Doyararu led them to the very entrance of the building.
The doors were shut.
Beyond them, they could practically feel the chaos transpiring within.
Akira was the first to speak, though her voice carried little confidence. Her body still felt unreasonably on edge.
"Uhm, why... why are you bringing us here?" she asked.
The masked individual barely glanced at her at first.
Akira could tell he was still very uncomfortable.
She interpreted that as a problem she was the cause of.
"I brought you here," Doyararu said, finally turning, "because she told me to bring you here."
"She?" Graham chipped in.
The white gloves pointed to the Essential woman beside him.
"Mrs... Juri?" Akira whispered.
"Mrs Juri, what's going on?" Graham asked, equally confused.
The rescuer didn't wait another moment. He simply bowed and prepared to take his leave.
"Excuse me."
"Hold on," Juri said, still avoiding the question she'd been asked. "Did you make sure he was here too?"
The masked man nodded briefly before walking away.
The trio remained.
Graham was the first to ask Juri again what was going on.
As far as he was concerned, none of this made sense in the slightest.
Then, finally, Juri spoke.
"I will answer your questions as we go."
She didn't wait.
She'd already begun walking up the stairs.
Graham hesitated before glancing at the hybrid.
Akira didn't know why, but something in her body was screaming at her not to follow.
Still.
She swallowed the feeling down and moved.
And once inside, the immediate whiplash between the serene front yard and the disorderly panic within made it apparent why.
•••
Juri led them down a small passage that barely anyone aware of its existence would have noticed.
She moved slowly.
Her knees were quite weak from the pressure.
But that didn't stop Graham from demanding answers.
And, as promised, Juri began to talk.
•••
"Hashinada."
Akira stiffened.
"Yes, ma'am?"
"I'd like to ask you a simple question."
"Oh... okay..."
The older woman stopped in front of a heavy wooden door.
Juri's eye peeked past her frames, her hand resting on the knob.
The door opened.
"What are you afraid of?"
Akira's body froze.
Juri walked in.
"Come inside, both of you."
Graham noticed the immediate shift in Akira's demeanour as she stared at the door.
No, it was as if she were staring past it.
"Akira?"
Her eyes twitched as she took a moment to breathe slowly.
("N-No... I'm just... I'm just hearing things...")
"C'mon, Akira, let's go."
Her feet barely inched forward.
("It's okay...")
Her body reacted the closer she got to the threshold.
("Calm down, Aki...")
Her fingers crossed first, testing the temperature of the air.
And then, she slowly walked in.
("You're okay...")
Her eyes slowly lifted from the floor.
("...you're okay.")
Her boots.
Chairs.
Legs.
Table.
The first thing she noticed were the hands.
That's where her focus buffered.
Those pale, withered...
"You can look up, Akira. There's no need to be frightened," Juri said, watching her every move.
Her cunning gray eye sharpened beneath her glasses, "Unless..."
( "...unless you are." )
Akira's expression didn't freeze immediately.
No, that would've been too obvious.
Instead, it was the lavender that spoke for her.
Or rather, the lack of it.
Empty.
Graham stood in confusion as he watched the hybrid react to the older man sitting on the other side of the table.
"Akira?"
Juri's expression darkened further.
"Are you alright?" she asked, measured and restrained. "Akira?"
Akira's body couldn't move.
There was no sensation.
No panic.
No fear.
Nothing.
Just the inevitable stillness of realization as she whispered,
"Yes."
The older man's face remained still as he looked at the lofty young woman.
And for a brief moment,
she saw his lips curve.
Then, quietly,
he spoke.
"Well, what do we have here?"
Ancient gray eyes turned into a withered blue as he leaned forward in his chair.
"We meet again..."
"Miss."
Akira could only manage a soft breath.
Juri slid her chair back as she slowly walked beside the older man, laying her hand on his shoulder.
"I brought us here because I knew this place was the safest place to be in a time like this."
Her narrow expression deepened as she surveyed Akira.
She still hadn't moved.
That was enough.
"Akira."
"Mr Graham."
"This is my husband."
Lavender cracked.
Slightly.
"Mr Kisaragi Shinjiro."