Outside the Faralon residence, several response vehicles were on the scene. EMTs carried out an unconscious woman on a stretcher into an ambulance while officers confined the arrested criminals into a police caravan. Ravi and his team were the last to step out of the house and were greeted by their commanding officer, Milla Hope, who greeted the gang with open arms and a proud smile on her face.
"Amazing work, Stennin. A job well done for your first mission. Though we were unable to save Ria Cline, we found another poor soul who had been held captive longer than any of his previous victims." She began. "I'm looking forward to the full report on paper. Best to head back to the station and get to work on it. There are several things that require my attention."
"Yes, Captain."
With that, Milla was off to speak with the other cops in area.
"All right, everybody." Ravi turned to face his teammates. "Let's head on home."
The five headed to their van where their driver, Seiko Niomiki, who was playing with a Rubik's cube. Looking up, he stuffed the puzzle back into his coat pocket before getting back into the driver's seat and starting up the car. Ravi and the others got inside the back and closed the door before the truck drove off.
All was quiet for a few minutes before Kishor stood up.
"Give a round of applause, ladies and gents, to our glorious leader. All hail Stennin!"
Silence reigned in as everyone stared at Ravi who kept a stoic face.
Then he sighed.
"Asshole."
Everyone immediately bellowed out in laughter. After their incessant cackling fits, conversations went about despite what they went through. Ravi spoke to Viluke and Elaine, wanting to know how they fared by themselves. That and also to add it to the report he was going to have to write. Sig and Kishor talked discreetly to each other about their theory.
"As I was saying before, I'm thinking we should check up on Miss Kanata once she's recovered. If my assumptions are correct then..." Sig said, staring up at the ceiling.
"It'll be the coincidence of the century if you ask me."
"I agree, but we'll have to confirm it first later. The paramedics examined the injures and said she wouldn't wake up for a couple of days."
"Damn that bastard...At least he'll be rotting in prison for a good couple of years."
"Hey, at least she's still alive. Unlike poor Ria Cline..."
"Yeah..." Kishor grimaced. "Just goes to show we can't save everybody."
"We can only do what we can."
The two looked in front of them to see Ravi standing there with a somber look on his face.
"Right." Sig nodded his head in agreement. Kishor did as well.
"I assume you guys are talking about Miss Kanata?"
"Yeah, actually." Kishor said. "In fact, if our assumptions are correct...well, it's like fate intervened."
"I'm having a hard time following..." Ravi admitted, confused.
"We think we know who her family is, but it's all a hypothesis right now." Sig explained, scratching his head slightly.
"Can I ask you something, Stennin?" Kishor asked.
"Sure, go ahead."
"Ever played video games?"
"I played it once with my son and daughter."
"Well, we play this MMO game on a computer."
"MMO?" Ravi asked. "Is that an acronym?"
"Yup." Sig nodded his head. "Short for massively multiplayer online. It allows us to play with people from far away."
"Anyways," Kishor started off again, diverting their attention back to him. "We've been playing with this girl called Konata for awhile now and a couple of her friends too."
"And you believe she's related to Miss Kanata somehow?"
The two nodded their heads and Ravi just shrugged his arms.
"Well, you're welcome to try and ask. It'll save the hospital time and effort to locate her family again."
"Did somebody say MMO?" Elaine asked, popping in on the conversation.
"You play, Karina?" Sig looked at her with one eyebrow raised.
"You bet!"
Ravi stepped away from the trio, figuring there was no need for him to be there anymore. He sat down alongside Viluke, who was staring in the direction of Elaine, Sig, and Kishor talking to each other. She laughed softly as he looked at her, wondering what was so funny.
"This feels like something out of an anime show..." She said.
"Who knows? Maybe we're in one right now."
The two chuckled, shaking their heads at the absurd idea before changing the subject.
Miyuki Takara arrived at the Washinomiya Shrine, a place of many fond memories with her friends. She had woken up early to pray in complete serenity to the spirits here...and also a little bit of wishing as well. To her surprise, she saw a familiar face praying in front of the offering box.
Izumi? What's she doing here?
Just as she began to approach the girl, she seemed to have finished and opened her eyes. When Konata turned to look at Miyuki, it was like she was staring at a completely different person. The blue haired girl widened her eyes for a moment, as if shocked being caught, but then quickly returned to a sorrowful expression. She had never seen Konata like this before. The Konata she knew was an eccentric, but happy and cheerful girl. The person she was staring at...seemed sad and lost.
"Oh, good morning, Miyuki. Didn't expect to see you here..." She said, managing a small smile, looking back at the building directly in front of them.
"Good morning, Izumi." Miyuki greeted the small girl in return. "I could say the same to you. Is something wrong?"
"Hm?" Konata blinked, momentarily confused, as she looked at Miyuki with a blank stare. "What?"
"Are you okay, Izumi? You're acting strange..." She asked, worry in her voice for her friend.
"Am I? Or are you so used to seeing my mask?"
Miyuki gasped, taken aback by Konata's sudden retort.
"I'm sorry, Miyuki." Konata quickly apologized, lowering her head in shame. "You didn't deserve that..."
"No, I'm the one who should be sorry..." Miyuki said. "I didn't mean to offend you..."
Silence created a heavy tension in the air before Konata spoke again.
"Hey...Let's sit down at that bench over there."
'O-okay..."
The two sat down, but the uneasiness was still there.
"Miyuki."
The pink haired girl jumped at Konata calling out her name.
"Yes, Konata?"
"Can I tell you something?" Konata twiddled with her thumbs, showing she was nervous. "It's something that I've been keeping inside me all these years...so...can you hear me out?"
Although Miyuki was still bewildered, she nodded her head.
"Of course, Izumi..." She said. "What did you want to tell me?"
"It's...about my mother..."
Konata took a deep breath and sighed, leaning back on the bench as she stared into the clear blue skies above them, putting her hands behind the back of her head. Her gaze was distant and contemplative.
"I told you guys before that she died, right?"
"Yes, you did..."
"Well, that wasn't the whole truth. You see...When I was a baby, my dad told me how a bunch of men broke into our house and took my mother with them. He tried to get her back, but they had beaten him up so bad that he was hospitalized for a few weeks from fractured bones. Before he became unconscious, the last thing he saw of mom was her desperately trying to escape them."
Miyuki was absolutely shocked at this information. To think all that happened to Konata's family...
"It's been so many years since she disappeared from my life...I never really got to bond with her like you do with your mother...So I'm a little envious of you and everybody else who has one."
Then Miyuki saw something that she thought she would never see...or want to: Konata crying. The tears were sliding down her cheeks, yet she didn't seemed fazed by the stream of water going down her cheeks. Konata sat back up right and cradled her face into her hands.
"I wanted to believe she was still out there...that maybe one day, she might come back and we can be one big happy family again..."
Miyuki moved closer to Konata and embraced her into a comforting hug which Konata returned. Miyuki's heart tore from the inside as Konata started sobbing loudly into her shirt.
"But that's not gonna happen, is it! She's gone! There's no way those cruel bastards would just let her live...They probably killed her! She's dead! Rotting away in god knows where! It isn't fair! I want her back! I want my mom back!"
It wasn't everyday Miyuki saw somebody so broken down. And it was Konata nonetheless! Hugging the girl tightly, this was all she could do for the poor girl now. She could answer questions about cultures, food, and trivial things, but something like this...she didn't know how to handle immediately
Minutes passed and eventually, Konata's crying managed to soften up. Finally, it seemed Konata wanted to be let go, so Miyuki released her gently.
"I...I..." Konata was at a loss of words.
"It's okay..." Miyuki told her, placing her hands on Konata's shoulder. "You don't have to say anything right now..."
A comfortable silence set in and Konata seemed more at peace with herself now than previously. Perhaps that's what Konata needed all this time: A shoulder to lean on. And Miyuki was the one available at the time.
"Sorry for dropping a drama bomb on you like that, Miyuki..." Konata laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head in embarrassment.
"Don't apologize...I'm here for you because you're my friend, Izumi."
Konata sheepishly turned away.
"Ha ha...I look like a mess...and I made your shirt wet too..."
"It's all right, Izumi. Besides, I didn't like this shirt anyway."
The two stared at each other for a moment before blowing out in an explosion of laughter. Konata's tears of sadness were now of mirth as she wiped them away. Once they were finished, Konata breathed out a sigh of relief and smiled brightly at Miyuki.
"Thank you, Miyuki. For everything."
"Do you want to come over to my house for a bit? I don't think you want to go home right now, do you?"
"Yeah...Well, let's get going then!" Konata shouted out, trying to get back into her regular personality.
"All right then, we're off." Miyuki nodded her head, standing up.
As the pair walked away from the shrine, Konata started blushing which made Miyuki tilt her head in confusion.
"Hey...Don't tell anybody about this okay?"
Miyuki giggled, causing Konata to further redden her cheeks.
"Your secret is safe with me."
In a hospital room, a pale woman laid on a bed in a tranquil slumber. Despite being asleep, a small tear fell from one eye as she whispered one word...
Or rather, one name.
"Konata..."
Looks like some of the Lucky Star cast members finally made their debut appearance! Well, anyways, onto the next chapter!