Report.

Nanami was making them lunch? And it already smelled this good? William was looking forward to it.

He and Aoi sat down at the small oak table while Nanami poured the stew she had prepared on bowls and served them. The smell alone was maging Will’s stomach grumble.

“I hope it’s good,” Nanami said, putting a bowl in front of Will. “I didn’t want to leave leftover ingredients that might go bad, so I used everything and made too much. Eat as much as you like.”

“It looks and smells incredible,” Will told her. “Sorry for the trouble, but thank you.”

“I was worried you’d end up eating my aunt’s cooking,” Nanami laughed.

“Okay, tone down the cheek,” Aoi grumbled. “I’m not THAT bad.”

“Say that when you actually follow a recipe to the letter.” Despite the harsh words, Nanami beamed and lovingly hugged her aunt from behind after serving her a bowl of stew.

“...They say you’re allowed to be creative,” the older woman argued.

“That’s only when you have the basics down, aunty. You’re a magic prodigy, not a chef prodigy.”

“Prodigy?” Will asked.

“Yeah, aunty Aoi is considered a prodigy when it comes to combat and control of aether,” Nanami said, sitting down next to Will with a bowl of her own. “She went through her basic training in less than a year and was already practicing advanced techniques when she was seventeen.”

“The label means nothing,” Aoi said. “Being a prodigy means little when humans are still so behind in aether use compared to beings from that other world.”

“Oh, yeah. That’s the other thing,” Nanami giggled and whispered in Will’s ear. “She’s very hard on herself, so she doesn’t do well with praise.”

“I can still hear you, Nanami. Please stop saying unnecessary things.”

Nanami chuckled, a bright smile on her face. She was clearly in a very good mood.

'Can you blame her? Her aunt is here, hale and hearty after who knows how long fearing she may have lost her.’

Well… Yeah. That’d be a pretty good reason.

“How’s progress, Nanami?” her aunt asked.

Meanwhile, Will couldn’t hold on anymore and started eating. He burned his tongue with how hot the food was, and his arms felt a little too tired. Maybe waiting a bit wouldn’t hurt.

“I have good news, actually. It was a little risky, but I got us some good info. In dealing with the aftermath of the fracture opening in the building’s basement, I confirmed that we still have allies within the police department.”

“Do we? Who?” Aoi asked with interest.

“Detective Sanchez. He said he’s kept himself busy taking regular cases to keep himself away from the chief. He realized something was wrong with him. He did more investigating on his own and found out the chief’s daughter is in a coma. I went to check up on her, and… Well, I had to sneak around the hospital, but I was there long enough to confirm foreign aether in her body. Her coma was premeditated.”

“How do you know this detective can be trusted?” Will asked.

“I suppose my aunt gave you the basic lecture on magic?” she asked. Will nodded. “Well, I’m actually pretty mediocre at all types of magic. I can’t do any of them right, and I don’t have much aether in me anyway. However, I have an uncanny ability to sense aether and even distinguish it from people to people. If someone has the ability to use aether and isn’t actively hiding it in some way, I know it. And if someone can’t use it but has been touched by it, I can tell, too.”

“It’s this ability that saw her being recruited into our organization, no matter how against it I was,” Aoi said.

“I could tell you were possessed by a higher spirit, remember?” Nanami continued. “And I could tell that your girlfriends had been touched by your powers, but not under your influence.” Nanami puffed her chest proudly. “I might make for a crappy mage, but I can see things no one else can. And so, I know that Detective Sanchez is not under anyone’s influence, and he’s always been an ally of ours within the police.”

Will chuckled. Nanami looked pretty cute. However, he had a question. “And this girl in a coma? Do you know whose aether affects her?”

Nanami’s smile faded. She grimaced and nodded. “Yeah. Jack Evans.” She clicked her tongue. “But why? If he had the chief under his control, then why attack his daughter?”

Aoi looked at Will. “Why do you think he would do that?”

“...” Will had to ponder on it for a moment. “I can only imagine he wasn’t confident that his attempt to control the chief of police would go well. Either he tried once and failed, making him use the man’s daughter as leverage to try again, or he intended to use her from the first in order to have a backup or make the mind control easier. Can the chief use aether?”

Aoi nodded. “He can, but he’s no mage. He’s merely had a weak, artificial awakening. I hear this is done to every chief of police in order to prevent them from…” she sighed in frustration, “being mind controlled.”

“Even if they expected it, there was little they could do to prepare against a higher spirit,” Nanami said. “That’s what the organization was for.”

“Nanami, stay in contact with Detective Sanchez. Even if we can trust him, I’d rather not show myself to anyone who may have direct contact with Jack. Keep William’s powers a secret for now, but if you need to, tell him we have someone who can level the playing field.”

“Okay.”

“For now, let’s eat. Once aether has been awakened in your body, simple things like eating and sleeping help you replenish it.”

Nanami turned to Will with a smile. “It’s one of the things that add to the theory that, once upon a time, humans were naturally born with the ability to use aether.”

The three of them enjoyed the meal. Nanami’s cooking not only looked and smelled great, but also tasted the part. From how exhausted he was, Will wolfed down his entire bowl and even had seconds, much to Nanami’s delight.

“William,” Aoi said, after they were all done. “You have two hours to rest. I need to see to some business back in the city and then I’ll come back so we can continue training.”

“What business?” he and Nanami asked in unison.

“I need to meet with your… girlfriend, Amelia. She wants to sort out things as quickly as she can, and I appreciate that sort of attitude. However, there is very little she can actually do about that building. I’ll try to convince her to give it up.”

Will winced. He got a feeling Amela wasn’t willing to do that, especially with her thinking of divorce. She needed every asset she could keep. “Is there a way I can learn to close that fracture for good? I was able to open it, right?”

“...Perhaps, if you’re willing.”

“I am.”

“Very well. I’ll think of something. Regardless, there’s something I need to ask you.” Aoi looked straight into Will’s eyes. “Have you told her anything about the supernatural?”

Will shook his head. “No, but I plan to eventually. I know you want to keep this a secret, but I won’t keep her in the dark about what I am.”

Aoi shook her head in resignation. “Very well. Then… I’ll try to avoid it, but if necessary I will tell her some of what really happened. Might even need to throw in your name.”

“Do what you must. I’ll have my own talk with her soon.”

“Then I’ll be leaving now.” Aoi stood up from the table and went to put on her jacket.

“Ah. Do you need me to go with you?” Nanami asked.

“No. You’ve been running from place to place since yesterday. Take some time to rest as well. I don’t want you working sleep deprived.” Without waiting for an answer, Aoi left the cabin.

Both Will and Nanami heard the sound of her bike driving off into the distance. And once the sound went away…

…Nanami pounced on Will, mashing her lips against his and holding him tight.

‘Bless this girl.’