"Little Dark, Little Dark, how are you?"

Lilina shook Wu Yan urgently, her worry unmistakable.

Alimi stood frozen, frantic but scared. She glared at the girl and snapped, "H-how could you do this..."

"N-no, I, I..." The girl’s tough act crumbled. Seeing the mess she’d made, she stammered.

Lilina scooped up Wu Yan, her eyes blazing with anger at the girl.

The girl stumbled back two steps, waving her hands wildly. "N-no! It’s just an itching potion—nothing else..."

"Then why did Little Dark pass out!" Lilina advanced, shouting fiercely.

The girl flinched, avoiding Lilina’s gaze. "I... I don’t know..."

"You—" Lilina started, then felt Wu Yan stir in her arms.

"Little Dark, are you okay?" Relief flickered in her voice. Alimi turned to look too. Only Mimi had opened her eyes, staring intently at Wu Yan.

"Little Dark?" Not hearing his usual *gurgle*, Lilina frowned. She noticed something else... "Little Dark, why are your eyes red?"

Wu Yan was delirious, lost in haze. His desires surged—he lashed out tentacles toward Lilina and Alimi.

"*Meow!*" Mimi darted in, biting a tentacle hard.

"*Gurgle!*" Wu Yan yanked it back, pained.

Enraged, he whipped tentacles at Mimi.

Mimi twisted aside effortlessly. She swatted a tentacle, then zipped to Wu Yan and kicked him away.

"*Gurgle!*" Furious, Wu Yan wove a tentacle barrier. Mimi danced past it like a shadow and stomped on him.

"*Meow!*" "*Gurgle!*" She stomped again and again, until Wu Yan lay still.

"Mimi, enough..." Alimi called, rushing over.

Lilina whirled on the girl. "What did you do to Little Dark? Why is he like this?" The girl fidgeted, helpless.

"Let it go, Lilina," Alimi urged. "Can you fix him?"

"I-I’ll try..." The girl edged nervously toward Wu Yan. A green potion appeared in her hand. "This is the Nino potion antidote. I hope it works..." She poured it over Wu Yan under their worried stares.

The potion vanished the moment it touched his skin. "I never tested on Dark Beasts before... they absorb it so well..." she muttered to herself.

"*Gurgle...*" Wu Yan shook his head, still dazed.

"Little Dark!" Lilina hugged him tight, nuzzling his face. "Thank goodness..." Alimi wiped tears, patting her chest in relief.

"*Gurgle!*" Wu Yan snapped awake—then froze. Lilina’s lips were damp. Alimi’s clothes were messy, her face flushed. *Did I do something unspeakable...?*

"*Meow!*" Mimi licked her paw, stretched lazily, and curled up to sleep.

"W-well, he’s fine now. I’ll go..." The girl bolted away.

"Hey, wait—" Lilina called, but the girl was gone. She stamped her foot; Alimi hurried to comfort her.

"*Gurgle!*" So... what exactly happened just now?