Moonlings: A Clash of Meteors and Mages

Raii Shin had to skip class for the whole day. Dawn kept on ringing her phone and bombarding her with messages which Raii Shin only noticed when Orion Agency was having their quick lunch before they delved into the details of what they were going to do.

If you're gonna ditch class, why didn't you call me? I badly want to take a break from Mr. Crescentiment.''

Mr. Crescentiment was their nickname for their teacher in Arts that did not stop talking about how arts is the whole world. The professor was too passionate and every afternoon, Raii Shin and Dawn wouldn't stop laughing, impersonating him how cringey he was.

Sorry, I'm on my period. Couldn't hold the pain anymore.

It was half-truth. She really was on her period though thank the heavens, she was not having cramps.

Okay, okay. Use your warm bag and drink the tea that I gave you last time. I'll try to talk to our teachers to cut you some slack. See yah tomorrow!

At least Dawn bought her excuse. Raii Shin couldn't think of a more real reason because she had already used stomach ache, back ache, and other aches that she could think of.

At exactly 1 pm, Amethyst's voice was on the intercom.

''All moonmages, please proceed to the viewing room. I repeat, all moonmages, please proceed to the viewing room.''

Raii Shin got up from her seat, cleared her table, and proceeded to go out of the food court, feeling a little uneasy, especially her stomach. She didn't know if she ate something bad or she was just that nervous on what her role would be on her first big mission ever since joining the agency.

***

Tanori had them gathered around the CCTV footage. Everyone had to be familiar with small but relevant details and Tanori was not exempted. Also, someone among them might have keen eyes to notice whatever irregularities the footage might provide. 

Tanori knew by experience that if only one pair of eyes will stare into a picture, then of course there will only be one perspective to share. But if there are a lot of eyes around, there will be different perspectives and from those will theories come out as well as speculations. It was a basic lesson taught when gathering intel.

And it was what Tanori wanted for the moonmages to realize. One way or another, they will have to do things on their own. No intel about the enemy to be given beforehand. No back-up to remind them of the details all the time. And no support group to do all these things for them. He had to make them understand that they just don't fight. They also should be capable of gathering information and doing reconnaissance. In short, they should be a whole army by themselves.

''Well?'' Tanori turned to them after viewing the clips for the second time.

Still, there was no reaction. No sign that they noticed something or anything. They were still thinking. Perhaps taking all the scenes in their mind, searching for whatever detail that might be useful.

''Proceed,'' Tanori said.

The officer who was in-charge of playing the clips nodded and clicked the second batch of clips. This time, it was from the second victim. There were five more victims. He had high hopes that the team in front of him would endure and not sleep on him.

It has already been pointed out earlier by Sophos that all victims were not minors but not also old people. They were all between 19 to 21. It was expected by someone who came from the military but Tanori wanted them to dig deeper than that--to read between the lines and to see things more than what the naked eye could perceive.

He already told them that as they watched the footage of the victims on where they last appeared, they had to take note of the time, the place, the people around them and see if they found a pattern. In every big crime, there is always a pattern. Only small crimes don't have one.

It was on the third victim's clips that the one whom he hadn't expected to speak raised her hand.

''Sir, can you rewind up to last minutes of the victims, the part before they finally disappear?''

She was small compared to the others. It was obvious she was the youngest.

''Starting from the first?''

''Yes sir. And until the last as well.''

Oh?

''You don't want to watch the other clips of the next victims? We haven't completed them all yet.''

''Yes sir. I-I think I saw something or rather someone familiar in each clip.''

At that, the officer immediately worked his hands, quickly cutting the parts and compiling them.

Raii Shin didn't know if she was right or just being delusional. But her eyes were perfect 20/20 and she would not miss that. If this was the effect of being nervous and excited, then it was a good sign. Despite being an introverted person at school, this was not school. Here, she was Regina where she would not be intimidated by these adults around her.

''Here you go.''

They watched them silently and in the last clip, Regina looked at Tanori as if asking for permission to speak.

''Go on.''

She went near the screen and pointed it at the first victim, or rather someone behind the child.

''This person here with shades is present in all the other clips.''

The person that she was referring to was a woman obvious from her clothes and long hair.

''There. Can we have a closer look? She's behind the victim every time they are about to disappear.''

The officer again cut the scenes, took a picture, and compared with the rest. When he placed the pictures in order, he could do nothing anymore but clap.

''That was clever of you, young girl,'' the officer remarked.

''How were you able to distinguish her when there are too many people around?''

Regina smirked.

''I noticed her right away because she's my teacher.''

Your sexy clothes gave you away, Ma'am Ague.