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The red curtains were pushed, as Mirii walked from behind them: she was wearing a pink kimono with red and blue flowers spread around. Tabi socks were covering her feet, while using a pair of vinyl zoris. Her right hand was holding her smartphone.
"On second thought, this kimono has something that… really stands out." Her right hand rose, as her head pointed at the smartphone's screen, while her eyebrows and eyelids lowered slightly. "No, wait… what I'm saying?! That thought is based on pure assumptions! I can't"
"I knew it! Sooo knew it!"
Mirii's head rose slightly, seeing Kelly's eyes closed while her hands were clasping on her left cheek.
"That kimono was literally made for you!" Her eyes opened. "It really express your personality more than any other clothing!"
"What are you mumbling?!" Mirii frowned. "And why you haven't picked my clothes?!"
"Ah… well…" Kelly's hands went down in the middle, as her eyes closed and a sweat drop appeared on her head's left side. "After our speech, I went immediately in the room where your paper was located… and…"
Her mouth sealed.
"… and?" Mirii's arms folded, as her head rose.
"I checked it, before teleporting inside your room…" Her right forefinger pointed upwards, as her eyes opened while smiling. "And this is a precaution I always take, since Demon Squids are known to sabotage our"
"Quit your explanations!" Mirii frowned even more. "Have you entered inside my room?!"
"Yes I did!" Kelly's hands went in front of her chest, while her palms were pointed at the girl. "But I didn't find your clothes…" Her head lowered, as her eyebrows went up and her hands went behind her back.
…
Mirii's smartphone fell on her right foot. Her irises were as big as dots, as her mouth flattened.
"For that matter, I haven't found much in your room at all!" Kelly's hands were rubbing together, while her eyes closed and her back was bending forward. "Probably that's because"
Instantly, Mirii stopped in front of Kelly.
"WHERE IS THAT CURSED PAPER?!" Her hands were pulling her own tentacles. "BRING ME THERE!"
"N-no shouting, please!" Kelly's hands went on the girl's shoulders. "Let me"
Mirii jumped away, as she was walking around, while jumping occasionally.
"AAAAAGGGHH!" Her eyes were wide, as her teeth were gritting. "What I was thinking taking a bath?! WHAT I WAS THINKING?!"
"Your belongings are safe, Mirii!" Kelly bended forward, while frowning. "Stop acting like a kid!"
"Wh-what?!" Mirii turned behind, as her mouth lowered and her irises shrunk.
"Yes… you heard it correctly." Kelly's posture lifted, as her eyes closed. "You were acting like a little child… I said it and I"
"What do you mean by my belongings are safe?!" Mirii's right forefinger pointed at Kelly's face. "Speak the truth! Now!"
"… I did wrong giving you that kimono…" Kelly turned behind, while folding her arms.
Mirii's mouth opened a bit.
"It represents a calm, reflective, intelligent and wise Squid… you don't have any of those traits." Kelly snorted. "And despite all that, you still manage to use the kimono's unique powers to give yourself said appearance!"
Mirii's eyes expanded. Her head lowered, watching her own clothing.
"No wonder I" Her eyes blinked twice. "… Kelly…" Her head and eyebrows went back up, as her mouth downturned. "I… I must apologize…"
Kelly's ears rose. Mirii's head tilted downwards.
"I let my own weaknesses, especially my addiction to electronics, have the best of me… I failed to maintain self-control…" Her eyes closed.
Kelly returned forward, as her eyes and mouth were opened wide.
"I'm known to be calm… but I'm not perfect on that regard…" Mirii sighed, as her head rose back. "I'm really sorry for the… childish outburst, Kelly…"
"Wow… you truly spoke with your genuine self…!" Kelly smiled widely. "You finally grew out of that cold personality you had…!"
Mirii smiled.
"Yes, I'm still growing out of it… although, I'm just at the beginning as you have seen so far." Her head tilted, while her eyes closed and a sweat drop appeared on her head's right side. "I still have to learn more…"
"You are doing soooo good!" Kelly's eyes sparkled, as her arms stretched backwards, while bending forward and standing on her tiptoes. "Keep up the good work and you will probably become the wisest Squid ever known!"
Mirii chuckled, as her head tilted back to the middle.
"Thank you for the modest comments, Kelly…" She nodded, as her eyes opened.
"You are welcome, Mirii!" Kelly lifted her posture, keeping a neutral one. "By the way, your belongings are in another location… I completely forgot that it was done 5 days ago!"
"Ah, I see…" Mirii nodded. "… now, if you excuse me I must" Her right hand lifted. "EEEEK!"
"Huh?!" Kelly's mouth opened wide.
Mirii twisted left and right, while lowering her back.
"Wh-where is my smartphone?! Where is it?!" Her eyes were wavy, as she turned behind. "Ah! There it is!"
Her smartphone was laying down on the floor: the girl walked towards it, as she bended down and picked it with her right hand. Her hand turned the device around, as her left hand shook off some dust resting on its back.
"No damage… thank turfness!" Mirii sighed, as her eyes closed. "I must have dropped it, when I was overreacting… it was such an idiotic mistake reacting like that!" Her eyes opened, while frowning, as her right thumb was pressing on her smartphone's screen. "I have to work more on those emotion controls, if I want to be perfect…" She turned behind.
Her head rose back.
"Apologize for that" Her mouth sealed.
Kelly was frowning.
"… why she is mad at me? I acted gently all this time to"
Kelly's eyes grew. Mirii's mouth flattened.
"… GAH!" The girl tilted a bit backwards, as her face went white. "Nnnnngggh!" Sweat covered her face. "Wait… I-I didn't really"
Kelly turned behind, as she walked away in a rapid pace.
"Kelly! Listen to me, please!" Mirii bended forward, as her left arm stretched towards the little girl.
Kelly kept walking in the same direction.
"… no, I can't waste my time talking with that stupid Squid!" Mirii frowned, as her head pointed at her smartphone. "I must call Rof…" Her right thumb was pressing on the screen. "He must hear my voice, after a week of absence…"
Her right hand lifted, going on her right ear. Her irises moved around, seeing no one but Kelly entering inside a room.
Tuuuuu…
"For my brother, I could wait like this for hours…" Her eyebrows went up.
Tuuuuuu…
"… mother must be worried too…" Her eyes closed. "Perhaps even more than Rof…"
Hello? Mirii?
Mirii inhaled silently and deeply, as her eyes opened wide.
"Rof! I-I'm so sorry, Rof!" She bended forward, as her eyebrows went up, her mouth downturned and her left fist went in the middle of her chest.
Huh? Sorry for
"I was involved into an affair too big to predict!" Her irises moved to her right. "I-I couldn't expect to have gone missing for an entire week…! If I knew that, I would had done everything possible to warn you!"
Mirii, what are you talking about?
"… excuse me?" Mirii's posture lifted, as her mouth opened.
Gone missing for an entire week…? … no, I don't get it.
"Hmm?!" The girl's eyes grew. "Bu-but Tonna told me that I disappeared for an entire week!"
No, you haven't "disappeared", Mirii…! In fact, we talked through the phone like usual.
…
Why you are saying that you disappeared for a week? Is there something you want to tell me?
Mirii's right hand moved away from her smartphone, as she pushed a button: the screen lit.
"No… the date is still showing me how I skipped one week!" Her right hand moved back on her right ear. "Brother, I truly skipped a week without calling you back! I couldn't possibly talk with you before!"
But you did! … unless the Mirii I talked to, wasn't the real one…
"A fake?!" The girl's jaw dropped.
Uhm… it does make sense… I mean, during this week you sounded… different.
Mirii's face went paler.
You appeared more… optimistic. Joyous even! Especially how you talked about moving inside this new villa, because of the new
"Villa?!" Mirii bended forward, as her irises shrunk. "I never moved inside any villa!"
… Mirii, let me continue.
"Gh… nnnnn…" Her mouth was waving.
If we want to find the imposter, we have to rely on all the information we have. You do remember the old rules of finding out the truth, don't you?
"I use them all the time, brother…" She swallowed silently.
Then, hear me out. So… I was saying how you were moving in this new villa. You told me you were earning a new role inside the IST system… but you didn't said much about it. Instead, you talked more about Hun and your friends. … and the way you talked made me remember the times when you were around me, helping me out with some of the cases I was facing.
Mirii's mouth opened.
But even better than that, since you had this optimistic vibe going on… I was thinking you were finally growing out from all that perfection nonsense.
"Wh… wh…" Her eyes went a bit watery.
Although, it felt… too odd for my tastes. I can't hide how I was thinking about it, before I would sleep. It was a first impression, though. When I heard you yesterday, I stopped thinking about it… and accepted it as a legit phase in your life. Well… now that I heard you mentioning this "a week passed" story, I'm probably
"Brother… d-do you really think that…" Mirii sniffed loudly.
Uhm? … don't worry, Mirii.
Her mouth opened a bit.
Honestly, I always thought that mom's influence on you, was a bad thing… but I would never scold you for such behavior, nor I would force you into adopting my wishes. It's up to you decide to either keep acting like before or shaping your personality in a style who suits you best… in any case, I will always be there for you.
Her eyes sparkled.
And if you decide to follow perfection… don't let opinions affect your thoughts. Always look for evidences to follow, even when there doesn't seem to be any… ok?
"… understood…" Mirii smiled a bit.
Good. Now, shall we talk about this imposter?
"… yes." She nodded. "Please, do."
Alright. Aside from that previous speech, I don't know much else… ah! You did told me that, for the moment, you had to stay on one villa… then, you would move out from it and live in a different one.
"Where?" Mirii's head rose.
In Inkspray Inkland.
Mirii's eyes squeezed a bit.
"Hello Mirii!"
The girl turned behind: Hun was walking towards her, while wearing a dark-blue kimono and smiling.
"Hunley!" Mirii smiled, as her eyes closed. "Excuse me for a second, Rof." Her right hand lowered. "How your relaxing bath went?"
"Nicely!" His eyes closed. "I was almost sleeping in it…"
Mirii's eyes opened wide.
"I-I got out of it, before I truly did though…!" A sweat drop appeared on Hun's right side of his head. "However, I wouldn't mind taking a quick nap…"
"Hunley, you should had told us about your sleeping needs!" Her eyebrows went up, as her mouth downturned. "Don't forget to do so, next time…"
"Alright... I'm sorry, Mirii..." His head lowered, as his eyebrows went up, his mouth downturned and his hands went behind his back.
Mirii smiled.
"Don't think too much about it..." Her eyes closed. "Just remember the lesson and everything will be fine."
"... I will try!" Hun nodded, as his posture lifted and his hands went near his sides.
The girl's right hand brought her smartphone on her right ear, as her irises kept watching the boy.
"I'm back, Rof." Her irises moved to her right. "Apologize for making you wait..."
That's ok, Mirii. Although, I just received a mail from a client... he warned me that he's coming in my office, for showing me some proofs. I have to prepare the database and all, before his arrival...
"... understood." Mirii's head rose. "I was thinking to call Tonna and receive an explanation about those previous events." Her eyes squeezed a bit. "I will find the truth behind this... mark my words."
Knowing you, I will probably hear the truth this evening... ah ah!
Mirii giggled, as her eyes closed for a moment and her shoulders rose a bit.
"Obviously I will crack down this case... thanks to your various teachings!" Her irises pointed at Hun. "And with the help of my dear friend..." Her right eye winked.
Hun blushed, as he smiled widely.
Ok, Mirii... hear you later!
"Bye, Rof." The girl nodded, as her right hand carried her smartphone away from her right ear.
Her right thumb pushed the red button on the screen: soon after, her right thumb was pressing on various numbers. Hun took some steps closer to Mirii, as his head was pointed at her device. Her right hand moved her smartphone near her right ear, as her irises rested on the boy's face.
"Hopefully Tonna can talk with us..." She sighed, as her face grimaces slightly.
"How come?" Hun's mouth opened a bit.
I was just calling you!
"Hmpf." Mirii's head rose. "Coincidences mean nothing to me... unless those are backed up with evidences."
... were you thinking that I wanted to trick you?
"I never said such thing." Her eyelids lowered to the middle. "You did."
Wh-what are you...?! Never mind!
"Now, explain." Mirii's left hand grabbed her right side. "All of it."
Sgrunt... ok, ok. Is Hun near you?
"Yes." Her head tilted over him. "Do you want me to active the Speaker Mode?"
Sure.
Her right hand went in front of her chest, as her right forefinger pressed on the side-button, located on the smartphone's right side: her right thumb pressed on the speaker image.
"Done."
Hun bended forward, while staring at the smartphone's black-fading screen.
Hun, are you there?
"Yes, I am!" The boy nodded, while smiling. "How are you?"
My head is about to explode… you?
"What?!" His eyes expanded. "Hang in there, Tonna! We are"
I'm NOT exploding for real! Grrooooaann, why do you always need to take everything seriously?!
"Tonna, calm down." Mirii's arms folded, as her eyes closed. "Otherwise you will truly explode…"
… uff… groan… sigh! Ok, open your ears and listen carefully. As I said before, you two have new roles in the Headquarters. However, you don't have an apartment in here anymore, since your new role forces you to pass most of the time in Inkspray Inkland.
"Rof explained that to me." The girl nodded.
"Wh-what about Fara?!" The boy's eyebrows went up, as he bended forward.
She's fine, Hun! Fara is now living in a new, luxurious villa, together with Bars and Grina.
"Uh? Villa?" His posture lifted.
Sigh… after all this time, you still don't know
"I know what a villa is!" He frowned.
You do? Nice. Now, before I conclude...
"Conclude?!" Mirii frowned. "You must be joking!"
No, I'm not joking. I wasn't involved into the proceedings… the things I'm telling you are from Grina's words. Have you called her, by the way?
"I called her once… she didn't answer me." Her head shook. "Nor she did called me back."
Ah, I see… now, as far as I know, the whole proceeding was handled by a guy called Ormo. He's one of the many chiefs working in the HQ, strictly in contact with Project Neo.
…
Mirii's eyes expanded.
She showed me a photo of Ormo, two days ago. I have never seen him before… nor I know him. That's why there aren't other Squids you could call, right now.
"Does Aga know him?!" She bended forward, while frowning.
Already had that thought: nope, she doesn't know him neither.
"Nnn…" Sweat covered her forehead. "Wh-what kind of games is Grina playing?! What she has in mind?!"
This is all I know about the situation. Now that I got the history part out of the way, let's talk about what you should do…
"We have to reach this place… right?" Hun's irises pointed at Mirii's face.
Not so fast, Hun. You can't move over there just like that. Grina told me she found a way to cover your absence… if you show up without warning, you could sabotage her plans.
"Then, explain her plan to us." Mirii nodded.
Can't… and I even pressed her into telling me about it! Well, not really a press since I was in a hurry… I just hope that she knows exactly what she's doing!
Mirii snorted.
Anyway, your first step is to call Grina. Follow her instructions and get in that villa. Once you do, learn more about your roles… you don't have to call me back, anyway. Sooner or later, I will know more or less the situation happening in there.
"Ok." Mirii's eyes closed.
"Fine by me." Hun nodded, while smiling.
Phew… now you know everything from me. If you excuse me, I have to prepare a movie to watch in those 3 free hours I earned this morning.
"Alone?" His eyes blinked, while staring at the smartphone.
I invited some friends over, actually. I also ordered a mega-lunch for us all, which should come in any seconds by now…
"You better be ready to answer the phone, if we need your assistance…" Mirii's eyes squeezed a bit.
Sure, sure. As long you are patient enough to let me do it, without being heard by other Agents!
"… very well." Her right thumb hovered above the screen. "Bye Tonna."
"Bye!" Hun's right hand waved.
Bye bye. Be careful out there.
Mirii's right thumb landed on the smartphone's lit screen.
"… knowing Grina, she wouldn't be easily manipulated by the words of strangers…" Her right thumb kept pressing on the screen. "… but what our new roles have to do with Project Neo?"