Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Um... are you sure I’m okay to be here? I don’t want to intrude-”

“Girl, you’re going to be our new member! This is your welcoming party! Of course you can be here! The answer isn’t going to change even if you ask five more times!”

“...I’m probably going to, honestly, if the others don’t get here soon.”

That answer made Ironmouse laugh, watching as the other two continued to talk. It was a cold evening in Vtuber Town, with overcast skies all around darkening the streets. But despite this, people who passed by on the streets seemed to be in a good mood. For the younger folks, it was probably due to college ending for a semester here soon, and school in a few weeks for the children. Soon, summer would be upon them, with warmer weather and plenty of vacation time, and they all seemed to feel it.

This general good mood extended to the Vtubers standing outside a Cheddar’s waiting for others, herself among them... Or, well, her holographic projection, anyway. She glanced back at the T1M Melody had lent her. Technically speaking, she was still in her isolated room at home, within a special motion-capture tube they had designed. While both it and the drone were active, though, she perceived everything that her hard-light image did.

It was a necessary thing for her if she wanted to attend events like this. Thanks to angels and God, most of the Earth caused... adverse reactions in her without protection. The preparations needed to come in person would have taken far too long, too many resources, and left exhausted for days afterward. Fuckers really did not want me walking freely around here...

She shook her head, casting aside such thoughts - it was neither the time nor place. She was at least glad that she and the AI-girl had put together this rigging for her. There was definitely an artificial feeling to her senses like this, but it was better than nothing. Plus, this form had the advantage of letting her “eat” food she normally could not due to her dietary needs - even taste it! (Though how the T1M broke it down was still a mystery to her.)

And she definitely wanted to join in on the eating tonight. After all, this was a celebration to welcome VShojo’s newest member!

Hell’s Ruler looked over at the woman in question. The short woman was currently still talking with Haruka, who had been the last member to join. She used to be Pikamee - an immortal with electric powers part of VOMS. But after a variety of factors, both in terms of contracts and some online harassment, she graduated at the end of last March. However, she still had a strong desire to stream, so with the recommendation of Kson, Gunrun had agreed to take her on.

And so now there she stood... in a completely new form. Short yellow hair with an antenna was replaced by long white hair with an ahoge. Teal eyes were now amber ones, and the color pallet of her jacket and other clothing was themed around purple with golden accents. Around her neck hung a cube that could glow blue along with her eyes, sparking and showing off her remaining electric abilities.

Gone were the identifying marks of Pikamee, leaving the newly named Henya the Genius. Only her voice would give away that they were the same person, much like Kson with her true form of Coco. A complete rebranding to avoid any difficulties between her former and new companies. With this appearance, she was ready to debut as the latest member of VShojo in a few short weeks.

...And her nervousness showed through about that, given how she kept wringing her hands while looking around. “Um... did we have to go somewhere like this, though? I don’t want you all to be spending too much money-”

“It’s a Cheddar’s - not a five-star restaurant,” Haruka insisted, kneeling down to her level. She offered the short woman a sweet smile. “Look, we appreciate you not wanting to impose too much on us, but again, tonight is supposed to be for you. We’re going to treat you some and make you feel welcome, okay? And you’ve met a lot of us already! So relax.”

The electric-girl still seemed unsure about that. But, after taking a deep breath, she managed to smile back. “O... Okay. Sorry, I... I know I’m probably being annoying. I just... It’s been a rough couple of months for me. And that meeting we had a few weeks ago was more business than casual, you know? We didn’t really learn much about each other. Doing a big hangout like this...”

The caribou-girl chuckled, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. It was pretty nerve-wracking to go from independent to joining this company myself. I can imagine it’s not much different for you.” She smiled widely. “Don’t you worry, though! You’ll love the others, I promise! I’m sure everyone will love to be your friend here!”

A strange look overcame Henya’s eyes for a second. It was gone in an instant, though, as she laughed lightly, eyes distant and wistful. “Friends... I’d like that.”

Ironmouse almost frowned at this reaction, but she quickly controlled her expression. She also spotted the brief questioning in Haruka’s eyes, but the green-haired woman did not ask anything. Kson had already told everyone in VShojo to take things slow with the white-haired woman for a while and not pry about anything “odd” they saw. Nobody had been told anything specific... but they had all seen how serious the yakuza boss had been, along with her deeply concerned eyes.

It was easy to gather that more than they had seen online had gone on behind the scenes. The pink-haired woman was certainly curious about it, but she recognized the situation for what it was. Thus, she would keep quiet about any small moments she saw like that for the rest of the evening. What mattered at the moment was getting the new member warmed up to everyone and making sure she was ready to re-debut under her new persona.

It was part of the reason why she had opted to use her “season 2” form for this. It was her classic transformation that everyone thought of, even if they liked another of her forms better. It gave her an unthreatening aura thanks to how unassuming it was. We may have talked before, but best to not overwhelm her with some of my crazier forms.

Though so far, the two had not talked much while they waited regardless. That was due to Hell’s Ruler trying to keep an eye out for the others. Apparently, there was a miscommunication about where they were eating and the others had all ended up elsewhere in town. (She blamed Hime and Zentreya for throwing out so many ideas even after she thought they had settled on this place.) Thus, the three of them had been waiting for them all to get there.

Not everyone currently in VShojo could make it to this. Nazuna was busy doing couple-things with Marine, and Apricot - better known as Froot - had to manage her phylactery’s souls as part of regular magical maintenance. Hime had also had to bail at the last minute due to some back problems and needing to fix up her metal spine. However, all three had made sure to send the electric-girl plenty of love over Discord and promised to meet her properly in person soon.

That left the remaining members of VShojo to be arriving there soon. They were also allowed to bring extra people along, but she and Zen were the only ones taking advantage of that. Of course, she was unsure how much it counted since her plus-one was someone who had been a member until recently. But still, she wanted to give her the chance to welcome the new girl, so she hoped it would not be too much-

“Mousey!” a voice called from down the street. She turned and smiled as she saw the familiar form of her best friend, dressed in her winter gear from stream minus the fluffy hat. Nyanners waved with a big smile, running over and pulling her into a big hug. “It’s so good to see you again! It’s been forever!”

Ironmouse laughed, returning the embrace. “It’s only been a few weeks!”

The cat-girl rolled her eyes, stepping back with a pout. “I know, but we’ve barely been able to talk with all the obligations I needed to fulfill. It’s been torture!”

This only made Hell’s Ruler cackle, but there was fondness in her eyes. “Well, I’m glad that this ‘hard’ time is over for you now.” She turned and gestured to Henya, who was looking at them along with Haruka. “Now, how about you greet our new member as a former founder?”

Smiling, Nyanners nodded and stepped over to the short woman and knelt a bit. She offered her hand out to her. “Hello there, Pika. Or I guess Henya now, from what I’ve heard around town. You look like you’ll be a cute addition!”

The electric-girl giggled bashfully, accepting the hand and shaking it. “Aw, thank you! I’m so glad to be part of this group now!” She then gained a curious look, looking at their arms. “Um... say, I know we just met, but... can I ask if you... have a connection to the Ancient Ones?”

The cat-girl blinked, looking as surprised as the others, but also impressed. “I’m guessing from that you haven’t heard me talk about it on my streams. But you can tell just by touching me?”

Henya nodded. “I’m friends with Ina! We’ve had fun a few times with her demonstrating her powers and her teaching me about their ‘presence.’ It’s... very confusing, but I’ve learned a few things about their subtle residue... Or I think that’s how she explained it, anyway.”

“Well, it apparently paid off,” Nyanners commented with a grin. “I do indeed have a connection with the eldritch.”

This made the electric-girl’s eyes light up with interest. “Oh? Are you a priestess like Ina?”

“Nope - I am an Ancient One!” the cat-girl replied cheerfully.

...Henya’s expression became blank as she blinked a few times. “Eh?”

Haruka giggled behind her, putting a hand on her back. “It’s a long story. But the short of it is that she was sent here by a more malevolent of the Old Gods to cause chaos for humanity. I was actually the one who originally sealed her up back then, too! During the millennia afterward, her former master got... Well, I don’t know exactly, since death and banishment are different for them than they are here. But the point is they’re gone now thanks to others of its kin.

“Nyanners here broke out a while ago, long after that happened. I was worried, of course, but now that she wasn’t being forced to drain mankind’s sanity... she was actually quite pleasant. It helped that Ironmouse ran into her and helped clear the air between us. The three of us became friends, and the rest is history!” She nodded to the former member. “This body of hers is a puppet she uses to interact with us. Her true form is on another plane of existence, so you don’t have to worry about her presence driving you mad.”

The eldritch-girl nodded to all of this, giving a playful smile as she let go of the white-haired woman’s hand. “So, what do you think? Scared of little old me and the unfathomable power at my disposal?”

Ironmouse titled her head where she stood behind her best friend. Despite the joking tone Nyanners had, she knew it was a genuine worry about how Henya would react. Not that either of them could blame her if she was weary of the Ancient One. Talking to one of her kind directly was different from being friends with one of their cultists. Their existence was a distortion upon reality in the best of scenarios, so fear would be understandable.

But... the immortal did not react with any. Instead, after a moment of seeming deep thought, she looked up and smiled at the eldritch-girl, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. “No... I’m not afraid. You seem like you’re nice, and I’d love to get to know you.” She looked down, a frown on her face. “It’s... wrong to treat someone badly for what they are alone...”

That made the others look at her with worried eyes, glancing between each other. That reaction... really did not send great signals about this girl’s past. But again, no one commented on this and simply let it be. The fallen angel made a mental note to tell Kson about it in private once she arrived there, though, just in case.

After another moment, Henya shook her head, looking up with a smile. (The others quickly brightened their expressions before she could notice anything.) “But... it really is good to meet you. I was so sad to hear three people left VShojo as I was coming in. I kind of worried for a little while there if...”

Nyanners eyes widened as she realized what the other was implying. She quickly shook her head. “No, of course not! I left because I wanted to be independent now - not because you joined. Neither did Vei or Silver. I’m sure they would have loved to have met you!”

Ironmouse frowned a little at this, pondering the statement. She could not say how Veibae would have reacted to the former VOMS member, honestly, but she hoped she would have been polite in her own crude way. And as for Silvervale... She had no clue what the wolf-girl would have done by that point. It was clear she had been sitting on some grievances with the group for a while, so things could have gotten unintentionally messy. (Though, perhaps they could have bonded over the Hogwarts Legacy drama they were both hit with.)

The pink-haired woman held back a sigh as she shook her head. There was no use in speculating on that, she supposed, and what they all could have done differently. They would just have to learn from it and try to make this company better for everyone. She was still friends with Nyanners, and she hoped for nothing but the best with the other two, regardless of whether they will cut ties with them in future months.

She focused back on the conversation as Henya relaxed, giving a small smile. “Yeah, I know you wouldn’t have. I was being silly is all.” She looked the cat-girl up and down, seeming intrigued. “So... can I ask a bit more about you? Like, how old are you? I know Ina says really young Ancient Ones have more comprehensible minds to us, like her book. Is that how you’re able to talk so well?”

The eldritch-girl visibly relaxed, seeming happy to change topics and explain things about herself. “Well, I wouldn’t say I’m super young, but I do have an easier time at this than others of my kind. I think I got lucky and can ‘segment’ my mind a bit.” She gestured down at herself. “I think more or less like a human in this body, while my higher thoughts are back in my true form for me to access when needed. It’s something I’ve seen a few other elder gods do.”

The electric-girl gave an impressed hum. “Ooooh! That's amazing... I don’t understand it one bit, but it sounds impressive!”

Nyanners laughed, patting the short woman on the shoulder. “Thanks! I get that a lot. I bet that god in Hololive would love to be able to do it, too. I hear they’re dating a human these days. Do you know them?”

“Omegaα!” Henya confirmed. “Never met her in person, but Gura and Ina talk about her sometimes. They actually say she’s been busy preparing for something lately, too, but neither of them has any details. It’s proper god stuff from the sounds of it, though! What kind of ‘Ancient One stuff’ do you get up to?”

The two of them continued conversing like that for the next little while, the former VShojo member explaining things about herself before they both went on tangents. Whatever brief sadness had hit the electric-girl before was gone for the moment as she gestured animatedly with the other woman. Smiles were on their faces the entire time as they got absorbed in their discussion.

Haruka stepped away from the slightly and closer to Ironmouse. She smiled at the demonic woman, arms crossed over her chest. “Well, this is a pretty good start to things, huh?”

Hell’s Ruler nodded, but gave her a playful glare. “Don’t fucking jinx this shit! Now I’m going to be worried that the restaurant is going to collapse or something while we eat.”

“Oh, please - Hime won’t even be here to accidentally go big! We’re good!” The two of them laughed at their alien friend’s expense. Then, the caribou-girl sighed and looked up at the sky. “Seriously, though, I’m glad we’ll have a new face around our group now. Do you think she’ll enjoy playing with us?”

Ironmouse shrugged. “Kson says she’s a big fan of Minecraft, so we have that. And she was so energetic back during those ‘interviews’ I did with her! I’m sure she’ll fit right in.”

“I hope so - she left her last group with so much chaos going on,” Haruka said. She looked over at the new member, raising an eyebrow. “Speaking of them... do you think there’s any reason she didn’t invite any of them along?”

The fallen angel hummed, pondering this. Henya was still very much friends with everyone at VOMS from what she knew. In fact, she remembers Kson mentioning once that the older immortal had an intimate bond with one of them - Tomoshika, if she remembered correctly. They were not in a relationship, exactly, but... they were close. It would have been interesting to have met that woman to get a sense of what they were to each other, or any of the strange members of that group.

Still, she could only shrug at the green-haired woman. “Who knows? Maybe all of them were busy? Or she assumed this would be a VShojo exclusive dinner. My plus one was a former member, after all.”

The caribou-girl seemed a little skeptical of that second possibility. “But Zen’s invited over GEEGA. She’s not a member of our group.”

“...Yet,” Ironmouse responded with a knowing grin. “And besides, she’s basically a member with us already by fan standards. Henya might have just gotten confused.”

Haruka grinned back, giggling. “You make some fairly good points there.” She pretended to look down at a watch. “I hope they get here soon. I’m starving at this point! Like, how far away did Zen lead them away from here?”

She said that a bit loudly, it seemed, as a voice called out from down the street, synthesized and flat. “Bitch, you guys literally did not reconfirm that this is where we were eating.”

The two of them turned along with Henya and Nyanners toward the voice. Approaching, they saw Zen in her robotic form fast approaching with GEEGA next to her, who grinned and sent them a wave. Melody was also not far behind them, looking far more sheepish from causing them to delay.

Ironmosue quickly clocked onto the cyborg, who appeared to barely care about having taken so long to get there. She puffed her cheeks, pointing at the woman. “We did say we were eating here! You were the one who ignored the message!”

Zen pretended to ponder this for a moment as she stopped in front of her... then shook her head. “Nope. That does not sound right. You must have imagined doing that.”

Haruka gave an irritated sigh. “Well, I guess that confirms you did this on purpose.”

“I actually didn’t,” the cyborg insisted, her voice flat but her eyes conveying honesty. They then gained a mischievous glint. “But when I realized what had happened, it was so funny to me. It’s a perfect representation of what Henya can expect from us.”

“You mean what she can expect from you!” the caribou-girl countered, poking a finger on the other’s chest. “And some of us have to eat, too, so thanks for making us have to wait!”

Zen raised an eyebrow, gesturing to the Cheddar’s. “Bitch, this is a restaurant. You could have gone inside and gotten us a table for when everyone got here. Or at least put our names down if they were busy.”

...In seconds, Haruka’s face flushed red, looking properly abashed. “I... g-guess that’s true. B-but don’t try to change the topic! You made so many people late!”

“Literally could have gotten us all drinks while in a heated building,” the cyborg continued, as if ignoring the other woman’s comment, an amused smirk on her lips.

Ironmouse rolled her eyes at their antics, not getting involved... especially since she was guilty of not getting them seats, either. It was kind of a dumb oversight on their part. In their defense, though, they had gotten caught up in trying to make Henya feel more at ease and ready to meet everyone. I guess we might as well wait up on Kson, too, at this point. She should be here soon. Unless everyone really is that hungry.

It seemed that nobody was in a hurry for the second option, though, despite the caribou-girl’s complaining about being hungry. Turing, the fallen angel watched as GEEGA and Melody approached their new member, who looked nervous about them but stayed her ground. Nyanners, upon noticing them, sent the white-haired girl a wink of encouragement before moving out of the way.

The AI-girl came forward first, giving a nod to the eldritch-girl. “Good to see you’re doing well, Nyan. One last welcoming act as a former founder, huh?” The two friends smiled at each other, before the purple-haired woman knelt in front of the electric-girl. “And Pikamee! I love this new look you have going on.”

Henya gave a small bow, smiling nervously. “Thank you! But, please call me Henya. I don’t really have much use for my other name anymore.”

Melody nodded at her. “Same as Kson and Nazuna, huh? You got it! So long as you’re in this body, then Henya’s what I’ll call you!”

The electric-girl suddenly looked... awkward, squirming a bit. “Um, actually... this new form of mine is-”

She was cut off by a gauntleted hand being held out to her. GEEGA crouched next to Melody, grinning at the new member. “Nice to meet you, too, Henya! My name’s GEEGA! I’m not a member of VShojo... at least not yet.” She gave her a conspiratorial wink. “But I hang out with everyone here a lot, so I hope that means we can, too.”

Blinking off her shock, Henya gave her a friendly smile, accepting the hand and shaking it. “Thank you, too. I look forward to getting to know both of you!” Her eyes roamed to the woman’s pointed ears, eyes lighting up. “Oh! Are you an elf? Or some sort of fey creature?”

The warrior retracted her hand and touched her ears, chuckling. “I think I might have some fey blood in me. I actually grew up in the underworld, though! You’re looking at the proud defender of one of its magical strongholds, built to contain various relics from past wars. Mine has a lot from the demons' conflicts with the angels.”

“So you work for her?” the electic-girl asked, pointing over at Ironmouse.

Said woman shook her head, stepping closer to join the conversation. “No - some parts of the underworld don’t follow my rule directly. But her people are close allies who helped us back then. She was born after all of that, anyway.” She sent the silver-haired woman a meaningful look. “And frankly, I hope you never have to experience one of those wars.”

GEEGA shrugged. “I could hold my own, but I get what you mean. My dad has all sorts of horror stories from that struggle.” She looked back at the older immortal, putting on a smile as she tried to shift the discussion slightly. “But I have had a few adventurer and guild types try to steal stuff from my place. My soldiers usually deal with them neatly enough, but when they reach me...” To make her point, she closed her gauntlet, which instantly was enveloped in a blue, demonic aura.

Henya seemed thoroughly impressed by the display, eyes alight as she watched the power ripple. “Wow! That’s so cool! You must send lots of people running with abilities like that.”

That made the warrior chuckle, her demeanor becoming more humble. “That’s kind of you to say, but I’m far from the best. But I take pride in my work down there and stand my ground. Haven’t lost a relic yet.”

Nodding at this, the electric-girl then turned to Melody. “And what about you? What do you do for a living outside of Vtubing?”

The AI-girl smiled sweetly at her. “Well... I’m a former file cleanser program for a big company to ensure no viruses infected their systems. But now I’m a sex worker who does cam shows!”

...Once again, Henya gained a blank expression as she took this in. She did eventually nod, though, her voice still steady. “Interesting... change in careers.”

Melody giggled, rubbing the back of her head. “Yeah, it’s a bit of a story to tell - mainly involving a pornographic virus that infected my system. Which I recovered from, so don’t worry!” She then tilted her head, eyebrows furrowed. “Though... maybe I should ask right now how comfortable you are with those topics? Would you freak out if I mentioned fucking on one of your streams?”

Blushing brightly, Henya glanced around, clearing her throat. “W-well, I... I mean, I’m not a very... ‘horny’ person. But I know a... few things about how that works.” She took a deep breath, managing to look at the other woman again. “I won’t be angry if you mention stuff like that, but I’m also not going to bring it up myself.” She puffed herself up. “I’m a family-friendly streamer! There’s nothing yabai about anything I do!”

“...You know saying that doesn’t mean much in our industry, right?” the AI-girl asked.

Ironmouse giggled. “Honestly, I kind of believe her from everything Kson’s said and my interactions with her... But it makes you wonder about the wisdom of joining us in that case.”

The electric-girl puffed her cheeks, trying to look mad. “Oi! I’m not innocent or anything! I’m old enough to have been around for the first people, mortal and immortal, to have tried to ‘do the deed’ to have kids!”

This only caused more laughter from Melody. “‘Do the deed?’ Man, you are old, aren’t you?”

Face getting redder, Henya tried to stomp her foot down. “Hey! HEY! Don’t make me sound like a boomer! At least that sounds more clean than what I hear from others in town! You’re all too horny! Excuse me for trying to be a little beacon of- ah! ”

The last exclamation was caused by her being grabbed by her hoody and hoisted up. The others were startled for a moment, but relaxed a little as they saw it was only Zen. The woman had apparently finished arguing with Haruka and had wandered over without them noticing. The caribou-girl, meanwhile, took a place next to everyone else, still seeming a little flustered but far calmer than before.

Hell’s Ruler rolled her eyes at the cyborg’s antics as their new member kicked her feet in the air while grunting. Leave it to the woman from the future to get started on teasing her Kouhai right away. But... there was a tinge of concern in her chest. They had no clue if the immortal was okay with being handled like this, at least so soon. Could she end up panicking if this went on for too long?

The shorter woman did not appear to be overly distressed, but she did not want to risk things. Keeping her voice light so as to not cause anyone else concern, she gave her friend a flat look. “Zen, put her down. We were in the middle of a discussion.”

She was too casual, unfortunately, as Zen only shrugged at her while also glancing at Melody. “Sorry. All I heard was that you were trying to corrupt this poor little girl with talks about porn and sex. For shame on you both, for corrupting such sensitive ears.”

Melody only scoffed at this. “She’s literally just given me the go-ahead on that stuff. You all say some pretty weird stuff, too! Don’t act like I’m the sole offender here because of my job.”

“Kids will agree to anything these days,” the cyborg retorted, synthesized voice still managing to convey the smirk on her face. “She needs an adult to help her with these choices.”

Before the fallen angel could interject again to try and get Henya put down, the woman herself stopped struggling. She looked at the gray-haired woman with a flat look, hanging from her jacket like a cat picked up by the scruff of her neck. “I don’t think you’re an adult with the way you’re acting.”

Zen raised an eyebrow at her, lifting her to be more at eye level. “The fuck did you just say to me?”

The electric-girl shrugged as best as she could. “I’d say you’re more trying to be an older sister - ruining the fun of the younger one for a laugh. Which is, by the way, the opposite of how it should be given our ages.”

“It would probably help if you acted your age,” the cyborg commented, silently laughing at the dirty look that got her. She grinned, shaking the short woman up and down slightly. “But anyway, if I’m the older sister, then I’m still not letting you discuss this stuff with her.”

A mischievous grin made its way onto Henya’s face. “Oh really? Well, then I guess I’ll have to use the classic little sister tactic!”

A cocky grin came to Zen’s face. “I see. And what precisely would tha-?”

She was cut short as a white-blue glow appeared on the electric-girl’s chest. The former VOMS member grinned wider as her eyes became a similar color as the cube around her neck. Then, before the taller woman could react, a shot of lightning came from the object and struck her in the chest.

The cyborg’s eyes went wide, her body twitching in several areas as her mechanical parts seemed to malfunction. Her hand spasmed and let go of Henya, who yelped as she dropped but managed to land on her feet. The gray-haired woman stumbled a bit, shaking all over for several more seconds with barely any control of her body. Before anyone else could recover from their shock to help her, though, she suddenly stopped shaking, blinking a few times as she moved her body experimentally.

The electric-girl dusted herself off, then gave a cheeky smile to her new Senpai. “Be just as annoying back to the older sibling and prank them!”

Zen stood there for a few moments, her expression unreadable as she continued flexing her hand. The other VShojo members exchanged uneasy glances, unsure what to make of this reaction. Henya, too, started to look very nervous, stepping forward cautiously and wringing her hands. “Um... Z-Zen? I... didn’t actually hurt you, did I? I’ve been practicing that move for a while and I thought... Are those metal parts super sensitive? I’m sorry if I caused you-”

The cyborg suddenly dashed forward, crouching to her level and grabbing her. The short woman yelped as the gray-haired woman pulled her close... then gave her head a big noogie. A wide grin was on her face as she pulled back enough to look at her. “You little fucking shit. There will be retaliation for that!”

It took a second for the electric-girl to recognize she was not mad at her. Once she did, though, she smiled shakily back, but with a challenge in her eyes. “You were the one bullying me! I claim self-defense!”

“Literally hit me with a taser attack for admiring your jacket,” Zen said, shaking her head with faux innocence. “You are a mean little Kouhai. So violent!”

“You were not !” Henya retorted, dragging out the last word. She swatted the taller woman on her arm, then flinched and drew it to her chest after it slapped hard metal. “Ow! Damn, how much of you is metal?”

“I am literally a cyborg,” the cybernetic woman replied, her voice enhancing the flat look she gave as she helped inspect the other’s hand. “I swear I mentioned that much when we met to get your transfer to us formalized.”

“Yeah, but I thought it was your headset, legs, and lower arms!” the electric-girl defended, slowly loosening her hand again. “Is it only your head that’s skin and bone?”

“And most of my torso, though it does have some cybernetic organs and protection for my organic bits,” Zen explained. “I also still have all of my bones, even if some have been altered to produce special blood for me.”

Haruka shuddered at the mention of this, looking queasy. “I still don’t know why you did that willingly. All the nerves and blood vessels that would need to have been torn out or altered...”

The cyborg shrugged casually. “I was strapped to a gurney in a bunker for two weeks in excruciating pain, numbed by far too many pain medications... But now I can leap eight stories and punch through concrete, so it was all worth it. Especially for a fucking apocalypse. Before it happened, they could supposedly do much smoother procedures.”

Ironmouse sighed along with the caribou-girl about that one, while most everyone else just shook their heads. If that time was as bad as she’s said it was, it’s not like any of us can judge, she admitted. A post-apocalypse where rogue machines slaughtered all organic life; toxic air that made nanites eat you from inside your lungs; a sun drained off its fire and slowly burning out...

...It sounded like more of a hell than the literal one she oversaw. The fact that Ame and Kronii very swiftly agreed to Zen’s request to change it when she arrived in this time was further testament to how bad it was. She knew that neither was in the business of changing the timeline for every bad era they saw, so she could only imagine what had been present there to inspire them to do so. Perhaps time anomalies were involved, or it was going to lead to a total extinction of humanity - maybe several species in multiple Realms.

But all of that was behind the involved parties, and she certainly was not going to bring it up to Henya so soon. The cyborg had been stabilized despite being sort of a “loose thread” anomaly, and everyone had been happy since. If her friend felt alright enough about it to make jokes, then she would let things be, just like everyone else did.

But... the description of the procedure the gray-haired woman endured was still not pleasant. They were reminded of this when the new member gingerly grabbed one of Zen’s hands and held it in front of her. Her eyes were hard to read... but she was clearly sad. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. Even with everything I... That’s a pain I’m not sure I can...” She took a deep breath, gently running her fingers over the metal.

The reaction was a little surprising to everyone, being so used to the cyborg taking that experience lightly. The woman herself also seemed shocked by it, but a sympathetic understanding soon came to her eyes. “I’m guessing you had some bad injuries in your life?”

Hell’s Ruler sent her a slightly panicked look, worried that being so blunt would be taking things too far. However, the electric-girl just nodded her head, looking up to meet her eyes. “Yeah... I don’t feel comfortable sharing about them yet, but I’ve been in some rough places. It makes me kind of... sensitive when hearing about how others have been hurt.” Taking another breath, she put on a semi-genuine smile. “Still, you must be tough to have done that willingly.”

“I suppose that’s one way to look at it,” Zen replied with a shrug. She withdrew her arm, tapping her finger to her chest. “But like I said, I was on a shit-ton of painkillers. Having some pretty advanced cyberware to help manage my sensations afterward also helped.” She gave a small smirk. “I’ve never had all of my system readings light up like a Christmas tree before until you did that, though.”

Henya gave an embarrassed chuckle. “Thank... you? I’m pretty good with using my abilities on electronics without breaking them.” She frowned a bit. “Though, maybe I should have checked to see how wired-up you were. I might could have caused you a heart attack.”

“So could an actual taser,” the cyborg said dismissively. She looked down at the cube around the former VOMS member’s neck, giving a small hum. “Do you need to channel your power through that thing, by the way?”

The electric-girl looked down at the cube, one hand clasping over it as she giggled. “Oh, no! At least, not entirely. It’s a recent conduit I’ve gotten for my powers to go along with some... recent changes to myself.” She sighed, gazing at it fondly... though with wisps of sadness. “It’s sort of a marking for some major changes in my life. Not just with joining VShojo, but also with my presence here on Earth.”

Everyone looked at her curiously at that, all clearly wondering what that meant. None asked, though, as Melody smiled and stepped forward, patting her on the head. “Well, I hope we can make this turn in your life extra special.”

Nyanners nodded, stepping around and smiling kindly at her. “Yeah! I might not be around as much as the others will be for you, but trust me, you’re in good hands. Whatever hardships you’ve had in your past, we’re happy to help you along toward the future!”

Henya’s eyes watered as she looked at them with an almost reverence. Then, using her arms to wipe them, she sent them all a soft smile. “Thank you... It means a lot to me to hear that.”

The others all smiled back, silence falling over them... Until Zen stood up and picked up the electric-girl in her arms. The short woman squeaked as she was held with her back against the other’s chest, kicking her feet. “Hey, let me go!”

“Not a chance,” the cyborg said with a mischievous grin. “Get ready, because I’m going to spin you around like any respectable big sister should. Prepare to get dizzy!”

“W-wait, I get motion sickness!” the electric-girl tried to argue as she struggled... though a wide smile was on her face. “And that was just a comparison! I wasn’t actually saying you were now my older sister!”

“There are far weirder dynamics in this town,” Zen said, feigning like she was about to start spinning any second. Ironmouse could tell, though, that she was not going to go through with it... for today.

“That is not the point of what I said!” Henya screeched, kettle-like laughter leaving her as she tried in vain to pry the metal arms off of her.

Everyone else joined in on the laughter at the two’s antics. Eventually, Haruka and GEEGA were playfully trying to convince the cyborg to let go of the short immortal. Melody and Nyanners, on the other hand, were gleefully trying to convince her to do a few spins. Some people passing by on the streets gave them some weird looks, but none of them appeared to care. A few pedestrians even smiled a bit, always amused to see the hijinks of the mythical beings in town.

For her part, the fallen angel hung back on this one, taking a moment to admire the scene. She felt a swell of pride on Henya’s behalf as she watched the woman laugh. She knew how shy the former VOMS member was around new people from past interactions. Yet here she was, laughing with her new coworkers as if they had been friends for far longer. It was also nice to see, even if she had no doubts about it, how quickly everyone was treating her so nicely.

She could forget sometimes how... nice the world was. As the Ruler of Hell, she presided over plenty of damned souls of mortals who wasted their lives. Who took pleasure in others’ suffering or lived solely for greed. Not too many spirits who came to her domain through Death’s initial distributions were people with redeeming qualities. The ones who were often came of their own volition from the Heavens, but it just seemed so small in comparison.

It was part of the various reasons she made this excursion up to Earth with so many demons. To be reminded that there were still plenty of good people from all walks of life in the Realms. That there were always people who tried to enrich the lives of others - not only themselves. Being part of the Vtuber community had shown her plenty of this over the years.

And watching the electric-girl find more happiness after all the drama she endured (plus whatever else) was yet another example of it. One that made her feel warm deep inside all over again.

Sighing contently, Ironmouse watched as Zen eventually relented and put Henya back onto the ground. More casual conversations were starting back up, with those two starting to discuss more about the types of enhancements the former had. Haruka and Melody, meanwhile, were talking with Nyanners to learn more about how she and Aethel were doing.

She was hesitant to get in the way of any of them, but... they did come here for a reason. Glancing at the Cheddar’s, while it did not look terribly busy, she knew it was probably about time they finally got a table. Who knew if a dinner rush was soon to happen? Kson can meet us inside - I’ll send her a message in a second. I might not be able to properly eat like this, but they’ll get peckish soon.

She was about to get the other’s attention and get everyone moving... But then, from behind her, she heard the voice of the woman in question call out. “Hey, what are you all doing standing around outside?”

Henya immediately turned in that direction, her eyes lighting up as she gave a big smile, waving at her friend. “Kson! Konbanwa !”

Hell’s Ruler smiled, glad to hear that they would be getting sat down as a group after all. She turned to greet the yakuza boss as well, a playful quip about her lateness on her tongue-

-only to freeze up, eyes going wide as she stopped breathing, both as her hologram and in her real body. It was not the purple-haired woman who caused this reaction - she looked nice in her original outfit, plus a white T-shirt to cover her midriff. Rather... it was the person whom she had brought with her. Not that she had any problems with surprise guests, but this one was... She had tried so hard to not meet them directly. Knowing full well how awkward it would be for them both, at the absolute least.

But there was no way around it this time as Amane Kanata came up with her girlfriend.

The angel-girl’s eyes locked onto her as they got close, also freezing in place as she recognized her. The pink-haired woman flinched at the fear in those blue-purple eyes. A second later, though, the Hololive member realized what she did and shrunk in on herself, looking at the ground with shame and guilt. The sight caused her own heart to sink, glancing away as well.

She wanted to say some sort of reassurance, but she did not know how it would be received. It would be her word against several centuries of stories about herself taught to the other. Kson had said that her lover was open-minded, and the fact she had not seen any hatred seemed to support that, but... habits died hard, she knew. It made her grimace, hand clenching at her side. Dammit - of all the times to have to confront this...

Thankfully, none of the others noticed their little stand-off. They were too focused on the yakuza boss as she approached the electric-girl, ruffling her hair. “How are you doing there, Pi- Henya? Has everyone been treating you alright so far?”

Henya giggled, swatting the hand off of her head as she nodded. “Yeah! They’ve all been so nice to me like you said...” Her face lit up as an idea seemed to occur to her. She put on a fake pout, pointing accusingly at Zen. “Except her! She shook me around like a doll, then threatened to twirl me more for fighting back!”

The cyborg gave her an affronted look as the others chuckled. “What? This is slander! I will not stand for Henry twisting the situation.” She paused, tapping two fingers against her throat. It gave a soft speaker-like cracking, which she nodded at before correcting herself. “... Henya twisting the situation.”

Kson laughed at this, throwing an arm around the future woman. “Aw, Zen, why do you have to be such a meanie to Henya? Can’t you be a considerate person for one day?”

Zen rubbed a hand down her face. “For fucks sake...”

It was about when everyone was laughing at her expense that Nyanners looked over and noticed how tense the fallen angel was. She started to frown, stepping closer to her hologram. “Um... Mousey? What’s wrong?”

Ironmouse straightened up, clearing her throat and trying to make sure no attention was on Kanata. Trying to give her time to compose herself, the pink-haired woman quickly came up with an excuse. “Oh, it’s nothing! I, uh... just remembered that Bubi wanted to discuss some matters about the underworld’s management this evening. I totally forgot about it when helping to plan this outing.” She gave her best irritated sigh. “You know how he is when I need to reschedule stuff like that. It’s just going to be a minute.”

The lie was very believable, luckily, as everyone except Henya gave her pitying looks. While her right-hand man was not an awful person, his arrogance and serious view about the ruling of Hell made him... a handful at times. Not that she could entirely blame him - their rulership over demonkind was not to be taken lightly. But it did often lead to long discussions about the wiseness of her having left her immediate post. Thank the gods I haven’t forgotten our actual meeting next week.

The electric-girl looked around at everyone, a little confused. “Uh... who’s Bubi? I think I’ve not heard of him before.”

GEEGA shrugged. “He comes and goes, so it’s not that surprising. You’ll love him as much as you’ll hate him when you get the chance to finally meet him.” She smiled at the new member. “How about we talk more about him inside? I think we’ve drawn enough attention to ourselves as is.”

Haruka nodded with a groan. “Finally! I thought I was going to die!”

“You have literally been helping perpetuate this discussion,” Zen deadpanned at her.

The caribou-girl glared at her, giving a light swat to her shoulder. “Yeah? You’re still the one who was late, in case you forgot, so it’s still your fault! I still don’t believe it was an accident, either, you fucking bitch.”

“Believe what you want,” the cyborg said while shrugging... Then, with a smirk, she leaned in and pecked her on the lips. “But it doesn’t matter, because you still love this ‘fucking bitch’ and will share a meal with me, right?”

Haruka’s face turned crimson, squeaking as she covered her mouth. She looked around, incredibly flustered and failing to keep an angry tone. “D-did you have to be so explicit about that?”

“Just thought I would help Henya understand our dynamics better,” Zen commented, glancing over at the shorter woman. A slightly more serious glint entered her eyes despite her casual posture. “You may jokingly flirt with her on stream, but do not even think about making a move on her. Got it?”

Henya looked between the two, then smiled and nodded. “You got it, dayo! I’ve got someone close to me already, anyway.” She turned and started marching toward the building. “Let’s go! I’ve never eaten at one of these before! I’m so excited!”

A chorus of agreement came from most of them, with Melody and Nyanners following along. Haruka sighed, trying to compose herself as she glanced over at Kson. “Do we need to get a chair for Kanata, too, or is she out here doing something else?”

The yakuza boss blinked, seeming surprised by the question. “Huh? Didn’t I say I was bringing her on Discord?”

“You definitely didn’t,” Ironmouse answered, both her and the angel-girl still exchanging uneasy glances when no one was looking. She would have noted a mention of that immediately and found some way to be excused from the event. Or she would have sent the woman a message (praying it did not cause them a heart attack) so she could bow out if she wanted to. It was clear, for whatever reason, that she had not expected to see the VShojo member, either.

Kson had the decency to give an embarrassed chuckle. “Oh! Uh, whoops? I guess I got too busy, or too excited. I’ve been dying to introduce her to Henya properly, and it’s been forever since we’ve been able to go out together!” She gave them an apologetic shrug. “Sorry about that. Will it be a problem?”

“Of course not,” Haruka reassured with a smile. “I was just checking. I’ll go make sure the others get us enough seats.” She turned to Zen. “You ready, dear?”

...The cyborg stared at her expectantly for a few moments. The caribou-girl looked confused at first, but recognition soon flashed in her eyes. Giving a huff, she crossed her arms and looked away with a blush on her face. “Fine - yes, we’ll share a meal. Happy, you cunt?”

“Thank you,” Zen replied, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes. Her smile was warm, though, as she stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her waist. The green-haired woman’s expression thawed at the gesture, slowly smiling as well as she leaned against her lover. The two then made their way to the door, where behind the glass they could see Nyanners talking to the host at the front.

GEEGA chuckled at the couple as they stepped inside. “Those two sure do have a special way of showing their love, huh?” She looked over at the remaining people. “So are we heading inside? It shouldn’t take long for them to seat us, even with this many people.”

Kson nodded and stepped next to her... Ironmouse and Kanata, however, hung back. The former swallowed, fighting to keep her voice casual. “I’ll be right behind you. I need to contact Bubi and deal with his pestering real quick.”

The warrior and yakuza boss nodded, eyes turning to the angel-girl. The Hololive member had long since composed herself by then, but she clearly understood what the Ruler of Hell was up to. She put on a convincing smile and waved them on. “Go on ahead. My wings feel a little cramped. I want to stretch them a bit - fly in the air.”

The yakuza boss’ face softened, nodding at her. “Aw, you should have said something earlier! Take as long as you need! I’ll save you a seat right next to me!”

Kanata nodded gratefully, which was enough for her girlfriend to head inside. GEEGA also gave them a nod and a smile before following suit. After a few seconds, it was only Hell’s Ruler and the angel-girl standing outside. With no eyewitnesses, the two turned to face each other fully, both just... staring awkwardly. It was clear the white-haired woman was the more twitchy of the two currently, though.

Realizing she would have to break the silence, Ironmouse sighed, frowning apologetically at the other. “I’m guessing Kson didn’t properly explain who was coming to this event to you?”

The angel-girl flinched, seeming unsettled to just hear her talk which was... not a great start. But even so, she nodded in confirmation. “I... thought she was only bringing me to see Pik- Henya. I didn’t think to ask much else - I assumed she just wanted me to finally meet this friend of hers she’s been looking after more lately. Not that I know the reasons for why that is...” She looked down, her expression that of guilt. “I thought maybe... she realized I was feeling a little envious of Henya and wanted to clear the air between us. I didn’t realize it was a full VShojo meeting.”

That certainly got the Ruler of Hell’s attention, who raised an eyebrow. “You were feeling jealous of how much time she was spending with Henya?”

She regretted asking as Kanata went rigid. Her eyes were alight with panic, shaking her head frantically. “N-no! Never! That’s not proper angel...” She swallowed thickly, staring intently off to the side as her wings twitched. “Er, well... maybe I felt a twinge of that. B-but I’m not actually jealous! I know she’d never cheat on me! It just... hurt a little that she would not explain more about why, since it has meant fewer dates and...”

She grimaced, shaking her head. “But that’s stupid! I can tell that something bad happened with Henya that she witnessed. I can see it in her eyes every time I’ve tried to ask. It’s... selfish of me to feel anything like that over something clearly very personal.”

Ironmouse let her ramble, not wanting to cause more panic. Once she finished, though, she gave another sigh. “Kanata... You don’t have to justify your feelings to me. And this sounds like something you should talk to Kson about.”

“...It’s still wrong of me,” the angel-girl mumbled, hugging herself.

“Yeah, well, feelings are complicated sometimes,” the fallen angel replied. She wanted to say more than that - like how the other woman should at least take pride in understanding her emotions were irrational. However... she knew it would likely not be received well coming from her. So instead, she shook her head and moved things along. “We’re getting off-topic. Let’s cut to the chase - is me being here going to be a problem for you?”

Kanata looked at her nervously, taking a step back. “Are... you going to try anything?” Her breath stuttered after she said that, face stricken. “N-not that I think you would! I...” She pursed her lips, tears in her eyes. “I... I’m sorry. I... everything I was taught... No matter how much I’m trying to ignore it...”

“I understand,” Hell’s Ruler reassured. She was well aware of the teachings of the Heavens' impact, even on the newer generations of angels. She projected her sincerity as much as possible in her expression. “I swear to you that no harm will come to you from me, nor will there be any temptations. I’ll try not to talk to you directly, either, if that will help you.”

She could practically see the conflict within the angel-girl’s eyes as she processed this. It was clear she wanted to trust her... but a cloud of doubt hung over her. The pink-haired woman could not blame her - no doubt teachings of her cunning and guile were ringing in the woman’s head. That everything she did was just another trick to pull in estranged members of her kind - those who said this was not how it happened simply under her spell.

Knowing it was all likely bullshit logically did not always translate into accepting it within your heart. It always hurt seeing holy beings like her go through that conflict. Every. Time.

Letting out a sorrowful breath, Ironmouse looked over at the T1M unit projecting her form. “Or... I could just leave? I’ll make excuses to everyone real quick and let you enjoy the evening with my coworkers and your girlfriend. I can get to know Henya some other time.” It would not be too difficult to explain Bubi was being insistent, or that her health had taken a strong hit suddenly. Both happened often enough on stream, especially the latter. She could deal with an evening alone if it meant the others all still had fun.

Unfortunately, she knew the answer to this offer before Kanata responded - a common one for angels caught between their archaic teachings and genuine virtue. And sure enough, the white-haired woman was quick to shake her head, face suddenly resolute. “No! That... I’m not going to ruin your evening! I... I trust your word! We can get along this evening!”

...They both knew those words were a lie, as much as both probably wished they were true. But Hell’s Ruler did not argue, not wanting to cause a big conflict. She nodded reluctantly, glancing at the door where she could see the others starting to be led to a table. “If you’re sure...”

“I am! So enough wasting time out here!” Kanata did not wait for a response as she quickly ran past her. She kept a smile on her face as she did this... but the pink-haired woman did not miss how she shied away from her as she passed by.

Ironmouse watched her go inside,  standing out there a moment longer. Her gaze went up to the sky, almost wishing she had a star to wish on for help. (It rarely worked that way, but she would take anything.) But the clouds still blocked everything, leaving her only with a blanket of darkening gray.

As she looked, she remembered old human beliefs then about Heaven, or just some divine place, being somewhere up in the clouds. It was far more complicated than that, but... she remembered her old home well. There were some days she missed it - the shiny buildings and the grand displays of holy magic. There were angels there that did not follow her when she rebelled who she also missed at times. Some hated her now, others were weary, and a few went against the system to talk with her at times. All of them, though, she knew were not bad people.

It was times like this, however, that she remembered why she left. At that moment, she wishes she could go back and take another shot at God with her armies. For twisting good lessons about caution and trust just because those in charge were petty about her having wanted change. To help keep an old conflict alive despite the slowly growing belief of the people for it all to just end.

But she could not. All she could do was take a deep breath, then turn to head inside, the T1M unit following all the way. She tried to hope things would not go badly - again, she had heard Kanata had loosened up from her time on Earth. Maybe that would help keep her turmoil in check. She doubted either of them wanted to ruin this dinner for everyone - particularly Henya.

If not, though... then the Ruler of Hell prayed the others would not judge the angel-girl harshly if she needed to explain things. The politics of the Heavens and Hell were a complex matter, and what it meant to be angels and demons...

Chapter Text

If one were to ask Kson how the past few weeks of her life had been... she would say that it had been complicated. And if pressed... she might admit that it leaned on the bad side of things.

She would not go as far as to say things had been awful. She was still having fun with all of her friends and coworkers in VShojo on streams. There had also been more opportunities for her lately to hang out with members of other groups, like Nijisanji or her former Kouhais from Hololive. Even a few Vtubers from smaller groups like VOMS had found ways into her heart and helped her through some rough patches.

...If only the reason for meeting with these other groups had started for better reasons.

But still, they all did not waste time bemoaning the circumstances. They certainly had no blame to put on the woman who had unintentionally started it all. On the contrary, all they wanted to do was help her feel better and recover from a... frankly horrific past. While she was happy to help like everyone else, though, she could not deny how tiring it had been. All the running around, figuring out what the best ways to help her friend and prevent a repeat of that terrible night...

Things had been difficult... but the yakuza boss took pride in what she had accomplished. It all felt worth it as she watched Henya eating her plate of grilled shrimp alfredo, talking adamantly with Kanata. “So the buildings are all made of metal?”

“Imbued and tempered with holy magic,” the angel-girl confirmed, eating a similar dish as she smiled at the shorter woman. “Most live in houses made of iron and copper, but the really fancy districts have ones made of silver and gold. There are plenty of other varieties, though, like some old bronze buildings still standing from the Greek ages.”

The electric-girl gave an impressed hum, swallowing another piece of shrimp. “Wow! That sounds so pretty!... But also bad for the eyes if it’s too sunny. And how do you all have enough metals to do that consistently?”

Kanata gave an amused snort. “Some of the magic is meant to help with the glare of sunlight. And not all the metal is naturally mined. It’s specially summoned using techniques developed specifically for the Heavens.” She shrugged. “I don’t know how any of it works - I specialize in healing magic. I just know that the materials summoned last only so long as they remain in those Realms. You try to take them here, it’ll all vanish in your hands.”

“Huh - that sounds very useful,” Henya commented, scratching her head. “I imagine it takes a lot of energy, though, given how much metal you’d need to build all of that. Maybe that’s why it isn’t more widespread? But anyway, like I said, this all sounds incredible! I wish I had been able to visit the Heavens by the time they started doing all of that.”

The angel-girl smiled at that, continuing to converse with her. Kson, meanwhile, felt herself relax as the two of them continued to get along. It was honestly absurd she had not introduced them to each other before today, but she was glad to have done so finally. They were both special people in her life in different ways... and it had been rough trying to give them both the treatment they deserved from her for quite a while now.

Her gaze roamed across the rest of the table, right in the middle of the room. The Cheddar’s they were sat in was still not very busy, despite it being peak dinner ours. The slow day did mean they got served a lot quicker, though, and that their conversations and laughter were not overly disruptive to others. She caught a few younger guests taking pictures of them, but they had let it be. These fans were at least having the decency to not come up to get autographs from them.

The members of VShojo - plus guests - were lined along two sides of a rectangular table. On her side, they were arranged with Melody, her, Kanata, and Henya from one end to the other. Opposite to them were Ironmouse, Nyanners, Haruka, and Zen. GEEGA sat at the end of the table where the cyborg and electric-girl were. By this point, all of them had gotten their meals and were idly eating while various topics came and went.

It was a very relaxed atmosphere, and one the yakuza boss was grateful for. Despite the small mistake earlier about where they were eating, it seemed that Henya’s welcoming party was going well. At various points, everyone had taken a chance to talk with her, either about everyone’s powers and pasts, or her plans with streaming in a few weeks. There had been plenty of laughs as the newly transformed woman gagged at descriptions of Melody’s job and the bickering she got into with Zen.

She wished that everyone in VShojo had been able to come to this. It would have helped better quiet the doubts she knew the former VOMS member had been having about her joining and if she was welcome. However, overall, she was amazed at just how quickly her friend was fitting in with the others. She could hardly have asked for a better outcome!

It was a well-deserved break for Henya, she felt... after all she had to endure - both in her life and just a few months back.

Kson frowned a little, looking down at the half-eaten bacon cheeseburger she had gotten. She really should not have been thinking about that stuff right now. She should just be glad about how happy her friend was - that her efforts to get her into a new group had paid off. All of the darker details of how they had gotten there could wait for later.

But... it was not easy to cast aside those thoughts entirely. How could she in any way ignore what had happened, however slightly? Having nearly been unable to stop her friend from... from killing herself?

She shivered at the thought, quickly taking a bite of her food to mask her reaction. Images of that day plagued her with how... unassuming it had been. All anyone had known was that Pikamee had been graduating from VOMS - partly due to harassment, but also due to her claiming she needed a break. Her old coworkers had learned that she was going to take a trip soon and leave town, which had not sat right with them. The woman had done so much to make them and her audience smile, and they did not want her to leave on such a dower note.

Thus had come a hastily constructed plan from Tomoshika, who got her fellow VOMS members to gather all of the electric-girl’s closest friends - Kson included. From there, they threw a party at Ryugon’s house after the fire-girl distracted Pikamee for most of the day. It was not anything over the top, but... it had clearly made their friend happy. Between video games and some other fun activities, they had seemingly improved her mood dramatically. It appeared that she would leave with an uplifted heart after all!

...Except something had seemed... off that whole time. The yakuza boss had noticed it right before the electric-girl left - a near-plea before they were interrupted on if she would be missed. She was not the only one there who had noticed things... which eventually led to a few of them coming clean about the blond’s depression. An affair she tried to keep private, relying mainly upon Tomoshika to keep her mood up.

That had been hard enough to hear about, but it had explained some of her behavior... Yet it had only gotten worse when Ina and Gura heard Pika had been throwing around the term “fading” when discussing her leave. Which had led them to explain to the others how it was an immortal slang for... ending their lives. Forever. No way to be revived and no souls left. They are just... gone, after a dark journey to where they simply disappear.

A journey not too unlike the one their friend was claiming to go on.

What had followed this revelation was a mad scramble to the electric-girl’s house to make sure she was okay - that they were not too late. And there, they found her in her living room in the dark having a panic attack. Their kind gestures before had gotten through the dark clouds in her head, leaving her to break down as everyone arrived, apologizing for “ruining their night” and to “not be mad.”

Needless to say, everyone had taken the chance to comfort and embrace her. It had taken a while, but they managed to soothe the poor girl, who had eventually opened up about her past. Of spending countless years being rejected from every home she tried to settle in. How she could never make proper friends due to superstition, sabotage, and her growing fears... All of which to say nothing of the abuse she had gone through.

Since then... everyone who had been there had an understanding. They would work together to help Pikamee recover from her trauma - to finally have a place she can call home. They would be there for her if doubt ever inspired her to do anything so drastic again. It would likely take several eons at the very least - not all of them would still be around by then. But they swore they would make her feel safe and protected... and happy.

Getting her into VShojo was part of Kson’s efforts on that front. While she had gotten better, the electric-girl had still wanted to graduate from VOMS - take a bit of time off from streaming to clear her head more. The few weeks had been kind to her, but sure enough, that itch to return and entertain her fans remained. Thus, the purple-haired woman had set things up with Gunrun and the other girls to let her friend join. Not only would it be a better deal for her in terms of getting paid, but it also meant new people for her to meet. To show that she truly was appreciated by everyone in town.

It’s so nice to see her relaxed like this again, she mused. She looked over at the newly dubbed Henya, who was now talking with GEEGA about some past battles she had been a part of. The warrior was getting really into the story, mimicking using an ax against some poor fool who came to her vault to steal a special necklace. Several of the others were paying attention as well to the tale now, but none seemed nearly as enthralled as the new member. There were practically stars in her eyes as she asked for more details about the fight.

The yakuza boss smiled fondly at her friend. That night hung heavily over her soul, knowing that one of the sweetest people she had ever known had nearly been lost forever. But... she was glad to see her finally doing better. That her and everyone’s efforts were ever so slowly lifting the immortal’s burdens from her. She had a good feeling about how being part of VShojo will continue to help her.

...Though, the electric-girl’s happiness was not the only thing on her mind. Her eyes went over to Kanata, who was quietly listening along to the story, too. Her smile grew a bit wider, always pleased to have her girlfriend’s company with her. She was still a little embarrassed that she had forgotten to mention her plans to bring her to this dinner, but luckily no one seemed to mind. It had been a minute since they had gone out like this together, so this had been a great opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.

Of course, having a nice date was not the only reason she brought her. She had not been oblivious to how her recent focus on Henya had been affecting the angel-girl. She felt bad for being away from her so often lately, and being quiet about what exactly was going on with Henya. However, she had an obligation to make sure her friend was doing alright, so she had pressed on. She had sworn to her lover that they would spend more time together soon once the former VOMS member had settled in - had so many plans on some fancy dates they could go on. Plus, she made it a point to have spent time with her on her birthday a few days ago.

Still, while Kanata was not the jealous type, she could tell that the last few weeks had been a bit straining on her. (Not that her girlfriend would ever admit it, being so determined to not appear “selfish.”) So, she decided to take her along on this outing to let them get to know one another. This way, they could talk out any tension between them, and help make this final stretch before the other’s debut easier on the Hololive member.

And it seemed to had been working well... but as the yakuza boss looked closer, she could not help but pause. Her lover was tapping her finger against the table, as if nervous about something. Her other hand was gripping her clothes, loosening and tightening like it was a stress ball. There was a rigidness to her posture she had not seen in a long time, carefully hidden by her mask of happiness. Yet she still saw the ways her blue-purple eyes darted around every now and then, as if she was waiting for a strike.

Kson had to blink a few times to make sure she was seeing this right. The angel-girl had not acted like this at all when Henya was brought up the last few months. They had appeared to be getting along just a minute ago, too, so what was the problem? Did the problem go deeper than she thought? Had it gotten to the point where she genuinely thought VShojo’s new member might steal her away from her?

Or... was there something else going on she missed? That idea made her frown, but... she could admit to the possibility. She liked to think of herself as very attentive to her lover’s problems, but she had been stretched thin lately between working and helping Henya. Plus, she was hardly a psychic - even if she noticed the other woman was stressed, she could not pull the reason out of thin air. There had been proof of that just last year, when the Hololive member had missed her in her “Coco” body (technically her real one) but tried to ignore that desire to not seem “greedy.” Perhaps she had seen this before but mistook it for being related to the electric-girl.

She often regretted how long she waited to ask Kanata about that problem. This time, she did not want to make the same mistake. Taking a deep breath, she tried to watch her girlfriend for a time to see if she could pinpoint what had her so nervous. Unfortunately, all she could tell was that the white-haired woman was not glancing at Henya, which brought some relief. Yet they kept darting to the side like something in this restaurant was going to get her.

...Or, perhaps, someone sitting on the other side of the table.

That idea really got the yakuza boss worried. Had something happened between her lover and one of her coworkers? She did not think any of them had talked lately, but she had to consider the possibility. She tried to focus more, but she could not tell which of her friends the angel-girl might be looking at. Realizing simple observing would not get her anywhere, she got ready to get her attention to have a private talk-

-but she was interrupted by a tap on her back. A bit startled, she turned and looked at Melody, who was giving her a concerned frown. “Hey, you doing okay? You seem... tense.”

Not wanting to draw attention to herself or her girlfriend, she gave a quick smile and waved her off. “Oh, it’s nothing! Just... being a little overprotective of Henya is all. I wasn’t sure how she’d feel about hearing about fights like this.”

The AI-girl seemed to buy this as her body relaxed, smiling back. “I see. Well, GEEGA is never too descriptive about the gore, so you’re probably good.” She patted her on the back, gesturing to both of their meals - the lewdtuber having gone with grilled chicken alfredo. “Take it easy and eat. We won’t let anything bad happen to her.”

The yakuza boss nodded, taking another bite of her burger for show. Once Melody’s attention was pulled away by Nyanners, she looked back at her lover, who was still pretty tense. Sighing inwardly, she opted to wait a few minutes for an opportunity to pull them both away to talk for a bit. She did not want to embarrass her in front of everyone about this, especially if she was overreacting about this.

As much as she hoped it was only something minor, though... she could not get rid of her feelings of apprehension.

Needing a brief distraction, she focused back on GEEGA’s story just as she finished. Henya gave a few claps, smiling widely. “That’s incredible! That had to have been fun to use cryomancy that way!”

“I know - going down an ice slide is the highlight of my career!” the warrior agreed, an excited grin on her face. “Got a reprimand for using that artifact that way, but whatever! I cleaned it up without needing to be told, too!” She gave the new member a curious stare. “But what? No comment on my soldier’s use of pyromancy? Everyone usually loves hearing about the little fire tornado he made with a face in it. It’s such a classic!”

The electric-girl chuckled sheepishly. “Ah, well, I’m a little... spoiled on pyromancy usage. My... friend Tomoshika can create and manipulate fire in the most crazy ways! Most wizards would be jealous if they saw it! She can make animals and people made out of flames that behave almost like they’re alive. She can even give them distinguishing features, too. She once made a man and conveyed a scar all down his face using different colored fire.”

This caught everyone’s attention, everyone who did not know the redhead from VOMS visibly shocked by this information. Haruka leaned forward from where she and Zen were sharing a chicken tender salad. “She can do that? How long has she been practicing? She’s an immortal, too, right?”

“Yep, and a millennium-old - but she never needed much practice,” Henya explained. “She was born with a lot of power and energy, and a lot of innate knowledge on how to use it. She can do what some immortals who have spent lifetimes studying spells can accomplish and then some!”

The caribou-girl gave a low whistle, picking at her salad while avoiding the chicken. “Wow. Some mythical creatures are just born with all of the power, huh? Like, me and Fauna have a lot of potential with our powers over nature, but it’s taken so long to learn all of the cool shit! And there are still aspects of it we’re still learning. We’re billions of years old, dammit!”

“Maybe if you just ‘got good,’ you would learn quicker,” the cyborg teased as she ate at the chicken, earning her a hard shove from her girlfriend. She laughed silently, her voice modulator crackling slightly at times.

Henya giggled at their banter, then sighed fondly as she stared ahead. “It is what it is. I’d be careful about saying stuff like that around her, though. She’s very big on encouraging people with powers to take pride in their abilities, big or small. Be too negative on yourself, and she’ll be your best hype-woman... and also convince you to do the stupidest stunts. Without fail.”

Haruka tilted her head. “How stupid are we talking here?”

“She once convinced the other members of VOMS to have Miuneru carry them over a lake with her wind magic in the middle of winter,” the electric-girl answered.

...The caribou-girl blinked. “How the fuck did she manage to convince them to do that?”

Henya shook her head. “Trust me, if you knew her, you’d know why. It’s partly why I didn’t bring her along - I knew she would try at some point during all of this.”

Ironmouse giggled at this information. “Man, you have to bring her along next time, Henya! I want to know what she’d ask of me and Nyanners.”

Said woman nodded along. “Yeah! Imagine the kind of carnage that a pyromancer, an eldritch horror, and Satan herself could get up to!”

“I’d rather not,” Kanata suddenly spoke up. Her voice was tight, but her gaze was firmly on her food now, hiding the exact emotions she was feeling. 

The others turned to her, varying degrees of surprise and concern in their expressions. The eldritch-girl frowned a little as she looked at the white-haired woman. “A sore subject for you? Sorry about that.”

This seemed to make the angel-girl realize what she said. She looked over at the former VShojo member, trying to smile while shaking her head. “N-no! Don’t worry about it. It’s just...” She sighed, breaking her gaze. “Just angel things, I suppose.”

Nyanners hummed in intrigue, but let the topic drop. A silence fell over the table - not quite uncomfortable, but nobody knowing how to proceed just yet. Kson, for her part, studied her girlfriend, watching as she tried to take a few deep breaths. Whatever this “angel thing” was had clearly affected Kanata more than she wanted to admit. Is she sensitive about chaos? Destruction? She’s never seemed adverse to joking about violence before. She wasn’t even all that disturbed by GEEGA’s story just now. So what...?

Her gaze roamed around the table as she pondered this... only for her eyes to lock on someone in particular. Ironmouse was facing away from everyone, a grimace on her face that she was trying to get rid of. She succeeded a moment later, turning back and nudging her fellow pink-haired companion. The two began another discussion regarding their previous streams... but she seemed to send a glance to her T1M drone, which hovered behind her chair to continue projecting her hologram.

The yakuza boss blinked, glancing between Hell’s Ruler and the angel-girl. She did not jump to conclusions yet, but she took careful note of both of their reactions. Had something been going on between...?

She let the matter slide for the moment, waiting to see if this happened again. Instead, she turned properly to her girlfriend, smiling warmly and grabbing her attention. Before any of that, she decided to give a little attention to her like she knew she had been craving. “So, Kanata - anything crazy happening over at Hololive? I know it’s been a little while since we’ve gotten a chance to discuss it.”

Kanata’s eyes lit up like she had hoped they would. But even so, she gave an awkward cough while glancing over at Henya, who was focused on eating for now, and lowered her voice. “It’s... not like you haven’t had a good reason.”

Kson rolled her eyes, leaning in and kissing her on the cheek. “Who are you trying to justify things to? Nobody did anything wrong, did they?”

The key-angel flushed, rubbing her hands together. “Um... no? But-”

“No buts!” the yakuza boss said firmly. “Everything is fine, and I’m sorry if I caused you to feel bad with how busy I’ve been, okay? You’re not a monster for having emotions!” She smiled gently. “So, can I ask again how everyone’s been?”

The angel-girl stared at her for a while longer. Then, she let out a small chuckle, a small bit of her tension leaving her form as her wings fluttered. “I thought you had noticed something... But I wasn’t feeling down at all. You’re crazy.”

Kson laughed, giving her a peck on her forehead. “Of course.”

Laughing too, Kanata smiled back at her and nodded at her. “Good. But as for Hololive events, things have been rather peaceful. It’s going to be a few weeks until the next birthday, and we haven’t started the prep yet for Hololive Summer this year besides getting designs. The EN girls are getting hyped up for their concert in a few months, too, which is nice. Calli actually got this pretty cool sheriff costume at the beginning of the month that I think you’d like! And...”

She continued on like this, trying to recall any interesting things going on with her fellow Hololive members. The yakuza boss listened attentively, glad to have distracted her from whatever issue she might have going on. The woman may have had some issues with things like ownership and when it was okay to take pride in her work. But if there was one thing she could be counted on to do, it was to talk grandly about her friends.

(Though, she did manage to coax her into bragging a little about a new outfit she was having designed. The increased flutter in her wings gave away her feelings despite trying to act casual about it.)

Things continued on like this for a time as conversations restarted all over the table. Zen and GEEGA started to discuss the possibility of a sparring match there soon to hone their skills more. Henya and Haruka also began to talk about the latter’s place on Earth and exactly how she and Fauna shared their duty of protecting nature there. Melody inserted herself into Ironmouse and Nyanners’ conversation, things quickly devolving into a battle on who could come up with the best innuendo. (The electric-girl was obviously hearing some of this, given the red in her cheeks suddenly.)

But eventually, the whole table was drawn back together as the caribou-girl picked up a menu that was left for them. She pointed at a few items on it. “So are we getting dessert at all? The cheesecake looks good!”

Zen looked over at the menu as she finished up plans with GEEGA. She hummed, pointing to a different section. “How about instead we get a few drinks? We can all get buzzed and spend the night roaming the town.”

Henya frowned a little at this. “I’m not much of a drinker. I’m not sure I have the energy to be out all night, either.”

“We can all go home at any time,” the cyborg reasoned. “Besides, not everyone has to drink. It would probably help to have a few sober individuals to keep the others out of trouble, anyway.”

“Nobody is drinking,” Haruka stated, placing the menu down while giving her girlfriend a look. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten what happened the last time we drank. You are way too handsy with me like that.”

The cyborg gave her a flat look. “So we’re just going to ignore the fact that you were drunk, too, and actively swayed your ass at me to get me to cop a feel?”

A few of the others choked on their food and drinks at this, the caribou-girl flushing a deep crimson as she sputtered. Melody recovered quickly and looked over at her with a wide, perverted grin. “Whoa, what?! Haruka!”

“I did NOT! ” the nature immortal managed to choke out, shaking her head furiously. It almost seemed like steam should have been coming out of her ears as her blush spread further.

“You totally did,” Zen retorted with a smirk, pointing a chicken strip at her. “You were so drunk that you could barely even talk - just giggle and call my name. It’s not my fault you only remember pieces of that night... like when I gave into your temptation. As well as the way I held you when I dragged us to bed-”

Further details were cut off as Haruka covered her mouth with her hand. Her voice was shrill as every inch of skin on her head turned red. “SHUT UP! That... that didn’t happen! I refuse to believe that’s how it went! You’re gaslighting me again, you fucking cunt!”

“I don’t gaslight when talking about your great ass,” the cyborg replied, going back to eating.

The caribou-girl only groaned in despair as she buried her head in her arms on the table. Several of them laughed at this, though Nyanners did also pat her on the back. The only two exceptions were Kanata and Henya, whose faces were also incredibly red at the exchange. A quick glance around the room also showed Kson that some of the other people there had blushes from overhearing them, too. Thank gods there are no children here...

Once the electric-girl recovered some, she glanced between the couple with curiosity. There was also perhaps a bit of trepidation in her next question as she spoke. “How... did you two end up together? Like, you seem to piss each other off as much as you get lovey-dovey, and it’s only been... what, an hour or so?”

Nyanners shrugged as she sipped on some water. “Isn’t that just the sign of a good couple? That they can banter like that?”

Henya giggled slightly. “Heh, maybe. I guess I’ve just not seen it to quite that degree from the other couples in town I hang out with. It might just be the... ‘nicknames.’”

“You’ve clearly not stopped by ‘Chaos’ Drop of Hope’ on a good day,” Kson joked, grabbing a few fries on her plate. “Bae and IRyS can be quite the bickerers before getting all kissy.”

“Gross,” the electric-girl muttered, making them both chuckle. She then turned back to Zen. “But seriously, what’s the story? An immortal with power over nature and a cyborg from the future...”

The cyborg sighed at this, waving vaguely. “It’s too long of a story to cover here. It involves too many misunderstandings and generally too much running around several Realms. It was as much of an adventure as it was a romance.”

Melody leaned past the yakuza boss to half-whisper at their new member. “My favorite part of it is when Haruka went into heat once.”

The caribou-girl shot up at that. She sent a fierce glare at her lover. “You promised to never tell anyone about that!”

For once, Zen looked a little terrified, twitching a little under the other’s gaze. She did manage to send her own glare toward the AI-girl, though. “You are fucking dead for ratting me out.”

The purple-haired woman did not seem to care as she giggled. Nyanners also laughed as she looked with amused pity toward Haruka. “If it helps, I don’t think I’ve heard anything about that. Must be lewd program privileges.”

Henya, whose face had flushed all over again, tried to gain control back of the conversation. “Can... we move on to something else? My brain feels overheated now.”

Ironmouse giggled at her expense, smiling teasingly. “Starting to have those regrets about joining up with us yet? If you can’t handle the lewd, then you need to run as fast away from us as possible! Hehehehe!” She shook her head and smiled. “But I think the other people eating here would probably appreciate it. Anything you want to talk about?”

The electric-girl rubbed her chin, putting clear thought into it for a second. Then her eyebrows furrowed a bit, before she looked back at the other woman. “Actually... can you tell me about yourself? I feel like you’ve barely said a word to me this evening.”

That made Hell’s Ruler freeze up. She glanced around awkwardly, clearing her throat. “Oh, have... I not? Sorry - I guess I got caught up talking with Nyanners.”

GEEGA raised an eyebrow at this, looking intently at her, too. “Yeah, actually, you’ve mostly been keeping to yourself and her this whole time. I can’t even remember you saying anything to us before I finished my story. Is anything wrong?” A few sounds of agreement came from the others as they realized this, too, turning toward her.

Ironmouse squirmed slightly under the attention, idly picking at her roasted chicken. “It’s... nothing, really. Just some last-minute issues that came up while I was outside... or was reminded of. It’s got nothing to do with any of you.”

Kson frowned, feeling like there was something... off about the way she was explaining this. Several of the others seemed to feel similarly, given the glances shared. This also included Nyanners, who was the best at picking up on her friend’s mood, which only further confirmed the dragon’s suspicions.

...And she also could not help but notice Kanata quietly staring down at the table during this, her face unreadable.

After another few moments, Ironmouse cleared her throat and tried to smile at Henya. “But hey, I can talk about myself real quick if you want. What do you want to know?” Despite her words, there was a tightness in her features that suggested she was hoping for something simple.

The older immortal seemed a little uncertain about this. But even so, she took up the offer and leaned in her direction, relaxing her posture. “Well... I was wondering about your transformations. I know you’ve had a lot of forms while streaming. Do you use dragon crystals, or...?”

It appeared to be a safe subject as the Ruler of Hell relaxed along with her. “Oh! Well, no, I don’t use dragon crystals. It’s an innate power I was born with, kind of like Nina over in Nijisanji. Changing my body is as simple as willing it to be, though it can be a little straining.”

The electric-girl perked up at this. “Really? Wow, that’s so cool! It has to be convenient to not have to set up some big ritual.” She glanced at herself. “Believe me, it was a pain while I was still in my original form.”

Ironmouse tilted her head. “Um, what does ‘was’ mean? Don’t you still need to do that stuff when you want to be ‘Pika’ again?”

The comment made Henya tense up. So did Kson, knowing things about this new form of her friend - she had helped her accomplish it, after all. She decided to try and interject, waving off the question and trying to cover for her. “W-well, with plenty of practice, it-”

“Kson,” Henya said, cutting her off. Her amber eyes sent her a silent reassurance, if a bit weary. “It’s fine if they know. You don’t need to lie for me.”

Everyone was paying attention now, even Kanata, as they glanced between the pair. GEEGA was the one to cautiously ask the obvious question. “Know... about what?”

The yakuza boss looked one more time at the former VOMS member for confirmation. Receiving a nod, she then let out a breath, looking to the side as she slowly spoke the truth. “Henya’s transformation is... permanent.”

...A tense few seconds passed as the others’ eyes widened at this information. Nobody seemed to know how to react besides being shocked currently. But eventually, Nyanners managed to break the silence once more. “W... what?”

Henya sighed heavily, poking at her shrimp as she shrugged. “I chose to go for a permanent change for this. A fresh slate. I’m never being ‘Pikamee’ ever again... And I can’t be anymore.”

“It’s not quite as absolute as Nazuna’s form,” Kson further explained, hoping it might help keep everyone calm. “But undoing it would require far more than just any of my crystals - or hell, several sets of them! It’s more than just her body that’s changed. Her soul and powers have been altered by the ritual she used.” All transformation magic did both to some extent, but a change like this had a far more profound effect.

Another moment passed as everyone chewed on this. Melody looked over at the white-haired woman, eyes uncertain. “But... why? Like... isn’t that kind of extreme? Not that I think you look ugly or anything! You’ve lived for trillions of years in your original form, though, right?” She pointed to the yakuza boss. “She still likes to be in her Coco form. Nazuna would probably ‘turn back’ into Rushia if she could, too. So what’s inspired this?”

“...I have my reasons,” the electric-girl eventually answered, her voice soft enough to be almost unhearable. “I knew the risks and the consequences. I didn’t just do it on a whim. I thought about it for weeks and asked several close friends of mine about it. They agreed with my reasoning and helped me do it.”

Kson had to close her eyes for a moment to hide the flash of pain she felt in her heart. She most certainly knew why her friend wanted to do this... but it did not make it fair. That paranoid desire of hers to hide from those immortals who were partially responsible for ruining her life. Who had tortured her mentally wherever she went for seemingly no better reason other than they could. The white-haired woman was so certain they would find her there eventually if she did nothing, and more than her own safety... she did not want the others to get harmed over it.

A permanent transformation was the best method to hide from these cruel immortals. Beyond changing her appearance, it would also cause interference with any method to locate her via her soul. It might not stop them from finding her forever, but it could afford her some more peace for a while longer. And thus, she had sought out the yakuza boss, Elira, and even Ina to help her achieve this.

They had their stipulations, naturally - to not leave her original name entirely being a big one. To keep several photos of her old body was another, and to continue working on accepting she was not useless in that form. They did not want her to start thinking of herself as a new person. Instead, sort of like necromancers who transform into undead, they wanted to encourage her to view it as simply a new step in her life.

That was mostly being handled by Tomoshika and Pomu. They had said to the others that so far Henya was doing alright on that front, or as much as she could be given her history. Millie and Ina were still prepared to help make this form less permanent if her mental health started to take a dive, too. But for now, they would respect her wishes. If it made her feel less afraid...

Focusing back on the present, Kson looked around at the others. A lot of them still looked confused, given the lack of context they had. Kanata also appeared a little uneasy, which was understandable, given her feelings about the yakuza boss and the dynamic she had between this form and “Coco.” Nobody appeared to be disapproving, though, which she was relieved about. She did not want her friend to feel overly defensive about her choice.

After a while of processing things, Melody slowly nodded her head. She gave their new member a small smile. “Well... it’s your decision, I suppose. Can’t say I fully understand, but as long as you’re happy about it...”

Henya smiled back. “My feelings are... a little complicated, honestly. But I am doing fine right now, so thank you.” She shook her head, turning her attention back to Ironmouse. “Enough about my transformation, though! What about you? Is it fun being able to alter your form so freely? What kind of stuff do you use it for?”

Brushing the previous topic aside, Hell’s Ruler pondered her questions. “It usually is pretty fun, yeah. In terms of Vtubing, it allows me to entertain my audience with a myriad of unique forms while keeping myself recognizable. And it also helps me to interact with regular people by not appearing to be a mythical being. Seeming more mundane can make certain interactions easier.” She grimaced, glancing back at the T1M drone. “Or, well, that’s how it worked a few millennia ago. Now even if I look like a human, people will still think I’m an AI speaking through a projection.”

Melody pretended to look offended. “And what are you implying there about AI, missy?”

Ironmouse chuckled. “Oh, you know I didn’t mean it like that! My point is that I can’t really be anonymous anymore. I just kind of miss it at times.”

Kson gave an understanding hum. It was definitely true that more people were comfortable with her quicker in her current body due to thinking she was human. It was not that everyone was mean to her in her dragon-hybrid form. However, there was always some sort of reaction to seeing a magical creature, even in this town which had gotten used to their presence. It was nice to get away from that initial impression sometimes, she had to admit.

Humming as well, Henya nodded, an excited gleam in her eyes. “So what did you use to get up to when you could blend in?”

For some reason, Ironmouse seemed to get... tense, at this inquiry. But even so, she tried to put on a smile and answer. “Oh, you know, just... talked with people is all. Pretending to be a normal person for the novelty of it. Normal stuff...”

This answer made Haruka raise an eyebrow. “Yeah - ‘normal stuff.’ Like finding people to make infernal bargains with, right?”

There was no mistaking how rigid Hell’s Ruler got this time, a little bit of panic in her eyes as she turned toward the green-haired woman. There was also a gasp of air next to Kson, causing her to turn... and see how pale her girlfriend had suddenly gotten. Along with a wild look she was now directing at the pink-haired woman. Her heart immediately dropped, several alarms going off in her mind as her earlier worries appeared conformed. She did not know what the issue between them was quite yet, but she did know she needed to do something - fast.

Ironmouse appeared well aware of this herself, given how she tried to wave off the caribou-girl’s comment. “T-that wasn’t really-”

“Oh, come on - you don’t need to feel embarrassed!” Nyanners chimed in, leaning against the table while grinning, gesturing at the electric-girl. “I’m sure old Henry isn’t going to judge you badly over it. You’ve always saved the worst of your punishments and prices for those who are truly depraved.”

The Ruler of Hell tried to shake her head at her to cut her off. Also aware of her misunderstanding of the situation, Kson hastily tried to interject, too, doing her best to keep her voice level. “Nyan, seriously - let it drop.”

Henya looked over at her, at first seeming like she wanted to reassure her that she would be fine. However, she then noticed the angel-girl between them and how she was reacting. Her eyes widened, hand hovering hesitantly around her but clearly not knowing if she should touch her. It would have warmed the dragon’s heart to see her so quick to comfort the Hololive member more if she was not trying to keep things under control.

The eldritch-girl did not catch on at first, raising an eyebrow at the two VShojo members. “Um, oookay? I don’t think the stories are that bad, but if you...” She trailed off as her gaze went to Kanata, her own eyes widening as she turned her attention to her. “Whoa! Hey, are you okay there? Should I get you some water?”

That got the remaining people at the table to notice the angel-girl’s state. More worried exclamations followed, asking if she was okay and if she needed anything. Kson also took the opportunity to put a hand on her back to try and calm her down, which in turn prompted Henya to place her hand gently on the other’s arm.

The attention only seemed to make Kanata more uncomfortable, her breath quickening. But even so, she smiled unconvincingly at them while stiffly shaking her head. “I-I’m fine! There’s n-no problem! What problem would there be? None! It’s just... casual conversation!” She let out an unsteady breath. “No... reason for anyone to be p-panicking! Which I’m not!”

Pretty much everyone gave her an incredulous stare at that. Even Kson could not help but look at her with disbelief. Her lover had tried to cover up her issues in the past for the sake of others, but this was one of the weakest attempts she had ever seen. The white-haired woman would normally give up and vent to her at this stage, whether in public or private, so to blatantly lie like this was a bit surprising to her.

But she could guess with almost complete certainty what the source of the problem was. It was clear to see with the guilt and sorrow on Ironmouse’s face... and the understanding. It seemed that the two had some sort of problem with one another after all. No doubt they had tried to brush it aside for the sake of Henya, but now it was boiling over.

Yet... she was still a little confused. She could not remember the two of them having interacted these past few weeks, nor any reason that they would have. Where was this issue between them coming from? It could not be due to their angelic and demonic natures - she was sure of it. Kanata got along just fine with Choco and Towa at first, even if they were a little tense between them when they first met. And since then, she had not seemed to have had any issue interacting with more of the other two’s kind.

So what was going on here? Was it solely due to the demonic deals the Ruler of Hell had made? There were plenty of other demons who had done similar she seemed okay with. Was it simply an extension of a larger issue she had missed here recently? (That notion was still making her heart ache.)

The yakuza boss sighed, deciding it was best to figure it out later. For now, she leaned closer to her girlfriend, whispering kindly to her. “Hey, you don’t need to lie. I’m here for you. Would... you like to go talk somewhere else?”

Normally, the angel-girl would be quick to take her up on that offer. However, to her surprise, she shook her head, trying to put on a brave face and failing miserably. “N-no! I... I’ll be okay. There’s no reason you... any of you need to...”

This only made Kson’s heart twist further, lost as to why her lover was being so stubborn. The others all seemed to feel similarly, as GEEGA addressed her now, a deep frown on her face. “Kanata, seriously. I know we’re not exactly friends, but if you need a minute, we’re willing to help out. What’s wrong? Was it the talk about bargains? I can imagine that’s a sensitive topic for angels. If that’s all it is, then-”

“I-it isn’t about-!” the angel-girl began, before sucking in a sharp breath. She squeezed her eyes shut, mumbling to herself. “I... I’m better than this. I’m not... I shouldn’t be... I...”

A heavy sigh then came from Ironmouse, who rubbed a hand down her face. She looked at the Hololive member sadly, her voice careful and deliberate. “Kanata... you don’t need to do this to yourself. It’s okay if you can’t get over your teachings right now. I can-”

Further words were cut off as Kanata slammed her hands on the table. It was like a thread had snapped inside her as she suddenly glared and snarled at the pink-haired woman, face flushed with anger and shame. “I don’t need you defending me! Got it?!”

Everyone jumped back in their seats, Kson and Ironmouse included, shock painted on all of their faces. A beat of silence passed... then it seemed to dawn on the angel-girl what she just did. Her eyes widened, leaning back with a hand over her mouth. Mortification overtook her features as tears started to build up. She seemed to try and speak again, but all that came out were choked noises.

The yakuza boss tried to shake off her surprise, starting to reach out again. She was too slow, however, as Kanata suddenly pushed out of her seat, running away from them. She watched her go, also noticing they had gotten the attention of the rest of the restaurant - staff included. Their eyes followed her until she disappeared down the hall where the restrooms were. Then, noticing that the VShojo table was now watching them, they all awkwardly returned to their meals, though most ate in relative silence.

That’s... not going to help things, Kson thought with a grimace. Kanata would feel bad enough for causing a scene in front of her friends. To do so in front of a bunch of strangers... She was likely having a crisis now. The former Hololive member almost got up to follow her immediately, but... she decided to give her a minute. Some privacy to vent her feelings would do her some good, as much as it hurt to think of her crying.

...Besides, there were some answers she wanted first. Her gaze turned to Ironmouse, who had buried her head in her arms on the table. Said woman let out another sigh, her voice self-deprecating. “Why did I think talking would help? Goddammit...”

Nyanners looked at her friend, her face a mix of worry and befuddlement. “Um... And... what precisely did happen there that you tried to help with? Like, it’s not just the disconnect of me being an Ancient One, right?”

Haruka shook her head. “No, I have no clue what’s going on, either.” She looked at the yakuza boss. “Does Kanata have that deep of an issue with the demonic and their dealings?”

“Of course not - she gets along great with the demons in Hololive!” Kson defended. Even during those initial meetings, her girlfriend had never been so quick to anger - it was surreal, frankly. She was not someone easy to piss off like that, and usually tempered her emotions better when she was (her “pettan rage” notwithstanding, of course). To have gone off so quickly over such little provocation...

Looking back at the Ruler of Hell. She did not know if she wanted to be furious and accuse her of something or beg forgiveness on her lover’s behalf for being snapped at, but she kept herself calm. Instead, she gave her a steady look, keeping her tone neutral - leaving no room to back out from her question. “Can you explain what’s going on with her, Mousey?” She kept using the nickname, if only to show she was not discarding their friendship.

Ironmouse looked up at her, her light purple eyes showing nothing but sadness. She broke her gaze after a second, letting out a sigh. “It’s less to do with demons and more so specifically me and what I do with that power... Or at least what she’s been told I do. Some of it is probably even true, if distorted in details, so there’s that.”

Melody gazed at her with disbelief. “What does that mean? Did something happen here recently between you guys?”

“Never met her before in my life,” Hell’s Ruler replied despondently.

That earned a round of confused looks exchanged by everyone. Kson narrowed her eyes at her, leaning closer. “Then why did she react that way? She wouldn’t react that way over nothing.”

This time, it was Ironmouse who looked at her incredulously - even seeming a little frustrated now. “Seriously? You can’t guess? None of you?” She gazed at everyone as if expecting them to answer. When none of them did, she groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. “For fucks sake - I don’t know whether I should feel flattered or insulted you’re all overlooking the obvious.” She dropped her hands to the table, taking a deep breath. “It’s because of what I am - who I am and what it means to her society.”

The yakuza boss bit back a groan as she still could not put things together, keeping her stare leveled at her. “But she doesn’t care about Towa and them being demons! Why are you an exception?”

Hell’s Ruler gave her a deadpan stare. “Because not all demons are fallen angels, Kson. And, more specifically, THE fallen angel.”

...The realization struck them all as surely as a beam of holy light. All Kson could do was blink a few times, the revelation making her feel like a fool. Everyone else seemed equally as stupified, wondering how they had overlooked something like this. It was not that they were not aware that she had once been an angel, but... It had seemed minor, but when she spelled it out like that...

These feelings from them all were surmised by Zen, who broke the stifling silence over the table. “...Oh.”

Ironmouse let out a huff, leaning back in her chair as she pointed to herself. “Yeah, Lady Satan here - the proverbial thorn in God’s side. You know, the deity who lords over all natural-born angels? Kind of makes me public enemy number one to the Heavens. And you can bet that the older generations there are trying to make sure it stays that way.”

The others flinched at her tone, though Melody did manage to send her a disapproving look. “Mouse... we get it. We’re sorry for not realizing sooner.”

Hell’s Ruler turned her glare on her, but gradually, her expression softened. Letting out a deep exhale, she looked to the ground as her voice lost its edge. “I... I know. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be lashing out at you guys over this. It’s my own fault for not saying anything sooner.” She bit her lips. “It just gets... tiring going through that song and dance. I thought if I stayed more reserved tonight, it would help her not break down - save all of that for another day.”

Kson took a steadying breath, one hand gripping her arm. There was a... minimal comfort in knowing she had not missed a recent problem her girlfriend had gone through. However, it did not mean much to her, given how she had caught onto things too slowly regardless. And now, Kanata and Ironmouse were both hurting because of it.

Yet even at this point, she still felt like she was missing pieces to this puzzle. She looked pleadingly to the fallen angel. “I... I don’t think I understand - not really. I mean, even if she was told you were evil or something back home, she... Wouldn’t it be easier for her to see past all of that now? She’s done it for normal demons - heck, for your old direct subordinates like Laplus! Is... you being the Ruler of Hell that big of a deal?”

“It’s more... complicated than what I do and don’t rule,” Ironmouse said. She shook her head, suddenly looking exhausted. “Look, we don’t... have to do this now. We’re still in the middle of welcoming Henya.”

GEEGA tilted her head at her, utterly baffled. “I think we’re a little past all of that.”

“I might agree on another day... but I doubt Kanata will,” Hell’s Ruler emphasized, pointing toward the restrooms. “She’ll probably insist on letting the matter drop, no matter what, for Henya’s sake. And anyway, my relation to other angels is difficult to explain.” She sighed once more. “I don’t want this evening to get derailed. I’ll answer all of your questions tomorrow - I promise. But for now... it’s just easier to let it rest for a while.”

Frowns were shared between them, none of them liking the sound of that. Still, Kson could not argue with her point about Kanata. Her lover would likely try to ignore what had happened after a profuse apology to everyone. She hated being an inconvenience. And they were still there to help Henya, which was still a concern of hers. Plus, on that front, she was not sure she wanted to drag the electric-girl into this problem after the promises of a happy evening with-

“I don’t mind,” Henya said calmly.

The yakuza boss blinked, looking over at her friend... only to realize she had gotten up from her seat. Looking around, she saw her walking around the table toward the pink-haired woman, everyone else staring at her with surprise as well. Yet the short woman did not seem to notice, her face almost serine in a melancholic sort of way.

Ironmouse seemed to be the most shocked at this answer as she watched her. “What?”

Once she was next to her, Henya shrugged, her expression showing no signs of doubt. “You can talk about it. I’ve had fun this evening, and I’m looking forward to being an official member! And as your new Kouhai... I’d love to be able to help. Whether it’s only listening to you or being able to contribute in fixing things between you two.”

Hell’s Ruler glanced away, not looking wholly convinced. “ You... don’t have to force yourself to do anything. This doesn’t involve you. I’m sure Kanata will appreciate the thought, but we can deal with-”

She cut off as the electric-girl tugged her arm. The older immortal made eye contact with her, voice soft but resolute. “I insist. I can’t force you to say anything... but don’t pretend that Kanata is the only one hurting here.” She slowly looked down, her tone becoming more distant. “It’s not good to bottle up these kinds of feelings. It... can lead you to hurting yourself in more ways than one. I’d know. So if you don’t have anyone to talk to this about...”

Kson felt her breath catch, in near disbelief at the implication about herself her friend let slip. With how personal that stuff was, she had not expected her friend to mention a word to the other VShojo girls - at least not so soon. She could see that it was not lost on the others, a myriad of emotions in their eyes. It made her worry about future meetings.

But looking at her... she saw no traces of regret on Henya’s face. She was smiling now, full of kindness and understanding despite there still being sadness in her eyes. For once, her age seemed to show in her eyes as she stood there. Ready to do what she could do to help another person with their own (metaphorical) demons.

That was all that Pikamee ever desired, really - to help others and make them happy. To see her do so for someone she was still getting close to, even after all she went through, made the yakuza boss’ heart swell as much as it did twist painfully.

It was silent for a long time, the only noise coming from the other patrons of the restaurant. (If they were still listening to them, they were doing a good job pretending otherwise, admittedly.) Then, finally, Ironmouse let out a long exhale, looking at the shorter woman as her guard lowered. “I... guess if you’re sure.”

“I am,” Henya insisted, her smile getting brighter. She leaned against the table, completely attentive. “Start wherever you think is best for us to understand this.”

Nyanners was quick to voice her agreement, putting a hand on her best friend’s shoulder. “Yeah. We’re all here for you. And we’ll do what we can to help Kson with Kanata, too! We just need to understand what we’re dealing with first.” The others nodded along with her, voicing their support.

Ironmouse looked between them, seeming to look for any hesitance. Then, with a slow nod, she looked down at the table. “Okay... if you’re all sure.” She took in a breath, shrugging her shoulders. “I guess a good place to start is... well, the act of ‘falling’ for an angel. Or, in contrast, the ‘ascension’ of a demon. Losing their holy or demonic power and it being replaced with the other. Those processes are the core of everything involved here.”

Kson hummed, scratching her head. “Kanata has never really given much details on how that works. I don’t even know why that’s able to happen.”

“None of us really know why, either,” Hell’s Ruler admitted. “For whatever reason, angels and demons are linked by their opposing spectrums of magic. It could be for balancing reasons within the weaves of our powers. Or perhaps there was a god who deliberately linked our kinds for purposes only they know. Maybe it was simply chance due to both coming into existence at the same time. Wizards and scholars have been prying for eons for answers to any of these possibilities, but I don’t pay that stuff much attention.

“What matters is that we’re linked, and those naturally born on both sides can become the other. That includes the children of non-natural ones, too, like Nazuna, in case you were curious.” She shook her head. “It’s as much caused by our inner desires as it is a ritual. Basically, if one person has aspirations that fall toward the other’s kind, then through the right muttering of words and focusing our innate magic, they can change into an angel or a demon... Painful as hell, though, like most normal transformations.”

“I can imagine,” Haruka said sympathetically. Her eyebrows then furrowed, something occurring to her as she looked her friend over. “But... wait. I thought the story went was that you and those who took place in the uprising in the Heavens were forced to become demons. I don’t know many versions of the tale, but I swore that was emphasized.”

All of the longer-lived members of the group hummed in agreement. Kson herself knew a few of those tales. They were often varied and filled with different interpretations of several events. A few things remained consistent, however, such as the casting out of Satan and her followers when they tried to confront God. Hundreds of thousands of angels were banished to the underworld, where they slowly built their empire, which was what started several fresh waves of holy-demonic wars. And by all accounts, they had not gone and stayed there willingly.

Ironmouse eyes became distant at this, stiffly nodding at the caribou-girl. “Yes, well... there are a few exceptions to the rule. Normally, an angel or demon who becomes the other has their own reasons. Whether it’s an angel who wants to learn black magic or a demon who wishes to promote virtues, they make their choice deliberately. It’s not as simple as having good or evil intent - there’s a lot of room for grayness that not many on either side like to admit - but it does also involve some fundamental changes in the person’s attitude, too.

“But there are instances of a forced transformation. Usually, it's the work of some curse placed upon them for slighting a warlock or the like, requiring the completion of some task to change back. I know of at least a few that were caused by potions as well, which is a temporary thing often done by tricksters.” She stared down at her forgotten plate of food sightlessly. “And then... there’s the ever-famous example of myself and my fellow rebels.”

Uneasy glances were exchanged due to her demeanor. Henya stepped a bit closer, putting a hand on her lower arm. “What... caused it to happen?”

A bitter laugh left Hell’s Ruler. “I wish I knew. All I know is that we were storming the cathedral where the primordial angels allegedly communed with ‘God’ to confront the big man himself. We got in, and... I don’t remember.” She grimaced in pain, clutching her head as her eyes screwed shut. “Ugh, shit. Every time I try to think about it, there’s... just a-a searing light in my head where memories should be. So b-bright and... consuming ...” She let out a whimper, nearly collapsing against the table.

Panicked by this, Nyanners quickly rushed to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. She rubbed them gently while keeping her upright. “Hey, easy! Don’t force yourself to recall it if it’s painful.” She glanced at the T1M unit. “Do you need me to go to your house? I can form a body there really quick.”

After a second, Ironmouse managed to shake her head as her body unwound. She sent her and everyone a shaky smile. “I-I’m good. It’s my own fault. No matter how much it hurts, I... can’t help but keep trying to remember sometimes.” She took a deep breath, now looking down at her hands. “Still... whatever happened in there, the next thing anyone remembers is us falling to the grounds of Hell. Broken, battered... and transformed into demons.” She closed her eyes again. “Forever, it seems like.”

The group tensed at this. GEEGA looked at her, her words careful, clearly not knowing how to feel about this revelation. “It’s... permanent?”

“For me and everyone else who followed my crusade,” the Ruler of Hell confirmed. She sighed, raising one hand before her and flexing it. “It’s kind of a funny fate, really, for someone with my transformation potential. Nothing in the several millennia after has been able to undo it for those who have sought it. There has never been anything like this before or since.” She smiled ruefully. “A divine punishment, according to the primordial angels... A show of what happens when you defy a god.”

Kson looked at her with worry. “Has... that ever been a problem for you? Did you... ever want to be an angel again?” Her friend may have made the most of the situation - made very well of it - but having your whole being forcefully changed like that...

To her relief, though, Ironmouse shook her head, her smile becoming more easy. “Not really. I was distraught at first, but... I mean, hey, if the Heavens were not going to listen to what I wanted to change, then I may as well hang out with demons instead. Once we proved our worth to them, they were fine with us making our own little settlement. Our influence gradually spread from there as we made allies, and... Well, you can guess about the rest.”

A few hums were exchanged as they took in this bit of history. Then, Melody spoke while scratching the side of her head. “That’s all pretty interesting, but... what exactly does this have to do with Kanata’s attitude toward you?”

The smile dropped from the fallen angel, who looked away while taking another deep breath. “Well... I set a dangerous precedent.” At their questioning looks, she elaborated. “Like I said, a permanent change like this has never happened before or since. Even for an angel who never considers Falling, having all autonomy about it ripped from them can be terrifying. And this ‘punishment’ was brought upon us because of my actions and beliefs. Add to that the long-standing feuds between angels and demons, and... I’ve become a message to them. To show the consequences of defying ‘holy decrees.’”

A deep frown came to GEEGA’s face - almost becoming a scowl. “Right... I kind of remember now. There are lots of rumors down in the underworld about older angels' attitudes toward sin. Is that what you’re talking about?”

“Sort of,” Ironmouse replied. “Being the symbols of order in many mortal’s eyes, they have always seen the act of Falling as a big problem. They even barely tolerate angels who redeem themselves or demons who Ascend.” She gave an annoyed grunt. “Of course, ‘redeem’ is their choice of words - not mine. They have always called for the separation of both sides. Not that there aren’t some demons who are similar, but the number is greater on their side, and it's those ‘holy protectors’ who have started most of the wars between us.”

Haruka furrowed her eyebrows. “And the ‘younger’ angels are just okay with that? You keep specifying, so I assume there’s a difference.”

“Oh, there is - and the older angels hate it,” Hell’s Ruler drawled out. She let out a grunt. “Their hold over society has been eroding for eons now. Angels and demons might never build a civilization together, but regardless, more and more of the newer generations are tired of being enemies. There’s a growing desire for more open communication, and to not be as judgmental of those who Fall and Ascend. It was how I got so many to join me in my rebellion so long ago, tired of listening to the words of a god who never showed themselves.”

She paused... then she let out a tired chuckle. “But the older generations keep trying... and I’ve been their most effective tool for encouraging fear and mistrust among angels towards demons. Though especially myself.”

Zen blinked at this, appearing to realize something. Her eyes narrowed, anger in them on her friend’s behalf. “Wait... Are you saying they’re indoctrinating new angels into hating you? Over a petty grudge about your failed uprising?” The others all started to look a little angry or upset as they realized this, too.

Ironmouse simply shrugged. “Pretty much. It was not enough for them to bar me out of the Heavens entirely, or to ignore my pleas to let some of those who followed me return. Because I dared to not wither up and become a husk in the underworld - built myself and the others' a kingdom - they want me to suffer. Perhaps more so, they do not want others following in my path or listening to what I have to say. So... I’m their boogeyman now.”

“And... how do they go about promoting this?” Haruka questioned, already looking like she was not going to like the answer. The others were also tense as they waited.

Hell’s Ruler sighed, rubbing a hand down her face. “Well, it rarely involves anything physical... which is about the only bit of credit I can give them. Otherwise, it’s a bunch of fear-mongering and horror stories. I’m talking about kids from an early age being taught about how I feast upon the blood of angels in graphic detail or carve up their bodies in satanic runes. I’ve heard recountings of many of them - it’s enough to give anyone trauma and keep them up with nightmares. Some adult angels and demons can barely stomach the worst of them.”

The VShojo members all gaped in horror and disgust at this. Henya and Haruka in particular looked incredibly enraged at this, with the latter speaking up again with a seething tone. “What the fuck?! They’re children! And won’t they figure out it's all lies when they’re older anyway? There must be visitors to those Realms that can tell them otherwise.”

“It doesn’t matter if they believe those tales later in life,” Ironmouse retorted, looking quite furious herself. “What matters is that they’re well afraid of me by an early age. Then, as they grow up, they are taught less fantastical stories about my deeds.” She huffed, looking up at the ceiling. “It’s a part of their education these days. They get told stories that are technically true - just with certain details distorted. All to paint me in the worst possible light. Such as accounts of angels I’ve had locked up and... handled roughly. They make them sound like innocent victims instead of criminals wreaking havoc and assassins sent to kill me and my friends.”

Nyanners sighed, rubbing her shoulders again. “You can say ‘torture.’ We know you’re not a perfect saint or anything.” She grimaced. “Still, it’s quite disingenuous of them to remove details like that. Even if they still disapproved of the act, they should be able to understand why you did it.”

“I’m not saying there aren’t legitimate reasons for an angel to dislike me - or anyone, really,” Hell’s Ruler said with a shrug. “It just gets under my skin that they make me out to be pure evil with no remorse. I can deal with them questioning my methods. But for God’s sake, I have a heart! I didn’t rebel simply to cause chaos!” She took a deep breath once again, taking a moment to sip a glass of water despite being virtual currently. Once she calmed down, she continued. “That’s not even getting into things they say that are blatantly untrue, like I mind control angels into Falling and can make any Fallen permanently a demon.”

GEEGA scoffed at this, tone sarcastic. “Well gee, why not? May as well continue making transforming seem like a bad thing while they’re in the middle of bashing your name, right?”

A short but genuine chuckle came from Ironmouse. “They’re consistent in what they want to accomplish, at least.” Her humor was short-lived, though, as she went back to staring at the table. “But... yeah. There’s a lot more they do to turn younger angels against me, but you get the idea by now. They work hard to prime them into being only a hair trigger away from wanting to attack me out of terror and hatred on sight. All nice and ready for the next holy war.”

“...Including Kanata,” Kson whispered softly, having gotten the picture well before then.

The fallen angel kept her gaze away from her, tapping a finger against the table. “...That perhaps gets to me more than slandering my name. So many otherwise good people... made to do vile acts by those who taught them. And if they’re lucky enough to realize the contradiction in their teachings... it’s not easy to get over their prejudices.”

“...I can imagine,” Henya murmured, a certain hollowness to her eyes briefly. It was gone before anyone but Kson could see it, though, as she looked at the Ruler of Hell sadly. “But Kanata can be helped, right?”

Ironmouse nodded, though looked weary. “Of course. I saw it in her that she knows she’d been lied to. Her time on Earth has likely helped with her becoming more open-minded.” She sent a small smirk toward the yakuza boss. “Not to mention having the support of those she loves when challenged, I imagine.”

The disguised dragon blushed, almost relieved to have a reason to smile again. “Heh. Well, I can’t take all the credit. Towa’s been a great help in making her realize she doesn’t have to be humble at all times, and bringing out her more mischievous side.”

Hell’s ruler chuckled. “Aw, man. It’s always fun seeing angels come out of their shells and live a little.” After a moment, however, she began to frown. “Still... we’re talking a few years against centuries of ‘lessons.’ And I don’t think she’s young enough to have been born these last few centuries.”

Zen raised an eyebrow. “When she was born matters?”

“Yes - the doctrine has been losing its hold lately from what old friends in the Heavens have told me,” Ironmouse confirmed, a satisfied grin on her face. “The angels who grew up with the horror stories about me are not repeating them to their kids more and more, since they’re realizing that maybe they shouldn’t scar their children. And that’s led to more discord in their education about me, along with more secret meetings with demons to talk about what I’m actually like.”

Melody perked up at this, seeming as glad as the rest of them about this. “Wow. I bet the older angels or whatever are pretty mad their tactic’s backfiring.”

“Their power has always been dwindling, even with me as their symbol of evil,” Hell’s Ruler said. “It’ll be several more millennia, I imagine, but I expect there will be some civil wars over there one day to put my rebellion to shame.”

A few millennia too long from the sounds of it, Kson thought. But stuff like this could take time when involving immortals, she knew, so she kept the comment to herself. Besides, from talks with her girlfriend, the Heavens were not a terrible place to live. They were just too rigid in some of their practices... and very prejudiced against demons. She had hope that they would sort out their issues eventually.

Still, she pushed those ideas aside - she was no expert on their politics, and she had other problems at the moment. Looking at the pink-haired woman, she decided to confirm her lover’s age. “Kanata is about two and a half millennia old. Pretty young by their standards, but not as much as you’re describing.”

Ironmouse nodded, looking a little lost in thought. “I see... Could be worse, I suppose. Her generation was starting to ask more questions, if I remember. But that doesn’t erase the fear.” She looked around the table. “If you all still want to try helping her get over her biases, though...”

GEEGA shrugged. “Well, it sounds like it’s going to take more than one sit down to get through to her.” She grinned, holding up a first. “But I’m still down for this. Especially if she wants to change, too, herself. You have to start somewhere, and it seems like you’ve both been putting it off long enough.”

Haruka nodded. “Same here. She’s been so kind whenever she’s joined us for stuff. If she knows her feelings toward you are wrong, then why not help her out?”

The others all gave similar positive responses. It made a big smile come to Kson’s face, happy that they were all being so supportive toward both her girlfriend and the fallen angel. It would be easy to simply leave Kanata to fend for herself and figure things out on her own. But there they were, ready to give her a hand with things.

Now all they had to do was extend that hand. She stood up from her chair, looking over to where the bathrooms were. “Well, I’d better go get her, then. She’s probably ready for a bit of comfort by now, anyway. Are we doing this here, or are we going somewhere else?”

Nyanners shrugged. “I don’t see why not stay here. We all still have food to eat... even if some people are nosey.” She side-eyed the other tables around them, whose people pointedly did not look in their direction. She looked back at the purple-haired woman and waved her off. “Go on ahead. We’ll be waiting.”

The yakuza boss nodded, starting to head off toward the bathroom. She stopped briefly, though, as she saw someone approach her in the corner of her eye. She turned and looked down at Henya, who smiled up at her as she spoke. “I’ll come with you. She’ll need convincing that I don’t mind the evening getting derailed, right?”

Kson considered it briefly, then nodded once more, motioning for her to follow. They left behind the others, who she could hear were discussing how to start things. Ironmouse was saying how she would probably do most of the talking, but the other’s input would be appreciated. Makes sense. This is between her and Kanata. I just hope they can come to some sort of understanding tonight, if nothing else...

The duo was silent for a time... but once they were far enough away from the others, the yakuza boss glanced at her friend again. Her tone was apologetic. “Hey, I’m... sorry that things have gotten so... heavy. You didn’t need to reveal what you did about yourself...”

The electric-girl did not respond immediately. Once they were in the hall, though, she looked up at her, eyes filled with determination. “If it helps make sure everyone is a little better by the end of this hangout, then it’s worth it.” She looked back forward. “You and the others help me so much, and I know VShojo will too... and I want to return the favor when I can.”

Kson stared at her with a mixture of pride and slight sorrow. She was not sure how to respond to that, so she just gave her friend’s head a pat, which seemed to please her. After the brief exchange, they continued on toward the bathrooms, where she hoped the angel-girl was not having too bad of a breakdown.

She would get her through it, though... and start closing the gap between her and Ironmouse.

Chapter Text

Sobs echoed through the empty bathroom. In the last stall of three, Kanata was sat on the lid of a toilet, her knees brought up to her chest. She had lost her sense of time, not knowing if it had been seconds or minutes. The restaurant could have closed by now with her locked inside with how unaware she was of her surroundings.

She did not notice any of the faint smells of the restroom, or the stronger scent of cleaning supplies having been used recently. She did not hear the sounds of the pipes or anyone who might have come in to relieve themselves while she had been in here. Not even the small ache caused by sitting on such an uncomfortable surface registered.

All she could do was cry... An action she did not even think she deserved.

What right did she have to cry after what she did? This evening was supposed to be about meeting Henya and having some fun with her girlfriend’s coworkers. All she had to do was be polite and try to join in the discussions. She was not overly close with any of them, which made her a little nervous about talking to them, but she had planned to do her best despite being caught off guard by it. Showing kindness was all part of being an angel to her!

And the angel-girl had tried to do her best. She... she really had. She had engaged with the electric-girl a lot in particular, genuinely glad to meet the person her lover was so protective of. Her boundless curiosity despite being the oldest one there had endured the white-haired woman to her. Her positivity had been infectious, and she had not been able to help smiling along with her questions.

It had also done wonders to ease the small bits of... “jealous-adjacent” emotions she had been feeling toward the woman. They had been irrational to begin with, and the simple act of talking had helped her heart finally catch up with that fact. Whatever private issue the two had going on she would leave with them until they felt like sharing. (Or not - everyone had their secrets. The yakuza boss did not have to share all of hers with her just because they were dating.) There was still a bit of shame on her part for having felt that way to begin with, but she had planned to deal with that later.

That should have meant that the dinner had gone well. If she had just kept up with bantering with Henya and Kson - maybe a few of the others - then everything would have been fine. Everyone would have walked away happy, and she could have talked with her girlfriend about the aforementioned shame. Just a fun time for everyone to look back on, with the new VShojo member at the center of it.

Instead... she had dragged all the attention onto herself. And worse, she had done so by snapping at Satan, right to her face.

Ironmouse, Kanata corrected to herself, the slip making her eyes water all over again. Her breath hitched at the colliding of different emotions in her heart. The compassion she tried to show everyone scraped harshly against the hatred and fear she had always been taught to associate with the Ruler of Hell. It was almost physically painful, making her sobs even worse as each switched between the dominant emotion... but always being encompassed with endless guilt over her actions.

Even from the moment she had arrived, her every instinct had been on overdrive the moment she spotted the fallen angel. The feeling had not gotten better as they sat at the table, either. She had not failed to notice that the other woman tried to sit as far from her as possible. She knew that she was probably trying to keep her comfortable by doing this, but a part of her was insulted, insisting it was because she hated angels that much. But she had not commented on it, knowing it would only bring unwanted questions from the others.

Such conflicting feelings were prevalent throughout their eating. The angel-girl did her best to ignore them, keeping her focus on other discussions. She put a tight lid on her emotions, but she was sure they leaked out into her expression at times. But still, nobody seemed to notice or were overly concerned about it. She had begun to hope that perhaps both of them could keep from ruining the evening after all. (Not that the VShojo member had seemed in danger of doing that.)

...But she had been unable to keep her cool. All because of a comment about making demonic deals. Not exactly surprising information - plenty of demons did it regardless, and she had been taught that Hell’s Ruler did, too. However... it had surfaced too many horrible things she had learned. About angels crying out in agony as their souls were twisted. Of Satan eating them in some instances to feast upon their holy light. Old artistic renditions had appeared in her mind’s eye - of malnourished angels with their wings twisted and feathers torn off...

She was no fool - she knew not all of it could be true. Kson, Calli, Bae, the others in VShojo... they would not be friends with her if she was that much of a monster. Plus, how many things had she realized since leaving the Heavens that were either presented with a heavy bias or were outright lies, especially regarding sin? The same likely applied to the fallen angel. Her bargains probably had more to them than what the Hololive member’s old teachers taught.

No amount of these rationings made her terror go away, however - the feeling whispering to her that she was about to be tempted and have her body and mind altered as well. It had sent her into a near panic attack, which had naturally drawn the entire table’s attention. Their concern had only sent another spike of guilt for having interrupted Henya’s welcoming party. If she had just been able to hold on a while longer... If she had not been so sensitive over beliefs she knew had to be false...!

It had all been too much for her, overwhelming any rationality she had left. Thus, when Ironmouse had tried to talk with her - extend an olive branch to help her... instead of accepting, she had lashed out. Exposed the vile, unjust hatred she had for the woman for all of her friends to see. And then, instead of facing their response... she ran and hid herself away.

The angel-girl swallowed thickly, barely feeling like she was breathing anymore. The word coward kept ringing in her mind. She had caused a scene and said something so rude to someone who had never done anything to her, yet she had the gall to sit there in self-pity? She was the problem, and she had not been able to own up to it. Could not let go of the fury still in her heart toward the pink-haired woman.

She... she was a failure of an angel. An insult to the virtue they were meant to represent. Hell, she was simply a horrible person. Who would act that way in front of someone without giving them a proper chance? Who would ruin a perfectly fine dinner and embarrass them in front of everyone? She could still feel the stares of the other patrons, condemning her further and shining a light upon her failure for all to see.

...What would everyone think of her now? She could perfectly picture the VShojo members roughing her up - maybe not a proper beating, but enough to make it clear she was not welcome back. The word would probably then spread to the rest of Hololive. Would her Senpais and Genmates abandon her? Would there be any respect left from her Kouhais toward her? Maybe A-Chan would see fit to fire her for being so bigoted.

And Kson... Coco... She could see it in both her forms. The look of disgust she would be met with when she went back. She could hear the words as if they were real: “I can’t believe you, Kanata! You’re not the woman I thought you were! I’m sorry, but... this isn’t going to work out anymore. It’s... it’s over. I’m brea-”

Kanata’s imagination recoiled at the scene, unable to complete it. Her eyes felt like they were burning by this point, but she somehow still had tears to shed. She curled up tighter, hands now gripping her hair as she tried to block out the world further. She shook violently, trying to tell herself that it could not possibly get as bad as she thought it would be. Perhaps she would not get kicked from Hololive! Plus, there had to be ways she could salvage her relationships with everyone once they found out.

But... she doubted anyone would look at her the same way ever again. How could they? Their disappointment in her would be warranted along with any cold shoulders she received. What right did she have to worry about this? It was what she had earned by being such a disgrace. For being such a selfish, awful, deplorable -

It was in the midst of this line of thought that she gradually became aware of a knocking on her stall door. She blinked a few times to clear her vision, sniffling as she peeked over her knees. The sound was muffled in her ears, but it kept repeating. Her already degraded hearing could not make out the words of the person over the ringing in them, but they were definitely speaking. She... thought they sounded almost kind. Sympathetic.

She grimaced, burying her face back into her knees. She did not deserve sympathy after her outburst. It must be a staff member or someone who witnessed the exchange who doesn’t understand what happened. She thought about trying to send them away, but she could not get her voice to work. So instead she sat there, waiting for them to give up and leave on their own.

Except... after several moments, they did not leave. They kept knocking, continuing to try and get her attention. She frowned, looking at the door again. Her confusion made her calm down slightly, helping her to realize it was actually two people trying to talk to her. Just who were these two? Maybe fans of hers who wanted to make their Oshi feel better?

As their words became clearer, though... she started to recognize one of the voices as they talked to their companion, tone filled with regret. “...must be really bad this time. Dammit - I shouldn’t have left her on her own for so long!”

The angel-girl choked on the gasp she instinctively tried to let out. That was... Kson? She... was checking on her? She... was concerned about how she was feeling still? But... she had...

The other person spoke up, which she now recognized as Henya. “Don’t panic! I’m sure she’ll answer us soon. Anyway, how could you comfort her if you didn’t understand what was going on?”

“...You know, it’s a really bad situation when you’re the voice of reason for relationship advice.”

“Wha-? Oi! I could do well in a real relationship! Don’t you start with me!”

The yakuza boss laughed, but... it was obviously strained. Kanata recognized the tactic from her. She was trying to joke around to keep herself from panicking and keep her emotions under control. It had served her well when she was back in Hololive and the harassment of antis had started to get to her, and it continued to help when she needed to be strong for others.

Which meant... Kson... wanted to help her. Even after how she had acted... Did that also mean that...? Were they still...?

It took all of her willpower to uncurl and shakily put her feet on the ground. She stood up, trembling so much she almost fell over from the single step it took to reach the door. She stared at the barrier between them, unable to think clearly about her decision. Then, before she could doubt the action, she unlocked it, and with gritted teeth swung it open.

The two turned to her as she was revealed. Her eyes were firmly glued to the ground, not wanting to see their faces. Her anxiety returned in full force, making her feel like a fool. What if it had all been an act to get her to come out? Now that she had, they might be about to rip into her. Which was deserved - she was a terrible person - but she selfishly wished she could put it off. The scenario she imagined with her girlfriend replayed in her head as she braced for them to become reality-

-And then a hand gently went to her chin and made her look up. She met the blue eyes of the dragon... but found no signs of hate. Only the tender care and worry she had come to associate with her after seeing the angel-girl had a bad day. Her voice reflected these emotions as well. “Kanata? Please... talk to me? What do you need?”

Said woman blinked, her mind feeling stuck in a loop. This... this did not make any sense to her. She could be getting yelled at - receiving some sort of scolding for her actions. Where was the harshness she deserved? Why could she not fight off the relief that filled her? Why... Why...?

It all proved too much. And so, unable to stop herself despite feeling greedy, she looked at her lover with watery eyes and whimpered. “K... C... Coco... please...” Her arms opened slightly despite how heavy they felt from her guilt.

The name immediately made the yakuza boss’ face crumble. She had gotten better at accepting her new form over the past year, and using her new name. However, there was an understanding between them that the usage of her real name so suddenly meant that... things were particularly bad for her. That her problems had become too much for her to handle. The white-haired woman’s tongue burned from having used it now, though, given the situation was of her own making.

Yet her girlfriend did not hesitate to gather her in her arms, squeezing her tightly as her voice got ever softer. “Oh, Kana...”

Once more, the angel-girl was amazed to find she still had tears to shed. She hugged the other woman back, her body wracked with fresh sobs. Her shame screamed at her to leave the embrace - it was not deserved and she was taking advantage of her lover’s sympathy. But she could not find the strength to do so, too weak to leave this small shield of protection. Though from what it was protecting of her, she could not say...

Another unknown amount of time passed like this as she tried to expel the pain inside her. Eventually, coherency began to return once again, a final few whimpers leaving her as she became boneless in the hug. She did not feel... better, but she was a bit more grounded... But that awful hate continued to stew in her heart...

With it came waves of guilt at the situation she had put them in. With great effort, she managed to pull back from the embrace despite her heart’s protests. Coco Kson let her step back, giving her a gentle look that only deepened its stinging. “Did that help?”

Kanata looked away, wrapping her arms around herself as she squirmed. She swallowed, managing to keep her voice level. “I... I’m sorry. You... I... I should have left earlier before I could... I didn’t mean to cause you problems, or-”

A hand was quickly put on her shoulder and squeezed it. The yakuza boss’ voice was soothing as she tried to smile. “Kanata, it’s... going to be okay, alright? What you said was... shocking, but that-”

The angel-girl flinched, pushing the hand off of her before the other could finish. Her own hands clenched at her side as she looked intently at the ground. “Don’t. Just... don’t. I know it was horrible. It could have been a lot worse, but the way I acted was unjustified... Vile.”

Kson frowned, attempting to reach out again. “Hey, it’s-”

In a sudden burst of strength, Kanata looked up and glared at her, voice rising. “Don’t you dare say it’s fine! This isn’t like my other ‘angel behaviors.’” She sniffed, looking to the side. “Don’t try to make it seem like it wasn’t a big deal.”

The yakuza boss froze for a second. Then, with a heavy sigh, she nodded. “Okay... It wasn’t fine. Maybe the others are a little angry for snapping at Mouse that way, too...” She looked at her imploringly. “But nobody hates you, Kanata. I swear it. As far as insulting her goes, like you said, you could have said worse.” She paused, biting her lips. “And... Mouse told us about the whole... angels relation to Satan stuff.”

That made the angel-girl’s breath catch, eyes widening. She wrung her hands, her wings fluttering anxiously as she tried to explain herself. “T-that... I never wanted you to... I mean, I’ve tried to get over that, but... I...” She trailed off, not knowing how to explain the fear that still thrummed under her skin thinking of the fallen angel.

It was then that a person stepped beside Kson. Henya raised a placating hand as she tried to calm her. “Hey, don’t worry! You can’t control what you were taught your whole life...”

Any comfort those words were supposed to give her were lost as Kanata remembered the electric-girl’s presence. She took a shaky breath as mortification filled her, swiftly bowing toward the older immortal. “Henya! I... I’m so sorry! I should have controlled myself better! This evening was meant to be about you, and now I’ve caused-”

The former VOMS member rushed up to her and grabbed her hand, face briefly panicked. “Hey, it’s fine! I’m not mad about that!” Her expression morphed into that of concern. “I’m just sorry that both you and Mousey have to deal with this...”

The angel-girl could not help the incredulous stare she sent her. “You... you can’t be serious. I’m the only person who did anything wrong out there! I’m not the victim here!” She closed her eyes, shaking her head. “You... you shouldn’t be sorry about me. I don’t des- eep! ”

She cut off with a squeal as two strong arms grabbed her. She was faced with Kson again, who was giving her a firm look. “Don’t you say you don’t deserve sympathy. Got it?” She sighed, her eyes softening slightly. “You said you knew your feelings about Ironmouse are unjust, right?”

Kanata pursed her lips, nodding slowly. Even beyond so many people she trusted being friends with the fallen angel, she had on extremely rare occasions watched part of her livestreams. One of the few ways she had tried to get rid of her biases, with little success. But still, the short times she had been able to watch them had been enough to show the pink-haired woman did not act like the monster from her stories and “history lessons.” The way she had been trying to be gentle with her earlier was proof, as well.

The yakuza boss pressed on. “And do you feel bad about your comment toward her?”

It was almost a rhetorical question, but the angel-girl still nodded again. “Greatly.”

Kson gave her a small smile, a hand moving to her cheek lovingly. “Then I’d say you deserve a little sympathy.” She seemed to think about something for a moment, then took a deep breath. “Prejudices can be hard to overcome. I’ve seen it a few times myself in my life... and dealt with it when I joined VShojo for a bit.”

That made both of the others look at her with shock, Henya speaking up this time. “Really?”

“Yeah - with Froot,” the yakuza boss explained, her smile more rueful. “Necromancy is not a terrible taboo in dragon societies... but there are opinions on using it to become an undead. I don’t know exactly where it started from myself, but it was something I was taught my whole life growing up.” She looked at her girlfriend. “I can’t say I felt it as strongly as you have, but... I get it. Our cultures don’t always have the best influence on us...”

Kanata stared at her girlfriend, scarcely believing there was a prejudiced bone in her body. She looked away, taking a steadying breath. “You... never mentioned that.”

Kson shrugged apologetically. “Me and Froot managed to work it out privately over time. It helped that I was well-used to necromancy by then thanks to Nazuna. By that point, there didn’t seem much point in bothering anyone about it.” She sent her a small smile. “But if I had needed more help, you would have been the first person I’d have turned to confide in.”

That admission made the angel-girl’s cheeks warm. But even so, a deep frown found its way to her lips. “...I bet you never snapped at her like I did earlier, though. You’re too mature for that.”

The yakuza boss frowned back, managing to get closer and put her hand on her shoulder again. “This isn’t meant to be a competition on who has it worse, Kana.”

“I know, but...!” Kanata growled in frustration, her hand roughly moving through her hair. “Ugh! But what does that say about me? I’ve spent plenty of time with regular old demons in Hololive! I’ve seen how that woman acts - enough to know it can’t all be fake! My lessons growing up were about showing compassion and selflessness to even the wicked unless they force our hand! I... I should be able to handle a single dinner with the Ruler of Hell, given all of that! Be courteous to her, even!”

She felt like her chest was being crushed as she struggled for breath. “But... I couldn’t. Just seeing her in person... Everything I was taught to fear about her came rushing back. I couldn’t relax - as if the moment I did, she would rip my soul out and devour it. Or force me into being a demon while everyone laughed at my shame.”

Henya tilted her head at her, eyebrows furrowed. “Would... being a demon be bad for you?”

“ That’s not the point !” the angel-girl shouted, making the short woman jump back and her lover flinch. She shook her head, breathing hard. “It’s not about whether I’d be alright afterward! The point... it’s... it’s...” She tried to find the best way to end that sentence... but eventually, her anger evaporated briefly, leaving her to collapse against the dragon’s front. Her voice now had a hollow quality. “I don’t even know what the point is.” She buried her face in the other’s chest. “I wish there not being one would be enough to make these feelings go away...”

The silence stretched out for a long time afterward. She remained in that position the entire time, unmoving but managing to even out her breathing. Everything was too much of a mess in her head to know how to continue things. All she could do was stand there and wait for them to respond... or to leave her like she still felt she deserved.

Neither did, however. Eventually, Kson used her arms to help straighten her out, holding her close by the waist. When she eventually was made to look up at her... it was hard to describe the emotion in those eyes, but there did not appear to be any anger still. “Kana... I don’t... I don’t know what to say...”

Kanata sighed, resting her head against her chest. “That’s fine. I don’t know if I’d be able to accept any words right now...” She looked over to Henya, who seemed surprisingly calm despite having been shouted at. But even so, she grimaced at having done that. “I’m sorry... You didn’t deserve to be yelled at over a question.”

The electric-girl shrugged, keeping close to them but not touching her yet. “Don’t worry. Some shouting isn’t so bad after a lot of things in my life.” Despite the words, though, there were a few signs of tears that had been held back in the corners of her eyes.

This only made the angel-girl’s stomach churn. This time, she took an extra few breaths to ensure she was nice and calm, not wanting to destroy whatever fragile peace there still was between them. She hated that they had to see her like this - more so that they would not condemn her more for it. They acknowledged she had been in the wrong, but then treated her with such care? How did that make any sense?!

...She could not deny how it helped her, though, even if only in a small way. Knowing that her entire life was not going to go down in flames because of her error. The understanding that she was trying to get better. It... made her feel like there might still be hope for her - that the ideals of redemption of angels may yet still apply to her.

But she had taken up enough of their time. Once she felt more steady, she stood up straighter, pulling slightly away from them both. She put her hands behind her back, giving a small bow as her proper angel etiquette took over. “Thank you for... dealing with my breakdown. But... it’s probably about time I atoned to the others. I should have enough to pay for dinner for inconveniencing them.”

Kson frowned at this, crossing her arms. “You don’t need to do that, Kanata. They actually-”

“I insist,” the Kanata pressed, her heart quivering at the thought that even this small way of apologizing would be denied. “We can even go to the front of the restaurant and talk with the host about it. That way your coworkers will not have to see my vile face before they leav-”

“Do not call yourself vile!” the yakuza boss hissed, making her immediately clamp up in shock. She took a deep breath, then looked her in the eyes. “We’re not doing that. You don’t have to avoid them, either. They want to see you.”

This confused the angel-girl for a second. They... wanted her to come back? She believed she thought of the potential reason, though, making her face fall as she stared at the ground. “Ah... so they want to confront me directly about my behavior, then? Rip into me for insulting Ironmouse? I can accept that.”

“Close - they want to help you talk with her,” Kson said causally.

...Kanata’s head snapped up, her eyes wide. “I... I’m sorry?”

“Ironmouse wants to talk to you about your... biases,” the yakuza boss repeated patiently. “The others will all be there to provide support.”

This somehow did not help the angel-girl comprehend this. She shook her head, fear beginning to course through her veins. “B-but... But I don’t want to yell at her again! I-I’ll probably make things worse! I’ll only make your friends angrier! There’s no way I can-”

“You’ll be fine,” Kson said soothingly, putting her hands on her cheeks. “I think she’s ready if you snap at her more. The others will be prepared as well. Maybe they’ll get annoyed, but I won’t let them hurt you if things get too out of hand.”

Kanata swallowed, looking over at Henya. “But... you’re party-”

“-Was very lovely and fun - thank you!” the electric-girl said brightly. She quickly calmed down as her expression became more reassuring. “I’m done with that, though. Right now, what I want to see happen this evening is you taking a step toward improving yourself.” She looked down, wringing her hands. “I... don’t want you to leave so upset.”

That made the angel-girl blink, not sure how to respond to that. The two barely knew each other, but she wanted to give her this chance instead of continuing her welcoming dinner? That kind of compassion... it made the offer tempting. However, her fears still lurked in the reaches of her mind. Even now, the idea of facing Hell’s Ruler made her want to both fly for her life and punch her face until it-

Kson rubbed her thumb along her jaw, drawing her attention as she spoke. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to. But... I know you’re smart. You know that doing this, no matter where and when, is always going to be difficult if you want to overcome your feelings on her. Delaying it isn’t going to make it easier. Still, if you feel you need the rest...”

Kanata closed her eyes, processing this... though she already knew all of that. Overcoming prejudice was never a simple task when it’s something ingrained practically from birth. If she was truly committed to getting better... she needed to face the fallen angel directly. It would be painful, and probably would be for several meetings to come. There was no real way to control how long it would take, and there would likely not be some major turning point for her. It was a slow and gradual process that would creep up on her.

All of these things she and many other angels learned about when advised on how to help mortals... And now instead, it was the angel who needed this help. There was a humiliation to that, but... how could she possibly hope to one day help others on this if she was not willing to take the help herself? What sort of person would that make her?

If she was lucky enough to have people to help her here... how could she refuse it?

With that thought, she took a deep breath, then heavily exhaled it. She gave a small nod, her voice quiet. “Okay... I’ll go see her.” She looked at her lover pleadingly. “But please promise me... you won’t let go of my hand during it. Ever. Even if I try to take it back.” Her cheeks burned with embarrassment and shame. “I... don’t think I have the strength to do this without that.”

The yakuza boss smiled warmly at her, removing her hands and grabbing one of hers. “Of course. I’ll be beside you the entire time.”

Henya came up and patted her on the back, smiling as well. “You got this! Just take your time when speaking and things will work out. I know it!”

The angel-girl nodded, trying to take that advice to heart. Slowly, the two helped her make their way out of the bathroom. Her legs were not as shaky as before, but their stiffness made her lean against her girlfriend to not end up tripping. She continued to focus on her breathing, letting her wings flutter some, too. The more tension she let out now, the less likely she would do something stupid the moment she caught sight of Hell’s Ruler.

All too quickly, they had gone into the hall and made their way back into the dining room. A lot of people had cleared out by then, though whether it was because it was getting late or her outburst was hard to say. A glance out the window let her see how dark it had gotten. Guess I wasted a lot of time sobbing...

One of the tables still occupied was the VShojo one. Most of them were making small talk as they waited and finished their food. Everyone was still there where they had been sitting... apart from Mel, who had taken up a position on the opposite end, her food moved, too. Where she had been sitting was Kanata’s, which already caused her breath to start to become uneven. Because that meant she would be right across from...

It was then that she finally caught sight of Ironmouse, who had taken notice of her approach and was looking at her sadly. She froze immediately under those light purple eyes, panic already setting in. Insults and pleas for mercy fought to be the first spoken. Her old nightmares pushed their way back into her mind, overlaying what she was seeing. Her mind screamed monster, hissing at her to do something - to not simply stand before the enemy of all angels-

Her hand squeezed Kson’s hard. Her lover actually hissed slightly from the pressure, but still gave her a grin. “You’re never going to get control of that grip strength, huh?”

The comment made Kanata realize what she did, making her face flush as she let up. “S-sorry...”

The yakuza boss gave her hand a comforting squeeze back to show it was fine. It was then that the rest of the group noticed them almost back at the table. Haruka winced as she looked at the Hololive member’s face. “Yeesh. Are you okay? I can get you some napkins.”

The angel-girl squirmed under the sudden attention, wiping her eyes with her sleeves. She had not thought about how she might have looked after all that crying. “T-that’s okay. You don’t n-need to do that.”

Zen pointed to where her plate and glass were. “At least drink some water. You look like shot.” She paused after saying that, then glared down at her body as she tapped her throat. “...like shit. I’m sure even angels need to hydrate.”

Not arguing the point, Kanata hesitantly took the remaining steps forward to her new chair. She looked down at it uncertainly, her free hand on its back. She appreciated what they were trying to do with this, but... being this close to the fallen angel was...

Seeming to notice her dilemma, Ironmouse sighed, looking at her forlornly. “We can move your food back to where it was. It’s fine.”

...Ironically enough, the burst of unfounded anger the angel-girl felt from her comment helped her steel her nerves. Straightening herself, she shook her head curtly, managing to keep an even tone. “I’ll sit here. Just... needed a minute.”

Hell’s Ruler nodded, not giving another comment as if aware it might set her off. With that, she got into her chair with Kson beside her, never letting go of her hand. Henya took up her old seat, though not before sending her a thumbs up as she passed. Everyone else watched this all silently, looking between the two women in question.

Trying to distract herself from their eyes, Kanata took her glass of water and sipped at it. The cool liquid soothed her throat, which was aching more than she had realized. She could almost imagine it also cooling the embers of her paranoia, letting her take in the situation more clearly. She doesn’t want to harm you or take your soul. Get it through your thick head! She took a calming breath. Just sit here and talk with her. You don’t even have to be overly friendly. Maybe... try to just not yell at her?

That... seemed like a reasonable first step. Trying to improve too much about herself at once would only result in burning herself out - potentially worsening those characteristics she wanted to change. She should keep her goals simple for this one.

...But what if that was not enough for the others? What did not yelling mean if she was still sending the fallen angel disgusted and fearful looks without meaning to? Should she focus on that more instead? What would offend them more on their friend’s behalf? What-?

She was startled as a hand was put on the glass she was still drinking. Kson was looking at her sadly, guiding her arm to gently put the water down. “Don’t make yourself sick by drinking too much, dear.”

The angel-girl winced, not having realized she was doing that. She mumbled an apology, looking down at her grilled shrimp alfredo. She did not feel like eating anymore, though, regardless of if it was cold or still a little warm by then. Several minutes passed as she stared at it, the room practically holding its breath. But she could not think of how she wanted to begin this intervention. Where was even the best place to start with this problem?

She was saved from having to say the first words, though, by Nyanners clearing her throat. She sent the Hololive member an apologetic stare. “Um... Well... Glad to see you’re... mostly put together.” She tried for a grin, but quickly gave up as she sighed. “...Look, if it’s okay, I... wanted to say sorry for causing you to panic. I know it was me trying to push the whole ‘contract’ topic that got you so high-strung. I should have caught on that Mousey didn’t want me to continue, but... my understanding of ‘lesser beings’ is good, but I can’t always read expressions until it’s too late at times.”

Kanata gave a sharp exhale through her nose which she hoped went unnoticed. She shakily tried to wave her off. “Y-you don’t need to apologize! I... I know I shouldn’t have taken that personally. I... I was being too sensitive.”

The eldritch-girl frowned at this. “I... don’t think that’s the way you should phrase it. It’s okay to be uncomfortable with those regardless of... other factors in your reaction. Plenty of people are uneasy with powers granted by my kind, even when they’re used for good.”

“...If you say so,” the angel-girl eventually replied. The topic of demonic deals was too complicated to unpack for that evening, she decided. But regardless... she was delaying things too long. She still did not know what she wanted to say, but she decided to be the one to get this conversation started.

Bracing herself, she slowly turned her gaze toward Ironmouse. Her heartbeat quickened doing so, but she suppressed her shivers. Between all her venting in the bathroom and having Kson’s hand to squeeze, her feelings were in much better control than before. It was still a tempest she feared slipping out, but it was not clouding her judgment as much.

That did not mean it was not tormenting her, however. Swallowing, her voice nonetheless shook as she tried to address the Ruler of Hell. “I-Ironmouse. I’m... I-I’m so sorry for my behavior before. You were only trying to h-help, and... I s-shouldn’t have run. I’m sure that you are a...” Her words cut short, not knowing if she should finish that thought. She did not know what she thought the woman was beyond her prejudices, and worried about what words she would use to describe that.

None of this was helped by her not really... seeing the fallen angel. She saw her sitting there, of course, but her mind was playing more tricks on her. It was like there was another form inside of her - the one from her nightmares as a child. She tried to subtly take a breath, attempting to dispel the image and not cause-

“What do you see when you look at me?” Ironmosue asked her.

Kanata nearly jumped out of her chair. She stared at her with dread, feeling like a human child who was caught taking sweets from a jar by an adult. “Huh? W-what do you mean? You have lovely pink hair! And-”

Hell’s Ruler raised a hand to make her stop. Her voice and expression did not hold any offense - just curiosity. “We both know I don’t mean that. A lot of angels... They have an image of what I’m supposed to look like. A monster conjured from their nightmares they think is my true form that I hide with this ‘glamor.’” She gestured down at her body to further her point. “It’s always something grotesque, or frightening in some other way.”

The angel-girl shuddered, feeling exposed by having one of her issues so easily laid bare like that. She did not look away, though, as she confessed to it meekly. “I... know it can’t actually be your real form... usually. You’ve probably never even turned into it with your shapeshifting.”

“I’d still like you to describe it,” Ironmouse said with a shrug. “It’s pretty interesting for me to hear what kind of image you all get of me in your heads.”

Kanata did not answer for a time. Her eyes darted to everyone else, who were looking at her with curiosity. It made her heartbeat louder in her ears. She... she could not possibly say any of that out loud! They would scream at her for describing her friend with such nasty descriptions! Not to mention an irrational part of her mind feared the woman taking the image and turning into it right before her eyes. To punish her for not giving her a fair chance and-

“Kanata!” Hell’s Ruler called out, bringing her back to the present. The VShojo member sighed, looking off to the side. “Don’t worry about it. If you don’t want to describe it, then you don’t have to. I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable.”

The reassurance only deepened the angel-girl’s guilt, her eyes staring down for a time. She... really was not, was she? It was herself who was overthinking every little comment and adding to her burdens. It was a terrible habit of hers - one Kson had tried to help her get rid of. An instinct that demanded perfection of her, or else she deserved condemnation. How often had it caused her problems over trivial things, such as liking her girlfriend’s “Coco” form better? Trying to be that flawless angel that she idealized as a child?

...When would she finally accept that was impossible? That she could have her issues to overcome like now and still be able to do good? That no matter what, she would have some flaw or another... and still be the role model she dreamed of?

This conversation would not go anywhere if she let that instinct dictate her. This thought gave her new resolve, which she did not plan to waste. With a deep breath, she looked back at the fallen angel, trying to get things back on track. “Can... I ask why you want to hear about it? It seems like something that would be insulting to you.”

Ironmouse perked up at this, before rolling her eyes with a small grin. “Nah - I find it more amusing than anything. So many angels tremble when they hear my name, thinking I’m some dark god almost, but when they actually meet me... well...” She gestured down at her form once more, giggling to herself. “I don’t normally go for frightening stuff, even in battle, so I get a kick out of the disconnect.”

She scratched the back of her head, looking a little sheepish. “Plus... I always think it helps you all to vent on that a little. Laughing at the difference in expectations and reality together seems like a good way to bond, you know? Break the ice a little? I try to start these conversations out like this because of that.”

Kanata hummed, able to see the logic in that, even if it still made her uncomfortable. She took in a few more breaths, trying to ignore the other sets of eyes on her for a time. She rubbed her thumb over the back of Kson’s hand, taking additional strength from the motion. That image entered her mind again, in all of its unnerving glory that made her wings twitch...

But despite her fear, she managed to keep her voice light as she began her description, looking idly to the side. “You... were a lot bigger in my imagination than you actually are. As in several stories tall.”

“That’s a pretty common one,” the Ruler of Hell commented, waving for her to go on.

“And... I also imagined you with, like... coal-black skin?” the angel-girl continued, blushing lightly in shame and also how... silly it sounded aloud. “Several cracks along it, too, that glowed like embers or lava. They would let off heat that would distort a lot of your other features, giving them a shifting quality that... made me cry a lot as a kid.”

That got a snort out of Ironmouse. “Seriously? I’m a giant, walking, burning charcoal in your mind? I’ve heard this all before! Where’s the imagination?”

Kanata bristled, sending her a look as she tried to defend herself. “Well, you do hear a lot about the ‘fires of Hell’ across the Realms. Can you blame people for involving flames in their imagery if it happens as much as you say?”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong - I love it,” Hell’s Ruler reassured, smirking at her. “But come on! Is there anything special about this ‘scary’ look of mine?”

The angel-girl barely noticed her starting to smile back, rising to the challenge. “Hm... I mean, I didn’t imagine your eyes as being fire or something like that.”

“Oh?” Ironmouse questioned, appearing intrigued.

Kanata nodded. “I pictured more so storm clouds, shooting off red and black lightning within them. You also had horns kind of like Laplus, except super shiny and also sparking bolts between them.” She gestured widely. “A kind of encroaching storm of doom for angel-kind, ready to tear down the Heavens with your gale.”

This earned her a low whistle from Hell’s Ruler. “Huh. Haven’t actually heard much storm imagery from many angels before. That’s pretty neat!” She snickered. “But no offense - I’m not really seeing how any of this is scary.”

A laugh escaped the angel-girl. “I-I’ve never tried to describe it before - give me a break! And like I said, your form was always distorted in my head. The unknown was part of my fear.” She paused, giving a small cough. “Still... kind of it, I suppose.”

Ironmouse sobered up slightly, nodding in understanding. “It always takes a while before any of you can look back on your ‘images’ as a funny bit of imagination. Don’t feel bad about struggling with it - you’re not the first.” She gave her a kind smile. “But I’m glad I could give you a small laugh about it.”

...Kanata blinked, only then realizing she had indeed done that. She chuckled sheepishly, tapping a finger on the table. “Ah... thanks, I... guess?”

The others watched them talk in silence, appearing glad that things had started out... semi-nice. Then Haruka chimed in at the small lull in their talk, looking a little perturbed by the exchange. “You... really don’t get angry about that sort of stuff?”

“Not unless the person clearly has their mind made up about me,” Ironmouse replied, taking a sip of her drink. She shook her head. “You don’t change people’s perspective on you by being hostile. You have to give a little leeway and work from there. If I don’t, then the older angels would have no trouble convincing people I’m a feral demon.”

The angel-girl frowned. “You... make it sound so simple.”

The Ruler of Hell paused, then let out a breath. “It’s not always. I do my best, but there have been times when any annoyance I feel catches up with me. Sometimes it's brushed off, and other times things are set back, if not ruined entirely, between me and the other.” She bit her lips. “I... can also admit that part of my calmness with you is because you’re Kson’s girlfriend. I don’t want to cause a rift between you guys.”

The yakuza boss sent her a pitying look. “Mousey... You don’t-”

Kanata tugged at her hand, signaling for her to drop it. Her lover blinked at this, but complied with her signal. With that, she cleared her throat and looked neutrally at the fallen angel. “I understand that. My not wanting to cause her problems with you and your group is what’s giving me a lot of my strength right now.”

Ironmouse hummed, twirling some hair in her finger. “Well... whatever gets us talking, I suppose, right? Not a bad reason, either.”

“Not really,” the angel-girl agreed, drinking some more water. The fury and terror inside her seemed more put down for now after their brief exchange, just like the other had said, which was nice. It was mostly in the background now, constantly creeping up her back but held at bay by a mental wall. She knew it would not last forever, but... it was a start. Small steps...

Still, she once again found herself not knowing how to continue. She rapped her knuckle against the table, looking to the other for guidance. “So... how do you usually follow your icebreaker?”

Hell’s Ruler shrugged awkwardly. “I normally ask the angel what they want to discuss, but... I’m guessing you don’t know, do you?”

Flushing, Kanata shook her head, desperately racking her brain for a possible topic. However, she was given a thread to follow as Melody spoke up. “Maybe... about misconceptions Kanata has about Mouse?”

The others looked at her, making her shrug. “It makes sense, right? If all of her fears are caused by misleading teachings from her life, then why not ask what’s true and false? Give Mouse a chance to give her perspective on things. If she’s willing to listen...”

GEEGA tapped her chin. “That sounds good... But hearing and accepting are two different things.” She looked over at the Hololive member. “Not that I don’t think you’d try to take things at face value, but what you’ve been taught is pretty engrained from what we’ve heard. And trust me, people get mad when their worldview is challenged - it’s a great taunting tactic in fights if you know how to use them.”

The angel-girl nodded along, understanding her concern there. Even so, though, she looked back at the fallen angel with a forced calm. “Would you be willing to try that, even if I lose my temper at times?”

“Only if you’re fine if I get frustrated, too - I have a few sore topics myself,” Ironmouse answered, looking equally weary yet determined. “Just remember we can stop this at any time. I can also have the T1M shut off my hologram if... looking at me becomes too much for you at any point.” She gestured back at the drone, which for the first time displayed a face on its screen to give a confirming nod.

Kanata nodded as well, though did not plan to make the other woman disappear for her own comfort. (Though, she could admit with much shame that being reminded she was not actually in the same room as her was helping things immensely.) She looked at the others. “Are you all good with this?”

After a pause, the others hesitantly nodded, eyeing the duo closely. Kson leaned in and gave her a quick peck on her girlfriend’s head. “Let me know if you need a hug at any point.”

Nyanners also provided a quick pat on her best friend’s shoulder. “We promise not to go for her throat if she insults you. I’ll simply sit here seething and let out my anger into a pillow later tonight with Aethal holding it.”

“How comforting,” Ironmouse said sarcastically, getting a few giggles from her and the others - the angel-girl included. Things then calmed down as everyone silently watched them, evidently ready to play mediators if things started to get too heated. It’s not like I can hurt her anyway like this, or her me. But even if we could... between the deadly cyborg and the nature “goddess,” they probably could subdue us pretty well, I have to admit.

Things were quiet for a second as the two involved parties prepared themselves for this. There was likely to be some pain here, but dancing around the topic would not be much better. Still, she decided to start small with what was probably a very common question. Taking one last breath, she looked the pink-haired demon in the eye. “So... can you forcefully transform angels into demons, or not?”

The Ruler of Hell scoffed at that one. “Of course I can’t! Why would they give me that kind of power for real - I mean honestly!” She leaned back and shrugged. “I’m sure I or Bubi could learn one of the actual curses that wizards sometimes use for that purpose. It wouldn’t really help me, though. An angel turning into a demon doesn’t magically make them loyal to me. Heck, there are a few of my old rebel friends who refused to follow me after what happened to us. Going through that change doesn’t get rid of an angel or demon’s individuality.”

“So you’re saying that you don’t have any mental magics, either?” Kanata asked. If she had any particularly potent spells of that nature, that would ensure the loyalty of a fallen angel.

“I have lots of protections against mental magic,” Ironmouse replied. “I know a charm or two to get out of a violent situation, but they’re temporary and don’t last long. I can’t even use them through the hologram - more of that stupid uncooperative nature between magic and tech.” She paused, then gave a small sigh. “There are people in my employ who have studied it more. I have their practices regulated, though. If they make servants out of people, I make sure it's for appropriate crimes like attempted mass genocide, or trying to assassinate me.”

The angel-girl frowned deeply. “You could also just... lock them up? Or execute them if you think they’re a danger. This... ‘servitude’ you allow...”

Hell’s Ruler only shrugged. “Like I said, I do my best to judge by case. I’m also not trying to claim I’m some innocent woman - just clearing up the myths about me. You’re free to dislike that part of my rule.” She stretched her back before leaning forward again. “But... yeah. I don’t create mindless demon servants out of angels. Most brought into ‘servitude’ remain as they were...”

“Then what of the stories I’ve heard of captured angels falling during their imprisonment?” Kanata asked. Her tone made it sound more accusatory than she intended, but even accepting that they might be distorted in ways, there were quite a few first-person accounts of that stuff. There had to be a part missing there.

Ironmouse tapped her chin, looking deep in thought. “Hm... Well, there are a few angels who have been imprisoned who try doing it willingly.” She chuckled briefly. “Ironically, it's because of the older angel’s stories that they do this. They think that by becoming demons, that means I’ll instantly let them go. That I’ll take it as a sign of them pledging themselves to my cause, rather than seeing a bunch of dumbasses who don’t understand real underworld politics.”

To her own surprise, the angel-girl snorted as well at the info. “Heh, okay - that is actually pretty dumb with everything else you’ve explained.”

“I know, right?” the Ruler of Hell said with a grin. She gave a vague gesture. “But long story short, from there, if they manage to get back to the Heavens and turn back into angels, I hear a lot of them lie about it. They’re too embarrassed that they thought a stupid trick like that would work, so they try to save face by saying I tempted them. Those who are more honest about what they did don’t tend to get their stories published, either.

Kanata took a minute to ponder over this information. It did not seem totally unbelievable - she knew plenty of her kind could be prideful when defending their integrity. Those who saw Falling as essentially a crime would definitely be defensive if they did so to try and escape underworld imprisonment. But still, it seemed a little too convenient for waving away all of those tales she had heard.

Or... did it? The pink-haired woman was not lying when she said the older angels held her in deep contempt. The primordial angels especially seemed as angry about her revolution as the day she attempted it. Given their influence, was it beyond reason they would mass manipulate that information to project their rage into the rest of them?

Given the way her blood still felt a little hot when looking at the other woman... the answer to that was probably yes, actually.

Still, the white-haired woman was not satisfied with that quite yet. She narrowed her eyes at her. “So you’ve never made a deal with an angel you’ve captured?”

“...I didn’t say that,” Ironmouse reluctantly admitted. “Only that I don’t tempt them into wanting to make them. If they ask, though, I or someone who works for me will hear out what they have to say and offer. It often doesn’t go anywhere... but every once in a fey red moon, a bargain is reached. Which the Heavens’ rulers are quick to exploit since those fallen angels can’t exactly give their perspective on it easily.”

Well, that’s... not unreasonable, Kanata managed to admit to herself. She could hardly blame the VShojo member if an angel voluntarily offered themselves up. It made her wonder what would make them change their minds and want to live in Hell, though. Did they get over their prejudices better than she did after seeing life down there? Or was it simply to get away from torture? But then again, would the other accept propositions from angels in the latter position? She certainly had to be weary of potential spies coming through that system.

There were a thousand more questions she could likely ask about all of that... but she decided to move on. She wanted to make the most out of this first session between them in covering her misconceptions. Plus, she did not want to take too long and cause the restaurant staff to become annoyed at them by talking too much past closing.

Taking a deep breath, she decided to revisit something said earlier - that which caused her to enter a panic attack. She squeezed Kson’s hand to keep her resolve on this decision as she spoke. “Speaking of bargains... what were you saying earlier about deals you made with mortals? What do you try to go for with those?”

Nyanners straightened up a little, giving her a concerned look. “Um, are you sure that’s-?”

“I’m sure,” the angel-girl quickly stated, managing to not sound hostile in any way. Her heart was constricting in her chest some, but she was determined to endure this. She needed to prove to herself she could sit there and not run from topics that freaked her out.

Hell’s Ruler studied her closely, seeming to make sure she was serious about this. Once she realized she was, though, she nodded slightly and obliged her question. “Well, if you must know... there wasn’t much to many of them. Just me going to some people whose souls I knew were destined for places like the Fields of Hubris or the Pits of Wrath?”

Henya blinked at these descriptors, tilting her head. “The what of what’s?”

Ironmouse looked at her and shook her head. “I can’t really describe them more than that. Death and his servants are in charge of those areas and don’t like us demons or angels talking about where souls go. He’s kind enough to give me lists of certain people on their way to those places soon, though, for my purposes.”

Kanata did not react to this, not finding this shocking at all. There were places like this in the Heavens where spirits went as well, such as the Spire of Harmony. Angels and demons alike often had free reign to enter these places if they were of a high enough station, often for ritual or research purposes. The criteria for how a spirit ended up in either Realm, however, was something only known to Death and his shinigami. None would speak of it, as she had seen on occasion with Hololive employees who approached Calli on the subject.

It made sense that the Ruler of Hell could pull a few strings for just a bit more information than average. She still wished to know more about this, though. “And what purposes would that be? I’m guessing bargains to either get the mortal out from ending up in a certain area of damnation in exchange for their soul, or to become a demon instead?”

“Right on both fronts, if simplified,” the fallen angel confirmed with a nod. “I don’t take their entire soul, typically - certainly not for devouring like I know some stories claim! Just a part of their essence to help enhance certain parts of my powers, or to create certain items. They’re usually fine without it when they die. I don’t have much use for a full soul - if someone else in my courts needs one, they can make those deals themselves.

“Death is willing to alter where they end up in support of my deals. It doesn’t matter much to him so long as they’re bound to the underworld. He also accepts me turning some into demons so long as I don’t abuse that privilege. He allows it plenty with standard necromancers.”

Kanata scratched her head. “It sounds like he has more power over you than him.”

Ironmouse shrugged, though there was... nervousness (?) in her eyes. “My relationship with him is... complicated. It is with everyone who knows him. He’s the end of all things, yet he acts so... casual and friendly with many people. He has a surprising amount of compassion for people who fear him and try to avoid his grasp... Though it has a limit you don’t want to cross.” She sighed wearily. “He’s the shadow over even some immortals... and yet he doesn’t lord it over us. He’s so willing to work with me on these things, and I barely know why.”

The angel-girl looked away, her wings shifting uncomfortably. She... was not sure she wanted to continue talking about Death that evening and his influence. Clearing her throat, she tried to get things back on track. “We’re getting off-topic. So, you bargain people’s souls so they have a nicer time when they die. I can get that - almost approve of it, even. But how do you choose from this ‘list’ of yours? Is it random chance, or...?”

“No, there’s a selection process to it,” Hell’s Ruler said. She took a long sip of her drink, looking up at the ceiling. “I pick them based on if they’re trying to do things to ‘redeem’ themselves. These people know they’ve lived their lives in a way that whatever they believe the afterlife to be, it won’t end well for them. I go and provide them with a path to work down. A bit of magical help goes a long way here and there.”

Kanata’s eyebrows furrowed at this, an idea coming to her about this. “Redeem... as in trying to reach the Heavens instead?”

Ironmouse rolled her eyes at her question. “Oh, relax your little halo. Most of them don’t ever have a chance of doing good enough to warrant that. And-”

“How would you know?” the angel-girl demanded, leaning forward. “The selection process is a mystery to all of us, remember? How do you know they couldn’t live the rest of their lives in a way that gets them into the Heavens?”

The Ruler of Hell opened her mouth... then closed it, suddenly seeming a little puzzled. She quickly shook her head, though. “Look, I’m fairly certain of it, alright? I mean, part of my bargains often delay the time of their natural death. If I had done nothing, they would have died sooner, which is less time to try anyway.”

“You’re still robbing them of the chance to try!” Kanata insisted, her free hand slapping the table. “What kind of ‘redemption’ do you think you’re helping them with if they just end up in the underworld regardless?” At least with a random chance, it would not be anything personal. But to deliberately take the option to try away from those who truly wished to...

“Oi - don’t make the underworld only has bad places for spirits to go!” Ironmouse defended, actually looking a bit irritated this time. “Just because the Heavens get to have almost all exclusively nice areas doesn’t mean all of ours are made for eternal torment. It’s it so bad of me to want the few nicer spirits who are coming my way to end up there?”

“But they might not have to be there, and perhaps don’t want to!” the angel-girl exclaimed, gesturing wildly. “You of all people must know how much harder it is for a spirit to get to the Heavens after the initial distribution than the other way around!” She growled, shaking her head. “I’d somehow prefer it if you were tricking horrible people into worst tortures when they finally die.”

“Been there, done that - it’s not as satisfying as you’d imagine,” Hell’s Ruler said dismissively. “Creating personal areas of torment lost its charm quickly for me. Those nasty people were already going to end up in terrible parts of the regular ones, so what was even the point? At least by doing this, I feel like I’m actually helping folks! Is that so wrong of me to want to do with all the fucked up stuff I preside over?!”

“Then give them more of an actual chance!” Kanata nearly screeched. “Let them fight for their chance at where they’ll go instead of thinking you know-!”

A tight squeeze on her hand made her cut off. She snapped her head toward her girlfriend, glaring at her. “What?!”

Kson held her gaze, looking at her firmly, though not without a bit of kindness. “A bit too much there... or was about to be.”

...The angel-girl blinked, the last few moments turning over in her head. Then, her face turned crimson as her anger dissipated and was replaced by guilt. It was hard to say what it was over most - losing her temper again, her unwillingness to properly hear the fallen angel out, or snapping at her girlfriend. But regardless, she looked to the ground, swallowing thickly as her posture slouched.

Ironmouse appeared to be in a similar state, being consoled by Nyanners. After a few moments of this, she sighed and got her attention. “Sorry... I get too defensive over this stuff. With how limited I am in being able to do anything to help nicer people ‘move on’...”

Kanata grimaced, unable to meet her eyes as she shrugged. “I... I think I understand. Not... approve of it, but... I should have let you explain better.”

“...You weren’t exactly wrong, though,” Hell’s Ruler admitted, one hand rubbing her arm. “I really don’t know for sure they couldn’t end up in the Heavens. But whatever the standards for that are, I just have that feeling that it's strict. Making sure they go to more neutral territory seems like the best thing to do considering that.”

Another moment was taken by the angel-girl to contemplate this. It sounded like a humane thing to do, admittedly. When the criteria for spirits after death were so vague to them, being able to better guide some could be seen as kind. However, it still seemed wrong to her to railroad their chances with these deals. Perhaps she was missing something, having never seen one being made in person, but...

A grunt left her as she leaned against the table. She tightened her grip on Kson’s hand as she took a deep breath. “You act as though you’re doing charity work, but you use those deals to increase your power. Whether with new demons or your magical abilities.”

“It takes a lot of power to give a mortal the ability to do the things they need to get to their chosen afterlife,” Ironmouse retorted. “And time to convince Death to allow it for them. I like to think of it as a mutually beneficial exchange.”

Kanata groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You just... When I’m not wanting to flee or stab you, you baffle me to no end.”

“Pretty common descriptor I get from a lot of angels,” Hell’s Ruler admitted.

“You say you care about the souls of the damned and helping out the betters of that lot,” the angel-girl continued without prompting. “But you also preside over the torture of prisoners and allow other wicked acts from your court, even if you don’t always participate. You... I don’t understand how you...”

Ironmouse sighed, looking at her tiredly. “If you’ll forgive me for sounding a bit insulting... this is the biggest hurdle I run into with every angel.”

Kanata bristled at this, doing her best not to glare at her. “And what does that mean?”

The Ruler of Hell leaned back in her seat, looking at her questioningly. “In the Heavens... they give you a black-and-white look at the world, don’t they? It’s all about good or evil to them, and a whole bunch of standards that should tell you definitely which is which. The grays in life are either ignored or put into a weighing game on how dark or light a shade it is. It’s how it was in my day, and the older angels have not changed their tunes on that.”

The angel-girl flinched, but could not deny this. Still, she pouted and looked away, crossing one arm over her chest. “I know better now...” She then noticed her lover giving her a look, which made her cheeks heat up as she squirmed. “Well... I accept that’s how it is for others. I... still have standards for myself, though.”

“...And for me,” Ironmouse stated. She raised a hand before the white-haired woman could comment. “It’s how it always is. Because of the position I’ve been put into by your society, there are only two options for me in your all’s minds. Either I’m a poor victim of corruption left unchecked in the Heavens, or I’m an evil monster that’s planning revenge against my former kin for what’s happened to me.”

Kanata bit her lips... but once more, she found herself unable to retort. She realized she had been looking at this conversation like this. Either trying to find a trait to latch onto to sympathize with the other woman about, or a proper reason to hate her. She had been actively trying not to let that second one be the case, but she could not find that perfect reason for the first, either.

I... I thought I was over those lessons, she lamented. How long had Kson worked to help her accept how truly more complicated the world was than that? Yet here she was, trying to use a similar line of logic to judge the pink-haired woman. Even after having acknowledged her prejudices against her were wrong, she still let them unknowingly dictate her. Just... how deeply did the roots of this grow inside her?

Her guilt must have shown on her face, because the fallen angel sighed once more. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s how it goes for every angel I meet. You at least have the benefit of having spent time learning how other races live. It might not get rid of your feelings over me, but it makes hearing each other out easier. I struggle with being fair to your kind at times, too.

“But... you need to accept that I’m likely not either of those things to you.” She tapped her finger against her chest. “I don’t think of myself as pure evil - I’ve met mortals and immortals alike that genuinely have no remorse for others, and they disgust me. But I’m not a helpless victim - I fought a system I don’t condone on my own terms, lost, and now have built a new life for myself. If you’re going to try and put me into either category, I think it’ll only frustrate you further.”

She took in a deep breath, meeting her eye. “I never wanted to be a symbol to cause generations of angels like you fear. I’m... just me. That’s all I want you to try and see me as. We don’t have to be friends by the end of these meetings, but I want you to know what I am beyond the lessons of the Heavens. Do you think you can do that?”

The angel-girl held her gaze, quiet for a long time afterward. Knowing the Ruler of Hell as a person... It was what she had intended to try and do going in. But she had been looking at her more like a symbol. Sure, trying to learn the truth over the matters she brought up was important - even encouraged by the other. Even so, though... what had she done to try and learn about her as Ironmouse? As the friend of her girlfriend and others she knew?

So many times her friends tried to make her not hold herself to a “perfect” standard. She never expected perfection out of them, either. Despite their love, she and Kson butted heads at times. And if she wanted things to change here... she needed to try harder to accept that these same rules applied to even Satan herself.

It took several breaths for her to calm down enough to speak again. When she did... she actually managed to have a genuine smile on her face. “I... I’ll do better from here on at it. I promise.”

Ironmouse smiled back. “Just don’t strain yourself too much about it.”

Their moment was interrupted by sighs of relief coming from several of the others. They gave the side-eye to them, causing the table to tense up, realizing the two of them had not forgotten their presence. Melody gave a nervous grin. “Ah... I was enjoying my food?”

“You’re plate is empty,” Hell’s Ruler pointed out.

The AI-girl’s face went red, glancing around nervously. Kanata giggled, not offended in the least. She felt like doing the same, given the circumstances. She took a long sip of her water, then looked over at Kson. “Were you a part of the gasp just now?”

The yakuza boss smiled at her, tugging her arm and pulling her into a side hug. “Nah. I had faith in you.” Her gaze softened. “I’m glad you’re doing alright, though.”

“...Me too,” the angel-girl said, leaning into the embrace.

The others smiled at the display, though GEEGA then quickly cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention. “So, are we done with the therapy session this evening? Not that I’m impatient about it, but the wait staff might start getting to be.”

They glanced around, noticing that almost all the other patrons had left by then or were finishing up with their bills. Ironmouse gave an embarrassed chuckle. “Ah, whoops? That... took longer than I thought it did.” She looked over to Henya. “Do you want to do anything else before heading home?”

The electric-girl shook her head. “No, I’m good. I’m sure Tomoshika is eager for me to get back and tell her about everything, so I’d better head out soon?”

“Would she even be up right now?” Haruka asked, looking out a window at the night settling in.

Henya giggled. “Honestly, it’s weird that she needs sleep at all with how much energy she has. She’ll be awake.”

“Have fun with her, then,” Ironmouse said. She paused, looking at Kanata curiously. “What about you? Anything else about me you want to cover, or save it for another time?”

The angel-girl hummed, scratching her head. It would probably be smart to leave things on the good note they had reached just now. She could use the time to try and absorb everything they had managed to go over. Now that they were putting a system to help her into place, there was no need to rush this. That was not to mention the exhaustion she had been ignoring from her breakdown and the late hour.

...But there was one thing still on her mind, and she decided to risk asking about it. “Well, I do have one more question, if it’s fine.”

Hell’s Ruler raised an eyebrow, mirroring everyone else’s curiosity. “It isn’t about my rebellion, is it? I’d prefer we go over that landmine when we’re both fully rested.”

Kanata shook her head, not sure she could handle that, either. Taking a deep breath, she once again made eye contact with her. “If you could... would you ever turn back into an angel again? Not... for long, I imagine, since you seem happy with your life now.” She glanced down briefly. “But... just to feel what it’s like again?”

Ironmouse blinked slowly, looking caught off guard by the question. She chuckled ruefully, scratching the back of her head. “Oh, boy. Ain’t that a loaded question?” She looked the Hololive member over. “Can I... ask why you want to know?”

“I’m... not sure myself,” the angel-girl admitted truthfully, playing with a strand of her hair. She let out a long sigh. “I guess... I want to know how you view it. Ascending and Falling. If it’s something we should view as a causal choice or treat it as ‘special’ like now, if perhaps with less judgment. It’s a complicated matter to many... myself included.” Her wings furled up, feeling like she was confessing a sin when the words barely meant anything.

Hell’s Ruler seemed satisfied with her explanation, rubbing her chin. Then... she slowly nodded. “I... guess I would. Probably only for about the grace period between it and when I could safely turn back, but I still would. I miss that holy energy at times in my body. I’ve had a few forms that simulate the look of an angel, but it isn’t the same.” She shrugged, giving a smile. “No reason not to indulge it if I got the chance. Even if I feel like I’ll always be a demon at heart now.”

Kanata nodded, eyes going a little distant. The answer... It spoke to a hidden part of herself she did not dare touch - not out of disgust, but simple uncertainty. To indulge... The way it changes you - more than just your abilities... She never knew what to do with those fleeting thoughts, scared of what it could morph into. She felt like there was no one in town she could discuss it properly with, knowing few of the other angel VTubers who lived in town.

But if she did this right... maybe someone who could help her was right in front of her now?

She shook her head to clear that idea. Such things were for the future, and she did not need to burden herself anymore tonight. She smiled at the VShojo member, standing up. “I see. Thank you for indulging that last question. Now, if you’ll let me help pay for your meal-”

Zen raised a hand, holding up her wallet in the other. “Don’t even think about it. We paid while you were away in the bathroom. You just go home and get some rest.”

Kanata stared at her, then looked at Kson with a frown. “Did you warn them about me, or am I that predictable?”

“It’s not like you’re a stranger to them,” her lover pointed out. She stood up as well, grabbing her hand again and waving to the others. “We’ll head out, then. Give me a call if any of you need anything later. Stay safe, everyone - you especially, Henya!”

A round of goodbyes was given at this, with Henya running over and hugging the yakuza boss. She also gave the angel-girl a wave and a big smile, which she happily returned. After this, the Hololive member was led toward the exit, the sound of everyone else making plans or about to head home too behind them.

Soon, they were out the door and into the cooling night. She let out a sigh, glancing over her shoulder as she addressed her girlfriend. “You’ve... got quite the supportive group back there. I’m glad you were able to find them after leaving Hololive.”

“You’re always free to join me when I’m with them,” Kson reminded her with a grin. Her gaze then suddenly became more serious. “They’ll probably keep quiet about what went on with you, too, if you want me to message them.”

Kanata paused, then shook her head, rubbing one arm awkwardly. “I... I would appreciate that.” She was not sure she could face her friends about her biases just yet. As much as she hoped they would not leave her over them... she needed time to better convince herself of that.

The yakuza boss put a hand on her back, rubbing down it soothingly as they walked. “...Are you going to be alright?”

...The angel-girl truly considered this for a minute. There was much work to be done yet when it came to her fears toward Ironmouse. While she felt fine now, come morning she imagined her doctrines would come into conflict with her experiences tonight. Their conversation had hardly had a proper conclusion in her view, either. Even now, a part of her still hissed that she had not deserved the patience given to her. No doubt there would be more moments between her and the fallen angel where she will say things and regret them.

It was a daunting future... but despite this, she managed a nod. “I will be... eventually. Sooner rather than later, I hope.”

Kson did not press her on this, instead kissing her on top of her head. It warmed her heart, letting her ignore her more deprecating instincts and lean into her embrace. So long as she had both her and so many amazing people in her life... she believed things would work out. Being a perfect angel might be impossible... but this would put her more at peace with herself.

As they began heading toward home, her lover gave her a playful grin. “How about when we go to bed... I turn back into Coco for you. Sound good?”

Kanata smiled back at her with a blush, wings fluttering at the prospect. Perhaps I shouldn’t be too perfect an angel, though... I can’t be selfish about this, then. “I’d like that...”