The Girl Called...

After my epiphany the night before, I spent the next day looking for anything I could find on S.K.U.L.L., or the mysterious girl who claimed she was a member. I turned to the internet first, looking for mentions of the acronym in daily news articles and public P.E.A.C.E. databases while preparing tea for chazuke1, but there were no results. As I waited for my tea to brew, I broadened my search, looking for “evil organization” before eventually narrowing my search to “evil organization with purple suits and skull masks”. At first I thought I had a hit, as I found multiple images of groups of people in similar uniforms seemingly terrorizing public parks and other areas, but they turned out to be stills from a Sentai series from the 1990’s. It was a strange coincidence, and depending on when S.K.U.L.L. was founded they could’ve taken inspiration from the series, but either way it didn’t bring me any closer to finding the real deal.

The kettle beeped, signalling that the tea was done, and I quickly tapped to turn it off before preparing my rice. My stomach growled as I scooped my leftovers from the rice cooker into a bowl; I still really needed to visit a grocery2, but for now this was warm and filling enough to keep me going. I took my kettle and gently poured the tea over the cold rice, breathing in the satisfying steam before carrying it to my kitchen table.

While I waited for the rice to warm up a bit, I went back to the P.E.A.C.E. incident report database for Japan and typed in my name, which came up with only two results. The second one was the report for my brief kidnapping by the girl from S.K.U.L.L., which I opened. Inside I found a detailed account of the incident, including security camera footage, eyewitness reports, and the recording of my questioning by Captain Homura, with my voice modulated for anti-replication purposes, as well as a transcript of said questioning. Sure enough, it did mention S.K.U.L.L., but written as the word “skull”, not the acronym. I shook my head; no way was I going to look through every incident report that mentioned skulls just for one or two possible mentions of a similar acronym.

Still, for an entire evil organization to not show up in any incident reports but one, they must be pretty covert, I thought as I scooped a spoonful of warm tea and rice into my mouth. Either that or they have connections inside P.E.A.C.E. to help them cover their tracks. Corruption wasn’t as common anymore, since under P.E.A.C.E.’s strict guidelines there was less to gain from doing favors, but there were still people willing to do things for some extra money in their recreation accounts.

Remembering something Officer Furagu had mentioned, I tried looking through the report for the hologram rifle the girl had used, hoping I could find out who produced it, or where she could have gotten it, but it was only listed as “unauthorized technology”. I tried to look it up on the official P.E.A.C.E. technology database, but the page was blocked. That seemed to confirm Furagu’s claim that the weapon had been scrapped, as civilians weren’t allowed to view schematics for dangerous or banned technologies to prevent them from being reproduced. I wonder how Furagu knew about it, then…?

A few days later, after a much-needed trip to the grocery and a break to do some part-time work to top up my recreation account, I had given up on digital research and turned to in-person investigation. The first place I looked was obviously the street where I had encountered the girl, as well as the alleys she had dragged me through. Unsurprisingly, there was no evidence left, and any damage or changes that might have remained had long since been reset to its original state by the local restoration system. While it was convenient for repairing damage, it was also convenient for concealing evidence…

From there, I expanded my search to the surrounding area, asking people if they had seen anything suspicious. When that failed, I took the train to the neighboring prefecture, hoping I would find some signs or information about other incidents involving agents of S.K.U.L.L.. Along the way, I discovered another strange coincidence at a comic book shop: A similar fictional group of identical terrorists bent on world domination, though these agents wore green and seemed less… ideologically driven than the one I had met. Still, it was interesting how many old pieces of entertainment seemed to align with S.K.U.L.L.’s method of operation, almost like they really were villains straight out of a cartoon or a comic book.

After about two weeks of searching, I had finally given up on finding the girl from S.K.U.L.L., or anything about her organization for that matter. I had scoured the internet, searched public libraries, I had even blown off meeting up with Shun twice to go on day trips to entirely different prefectures instead, just to see if I could find even a hint of S.K.U.L.L.’s whereabouts or activities, and still, nothing.

I sighed, raising my cup to my lips and taking a long sip. I was finally returning to my usual routine of visiting Café Futura every afternoon, drowning my sorrows and sleep deprivation in caffeine. During most of my search I had been relying on coffees from vending machines and unfamiliar coffee shops with weird names that always ended in kanji3-based puns, so it was nice to return to somewhere familiar… even if there was always syrup on the bottom.

Sure enough, I tilted the cup a bit too far and gagged as a bit of acidic sweet sludge slid down my throat. I set my cup down shakily before coughing into my sleeve, trying to hack up the sweetness coating my windpipe so I could at least choke it back down with some coffee. From inside, Mirai-san peered out across the counter, mouthing “how is it?” at me and making a “so-so” motion with her hand, questioning. I nodded and smiled over my sleeve, giving her a thumbs-up despite my suffering; I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, and really it wasn’t her fault, this was just the natural result of using twenty-first century coffeemaking methods.

As Mirai and I gestured at each other through the glass, out of the corner of my eye I caught a familiar glimpse of purple that nearly made me jump. After all this time, is that…? I quickly turned my head one way, then the other, until I saw… someone who was definitely not an agent of S.K.U.L.L.. Instead, it was a fairly attractive young woman with a light tan and long, straight black hair. She was wearing a long, black skirt and a lightly colored lavender blouse, with a fairly expensive-looking purple cardigan on top. I raised my eyebrows slightly; even if she wasn’t an agent of an evil organization, she was still an unusual sight in this part of the city.

Mirai-san caught me staring at the woman, and winked at me knowingly. I turned away from the mysterious girl to glare at her, though I could feel my face heating up all the same. I’m not the only one who’s looking! I complained in my head. Other people were staring at her too as she approached the counter, curious as to what a girl who looked like that was doing at a place like this. She stood rather stiffly, with an uncomfortable expression, like someone who wasn’t used to waiting long, and for a moment I was worried. recalling customers who came in and made a scene once or twice. People who were used to sleek and modern coffee shops tended to get impatient with older style ones like this. However, Mirai was quick to greet her with a warm smile, and the girl seemed to relax a bit, smiling in return. I breathed a sigh of relief. Good, she doesn’t seem like she’s going to cause any trouble for Mirai-san.

The girl read the menu slowly, pausing at points to ask questions, which Mirai dutifully answered. As she lingered on her answer, her eyes wandered around the shop before landing on me, sitting outside by myself. Our gazes briefly met, and I blinked, my own eyes widening in shock. No way, it’s-

The girl suddenly averted her eyes, giving Mirai a hurried response, but I continued staring at her, waiting for her to look back again, just to be sure I wasn’t imagining things… Eventually, her curiosity got the better of her, and she looked back at me again. This time I made sure to look right back, memorizing every detail of those deep, green eyes. By the time she looked away again, I knew for certain:

That girl… was the girl from S.K.U.L.L.!

After finally placing her order, the girl sat at a table near the wall, waiting patiently until Mirai-san called for her. She made a point of not looking at me, her eyes flitting around the room instead, which only seemed to confirm my suspicions. She looked nervous about something, her eyes repeatedly flicking to her bag. Eventually, she gave in, reaching over to open it and look inside, rummaging through it until her hand rested on something and she relaxed, nodding to herself.

“Elizabeth!” Mirai called out with irregular volume. I rolled my eyes. She wasn’t exactly being subtle about pushing me to talk to the girl, since I knew her name now. Still… Elizabeth, I thought, imagining the name rolling off my tongue. Elllizabeth. Hm. I frowned. Not a very evil-sounding name, but… I glanced over at her once again, with her large, round eyes and her soft, deceptively gentle features, and smiled. …it fits.

Elizabeth accepted her drink with a small and unnecessary bow, to Mirai-san’s delight. I had just started to turn back around in my chair and return to enjoying my drink when I spied the old woman wink at me again, before turning to the girl and gesturing to the tables outside. I had to resist the urge to grin. The old woman thinks she’s meddling, having a girl I’m interested in sit out here with me, but that’s exactly what I want!

Fortunately, the girl seemed to take her words as an honest suggestion, bowing once more before turning around and walking toward the exit. As she crossed the threshold, I silently prayed that she would decide to sit at my table.

Elizabeth Meanes sat down at one of the tables outside the quaint little coffee shop, shooting a quick glance over at the young man sitting across the way. He’s been staring at me since I arrived here, she noted, trying to avoid doing the same thing herself. When our eyes met earlier, it almost looked like he recognized me from somewhere, but that’s impossible, I’ve never been in this area except…

Shaking her head, she turned her attention to the pale, yellowish beverage sitting in the tall glass in front of her. She had been confused by Café Futura’s menu at first, unable to find any of the usual drinks or terminology she was used to. When she finally asked the owner, who introduced herself as Mirai Miraia, for a recommendation, the old woman had suggested a Banana Boba Tea Latte, which was apparently the closest thing to a modern drink the shop offered. She used to drink banana milk when she was a child, but every time she had had it as an adult, it had never tasted quite the same. The kind she had when she was little had a more subdued flavor, with a slight tang to it, compared to the overtly sweet kind she found in most tea and coffee shops nowadays. She couldn’t imagine that sickly, almost rotten sweetness pairing well with the bitterness of coffee, but the owner had been so patient and understanding when explaining things to her that it would be ungrateful to not at least try it. Picking up the reusable boba straw Mirai-sama had given her with her drink, she carefully placed it into the glass and gave it a cursory stir, watching as the dark brown boba swirled around at the bottom. Taking a deep breath, she leaned in and took a sip…

Her eyes lit up. So good! It tasted exactly the way she remembered banana milk tasting, lightly sweet with a little fruity tang at the end! That refreshing sweetness was accentuated by the coffee, undercutting it with a bitterness that made it stand out all the more! As she took another delighted sip, trying to pinpoint what exactly gave the coffee that specific bitter, acrid taste, she failed to notice someone standing up from their chair and walking toward her, until their shadow loomed over her.

“So… Elizabeth, huh?” a familiar voice asked, causing her to look up at the source. “That’s a nice name…”

“…For a villain.”

Elizabeth froze mid-sip, the liquid in her straw slowly sinking back down into the cup as she stared back at Shuuya. I knew it, it was that guy- the man who thwarted my mission that day, she corrected, her eyes narrowing. How did he recognize me? Could he be an enemy agent, sent to spy on me by P.E.A.C.E.? No, don’t jump to conclusions. He likely has no evidence that I am, secretly, a devious agent of S.K.U.L.L.. Just play it cool, and pretend you know nothing.

I watched as Elizabeth slid the straw out of her mouth and calmly set her drink on the table, folding her hands and looking up at me with a piercing stare. This time, I was the one to freeze; this was not the cheerful, carefree girl who had been happily sipping a sugary drink moments ago. No, this was the agent of S.K.U.L.L. who made a declaration to me in that alley that sent chills up my spine…

“S.K.U.L.L…. will end world peace.”

It was so… so…

Cool! Incredibly cool! I thought, forcing myself to resist the urge to squeal as she glared at me with those withering green eyes. I can’t believe I’m actually standing in front of a real-life villain! I was so excited I couldn't speak!

He’s so intimidated he’s actually speechless! Elizabeth thought, smirking internally. It seems my little demonstration really did show him that S.K.U.L.L. is a force to be feared! Good, that should make this easier… She cleared her throat. “Villain?” she asked. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Another chill ran up my spine as she spoke; she really did sound more intimidating when she was in her element. Not like when I tackled her and she accused me of sexual harassment. My face flushed red with embarrassment at the memory. I can’t believe I actually tackled a real villain! Realizing I hadn’t said anything in response, I tried to think of what a hero would say and leaned forward, resting my hand on the table.

“Oh really?” I asked, grinning. “I thought you told me you were an agent of S.K.U.-”

Before I could react I was grabbed by my shirt collar and pulled down toward the table; through the window, I heard several customers “ooh!” “You fool!” she hissed, her breath hitting me with the unpleasant smell of over-sweetened coffee. “Do you wish to expose us both?!”

I misjudged him, Elizabeth thought, this fool holds no fear of speaking the name of S.K.U.L.L. aloud, nor does he fear what will happen if he reveals one of its agents in public! Very well, I shall play your game, whatever your name is…

“Could you please let go of me?” I asked. “People are starting to stare.” Even if it was incredibly cool to be held hostage by a real villain, the amount of attention we were getting for it was annoying.

Elizabeth glared at me a moment longer, as if to make sure I wasn’t lying, before looking to her left to see several people sitting by the window, watching us with bated breath. Even the ones who weren’t watching were still smiling knowingly while they sipped their coffee, and that meddling old Mirai-san was nodding approvingly at me. After a moment or two of silence, I watched her grit her teeth before letting go of my collar, sitting back down in her chair while I fell back into mine. “Thank you,” I sighed, rubbing at my neck. “Anyway, what do you mean, expose us both, you’re the only one here who’s an agent of-”

Elizabeth held a finger to her lips. “Hush!” she whispered, glancing around to make sure no one… else was watching us. “Do not speak our name so casually, not in public! At least whisper it!”

“…Fine, you’re an agent of an evil organization,” I finished, lowering my voice. “Now, how would I be exposed?”

Elizabeth leaned back in her chair, smirking at me. “Would your precious P.E.A.C.E. not find it suspicious that out of all the… numerous nefarious deeds I have committed in the name of-” She paused again, looking both ways before continuing in a whisper. “-S.K.U.L.L., the only person to encounter me, twice, is you?”

I frowned; wasn’t that the plot of a comic book, a daring young hero constantly accused of being a co-conspirator to his villains by a mustachioed newsman? I shook my head. Either way, it would be an unrealistic response by P.E.A.C.E., which avoided conflict with anyone to an almost ineffectual degree. “Considering my kidnapping, by you, is written in the official record of the incident, and I have almost no history of violations, I doubt they would.” Is this girl really for real?

“Y-Yes, well-” she stuttered, starting to sweat. Did she really not even consider that? However, after a moment, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes… and opened them again, her villainous form on display once more. A low chuckle rumbled in her throat, and she smiled. “I must admit, you’re more clever than I first thought. Most people in this soft, spineless world would have backed down at the merest threat from a ranking agent of S.K.U.L.L., but you picked my false threats apart and refused to back down. Good.”

Wait, so that was just a test? To see if I was a worthy opponent? I nearly sighed in relief. Thank goodness, for a second there I was worried I might have the wrong girl! Sitting up straighter, I leaned forward. “A true hero never backs down, no matter the threat,” I replied. “They do what they have to because no one else will.”

“Ah, a man who truly understands what this world needs,” Elizabeth purred, tenting her fingers and peering over them at me. “But do you think you alone will be enough to stop us? Can the strength of one man stand against that of an army—nay, a nation?” Externally, she was intentionally escalating, putting the pressure on to see if that man would admit that he was just another sheep content with the fraudulent peace of this world. But on the inside…

A hero? Is he mad?! she thought, completely lacking in self-awareness. Does he not know that such childish things are mere fantasy? Although… She paused. Even when all others had fled, and when even P.E.A.C.E. refused to truly stop me, only he remained and attempted to apprehend me, with no fear for his own life! Could this man actually be-

“I am-” I started…

-A hero?!

“-A hero,” I finished. “Or at least, I want to be. I don’t care how strong your leader is, or how many minions like you he has standing in my way, I’ll stand against you because I have no other choice.” That’s the purpose of villains, after all, to push people’s backs against the wall until they have no choice but to fight back! And maybe… maybe this girl can finally push me to do the same.

This girl’s low chuckling pulled me from my thoughts, and I watched as her shoulders began to shake, wracked by laughter that quickly bubbled into a full-blown cackle, drawing more unwanted attention until she managed to contain it back to a manageable level. “Yes!” she exclaimed, her pupils dilating as she leaned in closer. “Finally, a worthy opponent! Our battle will be-”

“Speaking of, what exactly is your goal?”

Elizabeth stopped. “E-Eh?”

I made a circular hand gesture. “You know, S.K.U.L.L., your leader, what do they want? Obviously you want to destroy world peace, but for what purpose? To get revenge for something P.E.A.C.E. did, to send the world into chaos and rule over the ashes… you know.”

“Oh.” Elizabeth blinked. “Oh?” she repeated, with an air of superiority. “You wish to know our goals, do you? You realize, of course, that should you learn our secrets, I will have to imprison you in our secret ba-”

“You have a secret base?!” I exclaimed, unable to contain my excitement any longer. Incredibly cool! “Can I see it?!”

“You- You actually want to see it?” Elizabeth asked, sounding oddly hopeful. “You’re not lying?”

“N-No?” I replied, somewhat unsure myself.

She stood up from her chair, grabbing me by the wrist and pulling me to my feet. “Then come, so-called hero, come and see exactly the futile battle you fight!” She turned around and started to drag me away with a surprisingly strong grip.

“Wait!” I interjected, planting my feet firmly on the ground. Elizabeth whirled around to glare at me, her round eyes narrowing intensely, and I suddenly felt the pressing need to explain myself. “W-We haven’t paid for our drinks!” That seemed to give her pause, and she tilted her head curiously at me. Cute, I thought to myself.

“Do they not simply automatically deduct the amount from your account upon ordering?” she asked, sounding perplexed by the notion of doing anything else.

I shook my head. “A-All the cups at Café Futura are real twenty-first century dishware, so they use a return system for payment to make sure no one steals them,” I explained. “If we leave without returning our cups, we would be leaving without paying.”

Elizabeth’s face went pale, then slowly flushed red with embarrassment. “O-Oh, right, o-of course,” she stuttered. “I-I’ll just- go take care of that, then!” She quickly let go of my arm and rushed to grab her cup, taking another long sip from it as she did so. Then, before I could stop her, she hurried over to the table I had been sitting at and picked up my cup as well. I started to open my mouth to tell her that actually, I was going to pay for that, but she was already hurrying inside to scan both our drinks into the return system. As she hurriedly navigated the payment system, Mirai-san stepped out from behind the counter. Elizabeth bowed at the old woman several times, thanking her profusely for her service before turning and quickly typing in the highest tip amount I’d ever seen. As soon as she was done paying, she sprinted right back out the door, earning her several questioning looks from the other customers.

She came to a halt in front of me, pausing to catch her breath. “Th-There,” she panted, “n-now that no one has any reason to consider us suspect…”

The dozen people who just saw you run out like a maniac would beg to differ…

She stood up straight and grabbed my arm again, grinning triumphantly. “…We can continue our business uninterrupted.”

As my captor dragged me away by my sleeve, I spied Mirai-san through the window, smiling sweetly at me, though behind that smile lurked a scheming, meddling, wicked old woman. I made sure to stop and give her an appropriate glare before another pull on my sleeve dragged me along, away from the comforts of and toward my as-yet-uncertain doom.

NEXT: The Girl From S.K.U.L.L., Part 2!

Notes

1. Chazuke (茶漬け) is a simple Japanese dish of tea or broth over leftover rice.

2. In the future, most food found in grocery stores is free, hence it is not a grocery store, but a grocery.

3. Kanji (漢字) are one of the types of symbols used in writing Japanese.