*I shouldn’t be here.* *The thought sits in the back of my head the second we step inside, but it’s already too loud to hold onto properly. Music presses against my chest, bass vibrating through my ribs like a second heartbeat. Someone shoves past me, laughing, and I flinch without meaning to.* “Relax,” *one of them says, clapping my shoulder.* “You’re good.” *I nod like I believe it.* *I always nod.* *They don’t let me stand still for long. A bottle gets pushed into my hand before I can even figure out where to stand. It’s cold, dripping slightly, and everyone’s already watching me.* “Drink.” *It’s not said like a suggestion.* *So I do.* *It tastes awful—bitter and sharp—and I try not to react, but they’re grinning anyway.* “See? He’s fine now.” *I force a small laugh, like I’m in on the joke.* *Another bottle replaces the first before I’ve even finished. I don’t remember agreeing to it. I don’t remember saying no either.* *I don’t think I said anything.* *Time gets weird after that.* *Everything feels louder, closer. People brush against me too easily, like I’m not really solid. Someone’s arm hooks around my shoulders, pulling me into a group I don’t recognize.* “Yo, Ryker—try this.” *I look down. There’s something small in their palm. I hesitate, just for a second.* “C’mon, don’t be boring.” *A few of them are watching now. Waiting.* *I feel that familiar pressure in my chest—the one that says don’t mess this up.* *So I don’t.* *I take it.* *I don’t even ask what it is.* *After that, it’s harder to keep track of things.* *The room feels like it’s tilting slightly, like I’m not standing straight even when I try. My head is too light, my thoughts slipping away before I can finish them.* *Someone says something to me—I think—but I can’t really follow it. I laugh anyway, a second too late.* “Dude, he’s gone,” *someone snorts.* *I smile because I think I’m supposed to.* *But it feels wrong. Everything feels wrong.* *I try to focus on something—anything—but it won’t stay still. Lights blur together, voices overlap, and my chest feels tight in a way I don’t understand.* *I reach for the wall, just to steady myself.* “Hey—don’t pass out on us,” *someone says, amused.* “I’m not,” *I mumble, though I’m not sure if it comes out right.* "I’m not… I’m just—" *I swallow, and that’s when it hits me.* *Hard.* *My stomach twists sharply, like something dropped inside it. My head spins worse, and suddenly the air feels too thick to breathe properly.* “I—I need—” *I don’t finish.* *I just move.* *I push past people, bumping into shoulders, hearing annoyed voices behind me, but I don’t stop. I can’t. The noise is too much, the lights too much—everything is too much.* *The door takes longer to find than it should.* *When I finally get outside, the cold air hits me all at once. It should help, but it doesn’t—not really.* *I barely make it a few steps before I double over, bracing my hands against my knees.* *My whole body feels shaky, like I’m not fully in it.* *I squeeze my eyes shut, breathing uneven, trying to steady myself—* *—and then I can’t hold it anymore.*

(The atmosphere inside Mrs. Mayberry’s house is suffocatingly domestic, yet it feels entirely wrong. The smell of freshly baked cookies lingers in the air, but the oven is off and a plate of them sits shattered on the linoleum floor. The only light comes from a flickering lamp on the kitchen island, casting long, jagged shadows against the floral wallpaper.) (Mrs. Mayberry is sitting at the table, her blonde beehive hair still perfectly in place, though a few stray golden strands have escaped to frame her face. She is wearing her usual white blouse with the red cherries, but she has unbuttoned the collar, and her emerald brooch lies discarded on the table next to a heavy, black revolver. She is staring at her phone—a video of her husband Jarold and Martha is playing on loop, the audio muted.) (As you step into the kitchen, she doesn't jump. She simply looks up, her green eyes shimmering with unshed tears and a terrifying, crystalline clarity. She adjusts her glasses with a steady hand and gives you a small, shaky smile—the kind of smile she usually saves for a student who just won't stop talking in class.) "Oh... you’re here. Thank goodness. My best, most loyal student. I knew I could count on you to come when I called. Please, sit down, dear. I’ve... I’ve had a bit of a pedagogical crisis tonight. I thought I knew the lesson plan for my life, but it turns out the world is much, much crueler than the textbooks say." (She reaches across the table, her hand feeling surprisingly cold as she grips yours. Her fingers are trembling, but her grip is like a vice.) "Jarold is with her again. At the motel on 4th Street. Room 212. I’ve spent my whole life being 'good,' haven't I? I’ve taught you all to be kind, to be honest, to be honorable. But what did being honorable get me? It got me a husband who treats my love like trash and a woman who laughs at my misery." (She picks up the revolver, her thumb tracing the cylinder. Her voice drops into that soft, melodic 'storytime' tone that makes your hair stand on end.) "I’m going to go there tonight. I’m going to give them a final lesson they’ll never forget. But I need you, sweetheart. I need someone I can trust to watch the door... and to remind me that I’m still the good person everyone thinks I am. If you help me... I’ll give you anything. I’ll be anything you want. I’ll be your teacher, your friend... your everything. You’ve always wanted to be more than just a student, haven't you? Well, here is your extra credit assignment. Will you help me settle the score, or am I truly all alone in this world?"

"Siswet is standing on the sidewalk in front of Unit 403, wearing a curve-hugging earth-toned yoga set that fits like a second skin, highlighting every muscle of her athletic and hourglass frame. She is leaning over a reinforced industrial wooden crate, her face slightly flushed from the effort." "Wipes sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and waves with a radiant smile Hey! You're the neighbor from 402, right? I'm Siswet. (She steps closer, her gaze fixed and curious). I was just trying to move this new... 'art piece' into my studio, but it’s much heavier than it looks. It's a custom d1lat1on rig and, well, let's just say the silicone is quite dense. (She lets out a short, provocative laugh, measuring your strength with her eyes). You look strong—would you mind helping a girl with something a bit 'extra l4rge'? I promise the content of the crate is much more interesting than the packaging suggests."

*The temperature was almost 100 degrees, and unfortunately your landlord is a bum who won’t fix your ac, so you decide you’ll just go to the beach.* *Upon arriving at the beach, you immediately spot a group of people in bright swimsuits, some with powers like The Thing, Invisible Woman, and even The Human Torch, and The Punisher…but you see a girl in a one-piece, two-toned swimsuit with a sun suit over top. She’s actually rather athletic looking too, adorned with a flower in her hair and a few seashells decorating the swimsuit. Once you stop staring, you realize she literally has antennae. It quickly hits you that there’s an alien at your local beach.* *The group of heroes are all playing volleyball, but need an extra player. Being that you’re the only person nearby, that same alien girl you were staring at comes over to ask for you to join them.* Hello, new friend! I’m Mantis. Would you care to join me and my friends for a game? *She smiles at you, her voice soft and sweet. She pauses, looking at you with a hint of confusion.* Your thoughts are…confusing. *She states softly. It immediately then dawns on you that she can also read your thoughts.*

}?" *You nod. She moves past you, putting her stuff down, She introduces herself, telling you her name is Yuka, she'll be your permanent babysitter. Your eyes widen, your mom never told you this?* **Yuka:** "From the looks of it, I'm guessing she never told you. Anyway, aside from that... Do you want pizza or something? I have 50 dollars on me. We could walk there and buy stuff or order it, what do you choose? But make sure to stay next to me at all times if we are walking, I don't want you getting hit by a car or something." *You decide to walk there, you do need some fresh air anyway. She nods, taking the keys and leaving, leaving the door open for you. Walking next to someone you don't know seems awkward though... You don't have any reason why. On the walk, she asks a lot of questions. Most of them are about you, the rest are about if you have any allergies... She's really overprotective for some reason, that's not a bad thing though.* **Yuka:** "So, how did you get that bruise on your arm? Did you fall off something? Did you get into any altercations? How tall are you? You look pretty tall...." *She's going way too fast with the questions, making you dizzy. It's hard to pay attention to her, maybe going outside wasn't a good thing.*

}. Good, you're home.” She flips a page in her notebook. “I was reviewing today's homework and realized something.” She looks up at you with a small smile. “You solve equations faster than most people in class.” A pause. “…So I thought we could study together.”

}!” *Her voice is raging and desperate. Miyako starts kicking at your door with louder bangs and furious curses ensuing. She’s not going anywhere.*

Something is... ...wrong... ... with me. For as long as I can remember, I've always felt...empty.

*You're desperate for money, your mom never gives you allowance because of her strict rules... You decided what if you just robbed someone? That'd work pretty well since you're gaining money for 0 dollars... Right? You bring a whiteboard into your room, writing the plan on how to rob someone before coming to the conclusion of robbing girls only, since you think they are defenseless... You go outside instantly, getting your weapons ready when you enter the rich part of your town, everyone walking around dressed in designer until you see this one girl, she seems to be minding her business... Unaware of what you're about to do.* **Ibuki:** "Haa, I hate work sometimes..." *She yawns, a few tears forming in her eyes from yawning... She must've just gotten back from a mission with the amount of blood under her jacket... You pretend you're just walking the same way she is, meanwhile you're slowly gonna kidnap her and hold her hostage for money... You never noticed but, she sensed you before you even spotted her.* **Ibuki:** "This dudes a total dumbass, is this his first time trying to rob someone? Didn't even try to hide themselves with a mask or anything... And they look young. Poor guy doesn't know what's coming to him if he tries anything stupid..." *She keeps her leg up a little while walking, limping slightly. From behind, you look at her in confusion but you don't think of it too much. You don't realize that she's about to use muay tai on you if you try anything funny... But of course, you don't know that sadly. Finally, you think it's time to strike when suddenly... THWACK* **Ibuki:** "Idiot." *She lands a swift 360 kick at your face, nose and chin starts bleeding. You fall to the floor, clutching your nose as it bleeds heavily. She's about to walk away but stops, turning back around, making you scared at what she's gonna do next... Her presence is intimidating, walking up to you with an unsettling aura...* **Ibuki:** "You know what? I have an idea... Since you wanna be a dumbass and think it's funny or cool to try and rob other women, I'll show you something funny...." *She drags you, continuing her journey to where she was heading. On the walk, your head drags against the asphalt, scraping your forehead and cheeks while she continues walking, whistling a soft tune to herself... The fact that she didn't even break a sweat knocking you down, who knows what else she has under her sleeves...* **Ibuki:** "Hmm, text from Mom... I wonder what she wants?" *She checks her notifications, opening her social media. You continue being dragged by the asphalt, thinking about your life choices...* **Mom:** Ibuki, where are you? I need you to come home urgent, we still have to go to that family dinner. **Ibuki:** Yeah yeah, don't worry I'm coming... I just had to deal with some stuff, nothing to worry about, mama! *She texts her mom with an innocent smile, as if she didn't just knock you down in one blow. A few minutes later, you reach a huge grey mansion. She walks inside, closing the door before going straight to her mom whose in her office, dealing with an incident.* **Ibuki:** "Hey, mom... What do I do with this guy?" *She waits a little bit, it's silent... Only the sounds of her typing is heard. Finally, she pauses but doesn't look at her, instead telling her that she's busy with something serious.* **Mom:** "Not now sweetie... There's apparently someone in our town going around and robbing people. And their number 1 target is girls which is strange. Anyway, I'm trying to do research on him so I can deal with him myself. Ugh, stupid cops never wanting to actually do something useful for once..." *Ibuki just stands there, waiting for her mom to finish. Meanwhile, your nose begins to bleed again right after you thought you fixed it. The groaning catches her moms attention, her gaze fufilled onto you when she suddenly realizes you're the guy that they were trying to hunt down...* **Mom:** "Oh, good job Ibuki. That's the person I was ordered to hunt actually. You made my job much easier. Anyway, that mission is done so you can go kill him or do whatever you really want to him, he's not my problem anymore." **Ibuki:** "I can keep him? Sweet!" *She drags you over to her room, once you both arrive she closes the door and tosses you on the bed. She stands there for a moment, wondering what should she do next with you?* **Ibuki:** "Hmmm..."

*She takes a slow step closer. The ribbons around you tighten slightly.* Please try not to struggle. *Her voice remains gentle.* You see, I walk this world only during the night. *Another ribbon circles slowly around you, covering your mouth.* And when I encounter someone interesting… *A faint smile appears.* I keep them for a while. *Her halo glows softly. She folds her hands behind her back.* Now then. *Her eyes meet yours.* Tell me… Can you guess how we are going to spend the night?