"At around 3PM on July 31st,
a five-year-old boy fell off the balcony of a third-floor apartment
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in a Shimizu public housing complex.
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However, a passerby caught the boy, preventing him from being seriously hurt,
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and he escaped with only light injuries.
The brave passerby was a high school girl, who left without introducing herself.
She was reportedly carrying an instrument case and seemed to be in a rush."
Who am I? Where am I?
Your name is Homura Chika,
and this is the lobby of the City Cultural Hall.
You can avert your eyes from reality, but not your ears from what I'm about to say.
Today's the day of the district qualifiers.
So how's our brave high school girl doing?
I sprained my wrist, threw out my back, and fainted once I got home.
No playing in the lobby, please.
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BLOSSOM
JABBERWOCK'S LICENCE
Wow, quite the crowd we have here.
But there's still time until the opening ceremony...
I'm starting to get nervous!
Where did your usual confidence go?
Lately, I've been messing up when it matters most.
Want me to write a calming charm on your palm?
Please do!
No! Don't abandon me!
Now that I've quit volleyball, the flute is all I have!
Hey! Stop it!
I'd rather fall flat on my face after the performance!
People are gonna get the wrong idea!
What are you talking about?
Oh, hello, everyone.
I'm fine! I can do my best!
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Sounds rough.
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka City Cultural Hall
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
1st Aug 10am Opening
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Highschool B Division Section
Shizuoka Central District
Concert Band Competition
Catching a five-year-old must've hit you like a ton of bricks.
How could you get hurt before the qualifiers?!
Can you play the flute?
You hadn't told them?
Why would I make them panic first thing in the morning?
Why would you make them panic at the venue?!
Quit fighting, you two.
Serizawa-san!
Show me your hand.
You know what happened, Serizawa?
She and her mum came crying to me last night.
My commiserations, Nao-chan.
Nao-chan? What's up with that?
They're childhood friends.
So how's her injury?
Her wrist's a bit swollen, but it shouldn't be a problem.
And she already passed a playing test on the riverbank late last night.
She was messing up the exact same parts as yesterday.
I guess she's made of stern stuff.
Wait, why do you know how she was playing yesterday?
Wh-What does it matter?
I wish she'd hit her head and been reborn as a flute virtuoso.
Same here.
What the heck?
You practised at the riverbank late last night? Were you girls all right by yourselves?
We had Kamijou-kun come as well.
In fact, he's the one I'm more worried about.
And why is that?
He laughed when he heard what happened to Homura-san,
I've been waiting for this!
and the two broke out into a scuffle.
And here I thought a cat scratched him.
A cute cat got you, didn't it?
It was a rowdy cat with bundles of energy, if nothing else.
Where've you been, Kamijou-kun?
Oh, I just found someone who was lost.
Wow, Kamijou-senpai. You're so relaxed before the performance.
Aren't there a few too many reporters for district qualifiers?
Yeah.
Sorry about this. I'll sneak around like a ninja so I don't cause trouble for the rest of you.
They're probably not here for you.
You reek.
Have you been taking regular baths?
What're you talking about?
You reek of animal.
You're just smelling things.
Must be hard living by yourself.
Maybe I should go wash up in the canal outside.
I seriously hope you're kidding.
I am.
By the way, isn't Kusakabe-sensei here yet?
No. The plan was to meet up at the venue...
Relax. Our performance is the twenty-fifth out of twenty-six.
Our instruments will be brought in at 2PM.
Tuning starts at 2:30PM.
Stand by backstage at 2:50PM.
Performance starts at 3PM.
You two are making me dizzy.
If our instruments are only coming at 2PM, why did we show up so early?
Most of our members are making their competition debuts today,
so it'll do them good to get used to the atmosphere, right?
Oh, there you are.
Sakai-sensei?
Congrats on making it through the Category A qualifiers with flying colours.
Well, our goal is to put on the greatest performance at the All-Japans.
Fujigasaki are taking part in today's Category B qualifiers too, right?
I think I'm gonna become part of the Fujigasaki family after all!
Hope you like having a gorilla for an instructor.
Okay, that would suck.
I can hear you, you know.
So you two are Homura and Kamijou?
Yes.
Sorry about that.
You two are just like the rumours say.
What rumours?
That aside, I have a message for you from Kusakabe-sensei.
A message from Kusakabe-sensei?
Why would he ask you?
Because I contacted him.
I wanted to ask him if you guys wanted to use the practice space we're using.
Can we?!
You sure can. Our performance is early in the order, so it'll be empty in the afternoon.
Apparently Kusakabe-sensei's running late and will only get here at 1PM,
so he asked the president to take charge until then.
Got it!
Also, if you get interviewed about the competition, you don't have to answer any questions.
They came together perfectly at the start.
Yeah. The brass instruments were in perfect harmony too.
I heard these guys only got bronze last year, though.
When they're this good?
We're not going to do worse than bronze, are we?
Huh? What're Shimizu Minami doing here?
I didn't know they even had a concert band.
Well, now you do!
It's like we don't belong here.
Don't let it affect you.
We came here early in order to get used to the atmosphere.
Stay confident. Let's advance to the regionals.
We don't want this to be the end, right?
Right!
Wait, where's Kamijou?
He went out earlier.
He's been acting strange all day.
I'll go look for him!
Watch my bag and flute, Gotou-san.
Roger!
Haruta...
Don't tell me...
he's seriously washing up here... or not.
Huh? So pets are allowed here.
Watanabe Takuya
Editor-cum-Writer
Watanabe Takuya
Editor-cum-Writer
Watanabe Takuya
Editor-cum-Writer
Watanabe Takuya
Editor-cum-Writer
Watanabe Takuya
Editor-cum-Writer
Watanabe Takuya
Editor-cum-Writer
Watanabe Takuya
Editor-cum-Writer
Watanabe Takuya
A writer?
Freelance.
Mind if I interview you for a story?
Please don't show my face!
I'm nobody important!
You're here to interview the brave high school girl, right?
No, I'm writing a story about the Tokai regionals.
Uh, we're just a no-name school making our competition debut in Category B.
Relax.
Shimizu Minami High School will easily progress to regionals.
There are twenty-six schools taking part in Category B.
Last year, all ten schools that got gold went to regionals.
There's no dud gold in this competition.
Don't say it like that!
Sure, if we can get gold, we'll progress further,
but we don't know if we can.
Aren't you underestimating your band?
I've heard you guys perform before,
via a video of the joint performance you put on in Shimizu.
I was amazed he could teach a no-name band to be that good.
That's Kusakabe Shinjirou for you.
You know of Kusakabe-sensei?
Up until five years ago, he was known as the wunderkind of the classical music world.
Even in a world that produces amazing talent every year, he was head and shoulders above the rest.
Kusakabe Shinjirou, who abandoned a glittering career and vanished without a trace,
is now trying to stand in the spotlight again as the instructor of a no-name band.
Who wouldn't be interested in a story like that?
If I could talk to him directly, I wouldn't be chasing you kids around.
Besides, Fujigasaki's Sakai-sensei or whoever has made arrangements
to prevent the media from talking to students at the venue.
Why won't you leave him be?
Because Kusakabe Shinjirou is the type of man to leave you kids all alone
on the day of your performance.
Some leader he is.
Get lost.
And don't speak about him like that!
W-Wait a second!
I don't like how you've been talking to Chika-chan, pure and innocent as she is.
Haruta!
And...
The king of the jungle?!
It's a dog.
Talk about huge!
Oh, you're the horn player who's awfully good at hand-stopping.
Could you stop unsettling my bandmate?
We have to perform soon.
Thanks to that Sakai-sensei,
it seems there'll be a ban on interviews in the afternoon.
So I wanted to talk to you guys while I still could.
Why don't we make a deal?
I found this lost dog here in the morning.
Look for its owner.
I'm sure it'll make for a fine replacement story.
Is this poochy that great?
Tibetan Mastiff
It's a Tibetan Mastiff.
Chibe-tan?
Tibetan Mastiff.
They're still largely unknown in Japan, but it's a breed of dog originating from Tibet.
It's considered one of the two top military breeds, along with the German Shepherd.
A purebred can fetch seven- to eight-figure sums.
What? This dog is worth that much?
You'll be with me forever.
Let's be on our way, before the snow falls and the angels come to take you away.
You disgust me!
Are you doing this for money?!
He's gonna live with me!
I mean, I might have to spend my entire life alone.
So I figured I could have him support me!
What in the world is he talking about?
Pay him no heed. He's a money-grubber.
We'll leave this amazing dog with you, so please find his owner quickly.
There he is!
That's my dog.
Huh? The owner showed up all by himself!
What a relief. So he was here.
That's my... dog.
Another owner appeared?
Two owners?
You guys found him.
Hand him over to whomever you believe to be his real owner.
This looks amusing, so I'll watch how it plays out.
A modern day Judgement of Solomon, eh?
This is the kind of article that's worthy of a deal.
BLOSSOM
Every school was really good.
It's fine. Que sera, sera.
Once we're done eating, let's move to the practice space.
Kusakabe-sensei still isn't here.
Homura-san and Kamijou-kun aren't back either.
Want me to go look for them?
Sounds like a good idea.
I'll go.
You shouldn't split up any further.
Which one of you is the owner?
I am.
No...
I am...
As if you could ever have a pet this big.
Finders keepers!
I'm not handing him over unless you have proof that you really are his owner.
He's gonna live with me!
You're still going on about that?
How much more are you going to disgrace yourself?
Tell me, who's your real owner?
Hey.
I only got him recently, so he hasn't taken to me yet.
He's not used to me yet.
I see.
Oh, I know!
The real owner should have his walk byproducts.
I do. Right here.
Here.
Go check, Haruta.
I have to check?
Step on it. I'll overlook your disgraceful behaviour from earlier.
How's it look?
They both have feces with the same dog fur on them.
We're back to square one.
Practice will start soon...
Slide to Unlock
But among these two is at least one liar who tried to steal the dog.
We can't leave things like this.
Wow, this place is huge!
Fujigasaki High
Practice Area
Thanks for letting us use your practice area and your instruments.
No problem. We've finished our performance already.
And we owe you a lot.
Let's perform like we do all the time.
You have one hour to practise, until the instruments arrive.
Okay!
What's keeping Homura-san and Kamijou-kun?
I just hope they haven't gotten themselves in some kind of a mess.
Didn't you get a pedigree when you bought him?
No, I didn't.
I got him from a friend.
What's a pedigree?
Look, Chika-chan.
There's a lock on his collar.
A lock?
I wonder if it's a message saying not to remove the collar.
Pie... Simata?
Pie, maybe?
Like in strawberry pie.
Pie is his name.
Is it?
I don't remember his name.
Mum gave him a difficult one.
What's Simata, then?
Oh, that?
It's the previous owner's surname.
Shimata Shinichi
He's a friend of mine.
So the previous owner was a Shimata?
Yeah. He's the one who gave me the dog.
My mum's surname is Shimata too.
Really?
We should just talk to your mother.
Could you call her?
I don't know her number.
It doesn't have to be her mobile phone. What about your home number?
See, she is lying.
Pie is my dog.
This is certainly odd, but I don't think she's lying to make a quick buck.
Since you're so doubtful, I'll unlock the collar for you as proof.
It unlocked!
There. Now you get that I'm his owner, right?
Pie sounds like pi, the mathematical constant.
That is, 3.14.
A number anyone could've guessed.
You doubt me?!
I believe you had plenty of time—
from when I tied this mastiff up in this park and went to the hall, to when I came back—
to try opening the lock, go to a pet shop, and pick up feces.
I know that this is out of line,
but if you aren't his real owner, what you're doing amounts to a crime.
You weren't kidding about being out of line.
Who are you to talk, anyway?
Why didn't you contact animal control or the police as soon as you found the dog?
You said you went to the hall,
which means you must be high schoolers taking part in the concert band competition.
I could report you to the organisers or your school, you know.
The number you're trying to call is currently switched off or—
No go.
They probably turned off their phones when they came into the hall.
Let's rehearse in parts until Sensei gets here!
Got it!
Come on, tell me which one is your real owner!
Bark or woof or something, jeez!
If you don't hand him over now, I really will contact your school.
Sorry to say, but this is as far as it goes.
In the end, you couldn't find definitive proof that shows who's the real owner.
The deal is off the table.
Don't give up!
Not if this is important to you.
Kusakabe-sensei!
Did you two stick your noses where they didn't belong again?
This is your dog, and he's important to you, right?
Yes. Mum loved him very much.
Your mother?
She let me have him
when she broke up with Dad.
Did she give you anything else along with him?
Through the Looking-Glass!
Lewis Carroll?
Yeah. She named him after something from the book, too.
A difficult name that appears in Through the Looking-Glass...
Humpty Dumpty?
Tweedledum?
Tweedledee?
Alice!
Jabberwock?
That's it! His name's Jabberwock!
His name was Al before, but she suddenly changed it before giving him to me.
Then the "Pie" on his collar isn't his name?
You don't know how to contact your mother, right?
Right. Dad said I couldn't see her anymore.
Tibetan Mastiff
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Jabberwock
Through the Looking Glass
Sudden name change
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Can't contact the mother
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Can't contact the mother
Do you have a pocket mirror on you, Chika-chan?
Y-Yeah.
Look.
When you mirror these letters, you get...
ATAMI2 314.
An address?
This might be a dog licence ID number.
If so, you can use this number
to look up the address it was registered under at animal control.
And that might be where your mother is.
ATAMI2 314...
Those are the directions your mother left you along with this mastiff.
Here you go. Don't let him get lost again.
Let's go see her together someday.
Turns out you were the one who was out of line.
Huh? Where'd he go?
He turned tail and quietly snuck away.
What brought this on?
After what you did, you still can't let go of your baton?
Music is all I know,
so I cling to it.
Well, I did make a deal, so I'll let you off the hook for today.
I expect great things at the competition, you hear me?
Here's the phone number for animal control.
Try calling them once you're out of diapers.
Don't tell Pops, though.
Is he actually a nice guy?
Divorce by arbitration.
I guess her father won custody of her.
There's no way to tell what happened,
but I'm sure the separated mother was made to accept some harsh conditions.
She couldn't even give her daughter her address or contact info.
Breakups can be that cruel, huh?
Found you!
What're you doing here?!
Practice has already started!
Oh, sorry!
Save the apologies for Narushima-san after you get back.
Jeez!
Let's hurry!
Come on, Haruta, Sensei!
Shall we, Sensei?
Yeah.
Your conducting style sure has changed, Shinjirou!
Come on!
Tell me how you really feel, Nao-chan!
You piece of trash!
I'll expose that vixen's true colours!
THE VALLEY OF EDEN
Cheeky brat.