Momoko had ran all the way to the subway station. She had run to clear her head, so by the time she caught her breath and the 11:15 arrived, she was the perfect picture of calm. On the inside, she was still reeling, but as she joined the sea of commuters, no one would know the difference.

'Flare...'

'It's Flere.' The puff ball bristled.

'Flear.... Do you know what that thing was?' her eyes roamed the car, everyone was connected into their M-bands and no one seemed notice the subtle movement of her keychain; or to be as nervous as she felt.

'I have an idea.' Flere's thought was pensive, lacking the fear it had been full of back on the street. 'I think it was human.... Or rather, had been human.'

Momoko forced herself to stay still, her grip on the overhead handle tightening until her knuckles strained white under her skin. 'You mean.... A mutated human? Humanoids are myths—urban legends.'

'You're one.' Flere retorted. 'A mutated gene gave you unnatural hair color... why is it such a stretch to believe that further mutations are not possible? Even mutations that could twist the human form into something else entirely?'

Momoko felt the floor drop from beneath her, and she caught herself from actually falling by grabbing the arm holding onto the handle.

'How on earth did you know about my hair?' she gritted her teeth, fighting the urge to cover her head like she had as a child.

'We're bonded. I know everything you know; like how relieved you were when the genome-stylists became popular, turning unnatural hair color into a fashion statement. You knew it would mean you'd be teased less about your lime green hair.'

Nothing about that was untrue. Momoko's childhood had been normal, except for her mother's pretense that they dyed her hair. She hadn't understood then, but she realized it as she grew older that her hair color was not something that occurred naturally... but she had never really thought too much about the reason behind it. Flere's blunt response made her raw nerves burn.

'It's just a fluke, my hair. Don't compare something like that to.... Whatever we just saw. They're not even in the same scope of reality.'

'If you say so.' Flere's mental voice had dropped, merely a murmur of a thought.

Momoko took a deep, calming breath as the overhead display chimed that their exit was next.

She joined the sea of bodies flowing up the subway stairs and dispersing into the city streets. She made her way through the familiar streets, a bit of longing pulling at her heart. When she got to the crosswalk to get to mama-san's, her feet went the opposite direction, and she followed, letting herself be led to a place she hardly went.

'Where are we going?' Flere piped, curious.

"I thought you knew everything." Momoko mumbled, a smile twitching at the side of mouth as she turned down a narrow street that led to a row of narrow brick townhomes.

'Oh. Well, not everything, that's be boring.' Flere purred. 'Is this the way to your old house? Why did you want to come here?'

She paused at the base of the worn concrete steps, a small outline carved into the first one. A sun, she had drawn with her finger when she was about four. They were recoating the stairs and she snuck in the chance before her mom realized it. Momoko wasn't usually a crier, but there was something about the softening lines in that drawing and the darkened house with a padlocked board across the door that made her want to crumble into someone's arms that she would never feel again and cry her heart out.

Maybe it was just a case of the nerves. Too much, too soon. She sighed and dropped to the step, laying her head across her arms. It was a lot to ask of a person, to accept that she was walking around with an impossible creature, searching for an impossible woman in a world that Momoko was losing a grip of.

'It's okay, don't cry.' Flere murred. 'I'm sorry, I didn't know you were so sensitive about your hair. It's a lovely color.'

Momoko burst out laughing, willing her tearing eyes to dry. "It's not that. It's just.... For some reason, I suddenly couldn't stand the thought of my mom being gone. You know, she was a geneticist? She was one of the best..... even if only I think so; but she was always so busy, so she must have been. I miss her so much... I was just thinking how much I'd want her to explain what's happening here."

Momoko ran her hands over her face and through her hair, sniffing. She really wouldn't cry, not over this old sadness. She had friends, and Sylvia; her guardian had done a great job, and Momoko loved her. She stood, her resolve in place.

"We'll go to mama-san's and back home. I'll ask Sylvia right out. Something about all of this doesn't add up, and maybe it's time I ask for help.... Even if she wants my head examined again."

Flere laughed with her. 'All right! Let's get going!'

Momoko glanced back at her childhood home for one last time, and froze. In the upper window, where her mother's study was, a figure darted behind the tattered curtain. She felt Flere bristle against her arm.

'Did you see that?' Momoko stared hard at the window, trying to catch any hint of movement in the dim interior.

'I saw something.' Flere's thoughts hissed. 'Maybe we should get going, and fast.'

'Agreed.' Momoko sprinted up the street, bypassing the narrow shortcut she had used to get to the house. She didn't slow the pace until she returned to the corner crosswalk that led to Mama-san's. She stopped to catch her breath, watching behind her.

'Can you tell if someone followed us?' she glanced down at her companion.

'I can't tell. My extrasensory skills are limited.'

'What does that mean?'

'Other than a heightened sense of danger and our telekinetic link, there's not much I can offer until I get stronger.'

Momoko waited nervously for the crosswalk light to turn. 'You said something like that, before, after you hatched. How do you become 'stronger'.... Do you mean as you grow? Like, you're just a baby fluff ball?"

'More or less.'

Momoko mulled it over as they crossed the street. That really did make a lot of sense. The fluff hatched from an egg, as amazing as it was.... Being hatched would normally mean an infant state, so it wouldn't be surprising that at least that law of nature held in this case.

She pushed open the door to the familiar store, her heart instantly lifted by the nostalgic surroundings. Hirashi-san caught sight of her from the counter where a slumped over customer in a large coat was consuming a cheap bowl of instant noodles. The old woman smiled and waved, and Momoko sank gratefully onto the stool next to the slurping figure.

Hirashi-san cast a meaningful glance at the person, then turned to grab a set of napkins. "Slow down. You will give yourself a belly ache, eating so fast."

Curious, Momoko glanced at the stranger, but a large cap hid most of their face, which they kept down as they reached for the napkins Hirashi-san offered. The coat seemed far too large for the figure, the sleeve yielding only enough for slender gloved fingers to peek out as they snapped up the paper napkins, then there was nothing but cap and coat as they resuming sloppily inhaling the Styrofoam bowl's contents.

'Nothing suspicious about this guy, huh?' Flere snorted.

Momoko glanced away quickly, she didn't want to be caught rudely staring. 'Maybe he's homeless. Down this way, there's a few vagrants. It's not as thoroughly policed.'

'Does that really excuse the dreadful table manners?'

Momoko didn't bother responding, but cleared her throat to signal her disapproval. "I'm just here for the usual pick-up today, Hirashi-san."

"Very good, very good." The older woman nodded. "I was worried about you after you left last time, I am glad to see you are well."

"Yes." Momoko smiled. "I'm afraid those red bean rice cakes weren't so lucky, though."

"Bah." Hirashi-san waved her hands. "Double order, then. You take some to witchy woman, and you can have some. Free, on the house."

"Oh, you don't have to—"

Her protest was cut short as the woman ducked into the kitchen. With a sigh, Momoko sank back into her own thoughts. Her eyes drifted again to the oversized sleeve resting next to her on the counter as the other helped to shovel the last of the noodles into the hidden face. There was something about the dusty green trench coat that she couldn't place. Something tugging at her memory, a sense of familiarity. She shook the feeling away. It didn't make sense. Her eyes drifted up to the battered brown cap.

"It's not polite to stare." The stranger huffed and shifted.

"Oh," Momoko felt heat spread across her cheeks. "No, I'm sorry—I was just... Er... Nice coat."

'Lame.'

'Shut up, Flere.'

Momoko took a deep breath, and tried again. "I was just wondering... will you be able to get another meal today?"

The coat's shoulders slumped. So, she had guessed right. 

Just then, Hirashi re-emerged, two boxes in her hands. "Here, Momoko, take these. I mixed in a couple of cream puffs, too."

"My favorite!" Momoko exclaimed, her spirits lifted by the generosity.

Hirashi-san handed her the meta-pad to scan in the payment. Momoko hesitated.

"Hirashi-san..... could I order another box? For him." She gestured at the vagrant, who went stiff as he realized who she meant.

"N-No... you don't have to do that!" the cap shook furiously side to side.

"I do." Momoko slid her M-band across the reader to confirm the new total. "They may be sweet, but they're filling. I'll feel better knowing I could help someone today."

"Thank you." The cap dipped. "I didn't know.... I couldn't believe you were such a kind person."

"Hm?" Momoko paused in grabbing her own daifuku as Hirashi-san moved back to the kitchen, the stranger's words not making sense.

"We....." the sleeves wrung. "We met before.... The other night."

The last part was barely more than a whisper, but it was enough for the realization to sink in.

Could this be the boy..... the boy that their car hit, the one that had escaped from Park Asylum. The cap was identical! Momoko couldn't place the coat, still, but at least the familiarity made sense.

"I've seen you..." his cap dipped. "On TV, I mean. I've watched nearly every game. I think you're amazing. I didn't realize.... That it was you. Not until I looked at the card you gave me. I'm so sorry I was so rude."

"N-No!" she waved her hands. "No, that's totally understandable. I mean, we practically ran you over—but.... Er..."

She dropped her voice. "Did you escape from Park Asylum?"

The hat dipped forward. "It's not what everyone thinks. I'm not.... I'm not crazy."

"Why are you so bundled up? You look way more suspicious this way."

"It rained yesterday."

She waited for further explanation, but as Hirashi returned, Momoko realized the significance of rain to the stranger was just going to be lost on her.

"O....okay." she glanced down at her order. "Well, I hope that you're able to find somewhere to stay, soon... and that you enjoy the daifuku."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." She smiled, her heart lifted by the soft gratitude.

She gave a quick bow to Hirashi-san as the older woman waved the box of daifuku at the boy hidden in the coat and hat. He reached out his gloved hands and accepted the food with an awkward attempt to mimic Momoko's gesture. It resulted in a glimpse of silver strands beneath the cap. A pang ran through Momoko's chest, a feeling she couldn't place. Something about silver hair had her ensnared lately. She thought back to shimmer of light that made Nick's hair glow the same color. She realized she hadn't called him yet. Understandable, with her world turned upside down almost immediately after their date—well, meeting. Still, she should probably call him if she wanted a date, before he forgot about her all together.

'Really? That's what you're thinking about right now?' Flere snorted.

Momoko blinked, embarrassed. She hurriedly waved goodbye to the stranger and turned to leave.

"Oh, wait." She paused, turning back around to smile at him. "with all the excitement, I didn't get your name."

He startled, the movement almost masked by the layers of clothing. "Oh, um... it's Lucas. My name is Lucas."

"Lucas." She grinned. "I'll see you around sometime?"

"Uh.... Sure. Okay." He fumbled with the box in his hands. "I.... er... I can still call you, right?"

"Absolutely." She nodded, and then resumed her way to the exit, her mind dropping all thoughts of a promised date to focus on her mission to talk to Sylvia. Normalcy would just have to wait for now.