"What in the world happened to you?" Hotaru stopped halfway down the stairs.
"Huh?" Jotou turned, red paint sared across her face and so in her bangs. Kineko had several splodges of yellow paint across her face as she looked up.
"Jotou," Hotaru frowned, "You better get Kineko cleaned up," she descended further.
"It’s just so paint,’’ Jotou smiled.
"D’you know how toxic paint can be!?" she shouted down.
Jotou’s eyes bubbled, "Okay, okay, sorry. Co on Kineko, we’ve been busted."
"Aww," Kineko took Jotou’s hand and the blonde rushed her into the kitchen.
’Shit. This isn’t my world... Paint isn’t exactly safe around here.’ Jotou blad herself as she quickly and carefully wiped Kineko’s face with a kitchen towel.
With a lowered head, Kineko dragged her feet out of the kitchen. Hotaru kneeled down the instant she walked out and held her chin. Her brilliant blue eyes darted around the girl’s face for any signs of paint.
"Kineko, if you want to play around with colours on a face, you can use one of aunty’s makeup things, okay? No paint," the redhead told.
Kineko nodded her head in remorse. Hotaru stood up and looked at the blonde walking out, "Seriously."
"I’m sorry, alright, it’s my bad," Jotou replied.
"And you?" Hotaru looked at the face of the blonde with paint still all over it.
Jotou blinked a few tis and sparks coursed over her skin like webs and solidified all the blotches of paint in an instant. She peeled one off and displayed it to Hotaru. Her crimson ear ticked as she folded her arms.
"Ooo, are we painting things?" Asobi had co down.
"No, we’re putting those away. It’s ti we ate sothing, I’ll make so brunch," Hotaru let go and walked into the kitchen.
_
"Ah~ The aroma of the morn’ nourishnt pervades the walls of this spirited abode."
"How do you wake up like this...?" Fuko leered up to the staircase. "And it’s past noon."
Tiffany wore the sa lacy heart-shaped eyepatch she always did. A black shirt she wore, with buttons that resembled tiny red bowties—her collar undone.
Her dark red blazer had a few imprints of black bats around the bottom and on the left lapel of black hue she wore a red ribbon tie with a black gem.
A plaid red skirt was like a corset around her waist, of which she had tightened the black cords into a neat bow. Two silver belt chains hung on the side, which had her usual charms of black and red bats.
Beyond that, everything else she wore they had already seen in her school uniform—from the bat shaped pendant around the neck to the fishnet leggings.
Her black boots with rings for buckles echoed down the steps, "Tis still past dawn, is it not? Forgive the void for stretching ti beyond its limits, the escapades of yesternight weighed deeply upon ones unconscious imaginings."
Hotaru sighed and drank her tea.
Kineko gasped, "It’s the funny-talking lady I don’t undastand. Woah, how did she get inside? Is she magic!?"
"Don’t get her started," Fuko grumbled to the little girl.
"Did you sleep well?" Asobi asked as she cut a few layers of pancakes.
"Indeed. Even the abode of the one who stands before thee bestowed no such contentnt. Truly tis fit for the void," she joined them at the table.
"Uhm, yay for you?" Asobi tilted her head.
"May I partake in this collation. One such as I wish not to interlope on thee."
"Of course, I made so for everyone. Help yourself," Hotaru offered.
Tiffany gave a curtsey and tipped her head, before she sat at the table an partook in the al. Kineko stared, wide-eyed, to the girl and all her shiny charms and accoutrents.
"So, are you holess or not? I’m kinda confused cause we do have to get you back ho today," Jotou stated. "Also, why were you at the dorms, I still haven’t gotten a straight answer."
Tiffany pouted, "Alas, tis a lengthy tale."
"Not like we’re doing anything else today," Jotou replied.
"She’s from Orchid Borough Orphanage," Fuko’s fork scraped across the plate.
Hotaru turned to face the flashy blonde, "You’re an orphan?"
"Ah- Indeed, tis what so may refer to as. Tis one of many identities the void hath bestowed upon I," her eye shied away.
"Okchid Bowough? That’s where I’m from too!" Kineko giddied. Then the kid’s expression fell, "It’s not the vewry super best thewre."
"Heh... the little one speaks true. Tis indeed not the, ’very super best’ there."
"Hey Tiffany, I’m not asking you to stop being yourself or anything, but there’s a lot to talk about. It’d be easier if you’d..." Fuko said to the girl sat next to her.
Tiffany glanced to the brunette; then she glanced to each of them... She scowled a tad and uttered, "Alright... So many people..."
"Ooo, you can speak normally!" Asobi’s eyes glittered.
"Obviously I can," Tiffany muttered. She took a deep breath and took a bite out of her food, but her gaze would not et anyone else’s. "I can get back ho on m-my own, it’s not a worry."
"Well, we can tell her about everything that happened first," Fuko started.
"First?" Jotou raised a brow.
"Well, we’ll get to it," Fuko replied. "We’ll finish brunch and get soone away first," her eyes darted to Kineko.
Eventually finishing their brunch, Kineko was left in the living room drawing various pictures while the rest sat around the table to discuss.
"You don’t need to be so shy. We’re not gonna eat you," Hotaru’s fangs glistened.
"I know," Tiffany replied.
"Anyway, you know about the serial killer case. You know that your bully is the one who got murdered."
As Jotou ntioned the word murder, Tiffany’s eye went bleak for a mont.
"And you know we’re chasing that case and trying to solve it," Jotou finished.
"Uh, the detective ntioned a lot more to this case then j-just that. Sothing that’s p-private information?" Tiffany remarked.
"ko," Hotaru shifted her gaze to.
"It slipped out while I was explaining sothing to her," Fuko shook her head. "Even so, Tiffany said she wanted to help. It’s another reason I brought her here... Cause, she wants to be an adventurer."
"Well," Hotaru paused and looked to Tiffany. "That’s a perfectly fine goal, but this is different than just joining in an adventure."
"You joined us during the Velatos Case," Fuko retorted.
"First of all, I was always trying to join the guild. Second, there were bounties out for them for adventurers," the wolf-girl argued.
"Didn’t make it any less dangerous. This line of work cos with that risk wherever you start," Fuko replied.
"That’s not a good defence," Jotou voiced. "Risk is risk, but there’s different levels of risk. Tiffany," she faced the other blonde, "You already look shaken up from last night. What we’ve seen is way worse than that.
What we’re getting involved in? Possibly even worse. I don’t know the exact danger, but the level of danger is high. I’m not trying to discourage you, but as much as the void is great and all, a normal person, no matter what weapon training you have-"
"I h-have an affinity," Tiffany looked up.
Jotou stopped. "That’s news to ," Jotou side-eyed the brunette. "Could’ve led with that."
"I didn’t get the chance to," Fuko then side-eyed the redhead.
Hotaru stared back, dead-eyed.
"You have an affinity, so let’s see it! What is it!? Sothing spectacular? Sothing sneaky? Sothing powerful? Sothing really adds a boom to the shake!?" Asobi waved her wand and illusions of lights popped out into all sorts of critters.
"Echo, o-offensive," Tiffany relayed.
The wolf-girl took notice, "That’s a rare elent..."
"It’s not a bad card to put on the table, but danger’s still danger," Jotou replied.
"She’s right," Hotaru agreed. "What level are you? Expert?"
Tiffany shook her head, "S-sorry, I don’t know the levels much. I wouldn’t know what counts as expert either." Beneath the table, away from all of their views, Tiffany snuck a shaky hand over to Fuko’s lap.
Fuko’s eyes darted down to the hand scrambling for so support. She took the hand and squeezed it lightly—it was almost like pumping her lungs full of breath. Tiffany raised her head a little and sat more straight.
"We all learned the hard way, didn’t we?" Asobi put forward. "It’s not like Jotou hasn’t been on the brink of death about five tis now."
"Shut."
"If even she’s ending up like that, what makes Tiffany any less ready?" Asobi queried.
"Jotou’s been at the brink of death and not dead because she’s smart and capable enough to handle herself," Hotaru argued.
"Is she now?" Fuko mocked.
"Thanks everyone, why am I even here?" Jotou threw her hands up in the air.
"She’s been saved because of us, nearly every ti. You’re the one who heals her from the brink. Jotou knows that and risks her life till the brink," Fuko stated.
Hotaru sighed, "I suppose that’s not untrue."
"I could fight all of you, right now, not a challenge. I could do it, I could win, what’s stopping other than my own inhibitions?" Jotou monologued to herself.
"I know my spell can do a... fair bit of damage. It’s really dangerous... and I’ve learned to control it a lot over the years," Tiffany turned her hand over and squeezed Fuko’s hand a lot tighter.
"I think if she wants to help, we should let her help," Asobi bead.
"Yeah, it’s not like we’ve not been shaken up after seeing a dead body before," Fuko added.
"Send into the middle of the fray, ’Oh please Jotou, fight the big bad evil dude with super powerful attacks, but do it without dying!’, what’s this, an RPG level up challenge?"
"Jotou are you done ranting over there?" Hotaru glanced over.
"I’m listening," Jotou looked to her, deadpan. She then stuck her tongue out. She breathed out. "Look Tiffany, we’re not going in for a commission and earning so gold or anything like that.
This, this concerns Dolpool; there’s no guaranteed reward or glory. It’s private cause a lot of this case is classified intel. I know we probably need permission to even tell you anything, but I don’t really care.
I have no problem telling you right now. But the truth is, it’s extrely dangerous. There’s a high likelihood that you get grievously injured—not that Hotaru won’t heal you, but it’ll still hurt a lot.
I don’t know a lot about you, but I can maybe understand so things and most importantly, your reasons for wanting to be an adventurer.
Still, this is all a warning. It’s not always gonna be pleasant and even we don’t know what we’re gonna face. We’ll do so together; but in the heat of the mont, you need to react quickly. Do you still wanna help?"
Tiffany gulped at her words. But this ti, her eye actually looked directly at the blonde—her fingers curling tighter around Fuko’s hand. "I do. And I understand the risks. It, doesn’t befit to stay put after seeing my forr classmate murdered either."
Jotou gave a shrug in return, "There we go," she faced the redhead.
Hotaru’s ears bristled, "Okay then. I’m sure you’ve heard of the Deuctus Cult?"
_
Hours had passed. Each of them took turns each hour to distract a little one so she would not hear while they explained to Tiffany in detail.
By evening, it seed Tiffany was able to understand. Accepting the information with a gulp, she seed to smile given the ti she had to accept it.
"Then it behoves you all to receive celestial assistance of one such as mineself. A magnificent fate, imposing and dismal. Are not the paths of destiny so capricious? Co now, lend thine hand and on these fingertips may our paths be entwined~"
"You just want a handshake to make a deal, right? I got it this ti, right?" Asobi reached her hand out and shook it.
"Be it so," she laughed vivaciously.
"I should probably call dad," Fuko finally had the thought.
"Worried?" Jotou asked.
"He hasn’t talked to us since last night. I’m sure he’s fine," Fuko hoped not to jinx it as she picked up the phone and dialled the company.
The phone beeped for a few seconds... "Hello, Detective Namora’s office."
"Dad? Oh, you’re fine then."
"Worried about kiddo? That’s a change of pace."
"What’ve you been up to for so long?"
"Well..." a little weary, his voice was. But over the phone and crackle it was barely noticeable. The pause took longer than expected.
Fuko furrowed her brows, "Dad? Dad...?"
"Sorry kid," Kazuo returned on the line. "Listen, you wanna co down to the company for a minute? I’ll call a babysitter for Kineko."
"Is it about the case?" Fuko held the phone closer.
"A lot about it. There’s so critical decisions that need making at the mont."
"Yeah, I’ll tell everyone and be there soon."
"Oh and take Tiffany ho if you don’t mind kid."
"Actually- I’ll explain at the company."
A pause before he replied, "Alright kiddo, see you soon."
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