https://youtu.be/JvMKQzL4tPg

The threat seemingly neutralised, the Spectrums regrouped at platform four, satisfied with a job well-done, but now ready to discuss their next course of action. The quintet stood above the criminal, each one scrutinising him carefully to make sure he didn't escape. And he didn't even try, instead just sitting there, silently begging for mercy.

"Well, we got him. What do we do now?" Azurine asked, looking over at Silas and Makoto. "We could turn him in, but..."

"He could have useful information." Makoto mused. "I say we question him first."

"So, let me see if I've got this right..." Inigo murmured, a hand on his chin as his gaze slowly wandered over to Scarlett. "You're saying this guy knows the Ravener, right?"

"Uh huh." Scarlett nodded slowly, glancing over at him. "In fact, he said he's gonna come for him."

"So he's with...the Tori-tachi, right?" Inigo raised an eyebrow, looking to the man himself for confirmation. Once he received an affirmative nod, he looked dryly into his eyes. "Then tell me, are there any more of you stationed here?"

"N-No..." the man shook his head nervously. "I-It's just me. This wasn't meant to be a big sting or anything..."

"Really? No backup whatsoever? That's oddly confident of you."

"I-I wasn't expecting to be jumped by three fighters at once, okay?" the man stammered, panic in his voice as he remembered the assault, and how little breathing room he'd been given. "People like you don't usually hang out in groups like this!"

Inigo nodded at that, while Scarlett, with her hands behind her back, examined him closely. Figuring he probably wasn't lying, she asked him, "So...this Ravener. He's your fixer, right?"

The man gave a slow nod, while Azurine glanced over at them. "That's just a fancy way of saying he's an assassin, right?"

"Pretty much, though he would mainly handle things directly related to the gang." Scarlett hummed. "Like, say, stopping information from getting out, settling the Kingpin's personal grudges..."

"...and selling out to Libera, apparently." Inigo scoffed, his mind flashing back to all the bodies and blood he'd seen the last time he visited Aurum. He turned his eyes back to the man, capturing his attention with a curt, "Hey, you."

"Y-Yes?"

"How long can we expect him to take to get here? I know he has a warp crystal..."

"Oh, well, he definitely has a destination here in Aurum, and he's a very fast runner! I wouldn't give it more than an hour, personally!"

"An hour. As if we weren't on a schedule." Inigo sighed, pressing his palm to his face and shaking his head, not even looking as he heard the train beginning to pull into the fourth platform. That would be the one they were supposed to take. So much for that plan. He looked up at the rest of the Spectrums, frowning visibly. "Anyone else got any questions?"

"Are you sure we should be standing around here?" Silas asked, pointing his thumb over to the train. "Pretty sure that's our train."

"We can wait for another." Inigo said simply. "Any more questions?"

"C-Can I get going now?" the man stuttered, beginning to rise to his feet, only to fall once again as Inigo delivered a swift kick to his shin. Message received, he knelt down, wincing slightly.

"I have a question." Makoto spoke up respectfully, before stepping forth to look at Inigo. "How can we trust this man? He is the enemy..."

"Look at him. He's a wuss."

"Plus, what he's said does seem in-line with the Tori-tachi's methods..." Scarlett added. "I think he's legit."

"I see..." Makoto nodded, accepting this response. "So, what's the plan now?"

"The plan is simple. We're gonna let the Ravener come, so we can take him out." Inigo said, summoning his cane and pointing it at the man, who shuddered in fear. "To do that, we're going to need to accompany this guy. As long as we have what he wants, he's gonna come after us."

"Hmm..." Scarlett frowned at the prospect, but said nothing in objection. "I guess that makes sense. Just the two of us could beat him, so with a team like this..."

"Not to mention, I kicked his ass that one time." Silas added. "So, we feeling confident, gang?"

"I must admit, I have no prior experience with this Ravener." Makoto admitted, before giving the group a small smile. "But if you all know how to deal with him, then I should be fine."

"Just be careful, everyone." Inigo replied calmly, suspiciously eyeing a bird that had gotten onto the platform - a corvid with black feathers. He'd never been overly superstitious, but something about it seemed...off. "We should move somewhere more open. The last thing we want is that guy slipping through the walls and catching us by surprise."

.........

With that settled, the group set off further into the station building, the interior of which was tiled in white, with only the red drippings of blood from the handless fellow from earlier colouring it. As they stepped further in, seeing the building slowly fill up with passengers, the man turned to Scarlett and Inigo, attempting to make friendly conversation with them - mostly the former.

"S-So, I just want to take this moment to let you know how grateful I am that you're protecting me like this!" he exclaimed, a cheesy smile on his face - utterly devoid of his usual confidence. "I mean, it can't be easy, and I know we didn't get off on the right foot, but how about we start anew, eh?"

"Hmm, I dunno..." Scarlett murmured, sticking close to Inigo. "I try not to associate with unrepentant killers. Consider it a personal rule."

"Hey, now, I'm totally repentant!" the man argued back, not even bothered to remove the snake-oil salesman voice. "'Out damned spot', you know? Can't get rid of all this blood on my hands, can I?"

"Oh, really?" Scarlett gasped, pretending to be convinced. To think that not ten minutes ago, he was joking about dismembering his victims and selling their limbs. This man truly was something else. "Well, then, I'll have to think about it. What are your thoughts, Inigo?"

"My thoughts are, he's full of shit."

"Ooh? Well, the jury has spoken." Scarlett shrugged, looking over to the man. "Sorry about that, Mr...uh..."

"Namerisawa." the man replied, before clearing his throat and straightening his posture. "But you can call me yours."

"Nice try."

"Heh, worth a shot."

While the three of them went on like this, the other three stayed among themselves, Azurine addressing the other two with a look of displeasure as she listened to Namerisawa's feeble attempts to score with Scarlett. "Are we really protecting that guy?" she frowned. "He's with those Tori-tachi guys, after all..."

"If it'll help us stop the Ravener, then..." Silas murmured, placing a hand on his chin. "I guess it's worth it. But, like, what should we do with him after that?"

"Hmm...are you suggesting we kill Mr. Namerisawa after we're done with this Ravener?" Makoto asked straightforwardly, tilting his head slightly. "If so, you have my spear. I'm willing to do the deed if you're not."

"Woah, woah, let's not get hasty here!" Silas shook his head, raising a hand. "Surely there's gotta be another option, right? Maybe we could detain him?"

"Silas is right. Maybe a certain someone didn't tell you," Azurine began, glancing over at an oblivious Inigo. "But we at the Spectrums try to be the bigger person. It may sound pretentious, but someone has to take the moral high ground here."

"...that makes sense." Makoto nodded, mulling it over for a second or two before deciding he agreed. "We cannot become too ruthless, or else we risk becoming like the Doctor."

"Yeah! Or the Mikado!" Azurine exclaimed, smiling brightly. At least he got it. Makoto shuddered a little at that, closing his eyes as he imagined the Mikado's stern glare.

"Ending up like my sister..." he murmured. "I don't know how I'd live with myself."

Silas, noticing his deflated mood, placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling slightly. "Hey, you're trying to be better. That counts for a lot, you know?"

"Perhaps..." Makoto nodded slowly, a nervous smile on his face as he looked back to the gratitude on the faces of the people he'd saved. "I'm just hoping my efforts continue to bear fruit."

"I'm sure they will." Azurine said confidently. "Just watch!"

The silver-haired young man smiled more resolutely, figuring he might like being among these people. Silas crossed his arms, humming softly. "So...now that we've settled that...what are we gonna do about the chainsaw guy?"

"Well, the responsible thing to do would be to turn him into the authorities...if they're here...and assuming they don't die...and that they don't put us in the sack for vigilantism..." Azurine mused, growing noticeably less certain with every point. She could only hope the police here were as cooperative as the ones in Caerulus. But goodness, there was so much that could go wrong here. "...there has to be something else we can do..."

"We'll think of something." Silas replied, smiling slightly as he gave a gentle tap on her shoulder. "Until then, let's wait."

.........

https://youtu.be/WoujzO8op8I

While leading Namerisawa around the station, the heroes were cautious of their surroundings, but even they couldn't detect every wicked shadow hiding within the shining light of Aurum. Case in point, one such gentleman, standing inconspicuously on the floor above them, overlooked the group with a placid look in his dead, pink eyes. His clothing was casual and fashionable, wearing a black ensemble - a long jacket, a polo shirt with a red-feathered logo on his chest, a pair of slim-fitted jeans, and a scarf around his neck. Though the lower half of his face was covered with a black mask, his dark skin was still plain to see.

In his hand was a dull-looking, undecorated phone, and as he tapped in a number, he held it to his ear, making sure to remain out of sight as he listened to its quiet ring. The ringing stopped in short order, and as he raised his phone to his ear, he listened to the soft, feminine voice on the other end. "Good day, Ravener."

"Hello, Magpie." the Ravener responded calmly, leaning against the railing. "I see you're in a good mood today. Haven't run into Jackdaw yet?"

"Not yet, but the day is still young." the woman sighed. "Did you call me for something important? I'm a busy woman, you know..."

"Yes, yes, let me cut to the chase." the Ravener chuckled. Heh, 'cut'. "I've found the target. And with him...my prey."

He smirked beneath his mask, excited at the prospect of doing battle with him once again. "But they aren't alone. Mata Hari. Dawnspear. The Heroes of Ruben. They're all with him."

"Hmm, what a roster." Magpie mused. "How did such a group assemble, anyway? Apex, Libera, Libera's most wanted, and some 'good guys'?"

"Don't ask me. Do I look like a stalker to you?"

"You actually do."

"Well, surely, the all-knowing Magpie knows not to judge a book by its cover." the Ravener commented. "But alas, we're getting off-topic. The time to fly is upon us. Have you deployed Jay?"

"Need you even ask? I'm the brains behind this flock." Magpie boasted, a small, playful huff from her end. "Do you think you might need more men, though?"

"That depends. You didn't forget to give her the bombs, did you?"

"...I see. You've always been a confident one, right, Ravener?" she mused. "But with that company he's in, you might need a change of plans."

"Don't worry, I've got plans. You aren't the only brain here, Maggie."

"Magpie." she sighed. "In any case, I look forward to the mission's success."

"So do I." the Ravener hummed. "By the way, could you send me their battle data? I'd like to give it a good once-over before we strike."

"Alright, but I'll warn you - we don't have much data on the 'Heroes', seeing as they're fairly new." she told him. "That said, what little we have on the tall one does look familiar..."

"That's fine. I'll work with what we have." the Ravener said, nodding without hesitation. "Just text it to me. We'll strike soon enough."

"Alright, then, I'm trusting you." Magpie replied. "Goodbye for now, Ravener. I'll send them over, pronto."

"As the crow flies, Mag." the Ravener chuckled quietly, hanging up and putting his phone away. All he had to do now was wait - and everything would fall into place. He looked down, thinking about his last encounter with Inigo, and beneath his mask, he smiled in anticipation for the rematch. "...I hope you haven't forgotten me, Joker. Because I can't wait to learn more about you."

.........

https://youtu.be/VrdMXoqp8Q4

Each passing minute felt heavier than the last, with each Spectrum waiting anxiously for a dark harbinger they knew would be arriving. None were more terrified than Namerisawa himself, however - after all, he was the one whose life was at stake, and every second that he knew this petrified him more. The nearest infirmary was far from the station, and the Spectrums had made it clear that they were staying here until the threat had passed.

As they sat by the benches, everyone kept their eyes out on whatever section of the building was visible to them, to make sure they didn't spot any familiar faces or shifty activity. Makoto thought he spotted someone familiar, but as it was just a fleeting sight, he didn't say anything. It wasn't Tori-tachi related, anyway. There was silence for the most part, until Azurine looked over at Namerisawa, who jumped slightly as she pointed her fingers at him. "Alright, you!"

"Ah! Y-Yeah?"

"We're having a group huddle. If you know what's good for you, you'll mind your own business!"

"Of course, ma'am!" Namerisawa nodded quickly. He'd never imagined he'd be scared enough to let himself be bossed around by such a short girl. Fear truly was the mind-killer. Azurine gave the others a nod, and with additional beckoning from Silas, they all gathered around her, getting as close as they could.

"What, we're actually huddling?" asked a mildly unamused Inigo.

"Shut it." Azurine narrowed her eyes at him, before addressing the group in general. "Now, I've called you all here because we have something very important to discuss. We need to decide what we're doing about Namerisawa once all this is done."

"Azurine and I, I believe, are in agreement." Silas said, lowering his voice. "In that killing him is off the table."

"Yeah. We're better than the Tori-tachi." Azurine said, looking on with a slight glare. "So don't go getting any ideas."

Inigo remained silent for a little, knowing exactly who that comment was aimed at, before shaking his head. "...Got it." he said. "Got any alternatives, then?"

"That's what we're here to discuss." Azurine pointed out. "We need a solution that doesn't involve him coming to harm."

"But he's clearly not sorry for anything, either." Scarlett frowned. "So whatever solution we come up with has to stop him from hurting anyone else, either. I feel like he may have developed an interest in body part trafficking..."

"That does seem to complicate matters." Makoto hummed, his eyes scanning the area. "We do not have the means to simply monitor this man, either. We have plenty on our plate, already..."

"Plus, he keeps staring at me..." Scarlett pouted - she was almost certain she could feel his gaze on her even now. "I don't suppose robbing him blind and leaving him to his fate is an option?" she added, mostly jokingly.

"Can't imagine he has a very nice fate no matter what we do..." Inigo murmured, looking up to the ceiling in contemplation. "The police does seem like the best option here..."

"That might work, you know?" Silas raised an eyebrow. "I mean, he's scared of Azurine now. Maybe, if she can leverage that, we can get him to turn himself in..."

"That's if he's still like this once the threat to his life has subsided." Inigo added. "If that's the linchpin, then it's best to just wait and see, right?"

"I wonder...can we truly afford such passivity?" Makoto asked. "Things might not go as we-"

Before he could finish that sentence, everyone paused, eyes widening and stances jumping as they heard a shrill alarm piercing through the air - a rapid ringing of bells in as high a pitch imaginable, cutting into their eardrums like a blade. While the alarm rang, a youthful voice, projected through the loudspeakers, could be heard.

"Yo! If it ain't the citizens of Aurum!" the voice rang joyously. "May I have your attention, please?"

And right away, everyone's attention was hers.