E T E R N I T Y | H E R E | W E | A R E

Hanako looked around and was not really paying any attention. All she did was waiting for Shadin to come up with the criminal. What she saw on the ground was a lone notebook. It was completely out of place for Hanako and she believed to be something to investigate. She walked back to the shop and looked into the back room for something. Apparently, there was no back room and she cannot go downstairs. She has to risk it. She walked back to the notebook and knelt before it. She hummed in thoughts as she picked up the notebook and read the content. "Letter K? Letter R? What is this?" Hanako questioned herself while looking through the pages. It must be some kind of a puzzle and Hanako thought someone else is also involved. Shadin should know about this, but she is unsure if it is someone more powerful. Either someone was powerful or just crazy to play this type of game.


Hanako pulled out her cellphone and does her own research by using Yuudeshi's Network that always has been useful to her bounty hunting needs. Knowing that she is licensed to use it for profile research, she primarily used it to research about who is it that she is hunting. For this one, it is an exception since it is a matter of Shadin's good. Since he helped her get Clause, she has to repay him for his assistance by helping him get initial awareness about who is it that he is going against. The network replied with, "Kokuryuteishi Ruby Cross Commander." According to its alliance connection, the Kokuryuteishi is not in good terms with her employer's organization, the Iramasha Clan. Considering that the person is a commander, she has to be on her toes about him. She used her cellphone to take a picture of each page and send it with a text to Shadin, warning him of the new threat. After that, she discarded the notebook and looked at the rooftops.

Powerful people have a habit of being in high places. It gives them a good view of the field and it gives them the advantage of having gravity boost the power of their projectile attacks to possibly terminal speed. Not only that, it is a defensive benefit to be in higher grounds because gravity also slows down any projectile going up, thus diminishing the damage threat quickly. Hanako ran to a nearby shack to avoid any projectile, however it can alert the commander that she is now aware of his presence and already warned Shadin. She used her cellphone, so the commander is already aware of that and could be going after her to use to either use her as a hostage or to kill her so she will not warn anyone else about him.

With her pistol still holstered, she waits for Shadin to get the message and reply to her. However, she heard footsteps coming from her left. Her back was against the shack's wall and she looked to her left. She quietly readies herself to counter attack if the enemy was trying to attack her from her flank. With her brigandine gloves on, her punches will be quite painful to humans, though spirits would feel half of it due to the materials in her gloves are not silver. "Hello." A friendly voice reached her ears and it left her in a short while enigma as to what is going on. Curious that an ally would come shortly after she mostly deciphered a notebook puzzle. Could that guy be the Ruby Cross Commander? Hanako has to see for herself. The fight did scare off most of the bystanders, so that eliminated the possibility of a survivor. Either an ally or the Ruby Cross Commander...Hanako has to make a quick call.

Hanako pulled her pistol out and quickly rushed the corner. Hoping the shadow will make it a sneak attack and the rush will daze the potential Ruby Cross Commander long enough to put him under her mercy, she grabbed onto the nearest person's collar and leaned forward to push him against the wall. At the same time, she has her pistol pressing against his forehead. The action would guarantee that she will have the opponent under her mercy for interrogation, but Hanako still risk exposing herself to that opponent if he is keenly aware that the size difference favored him and he would have thrown her off. "Who are you?! Are you the Ruby Cross Commander?! Don't lie because it is rather coincidental that you came around after I deciphered the notebook's entirety! And I don't believe in coincidence!" Hanako growled, implementing a fear tactic that is used to scare the enemy into giving information. If her catch was able to tell that she cannot shoot, Hanako is in trouble.

In the dark and believed that she has the advantage, Hanako kept her game face on so the person she caught would not take advantage over her. Her pistol shined with what little light shown upon it while the glare from the pistol's luster reflected in Hanako's eyes, giving off a starry appearance like she is from another world. When she does not get the answer, she pulled the fellow and shoved him back against the wall and press the pistol harder against his forehead. "Well?! Confess!" She demanded harshly, sure that she caught the Commander when he did not expected it.

Being pushed to the ground, Hanako felt his strength was a tad more than his appearance provided. Plus he has no fear when a normal human would have trembled by the shock and awe tactic. Hanako added things up, but what she needed to know if he really is one. "Do you like a gun pointed at your head? Well I don't. I come here to get a few things return to my home farther away in the outskirts and be happy." The suspect spoke. Rather eccentric for someone who is dressed like a city folk. Hanako was not born yesterday, since she already met most of the poor here during her last month's concert in the Outskirts. "But no as I'm getting my things, a electric shock comes through, kills a ton of people and leaves others running away. Since I seemed the most capable person around, I came to investigate." He explained. This guy seemed to be very observant. To know that much without asking about it, he must been somewhere high up when it happened. Normally, the Yuudeshi's SCU would be the first to isolate the area so they can conduct investigations. Plus that guy did not show up in the archive for officials, thus making him unable to investigate without the SCU interfering him. "I expected a hollow, but no I get a girl with a gun pointed at my head." He concluded. That is a dead giveaway. All humans who are able to see spirits and have powers are required to be registered for public security.

Hanako raised onto her feet and secretly enters, "YG" into her cellphone, but did not send it. Instead, she put it on hidden draft. To hide that, she gave an angry glare at her cellphone while she is trying to access it. "Great...it's busted! Thanks for breaking it!" Hanako scorned as she toss it to the side like it is trash. Hanako knows that her cellphone is a lot tougher than she gave credit just now, so if she was killed or captured, Shadin and his unit will find her cellphone and use it to find out who did it. "I think the Kokuryuteishi was involved in this matter. I recently found a notebook and learned it was from the Ruby Cross Commander. The electrical discharge was a cover for something bigger...like a bomb or something." Hanako explained while turning her back on him and examine the dirt that was disturbed by the electrical discharge and the panic. Hanako has taken a big risk by doing that alone, but she knows that the SCU would be watching over her and will take him down if he tried anything to her. However, it is not always the case. She has not seen the SCU before, but heard of their deeds. There is no telling if the SCU is really present to get her out of the jam. That is why she left evidence for Shadin just in case. "I may have to tell Shadin Yuudeshi about the findings in person since my only connection to Yuudeshi Network was that cellphone you broke." Hanako concluded. She spoke like she really was cut off from the network when her cellphone is still active so Shadin can find it easily. If all goes well, the suspect will take the opportunity and the SCU will witness it and try to save her.