Persona BLEACHED 3: Chapter 19

Chapter 19: The Coming Winter 
December 1, 2029 
"I know you know her meal and nap times. Keep her away from big crowds if you can. Also--" Rin dictated. 
"Prof, Prof, calm down, I know what I'm doing. I've taken care of her how many times now?" Kat asked. 
"Sorry, I know. Maternal instincts and all that. It's our first time leaving her with someone overnight." 
"I'm still unsure why this summit has to be two days, but alas." Rose commented. 
"Thanks for taking her in on such short notice. With the work schedules we all have, everyone was spread too thin." 
"Spread thin. Hmm, yes. Very good wording." 
Rin playfully slapped Rose on the shoulder. "It's no trouble for me, really. I've wanted a day with my princess for-e-ver. I'm not taking her anywhere crazy. I'm gonna be picking something up from Chuckles'--um, Mr. Mirai's store. Then it's lunch with Care and Hoodsie, and maybe the arcade after. If it's too noisy then I can come up with alternatives." Kat replied. 
"I don't say this enough, but thanks so much for all you do for Shizuka. It's a major relief whenever something comes up that we don't have to run around trying to find a babysitter. I just hope this doesn't come off as an extra burden." Rin said. 
"Please, if it involves the little bug then it's not a burden. Nothing I had planned for today changes cuz of her. It's cool. Really. Go do your exciting educator things." 
"Yes, exciting things like getting the stink eye from other professors because of the mortal sin of my students actually liking me. The highlight of every summit." 
"Little do they realize the power of my 'Stare of Disappointment'." Rose added. 
"The deadliest technique you have." Rin bent down to Shizuka's level. "You be good for Ms. Kit, okay, lovebug? We'll be back tomorrow." 
"Remember to be on your best behavior. I know you never give Ms. Kit any problems, so keep being a good girl for her." Rose added. 
"Okie-dokie." Shizuka replied. The two women embraced her. 
"Okay, that's our cue to head out. She's in your hands now." Rin said. 
"Don't corrupt her too much." Rose added. 
"Oh, I'm gonna introduce her to all sorts of illegal drugs. Safe travels." Kat replied. The two women departed. 
"Okay, little missy. Give me a few minutes to change into something comfy, and then we'll be off." Kat said. 
"Where's Barbie?" Shizuka asked. 
"Barbie's in theater practice today. But we're gonna be having lunch with some of my buds later. After that we can go to the arcade, or maybe you wanna go somewhere else...maybe you want to come back and take a nap, whatever you want. It's our special hangout day." 
"Okay. KittyKat?" 
"Yeah?" 
"What are 'eel legal drugs'?" 
"Nothing you should know about until you're my age. Even then that might be too young. Just...don't worry about it. Let me throw something on." 
Kat got dressed, grabbed Shizuka, and left the dorm. The first destination of the day was in Naruki's shopping district: Azure Moon Games and Novelties, the gaming emporium owned by Jin Mirai. "Hello-lo! Anyone home?" Kat called out. 
There was one employee restocking a shelf along the wall, lined with plush toys. "Hey, what can I--ah!" The young man jumped at the sight of Kat. 
"What, there something on my--hold up. Aren't you..." 
The jittery employee was none other than one Leon Hasha. "Y-you're that girl from the tournament. The one that said you'd send me to Arceus if I ever got near you again." He got on his hands and knees. "I am so, so, so, so, SO sorry about how I acted. If you want to knock me around for a bit, go on ahead, I deserve it..." 
"Slow down there, cowboy! I'm not here to beat anyone up. Now just what the heck are you doing here?" Kat questioned. 
"What's all the noise about?" Jin appeared suddenly. 
"Gah! How long've you been standing there?!" Kat complained. 
"Hi, Uncle Jin." Shizuka greeted. 
"Oh, hey there, bug. Rin mentioned you two would be stuck like glue today." Jin replied. "We would've looked after her ourselves, but me and Tenko are still bouncing Rina between her job and mine. And Mimi'd probably slip detergent in my drinks if I made her look after another kid on her day off." 
"Hey, no one's complaining. Just an excuse to spend the day with my favorite little person. So, uh..." Kat gestured towards Leon. "You wanna explain?" 
"Oh, him. He came in the other day to return the card he took from one of my employees. He was so down on his luck after what happened on Halloween that he needed cash big-time. So I brought him on board." 
"Didn't have that much in the bank after that, huh, Champ?" Kat asked. 
"I had to give all my channel donations back, and I'd spent so much time finding the cards' original owners that it slipped my mind that I needed to find another job. Apology tour or not, I still need to pay rent. I'm grateful Mirai-sama gave me a chance to make amends." Leon replied. "And honestly, things have been pretty quiet here. No one's really brought up what happened, and the regulars are all pretty chill. None of the hardcore elitist types that ruined my life. I can try to rebuild in peace." 
"Good for you, dude. If it's any comfort, I don't hold any hard feelings. Just promise me you'll never use that 'Champion Time' crud again." Kat said. 
"No way, that's retired forever. Too many bad thoughts involved with that. Oh, uh..." Leon took note of Shizuka staring intently at the wall of plush toys. "I think she's interested in...this one?" He picked up one of a green, winged creature with long antennae and red covers over its eyes. "This is Flygon. It looks like a bug, but it's actually a dragon. I'm a fan of dragons, myself." 
"Princess here's a fan of bugs. You like that one, little miss?" Kat asked. 
"Is he wearing glasses?" Shizuka questioned. 
"Oh, those are to protect its eyes. It lives in the desert, so the covers keep the sand out. You know that stuff's coarse and rough and gets eve--" Leon began. 
"Please, do not finish that reference." Kat interrupted. "You want me to grab it for you, princess?" 
"Mmhmm." Shizuka nodded. 
"Cute kid. She your little sister or something?" Leon asked. 
"You'd think so, but nah. She's my teacher's kid. I'm looking after her while her folks are out of town." Kat answered. 
"Alright, before I forget, I've got that thing you were asking about. Right behind the register." Jin directed. 
"Hey...Kat, was it?" Leon asked. 
"Wassup?" she replied. 
"Not accusing you or anything, but...did you send those Artisan peeps after me?" 
"Wha, uh, what do you mean?" 
"Like I said, not accusing you, I'm just going off of timing. In the off chance that you do know them, tell them...tell them I said thanks. I was in an ugly place, and without them I'd be in even deeper. Just want to give 'em props for screwing my head back on right." 
"Well if I ever meet them, I'll pass it along." 
"Thanks. Oh, don't forget this dude." 
Kat took the plush. "Keep it real, Champ." 
She went over to the register. "Okay...got three of these suckers in this morning. Haven't even gotten a chance to put them out. Know you told me to call you in whenever something like this showed up, so..." Jin pulled out a foot-tall black box bearing the image of a black-and-red dinosaur-like monster. 
"Ohohohohoooooo, look at Big G! And it's Shin! Wait, does that say he lights up?" Kat reacted. 
"That it does. Got some extra parts in there to give him his atomic breath, if you're feeling dangerous." 
"What's the lizard's name?" Shizuka asked. 
"That's Gojira, bug. Godzilla if you're anywhere but here. Only the most famous giant monster of them all." Jin replied. 
"God...zooky?" 
"No. Absolutely not." Jin shook his head. 
"How much for this beasty?" Kat asked. 
"Vendors recommended around 30,000 yen. Given your good standing around these parts, I'm willing to go down to 25,000. Sound like a deal?" 
"Woof. Thank goodness I've still got some birthday dough left over. Alright, let's do it." 
"Don't ever say I'm not generous. Oh, by the way...word from the neighbors is that you and your class are gonna be in Sapporo for the festival in a couple months, right?" 
"Oh, yeah. Kenny's doing a sculpture for it, and we're all getting some time to go up there." 
"Now there's something Tenko's gonna want to see." 
"Are y'all going up there, too?" 
"It's a yearly thing. I'm from Sapporo, originally. I moved when I was young, but most of my relatives are still up there. We usually go every year, but this past one we couldn't since Tenko just had Rina, and...oh, lord. It just dawned on me that she's gonna be one in a month. One! I thought the whole 'they grow up fast' thing was a joke." 
"Nope. Feels like yesterday this one showed up on Prof's doorstep and now she's going to school. Soon Doc's gonna be chasing boys away with a shotgun." 
"Heh, that'll be a sight. Alright, let me get you rung up. Little lady looks close to a nap." 
"Gucci. Thanks a ton, Mr. M. Say bye, princess." 
"Bye-bye, Uncle Jin." Shizuka waved. 
"See you around, kiddo. Tell your gang I said hey, KittyKat." Jin replied. 
Bag in hand, Shizuka in the other, Kat walked out. "Right, we're gonna go back to my place for a bit to drop these off. Then it's lunch with Care and Nat. That sound good?" 
"Mmhmm...*yaaawn*" Shizuka replied. 
"Aw, you can't be getting sleepy already. We've got time for a little nap. Come on."
--- 
The Higashikata estate, on the south side of Naruki. A sizeable manor purchased with underworld funding, though nowadays is home to far less unsavory endeavors. 
Kibō entered through the front gate, and walked through the large garden. He peered around. "Okay, no stray golf balls. Must be at the sushi place." 
"Hello, Mr. Ishimaru~. How are you this fine morning?" Hiyoko was seated on a stone bench, Aura seated next to her in her owl hoodie. 
"Hello, Ms. Hiyoko. I'm doing alright. How are you?" 
"Lovely. Managing the parlor plus this little one keep me busy." 
"I see she's still got the hoodie on. Is it helping her at school?" 
"Absolutely. She's playing normally and making friends with all the other children. Everything we were hoping for and then some. Ms. Van Damme is a saint." 
"She doesn't do bad work, that's for sure. So is your husband around?" 
"Oh yes, he's waiting for you in his office. Just one thing before you go...when you see him, try not to laugh." 
"Why would I want to laugh?" 
Hiyoko giggled. "You'll know it when you see it, dear." 
"Okay..." Kibō scratched his head, and continued into the manor. 
He walked up to the second floor, and knocked on the door closest to the stairs. "It's open." Shūjo said from inside. 
Kibō entered the office, decorated with a mixture of nautical memorabilia. "There ya are. Not a minute too early or late. Good." 
"Good morning, Mr. Higashi--" Kibō stopped. "Uh..." 
"Don't laugh." The eyepatch Shūjo was wearing had been decorated with little white plastic gemstones and glitter. "So my five-year old found the glue and had fun with it. That a problem?" 
"No, sir, not a problem...*snicker*...at all. It's very, ah...distinguished." Kibō tried to suppress any laughter. 
"Would you prefer to find out what it looks like underneath the patch?" 
"No, sir. And your daughter has a good sense of color matching." 
"Damn straight. Now sit." 
Kibō did as instructed. 
"So, what are your impressions of our sushi joint?" Shūjo asked. 
Kibō was somewhat puzzled by the question. "Um...pretty good, in my opinion. It's gotten to be one of our hangout spots pretty quick. We were there just last weekend." 
"Right. And how busy was the place every time you went?" 
"Well...hmm...it's had a buzz since we started going, but lately it's been packed every time we've gone. If Mr. Kaido didn't have a spot reserved for us, we'd probably be waiting for hours to get a table. What's all this about?" 
"Red got us up to speed on what you kids have been dealing with lately. People going crazy cuz their Shadows got hijacked. Getting obsessed with the one responsible even when it starts to hurt them." 
"You think something like that's happening with your restaurant? Maybe it's just really successful." 
"It's too successful. You hit it on the nose about tables being hard to come by. Hiyoko swung by there the other day and the wait times were insane. But nobody complained or moved from their spot in line. Even with other restaurants nearby, everyone was laser-focused on eating at ours. On top of that, those same restaurants are calling me complaining about how their profits are taking a nosedive. Ours is literally the only place in the entire south side making any sort of healthy income." 
"That does ring some bells...so you think someone on your staff could be a Warden?" 
"Not just someone." 
It dawned on Kibō just who Shūjo was hinting at. "You don't think it could be Mr. Kaido, do you?" 
"It damn sure better not be. I dunno how he could be doing it, but if he is, he's putting our reputation in jeopardy. It's taken us forever to shave off the 'yakuza' label, and if he's out here doing something effed up with the restaurant I gave him, that's gonna reflect badly on everyone. Not to mention, something about him just feels off lately. He's still his usual goofball self, but I can't shake the feeling that he's hiding something. I need your gang to look into it. If he's screwing around and messing with people's heads just to draw in business, him and I are gonna have a problem." 
"I'll certainly give it a look. But he's always been extra nice to us. I can't imagine him wilfully doing something wrong like this." 
"You forget what kind of world we come from, kid. The things we've seen and done would make your head spin. No matter how nice someone seems, there's always gonna be some secrets underneath." 
"I'll keep that in mind, sir. I'll go see if anything's suspicious around the restaurant." 
"Before you do, I have another favor to ask." 
"Another one? Go ahead." 
Shūjo took out some bills from his wallet. 
"What's this? You're bribing me?" Kibō asked. 
"No. We're all out of milk and Aura can't go to bed without a glass. I need you to go fetch me some." 
"First you ask me to look into your own assistant and now I'm supposed to do your grocery shopping? Why can't you do it?" 
Shūjo gestured towards the eyepatch. 
"Right. Okay, fine. She got a favorite brand or does anything go?" 
"Long as it's a gallon of 2%. I'd appreciate it." 
"Alright, but only this once. Don't start thinking that I'm your personal errand boy. Soon I'll be reading headlines like 'Son of ex-politician seen working for former yakuza'. That'd be the last thing my parents would need." 
"Not like I'm asking you to whack someone. Remember, 2% only." 
"Yeah, yeah." 
--- 
"Hi, my party's here already. Should be under Blackthorne." Kat said. 
"Yes, ma'am, right this way." the waitress directed. 
Kat, with Shizuka in hand, was taken to a booth, where Carrie and Natalia were already seated. "Hello hello, pretty ladies. I miss any prime gossip?" Kat greeted. 
"As of yet, no, darling." Carrie got up and gave Kat a peck on the cheek. "And hello to you, little bug." 
"Hiya, Care Bear. You look pretty today." Shizuka replied. 
"Why thank you, dearie, that's very sweet of you." 
"I'd say it too, but it'd be redundant. You look pretty every day." Kat said. 
"Please don't make me blush, Kitten. We haven't even ordered our food yet." 
"Hiya, Shizuka!" Natalia waved. 
"...Nattie?" the girl pondered. 
"Uh-huh. Oh, you hadn't seen my new look yet. I cut my hair, and some other things, too." 
"Nattie looks happy. You look pretty too." 
"Aww, thanks, sweetie. You're a little basket of compliments today, aren't you?" 
"Can I try your glasses?" 
"Oh, sure! I don't need them to see or anything. Let's see if they fit..." Natalia took her heart-shaped sunglasses off of her head and handed them over. They were slightly big on the five-year old, who struggled to keep them on. 
"...everything looks red." Shizuka commented. 
"Taking the idea of 'rose-colored glasses' literally, Hoodsie?" Kat asked. 
"Hey, they're super cute and I love them. You complaining about my aesthetics, Ms. Custom Headphones?" Natalia replied. 
"Fair enough, although my headphones don't make everything look like I'm staring into a Virtual Boy." 
Natalia took the glasses back. "This is quite the responsibility you've taken on, Kitten, even if just for one day. Childcare is no small task." Carrie said. 
"I've taken care of her enough times to know what I'm doing. My number one fan's never gonna give me any problems. Ain't that right, princess?" Kat patted Shizuka on the head. 
"Mmhmm. KittyKat's nice to me and turns into a kitty to play with me!" Shizuka replied. 
"Oh, so you actually pretend to be a kitten? That's adorable." Carrie said. 
"I think she means that KittyKat actually turns into a cat." Natalia replied. 
"Hoodsie! That was supposed to be our little secret." Kat chided. 
"Oopsie! Sorry." 
"Well, no harm in telling our main chica, I guess." 
"So...you can actually turn yourself into a cat?" Carrie asked. 
"Yep. It's a trick I picked up over the summer. Not all that useful combat-wise, so I don't really bring it up at all." 
"I only know cuz she used it so I could have something to cuddle when I was going through the hard time. It helped since I don't have my fluffy CiCi here with me." Natalia said. Kat averted her eyes and blushed. 
"Kitten, that is the single most adorable thing I've ever heard! I never want to hear you refer to yourself negatively again. The depth of love in your heart is indescribable." Carrie exclaimed. 
Kat turned even redder, and tried shielding her face. "Stop iiiiit, I'm the woooorst." 
"By the way, Natalia, what was the experience like?" 
"Well, her fur wasn't nearly as soft and fluffy as CiCi's, but she makes up for it by being super affectionate." Natalia answered. 
Kat's embarrassment was through the roof. "I wanna die." 
"Well that settles that. Kitten, I'm requesting a cuddling session at the nearest opportunity. I must judge for myself." Carrie declared. 
"Do I have to be a cat for that?" 
"At least long enough to determine your overall huggability as a feline. After that, though, it can just be normal cuddles~." 
"I'm not arguing against normal cuddles." 
"KittyKat looks more red than Mama Rin's hair." Shizuka stated. 
"Wonderful, I'll put it on our list of things to do during winter break. Oh, I simply can't wait for you two to see my home. It'll likely be a more mild Christmas than you're used to, and any snow is incredibly unlikely, but that shouldn't temper the festivities at all." Carrie said. 
"You kidding? I get to spend the holidays with two of my tightest loves in the whole world in one of the prettiest places on the planet. I don't mind not having to pack a bigger jacket." Kat replied. 
"Ditto for me. We'll get enough snow when we come back here. Especially once that festival comes around." Natalia added. 
"Boy, I can't wait to see what you and Kenny have cooking for that. Got any hints you wanna drop?" 
"Nope~. You'll have to wait until then to see it. I'll be seeing it for the first time then, too. Once I agreed with the concept, Kenny wanted it to be a surprise from then on. Just imagine it...a whole city filled with ice sculptures, and me being one of them. I'm getting butterflies just thinking about it." 
"Can I see 'em?" Shizuka asked. 
"Hm? See what, sweetie?" 
"Your butterflies. I wanna see 'em. Are they hiding?" 
"Oh, sweets, that's just a figure of speech. It means that I'm nervous but for a good thing. I don't actually have butterflies hidden somewhere." 
"Oh..." 
The students giggled. "Too precious." Carrie commented.
--- 
Akihabara. In the middle of the shopping district, Ibuki stood ponderously. She took a deep breath in, and out. "You can do this, Fireball. You can do this." she repeated. 
"Auntie, I'm tired..." a little voice piped up behind her. 
"Shoot, sorry, bubblegum. Been standing here for too long." Ibuki reached behind her back and pulled the little girl clutching her up and over, before bringing her down. The girl's black hair was tied into small pigtails, and she wore a pink shirt. "My bad. I needed a sec to think." 
"About what, Auntie?" 
"Well, you know that bad thing your Auntie did? There's still someone I need to say sorry to. Someone I've looked up to since forever. And I don't want them to think I'm some awful person that wanted to hurt people. So here's Auntie Ibuki's lesson of the day." 
"Auntie's the coolest. Auntie wouldn't do a bad thing." 
"Heh. Well having you in my corner helps." Ibuki took another breath. "Okay, time to face the music..." 
"Excuse me, Hinotama-san?" 
Ibuki turned to the source of the voice. She was next-door to the maid café, and Sakuya gestured to her, in full uniform. "Oh, hi, Saku. Wow, you weren't joking about being a maid. Guess that explains the good manners." Ibuki replied. 
"Regardless of profession, one should always show proper conduct." Sakuya responded. "Ah, not that I'm judging you or anyone else's manners, mind..." 
"Take it easy, I'm not offended. I'd be the first to tell anyone that I'm a little rough around the edges." 
"Well, that aside...would this be the Kanae-chan you've talked so much about?" 
"That's my little bubblegum, yep. My sister's working, so it's an Auntie Day today. Say hi to Saku, Kanae-chan." 
"Hi." Kanae waved. 
"Hello, Kanae-chan. She's so cute, Hinotama-san. What brings you to this part of town today?" Sakuya questioned. 
"Ah, of course you'd ask that. It's the next stop on my apology tour. Kyoko-sama's store is here, and I wanted to apologize in person for the mess I caused. Dunno if I'll get anything other than a swinging clothesline, but I've got to try." Ibuki replied. 
"It's the mature thing to do. And don't assume that she'll be upset. I've only ever heard of her being angry when it involves someone wronging Ishimaru-san. That's when the Thunderbolt comes out." 
"Figures she'd be a regular mama bear. Guess I'd better get it done. Just one thing first." 
"What is it?" 
"I'm totally lost. I've been wandering around for the last thirty minutes and Kanae-chan's getting tired of grabbing my back. Think you could point me the right way?" 
"Oh, certainly. I have a map of the district in my phone. I'll send it to you. It's called 'Master Plan Computers'." 
"Thanks a ton, Saku. Wish me luck." 
"Feel free to stop by on the way back. I'm sure Kanae-chan would like some desserts, yes?" 
"Can we, Auntie? I want cookies!" Kanae asked. 
"Oh, you just had to get her started. Can't say no now. See ya in a bit." Ibuki sighed, and walked away. 
After a few more minutes of wandering, Ibuki made it to the shop. "Right. No turning around now." 
"Then when we're done, we get cookies!" Kanae exclaimed. 
"Oh, the one-track mind of a toddler. Hopefully I still have all my teeth when we leave..." 
Ibuki entered. Kabu looked up from behind the counter. "Afternoon. What can I do you--oh." 
"Afternoon, Mr. Ishimaru." Ibuki nervously greeted. 
"You're the girl from the gala. Fireball Ibuki, right?" 
"Yeah. Mostly just Ibuki now, though. Is your wife here, by any chance?" 
"Just one second." Kabu walked to the back. Kyoko emerged shortly after. 
"Oh." she uttered upon seeing Ibuki. 
"Hello, Kyoko-sama. Is this a bad time?" Ibuki bowed. 
Kyoko sighed. "Come on. Back here. This doesn't need to be public." 
Ibuki gulped. "So this is how I die." she thought. 
"Leave the kid out here. We're gonna air this out, woman to woman. Kabu, look after her." 
"Wait, seriously?" Kabu questioned. 
"I'm dead. I'm SO dead." Ibuki thought. 
Shortly after, Ibuki was seated at the table behind the salesfloor, looking as nervous as can be. "....." 
Kyoko sat across from her, seemingly waiting for her to say something. 
Ibuki's eyes looked around the room. She noticed one part of the wall had rankings lists of test scores, some recent and some from years back. "Ishimaru K." was at or near the top of all the lists. 
"Um...those are your son's test scores, right? They're all pretty high up there...you must be really proud of him." she uttered. 
"I'd dare anyone to find a mother more proud of their kid. Family's all I think about. You said the same thing in the interviews you gave. Judging by how you were lugging that girl around, I take it that part wasn't fluff." Kyoko responded. 
"Kyoko-sama, I--" 
Kyoko dragged her chair over and got up to Ibuki's face. 
"My Daddy did a lot for that league, y'know that? When he first came in, it was dirty as all hell. Fixing fights, wrestlers taking drugs, guys betting against themselves and losing on purpose for the payout...dirty crap. He spent his fighting career and a lot of his coaching days weeding that stuff out. There hadn't been a scandal in years, even after he retired and died. So when the sparkly new star on the block rolls up to a podium and makes headlines for the wrong reasons, I take that personally. Especially when that same star gushes about how I'm her idol, how she wants to be a hero for little girls everywhere. What was it I heard? You broke one of your assistant's ribs during an argument? Not what I'd call heroic." 
"No, it wasn't. I can't explain why I acted that way, or why I let myself become such a dark person, but I want to make amends." 
"Is it because you're really sorry? Or is it just more fluff for the cameras?" 
"I don't have cameras here. I don't care about any of that! I..." Ibuki began to tear up. "I'm so sorry. I let so many people down. I wanted to give my family a better life and I might've ended up screwing it over even worse. If you want to take a swing at me, feel free. I deserve it." 
"I'm not gonna do that." 
"Why not...?" 
"Okay...bad cop mode off. Mommy mode on. Keebie told me everything. All the awful stuff you had to deal with, what that cop did to you. I can't imagine anyone going through the endless gauntlet of crap you did and coming out of it alright. All this started since you wanted to help the people you love, right?" 
"Yeah...I don't want Kanae-chan to live the way me and my sister did. Mom and Dad passed out on the bed with needles in their arms, selling ourselves just to be able to afford rent, getting told over and over what trash we are. Even her father was a good-for-nothing bum who ghosted as soon as my sister got pregnant. Someone has to stop the cycle, and once I realized I had the power to do it, I let it go to my head. But good money was finally coming in. And I nearly had a house bought before all this went down. And went down, it did..." 
"Can't build a house of cards with a shaky foundation. It'll all fall to pieces eventually. You had something good going, and you didn't want to lose it. But the way you got it and the way you acted weren't okay. That's what disappointed me about it. I looked at your tape and you have the ability and the personality to make it big and stay there. Why do what you did?" 
"I can't even explain it. Everything just blew up one day and it felt...good. For the first time in a long time. I went my entire life feeling unloved, and when so many people started obsessing over me and putting me on a pedestal, I just got drunk off of it. It didn't even register that I was doing something bad. It was all like a dream. It took that crazy bunch to wake me up from it. Who knows how bad things would've gotten if they didn't." Ibuki rubbed her head. "I just don't know what I'm gonna do now. My name's been blacklisted to hell and my sis can't be the only one bringing in money. Not when we have a three-year old to provide for. If I don't find something soon, I might have to go back to..." She shuddered. 
"We aren't gonna let that happen. Tell you what. Me and Kabu have been having Keebie help us out every so often. Why don't you come around and give us a hand so we don't have to keep pulling him away from his pals? The commute from Shinjuku to here ain't bad." 
"You'd do that for me, Kyoko-sama? Oh, but I don't know the first thing about computers." 
"Honestly, I didn't either. You'll pick up enough to get by if you stick around. I'll be honest, I'm still miffed over this whole thing. But I'm more miffed that you had to live the way you did. And the mommy in me isn't gonna let a cutie pie like your niece go hungry. So I'm happy to lend a hand, at least until something better comes up for you." 
"I...Kyoko-sama, I don't..." 
"Save it. The way you acted was wrong, but screaming at you or clocking you in the neck isn't gonna make anything better for anyone. Nobody wants to see you fall back into a bad lifestyle over this. Just prove to me that you mean it about your family. 'Kay?" 
"I'll do whatever. Long as Kanae-chan can be a normal little girl, I'll do whatever you want me to. Within reason, of course. I knew I had the right hero." 
"Hey, I'm not heartless! At the end of the day, I'm just trying to get by like everyone else, and make sure the little ray of sunshine I gave birth to has everything he needs. Daddy wouldn't have left you out to dry, knowing he could've helped. Just promise me no more public scandals." 
"I won't let you down, Kyoko-sama. I can never thank you enough for this." 
"...hey, come on, I said I don't have any cookies...ow, stop that, I need my glasses--yow!" Kabu could be heard griping. 
"Uh-oh. Speaking of little rays of sunshine..." Ibuki got up. 
Kyoko grabbed her phone. "Just in case. This could be funny." She cheekily grinned.
--- 
"Urf, I am fuuuuull. I'm about ready to take my own nap." Kat uttered, the girls now standing outside the restaurant. 
"One of these days, you need to let us pay for the food, Care." Natalia said. 
"One day, perhaps. For now, it's still my treat." Carrie replied. 
"So what's the rest of the day for you ladies looking like?" Kat asked. 
"I'm heading home to finish up Ibuki's hoodie. Just a couple more details I have to finish up, and she'll be all good for next time." Natalia replied. 
"And I'm going to take care of the groceries. Still going to the arcade?" Carrie asked. 
"Yep. Might cut it short if Her Highness isn't liking the extra noise, or just gets sleepy. I'll hit you up when I get home." Kat replied. 
"I'm counting the moments." Carrie gave Kat a peck on the lips. "I love you." 
"Love ya too. Say bye-bye, princess." 
"Bye-bye, pretty ladies." Shizuka waved. 
"Bye-bye, sweets~!" Natalia replied. The girls parted ways after. 
"Okay, ready for the next stop on our magical mystery ride?" Kat asked. 
"Are you and Care Bear gonna get married?" Shizuka abruptly asked. 
"I, uh, wha...where's this coming from?" Kat asked, flustered. 
"If you're getting married, I wanna go. Is there gonna be food?" 
"Whoa, whoa, WHOA. I think we've got our eyes peeled a few years down the line. Listen, bug, I appreciate the sentiment, and if and when it happens you are absolutely gonna be there, but me and Care are still teenagers. The 'M' word is still a long ways away. I mean, we've only been officially an item for a month. Yeah, we had that super-romantic dance up on the lake and, y'know, I wouldn't mind spending my days with her, just..." Kat began blushing. "Sitting on a beach somewhere, sipping on some fruity drink, getting my feet rubbed by some half-dressed studs, all while staring into the sea of those beautiful, indigo eyes..." 
"KittyKat? Your glasses are getting foggy." 
Kat snapped back into reality. "...let's go to the arcade." 
Kat took Shizuka to an arcade close by. "It's a little noisy in there, so if it gets bad for you, just put your headphones on. We'll go whenever you want." Kat said. 
"What is it?" Shizuka asked. 
"It's an arcade. People come here to play video games and other kinds of games. Back before I was born, this was the only way to play a lot of video games. Welcome to my world." 
Kat took her inside, and amongst the numerous cabinets for fighting games and shooting games, went over to one game featuring an incline and several holes. "What's this one?" Shizuka asked. 
Before Kat could answer, a male voice did it for her. "It's Skee-Ball." Kat turned to see that it was Max. 
"Oh, hey, Sparky. What a coinkidink. Another solo outing today?" 
"Don't make it sound like such a regular thing. But yeah, I'm by my lonesome. Needed some time to diffuse. You got the Professor's little one today?" 
"Yep. Prof and Doc are out of town, so Big Sis KittyKat gets a day with her. Anyway, you were saying about the game?" 
"Oh, right. It's Skee-Ball. It's pretty much a staple in arcades and bars back stateside. Surprised to see it here of all places." 
"How do you play it?" Shizuka asked. 
"Think it'll be easier to show ya." Max put credit into the machine, and small, brown balls rolled into the slot. "See those holes up there with the numbers on them? You roll the ball up like this, and..." He did so, and the ball rolled into the ring labeled '30'. "Whatever ring you get it into, you get that many points. It's kinda like bowling, but without having to do the splits." 
"Whoa...Maxie's like a genius!" 
"Yeah, he's gonna be taking first place at EVO with tosses like that." Kat joked. 
"You just can't get enough of yanking my chain, can you?" Max groaned. 
"What else are exes for, genius?" 
"Fair. Want her to have a go at it?" 
"I don't see why not. Hey, princess, show the Skee Savant how it's done, yeah?" 
"Okie-dokie!" 
Shizuka began making attempts at the game, as Kat and Max watched. "Alright, Sparky, talk to me. You wanted to get your mind in order, so what's making it spin?" Kat asked. 
Max scratched the back of his head. "The Officer Nosferatu...everything. Just, everything about it. Ideally, when you give someone a badge and a gun you expect them to have some kind of integrity and sense of goodness to them. More often than not, that's nowhere near the case, but he was just a whole other beast. Everything we're told a cop is supposed to be, he wasn't. Maybe it just gets under my skin more since I've got an uncle that's a cop, and he's been the one making sure my mom's safe while we're gone. Why does someone like Hirano even become a cop in the first place?" 
"He said it himself. For the gun and the power. It's more common than most people believe. A guy with a badge can get away with a lot. Even got away with making Bookie's life a living hell for years." 
"There's the other thing that's been eating at me. He got away with it since no one could see it. If he wasn't one of the hand freaks, we might've never gotten to stopping him, and Ibuki would be in even worse shape. Once that door closes, you never know what happens. People can be doing the worst crap at home, then put on a fake smile and pretend everything's fine for the rest of the world. That's the stuff we can only stop by accident." 
"Maybe not always by accident. Some people get careless and give themselves away." 
"My old man spent nearly thirty years as a coach. Nobody ever picked up on the stuff he'd say to my mom, or to Barb or to me. Never would've guessed that he would give my mom a black eye on his way out. The most anyone could've picked up on was that he likes his Heineken." Max rubbed his hand. "To everyone in town, he was just Coach O'Donnell. To me he was the ogre that sat on his couch chucking beer bottles at his kid." 
"Sparky..." 
"Sorry, this ain't the place to get heavy. There just has to be a way to deal with these people, right? Stop them before they ever hurt anyone. Make a world where no one has to suffer trauma." 
"It's what we all want, Sparky. And if any of us knew how to make a world like that, we wouldn't be a thing. Course, the other way you look at it is that without our own trauma, we wouldn't have ever met." 
"That's what you think, huh?" 
"Well, your mom sent you and Barb here to get away from a messy situation, right? Hoodsie needed a place away from the mean girls, Kicks would probably be in a Gunners shirt right now if he didn't tear his leg up, Kenny was caught in a tug-of-war with his fam. Heck, my folks sent me here to get me away from my own self-made nightmare. Sure, we'd all prefer it if we never suffered in the first place, but our troubles brought us together. I couldn't imagine life without you jokers in it. Que sera, sera." 
"Guess that's one way to look at it. If the world was perfect, we wouldn't be sneaking around like we do. Well, mostly sneaking, I just shoot bolts of lighting and hope for the best. I didn't get anything stealthy like teleporting, or walking through walls, or turning into a cat, or phasing into machinery...hey, why can't I do that? Just turn into an electrical ball and go into machines and mess with them. That'd be sick." 
"It would be, and that's why you don't have it." 
Max shook his head, and pointed at his chest. "Right here. You always have to go right here." 
"Yes, I always go straight for the lungs, Sparky. It's every man's weakness." 
"KittyKat, I wanna play again!" Shizuka exclaimed. 
"Oh shoot, we've got us a future professional." Kat quipped. 
"I'll say, did she hit a few 50s in there? Kid's got an arm." Max commented. 
"We'll go another round, but after that, we've gotta see some of the other games, okay? Variety is the spice of life." 
"How's it taste on curry?" Shizuka asked. 
"How's...how's what taste on curry?" 
"You said variety is a spice. Is it a good spice? Should I ask Mama Rose to buy some?" 
Max tried to suppress his laughter. "Bug, it...it's another figure of speech. I meant that it's good to try different things instead of the same one over and over. It's not a spice like you put on food." Kat replied. 
"Oh...oops." Shizuka replied. 
"You're okay. You'll get it eventually. It took until recently for Keebie to get my dirty jokes." 
Max feigned coughing, uttering the word "wood" in-between attempts. "Right, well all this talk of food's gone and woken up my appetite. Catch you later, KittyKat." 
"Peace out, Sparkster. If you go for curry, try adding some Variety to it." 
Max tried again to suppress his laughter as he walked away. 
"Alright, one more round, bug. We're getting you to the Olympics one way or another." Kat joked.
--- 
"This is why you don't do favors for former gang lords, Kibō. One favor becomes seven." Kibō grumbled, now inside of the Kubo family market. 
"Good afternoon, Kibō. Doing some shopping, I see." Carrie approached, holding a bag. 
"Hey, Care. Yeah, but not my shopping. Yakuza Man has me running around doing the grocery shopping he's too lazy to--er, too busy to do himself. Started out as just milk for the kid, then it ballooned into an entire list. Isn't this what you have hired help for?" 
"Oh, dear. Is he at least going to reimburse you?" 
"Oh, he'd better. Otherwise I'll be holding a favor over his head. Ugh. This is why my dad got out of politics. You just end up owing everyone favors." 
"Would you like me to help?" 
"I appreciate it, but I'm taking the hit for this one. Lesson learned, never have dealings with ex-gangsters, even when your teacher vouches for them. Thing about it is, this isn't even the thing he called me in for." 
"He has yet more favors for you?" 
"Yeah, and this one's more in our area of expertise. He's got info that there could be another Prison on the south side of Naruki. And it's somewhere we've been going to a lot." 
"The south side, hm? I haven't noticed anything odd there, except perhaps...their sushi restaurant?" 
"That'd be it. You ever notice how it's always super busy whenever we go? Without reservations, we'd never get in normally. Unless we waited in line for hours." 
"Oi, kiddos. Over here." Tan called from behind the counter. Kibō and Carrie approached. "I couldn't help overhearing you chatting about One-Eye JoJo's fishy new business." 
"I'm gonna take a guess and say that you've got a word or two about it." Kibō questioned. 
"Oh, I've got a few words about that bunch. Hiyoko aside, of course. I've got a couple of pals running markets down that way, and ever since that sushi joint opened up, their business has tanked. It's practically the only place anyone goes to eat around that part of town." 
"Mr. Higashikata said something along those lines. He said that some people stand in line for hours on end instead of just going somewhere else. We've seen the lines for ourselves, and they're not normal." 
"Hunh. So JoJo got you up to this, huh? Would've guessed he was the one pulling the strings." 
"You really don't trust him at all, do you?" Carrie asked. 
"He's got a snake tattoo on his chest, of course I don't. I know Rinnie trusts him, but how much can you really believe in someone so dangerous? I ran across a good number of guys like that in Karakura Max. You're playing with fire being around people with that kind of background. But Baby Sis has always been a good judge of character, so I just keep my yap shut. Anywho, if it's not JoJo playing mind games with people, there's only one other guy at that restaurant it could be." 
"That'd be the manager, his right-hand man, Kaido Minamoto." Kibō answered. 
"Can we be sure it's him doing something terrible? He's always seemed like a nice, jovial man." Carrie questioned. 
"A nice jovial man with the same bloody background as JoJo. He might be a goofball, but as much dirt as JoJo has on his boots, Kaido has just as much." Tan replied. 
"Not to mention, neither Leon or Ibuki started out trying to be malicious. The power and control just got to their heads. And they did anything to avoid losing it. The same could easily be happening here." Kibō said. 
"It must be serious if Mr. Higashikata is bringing it up. Ultimately, it's his pocket being filled by the business being successful." Carrie said. 
"And if it goes downhill in a public controversy, that not only hits their bottom dollar, but the image they've been trying to clean up. He'd want this to be squashed as soon as possible. Especially when they've got a kid to think about now." 
"JoJo wants to keep expanding his brand, and nothing would kill that quicker than his majordomo causing a scandal. One thing I've learned, is if you mess with a gangster's enterprise, the consequences could be severe. Even when the one hurting it is your blood brother." Tan said. 
"We'll have to be quick and subtle about this. Tomorrow we'll head that way and see what we can find. Today, though, I have to finish my grocery run. Care, could you let everyone know where we're headed tomorrow?" 
"Certainly. I'll be meeting with Kitten in a little while, so we can formulate a plan." Carrie replied. "Ah, before I go, Monsieur Kubo, I wanted to know about--" 
Tan produced a CD case and placed it on the counter. "There ya go. Autographed and everything." 
"Is that...the fabled mix tape?" Kibō asked. 
"That'd be it! Madame Blackthorne wanted first dibs on it." 
"Kitten's been asking about it for so long. Another Christmas gift for her. You just have to promise to keep this a secret." Carrie said. 
"My lips are sealed. No matter how much she might press me on it. I can delay the official release for juuuust a little bit." 
"I'm sure the audiences are clamoring. Now please ring me up so I can get my day over with." Kibō griped. 
--- 
"Okaaay, all nice and clean. Next stop, Slumberland." Kat took Shizuka out from the bathroom. The younger girl let out a yawn. "Long day, huh? It was fun though, right?" 
"Mmhmm..." 
Kat tucked the girl into her bed. "All comfy? Ooh, almost forgot." She pulled the plushie she'd bought earlier out of its bag and handed it to Shizuka. "Gotta break it in." 
"Thanks, KittyKat...where are you gonna sleep?" 
"Probably on the couch. Or if I beg hard enough, maybe I can have a slumber party with Barbie." Kat winked. "After everyone comes back from winter break, we should do this again. If Prof and Doc let me, of course. Now I know how Lin felt taking care of me. Just having this little person you can spoil and love and teach things. I see you like my little sister, but...you see me different, right? Did you mean it when you said that I'm like your mama?" 
"Uh-huh. KittyKat loves me like a mama. I love KittyKat like a mama." 
Kat's eyes began to water. "I don't know what I'd do without you, princess." 
"KittyKat?" 
"Yeah?" 
"When you're done with school, and you go home, are you gonna stop coming to see me?" 
"Stop coming? Don't be crazy. Life's probably gonna get busy after school ends, but I'll find time to come and say hi. We won't see as much of each other as we do now, but I'll come by when I can." Kat noted a saddened expression on Shizuka. "It's part of growing up, princess. I have to go home some time. But we've still got a couple of years before we have to think about that. Aaaand...if and when the gift of matrimony comes for me, you will 100% be there." Kat extended her pinkie. "This way I can't break it." 
Shizuka wrapped her own pinkie around Kat's. "Get some rest, bug. I'll see you in the AM." 
"Okay." Kat gave Shizuka a hug. 
"Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite. Not that they'd ever bite their princess." Kat shut off the lights, and gently closed the door. 
She sat down on the couch, and let out a sigh. "Me, a mom. Heh. Godspeed to that future little person." 
She got an alert on her phone. "Are you free now? - C" 
Kat answered back. "Princess is 😴. Come over if you wanna. Text me and don't knock" 
A minute later, she got a response. "Here." She went and gently opened the door. Carrie was on the other side. "Is this a bad time? I don't want to wake her." 
"We'll be fine if we whisper. She sleeps like a rock. Come on in." Kat quietly replied. 
The girls sat down on the couch. "Is Barbara not here? I would have assumed that theater practice would have ended a while ago." Carrie asked. 
"She's got a date with Keebie. She'll be home later. For now it's just me and...that sea of purple in those eyes." 
"As much as I would like to longingly stare into your own striking eyes, there is a more serious matter we need to talk about first." 
"Aw, right. The King of Sushi might be up to something Prison-like. Everything you told me sounds really suspicious, and we'll need to do some more snooping around...but you'll have to do it without me for a bit. I'm gonna have the bug until at least noon when Prof and Doc come back. Prison or no Prison, I can't be taking a five-year old to the dangerous side of town. I'm sorry. Not very leaderlike to leave everyone high and dry." 
"There's nothing to apologize for. Your responsibility is Shizuka. We can manage an investigation on our own. It'll give us more time to carry it out. We can wait to actually enter the Prison, should there be one." 
"I appreciate you understanding. On the subject of Prisons though, I might have access to the information you need. Turns out our ex-Champion is currently on Mr. Mirai's payroll. He was super apologetic when I saw him. If I ask him, we might be able to get you his phone. Along with Bookie's. Just to see if there's something in them." 
"That would be incredibly helpful. Both Leon and Ibuki were able to bring people under their sway after they began following them on social media, and once they uttered the key phrase. The source of that power could very well be centered around their phones or computers. If someone is behind the formation of these Prisons, they may have left a cyber trail." 
"If anyone can pick up on it, it's gonna be you." 
"Your confidence in me is as encouraging as ever, my love. There is something that's been on my mind, however." 
"What is it?" 
"The Prisons...they've been different in several ways from the Palaces, but one thing I've noticed is the mobility of their masters. Palace Rulers could move around as they pleased. However, the Prison Wardens didn't show themselves until we reached their chambers. And that is only after unlocking the way to them." 
"It is pretty weird. Not just that, but the moment we touch those doors, we see hints of the Warden's trauma. Why would that kind of thing happen?" 
"My theory is...what if those doors aren't keeping intruders out?" 
"I think I get you. Those mechanisms are to keep the Warden in. They're as much prisoners as the Shadows trapped without their Desires." 
"Precisely. The most apparent difference between Wardens and Palace Rulers is that the Wardens haven't been outright wicked. Simply misguided and hurt. And if they ever attempt to leave their quarters..." 
"Then they have their trauma replayed over and over again. Reminding them why they're acting the way they are, and encouraging them to keep acting that way. Unbelievable. It's like a gigantic 'Make Victims into Monsters' kit. So, there's one more big question: who benefits from giving down-on-their-luck people power trips?" 
"I can't even hazard a guess. There's no benefit for anyone besides the Warden, and from what Ibuki told us, she simply woke up one day and her popularity surged. Her shocked reaction to the Metaverse was genuine. She had no prior knowledge of it. I assume much would be the same if we asked Leon. I can't find any logical motive for this." 
"Their own power trip? Some sick game of giving people power before they come crashing back down? Some other crazy conspiracy we don't understand yet? Who could even have the power to do this? I mean, if the hand freaks weren't behind it, then who could it be? Did someone else find out about the cognitive world? Hmm..." 
"Far too many open questions for my liking. Hopefully the phone analysis can close some of them. But it feels like the mystery has only just begun." 
Kat slumped back. "It's one mystery after another. What's the deal with this town...tch. Winter break can't come soon enough." She let out a breath. 
"Is everything alright?" Carrie asked. 
"I'm fine. Just tired. Between school and...everything, I'm taking in every second of peace I can get." 
Carrie got up and took Kat's glasses off of her. "Hey, what..." 
"Shhh. You need your rest." Carrie sat back down. She patted her shoulder. "Go on. I am your pillow." 
"Oh, Care, I don't want to hurt--" 
Carrie shook her head. "You won't hurt me. Please." 
Kat took the cue, put her head on Carrie's shoulder, and closed her eyes. "...you even smell beautiful." Kat uttered. 
"You want everyone to rely on you as the leader. Well...I want you to rely on me. Let me offer you comfort when you need it. My shoulders are strong enough to take some of the burden from you. Never be afraid to show your true self to me." 
Kat warmly blushed. "Can you stay here...for just a little longer?" 
"As long as you need me to be, my darling. Rest well." 
Kat's body relaxed, and she drifted off. Soon after, the door opened, and Barbara came in. "Shhhh." Carrie gestured. Barbara got the message, and quietly made her way over to her room. 
"Tomorrow's problems can wait. Relax on me, my beloved Kitten." Carrie gently smiled.