If I owned these franchises, would I be writing this? Yes, but I'd be making a profit. This is a fan-based fiction.
Chapter 1: Getting Settled
They were so different and yet so different.
She was always alone and hated being away from the group. She never knew her parents or family, but held those values as the most important in the world.
He had loved ones, but most of them never seemed to live long enough for him to truly treasure them. He only knew half of his family.
She couldn't remember why she had been at the epicenter of the great quake.
He tried to forget why he was there.
Some might say they were made for each other. Others would claim they were like sick peas in a pod; two souls missing something that was filled with a great power that came at an even greater
But there was one thing that definitely stood out. One singe detail that separated them beyond another:
He loved the dark, whereas most feared or hated it. Whenever the lights went out, he felt powerful and safe. Even as a child, it was like a blanket and shield to him.
WBiD
"WAKE UP, MASANE!"
A young brunette found herself being forced awoken by the shouts of a little girl with black hair in a blue and pink dress.
"Come on, Riko…" She whined as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "I was getting comfy…"
"Well, you did tell me to wake you up, and look."
She pointed to a small island, which housed a massive communications spire. The whole area was littered with such islands, remains of what had been formerly known as Toyo before the Great Quake six years ago.
"Six years ago there weren't any islands." Masane reminisced. "Just buildings, cars and a bridge or two."
"And this is where you and daddy met?" Riko asked in curiosity, despite knowing the answer.
"Yep." Masane confirmed, inwardly adding 'only good thing that happened that horrible day.' To distract herself, she took a look. "Wonder if we can see any houses?"
"Mom, be careful." Riko begged in vain when her mother saw several floating rubber duckies, including one that was lagging behind. Masane tried to reunite him by splashing the water, only to nearly fall in, if her daughter had not to just barley pull her back onto deck.
"Seriously mom." Riko sighed, clearly used to this. "This is why daddy suggested a plane."
Masane sighed and went to dry her hair while her vest dried.
"What does it matter in a duck gets lost?" The captain of their shuttle boat asked.
"Just a little thing that always bugged me." Masane explained. "I never could stand being alone. You know, a little thing that bothers you?"
"The only thing that bothers me is if you're sure you're the mother?" The captain joked. "I mean, look at your kid; she's got my dog eatimg out of her hand."
"She's all I can be proud of." Masane smiled knowingly
The captain then noticed a glimmer on Masane's finger
"Is that a college or wedding ring?" He asked
"Wedding." Masane smiled as she admired the only bit of jewelry she wore. "Guess I can have two things to be proud of. My husband had to go on ahead of us."
WBiD
"Please no..!"
A man choked under a sink filled with water as another's forehead was introduced to a bullet. Without missing a beat, the attacker slammed his elbow into another man's nose before kicking his throat and then sending him to the ground. He then twisted the partially submerged hand and let the now lifeless body fall to the floor.
Shaking some of the water off his damp arm, he continued on his way.
WBiD
"Just some business." Masane mused, chuckling as Riko got the dog to follow her finger. "He's probably wrapping up a meeting as we speak."
WBiD
Silenced bullets took out the guards as the killer made his way down the hall, the furthest room his target. Anyone who peeked out of their doors retreated back in after getting a knife in their door or when the lights suddenly were suddenly extinguished and the killer's presence seemed to grow.
His eyes were emotionless and his face was in a growling frown, his steps showing his anger.
Finally coming to his target, the killer turned the knob and was greeted by a click to the forehead. With a bored look on his face, he looked forward: The room was filled with gun, sword and knife wielding thugs, all surrounding a short man in a suit with shades.
"So, Long sends his mutt to do his dirty work." He smirked. "Done good kid, give ya that. Killed some of my best. But Long and your's time is up. Time for a fresh leader."
The assassin's brow furrowed.
"What a loyal dog you are! Defending your master until the very end! Shame about that little hottie of a wife and kid of yours…Oh well, we'll pick up the pieces of their broken hearts. Any last words?" The smug man grinned.
The assassin simply let out a sigh, smiled sadly and rose a gloved hand, snapping his fingers.
Soon there was only darkness….and horror.
WBiD
"What's he do?" The captain asked, taking a quick break from watching Riko play with his dog.
Masane contemplated her answer.
"He calls himself a cleaner and preventer…" She thought aloud. "Honestly, he's never been completely upfront about it. Pays good, but the details are boring…"
WBiD
Screams filled the room as two serpentine creatures burst from where the assassin had been, throwing some in the group into the roof or ground while dragging others into the greatest depths of the darkness.
A giant, draconic hand splattered some who tried to escape as footsteps got closer and closer to the leader, who stole a sword and began swinging it wildly, but all he cut were the bodies of his men, who either tumbled into the blade's way or were pulled into it.
"W-what the hell are you?!"
The blade did nothing but vex his attacker, whose mouth suddenly reappeared to answer.
"Darkness."
A clawed hand, almost like it were made of knives, then tore off the upper half of the man's face, and the creatures began to savour and lap up the blood as bullets littered throughout the room.
And throughout all of this, the assassin smiled.
WBiD
"Here we are." The captain announced. "A word of advice: Be careful, a lot of weird stuff has been happening around Tokyo recently."
"We will, don't worry." Masane assured him as she handed him a handkerchief. "Here. You seemed to be missing a flag, so put this up in it's place."
"…Thanks." The captain, taking the handkerchief nonetheless
"Come on baby, daddy'll be here soon." Masane called Riko over. The little girl gave the dog a rub goodbye before joining her mother on the deck.
"Hope you find your husband soon." The captain smiled as he watched mother and daughter disappear into the crowd.
WBiD
Now standing outside the building after seconds before being in a pool of blood, the assassin stepped from the wall and took out his cellphone as he began his trek out of the building,
"Done."
"We're waiting outside." A female voice replied as the cocking of a gun could be heard. "And don't worry, we took carry of the stragglers."
"B-b-but we better get the f-f-f-fuck ou-ou-out of there before the c-c-coppers show!" A nervous voice added. "Y-Yang only delayed the s-stu-stupid alarms!"
"Hey, they actually got decent ones!" A young voice snapped.
"It's okay, big bro…" A younger female voice followed. "Those big bad alarms were nothing for you to sneeze at."
A smile escaped the assassin as he began walking towards the curb, effortlessly removed some plastic that had been wrapped around his shoes. The plastic was splattered with blood and guts and were flung down the drainage without a glance.
"No need to tell me twice. Time on the arrival?"
"Which one?" An overly happy male voice asked. "Okashira or your Himes?"
"…You know damn well which one I care more about right now." The assassin grumbled as he began pacing on the curb, looking around for something.
"If everything moves like it usually does, they should be just arriving at the port by the time we get there."
Another voice mused just as the assassin saw the car pull up.
"Perfect." He said as he crawled into the backseat, where he found five familiar faces waiting for him. "How do I look?"
"Looking good." The first female speaker, a young blonde in a business suit, noted as she slipped her gin back into her purse.
"No blood?" The assassin asked, checking his fingerless gloves and pants for anything.
"No blood." The final voice he'd heard on the phone noted; it was a teenage boy with red hair, who sat beside a blue haired girl the same age as him, dressed in a school uniform.
"Any good ones this time?" The blue haired girl asked.
The assassin shook his head as he searched through his pockets
"What did you guys say to the passers by this time?" He asked.
"Company food fight day." The boy replied. "And bo, we have not used that one before."
"Apachi, take us to the port." He ordered his drivers.
"Okie dokie, no problem!" The cheerful man at the front beamed as he performed a U-turn, starling everyone but his boss.
"Watch it!" The blonde shouted
"Sorry, Hachi."
The assassin chuckled as he finally found what he'd been looking for: a locket in the shape of a sword. Popping it open, he smiled fondly at the picture inside: A brunette woman and ravenette little girl.
His beloved wife and daughter by adoption. Aside from the people he shared this car with, they were the only good things in his life.
It had been three months since he last saw them. Three months of tracking, stalking and now, just minutes ago, killing his targets; people who had tried to enact a coup on his boss and did things that they weren't allowed to do.
Soon, he'd be able to feel them in his arms again. Soon, he could run his fingers through their hair and smell whatever shampoo they had been using since he'd left. He'd be able to catch up on his daughter's recipes and spend an evening with the one woman he had and would ever love enough to marry.
Unfortunately, traffic turned out to be a problem. By the time they got to the docks, the boat Masane and Riko had been on was long gone.
WBiD
They had searched over and under New Tokyo for a full day, coming up with nothing aside from a nightly stay at a café.
Tokyo Tower was a tourist spot and often used a checkpoint/ meetup point for those who got lost.
Honestly, it surprised the NSWF Child Welfare official it took them so long to consider it as a place that young Rihoko Amaha would run to after her mother had 'come to her senses' and 'graciously' given custody.
During her two hour interrogation/ negotiation, the young woman had been adamant about a husband coming to meet them, bit when no documents came up in the database, the fact went ignored. The fact that she had gone missing from her prison was not thought to be important; all that matter to the official to taking care of Rihoko Amaha and removing her from an unfit guardian and lifestyle.
"There you are!"
Rihoko stood near the entrance of the tower trying to move so that a crowd could see what was going on
"I know this isn't easy for you, but I assure you it's for your own good." The woman explained as marched closer to the girl. "Now come along and we'll…"
"No!" Riko shouted, taking out a cellphone, a present from her father before his business trip, and showed the woman a text. "My daddy will be here in a few minutes! Please, leave me alone…"
The woman sighed. Masane had even deluded her own daughter with that 'husband' story? The shame! She moved to take Riko away when…
"Is there a problem here?" A male voice cut in.
The speaker was young man with short greyish, almost pink like hair with green highlights. His hair was swept forward in loose spikes with a lock left long on the right side of his face, and his eyes were a narrow dark green, matching the lime tips of his locks. He was quite tall and slim in physique, and somewhere in his mid twenties.
For his attire, he wore a long black-colored trench coat, the belt of which was untied. Under it was a black vest over a green dress shirt and bolo tie, which is held by a brown and blue ribbon and a turquoise pendant. He also wore beige pants, dark brown shoes. Finally, fingerless black gloves adorned his hands.
"Daddy!" Rihoko beamed, racing past the officers.
"Sweetheart!" The man beamed in kind, crouching down and taking her into a hug and kissing her forehad. "Is that a new dress?"
Riko nodded, too happy to form words.
"Who are you?" The official asked, getting a wallet's ID photo in her face.
"As she said, I'm her father." He said, his voice tyring to find a balance between comforting for his daughter and forceful to this woman who had casued her distress. "The name's Estacado. Eddie Estacado. Or…can you not read"
"An American?" One of the cops asked, a little bit of a snooty tone obvious.
"No." Eddie growled back, making the man shirk back at the venom in his voice. "Born and raised Japanese. My mother just loved my father enough to give me an American name. And speaking of mothers…"
He then turned to his daughter
"Where's yours? And what happened?"
Before Riko could answer, the Child Welfare official spoke up.
"Sir, you need to provide proof of your supposed relation to this girl. Otherwise, I'll have you arrested for.."
She stopped when she saw the girl being placed on the ground and the very ari around this man turned dark.
"Listen here….I already submitted the marriage license and adoption papers to you people a full year ago." Eddie growled, placing himself in front of his daughter. "Along with my tax receipts, a letter of recommendation from my employer, and the school enrollment forms!"
"'You people?'" The woman asked, seemingly only focused on Eddie's distaste for her employer more than the paperwork.
"If anything, you should be giving ME something that proves you need to take Riko away from me and Masane for her own sake….as well as tell me where she is."
The lady stood her ground, quickly darting to her tablet and searching.
"You say you submitted those forms, but I can find nothing in the NSWF database to back your claim up. As for your wife, she gave us custody…"
YOINK!
A teenage boy had grabbed the tablet out of her hand and was now shoving it back in her face. On the screen were the documents that had been mentioned by Mr, Estacado.
"Then what do you call these?" He smirked. "I found them after a bit of debugging, but nothing someone in junior high can't figure out."
"I thought I told you to stay in the car, Yang." Eddie sighed at the boy. "Though I am grateful."
"No problem, boss!" The teen smiled before returning his attention to the official. "If these aren't enough, we have the same documentation in our car."
A very jittery looking man with mistmatched brown and red eyes, emerged from the car and handed the woman the documents.
"S-S-S-So?" He asked. "C-C-Concensus?'
….
It was at this moment that the official knew….she'd done fucked up. Nonetheless, she recomposed herself.
"Well…it seems there was a clerical error on our part." She mused. "I am sorry to have…"
"Where's Masane?" Eddie asked. "And don't give me anything but the truth."
The woman looked down at her feet.
"Last I recall…she was…in a…jail cell?"
Eddie's eyes turned sharp and he marched towards the woman. The officers around her reached for their weapons….only to be bewildered when Eddie smiled.
"You know? You remind me of the lady who ran my orphanage…And a Harry Potter character." Eddie smiled sweetly.
"Oh." The official mused, not expecting that. "Why thank…"
She was cut off when a firm hand encompassed her neck and she was risen off the ground. Through barley opened eyes, she saw the man in front of her glaring with such intensity she felt she could combust.
The officers would've drawn their weapons, but soon found themselves pinned to the ground by not only the boy who'd found the documents, but a girl with blue hair in a school uniform and a very tall man dressed as a chauffer.
"Nah uh uh!" The teenage girl shook her finger in a 'naughty' way before pointing Rihoko. "There are kids here!"
"I….HATED….those cows. Wenders! Yang! Ying! Apachi!" Eddie shouted
"Y-yeah, boss?" The jittery man asked, narrowly catching a hotel key-card.
"Please take Riko to the hotel, I'll be there shortly."
"You got it, boss-man." the young girl, Ying, smiled as she gave him a thumbs up.
"Daddy?" Riko asked, some fear in her voice.
Eddie's eyes softened and he dropped the woman to the ground before leaning down to his daughter's level. Tuning out the woman's outraged shouts, he hugged his daughter.
"I'll find mommy, don't worry." Eddie promised. "And you can trust these people, they're daddy's friends."
Riko returned her father's hug before turning in the direction of the car that had brought him to Tokyo Tower.
"C-careful, boss." Wenders asked
A blonde woman helped Riko into the car
"Hi there." She smiled. "I'm Hachi."
Eddie smiled as the car drove off, knowing his daughter would be safe. He then turned to the group in front of him.
"I'll only ask once." He announced. "Where's. My. Wife?"
No one said a word.
"I'm going to count to ten." Eddie explained. "If I don't hear something I like by ten, the front page tomorrow will be your corpses. One."
Nothing.
"Two."
"We don't have to tell you anything." One of the officers said. "After all, you and the woman aren't fit to be…"
You know what? Eddie thought. Screw politeness.
"Ten."
Three seconds later, the cops were on the ground with at least one broken limb each and the official found herself hoisted into the air by a very angry young man.
"Now, tell me where my wife is or I'll rip out your liver and eat it raw." Eddie demanded.
"I-I don't know!" The woman begged. "I swear! I'm sorry! I didn't…!"
"Not what I wanted to hear." Eddie grinned as he rose his left hand into a fist and pulled back
RING-RING-RING! RING-DING-ALING!
Eddie opened his fist to grab his phone and put it on speaker.
"Please give me some good news."
"Wenders saw this on a security cam boss. Thought you might care."
Eddie flipped open his phone, eyes widening as he dropped the woman and he focused on the image:
Masane, uncousious, being escorted into a Doji group building.
"Called you a cab, it should get you there by nightfall." Yang then ended the call.
"Well Miss, it's your lucky day; my associates found my wife." Eddie smiled as he helped the official to her feet, dusting her off. "Next time, try and get your facts straight and do a little more research. And don't even bother threatening to sue me. I have very powerful friends that make your bosses look like schoolyard bullies."
Just then the cab pulled up and with a salute, Eddie vanished into the downtown traffic.
WBiD
Sneaking into the Doji Group building was easy. Finding Masane would've been harder…if not for the fact the sounds of combat coming from the basement. Falling to the ground and finding an underground city was one thing, but NOTHING could prepare Eddie for what else greeted him.
Masane, her short brown hair now long and as red as a bloodied ruby with black eyes, was now clad in only a very, very skimpy armor whole facing off various weapons….and she was tearing through them like a knife through butter.
Most men would instinctively worry and rush to aid their wife, but from where Eddie looking, she had it under control.
Admittedly, her enjoyment of battle was…different….but still attractive.
"Kami, I love this woman." Eddie smiled, his mind wondering back to when they'd first met…
Just then, a voice he feared filled his ears, shouting only a single word:
"WITCHBLADE!"
Pain surged through Eddie's body and he let out a scream as shadows wrapped around his form
Even in her maddened, battle lust driven state, Masane seemed to recognize the scream.
"…Eddie?"
Quickly finishing her current target, she dashed over to were the scream had come from, a small part of her currently crazed mind hoping it was the husband she had been missing almost as much as her daughter the past few crazy days. It had been easy to find the source; the sudden spiral of green-tinted darkness and cold wind.
But like her husband moments ago, nothing could prepare her for what she saw:
Aside from his hair and forehead, there was nothing remotely resembling Eddie in his place.
This being's lower face was covered by a mask that seemed to be metal and organic, fitting in with the green and yellow armor that encompassed its body. Its hands were clawed, not unlike Masane's now where and its eyes were a sickly yellow.
Said sickly eyes glared venomously at the transformed Masane
"WITCHBLADE!" A dark, distorted and almost sickly voice came from the newcomer.
Masane's mind was, for a spilt second, taken over by…something else that hated the presence in front of her as much as it seemed to hate her…
"Fresh meat?" Masane smirked. "Perfect!"
The creature jumped forward and swung it's fist into her own, the force of said punch sending a shockwave through the area.
The newcomer then reached behind itself, manifesting dual pistols it began to fire. Masane leapt and dodged the bullets and kicked them out of its hands before kicking its chin upwards only to take off guard when a large arm suddenly manifested and slammed her into a wall before throwing her to the ground.
"DESTROY IT!" The newcomer commanded the arm to stretch and grab its enemy again…who simply smiled and laughed.
"Oh…big boy, aren't we?" She cooed sadistically. As she tore the hand in half and charged, only for her new target to suddenly vanish. "Don't be like that, I don't bite….too hard."
WBiD
Meanwhile, two men watched the fight with interest; one in a brown suit with a scar above his eye, the other in glasses and a blue suit.
"Director, should I recheck on Wado's…?" The glasses wear asked.
"No need." His superior cut off. "I know what this is."
WBiD
The female fighter had leapt off the building where she had first fought her enemy and was leaping oer the area in search of him.
"Come on out cutie…" Masane salivated. "This getting fun…!"
She was cut off by something grabbing her ankles and pulling her through the bulding. As she crashed through the empty floors, she glanced that only her foes' hands were visible, no doubt the reason for her latest problem. But just as soon as she saw them, they vanished.
The pain…no, the rush…that filled Masane was….addicting! Whoever this was, they knew how to throw down WAY better than those weird, pervy robot things….
"More…!" She gasped. "Need more!"
A hissing brought her back into fight-mode and the young woman grabbed a snake like creature and pulled it forwards, dragging the newcomer out of a shadow in the side of the building next to them. With a mad grin, she used the blade on her arm to slash at him before the snake vanished and he landed behind her, suddenly throwing a piece of rubble she cut in half without effort.
The newcomer saw the green fluid from its wound and attempted to retreat into the shadows of a wall…
"Oh hell no! We're not done yet!"
Masane leapt forward and punched her enemy's face with all her might, creating a crater along with destroying the small building the shadow had belong to. She was kicked away, only to land on her feet and dash back to him. The two began to trade punches and slashes that seemed to blur, maddened grins on their faces as blood flew from their forms.
"More!"
"MORE!" The newcomer shouted back, the outline of iris now emerging. With this, the newcomer stopped their punches and leapt over Masane, wrapping its arms around her and throwing onto the ground, pinning her arms to the ground.
The newcomer's mouth-plate briefly opened, allowing Eddie to steal a kiss from his transformed wife, who gritted her teeth once they separated and slashed at his chest
"Only one man gets to do that." She growled with a smile and licking her lips. "But that was pretty good….Here's your change."
Slamming her elbows into her enemy's back and then suplexing him into the wall, Masane roughly kissed him, only to be surprised when he grabbed her face and increased the passion. The newcomer then pushed against the wall and sent himself and Masane flying through buildings, tanks and cars, leaving a crevice as they seemed to switch between the position of being upwards or ground-bound.
The two men were now no longer sure they were watching a fight, or a make-out session that would destroy anything in its way.
A full minute later, two blocks of the city were now rubble after the two had separated, gasping for air
"Amazing…"
"Not too bad…"
What they said next did not surprise anyone:
"MORE!"
They then continued to battle. Masane slicing everything thrown at her while the newcomer summoned nearly every weapon known to man, sometimes getting a hit, sometimes not. He'd duck into shadows to heal his wounds even if it was only slightly, while Masane became more reckless, slamming her enemy inti ground in order to slice.
KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!
The voice was beginning to drown their minds…and the city was almost nothing but rubble. Just then, the outline of an iris vanished from the newcomer, whose eyes were pure yellow.
KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!
The newcomer then began to focus, and a black circle began to grow above it.
WBiD
"Segawa." The scarred man asked calmly. "Is that?"
"…I believe it is…" His assistant noted, some fear filling him. "Might I suggest we evacute?"
"I doubt it'll do much good."
WBiD
As it turned out, the evacuation would not be nessacary:
The newcomer suddenly plunged his bladed hands into his chest, dissipating the black hole and causing Masane to pause.
"NO!" The newcomer's voice shouted. "WHY?! WE WERE SO CLOSE!"
The creatures retreated back into the body they were possessed, some lapping up the blood and forcing the skin to heal. Then the cold, green spiral of darkness returned and soon in its place, was Eddie Estacado.
"E-Eddie?" Masane asked, her bloodlust now gone as she saw the sweating, gasping form of her husband.
"Hey." He smiled weakly. "Nice look. Brings out the wild in you."
He blinked and Masane was back to normal and cradling him. The one thing that was different was that she now wore a strange bracelet.
They then lost cousiousness
WBiD
When the couple awoke, the two men who had been watching introduced themselves as Reji Takayama and Segawa of the Doji Group. The bracelet Masane now wore was revealed to be the Witchblade, a weapon that could only be wielded by a woman, but was possibly the most powerful weapon of all time and never gave its user a happy ending.
Reji had wanted to recruit Masane to help the Doji group in fighting rouge weapons like the robots she had fought while in jail and before Eddie had shown up. On top of paying her, he promised her that he would ensure she and Rihoko would stay together.
"No need." Eddie said. "I found Riko already. She's at my hotel with some friends of mine. And the NSWF won't bother us bow that they know we're married."
Masane's eyes and heart filled with joy and she hugged her husband.
"And about you, Mr…?" Segawa started
"Estacado." Eddie glared at the man as he pushed a button on his phone. "And not now. Not here. I have been three months away from my family and our daughter is waiting for us. Our ride should be here soon."
"A word of advice?" Reji added as they made their way to the lobby. "Doji is not the only group that wants the Witchblade; the NSWF, who stalked your family…."
"Rhe NSWF and DOji aren't the only powerhouses in Tokyo." Eddie cut off. "I happen to work for Long. You're familar with him?"
Masane noted that Reji and Segawa seemed to tighten their form at the mention of Eddie's boss, but was tok drained, happy and anxious to see her daughter to care.
"Well chat later." Masane curtly as she let Eddie help her into the limo with a coy smile. "See ya."
Eddie gave the two a glare before slipping into the car with his wife.
As the car sped off, Masane shared a kiss with her husband.
"I missed you."
"Not as much as I missed you."
They went in for another kiss.
"Oh, that's lovely!" Apachi mused with a smile from the driver's seat. "You get a beauty to smooch, I just drive!"
Without breaking lip contact with his wife, Eddie flipped off his friend.
"Oh, how mature boss man."
WBiD
"Mommy! Daddy!"
The family hugged tearfully a few minutes later, Eddie's friends admiring the scene from the couch of a 5-star room's living room.
"I'm so sorry, sweetheart." Masane cried as she hugged and kissed her daughter, Eddie letting her hog Riko for a while.
The family promised to never be separated again, and Eddie's statement at Doji had made that clear, so Riko finally relaxed for the first time since she and her mother had gotten off the boat.
"So, we finally meet the great Masane herself." Hachi smirked at her boss' wife, and feeling some jealousy for her…assets, but pushing them aside. "Nice to meet you, I'm Hachi Chūjitsuna. If you ever need embrassing childhood stories, come to me. I practically grew up with him."
"Hachi…." Eddie gritt through his teeth, before introducing the others. "The siblings are Yang and Ying, my…interns. The twitching guy is Wenders….
"Y-y-you're even prettier t-than Eddie said…" Wenders shyly said, getting a pat on his head from Masane and fainting.
"And least he made a sentence this time…" Ying mused, her brother nodding with him. "And the big lug is Apachi, the driver."
The big guy smiled.
"Did you behave for my friends, sweetie?" Eddie asked.
"Y-y-you kidding?" Wenders asked as he began gathering his cards up and rubbing the little girl's hair. "L-little Riko here is a joy!"
"Much better than you were at that age." Hachi smiled, Apachi nodding in agreement
"Hey, remember I sign your paycheques." Eddie reminded her with a smirk. "Thanks for watching her guys. I know…"
"No problem, boss-man." Yang smiled as Ying gave Riko a hug. "See ya tomorrow?"
Eddie contemplated that for a minute.
"Nah, take the day off." He decided. "All of you. And I mean it!"
His friends saluted their boss before bidding Riko and Masane goodnight.
The family then plopped on the bed, exhausted from the past couple of day's events….until they heard a growling.
"Mommy, daddy…." Riko giggled. "Your tummies are calling!"
With a chuckle, Masane made her way to phone
"Let's order in, what's everybody want?"
"We need to watch our budget…" Riko pointed out, only for her hair to be messed up by Eddie.
"Nope. Anything and everything on the menu is up for grabs." He smiled, pulling out a black credit card. "Sky's the limit, my boss was so happy with how I handled business he gave me this."
After the order had been placed, the family prepared to get ready for bed, with Riko explaining that a small café had housed her for the night after she'd run of.
"We'll have to go tomorrow and thank them." Masane mused as she slipped into her pajamas.
The husband and father suddenly grew nervous: Eddie's form was covered with scars, which he kept covered most of the time; several across his wrist and forearm, many across his back and most prominently, one on the front of his neck.
His wife and daughter had seen them before…but still, there were like a shame to him.
"Eddie…" Masane cooed, Riko quickly rushing to his side and hugging him. "You know we don't care."
The man returned the hug and kissed both of his girls just as the door was knocked on.
After dinner had been eaten, the family got ready for bed
WBD
The sound of his phone ringing drew Eddie from bed.
"This had better be important." He growled once he saw the ID; DOJI. "I'm still a bit livid, Reiji."
"I'm sure you are. She accepted my terms through a text." Reiji explained. "On the grounds of ensuring that she and her daughter would be able to stay together. I intend to honor that commitment and would like to extend the offer to you as well."
"I already have a contract." Eddie replied. "And may I remind you I already leaked the info you wanted."
"Are you willing to take another?" Reji suggested. "Your….skills would prove useful. And your payment will be deposited shortly."
"To clarify; the second my contract with Doji is done, so am I. And go near Masane or Riko again while keeping secrets? I won't mind not getting my payment. Understood?"
"Understood." Reji replied.
The phone bleeped.
"Got another call….By the way, my offer to take Wado out still stands."
Masaya Wado. Director of the Bio Division at Douji Group Industries. He'd known and competed with Takayama since college, where they were once members of a rowing team. He constantly sought to outdo and eventually oust Takayama…and he was sucj an arrogant prick, Eddie had offered to do the job for free or chump change.
"Tempting…" Reiji smirked. "..But no, not yet."
Nuts.
"Hello."
"Eddie, it's been too long."
The young man's form tensed, recongizing that voice.
"Long-sama…"
"No need for that." The voice on the other end replied. "You're not in trouble or anything; I just heard your wife and daughter arrived in town. Hopefully without any problems…"
Eddie grunted
"I'm sensing a no…."
"The NSWF's Child Welfare Davison apparently lost sight of or ignored my marriage and adoption paperwork to Masane. They were chasing Riko all over town and had Masane thrown in jail."
"I see." The voice on the other end mused. "Did you kill them?"
A silence filled the room.
"Eddie…." The voice turned stern.
"I did not." He confessed. "I wanted to, but I did not."
The other end of the line went silent.
"…Good. I suppose I'll have to have a word with Furumizu. For now, you just enjoy time with your family."
"Thank you, Okashira."
The call ended and Eddie climbed back into bed with his wife and daughter.
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