Tokusatsu musebox

I'm a little early when I arrive at Amanogawa to pick Miu up from her cover as a student teacher, so I wait outside the school grounds, leaning back against the gate.

This whole thing is far too nostalgic of the days when she was actually still a student, and I try my best not to get sentimental. It's not a good state to be in when there's so much unexplained danger happening lately.

I light up a cigarette, pleased that I have a few moments to myself where neither Miu nor Sousuke can nag me for it. I take a happy drag and sigh, the faintest hint of a smile even gracing my lips.

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It's not long before someone wanders up who isn't a student. He's far too old and, more importantly, not in uniform. He seems completely unconcerned as he leans against the gate and starts smoking a cigarette.

Hrm. Maybe I should set him straight.

I readjust the brim of my hat and take a few steps over to lean against the gate beside him. "Not exactly the best example to set for young, impressionable students," I say in my best I-know-what-I'm-talking-about voice.

Hey, it works sometimes.

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I'm smiling as I leave the school. It was quite a good day, considering I don't really know how to be a student teacher. The other teachers were pleasant, not too familiar with me, and the students were, on the whole, lovely.

I'm near skipping as I follow the last of the students out the gate.

Look at him. He looks good like that.

Terrible habit, though.

"Ani," I scold, marching up to him.

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I'm not even halfway through my gentle reprimand when a beautiful young woman marches up to the man. Ah - she's his sister?

"I know, right? Hardly the right thing to be doing right outside a school." I take a step forward, remove my hat and give a polite bow. "Hidari Shotarou, at your service."

...I wonder if there's anything I can help her with?

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I'm just about to tell this stranger off - honestly, what's it his business to tell me what sort of example I want to set? - maybe give his stupid hat a good flick and knock it off his head, but then Miu walks up, and I can't help smiling at her.

Of course then she scolds me too. Sigh.

I ash, then take another purposeful drag, speaking on the exhale. "I'm not a teacher, I'm not really trying to be a role model."

Oh, I can hear Sousuke's voice screaming in my head. He's halfway around the world, but it's like he's right next to me. Posing.

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I give the man in the hat a polite smile. "Sutou Miu. And is there any particular reason why you might be loitering outside a school, Hidari-san?"

I will deal with Ani later. Really. Smoking!

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Oh crap, she's a smart one. I never look as good to the smart ones.

I flip the hat back up onto my head and stand up straight. "I'm visiting, here from Fuuto. My cousin's looking at this school and I, well..." I shift my eyes to the school and back, in what is hopefully a natural-looking bit of worry. "...wanted to check it out for myself first."

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He seems so mannered, but I suppose I'm not as used to people putting on performances as I once was. We've been out of the society game, Ani and I. Perhaps there's nothing more to this man than that.

"I see," I say politely. "And have you heard about the disturbances at this school? There are various excellent programs here, but that must be considered."

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Disturbances? And that's from someone who appears to work at the school. If she's willing to talk about it...

"I have," I say slowly, with what is hopefully the right level of concern. "I've also heard some...disturbing...rumors. It's the reason I came out here, actually."

Lies are always best when they've got a basis in the truth.

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Oh. He's an ambulance chaser, then.

"Such as?" I inquire frostily.

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Crap. Crap crap crap this isn't going well.

"I've got a few friends in the police department back home," I say, trying to make it not sound like I'm bragging. "They've heard things about...well...monsters." If I'm going to to fall flat on my face, it's going to be here.

"We've had some...similar problems in Fuuto," I add on quickly. "So I wanted to see firsthand if those problems are here, too."

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He seems very proud of his friends.

I sigh. Benefit of the doubt. Perhaps he's just one of those people who needs my assistance to better himself in life. "There are indeed 'monsters' here, Hidari-san," I say as calmly as I can manage. "I'm new, so I don't claim to know all the details."

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So the rumors are true. I'm not sure if this is better or worse than simply flailing in front of this beautiful woman. But now that I know...I can't leave until this is fixed.

I'm suddenly acutely aware of our location - right outside the school gate. Maybe this discussion should take place somewhere else. "I'd really like to hear anything you're able to tell me," I say carefully. "But this might not be the best place to talk."

I nod my head back towards the school, in case I'm not the only one who forget where we were.

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I finish my cigarette in relative peace with Miu involved in a conversation. I'm only half listening, but I perk up again when I see my sister get that look in her eyes. Her bad habit.

That's how we ended up with Sousuke, and we have more than enough on our hands with him. We don't need another.

I flick the remains of my cigarette away then clear my throat to interrupt them. Just as well, as it seems the man wants to go off somewhere else and 'talk'. Even if that's really what he wants to do, I can't help being a mix of protective brother and jealous lover.

"I'm not really sure we have much to discuss," I rest a hand on Miu's arm. We really shouldn't be coming so close to giving our cover away anyway. "As my sister said, she's new here."

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I tchhh at Ani, who is incredibly dear to me, incredibly sweet, incredibly attractive, but is also interfering when I can handle myself perfectly well. "Hidari-san needs help," I tell Ani impatiently, then I look over his shoulder to see the cigarette butt.

I pointedly go and retrieve it, stub out any possible remaining flame on the side of a garbage bin, then toss it inside.

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My first impulse is to confront the guy with righteous indignation - how dare he assume to make decisions for this woman, even if she's his sister? But then I remember, well, she's his sister, and he's just being protective. And I'd probably be just as protective, were I in his shoes.

"Any information you can give me would be a great help," I say carefully. I pull out one of those cards that Akiko had done up for the agency and scribble my cell number on the back. "But if now isn't a good time, you could give me a call on your own terms."

I'm not sure who to hold the card out to, as far as etiquette goes, but for the sake of giving my number to a pretty lady, I hold it out to her.

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I sigh softly when Miu makes a fuss over my discarded cigarette. Honestly, it's just a bit of paper, it's not like I dumped toxic waste all over the school.

Sousuke would be beaming at her. I'm so glad he's in Europe right now.

I give the man my best She Can Do and Does So Much Better Than You stare down when he hands his card and scribbled phone number to her. Honestly, we're all free to do what and who we please, but I have an obligation to be extra protective where Miu is concerned. She deserves only the best.

Again Sousuke comes to mind. Then again...

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Ani makes one of those little sighs under his breath, one of those sighs that says that he suffers so terribly, no one understands, but he'll be patient. I ignore it, as usual.

"Thank you," I say cheerfully to Hidari-san. "I'll let you know."

I tuck the card away carefully in my purse, then tuck a hand through the crook of Ani's arm. Partly to show that yes, I still love him even if he's being annoying, and partly just because he's my Ani.

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"No, thank you." I give my hat one last tip to the both of them, in turn, and take my leave. I'm not sure where I'm going, quite yet, but I'll figure it out eventually.

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Miu hooks her arm in mine, and my feathers are more or less unruffled with that gesture. Sometimes she makes me feel like the younger sibling.

I watch the man leave, waiting until he's well out of earshot to turn my head toward Miu again. "We don't know who we can trust yet. We need to be careful."

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He's a little calmer. Good. His voice so close, so soft, sends a delightful little shiver down my spine.

"Talking to him about the problems at the school isn't exactly giving away my bank account details," I sigh at him. "Ani, really."

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I hum thoughtfully, wanting to click my tongue at her, though I restrain the impulse. She's a grown woman, and I have to let her be her.

"That's not the point," I protest as I let her go when we reach the car, opening the passenger door for her. It's a nice enough day that I have the top down; I always love driving with the top down.

I settle into the driver's side and glance around before I look back at her, my voice low and serious. "You know that's not what I mean. We don't know who's working for the darkness gathering here. They could look very appealing."

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I smile at him when he opens the door, and I slip into the car gracefully. He always keeps it immaculate.

Oh, Ani. "But if we don't trust anyone at all, even a little, we won't find out what they know," I note, taking my sunglasses out of the glovebox. It's getting late, but the sun's still quite bright where it's setting.

That was an interesting word choice. "'Appealing'? Are you worried he might appeal to me a little too much?" I ask blandly, though my mouth twitches.

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I catch that little twitch of her lips. I want to kiss it away, but we're still in public, and, much as I love her, I know that's still not acceptable conduct in nearly every part of the world.

"You know I respect your freedom," I say pointedly as I start the car and peal out of my parking space. "Just as I respect Sousuke's, I just." I sigh, passing a slow car so I can go as fast as I please as we head for our estate.

"I think we need to be cautious. At that school. Jum-bowhale says there's a great darkness brewing there. We need to be extra careful."

I reach across to her with my free hand as I drive, gathering her hand in my own and gripping it tight.

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