Mizuki managed to eat three platefuls of various things. But she really seemed to like the seafood, the sushi, and mochi. And even decided on getting some to take home with her. Though she didn't exactly know where her home was. It was at this point, once her order was placed, that Toshinori decided to explain to her that she had not only a new home not far from where her son had been laid to rest, but other things as well.
He told her about the new paperwork, her new bank account- and how to use it when she told he and Shota that she had never had money before to trade for goods. Her manner of speech was odd to them. And while it was on the tip of his tongue to ask what she had used before now to trade for goods. Something about her tone implied that he really didn't want to know.
He told her about how she would receive a weekly allowance to do what she wished with. But suggested that she keep as much as possible in her account just in case. He told her that her new home had all the latest furnishings and appliances. Comfy and classy furniture, book shelves here and there for knick-knacks and such, tables- and chairs.
He told her about some of his and Shota's co-workers went shopping for some clothing for her. And while she smiled a little bit, he couldn't help but notice her inwardly cringe at the thought of a stranger picking out what she was to wear from day to day.
Seeing her cringe, Toshinori quickly apologized for his role in letting the ladies do her shopping for her and then explained that he had merely been thinking that she would be so busy mourning her son that she wouldn't want to leave her new home to procure clothing or groceries for a good long while.
Mizuki told him that she understood his line of thought, but she was still going to go through the clothing at some point and set what she didn't want aside.
She told him that if she found any clothing that was too revealing, then she was far more likely to take it out and dump it somewhere and burn it for good measure. She then also told him that if he didn't mind, she would like to grab some groceries before she went to her new home. Toshinori agreed to the request though he was starting to get the feeling that she was feeling a tad bit anxious about going home. And it took him just a little bit to piece together why and fully understand.
After taking her order and paying their bill the threesome left the restaurant and began the semi long-ish treck back the way that they came. During that time, Toshinori found himself closely watching Mizuki as his mind turned over various questions and bits of information that she had given him and Shota about her past.
Perhaps he was more naïve than he thought he was, but as time passed while they slowly walked he came to realize that 'home' for Mizuki had always been a sort of prison for her instead of the safe haven that it should have been.
"Do you know what you would like to get at the grocery store?" He found himself asking not just out of a need to distract his mind from the horrors that she had hinted at earlier, but out of curiosity. The need and desire to know the sort of things that she liked.
"I'm not sure. Some cook cooks. Meats, some seafood, veggies- some fruit would be nice. Maybe something with seedless red grapes and tangerines? I'm not sure if I need any pots or pans-"
"You don't," Shota said before he could. "You have everything that you need to get anything done including Tupperware, boxes for bento's, forks, spoons, knives, and plates, bowls and little dipping dishes too."
"Wow. When you guys go all out, you really go all out."
"We pride ourselves on how we serve our people and our community." Both men said in unison.
She said nothing, though the weird look that she gave them did speak rather loudly about what she was thinking. They walked for several blocks without incident and then finally just as they rounded the corner to reach the grocery store that Shota had suggested since all of the other ones that were closest to Mizuki's new home were small and didn't carry a very large selection of much of anything- Toshinori and Shota suddenly tensed and shoved Mizuki back behind them as a car went skidding past them with a couple of screaming kids inside of it.
"Dammit," Toshinori muttered in a tone that could only be described as a vexed sounding growl as he saw a villain standing in the middle of the street laughing in maniacal amusement at the kids that he was terrorizing. "Shota would you keep Mizuki back so that I can handle this?" He said as he transformed into his super hero alter ego at the same exact moment he heard his friend say.
"I would. But I think it's pointless..."
Twisting around to look at Shota, he caught his friend pointing towards something and followed the direction of his finger only to have his jaw drop as Mizuki was getting up from the ground next to the car. Apparently she had been asking them if they were okay and after receiving an affirmative, got up and placed herself between them and the villain and cracked her knuckles menacingly.
"All right dickless. You think it's funny to pick on a bunch of kids. Let's see how you deal with me." By this point Toshinori's alter ego's jaw was on the ground and he was spitting up blood from the shock of what Mizuki was doing. Did the woman not understand that she was a civilian and that he and Shota were two perfectly able bodied super hero- that train of thought quickly died as the wind around her suddenly picked up alarmingly and her long dark hair slowly began to bleed to pure white.
Of course by this point he wasn't the only one gaping in shock. Shota was too.
The moment that the tips of her hair finished changing color, she vanished and seemed to move so quickly that even their highly trained senses could barely keep track of her. But from what they did manage to see of her actions, it looked as if she flickered or phased several times before appearing behind the villain and grabbing him up in a one handed choke hold by the neck and shook him a little bit.
Eliciting a whimper of fear from the man as he wet himself at which point she muttered something and then tossed him so that he landed on a car several feet away and then called out. "I suggest that you turn yourself in. Because if I ever catch you again..." She didn't bother finishing the threat, the villain was up and running before she could anyways.
Exhaling, she slowly let her hair change back to normal and was about to go check on the kids when she felt Toshinori's alter ego's hand, gripping her wrist again. Forcing her to turn and look at him as he said in a funny tone. "We need to talk."
