They were a bad matchup for Miu.
Hisako could jump up or float and attack just as well as Miu could fly, but Miu had more options as a fighter, and Hisako had more to lose.
Just as easily as Hisako could tackle her or throw Toraichi, Miu could hold Hisako back with her poisoned blades or force Hisako's hand by attacking Nanae from afar, forcing her to take defensive actions to support Nanae.
Nanae was near useless; Miu learned quickly that Nanae had no long-range capabilities whatsoever and forced Hisako to the air alone. Hisako did her best to bat Miu down to the ground below, but Miu could easily disrupt them—the danger of her poison required more caution than they could afford.
If they really wanted to do damage to Miu, they'd have to risk themselves. Getting so much as nicked and poisoned would leave the other alone against Miu, which was an eventual but certain death.
Done stewing in her thoughts, Hisako flung Toraichi to fend a swooping Miu off so she could touch down safely next to Nanae.
"This isn't working," Hisako admitted.
Nanae huffed. "Agreed. She's just running from every good attack we throw at her. Are you sure the poison is—"
"An instant game-over," Hisako confirmed.
"We're not going to get anywhere like this."
"She's weak in close-quarters, but the poison is just too much of a risk."
"I can deal with that, but she definitely knows that," Nanae said, irritated.
"Earlier," Hisako began, "I was able to launch you, just a little. If I try harder, maybe I can get you some air?"
"I'll be a sitting duck up there."
Hisako chewed on her lip. She followed Miu with her eyes, whirling Toraichi around to chase her.
"I…I can give you Toraichi, like a flying platform, but I won't be able to carry you. You'll have to use it as a bounceboard."
"You'll have to keep up with Miu and me," Nanae warned. "My life will be in your hands."
"Do we have any other choice?" Hisako asked quietly.
Nanae offered a grin. "You're already thinking like a veteran Doorkeeper."
Hisako chuckled and brought Toraichi back. Miu's attention came with it.
"I suppose you're in, then. Get ready."
They tensed. Hisako spun Toraichi around over her back and prepared herself.
Miu, of course, loosed a spray of blades, halting midair to do so.
Hisako crouched, and Nanae sprang up. Hisako met her, rising with the strength of her entire body, and sending her power through Toraichi to add to the launch.
Nanae flew up, over the blades, and Hisako dove forward, Toraichi covering her back.
Miu crowed in surprise and tried to fall back. Hisako rolled over just in time to see Nanae catch her with a swinging blow to the face. Hisako hissed in satisfaction when Miu's head snapped to the side, and her nose burst with blood.
It was a glancing blow, but far more progress than they had been getting.
Nanae began to fall. Hisako flung Toraichi. Miu tried to opportunize, charging to dive as soon as she realized what was happening.
Toraichi was the fastest.
Nanae sprang off the blade as it passed, sending it flying astray. Hisako had to focus on spinning it back on track to support Nanae.
It caught Miu off guard. She aborted her dive messily, allowing another attack, but not a free blow.
Nanae flung a fist at her midsection. Miu twisted, a hand flashing out to shove a blade at her. Nanae blocked with her gauntlet, eliciting a shriek of jagged metal on the smooth gauntlet.
Miu scrambled, blocking the fist with her knees, but it didn't soften the blow; it just sacrificed her kneecaps. She let out a broken sound of pain, and her legs fell limp, face twisted with pain.
Nanae advanced, but Hisako, from where she stood below them, saw an attack Nanae was too close to detect.
While Nanae blocked swipes and Miu fended off blows, Miu's wings were preparing to strike like scorpions' tails.
"Nanae!" Hisako shouted, already moving her arms around to guide Toraichi between them.
Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest, but Toraichi arrived in time. The blade came between them just as the wing-blades struck, but it also separated them in the worst way.
Without Toraichi, Nanae fell back to the ground, softening the fall with a roll and a whoof. Miu was also freed to send another volley toward the defenceless Nanae.
Hisako dove into a slide, letting Toraichi fall to the ground to send herself hurling into Nanae. They tumbled together upon impact, a haphazard sprawl of limbs. Hisako was pretty sure that Nanae ended up accidentally headbutting her in the ribs.
They dodged the attack, but they also went flying into one of the doors along the wall and got spit out at the other end of the dojo. They tumbled apart before they slid to a halt.
The tatami mats had scraped Nanae's arms raw, but she hadn't been hit by the knives. Hisako, too, was relatively unscathed, though her back ached at the contact with the wooden doors. She stood up first, helping Nanae as she did.
"Sorry. Are you okay?" she panted.
Nanae rolled her shoulders and flexed her wrists and fingers. "Better than if I'd gotten cut."
Hisako drew Toraichi back to her side. Miu was busy catching her breath above, clutching blossoming bruises and twitching her battered legs. She was a glass cannon, but a dangerous, manic one intent on not falling.
They readied themselves. Hisako spun Toraichi, focusing on the feeling of driving the blade through the air. Nanae crouched and stretched her legs, ready to be launched.
A door to their right opened. Hisako twitched instinctively, nearly pitching Toraichi in the direction before she properly looked. Nanae and Miu also made false starts, but no attacks were launched until they realized who'd entered.
Serizawa.
Hisako froze up.
Serizawa?
Miu dove. Nanae broke into a run.
Serizawa looked fine. A little startled, but fine. His clothes were ripped up from the flurry of blades he'd taken, but there was no blood.
He'd healed himself, somehow. Hisako had seen him lying still—had seen him unmoving, unbreathing. Dead.
But he wasn't dead now.
Hisako twisted at the hips, boots digging at the tatami and arms swinging. Toraichi went flying.
Miu was faster, but Toraichi didn't have to travel as far, and Hisako wasn't aiming for Miu.
Toraichi lodged itself in the doorframe right next to Serizawa, right before Miu arrived. She slammed into the blade, and Nanae slammed into her. Serizawa ducked back into the door and emerged a few meters to Hisako's side.
Nanae pummelled Miu against Toraichi, battering her with a series of quick blows.
Miu took serious damage before she found the sense to defend herself. She splayed her blades out, forcing Nanae to bat them away as she rolled back.
Hisako tugged at Toraichi, destabilizing Miu's attacks and forcing her up into the air.
Serizawa threw Stinger. The chain caught her around the leg before she could really take off.
Miu winced horribly and fought as Serizawa tugged at her. She beat her blade-wings and grabbed at the chain, attempting to unsnag herself.
Neither was making progress.
Hisako moved to help Serizawa pull her down.
"Launch me!" Nanae shouted.
Hisako struggled to help Serizawa and guide Toraichi. She had to let go and pick the blade up. When she crouched down to boost Nanae, who jumped immediately, Miu plummeted.
Serizawa shouted a warning, but they were caught on their back foot.
The boost was aborted, but Nanae was already in motion. She jumped awkwardly off the half-jump Hisako offered. She'd prepared to be launched, so she stumbled when Hisako barely lifted her.
With the slack on Stinger, Serizawa couldn't help them by pulling Miu off her attack line.
Hisako swung Toraichi to her front, though she knew it would be too late—she was in no position to attack or counterattack, or anything but prepare for her next move.
Miu slammed into Nanae, wings caging around the Doorkeeper.
Hisako knew there would be blood before she saw it over the edge of Toraichi. Miu was entering Nanae's zone to inflict her poisonous last move, but she did so at the cost of ensuring Nanae landed an attack.
The blades slashed at Nanae, and Nanae managed a bone-rattling headbutt, fingers clenched around Miu's throat, but then it was over.
Hisako saw Nanae's fingers go limp and her body slacken the moment she readied Toraichi, but she couldn't swing with Miu wrapped around Nanae.
She reached a hand off Toraichi and grabbed Miu by the hood of her jacket. She twisted, firming her grip on Miu, and yanked her closer to Nanae, who collapsed underneath her.
The wings fell awkwardly as Miu was unceremoniously yanked, and then yanked again. Hisako shook her like a dirty rag, then, as soon as Nanae was clear of the wing-blades, Hisako threw Miu into her rising knee.
Miu's wings flung out to catch her, but without actual feathers to create air resistance, it was just a useless clatter of blades and the weak pull of whatever ability powered her flight.
The blow landed, and for a frightening moment, Hisako wondered if the sharp pain through her knee was more than whatever Miu felt. Then, Miu's eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she fell unconscious for a moment.
Perhaps through sheer will, her eyes flew open before she fell, locking on Hisako with venom. She stepped through the attack, teeth bloodied and bared wildly, into Hisako's space.
Hisako swung Toraichi, batting Miu away with the flat of the blade. In such close quarters, she had to use her ability to add power, but Miu's form did crumple a bit upon impact.
"Serizawa-san!" Hisako cried.
Stinger tightened around Miu's leg, pulling as Serizawa desperately drew at the chain—it looked as if he were catching someone who'd fallen while rappelling down a construction site, hand over hand, brow damp with sweat and face pinched and red.
Miu was pulled back slightly, allowing Hisako to advance and put herself between Miu and Nanae.
"Surrender!" Hisako barked.
Miu looked simultaneously the most beaten-down and the most energetic. Her wounds were bleeding sluggishly, and her face was smeared and bruised. She dug weakened heels into the tatami to fight Serizawa, and Hisako could see her knees shake and twitch the wrong way.
She turned around with a snarl, grabbing the chain back. Her wings rose in a threatening splay.
"Serizawa-san!'
Blades flew at the man; he dropped Stinger immediately to sprint away, avoiding the wide cone of attack.
As soon as he let go, Miu dashed toward Hisako, feet skimming over the floors as she took flight in another wicked launch.
It was a final resort. Hisako could see it in her eyes.
She raised Toraichi at her, but Miu made no move to dodge. Hisako could only assume she meant to skewer herself on Toraichi.
She slid a foot back warily and bumped Nanae's shoulder.
Confusion turned to fear.
Hisako could not retreat, and she could not back down. Nanae was behind her, dying while waiting for Serizawa to arrive, but he could not help her with Miu still active.
A chill spread through Hisako. She turned the blade at the last moment and swung her legs to push herself and Nanae aside, but it was still too much.
Miu grazed Toraichi, unable to chase in such a reckless charge, but at such speed, the graze was more like a partial bisecting.
Toraichi sliced through the flesh between the ribcage and the hips, deep enough to nick several important organs. Blood sprayed Hisako, making her sputter and gasp in shock. It felt like magma against her chill.
Hisako dropped her sword, and Miu with it. The Trapdoorer was twitching, dying. Hisako was watching another person die. She released Toraichi, and, as it disappeared, a new wave of blood splashed the mats.
"S-Serizawa-san!" she wailed.
He hurried to her side and slid to land beside Nanae.
"I-I don't think I can heal them both," he whispered.
"Save Nanae, please."
He nodded, and Hisako sank to the floor, staring at Miu.
Miu shivered, eyes growing dull. Hisako gave up.
She shuffled to Miu's side and pulled her onto her back to lie peacefully. Miu's eyes couldn't focus, but they drifted to Hisako. Her lips twitched, but no sound came out.
Hisako was holding her hand when she finally died.
"She's a murderer."
Hisako turned to see Nanae, slowly opening her eyes under Serizawa's watch. She sat up slowly, coughing as she regained control over her body.
"I know," Hisako said quietly. "But I'm afraid of death. I would want someone to comfort me."
Nanae's pained face softened. "This is your first death?"
Hisako nodded. Nanae reached out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. Serizawa finally sagged and lay down on the mats, eyes drooping and chest heaving.
"It gets easier," Nanae said.
"It does?"
Nanae nodded but offered no more words on it.
Hisako pulled away from Miu, draping her hands over her stomach and covering her eyes with a strip of fabric she tore from her shirt. She leaned back on her sore arms and looked at Serizawa.
"You okay, Serizawa-san?"
"Call me Eiji," he panted. "I'd say we're more than close enough now."
"Then you must call me Hisako," Hisako replied.
"Okay, Hisako. I'm doing pretty okay."
"It got really… rough earlier. I'm really happy you survived."
"Me too." He sat up with effort. "Do you two want to get beef bowls or something? I don't really want to make dinner at home tonight."
Hisako chuckled softly. "Yeah, that sounds really good."
They both looked to Nanae, who shrugged.
"Hachi and Kumagai-san are the ones in charge of the paperwork anyway," she said. "Once medical checks us, we're free until next call."
As if summoned, Hachi casually strode in through a nearby door. He quickly found them all sprawled on the floor, and Miu's still body.
"Aw, Nanae-chan," he sighed. "We were meant to take them in alive if possible."
She glared at him, but it lacked serious heat.
His face softened. "It's okay, Nanae. Failure is rebellious these days."
She sighed and stood, pulling Eiji and Hisako up with her. "We're getting beef bowl. Let us out."
Hachi's eyes shifted to Miu, then back to Nanae.
"Okay. Dinner's on me tonight," he said. "You can bill me. Make sure you see Medical afterwards. I'll let them know."
Hisako eyed Hachi as he summoned a door for them. It was just that easy?
"C'mon," Nanae sighed. "Let's get out of here."
"I saw a place we passed while on patrol," Eiji said.
Hisako took a deep breath.
She'd forgotten they'd even been on patrol. It had been a long, long, long night.
But they'd saved Hajime.
She smiled and followed Nanae and Eiji back out into the world.