Special Alice (Gakuen Alice / Alice Academy FF)

SA 27 - Found it

{Author}

Amidst the tension and uncertainty, a man looked up from his work, casting a scrutinizing gaze at the group that had just arrived. He addressed Tono, who bore the brunt of his suspicion.

" So it was really you then, the culprit of bringing a young girl to the high school section, Tono," the man said, removing his eyeglasses.

Tono's brows furrowed in annoyance. " Shut it. Anyway, this is the head of the news department, Hayami," he retorted.

Hayami rose from his chair and approached Tono, his attention shifting to the group of youngsters. With a calm demeanor, he greeted them, " Hello to all of you here at the moment."

The group responded with a collective, albeit awkward, acknowledgment. Tono gave Hayami an encouraging pat on the back, revealing that the man was a news aficionado well-versed in the current happenings within the school.

Hayami's discerning eyes fell on Mikan, and he remarked, " You must be the troublesome wild girl." His casual tone took Mikan by surprise.

Tono's request for information about the warphole prompted Hayami to shuffle through a stack of books, eventually finding the relevant passage. He scanned the text and, with a thoughtful expression, began to speak.

" Well," he began, " it seems like the warphole does exist."

Mikan couldn't contain her astonishment. " Then the location..." she whispered, her voice trembling with anticipation. However, Hayami urged her to remain calm, as he had an important detail to share.

" A member of the news department managed to encounter a spirit while he was gathering materials for his news," Hayami continued, sipping his tea with nonchalance. " The spirit's location is likely connected to the current incident."

Tsubasa's eyes widened, and his mind raced with possibilities. " Don't you mean..." he ventured.

Hayami nodded in affirmation. " Z's invasion."

He elaborated on the peculiarities of these spirits, explaining that they always appeared in pairs, with profiles eerily resembling the Student Council President, Sakurano Shuichi. These spirits held ancient books in their spectral hands, further deepening the mystery.

Misaki crossed her arms once the candy's effects had worn off, allowing her to return to her older self. " It's impossible to have a spirit resembling a live human. That doesn't make any sense," she protested.

Tono nodded, echoing her sentiments. " Right, that means the spirits seen in that location aren't actually spirits," he concurred. Mikan, in particular, was taken aback by this revelation.

Naturally, the group speculated on the nature of these mysterious entities. " What kind of guy is he?" Mikan asked in astonishment, her curiosity piqued.

Ruka, Natsume, and Tsubasa eagerly absorbed the information and began to theorize about the possible involvement of Z and their current situation.

" Knowing how hard it is to get in and out of the school, someone must be aiding Z into the campus," Tsubasa suggested, putting forth his hypothesis.

Intrigued by their discussion, Tono and Hayami were motivated to act. They forcefully dragged Hayami into the Student Council's room, much to Tono's chagrin.

" The invasion of elementary students, were you responsible for it?" Imai, Hotaru's brother, inquired while seated. His piercing gaze fell upon the intruders.

" Shoot, Imai should've been at the hospital while the other student council members are at the headquarters," Tono lamented internally, chastising himself for the unfortunate timing.