“I don't think we should get involved…” Ettie bit her lip. “I’ve never seen Boss this angry…”

Robin nodded. “Yeah… We’ll just be getting in the way.”

“Until Boss gives the order, I believe it would be for the best if we stay put.” Celine agreed, though she looked miffed by the decision. “Even though I would rather put an end to him right here.”

“But…” 

The four of us merely stood there, unable to do anything but watch as Blaze and Thorn clashed.

“You know, I really didn't come here looking for a fight!” Thorn’s shadows were starting to overpower Blaze's flames.

“Ungh…!” Though Blaze was struggling, she focused on strengthening her flames. “Your actions don't match your words!” 

Thorn twitched. “...Shifting the blame when you attacked me first?” His shadows grew larger as he furiously faced Blaze head-on. “This is only self-defense!”

“Ack!?”

Though they were evenly matched a moment ago, Thorn’s shadows overpowered Blaze’s flames and she was sent flying back.

“Boss!!”

“Blaze…!!” 

“Don't come closer!” The four of us tried to run to her side, but her scream stopped us. “It’s too dangerous!”

Thorn’s face darkened, his hands balled into fists. He looked genuinely angry.

“Dangerous…” He muttered. 

Blaze picked herself up from the grass, wiping the dirt off her face with her knuckle.

“...You know, I really didn't want to get involved with Regret if I could help it. So long as Regret didn't get in Crime's way, I planned to leave you alone.”

Thorn stared at her head on, his white eyes cold as he inched closer. “But you just had to go and get in my way, didn’t you?” The look in his eyes sent a chill down my spine.

Scary! He’s way too scary! Why does he want to recruit me?! 

But I couldn't just stand here helplessly when I was the reason Blaze was in this situation…! Not when I finally had a lead to my siblings… I had to do something! Anything!

I ran towards Thorn and Blaze and called out loudly enough to distract them. “T-T-Thorn Shadowshh…!” But I stuttered and bit my tongue.

“Luna…?! Didn't I just tell you to stay back?!”

Blaze objected worriedly, but I wasn't backing down. Thorn quickly directed his attention from Blaze to me, but the awkward silence paired with everyone's stares made me want to go crawl somewhere and hide.

Did I really have to screw up that badly!?

I could feel my face flare up with embarrassment, but Thorn's stare was making me more nervous. His white eyes peered into me while he waited for me to continue.

“A-Ah, u-um…” I tried to speak, but in my fear, my words were failing me.

I need to ask about my siblings. I need to ask why he wants to recruit me. I need to ask about Crime. I need to ask—

The questions kept piling up but I was too scared to say anything.

He suddenly smiled cheerfully. “What is it?” And he sounded… kinder, somehow? 

“Huh…?” I wondered aloud.

Thorn tilted his head quizzically while still smiling cheerfully. And the aura he gave off was gentler… 

Is this… really the same person…?

He was definitely treating me differently than he did Blaze, which was… odd. He looked less intimidating now that his shadows had dissipated, but the sudden switch only made me more uneasy. 

C-Calm down, Luna…! Now that you have his attention, you need to ask about your siblings!

I gulped nervously. “D-D-Do you know anything about Violet and Eon Ione…?!” I was no longer able to ask questions calmly, and I ended up blurting it out before I realized.

He blinked. “Violet and Eon Ione?”

“T-They’re my older siblings… Twins with purple hair and black eyes—” I started to explain before stopping myself. “No… You probably already know all that, right? If you know who I am, you must know about my siblings.”

Thorn hummed. “I might know something. Orrr… I might not.”

“W-What's with that vague answer…? You either know something or you don't!” I didn't mean to raise my voice, but I was starting to get annoyed with him.

He didn't seem bothered by it, though. In fact, he looked amused by my reaction. “You’re right, I do. But whether or not I give you a straight answer—” He pointed a finger in my direction. “That depends on you.”

“W-What do you mean by that…?”

“Hm? I already told you, didn't I?” His smile was only looking more eerie. “I want you to join Crime.”

…I suspected as much. From the start, I was prepared to give myself to Crime if they could lead me to Violet and Eon. That was always my plan. But now that it actually came to this, I was feeling a little uneasy about it.

Enlisting Crime’s help wasn't going to be easy. Of course I knew that. But…

He’s a little scary…

I still didn't understand why Thorn Shadows was searching for me, but the fact that he was did nothing to ease my nerves.

“No need to look so nervous. I won't bite.” Thorn chuckled lightly. “But, well, I don’t give information away for free. I’ll tell you what you want to know, but only if you agree to join our organization. Don't you think it's a fair enough exchange?”

He stretched his hand out with an eerie grin, as if waiting for me to take it. I stared at his hand, my heart thumping rapidly while my mind raced with panic.

Take his hand. Just take it. You're doing this for your siblings.

I knew I couldn’t waste this chance. It hadn't even been a day since I joined Regret. I had no lingering attachments to them… 

…Right?

I felt like that wasn't true. Ettie was my friend. I wanted to get along with Celine and Robin. And Blaze…

I wanted to get to know her more.

I shook my head of these thoughts. That didn't matter. No matter how much I wanted to make friends with them, it was never part of my goal. I had been searching for Crime for six long years. I would be a fool to not take this chance.

“What do you say, Luna Ione?” Thorn asked with a sinister smile.

I felt a chill go down my spine as I held in a gasp, but I took a few steps closer to him and raised my trembling hand—

“Luna, don’t!” Blaze’s cry had snapped me out of my thoughts. She glared at Thorn. “What do you mean 'a fair exchange'!? You’re just trying to use Luna’s siblings as a bargaining chip to get her to join Crime!”

“That’s not—!” Thorn turned his gaze towards Blaze and glared at her furiously.

“For all we know, you could be lying that you have information on her siblings. You seem desperate enough to do that.” 

Thorn flinched, appearing to be offended by the accusation. “I-I wouldn't do that!”

“And where's the proof you wouldn't do that? Everything you've said to us points in that direction. You’re suspiciously fixated on recruiting her.”

“That's because I…!” Thorn stopped himself mid-sentence and clicked his tongue in frustration.

“Because you… what?” Blaze narrowed her eyes.

But Thorn didn't say anything. He continued to glare at Blaze and kept his mouth tightly shut.

If Blaze hadn't interrupted… 

I quickly pulled my hand away, much to Thorn’s shock, and mentally thanked Blaze for the interruption. 

Thorn immediately turned his attention back to Blaze. “Youuu…! You just won't stop getting in my way, will you?!”

“If protecting my teammate is 'getting in your way', then yes, I won't stop.” Blaze glared at him, her red eyes piercing like daggers.

I decided to try asking again. “...W-Why do you want to recruit me? I won't go with you if you won't tell me here.”

“You heard her. Now, tell us the truth.” Blaze demanded.

Thorn hummed. “Well, that’s a problem.” He put his finger to his chin and murmured to himself. “I’m not supposed to reveal anything to outsiders…”

…That was only more suspicious. So, he would only tell me once we were away from Regret?

“Neither of us are outsiders if it concerns one of our teammates!” Blaze glared.

“Is that right? Well, not that I care. I see no reason to answer something that doesn't concern you.” Thorn answered coldly. “Your connection to Luna Ione has nothing to do with ours.”

“And what connection does she have to Crime…?”

Thorn only sneered. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Crime’s connection to me…?

What did he mean by that? 

But before I could ask, Thorn started speaking again. “...This has become a real problem, though.” Thorn let out a tired sigh. “If only Regret didn't get involved, things wouldn't have gotten so complicated!”

He turned his gaze towards me, narrowing his eyes as he muttered under his breath. “...Should I just drag her with me by force?”

“W-What… did you just say...?” In an instant, I felt paralyzed with fear. I couldn't move, my mind had gone into nothing but panic.

“...Oh.” Thorn paused. “Oh, whoops! Did I say that out loud? My bad!” He laughed, taking a few steps closer. “You weren't supposed to hear that.”

He was going to capture me.

“You…!? Are you crazy?!” Flames emerged from Blaze’s hands. “There’s no way I’ll let you do that!”

Blaze immediately dashed in front of me and put on a protective stance, spreading her arms out wide. 

Though she was trying to act tough, I could notice her hands shaking. But I couldn't blame her. I was scared, too.

W-Why…? What does he want with me…?!

Everything about him was suspicious! I couldn't trust him at all!

Shadows began to emerge from Thorn’s gloves and they whirled around him. “Last chance. If you hand Luna Ione over to me, I won't fight you. We could go our separate ways… Go back to pretending the other doesn't exist.” 

“I won't hand Luna over to you!” Blaze glared at him, her stance firm.

“...That's a shame. I guess you leave me no other choice.”

Thorn spun his finger in the air, even more shadows whirling around him as he did so, and then he swung his hand down, the shadows rapidly heading in our direction. 

“Stay behind me, okay?” Though Blaze was also scared, she spoke calmly.

I felt like I couldn't just hide and do nothing.