Chapter 1

Ability users. People that were born with special powers were called "Ability users". Though the exact abilities varied, some were more dangerous than others. At first, the government tried to use them to their advantage, treating them as little more than weapons. But this backfired, and ability users turned on them before long. As such, they were deemed  "dangerous individuals" by the general public and exterminated. If any still survived, they chose to hide their powers and live normally. At least, that's what my mom did.

Hearing the term "ability users" nowadays was considered rare... or taboo, even.

I don't know the exact number of survivors, but there aren't many.
As for me, I have the Water ability.
My family were all born with powers of some kind, and as such, we were treated as enemies by most we've come across since I was a child.
I've had to run from town to town, just because my identity was discovered... The Ione family was feared and hated, after all.

My siblings, Violet and Eon Ione, went missing 6 years ago. I don't know what happened... But they had disappeared without a trace.

Did they run away? Were they kidnapped? Or were they...?

I shivered to even think of it.

I had been desperately searching for them for years, but with no luck.

"Did you hear about how that organization is still around?"
"Huh? No way! I thought ability users were practically non-existent..."
"That's what I thought too, but I heard it from a friend of mine. She says she spotted a ritual in the forest..."
"A ritual!? No way, that's so freaky..."
"Shh! Keep your voice down! You never know when they might be listening..." 

That got my attention. Though those young women were whispering, it was likely that everyone had heard them with how quiet the town was.
They were careful not to bring up the name of the organization, but it was hard not to connect the dots.
Who else could they be talking about?

"Crime, huh..." I mumbled, stopping in my tracks.

Crime. They're an organization of ability users that banded together to get revenge on the humanity that wronged them. Not much is known about the members, but they're all skilled fighters with terrifying abilities... Enough so, that people cower in fear at the mere sight of them. Their boss supposedly has some sort of shadow ability, but everything else is shrouded in mystery...

Of course, I've never met Crime for myself. All of my knowledge comes from rumors. ...Which might as well just be baseless speculation. So I basically have nothing useful to work with.

I was trying to keep my distance from Crime at first, but it's gotten to the point where I can't continue this without them.

"They might be the only ones capable of helping me..."
Those words escaped my lips without thinking.

The two women gasped in horror, as if I had said something forbidden.
I quickly tried to take my words back, "No, wait, I meant that you two might be the only ones capable of helping me!"
"Nooooo! Stay away!!" They screeched, running away as fast as they could possibly go.

The looks on their faces... of pure disgust and fear, were burned into my memory.

I lowered my head, muttering some apology or other.
...But what was I even apologizing for, anyway? It's not like I did anything wrong.

"...A ritual in the forest...?" I muttered to myself.

I might be able to find them this time... 

With that thought now in my head, I made my way out of the town.

*

                                                              

I stared out into the vast sky. I could sense something in the forest, but what it was? I didn't have a clue.

I decided to walk deeper. "Is anyone there?" I called out.

No response.

Maybe if I call to them directly...? I wondered.

Definitely a bad idea, but I don't exactly have any other options...

I took a deep breath...

"Crime!" 

And shouted loud enough for my voice to echo.

Rustle.

I heard the sound of rustling bushes. I quickly ran over to the sound, but before I could really process what was happening, my knees gave way.

"Huh...?"

I couldn't feel my legs, and my senses were going numb.

Did I get hit by something...?

"There she is! That girl was calling for them!" A man pointed, holding a dart gun.
"So she's seeking their help to kill us!?" The woman from earlier screeched.

A mob of townspeople surrounded me, hate in their eyes.

"No, I...! I'm not....! I-I... just thought they could help me find....." My words were failing me because of my fears, and I couldn't say it properly.

"Silence, monster!"

There was no sense in talking back. They wouldn't listen anyway, and if I tried to shake them off with my ability, it would only cause more trouble.

I could feel my heart race as my body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Violet... Eon.... I'm sorry......! 

As I thought my last words, I shut my eyes tightly with a yelp, awaiting their next move.

...But nothing happened.

"W-Who are you!?" I heard someone scream.

I opened my eyes, and there was an unfamiliar person in front of me.
Their long white hair obscured my view, swaying in the wind.

"...Hey, you." They turned their attention to me, staring.
"Huh? W-Who, me?" I asked, caught off guard.

I could feel their gaze on me, their eyes a bright crimson. It made me feel a bit flustered.

White hair and red eyes...

This person was... beautiful, honestly speaking. Their mysterious aura drew me in and I couldn't look away.

They continued to stare, no doubt puzzled at my reaction. "...Yes, you. Who else would I be referring to?"

Wait! This isn't the time to be thinking about how pretty someone is! This is seriously a life-or-death situation here!
I mentally snapped myself out of it, hoping they didn't notice.

"Are you alright?" They asked.

I tried to stand up, but I felt a sharp pain in my leg. "Um... I can't really move at the moment, so..." I flinched at the pain, "...N-Not really, no."
"...Yeah, I suspected as much. Sorry I got here too late."

"Hey! We asked you a question!" The man shouted, pointing at us.

The mysterious person turned their gaze to the mob, staring daggers.
Everyone flinched, stepping back a little.

".....Blaze Winslow." They answered coldly, "I'm assuming you're the one in charge of this ambush?"
The man clenched his teeth, "What's it to you?"
"Oh, nothing really. Just wondering who I should beat the crap out of, that's all."

This caused him to gulp nervously.

"So you're one of them, huh? Come here to rescue your ally?" 
"It's true I came here to rescue her, but this is the first time we're meeting."
"Then you're a real idiot! That girl's a monster!" The man laughed, sweating profusely.

In an instant, Blaze's hand turned red. Small flames spraying out.

"What makes you think I'm not one as well?"

Everyone screamed at the sight.

"Kill them both!!" The man shrieked, ordering the mob.

Blaze looked at the crowd forming, genuinely surprised. "...Huh. They normally get scared and run off at this point. That's... new."
I looked at them, clear panic on my face. "What do you mean "That's new"!? How many situations like this have you been in!?"
"Oh, a lot— But that's not important right now!"
"A lot!?"

Blaze lifted my body, holding me in their arms. "I'm gonna run on the count of three."
"Wait wait wait! There's no way you can outrun them like this!" I screamed, panicking.
"Don't worry, I promise I'll save you."
"But why are you trying to save me!? I'm just a stranger to you, so why...!?"
"If someone's in danger, then I'll save them. It's as simple as that."
"You..."

Their grip tightened, "1... 2..."

"Don't let them escape!" The townspeople shouted.

"3!"

In a flash, Blaze dashed further into the forest, evading incoming flying torches.

"Eek!" I yelped.
"How many of those do they even have? God, they're annoying..." Blaze sighed, dodging another torch.
"How are you so unfazed by this!? Aren't you scared at all!?"
"You get used to it after a while."
"Like I said, how many situations like this have you been in!?"
"...I already told you?"
""Oh, a lot" isn't an answer!"
"Well, whatever. I control fire so torches aren't a problem to me. I'm more worried about you. What ability do you have?"
"......Water." I mumbled.
"Oh. Maybe it's not a problem if it hits you then. You could extinguish it, right?"
"Are you crazy!? I could still die if it's thrown at me out of nowhere!"
"I guess so, huh."

What is up with this person!?

Blaze squinted, "I... think we're almost at our destination."
"You think?"
"I'm not... sure for a fact, but we should be getting close."
".....You don't know where you're going, do you?"
"I know where we're going, I just don't know where it is."
"Real helpful." I muttered under my breath.
"I heard that."
"Well, sorry for assuming things but you seem like the type to jump into things without thinking!"
"I'm not that reckless! My teammates set up a warp portal nearby so we're heading there."
"Teammates?"

Wait. Could it be...?

"Are you a member of Crime!?" I asked, hopeful.
"What!?"

That seemed to genuinely shock Blaze.

"No! I'm not! Not at all!! I'm not... affiliated with them anymore..."

Huh? Blaze seemed so composed this entire time, so why are they suddenly acting strange at the mention of Crime...?

"Anymore?"
".......Forget it. Why are you looking for them, anyway?"
"That's... because they're the only people that can help me..."
"...Help you?"

"Heeeeey!!" An unfamiliar voice called out.

I could see a large circular portal getting closer. The voice seemed to be coming from there.

That must be the warp portal Blaze mentioned...

"THERE THEY ARE!" A woman shouted, pitchfork in hand.
"Eep!" I yelped.
Blaze scoffed, "Torches and pitchforks? In this day and age? Really now. What're they trying to do, witch hunt?"
"Who cares what weapon they have!? They're trying to kill us!"

The mob dashed after us, gradually getting closer.

"Hold tight, okay?"
"Wait, what are you— Eeeeek!?"

Blaze ran at the speed of flight, making a large leap into the portal.

*

"Woah!?"
The two of us landed headfirst into the grass.

"Ooh, that's gotta hurt."
"You idiot! What were you thinking, charging off alone like that!? You're lucky we were all here to save your sorry ass!"
"Well... Boss made it out alive so all's well that ends well, wouldn't you say?"

There were three unfamiliar faces speaking around us. They must have been Blaze's teammates, I assumed.

Their eyes widened at the incoming torch flying through the portal, heading in my direction.

"Hey, watch out!" The blonde one yelled at me.

I quickly splashed it with water before it could get closer, turning it into a log.
It fell to the grass and I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Oh, nice save!" The pink one exclaimed with a clap.

The portal closed immediately. It seemed we managed to escape for now.

"Well? Do you have anything to say for yourself?" The blonde one with a... seemingly short temper, glared at Blaze.
Blaze stared at them, serious gaze in their eyes. "Mission complete."

A sneaker got thrown in their direction, followed by a yelp from Blaze.

"Did you just throw your shoe at me!?"
"I should have thrown a rock at you for that response! The hell are you trying to act all cool for!? You put not only yourself, but a complete stranger in danger! The one you set out specifically to save, remember!?"
"Well, I did save her—"
"Because WE were there to open the portal for you! You would have gotten caught otherwise!"
"Hey, I'm not that unreliable! I could have dealt with that mob in seconds and you know it!"
"If you used your ability, maybe."

"Um, excuse me!" I exclaimed, trying to get everyone's attention.

They all turned in my direction, staring.

All those stares are nerve-wracking... I thought, sweating a little from the pressure.

"I'm grateful to Blaze for saving me, but who are you people...? I've never seen any of you before." I asked.

Blaze gasped, looking a little apologetic. "Right, sorry! You're probably confused about all this, aren't you?" They cleared their throat to regain their composure. "You already know who I am, so I'll introduce you to my allies."

I actually don't know who you are apart from your name, but whatever. I kept that annoyed thought to myself.

"That's Robin Fulton, with the Doppelganger ability. He might seem cold, but he's really not a bad guy. A bit difficult to deal with, sure, but—"
"I don't want to hear that coming from you." His hair was blonde and spiky, with his eyes a clear blue. He was grumbling in frustration, hands in his pockets. "...Nice to meet you, or whatever."

Wow. I don't want to be here either, you know.

"Um, yeah..." I nodded in response, trying not to let my annoyance show.

Blaze let out a sigh, "Robin... You could be a little nicer, couldn't you?"

Robin clicked his tongue in obvious annoyance, "What more do you want from me? I greeted her properly, didn't I?"

"What kind of greeting was that?" 

The two of them bickered amongst each other, causing the atmosphere to feel a little awkward.

"Next we have Ettie Vernon, with the Mind ability. Despite her... laidback personality, you can probably rely on her in a pinch."
"Aw, couldn't you have worded it a little nicer? But yeah, what Boss said! The name's Ettie! Nice to meet'cha!" Ettie had pink hair that reached her shoulders, and an eyepatch over her lilac eyes. She was grinning from ear to ear and seemed genuinely happy to meet me. It took me aback a bit after Robin's introduction.

"Oh. Er, right..." I mumbled back.

"And lastly, we have Celine Dunn. She's... a bit of an odd one, but she's also surprisingly skilled."
Celine had long, light orange hair, with bright orange eyes to match. She had an air of elegance to her, almost like a princess of sorts. "My, did anyone ever tell you your compliments are backhanded?" She gently smiled at me, "It's a pleasure to meet you. I apologize for our Boss, she's quite... the handful."

"Tell me about it."
"Pain in the ass."
Ettie and Robin both nodded in agreement.

"Oh, come on! I'm not that bad!" Blaze yelled in protest.

I laughed awkwardly, "Um... You four sure are close."
"Aw, don't feel left out! I'm sure we'll get along in no time, uh..." Ettie turned to the others, "What's her name, again?"

Blaze looked at me, "Oh. Come to think of it, I didn't ask you."
"Er... it's Luna. Luna Ione."
"Ione, huh..." She placed a finger on her chin, appearing to mull it over. "Sounds familiar. Where did I hear that name before...?"

I dashed in her direction before I knew it, the numbness having subsided. "You have!? Where!?"
She stepped back, more than a little startled. "Huh!? U-Uh, I don't remember..."
"N-Not even a little!? It's fine if it's vague! Just... something! Anything! Anything helps!"
"No, I'm sorry... I really don't remember." She frowned, looking apologetic.
"I... see...."

"...Does it have to do with your reason for looking for Crime?"
I nodded, "I'm... searching for my siblings. Violet and Eon."
"And you think Crime can help you?"
"Look, I know it sounds... stupid, but I'm running out of options. I've been searching for so long on my own and I haven't gotten anywhere. If I can't do this by myself, then they might be the only ones that can help me as ability users..."

"I see... But you're wrong, you know."
"Um, what do you mean by that...?" I asked, puzzled.
"Crime aren't the only ability users that can help you out. The four of us are willing to lend a hand if you need it."

Well... it's true that Blaze saved me. Maybe working together with these people wouldn't be so bad if she's really offering...

A single thought crossed my mind in that instant.

What makes you think she's telling the truth?

I mean... it was hard to believe a complete stranger would jump at the chance to help me like this.

"...Do you really mean that? Are you really willing to help me? Or are you just saying it?"
"I understand why you're reluctant to trust us, but I assure you I mean it. I give you my word as Regret's leader."

Those empty words don't mean anything.

I paused. "...Wait. "Regret"?" I asked, dumbfounded.

What kind of name is that?

She grinned, "That's right. "Regret". That's the name of our gang. It's to show we have no regrets bearing our abilities."

That's so lame...!

I tried to keep that thought to myself, but it was probably showing on my face.

"O-Ohh... I see." I nodded along anyway.

"Don't worry, newbie. I think it's lame as hell too." Robin grumbled.
Ettie pouted, "Really? I always thought it was pretty cool!"
Celine chimed in, awfully enthusiastic. "If Miss Ettie says so, then I think it's cool as well!"

...Huh?

"...Wait, "newbie"? Wait, hold on! That makes it sound like you've already made me a member of your group..." I laughed awkwardly.
Blaze looked at me quizzically, "Well, yeah. You're joining, aren't you?
"When did I say I was joining!? I'm grateful you saved my life, yes, but—"
"But what?"

But... what, exactly...? This is a chance to find Violet and Eon without having to rely on Crime... Isn't this a good opportunity?

"I.... don't know....."

I couldn't find a response. I merely lowered my head.

"We're actually looking for Crime ourselves."

That got my attention.

"We've been trying to find them for some time, actually. Well, we still don't have any strong leads, so our progress is probably about the same as you. But since our goals align anyway, doesn't it make sense we join forces?"

She has a point...

I looked her straight in the eye, "You may be right about that, but finding Crime isn't my main goal."
"Of course I understand that your end goal isn't to find Crime, but to find your family... So let's make a deal."

Blaze held her hand out, posing for dramatic effect.
....It was a little annoying.

"You become a member of Regret and help us with our mission. In exchange, we'll help you find your siblings."
"......How do I know I can trust you?"

...And what do you mean, "mission"? 

"I will do everything in my power to find Eon and Violet Ione. I give you my word as leader."

She said it so seriously. Eyes unwavering, and determined.
I got the sense that she wouldn't take "no" for an answer.

Ettie pouted, "Hey, why're you acting like you're taking this on all by yourself? We're your allies, Boss! Obviously we're gonna help our new member too!"
Blaze smiled at that, "Right. The four of us will do everything we can to help you out."

"So, what do you say?" She asked, eagerly awaiting my response. Still posing dramatically, it was almost comical.
I reluctantly took hold of her hand with a nod. "Alright, fine... I accept your conditions."

She grinned at that, causing my cheeks to flush a little. "Then it's a deal."

...Well, personality aside, I can't deny she's pretty.

I mentally shook my head, pushing those thoughts away yet again.

The two of us shook hands on it.

"Welcome aboard, Ione."
"Right... I'll do my best."

Really, just what have I gotten myself into...?