Online forums were the first to report on the successful rift closing. Aerial videos surfaced of a monster emerging from the gate before colpsing and being dragged back inside. These videos were being taken down but, as is always the case with the internet, clone videos appeared faster than they could disappear—a few videos also couldn’t be taken down due to the host sites being outside of US jurisdiction.
Conspiracy theories exploded. Some cimed the US had a secret weapon hunter that closed the rift. Others said the returnee was a god that ate Consteltions. The most prominent theory was that the SS-rank rift was actually fake. The size of the monster doesn’t always correte with its rank. Just because the video showed a truly enormous monster breaching the gate didn’t mean it was actually a strong monster, and accusations of incompetence were levied against the spectro-magic analysts working for the Association.
News commentators on both sides of the political aisle jumped to spin their own narratives.
“The Association wastes our tax dolrs.”
“Why are we subsidizing a private organization and letting them run rampant!”
“The Association should be taken over by the National guard!”
“They faked a disaster to try to drum up more funding but it backfired on them!”
“The Association has a secret satanic weapon that makes people bald!”
Several firebrand members of congress cmored for investigations into the SS-rank rift incident hoping to score political points and to weaken the Association’s power simultaneously. This type of political commentary, fueled partly by international troll farms, diffused throughout the popution and came across as just another culture war.
The Association’s official statement on the SS-rank rift was a simple one: “The Returnee solo’d it.” They just told the truth. No one believed them even when the statements of almost 100 of the country’s strongest awakeners vouched for it. The aerial footage was too distant to show Scale emerging from the rift after it closed, and by the time the cameras arrived on scene she had been covered by her sister’s cape and whisked away into a bck SUV.
The double ‘S’ rift became known as the June Hoax by most international hunters. No pictures of the returnee could be found anywhere, but the fact that the [System] had announced them meant no one doubted the existence of a returnee named Princess Scale. Most just doubted she solo’d an SS-rank rift. Analysis videos popped up within hours by commentator hunters globally analyzing the monster that appeared, trying to wring truths from distant grainy footage. Most concluded that the monster must have only been around A-rank or even lower S-rank at most.
Attention soon turned to the returnee from China who arrived with an A-rank rift and measured at A-rank, listed in their Association’s public profile.
-
Scale and Alyssa sat in the back of the tinted SUV side by side. Scale hadn’t stopped hugging her long lost sister once since they met and, despite her protestation, Alyssa wasn’t capable of physically removing her sibling either.
The vehicle moved and the pair sat in silence for a while. A small bck ring opened up in the air next to them and a set of clothes popped out of it.
“Ah!” Scale reacted finally, her eyes darting downward towards her own body for the first time. Her cheeks burned red as she grabbed the clothing and quickly changed into it. Undergarments, blue jeans, pink socks, white sneakers, and a white v-cut shirt.
“Thanks,” said Scale while scratching her head. Her white hair bounced in all directions. “I’m not used to using my human form.”
“It’s okay,” said Alyssa. “We guessed as much.”
Scale’s lips curled into a crooked smile. It was probably obvious at a gnce that she was a non-human returnee. While rare it wasn’t unheard of. She knew of a famous skeleton man from Japan and even a rock-golem from Korea even back before her first death.
“So Jac—Scale,” Alyssa caught herself, performing a quick coughing correction, “Exactly what are you, now?”
Scale sidled back up to her sister, sitting close. She found the feeling of wearing clothes a touch unfamiliar but not unnatural. She sighed.
“I don’t want to tell the story twice,” said Scale. She leaned back into the seat. “Just come to the Returnee Rehab with me and hear it then.” She paused and bit her lower lip as her thoughts shifted. Her eyes wavered. She decided to ask the question she’d been holding off this whole time.
“Lyss, is dad still…”
Alyssa’s face bloomed. She smiled so brightly it threatened to dim the sun. “Yes, dad’s still kicking. He doesn’t have a lot of time left, but he’s still here.”
A moment of stillness passed inside the car. The scenes outside the windows kept moving but for a moment in the small sanctuary of that backseat nothing moved. Alyssa broke that stillness and reached up gently to rub Scale’s back.
“Do you think he’ll…” Scale paused as she looked down at herself, at her unfamiliar body. Her lip quivered. The words she wanted to say wouldn’t come out. Her shoulders shrank inward. The gentle hand rubbing her back snaked around her shoulder and pulled her into a tight embrace.
“He’s going to be so happy you’re home.”
-
Scale had seen pictures of the American Association Headquarters in her previous life, but those static images on a computer screen paled in comparison to the grandeur she witnessed in person. The building had three main wings, the middle recessed, and formed a ‘U’ shape.
The two walked down the walk path towards the front entryway when a rge bald man was waiting. Scale recognized him since he was at the gate where she arrived earlier.
“Returnee Scale, it’s nice to meet you,” said the bald man as he held out his hand for a handshake. “I’m the Chairman of the American Awakener’s Association, Theo Davis.”
Scale took his hand and smiled. “Let’s just get this over with.” She was already fully aware of the kind of ‘Returnee Rehab’ she would need to deal with. It was necessary, though, because living in modern times without a valid ID was unacceptable. It wasn’t like she could use her old name and image looking like she does now.
“Great! We’ll start with magic power and ability measurements. Follow me.”
The interior opened into a wide open room with seating, tables, and central counters where men and women were working. There were no other people inside the building other than the employees but that was understandable considering the evacuation orders had just been rescinded less than an hour ago. This worked in Scale’s favor since she wasn’t intent on becoming a major celebrity. She didn’t intend to hide her power but she didn’t want to be bothered every time she went out to get a coffee either. Considering her sister’s elevated status in the st five years it was probably a fruitless hope anyway.
Following the chairmen they went to one of the elevators in the back. It was still just the three of them. Alyssa stood between Scale and the Chairman at all times.
The fifth basement floor, the second lowest one, had the magic and ability testing equipment. Scale looked over the measurement devices and frowned.
“I don’t think I can use those,” she said.
“Why not?” Asked the Chairman.
“They’ll break even if I hold back.”
“What about the rgest one in the back? That’s designed for S-ranks and we haven’t seen its upper limit.”
“If I really hold back I might not break it.” Scale’s eyes narrowed as she looked at the devices. She walked towards the rgest of the devices. It looked almost like a coffee maker but on a much rger frame. Taking the handle, Scale’s heartbeat quickened. If she were capable of it she would be sweating bullets as she focused her entire being on releasing the smallest amount of magic power she could.
The meters in the back burst one by one. A red light fshed and smoke poured out of the machine. On the result screen a single word appeared: [Overflow]
“Dammit.”
“How much does this thing cost?” Asked Scale.
“Don’t bother asking. I know you don’t have any money.” The Chairman’s tone didn’t sound all that upset. He had a nervous grin, though, and followed up with, “We’ll just record it as S-rank.”
The Chairman pulled a cigarette from his pockets but didn’t light it. He chewed on it instead. When he noticed the two women looking at him askew he shrugged his shoulders. “It’s a no smoking zone. Let’s move onto the ability test.”
Unfortunately the machine meant to record abilities also self-destructed soon after. The only sounds that could be heard after was the clicking of the Chairman’s lighter.
“Just list out what your main ability is and we’ll record it manually.” He had bags under his eyes.
“Well,” Scale paused as she considered her words. She didn’t mind helping people so even if she knew it would result in a more busy life she wasn’t against revealing her healing powers. Still it would mean less time spent with her family. Her good nature grappled with her greedy and mischievous side but when she met her sister’s honest eyes she groaned. “Dad always told us not to lie. My main power is holy magic. I’m probably the strongest healer.”
“That’s pretty rare,” said the Chairman.
“You probably don’t quite understand. Maybe I should demonstrate?”
“If you’re offering to kill and then revive me, I’ll pass.”
“Tch. You’re smarter than that bald head makes you look.”
“Now that’s just uncalled for. Come, I don’t need a combat eval. Let’s go up to the third floor to the interview rooms. We’ll also need to get your picture taken and decide on your new identity…”
“Scale Altiman. List me as Alyssa’s younger half-sister.”
“Y-younger?” Alyssa stammered.
“You’re 29 this year, Watergss. That’s practically ancient. I can’t have people thinking I’m over 30 when I’m this cute—hey don’t hit me you’ll hurt your hands! Stop! —”
