[MORNING – SATO RESIDENCE]
The front door opened with a heavy thud.
Nana walked in. She looked like she had just wrestled a bear and won. Her clothes were torn. There was mud (and possibly other fluids) on her boots.
"I'm home," she rumbled.
Noah ran to the door.
"Nana! You're back! Did you get the milk?"
Nana paused. She looked at the sack over her shoulder.
"I got... supplies," she said. "And a new scar."
She pointed to a thin line on her cheek.
"Cool!" Noah said. "It matches mine!" (He pointed to a papercut from a math test).
"Noah," Nana said, dropping the sack. "I heard a rumor."
Noah froze.
Did she find out about the...
"What rumor?"
"Parent-Teacher Conferences are today."
Noah's face went pale.
If Ms. Mai tells her about my math grade... I'm doomed.
"You don't have to go!" Noah said quickly. "You must be tired from your trip! Rest!"
Nana cracked her knuckles.
"Nonsense. I need to have a word with this 'Ms. Mai'."
[CONTROL ROOM – PANIC]
"Alert!" the analyst screamed. "Codename Nana is Back! She is heading for the School Sector!"
The Commander spat out his coffee.
"The School? Is she extracting Noah?"
"No, Sir. She is attending a scheduled academic review."
"A Parent-Teacher Conference?"
"Yes."
The President stood up.
" evacuate the building. No, wait. That would look suspicious. Send Unit Zero to monitor the perimeter. And pray for the teachers."
[SCHOOL – WAITING ROOM]
The hallway outside Classroom 3B was crowded with parents.
Nana sat on a tiny wooden bench. She took up two seats. Other parents gave her a wide berth. Her aura was suffocating.
"Is that... Sato's guardian?" a mother whispered. "She looks like a gladiator."
"Shh! Don't look her in the eye!"
Ms. Mai opened the door. She looked pale.
"Mr. and Mrs. Tanaka?"
Daisuke's parents went in. They came out five minutes later, weeping with joy.
"Next," Ms. Mai called, her voice trembling. "Sato."
Nana stood up. The bench groaned in relief.
"Come, Noah."
[THE CONFERENCE]
Nana squeezed into a student chair opposite Ms. Mai's desk. The chair legs bent slightly under the pressure.
Noah stood by the window, sweating.
"Ms. Mai," Nana nodded. "You look well."
"Thank you... Ma'am," Ms. Mai squeaked. "It is an honor to meet the... guardian... of such a... unique student."
"Cut to the chase," Nana grunted. "How are his grades?"
Ms. Mai opened Noah's file. Her hands shook.
"He... he is doing well in History. And P.E. But..."
Nana leaned forward. The desk rattled.
"But?"
"Math," Ms. Mai whispered. "He struggles with algebra."
Nana sighed. A deep, disappointed sound that vibrated through the floorboards.
"Noah."
"Yes, Nana?"
"Did you forget to carry the one?"
"I... I forgot X was a variable!"
"X is always a variable," Nana scolded. "Life is a variable. You must calculate for uncertainty."
[THE ASSASSIN]
Suddenly, the window behind Noah shattered.
CRASH.
A figure in black leaped into the room. It was an assassin from the Western Syndicate, here to eliminate the "Serpent King" while he was vulnerable.
"DIE, SATO!" the assassin screamed, lunging with a combat knife.
Noah yelped. "A window washer!?"
Ms. Mai reached for her hidden pistol.
But Nana moved faster.
She didn't stand up. She didn't look away from Noah's report card.
She simply raised her left hand.
Snatch.
She caught the assassin's wrist in mid-air.
The assassin froze. He looked down at the massive hand crushing his arm.
"Excuse me," Nana said calmly, still looking at the report card. "We are discussing algebra."
The assassin whimpered.
"P-Please let go..."
"Noah," Nana continued, ignoring the man dangling from her grip. "If you solve for X, and X is a knife-wielding idiot interrupting a meeting, what is the solution?"
Noah blinked.
"Uh... subtraction?"
"Correct."
Nana tightened her grip.
CRACK.
The assassin screamed. Nana tossed him out the window he came in.
YEET.
He flew across the courtyard and landed in a dumpster.
"Now," Nana said, turning back to Ms. Mai. "About this math grade. Can he do extra credit?"
[THE AFTERMATH]
Ms. Mai stared at the broken window. Then at the empty space where a killer used to be. Then at Nana's calm face.
"Yes," Ms. Mai whispered. "He can do extra credit. In fact, I'll give him an A right now."
"No handouts," Nana growled. "He earns it."
She stood up.
"Thank you for your time."
She walked out.
Noah followed her.
"Bye, Ms. Mai! Sorry about the window!"
[OUTSIDE]
Nana walked Noah home.
"You handled that well," Nana said.
"Thanks," Noah beamed. "I knew the answer was subtraction."
"Good. Now, about tonight's dinner."
"Yeah?"
"We're having snake stew."
(Noah assumed she bought eel).
"And Noah?"
"Yes, Nana?"
"Study your math. The next variable might be harder to subtract."
Noah nodded.
"Okay, Nana."
Back in the classroom, Ms. Mai poured herself a very strong drink from her desk drawer.
"I need a raise," she muttered. "Hazard pay."