Kotori: Wow... These are a lot horrible in person.
Kiryu: Tell me about it.
After Kiryu had brought Kotori to the room holding the Murals that both the Council and Higanbana girls found.
The two stared at the murals looking at every detail, from the art depicting many events to the text carved on them.
Kotori's thoughts*
(Kaneki-chan...)
As they continue looking at the murals, one caught Kotori's eye. It was one of the Murals the Higanbana girls found, it depicted what seems to be Kaneki in his Knight form dead on the ground.
And above him was a Demon which everyone would assume to be Lucifer.
Kotori: Tch!
(This is making me angry.)
As Kotori was getting more agitated just looking at it.
???: Kotori-sama! Kiryu-sama!
One of the Council's researchers who were working on translating the text on the murals came up to them in a hurry.
Kiryu: Calm yourself!
Mural researcher: Sorry. Haa~! Here's what we were able to translate on the murals that those girls have found.
The researcher gave Kotori a tablet and in it were pictures of the murals and their text now translated.
Kotori: Thak you, I'll be reading them privately.
Mural researcher: I understand.
Kotori: Before I go, Kiryu-san.
Kiryu: Yes?
Kotori: Any reports regarding the vials of Blood of Lucifer?
Kiryu: Yes. We have destroyed over thousand of vials and burned the blood they are containing.
Kotori: I see, good. We'll see ya then.
Splash!
Using Darkness travel, Kotori left and went back home.
Back in the Higanbana household*
Kotori's room*
Kotori: Good I'm ba—
Natsuki: You're back?!
Upon returning home and into her room, Kotori found a surprised Natsuki sitting on her bed.
Kotori: Eh? Are you staying here for the night?
Natsuki: Y-Yes. Aiya-san thought you were going to be gone for the entire night, so she lended me your room.
Kotori: Ohh~
After understanding the situation, Kotori allowed Natsuki to sleep in her room.
Kotori: Okay then, I'll prepare a futon for myself to sleep in later. I'll try not to disturb you in your sleep.
Natsuki: Are you sure?
Kotori: Yup!
Natsuki: I see, thank you.
Natsuki slightly bowed as she thanked Kotori.
Kotori: No problem. By the way.
Natsuki: ???
Kotori got closer to Natsuki before asking her a question.
Kotori: Had anything strange happened since I've left you girls?
Natsuki: Why do ask? Well... There actually I've seen some strange things happened around me a few times already.
Kotori: Really? What happened?
Natsuki: Well... The first time it happened was during night time you know? The last time me and the others slept here.
Kotori: And?
Natsuki: When I finished using the bathroom, I noticed Kaneki's room shaking and when I entered nothing was in his room.
Kotori: Is that it?
Natsuki: No. The other day back home when I was having dinner with my parents, the doors in our home shaked as well for quite a bit.
Kotori: !!!
Natsuki: And earlier after Shino, Yuuka and Miku visited Kaneki in his room—
Kotori: The doors in our home began shaking as well...
Natsuki: Huh? How did you know?
Kotori: Well... Remember that I said I would send members of the Council here to Shimotsuki to monitor everything?
Natsuki: Yes?
Kotori: Well, they made a report about the doors in every building in Shimotsuki shaking all at the same time.
Natsuki: What?!
Kotori: Yes. And it wasn't just in Shimotsuki, othe parts of Japan as well as other countries around the world experienced the same phenomenon.
Natsuki: Really?!
Kotori: Yes, and I figured it could be something related to Kaneki.
Natsuki stared at Kotori blankly after said this.
Natsuki: How can that be related to him?
Kotori: Well you see, all of Kaneki-chan's pocket dimensions we've completely lost access to them.
Natsuki: Eh?! Are you serious?!
Kotori: Nod~ Even his original pocket dimension the "Infinite Armory" is completely unaccessible.
Natsuki: W-What could have happened?
Kotori: We don't know.
Natsuki: I'm... More concerned now.
Kotori: !!!
Realizing that she had said a bit much, Kotori decided to stop for the time being.
Kotori: Ahem! Anyways I'll be taking a bath now.
She placed the tablet down by desk and before leaving.
Kotori: By the way, don't touch the tablet okay? I'll share the things I find with you all tomorrow.
Natsuki: Are you sure you don't need help?
Kotori: Don't worry about it. You need some rest right now, and besides I won't be alone for tonights investigation both here and outside of the house. Well then see ya
After their small exchange, Kotori left to take a bath leaving Natsuki alone in the room.
Natsuki's thoughts*
(Kotori-san is working really hard to protect not just Kaneki, but the world... I'll try to help her with her investigation tomorrow.)
As Natsuki thought about helping Kotori, she looked back to earlier when she and Miku had a talk.
An hour ago~
Natsuki: Hey Miku, can we talk?
Miku: Natsuki? S-Sure.
Aiya-san, she told me that having good relationship means having good communication and I knew.
It doesn't just applies to Me— Us and Kaneki.
Miku: What is it do you want to talk about?
But each other as well.
Natsuki: Just talk about what happened between us.
Miku: !!!
Natsuki: Calm down. I'm not here to yell or scold at you anymore.
Miku: Eh? Then...
Natsuki: I'll forgive you for deceiving me, just this once.
Miku: Y-You do? Why?
Natsuki: Well... I had a talk with your mom, and to put simply she said that a good relationship needs good communication.
Miku: Really?
Natsuki: Yeah and it occurred to me, we actually never really communicated properly in this whole situation.
Miku: What are you talking about? We talked a few times already and apologized right?
Natsuki: That's true... But I think I'm a bit at fault for not noticing your intentions as well.
Miku: Huh?
Looking back I did noticed that the colors of Miku, Shino and Yuuka having the colors of guilt but I never questioned why.
Natsuki: You know of my ability right?
Miku: Yeah. You have the ability to see the color of a person's soul right? It helps you understand people better right?
Natsuki: Yup. Well it was supposed to be that way, but I never really understood you all as well.
Miku: What do you mean?
Natsuki: Well... I actually did noticed the colors of guilt in your souls, but I never really questioned it.
Miku: !!!
When I told Miku that fact she understood what I meant.
Natsuki: That guilt was definitely because of how you guys have hurt Kaneki, right?
Miku: Yes...
Even though it wasn't really my fault for not noticing, because I was too focused on getting Kaneki some new friends.
I should've been more considerate.
Natsuki: So I'm sorry for not talking to you about it, maybe if I did things would have gone differently.
Miku: But wouldn't you hate us?
Natsuki: Well I only really started hating you guys as Shiita-chan, Miyu-chan and Miha-chan was when I talked to Kaneki at the shrine nearby Mato High.
Miku: Eh?
Natsuki: Oh you don't know about it, well me and Kaneki talked there and he cried a little after he talked about you three.
Miku: Oh... I'm sorry.
Natsuki: It's alright, but yeah because I didn't thought about why you were all feeling that guilt. You especially because that when I first met you, your guilt was a lot more when you were near Kaneki.
Miku: ...
Natsuki: I didn't consider the possibility of you three being connected to him, so I'm sorry as well.
Miku: No Natsuki, you don't need to apologize. It's our fault, what 's done is done so... Please don't do this.
Natsuki: Heh... I guess you're right, but from now on let's get along again.
I really do want to get along with Miku, Shino and Yuuka as well.
Miku: Yeah! Ngh...
Natsuki: Are you going to cry?
Miku: Of course I am! I'm sorry for being a bad friend to you Natsuki! I'm sorry for lying to you for so long! I'm sorry!
Natsuki: Hehe~ In that case, you wanna hug?
Present*
(After we had hugged we became friends again, well I'll have to talk to Shino and Yuuka tomorrow as well.)
Natsuki: Well if that's the case, I should go to sleep now. We have enough time to talk tomorrow.
And so after looking back at her talk with Miku, Natsuki tucked herself into Kotori's bed and went to sleep.
20 Minutes later~
Kotori: Haa~ Done. Time to go back to my investigation.
After taking her bath, Kotori walked back to her room getting ready to go back to her investigation.
Kotori: Oh she's already asleep.
Despite the lights still being on, Natsuki was now asleep.
Natsuki: Zzz~
Kotori's thoughts*
(Huh she's sleeping a lot more peacefully now, how come?)
???: Zzz~
At one of the corners in her room's ceiling, Kotori saw Ku-kun and Batta sleeping.
Kotori: I guess I should ask them tomorrow, well then time to begin.
A few minutes later~
(Good my futon is set up, I'll go to sleep by midnight once I'm done.)
Kotori: I should probably check up on the agents as well. But first.
Kotori sat by her desk and turned on the tablet.
Kotori: Let's see what they've found.