"Mom, why are you always talking about Isamu so much. Sensei said I did a good job today so I want some praise too!" I pestered to my mother one night before she tucked me in.
"Oh, Rei. Momma showers you with praise enough," she would say in a soothing tone. "It's just that your mom misses their stubborn little brother," I recalled my mother chuckle after saying that. As her soft hands caressed my sullen cheeks I remember looking up at her eyes. Her auburn gaze seemed distant and away, as if she were recalling a faraway memory.
That was nine years ago; today I meet that very same man my mother would always sing praises for.
"Hmm, and who might you be?" Isamu asked, bringing me back to the present.
"Oh, so you don't recognize me from my face alone? And here I thought the you'd recognize me on the spot."
I rummaged through her pockets and brought out an I.D encased in a small plastic cover and showed it to him.
"My name is Rei Sato, daughter of Akami Sato and your sister Himari Nobuyuki." I announced, showing him my New Ragna Student I.D.
He took a few steps forward and bent over as his eyes gleaned over the student I.D.
"Do you think you could hold still," Isamu commented. "I can't really read it if you keep on shaking."
"You don't think I'm not trying to?"
"Tch, did you get your tone from your father?"
He stood up straight and looked me in the eyes.
"You came a lot quicker than I anticipated though."
He then looked over at Amanda.
"Give us some space, I wish to welcome my dearest niece in private."
She quickly nodded her head and rushed out of the booth towards the office's security checkpoint located next to the glass doorway which separated the lobby from the main office.
Isamu stared at Amanda frantically swiping her ID to open the doorway before turning his attention on Rei.
"So, I presume you're not here for an autograph." he joked.
"If I was really that interested, I could always steal the one hung upon in the Sato Mansion library."
He scoffed," As if that piece of junk has any value."
"But since it's older, wouldn't it be considered more valuable than if you were to write and sell an autograph now-"
"Shut it," he said, flicking Rei in the forehead. "I know that's not why you're here."
I recoiled backwards, rubbing the wound vigorously with my fingers, "You do?"
"I'll cut right to the chase: I presume you want my help to search for my missing sister?"
I immediately froze. "You already knew she was missing?"
I was confused. No one outside of the main Sato family should've known my mother had disappeared; the operation we were working on was top secret information that no one besides a select few knew existed.
His eye twitched at my response.
"Of course, I always keep tabs on what the main family is doing," he turned towards the glass barrier and glanced towards the office. "Though I would like to continue this conversation, It's not safe to talk about these matters in such a public area. May we continue this in my office?"
I looked past him and into the office space past the glass security point. Rows of office cubicles and desks populated the vast expanse that I could see. Various workers in pristine tuxedos and luxury dresses roamed the space, chatting with their co-workers with smiles embedded on their faces.
"Eh, am I even allowed back there?"
"If anyone were notice, do you think they'd object?" he then walked up to the scanner and pressed his hand onto it.
'Welcome Isamu Sato.' a robotic voice echoed out as the glass doors unlocked with a loud thunk.
As the glass doors slowly opened up, Isamu stepped aside and gestured his arms towards the office space.
"After you."
I slowly crept forward towards the doorway. As I inched closer, incandescent specks of light flashed and danced in front of me, and I could hear a sort of ethereal noise glistening from the space inside the glass frame. Almost instinctively, I reached out towards the beckoning dots of light, and as soon as my fingertips touched them, reality cracked before my very eyes.
The office space that was once right in front of me fractured, creating thick and wide cracks that cascaded up and down until finally, it shattered. A million bits and pieces of illusory shards swept past me, tickling my face as they disappeared. The office space that I had thought was there was gone, and in its wake laid an entirely different room.
Instead of being a small space laden with desks and chairs, the real room was a vast expanse that was maybe 100 yards in diameter. It seemed that we were in some sort of dome-like structure. The greyish dome had four large tunnels on each of side of the structure that led to other parts of the building, but the room that we were in was rather barren. Besides the giant insignia plastered right in the middle of the room, there was almost nothing in the area except for passing-by groups of people and occasional trash cans.
"How did we get here?" I asked in a rather confused tone.
Isamu walked up to my side and patted me on the shoulder, "Legally, I'm not allowed to share," he then looked and me and leaned in close enough to whisper. "But it took seven of the best illusory augmenters in the world to create that barrier; normal citizens wouldn't even be able to pass through the barrier."
"So is that office from earlier a real place or just full of illusions?" I whispered back.
"Hmm, there's no fun in being told everything. You'll have to figure out that one on your own."
He straightened his stance and cleared his throat.
"Anyways, welcome to the New Ragna Department of Security Undercrofts." he exclaimed with a dazzling smile.
I turned and spun around, gazing and studying every piece of the environment around me.
"So, where is your office?" I asked bluntly.
Isamu gave a disappointed look, "So you don't want to look around?"
"As much as I would love to, I have class in a couple hours; I don't have the luxury to explore right now."
"Hmph, straight to the point without any intermission," the lines on his lips tightened. "Just like your father."
He then walked forward towards the 2nd tunnel with long and quick strides, and I quickly jogged to catch up with him.