Syon kept silent. Moving her hand to her side, she rummaged through her robe. Ichi got chills of either excitement or fear, he couldn't tell the difference anymore as Syon pulled out a tiny notebook instead of the glove. A girly notebook, pink, with a magical girl drawn on it. There was a pen clipped by its handle through the rungs of the notebook, a blue gel ink pen. Syon opened the notebook, looking through the pages. Then, she wrote something down, neatly, as if inscribing it in stone.

Syon flipped back through the pages, Ichi saw her eyes dancing over the page. Ichi finally took the hint, Syon wouldn't tell him a thing. He'd be sure to grill Grandpa for all he's worth when he gets home.

"Grandpa will be mad at me for staying out so late. When I tell him it was with twins, will he forgive me?"

Ichi moaned out in the silence.

"Please - give me more time. You are fearsome scary. If I say the wrong thing - then our relationship will sour."

"No, no, our relationship is the worst it could possibly be, Idiyon, and I'd leave town this second if it were possible solely because I know someone like you exists."

Syon flipped the notebook shut, putting it down at her side on the floor. She pointed the pen at Ichi.

"Do you believe you are the only one who is trapped?"

Syon said in a flat tone. Ichi's nose didn't detect any feeling behind those words. Instinct begged him to ask the question that came to mind, and Ichi didn't deny his instincts.

"How many people are trapped? Is Idiyon trapped?"

Syon averted her eyes.

"First question - cannot estimate with total human population. Here - this town - at Rikya house where we go to school - there are six people. Does that answer the second question - Ichi Danzaburo?"

Ichi grunted.

"You're content to live like that?"

Syon smiled. It reminded Ichi of when Syon patted Myon's head.

"This is the most wonderful place on Earth. I travel a lot for work. I enjoy work. It is hard - but satisfying."

Ichi stared into her smiling eyes. This isn't the time, Ichi thought, to do anything about this mess in front of me. This is a cosmic entity of uncertain density, I may need to learn astrophysics to comprehend her basic speech.

Fight or Flee? Ichi asked himself, and he chose flee, hard.

"I'd really like to be getting on my way home now, it's late." Ichi went to rise.

"Please - another three minutes. We must discuss Renya. That was my intent from the start."

Standing on the pillow, Ichi pointed at Syon.

"You sure have a roundabout way of going about it, Idiyon."

"I want to help. I will subdue Renya with my Sil-"

"You ain't doing anything for me, ever. Can I go now?"

Syon looked like she was about to cry. Ichi felt the urge to punch rising. That wouldn't end well, Ichi thought, and I bet I'd feel guilty in the morning.

Syon wiped her eyes with her sleeve, sighing out and breathing in deep like a monk about to meditate.

She caught his gaze.

"I will not allow you to die."