"See you again Thundering Blade!" Sinop and Synop bade as they left the guild.
"They come out during the day… Sunlight was never their weakness I guess," Fumeko pondered aloud.
Jotou unsealed the envelope and brought out the neatly folded letter whilst outside the guild entrance.
Fumeko was quick to notice the incoming and outgoing traffic, "We need to move before Jotou gets swarmed."
"Hm… I never anticipated we'd have to face fame so quickly, but we need to disguise ourselves; at least Jotou. There's a reason we don't spot the Lexokodac so easily," Hotaru advised.
"Like a costume!?" Asobi giddied.
Fumeko ushered Jotou forward whilst Jotou read the letter. "We could get some new clothes, that's true," Hotaru agreed.
Asobi swished her wand and pointed it towards Jotou. With sparkles and butterflies popping out, Jotou's hair changed to a bright pink; Jotou looked up as the spell whizzed past her vision.
Hotaru tilted her head, "Or that."
"Pink? Really? As if the golden blonde wasn't a beacon enough. Make it black or something dark, the opposite," Fumeko ordered.
"Right-Right! Can do!" Asobi nodded, flourishing her wand once more to turn the pink into raven black, just like her own.
Jotou blinked, "I mean you can just make us invisible, but whatever can I read the letter now?"
"Sure, sure," they were preoccupied with their surroundings. Indeed, some attention did die down as they walked through the streets.
"Dear Ms Howllett,
I was shocked to receive word from the mayor that you would wish to visit us. I knew it was inevitable given your recent history post-mortem, but from the mayor himself was not expected.
Your feats have not gone unheard and can only be described as a phenomenal anomaly. I understand you may have many questions that wish to be answered.
I hope you will accept this invitation directly from me. If you had requested anybody else, I suspect this would have gone past my eyes and given to a subordinate.
I wish to have a pleasant chat, exchange information—answers for answers so that we can expedite the ending of this case. I shall meet you personally at the Ordinate's headquarters at fifteen-hundred hours.
We have many things to discuss.
With Regards,
-Kor Azveal, Acting Chief of the Maleficos Ordinate, Kria Sector."
Jotou gave the letter to Hotaru who reached her hand over. "It's like you're a magnet for higher-ups," Hotaru said in disbelief.
"I think it has something to do with Fumeko's boon," Jotou replied.
"You're welcome," said a smug Fumeko.
"We have to wait fifteen-hundred hours? That's like… uh… twenty days, or something, but why so long?" Asobi questioned while Fumeko rolled her eyes.
Jotou peered over to her, "Sobi, fifteen-hundred hours means three in the afternoon," she gave an amused grin.
"Ooooohhh, got it…" she did not get it.
"Well, we have time to spare. We can run some errands, the Krialin Station is there forever. I say we go there before heading over to the headquarters," Hotaru plotted.
"Errands? Where else do you wanna go?" Jotou enquired.
_
Jotou opened the curtain, a tie neck blouse in white and a pleated black skirt she wore.
Hotaru waved her hand at Asobi, "Get rid of the illusion, we're in private," she told. Asobi dispelled the colour.
The blonde's face like that of a child's that's been dragged to a wedding.
"You know, when you said, 'Let's go to the Raftings; it's the westmost part of Kria and has the best imports!' I was imagining something important we needed to buy…" Jotou grumbled.
"This is important, you need to look the best. You need to have more clothes anyway, not hand-me-downs from the guild," Hotaru stated.
The four of them were in a shopping district, with clothing rooms in almost every store. High quality crops from around the world, fine silks to weave fingers through and splash works of art were not a rare sight here.
Asobi got up from the seat, hopping over to Jotou, looking her up and down, "She looks so pretty!!! Don't you think so Meko!?"
Fumeko—wearing the same expression of Jotou whilst sitting next to Hotaru—took a glance. Fumeko's eyes glittered for a second, while Jotou was forced to try on clothes by Hotaru.
"…Jotou looks pretty in anything, can we move on now?" Fumeko's gaze darted away, bits of red blushing under her eyes that acted aloof.
"She does, doesn't she," Hotaru's head tilted, her tail wagging unbeknownst to her till she returned to reality and took control. "I mean, you need to look good for your ID photo, right?"
'I don't know whether I should be flattered or embarrassed. I'm not much of a model.' Jotou looked at her hand… 'Then again, I am in a beautiful body… What am I talking about, snap out of it.'
"Speaking of things that look good," Jotou caught their attention proper, "We have other attire we need to get."
_
"Here you are, thirty for you and fifteen for you," the blacksmith listed the price to Jotou then Hotaru as he handed over their enchanted gear.
They were placed in bags as Hotaru took them, paying her fee. Jotou looked to Hotaru, knowing she did not have thirty gold from her share, "It's no big deal," Hotaru assured.
Before Hotaru could reach into her purse, the blacksmith gazed to Jotou, "Even with the black hair, your face doesn't leave my memory.
You said something about not having the funds last time, right?" he asked.
"Yeah…"
"I may have an alternate payment option."
"Here we go," Hotaru shook her head.
"What? It's an extra thirty gold. You're, the Thundering Blade now, aren't you? All I'm asking for is that I get to promote my business, saying I made the armour for the Thundering Blade; I'm getting the worse deal here," he grinned.
Jotou glanced to Hotaru once more… "It's your choice. I have no issue using the party funds; make the call," she stated.
Jotou peered to him… 'He just wants bragging rights. He'd probably make a lot more than thirty gold if I say yes. There's no reason to bite into the party funds either. It's the easiest choice; a win-win.'
"It's a deal," Jotou put her hand out, shaking on their agreement, a verbal contract made.
"Don't be afraid to flaunt it Jotou; this is what fame is like," Fumeko sided.
"How would you know?" Hotaru asked.
"I have to prepare when I get awarded for being the greatest detective ever," Fumeko flipped her hair.
"Let's drop stuff off at our house, then go to the station. Two hours before our appointment," Hotaru checked the bluish-silver wristwatch she bought.
On carriages they travelled, all the way back home to lighten their load; they stored their cold items in an ice house in their cabinets. "At least the guild had refrigerators," Fumeko grumbled.
Hotaru stepped out of her room, standing in the hall, wearing her enchanted armour.
Blue corset, lighter blue skirt, sky-blue crop top all shimmering a brighter and more brilliant blue like her eyes. The sleeves, like a scarf or ribbons that twirled down her arms where they became translucent and glittered blue.
"Mmmm…" Hotaru hugged herself, "How long have I waited for enchanted armour."
"So pretty!" Asobi cheered on the sofa, her legs swinging in the air.
"She looks…" Fumeko looked away, "Okay," she underplayed.
"Would it kill you to compliment me?" Hotaru's hand went to her waist.
Fumeko sighed, "You look really nice, okay? I still don't have any special clothes. Even Asobi has five hundred of the same outfit."
"Maybe if you started practicing your magic or learning how to fight, you'll get armour," Hotaru shrugged.
Fumeko was about to grumble, but she had to accept that fact, "Fine, I'll try to learn magic," she held out a little hope.
"Good."
"There's a lot of spells to teach!" Asobi fell off, cartwheeling to stand. Just as she did the closed room door opened; the blonde stepped out in whites, blacks and yellows.
"How do I look?" Jotou presented herself. Black leggings going down to brown boots, a white dress-like top that came down till her upper thigh.
Over it was flexible black fabric that went till the collar and from her arms to her wrists; over that, a yellow coat protected her shoulders, leaving little skin to be shown across her shoulder.
The yellow coat swayed down till the knees as she walked; it had pockets to the side and markings to show the layers of armour. The symbol of the Maleficos Ordinate on the inner side of her coat to show the enchantments.
Hair in a ponytail, sword to her side, eyes smiling—she gave a bright smirk in her padded and enchanted armour that sparkled a smidgen.
'I always wanted armour. And I'm holding an actual sword. Wearing this, I feel like an actual warrior! Like I have the confidence to take on the world; you better watch out velatos.' Her smile grew deeper.
Hotaru admired for a second, "You look like a proper adventurer. Though, the other clothes we bought made you look fancier," she pondered.
"Don't listen to her Jotou, you look awesome," Fumeko smiled, giving a thumbs up.
"Thanks; I feel awesome," Jotou's hand jittered, goosebumps under her gear as she resisted the urge to jump in joy.
"You know what I meant," Hotaru scoffed.
Butterflies appeared behind Jotou, a shining spotlight above her head while smoke covered her feet, "Introducing… the THUNDERING BLADE!!!" Asobi exclaimed.
_
"SNAP!" The camera flashed; her eyes went blurry for a few seconds. She got up, the photo being printed as it was taken.
Asobi held it in her hand, the photo of herself had her teeth almost flashing all of the light back. "I am officially from Kria!" she held her ID in the air.
"I mean… you're a citizen now, you're still, not 'from here'," Hotaru rationalized.
Jotou's ID was finished being printed. The soft turquoise card kept in between two layers of plastic before being handed over. The details including eye colour, date of birth and such beside a black and white picture.
Fumeko slowly was beginning to bend hers. "Hey!" Hotaru shouted, "Don't spoil that!"
"This is my second ID card, I know what to do with it," Fumeko said as the pressure created a little white line in the plastic.
"What were we supposed to put in our date of birth?" Asobi glanced over Hotaru's shoulder.
"Um… your birthday?" Jotou answered whilst walking over with her freshly printed ID.
"Right… the day you hatch from an egg; what if you don't remember that?" Asobi's eyes narrowed.
"He didn't even give you a fake birthday…? It's fine for now, don't worry about it," Hotaru stated.
"Hold up, Asobi, do you… actually think you hatched from an egg?" Fumeko had her fingers on the bridge of her nose.
Asobi looked bewildered, "Chickens come from eggs."
"Do you look like a chicken?"
"No," Asobi replied, "I look like a Asobi." She put the wand to her face, making her face look like rooster, "Now I look like a chicken!"
Jotou pressed her lips together, "Let's go to the Ordinate shall we…"
"One moment," Fumeko interrupted and hopped over to the front desk, "Where's Commissioner Wellers?" she asked the Krialin working.
"Not here, working elsewhere I don't need to tell you," she answered.
Fumeko hummed, "Too bad. If you see him, relay a message to him please. Say that, I, Fumeko Namora is in the party with the Thundering Blade and my detective skills are helping solve the Velatos Caaaaaasssee-!"
Jotou dragged her away, exiting the Krialin station.