Naota sniffled as he made his way home. He constantly fingered the
large, fuzzy caterpillars that were now attached to his head. He had tried
to tug them off for a little bit, but finally had decided to just wait till
the glue dissolved rather than rip the skin off his own face trying to pull
them off.
As he walked, he kept playing over and over in his mind the events of this night. Was Jakun telling the truth? Did he have that kind of power within him? And what's more, was Haruko lying to him all along? But then again, what if it was Haruko who was telling the truth, and Jakun who was lying. What if Haruko really did have some sort of feelings for him, and it was Jakun who simply wanted that power? And above all this, how was he going to save Mamimi and Eri? He groaned and rubbed his temples. He had a headache coming on; he just hoped nothing leapt out of his skull this time.
"Stupid Haruko...stupid Jakun..." he muttered as he approached his building. "Costing me my friends, my life my...my apartment!" he yelped when he saw the piece of paper taped to the door. He ripped it from its place and read aloud the words printed boldly on it" "Eviction Notice?!"
He tore the door open and collapsed to his knees when faced with the chaos within.
"Its not as bad as I thought it was." Haruko's voice came from behind him. He looked over his shoulder, eyes narrowed with rage, most of it at her.
"You completely wrecked my place!" Naota growled.
"Ah, it was a tiny apartment anyway" Haruko said casually while digging in her ear with her finger, "I bet we could get a much better place somewhere else."
"What do you mean 'we'?" Naota said, rising to his feet and storming into the wrecked apartment. He instantly made for his bedroom, determined to collect whatever belongings where left over before he tried to find a hotel room.
"I mean we as in the plural of you and me" Haruko said, following him, "By the way, nice eyebrows." Naota spun around to face her, his eyes bloodshot with anger.
"Will you shut up!" he wailed. He was silenced by the sound of his upstairs neighbor stomping on the floor above them.
"You've been evicted Naota! Get out and leave everyone alone!" the angry voice shouted from above.
"Oh go to hell!" Naota screamed in response. He grabbed the nearest piece of debris and hurled it at the ceiling, making his own banging response to the stomping.
"Takun, calm down." Haruko said, holding her hands up as if trying to ward off an attack. She actually looked surprised to see the incredible anger Naota was seething.
"My name is Naota! Not Takun, Naota! Get it right!" Naota roared at her.
"All right, all right, Naota" she said, finally using his true name. "Just calm down, will you."
"Calm down? CALM DOWN??? Look at my place! Look at my life!" He pointed an accusing finger at her, and she actually took a reflexive step back. "Its because of you! All of this is because of you! Everything was fine before you came back!"
"You don't mean that..."
"Don't I?" Naota said, exasperated that she had even said that to him. He spun back to his dresser, yanking his clothes from the drawers and stuffing the hastily into an overnight bag. "Just do me a favor and get out of my life, please!" he threw over his shoulder at her.
"No way Naota! Jakun is still out there somewhere. I can't let you go around unprotected while he's around."
"I don't need your protection!" he hissed as he the strap of his bag over his shoulder. "I'll take care of Jakun myself! Then I'll save Mamimi and Eri! And then I'll get on with my life, without you!" He marched forward, pushing past Haruko. She watched as he made for the door, her lower lip trembling a little. Then he face burned into a look of painful determination.
"Sorry Naota, but this time I'm staying." She smacked Naota hard behind his head with her bass. Naota remained standing for a moment before he collapsed, his world going dark...
"This isn't over. We can still salvage this." Amarao insisted. Kitsurubami stared him in disbelief. He stood before the massive monitor at the IIB headquarters, watching as their battle was replayed time and time again. His arm was in a sling now, his shoulder wound rendering him unable to use it without considerable pain. His bright red hair dye had been washed out by the fountain water, leaving it it's true, somber color. Right now, he had never looked more pathetic. But he had also never seemed as fanatically determined, and what little faith Kitsurubami had had left in her boss's abilities was quickly fading.
"With all due respect sir, this has been a disaster from the start. We should do whatever we can to detach ourselves from it before it gets worse."
"I won't let her get away with whatever she's trying. Her and that freak with the spiky hair. And that bratty kid too. They're all going down for this."
"Naota hasn't done anything," she said, her temper starting to rise as his ranting grew more and more nonsensical. "He's just as much a victim in this as we have been."
"He's in on it somehow, I know it. Now quickly scramble a new team, with really big guns this time. I mean the biggest. And get me some candy, I need something sweet."
"That does it!" she shouted, drawing the attention of all the other agents in the room. Amarao turned to her, truly not realizing what was now happening.
"Kitsurubami, that was a direct order. I want you to..."
"With all due respect, sir" she hissed, her voice laced with sarcasm, "You have been abusing your position for your personal grudge against Haruko, and now you have been risking the lives of Bureau agents and civilians for kamikaze missions, and now you don't even know when to quit!" Every agent in the room took in a gasp, having never seen such rage from this normally shy and withdrawn woman. Amarao himself stumbled back, unable to believe the venom in her words.
"You-you're out of order, Agent Kitsurubami..." he stuttered.
"It's about time someone was!" she shouted. She reached out and tore the pin baring the IIB insignia away from Amarao's collar. She threw it the ground and stomped it. "I'm stripping you of command! Security, somebody, arrest this man!"
Everyone in the room rose to their feet and applauded as two agents stepped forward and grabbed either of Amarao's arms. He began kicking and screaming as they dragged him from the room.
"Kitsurubami, you little traitor! I'll get you for this, you hear me!" his voice faded as they pulled him further away.
"All right" Kitsurubami said, her face grave and serious as she turned to address every agent in the room. "Until further notice, I am in command from here out. I want every agent in the field to withdraw to purely observatory positions until notified otherwise. And for God's sake, someone get me a cup of coffee!" everyone scrambled to follow her orders, not wanting to risk her seemingly unstoppable wrath.
"You realize, Ma'am" one agent said as he handed her the desired cup of caffeine, "You could be court marshaled, or even imprisoned for this."
"It will be worth it to make things make sense for just a little while" she sighed and took a deep swig of her drink.
"Hold on Eri...I think I've almost got it." Mamimi said as she struggled to loosen the knot that bound they're hands together. They had been tied to chairs, back to back, the ropes keeping them restrained to their seats both at once. Blindfolds left them unable to see save to tell day from night. They had become reacquainted through talking.
"Hurry Mamimi, he could be back any minute!" Eri urged. She struggled in her chair, trying to loosen some of the ropes more to grant her friend further mobility.
"Almost there..." Mamimi said, her tongue touching her upper lip unconsciously as she tried to work her fingers a little faster...
"Impressive. A few more seconds and you might actually have done it." Jakun's voice sliced the hope they had been building clean in two as his hand clapped down onto Mamimi's. They both gave horrified shrieks and struggled as best they could to try to loosen the ropes even as he tightened them further around them. Small drops of blood formed as the rope burned the skin of their wrists and ankles.
"What do you want with us?" Eri said between the tears of desperation.
"You two are nothing to me. It's your friend Naota I'm interested in."
"Naota? What do you want with him?" Mamimi said, her curiosity truly perked.
"He's not a bad kid. We had a meeting earlier. Didn't go the way I'd hoped, but at least I know he won't be giving me much trouble next time."
"Next time?" Eri sniffled.
"Yeah. All I need is for him to make up his mind, and then we find out who is right, and who is dead." With that, he left them, screaming for help in the dark.
As he walked, he kept playing over and over in his mind the events of this night. Was Jakun telling the truth? Did he have that kind of power within him? And what's more, was Haruko lying to him all along? But then again, what if it was Haruko who was telling the truth, and Jakun who was lying. What if Haruko really did have some sort of feelings for him, and it was Jakun who simply wanted that power? And above all this, how was he going to save Mamimi and Eri? He groaned and rubbed his temples. He had a headache coming on; he just hoped nothing leapt out of his skull this time.
"Stupid Haruko...stupid Jakun..." he muttered as he approached his building. "Costing me my friends, my life my...my apartment!" he yelped when he saw the piece of paper taped to the door. He ripped it from its place and read aloud the words printed boldly on it" "Eviction Notice?!"
He tore the door open and collapsed to his knees when faced with the chaos within.
"Its not as bad as I thought it was." Haruko's voice came from behind him. He looked over his shoulder, eyes narrowed with rage, most of it at her.
"You completely wrecked my place!" Naota growled.
"Ah, it was a tiny apartment anyway" Haruko said casually while digging in her ear with her finger, "I bet we could get a much better place somewhere else."
"What do you mean 'we'?" Naota said, rising to his feet and storming into the wrecked apartment. He instantly made for his bedroom, determined to collect whatever belongings where left over before he tried to find a hotel room.
"I mean we as in the plural of you and me" Haruko said, following him, "By the way, nice eyebrows." Naota spun around to face her, his eyes bloodshot with anger.
"Will you shut up!" he wailed. He was silenced by the sound of his upstairs neighbor stomping on the floor above them.
"You've been evicted Naota! Get out and leave everyone alone!" the angry voice shouted from above.
"Oh go to hell!" Naota screamed in response. He grabbed the nearest piece of debris and hurled it at the ceiling, making his own banging response to the stomping.
"Takun, calm down." Haruko said, holding her hands up as if trying to ward off an attack. She actually looked surprised to see the incredible anger Naota was seething.
"My name is Naota! Not Takun, Naota! Get it right!" Naota roared at her.
"All right, all right, Naota" she said, finally using his true name. "Just calm down, will you."
"Calm down? CALM DOWN??? Look at my place! Look at my life!" He pointed an accusing finger at her, and she actually took a reflexive step back. "Its because of you! All of this is because of you! Everything was fine before you came back!"
"You don't mean that..."
"Don't I?" Naota said, exasperated that she had even said that to him. He spun back to his dresser, yanking his clothes from the drawers and stuffing the hastily into an overnight bag. "Just do me a favor and get out of my life, please!" he threw over his shoulder at her.
"No way Naota! Jakun is still out there somewhere. I can't let you go around unprotected while he's around."
"I don't need your protection!" he hissed as he the strap of his bag over his shoulder. "I'll take care of Jakun myself! Then I'll save Mamimi and Eri! And then I'll get on with my life, without you!" He marched forward, pushing past Haruko. She watched as he made for the door, her lower lip trembling a little. Then he face burned into a look of painful determination.
"Sorry Naota, but this time I'm staying." She smacked Naota hard behind his head with her bass. Naota remained standing for a moment before he collapsed, his world going dark...
"This isn't over. We can still salvage this." Amarao insisted. Kitsurubami stared him in disbelief. He stood before the massive monitor at the IIB headquarters, watching as their battle was replayed time and time again. His arm was in a sling now, his shoulder wound rendering him unable to use it without considerable pain. His bright red hair dye had been washed out by the fountain water, leaving it it's true, somber color. Right now, he had never looked more pathetic. But he had also never seemed as fanatically determined, and what little faith Kitsurubami had had left in her boss's abilities was quickly fading.
"With all due respect sir, this has been a disaster from the start. We should do whatever we can to detach ourselves from it before it gets worse."
"I won't let her get away with whatever she's trying. Her and that freak with the spiky hair. And that bratty kid too. They're all going down for this."
"Naota hasn't done anything," she said, her temper starting to rise as his ranting grew more and more nonsensical. "He's just as much a victim in this as we have been."
"He's in on it somehow, I know it. Now quickly scramble a new team, with really big guns this time. I mean the biggest. And get me some candy, I need something sweet."
"That does it!" she shouted, drawing the attention of all the other agents in the room. Amarao turned to her, truly not realizing what was now happening.
"Kitsurubami, that was a direct order. I want you to..."
"With all due respect, sir" she hissed, her voice laced with sarcasm, "You have been abusing your position for your personal grudge against Haruko, and now you have been risking the lives of Bureau agents and civilians for kamikaze missions, and now you don't even know when to quit!" Every agent in the room took in a gasp, having never seen such rage from this normally shy and withdrawn woman. Amarao himself stumbled back, unable to believe the venom in her words.
"You-you're out of order, Agent Kitsurubami..." he stuttered.
"It's about time someone was!" she shouted. She reached out and tore the pin baring the IIB insignia away from Amarao's collar. She threw it the ground and stomped it. "I'm stripping you of command! Security, somebody, arrest this man!"
Everyone in the room rose to their feet and applauded as two agents stepped forward and grabbed either of Amarao's arms. He began kicking and screaming as they dragged him from the room.
"Kitsurubami, you little traitor! I'll get you for this, you hear me!" his voice faded as they pulled him further away.
"All right" Kitsurubami said, her face grave and serious as she turned to address every agent in the room. "Until further notice, I am in command from here out. I want every agent in the field to withdraw to purely observatory positions until notified otherwise. And for God's sake, someone get me a cup of coffee!" everyone scrambled to follow her orders, not wanting to risk her seemingly unstoppable wrath.
"You realize, Ma'am" one agent said as he handed her the desired cup of caffeine, "You could be court marshaled, or even imprisoned for this."
"It will be worth it to make things make sense for just a little while" she sighed and took a deep swig of her drink.
"Hold on Eri...I think I've almost got it." Mamimi said as she struggled to loosen the knot that bound they're hands together. They had been tied to chairs, back to back, the ropes keeping them restrained to their seats both at once. Blindfolds left them unable to see save to tell day from night. They had become reacquainted through talking.
"Hurry Mamimi, he could be back any minute!" Eri urged. She struggled in her chair, trying to loosen some of the ropes more to grant her friend further mobility.
"Almost there..." Mamimi said, her tongue touching her upper lip unconsciously as she tried to work her fingers a little faster...
"Impressive. A few more seconds and you might actually have done it." Jakun's voice sliced the hope they had been building clean in two as his hand clapped down onto Mamimi's. They both gave horrified shrieks and struggled as best they could to try to loosen the ropes even as he tightened them further around them. Small drops of blood formed as the rope burned the skin of their wrists and ankles.
"What do you want with us?" Eri said between the tears of desperation.
"You two are nothing to me. It's your friend Naota I'm interested in."
"Naota? What do you want with him?" Mamimi said, her curiosity truly perked.
"He's not a bad kid. We had a meeting earlier. Didn't go the way I'd hoped, but at least I know he won't be giving me much trouble next time."
"Next time?" Eri sniffled.
"Yeah. All I need is for him to make up his mind, and then we find out who is right, and who is dead." With that, he left them, screaming for help in the dark.
