Back in Tokyo, day 3
Hiromi's apartment building had been easy to find, Hiromi herself was a slightly different matter. Her neighbors had still been there, though, and had swallowed the story that Rai was a cousin who'd been traveling abroad and told him that she and her mother had moved away after all the mess with Heaven.
Heaven again. Luckily, the libraries were still open. Rai managed to get into one after hours and do some reading...a cult of 17 year olds. Diabolo, most likely. Their activity had peaked a few months ago, coinciding with the time he'd been possessed by Nebiros in the Nexus. The laws had changed shortly thereafter, from a curfew for all under the age of 25, to the required identification, to the closing of all private orphanages.
He really needed to find Hiromi.
Luckily, she still lived in the Tokyo area, and she still had her cell phone. She'd sounded surprised--and relieved--to hear him, asked about Ren...he'd assured her that Ren was indeed safe and alive, and asked where she lived. He also asked if there was any way she could get him a fake ID.
"You should know better than to think I can't, Rai. I'll see you tonight."
"Thanks, Hiromi."
He'd been surprised to see her in a wheelchair, and back to looking as she had before Arisa cursed her--but it was also relieving. She'd survived. She'd be fine. There was one less person who would die because of the Diabolo. She'd smiled, given him the ID and a long embrace, made him promise that he would tell her everything, and then another hug. For passing on to Ren, she'd said, smiling.
He'd been jumped in the alley not long after, a short glimpse of a black shadow with shining green eyes, and a small girl with long blonde hair wearing an elaborate kimono the last thing he saw before he blacked out.
Why didn't my shield...
Heaven again. Luckily, the libraries were still open. Rai managed to get into one after hours and do some reading...a cult of 17 year olds. Diabolo, most likely. Their activity had peaked a few months ago, coinciding with the time he'd been possessed by Nebiros in the Nexus. The laws had changed shortly thereafter, from a curfew for all under the age of 25, to the required identification, to the closing of all private orphanages.
He really needed to find Hiromi.
Luckily, she still lived in the Tokyo area, and she still had her cell phone. She'd sounded surprised--and relieved--to hear him, asked about Ren...he'd assured her that Ren was indeed safe and alive, and asked where she lived. He also asked if there was any way she could get him a fake ID.
"You should know better than to think I can't, Rai. I'll see you tonight."
"Thanks, Hiromi."
He'd been surprised to see her in a wheelchair, and back to looking as she had before Arisa cursed her--but it was also relieving. She'd survived. She'd be fine. There was one less person who would die because of the Diabolo. She'd smiled, given him the ID and a long embrace, made him promise that he would tell her everything, and then another hug. For passing on to Ren, she'd said, smiling.
He'd been jumped in the alley not long after, a short glimpse of a black shadow with shining green eyes, and a small girl with long blonde hair wearing an elaborate kimono the last thing he saw before he blacked out.
Why didn't my shield...