Sunday's Melancholy, 20:45
"No… using the seal is probably too much, especially with everything else that's going on," she mused. "It could easily do more harm than good. There must be something I can do, though…"
Dubhe did stop for a while, right? Even though it was under attack? Then, if she could get them to tell her everything they knew about the demon, she might be able to predict its attacks well enough for JPs forces to take care of it. Maybe she could even think of a plan that would let them do so safely. She wasn't sure how her sudden understanding of warfare stacked up against professionals - adults who'd spent most of their life planning for how to fight demons, even - but she could use some of her leftover power to stack the odds.
Amu nodded to herself. That sounded reasonable, didn't it?
"I'll go ask Makoto how they're doing, maybe help her out if I can," she said. "I won't do anything crazy, I promise, but somehow I know a lot about how to run battles and I need to take advantage of that if I can." She smiled at Mom as she said that, hoping to reassure her, and it did seem to relieve her a little. "You guys probably shouldn't come, though; I'm sure they're crowded already. Mom, can you make sure -"
She didn't finish the sentence, blushing slightly. What she was actually asking was for Mom to make sure none of her friends followed her and got in her way, but putting it like that would have been bad; it was almost like saying she didn't want them around. She didn't want more of a gap to open up between them.
The silence stretched for a long second.
"Amu's right - it's about time we eat something, don't you think?" Mom asked, getting up and deftly encouraging her friends to do the same. "Follow me, children. Amu, we'll be in the cafeteria for a while, so don't take too long."
Mom winked at her. Then they left, trailing behind her like ducklings behind their mother, and Amu was left blinking. Misdirection? Outright lies, actually, though she hadn't said anything that would imply they
shouldn't have supper.
She took a second to tuck her sisters in with Utau again.
Thanks, Mom, she thought, and left the room with a smile on her lips.
———————
As it turned out, they weren't alone in their area of the barracks anymore. After she left her room, she noticed the door to the room across from hers had been left open; unlike her own, that one appeared to be meant for a single person, with a single bed that was visible from the corridor.
There were two people sitting on that bed. A boy and a girl, both roughly Ikuto's age; both plainly Japanese, though the girl's hair was a light brown that looked rather like her own. They looked cute together, holding hands and leaning against each other. It might have made her smile, if they hadn't so obviously been trying to comfort each other. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but both their expressions and the way they were physically clinging to each other told her they were in bad shape. If she hadn't had something important to do, she would have walked up to them and tried to help.
"Hinamori Amu?"
Amu looked away, nodded to the private who'd walked up to her and said, "That's me. Is there a problem?"
The soldier shrugged. "I have instructions from Kanno to bring you to see her once you're up and about. Are you a relative of hers, perhaps?" Seeing her puzzled look, he continued, "Not that it's any concern of mine, young miss. If you'll come with me, then?"
Fumi had left someone to fetch her?
That was convenient. It felt a little odd to be addressed like that, but she put it out of her mind along with the two teenagers. "Of course. Please lead the way."
———————
"Kanno-san?" The secretary asked. "She's still in the war room, and I'm afraid it might be a few hours until she's out, but I'd be happy to look after Amu-chan until then. I didn't know she had such a cute little sister, though?"
"Would you?" Her guide sounded relieved. "You're a lifesaver, Riko. Oh, but I don't think they're siblings. Her family name is Hinamori, and…"
"They look nothing alike, true." The newly named Riko, a woman in her early twenties, completely ignored the lack of honorific on her name in order to study Amu closely. She could feel her face stiffening. "Maybe a friend of the family? Do you think -"
"The war room is through here, right?" Amu interrupted, pointing behind them. The sign saying 'War Room' suggested as much.
"Yes, but you mustn't interrupt," Riko said, looking sympathetic. "Kanno-san is busy with very important matters. I'll ask Keita to fetch some snacks while we wait, how's that?" Turning to her guide - Keita? - She continued, "That's fine, right? You can stay a little while?"
"Kanno-san did say not to leave until I'd brought Amu to her, so I guess so, but that's almost like a - I mean, is it okay to do that without inviting Ako?"
"It's fine, it's fine. We're just taking care of a lost child, all right? I mean, we'll see her in the evening, right?"
They were glancing sideways at each other and blushing. Amu's eyes flew back and forth, doing her best to keep up with their banter, but the meaning of their conversation largely escaped her.
"Well, when you put it like that." He leant in towards Riko, whispering something Amu couldn't make out which made Riko start grinning. Under different circumstances she would probably have found the scene fascinating, but not only were they totally treating her like a child - well, like
just a child - but precious time was passing. That was partially her fault, though. She needed to be more assertive.
Bull through? Treat them like people her own age? The thought made her nervous, but they were getting more caught up in each other by the moment. At this rate, if she did nothing, she probably wouldn't even get those snacks for another half hour - er, not that she intended to go along with their plans.
Speaking loudly and tilting her feet to get a few extra millimeters of height, Amu said, "Actually, I really think you should let me through. I'm just guessing, but wouldn't Fumi's orders have specifically told you to
bring me to her when I woke up?"
"Hm? They did," Keita admitted between whispers. "So I will, once she's free, but we can hardly interrupt her right now. Did you hear about Dubhe?" He went right on without even pretending to wait for an answer. "It's a scary thing, and Kanno-san is helping to find a way to stop it. You shouldn't interrupt her."
Right.
That type of speech. He wasn't just treating her like a child, he was treating her like a much younger child than she actually was. That was the final straw.
"I see. I think I'll need to make something clear." She narrowed her eyes, trying to project confidence. Surprisingly, it seemed to be working; at least, they were paying attention to her rather than each other now. "I'm not Fumi's sister. Nor am I her cousin, her sister-in-law, or
any other kind of familial relation of hers. I am, in fact, not quite human."
Yep, she definitely had their attention now. She was partially lying - she hoped - but it seemed a reasonable enough way to explain it without spending an hour. She continued, "In other words, Fumi asked me to come because she wants my help, and I am not going to sit around here for a few hours while she's waiting. Now, either let me pass or ask her if you should let me in, but don't just stand there."
That worked. A minute later, a pale-looking Keita walked back into the room and told her, "You're free to enter, Ma'am."
She hurried over, but looked back in concern once she'd passed him. It seemed like she'd scared them, and that wasn't the impression she'd wanted to make either.
[ ] ...
A/N: Expect the second half tomorrow evening. I'm still not happy with this one, but I can't keep rewriting it.
