FIVE

Matsuda and officer Kosuke look at Miu slightly worried. Kobi was still unconscious on the ground.

OFFICER KOSUKE

"Looks like that new friend of yours is gonna be around for a while. You don't get far east travellers often, since they're the highest class of society. If we can stay on his good side, we could make the most of it and get him to help you out if things get too rough at school. I'm sure it's just a temporary stay anyway so he might even take you with him. That'd be the safest bet ever."

MATSUDA

"DAD! Knock it off. That isn't funny. Anyway get this idiot out of here. He almost made us lose that favor you're so eager to get from him."

OFFICER KOSUKE

"Oh yeah!! Wake up jackass!!"

Officer kosuke kneels down by kobi and smacks his forehead.

KOBI

"Ow!!!! Why!?"

MATSUDA

"Aren't you grounded?"

OFFICER KOSUKE

"He is. I don't know why he's down here when he's supposed to be UP. STAIRS."

Kobi cowares and drunkenly gets up to rush back up the stairs back to the attic.

OFFICER KOSUKE

"Why the hell was he even down here anyway? Chiho brings him his food so he better not be snatching food from the fridge again."

MATSUDA

"Probably was, since he left crumbs on the floor."

OFFICER KOSUKE

"*sigh* well, whatever. Miu, make sure your new friend stays satisfied. Please. I really don't want to get on the rich guy's bad side."

MIU

"Uh-huh. Sure thing, Mr. Kosuke."

As soon as she replied, the door knocked again. Matsuda sighs and opens the door only to be greeted by a large bouquet of flowers with a large white tail swaying behind it. Plutos lowers the bouquet to his chest and looks at Matsuda a little surprised. Plutos was dressed just as casually as Miu was when they saw each other, with a simple sleeveless tank top and a pair of armored leggings he found in the base where his ship landed.

PLUTOS

"Oh! Hello. I'm back."

MATSUDA

"Uh, yeah. Come on in, buddy. Uh… what's that for??"

PLUTOS

"Hm? For Miu."

MIU

"Huh???"

PLUTOS

"Hello."

MIU

"Uh… hi? Why are those for me??"

PLUTOS

"Well, they are a thank you."

MIU

"I can't take care of those, though-"

OFFICER KOSUKE

"She'll gladly accept these!"

Officer Kosuke quickly interrupts her and takes the bouquet from Plutos and hands them to Miu.

OFFICER KOSUKE

*whisper* "Favor, Miu. Favor." "Now then why don't you come in and Join us for breakfast? We are more than happy to welcome a friend of Miu's."

MATSUDA

*mutter*"since when??" "I'll go get the table set up. Dad, you should go back up and get ready for work. And tell mom about our guest."

OFFICER KOSUKE

"Uh… *tch* right. Work. urgh… alright then. You kids help our guest feel welcome."

Officer Kosuke rushes upstairs to his room. Matsuda and Miu guide Plutos to the television lounge and Matsuda goes to get snacks and drinks for them before returning to the kitchen to set up. Plutos sits in the armchair and rolls his tail over his legs as the tip ticks occasionally. His businessman-like smile gave Miu goosebumps. Miu grabs a vase from the shelf and puts the bouquet in it, then sets it on the coffee table as she sits on the sofa.

MIU

*whisper* "what is the point in coming here with this?"

PLUTOS

*whisper* "I thought this would be the best way to show that I'm mostly harmless. I read that when an east Isles person shows trust, they bring a gift to say they are welcoming the other person."

MIU

*whisper* "... and here I had the impression that you were more lazy than laid back."

PLUTOS

"I simply don't like unnecessary conflict if I can help it. Or anything that doesn't fall in my interest really."

MIU

"Okay, then… what about that thing you showed me last time? That hologram?"

MATSUDA

"What thing?"

MIU

"Geh!?"

Matsuda was standing behind Miu Leaning on the sofa hanging over her.

MATSUDA

"What are you two whispering about?"

PLUTOS

"Just something between friends. That's all."

MATSUDA

"Something this friend isn't allowed to know about?"

PLUTOS

"Hoo~."

MIU

"It's nothing crazy I was just asking him about something!"

MATSUDA

"And that would be what? You seemed pretty close to be sharing secrets."

MIU

"Um…"

Plutos reaches into his pocket and pulls out the hologram device he showed Miu the night before and sets it on the table.

PLUTOS

"It's only something I got from home. It's a projector I use to watch the news as I travel."

Plutos presses the button and the little projector plays the recording he showed Miu. Matsuda watches and his face shifts from curious and excited to shock and amaze. Matsuda watched the large display as if hypnotized until it cut to static.

MATSUDA

"What…?? What happened!? Why'd it stop there!?"

PLUTOS

"The news anchor dropped his camera and it seems to have gotten crushed. This was just a replay though."

MATSUDA

"M-Miu do you realize how huge this is!?"

Miu only smiles at him wide eyed to show that she was just as surprised, but she doesn't say anything.

MATSUDA

"Miu, can I talk to you for a minute!?"

MIU

"Y-yeah. I'll be right back, Plutos. You can enjoy some TV while you wait. Here."

Miu turns on the television, hands Plutos the remote, then follows Matsuda to the back room by the stairs. Plutos smiles to himself and starts flipping through the channels happily.

MATSUDA

"Miu, we gotta show this to dad! If he sees this and takes this to the case unit, it'd be over in less than a few hours! I wanted to tell you this earlier but I heard you talking to dad the other night, and let me just say that your theory was good but I honestly did think too much of it at first. But now this actually proves it!"

MIU

"Eh?? Wait, you heard what I said and didn't believe me?"

MATSUDA

"I know, I'm sorry! I was actually really hoping that you would explain it to me better since we both wanted to be detectives, so I could understand it better. After all I saw one think, Dad saw another, and we don't know what you saw. So, our logic over turned our belief in your words so…"

MIU

"Yeah. I get it. Since I wasn't there, it makes sense that my words would seem optimistic."

MATSUDA

"Yeah. but, now with this, your words just became a fact of reality! This is super great! So, We should convince your friend to turn in this as evidence! With it, that weirdo cann come out of hiding and give his testimony so we can figure out what he's doing here. He won't have to stay in a cell at all either. I kinda wanted to know what kind of guy he really is."

MIU

"Hmm~. I don't think that's gonna be hard. Maybe I could meet the guy that helped me out with that problem at the apartment."

MATSUDA

"Oh yeah! That's perfect then. It's settled. We gotta convince him."

MIU

"Sure but how? It's not like we can just go up to him and say; Hey can we take that with us for a while? We need the video for a case as evidence."

MATSUDA

"Yeah. That's technically dad's job… hm? It might take some time to convince him but we don't know what might he might think if dad suddenly went up to him and-"

"ARE YOU SERIOUS!? I CAN!?"

Matsuda and Miu jump from the sudden shouting and rush out to see What is happening. Officer Kosuke and his wife were standing in front of Plutos who stayed in the armchair with his tail over his folded legs and his hand crossed on top of his tail.

PLUTOS

"Of course. If it will help the force in anyways, then please, by all means. Just remember to return the device afterwards. We wouldn't want to make a fuss out of something so small and inexpensive."

OFFICER KOSUKE

"... i-... inexpensive??"

PLUTOS

"Of course I'm sure you, being a man of the law, would be very careful with such things, since it's such a crucial item for your case. I'm sure you won't have any trouble keeping it safe."

OFFICER KOSUKE

"... Hah… hah hah…"

Officer Kosuke suddenly starts turning blue in the face as sweat trickles down his face. He instantly became a nervous wreck.

PLUTOS

"Is something the matter?"

OFFICER KOSUKE

"N-n-n-no!! No, no no. nothing at all. I-I'll be sure t-to bring that b-b-back to you in one p-piece! Safe and sound with no~ tinkers or dents or even a scratch!! HAHAHA!"

PLUTOS

"Good. I'm counting on you to do well, Officer. Good luck on your case. I hope the poor soul in this video doesn't have a hard time after this."

OFFICER KOSUKE

"Ah… R-right… of course he innocent! There's no way that guy could have caused such a massive amount of carnage like that, right!? Hahahaha!"

PLUTOS

"Huhu… especially since I heard that the company that makes those helicopters has a history of malfunctioning goods. It's quite the mystery that they are still in business."

OFFICER KOSUKE

"Exactly! They really shouldn't be making stuff so close to the city! There's way too many people and casualties are bound to happen like that! … You know it really is a miracle no one even got hurt."

PLUTOS

"Really now? Not a single person? I would have thought the pilots of the helicopter would have died from that sort of impact."

OFFICER KOSUKE

*whisper* "between you and me, After that incident, the high form at the top are getting ready to sue that hell out of that company for property damage and not following standard safety protocols."

PLUTOS

"Well now.I'll hold my tongue if you hold yours."

OFFICER KOSUKE

"Deal then. Come on, the missus just made a real good catfish breakfast. Why don't you join us?"

PLUTOS

"No. I should be returning soon. I had gotten a call to return for some urgency, so I'll be returning now."

Plutos hands officer Kosuke the television remote and the little projector. He then pulls a small packet out of his pocket and hands it to the mother, then to Matsuda and hands him one as well.

PLUTOS

"A gift for the family. Small charms I made for some good fortune. I believe you call them good tidings? Or blessings? One for the parents and one for the eldest son."

Matsuda and his mother light up with delight from his gesture. The meaning of his gift was meant to show gratitude and trust in someone. So he was showing that he has welcomed them as a part of his life. Miu cringes from the thought, but then thinks about the meaning behind the flowers she got from him. She couldn't think of anything at all.

Plutos smiles with his best model business smile that sends chills down Miu's spine. He was plotting something and she can feel it. She was right to think so too.

After a few banters here and there with the missus, Plutos was finally able to leave with some of the food Mrs. Kosuke made and told him to enjoy. Plutos decides to eat it on his way out and makes his way to the small house across the street. Once inside, the light automatically turns on as he heads down the hall to his bedroom and grabs a large case from his dresser drawer then heads to the lounge room back by the entry and places the case on the coffee table with the opening facing the wall with a fireplace in front of him. The case opens to reveal a small 8 ball-looking sphere. The lens lights up and a projection displays on the wall above the fireplace. The projection shows a tranquil scene with two small blue beings flying across the screen until they notice they are being watched. They fly to the screen and look into it with curious smiles on their faces.

PLUTOS

"Hello there, Men. Sun…"