The SSS had just finished some requests around the city. They decided to come back to the SSS building because Fran said somebody requested the SSS for something, and it sounded important. Entering the building, they heard two voices talking.
"Hmm?" Lloyd hummed when he entered and saw Juna sitting on the sofa with someone he had a vague recollection of ever meeting.
"Ah! The SSS is back! Welcome! Sorry to impose. But when I knocked, there was just Rixia inside, and she said you were on an assignment," Juna greeted the SSS.
"Yo, Junie. What are you doing here?" Randy gave a salute, to which Juna replied with her own.
"Do you want to hear our stories again?" Lloyd asked with a smile on his face. Telling their cases to Juna, at least what he could reveal, was always fun.
"Don't tell me you're poaching our clients," Tio said with a smile.
"Well, I need your help with something, but it seems that whatever Rixia is here for seems more important. I can come back later," Juna pointed at the door. "Oh, and I tried directing her to the Bracer Guild, but she insisted to made the request to SSS. Lucky you."
So she really tried to divert her to the Bracer Guild, huh? Lloyd sighed.
"Thank you, Juna. It's not exactly something I want outsiders to know," Rixia revealed, feeling thankful for Juna's initiative. "As for the Bracer Guild... well, they're really popular, right? And since I don't really want rumors to pop up..."
"Ah, I see." Juna nodded. "Okay. I'll come back later."
Once Juna left the building, Rixia finally told them about her problem. Ilya Platiere. A famous performer for Arc en Ciel got a threat letter directed to her, and Rixia didn't want to make a ruckus, so she wanted to ask the SSS to personally investigate the matter. After further discussion (especially Randy's insistence on meeting Ilya herself,) the SSS was convinced to help Arc en Ciel with the case.
Soon, the door was opened, and Juna came in. "I saw Rixia left, so I guess she's finished. Are you in a hurry?"
"No," Lloyd shook his head. "You can lay your request, Juna. But we'll put it under consideration first because Rixia's request is more serious than we thought. Is that okay?"
"Definitely!" Juna gave a thumbs up. "Don't let my request bother you."
"So why are you asking us? You're close with the Guild, after all," Randy pointed out. That was certainly true. Juna was their unofficial intern with how much time she spent on the Guild. And yet Juna couldn't go to them for this request? Something serious must have happened.
"And this time, you're not here to hear about the details of our cases that you couldn't find in the news," Elie continued. Ever since their first big case of calming the gang rivalry in the Downtown district, sometimes Juna visited to ask them the details of how they solved their cases. Lloyd happily indulged her because he liked sharpening his mind by returning to the case's minutiae. Though, of course, none of the classified details were told to Juna.
Seeing a free spot beside Lloyd, Juna sat down before she explained her situation. "Ah... you see, this isn't something that the Bracer can help. Hence I turn to you guys in the first place."
"But why didn't you do it via Fran?" Tio questioned. Usually, a formal request to the SSS, aside from cases like what Rixia requested, went through Fran at the police station.
"Fran? Oh, the receptionist at the police station? So she manages your request, huh?" Juna shook her head. "Anyway, I don't want this to be on the record. Take this as a personal request for the SSS."
The more Juna tried to explain, the more Lloyd and the others felt apprehensive. They braced themselves for whatever Juna was about to say next.
"I want your help to find a record in the police department concerning Harold Hayworth."
Harold? Lloyd frowned. "What is that for?"
"Harold seems like an upstanding guy. Do you suspect him of crime?" Randy tried to pry further.
"We met Mr. Hayworth once, and he didn't look suspicious at all," Elie explained their skepticism. "If anything, he's a generous businessman that seeks to get profit for both him and the people he transactions with."
Juna blinked in confusion before she realized what she had just said.
"No, I'm not accusing him of any crimes or past wrongdoings. In fact, I've looked up on Mr. Hayworth myself," she laughed sheepishly. "Sorry if you get the wrong impression."
"Then why do you need his information from the police database?"
"..." Juna crunched her eyebrows, thinking for a few seconds. "Mggh, fine, if it's you guys..."
"If it's us?" Tio couldn't help but overhear Juna.
Juna sighed. "I promised them to not be too overt with my effort... but I couldn't help it. It's on the tip of my mind! I just need some confirmation, and the only way to do that is to look for Harold Hayworth's record in the police department."
The SSS looked at each other. It was clear to them now that Juna was doing this to help someone else. More importantly, Lloyd definitely knew what Juna was feeling. When all the pieces of the case were in your grasp, but you still couldn't connect the dots... it was one of the worst feelings Lloyd had felt.
Lloyd decided.
"Lay it down to us, Juna. I wanna hear your deduction completely. I promise we won't tell anyone about it. Isn't that right, everyone?" He asked the SSS.
"Yes."
"You can count on me!"
"Sure."
The other three members confirmed.
"There you have it, Juna," Lloyd smiled at her.
"Okay, let me gather my thought." Juna closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Lloyd and the others paid attention once Juna opened her eyes.
"A few weeks ago, I was asked to look for an orphan girl, around twelve to thirteen years old, by some people. I don't want to say their name for their privacy but suffice to say, they have been traveling around Zemuria looking for her since last year. They heard she was sighted around here, so they came here. The girl isn't just your normal girl. I don't want to say more for privacy. Just know that she has the means to survive crossing the borders around Zemuria alone."
A purple-haired girl around twelve to thirteen years old? Lloyd's mind couldn't help but provide a picture. A mysterious girl they met while scaling the Mainz Mountain Path. She had purple hair, didn't she? Lloyd looked to Elie, who looked back at him with concern. And the girl had an aura of mystery despite being so young.
"Now, this is just my gut feeling, but why Crossbell? There must be something here that holds her attention. So I turned to my mom and asked if she knew someone with purple hair. She said Mr. Hayworth had purple hair."
Indeed. Mr. Hayworth had purple hair. But what did that have to do with anything?
"But of course, he's not the only one. There are lots of people in Crossbell with purple hair, like Plie and Theodor from the Arc en Ciel, Pruna who always hangs out near the Times Department store, Chaco the Genten store clerk, Pearl who is Scott's girlfriend, Cassal the library assistant, Reins the photographer from Crossbell News Service, Sarina who lives in Acacia Apartment, and Couta who sells things in the East Street."
Lloyd wasn't ashamed to note that he was acquaintanced with all of them. Perks of being a police officer, he guessed.
"Anyway, I've cross-referenced their age, occupation, etc. and concluded that the only possible one is Mr. Hayworth," Juna finished.
"Junie, you kinda jumped the gun," Randy reminded the pink-haired soon-to-be Bracer. "What does Mr. Hayworth having purple hair have to do with anything you said before?"
"Huh? Oh. Sorry," Juna scratched her cheek. "It's part of her privacy. You know how she's an orphan? Well, I theorized that she was either abandoned by or kidnapped from Mr. Hayworth. I was leaning toward the first before looking up at him and learning how upstanding he was. Of course, there is a chance that he's just putting up a mask, but it seems unlikely."
It was plausible but still too much of a leap. So Lloyd wanted some clarification. "What makes you so sure that she's possibly Mr. Hayworth's presumably missing daughter?"
"Mr. Hayworth never mentioned having a daughter to us. We know that he has a son but never a daughter," Elie continued.
"Could he possibly feel shame that she was kidnapped? I feel like that's not his character," Tio threw her hat into the ring.
"Anyway, that's what I wanted to ask you, actually. I want to know if he has ever submitted a missing person report about his possible daughter. Around ten to eight years ago, if the stories they tell me were correct," Juna answered. "As for your question, well... can't exactly tell you about it. I just have a gut feeling. Ehehe..."
Lloyd closed his eyes, absorbing Juna's explanation entirely. "Alright. Your request is simple enough. Though is it alright to do it later? We're going to handle Rixia's request first because it's quite important."
"Oh, sure!" Juna stood up. "I'll check again tomorrow. If Rixia's case is still ongoing, you can shelve my request for later. Thank you for listening to me."
Once Juna left, Randy let out a sigh. "Sheesh. I understand that she's trying to keep their privacy, but we can do with more context, you know?"
"Yes. I know where she's coming from, but I, too, would like more context about the girl. Speaking of..." Elie trailed off.
"Is it possible that it's the purple-haired girl we met near the Rosenberg Studio?" Tio finally said what was on everyone's mind.
"Elie, Tio, Randy. Looking back at it, that Renne girl's hair color... it is the same shade of purple as Harold, am I right?" Lloyd wanted confirmation from the others.
"I can't say I remember, but I'd say yes because of how distinct purple hairs are," Elie answered.
"Harold's son inherited his wife's hair, doesn't he?"
Tio sighed. "It sounds more and more likely that Juna's hunch is correct. Though we still have to verify it."
"..." Lloyd looked away.
Juna's deduction method... it somehow reminded him of how his brother worked his cases before his death.
"Lloyd?"
He closed his eyes before shaking his head. He then opened his eyes with a smile.
"Never mind. Let's go to the Arc en Ciel. Rixia is waiting for us."
"Okay!"
"Man, I wanna meet Ilya!"
"I'm looking forward to it."