"What... what the hell?" I whispered.

  I stared at the Nexus Devi my hand, stu the notification.

  My hands were shaking.

  "Uh... Sienna? What's up?" Albert asked.

  BOUNTY FIRMEDThe Scrapper ScuttlerTRACT TARGETDEFEATEDTARGET STATUS ALIVE

  PARTITSElysia Veritas, Braveheart Gryphon, Braveheart Kitsune, Cw Currant, Cw Strawberry, Harmonia Lux

  BOUNTY CREDIT257,218

  TOTAL BOUNTY AWARDED1,324,547

  A quarter of a million dolrs.

  "I... um, uh," I mumbled. I couldn't think straight. My head inning, and my palms were sweaty. My phone nearly fell out of my hand.

  "Whoa, hey, don't drop it!" Albert said, reag out and steadying my hand. He looked at the Nexus devi my hand and whistled.

  "Holy... wow," he breathed.

  I could only nod, too shocked to form coherent thoughts.

  "I don't think my mom made this much money iire time she took to raise me," I whispered, shaking.

  I'd never eveen thousand dolrs before, let alone a quarter of a million.

  I took a deep, shaky breath. I was feeling dizzy and lightheaded. I had no idea how to react.

  "I feel like I didn't do anything," I muttered.

  "Hey, no way! The others were wearing him down but your final rush with Kitsune, Elysia, and Strawberry was what sealed the deal," Albert replied, giving me a reassuring pat on the back.

  "Yeah but still... I mean..."

  I trailed off. I wasn't sure how to expin it. It just felt like I didn't earn any of this. Sure, my mother's teique was the move that knocked him out. But the rest of the group, they'd fought tooth and nail for their victory. I hadn't even taken a scuff inn the real fight, although I ate a knife wound in the immediate aftermath.

  And I got to profit off their hard work. It was a weird, almost alien feeling that made my stomach twist in knots.

  I didn't deserve this. I didn't earn it.

  I shook my head. "I'm just a bit overwhelmed, you know? It feels surreal."

  I wasn't sure what to make of the situation. I didn't know what I would do with so much money. It was more than enough for me to pay for any living expenses here. It could easily pay for me to get a car whenever I could find time to get a lise. It was more than enough for a few years worth of living expenses. Maybe I'd have enough to help pay off college tuition if it came to that.

  I wasn't used to this.

  I'd been a nobody. I'd been a street kid from a rough part of town. I'd had struggle just to survive and have enough to eat.

  But now, I was...

  "Magical. Girl. Harmooooooonia Lux!" an airy voice sang. I blinked as I looked up from the phone.

  I looked up to see Stel sprawled across Albert's bed. She was kig her feet up and down as she flipped through a manga she had borrowed. Her eyes flicked over to me, and she smiled.

  She looked so much younger like this.

  Not that she was old or anything, but it was weird to see her being so childish and silly when she wasn't keeping her prim and proper mask. Or ag out her evil cartoon vilin persona. It was so uhe version of her that everyone else knew.

  "You're zoning out there," she said.

  I looked away. I'd been staring at her without realizing it.

  "You get a cut of the bounty too?" I asked.

  "Yup! A bit of pocket ge to add to the savings at. It'll be a good addition to the funds I've been using while on my leave."

  "Uh... pocket ge?" I asked. The words seemed fn to me, and my brain was refusing to process them.

  She blinked, looking over at me with an expression of surprise. "Um... it's about a hundred ay grand? Not bad for the amount of work we put into it. I'm holy more surprised that he's been on the bounty board for as long as he has."

  "Six figs is pocket ge to you?" Albert asked incredulously.

  Stel paused, flushing red as her eyes widened in realization. "Uh..."

  "Oh shit," I said, shaking my head in disbelief. I let out a chuckle.

  She'd really said that.

  "I... okay, yeah. That came out really bad," she said, sheepishly. "That was dumb."

  "Ya think?" Albert snickered.

  Stel flushed again, burying her fa her hands.

  "I didn't mean it like that. Ugh, this is awkward," she said.

  "I'm teasing, Stel, rex," I replied.

  Albert snickered. "Yeah, zero hard feelings here. You grew up with a bunoney. You don't have to act all weird and apologetic about it. It's just kind of a funny moment."

  She just nodded. I could tell she was feeling embarrassed about the whole situation. It retty ge moment for sure. I had no doubt she robably regretting saying something like that. Even if she had the money, she was noticeably mindful of how she came across to others. Which was why she was always so polite, and a bit shy, around others.

  It was cute, holy.

  "I did hear High and cracked down heavily on new bounty listings tely," she said, shifting the versation back to the bounty. "They're really trying to keep a tighter reign on the bouhey put up."

  "Any idea why?" Albert asked.

  Stel shrugged. "The rumor mill says they're serving the vilins in case the apocalypse gets really bad."

  I frow that.

  I khe world was in danger of an impending cataclysmic event. But hearing that they were actively preparing for it was uling.

  It made it feel more real, and I wasn't sure I liked the idea of it being real after the harrowing days we'd all just had.

  "Nobody's been able to take him in since Arcadia Vox and Nightingale Eclipse, and they havely been around for over a decade now. But the fact that we were the ohat finally brought him down says a lht?" she said. "Plus, with everything going on tely... they want the manpower for when shit really hits the fan. You know, with the knowledge that the Guardians have started intervening directly. The spiracy boards have been having a real field day tely."

  I looked down at the phone again.

  The numbers on the s didn't look like they were about to ge.

  I took a deep breath and closed the app.

  "I... yeah, that's fair," I replied.

  Stel nodded, sitting up. She leaned against the backboard of Albert's bed, her long hair spilling over her shoulders.

  "Bad actors like the Scuttler have been taking advantage of the chaos sihe first Cataclysm happened. It makes sehat they'd be mgressive in iives to try to keep things in cheot that I think the authorities have the situation anywhere near trol."

  Albert hummed thoughtfully, scratg at his cheek.

  "Makes sense. You want the whole world united against this threat but some guys just 't stop being dicks long enough to care," Albert said, shrugging.

  Officially, most of the rge supervilin anizations and the Heroes' Guild had a mutual non-interference agreement in the event of a worldwide disaster. But of course, some groups just couldn't help themselves and tried to capitalize ouation, even if it meant endangering the world in the long run. It was a moronic, shhted approach that made my head ache. But it also wasn't the first time this sort of thing had happened, so the Heroes' Guild had no choice but to keep dealing with the issue.

  The Heroes' Guild, of course, is an iionally reized anization dedicated to unifying the various fas that oppose misuse of superpowers, and to promote a universal code of ethics among its members.

  They're essentially the United Nations of the superhero unity. Fas included the Magical Knight ands of variions such as North America, a, Oia, Western Europe and so on. Other fas underh its banner included the Genius sortium, the Temprs, and various other indepe anizations. It was a loose colle of various fas and anizations, all with their own goals, agendas, ahods.

  I retty o this se, so I had no idea how much power the Guild had over individual fas or its own members, but they were a big deal. Supervilins that were notorious enough to draw attention teo end up on the Heroes' Guild bounty board, where private citizens across the world could tribute to a publid to be paid out for a bounty on that individual's capture and fi or execution.

  But, well, that also meant that sometimes a bounty wouldn't pay off for years and years. Sometimes decades. Css 8 threats like Scrapper Scuttler had bouhat took decades to accumute, but were worth a small fortune when a team mao actually take them down.

  "Most of the bounties were refunded and pardoned after the Cataclysm when supervilins stepped up and helped with defense and relief efforts," Albert expined. "I mean, the bounties are crowd-funded so the money just goes back to whoever put the cash up in the first pce. But Scuttler? Man, the guy's been out here all month as a glorified hitman, and it looks like the world wasn't in a fiving mood. So the whole fu up."

  I nodded. I was still trying to process the windfall. It felt unreal.

  "So... uh..." I began.

  "My advice?" Stel interrupted. "Just live life like it isn't there. We work together to build a budget and stick to it, and I'll show you a couple tricks to save and grow your wealth that my parents taught me. Just... try to stay away from it, okay?"

  "Right. I'm not sure how I'd use it, anyway," I admitted. "But I'd like to pay you back for all those suspiciously new clothes I found in my closet yesterday."

  Stel blushed, averting her eyes. "It's just some casual clothes and a few sets of pajamas and fy underwear," she muttered.

  "And makeup, and new hair ties and shampoo and body lotion and a whole bunch of stuff," I said, crossing my arms. "I don't even wear makeup, so that was suspiciously obvious."

  She pouted.

  "It's just a couple things! They weren't expensive and I wao dote on you," she said.

  "Still," I replied. "It feels wrong to accept so much."

  She rolled her eyes.

  "Just accept that your sister is going to dote on you, you dweeb. You repay me when we go shopping by trying on stuff for me, or modeling a new dress for me," Stel insisted.

  I looked down at my ft chest and skinny figure.

  "You wao model clothes? I'd just make the stuff look bad."

  "You will not!" Stel snapped. "Besides. You'll fill out with sur exercise and a healthy diet. We go shopping together and have some fun with that. Maybe we get some cute dresses that match each other's themes, and you help me with some outfits of my own."

  "Stel, no."

  "Stel yes. I need some uff too. And Albert help."

  Albert looked at Stel like she had lost her mind. "Uh...?" he asked. "How the hell could I help with input on that?"

  "You hold our stuff while we try stuff on, and you carry the bags."

  "Oh fuck that, you two carry your own stuff."

  "But Albie-"

  "Don't 'but Albie' me!" Albert pined.

  I snorted, shaking my head as the two began bickering like an old married couple.

  "Alright you two, that's enough. Stel, you dote on me and I won't fight you on that, but you aren't turning Albert into a shopping pack mule."

  "Boo. You're no fun."

  "Yeah. No fun," Albert agreed, nodding his head in my dire. "Stel just wants t me out on errands."

  I snickered. "You two have known each other for all of like, a week and you already sound more like siblings than Stel and I do."

  Albert and Stel paused and exged gnces before looking away. Stel let out an annoyed sigh.

  "I'm older," she muttered, crossing her arms and turning away with her nose in the air. Albert rolled his eyes and leaned over, lightly pung her shoulder.

  "Oh e on. Don't get all grumpy on me," Albert said, shaking his head.

  I chuckled. It was kind of fun seeing these two i. It seemed like a stroke of fate Stel found him before she found me in her civilian form. They were already ag like they were best friends. I was almost a little jealous of how fortable she already seemed around Albert.

  Almost.

  "So uh, you khis whole time that the two of us were sisters?" Stel awkwardly asked, and Albert shook his head.

  "He pieced it together after your little deli atta the campus," I expined, shooting her a look. "Seriously? Barbecue sauce? Really?"

  Albert snorted. "It was kind of hirious. Dark Princess Eris rolling in with an oversized sauce on, bsting you in the face while screaming 'Nyehehhehhehhe!'"

  Stel blushed, gring at him.

  "You better not tell anyone else that was me, or I'm gonna-"

  "I won't! I'm not gonna tell anyone about your little identity crisis. I promise. I just think it's funny that you're so different when you're in e."

  Stel huffed.

  I rolled my eyes.

  "Well, I'm gd the two of you get along."

  "Me too," Stel said. She smiled softly. "It's been... nice. Being able to hang out and just be a person again, instead of stantly being the perfect little magical girl and burdened with stiffy formal events.

  She stretched out, letting her long hair flow down the back of Albert's bed. "And it's having to worry about everything. I'm not having to watch every word, every gesture, every sihing I do because it might get criticized by someone, or it might get me into trouble, or whatever."

  Stel sighed and closed her eyes.

  "You two make it easier for me to rex."

  Albert chuckled, scratg at his cheek.

  "It's weird," he said. "It's weird seeing the real you. Not that I don't like the real you. But it's weird, seeing someohat I saw in publi TV all the time, ag so normal. Eris is sidered a publiuisance, but the whole rest of your life is the opposite of Eris. You know?"

  "I told you, that's a secret. Don't tell anyone, Albert, or I might just have to kill you," Stel said with a wink.

  Albert snorted. "Okay. I guess that's a good threat ing from you, at least."

  Stel rolled her eyes and stuck her to at him.

  "Nyehehehe?" he answered wryly.

  "Shush you," she muttered.

  She g her phone and sighed.

  "You're both ing with me to the gym with Ichight?" she asked, looking at us with a pleading expression.

  I grimaced, and Albert let out a nervous chuckle.

  "Definitely," Albert murmured. "I like her but she seems pretty intense."

  Stel giggled, before letting out a mirthful sigh.

  "I've never really had any close friends. I was always the 'little sister' of a bunch of guys and girls who are older and more aplished than me, or I was just a rival or petitor. Iight be an awkward bean, but she's genuine and cares, so that's worth something in my book. I'd like to see her succeed."

  "Yeah, no, it's fine," I said, sitting dowo Stel. "We're definitely all going, and I think it'd be good to make a few more friends anylus, I o learn to not suck."

  Stel smiled warmly.

  "Sounds good to me," she said cheerfully. She stretched, yawning as I stared at her for a long moment.

  Watg Stel run through half our cssmates alone had shown me how many levels there were above me. How much stronger and faster she was than me.

  And then Scrapper Scuttler had made her and two of the Bravehearts look like children.

  And he wasn't even sidered one of the biggest fish out there. He wasn't a legendary, unstoppable warlord or an arch-demon lord of hell, or anything. Just a really dangerous and skilled merary with an impressive track record.

  I was barely even starting my career as a Magical Girl. If I wao be able to protect my new family, and the friends I was starting to make, I had a lot of work to do.

  And speaking of family...

  ...

  I had to pause and really take it all in.

  I have an older sister now, and she's...

  "Hehehe..." Stel giggled.

  Well, she's patting me on the head.

  I have an older sister, and she's a badass and pretty, and cool and popur and smart and has my back.

  Something I half-dreamed about as a kid.

  I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

  Stel just smiled warmly at me and gave my arm a reassuring squeeze. I let out a sigh aurned her smile.

  She was so affeate.

  It was weird, sidering she was a plete stranger a month ago.

  Heck, she'd even actally caught me with a stray bolt once when she was tussling with Callisto Pink bae. She'd been there, just lurking outside of our mutual awareness for years. Searg for me.

  Now she was hugging me and being affeate with me, and I had to keep reminding myself this wasn't a dream or a fantasy or anything like that.

  She was real.

  And we were family. And we were going to figure out where our parents had gone. We were going to find out what happeo our mother and father. What really happeo Arcadia Vox, the greatest magical girl who had ever lived, and to her panions. To the great heroes who had fought beside her. We were going to figure out the truth behind the Cataclysms, behind the Guardians and their motives, and behind our father's disappearance.

  No matter what it took. We were going to find out the truth. We were going to get answers. We were going to find our parents and we were going to be together.

  "Hey, you have workout clothes, right Al? I got Sienna a few sets when I went shopping but I don't know if you have any," Stel suddenly asked, giving Albert a ed look.

  "Of course. Why?" Albert asked, looking fused. "I'm good to go whenever Ichigo's ready. You drop by my pce after we all shower. You and Ichigo are on the same floor, so I assume Sienna knows where you are?"

  "She does, yeah."

  "Great," Albert replied, smiling cheerfully.

  I smiled softly at Stel.

  "So uh... about what you said before. You were serious, right? You really want to buy dresses with me?"

  "Fuck yes I do!" Stel said, her eyes sparkling. She grinned brightly and I couldn't help but smile back.

  "We're gonwinsies!" Stel excimed happily. "It'll be great. We match outfits and have matg purses. We even have matg shoes and rings and nails and, and, and..."

  "Okay, calm down," I chuckled, amused at her excitement. "We don't have to go that hard."

  "It'll be great. I 't wait. This is gonna be fun. We get some cute accessories and take cute selfies together and stuff like that," she rambled on.

  Albert snorted and shook his head. "You twoing to drive each other crazy, I already tell. I 't tell if it's gone or annoying."

  "You shut up!" Stel shouted, throwing a pillow at him.

  He just ughed and dodged out of the way.

  Stel grumbled and crossed her arms. I smiled and gave her a small squeeze. She was so happy ahusiastic about bonding that I couldn't take it away from her.

  She was so cute. So happy.

  "Okay, let's not keep Ichigo waiting at the gym," I said, shaking my head aing to my feet.

  "Wait!" Albert shouted. "O thing before we go."

  "What's up?" I asked. Stel cocked her head to the side, curious.

  He reached behind him and opened a drawer, before tossing a bag at Stel.

  "Made these before you guys came over."

  "Oh?" Stel asked, looking curious.

  She opehe bag and I peered over. There were a half dozen homemade protein bars inside, and a couple small sandwiches.

  "Oh. Oh! Thanks Albert. These are perfect," Stel excimed happily. She grinned widely at him as he shrugged.

  "I'll go get my gym bag packed. You wait for me outside."

  Stel and I nodded and walked towards the door.

  "Hey," Albert called, causing us both to stop.

  We looked back at him.

  "Thanks for ing over today, you two... It means a lot," he said.

  For just a moment I saw the truth in his eyes. The worry, the fear, the relief.

  The fact that I'd wound up in the infirmary two days back to back had obviously scared him, and Stel's situation was also bizarre to say the least. All of us had our fair share of ret close calls, and he was just happy that we'd all e through alive and in one piece.

  Albert was as close to family to me as my actual family was, and he obviously cared about us all a lot.

  "Don't worry, Al," Stel replied, smiling softly. "This may be the first, but it won't be the st. I'll be over all the time, and we'll be seeing a lot of each other."

  He smiled, his expression soft ale.

  "I look forward to it," he replied.

  We left the apartment and waited for him in the hallway, smiling as he closed the door behind us.

  "Think he's gonna be okay?" Stel asked quietly, once he was out of earshot.

  "Yeah. He's a bit silly like that. He was the one who almost got skewered by a throwing k he's still the one fussing over us."

  "That's sweet of him. But he's not the ohat was wouwice," she pointed out. "I think it'd be fair of me to fuss a bit over my adorable little sis."

  I grumbled and looked away, embarrassed. Stel just chuckled, her smile widening before she put on a serious face.

  "Seriously. Seeing your neck gushing blood like that scared the crap out of me. You were bleeding so bad I was sure you were dead. And then the fight with the creepy white-haired guy..."

  Stel trailed off, shivering at the thought. "Please stop almost dying," she said. "I don't think I could ha if you kept it up. Especially with your love of gambits and baits."

  I sighed.

  "I don't know if I promise that," I said. "But... I try to keep it to a minimum."

  "Please."

  She hugged me and I returhe gesture.

  "I promise. And if I ever get really hurt like that again, I'll be ting on you to save me, alright?"

  "Alright," she agreed, giviight squeeze. "And if I ever need you, I know you'll have my back too."

  I smiled at her.

  "So. In lighter news... think he's going to get along with Strawberry and Currant?" I asked Stel, and she smiled.

  "Oh, I know he will," she replied with a grin.