Schwarz Blitz 10
****
"I've sent Nagi the next details on the attack," Crawford informed the German passenger as his mocha eyes remained on the laptop screen.
"Did you mention about…?"
"Yes, I did. Don't worry I'm sure Nagi will understand," The American answered promptly. Schuldig sighed in relief and slumped further down in his seat. Prodigy did have feelings towards that weird Schreiend girl, Tot back in the past. Surely he would understand the similar thoughts to Mastermind. If Oracle didn't bother sending him the email about Makoto, it was likely that the other two Schwarz members would follow Mr Honda's orders and start killing people, including the Japanese girl herself. Truthfully Schuldig didn't want to see her get into a mess tonight. It would be a waste for him to not be able to look into her precious mind any more.
Ten more minutes to go, according to the Schwarz leader and then it would be show time. From Nagi's past emails, he had said that Berserker had been intimidating Aki and the co-workers (of course with a strange appearance like that) but most of the time had been in control of his killing sprees because of this undercover duty's importance. It seemed that Nagi and Farfarello had convinced Mr Honda very well in proving their obedience to this so-called aim in improving society. He and his daughter were also going to be receiving surprises from Schwarz and not just Makoto.
Surprising people was such a fun charade and Schuldig wanted the privilege in doing this to HIS victim while Berserker and Prodigy had the honour of surprising the other co-workers at Honda's HQ. As though Crawford was able to read the German telepathically, he remarked, "Don't get too excited, Schuldig."
"Tut mir leid, Crawford. I can't help myself," Schuldig winked. How could he think of fun during a mission? The American wondered, slightly in irritation.
****
Makoto watched the small lightning bolt travel from her fingers and strike towards the different tiles on the pavement. Its brightness created a sort of glowing effect down the whole of the night-shaded street and it could have passed as an alternative source for dim lampposts. The young Japanese girl had to psyche her mind up all night since leaving the bar during the early afternoon. She wasn't sure if what Schuldig and Crawford had told her was true. But a second voice had been too curious and insisted that this little rumour ought to be taken seriously. What if it was true?
Whatever was going to happen tonight, Makoto didn't want to waste time sitting at home, imagining ways of beating Aki up on the street. Of course this little imagination game was one way to psyche her brain up tonight. Who knows? She could take out the inner anger on the unlucky opponents she had coming her way. All night Makoto occasionally had brief scepticism popping up now and then as she practised her moves, including her newly acquired electrical ability. She had known Schuldig was someone who enjoyed tormenting people and it wouldn't come as a complete shock to her if all this was a game that he and his mysterious buddy Crawford had planned.
Makoto wondered if believing in what they had told her today had anything to do with Schuldig's telepathy. Did he make her believe in each word they spelt out? If he did use his power on her, she didn't feel anything at all. Although when he was at her apartment she did have a headache developing soon after. It was as though her thoughts and feelings were all in a bad mixture. Well she wasn't in the mood to have another headache right now. There was a more important issue to deal with.
Makoto's pupils shrunk from the bright blue colours her lightning bolts had on their surface. She wasn't using all her power from this technique. It was just a sign to say that she was alive and fit to be in combat mode. She was positive the other Senshi had the same discovery as her, finding out that they were able to use their elemental powers without having to transform into their Sailor fukus. Makoto couldn't believe her eyes when she realised this ability during a fight one day. Her anger had swelled to a high level and then all of a sudden a bright light came from her hands. And she knew it was a Supreme Thunder attack that had been used. Soon after that Makoto was able to use her other known Senshi attacks in a normal state.
How could this have happened? Ever since that day the transformation pen never worked. It was all too coincidental since everyone officially announced their retirement as the Sailor Senshi. But did it matter? Well perhaps it did. Being able to use the Sailor Senshi power without transforming did mean everyone was sort of odd in public. OK not mutants like the X Men but still it was similar to the comic notion. The former Sailor Senshi just had to keep their secrets to themselves and use it when it was necessary.
Makoto did use lightning once when she had her first fight in Osaka. It consisted of tiny shocks to the person's body though, not a dramatic move like Supreme Thunder Dragon. That would only come if she were desperate to survive and was close to losing. When or where will she strike? Makoto thought. She knew Aki always had an unusual aura flashing in the café. There had to be something hiding behind that mannequin face of hers and the reason for the bitchiness towards the waitresses.
Makoto's ears pulled upwards and stopped playing with electricity when she caught the sound of someone's arrival. It was predictable if it was Schuldig who had come to see her. She had grown used to seeing his annoying face night and day. Whether this was supposed to be a good or bad thing was something Makoto wasn't entirely sure of. The bad thing was that he was able to read her mind and piss her off with some of the emotions. The good thing…well, her sensitive side towards men had to unleash some time and she had to confess about being intrigued by his strange charm.
Slapping her cheeks, Makoto realized this was one reason why she didn't want to get too close with any more men, especially if they happened to be her opponents. So far the men she had encountered weren't to her liking (thank goodness), which meant a determined victory was all she needed. However if there was someone such as Schuldig or Crawford then she could consider herself to be in deep shit and her cautiousness had to rise to a higher level. Attraction towards the opposite gender wasn't the highest priority during fights. What meant to her the most was picking up the victory and making the fight quick and easy.
Looks like someone wants to say hello Makoto thought and picked up a wooden plank by her left foot. It shouldn't be too hard to find the opponent, particularly when in the main part of the town and not in an alleyway. If she were in the latter then it would make finding the opponent harder for her. Her deep green eyes swirled in all directions. Who could it be? She promised herself to scream if it was Schuldig who was playing with her like always. The footsteps came closer and Makoto knew he wanted a sneak attack.
But that wasn't going to happen! Makoto swung the wooden plank behind her when she turned around and struck the opponent in the ribs and then to the back of his left leg. The attack was too fast for the person to counter against and he was on knee already. With relief it wasn't Schuldig who wanted to surprise her.
"Oh, it's YOU," Makoto recognised the junky from before. The last person to attempt a robbery on her. What the hell was he doing back here? He should have known he couldn't beat her. Or was he trying to be a man and show he had enough balls to take her on for the second time? Only tonight she had only worsened his body injuries. Makoto saw the faint traces of the bruises he got from before when they first met. She forced herself not to smile because of the lovely damage she had created on him.
Lowering the plank down from defence, she asked, "Thought you could take me on again, huh? Geez, you are pathetic."
"I didn't come to fight!" The boy said, trying to balance on his legs. "Just being a messenger." Makoto's eyebrows rose. A messenger, did he say?
She grabbed his jacket collars and looked him in the eye at a deadly angle. "Who sent you?"
"A-A-Aki did." The familiar name caused more tension among Makoto's fingers while she grabbed the boy's collars, giving her a chance to strangle him easily. "It's the truth, I swear. She wants to see you. Oh man please don't kill me."
Kill! Why would I do that? I'm not a murderer Makoto's only objective in this town was to beat the trash down and watch them suffer. Killing somebody was never a wise option. She didn't have that sort of ideal on justice. To be honest the girl rarely thought of murder. It never crossed her mind and the only thing she cared about was to watch the person bleed, whimper then run home guiltily. But then…killing a mad person was a tempting idea. Should she kill this guy now? Hold on to your crazy thoughts, Mako-chan. He said Aki sent him. This meant one obvious point. Schuldig and Crawford were telling the truth.
"Why wasn't she at work today?" Makoto questioned, pulling the boy's face closer to her nose angrily.
"She and her dad have been planning on making the society like before. You know, full of good shit. They wanna get rid of the crap that reeks in this place. And you're next!" The boy shrieked at the pain across his throat. "I'll take you to her if that's what you want. Just please…" Automatically Makoto let her fingers free from the boy's jacket, knowing what he wanted. If he had the desire to live, he would have to start making use of it properly from now on.
"Take me to her," She ordered. The boy whined a weak 'uh-huh' as he was ushered by the violent girl behind him. How could Makoto not take any notice in finding out who sent this boy and the previous ten muggers? How could she not see it was Aki all along? Stupid girl! She thought angrily and followed the boy's direction. Hearing Aki and her father get rid of 'the crap that reeked in this place' would mean more violence and trouble in Osaka. Everything mentioned on the news started to make more sense to her now.
As the boy walked, he suddenly flinched in his arms and immediately fainted to the ground. It took an extra minute for Makoto to be able just about hear the sound of a sniper being fired in her direction. A third shot went into the boy's stomach and she didn't have to look down at him to see he was instantly dead on the spot. It seemed that he wouldn't have to show her where Aki was. It appeared the enemy had found her already and they thought this junkie boy was of no use anymore. Makoto didn't want to waste her sympathy on the dead person lying next to her. It was his loss for choosing to be in this lifestyle. There wasn't anything she could have done to help him. And it was likely that he wouldn't accept her assistance anyway.
Crawford said there would be at least four people Makoto recalled the explanation. Her mind went into a focused trance as she tried to pinpoint where each person was. She had the feeling these opponents would be tough like Schuldig and Crawford. If anyone could use a sniper and aim perfectly like a minute ago then it would issue a warning to the opposing party. Makoto had to be alert and be sure that this wasn't playtime. Wait! What if…? Her mind went into a thinking state. What if Schuldig and Crawford really were setting up an assassination to take her out and did work for Aki and her father?
She swore briefly before walking past four clothes shops silently. If she survived this then she would give one hell of a beating to those two idiots. She was going to take everything out on them. And it wasn't going to be a nice sight. For now she had to find where these other guys were. Makoto couldn't help being too sensitive as she checked her surroundings. Whenever she thought there was someone nearby, it ended up being the wind or an owl hooting on the lampposts. Perhaps seeing the junkie boy die in three sniper shots was beginning to frighten her.
Nonsense, she said in her head and forced more concentration to her brain. Becoming scared in the last minute was a very bad sign and could mean a defeat. So where were these bastards then? Scepticism started to loom into Makoto again. She shouldn't be letting her guard down like this, should she? I know you're here. Come out the wooden plank balanced defensively across her chest, ready to strike when the enemy came out of hiding. Her eyes and ears were all in combat status. What she needed now was the opponent.
"Excuse me, are you Kino Makoto?"
She shortly gasped at the sound of the new voice. Was it coming from behind her? It had to be. Nobody was in front of her. Her green eyes couldn't see anything except the shop windows and the phone box. Her left ear caught the loading of a gun and her head swirled to the left. Shit, nothing there. The enemies must be in excellent hiding places. Either that or they had the ability to be invisible. Dammit this wasn't the world of comics or a sci-fi film.
"Yeah," Makoto decided to reply to continue this game, "I'm Kino Makoto. Who are...? Ow!" From the left side, a heavy nudge to the left hip sent her into the bottom of a lamppost, causing her to grunt unexpectedly when she landed on the ground. Her hip literally felt like it had become a horrible inward dent when her hand felt the damage. She repeated her question, "W-Who are you?" Her face was in a scrunched up fashion as her eyes ascended to her attackers. Four shadows surrounded her, each one with a weapon.
"We're your killers, girlie," The first person said. This sounded like the one who asked for her identity.
"And you're our prize for top cash," A second voice came in and laughed as he showed the shiny blade of his knife. Oh I'm really fucked up this time Makoto thought, feeling her forehead dampen in sweat. Her left hip was pulling her down to the ground and she wasn't able to pick her body up properly. How was she going to get out of this?
TBC.
Sorry this is shorter than usual ^_^;; I'm trying my best to get everything in order. Not to worry this is nearly finished.