Okay. Another Hint in this chapter. Can you solve the Mystery before Mary does? Give it a shot. (still pretty hard to do rn tbh. But by next chapter It'll be too easy)


Kyo's an asshole. Iori's an evil asshole.


Icelandic Airspace(Helsinki) August 25th 9:30 PM

"Ladies! stop it!"

Heidern barked at the two treasures thrashing around in his helicopter hanger. Kyo had Iori in a chokehold. Iori was screeching the best he could through his restricted windpipe. Blue Mary sat awkwardly across from them, trying not to get kicked.

They were currently flying over Iceland, preparing to land.

Yesterday Kyo relayed to the Ikari commander that Chizuru was suspicious of something on the small European island. The last call she made before she disappeared asked them to be there in one week's time. Heidern checked his satellites and sent in a recon mission.

There they found her - Chizuru Kagura, dressed in a medical smock and staggering about on the shore near a crashed helicopter. She was collected by the Ikari troops and promptly shipped to the nearest hospital in Helsinki. Heidern, the treasures and Blue Mary were flying in to meet her. There, they would determine their next course of action.

Blue Mary had to pull all sorts of strings to get the Ikari commander to allow her to fly with them, but finally she did it. She had rushed to the Japanese-American Airbase and found Kyo and Iori already there. Kyo didn't acknowledged the detective, he hardly spared her a glance. Iori did, but not in a good way. The moment he caught sight of her, he shouted at the Ikari commander, "Heidern! I already have to deal with the paparazzi when I'm home. Why the hell did you bring a fucking reporter here for? She's fucking deadweight!"

That had made Mary very angry. But what really stung was when she saw Kyo trying to suppress his laughter. I wish Terry was here.

"Kusanagi! I said stop playing around!"

Iori screeched, digging his nails into Kyo's arm with one hand, and trying to slap his the face with the other. Kyo didn't really seem to mind. He was dressed in a thick down jacket and wore skiing goggles. Some of the stuffing from his jacket was poking through the gashes his rival had made.

Mary recognised that neither was fighting seriously. If they had been, Kyo would be missing an arm, and the helicopter would have been blown to smithereens. She briefly wondered what would happen if she fought either of them while they were 'goofing off'. Could she win?

Monsters.

"If I don't knock him out, he'll start puking. Just give me a sec!… "

The helicopter's occupants endured the sounds of hell for a few more moments. Then Iori stopped sputtering and slumped unconscious against his rival. Ralf laughed at them from the cockpit. "Aww, just adorable… Strap your boyfriend in because we're about to land."

"Yeah, Yeah, Very funny. On the way back I'll let him barf everywhere - I hope you enjoy the smell of half eaten barbeque."

They landed on the Hospital's roof without incident. A few people were gathered there to receive them. Mary soon found that most of them were here to see Yagami. Kyo handed his rival's unconscious body over to the thrilled fans and laughed as they scurried away.

The three of them soon found themselves in Chizuru Kagura's hospital room.

She sat upright and solemn in the bed. She was dressed in a hospital smock and had a few IV's taped to her arm. There were visible bags beneath here eyes. Her long hair was tied into a high bun. She looked exhausted, yet Mary thought she saw a flash of triumph in those dark calm eyes.

"Chiz! Are you okay!"

Kyo barreled into the room to embrace her. She chuckled and patted his head, then turned to thank Heidern before addressing Mary.

"Detective Ryan. I'm so glad you're here. I hoped none of the boys gave you a hard time."

"Oh, not at all Ms. Kagura. I'm very glad you're safe."

Apparently Mary's fake smile wasn't good enough, and Chizuru pinched a guilty looking Kusanagi in the arm. Mary had to admit it felt good, but she wished she was the one doing the pinching.

"Now than, Detective Ryan. I would like to acknowledge all of your hard work on my behalf. My estate manager contacted me a little bit ago and informed me about your contract. You will be paid in full."

Mary blinked, surprised. "Oh- I, I couldn't Ma'am. I hardly did anything!"

Chizuru shook her head and insisted. Mary couldn't help but smile. Chizuru was the first person during this entire investigation to show her any sort of acknowledgement. And better yet, she was the leader of the Treasures - those two assholes. Maybe she really is a Miracle Lady.

"Where's Iori? Did he refuse to come?"

Kyo stood up and went to lean against the door. "Nope, he's here. It might be a while before he finds us though. But Chiz, you need to tell us who did this to you."

Chizuru nodded, sighed, and seemed to collect her thoughts. After a long moment, she opened her mouth to speak.

"Three days ago, back in Japan, I-"

*Thud*

"KUSANAGI! Move your fat ass and let me in!"

Kyo, who was standing against the hospital door, groaned. He turned to open the heavy door partways, before slamming it shut. He whipped around to search the room with wild eyes.

"Detective! Pass me those!" Mary frowned and reached for the box of tissues, "Not those, The scrubs!" He snatched them out of her hand and shoved them through the gap in the door. "Yagami you idiot! You're gonna make me go blind!"

Chizuru chuckled. Heidern rolled his eyes. Yagami stomped in, dressed in medical scrubs.

"I got fucking strip-searched."

"What? Iori Yagami wakes up naked and surrounded by strangers? Must be Wednesday."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean! Bitch I'll-" Chizuru waved at him "Kagura!"

He trotted over to her bedside and squawked when she pulled him into a hug. She continued talking whilst holding on to his head.

"As I was saying. I was home when somebody gassed the place… I woke up strapped to a table, hooked up to all sorts of medical equipment, I don't know… but I knew it was NESTS." Iori's teeth began clicking. Kyo turned to glare out the window.

"They did horrible things to me for two days. I… I don't know how you survived Kusanagi. It hurt so badly that I thought I would die."

Kyo didn't look at her.

"Finally they slipped up. They administered an incorrect dosage of sedative and I managed to break out. I was extremely lucky. I managed to steal a helicopter, but I was too drugged to fly it. I survived the crash. If Ikari didn't find me when they did," Chizuru nodded to Heidern, "They would have gotten me… They might have killed me."

The room was as silent as death.

Then Chizuru smiled.

"Chin up boys, there's a silver lining." She let go of Iori, "I know their location. Moreover, this is the controlling NESTS base for all of continental Europe. Heidern, you might want to strike it. Maybe K' and Kula would be willing to help..."

Heidern nodded, "I will need time to gather enough force. But-" He glanced at Kyo and Iori, then back at Chizuru. The two of them were standing near the window. Kyo was glowering at the far mountains. Iori had his back leaned against the glass and was staring at his feet. His teeth were chattering. Riot.

"Kusanagi, Yagami, perhaps you could lend the Commander a hand. Please, destroy that place." Her voice cracked,"I don't ever want to see it again."

There was silence in the room. For a long moment, everything was still.

Iori was the first to move. He straightened up, nodded curtly at the commander, and walked, shaking, outside. He didn't seem to realize he was grinning. Mary remembered seeing that same horrible smile at the tournaments. I meant somebody was going to die.

Kyo followed suit, but not before reaching over to squeeze Chizuru's hand. His face was serious and his brow was furrowed in concentration. He unconsciously cracked his knuckles as he exited.

A deep voice broke the silence.

"Thank you for lending them to me. They're more than enough to take care of things." Then Heidern was gone as well.

Mary was left alone in the room with the graceful woman. She sighed, then forced a smile.

"Those two. They really care about you don't they?"

Chizuru reached up to adjust her bun. Then nodded.

"Yes detective, they certainly do. They're a bit rough around the edges, but they've got hearts of gold. Well… Yagami is a bit rougher, I'd say."

Mary grinned.

"Ah yes, Just a bit… He thought I was conducting a fraud investigation and threatened to blow up my house."

Chizuru flashed her a look of concern. Mary waved her hands,"No, no. He didn't do anything. Kyo was much better… But-"

"But?"

Mary grimaced. I can't complain to Chizuru about that… I mean.

"Mary, You can tell me. I know it's hard to deal with those two. I've done it for five years and counting. Luckily I'm the only person on earth who can scold them. I'll give them an earful for you."

"Those kids have a superiority complex… I mean, I know they're strong. But. Ugh. I don't even have a leg to stand on here, just forget it." Mary looked embarrassingly at the stately woman. Chizuru smiled calmly at her.

"I'll convey your feelings, Detective. Don't worry. The two of them are like nuclear bombs, but they do what I tell them. Physical strength isn't everything you know, besides. You were the one who discovered it was NESTS who got to me, right?"

"... How did you know?"

Chizuru shrugged. "Because you're a detective Mary. You're a proud member of the world's peacekeepers. Of course you would have found out before Kusanagi did."

Mary was positively glowing.

"I went to visit your company as well. You have a beautiful building."

"Ah, you talked to Akira? The developmental lead?"

"Akira? No Ma'am. I talked to a doctor called Kobeyashi… He was a little eccentric but… Miss Kagura?"

The look of pure rage flitted across Chizuru's features. The change was so violent and unexpected that it startled the detective. Almost immediately the ugly look disappeared and the businesswoman was calm again. She shook her head and looked back to Mary. "I'm sorry, please excuse me. My nerves are acting up a bit."

She didn't want me to talk to Kobeyashi... Why… the blueprints perhaps… ?

"... He was a bit eccentric. He was talking about how you were the Miracle Lady and that you saved the company."

"Is that it? That's all he talked about?"

"Yes Ma'am. Is he a troublesome employee?"

Chizuru released a sigh of… relief?

"He's a little bit difficult. Brilliant man, but doesn't know how to keep his mout-... he doesn't work well with the others."

It's the blueprints… I need to investigate the blueprints… Blueprints… NESTS…. Information… Secret Blueprints…. NESTS information… Clinical blueprints…

Mary's detective half was screaming at her to investigate Chizuru... But the woman had been so kind to her. There were no bad reports about her. She was an upright citizen. Compassionate, merciful, and upholding the great burden of keeping Orochi sealed away. She did this so the world could live in peace. And now, the poor woman had just been captured and tortured by NESTS! How could you go after her! Mary! You're heartless!

But Mary never dropped an investigation. It was her instinct to follow the trail of clues. She lived for the hunt. She couldn't resist it. She would see this through to the end.

As she said her goodbyes, she felt a pit of grief forming in her stomach.


I wish Chuzuru was my boss.

Leave me a review please. im so lonely. You don't even have to comment in english. It can be in pig-latin for all i care

Heartless Mary heh. Don't worry. Soon you'll have enough power to destroy the world.

Can we ignore that Ralf doesn't speak japanese? Because he doesn't. And kyo's a nationalist so he never learned any english during highschool. They're not gonna understand eachother. (ralf = pilot).

Sunset Iceland in august = 10:30PM. b/c latitude