“Now you have seen everything.”
    “But you haven’t shown me this room.”
    “I’m afraid that is the only room that you cannot have access to, only my chief of security and myself are allowed in there. ”
    “What is inside?”
    He looked into her curious eyes and melted under the expression, “I’ll show you, but only because the security system is about to be changed.”
    “Why is that?”
    “Because the chief of security is retiring, someone is soon to replace him.”
    “Who?”
    “Perhaps Avarice, he is an intelligent member of my staff, and he has done quite a lot for me… but he irritates me, and I don’t trust him that much.”
 

    “You’re here.”
    “Chiba-san, what are you doing here?”
    “To find you.”
    “Why?”
    “Because you need someone to talk to?”
    A hint of a smile played on Dr Mizuno’s lips, “I do?”
    “Yes, you do. Tell me.”
    “Tell you what?”
    “What is on your mind.”
    “She is too young.”
    “Too young for what?”
    “This.”
    “Would you care to elaborate?”
    “Not really, no.” With that, she left Mamoru on the arched-shaped bridge crossing the calm waters of the lake.

    Avarice, the person who had taken Asuka away from her. She gritted her teeth to refrain from lashing out at his name, and said, “then why him?”
    “Because all the others have cotton for a brain, but if I am to create a new security system with him, I will have to make sure that he cannot gain access without my permission.” After passing through several codes which Ami did not catch, she was shown into a room, lit by red lights. The whole room was built with stainless steel; with her quick eyes noticed that there were no other exits, and security was enhanced by infrared rays. The fact that all the infrared outlet points all pointed to the pillar in the middle of the room did not escape her either. “This security of this room is constantly monitored by the computer controllers that you met earlier.” Then, walking towards an enhanced steel vault, he entered yet another key to open it, and pressed a button.  The pillar lifted away to reveal a large black crystal, held by golden claws, surrounded by thick glass.
    “May I?” Ami gestured.
    He nodded, to her relief, looking quite pleased with himself. Picking a key up from the vault, he inserted it in a hole in the pillar, to open the glass capsule. Gingerly, he pointed at the crystal, “here you go.”

    “It’s beautiful,” Ami whisper, holding the crystal in her hand, she felt a strange surge of energy, and as she looked into it, she saw specks of white inside, as though they were twirling around. “What is it?”
    “It is part of the Kuriverse crystal, this one, the Kurozuishou Go (Black Crystal Five), controls the Negaverse, it holds the key to control of all the stars and planets. The specks that you see are the stars and planets, the crystal draws power from them.”
    “You mean, like the Ginzuishou (Gold Crystal) is to us?”
    “Not exactly, while both are sources of energy, you draw energy from the ginzuishou, we live on the energy of the Kurozuishou, that is why we have so much security surrounding it.”
    “And why you need someone you trust to hold the security key with you.”
    “That is correct. Now, if you don’t mind?” He held out his hand, and she place it on his palm. Turning away, she stood at the doorway, smiling at him almost urging him to leave and bring her to dinner. As he re-activated the security, she looked on disinterestedly, patiently waiting for him.
 

    He was not satisfied with her response, and decided to run after her for an answer to his questions, “wait!”
    She did not hesitate, nor did she indicate that she had heard him, only continuing to walk against the wind.  But she did feel his footsteps approaching her, as soon as she believed him close enough to here her, she asked, “are you in love with my daughter?”
    “Excuse me?”
    “Are you in love with my daughter?”
    He stared at her back in shock, “no, I love Usagi.”
    “Then why are you so interested in my daughter and my life, Chiba-san?”
    “Because I care, I care about you and Ami as part of the human race, and because I consider Ami a friend of mine, does that answer your question?”
    “Yes.”
    “Is that what you were thinking? Just then?”
    “No.”
    “Then what?”
    “I choose to not tell you.”
    “Why on earth not?”
    “Because I don’t want to.”
    “Dr. Mizuno, talking to you is like talking to a child!” He said in exasperation, and threw his arms up in the air. “You are always so thoughtful, but now that your daughter is missing, you act like you don’t care, you act like a child, and… you seem to be anxious about the strangest things.”
    “Like?”
    “Like whether I like your daughter or not.”
    “Do you?”
    “I answered that.”
    “Good.”
    “Why?”
    “Because she doesn’t.”
    “WHAT? I don’t understand you at all.”
    “Oh.”
    “Can you stop giving me these ambiguous answers please? What do you mean by she doesn’t?” Mamoru sighed asked again.
    “Chiba-san, do you know French?”
    “No!  I am barely mastering English as it is.”
    “It’s too bad, France is such a romantic country.”
    “Dr Mizuno, please, we want to find Ami, but you aren’t helping, you know something, that’s for sure, but why won’t you tell us?”
    “Ami never lived.”
    “What do you mean by that?”
    “J’en sais la violence, son gout de sang, je sais ces guerres, j’en ai pas peur, mais la vie sans toi, je sais pas.”
    “Well that was the longest sentence that I’ve heard from you, what about in a language that I understand, Dr Mizuno?”
    She merely pointed at the clock tower at the intersection, and refused to answer anymore questions that Mamoru had. With Mamoru dogging her throughout the way home, she kept silent, and started to hum a tune.
 
 

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