SERI AWASHIMA slammed her fist down, anger boiling in her chest and seething in her veins. She was stupid enough to think her rebellious little sister would be normal, even after not seeing each other for two years. Fushimi and Andy sat at the computers, typing aggressively to figure out what caused the blackout that solely effected Scepter 4. Seri and the King stood over them watching the monitors intently.
"You mean all security footage was erased? How?"
"It looks like a virus from an outside source…"
"All records of the escapee's arrests were terminated as well," Fushimi grumbled, clicking his tongue in annoyance.
"The circus my sister is in," Seri explained, "Is full of strains. It had to have been someone…"
"Then we arrest your sister until we get that girl and Mikoto back," Fushimi suggested.
The King shook his head, "We haven't any evidence to arrest her with. Just the fact she was in the building when they escaped."
"Do you think your sister released the Red King?" Andy asked cautiously, unsure of how Seri would react. Seri sighed.
"I don't know. She does things for no reason all the time…but why release someone she doesn't know? Anyway, we were supposed to get dinner tonight. I wonder if she'll still agree to see me after this stunt."
IZUMO KUSANAGI inspected the top of the bar while the other HOMRA members anxiously chattered about Mikoto's arrest.
"Thankfully, the violence he was arrested for wasn't any of our doing," he had said to the men, "They can't hold him for long."
But despite his attempts to ease them, the men were nervous for their leader. Some were enraged, like Yata. He kept pounding his fists into the tables and shouting about how the Blues were "gonna get it".
"Yata," Kusanagi spoke calmly, but the ice in his voice made Yata tense, "if you hit the table one more time I will smash your face into it, got it?"
"Y-Yes, sir."
The bell tied to the front door chimed as someone entered. Kusanagi looked up to see Mikoto opening the door and flicking a cigarette butt onto the sidewalk before entering. Everyone watched, baffled.
"Mikoto! You've been released already?" Tatara inquired happily.
"Haha! I knew it! Dumbass Blues!" Yata beamed.
"Yata shut up, you were the one saying we'd have to storm the place like two minutes ago!"
"SHUT UP!"
As the other began to bicker, Mikoto sat at a stool by Kusanagi, so he handed him water. "How'd you get released so quickly?"
"I didn't. Someone broke me out."
Everyone paused and looked to their King, waiting for an explanation.
"Who, Mikoto?"
"The Lieutenant's little sister,"
Izumo's jaw dropped, "Seri's sister?"
"Why would she do that?"
"She came through my ceiling," Mikoto said curtly. The confusion just deepened within the group.
A tiny voice suddenly sounded from the booth, "She's good."
Everyone turned to Anna, who was playing with her little red marbles. "What was that, Anna?"
She looked up, "The sister. She's good, I can tell." And then she looked back down at her marbles.
Kusanagi sighed, thoughts racing through his mind. He didn't know Seri had a sister. What was she like? Why would she be breaking people out of jail?
"Kusanagi," Mikoto said, "You still have to go to Alpha to pick things up from the owner?"
"Oh, yeah."
"Ok, let's go." Mikoto stood and walked back to the door. Anna slid off the red leather seat and looked up questioningly at Kusanagi.
"Sure," he said, "You can come, too. Totska you're in charge."
"Got it!" Tatara gave a thumbs up.
The sun had set, leaving only the horizon a pinkish yellow, the rest a dusty blue soon to turn to black. Kusanagi thought more of this Awashima sister. He pictured a replica of Seri; big breasts, cold personality. Or maybe an opposite personality?
"Mikoto?"
"Hmm?"
"What was Awashima's sister like?"
Mikoto looked up and thought silently, "Nothing like the Lieutenant."
Kusanagi hoped for a better answer, but didn't bother to ask further. They turned down an ally and nearly bumped into a man putting up posters along the facade of a building. Various posters with people and bright backgrounds lined the whole ally. Each said something like, "Come see Harlen the Strong this week at the Circus!" "Come see Bella Belle the Daredevil Beauty this week at the Circus!" Mikoto stopped in front of the Bella Belle poster. It was a girl with blonde hair tied into two buns, dressed in a skin tight, red metallic leotard.
"That's her," Mikoto said.
"Huh?"
He nodded at the poster, "That's the sister." And then kept going. Anna was staring at the posters.
"You ever been to a circus, Anna?"
She shook her head.
I guess we'll have to look into tickets, Kusanagi thought, motioning her to follow along.
SERI AWASHIMA waited in the restaurant that Sora had requested. It was a rock-n-roll themed pub called Alpha with a stage, a large bar, and a jukebox playing loud English rock music. Seri felt out of place in her white sundress and pearls. It took Sora a long time to arrive. Seri almost thought she was going to be stood up by her own sister.
Sora came bounding from behind her, "Here I am! Sorry!"
Seri embraced her little sister, forgetting the earlier events for a moment. Even at twenty Sora barely looked older than seventeen. She wore denim overall shorts over a black t-shirt and black sneakers with ankle-high socks sticking out. Her hair had grown so long since the last time Seri saw her.
"Jeez, Sora," she mumbled feeling slightly emotional, "you don't look any older I swear."
Sora grinned, "I bet I'll love to hear that when I'm thirty."
The sisters sat and talked for a long time, enjoying the music and telling stories of the past two years. Sora had many wonderful stories about the places she's been all over Japan, Europe, and even to America. When Sora left Seri was still in college, and so she explained her reasons for setting her studies aside to join the Blues. She explained Scepter 4's role here in Tokyo.
Sora's face slowly fell, "You arrest strains for using their powers?"
"In fewer words, yes. But it's the contract we have with the Mayor, to shield the general public from the individuals who have been giving these abilities. So we must relocate them."
Sora was still frowning, "Well why can't you just make it all known to the general public?"
"Because the public can't handle that–"
"So people can't ever be themselves just because others can't handle it?" Sora spit. Tension rose between the sisters. Seri took this opportunity to change the subject.
"You know, I was told my sister came to visit me, but when I came nobody was there. And then...We had two people escape our jail earlier this evening. You wouldn't have had anything to do with that when you visited me, did you?"
Sora didn't smile but her eyes glinted with mischief. "No clue what you're talking about."
Seri glared, "I know you're lying."
Sora crossed her arms, "And your proof?"
Knew it, Seri thought angrily. It was clear in her sister's face but she won't admit to anything. They glared at each other, a sister stare down, but then Sora broke eye contact and looked beyond Seri. Sora lifted a hand and gave a small wave and an friendly smile. Seri turned to see who she could be waving to.
The Red King was passing, hand raised in greeting. Kusangani and the Princess were with him and looked down at Seri and Sora, bewildered. The King looked at Seri and - almost embarrassed - shoved his hand into his pocket and continued on his way. Kusanagi gave Seri a confused smile and followed.
Seri snapped her head to her little sister, "And HOW do you know HIM?"
"Forget," Sora said with a shrug, not looking at Seri.
"Liar!"
Sora just sipped her iced tea, a smirk playing at the edge of her lips.