Interlude 2, HEAVEN/HELL
Hifumi Interlude
Nelson-Sensei Sent
Good morning, Ms. Ajitani.
Have you seen these before?
(Attachment: TCP_20190323_ )
I encountered them while leaving the Station.
I believe they would be of interest to you.
You Sent
That's the new Big Brother Bag!
They just released it a few days ago.
It's cute, but…
The Peroro bag is my favourite!
Nelson-Sensei Sent
Is that so?
That bag must be special to you.
You seem to bring it everywhere.
You Sent
It is!
Isn't it cute?
This bag is a limited-edition item released during the initial Momo Friends launch.
It's plenty roomy, so I can carry all kinds of things.
It's my treasure!
… Wait, are you in Trinity right now, Sensei?
I recognize this station!
Nelson-Sensei Sent
Yes, I have a meeting in Trinity today.
I just arrived a few minutes ago.
You Sent
Oh! Let me show you around!
I'm free today, so just wait right there!
"Sensei!" Hifumi called out, waving at the familiar uniform-clad form of Nelson as she ran across the plaza. The Teacher turned towards her and gave her a wave back, along with a bright smile. "Thanks for wai-"
Suddenly, she felt her foot land wrong. She wasn't sure what caught her foot, but it didn't change the result. She felt herself pitch to one side as her foot slipped, momentum carrying her and her heavy backpack forward.
Hifumi had time to shout a panicked "H-huh?!" as she fell. She scrunched her eyes shut and brought her arms in front of her face to brace for the impact. But the impact never came. She felt a strong but cold hand suddenly grab her by the waist. Meanwhile, her fall forward was stopped by another hand grabbing her backpack by the carry handle.
"This feels rather familiar," Nelson remarked casually, even as she pulled Hifumi back to a standing position. "I have to wonder if there is something about my presence that causes Students to slip and fall. Are you alright, Ms. Ajitani?"
Hifumi laughed helplessly even as she quickly checked herself over. The worst was some dust and scuff marks from where Nelson grabbed her. "I'm okay. Thanks for catching me, Sensei."
"Still, it is quite remarkable. I have yet to see someone trip over nothing before today."
"What?" Hifumi muttered in confusion before looking around. True to Nelson's observation, nothing was behind her that she could have tripped on. The tile was perfectly even and dry, and there wasn't a pebble or banana peel in sight.
She scrunched her face in thought as she tried to remember what exactly happened. "That's weird. Why did I lose my balance all of a sudden…?"
"Perhaps it was your bag," Nelson pointed out as she glanced down at Hifumi. "You do seem to have quite the cargo within it. An improper distribution will cause the right movement to shift your balance."
Hifumi scrunched up her face in thought as she tried to remember when the last time she cleaned it was. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't remember the last time she sorted her bag. "You might be right, Sensei. I've been meaning to organize it, but things have just been so busy."
Nelson pulled out her phone and glanced at the clock before speaking, "Would you like to take the time now? I arrived quite a bit earlier than expected. I would be happy to wait for you to organize yourself."
"OK," Hifumi answered, "Give me a few minutes, Sensei!"
"I can provide some help as well. I have quite a bit of experience in ensuring a properly balanced hold."
"Sure!"
"Hmm... I thought I'd find something I could part with, but everything is super important," Hifumi said with a frown. "It looks like I'm stuck with my bag being as heavy as ever…"
Nelson hummed in thought as she continued helping Hifumi put things back in the bag. "Is that truly a problem, Ms. Ajitani?"
"What do you mean?"
Nelson explained as she continued filling Hifumi's bag, "You have an assortment of belongings and tools in here, but all of them are special to you. You always keep them close to you, whether they are to be used for your friends or if they are special to you."
The Teacher paused in her work, her gaze not quite looking at anything present. "I think it is quite admirable that you treasure everything so fully and are always prepared to help."
Hifumi felt her cheeks warm at the open praise, and she quickly waved off the Adult's praise. "No, no, it's nothing like that! It's just that… I don't have any particular talents, so I do what I can to be helpful to my friends."
"It is a talent in itself to be always willing to help others, Ms. Ajitani. You should be proud of that," Nelson answered with a wry smile, "as you will find that, with the right help, even the worst of burdens can be lightened."
The Teacher finished packing Hifumi's Peroro backpack and zipped it up. After a moment of hefting it, the Adult offered it back to her.
Hifumi took the bag back and slung it back on. She hopped on her feet and leaned side to side. To her surprise, she barely noticed the weight. It didn't feel awkward or heavy at all.
"How did you do that, Sensei?" She asked with a surprised gasp. "It feels a lot lighter now!""
Nelson grinned as an air of smug satisfaction surrounded the Adult. "I was a part of the Navy once. You will be hard-pressed to find a group any more concerned with properly balancing stowage."
That made sense. Ships could flip over if they were too imbalanced, so Nelson probably had a lot of experience making sure they didn't do that. Nagisa had mentioned that before. Hifumi still had to wonder where Nelson came from, though. There weren't any big navies left outside of Kivotos.
But she didn't have the time to focus on that thought. Thunder roared as rain began to fall on them.
"Oh, look! A sudden rain shower." Fortunately, she brought her Pinky-Paca umbrella! "I guess it was a good thing that I came prepared, Sen…sei…?"
Hifumi's voice trailed off as she turned to look at the taller blonde Adult. It was brief, only a few seconds, but she could see the unmistakable look of anxious worry on the Teacher's face. Then, their eyes met. For a second, Nelson froze before the anxiety was quickly covered up with a not-quite-bright smile.
"Sorry, Ms. Ajitani, I was surprised by the sudden rain." Nelson apologized with embarrassment clear in her voice.
Hifumi could see the deflection for what it was. A lot of her friends did the same when they were upset. Part of her wanted to know what could worry the unflappable Adult so much. But she also knew that sometimes, people weren't ready to talk about what was bothering them.
So, she let the deflection go unchallenged. "No worries! That's why I always carry an umbrella. Get under my Pinky-Paca umbrella! Come on under!"
"I would think it better if I carried it. I am quite a bit taller."
"Oh, thank you!"
Hifumi let the Adult take the umbrella, and the two of them walked towards the mall Nelson was heading to. Even if she couldn't help the Teacher for now, she was sure there were others in Nelson's life who could. After all, was it wrong for someone who helped others to need help as well?
Aru Interlude
You Sent
Lady Nelson, are you free tomorrow?
Lady Nelson Sent
Rikuhachima, I may be your patron but there is no need to title me as 'Lady'.
You can just refer to me by my regular titles.
You Sent
Nonsense.
You're Problem Solver 68's backer!
A position as vaunted as that requires a title.
Lady Nelson Sent
… I understand, but 'Lady' is hardly appropriate for someone of my standing.
I am not a part of any nobility.
If I am to be titled, perhaps Minister or Commissioner?
You Sent
Oh!
Commissioner Nelson certainly has a ring to it!
But back to the topic, are you free tomorrow?
Something's off about this job request, and I think you might want to come along.
Commissioner Nelson Sent
I trust your judgement, Rikuhachima.
If you believe it to be important, I shall make myself available.
Where shall we meet?
You Sent
Y-yes! Of course.
I am the boss of Kivotos's up-and-coming fixer group, after all.
My instinct is second to none!
Meet us at the old Slumpia at the Border Zone!
Aru crumpled onto the café table with a groan, using her arms as an impromptu pillow. "I never want to see another mascot suit as long as I live."
Oh, it sounded easy enough. A job request was sent to their email from some student. Go check out the abandoned amusement park. Poke around to see what was causing the weird noises and movements. Stop any nefarious intruders. Some basic B , recon, and target destruction. Easy money.
But something about it had set Aru's gut on edge. It told her something wasn't what it seemed. Her gut had never failed before, so she called Nelson to get her help. The Teacher was the biggest hitter she knew that could help them. Nelson also had the experience of a combat veteran with plenty of insight to give. Best of all, she wouldn't even ask for pay!
As far as Aru was concerned, there were no downsides to having Nelson come along. In the best-case scenario, nothing would happen. Then she would get to spend time with the frustratingly inspiring and heroic Adult. Maybe steal some poses and speech patterns. Worst-case scenario, they'd have someone who could keep up with Haruka for backup.
Nice and simple.
"Haunted mascots now? What next?" Aru heard Nelson mutter, a note of confusion clear in the Adult's voice. She could commiserate. She and the Teacher were in the middle of the old haunted mansion attraction when the first mascot reactivated and stood up. The two of them shared a few jokes and poked fun at the situation. It was like they were in a cheap horror movie.
Then more mascots came crawling out from everywhere.
Then the mascots attacked them.
It was an experience.
It was morning by the time they were finished. Everyone else had gone home to sleep off the nightmare. However, she and Nelson both had to stay up a bit longer. Aru had to hand in the report to the client before classes started, and Nelson had a meeting in Gehenna at the same time. Going to bed didn't make sense. So, they found a cute cafe to grab a bite before continuing with their day.
Aru groaned again, trying to forget the nightmare she just survived. "I thought 'Five Nights at Friederike's' was supposed to be a video game. I avoided that game for years just to have to live through it…"
Nelson didn't respond. The silence dragged on, to Aru's confusion. Eventually, she pushed her head off the table to see what was wrong. She found Nelson staring at her hand as she opened and closed her fingers experimentally.
Aru frowned at the odd display before asking, "Sensei? Is something wrong?"
"It may have been just a figment of my imagination, but were those mascots… oddly weak against me?" The troubled frown didn't leave Nelson's face as the Teacher looked to Aru for an answer.
Looking back at it, Nelson was surprisingly effective against the mascots. She was disabling or destroying them with a single shot or slash. Meanwhile, Aru and her friends were using the majority of their magazines just to stop one mascot.
Even the big mascots at the end seemed weak against Nelson. Sure, they took a lot more attacks to destroy compared to the smaller ones. However, every attack from the Adult seemed to be worth four or more of their attacks. Even Nelson's guns were effective against the mascots.
It was especially weird since Nelson's guns usually weren't that effective. Not even Kayoko seemed to know why the Adult regularly used most of her magazines to knock out a single student. That weakness was why Nelson preferred melee. But this time, it had flipped, and they were the ones with useless guns.
"Oh?" Aru finally answered, a smug smirk slipping on her face seamlessly, "Perhaps we finally found your specialty, Sensei. I never thought you'd be an exorcist, but it certainly seems fitting."
"I suppose so," Nelson answered half-heartedly.
Aru was a bit socially awkward. It was something she was working hard to get over. But even she could tell that something else was bothering Nelson. Something beyond the Adult's surprising effectiveness at fighting ghosts. If she had to guess, it tied back to whatever happened in Abydos.
But she just didn't know what exactly to say or do. She was trying to be an outlaw and free spirit, not a therapist. However, she couldn't exactly let her benefactor go about being so glum either.
Still, she had some ideas thanks to those Management 101 books she bought! She puffed out her chest and easily slipped on a smug smile as she spoke, "Well, Sensei, your assistance today was critical to our success. Allow me to treat you to something as a reward. It's time for breakfast right now anyway."
"It would be rather improper for a Teacher to have their Student pa—" Nelson began with a frown. However, Aru interrupted the Adult with a wave of her hand before she could finish.
"Oh?" Aru drawled, trying her best to recapture the casually confident tone she'd heard Takanashi and Nelson use in the past, "Are you rejecting hospitality from the Boss of Problem Solver 68?"
Aru watched Nelson's expression rapidly change as the Adult tried to pick the right answer. It wasn't much, but Aru was pretty confident it would work. She had noticed that Nelson observed certain etiquette similar to Trinity's Tea Party. She couldn't decline once you made the correct offer.
Nelson finally sighed after almost a minute of silence and intense concentration, waving for a waitress. "Very well. I shall accept your offer. But I will only have you pay for the last item. Is that acceptable?"
"Of course!" Aru answered, her smug smile never quite leaving her face even as a question came to mind.
Last item?
Aru was feeling very, very, very grateful that she didn't try to force Nelson to accept her hospitality for an entire meal. Seeing the Adult dine for the first time was an experience. An experience that caught the eye of all the surrounding tables. An experience that garnered worship-like awe from the kitchen staff. An experience that ended with a small mountain of plates next to Nelson.
It was what the Adult called "A light breakfast".
The worst part was that Nelson wasn't even gorging herself! She just ate at more or less the same rate everyone else did. Honestly, it was just a bit captivating to watch the Teacher methodically and carefully dissect every dish. The problem was that she just didn't seem to stop eating.
They hadn't even gotten to the item Aru was supposed to pay for yet, but she could feel a shiver down her spine at what it could possibly be.
"Miss?" Nelson finally called the waitress over as she put the last plate of food away. "Could you bring the last item?"
The waitress nodded and quickly slipped back into the kitchen. Anticipation and dread built up as the two of them waited while other waitresses rapidly cleared off the table. Finally, their original waitress walked out of the kitchen with a covered serving plate and a carafe.
"I must admit," Nelson said aloud, the faintest note of excitement in her voice as the girl walked towards their table, "I have been meaning to come here for some time now."
Aru blinked at that comment. Now that she thought of it, Nelson was the one who suggested this café. She had assumed the Teacher had searched for the nearest café for them to rest at. But it seems there was more at play than that.
"Oh, is that so? Why's that, Sensei?" Aru asked casually, keeping her face evenly schooled in an expression of mild disinterest.
"They have a dish not too dissimilar from one back home. My memories of it are quite fond."
Aru couldn't help but glance at Nelson in surprise. Information about the Adult's origins was rare. Nobody on the underworld forums had anything solid. Not a single one of Kayoko's contacts knew anything. None of the Adults she had asked had a clue.
As far as anyone was concerned, Nelson just showed up fully formed as an Adult. She didn't seem to exist before arriving in Kivotos. Aru had a prime chance to get ahead of the competition and learn more about Sensei! And her boss. Yes, that's why she was interested.
"Oh? What is it?" Aru asked, voice thick with bravado.
Nelson smiled. The nostalgic expression caused Aru's heart to skip, and she almost missed Nelson's explanation. "It is a rather unique form of cake. I believe it is commonly referred to as a crumb cake. It features quite prominently in my memories of youth. However, the use of strawberries as the filling is rather novel."
The waitress placed the cake on their table along with a carafe of coffee. The large, flat, circular cake had been sliced into oblong pieces rather than the common triangle slices. Strawberries baked into the top of the cake peeked through the crumb crust like red jewels. The scent of butter, sugar, and cinnamon wafted from the fresh pastry, and Aru had to quickly wipe the drool from the corner of her mouth.
Then the waitress placed a set of cutlery in front of Nelson. Then, to Aru's surprise, the waitress put a set in front of her as well. Before she could ask a question, Nelson had taken her plate and slid a piece of cake onto it. She tried to stop the Adult, protesting, "Sensei, the cake is for you."
"Perhaps," Nelson agreed even as the Teacher pushed the plated dessert back, "but I believe desserts taste the sweetest when shared. So, please indulge me a little."
Aru couldn't find a reason to object. The whole point of paying for the cake was to help cheer up Nelson. And the Adult seemed to be in better spirits and excited to share a piece of her homeland with her. She didn't exactly plan for this, though!
Gingerly, she picked up the fork, cut off a piece, and tried the cake. The sweetness of the cake contrasted with the tang of the strawberries. Meanwhile, the crumb layer on the top provided a crisp texture. It was quite delicious.
Aru looked up, only to see Nelson watching her eat, one hand lazily propping up the Adult's head. Their eyes met each other, and Nelson smiled a bright, genuine smile. It was possibly the most at-ease smile since Abydos.
"It is sweeter, is it not?" Nelson asked.
Aru swallowed slowly, suddenly feeling nervous under the watchful gaze of the Adult. The casual confidence, the charisma that came so easily, the ability to project strength despite it all...
Aru wondered if it was ever possible for her to be a leader like Nelson. She wondered if she could be as villainous as the Adult was heroic.
Aru wasn't sure.
But maybe, just maybe, if she chased the dream long enough, it would come true. She had someone to compare against now, after all.
She let the smug smirk slip on to hide her thoughts as she set down the fork carefully. "Yes, of course. The benefactor of Problem Solver 68 would have exquisite taste."
Mutsuki Interlude
You Sent
Sensei, you're free today, right?
Tall Lady Sent
Good morning as well, Ms. Asagi.
Yes, but I do have several non-Schale tasks to complete.
You Sent
Seriously?
Well, it doesn't matter!
You didn't have a choice to begin with!
Tall Lady Sent
I assure you I do.
You Sent
Doesn't matter!
Come visit the Problem Solver office today! (` U `)ﾉ
Nelson stared at the table between them with a look of curiosity before asking, "Board games, Ms. Asagi?"
"Yup!" Mutsuki answered with a smile. "These are the games I bought for today. Chess, reversi, backgammon, karuta, janggi, and all sorts of others!"
The Adult hummed in thought, examining the various board games one by one. Mutsuki let her process the options at her own pace. Aru had mentioned offhandedly that Nelson seemed to be in a poor mood, so Mutsuki saw it fit to do her part too. Couldn't have the person who was bankrolling them fall into a funk, after all!
It also bothered Mutsuki that Aru had even brought it up. It was pretty rare for Aru to talk about other people. It was even rarer for her to be worried about them. It had to be seriously bugging her for the ditzy dreamer to mention it aloud. No matter how Mutsuki might present herself, she couldn't ignore something that was upsetting Aru.
It also gave her a handy excuse to slack off. Everyone won!
"Well, there certainly are quite a few options here that are foreign to me," Nelson began slowly, "so we might as well begin with the one I am most familiar with."
Nelson slid one of the boxes out from the pile and pushed it between them. It took a second for Mutsuki to recognize it. She'd only brought it on a whim, after all. Just something to fill the space in her bag. She looked up at the Teacher with a grin. "Ludo, Sensei?"
"It is quite similar to a game that was quite popular back in the service," Nelson explained. The Adult began setting up as Mutsuki quickly went over the rules. It was simple enough. Roll a die to move all your pieces out of the landing space. Have them circle the board. Finally, get the pieces to the finish space. It was a bit of luck and a bit of strategy.
Some light and simple fun, which was just what they needed!
Mutsuki cupped the dice in her hand, breathing on them for luck before tossing them. Both of them watched the two dice hit the table and bounce once, twice, and a third time before coming to a stop.
On snake eyes.
Again.
For the tenth time in a row.
Mutsuki looked up at Nelson, the two of them locking eyes.
"Are you sure you're not cheating, Sensei~?" Mutsuki asked with a musical lilt.
Nelson didn't answer. Instead, she reached over, picked up the dice between two fingers, and rolled them across the table again with a flick of her hand. The two of them watched the dice rapidly tumble over the table before settling on a total of seven.
Again.
For the tenth time in a row.
Nelson sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose in clear confusion. "I... do not understand what is happening."
Mutsuki had the Adult pinned for a lot of things, but a cheater wasn't one of them. There was something up, but it couldn't be cheating.
"Well, how about we try something else?" Mutsuki offered.
Nelson nodded in agreement. "Certainly. Perhaps something without dice?"
It was the randomness. Mutsuki was sure of it now. Nelson had some sort of weird effect on probability that she couldn't control. So far every random game of chance had come up perfectly average for her. But, more importantly, it completely ruined the luck of whoever she was playing against. Having her plans ruined was annoying, but testing how many different things this affected was fun in itself.
"OK, Sensei, try dealing for yourself."
"Eight... and a three."
"Again"
"Seven and four."
"One more time!"
"Nine and two."
"Now deal two for me!"
Nelson flipped two cards from the deck in front of her. A nine and a seven. A total of sixteen, which was the worst blackjack hand. They repeated it a few more times. Face results of 16, every time. It was a repeat of every test. So far they had parts of it figured out. This only affected games that had a physical random element, and Nelson had to be competing against someone. It didn't affect the dice or card game app on Mutsuki's phone, and it didn't seem to do anything for her gacha game pulls either.
The smallest thing they could get it to work with was a decision coin toss. But the two of them had tested it on dealing cards, deck-building games, dice, and rock-paper-scissors.
"This must be the most highly specific ability I have ever heard of," Nelson groused. The Adult shuffled the deck once more before dealing another hand for Mutsuki, to no avail.
Mutsuki grinned, prodding the mildly miffed Teacher in the arm, "I don't know, Sensei~ I can think of a few ways you can use thi-"
"I will not defraud a casino with this, Ms. Asagi." Nelson interrupted, an amused grin visible despite the reprimand.
"Boo~" Mutsuki said, propping her head up with her arms. "What's the point of having this type of power if you never have fun with it? It's not like you're hurting anyone. You can even say you're doing good if you rob a casino!"
Nelson stared at her, eyebrow arched in flat amusement, "That would be immoral at best, illegal at worst. It would do you no good if your benefactor was arrested for fraud."
"Like they could arrest you."
"They could certainly attempt it."
"Still, you should try playing with Aru sometime," Mutsuki concluded with a grin. "Make some fun bets! With this in your pocket, you'll never lose!"
Nelson laughed lightly, her smile growing more genuine. "I very much doubt that I would need something like this to win against Rikuhachima."
"You know, you're probably right," Mutsuki agreed with a laugh of her own, "But for now, let's try some games that don't have that much luck! We still have the rest of the day ahead of us!"
Kayoko Interlude
Nelson-Sensei Sent
Hello, Ms. Onikata.
Are you available tomorrow evening?
I would like to discuss some details about the intelligence you collected.
You Sent
Tomorrow evening? Let me check.
I'm free. Where do you want to meet?
Nelson-Sensei Sent
Excellent.
Can you meet me at the Sunlight Town Center in the Westfalen neighborhood?
You Sent
Ok.
There's something I need to do beforehand.
I'll let you know if I'm running late.
"Look, I'm not doing anything. Just let me go."
"Likely story! You're wearing gang signs, and you're wandering around in a high-crime neighborhood. You're obviously up to no good!"
Kayoko sighed as the Robot cop kept grilling her about what she was doing. It was supposed to be a simple day. Stop by this alley, drop off the food, and then head off to Westfalen to meet Nelson. But no, she had the bad luck to run into a cop with a quota.
"Look, I'm not in a gang. I still have my student ID," Kayoko explained slowly, hoping it'd get through the cop's thick skull. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her wallet to flash her ID to prove her point.
Only for the cop to snatch it out of her hands.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" She shouted, jumping to grab it back. "I didn't say you could take it!"
The officer huffed as he stepped back, "I'm just inspecting this for any signs of duplicity. I'd suggest you stop interfering in my job, girl, or else I'll be forced to—"
"Forced to what?"
The question cut through the commotion with ease. There were only two people who Kayoko knew that could deliver that question with such a casual authoritative force. She hoped it wasn't the first, and she'd be embarrassed if it was the second.
Both of them slowly turned to see Nelson casually peering around the corner of the block behind them. With their attention firmly on her, the Teacher strode out with confident strides. The Adult came to a stop between Kayoko and the cop, resting her hands on her hips. Kayoko knew that Nelson was massive, but the Teacher towered over both her and the cop at this distance.
Nelson looked down at the Cop, her eyes an electric blue and her head cocked in innocent curiosity as she asked, "Please, I just arrived, and I am quite fascinated with this conversation you seem to be holding. Could you clarify, forced to what?"
"I'm—I'm sorry, who are you?" The Robot stammered, stumbling back to keep the Teacher from looming over him. Nelson smiled as he did and stepped forward to maintain proximity, putting the Adult between Kayoko and the cop.
"It is quite the pleasure to meet you, Sir," Nelson responded casually as she pulled the Schale Advisor badge out of her jacket. "Nelson, formerly of His Majesty's Royal Navy, Teacher of Kivotos, and Advisor to the Federal Investigation Club Schale." She paused, looking down at the cop with a brilliant smile, "Now, I believe you were about to explain what you were planning to do to my Student?"
"I… um, I—wasn't really going to do anything—I was just, uh—"
"Oh!" Nelson's sudden exclamation interrupted him and cut off his excuse. "So you were merely threatening to do something without due cause. That certainly makes it quite better. Would you agree, Sir?"
"Um—"
"While we are on the subject, could you explain why you are holding onto her wallet?"
The cop stared at the wallet in his hands and then slowly looked back up at Nelson. The Teacher was still smiling, patiently waiting for him to answer. Kayoko could see a sheen of sweat leaking from the scrutiny.
Kayoko almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
"Uh, look, I was just examining it—"
"Well, that certainly explains what you are doing with it but not why you have it."
"…"
"Well, would you like to explain, Sir?" Nelson asked. The Adult pulled out a Schale-branded notepad and pen from her jacket pocket before the cop could answer. The click of the pen cap echoed like a shot in the silence. "I could record your statement along with your badge number and card. That way we can both explain to our superiors why this conversation was necessary."
"I…" The cop was staring down at the floor, eyes spinning, "I was… I felt that…"
The Robot fell silent, not speaking for a whole six seconds before he turned to Kayoko and presented the wallet to her. Kayoko quickly snatched it back and stuffed it into her pocket, scowling at the overly aggressive officer. The cop jumped back a few steps as soon as the wallet was out of his hands.
"I think I'll be continuing my patrol now," the Robot said with a bow. "Have a nice day."
And with that, he dashed down the street.
"What are you doing here, Sensei?" Kayoko paused as she took a sip from the cup of hot chocolate.
"You were running late, so I elected to ask a contact to see if they could see you on Gehenna's public security cameras. It was a rather simple process from there." Nelson explained casually, third espresso in hand, as if the Teacher didn't just admit to having at least a backdoor to Gehenna's security system. Kayoko was going to leave that particular door shut.
"So, you came to find me?"
"Of course. Imagine my displeasure when I discovered you were being harassed by some incompetent," Nelson scoffed, taking a sip of her espresso. "I find people like that quite frustrating. More interested in abusing their authority than faithfully completing their duties,"
Kayoko took another sip from her drink. She still didn't know what to make of Nelson. On the one hand, the Teacher was the very definition of meddling. She seemed to constantly go from problem to problem, trying to help however she could. She couldn't exactly say she normally liked nosy people.
It's just that one of the problems the Teacher seems to have entangled herself with was Problem Solver 68. The Adult was keeping the rest of her friends employed and out of trouble at the same time with her letter of marque. And above all, Kayoko knew that the promise to render aid was something the Teacher was more than willing to do.
Kayoko sighed, batting her conflicting emotions away. "I know you have to get involved, but it's nothing to get worked up about. It happens all the time."
"That hardly makes it right," Nelson instantly riposted.
"It doesn't, but I guess I give off a pretty bad first impression," Kayoko answered with a frown. "I look pretty intimidating too, so that lands me in a lot of hot water."
Nelson laughed quietly, a faint smile on the corners of her lips. "You are hardly the most intimidating Student that I have met."
"Head Prefect Hina scares everyone, Sensei."
"I suppose she does. But if I may," Nelson set down her espresso cup, a curious glint in her eyes, "what exactly were you doing in that alley?"
"It's none of your business." Kayoko snapped out instinctively.
Nelson smiled, picking up her fourth cup with a simple "If you say so."
Kayoko kept staring at the Teacher, waiting for a push or pressure to answer. Instead, she just watched as Nelson finished the cup and moved to the fifth. Finally, she sighed and confessed, "I was feeding a stray cat. It's just that it ran away as soon as the cops showed up. It must be weird, somebody like me feeding stray cats for fun."
"Hardly," Nelson instantly answered, moving to her sixth, "I would actually say it is rather unsurprising."
"I know, it's weird, ri—" Kayoko began to agree, before pausing and staring at the Adult, "You don't think it's weird?"
The Teacher looked at her with an amused grin before shaking her head, "No. Rather, I would find it strange if you were not the type to do so. You do take excellent care of your friends, after all."
That… was entirely true. If it wasn't making sure everyone was safe, it was making sure their jobs weren't conflicting with anything else. Herding cats was easier than keeping the rest of Problem Solver 68 out of trouble. Still…
"You don't have to put it like that," Kayoko protested, her cheeks warming with a blush.
Nelson smiled brightly, putting down her final espresso cup. "I believe that good behaviour should always be encouraged and highlighted."
Kayoko found herself at a loss faced with such barefaced sincerity. Eventually, she managed a quiet "Thanks."
"It is my pleasure. But for now, would you like to discuss what you uncovered?"
Kayoko let go of a breath she was holding as she reached into her bag. "Of course, Sensei. I reached out to my contacts, and they've never seen anything like those mascots before. But the energy signatures from the scrap… they aren't too different from…"
"The Abydos samples."
"… Yes. They're not the same, but they're very similar."
Haruka Interlude
You Sent
Ummm…
By any chance…
If you happen to have time…
Can you help me with something?
It's nothing too crazy
Or maybe I can just…
Never mind.
Boss Sent
I would be happy to help.
Just let me know when and where.
You Sent
Oh…
Okay.
Thank you.
I'll be at the dorms in the Bayern Neighborhood.
"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry," Haruka said, with each apology enunciated by a bow.
Nelson-Sensei, for her part, just seemed amused. Well, she was amused by the apology at least. She was noticeably less amused by the bombs that Haruka had planted on the staircase.
"Please, Ms. Igusa, it was no trouble to me," the Adult reassured her with a smile. "I was in Gehenna for some personal business as is. It was merely a matter of finding this neighbourhood."
"Still, you're wasting your precious time because of my screw-up!" Haruka cried out, grabbing at her hair as she felt panic rear its head. "You could be helping so many people instead of a worm li—"
A hand, chill to the touch, lightly tapped her on the head. She looked up at the still-beaming face of Nelson-Sensei as the Adult calmly said, "Stop. Breathe in. Hold. And out."
Haruka didn't really have anything else to do but listen, so she tried to follow. She took a deep breath. Held it in for a few moments. And then exhaled.
"Better?" Nelson-Sensei asked, with a curious look.
Haruka frowned, still feeling the familiar notes of panic creeping at the edges. "Not really..."
"Well, we shall get there someday," the Teacher replied with a gentle pat on her back before returning her gaze back to the bombs. "But since we are here instead, could you please explain what exactly you are doing with all these explosives?"
"It's for a contract we took. There's someone… who needs to leave school early tomorrow." Haruka explained casually.
Nelson-Sensei looked at her. Then she looked at the bombs. Then she looked at her again. Haruka could see the Teacher's expression shift between multiple emotions before settling on resignation. "And how, exactly, will these explosives help her leave early?"
"Since the target passes by here on their way to class… I was going to detonate them as they were going by. That would ensure the target left early… and for good…"
Nelson-Sensei stared at her. Haruka stared back. Nelson-Sensei continued staring, so Haruka continued staring back as well. Finally, the Adult sighed as she rested her face in her hand.
"Ms. Igusa, I hate to say this after all your efforts, but I cannot condone random acts of explosive terrorism to help a fellow student cut class. Especially when the more expedient and simpler fire alarm is available."
Haruka paled as the Adult pointed out the obvious. That's right! She could just set the building on fire instead of blowing it up! An incendiary bomb would be much smaller and easier to install! She could do a significantly more controlled attack than 6 kilograms of C4 jury-rigged into a shaped charge!
"You're right, Sensei," Haruka finally said after a moment, feeling flush with shame. "I could have done something simpler..."
She sighed, looking at the pile of bombs attached to the staircase. It was an awful shame to take it down after all the work to set them up. Slowly, her eyes turned to the detonator in her hand. It wouldn't be too hard to just pull-
"No."
"But I haven't done anything yet..."
"Ms. Igusa, you are drooling while staring at your detonator. Since you have determined another way, we should remove these explosives before someone else detonates them."
Haruka sighed as she pocketed the detonator. It was just her luck that Problem Solver's new boss was against minor domestic terrorism. Still, she needed to check. "Just these bombs…? Or all of them…?"
Nelson-Sensei paused at the question, already halfway through removing some of the bombs. She slowly turned to look at Haruka, and, after a moment, the Adult asked, "Did you plant more bombs?"
Haruka nodded. Nelson sighed.
"Yes, Ms. Igusa. All of them."
Haruka grunted as she dropped the last of the explosives back into the bag. "There, Sensei. That's the last of the bombs…"
Nelson-Sensei stared at her. Then she stared at the duffel bag in her hands. Then her head slowly swivelled to the seven other duffel bags, three suitcases, two trash cans, and a single fried chicken meal set box. Finally, she slowly rotated her attention back to Haruka.
"Are you certain?" Nelson-Sensei asked.
Haruka nodded as she counted them off. "Yes… that's all of them."
Haruka had spent the entire night and part of the early morning with the Teacher, the two of them slowly and carefully retrieving all the bombs. It was… nice. Nelson-Sensei didn't really ask her much or demand much. The Adult just wanted her to point out the bombs so they could be disarmed and retrieved. Whenever Haruka said something, the Adult listened. Whenever she got distracted, Nelson reminded her of what they were doing.
"Say… Sensei?" Haruka asked as they finally put down the last of the explosives and began walking away from the quarry, "Why are we putting the bombs here anyways?"
Nelson-Sensei hummed in thought, the two of them getting further and further from the explosive dump before she finally answered, "It seemed like you were rather looking forward to detonating the bombs. Am I incorrect in that assessment?"
"… no," Haruka admitted. Setting off the bombs, after all, was like seeing a finished painting for the first time. It was exciting to see all your work in its full glory, exposed for all to see and witness. It was the spark in her otherwise dull life.
The Adult smiled and turned around, staring at the now-distant pile of explosives. "Well, I would hate to see my Students disappointed. Would you say we are out of the blast radius of the explosives, Ms. Igusa?"
Haruka turned around and squinted at the pile. They were about 50 meters away. She had only planted about 20 kilograms of explosives throughout Gehenna, and most of it was C4. They were more than out of range.
"We… should be safe?" Haruka finally answered.
"Excellent," Nelson-Sensei declared. The Adult was quiet as if in thought for about twenty seconds before a pop of displaced air echoed out, "Would you like to give this a test, then?"
"Wha—" Haruka exclaimed, turning to face the Adult, only to stop as she saw the item in the Teacher's hand. It was one of those bizarre handcannons that Nelson sometimes used. It had a ridiculously long barrel, a blocky slide, and a small gun shield. And more importantly, she knew it fired intensely powerful explosive bullets.
And Nelson was offering it to her.
She blinked and looked back up at Nelson. "Ar… Are you sure?"
"To be honest, not entirely," Nelson admitted with a casual shrug and bright smile, "But you are one of the few Students I believe to be able to fire this. I have been meaning to test something for some time now. Given the situation, I believe this will be entertaining to both of us."
Haruka nodded, even as she stared at the weapon. She couldn't remember the last time anyone else let her use their personal firearm. They were personal for a reason! But then again... Nelson-Sensei was one of those rare people who liked to use multiple guns. So maybe the Teacher wasn't as attached to her weapons as other Students might be.
Still... Nelson-Sensei did say Haruka was one of the few people who could use it. So that meant the Teacher had to trust her, right?
After some moments in thought, she carefully took the offered weapon. It was heavy, far heavier than it had any right to be. It was also strangely cold in her hands. But despite it all, it was oddly well balanced, and the low gunshield didn't interfere with the sights.
"Is it... loaded?"
"Yes, but unchambered."
"What are the controls?"
"Single action, grip safety only. Once you chamber a round, it will be ready to fire. I would suggest a two-handed grip."
"Ok."
"Any other questions?"
"No... I think I can try..."
Haruka racked the slide back. She saw the brass of a bullet chambering into the weapon. She muttered, "Range is hot," before staring down the sights at the pile of explosives in the distance, steadying her breath, squeezing the grip firmly, and pulling the trigger.
The roar of the cannon was nothing like she'd ever experienced before, and the recoil pushed her feet back a few centimeters. The tracer streaked through the air and slammed into the pile of explosives before detonating and setting them off. Nelson-Sensei hummed in appreciation with an amused grin. "It seems my evaluation was accurate. Excellent job, Ms. Igusa."
Haruka nodded as she watched the ensuing ripple of explosives with unabated joy. Maybe today wouldn't be that bad a day after all.
AN: It's a daily life in the days of Nelson, Problem Solver, and Hifumi. While things may have resolved positively as a whole for everyone, things might not be what they seem beneath the surface. Forces are at work, and even the most earnest attempts at artistry can lead to disaster.
Next chapter will be the final Volume 1 interlude! After that we will be heading to Volume 2.
My Friend who does the beta reading is unavailable for this chapter, so I did the second review myself. I hope I caught everything but please let me know if anything was missed!