Leaving the library with a new bag full of books, Zoe checked her mental clock. 'Forty minutes until the fight,' she calculated. 'If I allow ten minutes before my match, that gives me half an hour to get home and then to the venue.'
Nodding to herself, she broke into a rapid jog, her speed easily eclipsing that of most sprinters. As she felt the wind streaming through her hair, it took barely five minutes to return to her new home. Approaching the door, she hesitated—her hand hovering millimetres above the handle, uncertainty flickering across her normally composed features.
She was pulling her hand away, turning to leave, when the door suddenly opened. Standing in the doorway, Byakuya regarded her with a mixture of concern and happiness.
"Where are you off to? You haven't even come inside yet," he said, his voice warm with genuine affection. "Come on."
Stepping outside, he gestured invitingly toward the house. Zoe peered inside; hesitation evident in her stance. Finally, she relented and moved past her new father into the house. Closing the door behind them, Byakuya followed as she headed for her room.
Pushing open her door, she removed her backpack and placed it carefully on the bed. "Zoe," Byakuya said softly, "you don't need to hesitate at the door. This can be your home if you want it to be—but you have to give it a chance."
Looking at her adoptive father, a sheepish smile crossed her face—an uncharacteristic display of vulnerability. "Don't worry, Byakuya. I'll give you a chance," she assured him. "But I do have hobbies elsewhere, just so you know where I might disappear to sometimes."
Smiling broadly, Byakuya stepped forward to embrace her, but Zoe reflexively extended her hand, maintaining a physical boundary between them. Looking down at her immovable arm, understanding dawned on his face as he stepped back respectfully.
"Sorry, Zoe. Is it too early for hugs?" he asked, no judgment in his voice.
She nodded, studying him analytically before remembering her schedule. "Yeah, it's a bit too early for that level of familiarity," she acknowledged. "Anyway, I have somewhere to be, so if you'll excuse me."
Slipping past Byakuya, she headed for the door and stepped outside, breaking into a faster jog. She moved across town at impressive speed, stopping just across from the underground fighting venue. Reaching into her pocket, she extracted a simple black masquerade mask.
'I would have preferred a plague doctor's mask,' she thought, 'but that would violate the ring's rules. This will suffice, even if it lacks aesthetic appeal.'
Sighing quietly, she secured the mask to her face, ensuring it wouldn't shift during combat. She drew a deep breath to centre herself, then confidently crossed the street and descended a set of stairs leading to a subterranean area. A burly man blocked the entrance, positioning his foot in front of the door.
"Wrong address, little miss," he said dismissively. "You best run on home now."
Zoe raised her eyes to meet his, deliberately removing all emotion from her voice. "This is the correct address. My fight is scheduled in ten minutes."
The man held her gaze for a moment, then silently consulted his list and watch before moving his foot aside and gesturing toward the door.
Stepping past him, she entered the crowded underground space. Navigating through the throng of spectators with purposeful movements, approaching the man who was clearly overseeing the fights.
"I'm here for my scheduled match," she stated matter-of-factly.
The organizer looked down at her, momentary hesitation crossing his features before unmistakable greed gleamed in his eyes. "Sure thing," he said, his voice oily with anticipation. "If you think you can handle it—we're actually ahead of schedule. The prize is six hundred dollars for a win. If you lose, you owe us a hundred."
Agreeing to the terms with a curt nod, Zoe ascended into the ring as her opponent—a massive, muscle-bound man with bulging veins—climbed up the opposite side.
"HAHA! Look at this tiny thing!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the underground space. "Surrender now or I'll squeeze your insides out like toothpaste!"
His boisterous taunting immediately grated on her nerves, but she maintained her composed silence, fixing him with an unwavering stare as she waited for the referee to commence the match. Recognizing that she wasn't likely to engage in crowd-pleasing banter, the referee leapt into the ring to begin the proceedings.
"Remember, contestants: first to surrender or be rendered unconscious loses. Anything goes!" the official announced with theatrical flair. "Ready? Fight!" He jumped clear of the ring, signalling the start of the match.
Laughing boisterously, the large man charged forward without strategy or caution. 'Let's end this quickly,' Zoe thought coolly. 'The shops close soon.'
Sidestepping his rush with fluid precision, she spun gracefully as she targeted a nerve cluster behind his knee with expert precision. As his leg buckled, he lost balance and skidded across the floor. Seizing her advantage, she swiftly secured him in a professionally executed chokehold.
Maintaining the pressure, she calmly surveyed the surrounding crowd while her opponent ineffectually slapped at her arms. She felt the exact moment when his body went limp, immediately releasing her hold and jumping clear as he collapsed unconscious to the floor.
The referee stared in momentary disbelief before recovering his professional demeanour. He leapt back into the ring and began the mandatory count. "Ten, nine... two, one. Knockout! The winner is the little miss!"
Growing irritated at the nickname that seemed to follow her everywhere, Zoe directed an intimidating glare at the referee. Eager to conclude her business, she exited the ring and approached the organizer.
"My prize, please," she requested concisely. "I have other matters to attend to."
The organizer pushed the cash toward her with obvious reluctance but maintained his grip on the money as she reached for it. "You handled that opponent with remarkable ease," he observed slyly. "How about double or nothing on the next match?"
Zoe met his calculating gaze steadily before decisively snatching the cash from his grasp. "No," she replied with finality, turning away without further discussion.
Exiting the building, she removed her mask and tucked it into her pocket as she broke into a steady jog. With practiced awareness, she navigated the darkening streets toward her next destination—a modest second-hand technology shop.
Entering the dingy establishment, she immediately spotted her primary objective. She strategically moved up and down the aisles, feigning interest in various items to avoid appearing too focused on her actual target.
While browsing, her keen eyes detected a high-quality second-hand CPU nestled among miscellaneous electronics. She retrieved it with barely concealed excitement before returning to her original target—a serviceable laptop. With both items in hand, she approached the counter.
"How much for these?" she inquired; her tone neutral despite her eagerness.
The clerk examined the items briefly before setting them down. "Five hundred dollars."
"Two hundred and fifty," Zoe countered immediately. "Both items are second-hand and several years obsolete. The laptop's casing is cracked and functionality isn't guaranteed."
She maintained unwavering eye contact as she negotiated, deliberately projecting an aura of calm indifference to unsettle the clerk.
"Four-fifty is my lowest offer," the man responded, crossing his arms.
"Two-forty."
"Four hundred."
"Two-thirty."
"Listen, kid—last chance. Three hundred and fifty. That's as low as I'll go."
A satisfied smile spread across Zoe's face as she counted out the agreed sum and placed it on the counter. "Deal." she said, collecting her purchases.
Ignoring the clerk's indignant mutterings, she departed at a brisk pace, heading directly home. Upon arrival, she entered quietly and proceeded straight to her room, where she plugged in the laptop to charge. She carefully set aside her remaining funds and placed the CPU with her other belongings.
'I'll modify the laptop later,' she decided. 'For now, I should make an effort to socialize with my new family.'
She left her room and moved toward the kitchen, where she could hear Senku and Byakuya engaged in a mild disagreement. Her movements were utterly silent as she approached, positioning herself directly behind them to observe their interaction.
"Dad, I'm telling you we've added enough salt already," Senku was insisting. "Any more will render the dish inedible."
"That looks inedible regardless," Zoe commented dryly.
"Holy SHIT!" Both males jumped dramatically, spinning to face her with such speed that she could hear their neck joints protesting. "Zoe! How long have you been standing there? I didn't hear you approach at all!" Byakuya exclaimed, one hand pressed to his chest.
Chuckling softly, Zoe stepped forward to examine the neglected pot simmering on the stove. She dipped one finger into the sauce and sampled it cautiously. Her face contorted as she hastily wiped her mouth and reached for a glass of water to rinse away the taste.
"I've been here for about a minute," she answered once she had recovered. "What exactly were you trying to cook?"
Senku looked simultaneously offended by her reaction and intrigued by her question. "We're making udon noodle soup," he informed her with wounded dignity.
Zoe looked from the dubious concoction to their earnest faces, her expression conveying polite scepticism. "That bears little resemblance to udon noodle soup," she observed. "How about I take over?"
Without waiting for a response, she gently manoeuvred them away from the cooking area. Tossing the failed dish she began searching the cupboards for suitable ingredients. Working with practiced efficiency, she soon had a proper meal underway, the enticing aroma quickly filling the kitchen.
The delicious scent wafted to where Byakuya and Senku waited, causing their stomachs to rumble in anticipation. Zoe expertly plated the finished dish and carried the servings to the table.
"Here you are—a properly prepared meal," she announced, setting the dishes before them. "Please enjoy. Senku, I can teach you proper cooking techniques later if you're interested."
Both males sampled the food, their expressions transforming with delight at the first taste. "Yes!" Senku exclaimed between enthusiastic bites. "I would definitely appreciate your help. Proper food preparation is just another branch of scientific knowledge."
Zoe smiled, genuinely pleased by their appreciation of her efforts. Judging it an appropriate moment to shift topics, she turned to Byakuya.
"Would you be willing to help me establish a bank account?" she asked. "I have some savings I'd like to deposit and potentially invest."
Byakuya paused, considering her request as he finished a mouthful. "Certainly," he agreed after a moment. "How much have you managed to save?"
Calculating quickly, Zoe tallied her previous savings from the orphanage plus her recent earnings. "Approximately three hundred and fifty dollars," she replied.
Byakuya nodded, smiling warmly. "We'll visit the bank tomorrow morning," he promised.
Pleased with the arrangement, Zoe returned her attention to her meal. After finishing dinner, she helped clear the table before retiring to her room. Opening her newly acquired laptop, she began the process of wiping the hard drive and configuring the system to her specifications.
After working for a time, she checked the clock and decided to rest. 'It's 11:00 PM,' she noted. 'Let's see how much sleep I require tonight.'
Closing her eyes, she drifted into slumber almost instantly.
Three hours later, she awoke refreshed and immediately returned to work. Opening her laptop, she began researching stock market trends, making detailed notes in a notebook as she developed algorithms to monitor market fluctuations.
Typing rapidly, she created a program to automatically cycle through financial websites, allowing her to study patterns while simultaneously refining her code. Despite her efforts, persistent errors continued to appear in her programming.
Suppressing a frustrated sigh, she checked the time and decided to take a break. Closing her laptop, she left her room to prepare breakfast. As she gathered ingredients in the kitchen, Senku appeared, his hair dishevelled from sleep.
"Can I watch?" he asked, his curiosity evident.
Looking at her younger brother, Zoe smiled genuinely and motioned for him to join her. "Of course, Senku. Watch carefully," she instructed. "Cooking is fundamentally applied chemistry—the more precisely you control the ingredients and processes, the more predictable and pleasant the results."
Senku nodded eagerly, accepting her tutelage as she demonstrated various techniques. Together, they prepared a nutritious breakfast, just as Byakuya descended the stairs.
"Good morning! You're both up early," he remarked, his expression brightening as he detected the appetizing aroma. "And you've already prepared breakfast!"
Sitting down at the table, he inhaled appreciatively before sampling the food, his enjoyment obvious. "Zoe," he said between bites, "shall we visit the bank directly after breakfast? We could handle that early and then I could drop you at the library on the way back if you'd like."
"That would be good," she agreed, pleased with his efficiency. "Thank you."
An hour later, Zoe waved goodbye to Byakuya as he drove away from the library. She turned to regard the building behind her, entering without her previous hesitation. Moving through the book-lined aisles, her eyes scanned titles methodically as she selected volumes of interest.
After checking out a modest stack of books and securing them in her bag, she set off at a brisk pace. Her thoughts turned to the slip of paper in her pocket as she altered her route, turning down a side street where an old dojo was discreetly situated.
Pushing open the door, she discovered a middle-aged woman practicing with a wooden bokken. Hearing the door open, the woman turned, a knowing smile forming on her lips.
"You must be Zoe," she said, lowering her practice weapon. "The old man over at the karate dojo spoke highly of you. Let's see if his assessment was accurate."
She tossed the bokken toward Zoe, simultaneously drawing another from the sheath at her waist. Catching the training weapon mid-air, Zoe analysed the woman's movements and positioned herself to counter the incoming attack.
Deflecting the blade with precise timing, she slipped under the woman's guard and into the training area beyond. A wide grin spread across her face as she tossed her bag aside, feeling a surge of genuine excitement.
"You're refreshingly direct," she observed approvingly. "I appreciate that quality."
The woman returned her smile before lunging forward at impressive speed, their wooden blades meeting with a satisfying crack. As they exchanged blows, adrenaline coursed through Zoe's system, her analytical mind working in perfect harmony with her extraordinary physical capabilities—a rare moment when she felt truly challenged and alive.