Hey, brother,
Do you still believe in one another?
Hey, sister,
Do you still believe in love? I wonder
oh, if the sky comes falling down,
For you

There is nothing in this world I wouldn't do.

There are hundreds of letter drafts lying in Nanakasa Lysandra's drawer, still and full of corrections and crossed out lines.

"I recall what you said, and I know that you had to leave. But I couldn't help but wonder, what would I do if you fell into slumber again? You slept for a 70 years, last time, and didn't wake up until I found you. What happens if you didn't wake up, and I just ended up waiting endlessly?

It's strange, to have grown up with you and Etoile as my teachers, both of you view time so differently- I could hardly imagine. No matter how much cursed blood they pumped into me I am still only human, after all. I'll live, and I'll die. Like you said, our lives are painfully short lived.

Please wake up soon, Aniki. I can't afford to wait an entire lifetime. And you know I'm not particularly good at giving up."

Excerpt from one of the letters from Nanakasa Lysandra to Sasaki Kei, unsent

Tetsuya throws himself into training.

He's tried everything. He couldn't write it down, he couldn't speak it, every single attempted mention of the kitsune's involvement in the events that day resulted in the same recounting of him walking away, alone. What should be more terrifying, is that his own memories seems to be warping. The memory of the kitsune has since became blurry- he couldn't recall his face, what he was wearing, or any other defining qualities. Just the glint of gold-rimmed glasses, and an impression of his voice, a whisper.

Shhhhh, Tetsuya-kun.

Now, hush and run along home to your auntie, yeah?

There is a strange terror, in trying to recall something you are confident you should remember, yet is only able to come up with the equivalent of a mental shrug- knowing, that it's not normal.

On the upside, he never does see Nanakasa Nadeshiko again. The day directly after it seems Mafuyu-san had gone to speak with grandmother directly, alongside Hotaru-san, and it seems they have managed to wrangle a promise out of the elderly (though she does not look the part) woman. It also seems that whatever the fox did to him, he did to her as well, since neither of them mentioned anything about the fox to him- that, or the woman just didn't say anything to his current guardians, which Tetsuya wouldn't be surprised either. Though he imagines the woman likely being in a similar state to him, he finds little empathy for her.

Tetsuya isn't stupid. He's seen the look in his guardians' eyes— he knows they're not telling him everything. But he can hardly find any part of him that is surprised. He still remembers bits of a conversation overheard, and he's caught glimpses of the world they're in— either from the ghosts he still runs into from time to time, or the bloodied towel he saw under the couch the night they told him about Teikou, or the scars lining their bodies that clearly came from another human. It doesn't mean he isn't curious, but Tetsuya can hardly fault them for being cautious.

He can still feel something changing about everything. The weight on his guardians' shoulders, or the increasing rate at which he's seeing ghosts. Or the new coins that they stash him with, their effect much more potent and violent than the ones he was given before. Perhaps it's paranoia, but Tetsuya also starts digging through the books he's been given, taking everything in in a much more serious manner than he did. Finally reading them as the instruction manuals they are instead of some off kind of glimpse into a world he's hesitant of entering.

But outside of that, at school, in the gym where he can relax, training takes him mind off of things. He works on his collaboration with Kagami-kun, and the redhead's loud, hotheaded but unabashed passion for basketball never fails to takeover his focus. He's so bright sometimes, its impossible not to look at him. Their synergy grows over time- and it reminds him so painfully and so sweetly of the time in Teikou, before everything became shrouded in the dark atmosphere of their banner, the voices saying 'monsters', before 'always victorious' became the only thing that mattered.

Sweat ran down his face, the weigh of the ball was familiar and heavy in his hand, Tetsuya dribbled, rounding over to the chosen spot once more, before he got into position, and jumped. The ball flew through the air, soaring for a brief moment as Tetsuya looked on in anticipation, before it hit the rim, and bounced away. His shoulders slumped, feeling the disappointment well, and grip. He brought the front of his shirt up, and wipes at the sweat to distract himself.

"It's unusual, for you to practice shooting."

The voice was unexpected, though it shouldn't be. Tetsuya looked up, halting mid-wipe of his face to turn towards the voice. He dropped his shirt, the damp spot quickly drying in the air, as well as the sweat on his face. His skin began to tighten with it and stretched uncomfortably and he looked, staring across the short distance.

Akashi-kun stood at the door, half lounging. It's a position much better suited for Aomine-kun, or maybe Kise-kun, and looked almost out of place on him- that at first glance, Tetsuya almost thought he saw wrong. "Akashi-kun," Tetsuya called, as he continued to observe his teammate- his captain.

It doesn't feel like him. Something about the way he holds himself is different, has, been different since he played one on one against Murasakibara-kun. Like a practiced stance one has half forgotten, and doesn't fit into their skin. His eye didn't seem to have changed back, either- the left remains a striking, pale gold. Too sharp, too cold.

"You don't need to do that anymore." He says, tilting his head back with a sharp gesture of his chin, as though pointing towards the ball by his feet. He shifts into a stance that makes him look almost relaxed, but confident and assured in his athority, but also not, because every little thing he's doing right now just felt wrong- so out of place, and so... different, from the Akashi-kun he knew. But there's a cadence and self-assurance in his words, that Tetsuya just couldn't being himself to ignore them.

"You're right." He admitted with a bitter smile, looking down. He had found his place in the team- as a passing specialist, and the phantom sixth man. Akashi-kun began approaching him, stepping into the stadium. "Akashi-kun, do you like basketball?"

The teen walks until he stand in front of him, surveying the room, "do I need to like it to win?" He asked instead, raising a slim brow as he glanced towards Tetsuya, but the words felt more like a statement. A fact. It stung, and Tetsuya couldn't find it in him to meet his friend's eyes.

"I don't know anymore," he replied, "the team has clearly changed," he hesitated, then, should he? But before the decision even took root, he spoke, "It's changed, since Akashi-kun changed." He says, turning to look up towards Akashi-kun once more, watching his reaction.

"This again?" The teen tilted his head, its a habit he never did have before, and something about it clashed with him, his eyes were half-lidded as he spoke, and a smile Tetsuya would almost call mocking tugged at the corner of his lips. "I never changed," he said, and his eyes squeezed with something almost like amusement, "Akashi Seijurou has always had another within him, I just took over."

He spoke like one would speak about the weather, Tetsuya almost didn't register his words. "Eh?" He swallows, something has changed even more drastically, about the way Akashi-kun is holding himself, and the teen crossed his arms, head still tilted with a sort of lazed, lolled feel to the way his head slanted forward. The air felt suffocating, like it was pressing in all around him, and the edge of his vision felt like it was darkening.

"I wasn't going to say anything unless they asked- but I was never fond of lies," Akashi-kun said or the other Akashi-kun, "so I took that as the question. Believe it or not, that's up to you, Tetsuya." Gold glinted as he met his eyes, lazed, but sharp. "You can call it a 'change' if you'd like, it doesn't change anything." The teen turned away from him, observing his own hand, "I awoke to Akashi Seijurou's cry for help, and the only thing I did, was that I delivered." He smiles, and it doesn't even feel remotely like a try, "the team didn't change because of mine- I emerged because of its. His methods are too fragile, so I became necessary."

"Strong individuals are capable of working together, but when there are no rivals beyond teamwork, it begins to feel unnecessary." The red headed teen closed his fist, not gripping but into a hold. One statement after the other washed over Tetsuya, and he felt cold. "Forcing teamwork at this point would only fester resentment, and it would only force us to implode." He looked back towards him, and the golden eye glinted again. "Teamwork would be a hinderance."

"That's-" Tetsuya can feel himself shake, "what are you-"

"That's why you and Daiki had a falling out." Akashi-kun continued, cutting him off. "As you two liked to call yourselves, the light is too bright, now."

Tetsuya shook, his eyes were burning, and something in him felt like it was breaking. The air around him pressed and pushed- suffocated, and everything just felt too much. "Isn't there anything more important than victory?"

"No."

The dismissive reply pushed him over the edge. Staring at the ground, Tetsuya felt the helplessness take over. His eyes squeeze, and tears welled up in the corner of his eyes.

"Vague ideals doesn't matter in the face of..." he trailed off, and ended with a scoff instead, rephrasing his words. "What use are they?"

His vision swam with tears, and Tetsuya croaked.

"You might... be right."

Footsteps are already retreating, echoing as they left him with an increasing hollowness in his heart.

People change as they grow.

Maybe he was just desperate to hold onto how everything was, before the nationals.

The sound of the keyboard of a phone typing sounds almost out of place in his office, Midorima Ryohei notes, staring across the table towards the blonde woman, tapping away at her phone rapidly trying to get the messages over as soon as possible, and she does so- setting her phone down with a sigh, "sorry," she says as she slides her phone aside, "had to take that- my colleagues. And, as you were saying?"

Ryohei shakes his head, "no, it's fine," he dismisses, "our meeting was running a little long." He taps on his clipboard before picking it up, and passing it over to the woman. "These are the results I found suspicious," She takes it, and fixing her glasses, squints at the writing, "patients' symptoms varies and are inconsistent- the only reason the authorities thought they were related was that they align with the distribution and market dates they were able to recover. There are no traces left in the patients' bodies either- while all evidence points towards poison, autopsy results were unable to recover any traces, nor does any of the symptoms align with any known drugs."

This is an ongoing police investigation into a drug, sold as a 'miracle cure' appearantly not new, since they have uncovered evidence that the first users having been administered it at lease 15 years ago, and was only recently discovered by the authorities. Ryohei was recruited as a medical consultant a while ago- and finding out that it has been used, right under his nose at some point, in his hospital only further solidified his determination to aid with the investigation. But the lack of evidence makes it extremely difficult to track.

The drug left no traces- users either died of symptoms of what seems to be poison, or survived, their illnesses and ailments magically cured, leaving behind a myriad of side effects that varied for each person so wildly that it didn't make any sense. The distributors recent, abnormal desperation is the only thing that led them to any sort of discoveries recently- though they could, in theory, go up the grapevines and find the source with what they have now, if the case is as he suspects, SSRA related, then all normal procedures would go out the window. Some point into the case Ryohei decided to contact the only ones he knew could help- and after communicating with the investigators, contacted the blonde.

Anthea Edgarson traces a line across the paper, frowning, "fatigue, insomnia, symptoms of chronic poisoning, symptoms of brain damage, memory loss, audiotary hallucinations... the symptoms are very inconsistent, across the board," she notes, looking up, "I see why you reported it as a possible SSRA concerned case- so are nightmares the only consistent symptom?"

"One of the few, and its the most common in those with more severe reactions," he hesitates, "another one of the more common side effects we have discovered, is that patients seems to display abnormally high metabolism, some reports that they have been feeling 'stronger and faster than ever' despite the heavy side effects."

The woman across the table fell silent, brows furrowing, "sounds like an enhancement drug," she murmured, "the closest boundary natural habitat does have an abundance of plants with healing properties."

"Wrymkrast, correct?" Ryohei asks. "I recall."

The woman nods as she hands him his clipboard, "I'll communicate with the task force involved," she nods towards him, "we're... a bit tight staffed, right now. Since when have we not- but, now in particular." She shakes her head, and Ryohei notices that past a glimmer of glamour, the underside of her eyes seems unnatural. "Are there any individual case files I can review?"

Ryohei glances towards the multitude of case files by his table, and sighs. "A lot." He admits, picking up the first one, one of his own patients, and flips it open.

'Aomine Sayuri, 53'

"Kurokochi!"

Ryota waved energetically as he jogged up towards the blue-haired figure just down the street, just as he stepped out of the Maji burger, sipping on a milkshake in his hand. Kagamicchi, a little behind him, makes a face at his arrival but Ryota ignores him- this isn't the first time they've met up like this since after that-day-he-found-Kurokocchi-wandering-the-streets-and-almost-thought-he-was-a-ghost-again, so he has to get used to this. His friend looks up to meet his eyes, and nods politely.

"Kise-kun," he greets, taking a generous sip of his milkshake afterwards, and Ryota grins, eyes turning into crescents. The blue haired teen then turns around towards his classmate, "see you at school next week, Kagami-kun."

"Mm, see you." The redhead nods, making one last face towards him before sauntering off down the streets, which is when Ryota roped Kurokocchi into a sideways hug, and the two begin their walk towards Kurokocchi's home.

To be honest- that was one of the worst days he's had in a while, he lost his wallet while getting away from a fan- forgot to charge his phone last night after staring at the old GoM group chat for a little too long reminiscing and it'd died before he could call any of his family. It'd sparked a bunch of complications where he had to get several cards suspended and get them replaced, though the IDs were the worst. If anything good came of that night- it'd be his friendship with Kurokocchi.

He'd wondered if he should text in the group- to tell the others, but it's not his to tell. Even though Ryota thought the others deserve to know about Haruka-baa-san, he doesn't get to decide that. Kurokocchi should.

That night had felt like an olive branch, and Ryota would be an idiot if he decided not to take it. Their tentative... relationship (?) eased off into a more casual friendship and after a few more visits to Kurokocchi's new home Ryota feels much more comfortable with being around his friend again- the guilt, while still present at times, nolonger weighs down on his chest as much. Being over had given him a place to go after school that's not home, while Ryota loves his sisters, there are times where he does want to have his own place outside of his home to go and hang out without being mobbed by girls. And the food is really just another incentive.

He has also, by now, more than once witnessed what true devastation must be, after his 14th defeat under Lysandra-san and Kurokocchi in Smash bros- there is truly no mercy in that house when video games are involved. Mafuyu-san also joined, sometimes, for 4 player games, but after one match of rainbow road the game was permanently banned from ever being played again at the risk of traumatisation for everyone involved. Kurokocchi seems mildly bummed out as he nolonger has the chance to blue shell everyone. That night felt like a fever dream. For the sake of sanity, monopoly has also been black listed.

"How was practice?" Ryota opens up the conversation, walking side by side with Kurokocchi as they began heading towards the direction of his home. The day is clear, and weather just starting to heat up- so he's shrugged off his jacket, letting it hang over his shoulder. Kurokocchi takes a big sip of his milkshake before answering.

"Good, Kagami-kun and I worked more on our collaboration. And Mitobe-senpai worked on defence with him as well a few other shooting forms." he says, Kurokocchi still looks a little out of it, though, his eyes wandering along the streets. "You?"

The conversation descends into small talk, they take their time walking down the street, stopping briefly at a convenience store so Kurokocchi could get something his aunt told him to, where they emerge, Ryota holding one of the bags for him.

The sky is only starting to darken then, the sun setting much later than it was several months prior. There aren't as much pedestrians around really, several commuters make their way around, they're already out of the most frequented routs headed towards the nearby station. It's all residential in the area ahead. "Are Lysandra-san and Mafuyu-san home?" He asks, adjusting his grip on the plastic bags, turning to look towards his companion, who fixes the strap of his bag before answering.

"They're at work, I think." He looks around, "Hotaru-san said they're meeting up with people so they'd be a little later than usual. But they'll probably be back... soon..." He trails off, staring at a point across the road, a look Ryota has never seen before entering his eyes. "Kise-kun, we should go." He states, abruptly.

"Hm?" Ryota tilts his head, following his gaze towards an empty patch in the greenery by the street, "we are? Headed to your- ah-" before he could continue, Kurokocchi has wrapped a hand around his forearm and yanked him along, pulling him after him as they began speeding down the street- "Kurokocchi? What's wrong?" He starts jogging right along side his friend, glancing behind them for what Kurokocchi's seeing- running away from. He realises. They're running away from someone, he he looks back, right before they turned a corner, meeting eyes with a tall man dressed traditionally- half draped in a wine red haori. "Who's that?" He asks, and Kurokocchi glances back towards him, and Ryota feel his breath hitch at the genuine fear in his pale blue eyes. "The man in the haori, who's that?" He asks, again, and Kurokocchi just braking into a run.

"You can see him?" He asks, and its a strange question- though Ryota didn't have time in processing it, because the moment they turn a corner, that very man is standing right in front of them, smiling with crescent eyes and a paper parasol in his hand, holding it as if weighing it like a sword. He's wearing circular, gold-rimmed glasses with a chain that dangles down to circle his neck, hair pulled into a loose braid over one shoulder.

"Now, now, that's awfully rude, isn't it? Tetsuya-kun?" He grins with all teeth- and Ryota can feel the hair on his arms standing on their ends, goosebumps travelling down the length of his entire body. Something feels weird, very, very weird. "Is that any way at all to greet your family?"

"So far... mother's information yielded no leads. And I'm not about to risk alerting my father yet." Mafuyu says quietly, the mood is solemn, even he can tell, that particular topic never brings up good memories. He glances around quickly, and decides to change the topic, reaching up to rub at his face. "You'd think 10 years off the seat would mean he'd have less influence, but no" next to him, Lysandra pats his shoulder sympathetically and chuckles, bringing the air to a lighter note. "I swear, he's like a damn cockroach."

The insult pulls several laughs from his companions. They're currently gathered in meeting room 107, how they've managed to keep it for the last 20 years is a miracle, or fate, whichever one would prefer. They outrank literally every single person using the same floor- and anyone remotely close to their rank are certainly nowhere near this wing of Pyrite. But it's tradition, by now, and their designated meet up place. Thus why they're gathered here today. Anthea is the only one missing having texted ahead that she's going to miss, being on a case of her own with her own department. Something about a drug.

"Cockroach would be accurate," Hugo huffs softly, taking a sip of his tea as Elias returns to the table with his own coffee- the shitty one from the lounge, "he's still in a lot of power within the family, but he really doesn't have much personal sway outside of it anymore. It's all on the Elders- who are unfortunately all in his back pocket."

"Just wait for them to die." Elias rolls his eyes, "you're head of house, you decide their future direction, the Elders are just bags of bones by now really- who are the people actually going to listen to? You? Or the ones that look like they're on their way out? Only reason you're not poking into any of that's just cause they'd chicken out." He laughs at his own joke. "Bags of bones and chickens, they'd make good soup."

Mafuyu snorts, and Hugo hisses before smacking the man, who just dodges and laughs. Lysandra, meanwhile, shakes her head as she watch the banter descends into some kind of weird smacking cat fight. With Elias keeping his childhood friend at bay with a hand in his face, meanwhile turning towards her, "how's the kid?" He asks. "You said he had echo? And Haruka's lack of presence? That's a shitty combination. How's he faring?"

"We're... trying to keep him out of most of the systems." Mafuyu grimaces, Elias frowns and straightens, so he elaborates. "Being in the classes means the Elders would have some degree of a hold over his schedules- there are just too many factors to consider, it'd be better to just keep him out of it or teach him ourselves."

The man nods, and makes a noise of understanding, but Hugo frowns. "Any measures of protection?" He asks, out of the blue, and Mafuyu blinks, sharing a look with Lysandra.

"You mean against ghosts? Of course, we warded the whole neighbourhood, and I borrowed your old gear, remember?" Lysandra points out, tilting her head. "The standard armillary coins and defensive spells— taught him more lately to get away from anyone the elders would send to, well, butter him up."

"Basic only?" Hugo straightens, Elias' stopped being as relaxed as well, sitting up. "As in, paranormal-specific and non-fatal?"

Mafuyu raises a brow, "well, he's not on patrol and shows no interest in being in the sorcery society. He wants to play sports- professionally, and without long term enhancements there're really not much else we can do. And... my relatives are sorry excuses of human beings but I don't think they'd stoop as low as to be so violent with someone in the family much less their only possible heir. Tetsuya would not need to train to kill." He shares a look with Lysandra, "not that we would even want him to, in the first place."

Hugo gives him a look of disbelief, "you too? Mafuyu? I thought you'd... Never mind." He sighs, and Mafuyu shares an uneasy look with his wife. "If so far nothing's happened then it's probably not as urgent as I think it is, I just thought that with you two being as high profile as you are you'd be a little more aware-"

"High profile?" Lysandra asks, frowning, "I'm not-" Elias snorts, cutting her off, prompting her to point her frown towards the man, "Elias," she chastises, but the man just shakes her head.

"I understand that we would be, in the public eye- but the elders would hardly care that much." Mafuyu murmurs, right? He was never good at politics- just being in the same room as the elders wring his brains out. He and Lysandra can hold their own, but now that they have Tetsuya to consider things grow so much more complicated. They adore the boy, but... The struggle is also true. Elias, however, laughs.

"Do you even hear yourself?" He lets out another disbelieving laugh at Lysandra's furrowed brows, "you are. High profile, I mean. Highest possible out there. Like do you even see your own résumé?" Elias sighs, shaking his head, before gesturing violently at Lysandra, "you, have the potential to be one of the most fucking influential people on the planet. You are Shinsha's only disciple, and only openly acknowledged successor. Your sworn brother is one of the oldest Yokai out there. You invented the armillary coins- which literally prevented half of the possible deaths in our ranks just last year. You are the only ever candidate since your mentor left Constella to be considered for rank Luna- that'd give you full access and authority in the archives, and Constella isn't called the world's database for fun. The Nanakasa elders owe you, but no they don't hate you... no yeah they do. But they're also scared shitless."

He turns towards Mafuyu, and scans him up and down critically, making him squirm, "and of course they'd care. You used to be the disgraced kid- you had the most talent and firepower ever seen packed into your body, but zero control so they thought you were to much work and dumped you like a defective product- but you got out, became her student-" he nods towards Lysandra briefly, "then turned into her equal- can you imagine how scared they were when you turned from a guy who blows up their gym every Tuesday to someone who solo'd a Wendigo on the international threat scale?" He lets that stew in the air, then- "Then you went and married the walking political hazard!" He says like that's both his biggest offence and accomplishment, before turning back to Lysandra, exasperated.

"You single-handedly made them both fall out of favour with the Yokais, and their successor who is now head of house, and they went from glory to being kicked to the curb and stared down by the rest of the Vertical Crossroad, then you two went and got married, which is fine because literally no one on this side of the globe can take you two, but why would you take in a kid!" He groans, dragging a hand down his face, and Mafuyu tenses.

"It's either us or them, and I'm not letting my father attempt parenting another child in his life." Mafuyu snaps, growing defensive at the accusatory tone Elias used, the man winces as if only just noticing, and quiets. "Haruka entrusted him to us, so we would honour her wishes."

"What Elias is saying is," Hugo placates, the soft spoken man carefully choosing his next words, "that yes, you needed to take him in, that had to happen. It was inevitable since Haruka died without renouncing her Nanakasa ties- even if her husband survived he would've needed to connect to you two for protection. It's just that... taking in the kid also have complications. While the Nanakasa are overly obsessed with rightful succession and bloodlines his existence already solved it. He has Nanakasa blood, and you, someone in the family, practically adopted him. He can be your heir. Which they won't have any influence of, and can't deny." Hugo sighs, "You both have so much reasons no, they gave you two so much reasons to be hostile with them, so the moment you showed interest to take him in, they took it as a declaration of war. Either they get the kid, or they loose ground in the house forever. And now you have the kid."

"But I married into the Nanakasa family." Lysandra shakes her head, "I took their name- what, do they think I just want to usurp the whole family and-"

"Start a 'Thornfield' line." Hugo shrugs, "I mean, your mentor was a usurper herself. It wouldn't be out of character."

Mafuyu murmurs. "They don't want Tetsuya as heir," he realises, and this is worse. This is so much worse, "They don't see value in him- They knew Haruka was an exception, and that it's unlikely Tetsuya inherited much from her. He didn't grow up in dense magic like her, his talent would be limited. The 'lack of presence' is just extra excuse. They just want him out of our hands. It doesn't matter how." He purses his lips, "since mother still has say, they're being civil right now, but-"

"but at this point even if he presented at a fucking Script they'd make it reason to get him." Elias deadpans, " and eventually they'll get tired and too scared and start trying to kill him. So yes, I think the kid needs to know at least half of how much shit he's in." He pauses, "how are both of you so bad with politics? You're the head of house, and Shinsha was famous for her political approach! We-" he gestured between him and Hugo, attempting to lighten the mood with humour, but Mafuyu can't find it in him to focus, "grew up on the streets, and a farm!"

"Elias-" Lysandra cuts the man off, her voice is shaking, "Nadeshiko-san went and visited Tetsuya a few weeks ago- they tried to get him in the car." She swallows, Mafuyu feel his heart rapidly sinking. "If that's the case- then the last two weeks were too quiet. Way too quiet." Her eyes dart up to meet his, "I-"

She's cut off by her own ringtone- and they all glance towards the device- it's screen alight with Tetsuya's name across it- incoming call, and Mafuyu's heart sinks.

Tetsuya never calls.

Tetsuya bolted the other way, just moments after the Kitsune stopped them. Grabbing Kise-kun's hand and rounding right back the way they come- he was lucky that the traffic light was blinking and just about to turn and he had just enough time to run across- where Kise-kun started running right along side him. "Kurokocchi, who was that?" He asks, glancing at him, who doesn't answer in favour of fishing his phone out, and dialing Hotaru-san's number.

"Tetsuya?" The woman's voice came through, tense and almost nervous, but Tetsuya doesn't have time, and cuts her ff before she says anything else.

"I'm being followed- the Kitsune from before- I-" he takes a deep breath- this is different from running on court- he's never ran like this before. He glances back behind him, and the Kitsune isn't there, which is good. "He's-"

"Calm down, Tetsuya," Hotaru-san's voice comes through with a crackle, like if the signal is bad, "Mafuyu and I are on our way back, *crackle* -tsuya, wh- *crackle* does he look like?"

"Red haori, he's wearing a red haori- and-" the phone crackles again, and Tetsuya glances back, again, there's no one behind them, "golden glasses- Kise-kun is with me, he can see him-" the phone crackles again, and Tetsuya winces at the sudden sound, glancing towards the device to look at the signal.

"Wait, red-" before whatever Hotaru-san is trying to say comes through, his phone makes a strange sound before the screen seems to warp, and then goes entirely black, and wouldn't respond no matter what he does to it. He swallows, panic surely slowly starting to show on his face.

"Kurokocchi, Kurokocchi!" He looks up towards Kise-kun, who is looking at him seriously, "are you okay? What's happening right now?"

"I don't know-" it's then that they burst through the gates to the apartment complex, hastily unlocking the door with his keycard, drawing curious glances from passer-bys and the security, who probably didn't stop him only because they recognise him- "he's been- following me around and- threatened my grandmother-" Tetsuya blinks- he can say it now, but there isn't time to process that, as they make their way into the elevator and rapidly presses on the close button. "I just called Hotaru-san, so we'll be fine."

"Wait, a stalker?" Kise-kun sounds much more alarmed now, straightening, "should we call the police?" He asks, "have you told Lysandra-san? Wait, you have," the door slides open, and they step out, making their way down the hall as Tetsuya starts fishing for his keys, "you say he threatened your grandma?"

"Yes, but- we should just get in the apartment first." He fumbles with the door a little- Hotaru-san has given him the official report number for SSRA, but he's never had to use it- or just... never thought about it since he could directly call Hotaru-san or Mafuyu-san. The door unlocks without him tuning the key, and Tetsuya feel his heart sink. It swings open, and he shares a look with Kise-kun, before the two slowly walks in, sliding their shoes off in the entrence way.

Tetsuya swallows, watching the dim light from the living area leaking into the hallway. He holds his breath tight, and they begin slowly stalking towards the area. "Lysandra-san?" Kise-kun calls hesitantly, and they step into the open area and there he is, lounging on the sofa with his legs crossed, the paper parasol over his shoulder, snapping open at a flick of his finger before he swings it over, observing the painted patterns before snapping it shut, swinging it down to set by his side. Tetsuya gulps, stepping back, and Kise-kun steps up in front of him, now glaring at the man. "What do you want with Kurokocchi?" He demands, raising his voice, but Tetsuya just stares.

He got through the wards. He's seen the wards at work- seen ghosts running smack into them and instantly burning into a crisp- seen how devastating it should be. He shouldn't be in the complex, much less the apartment. Tetsuya doesn't know what it means, the fox being able to get in, but it's nothing good. The fox, meanwhile, just tilts his head, smiling. The grin that splits his face has almost a teasing tilt to it, and he chuckles.

"Rude!" He exclaims, "you've never been introduced to me? That hurts," he straightens, pulling a long, slim smoking pipe out of nowhere- and takes a long drag of smoke. The scent is like old perfume and smoke, and Tetsuya coughs a little. Slowly backing away towards the door- only to hear it slam shut behind them. They glance back, and the door is shut, and locked. "Now, no need to leave so hastily," The man drawls, "com'on, I just wanna talk."

"Kurokocchi," Kise-kun hisses in his ear, but Tetsuya slowly steps forwards, making his way towards the living area to stand in front of the fox, who he discovers have helped himself to a glass of wine that he likely got from the apartment, and it is currently set on the coffee table. Kise-kun glances around, and swiftly follows after him, just a step behind, as if determined to protect him, but Tetsuya knows that when it really comes down to it, neither of them can deal with whatever is in front of them.

He recognises the parasol, it's his grandmother's sword.

Tetsuya takes a deep breath, tense, "you said that you are family." He states firmly. "But you stopped grandmother two weeks ago, so who are you? Are you a Nanakasa?" Kise-kun shifts uncomfortably next to him, but still stand firmly right by his side, not moving an inch from where he stands.

"Nanakasa, huh," the fox tilts his head, an odd look enters his expression, "well, depends on how close you want to count it, I have known them for a long time," he makes a contemplative sound, "I guess you can call me a honorary member? I do hope I still have say the next time I visit." He pauses, smiling, "but judging from Nadeshiko-chan's reaction, I do."

"Yes, you still do have say." Tetsuya startles, and him and Kise-kun turns around, sometime between the door getting slammed shut and now, his aunt has gotten into the apartment, dressed in her fancy uniform, glaring at the fox lounging in the chair. "You scare the shit out of the elders, anyways, but that's not the point," she marches past them both, striding right in front of the Kitsune, who slowly straightens to meet her, only to fly backwards into the chair when his aunt slapped him across the face- the sound loud enough to make Kise-kun hiss a little.

"And that," she declares, flicking her wrist a little, "is for the extra year you made me wait."

The fox groans, sprawled across the couch, sits up to rub at his face, only to hiss the moment his fingers contacts it. "That hurts, Hotaru!" He complains, and the name and the almost whiny tone sends a jolt of something like indignation through Tetsuya's mind, "is there no love in this family anymore? I spent so long trying to surprise you!"

By now, Tetsuya can tell something is off about this. This doesn't feel like how his aunt would react if that person is an actual threat, but he doesn't understand. Kise-kun is shifting uncomfortably next to him, not knowing what to do, meanwhile, the yokai just dusts off his clothes, and smiles with mirth in his eyes- his aunt, sighing, reaches out and offers a hand to the fox- one that he takes, and pulls him onto his feet, where he gently pats her head, the edge that Tetsuya see in his smile softening into something almost... wistful and indulgent. Hotaru-san swats at the hand, grabbing it, before she pulls the taller man into a tight embrace.

"Welcome back, Aniki."