Chapter 28: Mission: Infiltrate Gokudō!
Despite the comforting and warm colors decorating the supposed psychotherapy center, Compa's heart pounded, trying not to stare as she expected any one of these smiling staff members to jump out at them with a knife. But the rest of the Hanzo girls, Asuka, Hibari, Yagyu, and Katsuragi all simply followed the boy in with their delivery; smiling and waving at the staff members, one of whom blushed at Hibari until Yagyu shot him a glare.
They followed the man into a standard office lounge. A smooth wooden desk greeted them first, which was adorned with a coffee maker, printer, and several pictures. Two women in suit dresses greeted them and began helping them take the boxes. Another suited boy walked in, slightly older than Katsu, Compa guessed. Approaching Asuka, he handed her a clipboard. "Thank you very much. I'll just need you to sign here, please."
"Certainly." Asuka smiled, taking the clipboard.
Compa's eyes began to wander when she heard the man's voice, noticing him looking at Asuka's name tag. Though as far as Compa knew, it could have been at Asuka's slightly unbuttoned top, which just barely showed off a bit of cleavage. "Kinkos, is it? Tell me, how is Mr. Kurosama these days?"
"Ah, the president. He's doing very well." Asuka smiled.
"Yes. He's a very respectable man. Always working late to make sure things run like clockwork." Katsuragi added.
"That is wonderful to hear." The boy smiled. "Although… you must be new on the staff. As it pains me to inform you that Mr. Kurosama retired nearly a month ago. As did our contract with Kinko's Delivery and Packaging." A moment of silence followed as the boy turned around slowly, the girls exchanging anxious eye glances.
"Yes, we are new." Yagyu simply replied. "2nd day on the job for most of us. Though Hibari here is on her 3rd." Yagyu gave Hibari a pat on the shoulder, to which she smiled and giggled.
"The website told us that Mr. Kurosama was still the president." Katsuragi shrugged.
"Ah, do suppose they aren't very good at keeping their site updated. Last time someone touched it was 4 months ago. If sites weren't digital, theirs would surely accumulate dust." The boy chuckled, the Hanzo girls laughing in agreement. The boy's eyes dropped as did his tone, slowly beginning to pace around the room. "Although… even if you were misinformed about our contract ending, one, a requirement of 1 year of working for Kinkos was mandatory for our contract and two… Out of respect for Mr. Kurosama, our contract with Kinkos ended and all management staff at the company knew this. So, do you ladies mind telling me who from the Awaji Psychotherapy Center placed an order from Kinkos?"
"Sorry sir, I'm afraid not. The managers only tell us names if they're individual clients and not businesses unless specifically requested." Asuka took a slight bow, meanwhile Compa walked towards the one of the office girls who was picking up the box.
"Ah yes, of course. Mind if I see a business card then, miss?" the boy asked, to which Asuka pulled one out of her pocket. Handing it to him, the boy proceeded to call the number on the business card. As he began speaking on the phone, the Hanzo girls and Compa exchanged glances with one another, with Compa then insisting she help the office girls to open the box.
"I see… no calls from our establishment in your record and… oh. You say you hired new employees nearly 3 days ago but none of them are scheduled for today? I see… well thank you very much, you have a nice-…" the boy looked back, seeing Compa helping the girl open the box. "HEY!"
He began to rush at Compa with a short blade from his sleeve pocket, but it was too late. With a grunt, she forced the box open, pulling the pins of several smoke grenades. Katsuragi thrust her foot upward, knocking the knife out of the boy's hands. As the room filled with smoke, the other boy donned brass knuckles, while one girl pulled a wakizashi from her sleeve, the other pulling a small handgun.
"Ah! Excuse me!" Hibari cried, pretending to trip onto the girl with the handgun, knocking her down. A few loose shots went off, almost hitting one of the boys, but Hibari wrestled the girl down, forcing the gun from her hand.
Yagyu and Katsuragi quickly disarmed the Gokudō thugs and knocked them out, leaving only the petrified office girl with the wakizashi, nervously shaking. "Don't… come any closer! I-I-I'm not afraid to use this!"
Just then her blade was yanked out of her hand by Compa. "Please refrain from waving around sharp objects, miss. You might hurt yourself and others." Compa smiled, the girl shrieked, placing her hands over her head.
"Now tell us. Where is Ikaruga?" Yagyu asked, grabbing the girl by the shirt collar. The girl stuttered incomprehensibly when the silhouettes of several more suited boys rushed down the hallway. "Never mind." Yagyu dropped the girl, as the rest of them moved through the smoke, ambushing the Gokudō grunts one by one.
The open woods of Awaji Island, serene and still, were suddenly disrupted by strong, mechanical winds which causing the bushes to bend over and the trees to shiver. Homura and Hikage hopped off of their ride, which consisted of a giant mecha-like robot of red, blue, gold, and white. "Um… Miss Yomi. You can let go now." CFW Brave looked on the side of his arm to see a chatter-toothed, blue in the face Yomi clinging onto his arm for dear life, despite putting his arm down.
"Aand there she goes again." Hikage climbed up upon Brave's arm, grabbing onto Yomi's stomach and yanking.
Dizzy swirls replaced Yomi's eyes. "NONONONONO! You're crazy! HE'S crazy! We're all gonna die! I don't wanna die, so stop stop stop, Hikage!"
"Don't be such a bitch, Yomi. Come ooooon." Hikage whined flatly.
Homura folded her arms, letting a sigh past her sympathetic smile before also climbing up on Brave. With both of them yanking on her, Yomi fell with a yelp before all three hit the ground. Homura held her head, pushing herself to her feet, patting her friend's shoulder. "Jeez. You're alright, Yomi."
"Can we take the train home?" Yomi muttered.
"It was nice working with you, CFW Brave. I wish you luck." Homura shook Brave's hand.
"Aye. And to you, miss Homura. And Miss Yomi and Mirai and Hikage and Haruka."
Yomi shook her head of the nauseous dizziness. "It is a shame we could not get better acquainted, Sir Brave. I feel we could help one another with all the craziness going on."
"As do I, Miss Yomi." Brave then stood up. "I only hope that we do not meet as enemies one day, that instead we may fight on the same side."
"That sounds like a nice gesture. Though one can also learn much and understand one another from fighting." Hikage said through a barely noticeable grin.
"I am not sure I understand. But I will keep your words in my databanks, miss Hikage. Good luck to you all." As the others wished him luck too, Brave then bid them goodbye before departing into the sky. The Crimson girls then turned their attention towards the city in the distance.
Compa and Team Hanzo had since knocked out the rest of the grunts, except for one, which Katsuragi held up by the shirt collar as she glared into his eyes. "For the last time, where is Ikaruga!?"
The thug coughed. "Fine, I'll tell you. We sent her through the mountain pass."
"What mountain? There are no mountains on Awaji!" Katsuragi looked annoyed, the boy then laughed.
"Through the milk mountain pass." As he finished, the boy stuck his hand in between Katsuragi's beachballs, causing her eyes to pop. A gasping 'eep' could be heard from Katsu before she punched the boy in the gut with her other hand, knocking him out.
"Have to commend him for that one." Yagyu commented.
"Whose side are you on!?" Katsu growled, red with frustrated embarrassment. Compa folded her arms, bending over in laughter.
"I wish Ikaruga were here to see that." Asuka smiled, but soon after refocused herself. "Alright, so it looks like we're gonna have to split up. So Yagyu, you come with me and Katsu go with Compa and Hibari."
"That's not a good idea!" Yagyu quickly interjected.
"What is it now, Yagyu?" Katsu folded her arms, a vein popping from her head.
"Compa's got sharp needles and…" Yagyu stopped for a moment, "Hibari's… clumsy, so she might trip on them! So, I better go with her!"
"Heeeeyyyy!" Hibari pouted, sticking her hands on her hips
"Methinks Yaggie still doesn't trust me." Compa replied.
"You have to let it go, Yagyu." Asuka put a gentle hand on Yagyu's shoulder, but the latter immediately twisted away.
"And let something happen to her just like Nozomi?! No, I should go with her!"
"Yagyuuu." Asuka sighed, "Even if Compa wasn't trustworthy, that's why Katsu-ne's going along."
Yagyu let out a grunt. "Katsu… would just go groping her."
"Yagyu, I'm gettin' real close to knockin' your lights out. This is NOT THE TIME TO BE GETTING YOUR PANTIES IN A WAD, so chill the HELL OUT!" Katsu snapped.
"And why don't you calm your milk mountains, miss touchy feely." Yagyu retorted.
"You selfish worm! Don't you care about Ikaruga!?"
"Don't you care about Hibari!?"
"I do, which is exactly why I KNOW you shouldn't go with her cause all you do is baby her!"
"Like you know what I've BEEN THROUGH!" Yagyu raised her voice.
"Katsuragi's right, Yaggie! I know you love Hibbi, but this kind of stubbornness isn't helping anyone."
"You shut up! And don't call me Yaggie! You're lucky we even let you come with us. If it were up to me, I'd have dumped you off the train!" Yagyu yelled.
Compa's anger soon turned into saddened eyes, which drooped down to the ground. Hibari frowned sadly, "Yagyu! Stop it! You been nothing but mean to Compa!"
"But I-… Hibari…" Yagyu began stuttering.
"UGH! Come on, Asuka!" a frustrated Katsuragi grabbed Asuka's hand, pulling her along. "Let Mommy Yaggie go with her baby! I'LL go with you to find Ikaruga!"
"Let's just go." Yagyu said, walking off in another direction, Hibari and Compa exchanging worried glances.
Hibari, Compa, and Yagyu battled their way through crowds of Gokudō grunts up to the 2nd floor. Trying to avoid killing any unless necessary, they questioned them one after another for where Ikaruga was. Fed up with the endless wave of 'I don't know' or 'it's not my place', Yagyu pointed one of the sharp ends of her umbrella at a terrified Gokudō boy. "Tell me WHERE IKARUGA IS or I'll bleed you like a stuck pig!" the boy cried out, swearing he didn't know because it wasn't his job. "I grow tired of your excuses. Now you'll suffer for your insolence."
Yagyu nearly thrust the bladed umbrella rib into the boy's neck when her weapon was deflected upward by a giant needle. "He doesn't know! Can't you tell by how frightened he is?" Compa yelled.
"He's also the ENEMY. Now are you going to help us or just get in our way too!?" Yagyu growled.
"Yagyu, stop! You're not yourself lately! What's wrong!?" Hibari grabbed Yagyu's arm.
"What's wrong is nobody understands me and this needle wench is turning my Hibari against me!" Yagyu yelled, a loose tear squeezing from her eyelid.
"Hey! You barely even know me! How can you make such nasty accusations when I've been trying to help you this entire way!" Compa stuck her needle into the ground, leaning on it.
"Yagyu no! It's not true!" Hibari begged.
"Then… why have you been saying such hurtful things, Hibari?" Yagyu glanced sadly over towards her.
Hibari began to stutter when Compa spoke up, "Hibbi doesn't mean to be hurtful, miss Yagyu."
"What do you know about us?!" Yagyu grunted.
"That you're all gonna pay for this now!" one of the injured grunts who was still conscious shouted. The girls then turned their attention down the hallway as several more grunts approached. Among them was a short boy with spiky, blue hair and a set of goggles over his head. An orange hoodie and baggy jeans made him stand out from the other suited thugs.
"Aw, man. Looks like we got company." the blue haired boy said. The boy who'd almost gotten stuck by Yagyu had crawled up to the new boy, bowing his head. "Go recover and bring some health kits back for the others, I'll take things from here."
The boy then let out a short gasp, his cocky smile now forming a serious demeanor. "I've been waiting for this day… sister."
Hibari's eyes trembled widely "S-Suraku?"
"Guess who's a shinobi now? Betcha never expected that." Suraku's confident smirk returned as he tossed his phone up and down casually.
"SURAKU!" Hibari suddenly ran forward, crying, proceeding to hug Suraku. "They all said you committed suicide!"
"Get your hands off me!" Without warning, Suraku sent an electric fist into Hibari's stomach, sending her rolling back towards Compa and Yagyu, who cried out her name simultaneously and rushed to her side.
"Yeah, that's what they were all supposed to believe. That their actions caused my demise." Suraku began slowly pacing back and forth. "Nobody picked up on it. Why would they when the local media confirmed he was gone? That is until I tried to steal from a Gokudo shinobi. Pranked him real good at first, but then they kept sending more thugs after me until I was finally caught. The Oyabun realized who I was, saw potential in me, and I've been climbing the ranks ever since."
"You… You're horrible!" Compa shouted.
"What kind of brother fakes his own death?! Do you not realize the pain you could have cause them!?" Yagyu gritted her teeth towards the boy.
"Do you not realize the pain they caused ME!? OF COURSE NOT! You know nothing about me! They never gave half a damn for me anyways!"
"That's not true." Hibari muttered, sitting up. "I know they treated you harshly. Sometimes meanly even. But after we all thought you died, so many of them began to regret what had been done. We miss you, Suraku! I miss you! You were the only one I talked to whom I could-…"
"Shut up! You stole the one thing from me that would make them see me differently! They thought I was worthless. It was my only chance! But once the Kagan appeared in your eyes, it was all over. And it was only a matter of time before even you forgot about me. The one person who ACTUALLY CARED AND SHE FORGOT ONCE SHE BECAME MISS IMPORTANT!" a couple of loose tears floated to Suraku's eyes, the other grunts looking down, one of them gently touching Suraku's shoulder. Yagyu and Compa found themselves at a loss for words.
Hibari's lips trembled, her eyes watering softly from the aching garden of her heart. "I… gave up a lot of things I didn't want to because of these stupid eyes, Suraku. It hasn't been easy for me either."
"Then I guess it won't matter for you to give up one more thing." Suraku rushed forward, the tips of his taser phone igniting. Hibari watched as he swiftly leapt onto the wall and off again towards her. A sudden clang, and Suraku was sent flying backwards. Compa, a bit dazed at what happened, shook her head to see Yagyu standing in front of Hibari, with her umbrella out. "I don't care who the hell you are, but you STAY OUTTA MY WAY! Do NOT interfere with domestic business!"
"I am Yagyu of Hanzo. And I am the one who will allow no harm to come to Hibari! If you want at her, you'll have to go through me." Yagyu stated.
"Oh, so you got yourself a lapdog, sister. What, are you so powerful that you send others to do your bidding?!" Suraku seethed.
"You poor thing. You have old wounds that never healed." Compa frowned.
"Yagyu, no." Hibari got up, grabbing Yagyu's arm. "I appreciate all you've done for me. But please, I have to do this on my own. This is between me and Suraku." Yagyu was left speechless, merely watching as Hibari walked past her towards her brother. A tense silence filled the room, Hibari hesitantly taking a fighting stance. "I don't wanna do this, Suraku."
"We all gotta do things we don't want to at some point." Suraku glared seriously at Hibari, taking his own fighting stance. "I am Suraku. I help the weak and fight the strong! SECRET NINJA ART!" Quickly hopping upon a skateboard, he flew straight for Hibari in a burst of electricity, smashing through the wall.
While managing to evade a head-on assault, Hibari was still knocked backwards, tumbling out of the building with Suraku to the ground below. Yagyu's eyes throbbed in fright, hyperventilating as she ran over towards the billowing dust of the gaping hole in the wall. "HIBARIIII!"