Kira Mizuno found herself back at her apartment. The Cradle medics had finally discharged her, leaving her with nothing but time. She was expected to return to Cradle Base soon to deliver her official report on the incident in Tokyo, but for now… Silence. Space. A rare moment where she could breathe.

She thought briefly about Kentaro, whether he was back yet, whether she should go see him, but something inside told her to stay away. At least for now. As long as she could resist her own pull toward him.

So instead, she left her apartment building and descended the stairs. The evening sun was low, its dying light washing her hometown in a warm, golden hue that seemed almost too picturesque, like a photo meant for someone else's album. The air carried a gentle breeze, calm for now, though it hinted at winds that would rise in the coming days.

But while the sky was clear, Kira's mind was anything but. It felt fogged, heavy, as though she were losing direction in the one goal that had kept her alive for so long. Each step across the quiet street gnawed at her. Her chest tightened with a strange unease, an unfamiliar one.

Because this time… it wasn't her doing the following.

Usually, she was the shadow, watching Kentaro from the corners, tailing him with quiet obsession. But now? Now she felt it. That sharp edge in her gut. The prickling hairs at the back of her neck. Someone was watching her.

She turned corners deliberately, walking different streets to test the feeling. And yet, it remained. Lingering. Heavy. With each turn, her heartbeat quickened, the invisible pressure closing in.

By the time she stepped into the open space of a public park, the tension in her body was unbearable. In a single motion, Kira whipped around, pistol drawn, voice sharp and cracking the silence:

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?"

The air froze.

Then, like the shadows themselves had been caught in the act, something moved, not in front of her, but above. A silhouette broke through the last streaks of sunlight, descending from the sky.

Kira's eyes widened, muscles tightening as she tracked the figure. The wind caught the girl's hair, reddish-brown strands glinting against the fading sun. A slim suit clung to her frame, not Cradle's. Maybe Spires?. But though she could guess as much as she liked, at this moment, she wasn't sure and was going to find out soon.

The figure landed softly, boots pressing against the ground, and at last, her features were visible.

She was looking elegant. Unnaturally so. Seeming to be in her early 30s, but there was something coiled behind that beauty, an undercurrent of malice, sharpened by the smile tugging at her lips. Not Japanese. Her bone structure, her aura, even her presence, it screamed foreign. European, maybe. Kira thought to herself as she narrowed her eyes.

Kira steadied her aim, eyes hard. "Who the hell are you? And since you've been following me... What do you want with me?"

The girl's smile lingered a second longer before slipping, replaced by a casual tone laced with a foreign accent.

"Me? I'm from the States and here on orders. From the man himself, Mr Vale. Recently recruited. Recently promoted. Living the life, as they say." She said in a relaxed voice

Kira's chest clenched. "The States…? Why would Vale need someone from the U.S.?"

The girl wagged a finger playfully. "Ah-ah, that's classified. Spire business only. But-" her hair whipped as she turned, eyes sliding toward the empty swings on her side, "Buuut, if you were to you know... Join, I could tell you all about it."

Kira didn't reply, just kept her guard up.

She looked back with a smug grin. "Ahhh, either way, I guess telling you won't hurt. It was the Money. That sweet, sweet cash. That's all the reason I need."

Kira's brow furrowed, her lips tightening. "Money…" She repeated under her breath.

The girl nodded, almost gleeful. "Exactly. It's pretty simple, right? What else is better than money? But enough about me. You're Kira Mizuno, right? And I'll bet you're dying to know why I've been shadowing you since you left Tokyo."

Kira raised her pistol higher, locking it on her forehead. "Spit it out."

The girl tilted her head, a smirk widening. "Because we want you to join Spire."

Kira scoffed instantly. "Tch. As if. Your company's corrupt. I saw it with my own eyes in Tokyo. You can kiss my ass if you think I'd sell myself to you."

The smile faltered into something sharper. "Corrupt? Maybe. But we got results. Weren't we successful in capturing the Alberline? To me, I don't care. The wounded? The dead? Sure, it was harsh and oh so sad!" She said in a sarcastic voice before narrowing her eyes. "It was a Necessary sacrifice."

The words tore through Kira like glass. Her teeth clenched, hands trembling, not from fear, but rage. She hated Alberlines, yes. She wanted them wiped from the earth. But not like this. Not at the cost of innocent lives.

"You're despicable," she spat.

The girl only smiled wider, like Kira's disgust was the response she had been waiting for. Slowly, she stepped past her, circling until she was on Kira's opposite side.

Kira didn't flinch, but her heart hammered. The aura this girl carried was dangerous. Strong. Maybe stronger than her own. Recklessness here could mean death.

Then the girl's voice cut through the silence, words sharp as knives.

"Vale knew you'd say that. Which is why he sent me with an offer. The Alberline that killed your parents… The one that also took your sister…"

Kira froze.

"…He knows who it is. And he's willing to trade that information for your strength."

The gun slipped from Kira's hand. She staggered forward, grabbing the girl by the shoulders, her voice breaking with fury.

"HOW DOES HE KNOW!? WHO THE HELL IS THIS VALE!?"

The girl didn't react. She didn't flinch. Her eyes narrowed as if she had already seen this outburst play out in her head. With one swift motion, she brushed Kira's grip off like a queen swatting away a beggar's touch.

"Tch. Please. Reiden Vale is the one who found that Alberline when it first appeared. It slipped away, but he's been tracking it ever since."

"…Reiden… Vale…" The name echoed through Kira's mind, the world around her slowing to a crawl. It was familiar. Too familiar. Her memory clawed back to those early days, her loss, the hospital, the man who had shown her that image. She never considered connecting the dots until now.

Her hands shook violently as she grabbed the girl again, desperation spilling out of her like blood. "TELL ME! DID THIS VALE VISIT THE HOSPITAL? THE DAY OF THE FIRST SIGHTING, PLEASE TELL ME, WAS HE THERE!?"

The girl scowled at the volume but answered with a sigh, brushing her off once more. "Ugh, you've got some strong grip, you know that? But yeah… I think I heard something. Vale was visiting someone at a hospital after the incident. That's all I got. I should charge for that, you know."

Kira's chest heaved. The pieces connected in jagged fragments, cutting her from the inside. All this time… Vale. The same Vale. The answers to her past, her pain, were sitting in his hands. And she had a chance to learn and get her revenge, one of her goals when joining Cradle.

But to claim them… She would have to betray everything. Leave Cradle. Align herself with a man who wanted Kentaro dead. Though when she thought about it, Cradle could also be after Kentaro after the whole Tokyo incident. So either way, both companies could be after Kentaro.

She staggered back, forcing herself to breathe. The fury, the desperation, they would ruin her chance if she lost control now.

Her voice dropped, uneasy but resolute. "So the only way… To know the truth about that Alberline… Is to join Spire?"

The girl smiled, lifting a finger. "Bingo. You'll get your answers from him or Velza, his secretary. Just ask nicely. Otherwise…" She shrugged. "Not my problem."

Kira said nothing. The park was silent, the evening sky slipping into shadow. For a moment, it felt as if time itself was holding its breath, waiting for her choice.

Finally, her lips parted. "I'm not going with you. But… I'll think about it."

The girl tilted her head. No surprise in her expression. Just a casual shrug. "Suit yourself. When you change your mind, find us. District 4 is the main Oshawa hub. Next to the office towers, you'll see us."

Her body lifted from the ground, floating higher, higher into the dimming sky. The last strands of orange sunlight gave way to the deep blue of night.

"Oh, by the way…" She called down with a mocking grin, "…The name's Momo!"

With that, she vanished into the night sky.

Kira stood alone in the park, her teeth grinding, her heart still hammering. Half bathed in light, half swallowed by shadow, she turned away. Her mind was a storm. Her past had been cracked open, and the truth was dangling in front of her if she was willing to reach for it.

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