The Reason We Fight

Chapter 40. The Students

"Nice to meet you all, my name is Miss Rinri Shido and I'll be your new guidance counselor. I'd like to have a few words with each and every one of you, so we can get to know each other better. It's important for me that we keep a good working relationship, so we can focus on your future!", Kakume told the class of students, with faked glee.

Despite the sugary words, Arlan's trust in Kakume was evidently scarce. He threw her into this harebrained mission without telling her anything about it. He kept her in the dark, asserting that ignorance was in her advantage at the moment.

So here she was, stationed at the esteemed Hikari Academy, one of the most prestigious schools of the Mitene Union, introducing herself to a group of grade schoolers. The task at hand: conduct interviews, with a particular focus on three students: Quillon Tempest, Kai Komorebi and Lumiere Casucade. Arlan kept mum about why those students merited more attention than the others. Not to mention that she was back in Doli City, where she did that castle sweep about two months ago... and where she and Kurapika had spent that magical night together. It made her feel strained and distracted. Nevertheless, she charged forward.

Students trickled into her office one at a time and she asked them a few questions, a mix of general counseling queries and specific questions at Arlan's behest. Just as anticipated, elementary-aged children proved about as captivating as rocks.

However, Kakume began unraveling Arlan's intrigue - a lot of them hailed from very influential families, and had parents and other family members in high places. Political leaders and such. At the end of her work day, she made her way to the Red Hands' base of operations in Rokario. She stepped into the seemingly mundane laundromat, its flickering fluorescent lights casting an uninviting glow on the scuffed linoleum floors. Rows of coin-operated machines hummed monotonously, and the scent of detergent hung heavy in the air. Kakume produced a special coin and presented it to the bored old lady flipping a celebrity gossip magazine at the reception. She nodded, nonplussed, and waved her hand to the side. Kakume entered the business rooms in the back.

They unfolded like a labyrinth of secrecy. Tangles of wires snaked across the floor, connecting to makeshift workstations scattered with surveillance equipment and maps. Arlan appeared before her, smiling widely.

"Everything went as planned, I hope?"

"One of them called me missus. I don't look like a missus, do I?"

"You don't look like a missus", Arlan affirmed in a teasingly reassuring tone. "So, what can you tell me?"

Kakume pulled her evaluation profiles. In addition to the interrogation, she had used some of the cold reading techniques Tam had taught her. She pulled the photograph of the girl, first. "Lumiere Casucade. Niece of the vice president of Rokario, Eclat Casucade. She's her favorite aunt, took her to work a few times too, and impressed all her coworkers with her brilliance and inquisitiveness. So much so, that she intends to follow her footsteps and carve herself a career in politics. First in class, studious, no evident trauma or weakness to speak of. Overall, well-adjusted and well-liked."

Arlan was listening to her intently, focus shining in his eyes. Kakume pulled the photograph of an orange-haired boy with a kindly smile. "Quillon Tempest. The son of famous state diplomat Rony Tempest. Free-spirited and artistic, his grades are nothing much to speak of. From what I gather, however, his father sort of gives him free reign, not caring much either way. You know, the kind of parenting where you just let them figure it out by themselves? I got that he isn't very invested in him, putting most of his expectations to his first-born, who is in his teens currently, and also attending the academy."

Kakume pulled a final photograph, of a serious, almost solemn boy. "Finally, Kai Komorebi. Let me tell you, that one is a whole can of worms. His father is just about one of the most important men in the country, I'm sure you've heard of Senator Zan Komorebi? He denies it consistently, but is neglected profoundly by him. He is constantly striving for his approval in any way he can. He's second only to Casucade in class, but also excels in such high society disciplines as fencing, etiquette, and calligraphy, not to mention, he shows proficiency in at least four languages. He seems pretty desperate for acceptance, and is basically the golden boy of his cohort".

"Good work, Kakume", Arlan said.

She looked at him uncertainly. "So... are you going to tell me what this is all about?"

-

Kurapika pulled Nightingale's head out of the water basin to let him take a breath. He was done playing, feeling the darkness envelop him in his drive to complete his quest. "Again, what can you tell me about the Abrigal Bone Marrow?"

"I don't know anything, I swear!", he said. Kurapika let him get the feeling of drowning for a minute or two, pulling his head under once again. "I'm not puttering around, I'll have you know. Small wonder you are running out of clients, with that spotty information you give".

"Alright! Alright!", the informant exclaimed. "All I know, it's some reagent coming out of the Dark Continent. It's supposed to be a great healer of disease, or something of the sort... But not a lot of people have survived expeditions there, so it's exceedingly rare. Contrary to its name, it's not actually the bone marrow of any creature, but some herb. Takes its name from its appearance, soft and gelatinous with a reddish or yellowish hue."

"That's not really what I want to know, is it? Galbanks stopped going to the club".

Nightingale lifted an eyebrow. "Not really my problem you've got lousy people skills". Kurapika made a move toward the water but the informant relented, hands raised. "I'll give him the heads up, okay? That someone has the herb, and they want to meet them somehow... what's good for you, Tuesday?"