20 September 2010
Yasogami High School, Student Council Office
After School
"Please, please please!" Chie clapped her hands together in supplication as she pleaded her case.
The Quiz King was unimpressed. "You actually think this will work?" He asked the junior girl after she had made her request known. "Even given that you're coming to me, and not Midori?"
"You're the King! And, like, her boyfriend! She'll listen to you!"
"No," Dan replied evenly. "She will listen to reason. To action. Of which I have seen neither in your attempts to learn whatever it is you want from her." He didn't want to do this, as this was obviously a personal matter. And yet here he was anyways.
Chie looked crestfallen. "But I have to learn it! It's important."
The worst part was that neither one wanted to say what it was. Midori had implied it was something between girls, but Chie was nothing like that in personality.
"Very well, if you so endeavour, I can see that you do work for the Student Council." Dan said, accepting the best of the poor situation. "Prove yourself to her, and maybe you can have her secrets, whatever they may be."
Tatsumi Port Island, Gekkoukan High School
Chihiro waited for the number she was given to connect, not feeling bad about this at all. It was picked up. "Kirijo Mitsuru," the woman on the other end said. "How are you, Vice-President Fushimi?"
"I am well," Chihiro replied, bowing, even though Mitsuru wouldn't be able to see it. "I heard back from Midori, and your advice worked well. She was able to convince the other member of the Council to accept your suggestion."
"That is good to hear," Mitsuru said, the faint sounds of a plane in the background. "Thank you again for contacting me in this matter."
"Thank you for your wise advice." Chihiro paused before asking the awkward question. "Are you sure you didn't want to talk to her directly? Or for me to reveal your input? You are more respectable than I am."
"Do not sell yourself short, Fushimi." Mitsuru said gently. "You are her friend, and she came to you in that measure. As for the relation between Midori and myself, to say it is strained would be putting it politely."
"She truly does hold a grudge." Chihiro commented quietly. "Ah, about that other thing?"
"Yes, I have reviewed the proposal. While I doubt we can do it this year, there is sufficient time to organize it next year." Mitsuru smiled on her end. "I have to admit, the idea of switching entire year's worth of students for a couple days to foster understanding and respect between schools is an amazing idea, and I wish I could be there to oversee it personally. Morooka-sensei is a good man, and while I will be handling the overall negotiations directly, I will have to leave the details to you when you are President next year."
It didn't escape Chihiro's notice that Mitsuru had enough power over the school to dictate who would be in charge years after she left. "Thank you, President Kirijo. Have a nice day."
"And you as well."
22 September 2010
Konishi Residence
Evening
Saki poured herself another cup of tea as Amane carefully read and re-read her math book. Once Midori had explained that her friend, the priestess, needed to complete her education properly, Saki agreed, and not only for the sake of the Shopping District, but because she liked helping out her friends.
"How is it going?" she asked.
Amane didn't look up from her books. "Slowly. I have much to catch up on." The former cultist had a lot of work to do, it was obvious. And while Mari helped out as much as she could, her duties at the hospital meant she didn't have as much time to help tutor as she could.
"Math is math," Saki's father said from the kitchen table where he was cleaning up. "It doesn't change no matter how you look at it, so I suggest you take your time at it."
"Thank you," Amane said. "It is just... tedious."
Midori nodded as she held the poetry book in front of her. The words were ready to swim off the page and through her head like white noise, such was how tired she was of looking at them. "I wish this was that easy," she groaned.
"It is," Amane replied. "Understanding of the intricate choices in poetry makes for elegant words in speech and in writing."
"Says you," was the retort. "So, you coming to the school for our Culture Festival?"
"I believe I shall," Amane agreed. "You said you are going to be in the Haunted House?"
"Yep."
"She's dressing up as a demon," Saki said with a grin. "Don't ask me how, but she got this skin paint that will glow under a black light! I saw her practice the designs with her costume. It's scary!"
Amane fixed Midori with a dread stare. "A demon?"
"Well, not a real demon," Midori said, careful of their audience. "More like a half-demon. A demi-fiend, you could say!"
"I like what you've done with your hair," Mr. Konishi said to Midori, not knowing he was interrupting. "Very mature."
Midori self-consciously touched her hair, pulled back and straight with no curls or 'cute' means of displaying it. "Thanks." After Monday's Dan acting on her behalf, she needed a change to a more serious look while maintaining her standards of grooming, and this was the best she could come up with, letting it hang down her back before tying it off at the bottom. It meant cutting a bit of it off, but it wasn't like it wasn't going to grow back eventually.
24 September 2010
Yasogami High School, Class 2-2
Afternoon
The last classes of the day were cancelled so that the classrooms could have more time to prepare. Midori was leading her other actors in the haunted house in costume prep while the Class Rep took over making sure the classroom itself was properly pathed and the blackout curtains were hung with care.
"Yuki-Onna, check." Midori performed one last tug on the sleeve of Saki's costume.
"I think you would be better for this," her friend said as she stood still. "You have the hair for it."
"Wrong kind of blue," she said. And besides, she wasn't going to betray Frosty by pretending to be some lesser Demon! "You're good."
Midori moved on as Saki removed the costume behind the privacy screen. "So, how's your new servant on the council?"
"Ugh," Midori shook her head as she checked the next costume, this time without the student wearing it. "Too much energy, not enough direction. Having her run laps would be a better use of her skills if it wouldn't result in a massive backfire on me."
Sake emerged, back in normal clothes. "She's been running around, doing lots of physical work according to the people I've talked too."
"That's something, at least." Midori checked the last costume, and signed off on it. "Rep?" She called out as she stuck her head out from the small staging area. "I'm good back here."
"Understood!" the Representative replied. "The King wanted you to head up to the office when you're done to make sure things are alright up there."
Midori bowed in understanding. "Of course. I'll be back." She pointed at the costumes. "And if anyone ruins those, they'll answer to me!"
A chorus of agreements came from behind her as Midori left the classroom and headed for the stairs.
Gymnasium
Yukiko watched as Chie ran around, moving tables and chairs into neat stacks after they had been removed from their classes to make more room. Somehow, with Chie getting onto the Council, she herself had been given assignments as well by the King and Queen. Right now, she was to supervise the use of the gym as a storage facility.
Her mother had naturally found out about her new position, and was quite proud of Yukiko for it. Although she had also contacted the two rulers, and made certain that her duties at school wouldn't interfere with her responsibilities at the Inn.
And her mother had apparently been taken with the Queen, accepting that she would be a good role model for her daughter at school, and she encouraged Yukiko to follow her example.
Which confused the Amagi heiress, as she couldn't see much to emulate that she didn't already do.
Student Council Office
Midori slid around the small lineup of people to where Dan was busy looking over paperwork. "Sorry," she apologized as she grabbed a seat. "Costuming took longer than I expected."
"I understand." Dan said as another line formed in front of Midori. The analytical part of him noted that the people in the room tended to divide themselves along gender lines when the two of them were present, and that Midori had a larger percentage of males who sought her out than females waiting to talk to him. He could come up with some conclusions about that, but now wasn't the time. He took the next person's papers and started to read them over. Another request.
"I think," he said conversationally, "we should consider moving this back a month next year, to give people more time to work on everything."
"Motion seconded." Midori replied as she stamped her name in approval of whatever it was in front of her. "All in favour?"
"Yes." "Yes."
"Motion passed," Dan said, sealing the deal. "I'll talk to the teachers next week about all this."
A ripple of laughter went through the small group of students still waiting. Seeing the normally unflappable King and Queen act like that was a good moment of stress relief.
25 September 2010
Yasogami Highschool, Room 2-2
Daytime
"This, I have to see." Chie announced as she and Yukiko wandered the halls. "The only Haunted house this year." She looked at the two people manning the front desk and handed over the two tickets for her and Yukiko.
"Are you sure?" Yukiko asked. "There could be ghosts."
A scream came from inside the room, causing the two first-years to pause. "Nah, no ghosts." Chie announced. "That had to be recorded."
"It sounded authentic." Yukiko observed. "But you have already paid for our admission. Shall we enter?"
"Yea, we should." Chie let the door be opened for her and Yukiko. Fog rolled out, covering their ankles before the door was closed behind them, shutting them into a dark-red lit antechamber.
"Last chance to flee... mortals!" A cackling evil voice announced from somewhere.
"Just a hidden speaker." Chie was emboldened by the simple tricks involved. "There's nothing scary in here!"
The two girls pushed through the drapes into the next 'room', this one had a line of electric candles strung out on the floor to guide them into the next area, while to both sides, spiderwebs hung from everything. Sounds of the woods echoed quietly around them as they advanced a few steps, following the path.
"Can you help me?" A voice asked from behind them, and the two slowly turned around to see a Winter Woman slowly advance on them, arms out stretched. "Are you lost? Am I lost?" she muttered as she advanced on them slowly. "Please?"
A cold draft ran around their ankles, and the two started to back up. They weren't scared, obviously, but they knew better than to talk to strange women dressed in white in the woods, that much was for sure!
"Um, look at the time! We have places to be!" Chie said as they crossed the threshold into the next chamber, leaving the snow lady behind them.
"So soon?" A masculine voice rumbled from behind the two. "I was not yet prepared for supper..."
Chie and Yukiko turned around to be face to face with a smiling vampire. The sharp fangs gleamed in the low light, while the crimson cape seemed to fade into the blackness. "Care to... dine?" He offered.
Midori waited under the table, listening and watching for the signs of the next group to come through. So far, her actions were perfect, though she had more to thank from Frosty gently riding on her back and his aura than any performance of hers.
A good actress knew when to thank her support staff, and she absolutely adored Frosty for it. And she could even brag about this to Aigis!
She heard the patter of feet from the previous 'room' and prepared herself for her entrance. Like a ghoul rising from the grave...!
The two friends nearly stumbled over themselves as they came into the next place. The string of lights on the floor was the only source of illumination, and in it they could vaguely make out the barriers that surrounded them.
They stopped to catch their breath, even as their sense of foreboding increased. "Alright," Chie admitted. "Maybe this is scary."
"I agree." Yukiko said as she looked around. "What is in this room?"
In response, a glowing hand reached up past a black edge. Black patterns on white skin were edged in throbbing green lines that pulsated sickly in the black lights around them. Even as more of the arm appeared, the sense of wrong and evil increased, a pressure on the spirit that caused the two girls to back up without meaning.
"What is that..." Chie wavered in her resolve as enough of the glowing arm appeared to prop up a second one. A soft groan came from behind the edge, a singular sound of hunger. "Yukiko?"
The... thing ascended. Female in shape, the white skin was covered in bold black patterns, and the green lines were everywhere. "Your souls..." It said, reaching out to them, intent on devouring their very essence.
Chie and Yukiko screamed, and started to run away from the apparition of horror from beyond the edge of the world.
Midori couldn't see who she had scared away this time, the glasses she wore would ruin the effect of her costume. Setting Frosty down, she adjusted the chest strap a little, and then examined the black lights that strobed through the room to give her glowing lines their pulsing vein effect. After that, she retreated for the next batch.
Out in the hallway, Ryotaro watched as a pair of young girls crashed out of the room, screaming in terror. Nanako buried herself in his leg, hands over her ears as the two plastered themselves against the windows. The taller one in the green jacket pointed back at the still open door. "WHAT was that?" she yelled.
"How about you keep your voice down?" Ryotaro admonished the girl, patting his daughter to comfort her.
The girl looked at him, then at Nanako. Recognizing that she had frightened the little girl with her outburst, she apologized. "I'm sorry. It's just... very scary thing in there." She gestured at the absolutely adorable girl with the twin tails still hiding behind her father. "I don't recommend going in."
"Apology accepted." Ryotaro said before turning to the two students manning the front desk to the Haunted House. "Hello. I'm Dojima, this is Nanako. Is Midori available?"
"One moment." One of the two got up and poked their head inside the front door, having a quick conversation with whoever was inside. He returned and stood in front of the door in order to make an announcement. "The Haunted House of Class 2-2 is not open for the next hour! We will re-open later!" He bowed to Ryotaro. "We could use the break anyways, so thank you for your presence."
Over the next few minutes, the students inside the room filed out in ones or twos, laughing and enjoying the frights they had inflicted on the unsuspecting participants of their little project.
Finally, Midori stepped out, a jacket over her shoulder. For a moment, Ryotaro had unsettling thoughts of his niece being in a gang with her black pants and open jacket, but then shot them down. The body paint alone must have taken a couple hours to put on, so of course she wasn't going to risk it with putting on more clothes, even with the slight chill in the air.
"Nanako!" She said gladly as she set her glasses on her face properly. "Uncle! You came!" She looked around. "Where's daddy?"
"Sudden business call," Ryotaro responded sadly. "Last I heard, he was in his office talking with people in Kyoto."
Midori winced. "Oh well." She saw Nanako hiding, and bent down. "Hey Nana-chi. Am I scary?"
Nanako half-nodded, causing Midori to flounder. "I didn't mean to be..." She said as she stood up. "So, aside from saying hello, how are things?"
"Good," Ryotaro said. "Work is coming along, the weather hasn't gone to full winter yet, and, well, this is a good way to spend the afternoon with Nanako."
"Well, come on then," Midori said. "I heard that one of the first-year classes was serving good ice cream. Do you want some shaved Ice, Nana-chi?"
Class 1-D
The three of them sat at a table while they waited for their order of ice cream. Nanako had taken a spot far from Midori, which caused the older girl to sigh. "It's just makeup and paint," she said again, though it was obvious that she wasn't getting through.
"There you are!" Midori winced at the voice and buried her head in her hands.
"Is there a problem, Satonaka?" She said, putting a lot of emphasis on the name to show that she did not appreciate the interruption.
Chie and Yukiko pulled up chairs, Nanako shifting away from the strangers, even as Yukiko gave her a warm smile. "Hello. My name is Yukiko," she said to Nanako. "And you are?"
Nanako didn't respond as she shied away from the strangers. So her father spoke on her behalf. "Sorry about Nanako. She's not good around strangers."
Chie ignored the interplay on the other end of the table, instead focusing on the impassive Midori. "You did that thing," she accused.
"What thing?" Midori asked innocently.
"The thing!" Chie hissed back. "You know!"
"I know nothing." Midori said again, giving a meaningful glance at the others at the table. Chie took the hint, for which Midori was thankful. She didn't want to fight it out with the others in earshot. Or at school in general for that matter.
"I must say," Yukiko turned her attention to the second-year student. "That I was quite thrilled with your haunted house."
"No, you were scared." Chie noted. "And to think you like horror movies!"
Yukiko did not reject the point. "I thought they would prepare me. But it seems like watching them on television does not prepare oneself for the horrific atmosphere of one in person."
Midori kept a straight face, even as Chie gave an accusatory look at her. They both knew what the 'atmosphere' was, but only Midori knew its true source. "Well," she said, "I am an actress. And I have taken a lead in making sure everyone can play their parts correctly."
Four and a half servings of ice cream were delivered by one of the students dressed as a waiter. After giving thanks, they all started to eat.
"Oh! I'm not complaining at all!" Yukiko said. "Quite the opposite. In fact, I must compliment you on your costume."
Midori felt a little flush at the thanks. "Thank you. It was a lot of hard work."
"I can believe that. How did you get the lines to glow in the dark?"
"You can buy them online," Midori said. "Just make sure you have a black-light handy."
"Was it expensive?"
Midori knew better than to quote a price. "I could afford it," she said instead to avoid answering. "I was more concerned with the pattern. Nanako helped!"
"She did?" Yukiko and Ryotaro asked at the same time, though for different reasons. "How?" the detective finished his question.
"Oh, she helped test out the samples I got a couple weeks ago," Midori explained casually. "Remember when you got to pain on my arms?" She said, leaning over to try and get a better look at the shrinking little sister.
"I followed the lines." Nanako said, even though she had a spoon in her mouth, causing her father to quietly remind her not to speak with something in her mouth.
Midori watched as Chie and Yukiko beamed at her cute little sister, suppressing a shot of jealousy in the process. "Yes, you did!" She confirmed. "Then I put some on your nose, and showed you how it glowed."
Satisfied, Ryotaro turned his attention to Chie and Yukiko. "So, you two friends of Midori?"
"No, sir." Yukiko said. "We're both first years, and Chie only just started working for the Student Council."
"Ah," he said, finishing off his bowl. "Did you need help, Nanako?" She shook her head against the suggestion that she couldn't finish her sweets. "So, how are things coming along, Midori?"
"In terms of my class, or the festival as a whole?" she asked for clarification.
"Both."
"Well, for the Council, and all this," Midori gestured at the school grounds in general, "most of it can be handled by the classes themselves. All we have to do is make sure things run smoothly. And then there's dealing with Miss hyper-active here." She pointed at Chie with her spoon, who took the insult with a glare of her own.
"I am not hyper-active! I simply have a lot of energy!"
"She does," Yukiko confirmed as she finished off the last of her treat. "We should be going. Thank you. And have a nice day, Nanako-chan." She smiled at the child, then escorted her friend out before any more 'conversation' could happen. "I would like to discuss how you were able to create such an atmosphere of fear! It was a wonderful experience!"
Chie's reply was cut off as they exited the room.
"Well," Ryotaro said as he watched Nanako finish her sugary dessert, "I do not miss High School at all."
Komaki Household
Evening
Nanako let herself in, using the key that Uncle had given her daddy. They had gone out for their usual Saturday thing, and she was big enough that they knew she could walk over to her Big Sister's home without needing someone to hold her hand.
Closing and locking the door behind her, she took off her shoes and jacket, putting them in the closet like she was taught. She could hear running water from upstairs, which meant that Big Sis was taking a bath.
Eager to surprise her, she crept up the stairs, ignoring the feeling in her stomach that what she was doing was wrong. But she was a brave girl, and if there was any problems, Big Sis would come to rescue her!
Reaching the bathroom, she heard the sounds of running water, which further emboldened her to sneak in. She could share bath-time with Big Sister and wash her hair and get her hair washed! It would be fun!
Grabbing a towel with cute bears on it that Uncle had bought for her after she had started coming over regularly, she got ready to enter the bath properly. Sliding the door open, she saw Big Sister sitting on a stool, with the shower running to let her wash her hair.
And something was washing her back. It was black and wore a hat, and naturally she screamed because it was evil.
Living Room
Later
Midori embraced Nanako as she let her relax after her huge mistake. She had come in and saw Frosty washing her back to get rid of the body paint and reacted badly. So after a few moments of mutual panic, she had dismissed Frosty and worked to calm Nanako down.
Now she was busy trying to figure out how to explain this to her. And in terms that the young girl would understand. Telling her the full truth would be impossible for a large variety of reasons.
But she had an idea, and that germinated into a proper plan. Resting her chin on top of Nanako's head she confessed.
"Big Sis is a Magical Girl." There, time to lie while telling the truth. "You want to hear the whole story?"
Nanako shifted to try and look up at Midori, who gave her a sad smile at the same time. "Really?"
"Really." Midori agreed. "But you have to promise me not to tell anyone else."
Nanako thought about that. "But Magical Girls aren't real! They're cartoons on television!"
Midori grinned at that. "And where do you think people got the idea? Promise me, and I'll tell you!"
"Alright, I promise." Nanako squirmed a little bit so she could face her Big Sis while sitting in her lap for story time.
"Good. Now, long ago, your Big Sister went to a Concert. It was late at night, but she had permission to be out to late." She had to make sure that Nanako didn't get the idea that sneaking out at night was the key to getting super powers. It was more likely to give you a cold instead. "While she was there, it turned midnight and the world changed. You know from those shows, where there is the Evil Dimension where all the bad guys live?"
Nanako nodded.
"Well, it happened, and there was a Bad Demon there called a Shadow. Everyone else was frozen in place, trapped! But Big Sis wasn't. As she was trying to figure out what to do, because you're right, these things are only supposed to happed on television, other Magical Girls appeared!"
"Really?!"
"Yep! Their leader was Mitsuru, and she had the power of Ice through her Persona."
"Per-su-nah?"
"Per-so-na." Midori corrected. "It's what we called our familiars. You know how witches have cats?" Nanako nodded in confirmation. "Well, we magical girls had Personas to help us use magic. Mitsuru's Persona is called Artemisia."
"Art...e...miso?" Nanako struggled with the Greek name, so Midori mollified her with a gentle pat on the head. "I can't say it."
"Don't worry," Midori said. "You can practise later if you want to. Anyways, she was the leader, she was tall, elegant" also a Control Freak, she reminded herself, "pretty, but not as pretty as me, has a sword, and fought with Ice Magic." She waited for Nanako to process this information before speaking more.
"There was also Yukari. If Mitsuru was red, then she was pink. She had a bow, and her Persona Isis allowed her to heal and she could use the power of Wind as well. Fuuka is green, and she didn't have a weapon as she was support with her Persona Juno. She could scan and find the enemies, which is awesome! And there was Aigis as well, white was her color, and her Persona was Athena." Midori frowned, not wanting to mention the Robot's use of guns as a weapon. "She used a spear, and her magic powers made her stronger."
Nanko tried to keep all this information straight, but failed as she was enthralled by Midori's memories. "Anyways, they beat up the Demon, and because I was able to see the fight and the Evil Dimension, I had the power they had as well! So I said the magic words," She remembered what she said in Igor's presence, "and my Persona came! He is Black Frost and he can use the power of Fire and Ice. I even got to use a wand as my weapon!"
"No way!" Midori counted, and realized that Big Sis was the fifth person on the team.
"Yes way!" Midori argued. "Anyways, they explained to me that every Full Moon, a new Shadow would enter the real world from a place called Tartarus, and that the one they just beat up was called 'The Hermit'. They invited me to join, and naturally, I did!"
She knew she was doing a disservice to all the guys on the team, and to Shinjiro and Mintao in particular, but Nanako was in no way prepared for that information. Let the story be told such that the Good Guys always won, as that was what she would expect.
"Now, obviously, things couldn't be that easy. You see, there were bad people who served the Shadows, and they called themselves STREGA. There were three of them. And between Full Moons, they would seek to do evil things."
"Did you fight them?"
"Only sometimes. You see, we could only use our magic powers while in The Dark Hour, where the Shadows dwell, both us and them. But because we, as the good guys were winning, they started to get desperate for a win. But the girl on the evil team, her name is Chidori. You see, the Shadows wanted to cover the land and make everyone sleep forever, for while people slept, they could exist, instead of just in that moment at Midnight. Anyways, Chidori fell in love with one of the boys who lived in the Dorm where we all lived. His name in Junpei, by the way. And because of that, she didn't want to sleep forever, because she had the power of Love in her heart!" She was also certain that if and when Chidori found out about this, she would be in more trouble than expected. "So Chidori came to us when it wasn't the Full Moon, and begged Mitsuru for protection."
"Did she have magic, too?"
"Of course! She used an axe, and her Person was named Helios which is another word for the Sun."
"Why would the Sun sleep?" Nanako asked innocently.
"Have you ever wanted to fall asleep in the day, when the sunlight was making everything warm?"
"Uh-huh... oh!" Nanako understood that. "Not all sleeping is done at night!"
"Right! Well, because it was named for the sun, her power was Fire, and healing. So we all argued, and I convinced everyone that Love was the right thing, and we agreed to protect her and Junpei from the Bad Guys. Naturally they tried to hurt Junpei, but that was our final battle with them, before we beat them for good!"
"Yay!"
"Yay indeed!" Midori agreed with a smile, lying through her teeth. There was no victory there, not until they cheated.
"So, we beat up STREGA, and Chidori realized that she couldn't just stand by and let us fight by ourselves, not when she was in Love, so she joined us for the final battle. You see, we thought there were twelve Full Moon Shadows, and they used the Tarot Cards for their symbols. Magician, Priestess, Emperor, Empress, Heirophant, Lovers, Chariot, Justice, Hermit, Fortune, Strength, and Hanged Man. But we forgot something because we thought there were twelve of them and twelve months in a year."
"What did you forget?"
"We forgot that there are thirteen Full Moons in a year," Midori said. "And there was a thirteenth Full Moon Shadow." Nanako was hanging on to her every word, and Midori said the next one in a hushed tone. "Death. You see, sleep means that there is no one aware of the world, and if no one is aware, can anyone live? The last Shadow was Death, and we fought it with all our might. And we won through the power of Love. Our love for each other as friends, for our families, for our love of life."
Nanako stared at her, wide eyed.
"And we won!" Midori said happily, ignoring the sacrifices made. "And because we won, we thought we would go back to our normal lives."
She sighed. "Except we didn't. You see, because we had power, but without the Dark Hour to use it in, I was the first to discover that I could summon my Persona in the real world." Her face took on a serious expression. "What you saw when you came in to the bathroom was my Persona, Black Frost. I call him Frosty."
Nanako remembered that and nodded.
"Would you like to meet him properly now? He can be very scary when he wants to be, but he's also cute."
She thought about this very hard, but in the end, there was only one decision she could make. "Can I?"
"Of course!" Midori said as she pulled out Frosty's card. "You ready?"
"Uh huh!"
"BLACK FROST!"
Night
Midori picked up the phone as Nanako was now in bed. She had to do this. She dialled Aigis' number, and waited for her friend to pick up. "Hello, Midori. It's later than your usual call time."
"Oh, I was busy today," Midori said to start her explanation. "We had the Culture Festival today, and after I got home, Nana-chi came over after our dads went out drinking and she came into the bathroom while Frosty was washing my back."
She could feel Aigis freeze on the other end of the line. "She saw Black Frost."
"Yep. So I had to make up a story to explain it in terms she could understand, and now I want to tell you what I told her."
Kirijo Group HQ
Mitsuru was silent and still as Aigis relayed Midori's accident and cover up. Fuuka was summoned, and the three of them thought about what happened.
"At least it was a child," Fuuka pointed out. "No one will believe her if she was to say that Midori was a... a... Oh I can't believe that Midori would make such a story! Can you imagine Aigis in a seifuku? Chidori in one?"
"And yet she did. An excellent piece of improvisation, which should never have had to happen in the first place," Mitsuru kept her breathing under control. "You are both of the opinion that the damage is done, and contained?"
"Correct," Aigis said. "It is unbelievable, though anyone who knows the truth who hears that story will undoubtedly make the correct connections."
"And everyone who knows the truth won't be using it against us," Mitsuru confirmed. "I want the two of you to go to Yasoinaba tomorrow to debrief Midori. She can't make that slip up again." She would have done that herself, but knew better than to antagonize Midori when there were other options.
"We'd have to leave now to catch a train," Aigis calculated the timing involved.
"You won't be taking a train," Mitsuru pointed out, "I will have Kikuno fly you two out there on a helicopter in the morning. And she will take you back once you're done."
"I think this is a mistake," Fuuka warned. "Midori has plenty of experience in keeping secrets, and she made her story in such a way as to fit with the conventions of the Magical Girl genre. And she didn't mention Tokyo at all."
"I agree with your rationalization of her actions, and that's why I'm sending the two of you to talk to her, instead of going myself."