Chapter 7: Spicy Spica
18:02 PM (Japan Time), Thursday November the 7th…
"… Sweets at good price, sweets in offer!"
"Beware of sweets! Have your teeth checked! First visit, 50% discount!"
"New customizable Hunter – VG skins! 25% discount!"
"…who happened to find her biggest idol in the midst of the street and then…!"
"…kick from Lucas! Bill caught it! Shigeru kicked it again and…!"
"…yes, shoes, shoes! The eternal dilemma, dear!"
"Heh, heh, heh. What unsuspecting lot!"
"Why don't cha sweat for a bit? And no armored shutters are gonna stop us, by the way~!"
"Let's go! Boom!"
"Bang!"
"Kya~h!"
"Uo~h!"
"Emergency! Emergency!"
People were going up and down in Spica Mall while chatting: the stores began to broadcast adverts but, suddenly, Kurayami and Kanaya showed up by exiting a Noise Wave and began to shoot at wild: everyone ran off and panic ensued: the security shutters fell down as well but they didn't seem to mind that.
"Buruo~! Ox Fire~!"
"Giza Wheel!"
"Hmpf! The "Raid Troop" showed up, Ku."
"As predicted, Ka!"
Ox Fire and Acid Ace rushed in while attacking but neither of them seemed to be surprised by their appearance on the scene.
"So! Akatsuki! Did ya get told to mop the flat by senpai?"
"Who knows?" He calmly replied.
"So! Ushijima! Did ya become Ramenjima?"
"W-WHA~T? BURO~!" He got annoyed.
"Gonta! Calm down, man!" Acid Ace sighed.
"Huh! S-sorry, Akatsuki – san!"
"Tee, heh, heh. Not bad, Ku."
"Thanks for the praising!"
"Buro~! Fight!"
"Don't get cocky, Gonta~…" Acid Ace sighed.
"How about we treat ya to some spicy Spica~?"
"Spicy Spica~? Spica Mall's trademark spicy burger?" Ox Fire gasped and seemed to get eager to taste it.
"GONTA~!"
"YIKES! S-SORRY~!"
"Companion dispute, eh?" Kanaya mocked.
"Ox Tackle!"
"Ugrack! This savage!"
"Wing Blade!"
"Kyah! This pervert!"
Both "Raid Troop" members suddenly attacked: Ox Fire tackled Kurayami and had him crash against the shutter, making a dent on it: Acid Ace shot forward with his jets and did the same to Kanaya.
"Sheesh. So it's become interesting!" Kurayami grumbled.
"It'd be boring otherwise."
"Let's go~! Mad Vulcan X!"
"Hyper Cannon!"
"Burning Punch!"
"Wide Wave!"
Both villains drew Battle Cards and counter-attack: Ox Fire punched the ground and formed 4 spiraling pillars of fire which popped out from different spots: Kurayami barely dodged being burnt by one while Kanaya got hit by the Wide Wave as she dodged another: both grumbled and attacked again: Acid Ace quickly dodged and Ox Fire withstood the rounds without flinching.
"Heck. I forgot. Super Armor!" Kurayami cursed.
"Sheesh." Kanaya fumed.
"Oi! Not like I'm perfect!"
"I didn't mean that, Bond wannabe."
"B-Bond wannabe~? Me~? Oh come on! Ka!" He groaned.
"About to divorce, eh?" Acid Ace taunted.
"Buro~! Guess that." Ox Fire chuckled.
"T-these JERKS!" Both snapped.
"So what? Like that'll help you win."
"We've got other tricks ready, Akatsuki! Dynamic Wave!" Kurayami smirked.
"Elemental Cyclone!"
"Shit. I forgot about that!"
"T-trouble~!"
Both villains' attacks hit the combatants: Ox Fire was washed over and he hit the southern armored shutter while groaning: Acid Ace was hit several times in a row by the cyclone and kicked away to crash-land inside of the sweets store.
"Have fun in Wonderland, Akatsuki! Alice wants to play with ya!" Kanaya mocked.
"T-this gal…!" He grumbled.
"Is in charge! Of the situation! There! Noise Cluster!"
A cluster of "Noise" formed and created a door-like obstacle which trapped Acid Ace inside of the store.
"Now then! Fatman! You lose!" Kurayami smirked.
"Not so fast! Muro~h! Sigma Sword!"
"Fuck."
"Shit!"
Both barely dodged the strike from Sigma's sword as he jumped down from above and hit the ground with it: they put some distance between them and Sigma as he lifted the sword.
"Sigma on the scene!"
"Sheesh. I thought this guy would be chasing Shinobi." Kurayami grumbled aloud.
"Guess Omega got put in charge of that. We can handle this big guy, anyway, Ku. Let's use our strategy." Kanaya calmly ordered.
"Fine."
"Come at full power!" Sigma challenged.
"You'll regret it, brute! Drill Arm X!"
"Drill Arm X!"
"Crap. Breaker…! Demon Fire!"
Both enemies drew the Drill Arm Battle Card and jumped for Sigma: his eyes flashed and he formed two lasers which travelled across the ground below both enemies' legs (because they were running at him): a row of flames popped out and both instinctively jumped into the air but Sigma swung his sword's edge and hit them on the waist area: the blow knocked them out of the air and into the ground (the flames had already dissipated) yet they quickly recovered.
"Close!" Kurayami hissed.
"Bah! Same trick won't work twice!" Kanaya fumed.
"Make way for the Super Hero~! Wing Blade~!"
"What!"
"Ox Tackle!"
Acid Ace suddenly ran out of the store by shattering the exhibit window glass while tackling Kurayami along the way because he wasn't expecting an attack from his left: Ox Fire recovered and tackled Kanaya (who'd been about one meter forward from Kurayami) to have her hit the shutter again: Kurayami managed to use his hands to try to stop the Wing Blade attack but he was thrown into the lower level of the mall: Acid Ace jumped down and drew his Long Sword.
"Sheesh. Too much for us! Let's pull out, Ka!"
"Hmpf! Fine! There'll be other chances!"
A Noise Wave opened behind each one and quickly closed: Break Count Bombs were left in their spot and the 3 defenders quickly destroyed them before they could go off: they sighed in relief.
"Phew. We managed to force them to pull out."
"Buro~! Huff. We gotta be careful with these guys or next time they'll drive us into a tight spot!" Ox Fire warned.
"Sure thing, Ushijima…" Sigma grumbled.
"Let's go back to the Satella Police HQ."
18:29 PM (Japan Time)…
"… Hmpf. So you can keep a straight face."
"Isn't it obvious?"
"Hmpf. Guess that."
"I know you're only doing it because it makes you feel "slightly" amused: I didn't expect anything less than that."
"So I'm becoming readable, eh?"
"Guess that."
Subaru was lying face-up on a bed inside of a hut somewhere and looking at the ceiling while placing both hands behind his head: the blankets covered up to his neck's base and Solo happened to be lying at his right while folding his arms and looking smug: Subaru didn't seem too surprised to begin with.
"Heh. First I had enough with haying you sit in front of me and try to get excited enough to release but lately… Heh! I wanted to increase the level and test you out… I still remember your face of disbelief during the 1st Omicron visit when I told you that you could be "interesting" later on as well…"
"No wonder."
"Hmpf. So my dullness ended up sticking around, eh?" Solo guessed as he glanced at Subaru.
"Not like you did it on purpose. You're who you are. End of the tale: no need to beat around the bush." He didn't lower his sight.
"With a metal rod?"
"How original."
"Hmpf. I felt like it…"
"At least we sent both Rock and Laplace to compete in the Black Hole Server: they won't be annoying us for a while."
"Meanwhile, in a while~…"
"Are you sure their joke manias aren't sticking to YOU instead?" Subaru got annoyed.
"Huh! Huh… Well…" He trailed off, for once.
"Lovely." He sighed.
"Oh come on. Not like that's gonna be the world's end."
"I know. But I wanted someone serious around to keep things controlled to some extent."
"Hum. You've got a point there."
"So? Did you figure out anything?"
"Sure I did. I found the fortress thing and did some reconnaissance while the defective experiments were busy stirring up trouble in Spica Mall: the fool was there engrossed with Hamlet… And bragging about the "Phantom Chaos"… In short…"
"I know. They appear, hit, and vanish into the nowhere. Like phantoms or ghosts. Hence the name."
"Hmpf. Totally lame."
"Wasn't that obvious from the very start, anyway?"
"Well. I did some more scouting: Shinobi wasn't there so I don't think they detected me anyway. I planted several programs to allow us to know their current location as long as they don't go deeper than 250 meters: that's the limit of any signal." He explained.
"Good. We owe you one."
"Bah. Don't mind it. I've got plenty of scores to settle with those fools, anyway. No big deal."
"And despite what you said before you did lend me a hand…"
"Yeah. I know. The Crimson Machine deal… I just wanted to use you."
"Yeah. Use me to blow them up and then you'd take care of the leftovers which you did: deleting Corvus and Virgo when they didn't want to change sides and tried attacking Jack and sensei."
"Hmpf. What did you expect of such lot? With fame of being hi-rank criminals and all…"
"I know. They should've seen it coming too. Guess they didn't really realize the possibility."
"Hmpf. Fine. Let's settle it there. The past is the past: now let's get back to the present."
Solo suddenly loomed over Subaru who merely lifted the right eyebrow: he grinned and did something under the blankets but Subaru didn't seem to mind it in the first place: Solo began to move and Subaru merely seemed to follow his pace.
"Heh. So ya can keep it, the straight face…"
"Of course I can."
"So you don't feel angered at what happened the other day?" Solo questioned.
"No. I'd seen it coming ever since the summer, anyway. It happened and that's all. I wasn't going to let it shatter me to pieces like what happened to my two friends back then. And holding into grudges or anger won't benefit anyone."
"Hmpf. True… Too bad I didn't get to beat that guy…"
"Kuroban, you mean? Yeah. I'd liked to do that too. But the guy is out of our reach and surely forever… Oh well. What's done is done: let's forget the guy and Hikaru and focus on the matter at hand."
"What will you do with that woman?"
"Sensei? Huff. She'll be arrested for breaking her surveillance liberty, no doubt about it. Let's hope she spends some time overseas."
"I don't see that woman as the type to…"
"…give it up so easily? I know. We haven't lowered the guard either: she could've been playing along with the circumstances to make us believe she'd seen our point."
"Right. That's what I was gonna say."
"Why don't we quit the gloomy talk and try to be positive and constructive instead?"
"Fine. So? What do you think of my style?"
"Classical."
"Hmpf. Guess that."
"But if you feel like it and I have a chance… It's not a bad way to shake off some stress, either."
"True… I'm going off."
"Go off."
Solo seemed to release inside of Subaru and chuckled: he then slid down a bit and then lowered his head to begin licking Subaru's right nipple: he let out a small groan and Solo grinned as he licked his left nipple next: Subaru couldn't avoid letting out another small groan.
"So this turns you on, eh?"
"Yeah. Satisfied?"
"Plenty. I'll have fun trying to break your straight face."
"Be my guest."
"Heh, heh."
Solo began to rub the left nipple with his left hand's thumb and index finger while he slid the right hand beneath the blankets and began to do something: Subaru groaned and seemed to be turned on by whatever Solo was doing right now.
"Rubbing my penis so fast…! And the nipple…! You're sneaky!"
"Yeah… Sneaky Solitaire~…"
"Be serious!" He growled.
"Fine. Since that annoys you so much…"
"Doesn't it annoy you too?"
"Most of the time. About 95% of it."
"And the remaining 5% amuses you, huh? Jeez."
"I'm a cocktail: a mix of various ingredients." He smirked.
"At least you're not as random as the Joking Club."
"Hmpf. Of course not. I'll just clever mottoes."
"Do as you like. But don't try to drive me to exasperation or this will end up badly for both of us, Solo."
"I note the warning."
"Fine."
"So let's speed this up… And heat it up… Here!"
Solo moved upwards and Subaru gasped: he began to moan more than before and looked like he couldn't keep his straight face for much longer at this pace: Solo came closer and seemed to be having fun with watching his face.
"Yeah… You're totally turned on by now… That's what I wanted to see: how I wash away your pride…"
"Che… You're one sneaky guy."
"Of course."
Solo pulled the blankets and covered both of them: Subaru's muffled moans kept on ringing out along with a chuckle by Solo.
"TOO sneaky, even!"
"Heh, heh, heh. Let's have some fun, Hoshikawa. Heh, heh, heh."
18:51 PM (Japan Time)…
"… Found you. Neechan."
"… Jack."
"Why won't you accept that they've got a point?"
"I don't need to do, Jack."
"You need to! Or else you'll become a mere criminal!"
"Not a "mere" criminal… Someone different."
"Don't come at me with loopholes, neechan."
"What would a child like you understand?"
"But!"
"Hmpf."
Jack found Queen Tia close to the entrance stairs of Shiisaa Castle and tried to reason with her yet she was being cold and didn't look like she wanted to be constructive.
"Do you think our parents would be glad of what you'll do?"
"Our parents are gone, Jack. We must fend off by ourselves."
"I know that! But think about it! They wouldn't be glad: seeing their child becoming such a cold and hostile person…!" Jack argued.
"So what?"
"Don't try to elude the topic, neechan! If you want to have your payback on that woman back in our nation then go ahead… But you can't harm Hibiki out of caprice! No loopholes or word-play will save you from being sentenced!" Jack whispered to her.
"I'm not afraid. I'll find a way out."
"Please!"
"No, Jack. I won't have enough with mere payback…"
"If you want to humiliate that woman or something like that then I've got no objection but… You can't harm Hibiki! I'll insist!"
"You're bothersome, too."
"I'm trying to help you!"
"I don't need anyone's help. I'm the Queen."
"But the Queen's got advisers and helpers and all, right? I'm sure Mom and Dad had them! They always have had helpers and advisers across the ages!"
"More like hypocrite servants…"
"Wait a min… You're not going to tell me that "THE woman" was part of the staff! A jealous maid?" He gasped.
"… And what would you do if it was? Tell Akatsuki?"
"Of course! So that they can arrest that woman and have her be trialed, see…!"
"What evidence would they use? I won't declare anything in a court: I have no need for those plebeian things."
"Plebeian or not, a court is a court! Neechan!"
"They will surely only force them to pay some money and that'll be all: they'll get away with it."
"You're just being pessimistic!"
"It's better to be pessimistic in some aspects. And, Akatsuki… I know you're using Jack as your proxy."
"Akatsuki isn't using me as proxy, damn it! I came of my own will, neechan! We're sister and brother!"
"So it'd seem."
"What? Oh come on! Don't try to shoo me away, neechan!"
"More like have you give up."
"I'm not going to give up! You gotta be reasonable!"
"And what if I don't? Will you stop me?"
"If it comes to that end then I will!"
"Fine. I'd like to see you trying." She shrugged.
"Do you remember the name?" Jack tried asking.
"I haven't forgotten. And by the way… Try looking elsewhere." She began to walk away.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh well. That woman was a traitor within the palace sent by one of the invading nations: she bragged about it. I remember it all too well. "The 22nd century's Mata – Hari"… Let's see who will find her sooner: me or you… Good-bye, Jack…"
She vanished out of sight and Jack sighed: he drew his Hunter – VG and looked at Akatsuki's face, who nodded in agreement.
"So this is what she wants. A race to see who finds that woman first: this won't be as easy as we thought but… We won't know unless we try it out, anyway."
"I know, Akatsuki… I'm heading to my place."
"Yeah. We'll start some preliminary searches… If we could find some survivor of the palace staff then that could become a very decisive lead: maybe some records survived the invasion…"
"Let's hope so."
"We can't give up until the very end!"
"… Heh. I know." He formed a weak smile.
"Queen Tia… What must I do to make you regain happiness?"
"We cannot know." Acid drily warned.
"I'll find out how…! And help you regain happiness…!"
19:04 PM (Japan Time)…
"… Where'd you gone off to, Ka?"
"Tee, heh, heh. Oh. I had an idea."
"Oh yeah? What it's about?"
"My bad. But it's not a battle plan or a raid… It's just a lil random idea I got and I began some arrangements…"
"Hum. Well. Do as you like."
"I know. Did you check that those 2 aren't spying on us?"
"I did. And I did scan my own body to make sure the guy didn't rig anything on us… I didn't find anything which could interfere with the Meteor Server, our armors or our basic strength…"
"Fine. I'll do one next. You never know."
"And I don't trust the looks of it: the whole "engrossed with Hamlet" behavior might be a smokescreen to invite us to get cocky, confident and to lower the guards."
"Good point, Ku."
Kanaya returned inside of the hideout: Kurayami was sitting in an armchair and looking at an "Air Display" showing some movie or another when she stepped into the living room and sat on the armchair to the right of his: she looked in a good mood as Kurayami began to explain what he'd been doing.
"We wouldn't have come this far if we weren't ready: we were ready when Death got beaten and we rushed back here before they could begin to organize a chase. And luckily they thought we'd died back in the summer with that explosion thing…"
"Sure. Oh well. Even if we end up in that place again… We'll find a way to get out… If senpai and Jack could, we can as well."
"Hmpf. I like that better, yeah."
"Did you check that we're not being listened in?"
"I did, Ka. No surveillance device or program reported any abnormalities to begin with. And I did re-check them myself too to make sure that they hadn't been tampered with."
"Good work. Oh well. Guess I can relax this evening and try to come up with some battle plan as well."
"Yeah. I trained a bit more and I now feel at 100% power… Ready to take on Hoshikawa, even… Heh!"
"Oh my. I wouldn't mind giving a beating to the flattened woman Hibiki is along the way, either…" She giggled.
"But that could be reckless, too… There could be some trap… And even you would have trouble fending off Blood Shadow at the same time you fight Hibiki… How about I lure Blood Shadow away by stirring up trouble close by and you tackle Hibiki?"
"Good idea. Let's do just that. Easy money. Easier than Buttercup's $3 bills… Tee, heh, heh!"
"Oh yeah. I know. Heh, heh, heh."
"…dumbfounded rabbit foot! You were the culprit!" Someone in the film exclaimed.
"Mwah, hah, hah, hah! My rabbit leg is invincible~!"
"What's with this film?"
"Meh! Some randomness I found by chance. "The Rabbit Plot"…"
"Rabbit Plot? Why not Rabid Plot while you were at it?" She laughed.
"Dunno. Guess they wanted it to be for all audiences."
"This looks like it'll be worth my time. Let's enjoy this cooked rabbit."
"Cooked by Ushijima's fiery and hellish breath!"
Both laughed aloud at their jokes…