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... and thus, we are returning back to Inkopolis. I can't say I didn't learn anything new… in fact, I have to get back in my room and start doing some online researches.
Before returning to the car, I had to interrogate Hunley's parents. They could had information regarding the reason why Hunley was contaminated by this black ink. Turns out… they don't know. They literally don't know anything suspicious.
I threw questions after questions… but nothing, they are as clueless as I am. I watched the time… and I remembered. The justification… was running out of validity. I couldn't reach the Headquarters late, otherwise I'd risk my Agent status.
Besides… I was thinking that pressing on the matter would have been useless. I do not intend showing myself wasting time in front of everyone… that's why, the only thing we did is to inform Hunley's parents about the liquid. Their stress gradually disappeared.
And now… we are on our way back. Inside the car…
Mirii's eyes were closed: those reopened, as her irises were staring down the passenger seat.
"One thing is sure…" She rose her head. "I must talk with those two scientists… they must know quite clearly about Hunley's situation."
"Whew! I have to admit…" Grina's voice was coming from the passenger seat. "Despite the crazy situation, I had tons of fun! It has the right amount of action, adventure…"
"Girl, like if you are asking me… I just can't wait to dive on the bed and play some game!" Bars chuckles a bit. "I'm already full of adventuring and stuff!"
"Aaawww, but I wanted some more…" Grina's left elbow sticks out from the passenger seat's headrest. "I mean, what are we gonna do inside that building? Playing games gets boring after a while…"
"Uuuuh… don't we have school, today?" Bars turned his head to the right for a moment, before returning forward.
"… seriously, why do you remember so well?!" Grina snorted. "After all the energy spent, don't remind me of school… I'll relax on the bed and pretend to have a cold: books must stay away from me, for a while."
"Hmpf." Mirii's eyebrows went down a bit. "Hiding from your duties… and you explicitly declared such position." Her eyes closed. "I'll force you to reach the classroom…"
"Whyyy?!" Grina sniffed once. "You are so mean, Mirii…! I-I thought we were friends…! You know I'll never throw you or the others inside a cage of dangerous animals!"
"I'm throwing you inside a room of education." Mirii's arms folded. "I'll not tolerate the fact that some members of the Inkinators are growing ignorant…"
The car's engine was making small noises.
"… ooooooh, that reason you said is rather interesting…!" She chuckles a bit.
"Ghhh!" Mirii rose her posture, as her irises shrunk and her face was frowning. "Wh-what kind of nonsense are you thinking this time…?"
"Sure the Inkinators must be impeccable and intelligent… otherwise, how could you say to be in a perfect team?" Grina's head appeared from the seat's left side, as her face was staring down Mirii and her mouth was grinning.
Mirii snorted, as her mouth flattened.
"… and your intention is to NOT be in a perfect team?!" Her eyes squeezed a bit.
"Naaaah… Inkinators is already perfect!" Grina's eyes closed, while simply smiling. "There is no need to even improve it at this point… I mean, what about all the stuff we 4 did?!"
"Perfection is never done… it's the ultimate challenge for every living being." Mirii rose her head, as her irises grew back. "Despite the fact I repeat how much my performances and my general status is perfect… I know it's never enough." Mirii lowered her head, frowning a bit. "I know that I'm still missing large achievements of perfection… I cannot rest while knowing this very fact."
Grina's head went behind the seat, while returning forward.
"Sigh… you know, I could talk for days about your attitude towards this goal… but I'm getting tired of repeating the same stuff…"
"What stuff?!" Mirii's forehead popped out a vein, as her right hand was grasping her left hand. "Do you think I'm going to believe your ignorant words?!"
"Yeah, good question… because that's the same thing I said to myself." Grina's left hand stick out from the seat's left side, with her palm pointing the ceiling. "Except the ignorant part."
"Tsk…" Mirii shakes her head, with her eyes closed. "If only you would know about perfection… I didn't choose such art because of a meaningless gut reaction."
"Why did you choose that?" Hun's head turned to the right. "I can't say to be a bit curious about it…"
Mirii blushes a bit, as her head pointed towards Hun and her mouth opened a bit.
"… the answer…" Her eyes closed. "… unfortunately Hunley, I cannot reveal that piece of information."
"N-no?!" Hun's eyes expanded. "Did I asked something inopportune?!"
"No, Hunley…" Her eyes opened, while smiling. "It's a legitimate question… and I appreciate your curiosity."
Hun's mouth closed. Fara's eyes were staring down at Mirii.
"… Technie… can you say perfection, again?" Her head tilted to the right a bit.
"Hmm?" Mirii's head pointed towards the little girl. "Why such question?"
"Please… just this one time." Fara's eyes closed, while smiling a bit.
Mirii's eyebrows lowered a bit.
"… perfection." Her head rose. "I repeated the word."
Fara's mouth gradually flattened a bit, as her eyes opened.
"… I can stil' sense 'hat…"
"Huh?" Mirii's eyes blinked two times. "Wh-what did you said…?"
"Mirii… I…" Her head lowered down a bit. "… I hided something from you…"
"Hided?! You?!" Mirii's face frowned. "What are you implying?!"
"… that reminds me… th' fact 'hat you didn't ask my parents abou' the Shrine…" Her head rose, as her eyebrows went up.
Mirii's irises shrunk.
"Big bro mentioned that to me, th' other day…" She sighs loudly. "… and from there… I-I understood something important."
"What?!" Mirii bended down, as her hands picked her tentacles. "What did you understood?!"
"… Hun doesn't know this too…" She turns behind. "… and I also wasn't sure about it…"
Hun's jaw dropped.
"… F-Fara… your face…" His right hand was petting her head. "Wh-what's going on…?"
Fara lowered her head, as her eyebrows were up.
"Hun… when I was little… I-I don't kno' why… but sometimes… my emotions were so weird…"
"Weird…?" Mirii's right forefinger was resting on her right cheek. "Would you add more to that?"
"What 'here is to add…?" She returns towards Mirii. "I-I didn't know 'uch about it… I kept ignorin' those changes… until in thos' recent days."
Her head turned to the right, tilted up.
"When Hun was 'way… in that city…" She sniffs loudly. "My parent'… were talkin' about him many times… and every time the' did that… I-I just couldn't hol' my tears…"
"That's normal." Mirii's mouth smiled. "Like your parents, you were all worried about Hunley… it's actually correct even predicting"
"Please, 'ear me out!" Fara bended towards the girl, while her eyebrows were down. "Because… I-I thought about 'hat too… but then…"
Her head lowered to the right.
"… when I was listenin' to the cowfishes' sounds… I-I got the same 'eaction."
Mirii lowered her eyebrows.
"… what else can you add?" Her eyes squeezed a bit.
"'rom there…" Fara's eyebrows were up, as she starts gritting her teeth. "… my emotions… th-they were getting out of control!"
"Whoa, that doesn't sound good in the least…" Grina's head turned to the left, as her face was neutral. "Are you sure to be ok, little fella?"
"… I-I keep havin' those weird moments…" Fara's eyes were closed, as her mouth flattened. "Hi-hiding my emotions 'ere even getting harder an-and harder…"
"Fara… d-don't tell me you have a disease or something…" Hun's hands were on his head, as his head was full of sweat.
"No, big bro… becaus'… just the other day, somethin' funny happened." Fara turns behind. "Somethin' which made me realize this thin' going on with me."
Hun opened his mouth, as his hands fell near him.
"You see… every time you woul' say the word farm… suddenly, I-I see myself bac' home…" Fara downturned her mouth. "… bu' inside a cage."
"… why… I-I don't actually disagree with that thing you saw!" Hun frowns a bit. "It really feels like I'm watching home from a prison!" He clenches his fists.
"Ye'… 'hat is 'hen I remembered the fact that you mentioned how you 'ere the Shrine's Master." Fara nods once. "I-I was thinkin'… you know… I-I woul' have special power' too?!" She bends forward.
"Wh-what special power?!" His right hand was holding his chin. "You can't turn into a Squid, yet…"
"No, no!" She shook her head. "I-I mean the emotion acts… th' weird 'hings I kept feelin' for many years… wh-what if I-I'm growin' out a new power?!"
"… I think I have an idea, what's going on…" Grina's eyebrows lowered.
"Like, the girl… she hears a word and she gets to see stuff?" Bars' hands were tilting the steering wheel a bit to the right.
"That's the thing she's claiming…" Her head turned towards Fara. "Were you testing that power out?"
"Actually… I-I 'ave this try to understan' how to control it… but… some of your words… they made me see things." Fara turned towards Mirii.
Mirii's head was tilting up, as her irises were staring down the little girl.
"… and you had a reaction, whenever I say perfection?" Her eyes squeezed a bit.
Fara's mouth downturned.
"… Mirii… when you say 'hat… I… I-I see…"
Her eyes… were getting a bit watery.
"… a letter… a letter resting on a table…"
Mirii's eyes… gradually expanded, as her mouth opened at the same time.
"… I see a woman… she's sitting on the chair… looking down…"
Mirii's heart skipped some beats. Her face became paler, as her right hand was trembling moving in front of her mouth…
"… I hear a voice… it keeps saying to not fail… to not even dare to fail… or else… you are not worthy…" Fara's irises disappeared.
Mirii gasped loudly! Her eyes were getting watery.
"… I see stairs behind the table… some with holes on the edges… some are not even there… … I-I'm scared… I-I'm tired… I-I don't know where I'm going… the stairs are not ending… but if I stop, I'll fail… and then… I'll not be worthy… …"
Grina's irises were shrunk. The car wasn't moving, resting to the road's right side. Hun's face was looking at both Mirii and Fara.
"… I'm shivering… and far, far away from me… I see a house… with the chimney puffing out smoke… … I see people through its windows… they were talking… laughing… smiling… … I can do this… I can reach the house… I want to talk… I want to laugh… I want to smile…"
A tear fell from Mirii's left eye, as her right hand was grasping her mouth more and more.
"… Mirii… I'm sorry… I couldn't control it… your word is too powerful… I-I"
Tears were coming down from Fara's eyes.
"I'm sooooooooorrryyyyyyyyy!"
Instantly, her arms were wrapped around Hun, as she keeps sobbing loudly. Mirii's irises were staring down at Fara.
… when I'll reach… that house…?