Shadows of Shinjuku

The aftermath of the battle still clung to them as they returned to the church. Katsuki walked ahead, stretching his arms with a carefree grin, his voice echoing in the quiet hallway.

"Well, that was a good mission. Can't think of a single thing that went wrong~," he said, his tone light, almost too light.

Lyra, trailing just behind him, shot a glance at the cracked walls and scorched floors, the remnants of the battle they had left behind. "Oh yeah? What about all the damage and destruction? The whole city block's practically leveled."

Katsuki winced slightly, the edge of his smile faltering for a brief moment. "Eh, who cares? So a few people got hurt, maybe even died… At least we took down two major supernatural threats. That's what really matters, right?"

Hikari stopped in her tracks, her brow furrowed. "You know, that's kind of… cold-hearted. How can you just shrug that off so easily? People are suffering, and you're acting like it's no big deal."

For a moment, Katsuki's grin wavered, a shadow crossing his face. He opened his mouth as if to respond, but before the words could come, Lila stepped in with a soft laugh, brushing it off as if it were nothing more than a passing storm.

"Oh, don't worry about him," she said, her voice sweet, almost too smooth. She flashed Hikari a warm, reassuring smile, but there was something about it—something distant—that didn't quite reach her eyes. "He's always like that. Just ignore him~"

Her smile was too perfect, too rehearsed. Hikari wasn't sure if she was comforting her or herself.

As the silence grew heavy between them, it was hard to ignore the feeling that something had shifted in the air. The events of the mission—though successful—had left a mark on them all. But it wasn't just the city's wreckage that worried Hikari. It was the way they acted as if such destruction was just a part of the job.

The more she thought about it, the more unsettling the silence felt. Katsuki's carefree attitude, the way Lyra and Lila followed his lead, the way they all seemed to accept the chaos they left behind… Was this what it meant to be a hero in this world? Or were they just players in a much darker game, unable or unwilling to see the consequences of their actions?

The hallway seemed colder now, as if the shadows were creeping closer, reminding her of the battle that had just ended. Even as they walked further into the church, Hikari couldn't shake the nagging feeling that the victory they had just claimed wasn't as clean as it seemed. The supernatural threats they defeated may have been vanquished, but something in the air told her that darker things—things far more dangerous—were waiting just beyond the horizon.

The heroes they presented themselves as were becoming harder to recognize, and the more she stared at the cracks in the walls, the more she began to wonder—what would they become as the battles grew bloodier? Would they keep smiling through the wreckage, or would the weight of their choices eventually tear them apart?

The echoes of their footsteps on the cold floor only deepened the sense of unease.

The four of them arrived at Sylvia Bloodwood's office, the air thick with the tension that seemed to follow their every step. Katsuki, as usual, didn't bother knocking. He barged into the office, grinning like he was already winning some invisible contest.

"OLD HAG, WE HAVE A REPORT!" he announced, his voice booming with the kind of brash confidence that made the walls feel smaller.

Sylvia was already seated at her desk, papers spread out before her in a chaotic but organized mess, like the controlled disarray of a mind that thrived on complexity. She didn't flinch at the intrusion. She didn't even raise an eyebrow. Her piercing eyes, cool and calculating, slowly rose to meet the intruders. There was an intensity in her gaze that cut through the room like a blade.

"I absolutely can't stand when you barge into my office like that," Sylvia said, her voice sharp, yet controlled. There was no warmth in it—only the kind of icy authority that made it clear she was the one in charge, no matter how many times Katsuki interrupted.

Katsuki, unfazed, just flashed a grin. "Oh, come on, don't be like that! We just wanted to tell you we took down two supernatural entities, a Wendigo and an earth spirit~," he added, as though casually mentioning the weather.

Lyra, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed, couldn't resist getting a dig in. "Yeah, Bloodwood, I feel like you should treat my boyfriend with a little more respect. He's doing your job for you, after all."

Sylvia's eyes flicked to Lyra, an imperceptible shift in her expression. "I think I'll only start treating him with respect when he earns it," she replied, her tone colder than before. Then, as if addressing Lyra's comment directly, she added, "And you would do well to watch your tone with me, sweetheart."

The words were like a slow burn, calculated to provoke—but Lyra wasn't the type to back down. Her lips curled into a knowing, almost mocking smile.

"Oh, look at you, acting all high and mighty," Lyra taunted, the words dripping with condescension. "Please. You want to control everything so badly, because deep down, you're scared I'll take your spot." Her eyes gleamed with a defiant fire. She wasn't just talking about positions or ranks—she was talking about something deeper, more personal.

Sylvia's gaze hardened, her lips curling into a thin, controlled line. "Please," she said with a hint of venom in her voice, each syllable weighed with years of experience. "You've been an exorcist for what, two years? I've been doing this far longer than you, little girl. So watch your mouth, before you say something you'll regret."

The words hit harder than Sylvia let on. Lyra's smug expression faltered for just a moment, but only for a moment. The tension between them crackled, a rivalry that went beyond job titles, beyond professional boundaries. There was something raw in their dynamic—an unspoken competition, a silent war of wills that neither of them was willing to lose.

It wasn't just about power—it was about something deeper. Lyra had always felt like she was being kept at arm's length by Sylvia, as if the older exorcist saw her as a threat just waiting to rise. And for Sylvia, it was more than just Lyra's ambition—it was the way she defied every expectation, the way she refused to be seen as anything less than equal, if not superior. Sylvia had always prided herself on being in control, but Lyra's presence, her wild, unapologetic confidence, was something Sylvia couldn't easily dismiss. It wasn't just that Lyra was ambitious—it was that she was so damn certain of herself.

And that certainty, that confidence, was exactly what Sylvia feared. Because while Lyra was still new, still unpolished, she was growing fast. Far faster than anyone, including Sylvia, had anticipated.

The room simmered with a kind of quiet hatred—fueled by both admiration and resentment. The kind of rivalry that didn't need to be voiced out loud to be understood. Sylvia and Lyra weren't just fighting for respect. They were fighting for dominance. And in their world, that meant everything.

Katsuki, noticing the quiet tension building between them, let out a playful laugh. "Come on, girls, quit trying to kill each other. We just came to report in, not start World War III." He smirked at the growing discomfort in the room, the atmosphere thick with unspoken animosity.

But Sylvia wasn't about to let Lyra's challenge slide. She leaned forward slightly, her eyes never leaving the younger woman's face. "You think you can take my place, Lyra?" Sylvia's voice was low, almost a growl, and for the first time, there was a rawness to it—something that suggested she had already seen this kind of challenge before, had already faced someone like Lyra. And beaten them.

Lyra's smile didn't waver. "Maybe not today, but one day, I will. And when that day comes, you'll know." There was a promise in her voice, and it was more than just words. It was the beginning of something that neither of them had fully realized yet.

Sylvia studied her for a long moment, her calculating gaze sizing up the younger woman. Then, with a slow, deliberate movement, she leaned back in her chair and smirked.

"We'll see about that." The words hung in the air, heavy with implication.

Lila's voice cut through the mounting tension like a breeze in a storm. "Anyways!" she chimed, her playful tone a deliberate attempt to diffuse the escalating hostilities. "I feel like we should all just get along~"

Hikari folded her arms, a wry smirk tugging at her lips. "Yeah, let's stop this pissing contest already. It's getting old."

Lyra turned her sharp gaze toward Hikari, her tone icy. "Who asked you, newbie? You've been here for, what, a minute? Don't think you have the authority to lecture me."

Katsuki, always quick to play mediator when it came to Lyra, leaned into her with his usual lazy grin. "Aw, babe, don't be like that. Let's just blow this joint and grab some food, yeah?" He didn't wait for her response, tugging her gently by the wrist.

Lyra allowed herself to be dragged out of the office, though her parting glare lingered on Hikari like a shadow. The door clicked shut behind them, leaving an uneasy silence in their wake.

Hikari exhaled heavily, her gaze drifting toward the floor. She hadn't expected her words to land her in Lyra's crosshairs so quickly. "Well, that could've gone better," she muttered under her breath.

Lila threw an arm around her shoulders with an exaggerated grin. "Don't worry about her, Hikari. She's just… territorial. Let's head out before Sylvia starts piling more work on us."

But as they turned toward the door, Sylvia's sharp voice sliced through their retreat. "Wait."

Both Hikari and Lila froze, turning back to face Sylvia, who stood now, her commanding presence filling the room. She leaned on her desk, her intense eyes locking onto them with an almost predatory focus.

"I'll need the two of you ready to leave for the U.S. tomorrow," Sylvia stated firmly. "There've been multiple reports of something unusual happening in Long Island City. Something… big." She allowed the weight of her words to linger, her gaze piercing as if trying to communicate more than she was willing to say aloud.

Hikari and Lila exchanged glances before nodding in unison. "Understood," they said, though Hikari's voice carried a note of hesitation.

As they stepped out into the corridor, Hikari broke the silence first. "Jeez. Things get really tense with this job, huh?" She rubbed the back of her neck, still feeling the sharp edges of Sylvia's gaze lingering on her.

Lila chuckled, though there was a heaviness to it. "Oh, Hikari dear, you have noooo idea how tense things can get~" Her words were light, but the underlying tone suggested she was shielding Hikari from the deeper truth.

Hikari's expression darkened, a flicker of defiance igniting in her amber eyes. "Right. I don't think you really know me, Lila. I've seen worse things than this."

Lila's smile faltered for a moment, her usual playful demeanor slipping just enough to reveal a sliver of caution. "Have you?" she asked, her voice quieter now. "Because Shinjuku isn't just any city, you know. It's the heart of all supernatural phenomena in Japan."

Hikari frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Lila's tone shifted, her usual playfulness giving way to a grim seriousness. "Shinjuku is a melting pot for rogue exorcists, psychic hunters, and factions clawing at each other for control of supernatural energy. It's a nexus where dimensions bleed into each other, creating rifts that invite chaos. It's not just entities causing trouble—it's the people too. The underworld here is teeming with factions. The Church of Sanctum Maledictum, rogue spirits, and even cults… everyone's fighting for control."

Hikari's brows furrowed as the weight of Lila's words sank in. "Why didn't anyone tell me that sooner?"

Lila gave her a half-smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Because it's better if you don't know everything at once, Hikari. Trust me, the less you know, the easier it is to keep your head in the game."

But Hikari wasn't convinced. A sense of unease crept into her mind, curling around the edges of her thoughts like a fog she couldn't shake. Something about the mission to Long Island City didn't sit right with her, and Lila's cryptic explanations only deepened her suspicions.

As the two walked off into the night, the air between them felt heavy with unspoken truths. For Hikari, it wasn't just the job that was tense—it was the sense that the deeper she got involved, the more she was stepping into a world she might never fully understand.

And in the shadows of Sylvia's office, the older woman leaned back in her chair, her mind already racing with the implications of the reports she'd received. Long Island City wasn't just a disturbance. It was the beginning of something far more dangerous, something that could reshape the balance of power across the supernatural world.

Hikari: "Man, it's crazy how much has changed in just a week. I never imagined something like this… Supernatural Affinity… could flip my whole view of the world like this."

Lila: "It's a lot to take in, isn't it?" She paused, her voice softening. "Not everyone can handle it, you know. I've seen this job break people in ways you wouldn't believe…" Her words trailed off, as if she'd said too much. But then she forced a bright tone back into her voice. "Anyway! Let's take a breather, yeah? We took down four supernatural entities in three hours—I'd say we've earned it~"

Hikari: "Three hours?!" She blinked in disbelief. "No way. It felt like two days went by!"

Lila: "Heh, that's how it works sometimes. The supernatural world messes with your perception. Time can stretch, shrink, or just… shift. Hours might feel like days, or minutes might drag on forever. And don't even get me started on those moments where it's like time skips ahead without warning. It's one of the quirks of having Supernatural Affinity." She tilted her head, her tone growing more serious. "For regular humans, though? They're blissfully unaware of how twisted and dangerous their world really is."

Hikari: "Dangerous is an understatement," she muttered, then smirked, her determination sparking. "But I'll figure it out. I'll master these psychic powers and become the strongest esper in the universe!"

Lila: "There you go~" She laughed, a warm sound that broke through the lingering tension. "That's the spirit, Hikari. Confidence will get you far… just don't let it blind you to the reality of what's out there."

Her words carried a subtle weight, like a whisper of warning. Despite her playful tone, Lila's eyes seemed to cloud for just a moment, as if recalling something—or someone—lost to the dangers she hadn't fully explained.