Title: Enquiring Minds
Rating: G
Placement: Set several days after chapter 1x05.
Characters: Harria, Hikaru, Sai
Summary: In which Hikaru and Sai realize that money doesn't grow on trees…not even for dimension-hopping magical aliens named Harria.
Author's Note: Just a not-so-little something about Hikaru and Sai trying to solve one of the many mysteries surrounding Harria.
P.S. - I haven't posted chapter 1x05 yet (OTL) but reading that isn't necessary to understand this omake. The only thing you need to know is that in this point in time, Hikaru is aware that Harria isn't exactly human. This is just a flangst-y filler and not integral to the plot in any way.
ENQUIRING MINDS
"How do you do that?" Hikaru asks one day.
Harria, rolling a tootsie-pop in her mouth, cranes her neck and lets it fall out with an obscene pop. She ignores the way Hikaru blushes and stares at her lips and says, "How do I do what?"
"That!" He points to the wad of cash in her hand, which is carefully being separated and distributed to the video store cashier. "You always have cash yet you don't even have a job! Where the heck does it come from?"
The previously disinterested cashier is looking at them with piqued interest now, and Harria resists the urge to flick Hikaru over the forehead for his carelessness. Instead she settles for saying, "Of course I have a job, Hikaru," as she hands over the appropriate sum of money, pockets the rest, and grabs the bulging bag of DVDs, canned soda, and candy.
It's not a lie.
"What do you mean you have a job?" Hikaru demands, dogging her steps as she winds through the aisles and exits the store. He nearly trips over his untied shoelaces, but Harria throws a hand out to steady him before he can kiss the ground. Undeterred, he continues, "That's impossible! You can't have a job, you're always with us!"
"He brings up a very valid point, Harria," Sai pipes up, though not before demanding that Hikaru tie his shoes, which the boy does, dropping to the ground with an aggrieved huff.
She doesn't allow even a trace of her amusement to show as she says, "Always? Is that so?"
The way Hikaru halts in his movements and Sai gives her a baffled look makes her lips twitch. Harria ignores their befuddled gazes and continues down the block, taking advantage of their confusion to appreciate the dusk.
Despite the late hour and later season the city is warm, more suitable for spring than autumn. The sky is a fusion of crimson, indigo, and gold, and what remains of the dwindling sunlight sets the rustling treetops aglow. As Harria stops at the edge of the street, mindful of the streetlight and the passing cars even though her face is turned towards the burning horizon, she's reminded of the many other sunsets she's witnessed, the thousands of them, the millions.
Harria has been to worlds with orange skies, with fuchsia stars, with paper cut-out clouds. She's been to worlds with many suns, worlds with suns in unique shapes, and backwards worlds where the sky was the ground at your feet.
And yet, despite the many differences, the atmosphere of the setting sun remains the same.
The light changes, and Harria crosses the street. Hikaru and Sai are at her side by the time her feet hits the curb, questions aplenty shooting from their mouths. They look ridiculous, expressions confused and gesticulations wild, and Harria feels something warm bloom in her chest, chasing away the cold that had settled there. Unbidden, she smiles.
"—doesn't make sense," Hikaru is saying, peering at her suspiciously. "You're always with us! Tell her, Sai!"
"He's right," the ghost obliges. "You are."
"Is that so?" Harria repeats in amusement, just to rile them up.
"Gah, stop saying that!" Hikaru cries. A look of realization crosses his face, and he makes a triumphant noise and points at her. "I know what you're doing! You're trying to get us off your scent by making us second-guess ourselves! Well, it won't work! We're onto you, Harria!"
Passerby's stare at Hikaru's theatrics, some going as far as to ease around him like his weirdness might be contagious, and that's it. Harria can't hold it in anymore. She throws her head back and laughs, unrepentantly loud, and louder still when Hikaru shushes her because, "People are starting to stare, Harria! Shh!"
After a moment she brings her hands up to wipe at the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes, and tries to rein in her humor. The incredulous stares of Sai and Hikaru nearly sets her off again, but she manages to stomp it down before it can become another full-blown laugh.
An exhale, and then her feet are moving again.
Hikaru side-eyes her. "What was that about?"
"Nothing." At Hikaru and Sai's combined disbelief, she snorts and waves an airy hand. "Really, don't worry about it."
"Riiiight," Hikaru mutters.
From the corner of her eye she catches Sai and Hikaru share a pointed look. Silent conversation is exchanged before they round on her. "Don't think we've forgotten about our previous discussion," Sai tells her sternly.
"Yeah! What do you do? C'mon, just tell us!"
"We're probably going to find out anyway!"
"Unless it's illegal. Wait, is it illegal?" Hikaru asks, sounding caught between worry and intrigue.
"Hikaru! Of course it isn't illegal!" He pauses, glances at Harria, and says uncertainly, "Right?"
"Hm," Harria hums thoughtfully, inwardly enjoying the way their eyes widen. "Illegal? I guess that depends on your perspective."
"Wait, wait, wait!" Hikaru says, and steps in front of her with raised hands to make her halt. "Perspective? What does that even mean?"
"Well, Hikaru, the word perspective has several meanings, but in this instance the most appropriate would be—"
"I know what the word means, Harria!" Hikaru snaps, annoyed.
Beside them, Sai stifles a laugh.
"My apologies then, 'Karu-chan," she says mildly, then walks around him.
Hikaru groans and trails after her. "Why are you being so difficult? Why won't you just tell us? It can't be that bad, right? I mean, it's you. You wouldn't do anything really terrible, like rob banks or steal from old ladies. C'mon, Harria!"
Sai, appearing at her side, chuckles quietly. "I think you best tell him before he gets a—what was it called again? An aneurism?"
With the way Hikaru is clutching his head and alternating between flinging questions at her and muttering nonsensically to himself, Harria figures he might be right.
"Such faith in my morality," she muses aloud, tossing one arm around Hikaru's shoulders and reeling him in. He struggles against her hold, but she doesn't let up. "I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed."
That rewards her expectant, if slightly apprehensive, looks.
She laughs and takes mercy on them. Casually, she says, "I gamble."
"You…gamble?" Hikaru says slowly, slowing down and forcing them both to stop.
Sai cocks his head to the side, not unlike a curious bird. "You mean like in that anime Hikaru watches? With the…colorful chips?"
"Sometimes it's like that, yes," she agrees.
"But…where? How? When?"
"Where? Several places in Japan. It's not smart visiting the same place multiple times. How? That's a loaded question; I'll tell you later. As for when—" she continues, talking over Hikaru when he makes to protest, "—at night, obviously. I always win, so I don't have to go out often. Maybe once a month, at most."
She pauses, taking in their slack jaws and wide eyes. "You asked," she reminds them, before walking on ahead. After adjusting the bag hanging from her arm and stuffing her hands into her pockets, she starts the countdown.
One, two, three, four…
"Harria!"
owari.
A/N: Harria's means of making money isn't very original, I know, but it was the only thing I could think of that was very lucrative, low-key, and wouldn't take up more than a few hours a month. Also, I just really liked the idea of her visiting bars/casinos and totally pwning seasoned gamblers and walking away with pockets full of cash. I may or may not have been watching a particular episode of Supernatural (where Dean hussles some thugs in a bar) while I was writing this...
Anyway! I hope you all enjoyed reading this. Please don't forget to drop a comment on your way out!