"Guess they really don't want me to find anything out, huh?"

"I guess not."

The two had kept their patrol the next two nights. Naomi's frustration had stayed up late, feeling that the universe wasn't giving her one single fucking inch - not one single fucking inch. The two had gone to the movies that morning, and their like of Death of Sol despite the critics had paved some foundation for Naomi's personality.

"…yeah. Ugh." Naomi nodded as they passed by an ice cream parlor. "Uh, wait - mind if we go get ice cream?"

"Sounds good." said Serena, and the two went inside, counter at the other end fifty feet away. The two cleared the clearing, and as Serena readied her payment -

" - um…" she muttered, glancing between flavors & menu. "Waffle cone - two scoops of chocolate chip cookie dough - and sprinkles."

"Chocolate or rainbow?" said the clerk.

"Rainbow." said the transgender woman.

"Uh - and I'll get…" Naomi glanced down, not knowing what she had liked. "…uh, lemme try - green tea. Two scoops - wafflecone."

"You've got it." said the clerk, scooping two green tea & two chocolate chip cookie dough. He handed them their cones and they went off to a table.

"Might as well try weird stuff." chimed Naomi, taking one lick; and wincing - " - yeah, no."

The two started laughing, Serena happier with her's than Naomi.

"What's it taste like?" grinned Serena, and Naomi laughed as she pressed her's over.

"Go ahead."

Serena took a spoonful; and winced - " - oh - yep -"

"- I'm gonna go get something else." laughed Naomi, heading off to go get something else. A minute later, she came back with two vanilla, more pleased than the last. "Much better."

"Much better." chimed Serena, and the two started eating.

"…yeah." nodded Naomi. "Much better. Um…"

Her eyes lowered, and Serena worried Miles was in her head again.

"Feeling okay?" said Serena, and Naomi nodded.

"…yeah." she mumbled. "I know, um. I know I've kinda been quiet since I talked with Tiffany, but…" She sat up. "I - was thinking about what you said, I guess. About, um - about how - that I could be however I wanted to be."

Serena nodded. "Plus, um - you've got me and Yuruko if you ever - need someone to talk to, too."

"Yeah." Naomi smiled. "Just been thinking about that, and -" - she laughed her embarrassment out - " - even - I mean, when you two tried to take me shopping - and I just bought a bunch of tracksuits -"

- the two laughed as Naomi continued. " - but - that's because I just - I didn't want to look stupid, or make you and Yuruko think that I… I just wanted to go with what I knew, I guess." She laughed. "But - I think I'm starting to just say…" She pinched her eyes. "…ugh. Sounds kinda dumb."

"What does?" laughed Serena.

"That - I just. I just wanna say 'fuck it' - for real this time. It doesn't... I mean." She nodded. "Even if I knew what I was like before, am I gonna like - if I was somebody that wasn't anything like how I am now, am I supposed to change for that?"

"I get what you mean." laughed Serena, and Naomi with her.

"…yeah. I could've been - I don't know. And - I still…" She sighed. "… I still want to know that, someday. I don't know if - maybe I never will, but - I want that to be something, now, where it's just… You know what I mean, right?"

"…um." Serena's smile burst in to a lemming's; the two laughed - " - you're being kinda vague -"

" - you're supposed to - help me out here, c'mon -" laughed Naomi -

" - I'm trying my best -" chimed Serena, and Naomi grinned.

"I just mean that - maybe I was like, super dorky or something -"

" - um, excuse -"

" - not - not like you and Yuruko, come on -" laughed Naomi, cackle threatening - " - you know what I mean!"

"Yeah." smiled Serena. "Ultra dorky."

"I just mean - different, yeah. But if I found that out, it wouldn't be like - it'd be like a bad highschool photo. Like - like a bad highschool photo, or something." She nodded. "Just gotta - focus on me now. Not me in the past."

"Sounds good."

"And I know I don't like green tea ice cream. But I like vanilla."

"That's a start." chimed Serena, and the two finished their meals.

As they left, Serena paused - " - oh, um - I need to go buy lottery tickets."

"Alright." nodded Naomi. "Uh - I'm gonna head back to the hotel."

"Coolio."

◆◆◆

Geno hated the idea now that it was just them, but knew Vinny would've tried it anyway. Better with him than solo. Once they finished up in Brigstone, Vinny would calm, and that would end their crime spree.

Four in the morning, the two entered one hall in Renewal Inn, staying quiet until they came up to room 322's door.

Nodding to Geno, Vinny swiped a card in; the door opened -

- and a doomed scene met their stare ahead of Serena still on her phone, sleep hygiene as poor as ever as she shot up; Vinny groaned -

" - are you fucking kidding -"

" - Naomi!" shouted Serena; Blackburn's tentacle shot to Naomi's left arm, Avalanche's arm forming as she yanked her over -

" - huh what -"

- and the next scene was instant.

Streams of fog flew in to the wall behind, and acid corroded a section through; in to the sudden hole swept one pajama-ed woman and yanked the other to the room adjacent, thankfully empty as they rushed to the center, beds adjacent -

" - wake up!" panted Serena, streams of fog filling Naomi's nostrils with smelling salts. The woman shot up immediately, Avalanche's arm fully readied as the two stood, fifty feet separating them and their foes, Vinny already scaled up -

" - fuck." winced Serena. "How'd you - fucking find our room?!"

[Persona 5 - Blooming Villain.]

Vinny laughed ahead, teeth growing like a true gator's. "A little birdie who works here told me!"

The floor started to buckle underneath the two's feet; the women jumped as it collapsed -

- and streams of fog filled it with wood, repairing it anew as they fell, but in the next instant -

- the floor corroded away again; streams of fog refilled it with asphalt, termites within the floor caught up in the concrete as the two landed again, stepping away to the back wall, two brothers stepping up ahead.

"You - saw that, right?" winced Serena; Naomi nodded -

" - termites. Maybe - insects?" she said; ahead, Vinny started rushing towards them. Needing distance first, the women rushed against the back wall, streams of fog filling it with acid and corroding another exit through -

- but the next scene was instant. A swarm of spittlebugs appeared within the aperture, foam spitting in to the hole -

- and closing it back up as Vinny caught up to them behind; his claws cleaved Serena's back open, teeth gripping her neck with the strength of a thousand back -

" - B-Blackburn - " she gagged as she thrashed -

- but felt with aghast senses her fog unable to penetrate, Vinny's pores&orifices closing against her black wisps, and in the next instant -

- Avalanche's arm gripped Vinny by his neck, throwing him with the strength of a thousand away and clear through one wall -

- and another -

- and another -

- and another -

- and another, Geno left alone ahead, fog refilling Serena's wounds as she staggered, panting as she spoke. "Can't - can't fill that guy - "

" - I can get him." said Naomi. Ahead, they saw Vinny rushing back like a snake through grass; his blood was still dripping down Naomi's arm, and in the next instant -

- she shrieked as his blood turned boiling, sudden heat starting to melt her arm -

" - Blackburn!" shouted Serena, streams of fog filling with new stones -

- and a swift snap of Avalanche's fingers formed a stone casing around the blood. Aim readied, Naomi threw it forward at Geno -

- and the keen end smashed his right eye in a burst of blood, white&red liquid melting as he screamed, Vinny catching up to him beside -

" - T-Trophus, fuck!" gagged Geno, hand clutching his gone-eye -

- and new spittlebugs formed within the grisly socket, spitting foam to refill the ghastly aperture, prodigal duo backing against the foamed-up wall -

" - fucking gross!" groaned Naomi, relevantly. Streams of fog cleared a new exit, and in to another room swept the woman, balcony left as they ran inside, fog refilling the hole with asphalt as they rushed to the center - but they had no time to rest.

A skittering began within the ceiling, and in the next instant -

- it started to crumble, termites within chewing with the speed of sound through, and as the rain of rubble started to fall -

" - Blackburn." panted Serena, cloud of fog repairing the ceiling with new stone above. The mentor whispered to her protege as they ran out to the balcony. The street & street-sign was below, and in the next instant -

- a dozen jets of blood burst out of the wall and towards them; underneath eleven dodged the two -

- but one hit Serena's tentacle shoulder-on; she shrieked and staggered, skin melting and flesh starting to droop like a boiled tumor -

" - Naomi! Slice it off!" she shouted -

- and a whirl of a sharp Avalanche finger went through the boil, amputating it as they dodged another red jet, Blackburn's tentacle regenerating as the two came up to the balcony's rail. They heard Vinny & Geno enter the room behind, and as the two leaped off -

- a centipede coiled like a lasso around Naomi's neck -

- but the next scene was instant. Stone fingers snapping, the concrete roof turned to dust behind -

- and the rain of rubble crushed the two brothers down, sharp asphalt that had survived severing the connection as the women landed on the sidewalk, staggering as they landed. Fog repaired their blisters and wounds as they kept their rush up to the road, street-sign ahead as they turned back.

"Got - got some space now." panted Serena. Naomi nodded beside, asphalt readying to bow to Avalanche's command. "Ugh - I don't have my - cup, though - " she winced -

" - we got this." nodded Naomi as they backed away, two wounded brothers on the balcony ahead now. Vinny leaped to the wall and started climbing down, and Geno's hands flashed out -

" - Trophus!" he shouted, and in the next instant -

- a line of wasps burst out of his hands and flew towards the women -

- but streams of fog filled every last insect with knives, metal slashing and blood bursting as the two stepped back to the middle lane of the road, Vinny reaching the ground ahead. Rushing to the street-sign, his claws gripped the pole tight -

- and ripped it clear out of the ground. He threw it towards Serena, and as her tentacle readied to block the projectile -

- a jet of blood melted the projectile in mid-air -

- and the pole wrapped around her like a car around a tree; breath shoved from her lungs, Vinny rushed towards her with claws outstretched -

- just in time for Avalanche's arm to bash his chest in, Naomi taking up the front as he staggered back. He started his charge again, Serena still trapped and starting to choke -

- but streams of fog flew in to the melted pole & over-filled it with water; and in to a hundred shards burst the street-sign, new breath flowing in her to as Naomi blocked Vinny's swipe ahead. Streams of fog flew in to his ears -

- but he swept with the speed of a reptile back&away; the two dodged left -

- just in time to avoid a centipede lasso from Geno, who was ground-level now, thirty feet separating the two. Wanting distance first again, the women started to back away again -

- but swept with the speed of light forward as one car narrowly missed them from the right -

" - FUCKING ASSHOLE!" shouted Naomi; a stone bullet hit his back tires left -

- and in to another line of parked cars crashed the fucking asshole, alarm filling the streets as the prodigal duo backed to the sidewalk. Vinny&Geno were on one end, Naomi&Serena the other, fifty feet separating them. They heard the civilian stagger out of his vehicle -

" - WHAT'S THE BIG -"

" - URASARIA!" shouted Serena, relevantly, eyes sharp ahead -

" - YOU THINK THAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO -"

" - WE HAVE LEGAL IMMUNITY, YOU FUCKING -"

" - NEXT ONE IS GOING IN YOUR FUCKING SKULL! GET THE FUCK AWAY!" shouted Naomi, and they didn't hear him again after that.

Aggression running with no rest, Vinny started rushing towards them again. As he cleared the clearing, Naomi stomped; a fissure split open the road -

- and dunked him in to the acid Serena had planted underneath -

- but as he fell, the next scene was instant. Jets of blood erupted from his eyes, hitting the bottom of the pool -

- and carving a drain for the acid through, keeping him alive as he landed in the bath-turned-puddle. Claws gripping in to the road, he climbed up, blood spraying towards Naomi as he rushed towards her - " - swear to God I'll fucking -"

" - Avalanche!" she shouted & dodged & stomped -

- and a spike of asphalt went all the way through Vinny from below. A horrific gasp erupted from him as the two swept back, geyser of blood avoiding them narrowly as a swarm of mosquitos appeared ahead. They blinked stupidly for an instant, but in the next -

- Serena realized Geno's plan then. She yanked Naomi with her as she dodged right, veering on to the road again as they ran -

" - don't kill those!" she shouted; eyes ripping behind, she saw a swarm flying with the speed of insects towards them, and as the cloud came close -

- tendrils of fog grew from her tentacle, and filled every last mosquito with sponges -

- that started instantly to melt, Vinny's blood contained within them as new blood-infused swarms kept in pursuit, parked cars & one wrecked flanking them as they rushed. Naomi whispered to Serena. The punk nodded, streams of fog overfilling every gas tank they passed by, Naomi stomping and launching every car they passed by in to the air -

- and they sighed as their eyes turned back to see no two-ton projectiles hitting Geno, standing beside his impaled brother now. Vinny's Revenant was still active, cars landing uselessly behind the two men, eighty feet separating them from he -

- and a laugh like none other escaped them as they saw his face pale, gasoline now drenching the entire road between them that had dripped out of the vehicles -

" - let's go!" chimed Serena, giving Naomi her sleeve; a knife of stone sliced it off, and streams of fog filled it as she threw it in to the flammable pool -

- and the entire road was claimed by the enormous blaze in an instant; Geno shrieked -

- but a swift swarm of mosquitos sucked the gasoline away from him, entire street drenched in flames, hearing but not seeing the women ahead. Another swarm of mosquitos appeared around, fear&grief peaking as he felt Vinny burn to death beside -

'Don't have - fuck, fuck -' he thought, and in the next instant -

- a miniscule hole opened in the road ahead -

- and blasted a jet of gasoline in his face; he shrieked as he staggered back, desperate beetles trying to shield his face as his skull burst in to flames, path clearing in the fire ahead -

- and Serena's fog filled his nostrils in the next, knocking him unconscious and extinguishing the flames -

" - got him!" she shouted, and Naomi nodded behind. The two set as fast as they could along the road, cocoons of asphalt swallowing the spreading flames, streams of fog extinguishing the red blaze.

The two didn't speak again until they came back, one corpse & one unconscious beside.

"…good." panted Serena, and Naomi nodded.

"Y-Yeah. In - middle of the night, too, j-jeez."

"Yeah." nodded Serena. "Let's just - need to calm. Need to - change hotels, too, once we…"

Naomi nodded. The two sat for a while, thinking. Naomi's eyes eventually went to Geno.

"… he's - just sleeping, right?" said Naomi, and Serena nodded.

"Unconscious, yeah. I used sleeping gas. Um." Her lips curled up. "...if you - wanted to ask him about that guy."

Naomi thought for a minute. She'd already accepted that the universe didn't want her to know, doubted he would know or say why, and her blank slate was starting to get sculpted. She wanted to say no again.

"…let's, um…" Her eyes lowered. "Mind if we just - bring him in alive?"

"Sure."

◆◆◆

A week later, Geno had been arraigned, and the heroic duo agreed to return for testimony when it was time. Naomi had decided to skip out on questioning.

That night, the two kept patrol until an hour before their train out of Brigston. Serena had found out about the town's arcade and didn't relent until they visited.

"Gonna have to run to make our train." chimed Naomi as they stepped inside.

"Can just get another one." chimed Serena. "Plus, this is only the second time I've seen an arcade in-person."

"When was the first time?"

"A long story." laughed Serena, metafictionally. "I'll tell you about it on the way back."

"Sure thing."

Blackburn's quarters filled their pockets as they came past one machine -

" - wait, they have Beatmania here?" said Serena, relevantly as she turned to an arcade cabinet right, controller with a turntable & five buttons.

"Looks cool." said Naomi as they came up.

"Yeah. It's, um - it's a rhythm game, so - you have to play along with the beat."

"Mind if I try it first?"

"Sure."

Naomi crouched to the slot, inserting Blackburn quarters. A list of songs appeared on-screen, and as she scrolled down -

" - oh, I know this one." she said, taking up pop. She selected one. A black&white highway appeared left, display of the controller underneath; and notes running at furious pace in to it -

- but her Revenant-swiftness couldn't save her from failing in ten seconds, leaving the two laughing -

" - shit -" laughed Naomi - " - I thought it'd be, uh -"

" - easy with our reflexes?" laughed Serena, and Naomi grinned as she slid in another quarter.

"Yeah, but - ugh, I don't wanna play on Easy." she laughed.

She played on Easy, fortunately better than the last.

"Much better." chimed Serena.

"Yeah." laughed Naomi. "Actually kinda like this one."

"Finally." said Serena, and the two laughed.

"Yeah." Naomi smiled. "I guess… I dunno. Tried not to… get my hopes up, but - still kinda disappointed."

"The, um… talking with Tiffany, you mean?"

Naomi nodded. "Yeah. Sorry - was just thinking about that. Again." She laughed. "But. Guess I have a job, a Revenant, and a good mentor. I'm in a good position, so - just gotta focus on that stuff. Really done all I can this time."

"And you have me and Yuruko for friends." chimed Serena.

"And you and Yuruko for friends. Wanna try next?"

[END OF ARC: FILL IN THE BLANK]