Kouga didn't resist when Kiana landed a few more kicks to his side—he figured he deserved at least that much.
Finally, wincing, he raised a hand."Alright, alright! Enough already. I get it. Just… take Mei inside, find somewhere safe to let her rest."
Kiana huffed, still glaring, but obeyed. She carefully lifted Mei's unconscious form and disappeared into the building.
Kouga exhaled, steadying himself, then turned his attention back to unfinished business.
When he returned to where he had left Bronya, the scene was… efficient.
The girl had woken up at some point and tried to crawl toward the wreck of Project Bunny. But the Candroids, PlaMonsters, and even a handful of Foodroids had already subdued her. Now she sat restrained, small mechanical helpers buzzing and whirring around her like tiny wardens.
Kouga also noticed a shattered earpiece on the ground—clearly destroyed during her attempted escape. His jaw tightened."Damn. I should've checked for comms earlier."
He crouched down in front of her. Bronya's face was pale and still, her eyes locked in that same flat, emotionless stare.
"Alright, listen," Kouga began, voice calm but firm. "I need you to answer some questions. Just so you know—" he leaned forward slightly "—I take no pleasure in hurting kids. I have plenty of ways to force the truth out of you… but I won't use them. I'm choosing to ask, because I'm giving you the free will to answer. Do you understand?"
Bronya blinked once. No words, no change in expression.
Kouga sighed, then asked the first question."Why did you and Cocolia frame Ryoma… and seize everything he had?"
For a long, brittle moment, silence hung between them. Then, softly—like a name she wasn't meant to say—Bronya murmured:
"...Seele."
Kouga's brows shot up. "Seele?"
Something flickered in Bronya's otherwise frozen expression—a crack in the mask.
Kouga's voice lowered, steady, almost gentle now."Why don't you start from the very beginning?"
After listening carefully to Bronya's explanation, letting every detail settle into his head, Kouga pinched the bridge of his nose.
When he finally spoke, his tone was flat, cutting."…That is one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard. And trust me—I once heard about a plan to broadcast the location of an immortal enemy to the entire world. This might actually be worse."
Bronya's glare sharpened, but her voice remained even."Matushka was running out of means to save her. This was… our desperate resort."
Kouga lowered his hand, expression grim."And that 'resort' cost the lives of an entire city. It shattered the mind of one kind girl, and for what?"
"Seele is worth all of it," Bronya answered, tone like steel.
Kouga dragged his palm down his face, muttering, "Unbelievable…" before looking her dead in the eyes."From what you described, she's an innocent girl. I've seen plenty of people kill for love, Bronya. But I've never once seen the person they claim to love actually want such horrors done in their name—unless they were psychopaths themselves."
Her jaw tightened, but she said nothing.
He pressed further, voice firm."Tell me… do you honestly think Seele would want to live carrying that guilt? Knowing her freedom came at the price of an entire city?"
Bronya's mask didn't crack. But her silence—her refusal to answer—was all the proof Kouga needed that the thought had landed.
He let out a heavy sigh."…I can't return you to Cocolia. Not until she gives up on this insanity. Which means, like it or not, you're traveling with us now."
"Nyet." Bronya's reply was immediate, sharp, almost like a reflex.
Kouga shrugged. "You don't have a choice."
Before she could retort, he slung her effortlessly over his shoulder, ignoring her struggling limbs, and hefted the wreckage of Project Bunny with his other arm. With both cargo secured, he made his way back toward the building where Mei and Kiana waited.
Inside, he found an empty room and deposited Bronya onto the floor. She sat upright immediately, glaring up at him with all the venom her small frame could muster.
"Get some sleep," Kouga said simply, dusting his hands off. "I'll introduce you to the others later."
Her voice was cool, mechanical."Are you so confident in Bronya's imprisonment here?"
Kouga didn't bother answering. Instead, several of his support units—PlaMonsters, Foodroids, and Candroids alike—materialized around the room, their lenses glowing faintly as they hovered in standby mode.
"They handled you just fine when you tried to run earlier," he remarked dryly.
That earned no reply, only Bronya's steady glare. Kouga turned, closed the door with a metallic click, and locked it.
Only then did he let out a weary breath and head down the hall, toward where Mei and Kiana were resting.
A few minutes earlier, while Kouga was still talking with Bronya…
Mei slowly stirred awake, the dull ache of exhaustion weighing down her body. She realized she was lying on the sofa. Blinking, she sat up—only to be ambushed by Kiana, who practically threw herself into her arms.
"Mei-senpai!" Kiana shouted, clinging tightly.
Startled, Mei blinked, then smiled softly and returned the embrace, patting Kiana's back. "Kiana-chan… it's alright, I'm here. But… what happened? My memory's a little fuzzy. Everything before I blacked out feels… hazy."
At that, Kiana's expression shifted. Her usual bright grin faltered into something small, brittle. She glanced away, lips pressed into a thin line."…I… don't wanna talk about it."
Mei tilted her head, surprised at the uncharacteristic response. Kiana always wore her heart on her sleeve, always running her mouth without hesitation. For her to clam up like this… it worried her.
"…I see," Mei murmured gently. She decided not to push. She could always ask Kouga later. For now, she squeezed Kiana's shoulder reassuringly. "Then at least tell me… where is Kouga-kun?"
Kiana's grip loosened. "Senpai's busy with… something." Her tone was clipped, evasive.
Mei opened her mouth to ask more, but stopped when she noticed the turmoil flickering in Kiana's eyes.
Unbeknownst to Mei, Kiana's chest was a storm of tangled feelings. The memory of Kouga pressing his lips against the Herrscher of Thunder clawed at her mind. Rationally, she knew it was a plan, a desperate way to stop Mei's rampaging Herrscher side. But her heart? Her heart burned with jealousy.
Not just at Kouga. At Mei too.
Why?
She chewed her lip, trying to untangle the knots. Kouga had been kind to her since the moment they met—letting her stay when she was broke, never once taking advantage, always looking out for her even when he didn't have to. And Mei… Mei was sweet, beautiful, warm. The way she smiled, the way she carried herself—Kiana had fallen for that.
Her hand scratched at her scalp, frustration bubbling up. "Ughhh… emotions are too complicated," she muttered under her breath.
Mei blinked at her, utterly lost. "Kiana-chan?"
Kiana waved her hands quickly, forcing a grin that didn't reach her eyes. "N-nothing! Just… thinking too hard."
Mei could only stare, confusion softening into worry. Something was going on with Kiana, that much was clear.
When Kouga finally returned, he found Mei and Kiana sitting together on the couch. Mei greeted him with a warm smile, but Kiana stiffened, stubbornly refusing to meet his eyes.
"Kouga-kun," Mei said softly, "what happened while I was out?"
Kouga hesitated. A flicker of unease crossed his face as he recalled what he'd done—the desperate way he'd subdued the Herrscher of Thunder. He exhaled and shook his head."…It's best not to think too much about it. What matters is you're safe now. Let's all get some sleep—it's already late."
His tone was firm, shutting the door on further questions.
Mei frowned faintly, sensing there was more to the story. But Kouga's expression told her everything she needed to know: pushing him would get her nowhere. With a small nod, she let it go, even as curiosity gnawed at her.
Later that night, the three of them lay down in the makeshift bedding they'd prepared—each with their own pillow and blanket, side by side on the floor of the room. Kouga was already half-asleep, Kiana curled stubbornly with her back turned to him. Mei, however, remained awake, her mind restless.
That was when she noticed one of Kouga's support units—a small Battacandroid—hovering quietly in the corner. Its glowing sensors blinked in the dark like curious eyes.
"...Hey," Mei whispered, lifting her head. "You little one. Can you tell me… what happened? What are Kouga and Kiana hiding from me?"
The machine chirped in response. Then, with a whir, it projected a holographic replay from its memory banks.
Mei blinked at the sight. Her own Herrscher form—raging, uncontrollable—and Kouga stepping forward, unflinching. The projection showed exactly what he did to stop her: grabbing her shoulders, then kissing her so forcefully it drowned out her destructive aura until she collapsed.
"...!?"
Mei's face ignited crimson in an instant. Her hands flew to her cheeks, too late to stop the heat flooding her skin.
"T-thank you! That's enough!" she squeaked, fumbling to shut the hologram off. The Battacandroid beeped obediently and powered down its display.
Mei quickly ducked back under her blanket, burying her face as if she could hide from the memory. Her heart was hammering, her body trembling—not from fear, but from embarrassment so sharp it felt like steam might actually burst from her ears.
"…Wh-what on earth… was that…" she whispered into the pillow, her voice muffled.
The next morning, Mei and Kiana stirred awake while Kouga was still fast asleep on his blanket. Mei quietly put a finger to her lips, signaling Kiana not to wake him.
"Let him rest a little longer," Mei whispered.
Kiana stretched and yawned. "Fine… but we should look around this place. Maybe there's a shower somewhere—we really need one."
Mei smiled faintly. "Agreed. Let's see what we can find."
The two of them wandered deeper into the building. Along the way, Mei noticed several of Kouga's support units standing like sentinels in front of a reinforced door. Beside them lay the broken shell of a mech—Project Bunny—its frame dented and sparking faintly.
Curiosity tugged at her, and she quietly checked the door. Inside, she caught sight of a small figure curled up on the floor, fast asleep. Her eyes widened.
Bronya Zaychik. The girl who had helped frame her father. She couldn't be more than thirteen.
Mei froze there, torn between anger and confusion, staring at the child's peaceful face.
Some time later, Kouga woke and went looking for them. He found Mei still standing in the doorway, her gaze fixed on Bronya.
"Mei," Kouga called softly.
She startled, quickly turning. "Ah, Kouga-kun—you surprised me."
He glanced past her at the sleeping girl. "What are you feeling right now, staring at her?"
Mei hesitated. "...Angry. I want her to feel every bit of pain I've gone through because of her. But…"
"But she's just a kid, right?" Kouga finished for her. His voice was calm, steady. "She probably didn't even understand the consequences of what she was doing."
Mei's shoulders slumped, her expression softening. "...Yes."
Kouga, however, shook his head. "She knew about it. And even knowing, she didn't take any action to stop it."
Mei bit her lip, conflicted. "…But… she's so young."
"It's fine to have compassion, Mei," Kouga said gently. "But remember what I told you the day I went to interview at ME Corp? It's good to be kind and selfless. Just don't let that kindness be the weapon others use to manipulate you. Otherwise, you'll only end up hurt again."
Mei let out a slow breath, nodding. "I understand."
"Good," Kouga said, giving her a faint smile. "Now, let's find Kiana. We'll need her if we're going to get anything done."
Mei straightened up. "She's probably looking for the showers. We both wanted a nice bath."
Kouga chuckled. "Then go join her. I should wash up too once you're done."
At those words, Mei suddenly froze. An unbidden memory flashed into her mind—of the time she had gone looking for him at his house, only to walk in on him in the bathroom, his upper body bare.
Her face instantly turned scarlet.
"U-uh, r-right!" she stammered, rushing off down the hallway before he could notice her fluster.
Kouga blinked after her, puzzled. "...What was that about?"
Kouga glanced at the small figure on the floor. Her chest rose and fell too evenly for true sleep.
"You're awake, aren't you? And you heard everything."
Bronya's eyes snapped open. She slowly sat up, her voice flat as ever. "How did Subject Kouga recognize Bronya's fake slumber?"
Kouga smirked faintly. "Let's just say I've had plenty of experience with people pretending to sleep. Your breathing gave you away." He crossed his arms. "Anyway, I've decided we should move out soon. We're going a long distance. Can you handle it? Last time I saw, your legs weren't exactly steady after Project Bunny went down."
Bronya lowered her gaze, silent for a moment before asking, "Why risk bringing da Bronya along? Would it not be more efficient to abandon her?"
Kouga crouched down so they were eye to eye. "Because I don't abandon people. That's not the kind of man I am." His tone hardened. "And besides—ever heard the phrase, keep your friends close, but your enemies closer?"
Bronya blinked once, her expression unreadable. "Bronya has heard of it. But… Subject Kouga considers Bronya an enemy, then?"
Kouga shook his head. "Not exactly. More like… someone who needs to learn what's right before she makes choices she can't undo."
For the first time, a tiny flicker of something—confusion, maybe doubt—crossed Bronya's usually stoic face.