[center][color=ff9815][b][h1]Nakano Nagi[/h1][/b][/color] [color=ff9815]Mentions: Asumi[@Ambra], Munehisa[@Solace], Masashi[@Zombehs], Hakuro[@FalloutJack][/color][/center] [color=ff9815][h3]April 24, 2025[/h3][/color] That night, after getting back from school, Nagi had promptly cooked herself dinner and divvied up leftover portions for her father tonight and his, hers, and Asumi's lunches tomorrow. It seemed the old man was running late tonight, and Nagi really didn't have the energy to discuss her day, or more accurately, lie about it. So she promptly dragged herself up to her room and laid down in bed. Surrounded by an ecelectic mix of plushies, Buchimaru merchandise, wrestling memorabilia, and a punching bag, Nagi grabbed her tablet and booted up a certain web page. While she didn't know the dumbass on sight or anything, she knew some weird kid from her school started up some podcast this year and liked to gossip. A lot. Unfortunately, there wasn't exactly much on Okamoto on either that site or the unofficial school board. [color=ff9815][b]"Craaaaap."[/b][/color] She groaned, setting her tablet aside as she murmured to herself. [color=ff9815][b]"So much for the easy idea. Now I'll have to actually ask the fucker in person. If he's not wasting my time, that is..."[/b][/color] Nagi trailed off, deciding to turn in early for the night. As enjoyable as beating the shit out of that giant wasp was, the emotional outburst and the surprising drain of actually using her weird superpowers did tire her out. ___ [color=ff9815][h3]April 25, 2025[/h3][/color] [hider=Lunchtime Meeting] At lunchtime, Nagi gave Asumi a larger bento than normal, stuffed with ginger pork and stir-fried vegetables, as an apology for missing yesterday's study session before saying she had something to take care of today. With that done, the girl set off upstairs toward the third-year classrooms. Sauntering into Class 3-A at lunchtime, Nagi started looking around. Where was the dipshit with the hat...? No one was wearing one. Motherfucker. She'd have to do this the hard way, then. [color=ff9815][b]"Alright, which one of you's Kuroda?"[/b][/color] Nagi folded her arms, standing in the doorway as Class 3-A was having their lunch. [color=ff9815][b]"Gotta ask you about something."[/b][/color] [b]"What the-"[/b] Some proper-looking girl, probably the class rep by Nagi's guess, got up, looking annoyed. [b]"I don't know who you are, but you can't just barge in here like that!"[/b] [color=ff9815][b]"Then either get me Kuroda or do something about it."[/b][/color] Nagi turned her sullen glare on the girl before looking back around the room, waiting for someone to speak up, or at the very least, inadvertently stare at the guy. Well, he wasn't allowed to [i]wear one[/i] in class! There he was, minding his own business - and his lunch - when in burst Nakano Nagi with a sudden urge to speak to him about something. One harsh gulp later, as Hakuro attempted to recall if he'd said or done anything to or about her - like he'd been trying to avoid so that she wouldn't feel inclined to bust his chops or his [i]face[/i] - he stood up with a hand raised. [color=green]"Yo. Hatto over here. How can I help you, Nakano?"[/color] After his conversation with Katsuragi yesterday, he was quick to remember not to refer to someone by the first name that he didn't know that well, especially if it's someone looking rather pissed for some reason. Hakuro gave the Class Rep a look like 'It's okay, I've got this.', so things could calm down. [color=ff9815][b]"You, outside, with me, now."[/b][/color] Nagi grunted, jerking a finger behind her. [color=ff9815][b]"Wasting my lunch with this, so hurry it up."[/b][/color] Once he got up and started following her, Nagi led him to an empty club room on this floor that she knew no one was using at lunchtime. [color=ff9815][b]"Right, before you start jumping to any conclusions, this's strictly business."[/b][/color] Nagi said as she closed the door behind her. [color=ff9815][b]"I know you run that hat site or whatever it's called, not the point. You know shit. I need to know certain shit. Two things. One, Okamoto. Need as much dirt you got on her as possible. Second, you hear of any weird shit going on at school? Kids getting lost and confused or something?"[/b][/color] Why she didn't bring food along with her if the timing bothered her, he would never know, as Hakuro just picked up his own bento box to take along in as non-chalant a manner as possible. She'd find him still idly munching by as she talked, taking in her words with interest. He waited with a finger raised after she was done talking until his mouth was no longer full. [color=green]"Number one, I [i]am[/i] investigating her, but I was warned that she had the Principal in her pocket and a bunch of Third-Years and Graduates that swear by her instead of at her, meaning she's protected in a way that makes attack difficult. I DID hear about what happened, and that's why I'm with you on this, but it's not gonna be as straightforward as that. We could get others in trouble for it, so I have to be careful now."[/color] His fingers went from a one to a two now. [color=green]"Second, I heard yesterday that the reason for the curfews is literally because of people disappearing, and the police have been investigating, but to no avail as of yet. There is no word on whether it's a kidnapping or a runaway or what, just that it's happening and that's why we can't wander out in the dead of night anymore."[/color] Then, he paused, because he'd been thinking something since yesterday, and Nagi right now was bringing it to the forefront of his brain again. [color=green]"You're thinking there's a connection, aren't you? I had a paranoid thought about it yesterday, but I'm not gonna write it off until I think it's unfeasible."[/color] Nagi busied herself with taking her own bento out and eating as Hakuro started talking. Same contents as the one she gave Asumi, just at normal portions. Once he finished, she swallowed the last bite she'd taken, sighing while leaning back in her chair. [color=ff9815][b]"Goddamn it, of course she's blowing him."[/b][/color] Nagi pinched her brow before marshaling her thoughts. A bunch of third years and graduates with some kind of weird slavish loyalty to her? Wild guess by her standards, but that was probably what the alternate fake-tit Okamoto meant by submitting to her. Well, shit. [color=ff9815][b]"Something like that."[/b][/color] She shrugged. [color=ff9815][b]"Not that I'd give a crap if it wasn't making my life difficult, but it is what it is. As for the Okamoto problem...don't worry about it. I got a few ideas about that. Just needed more info."[/b][/color] She polished off what remained of her bento before closing the box and tucking it back in her bag. [color=ff9815][b]"Right, you've been surprisingly not useless. Thanks. One last thing before I go."[/b][/color] Nagi fished her phone out and opened it up to the picture she'd seen last night, pointing to a certain line in the middle of the screen. [color=ff9815][b]"Who the fuck put this on your site?"[/b][/color] Her eyes narrowed. WHOA! [i]Immediate[/i] flinch of surprise from the not-currently-Hatto-san! [color=green]"Good god, it's because she has high graduate levels in students, the ones that simp after her! It's an extortion racket, I think."[/color] Which...would fit entirely in form with the whole 'I'm mad about this picture, fix the problem for me or you're all doomed' scenario that the woman was putting her class through. Nevertheless, Hakuro was swiftly trying to forget that line now. Nagi was just so goddamn blunt, sometimes... Still, she agreed there might be something there, but did not elaborate on it. Given the things that he knew about Nagi that he didn't write about so there wouldn't be a [i]problem[/i], it might've been that she was in 'Playing this close to the vest' mode, considering how she didn't want him to worry about it further. That was a veiled [i]something[/i], to be sure. [color=green]"My next move was going to be looking into these past students of hers, so if you were planning to do something unmentionable, you won't find me watching from a broom closet, if [i]that's[/i] what you mean."[/color] Lastly, there was the surprising return of that damn picture circulating around his site. Hakuro squinted at it for a second, like it was some kind of nemesis, and then pulled out his phone. [color=green]"Let's see here... Current account on the site is a 'MetalChick_99'. Huh... I think it's someone actually [i]from here[/i]. Might even be...yeah. There's a girl around somewhere that really looks the part. Wild hair, lots of piercings, and so on. No idea why she drew it. Longtime listeners know I'm better than that. You let her know if you're going off to see her. I already responded to that on-site."[/color] Suddenly, all the tension seemed to drain from Nagi's form as Hakuro revealed who it was. [color=ff9815][b]"Yeah, I think I know who you're talking about. We're in the same club. She's harmless and this was just a stupid meme. Son of a bitch, I'm almost disappointed it's literally nothing now."[/b][/color] She tucked her phone back into her bag, turning to leave. [color=ff9815][b]"Well, whatever. I'm dipping out, then. Your time's appreciated. Lemme know if you find out anything more about Okamoto or her simps if I'm not done by then. Here's my burner's LINE."[/b][/color] She promptly rattled off the number of the other burner she used for her non-personal contacts, not the spy cam one. Couldn't let him think he was getting somewhere by giving him her actual number, after all. With that done, Nagi left the way she came, making her way back downstairs without so much as a glance back. Not sure if it was a good thing or not that Nagi thought nothing of the picture anymore. Did she expect him to be some kind of mad player, dissing people right and left? That just wasn't what the Hatto-san was all about. Maybe that wasn't her thing, but whatever the metal player thought of him wasn't [i]his[/i]. After this, Hakuro was given the number for a throw-away phone, and contrary to Nagi's own thoughts on this, he felt this was a weird sort of mark of trust. She informed him that this was something she did, and she didn't want him all the way out when he'd taken it upon himself to investigate, regardless. This was now a collabotative effort, which meant he had a potential resource to call to if he needed something done. The number was taken down quickly as Hakuro nodded, saying [color=green]"Be careful with her. This teacher just might be crazy in the worst way."[/color] as Nagi left. He had NO IDEA just how right he was, but at this rate...he was gonna find out. [/hider] ___ After class, Nagi did her usual routine of starting to walk home with Asumi, Masa, and Mune. Surprisingly, Asumi hadn't made the assumption Nagi had figured she would. Yet. Masa'd probably bring it up in a bit just to give her shit. God damn it, she should have bitten him harder when they were kids. Prick. But her musings were cut off by Asumi's most recent words. [color=ff9815][b]"Wait, wait, wait,"[/b][/color] Nagi grabbed Asumi's arm in alarm. [color=ff9815][b]"Back the fuck up. You guys got fingered by the cops? Details. [i]Now.[/i]"[/b][/color] Maybe some pussy normal person would think she was overreacting. But as the daughter of a known yakuza oyabun, being taken in by the police was never not going to be cause for alarm for Nagi. Of course, she definitely wasn't trying to dodge making shit up about what she and Mune had been up to. Not at all. Nope.