"Mnghhh... Huhhh..." on the sofa she was, in her grey jacket. Her ssy ponytail drooped over the side. She wiped off beads of sweat at the sa ti she rubbed her nose with a towel.
Her sunken eyes opened up bit by bit as she sensed sothing hotter puff into her face. If she could sll better, perhaps the scent of chicken soup would be more apparent. Jotou grabbed the bowl offered to her by Kineko.
"Thank you," Jotou muttered and sniffled as she sat a little more upright and adjust her feet under the blanket. The ceramic bowl provided a nice warmth to her palms. Her nose shrivelled, "Carrots?" she picked a slice up with the spoon.
"Don’t be picky, I didn’t even know you didn’t like carrots," Hotaru said from the dining room table.
"I don’t mind carrots at all, it’s the soggy part," she grimaced and ate the spoonful anyway.
anwhile Fuko gorged down on the breakfast soup, carrots and all. Kineko ran up Kazuo who walked out of the kitchen, wiping his hands off with a towel.
The little girl buffeted into his knee. He patted her head, "Careful." She was much healthier given a couple of days had passed, however as he peered over to the blonde with a bowl slumped on the couch, "How’re you doing kid."
"Mngh..." she whined on the spoon.
"Hang in there," Kazuo replied.
"Bring-ring!"
Letting his daughter go, Kazuo picked up the phone, "Hello?"
"Morning detectiveee~!"
"Morning Alicia, what’s the matter?"
A hrmph ca from the other end, "Does sothing have t’be the matter t’give a call?"
"Yes."
"Woosh."
Kazuo glanced up to Fuko leaning over the banister. He continued, "Did you happen to find sothing? A lead?"
"Pridemain—Erigeron Borough," Alicia chid.
"Erigeron? That feels too out of the way," his eyes narrowed.
"I’m telling ya what I hear detective, I ain’t going ’round verifying all of ’em. That’d just put you outta business, no~?"
"Is Pridemain a pub or sothing?" Fuko queried.
Kazuo shook his head at her. "I’ll check on it at one."
"Oneee?" the wail ca through the line. "Aww, I gotta be in the office. How’s three work for you?"
"I didn’t invite you Alicia."
"Well, can’t do anything ’bout that, you already told the’ti detective! Settle on two-thirty?"
The phone clicked as Kazuo put it down. "Pridemain’s a gang," he explained. He held a hand to his chin, "One that usually operates on the westside of Dolpool River. Erigeron’s too northeast. Doesn’t make sense; has to be a distraction," he calculated.
"Distraction from other gang activity?" Fuko tapped the tip of her foot on the stairs.
"No, Alicia wouldn’t call for sothing as random as that..." he blinked a few tis. "...No. This is related to the cult; we already know they have a few strings to pull in the gangs. Pridemain making moves in Erigeron ans sothing must be moving in central Dolpool."
"Did the cult bait the gang to go there or did the gang go there under commands of the cult?" Fuko asked.
Kazuo was already putting on his coat, "I’d say the latter, but I won’t know for sure till I check Erigeron. I have to check sothing at the company regardless."
Jotou inhaled her congested nose as much as possible as she sat upright, "If it’s the cult, we can go check it."
"No," Kazuo, Hotaru and Fuko all replied.
Asobi walked downstairs and peered over the banister, "Ooo, no to what?"
Jotou squinted, "I’m useless, I know that, but at least ko can get sothing there."
"The cult’s been inactive for a few days kid, no need to go chasing rumours yet. The last ti we got a ’god’ killed they didn’t show back up for nearly fourteen years," Kazuo stated further.
"Let’s hope it’ll the sa case this ti," Hotaru added.
"It won’t," Kazuo replied bluntly.
"Didn’t you hear my dad?" Fuko spoke to the blonde. "If the gang’s up east, then sothing’s going on here. We need to be here for that sothing."
Bemoaning her circumstances, Jotou wilted back down onto the cushions.
"Be safe, I’ll be back when I’m back," Kazuo left the house.
Fuko looked over to her right, "What were you doing?"
"Studying," the elf replied.
The brunette then glanced back down, "Shouldn’t that be what you’re doing?"
Kineko hid behind Hotaru’s tail and faked a cough, "I’m still vewry sick. I can’t go to school today."
Fuko’s eyes glazed over at the feeble blonde sipping on chicken soup. "Be grateful you actually get to go to school. Made any friends?"
Kineko pouted, "Why does big sis care?"
"Guess that’s a no then you little-"
"ko," Hotaru warned.
"You’ll figure it out, I’m sure," Jotou drowsily mumbled. "Maybe Sobi can teach you when she’s there."
"I sure can!" Asobi bead. "But I’m probs going to be focused on exams, I don’t really hang around the school after that."
"How far are you, made it to third years yet?" the brunette queried.
"Oh I’ll be doing the eighth year’s finals tomorrow actually!" she hopped.
"Huh?"
"When did that happen?" Jotou looked up.
"She did fantastic last ti," the redhead proudly spoke.
"Mhm! They said I could skip a few. Once I got the basics down, it all ca to ; I’m the legendary savant, Asobi" illusory mathematical equations, Krian idioms and historical statues expanded around her head while illusory exam papers flipped through her top hat.
"Well, good for you and good luck," Jotou smiled softly.
"Thanks! See, sobody else believes in ," Asobi pointed her wand at Fuko.
The brunette winced an eye, "...I didn’t say anything, I just asked a-"
"Shh," an illusory glove shushed against Fuko’s lips. Asobi had her eyes closed, "The brilliant machinations of my mind are at work Detective Fuko. The letters have now made an alliance with the numbered forces.
They plan a joint attack on my psyche and pose a true threat. They have a secret weapon known as X. I have to solve their riddle before ti runs out. I must away!" she rushed up the stairs as a cape of white light trailed behind her.
...
"Wait till she gets to the harder algebra," Fuko muttered.
Kineko held onto the wolf-woman’s skirt, "Aunty... it’s my fault Aunty Spauky-Eyes got sick, isn’t it..." she hushed up.
Hotaru’s left ear twitched. She patted the little girl on the head, "It’s not your fault, don’t worry. People get sick. You probably got sick from school, so it’s best you don’t go until you fully recover, so you don’t get other people sick."
A loud inhale was followed by a frustrated groan, "I hate this..." She shifted her to one side as she could not breathe through one side of her nose.
"Co to think of it, you’ve not been sick since you got to this world huh," Hotaru’s fangs glistened.
"I’m glad that’s so amusing to you, you lucky healer," Jotou glared.
"My magic has nothing to do with this. I don’t even know a spell for a fever."
"Then figure out a spell please," Jotou pleaded.
Hotaru walked over and waved her fingers around Jotou’s face; a halo of blue rainwater circled around the blonde’s head and evaporated. "Better?"
Jotou felt so slight headaches be lifted away. "It did sothing. Still feel blegh though. A spell for my fever would help, so much; oh if only there was soone with a healing affinity that’s brought back from the brink of death before."
"Uh huh." Hotaru pursed her lips and checked her wristwatch. "Or I can go to the store and get you so dicine; I think I’ll do that."
"Aunty can use mine," Kineko offered.
"She needs stronger dicine Kineko, she’s a grown up," Hotaru explained and reached out to stroke Jotou’s chin. "Just rest housecat."
The blonde rested her face in the redhead’s hand, nuzzling into it. She then proceeded to lick the palm comforting her from top to bottom.
Hotaru’s ears bristled and she lurched her hand away, "Jotou!"
’Get sick, get sick, get sick.’ Jotou stuck her tongue out.
The redhead sighed and wiped her hand clean on Jotou’s shoulder. She picked up her handbag, "I’ll be off. Need anything else?"
"Shell-goose crisps," Fuko uttered.
"If I find them," Hotaru’s tail brushed out the door. "Oh, great timing, mind if I take your carriage?" her voice continued.
Where the redhead had left, another person entered the house. "Hark dwellers of this abode, for I, Stella Vespertillio, have graced thee with mine presence," she posed with a few fingers over her eyepatch.
"Aunty Posh-Bat!" Kineko ran up.
"Nay, approach not. Halt thy march! Halt!" Tiffany’s arms went high as she inevitably got hugged by the little girl. The pale blonde held her breath. "N-nice to see you, please let go."
"Kineko, co here," Jotou called over, to which Kineko turned and eventually walked towards.
Tiffany exhaled. "Ahem. I co bearing gifts for the ailing," she presented a small hamper of fruits. "Dear adventuring detective, does malady beseech thy na? If not, thou may advance to collect mine offering."
Fuko blinked to the bottom of the stairs and took the hamper out of her hands.
"Hello Tiffany," Jotou voiced from the sofa.
"One such as yourself is ill-deserving of ailnts, bearing in mind thy recent contributions. Oh dear maiden of gold, may thou soon bathe in the sunlight of better days once more."
"Thanks, it’s worse than it looks."
"If thou are truly free from disease, may we convene upon the floors above?" Tiffany turned to the brunette.
"Yeah, sure," Fuko placed the hamper on the sofa edge. "I never get sick anyway; haven’t been in years."
"It’s what happens when you never go outside, trust I’d know. I thought my immune system was godly once," Jotou mumbled.
Fuko closed the door and led Tiffany upstairs. Then the door got knocked on roughly a minute later. Jotou dragged her legs off the sofa. "I’ll get it," Kineko ran up first and opened the door.
"Heyyooo, what’s up little dude," Ben greeted.
"Uhh, who are you?" her head tilted up.
"What? I’m the guy from last Saturday, in the armour. The Scorching Inferno, co on."
Kineko shrugged.
Jotou smiled over the sofa. "Let him in Kineko, it’s okay."
"Okay," Kineko spread her arms out and ran inside.
Ben walked in and shut the door, "Dude, you look like shit- Ohp, sorry, I an crap."
"Shit!" Kineko mimicked and hopped onto the single sofa.
"Oh no."
"It’s fine," Jotou replied.
"Is the detective here?"
"She’s upstairs. Wait, unless you an Kazuo, he’s out," Jotou sniffled. "You... aren’t wearing armour?"
Ben wore a pair of cream-hued trousers and harlequin patterned shirt of red and black as well as a deep red blazer. He hovered a paper bag in front of the blonde, "Yeah dude. Thought it was about ti to ditch the armour."
Jotou took the bag and checked inside; two glass jars of soup were within. "Probs a good idea. Thanks for the soup."
"No problem dude. Hot pepper soup—made it myself. Spicy stuff makes you feel better when you’re sick still, right? Or is your biology way more different now?" Ben took a seat.
"Don’t know," Jotou smiled. "I’m surprised you rember... Seriously thanks, I’ll have so later." Then her brows knitted, "You, made this in your hotel room?"
"It’s not like they have microwaves, but they do have old school kettles. Plugged it in, boiled so water and stirred it in a pot I bought. Extra heat’s all in the fingers," Ben snapped his fingers and lit a fla like a candle.
"And you haven’t been kicked out yet?"
"Yeah," Ben chuckled. "About that though. I think I’m leaving Dolpool for now. I plan to check out tomorrow."
"Really?" Jotou’s brows knitted. "What about the cult?"
"For now I an; I’ll be back to kick their ass with you," he flexed his arm and grinned. "With the cult stuff dying down a bit, I’ll take the chance now.
I uh, wanna go make up with Clyde. I an I wanna be honest here, I wasn’t really needed here, was I?" he held a bittersweet smile.
"Every little bit helps," the blonde replied.
"Oh co on dude, you would’ve been fine without . But I dunno, it feels like I should’ve been there—with him. Welp, if I made a mistake, so be it.
I’ll just take responsibility. We in another world with another life; about ti I got my act together," he clapped his hands together as he proclaid.
Jotou’s head slanted to the side, "Good for you bud. But hopefully you’ll be back here soon."
"Count on it. I don’t know what Clyde needs right now, but maybe a change of scenery will be good too. He’s told before, he’s never been in a proper city..." he reminisced in silence. "Oh yeah, and once I’m back, thought I should give Daiyu a visit too.
But then boom, thought you should co along too. Let’s make a trip of it once I get back, a little reunion before we find the other two."
Jotou giggled against her soreness, "That’s be nice... but I can’t. If the cult decides to act while I’m not here, I don’t think I can cope with it. Don’t worry, we’ll all et again soon enough."
"Bet," he replied and fist bumped Jotou. He glanced over at the little girl engrossed yet confused at the conversation. "Oh I’ll defo bring you sothing next ti little dude, but you’re free to try the soup."
"Pwromise?"
"Yeah, for sure!"
Kineko rushed from the sofa and hopped up and down in front of him, "Yay! Thank you Uncle Fire-Awmor!"
"You’re welco," he certainly had no idea what to get her, but the cheeriness made him boastful nonetheless. He then proceeded to fist bump Kineko, teaching her his and Jotou’s handshake.
anwhile, another conversation occurred up on the second floor. "You don’t need to keep asking for permission. You’re fine to stay here as long as you want, you’re a part of the party now."
"It doesn’t an I can just barge in and stay forever, I feel off with that much charity," Tiffany replied.
"It’s hardly charity," Fuko crossed her arms. "What’re your plans if we leave Burnetrout? Will you be coming with us?"
Tiffany’s eye darted around, "A-are you?"
"Just a hypothetical."
"Mmm... Ask when it happens, I can’t answer that for now. I’d like to say yes."
"You won’t be intruding."
"So I’m told. I’ll keep it in mind. It’s not like I have another job anyway," she admitted.
"Whatever motivates you. I’m glad to have you around—hope you know that," Fuko flashed a small smile.
Tiffany’s gaze fell to the floor. "Thanks. Ahem. Mine departure looms imminently; mine return shall be accompanied by mine possessions. This abode be complentary for the void," she triumphantly put.
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