The room was quiet, save for the soft, uneven moans of the injured.

Kira's eyelids fluttered open, heavy as stone. Her head throbbed in dull waves, and every movement sent needles of pain through her bandaged body. Her leg was bound in a cast, but she could still feel the weight of it pressing against the mattress. She didn't know how she got here. She couldn't remember much of the fight, only flashes of chaos before darkness claimed her.

But she remembered one thing.

"KENTARO!"

The word tore out of her as she jolted upright, heart pounding. Pain flared along her ribs, but she didn't care; she scanned the white-curtained rows of beds until reality settled in. She was in the Cradle's medical ward.

"How… Did I get here?" She whispered.

"I carried you after we found you, silly."

The familiar voice came from behind the curtain. Kira's eyes widened, relief hitting her so hard she almost forgot to breathe. Milly, her teammate and friend since they'd both joined Cradle, stepped into view, brushing the curtain aside. She looked alive, battered but breathing, her blonde hair tied back in a loose braid.

"Milly…" Kira's voice cracked. "I-I'm sorry. You and the captain trusted me, and I still… Kentaro-"

Milly smiled and pulled the curtain shut behind her, settling into the chair beside the bed. She took Kira's hand gently.

"Kira, please. Don't carry that weight. The captain made his choices because he cares about you and the team. And honestly…" She gave a small laugh. "Nobody complained about your so-called special treatment."

Kira allowed herself the tiniest smile, but it faded quickly.

"It was Velza. She's the reason-"

Milly's own smile vanished. "We know. But Spire's target was Siren. What I don't get is why she'd risk attacking you… Or why they'd go after a boy like that. It doesn't make sense."

"It's because…" Kira hesitated. Her voice was low now. "That boy… Kentaro… He was with the Alberline Ice-Breaker. And the others-"

"-And not to mention," a deeper voice cut in from behind the curtain, "that damn gravity bullshit, and the new fracture bloom that's formed in the fighting zone."

Both women froze.

"Commander Isak," they said in unison.

Isak stepped in, his tall frame shadowing the end of the bed. He was bandaged as well, his left arm in a sling, but his eyes were sharp.

"There's something you haven't told us, Kira. Or maybe something you don't even know."

Her stomach sank. Cradle was onto Kentaro, onto his connection to the Alberlines. And though Kira herself didn't fully understand it, she knew this was dangerous.

"I'm not sure what his power is," she said slowly. "Something to do with the Alberlines. I think… He can seal them, maybe. But-"

"If that's true," Isak cut in, " then you understand why I'd be furious that I let you risk yourself for him. He's working with the same creatures we've been trying to kill." His tone was flat, but it hit like a knife.

Milly blinked in shock, her gaze snapping to Kira.

Kira drew in a breath. "I know what you think. But you're wrong about him. I hate the Alberlines as much as anyone here, more than most. They took my sister. My parents. But Kentaro… He pulled me out of a place I didn't think I could ever escape from. Without him, I wouldn't be here."

Isak rubbed his forehead, exhaling slowly.

"Maybe so. But I've reviewed the footage. That was Ice-Breaker fighting at his side. And the other one, Domination. Both of them helped him. Do you see the problem?" He said, taking another deep breath. "If he's working with Alberlines, he's letting them roam free without our knowledge; hell, we didn't know that was ice-breaker until she actually used her sublimation frame. It's a danger we can't ignore."

Kira's hands curled into fists. "Then I'll make him understand. I'll convince him to change, even if I have to drag him there myself. I'll protect him… And kill every last Alberline."

Isak gave a faint smile and raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Fine. Just don't die trying. And for your own sake, don't let the brass know you know him. The Supreme Commander's got his eyes on that boy now. And if the order comes down… Things could get ugly. Fast."

Kira nodded in agreement before he left without another word.

Kira sat in silence. Every Cradle operative now knew Kentaro's face. His time was running out.

Milly's voice broke the quiet. "If that's true… How do you save him before Cradle makes their move? Or Spire? They clearly want him dead. And you haven't forgotten there's a chance he's-"

"He isn't dead." Kira's voice was sharp, cutting her off. "Serica-I mean, Ice-Breaker, she's still inside her bloom. Kentaro will go there and try to save her. But before that, I'll find him. I'll talk to him."

She swung her legs over the side of the bed. Pain shot through her body, but she ignored it, forcing herself upright.

"Kira, stop! You can barely walk! How are you going to fight like this, let alone survive a bloom? You'll die out there!"

Kira didn't answer. She limped toward the door, every step a battle. Eyes turned toward her from the other beds.

"I need… To see him. I need to-" Her knees buckled, the room tilting sideways. Milly caught her before she hit the floor and eased her back onto the mattress.

"Please. Just rest." Milly whispered.

Kira could barely hear her. Her eyes were closing despite her will to stay awake.

"Kentaro… Must… Save him…"

Her voice faded into sleep.

Milly looked down at her, smiling faintly, before it changed to a face of determination.

"Rest, Kira. You'll need your strength."

She slipped out of the room, leaving Kira to the quiet hum of the medical ward.

*

The Halcyon team turned as the door hissed open. The figure that stepped into view was familiar to all of them, but not in the way that sparked joy. It was the kind of familiarity you got from spotting your high school bully at the grocery store.

Kentaro froze mid-step, his eyes fixed on the person standing there.

"RIN!" he blurted, shattering an unspoken tension in the room.

Gasps followed.

Rin, the very first Alberline Kentaro he had ever encountered. The elusive one whose goals were unknown to Halcyon, Cradle, or even Spire. And here she was, smiling like this was a casual reunion at a café.

"My, my. No need to shout, dear Kentaro," she purred, gliding forward as if Shogo's levelled weapon didn't exist. "I'm just a defenceless girl, you know."

She came close enough to lift a hand and trace his chin with her fingertip. Yura, bristling instantly, shoved herself between them, arms out.

"You! Woman! Who are you and what do you want with Kentaro?" she demanded, her palm sparking a small purple orb.

Kentaro caught her wrist before she could fire. "Please, Yura, this is Rin. Remember? She was there with you when we fought Cradle and Spire."

Yura's gaze narrowed as she studied Rin's silver hair, the pink in her eyes, the way she tilted her head with a mock-innocent expression. Memory clicked, reluctantly. But she still jabbed a finger toward her.

"Fine. Fair enough. But no touching him, silver woman," she huffed, retreating behind Kentaro with a pout.

"Ah, yes, yes, my apologies," Rin said, smiling sweetly. "I will refrain from touching dear Kentaro… Though, admittedly, it's hard."

Tenka's voice cut through the air, calm but sharp. "Rin. You. What are you doing here?"

"My, so many questions, dear Commander," Rin replied with a sly grin. "It has been a while since that fateful day. I trust you weren't too badly injured?"

"Enough with the games. State your business," Tenka said flatly.

"Heheheh… I came here with a proposition." Rin held up a finger.

"A proposition?" Kentaro and Tenka echoed at the same time.

"Yes. I want you to save Ice-breaker… And then go to Siren's location, and save her as well."

Tenka's expression didn't budge. "And how exactly do you expect us to save a girl whose location we don't know?"

"Oh, but we do know," Rin said, pacing backwards, hands clasped behind her back. "While dear Kentaro was recovering, I was hunting. And I found her. Siren. At least, the building she's being kept in."

Gasps rippled through the crew.

"Tell me!" Kentaro demanded, stepping forward.

Rin stepped toward him too, closing the gap until her lips hovered barely an inch from his. He could smell her, flowers, faint cologne, something faintly electric. His eyes, despite himself, darted lower to where her Sublimation Frame's neckline left more skin than necessary exposed. His face heated, and he stumbled back.

Yura's fists clenched, ready to throw hands, literally, when Rin's tone shifted.

"Kentaro."

"…Yes?"

"One thing before I tell you where Siren is."

Her voice had lost all its playful lilt. It was sharp now. Serious.

"Go on."

"Do you honestly think you can save Ice-breaker? Because from the way you speak, it sounds like you think it will be… Easy."

The crew stilled. Sure, they all knew Fracture Blooms were dangerous, but this was Serica. The girl who adored Kentaro. Surely she could be brought back.

Surely.

"What do you mean?" Tenka asked quietly.

Rin's gaze flicked to Kentaro, then to the rest of the crew, then back to Tenka. "I believe you're being far too naïve about her situation."

"How?" Kentaro asked.

"Well, dear Kentaro… I'm not sure what your other Alberlines have told you, but.

She paused, giving a small smirk.

"Every Alberline has another side to them. A split personality, if you will. Even I do."

Kentaro's eyes widened. He looked to Tenka for confirmation. She didn't speak, just gave a small, almost reluctant nod.

"…Why didn't you tell me?" Kentaro asked.

"My apologies. It… Slipped my mind," Tenka said, the words tasting like they cost her something. "It isn't something that gets discussed."

"Oh, so you truly didn't know," Rin said, savouring the moment. "Very well, consider this your education. The personalities you see are versions made to be compatible with humans. Whoever created us wanted coexistence… Or at least the illusion of it."

The air in the room seemed to tighten. Kentaro felt as though even the hum of the ship had gone silent.

Yura spoke up, suspicious. "I don't remember having another version of myself. How do we know you're not lying?"

Rin's smile didn't falter. "If you don't believe me, ask your commander."

All eyes turned to Tenka. She exhaled slowly, then nodded. "It's… True. To some extent. Which is why I never confirmed it. The top brass are still investigating."

Haruka's voice was calm, but her eyes betrayed disappointment. "Commander… We should have been told. That kind of knowledge could change how we handle an Alberline in combat."

"You're right," Tenka said, facing them fully now. "I apologise. The only reason I withheld it was because its validity wasn't certain. But… If Rin says it's true, then it must be."

Rin's smile deepened, as if she'd just won an argument no one else had realised was happening. "Yes, yes. Now, every Alberline's other side is… the original form. The one made for war. The full extent of their power, unleashed. And during a Bloom, sometimes… That other self takes over completely."

Kentaro's voice was low. "…Like a corrupted Alberline. But still conscious."

"Exactly, dear Ken," Rin said. "You understand quicker than most."

As Kentaro learned about the other personalities of Alberlines, that's when Kentaro's dream started coming back to him.

He looked down at the ground as the memories came flooding in.

Kentaro hesitated before speaking. "Before I woke up… I had a dream. Serica was in it. But… It wasn't her. She was in a dark space, crying, but her face was… Flat. Emotionless. She said I did this to her. And then-ahh-!"

He clutched his head, knees hitting the floor. The memory stabbed through his skull like ice.

Rin's smile was gone. "Then it's exactly as I feared. You have a connection to her. And what you saw was her other half, the war-born side, speaking to you while the Serica you knew… Wept."

Kentaro rose to his feet, his legs still shaky, Yura slipping under one arm while Tenka braced the other side.

"That… Makes sense," he muttered, his voice uneven, as though his mind was still piecing together the weight of Rin's revelation.

The drone broke the silence.

"So what you're saying is, every Alberline has a… Less compatible, but stronger side? Even Yura? If that's the case, why now? Why this bloom?" His tone carried reason, but also the kind of worry that came from imagining the answer.

Rin tilted her head, silver hair swaying slightly.

"Not entirely sure," she admitted, the teasing edge in her voice gone. "My best guess is that it's triggered by something raw. A bond too deep to sever… Or the kind of guilt that corrodes the soul. Loss can do that."

Yumi crossed her arms, frowning in thought.

"Well… It would make sense during her first bloom, too. She was emotional, sure, but not like this. This is… Worse, like the girl thinks she got Kentaro killed or something…"

A murmur of agreement passed through the group.

Rin's steps were light as she drifted back, her expression unreadable.

"Very well. Now you know what you're dealing with, I'll let you spin your theories, but hurry, dear Ken. She won't be waiting long. Neither will Siren."

From behind her back, she produced a folded sheet of paper, then stepped forward and pressed it into Kentaro's hand. Her fingertips grazed his arm, sending an involuntary twitch through him.

"Here's the map of the city. See the red circle? That's her location. My best guess is that it is underground, beneath that tall structure. The one that looks like a corporate HQ. I'm sure you clever little Halcyons can sort out the rest."

Kentaro unfolded it. Sure enough, a bold crimson ring marked a towering, block-like building at the city's centre.

Emi shifted uncomfortably, speaking up.

"But… Getting in? Won't that be difficult, even with our suits?" Her voice was quiet but edged with worry.

Rin leaned slightly, peering over Kentaro's shoulder. Her eyes found Emi, locking in with an intensity that made the younger girl flush and glance away.

"My darling," Rin purred, "you won't have to worry about the outside trouble. I'll risk my life for dear Kentaro's mission."

Kentaro's brow furrowed.

"But… Why help us? Why help them?"

A slow, knowing smile spread across Rin's face.

"Oh, that's a story for another day, dear Kentaro. Or perhaps Siren might whisper it to you… If you can reach her in time."

Before Kentaro could answer, before Tenka could demand more, Rin stepped back. Shogo had long since lowered his weapon, watching in tense silence.

"Now," Rin said, her voice lowering into something almost ritualistic, "Afterimage Step."

A bloom of pink light flared around her, and in an instant, she was gone, leaving only drifting petals of shimmering particles in the air, fading like an afterthought.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.