Reito opened his eyes. His vision, blurry at first, began to focus, giving him view of a ceiling he knew surprisingly well. “Not my place...or Shion’s... The hospital, huh?”

He found himself hooked to an IV. Bandages wrapped around his body up to his neck. Blue patient scrubs were equipped to his figure. All he could smell was medicine. Rising to get a better look at his surroundings, he winced.

Tch! My body still hurts like hell! Damn Meat Tank! I could’ve been grindin’ Fiery Brachy in MHW by now! He looked down at his fist and slowly clenched and unclenched it. My arm’s in some pain...but it's not busted anymore. Those pill things again? Turning his head to the left, he spotted his best friend leaning against the wall.

“Morning, Sleeping Beauty~” She joked. “Enjoy your nap?”

He slumped back. “Callin’ it a nap is way too generous. How long was I out for?”

“Little over a half of a day. Not that bad, considering you’re used to sleeping in, anyway.”

Medical science had come a long way. Things that would normally put a person down for weeks, such as: broken bones, fractures or sprains, could be swiftly recovered from thanks to the scientific breakthrough known as “Repair Capsules”. To anyone who sees one, they would appear to be regular pills. In actuality, they were medicine that boosted the recovery speed of organic matter. As a result, Reito’s injury could be healed in a fraction of the time. With the appearance of Pathos nowadays, it was quite a handy resource.

Oh yeah...I was pretty much up and about in no time the last time Shion sent me here herself. “Thank you, society, I guess. Oy vey...” Reito met Shizuka’s smug grin with an unamused face. “I knew you’d get like this if I used it, I should’ve just threw the fight.”

“You say that, but you were really something out there, y’know.”

“Just wish I would’ve learned a bit more about the old lady’s fightin’ style. At first, I thought I could manage with the little I picked up. But in the end, I ended up relying on my power... Damn it.”

“Don’t beat yourself up about it, Ms. Mitsuki’s proud of you for trying to use Retribution Fist the way you did. Gotta admit, you actually looked pretty cool out there.”

“Yeah, yeah... As if I’d give her the pleasure of knowing I was gettin’ any use out of her lessons.”

Reito paused after speaking and pondered on what Shizuka just told him with a worried expression, breaking into a nervous sweat.

“H-Hey. ‘She’s proud’...? Ya talk like she already knows... But, you...didn’t actually tell Granny about the fight, didja...?”

As he glanced at her again, Shizuka turned away from him and looked up at the corner of the room. “...Welllll, I maaaay or may not have let her know over the phone a couple of hours ago... Maybe!”

“...If I wasn’t already regrettin’ anything that went down a while ago, I’m 100% committin’ to the idea now,” Reito sighed. “Hopefully, she’s not so excited she gets a heart attack or somethin. By the way, I expected to be poked at and prodded when I came to. Have ya seen an annoyin’ midget ninja with Lightnin’ colored hair around?”

“You’re talking about Evie, right? After everyone but us left, she grabbed Zeno’o and left. She did tell me to hit her up when you got dispatched though.”

“Great; I get a break, then; the more time I can spend away from her, the better. A second with her felt like an eternity. ...Uh, she told you her name? You talked to her?”

Shizuka beamed, her face brimming with joy. “Yeah...! We met when you and Chikara went at it. She was kinda spooked when she realized who I was, but after I explained myself, she actually believed me! After that, everything went great! She’s real friendly and nice, super easy to talk to, too! Maybe a little too friendly at points, still! My second friend...!”

A friend who ain’t me, huh...? Even though that girl annoys the hell outta me, only other time I’ve seen Shion like this was when she got that autographed catcher’s mitt.

A subconscious chuckle departed his mouth.

“Yeah... Other than the yapper on ‘er, as far as people go...she seems alright. ...Don’t tell her I said that, though. Please. Last thing I need is to give her more fuel for her fire,” he asked of her, flopping back on his hospital bed.

Shizuka pretended to run a zipper over her mouth. “Lips sealed.”

Suddenly, her phone began to vibrate, playing the song, “Paradise” by Rude-Alpha.

“Phone, dude.”

Shizuka picked it up. “Hello...? Oh! Yeah, he’s awake, and he can speak just fine. One sec, here he is.”

She handed the phone over to Reito. Although, seeing that it was for him, he seemed to have assumed who it was and put on a disgusted frown. He shook his head left and right, waved his arms and mouthed, “I ain’t here!”. But Shizuka insisted, passing it to him, anyway.

Reito answered with a grumble. “Who wants the discomfort of speakin’ to me?”

“Hiya, hiyaaa! Lil Reito! How are ya~?!” A voice that was somehow, both womanly and gruff at the same time, boomed through the phone’s speaker.

“Not dead, at least. Speaking of, you’re still alive, huh, ya old foggy?”

“Don’t count me out just yet! I’m still as strong and lively as 100 oxen! Nya-ha-haaa! In any case, congratulations! Your first fight in Capital City—not to mention it’s a win on one of the Student Council! That’s no small feat! When Shizuka told me about what happened, my heart nearly burst! And using my style no less. So, you have thought about promoting my dojo, eh?”

Reito groaned. “I didn’t say anythin’ about bein’ a walkin’ advertisement. ‘Sides, If I got a different Path entirely, I would’ve never thought once about usin’ Retribution.

“Don’tcha see?! That’s just it! Being gifted Delayed Impact and having the best Aura master in the world as a teacher! It’s fate, I tell you! Come on, Reito, didn't the thrill of battle bring out something that you never thought you’d experience!?” His Grandma asked.

He thought back to the fight hours ago. Despite the constant state of alert he was in, plus, the struggle of trying to maintain his composure. Maybe, just maybe, he had started to feel a rush. Was it happiness? Excitement? He wasn’t quite sure.

Maybe... There were times when I felt full of energy. I couldn’t wait to throw the next punch, or see what Meat Tank was gonna dish out. I wasn't shakin’ because I was afraid, It was... “Call me crazy, but in the moment, I felt like I was havin’ fun. The pressure, the anticipation. It didn’t feel half bad. A fight... So that’s what it’s like, huh, Granny?”

“Oh? Do I sense a hint of excitement in your tone~? Where’s your oh-so-famous monotone rebuttal~?” Mitsuki asked.

His face slightly heated up. “W-What I mean is; if I have to hear my heartbeat poundin’ in my ear 24/7 from adrenaline, then hell no! I’m not doin’ crap for your doj-!”

“So, you’ll sleep on it? Great! I knew I could at least get you to think about it! Well, I’ll leave you to your recovery. If you die before I do, I’ll never forgive you! Sayonara~!”

Before he could even respond, Mitsuki had confirmed what she thought he meant and ended the call. “Wait-! Damn it! She never listens to me! ‘Best Aura master in the world’. Bullshit! Why can’tcha get any students besides me, then?!

“Calm down, Rei. I’m sure she means well. Although, her methods are a little...pushy.”

Reito raised an eyebrow to his friend. “A little? She showers me with her brand of affection like I’m some hapless little kid. When I was 11, she put me through all sorts of weird training regimens. One time, she threw me into the forest and made me survive on my own for two days Not to mention-!”

“I know, I know, the constant spars whenever you go to visit. Can you blame her? You’re a total Reito, after all.”

“Since when did my name become a noun?!” He snapped. “Geez... Ya give her too much credit.” Reito looked up, “Although, her Retribution Fist is a big help. And for that matter, there’s still her pushin’ the agenda of me promotin’ the dojo... What to do about that...? ...Eh, I’ll think about it over a drink. Ya know what they say, ya do your best thinkin’ when you’re buzzed!”

Shizuka put her head in her hands, sighing. “And here I thought you had a moment of sensibility. You’re a real piece o’ work...”

***

With Reito dispatched, he and Shizuka headed to his dorm. Reito’s glasses, gone, thanks to the prior battle. He took to wearing contacts, instead.

“Finally! Reito stretched his arms over his head. “Man, hospitalization sucks! I couldn’t imagine bein’ in there for more than a day. The free food was probably the best thing about it; no doubt. On that part, maybe I should’ve be thanked ya for landin’ me in there the first time.

Shizuka’s cheeks showed a tinge of red. “Geez... You don’t hafta bring it up, I said sorry like a thousand times... Anyway, what do you expect when you piss off one of the Student Council? You’re lucky you didn’t get any major injuries or come out with some scars.”

“Actually, I do have somethin’ like that...”

“Where?! The doctor didn’t mention anythi-!”

“Do internal scars count? Pretty sure I have one somewhere in me from having actually interacted with otherurrgh!”

Shizuka jabbed him in the arm. “Jerk! You actually had me worried there!”

“Ugh... Heh... I’ll admit, that might've been a little poorly timed. Damn. One more hit like that from you, and I’ll find myself back in the bandages in no time,” he told her, rubbing his arm.

“Come on, as many of my punches you’ve taken, that should be nothing,” she scoffed with an annoyed half frown. “Scan in, already.”

“No problems with that,” Reito placed his hand on the scanner, door recognizing his print in seconds.

 “Ahhh! Now this is the crummy setup I’m used to! I never wanna leave again,” he mewled in satisfaction as he dove into his bed.

“You’ve definitely made it your own, that's for sure. ...Come to think of it—because of your win—you’ve got better living conditions coming your way. This weekend should be the last time you’ll live on the lower floors.”

Reito sat up. “Oh yeah, now that you mention it, I get a bigger weekly stipend to live on as well,” he looked around the place he had inhabited for about a month. Through every bit of the floor he’d scattered his household items on, to the disheveled bed and kitchen area. As Reito took it in, he couldn’t help but feel sentimental.

“Gotta say, I’m gonna miss the place. Buuut, think of all the stuff I could buy! 1200 Glint every two weeks was fine and all. But now, I bet I’ll be rollin’ in entertainment!”

Shizuka pinched the bridge of her nose. “They really should’ve put a limit on what you can buy… Lemme borrow your bathroom for a sec, gotta take a quick shower. Peek and you-”

“And I die. Yeah, yeah. Sure; just bring it back when you’re done,” Reito joked as his phone began to ring and vibrate, playing the song, “Lost in Paradise” by Ali for his ringtone.

“Huh, who the...? Don’t tell me it’s Granny, again?” Checking the phone, the name “Evie” was displayed on the screen, much to his confusion. “The hell? When did she-?!”

“Sure you don’t have any brain damage? Evie told me she had your contact info,” Shizuka enlightened him as she shut the bathroom door.”

Reito clicked his tongue, reluctantly answering the phone. “Ya got Reito.”

“How’s it going, Tochi? Glad to see you’re still alive!”

“Yeah! Suuuuper lucky, am I right~? Cut the crap, hobbit! There’s no way in hell I legitimately gave you a way to get in touch with me!”

“It’s your own fault y’know. If you weren’t so slow, you would’ve noticed that I snagged your phone for a second. Pretty nin-nin, huh?”

Also, a major invasion of privacy. She’s not Shion scary—but she’s somethin, he said in his head, knowing Shizuka wouldn’t approve if he said that aloud. “Sure, you’re the coolest. Anyway, what are ya up to? You’ve got some weird trick planned, right?”

“Awww! What gave it away?”

Seeing as she was indulging herself in teasing him earlier, he’d guessed she was a bit of a trickster. “Call it a hunch.”

“In any case, no trick! Just a little gift I have planned for you. Trust me, you’re gonna regret it if you refuse!”

Reito sighed. “Well, you’d end up givin’ it to me, anyway...so, why not. Surprise me,” he gave in, dreading her response as he heard the pitter patter of footsteps. “Hey...still there? Hello...?” A knock on his door followed, making him turn his head with a sigh. “Here we go again...I guess,” he got up and walked to his door, opening it with sheer unenthusiasm. “What the hell is- It?!” On the other side of the open door was his recently acquired “friend”—Evie. But to his surprise, she wore a completely different style.

She had let her hair down—her yellow locks that seemed to glisten and sparkle in the sunset’s light came down to her about halfway down her back. On her person was a traditional French maid outfit.

Evie spun on her heel and stopped to form a heart shape with her hands. Her motions as exaggerative as they were cutesy.

“Tadaaaa! The power of cuteness compels you~! Hope you’re ready to have your heart melted by Magical Mystical Maid Evie~!”

Reito blinked three times and swiftly closed the door. “I’m just seein’ things...right? I mean, my head seems okay at least. No brain damage,” he worried, grabbing his head while another string of knocks hit the door.

Opening it again, Reito closed his eyes and slowly opened them, only to realize the sight wasn’t just in his head.

“Wow, you actually got shocked. I figured you’d at least try to give off a, “Hmph...like I care.”, type of vibe, but that was a guy’s reaction, through and through; After all, it’s scientifically proven that guys can’t resist a cute maid~”

Reito stammered, understandably confused. “Wh-What scientist ever said that? Don’t be stupid! Who even told ya to swing by in the first place?!” Reito asked, his eyes darting around every so often, trying to refrain from scanning her up and down.

“Shizu invited me, of course. You guys were gonna celebrate with drinks, right? I’ve never really had any alcohol before, but it sounded like something I couldn’t pass up,” Evie said, skipping past the flustered Reito.

That’s what she calls Shion? He reluctantly followed her in as she stopped at his bedside and sat on the floor.

Reito was a little conflicted. It was quite a surprise that Shizuka was actually able to invite someone to hang out, considering the pre-conceived notions about her. Not only that, but they’d became friends in the same day. If only the girl she’d befriended had been tolerable in his eyes. But as it stands, he hovered between gladness and annoyance.

“She’s takin’ a shower, it’d be better if we waited on her before we cracked open the first round.”

“Orrrr...we could go peep,” she suggestively whispered. ”How bout it?”

Sneaky and bats for the same team, huh? “Yeeeaaah, no. I’d rather take my chances jumpin’ off a cliff—she’d destroy me.

(Continued in Part 2)