Chapter 4: Seeds of Doubt
Following Miyabi into the alley, Homura's eyes darted around for potential escape routes with a crumbled building on one side and a tall wooden gate that made the alleyway a dead end. Keeping her distance from Miyabi, she folded her arms, staring her down. "So what is it?"
"The Super Secret Ninja Art Scroll. Where is it?" Miyabi demanded.
"Hmph. What makes you think I have it?" Homura placed one hand on her hip now keeping her eyes on Miyabi.
"Hebijo's scroll conveniently went missing the last time we decided to team up during that government mission, Homura. Strange, wouldn't you say?" Miyabi slanted her eyes Homura's direction.
"That just shows Hebijo needs to keep better track of their things." Homura said with a mild smirk, "Anyways, I don't have it."
"That's a lie if I ever heard one." Miyabi gritted her teeth, reaching for her sword hilt. "You know the scrolls intensify the power of those strong enough to read them. And since you renegades aren't from a school, what better way to increase your chances of survival than to steal someone else's? I'm not going to ask again, Homura."
"I almost wish I did have the damn scroll. So, I could give you a reason to draw that blade." Homura shot a passive-aggressive smirk back Miyabi's way.
"Give me a reason to think otherwise."
"Because… I. Don't. Have it." Immediately after the words left Homura's mouth, Miyabi and Homura drew their blades in a split second. The air between the two intensified, both girls at the top of their game, knowing the other was equally as dangerous.
"Hmph. They always said you were a stubborn dog, Homura. Preferring to go your own way as opposed to-…" Miyabi suddenly stopped, eyes frantically turning towards the wooden gate.
"I sense it too!" Homura exclaimed, also looking towards the gate. Suddenly a giant wolf with blade-like claws smashed through, sending fragments of wood the girls' direction. "I think I found your wolf." Homura remarked snarkily. Miyabi and Homura leapt upward, the wolf leaping after them, knocking Homura and Miyabi down to the street as they barely blocked it's claw strike.
Getting the attention of the other ninjas, who rushed over to their friends, Murasaki sniffed the air. "It didn't look like that before. It smells a lot more yoma-like now."
"Smells different? Do you mean it's aura, Murasaki?" Mirai asked.
"Not just that. This one used to have a coat of blue fur and reddish-orange eyes. But now it's got black fur and yellow eyes… much like a Yoma." Murasaki responded.
"The rest of you stay back! This one's ours." Miyabi yelled.
"Like hell I'm letting you do this on your own!" Asuka shouted.
"Hmph. If you're so eager to get hurt, Hanzo girl, be my guest." Miyabi remarked.
"H-hey! That was rude! I'm just as much a ninja as you, Miyabi!" Asuka grumbled.
Homura grinned, "Come on, Miyabi. Asuka's a powerful ally. Besides, she's a stubborn one once you get her started."
"Just who's side are you on, Homura?" Asuka sweatdropped, unamusement crawling across her face, but it quickly dissolved as she yelped, dodging out of the way of a red energy ball from the large yoma wolf's mouth.
"Now now, big boy." Haruka chuckled. "Girls don't like pushy fellows. You'll get your turn."
"So, you're done running away. Well now you have our full attention!" Ryobi aimed for it's skull. Despite the wolf recoiling, the shot ricochet off it's head in a weird manner. "AGAIN!? I'll unload my entire clip up your ass if I have to! Mirai, let's go! Let our bullets fly and-…"
"Flatten them out?" Katsuragi joked.
"You shut it before I shoot you too!" Ryobi and Mirai snapped back simultaneously. The others began dashing around the wolf, slashing, smashing, and shooting which only seemed to anger the wolf even further. One swift strike and Miyabi witnessed Haruka, Yagyu, and Ryona sent flying backwards.
"It's stronger than before! Stay on your guard!" Miyabi called out frantically, running over to Ryona, asking if she was alright.
"Huhuhuuu~. Yeah, but that felt great. I wanna do it again." Ryona smiled, near infatuated. Miyabi rolled her eyes before turning to the wolf again, who was getting bugged by Asuka, Hikage, Imu, and Homura who circled it like flies on a horse, taking small, rapid slashes. Getting caught, Homura held back a huge, crushing, steel claw, the wolf trying to push her down.
Imu attacked with a rolling thunder, paralyzing the wolf enough for Homura to escape, but with a deafening roar, it quickly recovered from it's paralysis, sending it's skull at Imu. With little time to react, the wolf's head hit Imu's stomach hard, sending her body against a mailbox.
"Its skin is too tough." Hikage said.
"We have to keep trying! Hikage! Aim for it's neck, I'll distract it!" Asuka shouted, to which Hikage nodded. Asuka ran straight for it's face, dodging around in a haphazard manner. After a brief wall jump, Hikage leapt off, throwing knives at the back of it's neck.
"Allow me, Hikage!" Homura jumped in, plunging her blades deep into the back of its neck. The wolf roared and began rampaging recklessly, throwing Homura off. Knocking into buildings, cars, and bowling over Mirai and Ryobi, disrupting their fire, who had been taking shots at it when they could.
But now beginning to slowly bleed out from bullet fire, the wolf began to slow. "Secret Ninja Art… Butt Go Boom!" Hibari cried out, growing about three stories high, aiming to stomp on the wolf. Ramming into her legs, Hibari began to flail, losing her balance and her eyes closing into an X. "Watch out guys!" she cried, falling onto Ryona and Haruka.
"Hibari… do you… mind?" Haruka groaned, while Ryona was in ecstasy. Hibari sweatdropped, awkwardly apologizing as she shrunk back down. Murasaki yelped, dashing away as the wolf rammed straight into a semi, knocking the wolf on its stomach as the truck exploded in its face.
Miyabi growled in anger, "I'm going to finish this!" Tearing the rest of her torn outfit off into Frantic Mode, Miyabi was left in little than her undergarments as she slid her hand along her blade, the wound opening a boiling red aura as Miyabi screamed, getting everyone's attention.
Six feathered wings, one set of black and one set of white grew from her back as her eyes turned red. "Ah… Frantic Abyssal Miyabi! She's so elegant. I can die happily now." A nosebleeding Imu sighed, laying her head back.
"S-sis! Don't die on us!" Murasaki's tone trembled and looked as though she was almost to tears.
"It's a figure of speech, you idiot!" Imu jerked her head up again, "I am… just a bit injured… I want to rest. The others have this."
The wolf then found itself bound by a giant, blue squid, commanded by Yagyu, who then called out to the Hebijo elite. "Miyabi! Now!"
"TO OBLIVION WITH YOU!" Miyabi brought her sword down, slicing the yoma wolf in half, which vanished in a strange combination of sinister smoke and pixelated squares. Miyabi's breath was long and deep. She staggered, panting as the others came around.
"You were incredible, Miyabi!" Ryona cheered, "Though I was hoping to get a good glance at it's pen-… YAH!"
"Must you really bring up that perverted shit after combat!?" Ryobi yelled, slapping Ryona several times.
"Everyone… alright?" Miyabi weakly uttered. "I'm glad that… You're all… o… kay…" a wave of dizziness covered Miyabi as what left of her consciousness faded to black.
Murasaki sat gripping her stuffed bear, Bebetan, in the elite room of Hebijo Clandestine Girls Academy alongside the others as they gave Master Suzune, also known as Rin, the report. "And you're sure it wasn't a different wolf?" Rin paced back and forth, scratching her chin.
"Positive, Master Suzune." Murasaki replied. "I could smell it. Besides, it-…"
"I'll second that, Murasaki has one trusty nose." Ryobi interrupted. Murasaki felt a tenseness chilling over her as irritation made her scrunch her face, though it started to fade considering Ryobi's compliment.
"And how about your trip, Master Suzune?" Imu inquired.
"I'm afraid I found little outside of a few strange creatures myself. I would have recovered the bodies, myself, but much like a yoma they appear to vanish upon death." Rin stopped before sitting down in her chair. "And they vanish in a blur of virtual pixels."
"Just like that wolf!" Ryona commented, looking at the others, Imu and Ryobi nodding.
"I think we should lay low for now and send out scouts until we can find more about these creatures. Besides, Miyabi still needs time to recover." Imu replied. A reasonable approach, Murasaki thought, until Miyabi's voice could be heard through the door.
"It'll take more than my own power to keep me down!" The others gathered around Miyabi, bringing her over to the couch where they sat. Murasaki's mind was elsewhere, gripping Bebetan tighter. Why am I feeling this jealousy? I know Miyabi and sis love me. And I them, but… we all endured a tough encounter. Not just Miyabi. Why?
"Because deep down, you know it to be true." Murasaki jumped inside, eyes popping, hearing a mysterious, feminine voice in her head. Miyabi inquired if she were okay, Murasaki simply gave a distanced nod.
"Come on, Murasaki. Show a little concern, yourself!" Imu barked.
She didn't have to go that far! She knows I'm a shut-in! Even in Hebijo, I tend to get tired. "Then maybe they aren't the loving family you thought them to be" The deep, but disturbingly soothing voice startled Murasaki once again, causing her to shout. "GET OUT!"
"What?!" Ryobi jolted back. Murasaki's cheeks grew a light red as her heart began pounding, her eyes darting around at her classmates before fixating on the floor again.
"Murasaki. Is something wrong?" Miyabi asked.
Murasaki shook her head. "I'm sorry. I believe I am just… tired."
"Are you sure, little sister?" Imu placed a hand on Murasaki's shoulder making her feel an uncomfortable warmth that clashed with her recent thoughts. Murasaki gave a slow nod. The rest of the girls spent the time discussing what to do about these new enemies with Master Suzune. While Murasaki occasionally added to the conversation, her mind was largely elsewhere.
What was that voice? Who was it? I didn't recognize it at all. Oh, I wanna lock myself in my room and binge Lucky Comet and Attack on Colossal. What do you think, Bebetan? Murasaki held the blue, clown-faced bear up to her, pretending that he could read her thoughts. You dumb bitch. All you ever wanna do is watch anime and play games! If you want the others to really give a damn about you, you'll go out there and do some real work! She made him say.
After the chat was done, Murasaki silently headed off down the halls of Hebijo Academy. She rounded the corner to go to her room when Rin startled her. "You know if there's something wrong, Murasaki, best you not hold it in. It's not healthy for you."
"Master Suzune. I would never. You're my teacher."
"I hope you realize we're more than that, Murasaki. We're family. Not just Imu, but Miyabi, Ryona, Ryobi, and me all worry about you. I know these are troubling times. You're sure there's nothing wrong?"
Murasaki's thoughts raced in silence before resorting to a usual simplified response. "Y-yes. I am sure, Master Suzune. I am just tired." She bowed before walking past Rin to go to her room.
Locking herself up, Murasaki began binging various anime before logging onto one of her favorite MMOs. "Four goddesses online… I think I should choose my Spearmaster. What do you think, Bebetan?" Murasaki then flexed her voice "of course you should! You know the Spearmaster is your strongest, you dummy!"
A busty blonde Valkyrie in a green dress, Murasaki was known as GreenHeart4. The Valkyrie was a kind and levelheaded warrior but would also sometimes make snarky comments at both friends and enemies alike, sometimes subtly taunting them with her voluptuous figure. "Hehe. I don't normally think this, but I would love to meet her for real one day. I wonder if… she would like a shut-in like me?"
While the distraction of anime and games kept her mind preoccupied, the thoughts from earlier alongside the mysterious voice in her head remained in the background. Day turned to night until Murasaki rolled over, the thoughts festering like a wound. Perhaps I am a burden. I mean, I don't need to be a shut-in anymore… Sis and I are already on good terms… right? Right? There's no need for jealousy. N-no need. No… need. Murasaki felt as though her heart had grown a few pounds heavier. Squeezing Bebetan in shaking arms, sweat dripped down Murasaki in a cold heat as the words of the mysterious voice from earlier rang in her head.
Murasaki shook her head before getting up, sliding open the door to her room. Sneaking around the Hebijo academy grounds, Murasaki proceeded outside and beyond the gates. Glancing back at the shadow of Hebijo, doubts beginning to clutter her mind. "You know you have to do this."
Murasaki looked down as she heard the voice again, squeezing a solitary tear from her eye "What do you want?" "Why, to help you, of course. You know your sister and the others will never see you as a true shinobi if you don't prove yourself. Some of those strange monsters should be just ahead. Capture one alive and you will be seen in a new light, Murasaki."
Murasaki glanced at Bebetan, wondering if maybe he was speaking only to look down sighing. "Fine. Just please get out of my head." "Don't worry. I will show you the way." She started walking in the direction the voice told her when suddenly she heard a moan. Running through a couple of bushes, Murasaki's mouth gaped as she witnessed a couple of the jelly-like dogs, these of which had tentacles and hovered in midair, having their way with Ryona.
"R-ryona!" Murasaki's hair blades reared up as the strange creatures turned to her with their appendages out. Murasaki brought down her hair blade on one of them but noticed the other one seemed to be healing its ally. "Take THIS!" Murasaki unleashed energy from her Calamity Root, blasting one of the jelly dogs apart.
The other creature tried to flee, but Murasaki tangled her hair around its striped appendages like a rope, feeling the tug on her follicles as it struggled. "Ouch! S-s-stop! I won't let you… get away!" Murasaki grunted a simultaneous pair of gunshots rang out, knocking her to the ground as the jelly dog vanished in a blur of pixels.
"Awwwoooooh~ I was learning about the enemy, Murasaki. You killed my test subjects." Ryona said with guns out. Her face, now half disappointed and still half in ecstasy from the previous engagement, looked at Murasaki, sending an awkward chill down the latter's back. "You could have at least hit me while you were killing them!"
"Er… R-Ryona. You looked like you needed saving. A-and you can put your clothes on now!" Murasaki covered her eyes. Even after getting to know her, Ryona still sometimes managed to freak her out.
"That was just my way of flir-… studying the enemy. Well, maybe now you can tell me what you're doing out here, Murasaki?" Ryona asked, slipping back into her uniform.
"U-um. I was… on patrol. Th-the grunts aren't adequate with all that's been going on around here lately! Yep, Bebetan agrees too." Murasaki stuttered, shaking her stuffed bear up and down. Ryona gave her a suspicious look. "W-well, I… fine. I wanted to capture one. I figured we can study it better that way."
"Ooooh. I wanna study it too! So, let's go get us a mysterious monster. I know you wanna join, Murasakiii~." Ryona moaned out.
"H-hey! M-my definition of studying isn't the same as yours. I-I just wanna analyze it like a normal person!"
"None of us are normal, Murasaki. I'm sure most of us wanted normal lives… but at the end of the day, we're here because we come from fucked up backgrounds. Hebijo accepted us cause nobody else would. Evil accepts all, right?" Ryona's words made the lump in Murasaki's throat begin to feel even more conflicted about the day's events. After all, they all had their personal struggles. So why should hers be any different?
"I… suppose you're right, Ryona."
Murasaki then found Ryona's hand on her arm, turning to look into the heterochromatic eyes of her Hebijo friend. Ryona's worn shades of blue and green above a rugged smile showed a girl who's innocence had long since been stolen from her by the cruel master called life. "Sooo. Why did you wanna capture one of those monsters?" Ryona asked.
Murasaki stuttered to get out an answer when Rin's voice alerted her. "Maybe that's something she ought to tell us." Rin leaned against a tree with the rest of the elites standing around.
Murasaki's lips trembled, "I'm… sorry, everyone. I just heard… voices in my head and they… reminded me of my old self. Useless and cowardly. And I thought… If I caught one alive, I could be less of a worthless shut-in." Murasaki bit her lip, holding back tears.
"Planning to capture the enemy to analyze them, huh? I'm proud of you, Saki. But you mustn't do something so reckless next time." Imu placed a hand on Murasaki's shoulder.
"I'm honestly impressed, Murasaki. But we're a team. No matter what happens, the past is behind us." Miyabi smiled at her. Murasaki then embraced Imu and Miyabi, the rest of them joining in shortly after.
"I kind of figured there was more to it." Rin said. "You may still have your quirks, Murasaki, but you are not the same person who walked through those doors a couple years back. You've grown. All of you have." Murasaki nodded at her teacher's words, thanking her.
"Speaking of what Murasaki was doing, what were YOU doing out here, Ryona!?" Ryobi shot her sister a glaring scowl.
"Ehehehe. Weeeelll. I wanted to do some research too. But then Murasaki came in and party pooped on my naughty little friends who were giving me some valuable playti-… information! Hehehe." Ryona attempting to smile as innocently as possible.
"YOU PERVERTED DUMB SOW! I swear if you get preggo with a monster baby I'll shove my foot up your uterus to abort it!" Ryobi snapped, pushing Ryona down and spanking her repeatedly, to which Ryona moaned out loud. Murasaki chuckled slightly as she remembered Ryona's words. Yeah, none of us are normal. But I couldn't see myself belonging to any other group but this one.
Miyabi and Imu face palmed. "Some things never change." Rin sighed. "Come on, you all. Let's go back, we've a lot to talk about. Murasaki and Ryona brought us some valuable information I'm sure."
Ryobi yanked an infatuated Ryona by the ear, pulling her up. "I'll deal with you later!" but as they walked back she looked at her sister and whispered. "This doesn't mean anything, Ryona. But… what was it like?"
Ryona laughed slightly, "Well…"