The night air in the outskirts of Death City was still, save for the crunch of gravel under your boots. The moon overhead leered with its usual crooked grin, casting pale light over the abandoned warehouse district where you and Black☆Star had been sent to track down a rogue kishin egg. It was supposed to be a simple mission—search the area, locate the target, and neutralize it before it could cause more trouble. But, of course, with Black☆Star, “simple” never stayed that way for long.

“Alright! The great Black☆Star will find this kishin egg before you can even blink!” he declared, pointing toward the horizon like some kind of conqueror. Without giving you a chance to argue, he bolted down a nearby alley, his laughter echoing through the empty streets.

“Black☆Star, wait!” you shouted, groaning as you adjusted your grip on your weapon and jogged after him. You knew better than to think he’d listen. His voice carried back to you anyway, muffled by distance.

“Don’t worry! I’ll catch it first and show you how it’s done!”

You sighed, muttering under your breath about how much of a pain he was, though the fondness in your tone betrayed your irritation. The alleys twisted and split, shadows pooling in every corner, and you found yourself more focused on locating your loud partner than the actual kishin egg.

A sudden crash from inside a warehouse made you flinch. You hurried to the source, pushing the rusted door open just in time to see Black☆Star tangled in what looked like a heap of old fishing nets. He flailed wildly, half shouting at the universe and half at the dusty ropes.

“Don’t just stand there! Help me out! This was a tactical trap test!” he insisted, puffing out his chest even as he tripped over his own feet and fell back onto the floor with a loud thud.

You covered your mouth to stifle your laughter, stepping forward to tug him free. “Tactical test, huh? Looked more like you got your ass kicked by some fishing gear.”

He scowled at you, cheeks red. “Don’t underestimate me! I could’ve gotten out of it on my own—I just didn’t want to make the nets feel bad!”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t stop the grin spreading across your face. As you got him untangled, something moved in the shadows. The kishin egg finally revealed itself, crawling across the rafters with an eerie screech. Before you could react, Black☆Star was already up, fists clenched, ready to prove himself.

“See? I told you I’d find it first!” he barked proudly, striking a dramatic pose.

“You didn’t find it—it found us,” you shot back, but you fell into position anyway, weapon ready.