Musica, Clarence and Sora were talking seriously with their client. He had eyeglasses and in school uniform. By his looks, he must be a well-rounded student.
The student said, "I want you to find the names of the remaining assassins of Hades."
They were surprised to hear him said that. It was a week now since they first heard of Hades.
"How come you know about Hades?" Musica asked. "Can an ordinary student know that?"
"To tell the truth," the student said, lowering his head. "My brother might be one of those assassins." Tears were falling down from his eyes. "Please confirm if he is really a member."
>>>>>>> <<<<<<<
The same student was inside a fast food store, eating hamburger. Someone came to his table, smiling fiendishly.
"Who are you?" he asked softly.
"I'm Claire," she said. The one who approached him was indeed Claire.
"May I help you?"
"I'm an acquaintance of Musica from Argent Securities. I heard you want to know if your brother is one of Hades assassin."
"Yes, that's right!"
"Is Jonathan Webb the name of your brother?"
"Yes, that's him! How did you know?"
Claire looked sharply at his eyes. "I'll throw back the question to you. How did you know Hades?"
"Like I said before, I researched because I'm worried that my brother might be a member of it."
"But Hades is a secret organization. They just appear and reveal themselves to their target." She sharpened her stare more. "I am saying that you are a member of Hades."
"What?!" he exclaimed. "How can I be? I'm just a student."
"Ok, fine," she said, standing up. "Make sure you don't bump on me next time ahead."
She came out from that place. "I need to stop them from investigating Hades," she said to herself while walking down the street. "I've heard that they are the best group ever. I can't let them know about it."
Outside the said fast food, there was someone spying on Claire. He started when she came in there until she left. That person was none other than Musica.
"Who is this Claire, really?" he told himself. "She seems different now compare to the first time I met her. No, more than that. She seems like a complete different person. Like she's just...."
Suddenly, his phone rang. He picked it up. "Hello."
"Hi, Mr. Musica, I'm John, your client," answered the caller.
Musica peeked through the glass window. He saw the same student doing the telephone call. He still didn't show up to him even though he's just outside. "Yes? What can I do for you now?"
"Are you starting now with the investigation?"
"Yeah, my other partners are doing it now."
"I'm sorry. I'm canceling my request."
"Huh? Why?"
"I'm very wrong when I said that my brother might be a Hades assassin. Actually, he just phoned me an hour ago. Moreover, a girl came and told me that he really isn't one of them. I'm really sorry for wasting your time."
"Oh... it's fine," Musica replied, out-of-mind. He must be thinking of something.
"But I'll pay you the cancellation payment, personally. Can we meet at the Forest Park? 6:00 PM."
"At the Forest Park? Why in that place?"
"Actually, I'll be meeting my girlfriend there, so please just drop by."
"Ok, got it."
"Bye, Mr. Musica."
>>>>>> <<<<<<<
Claire was sitting on one of the stone benches at the Fountain Park. She was eating her favorite waffle, when all of a sudden, her phone rang.
"Hello?" she answered the call.
A big and rounded voice spoke, "I'm John Webb, the student whom you accused an assassin of Hades."
Her voice became firm. "I didn't accuse you without thinking twice. You should know what I mean."
"CLAIRE... that's the most famous name in Hades."
She didn't say a word.
"Why not just come to us at once?" he continued. "There won't be any threats on your life anymore. You want a peaceful life, don't you?"
"If you don't stop me, I will erase Hades at once."
"Can you do that? Even if you are considered the most formidable one in the whole Hades organization, I still doubt it."
"Do you want a proof?"
"Sounds interesting. At the Forest Park, 6:00 PM. I'm looking forward to it."
>>>>>> <<<<<<<<
The Forest park was a big place. There were benches facing the river. Musica was already there.
"The forest is unusually quiet. This is used to be crowded with people," he said, looking around.
After a while, Claire arrived at the said park. She stopped walking when she saw Musica from the farthest bench. "Isn't that Musica? What is he doing here?" She then saw the student walking near him. She walked to the right so she wouldn't be seen by them.
"Hello, Mr. Musica," greeted John.
Musica felt something different from John, like he was a different person now.
John started to speak, "I am Ni Shiro, an assassin of Hades."
"Hades?! What happened to John?" he furiously asked.
"John is just a name I used to introduce to you. That student really doesn't exist in this world."
"Then what do you want? Assassinate me?!"
Claire, on the other side of the forest, could clearly see and hear what's happening to them. "Is this a setup?" she said, as her eyes grew big. She cooled down herself and took a deep breathe. "Maybe... He set this up so that Musica would know who I really am." She then smirked. "So be it..."
Back to the two of them, Ni Shiro told him what he wanted to say.
"No," he started. "I just have something to tell..."
Musica calmed down. "About what?"
"About Claire. I know you also want to know who she really is, don't you?"
Musica's mouth left slightly opened. He was unable to say anything because it was the truth.
"She's the no. 1 target of Hades because we believe that she can strengthen our force with her skills and abilities."
Musica seemed to act normal now. "Eh? Why her of all people? What's with her, anyway? What is her ability than can strengthen your force?"
"She's more than meets the eye," he started. "Do you have any idea who poisoned Rachel Monde during your rescue?"
"No. Maybe someone outside the mansion."
"It's Claire."
"That's a lie. How could she? She had never touched her even with a finger."
"That sort of thing is a piece of cake for her. She's used in poisoning her enemy without even knowing that it was her who did it. That's one of the reasons why we want her to be our leader."
"I won't believe that!"
"It's not important if you believe it or not. But do you know what happened in her game with soccer? I'll tell the whole story. Those men weren't really going to fight soccer. It was a sword and gun fight, real ones. How was she able to survive, with just one scratch on her arm? She opened a box. Like a magic trick."
A long silence followed. Ni Shiro broke it. "But she really won't come to us, even though how much we tried. Her decision will never change. She said she would never join any organization even if we threaten her. We've been persuading her in any way, verbally and force, for a year now. She won't accept the position of being our Leader..."
Dark finally came and they are still on their places. Claire, on the other hand, was on a swing, swinging slowly. From afar, the previous assassin was now leaving. So was Musica.
>>>>>> <<<<<<
"Claire?" Musica asked when he met her alone on the playground.
"Hi," she greeted, staring sharply at him.
He acted normally, as if nothing had happened just a while ago between him and Ni Shiro. "Why are you here alone?"
She stood. "I'm waiting for you," she said while walking toward him.
"Eh?"
"I have something for you," she said, getting something from her backpack. "Please take it," she said, giving him a small box.
He took it. He then remembered what Ni told him: "She opened a box. Like a magic trick."
"What's this?" he asked her, looking at it.
"Open it for you to know," she replied, giving him a reassuring smile.
"I want to know what this thing is," he said to himself. He slowly opened the top cover of the box. He was expecting something to come out but none. He looked at her. "What is this?" Then suddenly, he felt his gut roaring in pain, as if his intestines where being pulled inside. He felt a sore pain travelling from his gut, to his chest, up to his head. His brain felt it's swirling. His consciousness felt he's riding on a raft under a raging stormy seas. His eyes turned black, dropped to his knees and fell facedown.
She coldly looked down at his unconsciousness body. "I need you to sleep for now," she said, walking away.
"Wait!" a male voice called out.
She stopped walking. Her eyes grew big upon recognizing the voice. Heart racing, she slowly looked back. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Bro...?"
Clarence and Sora had just arrived to Musica's place. Sora was waking him up but he couldn't hear him. "He's breathing. He's just lost consciousness."
Clarence was walking toward Claire. His always clear and kind stare suddenly became furious. But still, he remained his calm and cool.
Claire's hands were slightly shaking in fear. She was trying to make a step backward.
"What did you do to Musica, Claire?" he asked. His angry voice was still trying to be calm.
"Bro... Why are you here?"
"I'm asking you. What did you do to him?"
"I just let him sleep," she said.
"And leave him out in the cold?"
A little annoyed, she turned her head away.
>>>>>>> <<<<<<<
Musica was sleeping on his bed. He was now breathing normal.
Clarence, sitting by the window, was talking to Claire in the living room. She was sitting on the sofa, with her head down.
He started, "Tell me why you tried to hurt him."
"Actually," she started to say. "I did that without thinking twice. I lost control of myself again... Are you mad at me, bro?"
He remained his back against her. "That's not the answer I want to hear. What did he do for you to lose control of yourself?"
"Because, he was talking to someone, who told him about me..."
"I know. He was talking to a Hades assassin. But I can't still understand why. So what if he told him of who you are?"
She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I just really lost my temper... And I admit, this is my bad side." The tone of her voice was almost crying.
He finally turned to her. He walked forward and sat beside her. She still had her head lowered. She was clenching her fist on her lap.
"You should be saying that to him," he said softly.
She nodded.
"He's not in danger, right?" he said.
Her head was still down. "It's just a poisonous gas made of dangerous plants and mushrooms. I've already given him the antidote. He'll recover tomorrow."
There was a long silence between them. Clarence turned his head toward her. He gazed sideward at her. He felt a little pain growing inside him. He turned to her and embraced her. "I'm sorry, Claire..." he said sincerely. "We've just met and then I am this pushing you away and making you feel alone. I'm really sorry..."
She felt relieved now. She smiled and embraced him back. "I'm really sorry. I'll make it up to him."
>>>>><<<<<<
Musica who was already fully recovered from the gas poisoning of Claire a week ago, was walking on the Fountain Park. He saw children playing sand in the playground. He suddenly remembered something when he saw two little girl and boy putting sand inside a transparent bottle.
He smiled. "It's so peaceful."
When he looked back, he saw Claire by the waffle stall. He approached her. "Hi there." he greeted.
Claire looked at him. "Oh, it's you. Hello," she said flatly. She then took the waffles she bought. "You want some?" she offered.
"Ah, sure," he replied as he took it.
"I'm sorry, by the way," she said sincerely.
He shook his head and smiled. "Don't sweat it. I'm used to life-threatening moments, anyway."
She nodded and smiled a little. "Take care of your life," she said, waving a hand and started leaving.
He watched her walking away. He then realized something. He raised the waffle and said, "Thanks for this!"