[hr][i][h1][color=cornflowerblue]Shizuka Takashiro[/color], & Daphne "Holly" Hope.[/h1][/i]
[hr][hider=Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII OST - The Clandestine Dark Suits (from 'Turk's Theme')][youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzGmFgBsZ5w[/youtube][/hider][hr]

Working for both Akemi's cleaning shop [i]and[/i] Cindy's Candy Club did help to ease Shizuka's hyperactivity - in the day he would go out with Haruka to the homes of their customers to do door-to-door general housework; by evening he set out for the club, then rushing back to the shophouse before midnight. Akemi's job helped him to familiarize the areas of Verthaven, while Cindy's helped him to gather the happenings and rumors going around the city.

Because he needed [i]more[/i] information. Especially since after the that episode with Cindy at Knightdale a week ago.

He could have just asked Cindy - they would meet each other a lot at the club, and he also had her number from their first meeting - about this whole Metahuman shit (she was obviously the most level-headed out of the three new acquaintances the twins met - besides, her glass power was [i]awesome[/i]); or maybe he could have tried Meifeng, since her mother was a NESTie. The club work kept him busy, and as far as he's concerned he wanted to pay off the bike debt as soon as possible; he barely had much time for himself, so hanging out with Meifeng and Trevor was out of the question (they were probably busy with their own life too, anyway).

Today was a rare day-off for the silver-haired teen - there wasn't any housekeeping orders, and Haruka chose to stay in the shop with Akemi. Of course Shizuka would definitely take this opportunity to bounce out of the door and explore the city to his heart's content. Even the weather was on his side - the sky was clear, finally a day without all that eerie, unnatural raining. That didn't had any effect to bring back the crowd on the streets; Chinatown was more deserted than the time when the twins first arrived here, most of the shops had been closed for weeks except a few like Akemi's and the restaurant opposite of them... Even the neon lights were forgotten, the usual nightscape was reduced to mere street lamps scattered across the otherwise darkness by nightfall.

As he passed by the little bar wedged between an office tower and an antique shop, he bumped into someone who was exiting. This person caught his shoulders with a firm grip; Shizuka looked up into the green eyes of the lady he saw at the shophouse just yesterday. "Ah, you're one of Ms. Akemi's nephews. [i]Platina.[/i]"

"Huh." He raised an eyebrow at the term.

"It's the Japanese pronunciation for 'Platinum', isn't it?"

He nodded. "But no one has ever called me that as a nickname." Then his face broke out a smirk. "How about my bro'? You've seen him at the shop too, right?"

The young lady gave him a small smile. "[i]Harry Potter.[/i]"

Shizuka let out a howl of laughter. "Good one, miss! So, what should I call you then?"

"Ah, yes. How rude of me. I'm [i]Holly[/i]." She extended out a hand, but Shizuka ignored the hint for a handshake, choosing to give her a short bow. Daphne Hope - callsign 'Holly' - shrugged, keeping her hands back into her pockets. "You're an interesting person."

Shizuka was fast in regaining his composure, as if the mirthful outburst just now did not happen at all. "Looking for me?" It was subtle - this boy appeared to be quite skilled in concealing his thoughts, controlling his feelings - but Daphne could still catch a cautious note in his casual tone. She could almost hear the unspoken '[i]What kind of business do you have with us?[/i]' from the silence that followed after his question.

"As the saying goes: walls have ears. But so are the ground beneath us and the air around us." She gestured at Shizuka, then to the bar. "After you."

[hr]
Shizuka's eyes had to take a second or two to adjust to the dim lighting in the bar compared to the sunlit brightness outside. It was rather spacious for a small bar; other than the two of them and a bartender behind the counter, the place was empty. He gave a sideways glance at the lady before he followed her to sit at the counter.

"I've enough of alcohol for today. Just plain water please," Daphne told the old Asian bartender, who nodded and shifted his gaze to the teenage boy. "And the same for him." After placing two glasses of water before them, the bartender left to continue polishing the cocktail glassware.

"I'll get straight to the point," Daphne began, circling the rim of the glass with a finger slowly. "First, to answer you and your twin's curiosity of my relationship with Ms. Akemi, she's more than just a friend to me - she has taken good care of me when I first came to this city. I owed her a lot."

When Shizuka didn't reply, she continued, "Second, Ms. Akemi has requested me to watch out for you two." Shizuka narrowed his eyes at her, but he still made no comment.

"Third," Daphne turned to face the boy. "I am a NEST agent."

"...And?"

Daphne chuckled at Shizuka's defensive reaction. "Don't worry, I have no intention to use my job authority on two innocent teenagers. Also, I'm merely a low-ranking officer; I do not have any power to arrest people." Her eyes were still fixated on him. "I see what is required to be seen, I hear what is required to be heard, and I say what is required to be told. I have no interest beyond what is necessary."

Shizuka crossed his arms before him. "And...bury what has to stay silent?"

Daphne was beginning to really like this boy. "If you mean your power...yes." Shizuka widened his eyes and opened his mouth to speak, but she raised a hand to stop him. "If you need any assistance, I can be your eyes and ears. My ability is chloropathy - I prefer to call that 'Flora Network' - and every living plant in this city are my allies, watching the whole of Verthaven."

"So...that's how you knew what I can do." Then something struck the younger twin. [i]Given who this lady is...[/i] "But...why?"

"I think you should already know my answer. Especially after this conversation with you." She stood up. "I'm sure you probably have felt it: Verthaven is about to meet its biggest turning point. A crisis that could determine this city's future." She gave him a cheerful wave and left, leaving Shizuka still deep in thought at the counter.