Hello! Please, enjoy what you read at your own will, within reason and respect. Thank you for reading.
Disclaimer: I do not claim nor own anything. All rights are reserved to their respective owners and no copyright infringement intended. This fiction is for pure entertainment only and not for commercial purposes.
The news of the governess kidnap, Mashiro Blan De Windbloom, happened a few hours before working time in Windbloom's government prefectural building. Heading there with haste to investigate it, Natsuki and Shizuru examined the site of the kidnap, while Erstin talked to people for witnesses.
Meanwhile, Mai and Mikoto wondered around the building's perimeters to find anything amiss. The kidnap was flawless of any signs of breaching into the building; no explosives, hacking, or even defected securities, leaving strong suspicions towards the employees and staffs in the building. Unable to find anything, they head back inside the building and wait for their friends to finish their tasks.
However, as they returned to the front of the building, Mikoto spotted something curious and out of place. An amphitheatre, packed with crowds and having a blast with the performance, caught Mikoto's attention. What bothered Mikoto was the group near three vans with some doors left opened, looking anywhere but the performance going on. They seemed alert and ready to leave for some reason. Mikoto sighed and maybe she was overthinking too much. Yet, Mikoto wanted to find out what was rousing the crowds in that performance.
"Mai, can we check on that amphitheatre for a moment?" Mikoto asked, prompting Mai to pause and look at where she was looking.
"Hmm… I suppose so. It might take a while for them to finish, but we'll watch for a few, okay?" Mai said with a smile and offered her hand.
"Yay!" Mikoto smirked and took Mai's offered hand with joy.
The walked towards the amphitheatre and found out that it was free to enter. Something about the performance seemed to attract attention from passers-by. As they got closer, an enchanting, angelic voice could be heard, and they were immediately fixated on finding out who sang with such a beautiful voice. Freely entering inside the amphitheatre with the seats full, they stood amongst the crowds that circled around the perimeter of the amphitheatre.
Whoever allowed the beautiful blonde-haired girl to sing and shine on that stage, deserved a hearty praise for the beautiful dress and attention focused on her. The blonde-haired girl had an elegant dress that did not scream gaudy or rich, but modest and graceful. Wrapped around the girl's shoulders was a transparent shawl that glittered and made her sparkle beautifully. Like stars, dancing around the girl as she lifted her arms and hands following the rise and low of her voice. The girl's blue-eyes were enchanting and deep, expressing her feelings alongside her song on the stage.
Singing what felt like a melancholy song, yet it held a sense of anxiety and plea. As if asking for help that sought a brave soul to save the blonde-haired girl. Mai thought she was reading into things too deeply without rationalism. Captured and swayed by the girl's voice that must have been either talent or years of experience. Mai looked among the crowd, and they were all enraptured by the song to feel anything amiss. Then Mai looked to Mikoto, who seemed to stare intensely at the girl with concern.
Mai squeezed Mikoto's hand and asked, "You don't like it?"
Mikoto looked to Mai and shook her head, "Something about that girl feels as if she's scared." She answered with a serious gaze.
Mai furrowed her brows with intrigue and nervousness as she looked back at the girl.
"She's really good at hiding her expression, but not the emotions in her eyes, Mai." Mikoto said with certainty.
As the blonde-haired girl sung, Mai tried to look into those blue-eyes. The girl's blue-eyes appeared unrelaxed and anxious, but fully committed to singing and gazing around the audience as if to search for someone. Mai was not too certain if that was what it looked like, so she looked elsewhere that could possibly stir discomfort for the girl. Mai's eyes caught the group near the vans that Mikoto had looked at. They were very suspicious and especially unpleasant with the frowns on their faces.
Something about them truly prickled Mai's skin, and wondered why the seemed impatient to stay or even enjoy the girl's performance. Mai looked around again to find anything suspicious, and there was nothing. Mai sighed and believed that she was stressed up and edgy early in the afternoon. Yet, an inescapable feeling in her chest and at the back of her neck, made her feel precautious to dismiss her suspicions. Mai looked at the singing girl's blue-eyes carefully, and she noticed they were fading with hope and pain.
Mai gritted her teeth and then sighed, something about this entire performance and the girl simply shouted trouble. Then Mikoto had had enough and dragged Mai away from the crowds with urgency, earshot away from them. Once they were a few distances away, Mikoto stopped and looked to Mai with grave gold-eyes.
"We have to help that girl Mai." Mikoto said with her gold-eyes unwavering and firm.
Mai huffed slowly, "Okay… but what did Mikoto feel from that girl that you're so sure she needs help?" She asked and crossed her arms.
"I don't know…she's singing as if she wants to stay… to not go, because-... because-…" Mikoto lost the words to complete and bring reason to the cause, but her heart ached that she was so certain of it, and yet clueless at the same time.
Mai smiled and placed her hands on Mikoto's shoulders, "If that's what you feel, than let's find out what's causing her problems." She said, and Mikoto's eyes blinked in surprise.
"Mai… believes Mikoto…?" Mikoto said unbelievingly.
"Mikoto…" Mai softly smiled and cupped Mikoto's cheeks, "I believe you, but we need to find out what's causing it before we jump into conclusions." Her violet-eyes were assuring, encouraging to Mikoto and nodded in relief.
"What should we do?" Mikoto asked, ready to do what it takes to help the blonde-haired girl.
Mai grinned and shuffled a hand in her pants pocket to pull out a card. It was Mai's business card and she gave it to Mikoto. Mikoto took the card and examined it, and then she looked at Mai with a questioning look.
"We might not have enough time to find out about her distress, but we can get her to contact us." Mai explained and then took Mikoto around to the back of the amphitheatre with haste.
"While I try to find out about those guys near the van, Mikoto can look around the backstage before the girl finishes her performance." Mai said as Mikoto walked beside her.
"What should I find?" Mikoto asked and put the card in her hand into her pants pocket.
"An actor or a singer, sometimes there's somebody envious or spiteful of them being successful. Look for threats, anything or anyone that intend to do her harm. It might be pranks, hate-letters, threat texts – you'll know when you see them." Mai answered with experience in her voice, stopping behind the amphitheatre that had no one guarding there.
"That's mostly a common thing to endure for idols or stars, but they can still be a potential physical harm to them." Mai said and turned to Mikoto, placing her hands on Mikoto's shoulders.
Mikoto nodded, "Mikoto will search every nook and cranny, even the stage settings and lights."
Mai smirked and ruffled Mikoto's hair, "Good girl, and don't forget to give her the card after she has finished." She reminded pleasantly.
Mikoto giggled and hugged Mai, surprising Mai from the sudden embrace.
"It feels really good to have someone believe Mikoto… Thank you, Mai." Mikoto murmured on Mai's shoulder, smiling as she felt the peace and trust forming inside.
Mai blinked her eyes, briefly puzzled, and then she returned the hug, "Your welcome Mikoto. We're friends remember?" She said, and then she felt a distinct gap when she said that. Mai will ponder about it later.
"Yup…" Mikoto replied and leaned back, gazing into Mai's eyes and smiling.
Mai smiled too, and learned that she felt a lot happier and truer with her feelings around Mikoto. Mai never felt that intensely with her friends, even to her past conditional dates, which she had never kissed or allowed them to until she herself trusts them. It was very selfish and awful of Mai, but she held strong so that she was certain to the person holding her heart and love. Not that made any sense or reasonable to anyone frankly, and yet Mai cannot help that was how she really felt, especially the anxiety when it came to commitment.
"Mai, I'll be going now." Mikoto said and squeezed Mai's hands.
"Good luck, and stay safe, Mikoto." Mai smiled and returned the squeeze before she let go of Mikoto's hand.
As they parted to do about their tasks, an amusing thought passed through their mind. They snickered at how they parted as if they were a couple. Although amusing, they blushed at the thought of being a couple. It was unlikely they could be one, since neither could feel at ease nor settled when they have something to accomplish. Mikoto to find her purpose, whilst Mai looked for answers to settle the doubts about Takumi.
At any rate, Mai carefully approached the group near the three vans, scouting them first before approaching them. Mai was leaning against the wall not far from the amphitheatre at the parking space, looking for someone else other than the suspicious group to enquire information about them.
"Excuse me Miss, the amphitheatre is free to enter." Said a man that seemed to know well about what was going on in the amphitheatre.
Mai turned to look at him with a shock, "I'm so sorry. I have no intention of entering but to meet the girl's manager."
The man blinked his eyes, "Alyssa does not have a manager… in fact, and she used to have one until today. The manager, Miyu, was recently fired or so I've heard." He said more than he should, but it helped Mai.
"Fired?" Mai gasped, "Then are those strangely suited men near the vans her next manager-in-line?" She dumbly asked, and the man chuckled as he shook his head.
"No, they are… 'Escorts'…?" The man himself answered and asked, "I am uncertain, but they are allowed by Alyssa's permission. Strange how there are no crew to set-up or plan her performance. The ex-manager was the one who did them the most." He explained.
"I see… for a minute there, they looked suspicious to be standing around there." Mai said with relief, slyly pressing for more information.
"Haha! They certainly are a suspicious bunch, not even professional. Moreover, it was a quick performance for her, so I suppose that must be reason enough." The man shrugged his shoulders, and thankfully his phone rang.
They waved and bid a curt farewell and thanks, Mai especially was sincere and grateful for his help in raising her suspicions about them. How did they book the amphitheatre without even raising suspicions, or even a crew to prepare the stage? They seemed unlikely to do those, as they have probably been waiting there impatiently a long while.
Mai carefully approached them, avoiding from their line of sight until she could peak inside the van's windows. Thankfully, they were not as active in their lookout, chatting with each other to calm their nerves before they explode from their impatience. Anyway, Mai peaked through the window while leaning at the corner of the closed door of the van, and saw no one inside the van except for crates and cases. Mai was not be able to determine what those crates or cases stored, so checked the next van.
Mai's eyes widened in shock, a girl and a woman were unconscious inside. Their ankles and wrists tied together by a thick rope, and their mouths gagged by a cloth. Mai does not know how long they were in there, but from the looks of their clothes, they easily captured them without knowing of their captors' presence. Regardless of how they have done it or who those two are, Mai must rescue them. Before that, Mai checked the final van before she went on the assault.
As Mai moved to check the finale van, she heard the loud roaring applause inside the amphitheatre. The girl's performance must have finished, so Mai must hurry to check the final van. However, as Mai peaked on the last van, she startled in surprise to find a pair of eyes staring at her. Mai immediately retreated to the side as those eyes charged at her. The van's backdoors kicked opened with one leg thrusting out, just in time to avoid a deadly blow from either the door or the kick.
"Kill that woman!" The woman who had kicked the doors opened, barked and stormed inside the amphitheatre.
Mai caught a glimpse of a handgun from the storming woman going towards the amphitheatre; she could not stop her as she ducked under a throwing object. Ten of the woman's guards stood in a line in front of Mai, blocking her from going towards the van or the amphitheatre. Mai gritted her teeth in worry about Mikoto and the girl's safety from the firearm. For now, Mai must make haste against these guards and then the woman.
Three of the guards charged at mai, two forming in front, while one hid behind those two. Mai presumed that they intend to hold her in place in case she steps to either side. They did not know that Mai was strong and agile, as she stepped forward into their reaching arms, and then stepping back just as they tried to grab her. The two lunging at Mai had their backs lowered, and the one behind them jumped over them with a swing of his legs at her.
Mai responded quickly and shot her palm upwards at the back of the guard's heel, throwing the assailant off-balance at the sudden change of his momentum. The guard fell over onto the two men that were grabbing Mai, the angle of his kick thrown upwards by Mai's counterattack. Mai barely had time to rest as she weaved to the side and jumped to the side with a twirl of her body, dodging a machete swung at her horizontally across her upper-arm, and a double haymaker going down on her. The glimpse of their smirks warned Mai that she had stepped right into their trap, as she heard the roar and heavy hurried steps coming from behind her.
Mai relaxed her body and relied on her senses instantaneously, awaiting for the backstabber to come closer. In just a few seconds, Mai stepped and spun her body, weaving around to the side of the backstabber with her hand grabbing at the backstabber's wrist. Mai flicked the backstabber's wrist and disarmed the weapon, twirling the outstretched arm as she spun around again to face the backstabber. The backstabber could barely retaliate, as she felt powerful blow to her stomach. Mai launched her knee directly at the backstabber's stomach with a surprising knockback.
Mai quickly turned to face the once smirking guardswomen, now charging at her with synchronised flurry of attacks. Mai weaved, parried and kept retreating, until the machete swung across her neck and a fist swung across her stomach. After Mai successfully dodged them, their elbows were sticking out and Mai grasped them with her hands. Mai quickly raised their elbows, throwing their balance off, and slammed them down onto the concrete floor with a sudden jolt of their elbows pushed down as she stepped forward; immediately knocked out as the back of their heads slammed on the concrete.
BANG! BANG! CRASH!
Mai eyes widened and turned towards the amphitheatre as smokes but no fire came out. Shrieks of panic cried from the inside of the amphitheatre, debris crashing down as gunfire echoed. Mai barely has the time to pay attention to the crowds thundering steps leaving the amphitheatre, as four more of the guards attacked her. Thankfully, they were easier and uncoordinated to deal with, as Mai grappled, punched and kicked them with ease.
Once the ten guards were unconscious, Mai rushed into the amphitheatre immediate4l. The smoke did not smell as if it was burning anything, but it choked on Mai's throat and made her cough as she made her way through the smoke and stopped beside the stage. The glint of something shining moved from within the smoke, and before Mai could call out Mikoto's name. The gun fired, luckily missing Mai as she threw herself to the ground immediately after the shot. Mai quickly crawled towards a safe cover behind a stack of instruments.
"Come out girls! Or I'll blow this theatre along with you!" The voice roared from within the smoke, muffled by the gasmask.
Mai kept her calm and steadied her breathing, careful not to breathe in too much of the smoke filling the amphitheatre. Mai peaked out from the corners of the instruments, looking for the woman that had stormed inside the amphitheatre. Mai guessed that there must be some kind of bomb in the woman's hands, and hoped the smoke remained to provide her, Mikoto and the girl cover. Fortunately, Mai was able to see the coat of the woman swishing around, constantly on the lookout with a gun pointing about.
"Once this smoke disappears, I swear to you! I will blow this amphitheatre and anyone up!" The woman yelled, as Mai looked at her for any device to indicate a bomb.
Mai saw a cylindrical remote clutched in the woman's hand, near the waist with a thumb hovering over the red button. Mai could not do much alone for now, so she looked for Mikoto and the blonde-haired girl around the smoke. However, as Mai looked around, Mikoto was up hanging on the stage light above the woman. Mai immediately sprang into action and diverted the woman's attention before the woman was about to look up.
"Hey!" Mai shouted and jumped simultaneously to the side, avoiding the bullet just in time.
Mikoto dropped from the stage light and rushed behind the woman, grabbing both wrists and twisting them. The remote and gun fell from the woman's hands, but she could not react and feel only fear as the remote dropped to the floor. Mikoto was quick and slipped her foot between the woman's legs, using the tip of her foot to flick the remote's button from the floor. The remote spun and clattered on the floor, missing the red button from any accidental presses.
Before the woman could retaliate, Mikoto slid her foot back from between the woman's legs to the ankle. The woman fell and Mikoto threw the woman to the side as she fell, resulting in a heavy impact and crash onto the floor. With a hand still in Mikoto's clutch, she straddled over the woman's back and grabbed the other hand to the back, holding them both in place. The woman grunted and seethed as she wriggled and struggled against Mikoto's grasp, all the while trying to use her shoes hidden weapons.
Mai just got up in time to see Mikoto holding the woman down, but not aware the two weapons slowly protruding out from the back of the shoes. Mai immediately sprinted towards Mikoto just in time to push her off the woman's back. Mikoto rolled to the side with a surprised look to Mai, and then to the weapons she was unaware from the shoes, a pair of knives. The woman spun her legs as she got up, forcing Mai to jump back from the flurry of knives.
The woman smirked once she got up, ready to fight them both, but ended as quickly once the smoke dissipated. The woman felt the tip of something sharp touched her back, near the spine and refused to move. Mai and Mikoto smiled as the blonde-haired girl, Alyssa, held the pole of a mic stand to the woman's back. Finally, the authorities have arrived, swarming inside the amphitheatre as Natsuki, Shizuru, Erstin and a blue-haired girl, stood in awe and shock of the spectacle before them.