ａｎｄ ｉ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｓａｗ ｙｏｕ ｃｏｍｉｎｇ

four.

Is she holding back?

"Rubber?" You ask. "Really? If you're going to use a gun, at least load it with real bullets."

Wordlessly, Mai snarls. She pulls the trigger again, and another bullet slams into your thigh. You don't have Gojo-sensei's innate ability for being annoying, but in this case, you think that you're doing pretty well in provoking your opponent. You'll have to thank him later.

But first, you have to escape. You can't fight her properly in this chokehold. You clamp your canines down onto the fleshy part of her arm, which snaps back. Her curses echo around you as you elbow yourself free.

And then you kick her solidly in the stomach.

Mai grunts, and falls backward, grimacing. "You brat –"

These last words are broken by the sound of glass and tearing metal. Thumps like God's hammer and a rushing like the heaviest rapids fill your ears. You hear walls crash and metal snap.

Mai throws back her head and laughs at the fresh panic splashing over your face. "Did you really think that your friends could beat Todou-senpai? He's a first grade!"

"Did anyone ever tell you that you have a nasty personality?" You counter, just as swiftly.

Megumi won't let anything happen to Nobara. You swallow around the spidery ball of fear lodged in your throat, and focus on Mai, and the gun aimed squarely at your head as she pushes back to her feet. You're going to have to knock her out if you want to move on. With that thought looping through your head, you shift into a defensive position.

"That's enough."

You never thought you'd be so glad to hear Maki's voice.

Everyone stops moving. Maki's narrowed eyes take in Mai's weapon, your flushed face, the holes in your shirt, the bloody scrapes on your hands and knees. Mai clicks her tongue.

"What are you doing with my errand girl, Mai?"

It's nice to know that your senior thinks of you so highly.

"I just gave her a good scolding." Mai's smile is thin, and laced with venom. "Oh my, you're such a loser that I didn't even notice you, Maki."

Maki gives her sister a pointed look. "I'm pretty sure that we're in the same boat. All you do is load things up with magical power. You don't have shit, and you don't have technique, do you?"

"It's better than not having any magical power." Mai says, sneering. "When all you do is look up, your neck will start to hurt. Why not try looking down sometimes, like I do?"

"How unseemly of us plebians!" Maki's face darkens. She turns to you, and though her voice is casual, you recognise the undercurrent of concern. "[ NAME ], are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine, but – Megumi and Nobara are – I have to –"

"They're fine. Panda and Toge are there."

You sigh in relief and happiness and exhaustion, every emotion mixed into one bursting inside you. The tense set to your shoulders relaxes. A smile blooms on your face.

"You look like you're having fun."

Maki regards Todou coolly as he approaches, his jacket slung over his shoulder. No one moves at first, and it reminds you of the way dogs stand perfectly still before lunging in to fight.

"I'm just getting started." If looks could kill, you'd be flat on the floor by now. Mai cocks her gun, staring intently into your eyes. "I've still got to teach this brat a lesson."