Persona BLEACHED 5: Chapter 2

Persona BLEACHED 5
Chapter 2: Kyoto Calling
July 19, 2036
Kansai International Airport, located on an artificial island just offshore from Osaka. It is connected to the mainland only by a single, two-and-a-half mile long bridge, carrying automotive traffic on top and a rail system on the bottom.
On this morning, 19-year old Parvati Patel stood waiting in the entrance area. She possessed long, dark hair, and wore a cream-colored hoodie over a pink 'Animal Crossing' shirt, the logo of which was also present on her phone.
She was of mixed Indian and Korean heritage, and was in Japan to begin university in Kyoto, where she would be staying with her older cousin. Displaying clear signs of nerves, she was focused on the text message she was sending to her older brother back home.
"You look so tense, Parvati. You know this island won't be sinking anytime soon." spoke a woman's voice bearing a French accent.
Its owner approached. Carrie Blackthorne, judging by appearance, was fond of the color purple. Her eyes, nails and hair were all a distinct violet shade. Said hair was tied back into a ball shape. She wore silver earrings, along with designer glasses, along with a sleeveless purple 'office' garb, dark pants and heels.
"It's not the island I'm worried about. The only other time I've been this far from home is whenever Dad takes us to Mumbai." Parvati replied.
"That's why we gave you those crash courses on Japanese culture. Culture shock is normal. You'll come to love it here as much as we did."
"If you're sure. I hope the fam is gonna be okay. Lin's face just screamed 'PLEASE DON'T LEAVE!' Her and Hyun both looked so exhausted."
"Anyone would be after getting a shock like that. We did everything we could to help them out. Your aunt and uncle will be supporting them as best they can. One child takes a village to raise, but two? I can assure you that if anyone feels guilty about leaving, it's--"
"Heeeeey, check it out!"
Approaching the pair was Parvati's cousin. Her hair was black, a pair of pink streaks on either side, and reached down to her shoulders. Her eyes, uncovered by glasses for the first time in years, were a striking pink. She wore a pink and black jacket, black jeans and boots with pink laces. She had a black stud and hoop in each ear, and her nails were pink.
Her name was Kit So-yin, known affectionately as Kat. The leader of the Ashen Artisans.
"This touristy enough?" She held a light blue shirt, 'Welcome to Osaka' written in cartoonish lettering along with several pictures of local food.
"Sufficiently, Kitten." Carrie affirmed.
"Isn't your wardrobe big enough?" Parvati asked.
"Hey, it's not for me. I'm mailing it to Lin first chance I get. She could use a bit of a laugh right now." Kat replied. "Ugh, I feel so bad for leaving her. She was already nervous about being a mom, and then she gets thrown the ultimate curveball. I should be there to help her out."
"We did all we could, my love. The timing wasn't the best, but we couldn't delay preparing for life in Kyoto any further. Nobody could have foreseen this. The bright side is that she has a good support system. She'll be okay." Carrie reassured her.
"I hope so. Just hard not to feel like I abandoned her when she really needs the help."
"If it puts your mind at ease, you can always call home once we get to Kyoto. I'm sure Lin and Ms. Joon would appreciate hearing your voice."
"Yeah, I can do that much." Kat turned to Parvati. "What's up, little cuz? You've barely said a peep."
"...just nervous, that's all." her cousin replied.
"I totally get it. I felt the same way when I came here the first time, and when I went to London. You'll get into a routine quick. Kyoto's a beautiful city. A lot more laid-back than home or Tokyo. Plus, you'll have something little me didn't have the first time I moved." Kat put an arm around her shoulder. "Family here to make it easier."
Parvati smiled. "Thanks, Kitty Kat. I could never be nervous with you in my corner. You're the best."
"No, yoooooou!"
As they hugged, Carrie spotted something. "Ah, I think that's our ride."
A rental van pulled up in front of the three. A woman stepped out from the passenger side. "A good day to you, ladies. I trust your journey was a pleasant one?"
This was psychotherapist Dr. Rosemary Wolfe. She had mid-length black hair, the underside of which was a distinctive platinum color. Her attire consisted of a blue, button-down long-sleeved blouse, a long, blue skirt, brown boots, and blue gloves. Her most predominant feature was her golden-hued eyes.
"Hello, Dr. Wolfe." Carrie greeted.
"Hey, Doc. Yeah, pleasant and peachy." Kat added.
"Um...hi." Parvati uttered.
"Hello, Ms. Patel. It has been a while. Have you been keeping well?" Rose asked.
"Y-yeah...I'm good."
"C'mon, you don't have to be scared of Doc. She doesn't bite." Kat assured.
"I only stare. And only when I'm annoyed." Rose added.
"Are you annoyed right now...?" Parvati questioned.
"No, not at all. Trust me, if I were to give you the Stare of Disappointment, you would know immediately."
The driver-side door opened. "Rose, don't scare the poor girl. She's only been in Japan for a little while."
"Ah...there's my favorite teacher." Kat smiled.
The woman who emerged from the van radiated warmth. Her hair was her family's trademark red, reaching past her shoulders. A pair of strands stuck out from the top of her head. Her eyes, along with her nails, were also red. She wore a pink blouse, white pants, and pink sneakers, which along with the blouse possessed images of white flower petals blowing in the wind.
Professor Ringo Kubo, 32. The original Persona-user and Kat's mentor.
She smiled, and gave a wave. "Welcome to Japan, ladies. Or should I say, 'Welcome home'?"
"Proooooof, I missed your faaaaaace." Kat gave her a hug.
"Haha, glad you still have the energy for a hug."
"Hello, Professor Kubo." Carrie greeted.
"Hi, Carrie. Elegant as ever, I see." Rin hugged her. "And you must be Parvati. We met once, at Kat's party four years ago."
"....." Parvati appeared awestruck.
"Hm? Is something wrong? Something on my face, maybe?"
"...you're even more beautiful than So-yin says--"
Kat waved her hands in front of her cousin's face. "N-N-N-Not the time and place, Parvie!" She turned red.
"Ahahaha! Kat, you're embarrassed by that? You compliment my looks every time you see me." Rin replied.
"Yeah, but you can tell what I mean when I say it. Not when someone else repeats it."
"I don't think anyone ever doubts the meaning of your words, Ms. Kit." Rose assured.
Rin noticed something. "Hang on. Someone's missing. Give me a moment."
"Apologies. She's at that age." Rose said.
Rin opened the rear door, and looked to the back of the van. "Come out and say hi, lovebug."
The one in the back seat was staring out of the window. "....."
"It's Kat. You can say hello to Kat, right? It's been so long since you've seen her."
"...fine."
From the van, emerged a girl. She had long, messy brown hair, along with glasses. She wore a purple beanie cap, a purple jacket and a green shirt with a blue butterfly on it, along with jeans and black boots. Her nails had been painted black, but were noticeably chipped. A pair of black and purple headphones were draped around her neck. She was Shizuka, Rin and Rose's twelve-year-old adopted daughter. "Hey, Kitty Kat..." She averted her gaze.
"Ohhhh, wow! Princess, is that you?!" Kat questioned.
"You don't have to call me that, I'm not a little kid anymore..."
"Obviously! When'd you get so big?! You're almost at my height now!"
"That say more about you, or me?"
"...! What's that supposed to mean?!"
"I think she just called you short, Kitty Kat." Parvati answered.
"I'm not short!"
"In fairness, Kitten, you're a generous 5'6...in heels." Carrie pointed out.
"I'm not short! I'm FUN-SIZED!"
"If that's what you wanna call it." Shizuka smirked.
"Shizuka! Who taught you to talk like that?!"
"Use your imagination, Ms. Kit..." Rose uttered.
"Welcome to our world." Rin shrugged.
Everyone got into the van not long after. Rin got back in the driver's seat, with Kat seated next to her. Carrie and Parvati sat in the middle, while Rose went to the back next to Shizuka, who almost immediately put on her headphones, to Rose's chagrin.
"Best to get comfortable. We've got two hours on the road in front of us." Rin advised.
"If it's you I'm talking to, Prof, the hours are gonna fly by." Kat replied.
The van started its journey from Osaka to Kyoto. "So, how's your family doing? I heard there was a...unexpected development." Rin asked.
"Yeah, 'unexpected' is putting it lightly. Everything was going so smoothly. We've got the room set up, bought everything the little guy's gonna need, we took care of it all. The day comes, he's born, there's no problems." Kat began.
"Until...the doctor walks up to us." Carrie continued.
"He says, 'Mom and baby are doing fine, we just have to do some tests on him, and then prep her for another go'." Kat feigned confusion. "I'm like, 'what do you mean another go?' And before he can give us an answer, I just hear Lin scream, 'WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE'S ANOTHER ONE?!'"
"Goodness. It must've been chaos." Rose said.
"Oh, it was madness. Pops and Aunt Mini had to do everything to keep Mom from becoming a basket case. Hyun actually passed out when they told him. His sister had to wake him up."
"Then my dad got me and my brother in a corner and had us start praying to keep everyone from going insane. The doctors probably thought we were all nuts." Parvati added.
"I can't imagine how shocking it must've been. Is everything alright now?" Rin asked.
"We...we tried. We all scrambled to get supplies as quick as possible. We'd bought everything in blue, now we've gotta get pink. Another crib, more diapers, more milk. I've never seen my mom look so stressed out. And Lin--oh, geez, Lin. The bags under her eyes had bags. Every free moment she had when we had the babies, she'd spend it sleeping. I don't think she wanted us to leave, and...I didn't want to leave." Kat related.
"I'm sorry for pulling you away. I know how important family is to you."
"Don't apologize, Prof. It's just bad timing. I know there's a lot we have to do before the school year starts."
"Yes, indeed. But I think that all can wait until you're settled in. You deserve a breather."
"Thanks, Prof. I can't wait to see this new house. Did all our stuff get to your place okay?"
"Everything is intact and accounted for. We'll help you move it once we get back to the neighborhood." Rose replied.
"It's not gonna be far, is it?" Parvati asked.
"Not at all. It's only a couple houses down from Professor Kubo and Dr. Wolfe's home. Moving the boxes won't take much time." Carrie answered.
"Perfect, cuz my back isn't complying today..." Kat uttered.
A short while later, with Osaka in the rear-view, Rin brought up another topic. "So, Ms. Parvati. Kat tells me you're looking to continue the family teaching tradition."
"Oh, yeah...I want to be a teacher like my aunt, and like..." Parvati replied.
"Meeee." Kat spoke. "Well, technically, not yet. I've got a year of having 'assistant' next to that word before it's official."
"I know how nervous I've looked, and yeah, it's scary being in a new place...but I really wanted to learn from So-yin. I've looked up to her my whole life, and, y'know..."
"Aww, Parvie..."
"And since she's always talking about you, Professor, I was thinking, maybe..."
Rin chuckled. "You don't have to force yourself, Ms. Parvati. I'd be honored to give you some tips."
"O-Oh, thanks. Professor Kubo. Ma'am."
"No need to be so formal. 'Professor' is fine. Hopefully you're as good of a note-taker as your cousin."
"Meow." Kat uttered. Carrie giggled.
---
Kyoto. The cultural capital of Japan, home to many temples, shrines, and palaces. Though ravaged by wars in the past, more recent conflicts had avoided the former capital city, and much of its historical backbone had been preserved.
As the van drove through the city streets, Parvati looked out the window with amazement, taking photos the entire time.
"Don't fill up your phone too quickly. We've barely just begun." Carrie advised.
"Trying to one-up your bro's picture-taking skills, Parvie?" Kat asked.
"Maybe it'll show him he doesn't have to go swimming in the middle of the night to take good pics." Parvati replied. "I don't know if I've ever seen this many temples in one place."
"All the history, the museums, the gardens, the quiet atmosphere...this place was tailor-made for you two, Prof."
"I've certainly come to love it. I'll love Naruki forever, but living here's been a nice change of pace." Rin said.
"It's so much more relaxing. Tokyo is constantly busy, with crowds everywhere you turn. A more cozy environment suits us much better." Rose added.
"Having family here certainly must have made the decision to move a lot easier." Carrie surmised.
"Oh, you've got family here, Professor? I thought they were all in Tokyo." Parvati asked.
"My dad's family has always been in Kyoto. They're still running the same market they've owned since the days of the shōgun. It's basically a bigger version of the one my brother runs back in Naruki." Rin explained.
"You've gotta take us by there soon, I'd love to meet your fam." Kat spoke.
"My aunt was the owner up until a few months ago. Age-related problems forced her to retire. Now it's my younger cousin running it, and, well..."
"Uh-oh. I sense a story coming along."
"Let's just say that running the family market wasn't her first choice. You'll understand when you meet her."
"Every family seems to have their conflicts." Carrie mused.
"Truer words." Rose stated.
Shizuka, with her headphones still on, looked out the window. Rose, without so much as a turn, pulled them down. "Hey!"
"They ran out of charge twenty minutes ago. Don't pretend you can't hear us so you don't have to participate."
"Let it be, Rose." Rin said.
Shizuka pulled her headphones back on, as Rose shook her head. Rin sighed. Kat gave her a look. 
"I'll talk to her." she whispered.
"Thank you." Rin whispered back.
"Anyway, pop quiz time, Parvie. You know who's headquartered here in Kyoto?"
Parvati tugged on her shirt.
"Bingo. The Big N."
"Is 'Animal Crossing' your favorite game, Parvati?" Rin asked.
"Yeah. I love how chill it is. If I'm ever worried or mad about something, I can just build up a town for some cute animals, and everything feels okay." Parvati affirmed.
"I can definitely understand that."
"Wait...you aren't a gamer too, are you, Professor?"
"Is it really that strange? I was born around the time the GBA came out. I'm not as dedicated as say, you or your cousin, but I've got my interests."
"What's your favorite series?"
"'Fire Emblem'."
"You know characters with red hair tend to be bad guys in those games, right?"
"Roy, Eliwood and half of Alear would disagree."
"Ohhh, she knows what she's talking about." Kat chimed in. "Wait til you see the cosplay photos. She makes such a good 'Professor'."
"Just as much as your cousin makes a good mercenary."
"Oh, we're digging DEEP, aren't we?"
As they bantered, Carrie whispered to Parvati. "Yes, this is every time they get together."
"She talks to the Professor like how she talks to Lin. A lot of teasing, but...a lot of love, too." Parvati replied.
The van arrived in the northern ward of Kita, to a neighborhood featuring numerous trees and new-looking houses. It pulled up to a residence that was painted white with a red roof. On the front lawn was a well-maintained flower garden. 'Kubo' was written on the mailbox.
"Home sweet home. I know you all could use some time to unwind after all that travel." Rin said.
"Oh, yes, please. I need a couch, badly." Kat stepped out of the van, and stretched.
"Let's get you ladies some tea, before the physical exertion begins." Rose advised.
The group went inside the house, where much of the decor was floral-themed. After a few minutes, Kat stepped out to make a call, the others remained in the living room to enjoy some tea--save for Shizuka, who immediately retreated to her room.
"Mmmm...so lovely. How are you liking your tea, Parvati?" Carrie asked.
"It's...really nice. And also...really familiar." Parvati replied.
"That is easily explained. I bought the mix from your father." Rose answered.
"From Dad? That explains that."
"We enjoyed the quality of his teas so much when we went to Seoul, we've been ordering some boxes ever since. It definitely helps that he gives us a 'Friends of My Niece' discount." Rin added.
"That sounds about right."
"Mr. Vikram's generosity is legendary at this point." Carrie said.
"You would know much about that, Ms. Blackthorne. I've yet to attend a dinner with you present where you didn't insist on paying for everyone's meals. And I do mean *everyone*." Rose replied.
"You make it sound like a bad thing. Money does no one any good when it's collecting dust in a bank. If it means bringing people joy, then it's no issue."
"Now why can't every wealthy person think that way?" Rin asked.
Parvati looked at one photo on the mantle, of a pink-colored cat looking up at the camera. "Is that your cat? Looks really cute."
"Ah, yes...Momo. She was definitely one-of-a-kind." Rin replied with some sadness.
"Was? Oh...I'm sorry."
"It's alright. We lost her near the end of last year. She'd been slowing down steadily over the years, and it got to a point where she wasn't getting any better." Rin's eyes started to water. Rose handed her a napkin to dry them with, rubbing her shoulder after. "Thank you."
"How long did you have her?"
"Close to sixteen years. Me and our friends got her as a kitten for Rin's sixteenth birthday. She was absolutely the queen of the castle. And you gave her a wonderful life." Rose reassured.
"I hope that I did. I had her for basically half my life. Saying goodbye to her was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do." Rin spoke.
"I'm...I'm sorry, Professor. I really didn't mean to make you feel sad. My parents always tell me that I shouldn't be making anyone feel upset. What a great start to life in Japan..." Parvati chastised herself.
"Don't apologize, Parvati. Talking helps me to feel better. One of my core principles is that it's better to talk about your problems instead of keeping them buried."
"My wife wears her heart on her sleeve. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more open and honest person." Rose said.
"And that's why we all love you so much, Professor." Carrie said.
"I don't know how I was so fortunate to have such a wonderful first class. I hope you all know how mutual that feeling is." Rin replied.
"Now if only we could get through to our daughter in the same way..." Rose uttered.
"She's not acting out, is she?" Carrie asked.
"Not really, it's more like the opposite. She's always been quiet and withdrawn, but lately it's gotten a lot more prevalent. She'll shut herself in her room for hours. I know she's getting into the 'grouchy teenager' phase, but...I'm still worried. I don't like not knowing what she's doing in there." Rin replied.
"Well, if there's anyone who can get her to open up..." Carrie looked to the window, where Kat could be seen talking on the phone.
"...and you're all good on diapers, right?" Kat asked.
On the other side of the phone was her sister, Lin-mae. She was six years Kat's senior, and had green highlights in her hair, to match her eyes and clothing. She sat on the couch, and looked exhausted. "For now."
"You sure you're okay? You sound--"
"I'm fine, So."
"Lin, I've known you long enough to know when you're lying to me."
"...I'm too tired to say anything, kitten."
"I'm sorry, Lin. And I'm sorry for leaving. If you want me to come back--"
"Don't, So. I'm not the one that's gonna put your life on pause. You told me I had to be responsible, and I'm gonna. Even if it's really, really hard."
"Lin--"
"Please, let me finish. I'm...I'm scared, sis. I was scared when I thought it was just the one kid. Me and Hyun, we're trying our best. Eun comes by after she's done at the café. Mom and Pops are always over. Aunt Mini and Uncle Vik help out however they can. Even with all that...it's so much. One'll start crying, and as soon as I start to calm them down, the other'll start crying, and I get so panicked that I just run outside to get my mind together--"
"I'm coming home."
"NO! You aren't!"
"You need my help."
Lin groaned. "I have the sweetest, most annoyingly persistent sister in the world and I don't know how I didn't ruin you. Please, So. You're just starting your life, doing all these awesome things. We have all the help we need right here. We're gonna be okay, even if it's hard. You focus on you. I'll be fine."
".....promise me you will be."
"Pinkie swear." Crying could be heard close to where Lin was. "Duty calls. I'll talk to you soon, So."
"Okay. You go be the best mommy you can be. I'll make sure our cousin doesn't end up joining the wrong crowd."
"Heh." Lin paused. "I love you, So. You're gonna be the best teacher ever."
"I love you too, Lin. I'll do my best. You call me if you need *anything*. Promise me."
"I promise. See ya."
The call ended. Kat sighed, before pocketing her phone and going inside.
"Is everything alright?" Carrie asked.
"Well, I told Lin I wanted to go home and then she yelled at me, so...guess I'm staying put." Kat replied.
"It's the best thing to do. I'm sure the rest of your family wants you to focus on getting started here. You'll find ways to support her from here." Rin assured.
"Yeah...so. The princess of the castle in her room?"
"As per usual." Rose replied.
"Let me go see what's going on under that beanie." Kat went up the stairs.
She walked up to one closed door, with Shizuka's name on the front accompanied by an image of a butterfly. Low guitar sounds could be heard from the other side. She knocked. "Princess, you functional in there?"
The guitar stopped. "...don't call me that."
"Well open the door, and tell me what you want me to call you."
No response.
"Shizuka, you know I can pick this lock in like, five seconds, right?"
Within a few seconds, the door unlocked. Kat entered.
Shizuka was seated on her bed, and held a purple guitar. The walls were covered with drawings of different kinds if bugs, and her bed held several bug plushes.
"Well, no black walls or 'Twilight' posters...that's a good sign." 
"Can you close the door?"
"Why don't you want it open?"
"....."
Kat sat next to her. "That's a really nice guitar. Your grandma teaching you how to play?"
"....."
"Shizuka. I've known you long enough that I used to carry you. You can talk to me about anything. You were getting better at being around people. What changed?"
"...I hate it here."
"How come?"
"I didn't want to leave Tokyo. My friends are in Tokyo. I don't have any friends here."
"Have you tried talking to other kids?"
"You know I'm not good at talking to people."
"You're talking to me. Am I not 'people'?
Shizuka turned away, and lied down. "I don't like talking."
"(There's more. A lot more. But I won't get her to open up when she gets like this. I've gotta try a different approach.)" Kat thought. "You wanna come with me to Tokyo tomorrow?"
Shizuka looked up. "Huh?"
"I'm gonna take a train over to Tokyo to go see all my friends. Why don't we make a day of it? I can call and see if Aura and Kanae wanna hang out with you. We can set something up. Would you wanna do that?"
With some hesitation, Shizuka nodded.
"There you go. I'll call Maxie and Ibuki and run it by them. It'll be fun, I promise." Kat patted her. "I'm here for you, Shizuka. I'm just a couple doors down if you ever need me."
Kat got up to leave.
"...how come you like pink more than black now?" Shizuka asked.
"Hmm...I guess, pink is just a brighter color. I still like black, but I try to look happier these days. See you tomorrow, Shizuka." Kat left, closing the door behind her.
She went downstairs. "How'd it go?" Rin asked.
"She's more bottled up than ever. But I think I've cracked the armor a little. I'm taking her with me to Tokyo tomorrow. I think being around her friends and her old home will help a lot." Kat replied.
"That might work. I've noticed this change in her behavior started back when we first moved." Rose said.
"I know she's not happy here. I thought she would be, with enough time. That's part of why I was so glad that you were coming to live here. You being a constant presence in her life might be what finally gets her to feel comfortable with being here." Rin agreed.
"Hopefully this is the start of just that." Carrie said. "Now that you're free, Kitten, why don't we start moving these boxes over?"
"Right. Hope you've been working out, Parvie. Time for some heavy lifting." Kat advised.
"Just how much did you two send over...?" Parvati pondered, fearful of the answer.
---
July 20, 2036
Early morning, aboard a high-speed train.
Shizuka, who had nodded off, was stirred awake. "Nnh...?"
"Wake up, sleepyhead." Kat prodded her.
"*Now arriving: Shibuya Station*" the intercom notified.
"That's our stop. Unless you feel like doing a speedrun of Tokyo." Carrie said.
"How do you know what a speedrun is?" Shizuka groggily questioned."
"You're not the only one who's picked up select terms from our charming Kitten."
"And yet it sounds so much better coming from this stunning jewel." Kat replied.
"Ugh, don't make me throw up..." Shizuka got up.
The three exited the train, onto the platform of one of Japan's (and the world's) busiest railways.
"Anybody see a blonde head of hair?" Kat looked around.
Carrie spotted what they were looking for, and waved. "Brace yourself, there's a hug incoming."
"BESTIIIIIIIES!" Running up was Natalia, who promptly wrapped Kat in an affectionate embrace.
"Natty, girl, I missed yoooooou!" Kat reciprocated.
"And here's some for you, lovely~!" Natalia hugged Carrie.
"Nowhere near as lovely as you, beautiful girl." Carrie replied.
"Bleeeeh." Shizuka stuck her tongue out.
"Hm? Oh wait, is that Shizuka?" Natalia asked. "Oh wow, you've gotten so big! How are you?"
"Anxious. Like, a lot."
"Homegirl needed a good day, so we brought her to spend some time with her buds. Me and Maxie are gonna take 'em to the zoo in Karakura." Kat said.
"Oooh, super fun idea!" Natalia replied.
"We're still good for dinner later, don't worry. But quality time with Care definitely isn't a bad thing."
"You'd know that better than anyone." Shizuka mumbled.
"What have I done?" Kat uttered.
"Well, enjoy your day, my love. We have some designer wear to sort through." Carrie kissed her.
"Give everyone a hug for me~." Natalia chimed, and the two departed.
"Gooood, why do I have to know so many beautiful people..." Kat uttered.
"You must be cursed." Shizuka replied.
"It's a great curse to have. Now c'mon, let's say hello to Maxie and Co."
"Ditching your girlfriend to go see your ex-boyfriend is definitely a choice."
"I'm never gonna be used to you giving me the quips."
---
Karakura Town, just west of Naruki. Compared to its neighbor, the district was more of a tourist destination, boasting several parks, as well as its main attraction, Zoo Karakura.
Kat approached the front gate with Shizuka. "Okay, shouldn't be too hard to spot...oh, there we are."
Waiting by the gate were two girls, around Shizuka's age. One of the girls was pale, with fluffy, white hair and pink eyes, and wore similarly white, pricey-looking clothing. She was holding an umbrella, bearing the image of a snowy white owl, to shield herself from the sun. She was Aura Kagetora, adopted daughter of entrepreneurs Shūjo Higashikata and Hiyoko Kagetora, who owned a number of fish-related businesses around Tokyo, and who were both longtime friends of Rin.
The other girl had long, dark hair tied into pigtails, and had red eyes. Her shirt was pink, with an image of a cupcake on it, with white shorts and shoes that had pink laces. Her name was Kanae Hinotama, and she was Ibuki's niece. She rhythmically bobbed her head from side to side, until she spotted Shizuka. Her eyes lit up. "Hey Aura, look who it is!" She ran over and hugged Shizuka. "Hiiiiii!"
"H-Hey, Kanae..." she uttered.
"Kanae-chan, don't squeeze her too hard." Aura walked over. "Hello, Shizuka-chan. Are you doing alright? No bruising?"
"N-No, Aura, I'm good..."
"See, she's good! I'm not that aggressive with my hugs!" Kanae responded.
"Bruises from hugs, you take after your auntie that much?" Kat asked.
"Oh hi, Kitty Kat!"
"Hello, Ms. Kat. You're looking as lovely as ever." Aura greeted.
"Aww, you girls are too sweet. I said this to Shizuka already, but it's crazy to see you looking this tall. I remember when you all were pint-sized." Kat said.
"Now it's just you that's pint-sized." Shizuka quipped.
Kat twitched slightly. "Comments from the peanut gallery aside...where's your uncle at, Lil' Fireball? He run off to go fight a sea monster?"
"No, he went off to fight a way more threatening adversary: the ticket counter." a male voice answered, with an American Southern twang to it.
The man who approached had dark blue eyes, and long, brown hair, along with a beard. He wore a navy blue shirt with a large anchor emblazoned on the front, along with dark jeans and sneakers.
At one time, he was the Artisans' opponent, before returning to their ranks. Kat's one-time boyfriend, now one of her closest confidantes.
"Heya, Sparky." Kat greeted him.
"Hey, crazy girl." Max Jadefang replied.
Kat gave him a hug. "How's it been, lucky man?"
"Hectic. How about on your end, new auntie?"
"Chaos. Pure chaos. But I'm here now. We all good to go in?"
"Two adults and three children, all set."
"I'm gonna go hug a monkey!" Kanae sprinted ahead.
"Slow down, cupcake, the animals aren't going anywhere!" Max followed.
"Oh, dear. I hope she knows where those animals may have been." Aura pondered.
"I don't think she cares." Shizuka uttered.
Kat sighed. "We're so gonna get kicked out."
Inside, the girls looked into an enclosure housing African wild dogs, talking and following the animals' movements all the while. Kat and Max, meanwhile, sat on a nearby bench, keeping an eye on them.
"I like seeing you like this, Sparky." Kat said.
"Like what, drinking a Pepsi?" Max asked.
"Dummy. I meant, y'know...happy. Got a show premiering next week, you're getting hitched in a month...what isn't going right in the world of Max Jadefang?"
"You mean aside from my mom having a health scare?"
"...yeah, aside from that. How's she doing now?"
"90% there. Me and Barb finally put our feet down and told her that we wanted her over here. This is where we're living, and whenever the day comes, it's where our kids are gonna be. We want Grandma to be close, especially if this happens again. I couldn't handle it if she had another episode with us halfway around the world."
"I mean, I don't think that's asking for a lot. Course, I've also lived in three different countries in the last ten years, so maybe it's not so crazy for me anymore. So she's gonna be making the leap over here?"
"She's here for good after the wedding."
"Hoo boy, the wedding. Really almost that time. So, about--"
"Kat. I'm sure."
"You didn't even hear what I was gonna say!"
"Don't need to. I can read your mind."
"No way, what am I thinking about right now?"
"'I really hope Barb's dress lets me see her legs'?"
"...not a bad guess. But seriously, Maxie. You could have anyone up there with you. Out of every *possible* 'best person' candidate...why me?"
"Heh. We've been friends for how long, and you're asking me that? Why's it weird for me to ask my best friend to be there next to me?"
"It's not, but...we did used to date, Sparky. Is Bookie okay with it?"
"Has she ever had a problem with us talking? Of course not. I ran it by her and she's all for it. She's got as much love for you as I do. There's absolutely no issue."
She put her head on his shoulder. "If you're really sure. So...is it okay if I ask you something?"
"Of course. What's on your mind?"
Meanwhile, the girls continued their own conversation. "Aren't you hot with that jacket on, Shizuka-chan? I'm starting to think it should be you needing shielding from the sun." Aura asked.
"I'm fine..." Shizuka denied.
"That sweat's telling a different story." Kanae pointed out. "You aren't a reptile, Shizuka, you don't need to absorb warmth to keep moving. We don't want you to melt."
"You read that off of a sign somewhere."
"Nuh-uh, I know that by heart."
"Kanae-chan knows a lot about...well, a lot. She actually finished at the top of the class last year." Aura added.
"Is that good for her or bad for everyone else?" Shizuka asked.
"Point is, we don't want you overheating." Kanae said.
"I know you don't like being touched without permission. May we please take your jacket off so you don't get too hot?" Aura asked.
"...fine." Shizuka relented, took her jacket off and slung it over her shoulder.
"Now the cap." 
"Oh come on, why the cap?"
"It's not snowing, Shizuka. It's the middle of the summer." Kanae replied.
"Why do you guys care how I'm looking, anyway?"
"Because we're your friends and we don't want you to be uncomfortable." Aura answered.
Shizuka sighed, then took off the cap. "I'm always uncomfortable."
"But you're with your friends and you're looking at cute spotted doggos. How can you be uncomfortable?" Kanae asked.
"...guess when you put it like that..." Shizuka smirked.
"She smiled, I did it, I did it!" Kanae hugged a flustered Shizuka, as Aura giggled.
"You girls look like you're having a blast." Kat chimed in, as she walked up with Max. "Are you blushing, Shizuka?"
"N-No-No way!" Shizuka, blushing, denied.
"Well now that we're all in a good mood, I think it's time to pay some sea pups a visit." Max suggested.
"Yaaaay, I'm gonna get free cupcakes!" Kanae exclaimed.
"Kanae-chan, you know she's not a maid anymore..." Aura pointed out.
Kat noted Shizuka's appearance. "What's with the wardrobe change?"
"...felt hot. Didn't want to pass out." Shizuka replied.
"Nicer to let your arms and hair breathe when the weather's this good. And with friends who care so much."
"...don't know what you mean."
The group walked over to an enclosure that consisted of a large pool, with a small island with rocks in the middle. "Now, where could she be...?" Kat looked around.
Behind the enclosure, a young woman wearing the zoo's khaki uniform placed a small, black-furred seal onto a scale. "There we are...already put on five pounds since the last time. You're a growing boy, aren't you?" she spoke with a light voice. She patted it on the head. "How does it feel knowing that in all of creation, there has never been anything as adorable as you?"
"Aaarf?" the pup barked.
Her coworker wrote down the weight. "All set, you can take him back out."
"Such a good boy." She gave the seal a fish. "Let's get you back with your mother." 
She picked up the pup, and walked out to the enclosure, where a larger brown seal was waiting. She put the smaller seal down, and it immediately plopped over to its mother.
Kanae spotted the young woman. "There she is! Hey, Sakuuuuuuu!"
Sakuya Hanakotoba looked up. She was a petite woman, with straight, black hair that reached down just above her shoulders, and she had dark brown eyes. "Oh, Kanae-chan, and..."
She saw Kat, who waved, and made a heart symbol with her hands.
"Kat-chan! One moment please, I need to wash my hands!" She went back inside, then emerged outside the enclosure shortly after. "Sorry. Sanitation is paramount here."
"I'd wait forever to get to hug my Saku." Kat embraced her. "Oh, look at you in your little safari get-up! How's it been going?"
"I spend my days feeding seals and weighing the pup. This is my every fantasy become reality. Not so different from the two of you, I imagine." Sakuya looked at Max's shirt. "Especially you, 'Anchor Blue'."
"Yep. T-minus one week until the world sees what we've been cooking. We're having a bit of a watch party at the apartment. It's mostly gonna be the family, but if you wanted to stop by..." he replied.
"Count me in. I can make it if I take the first train out of Kyoto." Kat replied.
"I'd love to watch, as well." Sakuya added.
"Really, Saku? I mean, I know toku isn't really your thing..." Max said.
"I spent enough time working in Akihabara to know the basics. What matters is that a dear friend is starring in it. The only thing is that I would have to leave as soon as it finishes so I'm not late for work."
"That's totally fine. I won't keep you from your seal paradise."
"Hey, so how's your little clan doing? Kicks go insane from studying yet? How's your mom? I heard that there were some bells recently." Kat asked.
"You heard correctly. Sahir-kun is still in Sendai. He's taken classes through every summer to try to speed up the process. Only one more year until he can get his medical license. I tell him not to overwork himself, but his motor won't allow him to take a break. It pained me to leave him there alone, but when this opportunity presented itself, I couldn't ignore it." Sakuya replied.
"Sometimes following your dreams means making hard decisions."
"Right you are. As for my mother, she is very happy, as am I. My new stepfather is a very kind, hard-working man who treats us wonderfully."
"That's great! So happy you both can be happy. After all the hell you've been put through, you both deserve some peace."
"My thoughts exactly. The only thing is..." Sakuya sighed. "He has a teenage daughter. She's still extremely bitter about how her parents' relationship ended. She gives me and Mother a very frigid reception. Shuts herself in her room and doesn't talk to anyone. No matter what we try to do. It's very disheartening."
Kat looked to Shizuka, who was looking into the seal enclosure with her friends. "Teenagers. You know how it is."
"Hopefully it's just a phase. They usually grow out of the attitude problems." Max said.
"'They'. Ugh, we really are cranky old folks now, aren't we?" Kat uttered.
"I hear the first sign is sudden back pain." Sakuya replied. "Okay, I have to get back to work. Lovely to talk, as always. Enjoy the rest of your day."
"Talk to ya soon, Saku!" Kat returned attention to the girls. "Okay, ladies, time to...uh."
Kanae was having an intense stare-down with one of the seals. Shizuka looked exasperated as Aura tried waving it off.
"Uh, Sparky, you wanna--"
A whistle sounded out, and the seal turned around and swam off. "HA! Surrender! I win again!" Kanae exclaimed.
The seal swam up to Sakuya, holding the whistle, who fed it a fish. "Good girl." She looked to Kat and Max. "You're welcome."
"Thanks, Saku." Max replied, as Kat snickered.
---
Tsubakidai Park, just a block away from the zoo.
Shizuka was looking down at something in the grass, with Kanae and Aura next to her. Kat and Max watched from afar.
"You wanna go say something to her?" he asked.
Kat shook her head. "Let her have a moment."
What Shizuka was looking at was a golden plaque, embedded into the ground. Flowers had been placed next to it. The plaque bore an inscription: 'In loving memory of Sumiko Sakaki. 2004-2024. For those that dare to be unique, know that you are loved.'
"....." Shizuka was silent.
"You OK?" Kanae asked.
"I haven't been here in a while...the flowers look fresh."
"Mama and Papa came by here the other day. Aunt Tenko and Uncle Jin come here, too. And Uncle Jugo. It's still important to all of them." Aura replied.
"....."
Aura held Shizuka's arm. "You never got to meet your sister, did you?"
"No...she died before I was born. I didn't even know I had a sister until I found the card in the attic...my par--" Shizuka went silent.
"Shizuka...?" Kanae uttered.
"My pare...the people who had me before my moms...never talked about her. They never talked about anything except how much money they were making." Shizuka looked increasingly distressed.
"Please don't upset yourself, Shizuka-chan, it's alright." Aura comforted her.
"...do you guys ever think about...who your family is? Like where you really come from?"
"Not me. Not at all. For one reason or another, I was left at the orphanage. Mama and Papa have given me a wonderful life. What would knowing where I came from do?"
"I have my mom and my auntie. And Uncle Maxie." Kanae responded.
"But what about your--" Shizuka began.
"I know who my dad is."
"...wait, you do?"
"Mmhmm. They all think I don't know. But I know. He was that medicine guy that went to jail for making people sick on purpose. He did that to my grandparents and that's why Mama and Auntie Ibuki had a bad time growing up. It's probably why Mama can't hear. And then he hurt them even more and tried to kill me before I was born. He was evil. And he was my dad."
"So...do you ever think that since he was bad...that you'll be--"
"Nope."
"How come?"
"Cuz Mama and Auntie Ibuki love me and won't let me do bad things."
"You aren't bad because of the people who had you, Shizuka-chan. They aren't your family. Aunt Rin and Aunt Rose are." Aura assured.
Shizuka was quiet again. She looked down at the plaque. Then, she turned and started walking away. "I don't even know who my family is."
Concerned, the girls followed their friend.
She walked past Kat. "Hey, Shizuka, you alright?"
"Leave me alone..."
"Shizuka-chan, wait!" Aura called. "What do you mean you don't know who your family is?"
"Wait, what?" Kat spoke up.
"C'mon, kid, don't be crazy. Professor Kubo and Dr. Wolfe are your family." Max said.
Shizuka's body language dropped. "I'm not a real Kubo."
"Shizuka, don't say that. Of course you are." Kat replied.
"No, Uri and Marin are. I'm just the dirty cat that got picked up off the street. All that's left of my family is a sign on the ground. I...I don't belong anywhere."
"Don't think like that. And never, *ever* say it around your moms. Prof and Doc would both say that they wouldn't have a family without you in it. You're the most important thing in the world to them."
"I'm important like how Momo was important. And she's dead."
"You're not a pet, Shizuka! Why are you--"
"She's dead. She's dead like my sister and my parents. Dead dead dead dead dead..."
Shizuka began to cry, and shake. Kat embraced her. "Oh, honey, I'm sorry. It's okay...it's okay..."
So, with the others watching in silence, they stayed that way, letting the tears flow for as long as needed.
---
Shibuya. Later in the afternoon.
"...so we all agreed it was best to let her stay here for a few days with Prof's mom. Give her some more time with her friends before school starts." Kat related, sitting at the dinner table with Carrie and Natalia.
"Poor girl. Was she okay when you left her?" Carrie asked.
"As okay as I've seen her. I just...don't know what to do. It was so much easier when she was five, and I could let her draw on my face and everything would be fine after that. Now she's got all these new thoughts and feelings swimming in her head that she doesn't know how to deal with. Losing her kitty was probably the first time she's ever had to deal with something close to her dying."
"Someone so young shouldn't be thinking about death so much. Mix that up with all those new emotions and how bottled up she usually is...poor thing's gotta be a mess." Natalia said. "How much did you tell the Professor?"
"Absolutely nothing about her not feeling like a real Kubo, I can tell ya that much. That'd rip her heart in two. I feel bad that I couldn't help out more. All I could do was hug her and try to make her feel a little better."
"You're far too hard on yourself, my love. 'I feel guilty for not being there for my sister'. 'I feel bad that I'm not more help for Shizuka'. You're doing as much as you can. You don't need to have the answers for everything." Carrie advised.
"I'm gonna be a teacher! Having the answers is what I'm supposed to do! What good am I gonna be in the classroom if I can't even help the people I love who need it?"
"You can. You've helped all of us out of our ruts. Care's right, you're being too hard on yourself. You know what my answer is for whenever you're feeling bad?" Natalia asked.
Kat smirked. "A Natty dessert?"
"You got it. I've got a key lime pie, just for you guys." Natalia got up to fetch it.
"...right, I can come take a look in the morning. Good night, now." Kenneth walked in, and ended his call. "Sorry about that. Seems that there's no shortages of old restaurants in need of renovation."
"Hey, more calls means more work. And more money to spend on your adorable girlfriend." Kat replied.
"He doesn't need to spoil me. I mean I won't argue if he wants to, buuuut..." Natalia cheekily said.
"Oh, how I missed the influence you have on her, Katherine." Kenneth uttered.
"Here we goooo, fresh from the oven and full of that *warme liefde*." Natalia put the pie on the table.
"Ohhh, come to Mama..." Kat served herself a slice. "...oh, my Gooooooood, how are you so good at this?!"
"My goodness, this is truly wonderful, Natty. I swear, everything you touch becomes sweet and comforting." Carrie added.
"Stooop, you guys are just saying that..." Natalia blushed, kicking her foot around sheepishly.
"I tell her that she went into the wrong business. If she wasn't so skilled at clothwork, we would be opening a diner right now." Kenneth said.
"I'm really not doing anything special. My parents and my Nana always taught me to put love into everything I do."
"If it was that easy, everyone would be artist savants. You've got a gift, Natty. And I just know your store's gonna be a hit. How's progress looking?"
"Flooring's all done, and we're about halfway done with painting. I wanted warm colors, so we went with a really nice carmine shade. I wanted to use yellow somewhere too, but it would've ended up looking like a McDonald's, ahehe. The shelves, the tables, the electrical systems and all the extra bells, we're gonna dig in and get as much done as we can in the next couple weeks. Early or mid-August is what we're looking at."
"And we're gonna be there the minute it opens. I'm so jazzed for ya, girlie."
"And I'm so happy to have you guys in my corner. That being said...I did want to talk to you guys about something. Kenny, if you could give us a minute?"
"Certainly. I'll just--" Kenneth started to get up, then felt something brush his leg.
CiCi was staring up at him. "Meeeew?"
"...feed the cat and possibly become her bed." He walked out, the cat trotting after him.
"This got serious all of a sudden. What was on your mind?" Carrie asked.
"Okay." Natalia got up, tapping her fingers together nervously. "I love both of you. Dearly. I could spend all night listing off everything you've done for me to get me here. What I'm about to ask isn't coming from Natty the Friend. It's Natalia the Businesswoman."
"Alright...so what does Natalia the Businesswoman want to ask us?" Kat responded.
"Hoo..." Natalia took a deep breath. "It's...time for me to be strong on my own. This store...is everything I've worked towards. It's my baby. And I want you guys to respect that. Every decision for it is gonna come from me. If it does good, or it does bad, it's all gonna be because of me."
"So 'back off and let me do my own thing', basically."
"I don't know any other way to put it that doesn't sound aggressive. I'm only bringing this up because I can see it already. Maybe business isn't going so well and it's a real struggle. Suddenly, an anonymous source wires a healthy sum into my bank account, saving the day at the last moment."
"Would helping a friend in need really be such a bad thing?" Carrie asked.
"I love your generosity, Care. And if I really felt like I was in trouble, I would absolutely ask for help. But it has to be my call to make."
"Did we do anything to make you wanna bring this up? Like...did we overstep at all?" Kat asked.
"No, not at all! I'm not accusing you two of anything other than being really good friends. But I know that if it looked like I was in trouble, you two would come running. And this...has to be on me. It's not like we're teenagers and you're dragging me out to go shopping. I'm twenty-three years old and opening my own business. I can't rely on my friends to keep pulling me through life forever. I'm not 'Scaredy-Cat Nat' anymore."
"No...you aren't. And I think that in the same way I don't know how to handle Shizuka's preteen problems, maybe we both have a hard time picturing you as anything other than our loveable little Hoodsie."
Carrie got up, and took Natalia by the hand. She looked to be on the verge of tears. "Once upon a time, I said that I would never let you out of my sight. The world was so dangerous for you, and I wanted to protect you from it all. But as the old saying goes...if you truly love something, you need to know when to let it go. If all you're asking is that we respect your boundaries, then we as your friends need to respect that."
"Please don't cry, Care. Because then I'm gonna start crying. I'm not telling you guys to leave me alone. I only want the chance to prove that I can do this. I'm only shaking now because I don't want you to think that I'm putting a ban on you or something like that. I love you, so much." Natalia insisted.
"We love you too, Natty. And we want you to succeed the way you want to. We need to remember that you're actually older than us, and we can't act like your parents." Kat replied.
"But *please* know that if you ever need anything, we're here for you. Nothing you could ask would be too much. And if you ever think that we're infringing on you, or doing something that makes you uncomfortable, please speak up." Carrie affirmed.
"Thank you both for understanding. I wouldn't be a good business mind if I didn't set good boundaries. You two will always be welcome to come by. Nothing is changing. I just needed to make it clear that I'm an adult who can make decisions for herself." Natalia replied.
Kat patted her shoulder. "You're the best of us, Natty. Never let anyone tell you that you can't do something."
"Thank you, Kitty Kat. So...you wanna keep having dessert?"
"Of course. We'll never say no to your desserts." Carrie replied.
As the three friends resumed their meal, Kenneth listened from the hall. "What a strong mother you have, CiCi."
"Mrawr."
"Yes, I agree. I hope Shibuya is prepared. My muse is an unstoppable force."