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Though it would take a few days for the body to be analyzed, Matoi seemed concerned over the two, and soon requested to speak with the chief of police. (As you're certainly aware: Matoi's requests were commands.)

"It's becoming a danger for my squadron to have to focus on civilian lives when they're fighting. I'm requesting you instate a curfew until our investigation has finished -- preferably around 8PM and later."

"Well, wait a minute, you can't just drop something like that on us out of nowhere. We need time to prepare, to discuss this before--"

"I'm sure you can work very quickly."

"And what are you expecting us to do about all the businesses that'll be affected? You know, a curfew is only used in very extreme cases, because it's a violation of individual freedom--"

Wedding's laser burnt a hole in the wall behind him.

"Hm. It must have gone off accidentally." said Matoi. "Sometimes it does that. You were saying something? I wasn't listening."

"…a-alright."

So, that was the general tenor of that discussion, and why as usual Matoi had her victory.

+++

From where Mia was waiting on this street bench, she could see Marisa walk into the jewelry store, toodle her fingers at the cashier, punch out one of the glass displays, showed her badge, then grab the necklace she wanted and leave with the glass still embedded in Boudoir. "Hey, did you want anything?"

Mis shook her head as they walked away. "You couldn't have just asked for it?"

"Nah, 'cuz then they like, try to switch it on you. Some places keep fake items for students go steal. Like, that's how stores around where I lived used to stop me." Marisa peeled her glass-glove off, turned it inside-out, and threw it in a trashcan nearby. "I brought a television home one time and the box was filled with sawdust. Cool Christmas!"

"You didn't notice the weight?"

"Uh, I didn't know what it was supposed to weigh, everything's easy to pick up with Boudoir. But didn't I teach you that when we used to go shoplifting in your first year?"

"Yes, but it's not like *I* do it very often." muttered Mia. "Serena, yes. I walk down the street with her and half of the stores start beeping."

Marisa giggled. "The way I see it, if they own a store, then they're rich enough to cover it. Or they're at least richer than I'll ever be, so who cares, right? Plus, with Penelope and the way she's going, I haven't like, been doing it as much lately for my family. I gotta treat myself."

"Is she still going on about that? Your sister?"

"Yeah. I don't get it, y'know? She's been poor her whole life. She even told me one time that stealing was the only way we'd have any relief in society. Then, she grows up and says she found religion, even though God never did anything for us, and now she's going all like, conservative? What the fuck, right? She's not homophobic or anything, but she told me to stop bringing stolen stuff to her, no matter how crappy she feels, 'cause she doesn't wanna depend on a handout."

"Depend on a handout for what? A nice necklace?"

"Yeah, exactly, right? She said: 'the least I can do for Jesus is suffer.' What kinda thing to say is that? Like, why are converts way crazier than people who get raised with religion?"

Mia remembered that Aimee's parents had been converts. (Though the principle applies to atheists as well.) "I agree."

Marisa frowned as they passed by a restaurant. "Hey, aren't these places supposed to be closed by now? They're still packed with people."

Mia checked her phone. "It's 7:55. I don't think they're going to close."

"Man, that's fucked up. Don't they know that's illegal?" Marisa stared at it for a few seconds longer. "Okay, but I've been wanting to try that new milkshake they've got, so we're going inside, too."

"Alright." muttered Mia, and in they went. They were soon seated as any students were, and both ordered that new milkshake and resumed their prior conversation.

"Man, and I never hear anybody rich say they don't need a handout." said Marisa. "Just weird. She taught me how to shoplift, back before I had Boudoir, and my parents hated me doing it. They never scolded her, just me, 'cuz they saw me as still being salvagable, I guess. But now, she doesn't like me doing it, and my parents send me lists before I come visit. So weird, right?"

"I suppose." Mia shrugged. "I usually have the money for it, and my mother doesn't need it. Plus, living with Serena, she usually made most of our groceries." She smiled. "Aimee did get me this really lovely set of bound books on Urasaria's history for Christmas, but I don't believe she stole them."

"Damn, lucky." said Marisa. "I dunno. The way my life is going, I'll be 35 before I find somebody who--"

- a window shattered from across the room; the two shot up&turned -

- and saw nothing fifty feet away but broken glass & civilians, but knew it was another Revenant; Marisa glanced to the emergency exit door behind her&left, and in the next instant -

" - Urasaria! Grab this!" she shouted; a strand erupted out of her glove ahead, Mia sweeping aside to allow her to evacuate civilians that shouldn't've been there anyway, and in the next instant -

- her rope was suddenly severed -

- and something sliced her horizontally in half in the next; Mia shrieked involuntarily, Marisa's top half starting to slide off her legs -

- but the next scene was instant. Two strands erupted from her back and boots, yanking her grisly halves back, desperate Boudoir strands stitching herself together -

- and still gagging & staggering as she landed, glove aiming towards Mia -

- and another strand yanked Mia back just in time to avoid a vicious & invisible swipe, two landing at the left half of the restaurant already evacuated, civilians still trapped ahead.

Stress already grown, Mia swept her palms forward - " - Frozen Ray!"

- a beam of ice erupted from her palms, shooting through the air and hitting the opposite wall -

- but catching nothing but air as she snuffed her chilling ray out, invisible beast they couldn't see but knew was still around, and in the next instant -

- Marisa yanked her left -

" - felt something -" panted Marisa, ripping two balls out of Boudoir, fabric turning to armored collars as she slapped them on her&Mia's necks - " - just in case -"

" - yes." winced Mia, suppressing her urge to yell at the civilians, but before she could react -

- the two saw the invisible beast carving through the patrons ahead, invisible force slashing & tearing them through -

" - Boudoir!" shouted Marisa; another set of strands erupted from her palms - " - grab!"

- and she yanked the rest of the civilians out before the beast could sever the connection again, patrons running out the emergency exit as the two stood again, restaurant empty but for them & the beast. Mia raised her sword high, and a jet of water erupted from the tip, dousing and coating the floor -

- and the two nodded as they saw their dripping foe ahead, giant chameleon-shaped beast rushing with the speed of a serpent around, droplets already starting to fade from its pace -

" - I can't track this -" panted Mia, jet of water trying to keep up with it, and as Marisa whispered something to her - " - I - no, there's - something less riskier than that - wait!"

Realizing it then, her blade disappeared, and she swept her palms forward -

- and a chilling beam hit the restaurant's front door, swift ice spreading & coating the entire enclosure, no hope for the beast's escape then, but in the next instant -

- Marisa yanked them right -

- and up in to the ceiling, swinging as she came to the center of the restaurant -

- and as always, the women were in-tune. A hard strand erupted from Marisa's glove and hung down; at her side, Mia stabbed her sword through it -

- and the golden blade turned ceiling fan spun&spun, swift jets of water erupting & erupting outward -

- and the two nodded as they saw their foe dripping, Boudoir's swift spin ensuring their tracking liquid stayed on it, and as it leaped towards them -

- the two swung away and in to the right half of the restaurant again, grunting as they landed, beast thirty feet ahead and catching only air, floor starting to soak in water.

"I have a better idea." chimed Mia, and Marisa laughed nodding, electrical scarabs flying in to the conductive floor, and as the electrical current entered the entire room -

- the next scene was instant. They saw the creature's tongue sweep around as it spun -

- and lap up every last drop of water near it before the current could connect, keeping it safe as it turned to them again. Path of water blocking it & the women, it started walking forward, tongue sweeping and clearing its step -

" - here!" shouted Marisa, ripping a pouch out of her dress and handing it to Mia, and as Mia threw it forward -

- they saw it disappear as the beast swallowed it -

- and the electrical water gift burst open, stunning it just in time -

- for one scorching white beam to disintegrate it with not a single ash left, two panting as they stood again, and in the next instant -

- Marisa yanked them up to the ceiling -

" - just, just in case -" she panted, and the two didn't calm until Mia had scorched the area.

Slowly, Marisa swung out of the restaurant and climbed further up to the roof a few buildings over, then dropped herself and Mia-Mia safely down.