[Monday, September 2]

The protégé and mentor separated at the arena early morning. The two would have a new mentor and new protégé until Friday night, though they'd still see each other when the day's training finished up.

Mia was in the second-year line again, her new protégé's name on her tablet. "Roman Isidore."

A man drew out of the line, and the two separated to one wall of the arena. The rest of the second-years, sans one, called out their names, and soon, only Kirihara and Serena stood.

"Guess you're mine for the week." muttered Kirihara, a wave to the corner as they walked down. "Serena Kunst, yeah?"

"Yes."

"'Kay. I'm Kirihara Kishor." She shrugged. "C'mon. Let's fight."

"I - um, sure, I guess." mumbled Serena. "I only got my - new - Revenant last week, though, uh. I had it transferred."

"You - uh, what?"

"I used to have a different Revenant my first week, but um - I swapped with Saya in the infirmary."

Kirihara sighed. "Great. You're about to tell me you're not used to it, aren't you?"

"I - er, no, I just - thought you should know."

"Ugh. Whatever. Let's just go." Kirihara's sawblade and hilt formed in her hands, and Serena stepped a distance away, a shield filling her right hand. "Ready?"

"I - uh, sure, I guess -"

" - dodge!"

- Carve shot out from its hilt, spinning and seeking Serena's neck as it shattered through her shield -

- but a second fog filled the cracks, and again and yet again the saw spun, milling and carving through, cracking any defense Serena could offer. Inch by inch, the pressure of Kirihara's strikes forced her back, and as the corner approached behind -

- Carve pierced through her shield, shooting to Serena's neck -

- and spun suddenly down her right arm, spinning a crimson sprinkler as it cut halfway through; but a stream of black fog shot through Carve's center, extending to the corner's walls -

- and turning to steel, trapping the sawblade as a key on a ring.

"Everyone always tries that." grunted Kirihara.

The saw split in to two halves, and slashed down Serena's arms and shoulders -

" - okay - okay! Concede!" she panted, and the saws hovered at her neck.

"Giving up that easily?" said Kirihara, and the halves disappeared. "Weird. Should put up more of a fight than that, yeah?"

"H-How do I counter that?" panted Serena, gesturing Saya over, arms peeled clear open.

"I don't know. It's your Revenant." sighed Kirihara. Given how shitty Jake was, she had been hoping for someone better for swap week; but it just proved her string of bad luck again.

Saya was with them now, and she glanced between the two before she started writing on Serena's forehead.

"And how has Blackburn been working for you?" She smiled.

"D-Decently." smiled Serena. "Is - Odyssey doing okay with the healing?"

Her now scarless arms gave the answer, and the two laughed.

"Like sisters." Saya winked, and Kirihara waited until she was gone to speak.

"Come on. I'll go easier on you this time, yeah?"

"S-Sure."

◆◆◆

[Tuesday, September 3]

Catherine had received a letter addressed to her mother that day, and the name was still forcing out tears when she turned on the news. Footage of Matoi was on.

The wedding had been hard at it recently, and though Catherine didn't have any reason for her stake in it, she hoped Matoi would be the next student body president. She'd saved fifty people from a attack on a train that day; and when Matoi won, Catherine got motivated. She could look at a picture of Matoi and match that smile, or feel that victory - and if she drew it, it really was their's, too.

Today, she'd draw that train savior. Matoi would love that one.

◆◆◆

That afternoon, Serena and Kirihara arrived at the bank to a bloody scene. The tellers' windows were drowned in gore, there were corpses on split desks, and a door at the back-right led to outside the vault. The women stepped carefully across the lobby, hearing skittering from the back room.

"Revenant." muttered Kirihara, Carve in hand, ready to fly off the handle. "Knows we're here already. Guess they triggered the silent alarm."

"R-Right."

The two came up to the tellers' window. Carve shattered the glass as they vaulted over the barrier, corpses dotting the ground. With no time to waste, the women ran right along the back wall, and as Serena stepped over one casual head -

- a geyser of blood burst from its eyes and painted the back wall; the liquid reformed to a crimson splatter, and a series of tendrils burst out, seeking Kirihara's neck -

- but a whirlwind of steel went through the hideous trunks, slicing clear through -

- but the tendrils regrew from their sheared trunks, doubling in number&length; another dozen shot to Carve and gripped it tight, coiling like red wires around, clogging the incessant spin as if a rusted cog. A far longer tendril looped through the saw's center and yanked it deeper, and as its brethren sought to crush it whole -

- a stream of black fog flew in to the pool and filled it with heat, boiling the tendrils to vapor; and a second stream turned the pool to red steam. Serena crouched below, setting to work on the corpses down, filling and draining their blood out.

"Good." mumbled Kirihara. "I could've gotten it, but that makes it easier."

"E-Er, right." said Serena, and the two started running again, coming to the door on the other end, pressing against the walls beside.

"Some sort of liquid Revenant." mumbled Kirihara. "Get ready."

"Okay, ready -"

- the portal buckled inward as a swipe from Carve sliced it open; in to the steel room swept the women, door on the other end closed, carpet of water covering the floor -

- and out of the blue pool erupted a field of watery tendrils -

- but swept with the speed of water back as Serena's fogged hand raised.

"I - fuck, can't go right through this." grunted Kirihara.

Carve flew ahead, and as it reached halfway across the room -

- the tendrils erupted underneath and grew, vicious swipes catching only air as Carve swept up and away, stopping inches before the door as it reached the end of its range.

"Gotta fucking get through this - c'mon, do the same thing!"

With a nod, Serena ran on to the watery pool -

- but the liquid moved away, contorted itself and avoided her hand, her fog a wild flurry as she rushed to the center of the room - " - uh - it's -"

- and before she realized it, she was trapped, a circle of liquid forming around; four tendrils burst out and shot to her wrists and ankles, and as a fifth cleaved down her back -

- a whirl of Carve hacked the trunk of one, flashing to and from existence as it dodged a second set, slicing the tendrils at Serena's wrists and ankles -

- but a final tendril coiled around her torso, gripping her tight; a second flick, and she was thrown right through the vault door, tendrils slashing her chest as she flew, meeting another watery floor as she landed.

She shot to her feet as she saw their foe at the other end, the water ankle-high now; at her back, she heard Kirihara's pained scream, and the new mentor landed beside her, having been thrown the same way. Serena flashed her right hand back, and a panicked stream of fog filled the door behind with steel -

" - why?!" shouted Kirihara - " - god, you fucking - CARVE!"

The carpet of tendrils began to grow below, and as the tentacles prepared to rip them alive -

- the next scene was instant.

Kirihara threw Carve ahead & above; she leaped up and landed on it, footwork stable as she rode it ahead to their foe -

- and the saw cleaved his head clear from his shoulders, sprinkling chunks of gore around as it spun down his spine. The watery carpet disappeared as Kirihara jumped off, spinning the blade on her finger as a basketball. "Ugh. Whatever. Nothing to worry about."

Serena nodded. "Y-Yeah. S-Sorry. P-panicked."

Kirihara's head shook as she took her tablet out and scanned.

"…done. Another bounty for me." She yawned, threw her hand over her shoulder as she walked past Serena.

"And me, right?"

"… uh. No, not you. You almost got us killed with that stupid - whatever, I'll be nice, not get on to you about it. I was the one who saved us. Yeah? Plus - nearly rank #20. Need all the bounties I can get." She shook her head. "C'mon. Let's get back to Urasaria, yeah?"

"...I guess so. S-Sorry, um. Let's go."

◆◆◆

[Wednesday, September 4]

Serena came home late to Mia. She didn't want to show weakness to her mentor, but the more she held it tight, the more leaks started. When she was in highschool, she'd been called 'faggot' a few times, and that people of that type attended Urasaria bugged her.

"At least we save on grocery trips now." she laughed, steadily filling a jug with milk while the two sat on the couch. "Uh - think the supply of fog is growing, too."

"Good." chimed Mia. "I'm glad we were able to find you a - better Revenant. Saya has been pleased with it, as well."

"Good. At… at least you appreciate it." Serena slumped back on the couch. "Ugh - I just. No, I'm not gonna do some vague bitching about it. My swap mentor sucks."

"Kirihara?" said Mia, feeling familiar in a different position.

"Yeah. I mean - why - why does she have to - have to just -" - her tears started up - " - she just fucking yelled at me when - we finished up a fight, and I accidentally filled her wounds with water and - it - it doesn't hurt that bad, right?"

"I - no, I don't… She yelled at you?" For a second, Mia thought about stomping over to Kirihara's house now. She was starting to feel protective of Serena, and figured she'd keep that way for the first half of the semester.

"… y-yeah." mumbled Serena, giving the floor a pout. "Feel like a baby even getting sad about it. I know I probably could've focused more, or just not let it affect me, but…"

"No." said Mia, taking a hand on her knee. "Matoi and I yelled at you - but it was to ensure you were able to perform well under pressure. There was a point to it - not a punishment."

"… It was kinda funny." Serena gave a choked laugh. "Ugh, it just sucks. It - it shouldn't even affect me like that."

"Two more days." Mia nodded. "Correct?"

"Yeah." Serena's smile held weak. "Yeah. Just - two more days. Won't have to ever deal with her again, after that. Right?"

"Right." Mia smiled.

"…yeah." mumbled Serena. "Um. Thanks for comforting me, too."

"Of course. Er - let me know if you need a different mentor for swap week, or - if you would prefer to stay with me for the week."

"U-Um." Serena laughed nervously. "It's fine. Just - just need to not let her get to me."

Mia nodded, but felt Serena was trying to be too mature.

Serena felt they were both infantalizing her, though she preferred Mia's to Kirihara's, and was heavily glad she'd been assigned to the former. For a second, she compared Mia to her mother in her head; that they'd both been worried about the 'real world' for different reasons, but she shook it out thinking she was overreacting.

◆◆◆

[Thursday, September 5]

The tumultuous pair arrived outside a clothing store, badges down. They saw customers through the glass doors, store narrow & long, aisles of clothing left & right.

"This is the place." yawned Kirihara. "Said they'd had some undercover shit going on here."

"They - huh?"

"Didn't I tell you? Whatever. Some cops were luring some chick to try to rob this store."

A woman passed by them, red hair and a black streak, entering through the doors.

"Oh." mumbled Serena. "No, you did tell me."

"Yeah. C'mon. Have a better memory than that, yeah?"

Another woman passed by and entered, pink hair and red bangs, wearing five sweaters.

"Um - yeah, I guess -"

- a scream of terror arose from the store, and as the women turned -

- a bloodied scene met their stare. The five-sweater woman stood at the center of the store, red strands of fabric bursting from her outfits and slicing through the civilians; with no time to waste, the two rushed inside, fifty feet separating them and she, civilians fleeing through the exits front and back.

The woman, whose name was Geiyuna, laughed as she caught sight of the two women with Carve and fog in hands.

"Did you really think that'd work?" she said, laughing again. "I was the one who chose this place, after all!"

From the aisles flew a swarm of clothes, pulled to Geiyuna as if a magnetized force, melting to red strands and in to her outfits. She pulled a gargantuan sewing needle from her back, and as she pricked a corpse below -

- their clothes disappeared and melted to red strands. The two started their rush forward -

- but a series of red strands shot from the aisles, gripping and coiling Kirihara's wrists and ankles; but she was fired to the speed of a maddened tiger. A whirl of steel went through the trunks again, slashing to fabric the red fibers; only a dozen feet separated Kirihara and Geiyuna now, and as their weapons clashed -

- she found far more strength, her back craned down underneath the immense might. She swept back from the clash, and as Geiyuna rushed in pursuit -

" - CARVE!"

- the sawblade detached from its hilt, flew forward with the speed of steel -

- and cleaved clear Geiyuna's neck in a shower of crimson. The bloodied head fell down her torso, and as her limbs fell rigid -

- a bizarre scene met their stare. Geiyuna's hands gripped her head as it fell, a single red strand connecting it still, and as she twisted it like a screw back on -

- a second head popped up next to her own, and the two laughed as they stepped forward.

"Try cutting -- both ways! -- if you have another chance!"

"I fucking can." grunted Kirihara. Carve flew back to her, splitting in to two halves as Geiyuna rushed danger close -

- but a bash of her sewing needle shattered the saw halves, the presence of clothing enhancing her strength; with no defense left, the agony reflected on to her, Kirihara stumbled back -

- and Geiyuna was among her with a rush and a gigantic bound. Her needle pierced Kirihara's chest, and as she readied for the final blow -

- a cloud of black fog filled Geiyuna's two throats -

- and filled her two necks and lungs with scissors, slashing through her throat and eyes, slicing through and out both ways. Her limbs fell rigid, with no strands left, and they knew she was dead.

"S-Sweet." panted Serena, far more pleased than Saya had been.

"Good - good job." said Kirihara, tapping her tablet to confirm the kill.

"I - huh?"

"I said good job. Ears still working, right?" Kirihara laughed. "Still. Hope you don't mind me taking this one - but you did good. It's just - last one before rank #20."

"... er. No, go ahead. You - helped too. A lot."

Kirihara laughed as she put her tablet back. At first she'd thought Serena was odd and a bit annoying, particularly that she didn't talk much & stuttered when she did; but she was better than Jake for a protégé, and Kirihara was considering asking Mia for a swap. If Serena could clean up a bit, she wouldn't mind training her out of mediocrity.

"Can tell you're trying to flatter me." said Kirihara. "Let's go out for dinner - something like that should be celebrated."

"My - mentor is expecting me back soon."

"Aw, c'mon. You gonna be a party pooper?"

"I'd - she's real strict."

"Who, Schultzy?" She shook her head. "Eh. Never seemed scary to me - but whatever. Catch you tomorrow."

"Catch you tomorrow."

◆◆◆

[Friday, September 6]

Serena woke up eager that day, and Mia gave her a securing smile as the two went out. Mia was meeting her new protégé at the first-year's building, and Serena, the second-year's. She waited a few minutes for Kirihara, and as the latter came up the stairs, Serena tightened. She wanted to say she wouldn't let Kirihara bother her today, but she'd thought that on Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday too.

"C'mon. Last day together, yeah?" smirked Kirihara, leading Serena through the doors and down the hall. "Got a special arena for us."

"We're... dueling again?" Serena's mouth went grim.

"Mmhm. Hope that's alright. Yeah?"

"Yeah."

The two went down a row of doors, came up to one near the end. As Kirihara tried the door, she grinned as she found it unlocked, and as the two stepped inside -

- Serena clenched a gasp, the walls appearing to be of solid water. "What - what is this?"

"Water-steel. Shut the door."

Serena shut the door, in as much awe as Mia had been. "Water-steel?"

"Yeah. Don't worry. No one - really -" she grunted - " - uses this fucking room, anyway."

The two separated to opposite ends, and Serena braced again as she saw Carve form.

"Ready?"

"Re-"

- the door opened, and in came Jeanne and her new protégé, a woman with three red braids.

"Uh. This is my training room." said Jeanne, head cocked.

Serena's eyes went low, sensing it.

"Really?" said Kirihara. "Barely used it when you were 'mentoring' me."

Jeanne stayed silent, tapped her protégé's shoulder, who she'd already warned about Kirihara.

"Are you going to keep falling in to comas with - her! - too?" said Kirihara, stomping over now, none of the eyes in the room listening to her but Jeanne's. "Fucking awful mentor you were - constantly abandoning me. Had to fight so many times on my own while you were - while you were always in a fucking coma!"

Jeanne's therapist taught her how to deal with Kirihara. "… I'm sorry. I won't bother you if you want to use this room."

"Yeah. I do. Go away."

Jeanne tapped her protégé's shoulder, and they went out quiet. Kirihara slammed the door shut and turned.

"… ugh. She's like that, too." she muttered, stepping across from Serena. "She doesn't even feel bad about it. Not one fucking bit."

"I - don't know who she is."

"Used to be my mentor. Made up some story about how her Revenant put her in to comas if she used it too much, so she barely fucking trained me. Coincidentally, by the time the year's over - she tells me she fixed it!"

"We should - train, and get your mind off of it."

"… Yeah. Whatever. It sucks, though. Had to fight so much on my own, without any help. No help at all. Awful thing to do. You get it, right?"

"I do."

◆◆◆

A knock came at Mia's door that night, and with a smile, she pulled it open. There stood Serena with a stretching sigh. "Man. That's the only swap week this year, right?"

"The only one, fortunately." nodded Mia. "Are you alright, Serena? I'm sorry that you had to endure that."

Serena gave her a nod and smile. "Yeah. Man, though. That bitch is crazy."