>>19112155>>19112294>[The bus ride was not the smoothest ride, but smooshed shoulder-to-shoulder with Carmody Jefferson watching Ash Romero's B1 made it bearable.]The two arrive at the house allegedly belonging to Maria McTavish, where Kuro Noire is staying, and Carmody knocks. There is no reply for a while, to the point Sola wonders if they have the wrong house -- until the sound of something clunking to the floor and Kuro Noire's voice dissuades that fear.
"H-howdy? I'm sorry, ma'am, we're looking for Kuro Noire."
. . .
"Oh! Carmody, it's Noire!"
>[Sola is only half kidding. She really did almost fall for it.]"Yeah, I'm Sola and that's Carmody. We just wanted to come and say hi! I've seen you around the Dojo sometimes, but you've been gone the last few days. We just wanted to make sure you were all good?"
"We'll call you whatever you want us to call you. I do know you as 'Noire'. It's easy to remember, but we've had one of them before. Are you related in some way? 'Kuro Noire' was her name, I think? I actually don't know if I ever met her? 'Neo Noire' is kind of cool. Sort of space age-y."
"'Enoki.' I like that a lot. But it's really up to you."
