DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Get Backers or any of the characters. Yet.
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Ban glared at Hevn. "I really don't want a third person on our mission. We can handle this on our own. "
"Ban, stop being childish. This is really dangerous. I want you to take Kazuki or Shido with you."
Ban snorted. "They're both unbearable."
Ginji tried reasoning with Ban. "But Ban-chan, if we don't complete the job, we don't get paid."
Ban's glare shifted towards Ginji. "We're the Get Backers. We can do anything. We're going in alone, Hevn. That's that."
Hevn smiled threateningly. "Then I'll take this job elsewhere. And that's that."
"Oh no, we'll ask Kazu-chan or Shido, Hevn. We really need the money. We haven't eaten in days," Ginji pleaded.
"All right then! I'll expect it back in two days. Good luck, guys!"
Ban fumed as she left. "Great, now we'll have to share our pay with a third person. Good going, Ginji."
"Ban-chan, if we didn't agree to it, we wouldn't have any pay."
"Whatever. So, who's it going to be, Ginji?"
"I haven't seen Shido in ages, Ban-chan, let's ask him. Hevn said everyone else is busy. Except Kazu-chan... but he's been getting to you lately."
"Nobody gets to me, Ginji, except you when you're like this."
Ginji grinned. "Whatever you say, Ban-chan."
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"So Kazu-chan, where exactly is the microchip hidden?"
Can't believe monkey-trainer passed this job up to go to a recital. Now I'm stuck with him.
"Here, Ginji," Kazuki pointed to a small square in the center of a complicated blueprint. "It only looks confusing on paper. It's quite simple really. We just get in through this window here-"
"After you've disabled the alarms, Ginji," Ban interrupted.
"- And turn right when we reach this wall in front of us," Kazuki continued, quite indifferent to Ban. "The entrance is located between the second and third doors to our left, hidden in the wall. Ban will take it out.
Hah! Arrogant bastard! He won't even acknowledge my presence. Ban was annoyed beyond comprehension. He loved making himself felt.
"Right," Ginji nodded, "and we'll get attacked around two seconds after we've taken the chip. We'll be prepared."
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But we were so prepared... Ban's mind protested as he lay bleeding on the floor. There had been no guards. Just one very powerful explosion the minute he had picked up the chip. But Ginji disabled the alarms. But we saw the guards. But... An endless stream of thoughts filled his mind, pushing away doubts of death, and all the persistent images of Ginji and Kazuki.
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Ginji and Kazuki had stood guard at either end of the passage as Ban had forced his way in. they hadn't felt the explosion quite as forcefully, especially Kazuki who was further away. Ban was wrong. There were guards. Around a dozen or so to each former Volts' member, but they were no more than glorified thugs with guns.
Ginji was the first to reach Ban. He examined his injured partner quickly and carefully, and tried to lift him up.
"Hang on, Ban-chan, we'll be out in a minute," Ginji said more to himself than his friend as he half-carried, half-dragged him out.
Kazuki found the Get Backers a few minutes later. "Ginji, you're really hurt. Let me take care of Midou. The back door's just around the corner."
He hefted Ban onto his shoulders with surprising strength for someone who appeared so gentle.
"Ginji..." Ban mumbled almost inaudibly.
"He's right here, Midou. Try to keep awake."
Ginji took care of the remaining guards who came their way, clearing the path for Kazuki. Soon, they were out of the grounds and driving away in Ban's car.
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Ban woke up to a stark, white light shining into his eyes. Pain seared into every cell in his body as he tried to move.
"Stay still, Ban-chan," came his partner's gentle voice, "you need to heal."
"Oi! Is this a hospital?" Ban managed.
"Ban-chan, I know you hate the, but both Kazu-chan and I agreed that this was the best place to come. Now get some more rest."
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Midou Ban woke up with vague memories of being carried by Kazuki and being in a hospital cot. He opened his eyes slowly to stave off the expected harsh light. However, a pleasantly dim light greeted him. The bed he was in felt a lot softer than the mildly uncomfortable hospital cot. He tried moving his limbs. The excruciating pain was gone, replaced by a dull throb.
This place feels safe! Ban suddenly realized.
Very few places had ever felt safe to Midou Ban. His car, for one, with Ginji. The Honky Tonk café. And with Yamato before that. But none of them had felt this... comforting.
His throat was dry and scratchy. He found his voice after a few tries. "Ginji..." he rasped out. No answer. He lay back in the warm bed and looked around. The room was tastefully done in warm colors. A large window, covered by brown and gold-yellow curtains took up most of one wall. The walls were ivory and all the furniture mahogany. His sheets were rust-colored and made of soft, finely spun cotton. The nightstand was devoid of any personal touches, and only had a lamp and a clock on it. The walls were bare except for a painting on a field of ripe rice.
His observations were cut short by the sound of a door being slammed. His muscles automatically tensed into readiness. The door swung open quietly and Ginji's worried face peered in, immediately breaking into a huge grin.
"Ban-chan! You were asleep for ages!" Ginji pulled Ban into his trademark bear hug, his voice filled with relief.
"SO you're up, Midou-san. I am glad. Ginji won't worry so much now." Fuuchouin Kazuki stood at the doorway, not wanting to intrude on the reunion.
"Ha! You didn't expect me to die, did you Thread Spool?" Ban retorted. He looks so damn good. Every single time, blasted Fuuchouin.
"Ban-chan! Be nice! Kazu-chan carried you when you were down, and he's letting us use his place. He said you needed a real bed, not a car seat or a café booth. Right, Kazu-chan?"
But Kazuki was already gone.
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I got a review! I don't believe this! It's great how you post a story for the kick of seeing your writing online, and someone reads it. Thank you, ryuuen kurai! (And I'm a fan of CCS, fushigi yuugi, and flame of recca... I love Fuuko/Tokiya!)
And a lot of my nicknames will be screwy. Forgive me, I've only watched the dubbed version on Animax, where Ban mostly call Shido "Zoo-boy" and Kazuki "Yarnball". (Animax uses the same voice actors for ALL it's anime. Bastards!)
Kerian