Lorelai gave to Ryoko the misterious item and she was surprised to find out that it was just a mary-go-round toy.
At first she made a eye contact with Lorelai like as she was about to say: " Is this some kind of joke" but after a while she understood that it wasn't a mistake.
Mary-go-round toy was actually the dangerous object they were hiding.
Ryoko started to look carefully the town but nothing about it seemed suspicious untill..
While she was looking at the toy she noticed that Marie's eyes were.. familiar
Her eyes were wide and blue but still they seemed pretty familiar actually she had seen them some times ago.
She pulled the toy closer to herself and made a eye contact wth it for a few seconds.
While looking at her eyes Ryoko was not looking anymore her reflection at them but she was seeing.. a little girl.
She seemed scared and her hands, neck, whist and legs were with chains.
Ryoko wanted to try talk to her but she didn't say a word or Lorelai and Yuto would think she was crazy.
" I wished I could talk to her so I'll be sure it isn't some games of my imagination" though Ryoko.
" Please help me"
Ryoko heard a voice in her head and she freezed.
Was it a voice of her head or the girl she saw was really trying to communicate with her?
"Why can't no one listen me, please help me"
Ryoko heard again that voice and now she was sure it wasn't just a coincidence.
" Is my special power really showing? Maybe I can read people's thoughs" though Ryoko
She breathed deeply and decided to try to communicate with the girl.
She had read once a book about telepathy and had tried it many times but this was the first time it was really working.
" It's time to find out i guess.." though Ryoko and closed her eyes.
" Hey are you okay?" though Ryoko
For some moments she didn't hear anything until..
" YOU CAN LISTEN ME?" shouted little girl excited
" Yeah i can hear you.. I listened your call for help. What is your problem?" asked Ryoko little girl
" My problem.. my problem is a really big one" said little girl and her voice seemed as she was about to cry
" What is it" asked Ryoko again
" My problem is you... Ryoko Hinode. Last time I saw you I couldn't eat your Spirit, sadly I'm really hungry and you destroyed my hope for a tasty meal. When you'll save from Toshiba l'll eat your spirit someday" said little girl with a creepy but happy tone.
Ryoko was super confused. She didn't remember this girl and why did she wanted to eat her spirit?
Wait was she...?
" You are the girl a saw in the drawer!" said Ryoko shocked.
" Yes Ryoko Hinode that's me. You saved this time but no for so long hehehe.."
Little girl grined and her eyes suddenly became red. She started laughing like a psycho and Ryoko decided to interrupt the contract with her.
" Drop the act Akari you know you'll never eat her" said Yuto
" Oh Yuto let me have some fun, it's really boring here" said Akari with a sad tone
" You should have thought that before eating 30000 people's spririts" said Yuto serious.
" Okay, okay but don't think it'll end here. I'll save from here as Airi did hehe.. " said Aiko and dissapiared.
" What the hell is happening" said Ryoko shocked.
" This was just a illustration of a shinigami. We countdowners are responsible even for these annoying creatures. We keep them inside these "drawers" which has power to control them. Everything was okay until some months ago someone entered our mainson and surprisely opened the drawer. I'm sure it's the hypnotic because only three persons can make a shinigami their slave: countdowners, hypnotic and a person who has itself a shinigami inside.
If that person had a shinigami inside people would remember him but as you said none of victim or their relatives remember him.
We need your help to find him and to stop these massacre before it's to late" said Yuto
Ryoko had Heard before about shinigami and they really weren't nice creatures. She herself had a Shinigami inside and sometimes it was pretty hard to control it.
" What can I do to help you" said Ryoko
" In the competition you'll go to the most dangerous places in kingdom. In each place is a gem which can give you a special power but not everyone can control gem's power. Since you can control a Shinigami that easy it won't be a problem for you to control gem's power i guess.
If you eat those gems before hypnotic find them everything will be okay.
You are the first person i have seen to control for so long her shinigami in such a mature age" said Lorelai
" So that means you will help me in the competition" said Ryoko
" Yes Yuto will be in your team and will hepl you to win this competition only if you help us to. You are really strong and have the right skills but each one of competitiors have a great team and are experts in their special power while you are starting to discover them. If you accept it's a win- win fir all" said Lorelai
Ryoko wasn't sure but Lorelai was right. She was just descovering her powers while other might gave trained years to inprove them.
Her team was good but she had seen others competitiors squad and they looked really prepared.
Having Yuto in her team would be a miracle for her since not everyone could have a countdowner in their team.
" I accept. If Yuto helps me win this competition I'll eat all of gems" said Ryoko
Lotelai smiled and hugged Ryoko tight.
" Great! Now eveything is as it should be but before celebration you must do a test" said Lorelai
" What test" asked Ryoko
" Don't you want to meet Akari" saud Lorelai
" Oh not again" though Ryoko but now was late
She was involved in this mess and she didn't have a option at all.