Get of Fenris
Part Thirteen: The Battle Begins




"YUGO IS DEAD!?" Fang's expression was dark. "What happened? Who killed him!?"

"I'm unsure." Long began, still grief-stricken. "He went to Shinjuku and never returned."

Fang's attention turned toward Brad, who was quietly sitting in the corner. "Tell me who killed him!!"

"....people who are angry that Yugo destroyed their hopes of saving Tokyo." Brad's gaze didn't shift, his eyes were closed and his arms were folded tightly against his chest.

"..." Fang grabbed Brad's collar and tried to pull him up, tears swelled in his eyes. "Do you mean to tell me that it was the Yakuza!? Answer me, Splinter!!"

"I rather not." Brad grabbed Fang's wrist and pulled it away.

"Why not!? What are you hiding!?"

Brad stood up and walked for the window, his eyes opened his arms at his side. Long walked over to the Shadow Lord and put his hand on his shoulder. "Why won't you answer him, Brad?"

"Because..." He began. "...the Yakuza saved my life when I didn't even ask for them to. I owe them my life."

"...so you're just gonna let Yugo's murder go unpunished?"

"Yugo did nothing for me." Brad's eyes locked onto Long's brownish gold eyes. "So there is no point for me to mourne his loss."

"Where's your sense of justice, Splinter!"

"In case you hadn't noticed, Fang... I am a Shadow Lord. Being part of the Shadow Lords isn't because of my 'sense of justice'."

"FUCK THE SHADOW LORDS!!!" Fang howled, tears falling. "HOW CAN YOU LIVE WITH YOURSELF AFTER THIS!?!?!"

"....you are in the temple of the Tiger Kings, Fang. Lower your voice and watch your language."

"...." Fang punched the wall, then broke down crying. Brad headed for the door and slid it open with his hands.

"Brad!" Long ran after him, then turned him around with his hand. "I thought you were honorable about life!"

"..." Brad turned away and continued walking. "Life... what a meaningless word."

"What about Basara!"

"Basara is the only one in my life I truly value."

"Then you should respect his wishes! If he wishes for you to find Yugo's murderers and you refuse...!"

"If Basara requests for me to find Yugo's murderers then I will. But you're not Basara, so yes, I will refuse you." Brad continued walking until he was out of sight.

He opened the door to Basara's room, finding his precious angel sitting on the pile of silk pillows. He was hugging a white tiger plushie, tears in his eyes. Brad closed the door behind him and walked over. Basara rushed into Brad's arms and hugged him tightly. "Brad?"

"Yes, love?" Brad softly stroked Basara's long, silky white hair.

"I know that you don't like going out of your way to help someone you have no regards for... but please, can you help Yugo find some peace?"

Brad held his lover tightly and breathed a small sigh, then closed his eyes. "Yes.... yes I will help find Yugo's murderers."

"Thank-you." Basara hugged him tightly and started crying.



*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*



This was the first time Brad's even been out of his normal attire. He was wearing a black business suit and black tie and thin framed glasses. He carried a briefcase in one hand and the psionic tiara in his pockets. He crossed the street into the Shinjuku area. The Yakuza bodyguards opened the door and let him in, recognizing him immediately. Brad walked to the elevator and pressed the button for the 90th floor. He threw a sigh of exasperation and moaned.

//I hope to Grandfather Thunder that this goes well... I feel naked without my Klaive...//

The elevator's doors opened and Brad walked into the hallway. He walked until he got to Tanaka's office and knocked on it. The doors opened, allowing him to enter, Brad noticed Tanaka sitting at his desk with his katana on the desk.

"I know why you're here." Tanaka growled under his breath. "So don't ask."

"...." Brad put the briefcase down and cleared his throat. "So you did kill Yugo."

"He had it coming." Tanaka spoke, then stood up. "In case you hadn't noticed, I am Yakuza... so is Kenshirou. If we allowed Yugo to walk all over us and get away with his mistakes, then that will give everyone leeway to do the same. No one will take us seriously anymore and we will have failed as your protectors of the city."

"I see." Brad's expression was blank, he had no readable emotions on his face, it actually made Tanaka believe that he doesn't even care if he did ice Yugo.

"Why are you concerned about this?"

"That... is a secret." Brad folded his arms and looked back. "I don't believe you gone out of your way to find the truth without some kind of motivation. That isn't very Brad-like."

"That... is a secret."

"Whatever." Tanaka sighed and sat down, then folded his arms.

"Believe me. I'm not gonna bust your chops. My intention was to never do so. But if you got a problem similiar to this... come to me first. I'll handle it, Tokyo is MY city." Brad stood up again and collected his briefcase and headed for the door. "Just to let you know, another transgression like this and I'm pulling you from my payroll."

"I understand."

"Good." Brad left the office, just as Kenshirou walked in with a tray of tea.



*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*



"We got the information needed to stop the Spark trade once and for all." Albrecht stood up from his seat on the Counsel. "We learned that the sellers and the makers have moved locations like we thought. The ringleader, Hajime Busuzima has a bad habit of making hospitals their base of operations. Hiroo Hospital is their new location."

"Will we be using the Hengeyokai's help?"

"As far as I know, the Hengeyokai still refuse to help." Albrecht frowned. "We are on our own."

"What about the zoanthropes?"

"We hadn't heard anything since Ohgami Yugo was gunned down in Shinjuku."

They looked around at each other, then turned toward their king. "What about the Mage-Garou?"

"The Mage-Garou seemed to have mysteriously vanished. Forget him and his imvolvement."

"..."

"This might be a very dangerous sitation... many of you will lose your lives. May Gaea have mercy on all of your souls."



*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*



"We need to leave Tokyo."

"Why?"

Brad took Basara's hands in his and looked deeply and amourously into Basara's baby blue eyes. Basara could see tears in Brad's eyes, he frowned and leaned forward.

"I don't know if I'm still a Shadow Lord... I might be a Ronin now."

"Brad..." Basara frowned more, sadly. He hugged Brad tightly, his fingers playing with the loose strands on Brad's cloak.

"I love you."

"I love you too." Basara held his lover close, trembling. "I'll be with you every step of the way."

"Thank-you." Tears gently hit Basara's shoulder, then Brad broke into tears. Basara held him close, tightly, comforting him.



-Continued-