Investigation

"I'm hom-"
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
'Gaia's home... And she's not happy.'
Ping!

A notification from the club chat.
"Hey guys, just letting you know I had to cut my training short for today."
"Oh what happened?"
"Gaia didn't tell me much but she was PISSED, so maybe it's whatever happened on the east side? Kazu you know anything?"

'A little late with the news.'
"Can't talk right now."

"Now, now, there's no reason to shout."
"THERE IS WHEN THE ENEMY MANAGES TO ESCAPE!"
"Please, she'll be caught before you know it.
Oh, welcome home Kazu!"
"Ah- You must have heard me yelling... Sorry about that little Kazu."
"...No problem."
"So, I heard from your dad that you were the one that called in reinforcements?"
"Yep, I was in the area when I saw it."
"Good, good, I'll keep that in mind. I'll be going now, I'll have to go find out more details of what happened, bye now."
"Cya."
"Be safe sis! Try not to yell a lot ok?"

Gaia closes the door without looking back.
"She's not gonna listen to me... Such a big fuss about someone escaping, sheesh."
'Mom doesn't seem to be taking it that serious, well she's kinda right, she's probably gonna be caught soon, and if not now, then the next time she shows up.'

We then eat dinner, before I retire to my room to sleep off the day away.

...

I'm taking Aya on a walk around town.
"This is fun isn't it?"
"Sure is~"
"Well I got something to tell you."
"What is it Kazu."
"What I have to say is-"
"Kazu!"
"Hm? Let me finish-"
"KAZU!"
As she says that, her head transforms into Gaia's.
"WHAT THE-"
"KAZU!"

Suddenly I jolt awake, with Gaia staring down at me as she calls my name.

"Great! You're awake."
"Huh? What? Where am I?
...Gaia? What time is it?"
"Probably earlier than you usually wake up."
"Wait, why are you in my room."
"There was a situation that happened yesterday, I assume you remember? And you being a witness and all, I'd like for you to come with me."
"Where are we going?"
"To HQ."
"HUH?"
"Get ready, quick"
"But-"
"Don't make me come back, do you understand?"
'Chills just went down my spine, what a rude awakening.'
"Y- Yes."

I try to get dressed and ready as fast as I possibly can, not wanting to risk whatever punishment she had in mind, and meet her at the entrance.

"Alright, good."
"Hey there Kazu! We actually get to spend the day together for once! Or at least more than usual!"
"Dad?"
"Well this is usually when he goes to HQ too, so he's tagging along."
"I'm so glad! Ah, not about the escape, sorry Gaia. But this is one great silver lining! For me that is."
"...Right."
"Yeah, no problem dad. But... What about school?"
"Don't worry, your principal doesn't mind, I asked her personally!"
"Yep! And I certainly don't want to question that!"
'Of course, I can only imagine how that went.'
"Everyone good? Then let's go."

She opens the door only to be greeted by a tent, catching me off guard.
"...Huh?"
"Gaia, did you sleep outside? You have your own ro-"
"What? No, that's just leader boy."
"Tarou?"

As I say that, the person inside seems to wake up, and starts unzipping the tent.
"Ah ha! I knew I heard you guys! Hello."
"It really is you. But, why the tent?"
Before Tarou can say anything, Gaia jumps in.
"Well because of the mess that happened yesterday, I mentioned to him that I might have to pause his training, and well..."
"I begged and pleaded until she decided against that."
"Yeah, pretty much, so I let him tag along, trust me it was better than the alternative."
"...and the tent?"
"Oh, I got back a few hours ago and took a nap before waking you up to get some energy back. Obviously I couldn't let him in, this isn't my house! So he stayed outside."

'The more she explains, the less I want to know.'

"Can we just go."
"Yes, let's, we already took too long, Tarou pack up and get in the car."
"YES COACH!"
'He's more determined than anything to be a hero, I'll give him that...'

...

We arrive at HQ, I've only ever seen it from the outside, but today I'm going inside.
We walk through halls, getting deeper into the building, until finally we stop.
"Is this it? Where are we?"
"Yes, this is one of our investigation rooms, well she'll take over from here, I'll see you later Kazu!"
"Right, cya dad."

He walks off and finally Gaia speaks.
"Alright, let's go in."

Inside I see another person.
'Echo? Is this really just because I witnessed it or do they know I stayed past the phone call? Why is he here?'

"WOW, I get to meet a hero face to face!"
"Leader boy, please stay quiet, this is important."
"Oh right, sorry."
"Anyway, Kazu, this is Echo, he was the hero that came to the rescue when you called."
"Hello there, pleased to meet you."
"L- Likewise, I've heard of you."
"Oh~? Are you fan?"
"Echo, focus."
"Right, of course."
"Now Kazu, please tell us everything you remember."

I do as told and try to give details of what I saw her do, leaving out my interference, and other parts they don't need to know. Then Echo speaks up.

"I see, this is important, can you remember anything related to the bag she had? Any feature, or symbol perhaps?"
'He must be talking about what the cop saw.'
I think back, trying as hard as I can to picture the bag more clearly. Gaia and Tarou remaining silent on the side.
"...I don't think so, hmm."
"Well, that's ok-"
'Wait...'
"I remembered something!"
"Go on. Be as precise as you can."
"The bag did seem purple-ish, but more than that, I did notice that when she opened the bag to put the money inside that it was..."
'How do I describe that?'
"Yes?"
"...Like a void? Sort of? It seemed pitch black, like there was nothing at all."
"I see... Thank you, that does help us."
"What are you thinking Echo."
"You know the same as I, including the symbol one of the guards drew, I think we're both thinking the same thing."
"It can't be though. Since-"
"I know what you're going to say, I know you didn't have the time, so I took the liberty of sending someone to check. It's missing."
"..."
"I'm as shocked as you are, but at the very least, thanks to that fire, it's now nothing more than a regular bag."

I notice Gaia's face, she can barely contain her anger.

"On another note Light Show did seem surprised, as if something wasn't going to plan, I think that bag was going to have more use, so we stopped at least that facet of-
"You say that so calmly. As if you don't know what you've just suggested."
"...If I also got angry, the damage would be immense, I have no choice. Besides, what does getting angry get us?
In any case, this can't be all that you brought him here for, is it?"
"...Right. He knows teleportation magic."

What she says completely catches me off guard.
'She just blurted that out for everyone to hear?!'

"Kazu can... Teleport? You never told me you knew magic..."
"Sorry, it's just... I didn't... Well..."
"I think what little Kazu is trying to say is that he probably didn't want to reveal he knew magic when you all didn't."
'Well, it's more that I just wanted to keep it for myself, but sure.'
"Yeah. Sorry Tarou."
"It's a bit shocking, but now I got someone I need to surpass, you'll see!"
"I'm sure you will Tarou."
"I see, so you're suggesting he might be able to trace it? I'll admit that's quite the rare power, but does he even know how to do that? Or even the extent-"
"Well talking isn't gonna solve anything, when you told me about the bag, well I figured we HAVE to try."
"...Very well, I'll go fetch it."

He then proceeds to leaves the room.
"Hm? What is he going to bring?"
"A piece of fabric, strong magical objects that comes to our possession go to our vault for safe keeping, so that it may bring no harm to anyone.
We also usually keep bits and pieces of every item for just this purpose, though we usually need someone with a similar enough magic."
"That's so cool coach!"

'Huh? Vault? She can't be saying...'
"By safe keeping in your vault... Do you mean-"
"Yes, that bag came from our vault. Somehow, it was stolen from there."

'...No way.'