03 November 2010

Central Shopping District, Koinishi Liqueurs

Evening

Midori stepped into the store, the bell ringing her entrance as it usually did. "Hello?" she said, not seeing Mr or Mrs Koinishi at the counter. "Midori is here!" She called out as she stepped behind the counter to the back area, hanging up her jacket in the process. Snow? Not-Snow? It was aggravating waiting for the winter weather to decide what to do.

She heard voices from farther back, in the store room. Walking without sneaking, she almost bumped into Naoki, who was waiting for her. He put one finger to his lips to indicate silence. She looked at him confused before he gestured that they should head back out to the front of the store.

"So, you've heard, huh?"

"Heard what?" Midori asked the younger man.

"You don't know?" Naoki asked quietly still, but incredulous.

"No!"

He looked around, seeing if anyone was going to spy on them or overhear them. "It's Saki. I mean, you're her friend, right, so why didn't she tell you?"

"Naoki, out with it!" Midori hissed, not in the mood for games.

"She's got a job at Junes! And Mom and Dad are furious!"

Midori's first response was confusion. Why would Saki getting a job outside of the family business be a problem? Then the other half of the problem revealed itself to her. It was Junes. Heck, even she hadn't darkened their door in the two months they had been opened. Although in retrospect, she suspected her daddy didn't have the same hang ups that she and the locals did. She dropped her head. "That?" She muttered to herself.

"Yes," Naoki heard her. "Look, maybe she didn't tell you because you're her friend, and she wanted to keep that."

"Didn't help last week when she quit the team."

The younger brother didn't respond to that. "Um, look, I don't know what you should be doing."

Midori straightened up and looked him in the eye. But even with her having two years on him, they were about the same height. "You," she emphasized this with a poke to the chest, "are going to man the store. I am going to take care of the deliveries tonight."

Naoki glanced outside. "Are you sure? I know you're not comfortable driving, and there's snow on the ground..."

"I'll take it slow and careful," Midori said as she stepped around Naoki. "I'm not going to abandon her because she's working there. What do you take me for?"

She didn't give him a chance to answer as she grabbed her coat and made her way to the back of the store. First time doing solo deliveries? She can handle that as long as she didn't crash.

04 November 2010

Yasoinaba Regional Police Station

Daytime

Dojima sat at his desk, picking up the last of the 'Get well soon' cards for his daughter from some of the people around the station. They had heard about her bad allergic reaction, and the sympathy for the single father did not go unappreciated.

But rather than focus on that, he waited for Adachi to show up. While the older man liked to arrive early to get a head start on the day, Adachi usually was more relaxed in that regard. He was on call a lot, so his hours were quite flexible. But today, it was enough that he got here before his new partner.

Hearing Adachi before he saw him, Dojima stood up, checking his pocket one last time. It would be good enough, he knew this. "Adachi!" He called out, cutting short the conversation he was having with a younger lady from traffic.

All went well, Dojima knew that with this, Adachi would have better luck in that regard in the future, as long as he kept it away from work. "Hey, Dojima!" Adachi said with that slick voice of his that made people want to listen without being overbearing. "You're here early."

"Come here," Dojima indicated a spot beside the desk, within easy reach. "Stand there."

Worried for a moment before complying, Adachi did as he was told.

"Good. Here," Ryotaro reached into his pocket and pulled out one of his ties that he didn't use any more. Pre-tied, he slung the loop over Adachi's head, then under his collar before tightening it up to a comfortable margin. "You're a better man than you think," he said calmly. "You should look the part." He stepped back to admire his work. "Right. A tie works. Come on, we've got stuff to take care of."

It took a moment before the stunned Adachi to realize what had happened before he raced after his partner.

06 November 2010

Komaki Household

Evening

"Hey Aigis!" Midori chirped in greeting as soon as her friend picked up the phone.

"Hello, Midori." She replied. "How are you?"

"I'm well," Midori said. "Nanako had a scare earlier in the week with an allergic reaction to something, so I've been kind of out of it."

"I noticed that your show hadn't updated on your usual time frame," Aigis pointed out without being accusatory.

There was a sigh on Midori's end. "Yes. I'm sorry Aigis. It just with one thing and another, I haven't had the time or energy to work on the show."

"You sounded tired when you said that."

"Really?" Midori tried to bite back the sarcasm for Aigis' sake, but failed a little. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't meant to say it that way."

"You are forgiven."

"So, how are you doing?" Midori sought to change the subject. "Like tennis?"

"The club is doing well. With Captain Rio, myself and the others graduating this year, we have already begun to consider who should replace her as Captain."

Midori had no idea who that would be. "I can't be much help there."

"We know, and had not considered contacting you in that regard," Aigis spoke. "How about your team?"

"I haven't been able to talk Saki back into rejoining. She's... her... it's not a good spot she's in right now, and I've decided it's better to take a soft hand and let her know that she can come back whenever she wants rather than trying to force her."

"That sounds reasonable." Aigis knew full well just how 'forceful' her friend could be, and having Midori try subtle was either an example of positive growth on her part, or it meant something far different which she couldn't hope to comprehend.

Aigis wondered if her link with Midori would change her more than she could calculate. There was only one way to be sure. "There is something I wanted to bring up with you," she said, "on a more professional level."

Midori knew the subject, and checked around. "Nope, no one here except Nanako, who is hugging Frosty while watching the television."

Aigis paused. "Nanako-chan is... hugging your Persona."

"Yep!" Midori quickly agreed. "Turns out that while I can't use him to make Agi or Bufu or anything like that, Nanako finds him to be warm, so with the winter chill coming, it's way for her to keep warm without wearing more clothes or turning up the heat."

"I... see..." Aigis trailed off in thought before returning to the subject at hand. "As I was saying, there is something I'd like to ask of you."

"And that would be?"

"During the winter break, Fuuka and I would like to come up to Inaba for a couple days."

Midori felt her stomach lurch. "Why?"

"Training." Aigis announced. "The Kirijo group has certain equipment that can create the Dark Hour in a limited location, and without the temporal aspects due to a lack of connection to the Abyss."

"What."

"And while the two of us are practicing on occasion here, the concept of the 'Training Camp' is something that I would like, given that the summer one was canceled in favor of more strenuous and rigid practice for the tournament."

"Which you won," Midori reminded the robot unnecessarily. "How many scouts have tried to get you to come to their university to play?"

"Four," Aigis replied. "However, Mitsuru has indicated that she will deal with that."

"Don't let her control your life like that," Midori immediately objected. "You can make your own decisions, and that includes where you want to go to school!"

"She has given me options," Aigis tried to defend her position, even as she knew that there was some truth in Midori's words. "I do not have enough experience to be able to make these decisions independently, and I have sought aid from others in this regard, including obligatory meetings with the school counselor."

Midori relented. "Alright, so, Training Camp was it? You, Fuuka, myself? Where?" She didn't question Aigis's claims about the Dark Hour technology, she knew far better than that.

"At your place," Aigis said. "It is rural enough that we can have our privacy with no issues."

Midori plotted things out in her head. "Let me think about it," she declined to commit to anything. "I've also got the regional tournament in... January?" She leaned over to look at the calendar, flipping it forward a couple months for confirmation. "Yea, that. I may be taking time over the holidays to practice at the school gym."

"I can join in on that," Aigis offered. "I doubt we will want to do our own thing for the entire time."

"Let me think on that," Midori repeated. "Anything else that needs discussion?"

"I have received an abnormal amount of personal letters," Aigis admitted. "It is becoming a hassle."

10 November 2010

Yasoinaba Residential District

Evening

Midori carefully parked the truck, setting the brakes in place before relaxing. "I don't think I'll ever be an easy driver," she commented aloud.

"Hey, better'n me." Kanji said as he unbuckled himself. "Those three cases, right?"

Midori popped open the driver's door and jumped out. "Right. Have I said thank yet?"

"Not in the past ten minutes!" Kanji called out from the other side of the delivery truck as the two of them moved to the back to unload the latest delivery. "Ma was so pleased that I was gettin' outta the house, ya know? And I love doing this! Strong man and all that, helping out?"

"How are the sales of your little cute things going?"

"Not bad," Kanji said as he lowered the back of the truck and allowed Midori to jump up. "Everyone thinks that Ma is doing them on the side, no one believes it's me!" He set himself to receive the first case, which Midori slid to the back of the truck. "Gimme another, I can handle it."

"Sure," Midori said as she delivered on her promise. "I'll take the last one."

"You got any idea how long I'll be helpin'?" Kanji carefully shifted the weight of his load around so he wouldn't slip on the snow. "I mean, I got no problem helping you out and all that, but I gotta ask why?"

Midori sighed as she lifted the third case to carry herself. "I don't know. Saki and I usually do this, but her parents haven't been in the best of places."

"I know that," Kanji commented on the obvious. There was no one in the Shopping District that didn't know why. "But is this gunna be a regular thing?"

"I don't know, Kanji." Midori said sadly as she twisted around to rap on the door with her knuckles without losing her grip on the alcohol. "I wish I did."

04 December 2010

Amagi Inn, Lobby

Afternoon

This was the first time that Midori had actually been to the Amagi Inn, despite it's popularity. She kicked the last of the snow off her boots, and set them aside before pulling out her slippers for indoor use. Looking around, she adored the old-fashioned appearance of the room, from the open firepit in the middle, whose coals provided warmth (though she also spotted more modern central heating vents), and off to one side was the reception desk.

She walked up to it, and smiled as the woman who worked the counter came out and bowed. "Greetings," she said formally. "How may I be of service?"

"I am Komaki Midori," she replied, the whole atmosphere of the place enforcing a desire to be just as formal and old-timey as the rest. "I have made reservations for some friends two weeks from now, and am paying the deposit."

Actually, Aigis had transferred the money to her account yesterday, and Midori had no doubt that it really came from Mitsuru. But she wasn't about to complain about that as it wasn't like Fuuka or Aigis had a source of independent income like she did.

"Of course!" The woman pulled out a ledger, though Midori could spot the edge of a small computer behind the counter. "Komaki. Party of four for the days of the 17th, the 18th and the 19th. Correct?"

"Yes," Midori said. Fuuka and Aigis were a given, and they had talked Yukari into coming along for the vacation aspect. She was still firmly against getting back into the Persona side of things, but she wasn't about to turn down a free trip to a country inn with it's own hot-springs. The fourth was Chidori, which Midori decided was a larger miracle than anything else. It had taken hours of discussion for her to convince the older girl to take the weekend off and away from Junpei, but she had somehow managed to convince her to join into the trip.

The concierge read off the deposit amount, and Midori handed over her cash card. It was what was expected, so that was good. "That includes the private use of the Hot Springs for an hour on the 18th?"

"Yes," the woman replied while waiting for the printer to spit out the receipt. "The four guests, plus their invited guests," obviously Midori was included in the latter, though she was thinking about bringing Nanako along as well. It didn't escape her mind that this could be – in the little girl's eyes, a meeting of a whole Magical Girl team. Except for Mitsuru.

"Thank you." Midori bowed as the card and receipt vanished into her purse. "Is Yukiko in? I wanted to thank her personally for helping me set this up." She gave a smile at the end, which seemed to placate the woman. Asking for the daughter of the owner was unusual in many situations, but Midori was about to put her own accumulated social status to work.

"Of course!" The woman bowed again. "Shall I see if she's available to receive you?"

Midori bowed a little. "I would just be quick, to thank her for the help she has given me." With tests and schoolwork in general, she figured this would be the best time to do so before January.

She bowed again. "I will see if she's available." The concierge stepped back from the counter and into the back office, where Midori suspected that she was on the phone. A moment later – far too soon in her opinion – the woman stepped out and bid Midori to follow her. "She is in the kitchen right now, and we would be glad for you to take some of her time."

Midori did not miss the actual phrasing there, and as she followed her guide through the back halls of the Amagi Inn, she suspected that there was more going on than she was being told.

Thankfully, the kitchen was nearby, and Midori was shown through the two-way metal doors. It was a cacophony of sounds and actions and smells, but she was able to instantly pick out the circle where no one was going.

Where Yukiko Amagi stood, cheerfully cooking.

Cooking something that looked and smelled so horrific that if there was ever a picture of it, it would have to be pixellated out. Midori looked at her guide. "I can give you ten minutes. At most."

"That would be a kind service," she whispered back. "We would be grateful."

"Yukiko-chan!" Midori spoke loudly to be heard over the dinner preparations. "There you are!"

"Oh! Midori-sempai!" The long haired girl said as she looked up from her... cooking. "I heard you were here."

"I am!" Midori said as she approached through the ring surrounding the heiress. "Hey, can we talk for a minute or two?"

"Of course? I would, but I am trying to experiment for supper tonight. What do you think of red pepper?"

Midori grinned, refusing to answer. "Don't worry. You can ask one of the chefs here to watch over your work while we chat."

"Oh, I suppose so. What is this about?"

"This and that," Midori said as she gently put one arm over Yukiko's shoulder. "I do have friends coming over in a couple weeks."

"Oh! You think they would like to try my cooking?" Yukiko looked so... eager to get feedback that Midori felt a pang of guilt for working to crush that dream.

"We'll see."

12 December 2010

Komaki Household

Daytime

Midori waited impatiently for the phone to pick up. This was going to be her last chance to casually talk with people before they came up to Inaba at the end of the week, and she was just so excited!

"Hey Midori!" Junpei's voice came on the line as soon as he picked up.

"Junpei!" She replied. "How are you?"

"Oh, little nervous and all that."

"Really?" Midori didn't quite keep the teasing tone out of her voice. "You know Chidori will be back for Christmas, right? It's just a weekend!"

"Yeah, about that..." He replied, a little nervous. She could just imagine him looking around to see who was overhearing him. "She's packing right now, even though I told her she could take her time with it. And it's kinda like her first real time away from me since, well... those two weeks in March."

Midori understood that he couldn't talk quite as openly as he wanted to. "How much trouble has she been giving you regarding the weekend?"

"Well, she really insisted I come, and I felt really guilty about that. But Yuka-tan and Fuu-chan were quite insistent that this be a 'Girls Weekend Out'."

"You are aware that the Amagi Inn has its own Hot Springs, right?"

"Midori, you're my friend. And I owe you more than anything for what you did. But please, for the love of all that's love and justice don't mention that. It's bad enough missing out on a trip with her, but adding in that, well..."

Midori laughed, fully aware of why he was so awkwardly trying to keep himself under control. "Junpei? You'll be fine. She'll be fine. And I'm certain that the two of you will have your own chances for that after you graduate."

"Oh, please don't remind me." Junpei groaned. "I'm still working off my missing months, and there's only three more months of class left."

"Have you thought about what you're going to do after?" Midori really had no clue, and maybe by learning what Junpei had in mind, she could start thinking about that herself. Of course, that was over a year off, so she still had some time.

"Eh, I was thinking sports. With my shoulder, there's no way I'm gonna be able to go pro, but there are plenty of local teams I could play for. Maybe even teach gym, or something like that."

Midori couldn't see that. Junpei as a teacher of all things. She shook her head. "That would be something..."

"Eh, you're right. Can you imagine people calling me Junpei-sensei?"

"Or Iori-sensei?" Midori giggled for a moment.

"Yeah, well, Mitsuru has told me and Chidori that whatever education we want, she'll foot the bill for it. 'Services rendered' and all that."

Midori felt a flush of anger at her name, but the tiny part of her that chose to be calm and rational recognized that it was not a bribe, or anything like that. And then 'Calm and Rational' panicked when she realized that this was the sort of thing that Mitsuru would do for her when she chose what sort of university to go to.

"Hey? Midori? You're quiet..." Junpei said, worried at the sudden silence.

"What? Sorry! Sorry! Lost in thought." She bowed to apologize, despite him not being able to see it. "So, are you going to take the weekend to prepare something nice for her?"

"Eh, I know she's got her eye set on some art supplies, but other than that, not really." Junpei seemed to shrug.

"Iori...", Midori's tone was full of warning. "You have a couple days! Do something nice for Chidori to show that you miss her!"

"I don't need to!" Junpei retorted, then backtracked as he could see how that would go wrong when talking to the self-styled Magical Girl. "I mean, Chidori and I? We don't need to do sappy things like that. Just being near each other is enough."

She was so glad he couldn't see the grin on her face. "Lucky!"

"About what?"

"Junpei's in love!"

"Well, duh. This has been established fact for over a year now." Junpei replied dryly. "You're not going to make me embarrassed by saying that."

"How is your family taking it?" Midori couldn't remember discussing this before, except that she knew that Junpei was an only child, and his parents were out of town, making his move into the Dorm before she arrived quite easy to arrange.

"Ain't talked to my dad, and I don't see why I should." Junpei said defensively. "And before you say anything? Yes. I've thought about it, but that ass doesn't deserve to know about us." There was a building venom in his voice, and Midori backed off quickly.

"Sorry!"

"Eh, no worries." The young man brushed off the misstep with a shrug. "Hey, you heard from Akihiko recently?"

"Not since.. May, was it?"

"Damn. Gotta tell you, Mitsuru is pulling her hair on that one. She's got her Shadow Hunters ready to go in the new year, and she really wants him in. She's even got a position for him in the organization, but just needs him for paperwork and all that."

"If I do, I'll let him know," Midori promised. "What about you? Has she tried to recruit you?"

"Nope. Not having a Persona any more kinda means I'm not high on her list. She's talked to Chidori, but she's refusing to do any active stuff. Don't blame her."

"Probably doesn't want to be put into a position where she'll be away from you and in danger." Midori agreed.

"Makes sense." Junpei said. "How about you? Have you rejected her lately?"

"Not since Fuuka and Aigis came my way to talk to me about keeping Frosty a secret!"

"Hey, they have a reason for that! You're the only one who can do the real-world thing, so naturally they have to pay attention."

Midori responded maturely. By blowing a raspberry into the phone. "I won't breathe a word to the others, Junpei, but I have to ask." She paused for a moment to catch her breath. "Are you planning on making an unannounced trip up here this weekend?"

"No." Junpei replied firmly. "I thought about it, a lot. But I think this is good for Chidori, being able to go out like this. I'm not going to screw that up by showing up. I've got plenty of other ways to make a mess of things." He ended with a verbal smile.

"Alright then. No plans for an extra place for supper." Midori was a little glad for that as it reduced her workload. "Anything else?"

"Nah, I'm good. In fact, Chidori just came down, and she seems to need my help with the packing. Bye!" Junpei turned off the phone, leaving Midori holding onto the hand set and a dial tone in her ears.

"Huh." She finally said before hanging up. "Well, that's something."