Siren Song

[May 1, 2019]

The final day of the spring semester had come, and after Aimee has made her speech re-accepting Urasaria's presidency, as Rank #1, four heroes sat down in the Council of Four's office to read their fanmail.

"My first package." muttered Matoi, one package and five letters.

"Maybe someone like, bought you a gift." chimed Marisa, fourteen letters.

"Hopefully they, uh, know we can't look at these until the end of the year." laughed Aimee, three boxes of letters.

"I suppose it wouldn't work for perishables." murmured Mia, four letters.

Matoi took her package to her ear and rattled it, but found little sound inside. Marisa handed her a Boudoir-knife, and Matoi cut it open to reveal a dozen pencil drawings of herself.

"…that's, uh… pretty dedicated." said Aimee.

Matoi frowned as she examined it. For a second, she had thought it was her mother's art, and would have been silently annoyed Fuyuko hadn't lost her tendency to embarrass her publicly. "…bizarre. It isn't from anyone I know, either."

"What's it say?" said Marisa, leaning over. "…oh."

"'Rain-On-A-Wedding: I know you don't usually smile, but I like seeing you happy. I hope you had a good year.'" She stared the drawings down for a while, then turned her gaze to the letters.

"First time getting something like that?" said Aimee.

"Yes." muttered Matoi, placing one back. "'Rain-On-A-Wedding: I saw you out the other day, and wanted to ask for your autograph - but I was so scared to approach you. I'm glad someone like you is keeping us safe - and beautiful, to boot.'"

She pushed the package away. Aimee started tearing in to her own letters beside.

"I'm not opening the other letters if they're like this." muttered Matoi.

"Eh. Could be worse. Least we don't have to worry about civilian stalkers." Aimee pulled one photo out of her own, and Mia's face soured as she laughed. "Every year, someone sends something like this - but I guess since I have a girlfriend now -"

- she readied to flash it out -

" - don't show that!" panted Mia, ripping the photo from Aimee's hand. "Worldwide." Her scarabs burnt the drawn pornography to ash.

"It's not even accurate, anyway." laughed Aimee, dropping to a whisper as Marisa started on her own. "I mean, you've never even used your ice like that -"

" - guy, guy, guy, guy, guy…" said Marisa, separating the two in separate piles. "Ooo - this one looks nice. 'Dear Lavender Menace - People often say women are weaker than men, but you've proven that fashionability doesn't conflict with strength. I love your rainbow dress!'"

"A lesbian with a crush?" said Matoi.

"Uh, that was from a guy."

Matoi frowned.

"The vegans sent their yearly newsletter." muttered Mia, pressing one of her letters aside. She took the second one.

"'Dear Swarm,

Make sure you don't start any electrical fires over there, alright? If you ever need a job after graduation or an internship, lemme know, any time. Hope you're doing good.

Sincerely, Reentry (Sarah).'"

"I suppose we were the ones to benefit from nepotism, that time." laughed Matoi.

Mia checked over her two remaining letters. One was from her mother: she would read it in private. She shook the fourth letter, noting it was anonymous.

"They inspect all of it, so." shrugged Aimee.

One of Worldwide's scarabs bit the envelope open, and out of it, fell a photo of a brown-haired man Mia knew but did not. He was the size of two not-yet-headless men, and bridal carrying a blushing, black-haired woman.

Who had sent this was not the question that registered immediately in her mind: she thought at first that it may have been from Hirogane. Yet seeing Ryumi, as a woman who had graduated Urasaria at least ten years ago, she realized, for now, that she was not certain how she would be as a mentor, or how strong Worldwide could become. These uncertainties formed an army of followers that almost began to measure as fear to her mind, until she read over the image of Ryumi asking herself: Was she?

[END OF URASARIA ACADEMY: YEAR ONE]