'Sparkle' was still holed up in that old place Elio used to own.
Mainly waiting for Sparkle to show up.
It wasn't like she'd hidden her spot all that well—if someone really wanted to find her, they probably could.
But for some reason, the folks from the Corporation didn't seem to react at all.
Were they really that easygoing?
Under the video she posted, though, some Masked Fool had gone and blown Sparkle's cover.
"Trust me, this account's real name is Sparkle—a Masked Fool who lives for drama and a good time. Got HD pics right here! DM me '1' and I'll send 'em."
That was the top comment, posted by some guy seriously calling himself "Anonymous."
And right below it, a whole flood of replies: "111," "111," "111."
The second most-liked comment was just a photo of Sparkle.
No idea where it was taken, either. In the picture, Sparkle looked totally out of it—none of that sharp, cunning vibe she usually had.
And then the comment section got interesting.
"She's this tiny? Isn't she shorter than the scarecrow in my backyard?"
"I'm in love. Anyone know how to get Sparkle's contact info?"
"Bro, chill—she's a Masked Fool."
"Wait, for real? This little girl did all that? I'm a Galaxy Ranger, so don't mess with me, or I'll blast you."
"Swear it's true, man. Come down to the tavern and I'll point her out."
"The Masked Fools posted this?? What are they playing at?"
Some Masked Fool had jumped out and exposed 'Sparkle's' identity.
Just like that, the comment section zeroed in on Sparkle.
And what came with that?
Her own emotional energy points kept climbing, higher and higher. Of course, with the Masked Fools stirring the pot, what started as a halfway-serious comment section quickly went off the rails.
Aside from those fixated on Sparkle herself, a few… abstract individuals began spawning randomly in the comments:
"The Yaoshi… sob… my Yaoshi… why are you so beautiful…"
"Is this guy one of the Emanators of Abundance? Can I report him to the Xianzhou?"
"I'm from a world under the Land of Light. I'll help you report it to them."
"So Xipe is this good-looking?? The Family's been keeping this from us? I'm joining, right now."
"Why's the Hunt sitting in a wheelchair?"
"So the Erudition's got a single red eye? I always thought it was just a big robot head. But then again, why would it look human?"
"That's the Erudition's profile, you idiot!"
"I don't care, that's totally its eye!"
No idea where these folks crawled out from, but one thing was clear—they weren't the serious type.
As for anything related to the Preservation? Not a single comment in sight.
Probably all deleted by the Corporation.
And just as 'Sparkle' was gleefully scrolling through this glorious mess of a comment section, even making burner accounts to stir up more chaos—Sparkle finally showed up at her door.
--+--
"So this is where the little tanuki's hiding? Pretty damn remote."
Sparkle checked the location on her phone, then eyed the desolate spot in front of her—literally the middle of nowhere.
A dangerous smirk tugged at her lips.
"You'd better be worth the trouble, otherwise… let's just say I'm not the forgiving type~"
She hopped and skipped toward the distinctive-looking house, tossing a red button up and down in her hand.
At the door, Sparkle cheerfully pressed the doorbell.
The moment the person inside opened up, Sparkle knew she'd found the right place.
This girl who looked exactly like her?
No doubt about it—she was the one who posted that video.
"Well, well~ What a surprise."
Sparkle tilted her head, grinning as she circled 'Sparkle', looking her up and down.
Appearance, expression, height—all a perfect match.
And 'Sparkle' was sizing up the real Sparkle, too.
Seeing herself in a mirror wasn't the same—face to face like this, Sparkle's features were actually pretty delicate.
Even if she was pint-sized like a kid, her demeanor and expressions kept anyone from actually treating her like one.
And that red outfit of hers, though a bit revealing, came off more cute and pretty than anything.
"You got here faster than I thought. Figured it'd take you a few more tries."
'Sparkle' watched the real one grin and inspect her, noticing the red button she was fiddling with.
Sparkle shook her head, still smiling: "Seems you don't know me that well after all. If something's fun, no matter where, I'll always be the first to arrive."
As she spoke, Sparkle held out the button to her double.
"Hehe~ If you're really me, you must know what this button does, right? Wanna press it~? I prepared this little surprise just for you."
'Sparkle' stared into her eyes and pressed it without hesitation.
No explosion—just a soft pop and a burst of confetti.
"A bit crude, little Sparkle~ The controller inside isn't linked to any signal transmitter, and there's nothing explosive in the button past safety limits. This kind of test won't work on me."
'Sparkle' giggled, raising a finger to point at her own eyes.
The talents she'd inherited from those two geniuses weren't just for show.
Such a simple mechanical gadget was easy for her to see through—didn't even need to take it apart.
"Tch… boring."
She actually saw through it just by looking? How lame.
None of the thrilling guesswork she'd hoped for.
"Then let me show you a better design?"
'Sparkle' mysteriously flipped her hand over, producing an identical red button.
She handed it to the real Sparkle.
"What's in this one?"
Sparkle weighed it in her hand, trying to figure out how to dismantle it. But after a few attempts, she realized—even though it looked the same as hers, this one was way more advanced.
At the very least, she couldn't find any way to take it apart.
"You guess~"
Hearing her double's provocation, a dangerous smile spread across Sparkle's face.
She looked up at her other self, then suddenly reached out, pressed the button hard against the other's ear, and pushed: "You guess whether I'll guess or not?"
But the next moment, something unexpected happened.
What was inside wasn't confetti, and it wasn't an explosive, either.
With a click, the button depressed.
A cluster of flames burst from the button, instantly crawling up Sparkle's own arm—without so much as touching 'Sparkle' right beside her.
"Huh?"
The Phase Flames engulfed the real Sparkle, her face utterly dumbstruck, and whisked her away to who-knows-where.
'Sparkle' cracked up, laughing out loud.
The tiny camera hidden in the bell on her necklace had perfectly captured Sparkle's stunned, silly expression.
One day, when she'd turned into Black Swan, she'd have to find a way to turn this clip into a memory and send it straight to Sparkle.
--+--