To Provoke and Expose

"Don't pat my head! I'm going to tell Zach about my finished mission. You want to come with?" Boo asked me.

"Sure. Shike, you guys want to join?" I turned around to the cluster of my friends behind me and they rubbed the back of their necks together without meaning to.

"Uh, we'll pass! We don't really go near him anymore, not since he sent you away." Shike admitted. Shike and the others slowly walked over to A-Ranking while lost in conversation. Seeing them walk away made me feel jealous that I was gone for so long, but I was welcomed back with open arms and couldn't be upset about it. Illya, however, stayed with me as everybody walked away.

"They really haven't talked to Zach since then?" That's hard to believe but... I like that." I asked Boo.

She admitted that Zach's exposure to the rest of MTG was very limited since I was sent away. Zach locked himself in his office once my mom found out and he hid away, apparently. Something told me that's not what actually happened. Had my Mom known I was gone, I think Zach would've been killed. She is very territorial.

"That's his office? What happened to his windows?" I asked Boo.

"Not sure... he might be in trouble!" Boo said. She pulled out her katana and ran up the stairs to his office within another building. She burst through the door with her katana in hand and was surprised by who was standing in the room.

"Oh, hey Sky! Who is this? Oh... Buusu Achamo, right?" Mom asked her.

"Hey... what happened here? Where's Zach at?" Boo asked my Mom.

"It's complicated, but I can cut it short. He's dead. I murdered him. You didn't have any relation to him at all, did you Miss Achamo?" Mom asked her.

"Hardly. I did missions for him to provide for the A-Ranking dorm financially, so I only cared about the money he had... if you don't mind me asking, what did he do to make you kill him?" Boo asked my Mom again.

"He exiled me, right? That's what I've been thinking since meeting back up with Boo and the others." I asked Mom, to which she nodded. We all fell silent and looked around the office covered in large windows and bookshelves filled with what looked like the same book.

"Listen, we have one last mission that I must send you two on. I'd rather not do this, considering Sky just escaped from Rubeki territory, but there's one last mysterious Rubeki figure that I want to investigate. Sky, you can sit out if you'd like, but Miss Achamo, I will provide the rest of your finances so you don't have to go on missions anymore if you investigate this last figure. Do you agree to the mission?" Mom asked

"Yeah, I'll go. Sky, you're not allowed to go on the mission, I prevent you from doing so. I'll investigate that Rubeki guy and figure out the best course of action. I'll agree to the mission, Mrs. Asterio." Boo told her.

"Boo, I want to go on the mission with you guys. I feel that it would be the best, I know my way around! I won't fight any Rubeki if that's what you're worried about... just let me go with you guys." I pleaded. I don't know why I was, considering that I could just go anyway and she couldn't stop me, but it was something about upholding respect toward Boo that mattered the most.

"It's really up to you, but I would prefer you rest. You've been hiding in Rubeki territory for about two years now. Illya, what do you think? Should you two go?" Boo asked her.

"I guess it can't be helped. Let's check it out, Sky." Illya told me. I nodded and went to turn back to look at Boo, but I caught a glimpse of a death stare from my Mom. It sent chills up my spine and made me feel awkward.

"Do you two mind if I have a quick conversation with Sky?" Mom asked the two of them. Boo agreed, but Illya cut her off.

"I don't think that's a good idea, respectfully. I think I should stick around." Illya told my Mom with crossed arms.

What the hell was this atmosphere going on right now?

"You leave this goddamn room and I won't spill your secret." Mom told Illya.

The atmosphere thickened even further. There was something about the way Illya and Mom were staring at each other that freaked Boo and me out... to the point where we wanted to leave the room.

"Guys, what's going on here? Illya, why can't I talk to my Mom?" I asked her.

She looked at my mom with a mean stare, then turned around once more to leave the room.

"It was just a joke Sky. Silly you, Ali and I have always had a sense of humor like that." She said with a fake smile.

"I'll... leave too..." Boo said as she ran out of the room. All that was left were both Mom and I now.

"Sky. I want you to listen to me carefully. Things are bad right now... you just have to trust me and go on that mission and act normal. As normal as possible... you need to trust me, okay?" Mom told me, shoving my head into her shoulder.

"What the hell is going on?! Why..." I paused and decided to agree with her. Mom would never do anything to put me in danger, so I just had to trust her on this one. I walked toward the door with confusion stirring my brain.

So, all I had to do was just go on the mission and everything would be solved? What is going on here?

I had so many questions, but I knew if I just trusted Mom I wouldn't have any problems. However, the way Illya was looking at Mom reminded me of the way she looked at Rubeki.

How did Illya truly feel about Mom if she had that look in her eyes?