifting herself on her knees to glare back at Amura.

  "Can't say you're wrong~" Amura retreats herself to the comfort of Kai's chest. The latter leaning on the wall as he snoozes himself off.

  Interluded by a brief silence, the swirls of water pierced by the bullet-train fill in the gaps of their words.

  At the midst of the silence, Yuu keeps his sight fixated to the ocean. The everlasting, deep blues are hypnotizing and calming, almost therapic even. Thinking back to Amura's words, guess the reason why he's forced to be here is already answered. But, considering that, why didn't the Chief puts him to the other island then? Wouldn't keeping him with her be less efficient if they're supposed to be the guides for these lousy Knights?

  He glances slightly at Azayaka. He notices that she too is looking at the ocean. Seemingly, their thoughts collide with each other when she stares back at him. But Yuu could only answers with a shrug. Azayaka then sighs, before turning towards the Chief.

  "I recall..." The Chief abruptly says, right before Azayaka could speak, "Samuel was being... Quite patient back at the office," Her sliced side glows pitch-black, as she tilts her head at both of the Assassins, "You lots are quite lucky."

  Yuu and Azayaka look at each other, then back at her, then back at each other, then back at her.

  "Quite fortunate that Udin was there to distract him," The Chief continues, her tone darkening in mischievous dread, "Samuel... He always holds grudges. I'm quite proud of him for that."

  The two then fall to that sudden conclusion. Their memories of that demonic ink vividly playing within their heads. Guess... That's why they're kept in the same team.

  Ultimately, Azayaka sighs in relief. She moves closer to Yuu, promtly leaning on his leather jacket-covered shoulder.

  Yuu slightly shakes at first, but he lets her have her contempt, "Aza... What're you doing?" He asks, his brow slightly furrowed.

  "Sshh... I'm trying to sleep," She hushes as she closes her eyes, raising her legs to the rest of the empty cushion of the seat beside her.

  Without words, Yuu huffs and shakes Azayaka off of him. But then, he gently directs her head to his thighs, laying her on them with a slight rustle from his military jeans.

  A hum escapes Azayaka's lips as she closes her eyes again, as Yuu's gentle fingers pat her head to sleep.

  After looking down at her, he smiles softly. Though, he hides them away just as quick as they appear, knowing where this train will take them, knowing who they'll or... She'll eventually reunite with.

-----

  "The train is soon to arrive at Nami Island. Passengers, please prepare your luggage to exit the train," The train's intercom announces, its robotic male voice echoing within Azayaka's ears.

  With a slight shake to her head, Azayaka opens her eyes. The first thing she sees is Yuu's handsome face, asleep as she lies on his comfortable thighs.

  Azayaka chuckles lightly. She then raises a hand to his face, before she flicks the tip of his nose with her finger, prompting a grunt from him.

  "Wake up. We're almost there," She says as she continuously taps the Archangel's sharp nose, playfully humming with the train's ambience music.

  "Stop it," Yuu coldly grumbles, swatting her hand away.

  But she continues to repeat herself. Her finger relentlessly tapping his nose, then being swatted away. The cycle continues for a few rounds, Azayaka's smirk growing wider, while Yuu's grumble becomes louder.

  "Okay, fine! I'm up!" Yuu reaches his limits, huffing out his frustration away as he leans back to his seat.

  Azayaka then rises herself up. She closes in her face to his, keeping her smirk, "Sorry not sorry," She whispers before she pinches his cheek playfully.

  "Tch... Stop it!" Yuu grunts even more. He tries to pull her wrist away, but its no use, it just causes her to pinch his cheek even harder.

  Yuu's wings flap slightly, but soon he decides to play another strategy. His hands slither themselves to the side of her stomach, before he uses both of his index fingers to poke both sides.

  "Eep!" She yelps, pursing her lips as her back falls to lie on the seat.

  "Ehe-ahahah! S-Stop! Y-Yuu!" She laughs as Yuu keeps on poking her sensitive spot. She tries to give herself room to breath by shaking off his hands, but his grip, with him being the Fallen Archangel, is too strong. Thus her sporadic giggles keep on playing, until.

  "Ehm," A purposeful laugh, coming from the seat facing theirs.

  The pair then glances to it to see the half-Chief staring blankly at them.

  "Quite confusing to see such enigmatic pair of assassins acting as if they're toddlers," She says before tilting her half-parted head.

  The two immediately releases each other, both properly sitting on their seats.

  "Haah... What time is it?" From the seat behind them, Kai the Prime Demon yawns, him poking his head just above his seat.

  "It's six PM. Quite a fast train isn't it? Only took two hours from The Central City's border," The Chief answers.

  "Are we there yet?" Amura rises from her seat, only to be send back down by Kai's mighty hand.

  "Anyways... So... What's the plan, Chief? Considering that Sion and Udin is leading the other island, do we need to scour the entirety of this island for Ren manually, or?" Kai mentions, one of his brow raised.

  "Ah yes, about that..." The Chief put her hand to her chin, "I have no plan."

  "Huh?"

  "I just know that my genius will surely take us somewhere."

  Taken aback, Kai takes back his seat, "Right..."

  With that, Azayaka loses all hope of saving her childhood best friend. Sighing, she looks out the window. The train is now right above the waves, sparkling blue water splashing onto the window as they reflect the magnificent, purplish pink sunset of the Sylvae sky. Sylvae was Azayaka's home once. But, seeing its sky, Azayaka only feels emptiness, this need to just go away from everything.

  The blankness in her purple eyes meets Yuu's concerned greens. He catches her shoulder and brings her close, before gently saying to her, "Don't worry, Aza. We'll find him."

  Azayaka smiles back at him. Though immediately after, the train stops abruptly, a hiss coming from the cart's door.

  "Passengers, the train has boarded in Nami Island. Please enjoy your stay, and we look forward to traveling with you again," The train announces.

  "Alright, everyone. Let us begin our investigation and search for The Wings. And also, Ren, I suppose," The Chief stands up, putting her hand behind her halved waist.

  "Hell yeah!" Amura cheers, a pair of tacky sunglasses and beach-hat already equipped. In her hand, a sparkly, pink suitcase, a contrast to the black duffel bag that hangs from her Demon boyfriend's shoulder.

  "So, where will we be staying?" Azayaka asks as she wears her cropped, leather jacket.

  "I've already booked three five-star hotel rooms. Amura and Kai, you and you, and me alone," She points her gaze at Azayaka and Yuu at the 'You and you' part.

  "Wait, does that mean-" Azayaka forms a slight blush at her words. She glances slightly at Yuu, and once their eyes meet, he too, caught the realization.

  "Are you doing this on purpose?" Yuu says to the Chief, trying not to look at Azayaka as he coughs his blush away.

  "Nope. Just for the convenience of it," The Chief walks as if she still has the other half of her body, walking perfectly with her only leg floating when her other leg is supposed to take the step. But she stops at the center of the cart, giving Yuu one last glance, "But this is your most desired fantasy, is it not?"

  "W-Wha-" Yuu's blush reddens, spreading all throughout his face, "What the hell do you mean by that!?"

  Meanwhile the Chief just shrugs it off, as she leads the way for her branch to exit the train.

  "She's just messing with us... So... Yeah... Just don't think about it," Azayaka reassures.

  Yuu nods, his blush now calmed down, "Right..."

  "You two are sooooo gonna fuck," Amura walks past them, dragging her suitcase through the train's rug.

  Following behind her, Kai sighs, whispering a "Sorry," as he bypasses the two.

  "God, I wanna fucking strangle her with her own intestines," Yuu grumbles, his eyes slightly twitching.

  "C'mon, let's just go," Azayaka pats his back, prompting him to follow suite with the group.

  But as soon as they exit the train, stepping their foot to the station's concrete floor, Azayaka, and the entirety of the group widen their eyes.

  For beside them, with one leg already stepping into the cart next door, a certain White Fox stares back in confusion, his blue eyes asking themselves the same kind of question.

  "Huh?"

-----