Chapter 2: Dogoo Blues
On a Japanese park bench by a light post, three girls sat around waiting. The one with a long brown ponytail, tied up in a white ribbon, frantically paced back and forth with folded arms, as though trying to hold back her E Cups from bursting through her T-shirt. "You're pacing, Homura. What's the matter?" the other girl named Hikage asked in a monotone way, as she leaned comfortably against the bench, snug in her deep red sweater.
"It's been nearly a day since we've heard from Haruka. Two if you count our departure. And now she's already 10 minutes late!" Homura grumbled.
Mirai, easily the most distinguishable of the three with her petite build and her rectangular eyepatch continued browsing through a manga magazine as she replied, "Diplomacy missions are a delicate matter. Besides, if we sent Yomi, she'd go off on one of her anti-aristocracy rants and ruin the whole thing for us."
"I just can't shake the feeling, Mirai! What if something's gone wrong or will go wrong? Especially with the team split up like this." Homura stopped to look at her teammate.
"Wouldn't be the first for us. This is why I wanted the squad to invest in a cell plan." Mirai said, still languorously browsing through her catalog.
"Convincing the Tokyo governor to hire us to fight off the Yoma is important for our income and the people. Haruka's the best one suited for diplomacy. I just kinda scare everyone with my robot face." Hikage's tone dropped ever-so-slightly on her last words.
"Hikage!" Mirai looked up, putting down her magazine. "Don't be like that, your face is fine. And… did I detect sadness from you?"
Hikage gave a confused head tilt, her bright green strands of hair tilting to the side. "Nope. At least, I don't think so. What's to be sad about?"
"No! You totally sounded kind of down with that tone!" Mirai said.
"I was? So, I'm doing it then? Learning more emotions?" Hikage asked, curiosity filling her yellow eyes. As Homura and Mirai began encouraging Hikage, the three soon delved off into small talk until a familiar figure approached. One foot in front of the other, the voluptuous woman, whose light brown hair curled at the sides, swayed one side to the other as if in sync with her hips.
"Well, well, Haruka. Care to tell us why you're so late?" Homura said, staring into her teammate's green eyes.
"Diplomacy missions are delicate matters, Homura." Haruka said, to which Mirai smirked at Homura. "Through a few persuasive actions, I was able to convince the Tokyo governor to pay us ¥5,500,000 for clearing the yoma from the city."
"EEH!? 5,500,000?! Just who did ya sleep with to get that deal!?" shock popped from Mirai's eye sockets.
"Hehe. The governor's son, of course." Haruka giggled in a sultry tone.
"I regret asking." Mirai's voice awkwardly trailed off.
"Why does that sort of thing not surprise me?" Hikage shrugged.
"Regardless of her… methods… the important thing is that now we have the go to strike! Shinobi transformation!" Homura's basic jeans and t-shirt melted from her body, her privates sparkling in light as a short black dress with a grey jacket and minicape now adorned her body. Haruka, Hikage, and Mirai also transformed, donning their respective shinobi outfits. "Crimson Squad, move out!" Homura drew her blades, excitement lining her voice.
Between Homura's blades, Hikage's knives, Mirai's gun, and whatever chemical vials and robotic devices Haruka could bring, the four Crimson Squad ninjas mowed through lesser yoma like skulls, spiders, and tree spirits and even had coordinative teamwork enough to strike down greater yoma.
Homura brought down her blades on an unsuspecting yoma when suddenly, the yoma vanished with a bloody cloud, causing her to clash against another set of blades. Looking up with a start, Homura recognized a high-school aged girl with a short, brown, ponytail, vanilla-colored school sweater and plaid-green skirt. "hmph. Figures you'd be here, Asuka."
"Homura!? You're here as well?!" Asuka said wide-eyed.
"You think I'd miss the chance to earn over five million yen?" Homura said with a grin. "Bein' a renegade is hard, and money is everything. So, make sure ya stay out of our way."
"You should know me well enough by now to know that's not gonna happen, Homura." Homura smiled. Heh, she's right. Asuka's stubbornness is what drives her. But I am just as stubborn if not more!
"Then I guess I'll just have to start killing more yoma than you! That money's ours, Asuka!" Homura jumped away, proceeding to attack another yoma.
But no sooner had Homura struck another yoma, did Asuka follow up right behind her. "Come on, don't be so cranky, Homura! We're not here to take your money. In fact, I hope your team gets paid accordingly!"
"Eh? So… you're not sell-swording it too?" Homura then leaned up against Asuka's back as the two fended off a couple of larger yoma which tried to come at them from both angles. Grabbing onto each other's hands, the two performed a swirling spin attack of red and green, finishing the yoma before turning around to each other.
"I know it isn't easy for renegades. So please, take the money. I just want to protect our home!" Asuka said with sincerity, looking into Homura's eyes.
"Heh. Well, aren't you all heart, Asuka." Homura smiled before winking, "But I'm still gonna kill more yoma than you!"
"Now that I can NOT let you get away with!" Asuka grinned, jumping towards more enemies.
As Haruka's robot finished dicing up another set of yoma, she recognized a distinct cute voice calling out to her, where she saw Hibari finishing a yoma with a headbutt while Yagyu was not too far behind.
"Ah. It's good to see you, my dear Hibari. And… to you to, Yagyu." Haruka smiled
"I've got my eye on you, Haruka." Yagyu glared.
"Sure, of course, dear. But two eyes are always better than one." Haruka teased, patting her right eye with her hand. Yagyu's lips curled up, irked, as she held her eye patch. "I notice you're about one member short."
"As are you." Yagyu replied.
"Ikaruga went off with Yomi and Murakumo a few days back to help out with a restoration project in the slums." Hibari said.
"Ah yes. Yomi couldn't hold her excitement IIIINN!" Haruka yelped as she felt something sticky moving up the side of her calf. Haruka looked down to see a blue, jelly-looking creature with a dog like face trying to crawl up her leg.
"Ah! Off with you, filth!" Haruka kicked the strange goo creature off her leg.
"Haruka! Why'd you do that!? It looked so cute!" Hibari pouted.
"Hibari… that was gross." Yagyu face palmed, "Although I didn't detect any yoma energy from it."
Suddenly, Hibari shrieked as several more of the blue jelly dogs leapt from the nearby rubble of a car, latching onto her. "Are they so cute now, Hibari?" Haruka gave her a look of disapproval.
"AAAH! Just get'em off meeeeee!" Hibari began rolling around and flailing wildly on the ground. "That's not nice mr. goo dog thingies. You shouldn't go there!"
"Hold still, Hibari! I'll save you!" Yagyu shouted.
"Yagyu's right. There's no yoma aura coming off of them." Haruka then turned just in time to receive a headbutt from a strange pink, cat creature, knocking her back quite a bit. Several more cat creatures, several yoma, and a ghostly looking shell creature approached down the streets as Haruka stood up.
As the yoma and cat creatures sauntered closer, Homura showed up beside her friend. "Haruka! What are these things?"
"I'm not sure, but they're allies with the yoma! Best to fight first, ask questions later! Hibari. Yagyu. You all ready?" Haruka asked.
"We kinda have our hands full, here!" Hibari shouted as she knocked another blue goo dog off of her wrist.
"Quite literally, I'd say. Alright. Let's go, Haruka!" Homura said.
"Right behind you!" Haruka then proceeded to follow Homura, who sliced up the much faster yoma in a wild zigzag pattern. The cat creatures, who seemed to have a particular liking to Haruka's outfit, tried to leap upon her. Commanding her robot like a spinning rotor, she battered them away before they could reach her.
Homura dashed up to the strange shell creature. Like a dangling Christmas ornament, its circular body floated in the air in between a set of floating claws. A pair of gleaming, off-yellow eyes peered from its dark blue shell, which it ducked back into as Homura tried to strike. Homura attacked relentlessly, slash after slash until finally the shell creature slapped away her blades, headbutting Homura backwards. "Haruka! I can't penetrate it!"
"I guess you'll just have to thrust harder then." Haruka smirked, causing Homura to facepalm. Haruka ran forward towards the monster with a determined glare. "Then if you won't open up. We'll just have to break you!" Haruka then ran her bot's chainsaw against the shell creature until it's guard shattered. "Homura! Now! Penetrate it harder~!" Haruka moaned exaggeratedly.
"Shut up!" Homura dashed forward, slicing the shell creature apart. Once finished, she folded her arms with a huff. "Really, Haruka? The middle of combat and you make innuendo."
"There are many times and places for these sorts of things, Homura. The battlefield is just one of them." Haruka gave off a smug wink, as did her robot.
Homura rolled her eyes. By now, Yagyu and Hibari had finished the goo dog creatures. "This looks bad. They just keep coming." Hibari looked on as more of the foreign monsters gathered alongside the yoma.
"Oh my~." Haruka smirked, daintily putting her hand over her lips when Homura elbowed her in the gut. "Hey! I didn't say it!"
"But you sure as hell implied it!" an annoyed vein popped on Homura's head.
The four Crimson girls and the four Hanzo girls soon found themselves back to back as the new creatures accompanying the yoma caught the shinobi off guard. "Sooo, nobody knows what these things are?" Mirai asked.
"Beats me. New yoma?" Asuka said as she held out her swords.
"Doesn't matter what they are! All that matters is they're goin down!" said a busty blonde, who cracked her knuckles, smirking confidently. Wearing an open shirt uniform and armored boots, Katsuragi was Hanzo Academy's brawler and resident pervert.
"Good thinking, Katsuragi. Like Haruka said; Fight first, ask Questions later. Let's DO THIS, LADIES!" Homura shouted. The group of eight Shinobi fought hard, with Katsuragi, Yagyu, and Hikage punching a hole through the encirclement. Katsu then performed a flying axe kick into the next enemy, where she bounced off it. Before the three girls was a large metallic looking lizard, who's tiny wings shouldn't have supported its chubby body.
Armed with an axe and shield, the creature brought its weapon down. Hikage, Katsu, and Yagyu began rushing around, but Kat was the only one who seemed to make it flinch, as Hikage and Yagyu's strikes bounced off the armor. "Hikage! Yagyu! Distract it while I unleash my Ultimate!" Katsu called, but Yagyu soon found herself battling another yoma. As Yagyu told them to go without her, Hikage then began circling the lizard, when it managed to pin her against the wall with its shield, Hikage doing all she could to hold back it's crushing strength.
"I'm coming, Hikage!" Katsuragi shouted, readying her ninja art when several blue goo dogs leapt upon her "GYAH! Now you've done it, I'mma turn your little jelly asses into pudding!" Before Katsuragi could react, a yoma came over, attempting to stab her with a sword. Grabbing onto her attacker's wrists, she held back an opponent that she could normally overpower, but the goo dogs weighing down on her prevented any further movement.
As Yagyu held back her foe, she realized they had been closed off from their allies, as enemies on all sides kept the rest of the group at a distance. Suddenly, a riled voice rang out "LOOK AT ME WHEN YOU DIE, ASSHOLE!" followed by the shot of a rifle, killing Yagyu's foe on the spot.
The yoma and their new allies turned towards the direction of the newcomers to get a mouthful of secret ninja arts from the Hebijo girls, who freed the others. The area lit up with lightning and darkness as Imu and Murasaki threw electric twisters and balls of energy. Yagyu used the opportunity to strike at the lizard's head, allowing Hikage to slip under it's grasp. Hikage quickly ran to where Katsuragi was, stabbing her foe in the back, allowing Katsu to counter.
The lizard roared at them when Ryobi, the girl who took the first shot called out, "HEY! Dumbass! Your fight's with me! Ricochet Prelude!" Katsu gasped as a set of mines appeared right behind the lizard creature, to which the three girls jumped back as Ryobi's bullet made contact with the mines, finishing the monster.
As the area cleared, a girl with short-blonde hair and a ballerina dress happily cried out. "Aw, where'd they all go? Yoo hoo, I know all you nasty monsters wanna ravage me. So, come and get me, heheheheee."
"What the hell, Ryona! You keep that up and I'll beat your ass!" Ryobi snapped at her sister.
"Ooooh~. I'm sorry Ryobi, but I just read some very lewd monster doujinshi last week and I've been dying to try it out for myself. AAH. My body is getting all tingly just thinking about it." Ryona grinned shamelessly as Ryobi kicked her rear.
"Our heroes." Mirai's tone dripped dryly with sarcasm.
"Wait!" Homura cried out as the last of the monsters disappeared through a sinister looking portal. "Come back! That's our bounty money!"
Haruka placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, "Now now, Homura dear. The important thing is that we've cleared the Shinjuku district of yoma. I doubt the governor would go back on their promises after that. Let us take a moment to breathe."
Homura sighed, "Fine. I just don't want a repeat of that rip-off." The girls then began to talk amongst themselves for a bit, catching up.
"Imu. That was great timing on your part. Shall I get you some boxer shorts?" Hikage tried to say with a smile.
"What the hell was that!? Your attempt at sarcasm after someone just saves your life!? Better watch yourself, Hikage, the next time those creatures come around I might just accidentally hit you!" Imu turned her head, flushed.
"Oh… was it not funny?" Hikage tilted her head.
"Watch and learn, Hikage. This is how ya thank someone!" Katsuragi smiled, walking closer to a confused Imu. "Oh, my hero! You saved us! Let me show my deepest gratitude by destressing your bubbly bajongas!" Imu began to shriek as Katsuragi groped her.
"Ha, ha, ha. That looks fun, Katsuragi. I wanna try." Hikage said with a slight smile, until Imu slapped Katsu upside the head.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING! NOBODY BUT MIYABI GETS TO DO THAT!" Imu gasped red, her eyes whitening, hoping that Miyabi didn't hear.
"Just what were those things?" Asuka wondered. "They didn't feel like yoma."
"Nuuuu! They felt icky!" Hibari cried.
"Awww, you shoulda saved some of 'em for meee~." Ryona exaggeratedly whined.
"Hm. None of you know either." Miyabi said. "Pity. We were tracking this very unusual creature. A giant wolf with blades on it's feet."
"The thing didn't flinch when I shot it! Next time I see it, I'm unloading an entire clip into it's sorry anus!" Ryobi's eyes flared in frustration.
"We've seen a lot of weird shit today, but no giant wolf." Homura spun her head, cracking her neck.
Miyabi folded her arms. "Homura! There is a matter I need to speak to you on. Alone."
"M-miyabi?! We know what it is, so it concerns all of us!" Imu stated.
"Yes, but since I'm the only one who could handle it, that makes it personal." Miyabi said, before turning to the other Hanzo and Crimson girls. "That goes for the rest of you too!"
"Homura. Are you sure about this?" Hikage asked.
"I'll be fine. What's the worst she could do? Attack me?" Homura smiled confidently as she followed Miyabi behind a partially destroyed building into an alleyway.