By: Ochako107
Standard Disclaimers applySano idly used his index finger to press the down button. He sighed, "So...what are we looking for again?" Megumi growled having to reiterate once again.
"We...or should I say I am looking for these ten drug dealers. It seems that Shishio has a tight group going, not to mention a lover."
"Lover?" Sano scooted towards Megumi to peer over her shoulder. "Wow, she's hot!"
She rolled her eyes. "Men...stupid Sanosuke..."
"What was that?"
"Nothing, you keep researching over there, Sanosuke." He nodded and went back to pressing the down button.
"Stop calling me Sanosuke, it's so damn formal. And what's with you wearing those goggle things when you're on the computer?"
"It's...a habit."
"Reminds me of ED from Cowboy Bebop. Hey are you a wannabe?" He laughed.
She adjusted her lens and crouched over the computer. "Shut up and work."
He sat up an hour later and took a closer look around the room. It was moderately dim and pictures were scattered on the walls of places around the world. There was one to France, Japan, Costa Rica, Hawaii, and even Switzerland. "I didn't know you liked to travel."
"I never went to those places, but I'd like to some day." Megumi replied not taking her eyes off the screen. A small smile played on her lips. "Some day..."
Sano stared at her profile and continued to admire the pictures. "Then why not go?"
"Because of my job, my friends, I have no money...and well, no travel buddy. I wouldn't want to go to these places alone! Kaoru is afraid of airplanes, and Misao is too in touch with her family, not to mention her grandfather is extremely sick."
"Why are you tellin' me this, Megumi?"
"Because that's what a team does. It's not always about missions, or research. A team is built on trust, so we can cooperate better, you idiot. Really... men."
"Oi! Just cause I enjoy a good fight doesn't mean I'm stupid."
"I never said that you were stupid, you just called yourself that. I called you in idiot. Ohoho!" She clicked away on her mouse and laughed as Sano fumed.
A few minutes of silence passed and it seemed they were gathering much of the important information. "You know...I like traveling too. Maybe one day we could go to Paris...or Japan..." Megumi stopped scanning the screen and turned around to look at Sano's back. He'd do that for her? Maybe this Sanosuke character isn't so bad.
She smiled at him. "I'd like that... Sano."
The two ninjas searched the grounds for an entrance. "Hey Shinomori, see anything? I mean, being short does have its fall backs." She laughed innocently.
"I see three; two in the front and one in the back."
"But those are the only main doors?" He nodded to Misao. "Well keep looking around, there has to be another entrance." They moved towards a small mote that went half way around the building and began searching there. "So...Aoshi, I can call you that right?"
"Aa."
"How long have you been training?"
"..."
"Wow, that's so interesting!"
"..."
"Okay, so why did you snort when I said I love practicing kempo and kunais?" She put a hand to her hip.
Aoshi sighed rubbing his temples gently. "It's more than just practicing, Makamachi. In practice, no ones life is on the line, in practice you're aloud to mess up. In the field, one small mistake can cost everything." He said in the same monotone voice. Misao didn't say anything for quite sometime. "What's wrong."
"That... must has been the most you've ever said in these past three hours." She blushed as she watched his ice blue eyes pin her and she quickly moved away to search another location. "Anyhow, I'm not the best at kempo. My grandfather is the one who taught me, but he's been sick for... I'd say four years. So I kind of lost some time to train while I'm taking care of him and all." She turned around to search the floor for nothing, just wanting to look away.
"I see."
"No you don't." Aoshi was taken back. Did she just say no to him? "No one does anyway." Her form didn't move for a few seconds. Aoshi felt another presence coming towards them.
"Makamachi, we have to move." While she was sitting on the floor she traced something with her hand.
"What's this...?" She questioned herself. She felt a metal ring painted green below her palm. "Bingo!"
"Who's there? Show yourselves!" A gruff voice called. Misao's head snapped up.
"Oh no! We gotta' move!"
"I said that a few seconds ago, were you not listening--"
"Yeah, yeah, you can scold me later, but we got to run!" She picked herself up and took Aoshi's hand unconsciously. Right where they were running, a man came towards them. Aoshi pulled her to run the opposite direction but another man came. "Crap!" Misao cursed. "Okay, plan B."
Aoshi didn't have enough time to ask as he watched Misao pull out a kunai and a small tube. "What are you--" She quickly used her kunai to open the bottle, then swallowed two pills and hid it back in her cargo pants. She held her kunai like a dagger and leaned over the mote to vomit.
"You there! What are you-- oh my gosh, is that young woman vomiting?" The guard asked.
Aoshi looked down at Misao who was bobbing her head eyeing him saying 'hello-spy? Acting-remember?' He picked up a voice that sounded like Sano's.
"False alarm fella's. My girlfriend here had too much to drink." Misao almost smiled except she began vomiting again. "Sorry to scare you, but she didn't want to throw up on your street."
The man eyed Misao and backed off a little. "I see. Um well carry on." Aoshi nodded to the two men before going to Misao.
The officers were still watching as Aoshi spoke to her in his acting voice comfortingly. "Are you okay...hun?"
"Isn't that cute."
"Sure is, reminds me back when I was younger." The two men rambled as they walked away.
Misao was blushing madly as she continued to slowly stop vomiting. "Good job, you sounded real for a second there."
He didn't say anything as he was helping her up.
She waved the bottle of vomiting pills. "Megumi's work you know. Good thing I remembered that one time I was acting as a sick patient and she was the doctor. And yes, I'm fine, thanks SO much for asking." She added quickly, shrugged his arm off her and reached into her pocket for her cell phone. "I found their little passage way."
"Again, strike!" Kenshin told Kaoru. She hit the dummy again and again improving her skills. "Good, we should take a break now, that we should." They both sat down and took a drink of water.
"So Kenshin, I know we have code names, and as leaders we should...you know share information to strengthen our team work."
"Ah, perhaps we should. Battousai is me, Zanza is Sano, and Okashira is Aoshi."
"Good, I'm Tanuki, Misao is Itachi, and Megumi is Kitsune." Kenshin just stared at her. "Don't ask, it's a childhood thing."
"Oh so you three grew up together?"
"I suppose so." Kaoru smiled. "But then again, I never did like code names. I mean, if you were dying, would you want to die with some name that isn't even really yours? The one you were born with? I wouldn't want to die that way." Kaoru shook her head, her blue-black bands swishing a little to the side. "Not the death of the tanuki, but of the Kamiya Kaoru."
Kenshin stopped moving for a moment to take in her words before nodding. Kaoru spoke up again, "Now, how do you find whom you are supposed to get?"
"We read a file, know his location, and take him out."
Kaoru bit her lip. "How... how can you kill someone and not know about the life they had?"
"Oh no, Kaoru-dono, we don't KILL people. Take them out simply means we knock them unconscious or corner them until the police come. And unlike you lades, we have no research except whatever is in the folder that we don't."
"I see." She said wringing her hands together. "Um... what about the fighting? We only worked in simulations so..."
Kenshin smiled, "Ah, fighting. Kaoru-dono, it's important you don't lose focus out in the field. Perhaps what about attacking as duos? That seems reliable, everyone has each other's back. I'm sure you ladies would like us to protect you."
"Excuse me? Kenshin no baka!"
"Oro!"
"Just because we are girls doesn't mean we need babysitters thank you. We want this chance to show shishou we can do this!" He watched the young woman before him express herself and didn't really know what to say. "Everyone is always pushing us down just because we are females, we do just as hard work as men do, it's not fair!" She pounded the floor with a stiff fist. "It's not...fair..." She sobbed.
Kenshin scooted closer to her and put a hand to her shoulder. "Kaoru-dono, I hardly know you, and you hardly know me, but I can tell you have a strong spirit. I understand Shishou can be aggravating sometimes, but we will help you guys out. My...purpose is to protect the weak. This one isn't calling you weak, but I know Shishou is hurting you inside." He lifted her chin to stare into her sapphire eyes. "I promise to protect you."
Kaoru searched his eyes, his violet eyes, for something. It was comfort and trust... "Funny, you don't resemble a Battousai at all."
Kenshin chuckled. "I wouldn't count on that." Kaoru felt her cell phone vibrate and she pulled away for a second.
"Hello? Misao you found something? Okay, it's getting late anyhow, meet up in Megumi's lab at six. Are you okay? You sound a little sick." She paused and turned to Kenshin. "Well... okay you and Aoshi go eat something. Bye."
"What was that if this one may ask?" He got up and collected their things.
"Ah, Aoshi and Misao has found an entrance into the building. I'm sure Sano and Megumi are doing well with the research, so lets go meet up with them." He nodded and picked up her stuff.
"Please Kaoru-dono, let me." She blushed and allowed him to be a gentleman. "So, I'm assuming research and the grounds is covered. What will be next on your list before Friday?"
Kaoru smiled. "Well, research and maps of the ground usually take a day or so to map out. But with the six of us it may actually be faster! This mission stuff is really exciting actually." She began walking up the stairs. "After that, we wait for the party on Friday."
Kenshin didn't say anything for a while. "Kaoru-dono, how will we get in? Usually we are simply told to take someone out. This is actually the first time we...have a plan."
Kaoru and Kenshin paused before Megumi's computer room and stared at each other. "Well, this is a new experience for both of us hua?" She giggled and pinched his nose softly before entering the room to find Megumi strangling Sano for snapping the strap to her goggles.