A/N: Daily check-in... Sirius Symboli is a fraud. Prove me wrong.
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Detective Gold Ship crouched low behind a neatly trimmed hedge, peeking through the leaves with one eye while the other was squeezed shut in concentration.
From her perspective, the two figures ahead were moving at an infuriatingly casual pace, completely unaware that they were being tailed by a genius detective in the making.
Though the fact that she was ducking behind objects much too small to conceal her was a minor detail and, frankly, irrelevant to the investigation.
From behind a lamppost, Gold Ship peeked out, the sunglasses pushed low on her nose. Ahead, Silver Tear and Grani walked side by side, moving without any particular urgency.
"…Suspicious." Gold Ship whispered.
She scribbled something in her notebook, the page already filled with half-coherent diagrams and arrows pointing nowhere. If anyone looked at her note, they would think it was a ritual to summon a demon or something dreadful.
[Suspects have exited the Tracen Academy successfully. Behavior post-escape: strangely normal.]
Gold Ship tiptoed forward, then immediately froze when Silver Tear stopped to look at a vending machine. She flattened herself against the lamppost, tail sticking out blatantly, unaware.
Detective Gold Ship pressed two fingers to the earpiece she was wearing, straightening her posture as if an entire command center depended on her next words.
"GorShi calling Delta, do you copy?" Her voice dropped into a sharp, professional tone.
They had stopped moving to grab a drink from the vending machine.
"The suspects have paused. I repeat. The suspects have paused." Gold Ship muttered under her breath. "Possible change in behavior… are they exchanging secret signals?"
Silver Tear calmly stepped up to the vending machine and bought a drink, the motion smooth and unhurried.
Grani lingered for half a second longer, shoulders stiff with indecision, before following suit and buying one as well.
Gold Ship narrowed her eyes, the gears in her head clearly spinning as she leaned slightly forward, unwilling to miss even the smallest detail. "…A decoy? We need to observe them a bit more."
She scurried to the next hiding spot, this time crouching behind a low hedge near the park that barely qualified as cover. From there, she watched the two lean against a railing, their heads tilted toward each other as they spoke in low voices about absolutely nothing of consequence.
Their posture was loose and unguarded, the kind of ease people had when they believed they were alone and innocent.
It completely dismantled the neat mental model Gold Ship had constructed for the case.
None of this fits.
She adjusted her glasses again, the familiar gesture grounding her thoughts.
"No coded dialogue. No signals. Yet." Gold Ship murmured, tapping her pen against the notebook in short, impatient beats.
"This is getting complicated."
When they started walking again toward a small park, Gold Ship followed at a careful distance, pausing now and then to dramatically peer around corners that didn't exist, convinced subtle surveillance demanded flair.
Then Silver Tear headed straight for the swings.
Gold Ship nearly gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth as her eyes lit up.
"A meeting place?" She whispered to herself. "Classic criminal behaviour."
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Silver Tear let herself drop onto one of the swings, the chains giving a soft metallic creak as she nudged the ground with her toe. She took a slow sip from her drink, eyes half-lidded, listening to Grani ramble beside her.
Grani leaned against the swing frame instead of sitting, arms folded around her cup.
She drifted the conversation back to training again, to how the schedule had felt uncomfortably tight lately, how the nagging fear of having missed something important never quite left her alone.
Every so often, she caught herself and laughed it off, calling it overthinking, yet the worries always found their way back.
Silver Tear didn't interrupt, content to listen as Grani spilled her thoughts in a steady stream.
"You really don't know how to slow down." Silver Tear said at last, a faint smile resting on her lips as she nudged the swing into a gentle sway—subtle enough to go unnoticed, soothing enough to savor.
"Even when you're off-duty, your brain's still sprinting."
Grani let out a small huff, the tension easing as a smile followed. "It's my dream, after all. I have to do my best to achieve it."
"That's enviable." Silver Tear smiled lightly, sipping her drink.
"Huh?" Grani blinked, clearly missing what Silver Tear meant by that.
Silver Tear opened her mouth to explain, then paused. Her attention slipped past Grani's shoulder, eyes settling on something near the bushes that bordered the park.
The corner of her expression shifted, curiosity quietly taking hold.
A small Uma Musume.
She stared a second longer, pretending to watch the clouds while subtly tracking the movement.
Behind a bush that was far too small to hide anyone properly, a familiar silhouette shifted.
A flash of white hair. A pair of glasses glinted in the afternoon sun before quickly ducking down again.
Silver Tear bit down on the edge of her straw to stop herself from laughing.
Grani noticed the pause.
"What?" She asked, turning slightly.
"Nothing." Silver Tear said smoothly, then took another sip. "Just… enjoying the view."
Grani followed her gaze, frowning in concentration. "The swings?"
Silver Tear hummed. "Sure. The swings."
The bush rustled again, though not subtly enough.
Silver Tear leaned back on the swing, lowering her voice. "Hey, Grani."
"Yeah?"
"Do you ever get the feeling we're being watched?"
Grani stiffened instantly, eyes going wide as she scanned the park, fearing that someone would catch her slacking off with a newcomer.
"Watched? By who?"
Silver Tear tilted her head just enough to indicate the general direction without pointing. "No idea. But whoever it is, they're not very good at it."
Grani squinted. "Is that… an Uma Musume? Why is she crouching like that?"
The figure froze.
Silver Tear finally let out a soft chuckle. "I think we've picked up a tail."
Grani blinked, then looked again, leaning forward just enough to be sure she wasn't imagining things. The shape shifted, glasses flashing for a split second before disappearing back into the leaves.
Recognition crept in, followed almost immediately by disbelief.
"Wait… is that Gold Ship?"
Silver Tear's smile widened, soft at the edges, clearly entertained. "You know her?"
Grani let out a quiet, strained laugh. "Well, let's just say she has a pretty notorious reputation."
She hesitated, eyes flicking back toward the suspiciously trembling bush. "And this is… very on brand for her."
Grani stared for another moment, caught between genuine concern and secondhand embarrassment. "But why is she hiding in a bush?"
Silver Tear nudged the ground again, the swing swaying lazily as the chains gave a gentle clink.
"Good question." Her eyes lingered on the spot where the self-appointed Detective was clearly trying to become invisible by not looking at them.
She stepped closer.
The hedge rustled.
"Pwah."
Detective Gold Ship got a hand chopped on her head. Not hard, but sharp enough to make her yelp and pop upright in one smooth, undignified motion, glasses sliding crooked as she clutched the top of her head.
Gold Ship wobbled, rubbing the top of her head with a wounded glare. "That was a surprise attack! Totally illegal under detective conduct!"
Silver Tear's eyes lit up, amusement plain. "Detective conduct includes hiding in bushes?"
Gold Ship straightened up as much as she could, dignity hanging by a thread. "This was a covert operation."
Grani glanced at the flattened hedge, then at the notebook sticking out of Gold Ship's pocket. "…You were spying on us, weren't you?"
Gold Ship pushed her glasses back into place with a huff. "I was gathering evidence."
Silver Tear tilted her head, her smile calm and utterly unforgiving. "And how's the investigation going?"
Gold Ship hesitated, then sagged, shoulders dropping. "Complicated."
A soft chuckle escaped Silver Tear as she tapped Gold Ship's forehead with one finger, far gentler than the earlier chop. "Next time, pick a better hiding spot."
Gold Ship groaned, covering her face. "I knew I should've chosen the tree."
"So who are you, kid? Mind introducing your great endeavor?" Silver Tear asked, her tone light and teasing, clearly enjoying the chance to poke at the shorty brat.
It wasn't really Gold Ship's fault–she hadn't gone through Maturation yet–but that was a minor detail.
"Very well." Gold Ship straightened and pointed dramatically at the sky, committing fully despite the circumstances. "Since my cover has been blown, I shall reveal my identity."
She adjusted her glasses with solemn care, trying her best to look imposing. "I am the one who solves mystery cases in the Academy. You may call me Detective Gorshi."
"Let's stop that, Gold Ship." Grani cut in, coughing a few times as if to clear the lingering secondhand embarrassment.
Gold Ship let out an exaggerated groan, shoulders slumping as the drama drained right out of her. "Ughh, you're no fun at all."
She waved a hand dismissively, then raised both hands to flash matching V-signs with her fingers. "Peace, peace. I'm Gold Ship."
Grani let out a small breath and glanced back at Silver Tear, as if deliberately pulling the moment away from Gold Ship's antics.
"So… what did you mean earlier? Is my dream really enviable?" She said, tone softer now. "What about you? What is your dream?"
Silver Tear blinked, taken aback. For a second, she looked away, eyes drifting toward the slow sway of the swing, the creak of its chains filling the pause.
"Me?" She echoed, amused but thoughtful. "I don't think I've ever put it that way."
Grani nodded, encouraging. "You always listen to me the whole time. I was just wondering what you're aiming for."
Silver Tear exhaled, the sound almost a shrug. "Nothing in particular. I run for money, I win if I can, and that's that. Nothing more waiting at the end. Nothing left behind either."
"…That's kind of sad." Grani murmured, more concerned than judgmental.
Silver Tear chuckled softly, though it lacked its usual lightness. "Maybe. Or maybe it's just simple."
She glanced back at Grani. "Not everyone needs a big dream to keep running."
Grani shook her head, lips pressing into a small frown. "Still, it feels lonely."
Silver Tear was quiet for a beat. Then she straightened just a little, reaching up to adjust the choker at her throat as the late sun sank lower.
Light slipped through the gaps between the trees, stretching long shadows across the park until one settled over her face, softening her features and leaving only a faint glint in her eyes.
"Though if I have to run–" She said, her voice steady, unhurried. The shadow hid her expression, but the certainty in her tone made it unnecessary.
"–I'm confident that I will not lose."
For a moment, the park seemed to go silent.
Grani stared at her, eyes wide, the weight of those words sinking in a heartbeat too late. That wasn't bravado or a promise made to impress others, just an unshakable certainty that left her in awe.
Beside her, Gold Ship stiffened, ears snapping upright.
"W-Whoa."
She muttered, glasses flashing as she instinctively straightened. "That… that was some serious aura just now. So cool."
Grani swallowed, finally finding her voice. "…You really believe that."
Silver Tear answered with only a faint smile as she turned and started walking ahead, the shadow slipping away with her movement.
"If even I don't believe in myself." She said quietly, her face completely expressionless. "Who will?"
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A/N: Finally, some aura farming. This chap is almost equal to 2 normal chap, so I have covered up the day I'm off.