Dreizehnte Kapitel: Nachwirkungen
The group quickly moved down the corridor that Ban had earlier indicated. No one said a word as they hurried down the darken hallway. They all could sense the overwhelming sense of urgency prickling at their flesh like an annoying mosquito bite. Shido and Kazuki were beginning to understand how dire the situation truly was. All, save for Jaiden, had lived in the Black World of Shinjuku, the criminal underworld of Shinjuku, and they all could safely assume for what purpose a yakuza clan could have for kidnapped girls.
As soon as they entered the indicated corridor, they immediately realized the elaborate trap that awaited them. A labyrinth. A maze of hallways, empty rooms and dead ends designed to keep the girls in and intruders out. Jai let out a low growl as she signaled for Ban to take the lead. It was the only option. It would be easier for them to just follow Ban as he weaved through the maze as he followed the empathic colors and echoes of the captive girls rather than having Ban slip in and out of the trance.
Of course, Jai could find the kidnapped girls on her own, but the real question would be 'when'. Jai gues-timated that she had a 50-50 percent chance of finding 'some' of the girls if she did the search her way, and for Jai, that was not good enough. She wanted to find all of the girls, and she knew that in order to do that, Ban would need to take the lead.
Ban knew and understood his Schwesti well enough to know when she needed his ability. She may hate having to relay on that ability because she knew what the consequence would be for him, but it was their only option. Even he hated it because his powers came with a price when overused, but he knew that is was necessary in order to find those girls before it was too late. As he continued down the clever maze, Ban had to wander how many of the girls could be saved, and how many have already disappeared into the Black World of drugs and prostitution…
The brunette was not deluded. He knew that many of these kidnapped girls have already disappeared, regardless of the fact that their bodies might be saved this night. This was not the first prostitution ring that he had stumbled upon nor would it be the last, but he seriously hoped that this bust, for a lack of a better term, turned out better than the first time.
He knew the handler's sick techniques. He had seen it in the eyes of the whores of Infinity Fortress and of Shinjuku, and had succumbed to their pain before he found Ginji, his anchor and Sun.
These rings would steal these girls off of the streets, out of nightclubs, and some even brazen groups would steal them right out of their own beds. Then they would poison these girls with heroine and rape them, repeatedly. They would torture these girls, physically, emotionally and mentally. These girls were once upon a time someone's sister, daughter, niece and friend, but to these monsters, these girls became nothing more than broken dolls or worse cattle to be used, abused and then discarded like trash once their 'usefulness' had run out.
Ban absently wondered, as he bypassed two more corridors and charged through an empty room, how many of the kidnapped girls had survived the first forty-eight hours of torture. Ban knew that it was not uncommon that most of these girls would die from drug overdose… The lucky ones… Hence, the reason why two or three girls would go missing from their former lives and homes. And then after ninety-six hours of their torture, the girls would find themselves begging and whoring themselves on the streets for the next fix that would help them forget the nightmarish hell of their new reality.
The one thing that broke them and enslaved them is the one thing that gives them a moment of peace and a sense of salvation. How ironic.
Ban shook his head as he skidded around the corner; he had to focus before he lost himself. His breathing was haggard as he fought off the drowning effect of the girls' emotion… The pain, the fear, the despair, the hopelessness and then the shame… Each emotion was a hot, barbed dagger that dug deep into Ban's mind. His cursed ability which amplified each of the girls' emotions and made it seem as if they were his own. Each emotion threatened to consume him and his identity. Ban knew that he could not lose focus or else he would find himself in their world, becoming one of them, being one of them. And what frightened him more was the fact that what he was sensing and fighting was not just the girls presently captured, but also the echoes the past.
Jai watched her Bruederlein closely. She was a mix of pride and worry. She was proud at how well that Ban was holding up against the empathic echoes that assaulted his mind. She may not have his ability, but the stench of death and pain hung in the air like a thick miasma that it took all her discipline and willpower to not to gag. She glanced at the other three and knew from the horrid glint in their eyes that they too could smell it in the air.
And she was worried. She was worried about the aftermath to Ban's own identity after such long exposure to another's pain and suffering. She had seen the aftermath in Ban only once when they were little, and both of them had witnessed the great Witch Queen finally succumb to the Witch's Curse. It was an experience that she never wanted to witness ever again.
She clenched her teeth tight. She was going to make these bastards pay. When she was through with them, these pathetic little worms would be begging for death.
^_^
Soon the group was fast approaching to a closed off section of the oversized warehouse. Ban immediately slowed his stride ever so slightly, allowing Jai to take the final lead. In a flash of black energy, Jai disappeared and ploughed through a makeshift plywood-made door.
The flimsy door shattered beneath the weight of a hundred-fifteen pounds of pure muscles.
The deafening crack of wood shattering startled the girls and their 'patrons' in that pure instance before surprise and panic collided and time slowed down. All eyes watched curiously as a small black ball rolled a bit toward the center, and slowly the strange ball unfurled itself revealing a petite sized woman with illuminated, feral jadeite green eyes. The woman was still crouched low and on one knee. She held out a weapon.
Their minds knew that it was a pistol in her hands, but it did not truly registered in their minds what it was until the air cracked violently with an explosion and one man crumbled to the ground, screaming in agony and pain while clutching to his bleeding leg. It was then the stunned spell was broken.
The girls screamed in horror and surprise as they attempted to conceal themselves from harm.
The men began shouting and running. Some were giving out orders while others fled.
Two men approached up Jai's flank. Before she could open fire, their bodies suddenly went sailing through the air as a bolt of electricity blasted through them.
Another group of yakuza thugs charged the petite woman with Ingrahms in their hands, only to fall over each other as if their bodies refused to cooperate. Their limbs were sewn together and to each other.
More and more parasitic thugs charged into the room only to fall as their bodies were ripped apart by the claws and fangs of a tiger.
A few yakuza members even dared to use the girls as shields, but they too fell even though no one laid a finger on them. They fell to the ground screaming and convulsing after just had peered into the haunting blue eyes of the Akuma, and the girls… They just cowered in whatever hiding places they could find but watched on in a dreamlike daze, unaffected by the nightmares that now tormented their captors.
"I want these bastards alive!" Jai roared over the commotion of battle, "I don't care what state they're in. I want them alive, conscience and able to talk!"
Another explosive bang echoed violently as more and more yaks crumbled to the ground, screaming.
"Precision shooting." Shido growled in awe. "Bastards will never walk right again nor will be able to use their arm again."
"They destroyed these girls; it's only natural... But technically, they're an imminent threat." Jai coolly replied, knowing instinctively that the young feral would understand.
Shido smirked as he awakened the call of the Bear Within and went on a rampage. His Alpha had spoken and her judgment passed. Despite the desire to kill these monster in human flesh, Shido knew that life in prison with their injuries would be far worse; a perfect form of revenge. The wild brunette let loose a bestial battle cry and attacked with fury. One of these girls could have been his Madoka, and that stray thought alone fueled him further into a frenzy.
^_^
Side by side Ban and Ginji fought against more thugs that had returned from their initial escape. As Ginji incapacitated the charging yaks with electrically charged punches, Ban took sadistic pleasure in breaking their bones; arms, legs, jaws... He did not care what he broke. He just relished the feel of both bone and steel crushing in his hand. There was a sense of satisfaction that these squealing pigs were in pain. But it was not enough… It was no where near enough… He had to hurt more… He had to make more suffer… His smile held a hint of madness as he revival in their abuser's cries of pain! Now, it was their turn to cry out for mercy… It was their turn to beg!
Instinctively a hand reached out, grabbing hold of a fat yak's face. Slowly and with unnatural ease, the obese yak's body was lifted high off of the ground. The yak squirmed underneath the iron grip, trying desperately to beat at the iron grip around his jaw and face. The overweight thug then attempted to glare at his captor, hoping that he could intimate his way to freedom. Suddenly the fat pig let out a hellish death squeal as he truly caught sight of the pale blue-eyed Akuma.
The pale Akuma was hauntingly beautiful with translucent pale skin that seemed to glow from an unholy light. Along the Akuma's thin and elegant neck, the yak could see hints of a reflective color in the draconic-like scales, but it was the Akuma's eyes that frighten the fat pig more. The Akuma's former serpentine blue orbs were now reflecting the unearthly shade of wintry hues. They were cold, empty, merciless and unforgiving. They were the eyes of Death!
"Ban-chan?" A warm voice called in confusion.
The Akuma paused from popping the overriped pig's skull like a puss-filled boil.
The Akuma's eyes glanced toward the source of his name being called. Wintry blue orbs blinked in confusion as he felt the summer's warmth invading his cold limps, sending painful and yet delightfully welcoming shivers up and down his spine. This unusual warmth was slowly waking up his chilled limps, sending fire throughout his being where ice was once forming… He knew that sweet, warm voice. He knew that he loved that voice. The voice of his Sun.
"Ban-chan?" Ginji called again all the while clutching at his chest. His chocolate brown orbs watched his dark lover with deep concern etched on his usually happy-go-lucky face. He had just felt a painfully cold flicker in his heart, the core of his bond with the quarter German, and where he would normally feel the steady heat that was his lover. Now, what he felt was a conflicting presence of the steady heat that was his lover and a cold chaos that was many, many others. Who are these others? The blonde thought with worry as he feared his lover's heat being overwhelmed by the cold.
When his Ban-chan suddenly turned his gaze toward Ginji, the blonde frowned deeply. He had not known that his lover's eyes could change colors, but he quickly discovered that he absolutely hated thatshade of blue. He wanted the brilliant blue that was both space and ocean and every shade of blue in between back! Ginji did not like the cold emptiness that he was seeing in his passionate lover's eyes. Ginji's frown became more pronounced as he straightened himself, readying himself for the horrible possibility that he might have to fight his lover.
"Ban-chan," Ginji's voice held a tone that was a mix of Ginji the GetBacker and Ginji the Lightening Emperor, "let him go."
The Akuma blinked then cocked his head to the side. His Sun was unhappy; unhappy with him. Why was his Sun unhappy with him? The Akuma could not think of a reason why his Sun would be unhappy with him…
Ginji folded his arms across his chest, looking very stern and yet also very adorable, and began tapping his foot with uncharacteristic impatience.
The Akuma's thin lips twitched upward and revealing an extremely sharp fang as he looked at his cute puppy. Slowly the brunette shook his head as he vaguely remembered that today was an important day for his Sun… What was it..? Suddenly a jerking movement at the end of his arm caught his attention. He then glared back at the fat pig, who would dare interrupt his favorite pass time of Ginji-watching! The brunette suddenly wrinkled his nose at the heavy scent of ammonia. With a slight flick of his wrist, Ban easily tossed the overweight yak aside, ignoring the fact the obese male went flying through the air for several feet. He then casually approached his blonde, who was now looking at him curiously.
Ginji could see Ban's true eye-color slowly returning, which pleased him greatly. Suddenly his body involuntary shuddered against Ban's cold touch, but he never shied away. Instinctively Ginji wrapped his own arms around the slender brunette and slowly allowed his electrical energy to hum around them, hoping to warm up his partner.
"Danke, meiner Schoener." Ban murmured.
Ginji just buried his face into Ban's neck, happy to feel his partner slowly returning to normal both in his arms and in his heart.
"You two alright?" A familiar voice asked, causing the pair to look up and at Jaiden, who then frowned when she saw the slowly darkening eyes of the Serpent Bearer. Her eyes narrowed on her Bruederlein, but she said nothing, knowing that Ginji was still unaware to the true power of a Jagan-wielder. However, Ban could see his Schwesti's command in her eyes… He would have to tell Ginji the truth and soon.
"Yeah, we're fine." Ban replied to her question, but they both knew that her command was understood. He then looked around to see the fighting was over and that the police had arrived. "Calvary's a bit late… As usual."
Jai just shrugged dismissively. Honestly she preferred it that way. It ensured that none of her people or Detective Yabukita's people were injured. Casually she glanced over toward Kazuki and Shido, who were standing off to the side in the shadows, hoping to go unnoticed by the local authorities. Both baring uncertain and wary expressions; however, as to why Jai could only guess, but at the moment, she did not really care.
"Do you think they'll be willing to give statements before leaving?" Jai asked as she nodded toward their direction.
"Statements?" Ginji asked.
"You guys involved yourselves in this. To avoid any technicalities of these bastards getting off the hook, we're gonna be needing statements. From each of you… That is if you're up to it." Jai directed the last bit to her Bruederlein, who slowly nodded his head. "Alright then."
She turned around and moved toward where Kazuki and Shido were standing. As she walked up with Ban and Ginji following behind her, the young Captain also motioned for two more officers to follow. Kazuki threw Shido a worried glance when they noticed the two extra officers approaching, but Shido became calm when he saw his petite she-Alpha, no longer bothered by the fact that they were literally surrounded by cops.
"Yes, Captain DarkRiver?" One of the two officers asked once the both parties met. Kazuki looked at the woman in complete surprise while Shido just nodded, the verbal title just confirmed what he had suspected all along about the mysterious woman. She was Alpha!
"I want each of you," Jai pointed to the four young men, "to give a written statement of what happened. I want as much detail as you can remember. Also I want contact information in case we need a follow-up or clarification. Once you're done, you're then free to go. Any questions?"
There was silence and then…
"Anou Jai-chan…" Ginji nervously raised a hand, shy and embarrassed at what he had to confess.
"Hm?"
"I don't write so good…" Ginji quietly mumbled while looking at his feet in shame that he would be disappointing his oneechan with his poor penmanship.
"That won't be a problem." Jai assured the blonde by cupping his cheek tenderly then roared over her shoulder, "MASON!"
The dark-skinned Lieutenant looked up from tending to one of the girls, who miraculously enough did not shy away from him but actually flocked to him. Of course, it did help that his own Pys abilities kept the girls calm. Mason automatically nodded his head when he saw his Captain motioned for him to come over. Jai then looked back at Ginji with a friendly smile.
"You tell Mason your account of things, and he'll write them down. And all you have to do is initial and sign afterwards. Okay?" Jai explained, which made Ginji smiled. She then addressed the young men as a whole, "Gentlemen, as much as it has been a pleasure meeting you and working with you… The next time any of you pull a stunt like this again, I'm gonna nail your hide to my office wall, is that understood? Go~od… Now then, Good Night."
Ginji looked at his lover, who looked at his Schwesti in bemusement, in pure horror while Kazuki and Shido shifted uncomfortably as they can imagine which part of their "hide" the young woman was referring to.
"Would Jai-chan really do that?!" Ginji innocently asked his lover.
"To you, never." A deep baritone voice chuckled, which made Ginji turn toward the usually quiet Second Lieutenant.
"Really?!"
"Oui, mon ami." Mason smiled then looked at the quiet brunette. "Bon'."
Ban looked up and instinctively caught an object that came flying at his face. Opening his hand, Ban arched a brow as he looked at the black slender box of clove cigarettes.
"If everyone is ready," Mason began, preventing Ban from asking about the pack.
Ban knew that his Schwesti detested smoking, but she understood that the nicotine helped dull his empathic sense, which had crippling effects in the past. However, for the New Orleanian man to hand the brunette a pack of smokes, it made Ban wonder why she would tell the other man.
"Let's get dem statements written an' get you gent's outta 'ere." Mason cordially remarked with his usual devil-may-care smile, which immediately put them all at ease.
^_^
Finally being able to sit down and let his body relax, Ban had to fight the urge to fall asleep. As much as he trusted his Schwesti's men, Ban never was comfortable with being alone and vulnerable around the foreigner. There was something very familiar, and yet at the same time, something very alien about the dark-skinned American, and it unnerved the Witch Heir because he did not know what it was. Forcibly Ban pushed his troubles about Mason aside, and found himself subconsciously leaning against his favorite electric blanket, who suddenly wrapped an arm around his shoulder and began raking those talented fingers through his thick locks. Damn… The brunette thought as he knew that he was immediately doomed to fall asleep in his blonde lover's arms.
Ginji watched his partner in concern. He had never seen Ban like this. Not even on one their bad cases, and it worried him; however, not only was Ginji worried about his secretive lover, but he was also a hurt.
Yes, it may be true that the blonde did not know the full extent of his partner's powers since the brunette had never revealed the full extent of his own powers, and Ginji could accept that because just by knowing some of Ban's secrets and being able to read his mysterious partner made the young blonde feel special and important to the brunette. However, if foreigners knew what ailed his partner then Ginji would no longer be special or important to Ban… That truly hurt the kindhearted blonde; the fact that Jai-chan's two men knew what was wrong with his Ban. Ginji buried his face into Ban's surprisingly soft hair, which seem to draw Ban out of his light doze.
Ban mentally cursed himself for drifting off to sleep. Although blurred due to exhaustion, Ban could see that Mason was observing him and his blonde. Ban let out a quiet growl as a warning; a habit that he had picked up from his Schwesti from when they were little brats. There was a hint of surprising recognition and something else glittering in the man's dark brown eyes, but Ban did not bother to inquire about it. It was none of his concern.
"You… have a… problem?" Ban demanded between deep breathes.
Ginji looked up in time to notice that Mason had just returned his focus back onto the road.
"I'm just worried about you, Bon'." Mason replied as he eased his car onto the highway. "You should not hav' pushed yerself so close to a White Out, you know…"
"A White Out?" Ginji asked while Ban just frowned.
The brunette had heard of that term before, but he could not remember where or when nor could he remember what it meant.
"Is one of doo afflictions dat Pys suffer from whenever dey push demselves beyond der limits." Mason explained then looked at them again via the rearview mirror, "White Out and Black Out."
"How… did… you know..?" Ban asked.
Mason just smiled and continued driving. He even leaned forward a bit and turned on the radio. The music was low enough to be heard and yet loud enough to cover any murmuring that would most likely happen between the two young lovers.
Ban looked up at his partner and frowned again as he watched Ginji attempted to mutilating his lower lip, that was his job. With a shaky hand, Ban reached up and caressed Ginji's cheek. Instinctively Ginji nuzzled into Ban's hand, but he did not make eye contact with the brunette.
"Gin'…" Ban whispered, which caused chocolate brown to focus on the once again brilliant sapphire blue orbs that the blonde loved more than anything else. "Was ist los, meine Lieblings…?"
This caused Ginji to shake his head.
"Ban-chan," Ginji sighed, "You know that I don't speak German."
Ban licked his lips. He should have guessed that would have happened. They both knew that whenever Ban was really exhausted, he would subconsciously switch to his first language, German.
"Entsch --- S'rry." Ban apologized, which startled Ginji. For as long as he had known the brunette, Ban had never apologized. "What's wrong, my Love?"
Ginji blushed as his face glowed with a shy smile. The blonde loved seeing his partner being so tender. It made him feel special and safe. Looking deeply into those mesmerizing blue eyes, Ginji could not help but also remember those cold, empty wintry blue eyes. He could remember when he looked into those eyes that he was afraid… Not of Ban. Ginji knew that he could never be afraid of Ban nor of the seemingly awesome power that the brunette possessed. No, what he was afraid of was when the blonde looked into those empty blue abysses, he had feared that he had lost his lover. Suddenly Ginji felt his eyes sting with tears at the horrible thought that his Ban could have disappeared behind those horrible pale blue eyes.
"Gin'? Babe?" Ban whispered as he pushed himself up and wrapped his arms around his crying blonde, "Gin', what's wrong?"
"I was so scared! I thought I lost you!" Ginji whimpered as he held onto his strong partner tightly, afraid that he might disappear again behind those cold, dead eyes. "I hate those eyes!"
Ban stilled. Had he been wrong? Wrong about the blonde? No, he was not wrong! Ginji was his perfect Sun. The One who chased away the frigid cold and kept all the other empathic echoes away with his brilliance. Ban tightened his hold onto his blonde.
"You hate my eyes?" Ban quietly asked. He had to know that he was not wrong.
"What?! No!" Ginji gasped as he looked directly into those beautifully deep blue eyes. With a shaky hand of his own, Ginji reached up and touched his lover's face. "I love your eyes! These… These are Ban-chan's eyes! Not the other ones! Those… those…"
Ginji whimpered again then buried his face once more into Ban's chest, taking comfort in the sound of the brunette's strong heart.
Ban found himself suddenly breathing easier once he understood what Ginji was talking about. The true cursed eyes… The eyes of the Dead…
"S'rry… Gin'… S'rry." Ban repeated over and over again.
Neither let the other go nor did they care about the fact that they revealing their love for another in front of the quiet American Officer. However, Ban silently vowed to himself that if the man made any snide remark about their relationship, the brunette would deck him regardless of the Lieutenant being one of Jai's men. But Mason said nothing and just drove on.
^_^
It was several minutes more of awkward silence between Ginji and Ban as they attempted to assure one another that the other had not disappeared and was not going to. Ban could sense his lover's curiosity and anxiety in wanting to ask the brunette some questions, but with Mason driving them home, the blonde kept his questions to himself. And Ban promised himself, despite being on the verge of falling asleep with his eyes open, he would answer whatever questions his blonde bundle of Sunshine would have, honestly and without hesitation.
Shortly afterwards, Mason pulled up to their little motel/apartment. Sluggishly, Ban and Ginji climbed out of the vehicle and trudged up the stairs to their flight. As they slowly climbed the stairs, using each other for support, it was then that Ban felt Mason's sturdy hand on their backs to keep them from falling backwards on the stairs that he realized the quiet man was following them all the way home.
"You don't have to walk us home." Ban snapped.
"True, but de Captain had made 'er order clear." Mason replied, not offended by the Witch Heir's biting tone.
"What order?" Ginji asked as he fiddled with the room keys with shaky hands.
"And I quote, 'Make sure dat dose doo make it to de door'." Mason replied then nodded approvingly as the door opened and Ginji walked… well, more like stumbled in.
As Ban was about to step in, the brunette paused and looked at the foreigner curiously.
"Someding wrong, mon ami?" Mason asked.
"No comment or snide innuendo." Ban flatly stated. Both men knew to what Ban was referring to.
It was then that Mason truly smiled a big, toothy smile. He leaned forward, reaching for the door while gently guiding the tired Pys into the room.
"If I did den I would be a hypocrite, mon ami." Mason patiently answered then said, "Bon Nuit."
Translations:
"Danke, meiner Schoener." Ban murmured.
"Thank you, my Beautiful." Ban murmured.
"Was ist los, meine Lieblings…?"
"What's wrong, my Love?"