The Superintendent's Game

The same night, Umi and Kotori dropped by Honoka's shop-house. The sight of those two grils was an ever-familiar sight in the Kousaka household and her attention was always towards Honoka.

"Honoka, I have to thank you for saving me. I thought I would have… uh, died…" Umi thanked, "But to have you suspended for killing the Avatar… it is too much…"

"It's okay, Umi-chan." Honoka said, "Honoka will just take a holiday."

"I will try to convince Mum to bring you back in," Kotori suggested, "We can't have µ's without our leader."

"Leader? Me?" Honoka exclaimed.

"Of course, you were the one who dragged us into this on a whim… as always… and convinced Eli to join us," Umi elaborated, "You are most fitting as the leader, albeit you're extremely lazy at times."

"Wow… Umi-chan…" Honoka muttered.

"But now that you're off duty, make sure you don't fall asleep in class." Umi firmly insisted.

After receiving the recent and shocking email from Nero, Maki's first action on the next day was to meet Nico. Carrying her laptop with her to the meeting place – the clubroom, she quickly set up her device without saying much to Nico.

"Calling Nico here before lessons even start… hey Maki…" Nico grumbled.

"Just let me finish setting up my account," Maki spoke, "Nero sent me something yesterday, something I did not really expect… Here, maybe you should see it for yourself."

Maki showed Nico the laptop, which displayed the Word document.

Dear Maki-chan,

I know you. You know me. I say Find me.

With love

The Superintendent, Phoebus Apollo

"He knows, Nico-chan… as of now, I don't know if you're implicated…" Maki said, "I hope not though."

"So much for your detective…" Nico cynically remarked, "How does he have to say about this?"

"Nothing… Can't get to his damned phone!" Maki snapped.

"These sort of things will happen eventually, so don't worry. Nico is not gonna abandon her kohai," Nico proudly declared, "But back to the message… it seems to be daring you to find him."

"You're suggesting that I know him?" Maki said.

"Maybe… he very bluntly say that we know each other mutually," Nico continued, "He's clearly treating this as a game."

"As in we do not threaten his position or plans, or so he believes," Maki said, "So he may be underestimating us. We may still have a chance."

"He knows you, Maki…" Nico wondered, "We must have seen him in Phoebus Apollo already."

"More than just see… he acts as though we know each other beyond our names… But the thing is… we don't really interact with most of the staff there," Maki contemplated, "Other than among us, there is the Captain, those three technicians and my mother…"

"Well, Nico says it's Maki's mother." Nico assumed, "She was quite insistent on you not being an iDol pilot after all. Maybe she don't want her daughter involved in any shady business, nico~"

"Do you even know what nonsense you're saying?" Maki snapped, "Mama's not the type who plays games with people!"

"Okay, I'm sorry. Maki, please calm down!" Nico cried, "Wait! What about the Captain? All we know of the Superintendent's existence was from her after all."

"Nico-chan, look at the way he addresses us," Maki said, "Chan…"

"Mocking us," Nico remarked.

"If he's indeed playing a game with us, then I would say it is a clue," Maki said, "We must have interacted with him to some extent, on the level of equals perhaps."

"Well Nico's not gonna rule out the Captain," Nico insisted.

"Of course we aren't." Maki said, "Okay, we need to find out his or her identity now that we are found out."

"Her?" Nico wondered.

"In case you hadn't noticed, all our listed suspects happen to be women," Maki highlighted.

"Wait, you're honestly including us?" Nico questioned, "We're in high school for God's sake! How can anyone our age be leading a secret government organisation?"

"And we would expect teenage girls to become Japan's hope," Maki retorted, "Okay, so here's the plan to identity the Superintendent…"

Later, during a lesson break among the second-years' classroom, Honoka still continued sleeping without a care in the world. Kotori looked on, like a guardian angel. Various other students were reasonably surprised with the presence of someone foreign to them – Nico.

"What's a third-year doing here?"

"Isn't she an iDol pilot?"

"Gosh, I want her autograph!"

Nico ignored all those comments that emerged with her presence, walking towards Kotori's and Honoka's position. Grabbing a nearby empty seat that should be Umi's, the petite third-year made herself at home.

"Hello Kotori, heard that you second-years are on break right now, so the great Nico-nii is here to keep you company!" she declared.

"Uh… thank you, Nico-chan. It's so hard to get Honoka-chan in line on my own. If only Umi-chan were here…" Kotori replied.

"Oi, I'm here at least!" Nico exclaimed, turning towards Honoka, "Uh… She's sleeping so soundly that she could be on the edge of a cliff without noticing it."

"Oh she could, trust me." Kotori affirmed.

"Let her sleep then. You have the honour of monopolising Nico to yourself, Kotori!" Nico declared, "You know, it is a fact that we have achieved so many victories. Yet, we must acknowledge the support of the people behind the scenes too, like those three technicians."

"Oh, you mean Hideko-chan, Mika-chan and Fumik-chan," Kotori corrected, "Yup, they're always so helpful even back when we were classmates."

"Oh, didn't know you guys were classmates," Nico remarked, "Please, tell me more…"

"Oh yes, just like how Maki predicted…" Nico thought, "Kotori will spill the beans without a slight hint of questioning… added with Nico's natural charisma means free Intel!"

"We had been classmates since we entered Otonokizaka, but they left before the year ended." Kotori recounted.

"All three of them?" Nico wondered, "Are they like sisters or something?"

"Nope, just close childhood friends like Honoka-chan, Umi-chan and I," Kotori replied, "They're always inseparable, especially since they lived near one another."

"Did anyone know why they dropped out?" Nico asked.

"Uh… Sensei told us that their parents opted for relocation, so they have to leave…" Kotori recounted, "And Kotori hadn't seen them until recently, in Phoebus Apollo."

"Hmm, must be nice to meet old friends nico~" Nico remarked.

"Yup!" Kotori beamed.

Hours later after school, Maki and Nico gathered inside the music room. With almost no one around, Nico reported back on her findings.

"Oh Kotori was way too easy for Nico!" she boasted, "She very innocently told me the mysterious circumstances surrounding those three technicians of ours. Quitting school at such an odd moment, isn't that suspicious?"

"It could be possible that they or their parents are associated with the Superintendent," Maki said, "But we still need to catch them contacting him or her."

"And what about the Captain? We know about the Superintendent's existence through her," Nico pointed out.

"I will speak with Mama tonight." Maki replied, "She's off-duty tonight, so it's all perfect."

"Why not let Nico ask Kotori about her mother as well?" Nico asked.

"If you want to raise unnecessary suspicion, fine!" Maki snapped.

"Heard your mama and the Captain were high schoolmates too," Nico remarked, "They may be in cahoots, you know."

"Nico-chan!" Maki was ready to snap again…

Only to be silenced by the sudden slam of the door, where Honoka emerged and entered the room to find Maki and Nico by the piano.

"Honoka!" both exclaimed.

"Hello!" she greeted the duo, "I didn't know Maki-chan is musically talented…"

"Me?" Maki exclaimed, seated by the piano, "Of course! I went for lessons as a child… Well, that was years ago anyway."

"Wow, Maki-chan is so talented…" Honoka remarked.

"Say Honoka, I recalled you mentioning the Superintendent the other day, the one we stayed in Phoebus Apollo," Maki recounted, "What was it about him?"

"Uh… Honoka can't… I really shouldn't…" Honoka sheepishly replied.

"C'mon! Don't hoard all the secrets to yourself, Honoka!" Nico demanded, "Hmm… how about we do a fair trade? Telling us about the Superintendent and you get to hear Maki's brilliant music."

"What?!" Maki exclaimed, "I didn't agree to this!"

"Uh… why not." Honoka replied instantly, "Tsubasa-san warned me about him once, that he for some reason wanted to conduct Avatar battles in the city and wanted more iDols deployed in service."

"More iDols… Battles in Tokyo…" Maki thought through those keywords.

"Wait! You actually met the Tsubasa-san from A-Rise!" Nico exclaimed, manhandling Honoka, "And you didn't get an autograph from her!"

"She wanted to see Honoka though," Honoka defended herself.

"What?!" Nico exclaimed.

"Anyway, what about Maki-chan's solo!" Honoka insisted.

"Since you did your part, it can't be helped then," Maki submitted.

Later at night, Maki had returned home and was dining with her mother. Taking the opportunity for a chat, Maki made the first move.

"Mama, I heard you and the school Chairwoman were friends in school, right?" Maki asked.

"Ah yes, I was fairly surprised to see her there myself." Mrs Nishikino admitted, "Had I known this earlier, I would definitely send you to her school at once."

"Mama!" Maki groaned, "But you weren't in touch with the Chairwoman since high school?"

"I left overseas for studies, Maki." Her mother recalled, "When I met her again, she was the school Chairwoman and in charge of Phoebus Apollo."

"Did she ever mention anything about her work to you?" asked Maki.

"She told me that the school will be relocated by next year summer if all goes according to plan," Mrs Nishikino recounted.

"I mean, her other work." Maki coughed.

" Oh my, Maki…" her mother remarked, "What's with the sudden question?"

"No reason in particular, Mama…" Maki replied, "Just thinking over what we'd been doing…"

"Maki, if you told me that weeks ago, I would appeal for you to leave. Run off to Osaka and all," her mother said, "But now… you and I, we can't abandon this, can't we?"

"Mama, you're diverting the question…" Maki remarked.

"Oh yes!" Mrs Nishikino admitted, "We didn't have much time to chat, to let you know… but she usually complains over her Sunday reports to the Superintendent."

"Complaints?" Maki wondered.

"That how she is practically facing a wall while talking to him," Mrs Nishikino explained, "He does not respond to her call, so it's all recorded messages."

"I see, Mama…" Maki nodded.

Meanwhile, lily white's shift went by uneventful. While Umi and Rin both slept, Nozomi was still awake and a dim lamp shone at her desk. A formation of Tarot cards was placed on said desk, with The Magician and The Sun at the bottom.

Above the two cards was The Devil.

"Ah, they really shouldn't be too rash about this…" she noted.

Above The Devil was a facedown card. Nozomi's hand reached out and lightly tapped on it.

"All according to plan…" she added.

The next day, Nico and Maki met up in the clubroom. School had not started yet, so they had the peace to themselves. Maki briefed Nico on whatever she found out.

"Well, one thing is certain…" Maki concluded, "The Chairwoman couldn't be the Superintendent. Mama claims that she complains about not being able to communicate with him or her."

"So we are down to the parents of those three technicians huh?" Nico remarked.

"If they're in Osaka, I may need a private investigator for this," Maki said.

"Still unable to reach this so-called master detective?" Nico questioned.

"Nothing from him. He may be captured for we know… which is very likely for that idiot!" Maki dismissed.

"Who's the idiot?" a familiar voice called out.

Both were surprised and eyes widened as Nozomi and Eli entered the clubroom, seeing Nico and Maki alone there.

"Eli! Nozomi!" Nico yelled.

"Hi y'all! Good to see y'all this early!" Nozomi beamed cheerfully.

"What are you two doing alone this early? Class hasn't started yet…" Eli wondered, glaring at the duo.

"Oh! Maki's helping me with homework," Nico blurted out.

"A first-year helping out a third-year?" Eli exclaimed in disbelief.

"Tsk Nico-chi, you must be desperate…" Nozomi teased, "Desperation would mean you would like to consult the cards."

She quickly produced her signature Tarot card, and placed it on the table.

"What 'cha say? Our cohort didn't call me the High Priestess for nothing?" she continued.

"Hmm… Nico would like her fortunes told." Nico replied.

"What?" Maki exclaimed.

"Guys, class will be starting soon." Eli mentioned.

"Eli-chi, this is part of our duty as the Student Council." Nozomi lectured.

"And Maki, Nozomi's predictions are fairly accurate. We can find the Superintendent in no time if we have her spiritual power," Nico whispered.

"I'm not going to buy that spiritual… Okay, just make it quick!" Maki whispered back.

Nico stared down at the deck of cards, as Nozomi sat down and closed her eyes in focus. Maki and Eli could only act as spectators, both bored at this display of spiritual power.

At last, Nozomi opened her eyes and they met Nico's.

"The cards have spoken! Yazawa Nico!" she declared.

Nozomi pickd up three cards from the deck, and placed them on the table.

"What do they say?" Nico cried.

"She's really into it…" thought Maki.

"Three cards, Yazawa Nico-san." Nozomi continued, "They are the gods' eyes into the past, present and future. Shall we begin with the past, for understanding the other two are for nought if the past is unknown?"

"Yes please, High Priestess!" Nico cried.

The spiritual girl smiled and flipped open the card on her far left.

The Justice. Face-up.

"You sought for justice, chasing the truth." Nozomi began.

"Wow… Go on!" Nico demanded.

A gentle smile curled from Nozomi's lips, as she revealed the centre card.

The Devil. Face-up.

"Devil?!" Nico exclaimed.

"Calm down, Nico-chi." Nozomi assured, "The Devil's claws are upon you. Can you feel it?"

"Is it a bad thing?" Nico asked.

"Not necessarily. Just watch out for excessive drives to achieve your goal." Nozomi advised, "Okay, final card…"

Revealing it without ceremony, she revealed the last card in the reading.

The Tower. Face-up.

"Your excessive drive to seek the truth shall be the catalyst for downfall and everything changes by then," she narrated.

"So ominous! Nozomi!" Nico exclaimed.

"Relax, Nico-chan. It's only tricks and mirrors." Maki reminded.

"What a sceptic, Maki-chan…" Nozomi remarked.

"Ahem! Class will be starting soon. We've wasted too much time in here," Eli reminded everyone, "Let's be on our way. Nico, Nozomi and I will escort you to your classroom."

While talking to her classroom, Maki reflected on Nozomi's fortune telling and its implication.

"Your excessive drive to seek the truth shall the catalyst for downfall and everything changes by then." That was what she said.

"Tricks or not tricks… it's all coincidental!" she thought, "What's up with that girl anyway?"

Not aware of her surroundings, her train of thought was halted by her bumping into someone.

"Maki-chan, watch out!" a familiar voice cried.

"I'm sorry Rin, I was deep in thought." Maki apologised.

"Maki-chan is always deep in thought," Rin joked, "Rin can walk for Maki-chan while she thinks. C'mon!"

"Rin!" Maki exclaimed.

Rin grabs hold of the redhead and dashed off to their classroom.

"Hmm… I should talk to Nico-chan again… after school perhaps…" she thought.

After school, Nico and Maki met again. This time, their meeting place was in Maki's mansion. While it was returning home for Maki, Nico was simply awestruck by the sight of the luxurious mansion.

"Maki, I know you're rich but… but… this is too much!" Nico exclaimed, "You got everything!"

The petite girl jumped about energetically, looking at all the marvels inside the mansion's living room alone.

"Nico-chan, to my room right now." Maki insisted, "We got no time to lose."

Maki wasted no time and dragged her excited guest off to her bedroom upstairs. After both were inside, Maki slammed the door shut and locked it.

"What gives, Maki?" Nico demanded.

"Did you remember what Nozomi just said?" Maki prompted.

"Huh… something about excessive drive… seeking truth… and downfall…" Nico recalled.

"She knows quite a lot for someone who likes to take naps as a hobby," Maki remarked.

"Nozomi's always like that. She said it's got to do with her spiritual power that blesses her with many times," Nico pointed out, "But what's your point? …Wait, you're suspecting Nozomi now!"

"She did recruit you and all the first-years right?" Maki rationalised, "We know Eli and Honoka wanted to save the school, with the other second-years dragged along… And what about Nozomi?"

"That big-breasted monster… Honestly, I don't know…" Nico said.

"Aren't you guys in the same year?" Maki mocked, "You gotta know something!"

"The thing is, Nozomi only interacts with Eli…" Nico said.

"Then what's with Nico-chi and Eli-chi?" Maki questioned, "She definitely knows you quite well!"

"How the heck would I know?" Nico answered, "She suddenly called me that out of the blue when she visited my house!"

"She what?" exclaimed Maki, "When?"

"Uh… during my second year…" Nico said, "I greeted her at the door and she started calling me Nico-chi… and had her way with me… like I'm some sort of exotic pet… but she talked to Mama that day."

"Talking to your mum? About what?" asked Maki.

"I dunno… they didn't bring it up afterwards, so it couldn't be about Nico," she recalled.

"You idiot! She's the Student Council Vice-President! They don't just pop by your house and chat with their schoolmates' parents for no reason!" Maki snapped, "And won't Eli be doing that to begin with?"

"Now that you mentioned it, Nozomi always preferred to kick back and chill," Nico conceded.

"Please call your mother immediately," Maki insisted, "Time is of essence."

Forced by Maki's hand, Nico ended up calling her mother on the phone. Fortunately, she managed to reach her mother.

"Nico? What is it?" her mother asked.

"Hi, Mama. Remember that big-breasted Student Council Vice-President who dropped by last year?" Nico requested.

"Toujou-san right? And don't call people names," her mother reprimanded.

"What did she talk to you about?" Nico asked.

"Well…" Mrs Yazawa began her recollection.

After that, Nico remained silent and only nodded her head. The few words exchanged with her mother were a series of "Yes" and "Okay".

At last, she ended the call and stared at Maki again.

"Uh… how to say this…" Nico muttered, "Maki, promise me not to tell the others what I'm gonna tell you."

"Definitely," she promised.

"You may have noticed that my father isn't around…" Nico began, "Where he is… I don't know, Heaven maybe?"

"I'm sorry for your loss…" Maki uttered.

"Everyone in µ's knows already…" she thought.

"Ah, that was years ago. But yeah, my father was the topic," Nico continued, "Nozomi asked about him… Some of his last businesses…"

"What does he do for a living?" Maki asked.

"Some property thing," Nico answered, "Anyway, Nozomi was apparently there on behalf of her parents. Told Mama she was looking for my dad, who used to deal with their housing in Tokyo."

"Doesn't Nozomi have a house here?" Maki wondered.

"Heard her family travel around the country on business trips," Nico replied, "Anyway, since Mama took over Papa's business… she entertained Nozomi that day."

"More importantly, what was she looking for?" Maki asked.

"Some old apartments built during the 60s," Nico said, "But Mama rejected Nozomi's offers, refusing to endanger anymore customers by selling them those houses…"

"What happened to them…" Maki asked.

"…Papa died when one of them collapsed over him…" Nico replied bluntly.

"I'm sorry…" Maki said, "But what could she want with some old apartments?"

"Who knows? That girl likes all things old," Nico dismissed, "Her Tarot cards and she volunteers at that abandoned shrine."

Meanwhile, there was some massive demolishment going on near a few recently condemned old apartments. A construction crew was in charge of demolishing whatever building was left of the site once terrorised by Avatars, and only rubble remained over there.

Notably, portions of the land were cleared of rubble. They all revealed a layer of plated metal, undamaged by the trials of time.

The leader of the crew looked at the many plated layers, and sighed slightly. He then made a call over his phone, waiting for a reply.

"Hello, Superintendent-sama. We've tried everything, but there appears to be no opening for that damned gate... Yup, it's shockproof and bulletproof and everything else for sure…"

Later that night, Kotori and Hanayo were mobilised to fight a newly emergent Avatar. Codenamed Iapetus, their battle was in the urbanised Shinjuku region.

The boundary of skyscrapers was no impediment to the Avatar and its strange structure. A black creature endowed with two long agile legs, they grappled the skyscrapers for support as it marched over the land. Two gigantic red eyes formed the majority of its body and face, with a massive black spear jutting out slashing anything that it touched.

As such, the two-team that was Printemps was sent out to defeat this menacing Avatar. Erato was duelling Iapetus to a standstill along the streets of Shinjuku. The iDol's spear was evenly matched with Iapetus' alien agility; its entire body was dancing among skyscrapers and clashing with Erato.

And then, Erato parried a stab from Iapetus and kept it at bay. From behind, the Avatar's core was exposed at the back of its simplified body. Exploiting the window of opportunity, Euterpe fired out shots at the core.

Iapetus loosened its grip on the buildings and began collapsing, with Erato bisecting the Avatar for the kill.

"Wow… so that's it looks like on the big screen…" Honoka gawked.

"Gosh Nee-chan, I know you can be optimistic…" Yukiho asked, "But aren't you taking your suspension too lightly?"

The two Kousaka sisters were at home, looking at the recent news update on the Avatar battle against Iapetus. The TV showed the defeated body of Iapetus, and panned over to the two iDols that defeated it.

"And to think that Kotori-chan and Hanayo-chan were so good!" Honoka exclaimed.

"Ah, you were good yourself too…" Yukiho mouthed off.

"Yukiho, you were watching Honoka's battles!" Honoka exclaimed.

"Yeah… won't want you to hurt yourself too much…" Yukiho remarked, glancing at her elder sister.

The subsequent day was BiBi's turn in Phoebus Apollo. With their shift barely beginning, the trio just sat down for breakfast in the cafeteria. As it had been for the past few days, Eli glared at her two teammates.

"Only she spoke to Nozomi extensively… our chance is here and now…" thought Maki.

"Say Eli, you know Nozomi for quite some time," Maki began probing.

"I won't say a lot. It's nothing like the second-years or Rin and Hanayo," Eli replied, "I only know her in our first year… or rather, she made friends with me… Oh, how that story went about…"

About two years before, the current third-years had just started their time in Otonokizaka. Eli was not one who engrossed herself in club activities, rather going home after school.

While walking down a flight of stairs, someone called out to her.

"Wait!"

Eli turned about and her eyes met those of a fellow first-year. Her violet hair was tied into two twin-tails, her assets that was abnormal for 15-year olds, the girl's eyes met with Eli's.

"Yes, what is it?" Eli asked.

"Uh… uh… I'm Toujou Nozomi, we're in the same class right?" the girl introduced herself.

"Ah yes, I sit in front of you in class." Eli calmly acknowledged, "Do you need something?"

"Uh… I hope we can be friends…" Nozomi said.

"And that's how we met." Eli finished her story.

"It sounds like some yuri scene," Nico remarked.

"You two are the last people I want to hear that from!" Eli cried.

"Huh?" both wondered.

"Never mind…" Eli said.

"Anything else about Nozomi, like her family?" Maki asked.

"She lives alone, since her parents have to go for business trips all the time." Eli said.

"She got try getting a house for her parents?" Maki continued probing.

"Uh… not that I recall. She hardly talks about her parents," Eli said, "You'll be surprised how independent she is."

"Even her best friend doesn't know…" thought Maki.

Later that day, inside the long-abandoned Kanda shrine, Nozomi knelt before the idols of the enshrined deities and an empty throne. Wearing her iDol suit, her miko outfit laid around her as she bowed in supplication.

"The pieces are all in place. The scions and false gods shall clash." She chanted.

Hours later at night, Nero stood by the flight of stairs that were the entrance to Kanda Shrine. He laid down, sneaking about as though he did not want unnecessary attention.

"The Magician cannot tame the Devil," he said, holding out his phone.

Back in Phoebus Apollo, Maki and Nico were once again together. They continued speaking the topic that caught all of their attention for so long – the Superintendent.

"I still think we should find the Superintendent's office. He must be inside," Nico insisted.

"But since no one has seen him, it is fair to say that he operates outside of Tokyo," Maki said.

"Maybe in Osaka, where the government is." Nico said, "Then we can't stop him at all."

"His identity is one thing, his plan is another…" Maki argued, "You know what Honoka heard from Tsubasa. More iDols in service, the iDols are also bound by the terms of Article 9."

"They can't be used outside Japanese territory, and only for the defence of the homeland," Nico said, "Yeah I know the backstory. But what's stockpiling gonna do. They can't be used outside of the country."

"Well…" Maki was about to say, but her phone rang.

"Yes?"

"Nishikino, glad to reach you." Nero's voice called.

"Nero! You idiot! Where were you? Do you know what happened?" Maki exclaimed.

"We can chat later. I got something way big. It may be the key to everything. Come to the Kanda Shrine now." He said.

"Look, we're busy right now…" Maki groaned.

"Now!" he yelled.

And the line cut off.

"Nico-chan, we have to go now!" Maki said, grabbing the third-year's hand.

"What?!" exclaimed Nico.

As fast as they could, Maki and Nico were before the steps of Kanda Shrine. Nico was visibly exhausted by their sudden trip to the shrine, while Maki stared upward at the shrine.

"Gosh, next time you grab me off somewhere, tell me beforehand." Nico cried.

"Let's go, Nico-chan." Maki said, "The answer we're looking is up there."

Maki began walking up the steps, with Nico tagging along. Both of them reached the courtyard. An ancient temple stood before them; not a soul other than them was in sight.

"Maki… remember the prediction." Nico urged, "Besides, Eli's gonna be worried sick."

"No, we have to end all this charade. Too many people suffered because of this!" Maki insisted, marching into the temple.

As had before, Nico followed her friend in. The inside of the temple was dark, illuminated only by the faint light of the stars and Moon. The visages of gods enshrined towered them and glanced down on the two visitors.

"This place's giving me the creeps…" Nico remarked.

At the end of the room, an empty throne was set in place. The statues of two deities flanked its sides, but it was clear that the unseated throne was the centre of it all. The statues did not even look like Japanese kami; their design was Greek, Norse, Japanese, Chinese, Aztec and many unknown traces – a bit of everything thrown in it. The only distinguishing feature was that the left was a male figure, and a female figure on the right.

"That's not part of the shrine…" Maki shouted.

As Maki spoke, ropes flew and danced about from nowhere and everywhere. They were like snakes, coiling around the bodies of Nico and Maki. They bounded the two visitors tightly and hoisted their bodies in mid-air, set to a kneeling position before the empty throne.

From the shadows, Nero walked towards Maki. A horrid grin was on his face.

"You traitor!" Maki yelled.

"No, not treason. I've merely shifted my services to a more worthy master," Nero said.

"Who is this master then?" Maki yelled insolently, "Show yourself!"

"So defiant eh, Magician-chan…" a familiar voice rang.

Another person emerged from the shadows and took her place on the empty throne. Her hair was done up in a bun, and her clothes were elaborate and comparable to the emperors of old. The visage of her seated on her throne was like that of a divine emperor.

To such a sight, Nico and Maki were like captives to this divine emperor and Nero a minister. Nero quickly knelt before Nozomi without a thought, laughing.

"Glory to our Goddess!" he cried.

"What an egomaniac… calling yourself a goddess in an abandoned shrine…" Nico chided.

"Rest assured Nico-chi, a god is nearing ascension… but it is an exaggeration to call myself a god," Nozomi acknowledged mockingly.

She showed her two captives a Tarot card in her hand.

The High Priestess. Reverse.

"Instead, I am a listener to the gods. I hear their will and I see their fury," Nozomi continued, gesturing to the statues by her sides.

"In other words… an Oracle… the Oracle of Delphi!" Maki cried, "You're an oracle!"

When Maki figured it out, Nozomi only smirked at stared back at the helpless tied-up girl she now held prisoner.

Phew! Took me long enough! Sorry for the long wait; real life threw a lot in my face last week. And we are reaching closer to the climax of this here fanfic. I think I've hinted Nozomi as the antagonist to the point of obvious by now. Seeing her probe everyone else to join µ's in the anime, I want to depict a darker variant where she manipulates everyone around her to achieve her goals. Wait till you see her backstory in this universe, which will be covered in the next chapter.

Tarot symbolism in this chapter:

Nero: The Devil (bondage and addiction... his involvement did lead to Maki and Nico being captured...)

Nozomi: The High Priestess (ties to higher powers and hidden intentions)