[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/moq2uR2.png[/img][/center]
[center] [color=LightBlue]I-I sure hope that s-strange man never c-comes back...[/color]
[color=888888]-Norika Tsukishima[/color][/center]

It was getting late in the day. Before long, it would be safe for Norika to turn into Nyxia. Then she could go on some adventures with Roche and maybe blow up a few miseria. That should have been cause for elation, yet, concern continued to gnaw at the back of her mind. In all previous instances, the slaying of Miseria, and especially [i]Giga[/i] Miseria, had led to an increase in power for her and the other club members. But that [i]hadn’t[/i] happened when they’d fought the bone giant and its disgusting bird minions. While it was possible the reason for that was simply because Rei had dispatched them all single handedly, Norika strongly suspected there was something [i]else[/i] at play. Or some[i]one…[/i]

[i]*knock knock*[/i]

[b]”Girl.”[/b] It was her father. [b]”If you’re not dressed, do so immediately.”[/b] Prior to becoming a magical girl, Norika would spend her evenings sleeping to preserve her energy. Usually her father would never risk waking her, and even forbade his servants from doing so. [b]”I have someone I need you to speak with. Don’t keep me waiting, child.”[/b]

Norika gasped, her father’s voice shattering her musings. A moment later, she had caught her breath enough to stammer out a meek reply. [color=LightBlue]“Y-Yes, f-father.”[/color]

Clutching her pendant tightly, the frail girl tried her best to calm her racing heart. [color=LightBlue][i]W-Who could he possibly want me to speak to?[/i][/color] her racing mind wondered. [color=LightBlue][i]C-Could it be that man from before?[/i][/color]

She desperately hoped not. Norika had never been the most outgoing person, and the crippling social anxiety she felt in her weak mundane form would only be exacerbated by the nature of what that man probably wanted to talk with her about. It was no exaggeration to say that such a discussion terrified her more than any battle with Miseria ever could, but although she wanted nothing more than to curl up under her covers, she knew she had to face this most daunting of battles head on. Donning her robe and gripping her cane with a trembling hand, Norika slowly made her way to where her father and the mysterious guest were waiting… 

It turned out her worst fears were true. 

The only people in the lounge room were her father and that stranger from the other day. Though he was dressed much better today. It was almost the same outfit, but everything was neatly tucked in and there were no wrinkles in his clothes. The man and her father both cat on large lounges, but there was a small one nearby that was reserved specifically for Norika. It was located in the dark corner of the room and was always kept clean. There were also no allergens in that corner of the room, and two silent air purifiers created a germ barrier between her chair and the rest of the lounge. 

[b]”There she is.”[/b] He pointed at her while holding a joyless expression. [b]”Well? Go sit in your chair and I’ll explain.”[/b] Once Norika hobbled over to her chair and sat down, a maid snatched up her cane and backed out of the corner. It was almost as if they were trying to trap her. 

While she seated herself, both men watched her. Her father displayed his usual thinly concealed impatience with her, but the man sitting across from him was different. It was hard to see his eyes through his shades, but it appeared as if he was looking at her with complete indifference. Or was it curiosity, like a cat that had spotted a cornered mouse?

Norika’s heart stopped when she saw who her father wanted her to speak with. It took all her willpower to not collapse on the spot, but she managed to finally settle her shaking body into her seat. So great was her state of near paralysis, that she barely even noticed the maid take away her cane. Indeed, her fear was keeping her rooted to the chair even more than her feeble body’s lack of mobility. Swallowing and taking several panicked breaths, she finally gathered the strength to whisper a timid, [color=LightBlue]“H-H-Hello. M-My f-father said y-you w-wanted to s-speak with m-me…?”[/color] she asked, her head bowed as she tried her best not to look too long at the unnerving man’s inscrutable visage.

The man placed his hands together and leaned forward. [b]”Hello, Norika. I’m Makoto. I’m told it means good and honest, which I feel is a fair assessment of my character. We saw each other the other day, remember?”[/b]

Though her father knew she wouldn’t speak that easily. [b]”Utter disgrace of a child…”[/b] He grumbled just loud enough for her to hear.  With a groan, her father leaned in. [b]”Makoto here thinks you might have heard something the day the break in happened, and it could help catch the person responsible for such an egregious theft.”[/b]

[b]”Your father has agreed to let me talk to you alone. But of course, [i]you[/i] need to agree to it as well.”[/b]

Her father presented a photo album with Kaito’s name on it. [b]”Kaito was such a gifted boy. He loved many things, photography included.”[/b] He seemed to be explaining mostly for Makoto’s benefit. [b]”We were going to give you his photo album if your grades improved, which they have not. However, I’m prepared to photocopy a few pages for you if you can get through Makoto’s questions. Do you think you can handle that?”[/b]

Norika gasped when she saw the album, her eyes going wide. She and Kaito had spent many long hours looking through its pages, her brother describing the story behind every shot, describing a world she, at the time, hadn’t been able to enter, and feared she never would. Of course, after his death, their father had confiscated it, and Norika had resigned herself to never looking upon its pages again. To hold it over her now, as a bribe, as [i]blackmail…[/i] She clenched her teeth, her hatred of the cold, heartless man who called himself her father growing even stronger. But she couldn’t act on those feelings, even if she wanted to, couldn’t reveal just how strong she had actually become… 

[color=LightBlue]“Y-Yes,”[/color] the sickly girl assented in a meek whisper. [color=LightBlue]“I-I a-agree.”[/color]

[b]”Good girl.”[/b]

Her father tucked the album under his arm and left, not bothering to glance at either of the two still in the lounge. 

[b]”Hmmm.”[/b] Makoto took a moment to look the girl over, or maybe he was just staring her down. Then he reached into his vest and pulled out a notepad and a pen. He rested his arms on his knees and looked straight ahead. [b]”This won’t take long.”[/b] Those could have been words of reassurance, but his tone made it sound like they were meant for her father rather than her. [b]”So the break in. Do you remember the night that it happened?”[/b]

[color=LightBlue]“Y-Yes,”[/color] Norika confirmed with a nod. [color=LightBlue]“I-I was i-in my r-room,”[/color] she added, her voice as quiet and timid as ever. [color=LightBlue]“R-Resting in b-bed.”[/color]

However, although she was still incredibly nervous, it occurred to Norika that there was no way a meek and frail girl like her could ever have contributed to the break in, and it was equally impossible for any mundane person to know about Nyxia Torrentia, let alone that she and Norika were one and the same. Thus, there was really no reason to feel anxious about lying to this man. Norika really [i]had[/i] been resting in her bed that night, at least until she’d determined it was safe to transform into Nyxia, so it was only natural to assume that she had [i]remained[/i] in bed while the robbery took place, a robbery that weak, sickly Norika would know nothing about.  

[b]”Right.”[/b] He started to write. [b]”And you didn’t hear anything unusual while you were resting?”[/b] 

[color=LightBlue]“T-That’s c-correct,”[/color] Norika replied.

This was actually the truth, since, although the Omega Obliterator usually emitted the typical sci-fi sounds of a death ray being fired, Nyxia was fully capable of silencing it on the rare occasions when stealth was required. As such, there was nothing for anyone to hear when she used it to slice open her parents’ safe.

His hand froze momentarily, then with a nod he continued to scribble. [b]”You were aware of the safe’s existence before it was opened, correct? I can imagine your parents showed you the safe after it had been pillaged. Do you remember when you saw it after the robbery?”[/b]

[color=LightBlue]“I-I, um, w-wasn’t s-shown the s-safe,”[/color] Norika replied with a frown. [color=LightBlue]“M-My parents d-don’t usually i-involve me in s-such matters…”[/color] she explained.

[b]”Then you don’t know where it’s located? You don’t even know what it looks like?”[/b]

[color=LightBlue]“I-I know r-roughly where it is,”[/color] Norika replied. [color=LightBlue]“I-I s-saw it o-once, w-with my b-brother,”[/color] she explained. [color=LightBlue]“B-But that was s-several years a-ago.”[/color]

[b]”I see.”[/b] His pen blazed across his notepad. He wasn’t even looking at it, or, maybe he was. [b]”Do you mind telling me a bit about Kaito? You seemed to be close to him.”[/b]

[color=LightBlue]“Y-Yes,”[/color] Norika confirmed with a hesitant nod. [color=LightBlue]“I-I was [i]v-very[/i] close to h-him. H-He was e-everything I’m n-not, s-strong, intelligent, s-skilled, h-healthy… B-But he n-never looked d-down on m-me,”[/color] she added. [color=LightBlue]“H-He was always s-so s-supportive and k-kind. H-He was my o-only f-friend, a-and n-now…”[/color] Her voice trailed off as she struggled to fight back tears.

[b]”What a nice brother.”[/b] Makoto wrote down a few more notes. After flipping through a few of them he swung the notepad shut. [b]”It must have been hard to lose someone like that. I mean, I’m sure your father’s a great man, but that was just monstrous.”[/b] He wrinkled his nose. [b]”He’s using your brother’s possessions to control you? It just seems so low to take something like that and guide you around as if it were a carrot on a stick. Your family isn’t showing you the same kind of love your brother did. The servants aren’t much better, are they?”[/b]

[color=LightBlue]“N-No… T-They’re not…”[/color] Norika confirmed after a moment. [color=LightBlue]“T-They all h-hate me,”[/color] she added in an anguished whimper. [color=LightBlue]“T-They always h-have…”[/color]

[b]”It must be lonely.”[/b] He put away his notepad and pen. [b]”You’re too ill to leave the house. Opportunities to make friends must be scarce. But they do exist.”[/b] He smiled.  [b]”There’s a club at Hibusa High called The Good Samaritan Club. The club’s president has personally made a few visits here. Apparently Misoka Takahashi was so insistent and charming that even your mother couldn’t turn her away. She did a toy drive one year and a fundraiser for some chronic disease research the next. I don’t suppose the two of you are friends?”[/b]

[color=LightBlue]“N-No,”[/color] Norika replied, shaking her head. [color=LightBlue]“I-I don’t even k-know who t-that is.”[/color] This was the truth, as, aside from the Detention Club members she was forced to interact with, she didn’t know anyone from Hibusa High. [color=LightBlue]“I-I’m s-sure you a-already know t-that my p-parents consider m-me an e-embarrassment,”[/color] she added. [color=LightBlue]“S-So they d-don’t o-often introduce me to o-others.”[/color]

[b]”I was afraid of that.”[/b] He put his hands on his hips and corrected his posture. [b]”I kind of know what happened, but you know, I need to check every thread I’m presented with.”[/b] He shrugged his shoulders. [b]”I guess I can share with you what we know. Misoka Takahashi’s mother runs a flower shop. Not long after it burned down, she came into some money and was able to rebuild around the time of the break in. The mother seemed pretty insistent that they found the money. And fair enough, there are robin hood types and, well, your parents are kind of well off.”[/b] He crossed his arms. [b]”The safe seems to have been cut open with a plasma cutter, or an arc welder. The cut is very clean, and while heavy, it wouldn’t be impossible to sneak one into the house. The theft seemed to have happened at night, and it’s quiet enough that nobody would hear it.”[/b] He leaned in. [b]”I’m quite certain that Misoka was the one to do it. She occasionally asks other club members for tools, and would have access to either of those tools from the welding club. After that, she just had to break in and hack into the safe.”[/b] While still leaning forward, Makoto extended his hand and pointed at the ground with his gloved hand. [b]”But what I don’t understand is how she found out about the safe. She managed to avoid security, knew where the safe was, and then cut into it in such a way that she didn’t burn any of the money. Maybe she got lucky, but it would make a lot more sense if she had some help on the inside.”[/b] He shook his head. [b]”Your parents tell me no one should know about the safe. There’s a few trusted advisors that visit once in a blue moon, but only your parents and maybe that ‘utter disgrace’ of a child knows its whereabouts. Call me crazy, but the idea of you conspiring against your parents kind of brings a smile to my face. The idea that they’ve mistreated and belittled you and you just kind of conspired to help someone in need. I mean that story’s kind of cute. Barely a crime, really.”[/b] He sighed and leaned back in his seat. [b]”But it’s sounding like Misoka Takahashi masterminded this herself. Invading a home, destroying private property, theft, that’s a serious crime.[/b] He placed his hands together. [b]”You really have nothing to do with this?”[/b]

Norika’s mind raced. It would have been so easy to simply say she knew nothing about the incident. After all, she really [i]didn’t[/i] know anything about Misoka. But she [i]did[/i] know about her mother, and their family’s flower shop. The last thing she wanted was for them to get in trouble because of her attempts to help them rebuild it. That said, she wasn't about to just reveal to this stranger what [i]really[/i] happened. At least, not entirely…

She took a deep breath. [color=LightBlue]“L-Like I s-said, I’ve n-never met t-this Misoka.”[/color] Norika replied. [color=LightBlue]“B-But… W-Well, on t-the night you m-mentioned, I [i]d-did[/i] see s-something strange. I-I sometimes l-like to l-look at the s-stars t-through my w-window,”[/color] she continued. [color=LightBlue]“A-And I n-noticed some movement a-across the y-yard. T-There was a f-full moon, a-and it g-gave just e-enough light f-for me t-to make out a p-person with l-long, teal h-hair. D-Does Misoka h-have hair t-that color?”[/color] she asked.

Norika highly doubted it. Of course, that didn’t preclude a wig, but that line of thinking was what Norika was counting on. Now, all she would have to do was get Roche to buy her just such a wig, which she could then plant on a suitably unpleasant individual of her choosing, thus framing [i]them[/i] as the culprit.

He looked surprised.  [b]”Really now? This is the first I’m hearing about this…”[/b] He pulled back out his notes, checked them, jotted something down, flipped a few more pages, and then slowly let the notepad swing shut. [b]”No, she does not have teal hair. Though it would not be hard for her to acquire a wig from the theater club.”[/b] He tucked everything away in his vest. [b]”I’m told you have to rest soon. You were very helpful and I will not keep you up any later.”[/b] Makoto stood up. [b]”Good evening. I may talk to you later about the mysterious individual you spotted.”[/b]

On his way out of the lounge, Norika’s mother stopped him. [b]”Was she any help at all?”[/b]

[b]”Very. Make sure she gets what she was promised.”[/b]

The woman rolled her eyes once Makoto stepped past her. With a wave of her hand, the maid returned to set the cane back in place. Her mother huffed and placed a hand on her hip. [b]”Go back to your room, please.”[/b] She turned her head while she spoke and left the room. The only one who remained was the maid, who’s stern face let Norika know that this was the most annoying part of her job. 

​​[color=LightBlue]“Y-Yes, M-Mother,”[/color] Norika replied with a meek nod, before tightly grasping her cane and hobbling her way back to the welcoming safety of her room.  

Upon arriving at her room, she would find that everything was more or less the same. With an exception to a glossy piece of photo paper set on her desk. Upon closer inspection, she would discover that it was a page of Kaito’s album that had been copied onto some high quality gloss paper. Her parents might have been cruel to her, but they did keep their word. Their pride forbids them from breaking it. 

As her eyes trailed down the pages, remembering the stories Kaito would share with her, she would come across a photo that she didn’t remember. Of course she remembered everything Kaito had told her. He had shown Norika this picture and told her it was a photo of all the club presidents on the last day at school. It was an impulsive selfie he felt like snapping towards the end of the day. He just turned around, held his camera out, and snapped a picture of everyone. It was possible that Misoka was in this picture somewhere. But what Norika hadn’t remembered, or perhaps hadn’t realized was more accurate, was the girl that Kaito was standing beside. It was Rei, and her cool exterior had been broken wide open. She had a nervous smile on her face and was weakly waving at the camera. That made his hand on her waist that much easier to notice.

[color=LightBlue]“[i]W-What…?![/i]”[/color] Norika stammered, her eyes going wide and her breath catching in her throat. 

While the fact that her brother knew Rei was understandable, the expression on the enigmatic club president’s face, and the way Kaito was holding her, were shocking in the extreme. [color=LightBlue][i]W-Were they [b]friends?[/b][/i][/color] Norika wondered as she continued to gaze into the copied photograph in an attempt to glean some further, hidden insight on the scene it depicted. [color=LightBlue][i]W-W-Were they… [b]more[/b] than that?[/i][/color] Whatever the case, she [i]had[/i] to know the truth, and not even Rei’s signature aura of mystery would be allowed to stop her from doing so…