A Certain Missing Esper (Arc 4 Main Story)

«You know, kiddo, you remind me of something», Marybeth would say as that sinister smile on her face softened significantly. And then, rewarding Kohaku’s attempt to diffuse the situation, she would lower the gun, instead shifting into an unusual mode for the mercenary from the grimdark world.

Raising her voice to a tone of nostalgia, she continued: «When I was your age, maybe a bit younger, my family lived in some small village somewhere in the boonies in some third world country – not that it matters. We’ve had this tiny hut that me, my parents ’n my four siblings shared. We were piss poor but it was a good time. We had a bit of land. A few sheep and some greener. On top the weather was always good and the nature green.» Sinking into the beauty of her memories, the smile on her lips grew ever softer. «There was no nuisances such as TV or social media, so people actually communicated, laughed together from day to night. We all loved each other, that’s why we could enjoy the small things together. It was really a jolly life!»

«Ya see, there was this stray doggy that loitered around the village. It was a cute little fella. Short stumpy legs, fat body with fur as thick as wool. He always smiled at ya when he saw you, squeaking when you came closer. Whipping his little tail in excitement all day long. Up and down. Licking your fingers with his small pink tongue when you tried to touch him. Maybe it was just for me. But whatever. We had a good time together. I used to carry him around all the time. Or take him along bicycle basket when I rode through the wilderness.» At this point it was her heart that spoke instead of her mind. «Ah right! He loved it when I tickled his belly. Like this!» As she spoke, the imitated the very act by wriggling her fingers in the air passionately.

«I called him Bork! Little Bork-chan, my best friend!»

Such were her most valuable childhood memories.

«And then one day there was this man who arrived at the village. I met him one day, as I wanted to fetch Bork-chan for our daily adventures. The guy was a nice foreigner, tingling the little doggy’s belly just as I usually would. A nice man who greeted me in a foreign language I didn’t know yet.»

«Oh so nice!»

«Until he got up, pulled out his gun and pointed it at me.»

And then, although subtly, her tone regained its sharpness.

«Just like this!»

She would present the girl a deep glance into the barrel.

«And then he—»

CRACK

The bullet passed by the girl’s face, barely missing her left eye.

«I dunno how I survived. But when I woke up Bork-chan was gone. My eye, too. And that lovely village as well. That bastard ’n his cronies took it all from us.»

Yet she smiled. Fully embracing the nature of the sinister.

«Now, kiddo, rejoice that you grew up in a safe country. ’cause, dear god, you’re blessed. But what do you know about any of that…», she’d conclude, at long last holstering the still burning hot pistol. Only to then wave her hand in what could be considered an act of good faith. «Now piss off.»

---

Somehow they had made it into the Doctor’s office. Just not the way they had originally intended. Essentially having become welcomed guests their plan of covert infiltration had failed nearly completely. But the fact that it wasn’t a complete failure actually meant they could still recover.

The question was how.

«Oh. That’s not a long story!», Kisaragi caught the question out of the air, still completely invested into her stupid highschool girl act. «Sai-chan and I were out on a date at the shopping mall today and then I just found her. She laid there collapsed in a cabin in the women’s restroom. Poor girl was completely out, you know!» Hooking one of her arms into Saito’s and pulling him closer, she dedicated herself completely to the credibility of her story. «So I picked her up and we got her food and whatnot. Took her a while to even remember how she got there. Didn’t even know where she lived. Still doesn’t. All she could remember eventually was your name. So after a bit of searching on the web, we finally found the place! …jeez it was such a long day!»

She smiled, puffed out her chest proudly at the act of helping a little girl she didn’t even know, and – most imporantly – she didn’t allow anyone else to speak up. «So now that we’re here and you’re some kind of doctor, can you give us her address so we can take her home?»

After her long monologue, Tsubasa was anxious for a second that she would overwhelm the other girl. Maybe she was too overbearing and her affection was a bit too much to handle. She knew of her bad habit to wear her heart on her sleeves, so it occurred to her that it might've been wiser to show some restraint. Alas, she only thought of it after the deed was done.

To her great relief, Aiko embraced her back. They stayed in that position, silently crying, for a while.

"And I thought you said you weren't strong."

The next words Aiko spoke genuinely surprised Tsubasa. She didn't have a reply, so she just hummed and cracked an appreciative smile. It wasn't often that she got a compliment like that, and she liked the warm fuzzy feeling it evoked in her. So she decided to simply bask in this moment of bliss. It didn't take long for her smile to transform into laughter as well. Aiko's laugh was kind of contagious at the moment, for some mysterious reason.

It was such a puzzling mystery to Tsubasa.

When she felt Aiko looking at her, she couldn't help but look back with inquisitive eyes.

"Thanks Tsubasa. Now any more crying and I'll need to get a new shirt."

"Pfft," Tsubasa chuckled unknowingly at Aiko's joking tone. She held her gaze a moment too long. Her eyes seemed to be prying into Aiko's soul, searching for something that even Tsubasa didn't know, yet.

'Cute.'

The short-lived thought did cross her mind very briefly. However, it dissipated before she became aware of its existence.

"You're such a dork sometimes, Aiko," she teased back with a lighthearted tone and a smug smirk, and gently pushed her fist against the other girl's shoulder. "No biggie. If you need a new top, you can have mine," she said as she winked, very much enjoying the friendly banter. As soon as she spoke, she caught on the unintended double entendre behind her words. "Imeantmyjacket," she hastily clarified, voice hoarse, and cheeks gaining a shade of red.

Kohaku had no idea how to realistically respond to anything that just happened. She had somehow been able to convince Marybeth to put down her gun only to watch her soften up, tell a story Kohaku did not want to interrupt.

At least, that was how it had started.

She couldn’t really be sure whether all of what Marybeth was saying was for show but she wanted to believe that for once, Marybeth was being genuine.

That all changed the moment she picked her gun back up.

“What?”

She could only say that much before the thunderous bang of the gun resounded. She had closed an eye for an instant but with her remaining open one, she had realized something.

The gun never hit a single person. It was a near-hit for sure but if Kohaku was right, it barely missed the girl’s head and left eye.

Marybeth, for better or for worse, was a trained mercenary. To miss from point blank like that was simply out of the question. In other words…

“Was this her way of being kind?” Kohaku couldn’t help but find herself muttering as she placed a finger to her lip and tilted her head for a moment.

“No, that’s not the point.”  

Keeping her eyes crouched down, she looked to the girl’s face. Marybeth was right. The little girl grew up in a safe country. She should not even be in this location and yet here she was.

Moreover, no girl from such a safe country would be able to hold it together after an experience like that.

“W-what my companion means is ‘what brings you from safety to somewhere like here?’ Right?” She asked before turning to glance back at Marybeth for a short moment and then turning back to offer her hand to the young girl again.

Overwhelming dread

Was what Hirashi felt as Miss Scary Eyes pulled him into her side. Painfully aware of how close he was to someone who could break every bone in his body, Hirashi put on his best smile at the doctor, playing along as the exhausted boyfriend. Hirashi has no idea why Miss Scary Eyes decided to go down this route in particular, but at least he was better at acting than he was at fighting.

«So now that we’re here and you’re some kind of doctor, can you give us her address so we can take her home?»

It was fairly obvious Miss Scary Eyes wanted the two of them to keep quiet, it makes a story easier to tell after all. Hirashi avoided eye contact with everyone, attempting to pass off his silence as shyness; there were some pretty large holes in the tale Miss Scary Eyes is spinning, Hirashi started thinking of potential ways to patch up the story as he waited for the doctor’s response.

«It’s not like I could have, you know…», the blonde replied, still drowsy from her extended nap. As she did she remembered the exhaustion that had pushed her there in the first place. It still hadn’t left her entirely. Even after that good sleep she may have had.

But now was not the time to rest. All of sudden her head turning grew more frantic as she checked the state of her body, or rather the attire she wore. A pure maiden’s danger instincts kicking in. «I–I hope for you that you didn’t do anything to satisfy your creep ability!», she’d shout at him, blushing until her head looked more peach than human, whilst shielding her dignitity that was her chest, still very exposed by the overly revealing outfit.

As time went by, however, she slowly calmed down, recalling the urgency of everything. And with it the cost her rest had come with. «What time is it? For how long was I out?» When she did, she finally shifted back towards the appropriate seriousness.

«Oh. That’s not a long story! Sai-chan and I were out on a date at the shopping mall today and then I just found her. She laid there collapsed in a cabin in the women’s restroom. Poor girl was completely out, you know! So I picked her up and we got her food and whatnot. Took her a while to even remember how she got there. Didn’t even know where she lived. Still doesn’t. All she could remember eventually was your name. So after a bit of searching on the web, we finally found the place! …jeez it was such a long day!» So now that we’re here and you’re some kind of doctor, can you give us her address so we can take her home?»

Dr Reiner had no reason to doubt the girl, so he accepted Anko's explanation at face value. To him, her exuberant retelling was typical of a bubbly and energetic teenage girl. The fact that Reina was nodding along obediently at all the relevant points lent even more credibility to the story.

And yet he couldn't rid himself of the lingering suspicion that this meeting was not what it seemed. Had there been a brief quiver of surprise on Saito's face when Anko had touched him? Why come to his office in the middle of the night when it was likely to be empty? Why not contact the authorities first? Behind his sunglasses the man's gaze fell upon Saito. Perhaps it was shyness, but perhaps not. He tried to decipher the boy's inscrutible expression as if it might hide the answer he sought.

"You say you're having trouble with your memory?" He directed his question quite squarely at Reina as if to pre-empt Anko's interruption. Perhaps his suspicions were for nothing. Perhaps. "That would be a very serious matter."

Reina nodded, but not before a quick glance towards Anko gave more credence to his suspicions. Was she looking for confirmation or a hint for what to say? It seemed that prolonging the conversation would give him more of an opportunity to get to the bottom of things, so he motioned towards the electric kettle sat awkwardly atop a filing cabinet.

"How rude of me, can I offer you anything to drink? Young man?" He suggested to Saito, again making a point of addressing one of the less vocal members of the trio.

***

Rachel's defiant frown had slowly shifted to a jaded look of irritated boredom at the woman's rambling story. But the dry crack of a gunshot and the subtle feeling of the air disturbed by the bullet's path made her jump. She hated the fact that she had flinched, no matter how natural the response had been, it was a reminder of how helpless she was. How out of control this situation had been from the start.

The tumultuous emotions swirling inside her hit critical mass. Shame. Frustration. Despair. They were right. A normal girl from this country wouldn't be able to hold it together under these circumstances.

But she wasn't holding it together. Not in the slightest.

She'd just been waiting for something to trigger the collapse.

«Now, kiddo, rejoice that you grew up in a safe country. ’cause, dear god, you’re blessed. But what do you know about any of that… Now piss off.»

That dismissive comment was the spark that lit the powder keg.

“W-what my companion means is ‘what brings you from safety to somewhere like here?’ Right?”

Rachel lashed out, slapping Kohaku's hand aside.

"F*** you. Stop with the good cop bull****! The fact you're walking around free means you're in on it with them. F*** you. F***this place. F*** this f***ing city and most of all f*** you!" She pointed at Marybeth. With all that out the way her erratic breathing started to settle and only then did the foolishness of provoking someone with a gun really begin to dawn on her.

***

«I–I hope for you that you didn’t do anything to satisfy your creep ability!»

"Please. I'm not that desperate." He scoffed. "You really think I would stoop so low? I'm offended." He spoke with the confidence and authority of a man who could have any woman he wanted with only a few well placed words. Which was to say an completely, demonstrably unfounded confidence.

«What time is it? For how long was I out?»

"Four hours, give or take." He said, glancing at his watch, and at the pile of stubbed out cigarettes that had accumulated in the tray by the window. "You haven't missed much. TV's terrible this time of night."

***

"Here we go!" Imai said cheerfully. Something about the way the red haired assassin spoke so casually put Kenji on edge. He would have preferred it if the man had been more dour and gruff like Marybeth. But the affable, care free demeanour created a worrying dissonance that kept Kenji from truly relaxing around him.

"What is it?" The Skill Out thug muttered, trying to hide his curiosity.

"Just a bit of trivia about our slippery friends from the warehouse." Imai lazily tapped the keys of his laptop and recline onto the couch as if he was browsing the latest sports results. "We've got... a high schooler with minor telekinesis. Been involved in a couple of incidents but a mostly clean record otherwise." Imai flicked Saito's profile aside. "Oh. A local idol. No powers but a history of delinquency. Iinteresting..." Tsubasa's profile was next. "Another esper. Electromagnetic powers. Something about light." He raised an eyebrow at what came next. "What's this, though? Looks like she's got connections with the underworld. A few operations to her name. So that's something..." He flicked past Aiko's profile. "And another underworld operative. Same team. Background is... Fuuma clan? What the hell are they doing here?" Anko's profile elicited a chuckle. "It's all starting to come together now. No wonder your guys were having trouble. We've got 2 heavy hitters carrying the team by the looks of it."

"Where did you get all this?" Kenji's curiosity piqued. Finding out concrete information on Dark Side operatives was not just a casual undertaking.

"That's the beauty of having connections, my man. Brute force will only take you so far. It's information that makes the difference in this business."

"What sort of connections?" Kenji felt a gnawing in his gut telling him he didn't really want that question answered.

"That's for 'the boss' to know. But if I had to guess, I'd say he knows someone at the very top to get this sort of dirt."

'The top.' Did that mean the Board of Directors? Kenji's suspicions were confirmed. He really didn't want to know. Knowing even this much painted a target on his back bigger than any of his crimes.

"And what about..." Imai flipped to the next profile and whistled. "So that's what a level 5 looks like? I never would have guessed to look at her. Seems like we got lucky tonight." He was still laughing. Even knowing how close he had come to disaster he was laughing.

"S***. This is too much heat."

"Oh relax. Now we know we can figure out a plan."

"A plan!? This is a level 5 we're dealing with! They're not some joke."

Imai brushed off the concerns with a flippant wave.

"And last is... a student teacher. Part time worker at a bunch of scum jobs." He raised his eyes to the ceiling. "Hey Kenji buddy. Out of those, which one seems like the odd one out to you?"

Kenji took a moment to think.

"The student or the idol, I guess? If the others are Dark Side, then-"

"Nah. They've got form. Even if it's minor." Imai tapped the screen at Guy's profile. "But this guy. He's got a clean record. That's stranger to me. Most of the teachers here are involved in Anti Skill, so they're ex-military and the like. But this guy is a total nobody. Doesn't that seem odd to you?"

"So what does it mean?"

"I wonder..." Imai thought back to the encounter at the club with a new angle.

Hirashi could not see the doctor’s eyes behind his tinted glasses, but the slight tilt in his head told Hirashi he was being observed. The doctor did not seem to be overly suspicious, but Hirashi could tell the strangeness of this whole encounter was not lost on him.

"You say you're having trouble with your memory?"

Hirashi was confident in his poker face, but Gown Girl’s acting ability was another matter altogether. Thankfully Gown Girl only had to answer with the truth, so her response was pretty quick and natural, and Hirashi reckoned her little sideways glance could be passed off as an attachment to her saviour.

"How rude of me, can I offer you anything to drink? Young man?"

Hirashi felt the story was holding up so far, but the inexperience of Gown Girl and the many unanswerable questions meant this interaction should end as soon as possible.

“Thank you but I’m fine,” Hirashi spoke politely, “it has been a long day for all of us and it is getting really late. A-chan really did not want to give up you see…” Hirashi’s response indirectly addressed their lateness without being overly forthcoming with details, and additionally provided a good reason for not wanting to stay, “We just want to get this girl home.”

Hirashi could have fabricated a little more to explain their situation, but it might become suspicious if all the missing details in the story suddenly got filled in by one person. Hirashi hoped the doctor would just smile and give them what they needed, but life was never that easy.

That man was fox. But of course he was, was it his profession to. And the longer the conversation sustained, the more it became evident that he could read them. At least to someone who had been trained to pick up on such things.

The problem was that a good act succeeded and fell with the credibility of ever cast member, not just the main actress. And that was where things had moved onto thin ice.

Fortunately, Saito wasn’t too bad on this field either. Nodding in agreement with his words, dedicated girlfriend KIsaragi simply confirmed the words he spoke. «Yeah! I just want to make sure Reina-chan gets home safely! Only then I can sleep peacefully! I couldn’t imagine sleeping with her like that, out alone in the city with no one to take care of her!» Fake tears at the brink of flowing, the took the acting as far as she could, immersing herself in the emotion of worriful girl who had found an abandoned puppy at the roadside.

«So please! Doctor Reiner! Help us!»

In the end Marybeth couldn’t help but sigh. «You want a hug or something?», she’d ask not minding any of the insults flung at her. At this point those were just like the buzzing of an annoying little fly, relentlessly caught up in her hemisphere. «Look. The commander is dead. I iced him. Now’s as good a time to run as ever. Get away. Never turn back. Something like that. Enjoy your life. Find a little bork-chan. Whatever. Just piss off, yeah?» Clearly lacking the skill to communicate with children, the adult still tried to shoo her away with her hands as she holstered her gun for good.

«The way I see it, nobody will miss a lost child. And even if. I suppose I’m fucked anyway? So what’s one more tick on their list gonna do?», she’d say with little concern for her own well-being. Or maybe she had some and that was exactly why she attempted to make ammends now?

Who knew. She didn’t. All she knew was: «Things are probably going to get a lot worse from here on out, so you better get your ass outta here.»

Not that desperate.

Stoop so low.

Those words struck at her core like sharp stakes. Chipping away at her pride as she completely misinterpreted them.

«Clearly your taste ability is as degraded as your charisma!, she’d announce, bouncing back to take the fight to him. And as she did, she intentionally puffed out that ample chest of hers, pushed to the brink of attention by the accents set by the bunny girl costume. In striking a pose as inviting as she did, she momentarily forgot the embarassment that had come before.

Only to remember it the very next moment…

And then it was overshadowed by something else.

«Four hours? It was that bad? We need to ca—» Before the pressure could drive her blood to the boiling point, the honey blonde stumbled backwards on her legs as their weakness returned, causing her to plummet onto her round butt.

Yes, four hours had been a lot of time, just not enough.

Her words were met with the utmost resistance and with pure, unadulterated venom. The hand she had offered was swatted aside. But, who could blame the young child? After whatever she was running from, encountering Kohaku and someone as clearly as shady as Marybeth, it was only a natural reaction.

In the end, Kohaku could only look down to her hand which had been swatted away.

The fact that you’re walking around free means you’re with them.

Really, a fair assumption.

And yet, that still didn’t sit right with her. Sure this was hardly the best company to run into, but it was far safer for her than running aimlessly till she found somewhere that was maybe safe. She had no idea what way safety was, herself, after all, but at least being with Marybeth (who had until recently been holding her hostage) was the safest option.

Kohaku had no social tact.

But even so, she could not let this girl she met run away into bigger uncertainty.

“Fine, keep yourself closed up if you want. But like she said, their commander is as dead as a doornail.” She could hardly believe she had said those words. “Right now, this place isn’t safe. At least if you come with us, you’ll have the person with a gun at your side. I won’t say it’s safe but it’s safer than running somewhere unknown with no defense.”

It was a seeming whim, but she had hoped Marybeth would at least play along with it.

“Thank you but I’m fine, it has been a long day for all of us and it is getting really late. A-chan really did not want to give up you see… We just want to get this girl home.”

"Yeah! I just want to make sure Reina-chan gets home safely! Only then I can sleep peacefully! I couldn’t imagine sleeping with her like that, out alone in the city with no one to take care of her! So please! Doctor Reiner! Help us!"

The man seemed to pause for a moment as if weighing their words carefully. As the kettle finished boiling he remained still and silent. Reina fidgeted, straining against the thick tension of the office. Somehow this was as intense as an interrogation to her. She did not need her ability to sense the caution and apprehension in the man before her. Slowly and deliberately Dr Reiner poured himself a cup of coffee and drew back the chair from behind his desk. Still silent, he took his seat and took a short sip of the beverage. Just as deliberately he clasped his hands in front of him and spoke calmly.

"If I may be frank with you, I don't believe you're really here for what you say you are." He stated plainly. "Now, with that out of the way, I would like to ask you directly. What are you here for?" If negotiation tactics would not make any headway, he decided the straightforward approach was the best option. "I have no intention of harming you. Reina can verify that if you have any doubt." An open palm gestured across to the girl sitting opposite him. She could sense no deception in his aura. He was not lying. "But when it comes to the welfare of my patients, I must do everything in my power to assure their safety. I'm a professional and as a psychiatrist my business is helping those in need." He straightened the papers on his desk. "So if I am able to help you..." He paused again, perhaps to collect his thoughts, or perhaps simply to lend his words more gravity. "I would do so. But I cannot unless we are honest with one another."

He reclined in his chair a little as if to surrender any sort of domineering position.

"If you were to take what you wanted by force, I doubt I would be able to stop you. And as the only other occupant of this building is a sole security officer, you would not encounter much in the way of resistance. Now, I've laid my cards on the table. Will you do the same?"

***

"Look. The commander is dead. I iced him. Now’s as good a time to run as ever. Get away. Never turn back. Something like that. Enjoy your life. Find a little bork-chan. Whatever. Just piss off, yeah? The way I see it, nobody will miss a lost child. And even if. I suppose I’m fucked anyway? So what’s one more tick on their list gonna do? Things are probably going to get a lot worse from here on out, so you better get your ass outta here."

Rachel fought against instinct to keep composure. For a moment her eyes flickered about, resuming their fruitless search for an escape route she knew did not exist. Briefly her gaze crossed with Kohaku's as if checking for a sign that the coast was clear to run. Of the two, the silver haired girl seemed less outwardly menacing. Not that it meant much right now.

“Fine, keep yourself closed up if you want. But like she said, their commander is as dead as a doornail. Right now, this place isn’t safe. At least if you come with us, you’ll have the person with a gun at your side. I won’t say it’s safe but it’s safer than running somewhere unknown with no defense.”

What would it be? Risk a bullet in the back as she ran? Or being escorted back into confinement? An uncertain fate either way, but one had far more definite and finl consequences than the other. If someone had asked her which she would choose normally she'd have picked 'run' without hesitation. But now the distinction was not so clear. A hope, no matter how slim, was like a distant shore to someone lost at sea.

She backed away. Took half a step to turn. And then, shamefully, she stopped.

"Are you on the level? You're getting out of here?" She directed the question at the more reasonable Kohaku. She had no reason to believe them. But she hoped. With all her heart she hoped.

***

The front panel of the van's compartment slid back abruptly as Aiko and Tsubasa finished their heartfelt talk.

"Yo. You lovebirds can make out or whatever later, just don't get distracted. Right now we're supposed to be on alert, don'cha know?" Naoto said, shattering the emotional atmosphere with a marksman's precision. Beside her the driver was cringing into the steering wheel, flushing bright red from the awkwardness of his boss's interruption and the feelings of hearing things he shouldn't have. A driver should never be a third wheel.

***

"Clearly your taste ability is as degraded as your charisma!"

"That's not the point! Only a lowlife would take advantage of an unconscious girl!" He protested at the slight to his decency. His pride, which had taken quite a beating over the past few days was now under attack from a fresh and unexpected angle. He couldn't allow (yet another) of his students to hold a dim view of him in such a way. He pressed his hand to his forehead and winced.

"Four hours? It was that bad? We need to ca—"

"Yeah. It was that bad. We don't need to do anything. You on the other hand need to rest up." Finally acting like the teacher he was supposed to be, he pointedly gave a command as though he wasn't talking to a girl who had the power to crush his mind like a paper cup.

"Not like we can do much until your girls get back to us anyway." He took another drag of the cigarette in between his fingers which had now burnt down to the filter. He didn't seem to notice. Though he tried to hide it, the frustration of relying on fate's whims was getting to him. If he could at least act, no matter how ineffectual or trivial that act was, it would have been preferable to waiting.

The two girls' moods had improved dramatically. Smiles decorating their faces as they held each other in their gaze for a moment too long. After releasing so much pent up emotion, the brief silence afterwards felt strangely comforting. Thinking about it, Aiko realized that it'd been a some time since she was last able to vulnerable around someone. Her life had taken a turn that was both very dangerous and was something she had to keep secret from her friends. Just having someone she could talk to about everything that's been happening was huge. It certainly didn't hurt that the person was cute as well.

"Pfft, You're such a dork sometimes, Aiko. No biggie. If you need a new top, you can have mine,"

"Oho."

"Imeantmyjacket,"

Catching the innuendo in her words, Tsubasa quickly attempted to course correct, but not without her face turning red. A smirk crept across Aiko's face as she indulged the desire to tease the girl more.

"Oh no, I think I'd much prefer the shirt. I think you'd look cute without it."

The pair's playful banter would probably have continued if not for the sudden sound of the van's front panel sliding open.

"Yo. You lovebirds can make out or whatever later, just don't get distracted. Right now we're supposed to be on alert, don'cha know?"

RED. Aiko's very pale skin made her blushing all the more evident as she suddenly remembered the other company the had be mildly separated from them. Realizing this, Aiko plunged the van into darkness to hide her own embarrassment.

"W-What are you talking about. We aren't a-anything like that... yet. Besides, I am keeping a look out! I can "see" with my ability so I've been watching all direction the whole time!"

Aiko reach over and slammed the front panel closed again before returning light to the van.

Unexpectedly to Tsubasa, Aiko opted to tease her even more as a smirk crept across her face.

"Oh no, I think I'd much prefer the shirt. I think you'd look cute without it."

…

“Uh-huh…” Tsubasa was nodding, but her brain had long short-circuited, unable to keep up with the stimulation it was getting. She was already on the breaking point when she caught herself making an unintended innuendo. So, now, the scene that played in her mind, prompted by Aiko’s unexpected choice of words, was too much for her brain. She could feel her head spinning from all the gears turning.

She was startled when the van's front panel slid open.

"Yo. You lovebirds can make out or whatever later, just don't get distracted. Right now we're supposed to be on alert, don'cha know?"

Taken aback by what Naoto just said, Tsubasa nearly choked and had a short coughing fit. Just as the van went dark, she sank into her seat and hid her face behind her jacket’s collar. If her ears could emit steam, they would’ve. However, right before hiding inside her jacket, she thought she caught sight of Aiko’s face going beet red. Was she seeing things?

"W-What are you talking about. We aren't a-anything like that…” Aiko said. She seemed to be embarrassed too. However, upon hearing this reply, Tsubasa felt disappointed. It kind of stung. Which confused her, because what Aiko said was indeed factually true… So why was Tsubasa holding her breath? What was she hoping for?

“Yet.” And the magical word was spoken. She felt relieved and elated. But why…? It made no sense for Tsubasa to be sighing in relief like this. “Besides, I am keeping a look out! I can "see" with my ability so I've been watching all direction the whole time!"

Tsubasa didn’t know how to process all of her confusing emotions at the moment, so she did the only thing she knew how to do best, lash out. She wasn’t truly angry, she just needed to let off steam and cover her embarrassment about the whole situation. This new unknown feeling she was starting to have was kind of scary and overwhelming. She couldn’t understand it or proccess it properly.

“Guys, what the hell?! You were listening in?! Not cool! Also, we were alert the whole time! So, fuck off!”

Shortly after, her friend slammed the front panel closed again and the light returned to the van.

“Although…” Tsubasa scratched her cheek and bashfully admitted in a low whisper, only loud enough for Aiko to hear, “The truth is that I did indeed get distracted for a moment there. Especially when—”

‘You called me cute….’

Recalling Aiko’s previous words made her blood flow to her face, again, and Tsubasa’s mind was about to wander once more. She abruptly hit her head against the window to snap out of it.

“Ouch…” Tsubasa rubbed her forehead then added in a low voice, “I should’ve been more careful when talking earlier, sorry about that. I guess I’m used to Aizawa’s soundproof vehicles and the dead silent chauffeurs he hires. I usually got away with saying or doing whatever I wanted in privacy, haha…”, she chuckled and smiled apologetically.

Ehhhh…

As Hirashi feared, the Doctor, being the intellectual type, was not easy to fool. However, he seemed amicable enough to them and their situation to help. At the risk of annoying Miss Scary Eyes, Hirashi decided to speak up first to finally take advantage of this chance to obtain some valuable information.

“Well, I have to admit there is more to this whole… situation. But do rest assured keeping Reina safe is our top priority. She really don’t remember where she came from and knowing that would help us, help her.”

To successfully negotiate, both parties usually need to take a step back and compromise. The Doctor already made his, offering the security details of his office and a promise of non-aggression, Hirashi thus did the same, giving a fragment of the truth and a promise Gown Girl would be kept safe.

Now Hirashi just hoped the doctor is somewhat satisfied with his response, and more importantly, he did not annoy Miss Scary Eyes enough for her to hit him again.

Bubbly antics and cheap lies did not bring them any further. Not with a man as sharp as the psychologist before them. A reality she could have anticipated from the beginning on. However, what to do now that it obvious deception wouldn’t work on him? Take him out just like that or…?

It was Saito, who chose to put the cards on the table. Not all of them, naturally. Ensuring the doctor that, while their approach to the truth hadn’t been, their intentions were honest and upright. A good play, possibly. But enough?

«Listen. It is better for your and Reina’s safety that we do not go into depth on what is happening. As my friend said, we wish to help her. And the situation is larger than anything a man like you should get involved into.» That was the first thing she clarified, her tone voice not completely devoid of the innocence of your average high school girl; instead leaden with the cold of a professional.

«But the information on her isn’t all we have come here for.» Kisaragi then chose to unveil another truth. «Kurama Kenji. That’s a name that should be familiar to you. We need his file. I’m aware this might not be something we have no right to ask of you. Which is why we came here to steal it otherwise.» Hiding these things would only cost them more time, drag this on further and further, with little success. Which is why she chose to go on the offence entirely.

«As you might be aware, that boy is a source of never ending trouble. And currently he has become the core of Reina’s. So if you truly wish to help her, overlook that oath you swore; just this once.»

«Ah, no. Sorry, but she’s gonna stay here.» There may have been an open path to slip away before disaster struck, but that only went for the little girl; not the other. Making that clear, Marybeth stepped forward to place her hand on Kohaku’s shoulder. Smiling as she did. «There’s still something I need her for.»

More didn’t need to be said.

Either the girl walked now, or she’d never get the chance to again.

«You should, too, Li-sensei», the honey blonde, having finally come to terms with the situation, spoke with a voice less soft than before. Concern about the other had become more pressing to her than any about herself. Naturally, of course; given that Shokuhou Misaki was not the selfless tyrant people made her out to be. «I doubt it will become easier from here on out. And your endurance ability doesn’t seem to be infinite either.»

Glancing over to him, the #5 did not even need to employ her ability to tell he was in no better state than herself. Not just physically. «You have a limit ability, too. Don’t act like you don’t have one. It’s fine. It’s not bad at all.» Which was why she had to act like an adult, for once. «Knowing that is important, too. That way we can figure out a way to work around it and move forward.»

Adjusting to the conditions of the battle was what would often crown the victor. Although, a spoiled school girl like her had no idea of real war whatsoever, Shokuhou had been a child of this city as well. «Everything will be fine. If we just use this moment, I’m sure we will regain the upper hand ability.»

Imparting the optimism that had become direly necessary, Shokuhou looked on beyond the window, up towards the starless night sky.

“Well, I have to admit there is more to this whole… situation. But do rest assured keeping Reina safe is our top priority. She really don’t remember where she came from and knowing that would help us, help her.”

At last. Progress. Dr Reiner's head tilted in a slow, contemplative nod.

«Listen. It is better for your and Reina’s safety that we do not go into depth on what is happening. As my friend said, we wish to help her. And the situation is larger than anything a man like you should get involved into.»

«But the information on her isn’t all we have come here for. Kurama Kenji. That’s a name that should be familiar to you. We need his file. I’m aware this might not be something we have no right to ask of you. Which is why we came here to steal it otherwise.»

«As you might be aware, that boy is a source of never ending trouble. And currently he has become the core of Reina’s. So if you truly wish to help her, overlook that oath you swore; just this once.»

The doctor listened, as ever, with a blank and stony face. His chin lowered and he seemed to turn into himself, receding into a quiet, thoughtful silence as though calculating the choice in front of him and its consequences.

"Kenji..." He muttered the name with disappointment.

"I hope you understand what you're asking me to do." He frowned. "Of course, as a professional I cannot simply give you what you ask for." He said. "However..." The word and its promise hung in the air for a second. "If I were not here and the file in question were to be misplaced somehow, then it would be out of my hands. After all a single missing document could go unnoticed for days. Weeks even." He said. "Reina. You look as though you're in discomfort." He shifted his attention to the girl who had remained quiet as the others spoke. She answered with a confused expression but before she could deny it Dr Reiner stood from his seat. "I can offer you something for that at least. Let me just go fetch it." He excused himself, leaving by the door to the office which he closed deliberately behind himself. "And, if by some chance you meet Kurama, it's selfish of me to ask, but he is also one of my patients. I would like a chance to help him, too."

***

Rachel's mind wheeled for a moment at the abrupt pull of the rug. She looked to Kohaku again. Back to Marybeth. Then, just as suddenly she took a step back. But she didn't let the gun-toting woman leave her sight for a moment. Not until she was at the doorway. It felt like her hair was standing upright and she braced herself to dive away should that gun barrel twitch even slightly. Pacing backwards from the pair she reached the entrance to the room and spun.

Straight into the body of another.

"Well ain't this a surprise?" The red-haired man grinned rakishly. There was no warmth in that smile. It chilled the blood in Rachel's veins.

***

"When did you get so dependable?" Guy rubbed his temple as he looked over at the girl staring upwards to the heavens. Despite her cutesy mannerisms and unassuming appearance she was more mature than he'd given her credit for. There were two sides to her, seemingly irreconcilable. She was the Queen of Tokiwadai, head of a network as vast and resourceful as any intelligence agency, but she was also Mental Out, an Esper of terrifying power. But more than that she was Shokuhou Misaki, whose reputation obscured a simple fact. She was a good and honest girl.

Things did not go as Kohaku had hoped, however. She had hoped that she would be able to convince the little girl to stay with them so they could all escape together.

But she had forgotten a cardinal rule here.

She was still a hostage. No matter the fact that she had somewhat wormed her way into Marybeth’s heart, she was still a means to an end for her.

She could only frown as she heard those words. As she watched the little girl back away and run.

They really were two kindred spirits to an extent. Two people who had been brought into something insane out of forces beyond their control. Seeking a way out. Even if she had to wait until she could find Anko-chan again.

However, before she could say much more, the voice of the red-haired man reverberated as she realized that the situation had taken a turn for the worst for everyone involved. Though there was minimal she could do in this situation, she took one glance at Marybeth before shouting to the child.

“GET BACK HERE, KID!”

A strange change had overcome the man. But not an unpleasant one. And following a lengthy explanation of his duty and a possible loophole within it, he stepped out, bringing the act to a quick end. «We will see what we can do…», Kisaragi would mutter, expressng her willingness to return the favour; although towards no one in particular as the doctor had already left the office by then.

With all that said and done now, she finally proceeded to invade the man’s filing system with a clear sense of direction. After all, so long as it was paper printouts, it fell within her territory of expertise. Which was why she should be capable of retrieving the specific file in question within only a moment’s passing.

«You, hold on to this. It’s better if I don’t carry it.» Now, handing it off to Saito, she would proceed to return everything to tidy order. Not even once prying into the secrets of unrelated others.

The moment Kohaku would raise her voice, she would find a hand on her mouth, muting her before any of it could ever leave her lips. «Ssssh. You don’t have a death wish do you?» Whispering into her ear barely under her breath and with a distinct smell of alcohol and tobaco, Marybeth would embrace her in a hug disguising a restraint technique that would prevent the girl’s body from making any unwanted movements.

Lax yet easily tight if she willed it.

«I did what I could. ’s all we can. Now it’s out of our hands.» A sense of defeat became audible in the one eyed monster’s voice, as she held onto the girl just a bit longer.

Exchanging warmth in the cold of this prison.

The Doctor declared his plan of plausible deniability and left the room. He seemed to have a difficult history with Kurama, and Hirashi was happy to accept his request, as long as it did not throw off his primary objective. Dead people cannot give more juicy intel after all. Hirashi was also interested in Miss Scary Eyes’ reaction to the request, it was unlike her to show mercy to her adversaries, was it out of gratitude to The Doctor? Or maybe she also has a history with their target…

Hirashi’s pondering got interrupted by Miss Scary Eyes’ sudden movement, for a moment he thought she might have read his mind and decided to end him for making guesses into her past, but instead it was to look for the paper they have come to seek. Miss Scary Eyes searched with a professionalism and efficiency that impressed even Hirashi, who half-expected her to interrogate the filing cabinets by beating them up.

Being surrounded by open filing cabinets of secret information, Hirashi couldn’t help but feel the tugging of desire, asking him to take a peek. He almost went for it when Miss Scary Eyes thrust the papers into Hirashi’s hands.

«You, hold on to this. It’s better if I don’t carry it.»

Hirashi felt the eyes of his company all on him and changed his mind on snooping around… He could always come back another time.

“Won’t your uhh… skills be better suited to guard something valuable like this?” Hirashi probed, he found Miss Scary Eyes’ sudden aversion to responsibility interesting.

«Who do you take me for? It’s a queen’s duty offer hope to subjects!»

Those may have been words she declared puffing her ample chest out in arrogant confidence, but they were also very sincere. After all, as the boy had come to understand that very moment, Shokuhou Misaki carried burdens far heavier than she let on. And these burdens did not only extend to her clique but everyone related to Tokiwadai Middle School.

«Now be a good follower and bring me a—» A view she would have ruined with a cheap joke, hadn’t it been for the ringing of her phone interrupting her.

Closing the window for any further awkward comedy.

It was with characteristic efficiency that Anko retrieved the file, and as she leafed rapidly through the alphabetised records Reina watched after the slowly retreating back of the doctor. She had been hoping that her visit here might stir some of the memories locked inside her head. And yet she had not a single response to seeing the man. She knew this building well. She must have been here many times before. But that man was as much a stranger to her as any random person on the street.

"Please wait just a second."

While Anko and Saito decided who would carry their prize, Reina made a decisive move to the cabinet herself.

Her approach was far less methodical than Anko's, but in short time she found the folder bearing her name and slid the drawer shut again.

"Okay. Let's get out of here." She clutched the folder to her chest, but dared not open it.

***

When Dr Reiner returned to the office some time later he closed the door after himself and approached the cabinet of papers, thumbing slowly through the remaining files and comparing their contents to the mental catalogue he had built over the years. True to their word, they had only taken Kenji's.

And...

Dr Reiner could not help but notice the absence of Reina's own file. He looked up, running this new data through the algorithms of his mind. Then, coming to a conclusion, tilted his head to shield his sensitive eyes from the light of the office as he removed his sunglasses.

"What an interesting turn of events..." He muttered, lowering the lights to a more comfortable level. After all, he wasn't expecting any more visitors this night.

***

Rachel leapt away from the man as though she had just touched a glowing hot stove, but a firm hand gripped her shoulder, wrenching her back. The fingers dug into her skin through the fabric of her clothes, locking her to him.

"I'm not going to ask what you were doing. Or why you've got the hostage with you." Imai said, ignoring Rachel's thrashing and scrambling as he pulled her back towards him. He released her shoulder only to snake his arm about her neck like a collar. The girl bit down with all her might, paying back the pain in her shoulder by sinking her teeth into the flesh of his arm. It had precisely zero effect. "It's weird, though. I thought Stockholm syndrome worked the other way around?"

Rachel lifted her foot and stamped down hard, grinding the heel of her shoe down Imai's shin and into his foot. He grimaced, more in irritation than pain. Beside him, Kenji's hand twitched for the coins in his pocket. Marybeth already had her pistol at the ready. If this was to turn into a standoff...

"If you're leaving, then just leave. We didn't pay you guys in advance, so it's no loss on our end. But I didn't think you were the type to scurry off with your tail between your legs at the first sign of trouble." Imai's head rolled lazily to one side with a shrug. "We've already got what we need to bait those suckers. This one here was the last piece." He snatched Rachel's cap from her head to ruffle her sandy blonde hair like an affectionate uncle. "But don't you want to see how this all ends?" His smarmy grin split wider, becoming bestial.

With that their business at the psychologist was over. Although, she had picked up on Reina’s actions, Kisaragi had chosen to remain silent; did she fully well understand the importance of those files.

Instead, she would focus on what laid ahead, leading the group back towards their parked escape vehicle. This time not by climbing through a window like the thieves they were but straight through the entrance.

Being as direct as that, she casually tore open the back door, climbing in before plunging onto the same seat as before. No careful knock to announce her presence. No polite greetings. Just straight to the point. «We got what we needed. Let’s go.»

Yet even she, in all that professionalism – or maybe because of exactly that – picked up on the oddly high heat and moisture in the air. «I’m not going to question what happened in here while we were out, but keep yourselves focussed on what’s coming next.»

If Marybeth had a few screws loose this man qualified as a bonafide psychopath. Not that it fazed her in the slightest. «Leave? What do I look like? A traitor? As you said, this business ain’t over yet and we’re here to go through with it.» Hence she could wear that fat grin across her face even as he held the kid in that chokehold. «We’ll stay here till the credits roll.»

Not that she had any other choice in the first place. Thanatos as a whole was bound to this job. Their future was. With her little uprising even more than before.

As for the girl: There was no pity. No mercy whatsoever. The kid had had her chance to run. Only to waste it on idle chatter.

However, there was still one thing that bugged her. Greatly. «You better watch your mouth, though. I’m not some sentimental old hag. This isn’t some Stockholm Syndrome shit. Just so you know.» Having defended herself in her usual rough tone, she suddenly slung her own arm around the girl by her side, embracing her tighlty as her hand brushed over her neck, shoulder and chest. «Kohaku-chan here is mine. I’ll treat her the way I want. So why not make her a little comfortable ahead of all the party?»

She couldn’t believe how far the situation had shifted. It was almost absurd. The young girl who she had struggled to pull to safety had been put into one of the most precarious situations possible. Both she and Marybeth were placed into danger as well. All of this by the hand of an intruder, a man who was either the one who hired Marybeth or an underling for that group.

Truly, it was a travesty.

Moreover, it wasn’t clear that she should not be speaking.

No matter how much she wanted to point out that what the man was referring to was called Lima Syndrome and was not Stockholm Syndrome. No matter how much she wanted to shout out to the girl to get out. No matter how much she wanted to scream and defy the unjust reality she was being saddled with.

As her Marybeth covered her mouth and ran her hand over Kohaku’s body, she could only grit her teeth.

For the situation had become so precarious that even the tactless girl knew better than to walk into the obvious tripwire.

All she could do was glare at the man before her and grit her teeth. With bated breath, that was all she could do.

For now.

For now...

“Guys, what the hell?! You were listening in?! Not cool! Also, we were alert the whole time! So, fuck off!”

It seemed Tsubasa was equally distraught at the other party's intrusion into what had until that moment been a private and intimate conversation. Tsubasa's emotions came out in a bit more of an aggressive fashion though she still seemed okay.

“Although… The truth is that I did indeed get distracted for a moment there. Especially when—”

Tsubasa stopped her sentence partway through. The particular moment when she was most distracted would remain for only her to know. Though Aiko had a suspicion.

“Ouch…”

A loud "thunk" could then be heard as Tsubasa smacked her head against the window, seemingly trying to re-center herself.

“I should’ve been more careful when talking earlier, sorry about that. I guess I’m used to Aizawa’s soundproof vehicles and the dead silent chauffeurs he hires. I usually got away with saying or doing whatever I wanted in privacy, haha…”

"It's fine, nothing to worry about. Though I do want to know... what was it that had you so distracted." Aiko's voice had been lowered to a whisper to match Tsubasa's as she sat back down maybe just a bit too close to Tsubasa. Aiko felt like teasing the girl a bit more as a way to hide her own embarrassment. Just as she had sat back down however, the sensation of a number of people entering her field caused her to sit up straight as her hand dropped to the gun on her leg. Her ability could tell her where people were, but who they were was much harder to make out. Aiko tensed up as the van door slid open revealing that it was just their comrades returning what looked like successfully from their endeavor.

«I’m not going to question what happened in here while we were out, but keep yourselves focused on what’s coming next.»

"Nice to see you too. Looks like you got the files. Anything noteworthy?"