[IC][Story][Arc 1] Rob and Brent's as-yet-untitled sidestory (Rob's #10, Brent's TBD)

[robkelk]

Fifteen minutes later, the Good Neighbor System's alarm went off. "Warning, incoming portal."

Rob blinked. "Who added spoken messages?" A portal opened in the wall, one person stepped through, and the portal collapsed. "Ben? How'd you kno- Oh. Right. The Good Neighbor System triggered when all five of the Senshi used their powers, didn't it?"

Ben took a large thermos out of his jacket pocket. "It's a good thing Kazari sent us an all-clear. For all we knew, you were being attacked by Unseelie again. Or superpowered clones, or Predators, or something we haven't encountered yet."

"No, just one of Pharaoh 90's daimons," Mimi joked as she sat up... but both Ben and Rob could see that she was forcing the humour.

"Introductions are in order. Ben, this is Mimi Hanyu. You might know her better as Mimete of the Witches 5, but she isn't using that name any more. Mimi, this is Ben Rhodes - he's in the same line of work that I am. Hang on a second, Ben." Rob grabbed his Montreal Biodome souvenir mug - the closest mug available - from the common room. "Here. I was going to let Sakura use this one because penguin, but I think Mimi needs it first."

Ben grinned, opened the thermos and poured some of its contents into the mug. "Mexican hot chocolate. Wonderfully warm, creamy, cane-sugared, cinnamon-spiced, chocolaty goodness with a hint of nutmeg. It warms the heart and the bones - just what someone could use after such a terrible experience."

"You had that ready on a quarter-hour's notice?"

Ben rolled his eyes with a smile that belied the expression. "I was getting ready to come over anyways. The hot chocolate was going to be a treat for later - perfect follow-up to a day spent ice skating - but I felt this was more important. Think the rest of the Witches 5 are gonna show up? After all, we got Pyrrha back."

"Oh, I hope not," replied Mimi. "We were at each others' throats. And... and I'd have to apologize to Eudial. I'd much rather go back to what I was doing before I was possessed."

"And that was...?"

"I was majoring in dramatic arts."

"I'm sure we can find you a school that'll take you as a student," Rob replied. "As for needing to apologize, you might want to talk with Accelerator and any of the Misaka clones. The girls share memories, and ... he killed some of them."

"Oh."

"The girls have memories of being killed - repeatedly - by somebody that they're now sharing a building with. And the youngest one approached him. So, it's possible for somebody to forgive the person that she remembers killed her."

At that, Mimi lost all composure. She leaned into Rob and cried silently.

"I'm going to go grab a couple more mugs," Ben said as he gave the two of them some room.

Mimi watched him go. "He's... nice. His girlfriend's a... lucky girl," she said between sobs.

"I don't think he has a girlfriend," Rob replied before he realized the subtext behind Mimi's words. "But I think you'd better spend more than a few minutes around him before you start thinking you know what he's like."

"Why? Is he...?"

Not sure what the next word was going to be, Rob stretched the truth a bit. "I have no idea what he is or isn't. But you are in no shape right now to decide whether you like somebody."