A/N: Hmm...so now we have a mysterious woman named Hiiragi Konoka claiming to be Hiyori's aunt? What could be in store for Hiyori along with the other Tojis? And why did Yukari send Konoka in particular? But, enough of me rambling. Here's Chapter 4!
Chapter 4:
Hiiragi Konoka... The name bounced in Hiyori's head for several seconds, as she tried to process what the Origami family ambassador just told her. She took a step back, the words she just heard searing into her mind. Konoka seemed to notice Hiyori's eyes widening because she stepped forward and took her hands again.
"I'm sorry. I know this must be overwhelming for you, especially since after all that has happened," Konoka said.
"Well, yes," Hiyori hesitated, stammering a little. "Mother never told me she had a sister. In fact, none of my family has ever mentioned you before."
Questions flew through Hiyori's mind as she felt her head pound with confusion. There must have been some mistake. No records that she knew of had Konoka's name in the Hiiragi family. Could Konoka have possibly been adopted? Illegitimate? Hiyori didn't think she was imagining the flash of hostility that crossed Konoka's face, but it disappeared quickly, replaced by a warm smile.
"I'm not surprised," Konoka laughed. "I was always that one family member who stood to the side at family gatherings."
"You see," she added, "I was among the few Hiiragi family members who had a great gift. The same gift that you now possess."
"I don't think I quite understand," Hiyori said, frowning a little.
Konoka drew her mouth into a smile, as she held out her hand for Hiyori to see. Hiyori was startled out of her bewildered thoughts, once Konoka produced a small flicker of blue lightning in her palm. The surprise and interest in Hiyori's face seemed to delight her, as she continued playing with the spark, sometimes letting it break off into smaller branches or accumulate into a big ball of energy. The lightning glowed in her hand for a few seconds before she released it up into the air, letting it fade to nothing.
"Y-You're half-aradama?" Hiyori gasped.
"I'm sure you already know that our lineage has the capability to fuse with special aradama. Hence why it is only natural that some of us should be born aradama ourselves," Konoka said.
"And you can control it?" Hiyori ventured.
"It was hard at first, but yes."
Hiyori wasn't a person who would automatically trust someone she just met, especially an aradama, but something made her have a bit of faith in the woman before her. Maybe it was because the lonely hole in her heart wished to be filled by someone who'd understand her. Or maybe it was because she could feel a piece of her mother in Konoka. Whatever the reason was, Hiyori definitely knew what she wanted to ask her aunt.
"Please...could you teach me? Teach me how to control my powers?" she asked, hesitantly.
The corners of Konoka's mouth drew up once again, as she replied, "Of course I'll help you. That's what family is for."
Maki played with her now-shorter braid, growling, "If Juujou Hiyori makes me go bald this time, I'll-I'll-"
Suzuka sighed, "You know she didn't mean that, Maki-san. She is going through a very difficult time right now."
Maki's ears turned beet-red as she grumbled, a guilty blush spreading across her face. Despite having a tough and unswaying composure, Suzuka's words always had an effect on her. She remained awkwardly silent as they continued their way through the heavily sealed hallway towards Hiyori's cell.
When the two Elite Guards reached the last set of doors, they stopped curious for a few seconds. Though the doors were thick and secure, both of them could make out the faint unmistakable sound of laughter coming from inside. Maki wondered if she was having a wild dream or not because for some reason, it almost sounded as though those laughs belonged to Hiyori. She had a hard time believing the aradama Toji could even produce such a joyful sound.
It was perhaps a good thing that the two Elite Guards stopped to listen or they might have lost both of their heads. Literally. Right when Maki and Suzuka walked through the great metal doors, two bolts of lightning sped past them.
"What the-?!" Maki exclaimed.
The two lightning bolts sped around the room for a few more times, before eventually slowing down to a stop, revealing that they were just Hiyori and Konoka. Their heavy panting could be heard, as sweat rolled down their necks and foreheads.
"I win," Hiyori declared, with a laugh.
"Looks like I'll need a rematch next time," Konoka said, with an equally happy look.
"Ahem."
The two of them turned to see Maki and Suzuka, staring at them with stupefied looks.
"You must be Shidou Maki and Konohana Suzuka," Konoka said. "Yukari-sama told me you're two of the Elite Guards."
"Yes, and you must be the new Origami family ambassador we've heard about. Hiiragi Konoka-san, was it? I assume you're related in some way to Juujou Hiyori?" Suzuka questioned.
"Indeed," Konoka replied, with a tight smile. "I'm her aunt."
"You've never mentioned having an auntie," Suzuka said to Hiyori.
"Because I never knew I had one," Hiyori pointed out.
Maki's eyes narrowed at that, as she stared at the green-haired woman.
"And why are you here?" Maki asked Konoka.
"I'm under the orders of Origami Yukari to check up on Hiyori-chan every day," was the reply. "What with her new powers and all, what Hiyori-chan needs is just a bit of enlightenment."
Suzuka glanced at Hiyori, waiting for her to roll her eyes or at least show the slightest hint of annoyance, but was surprised to see no sign of any such emotion.
"What's this?" Suzuka asked Hiyori. "No hair flowing erratically? No furniture blowing sky-high?"
"No hair-singeing?" Maki added, with a raised eyebrow. That of course brought on a scowl, but it faded after Konoka put a firm hand on Hiyori's shoulder.
"Aunt Konoka has been teaching me to control my powers," Hiyori explained simply.
"Beautiful powers that only people like us can understand," Konoka added, smiling at her niece. "Hiyori-chan and I were just having a race."
Maki's eyebrows knitted together at Konoka's choice of words.
"She certainly doesn't mind aradama," Maki thought suspiciously.
"We're connected. We're family," Konoka said. "And what with my niece's new daughter, I should be there for her."
A rare smile appeared on Hiyori's face to the Elite Guards' astonishment. However, it did nothing to settle the growing skepticism in Maki's mind.
"Juujou Hiyori...do you really trust this woman or are you that desperate for love?" Maki thought.
"Well, we're happy that you are gaining some control, right Maki-san?" Suzuka said, elbowing Maki.
"Huh? Uh-yes!" Maki stuttered.
"Anyway, we came to bring you this. Sayaka-san wanted to give this to you herself, but Director Maniwa sent her on a mission with Kaoru-san," Suzuka said, handing Hiyori a plastic bag full of tubs of mint-chocolate ice cream.
Hiyori's eyes immediately lighted up. It had been at least a week since her friends' last visit and even though it wasn't that long ago, she was starting to miss her favorite ice cream.
"And Mashiko Kaoru insisted on giving you this," Maki absent-mindedly said, reaching into her pocket.
The smile on Hiyori's face was replaced with a glower, when she saw what Maki handed to her. A fresh tube of toothpaste.
"Hyaaaah!"
With a yell of adrenaline, Kaoru sliced down the huge dragon-like aradama with a clean swing of her okatana. The aradama beast let out a roar, struggling to get up. Nene managed to finish it off with a swoosh of his large tail, crunching the remainder of it.
"We're done here," Kaoru said, with a yawn. "Time for a nap."
"Director Maniwa might have more duties for us though, Kaoru," Sayaka said.
"Ugh..." Kaoru groaned. "That old lady can just get Maki and Suzuka to do it."
"Get us to do what?"
Sayaka and Kaoru turned to see the other two Elite Guards, coming towards them.
"I see you've finished it off already," Suzuka commented. "Good work, you two."
"Is Hiyori okay?" Sayaka asked.
"She's...better," Suzuka hesitated.
"I bet she liked my little gift to her," Kaoru said, with a sly grin. "Maybe next time I should get her a breast-enhancing bra..."
Maki rolled her eyes and said, "We've also met Hiiragi Konoka."
"The new Origami ambassador woman?" Kaoru grunted.
"Yes, and apparently she's not only Juujou's supposed aunt, but is also half-aradama," Maki continued.
She paused before saying, "You know what I think?"
Something about Maki's tone of voice made the other three Elite Guards give her their full attention. Sayaka and Kaoru learned a long time ago that whenever Maki had an opinion on something, it was hard to sway her in any other direction.
"What's wrong, Maki-san?" Suzuka asked.
"That Hiiragi Konoka-I wouldn't trust her a yard," Maki muttered.
"Why's that?" Suzuka questioned.
"You said she's...half-aradama?" Sayaka asked.
Maki wore a serious expression on her face.
"I'm not judging by just that, but something tells me that woman is up to something. I didn't like the way she said 'people like us' when talking about her and Juujou," Maki frowned. "For all we know, Hiiragi Konoka might not even be related to her. Her last name might not even be Hiiragi!"
"True, but just look at the resemblance between her and Hiyori-san," Suzuka reasoned.
"Juujou Hiyori herself said that she never knew she had an aunt," Maki argued. "If what she's saying is true then..."
She stopped once she caught the confused looks of Sayaka and Kaoru.
"Itomi Sayaka. Mashiko Kaoru. We all know that Juujou Hiyori is under a lot of emotional pain right now," Maki said. "She's vulnerable like this, so I'm warning you to keep guard. In her current state, we don't know who would want to take advantage of her."