"So, what are we gonna do about him?" Lailah tossed the question to everyone.
Each of the girls, except Nephele, arrived safely at Thea's house. Nephele had said she'd join them later, but no one was holding their breath.
"Which 'him' are you referring to," Eda responded a bit irritably, "Daniel, or the attacker?"
"Or…" Alessia added, "Nephele's boyfriend? I mean, he's cutting into our meeting time."
"Be serious Alessia, besides, it's not like this is an actual meeting or anything like that. We're just hanging out." Thea answered. "If it was, I wouldn't be allowed to be here yet..." she let her sentence hang with a little bit of resentment on her voice.
Eda was sitting next to her, stirring her drink, "We'd still want you here regardless, Prez." She muttered into her cup.
"Either way," Masuyo broke the awkward tension, "we should start with the attacker. I really didn't get much info. Besides being proficient in throwing knives and wearing a grey cloak, there wasn't much to get."
"Except that he attacked you, and not Unicorn." Lailah reminded her.
"That's pretty scary." Alessia commented.
"It could have just been coincident. A random villain attacking?" Eda suggested.
"Or we're dealing with some homicidal person who knows her, and potentially all of our, identities." Lailah soberingly countered.
"If that's the case, we definitely need to stay in constant contact. Maybe we should make Nephele come over right now." Alessia tried to persuade the others.
"So," Eda ignored Alesia, "why aren't you certain if the attacker was the Grey Knight?"
"I mean; besides the grey cloak, he wasn't wearing a helmet. The Grey Knight is always in that armor. But in truth, the real reason I'm not thinking it was him, though, was his weapons."
"What do you mean? The Grey Knight uses, like, over a dozen weapons."
"But he uses magic to make them, or something like that. This guy was pulling them out to throw, and I don't remember them disappearing after he left."
The fact that the Grey Knight's weapons disappeared after he discarded them had made it very difficult to track him, and very easy for the government and hero Council to cover up his existence from the general public. None of the Rangers were completely sure why they went through so much trouble to keep one vigilante secret, but they stayed out of the Councils' way. Local and even national figures have been discredited and ridiculed publicly for attempting to make his existence known. There are even rumors that some have disappeared. Witnesses get paid off, and any people he saved could be sent to an institute if they try to say anything. This had essentially turned him into a myth to most people, and a topic of fear for others.
"Wait!" Alessia shouted, startling Masuyo. "If they didn't disappear, shouldn't they still be there?"
"She's right!" Thea sounded genuinely surprised, "You didn't save one of them, did you?"
Masuyo smacked her forehead.
"No!" she admitted. "With everything that happened right after with Daniel, I didn't think to grab one."
"So, we should go and check it out then?" Lailah asked. "The sooner the better, right?"
"Yes. Let's get going." Eda stood.
"Eda," Thea gently held her hand, preventing her from moving away, then calmly continued, "If you'll permit me to, I'd like to object to you all going."
Thea's sudden formality caught everyone off guard. "W-why is that, Prez?"
"There are a few reasons, but first and most important is that this is a serious matter and should be met with equally serious thought before action is taken. Like this: is the attacker still there? If not, it may be fine, but if they are they still are in the area, they could have an ambush waiting."
"So, if we all go, we should be fine." Lailah responded.
"Masuyo was attacked, so she may have a small understanding of some their capabilities, but she never got to gauge the attacker's strength, What if he's more powerful than all four of you?"
"Then we all transform and go that way." Alessia chimed in.
"So, if the attacker is still there, he will see four heroes, Magical Ranger Girls in fact, checking the area he attacked a woman at earlier. If that was a random attack, they may conclude that either the woman or man he attacked had connections to heroes. They may then try to kidnap Masuyo or Daniel to try to abuse that perceived connection. If it was a targeted attack, you may be simply confirming their suspicions of her identity." She looked around at the group. "Does that sound about right?"
"What should we do then?" Alessia was confused.
Eda sat down with an audible 'ca-thump'. The air seemed like it had gone out of the room.
"I'm sorry. I can't think of a correct answer to that. I just worry about you all and want you to think before you accidentally jump into a bad situation."
Each of the girls gained a new appreciation for Thea's former position on the team.
"Since it is already too late tonight, tomorrow, one of us, not Masuyo, could walk over there and investigate. See if any evidence is still around."
"Then everyone else can keep an eye on the situation and the surrounding in case someone attacks."
"Then we'd have a reason to jump in and they should be none the wiser?"
"See?! Now that sounds like a start of a plan. Though, I'd probably suggest getting Nephele involved."
About an hour later, Nephele showed up. She seemed a bit exhausted but was tight lipped as to why. After some mild teasing, they discussed the plan for the next day and she was on board. After the plan was hammered out, Nephele asked a question that reminded the group of the other topic of conversation.
"So, how exactly did Daniel figure out you were Unicorn?"
"Right! We forgot to get to that! He must have been blown away that a cute heroin asked him to the dance, right?" Alessia tactlessly added the second part.
Thea looked over at Masuyo, immediately understanding her friend's expression.
"She never asked him out," She said blankly holding her head in her hand, then added exasperated, "I mean, they did have an exhausting afternoon swapping secrets. I guess one was bound to slip through."
"Thanks 'Prez'." Masuyo dryly responded.
"But, if I'm being honest," Masuyo felt Thea's hand on her shoulder, "it may have been for the best. I'm not sure today would have been the right time to ask"
"Because of the attack?" Lailah curiously asked, "I don't know, I've heard adrenaline can be great for stuff like that."
"No, because he already has a girlfriend, now." Masuyo bitterly responded.
"WHAT?!" All of the other girls, except Thea reacted. This is what I was afraid of, Masuyo thought to herself. She slapped Thea's hand from her shoulder.
"HE got a girlfriend?!" Eda seemed both impressed and a bit disgusted.
"Where did you hear that from?" Thea asked, almost too calmly.
"I overheard him talking to my mom about his date for the dance. But you already knew, didn't you?" She stood up and got right in Thea's face. "I know he was over here before we met after school too. Did you ask him out before I could say anything, because you were scared, he'd say 'yes' to me?!"
Thea began to chuckle softly but was stopped when Masuyo punched her cheek, sending her to the floor.
"Bitch!"
The other girls had to jump in and restrain Masuyo as she went at Thea, who simply defended herself on the ground. The others struggled to get a hold of Masuyo, who was flailing and kicking. Thea sat up. Her cheek was already red and a bit swollen, but she started to laugh. Masuyo flailed harder but stopped when she says the tears streaming down Thea's laughing face.
"You asshole," she laughed and cried, "do you really think I'd do that to my best friend?" She stood up, wobbling a bit, and wiping away a tear, "He knows how I feel. He also knows it's up to him. I'd never be so petty as to set you up like that. The girl's name is Charlotte. She's a second year." She smiled a very pained smile, with her teeth reddened by blood. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but he lied to me too. He said they were just friends."
The others let Masuyo go, and she walked over to her crying friend. She placed her forehead to Thea's and held it there for a moment. '{Heal}'. The swelling and redness on Thea's face reduced.
"I'm sorry." They both said at the same time, then laughed in unison.
"So cute." Alessia squeed. "Now kiss."
"Aaand now you've ruined the moment, doofus." Lailah smacked Alessia lightly.
"I'm glad you two hashed that out." Eda started, "but that does bring us back to our second 'him' who is a problem. Daniel knows Masuyo's identity."
"He's not an idiot," Masuyo signed, "he knows we're all heroes. I'm not sure he knows exactly who is who, but he called me out on it earlier that it was obvious that you were all part of it."
"I may argue that he is an idiot, but she's right that he's figured it out." Thea wiped the last tear away with some of the blood. "But as much as he may be an ass, he's not going to tell anyone."
"Why are you so sure?" Eda asked skeptically.
"I just am."
"If you say so." She sighed with a bit of irritation. "I guess we'll have to live with that for now. We'll tell Clare about it later. If he knows though, we should definitely talk to him and explain everything. But as that goes, we can probably wait till after the dance."
"Sounds like a plan." They all agreed.
The next day, the whole area where Masuyo had been attacked was closed due to an explosion and the discovery of three bodies. The girls' plan to investigate had gone down the drain. The only information they'd gotten is that this new attack had happened later in the evening. But any evidence they would have found for either attack was gone. Still worried, but with no other real options, the girls decided to focus on watching each other's backs, and preparing for the dance. Daniel was put on the back burner. Due to Masuyo's irritation about what she overheard, and her worry about him spilling her secret, she chose to avoid him. It was easy enough, as he was normally gone before she got up in the morning. Thea avoided him as well, under the excuse of needing to prepare for the dance and all the student council stuff involved. He offered to help, but she stiffly declined.
Daniel sat at his desk as the lunch bell rang. Turning around, he saw Thea, Masuyo and Lailah, hurry out of the room. They'd been avoiding him ever since the day he'd discovered their secret. Thea had said she wanted to discuss it, but as she seemed to be actively avoiding him, he decided to let her have space and not press the matter.
"Man, Prez seems to be in a mood." Andras nudged Daniel as he sat at the desk next to him.
"Hm?" Daniel aloofly responded. "Really? I bet it's the dance and everything. I can't imagine the work required for that whole thing."
"Yeah, yeah." Andras waved Daniel's response. "I heard that over twenty guys have been trying to ask her to the dance, and she's rejected each and every one. Maybe she's just waiting for the right guy?"
Andras licked his fingers and tamed his slightly wild eyebrows.
"Sure." Daniel quietly answered.
Andras spent basically every afternoon over the last few weeks asking almost every first- and second-year girl to the dance. From Daniel's math, he'd been rejected at least 40 times. I admire his tenacity at least. Daniel thought to himself.
"What about you?" Andras begrudgingly asked. "Even try to ask anyone out?"
"No." Daniel answered.
Technically Charlotte had asked him out, so he wasn't lying…
"Come on, man." Andras groaned as he leaned back in the chair. "You should at least put yourself out there. Maybe there is some first-year who doesn't know about your reputation."
Daniel knew Andras only wanted him to ask someone out so he could get rejected too. Over the last two years he'd learned a lot about Andras, and knew the title of 'friend' was a stretch. He was aware that Andras only hung around him because he was stronger than Daniel. When scores for physical exams came out, he would always brag about them to Daniel but avoid even being around him when academic scores were released. He was also a ghost when any bullies approached. Andras had even gone as far as to throw Daniel to the bullies to save himself. Wanting to keep his word to Thea about making a friend, Daniel tolerated it over the last couple of years. In fact, he was used to it by now.
"If there was a first-year that ignorant, I'm sure you would have asked them out by now." Daniel pulled out his lunch and began eating.
"Oh, don't be like that, Dan." Andras nudged Daniel stiffly. "Just 'cause I have the balls to put everything on the line to confess doesn't mean your… awkwardness wouldn't have its charms. I mean, maybe one of them, like, wants to be a dom or something. You could be like a pet to them."
"Thanks, Andras." Daniel kept eating his food quietly. He could feel his female classmates in the room looking at the two of them with disgust. Andras was in his own little word when it came to girls. At least the ones he thought were cute.
"Hey, losers." A female voice came from behind them. Daniel looked back, but Andras was distracted with his own thoughts. Marie A student from a different class, was sitting with her friends. She was a typically pretty girl, long blond hair, curled with a braid holding it together. Her piercing brown eyes were glaring at the two of them sitting a few seats in front of her.
"It's shitty enough that I have to deal with seeing you useless rejects while I'm having my lunch. If you think I'm gonna listen to your creepy babbling too, you're dead wrong." Each word was filled with more spite than the next. "So shut up, or your next meals are gonna be through a straw!"
Her final statement snapped Andras out of his daydream. He looked back to see Marie glaring at the two of them, though he hadn't heard her threats.
"Oh, Daniel, you should ask out Mar.." Andras' joke was interrupted by an NRG shot the the face my Marie. Andras clattered to the floor in front of the classroom. A roar of laughter followed as Andras collected his things and ran from the room.
Marie stood up and walked up to Daniel who'd remained silent through the attack and his 'friends' retreat. She stood in front of his desk and gave a mean grin. "So, you gonna ask me out, loser?" The class chuckled.
A question with no right answer, Huh? Daniel mused to himself.
"No." Daniel signed as he answered. He set his lunch down, knowing what was going to follow.
"Do you think you're too good to ask me, or something?"
'SMACK'
Marie's right fist made contact with Daniel's jaw, and it was his turn to hit the floor. While the strike had been stiff, Danile could tell Marie held back to prevent breaking bones. Even so, blood began to trickle from his mouth. He wiped it away and sat back down in his chair.
"You gonna defend yourself, coward?" She spat at him.
Daniel simply shook his head this time. Marie reeled back and swung, but stoped inches from his face.
"Thought not, pushover." Rolling her eyes in irritation, she walked back to her chair.
Daniel packed up his lunch, hunger gone. Feeling someone new watching him, Daniel looked out the window. Seeing nothing unusual, he noticed a reflection in the window. Focusing on the reflection, he could make out a student in the doorway to his classroom, but he couldn't make out any details on the person. Quickly turning he found there to be no one at the door, and the feeling of being watched stopped as well.
W-was that the attacker?
He'd been on high alert since the day Masuyo got attacked. Perhaps the paranoia had been getting the better of him.