Well, Ch 2. is up and this one focus on plot twists and violence. Next ch. will have romance and etc but i digress. DISCLAIMER: I dont own Strawberry Panic (cast) Nagisa's House, 10:27.
Two bullets flew by Nagisa's ear. She let out a harsh scream. A figure, shrouded in darkness, stood in her doorway, firing rounds directed in her direction as Nagisa ducked from cover to cover. Another stood in the small kitchen, waiting for her friend to coral their target towards her. Nagisa left her small gun on the living room table, a direct shot away from the one in the kitchen. She still clutched the phone. It was dead, the cord having been shot when the two entered. Four more round were fired, the majority of them ripping through the couch she was hiding behind.
A car could be heard screeching to a halt outside the building. A door open and footsteps followed. The one in the kitchen peered out the window.
"Damn, I think it's her", a soft voice spoke.
"That's no fun. Have you found us a way out", the other spoke, her voice more course and deeper.
"Yeah, there's a small fire escape that leads to the street."
"Good. Get ready to go. This shan't take more than a minute." Nagisa, noticing the two were distracted, took the opportunity. She grabbed a small vase and threw it at the wall near the blue-haired one. It shattered, sending shards in her direction. A few stuck, breaking the skin. "Oh, you want to play that way!"
"Hahaha, the fool!" In synchronization, they both started firing, emptying their clips in her general direction. A van Gogh painting, clipped by a bullet, fell to the ground. Glass shattered and wood splintered as the ricocheted through the small room. She heard them dropping their clips and Nagisa dashed for better cover, arriving behind a loveseat in better condition than their couch. They started firing again.
"Shit... Yaya-chan, where are you?" The elevator pinged as it arrived on the floor. The two peered down the hallway that led to the elevator. The doors slid open revealing no one. Nagisa's heart sank. Suddenly, two rounds whizzed out, striking the wall near the two. In a rush, they bounded over the window and down the fire escape. Yaya dashed in and looked over the window, firing a few rounds at the shadows that leaped to the street. They were soon out of sight and a small, black sedan could be seen shooting down the street.
"Nagisa? Are you in here?" "Please don't be dead. Please don't be dead." Nagisa's head popped up from behind one of the couches, her hair frazzled and black circles around her eyes. "Oh, thnak God, I thought the worst when I couldn't see you." She rushed towards the young girl and offered her hand.
"Yaya, it's about t-time you got h-here." Her body was uncontrollably shaking. "What the h-hell did t-those bastards want with m-m-me?"
"I don't know", reaching for the light switch. She repetitivly flicked it on and off. "Well, it looks like the power's off."
"Yeah, that was t-the first thing t-those t-two shot." Pulling out a match, she proceeded to light a candle. Her shaking hand wouldn't allow her to light it so Yaya walked over and helped her. With the light, they could see much better. Her eyes adjusting to the light, Nagisa's fears were confirmed.
The room was a mess. Not one thing was in a respectable condition. Glass was strewn about the floor along with wood splinters. The walls were riddled with bullets and paintings and table décor were destroyed and lying in small heaps.
"What the hell happened?!" Nagisa couldn't believe what she saw. The only room untouched was the bedroom. The door was shot up but none of the bullets passed through. The granite counter tops were chipped and the tile was destroyed. Pots and pans were scattered and the microwave had a gaping hole in it.
Yaya couldn't believe it either. "Nagisa, are you okay?" The girl was circling the room, picking up fragments of items and glass shards. There was a small drip of blood emanating from her wound. She had been grazed in the fray, the bleeding just beginning.
"Yes, I'm okay, but can you believe this?" She picked up a picture of her and Shizuma, reclining on the beach. Another, its frame destroyed, showcased the two on their trip to Hawaii. The elevator dinged again. Yaya ducked behind the wall and slowly un-holstered her pistol. The doors opened and Shizuma Hanazono, Nagisa's girlfriend, walked out.
"What are you doing...here..." looking around at the mass destruction. Although a little cliché, "a bull in a China shop" would have been the perfect way to describe it. The dim candlelight barely shrouded the damage done. "Oh, God..."
"Shizuma, it's been a while", Yaya played off coolly. Shizuma turned to her, her eyes full of fire.
"What the hell are you doing her? Did you do this?!" She edged in closer. "Where the hell is Nagisa and what did you do to her?!" Yaya, more than frightened, pointed towards her, huddled in a corner, looking over photographs.
"I am just here to see if Nagisa is all right. I came right as two assassins attacked her. They left but not before causing this." She waited a second to let Shizuma calm down. "If you would use your eyes, you could see that Nagisa is fine."
Shizuma didn't retort and walked over to Nagisa. Yaya muttered "Bitch" under her breath. Nagisa was more than surprised to see her. She hugged her, crying into her shoulder.
"Oh, Shizuma. Look. Look what they did to our house!"
"It's all right. Don't worry about it", cooing as she stroked her hair. Shizuma held Nagisa tightly as they slowly tried to calm down. After minutes of awkward silence, Yaya interrupted the two.
"Umm, excuse me, but Nagisa, I need to know somethng. Can you tell me if you saw the two who attacked you?"
"Stay out of this", hissed Shizuma, making Yaya recoil a little. "Don't worry about that, right now. Just stay for a little while, Nagisa. You need to calm down and get your bearings."
"N-no it, it's okay, Shizuma." She wiped her eyes. "I need to help Yaya-chan on this one. It's very important to us."
"Why? I haven't seen you in a while and the first chance I get, you rush out the door minutes after I arrive. Besides, you're in shock." Shizuma voice was fluctuating between calm and angry.
"It's business. You can see me in the morning, anyway." She tried to break the older girls grip.
"Fine. Whatever, just go." Shizuma let go and turned towards Yaya, her expression unreadable. Nagisa faced her and gave her a quick, gentle kiss on the lips and headed towards the elevator. Yaya bowed and joined her.
"We'll talk about it in the car." Nagisa nodded in agreement. The two got into the elevator, the younger one pressing the ground floor button. As the doors shut, Yaya saw Shizuma with a death-glance. "So, what's her problem?"
"Don't be to mean, she's just under a lot of pressure and stress. Her father is ill and she has to learn how to take care of the company. Also, she put a lot of time, effort, and cash into this apartment, and to see it destroyed, it's a little unnerving."
"Oh, sorry. I didn't know. She just was a little cold to me." Nagisa shrugged and waited in silence until the elevator reached the lobby. They walked out, Yaya nodding to the door man, and unlocking her car. They piled in, with Yaya pulling out her phone.
"What's that", noticing the odd message.
"It's an anonymous email that was giving me hints about who's behind the murder. It also gave me the address 7830 W. Daihatsu. That's our current destination."
"What's there?"
"I think a warehouse or something. I'm not familiar with that part of town. Now, about earlier... did you happen to catch sight of who attacked you?"
"Kinda but only her their hair. One was blue and the other an orange. Also, the DNA scan went through. Do you happen to know a Kaname Kenj?" The name made Yaya instantly ill. Of course she knew the name.
"Yeah, but I wish I didn't. She was one who often..."harassed" Hikari during High School. Damn, I should have guessed it would have been someone like that."
"There's more. I looked into it and found out that she always hangs out with another woman named Momomi Kiyashiki. The two, from the looks of it, are inseparable." Nagisa noticed that Yaya was adding extra tension to the steering wheel.
The car stopped as the stoplight flashed red. "Dammit, how could I be so stupid", bashing her fist into the console. "Those two, they're scum."
"Yaya, it's okay. We'll find them soon enough." Yaya was going overboard with this. "Besides, it's pointless dwelling on the past."
"Yeah, I guess." She kept her thoughts to herself as they sped West towards the determined location. One thing sped through Yaya's mind: revenge.
Shizuma stood on the roof of the apartment complex, catching the Nissan drive off. The night was cold and she exhaled, her breath visible. Flipping her phone, she dialed Miyuki's number.
"Hello? Shizuma, is that you?"
"Yes, it is. Just to let you know, tow detectives are driving towards your warehouse. You remember Nagisa Aoi and Yaya Nanto?" She tapped her car before entering the lobby, earlier that night. "The assassins failed and ran off, also. I recommend that you get down there and stop them before they find anything out."
"All right, we'll deal with those two." Miyuki hung up. She couldn't wait, having a personal vendetta with the Aoi girl, anyway.
Shizuma stared into the sky, her hair blowing in the wind. "Sorry, love, but you're too deep in this. I can't let you walk away from this." She blew a kiss to the wind.
7830 W. Daihatsu Ave. 12:50.
They parked the Nissan in the adjacent alleyway, Nagisa quietly exiting and walking over to the side entrance. Yaya turned her headset on and dialed Tsubomi's number.
"Hello", said a groggy voice. "Okiwaka Residence."
"Tsubomi, it's Yaya."
"Oh, Yaya-kun, what's up? Do you understand how late it is? It's not particularly wise to call this late at night."
"OK, Okay, I am sorry, but could you do me a favor?"
"...What", her voice dry.
"I need you to look up something. Please look into the business Sakuragi Shipping, please, and try and find any affiliated companies. It would be lovely if you could."
"I can't see why you shouldn't do it. I need my rest.
"Come on, Tsubomi, just this once?"
"Fine, I'll do it. But just this once. Don't come asking me for many favors, either."
"Arigato. Love you", quickly and hanging up the phone.
"Yaya! Uhhh, sometimes you are so irrational." She hung up the phone and got out of bed. Moving to her study, she fixed herself a cup of black coffee and sat down at the desk. "Please, Yaya, be careful and safe, for me."
Yaya got out of the 350Z and shut the door. Nagisa was in position and Yaya got behind her. Giving the signal, Nagisa started picking the lock with the lockpick she had brought along. Soon, they were in, Yaya moving behind the counter to shut off the security and electronic locks. As soon as it was down, a small tumbler was heard by the door. A red light appeared in Miyuki's offfice, but they weren't aware of it.
"Nagisa, I'm moving in first and you will follow once I give the signal", whispering to her partner. She nodded and Yaya opened the door. She cautiously walked into the warehouse, pistol in one hand, and checked around. Nagisa followed after noticing the hand wave. Taking position behind a crate, she peered around and didn't notice anything.
"It doesn't look like anyone's home. Weird..." Her reply was a finger ushering her to be quiet. Nagisa looked around one more time. That's when all hell broke loose.
Three guards started firing their automatics at Nagisa, who instantly pressed herself against the crate. They had her pinned down from both sides. She leaned her pistol around the corner and started to blind fire. The shots subsided for a second, buying her time to move. Quickly, she ran to another crate. Checking her clip, she realized that she had less than half her bullets left. She got ready for another volley.
"Nagisa!" Her voice could hardly be heard over the loud bursts of bullets. Yaya turned to flank the three but was surprised by two men, wielding knives and billy clubs. They hit her, square in the arm, but she hardly felt it. "Oh, you two want to play?" The rushed at her, but she was ready.
Bringing her foot low to the ground, Yaya swung her foot low and knocked one into the air. In the same fluid motion, she turned and elbowed the other in the face following up with a backwards kick to the groin. He recoiled from the attack. She charged her leg in front of her and brought it straight downward. It crushed the other man's stomach and left him in the fetal position. The whole attack took less than two seconds.
The other came in again. Yaya jumped on to her hands, disarming his blade with her feet, and landing facing him. She brought up a roundhouse kick, but the guard grabbed her leg. Kicking with the other leg, she brought the man to the floor. Balancing with her hands, she landed her other leg on his face, knocking him out.
Two more guards joined the three, now five blocking the door. They seemed to have limitless ammunition and blocked every path leading out. Yaya joined Nagisa, the aisle a gap between them. "Shit. It looks like they have us pinned pretty good. They aren't fooling around, either."
" What are we going to do", yelling over the repeaters.
"I have a plan, but it requires timing and luck." Yaya wore a foolish smile.
"Don't get yourself killed."
"Ha, don't worry about little things like that. Now please, can I borrow your gun?" She slid the pistol across the floor. "Now, when I get up, you get behind me and follow me. Prepare to jump for cover, though. Wait till they reload." Yaya heard a clip fall to the floor and jumped up.
Running directly down the small aisle, Yaya started firing rapidly at the attackers. Four rounds found their way into one man's chest, painting the wall with blood. He went down coughing. She continued, until the gun in her left hand clicked empty. She threw the empty USP backwards, Nagisa following close enough to grab it.
Nagisa threw another clip once she had the gun and joined the firefight. Her pistol wildly recoiled as she ran along with the gun firing. Her aim was off, the rounds going wide. She looked ahead at Yaya, her gun about ready to run dry. Click, Click, Click. There was no more rounds in her gun.
One man took this opportunity and fired, the round traveling directly at Yaya. Nagisa fired back, trying to hit the round with one of her own. Her round caught another man, two entering and exiting his neck. Yaya caught the round in the shoulder, throwing off her equilibrium and sending her crashing to the floor. She, prone on the ground, scuttled to a crate and leaned up against it.
"I told you that was suicide!"
"Hey, I'm not dead!" She coughed, blood running into her mouth, the metallic taste making her wince. "You want me to cover you?"
"Nope, I got it." She pressed herself against another crate, ready to propel herself across the floor. "Time to pay you back", muttering to herself. Pushing off, she slid across the floor. Of the seven round she fired, three killed one person and two injured another. "Ha, I got one." The remaining guards started bolstering their defenses.
"What a crack shot."
"Hey, now's not the time. How are you feeling?"
"Fine. Would it be okay if I said 'it's just a flesh wound?' Yaya was still in the mood to joke around.
"Hilarious, but really, we need to get this done with. We can't have you bleeding out this early into the assignment. Also, you sign all the checks."
Yaya smiled, but it soon turned to wincing. "Oww, the little fuck got me better than I expected." She slowly stood up and leaned around the corner. "Well, I think now's the time to attack."
"I agree." Yaya went left and Nagisa went right. The last two guards stood up, barely firing. The left one caught the entire clip. His body was more than swiss cheese. The wall was a thick crimson. Nagisa's caught on in the chest and threw himself to the floor.
Yaya exchanged clips and walked past the makeshift blockade. Noticing the cowering man, she walked over. "Lights out", accompanied by bashing the butt of the gun into his face. "You...ready...?" She was breathing hard. "You go in first."
"All right", opening the small door. She walked into the office, one light flickering giving barely any visibility. There were no signs of life. However, a figure walked out in front of her, the light revealing who it was.
"Ah, Nagisa Aoi. It's nice to see you again." Miyuki Rokuj stood before her, a large Desert Eagle .50AE in her small, slender hand. "I honestly didn't think that you would be able to best those men. They were veteran soldiers, hired for their skill. But after watching what you two did... What a waste."
"M-Miyuki? What are you doing here?"
"What, you can't tell? I am the vice president of the company, and besides, my boss charged me with the responsibility to kill you two. Speaking of, where is your compatriot?"
"I don't know. Didn't you see? She was quite wounded in the battle." Nagisa hoped Yaya heard this. It would give them the element of surprise.
"Bled out, huh? A shame really. She was quite the fighter, too. Took out two men in less than ten seconds. But that's life, is it not?"
"So, whose this 'boss' you keep throwing around?" Keeping her distracted was proving to be quite difficult. Miyuki kept scanning her, watching as her hand slowly fell to her waist.
"My, aren't we just full of questions. It's actually really sad. You should know who my boss is, it's almost obvious."
"What are you saying?"
"Nothing that an oblivious idiot, like yourself, should be concerned with. Regardless, I'm here for a reason. It's so sad, that your pretty little face has to end." She raised her handgun, leaving no time for Nagisa to raise her own. She pulled the hammer back. "Now die, you bitch!" A shot rang out.
Miyuki dropped her gun, her wrist in too much pain to hold it. Yaya stood at the door, a smoking pistol in her hand.
"Miyuki...why? Why go through all the trouble?"
"Why", still clutching her wrist. "Why do you honestly think? You took her from me. The most important thing, person, in my life, and you took her. I loved her, too!"
"W-what?!"
"It's your damned fault. Just die, please,just die!" She pulled a small blade and swung it, barely scraping along Nagisa's chest. A thin, red line appeared.
"No! I will not!" Nagisa kicked the knife out of her hand and fired are round at her knee. She fell to the floor, blood escaping her. "It's not my fault, not at all!"
"Of course it is." She was breathing heavily. "I did everything for her; I would do anything for her. Yet always, it was in vain. You were there! You seduced her! Took her and left me with nothing!"
"Shut up!" Nagisa hit her with her handgun. "Not another word! From now on, every action you take, every breath you breath, they're fucking gifts, from me! Now, get the fuck out of my sight!" She turned her gaze, yet kept the pistol trained on her.
"Nagisa, let's go. It's not worth it." Yaya had recovered and was rearing to leave. A cacophony of police sirens filled the area, the sound growing closer every minute.
"No, it is worth it." She aimed directly at her head and pulled the trigger. The pistol cocked back, the chamber empty. "Maybe you're right. This garbage isn't worth my time." She holstered the empty gun, her clip belt empty, as well. Miyuki lost consciousness and they both exited the small room.
"So, how are we going to explain this to the police? Last I remember, you aren't on their good side."
"Well, how about we just avoid the police, altogether."
"Sounds like a plan to me. What about the car?"
"What about it? We should be fine. I didn't park out front, did I?" They turned to go out the exit door. As they opened it, they caught sight of five police cars with ten plus men watching the store. A police chopper flew above them, the sound of the rotor drowning out anything else. Quickly, she shut the door. "We aren't going out that way."
They searched around the warehouse,looking for anything that resembled an exit. It took only a minute before Nagisa noticed a small grate that looked as if it led outside. They shot it out and Nagisa pulled herself up. Yaya stood on a few boxes, her arm still sore, and got out as well.
"What a night...", saying under her breath. The clock read 3:40 A.M. "Wow, we've been at it for a while." Hoping for a response, she looked over at Nagisa. She was already asleep. "Sounds like a plan. When I get home, that is." She put the key in and started the car. One cop noticed it, and jumped in his cruiser.
She pulled out of the alleyway and check the mirror. A lone cop was chasing her, sirens blaring. "PULL OVER THE CAR, NOW!"
"Sorry, but I can't comply." Shifting the car into high gear, she took a sharp left turn down another alleyway. A rusted fire escape stood above her and she fired her pistol at it. The stairs lurch and fell, crashing into the patrol car. It shattered the glass but kept driving.
Flying into a parking garage, Yaya felt she had lost them. She was proven wrong when she notice the cop barreling out of the alleyway. The car turned and entered the garage and Yaya took her's to the top level. Having little escape, she rammed a steel barrier, smashing the front of her car but jumping off the complex. She landed back on the road and took off. The cop tried to follow but clipped the side of his car when he went through the jump. It spiraled through the air and landed on its hood. Smoke started to rise from the engine.
Ch.2 is up. I realized that (althought people have checked it out) not many have. But this one gives me elbow room to explore new writing devices and styles. Also action galore. Anyway thanks for reading and please REVIEW. I can never have enough reviews.