“Fifty one!–Fifty two!–Fifty three!–aghh!” Himari jumps down off a pull up bar

(“Why do I feel so sick?”) the woman thinks wiping the sweat off her face with a towel,

Being completely and utterly powerless is Himari had not before felt,

For Lyra, Apollo and even Kage, magical powers and abilities were something to be figured out

But for people like Himari, it was something to be feared,

The feeling of all your muscles being frozen to the point that no matter how hard you willed it you couldn’t move, you couldn’t even scream for help

Just stand still,

Waiting for the inevitable rain of fire….

(“I need to stop thinking about this”)

……

****

(“It’s always one thing after the other with me.”)

“So, because of that, you will once again have to–

–Ms. Nara are you listening to me?” Kiefer pauses noticing the girl absent minded stare

“Sorry chief my mind slipped, it won’t happen again,”

“It’s ok, I heard you were by the medical examiner for a while today,

Are you sure you did not sustain any serious injuries while in the Caribbean?”

“I did not sir,”

“Always remember that your job is observation and not getting involved with the actual conflict,

Now back to what I was saying,

Even though Apollo and Lyra were supposed to make contact with us upon arriving on the Plastic Beach, they clearly haven’t, so you are to go over to the beach house as usual and check up on them, we have also learnt that Kage has recovered already,”

“Very well sir, but may I ask,

What about the issue with the leader of Madvillainy?”

“I believe the chairman wants to send them back after him as soon as possible,”

“As soon as possible?

Why are the board of leaders so desperate to put down this organization now?”

“I think it’s something about them taking over international sea trade routes,” Kiefer scratches the back of his head

“Pirates also do that, and we haven’t been immediately acting against them,”

“If you don’t want to go with them another person can replace you as supervisor you know?” Kiefer suggests kindly

“No it’s ok, plus I don’t think they would allow anyone else,

They’ve gotten used to me,”

(“For better or for worse”)

….

****

{“Damn I never thought of you to be like that Himari,”}

“Do you want me to hang up on you MF?”

{“What am I supposed to say to that?

I’m sorry, congratulations, life am I right?”}

“Sometimes how we became friends,” sighs Himari

{“We were the youngest persons working together and we also knew each other from school so it was a logical friendship,”}

“Thanks, just what I needed you to remind me of something I already know,”

{“No need to get so cranky mommy–”}

–Bleep!

Abruptly cancelling the call Himari pulls her car into the driveway of the beach house,

The sun just fresh from setting leaves behind a burst of pink and orange colors in the diming sky,

Himari briefly glances at it as she makes her way up the stairs into the house.

…….

“You’re lying!” Apollo and Lyra exclaim in unison

“It’s true,” Kage replies

“Do you know how long ago our time in Tonbu was?” Lyra says

“I really doubt that was the last time you ate,” Apollo chimes in

“We technically I did just eat that pizza, but before that yes,

I kind of forgot to eat,”

“That’s not even possible Kage,” Apollo shakes his head disbelieving

“Maybe you are a robot after all,” teases Lyra

(“How can they be joking around after everything,”) thinks Himari agitatedly

“Is this what you three were doing, while ignoring calls as usual?”

“Huh?” three pairs of eyes on focus on the lady clambering down then stairs into the living room

“Well, if isn’t Apollo’s favorite kind of night,” Lyra smiles mischievously

“Aww!”

He gives the girl a hard shove causing her to tumble off the couch

“Himari, good, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something important,” starts Apollo

“…I have something important I would like to say as well,”

“Why are you speaking so formally?”

“Can we speak privately?”

“This is as private as it gets Himari,”

“I mean away from Lyra and the pirate,”

(I am never beating the pirate allegations)

Apollo gives Lyra and I a confused look before gesturing Himari towards the rooms

“She acting strange today,” Lyra gingerly gets up

“I would think it’s because of what happened on Contigo,” I reply

“Also are you going to take that hit from Apollo?”

“What are trying to win Kage, a medal for instigation?

I’m not fighting Apollo,”

“If I did that to you, you’d already be on me by now,”

“Well, that’s because I can beat you, Apollo would destroy me,”

….

“So, you only pick easy fights?”

“I pick fights I’ll win,”

“What about Karina you always picked fights with her and lost,”

“Karina used her cheat magic to mute all her actions, if I had her fair and square,”

“If that’s the case then how do you plan on killing your brot–Brand–Satan, I don’t you will get a fair fight out of him,”

“The next time we meet I guarantee you he will die, I still have a trump card left,” Lyra says this solemnly rather than gloatingly

“Now I’m curious to know what it is,”

“It isn’t something I can do yet, not until I get all my preparations in place,”

“Preparations? So, it’s not just a powerful attack,” I joke

Lyra’s mood seems to have changed since bringing up the topic from her usual passive aggressive banter, the girl slips into a dissociative thought

“Maybe...

I should just get it over with now,” She mumbles locking eyes with me

(Why the sudden shift in attitude)

“Do you know how to drive Kage?”

“I don’t know, but it doesn’t seem unfamiliar to me, though I don’t remember trying before,”

“A simple yes or no would suffice.”

“Yes.”

(I think)

“Ok, then let’s go,”

“Where?”

(What’s happened all of a sudden)

“Come on get up Kage,

I’ll show you a good time.”