Rain pelted down the windows.
Some unknown part of the city, under the flickering lights of ambulances and police cars, True North stood among the ruined district.
Bits of the building were still on fire.
He hardly paid attention.
His eyes were on the wreckage.
"Captain Voltsbeard."
There was a crackle in True North's communicator.
"Yes, True North?"
"Have you found him?"
There was a pause.
"No sir."
True North's jaw tightened.
"Any trace?"
"Nothing."
"Witnesses?"
"Confused. Some say they saw a boy. Some say they saw a girl. Some even saw butterflies."
True North looked toward the broken remains of the building.
"Butterflies.."
Captain Voltsbeard went on.
"We've been tearing apart the ruins. Whoever this boy is, he's been leaving his prints."
True North turned away.
"He didn't leave them."
"What?"
"He was gone."
The captain was silent.
True North looked out at the rain.
"He was gone for years. No sign. No attacks. Nothing. And now, in one night a new Variant appears, explosives blow up a building and this boy disappears."
His hand tightened around the communicator.
"This isn't a coincidence."
Captain Voltsbeard's voice was quiet.
"No sir."
True North looked toward the horizon.
"He's back."
"Who?"
True North didn't answer right away.
For once, there was something different in his voice.
Not anger.
But concern.
"Notify every unit."
"About the boy?"
"No."
True North looked toward the dark beyond the ruins.
"Tell them.."
He paused.
"that he has returned."
The captain swallowed.
"And if he really is back?"
True North's eyes darkened.
"Then this time, we finish it."
---
Haruki had been staring at his front door for nearly a minute.
On the other side was an unknown.
Or maybe Charlotte.
Or maybe someone sent by True North.
Maybe--
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Haruki's imagination produced about seventeen ways that he could die.
He looked toward his sleeping father.
"Great."
Another knock.
Then a voice cut through the rain.
"HARUKI!"
Haruki jumped.
"It's me! Aunt Lucy!"
He froze.
"…Aunt Lucy?"
"OPEN THE DOOR! I'M SOAKED!"
Haruki hurried over and opened the door.
Aunt Lucy stood there, completely drenched, her hair sticking to her face and her clothes dripping on the floor.
She smiled.
"Morning!"
Haruki stared.
"It's raining."
"I noticed."
"You're standing in the rain."
"I also noticed that."
"You could've used an umbrella."
"I forgot one."
Haruki sighed.
"Come inside."
Aunt Lucy stepped in through the doorway.
Then Haruki noticed the boy standing behind her.
He was about Haruki's age.
Calm.
Quiet.
And looking at him like he'd come across a particularly disappointing animal.
Aunt Lucy put a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Oh! Right. Almost forgot."
She smiled.
"Haruki, meet Amirion."
The boy gave a small nod.
"Pleasure to meet you."
Haruki nodded back.
"Same."
Aunt Lucy's smile widened.
"See? You two already like each other."
Neither one responded.
Aunt Lucy looked between them.
"…This may take some work."
She vanished toward the kitchen.
"I'm going to make something!"
Haruki watched her go.
"She always does this."
Amirion said nothing.
Haruki looked at him.
"So…"
Nothing.
"You're her apprentice?"
"Yes."
"What kind of training?"
Silence.
"Do you always talk this much?"
"Yes."
Haruki stared at him.
"Okay."
Amirion stared back.
The room grew quiet.
Rain hit the windows.
Haruki turned away.
Weird guy.
He took one step.
Something cold touched his neck.
Haruki froze.
A thin layer of ice crawled across his skin.
Slowly, he looked down.
An ice blade was pressed against his throat.
Amirion stood behind him.
His expression hadn't changed.
"Where is Charlotte?"
Haruki's heart sank.
"…What?"
"Stop playing dumb."
The blade moved slightly closer.
"Charlotte saved you."
Haruki swallowed.
"You know her?"
"I asked where she is."
"I don't know!"
Amirion's eyes narrowed.
"You expect that to be true?"
"I literally don't know!"
"You were with her."
"Yes!"
"Then where is she?"
"I don't know!"
Amirion's grip tightened.
"Charlotte disappeared after that explosion."
Haruki looked at him.
Something clicked.
The butterflies.
The warehouse.
The explosion.
Her voice.
It hadn't been a dream.
It had actually happened.
Haruki whispered,
"So it was real.."
Amirion's expression changed slightly.
"What?"
Haruki turned his head.
"The girl."
He smiled nervously.
"She was real."
"Obviously."You don't understand."I understand perfectly."
"No, I mean--"
"AMIRION!"
A blur shot across the room.
WHAM!
Amirion hit the floor.
Aunt Lucy stood over him.
Her arms were crossed.
"Rule number one."
Amirion groaned.
"Don't assault people."Correct."
"Unless there's a good reason."
Aunt Lucy smiled.
"Excellent."
Haruki stared at them.
"…You two are insane."
Amirion slowly sat up.
"I had a reason."
"You pulled an ice knife on my nephew."
"He knows Charlotte."
"So?"
"She disappeared."
"And?"
"We need to find her."
Aunt Lucy blinked.
Then she looked at Haruki.
"Wait."
Her eyes widened.
"You know Charlotte?"
Haruki hesitated.
"Uh.."
Aunt Lucy grabbed his shoulders.
"Charlotte?"
"Yes."
"Charlotte?!"
"Yes."
"The Charlotte?"
"I don't know how many Charlottes you know."
"The singer?!"
"Yes!"
Aunt Lucy's face lit up.
"DID YOU GET HER AUTOGRAPH?"
Haruki stared at her.
"…What?"
"Her autograph!"
"When did you--"
He stopped.
His eyes slowly widened.
All of those times that Aunt Lucy had talked about Charlotte.
All of those ridiculous requests.
All of those conversations.
It made sense now.
"Oh."
Aunt Lucy's smile disappeared.
" Don't 'oh' me."
Haruki backed away.
"I was kind of busy."
"Busy?"
"Yes."
"Too busy to get your aunt an autograph?"
"I was being chased by a superhero!"
Aunt Lucy paused.
"…Fair."
Amirion interrupted.
"Where is Charlotte?"
"I told you, I don't know!"
"You were with her."
"Yes!"
"Then--"
"Maybe she left!"
"Why?"
"Because she crashed an umbrella into a warehouse!"
Amirion stared at him.
"…She did what?"
Haruki realized how ridiculous that sounded.
"It's complicated."
Aunt Lucy looked suspiciously at him.
"You're leaving out something."
"I'm leaving out several things."
Amirion stepped closer.
"Where did she go after the explosion?"
"I don't know."
"Haruki."
"I DON'T KNOW!"
The room grew silent.
Then a voice came from behind them.
"Wow."
Everyone froze.
The voice was light.
Almost amused.
"Everyone's been looking for me?"
Haruki slowly turned around.
A girl stood in the doorway.
Dry.
Calm.
Perfectly fine.
Charlotte.
She leaned against the doorframe, holding a small umbrella over one shoulder.
Haruki's mouth dropped open.
"You…"
Charlotte smiled.
"Miss me?"
Amirion's eyes widened.
"Charlotte."
"Hi, Amirion."
"You're alive."
"Obviously."
"You disappeared."
"I had things to do."
"You could have contacted me."
"I could have."
" Why didn't you?"
Charlotte shrugged.
"I forgot."
Amirion looked like he was about to explode.
Charlotte glanced at Haruki.
Then at Aunt Lucy.
Then back at Haruki.
"So…"
She smiled.
"You finally met everyone."
Haruki stared at her.
"You're Aunt Lucy's Charlotte?"
Aunt Lucy's eyes widened.
"You mean you were with Charlotte?!"
Haruki pointed at her.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you!"
Aunt Lucy immediately turned to Charlotte.
"Autograph."
Charlotte sighed.
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Just one?"
"No."
"For your number one fan?"
"No."
Aunt Lucy gasped.
"You wound me."
Charlotte rolled her eyes.
Then her gaze shifted toward Haruki.
The playful look disappeared.
"We need to talk."
Haruki's smile faded.
"About what?"
Charlotte looked toward the window.
Outside, the rain continued to fall.
"Unknown Mask."
The room went silent.
Even Amirion stopped speaking.
Charlotte slowly lowered the umbrella.
"He found another person."
Haruki frowned.
"Another person?"
Charlotte looked directly at him.
"And this time.."
Her eyes hardened.
"…I don't think he gave them their powers by accident."
To be continued.