Find Cadence

Dove would try to talk Reaper down if she could, but Reaper seems too volatile for that strategy. As much as Dove hates to admit it, someone is going to have to fight Suzu's friend to save both of them, and that's a job for Cadence.

Dove starts jogging toward wherever Cadence and Reaper were going when she saw them last. She considers getting out her phone to text Cadence, but just as she's having that thought, she feels a dark aura getting stronger in the direction she's running. A rift...Cadence must be there! Dove speeds up a little, ignoring the slight blistering from the concrete against her bare feet.

~

Cadence is glad that the rifts carry food as well as monsters; this way she can keep fighting even if a few monsters get through and hurt her. As she finishes off the rift with only a few minor cuts and bruises, she catches her breath for a moment while she turns to face the mysterious figure who seems to have summoned it, and who Cadence is positive is actually the NecroDancer.

Just as Cadence is ready to get aggressive again, the man removes the hood covering his face and cackles menacingly. "You fool! While you were chasing me, look what happened to your friend!"

Cadence gasps as she sees Reaper approach and stand at the NecroDancer's side, holding Suzu in a capture spell. "Suzu!"

"Reaper, I'll leave you to take out the trash here." The NecroDancer vanishes into an alleyway, while Reaper glares at Cadence and steps between her and Suzu. "I warned you to stay away..."

Cadence holds her guitar at the ready; Reaper doesn't seem like she wants to run away this time, but she also clearly doesn't want to talk. As much as Cadence doesn't want to hurt Suzu's friend, at least she knows that Reaper will be free from the NecroDancer's control afterward.

As a green flame starts to burn in the eye of Reaper's mask and a rift opens behind her, Cadence hears a familiar and quite welcome voice call out to her. "You can do this, Cadence! For Suzu!"

"Right, thanks!" Cadence smiles at Dove and then faces Reaper down. "I'll make this quick! Three, two, one, BRING IT ON!"

Reaper pulls out a bone flute and plays a few distorted notes, summoning ghosts with skull masks similar to her own. Cadence is easily able to dodge and duck them to the beat of the rift's heavy metal music and then counterattack with a few blasts of Vibe Power. She suffers a strong blow to the chest, however, when Reaper's next attack sends a red ghost dive-bombing on her from above.

"Had enough?!" Cadence shrugs off both the pain and Reaper's taunt as she prepares for the next attack. This time, she is able to stop the red ghost by hitting it with her guitar, giving her another opening to attack Reaper.

"Yay!" Dove cheers again, distracting Reaper for a moment.

"Is that all you got?" Cadence taunts Reaper back.

"Rrrgh...here...it...COMES!" Reaper shakes herself back into focus and plays her flute faster, summoning more ghosts and forcing Cadence to think and move more quickly. Fortunately, by now she is learning to predict the attacks of the ghosts by their appearances, much like she could with Matron's horse spirits. Once Reaper is defenseless again, Cadence has even more Vibe Power stored up to hit her even harder.

But Reaper still isn't finished. "The end...IS NIGH!!!"

Reaper plays even faster, generating a huge onslaught of ghosts. Cadence is still confident she can avoid them all, but her focus breaks when she catches a glimpse of Suzu looking upset at the fight, and a ghost knocks her down.

"Don't give up, Cadence! You're so close!" Dove's voice gives Cadence the second wind she needs to push past the pain screaming in her chest and get ready for Reaper's next attack. She moves back and forth as fast as she can, and before she knows it, all the ghosts are gone, and Reaper is looking more tired than ever. Cadence unleashes all the Vibe Power she can squeeze out onto Reaper, who finally collapses on the ground and drops her flute as she cries out in anguish.

~

As Dove watches Cadence finish off Reaper, she notices that the capture spell on Suzu seems to be wearing off, which confirms to her that Reaper has been defeated. Dove runs over to gently hug her injured friend. "You did it, Cadence! You were amazing!"

Cadence sets down her guitar and leans into Dove, breathing heavily. "Yeah...thanks, Dove. I know you don't like fighting, but this was a lot easier with you here rooting for me. It always is."

Dove lets go of Cadence and watches Suzu kneel down next to Reaper to check on her. "Reaper, it's me. Are you okay?"

As Reaper groans and starts to slowly sit up, she reveals that her skin has become a darker gray, her mask is gone, and her cloak has become more of a robe with a green lantern hanging from her neck. "Suzu, I...I think I'm okay...but everything is still so...hazy..."

Dove notices that Reaper's voice, while exhausted, is much gentler and more natural sounding than before. Taking care of her should be a lot easier now that she isn't dangerous, she figures. She turns back to Cadence and smiles. "Cadence, I can handle things from here. Get some rest, and then do what you do best."

"Right...once I'm feeling better, I'm going to finish this." Cadence slings her guitar onto her back. "Good night, Dove."

"Good night, Cadence!" Dove cheerfully waves to her friend, who begins slowly making her way home. When Dove looks over at Suzu and Reaper again, she finds that Suzu has pulled Reaper into a tight hug, which Reaper is reciprocating to the best of her ability in her weakened state.

Dove gives the two friends a bit more time together before she kneels down next to them too. "Hi Reaper, I'm Dove! Suzu's been telling me about you, it's nice to meet you!"

Reaper begins to smile at Dove, but then stops and stares for a few second before looking back at Suzu. "Suzu, is she...?"

The oni woman smirks behind her mask. "Yeah, she's naked. It's kinda her thing."

Dove giggles. "I like to think that relaxing and helping people is my thing, but sure! Oh, speaking of helping, do you want me to help you get home?"

"Sure...that sounds good." Reaper puts one arm around Suzu's shoulders and the other arm around Dove as she shakily stands up. "Wait...I remember you. Suzu, you weren't...?"

Suzu blushes and starts to look more flustered than Dove has ever seen her. "No, it wasn't like that! I just needed something to distract me from getting mind controlled! It didn't mean anything, I swear!"

Dove doesn't fully understand why Suzu is so embarrassed about Dove letting her look at her, but she decides to back the oni woman up, hoping it will help. "It's true, distracting Suzu helped her stay in control of herself. Besides, I don't mind people looking at me! I wouldn't go outside nude if I did."

Reaper nods slightly. "Alright, if you say so."

Dove turns and looks at Suzu again, a thought occurring to her. "How are you feeling now by the way, Suzu?"

Suzu's eyes widen slightly, as if she's surprised by the question. "I'm...feeling pretty good, actually. Maybe the NecroDancer isn't trying to control me anymore."

"Yay!" Dove tightens her grip on Reaper in her excitement, causing Reaper to flinch. "Oops, sorry!"

"It's...it's okay," Reaper responds half-heartedly. "Just don't make too much noise right now, my head aches."

"Oh, alright." Dove whispers back, as the three of them stop in front of an apartment building.

"Well, here we are." Suzu helps Reaper stand up straighter as they get ready to head inside. "Hey...thanks for helping us, Dove. Reaper and I would probably both be stuck working for the NecroDancer by now if it weren't for you and Cadence."

"Oh, you're welcome!" Dove smiles as she starts to let go of Reaper. "I'm more of a lover than a fighter, as they say, so this is the least I could do."

Reaper suddenly speaks up. "Do you want to come inside with us?" When she gets a strange look from Suzu, she continues further. "It's the least we could do to not make you walk home alone at this hour. If Suzu is okay with it, of course."

Dove waits patiently while Suzu thinks. "Hmm..."