Chapter 29: Whispers of the Enemy
The billowing dust from the recently caved wall stung Yagyu's good eye and choked her lungs. "Hibar-… hack, hack. Hi-HIBARI! Hack, hack, hack." She swiped at the air, trying to clear the dust. Yagyu fell on one knee, the dust scratching at her lungs as they expelled violent coughs. As the dust began to settle, one Gokudō thug attempted to rush Yagyu with a long knife, but he was intercepted by Compa, who met his blade with her giant needle. Below, Yagyu called out Hibari's name once more, seeing her on a golden cloud with her rabbit, Ninto.
"I'm fine, Yagyu! Worry about yourself and Compa!" Hibari called out before dashing off. Suraku grumbled something Yagyu couldn't make out, rushing after Hibari on his skateboard.
"Hibari, come back!" Yagyu readied to jump below to the ground, hoping to catch Hibari when a pair of arms restrained her.
"Miss Yagyu, don't! We have more important matters right now!" Compa grunted, holding her back.
"You let go! Hibari needs me!" Yagyu grunted, frantically squirming in Compa's grip.
"But Hibbi wanted you to stay here!" Compa's arms struggled to hold Yagyu back.
"Back off! I know what's best for her!" Too busy with each other, Yagyu and Compa were suddenly tackled to the ground by the Gokudō grunts, who pinned their limbs down.
"It's a shame we gotta eliminate you. You girls are pretty cute." One grunt said.
"I say we oughtta have a little bit of fun with them. Be a shame to completely waste such faces." Another grunt said, smirking. At this, the grunts began to quarrel amongst themselves, as one half said that it was dishonorable and not the Gokudō way. Yagyu writhed, trying to squeeze out of their grasp, but it only made them tighten their grip on her. "Ya see? I say this one's in need of some punishment." The pervy grunt chuckled.
"No don't. Punish me instead." Compa said, getting the grunts' attention. "I'll do whatever you want. Just… please be gentle." Compa looked away, giving them a teary-eyed blush.
"Well then, that's a good girl. Might wanna learn from your friend a bit." The pervy grunt smirked, pinching Yagyu's nose. As the other grunts let go, the pervy grunt then climbed on top of Compa, running his hands up her sides.
Certain he had let his guard down, Compa swiftly sent her knee into his crotch, flipping him over and getting up all in one smooth motion. "My family jewels!" the pervy grunt squeaked, falling over. Compa demonstrated her hand-to-hand combat skills, countering one grunt with a punch-kick combo before swiftly dodging another and kicking him into the wall.
Compa shrieked as another grunt grabbed her from behind, his arm placing her in a chokehold. But as that grunt had gotten off Yagyu to relieve his comrades, the Hanzo shinobi saw her opportunity and wrestled the distracted grunts off of her, picking up her umbrella.
Compa tried struggled and kicked but felt herself losing consciousness as the grunt choked her. "Nice try, girly. But this is the last time you cross Gokudō Boys AcademYYYY!" The grunt who had her screamed, Compa gasping for air as she fell to the ground, noticing a trail of ice running down the grunts back and onto his rear.
As Yagyu dealt with the grunt, Compa crawled over to retrieve her syringe, pulling herself to her feet. "Thank you, Yaggie." Compa gave a short smile.
Yagyu looked back, a moment of silence following before her eyes drifted downward. "No. I should be thanking you. And I… I'm sorry. For treating you with such hostility. I am… sure you just wish to know what's happening and that you… care about Hibari too."
"Miss Yagyu. We both want what's best for Hibbi. But sometimes it's better to listen to our loved ones." Compa's gentle tone made Yagyu give her a slight glance, to which Compa patted her shoulder.
As the Gokudo grunts began to get up, a few more suited grunts arrived. "I guess we got our hands full anyways." Yagyu replied. Compa nodded, the two then taking a battle stance. "You boys wanna rumble? Then let's do this!"
Asuka and Katsuragi steamrolled through Gokudō Academy, beating down hordes of gangsters in their wake before questioning them and knocking them out. But as they cleared up another room, a group of four higher ranking Gokudō boys continued to give them some trouble. The leader named Akashi, a redhead with orange sunglasses and a deep blue suit, swung his custom pen knife while grinning. "What's the matter? Is the girly girl too afraid to actually finish off her foes, eh?"
"We don't want war with Gokudō Academy. We just want our friend back! Now where is Ikaruga?" Asuka held a stance, ready for any sudden movements.
Akashi continued spinning his pen knives on his finger. "You think we'd tell you even if we knew? You don't know how things work here at Gokudo Academy. The weak serve the strong, and they all know their place."
"Then we'll just have to beat it out of you!" Katsuragi clenched her fists.
Akashi echoed a condescending laugh, "You really are a dumb blonde, aren't you? Don't you get it? You'll get no information from us. If you think you can just muscle your way through everything, you'll never be a shinobi. Just a dumb, brutish bitch who does someone else's bidding."
Katsu's gritted teeth opened to let out a raging scream, rushing towards the group of higher shinobi with a flying kick. Knocking away two of them, Katsuragi began to duel with Akashi, who's fast knife strikes kept her at a distance. The third tried to grab Katsu by the leg, but received an elbow to the face, knocking him back.
Before the other gangsters could get up, they were met with the blunt hilt of Asuka's swords, rendering them unconscious. The third shinobi regained his composure and rushed Asuka with a set of spiked brass knuckles. Katsuragi called out to Asuka just as she dodged, grabbing the shinobi in a chokehold. "No, Katsu-ne! You look out!"
"Eh?!" Katsu moved back, but just barely in time as Akashi's knife left a small cut right below her right breast. Katsuragi grunted, noticing the small bit of blood on her hand as she held the spot.
"I know it might be hard to relate to, but it pays to be sharp, right blondie?" Akashi smirked.
"You're nothing. I've dealt with knife wielding foes far deadlier than you." Katsu replied, a dead serious complexion growing over her.
"Considering you're still alive, they must have had the courtesy enough to not pick fights with the mentally challenged." Akashi's continued, more aggressive smirk only made Katsuragi put more force behind her kicks, eventually making Akashi lose his balance, to which Katsuragi saw her chance.
"Secret Ninja Art, CROSS PANZER!" with a green aura embellishing her boots, a swift kick sent Akashi's pen knife from his hands into a wooden beam. Continuing her onslaught, she landed a hard kick to the gangster's stomach, sending him rolling on the ground before stopping at a wall.
Akashi gasped for air. "Not… bad…"
"We'll see who's the dumb one now!" Katsuragi rushed at the downed shinobi, despite Asuka's cries of objection. Jumping into the air, she brought down her foot in an axe kick, but ended slipping as Akashi rolled over. Akashi then swiftly grabbed a set of books from a bookshelf, bringing them down in an odd manner when Asuka realized that it was actually a hidden lever.
Katsu screamed as a trap door opened below her. "Katsu-ne!" Asuka called out before facing the higher shinobi, who got to his feet.
"Shoulda surrendered yourself when you had the chance, Jugs." Akashi pulled a real book out from the shelf, before reaching behind to grab a small handgun. "You'd have made for a cute who-… AUGH!" Before she even realized what she did, Asuka had rushed forward, slicing Akashi in the knee and cutting off his right hand.
Asuka's shivering goosebumps seemed to grow as time halted her breath. Akashi's agonizing groans with the dripping blood of his dismembered hand on the ground were like demons which scratched at her eyes and ears.
"What's… the matter, girl? First time… ya ever dismember someone? Have you even killed a person yet? Let me guess. First real major mission outside of school, eh? They try to make you think the world's all puppies and rainbows. That there's glory in being a good shinobi. The truth is, we all become like dust before the wind. So, do us both a favor… finish me… forget all that good shinobi crap… and wake up to reality." Akashi's breath was heavy as Asuka's pounding heart.
Asuka closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "I will not shed unnecessary blood if I can avoid it. I do not want war with your Academy. If you won't tell me where Ikaruga is, I will find her myself." Not daring to look at Akashi, Asuka sheathed her Wakizashi, leaving him. Akashi silently stood up in rage, drawing a short razor from his sleeve with his left hand, aiming to plunge the blade into Asuka's back.
Yagyu bashed the last grunt against a wall with her elbow, dusting her hands as she noticed Compa had put her syringe down. "Alright. We've taken care of things here. Let's go help Hibari."
"But what about your friend, Ikaruga? Were we not supposed to find her and make sure she's alright?" Compa asked.
"We will. But Hibari might be in trouble! You want to help her, don't you?!"
"Of course, I do. But sometimes you just need to let a person grow without interference. Especially when it's among family. Besides, that's kind of selfish to everyone."
Yagyu let out a frustrated grunt. Damn this Compa. Whose side is she on?! I can't figure her out! "Isn't it obvious? She is subtly trying to drive a wedge between all of Hanzo." Yagyu suddenly turned, hearing a soothing voice. "Who's there!?"
Compa grabbed her syringe, looking around frantically. "What was it, Yaggie? I didn't hear anything."
The voice continued, "Don't worry yourself so much. I am a part of you. Let's just call me… your conscience. I feel your frustration with that Compa. I fear she will be the downfall of your beloved school." Yeah, I don't trust her. But bring down the entire school? Maybe my love for Hibari is making me jealous and irrational. "Are you doubting yourself now, Yagyu? After all you've been through? Compa might try to act like she cares, but because of her, Hibari will drive you away. And once you're gone, she'll move on to the others. One by one, your friends will fall apart. Hibari might be dying out there. And yet Compa refuses to let you go to her aid." Yagyu looked up briefly as Compa tried to get her attention. Lost deep in what she believed to be her own thoughts, Compa's hand motions and chattering lips made Yagyu grit her teeth.
But… If I do anything to her, I'll be blamed for sure. She really has gotten me in a pickle! "Or… you could just kill Compa here and now and pin the blame on those Gokudō boys. Nobody will have reason to doubt you otherwise." A lump in Yagyu's throat began throbbing as she looked down and away, her finger stroking her chin. "Do what's right, Yagyu. Do it for your friends. For Hibari. They are your true family; and you are theirs. You are hers." "I… am her family." Yagyu grunted.
Compa tilted her head in confusion. "Hm? What's the matter, miss Yagyu? Your eye's looking a little blu-...AAAAHH!" Compa jumped backwards as Yagyu's umbrella swung at her in a frontal arc. "Stop it! Bad Yagyu! What's gotten into you?!"
"I am Hibari's family! All of Hanzo is my family. And I will not let ANYONE tear them apart! Even if that someone is a cute nurse!" A dark energy formed at the tip of Yagyu's umbrella, unleashing a barrage of dark bolts. Compa frantically dodged but one struck her shin and then her upper arm, encasing them in ice and pinning her against the wall as she yelped. "Your sorcery ends here!"
Yagyu lunged at Compa, thrusting her umbrella like a lance. Barely able to move her left arm, Compa forced her syringe up, clashing with Yagyu's umbrella and knocking her away. Using the blunt end of her weapon, she broke her right leg from the ice just in time to counter another strike from Yagyu with a high kick. But Yagyu was relentless, forcing Compa to block one of her umbrella blades by having it jam itself into the side of Compa's syringe until Compa kicked Yagyu off again.
With a yell, Compa broke her arm free from the ice. "Get ahold of yourself, Yaggie! What would Hibbi say if she saw you acting like this!?"
"Shut up! You know nothing about her or me or any of us! And I told you to quit calling me Yaggie!" Yagyu yelled, a dark flare emitting from her eye.
"I didn't wanna have to do this. But I'm gonna knock some sense up in you!"
"How perverted." Yagyu muttered.
"Wha-… HEY! That is not what I meant!" Compa pouted. As the tip of Yagyu's umbrella glowed of a dark aura once more, Compa took aim, a pink energy heart forming from her syringe. "You need to open up your heart, Yagyu! Compa Love Heart!"
As Yagyu unleashed another barrage of darkness, Compa's heart blocked the attacks, continuing to move closer to Yagyu, whom struck at it with her umbrella. A yelp of pain left Yagyu's mouth as the heart exploded in a pink cloud upon being struck. Knocked on the ground, Yagyu groaned, holding her head. "Are you alright now, Yaggie?" Compa asked.
But a low growl echoed from Yagyu's vocal cords. "This is only the beginning!" Compa watched as Yagyu then jumped upwards, backing away when she came down with her umbrella. Compa went on the defensive, as Yagyu Swung her bladed umbrella left, right, and upward, raining a small fountain of ice bolts down. At one point, Compa found her syringe in a lock with Yagyu's umbrella.
"You're not yourself, Yaggie! Something's wrong, snap out of it!" Compa shouted.
Seeing Compa's eyes, Yagyu's thoughts began drifting back to Hibari when the soft voice of her conscience spoke again. "Don't let her lies deceive you. You started this. Now finish it." Yagyu yelled, forcing Compa back and attempting to punch her.
Compa's eyes grew into angry, cartoonish circles. "Yaggie… You. Need. A spanking! Desu, Desu, DESU!" Compa swung her syringe around rapidly, as though dancing like a ballerina. Caught off guard, Yagyu struggled to defend as she began losing her balance in wake of the spinning needle.
Compa's final spin came to a halt, "Take the Full Power of my compressed liquid!" A shot from the syringe sent a screaming Yagyu flying back and off her feet, stripping large portions of her jacket, revealing her arm and shoulder, as well as exposing her smooth torso. Compa ran up, leaping into the air. "Forgive me, Yagyu!"
"AAUUURRGH! SWEEPING LEGS!" before Compa could come down upon her, a giant, blue squid appeared, smashing through the ceiling, and knocking out even more of the wall until a large gaping hole in the side of the building revealed the midday sky. With each rapid spin of the squid's tentacles, Compa's outfit began to tear, stripping apart large portions of her garments from her bouncing bust, curvy waist, and soft arms and legs, before tossing her back, leaving only a little bit of her skirt, her under-top, and one of her sleeves intact.
The rubble from the unstable ceiling above began to fall on Yagyu, summoning clouds of dust. Groaning, Compa began to get off her back, an eerie silence following as she attempted to force herself to her feet. Using her syringe, she managed to get on one knee. A flash and Compa was soon back on her back as a fist to her lower jaw seemed to leap from the shadows. Compa saw Yagyu lunging for her again, instinctively using her syringe to bash Yagyu in the face.
Compa's sore muscles then compiled all her energy into a swift flip onto her feet, swinging her syringe around before stabbing Yagyu in the thigh. A crying wail echoed from Yagyu's mouth as she fell, holding her leg. "Please. You left me no choice, Yagyu." Compa sadly shook, gripping her syringe.
Yagyu opened her eye, glaring at Compa, who could now clearly see her small pupil glowing a burning blue. "You cannot stop what is to come… Now stay away from Hanzo. Stay away from my Hibari!"
"I don't know what's happening to you Yagyu, but I am going to save you no matter what!" Compa then looked to the open sky from the hole in the building, aiming her syringe upward. A gleaming glow formed on the tip of the needle. "BREAD CRUUUUMBS!" A beam of light shot into the sky, the recoil knocking Compa on her feet.
"Bread… crumbs?" Yagyu gave a confused squint when the boom of a heart shaped firework with a "C" in the center erupted into the sky. What followed was a bright volley of neon-pink beams raining down. While she tried to roll, the beams struck her in a painful, shock-like spike, ripping a part of her sleeve, her skirt, her undercoat, her socks, all one by one stripping her down.
"Come back to us, Yagyu! Come back to your friends. To Hibari." Compa said as one final beam, shot down. Yagyu roared out in agony, the beam completely stripping her bare as her boingy bits and nether regions were exposed. Luckily, censorship light bars go on vacation when it comes to fanfictions.
Yagyu crumpled to her knees, Compa running over to catch her as she lost balance. With the blue light gone, Yagyu opened her eye. "I'm… sorry. I'm sorry."
"There, there. I'll heal you." Compa spoke softly.
"Com… pa… thank… you." Yagyu's vision then faded to black, letting herself go limp in Compa's arms.