So after this story it'll be never-ending drama...I think? I hope you like this action-packed one.
It warmed up so quickly these past couple of days. I had to buy a brand new outfit for this kind of lukewarm weather; I pull up my hip-hugging, black shorts and slip into my flat sneakers. After that shopping trip, I'm broke and should go back to Erick's office to get more money to buy groceries and toiletries. Hopefully he'll be in a better mood than yesterday, he seemed upset by something but it wasn't my place to ask.
From time to time, I think about what Don told me about his old friend Angelica. The more I remember his face from when he told me the story, the further my heart sinks for ever thinking that Don was a soulless human being. The story explains so much about his personality and how he reacts to the things I say and do, and how he reacted to Seth. It must feel horrible to miss a best friend every day, knowing that you could have done something about it, the amount of pain he goes through every day, I feel so sorry for him.
Now in the city, I knock on the office door while wondering if he's in a better mood than yesterday. "Come in," says two voices from inside, Erick's and maybe Mizuki's. How many people are here this early today? When I push the door open, there's Mizuki and Risa sitting in front of Erick's desk. "Hey Mia!" Mizuki greets cheerily.
"G-good morning. What's going on?" I wonder as I take a seat next to Mizuki.
"We are grouping together for another mission," explains Risa ina declaratory tone, looking over Mizuki's head. "It is the thief of hearts again."
"That girl?"
"Yes," says Erick finally, sounding exhausted. "I've been receiving messages about this thief from all over the place and I was able to track her down at last. I've been up all night trying to find her, she's moving quickly between worlds and I told this to Risa and Mizuki already but I'm sure that from the time you first encountered her up 'til now, she has gotten stronger."
"Well trust me when we say this," Mizuki rises from the stool and dramatically plants her foot on it. "We've gotten stronger too, am I right guys?"
"Yes," Risa's deadpan tone never falters, "we are prepared for this round." Everyone sounds so confident and sure of themselves so why don't I? I've been training a little bit when the rainstorm came to an end, especially after that incident with the disappearing man and Don. I get the feeling that something terrible happened to me that day and from then on, I've been training to make sure it doesn't happen again.
"What she said," I nod to Risa, who I'm shocked that she's just as determined as I am. "We got her this time Erick, for sure." Whatever emo phase she was in before, she's out of it for good. Nothing will stop us from completing this mission-wait what's Mia doing? "Hey Mia get up! We gotta prove to Erick that we can do this. Risa and I have been trying to convince him for forever and we need some backup."
"Oh," she gets up and joins our plea to Erick. "I believe that I have gotten stronger also and this would a good test to see if I have. So please let us take this."
"How do I know you won't fail again? Many people have died after you failed the first time."
"Would we lie?" I flash him my reassuring grin with a thumbs up. "No-trust us young women to handle this. We've all got something special in us." Erick looks away from me and glances at Risa and Mia thoughtfully and then stares at his hands, rubbing them apprehensively. I bite down my lip, waiting for his answer, praying for the right answer. Ever since Hinata fixed my eyes I've been working real hard on my Byakugan skills and they've gotten so much better. Neji left me with some pointers too, and combined with my other ability to stop time, I so got this.
"Absolutely not," refuses Erick defiantly.
"So you're gonna let this sneaky bitch get away with killing whoever she wants?" he pauses before he answers again.
"Yes Mizuki." Dumbstruck, I pull my foot off the stool and stare at him quizzically. What kind of answer was that-that's not what he was supposed to say! "Yes girls, I totally trust you, kick this girl's ass," was something he was supposed to say. Did he lose faith in us-I did that mission that led me to Dori just fine and I'm sure Risa never lets him down and Mia…I'm not so sure about.
"So are you gonna let us do anything?" I yell angrily, making Mia flinch. "Anything at all? Why bother telling us you found her if you're gonna hold us back? You're just gonna rub salt in our wound?"
"Mizuki lower your voice-"
"No," both me and Risa say rebelliously, and then I turn to her, gawking at our odd agreement. She adds, "Mizuki has a point Erick, we deserve another shot at her. I do not see what the problem is."
"If she managed to get away while hurting each of you the first time, what makes you think she won't do it again-or this time she'll actually take your hearts. I can't afford to lose you three and giving you a mission you three obviously can't handle will ensure your young deaths," he says roughly, rubbing his temple. But Risa's not having that shit today I can see.
"We are different from that day. You should know better Erick, after what you showed me." Do I detect favoritism? What did he show her and why didn't he show the rest of us? Well whatever, that's not the point, but I really do wanna know.
"I do know better because of that, Risa and my decision will not change."
"It should! Damn it!" I rush towards the door. "Come on, we should go, he's not gonna let us do anything. He wants to treat us like little kids when we're not!" Seeing me open the door makes Risa sigh dejectedly and follow me but Mia takes a step toward his desk.
"Please Erick, I've been through a lot since that day and I really want to see myself and everyone improve. I'm sure that they also have changed since then so can you please let us take this mission? I promise you that we won't fail you this time," she pleads with him sweetly. She's blocking my view of Erick but all I hear is him slump back in his chair and sigh depressingly. Sighs are good, sighs are signs of giving up, Mia must of got to him. I hold my breath until he finally replies.
"My answer is still no." Dismally, her head sinks and I know that's over. Leaving the door open for them, Risa and Mia walk out then I slam the door with sheer frustration.
"I can't believe this man! I'm just so-uuuuungh I've never been so frustrated in my life!" Ok that's an exaggeration but it might as well be true. "Aren't you two fuming?"
"You know he can-"
"How can someone be that stupid and ignorant? I thought he trusted us with everything and then he goes on and does this? He has sent us on all kinds of dangerous missions before and now he's not gonna let us do this one? Jesus I wanna wring his lil' neck with his stupid trench coat and-," I angrily continue venting. "I mean you two don't wanna know what I've been through the past couple of days and then when I'm actually in an ass-kicking mood, he has to get all overprotective and unsure. Damn men and their stupid brains and their idiocy and-"
"May I just say that we are right outside his door and he can hear everything you are saying?" Smart Alec Risa points out, which she was going to say earlier but I was ranting and nothing is gonna stop that. "Well shit," I mumble as I start to feel humiliated while Mia grimaces at me.
"Perhaps we should go somewhere else?" suggests Risa.
"I know where, it's not that far from here."
' ' '
"This is where you've been staying all this time Mizuki?" wonders Mia as they sit down on the hotel carpet. "It looks expensive."
"Hell yeah it's expensive but my pay from Erick is what's keeping me off the streets," I say disappointedly. "Where have you been staying?"
"In a small house outside the city," she replies while twiddling her fingers and looking down at her crossed legs. Risa, sitting on the bed, sulkily stares out the window.
"A few weeks ago, I traveled with Erick to some worlds and he showed me how the business works. It is tough on him so Mizuki you should give him the benefit of the doubt. But I agree with you, he should not hold us back from someone I personally have a grudge against." I groan as I let myself fall face-flat on the woolly carpet. She's right as usual, how does she manage to stay so calm all the time? Does she even have an emotional outlet or something? Well I don't know if she's always calm, I've never seen her face before, that hood's always covering her.
"What do we do?" sheepishly asks Mia in that meek tone of hers.
"I don't know."
"We could go look for the thief ourselves."
"How?"
"Yeah Risa, how could we do that, Erick's got all the tools we need."
"When we traveled the worlds before, he gave me at least two dozen chips and I forgot to give some of them back to him," says Risa as I raise my head hopefully. "So one of the chips you have must be the one that'll take us to her you think?"
"I am sure there will be no harm in trying," she says suggestively with a little tease. Mia shakes her head and waves her hands.
"That's the wrong thing to do. I think we should talk to Erick again and maybe he'll be willing to hear us out."
"Like he did earlier? Come on Mia, there's no way he's listening to us," I wave away her goody two-shoes idea and shrug. "Sometimes when you really want something, you gotta do whatever is necessary to get it. So you ready for this?"
"Very," replies Risa, already digging in her pockets.
"And you Mia? You in or are you gonna rat us out?" Mia raises her head and has a pensive expression on her face for eleven seconds and then she lets out a submissive sigh, making me smile.
"I'll do it."
"Alright Mia!" I spring from the carpet and raise my hands triumphantly. "That thief is gonna get what she deserves from all of us!"
J.G.P.
