Thundering Blade: Adventuring Heroine In Another World

A small pain—as if something was pressed into the skin for an extended period of time. This pressure is what she woke up to against her forehead.

Through her lashes she saw the houses across the road. Faint raindrops hit the already wet pavement whilst she came to. She wiped down the fogged-up window with a palm.

Rubbing her forehead, she glanced around the room. ’I fell asleep.’ She stretched down from the windowsill and checked the clock. ’Eight forty-five.’

_

"Heat," Fumeko casted. The lidless teapot bubbled, and in the next moment tea was being poured into the cup before her. ’It worked? It took me seven times, but it worked!?’

Hotaru took a sip, "...This is." She took another sip and her ears flickered. A satisfied hum she made.

"Tis done to perfection," Tiffany complemented.

Fumeko furrowed her brows and tested it out herself. ’...Just tastes like tea to me.’ "It’s good?"

"I don’t think any stove can achieve this," Hotaru’s tail swayed.

"I’m not sure what I did differently," the brunette attempted to realize. ’I just thought of the water heating up not to Tiffy’s extent.’

Asobi beamed, "Whatever it was, it worked like a charm! Now blink!"

"I’m not gonna do that."

"Why don’t we clean up breakfast first. And then maybe we can help you with finding where Jotou and Kineko are?" Hotaru suggested.

’...’ There it was. Fumeko’s expression immediately dropped; her small victory was nothing if not a momentary distraction. "Yeah. Sure."

"Knock-knock."

Fumeko got up to answer the two stiff knocks at the door while the others cleaned up. "Morning Mrs Aetherton."

"Morning," the detective in blue folded her umbrella. She looked down at the brunette without stepping in. "Sorry I haven’t come to visit much kid."

"It’s not your fault. You’ve probably been busy with everything going on."

"I am, but it ain’t got to mean I can’t spare ten minutes. How are you holding up?"

To that, all she could do was shake her head and shrug at her. "I figure you’re not gonna step inside?"

"Sorry kid. It’s been a mess," Morgana handed a card to her. "They moved me to an office near Genevieve Memorial Park. So, I’m close-by if you ever need to come talk."

Fumeko checked the front and back of the newly printed card that displayed Morgana’s details.

"Anything you need kid?"

"How’s Mr Werner?"

Morgana exhaled audibly, "It’s gonna be months. I don’t suppose Kinoshita could drop by? A bit of sound at the staff should be enough to keep them occupied."

"Even if she did, it wouldn’t be much. Her healing’s more effective the earlier it’s done. Not to mention, magic’s not too potent around here at the moment. She still can, I just doubt its extent."

Morgana peered at the brunette, and stayed silent—a look of acknowledgement in her eyes.

"How... does your magic work?"

"Can’t say I know. Birds always fancied me since I was a kid, and at some point in uni, could see through them. Birds come and go, but Kira’s been with me since she was a little hatchling.

She’s a bit more special, so I’ve learned a thing or two with her. I didn’t quite study it; never took the time, never had the time."

"So, it just came naturally..." Fumeko pursed her lips. ’...!’ "Did you happen to have a talking crow?" she asked with furrowed brows.

She saw Morgana lose all tension in her limbs. She kept her usual composure, but she had to close her eyes for a moment.

"I barely remember it; it was so long ago. I just, remember it," Fumeko studied her face.

"Someone, else did. But like you said, it was a while ago," her voice came out in breaths.

’What Ms Ward said was true then.’

Morgana inhaled and reopened her umbrella, "Anything else you need kid?"

"No." Fumeko flapped the card. "If I do, I know where to go."

"Good. The public funeral’s in five days. It hasn’t been announced publicly yet. It’s at Palais Front-de-Mer, for both your father and Quinn."

"I’ll be there."

Morgana turned and walked away without another word, trampling through puddles.

"What talking crow? From when?"

"Have you just unlearned personal space Sobi?" Fumeko spoke to the invisible voice as she shut the door.

"What was she here for?" Hotaru dried her hands off with a towel while walking out of the kitchen.

"Just to check on me I guess," she flipped the card over to the redhead. "And that she has a new office."

"Guess they won’t be reconstructing the company anytime soon," Asobi stated.

"Why would they, it’d just be busted into again," Fumeko went up the stairs.

"Where’re you going?" the wolf-girl’s ears pricked.

"I’m gonna go through my dad’s files and cases, and see if I can find anything that my dad might’ve missed."

"But, I was going to teach you another spell," Hotaru showed her palm and made it glow with a faint blue light.

Fumeko stared at her. ’...She looks so pathetic. It’s kind of cute.’ "Alright, I’ll give it a few tries."

_

The brunette sat at her father’s desk for hours upon hours. The night came along before she ever truly noticed it. All the words and all the sentences started to blur together, with information she already knew, or if she did not, was not useful.

’The great fire’s most notable purpose was a show of power. Dad suspected it was something more, but he didn’t figure that out... Not like there’s a lot of evidence to go off on. Well.’ She looked at all the date-labelled shelves. ’Not much I found anyway.

But if my dad suspected it... There’s something there. The cult’s always been flashy, but every time it has some purpose other than just carnage. I guess a fire like that would send the government into disarray so they could muddle and meddle, but that’s the obvious one.

The fires eventually became the Black-Sand River. I can assume from what we gathered from Investigations Cooperated weeks ago, that the fire was also to help a lot of people, disappear. Mr Quinn said the case of missing persons got shut down four years ago.

I can’t really go check documents again, so I guess I’m relying on memory alone. ... ... ...! The cult was associated to multiple organizations in Burnetrout, including places like nursing homes and schools—which adds up with Alicia’s story about dad.

They had a base of operations that got torn down the same time the missing persons case was closed. It was somewhere in Orchid Borough where it was sold off in a private auction... That’s a good lead to hunt.

... ... ...! The cult was associated with orphanages. How many orphanages could there be in Dolpool? There’s one in... Orchid.’ Fumeko blinked a few times and took a deep breath. ’Kineko. Dad found her in a burning house with two dead cultists who had adopted her.

Brown hair. Dead parents... in a fire... Helpless child.’ Fumeko sat up and checked her watch. ’Tomorrow then.’ She yawned and set a few paperweights on all the loose papers.

Fumeko leaned back and smacked herself in the head. ’I’m such an idiot. How did I not figure that out sooner?’ She allowed her brain to melt and no longer form thoughts, which only echoed into more stress in her mind.

’I guess I could go through my files.’ She was eyeing the documents again, although her hands hesitated even taking off the paperweights.

Her head fell to the side and peered down the drawers on the side. She pulled one open for the sake of it and furrowed her brows at the packet of Crocker-brand cigarettes sat atop old files.

’...’ The lighter next to it was wrapped in a beautiful red leather, with metal engravings in the middle. She picked up the box of cigarettes and opened the lid; it was full.

There was however, something written in marker under the brand. ’Never again until she’s thirty...’ Fumeko pouted... Her eyes started to tear up.

"Thud." She threw the packet back into the drawer and slammed it shut. Lights off, door shut—she was out of the room within seconds. She checked to her left; the door to Hotaru’s room was shut.

’I need something to work on...’ She headed up the stairs. "Glow," she held out her palm, but no light shined. "Glow. Glow. Glow," no matter how many ways she contorted her fingers, all that came was a feeling of inadequacy.

Looking up, the light to a certain blonde’s room was still on. She crept up to it and heard a second voice. She gingerly knocked on the door, which opened right after.

"Sobi?"

"Ta-da! No illusions~!" with sparkling green eyeshadows, gloss across her lips and sharp-winged eyeliner, the magician added a few sparkles around the vicinity of her face.

"Looks good." ’A bit gaudy maybe.’

"I was testing out some older palettes, and maybe got carried away..." Tiffany answered from behind.

"Getting carried away is the way to fun!"

"Isn’t it getting late," Fumeko stated.

"Oh yeah, I probs should head to bed. Well Stella, twas fun. But I shall depart," Asobi gave a curtsy and hopped away.

"S-sweet dreams, but be sure to take that off," Tiffany said louder.

"I will!" Asobi went downstairs.

’Her room’s right here...’

"Did you need me for something?"

"How long were you in Orchid Borough Orphanage?"

Tiffany narrowed an eye, "My whole life, I’ve told you before."

"I meant more so the specific building in the borough."

"The building? It’s changed over the years, I did move a few times," the blonde pondered. "It’s always been in Orchid though."

"Would you say four years in the latest one?"

Tiffany calculated the time in her mind, "I’d say just about around that, yes; why?"

"Any reason they changed?"

"Why would I know? Probably for the bigger space and more rooms."

"I think there might be a lead to the cult that’s tied to the orphanage," Fumeko held a hand to her chin.

"I see..." Tiffany looked away, and then back at her. "Actually, I don’t. But if you believe so, there must be some merit to it."

"I’m planning to go there tomorrow. Do you mind joining me?"

"S-sure, I don’t mind." Tiffany watched while the brunette was lost in thought. "You should really get some rest..."

Fumeko glanced over at her. ’Do I really look that tired?’ "Hm. It’s not like I don’t want to."

Tiffany was in a lace nightgown and her usual hair coils were brushed down for the night. "It’s been obvious you’ve been having trouble. Not that any of us can blame you."

’She’s, pretty cute without any makeup.’ Fumeko caught herself staring. She took a few steps into the room, "What’s that smell? Roses and strawberries? It’s thick."

"My night cream-?" Tiffany’s breath hitched as the brunette’s curious nose landed her into the crook of the blonde’s neck.

"It’s nice," she whispered against her skin. Her hand wandered along Tiffany’s back. ’I kind of want to...’

"T-thank you," the blonde did not pull away.

Fumeko gently began placing kisses on her neck.

Tiffany’s face was flushed pink, as a few light moans escaped her lips.

’...What am I doing...?’ Fumeko’s foot bumped the back of the door close while she laid her lips on her soft skin. ’I shouldn’t be...’

Fumeko slowly raised her head and pulled back. They both stared at one another for a good minute, unsure of the moment.

The brunette reached her hand up, and with Tiffany’s compliance, held her cheek. "Y-you can, I d-don’t mind..."

’... ... ...Fuck it.’ Fumeko followed through and kissed her proper, releasing every breath of tension with it. It was not long before her tongue began to probe and explore further. ’I need this...’