Persona BLEACHED Gaiden: Aura of Summer

July 21, 2029
Northern Japan. A small cottage in the mountains. Outside, children were playing, enjoying the warm embrace of the summer sun.
All except for one.
She wanted to be with the other kids. She loved being around other people. But the sun hurt her. The other kids made fun of how she looked. Her snow-white hair, her pale skin and eyes. Her only real companion was a small plush toy of a white-colored bird.
So she sat in the shade of the cottage, nobody to play with save for that small white bird. Her appearance and higher need for care made finding potential parents more difficult than usual. She had been left as a newborn four years prior, and the owners of the cottage worried that she might never find a permanent home.
Then the lady of the house got off the phone. She approached the girl, a smile on her face.
"Aura. I have some wonderful news for you, dear. There's a couple in Naruki City down south that saw your profile. They'll be coming up here tomorrow. They want to take you back with them. You're going to have a home of your own."
Just like that, the blade of fortune had changed dramatically.
---
"I hope you don't mind me calling you two over on such short notice."
Naruki City, one of several bureaus in Tokyo. Inside the grounds of one large estate, two women were sitting in a garden.
"Not at all, Hiyoko. We haven't stopped by to chat since we got back. You know Rose can't say no to a tea party." replied the bespectacled, red-haired and garbed young woman.
"I'm sorry, but was it me who got stars in their eyes at the thought of having one of Hiyoko's tiny cakes?" Another young woman, with pale skin and platinum hair, yellow eyes and dark blue clothing walked over with a pot of tea.
"Hey, don't call me out like that! It's not a crime to like desserts."
"Yes, Rin, of course. I'll hold you to showing the same excitement next time I make dessert. I'll accept nothing less."
The lady of the house, in a yellow sundress with bells in her long, brown hair, giggled. "I see that married life hasn't stopped you two from teasing." Hiyoko said.
"We're only a week into it. Give it a few months and I may become outwardly lustful." Rose replied. 
Rin took off her glasses and began wiping them with a handkerchief, while blushing. "Sorry, this sudden wave of heat just came around me. S-strangest thing." She quickly put her glasses back on. "Anyway. What did you want to talk about, Hiyoko?"
"I could sense some excitement in your voice when you called. What's on your mind?" Rose asked.
Hiyoko fidgeted in her seat. "Well...me and JoJo have been planning something for a few months, and now that it's finally happening I wanted to talk to you about it."
"Mamaaaaa." Rin felt a tugging on her shirt.
"Yes, Shizuka?"
"There's a bunch of butterflies over by the flowers, can I go look?" asked the brown-haired girl, garbed in bug-pattern clothing and headphones.
"Of course, lovebug. You know you don't need my permission to look at bugs. Just make sure they don't make you their queen and fly away with you."
"'Kay." The girl ran off.
"Sorry about that."
"Oh, not at all. What I wanted to talk about does involve Shizuka, in a way." Hiyoko replied. "You see, before I called you, I was on the phone with an agency regarding some...life-altering changes."
"Life-altering? It's not another operation, is it?" Rose asked.
"Oh no, nothing like that. It was...an adoption agency."
"Adoptio--Hiyoko. Are you saying you and JoJo are adopting a child?" Rin asked.
Hiyoko nodded. "Mmhmm. I got the call this morning. Everything's gone through. We're heading north tomorrow to bring her home."
"Oh my GOD! Hiyoko, that's amazing! Tell us EVERYTHING." Rin exclaimed.
"Yes, please do. Everything." Rose repeated.
"Okay. So I'd realized long ago that giving birth myself would be far too risky given my condition. Seeing you two so happy with Shizuka made me...well, a little envious, to be blunt. JoJo was hesitant at first, but he knows how badly I've wanted to be a mother. So we've looked into everything, gotten the house prepared, did everything we've needed to. All that was left was to find our child. And then, a few weeks ago...I laid eyes on her." Hiyoko explained.
She pulled out her phone. She showed the pair a picture of a girl, with white hair, pale eyes and holding a small bird plush. "This is Aura. She's four years old, just a little bit younger than Shizuka. She's in a home up north."
"Oh, Hiyoko, she's precious. Her appearance...does she have albinism?" Rose asked.
"That's right. She has an uncomfortable time in the sun, and the agency explained to us that she could have problems with her eyesight as she gets older. As you can imagine, she'll be needing extra care. But it's care I'm willing to give. I knew as soon as I saw her, read her profile...something in me just clicked. I want to help make her life a little more comfortable. The same way JoJo's made my life more comfortable." Hiyoko replied.
"It's a beautiful thing, Hiyoko. You're doing a beautiful thing. Where is the Underworld Prince, anyway?" Rin asked.
"You rang?"
Exiting the house was an imposing young man, wearing a dark dress shirt and pants, a messy brown ponytail extending past his shoulders. A dark eyepatch was draped over his left eye.
"Sorry to interrupt Lady Hour, but the agency's on the phone. They just want you to air out a couple more things."
"Oh, of course. Excuse me, girls." Hiyoko got up, took the phone and walked to the side.
"Soooo. Mr. Tough Yakuza Man is turning into Girl Dad. Here I thought it'd never happen." Rin said.
"EX-Yakuza Man. Already had to drive that point across with the adoption people." Shūjo replied.
"I can't imagine that went over easily. 'Higashikata' isn't exactly an unknown name in terms of crime families." Rose said.
"It most certainly didn't. I had to send all of my records over. I haven't spent a night in jail since I was fifteen. I'm a legitimate business owner now. The one caveat about this is that the girl's gotta take Hiyoko's last name. Outside of her old man, 'Kagetora' doesn't have the same level of notoriety that my name does."
"I'm glad it still worked out in the end. I know how badly she's wanted this for a long time. What made you finally agree to it?" Rin asked.
"I exist for her benefit. Everything I do is so she can be happy. And honestly...I feel for this kid. Abandoned as a baby, adoption made harder cuz of how she looks. I know Hiyoko sympathizes with her. She knows what it's like to come from nothing and have her body turn on her. How do I ever say no to that?"
"Well if you show this girl even 1% of the devotion you've shown to Hiyoko, she'll have nothing to worry about." Rose said.
"And now Shizuka can have a little playmate. She's been counting the minutes until my students come back from summer break. It'll be good for her to have another girl around to play with." Rin added.
"My thinking exactly. The agency told us that none of the other kids come near Aura cuz of her looks, and she's been super lonely. Having friends with a girl close to her age was a huge plus for them. Now here's hoping they can actually get along."
"I trust you left out some of the other...details?" Rose asked.
"Yeah, like they'd believe that we have ghosty powers and can go inside people's thoughts and beat up demons and moon people." Shūjo replied.
"Well that way you just make it sound ridiculous." Rose took a sip of her tea.
"I just want to make one thing clear, JoJo." Rin began. "This is nothing like getting a pet or a plant or what have you. This is an enormous responsibility. Especially considering Hiyoko's own health issues. She and this girl are going to need 160% from you. Parenting's a massive undertaking. Promise me you'll take this seriously."
"Okay, okay, you know I'm gonna. Don't need to give me a lecture, 'Professor'. This girl won't have a sad day in her life. You've got my word." Shūjo replied. 
"I mean it. I know Hiyoko'll give it every ounce of energy she has. But on some days she might not be able to. She needs you more than ever. We and everyone else will be as supportive as we can, but ultimately the buck stops with you. You treat Hiyoko like a queen. This girl's going to need that same kind of devotion. I'm serious, JoJo."
"Yeah, I can see that. You won't have to worry. I'm gonna do everything I can. I know it's a big adjustment. Y'all, Jin and Tenko have made that ABUNDANTLY clear. They gave me that same scary look you're giving me now. Am I really that untrustworthy?" Shūjo asked.
"You're the one with the snake tattoo. You tell me." Rose mumbled while still sipping tea.
"I trust you, JoJo. It's my mom instincts kicking in. I expect nothing but the best from everyone. 160%. Nothing less."
"...yeah. Yeah, I get it. 160%. Nothing less."
Hiyoko approached. "What's with the serious looks? Did something happen?"
"It's nothing. Just some friendly chit-chat. I'm gonna head in to finish packing. Y'all have fun." Shūjo headed back inside.
"Remember, JoJo. Nothing but the best." Rin dictated. He gave a thumbs-up in affirmation. She turned to Rose. "What's the look for?"
"Nothing. Other than you being somehow more attractive when you're being serious." Rose deadpanned.
"Teases, teases, teases...aw, no! Look what she's gotten into now..." 
Shizuka, standing near a flower patch, was covered by several butterflies. "Pretty..."
"Oh, they're harmless, beloved. We've seen a certain relative of hers covered in FAR worse." Rose said.
"I guess. At least they aren't ants, or spiders, or wasps, or..." Rin began to name off countless types of dangerous bugs.
"While she's preoccupied..." Rose turned to Hiyoko. "I'm thrilled for you. I know how certain you are about this. My one concern here is your health. Are you sure you're prepared for full-time parenthood?"
"Love, I've never felt more prepared for anything. I know what it's like to be born into nothing. I want to give this girl the kind of life that's been given to me. You said it yourself about Shizuka. You just know when someone's meant to be in your life. That's how I feel right now." Hiyoko replied.
"This girl has no idea that she's hit the parent lottery. You'll do amazing. Right, Rin?"
"--or bed bugs, or mosquitoes, or centipedes, or--hm? What were you saying?" Rin snapped out of her train of thought.
"We were just discussing how cute you look in that shirt." Rose fibbed.
"No shame. At all. I can't." Rin shook her head.
"You love it enough to have put a ring on it." Hiyoko teased.
"And I don't regret it in the least. So, I was told there would be desserts?" Rin tried changing the subject.
"I'll go fetch them right now. You two stay comfortable." Hiyoko went inside. She took another glance at her phone. At the silver-haired girl. At Aura. Her daughter.
Her daughter.
A tear dropped from her eye. It was real.
---
July 22, 2029
"You alright?" Shūjo asked. 
"I feel better than I have in years, my love. Today of all days, I'm going to make it through. Everything is wonderful." Hiyoko assured.
"You worry too much, Boss." A goateed man in a dark suit poked his head out of the couple's dark car. "With how much she's talked about today, I'd just assume she's taken enough meds to keep a dry camel on its feet."
"I'm just making sure, Kaido. Don't need this kid seeing her faint on Day 1."
"Just saying. You're not a wall of steel yourself."
"Bull. When's the last time you saw me cry?"
"Last week at Rin and Rose's wedding?" Hiyoko replied.
"Nope. Didn't happen. That was Jin doing his illusion BS."
"If that's what you're gonna go with..." Kaido sighed.
The door to the cottage opened. "They're here to see you, Aura. Don't be shy." an older woman said.
The girl poked her head from behind the door. She looked hesitant.
"Kaido. Hand me the umbrella." Hiyoko requested.
"Aye-aye." He did so.
Hiyoko walked over to the door. She looked down at the girl. "It's alright. The sun's a bit bothersome today, isn't it?" She unfurled the umbrella. "Come now. It's too lovely a day to be hiding inside." She got on her knees.
The girl stepped out, still clutching the white bird plush. She was in a white dress, with a large bow in her hair.
"Good girl. My name's Hiyoko. I came from far away to meet you. Your name is Aura, right?"
"Y...yes..." the girl quietly affirmed.
"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl. And who's your little friend?"
"...his name is Hoots...he's my friend...I take him everywhere...are you...um..."
"I'd like to take you both home with me, Aura. I've been waiting for you for a very long time. If it's alright with you, I'd love to be your Mama."
"Mama...?" The girl's eyes widened at the realization. "I've never had...a Mama..."
"Well, sweetheart...I'd love to fix that."
The girl embraced Hiyoko in a hug. She reciprocated as tears streamed down her face. The girl fiddled with one of the bells in Hiyoko's hair. "Pretty sound..."
"Lemme hold this for ya." Shūjo had walked over, and grabbed hold of the umbrella.
Aura appeared spooked. "Don't be scared. This is my JoJo." Hiyoko assured.
"Hey there, pretty girl. I'm not as scary as I look. And I guess that you can call me Papa." Shūjo added.
"Papa..." Aura pointed at the eyepatch. "Are you...a pirate?"
"Heh...well, I work on boats. So...I guess I kinda am a pirate."
"Ah..." Aura looked at her plush. She walked over to Shūjo, and placed the owl on his shoulder. "Ahahahaha...pirate!" The girl giggled.
"Tch...hehehehehehe..." Shūjo tried and failed to suppress his laughter. He sighed. "C'mere..." He embraced the girl. "You keep that smile up, y'hear? You're not gonna have any more reason to frown from now on. Swear it on my life."
"You're going to be so happy now, Aura. We have everything you could ever want. And we have a big group of friends that can't wait to meet you." Hiyoko added.
"Oh yeah. Your crazy aunts and uncles. You've got no idea what you're being brought into. You're gonna love it." Shūjo assured.
"OH, YOU GUYS!" Kaido suddenly appeared behind the couple and embraced them, tears in his eyes.
"DUDE!" Shūjo griped.
"Ah, and speaking of crazy uncles..." Hiyoko began. "This is Kaido. He, ah, works for us."
"I am naught but your humble servant, Miss Aura! Forever at your beck and call!" Kaido bowed.
"Is he...a pirate, too?" Aura asked.
"Well he's got salt in his brain, I know that much." Shūjo grabbed Kaido by the shoulder and dragged him back to the car.
"Those two...oh dear." Hiyoko sighed. "Listen, Aura. I know what it feels like to not have a home, or a family. But it's going to be different from now on. You'll have more love in your life now than you'll know what to do with. Do you want to see your new house?"
"Yes...yes, Mama!" Aura nodded excitedly.
"I'll never get tired of hearing that...let's go home. Your home." Hiyoko grabbed the girl by the hand, and walked back to the car.
---
"Oh my GOSH! Look at this fluff! She's like a little snow angel!" exclaimed a brown-haired woman wearing a green jacket. 
"Easy there, Tenko. She gets spooked rather easily." Hiyoko cautioned.
"Aw, she's got nothing to be spooked about. Your name's Aura, right? I'm Tenko! You can call me your crazy aunt. And this right here..." Tenko picked up a carrier with a baby in it. "This is my little Rina. She's still a tiny thing, but once she gets bigger, you're gonna be super friends. Then I can teach you all about the Bestie Manual!"
"What's the Bestie Manual...?" Aura asked.
"I'm so glad you asked! You see--"
"ANYway. Before you start making her head explode." Shūjo interrupted. "Where's that hubby of yours? Off brooding somewhere?"
"The walls have ears, Higashikata." proclaimed a menacing voice from behind Shūjo.
"GAH SH--ugh. Jin! I hate when you do that! Creeps me the heck out."
"You should be expecting it by this point." replied the man in a black-and-blue hooded jacket. He dropped his hood, revealing mid-length dark hair and a short beard.
Aura looked spooked by the sight of him. She quickly hid behind Hiyoko. "Don't be scared, Aura. He's not as menacing as you think." she assured.
Jin knelt down to Aura's level. "Hey. Cute plushie you've got there. You like plushies?"
"...um...yes..."
"You and me'll get along just fine. I like them too. I'm Jin. Nice to meet you."
"See that, Aura? My Jin might look scary, but he's the biggest softie you'll ever meet. He's more teddy than grizzly." Tenko said.
"Don't listen to her. I can be scary if I want to be."
"Not according to my background~." Tenko pulled out her phone, and the background was an image of Jin asleep on the couch, a Pokémon plush beneath his head and the baby asleep on top of him. An embarrassed Jin hid his face underneath his hood.
"Teddy bear..." Aura chimed in, amused.
"Is it 'Messing with Jin' time, already?" asked a man's voice with a southern accent.
"Oh great, here comes Officer Yokel." Shūjo grumbled.
"Be nice, JoJo. I'm glad you could make it, Jugo. I know how busy you must be." Hiyoko said.
"I'm off-duty for a minute. Had to come and see this." Jugo was in an officer's uniform, with messy brown hair and a cowboy hat hanging behind his head. "Howdy there, little lady. The name's Jugo. I'm a pal of your folks."
"If that's what you call it." Shūjo grumbled.
"Pay your ol' pa no mind. I only get the urge to clock him once in a blue moon."
"And he knows not to do that cuz I'd have his badge."
"Are you a cowboy?" Aura asked.
"Somethin' like that. There's a lot of cowboys where I come from. Home's a ways away from here. But all my pals are around here, so here's where I'm at."
"I appreciate the sentiment." Shūjo said with a hint of sarcasm.
"Hello, hello, hello~. Sorry we're a little late. Someone didn't feel like getting up from their nap." Rin entered the room.
"Hi, neighbor~! Fancy meeting you here!" Tenko exclaimed.
"Tenko you told them we were coming...never mind." Jin sighed.
"Now let me get a good look at you." Rin knelt in front of Aura. "You are even more adorable in person than in your pictures. My name's Ringo. Everyone calls me Rin. It's so nice to meet you, Aura."
"Your name is 'apple'...? Is that why you're red?" Aura asked.
"Hehe, maybe my mama knew what I'd look like when she gave me my name. I like to think so, anyway."
Aura took notice of Rin's arms. They were covered in faded scars. "Did someone hurt you...?"
"Oh. You would ask me that. This happened a long time ago. When I was sad and lonely. But everything's alright, now. I'm happier than I've ever been, and I have all these amazing people around me. And I'm glad to add you to that, Aura." Rin gave the girl a hug. "One of my students always talks about hugs helping people feel better. I tend to agree with that."
"Now isn't this a precious scene." Rose knelt down next to Rin. "Hello there, Aura. My name is Rosemary. You can call me Rose. I'm Rin's wife. And you...are just the cutest little thing."
Aura looked at Rose in awe. "Your hair...you're like me..."
"A little bit, yes. I'm from up..." Rose pointed upwards, then moved her finger to the side. "There. Canada. Where mooses and maple syrup come from."
"Good save, Rose." Rin whispered.
"Well I'm not lying." Rose whispered back.
"And actually, there's someone else we really want you to meet. Shizuka?" 
Behind Rin and Rose, Shizuka had her headphones on and was sitting on the couch.
"Go on, Aura. Go say hello." Hiyoko prodded her on.
"Sorry, she can be a little shy. She's never been around another girl her age." Rose said.
Aura nervously approached Shizuka, who was distracted by her tablet. "Um...ummm..." Aura fidgeted a bit.
Shizuka finally looked up and took notice. "H...hello..." Aura mumbled.
".....are you a ghost?" Shizuka asked.
"Shizuka! Don't be rude. She was just saying hello." Rin chastised.
"Sorry, Mama." Shizuka uttered.
"Maybe we should give them some time alone." Hiyoko suggested.
"Yeah, they don't need a buncha grown-ups gawking at 'em." Jugo agreed. The adults exited the room, though made sure to stay close enough to listen in.
Aura got up on the couch next to Shizuka. "Um..." 
"....."
"....."
"....."
"S...sorry...I'm not very good at this..." Aura muttered. "Everyone I say hi to runs away..."
"That's kinda mean. I don't think you're spooky or anything." Shizuka replied.
"But you thought I was a ghost..."
"I didn't say you were a scary ghost. I think you look cool."
"R-really?" Aura perked up. 
"Uh-huh. You kinda look like my Mama Rose. I think it's cool."
"Th...thank you...um. My name is Aura."
"I'm Shizuka. I like your birdie."
"Thank you...his name's Hoots. I take him everywhere. I like your headphones."
"Thanks. I like butterflies. I like a lot of bugs. The coolest girl in the world gave it to me. She's smart and sweet and pretty."
"Really?"
"Well that's what she told me to tell people." Shizuka pulled out an index card. "She wrote down more stuff but...I can't read very good."
"That Kitty, I swear..." Rin mumbled.
"Hey, um...sorry for calling you a ghost. That wasn't very nice." Shizuka said.
"Nobody's ever said they were sorry to me before..." Aura mused.
"Well they were just meanies. The cool girl always tells me to say sorry when you do something bad." Shizuka took off her headphones. "You wanna listen?"
"Oh, um...sure. If it's okay."
"The cool girl and another cool girl sing this one. They always play with me and sing to me. But they live far away. Listening to them makes me happy."
Shizuka put the headphones on Aura and pressed 'Play'. "Wow...they sound so pretty..."
The adults looked on from the next room over. "Is anyone else's heart melting or is that just me?" Tenko asked.
"Sure that's not just indigestion, Valkyrie?" Jugo joked.
"I'm so happy to see them taking to each other so quickly. This is everything I could have asked for." Hiyoko said.
"I'm thrilled, too. Shizuka's felt so lonely without Kitty and Barbara here to look after her. I wanted her to be around more kids her age." Rin added.
"Not only that, but Shizuka had a difficult life before she came to us. Having a kindred spirit around could be comforting for them both." Rose added.
"I think we just gave those kids their first real friend." Shūjo surmised.
---
"And here's your room, Aura. I'm sorry that it's a little barren, but we wanted to wait to see how you'd like it to look."
Hiyoko led the girl to her bed. "So, what do you think? Are you happy?"
"Mmhmm."
"I know they're a lot to handle, but they're all wonderful people. It's like one big family."
"I like...having a big family. Can I play with Shizuka again?"
"Of course, sweetheart. I can arrange something for this week. You can play with her whenever you want." Hiyoko brushed the girl's hair. "How did you ever fall into my lap? Someone so precious shouldn't have been left alone for so long. I know what it's like...to want a loving family more than anything. That's why I want you to have a life of happiness and comfort. Darling girl...you'll never have a bad day in your life."
"Mama...do you really love me that much...?"
"Oh, dearest...I loved you the moment I laid eyes on you. Rin told me that there are people who you just know belong in your life. That's exactly how I felt. How I feel. So, yes. I do love you that much."
"I...love you too, Mama...thank you for...loving me..."
---
A short while later, Shūjo peered into the girl's room. Aura was fast asleep, still clutching onto her owl as always. Next to her, Hiyoko was also asleep, her arm draped around the girl. Letting out a sigh of contentment, he let them be, and walked outside.
"*sigh*...you're really doing this, man..." He looked at his phone.
"Expecting a call, JoJo?"
Out from the shadows, Jin stepped out.
"The hell are you doing sneaking around? Really trying to prove you can be scary?" Shūjo asked.
"No. Tenko left her phone so I came to grab it. And then I found you being secretive. So now I'm doing my due diligence in making sure you're not being stupid."
"I'd expect this shit from Jugo or even Red. Hiyoko and Aura are asleep. I was giving Kaido a call about covering for me tonight. That's it. Nothing else."
"Mmhmm. Given prior history, you'll forgive me for being skeptical."
"This ain't got nothing to do with old man Kagetora. I know that's what you're thinking. I said it a thousand times, I'm done looking for him."
"For that little girl's sake you'd better be. I should've lied about not seeing him in the Underworld. Maybe that would've finally put the issue to bed for good."
"It IS done for good, I told you--"
Jin got up close to Shūjo. "Now you listen to me. Man to man. Father to father. You have a whole new level of responsibilities to deal with now. Putting people at risk so you can get Hiyoko a miracle surgery that might not even work was already bad enough when it didn't involve a four-year old with her own set of problems. You really want to dig that can of worms back up?"
Jin backed away. "Look. I get it. You'll do everything possible to make your wife comfortable. It's what I respect about you. But it's also your biggest fault. And if you go down this road now, I guarantee it'll cost you worse than just your eye. She has what she's always wanted. You've given a little girl a life she could never dream of before. Don't go back to chasing ghosts, JoJo. Let what you have now be enough. Or...are you gonna tell that girl that she's not enough to make Hiyoko 100% happy?"
Shūjo fell silent. "You're right. Dammit, you're right. I can't afford to do something stupid now. It isn't just me and her now."
"Go back in the house, JoJo. Your family needs your mind on them. Not on miracles you don't need. I don't want to have to give this spiel again." Jin turned to leave. "Give Hiyoko my regards. See you when I see you." He left.
"Tch. That guy really can be creepy when he wants to be." Shūjo turned to walk back in. "Okay. Guess I gotta figure this dad thing out..."
---
July 23, 2029
"....."
"....."
"...why are you gawking at me like that?" Shūjo griped.
Rose stared emotionlessly at Shūjo while taking a sip of tea. "Monitoring your every move. Just in case."
"You really think I'm gonna screw up that badly? I don't need a babysitter."
"So you don't want me to inform you of that soy sauce stain on your collar, then?"
Shūjo looked down, and grumpily wiped the stain from his collar. Off to the side, Shizuka and Aura were playing.
"Hey, you wanna see something cool?" Shizuka asked.
"Umm...sure." Aura replied.
"Follow me." The girls walked out of the room, the adults unaware. Shizuka walked outside to a patch of flowers, but Aura hesitated. "C'mon. You gotta be close to it."
"I'm not...supposed to be in the sun for too long..."
"C'mon, it'll only be for a minute."
With some hesitation, Aura stepped out from the shadows.
"--I'm telling you, I don't need another lecture. I'm repeating myself with y'all at this point." Shūjo griped.
"We're lecturing you because you need to understand--wait." Rose looked over to where the girls were playing. "Where did they go?"
Shūjo looked outside. "Oh...SHIT!"
Aura was standing next to Shizuka in the sunlight, peering at the flowers.
"Shit shit shit SHIT!" Shūjo sprinted out the door.
"JoJo, wait! Oh...this can't end well." Rose followed after.
"See this? They aren't scared of me. They like me for some reason." Shizuka had a butterfly on her elbow.
"Woah..."
"HEY! What do you think you're doing?!" Shūjo came up from behind and picked up Aura. "Are you crazy?! You've got the sun beaming down on you! You could seriously hurt yourself!"
"I'm...I'm sorry Papa...I was just--"
"And you! You know how bad the sun can be for her! What're you doing dragging her out for?!"
"S-sorry, Uncle JoJo...it was only gonna be for a few minutes..." uttered a frightened Shizuka.
Rose suddenly appeared between them. A blue aura surrounded her. "Choose your next course of action carefully, Shūjo. The consequences could be dire."
"Tch...I'm taking her inside." Shūjo walked away.
"Did I...do something bad?" Shizuka asked.
"We'll talk about it later. I'm not done with Uncle JoJo yet." Rose ominously replied.
"You can't just run out there, kid. It's too dangerous for you." Shūjo dictated.
"It was just for a minute...I want to go outside..." Aura muttered.
"You know what the sun can do to you. Especially now in the middle of the summer. What if something awful happened and you couldn't find shade?"
"I just...want to be like the other kids...they can go outside like normal...I don't want to be stuck inside like in the orphanage..."
"JoJo. She's just a child. She made a mistake. You don't have to be so upset with her." Rose said from behind him.
"She could've gotten burned out in that sun! Why am I the only one that thinks this is a problem?!"
"But she didn't. Albino people aren't vampires. They don't dissolve away instantly in the sun. She could go for a few minutes. You can't just shut her in forever. You have to find ways to accommodate her condition. Yelling at her isn't the way to do it."
"It's the only way I know to get a point across."
"She's not one of your lackies. What will you do if this happens again? Make her cut off part of her finger as atonement?"
"I'm not gonna be the bad guy here, I'm the only one being responsible--"
Shūjo turned around. Aura was gone. The sound of a door shutting could be heard in the distance.
"Well I hope you're happy." Rose stated.
The sound of another door opening echoed out. "We're back~." chimed Hiyoko.
"Oh, good. Right on schedule." Rose said.
"...shit." Shūjo uttered.
Minutes later...
"Are you being serious?!" Hiyoko chastised. "For heaven's sake, JoJo, it was an innocent mistake. You didn't have to go so overboard."
"She's spent the bulk of her life stuck inside of a house not able to play with other kids. She finally gets to do that and you go off on both of them? What if she never wants to step outside again because she thinks you'll get upset? What if Shizuka doesn't want to come back around because you yelled at her? THINK! You can be so thick-headed sometimes. This is EXACTLY what I was afraid would happen." Rin lectured.
"That's how I was taught, okay? You need to get it into a kid's head what's right to do and what ain't. So it doesn't happen again." Shūjo retorted.
"Boss..." Kaido shook his head.
"I'm going to go talk to her. Try to clean this mess up." Hiyoko walked off.
The adults sat in silence, Rin and Rose both staring daggers at Shūjo. "I was trying. To keep her safe. What is so wrong with that?" he questioned.
"It's not your reasons we're upset with. It's your method of getting it across." Rose replied.
"She is four years old, JoJo. Never had family or friends before now. And not even a day after giving her a home, you yell at her for a simple child's mistake. You can treat your gaggle of thugs that way all you want, I don't care. That display and reaction is completely unacceptable." Rin chided.
"Sorry we can't all be flawless paragons of parenthood like y'all." Shūjo replied.
"You are NOT gonna flip this around on us--" responded an offended Rin.
"Boss, knock it off already. Just admit that you screwed up and move on." Kaido said.
"I didn't do anything. I was just--"
"Dude. The world we grew up in is way different from how anyone else was raised. We had things hammered into our brains because if we screwed up, it'd mean either prison or the grave. That style isn't gonna work on everybody. Especially not an innocent thing like Miss Aura. Our lives were based around fear. She doesn't need to be afraid of you. She just needs to feel normal."
"....." Shūjo dropped his head, the reality sinking in.
"JoJo...you need to understand--" Rin began.
Hiyoko rushed back in. "She...she's gone!"
"What?! She's not in her room?" Rin asked.
"I knocked and she wouldn't respond...I walked in and the window was open. I tried calling for her but she didn't answer. Oh no, oh no, oh no..."
"Calm down, Hiyoko. She couldn't have gone far. Hopefully she's still in the estate." Rose assured.
"We have to hurry. It'll be sundown soon. She wouldn't need to hunker down and hide from the sun then." Rin added. 
"I'll get the staff on it. If she's still here, we'll find her." Shūjo asserted.
"JoJo, you--" Hiyoko began.
"I know, I KNOW, I screwed up. Big time. You can curse me out, slap me, toss me over a bridge, whatever you want. But we need to find Aura first. I need to apologize. I've had this all wrong..."
---
An hour later. The sun had already set. It was still early enough that most of the homes in the residential section of town had their lights on.
Down one of these streets, a young girl clutching onto a plush toy came to a stop. Her legs were too tired to keep going. She didn't need to hide when it was dark out. But now she was too exhausted.
Aura couldn't understand why Papa was so upset. All she wanted to do was play with her new friend outside, like any normal kid. Her entire life up to that point had been largely spent indoors. It wasn't fair that she had to take so many precautions whenever she went outside.
Then she started to remember how good Mama was to her. How much love she'd shown her in the short time they were together. How cool Papa was when they came to pick her up. And their crazy big family that was so happy to have her there.
She knew she shouldn't have ran away. But she was too tired. So she sat on the sidewalk, clutched Hoots the Owl, and began to sob. "Mamaaaaa...Papaaaaa...I want to go...I want to go home..."
Something stirred inside one of the dimly lit houses. The door opened.
"What's all this noise about...oh!"
Standing on the front porch, holding her phone with the flashlight turned on, was a teenage girl wearing a reddish-purple tank top with images of magnolias on it. Her dark hair was tied back by a similarly colored ribbon. She walked up to Aura.
"What are you doing out here by yourself? What's the matter?"
"*sniff* My Papa got mad at me...I did something I wasn't supposed to...and I ran away...but now I'm lost and tired...I wanna go home...*sniff*"
"Poor thing...let's try to call your parents or someone else, okay? I don't have the best lighting in the house, but you can stay here while we find someone to take you home. Can you stand up?"
"Uh-huh..."
"Okay. Grab my hand. You must've done a lot of running if you're this tired."
Aura did so, taking the girl by the hand and going inside.
"What's your name?" the girl asked.
"I'm Aura..."
"Aura? That's a lovely name. My name's Sakuya. Now let's work on finding your parents."
---
"I'm sorry that it's a little dark. There hasn't been electricity here in a very long time. So for now, I'm pretending that it's the 1700s." Sakuya said. 
The house was dark, lit only by candles. Aura was seated at the kitchen table. "I only have a few non-perishables with me. You must be hungry after running all the way here. Please, help yourself. And sorry again that it's so dark."
"It's okay...I'm used to being in the dark..."
"So I can see from your complexion. It must be difficult. Your body getting in the way of having a normal life. I...understand that, in a way. But enough of my moping..."
"Do you live here by yourself?"
"Well...'live' is a strong word for it. I lived here a long time ago. But...bad things happened here. Very bad things. So I left. And then...more bad things happened. And even though good things are happening now, it's still difficult for me. Until school starts in a couple of weeks, I don't have anywhere else to stay. So, here I am."
"You don't have a family?"
Sakuya paused for a second. "My father is...where he deserves to be. Where he can't do anymore bad things."
"And your Mama?"
"....." Sakuya didn't say a word. "Why don't you tell me about what happened that got you here?"
"I...went outside when I wasn't supposed to...and my Papa got mad...he got mad at his friends...so I ran."
"Was your father angry because you could have been hurt by the sun?"
"Mmhmm. But it was only going to be a minute...I just wanted to go outside like a normal kid...yesterday was so fun, finally having a family...I never should've ran...I miss my Mama and Papa..."
"I see...I'm so sorry. I understand you wanting to do normal things. But it sounds like your father only wanted to keep you safe. If you just came to the house yesterday, he must be adjusting to this, too. I'm certain he regrets his actions now. And they both must be worried sick." Sakuya got next to Aura. "Just sit here and relax for a bit. I can work on finding your parents. It'll all be fine. Okay?"
"Okay...thank you..."
Aura gave Sakuya a hug. "Hugs are...good for making people feel better..."
Sakuya giggled. "That's right. It's a very good healing tool. A dear friend of mine always says as much."
"Hey...do you know the red lady?"
"Red lady? Wait...this red lady wouldn't happen to be Ringo Kubo, would she?"
"Uh-huh...she gave me a hug yesterday...she's friends with Mama and Papa."
"Unbelievable. I'm starting to think that everyone in this town knows her...well you just made this a lot easier. Time to make a call..."
---
Within half an hour, there was a knock at the door. Sakuya opened it, to find Hiyoko and Shūjo standing there, with Rin and Rose behind them. "I believe I have something of yours." 
Aura walked out slowly. Hiyoko quickly picked her up. "Oh, thank every deity out there...I was so worried..."
"I'm sorry, Mama..."
"Don't be...I'm just relieved that you're alright."
"Hey, kiddo..." Shūjo muttered. "I'm glad you're alright. Listen, I'm...sorry about getting angry. I didn't want you getting hurt. But I really messed up getting that across. I come from a place where that sort of thing is normal. But that's not what you need. I don't want you to be scared of me. So...could you ever forgive me?"
Aura reached out for Shūjo. "Guess that's a yes." He grabbed hold of her. 
"Thank you for this, Sakuya. But I have to ask..." Rin began. "What are you doing here? I thought you were spending the summer with Kitty."
"I was. But I came back a couple weeks early. In truth, I didn't want to keep imposing on her. So I'm staying here until the school year begins." Sakuya replied.
"In a dusty place like this? With no electricity or running water? Absolutely not. Rin?" Rose objected.
"I'm not going to let you squat inside this house for two weeks. We have a spare room. Grab your things. I'm not taking no for an answer." Rin dictated. 
"You're too kind, Professor Kubo, but I couldn't impose. Academy staff already go after you for your closeness with us. I don't want to add more fuel to that."
"Your objections are noted. And hereby ignored. I'll help pack your things." Rose replied. 
Sakuya sighed. "I'll try to be as helpful as I can. I'm sorry for intruding."
"You aren't intruding. I'm inviting you in. Take it as a thank you for keeping Aura company." Rin replied.
"If I could just take a moment." Hiyoko walked over. "I think someone wants to give their own thank you."
"Thank you, pretty lady..." Aura uttered.
"Oh, it's no trouble at all. Anyone would've done the same. I hope it's happier for you after this."
"It will be. I'll make sure of it. Thanks again. Now let's get you home, kiddo." Shūjo said. The three soon departed. Contrary to the mood earlier, Aura was able to sleep peacefully that night. All of the fear was gone. Her plush in hand, her happy family life could finally begin.
---
"Call us if you need anything. Rin and I are right down the hall. Don't worry about waking Shizuka. She sleeps like a rock." Rose said.
"Thank you again for your hospitality, Mrs. Rose. I'll try not to be a burden." Sakuya replied.
"Think nothing of it. Have a good night." Rose closed the door behind her.
Sakuya sat on the bed, musing over the day's events. Her thoughts were broken by an alert on her phone. She'd gotten a message, the sender listed as "Caroline B."
"Carrie-san? What would she want at this hour..."
"Bonjour, Sakuya. I hope this message finds you well. When you can, please give me a call."
The next part of the message sent Sakuya reeling.
"It's about your mother. I believe I may have found her."