19. Tochigi

At dawn, Haruka and Kazuki arrived at the Marunouchi train station. On the outside, it was an eye catching building with classical architecture featuring red clay bricks intertwined with white details made with concrete and a plethora of white windows carefully organized. On the inside, though, the station was now a technological marvel, the walls were all coated with white metal and most of them with holographic screens featuring ads or important information (those always in blue). There were also lots holographic maps and signs. The pillars were elaborate metal ones, with subdivisions on their top, lending themselves to the roof, also white, with lots of powerful lights, but also, glass squares meant to allow the sunlight in. The duo were now waiting on the platform, in which the metallic tracks were darker, contrasting with the bright structure and screens all around.

- "Good morning Operator-san" - said Kazuki on the NCID. - "We are on the platform. Can you hear us?"
- "Good morning Kazuki-kun, Haruka-chan, all systems go!"
- "Great!" - said Haruka.
- "Now, on the train, Haruka-chan will travel on car 3 and Kazuki-kun on car 5."
- "What?!" - Kazuki replied loudly, but then continued quieter - "I mean, why is that?"
- "Well, there have been some reports about robberies on trains. So, it was our idea to get an extra support from you." - Haruka pouted and frowned but kept quiet.
- "A little unorthodox, I must admit" - replied Kazuki - "but alright, we will do that."
- "Great. Call me if anything goes wrong, I'm on!"
- "Alright, thank you."
- "Operator leaving it to Kazuki-kun and Haruka-chan, over and out!" - Haruka and Kazuki kept staring at each other. Their frowns and looks told the entire story.

Soon, the train arrived. It was bright grey, round shaped for aerodynamics and filled with round windows on its sides. It stopped and sliding white doors opened allowing the agents to enter. Inside, the train was also white, very brightly illuminated, featuring a few white pillars, a few blue holographic screens with maps and schedules and brown pairs of seats facing the front of the train. Haruka and Kazuki went separate ways and sat on their cars. They fastened their seatbelts as the train accelerated to its high speed.

On the train, Haruka and Kazuki alternated between keeping on eye on the inside and everyone, and looking at the outside and enjoying the views transforming from urban to bucolic, from crowded to quiet, from grey and blue to green and brown. Despite that, their enjoyment was limited by the mission and by the speed of the train, which made it hard to see any details on the landscape.

- "That's such a drag" - Kazuki said on the NCID - "this is policemen work, this is not for us."
- "Kaa-chan, relax. The trip is not that long and probably nothing wrong will happen."
- "Maybe it'd be better if something happened and I punched a crook on the face."
- "Well, I hope we do not punch anyone" - Haruka paused, stretching - "so try to enjoy the trip, Kaa-chan, it is not your fault that the operator is so dull as to give us this job."
- "Hey! I am listening!"
- "I know" - Haruka wore a smug smile.
- "Hmpf! Let it be crocodiles! Your lagoon is going to dry!" - the operator replied, pouting for no one to see.
- "Such a bad loser!" - Haruka laughed. This exchange allowed time to pass quicker. Despite the long trip, Haruka and Kazuki avoided talking with each other due to the NCID and the risk of saying too much.

In a matter of just one hour, Haruka and Kazuki arrived at the Yunoko station in Tochigi. They left the train and were met by a platform, which was very similar to the one in Tokyo, but much smaller. They climbed some stairs and when they left the station, they were met by the powerful sun, the blue cloudless sky and the bright green lush vegetation of the region. They looked back: both on the inside and outside, the station had the very technological futuristic look, but it was like stranded on a natural paradise.

- "Wow" - they both said when they really let that sink in. As they walked through the old brick road that went down ahead, Haruka's hand reached for Kazuki's hand, who held it. For them, it should be a mostly natural exchange, but because their relationship's evolution struggled against the military rules, it made their hearts race. Despite that, Haruka did not let Kazuki release her hand and later he also did not let her release his hand. Still holding hands, they walked down the road, watching the colorful trees, many flourishing being visited by birds, and keeping on eye on the few houses and simple buildings around.

After a quarter of an hour, they reached the Yunoko lake. It was expansive, blue, shining with the reflection of sunlight and surrounded by trees. The silence was broken by the wind, the cicadas and some children playing. Also, around the lake and on two boats, there were some people fishing.

- "Amazing! I think I'm going to come here when we we get some vacations." - said Haruka, releasing Kazuki's hand and moving around.
- "So, you mean never?"
- "Um" - Haruka lost her energy - "I guess..."
- "Kazuki-kun! I know you never take your vacation time!" - the operator interrupted them. Kazuki only huffed and Haruka said:
- "So, Operator-san, any readings, any clues?"
- "Yes, that's why I called. We are getting faint magical readings from the east side of the lake. If you continue surrounding it for five minutes and then proceed east, you should find the deviant."
- "Alright, so we will do" - Haruka and Kazuki now advanced on a faster pace, surrounding the calming lake on its east side, listening to the birds chirp. Then they turned east and proceeded up. Hearing leaves rustling they advanced and soon arrived near a clearing where they hid in the bushes to observe.

In the middle of the clearing was a peculiar being. It looked like a irregular shaped ball with reddish ochre coloured scales. From it, protruded eight very short appendages with the same pattern of the ball. Kazuki could see one eye on the ball which was a red sphere with a yellow dash protruding from the body of the monster. Close by, a deer ate grass, seemingly unaware of it. The monster moved one of its appendages slowly and pointed it at the deer. In an instant, the appendage extended, becoming a large tentacle which impaled the deer and pushed it close to its body, The monster opened a cavity its mouth, to consume the deer.

Kazuki and Haruka looked at each other frowning, there was no doubt of it. They had found their deviant, the Hachimorph.