[X] She outright said she knew about Hibiki siding with the Frost Fair. Tactless as it was, it was gonna come up sooner or later, certainly from Koyomi if not her.
"Izumi-sama, I really do want to trust you. To help us save Mirova-san, and to help you save Daimon-sama! I mean, you were in like all the anime I watched back when. It's just…" Miyako tried to start positively, but couldn't bear the weight of what she knew anymore, "I can't."
"Why not?" Hibiki simply said.
Reiji and Sfira looked confused, while Koyomi and Palmira tensed up.
"
Look, I still don't forgive her for what she did," Koyomi whispered to Miyako, "
but like it or not, we can't afford to bring that up, we need anyone we can get right now."
"Because I know you fought for the Frost Fair!" Miyako blurted out at Hibiki anyway, right past Koyomi. She then crouched while biting her lower lip and said, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I know you had no choice; I know your company would've put you up to it! It's just, it's just…"
"Ah, please forgive her, Izumi-sama," Reiji said, smiling yet side-eyeing Miyako. "Nozawa means well, but says the craziest things sometimes. Like she once tried to have me stage her fanfic-"
"What she said is true," Hibiki said, again with the same composure.
Everyone just stared at her, with Sfira shuffling a few steps away.
"How can ya just… say something like that?" Palmira asked.
"Was that take unsatisfactory?" Hibiki said, then looked at Koyomi, "As you are a writer, Kuramazov, perhaps you can write me a more fitting reaction? Something a traitor like me would say on being outed?"
"…Are you trying to mock me?" Koyomi asked and glared.
"That's my line? You write fast," Hibiki said, hardly answering the question.
Clenching her teeth, Koyomi then told her, "Since I now can't trust the sincerity of anything you say to me, I'll have you recite 'I will not abdicate any responsibility for my actions', but not at me. No, I want you to repeat that over and over in your own head. Got that?"
Hibiki nodded and as directed didn't speak.
A blushing Miyako said, "Ah look, I am really sorry I brought that up. I was, I was just worried if I didn't, someone else would say it. So, er," she hesitated to ask, "you're still here to find Daimon-sama of your own volition, right? Not just because someone told you to?"
"I was asked to find her, does that count as being told?" Hibiki asked her back.
Koyomi eyed Hibiki even closer, then turned to say to Palmira, "From the way she's been acting, I believe she may be due for a Heart Leech checkup."
"Wow, you've really been letting your Hanazakari senses go to waste, huh Senora Koyomi?" Palmira asked back and sighed, "Ain't no Leech in the dame, I'd be pinging something fierce if there was.
At least, I think I'm sensing right, can't hurt to be sure," they then muttered in a more normal, less noir tone of voice.
"There's no Heart Leech in me, I'd need to be paid extra to method act with one," Hibiki said, leaving Koyomi to hope that was a joke. "I can prove it to you right now.
The mask shows who I truly am. Blossom, Hellebore!" she said with a sudden burst of power in her voice.
The transformed Hibiki now sported an emerald green ballerina outfit with a gold leaf trim, her hair having turned silvery white and as expected a mask around her eyes.
"Yep, like I told ya, she's Leech-free," Palmira said, with Miyako not needing to be told that you couldn't transform with a Heart Leech infection.
"Though that just makes her attitude stranger," Koyomi had to say.
"Look, I'm sure she's been very busy with roles, plus you did spring her memories of her being drafted against humanity on her," Reiji then spoke for Hibiki, "She'd just be under a lot of pressure right now, that's all, no need to hoist all this further suspicion on her. Forcing her to transform was a little uncalled for."
"Actually, I haven't been getting that many roles lately," Hibiki said upon detransforming. "Age is at least gentler on us voice actors, though it still means I get cast mostly in villain roles nowadays."
"
Heh, you sure that's just due to your age?" Koyomi muttered beneath her breath.
Miyako winced, she'd hoped Koyomi would at least be sympathetic over aging and typecasting, in the latter's case given what her old publisher had demanded she write. So she said instead to Hibiki, "Well hey, now if you help us battle this cult you'll get to play the hero again!"
For a second Hibiki smiled, but then said, "I'm afraid it's… not quite the same in real life. Harder to lose myself. But I suppose this could be my community service given, ahem, my past."
"Okay, with that settled- oh right, Sfira," Koyomi then realised. She reached over to drag the Pathragadan back in and said, "Right, think Palmira is the only one who doesn't know. Sfira here is a visiting Pathragadan of the Bamboo clan, shows they haven't forgotten us, who we found sightseeing at Sekigahara. Then Freesia attacked, took off with Mirova, and here we are."
She then glared at Hibiki, "And please do not tell me your reaction to them was 'Whatever they'd like it to be'." So Hibiki just said nothing.
"A Pathragadan, a real Pathragadan? They still care about us, or at least one of them does?" Palmira said as they gave a big smile and squealed. Only then did they realise how they came off and rushed to resume their gruffer tone, "Ahem, strange world, ain't it? Name's Palmira Sakata, kid. Guess you donning Senora Koyomi's duds is one of your photosynthesis mirages, huh?"
Sfira nodded, then dropped the illusion to show Palmira their true bamboo self. "<Greetings, I'm glad I could finally visit. Even if Earth is, as you say, a strange world. I'm gladder most humans I've met have been quite pleasant, well, mostly,>" they said. All the while they kept avoiding making eye contact with Hibiki.
"Yeah, just stick with me, kid. You've got gangsters, mad scientists, whole ton of people bit too eager to get their paws on an alien. But don't worry, I can spot those creeps a mile away," Palmira said, only to find Koyomi narrowing her eyes at them.
"Like we need someone else trying to claim custody over Sfira," Koyomi said, even if the other claimant was currently a doll.
"Was just trying ta be friendly," Palmira muttered.
"Er, okay. Now everything's fixed up, time to finally face this cult!" Miyako said, only for Koyomi to shoot her down.
"Time for us Hanazakari to face the cult, maybe with Sfira for backup. You two unanointed however, stay here out of this," Koyomi told Miyako and Reiji.
"What? B-but… I know, I know," Miyako sighed, "It's for my own protection. I just, y'know, really wanted to see Hanazakari do battle against evil once without being pushed out of it or taken away."
"Yeah, and the fights against Kazuya's Leech and Blue Lotus should more than remind you why you shouldn't be anywhere near the field of battle," Koyomi said.
"Hey, suits me fine. I'm more than happy to keep any daring rescue missions strictly to the stage," Reiji said but had to sigh, "yeah, like I ever got to play any princely roles. Though like I said, Izumi-sama's been under a lot of pressure, so you better keep an eye on her."
"Look kid, she's nearly twice yer age and a Shin Sekigahara vet. Think she's gonna do fine against some cult bozos," Palmira said, before they sighed at Koyomi, "Mouthy little twerp ain't he?" which got a smirk out of her. And a twitch out of Reiji.
The Hanazakari then headed off, with Hibiki at least waving goodbye to the unanointed and Sfira trying their hardest not to zoom past the three.
Once they'd left, Reiji looked at Miyako and asked, "It really is true then, that Izumi Hibiki fought on the Frost Fair's side? Why else would she say so herself, I guess? And to think just a while ago I would've gone 'Hah, of course a bunch of Hanazakari betrayed humanity'. But actually hearing it, it's… just horrible to even think about."
Miyako had no idea what to say at first, but managed, "Look, it would've been her company that forced to do such a thing, right? I mean, I know people change, but I still can't see Izumi-sama ever willingly siding with the Frost Fair. What-" she gulped "-Hanazakari would?"
They stood in silence for a while, till a familiar someone showed up.
"Oh, I know you, despite or because of your ridiculous get-up. Not mooching off my brother right now, huh? That's a start for you," Ryoichi turned up and scowled at Reiji.
"Huh, Ryoichi? What are you doing here?" Reiji said and stumbled back, before he raised his voice, "And hey, I'm the one who actually bothers looking after Kazuya!"
"Why you-" Ryoichi began, but then took a deep breath. "
No, I can't let chance encounters and petty insults distract from my purpose here." Which of course meant he got distracted by Miyako. "You, you're still around? Wait, where's that older woman who were with? And Sakata better not have told you anything about me."
"Why, you have that little faith in the detective you hired?" Miyako found it in herself to stand up to him. "And Arisugawa-sama's just gone off to genuinely get something done about the cult." She then shut her mouth when it occurred to her that'd likely just egg Ryoichi on and risk his life.
She dealt with Ryoichi by:
[ ] Occupying him with conversation, bringing up Kazuya should keep him talking.
[ ] Stalling by encouraging him to show off his wealth through purchases.
[ ] Telling him what Palmira had told her about the cult, hoping that'd satisfy his investigation.
[ ] Trusting Reiji could keep him occupied.
[ ] Escalating to a fight. A punch-up was a little much but would certainly keep him away from the cult.
[ ] Just letting him investigate the cult, since he should've known the risks.
[ ] Offering to investigate the cult with him. It'd defy Koyomi, but it'd be safer with three of them.
[] Fully conveying the danger to Ryoichi. [Miyako does not have enough Emotional Intelligence for this.]
[ ] Write-in
[ ] Write-in: Play nice. Ask what he wants to do about the cult, and compare notes. Keep an open mind to his concerns. (by Embler)
