Schwarz Blitz 6
Disclaimer: Same rules as usual.
AN: Thanks to the usual people who reviewed.
****
Makoto couldn't stand the non-stop pain on her cheeks. Since this morning she had been cursing quietly in the kitchen every minute whenever an aching sensation went into action. Even her jaws hurt like hell. The sound of her complaining wasn't exactly competitive with Aki's usual bossiness during the working hours. Jun, Mei and Yuka weren't able to work out what Makoto kept mumbling though 'shit' was one of the main words they could pick out underneath her breath. The word 'kill' cropped up at times in the kitchen and it certainly worried the waitresses listening to the brunette to say a dangerous word. They wondered whether Makoto was going to commit a murder or beat someone up.
Makoto violently shook the oil from the fresh chips in the sieve and banged them into the readily laid out plates. There she went, mumbling again. Mei and Jun exchanged puzzled glances then discussed between each other about last night. It wouldn't have anything to do with the guy she met last night, would it?
"What's this about a guy?" Yuka's ears poked out. Mei told her about Makoto running away hurriedly last night. "No way. Is that what she's pissed off about? Man, that girl is sensitive."
"Hey, we shouldn't really discuss this when Makoto is nearby," Jun referred to the moody girl cooking further away from the three girls. She didn't seem to hear them whisper as she banged her kitchen utensils all over the sink. Aki unfortunately came in and saw the angry face that surrounded Makoto. Jun, Mei and Yuka ungrouped from their little circle to get back to their duties. They didn't want to be in trouble with their boss and their pissed off colleague in one day. It would be awful.
"Ah, damn you, Crawford," Makoto uttered under her hoarse voice. "And damn you, Schuldig. You bastards think you can be tougher than me! I'll show you…"
"Is there a problem?" Aki icily asked, interrupting Makoto in an angry outburst. Great just what she needed to make her afternoon worse. Have a bitch to cuss you on your problems. Oh how fun it made your day. Makoto zipped her lips shut and shook her head calmly at her manageress. "Whatever is on your mind, take it outside. Not in my kitchen." Aki walked away briskly.
You're the one who's always miserable! Behind Aki's back Makoto gestured 'Up yours' to her, knowing she wasn't able to see what the chef just did. Oh how she desired to punch the older woman. Damn why did an aftermath of a fight have to be so rotten? Last night was a painful yet challenging situation. Makoto hadn't fought this hard all her life. And what made it more amusing to Crawford and Schuldig was that she had demonstrated her other power to them. Hopefully that would make them more hesitant to fight her now, would it?
Then again, knowing these two men, they wanted to enjoy their moments with her. She knew they wanted to wind her up constantly and getting rid of them was going to be a very difficult task to pull off. Maybe it would take the rest of her free time just to take them out of Osaka. The pain of encountering a deadly punch to the face still wouldn't leave her. Feeling the ache on her facial flesh brought back flashbacks on her latest opponents. They were real bastards, weren't they?
She didn't know how they could have fun with her. What was so special about her? Well now that she had shown her electrical power they may never leave her alone in a while. Makoto could tell they were most impressed with her other ability other than her martial arts. A little voice kept warning her that these two had the danger sign written all over them. Of course they were dangerous. She didn't have to have a teacher to tell her that. Makoto could smell dangerous people anywhere on the streets. She could even tell who was going to rob whom in the shopping centres from observing people walking past her.
Makoto had extra senses that normal people didn't have. After all she was a fighter who could control electricity. Not many fighters had that in their blood, did they?
"Mako-chan, table 21 needs their order," Yuka called from the door. Nodding from the far end of the kitchen, Makoto took the plate filled with fries and a chicken burger and went into the main café, approaching the table that had 21 written on a tiny stand on the edge.
"Your order is ready," Makoto interfered the woman's deep reading. She placed her newspaper down and smiled before dragging the plate over to her side. Makoto's stomach growled suddenly after staring at the lovely fast food. It had occurred to her that she didn't have a heavy breakfast this morning, which merely involved an apple and orange juice rather than her usual toast with butter. Hunger surfaced automatically as she stood in the middle of the café and watched Mei and Jun breeze up and down to serve the customers their food.
"Makoto, are you okay?" Yuka popped up from behind. "I mean we were going to ask you that this morning but we didn't want to piss you off from your moody trance." Makoto's mind awakened in reality. How could she forget? She was too mad to talk to anyone politely when she came in this morning though her moodiness had quietened down when she got to work in the kitchen. Bowing her head regretfully, she said, "I didn't mean to worry you with my foul mood. I didn't eat a huge breakfast and I'm hungry."
"Oh man!" Yuka didn't hear Mako's last sentence as her eyeballs practically fell out of her face when she saw Aki cheerfully chatting with customers. Why couldn't she be like that to the waitresses? Surely there couldn't be two sides to her. Makoto followed her friend's eye direction and could see where the eyeball popping came from. But for her, the eyeballs falling out reaction was double. She couldn't believe her afternoon sucked even more. Aki was talking to two people she had begun to know very well. Oh how it annoyed her so much. Why did they have to be here, of all places? Yuka growled disgracefully as she whispered, "I should find her father's phone number and complain to him. Her behaviour as the manageress is unacceptable."
"I know," Makoto replied, not taking her eyes off the three people she hated. "Go into the office and find her father's number. I'll keep an eye on her here." Yuka left the main café straightaway to return to the back door. Makoto would have preferred to stay out here anyway. Not just to serve the customers but to keep an eye on those two men who had the balls to show their faces at her work place. Crawford looked so relaxed in his seat and Schuldig looked as though he was trying to make a pass at Aki. For goodness sake she wasn't exactly attractive (though could be considered as a slut without a doubt). Schuldig would probably have a one-night stand with the woman then treat her like dirt the next day. Now that was something Makoto would have loved to see in the cinema.
It wasn't meant to be part of jealousy. This feeling merely came from bitter pride and an act of revenge. She wanted to get Aki since day one but hadn't had the heart to attack her for real. Knowing a bitch like her she would most likely spread rumours about her fighting ability. Everyone believed Aki's words so Makoto had to be careful with her aggressive actions. Yuka had to have enough time to creep into Aki's office and find the contacts their manageress had hidden in her address book.
Why can't those two leave me alone for a change? I want to recuperate. Why can't they wait until tonight? I'll be ready then Makoto thought annoyingly. She wanted to get them back yes but not right now. Not when she was hungry and tired from her job. If only she could get to them now. Unfortunately Aki was the obstacle here. How was she going to get that woman out of the way? Those guys were people only Makoto had the right to know and not by anyone else; especially her manageress. Schuldig looked past Aki (who was busy staring at the handsome black haired man with glasses) and smirked at Makoto.
Shit, he saw me Makoto moved her eyes away and took back some dirty plates back to the kitchen. What a good excuse to ignore him. Her anger returned as soon as she entered the kitchen again. Her blood boiled from her fingertips to her brain. She wanted to take those guys out now and give them the same pain they gave her last night. She decided to shut her stomach's craving for food and made her way out of the stuffy environment, not looking back at Schuldig or Crawford for the second time. Mei, Yuka and Jun could handle the customer orders. Makoto was there for the cooking only. Besides, she needed some fresh air to cool her temper down. And combining it with a cold bottle of cola was beyond perfect. Yuka joined her outside.
"I called her father up," She explained. "He said he'll take action ASAP. Uh…how about NOW rather than ASAP? Geez some people!"
"I'm sure he'll do something. After all she is his daughter," Makoto said, gulping her drink down thirstily.
"He said she's a Daddy's girl. Man, what kind of crap is she pulling? I'm sure she's the opposite." Yuka snorted sceptically.
Why was Aki like this? Why did she have to be two people? To the customers and her father, she was a true angel and a respected figure whilst in the kitchen she was as vicious as a lioness to the waitresses who worked like hell to get their duties done. And she didn't do anything except boss around. Makoto wondered whether the woman had a secret that she wanted to hide from people and thought the four waitresses were easy victims of teasing and took out her secret temper out on them. She looked back through the window of the café to see Mei and Jun calmly taking orders and serving the food in a prompt fashion. They were okay so far.
Aki seemed to be talking as happily as ever to Crawford. Ugh how that made Makoto have an urge to vomit. She was all over the American. Makoto hated those kind of woman who bossed people around and also flirted with men. She was definitely a slut all right. Schuldig had disappeared right from Makoto's face again. Why did he do that? How did he do that so fast? Makoto suspected he wanted to play hide and seek with her, which could explain his quick escape from the café. He was likely to be near her. So where was he?
"Mako?" Yuka's voice broke Makoto's thoughts.
"Hmm?" She said as she finished her drink.
"That guy with orange hair is looking at us." Yuka nodded to her left at the third person standing near them. Makoto almost choked on her fizzy drink when she said that. Schuldig leaned by a tall tree; his arms crossed over his chest and his face had a delightful expression. "Wasn't he the customer talking to Aki?"
"Uh-huh," Makoto answered. "You don't mind doing some of my work, do you? I'm staying out here for a little longer."
"But…"
"Just go, ok? Look I suspect this guy isn't friendly. I'm gonna tell him to get lost before he starts trouble in any way," Makoto explained. Yuka was reluctant with leaving her friend behind but seeing the determination on Makoto's face was proof that she would be fine and wouldn't do anything outrageous. She went into the café to get back to her work.
Makoto stormed over to Schuldig's relaxed posture, "How dare you come here?"
"What's wrong with coming to visit you, Fraulein?" The German joked. "Surely there's nothing wrong with seeing Sailor Jupiter." He winked playfully. Makoto's eyes enlarged in shock. What did he just say? Damn he knew who she was. Did it all come as a give-away when she demonstrated her electrical ability? Wait! He could read people's thoughts. So it wouldn't be a surprise if he could read people's memories too. Shit he must have already known from the start when he said he knew all her secrets. He was really toying with her all along, waiting for the right time to come out for her to show the secret power.
Schuldig leaned over her shoulder, making her jump briefly as he whispered in her ear, "I knew you were special from the start, Makoto." She didn't notice his hand had touched her right hip while he leaned over her. "I could see it from the outside and worked my way inside. I'm smart, ja?"
"Get away!" She knocked his hand off her and stepped back slightly. "I should take you out now. I don't care about my job or my reputation any more." She went into a small front stance.
Schuldig laughed, "The fighter in you yearns for some violence. I enjoy seeing you in that trance, Makoto." Demonstrating his speed, Mastermind breezed past her stunned figure and ended up behind her back. She didn't have time to follow his direction when he performed this action.
"I love playing with you, Fraulein. It makes both our days fun," He murmured softly over her shoulder, stroking the curve of her neck. Makoto couldn't move her muscles as she felt his eyes move over her. A sense of anger suddenly exploded and she growled through an unpredicted punch. Sadly it missed Schuldig by a whole inch and he simply moved out of the way so she ended up punching the air. "Till later." He grinned in a very attractive way (which haunted Makoto) then walked away as soon as Crawford came out of the café. I'm gonna take you out of Osaka. I swear it. I don't want to be played around with Makoto thought determinedly. This was the spirit she needed to win.
****
"Father, one of the waitresses is a pain," Aki said. "I'm certain she's the one people have been worried about. I wouldn't be surprised if she was violent on the outside."
"I wouldn't be surprised either, Aki. Reinforcements will come in and help in about two days time," Mr Honda warned. "And don't be too hard on the other three waitresses as well."
"I'll try to be nice, Father. It's because 'she' is always around." Aki hung up the phone and slammed the set back down. Damn parents. They were hard to convince, weren't they? Makoto thought Aki was a stupid woman who had no brains at all. Oh she was wrong all right. This daughter of a top tycoon had more brains she had imagined. Aki knew Makoto was a fighter from looking at her. Who else was that tall and had hands as large as an overweight man's? Makoto was a dangerous figure to be in Osaka. What they didn't need was a girl who fought guys to the ground and claimed she ruled people. This town belonged to Aki and her father. Not Kino Makoto.
****
Crawford diverted his eyes away from the screen after reading an email sent by Nagi not long ago. It seemed Prodigy had given more information on his progress with his investigation. Nagi and Farfarello are doing well so far Crawford thought.
"So the vision was true after all." Schuldig came into the room. "The manageress' father is behind this, isn't he?"
"Makoto is like a pricey bounty," Crawford commented. "They don't want her here because of what she can do."
"Ich weiß. She *is* skilful." The German giggled then went back to being serious on the work. "So what happens now?"
Crawford swivelled on his chair to stand opposite Schuldig. His lips parted into an intrigued grin /We keep an eye on Makoto while Nagi and Farfarello continue their undercover work/. Schuldig pondered on how long it would be till Makoto realised she was a target by other people. Until they managed to find her only then she would find out the truth the reason for Schuldig and Crawford's presence. She knew they weren't interested in killing her at all and the two Schwarz members had to be sure it stayed that way for now.
TBC.
Ich weiß = I know.