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."

Day 219

[from Vanishing Point]

To the group's surprise, the entrance to Studio C appeared to be unguarded. "Shouldn’t there be some security guards around, or something?" asked Kiyoko.

"I'm guessing they're all inside, enjoying the party," said Kamui. "We should be okay, as long as we blend in and don't draw too much attention to ourselves."

"And how do we blend in?" asked Hanako.

"Just keep quiet until we get to Mizuki," said Cobra.

"Can do!" said Hanako.

The group made their way inside, glancing up at the banner hanging from the ceiling as they entered. The studio was extremely large and spacious, and although the party was large enough for at least a hundred people, it seemed to fill barely half of the available space. Kiyoko gasped in awe at the sheer size of the building. "It's enormous!" she exclaimed.

"It certainly is," said Kamui.

"How are we ever going to find Mizuki among all these people?" asked Kiyoko.

"Simple!" said Hanako. "She's a mega-star, so wherever she is, people will be gravitating towards her. We won't have to look too hard, trust me!"

"Well, you're the Mizuki expert here," said Kamui. "We'll go with that. Alright, so, where does everyone seem to be gathering…?"

Kamui started to scan the crowd, looking for an area where a significant group of people were congregated. Just as Hanako had promised, he found it within seconds: over at the drinks table, where a crowd of at least a dozen people had gathered around. In the centre of the crowd of Mizuki herself, a mug of beer raised to her lips as she eagerly gulped down the contents. "CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!" the crowd chanted, egging her on.

Within seconds the mug had been completely drained, and a victorious Mizuki let out a satisfied gasp and slammed the mug back down on the table. "Oh man, that really hit the spot!" she exclaimed.

While Hanako was ecstatic to finally see her idol in the flesh, the beer-chugging woman standing before them was not what the others had expected. "That's Mizuki Sato?" said Cobra.

"Yep!" said Hanako. "She might not act like your typical idol, but that's part of what makes her so great! Instead of being this unreachable goddess, she's just a normal, down-to-earth person that you can really relate to! But at the same time, she's still extremely pretty, and an amazing singer and actress!"

"You know, I'm starting to like her a little more," said Cobra, as Mizuki started pouring another beer.

"Well, shall we get talking to her?" asked Kamui.

"Hold it right there, you four!" The group froze, then slowly turned around to see a security guard standing behind them, a slice of Hawaiian pizza in one hand and a nightstick in the other. "You're not on the entry list," the guard said.

"What entry list?" asked Kamui. "We weren't told there was an entry list."

"There is," said the guard. "It consists of everyone working at the studio, and you guys are definitely not studio employees. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"But we wanna talk to Mizuki-tan!" insisted Hanako.

"That's right," said Kamui. "We're private detectives-"

"I don't care!" said the security guard. "No unauthorized personnel are allowed to talk to Miss Sato. If you don't leave now, I'm going to have to-"

"What's going on over here?" By now, the stand-off had attracted the attention of many of the partygoers, including Mizuki herself, who had presently made her way over to investigate. Hanako's eyes shone with glee at the sight of her heroine up close; the others merely continued to look concerned.

"Ah, Mizuki," said the guard, turning his attention to the idol. "I caught these four interlopers trying to crash the party. They must be obsessed fans of yours or something."

"They don't look that obsessed to me," said Mizuki. "Even this girl here looks like she's just after an autograph," she added, jabbing a thumb at Hanako.

"But Mizuki-" insisted the guard.

"But nothing," said Mizuki. "It's my party, right? I should get the final say in who stays and who goes, and I say we should let them stay. For now, anyway. If they turn out to be some kind of danger, I can always just call you back over to boot 'em out, right?"

The security guard looked as though he wanted to object further, but instead he merely heaved a sigh and gave up. "Alright, fine," he said, holstering his nightstick. "But I'll be keeping an eye on your four, to make sure there's no funny business!" The guard made an "I'm watching you" motion with his free hand, to emphasize the point, then took a bite of his pizza and headed off on his way. "Hey, this is pretty good pizza…" he muttered to himself as he vanished into the crowd.

"Sorry about that," said Mizuki, turning back to the group. "Ever since I went missing that one time, the security guys here have been pretty paranoid about my safety. It's silly, if you ask me. I mean, what are the chances of it happening a second time, right?" She took a large swig from her mug of beer, let out another contented gasp and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "So anyway," she said, "what can I do for you guys?"

Kamui stepped forward, taking charge. "We're here to-" he began, before Hanako promptly shoved him out of the way.

"CANIHAVEYOURAUTOGRAPH?!" asked Hanako excitedly, holding out the scrap of paper Kamui had given her.

Mizuki chuckled, the remaining beer sloshing dangerously in the mug. "Sure!" she said. "Give me a second." She put down the mug, fished a pen out of her breast pocket, and took the sheet of paper from Hanako, resting it on the table. "Who am I making this out to?" she asked.

"Hanako Kobayashi," said Hanako. "I'd say I'm your biggest fan, but that sounds kinda stalker-ish, doesn't it?"

"Trust me, I've seen worse," said Mizuki. "'To Hanako Kobayashi… best wishes for the future… love, Mizuki Emerald Sato'." With a grin, she handed the autograph to Hanako. "Here you go~"

Hanako let out a squeal of joy and took the autograph. "Thank you!" she said. "I'll treasure it forever!" Folding it neatly, she put it away in her breast pocket for safekeeping.

Kamui looked a little annoyed at having been interrupted by Hanako for such a banal reason. "If you're done bugging her," he said, "let's get on to the real reason we're here. Miss Sato, m name is Kamui Matsuda. I'm a private detective. These are my associates, Kiyoko, Hanako, and Cobra. We'd like to talk to you in relation to your disappearance. We have some new information we think you might like to know about, as well as some questions we'd like answers to."

This piqued Mizuki's interest. "Is that so?" she asked. "So, does that mean you know what happened to me? Like, the gap in my memories… you can fill that in for me?"

"Gap in your memories?" repeated Cobra.

"Yeah," said Mizuki. "I can remember everything up until the night I went missing, but… after that it's all a big blur. The next thing I remember clearly is suddenly standing in the middle of Akihabara, with no idea who I was or how I got there."

"That must have been pretty frightening," said Kamui.

"Yeah, especially when your face is plastered all over the billboards," said Mizuki. "So anyway, what is this 'new info' you have to discuss with me?"

"Could we go somewhere a little more private first?" asked Kamui. "Or at least, a little more quiet."

"Sure," said Mizuki. "Follow me."

Mizuki drained the rest of her mug, then headed off with the others in tow. Despite having just downed two mugs of beer in the space of minutes, she barely seemed drunk at all, and was still able to walk perfectly normally. She led the group to the back of one of the sets, where the noise from the party was much quieter, and casually leaned back against the cardboard wall. "So," she said, "what do you wanna know?"

Day 208

[from Vanishing Point]

One train ride later and Kamui and the girls found themselves outside a large, walled-off studio. "Here it is!" said Hanako gleefully. "Saegusa Studios!" Beyond the elaborate iron gates, the group could see several huge studio buildings, and various employees milling around between them. Kamui could see a man in a tokusatsu hero costume having a rather animated conversation with a man who, presumably, was his director.

"And this is where we'll find Mizuki?" asked Cobra.

"Yeah!" said Hanako. "She'll be filming the next series of Life With Mizuki right now!"

"Life With Mizuki?" asked Kiyoko, who of course had never heard of the show. "What's that about?"

"Oh, it's really good!" said Hanako. "It's, like, a sitcom following Mizuki as she goes about her everyday life as a young woman and famous idol! Every day she has some challenge to overcome in her life, and at the end of every episode she puts on a concert and sings about whatever lessons she learned in that episode! Oh, and she shares an apartment with this one guy, and he totally has a massive crush on her, but she doesn't even realize it! It's hilarious!"

Kiyoko seemed rather impressed by Hanako's enthusiastic description. Cobra, however, did not. "It sounds awful," she said.

"Your taste is awful," Hanako retorted, pouting.

"Umm… how are we going to get inside?" asked Kiyoko suddenly. "I mean… the gates are locked… and there's a guard there…"

"Relax," said Kamui, "I got this. Just follow my lead, like always."

The group headed towards the gates, and Kamui approached the guard booth. The guard manning it seemed fairly bored. "State your business," he said.

"We're private detectives," said Kamui. "We'd like to talk to Miss Sato about an incident that occurred to her last-" Before Kamui had even finished, however, and much to his surprise, the guard suddenly buzzed them through. The gates to the studio slowly opened inwards with a mechanical hum. "Well, that was easier than I expected," he remarked.

"I'm so damn bored right now," said the guard. "They wouldn't even invite me to the party. Maybe you guys will liven things up."

"Party?" asked Hanako, her attention immediately captured. "What party?"

"They just finished filming Season 2 of Life With Mizuki, and they're holding a big party down in Studio C to celebrate," said the guard. "If you folks are looking for Miss Sato, that's where you'll find her."

"Wow, that's convenient!" Hanako remarked. "A day later and she wouldn't even have been here!"

"That sure is a stroke of luck," said Kamui. "Alright, thank you, sir. We'll be on our way. And we'll try not to cause you too much trouble."

"Please do," said the guard. "Nothing ever happens around here. Little bit of trouble would make my whole year."

"I wish I could say the same," Kamui mumbled to himself, as he and the escapees made their way through the open gate.

***

It didn't take the group too long to locate Studio C, especially since it had a giant yellow "C" painted on one side. As they approached, Hanako suddenly came to a dead stop, a panicked look on her face. "Wait a minute!" she exclaimed. "I just realized I don't have anything for Mizuki-tan to autograph! Aah… what am I going to do?"

"Hanako, of all the things to be worried about-" Cobra began.

"No, you don't understand!" said Hanako. "This might be my one and only chance to get the autograph of my favourite person in the whole wide world! I need something for her to sign!"

With an amused sigh, Kamui pulled out his notepad and tore off an empty page, handing it to Hanako. "I don't know how you have so much energy all the time," he remarked.

Hanako let out a gentle squeal of delight as she took the piece of paper from Kamui. "Oh, thank you, Kamui!" she said. "You're a lifesaver!"

"Now that that's sorted, let's get going," said Kamui. "Mizuki won't wait around for us all day."

"Right!" said Hanako, her enthusiasm returning twofold. "Let's get going!" She dashed off in the direction of Studio C, leaving the others chasing after her.

"That attitude of hers is gonna get her killed one of these days," Cobra remarked, as she sprinted after the pink-haired teen.

Day 186

[from Vanishing Point]

Mizuki watched the sun slowly sink below the horizon, its golden glow reflected in the shimmering waters of the river before her. A gentle breeze played at her shoulder-length emerald hair, and at the hem of her dress. She turned to the tall, spiky-haired man standing with her. "Beautiful, isn't it?" she said.

"It sure is," he agreed. "But not as beautiful as you."

Mizuki blushed and smiled, just as a heavy gust of wind blew her fringe over her face, obscuring it. She shook her head, sweeping her hair back into place, and the man chuckled. Mizuki herself couldn't help grinning a little.

"Mizuki," said the man suddenly, "I want you to be my girlfriend."

Mizuki seemed taken aback by the sudden suggestion. She took a step back, blushing harder. "Ehh?!"

"Well?" said the man. "How about it?"

Mizuki clasped her hands to her chest and looked away, clearly flustered. "This is… so sudden…" she said.

"Mizuki!"

Startled, Mizuki turned round to see Shinji, her plucky childhood friend, racing down the riverbank towards her, and her confusion intensified. "Huh? Shinji?"

Shinji stopped just short of Mizuki and the other man, resting his hands on his knees for a moment to catch his breath. "I'm sorry, just… give me a minute…" he said, raising a hand. The two others waited patiently, and after a moment or two, Shinji finally straightened up and addressed Mizuki with a nervous but determined expression. "Don't do it, Mizuki!" he said. "Don't become his boyfriend! Be mine instead!"

This confession shocked Mizuki even more than the first one, and she reeled back, her face turning as red as the sunset. "Ehh?!!"

Shinji nervously held out a box of chocolates, his own face swiftly reddening. "Mizuki… please accept my feelings!"

The taller man sneered at the newcomer. "Hah!" he said. "Like she'd ever pick a wimp like you over someone like me!"

Shinji held his ground. "I may be a wimp," he said, "but I've known Mizuki for far longer than you, and I know she'll choose me!"

"Oh yeah?" said the other man, amused. "Well, I guess we'll find out, won't we?" He turned to his shell-shocked beloved. "Come on, Mizuki, who's it gonna be? Me, or this pipsqueak?"

Mizuki looked from one man to the other and then back again, In addition to her shock and embarrassment from the sudden confessions, she now felt highly flustered by the pressure. "Uhh… uhh…"

"Aaand… cut!" The sharp voice of the director brought the fake scene to a close. "Alright, that's a wrap. Great job, everybody!"

The moment the director's voice rang out, the embarrassment faded entirely from Mizuki's face, replaced with a triumphant grin. "Yes!" she exclaimed, pumping her fist. "Nailed it!"

"Well, I guess that's Season 2 all wrapped up," said Shinji, or rather, the actor who'd been playing him. "Now all that's left is to celebrate."

"Leave that to me!" said Mizuki. Stepping off the fake riverbank, which was nothing more than a studio set, she started to address the various staff gathered around. "Alright, listen up, everyone! Now that we've finished filming Season 2, it's time for our big end-of-filming celebration party!" Amidst cheers from the crowd, she continued: "We're gonna need pizzas, beer, a barbecue, plenty of meat to go on it, some chocolates - some more chocolates, that is," she added, as she took the box of chocolates from her co-star's hands. "We'll need yakisoba - lotsa yakisoba - and I'll have someone from Kyūrei bring us over a whole bunch of sugar-free cola! Being their spokesperson has its perks! Oh, and if any of you want anything else, go ahead and order that too! Everything's on me!"

"Wow, really!" exclaimed one of the cameramen. "You're so generous, Mizuki!"

"I'll order the pizzas!" said the boom operator, pulling out his phone.

"Shouldn't you have organized this before now?" asked Shinji's actor. Mizuki's only response was a carefree shrug. "And are you sure you're alright paying for everything?"

"Please, I'm a billionaire!" said Mizuki. [AUTHOR NOTE: That's in yen] "If I can't splash out, who can?"

"Well, I'm gonna go get the beers in," said the other actor. "You'll pay me back, right?"

"Of course!" said Mizuki. "I said I'd pay for everything, didn't I?"

"You did, and I'm gonna hold you to that," said the other actor. "Alright, later."

As her co-star waved briefly and then headed off, Mizuki turned her attention to the heart-shaped box in her hands. "In the meantime," she said, "I've got a date with this delicious box of chocolates!"

"Uhh, Mizuki… we're gonna need that prop again when we start shooting Season 3," said Shinji's actor, as Mizuki walked off with the box.

"The chocolates will have gone off by then," said Mizuki, undoing the ribbon, "and it'll be a waste." She opened the box, tossing the lid and the ribbon aside, and took out a chocolate. "Besides, we can always just buy another box-" She popped the first chocolate into her mouth, then carried on talking through her mouthful. "-or we could just re-use the empty box. It's not like the audience are gonna know there's no chocolates in it."

"Then you'll probably be needing the lid…" said Shinji's actor.

***

A short time later, the party was starting to come together. Tables were being laid out throughout the studio, with various food and drink spread out across them. A banner reading "SEASON TWO FILMING IS OVER" had been hung over the entrance. Mizuki was perched on the edge of one of the tables, eagerly scoffing the box of chocolates, much to the chagrin of a passing assistant.

"Miss Sato? What are you doing?" the assistant exclaimed.

"Eating chocolate," said Mizuki nonchalantly, before popping another chocolate into her mouth as though the assistant was not there.

"You can't eat that whole box by yourself!" said the assistant, staring in horror at the half-empty box. "It's not healthy! You'll get fat!"

"Screw you I can't eat the whole box by myself," mumbled Mizuki through a mouthful of chocolate.

"Miss Sato," the assistant began, "I insist that-"

But Mizuki had had enough of her dietary habits being criticized. She swallowed her mouthful, and suddenly her eyes began to glow an eerie white, her pupils and irises vanishing entirely. "No," she said, her voice mysteriously layered. "I insist that you quit bugging me and do something useful, like bringing me that plate of yakisoba I already asked for."

As Mizuki spoke, the assistant's eyes glazed over, her expression turning blank and her posture relaxing. When she spoke again, it was in a robotic, monotone voice, devoid of any trace of emotion. "Yes Miss Sato," she said. "Right away Miss Sato. I apologize for the inconvenience Miss Sato."

The assistant bent forwards in a mechanical bow, then walked off. Mizuki's eyes returned back to normal, and for a moment she watched the assistant go, confused as to what had just happened, before letting out a weary sigh. "I just did the thing again, didn't I…" she muttered.

Day 177

[from Vanishing Point]

Kamui, using his detective contacts, had learned of Obsidian's criminal history within the city. This usually seemed to consist of murdering one or two pursuing Shinsuke City Patrol guards, and then disappearing off the grid again. City Patrol were still trying to track them down, but didn't have any leads. For the test subjects, however, this was proof that they were not alone in their fight against Shinsuke. All they needed to do was to track Obsidian down somehow.

Kamui decided that he and the escapees should head into Shinjuku, close to where Obsidian was last sighted, and ask random passers-by if they had any information on her whereabouts. With any luck, they would find someone who could at least point them in the right direction, as right now they knew only that Obsidian was somewhere in the city.

"Are you sure we'll find her this way?" asked Cobra, as the group made their way out of the subway station.

"It's a bit too late to be asking that now," Kamui pointed out. "Thought to be honest… no, I'm not. However, it's the best chance we've got. Besides, if Obisidian finds out we're looking for her, she might come looking for us. So it might work out either way."

"I see," said Cobra. "Well, in that case, let's hope she's paying attention. Speaking of which…" Cobra nudged Hanako, who had been staring in amazement at the buildings all around them. "Focus, please," she said. "We're here to look for someone, not to sightsee."

"Okay," said Hanako. "Sorry."

Outside the subway station was an elaborate gilded fountain. "Alright, let's split up and meet back here at six," said Kamui. "Don't stray too far, in case you're unable to find your way back. If you find anything, let us know via text." He had purchased cheap disposable cellphones for each girl on the way up to Shinjuku, and much to Hanako's displeasure, as she had wanted a replacement for her old iPhone. "And make sure you keep an eye out for any Shinsuke patrols," Kamui added. "Got it?"

"Got it!" Hanako immediately went racing off, and the other three promptly set off in separate directions, ready to begin their investigations.

***

After half an hour, Kiyoko had not had any luck with finding a lead, and already felt like giving up. However, her fortunes were about to change. A teenage girl with blue hair suddenly came bounding over to her. "Excuse me," she asked. "are you looking for someone?"

Kiyoko seemed grateful for the assistance. "Ah, yes," she said. "Me and my friends are looking for this woman." She held up a print-out of Obsidian's face. "Have you seen her?"

Upon seeing the image, the girl seemed to react in some way, perhaps surprise, perhaps curiosity. "Oh yeah, I saw her just a few minutes ago," she said. "I can show you where she was headed, if you like."

"Really?"said Kiyoko. "Thank you. That'd be a great help. Oh, but… I should call the others first…" Kiyoko quickly took out her phone and sent a group text to Kamui, Cobra and Hanako, letting them know the situation. A few minutes later, the group had reassembled again.

"So you said you're going to show us where Obsidian went?" asked Kamui.

"Yeah, that’s right," said the blue-haired girl. "If you're quick, you might still be able to catch her."

"Alright, thanks," he said. "Lead the way, miss, uhh…"

"Emi," said the girl. "My name is Emi."

"I see," said Kamui. "Well, lead the way, Emi."

Emi nodded, and headed off through the crowded streets with Kamui and the escapees in tow. After a few minutes of walking, Emi suddenly turned and headed down a narrow side alley. Her four companions, suddenly wary, exchanged nervous glances before following her inside. "Are you sure this is the right way?" asked Cobra.

"Yep," said Emi. "She definitely went down this alleyway." Cobra scowled slightly, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"How much further is it?" asked Hanako.

"Oh, not much further," said Emi. "Not much further at all."

As she reached the centre of the alleyway, Emi suddenly stopped and span on her heel, turning to face Kamui and the girls with a serious look on her face. As the four fugitives stopped, confused, Emi was suddenly enveloped in a brilliant white glow, and before their very eyes her silhouette began to change, slowly growing taller. A stunned Hanako turned to Kamui, who seemed almost as stunned. "What's happening to her?" she asked.

Her question was answered a second later as a white glow faded, revealing the unmistakeable figure of Obsidian standing before them where Emi had stood not a moment ago. Her ebony hair billowed in the breeze that rushed through the alleyway, her eyes filled with the usual hatred. One of her eyes was still a vivid electric-blue, just as Emi's had been; the other was a burning crimson. The test subjects let out a gasp as they realized the truth: Emi had been Obsidian the whole time. "So that's her power," gasped Cobra.

"So, you're the ones who escaped from that test facility, huh?" asked Obsidian. "I saw the news reports. I was wondering when our paths would cross." Her hand strayed to the handle of one of her katanas, but she did not draw it from its sheath on her back. "Let me ask you three something," she said, her mismatched eyes focusing on the escapees. "Do you know why the sky is blue?"

Kiyoko and Hanako blinked, confused. Cobra, however, suddenly felt a searing pain in her temple. She put her hand against it, rubbing it gently. "R… Rayleigh scattering," she groaned, and the pain subsided as quickly as it had appeared. "The sky is… blue due to Rayleigh scattering. Why do you ask?"

Obsidian's hand dropped back to her side once again. "I don't know," she said. "It's one of the few things I remember from when Shinsuke tried to brainwash me: being asked that question, and not knowing the answer. Somehow, I felt that I should ask you, and that if you knew the answer, I could trust you."

"How strange," Kamui remarked. "Perhaps their attempted brainwashing still left some sort of imprint in your subconscious."

"Perhaps," said Obsidian. "But enough of that. I assume you are here to propose an alliance of some sort?"

"That's right," said Cobra. "We're going to unravel this mystery, and find out who we are, why we were given these powers, and what Shinsuke's plans are. Then we're going to stop them."

"We're also going to track down the test subjects, one by one," said Kamui. "If they are under Shinsuke's control, perhaps we can break that spell somehow."

For the first time, Obsidian showed the group a small smile. "Well, that certainly sounds like a plan to me," she said. "I have every intention of destroying Shinsuke for what they've taken from me."

"Your memories?" asked Kamui.

"Not just that," said Obsidian, the smile fading again. "My identity. They turned me into a damn number. I've gone too far now perhaps to return to my old life, but if I can at least know what they took from me, that will be enough."

"So will you join us?" asked Cobra. "Will you help us?"

Obsidian nodded. "I will help you to the best of my ability. However, I work better alone, and in any case, wherever I go, Shinsuke usually follow behind. You don't want to be too close to me for too long. So we'll go our separate ways for now. I'll be in touch." With that, Obsidian turned on her heel and began to walk off.

"Hey, wait!" Kamui called after her.

Obsidian stopped, but did not look back. "I know of one other test subject," she said. "Mizuki Sato, the famous actress. She would never talk to the likes of me, but I'm sure you would have more luck."

At the mention of the actress, Hanako's eyes lit up with childlike ecstasy. "No way!" she exclaimed. "The Mizuki Sato?!"

Kiyoko seemed rather taken aback by Hanako's sudden burst of excitement. "Who's Mizuki Sato?" she asked.

Hanako turned to Kiyoko, shocked. "You don't remember Mizuki Sato?!" she said. "She's only, like, the greatest idol and actress ever! She-"

While Hanako continued to rebuke Kiyoko, Kamui stepped forward to address Obsidian. "Thank you, Obsidian," he said. "We'll check it out."

At the mention of the name "Obsidian", the woman's eyes flashed dangerously, her electric-blue eye turning deep crimson to match the other. "And another thing," she said menacingly. "Don't call me Obsidian. That's not my name. It's what they call me."

"I'm sorry," said Kamui. "Then, what would you like us to call you?"

"Call me Rei¹."

"Okay then," said Kamui. "So long, Rei. It was nice meeting you."

"Until we meet again," said Rei. She carried on down the alleyway, an as she approached the end, her figure was enveloped in a white glow once more as she transformed back into Emi. In an instant she was gone, hidden amongst the throngs of people still going about their business.

"Well, that was interesting," said Cobra, as the group began to make their own way out of the alleyway.

"It certainly was," said Kamui. "So, should we go and pay Miss Sato a visit? The sooner the better, right?"

"Sounds good to me," said Cobra.

Hanako seemed overwhelmed with joy at the thought of meeting her idol. " OhmygoshIcan'tbelieveI'mactuallygonnameetmyidolMizukiSatoallmylifeI'vewantedtomeetherandfinallyI'mgonnagetthechancewellnotactuallyallmylifebecauseI'veonlyknownsheexistedforaboutthreeyearsorsobut-" Having finally run out of air, she took a deep breath in. "I'm so excited!" she proclaimed loudly.

"We gathered," said Cobra, completely deadpan.

Kamui pondered Rei's words for a moment. "Mizuki Sato, a test subject…" he mused. "Shinsuke must have known they'd be getting themselves into trouble by capturing someone that famous. Perhaps they didn't realize who it was until it was too late."

"I guess," said Kiyoko, before turning to Hanako, curious. "You still didn't really answer my question, though… who is Mizuki Sato?"

"She's, like, the greatest actress in the entire world, ever!" said Hanako. "I've seen all of her shows! Oh, and she also sings, too!"

"That's right," said Kamui, nodding. "She's a popular idol. She's done albums, TV shows, movies, all sorts of stuff. Now that I come to think about it, she went missing a couple of months ago. She turned up four days later at a police station, claiming she'd lost her memory and that there were strange men following her around." He smiled, then looked over at Cobra. "It certainly does fit the pattern, doesn't it?"

Cobra nodded. "That must have been when they kidnapped her," she said.

"I agree," said Kamui. "Of course, those strange men were just her fans, but she couldn't remember why she had fans in the first place. Apparently she's got her memory back now, though, and she's settled back into the celebrity lifestyle like she never left it."

"That's right!" said Hanako. "She remembers everything except for those four days she was missing! Hey, wait… if she got her memories back, then that means you two can get your memories back too, right?" she added, looking at Kiyoko and Cobra.

"I hope so…" said Kiyoko.

"Me too," said Cobra.

"But… if she's that famous, then wouldn’t it be hard to talk to her?" asked Kiyoko. "I mean, she'll probably have bodyguards and stuff…"

The expression on Kamui's face showed that he hadn't considered this at all. "That's an excellent point, Kiyoko," he said. "We'll have to bear that in mind."

Suddenly, Hanako came to a stop, holding her arm out to the side to signal the others to halt. Her other arm pointed up at the towering skyline above them. "Up there!" she said. "That's Mizuki Sato."

Kiyoko followed the direction of Hanako's finger. Far above them, on the side of a skyscraper, was a digital billboard depicting a woman with neat, shoulder-length emerald-green hair. Her teeth glistened an impossible shade of white as she held up a bottle of some sort of sugar-free beverage, speaking in a loud voice that was simultaneously barely audible over the din of the city.

"Kyurei Sugar-Free Cola!" the digital Mizuki proclaimed. "Superstar taste that won't ruin your superstar smile!" As if to emphasize this last point, Mizuki's perfect smile grew even wider as digital sparkles danced around her mouth. Hanako found the whole spectacle rather amusing.

"She seems nice," said Kiyoko.

"She is!" said Hanako. "So, shall we get going, then? Mizuki-tan is a very busy woman, and we wouldn't want to keep her waiting! Also, I know where her studio is! They did a video tour of it once!"

"Why am I not surprised," said Cobra, once again completely deadpan.

"Well, that's certainly convenient," said Kamui. "Alright, lead the way, Hanako, but don't rush ahead or we won't be able to follow you."

Hanako nodded, and continued on her way through the busy streets with the others in tow. Above their heads, the digital Mizuki continued to extol the virtues of Kyurei Sugar-Free Cola in a constant, almost hypnotic loop.

FOOTNOTES

¹ Obsidian's preferred name is written with the kanji for "zero", symbolizing that she is "nothing" without her memories and true identity

Day 152

[from Vanishing Point]

It did not take the guards long to locate the fake Aiko. She was standing at the water cooler, pouring herself a drink. "Aiko Fujikawa?" one of them called out. Aiko looked over in the direction of the men, and upon seeing them, her eyes shot open with shock. The polystyrene water cup fell from her hand, slipping all over the dark blue carpet.

"You're going to have to come with us," said the second guard.

Aiko remained stock-still for a moment, gazing at the men in horror, then suddenly sprinted off down the corridor, away from them. The two guards, alarmed, quickly chased after her. One of them raised his gun, but the other guard forced his arm back down. "No, you idiot!" he exclaimed. "You might hit one of the workers by accident! Wait until we've got her cornered first!"

Aiko chased her way through the corridors with desperation, shoving confused co-workers aside as she went. Finally, she dived through a door to her left and slammed it shut behind her. As the guards followed her inside, they found themselves in what looked like a conference room, with a large table in the middle. Aiko was nowhere to be seen.

"That's odd," said the first guard. "Where did she go?"

"She's got to be in here somewhere," said the second guard, drawing his handgun. "We'll find her."

The first guard nodded, and the two split up, combing their way through the room in search of the impostor. The first guard was soon drawn to a metal cabinet set against one wall. It seemed like a good hiding place. Slowly, trying not to make a sound, he crept up on the filing cabinet, one hand ready to pull the doors open, and the other hand ready to put a bullet in Aiko's head.

As his hand curled around the doorknob, however, he was suddenly impaled straight through the chest by a steel blade that appeared to have been thrust straight through the metal door of the cabinet from within. Looking down, the man saw his shirt and jacket become stained, then soaked with crimson, his lifeblood dripping onto the floor. Then his vision blurred and faded away, and he saw nothing. As the blade was retracted back into the cabinet, the guard fell to the floor, dead.

The second guard, hearing the commotion, turned round and was shocked to see his lifeless colleague lying on the floor. Letting out a cry of fear, he raised his handgun and fired six bullets into the cabinet, each one punching through the thin sheet metal with ease. Satisfied that this would have been enough to kill Aiko, he lowered his gun and breathed a sigh of relief. However, this relief was short-lived. Mere seconds later, the cabinet door opened, and the guard watched on in terror as a woman stepped out of it, kicking aside the corpse of his former partner.

This woman, however, was not Aiko Fujikawa. It was Obsidian. She was frighteningly tall, at least six feet, and her crimson eyes burned with fury. She was dressed in a long black dress with white lace detailing, and a long slash that ran down one side of her skirt. Clutched in her hands were two gleaming katanas, one of which was bloodied from where she had murdered the other guard with it.

The terrified guard began to tremble as he took a step backwards. "What the hell are you?!" he exclaimed.

"You should know," said Obsidian coldly. "After all, you created me."

With that, Obsidian charged towards the man, her swords ready to strike. The man kept his gun aimed at her the entire time, but somehow he found himself paralyzed by fear, and unable to pull the trigger. He was therefore powerless to stop Obsidian as, with one swift stroke, she severed the man's head from his shoulders.

Day 142

[from Vanishing Point]

There was nothing particularly out-of-the-ordinary about the five-storey office building that the two Shinsuke City Patrol pilots had just pulled up outside of. Nor was there anything particularly out-of-the-ordinary about the IT company based within. However, in order for the City Patrol themselves to be investigating the premises, something had to be seriously amiss, and so as the two men crossed the threshold, the receptionist looked up at them with some concern.

"Good morning," she said, trying to keep the concern out of her voice. "Is there something I can help you gentlemen with?"

"Yes, thank you," said the first man. "We understand you have an employee named Aiko Fujikawa working here?"

"Uhh, let me see…" said the receptionist, consulting her computer for a moment. "Fujikawa, Fujikawa… ah, yes. Miss Fujikawa works up on the third floor."

"Has Miss Fujikawa been coming in to work recently?" asked the first man.

"Let me check…" said the receptionist. "Well, according to our records, Miss Fujikawa has only missed a single day of work in the past month. Why? May I ask what this is about?"

"Aiko Fujikawa has been dead for three weeks," said the second man. "Her body was found last night."

"What?!" exclaimed the receptionist. "But that's impossible! She-"

"We need to talk to the woman claiming to be Miss Fujikawa," said the first man. "You said she works on the third floor, right?"

"Y-yes, that's right," stammered the shocked receptionist. "I'm sorry, I don't understand… are you saying that-"

But the men were already making their way towards the elevator, ignoring the receptionist entirely as they focused on apprehending their target. They knew exactly who the impostor was, and they knew the consequences if she were allowed to roam free. She had to be captured, no matter what.

***

Kiyoko slept in late that morning, recovering from the previous night's endeavours. When she finally woke up, she found that a blanket had been wrapped around her to keep her warm. She stretched, sat up, and rubbed her eyes, before looking around the room to try and locate the others. This did not take long.

"Oh hey, Kiyoko's awake!" said Hanako. She and the others were gathered around Kamui's computer, waiting for her. "Good morning, sleepyhead~!"

"Good morning," said Kiyoko, standing up. "I'm feeling a lot better now."

"I sure hope so," said Kamui. "You were asleep for eleven hours, you know."

"Really?" exclaimed Kiyoko. "Well, uhh… sorry…"

"Sorry?" repeated Kamui, amused. "What's there to be sorry for? It's not your fault if you're exhausted after what happened yesterday."

"I guess not," admitted Kiyoko. "But still…"

"Well, now that you're awake, let's have a look at what you managed to get," said Kamui.

"Of course," said Kiyoko. "I don't know if it'll be enough, but-"

"Well, we'll see in a minute, won't we?" said Cobra. "Come on, let's take a look."

Kiyoko nodded, and took the USB drive out of her pocket, handing it to Kamui. He plugged it into his computer and opened it up. "I see… individual files on each test subject, huh?" he said. "Subjects 1 to 15… well, that confirms our theory. Assuming you guys are Subjects 13 through 15, that means there are twelve more test subjects out there."

"I wonder what's in this files," said Cobra. "Any chance they'll contain any personal information about me or Kiyoko? Something that will bring back more of our memories?"

"I don't know," said Kamui, "but I guess it's worth a shot. You said you were Subject 13, right?"

Cobra nodded. "That's what they called me," she said.

"Then let's have a look," said Kamui. He double-clicked the file labelled "Subject 13", opening it. Sure enough, it was a profile of herself, complete with a photo. Cobra, eager for information, pushed Kamui aside and read the file herself, her face mere inches from the screen.

"'Name: Subject 13'," she began. "'Codename: To be determined'. Darn it… I should've known they wouldn’t have our real names. Anyway… 'Age: 22. Height: 180cm. Weight…'" Cobra suddenly blushed, her eyes widening in shock, and tried to cover up the screen to no avail.

"169 pounds?!"¹ exclaimed Hanako, reading the figure off the screen. "Wow, I didn't realize you were so fat-!"

Cobra's response was to wordlessly reach back and punch Hanako in the face without taking her eyes off the screen, knocking the young girl to the floor. With the other three strongly dissuaded from making any further remarks about her size, Cobra continued reading. "'Current status: Phase 3. Subject 13 appears to exhibit some form of superhuman strength, both physically and mentally, and has so far been resistant to our conditioning techniques.' Conditioning?" she repeated, alarmed. "They were trying to brainwash me?"

"Apparently," said Kamui. "I don't like the sound of that at all."

"Do you remember them trying to brainwash you?" asked Kiyoko.

"Not at all," said Cobra. "I guess I must have blotted it out, like it says in the file."

"Well, we're already learning a lot," said Kamui. "Keep going."

Cobra nodded, and kept reading. "'Dr. Morgan is of the opinion that Subject 13's abilities will be invaluable to the program, but employees are reminded to exercise caution around her at all times and to follow the recommended safety procedures, in order to avoid a repeat of the incident with Obsidian. Refer to Subject 3's profile…'" This last portion seemed to interest Cobra. "Hmm… so perhaps we weren't the first ones to try and escape…"

"How come this Obsidian has her name listed?" asked Kiyoko.

"I don't think that's her real name," said Cobra. "There was a "Codename" section in my profile… I'm guessing they give us each some kind of codename after our conditioning is complete."

"I see," said Kamui. "Well, that told us plenty about Shinsuke, but not much about you yourself, Cobra."

"I'm not sure what I was expecting, honestly," said Cobra. "They don't care about our names, or our histories. We're just tools to them." She shook her head, sighing. "Never mind. It doesn't matter. I'm sure I'll find the answers in time."

"I'm sure you will," said Kamui.

"I hope so…" said Kiyoko.

"Now then," said Kamui, "we have twelve other test subjects to track down. Which one should we look at first?"

"I'd say we try and find this Obsidian, and see if we can talk to her," said Cobra. "If she's rebelled against Shinsuke before, that means there's a good chance she'll be willing to help us."

Kamui nodded. "That makes sense. Alright, let's see what she looks like." Closing Cobra's file, Kamui opened the file named "Subject 3". The profile image depicted a girl with long black hair and scarlet eyes filled with fury. The picture rather unsettled Kiyoko, as well as Hanako, who by now had recovered from her blow to the face.

"She doesn't look too friendly," remarked Kiyoko.

"Not to worry," said Kamui. "As the saying goes, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend²"."

FOOTNOTES:

¹Cobra's weight derives from her height and muscular, athletic physique; muscle weight more than fat, after all. Even so, finding out that you weigh 12 stone can be a bit of a shock for the average Japanese woman.

²This is from Vanishing Point Episode 3, which is entitled "The Enemy Of My Enemy".

Day 122

[from Vanishing Point]

As the guard took another step forward, Kiyoko instinctively began to shrink back against the wall of the broom cupboard. As she did so, her foot accidentally kicked a bucket, upsetting it and knocking over the mop that had been inside, sending it clattering hard to the floor. The noise seemed to fill the entire room, deafening her. If that had not given her away, her instinctive gasp of horror upon realizing the situation definitely had. The effeminate guard gasped in response, his reaction merely confirming what she already knew. She had been rumbled. It was over. There was nothing more she could do except stand there, trembling from head to foot, sweat pouring down her face and tears of regret welling up in her eyes as she waited to accept her inevitable fate…

BANG.

***

"I'm concerned," said Cobra, looking down into her mug of tea. "The last I heard from her, there was a guard chasing her. There was a loud bang, and then I haven't heard anything since. I don't think it was a gunshot, but… what if it was? What if she was shot, Kamui?"

Cobra and the detective were currently sat at a low table in the living room, wondering exactly what was happening over at Shinsuke HQ. The cup in her hands was the final result of her tea experiment - she liked her tea strong, and with no milk or sugar. That information no longer seemed important now.

Kamui's face was also concerned, but he was trying to keep calm. "We don't know that yet," he said, "but I have to admit, what you heard - and aren't hearing now - is pretty disturbing. But for now, all we can do is sit here and have faith that she's fine, and she'll get that data back to us."

"And how long are we supposed to do that for?" asked Cobra, getting agitated. "How long are we supposed to just sit and wait while our friend is in that building, captured or even killed? We have to do something!"

Kamui sighed, rubbing his temple. "I know," he said. "But we can't just barge straight in there. We need to think of a plan first, otherwise we'll just get ourselves killed."

Cobra let out an angry sigh. "You're right," she said bitterly. "God dammit. Well… we still can't wait forever. I'll give her until morning, and if she still hasn't come back, or responded or anything, then we go in. Sound fair?"

Kamui nodded. "Yeah. I'll let Hanako know."

***

Hanako, meanwhile, was sitting on the stairs, on the phone to her mother, who naturally was rather concerned that her daughter hadn't come home for almost 48 hours. Hanako was trying her best to reassure her that everything was okay.

"No, really, mom, I'm fine!" she said. "It's just that some stuff happened, and it's kinda bad, so I'm staying with some friends for a while until it all gets sorted out. It's nothing really."

"What kind of stuff?" asked Hanako's mother. "What is it that you're not telling me?"

"I can't tell you what I'm not telling you," said Hanako. "That's why I'm not telling you it."

"But why not?" asked Hanako's mother.

"Let's just say it could get all of you in serious trouble if you got involved," said Hanako. "Please just believe me: I wanna tell you, but I really can't!"

Hanako's mother sighed. "Okay, I'll trust you for now. You're old enough to look after yourself for a while at least. But could you at least tell me where you are, so I can come visit you? I'm sure Tetsuya and your father will want to see you as well."

"Okay, sure. I-"

"COME QUICK, YOU GUYS!" Cobra suddenly bellowed from the living room. "IT'S KIYOKO!"

Hanako, startled, promptly dropped the phone, while Kamui rushed into the living room. Sure enough, there was Kiyoko, staggering up the front drive towards the house. She didn't seem to be hurt, but she was clearly exhausted. As Hanako quickly made her excuses and ended the phone call, Kamui quickly opened the front door for Kiyoko, who staggered inside and slumped straight into Kamui's arms.

"Where have you been, Kiyoko?" asked Cobra. "We were so worried about you, we thought you'd been captured! What happened?"

Kiyoko let out a half-sigh, half-yawn, gazing bleary-eyed at the sofa. "I just wanna sleep…" she mumbled.

"Alright," said Kamui, slowly guiding her over to the sofa. "You've had a long, hard day. You can tell us all about it in the morning. Oh… but did you get the data?"

Kiyoko nodded sleepily, slipped a hand into her pocket, and pulled out the memory stick, which she gave to Kamui. "Thanks," said the detective. "We'll take a look at this in the morning. For now, I think we could all use some rest after today."

Kiyoko nodded again. She climbed onto the sofa, curling up on the seat, and was asleep within seconds. "Let's leave her to rest," said Cobra quietly. "She deserves it, after everything she's done today."

"Why?" asked Hanako, who had remained completely oblivious to all these goings-on. "What happened over at Shinsuke HQ?"

"I'll tell you once we're up in our room," said Cobra. "Let's go."

"Does that mean I get the single bed tonight?" asked Hanako, as the three of them ascended the staircase.

"Sure," said Cobra.

"Yay!" said Hanako excitedly.

"Quiet, you idiot!" hissed Cobra. "Kiyoko's asleep."

"Oh yeah," whispered Hanako sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Well, I'm glad to see that she's safe," said Kamui. "I wonder what actually did happen…"

***

BANG.

Kiyoko flinched instinctively at the noise before realizing it was merely the door of the broom cupboard slamming shut again. As she stood there, bewildered and terrified, she heard the guard's voice coming from the other side of the door. "This floor's clear. Over."

"Are you sure?" came the reply. "Did you check everywhere?"

"Yeah, I checked every inch," said the guard. "She's not on this floor." Kiyoko didn't hear the rest of their conversation, nor the guard's footsteps moving away afterwards, for at that precise moment, she breathed a sigh of relief and fainted, turning visible again as she collapsing to the floor of the broom cupboard with a thump.

It was only a few minutes before Kiyoko regained consciousness. Her immediate thought was to peek through the door of the broom cupboard, to check if it was okay to exit, before realizing that the security team may still be sweeping the building. If they weren't, then the employees may have already started filtering back into the building, and even if they couldn't see her, they could still see the door opening and closing by itself. She couldn't hear any footsteps outside, but she didn't want to take the risk, so she decided to simply remain in the cupboard, quiet as a mouse, until she was absolutely sure that it was safe to exit.

By the time the security search had ended, and the corridor had once more filled up with employees and emptied, it was almost sunset. Kiyoko opened the door a crack and peeked through to confirm that it was safe to leave, then turned invisible again and finally made her way back out into the corridor. As a Shinsuke employee made their way towards the elevator on her way home, Kiyoko followed her, slipping inside the elevator behind her and resting her back against the wall, barely restraining from letting out a sigh of relief as the mechanical doors began to close behind her. She was safe.