You promise Tamako you'll do your best to get through this new arc together.

You then get up and give a sharp clap, saying that for now, we should get cleaned up and fed. And after that, we'll ask where we can find some beginner books on Polish or Ukrainian, so you can tell Kiki how much you missed her when you see her again.

"She can speak English." Tamako says rolling her eyes, "But it'd be cool to learn her language. Might be useful!"

You pull toiletries from the boxes brought from your apartment, and then make your way down the hall to the showers..

"Hey, do Polish or Ukrania have anime too?" She asks, but then her eyes dart towards an intersection of perpendicular hallways and she says, "Oh hey, it's Zul!"

The alien, who had been reading documents while walking looks up and says, "Oh. Hello. I apologize, but I must keep going. I'm on my way to get our orders for the day. I have to meet the MiB in room... 203A."

"What's an Emeyebee?" Tamako asks, swinging her towel as she walks.

"Man in Black. They are probably one of the most useful assets humans ever manifested for us. Their kind are very big fan of collecting and covering up secrets. They are very, very good at it. It's one of the few types of stories the SHR has funded media promoting. You can come see him if you'd like, it should only take a second."

You say you were about to go take a shower, but Tamako says, "Aw come on! This'll be fun!"

Convinced by that sound logic, you turn and walk with Zul to a 203A, which appears to be vacant. Stepping inside the empty room, Zul immediately shuts the door and turns off the lights. Before you can even ask what is going on a light goes on in the room.

Tamako gasps as a shadowed figure appears just a few feet from you, the light seemingly emanating from behind them. Squinting towards it you see a well dressed man in a suit and coat, wearing a black hat and sunglasses. Perhaps because of the shadow the backlighting is putting on, it's hard to distinguish his features. Even as you try to concentrate on any one part of his face the other parts seem to distort into other shapes.

"Ma'am" The new occupant says in a stern monotone voice, then turning his head ever so slightly to you continues, "A changeling and a human? You have some very strange companions today."

"New agents. I'm sure HQ will explain if you ask. I apologize, but can we get those orders?" Zul says, holding out her hand. The man opens his briefcase, takes out a folder, and hands it to the alien. Then just like that the light goes out. A second later Zul turns the room light back on.

"Cool! More spies!" Tamako says, still looking at the spot where the MiB agent was. "Do they all glow like that?"

"Usually yes, for some reason they all started doing that in the last few years. I assume it's to obscure their identities better." Zul says, leafing through the documents. "Let's see.. The story's name is 'The Princess who never laughed.' I've never heard of that one."