It’s the middle of the day as Saige, Mai and Kelsey stand in front of a mechanized gate to a giant closed off blue mechanized base. “Huh, so this is Strife Village.”, says Saige. “No, this is the door to Strife Village.”, says Mai. There’s a slightly cracked TV screen built into the base, just above the door. It turns on and a light-skinned bald man appears standing in front of the screen. “State your business”, he says in a direct way.

  “t’s Mai. And I brought two new allies with me.”, Mai says while peering close into the screen. “It’s Mai! Open the door!”, the man on the screen says. The screen then turns off and the door opens upward. Kelsey, Mai and Saige, with Mai leading in front, then enter inside.

  Inside the base is hard blue walling and hard polished grey metal flooring. And it is a general open area with doors leading to other places within the base. As the three come in and the door closes behind them, various people of different ages come up and greet Mai and hug her. A random child even says, “Welcome back Mai!”. “Well Mai sure is welcomed.”, says Saige. “Mhm”, says Kelsey.

  With more time given, the three eventually end up walking in through a door, that opens upward automatically, which leads to a bar within the base. “I knew he’d be here. Hey, Gregory!”, says Mai. There appears to be a light-skinned, bald man, with a goatee and very muscular build, sitting at the bar with a right robotic hand, a dark green tank top, brown pants and boots. He holds a bar glass with his robotic hand. “Oh now I’m hearing her voice. Oh Mai.”, the man known as Gregory says. “Gregory, I’m alive.”, states Mai. “Oh Mai, you haunt me so.”, says Gregory. Mai then turns back to her group and says, “Hooold on one second guys.”, right before kicking out the stool from under Gregory’s butt, causing him to fall over on the floor.

  “That was harsh.”, says Saige. “H-Hey! *burps* who...?”, Gregory says while looking up. He sees Mai. “Mai, you’re back!”, shouts Gregory. He then hugs her hard. “Huahaha, stop.”, asks Mai. “So who’s this guy, your boyfriend?”, asks Saige. “What? Ew no, he’s my dad.”, answers Mai. “Dad?”, says Saige. “Yeah. Well, I call him my dad. He’s more so my adopted dad. He took care of me almost my whole life after my parents died.”, states Mai. “Yup, changed her diapers and everything.”, states Gregory. “I believe they get the idea, Gregory.”, states Mai, again.

  “So Greg, is it? Mai never mentioned you, I’ll be honest.”, says Saige. “What, no mention of me?”, says Gregory while pouting. “Uh I, it didn’t come up.”, says Mai. “You only mentioned your parents died! I thought you were an orphan!”, exclaims Saige. “Well I was.. kinda!”, states Mai. “She doesn’t have to prove anything to you. Who are you anyway?”, asks Gregory. “The name’s Saige.”, states Saige. “”Saige”, huh. And are you infatuated with my Mai?”, asks Gregory in a concerned manor. “Gre-”, says Mai, right before getting cut off. “What if I was?”, asks Saige. “Huh!?”, exclaims Mai. “Well if you want her, let’s see a test of your mettle first *burp*.”, Gregory says as he faces Saige and does a boxer’s pose. “Gregory!”, exclaims Mai. Gregory then punches Saige with his non-metal hand and sends him flying out the door, which opens as Saige flies out. Gregory, Kelsey and Mai then step out of the bar to check on Saige.

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  Saige then grows red demon horns and a tail and stands. “A demon.”, says Gregory. “Yow! The hell? Was that your metal fist?”, asks Saige. A random child nearby gasps and then hides behind his mom as a crowd essentially gathers quick. “See Mai, it’s a demon.”, says Gregory. “Wait, hold-”, says Mai, before getting ignored.

  Gregory then transforms his metal hand into a blaster. “Whoa!”, Saige says. Gregory, now outside the bar, begins shooting at Saige with full force blasts as Saige runs around dodging them. Some people in the crowd then run off to gather weaponry. “Wait, no, stop!”, shouts Mai. “Get the demon! *Burp*”, shouts Gregory.

  Gregory then runs up, transforms his cannon back into a fist and punches Saige into the base wall. Saige gets up, even angrier. Multiple people then come back to point guns at Saige. Mai then jumps in front of Saige and stands there with her arms spread out, blocking people from shooting at him. “Mai, move!”, Gregory shouts. “Don’t hurt him, he’s my friend! I knew he was a demon, okay!”, shouts Mai. Mai then starts crying. “Don’t hurt him. I couldn’t forgive myself if you did.”, says Mai. Everyone just look at eachother with disbelief.

  Cut to later, Gregory, Kelsey, Mai and Saige sit in the bar together. “Well, that was a conundrum. Sorry for blasting you there.”, says Gregory. “It’s okay, you were drunk.”, says Saige. “I was thinking Saige could join our cause.”, states Mai. Gregory then laughs at the statement. “I’m being serious.”, states Mai again. “So am I. As serious as I can be after hearing that. You saw what happened. Imagine him teaming up with us, someone would accidentally or purposely shoot him. Already now, people are giving him the side eye.”, says Gregory, as the four of them look around the bar to see people actually eyeing Saige from across the way.

  “And what are you? Are you a demon too?”, says Gregory as he points to Kelsey. “No, just the Blue Phoenix.”, says Kelsey. “Hm?”, says Gregory. “That’s just my hero name.”, says Kelsey. Gregory then laughs more as Mai pinches her own forehead in embarrassment.

  Eventually, after the four are finished talking at the bar, they go to Gregory’s place, with Gregory leading them there. Upon opening the door to his place, they’re greeted with a nice living room with a black three sectioned couch, kitchen area nearby and an archway beyond the living room, leading to a hallway.

  Gregory just lets Kelsey and Saige look around the place in wonder. “Here’s the thing. I’ll let you two at least spend time here for the night, but in the morning you’ll be put to work. If you wanna prove your usefulness, that’s how. And if you wanna stay here too, that’s how.”, states Gregory. He then throws sleeping bags to Kelsey and Saige.

  “Now in this living room is where you two will be sleeping as me and Mai already have our own rooms, got it?”, says Gregory. “No complaints.”, says Saige. “Alright. Goodnight.”, Gregory says as he turns off the light.