Rio Sato limps through the ruined streets of Mitakihara, her still unconscious sister Riko slung over her shoulder. Rio sniffles a bit, her eyes empty and red from hours of crying. After a few minutes, she trips over some rubble with a little yelp, both twins tumbling onto the street. Rio takes a few minutes, letting fresh tears fall down her face once more. She is completely overwhelmed, in every sense of the word. It all happened so fast. Too fast. She wasn’t even prepared to fulfill her family role, let alone stand firm without her cousin, and with her sister injured. 

Death was not a subject Rio Sato ever handled well. It stained her fragile mind during her induction into the Birds of Fujiwara, it scarred her during her time in both Kiwako’s Coven, as well as the true Coven of Kamihama before that, and now, watching both her older cousin and her cousin’s close friend die to protect them— died in vain, Rio often repeated to herself as she stumbled back to Paradise— it was more than she could take. 

But before she could break, she heard a voice, and felt a hand on her shoulder.

???: Hey. Kid. Need a hand?

Unfortunately, this voice was one Fujiwara no Suzume recognized. She turned to face the source, her face going pale and her eyes widening. In front of the fledgling bird, a woman with straight pale blonde hair reaching down to the small of her back stood in a long, red, leather trench coat that stretched down to her ankles. The leather was faded and cracked in places, and the jacket was characteristically open. Beneath it, a plain brown t-shirt, far too clean compared to the rest of her attire, and faded black jeans. Rio recognized her right away.

Rio: Y… You…!

Diana: <…Ah, fuck me. Of course I’d run into the goddamn Birds in Mitakihara while it’s halfway ash. My fucking luck…> (the woman sighs, holding her hands up defensively) Uh… Truce, alright? I uh… I didn’t come here to pick a fight.

Rio: (her eyes narrow as she retorts in as menacing a voice as she can manage) You never go anywhere without picking a fight.

Diana: …Okay, yeah, fair. But look, there’s not much of a fight to pick right now, yeah? You two look pretty fucked up as it is.

Rio: P… Pick a fight with those monsters destroying this city, then!

Diana: I mean… I guess I could. 

Rio: …But you won’t, will you? For the same, sorry reason as always… that damnable ash of yours, that you seek to rekindle—

Diana: Hey now, I called a truce, no need to bring up ancient history, right? (Diana’s eyes narrow suspiciously) Now… where’s a Bird like you taking her sister, hm?

Rio: S… Shelter. (Rio pauses to  carefully choose her words) …F-From the rain. …But surely you did not expect a specific answer.

Diana: (Diana sighs again, her tone dripping with disappointment) …No, not really. (She reaches into one of the many pockets lining the front of her coat. Digging for a moment, she pulls out and drops two Grief Seeds at Rio’s feet) Peace offering, then. This whole business, uh, it’s probably more important than me being here, right? (Her gaze suddenly turns fierce, piercing even. Her words, laced with a venom that Rio understands all too well) …You can take my offer, or refuse it. Your call.

Rio recognized the gravity of Diana’s exact choice of words. She held her glare for a while longer, not wanting to make a move. Diana stood, now expressionless, seemingly unbothered by Rio’s hesitation. Rio knew this game. She knew the rules. She knew the stakes. But between her own corrupted Soul Gem and her sister’s, she could not make any move other than the one she detested most. Taking the seeds into her hand, she looked down and away, barely catching Diana’s slow nod.

Diana: Can’t say I blame you. Been awhile since someone saw reason, though. Not since I got to this goddamned city. …No charge this time. But in the future… <I’ll wanna know where two banged up Birds seek shelter from the rain.>

Rio: (Rio cleanses Riko’s Soul Gem first, then her own.) … <I promise nothing…>

Diana: (Diana merely shrugs, shoving both hands into her coat pockets, turning to walk away.) <…Yeah that’s about right. Can’t say I don’t deserve that.> …Oh. And make sure to give ‘her’ my regards, next time you see her. If you two are here now, it stands to reason ‘she’ made it out as well. God knows how, though. Ah well…

Rio watches as Diana walks off into the horizon, a half-hearted wave behind her without looking. For a mercy, her destination was in the opposite direction from Paradise. Rio contemplated following her, now that she was cleansed, but the sound of Riko stirring back into consciousness changed her mind.

Rio: …If she’s here, then I fear that things will… (Rio shakes her head) Still… (Rio glances at the spent Grief Seed before crushing it in her palm) Kiwa-chan was right, after all. It really is not as difficult to win those gambles as I thought…