After getting a change of clothes from Mikan, Rito stepped out of the hallway, lightly adjusting the collar of the shirt that felt just a bit too fresh compared to the chaos that had just happened.
As he reached the living room, he found a scene he honestly didn't expect: Mikan was standing behind Lala, attentively drying her long pink hair with a towel, the tips of it swaying like cotton candy threads.
Lala sat on the small cushion with her usual carefree smile, her tail lazily waving back and forth, brushing against the tatami as if humming to its own rhythm.
Mikan's expression, however, was completely different from Lala's cheerful one. Rito recognised it instantly—the sharp, quiet stare that told him she had questions. Not just one or two. A whole list. And she would not forget to ask a single one.
Knowing that, Rito figured the best way to handle this was to let Lala talk for herself. Her answers were… unique, but if anything could satisfy Mikan's growing curiosity, it would be Lala's unfiltered explanations.
Plus, the way her tail flicked with each innocent movement probably already hinted to Mikan that what happened in the bathroom was far from ordinary.
"Umm… so, Lala," Rito began hesitantly, scratching his cheek as he replayed the earlier scene in his head. "How did you end up blasting in my bathtub like that?" His voice dipped awkwardly, because even remembering the boom—the sudden burst of steam and the water shooting upward—made him feel ridiculous.
The sound was loud enough that even Mikan had run to the bathroom door from the hallway.
"Oh, that," Lala replied brightly, spinning slightly so her towel slid off one shoulder, her smile radiating pure innocence.
"Because of the teleportation! The water around me got vaporised, so it looked like an explosion. It doesn't harm living things, though – Clothes might get damaged a bit." She explained it with a harmless smile, like she was talking about something completely normal—like burnt toast or tripping over a step.
"Umm… teleport…" Mikan repeated, stunned yet again. Her eyes drifted toward Lala's tail, which twitched like an excited puppy wagging. Between that and the earlier introduction, it was becoming hard for her to deny that Lala might really be an alien.
Especially when Lala casually shifted her hips a little, allowing the tail to be more visible—as if showing proof she'd done it countless times before.
Her lack of common sense… well, Mikan was starting to think it wasn't actually a lack at all. Maybe it was perfectly normal—somewhere else.
"Hmhm, warp, to be exact," Lala corrected with a little hum, lifting her arm. "It's thanks to this—Pyon-Pyon Warp-kun!"
She held out the cute, overly round bracelet with a sparkle in her eyes. The device blinked lightly, giving a soft little 'pyon' sound as if greeting them.
"Using this, I can warp a living species a certain distance without harming them, and instantly too!" she added with cheerful pride, chest puffed out just a little.
Mikan leaned closer with unexpected curiosity, her earlier caution fading as interest took over.
"It's… kind of cute," she murmured, gently taking Lala's hand to examine the bracelet more closely. She traced her fingers around the strange patterns and tiny blinking lights, her brows lifting in both confusion and fascination.
Rito blinked at the sight. Mikan—his usually strict, composed little sister—was openly engaging with Lala, asking follow-up questions with genuine interest.
This was something he never saw in the anime. But then again… this wasn't an anime. This was his real life, messy differences and all.
With Lala's unique way of talking and her vivid, almost contagious emotions, the atmosphere in the room slowly shifted. What began as Mikan's cautious curiosity was now turning into genuine engagement. Lala's positivity had a gravity of its own, and Mikan—despite being someone usually grounded and composed—found herself pulled along effortlessly.
Rito sat a little off to the side, leaning back against the low table with his hands lightly resting on his knees. He watched the two girls chatter, Lala's energy bouncing around the room like sunlight, and Mikan responding with small nods, surprised laughs, and occasional scolding glances. Something warm fluttered in Rito's chest. It had been a long time since their living room felt this… lively.
But even as he soaked in the moment, a nagging feeling tugged at the back of his mind. Something he was forgetting. Something important.
The answer arrived in the form of a flying white blur.
A small, round shape zoomed in from the open shoji, zipping through the air with a soft mechanical buzz. Rito immediately snapped upright—Midoriya's instincts echoing at the back of his mind with a brief spark of seriousness. Right. The guards. If Peke was here…
"Lala-sama!"
Mikan nearly jumped out of her skin. She took a step back as the little creature zipped right past her, hovering for a heartbeat before diving straight into Lala's arms.
"Peke!" Lala beamed with sudden delight, hugging the small robot to her chest. Mikan blinked twice, processing that the mysterious flying object was… cute? And harmless, apparently.
Rito leaned forward with interest. A living, talking robot—something not even his old world managed to create. The craftsmanship, the smooth movement, the expressive eye-screen—it all showcased how terrifyingly advanced Lala's technology could be.
"Lala-sama," Peke began in a crisp, metallic tone, turning its face-screen toward the siblings. "Who are this little lady and the bland-looking guy?"
The blunt insult had Rito momentarily stunned into silence. Mikan let out a tiny snort, trying—and failing—to hide her amusement behind her hand. Rito could only sigh, shoulders dropping slightly before he gave the little robot a resigned chuckle.
"They're the owners of this house, Peke." Lala didn't seem to detect the robotic sarcasm at all. She smiled brightly as she pointed at each one. "This is Mikan, and that guy is Rito. He helped me out a lot!"
"Bland-looking guy, Yuki Rito, at your service." Rito introduced himself dryly with a small bow. Peke's eye-screen narrowed with a very human-like 'tch', unimpressed.
"Is that so…" Peke mumbled, already turning back to Lala to report on how it had escaped, what it saw, and what was currently following.
And that was when Rito felt it.
It wasn't a sound. It wasn't a vibration. It was simply a shift in the room's air—experienced instinct and Midoriya's leftover combat awareness working together for once.
Two shadows fell across the tatami.
Before anyone could fully react, two tall figures appeared almost immediately behind Lala and one in front of her, cutting off any exit with razor-sharp precision. Their movements were silent, practised, and too fast for the average person to follow.
Wow. They are skilled, Rito thought, feeling an involuntary shiver of respect.
Mikan gasped and took a full step back, eyes wide. The two newcomers—strange, imposing, unmistakably alien—stood firmly between them and Lala. Even with their calm expressions, everything about their posture screamed authority… and pursuit.
"Lala-chan, are you alright?" Mikan managed, her voice trembling slightly as she stared at the unknown figures. Rito could see her trying to keep her composure for Lala's sake.
"It's alright, Mikan. Don't worry." Lala turned her head just enough to reassure her. Her eyes softened. If she moved carelessly, the guards might panic or—worse—hurt Mikan by mistake. Lala understood that instantly.
"Peke! I asked you to make sure no one followed you!" Lala puffed her cheeks slightly, a tiny spark of frustration placing itself on her face. It only made her look more adorable, completely at odds with the tension in the room.
One of the guards stepped forward, eyes shifting between Rito and Mikan with a steady, impassive gaze.
"Lala-sama," he said with firm resolve, "with this, I hope you will not resist anymore."
His eyes lingered on Mikan, then Rito.
Knowing Lala's personality, knowing her kindness, he was certain she wouldn't dare risk letting these two Earthlings get harmed.
Finding her here—among fragile humans—might very well have been the most effective pressure they could use.
And from the guard's perspective, it was simply their duty.