I told Kuroko, sliding back into my seat across from her, "After that, Ren left; at the same time, I did. Unfortunately, I didn't have much chance to interact with Rachnera since everyone else monopolized her attention, but she seemed in a better mood than before."

"Hm." Kuroko pressed her chin down on her intertwined fingers, gazing at me with conflicted brown eyes. "I'm glad that the situation ended up better than I had expected, but the fact that she stole and misused official documents to circumvent the Cultural Exchange cannot be overlooked."

"Yeah..." I sighed, shifting my seat in frustration. "But what else is there to do? Blacklist her family even further? Increase the severity of her blacklisting? I don't understand why she has to be subjected to further punishment after everything that has happened and after demonstrating that she truly had good intentions."

"Can I safely assume your home dimension has a similar saying regarding where good intentions can take you?" Kuroko asked.

"I've heard it often enough to know that if we apply it to every single instance of someone having good intentions, nothing positive will ever come out of it," I retorted. "Moreover, while I recognize that the Kunanzuki's were mostly to blame for the incident, the Cultural Exchange's oversight allowed it to happen in the first place. We need to take accountability for our actions."

"I suppose we do, don't we?" Kuroko groaned, reaching for her mug. "What did you want to do, anyway? Scheduled visits, yes?"

"That's right," I nodded, though my lips pulled down in concern when I spotted the dark circles under her eyes. Her hands were trembling more than usual, too. "Rachnera and Ren could arrange times that work for them both, and then Ren could come to our house for about an hour. They can do whatever they want - talk, hang out, whatever."

Kuroko slowly lifted her mug of coffee to her lips and took a long, thoughtful sip. After setting the mug down, she tenderly rubbed her temples before gazing at me. "I see," she said, her voice soft. "It's your show, Aki, and if you believe this will work, I'll let you handle it."

My frown deepened. "Kuroko," I started, trying not to be nervous about prodding too far. "Are you okay? You seem... off."

A long silence passed between us, and Kuroko rubbed her temples while I looked on. Eventually, she let out a deep breath and answered.

"I didn't sleep last night," she told me. "And had a long day yesterday. Work stuff."

She was holding something back, but if she didn't want me to know, I could do nothing. No matter how much I worried, it rarely did me any good. Still, I couldn't help but worry; perhaps if I asked her a few more questions about the Kunanzuki situation, she might provide me with more information. "Alright then, I'll try and figure it out," I said, hoping for the best.

Kuroko looked up from her desk, the mess of papers still scattered across its surface. "Is there anything else we need to discuss?"

"Quite a bit, actually," I said, feeling slightly guilty. I pulled a small notepad from my pocket and waved it before her. "I had to write a whole list to keep track of everything!"

"Of course you did," Kuroko said, her face lighting up with a faint smile for the first time since I entered her office. She looked so incredibly exhausted; it made my heart ache.

Uneasily, I took the lead. "Let's get the small stuff out of the way first. How's Lilith doing?"

"She ran around town unsupervised again yesterday." Damn it, she missed my totally-hilarious pun! Or maybe she was pretending not to. It was hard to tell with her. "We never caught her before she returned home, but there were half a dozen confirmed sightings."

"Of course she did," I sighed, shaking my head. It was becoming clear that understanding her would be a long process. I realized I had to schedule a meeting with her much earlier than anticipated. "I guess I'll have to meet with her sooner than planned, won't I?"

"Not until after you visit Takasaka tomorrow," Kuroko replied. "To make things a little easier on you, I can help you space out your meetings with Mandroot and Preya so you don't become overwhelmed. From what you've told me, they're doing much better now."

"There are still some issues," I admitted. "However, none of them are pressing concerns anymore. I will need to contact both parties to confirm, but I don't foresee any issues."

"Excellent," she nodded. "Let's schedule Lilith for some time in the upcoming days. Now that I think of it let's also discuss the liminals you will be visiting tomorrow."

"Right, right," I agreed, setting my notepad down and flipping it open. "Lay it on me."

"You don't have to write it all down," Kuroko snorted before sliding a manila folder my way. "Everything relevant is in there."

Slightly embarrassed, I pushed my notepad to the side and brought the folder closer to me. Taking a deep breath, I opened it and began flipping through the documents. "Okey, dokey," I said, trying to sound confident. "Let's see what we got."

"First and foremost, let me tell you about the man himself, Hyouske Takasaka," Kuroko said, leaning back comfortably in her chair and cradling her mug. "He is a model police officer and was instrumental in the incident that led to Rachnera kidnapping you."

I nodded. "Yes, I remember him." His photo was clipped to his file, looking like it was taken straight from his I.D. He had typical Japanese features, but his spiky hair made him stand out from the crowd. "He must be an incredibly reliable person to be given all this responsibility by himself."

"That may be true to an extent," Kuroko stated. "He is courageous when it comes to upholding the law, apart from when spiders are involved for some inexplicable reason, but his courage dissipates when it comes to handling his peers and superiors."

I tilted my head to the side.

Kuroko continued, "The fact that responsibility was foisted onto him by everyone else since they couldn't be bothered to do it, though understandable, is a reflection of the incompetence of our local law enforcement."

I scowled and rubbed my chin thoughtfully. "I don't even need to review the other documents to know that this is an abysmal idea. Even if he is experienced, one person can't handle six volatile liminals alone. No individual human could unless there were exceptional conditions that I'm sure don't apply here."

Kuroko instructed me to provide a full report on each meeting when I was done so that we could determine which of them could potentially be placed somewhere. However, until we have more information, there is, unfortunately, no space for them.

"I understand, but..." I scratched the back of my head, feeling a little anxious. "I don't think I'm qualified enough to do a full psych profile. I don't even know if I have the resources for that. I need to review these files first and see what I can find out." I looked back down at the files with a thoughtful expression.

"I don't need a full psych profile," she stressed. "What I'm looking for is a more comprehensive version of the reports you've already sent me on your past cases. I'm expecting you to give your best effort in this specific situation for various reasons. Is that clear?"

I straightened up a bit more under her piercing gaze. Kuroko had gone from being my colleague and a close friend to my superior without me even realizing it. Ever since that night when we both shared our deepest and darkest secrets, I had been seeing a whole different side to her. At that moment, I almost longed for my old, sarcastic, and laid-back coworker.

"Yes," I told her firmly.

"Good." Kuroko relaxed slightly. "Let's just go through the list, then. The first one is Piper, an echidna. I assume you read up on them?"

I listed the creature's characteristics as if I was reciting from a textbook, which I almost was. "Venomous, weaker than a lamia but faster, with tough scales and excellent heat-tracking capabilities," I said. "Personality-wise, most of them are aggressive but also surprisingly patient. It's an odd combination, but they make it work."

Kuroko nodded. "More or less, though, personality is always a case-by-case thing no matter what species. Anyway, her previous host had the deplorable idea of selling her venom on the black market, as the despicable individual who bought Rachnera did with her silk. Initially, Piper had agreed to the plan, as she was receiving a share of the profits; however, she later had a change of heart. Unfortunately, the aforementioned change of heart occurred just as her host extracted her venom, resulting in a rather serious mishap." Her shoulders sagged. "Aki, do you know the consequences of hemorrhagic venom on the body?"

"I know what a hemorrhage is. I'm guessing it causes those?"

Kuroko sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "He survived, but the aftermath was a complete nightmare. Not only was there massive tissue damage and scarring, but his experience has left her feeling guarded whenever anyone tries to bring him up in conversation."

"Yikes." I looked down at her profile. Her features were sharper but oddly alluring, with brownish-white hair falling to her shoulders. Two fangs poked out from a small smile, a deceptively cute expression that hid just how dangerous they truly were. "Things to be mindful of, I guess."

"Worst comes to worst, MON will be there, and they'll protect you," Kuroko said. "Next is Iris."

"The backbeard," I noted, sliding Piper's file aside to look over Iris's. She looked like a child, to be completely honest. Granted, a child dressed in a maid outfit (for whatever reason) and with a single red eye. Still, it was hard for me to look at her and not immediately think of Beholder, as awful as that was. "What's her deal?"

Kuroko groaned, lifting her coffee to her lips before continuing. "Engaging her in conversation always makes her feel slighted, arrogant, or in-between. If you look in her direction, she'll call you a lecher. If you talk to her, she'll assume you're trying to flirt. She also avoids eye contact at all costs, though that last one could be understandable." She paused, swirling the contents of her mug thoughtfully.

I suggested, frowning as I considered everything else Kuroko had said, "She might be afraid of accidentally using her abilities on people. Was she abused in the past as well?"

Kuroko shook her head in response. "No, not that we are aware of. She has been among humans for quite some time now, and we do not have much knowledge regarding her homeland, aside from the fact that she comes from a wealthy family."

"Hm." A few theories flitted about in my head, but I needed more information to consider them seriously. "Got it. Who's next?"

"Mako," Kuroko replied. "A shark mermaid. Also, a former member of Charybdis that sought sanctuary here."

"Neat..." I nodded before stopping myself. Did she seriously just...? "Wait, what?"

"She's an ex-pirate," Kuroko clarified helpfully, a light smirk on her lips.

"Uh... I thought shark merfolk only dressed up like pirates," I said. "And weren't actual pirates."

She assured me that the vast majority of them were not criminals, but this one used to be a criminal up until earlier this year. She had come forward to the authorities, offering intelligence in exchange for sanctuary, and her charges were cleared for her crimes.

"It's remarkable to see that there are few instances of rape and murder in her file," I observed as I reviewed her records. "However, why would Japan take responsibility for this? Shouldn't this be something her home country should be handling?"

"As it stands, the kingdom she originates from permanently banishes all verified pirates," Kuroko told me. "No matter how much they may wish to make amends. Should she be discovered, she would likely be put to death, if not slain on the spot."

"Ah. That is a good enough incentive never to go home, I suppose. So I'm guessing her info was good?"

"Incredibly so," Kuroko purred, clearly delighted by the outcome of the information. "That's why she has avoided incarceration. Unfortunately, her previous habits are proving difficult to break. She has not committed any crimes since joining us, but her behavior still needs improvement. Takasaka is the only one who has effectively managed her in the long run."

"Duly noted," I sighed. "Next one I see is...Gu. A black slime." I locked eyes with Kuroko, my expression conveying both my concern and my determination. "Look, I'm trying not to be an alarmist, but last I checked, black slimes can be a major hazard. So why is she in a densely populated urban center and not somewhere, I dunno, less populated and less at risk?"

"First off, she has a remarkable level of self-control when it comes to her toxic nature, and she is conscious of the dangers she may pose to others," Kuroko replied. "Second, she has been given only the minimal amount of toxins necessary for her survival so that her toxicity and her behavior can both be kept under control. As for why she is here...Her eyes became distant, and her expression became solemn. "She is my responsibility."

A personal connection? Judging from how she looked and phrased that...

"Enkidu?" I guessed, to which she nodded in confirmation. I waved a hand dismissively, indicating that I had understood her. "If you say she can be here, I trust your judgment. Is there anything else I should know when I'm around her?"

"Keep her out of your head as much as you can," Kuroko suggested, tapping the top of her head for emphasis. "No matter what's going through your mind, she'll only pick up on the worst thoughts and memories. Understood?"

"Roger Roger," I saluted.

"Good," she snorted sarcastically. "Next up is Vera, a wyvern. Truthfully, she is probably the simplest case to handle out of the six. The only reason she is with Takasaka currently is because she has had a few awkward initial attempts with host families, and they didn't want her."

"What, were they not prepared for a wyvern?" I asked, flipping through her file.

Kuroko shook her head. "No, it's not that she's deliberately being rude. It's more concerning her lack of understanding of most social cues and her inability to read people's emotions. It's almost like she has a form of autism." She paused momentarily, fiddling with her mug as she contemplated the situation. "I think she might have autism."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Really? Was she diagnosed, or is that a hunch of yours?"

"The latter," Kuroko clarified. "But I'm hesitant to seek a professional opinion as there is insufficient information about wyverns to diagnose a liminal for a mental disorder accurately. Unfortunately, our knowledge about this species is minimal."

"Yes, I agree that such a move would likely be more contentious than it's worth," I concurred. "However, it's also likely an area that deserves further exploration."

Kuroko sighed. "People are making progress there, but it's taking a lot of effort, and it may not yield desired results for a while. Do you have any experience with autism?"

"None at all," I replied. "But I'll be mindful of it when interacting with her and do some research."

"I'm not asking you to diagnose her; just learn more about her." At my nod, she continued. "Last is Tula, a large arachne breed. And, this may come as a shock to you; her issue is also rather complicated."

"Never would've guessed," I said dully. "So, what's up with her?"

Kuroko answered, "She came here illegally through a group becoming increasingly troublesome. We're unsure of their name, but it appears to be a black market organization composed entirely of unscrupulous humans who are taking advantage of the current status of the Cultural Exchange for their gain."

"In what way?" I asked lowly, my right-hand twitching.

Kuroko spat in disgust, her grip on the coffee mug tightening. "Selling liminal biological material, setting up a fake student exchange program, things like that. I do not doubt they have people working inside the Exchange; their disturbingly intimate knowledge of this organization's flaws first alerted me. That director, Kisegi, had to be a part of it."

"Damn it," I muttered, leaning back in my seat and feeling my muscles tense. Calling Enkidu Lite scumbags only intensified the anger inside of me. We already had enough issues in our area without those jerks stirring up more trouble. "Bastards. Did Tula really come here because of their phony program?"

Kuroko sighed heavily, her brow furrowing with worry. "We were fortunate to have intercepted her before she could be taken to her intended destination. However, her legal status is not the only problem. She refuses to return to her home, citing religious convictions that she is unwilling to elaborate on. It seems that this job is nothing but one headache after another!"

"That's why I'm now tasked with figuring out what to do with them going forward," I said, comforting her. "It's a lot more responsibility than I'm used to, but I'm sure I'll be able to figure it out. No matter what."

Kuroko shook her head with a faint smile. "Maybe you will; maybe you won't. I can't deny that I'm testing you, although it wasn't something I meant to do. I want you to succeed, but I know it will be challenging. I'm rooting for you, but only time will tell."

"I'm far from perfect, but at least I'm a very good tryer," I joked before my expression sobered. "I'll do everything I can for them."

Her smile was small and faint, but it was still enough to bring a sense of relief to me. "I'm sure you have so much more to share with me,"

I had to inform her about Lala's situation, ascertain what was happening with Doppel, and communicate my plan to avoid incidents like Ren and Rachnera. The first would be relatively easy; the second would be challenging, and the third... I could only hope that she would be open to it.

To be continued...