Love Returned

Yuki and Shino have been putting missing person's posters up. Houta would usually leave them, saying he has „his own business to take care of". 

Two days pass. It's the day of the weapon event and Yuki is getting increasingly excited. 

„Why is this little sword so special to you, anyway?", asks Shino, less out of curiosity and more out of annoyance at jumpy Yuki. Talking will keep him in one place, at least.

„It's Love Returned!“, Yuki says very loudly.

„Weapon names in this game are horrible.“, Houta notices.

„But they're so repeating this event from the past.“, Shino complains.

„Exactly! It had been going on when I wasn't a high enough level to take part! Me and Nanami talked about this sword a lot. See, it appears different depending on your relationship status..."

„That is so stupid!“, Houta mocks, totally not jealous.

„I remember players using it to find dates..."

„It's getting worse!"

„Guys! I can use the story part to find Nanami!"

„Why would she take part? Isn't she chloro?"

„This was before. And we talked about it a lot. And, you know, if you team up with someone you're happily in love with and you both wield Love Returned, the animation –“

„And what are you gonna do? Just wait there?“, Houta interrupts him, not caring about the animation.

„ – and the colors – “, Yuki continues.

„How will you finish the event? If I remember correctly, story takes place all over the game..."

Yuki sighs in defeat.

„Hey!“, Houta exclaims so loud that Yuki pulled out Firestorm.

„Aren't anima's able to track other players? Wasn't there something about only needing a player's username?"

„Yes and no“, Shino answers. „I can track players if I have them on my friends list. Or if I use the hair spell, like on Yuki."

„Ooooooooh.“, Yuki realises what had happened in Chico.

„But to do it with the username alone..."

„You gotta be a disorder magic user.“, Houta finishes. Shino nods.

„Solution oriented! Go team!“, Yuki tries to stay optimistic, but then buries his face in his hands and cries. „I'm never gonna find Nanami!“

„Could make a missing person's poster."

„Not bad.“, Houta concludes.

„What...“, Yuki removes his head out of his hands and thinks about it. „But I don't know how to draw and Shouto doesn't either!“, he puts his head back and resumes crying.

„Don't you have your photographs, you fungus!"

Yuki jumps up. „Oh yeah!“, then he frowns again.

„How many moods can you switch within a minute? So annoying!“

„I don't know how to do this, Shino, will you help me?"

„400k."

„So expensive!"

„You wanna find your friend?"

„Girlfriend."

„Well?"

„Okay, deal."

„Pay up, then work."

Houta stays to watch, reacting to everything they do like a proper audience member, booing and wooing and clapping when appropriate and inappropriate.

Yuki cuts a tree down, Shino makes sheets of paper. Yuki chooses a photo of Nanami, Shino prints it on paper. Then they divide all the posters in half, with Yuki getting one half and dividing the rest in two halves between Houta and Shino.

„So I put my username on it so players can contact me! I shall put these up all over the game, well, for now, wherever the event takes place!"

„Good for you.“, Houta says.

„What's with the attitude? Can't you be just a tiny bit supportive? Or you think you are by not running off like you have for the past two days? I thought you liked Nanami. Also, imagine if Nanami joined the team. We'd be, like, the dream team. All four magics! Invincible!“

„For what?“

„Huh?“, Yuki and Shino react at the same time.

„For waiting around? No one knows if the story update will ever happen! Maybe we're trapped here! Forever! With no way out! I've tried so many times to –“, Houta interrupts himself.

„Tried what?“, Shino wants to know.

„Nevermind. I need a break."

„You'll be back for dinner? Will make fresh Lopatas!"

„I need a big break."

„What? What does that mean?“, Shino looks at Yuki for an explanation, but Yuki is quiet, a helpless, sad expression plastered on his face when looking at the distancing Houta. „You're not gonna stop him? I thought you guys were a team!"

„Well, you're part of our team, now, too."

Shino smiles awkwardly.

„He does that, sometimes. It's okay, he'll come back. We should really make some progress with the event, though."

* * *

Two more days pass. Houta is still gone. Both Yuki and Shino have cleared all but the last two floors of the Love Returned sword event. For the remaining two, they gotta work together.

„It's a freakin' maze?“, Shino is not happy. Yuki, on the other hand, is trembling with excitement.

„I watched the video walkthrough countless times, I got this. We got this.“, Yuki frowns. „If the maze is the same.“

They enter the hedge maze and have to separate as soon as they do.

„So much for team work.“, Shino is still not happy. Yuki grins slyly.

„Just follow my instructions. You trust me?"

„Not really.“, Shino answers honestly. She wouldn't trust herself, maybe that's why.

„There's a Flutter Klaw in front of you. Keep its attention, but don't kill it until I tell you to."

„Easy."

Shino does as instructed and it is indeed easy.

They advance through the rest of the maze with no issues. Sometimes they have to coordinate and jump or attack at the same time, and they do so with no problems.

„Is the next floor as easy?"

„It's the same one, but we can't talk or communicate in any way."

„Sheesh!"

„Don't let your guard down. This one is tricky. You gotta let it almost kill you and then let me finish it off."

„The Hollow Night? Why me?

„Because of its attack patterns and our strengths and weaknesses, this is the most efficient way to do it. We're running out of time, too. Everything went well so far, you're doubting me now?"

„I'm not getting myself killed for some stupid glow-in-the-dark kitchen knife!"

Hollow Night, a tall armour with no body appears out of nowhere and strikes both of them, causing them to lose half HP each. Shino panics and releases a powerful energy attack which obliterates Night in an instant.

„Shino, no!"

Shino and Yuki respawn at the maze's entrance.

„Did we die?"

„We can't progress past that point if we have more than 20% of HP each."

„That's so silly."

„What's silly is you not listening to me! I'm paying you for this! And you know you're only getting payed if we finish the event.

"We gotta repeat this level. Will you listen to me now?"

Shino sighs and nods.

They go back in. Shino is obedient and it all goes smoothly until Hollow Night. They both manage to lose below 20% HP, and it's now up to Yuki to end it. He prepares for his big attack.

„Shi – Shino! I won't make it! I need more time! He'll –"

Shino looks at Hollow Night, who's unexpectedly ready to launch his powerful signature move. She moves quickly and within less than a second, she's facing Yuki, grinning.

„I really hope I calculated well."

Yuki is flabbergasted.

„I don't feel like repeating this again.", Yuki cries.

Hollow Night whooshes his blade and strikes Shino. Her HP lowers...

...and there's 0,5% of it remaining.

Shino laughs, scaring Yuki with weird sounds. She backs away. Yuki's attack is ready. He unleashes it and ends Night. They respawn outside the maze, their HP full again.

„How did I do?“

„You're... unwell, I swear.“, Yuki shakes his head, checking his inventory. Shino is quicker and she already has Love Returned materialised in her hands, waving it around.

„So pretty, look, Yuki!“, Shino shouts, genuinely excited about her new toy. Weapon. „Let's spar with them to see what colors pop up!“

„There's actually instructions that explain all different color's meaning. Also the type of animation means different things. Then combinations –"

„You've read the instructions?“, Shino teases.

Yuki sits down on the grass, admiring his own sword.

„Let's wrap this up for today. I'll do a poster run and we can spar tomorrow. Deal?"

„Hey, I'll do the poster run. To make up for my disobedience today."

„You don't have to do that. If it wasn't for you... I... There'd be no Love Returned.

„Ditto. Which is why I'm going.“, Shino waves to Yuki and teleports. Upon materialising at her destination in a town's market, she walks up to a wall that has a poster on it. It has a big „HAVE YOU SEEN“ title, a photo of Nanami, reward and contact information on the bottom. „So pretty.“

„Oh, I am“, an unseen voice whispers. „Is it ready?“

„Got the sword, yes. I'll meet you soon.“, Shino answers and rips the poster down.