TomoFlake: My Best Friend Is A Hero Who Thinks I'm In Love With HIm (an original anime mashup quest)

It was Tanabata, and for once, Mei felt like celebrating her birthday.

And so, out among the festival people, she was in her finest. Even if she didn't have a particular date in mind— she'd declined everyone— She was going to try and have a passing acquaintance with fun.

Just this once.

Just this once, please.

A moment's thought and a working knowledge of her own abilities brought her to a dozen dozen carnival games, to the junkiest street food she'd indulged in yet, to sweets she hadn't partaken of in years. It was all here, among the festival stalls that left her reminded of the Night Markets. Some of the callers hawking wares even had wooden masks on. She smirked. Even youkai had to eat somehow, she supposed.

Freedom, in its way, was sweet, even if it wasn't total. Yet, even then, she kept the Chainbreaker in her sash, perhaps a bit too much like wearing a sword, and the Heart of the Wild Fox ready for its proper place, in her coin pouch with how she was paying.

Honestly, she wasn't quite sure what she wanted to do first. Asura-chan told her, "The first thing you should try? Isn't it obvious?"

She turned Mei's head to the candy carving booth. "Are you suggesting we cheat?" Mei said, already resolved to head over.

It's not cheating if it's not magic!
Mei smiled. True, she supposed knowing weak points wasn't particularly magic.

That was when, sitting across from her, was someone wearing a copy of her yukata. She had bleached-blonde hair in a straight cascade down her back, a conspicuous tan, and garnet-red eyes. She leaned on one hand, and waved. "Oh, wow, here I thought it'd be, like, so hard to meet you!"

"— Forgive me, I don't believe we've met?" Mei tapped away at the umbrella, and, unsurprisingly, it was perfect.

And with a similar number of taps, so was the other girl. Mei raised an eyebrow, and Asura-chan only confirmed what she'd thought— No, Mei, that's you!

"Hehehe. You should listen to your Ideamon friend more often." She waved to the attendant. "Yoooooo, candy-man! We just got ours dooooone~!"

Up a coin purse, the both of them, they walked along. "I totally hear there's gonna be like, mondo fireworks a little later, riiiight?"

"Yes, assuming the weather holds."

"Wow, I should totes see it. Wanna come with?"

Yes. "I have time."

"That's perfect, you know? I got this great place only magic people can get to?"

"I'm hardly magical. I only know a few tricks."

"Mm, I bet you've got a little magic. C'mon, let's play some games!"

Mei found herself sucked into her other self's whirlwind, going from game to game, the terror of the stalls. Sometimes, her iron soul proved better for the task, sometimes it was the other's terrifying eye and accuracy. The only thing left was the goldfish tank. "No."

"Awwww, don't be such a buzzkill, coz! You know I'm good for it~!"

"I'm not."

"Whaaaaaaaat? Don't you have your parents' stuff by now?"

Mei narrowed her eyes. "You were looking for me. You should know."

"Well, mayyybe, but I got all my parents' stuffs," she said.

This did little to assuage Mei's suspicions. "And how did they die?"

"Let's not talk about partings on Tanabata! It's our birthday!"

Mei looked at the crowd beginning to form, and nodded. "Let's go to that spot you mentioned."

It was a short flight to the summit, above the festival and the city, and the railings and a few lovers betrayed that perhaps it wasn't so 'only magic people' as her counterpart had said.

Mei started loading the Heart into Chainbreaker long before the brighter horror had finished unfolding her bow.

To Mei's surprise, it was not her bow. Not the beautiful thing of spring steel and silver refined under the heart of a full moon to bring out its shifting nature.

No, this was a horror of gold and starmetal, shining with the light of a Heart steeped in blood. "I can't believe you fell— Eh?"

Mei smiled and turned Chainbreaker on her. "No. I knew the entire time."

"Wild Fox," intoned Chainbreaker, and there she was, in her ridiculous kunoichi outfit and her iron soul.

So much for peace. "You were the one who hurt Rei-sa, weren't you? Given you killed your own parents."

"— Awwww, didn't you like it? I thought it would be nice to see her like that!"

The gyaru Mei leapt backwards and fired an arrow of light.

Mei slapped it aside, the arrow splashing harmlessly off her iron skin. "You hurt my girlfriend."

"Oh, my, gawwwd." The gold and starmetal fold into a dual-sword, which Mei is hard-pressed to defend against. "You actually think this 'fight for your friends' stuff is real?"

Mei stepped forward and delivered a sharp blow to the gyaru's gut, though this was met with sudden armor. Perhaps expectedly at that point, she pushed back, throwing Mei around with pure force of magic.

Then, instantly, the woman was upon her, boot on her chest. Kinda hot, but we need to not die.

"It's really not, y'know? Soz to say." She pulled back and the arrows of light lit and charged in her bow.

Mei wasn't out yet. "Asura-chan—"

The familiar black-purple lightning surged up Gyaru's leg, and Mei made the most of it, grabbing, pulling, turning, driving Gyaru's face into the concrete.

Regardless, Gyaru fired, and Mei felt the pavement crack near her. She really had to block all of those— even if her iron soul and shade's mail were resistant to such attacks, this girl was that much more powerful than she was… "Much as I liked looking up at you, with the point aimed at my throat, I draw the line at actually attempting to cut me."

Gyaru laughed. "Ohmigawd you are so fucked up! It's adorbs."

Mei crossed the one step between them and laid into her, using her weight to toss Gyaru around.

… This promised to be a long, slow, delicious fight.

---

Happy Tanabata!
Regular updates to resume in a week or so.

Mei arrived at Auntie Kei's shop before the others. She wasn't exactly one to wait around, but with a chance to listen to the rumors and hums of the day, she entered, stepped behind the counter, and waited.
[you'll have an extra chance to Gather Information without the night wearing on.]

"That was damned fast. How'd it go?"

"Forgive Raimoto Kuro, he insisted on escorting me. And, well..." Mei said, passing the reciept over. "I'm afraid things have just gotten more complicated."

Auntie Kei looked at the signature on the receipt and took a deep breath. "Ah. I see."

"Shall I extricate her from this?"

"You know what's going on?"

"I suspect much but have no proof. I'll be going back soon."

"Why?"

Mei paused, and then Kuro made the choice for her.

"She needs something made."

"From the magic smiths?" Auntie Kei's tone indicated that if she needed magic items, Mei had plenty of legacy to tap.
[Face Danger +Rapport: 3+3 10 vs 5, 9 STRONG HIT]

"No. I have what I need from them, mostly. I…" Mei looked towards the dining area. "You have customers, auntie. Shall I help?"

Auntie Kei looked back to the counter and sighed. "No, that won't be necessary. Thank you. — Oh. Can I get your LINE?"

"Eh?"

"You can't keep meeting me on the busiest nights of my month, Mei-sa. And I assume that if you want me to spread the word about being a courier… You also want me to be your contact if someone wishes to hire you."

"Ah. I understand. Very well. As a matter of business, then." Asura-chan pulled out the replacement phone for Mei; she blinked. You're slipping, sis.

Mei nodded.

If Kei noticed Mei's brief switch, she didn't say anything. "So, it's like this, is it…"

"… I promise, I have no designs on your daughter. … Win or lose. This curse dies with me, so--"

"Spare me. Do you really think you don't have anything to live for?" She handed Mei's phone back.
[Your Momentum resets, 2/10. +1 Momentum, 3/10.]
AUNTIE KEI (Ramen Shop Heard 'Round the World) [xx] [xx] [xx] [xx] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

"You can see that I do not," Mei replied.

"Torioi…" Kuro said, with a plaintive note.
[1d6: 2.]

"Oiiiiiiii! Stuuuuudeeeent~ Are you heeeeere?"
[Secure an Advantage +Rapport+Fox's Cunning: 3+3+2 vs 7, 9 weak hit]

"Ah! Gumi-sensei! I'm behind the counter. Just a sec, let me wash up."

"… Speaking of, where is my help…?"

"I'd be happy to help," Kuro said, "At least until they— "

"— Take these out to five and start taking orders," Auntie Kei said, shoving an entire tray into his hands, then waited until he was out among the customers to say, "Go meet your teacher."

Mei nodded. "Thank you."

"I don't care for him, that's all," Kei said, turning back to the broth. "Go on!"
[+2 Momentum, 5/10.]
[Your bonds with the world deepen. It's amazing how many people you know and are at least acquainted with now. +1 XP.]
[Gather Information +Thoughtful+Detective+The Ramen Shop Heard Round The World: 2+3+2 vs 6, 9, 5 STRONG HIT]
[Which Vow? 2 Situation]

"Young Master, are you sure we need to be here? I fear we shall make Takayama nervous."

"Nonsense, our coin spends good as any other," exclaimed an extremely pale young man. He looked barely old enough to drink, if that, and his black hair and beard were unkempt, though he wore rich red robes, well-suited to a lordling. "Surely we should be looking for her in any case? Even given our house's great claim to patience, three years is a bit much?"

Mei's ears immediately perked up.

"Aside that," he continued, "Can you imagine what it might take to do that to a woman? The fact she still breathes is a miracle. It's a travesty! We promised to protect that family, and this is the best we can do?"

"Young master, please, this is hardly the time or place." Mei got a good look at this one— a hannya to be sure, blue and choleric, with the proper black tie for a servant of a house. "You could have at least put on the clothes I picked out for you."

"… I suppose you are my valet. But really! A soul of--" His response died in his throat with a choked noise.

Mei was suddenly thankful that Rei and Haru pulled her out of the ramen shop before the shouts started up.
[… You're not quite sure whether you want that lordling to find you or not. Either way, you have a head start now. +2 Momentum, 7/10.]

"Haru! You're just in time," Mei said. "Your brother's currently waiting tables."

"He's what." Haru rushed in with a mischievous grin on her draconic features. It seemed, Mei reasoned, that siblings were siblings, even if they were some kind of strange dragon-people.
RAIMOTO HARU [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

"Oh, this I've gotta see," Gumi added, slipping in after Haru.

Mei took this brief moment alone to hold on to Rei's hands, still in the same place they always were, still with the same warmth to them. It still felt a little surreal to be able to see through Rei's body like this, even if she had covered up with proper clothes. "You know, it's not often people get to see me like this," Rei said.

"Oh, because of… The thing," Mei replied with a nod. She looked into the shop to see Gumi whispering in Kuro's ear, and those two muckymucks from the Afterlife walking up to talk to her.

Only belatedly did Mei realize that Gumi was wearing Mei's face again. Mei paused and groaned. "Am I going to need to--" Mei began.

"Nope!" Gumi said, rejoining them. Mei looked back and found that, in fact, Gumi's image was still talking with the young valet and his charge. "That'll hold them for a little. Now then. Let's get some things done before the night wears on."

"What, this is a training exercise, too?"

"Indeed it is, student~" Gumi singsonged.

"Hm. So, then. We have the Night Market in front of us. I'm sure Gumi, Rei, and Haru each have their own ideas of what they want to do," Mei said.
THE NIGHT WEARS ON . . . . . . . .

"Actually, there's one thing I haven't done in a while," Rei cut in first. "Come on, let's see if I can find them."

"Do we really want to ditch Haru?"

"She's having the time of her life as it is~" Rei said. "Besides, this is a thing just for people like us."

"… Like… Us…?"

---

THE NIGHT WEARS ON O . . . . . . .

Rei led Mei up a set of improvised steps. Mei winced as she felt each one groan under her feet. "Why aren't these something more solid…?"

"They're solid enough, don't worry~" Rei replied. "They're only meant to last one night, anyway."

The entire thing led to a solid oak door, the likes of which Mei had only ever really seen in the Kaneko place and on toku show sets. The fact that it was set into the second floor, however… Narrowed things a bit. "A pop-up?" Mei asked.

Rei nodded, jerking a thumb at a sign in perfect computer-font katakana. STEADY SCREW— DRINKS AND BAR FOOD, all written in phonetic English.

"It follows the Night Market, I'm not sure how."

"They probably talk to each other," Mei replied, "just like the stalls."

"— ah, yeah, that would make sense…" Rei opened the door.

The place was wood-paneled, like someone's imagination of an extremely high-class sort of bar, with stools and a few places to stand, as well as booths. However, Mei could feel the concrete under her feet, and the smell of alcohol and machine oil. Recorded jazz piped in on the stereo.

GUMI flinched a little but followed the two in to the siren song of bits of fried goodness and someone else footing the bill.

Behind the bar, one of the most intense-looking men Mei had ever seen, wearing an old-fashioned Western bartender's suit and an outlandish metal belt with a turbine of some kind inside it, and wild hair to match, announced his welcome along with a pair of servers, shining bright with cocktail dresses like silver and radio antennae for ears. "Ah? Zero, you've brought someone new?"

Rei nodded. "Her soul was transmuted, so now she's like this."

The man hummed, thoughtfully. "Well, we all have our cross of fire. There's a lot of people like that here, miss. Take your time."

Now Mei looked around the bar, and realized that the servers with the radio antennas were not alone. Everyone here had some steel-plastic to them, from the mostly-machine woman sipping on oil to the pair of women sitting alone, nursing old war damage and looking soulfully in each others' eyes with snack food and a pair of beers between them.

Mei looked at Rei. "What… is this place…?"

"It's where people like us go. I think Morisawa visits sometimes, too," Rei explained. "Sit down, have a drink and relax a while."

"— Are you sure Haru—

"Haru is fine, student," GUMI said, gently.

"— Wait, what about--" Mei turned to look at GUMI, who had taken on a mechanical aspect, though even through that, the essential foxness of her was unmistakable.

The bartender sighed. "GUMI, so long as you abide by the Truce, and don't harass my customers, you're fine. There's no need for an illusion."
"Aw, but your customers are so fun when they blush!" Gumi replied, brightly, taking a seat next to her favorite, indeed only, student.

The bartender harrumphed, but returned to mixing drinks.

Mei tested her form against the bar-stool, and found that it was standing up to her body, though it creaked slightly. She was now sitting between Gumi and the machine-woman, who looked over to her. "So, you're Zero's friend. I'm Gladius, another friend of hers. And you would be…?"

Mei blinked in confusion. "Ah… Tori--"

"No, no," Rei said. "Like how I'm Zero, and him over behind the bar's--"

"RX," the main said, nodding.

"Ah."

---

The time has come.
What name will Mei be known by as a heroine?
[ ] Torioi Mei They already told you this is a non-starter, and you kind of agree with the reasoning.
[ ] Kanabo. You're confused with your mother too much as it is!
[ ] Wild Fox GUMI is right there, she would never let you hear the end of it.
[ ] Write-in.

Vote begins in fifteen minutes and closes Monday.

[x] SIX WAY TIE
Mei stared at the drink in front of her for a long minute. "If there was… a project name, a code name, a name that contains my hopes and dreams… I never heard it."

Mei drank the drink. She had hoped to get something without much alcohol, but if the burn down her throat was any indication, she had failed.

Mei found three hands on her shoulders. One was Gumi's. One was Rei's, warm and tingly. The other was Gladius's— cold and steel and strangely articulated. "Then select a name for yourself," Gladius said.

Mei paused, raised a hand. RX refilled her drink. She stared into it like it had just told her the bad news. "Any name? How does anyone decide?"
Gladius paused, thoughtful. "Assignment by committee is, in fact, the most common way a code-name is determined."

"Name yourself after me," Gumi suggested, and the thought had crossed Mei's mind.

"That might be worse than naming myself after my mother," Mei replied with rather more irritation than she felt towards Gumi. She closed her eyes and her thoughts turned to the currently oddly silent Asura-chan.

What do you expect!? Everyone's holding us. We could just say what we are. A Demon Knight.

Mei snorted at that thought. "That's a mouthful, isn't it, Asura-chan?"

"You have a docent?" Gladius asked, suddenly.

"Ho! That would imply she's informative."

Mean! "But… No. One of my friends called her an 'Ideamon'."

"Ah, so she suggested 'Demon Knight'," Gladius said. Mei blinked. "I agree, whether it's in Japanese or English, it's a little much to say, isn't it?"

She's still cute, but I'm a little annoyed now?

Mei stifled a laugh, but it came out as a giggle anyway. "She's a little annoyed we've rejected it."

"What about Iron Phoenix?" Rei said, tone half-joking.

"That's even more of a mouthful!" Mei started.

"I mean, sure," Rei said, "But when you're making code names, isn't it better to have two or three names?"

"What for!?" Gumi said, taking the bait. Mei covered her mouth.

"Well, there's more chance you can pick one that's good, isn't there?"

It was on this line that Haru entered, and RX pulled down the good booze from the counter. "What are we talking about now?"

"Mei's trying out code names."

"Ooh ooh what about Iron Dragon?"

"What part of me is a dragon?"

"You hang around dragons!"

"That would be like you calling yourself Dragon Fox," Mei replied.

Gumi barked out a laugh.

"I fear I am losing direction. Recalculating," Gladius said.

"Well, we could always base it off some of your rumored titles," Rei said.

"Which would be great if I knew any," Mei said. "The only one I know of is the one I got in high school judo."

"What's that?"

"<Hunter>," Mei answered, in perfect British English.

"… Wasn't that about how you were a lady killer?" Haru asked, sweetly.

"— I thought it was about how I could take on larger opponents!"

Rei smirked and leaned in. "So you never thought about your opponent like that? Impressive restraint."

Mei slammed down her second drink. RX casually refilled it, though he watched her carefully. "Zero. If you do not cease, immediately, I am going to put you on the floor."

"Oh? Really? In front of everyone?"

"— I believe you are overheating her, Zero."

GUMI's laugh echoed in the bar, and she slapped some bills on the table. "I can't let you drink alone, dear, and I certainly can't let you break the law."

"That's my money, isn't it."

"Not at all," GUMI said. "I don't even know how to get your money out of the till."

"…. You know, maybe 'Knight' isn't bad?" I told you!

"The <Dead Fury>, thought lost to us, too," Haru said.

"Listen, Lord Fuckshit, nothing referencing my mother!"

Into the silence, Mei added, "… Sorry. That was uncalled for."

"No, no, I think I deserved that one."

"I. People thought she was alive and working here because I started being here. Because I and the Iron Devil were in the same place."

"You are not the Iron Devil?" Gladius said, blinking.

"Yes, but also no," Mei replied.

"It's a long story," Rei added.

"It always is," Gladius nodded along. She sipped at her drink.

"Hm. You wish to separate yourself from both your mother and the Iron Devil." RX paused, and poured out the mixed drink GUMI wanted while he continued to work. "If I had the luxury of choice, and though I've heard very little about your position… The strength you have gained must be incredible, to even stand here. May I suggest 'Iron Heart'?"

"Iron's <Heart>…" Mei tested the words on her tongue, smiled, had a little laugh to herself.

"Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if your project name was something like that, knowing what I know about your situation," Gumi added.

"Who knows? Certainly not me," Mei said. "So <Heart> for short? Is that taken?"

"Names are funny things, miss," RX said. "May yours prove yourself to others."

"Thank you, RX."

RX smiled. "Maybe the future is brighter than I could have hoped for, after all."

---

Next update Tuesday.

[Face Danger +Hard: 4+3 vs 1, 1 STROKE OF LUCK]
[Which Vow? 1 Nezuka Logistics]

RX nodded, and quietly cut off GUMI after one drink.

"Awwww, You're no fun, Rex."

"The last time I let you get drunk, you kissed Kanabo and the two of you nearly blew up the bar."

"… I am now very glad I decided against taking that name," Mei said.

RX, hearing this, hummed, his eyes glancing over to a table.

A table which was now getting up. "So it is you."

Mei fetched her third drink of the night, and turned around, easily, in the bar stool, coming face to face with a hard-edged woman in her jumpsuit. [Detective] [Armor-Piercing Blow] She was nursing several injuries by how stiffly she was moving, among them burns… And a much more familiar general weakness. Eva Ray exposure?

Mei clutched the Heart of the Wild Fox in her other hand at the memory, fresh and only a few nights back. "You're…?"

"Tsutomu. Still persisting that you're Kanabo's heir, huh?"

Mei sighed, downed her third drink of the night, set it on the counter. "Water, please."

RX nodded.

"And if I am, Tsutomu? You seem to make a habit of going to the Night Market and picking fights for later. First it was MARU, and now it's me directly?" Mei leveled a gaze cooler than she felt.

"You dare!?" Tsutomu said. "I shouldn't be surprised, your branch of the company are always motherfuckers."

"My branch of the company? I'm not hired by Shirogane Nezuka."

"Don't play dumb with me. Shirogane Heavy is up to its neck in sabotage."
I will determine why Nezuka Logistics wants me dead.
Difficulty: Formidable
[xx] [xx] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

Mei took a sip of water while she nodded, as if she perfectly followed this line of reasoning, then set down the glass. Shirogane Heavy Industry? The farming equipment guys? Mei found herself briefly surprised that it was purely her own thoughts, for once. "I'm not Shirogane Heavy. I'm a bodyguard. If you hadn't threatened my charge, I wouldn't have been there. I followed MARU, who I assume you hired to fight my charge, and that led me into a trap. Of course I should be expected to reclaim a key part of my investigation and escape the trap…"

"An entire security team?"

"If they set a trap for me, yes." Mei sipped her water. "Are you looking to break the Truce? I'm not."

"… Nor am I," Tsutomu admitted.

"Then something about this doesn't add up. And that should concern you. Let me be your ears on the outside."
[You take +1 Forward.]
[Make A Connection +Rapport+2: 5+3+2 vs 4, 6 STRONG HIT]

"… I still don't trust you. I think you're an impostor."

"Believe what you like. My duty demands I protect my charge, and that means finding out who wants to kill him, and why, and then resolve the issue. That's my job." Mei finished her water.
TEST PILOT TSUTOMU [NEZUKA LOGISTICS INFORMANT] (DANGEROUS) [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

"You're saying that, in this, at least, I can trust you." Tsutomu narrowed her eyes. "Fine. We'll meet again. I hope it's when I am in a position to speak."

"That is always the hope."

When Tsutomu had left, Mei breathed a sigh of relief.

Rei slowly turned to her. Mei turned to her and canted her head slightly. "Yes?"

Rei grabbed her by her hoodie. "HOW!?"

GUMI laughed.
[An unexpected ally joins you! Though how real her support will be remains to be seen.]

---

"A blacksmithing stall…" Rei stared at it. "I've never had much use for them, I suppose, but the heat is impressive."

Mei and GUMI nodded.

For the second time that night, Mei looked at the name on the awning. TORIOI BLACKSMITHING. She wished she felt something about it.
[X] Scattered Inheritance
[+1 XP, +1 forward.]

In the stall, Naoki worked and talked carefully with a pair of children— middle schoolers? One of them was holding a very bent little piece of wand-work, whose Heart was still beating wildly, but threw up sparks.

Naoki ruffled her hair, smiled, and took it up, telling her something and laughing.

With a little trepidation, the kids walked away. "Where are we gonna get that, Nacchin…?"

"… No, I think I know a way."

"Best of luck, kids," Naoki shouted after them, then looked at Mei. "Oh, the delivery girl. Ditched loverboy, huh?"

"Yeah, he had a shift," Mei replied with a grin. "So, you sent the kids for something?"

"Components," Naoki said. "This wand is breaking. Kid's too strong."

"Mm. Well," Mei said, tilting her head. "If I were to ask you to make something for my Heart, what would you say?"

"I'd say it's not your Heart."

"Meiiiii, what the hell is this!?" Rei said, poking her. "Didn't we make that Heart together?"

"We did, yes," Mei said, nodding sagely.

"And what's with this shop? Don't they know you here?"

"They should, they should," Mei said, nodding sagely.

"— Haruto-Sensei, to the front please—"

"— Oh, you again? I see you've brought--" His eyes slipped to Rei and he went pale. "No. No, you're— you're dead."

"Of course, of course!" Rei said, suddenly understanding the situation. "Perhaps you have me mistaken with my sister."

Mei blinked, and turned, and blinked again as she realized that Rei had, on the way in, changed her form to resemble how she normally looked.

"— Then you're—!"

"Surprise~! And you are not Haruto-sensei, because if you were, you'd know who I am!"

"And me, as well," Gumi said, with a sharp-toothed grin. "Let's see what's under that cute little wooden mask, shall we?"

His eyes slowly slid over to Haru.

"Oh, don't mind me~" Haru said. "I don't feel much need to keep order at all!"

"Permit me to introduce myself," Mei said, at last. "My name is Torioi Mei. You have proceeded to use my name, and my father's likeness, without permission."

She leaned on the counter and it groaned. "I am very interested in your explanation, and your services."

"You can't be," Naoki said. "You can't be Torioi."

"And yet here she is, steel and flesh. You want my student IDs? My family registry? I guarantee you that I am she."

"Torioi was a man."

Rei snickered. "Used 'boku' a lot in elementary school, huh?"

"Yeah, I got hammered down for it in middle school." Mei was thankful she couldn't blush, but decided to lean back on that lowlife sort of voice that she used with Morisawa on the aquarium trip. "Still, if that's what you want out of me— does my voice sound more familiar now?"

There was a moment where it felt like every hackle on the back of Naoki's neck raised, and her expression shifted rapidly between shock, elation, shock again, disgust, guilt, before finally settling on a certain sort of embarrassed anger. "A-as if I'd forget that voice!"

"So long as my old friend Naoki understands," Mei said, switching back to her usual formality without missing a beat. "Now. Let's discuss the particulars."

The inside of the place was the same magical science bonanza that it was the first time Mei arrived, though now GUMI and Rei felt like gawking, when before it was Mei herself who had felt a little like she was out of place.

Naoki and her protector took up one side of the forge room, the one closest to the forge. Mei and her crew took up positions around the tank where they were storing Hearts; Mei assumed these were the Hearts whose Tools were currently being repaired.

"So. First, I think, we should introduce ourselves properly," Mei said. "Then— I'd like to ask you some questions about how you came to this position, before we fully discuss what I want out of the deal. As such— I have already introduced myself, but these are my mother's good friend GUMI, Kisaragi Rei, the second daughter of the late Dr. Kisaragi Juzo, and Raimoto Haru, an acquaintance."

"Takayama Naoki. I was friends with Torioi in elementary school, and my mother and hers would regularly meet after school." Naoki was looking at GUMI and Rei especially when she said it, and Mei felt, then looked down to see, Rei's hand carefully on her opposite waist.

She wasn't sure how well she resisted a little smile to herself, but GUMI snickered, so chances were slim.

Naoki narrowed her eyes, for just a moment. "So. I have a few questions of my own, if I may. What exactly is your relationship with Kisaragi? I know your mother didn't ask you to meet her."

"— Ah. We met not long after the start of the semester, actually. And…" Mei paused. "We made a promise to go on a date, but I guess this isn't quite what you had in mind, is it?"

"No. No it is not. It's been eye-opening, though!"

Naoki looked thoughtful about that. "And then, if that's the case, why are these two following you?"

"A fox may move as she pleases," Gumi said, putting her hands on Mei's shoulders. "In this case, however, I have entered into an agreement with this girl."

Mei's eyes glanced left and right, not quite sure what to make of this. On the one hand, this was exactly the position to sink her teeth into Mei's jugular. On the other hand, did she really mind that? On the third hand, these two were getting particularly handsy, weren't they?

Haru nodded, and her grin grew toothy as she squeezed Mei's arm hard enough to make her iron skin bend. "I'm one of her clients."

While it was true, Mei wished that she wouldn't put it that way.

Naoki sighed. "Seems there's still some things the same about you, even after six years, huh? Pursuing your own goals without thinking about the situation you're in. Or your own health."

What the heck was Naoki talking about now? Mei canted her head.

"I don't even blame you for not following through and meeting me in high school. But this…" Naoki sighed. "What was the real reason we stopped meeting? Was it really just that we drifted apart? Or was it more something like this?"

Mei looked down. "My guardian forbade it."
[Make A Connection +Rapport: 5+3+1 vs 2, 10 weak hit]

"That woman. … It's thanks to her company that I'm not putting stress on mother during my training." Naoki paused. "She came personally to offer me the deal."

"There's also a generous grant from the Eva Ray Research Center," the impostor explained, "Though we wouldn't need either if we had even legacy equipment."

Kisaragi shook her head. "Father's lab was done in. And as for Torioi Haruto's… I'm fairly certain it's become a Site."

"All the better!" Naoki grinned. "The lab equipment might have become strange, but I'm certain that if it's a Site it'll keep growing to be more like itself-- and we can use that for parts— maybe even find things we can't find anywhere else. With prodigies of science and magic, I can make wonders for you."
TAKAYAMA NAOKI (ARMORER) [Formidable] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

Mei paused. Prodigies of science and magic? "… Oi, sensei. Would that stuff qualify?"

"— An excellent guess, student. Ask her."
[Compel +Thoughtful+2: 3+3+2 vs. 4, 6 STRONG HIT]

Mei nodded, reached into her satchel, and pulled forth a large thermos of amzake, from which she fished the broken shackles and chains she could gather up from her various adventures. "I don't know if these are good enough, but…"

Naoki's eyes glowed briefly, and she whistled. "The physical remains of broken curses? Oh, that's fantastic, actually. What were they used for?"

Mei leaned her head up and traced along her neck, drawing Naoki's eyes to the burn scar. "My guardian forbade many things, Naoki."

Naoki paused. "You're after revenge, then?"

Mei shook her head. "I might have to, but I think… For me, what would be more important is no longer being shackled."

There was a short silence.

Into it, Mei asked, "Is there something wrong?"

"Why are you here? Really? You're being quite open about everything else, but there's no way you come up with two stories just to blackmail me. Once you knew it was me, you could have just asked."

Mei tested the storage tank and found it too top-heavy to take her weight. Instead, she sat on the floor. "It's as easy as your friend. People saw him and assumed my father had escaped the Underworld. The thing is… I have it on a good source that he never arrived."

"You have contacts in the Underworld?" Naoki said.

"We are standing in the Night Market," Mei misled. "You can get anything you want here, so long as you can pay the price, right? But I think there's something more going on. And I think you, impostor, know some of the truth."

"What makes you say that?" The impostor asked, very carefully.

"People risking offending the dead is rare, and you're neither stupid nor desperate. What do you know?"

"… Not much. A city. Sapporo."

"… Hokkaido…" That put a cramp on Mei's plans for sure.

Haru cussed.
"I will find the whereabouts of my parents."
Difficulty: EXTREME
[xx] [xx] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

"Haru?"

"I thought for sure he was in Site 1!"

"Whatever thing you saw in Site 1, it wasn't the spirit of Torioi Haruto. Though heaven knows they play enough with the Border of Life."

That made Mei sit up and take notice. "… You're an employee."

"No. But half the people I know are." He turned to Rei. "I am— I was a subordinate for your father during the Long War at the Eva Ray Research Center. I still work there."

"So… that's how it is." Mei sighed. "Someone contacted you."
I will discover the truth at Shirogane Site 1.
Rank: Formidable
[xx] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
[Unlikely Delay: 8 delay]

"Nn. There's a lot of Shirogane Nezuka guys around tonight…" came the voice of Ichigo, from the stall entrance. "I wonder what they're looking for?"

"What are you doing here?" Mei asked, pulling him in before anyone else could get wind of it.

"Kuro told me where you probably went after I missed you at Takayama. What's the rush, anyway? It's not like—" Ichigo stopped. "— No way. Naoki!?"

"Well, that means you're Ichigo, aren't you?" Naoki said.

"Ah— yeah. It's been years, how are you?"

"I'm learning to be a national treasure, of course! What, you think I have all this for fun?"

"Ah, apparently so!" He grinned that easy grin which had won him so many admirers among Mei's friends. Pretty enough, she supposed, and the fangs made it a bit better, but hardly worth the rest of him. He did a swift double-take when it came to the impostor. "Ah— Torioi's father!?"

"No," Mei said.

"— Ah— right."

Naoki's eyes glowed once more. "And the same curses, too…"

Ichigo paused. "There wasn't a family registry, but in some ways, I suppose, it resembled a wedding."
[Destiny reset.]

"All that said. What evidence do you have for my father being in Sapporo?"
[Gather Information +Thoughtful+Bird And Dragon: 2+2+2 vs 1, 4, 9 STRONG HIT]

"Hearsay, mostly— eyewitnesses. But more than that— many of the things he used to supply, that once came from Kobe, now are supplied by Shirogane Nezuka… Via Sapporo."

"Circumstantial," Rei spotted, and Mei agreed.

"But it is a lead," Mei added. "Even if it's one that will have to wait."

Ichigo paused. "— No, you're right, Mei. That wouldn't be good enough. You have something else."

"I do." He paused, looking around, and then produced a small paper. "I followed up on those rumors and found a paper trail. Check the name."

"… Kurochou—!?" Mei groaned as the pun hit her. "No, you're right, that is his sense of humor."

"Eh?" Rei said.

"What was my mother, but the woman who shot the black river bird?" Mei specifically used her father's family name, 'Kurokawa', to drive home the point. "And what is my boss, but the blackest chief of the blackest company?"

"— your dad's pretty morbid," Rei said.

"Well, he is supposed to be dead."

"Aside from that, the paper trail dried up," the impostor said.

Mei looked at him. "You're lying again."

He winced. "I… I decided to see if I could look for the registry of it while I was in Kanto on other business, and…"

He slowly opened his shirt, revealing some nasty bruises. "I was gently dissuaded from continuing."

"Let me." Mei opened the shirt to look at them, closely. [Detective] The bruises were about a week on, but she corrected her original assessment. There were burns, as well— burns that had clear entry points, and exit wounds further down the body, either the feet or the hands.
Electrical burns.

[Armor-Piercing Blow] More than that, these were clearly someone pulling their attack. In the locations these bruises were, and with the size of the weapon— breaking the bone would probably have been child's play. [Detective + Armor-Piercing Blow] In fact, considering the commonly available weapons— a baseball bat!? That or a wooden blade…

"… If I asked you for a description, what would you say?" Mei asked, hoping against hope that the answer wasn't the one she thought it was.

"Head and shoulders taller than you, and she looked near-dead, if she wasn't already. The pallor was unmistakable. Her eyes were cloudy, but you could still see the black in them. Her hands sparked with lightning, and so did the weapon in her hands." He looked Mei dead in the eyes. "Her body shape was very similar to yours if a bit more mature, and she dressed like a sukeban. It didn't hide her pilot's contact scars."

Mei closed her eyes and looked away. "Then my next stop is Kanto."

"… Mm. Be careful," the impostor advised. "The Diet doesn't like it when the zaibatsus get annoyed, and they like disorder in the streets of Tokyo even less."

"You think it'll come to that?"

"She was powerful enough to make even the original Luna-2 reconsider unleashing its anger towards any new pilot. Don't underestimate her spirit."

"Then I rely on both of you to make a tool suited to my purposes; my war chest is deep, so please don't worry about common materials."
[+2 Momentum. That settles your first follow-up in the coming days. 9/10.]

"And. Naoki…"

"Yes?"

"I know you're taking a big risk here. Thank you. If it comes down to it, ditch my stuff and move on. I'll understand."

Naoki's hands curled into fists. "I would hate to disappoint you."

"You're more important to me than anything you could make. I mean that."

"The worst part is, I know you really mean it."

Now she turned to Ichigo. "What did you find?"

"Let's discuss it elsewhere."

---

THE NIGHT WEARS ON O O . . . . . .

Mei and Naoki exchanged LINE with a somber air and only as they left did Mei realize someone was missing from the conversations.

Because I'm not sure what we want. Or— no, we want too MANY things. We wanna kiss her. We wanna keep her at arm's length and protect her from our curse. We wanna free her from any obligation to Kaneko Chou, right now with no regard for consequences. You want to protect her from the storm coming for you.

Under the circumstances, I think we did okay. Except for the toss it bit. I think we wounded her pride a little.

Mei paused, wondering if Asura-chan thought that any item Naoki would make would be worth her life. Don't be stupid! We can't kiss her if she's dead!

"Of course you'd say that," she muttered, under her breath. Mei wasn't sure why she'd bothered. Because it's truuuuue~ Even now, you're thinking about it. Wondering what her hands would do if they were between your—

"So. What did you want to discuss?" Mei said, in the blending of a crowd, standing close to Ichigo, one part just that little bit too familiar, one part bodyguard.
[Gather Information +Thoughtful+Bird and Dragon: 3+2+2 vs 9, 4, 8 weak hit]
[Lucky? 35 no]

Don't be that way. You know you're imagining her smith's hands, heating your breath, drawing things out of you you hadn't thought possible, pounding relentlessly for—

Mei cleared her throat to try and focus back on the conversation instead of getting drawn into Asura-chan's desire looping.

"… that's not your father, right? Doesn't smell right."

"— I'm very aware, yes. That was part of why I was there in the first place." Mei said, nodding along.

"As for what I found, it's about those groups from the business. They've got something like three different objectives— or maybe there's three different groups."

"Well. Shirogane sending goons into the Night Market for parts or people isn't unusual, as such," Haru said. "After all, it's the same reason we're here."

Ichigo nodded. "One of them just wants to blow off steam, I think, but they're not happy about you in the slightest. I don't think they realize who you are in the spirit world yet."

Mei nodded. "That fits with what I've found out so far."

"One of them is looking for us and Maru in particular."

"For something other than revenge?"

"They're being cagey about why, so no one particularly wants to talk to them. Something about one of the admins for C-level?"

Mei hummed as she thought about that.

"And one group— pretty clearly some kind of enhanced security team— is looking for something called a 'black swan'."

Mei's eyes flicked to the paper. No… She couldn't be that lucky. Something else was going on. "A black swan, huh? You can find a lot of things in the Night Market, or so I've been told, but a black swan isn't something a carefully watched Night Market can produce…"

Gumi laughed. The alcohol had, apparently, hit.

"— They talked to you?"

"— Only briefly. I figured they were Shirogane because they walked right up to me as if they knew me and asked me if I had located the black swan. Smelled like they were… rotting. I didn't know what they were talking about, so I said I hadn't yet."

Mei squinted, because that didn't sound right, and then connected it with the obvious subject of an enhanced human looking for strange events. "Rotting like death, or rotting like they're staving off burning?"

Ichigo paused, and the sudden shock in his eyes confirmed her suspicions. "— Then you think they're—!"

GUMI's head snapped round at the sound of a stall getting smashed.

Every youkai in the market followed her gaze.

Rei, Mei, Haru, and Ichigo all looked at each other, as they realized who was being attacked, and by what. "NAOKI!"

---

Choose an unexpected ally, already on the scene:
[ ] [ALLY] Despite everything, still, I reach for that lightning! I REQUIRE A PILOT.
[ ] [ALLY] You aren't leaving without paying, are you? I REQUIRE A PILOT.
[ ] [ALLY] Flowers bloom in my steps… and yours. I REQUIRE A PILOT.
[ ] [ALLY] For the light in our stars! I REQUIRE A PILOT.
[ ] [ALLY] I REQUIRE A PILOT.

Pick your poison:
[ ] [UNLUCKY] This is your fault, isn't it? I REQUIRE A PILOT.
[ ] [UNLUCKY] We have an urgent letter that must be delivered personally. I REQUIRE A PILOT.
[ ] [UNLUCKY] The Black Swan is here. I REQUIRE A PILOT.
[ ] [UNLUCKY] I refuse to let these chains bind me for long! I REQUIRE A PILOT.
[ ] [UNLUCKY] I REQUIRE A PILOT.

What is the first den for your wild heart?
[ ] [ARMORY] An old friend— simple, solid, direct. I REQUIRE A PILOT.
[ ] [ARMORY] A weapon. A work of art. A treasure-- but not your treasure. I REQUIRE A PILOT.
[ ] [ARMORY] Wings— once of light, now of shade. I REQUIRE A PILOT.
[ ] [ARMORY] A song, to be sung. Be careful not to sing it too loudly. I REQUIRE A PILOT.
[ ] [ARMORY] I REQUIRE A PILOT.

Vote starts approximately now.

Meanwhile...

---

Raimoto Kuro felt the discordant strain on the delicate chains of the Truce long before the Ryuuroids resorted to violence. The intent to break the Truce was clear.

Now. technically no one was turned away from the Night Market until they broke the truce in fact. Maybe they would get what they wanted, and then leave, instead of resorting to breaking the Truce, no matter how ready.

But, as he stared up the Skein of Fate, he only had more questions. At the center of the problem were forces from the Zaibatsu the Torioi girl was tied up with. They were mostly here to take another look at the corpses of the Mercury-3 and the Outsider it fought.

The Ryuuroids-- the other obvious side in the conflict-- came looking for a Black Swan, and were looking to hurt anyone they damn well pleased to find it. Never mind what the Black Swan was-- he wasn't privy to their code-- but the fact this was the case made him a little irritated.

Normally, he'd just help them find it at a cost far more than they thought they were willing to pay and let that be its own punishment, but the Skein was resisting him.

... And of course, at the center, snarling everything, was a fucking tangled red string.

Shit fuck and hell.

He set down a set of empty bowls. "Miss Takayama! I'm afraid I cannot continue. My actual duty calls."

"Yes, yes, don't let the door close on your tail. I'll send you a pay packet." Takayama Kei paused. "And whatever trouble that girl's gotten herself into--"

"Why, I'm sure I don't know what you mean, Miss Takayama!" Kuro said, with a grin. "I assure you, so long as I breathe, the Truce will remain in place."

In every place.

---

The Vote remains open.