"Alright, does that clarify everything for you?" Vera asked, her voice slightly raspy from the exhaustive, technical explanation of Ellen's transformation into an Esper.
Eri's eyes sparkled with genuine enthusiasm. Without missing a beat, she fished a notebook and pen from her pocket, flipped to a fresh page, and scribbled down a quick note:
[Requirement for Aspect Manipulation: A Relic-class conduit, a compatible user, and sufficient capacity.]
She snapped the book shut, her gaze still fixed on Vera with an intensity that made the other girl blink. "Thank you so much, Vera! This is going to be incredibly important."
Eri reached into her pocket again, pulled out a small packet, and offered it to Vera. "Here, this is for you."
"Oh, you really don't have to," Vera said, trying to decline politely. "I'm not a huge fan of sweets."
Eri just smiled serenely. "Don't worry, these aren't sweet candies."
Vera tilted her head, intrigued despite herself. "Not sweet? What do you mean?"
"Kanna gave them to me before we got here," Eri explained, looking genuinely oblivious. "She said it's a pure berry extract."
"Berry extract?" Vera raised an eyebrow. "What kind of berry are they using for that?"
"I have no idea," Eri replied, her wide-eyed innocence unshakable.
Curiosity finally winning over caution, Vera accepted the gift. "I'd better get back to my group; the museum exhibition opens in a few minutes." Eri looked around, suddenly realizing something. "Hey, where are Roxanne and Ellen? Aren't you all in the same group?"
"I honestly have no clue. Probably wandering off somewhere," Vera said with a nonchalant wave.
"I hope they're back by the time the gates open!" Eri chirped, waving goodbye before turning to trot back toward her own team.
Vera stood alone for a moment, looking down at the small yellow candy. A wave of suspicion washed over her. *Wait a second... what kind of berry is naturally yellow? Is this... Citrus Berry extract?* She brought it to her nose and sniffed. Her eyes narrowed instantly. *I don't know why, but it smells... dangerously acidic.*
She sighed, brushing aside her doubts. *Ah, whatever. It's probably just the extract.* She popped the candy into her mouth.
The reaction was instantaneous. Her eyes pinched shut, her tongue went numb, and a shockwave of raw sourness surged through her nerves, feeling almost like an electric jolt.
*SO SOUR!* she screamed internally, carefully keeping her face neutral so as not to draw attention in the crowded foyer. She frantically swallowed the candy and lunged for her inventory box, pulling out a water bottle and chugging the entire thing in one go.
*Damn you Kanna! I'm betting my life that was Iapapa Berry extract,* she thought, wiping her damp lips with a look of pure betrayal.
In the quiet, shaded backyard of the museum, two figures stood apart from the bustle of the crowds. One was a petite girl with long white hair and sharp, orange eyes, wearing the same academy uniform as Eri and a purple headband.
Beside her, a black-haired youth with a messy ahoge (cowlick) and weary, purple-rimmed eyes leaned against a wall. He looked perpetually exhausted, his face a portrait of utter laziness. He was currently crouched low, sniffing a white rose.
"Finally, she's gone. Now I can actually rest," he muttered, inhaling the flower's scent. Seconds later, a dark premonition prickled at the back of his neck.
The girl glanced at the cowlick on his head, which had begun to twitch. "She's coming back, isn't she?" she asked in a flat, deadpan voice.
"Looks like it," he groaned, standing up and stretching his stiff limbs. "I swear, I've had the worst insomnia lately."
"Maybe that's because you spend all your time rotting your brain with games," the girl said, tilting her head. "Or perhaps too much anime."
The boy leaned in, his face inches from hers. "Even if I did, Espers aren't supposed to *need* sleep, are they?"
"True," the girl replied, flashing a terrifying, porcelain-doll smile. "Maybe you've been cursed."
"Hey! Not everything abnormal is a 'curse,'" he snapped, throwing his hands up. "I don't get your obsession with this stuff. Did you watch too many horror movies growing up?"
The girl tapped her chin with her index finger, her expression thoughtful. "I don't think I need movies. You know my life has been like a horror film for a long time."
The boy clapped a hand to his forehead in defeat. *Why did I ever join this club?* he wondered internally.
Suddenly, his cowlick stiffened and began to vibrate. He looked toward the path, and sure enough, Eri was sprinting toward them.
"Kanna! Z! I'm back!" she beamed,
straightening her witch's hat as she skidded to a stop.
"Well?" Kanna asked, her smile tight. "Did you give it to her?"
"I did, just like you told me," Eri said, glowing with pride. She hesitated for a second.
"But... what kind of candy was that, really?"
"You don't need to know," Kanna said, her smile turning decidedly sinister.
*She definitely fell for it, Vera,* Kanna thought, savoring the mental image. *I know how much you hate sour things, but you'd never turn down an offer from sweet little Eri.*
Z watched the exchange, rubbing his face tiredly. *I knew it. These internal rivalries are getting too complicated,* he thought.
Eri leaned in, peering closely at Z's dark under-eye circles. "Seriously, Z, are you actually cursed by the Insomnia Monster?"
"No! I told you, Eri, don't believe a word this brat says!" Z pointed accusingly at Kanna.
Kanna's eyes narrowed into slits. "Who are you calling a brat? I'm your senior, you idiot."
Eri just watched them bicker, a soft, clueless smile playing on her lips.