Day 230

[from Vanishing Point]

"So," asked Mizuki, "what do you wanna know?"

"Let's start with the last thing you remember before your disappearance," said Kamui.

Mizuki thought for a moment. "The last thing I remember… well, I was visiting a studio representative to discuss a new album deal," said Mizuki. "I left the building to walk home, and… that's it. The next thing I know, I'm in the middle of Akihabara and I don't remember a thing."

"Do you always walk home?" asked Cobra.

"Well, the record company's building was only a ten-minute walk away," said Mizuki. "I didn't see the point."

"Fair enough," said Cobra. "You said you regained your memories… how?"

"I'll get to that," said Mizuki. "You see, it wasn't long before people around started to recognize me," said Mizuki. "They started coming up and saying things like 'I'm your biggest fan!', or 'Can I have your autograph?', or 'I loved your performance last week!' And of course I had no idea what they were talking about, and for someone who only woke up five minutes ago with no memory, it was all rather scary. So I ran, and I managed to get away from them, and found a police station. I dunno how I remembered what a police station was, but somehow I knew they could help me.

"I told the person at the front desk, 'Look, I woke up just now, I can't remember who I am, and all these people are running after me trying to get my autograph or something. Can you help me out?' They didn't believe me at first, they thought it was some kind of hidden camera prank. They did a little investigating, realized that I really had lost my memory, and then they told me who I was."

"And that's when you remembered?" asked Cobra.

Kiyoko was about to quietly object when Mizuki spoke up for her. "Nope," she said. "Still couldn't remember a thing. I refused to believe that I was someone like that - I think it was all just too much for me. Anyway, they took me to the hospital, to check there was nothing wrong with my brain, and then they called my manager to let him know what had happened. When he arrived at the hospital, he was pretty shocked that I didn't recognize him, and I think he probably panicked. I was his star lady, he couldn't lose me. So he pulled out his phone and started showing me all these clips of me on YouTube, hoping they'd jump-start my memories."

"And it worked?" asked Cobra. She, like Hanako, was now hanging on Mizuki's every word.

"Not at first," said Mizuki. "I got bits and pieces, but nothing much, until he played me a clip from one of my more recent concerts, thanking my fans for all their love and support. Then it was like… I dunno, it was like a floodgate opened in my mind somewhere, and all my memories came flooding back at once. The next thing I know, my manager's shaking me and there are nurses rushing into the room. Apparently I'd collapsed or something."

Cobra was fascinated by this information. "So all it took was a strong enough trigger?" she asked. "Something with a strong enough connection to your past?"

"I guess so," said Mizuki. "How come you're so interested in my memory loss, anyway? Is this to do with that info you said you had for me?"

"Partially," said Kamui. "I have one last question for you, though. This might sound a bit strange, but have you demonstrated any… unnatural abilities since your disappearance?"

"Unnatural abilities?" Mizuki repeated. "You mean like this?"

Mizuki glanced over at Hanako and suddenly her eyes began to glow brightly once more. Hanako's sparkling eyes glazed over, her look of enraptured joy replaced immediately with a serene expression. Kamui, Kiyoko and Cobra all looked at her with alarm. "Hey! Hanako!" said Cobra, waving a hand in front of Hanako's face. When this had no effect, she turned to Mizuki. "What did you do to her?"

"Hypnosis," said Mizuki, her voice echoing. "I can hypnotize as many people as I want, as long as I have eye contact with them, and I can make them do whatever I want. I think. Watch this. Hanako?"

"Yes Miss Sato," said Hanako. Her monotone voice was very much at odds with her usual boisterous tone.

"Go and fetch us a pizza," said Mizuki.

"Yes Miss Sato," said Hanako. Without a word, Hanako walked off back towards the heart of the party.

As Mizuki's eyes faded back to normal, the three remaining escapees looked on in astonishment. "Now that was creepy," said Kamui.

"I know," said Mizuki, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck. "I don't really like doing it, but… well, you did ask…"

"We did," said Cobra, "but I wasn't really expecting anything like that. This is not good."

"Why?" asked Mizuki. "I think it's your turn to answer some questions. How come you know about my ability? What do you know about my disappearance?"

Kamui and Cobra glanced at each other uneasily. "What we're about to tell you might be very hard to believe," said Kamui. "You'll just have to trust us. Alright?"

"Alright," said Mizuki. "Let's hear what you have to say."

Kamui took a deep breath. "Like I said, this might be hard to believe, but… you didn't just randomly disappear. You were kidnapped. By Shinsuke Corporation."

"Shinsuke?" repeated Mizuki. "The people who make the City Patrol mecha?"

"That's them," said Kamui. "They took you to a secret research facility, experimented on you, then released you back into Tokyo. Those experiments gave you superpowers, but also wiped your memory. It might sound far-fetched, but it's the truth."

Mizuki still seemed sceptical. "And how do you know all this?" she asked.

"Because three days ago, I broke into that research facility and rescued the three girls who came here with me today," said Kamui. "They're test subjects just like you." He turned to Kiyoko. "Show her, Kiyoko."

With a nod, Kiyoko turned invisible. Mizuki's eyes opened wide with shock. "Wh… where did she go?" she gasped.

"She turned invisible," said Cobra. "I'd demonstrate my power for you as well, but let's just say it's a little too… destructive. As for Hanako, we managed to rescue her before Shinsuke could experiment on her. Now we're tracking down the other test subjects - including yourself - and trying to work out what it is Shinsuke had planned for us."

Mizuki still seemed fairly taken aback. "I see," she said.

At this point, the hypnotized Hanako arrived, carrying an open pizza box containing an entire pepperoni pizza. "I have your pizza Miss Sato," she said.

"What? Oh, right, I almost forgot about that," said Mizuki. She took the box from Hanako and greedily took a slice. "Thanks, Hanako!"

With the order carried out, Hanako's eyes returned to normal, and she blinked with confusion as she found herself standing eight feet away from where she had been. "Huh? What happened?" she said. "Where'd that pizza come from?" A moment later, Hanako shrugged and took a slice for herself.

"Well, that rather spoiled the mood," Cobra remarked.

"I'd say it rather lightened the mood," said Mizuki through a mouthful of pizza. "This was getting pretty serious, huh?"

"It was?" said Hanako, who of course hadn't heard the previous conversation.

"It was," Kamui reassured her. "We told her everything."

"And?" said Hanako. "Do you believe us?"

Mizuki swallowed a mouthful of pizza and took a moment to contemplate what she had been told. "I guess so," she said. "I mean, I saw your friend turn invisible! I never thought that there might be others out there with abilities! But then again, kidnapping young women and experimenting on them... why would Shinsuke be doing something like that?"

"We don't know," said Cobra. "That's what we're trying to establish, but whatever it is, it can't be good."

"I agree," said Mizuki. "If they did wipe my memory and give me superpowers, it probably wasn't for a good cause. Is there any way I can help you guys? I mean, I am a rich, influential idol, after all."

"If we need help with anything, we'll let you know," said Kamui. "Thanks for your co-operation. You've been very helpful to us."

Cobra nodded. "You most certainly have. Now I know there's a way I can get my memories back."