Snowy Spring Chapter 08: Anxiety
Lyall the Werewolf: Apologizes for the long wait. Christmas was a hassle. Between some mishaps with shopping and having to clean up after house guests can leave a guy drained. Not to mention my brother's funeral.
Now that I'm rested for all it's worth, I'm back this month with a new chapter of Snowy Spring. As you know, this chapter will proceed to Yukiko's arc, but with a new twist. The Hebijo Shinobi that's sneaking around the Amagi Inn. Who is it, and why is she lurking near Inaba?
Find out by the end of the chapter!
(I don't own Senran Kagura or Persona)
It was midnight on April 15th. Chie Satonaka watched in apprehension as the Midnight Channel showed a familiar silhouette on screen. The image was fussy, but she'd know the person anywhere. It was her best friend, Yukiko Amagi. Chie had seen wearing that kimono before. She always wore it when working at the inn and still wore it while on that sudden interview.
But why did Yukiko show up on the Midnight Channel? Didn't Yosuke and the others talk about how the Midnight Channel was related to the deaths of Ms. Yamano and Saki? If Yukiko showed up on the program, wouldn't that mean she would die too?
What was going on? Why did this happen? She, Yumi, and Yukiko were talking not long ago. Why was Yukiko being marked for dead by the Midnight Channel? If Yukiko were to die, then…
No wait. Maybe it was too early to panic just yet. Chie decided to call Yukiko on her cell phone, just in case.
[-Saturday, April 16, 2011: Early Morning-]
As she commuted to school, Yumi was in deep thought. There was an Evil Shinobi at the Amagi Inn. No question about it. Their motives were unknown, but whatever it was, it couldn't be good. Nothing good came from Evil.
On top of finding the culprit behind the murders, Yumi also had to contend with an Evil Shinobi, who was probably in on those murders. If so, that was all the more reason to confront and eliminate them before they target more innocent people. That was especially the case if they set up shop near the Amagi Inn.
"Yumi!" the voice of Chie called out.
The Good Shinobi turned around to see Chie sprinting up to her. She looked worried about something.
"Chie-san, why are you in a hurry?" Yumi asked as her classmate stopped in front of her to catch her breath.
"Yumi, you were still with Yukiko after we parted ways yesterday, right? Did she make it home, okay?" Chie frantically.
"Yes. I escorted her to the inn myself. I went home afterward. However, I haven't seen Yukiko-san this morning." Yumi answered. She left out her encounter with the Evil Shinobi. She needed to be the one to deal with that problem on her own. Keeping Chie out of danger was also a priority. She may have seen the other world, but she cannot know about the Shinobi World. However, Chie was already more involved in the case than she should be. It was only a matter of time before she found out about Yumi's Shinobi identity. Yumi may have to let her know despite her reservations.
"Oh man… what should I do…?" Chie mumbled. The anxious look on her face was concerning for her friend.
"What's wrong?" Yumi asked.
"W-What you and the guys were talking about before… about how people showing up on the Midnight Channel is related to that other world… that was for real, wasn't it?" Chie asked.
Yumi glanced left and right to make sure no one was around to hear this. Thankfully, the last couple of students on this path went on ahead. She didn't sense the Evil Shinobi anywhere else. They were free to talk about the TV world for a while.
"Yes. Here is what we learned from the other world." Yumi gave a quick summary of how the victims were thrown into the TV by the culprit.
"S-So they are being thrown in? Oh god!" Chie groaned anxiously.
"I think I might know what you're thinking. You saw the Midnight Channel again, didn't you?" a concerned Yumi asked.
"Yeah, and I… I think it was Yukiko who appeared." Chie hesitantly replied, once again shocking the Good Shinobi.
"Are you sure it was Yukiko-san?" Yumi calmly asked. She was worried the culprit or the Evil Shinobi from last night might have gotten to her.
"Yeah. She still had that kimono on yesterday when you and I met her at the floodplain and during that interview." Chie answered.
"I see." Yumi nodded, "And have you talked to her at any point since yesterday?"
"I texted Yukiko last night to be safe, and she said she'd be at school today, but…" Chie said.
"Calm down. We don't know for sure if she was thrown in. Try giving her a call." Yumi suggested.
"Okay…" Chie took out her cell phone and dialed Yukiko's number. Sadly, she received no answer. "It went to voice mail…"
"That's not good…" Yumi thought out loud, "If she was thrown in…"
"Don't go there!" Chie suddenly snapped at Yumi.
Save for a stern glance, Yumi was unfazed.
Chie hung her head in embarrassment at her outburst.
"Sorry…"
Yumi firmly grasped Chie's shoulders and looked her in the eye.
"Chie-san, I understand your concern about Yukiko-san. However, you mustn't panic and assume the worst. First, you need to calm down and think." Yumi said firmly.
"R-Right…" Chie sighed. She breathed in and out to calm herself.
"So, can you think of any other scenario where Yukiko-san may not answer your calls?" Yumi asked as she released the pondering Chie.
"Um… wait a sec! She might be helping out at the inn! She wouldn't be able to pick up if that were the case!" Chie answered.
"Would she skip school for that?"
"Yeah, sometimes when there's a huge reservation, Yukiko has to help out."
"That makes sense. Why not call the inn instead?"
"Y-Yeah… I have the inn's number somewhere…" Chie quickly dialed the Amagi Inn's phone number on her cell phone. She waited with bated breath for someone to answer. Her face lit up when someone picked up, and it was Yukiko.
"Yukiko!" Chie exclaimed. She carried on a conversation with her best friend before hanging up.
"I see Yukiko-san is in good health." Yumi smiled.
"Yeah. She was at the inn, after all. Come to think of it, this has happened before. Sometimes the inn hosts big reservations, and Yukiko has to help out." Chie said.
"I see. So, what reservation had Yukiko-san's attention at the inn this time?" Yumi asked. It was out of curiosity, but some info on the inn's current reservation wouldn't hurt. After all, the guests were in danger of crossing paths with that Evil Shinobi.
"Apparently, a big shot investor showed up and stayed the night," Chie explained.
Yumi looked surprised, "An investor?"
"That's right. He left this morning too. I don't know if he had some business trip in Inaba or whatever, but I'm glad Yukiko's safe. I got worked up over nothing!" Chie sighed in relief.
"And I'm partially to blame that. I'm sorry." a guilty Yumi said.
"I'm the one who panicked, remember? And it really helps that you're willing to talk sense into me. Thanks, Yumi!" Chie smiled gratefully.
"It was my pleasure. However, there is a reason I assumed Yukiko-san may have been thrown into the TV world." Yumi said.
"Huh? What does that mean?" Chie asked curiously.
"I'll explain at school, where Yu-san and Yosuke-san will be present. We should get going, or else we'll be late." Yumi suggested.
"Uh, okay…"
Yumi and Chie walked to school together.
On the way, the former was lost in thought. Sure, they may have solved the mystery of how the killer had ended their victims' lives, but something didn't add up. Yukiko was currently fine and hadn't been thrown into the TV World yet. But according to Chie, she appeared on the Midnight Channel last night. Yukiko couldn't be in two places at once. It was impossible.
And the investor Chie mentioned. Granted, it wouldn't be odd for someone high up in the world to visit the famous Amagi Inn for a vacation. Murakumo mentioned visiting the inn before the move. However, the investor's visit to the inn happened to coincide with the Evil Shinobi hiding nearby. It was doubtful the Evil Shinobi would stick around for one day. It may be time for a hunt later tonight.
It can be assumed that the killer operated during nighttime hours as well, and they would need time to prepare for another kidnapping. The same rule applied to Shinobi, Good or Evil.
The Evil Shinobi from last night probably won't make a move until nightfall.
In either scenario, Yukiko should be safe then. That gave Yumi time to prepare.
[-Yasogami High: Lunch Hour: Rooftop-]
Yumi, Chie, Yu, and Yosuke gather together on the roof of Yasogami. Yumi and Chie fill Yu and Yosuke in on this morning's discussion.
"So, Yukiko-san is still here despite showing up on the Midnight Channel?" Yosuke asked.
"That appears to be the case," Yumi said.
"But why did Yukiko show up at all if she's still here?" Chie asked.
"We should look into it. Let's go see Teddie after school." Yu suggested.
"Agreed. Teddie-san may be able to help us solve this issue." Yumi added before turning to Chie, "But first, we should explain to Chie-san in greater detail about what happened on the other side."
"Oh yeah, I guess we should," Yosuke said hesitantly. Recalling his sorry escapades was going to be difficult.
The other three explain what they uncovered about the TV World, the murderer, and their encounter with Yosuke's Shadow. However, Yumi ultimately decided against telling Chie about her Shinobi identity for her safety. The Evil Shinobi may be nearby listening in. Luckily, Yu and Yosuke also kept quiet and didn't ask questions. The less they knew, the better. At least for now.
There was also the possibility that the Evil Shinobi may be listening in. While they were discussing the TV world and the Midnight Channel, Yumi kept one ear open for anyone who could be eavesdropping. No one was around, to Yumi's relief.
"If I hadn't seen the craziness firsthand, I wouldn't have believed a story like that," Chie said.
"Yeah, no kidding." Yosuke nodded.
"Now you understand the situation, let us go to Junes after school." Yumi suggested, "We need to know what's going on inside."
[-Afternoon: Junes: Electronic Department-]
The four teens gather in front of the wide-screen TV at the back of the store.
Yu and Yosuke stood in front of the TV screen while Yumi and Chie stood watch. Unfortunately, it was more crowded than usual.
"Sorry guys, I forgot there was a special sale going on today," said Yosuke.
"Don't worry about it. I'm gonna try getting Teddie's attention." Yu said as he slowly stuck his hand inside the TV.
"Ugh!" Yu yelped as he yanked his hand out of the screen.
"What happened?" Yumi asked. Some nearby customers heard the commotion but paid no mind.
"Something bit me..." Yu grumbled as he caressed his hand. He had visible bit works.
"Whoa! It left bite marks, too! Are you okay?" Chie asked in concern.
"I'll live. I might be crying, though." Yu said flatly.
"No, you're not." Chie replied dryly before irritably asking, "Anyway, what's wrong with that stupid bear?"
"We have his attention now. Let's focus on that." Yumi said. She turned to the TV and whispered, "Teddie-san, can you hear us?"
"Yumi-chan, is that you? What's going on? Is this a game?" Teddie's voice came out from the rippling TV screen.
"No. We've come to believe that an associate of ours was seen on the Midnight Channel last night. Can you sense anyone on that side right now?" Yumi asked.
"Whose anyone? It's just me, all by my bear-some." Teddie answered.
"Are you sure, Teddie? No disturbances we should be aware of?" Yosuke asked.
"Yup! All bear-ren here! Get it? Bear-ren…?" Teddie jokingly asked.
"Shut it, you! You're being straight with us, right?" Chie hissed, having gotten sick of the bear puns already.
"Y-Yeah, my nose is working as good as ever!" Teddie meekly replied.
"Alright, we believe you. Thank you for being honest with us." Yumi said.
"S-Sure…" Teddie said. The ripples fade following this reply.
The teens look at each other with confusion.
"So, no one is over there," Chie confirmed.
"And yet, the three of you claim to have seen someone on the Midnight Channel," Yumi added.
"Yeah, we definitely did. What's gives?" Yosuke wondered.
"I say we check it again, just to be safe," Yu said.
"That's our best option at the moment, but I still don't have a TV," Yumi said.
"Then do you wanna watch it with somebody?" Chie asked.
"Good idea! And since I live closest to Junes, I should… you know what, never mind." Yosuke dropped his suggestion upon seeing the disgruntled looks on his friends' faces.
"I think I'm better suited to keeping watch on the Amagi Inn. I can stop the killer if I see anyone suspicious." Yumi said. It wasn't just the killer Yumi would contend with. She wouldn't dare forget the Evil Shinobi lurking near the inn, either. Not to mention, Yumi wanted to avoid spying through someone's window again to get a peek at the Midnight Channel.
"You're gonna stake out the inn? Won't that be dangerous?" a concerned Chie asked.
"I'll be fine. I have my self-defense training." Yumi assured.
"Y-Yeah, and if you catch the killer in the act and take 'em down, that'll solve all our problems!" Yosuke said.
"Precisely what I was thinking."
"Wait, Yumi." Yu said sternly, "Is there anything you neglected to tell us?"
Yumi turned to Yu. His steely gaze was full of suspicion. She understood what his question meant. He was the first to catch on to her lie about investigating Mayumi Yamano's case. If he knew about the Evil Shinobi and their possible connection to the Amagi Inn's reserved guest, it could complicate things further. The danger of knowing her real identity was present, even now. Even if he and Yosuke were sworn to secrecy. It was her duty as a Good Shinobi to keep civilians safe, even if they were her temporary comrades.
"No. Everything's fine." Yumi said.
"Hrmm…" Yu's stare grew more intense as he didn't take her word at face value. Being a Shinobi meant she had to keep secrets. Yu knew that, but he still didn't like a friend keeping secrets from him. However, he swore to keep Yumi's secret, so it would be rude to pry into her affairs. Yumi lied the first time to keep him out of danger. She's no doubt doing it again for the same reason. Who knows what the killer is capable of besides throwing people into the TV? At the end of the day, Yu was a powerless human being in the real world. Therefore, he had to leave guarding the Amagi Inn to Yumi.
"Alright. I'll leave Amagi to you."
"I promise, your belief in me won't go misplaced. I'll begin preparations for my vigil tonight. Now if you'll excuse me." Yumi said before departing and leaving her classmates.
"Uh… what was that about?" a confused Chie quietly asked Yosuke.
"I think he's bothered by Yumi keeping something from him. Last time, she lied about investigating the case. Now, there must be something else she's not telling us." Yosuke whispered back. He had the same concerns Yu did but didn't voice them so as to not cause Yumi any discomfort.
Chie was shocked to hear this, "Yumi was already going to investigate the case? Wouldn't it have been dangerous by herself?"
"That it is. We're dealing with a killer." Yu said after hearing the conversation.
"Come to think of it, she seemed to be bothered by something when I told her a guest at the inn made a reservation," Chie explained.
"A guest who made a reservation at the inn?" Yu asked.
Chie nodded, "I don't know much about it, but Yukiko told me it was some investor this morning."
"Some corporate big wig making reservations at the inn isn't nothing new. Maybe she's stressing over nothing." Yosuke suggested.
"But if she's going to stake the inn out the inn alone, that must mean she has a justifiable reason for it besides protecting Amagi and potentially stopping the killer." Yu refuted.
"Maybe you're right… what should we do?" Chie asked.
"I don't know. I guess we'll trust Yumi to take care of herself for now." Yu replied, "And we need to concentrate on the Midnight Channel."
"Yeah, that's all we can do." Yosuke nodded.
Chie was still anxious about this. At first, she was worried for Yukiko's safety, but now she was concerned for Yumi, too. Sure, she had her self-defense training to fall back on, but something didn't feel right about leaving Yumi to defend Yukiko alone. Chie was always protecting Yukiko. And now she had to rely on someone like Yumi, whose brave enough to face the culprit by herself? If only Chie had the kind of strength Yumi did.
But nothing could be done now that the game plan was set in motion. Chie had to watch the Midnight Channel.
[-Noon: Chie's House-]
Chie arrived at her house following her departure from Junes.
She was greeted by her beloved pet Saint Bernard.
"Hey, Muku! Have you been a good boy while I was gone?" Chie said while petting his head. Muku gave a happy bark in response. Chie perished this dog for a very special reason. If only they had Yukiko here, then it would be a full set.
She later greeted her parents, who enthusiastically welcomed her home. It was easy to guess where Chie's spirited nature came from.
Later, after dinner, Chie was in her room. As expected of an athlete, Chie's room had several exercise equipment, like a sandbag and a pair of dumbbells. She also had several Kung-Fu DVDs, owing to her Kung-Ku enthusiasm. There was even a poster of a famous martial artist named Blue Three.
"I'm sure hope we're wrong about this," Chie said anxiously. She changed from her uniform to her regular clothes. She wore a white tank top, a blue skirt, and orange socks.
It was almost time, and her anxiety was gnawing at her.
"But then again, Yukiko would most likely be busy during the weekend, so I doubt she'd go anywhere alone. But you can't be too careful, right?"
No, everything was fine. Yukiko was fine. Yumi said she'd take care of it. And once the killer's caught, life can go back to normal. She, Yukiko, and Yumi would walk together to school starting Monday and talk like normal friends. There was no better outcome.
The athletic girl with bated breath until midnight. The rain poured heavily, and the lights in Chie's room were off.
Chie hoped with all her heart that they were wrong about Yukiko being targeted next.
Finally, the clock struck midnight as the rain outside set in. Chie's TV turned on eerily, glowing yellow.
At first, there was only static, but within moments, the picture came into clear focus.
The Midnight Channel was on.
The first thing to appear on-screen was the entrance to a huge, pink castle. It was like a fairy tale. And then, a girl resembling Yukiko enthusiastically popped up in front of the castle. Unlike the prim and proper Yukiko, this look-a-like wore a brown tiara and pink princess dress.
"Good evening, everyone!" Yukiko said as she held a microphone.
Chie stared dumbfoundedly at the image before them.
"I'm Yukiko Amagi, and today begins my hunt for a HOT SHUD! That's right, it's Not a Dream, not a Hoax! It's Princess Yukiko's Castle!"
As Yukiko announced, a lavish title appeared beside her, entitled, "Princess Yukiko's Castle: Yukiko's Search for Prince Charming".
"Naturally, I came prepared, with my lacy unmentionables stacked from top to bottom!" Yukiko announced as she placed one hand on her pelvis and bent forward to give the camera a good view of her cleavage.
"Best of all, my heart is also prepared!" Yukiko made a heart motion with her hands.
Chie felt sick from what she was watching, "What the hell is this…?"
"Well then, I'd love to stay and chat, but I got me studs to hunt down! Wish me luck!" Yukiko excitedly ran into the castle to begin her adventure.
The TV cut off soon after, to Chie's horror. Did Yumi fail to protect Yukiko? But how?
[-A Few Minutes Earlier: Amagi Inn-]
Having donned her black coat and prepared provisions for the stakeout, Yumi observed the Amagi Inn from the trees. She was hidden in the shadows.
After she met with her classmates, Yumi returned home and prepared for her assignment. Soon after, she went up to the Amagi Inn and waited there for several hours while watching guests come and go. None of them had the malicious intent a serial killer would.
The rain was coming down hard as midnight approached. The others were probably getting ready to view the Midnight Channel by now. Meanwhile, Yumi would keep vigil over the inn. Catching the killer in the act was a desirable outcome, but Yumi didn't expect it to be that easy. Not when an Evil Shinobi was out here.
While she kept her eyes on the Amagi Inn, Yumi kept her eyes open for any disturbances coming near her. So far, nothing unusual occurred.
However, a delivery man showed up before twelve. It was odd that he would come to the inn at this time.
Perhaps it was a late-night delivery.
In any event, it was almost time for the Midnight Channel's broadcast. Therefore, it was also the killer's time to strike. If Yukiko's life was in danger, Yumi would rescue her and eliminate the culprit. Such was her duty as a Good Shinobi.
Speaking of which, her Shinobi instincts detected danger. She felt the energy of a Shinobi Barrier surge.
However, it was too late to do anything, as she was trapped in the barrier.
The barrier was dark pink, with various colored ribbons dotting the surrounding area.
"This must be the Evil Shinobi's doing!" Yumi said. Finally, they made their move.
"Why, hello there!" a new voice said. It was feminine, mature, and sultry.
Yumi turned around and saw a girl sitting cross-legged on one of the ribbons. She had curled, sandy blonde hair with a pink bow tied on top and elegant green eyes. On top of being extremely beautiful and likely the same age as her, this girl also had a full figure like Yumi, but her breasts were bigger, sporting a J cup. She wore a black sailor school uniform that barely seemed to fit her figure, judging by the midriff and mini skirt.
"You…" Yumi growled, immediately and correctly assuming that this girl was the Evil Shinobi.
"We finally meet face to face. I've been looking forward to it." The Evil Shinobi said with an alluring smile, "Sorry I couldn't introduce myself before. I needed to confirm if you were going to be a nuisance. And it seems I guessed right."
"What is your purpose here? Are you targeting Yukiko-san?" Yumi demanded.
"Up close, you're cuter than you look." The Evil Shinobi teased, to Yumi's annoyance.
"Answer the question!" Yumi barked.
"I can't just answer baseless questions like that, you know. Instead, we should get to know each other."
"Get to know each other?"
"Yes. The best way Shinobi like us know how." The Evil Shinobi revealed her Ninja Scroll from her cleavage, "Ninja Transformation!"
In a brilliant burst of magenta light, the Evil Shinobi was entering her transformed state. The light vanished, revealing her outfit.
She wore what resembled pink and white lingerie with the bottom of her breasts left uncovered and a diamond-shaped opening revealing her cleavage. On her legs and arms were white garments, and she wore a thin white bottom with simple pink high heels. On her back was a large white lab coat lined with many different vials filled with hazardous chemicals.
"I Sacrifice Myself to the Will of Our Dance! My name is Haruka. Hebijo Clandestine Girls' Academy, second year. The pleasure is all mine."
"Hebijo. I've heard rumors about that school. Evil runs rampant there." Yumi glared. There were whispers of Hebijo Academy at Gessen. A secret school for Evil Shinobi to thrive. The gossip suggested that training there was hellish but worth it if students could get stronger. Even her grandfather knew of its existence, but to her surprise, that school's location alluded him. Or did it? Either way, encountering one of theirs here was unforeseen.
"That's right. At Hebijo, it's good to be bad." Haruka grinned audaciously.
"Very well. Whether you're from Hebijo or not, you are still Evil. Therefore, I, Yumi of Gessen Academy, will eliminate you." Yumi took out her Ninja Scroll and transformed. Now, in her Shinobi Outfit, she was ready for battle.
"Eliminate?" Haruka asked, looking deceptively offended, "How cruel! I haven't done anything bad. Yet!"
Haruka pulled out glowing, colorful vials from her lab coat. With vials in each hand, the Hebijo Shinobi threw them as swiftly as kunai at Yumi.
The Gessen Shinobi skillfully deflected vials with fans, directing them to the ground. They exploded on impact. Using the momentum from the blast, Yumi launched forward to strike back at her opponent.
Haruka stood confidently as Yumi thrust her right fan forward. The attack was countered by the robotic puppet hovering by her side. It resembled a huge ball with bulky three-fingered arms.
The robot pushed Yumi back.
"Good boy, Amanō," Haruka said as she tickled her mechanical companion's chin. It made a sound indicating its delight at being praised.
"Don't think your puppet will help you!" Yumi conjured her Black Ice technique and launched it at Haruka.
"You'll be surprised to see my puppet a few tricks up its sleeve!" Through body language, she motioned for Amanō to eject its chainsaw and carved its way through the Black Ice.
Yumi hadn't expected that, but she kept her guard up. Good thing she did because Haruka came out from the debris, ready to strike.
"Try to dodge this!" Haruka threw a punch to Yumi's face. The Gessen Shinobi parried the punch and raised her left leg to counterattack, which Haruka blocked as well.
From there, the two exchanged physical blows in a martial arts-like dance.
Yumi hated to admit it, but she and Haruka were equally matched. This could take a while, and she didn't have that much time. Despite the Shinobi Barrier warping space around the Shinobi to keep the outside world safe from their battle, it didn't negate time. It was almost midnight, meaning the killer could strike at any moment, and Yukiko's life would be in danger in the TV world. She had to finish this quickly.
"Don't get too distracted! The fun's about to begin!" Haruka yelled. Wearing a sadistic grin, she kicked Yumi in the stomach, sending her tumbling back.
Unwilling to give in, Yumi backflipped and got back into battle position. She threw her fans, making them spend like boomerangs at Haruka. Amanō appeared to deflect the fans back at the Gessen Shinobi.
"Good. This wouldn't be as much fun if you didn't fight back." Haruka was about to reengage, but she paused and turned her head to the right, "Oh my… I think someone's trying to get through the barrier."
"Don't try to trick me!" Yumi scoffed, "I wouldn't fall for an obvious ploy like that."
"I'd try a lot harder if I wanted to trick. In this case, I'm not. Look." Haruka pointed to the disturbance of the barrier.
Yumi reluctantly did as instructed, and to her horror, the Evil Shinobi was right. Someone was trying to get through the barrier. And it was someone she knew well.
"Chie-san?!"
There Chie was, trying to push her way through the barrier and get to the Amagi Inn.
"Why now? Why did you show up now? Don't tell me I was too late!" Yumi indignantly thought. Chie probably wouldn't be here if something didn't happen to Yukiko.
"You know her? Well, either way, I can't have her interfere too. I'll punish that little cutie for interrupting our dance by turning her into my personal doll!" Haruka sprinted toward Chie, intending to make good on her sadistic promise.
"I won't let you!" Yumi yelled as she immediately followed after her, determined to save Chie.
Lyall the Werewolf: Oh yes, Haruka is here to dance. I'm sure some of you thought it would be Homura since it makes the most sense for the Crimson Squad's leader to be a main character. However, that would be the predictable outcome. I chose Haruka for two reasons. One, she's my favorite character from the Crimson Squad. Two, after looking through her story numerous times, I think for all that charm and sadism, Haruka may be the most psychologically damaged of the Hebijo girls, even if she doesn't seem like it at first glance. As for whether she will join the IT, I haven't decided yet.
That's all from me. I'm going to take a nap now.